January Book: Let's All Be Brave

It's the last day of the month and you know what that means! Book Club time! The book for January was Let's All Be Brave. 

Rating: 3/5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads: Annie F. Downs admits she's not exactly the bravest girl in the world. She still cries sometimes when she leaves her parents' home in Georgia, she's never jumped out of a plane, and she only rides roller coasters to impress boys. But Annie knows that courage resides inside each and every one of us, and she's on a mission to triumph over her own fears while encouraging the reader to do the same. As a single young woman, writer, speaker, and blogger, Annie Downs shares her journey toward bravery with honesty and humor. Using wonderful stories from her own life, contemporary real-life examples, and fascinating historical and biblical references, Annie encourages readers to grab hold of the brave life that they desperately desire. How often does fear hold us back from the very things we most want to taste, touch, and experience? The call to be brave isn't just for one person---it's for everyone. Let's All Be Brave is more than a book, it's a battle cry. Annie challenges us to live boldly, she calls us to step into those places that require courage, and she gives us the help to take the next step forward---even when it's scary. This non-fiction, essay-driven book opens the door to many different views of courage---nudging, encouraging, and inspiring readers to be brave whenever given the chance.

My thoughts: To be completely honest, this book did not jive with me. It's not that the author was a bad writer or I didn't like what she had to say. It just wasn't that interesting to me. Mostly, I felt like that it didn't resonate with me in my life. For someone else who is more like her, it would have probably been really awesome words of encouragement. 

I enjoyed Annie's open and honest attitude about her life. I enjoyed her funny style. She writes all of her chapters like they are mini essays, so it is interesting to read about different parts of her life. Her life is quite different then mine and it's cool to hear about how other people live. 

The one thing I disliked about the book is the way that she talks about Bible characters. I understand that they are human too, but it just bothers me when people talk about great men and women of the Bible in a somewhat disrespectful way (i.e. my homie Joshua, etc). These are outstanding examples that God has chosen to give us and I think we should give them a little more respect. 

In the end, this book just didn't do it for me. I look for something a little less fluffy in an inspirational book-- I want something deep and real that I feel can apply to my life. 

Read this book if: You haven't read many "inspiring" books before and you are looking for a light read. 

Inspiring thoughts from the author: 

"You just have to start, my friend. That thing that is whispering on your insides? That conversation you need to have or that place you need to go? That job you want to try or that ministry you want to attempt? That major you want to pick at college or that mission trip you want to go on? You've got to start somewhere. So do. Tell somebody you want to be brave." pg 25, Let's All Be Brave 

"So when you hear me say, 'Believe in yourself,' this what I want you to think about. Don't believe in yourself in such a way that you think you can accomplish anything on your own. You can't. To believe in yourself means to believe that God made you and there is no one like you, that you have a unique call to courage, and that you can do the thing that is staring you in the face." pg 42, Let's All Be Brave 

Now I want to hear your thought's! What did you like/not like about Let's All Be Brave?! Check out Morgan's post here!

Link up below with your blog post about Let's All Be Brave, or another book review you have done recently! Don't forget to grab a link button!

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