"Hope, Help & Healing for Eating Disorders" by Gregory Lanz PhD with Ann McMurray

I thought I've seen it all from Christian self-help books. There were the fitness ones, the relationship ones, the emotional ones, and more. However, this is the first book focusing on eating disorders that has Christian undertones. Well, judging from the cover--and even the back cover--readers don't really know this. Only those familiar with the WaterBrook name will have an inkling. Still, the bulk of the book has to deal with clinical advice from professionals. Only small parts at the end of chapters involve the Bible, Jesus, and prayer. The book doesn't shove religion in one's face, but readers may come to know God as He is integrate into their healing process. There is a "whole person" approach that incorporates the physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, and other aspects of one's persona into recovery. There are some stories that readers may relate to. There are also questions and prompts designed for a superfluous journal not included with this book. Much focus is on diving deep into one's own person and realizing how one was hurt as a child. Forgiveness is discussed. Men are mentioned, too, so this is not just a book for women. Some of the writing may seem a bit "shrinky," but, in the introduction, the authors warn the readers that the book may not be easy but it will help. My only criticism is when the authors mention learning to love one's body and open up again to physical intimacy. I can only hope they mean confined to marriage, but this was equivocal.

"The Snowglobe" by Sheila Roberts

This is a nice little book for the holiday season. Its main downfall, though, is all the rave reviews that are included on the first few pages. People say how fantastic this book is, and I get my hopes up. Granted, there were identifiable characters that readers can relate to and the story is well crafted, I wouldn't call this book fantastic or the best Christmas book. The first few chapters are a bit slow, and just when readers get attached to one character, a new character's story shoves its foot in the door of the novel. All in all, the main part of the story is that a snow globe predicts the future differently for each person who shakes it. There is an undertone assumed that characters celebrate Christmas and are by default Christian. However, this book is not really religious. There are a few swear words and one implication of pre-marital relations (no details or scene but unmarried characters saying a line or two of dialog that implies the notion).

"Bridges on the Journey" by Busa, Fobes, Miller & Sanders

Some people are fans of devotionals that are as thick as the Bibles they cite. However, for those with less spacious schedules, smaller ones are sought. This book is split into 6 sections that deal with growing closer to God. Concise Bible quotations and leading questions condense loads of lessons into a small book. Diagrams and charts are alongside page art that makes the book seem fun. Also, its spiral binding and smooth clay-like cover make it seem like more of a personal journal than just a devotional. In the back, there are a few Bible verse note cards that can be detached for memorization; I like this. What's also great is that many parts of the book make the reader think of and relate to their friends. What do I like best about this book? It makes the devotionals personal without watering down the Gospel.

"Flight of Shadows" by Sigmund Brouwer

As a book reviewer, I tend to get books for free. Very rarely do I read a book that I like so much that I am actually tempted to buy other books by the author. This is one of those cases. Set in the future, this is a story of a genetically-engineered young woman fleeing for her life. Narrations change as readers are taken in the shoes of the hunters and the hunted. Enough thoughts are conveyed for readers to grasp characters, but not enough is given to make any of them predictable or unlikely to make drastic changes like betrayal or redemption. Angels and demons are conveyed metaphorically as a good versus evil plot goes on. With skill, Brouwer gets this across without merely spelling it out for the reader. This book is actually a sequel to another book, but readers can still read this and get the gist of what is going on. After becoming engrossed in the story and characters, readers will simply want to read the prequel. There are some religious undertones, which are thought-provoking. This book is not suitable for young readers because it has blood, violence, murder, and suggestive scenes (when evil character tries to attack a woman, it backfires on him). Also, each little chapter was never more than a few pages long, which makes this book great since it can be interrupted often with people's busy lives. Stellar.

"Double Shot" by Erynn Mangum

This book is unusual in many senses of the word. From the cover, readers can be right in assuming the book is all about marriage. The protagonist Maya experiences weddings and births from friends and families. The book starts of with Maya being already engaged. Most of the book follows her relationships with friends and family, some interactions with her fiance, and planning her own wedding. The book is not graphic and ends right at the wedding of Maya and her groom. The only risque part is when it is mentioned how Maya's girlfriends buy her lingerie; I just think that's weird. Maya tries to discern God's will when it comes to moving. In the end, her decision is expected but not necessarily backed up fully. I wasn't too fond of the overly stereotypical woman who gets married and has to many hormones, but, the pages flew by. Also, there are some positive Christian undertones. I didn't even know this book was a third in a series until I finished and looked back at the first few inner pages.

