Review: Kasey to the Rescue by Ellen Rogers

I won this book in a giveaway on Library Thing.



About the Book

In this heartwarming memoir, mother-of-five Rogers shares the remarkable and surprising story of how a mischievous capuchin monkey transformed her family, bringing hope, humor, and happiness as they faced their greatest challenge.

To purchase a copy of Kasey to the Rescue you can visit my Amazon store.

My Review

So those of you that read my reviews regularly know that I am an animal lover, so this book is an automatic favorite of mine. While the monkey obviously was a huge part of the story there was so much more to this book.

This one was kind of in reverse for me emotionally, I normally cry at the end of a book - but this one had me crying right from the start. As Ellen makes her way to be with her son and she explains what happens, and what is going on in her mind I instantly began to tear up. I'm not a mother yet, so I can only imagine the rollercoaster that you go through emotionally when you find out your child has been seriously injured. The emotional connection was so strong for me with this book. It took me through fear, happiness, sadness, frustration, anger, joy, and contentment.

I did love Kasey, he was always getting into mischief! Once Kasey was introduced to the story there was always something going on. However this was more of a story of a family trying to learn to live new lives in the face of a tragedy then it was a story about a monkey. Kasey becomes an integral part of the new lifestyle that Ellen and her family take on but there was so much more that the family had to deal with to become what they are now.

This story is so touching. I really connected with Ellen and her family right from the beginning. I'd say that even if you aren't the animal lover that I am you would still enjoy this book so much!

Review: The Kingdom Hall No More by Daniel Chamberlayne

I'd heard about this book while doing some research on religions. I purchased this from Amazon.



About the Book:

Freshman author Daniel Chamberlayne discuss his 16 years experiences growing up as a Jehovah Witness and attending the Kingdom Hall in Hollis, Queens, New York Daniel discusses all his activities in the kingdom hall and what led up to getting baptized with no choice of his own and what led up to getting "disfellowshipped' and "shunned" from the organization and how is Daniel living now since his departure of the Jehovah Witnesses in 1990.

You can purchase a copy of The Kingdom Hall no More from my Amazon store.

My Review:

Having Jehovah Witness family members and having attended meetings with them as a child I tend to connect with books about Witnesses as I know the subject matter. However I am not a Jehovah Witness but I feel to have a better understanding of religion you have to understand them all, whether you agree with their philosophy or not.

I did connect with Daniel in this story. I remember going to the meetings as a child and knew exactly what he was talking about. Which made it much easier for me to connect. Although, not having much experience attending other religious events as a child I would expect them to be similar from a child's perspective. But this story isn't so much about his attending meetings as a child as it is about his journey through life and the actions that led to his disfellowship.

His story is not unlike many others that I have read or heard about. Although his is filled with more famous people than the rest. It's amazing how many people who were influential in rap and hip-hop Chamberlayne has connected with in his life. I know they weren't the stars they are now when he met them, but I would have been so star-struck and he kept his cool. I know I wouldn't have been so cool about it.

My heart hurt for Chamberlayne as he talks about the dark times when he was shunned by his mother and most of his family and friends. As a child you tend to befriend the friends of your parents, and because his mother's friends were almost all witnesses most of his friends were witnesses. That would have been hard to deal with. And some of the tactics his mother takes to make him accept his life as a Jehovah Witness were just crazy to me. My parents and I disagreed many times about many things but I would never have been subjected to what his mother subjected him to. I was so sad.

The writing wasn't great, but the story and the things Chamberlayne went through (the good and the bad) were so compelling. I just wanted to keep reading to see what kind of craziness was going to happen next! I'd say it was well worth the read. 

Review: Ghellow Road by T. H. Waters

Thank you to the author for sending me this book to review.



