Brave Beauty

::From the back of the book::

What will my life be like? Who will I be? Whether girls put these concerns into words or struggle anxiously with these thoughts, during this season of change, girls have questions. Sometimes these questions also come with fears and they need a safe place to process these fears. From Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker and blogger, Lynn Cowell, comes Faithgirlz Brave Beauty: Finding the Fearless You.For girls 8-12, Brave Beauty brings tweens 100 courage-building moments to reflect on Scripture and find confidence in God, rather than in someone, some place, or some thing, as culture will all-too-soon tell them to. Lynn will also prepare girls to:

• Overcome confidence-defeating thoughts and stand on who Jesus says she is.
• Shape her self-worth on Christ and overcome the temptation base it on environmental factors.
• Build a strong foundation to face the fickle and flippant opinions of others.
• Find approval of herself even when she lacks the acceptance of others.
• Find security by turning to Christ as she steps through the exciting, yet scary world of growing up

Formatted as theme-based mini chapters, these moments can be read as one-a-days, one-a-weeks, or at the reader’s own pace. Simple and empowering, Lynn’s voice is relatable and conversational, making it easy for girls to feel like they’re spending time with a friend. This inspirational read will be set as a gorgeously foil decorated hardcover, with beautifully formatted pages in line with the well-known and loved Faithgirlz look, and with an easy-reference index to look up any topic.

::My Thoughts::

Let me just start by saying I am so glad that a book like this one is out there for girls. This is a fantastic read for young girls, and I would have loved having this book on my shelf when I was young. This is best suited for girls ages 8-12, but is flexible on age I think. My favorite thing about this book is there is so much advice on being able to deal with and ignore others opinions, and being more confident in yourself. It helps girls find more stability in God than through others, and teaches girls they are not alone. This is definitely an inspirational and truly moving book. It helps answer questions that many young girls have about themselves, and their future. It helps them move into their future with more confidence, and I believe can help root them deeper spiritually. It is current with today's culture, and just an all around fantastic devotional for girls. It is even a great fit for girls that are busy with sports or school as the devotionals take barely no time at all. It even has quizzes for girls to do and find out more about themselves. It would be wonderful for a mother, grandmother, aunt, older sister, etc., to read with their young tween. It gets girls thinking, and the author shares a lot of her own personal stories that are very relatable. This book deals with topics that girls face on an everyday basis, peer pressure, bullying, acceptance of others, self-esteem, etc. There is even a wonderful Table of Contents where a young girl can look up specific subjects she may need help with. The prayers contained in this book are equally as wonderful, and there isn't one thing I didn't love about this book. I definitely recommend it for any young girls out there, and really at any age. It is that wonderful. I, myself, was excited about what would come next. My cousin whom I gifted this book too loves it. She spends so much time just reading and reading it. She can read a chapter a day, more if she wishes, and even revisits some of them. In a world as we live in today I recommend this book for all young girls.

::Find this book::

Walmart ~ Target ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBooks

::Product Details::

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Series: Faithgirlz
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Zonderkidz (August 29, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310763142
• ISBN-13: 978-0310763147

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Handlebar Publishing in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Hello Stars

::From the back of the book::

Lena Daniels never thought she’d get the chance star in a movie. Headstrong and determined, she has her life planned out to the minute. But when her best friends, Savannah and Emma, tell her about an audition, she knows there’s nothing else in the world she’d rather do. And now that she’s gotten her wish, Lena finds that being in the spotlight is harder than it sounds. She got everything she never wanted! Her face turns up everywhere she goes, and everything in her life is flipped upside down. Lena wonders if this is a dream come true or a horrible nightmare. Even a visit from her best friends during filming turns into a disaster.

With her little sisters—Ansley, Ashton, and Amber—and her mischievous pup, Austin, constantly at her side, Lena must face the challenges of everyday life while chasing her dreams of being a model and actress on the big screen. Lena tackles tough choices, learns the value of perseverance, and keeps her hopes high. She knows her faith and family will keep her feet on the ground and her eyes on the stars.

