The Adam Quest by Tim Stafford

“The Adam Quest” by Tim Stafford is about scientists who also believe in the Bible and Christianity. These scientists may not have the same theories that you read in textbooks, but their views of human origins should also be considered, and Tim Stafford does an excellent job in giving them a place to put their beliefs forward in an easy to read book for people who may not understand that much about “science” but believe in the faith that brought them to where we are now as a species.

Book Description

"Science and faith should be allies, not opponents, in the search for truth.

But when it comes to understanding the very beginnings of life, it is no easy task to reconcile the history taught in the Bible with the discoveries of the scientific community.

Author Tim Stafford watched the tension between the beliefs of Darwin and the teaching of Genesis shake the faith of his family, ruin friendships, and leave Christians in the field of science feeling as though the doors of the church were closed to their profession.

He believes this civil war can stop. The scientific record and the truth of the Bible aren’t mutually exclusive. The Adam Quest offers a compelling new look at the beginnings of life as Stafford puts questions of dinosaurs, genealogy, and the age of the earth to eleven world-class scientists.

A sweeping book—touching everything from advances in genetics to a particle physicist striving to become Anglican priest—Stafford uses the stories and journeys of these remarkable men and women to provide a new diversity of answers. Scientific progress is carefully detailed, while the struggle toward truth and toward God is humanized.

A deeply informative look at Christians working in science, this book is for both believers and those who harbor doubts—an intersection of faith and science, and a safe place for questions. Whether you believe in a young earth, intelligent design, evolutionary creationism, or something else, The Adam Quest offers a chance to strengthen your faith, deepen your knowledge, and bring science back into the church." - “The Adam Quest” by Tim Stafford 

My Thoughts

Tim Stafford does an excellent job with showing how the struggle with faith and science makes people today unsure of what to believe. Being taught about evolution in science class Monday – Friday and then going to church on Sunday and being taught about God and creation is very conflicting. He doesn’t push any of the beliefs suggested in this book, which I appreciate. He does however present them in an understandable way as presented to him by the scientists he interviewed.

The different type of theories covered include: young earth creationists, intelligent design creationists, and evolutionary creationists. Each of these have strengths and weaknesses, but again, nothing is forced. It is more of a book about the scientist’s lives and how they were able to hold onto their relationship with believing in God while still being a scientist.

I enjoyed this book, but I wanted a little bit more from it. I found many of the stories interesting and inspiring, but it was still a bit dry and more of a common discussion on the topic than I had hoped for.

Thank you to the publisher of this book, Thomas Nelson for providing me a copy of this book for review through their Book Look Bloggers program.

Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell

Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell is the sequel to the “Blood Gospel.” The Order of the Sanguines series is about an immortal order that was founded on the blood of Christ.

Book Description

“In a masterwork of international adventure, supernatural mystery, and apocalyptic prophecy, New York Times bestselling authors James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell open the next chapter in a world of shadow and light, of salvation and damnation, where the fate of the heavens is locked within a child of . . . Innocent Blood

A vicious attack at a ranch in California thrusts archaeologist Erin Granger back into the fold of the Sanguines, an immortal order founded on the blood of Christ and tasked with protecting the world from the beasts haunting its shadows and waiting to break free into the sunlight. Following the prophetic words found in the Blood Gospel—a tome written by Christ and lost for centuries—Erin must again join forces with Army Sergeant Jordan Stone and the dark mystery that is Father Rhun Korza to discover and protect a boy believed to be an angel given flesh.

But an enigmatic enemy of immense power and terrifying ambition seeks the same child—not to save the world, but to hasten its destruction. For any chance of victory, Erin must discover the truth behind Christ's early years and understand His first true miracle, an event wrapped in sin and destruction, an act that yet remains unfulfilled and holds the only hope for the world.

The search for the truth will take Erin and the others across centuries and around the world, from the dusty plains of the Holy Land to the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean, from the catacombs of Rome to an iron fortress in the Mediterranean Sea, and at last to the very gates of Hell itself, where their destiny—and the fate of humankind—awaits.

