Finding Beautiful by Rebecca Friedlander

Rebecca Friedlander does it all. She's an author, filmmaker, worship leader, photographer, and much much more. She is using her gifts and talents to serve the Lord, just as He intended. In this book, she shares the "true beauty" stories of twelve women from all across the world. These women share their broken and beautiful testimonies and exemplify the extent of God's love. The way that Rebecca chose to tell these women's stories is so special and unique. She provided each woman with a "true beauty" makeover and shared their physical changes with photographs. She also shared her own thoughts, Biblical truths, true beauty tips, and reflection questions in each chapter. It is obvious that Rebecca is an excellent listener and truly cares for others.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was inspiring, hopeful, and heartwarming. It was so interesting to read about these women's stories. They are all so different, but one thing is clear in each story. God is a life-changer. He takes the broken pieces and puts them back together and that is where true beauty is found. Thank you so much to the author and BakerBooks for the chance to read and review this book!

Stories Behind the Songs and Hymns About Heaven by Ace Collins

We sing those familiar songs time and time again in the pews of the church, but do we ever stop to think about the stories behind the songs? Ace Collins has compiled a wonderful book that tells us where these heavenly hymns came from. There are 30 songs highlighted in this book including favorites such as Victory in Jesus, I'll Fly Way, and When the Roll is Called Up Yonder. Oftentimes, these songs were written in times of struggle and heartache, but the composers used their God given gifts of writing to create songs to help provide comfort. Reading the stories behind the songs will make you see each one in a different light and appreciate them even more.

This book would make a wonderful gift, especially for someone who is interested in music. It would also be a great source of comfort for someone who is dealing with loss. The history of these hymns is so interesting and I enjoyed reading each one. My favorite story was the one about the song "He Keeps Me Singing." The writer of this song wrote this song to comfort others, but had to lean on the words himself when he lost his family in a fire. The stories of this composer and all of the others are remarkable. We are blessed to hear God's word through these musical masterpieces. Thank you so much to the author and BakerBooks for the chance to read and review this book!

She Laughs by Carolanne Miljavac

I first spotted Carolanne Miljavac on Facebook and soon found out she is hilarious. So when I found out she was writing a book, I knew it had to be a must read! And her book definitely does not disappoint and lives up to my expectations. She shares her hilarious life stories while sharing inspiration. She shows us how to laugh no matter what our circumstances are. And most of all, she shows us Jesus. Carolanne is the friend everyone wants to have and I'm so glad to have had the chance to read this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to write a review.

Powerful Prayers for Your Son by Rob and Joanna Teigen

This book covers every topic you could ever think of when praying for your son. There are 77 unique and special prayers in this book. There are also personal prayer stories throughout to demonstrate how prayer works in real life situations. This would make a great devotional to add to daily Bible study and can be used as a source of help in times of trouble. Every boymom can benefit from reading this book. I really enjoyed it and found a lot of inspiration for my prayer life. Thank you so much to Revell and the authors for the chance to read and review this book!

The New You by Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson

The New You is a good read for the start of 2020. It focuses on ways to improve physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. This book is really helpful for making sure you are the best version of yourself and are able to be who God created you to be. My favorite thing about this book is the section at the end of each chapter called "Small Steps to the New You." These small steps allow you to take your time in making changes so as not to become overwhelmed. A small positive life change is better than no life change out all. I really enjoyed this book and the fact that I can actually use these tips in my own life and see great results. I look forward to using this book as a resource to help me improve my life. Thank you so much to the authors and BakerBooks for the chance to read and review this book!

The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock

The Gray Chamber is the newest book in the True Colors series. I have really enjoyed this series. Each book is based on a true historical crime. This book tells of 1800s New York where a mental hospital was located on Blackwell's Island. Women were often falsely admitted to this hospital and were treated terribly. Journalist, Nellie Bly, went undercover as a patient and discovered the truth of this corrupt place. She was responsible for saving many women from unimaginable terror. Grace Hitchcock has added fictional characters and changed a few details, but the framework of this story is shockingly true. Grace weaves a tale about feisty Edyth Foster who is imprisoned on Blackwell's Island against her will. Her uncle has her committed to gain access to her inheritance. Edyth will not go down without a fight and her lifetime friend and love interest, Bane, will stop at nothing to save her.

This book is so well written and I have been very pleased with this author after reading this book as well as The White City. I loved reading Edyth's story and I thought the character development was excellent. The characters are instantly interesting and likeable. I look forward to reading the next book in this series! I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Love Defined by Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird

Love Defined is a wonderful book on relationships for young women. The authors are sisters who have made it a point to search for God centered relationships when it comes to their love lives. One sister has found her forever love while one is still searching so this book covers a wide variety of relationship topics. The sisters use real life experiences and a Biblical standpoint to help young ladies learn to pursue healthy and long lasting relationships.

This is a book that I wish I had access to when I was a teen and a young adult. It would have helped me so much. Kristen and Bethany share such helpful advice and provide perfect examples for what God had in mind for romantic relationships. Each chapter also has a study guide with a question and answer section so that readers can apply the message to their own lives. The only thing that I didn't love about this book was the fact that it kept switching back and forth between Kristen and Bethany's viewpoint so it got a little confusing at times. I think it would have been more efficient to alternate chapters so it was easier to determine whose story I was reading. Nevertheless, I think this is a wonderful tool for young women and I would recommend this to each one who is interested in pursuing a romantic relationship. Thank you so much to the authors, Baker Books, and JustRead Tours for the chance to read and review this book!