A Hope Undaunted

by Julie Lessman

Historical / Inspirational

Release Date: September 2010

Publisher’s Synopsis:

What happens when the boy she loved to hate becomes the man she hates to love?

The 1920s are drawing to a close, and feisty Katie O’Connor is the epitome of the new woman–smart and sassy with goals for her future that include the perfect husband and a challenging career in law. Her boyfriend Jack fits all of her criteria for a husband–good-looking, well-connected, wealthy, and eating out of her hand. But when she is forced to spend the summer of 1929 with Luke McGee, the bane of her childhood existence, Katie comes face-to-face with a choice. Will she follow her well-laid plans to marry Jack? Or will she fall for the man she swore to despise forever?

My Thoughts:

Of the three books I received for review from Graf-Martin Communications this month, I was most excited about reading this one. I mean, just look at the cover! It’s not often that you see a 1920s-themed novel, particularly inspirational fiction, and this one sounded like a good read to boot.

Oh, how quickly things change.

I almost didn’t finish the book. It’s long – over 500 pages – and by the time I made it halfway through, I didn’t care about any of the characters or what happened to them. In fact, I put the book aside and said to my husband “I can’t finish this, I’m so bored”. But I ended up finishing it for one reason alone: I had to fall asleep early a few nights in a row (I had to get up earlier than usual for a few mornings) so I used to book to help me fall asleep. I know, it’s a terrible thing to admit, but this book just wasn’t for me.

However, I’m going to put a big asterisk on my statement, because I suspect the story will actually find a very wide audience, and here’s why: The whole entire book reads like a soap opera. I’m completely serious – if you like watching soap operas, you will probably love this book.

Here’s what didn’t work for me:

- Ten billion characters: there were way, way too many characters in this book, and by the end of the novel, I still didn’t have straight who was married to who and whose kids were whose… and I read fantasy, people. I’m no stranger to large casts, but when everyone in the book looks and sounds the same, it’s very confusing. But you know who has large casts that are hard to keep straight? Soap operas. Yep.

- Changing points of view without changing voice: Sometimes, a scene would end, only to pick back up in the exact same spot in the next scene break, but from the point of view of the opposite character. Now, this is an interesting way to provide insight into your characters and give a sense of perspective, but if you’re going to write in multiple voices, the voices must be distinct. And that’s hard to do when you have, oh, say ten to fifteen different POVs at various times throughout the novel. I also found that this constant shifting made it very difficult to get invested in the main characters, because it was hard to know which person/couple/issue we were supposed to be connecting to and investing emotionally in.

- Cliché, melodramatic plot twists: (SPOILER ALERT) Will they be together? Won’t they? No, they can’t, because this person’s sense of duty requires him to marry this person, but OH MY GOSH NOW SHE’S DEAD so it’ll work, but no, the heroine is now with someone else, but OH MY GOSH HE WANTS TO BE A PRIEST so it’ll work, but no, the pain of death is too fresh, but OH MY GOSH THEY CAN BE FRIENDS INSTEAD until a proposal comes OUT OF THE BLUE and they all live happily ever after.

Umm… what?

Like I said: Soap opera.

For me, this was pure tedium. I didn’t care about anyone, and the plot “twists” made me groan at every turn. However, it’s just like a soap opera in the sense that there are too many people, the twists are random (and convenient), and the schlocky romance is over the top. If you love soap operas, I honestly think this is the kind of book you’ll enjoy. As for me, I hope I never go near another book like this again.

P.S.: The writing is also very good, apart from the whole voice-doesn’t-change-with-character-POV-shifts thing. The author has received a large number of RWA awards, so I have to credit her for being able to tell a good story, even if her stories aren’t for me.

About the Author

Julie Lessman is the author of A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. Lessman has garnered several writing awards, including ten Romance Writers of America awards. She lives in Missouri.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Making Waves

by Lorna Seilstad

Historical Romance / Inspirational

Release Date: September 2010

Publisher’s Synopsis:

Sun, summer, and a scrumptious sailing instructor. What more could a girl want?

