Andrew Smith's Blog

Book, Music, and Movie Reviews

Join the Odyssey Adventure Club for $5!

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Are your kids in need of a safe and fun environment where they can explore, create and imagine, all while developing their faith and learning biblical truth? Enter the Odyssey Adventure Club (AOC)!
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For a limited time, you can join HERE for only $5 (regular monthly membership costs $15 for up to six users)!

Families will be able to stream the Adventures in Odyssey library, plus listen to exclusive new monthly episodes.  Busy families will find 24/7 access to the content through the Odyssey Adventure Club mobile iPhone app.

Children can also read daily devotions, interact with hands-on activities and view video documentaries featuring a behind-the-scenes look into the production of the Adventures in Odyssey stories. Parents can feel confident their children are safe on the Odyssey Adventure Club website — Focus on the Family staff will be monitoring all comments before they’re publicly posted.

A portion of each Odyssey Adventure Club membership will benefit Focus on the Family partner relief organizations, including Christian Veterinary Mission, Operation Christmas Child and Compassion International. This provides parents with an opportunity to teach children about the value of giving and serving others.

Coming in July, Odyssey Adventure Club members get to listen to the brand new album, "The Ties That Bind," FIRST before it's available ANYWHERE ELSE!

Click here to join for only $5!

Want more summer activities for your kids inspired by the Odyssey Adventure Club? Check out this post.

Growing Up God’s Way for Boys and Girls by Dr. Chris Richards and Dr. Liz Jones Book Review


Growing Up God’s Way for Boys and Girls are wonderful resources written by two pediatricians, Dr. Chris Richards and Dr. Liz Jones. They wrote the books in order to guide parents in having the challenging “talk” with their children. The books are meant for their parents and their child to read together. The book has helpful illustrations to assist in teaching children about what is happening to their bodies during puberty and the graphics are friendly to early teenagers. The boy’s book is geared towards preteens aged ten to fourteen years old. The girl’s book is geared towards ages nine to thirteen. The book also covered critical topics such as marriage and preparing for the future. Both of these books are almost the same in content with a few sections being different depended upon the gender.

 

Let me first begin by saying, I’m not in the target audience and I’m not married and I don’t have kids yet. I read this book because I want to learn everything I can about children and raising them to be the man or woman God has created them to be and I know my kids will eventually grow up to be mature adults following Christ.

 

I would recommend these magnificent kid friendly books to every single parents who have early teenagers. I believe the authors did a prodigious job in helping kids not to fear growing up and I liked how the book reinforced to the children that they aren’t alone in the changes that their bodies are going through and that they can talk to their parents if they have any questions. I especially liked how they included scripture in describing marriage was between a man and a woman and how their marriage is strong enough to handle a new life entering this world and this is something that should be celebrated. I also loved how they shared verses on love in the Bible and the importance of being united as husband and wife. I believe that the book did its purpose in guiding parents in reading and discussing what is happening to their bodies, how pregnancy occurs, and the prominence of sanctity of marriage. I also plan on rereading these books with my future wife (whoever she is) and reading the books with our kids. If you’re a parent of an early teenager, you especially need to take a look at these remarkable books for your children.

 

“I received both of these books for free from Cross Focused Reviews / EP Books for this review”.

 

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Growing Up God’s Way for Boys and Girls, then check them out on Amazon.com: 

 

 


 

Deeper Than Red: A Novel by Sue Duffy Blog Tour



Deeper Than Red is the final book in the magnificent Red Returning trilogy. I immensely loved how Sue Duffy was very descriptive in describing the numerous suspense-filled scenes. I thought she did a superb job in intertwining all three books in the trilogy together and she is a very creative author. Having read the other two novels, Sue Duffy did a major switch up that honestly, I didn’t see coming in this book. She added a psychic and an occult aspect to the plot and it helped to reinforce that we are in a fight against spiritual forces but the light always wins. I like how this novel touched on faith and how they had to trust God and rely on their faith during tough times. I also liked that it had some romance spread throughout along with a political theme.

I would recommend this series to anyone who loves a fantastic thrilling trilogy! And readers won’t be disappointed with the action packed mystery! I’m excited to see what new trilogy Sue Duffy comes up with next!
 

“I received this book free from the publisher from Kregel Publications book review bloggers program."   

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Deeper Than Red, then check it out on Amazon.com:


 

About the book:

 

Twenty-year-old Tally Greyson isn't consumed with her own education, social life, or career goals like most young women her age. Instead, she's trying to save her mother from the grasp of a seductive cult. What Tally doesn't realize is that in this community, there's a far greater danger than any she can imagine--and she and her mother aren't the only ones in its sights. There are plots brewing here that will threaten the fate of the world.

