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2 In 2021/ Book Review/ Inspiration

Five Fascinating Books I Finished in October

I’ve been in BOOK HEAVEN this month and can’t wait to tell you about it! Here are five fantastic books I devoured this month:

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garret Graff

Rating: 10/10

Review:

This book was captivating. Since the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, I’ve been binging on shows and books about this day in history.

What I loved about this book is that it gives so many different stories of the people who were directly impacted that day.

Love Does by Bob Goff

Rating: 10/10

Review:

I read this book about five years ago and loved it SO much. I saw it on my free Hoopla app and decided to listen to it this time. Bob Goff reads the book and it’s fun to listen to him tell such fascinating stories about growing up, his teenage and college years, meeting his wife, adventures with his kids, and interesting stories with friends. Each chapter has a little life lesson as well – all about living a life of LOVE.

Clara Barton by Janet Benge

Rating: 10/10

Review:

I’d heard of Clara Barton in connection with the Red Cross, but never knew much about her. Wow, what a fascinating life!

She was a SUPER SHY young girl, so her parents encouraged her to become a teacher. Though she was INCREDIBLY nervous at first, she learned that she was really good at it! She quickly learned how to connect with her students, and they loved and respected her. Clara taught for many years, and even helped get free public education started in states that didn’t have it yet.

Reading (or listening to) stories like this gives me hope for each human. Clara was a simple girl that noticed a gap/problem, then filled the gap and helped solved the problem. We can do great things by starting small.

I’m thankful for women like Clara. She carved the way for a woman like me! She was a leader before women were allowed to lead. She was hard-working, creative, respectful, but bold.

I listened to this book on my free Hoopla app and recommend it for moms and their daughters. Listen to it together.

Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole

Rating: 10/10

Review:

As I closed this book, I held it in my hands with deep appreciation. I am so grateful for this author and her words. Oh, how I needed to hear them. I wish I would have read this book 3 years ago when I moved to Minnesota and felt completely…anonymous.

Jesus lived 90 percent of his life anonymously! And yet, look at the impact He made in the world and for eternity.

Don’t despise anonymity. Learn during that season, grow in that season. God has not forgotten you.

I underlined almost half of this book. It was so incredibly powerful. I was in tears many times.

This is one of the best books I’ve read all year. I read it slowly to savor the words. It’s a book I’ll go back to because the message is so important and so beautiful.

Read this if you feel anonymous, if your dreams haven’t been realized, or if you are in a new town and feel unknown.

Here are a few points that I loved from this book:

Why would Jesus announce the birth of his precious son with a full angelic choir, then hide this priceless gift for three decades? Because what is hidden is not unimportant.
God’s first public words to Jesus were not directional (go there) or instructional (do this) it was relational: THIS IS MY SON! And He spoke affirmation before Jesus had ever done any good works.
Every day, we invest in a future we cannot see. Time is not really spent. Instead, it is invested in a future we cannot see.
Choosing what is right not only makes a difference today, it makes a difference that compounds exponentially to bless our future.
Jesus could stand strong in public because he stood still in private. He intentionally pursued quiet places.There is healing in stillness.
Strength is not given, it is grown.
Savor the anonymous season. Respect it’s potential.

Funny How Life Works by Michael Jr.

Rating: 10/10

Review:

WOW! What a funny, yet powerful book! I couldn’t put it down. Michael is such a great performer and storyteller. Each chapter tells a (usually funny) story from his life with a POWERFUL life lesson or action step for the reader.

Micheal Jr. included great quotes throughout the book:

Sometimes, would tell a story, then say, “Scan this to watch it.”

Thanks for reading the reviews of these great books! Have you read any of these or another good one? Leave a comment and let me know what to read next!

Click here to read my favorite books of last year.

Each of these books are affiliate links which means if you purchase on, I may get a small commission. TIA!

October 31, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review

This month’s book recommendations and reviews (September 2021)

Here are reviews of the books I finished recently:

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasa

Rating: 9/10

Review: A beautiful, yet heart breaking story that follows generations of African Americans from Africa to the United States. You follow generations of families as they endure (and sometimes conquer) the tragedies of war, slavery, drug abuse, and discrimination.

