Josie Jeffery's gardening handbook, "The Mix & Match Guide to Companion Planting" is one of the neatest and most helpful books I have come across in a long time. Planting a garden requires so much time in preparation, before the first seed is even planted, and this book helps you plan and organize your garden space in a way that is helpful to the plants.
What I love about this guide is that it is simple to understand. Each page of the actual guide is cut into thirds, so that you can flip through the photos various plants, vegetation, and herbs and mix and match which plants make good companions. The split page view is great, because each 1/3rd of the page has little circles with abbreviations in them that you simply match up to the next 1/3rd of the page in order to easily identify friendly plants.
What is also neat about this book is that is also gives you a brief overview of each plant, identifying when to plant, the location the plant prefers, growing tips, when to harvest, as well as information on pests and diseases, recommended cultivars, and also general comments about the plant. I found this to be really helpful in getting a brief overview of the plants before I plant them in my garden.
Overall I would say that this guide should be on every gardener's bookshelf. I thought that this book made it super easy to determine what plants should be planted together, and I loved the helpful information about the plants. I would give this book a 5/5, definitely! I would highly recommend this guide to anyone who does gardening - so helpful!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BloggingforBooks.org's blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
NIV Teen Study Bible
Zondervan's "NIV Teen Bible" is a New International Version Bible designed for teenagers. The Bible is a hardcover version, with a white and green motif on the exterior. This Bible has many additional study features that appear in addition to the traditional NIV translation of the Word of God. There is a question and answer box that appears throughout the Bible, entitled, "Dear Jordan", in which some modern day questions are answered using Biblical references (for example, one of these "Dear Jordan" letters asks about the legality of abortion and whether Christians should get them). I thought this was a great way to connect what many teens view as an "out of date" text with the modern day choices that many teens are faced with.
Another cool feature of this Bible is the trivia. Randomly placed throughout this Bible are small boxes with a trivia question about the Bible and Biblical times. The answer to the trivia question is conveniently on the next page of the text, so you don't have to go hunting through the Bible to find it. It's a good way to help keep teens engaged, by challenging their knowledge. There is also another study tool entitled, "Instant Access" which connects the particular reading to modern day life in a way that is easy for teens to understand and relate to. I thought this was especially useful in helping young adults understand how the Bible STILL applies to their lives through realistic connections.
Overall I thought this Bible was awesome. I would give it a 5/5, and really enjoyed all of the study tools that it featured. This would be a wonderful Bible for any teen, boy or girl. I believe it is very helpful in tying Biblical truths in to the daily life and choices of today's teenager.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this Bible for free from BookLook Blogging in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. All views and opinions above are my own.
Another cool feature of this Bible is the trivia. Randomly placed throughout this Bible are small boxes with a trivia question about the Bible and Biblical times. The answer to the trivia question is conveniently on the next page of the text, so you don't have to go hunting through the Bible to find it. It's a good way to help keep teens engaged, by challenging their knowledge. There is also another study tool entitled, "Instant Access" which connects the particular reading to modern day life in a way that is easy for teens to understand and relate to. I thought this was especially useful in helping young adults understand how the Bible STILL applies to their lives through realistic connections.
Overall I thought this Bible was awesome. I would give it a 5/5, and really enjoyed all of the study tools that it featured. This would be a wonderful Bible for any teen, boy or girl. I believe it is very helpful in tying Biblical truths in to the daily life and choices of today's teenager.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this Bible for free from BookLook Blogging in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. All views and opinions above are my own.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Spoken For
"Spoken For" by Robin Jones Gunn and Alyssa Joy Bethke is a book that encourages you to embrace "who you are and whose you are". In this joint venture, Robin and Alyssa use Biblical stories, personal experience, and conventional wisdom to help uncover the ways in which an all-knowing God claims you as his own.
How many times have you thought that the path your life was on couldn't possibly be God-ordained? What you are going through is too much for you to handle? In this book, Robin and Alyssa use their own life experiences and the promises of God to show you that no matter where your life may go, you are always a child of God, and He is always with you.
I loved the personal stories that Robin and Alyssa share in this book. Some made me laugh, and some made me feel sorry for their situation. But through their experiences, and a Creator who relentlessly pursued them, this book shares hope, inspiration, and joy.
I would highly recommend this book to my female readers - married, single, divorced.. It's a wonderful reminder of the way in which our first love - our God has pursued us, and will never give up on us. Loved it! 5 stars!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free through BloggingforBooks.org's blogger program in exchange for an honest review.
How many times have you thought that the path your life was on couldn't possibly be God-ordained? What you are going through is too much for you to handle? In this book, Robin and Alyssa use their own life experiences and the promises of God to show you that no matter where your life may go, you are always a child of God, and He is always with you.
