Recent Reads 2 // Words and Such

It's been a little over a month since I first did a "Recent Reads" post and I feel like I've been doing a lot of reading lately. Thus, here we have the second edition of what I've been reading! I seem to be in a inspirational/autobiography/Christian phase. I'm not sure what that genre is called... I'm enjoying it, but if you have any ideas of novels, tell me in the comments!

(all images from Google Images)

Stomping out the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson and Dave Park

Written for teens, this book was about who you are in Christ as a born-again Christian. It offers a lot of help on how to become more Christ-like. One small thing I didn't especially like was that the authors switched off writing and would have to articulate who was talking in parenthesis. Other than that, I liked this book and recommend it.

 

 Keep it Shut by Karen Ehman

I got this book from the library. It had ideas about what to say in certain situations and how not to engage in gossip, flattery, etc. It was supported by Bible verses to encourage you to speak Godly and honoring words in real life, and on the internet.

Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung

This was an interesting, thought-provoking book about God's will. Although I don't necessarily believe all the theories the author presents about God's will (such as, God doesn't care if you move or take a new job as long as you pray about it and make a good decision) there were parts that were really thought-provoking.

Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are by Alex & Brett Harris

I'm glad I finally bought and read this sequel! It had lots of stories of what teens have done in their communities, and tips on how to stay connected with God and grow your relationship with him even when you are super busy doing a "hard thing".

image from Christianbook.com

Listening with My Heart  by Heather Whitestone

This book is about the woman who is Miss America 1995. I really liked this book! The first half of the book (which I favored) was about her growing up in a hearing world, the challenge of learning orally as a deaf person, how hard she worked to achieve her dream, and how she found her relationship with Christ. The second half was about the good things and the bad things about her year as Miss America. Although the timeline for her story jumped around a bit, I was able to understand it and saw why she was telling the story out of sequence. Overall, I learned a lot from this book. I really want to read Heavenly Crowns next.

I think I'll wrap up this post! Do you like to hear about what I'm reading? Are you excited for Christmas?

Merry Christmas!

Recent Reads // Words and Such

I actually wanted to make this a post about my TBR books, but I'm reading them too fast. So instead, I'll talk about/mini review the books I've read recently! Judging by the books in this post, I read a lot of nonfiction, but that's partly because I need to find new material and a niche for fiction (I prefer historical fiction). 

These books are in order of when I read them, with the most recent at the end of the post. Also, these are just my opinions of the books and what they were about from what I understood while reading them.

(all images are from amazon.com unless otherwise stated.)

Nobody's Perfect by Marlee Matlin and Doug Cooney

This is a fiction book about a fifth grade girl who thinks the new girl at school is mistreating her because she is Deaf. I found this book interesting (even though it is more for young children) because I want to have a Deaf character in the story I am writing, and thought it would be beneficial to read a book with a Deaf character that was written by a Deaf woman. I recommend this book, especially if you want to learn about Deaf Culture, which is completely and totally unique. It may give you some insight on how to interact with Deaf people you may come across in your life.

 

Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris

I actually discovered this book after reading about it on Allison's blog. I totally recommend this book! If you're a teen (or whatever age you are) and need encouragement and inspiration to do "hard things" every day in order to fulfill your God-given potential despite the various expectations of society, you should definitely read this book. I'm currently reading (well, technically listening since it's an audio book 😁) the follow-up book called Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are.

 

All In by Mark Batterson

This book is thought provoking. However, I feel like it focused on money. I felt that one of the main messages I took away was if you give or are willing to give up all of your money/possessions, then you are a completely committed follower of Jesus. While Jesus should absolutely be first in your life as a Christian, I think more examples of other kinds could have been used in the book. That being said, I'm really glad I read it and it was definitely worth my time! It's a popular book, and I can see why.




not a fan. by Kyle Idleman

Of the books in this post, this one is my favorite. It talks about the costs that come with being a follower of Jesus, as opposed to an interested and adoring fan. The author says that following Jesus means saying no to a lot of things that society may want or push us to do, and making sacrifices. It says that followers "Die Daily" in the world, and sacrifice their worldly life for their eternal life in heaven. I thought it was interesting, because some of the same Bible stories/verses were used in both All In and not a fan.. However, they were used to justify and explain different points. I enjoyed contrasting the two books. There is also a teen version of the book.

photo from simonandschuster.com

Sensing the Rhythm by Mandy Harvey and Mark Atteberry

  

I first heard of Mandy Harvey, the jazz singer, a few months before she was on America's Got Talent. I'd wanted to read her book ever since it came out, and finally got it from the library last week. It's an inspirational type book. She mentions her faith and talks about the trials she's faced. I was interested to read about how she feels vibrations of music through her body in order to stay with the musicians in the band. If you didn't know, she is Deaf. Overall, this was a good book. I will most likely read it again in the future. (I'm a re-reader) I'm looking forward to seeing her perform in person next year.

In summation....

These were my thoughts and opinions of the books I read. I enjoyed writing out these mini reviews. If you've also read these books, you may or may not agree with my thoughts, but that's totally fine! I'm thinking of doing this type of post every two weeks, depending on how many books I read.

So... What's next on my TBR list?

Inside Deaf Culture by Carol Padden and Tom Humphries

This book is used in college courses I guess, but reviews of it suggest that it isn't dry and it is a good informative book about the history of Deaf Culture and American Sign Language. I picked it up at the library and think I will learn a lot while reading it.

What book did you finish reading most recently?

How to Afford Buying Books // Tools for Habits

(Note: This post is not sponsored or endorsed. I just want to share with you how I can afford to buy books!)