About the Book

Ghellow Road is a literary diary of a young girl's journey through the tangled labyrinth that is her life. Theresa's story begins in a large midwestern city where she is born to loving parents in 1965. For a brief moment in time, her life is full, as is her heart, and the world is hers to receive without consequence. As time passes and Theresa grows, supernatural forces begin to shape her existence, no matter how carefully her father colors the empty spaces of her world. After a series of tragic events, Theresa and her family seek refuge in a small Minnesota town nestled near the shores of Rainy Lake. She creates a new life for herself there, sharing adventures with friends and riding the ups and downs of adolescence. Yet through it all, her mother remains forever lost in the prison of her own mind and forever lost to Theresa. The young girl feels as though she is leading a double life, one that no one else could possibly understand. She begins to peer at the world as if looking through a thick, black veil, never certain which pieces are illusion and which are not. Through the kindness and support of the townspeople, She eventually summons the strength to survive. This is a story of tragedy and triumph. This is the story of my life.

You can purchase a copy of this book from my Amazon store.

My Review

I hate to start off saying this story is sad, because I know that's not the author's purpose. However there was so much to the story that was just sad. I cried a few times while reading it. There were quite a few high points in the story also, it's just that while I was reading this book I was in a mind frame that made me connect so much more with the sad stuff.

Despite the fact that it made me cry I do have to say that I really liked this book. It was very well written and I connected instantly with Theresa. I felt all the emotions she was experiencing throughout the book. Knowing that this was a biographical story absolutely gave me a more intimate connection to the story. But I do feel that even if it wasn't a true story I would still have had the same connections to the story. It was so well written that I could easily get lost in the story.

Whenever I read a true story, or a story based on the author's life I find myself wondering how the author can so freely open themselves up like that. There are some things that happen in this book that had they happened to me I don't know that I would be able to share them for the world to see. I think that takes an extreme amount of bravery and courage to just lay it all out there for the world to scrutinize. But I'm glad that there are people like T.H. Waters that will take us along with them through their lives. So in closing I just have to say thank you to T.H. Waters for allowing me to lose myself in the story of your life. It was emotional, captivating, and inspirational!

Review: The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

I purchased this book from Doubleday Book Club. They're usually running some pretty great deals!




About the Book

Are you and your spouse speaking the same language' While love is a many splendored thing, it is sometimes a very confusing thing, too. And as people come in all varieties, shapes, and sizes, so do their choices of personal expressions of love. But more often than not, the giver and the receiver express love in two different ways. This can lead to misunderstanding, quarrels, and even divorce. Quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch are the five basic love languages. Dr. Gary Chapman identifies these and guides couples towards a better understanding of their unique languages of love. Learn to speak and understand your mate's love language, and in no time you will be able to effectively love and truly feel loved in return. Skillful communication is within your grasp!
For more information about The Five Love Languages you can visit 5lovelanguages.com. You can "Like" Gary Chapman on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter. 

My Review

I was recommended this book a while ago while I was deep in depression and thought my relationship was on the outs. I didn't get a chance to read this book then, and I can say that I would have made things quite easier for me. I'm past all that now, but it was still a great book to read and gave me some great insight into myself and my relationship.

The five love languages are basically 5 ways that people express and understand love. The way Mr. Chapman describes it (and what really made the concept click for me) is that it's just like speaking language. If you're raised in a home that speaks English you learn English and that is your primary language. You can learn to speak another language, but you'll be most fluent in your primary language. The love languages are the same way.

Understanding the different languages is really quite simple. The explanation behind the different languages is very easy to understand. As soon as I'd read about one of the languages I would associate that language to someone I know. Having a "real-life" example for each language helped me understand that language a little bit better. It was easy for me to pinpoint other people's languages but it's been a bit harder for me to pinpoint my own language.... There is a section in the book that helps you figure out your own, and after reading it I've narrowed mine down to three. But before that sections I was thinking well I am all of those. But really we're only one, sometimes two. So I just need to pay attention a little bit more to what I feel and I should have it figured out fairly soon. And if you're not like me - and can't figure out the language for the people in your life- there is also a section to help you figure out what language other people are.

This book specifically deals with the love language of couples, but I think this concept is beneficial for any relationship - siblings, friends, parents, children. And since there is a whole series of these books I don't think I'm too far off in my thinking...

