Review: Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day by Daryl Aaron

Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day by Daryl Aaron

Bethany House / 2012

Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:


An Easy-to-Use Guide to Christian Theology

Theology can be intimidating, even overwhelming. Where do you start? How is it important to the Christian life? What are the key topics that you need to understand? How do you make time to study something so complex without going to Bible college or seminary?

In Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day, professor and former pastor Daryl Aaron answers forty critical questions about the Christian faith. Arranged by topic, you can choose the areas that interest you or systematically read through the book. Each section is short and easy to understand. You'll come away with a deeper faith as you learn about the nature of God, heaven, the Bible, church, and even yourself.

My rating:

My thoughts:

Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day is a wonderful book for people who want to learn about theology in an easy-to-understand way. Even though the book is short (around 200 pages), I think things were explained very well.

A few of my favorite quotes are:

"As noted in chapter 15, we are not sinners because we sin; rather, we sin because we are (born) sinners." ~Page 90

"At some level, all people are theologians, whether they know it or not." ~Page 16

"As with God's love, we must never take for granted God's mercy and grace demonstrated through Jesus Christ. When we remember we are sinners who deserve punishment and can do nothing to impress God, that he is just, owes us nothing, and ought to give us what we deserve - eternal death - grace becomes truly amazing." ~Page 53

Overall, I loved Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day - it was great to learn more about theology. I loved what was said in the epilogue:

"You have merely dangled your toes in the deep ocean of the amazing things of God." ~Page 211

So true! I look forward to learning more and more about theology. I recommend Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day to anyone who wants to learn a little about theology.

*I received this book for free from the publisher for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

Was my review helpful? If so, please click "yes" on Amazon. Thanks!

In My Mailbox 103- Christmas Edition

In my mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren that encourages other book bloggers to share what they bought, won, begged for or borrowed. It is usually held on Sundays!

From P.J Hoover (a contest):

• ARC of Solstice by P.J. Hoover

From Egmont:

• ARC of Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

From Christmas:

• Signed copy of Reached by Ally Condie
• Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone
• My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
• Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Crewel by Gennifer Ablin
• Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

From Books-A-Million:

• Splintered by A.G. Howard
• Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
• Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Books on the Nook HD (from my dad for Christmas):

• Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi
• Roar and Liv by Veronica Rossi
• Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout
• Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr
• Remembrance by Michelle Meadows
• Retro Demonology by Jana Oliver
• Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber
• The Host by Stephenie Meyer
• E-ARC of Dualed by Elsie Chapman
• E-ARC of Hysteria by Megan Miranda
• E-ARC of Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Wowzer. Sure looks like I had a very wordy Christmas. My TBR pile just got a whole lot bigger. What about you guys? What did you get over the holidays and this week in the mail?

Saturday Discussions: How Often Do You Read?

So this week I want to talk about how often you read. Lately, with the holidays and editing my own novel and work and people actually wanting to see me and stuff, I haven't had as much time to read. It got me thinking about my reading habits and I thought I'd share them with you.

First off, I really do prefer to read in complete quiet. I'll read at work sometimes but it is often so loud there with the t.v., my partner talking and the radio going that it is hard to concentrate. Some quiet music in the background is okay but my favorite is silence.

I'm not a snacker because I'm funny with my books. I like them to stay clean and don't want to run the risk of orange Cheeto dust coating the pages. I do like a soda or water by my side though.

I can read anywhere but I think I enjoy reading the most at night in my bed after a long day. Nothing beats getting all comfy and snug in my covers after a hot shower with a book. Favorite thing ever!

But the truth is that I don't get to do this as often as I'd like anymore even though I love it.

Some days I'm just too tired to read at the end of the night and opt for television. Sometimes I don't want to get so absorbed in a book that I have trouble sleeping.

I used to read every single day without fail two years ago but I found that I lost time with my friends and family that way.

Now I seem to read about five nights a week but the amount varies a lot. Some nights I'll finish 100 pages and other nights it will only be a chapter or two. Since I started getting serious about this current WIP, I like to reward myself for working hard by reading. It's my prize!