Having your own copy of a book is awesome. And so is finally caving and buying a book to read that your library doesn't have. But books are expensive, especially when you want to buy all of them. Or even most of them.

I've found a way to afford having my own copies of my favorite books, or just books that I don't want to spend a lot on in case I don't like them. Sure, the books are "used", but let me show you something.

This is a lovely copy of All My Tomorrows by Al and Joanna Lacy that I bought since I wanted to read it but the library didn't have it. It was stated as being in "very good condition" with "some wear from reading and storage".

I paid $3.62 for this book, free shipping.

The website I use is abebooks.com. And this website isn't only good for obscure books that you probably haven't heard of! You can literally get a very good condition copy of The Mysterious Benedict Society for $3.64. I've searched this website many many times to find good deals on books I want to read. Only once or twice have they not had the book. So, naturally, this is exciting and I thought it was about time that I do a post about it.

I thought this would be interesting for any of you fellow bloggers out there that also love reading!

Let me know if this was helpful, and have a great day!

 

I'm thinking of changing this blog's name and web address..... I'll let you know before I do!

Pros of Books vs. Pros of Audio books

The other day I was considering the pros and cons of listening to an audio book vs. actually reading the text. I don't listen to audio books often, and tend to prefer text. However, I can articulate several reasons to prefer one or the other. So, here's six pros of audio books and six pros of text!

(images either from canva.com or bossfight.co)

1. You don't have to hold a book. 

Holding a book for hours can make your hands hurt. With headphones and a device, all you have to do is sit there and close your eyes.

2. You don't have to strain your eyes. 

This comes right after holding the book. If your eyes are tired, no worries! They aren't necessary.

3. You get to listen to a speaking voice. 

Depending on the audio book, you get different voices for different characters. This can be entertaining and engaging.

4. Music in the background lends to the drama.  

Also depending on the audio book, music sets the scene. In one Star Wars book I encountered, there was intense music for the battle scenes, and even sound effects.

5. You learn the pronunciation of new words.  

This one is pretty straightforward, and it can be valuable. I wouldn't
floccinaucinihilipilificate. (← yes, that is a word)

6. Set up takes a second. 

Headphones, device pass code, opening of the app, selection of the book, buffering, etc.

1. You can interpret the reading yourself. 

For example, if emphasis on a word or sentence is not described by the author, the interpretation is up to the reader. An audio book reader makes that decision for you.

2. Read at your own pace. 

You can read as fast or as slow as you want. Plus, it's easy to go back a page to a certain point.

3. You learn new the spelling of new words.  

Is spelling or pronunciation more important? Well, it depends on whether you are writing or speaking.

4. Bookmarking is easy. 

Now, depending on what device you are using to read an audio book this may not be the case, but if you have a paper book it is pretty easy to just slap a Post-it-Note on a page and scribble your thoughts.

5. You don't have to wear earbuds or headphones.  

They hurt after a few hours. Or minutes. Of course, you could just have the book blaring into the atmosphere, but your neighbors might not give a cup of sugar next time you ask ;)

6. Easy to access. Whip out your pocket book on the bus and read a few lines of poetry.
Bonus Pro: You'll never run out of battery!

Those points being made, we must not forget the option of both listening to a book and reading it at the same time. That has it's own pros :) I'm sure there are also more perks out there for each one. Either way, you still get the same information, just through a different sense!

What do you say? Audio books or paper? Why?  

A Book Review // "The Blackgaard Chronicles: Opening Moves" by Phil Lollar

 Today I'm going to embark on my very first book review!

"The Blackgaard Chronicles: Opening Moves" was written by Phil Lollar and published by Focus on the Family. It is based off of The Blackgaard Chronicles Adventures in Odyssey album. The original AIO episodes were written by Paul McCusker and Phil Lollar respectively.

Here is the summary of the book found on the Focus on the Family website (linked above):

"A conniving city councilman is secretly carrying out plans against John Avery Whittaker and Whit’s End. Yet Philip Glossman is only a pawn in a dark game played by the mysterious Dr. Regis Blackgaard. Meanwhile, against Whit’s express orders, Eugene and Connie tamper with a top-secret computer room – and the destructive Applesause program is unleashed. Can Whit counter the forces opposing him? What does Dr. Blackgaard really want?"

The book is for ages 10 and up, with 13 chapters. As for the writing, I appreciated the choice of descriptive wording. It is specific and original (to avoid possible spoilers, I won't give details), and created a clear image in my mind.

For those who are not already familiar with the characters of the Adventures in Odyssey radio drama, the book introduces each character (including Connie, Eugene, and Whit), starting at the beginning of their roles in the story. That being said, it is a little review for those who have listened to AIO before. Additionally, the format allows for further insight into the characters' heads and thought processes. Interesting information for both AIO newcomers and life-long fans, the characters' descriptions are laid out. For example, Connie's exact height is mentioned. The characters were well-formed and real. As for the plot, the story is drawing and hooked me as a reader. The plot covers a range of emotions.

Here's a photo to give you an idea of the art, it is not an illustrated book but has a character at each chapter. The character above is Phillip Glossman.

There will be a sequel to this book, titled "Pawn's Play", but I don't believe there is an announced release date for that one yet. It is also written by Phil Lollar.

If you like Adventures in Odyssey, or are in need of an interesting and fun book, I definitely recommend "Opening Moves"!

Have you ever read or listened to The Blackgaard Chronicles?

Books

I've never really photographed books before, but I found a couple of books that looked photogenic and gave it a try.