What I liked the most about this book is that for each language there was a story that gave an example of that language. Chapman would introduce us to a couple, tell us what their problem(s), and then tell us what their love languages were. He also gives examples for each language of how to show love to another person using that language.

This was  very well written book. I wish I would have picked it up earlier, as it could have made a very difficult part of my life a little bit easier. But even though things were going good for me and my boyfriend (who is now my fiancee) when I read this it still gave me some insight into why we do (or don't do) certain things. It also helped me in communicating what I need and want in my relationship. So this book isn't just for relationships that are failing, but if yours is I would recommend reading this. This book (and I'm sure the entire series) can help you better understand the relationships you have with eveyone that you love.

Review: The Puppy Diaries: Raising a Dog Named Scout by Jill Abramson

I purchased this book from Doubleday Book Club.



About The Book

An instructive and marvelously entertaining chronicle of a puppy's first year, by the executive editor of The New York Times

One sparkling summer day, Jill Abramson brought home a nine-week-old golden retriever named Scout. Over the following year, as she and her husband raised their adorable new puppy, Abramson wrote a hugely popular column for The New York Times's website about the joys and challenges of training this rambunctious addition to their family. Dog-lovers from across the country inundated her with e-mails and letters, and the photos they sent in of their own dogs became the most visited photo album on the Times's site in 2009.

Now Abramson has gone far beyond the material in her column and written a detailed and deeply personal account of Scout's first year. Part memoir, part manual, part investigative report, The Puppy Diaries continues Abramson's intrepid reporting on all things canine. Along the way, she weighs in on such issues as breeders or shelters, adoption or rescue, raw diet or vegan, pack-leader gurus like Cesar Millan or positive-reinforcement advocates like Karen Pryor.

What should you expect when a new puppy enters your life? With utterly winning stories and a wealth of practical information, The Puppy Diaries provides an essential road map for navigating the first year of your dog's life.

For more information about the Puppy Diaries you can visit the website for the book.


My Review

Being an animal lover I love all books about animals: so I'm a bit biased right from the word go... While this was a good book there was a bit of an emotional disconnect for me. I think Abramson is a great writer, but that she's a great article writer. It felt to me like she was presenting the facts, as you would in a news article. The emotional connection, even when she was talking about how she felt, seemed to be lacking.

The story itself is pretty good and I liked getting to know Scout. He is such a puppy! Tearing things up, misbehaving, being goofy, all the things we love are pets for (even when we want to be angry at them.)

I know there are TONS of stories about pets out there, and I've heard criticism that there isn't really much that sets them apart. But I beg to differ. I think that every animal is unique and therefore has a unique story to be told. Scout's story is unique and is very different from every animal book I've read.

Despite the emotional disconnect I had with this book I really liked it. There were quite a few things that I learned. I like when I can read a good story and learn something from it too! It's like getting a bonus (and I'm all about the bonuses.)

So if you love animals and like to read about other animals that misbehave (believe me it's not just your pets that misbehave) pick this one up. I think it was well worth the read.

You can purchase a copy of The Puppy Diaries from my Amazon store.

Review: The One Year Book of Encouragement by Harold Myra

Thanks to Tyndale House Publishing for letting me review this one.



About the Book

The One Year Book of Encouragement is a collection of insights from assorted Christian authors, past and present—from Oswald Chambers and Philip Yancey to John Calvin and John Wesley. Draw encouragement every day from the wisdom of the ages with this One Year book—it’s bound to be a classic!

For more information about The One Year Book of Encouragement please visit Tyndale House's website.

My Review

I really liked this one. Some of the people in the stories were extraordinary people - Mother Teresa, C. S. Lewis, Martin Luther, etc. However, the stories that were shared showed that even though they were extraordinary their situations were very normal.

Each story is followed with a prayer and a Bible verse. The prayers deal with things that we all deal with - struggling at work, dealing with temptation, houseguests, being gracious. It was nice to have these prayers. I know I sometime struggle with what to say in my prayers. I know God knows what I'm praying for but I can't exactly articulate it to myself. These short prayers sum things up nicely.

