Sunday, April 21, 2013

Bread and Wine

Wow, I love this book.  Love, love, LOVE this book!!!  I know a good book review summarizes the book first and gives you an overview of the contents.  But I figure you've already read all of that so I thought I would just skip over that and get to the heart of what I loved about the book.

From the very first chapter I felt like I knew the author, Shauna Niequist, even though this is the first book I have ever read of hers.  Her writing is very personable and I appreciated her honesty on her life situations.   I believe I could walk into her kitchen anytime and we would talk about whatever subject comes up.  I learned from her chapter "Start Where You Are" which talks about having people over for a meal even if you just serve them frozen pizza.  She then goes on to explain how she enjoyed having people over and started reading cookbooks to find out how to cook.  She, of course, is a fantastic gourmet cook so it was assuring to read of her beginning hospitality and how she was able to take it to higher levels.

Shauna told about her travels and writes about her own personal experiences with over indulgence.  Her husband needs to eat gluten free but she is working on middle ground for herself......some fasting , some feasting.  I love it!!  (Have I said that before?)  To top it all off, she ends almost each chapter with a delicious recipe!!  I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to cook.  Or not.

I received this book free from Booksneeze for an honest review.  They did not say it had to be a positive review.


Sunday, April 7, 2013

When Jesus Wept

When Jesus Wept is the first book of the Jerusalem Chronicles by Bodie and Brock Thoene.  Bodie and Brock Thoene are best-selling authors of over 65 works of historical fiction and I have been privileged to read the Zion Covenant and The Zion Chronicles.  I really need to read the other series of books they have written as well but for some reason I just have not gotten to them.  However, when I found out I would be able to read and review the first book of the Jerusalem Chronicles, I could hardly wait for the book to arrive.  This couple is well known to research history thoroughly to provide accurate timelines and historical data in the stories they write.

The beginning of this book has me looking at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in a new light.  I didn’t realize the strictness of the Roman rule and it definitely made me pay attention to the details as I read my Bible.  The Thoene’s introduce Lazarus and the first part is about Lazarus before he and his sisters met Jesus.  The whole account of Lazarus owning a vineyard and making wine was fascinating to me.  The story goes on to the Wedding of Cana.  Again, just interesting to see someone tell about this and give me different perspective on it.

The book is divided into 4 parts and tells different parts of Jesus' ministry from Lazarus' perspective.  The way the authors describe Mary was intriguing and again, gave me fresh perspective into her life and Martha's as well.  It is hard to review a fiction book without giving away the story line.  But I will say that I would recommend this book to anyone who has a mind for the creative and desires to see the Bible story come alive from another Christian perspective.

I received this book from Booksneeze, a blogger program from Thomas Nelson, in exchange for my book review.