Book Review: NIV Teen Study Bible

 

From the Book Cover:   The Bible keeps up with you, to help you keep up with God! As an on-the-go teen, you’re moving fast. God is moving faster! The NIV Teen Study Bible will help you keep in step with all he has done, is doing, and will do in the world—and in your life. This bestselling Bible will also help you discover the eternal truths of God’s Word and apply them to the issues you face today. Features include:

• “We Believe”—Unpacks the Apostles’ Creed to reveal the biblical foundation of faith
• “Panorama”—Keeps the big picture of each book of the Bible in view
• Topical indexes—Help with in-depth Bible study
• Book introductions—Provide an overview for each book of the Bible
• Bible Promises—Highlighted Bible verses worth memorizing
• Q & As—Test Bible knowledge
• 4 full-color pages—Includes a presentation page and information about the Apostles’ Creed
• 8-page, color map section
• Biblical advice about friends, family, school, and other issues
• Easy-to-read font size
• Complete text of the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible.

With over 3.5 million copies sold, the Teen Study Bible continues to be a teen’s top resource for discovering the foundational truths of the Bible.

My Review:   Being a mom of 4 children, 3 of them teenagers, in today's secular world is no easy task.  The temptations, distractions, constant reminders of things they could be doing with all the electronics on the market rather than read are many!  To have a wonderfully written book like the NIV Teen Study Bible available to them is a wondrous thing! 

The NIV Teen Study opens with The Apostles Creed and it's history, which unifies us as believers of Christ and unites Christians around the world.  I know you might be thinking there are many of these on the market.  What makes this one different from all the other ones?   Well, there IS a difference!  The Teen Study Bible is 1,614 pages BIG!  In between pages 1-1614 is a multitude of information that teens NEED to read.   This book gets down in the trenches, it's straight talk with topics and hits home on more levels than I have read in other additions.  For example, one of my teen daughters has acne, so pronounced that we take her to a dermatologist who has worked with her and put her on several medicines to help her heal.  Neither her pastor or Sunday School teacher have ever brought up pimples!  But page 346 does exactly that - it talk about 'zits'!  Imagine!  From a Godly perspective, God said to Samuel in the anointing of the King, "Do not consider his appearance or his height .. The Lord does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  Straight talk, people.  Things kids want and need to hear.  They don't want lectures, or sermons that drone on,  they want to hear what is relevant to them in their daily walk, and that walk includes talks of God on their level. 

One amazing feature in this NIV Teen Study Bible is the "Dear Jordan" sections through-out the chapters where kids/teen have asked a variety of questions and Jordan answers them in matter-of-fact, non threatening ways.  Such as, what I argue, what if I'm at a party and there is drinking, what if one of my parents like me better than my siblings?   Sometimes, it is not easy to ask adults the things that kids have on their minds and lay heavy on their hearts.  The quick reference questions which are quick-fire style "Why did God kill Uzzah?" and answer "Uzzah put his hand on the ark of the covenant, which no one was allowed to touch."  Love the quick reference pro quo! In addition, the Instant Access spiritual reference is a great tool for kids to look up the references and have explanations in addition to their entire bible, book by book. 

The pages are a little thin, almost like onion-skin, so this book needs to be treated with some delicacy but it's absolute perfection in style and written with the true teenager in mind.  From open discussions of virginity, sexual promiscuity, drinking, drugs, bullying, shop-lifting, divorce, idolatry of stars, and so much more, this book just brings home all the topics you can imagine that you need to discuss with your teen and have on hand for those 'need scriptural reference' moments.  In addition to the worrisome topics, it's jam packed with the goodness as well, like serving as a Christian teen, witnessing, service projects, reaching out to others, and many more. 

I'm so blessed to have had the chance to review this teen study bible and will use this as a definite guiding tool with my own children.  This book would also benefit those working in the Christian field of teaching, Sunday schools and ministries.  It would also make an excellent gift! 

I was given a copy of this book to review.  The opinions expressed within are purely my own for an honest review of the book.

~Kelly Santi

Book Review: When I fall in love

 

From the Book Jacket:  Hawaii was the last place Grace Christiansen ever imagined she’d vacation, much less fall in love. But when her family surprises her with a cooking retreat in paradise, she is pulled—or maybe yanked—away from her predictable, safe life and thrown headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime.

Max Sharpe may make his living on the ice as a pro hockey player, but he feels most at home in the kitchen. Which is why he lives for the three-week culinary vacation he takes each year in Hawaii. Upon being paired with Grace for a cooking competition, Max finds himself drawn to her passion, confidence, and perseverance. But just when Grace dares to dream of a future beyond her hometown, Max pulls away.