The only thing I would have liked to see with this is a "glossary" of the different problems. I think it would have been nice to be able to look for work in a glossary and find a few different prayers that will help you with what you're going through.

Overall, I thought this was a very a good book. It was kind of a nice reference for dealing with life through your spiritual growth.

Review: Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder by Steve Lehto

Thanks to my sister for letting me borrow this. And yes you would have enjoyed it had it not been required reading for school.



About the Book

On Christmas Eve 1913, more than six dozen people were crushed to death as they scrambled to flee the Italian Hall in Calumet, Mich. Someone had cried "Fire" at the top of the stairs that led to the meeting hall on the building's second floor. There was no fire. The entire event was over in a flash, but the tragedy would scar the psyche of the region for decades. Was the call of "fire" a tragic error or a calculated action designed to cause chaos?

In Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder, author and attorney Steve Lehto wades through the conflicting news reports, transcripts, and other documentation to set the record straight.

For more information about this book please visit Momentum Books' website.

My Review

This was a pretty interesting story. Having lived in Michigan my entire life I was surprised that I'd never heard of this incident before. It seems that with all the lore surrounding these murders that it would still be something that people would bring up, at least occasionally.

Since I've never heard of the incident at the Italian Hall before I do not know how well the information presented in this book meshes with popular opinion. However, Lehto does mentions many times where his findings do not support popular belief.

The book was very informational and I think it was fairly unbiased. However the only complaint I have is that once I got towards the end of the book I felt like I was just rereading the same information over and over again. It became somewhat monotonous. But it was still interesting, and I liked that it gave quite a bit of the back story to the Italian Hall Tragedy. I felt that having the back story gave the tragedy a bit more depth than if the book had just covered what happened the day of the tragedy.

While this was interesting I wouldn't say it read like fiction. For you to enjoy this one I think you'd really have to be interested in real-life stories. There were a lot of facts in the book, things that you wouldn't normally see in a fiction book. But overall I have to say it was worth the read.

Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder

Review: The Glamour of Grammar by Roy Peter Clark

Thanks to Hachette Book Group for letting me review this one.



About the Book

Early in the history of English, the words "grammar" and "glamour" meant the same thing: the power to charm. Roy Peter Clark, author of Writing Tools, aims to put the glamour back in grammar with this fun, engaging alternative to stuffy instructionals. In this practical guide, readers will learn everything from the different parts of speech to why effective writers prefer concrete nouns and active verbs. THE GLAMOUR OF GRAMMAR gives readers all the tools they need to"live inside the language"--to take advantage of grammar to perfect their use of English, to instill meaning, and to charm through their writing. With this indispensable book, readers will come to see just how glamorous grammar can be.

For more information about The Glamour of Grammar please visit Hachette Book Group's website.

My Review

What I liked the most about this book is that it wasn't written like a grammar book. It was written more like a story that had grammar tips added into it. It was kind of like a copy of Writer's Inc. with a story behind it. And while I'd never get rid of my copy of Writer's Inc. I think this will make a nice addition to my grammar tools arsenal.

I have to admit that I'm not the best grammatical writer. I don't remember most of the rules I learned in school (frankly I didn't care to really remember them). So while I was reading this some of it seemed new to me. The greatest thing about this book is that it taught me something without making me realize I was being taught. Since I'm finishing up my degree, reading for learning isn't something I want to do with my spare time. After reading this I have to admit that I didn't get that feeling even once throughout the book. I think that was a great feat within itself, writing a book that is meant to teach something not feel like it was teaching anything at all.

I still don't remember all the rules that were in this one, but I think I have a better understanding of why some rules of grammar exist and why some are breakable. I'm sure this one will be quite worn out before I finally finish my degree. It's already helped me write a few papers.

The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English

Review: Put on Your Crown by Queen Latifah

Thanks to Hachette Book Group for letting me review this one.



