David Sticker Book by Karen Williamson and Amanda Enright

My kids really liked this book.  I did it with both my 4-year-old and my 2-year-old and it took them a few days to complete the entire book.  The book itself isn't big or long at all, but it has a lot of stickers to fill the pages.  It was easy to put the stickers on and move them if they put them in the wrong place.

The story was the biblical account for kids about David and Goliath.  My favorite part of the book for me was reading the story in the Bible to them.  I really liked that they put the book and chapter that the story can be found at the very end.

The pictures were very eye-appealing and my kids liked both the pictures and the drawings on the stickers.  It was very bright and colorful.  This is a book that I would definitely purchase for kids.  It would be a great quiet time book, or one that you can do if you want to spend some alone time with your child.

____________

I received this book free from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Picture Perfect by Janice Thompson

Janice Thompson is an author that I think that I can easily spend all day reading her books.  In fact, I went out and got her other books this past weekend.  They are light, refreshing, and quite humorous.  In fact, I think of them as the perfect book to take on a vacation or to the beach.  But beware....you will laugh out loud and cause people to look your way!

 

Picture Perfect is her first book in her new series, Weddings by Design.  I'm assuming that her previous series focused on Bella and D.J., but they are back in this series, as well.  I immediately liked Hannah McDermott.  It's quite possible that the fact that she was Irish endeared her to me, since I'm part Irish.  I could easily relate to her dad and routine! 

 

My favorite part of the book was the Bing and Bob party.  I found that whole idea funny and could see the Irish attitude coming out full fledged in this party.  I also liked the feud between the McDermott's and the Kincaid's...not that it's still in place at all.  I thought Drew was such a nice, sweet guy and was very likable. 

 

At times, I felt like Hannah complained a little much of her routine life, but I find myself doing the same thing in real life.  I like routine, but sometimes I wish I was a bit more unpredictable.  I did think that their dinners were quite boring and I'm certain I would never be able to eat the same thing every day!

 

I am highly anticipating the second book in this series.  Hope I don't have to wait too long!

__________

I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Revelation by Sue Edwards

I have done another Bible Study by Sue Edwards and knew that I definitely wanted to do her Revelation study.  I love Bible Studies that make me dig in the Word and that have me figure out for myself what the text is saying. 

Revelation is a difficult book of the Bible to read and understand.  Her notes really helped and were very specifically placed so that you dug deeper yourself before consulting any other commentary notes.  I appreciate that in a study.  I feel like sometimes we get so used to being taught by people that we don't allow time for the Holy Spirit to stir our spirits and speak to us and help us see things the Lord wants to reveal to us.

Another thing that I like about this study is that it's perfect for those who are both beginner Bible study students or those who are more advanced and want to dig a bit deeper than just the basics.  I like to dig deeper, so I really enjoyed that section of the Bible Study.  I felt like it shined an even better light on the chapters.

Something I've never seen before in a Bible Study was a QR code.  You can scan the code and see little videos to get extra information on each chapter.  I think that is such a smart idea!  I've always had to purchase the videos if I wanted them, but I'm so glad that it was easily available for me to watch.  I also liked that it posted the time so I knew if I had time at that moment to watch it or if I needed to go back later to watch it.  I hope more Bible Studies add this to theirs.
__________
If you would like to purchase his book, go to http://ow.ly/hpLmf.

Join the online Bible study here.

Meet Sue:

Sue Edwards (MA, Dallas Theological Seminary; D.Min., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) teaches full-time in the Christian Education Department at Dallas Theological Seminary. She has more than twenty-five years of experience teaching, pastoring, and directing women's ministries. In addition, Sue speaks at retreats, conferences, and seminars across the country. She is the coauthor of Women's Retreats and New Doors in Ministry to Women, and the author of the new Sue Edwards Inductive Bible Study series.

For more reviews on this study, go to http://litfusegroup.com/author/SEdwards .

__________

I received this book free from Kregel Publications and Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Rebekah by Jill Eileen Smith

This series has been so much fun for me to read.  I have been going through Genesis for the past 6 months and really studying it and learning it and committing it to heart.  So when I saw this book about Rebekah, I knew it would be a fun book to read since I had just spent so much time learning about her and being so impressed with her character qualities.  Really....who would water 10 camels at approximately 83 trips WITHOUT complaining or huffing or puffing?!

