Brazen {Review}

Brazen by Leeana Tankersley

Visit the Author's Website HERE

Publisher: Revell

Publishing Date: April 5, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

There are so many moments in life when we choose to silence our intuition, abandon our own voice, and play small because we wonder, deep down: "Do I know who I really am? Is who I really am enough?" It's courageous work to learn to live from our essential identity--loved, worthy, whole. But what if God is calling us to shamelessly recover the woman he created us to be? What if God is urging us to be--for the first time in our lives--brazen? 
The word "brazen" means "without shame." Leeana Tankersley wants women to be just that--to unapologetically move from shame- and fear-based living toward lives that are based on love and belonging. With moving personal stories and spot-on observations of the longings we all experience--to know we are loved, to feel comfortable in our own skin, to be heard--Tankersley calls women to honor that voice deep down inside of them rather than bowing to outside influences that push them to become someone they're not. Gritty and overflowing with grace, Brazen will set women free to be truly themselves in a world bent on molding them in its image.

Forgiven {Review}

Forgiven by Terri Roberts

Visit the Author's website HERE

Publisher: Bethany House

Publishing Date: October 6, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

After a son does the unthinkable, how can a mother go on?

On October 2, 2006, a gunman entered an Amish one-room schoolhouse, shooting ten girls, killing five, then finally taking his own life. This is his mother's story. Not only did she lose her precious son through suicide, but she also lost her understanding of him as an honorable man. It was a trauma that none should ever have to face.

But the biggest headlines came when her Amish neighbors did the unimaginable, reaching out to the family of the shooter with comfort and forgiveness. Today Terri lives in harmony with the Amish and has built lasting relationships beyond what anyone could have thought possible. From the grace that the Amish showed Terri's family from day one, to the visits and ongoing care Terri has given to the victims and their families, no one could have foreseen the love and friendship that have been forged from the fires of tragedy.

Atlas Girl {Review}

Atlas Girl by Emily T Wierenga

Visit the Author's Website HERE

Publisher: Baker Books

Publishing Date: June 24, 2014

Goodreads Summary:

Disillusioned and yearning for freedom, Emily Wierenga left home at age eighteen with no intention of ever returning. Broken down by organized religion, a childhood battle with anorexia, and her parents' rigidity, she set out to find God somewhere else--anywhere else. Her travels took her across Canada, Central America, the United States, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. She had no idea that her faith was waiting for her the whole time--in the place she least expected it.

Poignant and passionate, Atlas Girl is a very personal story of a universal yearning for home and the assurance that we are known, forgiven, and beloved. Readers will find in this memoir a true description of living faith as a two-way pursuit in a world fraught with distraction. Anyone who wrestles with the brokenness we find in the world will love this emotional journey into the arms of the God who heals all wounds

Quick Review: Beyond the Pasta

Beyond the Pasta by Mark Leslie
Publication Date: December 30th, 2013
Goodreads Summary:

Several years ago, on a break between theatrical gigs in Alabama, Mark traveled to Italy and fell in love with the people, food and culture. Armed with just enough courage, minimal Italian language skills, and a certain proficiency in the kitchen, he enrolled in a full-immersion cooking and language program. He would travel to Viterbo, Italy and live with an Italian family. His teachers were beyond his wildest dreams-he learned to cook from the grandmother, or Nonna, of the family, who prepared every meal in a bustling, busy household, as women in her family have done for generations. Her daughter, Alessandra, taught him the language with patience and precision. Besides culinary secrets and prepositions, they opened their lives to him, and made him a real part of their extensive family. Though the book contains authentic, delicious family recipes Nonna shared with Mark, Beyond the Pasta delves into food memoir subject matter not found in a typical cookbook. It was the day-to-day shopping with Nonna, exploring the countryside and le gelaterie, where he truly developed his language skills, and a new, more joyful and uniquely Italian way of looking at the world.

I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Find it on Amazon for $9.99 today (4/7/14)

My Thoughts:
"Beyond the Pasta" was written journal style by Leslie. I love journal styled books of all sorts, so this was a plus for me. It shared his personal journey and growth. Leslie was completely honest and open about everything. Anything he wrote down while in Italy was shared here. Thus, we got to experience things in 'real time'. If Leslie didn't know something, we didn't know it either. And of course, since it was set in Italy, "Beyond the Pasta" satisfied a small part of my ever-growing wanderlust.

As you might imagine from some of my 'pluses', they were also negatives. Because the journal was so personal and 'real time', I was frustrated by not knowing. I would have like some tighter editing, cutting out the things that pertained to just Leslie and focused more on Italy and the cooking. I would have LOVED more recipes! We got one for each chapter, but Leslie mentioned dozens more that I would love to have.

