A Powerful Secret by Dr. Kevin Leman & Jeff Nesbit

"A Powerful Secret" by Dr. Kevin Leman & Jeff Nesbit is the 2nd in the Worthington Destiny novel  series about a powerful business and political family.  It starts with the oldest son Will Worthington dropping out of his race for president to protect his family from scandal.  Which cause his brother Sean confusion and then all kinds of emotions as he learns the possible scandal revolves around him. When I picked this book I was really hoping the political portion of the books was a just a bit of it but it wasn't it was a major factor in this book.  I truly believe if I had read the first one in this series I would not have picked this one to review.  Not don't get me wrong it was a well written and a decent story but I am just not a fan of books heavy in the political side of things.  No it was not preaching one side of the political spectrum over another its just dealt a lot with the behind the scenes of the political world.  I left that world years ago so I don't like reading about it however if that world does not bother you then this is a great book to read a decent story and well written.  So for people that don't mind politics then this is a good fiction story to read.

I was given this book from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Homeschooling Stereotypes

Ahh the life of a homeschooling mom.  Yep another weird thoughts from me that may step on toes.  So here goes.  Please read thru to the bottom to understand my point of this post.


Stereotypes - my truth
1.  Only homeschool - Nope my oldest graduated from public High school.  My youngest started homeschooling after 1st grade in public school.  Homeschooling is not a salvation issue so it may not be right for everyone.
2.  The homeschool uniform (long jean skirts, jumpers and if you have sons they are in a polo shirt and slacks) - Nope, jeans with black t-shirts, accessories that may have bats on them or studs or spikes, boots most of the time (and not the in style ones more like platform, or dr. martens style or studded type) and almost always wearing an old biker leather.  Yes I do still wear long jean skirts they are comfy to me.  My youngest son t-shirt and jeans, I think he might own one polo shirt but no slacks.
3.  Never read or listen to secular books or music.  - This one makes me laugh as my house we love to read lots of variety of books for example one I read recently for fun was on the funeral home industry and death (not including the one I just reviewed).  Music in my house is very varied our playlist might have a classical song, then a secular hard rock song, then Christian rap, then blues, then country, then a Hymn, then maybe a French song, and then who knows what the next song will be.  If a song is not blatantly anti-God we will  listen to it.  But be warned there are a lot of modern Christian music songs that are actually anti-Bible if you take them to the scriptures so those go thru big scrutiny also.
4. Die-Hard republican - nope die-hard independent as the republican party is no different from the democrats and its been that way for years not just recently.
5.  Does not work outside the home - I have a very part-time job to help pay for a few of our bills.
6.  Homeschooling is easy - Can I laugh my head off on that one.  Yeah right.  Yes there are easy days but then there on insanely hard days.  But over all its so worth it as his education levels have gone up so much more since we started homeschooling him and with my husband's work schedule he gets more time with our youngest.

Why did I share this because I am tired of seeing and hearing the attitude of all homeschool families fit into one little type of box.  No each family is different and we need to remember that as homeschoolers or even not homeschoolers.  Also as homeschoolers or any Christian we need to stop trying to fit the mold that our society either secular or Christian has set for us and be how God created us.  The only caveat is that it needs to be in line with scripture not against scripture.

Where The Light Gets In by Kimberly Williams-Paisley

"Where The Light Gets In" by Kimberly Williams-Paisley is about the author and her mother as her mother suffers from a rare form of Dementia called primary progressive aphasia.  Some may know the author as the wife of country musician Brad Paisley but I recognize her more as the bride from Steve Martin's remake of the Father Of The Bride.  She brings up both of those points of her life but they are not the focus.  Her focus is on her relationship with her mother and the disease that has taken the mother she has known all her life (as of this writing her mother is alive but the dementia has taken her mind as her family knows her). Dementia in any form is horrible but I did not realize this form of Dementia (primary progressive aphasia) takes away so much in the aspect of communication and recognizing family.  I am so blessed that the author has shared this part of her family life to spread awareness to the World.  In the book she talks about how at first her mother and father wanted no-one to know as it her mom was young when diagnosed in her early 60's.  But I am so glad that over time the family has decided to open up about the struggle of this horrible disease.  I am glad to have read a book that did not hide the good and bad times of this disease.   However this book is not just about dementia but also a daughter's relationship with her mother pre-dementia and currently with the dementia.  The author has wrote a powerful book that I could not put down once I picked it up.  I highly recommend this book for anyone as you never know when you will know someone with dementia.