I listened to the audiobook and because the book shares the stories of so many characters over so many generations, it was a little hard to follow. If you are listening, I recommend you have a pen and paper nearby to help you keep it all straight.

Before you Split by Toni Nieuwhof

Rating: 10/10

Review: This is one of the best marriage books I’ve ever read. I picked it up, not because I was ready to ‘split,’ but simply curious on the advice she’d give from the perspective of a divorce attorney, why NOT to split!!!

I had no idea how truly insightful and helpful this book would be to EVERY SINGLE MARRIED PERSON!

Do yourself and your marriage a favor and read this book!

I took SIX PAGES OF NOTES!!! Here are some highlights:

Your marriage can go from that bad to this good. No matter how troubled or even chaotic your marriage may seem, you have more control over its future than you think.
Ask yourself and people you trust: “What is it like to be on the other side of me?“
Your spouse can’t make you happy. Happiness is something you bring to a relationship, not something you get from it.
There’s danger in allowing the emotions you’re experiencing right now to lead you to make long-term decisions. Yes, your emotions are real. Examine them. Learn from them. But don’t give them the lead role.
Marriage is two broken but loveable people.
Find friends who will help you WIN in your marriage. Surround yourself with WISE, trustworthy, and objective friends who help you make better decisions. Your friends help you lean into or away from your marriage.

If you are married – READ THIS BOOK!

Brother Andrew by Janet Benge

Rating: 9/10

Review: I’m so fascinated by the life of Andrew Van Der Bijl – just a regular man who wanted to make a difference in the world! He decided to smuggle Bibles into countries where people could not get them. Some churches were without any Bible, other churches were sharing just one single copy. The things Andrew saw and other things that happened are beyond explanation – a truly fascinating story!

Because “God Smuggler” by Brother Andrew is one of my favorite autobiographies, I decided to read this biography about him. I really enjoyed it because it shares stories I had not read in his book, as well as a different perspective on the stories I already knew.

Help Club for Moms: The Wise Woman Stays

Rating: 10/10

Review: A great devotional book for moms of all ages. Inspiring and helpful!

I’ve just started the fall edition, The Wise Woman Knows. Click this link to buy the book and join in our Facebook group by clicking here.

Books I read with my boys:

I survived the attacks on September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshish

Rating: 9/10

Review: This short chapter book gives kids a glimpse into what it must have been like to survive the terrorist attack on 9/11. It’s a fiction story that felt so real I thought it was non-fiction. The ‘I survived’ books are a little ‘harrowing’ with heavy topics, so I would only recommend them for kids ages 10 and up. Overall, it was an excellent story.

Three Keys by Kelly Yang

Rating: 5/10

Review: My son and I couldn’t get enough of Book 1 (Front Desk), but we had to force ourselves to finish Book 2. This one felt like the author was trying to lecture the reader and push an agenda with a topic that is above the heads of kids reading it. Unfortunately, I don’t recommend it.

Thanks for reading this post! Have you read a good book recently? Leave a comment and let us know!

Each of these books are affiliate links which means if you purchase on, I may get a small commission. TIA!

October 1, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review

Four books I finished in August: Reviews and Recommendations

I read some really great books this month, and I can’t wait to tell you about them. The first one was…

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Rating: 10/10

Review: This book is so entertaining, you won’t want to put it down. All summer, my son would ask: “Can we read another chapter?”

It’s the story of a girl and her parents who moved to the US from China. They get jobs at a motel in California. Mia, only 10 years old, runs the front desk. The book tells interesting stories about the guests who come to the motel, and gives insight into what it’s like to be an immigrant. The stories are endearing and you will fall in love with the characters!

My son said: “I wish this book would never end.” I felt the same. We were thrilled to learn there are two more books that follow Front Desk. We are currently reading book 2, called “Three Keys.”

