The Charlatan's Boy

The cover of The Charlatan's Boy by Jonathan Rogers reminds you of a circus.  I was intrigued by the cover and the description of the book, and thinking it would be pretty interesting, I was looking forward to the story. 

As long as he can remember, orphan Grady has gone from village to village as part of a circus show with Floyd, a verified cheat.  Together, the pull hoaxes up and down the countryside as their way of earning a living.  Grady as touted as the 'Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp', but no one believes in feechies anymore...until Floyd makes them believe.  Trick after trick and lie after lie, Grady begins to wonder if he'll ever find out who he really is.

While I liked the concept Rogers was aiming at, I just couldn't get into this book.  I was pushing myself along almost the entire way, forcing myself to read it.  I found myself often putting the book down in favor of a different story.  I'm not really sure I found it so hard to involve myself in the characters, but I never became attached to any of them- even the main character!  Perhaps if I read this book at a different time, I would be able to enjoy it more (that happens sometimes).  I wouldn't say that I don't recommend it, but you do need to be in the right frame of mind before beginning the journey with Rogers.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

My Foolish Heart

My Foolish Heart is the story of small-town girl Isadora who spends her nights as Miss Foolish Heart, the host of a syndicated talk radio show.  While her neighbors and friends in her town have no idea Issy is the host of the famous talk show, viewers tune in to hear her advice on dating, searching for the perfect man, and falling in love.  If the truth were to be known- that she's never really done any of those things- Isadora's talk show ratings might plummet.  But her ratings actually soar when she seems to be falling in love on air with a caller- one that she doesn't realize lives right next door to her.

Caleb served a tour of duty in Iraq, paying a high price when he was injured.  He moves to a small town hoping to avoid pity while he hides his disability.  He aims to land his dream job as the high school football coach.  When his pretty neighbor catches his eye, he makes a brash decision to call into the radio show My Foolish Heart, searching for help.  Soon he finds himself confused: is he falling for his neighbor or in fact, Miss Foolish Heart?

This was a cute story written by Susan May Warren.  I finished it rather quickly, as the story was well-written and a fun read.  Even though the overall tone of the book was light, there definitely was some heavier themes- including PTSD and death- addressed throughout the pages.  For the most part, the author was aware of these issues and addressed them appropriately.  Warren also did a really good job of developing the secondary characters of the story and weaved the four main characters' lives together beautifully.  I recommend this short read if you want to experience the gamut of emotions but still feel as through you've unwound with a good book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Code of Justice

Author Liz Johnson offered to send me her new book Code of Justice to review, and anticipating I would read the book while sitting for hours on end in the jury pool, I was beyond excited to read and review the story (I ended up reading the entire book before I even got to the jury pool).

Code of Justice is a 'love-inspired suspense' novel which follows FBI Agent Heather Sloan as she tries to solve the mystery surrounding her sister's death involving a helicopter crash.  Heather survived the crash, and her sister's final words shake Heather to the core; when Sheriff's deputy Jeremy is assigned to the case, Heather convinces him they should work together on the case and together they begin to put together the pieces of her sister's death.

The book held my interest, but probably the most memorable moment of the book was when I finished a particular chapter ending with the words, "YOUR DEAD."  Of course, being the grammar freak I am, I immediately thought, "What?!?  You're telling me the author, the editor, the publisher, the random person in the building where the book was printed- all of them didn't notice that glaring error?"  I almost book the book down at that point (lame, I know), but I decided to continue onto the next page, and there my hope was restored.  One of the characters made a comment alluding to the poor spelling and grammar!  Instantly, the character was endeared to my heart more than any other; it's like the author had a private joke with the ridiculous readers (like myself) who notice grammar and spelling issues. 

This book is a good little read if you need a break from your long day.  It doesn't require the brainwave activity like Tolstoy or Dickens does, but it is fun just for pure escapism... and there are definitely some suspenseful moments- so don't read at night when you're alone!  Don't forget to check out the author's website too!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Money and Marriage

I received Money and Marriage: A Complete Guide for Engaged and Newly Married Couples by Matt Bell from NavPress Publishers Blogger Review Program just the other day and simply gobbled it up!  When I requested this particular book, I wasn't expecting to learn any new information from Bell.  And while the vast majority of the book was information I already knew, the way in which Bell presented everything- from the financial principles to the biblical foundations behind them- was wonderfully fresh and renewing.  There was also some information I about which I was very excited to learn; there were some financial issues about which I've always been just a little bit confused- even after much research- but Bell dispelled common misconceptions and offered clarity on a number of financial matters.

The book would be an excellent gift or any engaged couple or even newly-married couple.  While I realize that the typical engaged couple already has a ton of adjustments to make and many things to ponder, finances should not be one which they skip!  It may be an awkward and uncomfortable conversation to begin, but it is definitely a necessary one.  Bell offers some great diagnostic tools so that you can learn about your spouse's 'money personality', how you can understand one another, and how you can work together to determine the financial state of your union.

I also admire Bell's determination to keep biblical foundations concerning finances at the heart of the book.  By turning the focus back to God and less on ourselves, Bell helped the Spirit to bring about a fresh sense of conviction and renewal.

I'm a typical seminary wife and am always trying to come up with more ways to save money and manage our finances better; I quickly found that the same information is repeated over and over through a variety of mediums.  Setting financial goals, paying down debt, and saving money can quickly become another chore which I begrudge, but after reading Bell's words, I am encouraged to keep at it!  I'll be keeping this book close at hand so I can refer to it when I need a little bit more encouragement and help in financial matters.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Unshackled and Growing by Dr. Nabeel T. Jabbour

I recently found this book buried among all the other books which make their home by my bed.  I realized that NavPress sent me this book to review several months ago and it somehow got lost among our hoards of books...I hope NavPress will continue to let me review for them after this muck up...

I originally requested to review Unshackled and Growing by Dr. Nabeel T. Jabbour because I'm very interested in North Africa, and I also work with several Muslims.  I thought this book might be interesting to read since it's geared toward Muslims who are seeking to learn more about Jesus and not necessarily towards Christians who want to share their faith with Muslims.

Since I've never been a Muslim, I can't speak to how this book can speak to those of the Islamic faith, but I can say that I learned a great deal from this book.  Jabbour lays out basic biblical knowledge, explaining historical information and how events in the Bible relate to events in Islam.  He uses Arabic words to help convey the meanings of several important concepts.  And he pleads with the reader to believe in Jesus as the Saviour.  I would recommend this book to others- especially if you think you may work with Muslims in the future.  It will definitely give you an insight into what they may be thinking when you approach them with Christianity.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”