Under the Sea Holy Bible is a gift Bible intended for children ages 6-10. The hardback cover features the popular underwater theme with sparkling fish and underwater sea creatures. This front cover is an eye-catcher, as it has a blue and silver foil background highlighted by beautifully illustrated and glittered fish!

This Bible is the New International Readers Version (NIrV), which is a version derived from the NIV. It brings the reading level down a few notches so that it is more easily understood by younger/simpler readers, making it a great version for the intended age range of this Bible. This Bible features 3 double-sided, full-color topical pages aimed directly towards children. They highlight prayer, 10 Commandments, Love passages for kids, Famous children of the Bible and the ABCs of becoming a Christian. They are beautiful pages, simply written in a manner that is appealing to kids. However, that is where the suitability of a “children’s Bible” ends. Nothing else about this Bible is particularly kid-friendly and in that I was greatly disappointed. The text is extremely small and the pages are terribly thin. Aside from a brief (very brief- 2 pages) dictionary and a listing of 92 popular Bible Stories, there is nothing else to make this a “children’s Bible."

While the cover is flashy and attractive and there are a couple of cute pages, I don’t think this would make a very good Bible for kids to learn how to study the Word. I can see there being difficulty in even just finding scripture references due to the thin pages and hard to read type. I wish I could rate this Bible higher, but I just really can’t. There is a lot to be desired here, unfortunately. To read more about this Bible you can go here: Under the Sea Holy Bible

Thanks to BookLook bloggers for giving me the opportunity to honestly review this book!

This darling children’s book, A Royal Easter Story is a story of 5 princesses who are all sisters— Joy, Grace, Faith, Charity and Hope. They were celebrating the start of Spring and all things news as they were also preparing for the annual Easter Jubilee. As the sisters journey to a neighboring kingdom for the jubilee, they encounter several challenges on their way. They show integrity of character and love to their neighbors as they accept a lost little girl, and help bring her to her mother. The takeaway from the story is that we should try to be selfless and serve others first, just like Jesus did for us. 

This book is recommended for ages 4-8. My 5 year old is going to love this book (I’m putting it in her Easter basket), as it is about princesses and has very colorful, fun illustrations. However, I feel like the story is a little bit jumbled up, for lack of a better term. It seems that there are several minor story themes that don’t really all meet up at the end. I felt like the story could have been written a bit more concisely and it wouldn’t have seemed so convoluted. Also, other than the circumstances of the story (traveling for an Easter Jubilee), there is not much about the actual resurrection story within this book. I was a little disappointed in that, as I thought it might actually be about Easter. However, I do like that at the end of the book, there is a wrap-up page that explains the story and how it can be applied in our lives. 

Overall, I think this is a cute book, though not exactly concentrated on Christ’s resurrection as I perhaps thought it was going to be. The illustrations and beautiful and for the simple fact that it is relatable to young girls, I think this would be a good book for anyone in the given age ranges. If you want more information on this book, or to purchase it, you can go here: A Royal Easter Story.

Thanks to BookLook for sending me this book in exchange for my honest opinion. 

There are few sorrows so deep as that of losing a child. An even more unique twist is losing a child that you never really got the chance to know. Whether through miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss, the tragedy of an infant child’s death is great. (Not greater than any other loss, but certainly different.) When our first daughter, Whitney, was stillborn, I found myself in a unique position of grief. Though by God’s grace I did get to hold her in my arms, kiss her sweet lips and keep a lock of her beautiful dark curls, many people around me didn’t understand why I took the loss so hard. After all, she’d never even said a word, uttered a noise, or even took a breath in my arms. And yet it was because of exactly those reasons that the grief was so strange. How could I love and grieve for someone whom I have never really known? Kathe Wunnenberg’s book Grieving the Child I Never Knew speaks directly to those nuances of grief associated with such a child loss. 

Having lost four children of her own, Wunnenberg is no stranger to grieving the death of a child. She is intimately connected to the grief that such a loss can cause. But within her own story of love and loss is an underlying message of hope and healing. It runs throughout the entirety of this devotional, and is almost palpable in her words that are written with such love. This book is a series of 31 devotions, broken down into different parts, or stages, if you will. They are: Hiding, Suffering, Questioning, Forgiving, Relating, Seeking and Sharing Your Story. Every single one of these areas of focus is critical to finding complete healing thorough Christ. And I especially love that she ends the book with encouragement to share your story. It is through the stories of other women who shared similar losses that I gained the strength to carry Whitney until God took her home. Sharing your story of grief and grace and hope are critical— it is so so necessary. Each day’s devotional has a short narrative, followed by a prayer (because let’s be real: sometimes we don’t even know the words to pray) and questions to help you think through the grieving process. She entitled these questions “Steps to Healing.” The questions have space to be answered in the book, but I liked to write my answers in a journal. It gave me more room to write and feel more open in what I needed to process. 

