Read Love Giveaway: One Way Love by Tullian Tchvidjian

I recently reviewed Pastor Tullian Tchvidjian's most recent book entitled One Way Love.

My sponsor has provided one copy for me to giveaway!

If you'd like to enter to win, please do so by Thursday Oct. 31st. Entries will close at 4:30 pm ET and I'll choose a name via random number generator.

Review of One Way Love

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Read Love Reviews: Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Pub. Date: August 24, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Format: Hardcover, 390pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Series: Hunger Games #3
ISBN-13: 9780439023511

Description from Amazon.com:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either.

My Review:

Mockingjay. What a book! Suzanne Collins has crafted one of the most intelligent and and readable series that we've seen in recent years. She utilized each piece in the trilogy to develop and bring the series to completion. Nothing is wasted. While she might have been tempted to stretch the series out for sales, it's clear she stayed true to her vision as she steered the story to an end. Much respect to Ms. Collins!

No bones about it, Mockingjay is a dark novel. You'll be emotionally spent when you finish it. And that's as it should be. Collins has successfully demonstrated the crippling and devastating effects of war. Civilian or soldier alike, no one escapes unscathed. No one remains unchanged. If you read The Hunger Games hoping for more exploration of the ramifications of war and violence, you'll be satisfied to see that Mockingjay is both ambitious enough and honest enough to confront the stark reality head on. Nothing is sugar-coated or glossed over. This unflinchingly realistic portrayal of war and revolution shows that even the victors sacrifice more than anyone should. 

If you are looking for sunshine and happy endings, you'll be disappointed. This is no fairy tale, and Collins would be doing you a disservice to serve up any other ending than the one that she provides. Because it stays realistic, this series feels more adult. It becomes elevated beyond a story. The characters start to live and breathe and rise off the page. Your heart will break for them as they love, fight, struggle, and survive (or die). Survival will not come easily or cleanly; it will not be free from trauma and after-effects. In this sense, the books succeed masterfully by showing the reader vicariously what war is like. Hopefully, most of us will never need to learn first hand the horrors of war. Collins has taken the subject and presented it in a way that effectively shows us the atrocities of war in order that her readers can learn something the easy way rather than through experience.

These books will inspire intelligent conversation about war and violence, truth and lies, and the influence of television and the media in disseminating information to manipulate the masses. Additionally, the series should inspire discussion about love and hope, compassion and kindness. By nature, man is capable of committing the most egregious acts of violence and hatred. But at the same time, we are capable of much beauty and love. And these novels show the complexity and fullness of humanity and how extreme circumstances can bring out both the worst and the best in us.

Read Love Reviews: Through My Eyes: A Quarterback's Journey

Through My Eyes: A Quarterback's Journey by Tim Tebow
with Nathan Whitaker

Pub. Date: December 6, 2011
Publisher: Zondervan
Format: PDF, 216pp
Age Range: 9 and up

ISBN-13: 9780310723455 (Hardcover print edition)
Source: NetGalley

Synopsis from BN.com:

Meet Tim Tebow: He grew up playing every sport imaginable, but football was his true passion. Even from an early age, Tim has always had the drive to be the best player and person that he could be. Through his hard work and determination, he established himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of college football and as a top prospect in the NFL.

Now, in Through My Eyes: A Quarterback's Journey, he shares the behind-the-scenes details of his life, on and off the football field. Tim writes about his life as he chooses to live it, revealing how his Christian faith, his family values, and his relentless will to succeed have molded him into the person and the athlete he is today.

My Review: 

Before you judge Tim Tebow, I suggest you read this book. When I saw this was available at NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. It is a "Young Readers" edition of Tebow's New York Times Bestselling autobiography, Through My Eyes. Not having read the original, I can't tell you how this printing differs. However, I can tell you that the book is very easy to read, and if you are curious about what makes Tim Tebow tick, then you'll probably plow right through it. I certainly did!

I'm very glad to have read the book. All I knew about Tim Tebow prior to reading it is that he isn't afraid to speak about his faith. And when the football world was swept up by "Tebow Time" as he racked up comeback wins for the Denver Broncos this year, I began to take notice. I wanted to know more about this polarizing quarterback. I can honestly say that this book made me a fan.  That's right -- I'm Team Tebow!

I learned a lot about Tim Tebow. For instance, I didn't know that he has dyslexia, that he was primarily homeschooled, or that he grew up on a farm. I enjoyed discovering how his background, his family, and his faith has shaped him. It was interesting to see how his father used life events as teaching points. Tim relates a story about a "controlled burn" on the farm that got out of hand. Daddy Tebow used the occurrence to teach his children a lesson about the damage that words can cause.

I learned that from his birth, Tim Tebow has been a determined survivor and competitor. Reading his related memories and stories -- whether it's about playing t-ball, enduring challenging work outs, or partaking in friendly family competitions -- it's clear that Tim has always had a strong will to be and do the best he can. 

While he is strong-willed and determined, he is also sensitive and emotional. Without apology, he shares that he sometimes cries after a loss. He also relates his emotional phone call to then Alabama coach, Mike Shula, as well as his famous post-game promise after a devastating loss as a Florida Gator. Tim is an admitted people-pleaser. He shares a story about going to a theme park despite his inability to ride on amusement park rides of any kind without getting sick. Not wanting to let people down, he answered their calls to make an appearance and endured a roller coaster ride. Not without consequence, though! Poor Tebow.

Of course, any book by Tim Tebow would be incomplete if he didn't mention his faith. Each chapter of the book begins with a quote from scripture. The Bible verses are well-chosen and integrate with the chapters to illustrate a season in his life and support what he was learning. Tim talks about moments of personal faith decisions, explains why he prays during games (you may be surprised to hear that he does not hesitate to admit that God doesn't necessarily take sides), relates lessons he has learned, shares his passion for missions work and helping children and orphans, and generally gives clear insight into what motivates and inspires him.

Having read Through My Eyes: A Quarterback's Journey,  it's easy to see how Tim Tebow has been able to successfully face the challenges that have come his way. Despite struggling at the conclusion of the 2011 NFL regular season, he surprised his doubters and nearly silenced his critics with a solid performance in a playoff win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a performance that relied on his ability to throw the ball to move the chains, rather than on his feet and general athleticism. Don't count this guy out. Tebow has a never-say-die attitude, bolstered by his faith and his hard work, that helps him weather adversity and come out stronger.

To conclude, Tim Tebow is a hard-working young man of character, determination, and strength. In addition to these things, he is also compassionate and sensitive. I can't think of a better example for children to follow. Not only will this book be easy for children to read, but it will inspire them to dream and, just as importantly, it will encourage them to do the hard work necessary to make those dreams a reality.

Sunday Inspiration (9)

"Books won't stay banned.  They won't burn.
Ideas won't go to jail."

Alfred Whitney Griswold, Essays on Education

"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book.
Books are well written, or badly written.  That is all."

Oscar Wilde,  The Picture of Dorian Gray

"The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame."

Oscar Wilde

Sunday Inspiration is a weekly feature hosted here @ Read Love.
It began from my desire to share a nugget of encouragement or wisdom.
I didn't intend for it to be a community thing, but due to positive feedback,
I'm giving it a try! (Thanks, Kate)

Participation is welcome!
Your quote need not be faith-based, but it should be positive and uplifting.