{Two} Book Reviews and {Two} Giveaways

Well, since the sun has gone into hiding, I guess it’s time for me to get to work :)

Today I have the privilege of reviewing not one, but TWO books from Waterbrook Multnomah. And I have the privilege of giving away a copy of these books to two lucky readers!

 

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Mother Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller and Ali Plum

About the Book:

When a daughter is born, her mother has a thousand hopes and dreams for her, especially that they will be best friends one day.

Unfortunately, even the best of intentions can go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. But a harmonious relationship is possible.

Award-winning author Cheri Fuller and her daughter, Ali Plum, have been there and have discovered the keys to a healthy relationship. In Mother-Daughter Duet they share their story—each from her own perspective—in which they have experienced distance and tension, growth and challenge, and, ultimately, acceptance and harmony. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on several basic principles (letting go; listening; respect; setting boundaries; and more), Mother-Daughter Duet helps moms repair the breach so that daughters want to draw close.

My Thoughts: I was intrigued by this book, not just because I have a daughter, but because I am a daughter, and I know how incredibly complicated the relationships between a mother and daughter can be – especially as the daughter moves into adulthood and starts living an independent life. And that’s exactly the transition that this book deals with.

Targeted more at mothers than at daughters, the book explores what a close and vibrant mother/adult daughter relationship looks like, and identifies roadblocks encountered along the way.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed in this book. Though the author is a Christian, she seems to rely more heavily on wisdom from our culture and pop psychology than she does wisdom from the one source of absolute truth God has given us – the Bible. I counted almost as many quotes from Oprah as I did Scripture references! That’s not to say that everything in the book was hogwash. I just wish she had done a little bit better job defending her position from God’s Word. I know I can be so easily led astray by things that sound right, or even logical, yet aren’t biblical and don’t jive with the ultimate source of truth.

That being said, I still think the book did a really fantastic job of identifying some very common relationship issues between moms and their adult daughters. Every chapter included a portion written from the daughter’s perspective and I think it can be a tremendously helpful tool for mother’s to understand what is the best way to respond as they learn how to truly let go of their “little” girls and support them in their independence!

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Dancing with my Father by Sally Clarkson

About the Book:

The reality of living in a broken, fallen world can leave women feeling overcome by fear, guilt, and weariness. Many develop “sawdust souls,” numb to any sense of joy.

In this warm and wise book, author Sally Clarkson invites readers to take God’s hand and let Him lead them into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose. With the voice of a trusted mentor, she reveals how, by getting in tune with the rhythm of God’s presence, women can nurture an inner attitude of anticipation and celebration even in the stressful seasons of life.

My Thoughts:

Sally Clarkson is the author of one of my all-time FAVORITE books “The Mission of Motherhood” – seriously, if you’re a mom and you haven’t read this book, you need to get yourself to the nearest bookstore and purchase it immediately! So needless to say, I was ecstatic to have a chance to review her latest book. And as a bonus, the topic of the book is one that I feel the Lord has really laid on my heart this year – JOY.

Unlike the previous book I reviewed, this book was chock full of wisdom from the Bible. Sally’s warm writing style combined with her vast life experiences (she was a single missionary in Communist Poland for several years before starting her family) and her deep knowledge of Scripture combined to make another excellent read.

She tackles the topic of how we can have joy in spite of our circumstances – not just in the extremely difficult moments like loss of a job or a loved one, but also in the everyday, boring, details of our lives that we often tend to view as drudgery. She writes:

“I often meet with women who are distraught, upset, and feel distant from God. Though usually very sincere of heart and wanting to walk with God, they find great disappointment and disillusionment because they have believed in the religious formulas they’ve been taught. They don’t realize that their prayers and lives have been more about…what they hoped life would be and then telling God how He should act on their behalf: ‘God, since I’m a reasonably mature adult and I think I know what would be the optimum way for you to work in my life, I want you to bless my plan. Please give me healthy kids, when I want them – I’ll use birth control until I’m ready and then I want you to work a miracle. And I’d like a good marriage, a nice salary, a lovely home…”

Ouch! I could relate to having subconsciously thought similar things in my own life. But as Sally points out, real joy doesn’t come from living a perfect set of circumstances :

“…joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit; it comes not from outside circumstances but from within ourselves as we learn to appreciate the value of God’s kingdom.”

and:

“I have realized that often the difference between two people who both are in difficult circumstances is that one believes in God’s presence and provision in the midst of her circumstances, while the other has allowed the intensity of the situation to determine the state of her heart.”

Good stuff. Hard, but good. I would recommend this book to anyone because I believe that this is a subject that almost all of us have struggled with and almost none of us have mastered.

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FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF THESE BOOKS:

Leave me a comment! Be sure to include your email so I have a way to contact you if you win. I will draw two winners, each will receive one copy of one of these books.

The giveaway will be open until Tuesday, March 9th at midnight. Winners will be announced on Wednesday.

Good luck!

These books were provided for review by Waterbrook Multnomah and can be purchased through the Random House website here and here.