The Creation as retold by Janice D. Green

I must admit when I first saw the pictures to this book, I found them rather strange and a little creepy. But then I realized that they are taken from a quilt and I thought the idea was interesting and fairly well put together. Before I ever actually picked the book up to read for this review, my now 18 month old daughter saw the book and seemed to really like the pictures. Since this book is written for children and not really for adults, I take that as a good sign that most kids would find the illustrations interesting as well. I did appreciate the uniqueness of the illustrations because I think it would help kids remember what day each thing was created.

As far as the content of the book, it really is just "The Creation" account that is found in Genesis. However, Mrs. Green has paraphrased it to make it easier for kids to understand. At the end of each page there are also some different questions that you can ask the kids. I felt like some of the questions didn't really pertain with that particular page, but they would open up a discussion with the child.

I can't really say that overall I would recommend this book as a purchase even though it is definitely unique. I think this book would probably be enjoyed by some and not by others - not just because it is about Creation (which I wholeheartedly believe in) but even just the way it is illustrated may not be what everybody is looking for.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from the BookCrash book review program. I was under no obligation to give it a positive review.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

Having just finished reading "The Maid of Fairbourne Hall" by Julie Klassen, the only thing I can think of is, "I wonder what else she has written, so I can read another great book like this one!" I know that I've heard of Julie Klassen, but I don't recall that I have ever read any of her books. I'm so glad I decided to review this one.

This book starts off with Margaret Macy realizing that her virtue is not safe living with her mother and step-father. Having taken a little bit of money before she leaves, she goes as far as the money will take her and then seeks employment as a housemaid. She only needs to stay hidden until her next birthday when she will receive a large inheritance. Since she has always had her own servants, she has a lot to learn as a housemaid. Because of her new station, she learns many lessons about herself and about not judging people on their appearances. Of course there is a little bit of romance and mystery thrown in the mix to make this a very interesting read throughout the book.

I really enjoyed reading this book. As the review on the back of the book states, "Her writing is comparable to Jane Austen's." I definitely found that the style or at least the time period was very similar, but it was also a very fresh look at that time period as well. I especially enjoyed all the little tidbits at the beginning of each chapter that had quotes from various books or letters from the time period this book was written about. It was all so interesting!

If you are looking for a book that makes you forget your life for awhile and puts you in a period in time that was so different from ours then you've found it.

I did receive this book in exchange for an honest review from Bethany House. I was under no obligation to give a positive review.

Sexperiment: 7 Days to Lasting Intimacy with Your Spouse by Ed & Lisa Young

When I saw that this book was available for review I thought it sounded like an interesting twist on your typical marriage help books and I was eager to read it. While I sincerely believe that my husband and I have a very good marriage, I figured that there would still be something that we could gain from this book. I started reading the book and it did not disappoint. While yes, the book does definitely focus on having an intimacy with your spouse - it goes beyond that! It covers so many excuses that we let crop into our lives that lead us away from "becoming one" in our marriages.

One of my favorite chapters was actually the first chapter because it covered the differences between men and women and how we think. I couldn't believe how accurate it was! I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised since this is written from a husband and wife team that have been married for over 30 years, but it still amazed me.

I think that this book would be very helpful for any marriage. Even if you have a solid marriage - it will help to solidify your marriage. If your marriage seems to be shaky - it can help you to get it back on track. This book even has a section at the end of each chapter called "Action Steps" for couples that are reading this together and are getting ready to embark on the "Sexperiment". While this book is written for married couples, it also has a section at the end of the chapter called "Before You Do" for engaged couples and "The Yoke is Not a Joke" for those that are still dating. I really appreciated the fact that over and over in these sections they made a point to say that this experiment is only for you once you are married, but there are things that you can consider before you are in that situation.

I received this book for free from FaithWords in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All words and thoughts in this review are my own.