Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

When I think of summer, I think of reading.   Apparently I'm not the only one.  From summer reading programs to lists of great beach reads, everywhere you look you'll find encouragement and motivation to read during these sunny months.   As I've mentioned before, while I love to read,  I won't finish a book if I don't enjoy it.   Life is just too short.  Luckily, so far this summer, I've been pretty fortunate with my book selections.  My most recent read, Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer, was a quick, easy read that left me wondering what will happen in book #2.

From the back cover:

On the night Marianna Sommers was born, a freak accident shattered her family.  Even as she came into the world, her two sisters left it for  heaven.  She's spent her life making up for that loss., being to her family and their Indiana Amish community all that her sisters would have been.  Her only dream:  a simple life married to Aaron Zook, the one she's loved since childhood.  Then her father says they are moving--to Montana, of all places!  Of course it's to keep her younger siblings far from their oldest brother Levi, who left the Amish way of life, but the move will destroy Marianna's dream.  She pleads to stay, to no avail.  As Marianna leaves her home--and Aaron--she's sure her heart will never heal.

But Montana holds surprises.


The mountains, trees and still waters open Marianna's heart of God as never before.  Still it troubles her that the small Amish community is so interwoven with their Englisch neighbors.  especially woodworker, Ben Stone.  If only Ben didn't do everything right!  He's there in times of need, and his love for God is so clear.  But giving in to the feelings he stirs in her would carry a terrible cost...


Everything she believes in and loves.

Generally not a Christian fiction reader, this book really took me by surprise.   I found myself relating to the characters and the message of acceptance that is shown throughout this book in a way that I hadn't expected.  As an individual rather unfamiliar with the Amish belief system and way of life, I found the story very interesting.  I don't know how accurate the descriptions were, but I felt as if they gave me a good basis of understanding where each of the characters came from.

Marianna is a young woman in a state of transition.  Not quite ready to live on her own, but no longer a child, she must find her own way.  Not wanting to disappoint her family, she lives her life "by the book".  She is fairly certain that she knows what is right and wants to follow the path that has been set before her.  Unfortunately (or fortunately), life gets in the way of her plans and she is forced to re-evaluate all that she has learned and believes to be true.   She meets and interacts with several important people during this time of self-evaluation, not the least of which is Ben Stone - a young man that defies the stereotypes she has spent her life believing.

Throughout our lives, I think most of us will encounter someone or something unexpected.  Whether positive or negative,  these experiences force us to take a moment to reflect on what we believe.  Sometimes we choose to file the experience away as an anomaly that needs no further contemplation.  Other times, the experience will alter our entire structure and belief system.   This book leads you through that entire process for one character, Marianna.  I think that anyone that has experienced a moment of questioning any aspect of your belief system will appreciate this book.  The author does a good job of allowing the reader to feel the dichotomy of what Marianna has been told and what she is seeing and feeling for herself.   For me, a good read is one that allows me to feel personally invested in the outcome.  Tricia Goyer definitely did that in this book, Beside Still Waters.

*Disclaimer:  I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Beside Still Waters Campaign and received a copy of the book and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Cinch! by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD (Review)

First, a bit about the book . . .

Cynthia Sass, the creator and co-author of the New York Times Bestselling Flat Belly Diet presents her new break-through, 30-day weight loss program Cinch! targeted to end overeating, leaving dieters feeling full and satisfied while enjoying the best food combinations to burn fat and boost metabolism.

The program starts with the 5-day Fast Forward plan that ends erratic eating by focusing on five simple foods—spinach, almonds, raspberries, eggs, and yogurt (or vegan-friendly alternatives) - eaten in a variety of combinations. These first 5 days promise up to 8 pounds of weight loss. Each of the five foods is low in calories yet loaded with nutrients and natural satiety-boosters, which allows you to “detox” from junk foods without feeling deprived.

The remaining 25 days of the program are packed with foods that offer maximum fat-burning, improving metabolism while unlocking the secret to the body’s satiety center with foods that the latest research shows turn on the body’s “I’m full” signal. As in Flat Belly Diet, all of the meals for the full 30-day program are created for you and are fully interchangeable. As an added feature, vegan and vegetarian options are covered so the plan can be adapted to fit any lifestyle.

Cynthia is also the Weight Loss Blogger for Shape magazine.