Overall, it just wasn't the book for me. I found Leslie's voice chunky and repetitive. I wanted so much more, more travel aspects, more recipes, more! Perhaps it will be the right book for others, but it wasn't for me. 2 out of 5 stars from me. 

Surprised by Motherhood

Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected About Being a Mom by Lisa-Jo Baker
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Check out her fantastic blog 
Goodreads Summary:

A lawyer with a well-stamped passport and a passion for human rights, Lisa-Jo Baker never wanted to be a mom. And then she had kids. Having lost her own mother to cancer as a teenager, Lisa-Jo felt lost on her journey to womanhood and wholly unprepared to raise children."Surprised by Motherhood" is Lisa-Jo's story of becoming and being a mom, and in the process, discovering that all the "what to expect" and "how to" books in the world can never truly prepare you for the sheer exhilaration, joy, and terrifying love that accompanies motherhood.Set partly in South Africa and partly in the US (with a slight detour to Ukraine along the way), "Surprised by Motherhood" is a poignant memoir of one woman's dawning realization that being a mom isn't about being perfect--it's about being present.

I recieved this book from the publisher via Netgalley. Order the Kindle version from Amazon today for $9.99 (3/22/14)

My Thoughts:
Surprised by Motherhood?? Try surprised by this book! I think I expected it to be another how-to-mother/band-together type parenting book. I shouldn't have expected that knowing what little I do have Lisa-Jo Baker. And it seems like everyone knows her! She is a self-proclaimed cheerleader for moms and has written hard, beautiful, honest truth on her blog for years. "Surprised" is her personal motherhood story. Raw, real, and doesn't hold back the gritty and dark.

This open honesty helped me relate completely. Some wonderful women are brave and share the dark bits of motherhood for the world to see, but then make apologies for it. They wrap up their words in a nice Christian bow. But in the midst of the tunnel, you may know there is an end, but you just don't see it. Baker was able to share her dark moments and not make apologies. Being a mother is hard. Don't ever believe otherwise. Of course it has it's good moments that are everything you imagine about cute, innocent, adorable infants, but it is hard. And it stretches you and changes you like nothing else ever could. Sometimes you just want some sympathy, someone to commiserate with. And to know you aren't the only one who struggles. Baker stated it so well when she said it was like 'breaking up with herself'.

Any way you cut it, motherhood is intimidating. From the courage it takes to clip a newborn's fingernails or navigate their weensy little arms into a onesie or wave them off to school, the ocean of a mother's worry is a vast one. ...So moms might not know it, but they are the bravest of the brave for taking this risk. -Chapter 8, Surprised by Motherhood, emphasis mine. 

Along with her personal journey of becoming a reluctant mother, we also get to travel with Baker! Born and raised in South Africa, she also spent some time living in the Ukraine and different parts of America. I am sure her editor cut a lot of the deeper looks into her travels out because the book IS about motherhood, but I would LOVE to read more about that. Baker's voice is so fresh and holds notes of humor; reading her travel journals would be a treat.

Heck, I would read anything by Lisa-Jo Baker. And this book has made me admire her even more. However, I am only giving this book 4 stars. It was a good read, one to devour quickly, but I also felt like it didn't take me anywhere. We wandered, we meandered, we travelled, we got to know who Baker really is. And then, the end. I really liked this podcast Baker did recently with Kat Lee from Inspired to Action. I felt like it help me wrap up Baker's journey by sharing what she is up too these days, that all she learned is taking her to some awesome new things. I hope to see more books from Camp Baker, and soon!

Notes from a Blue Bike

Notes from a Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider
Publication Date: February 4th, 2014
Check out the Author's Hugely Popular Blog HERE
Goodreads Summary:

Life is chaotic. But we can choose to live it differently.

It doesn't always feel like it, but we "do" have the freedom to creatively change the everyday little things in our lives so that our path better aligns with our values and passions.

The popular blogger and founder of the internationally recognized "Simple Mom" online community tells the story of her family's ongoing quest to live more simply, fully, and intentionally.

Part memoir, part travelogue, part practical guide, "Notes from a Blue Bike "takes you from a hillside in Kosovo to a Turkish high-rise to the congested city of Austin to a small town in Oregon. It chronicles schooling quandaries and dinnertime dilemmas, as well as entrepreneurial adventures and family excursions via plane, train, automobile, and blue cruiser bike.

Entertaining and compelling--but never shrill or dogmatic--"Notes from a Blue Bike "invites you to climb on your own bike, pay attention to who you are and what your family needs, and make some important choices. It's a risky ride, but it's worth it--living your life according to who you "really" are simply takes a little intention. It's never too late.