When spunky Marguerite Westing discovers that her family will spend the summer of 1895 at Lake Manawa, Iowa, she couldn’t be more thrilled. It’s the perfect way to escape her agonizingly boring suitor, Roger Gordon. It’s also where she stumbles upon two new loves: sailing, and sailing instructor Trip Andrews.

But this summer of fun turns to turmoil as her father’s secrets threaten to ruin the family forever. Will free-spirited Marguerite marry Roger to save her father’s name and fortune? Or will she follow her heart–even if it means hurting the family she loves?

Full of sharp wit and blossoming romance, Making Waves will whisk you away to a breezy lakeside summer holiday.

My Thoughts:

I honestly thought this book was going to be dreadful. I regretted asking for it the moment I hit the ‘send’ button, and put off reading it over and over again until I couldn’t wait any longer.

But guess what? It turned out to be my favorite of the three books from Graf-Martin’s blog tour this past month. Don’t let that hideous cover fool you – there’s a fun story inside with a likeable heroine and a hero who has a hard time doing anything right, let alone come along to save the day!

In short, here are the things I loved about this book:

• a heroine with serious flaws who has a full family (no/dead missing mother or father!)
• a hero who is anything but, and as likable as he is, continues to make mistakes
• a villain who DOES NOT WANT TO RAPE THE MAIN CHARACTER
• a villain whose moral compass kicks in when things turn grim – he’s bad, but he’ll only take it so far and continues to act within his established character
• the heroine’s younger brother plays a large role and helps to save the day
• an unusual setting makes for a very different atmosphere

Mostly, I was impressed with the character development and how each character stuck to who they were – they didn’t act out of character or act in an uncharacteristically drastic fashion toward the end of the novel, which I find tends to happen in a lot of Christian historical fiction.

No, this was just a fun, fast-paced read with good characters, a forward-driving plot, and just a touch of the ‘inspirational’ side of things so as to fit in with the time period but not overwhelm the story. In fact, I was a bit surprised at that, because Revell (the publisher) tends to be the one with “preachier” books, but not so in this case!

Don’t let the unremarkable back cover copy (could they have made it sound any more cliché or dull?) or the front cover stop you from reading this one (honestly, did they really HAVE to choose the image where she’s making that expression?!?!). I’ll be passing this one on to others, and will gladly read more from this author in the future.

About the Author

A history buff, antique collector, and freelance graphic designer, Lorna Seilstad is the author of Making Waves and draws her setting from her home state of Iowa. A former high school English and journalism teacher, she has won several online writing awards and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Head in the Clouds

by Karen Witemeyer

Historical Romance/ Inspirational

Release Date: October 2010

Publisher’s Synopsis:

When a recovering romantic goes to work for a handsome ranch owner, her heart’s not the only thing in danger!

        Adelaide Proctor longs to find a real-life storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves her humiliated, she interviews for a governess position on a remote Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her silly romantic yearnings behind.
      Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for himself in America’s wool industry, never expecting to end up with a child. To his dismay, five-year-old Isabella hasn’t uttered a word since she lost her mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon—and intrigues him at the same time. But he can’t afford distractions.
      When Isabella’s uncle comes to claim the girl—and her inheritance—Gideon and Adelaide must work together to protect Isabella from the man’s evil schemes. Soon neither can deny their growing attraction. But after so many heartbreaks, will Adelaide be willing to get her head out of the clouds and put her heart on the line?

My Thoughts:

Witemeyer’s second novel is much like her first, which I reviewed earlier this year: Headstrong heroine, a do-no-wrong hero, and a “bad guy” or two whose motives (and violent tendencies) are one-dimensional.

Taken as a whole, I enjoyed the novel enough to recommend it as a rainy-day read borrowed from the library. It wasn’t bad, but like Witemeyer’s first novel, there were a few things that irked me… for that matter, some of the things have been bothering me within the genre as a whole, as well.

