Geninne's Art: Birds in Watercolor, Collage, and Ink by Geninne D. Zlatkis

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
This is a book to make a visual artist sing... or at least smile and reach for supplies. Enjoyed every page. Clear photos, good ideas, and lots of inspiration.

You'll find how-to on how to see birds, how to use different mediums, and how to collage. For the nature-lover or if you just like colors and birds, you'll enjoy this. Recommended.

Learning to Lead Like Jesus: 11 Principles to Help You Serve, Inspire, and Equip Others by Boyd Bailey

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Ever wondered how today's leadership models fit into your Christian life or business? Boyd takes aim at qualities and characteristics to see how Jesus himself would think as your boss. How would his attitudes influence his decisions? How would his actions serve in leadership?

I liked the Points to Ponder, the Takeaways, and the chapter summaries. You'll get wise counsel on what it looks like to follow Jesus closely and have his life transform your inner life and interactions with others. There are some practical applications, but since every business, church, or organization is specific in its needs, this is more of an alignment for general, good practice.

Recommended.

Sacred Signposts Words: Water, and Other Acts of Resistance by Benjamin J. Dueholm

★★★☐☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
I'm not sure what to think about this - I've passed it to a few friends who teach about social justice with a "you've got to read this." The out-of-the-box, Jesus in the world in new ways, thinking is not in itself radical. That's who Jesus was and is ... fully engaged in his community through us.

But some of the means of resistance? I'm not so sure about supporting morality that the Bible disagrees with.

Nah, I'm sure. Supporting amoral or non-biblical groups is not a good thing. But some of the beautiful examples made this a worthwhile read.

It's worth reading and will make for lively discussions in our classrooms. I recommend it for those who wonder what difference the Christian faith makes as we engage the world.

Find Your Awesome: A 30-Day Challenge to Fall in Love with Your Playful, Imaginative & Colorful Self by Judy Clement Wall

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Did you ever suspect there was a lot of fun under the serious and belabored you? Here's how to find out if it's true. This book will bring out the playful self.

I recommend it if 

You're not sure what to journal about.

You want to do Morning Pages but can't think of anything to write.

You'd like simple art projects to get your creativity unlocked.

Yeah, and if you just want to ramp up your sense of humor - that too.

Grab a copy and enjoy the next 30 days.

Doodled Dogs Dozens of clever doodling exercises & ideas for dog people by Gemma Correll

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Ok, now you're in for some fun. This is one of the cutest books I've reviewed in a while.

If you have a boring commute on transit, have a few minutes a day to play with a pencil or markers, or otherwise need a boost - or just a diversion - between calls and emails - GET THE BOOK. I laughed my way through it.

Fun instructions, great doodles, and most of all, space to unleash your creativity. What are you waiting for?

The China Study Cookbook: Over 175 Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes by LeAnne Campbell

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
So now you don't know what to eat? Maybe you read the China Study and were stumped. Maybe your teen has decided not to eat meat or dairy. Perhaps you're someone who'd love to try a starch and vegetable-based diet (like recommended @ drmcdougall.com), you may be scratching your head. Here's the solution.

You'll find good recipes and suggestions for substitutions so you don't feel like you're being deprived of your favorite foods. It's packaged in a pretty format with clear text and descriptions - and good photos.

I became a vegan year ago - not by choice but because of a health crisis. I wish I'd had this book when I started. You'll be glad you picked up a copy. And your body will thank you.

Youthful Aging Secrets: life better for longer by Mary Jakesh

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review
"All you have to do is keep going and then rev up!" That was the advice given on aging. (He did 70 pushups on his 70th birthday. Whaaaat?!) What great stories of youthful aging.

Don't let your physical health and mind go to waste: use it and keep it sharp. Each chapter starts with an inspiring true story and ends with a reflection for personal application. I was going to read enough to review it and couldn't put the book down. It's short. It's deep. And it's funny.

I highly recommend it - if you're sailing into the sunset at 55 or 75 (or 95) and think life is over, get inspired. And buy a copy of this book.

Laughing All the Way: Wit, Wisdom, and Willpower for the Golden Years by Karen O'Connor

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Not all of life is fun, but how we respond may determine our well-being, physically, mentally, and spiritually. The Bible is full of puns and humor; it encourages its readers to be full of happiness and laughter for good health and long life. Even in seasons of grief, laughter is coming.

O'Connor offers some joyful and practical suggestions for tackling the challenges of aging. She recommends blending humor and inspiration. Look at the funny side of life, she encourages us.

If you're getting older and life is getting you down, consider picking up a copy - and looking at the bright side for a change.

Remake Your Brain by Dr Leonid Altshuler MD

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Do you have metabolic syndrome, caused by insulin swings? Feeling depressed, stressed, unable to cope, or overweight? Is your mental and physical health under siege?

Dr. Altshuler wants you to consider a change in diet (to meat and fish only), stress-reducing exercises, and a lifestyle that is continually renewed by nature and healthier thinking. He makes it easy with practical suggestions.

I found this worth reading. I'll try some of the suggestions - and some of them may not be as good a fit. Certainly, it's worth a month of two of experimenting to see if this method will produce awareness of what makes me function well and think positively. You in the same boat? Pick up a copy today.

Loving Yourself in Style by Shabana Feroze

★★★☐☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Hmmm. I'm not a fashionista and I'm not a drudge. Written for the young and adventurous at heart, Feroze presents the basics of looking good, emotionally, mentally, and physically. There are cute illustrations and good tips on everything from watching your money and designing your closet to shopping for foundational and enduring pieces.

I don't agree with her "chuck everyone's expectations" but I do agree that others' opinions are not a healthy way to get affirmation. Lots of ideas, very practical, and kinda fun to read through. Go for it, esp if you're not sure what to wear tomorrow morning.