Because Clark is such an active kid, he doesn’t usually want to sit and read. This is one of the first books where he actually loved sitting with me and reading together. It’s been one of my sweetest memories of the summer.

Parent tip: Keep trying new books until you find one your kid loves!

Thomas Edison by Janet and Geoff Benge

Rating: 9/10

Review: This book gave a good overview of Thomas Edison’s life. He was an interesting character and reminds me a little of Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. He was an amazing creator, inventor and scientist, but not so much a people person.

Reading this book made me so grateful for the things I take for granted – like making a phone call and talking to someone on the other side of the country and flipping on the lights in my house. I loved hearing how the ‘lightbulb’ was invented and how much ‘trial and error’ Edison put into creating it. His quote that: “Genius is 1% Inspiration and 99% Perspiration” comes to life in this book. Edison wouldn’t give up working on an idea or problem until he solved it!

What I love about Janet Benge’s “Heroes of History” books is that she writes biographies that are entertaining and don’t get overly detailed with too much information.

Someone on amazon said: “I learned just enough about Edison’s life to be both enlightened and entertained—without having to endure the insufferable sludge of detail that weighs down most biographies.” I completely agree!

If you want another recommendation of Janet Benge’s books, read Harriet Tubman OR George Washington. I loved both of these!

Row the Boat by PJ Fleck

Rating: 8/10

Review: The author of this book was born and raised in the same area of Illinois where Ted and I spent many years. When we were moving to Colorado, we used a bit of his “Row the Boat” philosophy (click here to read about it). PJ Fleck is now the head coach for the University of Minnesota football team.

I was excited to see he had published a book about his “Row the Boat” philosophy, which he uses in life and coaching. Coach Fleck is known for turning losing teams into winning teams with his approach.

The book was short and easy-to-read. The beginning is a quick synopsis of PJ Fleck’s life. In my opinion, the best part of the book starts in Chapter 6 when he outlines exactly what “Row the Boat” means!

Here are 10 of my favorite parts of the book:

You are the captain of your boat. You decide to row or not.
The ‘oars’ of the boat represent your energy. Your energy is contagious and the energy you invest and share with others determines the quality of your life.
There will be times when rowing is extremely hard and will require powerful work. Other times, efficiency will be utilized.
The boat represents sacrifice. The more you serve, give, and make your life about helping others, the better and more fulfilled your life will be. The more you do this, the bigger your boat gets.
The compass is about the vision we have for our lives, how we speak to ourselves and the people we surround ourselves with help create the dream.
When rowing, your back is to the direction you are traveling – the future – which you cannot control, nor can you see. You don’t know what’s ahead of you. You’re rowing in the present, which is the only thing that you can impact and have control of.
You can either choose to keep rowing or put your oars back in the boat and stop. And while rowing, you are looking in the past, which is the only thing that you can actually learn from – but can’t change.
The dream is the journey and the journey is the dream. You will make your biggest impact where it will be the hardest.
Cadets prayer “make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong. “
Coach PJ Fleck wants to set the standard academically, athletically, socially, and spiritually.

Unscripted by Ernie Johnson

Rating: 9/10

Review:

Ted and I had a 6 hour drive to Chicago, and I suggested we listen to an audiobook together. He picked this one. I didn’t know who the author was before reading this, but truly enjoyed the book. The author is a sports commentator and a fabulous storyteller!

I loved what the author shares about:

adopting four of their six kids,
wins and fails in parenting, and
how he came to faith and how that has impacted his life and sustained him through chemotherapy and other life challenges.

This book is easy-to-read (or listen to). It’s filled with great life lessons and it’s very entertaining.

Thanks for reading! Click here to see the best books I read last year!

September 2, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review

Four books I finished in July

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Rating: 10/10

Review: I read this many years ago, but decided to listen to it this time. Wow. Why have I waited so long to listen to this fantastic book?? It was written nearly 100 years ago, but applies to life today. The book covers topics such as:

dealing with difficult people,
navigating tough conversations,
making a positive impression,
speaking so others listen, etc.

