Strong and Kind by Korie Robertson with Chrys Howard

I was so excited to add this book to my growing collection of Robertson/Duck Dynasty books! In "Strong and Kind: And other Important Character Traits Your Child Needs to Succeed" by Korie Robertson and Chrys Robertson, readers learn a little bit about Korie and Willie's parenting style. She explains how very eary on, their family chose two very important characteristics to focus on for their family. Of course, it's important to work on others as well, but they chose Strong and Kind to be the two most important for their family.

They chose Strong as the first, because life will always deal you some hardships. It's how we respond to them that makes all the difference. We must teach our children to handle things in stride and to be able to handle whatever comes our way. We must also teach them that our strength does not come from us alone, but from God.

Kind was the second attribute they chose because they wanted their children to treat others with kindness and respect. They wanted them to learn the importance of serving others and giving to the less fortunate. This is one of the reasons they take their children on mission trips to help those who are poverty stricken and destitute.

Korie goes on to explain many other character traits which are important in raising a child. It is up to the parents to decide which traits to focus on, and to decide which are best for their family. I loved this book and I would highly recommend it to others!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Brave Enough by Nicole Unice

This week I got to read and review "Brave Enough" by Nicole Unice! In her newest book, Nicole challenges readers to look beyond their fears. To look at the issues and problems that you're too scared to change or even face.

What would happen if you could look beyond all your fears and misconceptions about yourself and look at yourself the way that God does? If you could see all the things you were capable of, think of what you could accomplish or change! God wants us to look at the life He's given us and not be afraid of facing all of the things we fear. He wants us to thrive right where we are.

This is definitely not a light read. It's something that readers will have to read a little bit, soak it in, and then move on. It can be a little intense at times, but then I think this is a good thing.

It might even be a difficult read for some. If you've been carrying around hurt, anger and unforgiveness in your heart, it might be hard to dig back into that and really try to change. But I think the whole idea of this book is really good. It will change you if you let it. It's something you're going to want to share with all your girlfriends and sisters.

I rate this book as 5 stars. I received this book for free from Tyndale in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

If you were me and lived in...Italy by Carole P. Roman

This week I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Carole P. Roman's new book "If you were me and lived in...ITALY" in the mail! These books are adorable! There are many other books in this series including books on Mexico, Norway, Scotland, Australia and India (just to name a few!)

Each book gives children a look into what it might be like to live in another country. The author goes through examples of what parents in Italy might name their children, or what children might call their parents. It also explains what Italian money would be called and different foods you might like to eat. It also gives a brief introduction to the history of Italy, when it was founded, and what the people who lived there were called. What I also loved about this book was the way the author helps children sound out the different words. For any Italian words, they are in a parenthesis with the correct pronunciation. The back of the book also includes three pages of a Pronunciation Guide.

Overall, I loved this book! I think it would be an excellent resource to use with young children in school or homeschooling. I have been reading them with my 4 year old and she absolutely loves it. There are just the right amount of words on the pages to keep her interest, and the book itself is not super long at 25 pages in length. I rate this book as 5 stars!

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

Amish Christmas at North Star

Amish Christmas at North Star is a beautiful collection of four Christmas novellas by authors Cindy Woodsmall, Mindy Starns Clark & Emily Clark, Amanda Flower and Katie Ganshert.

This is really one of the most creative 4 book novellas I have seen yet. In the beginning of the book, Rebekah, an amish midwife delivers 4 beautiful babies on one snowy night close to Christmas. Each of the following novellas is a story about one of those babies all grown up.

There is something for everyone in this collection. In "Guiding Star" by Katie Ganshert and "Mourning Star" by Amanda Flower are both mysteries that will keep you on the edge of your seat. "In the Stars" by Cindy Woodsmall, a broken hearted Kore Detwieler must return home and face the person  he loved who rejected him. They must put their difference aside to keep a family together. In "Star of Grace" by Mindy Starns Clark and Emily Clark, Andy Danner has left his hometown of North Star to lead a new life in Mississippi. However, his brother gets him to return home for Christmas and reach out to a reclusive widow.

All in all, this was an excellent read for the holidays or just winter in general! I rate it as 5 stars.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

Good Night Little Love

"Good Night Little Love" by Thomas Nelson is an adorable bedtime book perfect for small children. My two youngest love it so I would probably recommend it for children ages 1-5.

This 24 page book is a board book about baby bunny and his mommy. The rhyming format of the story is perfect as a lullaby for bedtime! The illustrations are adorable with bright colors and glittery pictures. In keeping with the theme of the book, each of the beginning of the two page photos, says "Good Night, Little Love."

I think this book perfectly illustrates a mother's love to her child. I can see this as being a favorite in our house. I also loved the fact that the author used large words such as adventures, bouquets and intertwined. I'm a firm believer that reading higher level words to children can help increase a child's word reservoir and in turn, teach them how to use them properly. This book is adorable and I rate it as 5 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Abundant Life in Jesus by Nancy Guthrie

I was so excited to receive this beautiful leather bound devotional in the mail! "Abundant Life in Jesus: Devotions for Every day of the Year" by Nancy Guthrie is a 365 day devotional that touches on subjects women face everyday.

This book begins with a short introduction on why we say "God Bless You" today. There was a time when sneezing was a symptom of the deathly plague. Getting the plague was considered a sign of God's displeasure, so when people said "God Bless You", it was offering a prayer that the person would receive the blessing of God rather than dying from the plague. This is the best known blessing from the Bible. The Lord instructed Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with a special blessing.

