Same Kind of Different as Me

I just finished reading Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore as part of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program: http://brb.thomasnelson.com .It is an inspirational, true life account of the authors’ lives, from their early years to how their lives intersected and became intertwined. Chapters alternate between the two men’s lives; and later, when they are part of the same story, they alternate between the men’s viewpoints of the same events. Denver Moore was a black man, who grew up poor in Louisiana, where he suffered prejudice and heartbreak. Ron Hall was a white man from modest beginnings who went on to experience success as an art dealer. Denver tired of his life and hopped a train out of Louisiana, eventually ending up in Ft. Worth, Texas. Ron met his future wife Debbie while in college in Texas, and through a series of events in their marriage, they ended up in Ft. Worth, as well. The remarkable story of how Ron’s and Denver’s lives not only crossed paths, but became connected is so incredible, that I hesitate to even share any more details, for fear of ruining the experience for someone else.

It was difficult to read this book at first, as it was slow-moving and kind of confusing to follow. But I am so glad I stuck with it, as about 50 pages in, I became more interested and invested in the story and the people’s lives, and soon thereafter could not put it down until I had finished the whole book. It is a story that addresses the issues of prejudice, homelessness, faith, and forgiveness, in such a compelling and raw manner that it had me in tears. I highly recommend that everyone read this book, as it will speak to your heart and inspire you to love people unconditionally, in the same way that God loves us.

Hand of Fate- by Lis Wiehl

Hand of Fate is the first Lis Wiehl book I’ve read, but it definitely won’t be the last. The story revolves around solving the murder of an outspoken radio talk show host, who died after the release of poisonous gas delivered to him in a package. Soon thereafter the city is in a panic and people flee from the danger that a poisonous gas release and possible terrorist threat poses. Involved in the action are three women, known as the Triple Threat Club, whose occupations are FBI agent, crime reporter, and federal prosecutor. Not only are these women friends, but their professional lives are also intertwined as they deal with the aftermath of the tragic day in Portland. Whereas most of the novel focuses on the mystery of who murdered Jim Fate, the infamous talk show host, there are also glimpses into the personal lives of the three women. They each have secrets and face individual and family challenges.

Anyone who likes a good mystery, which is also full of action, will enjoy this book. It starts out with the same level of intensity one would encounter during an episode of the TV show, 24. The characters are individuals with very real lives and problems. It is not predictable like many whodunits, but rather, will keep you guessing as to the identity of the real culprit up until the time of the reveal. It is one of those books that you hate to put down because you really need to know what is going to happen next and how it will be resolved. I was glad I chose to read and review this book as part of Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze blogger program (http://booksneeze.com/ .)

The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville

The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville is a book that addresses and discusses an important element of life. I recently read it as part of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program, http://brb.thomasnelson.com/. Respect is something that figures into many aspects of a person’s life, and naturally plays a large role in our relationships with others. Norville’s book delves into how respect affects life at home, in school, in the workplace/business world, as well as inside oneself. At just under 200 pages, the book is divided into seven chapters. At the end of each chapter there is a list entitled “respect reminders”, which summarize the main points one should take from that particular section of the book. These lists can also serve as a quick reference to someone who would like a refresher on what is important to remember when dealing with the various people and aspects of one’s life.

This book is applicable to anyone and everyone, and therefore I would highly recommend this book, particularly to those seeking to improve interpersonal relationships. The examples provided in each chapter were excellent and served as wonderful reminders of just how important and influential respect can be in everyday life. Parents are encouraged to model respect for their children; spouses are shown the importance of respect in marriage and how it leads to trust; people in the workplace see how respect leads to greater productivity; and teachers and students are shown how respect contributes to a successful and positive learning experience. Of course, not every point applies to every person, since not everyone is married, some people are not in classroom settings, and some are not in the workplace. But each person can learn and discover through reading this book, and I enjoyed the chapters that were not personally applicable in my life at this time, too.

The Sweet By and By

Recently, as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/, I read The Sweet By and By by Sara Evans. It is a fictional story about Jade, a young woman who is weeks away from getting married. She owns a small business and is engaged to marry a successful lawyer who is from a prominent Southern family. Seemingly, her life should be perfect. But right away, it’s evident that Jade has things in her past that are far from perfect. Jade has people and events that she has kept hidden, which are affecting her present happiness. The story delves into Jade’s past through a series of flashbacks and ties them in to what is happening on the days and weeks leading up to her wedding. Apart from a short epilogue, the story ends on Jade’s wedding day, where resolution finally occurs.

