Book Review: The Letters

Enter Today - 8/1 - 8/17!


I just finished reading "The Letters" by Suzanne Woods Fisher. I have read a couple of her Life with Lily books and a couple of books from the Stony Ridge series so I was excited to dig into her newest series, The Inn at Eagle Hill.

The series starts with this story about a widow named Rose Shrock. She decides to turn her basement into a bed and breakfast to earn some extra money and ends up with a few surprise visitors. The lives of the Shrocks as well as those who visit the Inn are changed as new friendships are forged and the true meaning of love is discovered.

I think this was my favorite book by Suzanne Woods Fisher so far. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. The characters are well-developed and I love that some of the Stony Ridge characters are brought back into the book for cameo appearances. I don't think any book by Suzanne Woods Fisher would be complete without Jimmy Fisher. I was glad to see that he has matured- but not too much. A very enjoyable read!

Book Review: The New Evangelization and You

Are you confused about all this talk of the “new evangelization”? 

Are you looking for new ways to know your faith, live your faith, and share your faith?

Or are you a non-Catholic or fallen away Catholic who is thinking of coming into the fullness of Christ?

Are you breathing? 

Well, if you fit into any of the above categories ;) then Greg Willits newest book is for you! As the new director of Evangelization and Family Life Ministries for the Diocese of Denver, he lives out the New Evangelization everyday. As the founder of several apostolates such as rosaryarmy.com, New Evangelizers, That Catholic Show, and The Catholics Next Door podcasts, he is an expert on the nuts and bolts aspect of actually living out the New Evangelization and this book is truly a blueprint for you and I to do the same.

This book is full of Greg’s signature goofy style that makes him approachable and loveable while his knowledge of the subject makes him a reliable source. This is the perfect mix for the average person who wants to know what he or she can do to grow the Church. My favorite part of the book is at the end when Greg lays out 52 ideas each of how to know, live, and share your faith. The idea is for the reader to attempt to try some of them. He advises that you don’t try all of them at once but he wanted to offer enough ideas for everyone.

This book has inspired me to start my own The New Evangelization and You Challenge where I am going to attempt to post weekly on my blog one thing from Greg’s book that I have tried. I hope that this will keep me motivated and accountable and encourage others to try it too. So, head over to the Catholic Company and grab a copy of this awesome new book and join me in knowing, living, and sharing this beautiful faith that we are blessed to have!

Book Review: Ragged Hope

Enter Today - 7/15 - 8/1!


This book is a book about dealing with the choices that other people make when they have a huge affect on your life. It profiles several different people, all with different stories, and all true stories. Each person had to deal with some extraordinary change in their life by no fault of their own. Each chapter had a reflection where you were comforted if you were dealing with a similar situation or where you are inspired to help someone who is in this situation if you are not. The short chapters and true stories made the book read easily, almost like a chicken soup-esque book but with more soul.

I thought the book was interesting and the idea was magnificent. When I saw the title, I immediately thought that this book would be something that I could use in my own life since I have a few things going on that are no fault of my own. What I found was a great collection of stories. What I wanted was some situation-specific advice as to HOW to pick up the pieces and move on. The author covered the story from the what happened to the conclusion that the person left it up to God but she left out the meat in the middle that I was longing for... how can I move on when I am suffering because I watch my parents health deteriorate while they are raising my free-spirited sisters children? How can I not feel hard feelings towards my nephews mother who has not let us see him in over 6 years? How can I not hurt every time I think of my cousin driving in the wrong lane of the highway and killing an innocent child? These questions went unanswered. I recommend this book as inspiration to keep moving if you have already found that peace but if you are still searching for it, I suggest you find a book that is a little more in-depth.

Book Review: A Big Year For Lily

Enter Today - 7/16 - 7/27!


As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I am a big fan of "bonnet books" and also of the Life with Lily series. Although the Life with Lily series is intended for young girls, I enjoy reading them and letting the little girl inside of me imagine what life would be like on an Amish farm. Through the adventures of Lily Lapp, a young girl can enjoy wholesome Christian fiction that is entertaining as well.

As with the other Life with Lily books that I have reviewed, this book captivated my child at heart. I breezed through the pages, curious to see what trouble Lily would find herself in as she grew another year older. She is as outspoken and ornery as ever as she makes the transition from being a baby to being a young lady. Although she is excited for the changes, she soon begins to begrudge the extra responsibility. Grab a copy of this book for your favorite little girl and you will make her very happy! 

