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Friday, February 27, 2015

'You're Loved No Matter What' by Holly Gerth - Book Review

You're Loved No Matter What: Freeing Your Heart from the Need to Be PerfectYou're Loved No Matter What: Freeing Your Heart from the Need to Be Perfect by Holley Gerth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first time reviewing a non-fiction book, so I hope I know what I'm doing.


'You're Loved No Matter What' is a book about freeing yourself from the need to be perfect.  I don't struggle with trying to be perfect that much, only a little.  So, perhaps this  just wasn't the book for me to read at the moment.  I did enjoy most of the book, and Holly offers great words of wisdom in here as she reveals the struggle that she has had with perfection in the past and ways you can overcome it.

What is perfection, exactly?  Well, Holly gives some examples in this book.  For one perfection might be trying to keep the cleanest house, and for another it might be trying to be the prefect employee.  These are just two examples, but there are many more.

Holly offers advice for beating perfection in this book.  She explains that we are a work in progress and that the only time we will be truly perfect is when we reach Heaven.  We shouldn't worry about being perfect.  That doesn't mean we shouldn't try hard and work to the best of our abilities, but we should get rid of the need to be perfect.  Perfectionism offers a lot of stress, and you know what?  You are never to be completely perfect, so when you are trying to be, you're just adding  lot of stress to your life for no reason.

She also points out that we shouldn't try to make others perfect, because that's not our job.

I did really like this book, and it offered some great advice, and it also reminded that I'm beautiful in God's eyes.  So, stop trying to be perfect and just be who God made you to be!

Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through their blogger review program, in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own and I was not asked to write a positive review.


Thursday, February 26, 2015

SCARLET by Marissa Meyer - Book Review

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm going to start off by saying, that I didn't like this as much as 'Cinder'.  At first, I loved it, but by the end, it just...Idk...it...I don't even know how to describe it.  But, it was still a very good read, and I did really like it.  It just was not as good as 'Cinder'.

The characters are really cool!  I love the character of Scarlet, and at times the character of Wolf.  I happen to like Wolf's character better than Kai's, btw.  And of course, we have Cinder.  She's just as great as in the first book, even if she is a fugitive now.  And 'Captain' Carswell Thorne is so funny!  I really like having his character in the book.  He's hilarious.

The plot was interesting, intriguing, but maybe, I felt like Marissa Meyer took a little too long to finish the story.  I think, that maybe, it could have been done in a slightly shorter book.

Altogether, I enjoyed this book, but it didn't leave me as excited for the next one, 'Cress' as I would've liked.  Now, I just don't have the same anticipation for 'Cress', as I did for 'Scarlet (but since I bought - in ebook form - I guess I'll read it.


View all my reviews

Friday, February 20, 2015

SABOTAGED by Dani Pettrey - Book Review

Sabotaged by Dani Pettrrey - Book Review

{Alaskan Courage Seriees: Book Five 
 My rating: 4 out of 5 stars }

Synopsis:
Growing up, goody-two-shoes Kirra Jacobs and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now paired together on Yancey's search-and-rescue canine unit, they begin to put aside old arguments as they come to see each other in a different light. Then a call comes in from the Iditarod that will push them to their limits.
Kirra's uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing. Frank's daughter has been kidnapped. In order to save her, the man must use his knowledge as a mechanical engineer to do the kidnapper's bidding or she will die. Kirra and Reef, along with the entire McKenna family, are thrown into a race to stop a shadowy villain who is not only threatening a girl's life, but appears willing to unleash one of the largest disasters Alaska has ever seen.

So, where do I start?  I was really happy to receive this book in the mail.  One of  my favorite genres to read is suspense.  So, when I saw this in my mailbox I was pretty excited! 

