Book Review: The Bible, Simplified. by Zach Windahl

Whether you're a new believer, looking to learn more about what Scripture says and how to apply it to your life, or want to get reacquainted with the Bible, The Bible, Simplified. by Zach Windahl can help.

After an engaging Introduction, Windahl guides you through what the Bible is, how to read it, and then breaks down the story of the Bible in its entirety into one chapter. Sounds too simple, but as you read Windahl's words, you realize it's true. The author reminds the reader that his book is a resource, not a substitute for reading Scripture. 

Broken down into ten parts, Windahl takes the reader from Creation through to the End Times, and then explains how to live out your faith. Each chapter is followed by a helpful recap. As you are reading about the Old Testament,  there is also a "How to Find Jesus in This Story" moment, and each chapter also includes a "How to Apply This Lesson to Your Life" moment. With charts, historical photos, and maps, Windahl's The Bible, Simplified. will be a study guide you turn to repeatedly. You'll also find recommended resources for further study. 

Sometimes reading the Bible can seem overwhelming. The Bible, Simplified. can make it easier to understand. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Nelson
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 1, 2025
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1400252539
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400252534
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I downloaded a copy of this book on NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: While We're Young by K. L. Walther

 

Filled with fun adventures, romance, forgiveness, and that reckless abandon high school seniors are bound to embrace, While We're Young by K. L. Walther is a young adult romance that is certain to gain legions of fans.

Friends since childhood, Grace, Isa, and Everett were once inseparable. That was until freshman year, when Isa and Everett dated and then broke up. Since then, Grace, who is totally in love with Everett--unbeknownst to him, secretly helps Everett out wth babysitting while supporting her best friend Isa, who she is sure wouldn't understand Grace's commitment to Ev. Meanwhile, Isa and Grace's brother, James, have a secret of their own. Isa has been putting off telling Grace about their blossoming relationship because she's certain Grace won't like them dating. Feeling off-kilter since freshman year, Everett is struggling with demons he hasn't shared. 

Desperate to reunite their trio before they all head off to college, Grace coordinates a senior skip day of epic proportions. She thinks her careful planning is perfect, but when James figures something is afoot, he races to find his sister and uncover her dastardly plot.

Oh, my gosh! I loved everything about While We're Young. Inspired by Ferris Bueller's Day Off, this young adult romance is much deeper and richer than the movie. Freshman year changed the three-way friendship among Grace, Isa, and Everett. Since that time, Grace has felt that she has to pretend to keep Ev at arm's length to support Isa, whose parents are determined only top Ivy League colleges will help her be successful in life. Neither Grace nor Isa realizes how much a family tragedy impacted Everett, and he certainly doesn't grasp the impact it had on his besties. 

James, meanwhile, used to be so close to his sister, but Grace and he are on different roads. She is the senior class president, beloved by the staff, faculty, and the student body, but the only thing James will be known for is detentions. And he really doesn't much care. In a desperate hunt to expose what Grace and her friends are up to, he unfolds one of his infamous plots, bringing humor and antics to an otherwise emotionally tense storyline.

Walther was wise in how she plotted out While We're Young. There are so many intense feelings in what happened in high school for these three friends, that if it wasn't lightened by this unofficial senior skip day and James's pursuit, the novel would have been draining. This story ends on such an amazing note for all four characters that the reader is totally satisfied with the conclusion, even though so much of their lives is left unwritten. 

Funny and romantic, I highly recommend While We're Young. 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D22KPSG2
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Delacorte Romance (March 4, 2025)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 4, 2025
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 2.5 MB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

• Print length ‏ : ‎ 376 pages

I received a free digital copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: Leading Beyond the Numbers by Susan Ní Chríodáin

 

What is the value of blending reason and emotion in business? Susan Ní Chríodáin believes that if we reintroduce humanity into the workplace, it will have a positive impact on people, performance, and profit. And in her well-researched book, Leading Beyond the Numbers, you'll find out how.

If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that our humanity connects us. So, why have we for generations tried to keep emotions out of the workplace? Aren't passionate, emotional people responsible for some of the greatest discoveries in the world? 

Chríodáin put together an amazing book that is a must read for leaders and would-be leaders everywhere. Leading Beyond the Numbers explores how our bodies and brains work and the link between emotional intelligence and organizational performance. 

The author used an easy to follow format, bolding sentences of importance, adding helpful charts, and asking thought-provoking questions. She speaks of a personal balance sheet and asks what would make up your assets and liabilities and how would you calculate your equity. She explores how the brain works and how it constantly changes throughout our lives. She talks about body budgeting and how we can't expend energy if that energy is depleted. Chríodáin talks about HeartMath, gut instinct, how your mood impacts your day, and what makes conversations difficult. Then she explores RULER, the acronym for five key emotional skills. And as she winds down her book, Chríodáin reminds readers that numbers can't do anything without people. 

A helpful appendix includes key questions chapter by chapter, followed by a notes section also broken down by chapter. Further resources conclude the book. 

Leading Beyond the Numbers is a fascinating read. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Practical Inspiration Publishing (May 14, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1788605861
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1788605861

I downloaded a digital copy from NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.