Professor at Large: The Cornell Years by John Cleese

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review
Well, I never expected to be absorbed into an academic volume. I thoroughly enjoyed the presentations by Cleese, a deep thinker with a humorous delivery. If you like exploring the world in unconventional ways, want to have your assumptions provoked in new directions - this might be a volume for you.

You'll want to take your time to work through the sessions. Maybe take it along on a retreat or nibble around the edges for a few months. You'll say what I did, "I never thought about that before," and "I've never thought about that just this way." It's like taking your mind to an amusement park and extreme challenge at the same time. Hang on for the ride.

Art Starts with a Line: A creative and interactive guide to the art of line drawing by Erin McManness

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Seriously? I haven't had this much fun - and looking forward to practicing "lines" in a long time. The illustrations, short text, and clear explantations make this a great book to take on the bus or play with during work breaks. One of the most helpful things in the outline is the blank space beside demos, for your own efforts. Draw - or paint - and compare.

You'll enjoy the playfulness and the information if you are a beginner or intermediate draw-er. Pick up a copy and let the fun begin.

English from Afar: How to learn English the less painful way by Bruce Peterson

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review
I'm learning (not English, but) another world language. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a book that promises to teach a language in a ways that is "speedy, effective, communicative, and interesting" for the student.

This book presents a thoroughly modern view of current resources, including tutoring, internet programs, imitation, and practice. I found the concepts and progression - plus the sheer effort involved - in learning a new language to be accurate - and helpful in marking progress.

If you are aiming for fluency in presentations and business, this is a must-read. Though the vocabulary is advanced, the ideas for smooth communication and deep engagement are sound. I recommend it and will transfer some of the ideas to my own language learning.

Gardenlust: A Botanical Tour of the World’s Best New Gardens by Christopher Woods

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
From the wild glass shapes of the Chihuly gardens near Seattle to the formal calmness of the Tree Museum in Rapperswil, Switzerland, you'll turn the pages with appreciation. You'll travel the continents to see innovative and sculptural gardens.

If you view gardening as art, love the shapes and colors of nature, or just need ideas for taking your own yard or property to the next level, you'll enjoy this book of beautiful trends.

One of the cardinal rules of educating the eye in design is to look at the best, the most precious, and the most innovative that top designer have to offer. Then your own ideas will be richer, more beautiful, and better thought out because you have a sense of what can be done.

Make this book part of your education.

The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships by Suzanne Stabile

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
There are a lot of books about the Enneagram lately. This one is valuable in letting us understand interactions with others and between individuals with various personalities.

How do we negotiate individualities in a common space? This examination of the types in the Enneagram will help you understand yourself and others, and how you interact together and separately.

I recommend it, especially if you've been wondering how valuable this look at human characteristics can be.

The Minimalist Home A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life by Joshua Becker

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Becker is on the forefront of the minimalism movement. I've read his writing over the years, and been astonished by how easy and fulfilling the "less-is-more" ideas are. What is the emphasis of our life - to live, or to acquire things that make us seem like we are alive?

With this book, he charts a course for creating a fulfilling and pleasing home. I enjoyed the charts and research put into this book (for example, the needs of various ages of children). Also, I felt that the practical tips could be personalized for each reader.

I recommend this and will be putting some of his ideas into action in my own place. Thanks, Joshua.

Upcycling Outdoors: 20 Creative Garden Projects Made from Reclaimed Materials by Max McMurdo

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
If you're a DIY hacker, bored with the same-old, same-old in your yard and garden, you'll be happy to  pick up this book. It's summer, and project time! I flipped through it and wished I'd found it 20 years ago, when I was still pulling together out-of-the-box creativity for yard and home.

It's a fun complication of 20 easy project ideas that use common or found materials for creative solutions. I recommend it if you have time on your hand and need a boost to find your own solutions and get your mind whirring with possibilities. Have fun!

The Holy No: Worship as a Subversive Act by Adam Hearlson

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
"To speak the Holy No is to refuses to be complicit in the oppression and violence of the ruling power. It is the courageous critique of the present and its claims of immutability. ... The Holy No is also a courageous YES to the future that God has promised."

Thus Hearlson introduces the idea of worship in many forms - explored in various chapters - is the change agent of the Church and culture by the weak and disempowered. I was particularly interested in his exploration of the preaching and lack of liturgical expectations that fueled early Pentecostalism.

While I disagree with the positive voice given to some of the subversive acts, this is a thought-provoking book. (For example, I do not applaud closing a YMCA for a LBGT prom to provide a safe space for alternate genders to celebrate.)

Yet, only within Christianity and its influenced cultures is there such freedom to examine so closely what we believe and to question every part of it without repercussion. Because God is creative and gives free will to humans made in his image, we respectfully can explore - and allow others to explore - possibilities of how God may be at work among us.

An interesting read for philosophy and history grad students who want an alternative look at the role - and shaping of history - of believers and those in Christian culture.

The Qur'an and the Bible: Text and Commentary by Gabriel Said Reynolds

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review
A fascinating look at the parallels and differences between the Christian scriptures and the subsequent writing of the Quran. The researcher takes a unique approach by beginning with the Quran texts and comparing those to the texts of biblical scriptures.

The emergence of Muslim traditions is examined in light of Muslim readings over the centuries. For example, the author postulates that the choice of Mecca may be because it matches descriptions in the Quran, rather than being established from the beginning. The overlap of vocabulary from various versions of the Bible may have determined the choice of Quranic words, which influenced how Muslim exegetes interpret the Quran (since some of the terms used do not have Arabic roots).

Read this and enjoy the similarities and contrasts presented between the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic holy books. Well worth considering for scholars and also for those interested in understanding the migration of Muslims and how they adapt their religion to their surrounding cultures.