The Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado

Lucado has written another outstanding book! Every young person needs to read this book. Its the best self discovery tool Ive ever seen and Ive seen plenty of professional models....fyi: Lucado includes a professionally drafted model as a standalone guide in the back of the book. Its more like half of the book and it is the tool used to help you discover what your God given gifts are so that you can start using them right away and be set free from the common life.
In a nutshell, the cure is to praise God and to find your sweat spot: that place where what you love to do and what you do successfully overlap and then pinpoint your gift and use it to glorify God.
This is one of Lucados master piece books! Far better than Fearless.
It is filled with hope and information and a lot of comedy (I love comedy).
Everyone needs to read this book, especially the teenagers.
If you have been considering a WALK program of study for your church I reccommend this book. Like all great Lucado books, there is a study guide in the very back of the book. As I said, the self exploration guide is also inside.
This book is a wonderful treasure, I so love Lucado!!

The Final Hour By Andrew Klavan

If you enjoy crime and suspense novels, this series is a must read.
The story centers around a teenage boy who despite feeling like hes always alone, struggles to do the right thing. He finds himself in jail at which time he recalls memory that a terrorist attack will soon occur. Having noone to help him, noone to turn to, he must find a way to save millions of people from dieing.
This is a dificult book to review wihout giving away what happens. The real focus I think, is of a boy who is constantly facing struggles and how he copes seems to be the real plot line.
If you would like to read some work by this author but dont have the time to commit to a series there is another avenue you can chose.This author has another book just out called Crazy Dangerous. It is not part of a series and is a one book story.

Walking like Daniel: Its Not About Me by Max Lucado

Walking like Daniel: Its Not About Me by Max Lucado

Its Not About Me by Max Lucado

Lucado, is my favorite author so its just going to be a given that I enjoyed the book. That being said upfront, this work was not one of my favorites and not his finest. However, it is a great way to spend a rainy day and can easily be consumed in one evening spent alone in the easy chair with a window cracked wide enough to enjoy the sounds of rain drops bouncing offthe parched ground.
The Book of Isaiah seems to be the continuing focus of this Lucado work. And the resounding focus is great: center your life around focusing on Gods Glory and try to keep in mind that everything that happens does so forthe Glory of God and in return your trials will seem easier to bare.
But the work of satan is not for the Glory of God. So everything that happens cant be for Gods Glory...Id argue that it SHOULD be for Gods Glory.
Still Lucado has a style that I absolutely love and I hoard all of his books, and they will get top shelf on my bookcase as soon as I get one( having just moved into a new house, Ive found quite a few things I need to do and one of those things is definately to put up a 6 foot bookcase).
I like where Lucado, went with this work inspite of the fact that it was not one of my favorites. If we would realize that the universe revolves around God and not us then we would be happier in our place. One picture he painted was that of an orchestra where everyone played what they wanted to and diregarded the conductor and tryed to be the star on stage playing every solo - and noone was happy to be a part of that group. But as Christians, we can be proud to follow Jesus, and can be team players. The only thing that bothered me about his attitude is that everytime I hear it voiced its by someone who has everything and never by a struggling average person...with that in mind, maybe thats exactly what I need to write my next book about because I agree with Lucado, and Im sure a struggling person.
Id have to give this book 4 out of 5 stars because any Lucado, book is top of the line for inspiration and attitude.

The Quotable Rogue by Matt Lewis

I was bias before I read the book, being a palin fan for the last few years. I found it to be a wonderful use of time and insirational.

Story Engineering by Larry Brooks

Im going to go 4 out of 5 stars on this book. If you have any interest in writing a novel this is a good resource. the wuthor spends the first 40 pages trying to sell his formula. It is not the best resource Ive come across but it is one of the top 5.
His formula is simply to train yourself to put a character in that is motivated and driven and set him up to experience life changing events. Create reader empathy and give him hope. he completely outlines a process that will help a beginning writer to develop the necessary skills to write a successful book. he calls it a 6 step plan. A rose by anyother name would smell as sweet and every major book on how to write a book says the same things this books says but in a little different way.
Still, for a new writer this would be a great resource and I would highly recommend it.

Max On Life a wonderful BOOK!!!!!!!!

Lucado does it again. Hes long been my favorite writer, way before FEARLESS. Lucado simply puts things in a real life understandable way.
There were some things I did not feel completely happy with but I would take nothing away from him again; hes a wonderful writer and all of his books are golden.
This book would especially hit home for the unsaved reader who has unanswered questions about the Bible and life before we knew it.
You just cant go wrong with Lucado, and this book would make a wonderful gift. I keep all Lucado books and donate 90% of all other books I review but I wont let go of a Lucado.