This month’s Featured Book Blogger is Mandy from To Read, Or Not To Read. I asked Mandy a few questions about herself, her reading tastes, and her blog…
First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Mandy and I’m known as TrenchMommy over at my family/real-life blog: FromTheTrenchesOfMotherhood.com. I am the wife to an amazing man who is a full time associate pastor and the mother to 3 children – Abby 7, Emmy 5, and Micah 4. I keep busy being a wife, mom, leader in our teen ministry, working with women’s ministry, studying for my NANC exams, and selling Mary Kay cosmetics on the side!
When and why did you start your blog, To Read Or Not To Read?
I began my book review blog in June of 2009 when I felt that my book reviews were overtaking my family blog. It started due to multiple reasons, first being I wanted a place where I could keep track of what I was reading. I also wanted a place I could refer people to when they asked me what I would recommend reading.
What types of books do you most commonly review?
My “bread & butter” genre is what might be considered Christian Living. I love to review books that help me grow in my understanding of God and that remain true to the Bible 100%. But I do dabble in a variety of genres and try to review anything I read – library loans and all.
Name two famous people, living or dead, you would most like to meet and why.
First person I would like to meet is Elizabeth George who wrote A Woman After God’s Own Heart and many other books (not to be confused w/ the fiction writer of the same name!) I want to meet Elizabeth because she has been the #1 mentor in my life through her books. I would not be the woman I am today without God using her influence in my life. The second person… well… I really don’t know! I have never thought about this before… but probably the “Proverbs 31 Woman” because I love the example she is to me.
How does your faith impact how you blog and what you blog about?
Wow….Uhm….it impacts everything I blog about and how I blog about it. I want to promote books that will draw people to the Lord, not deter them from Him or mislead their understanding of God. I really do my best to be kind, yet honest, but courteous as I review. When I have such a strong feeling – especially a negative one – it’s sometimes hard to be gentle in my review. However, I have to remember that they are people, too, and this book they have written is their “baby”. And most importantly that the Lord wants me to love people even when I disagree with them.
If you had to choose three books that you think everyone should read, what would they be and why?
WOW!!! I really like this question!
- LIVING THE CROSS CENTERED LIFE by C.J. Mahaney because it takes you back the heart of why we believe in God and how that basic belief IS – or should be – the center of all we do, not just a checkpoint in our life.
- COMFORTS FROM THE CROSS by Elyse Fitzpatrick because it helps you unpack scripture to understand the motivation in why we should do what we should do in every aspect of life.
- HUMILITY by C.J. Mahaney because it will quite honestly rock your world! So will the other 2 books, but this one will readjust your interactions with God and people in a huge way!
Be sure to check out To Read, Or Not To Read and leave a comment!
