Category: Adult Nonfiction Review

REVIEW: The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

An Introduction to the Enneagram. As a fan of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, I had heard about the Enneagram before. But its numbers instead of letters and star-like diagram made no sense to me. The MBTI was familiar and comfortable. I was content to stick with that.

Then The Road Back to You released last fall. I started to wonder if I was ready to tackle a new personality theory. A theory that would provide not only personal insights but a spiritual component as well.

This book introduces the general idea of the Enneagram, describing the 9 types in simple to understand terms.

Review

This is a fantastic book! The writing is conversational. There are some hilarious stories and examples. It’s a FUN, interesting read.

Originally, I was reading a copy from the library, but I got so drawn into the material, I knew I needed my own copy. It is full of underlining and highlighting now!

I feel like this book gave me enough information to start figuring out my “type.” But it also gives me insight into others. I loved the spiritual component. There’s also a strong emphasis on recognizing where my type can be detrimental and how to find grace and balance for myself.

I also bought the workbook. There are questions based on the three triads (8-9-1, 2-3-4, 5-6-7). The questions are geared toward helping you assess your type. There’s also information on a technique the authors recommend to help increase personal awareness and move to a more healthy expression of your type. There’s also an extensive list of recommendations for further reading. I’ll be digging into that list more this year, starting with Self to Lose Self to Find.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: You Carried Me by Melissa Ohden

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Melissa Ohden always knew she was adopted. But when she was a teenager she found out that she survived an abortion. This memoir is her story – about her adoptive family, about her reaction to the news of the abortion, and about her journey to integrate that piece of information into her identity, her calling and her faith.

I received a copy of this book from Plough Publishing and Handlebar in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on this book are my own. You can read more about my review copy disclaimer here.

Abortion Survivor Memoir

Review

Wow, this is an amazing and touching story! I appreciated the author’s honesty and transparency as she shares her journey. My heart broke as I read about her struggles as a teen to reconcile the abortion information and as she shared that she felt like damaged goods.

I was surprised by the hateful, angry, suspicious responses her story has received in pro-choice circles over the years. My guess is that it is painful to think about what abortion really is when you look at an adult who wouldn’t exist if the procedure had gone as planned.

This is a memoir with grace and forgiveness at its core. And that is beautiful. Ms. Ohden’s story had a fair number of surprises still to come, but her faith encourages – and helps – her to keep offering empathy and understanding to the people who are part of her story.

My favorite parts of the book were when she talked about being a voice – a voice for unborn babies, a voice offering forgiveness for grieving parents who had abortions, a voice for those who are pressured to abort their children.

This is an emotional read. If you have experienced an abortion or miscarriage (which Ms. Ohden does), some passages may be difficult for you to read. Be sure to take care of yourself as you read.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

A system to help you tackle clutter in your life. In simplest terms, you go through every item in your home and discard or donate anything that doesn’t give you joy. If you are keeping something out of guilt or a sense of obligation, stop.

Once you have purged your belongings, you put away the things you keep so every item has a home. The idea is to make your storage system super easy on the “putting away” side of usage so you don’t leave things in random places. Those random places lead to clutter.

tidying-up

Review

I love this idea of keeping only what brings you joy. I have many things I have kept because

  • I paid money for it and don’t feel I’ve used it enough
  • Someone gave it to me
  • I liked it at one time but now I don’t anymore, and I feel guilty
  • It reminds me of something or someone.

I was energized by the book’s possibilities – the thought of open space and less stuff in my house. I couldn’t wait to give it a try!

I didn’t care for the sort of “spiritual” bits about thanking your possessions for their work. But I do agree that I could be a lot more grateful for my home and my possessions, which is another theme in the book. For me, I took the parts that I thought would be helpful, and set aside the parts that weren’t a good fit for me.

I have applied her system to my clothes already. Before I started, I had clothes in half a closet, several dresser drawers and three large tubs in our laundry room.  I had to break into the tubs any time the weather started to change. For the “tidying up” system, I pulled all of the clothes out by type. If I didn’t love something, I set it aside. I reassessed how I stored my clothes so I could see what I had and make things accessible. When I was done, I had more room in each of my drawers, and all of my clothes fit in the closet and drawers in the bedroom. Our local homeless shelter happily took the three tubs of cast offs!

I used the system on my books, too, which was a big deal. I kept more than she recommends in the book, but books are my life! I weeded by reading the description on each one. If the description didn’t make me want to sit down and read instead of doing something else, I didn’t keep the book. Yes, it was hard to part with things that I spent good money on at one point in time. Ms. Kondo would say that the purchase served its purpose – it made me happy when I made it. But hanging onto it now was not serving me well, and it was okay to let it go.

I haven’t finished applying the system to the whole house, but I love what I have done so far. I feel free because there is less clutter. I walk into the rooms that are done, or look at my closet, and I just feel happy. If you are looking for some inspiration before you start a major decluttering project of your own, I recommend reading this.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

REVIEW: Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Do you ever find yourself craving simple living? Do you push yourself to do more, do it better, or do it ALL? Shauna Niequist shares her life experience of trying to do it all. It left her physically sick, spiritually dry, and wondering if this was really the best life God had to offer. If you’ve ever been in such a place, Present Over Perfect might help you find another way to live.

Present Over Perfect

Review

I read this right after I quit my job, so I couldn’t identify as readily to the busy life vs. simple living messages of the book. Those might speak to me better in another season. But I did identify with the pieces where she talked about her identity. When your identity and value are tied up in a job you just left/lost or in a pattern of living that says, “I can do it all!,” you can be left wondering who you really are.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Read this book if:

  • you feel worn thin from doing all the things you think you’re supposed to be doing
  • you need encouragement to find your best self
  • you need help saying no to good things you are not called to do
  • you are wondering where God is and what He thinks of your struggle to live a busy, perfect life.

 

REVIEW: Star Trek: 50 Artists, 50 Years by Titan Books

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Star Trek Art!! Fifty artists created a piece that reflected something from Star Trek. This book is part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first episode airing on television. Each page includes a 10.5×14.5 inch image of the artwork. There is also an interview with the artist. Interview questions include the artist’s connection to Star Trek and their inspiration and process for creating their piece

Star Trek Art

Review

This book is eye candy for Star Trek lovers! I wouldn’t call myself an art lover in general. I know what I like but I can’t always say why I like it. But I am a Star Trek lover, and I am fascinated by this book. The pieces are mostly from The Original Series (TOS) or The Next Generation (TNG). There are some glimpses of the artist’s other ideas besides the piece they ultimately submitted. After the art itself, my favorite parts are the artists’ stories about their connection to Star Trek. Some are reluctant fans, some watched it because a family member did, and some are huge fans in their own rights.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

If you aren’t sure about purchasing the whole book, you can get a calendar (roughly the same size as the book) with 12 of the pieces included. They are 11×14 and could easily be framed. Star Trek Poster Calendar for 2017.

REVIEW: Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Are you living as though you are endlessly loved by the Creator of the Universe? Because you are endlessly loved. Let this book help you live in that truth today.

Uninvited - Learning to Live Loved

Review

This book was a perfect fit for me. When it released, I was in the middle of several significant life changes. The call to live loved was just what I needed to hear. I underlined many, many passages, wrote about them, shared them on social media and with friends. I think this book lends itself perfectly for use in a book group or weekly Bible study. The author starts with a life issue/skill – like responding to rejection – and backs up her approach with scriptures and Bible stories. There are messages in this book that I will carry with me for years to come, and I am so grateful that I read it at just the right time!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