"Twinge" by Leora Krygier

This book is pretty simple. An adopted girl deciding college plans meets a guy in a coffee shop. Pretty ordinary; right? Wrong. Nikki is as messed up as the colleges she makes. With coming of age and questions of identity, her life is spilled upside down when a mysterious guy she dubs The Reader gives her a printout of places to go each day. Taking a risk, she goes there and meets up with him each day. Both awkward in their own way, they cherish each other's company. Readers almost fall off the edges of their seats when they realize why The Reader wants to go to a different store each day. Cultural and friendship issues are briefly gone over, too. As inevitable as the romance is, it is not graphic; still, this book is not suitable for young readers. There are a few swears, and the Lord's name is also taken in vain. The book is riddled with grammatical syntax errors that will hopefully be addressed before publication. At the end of the book, there is not any huge climactic twist. The book just ends with a simple decision. Not many authors can get away with something like that. Readers know the feeling. You finish a book and realize that not much happened, yet you realize you never stopped turning the pages.

"Graceful" by Emily P. Freeman

This book is surprisingly real and candid.  The author works with young women, and--surprise, surprise--writes about real issues that young women face today.  What I particularly liked about this book was that the author classified young women.  We have the Actress, Girl Next Door, Activist, Heroine, Bystander, Judge, Intellectual, and Dreamer.  These classifications have to do with what women are afraid of, what they hold onto, and what they hide behind.  While the titles are mostly self-explanatory, the book goes into more detail.  Freeman analyzes the types of masks that young women all wear.  She gives real-life advice and shares stories that are embarrassing and shameful.  However, she leaves no detail out and holds nothing back.  Bible verses are quoted every now and then, and the theme of finding value in Christ is reiterated over and over again.  This book is a great read for young women.  It is a great book for women to read in a group as they each identify which "mask" they wear and how to remove it.      

"Courting Cate" by Leslie Gould

This is a difficult review to write.  There is a huge pro and a huge con.  The pro is that this book is a page-turner.  It holds your attention so you keep reading and reading without getting bored.  However, the con is that the book reads too much like a story.  What I mean is that I didn't find the story believable.  I'm not saying the story is impossible--I'm sure it's possible for this series of events to unfold in real life.  However, as I saw it, it was all too made-up, so to speak.  The protagonist Cate is a melancholy "shrew" who ends up falling for Pete.  Pete is the "new guy in town" who pursues Cate, seems to drift away, and then--surprise, surprise--finds his happily ever after with Cate at the end.  That aside, there were great twists and turns in the book.  Some plot events were highly unexpected.  Still, I felt I was reading a fairy-tale of sorts.  That said, this book is very well written.

"Cheaper, Better, Faster" by Mary Hunt

This book that boasts of "over 2000 tips and tricks to save you time and money every day" immediately caught my eye.  But, I'm not going to lie--when I got it in the mail and saw how thick it was, I recoiled a bit.  Because, let's face it, no one likes a nearly 400 page non-fiction book.  However, I was pleasantly surprised as I started to read the book.  It is very well-organized both by category and alphabetical order.  Plus, each "tip" is quite short.  So, it's easy to flip through this book and find what you need quickly.  The format is double column with bold titles to make it easy to find things.  There are tips on everything from cleaning to travel to cars to shopping.  I like this book so much.  It will come in handy for me tons.  The section for moms and children may not be applicable to me, but the other sections certainly are!  This book has got something for everyone.

"Quiet" by Susan Cain

As a reserved book-worm (I am a book reviewer aren't I?), I was eager to read this book.  Written with  precise detail and flowing stories, this book is rather engaging.  While it seems to be a gargantuan book, it's really not that long (the "notes" section takes up a sizable chunk of pages).  Each chapter begins with a fun quote.  While this book gets scientific at times, readers do not need to be psychology experts to follow the author--things are well explained, and terms are defined.  The book talks about various types of relationships and environments, from workplaces to marriages to child-rearing and more.  I like how personal profiles are given in the chapters.  This way, readers can understand more about how introversion plays out in the real life.  So, everyone has something they can learn from this book.  Contrary to popular belief, this is not just a self-help book for introverts.  Extroverts can learn much from this book.  What I liked in this book also was the few quizzes it had to determine your own level of introversion / extroversion and other psychological / behavioral characteristics.  I also enjoyed how Cain dispelled some myths, from erroneous introversion myths to erroneous portrayals of the introverted Moses in major motion pictures.  There is even added bonus material in the back of the book, which I won't spoil.  For those who want to look up specific things, an index is included as well.