What I liked:

After reading the first three chapters, I was completely on board.  I was committed.  I went out and purchased spinach, eggs, yogurt, raspberries and almonds.  Her logic and explanations made sense.  Cynthia states that you need to eat four evenly spaced meals every that that each contain all of her five food groups - a lean protein, produce, whole grain, plant based fat and SASS (seasonings).  If you do that, you will remain full longer, you will lose weight, and you will be getting all the nutrients that you need.  She also provided evidence by referencing studies to back up her claims.   The book was thorough.  It included references, recipes, and detailed explanations so that you knew why you were making the changes you were.

What I didn't like:

After chapter 3, the book gets into the meat and potatoes of the diet.  This is where specific recipes are listed.  While I love that the recipes are provided, unfortunately, many of the recipes are not for me.  I can eat fairly clean (I stuck to the Power 90 diet and exercise plan for the full 90 days), but not as clean as Cynthia recommends.  I come from a family of meat eaters.  While I don't think that we overindulge in red meats, I am not willing to eliminate all red meats and pork products from our diet, as she suggests.  In addition, Cynthia rarely makes any reference to exercise.  She briefly mentions walking, but nothing else.  When making a lifestyle change to lose weight, my goal is not just to be thinner, but to be healthier overall.  I think that by eliminating this aspect of weight loss from her book, she is doing a bit of a disservice to many of her readers. 

Overall:

This is a great book for the right person.  With the detailed information and recipes provided, you could definitely be on your way to living a healthier, thinner life.  Unfortunately, I am not that person.  If one of my readers thinks they would enjoy reading this book and giving it a try, let me know.  I'd be happy to pass my copy on to you.  (*Note - I received an uncorrected proof that has a significant number of noticeable omissions and notes to the author/editor within the text of the book)

*Disclaimer - I received a copy of this book from One2One in exchange for my honest review.  I did not receive any other compensation.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Life You've Imagined by Kristina Riggle - Giveaway

I was looking through some of my previously read books and noticed that I still have my copy of The Life You've Imagined by Kristina Riggle.  The copy I have isn't in the greatest condition, but all the pages are still there.

From the Harper Collins website:

Is the life you're living all you imagined?

Have you ever asked yourself, "What if??" Here, four women face the decisions of their lifetimes in this stirring and unforgettable novel of love, loss, friendship, and family.

Anna Geneva, a Chicago attorney coping with the death of a cherished friend, returns to her "speck on the map" hometown of Haven to finally come to terms with her mother, the man she left behind, and the road she did not take.

Cami Drayton, Anna's dearest friend from high school, is coming home too, forced by circumstance to move in with her alcoholic father . . . and to confront a dark family secret.
Maeve, Anna's mother, never left Haven, firmly rooted there by her sadness over her abandonment by the husband she desperately loved and the hope that someday he will return to her.

And Amy Rickart—thin, beautiful, and striving for perfection—faces a future with the perfect man . . . but is haunted by the memory of what she used to be.

Kristina Riggle's The Life You've Imagined takes a provocative look at the choices we make—and the courage we must have to change.

The author took the book on a different path then I expected, but I do have to admit that it was an easy enjoyable read.   If you would like me to send you my copy, just let me know by leaving a comment here with your email address if it is not available in your profile. 

Unstuff Your Life by Andrew J. Mellen - A Brief Review

Raise your hand if you have a cluttered house, drawer, room, shelf and/or car!

• For those of you that don't have your hands up . . . Are you serious?  You don't have one place that has "stuff" that you need to organize, throw away or find a new home for?  WOW - I am jealous!   You may still want to keep reading though, because everyone in your life can't possibly be as organized as you, right?  
• For those of you with your hands up, look around.  You are not alone.  Keep reading, because I may have found something that will help you "Unstuff Your Life" if you're at the point where you're ready and willing to put a little work in. 

I consider my home to be fairly neat and tidy.  Most everything has a place where it belongs.  We don't have anything on our counters in the kitchen and pictures are few and far between.  In fact, our house looks almost "sterile".  This is due primarily to the neurotic anti-clutter man I married.  However, there are still places that definitely need some help.  The girls' closets can sometimes be described as a disaster.  I guess I figure if I can shut the door on it so Doc won't see it, then it is good enough.  I have a junk drawer that is my vice.  It is a place I keep all my "stuff" that really should find its home elsewhere.  That is why, when I was given the opportunity to read and review Unstuff Your Life by Andrew J. Mellen I couldn't in good conscience turn it down.

I received the book and began reading, somewhat skeptical that reading anything would really help me to organize my life.  I actually thought that, if anything, this book might add additional clutter.  It is another object I have to find a home for, right?   So far, I am surprisingly intrigued.  After reading the first couple chapters, I am hooked.  Andrew J. Mellen does a great job of making you understand your perspective about what you need, what your "stuff" really is, and why you feel guilty getting rid of some of the useless items in your life.