For starters, I’m sick and tired of the rape motif in Christian fiction. Yes, women were and are vulnerable, but does that honestly mean that every ill-intentioned man wants to sexually violate women? Isn’t there anything else that writers can choose as a man’s vice in order to portray him as a ‘bad guy’. Not every BAD man in the world wants to rape women, but it seems that in historical fiction these days, if you’re evil, you’re also a rapist.

Look, even criminals have moral boundaries (not all, I know, but most). And life isn’t so black and white that all ‘bad guys’ want to sexually abuse women and all ‘good guys’ are 100% chaste and wouldn’t even be willing to indulge an impure thought. Seriously, CBA, is this how you want to portray male/female relationships to impressionable female minds?

The ‘good guy’ won’t always ride in to save the day, and the ‘bad guy’ doesn’t always want to violate you. So why is this showing up in nearly EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN HISTORICAL NOVEL I’ve read these days?!?! Yes, I know lately I’ve been singing the praises of the CBA market and the changes it’s been making, but no one is perfect and that includes publishers. Maybe this is part of the attempt to be ‘edgy’ and ‘realistic’, but it’s becoming an epidemic and I’m sick of reading it.

It’s insulting to men in general, and it’s demoralizing to women. I don’t want to see it anymore, and I’m stating right here, right now, that I will not finish any more Christian Historicals that include this as a way to characterize its male characters.

/endrant

But back to the book. The heroine is mostly likable, and the hero is mostly perfect, and everyone lives happily ever after, albeit cut and bruised (and recovering from bullet wounds), etc., etc.

I have yet to figure out why there’s a focus on the heroine’s love of novel-reading in the back cover copy (and the image) when this aspect of her personality is barely touched on (I think she mentions a book by name once… you’d think it would be happening all the time, based on the description) so I found this piece of her character lacking and undeveloped.

Still, like I said… if you’re looking for a (mostly) feel-good, rainy-day read, it might be worth your time.

About the Author: Karen Witemeyer holds a master’s degree in psychology from Abilene Christian University and is a member of ACFW, RWA, and the Abilene Writers Guild. She has published fiction in Focus on the Family’s children’s magazine, and has written several articles for online publications and anthologies. A Tailor-Made Bride is her first novel. Karen lives in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children.Visit Karen’s Web site at www.karenwitemeyer.com

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Power to Reinvent Yourself:

How to Break the Destructive Patterns in Your Life

by Jason Frenn

Self-Help/Inspirational

Release Date: October 2010

Description from Publisher’s Website:

Evangelist and author Jason Frenn details five steps accessing Christ’s power to break the chains of destructive patterns that afflict generation after generation. Many families suffer from dysfunction and conflict handed down from one generation to the next, and the cycle repeats itself with greater and greater severity. Parents struggle to keep their families from eroding as they helplessly watch their kids, teenagers, and adult children fall into overwhelming patterns of self-destruction. But there is a power that can set these families free and change their future.

In this book, readers experience the story of the author and his family, and how he was rescued from destruction. Each reader can find the POWER TO REINVENT YOURSELF and obtain a life of significance, success, and victory!

My Thoughts:

Yeah… the descriptive copy doesn’t exactly make it sound appealing, does it? The back cover copy is much better, but really long, and I don’t have 20 minutes to re-type it out. Needless to say, I agreed to read the book on the basis of the back cover copy, not the gimmicky-sounding tripe in the publisher’s description.

Anyway… moving on…

I’ve read a lot of Christian “self-help” style books. Like a lot of creative people, I have my own struggles with anxiety, and I like to read books that help me to feel inspired, hopeful, and that offer real tools for change. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, and sometimes the tool will work for a little while but isn’t realistic long-term.