With The Blood Gospel, the first novel in the Order of the Sanguines series, James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell breathtakingly combined science, myth, and religion and introduced a world where miracles hold new meaning and the fight for good over evil is far more complicated than we ever dreamed. In Innocent Blood they again take us to the edge of destruction . . . and into the deepest reaches of the imagination.” – Innocent Blood

My Thoughts

Innocent Blood is a fast paced, highly interesting and intriguing novel about vampires and the Christian religion. This is a dark and mysterious series that is not expected when it comes to the popular type of vampire novels available today, and I for one, quite like that.

The main character, Erin Granger is on the hunt with Army Sergeant Jordan Stone and Father Rhun Korza to find a boy that is believed to be an angel. They aren’t the only ones looking for him though, and if they can’t get to him to protect him first, he may be in some serious danger. What they learn about Christ’s early years and his first true miracle is not expected, and takes them to places where they never expected going to uncover the truth.

I am not giving spoilers or anything to ruin the book for anyone reading this, because it is too good to do that. I highly enjoyed it, and think that if you are a fan of supernatural books, prophecy adventures, or books that are written well, you will enjoy it, too.

* Thank you to the publisher of Innocent Blood, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Kill Order by Robin Burcell

The Kill Order by Robin Burcell is a book in the Sydney Fitzpatrick novel series that features the FBI agent. It is a novel packed full of action and international intrigue, and even if you haven’t read the other books, you can still enjoy this one. It may however leave you wanting to go back and read the other books in the series though.

Book Description

“What you don't know can kill you . . .

FBI Special Agent Sydney Fitzpatrick knows nothing about the Devil's Key, except that her father was involved in its theft twenty years ago and was murdered as a result. The Devil's Key, a list of seemingly random, supposedly indecipherable numbers, poses an immediate threat to national security—and anyone caught with this code in their possession is terminated with extreme prejudice. Sydney, unaware of the standing kill order, only just recovered the list and turned it over to her superiors—but not before making a copy.

What you do know can kill you . . .

Now the hard drive containing the list's data has been compromised and two civilians are dead. But Sydney's not the only one in danger. When a young woman with eidetic memory sees the numbers, Sydney and her partner, Zachary Griffin, must protect her—and what she knows—at all costs. For if the code falls into enemy hands, it could devastate the entire country's infrastructure—and even ignite a world war.” – The Kill Order

My Thoughts

The Kill Order is the type of novel that gets you involved in it right away. It doesn’t take many chapters or pages before the action is there and you find yourself reading much more than you thought you would have in one sitting. I love this because really good books (and authors) like these are sometimes quite hard to find.

The main character, Sydney Fitzpatrick is a special agent for the FBI, which aside from being really cool, also makes this series about her full of action. She is a forensic artist, which I wish would have been showcased more in the book, but maybe it will be in future ones. I also really liked the chemistry she had with other characters in the book, such as with Zach, who is also an agent – but one who is hiding a huge secret from her.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more books by this author in the future. I definitely recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Kill Order, Harper Collins, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Weight Watchers Approved Products at Publix – On Sale!

If one of your goals this New Year is to lose weight or be healthier, you probably know about the Weight Watchers products and approved products that help you keep track of your points. Even if you aren’t following their diet plan, you know that they are generally going to be low in calorie and helpful to reach your goals, too.

“Diet” food is not cheap though. This week, Publix is having a sale from Jan 2 – 12 on some of the Weight Watcher approved foods you can enjoy on your road to health. Check out the following sale, and see what you can stock up on before time runs out!

·         Progresso Light Soups: BOGO

·         Green Giant Frozen: BOGO

·         Yoplait: 20 for $10

What I really like about these foods is that most of them, I can get gluten-free versions of. That makes me happy because as someone with Celiac disease, it isn't always easy to find those foods on sale. Just be sure to look for "Gluten Free" on the label or check out the product's ingredients.