I think Isaac and Rebekah are so easy to relate to because of how they love each other, but still mess up and argue, and forgive.  Rebekah knew the prophecy about Jacob, as did Isaac, but Isaac still chose to favor Esau.  I think its a beautiful picture of God carrying out His will even when we try to get in the way and manipulate a little to give us our desired outcome. 

They are even more easily to speak to parents because I think we can have a tendency to favor one child over another depending on days, attitudes, circumstances.  This story always reminds me to look at my children and see them each for who they are...children of God....both with positives and negatives, but still the qualities I love.

Jill has such a wonderful way at making Rebekah come to life.  Although it is a biblical story, it is a fictional book and she stays close to the biblical account.  However, she does have her own opinions about conversations and thoughts, as any fictional book does.  I feel she has spent much time pouring over Rebekah and really thinking about her and that's why her writing comes to life so easily for the readers. 

This is the second book her in Wives of the Patriarchs series.  I am looking forward to the third book in this series!

_________________

I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

To Honor and Trust by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller

I have somehow missed the Bridal Veil Island series in the past.  I'm not for sure how because it's written by two authors that I really enjoy reading.  I'm glad to say, though, that I am now a proud owner of all the books in this series as I found them at a discounted store and happily bought them.  This was such a good book to read, especially with Valentine's Day coming up and the extra emphasis being put on love.

I felt swept away in time while reading this book.  I love books that I can pick up and immediately feel so relaxed by reading it.  I was taken back in time to the 1900s and transplanted into the problems between the wealthy and the middle class.

I felt like Wesley and Callie were discussing very real issues that were prevalent at that time.  The dialogue flowed so easily, just as a normal discussion would.

The thing that amazes me about books with more than one author is how you can never tell where one author has left off and another has picked up.  I think that takes a lot of talent and cooperation to pull off.  Job well done, ladies, because I couldn't tell at all!

I hope these two authors write more together.  Until then, I'm off to read the other two books in this series that I found.
__________
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Under the Summer Sky by Lori Copeland

Lori Copeland is now one of my new favorite authors.  I have only read one other book by her and now I am hunting down her other books.  She is such a wonderful author that has you serious one minute and cracking up laughing the next.

I enjoyed Trinity and Jones and the circumstances in which they meet.  I found the first chapter quite hilarious when she was thrown in a barrel in a river.  I like how spunky she is and how she never came off as rude, even to her great-great grandmother. 

Pauline was a lady that I grew to love, as well.  She wasn't my favorite character at first because she could be so harsh, but she grew on me.  By the middle of the book, I had come around to enjoying her.

And good old Jones.  Just Jones.  He has a tender heart overall, so don't let the first couple of chapters fool you!  I like how he doesn't swoon over girls, even though he is apparently quite the catch.  I like his ruggedness that I have pictured in my head, along with his humor.

I'm very much looking forward to reading more by Lori Copeland.  I can hardly put her books down!

____________

I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Risk is Right by John Piper

I admire John Piper and love his sermons.  He is challenging, counter-cultural, and very biblical.  He doesn't tell you what you want to hear and isn't a teacher who teaches prosperity is promised to every believer.  I appreciate his knowledge on the Bible and how he challenges believers to risk everything the sake of Christ. 

Culture says we should hoard and be comfortable.  The Bible says we will have what we need and if we don't have it, perhaps we don't need it.  I liked how he talked about the passage in Matthew 6:25, 31-33 and compared it to Romans 8:35.  I hear that passage in Matthew used a lot and out of context.  Many think that God will give them clothes and food galore, but that's not what it says.  I was glad Piper pointed out that He will give us "enough so that you can trust him and do his will." 

Another point I liked had to do with affliction.  Paul made affliction his slave and conquered it.  I had never quite heard it explained like this, but the whole section about affliction was beautiful.  You can't help but see the mercy of God even in affliction when you know that the enemy wants you to die in pity and denouncing Christ.  I found that section so encouraging and hope that I will always think of affliction in this manner and can even share it with others. 

Above all, Piper reminds us that we face risks everyday.  None of us know when our time will come to perish, but what we choose to do with our lives is up to us.  Will we take the risk for Christ and make our lives count or will we choose to waste our life--living for our fleshly desires.

______________

I received this book free from Crossway in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.