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!

The Baby Bible Christmas Storybook by Robin Currie

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from 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.

The Baby Bible Christmas Storybook brings the Christmas story to life for young children.  The story begins with Mary learning that she will have a baby and continues through the time of Jesus' birth and the visit from the wise men.  Youngsters will get to take place in an interactive storytime because each Bible lesson includes scripture references with age-appropriate translations, actions to illustrate each verse, a picture that depicts each passage, and a prayer to end the lesson.


Title:  The Baby Bible Christmas Storybook (part of the Baby Bible series)
Author: Robin Currie
Illustrator: Constanza Basaluzzo
Format: Board book
Genre: Toddler; Bible Study; Christmas
Source: Review copy provided by B & B Media Group.
Publication Information: David C. Cook / October 2010 / ISBN: 0781403685 / $9.99
Buy the Book: David C. Cook
Find the Author online: Robin Currie / Twitter / Facebook

Why I Read this Book:
I have several nieces and now a nephew that I would like to encourage in their Christian walk--despite their ages.  Since Christmas is right around the corner--what better way than to bring out The Baby Bible Christmas Storybook and get them to read and interact with Jesus' life as a baby in the manger.

What I Liked:
I love the illustrations in the book.  They're perfect for little kids and clearly show what each passage of scripture is about in the book.

The Bible stories are written clearly for young readers to understand their meanings and are exactly the perfect length to hold short attention spans.

The prayers at the end of the lessons are short enough for toddlers to understand and each one relates to the lesson for that day.

What I Didn't Like:
The only thing that stuck out to me were the interactive directions.  Some of them were inconsistent  throughout the book.  For example, when Mary and Joseph were travelling the directions are:
"Tap your hands on your knees."  Later in the book the directions state: "Tap your hands on your knees quickly."  However, this is only a picky inconsistency and does not detract from the book in any way.

I would have also put the explanation of "Baby Bible Moments Together" at the beginning of the book instead of the end; however, if someone receives it as a gift, chances are ,they will flip completely through the book and find it before they start reading it with their young one(s).

Overall Impression:
I loved the book and I think it will be a great bonding experience for families with children.  If you enjoy this book, there are other books in the Baby Bible series.

Rating: 5 out of 5


Let me know what you think about this book.  Happy Reading!

Solitary by Travis Thrasher

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from 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.

Chris Buckley and his mom are starting their lives over in Solitary, North Carolina, where his mother spent part of her childhood.  Having to face the reality of his parents' divorce and the loneliness of leaving his friends back in Chicago, Chris begins his new school in hopes of finding a friendly face.  After a run-in with the school bully and warnings from teachers and classmates to stay away the only nice person he's met--Jocelyn--Chris realizes that not everything is as it seems in the town of Solitary, and some thing or some one wants to keep him quiet for good.



Title: Solitary (Book #1in The Solitary Tales series)
Author: Travis Thrasher
Format: Paperback book
Genre: Teen/young adult; suspense; supernatural thriller
Source: Review copy provided by B & B Media Group.
Publication Information: David C. Cook/ August 2010/ ISBN: 1434764214/ 336 pages/ $14.99
Buy the Book: David C. Cook / Amazon
Find the Author online: Travis Thrasher/ Facebook / Twitter / MySpace / Blog





Why I Read this Book: 
I had read a few discussions in the blogging world about Solitary and it sounds like an intriguing book.  After all, I work with teenagers (young adults) and they LOVE anything that portrays realistic drama and the horrible things that can happen to someone in this life.  When Audra Jennings from B7B Media Group offered to send me a copy of the book to review, I jumped at the chance to read the book I had read so many good things about online.  (Thanks Audra!)

What I Liked:
As someone who has moved many times throughout my life, including right before my senior year in high school, I can relate to Chris's situation of trying to fit in and find your niche in the throes of high school life.  It's hard enough being a teenager without the added complications of your parents splitting up and your mother drinking herself into delirium.  Add to that the "strangeness" of the town of Solitary and the school bully constantly hunting him down and Chris is in one big pickle.

I was pretty much hooked in the story after reading the first few pages.  I wanted to find out who these people were and what they were running from in the woods.  When I finally met Chris and his mom, I could relate to their situation--especially the drastic move away from all of their family and friends and then having to try and break into the high school cliques. 

I enjoyed the sheer mystery of trying to figure what was going on in and with the townspeople.  Why did they act so disinterested?  Why are the teachers and other residents so afraid of Gus' dad?  Why is Chris' mom having nightmares?  What's the deal with the creepy preacher?  And, why is Jocelyn so secretive?  I want answers to my questions regardless of how scary they might actually turn out to be, so I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.  (Yes, I did keep the light on a few times while reading.)

The play lists in the back of the book were a pretty neat addition--even if I recognized only a few of the bands.

What I Didn't Like:
Jocelyn's character is a bit of a tease information-wise.  There were points where I thought she was going to tell Chris her "secrets" but then she'd stop and not say anything at all.  I realize that it was a technique used by the author to create suspense, but as an adult, it drove me crazy.  However, teens will relate to it because they've kept or told each other secrets before.  Aside from this minor detail, there wasn't anything that I disliked.

Overall Impression: 
Solitary holds a lot of secrets that I can't wait to learn.  As a first young adult novel, Travis Thrasher has definitely tapped into the teenage perspective.  I know several teens that are interested in reading the book just because they've seen the cover and wanted to know what it was about.  After I started telling them about everything that was happening in the story, they've asked to borrow it when I finished the book.  Needless to say, I am ordering more copies for our library.

Rating: 4 out of 5


Let me know what you think about the book in the comments section.  Happy Reading!!