 

Concert pianist Liesl Bower has put her own dangerous past behind her, and in her Charleston family home, surrounded by those who love her, she's preparing for a world concert tour with her dear friend, violinist Max Morozov. She thinks she's safe; the man who tried to kill her is dead, his coconspirators have been rounded up, and no one knows she had anything to do with saving the world from a new revolution.

 

That is, until a world leader is assassinated on the other side of the globe, setting events into motion that could kill the U.S. president, destroy Washington--and take everything and everyone Liesl loves with it. A madman is at the controls now. Even with the backup of the CIA and the dubious protection of a former KGB agent, this time they may all be too late. The heart-pounding final book in the Red Returning trilogy, Deeper Than Red goes further into the world of espionage and action than ever before, delving into the very worst powers of darkness, and pitting them against the light of faith, love, and forgiveness.

Brand New Product: The Family Toolbox Information and Giveaway

 

The National Center for Biblical Parenting has a new product launching called The Family Toolbox and it’s geared towards parenting teenagers. The Family Toolbox was created to help Christian parents learn the essentials in parenting God’s way. The Family Toolbox contains eight real life examples sketches, teaching videos from Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN, and a workbook filled with questions to lead to a discussion with their teenagers.
 
Here are some of the lessons you will learn:


 


Moment Maker: You Can Live Your Life or It Will Live You By Carlos Whittaker Book Review



In the Moment Maker, Carlos Whittaker encourages readers to live each moment and make it count because you will never get to relive the special moment. In the book, he explored three different types of moments including created moments- we are in control of creating special memories, received moments- we received a surprise gift, and lastly rescued moments- making every day count. Throughout the book, he shared immeasurable stories about living your live to the fullest.

 

One of these stories that Carlos Whittaker shared was about meeting a transgender at a coffee shop named Nicole.  He sat down next to her and began to ask her questions in order to understand her story. She opened up about the struggles about being transgendered and what it truly means. Later that night, Carlos went to a honky-tonky with her and a couple of her friends. They all started fighting a crowd and they were trying to prove a point to the world. Carlos reached out to Nicole and told her to stop fighting and that she was worth so much more than this. His words eventually got through to her and she stopped fighting. And Carlos word’s deeply touched Nicole because no one has ever told her she was worth anything. Carlos took this special moment and decided to instill hope into her life.

 

I would recommend this life changing book to anyone who is longing to make their life count for something significant. I immensely loved the stories that Carlos Whittaker revealed about the many different moments that has impacted his life. He is an excellent teacher and writer and he was very relatable. This book has reinforced to me the importance of living my life to make a different and to enjoy and seize the opportunity in the present moment. This book was a wonderful reminded to me that my destiny is essential and the many moments will add up to a legacy good or bad. If you’re looking for an inspiration book, then please read this book!

 

 

"I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program."  

 

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Moment Maker, check it out on Amazon.com:

 
http://www.amazon.com/Moment-Maker-Live-Your-Life/dp/0310337976/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

Highway to Hell: The Roads Where Childhoods Are Stolen By Matt Roper Book Review


Highway to Hell is a personally story about a journalist, Matt Roper and a Canadian country singer, Dean Brody and their journey to a dangerous highway in Brazil called BR-116. This highway was known to be populated with child prostitution and exploitation. On the highway, they first met a little girl, Leilah about 11 years old in a lilac dress and she was selling herself for 25 reals (about 10 dollars U.S. currency) to tourists and truck drivers. Most of their parents know their children are selling their bodies for money where they can buy food or even drugs. And some parents and grandparents of these children force them to where they can have the money and most of it is generational. Earlier that day, Matt and Dean met with the president of the state assembly and he told them that child prostitution doesn’t happen anymore on BR-116. They later found out how untrue his statement really was. This book will cover the truth of what’s happening on BR-116 highway.

 

I would recommend this book to anyone is passionate about protecting children from predators and every parent and pastor should read this book. The book was heartbreaking to read because of the horrible events that Matt and Dean encountered on their journey. I haven’t ever personally been to a foreign country before and it was very eye opening to me. The book is really difficult to imagine that young girls would be involved in child prostitution and no one is doing anything to stop it and save the girls. I liked how Matt described the children and people that they met very well and I felt like I was seeing a glimpse of some of the terrible conditions they witnessed. I immensely liked the lyrics of a song Dean Brody wrote about Leilah which made him actively wanting to get involved. I also have trouble understand how some of the parents aren’t trying to stop their children from selling their bodies and how they can just by and watch their children put their self into danger. The book is a very critical book and it’s important that we wake up to what is happening in the world around us. If you’re seeking an excellent book on the topic of child prostitution and exploitation, then please read this book!

 

I received this book free from the publisher from Kregel Publications book review bloggers program."  
 

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Highway to Hell, then check it out on Amazon.com: