Book Review: Young Whit & the Traitors Treasure

My son had a opportunity to read Young Whit & the Traitors Treasure by Phil Lollar & Dave Arnold. It’s a juvenile fiction adventure chapter book. It has twenty-one chapters that will keep your young readers attention from the beginning until the end. What I liked about the book is that the scene is set in a small town of Provenance, North Carolina. We currently live in Durham, North Carolina. There were local places mentioned like Duke University that my son was able to identify with.

The book is about a nine year old boy named John Avery Whitaker and his family. The time period is set in the 1930’s, the midst of the Great Depression. They have just moved to North Carolina and John’s father took a position as a professor at Duke University. John finds himself dealing with everything that comes along with a move to a new place like a new school, new friends and even a bully. He discovers a scandal about his family that is decades old along with a mystery.

Young Whit & the Traitors Treasure is the first book in a series exploring childhood adventures with a variety of characters in the town of Odyssey. Based on this first book I think this will be a great series. We’re in the habit of reading for twenty to thirty minutes daily and sometimes additional reading time at bed time. My son loves to read all types of books, especially books about motorcycles, adventures and bugs. You can purchase your own copy of Young Whit & the Traitors Treasure and even win a copy.

Overall, Young Whit & the Traitors Treasure was a great read and allowed my son to use his imagination while navigating through this chapter book. You’ll also learn about the Adventures in Odyssey Club which allows members to join Whit and other characters see what it means to follow Jesus. They’ll also see how faith gets turned into action from downtown Odyssey to remote places all over the world. You’ll have access to exclusive stories, special website, discounts and so much more.

Quoted: “It’s inspiration and discipleship on-the-go!”

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Book Review: Not My Jesus By Bob Fabey

Not My Jesus does have the shock factor as soon as you look at the cover art. I know… Imagine the response I got when I decided to show my Christian Caribbean (Jamaican) Mother what I was reading. Her jaw dropped, she covered her mouth, she shrieked, then laughed hysterically and said I want to read it. I did explain that the cover art was indeed controversial however, its contents made you think. Bob Fabey gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is and how others view him.

Bob states that understanding who Jesus is- and who he isn’t- is the key to knowing ourselves and how we are to live. This book has its humor while giving us a realistic and emotional look at faith, culture and life. My favorite chapter hands down… “Jesus Tweets” and not just because I’m a social media butterfly and Twitter happens to be my all-time favorite platform. I envisioned what it would be like if Jesus had a Twitter account. Bob sarcastically shows us how it might have been.

Example: Jesus Tweet – “You are all a bunch of hypocrites.” #WhyIDontGoToChurch You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. -Matthew 7:5. Jesus Tweet – “If you lust, you are an adulterer.” #KeepYourEyesOnYourOwnPaper You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. -Matthew 5: 27-28

These six chapters will have you glued to the pages, hanging on to every word and then reevaluating your life. You may also be surprised because you may not have thought about something in a certain way, like Jesus was judgmental. He was critical of people and said things that made people hurt and angry. However, he wasn’t doing it to be a jerk. He judged to free people. He had what it took to release people enslaved to themselves and to hell, sin and death. I’m not going to tell you EVERYTHING!

Bob takes you through a wealth of information and bible scriptures in hopes you will: Identify the way you and others primarily view Jesus. Get a biblical overview of who he really was. Discover the sacred role you play. Gain practical ways to live considering who Jesus was. He reflects on today’s culture and speaks on terrorism among other issues and how many Christians have it all wrong. He states that we spend our energy in the wrong way and pay attention to things that don’t matter. I can relate to that statement!

Overall, Not My Jesus is a great read. I think the cover art is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do and that’s make people STOP in their tracks, think and then explore the book. Not My Jesus is currently available on Amazon. If you’d like to win a copy of this conversation piece that is sure to be a head turner, then enter to win HERE! I’ll leave you with a quote from Bob Fabey… “Love is for people we don’t agree with and people we don’t like.”