"20,000 Days and Counting" by Robert D. Smith

This is a nice self-help book about making each day count.  The chapters are very short, and some pages are devoted to just a quote.  With around 100 pages, this leads to a very short book that can be conquered in as little as a day or just 5 minutes every day if you like to spread out your reading.  There was a big theme of "live as if you would die tomorrow" and "make each day count."  The themes in this book were great.  However--here comes the however--I do not think this book is worth the $14.99 which it retails for.  While this book boasts of being a "quick read," it lacks substantial information to make for a great reference book.  Also, the main ideas found in this book can be found on any self-help site.  This book is fun and well-written, but I do not think it's worth the cost.  That's just my opinion.

"Shattering the Conspiracy of Silence" by Nehemia Gordon

This book focuses on the Name of God (YHWH) but goes in several directions.  The author's main motivation for researching the Name YHWH stemmed from the priestly blessing (see Numbers 6).  As a Karaite Jew raised by an Orthodox father, Gordon always used "Adonay" (means Lord in Hebrew) instead of YHWH when reciting the blessing.  When Gordon's curiosity is piqued, he makes it his mission to find out more about the Name YHWH and tell others about it.

One thing I like about Gordon's books is the feeling of adventure in the pages when the author visits historical sites in Israel.  Raw emotion leaks through the book as the author visits sites that hold both Biblical significance and personal significance.  The book also quotes Talmud and other extra-biblical rabbinical writings.  Some of the history Gordon digs up is fascinating.  All of his unusual facts are referenced clearly for one to verify.  I learned so many new facts, which I won't spoil for you.

The book has many parts that discuss the background of the Name YHWH in the Bible.  Arguments are very carefully weaved.  Gordon uses the Hebrew Bible to support how saying YHWH is fine and even encouraged in Scripture.  He even exposes the extreme rabbinical views that resulted in a rabbi being burned alive in a Torah scroll for trying to say YHWH out loud.  Gordon also goes into the idea of YHWH blessing us like a Father.  The beginning of the book has some great information about mixed worship in the Hebrew Bible and how corruption slowly crept into Judaism.  This was fascinating.  From golden calves in the Bible to conflicting rabbinical decrees, Gordon exposes the sad truth of mixed worship.  The book went so far to say that blindly accepting any teaching (rabbinical or otherwise) without first consulting the Hebrew Bible is as bad as idolatry (making a teacher an idol that is seen as infallible and never questioned). 

I think both Jews and Christians could benefit from this book.  The book has a lot of history and Jewish insight that everyone can learn from.  Anecdotes thrown in every now and then are funny (e.g.- author says his friend whines like a little girl at one point).  However, some stories are not so funny.  There are stories in the book how a "Christian" told Nehemia that him and all other Jews are "going to hell" because they "have no grace."  Stories like these break my heart.  As a Messianic, I do trust in Yeshua for my salvation.  However, I do not tell others they are going to hell.  I have no idea where others go when they die.  That is not my job--YHWH alone will judge everyone, not me.  But, there will always be mean, ignorant people in the world.

I should note that this book uses the pronunciation Yehovah.  There is a note about how other pronunciations are used by others and that everyone should just do their best with what information they have.  Essentially, if we mess up the pronunciation of YHWH, God understands that we just tried out best.  A point I totally agreed with is that it's better to try to pronounce YHWH and maybe mess up a bit as opposed to correctly pronounce something that's not YHWH's Name.  

"A Prayer to Our Father" by Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson

As someone who appreciates Hebrew roots and is trying to learn Hebrew, I was excited to read this book.  I figured it would be advanced enough so I could practice my meager translation skills (book provides full Hebrew spelling with vowel marks, transliteration, and English of the Our Father prayer) yet simple enough that I could keep up (many are familiar with the Our Father prayer).  

