I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones

Jenny B. Jones has penned a funny tale about the mishaps of living in Bella’s world. Bella’s stepdad made the cut for a wrestler reality show. The paparazzi seem are everywhere – especially to catch Bella with her many mishaps. Nothing like having your face splashed in tabloids for all to see.

Bella has given herself a name in solving mysteries that surround Truman High School. This time, the prom queen candidates are the target. Luke, the newspaper editor-in-chief calls the shots for Bella and decides which stories she will write and investigate. Luke gives Bella mixed signals and she reciprocates the same. Getting closer to the truth, can be a dangerous feat. Will it be discovered before it’s too late?

Bella loves to visit her Dad but things get a little complicated with his new girlfriend. Her ex-boyfriend, Hunter, helps her escape some of the heat by showing up or calling at the right time. After what happened with him before, can she trust him again? She begins to talk to God again. Will her heart be open to His answer?

I loved this book. As with Jenny’s other books, she is out-loud funny! I highly recommend her books to all for great stories and tons of laughter!

The Tallest of Smalls by Max Lucado and Illustrated by Maria Monescillo

The Tallest of Smalls is a delightful story about a young boy, Ollie, who eagerly waits to be picked to receive a set of stilts. The stilts will prove that he’s someone important. Each evening, the Too Smalls of Stiltsville gather together and wait to see who will be chosen. To Ollie’s surprise, he is chosen!

To Ollie’s dismay, being at the top with his stilts is no fun after all. He struggles and ultimately falls. No one is there to catch him except the One that really matters.

The story is another twist to show that we are not a mistake. We are all made of different shapes, sizes, colors, and perfect.

I think we are all guilty at one time or another of wanting to fit in and be part of the crowd. Or even climb the ladder. As Ollie learns, it can be quite alone at the top and one can fall. Hard.

No matter how far or hard we fall, Jesus is there for us. We are made in His image. Ollie realizes this. He was never insignificant in the eyes of Jesus.

This 32 page book is beautifully illustrated by Maria Monescillo. I can hear the kids begging their parents, “read it again!”

A Slow Burn by Mary DeMuth

Mary’s new book, A Slow Burn, a follow-up from Daisy Chain is powerful beyond description.

Emory Chance is emotional and she has every right to be. Her daughter, Daisy, has been murdered. She is on a mission to find the killer. Due to her own selfish choices, she feels that maybe she is the real cause of her death. If that’s the case, how do you ever forgive yourself?

This book is so powerful. If you know of anyone who has had a difficult childhood or life, or striving to forgive oneself for the unthinkable, this book is a must-read. If you are the one touched by sadness, then this book may change your thought patterns. I think that having a less than perfect childhood may be more often the case than not.

Personally, this book touched me to my emotional core. It made me think about how I look at things, the power of forgiveness, and the choices that I have made or have yet to make.

I thank Mary so much for bringing shining a BRIGHT light into the dark tunnel of despair. You will realize that no matter what your circumstances are – you are NOT alone. God loves you. When you wept, so did He.

This book is staying on my book shelf. I pray that it will touch your lives as deeply as it touched mine.

I recommend this book and if you haven’t read Daisy Chain yet, please do.

What's He Really Thinking? by Paula Rinehart

Ever struggle to figure out what men think? They are much less complicated than we realize. We are able to love them more by taking the time to understand them.

There are some general types of men that we will run across. They are The Fighter, The Protector, The Adventurer, The Builder, The Nurturer, The Reflective, and the Scientist. The Fighter is the man that will be there to help in a time of need (such as a car breakdown). According to Paula Rinehart, he can be described as a pit bull and anger will be his downfall. Rinehart describes each category and what you can expect.

The most interesting aspect to me is that women are able to read facial expressions much more accurately than men. If we were hooked up to computers, an average of six times as many neurons will light up in a woman’s brain compared to a man’s.

Men are the happiest when they are respected by the women in our lives including their wife, daughter, niece, etc.

I give it three stars because it failed to keep my attention. I'm not sure if it's because I've heard and read the same stuff before or it wasn't my type of book.

There is much more covered in the book. She includes a section for guidance on praying for the men in your life, understanding him, and in-depth questions for each chapter that is covered.