This is a MUST READ for anyone age 15 and older. And if you are like me, and it’s been more than 5 years since you’ve read this book, I recommend you re-read it or listen to the audio edition!

The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley

Rating: 7/10

Review: Ted’s had this book for years and I saw it on my hoopla app and decided to listen. The book shared myths about millionaires, and some insight into how some millionaires gain their wealth, which included:

Living below their means,
not purchasing items for ‘status’

The book also gave some investing and saving strategies, as well as career options for obtaining wealth.

Shadow of the Almighty by Elizabeth Elliot

Rating: 7/10

Review: I thought this was going to be a traditional ‘biography,’ but was actually made up of Jim Elliot‘s letters and journal entries he wrote over the course of about 10 years.

It was well written, but dragged on at times. I was impressed with the depth and detail that Jim put into his letters and journal entries. It has inspired me to write more letters! After finishing the book, I hand wrote TEN LETTERS, and hope to keep it up.

Share your stuff, I’ll go first by Laura Termaine

Rating: 8/10

Review: This book is very easy to read and pretty entertaining. Each chapter the author asks a question then ‘shares her stuff.’ She then encourages the reader to do the same. The questions Laura posed in this book really inspired me to write more stories about who’s impacted my life, what pivotal moments changed my life, magical moments that occurred in my life, and more.

A picture book I read with my boys that’s worth mentioning:

Honeybee by Candace Fleming

Rating: 10/10

Review: I have a whole new respect and appreciation for bees after reading this beautiful book:

What about you? What have you been reading? What do you want to read? I’d love to hear from you. Leave me a comment by clicking on the tiny ‘comment box’ next to the title of this post.

I’m “almost” finished reading Front Desk with one of my sons. We are absolutely loving and don’t want it to end – I’ll give you a full review next month. Please consider subscribing so you don’t miss that post.

July 31, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review/ Product Recommendations/ Review

3 Great Books I read in June: Reviews and Recommendations

Here are 3 great books I read in June:

Get Your Life Back by John Eldridge

Rating: 10/10

Review: Listening to this wonderful book was like going to therapy. The author’s voice and his encouragement were calming and helpful. He shared useful tips for healing from hurts, remembering the good, and enjoying life. The author shares how to re-orient yourself away from the noise, and toward a place of peace, calm and joy.

One thing he recommends is the one minute PAUSE. Here’s a summary:

Close your eyes,
Breathe deeply in and out,
As you exhale – release the stress,
As you inhale – receive God’s love and peace.

Click here to check out the FREE One Minute pause app!

This is a must read for anyone feeling burned out and needing some space for your soul.

Here are two beautiful reminders from the book:

Love Centered Parenting by Crystal Paine

Rating: 9/10

Review: I follow this author on MoneySavingMom.com, and when I saw her book was available for free on my Hoopla app, I decided to download it. It’s easy to listen to, and gives tons of practical advice and encouragement to parents. She shares the story of one of her teens becoming suicidal, and how they got there, and what she’s learned from this experience. I think this book is a great one for any parent with kids ages 5-15.

Essentialism by Greg McKeown

Rating: 9/10

Review: Ted encouraged me to read this book and I really enjoyed it! If you find yourself stretched too thin (MOTHERHOOD!), overworked or busy but not productive, this would be a great book for you!

This quote sums up the book fairly well:

“When we don’t purposefully and deliberately choose where to focus our energies and time, other people—our bosses, our colleagues, our clients, and even our families—will choose for us, and before long we’ll have lost sight of everything that is meaningful and important.”
Greg McKeown

This quote made me smile and is one of the reasons I value having FUN with my kids:

“It’s hard to be successful at anything without having some fun while doing it.
Greg McKeown

I love this about the importance of playing:

“As we get older, PLAY seems like a waste of time. It seems unnecessary and childish. However, play has the power to significantly improve everything from personal health to relationships to eduction to organization to ability. Play leads to brain plasticity, adaptability, and creativity. Nothing fires up the brain like play. The value of play can’t be overstated.”

Want some PLAY ideas? Click here!