I'm not going to lie.  As I read the beginning of the book, I got the background info for how the two authors began to work together.  After that, I realized I was going to read multiple chapters on how the duo found the site where Yeshua gave His infamous speech.  At first I thought it'd be a boring waste of pages. (Did I tell you I am impetuous?)  However, I was pleasantly surprised at how well-written that section was.  Instead of drudging through those pages to get to the "good stuff," I found myself transplanted to Israel with the authors.  I saw the land, I felt the weather, I heard the sounds, etc.  I felt like a child again when a book would take me on an adventure--an archaeological adventure this time.

After that part of the book was over, I got to the "good stuff."  Chapters were short and to the point.  They dissected each chunk of the infamous Our Father prayer.  While they were concise, they were packed with facts.  I felt as if I were learning a lot but not overwhelmed--a difficult skill to master in the genre of non-fiction.  Additionally, I was impressed at how well researched this book was.  The citations were excellent.  Instead of a huge bibliography at the end of the book, there were citations at the bottom of pages when things were quoted.  So, if I was ever confused about a particular Scripture passage or scholarly quote, all the information I needed to look stuff up on my own was right there on the page.  Now, I admit that I did not look up all of the references in this book.  However, those that I did were accurate, and I do not think any detail was "fudged."

Readers should be noted that this book implements the Tetragrammaton.  The book clearly states that the pronunciation Yehovah is preferred by the authors and that the way we pronounce YHWH is not nearly as important as our intentions.    

Overall, I really liked this book.  It's really well researched and has fun little stories in it that readers will enjoy.  It's simple enough yet advanced enough so that anyone can learn something new while not feeling as if everything is going "over their head."  Doing some research on this book, I was a bit alarmed at some comments on the internet.  Some Jews said Gordon promoted Christianity by co-writing about the New Testament with a Christian.  Meanwhile, some Christians said Johnson was promoting Karaite Judaism by co-writing with a Jew.  So, both sides were angry.  Hilarious consternation aside, I feel both Jews and Christians can benefit from this book.  It is written with a very scholarly perspective that does not seem "preachy" in any way.  As a Messianic Jew, if you asked me whether I thought this book felt "Jewish" or "Christian," I honestly would not be able to give you a straight answer.  I did not feel like Yeshua was promoted as the Messiah, and I also did not feel like Yeshua was demoted from being the Messiah.  Yes, it was that objectively written.  Jew, Christian, or whatever, everyone can learn something from this book without feeling like they are being swayed towards one faith or the other. 

"The Live | Dead Journal"

This book is a tough one to read.  It shares stories from countless missionaries who have risked their lives to share the Good News with unreached people groups.  This book particularly focuses on unreached people in Africa, most of whom are Muslim.  For 30 days, there are short passages from missionaries, which are often followed by descriptions of particular people groups.  This includes a photo of an indigenous person and a brief synopsis of the culture of that particular people group.  Interspersed throughout the book are several full-color photos and artwork.  There is even space in the book to journal each of the 30 days about your thoughts and responses to what you are reading.  This book will definitely give you a good dose of humility.  As you read each page, you will feel like you are in Africa, feeling the pain of the missionaries.

"Phariseectomy" by Peter Haas

This clever little book will have you half-chuckling, half-repenting.  With humor that is candid as can be, Haas confronts the slue of hypocrisies that plague the modern Church.  Most--but not all--of the hypocrisies spoken of have to do with church or church services.  These are mainly talking about how people criticize churches and promote their own agenda.  Then there were also the hypocrisies that are more general that have to do with guilt and shame.  What I do like was how Haas said that most people talk about "enduring our cross" and do not mention the "joy set before us" that is the reason why we "endure our cross."  That was a great point and really made me think.  I also liked how Haas said that we will follow the law out of faith when we truly love God, not because we are feeling like we "have to" follow the law.  I was a bit upset that Haas did not talk about the joy of celebrating the Sabbath or the Biblical Feasts, but at least he did not condemn those things or say that Christians shouldn't do them.  Overall, this book is nice.  It has a few typos here and there but nothing major doctrine-wise.  This book has more of a non-denominational feel to it and not so much a Messianic Jewish feel to it, but it still conveys the main points of grace and faith and the deity of the Messiah.