"Churched" by Matthew Paul Turner

I requested this book because I had read Turner's work before and was entertained. He writes with a sincere style that shows his childhood innocence. Nothing is held back. The book deals with Turner being brought up in the fundamentalist baptist church and being exposed to various rules and fire-and-brimstone preachers. He doesn't come right out and say that he felt his church rules more than Jesus' love, but Turner has a way of conveying ideas without always just putting them down plainly. The writing is humorous. At times, he does poke fun at other denominations, but he does not seem hateful. He talks of Catholics as not knowing Jesus and worthy of hell (obviously ingrained into him as a child) but later says he almost converted to Catholicism as an adult (except he didn't care for the sitting, standing, kneeling, and cross-gesturing). I'd recommend this book, as well as his "Hear No Evil," which I have reviewed before.

"On This Day in Christian History" by Robert J. Morgan

While this book is set up like a devotional, it is unique. Instead of just a Bible verse for each day of the year with an explanation, there is a historical moment captured on the page. Yes, there are Bible verses for each day at the end of the page, but they complement the stories more than just teach readers. Each reading is a page or less and is designated for a day of the year. It starts from January first and ends on the last day of December. What's really cool is that each historical reading actually took place on the day that is prescribed for the reader. To read history of Christians is one thing, but to have a significant date to read it is awesome.

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God Loves Single Moms by Teresa Whitehurst

This book was surprisingly good. Not being a [single] mother, there was much I learned. Whitehurst uses quizzes, psychological advice, self-esteem building, stories, and more to convey her various points. Bible verses and prayers are included, as well. There is much emphasis on the single mother bettering herself not only for her own well-being but also for the well-being of her child. Quotations from advocates are boxed, and Whitehurst even cross-references some help from her book that deals with how Jesus would raise / handle children. Relationships with others--including the child's father--are expounded upon, too. For single mothers or anyone with a heart, this book should be read.

Available November 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

"Granular Patterns" by Igor S. Aranson and Lev S. Tsimring

This book starts of with--surprise, surprise--defining and explaining what granular patterns are. However, the authors get straight to the point and introduce proper vocabulary and theories. The reader is treated as competent enough to follow along, but they never feel as if the book is too slow; the pace is proper. The authors use easy-to-visualize examples to explain concepts. One such is the Brazilian nut effect that the authors explain with--you guessed it--a picture of nuts in a jar alongside glass beads in a jar.

Many applications are discussed. Some are avalanche, bacteria patterns, cell movement under certain conditions, extraterrestrial craters, sand dunes / piles, and more. After the interest is piqued, the math is introduced. It seems as though many of the equations are meant to be fed into a computer, but the authors still introduce what the equations mean for general understanding.

Some other topics discussed include different types of materials for substrates. Periodicity and frequency comes into play, too. Gravity-driven flow is inserted, and the authors admit where there is a theory that is still not quite understood by the scientific granular community. Boundary layers, complex interactions, and movement is touched upon, as well. Some statistics come into play with probability, but readers need not have a background in in to follow along. Experimental and simulated results are compared side-by-side when appropriate.

The appearance of this book is rather nice. The hardcover is not too heavy, being under 500 pages. Also, the green and tan cover with an example of granular patterns conveys precocity without an air of literary arrogance. The pages have a nice glossy feel to them, and the content is black-and-white. Pictures are plentiful, and all diagrams / charts / graphs are explained with proper paragraphs and captions.

The audience for this book struck me as for readers at the research level. This could be undergraduate research programs, graduate school projects, or just research professors are working on. The information given is presented in such a manner that any technical reader will enjoy it for a leisurely read. However, there is enough technical data in this book to be used as a primary source is research. While notations and symbols are explained, not all of the math is. Readers are expected to have a good grasp of vector calculus, differential calculus, and multivariable equations.

While this book can be considered a classical textbook, I feel it is better than that. While it is meant to teach readers about granular patterns, it has a one-up on other textbooks because it is so well presented. Pages fly by and are actually fun--a term not many working scientists and engineers see in texts. Additionally, there is a CD-rom included in the back of the book. It has a plethora (not using the word lightly) of movies. Some are molecular dynamics simulations, whilst others are from experimentalists physically setting up scenarios (evidence is from the black-and-white hands entering the foreground every now and then).

Overall, I have nothing but positive things to say about this book. I've always considered granular patterns to be simply under the scope of materials science. However, I've learned that this topic is very interdisciplinary. It covers computer science, mathematics, environmental science, physics, and--my favorite as an aeronautical engineer--fluid dynamics.