Thanks for reading this post and for subscribing! Hope you get lost in a good book soon…

July 5, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review

Five good books I finished in May: Reviews and Recommendations

Here are the books I read in May:

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

Rating: 10/10

Review: I loved this book. It’s a great story to read from a front porch swing or your back deck. Read it slowly and enjoy the story about the life of Jayber. You’ll feel like your listening to your grandfather describe his life from a beautiful, bygone era. This would make an excellent book to read this summer!

Buy this book and take it on your next vacation.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Rating: 9/10

Review: This was a very interesting story that gave me new insight on the French Resistance – how the citizens of France were invaded by the Germans, as well as how families and lifelong friends are torn apart. The book showed the fear, the love, and the sheer bravery of how people got through those devastating years. I recommend the audio version of this book. The narrator does a great job with the accents and really makes the story come to life.

Confronting Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin

Rating: 10/10

Review: This is an excellent book! I listened to this audio book and highly recommend it. The author has a British accent and a soothing voice. She earned her PhD from Cambridge and explores 12 questions. The four that stood out to me were:

How can you take the Bible literally?
Isn’t Christianity homophobic?
How can you say there is only one true faith?
Hasn’t science disproved Christianity.

The author does a FABULOUS job answering these questions!

Habitudes by Dr. Tim Elmore

Rating: 9/10

Review: This book is full of stories to inspire a person to be a better leader. I read it with my two older sons. The book was a little advanced for them, but since we were reading it together, we could talk about how the topics related to them. I’d recommend this book for someone in college and older. Overall, it’s easy-to-read, but talks about the best ways to ‘oversee’ others and didn’t exactly apply to my boys, but had some good lessons.

Here are a few points my 13-year-old pulled from the book:

All people have value and deserve respect no matter their role. Don’t treat the janitor different than the principal.
Value being ‘interested’ over ‘interesting.’
People are more like chess than checkers. In checkers, you play every piece the same. In chess, every piece is unique. People are unique. Strong leaders get to know people and find out their individual strengths.
There are different types of listeners. Sometimes I’m an “impatient listener” – meaning I finish people’s sentences and want them to finish so I can speak.

Who was Frederick Douglas? by April Jones Prince

Rating: 9/10

Review: I read this book with one of my sons. It gives a brief, but good overview of Frederick’s life – his bravery, intelligence, and fight to be free!

Want more recommendations? Click here to read my top ten favorite books of 2020!

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May 31, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review/ Things to do in Minnesota

Read the Book or Watch the Movie? Part 2

You may have seen my last post on “Which was better? The Movie or the Book.”

Here’s Part 2:

Catch Me If You Can

The book:

Frank Abagnale’s autobiography was fascinating! Before he turned 21 – Frank posed as a Pan Am pilot and traveled the world, he then passed the bar and became a lawyer, he forged transcripts and was a doctor for an entire year in Atlanta, then taught summer classes at Brigham Young University (his students loved him and the University asked him to come back). He lived large on stolen money. He finally got caught and spent years in jail. After he got out of jail, he couldn’t find anyone to hire a ‘criminal,’ so he created his own line of work – teaching banks and other institutions how to identify fraud and to keep others from doing the same things he did.

I really enjoyed this book, but would have loved for the author to share more about the change that happened on the inside, that caused him to change on the outside. I know he became a man of faith, is married and has 3 sons. Overall, this was an interesting book to read.

The Movie:

The movie tells the story of Frank Abagnale, showcasing a few entertaining scenes from his life, but leaving many out. It was a good movie – but not appropriate for young viewers.

The Verdict:

Watch the movie (without kids) to see how interesting this man was…then read the book if you’d like more details about his life!

Jackie Robinson

The Book:

I decided to read this book after seeing the movie “42”. There are a few biographies about Jackie Robinson, but I wanted to hear the story from the man himself. The beginning of the book was fascinating, as Jackie Robinson shares stories from his growing up years, then breaking into Major League Baseball. The story slows down once he transitions away from baseball. I respect Jackie Robinson, and his fight for civil rights!