For more information, check out Publix’s website.

“Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”

Pick Your Yoga Practice by Meagan McCrary

Pick Your Yoga Practice by Meagan McCrary is a book all about yoga. If you don’t practice it yourself, you probably know someone who does. Maybe you just want to know more about it before deciding to try it out for yourself. If that is the case, this is the perfect book for you to do some research before practicing it at home or in a gym.

Book Description

“On the surface it may appear that yoga is yoga is yoga, but take a closer look and you’ll discover myriad different yoga systems and lineages. There are dozens of yoga styles to choose from, and while yoga is for everyone, not every style is the perfect fit for every person. But how do you choose between mysterious-sounding names such as Ashtanga, Kundalini, Bikram, and Kripalu? As Meagan McCrary discovered when she began exploring different classes, finding the right style is essential for establishing a steady yoga practice. Pick Your Yoga Practice is the first book to describe the most prominent yoga styles in depth, including teaching methodology, elements of practice, philosophical and spiritual underpinnings, class structure, physical exertion, and personal attention. Those new to yoga will discover they have options and can confidently attend a class of their choosing, while experienced practitioners will expand their understanding of the vast world of modern yoga, and perhaps find themselves venturing into new territory.” – Pick Your Yoga Practice

My Thoughts

Pick Your Yoga Practice is a fantastic reference book for all of the different styles of yoga that is available for people to choose. The type you pick may have happened by accident, which is okay, but learning more about everything that is available is not just interesting, but can quite possibly help you to find a style that suits you better.

The author is a yoga teacher, so she knows and understands the subject very well. Her interest and knowledge in the topic shines through on the pages, and makes me want to take yoga more seriously. The author’s passion for yoga is definitely infectious!

As a reader you not only learn more about the types of yoga practices available, but also see how they can benefit you, or maybe not be for you at all. I like this because the type I was introduced to originally was just not for me. However, thanks to this book, I think I’ve found a few that I want to learn more about and also start practicing.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and learning more about yoga. If you already practice yoga, or are just thinking about it, this is a great book that you should definitely read. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Pick Your Yoga Practice, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Spiritual Awakening by Tim van der Vliet

Spiritual Awakening by Tim van der Vliet is a surprisingly simple and easy way to become more spiritually awakened. This is the fast and easy guide to becoming more Zen without having to read a lot to get to the end result.

Book Description

“In Spiritual Awakening: the easy way, Tim van der Vliet demonstrates through five simple steps that we don't need to read libraries full of hefty tomes to become enlightened, or to wake up.

His message is sharp, raw and straightforward - a surprising combination of spirituality and humour. Tim has the ability to get to the core of what's important, keep it simple and be funny when you least expect it; his words will inspire you and make you laugh at the same time. You can read them over and over again and find new perspectives through their transformative nature ...or maybe because the words have changed you.” – Spiritual Awakening

My Thoughts

Spiritual Awakening is a simple and to the point way of becoming more Zen and awakened. It is fun, humorous, and encourages the reader to actually write in the book! I love this! I also really like how in the very beginning of the book there are two pages for people to write their name and country in the book – so when it is passed along, you can see who else read the book. Fabulous idea!

The book itself is written in a very poetically flowing way, and makes excellent use of black and white, contrast, and using space in a very smart way. As a former layout and design editor, I especially applaud this.

I particularly enjoyed this book. It is fun, simple, and is meant to be shared with others. I highly recommend it for everyone to read and pass along to their friends and family.  

* Thank you to the publisher of Spiritual Awakening, Hay House, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo by Kent Nerburn

The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo by Kent Nerburn is the type of story that you will think about long after you finish reading the last page. It might even change your outlook on the world. This is the type of story that truly captures the spirit of the Native Americans, and can be shared for centuries to come. A classic in the making, this is one you want to read!

