One Hand, Two Hands by Max Lucado, Illustrated by Gaby Hansen

Join a fun-loving little girl and her animated stuffed animals as they learn about the hands God gave them and the ways He wants them to use their hands.  This lively group explores the many things our hands have been designed to do, finally realizing that we make the best use of our hands when we serve others.

This is a cute, little story told in fun rhyme and illustrated by cheerful watercolors.  It does not have much of a plot, and its main character is not even named; but children ages 2-6 are sure to detect the valuable lesson this story teaches.  As I read this book, I imagined hand motions going along with it.  Creative parents could easily come up with their own hand motions to get their child really involved in the story.  In addition, activities involving the use of “helping hands,” “kind hands,” and “loving hands” are listed in the back of the book along with a suggestion to “Think of ways your hands can be helping hands!”

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Somewhere to Belong by Judith Miller

Berta Schumacher is a flighty, young girl who loves to wear hot pink.  How will she ever manage to survive in the Plain village of Amana?!  But survive she must.  Her parents have made their decision, and they are not backing down; but Berta refuses to conform herself to this radically different culture.  In the meantime, Johanna Ilg, who has always lived in Amana, is struggling with her desire to get away and see the world.  Will these girls become friends in spite of their extreme differences?  And will they ever resolve their inner conflict?

This book was slow to catch my interest and failed to capture it completely.  I was looking forward to a story about a Christian community resembling those of the Amish or the Mennonites, but I was disappointed to find that Amana more closely resembles a full-fledged commune.  This point outweighed the good points for me, but I realize many others will love this book in spite of this possible drawback.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

The lives of sixteen widows and one young boy looking for adventure are forever changed as they are brought together by their search for a new life out West.  However, all is not what it seems, and the widows soon find out that they have been tricked into becoming mail-order brides.  Have they failed in their quest or will they succeed in establishing a new life, maybe even a better one, on the Nebraskan prairie.

I was a little worried about this book at first, fearing that sixteen simultaneous romances would get tangled up in my mind.  My fears were soon put to rest, however, when several of the women agreed to arranged marriages, allowing me to become fully involved in the lives of the others.  I really enjoyed the plot of this book and even found myself learning a few interesting facts about life in the 1800s.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Lies the Government Told You, by Andrew Napolitano

Lies the Government Told You: Myth, Power, and Deception in American History, by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano, most likely disappointed many conservatives. Even though Napolitano does share a few valuable insights, they are mostly overshadowed by his liberal ideas. The most disconcerting concept is how he views truth. "Truth," Judge Napolitano says, "is identity between intellect and reality." This nondescript view, which implies that truth is not absolute, casts doubt on the truthfulness of his remaining arguments. He also attempts to smear several respected Americans in history and at times neglects pertinent details, causing nearly imperceptible historical inaccuracies. I was also surprised to find several cases of offensive language. In conclusion, even though it does contain some truth, I would not recommend this book.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. 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

Love on a Dime by Cara Lynn James

In a time when working women are considered scandalous, Lilly Westbrook spends all of her time writing dime novels under the name of Fanny Cole.  As fans grow eager to meet the famous Miss Cole and as the 19^th century tabloids threaten to reveal her cover, Lilly becomes anxious about being found out and scorned by her family and friends.  While deciding whether to tell her family about her secret, she must also decide between her wealthy beau Harlan and her first love Jackson Grail.

From beginning to end, this book held my interest as I read about Lilly’s unique adventures.  Ms. James designed an excellent plot, keeping me in suspense until the very end and weaving her faith seamlessly into the story.  This book is not at all preachy, and the references to Christianity seem completely natural, making Love on a Dime one of the best Christian fiction books I have read so far.  I was thoroughly entertained by this novel, and I definitely recommend it.  In fact, I am eagerly awaiting the sequel Love on Assignment available in January 2011.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Millionaire Next Door, by Stanley and Danko

The Millionaire Next Door, by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko, is an informative and useful book. There are several interesting points mentioned that should pique one's interest in reading this book.

• The wealthy are not necessarily the elite. They are ordinary people who live well below their means because they do not need to put their wealth on display. You would never know if you lived by "the millionaire next door."
• This book uses a simple formula to determine if you are a PAW (prodigious accumulator of wealth) or a UAW (under accumulator of wealth). Your age times your realized pretax annual income (except inheritance) divided by 10, minus any inheritance, is your target net worth.
• Budgeting is an integral part of building net worth. If one is aiming to become wealthy, he must minimize his taxable income as he gains untaxed capital.
• Buying too expensive of a home could easily hinder you from reaching your goal. In America, it is easier to make a lot than to become wealthy; but that does not mean that the ladder is impossible to climb.
• Economic outpatient care (gifts to adult children) often invites the children to be irresponsible with money. It is better to set up investments for them that will pay out gradually.
• The occupation most likely to make money is one that targets the low-consumption lifestyle of America's millionaires.