About the Book

Modeled after Maria Shriver's Just Who Will You Be, Queen Latifah's goal with Put On Your Crown is to help young women build a strong sense of self-esteem. A US Dept. of Justice survey found that females ages 16-24 are more vulnerable to partner violence than any other group, almost triple the national average. Cases like Chris Brown's assault on pop star Rihanna showed an ugly side of adolescent life. However, Queen Latifah has always been a shining example of a woman happy with herself and unwilling to compromise to fit into the "hollywood ideal" of what a confident beautiful woman should look like. The result: She's one of the biggest A-list celebrities in Hollywood.

For more information about Put on Your Crown visit Hachette Book Group's website.

My Review

While I don't necessarily think of myself as a young woman anymore (which is who the book is geared towards) I do think that this book contains lessons that any woman, and even men, should learn. The basic ideas of the book are love yourself for who you are, take time to care for yourself first, and love the people around you for who they are.

I've always liked Queen Latifah. She's always seemed to me to be fairly grounded. I think my favorite thing about this book is that she proves to the reader that she's just a normal person. She makes mistakes, she's not perfect, and she realizes that. I think she's a great role model. (Side note I LOVE her fashion sense. I have for a while, but my love for her eye was solidified when I read How to Never Look Fat Again and it says something to the effect that if you're a plus size woman dress like Queen Latifah, she knows what she's doing.)

I've been going through some tough times mentally in the last year or so and reading this book did help me. While it's mostly stuff I already knew (like I said it's geared for young women, and I have left that arena a bit ago) it was information that I needed to remind myself. Somehow reading that "The Queen" was and had been going through some of the same things really helped me find the strength I needed to kick my own butt and get myself back on track again.

If you're having some self doubt, about anything in your life pick this one up. If you know a young woman pass it along. It can't hurt to try and teach a young woman the lessons we've all had to learn the hard way! It also could be beneficial for some young men. It's written for a woman, but I think the lessons are great for men or women.

Put on Your Crown: Life-Changing Moments on the Path to Queendom

Review: Journey on the Estrada Real by Glenn Cheney

Thank you to the author Glenn for letting me review this book.



About the Book

Glenn Cheney began a love affair with Brazil when he impulsively hitch-hiked there from Connecticut in 1974. Less than a decade later, disillusioned with the hectic New York lifestyle, he and his wife bought a rural banana farm in the state of Minas Gerais, the region through which the Estrada Real road winds its mountainous way. Cheney's familiarity with the area adds richness and depth to this travelogue, the compelling story of his journey on foot through one of the most remote areas of Brazil. The author makes his way through rural but populated areas, writing about people and an archaic way of life almost forgotten by the rest of the world. Throughout his journey, he is constantly aware of the fragility of the way of life he documents, and the extent to which the region lies under the threat of globalization. The personal connections he makes with the people of Minas Gerais are invaluable for our understanding of how these mountain people live; so far at least, untouched by the modern world.

My Review

The other book that I read of Cheney's was a historical book about the Pilgrims, and while I did enjoy that one I wasn't quite sure of what to expect with this book. This is more of an autobiography of his life, as well as the real story of road in South America.

The book started out a little slow, but the further along the Estrada Real we were taken the more interesting the story of this road becomes. The people he meets while walking each have such great stories. They're not amazing people, they're not rich and famous, they're just real people living the lives that they were given. While some of the people have high hopes, they aren't any different than anyone else. Everyone had dreams right?

While I don't know that I would ever try and tackle the feat that Cheney did I would at some point in my life like to see some of the places that Cheney visited on his journey. Some of the cities seem so vibrant and some of the wilderness was described so beautifully. By the time Cheney makes it to the end of his journey I was so enthralled with the journey that I didn't want it to end. I could feel the happiness, tiredness, and humbleness that Cheney experienced while on his journey.

