Friday, September 25, 2015

Taming The To-Do List

Ever just wish the world would stop for a day so you could catch up?

No matter how much we accomplish in a day, we nearly always feel a little guilt over what we didn’t do. But do we really have more to do than the women who came before us? Maybe not. In Taming the To-Do List, Glynnis Whitwer exposes a seismic shift in society: from one in which most of us were proactive to one in which we carry the burden of having to respond—to every email, text, tweet, and message we receive.

This creates a cycle where everyone else sets the priorities for our days rather than us directing our own lives. The result? We procrastinate, putting off the important stuff for later while we tend to the “urgent” stuff right now. It’s time to take back your schedule! Ready to tame that to-do list? This book shows you how.


Cafe Lily's Review:

If you are struggling with putting things off, managing your time wisely, and getting anything done - this book may be for you.   The author talks a lot about procrastination, but overall there is a lot of solid advice in this book and great ideas. She addresses fear, perfectionism, being too busy, bad habits, willpower and more. At the end of each chapter, there is a practical application section.





Tuesday, September 22, 2015

The Chase: Trusting God with Your Happily Ever After

Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky couldn't have dreamed a better love story for themselves had it been scripted by a bestselling novelist like Kelsey's mom, Karen Kingsbury.

In fact, if you asked them, Kyle and Kelsey would name God as the author of their story. And they're glad they trusted him to write it for them. Unfortunately, too many girls hoping for their own happily-ever-after have taken matters into their own hands, chasing after boys when they should be chasing after God. And that inevitably leads to heartache, low self-esteem, and poor choices as girls give in to pressure from media and peers to look and act a certain way to attract guys.

Kyle and Kelsey want girls to know that it's never too late to trust God with their love lives, that wherever they are, there's always hope for the future. Through their own story and the stories of others who long for love, they show girls how to put God first, how to value and protect their purity, how to deal with loneliness and bullying, and how to see themselves as God does--a one-in-a-million girl who deserves no less than God's best.

 Cafe Lily's Review:

The overall theme of this book is about young women, waiting on God and pursuing him rather than guys. Put God first, and trust HIS plans for your life.  Don't allow relationships with the opposite sex, distract you from your focus on God. 

The writing is definitely geared for younger women and teens. Older women may have a tougher time relating to the stories and examples. 

I liked that Kyle chimed in with a male perspective however to me, it felt like his voice was a bit lost in many of the chapters  It would be nice if Kyle would write a book directed strictly towards young men, so that single guys won't miss out on good advice.

 
 

Monday, September 21, 2015

Last Chance Hero by Cathleen Armstrong



I had not read any of the previous titles in this series, but that didn't stop me from feeling at home in Last Chance, New Mexico. I could completely identify with Jess, who is not a football fan. She finds herself trying to put down roots in a community that lives, eats, sleeps and breathes football. I respected her for making an effort to learn, since it was such an important part of the life of the man she's attracted to.

I liked the characters, with all of their quirks and the "busy bodies" who try to give Jess advice. The small town atmosphere comes through easily in this story.

Some of the story felt a little underdeveloped for me but overall, this is a nice escape read. It's not overly deep or complex, but enjoyable.

 

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Bathsheba by Angela Hunt

I was absolutely blown away by how good this book was.

 I am a HUGE fan of biblical fiction and plan to go back and read the first book in the Dangerous Beauty series about Esther. The author clearly does her research before putting pen to page. Typically when you hear the name "Bathsheba", the first thing that comes to mind is adultery or the woman who seduced King David. This book made me think because it put Bathsheba in a whole new light. I always wondered if she went willingly to King David (was there some attraction on her part?), or if she went out of fear.

This book also made me think deeper about her marriage to Uriah. This story shows the heart of a woman caught up in a difficult situation and transports readers back in time. While the story stays very true and accurate to scripture, it also takes readers on a "what if" and weaves a fresh, new story that makes the Bible come alive. The author helps us see the human side of these characters, their weaknesses and struggles. I hated to see this book come to an end, and was caught up from the very first page. I can't wait to see how this series continues!    Highly recommended.