Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Immorality

I really do not think that any man is immune to the sexual temptations which are prevalent in our society.   It is all around us, and we do not have to got far to be tempted.  Sometimes, we do not even have to look for it, it just finds us.  The world has become so desensitized that we hardly notice the scantily clad girl on the billboard or on the internet ad.  Yet, men notice and are easily tempted by it.

Douglas Weiss does not hold back but shares the whole ugly truth of sexual sin.  I appreciate his direct approach.  He provides statistics, anecdotes of men who struggle, and a Biblical strategy to overcome this sin.  He writes to get your attention and to inspire you to do the work necessary to become free from sexual sin.  I am so glad that someone is rising to the occasion to encourage men to be more than just "one of the boys".

This book gives me hope that we are not destined to live in sexual sin even though the world around us might say otherwise.  Men truly can live sexually pure lives.

Thomas Nelson provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for my review which I freely give.

Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story

I read the O'Malley series years ago and wondered why Jennifer never had her own book.  All the other siblings had a book, but Jennifer was left out, until now.

Since it has been so long since I read the O'Malley series, I was excited to read this novella.  The story is a flashback to when Jennifer became a believer in Jesus and when she fell in love with Tom.  It was not exciting or earth-shattering.  Instead it was sweet and comforting.  Although the end of the book (SPOILER ALERT) begins Jennifer's journey with cancer, it is still an enjoyable book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who read the O'Malley series and to anyone who is looking for a nice summer read.

Bethany House provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for my review which I freely give.

Clear Winter Nights

Unfortunately, this book does not come out until September 17th.  Fortunately, it is a good book and worth the wait.

The tag line at the bottom of the cover says "Theology in Story".  That is an apt description for this small but powerful book.  A young man, Chris Walker, has doubts about his faith and struggles to really know truth.  He spends a weekend with his grandfather who helps him worth through his struggles.  Together they discuss more than just his struggles but the deeper truths.  The book weaves theology into story seamlessly and wonderfully.

Some may be quick to compare this book with The Shack.  I would not.  This book is more realistic and relate-able whereas The Shack was more fictitious and fantasy.  Clear Winter Nights delves into truths without getting other-worldly.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  For more inforamation, you can check out the author's website.

Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales

A young lawyer, Landon Reed, is no stranger to controversy.  He already spent 2 years in jail for a conviction of point shaving while playing football in college.  He found Jesus and is turning his life around.  His girlfriend, Kerri, waited for him while he was in prison, and married him as soon as he was released.  She is an up and coming journalist wanting to make it big.  It does not take long for trouble to find Landon and Kerry.  He finds himself in the middle of a trial where his life is threatened and he needs to find out why.  It might be connected to the big story that Kerri is researching.  But will they stay alive long enough to find out?

This is certainly a page-turner.  Even though the story is far-fetched, it is an enjoyable read.  It kept my interest throughout the 400+ pages because the author gave the reader just enough information to keep me interested without giving away the whole story.  I was on the edge of my seat all the way up to the very end.

Tyndale provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for my review which I freely give.

Author Q & A: http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/downloads/press_kits/DeadLawyersAuthorQA.pdf 

Cover Image: http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/images--covers/HiResJpg/978-1-4143-8675-1.jpg
Author Image: http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/downloads/press_kits/Singer_Randy_02.jpg
Chapter One excerpt: http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-8675-1.pdf

Author video(s): Author Video and Book Trailer
Randy Singer’s website:  http://www.randysinger.net/

Barefoot Summer

The first half of this book was too slow.  The author doled out the backstory piece by piece which took up too much print.  I was starting to get bored with the book and would have put it down if not for this review.  The second half the of the book was interesting and exciting.  The pace of the story started to pick up and the story line was finally interesting.

The story is about Madison McKinley who struggles with the loss of her twin brother who died tragically 10 years ago.  She stuffed her emotions and tried to move with life, but that never works.  She finally has to face her emotions and the truth of what happened.  When she does, she finds hope.

I liked the story, but I wish the backstory was not so slow in developing.  I still recommend the book because of how the characters had to deal with real emotions and face real truths in their lives.

Thomas Nelson provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for this review which I freely give.

Gone South

Tish McComb leaves her life in Michigan and buys a home in Alabama.  This house was once owned by her great-great-grandparents, Nathan and Latisha McComb for whom she is named after.  By moving to a new town, Tish is trying to rebuild her life after the tragic death of her fiance.  However, the people of this small town still remember her ancestors, and they do not take kindly to strangers or to what the McComb family did.  Is the past truly in the past or does it affect those living in the present?  Tish is about to find out.

Like the cadence of a southern drawl, the story line was slow and deliberate.  At times, it was too slow.  I got bored about 200 pages into the story, and it was 300 before the truth comes out.  It was not a bad story, just one that took too long to develop.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  Visit the author's website here.

What a Son Needs From His Mom

Nothing I read in this book was earth-shattering.  Instead it was a gentle reminder that as a mother, my role is to prepare my children, especially my son, to leave the home and become independent adults.  The hard part is letting go.

The one takeaway I have is that adolescent boys are trying to separate from their moms. It is a natural part of life; however, it is not always easy.  I am now aware that some of the conflicts between a mother and son are normal and natural.  As the boy asserts his independence, the mother needs to relinquish control.  That is hard to do when the mother has had to take care of the child's many needs since the day he was born.  She needs to let go and let him make a few mistakes as he learns to take care of himself, both physically and emotionally.

I would recommend this book to moms of adolescent boys.  This is when we need the reminder to continue to love and guide our sons to adulthood while letting go of our need to control every part of their lives.

Bethany House has provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for my review which I freely give.