This is the first book that I have read by Dani Pettrey, and even though this is book five in the series, it can totally be read as a stand alone book.  I love the concept of each book being about a different member in the Mckenna family, so I may just have to buy the other books sometime:)

I thought the character of Kirra Jacobs was great!  She's a really strong female character.  One thing I like is that, even though she is going through a tough time, and she tries to be strong and keep it hidden, she does share some of her grief with Reef Mckenna.  I don't like it when characters try to be really tough and not share anything with anyone until near the end of the book, which is not the case in 'Sabotaged', because she shares her grief with Reef about halfway through the book. 

Reef was ok, but he could be a little annoying at times. It was like, even in the midst of the search he could not help but be dsitracted by Kirra, and fantasize over the day they could be together.  Other than that, he is a really good, strong male character, and he is very heroic person throughout the book, and I really liked him. 

I have said before that I don't really like romance in books, not when it's one of the main themes.  But, it wasn't so bad in 'Sabatoged'.  In fact, the romance was one that I liked.  Kirra and Reef are perfect for each other.  Another thing that I like is that they didn't wait until nearly the end of the book to confess their feelings for each other, and to admit they were interested in starting a relationship.  

The suspense in this book was enough to keep me going back to read it and find out what happened, but to be honest it wasn't the 'edge-of-your-seat' type of suspense that I like.  But, as I said, it was enough to keep me interested in the book, and to keep reading until I finished it. 

I didn't get bored while reading this book, not once I believe.  Dani Pettrey's writing is strong, and held my interest well.  

I really liked the diffent POVs in this book.  While it was mostly focused on Reef and Kirra, there were a ton of other characters in the book.  I have already said that I like the fact that each of the books are about one of the Mckenna siblings, which I think is a really cool way to do a series, but all of the Mckenna's are featured in this book at one time or another.  I loved the epilogue, with all of the Mckenna's and their fiancees, or wives/husbands together at the old Mckenna home.  It was really sweet way to end the series. 

Overall I did really enjoy 'Sabotaged' and am giving it 4 out of 5 stars.  I think that someday I'll purchase the rest of the series, so I can read more of the Mckenna's story.  

Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher, through their blogger review program, in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.  I was not asked to write a positive review.  

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

January Wrap-Up 2015

I know that it's a little late, but here is my January Wrap-Up for 2015!  Any books that I have reviewed will have a link to the post.

I read a total of 14 books in January, which include four e-books and ten real books.  For the real books:


1. 'The Scorch Trials' by James Dashner:  I only gave this one 3 stars out of 5 stars.
2. 'Lizzy and Jane' by Katherine Reay:  I really liked this one, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars!
3. 'Winnie-the-Pooh' by A.A. Milne:  I gave this one 5 out of 5 stars!  (I have a review of all of the 'Winnie-the-Pooh' books by A.A. Milne here.)
4. 'Now We Are Six' by A.A. Milne:  5 out of 5 stars!
5. 'The House at Pooh Corner' by A.A. Millne:  I'd never read this one before, and I gave it 5 out of 5 stars!
6. 'When We Are Very Young' by A.A. Milne:  I'd never read this one before either, and I gave it 5 out of 5 stars!
7. 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien:  A book that I decided to read again!  This will always remain one of my favorite books!  5 out of 5 stars, of course!
8.  One of the short stories out of the 'Samantha's Short Story Collection' from American Girl:  I gave 'Samantha and the Missing Pearls' 4 out of 5 stars!
9. '365 Days of Wonder {Mr. Brown's Book of Precepts}' by R.J. Palacio:  Really loved reading all of the inspiring quotes:  5 out of 5 stars!
10. 'Jennie's War' by Bonnie Hinman:  I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars!

Now for the e-books that I read:

1. 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' by Beatrix Potter:  I gave this one 3 out of 5 stars.
2. 'The Meaning of Maggie' by Megan Jean Sovern:  I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars!  Really good book!
3. 'Ella Enchanted' by Gale Carson Levine:  Really loved this book and gave it 5 out of 5 stars!
4. 'This Star Won't Go Out' by Esther Earl:  I read most of this one.  I really liked it, but it's just so sad:( 4 out of 5 stars!

And those are all of the books that I read in January 2015.

Hannah