Clout by Jenni Catron

This book is subtitled, “Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence.” This simple, straightforward book addresses seven “clout killers” and four “clout cultivators”. The writer talks about fear, comparison, jealousy, scarcity, insecurity, pride and control as the “killers” and identity, confidence, mission and passion as the “cultivators”. She addresses directly how to confront and overcome the seven undesirable traits and how to find and pursue the desirable traits. Jenni Catron writes in a very easy style, sprinkling her analysis with anecdotes that are pertinent and helpful, while using Bible passages effectively. At the end of each chapter are penetrating questions which will help you evaluate yourself and which can help you move forward. If you are wondering how to increase your significance and influence, this is the book for you. It is practical and hands-on, and you will come away a deeper understanding of yourself and your influence. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

The People Factor by Van Moody

Approaching relationships in an objective fashion is not something most people consider. Van Moody does an exceptional job of presenting the case for building strong, healthy friendships by giving critical consideration to everyone we encounter. As the vast majority of people will become close to, and therefore heavily influenced by, at least a few, the author makes the case for the importance of choosing friends wisely. Van Moody systematically considers what he calls the ten Critical Laws of Relationships, among which are mutual benefit, agreement, selectivity, sacrifice, and loyalty. He discusses how to evaluate ourselves and others based on these and other criteria. When relationships are unhealthy, guidelines are given to help decide where to go from there. The author is a pastor, and he effectively weaves biblical examples and references into each chapter, which ends with a summary and then questions to help the reader evaluate past and current relationships. This was a very good book, one to pick up again and again, with a goal of evaluating relationships. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

All You Want to Know About Hell by Steve Gregg

While this book is misnamed, it is an excellent work. If you expect to read a description of hell, its structure, activities, and so forth, you will be sorely disappointed. The subtitle more accurately describes the book: “Three Christian Views of God’s Final Solution to the Problem of Sin,” presenting the cases for traditionalism, conditionalism, and restorationism. Having never heard of Steve Gregg or the school where he taught, The Great Commission School, my expectations were low. His book, however, is a gem, as it very carefully and articulately parses the three views, with a goal of being even-handed. I actually cannot imagine a more well-researched and well-reasoned work on the topic of hell. It expertly weaves together both biblical support and scholarly research. It was a pleasure to read this book and have my horizons broadened. You will come away with a better understanding of both the view you hold and those you don’t, realizing that no one view truly has a “corner on the market.” An intriguing insight on which the author expands both at the beginning and the end of the book is that “our view of hell is inseparably joined to our view of God.” That alone is reason enough to read this wonderful book. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

This debut novel is an excellent work. It is fashioned after Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster and, while it does not require a love of the works of Jane Austen, would be especially enjoyed by Austen fans. The author’s use of Austen quotations at times is brilliant, and at those times it is as if an Austen fan entered a room of slightly distorted mirrors, simultaneously able to see both the original and the slight distortions in the reflection. The only downside to patterning this book after Webster’s work is that from the start, readers of that predecessor know the denouement. The main character, Samantha, is well written and eminently likable, making perfect sense to the reader. Her closest friends are well crafted. The character and story line surrounding Cara, though, seemed contrived and unnecessary, as if to drive home the point of what might have become of Samantha, whose interest in and pull towards Cara seemed borne of guilt rather than caring, making their interactions beyond the first one ring false. Cara accurately reflects that discomfort, and while the course of all the other relationships can probably be predicted, the one with Cara is left completely unresolved, in large part because of the shakiness of the continuing motivations of both characters. Issues around the child welfare system are embedded deeply into the book’s themes, giving it both a darker and richer feel than Webster’s works. The author does a masterful job of incorporating the effects of child neglect and abandonment into some of the main characters in a way that make their challenges make sense and come alive. For those who have never had any exposure to the child welfare system, it will be a bit of an education. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program. http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

This Is Your Captain Speaking by Gavin MacLeod

For anyone who loved The Mary Tyler Moore Show or The Love Boat, this book is a treat to read. It is written as you’d expect Gavin MacLeod to talk, in a folksy, in-the-moment style. Unlike many Hollywood biographies, this one is discreet. The author does not routinely badmouth others, although he does give his impressions of them. You get the idea that Gavin MacLeod is a positive person who likes others, which makes him come across as more of an everyday person than a TV star. In addition to narrating his path to fame, the author also talks about his struggles, including the “hole” in his life not met by fame or wealth, and how he gave his life to Jesus at a crisis moment, which changed his life. He details the transition and the change in a way that is easy to understand. The thing that most impressed me about Gavin’s life, beyond the fame, was this: he lived his life in such a way that two of the people who worked most closely with him over the years both came to faith in Christ through his witness. No matter who you are, THAT is an accomplishment, to have earned both the respect and credibility to be heard when people have a need. Having read this book and seen what he considers his most meaningful work on film, The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry, there is only one thing I wished he would have added to both: a clear presentation of the gospel. In both the book and the movie, Gavin MacLeod talks about “giving your life to Jesus” and recognizing “Jesus as your Lord and Savior,” and while in the book he cites John 3, he says nothing about Jesus dying for our sins nor about His resurrection; I Cor. 15:3-4 includes these two events as “of first importance”. Gavin MacLeod mentions a tract from which he read when he prayed with a friend who wanted to receive the Lord. I wished the book would have included that prayer or a narration of the steps to “give your life to Jesus” so the reader might follow those steps. For the most part, this was a satisfying book to read. I learned more than I had hoped about the author and, as he said, his voyage through Hollywood, faith and life. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

31 Days to Happiness by David Jeremiah

These 31 chapters are an expository work on the book of Ecclesiastes. While it is lengthy—over 300 pages—it is well worth reading. The author’s lifetime of experience in speaking and writing, coupled with the deep wisdom found in one of Solomon’s books, make for a challenging, wonderful read. There is a rarely found depth in this book that no doubt will call the reader to reach for it again and again. This book, mirroring Ecclesiastes, aims at exposing wisdom for what it is: the opposite of worldly views. The first half emphasizes the fact that neither money nor work can bring happiness. The second half shows how godly wisdom is the polar opposite of a natural view, with misery, sorrow, rebuke and “the hard way” bringing profit. Chapter after chapter dissects Ecclesiastes’ premises, such as the chapter on Solomon’s final admonitions which were that life is uncertain, short, mysterious and obedience and so should be embraced, enjoyed, examined and expressed. David Jeremiah’s many years of sermon preparation are reflected in excellent chapters such as this one. This book was interesting, challenging and comforting. The Bible is communicated well, especially the book of Ecclesiastes, which can be puzzling to read. I highly recommend this book. I would say, though, that I think it is misnamed. It should be “31 Days to Wisdom”. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

The Beauty of Broken by Elisa Morgan

This is the author’s personal account about the brokenness of her family of origin and her own family, with the point being that every person is broken, and therefore every family is broken. There is no such thing as the perfect family because people are flawed. Elisa Morgan details the actions and reactions of herself, her father, mother, sister and brother in their relationships from the time she was young through the present, as well as the details of how she met and married her husband and the challenges they have faced with their two adopted children. God and the Bible are central to the author’s perspective and help her to maintain her balance throughout her life. Elisa Morgan demonstrates how a godly perspective is foundational to growing through life’s blows. There was much in this book to identify with and be encouraged by. The author used Scripture effectively. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks family life should yield a profitable return on investment, who thinks that if you just do things correctly, everything should turn out well. God did not promise that, and the author proves her case that from the beginning, families have not delivered on that false premise. God does, however, provide the tools to weather the storms, and this book does a good job of exploring that subject. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.