"No More Fear" by Ashley Evans

What I liked about this book is that it started out giving some numerology lessons to the reader.  It talked about the significance of the number 40 in Scripture.  After that, there were 40 chapters for each reading day.  The chapters are so short that one can either read the book in one sitting or just take 5min out of each day to read the section.  The author gives insight into breaking the power of fear.  Stories like David and Goliath are analyzed, which comes as no surprise since that is a popular story about conquering fear.  The reading style at times sounds like a self-help book, but I suppose that it inevitable considering the nature of what this book aims to address: fear.  The author gives some personal stories every now and then and even gives suggestions for readers on specific actions to take to live more fully in their God-give role of authority.  There were times when I thought this book emphasized man's power to overcome fear too much.  However, at the end of the book, the author reminds people to remember that all our help comes from God and not ourselves.  At the back of the book, there are also intriguing discussion questions, as well as lists of Scripture verses quoted that deal with fear, which I liked.  I like the cover, too, but I'm not supposed to judge covers, right?  ;)

"Alone" by Andy Braner

This book is geared at young adults, teens, and preteens.  However, the underlying message can apply to readers of all ages.  This book deals with the loneliness that is in the aftermath of the social networking revolution.  With hundreds of friends on facebook, people still feel "friendless."  This book addresses those issues as well as several societal issues related to "fitting in."  It talks about joy, community, real men, real women, addictions, and much more.  There is Bible quoted every so often.  For those not familiar with the Bible, there is enough Scripture to get them thinking but not too much to overwhelm them.  While Braner heavily quotes from the New Testament, I did enjoy how he brought up stories from the Old Testament and connected them to modern day issues.  This book isn't too long, and it is to the point. 

"Flight of Fancy" bu Laurie Alice Eakes

I am not going to lie.  I originally suggested to review this book because I like aeronautics.  So, I commenced my reading.  And I must say, I really enjoyed this book.  Sometimes books like these give me the vibe that they'll be books for "hopeless romantics."  I'm not going to say there was no romance in this book.  However, I did not find it overly cheesy.  I also did not find it graphic either, which is good.  What I enjoyed was Eakes' writing style.  You could really tell that she research the time period of the Luddites, as well as the science of hot-air balloons of the time.  There were stories within stories.  There were several characters, but the story never got overwhelming to the point where it was hard to keep up.  I fell into Eakes' world that she penned and found myself enjoying the story.  I will not give away the plot.  You can go on any website to look that up.  What I am giving you is my opinion of the book.  It is heartwarming and full of action / suspense, too.  A great book.  I read it within a couple of days, and so should you.  :)

"A Farmer's Daughter: Recipes from a Mennonite Kitchen" by Dawn Stoltzfus

This is a fun little cookbook, if I must say so myself.  The book has recipes for beverages, appetizers, breads (I was surprised to see this in a cookbook), salads, sandwiches, soups, "comfort food", main dishes, desserts, and more.  What I like is that there is a simple section in the back.  For those that are new too cooking, this is a great place to start.  Throughout the book, there are little comments from the author that add a nice touch.  There are even tips on presentation and entertaining guests.  You will not find pictures of food in this book.  However, the directions are very simple and quick.  They are so concise that some of them barely take up a page.  I honestly don't care that this book is written by a Mennonite.  I just like the recipes.  :)

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"Undaunted" the Movie

This movie is quite short but still stay on your mind long after the credits roll.  It is about the life of Josh McDowell.  To be honest, I didn't really know much about McDowell before this movie.  Apparently, he is an influential preacher and speaker.  Anyway, the movie is a short memoir of his early life.  At first, I thought the part where McDowell walks around and narrates in between the acted out scenes was annoying.  However, over time, I found his curt comments sincerely touching.  I don't want to spoil the movie with all the details, but I will say you will be shocked and enraged at what McDowell had to go through as a child.  There were times in the movie where I cried and other times when I was boiling with anger.  Through McDowell's troubled childhood and into his young adulthood, you will experience the journey of a broken atheist that culminates in a genuine Christian.  What is breathtaking is the people McDowell had to forgive when he met Christ.  What's great is that this DVD also comes with a little companion booklet to keep or give away to a friend.  This movie is definitely for the weak of heart.