Wrestling with personal demons, Max fights against opening his heart to a love he knows he should never hope for. And as his secrets unfold, Grace is torn between the safe path in front of her and what her heart truly desires. If love means sacrificing her ideal happily ever after, Grace’s faith will face its toughest test yet.

 

 

My Review:  Each Summer, I find book (or three!) to toss in my bag and read at the beach or pool.  When I Fall in Love  by Susan May Warren is just that delightful book!  From the moment I opened the first page, Grace and Maxwell captured my heart and I just had to read on until the wee hours of the night!

This book is my first novel by Susan Warren but I will be scooping up the other two after reading this one!

 

Both characters are so detailed and richly written, they soon become like old friends.  The mystery of their meeting and consequences of them ending up in the same place and time makes you feel for the art of destiny.  As most people that meet or are 'thrown together under circumstance', both Grace and Max have a past, baggage, fears and uncertainties that they bring to the table.  As

an avid cook in the kitchen, the added flair of the cooking competition where they truly learned to master falling in love - both with cooking and one another - is written beautifully.  I honeymooned in Hawaii and I can tell you, the author's writing style and descriptions were so spot on, I felt transported back!

 

Thing is, God is ever present in so many of our situations.  Max was a man who struggled with a past and brought it to the pages of this book.  But Warren does an amazing job of keeping the pace and reminding us that in all things, God gives us strength.  Flawless, delightful, and a must read for those that love contemporary Christian romance with all that's good and nothing that's bad!  *5 Stars!*

 

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

 

 

 

About the Author: Susan May Warren is the bestselling, Christy and RITA Award–winning author of more than forty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church.

Susan holds a BA in mass communications from the University of Minnesota. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA's Inspirational Reader's Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Five of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women's events about God's amazing grace in our lives.

For exciting updates on her new releases, previous books, and more, visit her website at www.susanmaywarren.com.

 

Binding:

Softcover

ISBN:

978-1-4143-7843-5

List Price:

$14.99

Release Date:

July 2014

Page Count:

400

Trim Size:

5 1/2 x 8 1/4

Book Review: Truth Be Told

 

 

Book Synopsis: 
When Amelia Wagner takes over her father's newspaper in 1893 Granite Springs, Arizona, she vows to carry on the paper's commitment to reporting only the truth. But Amelia soon learns that even the truth can have serious consequences. Her father's revealing articles about the Great Western Investment Company have caught the attention of the wrong people, and pressure mounts for Amelia to retract her father's statements.

Determined to find out the real story, Amelia begins her own investigation. She's joined by Benjamin Stone, a Great Western employee who's been assigned to keep tabs on her for the good of the company, a man Amelia finds both perplexing and intriguing.

What they uncover stuns them both--and has far-reaching implications for not only Ben and Amelia but all of Granite Springs. Can they reveal the truth before the enemy finds a way to silence them for good?

My Review:

This is my second novel that I've read from Carol Cox and I'm enamored with her writing style.  In Truth Be Told, she paints a picture with her words to describe rich detail of the time period.  It's as if you are walking the very streets she is writing about!

Her characters of Amelia and Ben are rich with character and style and their ensuing relationship blossoms with grace. 

Amelia arrives via train to Granite Springs to work with her father on their newspaper but soon finds herself on her own.  She holds fast to her father's words to seek only the truth, including in journalism and writing.  She soon encounters a sweet and wonderful man working for the Great Western Investment Company, the catalyst of this novel, which ends up being very company she ends up investigating!  The twists and turns of the plot make this book as wonderful as it does page-turning. Their attraction to each other is evident from the beginning but they are not able to be together due to various events and individuals that keep them apart.  This book is so refreshing in it's inclusion of cowboys and the great wild west, simplicity of life, murder, mystery, intrigue, friendships found and lost, and love finding a way through adversity and trial. 

I adore the intertwined faith that fills these wonderful pages.

The inclusion of scriptures and prayers that the characters say is refreshing!  This book is romance done right!

 

*Disclaimer:  I received this book for an honest review from Bethany House,

a division of the Baker Publishing Group and was not required to write a positive review.  

Any reflection of such is my own and this review is an honest reflection of such.

Book Review: Adventures Under the Mango Tree

 

God bless the Klepp family.  Honestly, this book moved me to my core!
I received a copy of this book for review but had no idea the sheer impact it would have on me to read it.  It's a honest, real-life approach to the biblical scriptures of humanity, selflessness, sacrifice.  From the opening pages where Mrs. Klepp shares her calling and quoting Romans 12:1-2, this book is about giving even when there isn't anything TO GIVE.  God will prevail and provide!

