Tuesday, December 13, 2016

A lot of feel good, uplifting stuff... with one reject {Show us your books}


It's the most wonderful time of the year.....

Book Day... that's what day it is...
Did you think I meant Christmas?... OK, that too - but for today, its the most wonderful time of the year in blog world.  Where so many people share what they've been reading.
 
& I'm excited because in a couple of weeks, there is another link up with Steph & Jana   to go over our favorite books of 2016.
I cant wait for that link up!

So, here's my reads for the past month

 
12681611Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)
By Debbie Macomber
***/5
 
So I loved the Blossom series when it started out - a series that revolves around a knitting store. Totally me!  I found this at the library - & then found out I bought it & it was sitting on my shelf at home - oops! Just never got around to it.
I didnt read the book before but didnt feel like I missed out on anything.
This just introduced new characters that find their way to A Good Yarn & all the people that live in this little town.
 
Like most Debbie Macomber books, you can sort of tell where this book is going to lead.  Her stories are always full of rainbows & butterflies & a cherry on top. Whole American with clean romance & touches of faith tucked in.  This is the same.
 
I dont mind easy, light reads sometimes.  I knew what to expect with her writing. It lived up to it.
 
 
 
 
29491948Listen, Love, Repeat:  Other-Centered Living in a Self-Centered World
By:  Karen Ehman
*****/5
 
I was given this book to review & wasn't sure if it was going to be something that bored me or gave me anything new to chew on...
 
I ended up LOVING this book.
 
Such relevant reminders in a world that lives in such a fast paced time, mostly behind screens & connected with computers & not connected with each other.
 
It's in such a cute format too - full of ideas to help others & entertain or recipes & decorating tips.  & simple ideas that we should know but may have forgotten.
 
I left this book reminded that everything I have is not truly mine but God's & I should let it be used for His glory. 
& felt a eye opening lesson in reminding that Jesus ministered to those in front of him always. Even if He was traveling to a certain destination to help someone else... if someone came in His path, He'd stop & help or touch them - be IN the moment with those standing in His way.
Someone is in YOUR path today that needs to have time & moments spent with.  We can be Jesus to every single person we run across today.
I really did love this book & was so pleasantly surprised by it.
 
 
 
The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines  The stars of the reality show the Fixer Upper tell about their lives.: The Magnolia Story
By Chip & Joanna Gaines
*****/5
 
OK, I know some people are huge Fixer Upper fans. I like the show, but not a die-hard. I just came across it on a HGTV marathon one day & really liked it - & this couple - but I am not the fans that I know some people are....
... until now.
After reading their book & hearing their story, I really do love this couple.
I loved hearing how they got their own show, but also how they came through childhood & met each other - even through their dating, early marriage & parenthood stories. 
They really do seem like the cutest couple. I actually sighed at the sweetness of some of the stories they share.
I love how total opposites they are too & how they seem to balance one another out - but always let God be the scale on which they balance.
 
I adored this book as well & highly recommend it if you love a good autobiography or if you love their show. 
 
 
 
 
25776196I'm Glad About you
by Theresa Rebeck
DID NOT FINISH
 
I just couldn't.
I'm proud of myself for getting better not wasting my time with books that I'm not feeling or not connecting with.
 
This was deemed as "Notting Hill" meets "When Harry met Sally"... sounds great, right?
That was so wrong.
 
The basis is a couple that broke up, goes their separate ways, but always comes back to meeting up in life.  Except, I could really care less about either character. They just didn't seem like good people or characters to me.
 
& then I probably did the wrong thing - I read the reviews & saw so many people didn't like it either. & they gave the ending away & I was like, That's stupid... so I skipped ahead & read the last chapter... & yeah, it was stupid. 
 
So I didn't even care to fill in the gaps of the in between. Tossed it to the donate pile.
 
 
30233910Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in The Midst of Life's Storms
By Tim Tebow
****/5
 
I'm not a football person or a fan at all, but I do know Tim Tebow.
Who doesn't know about Tebowing - right?
I've not read any of his other books, but when he had a spare weekend & stopped into our church a few weeks ago & spoke & talked about his future book, I wanted to grab it when it came out, just to support someone who is giving a good message to the world on faith & reminding us WHOSE we are - not who we are or who the world says we are.
 
He really does impress me on his boldness on sharing God's love to others so I was excited to pick this one up.

I really did enjoy the book - even the parts of Tim telling his football story. I thought that part may bore me a bit, but it was interesting to see how he handled being let go of the organizations he was a part of.