This was a good and fairly easy read. I thought it started out rather slowly and it took me awhile to become interested in it, but by the time I reached the halfway point, I was more interested in seeing how it all turned out. The story was based in the present, but continuously flashed back to various years in the past in order to explain the conflict occurring in the present. Secrets were revealed slowly and really supported the plotline in a realistic way, as well as keeping the story from being predictable and boring. Characters were well-developed and the reader can get a sense of most characters, including the secondary ones. The only thing I found slightly unrealistic was the seemingly quick and easy way that most characters (apart from the main character, Jade) forgave others. For instance, Jade repeatedly confessed parts of her past that she’d kept hidden from her fiancé and he hardly seemed to blink. There was no real conflict between them as a result of her lies and secrets. It just seems like it would have been more realistic if this aspect had been explored more and the forgiveness had taken longer to occur. Jade eventually came to have a relationship with the Lord, and various characters shared the importance of knowing Him, but there was not an overt spiritual emphasis in the book. The overall main theme that definitely stuck out to me throughout this book was ‘forgiveness’. Not only do you see the harm that comes from holding onto the past and not forgiving others, but also the pain that comes from not forgiving oneself, and from not seeking and accepting God’s forgiveness.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction with a spiritual element and/or for someone having problems with the issue of forgiveness in their own life.

What's He Really Thinking by Paula Rinehart

This book is written from a female perspective and discusses interactions with the men in one’s life. In most cases, the text pertains to a significant other, but it could usually also be applicable to other men, such as fathers, sons, brothers, etc. The book has three sections. The first one discusses how to understand the man you love and the second part advises on how to love the man you understand. In the last part of the book, there are numerous useful resources such as scripture verses to be used when praying for your man, questions that can be asked as conversation starters, and a study guide with questions that can be used as you read through the book.

I recently read this book as part of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ and found it a worthwhile read, but not an essential read. I liked how the author discussed men’s vulnerabilities, how important respect is to a man and how to exhibit that respect, and how to “get through” or effectively communicate with a man. A lot of what was shared seemed like common sense or repeated information I already knew, so I felt like it served as more of a reminder of the uniqueness of the inner workings of males. I will admit it took me awhile to read through this book. This might be partly due to the fact that I recently read a similar book entitled, “Why Men Don’t Listen and Women Can’t Read Maps”, which actually kept my interest better. Maybe if I had read this book first, I might have a different opinion. This book was not a difficult one to read, and it contained useful information, but it was just not that interesting to me.

Fearless- Max Lucado

In Lucado’s book, "Fearless", he addresses some of the most common fears in life and mixes in personal examples, scriptural examples, and appropriate scripture verses to help people deal with each of these fears. He doesn’t make a person’s fears seem irrational or dumb, but instead the opposite. By sharing his own personal experiences, as well as examples from scripture, the reader knows that having these fears is common. There were no quick fixes or cures in this book, just reminders of scriptural promises and the author’s applications. Each person must still apply to his/her own life the principles Lucado shares, in order to benefit and live a life without fear.
While this book was written in an easy-going style, and thereby making it a fairly quick read, it is a book that should be read and re-read in order to truly be absorbed. The chapter divisions allow for easy reference if someone desires to re-read certain portions addressing specific fears. This book was not as long as I originally thought, since there was a discussion guide at the end (about 35 pages in length) that the author states can be used by individuals or groups. One of my favorite chapters was called “Woe, Be Gone” which focused on worry. Not only was it easy to relate to, but the eight steps given to deal with worry, so that it didn’t have a hold on a person, were basic and effective. I recently read this book as part of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ and while I would not go so far as to call it a “must-read”, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to address and deal with the fears in his or her life.

The X and Y of Buy

As a reviewer for Thomas Nelson’s book review blogger program, http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ I recently read The X and Y of Buy, by Elizabeth Pace. It is a well-organized and interesting book. The author does not portray either sex in a discriminatory or derogatory way, but rather in a straight-forward, matter-of-fact manner, without being too technical. She explains how to market to both sexes and why there are differences in how sales are made to each sex, based upon the variations in the male and female brains. At the end of the chapters there are male/female summary charts and paragraphs which allow for review of what was covered, as well as serving as quick reference tools in the future.

Even though I am not a salesperson, I found the information about the differences in the male and female brains to be fascinating and useful in everyday life. For instance, I learned why men and women view maps and math problems in different ways, why men can more easily parallel park a car, and why women are able to multi-task. The pointers shared on how to communicate with both sexes in ways that they will actually hear you, can certainly benefit anyone, not just people employed in the world of sales. It seems to be particularly relevant for anyone in the workplace as they must often “sell” ideas to a boss or a co-worker. I learned why some of the ways I talk and listen to males are not ideal, and discovered more effective ways to do both. It is easy to relate to the information and makes sense as you think of people around you and the corresponding relationships. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the differences in male and female brains and how these variations relate not only to the retail world, but to life in general, as well as to anyone hoping to improve communication between the sexes.