Swipe by Evan Angler

For some reason, I thought this book was about the Mark of the Beast.  And I was intrigued because Logan is coming up on his 13^th birthday and it was going to be his turn. They do need the Mark for employment, shopping, and even transportation. But, the book seemed to go in a different direction than I anticipated.

There were people that were considered ‘unmarked’ and lived in a different place than the ones who were marked or had not yet reached 13. Logan’s sister was snatched on the day she was to be marked. Logan is constantly looking behind his shoulder because he fears that he will be snatched up next.

Erin is moved from her comfortable home in Beacon to Spokie. Her mom is left behind and Erin’s dad is involved in ‘government work.’ Erin finds some boxes and starts to make some discoveries and involves Logan.

I had a hard time being emotionally involved with the characters. After the first chapter, I found myself struggling to turn the pages. I don’t know if it’s because the storyline was much different than I thought it was or the genre? I think if the subject interests you, than it’s definitely worth a read. You may absolutely love it like others who have reviewed the book. Or, it may not be your cup of tea.

I received an e-book review copy from Thomas Nelson Publishers and was not required to write a positive review. 

Exciting news! Nick Vujicic is coming out with a new book called, "Unstoppable: The Incredible Power of Faith in Action" to be released 10-2-12!

Nick was born without arms or legs but has a fulfilled life. See more in this video:

http://youtu.be/ii4JNtDPSaA

To get a sneak peek, read the first chapter here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/98561664/Unstoppable-by-Nick-Vujicic-Chapter-1-Excerpt

inSignificant: Why You Matter in the Surprising Way God Is Changing the World by Chris Travis

Ever feel like your life doesn’t matter? If so, this book is for you. The author, Chris Travis is a former atheist. He is now a pastor of Everyday Christian Church in Manhattan. Prior to that, he felt lead to teach middle school. Not any middle school but the most dangerous one in New York. This middle school had the greatest number of student injuries per capita.

During his teaching, he spent many days keeping the students in line. He cleaned up graffiti, dealt with kids who were foul-mouthed and then tracked down the parents or whoever was their guardian to include them in the education process. In essence, it was a nightmare. He wanted to quit. And most did. But, he felt called to stay.

Ever look in the mirror? Sometimes we do not like what we see. We see the physical part of our being but not the inside. God sees the inside. God makes no mistakes. If he created you, he has a plan for your life as stated in Jeremiah 29:11. And you never know what kind of impact that you might have on someone else’s life. A simple call, text, or even a smile can make a huge impact on another person. Pastor Chris Travis gives a great example and this is what he said, “He uses the tiniest things and seemingly insignificant people to effect massive change in the world. For example, God used a hug from a little girl in Cambodia to start an organization that helps rescue dozens of women and girls from sex trafficking.” Wow, isn’t that amazing! A hug!

If you are feeling insignificant or know someone who does, pick up this book and read through the amazing experience that Pastor Chris Travis had through teaching middle school.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher (Bethany House) . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

<http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

This is the first book in the Bailey Flanigan series. Bailey follows her dreams and auditions for Broadway. In the midst of waiting for the call, her heart yearns for Cody Coleman. But, Cody left her with no explanation. She keeps waiting for a call or text and it never comes. She becomes reconnected with Brandon Paul, her co-star of the movie Unlocked.

Bailey comes to terms of the loss of Cody and she begins to allow Brandon a part of her heart. She receives the call of the lifetime! She won the audition but something is holding her back. Brandon has assured her that they will figure out a way to make their long distance relationship work. But, it’s not Brandon. It’s Cody. She decides that it was time to find him and make sense of him leaving. When she finds him, it’s not what she expected. And New York is waiting for her.

The title is perfect because it is the story about leaving. It’s time for Bailey to move on to the next phase in her life. New York is waiting but she also has a special place in her heart for Cody but he’s disappeared. And Brandon is there for her.

In all of our lives, we are always leaving. We leave our jobs, move, have children, and the list goes on and on. I like to think of it as a new chapter in our lives. There seems to be definite chapter breaks. Chapter breaks can be good, painful or both. You can be thrilled that your son/daughter is entering college but it can also painful. It can be painful that he/she may be attending a college that may not be within driving distance. This book is a reminder to hold onto the moments. There will always be lasts. But, there will always be new beginnings. It’s how we embrace those beginnings that can make the difference in the world.

