Book review: The Matthew 6:33 Piano Teacher by K.M. Logan

Do you feel called to music? In this lovely book, author K.M. Logan shows the good, the bad, and the ugly of being a piano teacher. She gives basic guidelines for everything from dress, to safety, to purchasing an instrument. With practical marketing techniques, as well as an honest outlook on your suitability to become a piano instructor, her book hits a high mark. She shows the reasons why God is necessary in our decisions, whether they are which curriculum to choose, or which students to teach.

I liked:

• The feel of the book. It was easy to read, yet contained all the information necessary. It was comfortable, and easygoing. Not like a reference book, but very structured and easily accessible.
• The non-judgemental outlook. It was great to me because the author doesn’t say that there is one specific way to teach, but says that you should pray about it. Which leads me to my next point…
• The God-filled pages. There is a lot of mention of God. I was so blessed by how often the author said you should pray about the issues surrounding the profession of teaching piano.
• The helpful websites. Scattered throughout the book, K.M. Logan has her favorite teaching resource websites. I found them to be perfect for the book’s purpose.

I disliked:

• The parts where she talked about safety. They are a little scary to read if you are a 17 year old minor! This said, they would be different if read by a man, married woman, married man etc.

Overall, it was a fantastically written book. I loved it, and it actually made me want to take piano lessons again! J I would recommend this to anyone who has enough piano knowledge to teach.

This book was given to me for free by the author in exchange for an honest 200+ word review.

Book review: Days With Jesus Part 1 by Jim Jackson

Jesus was a true revolutionary. He was born in a barn, performed miracles, and proclaimed Himself to be the Son of God. He had a miraculous, adventurous, and extraordinary life.  Despite this, many do not know who Jesus was, what He did, and his life-story. In this 31 day docuvotional (a document/devotional) Jim Jackson shows the biblical context of the miracles that Jesus did, as well as the historical and geographical context. He shows what the book of John would have been like to a bystander, and with that, you are promptly whisked away to the first century.

I liked:

The historical facts. There were some very interesting facts written in the context of the story; some I had not known before, but they brought an entirely new perspective to the life of Jesus. I found it interest to read about some of the cultural taboos, such as running out of wine at a wedding ( the groom’s family could be sued!)

The humor. There were a few sections that I laughed aloud at Jim Jackson’s personal stories.

The layout. The book is perfect for a small group/ Bible study.

I disliked:

There was mention of God allowing/giving sickness. I have studied all the gospels and I cannot seem to find one instance where God punished someone for their sin by giving them sickness. Therefore, I very disagree with this doctrine.

Overall:

While I think there were some interesting points made, I do not think this book is unique. There are many John commentaries out there. However, I loved the historical/cultural tidbits. Those alone made the book very special. I really enjoyed them. Overall, this is an easy to read commentary, and although I disagreed with the doctrine, I doubt I could read any commentary without disagreeing a little bit!For only 3.99(kindle) It is definitely a steal!

This book was given to me by the author in exchange for a 200+ word review.

Book Review: Submerged by Dani Pettrey

Bailey Craig has spent the past decade running away from her reputation in Yancey, Alaska. In a small town, it is hard for people to forget the past. When she is unexpectedly called back to Yancey because of her aunt’s sudden death, she tries to get in and out as fast as possible. When a murder is uncovered, however, she is asked to help investigate because of her vast knowledge of Alaskan history. With the body count growing by the hour, Bailey will have to forgive herself for the past before the murdering will stop.

I liked:

• The plot. I always love when plots are a mixture of historical and modern, so this book worked really well for me!
• The cover. I believe the cover had a beautiful/mysterious/interesting cover, which fits the book’s story perfectly.
• The character description. It was sublime, and you understood the reason the characters acted as they did.
• The forgiveness. I loved the constant theme of forgiveness woven throughout the book; it was a beautiful addition!

I disliked:

• That the author described the disease that killed Cole’s mother. I really didn’t find it necessary to have the disease mentioned, much less in detail.

Overall:

This book was a great read. It was suspenseful from the beginning, and I loved the archaeology involved. I would recommend this book to ages 16+, mainly because of some mature (although VERY pure, and not graphic) content.  Read this if you enjoy a fast paced read!

Thanks to Bethany House publishers for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.