I think ideally for me about five days a week is good for about an hour a day. I'm a slow reader so that means several days for a normal size book (and about a week for a honker like Beautiful Creatures) but then it feels like a treat. Like reading is special. And that is what I love.

So what about you? Do you have any preferences for reading and how often do you read?

Review: The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren

The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren

A Deep Haven Novel, Book Five

Tyndale House / 2012
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage. After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle's memory. Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember? Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future?

My rating:

My thoughts:

The Shadow of Your Smile is the second Deep Haven novel I've read (the first being book six, You Don't Know Me). I know, I'm reading them out of order, but it hasn't affected my enjoyment of the stories so far. 

I loved The Shadow of Your Smile! It was different than the majority of books I've read, as the main characters were already married. I seem to love stories where a character loses his/her memory and this one was no different. I found it very interesting to read the Hueston's story as Noelle struggles to regain her memory and reenter her life. I also loved the subplot romance between two of the characters.

I found The Shadow of Your Smile to be very realistic and just a really great read. Even though there was one thing I didn't like, overall it was still too good to give it any less than 5 stars. :) I look forward to reading more Deep Haven novels in the future.

*I received a complimentary eBook copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

Was my review helpful? If so, please click "yes" on Amazon. Thanks!

2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt

Looking for this, hunters? I have today's trivia questions from Fiction Fervor's 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt here for you. 2012YASSH challenges you with your knowledge of young adult books published this year, and if you enter, you might win a prize! Check out it here for more info. And be sure to read the rules!

Without further ado, today's questions come from Fever by Lauren DeStefano.

Easy: After what does Madame Soleski name her girls?
Medium: What drug causes terrible dreams followed by memory loss?
Hard: What is Lilac’s full real name?

Enter your answers in the form below!


Good luck and happy hunting!

Weekend Wrap-Up & Giveaway Winner!

Weekend Wrap-up is where I share what I read this past week, am currently reading, and hope to read this coming week, and (when applicable) the current giveaways/giveaway winners. Occasionally I'll post some other stuff as well.

Feel free to join along and post your own Weekend Wrap-up on your blog/site (if you do, please leave the link in a comment so I can stop by) or, in a comment, share what you've accomplished (reading-wise) this past week. :)

 What I've read this week:



What I'm currently reading:

 What I hope to read next week:

Reviews posted this week:

A Promise to Protect by Liz Johnson

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson

  Current Giveaways!

Enter to win an eBook copy of Dark Liaison and Dark Hearted by D.I. Telbat! Open Internationally! Ends 12/31



Enter to win a copy of An Heiress at Heart by Jennifer Delamere! Open Internationally!



Enter to win a copy of A Promise to Protect by Liz Johnson! US and Canada only. Ends 1/6



Enter to win a print copy of The Way of Grace by Cathy Bryant! US only.

Giveaway Winner!


The winner is...

Rachel (time4us2havetea@...)*

*Winner has been contacted and has until Jan. 3rd to claim their prize.

There you have it, that is what I accomplished (reading-wise) this week! What about you?

Book Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 544 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (October 23, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442421797
ISBN-13: 978-1442421790
Series: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer #2
Source: Purchased from Books-A-Million
Cover: I don't think this cover is as beautiful as the first but it is pretty darn close. It works well for the essence of the story and I love the vivd blue color. The only thing I can't stand is the matte type of paper it is printed on. While it looks amazing, I can't stand the touch of it. So beautiful cover but I don't like to touch it.
First Sentence: You will love him to ruins.

Mini-Review: A sexy stunner that is even more unforgettable than the first!

Summary:

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past. 

She can’t. 

She used to think her problems were all in her head. 

They aren’t. 

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets. 

She’s wrong. 

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Review:

I was worried about this second novel mostly because of my intense surprise and love of the first Mara Dyer book. There was so much build up and tension in the first novel that I wasn't sure if this one could live up to it. I found myself about halfway and suddenly I had more questions than when I started and I realized that every worry I had was unfounded.