In order to provide a true and accurate review of this book, I've decided to begin my own journey to organize my life.  Beginning on September 1st (Mellen recommends beginning at the start of the month.  Besides, there is no better time for a fresh start than a new school year.), I'm going to read and commit to "unstuffing my life".  I will provide updates to you all as I make my progress, and will let you know at the end of my journey how successful the book was for me.  Wish me luck!

Book Description (from Amazon)

One of the country's most sought-after professional organizers makes his foolproof rescue plan available for everyone

Arguably the most organized man in America, Andrew J. Mellen has created unique, lasting techniques for streamlined living, bringing order out of chaos for a client list that includes attorneys, filmmakers, and even psychologists. With Unstuff Your Life! he puts his powerful program in the hands of his widest audience yet. Acknowledging that it's often the "stuff behind the stuff" that holds people back, Mellen offers an action-based plan to redirect clutterers from dwelling on their feelings. This simple shift yields immediate results that will help everyone achieve organizational bliss-from the chronic key-loser to the hard-core hoarder. Mellen's mix of humor, honesty, tough love, and foolproof strategies motivates readers to work through their feelings and make real behavior changes that will have long-lasting effects.

Written in Mellen's signature no-nonsense yet hilarious tone, Unstuff Your Life! brims with personality, along with approaches not found in other organizing books. Built on the principle that we must distinguish ourselves from our possessions, Unstuff Your Life! starts with truly achievable goals and works toward the nightmare projects everyone tries hard to avoid. From the basement to the bedroom, the kitchen to the car, and more, readers will learn:

•where to find a permanent home for your keys and wallet

•how to sort the mail in a manageable and time-effective way

•what it means to group "like with like"

•how to tackle bills and budget

•how to problem-solve with your new skills, and more

The result is absolute freedom from the burden of clutter-and more free time than you ever imagined possible.

*Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I did not receive any compensation for this review and am in no way obligated to provide a positive review.

What We Have by Amy Boesky

To be completely honest, as I write this review, I have a headache.  It is an emotional headache.  One like you get after crying for too long at the loss of a loved one.  That is exactly how I feel right now.  I am emotionally drained.  I want to call my mom and sister and tell them how much I love them.  I have already hugged my girls with a strength similar to what I did on their first days of school.  The kind of hugs that you give as much for yourself as for the recipient.  The reason for my headache, my emotions, my hugs - What We Have by Amy Boesky.

From the inside book flap:

At thirty-two, Amy Boesky thought she had it all figured out:  a wonderful new man in her life, a great job, and the (nearly) perfect home.  For once, she was almost able to shake the terrible fear that had gripped her for as long as she could remember.  All of the women in her family had died before the age of forty-five - from cancer - and she and her sisters had grown up in time's shadow.  Urgency colored every choice they made and was amplified now that each of them approached thirty-five - the deadline their doctors prescribed for having preventive surgery with the hope that they could thwart their family's medical curse.  But Amy didn't want to dwell on fear now:  she wanted to spend time with her husband, plan for a new baby, live her life.  And that's just what she did.  In a way that only someone who is so acutely aware of passing time can, sh e chose to put her anxieties aside and relish life's simple pleasures.  In What We Have, Amy shares a deeply transformative year in her family's life and invites readers to join in their joy, laughter, and grief.  Unparalleled in its optimism and wisdom, What We Have celebrates the promise of a full life, even in the face of uncertainty.

The book began like many others, an author telling about her life, her family, her story.  From the beginning, however, her story resonated a bit more than others had with me.  She has a sister that reminds me of my own.  (In fact, my sister and I found out we were pregnant for the first time on the same weekend and had our children within about 1 week of each other.  We were fortunate not to have experienced the same outcome they had.) She grew up in Michigan, not unlike myself.  She vacationed in Charlevoix, barely a stone's throw from Traverse City - my favorite family vacation spot.  She spoke of places I knew, relationships that felt like my own.  She could be me.  Her family could be mine.  All of her joy and suffering could have just as easily been anyone else's to experience, including me.

While this book is not a light, easy, beach read, it is definitely worth reading.  I started the book on Saturday night and finished it this afternoon while my girls were resting.  Once started, it immediately pulled me in.  The familial relationships were familiar, relatable.  The way that Boesky brings her knowledge of literature, time and watches into the story makes it unique and educational.  The perspectives she shares and knowledge she imparts give you more to take away from the story than you would expect.  Reading this story made me want to take one of her classes (though I am in no way an English Literature buff).  As the story ended, I asked myself what I would do if given the option to know the future.  I wondered if I would want to know.  I thought about my own children and what lies ahead for them.  Is it better to know what is coming, to plan, to be prepared?  Or is it better to live in the present, enjoy the here and now, experience the joy of life without fear or anxiety?  Whereas before I read this book, I thought I knew the answers to those questions, I now realize that those questions, and the answers we give are actually quite complicated and multi-dimensional.