About the Author:

Tsh Oxenreider is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Art of Simple, a blog about the art and science of living simply. She thinks a library card, a Netflix subscription, and a passport are some of the greatest parenting tools in the universe. She is the author of Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World, One Bite at a Time: 52 Bites for Making Life Simpler, and Organized Simplicity. Tsh is also the main host of The Art of Simple Podcast.

Tsh and her nomadic family currently live in Bend, Oregon, but several dots around the globe have also been called home. Together, they love to travel, read books, go camping, and make homemade pizza for Friday Family Movie Night.

My Thoughts:
Maybe I am not reading the summaries of books well enough, or maybe I am just being mislead, yet here I am again saying: this book was not what I expected it to be. I think I expected some travel stories mixed with tips for living intentionally in a chaotic world. I was reading for tips, lists, charts, facts, I had my pencil poised and my maps out. What I got was a little different, but good in its own unexpected way. Instead "Blue Bike" is like a collection of small topical essays wherein Tsh describes, and defends, her life choices. Along the way there is a connecting thread of intentionality and how she attempts to obtain it.

The first thing that struck me about "Blue Bike" and Tsh's life was that while she is writing and seeking an intentional life, when she peels back the curtain and gives us a glimpse, it seems just as busy and hurried as everyone else. She even defends this at one point saying she loves working and thus checks her phone constantly. I am actually going to use the words of another Goodreads reviewer because she states it just perfectly: "...her descriptions of their life are go-go-go as she and her husband juggle the blog as their primary source of income and three small children. ...I found myself reading a book about a woman spinning her wheels like the rest of us - except that she has the freedom and flexibility of self-employment that so many people do not have." (Anna, Goodreads). And that really says it all. Perhaps that will make superhuman Tsh more human in the eyes of some readers, but perhaps it will make some, like me, feel a little bit let down and wonder if Tsh is really inspiring me to an intentional life, or a green/travel/work from home life. 

"...let the crux of this book sit in your belly and rumble true: we were made to live with intention, beyond the status quo."-pg 88

Something that may have played a part in my feelings: as much as Tsh fights not to be, she does come across as a bit snobby or stand-off-ish. *Eep* I am not trying to attack Tsh in any way!! I honestly believe that she and I probably have different personality types and this is playing a large part. But I have heard several other reviewers, bloggers, people say that she can be a tough woman, and from her (excellent!) writing, you can get the same sense. For example, she places tons of importance and focus on autonomy, stating that because she has a well paying blog business, she is able to live the life she does. Then she goes further and states that everyone should try to do the same. Well, of course everyone would LOVE to do the same! Sometimes it just isn't possible though. Tsh tries to provide some examples in the latter chapters of real people who approached their bosses about work at home options or flexible hours and got what they wanted. I would like to bet that most people who would try that would get a flat out 'No' at best. Plus, the world needs doctors, police officers, baristas...those jobs just canNOT be completed from home. I would hate for them to read this book and feel they cannot live a worthy, intentional lifestyle because they work a job they love. 

I know that this wasn't Tsh's intention, and she writes, several times, that what is in this book is her life and works for her family. But several other little thoughts here and there (her constant frowning on America) just has me thinking that we probably wouldn't be the best of friends. While we may not be best friends, I can certainly respect the lady. She has a take-charge kind of attitude that I can respect and a passion for life that I aspire too. Tsh's writing is superb, not poetic and flowy like many other bloggers and writers I've read lately, but intelligent, snappy, and with a "grown-up" vibe. The writing and layout were warm, inviting, welcoming, drawing you into her life manifesto, creating curiosity about how she lives life. 

"Blue Bike" may not have been as practical as I expected, it was certainly encouraging. Just reading about her life and how she pursues what she wants is inspiring. Tsh also stresses the importance of going out and finding your own simple, your own intentional. For example her words on page 214:

"We're each given freedom to choose our decisions, and that responsibility is the very definition of living with intention..."

I really enjoyed this one, despite my random mini-rant above. Women OR Men could read "Blue Bike" and enjoy it. It is not religiously based so all readers can dive in. A quick, cozy read for readers everywhere who enjoy a good memoir, who crave just a taste of travel, who already love Tsh's writing and/or blog, and for anyone at all with time to read! I'm rating this one as a 4.5 stars and love the way it's still got me thinking. After reading, I think an excellent 'follow' up book would be 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, which while being written in journal entry form, is a more practical intentional living book. Together they would pack a powerful punch and get your booty motivated to live intentionally!! 

Also, before you leave, a favorite quote:

"We would take the beauty of life in a slow, relationship-based culture, and mold it into something beautiful and useful in our native culture, where the prevailing mark of a good day is getting a lot done. We would ask questions like, 'Can we live effectively in the US without productivity as our primary goal?'..." -pg 23