What are your initial thoughts on the cover art? Be Honest…

Book Review: Always Enough, Never Too Much

I was so excited to have the opportunity to review Always Enough, Never Too Much by Jess Connolly & Hayley Morgan. I’m always looking for a good devotional book to keep me encouraged. There are 100 devotions to quit comparing, stop hiding & start living wild and free. The first thing that stood out to me about the book is that it’s a flip book with built in bookmarks to hold your place in each section. I kept flipping back and forth in between sections depending on my mood and where I felt I needed to focus.

I’ll be honest I spent a lot of time in Never Too Much because I know I have a strong personality, very opinionated, no filter, too analytical, passionate and can be a little extra. God bless my REAL friends because they get “Jen Uncut” and love me for exactly who I am. They know I’m not capable of being phony and biting my tongue. My emotions are written all over my face and I usually say exactly what I’m thinking. I’m working on my delivery though… The struggle!

I’m at a point in my life where EVERYTHING is changing. Change use to scare me but, now I try to look at it in a positive light. Transformation can be a good thing. In my current journey I’m choosing to stay as positive as can be, pray diligently and arm myself with daily affirmations and devotions. Once I’ve read a devotion based on how I may be feeling at the moment, I immediately feel relieved and get a sense of peace. It can be challenging to be positive 24/7, sometimes you need some reassurance and help.

One of my favorite devotions in Always Enough is… Even When Life Is Falling Apart by Jess. Verse: He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. -2 Corinthians 12:9. Highlight: Our weakness felt so incredibly overwhelming, but still there was this promise that our weakness wasn’t in vain. Rather, it would help us access the power of God.

That devotion was so powerful to me. Jess reminds us that we are enough even in the brokenness because “He” is in us. And the only reason we’ll be enough on brighter, easier, tidier days is because “He” is in us. And that’s some good news. I know that no one will ever truly be able to empathize with me unless they’ve been where I am. That being said, I don’t turn to man for answers and comfort with my emotional struggles. I give it to God and work on healing my brokenness. Devotions help a lot!

Overall Always Enough, Never Too Much is a great read. Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan, bestselling authors of Wild and Free will help you replace those lies with God’s truth. This devotional flip-book is designed for you, the woman who feels like she can be both too much and not enough—sometimes in the same day. When you banish lies and insecurities and find your identity in Jesus, you can embrace these truths: You are always enough. You are never too much.

I’ve been outdoors a lot lately since we are in the midst of summer so I’m usually by the pool and Always Enough, Never Too Much is in tow. There is a devotion for EVERYTHING you can think of. So, I’m very confident that you’ll enjoy Always Enough, Never Too Much. You have 100 devotions and genuine stories waiting for you to read. It’s available on Amazon & you have an opportunity to win a copy of your own book. Feel free to enter the giveaway below.

So, have you ever felt like you weren’t enough or way too much?

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Book Review: Chasing Grace by Sanya Richards-Ross

From the moment I picked up Chasing Grace by Sanya Richards-Ross it was so hard to put down. I literally read the book within a 48-hr. time frame. I loved that even though I’m NOT an athlete or know the first thing about being a professional track star EVERYTHING in this book is relatable. Sanya takes us on a journey from her childhood in Kingston, Jamaica where she recognized early on that she had a passion for running and competing in track and field.

Every chapter begins with a related bible verse before she takes you back to moments and memories in her life where she shares her truth. One thing I truly admire is that Sanya shares her flaws and where she went wrong in certain situations. This book is truly inspirational and motivational allowing you to apply certain strategies and prayer to your life and situations. Sanya breaks down the 4 P’s: push, pace, position and poise. These were applied on and off the track!

PUSH: Chase Your Dream, PACE: Create Your Rhythm, POSITION: Go with Courage, POISE: Commit to the Finish. Bonus: PRAY!!!!! The Silent, Constant, Invisible P. Sanya shares that prayer is an essential element of every phase, and it does deserve practice. Also, saying that in every journey’s beginning, middle and end is richer and sweeter when shared with God. I’ll be the first to admit that I pray but, I have an issue when it comes to having an attitude of expectancy.

Proverbs 23:18 says; “For sure there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” Sanya shares that when you pray, you ask God to intervene, and then submit to his will. Through gratitude and admissions, you ask him to take away your burdens, and by your faithfulness, trust him to do it. I’m sure we all deal with letting go and letting God however Sanya shares that prayer frees you from worry, doubt and fear. She also shares to pray without ceasing and be in consistent communication with God.