This book, while it’s an interesting read with some heartbreaking anecdotes (I love anecdotes), there’s not much new material here. It’s common sense, rehashed with some fancy phrases like “unleash power” and “overcome destructive patterns”. Sure, that all sounds nice, but I already know about the importance of things like prayer, forgiveness, and delegating tasks to others when I’ve taken on too much.

I think this book is perhaps directed at people who are set in more extreme situations of destructive behavior, or who respond well to hyperbolic statements… whereas I find hyperbolic statements a real turn-off and an excuse to put the book down (or roll my eyes in a dramatic fashion).

If you’ve not read ‘change your habits / change your life’ themed books before, maybe this is one you could start with and get something out of. However, I didn’t find that it added anything to the already well-established plethora of inspirational self-help books on the shelves (yep, this is another plug from me for Dr. Leman’s books, a psychologist who combines his professional training with personal experience, and who does it WELL).

Sorry, Jason Frenn, but your book just wasn’t for me.

About the Author

Jason and Cindee Frenn are missionary evangelists and conference speakers who travel throughout North and South America holding citywide crusades. Together with their team based in Costa Rica, they help people find freedom in Christ to become all God intends them to be. Jason and Cindee have three daughters. Visit their website at http://www.frenn.org/.

Thanks to Hachette Book Group / FaithWords for providing this book for review. This book was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Running Around (and Such)

Lizzie Searches for Love, Book 1

by Linda Byler

Contemporary / Amish

Release Date: May 2010

Publisher’s Description:

CAN LIZZIE FIND HAPPINESS IN HER AMISH COMMUNITY OR WILL SHE HAVE TO SETTLE FOR SOMETHING LESS THAN HER DREAMS?
     Lizzie Glick longs to fit into her quiet Amish community. Her sisters, Emma and Mandy, are ready to get married and settle into the traditional rhythm of having children and keeping house. But Lizzie isn’t sure that’s what she wants for her future. It isn’t that Lizzie doesn’t want to stay Amish. It’s just that there’s so much to figure out!
     Stephen, her quiet, gentle friend, hints that he might be interested in a relationship deeper than friendship, but Lizzie is also drawn to the charming Amos who seems to have eyes for everyone but her.
     She has certainly attracted the attention of the egg-truck driver. A thrill runs through her every time the worldly man comes to pick up an order, each time extending his stay a little longer. How long will she keep this a secret from Emma — and Mam and Datt?
     What will become of Lizzie? She has too hot a temper. She hates housework and dislikes babies. She loves driving fast horses but is petrified of going away from home for a week to work as a maud (maid). Is she too spirited, too innocent, and almost too uninhibited for a young Amish woman? 

My Thoughts:

For a book that’s subtitled ‘Lizzie Searches for Love’, you’d think that there’d be… well… more of a search for love involved.

On the contrary, Lizzie doesn’t actually ‘search for love’ until three quarters of the way through the book, and even then, it isn’t much of a search. More like a few sideways glances at this boy or that man.

So, why would this be the case?

Well, here’s one clue: the main character is fifteen. Yes, that’s right. This is a novel packaged like an adult book, with a fifteen-year-old main character and language that reflects an even younger voice. Now, it’s not entirely unusual to have a young female main character in an adult novel, however, the rest of the book needs to rise to the occasion and present the story in such a way that a mature reader’s interest is sustained.

But from the juvenile sentence structure, all the way to the overwhelming SHOWING and not TELLING manner in which the story is presented, this isn’t a book that lives up to the  expectations of readers of Amish-themed fiction.

I wanted to love this book. I wanted it to restore my faith in what has lately become a cookie-cutter genre full of rehashed plots and characters. The problem is, the writing just isn’t there, and the story doesn’t deliver on what it promised (in the back cover copy or title).

I could detail all the specifics concerning what exactly irked me and provide you with examples of the clunky, flat narrative, but I think I’ve done my job here.

In one sentence: The book couldn’t figure out who its audience was.