I loved the personal stories that Robin and Alyssa share in this book. Some made me laugh, and some made me feel sorry for their situation. But through their experiences, and a Creator who relentlessly pursued them, this book shares hope, inspiration, and joy.
I would highly recommend this book to my female readers - married, single, divorced.. It's a wonderful reminder of the way in which our first love - our God has pursued us, and will never give up on us. Loved it! 5 stars!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free through BloggingforBooks.org's blogger program in exchange for an honest review.
Monday, June 2, 2014
The Derision of Heaven
"The Derision of Heaven" by Michael Whitworth is a fresh look at the book of Daniel. "The Derision of Heaven" covers, chapter by chapter, the book of Daniel, using current events, Biblical reference, and historical context to give a more in depth explanation of the events, lessons, and truth in the book of Daniel.
The book is split up into ten chapters, with each chapter covering a specific section of the book of Daniel, and specific important lessons that we should be taking away from this amazing chapter. This book focuses on Daniel 1 through Daniel 9, and each of these chapters typically have their own chapter. Whereas, chapter 10 of the book encompasses Daniel 10, 11, and 12.
What I thought was really helpful about this book was the depth of the detail that Whitworth uses in order to give the reader a comprehensive and coherent understanding of Biblical information. One example of this is found in Chapter 9 of this book, which discusses Daniel 9, and the many ways in which it has been (incorrectly) translated over the years. When explaining Daniel's vision from Daniel 9, Whitworth takes special care to help the reader understand the historical events surrounding Daniel's vision. This type of care in explaining fully the circumstances of the times are one thing that sets this book apart from others.
I thought this book was very well written, with a lot of thought given to the details in an effort to help the reader expand their own understanding of the book of Daniel. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, as it offers so much insightful and useful information and explanations.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookCrash.com's blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
The book is split up into ten chapters, with each chapter covering a specific section of the book of Daniel, and specific important lessons that we should be taking away from this amazing chapter. This book focuses on Daniel 1 through Daniel 9, and each of these chapters typically have their own chapter. Whereas, chapter 10 of the book encompasses Daniel 10, 11, and 12.
What I thought was really helpful about this book was the depth of the detail that Whitworth uses in order to give the reader a comprehensive and coherent understanding of Biblical information. One example of this is found in Chapter 9 of this book, which discusses Daniel 9, and the many ways in which it has been (incorrectly) translated over the years. When explaining Daniel's vision from Daniel 9, Whitworth takes special care to help the reader understand the historical events surrounding Daniel's vision. This type of care in explaining fully the circumstances of the times are one thing that sets this book apart from others.
I thought this book was very well written, with a lot of thought given to the details in an effort to help the reader expand their own understanding of the book of Daniel. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, as it offers so much insightful and useful information and explanations.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookCrash.com's blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
New Spirit-Filled Life Bible
Thomas Nelson's newest Bible is the "New Spirit-Filled Life Bible". This Bible is an NIV version of the Bible, and the translation is as would be expected of any NIV Bible. What makes this Bible different are all of the study tools and additional features that help you to dig deeper into God's word than ever before. Each and every page is loaded with footnotes, to expound on the verses
Every chapter begins with a one or two page summary of the author, background information, theme of the chapter, and key words from the chapter. This is especially helpful in understanding more about the events of the time, and what was going on in society at the time the chapter was written. I also liked that this introduction also touches on the personal application of the chapter, helping me to understand how the lessons of each chapter can be applied on a personal level.
Other features included in this Bible are: "Kingdom Dynamics", which are themes that are explained throughout the Bible, featuring topics like stewardship, prophetic dreams and visions, and human worth/divine destiny, among many others; "Word Wealth" boxes appear frequently in this Bible, and feature key words. Each little box defines and explains a word that is important in the text. This helps to really understand the actual text of the Bible on a deeper level. Also, this Bible features "Truth-In-Action" charts that offer a short summary, with the truths that were taught in the chapter, as well as the actions that exemplify those truths. Essentially this shows us how we can live out the truths taught in the Bible in our own daily lives.
Overall I would give this Bible a 5/5. I loved all of the additional study features, and felt like they were a wonderful complement to this version of the Bible. There are tons of footnotes, which I personally enjoy because when something is a little confusing or I'm not entirely sure of the message, they easily and quickly explain what I am reading.