When Cheney first described some of the places he was staying I thought to myself "I could never stay someplace like that". But the more he travels and the more commonplace these accommodations become I realized that for these people this is what they know. I can't imagine not having electricity and my luxuries and these people can't imagine having them. I was truly humbled by the lives of these people and by the fact that they have stuck to their way of life despite the fact that the whole world is changing around them.

Journey On The Estrada Real: ENCOUNTERS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF BRAZIL

Review: Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin

Thank you to Anna at Hachette for letting me review this book.



About the Book

In the bestselling tradition of Rescuing Sprite comes the story of a puppy brought back from the brink of death, and the family he adopted.

In 2002, Larry Levin and his twin sons, Dan and Noah, took their terminally ill cat to the Ardmore Animal Hospital outside Philadelphia to have the beloved pet put to sleep. What would begin as a terrible day suddenly got brighter as the ugliest dog they had ever seen--one who was missing an ear and had half his face covered in scar tissue--ran up to them and captured their hearts. The dog had been used as bait for fighting dogs when he was just a few months old. He had been thrown in a cage and left to die until the police rescued him and the staff at Ardmore Animal Hospital saved his life. The Levins, whose sons are themselves adopted, were unable to resist Oogy's charms, and decided to take him home.

Heartwarming and redemptive, OOGY is the story of the people who were determined to rescue this dog against all odds, and of the family who took him home, named him "Oogy" (an affectionate derivative of ugly), and made him one of their own.

My Review

Being an animal lover I'm a little biased to how great this book was.... But I think it'd take a person without a heart to be at least a little touched by the story of Oogy.

Oogy is a rescue dog who was horribly disfigured, apparently as a bait dog to train fighting dogs. The poor dog suffered through his pain and despite the odds was nursed back to health by a vet who did all Oogy's work for free!

Oogy's story is full of mischievousness, love, compassion, and sadness. As Levin explains what he's learned of Oogy and how he got to be where he was I cried. Animal abuse is so heart-wrenching. And while I know they can't all be saved it warms my heart to read stories like this, ones with happy endings.

Oogy's antics are sometimes hilarious, as I can see my dogs trying some of the same things (although I must admit they're not yet smart enough to open the refrigerator, but I wouldn't put it past them). The story doesn't just follow Oogy but it follows the entire family as they grow as a unit.

This was a very quick read. I finished it in one setting and it only took me two hours. It's so well written that I could envision exactly what Levin is describing (although the pictures at the beginnings of chapters did help me to build an image in my mind).

Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love

Review: Healing With Words by Diana Raab

Thank you to Diana for sending me her book to review.



About the Book

Healing With Words: A Writer’s Cancer Journey is a memoir and self-help book highlighting Diana’s cancer journey. In 2001 at the age of forty-seven, happily married and the mother of three, she was diagnosed with early breast cancer and five years later, diagnosed by seemingly unrelated and incurable blood cancer—multiple myeloma. The book candidly chronicles in a wry and inspirational tone, her experiences, using reflection, poetry and journal entries. At the end of each chapter writing prompts and blank journaling pages are provided for readers to express their own personal story. The book also contains extensive appendices with support organization and writing tips.

Raab considers journaling to be like a daily vitamin—healing, detoxifying and essential for optimal health. Since early childhood, Raab has found solace in writing after her mother gave her a journal to cope with the loss of her beloved grandmother. In lieu of allowing cancer to destroy and take over her life, she has gracefully embraced the experience and views it as a positive turning point in her life.

Get more information about Healing With Words from Diana Raab's website.

Read the guest post Diana posted here on JustJenniferReading.

You can also "Like" Healing with words on Facebook.

My Review

I think everyone has been touched by cancer in some way. I've lost a few family members to cancer and there are also a few survivors in my family. I'm sure I'm not alone in that. While I've never had cancer I know what the fighter is going through in their battle. Most people have their own way of dealing with cancer, but for those who don't I think this book could be very helpful.

The book is both a biographical story and a journal. I liked the format that it was written in. Raab talks about different points in her cancer journey and then gives prompts for the reader to write about their journey. She gives small prompts like "Describe your admission to the hospital". I think these are the kinds of things that are difficult for people to talk about, but I also think that keeping all these feelings bottled up inside is not the way to deal with them.