Nancy Guthrie has taken blessings from Bible verses to share with readers. Each devotional is somewhat short, at one page long each. The days are in order beginning at January 1st. There is a handy little ribbon bookmark to keep track of your progress. I love the size of the book as well. It's the perfect size to fit in my purse, to read while I'm waiting for an appointment or to keep on my nightstand to read before bed. There are so many reasons I love this book...these are just a few of my favorite reasons. I would definitely recommend it. I rate this book as 5 stars.

I received this book for free from Tyndale in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

Whatever is Lovely

I've reviewed numerous coloring books over the past few months, but this one has most definitely been my favorite! "Whatever is Lovely" is a book by Waterbrook Press, and it includes Bible verses and quotes by some amazing Christian speakers. The pictures are absolutely beautiful, the wording on the page looks like calligraphy, and there are quotes from some of my favorite authors/bloggers such as Lisa Jo Baker, Becky Thompson, and Rachel Held Evans! 

This is the kind of book that will get my day started out right! It's a mini devotional with relaxing pictures to color. My girls even loved this one, so I imagine we will be coloring and framing many of these! The pages are not perforated so I am not sure how difficult it will be to tear the pages out, but I suppose they can always be cut out. 

There are 47 pages to color included. Scenes include animals, nature, trees, flowers, foliage, outer space, fish, and some are just beautifully written words. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys coloring. These would also be fun to color and to give as gifts. They are really something! I rate this book as 5 stars.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books inexchange for my honest unbiased opinion. 

Every Little Thing

"Every Little Thing" Coloring book by Payton Cosell Turner is the perfect coloring book for 80's kids everywhere! Most of the pages included are mirror images with fuzzy bears, pineapples, elephants, typewriters, dated cell phones, and all of your favorite junk food.

The book includes a dust jacket, which is very nice when giving a gift, but I usually just throw them away if I'm keeping it. It was kind of cool that you could actually color the dust jacket if you wish.

My kids and I had a lot of fun coloring these pictures. Amazon says it's aimed at kids ages 10 and up, but even my younger two children enjoyed it. The only thing I found to be disappointing was that the pictures weren't drawn realistically. I am not much of an artist, so I can't be too harsh, but this is probably not a book I would purchase. If you like a lot of kitschy artwork, then you will probably enjoy this very much. It just wasn't for me.

I rate this book as 3 stars. I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

Like Father Like Son by Pete Alwinson

What do men need in the twenty-first century? There are so many opinions–some think the answer is a masculine to-do list. Others give detailed directions on how to become a “real” man. Those things can be helpful, but do they get to the core of the identity issues that men are facing today? You can’t know who you are and who you are meant to be without knowing the love of your Father–that is, your Father in heaven. Without knowing the Father’s love and acceptance, men are adrift looking for identity in imperfect relationships or cultural norms about manhood. But knowing God’s fatherly love changes everything. A man who is forgiven and accepted by his heavenly Father is free to become like him. Living out of the love of God the Father changes everything for his sons.

Instead of telling men how to recover and reclaim their masculinity, Pete Alwinson invites men to recover and reclaim an intimate, growing relationship with their heavenly Father and live out of that identity in their particular calling as sons, fathers, brothers, friends. Using personal stories and anecdotes from his many years of men’s ministry, Pete shows men that the way forward in life and relationships is through their growing relationship with their heavenly Father.

My Review:
"Like Father, Like Son" by Pete Alwinson dives into the extraordinary importance of a father's role in his child's life. In one chapter, Pete uses the story of a young boy would was born from an affair and whose father wanted nothing to do with him. Fathers leave a profound impact on their children whether they want to or not. It's terribly important for fathers to be a positive influence because it will shape who our sons become. 

The author also explains how God becomes our Father and how we need to find our identity in Christ. I think Pete Alwinson does an amazing job of explaining the subject at hand. He thoroughly did his research in this one. 

I also think it's worth noting that this book is not terribly long. It can easily be read in a matter of a few nights, and would even work as an excellent Bible Study. 

I would definitely recommend it to fathers of boys. I rate this book as 5 stars. I received this book for free from Litfuse, in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. 

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson

I love a good fairy tale with beautiful princesses and dashing dukes! In "The Golden Braid" by Melanie Dickerson, readers get to experience an untold story of Rapunzel. Mother (Gothel) has always protected Rapunzel from the things she thought could hurt her daughter. Including becoming suspicious of any man who shows any interest in Rapunzel. When a young man shows Gothel his intentions of marrying her daughter, she decides to return to Hagenheim to start a new life together to protect Rapunzel. 

Along the journey, the two women end up meeting Sir Garek, a noble duke. After saving each other's lives, Sir Garek agrees to teach Rapunzel to read. She knows her mother would never allow it, and despite the fact that Sir Garek is rather arrogant, she desperately wants to learn. She devises a plan to sneak out of Mother's house everyday in order to meet Sir Garek. Along the way, Rapunzel learns a secret that turns her entire world upside down. She will need to be rescued from the person she has trusted the most. 

I must admit, I was rather giddy to get this book in the mail. I may or may not have done a little happy dance when I opened the package. :) This is the fourth book I have read by Melanie Dickerson and I was NOT disappointed! I love the way she brings the characters to life. The story is a bit different from most fairy tales you will hear, but I think that is what makes it so much fun to read! Also, I love the way the story and characters tie in from her previous books. 

This is one of those books that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end! It is a beautiful love story, with a little bit of mystery all rolled up into one amazing book! I would highly recommend it, especially if you love a good fairy tale! I rate this book as 5 stars.

I received this book for free from Litfuse in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. To purchase a copy, please visit  http://bit.ly/1NZuPiD

About the Author: 

Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer's Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader's Choice Award for Best First Book. Melanie earned a Bachelor's degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.