A Small Book About A Big Problem by Edward T. Welch |Re:View

A little book to help you face the reality of anger in every day life.

A Small Book About A Big Problem by Edward T. Welch | Book Review

This is a small book that I wish had been a little bigger. Don't get me wrong--I think the content is very good and the format is really engaging in the way that you can go through a section a day, but I think that an opportunity was missed.

I have loved previous books by Edward T. Welch and I know the he has a lot of wisdom to share and good things to say. The book itself is filled with insight and wise statements and that may be something that is just right for you, but for something as big (and prevalent) as the topic of anger, I personally think this book could have been expanded.

I found myself coming to the end of a section and feeling like I wanted more. More ways to think about the topic of that day's section, more insights into how we can combat our own anger, more applicable scriptural passages. I felt a little cheated.

That may sound negative and I don't want it to; I just want to be honest. I think that, if you go into this book with the attitude that you need to supplement with your own Bible reading and journaling to truly flesh out the topic, it could be a great devotional book for you. I also think it could be great to go through with a friend where you could challenge each other to think deeply about what you've read and to be honest with yourself and each other.

All of that to say: Yes, I would recommend this book, but I would give the caveat that it will be best used as a kick-starter to deeper conversations with others and self-reflection. With that in mind, I think you'll find a lot to take away with from this book.

My rating: 3.8*
Purchase: A Small Book About A Big Problem 

Book Description
(from Amazon)

Look closely at any day and we can usually find anger in both our actions and attitudes. Things spill or go missing, we get stuck in traffic, and the people we live and work with often make life even harder. We want to stay calm, but what do you do when you feel your blood pressure rise yet again? Anger is so common yet it also destroys. It leaves its mark on us it s not healthy which is one reason we hear so much about finding peace. And it leaves its mark on others. The wounds we inflict on others when we are angry the loss of intimacy, trust, security, and enjoyment in our closest relationships give us compelling reasons to look closely at our anger and think carefully about how to grow in patience and peace. If you have just gotten irritated for the umpteenth time today, you might wonder if change is possible. Can anyone grow in patience and peace? Yes. But you need a plan. Biblical counselor and psychologist Ed Welch invites readers to take a 50-day journey that unpacks anger and encourages readers to become more skillful at responding with patience to life s difficulties. Along the way, readers will be introduced to Jesus, the Prince of Peace the only one who can empower his people to grow in patience, peace, and wholeness.

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I received this book for free but was under no obligation to post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson | RE:View

A fresh look at the story of Rapunzel that combines action, adventure, and sweet romance.

The Golden Braid is the first book I've read by Melanie Dickerson. I heard a lot about The Huntress of Thronbeck Forest (though I haven't read it yet) and was definitely looking forward to see what Melanie did with this fun (and popular, thanks to Tangled) fairy tale.

Rapunzel is a bright and inquisitive young woman who paints, sings, throws knives, and has an innate fear of men handed down from her adopted mother. She's at once sweet and innocent as she is stubborn and brave which creates a fun character.

Sir Gerek, a handsome knight who puts off a slightly arrogant air, rescues Rapunzel and so begins their journey of friendship and a mystery that leaves Rapunzel searching for the truth of her identity among other things.

The story world is vibrant and the touches of information about the time period, customs, and German setting add a level of depth that anchors the fairy tale aspect in reality. Unfortunately, I wasn't as enchanted by the book as I'd initially expected. I understand that this is YA literature (I love reading YA) but I felt as if the writing was too simplistic. There was a lot of repetition of the same woes, thoughts, and fears, and not a lot of depth to either character. The love story was sweet and the mystery did leave me wondering what was going to happen, but that was the anchor, not the writing.

I would still recommend it to other fans of Mealine's work and this won't stop me from getting my hands on a copy of The Huntress of Thornbeck, but this book wasn't my favorite. I think it would definitely be appropriate for YA readers though there are some aspects of the story that could require some parental discussion with younger readers (some violence, unwed pregnancy, and decisions Rapunzel makes later in the book). I don't see these issues as reasons not to read the book, but as reasons for parents to be involved in what their kids are reading. They are great opportunities to teach, learn, and discuss. If you're looking for a sweet tale combined with intrigue, you've found it.

Rating: 3.8*
(rated at 4* for the sake of Amazon & Goodreads etc.)
Purchase: The Golden Braid

Book Description
(from Amazon)

The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again—this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight—Sir Gerek—Rapunzel in turn rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to this knight than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery is about to be revealed after seventeen years of lies. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

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I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.