Growing Kids with Character: Nurturing Your Child's Potential, Purpose, and Passion (David C. Cook, March 2018)
Through Hettie Brittz's famous tree metaphors, parents will discover how to let their kids excel at being who they naturally are as they grow in their unique purpose in the world.
Author and speaker Hettie Brittz helps readers identify their kids' natural bent and understand how that affects the parenting journey. Parents will learn how to:
-Cultivate each of their kids' unique way of encountering, following, and worshiping God
-Disciple and discipline based on each child's blueprint
-Help their children celebrate God's individualized design for others
Brittz offers tools to parents for recognizing their kids' God-given personalities, guiding them on their spiritual journeys, and establishing their identity and purpose in Christ.
Learn more and purchase a copy.

I take most parenting books with a grain of salt. That being said however, I still like to read and learn all I can, as sometimes (most of the time, to be honest), I second guess my ability to parent. We are bombarded with images on social media from our friends, acquaintances, family, and peers and are led (in my opinion) that they're doing better on this parenting thing than I am.
And so I read. I learn.
But I like to read books that give me a different perspective of how I can communicate with my children. I have 2, a "Palm-Rose hybrid" kindergartener and so far, my toddler is showing signs of being a "boxwood." I love the little 'conversational' identifier examples. a practical guide at the end of each chapter and a few reflective questions. I do appreciate this book and would recommend to add to your parenting books...as long as you remember that not all children are going to "fit" in exactly in any categories, even hybrid ones.

​***I received this book through Litfuse in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive one. These thoughts and opinions are my own.***

​Hettie Brittz is a South African-born author, international speaker, and a foremost voice in parenting advice and personality styles. She is the author of "(un)Natural Mom," the developer of the Evergreen Parenting Course, and the codeveloper of Tall Trees Profiles. She heads up Tall Trees Consulting (USA).
Find out more about Hettie at http://hettiebrittz.com.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Some discussions are important to have with your children: the birds and the bees, kindness and bullying, and I should most definitely like to add, what to do if you ever get pulled over by a police offer, and how to check if you're privilege. 
Our group touched on this several times over the course of a couple of hours. We acknowledge that some groups across racial/cultural/gender divide have it better or worse than others. In a room full of mostly Caucasian women, a woman of color and myself as the "self proclaimed Token Asian," our world view is limited to our individual privileges, our familial/cultural norms, and societal expectations we have for ourselves and others. 
I understand privilege as the "token Asian." Regardless of whatever grade I got, whatever subject went over my head, my being Asian carried with it an assumption that I was highly intelligent, I was favored, et cetera et cetera. You can look up Asians and the "model minority myth," if you're so inclined to learn more on this subject. 
So in spite of being just an average student, I was assumed in this positive (or not, depending on your thoughts) role. This is privilege. That I never had to work hard for anyone to trust me. I was automatic living the stereotype: good family, good (debatable) grades, going to college, getting a degree, working for advancement or content with a career that one will have until they retire. 
This is my privilege and I acknowledge it.

The group of friends I have had throughout the years have never treated me less than because of the color of my skin. I was once told in college that if I were to visit my friend and her family in India, I would be readily accepted than if my black friend came with her. Of course, by the same "tokenness," I have experienced prejudices based solely on the color of my skin. The question "where are you really from?" doesn't bother me quite as much anymore, as I've heard that question all my life. Being married to a Hispanic man, I am fully aware of prejudices and stereotypes of a being Mexican American living in this type of societal powder keg. I am raising a generation that will have to fight for their accomplishments and against stereotypes. I know my daughter will encounter different forms of racism than her brother. Those are facts that I hope never come to fruition but still I am wary. 
SO in our very lively and sometimes heated discussion on said privileges, we  can acknowledge that with privilege comes certain types of power. One being: how to use what power I have to help those who don't. How can we as individuals or as a group help the marginalized, the oppressed, and the poor?

The Hate U give follows Starr Carter, a teenage girl who lives two different lives, as per society standards, and constructs. She attends school at a predominately white prep school and goes home to her poor, and mostly black neighborhood. When her best friend, Khalil , is fatally shot in front of her, she starts on what I like to call as 'journey of self discovery;' one in which the road was paved with a certain level of understanding of how the world operates, how to be two different people and slowly, if not painfully sudden, the road becomes more rocky and made with less sure footing. A takeaway: "you can do everything right and still be wrong."
Her childhood was never innocent. She saw things that most of us in our suburbia homelife can ever imagine. But through her voice - through Angie Thomas' carefully worded and profound words - I understood my own power, my own privilege. I applauded Starr when she found her sure footing, the power in her words, and her voice.