"A Rush of Wings" by Kristen Heitzmann

The back cover's brief synopsis does not do this book justice. There is so much in the plot and characters that readers are immediately sucked into Heitzmann's world. The book starts off with a rich girl running away with a dream of a hawk that haunts her copiously. The narration moves between characters, and readers wonder why the protagonist fled. As she arrives at her new destination, new characters emerge as Noelle catches the admiration of two brothers. Country life is juxtaposed with city life, and horses enter the story, along with painting. Both seek her love and are vastly different. Noelle's ex-fiance also purses her in an effort to find her and get her back. As mysteries unfold with the book's progression, Noelle interacts with the brothers. There is some romance, but nothing is graphic. Female readers are a bit annoyed with Noelle's venerability as a female character, but, after they learn her story, they see her persona fits into the story and is not overtly saying otherwise. Also, albeit a bit cheesy at moments, the twists are unexpected, and there is never a dull or predictable moment. Even if readers skip to the end of the book to read the last line, they'll have the ending wrong if they guessed it. Faith is tied into the book in such a profound way that I will not spoil it. My favorite quote from the book? "She had feared the sky, but it was the ground that broke her" (Heitzmann 174).

Christmas at Harrington’s by Melody Carlson

This book did not dazzle me with its cover, as many Christmas books I have come by me tend to be tiredly predictable and dramatic. However, seeing Carlson's name, I figured I'd give the book a try since I've known some of her better works. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the book. The protagonist is actually an ex-con, and the reader is pulled into the mystery and intrigue of her sentence. The reader also ponders the whole "wolf in sheep's clothing" reference. The woman is out of prison when the book starts, and readers follow her on her journey of starting a new life. She ends up working as a Mrs. Santa and makes some new friends. I don't want to spoil more, but I will say this book is a nice Christmas gift that flows well and isn't too long to read.

Available November 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

"More Glimpses of Heaven" by Trudy Harris, RN

When I picked up this book, I expected to be blown away by an array of near-death-experiences and literal "glimpses-of-heaven." That's not exactly what I got. After reading the introduction, I realized the author was speaking of heaven as the kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit here on Earth. So, there were more stories of kindness, love, forgiveness, and compassion than all out NDEs. There are a few stories about little children seeing / hearing Jesus and people seeing angels, but most others are just about people dying contently knowing that God loves them. Readers may not like or agree with everything in the book, but the author probably had good intentions. My main criticism is for when the author puts the first story in her book. It is about a dying young wife. Her husband wants her to feel beautiful one last time, so he gives her a bath (cleaned up version I am writing here). The author goes on to say that that is how Jesus loves us. While I know she probably meant that God loves us and wants us to feel beautiful even when we feel ugly, I do not think the analogy was the best. Love is love, but the love of God is not romantic. Again, I am sure she did not mean for it to come out that way, but it just did.

Available November 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

"Angry" by Larua L. Smith

Smith has done it again. I have reviewed one of her other books before and greatly enjoyed it; this one is no different. There is a teenage girl with a crisis that is not too extreme that no one has heard of it. The girl's parents get divorced. Even if readers do not have divorced parents, chances are they know friends that do. The protagonist faces much animosity towards her parents and towards God in her situation. She also dives into her school play to be someone else and escape for a while. I won't ruin the book, but I will say the girl comes to God at the end. Really, what else can be expected from "TH1NK" publishing, anyway? Not everything in the book is Christian, but non-Chrisitan girls reading he book will slowly ease into the character and not feel like she is judged. The cover did not strike me at first, but the book was easy and enjoyable to read.

"The Discipline of Grace" by Jerry Bridges

As an avid lover sheep and book awards, this book immediately caught my eye. Going through it, I was pleasantly surprised. The Bible verses included were very inspirational and pertinent to the point the author was trying to make. Many overarching themes are in the book that growing Christians will find amazing and mature Christians will be reviewing. Either way, they are great for thinking of and encourage thought in all types of Christians. Many quotes are from Protestants, but the author never seems to put down more conservative Catholics. Most of the content of the book is accurate with the Bible and well-versed (no pun intended). Readers may not agree with everything said in context, but the overall theme of the book and tone has a very good set of intentions. Want to read about how grace works, how you can flee temptation, and what becoming holy means? Like books with sheep and book medals on the cover? Pick this book up.

