Friday, November 23, 2012

Debt-Proof Your Christmas by Mary Hunt

Debt-Proof Your Christmas by Mary Hunt is a thrifty-family's dream! This little book is packed full of ideas to help you enjoy the holiday season without breaking your budget. With Christmas just over a month away and today being the busiest shopping day of the year, it may be a little too late to put these ideas into action for this year, but you can certainly use the provided information for next year. I'm so glad that Mary put this information together in one handy book! There are ideas for gift baskets, recipes for cooked gifts, recipes for gifts in a jar, creative ideas for different people based on what they like, and more. This is an invaluable tool and will help you to keep the focus of Christmas on where it should be and not on the latest gadget or what's hot at the mall.

About the book

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of year, but it’s also one of the most stressful and most expensive. Americans spend billions, crafting the perfect holiday season complete with lavish meals, new decorations and the latest, greatest gadgets and fashions for everyone on their gift list. Most don’t think about the hefty price tag until the credit card bill comes in January, and many will go thousands of dollars deeper into debt to finance the perfect holiday season.   
For anyone who wants to have a less stressful, more joyful holiday season and celebrate without breaking the bank, syndicated personal finance columnist Mary Hunt is here to help.
“Here’s my challenge for you,” writes Hunt. “This Christmas, lock up the credit cards and let me show you how to experience the best Christmas ever with no debt, less stress, and more joy!”
In Debt-Proof Your Christmas Hunt helps readers assess their financial situation, commit to no new debt and think creatively about their gift list. With her guidance, readers will identify what has caused them to overspend in the past and approach this holiday season with a plan and a new attitude toward holiday spending. This just might be the best gift you can give yourself and your family.

Mary Hunt is an award-winning and bestselling author, syndicated columnist and sought-after motivational speaker who created a global platform that is making strides to help men and women battle the epidemic impact of consumer debt. She is founder and publisher of the interactive website Debt-Proof Living, which features financial tools, resources and information for her online members. Her books have sold more than a million copies and her daily newspaper column is nationally syndicated through Creators Syndicate and is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Everyday Cheapskate readers. Hunt speaks widely on personal finance and has appeared on shows such as Good Morning America, Oprah, Dr. Phil and Focus on the Family. She and her husband live in California.

Mary will be on the TODAY show next week, so watch for her!

 Available September 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Nowhere But Up by Pattie Mallette with A.J. Gregory

You may think Nowhere But Up is just the story of Justin Beiber's mom and that it doesn't mean a thing at all to you. But you'd be wrong. At least, I was. This book was absolutely an answer to my prayers and questions. I started it a little too late last night and stayed up a lot too late because I couldn't put it down. Finished it first thing this morning and was late to work because of it. It was exactly what I needed to hear.
Pattie Mallette was an abused child. She had several molesters. Her father left when she was little. Her mother eventually remarried. She turned to drugs and alcohol and the partying life. She was a victim of date rape. She slept around.
But during all of this she found Jesus. She attended church with neighbors when she was little. As a teen she was befriended by a youth pastor. 
She was exactly the child and teen that my family has been ministering to for decades. My in-laws had an inner city church in Pittsburgh for many years. My husband helped at a large church in Phoenix. We ministered to city kids in Illinois. Our current church has a large outreach to the children and teens of our depressed city. 
I've often wondered what happens next. I get discouraged when I don't see the changes. When their (kids/teens) situations seem to worsen instead of get better. 
The Lord has been telling me quite blatantly over the past month or so that it's about planting seeds. 
Pattie's story is one that I needed to read because I was ready to give it up. To quit trying. To quit planting.
This is a life that was changed because someone took the time to share with her. She then took the time to trust Jesus. Her life was never the same after that.
You've got to read this inspiring story. And then reach out to those around you. You never know what someone's going through. And you just might plant the seed that they need.