I think I went through the natural progression with this novel. At first, I was really frustrated with it. Frustrated with the characters, with where the story was going and with all the things I didn't understand. But as it kept moving, I realized I was supposed to be. I was supposed to be as anger as Mara was with her family for not believing her and I was also supposed to be as frustrated as Mara was with herself for not knowing what was real and what she might be hallucinating. For understanding that something awful was happening to her on top of something else awful happening to her and she has no answers. I think Mara definitely became my favorite character in here because she made the most sense to me. She was coping with so much internally as well as externally and the fact that she held it together, that she had  to hold it together, was incredible.

I also liked that she didn't keep any secrets from Noah. A lot of the time the main character likes to withhold things from their love interest for the sake of tension but I was glad that Mara was smart enough to know that she could rely on Noah. Even if he didn't always go along with exactly what she believed, he did believe that she was experiencing the things she told him and I'm glad that this bond they built in the first novel didn't get torn apart in the second one.

It was actually Noah who frustrated me more this time around. I think we were supposed to and I understood his reasoning but I still wish he'd been a little more open the way Mara was. I guess their relationship felt a little one sided. However, as the novel kept going, it felt wonderful to get into Noah's head a little bit with that journal Mara found. Hearing his thoughts and finally having him say his wishes made it a lot easier to connect with him again and made it more believable for Mara to lean on him. I was kind of angry in the beginning when neither Mara or Noah would cherish the moments they have together so I was glad when that barrier was finally removed. I also think that will make them stronger in the final novel (regardless of what the ending was).

The flashbacks and the plot had me very confused basically the entire time. But not confused because of the writing. Confused because of the narrator. At the heart of this novel, we have an unstable narrator. Mara wants to know the truth, to find the answers, but there is also something taking over her. Whether its a demon or a "gift" or a gene that runs in her family, she is changing. And those changes are making her more unreliable. So things that we think happen, that she believes happened sometimes haven't and sometimes the things that seemed the most unbelievable are the things that actually have happened. This ambiguity, this not knowing, is what makes the story so unputdownable. By the time I got about 200 pages from the ending I was killing myself to race to the end and figure out what the heck is happening. This isn't to say that the first 300 pages weren't interesting. The book just picked up and rocketed to a conclusion by the second half of the book.

As before, sometimes I would just stop and marvel in the beauty of Hodkin's prose which explains the long list of favorite lines at the bottom. I know this is an odd sort of thing to think about but I thought that where one chapter ended and the second began was placed well. It kept me reading "just one more" when I should have gone to bed. I did miss Mara's bond with her family who took a backseat to the plot this time so I hope we get to see more of them in the next novel. I also hope that if they ever find out Jude is alive they give Mara a huge hug and sob at her feet for being so right.

With the mystery of what is happening to Mara, Noah and the rest of the kids deepening as well as the dangerous situations they are finding themselves in, I found that this novel was even better than the first one. Mara definitely became one of my favorite characters ever because of how fiercely she loves her family and how strong she's become. Thanks to a plot that has more twist and turns than a dance floor and characters I'm completely invested in, The Evolution of Mara Dyer is one heck of a thrill ride from page one until the shocking conclusion.

Rating:  

Favorite Lines:

So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, like I was preparing to launch myself off of a cliff. In a way, I guess I was.

--Pg. 18 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

"Sometimes, Noah, I feel an overwhelming urge to punch you in the face."

--Pg. 57 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

"The people we care about are always worth more to us than the people we don't."

--Pg. 58 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

Time was supposed to heal all wounds, but how could it when Jude kept picking the scab?

--Pg. 127 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

Daniel shook his head sadly. "I hate that I never managed to persuade you to watch Buffy. It's a flaw in you, Mara."

--Pg. 141 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

I felt and probably looked like a wild thing while Noah kneeled there like an arrogant price. Like the world was his, should he choose to reach out and take it.

--Pg. 226 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

I'll walk forever with stories inside me that the people I love the most can never hear.

--Pg. 258 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

"...I would rather die with the taste of you on my tongue than live and never touch you again. I'm in love with you, Mara. I love you. No matter what you do."

--Pg. of 348 "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin