Izzy's Pop Star Plan

Izzy’s Pop Star Plan is a daily devotional book by Alex Marestaing that reads like a fiction novel.  It is compiled of 90 blog entries thus making it for 90 days and giving the devotional a modern day feel.  This book is for girls between the ages of 12-18 years old.  While the main character, Izzy, is 16 years old I feel that girls younger than that can benefit from this book as well.  This book might not be best for more mature teenagers. 

Izzy’s Pop Star Plan is about a teenage girl who wants to become the next star.  One reason this is great is because it ties into popular culture today.  Readers can draw connections to American Idol and many young girls dream of being the next big thing.  I also think it portrays what life as a star can be like and it isn’t as glamorous as it seems. 

Being a teenager can be really rough, trying to make decisions on your own while still living under your parent’s roof.  This is also a time when God can have some pretty important things to say.  This book is good because it has a strong female character who is trying to take time to achieve her goals and listen to God while learning that maybe what God wants for her is what she really wants for herself. 

Personally, I found the book to be pretty lighthearted and read easy.  I would recommend this book to younger girls (12-14) as opposed to older girls as I think that the issues dealt with in this book might not be what older teens are facing.  I like that the books is only for 90 days thus making it not too hard to stick with.  Having the book read like a novel also draws the reader in and leaves them wanting more, wanting to find out what happens next thus picking the book back up again and reading another day. 

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://booksneeze®.com/> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Love and Respect For a Lifetime

Love and Respect For a  Lifetime is a non-fiction gift book about making a marriage work according to God's promises.  In Ephesians 5:33 Paul tells husbands to love their wives and wives are to respect their husbands.  This bible verse is the premise for the entire book, the message being that women are already wired to love unconditionally but not wired to respect unconditionally and that men are wired to respect unconditionally but not to love unconditionally.  Dr. Emerson Eggerichs claims that men need respect like they need air and that women need love like they need air and that either gender is not wired to offer they other what they need so desperately.  His book details how men need to be respected and offers examples of ways in which women can respect their husbands and details how women need to be loved and offers examples of that as well.  This book really encourages you to open up to your spouse and ask them what they need and how you can meet those needs. 

Dr. Eggerichs also offers another book with the same title that goes into more details and philosophy.  I think the gift book is nice because it sums up the other book and has lots of pictures illustrating the examples.  This book is easier to get through (I have read the other) and takes less time.  The message is the same in either book. 

Personally, I think this is a good book and my husband and I have used this methodology in our relationship.  It helps give you a vocabulary to use when you have a disagreement that the other partner can understand.  One thing I disagree with Eggerichs on is that sometimes women need respect, maybe not in the same way as men but still many of the needs that my husband has with regards to respect I have as well. 

I am glad that I read this book and would recommend it to other Christian couples who are married, engaged or thinking about becoming engaged.  I enjoyed the gift book and would recommend actually giving it as a gift.  

To comply with new regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, I must post that BookSneeze has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to review. I also must say that the opinions are all mine.

Reviews

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay- definitely my favorite of the year.  These books are must reads for everyone regardless of what you like to read.  Suzanne Collins is an excellent author and writes in such a way that you are emotionally attached to a character within pages of reading.  All of the books pull you in and transport you into a war-torn world where the fate of Panem rests on the shoulders of Katniss Everdeen.

The Graceling- another great book.  The book was really hard for me to start reading but once I got into it I was captivated. I woudn't necessarily classify this as a must read but it is definitely a good book.

House Rules- this book follows the same layout as other Jodi Picoult books where each chapter is by a different author. I thought it was told from a really neat perspective since one of the main characters has autism.  There were some twists and turns but other parts were predictable.  I would classify this as a good book but not a must read.

L.A. Candy and Sweet Little Lies- these books were just what I was hoping for and what I like to call a little reading snack.  I was suprised by Lauren Conrad's writing and enjoyed escaping into her world of reality t.v.

An Honorable Run- is a good book about a runner and his coaches.  Throughout this journey the author discovers a lot about himself, life and what is most important.  One thing I really enjoyed about the book was how honest Matt was about his thoughts and experiences.

The Carrie Diaries- I enjoyed the book but was dissapointed in some of the discrepencies between the book and the show.  I love Sex and the City and was sad to find out that the book wasn't consistent with the show.  The book was charming and it was neat to get a glimpse into the life of Carrie before she moved to New York.

The Help- another book I really enjoyed and would strongly recommend.  The book is told from the perspective of three different women and is written very well.  The characters are very genuine and the story is impelling. 

2010 Books 1-33

1) Maximum Ride: Schools Out by James Patterson
2) The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
3) Splendor by Ann Godbersen
4) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
5) Charmed and Dangerous by Lisi Harrison
6) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
7) The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark
8) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
9) An Honorable Run by Matt McCue
10) L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad
11) Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad
12) Perfect Mistake by Kate Brian
13) Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
14) Girl Stays in the Picture by Melissa de la Cruz
15) Academy 7  by Anne Osterlund
16) The Graceling by Kristin Cashore
17) House Rules by Jodi Picoult
18) Heist Society by Ally Carter
19) Fire by Kristin Cashore
20) The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
21) Some Like it Haute by Julie K.L. Dam
22) Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
23) Cum Laude by Cecily Von Ziegesar
24) These Boots Were Made for Stalking by Lisi Harrison
25) The Help by Kathryn Stockett
26) Sweet Deceit by Kate Brian
27) Scandal by Kate Brian
28) Movers and Fakers by Lisi Harrison
29) Wednesday Sisters by Meg White Clayton
30) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
31) The Secret History by Donna Tartt
32) Millenium Girl by
33) The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis