America The Last Best Hope by William J. Bennett

I've always loved history books, or at least most of them. America: The Last Best Hope by William J. Bennett was an interesting read about America's history between the Cold War and the present day. It covered some major changes including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of Communism, changes in culture, the war on terror, and the election of President Obama.

My Favorite part about this book was that it was uplifting. So much of what we read about today's society is very negative and I much prefer Bennett's viewpoint where the positive is the most important. Another reason this book appealed to me was because it covers things that happened in my lifetime. I have never been a very political person but reading these first person accounts of what was happening was very interesting even for me, the one that sits on the sidelines.

If you like history, or would like to learn more about how America has developed during your lifetime, than you should check out this book. You'll be amazed at the insight you will find and the things you will learn. Plus there are some great pictures of some major historical events. This is something you won't want to miss!

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.”

Love You More: The Divine Surprise of Adopting My Daughter by Jennifer Grant Review

About Love You More:

The obstacles, surprises, and moments of grace that Jennifer Grant experienced, working through the adoption process to bring home her daughter from Guatemala, forever changed her life.
Love You More tells Grant's deeply personal story of adopting her daughter, Mia. The process confronted her notions about what family means, pushed her into uncomfortable places, and - despite the waiting, adjustments, and challenges of a blended family - brought abiding joy.
Written for all parents but especially those interested in adoption, Love You More includes discussion questions, tips for prospective adoptive parents, and suggestions for readers on how to reach out in love and support for the world's most vulnerable people, including orphans. (Back cover).


My Thoughts:

Love You More was a very interesting story of adding a child through adoption. Although it is not what I would consider my typical pick it was a good read. The most interesting part to me was that it was written like a novel although it was very clearly more of a biography of sorts. Sometimes, at least for me, this made the story a little bit hard to follow at first but once I got into the story it wasn't as bad. Although I probably wouldn't recommend this to someone for a enjoyable reading book, I would recommend it to anyone who is considering adopting a child or anyone who wants to know more about the emotions involved in adopting. Because I have both friends who are adopted and friends who have adopted children I feel that Love You More gave me an unique insight to the process and allowed be to be a better friend to these individuals.

*This book was provided to me for review purposes by BookSneeze. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Surviving Your Serengeti - By Stefan Swanepoel

About Surviving Your Serengeti:

Surviving Your Serengeti is a fable like story of a couple on their vacation to the Serengeti. Upon their arrival, the husband, a great man in the business world, is very worried about missing work while the wife, recently unemployed, is excited to start their new adventure. The book is filled with the stories of their adventures as they see the animals of the Serengeti in their natural habitat and the lessons they learned from them.

My Thoughts:

I was a bit unsure of what to expect as I started this book. It is not a book I would pick up because it looked wonderful but I did enjoy it and think it could be a great tool. I loved the way this book read like a story but deep down was more of a motivational or self help book. It had great ideas on better understanding your strengths and how to use them. I could see this being a great book to use as a basis for company meetings or other motivational talks. I will also use it with my children as they get older. I think they are still a little young to understand now but in a few more years comparing them to animals, to help understand how they differ and how they each have strengths, could very well help them get along better and be able to work together to solve problems. If you are looking for an interesting way to teach about strengths and becoming your best self this would be an excellent choice.

This book was provided to me for review by Book Sneeze.