Gossip Girl

This is a 14 book series. It's was made into a TV show too. This was the 1st book in the series. I started reading this series after I started watching the TV series. It talked about the gossip following Serena, Blair, Nate, Chuck, Jenny, Dan, and Vanessa. The elite families of the Upper East Side in NYC. I liked how it followed the TV show to a ti almost. They changed some of it but most of it was the same. I actually liked some of the TV changes better than in the book. It was right up until after the Kiss of the Lips dance party.
     I really enjoyed this series and can't wait to read the next book to see how far the go to. I would recommend this to anyone who likes reading about rich people. I also found a great new author too.

The Giver

The Giver is a 4 part book series. The Giver was about Jonas, who lives in this weird world, where a lot of strange things happen. Each year the kids change their birthdays together and get a new initiation gift or right. when the children turn 12 they are given a job/ internship that is chosen for them by the council. When Jonas turns 12 he is given the job as the Receiver. He meet the Giver and he receives memories of things that don't exist anymore like snow, love, grandparents, and hills. Also things like war, poverty, and famine were hidden from the people to protect them from pain. He is intrigued and wants to change the way his world is viewed where people's choice is available. After working with the Giver for a year he sneaks out of the community where he lives so he can release the memories.
      This was a very easy read and a good book. I thought it was weird that certain things didn't exist. How can you live in a world where there is no snow, grandparents, or Christmas. It reminded me of the Divergent series in this aspect. I can't wait to see what happens in the next one.

The New Professional Everything you Need to Know for a Great First Year on the Job

I found this book very informative for anyone who really wants to know what to expect for the first year on the job. I really feel like I understand what to expect a lot better. The chapters covered include topics including professional dynamics, developing a winning attitude, employers view, professionalism, the facts of the organization, learning about the company culture, people, relationships, and politics, understanding your boss, being subordinate savvy, getting ready to go to work, hitting the ground running, breaking in strategies, a first-year timetable, breaking-in issues, special groups and situations, personal issues, the social professional, and coping strategies.
     I would recommend this to anyone starting a professional career. The only thing I didn't like about it was that the writer assumed that everyone coming from college felt the same way and loved to party. A lot of the comments or tips he had sometimes didn't apply to me specifically.

Walk How to Apply the Bible

This book is part of a 4 book series Epic, Foundation, Context, and Walk. I didn't read them in order though lol. I started with book 4 but anyway the book was split into 4 sections.
       The first sections was on Light for My Path. This section described how important the Bible is in our lives. How God illuminates the passages when we read. This is the first step in understanding how to apply it to our lives but you also have to have a willingness to listen. Either God's Word is going to stand authority over you or you are going to stand in authority over God's Word.
       The next section was From Text to Life. This sections talks about COMA (Context, Observations, Message, Application). Context explains who was the original passage intended for? This involves looking at the historical, literary, theological, and immediate setting. The historical setting is who was the passages intended to, what was going on in that time, when, and what problem were they addressing. The literacy setting is knowing about the rules and laws in that time. The theological setting is what the rest of the Bible says about it. The immediate setting is how does the words fit into the sentence, how does the sentence fit into the paragraph, and how does the paragraph fit into the surrounding chapter.
         Observations This talks about the repeating words, phrases, themes, and truths about God. The message is the what God wants to communicate with you. He knows exactly what you need to get out of it. Another anagram specs helps you to discover this. S-sin to confess, p-promise to claim, e-example to follow, c-commandment to obey, and s-statement about God.
          Applications are personal and specific. Personal-I need to pray more. Specific-I am going to spend 10 extra minutes praying everyday. Writing down verses, and prayers helps to solidify the information in your brain. You are far more likely to put into practice everyday too.
          The next section was Coming out of a COMA. This section just took passages from the Bible and used COMA to explain them and how to really apply it.
          The last section was A Daily Discipline. This talked about spiritual growth and how to get the most out of it. Spiritual growth is not something that just happens we have to work at it. You have to go after it. But the desire and discipline comes from God. You will never consistently walk in the Word until the Holy Spirit empowers you to do so. Applying the Bible in your life takes some Godly principles. A time and place, a great Bible (I suggest NIV), a schedule of readings (devotions work the best), a notebook, COMA, and Godly role models.

Seaside Romance

Lauren moves temporarily to Holiday Harbor to escape her old boyfriend and to cover Toyland when her friend get married. She meets Ben to contract some some ideas she has for the store. She is attracted to him and they sorta have a relationship. But then her ex shows up and she decides she is in love with him. He then gives up a job to be with her.
          This book was ok but I was frustrated because they didn't really have a romantic relationship till the end and it left me a little dry.

The Violets of March

The Violets of March is about this woman Emily who goes to an island to visit her aunt Bee after her husband left her for another woman. She goes to heal but ends up discovering a journal about a forgotten love story of Elliot and Ester. In the meantime she meets someone. This is a great story written to inspire people to follow their heart and to also make sure you know the whole story before jumping to conclusions. It reminded me of Nicholas Sparks the Longest Ride only way better. I discovered a new author and I didn't want the story to end. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a heart warming story.