Reviews by Donna

Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women

2018-11-19T14:19:00.004-05:00

The book may be marketed for young women, but this woman found the devotions to be very interesting, informative, and inspiring – no matter what your age. Each devotion highlights a woman in the Bible, sharing her history and motivation, helping the reader to understand her place in biblical history. For instance, 1 Samuel 1:2 tells us about Hannah's sad situation. The

DEFIANCE: A Post-Apocalyptic YA Tale of Survival by L.R. Burkard

2017-05-28T08:53:00.001-04:00

Gripping. Heart-stopping. I read a couple of chapters of Defiance one night before bedtime and couldn't sleep. I even dreamed of an EMP. Burkard's characters jump off the page and she writes with such realism that I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I were put in the same situations as the people in the book. Excellent story-telling and highly recommended.

Love Letters from God by Glenys Nellist, Illustrated by Rachel Clowes

2017-05-19T23:48:00.001-04:00

Love Letters from God is a lovely book, beautifully illustrated, and full of love from beginning to end. A different ‘girl’ examined in each chapter feels God’s love in a very real way through her experiences. A word of caution: The stories stick to the Biblical accounts rather loosely. That may not be a bad thing if the reader has a Bible close by and decides to do more reading. Having

The Sweetest Story Bible for Toddlers - Diane Storz; illustrations by Sheila Bailey

2015-01-09T13:03:00.003-05:00

“The Sweetest Story Bible for Toddlers” is a 32-page board book in which Diane Storz has written a very quick and light overview of the entire Bible with eight stories – four from the Old Testament and four from the New Testament. Each story is short – only a few pages, and geared to children who may not understand the deeper concepts of each story, although reading the book to children a bit

“Get to Know Apostle Paul” by Nancy I. Sanders

2014-11-26T10:00:00.003-05:00

I love this book. As a visual learner, this book hit all the right notes. It focuses on the life of Apostle Paul and uses photos, maps and many visuals to help children - or any reader, understand the story of Paul’s life. I have taught Bible classes for many years and Get to Know Apostle Paul includes information that was new to me. Instead of simply relaying facts, Nancy I. Sanders packed

Cook'n Recipe Management System

2014-10-17T08:44:00.001-04:00

In February 2012, I posted a review of Cook'n, a Recipe Management System. My original review can be found here: http://reviewsbydonnashepherd.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-of-cookn-recipe-organizer.html Cook'n has been the #1 recipe software program for more than 20 years, and the best way to organize your recipes. I liked the program very much, but now - a new version has been released

NIV New Spirit-Filled Life Bible

2014-09-15T14:57:00.000-04:00

This is fast becoming my go-to Bible. I reviewed the Kindle version because this is now my favorite way to read my Bible. I can mark my progress, highlight passages, and make notes. Each Bible has a different format and way to navigate. After a few sessions, I found the “New Spirit-Filled Life Bible” easy to navigate. One of my favorite features of many is the “Word Wealth.” For instance,

Writer's Nudge by by Mary C. Busha and Robert W. Busha

2014-07-03T14:06:00.000-04:00

The Bushas have a long history in publishing. Now they are making their years of expertise available to writers eager to make their mark as writers. Covering subjects like proposals, self-publishing, agents, and more, Writer's Nudge is a valuable resource to get you started on your road to being an author.

Twirl by Patsy Clairmont

2014-07-02T20:45:00.000-04:00

In the blurb for “Twirl,” the author, Patsy Clairmont, says she hopes to help her readers make choices that lead to renewal and peace. I figured the twirling had to do with the breakneck pace of our current culture. When I first received “Twirl” for review, I was puzzled by the image of a pinwheel on the front. I wanted a book on how to stop the dizziness of a too-busy life. Then I saw the

First Blush by Rebeca Seitz

2014-04-29T10:40:00.001-04:00

There are a lot of people who can immerse themselves into a hefty novel. I'm not one of them. I like short and sweet. And that's exactly what I got with a novella by Rebeca Seitz. In First Blush, the characters are fun and sassy. The setting is sunny Florida. Reading about sunshine and beach time lifted my spirits. And the storyline is light, but interesting enough to keep me reading clear to

The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life by Rick Warren, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Mark Hyman

2014-04-14T12:57:00.001-04:00

The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life is based on five essentials: faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends. Any book that starts out with an “Aha!” moment in the author’s life that brought humility and conviction gets my attention. Rick Warren had such a moment while baptizing people in his congregation and that single illuminating revelation prompted him to gather together a

The Big Picture Interactive Bible for Kids, Hardcover: Connecting Christ Throughout God's Story (The Gospel Project)

2014-03-19T23:45:00.000-04:00

I am always excited about new ways to share God’s Word with anyone – and especially children. The “Big Picture Interactive Bible” represents one of the newer methods. Not only does the Bible have many extras like Bible verses to remember, a dictionary, and detailed introductions to each book of the Bible, but also includes a unique feature called “augmented reality.” What? I had no idea what

My Brother Is My Best Friend by Nicole Weaver, art by Clara Batton Smith

2014-02-07T13:16:00.001-05:00

"My Brother Is My Best Friend" by Nicole Weaver is a tri-lingual book with English, Spanish, and French. In the book, the text is in three different colors which make it much easier to differentiate the languages. In any language, this book is fun! It's energetic - just like the twin boys, and educational. Activities and a word search puzzle in the back of the book make it even more fun. The

NIV Ragamuffin Bible: Meditations for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Brokenhearted (Brennan Manning)

2014-01-28T01:01:00.001-05:00

The NIV Ragamuffin Bible is a New International Version Bible containing 104 devotions, 250 reflections, and 150 quotes from Brennan Manning (1934-2013), a public speaker, priest, and author of The Ragamuffin Gospel. While the extra material scattered throughout the text is at times thought provoking and inspiring, in some cases, I felt that it did not relate to the scriptures into which it

The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado

2013-11-02T22:16:00.000-04:00

When I received “The Christmas Candle” by Max Lucado for review, I was surprised to find that it was a novella. I’ve read many nonfiction books by Rev. Lucado. I didn’t know he had ever written fiction. I consider the novella to be a gift book – something short and sweet, the perfect read when you don’t have a lot of time to devote to a full length novel. But don’t assume that because it’s a

Welcome to Last Chance by Cathleen Armstrong

2013-10-16T09:36:00.001-04:00

Just finished reading "Welcome to Last Chance" by Cathleen Armstrong. I loved the small town feel and the diverse characters, and the way that Christian values were presented in a gentle, non-confrontational way. The story of the two main characters, Lainie and Ray, kept me guessing as there had to more to the story than was presented in the beginning, but I have to say that the warm, sweet,

Billy Graham in Quotes

2013-10-01T11:20:00.001-04:00