A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the B & B Media Group as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

 
Title:  A Billion Reasons Why
Author: Kristin Billerbeck
Format:  Trade Paperback
Genre: Christian Chic Lit, Romance
Source:  Review copy provided by the B & B Media Group for an honest review.
Published: Thomas Nelson / February 2011 / ISBN:  / 320 pages / $14.99
Buy the Book: Thomas Nelson  / Barnes & Noble
Find the Author Online: Kristin Billerbeck / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Email


Why I Read this Book:  Hands-down, I don't think there's ever been a Kristin Billerbeck book that I did not like.  She incorporates so much humor and "real-life" into her books that if you don't smile while reading them something is very wrong with you. 

I went to New Orleans in November of 2009 and completely fell in love with it's "old world charm" and fabulous stories of "days gone by."  When I found out that A Billion Reasons Why takes place in NOLA, I knew that I had to read this book.  After all, Billerbeck and NOLA--what a great combination!


What I Liked: I liked loved how Katie and Luc both loved the "classic" movies with dancing greats like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  (I've always loved the classic movies and grew up watching AMC in the wee hours of the night when I was supposed to be in bed asleep.)  Their love for that time period is as much what brought them together as their childhood history growing up in New Orleans.  Their attraction is so electrified that you can feel the static crackle through the pages. 

Working in the school-system, I can empathize with Katie and her plight with her ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students.  It's hard work and a thankless job.  Thankfully there are those that have a heart to work with students of varying exceptionalities.  I like how Ms. Billerbeck brought attention to those students at the beginning of the book.
Having been to NOLA a few years ago, I was excited when I recognized some of the names of places that I either visited or passed during my stay.  I would love to have seen pictures of the buildings/houses that gave Ms. Billerbeck her ideas for settings in the book. (Which homes in the Garden District?  Where is Forages compared to where Katie grew up and the current-day city of NOLA?  What efforts went into the research of the book?  I have a billion more questions that I could ask...)

Another neat thing about the book is that the chapter titles are songs from the jazz/swing era.  (At Last; Accentuate the Positive, etc.) The titles also give a clue as to what is going to happen in the chapter without giving all the action away.


What I Didn't Like: As with any Advanced Reader Copy (ARC), they are lots of errors because the final editing has not happened yet.  I hope that the error with Pokey was fixed.  (He was a boy, then a girl, and then a boy again.)  I also hope that the little errors like words being omitted were fixed too.  I know that I tend to forget to type words too (especially since I'm a double-finger typer) because I'm trying to get my thoughts out and my fingers don't always keep up.

Otherwise, I LOVED the story.  The only thing I didn't like was that it had to end.  (Although I'm holding out for a sequel with Eileen's story.) 

Overall Impression: Just in time for Valentine's Day...A great chic-lit book that is sure to capture romantics and the romantic at heart.  If you enjoy the days of swing and jazz and want to see a great romance come alive, then A Billion Reasons Why is the book for you! 


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Let me know what you think!  Happy Reading!

It's Your Call: What Are You Doing Here? by Gary Barkalow

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the B & B Media Group as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.



Title: It’s Your Call: What Are You Doing Here?


Author: Gary Barkalow

Format: trade paperback

Genre: Christian non-fiction, Spiritual Growth

Source: Review copy provided by the B & B Media Group

Published: David C. Cook/ October 1, 2010/ ISBN: 9781434764393220/ 220 pages/ $14.99

Buy the Book: David C. Cook / Noble Heart website

Find the Author Online: Gary Barkalow / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Linked In



Why I Read this Book: It’s no secret that I’ve been dissatisfied with my current job for quite some time now and I feel like God is calling me to do something different.  Unfortunately, I'm still trying to discover what that calling may be in my life.  I was doing a Bible study that focused on my purpose in life and I thought that It's Your Call: What Are You Doing Here? would be a perfect companion to the study.


What I Liked:  How long do you have to read this post?  Seriously.  I took a lot of notes while reading this book because so many different points that were brought up resonated within me.  There were several times when I had been praying and asking God for guidance that I would read another section in the book and there would be an "answer" for me.  (Isn't it cool how God does that?) 

I also liked how Mr. Barkalow brought out personal experiences and related them to the points he was making in the book.  While I have not experienced half of the things he has, it was encouraging to know that other people had gone through (or are going through) the same experiences and questions that I am.

I also enjoyed the quotations throughout the book and of course the relation to the scriptures in the Bible.

What I Didn’t Like: There were a few typos here and there throughout the book--although I must say I did not catch them upon the first reading of it, so it was not a detractor/distractor while reading.  (Don't use it as an excuse for not reading the book--after all, there are probably many mistakes in this posting and you're still reading it aren't you!?) 

The only other thing I didn't really like about the book is that now I have even more questions than when I started.  The good news is that Mr. Barkalow offers solutions for getting at the core of your calling.  The bad news is that you will have to do a little work to get there.  (Isn't that always the case when you want something badly enough?)


Overall Impression:  Mr. Barkalow is very passionate about helping others find their calling in life.  In fact, he has started a new ministry called The Noble Heart, in which he and his wife Leigh, help men and women understand their calling. 

If you are looking to figure out what you are meant to do in this life, start with Gary Barkalow's book It's Your Call: What Are You Doing Here?  I think it would be a fabulous way to bring in the New Year--and the new you!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Let me know what you think!  Happy Reading!