Maybe if you’re a die-hard fan of Amish fiction, you’ll find something to like here. Otherwise, leave this one on the shelf.

About the Author

Linda Byler grew up Amish and is an active member of the Amish church today. Growing up, Linda loved to read and write. In fact, she still does. She is well known within the Amish community as a columnist for a weekly Amish newspaper. Linda and her husband, their children, and grandchildren live in central Pennsylvania.

I received this book from FSB Associates in exchange for an honest review.

And…now for the FINAL book in the blog tour this month! Yep, after this we’ll go back to our regularly scheduled writing tips and… oh, who am I kidding. I don’t regularly schedule anything. But get you know what I mean.

Okay, book #3!

In Every Heartbeat

by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Historical Fiction/Inspirational

Release Date: September 2010

Back Cover Copy:

Three best friends, three cherished dreams, three searching hearts…

As three friends who grew up in the same orphanage head off to college together, they each harbor a special plan for the future. Libby Conley hopes to become a famous journalist. Pete Leidig believes God has called him to study to become a minister. And Bennett Martin plans to pledge a fraternity, find a place to belong, and have as much fun as possible. But as tensions rise around the world on the brink of World War I, the friends’ differing aspirations and opinions begin to divide them, as well.

When Libby makes a shocking discovery about Pete’s family, will it drive a final wedge between the friends or bond them in ways they never anticipated?

My Thoughts:

You know… this isn’t a bad book at all. It’s readable, the characters are decent (albeit a little bit cardboard at times), and the plot—while it’s nothing particularly new or innovative—follows the traditions of ‘strong-headed woman and the man who loves her’ in a way that isn’t too cliché or overbearing.

I’ll be honest—I didn’t love it, and I’m not sure I’d even say I liked it. It kinda just ‘was’, for me. But I think fans of inspirational historical fiction will find a place in their hearts for this one. It had a little too much on the ‘Christian’ side of Christian fiction for my liking (I’ve preferred Bethany House’s other offerings lately) but I’m sure that many patrons of church libraries will enjoy it. And I’m not being demeaning when I say that, so don’t take it the wrong way!

And isn’t the cover beautiful?

I know this review isn’t as thorough as my other ones, but I didn’t find anything that sparked anger or that I particularly disliked, and there wasn’t really anything I loved. So… hey, if you like this kind of historical, go for it. If historical fiction with a heavier Christian slant isn’t your thing, this one isn’t for you.

If you have a mother, grandmother, aunt, or sister who likes this kind of historical fiction, this would be a safe choice for a gift in the future.

About the Author: Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women’s fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and six grandchildren. She invites you to visit her Web site atwww.kimvogelsawyer.com for more information.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Yes, yes… two more books to go on the September Blog Tour which is actually happening in October, which I am well aware of, and no I don’t particularly care, and yes that means you’ll be getting two book tours this month. But until then, let’s get on with this one!

Choosing to SEE

by Mary-Beth Chapman (with Ellen Vaughn)

Memoir/Inspirational

Release Date: September 2010

Promo Synopsis:

"Every now and then a book comes along that is not only great–it’s a gift. An extravagant gift. This is one of those books."–Beth Moore

From the beginning, Mary Beth Chapman’s life was not how she planned. All she wanted was a calm, peaceful life of stability and control. Instead, God gave her an award-winning singer/songwriter husband, crazy schedules, and a houseful of creatively rambunctious children. Most difficult of all, God’s plans for her also included tragedy.

In Choosing to SEE, Mary Beth unveils her struggle to allow God to write the story of her life, both the happy chapters and the tragic ones. And as the story unfolds, she’s been forced to wrestle with some of life’s biggest questions: Where is God when things fall apart? Why does God allow terrible things to happen? How can I survive hard times?

No matter where you find yourself in your own life story, you will treasure the way Mary Beth shows that even in the hard times, there is hope if you choose to SEE.