I also liked the poetry that Raab wrote through her journey. She talks in the book about the different emotions she was feeling and these emotions come through in the poetry she has dispersed throughout.

For someone who is dealing with cancer I think this book could be a beneficial tool to help the cope with what they are going through. While I've never written anything significant I used to keep a journal and also wrote poems and short stories. I've always found writing to be therapeutic. And while cancer is a disease of the physical body the medicines and treatments do little to heal the mind and soul.

If you, or someone you know, are struggling with cancer I would recommend this book. It was sometimes difficult to read and it was very emotional. But at the same there were moments of hope and I think that those are the things that we all need to hold on to, regardless of what kind of struggle we are going through.

Healing With Words: A writer's cancer journey

Review: Principle of the Path by Andy Stanely

Thank you to Book Sneeze for allowing me to review this book.



About the Book

Your Direction, not Your Intention, Determines Your Destination.

There is often a tension between where we want to end up in life and the path we choose to get there. We fail to see that having good intentions is never good enough. Like Charlie Brown, we wrongly believe there’s something to be said for trying hard. We need to understand why, in spite of our good intentions, we may have ended up at the wrong destination with our finances, our marriages, our careers, or a host of other dreams. So how do we get from where we are to where we truly want to be? The Principle of the Path is a road map to proper direction and discipline.

My Review

The message in this book was a great one. Good choices and intentions are not all that lead a person to where they want to be. Not being a very spiritual person (in the sense that I don't go to church) I sometimes forget that if I do not let God into my life then my choices aren't what God wants me to choose. And even though I'm not spiritual I do realize that if I block God from my life than my life will not take the path I am supposed to be on.

Having said that I have to say that this one took me forever to read (literally I think I've had this for a year and a half). It has a good message, I didn't feel it as being "preachy", and I agreed with most of what the author was saying. The problem was that I got so bored with reading it. It wasn't stimulating enough to keep my interest very long. I would read a few pages, set it down and dread coming back to it. The other day I realized I only had 50 or so pages left so I made myself set down and finally finish it, and even 50 pages took me forever.

Again, I liked the message I just didn't connect with the writing.

The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Genre: Non-Fiction

Blue Like Play Dough by Tricia Goyer
e-Book Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder by Steve Lehto
The Disappearance of God by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage
Extraordinary by John Bevere
Eyes Wide Open by Jud Wilhite
Fearless by Max Lucado
Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
The Forgotten Man by William Graham Sumner
Ghellow Road by T.H. Waters 
The Glamour of Grammar by Roy Peter Clark
Healing With Words by Diana Raab
How to Never Look Fat Again by Charla Krupp
I'm Perfect You're Doomed by Kyria Abrahams
In My Own Words by Mother Teresa
In the Footsteps of Paul by Ken Duncan
Journey on the Estrada Real by Glenn Cheney
Kasey to the Rescue by Ellen Rogers 
The Kingdom Hall no More by Daniel Chamberlayne 
The Last Goodnights by John West
The Liberation Diet by Kevin Brown and Annette Presley
Life in Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson
Audiobook Live Long, Finish Strong by Gloria Copeland
Lost + Found by David Trotter
The Male Factor by Shaunti Feldhahn
Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin
Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley
The Puppy Diaries: Raising a Dog Named Scout by Jill Abramson 
Put on Your Crown by Queen Latifah
Put Your Dreams to the Test by John C. Maxwell
Rachel's Tears by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott
A Slaying in the Suburbs: The Tara Grant Murder by Steve Miller and Andrea Billups
Street Boners by Gavin McInnes
Tattoos on the Heart by Greg Boyle
Tea With Hezbollah by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis
Thanksgiving: The Pilgrim's First Year in America by Glen Cheney
Touched by a Vampire by Beth Felker Jones
Audiobook When I Stop Talking You'll Know I'm Dead by Jerry Weintraub
Your Name Here by Michael Rosenbaum