Money Secrets of the Amish

Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving

This book was a surprisingly enjoyable read. Most "money books" are a dry and tough read. Lorilee Craker manages to take a rather dusty topic and give it spark.

While the information wasn't anything new - at least it shouldn't be - it's wisdom that seems to be sadly lacking in many homes today. I do recommend this book, as I believe in this economy folks can use all the help they can get.

You don't need a lot of money to have a good life; you just need to manage it well. This book has good advice on how to do that.

A Reluctant Queen

Review by my wife:

I absolutely enjoyed this book. The author does take some creative license with the story, as she provides background and reasons for the actions and attitudes of the various characters; she creatively fills in historical gaps, rounding out the story and giving it greater depth.

The story of Esther is a beautiful one, and Joan Wolf did a wonderful job in telling it. While this book is a novel, and can't possibly accurately reflect the true story (seeing as the Bible recording only provides so much information), the message of the story comes across loud and clear - and that is what I found so appealing.

As the author says in the end, "Where the Bible story and the novel come together is in the underlying premise. God has a plan for the world, and He works His plan through the actions of humans. The big question is, will we allow God to work through us? God wants us to be His partners, but we have the free will to accept or refuse His challenge. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, all of God’s people must listen to His voice and open their hearts for Him to use us for His purposes."

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through BookSneeze.com - their book review bloggers program. I wasn't required to post a positive review. These are my own opinions on this book.

Doing Virtuous Business

As I am building a small business, building on virtuous practices and Christian ethics is extremely important to me. I got this book, hoping that it would provide a comprehensive look at virtuous business practices - a guide book of sorts, that would offer insight into how to deal fairly and rightly in the business world.

Unfortunately, Malloch only rehashes the very basics of "doing good" in business - aimed mainly at large corporations. Now if only some CEOs of those large companies would pick this book up.

I can't really give a good recommendation on this book. It wasn't very helpful and didn't provide relevant information for anyone who already tries to uphold a moral standard in their life and business.

How to Write a Book Proposal

It's long been a dream to become a published author, so I jumped at the chance to read this book by Michael Larsen. This book was a pretty easy read - straight forward and to the point without a lot of unnecessary information.

I'd recommend this book to anyone looking to become a professional writer as it not only contains helpful information on getting published, but also plenty that can be applied to writing in general.

Unfortunately, I'd only give this book three stars. The reason for this is that while it contains much helpful information, that same info can be found on many publishing websites for free.

If you want to avoid the time spent researching online, go ahead and get this book. However, if you want to save money, go ahead and spend a little time googling questions you have and you'll find many of the same answers that this book provides.

Beyond Talent

Another fantastic book by John Maxwell. In this book (as the title suggests) Maxwell makes the point that talent is only the beginning of success. You can be extremely talented, but end up going nowhere. So what makes the difference between those who succeed and those who don't? Here are a few things that successful people know and practice:

* Belief lifts your talent.
* Initiative activates your talent.
* Focus directs your talent.
* Preparation positions your talent.
* Practice sharpens your talent.
* Perseverance sustains your talent.
* Character protects your talent.

He encourages people to turn raw talent into something more, something bigger. His writing is encouraging, challenging - and if actually implemented, the lessons taught in this book (I believe) could lead to far greater success than you'd imagine.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through BookSneeze.com - their book review bloggers program. I wasn't required to post a positive review. These are my own opinions on this book.

The Final Summit

I nearly didn't get this book. After reading "The Heart Mender" by Andy Andrews, and not enjoying it much at all, I wasn't sure about getting another of his books. This one, however, sucked me right in and I was hooked pretty much from start to finish.

While I didn't agree with certain specific points, most of the book was fantastic - and exactly what I needed to read right now. It's challenging, motivating, and a good kick in the butt. READ WITH A HIGHLIGHTER.

The characters in the story are developed beautifully - the Angel Gabriel in particular is fantastic. Each historical figure is brought vibrantly to life, showing good research (and a little creative license). Each one crackles with character - the dialogue is very well-written.

This book is a sequel to "The Traveler's Gift." I haven't read the first one, so I'd suggest reading it before going on to this one. "The Final Summit" stands on it's own, but there are some references to the first book and gaps that need to be filled in. I'm getting the first book now.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through BookSneeze.com - their book review bloggers program. I wasn't required to post a positive review. These are my own opinions on this book.

The Band That Played On

I really wanted to like this book. When I read the concept of this book, I was excited to read it. I understood it to be a closer look into the lives of these brave men - I expected something a little more intimate, I guess. I hoped it would provide an insight into their character that enabled them to stand so strong in the face of such tragedy.
What I found instead was a very dry, impersonal account - providing a lot of dates, places and names, but not much else. I love a good biography - I've read many, and always enjoy them. This book, however, was just too impersonal, too distant from the lives of these men. It was a tough read.
I guess I can't blame the author though. Not much is known about these seven men, so finding information on them was a tough task. I imagine it wasn't easy patching together a good story with the scraps provided.
Nonetheless, I wouldn't buy this book, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through BookSneeze.com - their book review bloggers program. I wasn't required to post a positive review. These are my own opinions on this book.