If you have never read a book by a woman, or person, of color, I urge you to read this one. To say it is life changing is an understatement.
I implore you to look beyond your own pedestal of understanding at the world, and look at the women and men who you look down on, without even realizing it. This book was heavy. Thomas wrote some wisdom of truths that only people of color can understand, however painful they may be. However, universally, I think everyone can agree that there exists a minefield of racial and social injustices for certain people. ***If by chance, you don't believe in this statement, I will most definitely gift you this book, please reach out.***
Folks, we must do better. 

​Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine with a picture included. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Myers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books.

​Grace Revealed: Finding God's Strength in Any Crisis(Broadstreet Publishing Group, January 2018)
Trust in the unmerited gift of God's grace
You can't escape the inevitable crises that will face you throughout your lifetime. Whether it's health problems, emotional issues, career challenges, gut-wrenching losses, or other failures, these experiences can destroy your morale and lead you into despair. Some crises may be a result of your own choices, while others may be completely out of your control. Whatever the source, there is a lasting solution that comes to you free of charge from above: God's amazing grace.
In Grace Revealed, you will:
-Experience real-life stories of others who discover they are not alone and that relief is within their grasp.
-See how devastating afflictions can be overcome through faith in Jesus and His love, mercy, and grace.
-Learn how God's grace transforms lives and leads you into enduring and rewarding Christian service.
-Be inspired to encourage others who are suffering but cannot seek help on their own.
Read these undeniable, modern-day examples of God's loving grace and its transformative power, and discover that God is always present in your time of need.

This book serves as a reminder for all of us about God's love, mercy, and grace. Author ​Fred Sievert examines grace, as told by different people who have not only felt it, but were transformed by the knowledge of God's grace. Although some stories were harder to read than others, speaking purely as a mother, I was inspired by their hope that amidst all of their pain and brokenness, they were each able to see God's love. How amazing is that? In seasons where there are more darkness and pain, they all saw a sliver of light, and love that shone such brightness that they were able to fight their way out....even decades later. I particularly enjoyed going through the reflective portion at the end of each story. It allowed to give the reader take a breath from these experiences and also pause on the the enormity of God's grace. 

Grace, this tiny word with such heavy and magnificent meaning. I struggle with this daily, like most parents...like most people. My limit has been tested. My faith has been broken. God sends people to me in subtle and different ways to renew my thirst. This cycle, unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, continues on and on. Through it all, it is revealed that God's Grace is sufficient. 

Within these pages are stories of this cycle. Although, my season of doubt and hope pales in comparison to the sheer evilness and hatred that most of my brothers and sisters in Christ have had to endure. The picture stays the same. Hope abounds. Love remains and Grace (is) revealed. 

​***I received this book through Litfuse in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive one. These thoughts and opinions are my own.***

​Fred Sievert is a speaker, author, and former president of New York Life Insurance Company. Following his early retirement at age fifty-nine, Sievert attended Yale Divinity School and received a master's degree. Sievert remains actively engaged in his greatest passions, which include speaking and writing about his faith, mentoring young executives, and serving as a lay leader of his church and on the boards of several organizations with missions well-aligned with his beliefs and values. Fred and his wife have five grown children, three grandchildren, and reside in East Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Find out more about Fred at https://www.storiesofgodsgrace.com.

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​Click on the picture above to enter the Giveaway for a complete signed set of the USA Today bestselling Knitting in the City Series! 

dear judas is the first chapbook in the dead letter series by Melissa Jennings, exploring trust, betrayal, and whether people are truly capable of forgiveness.

 I enjoyed Melissa Jenning's debut collection, Afterlife. Admittedly, it took me a while to truly get into the collection's headspace. Dear Judas was nothing like that. If anything, I devoured this in a single setting and reread it again for clarity and a better understanding at the poet's world of duplicitous people. 
This is a chapbook, so it's shorter, for those not familiar with poetry collections. Letters from the betrayed are marked with bitterness and fraught with anger. I loved the imagery of the crown of thorns and blood. It was rather interesting to read because we all know a Judas who have come into our lives at some point, and whether we've moved on from the act of treachery, or still reeling from it, we can relate to this collection. I have a lot of favorite lines from here.

"don't suffocate in a sin you couldn't help."
(I noticed this seems to be a resounding favorite)
When your parents named you,
did they know that they were naming a constellation?
they looked at how you glowed, not how
you were surrounded by darkness. 

****A note for my faith readers: I'm Catholic and while the imagery were haunting, I didn't feel like Jennings used some religious images as a way to mock or make fun of the faith and the faithful. I loved their style and whatever their intention in using these, it made the betrayal more powerful and humanizing.....we have all met a Judas. We have all worn our own crowns of thorns. We've also been someone's Judas and caused pain to others. It's this deception and greed of wanting power that I paused on.**** 

Melissa Jennings lives with their cat, Dora, in the sometimes sunny but always vibrant city of Glasgow, in Scotland. Melissa is currently studying towards an MA in English Literature at the University of Glasgow. They are an avid reader and a writer of many genres - poetry is just the first step.
To follow them, visit their website at ​www.melissajennings.co/