*** Here’s the book trailer for this book… there are some spoilers in it, but only if you come to the book not knowing who the Chapmans are and what happened that inspired the writing of this book. I guess you could call “Spoiler Alert” on everything in this review from here on out, but everything I’ll mention was in the news at some point, so decide for yourself whether you want to keep reading or not ***

If you’re a parent, this is going to be a really difficult book to read. I’ll warn you that right up front. Even if you’re not a parent, it’s going to be tough going in places.

For those of you who don’t know, or who may have forgotten, Mary Beth Chapman is the wife of Award-Winning Gospel singer/songwriter Stephen Curtis Chapman. Several years ago, tragedy struck their family when one of their young daughters was struck and killed in the driveway by a truck, driven by their son. The event made headline news, and Stephen Curtis didn’t release any new music for awhile afterward.

This book is Mary Beth’s story of a life she never asked for and never wanted. She married a man who would become a superstar, their family grew and grew, and they had times of blessing and times of disaster (she mentions some of that in the book trailer above).

What I found most intriguing was Mary Beth’s honesty about her struggles with anxiety and depression. Here was this woman who seemed to have it all – a beautiful home, children, and a husband whose success provided for their needs and more – and yet she felt like she was dying inside. She took medications, visited doctors, and learned how to cope…

And then, the worst tragedy of all… the death of a child. I’m so glad the book didn’t dwell on that, but instead focused on her life, her faith in God, her personal struggles, and how the family put themselves back together after being shattered into a million pieces.

Mary Beth’s book is a blatant testimony of faith; an incredible display of God’s power to bring light into the darkest places.

This book won’t be for everyone. For others, it may be too difficult to read. Still, I’m glad that Mary Beth told her story, because it affirmed for me that no one is perfect. Everyone is human. No matter how put-together someone appears on the outside, we all struggle with doubt, anxiety, and fear (some of us more than others). And that in the end, God is so much bigger than all that.

About the Author(s):

Mary Beth Chapman is the wife of Grammy and Dove Award winning recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. Together they began Show Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for the world’s most vulnerable children by providing financial assistance to families wishing to adopt, as well as increasing awareness of the orphan crisis and funneling resources to orphans domestically and internationally. Mary Beth serves as president of Show Hope and is a speaker for Women of Faith 2010 with her husband. She is also coauthor with Steven of the Shaoey and Dot series of children’s picture books. Mary Beth and Steven have six children: Emily, Caleb, Will Franklin, and adopted daughters Shaohannah Hope, Stevey Joy, and Maria Sue, who is now with Jesus. The Chapmans live in Tennessee. (www.MaryBethChapman.com)

Ellen Vaughn is a bestselling author and inspirational speaker. Her recent books include It’s All About Him with Denise Jackson (wife of Alan Jackson), which debuted at #1 on the New York Timesnonfiction list. She is also coauthor with Chuck Colson of Being the Body. In addition to her nonfiction work, Vaughn is an award-winning novelist. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her husband, Lee.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Guten Thanksgivenen…nen… er… okay, so I don’t speak German and I live in Canada. But it IS Oktoberfest, so that’s my excuse! Hah!

And now that you’re quite sure all the pumpkin pie has gone to my head (I’d rather it go there than anywhere else, if you know what I’m saying, ladies), I’ll get to the point.

The point is… it’s time for the September Blog Tour!!! Whoo-hoo!!!

Yes, I know it’s October. But the books arrived a little late, so we had some extra time to read them & get our reviews up, so let’s just pretend it’s still September and that I’m not on a ridiculous sugar high, m’kay?

Here we go!

Have a New You by Friday 

by Dr. Kevin Leman

Self-Help/Inspirational

Release Date: September 2010

Back Cover Copy:

You can change your life–in just 5 days!

How many times have you tried to change your own habits, only to find that changing yourself is even harder than trying to change someone else?

