Approval Junkie

I wasn't familiar with Faith Salie's comedy before this book so maybe should have researched her before attempting her book Approval Junkie. I thought it sounded interesting though so decided to give it a go.

It was around page 27 when I started to realize it wasn't funny and more awkward and trying too hard. It was when she proclaimed, "I'm not crazy about John. I'm sane about John. I've got scar tissue, and I'm not worried about his cutting me. I was crazy about my wasband. I pinned all my happiness on him." Sorry...but it makes me uncomfortable reading a book where a woman actually says that about her current husband verses her ex-husband. It makes me wonder what poor John feels about this statement.

I got to page 60 when Salie describes learning some sex tips from her brother. I get that it was intended to be humorous but I found it desperate and inappropriate. Many comedians use sexual topics to get laughs but I find there is a fine line between funny and "I'm trying way too hard." At this point I realized I didn't like Salie's story, and find no humor in her "comedy" so decided to stop reading.

This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.
 

Can I Just Hide in Bed

Can I Just Hide in Bed 'Til Jesus Comes Back? by Martha Bolton and Christin Ditchfield has been a wonderful resource for me this month. This book dives into how to face life with courage; something that can be hard to do when you've been stressed to the max or exhausted by life. It happens to us all...a point in our life where that one extra piece of straw just breaks our back and we have to find a way to pick ourselves up.

The authors share their real life struggles with depression and anxiety and include humor because laughter really is the best medicine. It's a very light read about some very serious matters and includes many encouraging verses and ways that we can help ourselves but always with the reminder that God is on our side. He is where our strength and courage can come from when we can't face things alone.

This is not a preachy book whatsoever but feels more like a chat over a cup of coffee with a good friend. This for sure will be going on my shelves to be read again.

This book was given to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
 

Only Love Today

Only Love Today by the best-selling author of Hands Free Mama, Rachel Macy Stafford, reminds us to breathe more, stress less, and choose love. It is separated into sections based on the four seasons and is a book of encouragement rather than a devotional.

The premise is a good one but I was reminded while reading this of why I didn't finish her first book, Hands Free Mama. Stafford tells us what to do instead of how to do it. The writing is often too poetic to really get deep and I feel that I'm reading one of those memes where someone is trying to tell a depressed person to "cheer up!" and they are like "Why didn't I just think of that?! All better now!"

   Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of good in this book but I didn't feel those earth shattering insights that I get from other books. I stopped half way as I was already starting to feel like the book became repetitive.   

This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.