I have only one negative that I can share about this book.  Boesky will mention a family member early in the book, then bring the name up again later without a reminder explanation.  While that won't bother most people, I am not a name memorizer, especially when reading a book "for fun".  I would have loved if she'd had a glossary of names that I could refer to when reading.  Since she doesn't, I recommend that you pay better attention than I did when reading this book. 

Do I recommend this book?
Yes - This was a great book that almost demands a follow-up discussion.  I think it would make a perfect book for a book club.  Doc and I will be having a childless weekend soon while our kids vacation with my parents and I'm curious to hear his thoughts on the various topics brought up in this book.  I had previously discussed the idea of going back to school to become a genetic counselor with him and this will be a good starting point for deciding if that is something I'm still interested in pursuing. 

*Disclaimer:  I received a copy of the book for review purposes.  I did not receive any additional compensation in exchange for my review.  All opinions and experiences are my own.  Others may have different views.

GeekDad = Fun For All, A Review

Now that I've given you all a glimpse of my geeky side (and you didn't boycott), you're going to be seeing more of it.  I truly am a geek at heart.  I love when my kids ask questions that I don't know the answers to.  I laugh at ridiculous math and science jokes.  I want to build a bat house with the girls to help control our insect population.  That is why, when I was given the chance to review GeekDad by Ken Denmead, I jumped at the chance. 

As soon as I received the book I quickly scanned through it.  I was immediately impressed with the variety of projects that you could undertake.  From preschool to high school, this book has something for everyone!  There are art projects, outdoor projects, building projects, and even projects for the environmental geek.  I was also thrilled that the author broke each project down by cost, difficulty, duration and reusability.  Nothing is more exciting for a geek than an easy to read reference table to save you time and energy.  Bearing in mind that Peanut and Pumpkin are only 6 and 4, I was somewhat limited in the projects I could do with my kids.   

The first project to catch my eye was the Windup Toy Finger Painting.  The main idea of this project is to paint the bottom of windup or battery powered toys so that they create your artwork as they travel around a piece of paper.  Searching through the house, we were able to find two cars and a Bumble Ball Jr.  (We also found a Zhu Zhu pet, but weren't sure how well that would wash up after a good paint job.)  Not wanting to go down to the crawl space to get the real paint, I deviated from the directions a bit by making my girls paint the wheels with watercolor paints rather than having cups or saucers with paint that they could dip the wheels into.  I think the final result may have been nicer if I'd make the extra effort to get the better paints.  Also, Ken suggests that you use levels, rulers, lumber, etc as barriers to constrain the toys.  I found that using a cardboard box worked really well too.

Overall, the kids had a really great time and enjoyed this project.  The paintings looked very nice, even more so after I framed them.  I will definitely do it again, perhaps with some new toys and better paints.  Our next project, however, is the Pirate Cartography.  I can't wait to see what adventure that will bring!

If you're asking yourself if you should get this book, here's my opinion:

• If you and your kids are geeks . . . Yes!  What a fun way to spend time with your kids doing projects that will be interesting to them and you.  You can encourage their geekiness and show off your own.
• If you or your kids are geeks . . . Yes! What a great way to connect.  You can start simple and work your way up to the more advanced projects.
• If neither you nor your kids are geeks . . . Yes!  I think many of these projects are fun for everyone, geek or not.  Besides, all kids should be well rounded.  You never know when it might be advantageous to be well-versed in geek.

After a quick search, I found that this book is available at my local library.  If you still aren't sure if it is a book you'd enjoy, check yours to see if you can preview it there first.  Personally, I think this is a book to own because the projects really do span several years.  If you decide to purchase it, you can find it on Amazon, or another great site, ThinkGeek.

*Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book for review purposes, but did not receive any other compensation.  I do not receive any benefits if you purchase any products from any stores that I mention in this or any other post (unless specified).   All opinions are my own.  Others may have different experiences.

The Girls From Ames - A Review

I was recently fortunate enough to be asked to read and review The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow.   You might recognize the author's name if you also read The Last Lecture, as Jeffrey Zaslow and Randy Pausch were coauthors on that book.  To begin, I will give you a little information about the book, taken from the site http://www.girlsfromames.com/.