While this book is not earth-shattering, it's pages are filled with love and
stories of generosity, sharing, and caring.  What struck me most of all, aside from being a missionary called to do God's work abroad, is how they put so much of themselves to the side to give to others.  While Dennis battled a potentionally life threatening cancer, and most of us would not budge from the US and the medical care we have here, he and his wife went into the midst of the jungles, so rural and bare bones basic that a sheer love of God's forgotten children was enough.  The power of prayer proved to be stronger than fear
and conquered the unknown. 

I found myself applauding Lillian at times as she described taking in children who's mothers had died in childbirth, going to the neighboring cities to get supplies, even when it put her life in danger.  I had to laugh at the concept if eating outside the comforts of our fast foods and cushy supermarkets - especially when something like termites were considered a delicacy.  While I said outloud "No Thanks!", she described it with graciousness and following the plan that God obviously chose for her, bugs and all. 

I loved the addition of the pictures ~ it brought the book to life and gave it so much more realism.  This book is not all happy endings and everything coming up roses.  There are passages and chapters that will break your heart and you will need some tissues nearby.  But mostly, if you want a book that will fill your heart with pride for those that go above and beyond in the name of God and His Word, if you want a book that shows extreme sacrifice and a lesson in what we may do in our backyards, then this book is a great resource.  It's uplifting, inspirational, educational.

This book is a quick read - 21 short chapters and packs a punch in it's 106 pages.  It's a great read for students, sunday school lessons and leaders alike.

You can read more about Lillian Klepp and her mission's work
here:http://hrtn.org/about-us/

 

 

Disclaimer:  A copy of this book was provided to me (to review and give my honest opinion) by  The B&B Media Group.  The opinion expressed above is my own.

Book Review: Fly a Little Higher

 

Book Description:  Laura Sobiech tells the amazing story of how God used her son’s battle with cancer to touch the lives of millions.

“Okay, Lord, you can have him. But if he must die, I want it to be for something big. I want someone’s life to be changed forever.”

This is what Laura Sobiech prayed when she found out her seventeen-year-old son had only one year to live. With this desperate prayer, she released her son to God’s will.

At that point, Zach Sobiech was just another teenager battling cancer. When his mother told him to think about writing good-bye letters to family and friends, he decided instead to write songs. One of them, “Clouds,” captured hearts and changed not one life but millions, making him an international sensation.

But Zach’s story is not just about music. It’s a testament to what can happen when you live as if each day might be your last. It’s a story about the human spirit. It’s about how God used a dying boy from a small town in Minnesota to touch the hearts of millions—including top executives in the music industry, major music artists, news anchors, talk show hosts, actors, priests and pastors, and school children across the globe.

Zach once said, “I want to be known as the kid who went down fighting, and didn’t really lose.” Fly a Little Higher is about how God used Zach to do something big.

My Review:  What an absolutely astounding book.  From the first first pages, I could not control the tears or the swell of love in my heart for this mother ~ not just for the loss of her beloved son, but of her triumphant and courageous fight to let him live the life he had to live.  While Zach's life was short and he was gone too soon, this book is a glimpse inside the life he did have and how he graced so many lives.

Raised in a close-knit and loving family, Zach was surrounded by love from day one.  Being diagnosed from cancer and having to live the life of a teenager with cancer, the struggles, fear, joys, triumphs and eventually, acceptance.  His gift of song and music is a gift to the world, a legacy left for the rest of us to not only have a part of him, but the message it brings.

I've PTL never lost a child but have lost a parent to cancer way too young. 
I found many similitaries in this book to what I went through and this book was more of a self help message than I could have dreamed.  We all suffer in the journey of loss but this book makes it so profoundly easy to understand and
know that God does not want us to suffer.  He is there with us each step of the way. 

The strength of the Sobiech family and the love for this son, Zach, resonated with me long after I closed the last chapter of this book.  Make sure you have tissues nearby when you open this book!

*5 well deserved stars*

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book for review by BookLook for an honest review. The above opinion is that of my own entirely.

 

Book Review: Plain Faith

 

Book Overview:  This is the true story of Ora-Jay and Irene Eash, Amish farmers from northwest Montana whose lives changed in an instant when a semi-truck struck the family buggy, killing their two young daughters. After the accident, the couple turned to their Amish community for comfort, but they remained haunted by the thought that they might not see their girls again in heaven. Would their deeds be good enough? Eventually Ora-Jay and Irene learned that grace---not works---was enough to ensure their place in eternity. But with that knowledge came the realization that they could no longer live in an Amish community that didn’t share this precious belief. Could they sever their connection to the Amish family they loved? This is the story of their journey to the hope that is heaven, a hope stronger than the loss of children, family, and a way of life. Fans of Amish fiction will appreciate such a real-life look into the Amish community, co-written by bestselling author Tricia Goyer, and readers of all kinds will resonate with this tale of courage, resilience, and the redemption found in the grace of Jesus.