In addition to using this as a 31-day devotional book, she give 7 other ways that this book can be helpful: A Quick Pick-Me-Up for when emotions rise, Table for Two (conversation starter with a close friend or spouse), Grief Group Discussion Guide, Small-Group Bible Study, A Gift that Lasts, A Resource Book for Pastors and Counselors, and a Prayer Guide. There is even an index page that has listed the devotionals that have readings pertaining to specific events/days like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

Though this is a difficult subject to write/read about, it is one that is not to be ignored. Though it may be a difficult conversation to have with a friend who has lost a child, believe me, they will be grateful you took time to mention their child. If you are looking for a gift to give a friend who has has such a loss, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is truly a great gift that can help lead them from grief to hope. 

***Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.***

Rarely have I ever read a book that felt like both a Cliff Notes version and an expanded and revised edition of a previous book. Marie Kondo’s accompaniment to her best-selling book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, entitled Spark Joy, is just that— both Cliff Notes and Expanded edition. While some may be quick to judge Spark Joy as a financial gain piggyback to the successful first volume, I would challenge them that Spark Joy is anything but superfluous. In fact, it fleshes out much of the original material from Life Changing Magic that was missing in the first book. 

Spark Joy is an illustrated guide to her world-renowned KonMari Method. It includes cute step-by-step illustrations for everything from shirts to socks, plus drawings of perfectly organized drawers and closets. I particularly enjoyed reading Spark Joy because it gave very concise summaries of the overall chapters in Life Changing Magic. While I still would say it is necessary to read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up in order to fully grasp the KonMari method and reasoning behind that method, Spark Joy is a great companion to have on hand when you are actually going through the process of KonMari-ing your home (and life). Spark Joy also includes advice on frequently asked questions. These were my favorite parts of this book, because it really gives a glimpse into how Kondo’s mind works. And when you can understand (or vaguely understand) her thinking behind the method, it makes the KonMari method of decluttering almost second nature. 

One unexpected component of this book is that it includes a lot of practical encouragement. Encouragement for those times when you feel overwhelmed, when you don’t know exactly which items to keep and which to discard, and encouragement to keep going until the entire process is complete. She is realistic in her expectations, but in true Japanese fashion, those expectations are set to the highest level. As a pseudo-client of Kondo (because you are holding her book), you feel her gentle urges to purge the necessary to truly get to what is beautiful and joy-sparking in your life. 

While I must admit I have yet to being KonMari-ing my home, I will say reading this companion book is a must. It is motivational, practical and simply delightful to read. If you liked The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, or maybe haven’t even read that one yet, this is a great place to start.  You can purchase it here on Amazon. 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

Everyone has pain at some point or another in their life. For some, suffering is just a season. It comes and it goes. But for others, pain is a way of life, something they live with every day. We all grow weary, weak and tired. This world is not our home and there are hardships that batter the hulls of our ships until we are sinking, taking on more water from the storm than we can handle. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s book Come Empty is precisely the life boat needed to help us weather the storms of life. She invites us to pour out life’s hurts and receive God’s healing love. I found this renewal on page after page of this beautiful book. 

If your problems are related relationships, emotions, illness or some other type of hardship, this book can help guide you toward the healing and renewing power of Jesus Christ. It is divided up into an 80-day journey through all kinds of topics: Relationship with God, Relationships with Others, Negative Emotions, Identity, Change, Illness, Positive Emotions and finally, Gratitude. To read through this book truly is a journey, a beautiful journey written to draw out areas of our lives that need strength, healing and renewal.

One can read this book in any number of ways: day by day, as guided on each page; By topic, as it relates to your life; or as a discussion guide for a close group of friends. Each day contains a paragraph from the author about something that has happened in her life, something relatable to us all. This first section is called “Your Heart’s Cry.” It is then followed by “His Response,” or what God has to say to your heart’s cry. There is additional Scripture reading followed by “Going Deeper Questions.” These questions are probing, heart-felt and designed to help you dig deeper into your own soul. These would be great discussion questions in a small group or used as journaling prompts in your personal quiet time. The day closes with a simple prayer. I love the simple prayers that accompany each day. In fact, many times I wrote them out on notecards and kept them in my purse or in my Bible.

This is a beautiful book that is relevant to women of all ages and in all different stages of life. It is not written to any specific demographic which makes it universally helpful to all. As the back cover promotes, “Each devotion gives new vision and perspective when you’re hindered by emotional blind spots, and leads you to experience God’s peace and wholeness.” I could certainly feel God’s peace and wholeness while on my journey through this book. And if that is something your heart is crying out for, I hope this book will lead you in the same way! You can purchase it here on Amazon. 

Saundra Dalton-Smith is having a challenge/giveaway on her blog. Click the picture below to find out more about it and to enter to win an Overflowing Heart Care Package. One grand prize winner will receive: **Enter on her blog, not here on mine.**

• A lovely Fashion & Compassion Faith necklace
• $50 Visa gift card for a spa service of her choice (or to use as she pleases)
• Collection of Adagio herbal teas to sip on those cold days
• Online access to Priscilla Shirer’s Live Simulcast on April 23, 2016
• A beautiful decorative wall print

*I received this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*