It's not often that I choose not to finish a book. In this case I read quite a few of the devotions before I finally gave up.
I dislike giving out negaIt's not often that I choose not to finish a book. In this case I read quite a few of the devotions before I finally gave up.
I dislike giving out negative reviews of books. Sadly this is going to have to be the case here. There was little rhyme or reason to the devotions - no sense of order for example, or building on a thought which is commonly used in other devotionals to give a deeper understanding of the same Scripture. I say this because there are times when the same chapters are used (for example two devotions near each other both on Acts 9). There's also no sense of seasonal themes, though the book is laid out in a weekly and daily format which would have lent itself to such a thing.
But those things really aren't important in the long run so that's not where I'm dinging this on my review.
One of the problems that I have is with the devotions themselves. Sometimes the thought given is so incredibly simplistic that there seems to be very little more than a sentence or two of true wisdom being offered. This is fine, but then right next to devotions like this you suddenly find another that's getting deep into other areas - using words like 'apostasy' when a moment ago it felt like the book was being written for a child which lends to a confusion of who your intended audience is.
But even this isn't enough for me to set this book down.
What I didn't like was the theology given. Very legalistic. Very harsh. The questions sometimes feeling like they are designed to hurt. The devotions which accuse the reader of things like 'apostasy' without offering even a definition so that you know what you're being accused of. OK, to be fair, the definition of the word is given in the text (the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief) but it's being used in a context of inappropriate worship with no guideline as to what worship is 'acceptable.'
And this is just the beginning of a long line of religious accusation that leaves the reader lost and confused. There's even a devotion early on in the book where the reader is told about Old Testament lending practices with a momentary diatribe against modern credit companies (even if that might be deserved) followed by an invitation to pray and repent of your wrongful practices regarding money - assuming a lot I think. I know people who never went into a penny of debt in their life (it's true!).
I cannot promote or recommend in any way a book that is this harsh and condemning when it's meant to be a devotional. I truly cannot. A devotional is supposed to lift a person up, to lead a person into a closer walk with God. To teach gently.
Don't get me wrong - there are some good devotions in here. The problem comes in weeding them out from the rest. I wouldn't advise reading this book to find them, as there's just too much that can damage your faith walk, especially if you're a new Christian, or even someone who is just now relearning your faith. Your relationship with God is just too important for this kind of treatment.
** I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway with the understanding that I would give it a fair and honest review. I apologize for any hurt my words might have caused the author ** ...more
Being a history geek, I really loved this book and the opportunity to run through so many time periods. If I have any complaint I would have liked to Being a history geek, I really loved this book and the opportunity to run through so many time periods. If I have any complaint I would have liked to have explored each time period more, and interacted with more of the side characters for which there was so much potential. I love the artwork, and would really like to read more in the series.
Overall, if you like a bit of time travel, a splash of romance, and a whole lot of adventure, then this is a fun book to dig into. I'm glad I read this!
*** This book was won in a Goodreads Giveaway, though that fact in no way influenced my review ***...more
For children (or even adults) who love fairy tales this is a very enjoyable collection of stories just perfect for reading to your young ones (or giviFor children (or even adults) who love fairy tales this is a very enjoyable collection of stories just perfect for reading to your young ones (or giving to the somewhat older ones to read themselves, though I might quibble with the reading level for the intended audience as sometimes the words do get somewhat big and difficult for beginning readers).
I loved Knight Kyle, but had issues sometimes with how the stories developed. Maybe this isn't the most politically correct book out there, but if you keep in mind that this is a translation and not a book written for American audiences initially that might help soothe any ruffled feathers. Or at least I hope it does.
I also love how the stories do wind up intertwining in the end. The last story brings everything together and we leave the characters on a good note. Overall this was a good book, and one I don't mind recommending. My biggest complaint is the formatting on my Kindle. The book read much better on my phone with fewer repetitions and text overlaying each other though there were still the occasional mistake. A fresh edition of the book with errors corrected would bring this up to a five-star read.
*** I won this book free in a Goodreads Giveaway. In no way did that influence this review *** ...more
This book is a lot of fun, and is perfect for those times when you just need something to occupy a group of bored people. With us, that's family time,This book is a lot of fun, and is perfect for those times when you just need something to occupy a group of bored people. With us, that's family time, when we're driving somewhere.
We live pretty far out in the country, so even going to the grocery store is at least a half hour drive one way. Regular shopping is an hour and a half from here. I pitched this book into the car, and used it for something to do when we were out on one of those longer drives, and had a lot of fun with it. The questions led to some fun family discussions, and challenged our brains at the same time. I liked how the information isn't too esoteric - these are things that anyone can make a reasonable stab at. Also, there are enough quizzes for many car rides, so it won't get old anytime soon. Overall I'd say this book is a clear winner. I'm glad we have this one!
** This book was given to me in a Goodreads Giveaway. That fact in no way influenced this review - the book was actually just this fun! **...more
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