This Faithgirlz series entitled Lena in the Spotlight, written by Alena Pitts, star of War Room and tween blogger of For Girls Like You,and co-written with her mother, editor and author, Wynter Pitts, is a reflection of Alena’s own life experiences as she reaches for the stars and keeps her faith in balance. 

::My Thoughts::

This is a great book for young girls to read. It has a lot of great examples such as about prayer. It shows how to walk in faith as a young girl/tween, and is relatable for any Christian girl. 

Almost every young girl in this day and age wants a celebrity lifestyle. They dream of being singers, actresses, models, etc. Unfortunately the majority of examples out there are not exactly the best. This book sets a whole new positive example for young girls. 

The issues that Lena faces in the book are perfectly viewed and understood from a young girls point of view as well. 

This book also sets a great example of not just faith, but family love. The Daniels family supports each other, loves each other, and uplifts each other spiritually. 

All around a great book that any tween girl will enjoy. 

::Product Details::

Reading level	8 and up
Publisher	Zonderkidz
Publication date	April 25, 2017
Language	English
Product Dimensions	5.5 x 0.5 x 8.4 inches
Shipping Weight	5.6 ounces
Book length	176
ISBN-10	0310760593
ISBN-13	978-0310760597

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Handlebar in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks (Confessions of April Grace) Book Review

April Grace Reilly finds herself smack dab in the middle of a terrible year. Old friends become new strangers as they all embark upon middle school. One of her best friends starts a clique called the Lotties, and April is not a part of them. The Lotties meanly run the school and pick on anyone in their path.
As if that wasn’t bad enough home life becomes the most strange and worrisome for April. On top of dealing with her overly dramatic sister Myra Sue and obnoxious live in guest Isabel St. James, April’s grandma finds herself in the midst of a love triangle. If that isn’t the icing on the cake for April her mother begins acting strangely, and April wants to get to the bottom of it. And instead of crying and whining to get her way, April brings you along on her journey as she stoically gets to the bottom of it all in her honest/humorous fashion.

~

This was truly a fun read. It is one of the most humorous novels I have read in a long time. I was constantly laughing out loud, and even found myself sharing funny quotes or sayings I came across with those around me. This book is in no way dull, and I was immersed in it from the beginning. There is always a new twist, mystery, or event happening at the turn of the page. Intrigue around every corner! It makes this book hard to put down.
What I really enjoyed about this book is that it touches point on so many different lessons and hardships that a tween will often find herself dealing with. From a new addition to the family, to dealing with difficult siblings, to dealing with mean girl cliques in school, hardships with faith, finding someone’s true person instead of judging them from the outer layers, and so much more!
The novel is set in the late 80s, but it doesn’t really make much of a difference as I believe all tweens will be able to connect with April Grace.
It would especially be a good read for a mother/daughter duo. I know I sure enjoyed it despite my age, and I am definitely going to be getting the third book to come out in the Confessions of April Grace series. The words flow so smoothly and easily, before I knew it the book was over. I was sad for it to end, but can’t wait to revisit April Grace and the other characters. Every character comes alive in this novel. There is no small character, even the ones that don’t appear often seem so alive! I highly recommend this series to any mother with a tween daughter, or even pick up a copy and read it for yourself. It will take you back to your middle school days. Another interesting perk is being older you can pick up on lots of other interesting details you probably wouldn’t have noticed had you been younger. I’m looking forward to book three for sure, and if you want more info on this book just check out the links below:

For more info on this book: Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks (Confessions of April Grace) CLICK HERE
Want to be friends with April Grace on FACEBOOK? CLICK HERE
For more info on the Confessions of April Grace series CLICK HERE

　
DISCLAIMER: I was provided this book for free through Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review. Opinions expressed are mine alone.