I truly admire the close-knit relationship that Sanya has with her family. It’s refreshing to see such a close and deeply rooted family dynamic that clearly has unconditional love and support for one another. There are so many broken families and lack of support nowadays. Her family saw her potential and supported her passion which led to them to relocate from Jamaica to the United States where she would benefit from numerous opportunities in education and her track career.

Overall, it was an AH-MAZING read! I thoroughly enjoyed the patois as I’m a first generation American born to Jamaican parents. I’m a Sanya Richards-Ross fan and remember cheering her on during Olympic competitions. I was proud that she was Jamaican and representing the USA. I got the best of both worlds. Sanya is very brave to share her journey with us. She shares her life, intimate relationship with God and the lessons learned along the way. Chasing Grace is available on Amazon.

Enter to WIN a copy of Chasing Grace for yourself!

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Book Review: Real American a Memoir by Julie Lythcott-Haims

I received a free copy of Real American: A Memoir in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Julie Lythcott-Haims takes you through her childhood, young adulthood and overall life experiences as she tries to identify and find where she fits into the race spectrum. As a product of a bi-racial marriage to an African American father and Caucasian British Mother you see Julie trying to make sense of how she is treated by some. You get to see as she struggles to fit into a race always feeling like she doesn’t necessarily belong. She’s either not white or not black enough to feel like she belongs in either group.

As I flipped through the pages of Real American: A Memoir by Julie Lythcott-Haims, I was immediately able to identify with some of the feelings that Julie expressed. I’m not of mixed race but, I am a first generation American. My family is Jamaican and I have a very unique name that people seem to butcher all the time so I just shorten it to “Jen” which they all think is short for Jennifer and I let them! I was able to empathize with not fitting into certain groups and trying to find myself throughout the years.

I could totally relate to her growing up in a predominantly white area and being the token “black girl” and always being seen as different. It’s relatable to being around white people a majority of the time and getting a good education and “sounding” white when you speak. I’ve never and still don’t understand how someone can “sound” white. I just speak proper English and it’s afforded me a lot of good opportunities. I’ve been called the whitest black girl some people ever knew. I laugh it off!

Julie Lythcott-Haims is able to share her feelings of racism and her journey to love herself even though she encounters some feelings of self-doubt and not belonging to any particular racial group until she is introduced to the multi-cultural/bi-racial race after she graduated from college. It wasn’t until then that she was able to see that there were other people just like her that she was able to identify with. There’s something about having a sense of community whether race related or not.

Truly feeling like you are a part of something feels good. We get to see how she navigates racism as she is in a biracial relationship herself and marries her Jewish boyfriend Dan. As a couple they experience some things that Dan may not immediately be able to identify with because he’s never really had to. Julie is more aware and takes the lead on dealing with some of these situations and it ends up teaching her husband a few things in the process.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Real American: A Memoir and was able to identify with a lot from a cultural and ethnic point of view. My mom identifies as a black woman and she is (Jamaican) African American mixed with some Asian (Chinese) to be specific and German. My dad is a Jamaican African American male. I was born in the United States and my parents tried to always instill Jamaican culture in my siblings and me. I grew up listening to reggae music and wasn’t aware that some of the songs were re-makes from original American versions. It was eye opening!

I can see that Julie’s parents always wanted to instill that she was indeed black by staying culturally aware and always having that black doll or book written by an African American author within reach. Being of mixed race seems hard to navigate when you are trying to see where exactly it is that you fit in. You shouldn’t have to choose one race over another. I know the one drop rule comes into play but, just stating my opinion.

Real American: A Memoir will keep you turning the pages as you see Julie cross these important experiences throughout her life that you may be able to identify with yourself. Check out the website for more information and to grab your copy. It’s a great read! I won’t bring up our current political climate or racial incidents that have taken place because that’s a whole other ball game! No matter what love yourself and search for no one’s acceptance or validation but your own.

Have you ever had to deal with racial identity, or felt you didn’t belong?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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