"1 Message" the Movie

When I started this movie--I am not going to lie--I did not like it.  The main character was wearing a skimpy outfit to greet her fiance as he left for work in the morning.  I thought to myself, "Sigh.  This is going to be one of THOSE boring skanky romantic chic flicks."  However, as the movie progressed, I really enjoyed it.  And I'll tell you why.  In the movie, the stunning beauty gets breast cancer and has to have a double mastectomy.  In case you don't know what this term means, her chest had to be cut off.  Afterwards, her fiance leaves her for another woman.  The protagonist spirals into depression and doesn't even leave her house for fear embarrassment.  What I like is how the movie flashes back and forth in time between the woman before and after her mastectomy.  Anyway, in her depression, the woman starts to chat online with a mysterious man whom she later falls in love with.  I would get all riled up about the message this sends to people about giving personal information out online.  However, there is a line in the movie where her friend warns her and the woman says she is an adult and knows what she's doing.  So, at least, this film doesn't promote children giving out information online.  Anyway, I won't spoil the ending of the movie, but it will make you cry.  This movie will really make people think.  For women--what value do you have besides your looks?  For men--if a woman lost her looks, would you still stay with her?  This is a great film, and it will hold your attention.  Great flick.       

"Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?" by Tom Doyle with Greg Webster

This book immediately got my attention and managed to hold it.  It is about Muslims having dreams and visions of Christ.  What I like about this book is that it does not just focus on Muslims in America.  It deals mostly with people in the Middle East.  The pages comes alive as history and culture collide to give the reader a full grasp of what is going on in the Muslim world.  The stories are from both men and women.  Excitement enters the pages as readers learn firsthand the dangers of converting to Christianity in Islam nations.  After reading about the horror stories of converts, Christians are given a wake-up call about the devotion of their own faith.  If they lived in a country that physically persecuted Christians, would they still hold to their beliefs?  I will not give away all the details of each story, but they will be on your mind for a while.  What's also great is that the end of the book has tips on loving and befriending Muslims.  Muslims--like any other people group--need the love of Christ displayed to them.

"Because You Care: Spiritual Encouragement for Caregivers" by Cecil Murphey with Twila Belk (with photographs by Betty Fletcher)

This is a very nice little gift book for those who are caregivers.  It is short and has nice glossy pages.  The photography is also very vibrant.  The font is also easy on the eyes.  The book goes over various perspectives on caregiving, from caring for spouses to caring for parents to even--sadly--caring for children.  From those who are just plain ill to those who will never get better (and just get worse), the true stories in this book will tug at your heart.  The stories are quick, but they convey emotion.  There is some Bible quoted every so often for encouragement.  This is not a book stock-full of Bible verses to encourage caretakers.  It does not even get too theologically deep.  It is a simple book for simple people who are caregivers. 

"My Journey to Heaven" by Marvin J. Besteman with Lorilee Craker

This was book an interesting read.  What I liked was that this book did not give too many details.  The author said he peeked into heaven but was not able to get int.  He apparently met Peter, who didn't find his name in the Book of Life...for that day.  The author was told he had to go back to earth because he had more work to do.  The few details given about heaven are written as being "indescribable."  The author does not see Yah.  He does see angels and lots of babies, though.  The book devotes a good portion of pages to the author's life and giving back-stories on people he met in heaven.  The only time I was skeptical was when the author talked about a sea in heaven.  There is no sea in heaven (Rev 21:1).  But, later, he called this sea a lake.  So, maybe he just couldn't tell.  Other than that, the book is nice.  There is some lack of knowledge when the author talks about the Malak YHWH (Angel of the Lord) and refers to this Angel like it's an ordinary angel and not YHWH Himself.  Also, when I say "author," I am talking about the man who had the heavenly vision.  The book is actually written with help after the "author" passed away.  Overall, this book is interesting.  However, if you really want to read about a heavenly encounter, I encourage you to read "Heaven is for Real."