The Movie: 42

Excellent family movie with great actors!

The Verdict:

The movie.

Queen’s Gambit

The book:

This is the story of an orphan girl who is a chess genius, but also struggles with addiction. The book takes you on a journey through her life. Highs and lows. Wins and losses. Sobriety and addiction. Friendship and loneliness.

The show:

Because I do not play chess, it was hard for me to imagine the games as they were described in the book. It was much more enjoyable to watch the games and observe the people and their surroundings. The show had a fantastic storyline and excellent actors.

The Verdict:

Watch the show! It’s on Netflix, at your local library, or you can purchase it on Amazon.

The Glass Castle

The Book:

They say that truth is better than fiction, and this book is the PERFECT example of that. The author had me hooked from the very first page. She does an excellent job of recreating her childhood so the reader feels like they were there. I could feel her pain, joy, and disappointment. It’s an incredible story of survival, perseverance and resilience by four children being raised in the midst of poverty. Her story surprised me constantly – from how smart her parents were in some aspects, to absolutely dysfunctional in other areas. What an interesting story!

The Movie:

The movie was hard to watch. Good actors, just a bad retelling of the story. No depth.

The Verdict:

THE BOOK. Skip the movie. The book was hard to put down. The movie was hard to get through.

An EXCELLENT book I’ve read was Redeeming Love. The movie should be released this year and I’m really looking forward to watching it! If you are looking for a good book to read this summer – I highly recommend Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.

Have you watched a good movie or read a good book recently? Leave a comment!

Click here to read my last “Book or Movie?” post!

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May 14, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review/ Product Recommendations

Four books I finished in April: Book Reviews and Recommendations

Here are a few great books I finished this month.

The Last Arrow by Erwin McManus

Rating: 10/10

Review: This book was so good that once I started, I could barely put it down. Erwin shares one phenomenal story after another, connecting what God teaches in the Bible to real people putting that into action, and the POWER that action has had in their lives. Here are a few of my favorite points from the book:

You need to act like your life depends on it because it’s never just your life involved. The world desperately needs everything you can bring to the table.
Don’t allow your weakness to define who you are.
You will never sustain greatness or fulfill your God-given calling if you see people as an obstacle to your destiny rather than as essential to fulfilling God’s purpose in your life. An old African saying: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We are more powerful when we walk together, and we are more vulnerable when we walk alone.
Fear is like a leprosy that eats away at us. Fear will lead us to build fortresses that look like security and safety. Fear convinces us that we have locked out the dangers, but it hasn’t locked the world out at all. Instead, fear has trapped us inside. It was never a fortress, it was a prison.
I do not believe anyone is born average but I do believe that many of us choose to live a life of mediocrity. To be above average demands a choice. Average is a safe choice and it’s the most dangerous choice we can make.
Do not lose sight of the fact that just because it’s time to move forward, the things in the past did not have great value for the time in your life. Appreciate the past, but live IN the present and FOR the future.

Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Rating: 5/10

Review: This is the story of a military family, the wife goes off to war and comes back with a missing leg and PSTD. I didn’t connect with the characters or find the story believable. I would recommend The Nightingale over this book! A much better story and excellent character development.

Help Club for Moms : The Wise Woman Believes

Rating: 10/10

Review: The Help Club for Mom’s Bible studies include mom tips, recipes, activities to do with your children, journaling pages, and practical devotions for mom. The book takes into consideration your home, children, faith, and marriage. The studies are uplifting and perfect for any mom.

Remarkable by Brady Boyd

Rating: 10/10

Review: Brady Boyd has done it again with his masterful, engaging and meaningful writing. This is all about how Christ-followers can live ‘remarkable’ lives that make a positive difference in the world. Here are 5 things that stood out to me:

Every person is created in the image of God – regardless of color, creed, gender, socioeconomic status or citizenship. When you disagree with someone, ask: “Help me understand your perspective. What am I missing?” or “Tell me your story.”
Acceptance, kindness and forgiveness are the trifecta of a gracious life. “May we exude graciousness at every turn, remembering that we too, were lavished with grace. May we radiate the warmth and compassion of Jesus, who once took in our messiest messiness and said, ‘You are welcome here.'”
Inviting God into our painful places is when healing begins to seep in.
The first step in obtaining wisdom is admitting that I am not the source of wisdom. (Do I stop and seek God for wisdom before I make decisions or answer questions?)
Stay plugged in to the unparalleled power Source.

