Saturday, March 31, 2012
Quiet by Susan Cain
About the book:
At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it is to introverts that we owe many of the great contributions to society--from van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.
Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. Taking the reader on a journey from Dale Carnegie’s birthplace to Harvard Business School, from a Tony Robbins seminar to an evangelical megachurch, Susan Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal in the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects. She talks to Asian-American students who feel alienated from the brash, backslapping atmosphere of American schools. She questions the dominant values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of introverts is often overlooked. And she draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences between extroverts and introverts.
Perhaps most inspiring, she introduces us to successful introverts--from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Finally, she offers invaluable advice on everything from how to better negotiate differences in introvert-extrovert relationships to how to empower an introverted child to when it makes sense to be a "pretend extrovert."
This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how introverts see themselves.
River's Call by Melody Carlson
River's Call is the second in the THE INN AT SHINING WATERS series by the fabulous Melody Carlson. How she pumps out book after book is beyond me. And they're all different. And interesting. And good. This volume was so satisfying to me, I loved catching up with Anna and her friends and family. This time Anna is watching her daughter Lauren's life unravel little by little. Anna wants to help before it's too late and before Lauren's own daughter is damaged by the influences around her.
This book made me want to check into the Inn and stay for a while, to delight in French delicacies prepared by Babette, to have tea with the two elderly ladies in residence, to paddle a canoe down the river and to learn more about Anna's Indian heritage. Melody truly made this one come alive to me and I enjoyed it more than the first. Can't wait to see what happens to this cast of characters in the next (and sadly, last) book.
This book was provided for review by Glass Road Public Relations.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Need You Now by Beth Wiseman
This was very well written but there were a couple of things that threw me out of the story for a bit. The kids getting up early to watch the Space Shuttle launch (that program was ended, probably too late to change in the book before publication), and one time when Darlene went shopping and left the groceries in the car for hours in the summer without once worrying that they'd spoil. Other than that I adored this book.
Darlene and Brad seem to have the perfect life, perfect marriage, but nothing is ever as it seems to be. When things threaten to shake their foundation will they be able to stand strong to their vows and to their faith? An excellent book on marriage and family.
This book was provided for review by The B&B Media Group
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Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings
Sixty Acres and A Bride is the debut novel by Regina Jennings. She got the idea for this book when she was asked to write a fifteen minute skit for her church. That skit turned into much more. This book is about Rosa, a Mexican widow who's more than a little uncomfortable in her small town in America. She decided to follow her mother-in-law (also a widow) back to her hometown, reminiscent of the Ruth and Naomi story in the Bible. This book was well-written and sweet, the villain was the perfect bad guy and the ending of the story made me swoon. I enjoyed reading about Rosa's cooking style and the dances from her homeland.
About the book:
With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to their Texas family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have just three months to pay.
Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside. She can’t help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable, and Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future.
This book was provided for review by Bethany House
Monday, March 26, 2012
Letters to Heaven GIVEAWAY
Created specifically for Calvin and this incredible book, the Letters to Heaven stationery offers individuals a beautiful template to start their words of healing.
These few pages may start you on a path where you begin to let the people who've influenced your life know how you feel about them. What if we all lived that way? What if we all showed each other how grateful we are for them? It could change the world.
To be entered into this giveaway please leave a comment telling me who has had the biggest influence in your life and why. Bonus entry if you tweet or share on Facebook (let me know what you do!)
Contest runs until Sunday the first of April.
The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck
When I'm packing for vacation I always hope I've chosen the right books to take with me. There's nothing worse for a reader than to be miles away from their personal library with only a few select books to choose from. For our trip south last week I packed The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck and I've got to say that this was the best possible book I could've taken with me. With characters that made me laugh and cry, a romance that melted my heart, and a travel through part of America's past this was truly an enjoyable read. I haven't felt this satisfied after finishing a book in a long time. I sat on the sun-filled deck and wiped my eyes while sighing in contentment at the ending. Kudo's to Rachel for another fantastic story.
Charlotte is a single woman without any family, she owns a bridal boutique and prides herself in being able to find the perfect dress for any bride but has been unable to find her own gown for her wedding that's less than two months away. Charlotte attends an auction and finds herself bidding a crazy amount for an antique trunk, she wins the auction and takes the trunk home but is unable to open it because it's been welded shut. When she finally gets it open she finds a wedding dress that appears to be brand new but she eventually learns that it was worn by three women and their stories intertwine with her own until she finds that she really isn't without a family heritage to call her own.
Don't miss this one! It's delightful!
This book was provided for review by Booksneeze.
Friday, March 2, 2012
More Beauty Less Beast by Debora Coty
The only thing I didn't really like about this book was the way she referred to God as "Papa-God." It reminded me too much of Papa Smurf, but that's just me. I can tell by her other words that she didn't mean it to be derogatory in any way but some readers may be put off by it.
There are a lot of gems in this book and I recommend it highly. You'll love it and it'll remind you that you are who you are because it's who you were created to be.
This book was provided for review by Litfuse.