This book was provided for review by the Baker Publishing Group.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

At Every Turn by Anne Mateer

One of the best books I've read in a long time, At Every Turn by Anne Mateer is one not to be missed. It was darling. I giggled at the antics of Alyce as she tried to save money for the missionaries, as God was tugging at her heart. And then felt compassion along side of her while she gave the money away when she found someone who needed it.
The only thing I didn't like is how she couldn't see the true colors of both men in her life. One good and one not so good. 
I enjoyed every page in this book. The tender moments spend with her grandmother, the way Alyce drove her car and the top speeds that she hit, the way she encountered God. All of it was good.
I'm looking forward to more from this author.

This book was provided for review by Bethany House.

From the back cover:
She's off to the races!
Caught up in a whirlwind of religious enthusiasm, Alyce Benson impetuously pledges three thousand dollars to mission work in Africa. Now she just has to find a way to get the money.
Alyce harbors a secret passion for speed and automobiles, and she's spent many an afternoon driving around the rustic track in the field behind her home. When she discovers her father's company has sponsored a racing car that will compete in several upcoming events--races in which the driver will be paid and could win as much as five thousand dollars in prize money--she conspires with her father's mechanice, Webster, to train and compete.
But when her friends cast aspersions on Webster's past, she realizes she may have trusted the wrong person with her secret. Will Alyce come up with the money in time, or will she have to choose between her hasty promise and the man who holds a piece of her heart? 

Friday, November 2, 2012

Placebo by Steven James

Placebo by Steven James is unlike any book I've ever read.  It's fast paced and deep, yet easy to understand. As a reader, I appreciate this. Too many books in this style are over my head. Placebo was hard to put down. Jevin was a fun character to get to know, while heartbreaking at the same time. The book opens with a death scene that carries through the whole story, and a series of seemingly unconnected incidents that boil down to one man, one company. An interesting thriller that makes you think about the what could happen between the government and big business.



 
Award-Winning Author Steven James Pens New Thriller Series
Pharmaceutical Cover-Up Turns Deadly in New Jevin Banks Series

“James writes smart, taut, high octane thrillers.
But be warned—his books are not for the timid.
The endings blow me away every time.”

Mitch Galin, producer of Stephen King’s The Stand and Frank Herbert’s Dune

Steven James, author of the bestselling Patrick Bowers Series, begins a new series rooted in ground-breaking science and inspired by actual research.  Placebo examines the sinister side of the pharmaceutical industry while also exploring the far reaches of science, consciousness and faith. James uses cutting edge scientific research and probes his own worst case scenarios in creating Placebo.  Known for his attention to detail, James’ writing continues to thrill readers as he develops complex plot lines and unforgettable characters.

Intrigued by research about human perceptions of reality, James immersed himself in investigating what would become the basis for Placebo.  The more I looked into it, the more fascinated I became.  Not only does quantum physics support these findings, but so do psychiatric and psychological studies on depression and the brain, and medical research studies using placebos.” 

For James, the next challenge quickly emerged.  I needed to find a way to weave all scientific metaphysical and theoretical underpinnings on the power of belief into a high-octane science/medical thriller that would be rooted in actual research but would also take readers on an adrenaline ride they would never forget.  It took nearly a year, but when the story finally came together, I   remember feeling as big a thrill as I’ve ever felt as a writer.

Placebo introduces us to magician and escape artist, Jevin Banks. Still reeling after losing his wife and twin sons, he refocuses his talent to uncover the truth in an exposé filmmaking project. Struggling to wake up from a nightmare he can’t escape, Jevin works undercover investigating a controversial program that explores direct mind-to-mind communication. He finds himself in the crosshairs of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies and a killer who will do anything and dispose of anyone who gets in his way.  The truth must be uncovered before the brilliant killer makes Jevin his next victim and countless others pay the price with their lives. 

Steven James’ writing continues to earn praise while keeping readers on the edge of their seat and eagerly anticipating the author’s next novel. 



Critically acclaimed author Steven James has written more than thirty books, including the bestselling Patrick Bowers thriller series. He is considered one of the nation's most innovative storytellers and versatile authors, and is a contributing editor to Writer's Digest. Steven lives in Tennessee with his wife and three daughters.
 Available November 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.