Book Description

“A haunting dream that will not relent pulls author Kent Nerburn back into the hidden world of Native America, where dreams have meaning, animals are teachers, and the “old ones” still have powers beyond our understanding. In this moving narrative, we travel through the lands of the Lakota and the Ojibwe, where we encounter a strange little girl with an unnerving connection to the past, a forgotten asylum that history has tried to hide, and the complex, unforgettable characters we have come to know from Neither Wolf nor Dog andThe Wolf at Twilight. Part history, part mystery, part spiritual journey and teaching story, The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo is filled with the profound insight into humanity and Native American culture we have come to expect from Nerburn’s journeys. As the American Indian College Fund has stated, once you have encountered Nerburn’s stirring evocations of America’s high plains and incisive insights into the human heart, “you can never look at the world, or at people, the same way again.”” – The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo

My Thoughts

The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo is a beautifully enchanting story about a hidden Native American world where your dreams have special meaning, animals are also our teachers, and you will never look at the world the same again.

Nerburn’s writing style is very easy to read, follow, and get pulled in. He doesn’t move at a very fast pace, but for the subject, I think that is perfect, and I was still able to read it very fast because I wanted to learn more and find out what happened with these characters. I especially loved Zi, the four year old who was incredibly special, but because the “white” doctors and people did not understand it, wanted to put her on medication and even go so far as place her into a “white” foster home. This is a hopeful story that is incredibly sad at times, and will have you truly see the world and its inhabitants in a much different way after you finish this book.

This is the third book in the trilogy, but I read this one without having read the previous ones. I don’t think that it took away from the others, because this one was so well written. I do however, want to read the other two now. If you want to just jump into this one, I think you can appreciate it for what it is, too.

I highly recommend this book, it is one that should be cherished and shared with everyone for years to come.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed by Marc Bekoff

Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed by Marc Bekoff is an insightful look into how animals live and have emotions, too. If you are a pet owner, animal rights activist, or simply enjoy playing with your dog, cat, reptile, or looking at your fish… this is a book you should read!

Book Description

“In 2009, Marc Bekoff was asked to write on animal emotions for Psychology Today. Some 500 popular, jargon-free essays later, the field of anthrozoology — the study of human-animal relationships — has grown exponentially, as have scientific data showing how smart and emotional nonhuman animals are. Here Bekoff offers selected essays that showcase the fascinating cognitive abilities of other animals as well as their empathy, compassion, grief, humor, joy, and love. Humpback whales protect gray whales from orca attacks, combat dogs and other animals suffer from PTSD, and chickens, rats, and mice display empathy. This collection is both an updated sequel to Bekoff ’s popular book The Emotional Lives of Animals and a call to begin the important work of “rewilding” ourselves and changing the way we treat other animals.” – Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed

My Thoughts

Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed is a collection of short essays on a variety of topics of animals and their emotions. It is a very interesting book that will teach you a lot about how animals really live and feel a vast amount of emotions.

As someone who has owned dogs, cats, fish, birds, reptiles, and hamsters, this was such a fun book to read. I never knew so much about my animals, but I always suspected that they did feel and think much more than the average person may have thought about them. After all, they are the ones who see us off in the morning, wait for us at home patiently until we arrive, and are there for us when we are happy, sad, lonely, and depressed. We have those emotions - but so do they! Reading about this solidified how amazing our pets and the animal kingdom are.

This collection of essays doesn’t cover all of the animals equally. For example, it seems to focus a lot more on dogs than cats (or any other animal). I would have liked a more even collection, but it is still a very good book that animal lovers will enjoy.

I highly recommend this book for everyone who has a pet, or simply likes animals. It is definitely something that will teach you more about them, and appreciate them even more.

* Thank you to the publisher of Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle is a continuation of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice. This novel features the socially awkward and seemingly unlucky character of Mary Bennet.

Book Description

“The enthralling story of Pride and Prejudice's middle sister, Mary Bennet — an enchanting modern sequel to the beloved classic.