I received this book for free from the publisher (Zondervan). I was not required to write a positive review.

Another Dawn by Kathryn Cushman

Grace Graham is returning home to help care for her father with the encouragement of her sister, Jana. Jana feels that Grace runs away from her problems instead of facing them head on. Grace returns home for her sister. She still blames her father for the death of her mother.

Grace thinks that she is only going to stay for a short period of time but a decision that she made a long time ago is catching up with her. She did not vaccinate her son and now others are put at risk when he becomes sick.

The story peaked my interest because of the issue of Autism and Vaccinations. I’ve seen articles that claim that there is not a link. But, I might have believed that if it weren’t for my own personal experience. My son went from talking at a young age to hardly talking at all. He barely picked up a crayon when he started kindergarten. What is the right thing to do? If I had to go back knowing what I know now, I’m still not sure that I would have chose against vaccinations. There is a risk of the child becoming deathly ill or possibly die without them. I would rather have my child who happens to have autism but laughs, loves to draw, and is an excellent singer when he chooses to share his voice.

I would recommend this book to others who prefer a lighter read and might be interested in learning about Autism and the views of receiving vaccinations from both sides of the fence.

I was given this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

People Matter

It's been almost six months since I left my job and I miss the relationships that I developed over the past ten years the most. I knew that I didn't want those friendships to end. Before I left, I wrote down my co-workers birthdays. I was lucky enough to have access to the system so I didn't have to ask them specifically.

I sent an e-mail to one such co-worker. She asked, "How could you possibly know that? No-one knows!" I explained to her that I truly cared about her and I wrote down that date in my calendar. I wanted to be able to tell her that I wished her a happy birthday.

I have been on a few interviews but my true job and heart is at home with my son. He's 13 and it seems like the older he gets, the more he really needs me. I do miss those friendships and the adult times. But, it ends there. Family is more important.

Leo, my husband of 24 years joined a company called SendOutCards. He was enthusiastic about it and still is. I decided that I would join him in this venture. Since I'm at home, I would have more time to dedicate to this fabulous company.

SendOutCards is basically a company that believes just like I do that people matter. They are an online greeting card company. You can send a card in less than 60 seconds from your own computer. Plus, they will mail the card out for you with a real stamp. I know that this has been a lifesaver for me. Not only that, you can add pictures and send gifts. It's extremely convenient. One of my favorite parts of the system is the customer database. All the people I care about are all in one place on a server that I do not have ever worry about losing the data. I receive an email that a birthday is coming up. It's in plenty of time to log into the system and send out a card. They receive it on time.

There is so much more I can tell you about this company but the most important things that a person can do in their life is to let others know how much they really care.

On the right side of the blog (just under 'About The Kim Family'), there is a link called kimbocards, click on that link. It will guide you through the system. I recommend that you send the card to your spouse or child or even yourself so that you can see the results first hand. Or, I am more than happy to walk you through the process.

I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to comment or send me an e-mail.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”
― John C. Maxwell

Wildflowers from Winter ~ Katie Ganshert

Bethany Quinn is living the dream. She is an architect in Chicago and loves it and has a great boyfriend. She has moved beyond her trailer park years. She receives a call to return to the past that she’s been happy to avoid. There is an emergency and her mom wants her to return to rural Iowa.

But, more trouble ensues and now she has a monkey on her back. She is left with a huge inheritance of farmland. She has no desire for this land and wants to get it out of her hair. There’s a slight complication. Evan Price has been taking care of the farm for years and doesn’t want to leave. Convincing Bethany to look at things his way is not working. Evan is now in his own turmoil.

While in Iowa, she learns of events in Chicago that is simply tearing her in two. The landscape of her life is changing.

One thing I’ve learned in life is that there is constant change. Jobs change and tragic events happen and it throws us in a tailspin. It’s how we deal with the roller coaster ride that will move us forward or backward. The best advice that I have ever heard is to keep doing the next right thing with God at the center of that plan.

This story is about the being able to move forward with the bricks that are thrown at us.

I would highly recommend this book. She is a fabulous debut author. For a sneak peak of this book, you can read the first chapter here:  http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2011/12/09/sneak-peek-wildflowers-from-winter-by-katie-ganshert/

To learn more about this author, check out:  http://katieganshert.com/

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review.