What are you reading?

Here are my favorite books for 2020

And my top ten from 2019

May 1, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review

Books I read in March 2021

I felt like I didn’t read much this month, but somehow I finished six books! I read with my kids most days, and a little by myself here and there. Two were fairly quick reads, two I’ve been reading for months and finally finished, and one I listened to on the Hoopla app. Here are my reviews:

Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen

Rating: 9/10

Review: An enjoyable story of a veterinarian who joined the circus and fell in love.

Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper By S.A.R.K.

Rating: 9/10

Review: When Sara Blakely mentioned how much she was inspired by this writer, I went to my local library and checked out a couple of her books. They are SO uniquely written – full of color and written by hand. I’d recommend this book to any writer who needs a little inspiration and encouragement, as well as some fresh ideas. This book made me open up my journal and start writing!

All Flame by Andrew Arndt

Rating: 9/10

Review: Andrew and I worked together at New Life Church. His love for God and kindness towards others is contagious. This book shares Andrew’s journey of faith, and encourages the reader in their faith journey as well. My favorite parts of this book were the stories he told of our mutual friend Jack, as well as some other heroes of history. This is a book you’ll want to read slowly so that you have time to absorb and reflect on each chapter.

Here are some books I read with my boys:

How Great is our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio

Rating: 10/10

Review: My kids and I absolutely loved Louie’s first devotional for kids, and were excited to read this one too! Each day has a Bible verse and a short and interesting story about science and God.

Never Caught: The story of Ona Judge by Erica Dunbar

Rating: 8/10

Review: This book confused me. First, it’s supposed to be for children, so I was reading it with one of my sons, but some of the content discussed was not for children. Thankfully, my son wasn’t super interested in this book so we started another book together and I finished this on my own. Second, it’s supposed to be nonfiction but filled with tons of opinions and ‘she might have said this or done that.’

Overall, It was an interesting story of an enslaved woman owned by George and Martha Washington. The story tells how her life (may have been) as Martha’s slave, how and why she may have escaped, and a little about her life as a free woman.

Who Was Abraham Lincoln? by Janet Pascal

Rating: 9/10

Review: A simple but excellent overview of our 16th president.

Click here for the Five Books I Finished in February

What have you been reading? Leave comment by clicking on the small text box by the title!

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April 2, 2021 By Kathryn

1 In 2021/ Book Review/ Faith/ Product Recommendations

The Best Bible and Devotionals for Kids ages 2-12 – Plus a Giveaway!

Easter is the best time to get your kids a new devotional or Bible. If you have a hard time getting your kids to read their Bible or a devotional, do it with them. I like to read with my kids when they first wake up or right before they go to bed. Also, my kids are always required to read something before they get on electronics.

Here are some of my favorites!

Devotionals:

I Can Learn the Bible

For ages 2-10

We just discovered this one at our local library and love it. It has a devotion for each week of the year, a memory verse and an excellent lesson.

How Great is our God

For ages 5-15

I’ve shared before how MUCH I love Louie Giglio’s first devotional for kids called: Indescribable. This is Book 2 and I love this one too.

The Purpose Driven Life for Kids

The Purpose Driven Life (for Grownups) is one of the best selling books of all time. The ones for children are really good too!

I’d recommend this book for ages 8-14:

This illustrated one is great for children 2-8:

Bibles:

Jesus Storybook Bible

For ages 1-10

This is the Bible in “storybook” form. It’s BEAUTIFULLY written and all my kids have enjoyed listening to it. It’s received about 8,000 five star reviews on Amazon. This is the perfect “FIRST” Bible for kids! However, my 11 year old still asks me to read it to him!