Four Star Review – Bibliophile Gathering

Review: Everybody, Always by Bob Goff

Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People by Bob Goff
Published April 17th 2018

What happens when we give away love like we’re made of it?

In his entertaining and inspiring follow-up to the New York Times bestselling phenomenon Love Does, Bob Goff takes readers on a journey into the secret of living without fear, constraint, or worry. The path toward the liberated existence we all long for is found in a truth as simple to say as it is hard to do: love people, even the difficult ones, without distinction and without limits.

Driven by Bob’s trademark storytelling, Everybody, Alwaysreveals the lessons Bob learned–often the hard way–about what it means to love without inhibition, insecurity, or restriction. From finding the right friends to discovering the upside of failure, Everybody, Always points the way to embodying love by doing the unexpected, the intimidating, the seemingly impossible. Whether losing his shoes while skydiving solo or befriending a Ugandan witch doctor, Bob steps into life with a no-limits embrace of others that is as infectious as it is extraordinarily ordinary. Everybody, Always reveals how we can do the same.

I’ve been searching for around for new Christian books to read and I’ve seen Everybody, Always around a lot and so many people have high praise for it so I knew it had to go at the top on my TBR.

I really liked this book but there was a few things here and there that weren’t my favorite.
I did, of course, love the message of the book. Mr. Goff used each personal story as a lead up for how to become love and really express it, which I really liked. I really enjoyed hearing about his life stories and he’s had some very unique ones.
Sometimes I did feel like the stories weren’t very organized and that the book was more of a memoir, which I didn’t mind but it also wasn’t that I expected when I started reading.
I thought it was interesting how casually Mr. Goff mentioned how upper class his life and activities were through out the book. It’s not something I, or many people, can relate to so I felt a pretty big disconnect. I wasn’t really sure if Mr. Goff really noticed how most of the things he mentions are very privileged. Perhaps it’s just the mild disorganized manner of the stories that unintentionally paints that picture but I’m really not sure.

And I also feel the thing that bothered me the most, was something he mentioned towards the very end of the book. He mentioned how he told witch doctors from Uganda to not kidnap children or he’ll kill them. I was so startled by that and honestly, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. It felt extremely out of place from the message of the book.
I’m obviously not saying it’s okay for those witch doctors to kidnap children but saying “don’t make me kill you” is a very bold statement.

Other than a few things, I did really enjoy the book and I think the message is so important. I definitely took away from very meaningful things and I would recommend checking this book out. I listened to it on audiobook with Mr. Goff narrating and I really loved it so if you get chance to listen to the audiobook, I definitely recommend it.

And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Published : November 6th, 1939

First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion.

Another book read due to my Habitica guild (Habitica is a great habit tracker and “to-do list app, I HIGHLY recommend it) and this book was the Book of The Month for July. I was a bit apprehensive picking this book up, but I did it and I’m not regretting it. I really enjoyed this “Who dun it?” style mystery.

I only had some issues getting into the plot, the beginning of the book started with throwing a little more than 10 characters at you (the main ones and people who have been involved in their back story) and it confused me a bit but once the main plot started to get in full swing it was actually really enjoyable.

It kept me guessing as to who the murder was and when I thought I knew who it was, I’m telling you, I was sure of who it was. I WAS WRONG. I never read an Agatha Christie book before, but I think I’ll start sprinkling her more and more into my reading list because I really liked the pace, plot and overall experience of this book.

4/5 Stars

Review: Storm Front (The Dresden Files #1) by Jim Butcher

Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Published: April 2000

Harry Dresden — Wizard Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment. Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things — and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a — well, whatever. There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get… interesting. Magic. It can get a guy killed.

I listened to this on audiobook as suggested by my boyfriend. He said that this was an absolute amazing series to listen to and that the narrator just brought Dresden to life. Mind you, I started geeking out when I found out the narrator was none other than James Marsters who is Spike from Buffy. So we were already off to a good start with this book.

I have to say it was a bit intimidating to dive into and it was a first person POV for the book, which wasn’t a complaint but something I didn’t expect for a book like this. I enjoyed Harry as a character, he was pretty funny, a bit sassy and innovated at times. The world wasn’t too bad, your general gritty Chicago areas. And a not so bad start to what I hear is an epic series.

I most definitely didn’t expect the bad person to be who they were which was AWESOME because I usually figure things like that out ASAP and in this book that didn’t happen which made me even more pleased. Some of this book seemed like it was just babble and filler for what was really going on but most of it was a page turner and I enjoyed that (ok well for me I’d get to my destinations and just sit in my car listening not wanting to stop). I can’t wait to keep going with the series.