30 Days to Taming Your Fears by Deborah Smith Pegues

30 Days to Taming Your Fears by Deborah Smith Pegues
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

I like the concept of 30 Days to Taming Your Fears - although I don't like the idea of putting an exact number on how long it should take one to tame their fears - but I think that this book on fear misses it's mark on getting to the heart of the matter. Deborah has provided a comprehensive look - day by day - of many of the fears that we face and has also provided many practical tips for overcoming them. But as someone well acquainted with fear, I know that these tips don't dig down deep enough to truly tame the fears that rise up within.

Shortly in to the book Deborah says "I believe with all my heart "that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Roman 8:28) - even if I never comprehend what the "good" is. Therefore, I never asked, "Why me?" Because she leaves off verse 29 no one will ever be able to see the "good" in all situations - which is to grow more and more into the likeness of the Son, Jesus Christ, through the shaping and molding that all things in our life produces. It is faulty, surface level beliefs like this one that continue through out this book and while they may be informative and change your thoughts for a few moments, they do not change the core problem which in turn provides long term change.

It's a cute book with an appealing cover and title, but it's not one to read.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

Deborah Smith Pegues, behavioral specialist and bestselling author of 30 days to Taming Your Tongue (more than 500,000 copies sold), sheds light on rational and irrational fears and offers readers a path of hope and assurance.

With her trademark clarity and practical wisdom, Deborah addresses spiritual, relational, physical safety, financial, and emotional fears with godly principles and straightforward helps. Each step of the way, she gives readers power over fear by helping them understand:

-the foundation of their fears
-God's perspective on their specific anxiety, fear, or phobia
-how to respond to fear triggers with information, awareness, and confidence
-ways to embrace healthy fears and to resist unhealthy ones
-how neutralizing their fears maximizes their life

This will be an invaluable resource for anyone walking the minefield of constant apprehensions who is ready to exchange fear for the peace which passes all understanding.

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This book was provided for review courtesy of Harvest House Publishers but the opinion expressed is my own.

Smile a Lot! by Nancy Carlson

Smile a Lot! by Nancy Carlson

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

Smile A Lot! is a cute book with what seems to be a really cute storyline. It's all about how smiling makes your day better, makes friends easier, and makes bad situations better. While all of that may be true, the book also gives examples of deciding to play on the monkey bars when the swings are full and "smile a lot" so that the kids will think you are having more fun than they are and then the swings will open up and you can swing. In reality, this is teaching children to smile to get their way. It's manipulating.

Most of the book is okay, but there is enough that represents manipulation that I would rather not read this to my kids.

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Related articles:

• I Don't Like To Read! by Nancy Carlson (readornotread.blogspot.com)

Princess Justina Albertina by Ellen Dee Davidson

Princess Justina Albertina: A Cautionary Tale by Ellen Dee Davidson

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

Princess Justina Albertina - which by the way is a fun name to read over and over - is a spoiled princess who throws a fit if she doesn't get her way. She wants a pet and makes her nanny keep searching for the right one until the end of the book when the last pet eats Princes Justina Albertina.

Quite honestly this book is silly and empty. There is no talk about how the fit-throwing-princess is wrong to throw fits, and the ending is quite abrupt and a little scary to some. You be the judge, but I say there are better books to read!

Mother-Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller

Mother-Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

BOOK RECAP:

When a daughter is born, her mother has a thousand hopes and dreams for her, especially that they will be best friends one day.

Unfortunately, even the best of intentions can go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. But a harmonious relationship is possible.

Award-winning author Cheri Fuller and her daughter, Ali Plum, have been there and have discovered the keys to a healthy relationship. In Mother-Daughter Duet they share their story—each from her own perspective—in which they have experienced distance and tension, growth and challenge, and, ultimately, acceptance and harmony. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on several basic principles (letting go; listening; respect; setting boundaries; and more), Mother-Daughter Duet helps moms repair the breach so that daughters want to draw close.

The mother-daughter dynamic is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But mothers and daughters can achieve mutual respect and learn to celebrate their differences when they learn the two-part harmony of the mother-daughter duet.

MY REVIEW:

The Mother-Daughter team of Cheri Fuller and Ali Plum have given us a book about "getting to the relationship you want with your adult daughter".  While this book has parts that are beneficial and encouraging, I personally did not like the solutions to many of the issues mothers and daughters face in their relationships with one another. Time after time I found the answers to the problems to be secular thoughts tied onto a verse or Biblical application and not Biblically sound from start to finish.

I have read other books by Cheri Fuller - like A Busy Woman's Guide To Prayer - and really enjoyed them and encourage you to read that one instead.

AUTHOR BIO:

Cheri Fuller is a best-selling, award-winning author whose books have sold more than one million copies. She speaks to a wide range of women at women’s conferences and is a frequent guest on national radio and television programs.

Ali Plum is Cheri’s daughter, a writer and songwriter, a wife, and a mother to Noah and Luke. She and her mom have weathered the ups and downs of their relationship to find one of the most treasured, honest relationships of their lives. Ali has recorded background vocals for popular musicians, and Mother-Daughter Duet marks her debut into book publishing.

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This book was provided for review courtesy of Multnomah.  I was not compensated in anyway for this review and the thoughts are my honest opinions.