Book Review: Raising God-First Kids in a Me-First World

In a world where technology is taking the place of face to face conversations and where daytime television teaches our children everything there is to know about sex, many parents are looking for a resource to help raise our children into moral Catholic adults in this post-modern culture. Barbara Curtis has the answers. Before her untimely death, this beautiful woman of character wrote this book about Catholic parenting in the 21^st century. In a relatable and simple manner, she takes parents through some of the moral-sucking situations that plague us today and show us how to navigate through these waters with our children’s morality intact. As a mother of twelve children, four of which have Down’s syndrome, Barbara was an experienced mom. Through her stories of her life before her conversion to the Catholic faith, readers will know that Barbara is trustworthy because she had been in those same places we have been. Like one girlfriend speaking to another, mom’s will feel the love coming from the pages of this book (and mourn her passing as I did). 

As I began reading this book, I started feeling a great sadness that this mom, who was so full of love for her family, is no longer here on Earth. I wished that she could have written more books because this book was so relatable and I felt as if I knew her by time I finished the book. One of the main reasons that I love this book is that there are no fancy rules about how to be a good Catholic mom. She discusses things like good parenting, limiting media, and teaching about sexuality with your children but she doesn’t turn it into a legalistic and time consuming practice that is so complicated that you want to give up after two days. She offers advice like an older friend who has been where you are and wants to make your life a little easier than hers was. Although this is a good read for all parents, because some of the topics are somewhat common sense for those of us who have been parenting for a while, I would recommend this book for parents who are in the beginning of the parenting journey or who are new to the Faith. 

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Raising God-First Kids in a Me-First World. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith. 

Book Review: Winning the Discipline Debates

Dr. Ray is an awesome Catholic clinical psychologist who has his own TV show, radio show, and has written several books on parenting. I am a fan of all of the above so I was psyched to see that this book was up for review. 

Winning the Discipline Debates is a book like no other. Dr Ray actually takes 25 different discipline scenarios and walks the reader through them, word for word. During each scenario, he inserts his advice and funny anecdotes that he is known for, making the book not only educational but fun as well. In one scenario, I thought that it was possible that Dr. Ray actually saw me with my boys in Wal-Mart one day and decided to use it for material because it was an exact reenactment of many of our trips to Wal-Mart.

So, as a mom to three boys ages 7-13, do I think this book is useful? Definitely! I think Dr. Ray covered a wide array of discipline debacles and showed parents a new way to settle disputes so that there are less in the future. Are all of the answers easy and what we want to do as parents? No, but they are what we need to do as parents in order to raise them well in a backward world. This book is written by a Catholic clinical psychologist but this book is not geared only to Catholic parents. Parents of all faiths (and none) would benefit from this book and enjoy it. Buy it today!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Winning the Discipline Debates. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.

Book Review: Encyclopedia of US Catholic History

In my home, I have a shelf of Catholic reference books. On it I have a couple of different Bibles, my Catechism, the US Catechism for Catholic Adults, an Oxford Dictionary of Popes, a few books over viewing Catholic Saints, a bunch of spiritual books that I have read and decided I may need to read again, and now… an Encyclopedia of US Catholic History. This is something all US Catholics should have on their reference shelves at home.

What is inside the Encyclopedia? Well, for starters every single diocese in the US is in this book, along with the names and dates for every bishop who has led that diocese. Every American saint is also located in this work with a brief overview of information about him/her. Famous American Catholics like John F Kennedy and Flannery O’Connor have also been showcased. If that’s not enough, this book also includes some popes and how they influenced American history, many of the Catholic organizations that can be found in America, and an overview of each religious order found in the US. Almost 1,000 pages of information is presented, making this book a perfect reference tool for all Catholics in the US.

My personal feelings about this book are all positive. I love that this book can be read from cover to cover, with the reader finding out almost everything there is to know about the history of Catholicism in the US or you can pick this book up at any time and look up pertinent information. I think this book would be a great addition to a homeschooling history curriculum, using the information inside to connect secular US history to Catholic US history. I recommend that this book be the next one you buy for your Catholic resource shelf at home!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Encyclopedia of U.S. Catholic History. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith. 

Book Review: A Woman's Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year

I have never read the entire Bible. I have read bits and pieces but there are books of the Bible that I honestly have never even read the first verse from. I know it is a sad thing to admit but it is the truth and it is also the reason that I wanted to read A Woman’s Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year. I figured that I could review the book and then continue to follow along and journey through reading my entire Bible in the span of only 365 days.

Needless to say, my plans did not match up with my reality and I realized that for a mother of three who works full-time and attends school full-time and who writes online articles and book reviews and who enjoys recreational reading and is involved in other activities, that reading the Bible in a year is probably not a good goal for me. Reading the Bible in, say, three years, may be a more realistic goal. 

With that all said, I suppose I should begin my actual review, huh? Well, this book has a beautiful cover and is a welcoming read, making you want to dive in and begin your study. The book is created to be a guide and also a journal to log your experiences as you read through your Bible. The book touts to be a good choice for individual and group study but after reviewing the book, I found that it would be better suited for group study although I do plan to use it for my own personal study as I attempt to read through my Bible at a slower pace.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.