Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

Book Review: Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

I’m attending my first book club this month and this was the book on the list. Admittedly, I wasn’t excited. I don’t typically read these types of books and the fact that it has gotten rave reviews turned me off. For some reason, I end up enjoying books most people don’t like. The fact that Megan said it was the “greatest book she’s ever read” and Becky said that she was “hooked from the first paragraph” assured me that I wouldn’t like this book.

Oh. My. Gosh. I was wrong.

Water For Elephants was about a boy named Jacob who joined the circus after his parents died just because he was going to take his tests to certify him as a veterinarian. The story also involves Jacob as an older man, 90 or 93, who is living in a nursing home and reminiscing about his early days with the circus. Younger Jacob quickly becomes the show’s vet, even though he’s technically not certified, and he watches over the flurry of animals for the circus. He befriends a man named August and his wife Marlena, whom Jacob falls hard for. The book follows the progression of Jacob, as he grows up and learns the harsh realities of the world. He learns about love, about hatred, about caring for animals and the strength he has within himself.

I absolutely loved every single page of this book. I fell head over heels for both Younger Jacob and Older Jacob because they both possessed an innate strength and zest for life. Seeing how he grew up as he grew into himself was inspiring.

I thought the plot was fantastic and there weren’t any parts that dragged. Gruen kept it moving the whole time. The dialogue was great and I just loved the development of Jacob and Marlena’s relationship. I hated and loved August, all at the same time.

I can’t pinpoint what I loved most about this book, but I was a little surprised at the ending, simply because of the type of book I thought it was. Others might have thought it predictable, but I didn’t. (This is probably because I read a lot of predictable books and really don’t mind the predictability of them.)

I am really, really excited about the movie adaptation of this book. Robert Pattinson is going to play Younger Jacob, which I think can work. I’m not the biggest Pattinson fan, but he was a little of what I pictured Younger Jacob looked like. Reese Witherspoon is going to play Marlena, which I’m not quite sure about. But since I love Reese, I think she can pull it off!

What did this book teach me? I’m not sure. That I need to give popular books a second chance? 😉 I think it taught me about inner strength and that you can’t sit back in life. Cliché as it may be, you really have to make lemonade out of lemons. Jacob was on his way to becoming a Cornell-educated veterinarian and joining his father’s practice. Instead, his parents died and he joined the circus. Yet he still managed to make something out of it and found himself in the process. We don’t know where life will take us, but it’s up to us to make the most out of whatever life hands to us.

Have you read this book? What were your thoughts?

Categories: Books

Book Review: Your Money, God’s Way by Amie Streater

I chose this book because I feel as if my finances are in a state of disarray. I want to get my hands on any book that opens my eyes to handling money and this one did the trick! I really had no previous thoughts going into it. It was the first book on money I had ever read and I was just looking for something to help.

This book was exactly what I needed. In the beginning, Streater tells you her story: how she was living above her means and using credit cards to help whenever needed. How a sermon on a CD opened her eyes to the way she was living. She, along with her husband, began taking steps to become debt-free and is now there. But it was a long process, and through it, she became an associate pastor of financial stewardship for a large church.

The book emphasizes 7 “counterfeit convictions”, alongside “timeless truths”. The counterfeit convictions are the things we tell ourselves about why we’re in debt (i.e., “It is my Christian duty to be at the beck and call of everyone who wants me to help them out of a jam.”). The timeless truths showcase how we should be living (i.e., “You have to take care of yourself first if you’re going to be in a position to help anyone else.”). The book was packed with stories of how other people got into debt and how their reasoning was wrong. At the end of the book was a great little budgeting lesson. Streater broke the budgets into three groups: Level 1 (people with debt who can’t afford to tithe 10%, save 10%, and use the 80% for living expenses – which is the formula Streater says is best.), Level 2 (people not in too much debt and can live out the 10-10-80 plan), and Level 3 (the most fun level – no debt at all!) Streater also mentions writing out a Level 3 plan, even if you’re at Level 1, to give you something to look forward to. She emphasizes that you have to constantly go back to your budget and rework it to account for pay raises, bonuses, and other expenses.

After reading this book, I am now even more focused on getting out of debt, saving money, and beginning to tithe 10% again. I need to know exactly where each dollar of my paycheck is going and stop lolly-gagging around with my money.

I also want to reference two quotes from this book that really stood out to me:

“In Luke 16:10, Jesus said, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in least is unjust also in much.” In other words, if you can’t budget, plan, save, and give on $35,000 a year, you won’t be able to do it on $350,000 a year either.” (p. 118)”

“…[W]e didn’t talk much during dinner, which was Mexican food capped by chocolate sundaes for the kids. The kids were just picking up their spoons to dive in to the gooey goodness when Addision, five, demanded, “Hey, shouldn’t this sundae have a cherry on top? Where is the cherry?”…I wonder how often God watches me and has the same reaction I had to Addison. I wonder if He ever thinks, Hey woman! Look around you. So, things aren’t perfect. How about expressing a little gratitude for the sundae? Not everyone has a sundae, you know.“

If you want a faith-based answer to why you are in debt and how you can be free from it, I would recommend picking up this book. I’m so glad I picked this book because now I’m even more excited to work on my budget.

Have you ever read a book about money? Did you get anything out of it?


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am diclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising“.

Categories: Books

Book Review: Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

The tagline for this book is “You were made to make a difference.” Honestly, it’s not a new concept and there was no ground-breaking information in the book. The book talks about how we can make a difference, be it on a grand scale in other countries or a smaller scale right in our homes. The book is chock full of biblical and modern-day examples of how powerful our actions can be if we just take a step out of our comfort zones and show love to the world.

I was a little wary about the book because I’ve read books with the same type of message before and am always left feeling like I don’t have enough money, time, or resources to truly make a difference. Max Lucado does something totally different with this book. He gives big examples and small examples, biblical and modern-day. Things that can help a tiny village in Africa and things that can help a single woman, alone in a brand-new city. Instead of feeling like the problems are too insurmountable for me to fix, I am left feeling like there are numerous ways I can make a difference that doesn’t include shoveling what little money I have at an aid organization.

Instead, I can pray. I can volunteer. I can invite a friend to coffee and let her have a listening ear if she needs it. I can make people feel valued and loved. I can pool all my talents and resources that I already have (such as compassion and a big heart) to make a difference. Maybe it’s not on a large-scale and maybe I’ll only affect a small minority of people. Maybe I’ll only affect one person. But it’s still making a difference because that one person is just as important to God as an entire village.

So, no. The message isn’t any different than others I’ve read. I don’t have a bigger itch to do missionary work, or even to start volunteering at a soup kitchen. But I do realize that I can make a difference now. It can be as small as praying for a lost friend, or as big (to them) as inviting them over for dinner. And I will make a difference. I was made to.

I would recommend this book to anyone seeking to learn more about the message of Jesus, what He stands for, and seeking opportunities to make a difference. The examples will amaze you and sometimes may bring tears to your eyes. It’s proof that there are still good people in this world and we have plenty of opportunities to show those less fortunate what it means to be loved.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising“.