For most of her life, Mary, the serious and unpolished third daughter of the Bennet family, has been overshadowed by her sisters—beautiful and confident Jane and Elizabeth, and flirtatious and lighthearted Lydia and Kitty. But with nearly all of her sisters married and gone from the household, awkward, unrefined Mary has blossomed into an attractive young woman with a quiet poise of her own.

When a very pregnant Lydia unexpectedly returns to the Bennet home and scandalously announces she's left Wickham, Mary and Kitty are packed off to visit Jane and her husband, Charles Bingley, in Derbyshire. Yearning for the solitude of home, Mary is dismayed to discover Bingley's handsome and eligible friend Henry Walsh everywhere she turns. Unschooled in the game of love, Mary finds Henry's warm attentions confounding. Is his interest genuine or does she foolishly mistake friendliness for something more? With her heart and her future at risk, Mary must throw caution to the wind to find the truth—a journey of discovery that will teach her surprising lessons about herself and the desires of her heart.” – The Pursuit of Mary Bennet

My Thoughts

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet is an easily read version of the characters from Pride and Prejudice. I like that the author took a lesser known character that was so different from the rest of characters to write a story of her own about.

It is written in the first person, and is often a bit too “woe is me” for my liking. Mary would definitely have been an emo goth girl if written about today, writing bad poetry and wearing too much black eye liner. She does however grow as a person and character throughout the book, which was nice to see. Sadly, I didn’t grow to like her or care much about her though.

Overall this is a decent book. It isn’t my favorite kind of book, therefore, I can’t give it a glowing review. There were also some very awkward moments in it, which I won’t get into, which also haves me not raving about this book. It is not a bad book though, so don’t get me wrong there. It just didn’t mesh that well with me.

However, if you enjoy historical fiction, and especially “Pride and Prejudice” this would be a book you’d likely want to read and likely enjoy.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Pursuit of Mary Bennet, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Holistic Pain Relief by Heather Tick, MD

Holistic Pain Relief by Heather Tick, MD is a written by an integrative medical practitioner. Focusing on relieving chronic pain, this is a much needed book for the millions of people who suffer from this.

Book Description

“Chronic pain has become an epidemic in North America, yet our current health care system is ill equipped for treating sufferers. An expert in both conventional and holistic medicine, Dr. Heather Tick has spent twenty-five years treating patients for whom “all else has failed.” Based on her experience, Holistic Pain Relief offers practical guidance to anyone with pain. It includes easy-to-implement solutions for effective and permanent pain relief and also offers help to those with chronic conditions who feel confused, worried, or hopeless.

Dr. Tick presents a new way of looking at pain with a focus on health. By helping you make informed choices about physical, emotional, and spiritual living, Holistic Pain Relief offers possibilities for recovery and information on a wide range of treatment and prevention options, including acupuncture, chiropractic techniques, intramuscular stimulation, dietary supplements, medication, nutrition, and exercise. The result is a realistic — and inspiring — prescription for pain-free living.” – Holistic Pain Relief

My Thoughts

Holistic Pain Relief is a book that focuses on a very big problem: pain. It is something that millions of people are affected by, and it isn’t always an easy fix. Chronic pain is something that people learn to live with, and often it goes unrelieved, even with the pain medication that they are receiving to help ease their symptoms.

This book explores the pros and cons of a large variety of treatments for pain including Western and alternative treatments such as medications, acupuncture, nutrition, chiropractic techniques, exercise, intramuscular stimulation, and much more.

The author is the type of doctor that is easy to understand and communicates this very well throughout the book. She gives the positives and negative aspects to take away from learning about each type of treatment, and gives patient stories, references, and scientific research to back it up.

I really liked reading about how what we eat nutritionally changes our body chemistry and can help (or harm) us. I also appreciated reading this book from both a medical perspective and as a person who knows someone who could benefit from some of the examples in the book.

This is an excellent book, and I think that this would be the number one book on pain that someone should read who wants to help themselves, or someone they know with pain issues. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Holistic Pain Relief, New World Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.