I would recommend this Bible to anyone in need to a study Bible. Great tool. Love it!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this Bible for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Every chapter begins with a one or two page summary of the author, background information, theme of the chapter, and key words from the chapter. This is especially helpful in understanding more about the events of the time, and what was going on in society at the time the chapter was written. I also liked that this introduction also touches on the personal application of the chapter, helping me to understand how the lessons of each chapter can be applied on a personal level.
Other features included in this Bible are: "Kingdom Dynamics", which are themes that are explained throughout the Bible, featuring topics like stewardship, prophetic dreams and visions, and human worth/divine destiny, among many others; "Word Wealth" boxes appear frequently in this Bible, and feature key words. Each little box defines and explains a word that is important in the text. This helps to really understand the actual text of the Bible on a deeper level. Also, this Bible features "Truth-In-Action" charts that offer a short summary, with the truths that were taught in the chapter, as well as the actions that exemplify those truths. Essentially this shows us how we can live out the truths taught in the Bible in our own daily lives.
Overall I would give this Bible a 5/5. I loved all of the additional study features, and felt like they were a wonderful complement to this version of the Bible. There are tons of footnotes, which I personally enjoy because when something is a little confusing or I'm not entirely sure of the message, they easily and quickly explain what I am reading.
I would recommend this Bible to anyone in need to a study Bible. Great tool. Love it!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this Bible for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Bible Stories for His Beautiful Princess
"Bible Stories for His Beautiful Princess" by Sheri Rose Shepherd is a collection of fun Bible stories for young girls. Nearly every little girl loves playing dress up, and pretending to be a princess. This book feeds on that love by relating some of the most popular Bible stories with your little princess in mind.
Some of the stories that are included in this book are Noah, Moses, Ruth, Creation, Daniel, Soloman, and David, among many others. Illustrations are by Shelley Dieterichs, and are fun, bright, and tell the story in a vivid way. The type is large, which is perfect for young readers. Each story is told using several pages, with only about five sentences on each page. The stories are written using simple words, which make it easy for early readers to understand.
At the end of each story, there is a "Princess Prayer" and a "Princess Jewel". The "Princess Prayer" is a prayer that centers around the point of the story they just read. The "Princess Jewel" is a simple explanation of the moral that the story emphasizes. These are a great addition to each story, because they help the child understand what they just read. It also makes it easy for parents to interact with their child using these tools.
Overall I would give this book a 5/5. I loved that it was easy for my 5 year old to read all by herself, and she loved the princess theme of the book. The book is a nice hardcover book, with some of the most loved Bible stories inside. Great book, perfect for ages 3 and up.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Some of the stories that are included in this book are Noah, Moses, Ruth, Creation, Daniel, Soloman, and David, among many others. Illustrations are by Shelley Dieterichs, and are fun, bright, and tell the story in a vivid way. The type is large, which is perfect for young readers. Each story is told using several pages, with only about five sentences on each page. The stories are written using simple words, which make it easy for early readers to understand.
At the end of each story, there is a "Princess Prayer" and a "Princess Jewel". The "Princess Prayer" is a prayer that centers around the point of the story they just read. The "Princess Jewel" is a simple explanation of the moral that the story emphasizes. These are a great addition to each story, because they help the child understand what they just read. It also makes it easy for parents to interact with their child using these tools.
Overall I would give this book a 5/5. I loved that it was easy for my 5 year old to read all by herself, and she loved the princess theme of the book. The book is a nice hardcover book, with some of the most loved Bible stories inside. Great book, perfect for ages 3 and up.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Chronological Study Bible
The Chronological Study Bible by Thomas Nelson Publishers is an amazing Bible tool. This Bible is organized chronologically, so that as you are reading, all of the events of the Bible are read in the order that they happened. The Bible is divided into epochs, and before each epoch begins there is an explanation of the time frame that the events are occurring in, with explanations of any relevant historical/archaeological context. Once the epoch begins, it clearly notes what chapter of the Bible you are reading making it easy to cross-reference with another Bible if needed. One of the things I really liked about this particular Bible was the abundance of color and images/maps/study tools within the pages. Notes appear frequently to add information to the reading, as well as maps, images, and historical information. There is certainly no shortage of extras with this Bible.
I would highly recommend this Bible to those looking for a way to help organize the events of the Bible in order. I plan to use this in addition to my regular Bible to understand the order of events in my personal Bible study time. I think this Bible would make a great addition to any household - it is packed with extra features, in addition to being a chronological Bible. Loved this!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com's Blogging program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
I would highly recommend this Bible to those looking for a way to help organize the events of the Bible in order. I plan to use this in addition to my regular Bible to understand the order of events in my personal Bible study time. I think this Bible would make a great addition to any household - it is packed with extra features, in addition to being a chronological Bible. Loved this!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com's Blogging program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
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