The book is full of Tim's experiences in life as a teenager on mission trips, to playing in the big leagues, to everything in between. & it all holds great reminders of God's truth.

Some of the stories, I've heard before... some of the points he makes on scripture, I've heard most of them in other places, but there were a few little snippets of truths that were new to me that really gripped me. I have to say, for me reading a book on a football player, I really did enjoy it.
 
 


Life According to Steph
Click to see all the other link ups on what everyone is reading

22 comments:

  1. This may be wrong to say this but I love the fact that you didn't finish that book. I read a saying once that said "Life is too short to continuing reading books we're not into" or something like that. I have a heard time throwing in the towel though cus I keep thinking "this has got to get better"...lol

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  2. Magnolia Story is next on my Audiobook list!

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  3. I always give a book at least 3 chapters. If I'm not into it by then, I move on.

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    1. Unless it's one of those books with super short chapters, then I will try a little longer. :)

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  4. good for you for giving up on that book - i am trying to get better at that but i definitely still suck at it. i think that one was on my list so off i go to remove it..

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  5. I am still adjusting to the DNF myself...but it's so liberating. Good for you!

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  6. I have been wanting to read Tim Tebow's book too! And same with Magnolia. I heard it was really good. Thank you for all the book suggestions!

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  7. I definitely want to read The Magnolia Story at some point. That Listen Love Repeat books looks pretty interesting, too!

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  8. Listen Love Repeat sounds really sweet, so I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for that one! I always like it when books help to reconnect people back with eachother and serve as a reminder to detach ourselves from our screens so that sound right up my street! - Tasha

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  9. I'm relatively new to DNFing a book too. But life is short and honestly I've never regretted a book I quit. I do cheat and read the last chapter to see if the ending interests me enough to go back and finish the book - and it hasn't happened yet. Listen Love Repeat sounds really interesting and I'm adding it to my TBR!

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  10. I love the Blossom Street Series... but I just didn't like that one very much. It was ok... but I just couldn't super relate to the character... and it was a bit dreary. I dunno... lol. I like the ones that are a bit more fun. I haven't watched Fixer Upper.. but people really do seem to love them! I Like that they have their own market now, and a book, etc. :) Bummer about the DNF.. but it happens! Life is too short! :P XO - Alexandra

    Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things

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  11. One of my friends is not a reader but loves Tim Tebow and his commitment to his faith and loved his book.

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  12. Oh I want to read the Magnolia book now! I was just eh about it, but now I NEED it! They are so cute.

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  13. I love to hear what you have to say about the books you read. I believe I really need to read Debbie Macomber's book and Chip and Joanna's biography. Maybe Tim Tebow's too.

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  14. I read the Magnolia story and also loved it. The Tim Tebow book sounds good. I like football and have enjoyed seeing him on talk shows. Thanks for the reviews!

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  15. I'm not a football fan either but I read Tim Tebow's first book and really loved it, his story is simply fascinating. This is the second time I've heard a good review about Listen, Love, Repeat so maybe I'll add that one to my must read list! I might be the only blogger who isn't a Magnolia/Fixer Upper fan. I've seen a few episodes of Fixer Upper but they just rub me the wrong way!

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  16. I like how you described Debbie Macomber books. I have only read one so far, but I can see how that's true. I'm not a diehard Fixer Upper fan either. I think I have seen three episodes. Though I'm watching tonight because two of my friends are on it!

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  17. Oh my "Belle" friend, what a great list of books!
    I've never read Macomber's books, I don't know why. One of these days, so many people rave about them!
    I've been reading a little, but not nearly as much as I would like. I had a goal to get through 52 novels this year, I'm at 48 so it's going to be close.
    I only recently caught an episode of Magnolia show. Funny thing, I only started watching it because I heard on the news they were getting beat up by the left wing press for their religious belief and I liked that they didn't back down so it drove my curiosity to their show LOL, they look like a fun couple!

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  18. I always enjoy Debbie Macomber! :) Will have to add some of these others to my reading list!

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  19. Good for you for quitting I'm Glad About You. When you don't care about the characters or how the book is going to end, then it's not worth the time. We are getting better at this together.

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  20. Starting Now is on my to read list. I've only read up to #7 in the Blossom Street series. It's really hard for me to stop reading a book, but there's too many out there that I want to read to be "stuck" in a book that I don't like!

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  21. I have a new appreciation for quitting books. Sometimes it's just necessary.

    Tim Tebow is in the Mets minor league system now. One of their old pitchers, R.A. Dickey, wrote a book a few years ago that talks about a number of things including his faith. It's called Wherever I Wind Up. You might like it.

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