Mosaic Amy Grant Pieces of My Life So Far

I admit that I love Amy Grant's music, and it was her seemingly squeaky clean image that caused me to purchase this book to read. Mosaic in the title was so appealing to me as well. After reading this book, I still love Amy Grant, I still love her music and now I love her as a person.

About the Author:

Amy Grant lives in Nashville Tennessee, with her husband, country music start Vince Gill. She has four children Matt, Millie, Sarah, and Corrina, and one stepdaughter Jenny.

About the Book, from the back cover:

With her unmistakable voice and honest lyrics, Amy Grant has captures a unique place in American music. As the bestselling Christian music artist of all time, a crossover pop sensation, and a the wife of country music star Vince Gill, Amy has lived much of her life in the spotlight, subject to adulation, speculation, and scrutiny. Now for the first time she bares her heart and soul to reveal thoughts on everything from motherhood and marriage to fame and forgiveness. Whether describing personal moments alone on a moonlit hillside or very public ones performing with the likes of Tony Bennett and James Taylor, Amy presents a captivating collection of beautiful reflections of life, love and faith.

My Review:

Mosaic, is a heartwarming book of faith and love. I love the honest portrayal of her life. Amy although famous, is just like the rest of us trying to find balance in her life, and attempt to do things better the next day. She describes how she writes her music and where, I enjoyed this section of the book, as her music is what brought me to her in the first place. I loved her spiritual sense and I could picture myself in her backyard on the patio sitting and visiting with her. She gives plenty of description to help the reader understand her surroundings. Again, I did love this book, I love the spiritual side of the book and the realistic reality of the life she lives, her family, her friends. Amy has had heartache, she has had tough times and blending two families. She talks winter depression that so many people experience and do not even realize it. The book was spiritual and heartwarming.

I would recommend this book to anyone.

Sandie

It's All About Him: Finding the Love of My Life

I found "It's All About Him: Finding The Love of My Life" in a Christian book store a few years ago. I have always been an Alan Jackson fan, and I had heard about the spilt with his wife. I had fallen in love with the song "Remember When" in the fall of 2003; although I did not appreciate it until the fall of 2004. When I was trying to pull my own marriage back together.

Denise Jackson's book captivated my attention, so I quickly bought the book. The title even caught my attention, as I had a preconceived notion of what the title represented. Oh was I wrong!

About the Author:

Denise Jackson is a former flight attendant and elementary school teacher. Denise currently devotes most of her time to her husband Country music superstar Alan Jackson, and their three daughters. Apart from spending time with her family, Denise enjoys playing tennis and is an avid student of the Bible.

About the Book from the back cover:

Alan and Denise Jackson's life seemed like a fairy tale: high school sweethearts marry young and leave small-town Georgia to pursue big dreams in Music City. They pay their dues, work hard, and weather deep disappointments. Then their dreams come true. Stardom and multi-platinum albums. Fame, wealth, a palatial estate and vacation homes: a fleet of airplanes, luxury cars, designer clothes and world-class jewelry.

In the Fairy tales, the Jackson's' material success-plus their "perfect" marriage, their three beautiful daughters, and their supportive families-would have signaled a happily-ever-after ending.

But real life is different from fairy tales.

At the pinnacle of their success, much to the shock of their fans and the pain of their families, the Jackson's separated. For Alan, musical renown, fame, and wealth still did not make up for the marital problems the Jackson's had struggled with for years.. And for Denise, building her life around Alan and riding the tide of the success had somehow left her hollow, unsure of just who she really was.

You don't have to be rich and famous to go through struggles life these. Sooner or later, we all come to the point when we realize that real joy and peace isn't just around the corner of the next achievement, the next relationship, the next new thing.

That's why Alan and Denise Jackson's story isn't just a great read and a dramatic intimate look at the golden world of celebrity. It's a story of the greatest love of all, the love that will never let you go...and how to find it no matter who you are, where you live, or what you've done.

My Review:

As I read "It's all About Him" I realized that my life had mirrored the Jackson's in many ways except the fame and money. The book resonated with me and spoke volumes to me on so many levels. I enjoyed reading Denise's journey from high school sweethearts, to a broken heart, and the processes of healing that heart. In the book, Denise describes her high school days and being high school sweethearts, she talks about the lean years, and how they struggled, the disappointments, and then the success. The success is when her life changed. A busy wife and mother, she was trying to manage everything, but herself. Along the way during the separation Denise realizes what is most important to her. It is her journey along this path that gives the reader some insight in how to manage a better balance in one's own life.

I enjoyed this book; I was able to find ways to improve myself through this read. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Denise for not giving up and for doing all she could to put her marriage back together. She is an inspiration, and should be counted as such. I highly recommend this book!

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a spiritual look at relationships and how to restore something that is broken. To someone who is struggling to find themselves and anyone. The book has some adult theme to it, though it is clean.

Sandie

Journey of Honor: a love story

Journey of Honor: a love story

by: Jacyln M. Hawkes

"Disowned, she came to America anyway. Attacked and left pregnant by a vicious mob, she still pressed on. Finally, in psite of being accused of theft by the vilest of her attackers, Giselle tries to remain as upbeat and uncomplaning as a prairie wildflower as she travels on to Zion."

Having a pioneer heritage, I read this book and thought of my ancestors who braved the trek across the vast United States of America, as they looked towards the Great Salt Lake valley as a refuges from persecution.

This book was an inspiriting look at the trials and hardships the pioneers encountered on the trek west. Journey of Honor brought a new understanding of how difficult this era was in the history of the United States. Living outside, under the elements, with wild animals, and Indians would be enough to shake anyone's faith; however, for Giselle she was strong and courageous and although she faced hard times, nothing compared to the final decision she would have to face in Salt Lake; saying goodbye to Trace.

If you are a romantic at heart, like I am. If you believe in being in love, or the idea of being in love and falling in love, then this story is one you must read. Trace and Giselle endure many hardships and yet along the way they work side-by-side to take the wagon train west. Trace a physician who leaves the south to avoid any further racism; he decides to take teamsters west to deliver goods. This is when he meets Giselle, she is a young beautiful Dutch woman, who joined the LDS church (Mormon), they are an unlikely match. This story is enlightening with many twists and turns.

I would recommend this book to the romantic at heart, to those who like adventurous love stories, to anyone who is LDS, this book is written with an LDS theme, the book is inspirational, there is a small amount of violence, though the book does not go into detail, the book has no offensive language. I thoroughly loved this book!

Sandie

Disclaimer: I purchased this book on my own and was not given a copy to review. The review is my own opinion.