Rush of Heaven

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Book Description

“Ema, give me your hand.” These were the words Jesus spoke to Ema on Christmas Eve before He straightened her crooked foot, hand, neck, and spine, and restored her mobility.

Easter weekend, eighteen years earlier, an ordinary workday turned into a nightmare when Ema McKinley passed out and was left hanging upside down in the storage room.

Rather than improving, Ema’s body became progressively bent and disfigured. Doctors diagnosed Ema with reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), an extremely painful trauma-induced disease which led to Ema’s hand and foot deformities, painful sores, insomnia, gastrological distress, curvature of the neck and spine, heart and lung failure, and permanent confinement to a wheelchair.

Once an athletic, powerhouse woman with multiple jobs and volunteer positions, Ema became a modern-day Job who lost everything except her faith and desire to trust God more fully. Ema wrestled with pain, anger, and unforgiveness, but now takes the reader on a healing miracle encounter of Biblical proportions.

Rush of Heaven will ignite readers’ passion for Jesus and help them walk hand-in-hand with Him through life’s darkness. It will open hearts to embrace the impossible.

 “Jesus gave me this miracle for you too!” — Ema McKinley

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

What an incredible story!

Ema had a deep faith before her accident and the daily struggles after push her into the arms of Jesus even more. I already knew God was real before this book; as a Christian though, I am in awe of Ema's constant faithfulness to Jesus. Her love for Him, her trust in Him, never faltered. She is an example to us all in how we should be seeking His counsel and strength. I do not face the trials and physical pain that Ema did, but I do have trials and pain in my life - thank you for helping me grow in my faith!

If you enjoy seeing the faith journey of other Christians,  this is a winner!

I gave this book: ★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

The Hive by Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden

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(shortened) Book Description

Cassie McKinney has always believed in the Hive.

Social media used to be out of control, after all. People were torn apart by trolls and doxxers. Even hackers - like Cassie's dad - were powerless against it.

But then the Hive came. A better way to sanction people for what they do online. Cause trouble, get too many "condemns," and a crowd can come after you, teach you a lesson in real life. It's safer, fairer and perfectly legal.

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

I rated this book 4 stars, not because I thought it was executed well but because it was an...intriguing...read. I share the main character's name and so was pre-disposed to like her. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. I think this book could have been much better had it been given more editorial time. In my opinion, when books or movies reference a President, the reader shouldn't be able to tell automatically if they are a portrayal of a particular President or party.

There are certainly things I had issues with as I read this. The number one thing I did not like about Cassie was her attitude and treatment towards her mom. While she does come to appreciate her mother, I think there are other ways the author could have illustrated this without Cassie's disdain for her and perception that she was stupid.
 I also felt the teens are portrayed in very stereotypical shallow ways. Cassie, along with others, make stupid remarks. And others laugh at them. The joke Cassie makes about the President's daughter's baby is in poor taste. Many will say that this causes "political issues" for conservatives who think it is a reference to Trump/Ivanka. Perhaps it was. I found it distasteful because I do not support abortion. This is a horrible thing to say to anybody, just being opposed to them as a political or public figure doesn't make it okay. It is not a stretch to imagine this in the real world; we see people on social media saying things, especially young people whose brains are still developing, or making comments that are rude, offensive and insulting. Young people today are growing up in a culture where we see all sorts of posts or videos go viral, which is usually seen as a positive outcome for them. While I may have wished for better character (or character development) I do appreciate the story line which can open up conversations with young adults about social media practices. I am personally horrified by many comments I see people make on social media, which lead to cheers from some of the population and jeers from the other half. I especially find jeers that can lead to a person's physically safety or mental state of mind being threatened.

I gave this book: ★★★★
Not because of mechanics, but the premise was so interesting that I keep thinking about it.

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

Michigan vs. the Boys by Carrie S. Allen, A Review

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Book Description

When a determined girl is confronted with the culture of toxic masculinity, it's time to even the score. Michigan Manning lives for hockey, and this is her year to shine. That is, until she gets some crushing news: budget cuts will keep the girls' hockey team off the ice this year. If she wants colleges to notice her, Michigan has to find a way to play. Luckily, there's still one team left in town ... The boys' team isn't exactly welcoming, but Michigan's prepared to prove herself. She plays some of the best hockey of her life, in fact, all while putting up with changing in the broom closet, constant trash talk and “harmless” pranks that always seem to target her. But once hazing crosses the line into assault, Michigan must weigh the consequences of speaking up --- even if it means putting her future on the line.

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

What an enjoyable YA read! I married into a family that enjoys hockey so I thought I would give this a read when I saw it over at Netgalley. YA books tend to be hit or miss for me and so I went in with "middle of the road" expectations. Allen's story of Michigan and her fight to continue to play hockey exceeded those expectations. I did not want to put this book down, which is saying something for me and a YA book. 

While it seems hard to believe that a school in Michigan would disband the girls' hockey team, even with budget constraints, that is the scenario that Michigan and her teammates encounter. While the girls find other alternatives, Michigan is left with only one option: try out for a spot on the boys' team. I found Michigan to be believable as a young woman. As an athlete, she is tough and determined while also typically being interested in a cute boy and clashing with her mom. It was a little unbelievable how detached her parents seemed but set up certain situations in the book. While I found this annoying and puzzling, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. 

Michigan faces hazing that ranges from ostracization (difficult and not the best but not horrible) to sexual harassment (appalling). I want to believe that boys don't act like this but then I remember that they are not adults and are prone to making poor decisions. (And yet, how did they get to the point where some of their actions actually seemed okay to them). And I am completely lost when it comes to the coach's response. 

Overall, Allen's book takes a hard look at equality in sports and hazing providing insight to those subjects. Michigan is a girl you root for; her journey to valuing herself, standing up for herself and not allowing the captain and his crew to mistreat her leaves you cheering. 

I gave this book: ★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it