The Real Deal

Have You Ever Wondered... Is that certain book really good? Does that product really work? So have I. From Indie authors and musicians to local products or nationally advertised, I can't tell you the countless products I've bought as seen on TV only to find out that they don't work at my house, the book was really a bunch of hype, the music was not what I had hoped for or a movie was a yawn. If you want an honest opinion, you will find it here. Although I do lots of book reviews, I also check out lots of other products and let you know if they really live up to their ads or their hype. Stay tuned, and check in often. You never know what I'm going to talk about next.

18.4.11

What Questions Would You Ask Max?



How great would it be to sit down with Max Lucado and ask the tough questions about life, and get his take? Initially, I thought the book would be for people new in their faith walk, or new Christians who hadn’t gotten around to translating the Bible into practical steps for daily living. But Max has a real understanding of what the word of God says and how it should be played out in our daily life. I bet a guy who’s been in ministry and written over 50 books would have a lot to say on just about any topic you throw at him:

~ “I really dread going home for the holidays…”

~ “I’d like to slow down and simplify my life…”

~ “Are the commandments in the Bible archaic?”

I found Max’s biblically based explanations easy to understand and accessible. (Notice, I didn’t say easy.) You don’t have to sit down and read through all the chapters to get nuggets of truth. You can choose from one of the 7 and read as much or as little as you like. The questions were an attention-grabbing mix from simple to complex, and his answers were thoughtful, inspired and sometimes even lighthearted. (Life isn’t all evil and darkness.)

He answers over 150 questions in this book, categorized by subject. Need Hope? Been Hurt? Need Help? He’s got answers for you. He maintains a positive spin, and it neither harsh nor condemning, which kept me reading. This book isn’t asking just the simple question, but also the hard-hitting ones:

~ “How do I forgive my son-in-law now that he’s broken my daughter’s heart?”

~ “What’s the big deal about pornography?”
~ “Does God hate homosexuals?”  (Answer 100 was one of the longest in the book.)

Chances are, there’s at least one question in here you have asked aloud. I was surprised to find that I wasn’t the only one asking the question, and Max gave me new lines to think along. A fresh perspective. So if you’ve got questions, you might take a look at Max on Life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through Booksneeze a 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

5.4.11

The Adjustment Bureau

I saw The Adjustment Bureau movie trailer only recently and really wanted to hear more. When I found the audio book, only then did I discover it was a Classic Paranoid Story by science fiction author, Philip K. Dick. I had to get it. With an hour drive time everyday, I was hoping it would be a longer story, but found it entirely entertaining.

When this curious tale began with a Clerk talking to a dog about upcoming changes to sector T137, I wondered, where is this going? But when the dog answered him, I had to see what happened next. I down loaded the disc to my MP3 player and listened to it on my way to work.

The story takes place in the day of Ed Fletcher, a real estate agent. All appears to be typical until the sun winks out, and Ed finds himself in world made of grey ash. What happens after that, will have you pondering the subtle changes in your own surroundings for days, possibly years.

Phil Gigante’s excellent performance gave a distinctive voice, tone and cadence to each character, making it easy to follow them through the hour-long drama.

The quality of this recording by Brilliance Audio was clear with Gigante maintaining a consistent volume and no distracting background noises. (In some other audio books I’ve heard cocks crowing and children and those elements weren’t part of the story.) Gigante’s spectacular enunciation kept me tracking with the story to its surprising conclusion. If you enjoy audio books, make time for this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this audio book free through the Amazon Vine 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

2.4.11

I Love Sugar Free Candy!

 Ever since I began getting headaches from regular candy, I've been searching for high-flavor sugar-free candy. So much of it seems to start out well then bite you back with a nasty aftertaste. I discovered too, that aspartame was also not good for me, so the search began for candy made with Splenda.

This package of Crystal Light Chewy Candy contained strawberry, raspberry orange and lemon. They were square like Starburst, but not quite as intense or as tart, which was a little bit of a let down. The berry flavors were tasty, as was the orange. My favorite flavor was the lemon.

I've been a fan of Sorbee hard candies because they have a great taste and texture and no bitter aftertaste, or any kind of head pain. I was thrilled to find chewy candy!

If you aren't used to eating sorbitol based candy, however, they are slightly laxative, so you should try to limit yourself to no more than six in a day. The more often you enjoy this type of confection, the less if seems to have that effect. I live with a diabetic who enjoyed the texture and taste of the chews as much as I did, and no spike in sugar numbers was definitely a plus. I would like to see a blend of tropical flavors.

I recommend this to anyone trying to watch calorie intake, sugar levels and it also has an exchange for those on Weight Watchers. I loved them and will be getting more soon!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product free through the Amazon Vine 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 product