Now, what the bestselling Have a New Kid by Friday has done for families and Have a New Husband by Friday has done for couples,Have a New You by Friday will do for you. With his signature wit and commonsense psychology, Dr. Kevin Leman walks you through your own personal five-day action plan. You will come to

• Accept the truth about yourself
• Boost your confidence by identifying the lies you’re telling yourself . . . and putting them to rest for good
• Change your life by concentrating on becoming who you really want to be

I’ll admit it: I love Dr. Leman’s books. I’ve read nearly all his books about birth order, marriage, sex, and childhood memories. I’ve read his book on women who struggle with perfectionism, and I have his book dedicated to First Borns sitting next to me just begging to be read.

So, I come to this book with a bit of a bias. I love Dr. Leman’s easygoing writing style, his funny anecdotes, his sense of humor (self-deprecation is something I can definitely appreciate)… I think in some ways, Dr. Leman reminds me of my Dad. That might sound weird, but my Dad is pretty great (*waves* Hi Dad! I don’t know if you read my blog…) so I think that’s a good thing. Also, they’re both Last Borns, so that’s probably where I’m seeing some similarities in personality.

Anyway, parental reflections aside, if you’ve never read anything by Dr. Leman and you like self-help books that challenge you, here’s a great place to start. (Okay, one more plug, he also has tons of resources for parents, so if you have kids I highly recommend his books.)

This book is designed to force you to think and challenge yourself: What is it about your life that you want to change? Why haven’t your attempts at change worked before? What can you do differently, and what are the lies you’ve been telling yourself that have stopped you from changing in the past?

We all know that changing ourselves is much harder than changing others… we’re our own worst critics, and we all have these little “truths” we’ve carried around for our whole lives, whether we know it or not. Dr. Leman looks at these lies we tell ourselves, and challenges us to change our thought patterns. He looks at things like:

• Birth Order
• Love Languages
• Childhood Memories
• Your Real Personality

Now, here’s the thing – because I’ve read all of Dr. Leman’s books on birth order and childhood memories before (and Gary Chapman’s Love Languages book, which Leman references), this book in particular didn’t contain anything new for me. It was a bit of a re-treading in familiar territory, so I didn’t find it all that exciting or helpful.

However, if you’ve never read his stuff before, this is a great synthesis of the material he’s known for. If you’re looking for real change in your life that lasts, Dr. Leman’s methods are an excellent place to start!

About the Author: Dr. Kevin Leman is an internationally known psychologist, radio and television personality, and speaker who has taught and entertained audiences worldwide with his wit and commonsense psychology. He has made house calls for hundreds of radio and television programs, including The View,Today, Oprah, CBS’s The Early Show, CNN’sAmerican Morning, and LIFE Today with James Robison. He has also served as a contributing family psychologist to Good Morning America.

A bestselling and award-winning author, Dr. Leman has written more than 30 books about marriage and family issues, including The Birth Order Book, Sheet Music, Making Children Mind without Losing Yours, and Have a New Kid by Friday. He is coauthor, with his son Kevin Leman II, of a series of illustrated children’s books for each child in the family. He is also featured on 6 video series on marriage, parenting, blended families, and single parenting.

Dr. Leman and his wife, Sande, live in Tucson, Arizona. They have 5 children and 2 grandchildren.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Oops… almost forgot to post this today! *facepalm*

Nothing technically came in my mailbox this week… but we purchased two books last week before heading out for vacation, so I’ll include those here. I finished one on the plane, and my husband finished the other one yesterday… seriously, the Sanderson tome is so HUGE that he actually got a pinched nerve from carrying it around all day. No joke. Crazy!!!

FYI: In my mailbox is a weekly meme started by The Story Siren to showcase books you’ve received for review, bought, borrowed, or swapped. Anyone can participate, and it’s a great way to showcase new books and encourage blogger/commenter interaction!

Blameless

(Parasol Protectorate, Book 3)

by Gail Carriger

The Way of Kings

(Stormlight

Archive, Book 1)

by Brandon Sanderson

What came in your mailbox this week?