From the coauthor of The Last Lecture comes a moving tribute to female friendships, with the inspiring true story of eleven girls and the ten women they became.

Karla, Kelly, Marilyn, Jane, Jenny.

Karen, Cathy, Angela, Sally, Diana.

Sheila.

Meet the Ames Girls: eleven childhood friends who formed a special bond growing up in Ames, Iowa. As young women, they moved to eight different states, yet managed to maintain an enduring friendship that would carry them through college and careers, marriage and motherhood, dating and divorce, a child’s illness and the mysterious death of one member of their group. Capturing their remarkable story, The Girls from Ames is a testament to the deep bonds of women as they experience life’s joys and challenges — and the power of friendship to triumph over heartbreak and unexpected tragedy.
The girls, now in their forties, have a lifetime of memories in common, some evocative of their generation and some that will resonate with any woman who has ever had a friend. Photograph by photograph, recollection by recollection, occasionally with tears and often with great laughter, their sweeping and moving story is shared by Jeffrey Zaslow, Wall Street Journal columnist, as he attempts to define the matchless bonds of female friendship. It demonstrates how close female relationships can shape every aspect of women’s lives – their sense of themselves, their choice of men, their need for validation, their relationships with their mothers, their dreams for their daughters – and reveals how such friendships thrive, rewarding those who have committed to them.
The Girls from Ames is the story of a group of ordinary women who built an extraordinary friendship. With both universal insights and deeply personal moments, it is a book that every woman will relate to and be inspired by.

I can honestly say that I truly enjoyed reading this book.  The chapters were well divided, which made it easy to take a break and return to the book when I had more time.  As the book began I thought that there would be chapters about each girl individually.  While several girls were highlighted, I appreciated that the author didn't try to give each girl a feature chapter.  Obviously, some of the girls have had lives that were more eventful or at least events in their lives that were more central to the theme of female friendships.  Another aspect of the book that I really appreciated were the statistics presented to demonstrate how strong female friendships can really improve your quality and length of life. 

In terms of how this book made me feel, there were times while I was reading that I loved the girls and times that I really didn't like them at all.  Regardless of how I felt about each of the girls, through it all I still wanted to know what would happen to them and what they would do next.  I found myself sad when they were going through difficult times.  I asked myself what I would say or do in the different situations they experienced.  I was angry with them when they were mean or insensitive.  Unfortunately, I haven't ever had a good and stable group of girl friends, so I couldn't really relate to their experiences.  I did feel a bit jealous while reading this book.  It made me want to try to reconnect with past friends or work harder to make some new ones.   It is definitely a book that will make you think about your current relationships with other women in your lives.  Perhaps you will begin to appreciate your friends even more, or perhaps you will be motivated to find and become a better friend yourself.

*Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The DaVinci Code

I just finished "The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown and must say that I LOVED it! It was a well written book that really had me hooked. I love a good thriller and this definitely hit the mark. The introduction was also very intriguing. The last line of the intro said,

"All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate."

Really? How accurate? Does he mean accurate with a bit of creative license or down to a science factual accurate with no room for discussion? The answer to that question depends on who you ask. Obviously, the Catholic Church refutes most of his facts, calling them pure speculation. In fact, there have been several Catholic/Christian rebuttals to Dan Brown's book written by theologians. I received a copy of "The DaVinci Decode" by Grenville Kent and Philip Rodionoff from a friend. While I have not yet read it, I plan to do so shortly and will give my opinion of that as well.

Honestly, I am Catholic (not a very good one), and I can see why church leaders might have been offended by or angered by this book, but I was not. Dan Brown's book is a book of fiction. Are there facts/ideas in the book that I was not aware of? Yes! Did the book make me think about my religion and the beliefs that I hold? Yes! Is that a bad thing? No! People should be encouraged to think, use their brains, and create their own beliefs and ideas. To limit yourself to that which you are told, is to do a huge disservice to yourself as well as society. It is the "thinker" that discovered that the earth was not flat, that designed and built the airplane, and that is creating new inventions as we speak. While I used to think of history as pure fact, the memorization of names and dates, Dan Brown did bring up one important point in his book that I had not considered. History must be written by someone, and none of us are without our own bias whether intentional or not. As they say (don't ask me who they is, it is just something I've heard before), "There are three sides to every story: my side, your side, and the truth."

"Everyone falsifies history even if it is only his own personal history. Sometimes the falsification is deliberate, sometimes unconscious; put always the past is altered to suit the needs of the present. The best we can say of any account is not that it is the real truth at last, but that this is how the story appears now."
~Joseph Freeman