I was given this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Morgue By Dr. Vincent DiMaio & Ron Franscell

"Morgue, A Life In Death" by Dr. Vincent DiMaio & Ron Franscell is book about being a forensic pathologist and the details in cases that a normal person may miss.  The authors bring up still famous deaths we know about today and others that are not so well known.  This book is not for people with a weak stomach as it is very graphic on the details found during an autopsy.  I will admit that does not bother me as I am always intrigued by how a mortician or forensic pathologists can figure out how someone died by an autopsy.  It is a field of study that I am always eager to learn more about.  This book did not disappoint in my thirst for unique knowledge.  I think one of the sections that I liked the most was his chapter on when they dug up Lee Harvey Oswald's body to verify it was him that was dead in the grave.  Also another section I really liked was the authors thoughts on Van Gogh's death of suicide as I am fan of Van Gogh's art.  If you are intrigued by this type of work and don't mind the graphic nature of it then I highly recommend this book.

I was given this book from Net Galley for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

In The Land of Blue Burqas by Kate McCord

"In The Land Of Blue Burqas" by Kate McCord is about the author (under a Pseudonym name) life witnessing to and living with Afghanistan Muslims.  This was a very informative on the culture and life of the Afghan people.  Us westerns do not understand a lot of their culture just like they don't understand our culture.  The author really trys to help us understand things such as why they cannot accept a Bible.  She really goes into depth on explaining that when they receive a Koran its showing they are now a Muslim not like in our culture where if you receive a Bible then you just have got a Bible.  As it does not mean that you are a Christina in our society just cause you own a Bible but in their culture it means you are a Muslim if you own a Koran.  This book was very eye-opening and I really enjoyed how the author would use scripture and their own knowledge to explain Jesus's truths. This was a very good eye opener to Afghanistan culture that I would never have gotten unless I go over there myself.  I also really enjoyed that she talk about that us westerners do not need to go over there guns blazing on how we are right and they are wrong but that we need to go over there like Christ said which is to love our neighbors.  I highly recommend this very informative book. 

I was given this book from Moody Publishers for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Lead Me Home by Amy K. Sorrells

"Lead Me Home" by Amy Sorrells is a story about Noble Burden and Pastor James Horton realizing that God has not left even though life has thrown them curve balls that they were not expecting.  This book was such a well written story that I could not put it down once I started reading it.  The story is well developed we see the main characters how they are today and intertwined in the story is some of the back story of how they got to where they are today.  I really enjoyed how the book showed that not everyones life as a Christian is peaches and cream even pastors have rough times.  Also that sometimes we can feel so alone even in a crowd when we are going thru a tough time.  The book was not overly emotional or dry but it did keep you feeling for the characters.  It was just one of the best novels I have read in awhile especially on the topic that God doesn't move but we can and do move from him.  I highly recommend this book as an excellent story of how God is there for us during the good and bad times.

I was given this book from Tyndale Publishers for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Simple Pleasures by Marianne Jantzi

"Simple Pleasures" by Marianne Jantzi is stories from the life of an Amish mother.  This one of the sweetest little books from someone day to day life that I have read.  Its not like most memoir's where you have something major and bad happen in someones life.  Not this one it is just simple little memoir on an Amish's woman's life.  Her story was so beautiful written I could just picture her life in her words.  I was very blessed to have read this woman's beautiful story.  I highly recommend it.

I was given this book from Net Galley for my honest review and not required to give a positive review.