Book Review:  Plain Faith is an amazing look at the Amish lifestyle from the inside looking out.  Told by the parents, Irene and Ora Jay Eash, with Tricia Goyer, it's an upclose and personal account of their story, their journey and triumph after unimaginable loss.

Even if you think you are familiar with the Amish lifestyle, this book will change what you think you know.

This book isn't a complicated read but it draws you in immediately with their down to earth, 'plain' talk.  They are such good people, the Eashes.  What happened to them could have happened to just about anyone.

But the aftermath of their story after burying their two young daughters is the 'stop and think' of this extraordinary book.  Have you ever had that feeling in your faith that something is missing?  That you attend church every Sunday, you abide by the rules of what a Christian (etc) should do and not do in the secular world yet something feels not quite right?  That's one of the ah-hah moments of this book. 

One of the points that stood out for me is when Irene stated "People saw me different when I wore my Amish kapp, or head covering.  People would see that and think "If that's what you have to share with me, then I don't want to listen."

It's an amazing moment to realize that the one true faith you've had for your entire life doesn't support you unless you live and breath THAT life.  But beyond the Amish faith, God is everywhere and in everything.  Sometimes stepping outside that life, like the Eashes did, you see it so very clearly.

This book is brave, courageous, heart-wrenching, tear inducing, thought provoking and admirable, to name just a few of it's endearing qualities.

I'd recommend this book based on it's quick, short chapters and easy flow of the book to teens in a youth groups, high school and college small groups at churches.

 

About the Authors:  You can read more about the authors, Irene and Ora Jay Eash here at this website:  http://cripplecreekhorseranch.com/

and Tricia Goyer, author, here:  http://www.triciagoyer.com/

 

 

I received this book for an honest review from BookLook/Harper-Collins and was not required to write a positive review.  Any reflection of such is my own and this review is an honest reflection of such.

 

 Book Review by:  Kelly Santi

 

Book Review: Until I found You

Book Overview:  When Kate Darby swerves off a mountain road to avoid hitting a California condor, she ends up trapped in her car, teetering on the edge of a cliff. Terrified, she breathes a prayer that changes her life. It's Nick Sheridan who comes to Kate's rescue. Nick is handsome and confident, and he seems to develop a habit of rescuing her, but Kate is in town only until her grandmother recuperates from a stroke. She's not planning to get involved with one of the locals.

Nick is a reformed veteran of life in the fast lane, a new Christian, and a travel writer. When he sees a car dangling on the edge of a cliff, the daredevil in him jumps into action. He doesn't expect to be swept off his feet by the car's occupant. He's made a vow--no dating for a year--but keeping that vow is going to be a lot more difficult now that he's met Kate Darby. . . .

My Review:  I confess I had not heard of this author before reading Until I Found You , but I can also tell you that now having read it, I certainly crave for more! Although the book starts out as a typical girl in distress, guy shows up and is her knight in shining armor and saves the day (more than once!), it quickly grows into so much more. There's depth to the characters, a story line that just has you turning page and after page and a beautiful weaving of faith
into a romance that sizzles with chemistry right from the start.

Nick is the typical charming, kind and brave hero of the book. Having left behind a life he doesn't want anymore in order erase the pain of loss and the hardships of choices in the secular world, he goes on a year long self imposed 'sabatical', that is until being in the exact right place at the exact right time, he meets Kate. His world is turned upside down and the readers follows him through his connection to her and his commitment to God and the struggle that is in between.

Kate, coming to rescue her treasured Nonnie after an accident and help take care of her, ends up being the one rescued. And doesn't anticipate, or have time for, romance or meeting a gorgeous, single guy who ends up saving her life. She brings as much heartache and pain from the past to the table as Nick does and together, they try to find their way in the journey of the world with a lot of twist and turns along the way.

This book is never quiet. It just builds from one momentum to another. From the beautiful analogy and lifelong love of the condor birds to the relationship of her best friend and longing for children, the author does a great job of building a story, developing the richness of her characters. You will absolutely fall in love with these two characters and their story. When you close the book after the last page, you will hope for a sequel!!

One of my favorite quotes in this book was Kate's grandma telling her "When all is said and done, the biggest pieces of this life are beyond our understanding. In the end, we're left with a choice. We can think life is a string of random events or we can believe God has a plan in our lives." That theme resonates through-out this book and makes it refreshing and lovely.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”            You can read more about Victoria Bylin here.