"Real-life Discipleship" by Jim Putnam

I'm not going to lie--when I first saw this book, I figured I'd gotten myself a pretty cover with some fluff and more of reading what I already knew. Boy was I wrong! This book was very enjoyable and taught me much. Instead of other books that focus on the "stages" that people go through to become Christian (essentially arduous evangelism handbooks), this book focuses on something different. It puts people into groups. There are the spiritually dead and then Christans. Within the Christan group, there are infants, children, young adults, and then parents / adults. The book focuses on how to help each level so they can reach the parent / adult level and disciple others. While other books on evangelism are great, this does not focus on recruiting, because--well--that doesn't always work. Putnam acknowledges the fact that Christians can not control others or sway opinions. As I like to put it, only Jesus can lead others to Jesus. For the nonbelievers, we can lead by example / love and be ready with graceful answers and invitations. If we are asked something we don't know, we should just admit it and promise to get back to the person in a week. For those that already believe but are naive, self-centered, ill-informed, or otherwise lacking, there are ways we can help; this book outlines them. Instead of throwing pamphlets in atheists' faces and shouting turn-or-burn phrases, we should be building up what Christians there are more Christians that really strive to live like Jesus and grow the Church. I could go on and on, but, please, just read this book.

"Don't Waste the Pain" by David Lyons and Linda Lyons Richardson

Like the cover implies, this is a book on suffering. It has a Christian twist, though. In all of the sufferings and hardships written about by the brother and sister, God is intertwined. The Word of God is quoted quite often and in very relevant fashions. Even though the passages are great and the overarching theme has to do with growing through suffering, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart. Cancer, depression, death, and other tragedies are described. Since they relate to family and friends that are real and not made up, the stories hit closer to home. Also, there are pictures included of both good times and bad that can pull at readers' heartstrings. Overall, this book has some great messages but definitely is not a book to read on a summer beach.

"Amy Inspired" by Bethany Pierce

When I started reading this book, I was immediately sucked in. The characters are real and the tone is purposeful. Essentially, readers are taken into the mind of a thirty-year-old English professor (minus the tenure). She lives with quite a character that is her roommate in an apartment. Love is tied into the story but not in a graphic fashion. There is tension over relationships, but the book is not cheesy because it does not dwell on that. Whether this is a metaphor for how women should not dwell on men is another story. Regardless, the men in the book are always there but do not take up the whole story. Also, Pierce is careful to keep the book real while not making it shameful. In a sense, nothing is sugarcoated, but, at the same time, readers do not feel like the book should be on a Christian d0-not-read-list. Christianity is woven into the story in an honest way through the characters' eyes. There is grief in the story but not in a cliched manner. Women may like this book more than men, but, for the male readers, it will give them a glimpse into the female psyche that is surprisingly accurate. What's great about this book is that the story starts and ends after a while, but you realize that not many physical events happened; yet, you kept turning the pages. This is not easy for all writers to pull off, but Pierce does it. Also, there is a set of discussion questions at the end. As a book reviewer, I could have sped-read this book and still have gotten the gist of what happened. But I didn't and did not want to.

"Then Sings My Soul" by Robert Morgan

This special edition book has 150 hymns in it. They are mostly Christmas and Easter songs, with some Thanksgiving and miscellaneous ones thrown in. The actual music is on the left page, and the description and history of the song is one the right page. This includes a Bible verse, which is nice for reflection. While the songs are not necessarily alphabetical, there is an organization to the book and many ways to look up songs both from the front and back of the book. Seeing as how the book is paperback and isn't huge, one needs extra books or some sort of clip to hold the pages down. The music is by no means a drawn out solo, but there is enough to hear the song. Notes for the left and right hand of piano are given. Lyrics are included, too. To test out this book, I went to a piano and played. The songs sound nice. Depending on one's denomination, some readers may only recognize a good portion of the Christmas songs and a few others. Still, the other songs have nice melodies and sincere words. Overall, I recommend this book to musicians--especially pianists--and hope Thomas Nelson offers more music books for review.

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"Devotions for the God Girl" by Hayley DiMarco

This devotional book is a rather nice one. 365 devotions are given for each day of the year. The purple pages and print, along with flower designs, make the book extra girly and fun. What I particularly like about this specific devotion is that it spans from Genesis to Revelation. Sure, it doesn't go over every single verse (that'd make the book more of a brick!), but it does focus on verses that span the entire Bible. Bible stories that girls may have forgotten are recounted. Lastly, everything is related back to the reader with how she can correlate it to her own life. I definitely recommend this book to any girl looking for time with God. A page a day is not hard.

In His Image Devotional Bible NLT

As always, whenever I get a Bible in the mail, my soul leaps and does a little jig. This case was no different. When I actually started reading this Bible after skimming past the jargon on how this translation is different from other ones and oh-so great (what almost EVERY other translation boasts), I started digging in. At the beginning of each book, there is a page on the central theme and aspects of God's character in the chapters. On the bottom of some pages, there are paragraphs on seeking to be more godly. On some pages, specific verses are emphasized in color; the main colors in the book are black and blue. On the right of some pages, there are reflections and a specific array prayers made by the editors that are repeated. This hardcover book does not include the extra Catholic books of the Bible.