Birnbaum’s 2023 Walt Disney World Vacation Guide

If you need help to plan your trip to Walt Disney World, Birnbaum’s Guides has your back!

Author: Birnbaum Guides

Publisher: Disney Editions

Release Date: October 25, 2022

If you need help to plan your trip to Walt Disney World, Birnbaum’s Guides has your back!

For many, Walt Disney World promises to be a magical place. Located just outside of Orlando, Florida, the team park boasts four large theme parks, two water parks, golf courses, themed resorts, and shopping galore! Even if your family visits the parks regularly, it can be overwhelming trying to fit all or most of the attractions in during your stay. How would the average first timer even know where to begin?

Birnbaum’s Guides has put together a fantastic vacation guide for visitors to Walt Disney World Resort. For such a compact guide, it is a wealth of information that will benefit both first time guests and seasoned families that make the trek every year. The guide is separated into helpful sections including Getting Ready to Go, Transportation & Accommodations, Good Meals, Great Times, and a section dedicated to each of the four major theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. There is also a section to catch pretty much everything else as well as a bonus section for the cruise line.

This is a really helpful, detailed guide. From advice on different accommodations and the best way to get around to suggestions on how to fit the most rides in at a theme park, it really has it all. It also gives some great information on other things around the Disney area including dinner shows and little-known areas of fun. I’ve been to Disney World multiple times and there is still a lot that I don’t know about. You could go for a week, not visit any of the four major theme parks, and still have a ton of activities to fit into your schedule. If you are planning to go in 2023, this little guide is well worth it!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Love, Pray, Listen

Author: Mary DeMuth

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: September 6, 2022

A great book looking at the parent/child relationship in a different light as we age and dynamics change.

Mary DeMuth takes readers on a journey of learning how things can become drastically different as children get older. I only have young children now, but picked up this book wanting to see what it held for me as an adult daughter for my parents and to better prepare myself for when my children do grow up. I found many of the chapters eye opening with how to cope with dealing with the hard times of when communication becomes harder, and realizing this is the stage I am in with my own mother. Trying to prepare for when I want to overstep in my grown kids’ lives and when it is best to just sit back, pray, love and listen to them.

As a parent we never wan to our kids to make mistakes or go through hard times that could have been avoided if they just listen to us, but we are here to love them no matter what. Mary DeMuth does a fabulous job of putting together a book that has so many tools to help us in dealing with these hard times and making them a little less difficult and trying. I would recommend this book to parents as their kids are getting older to keep from struggling as they age and want to live their own lives.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Clutter Fix

Author: Shannon Acheson

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: September 13, 2022

A super quick and easy guide to getting rid of excess and living by the mindset of “less is more.”

We live in a world of stuff; everywhere we look there is more and better stuff to have in our lives and in our homes. But does that stuff really make us happy? The short answer is no; we think it will make us happy but if we have too much we end up with chaos and disorganized clutter all around that can leave us feeling anxious and depressed.

Shannon Acheson uses the tools throughout this book to help readers learn to get rid of what they don’t need and how to organize what they do keep. Step by step instructions along with helpful checklists will give readers the tools they need to start down the path of having less so they can enjoy what they do have more. One of the nicest things about the book is it doesn’t just deal with the physical stuff, it also talks about emotional clutter and cleaning out email inboxes and such that can get over run and overlooked. I always enjoy a good cleanout and purge and using the checklists throughout this book will make for a great tool to make it so much easier. I recommend this book to everyone, even if you feel like you don’t have much to get rid of this list will show you there is more to declutter than you would think.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Brain Washed

Author: Manny Arango

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: September 13, 2022

A great book that will help readers take back control of their mind in a world where our minds are constantly being attacked.

Our world bombards us with so many distractions and things that can take our minds and thoughts captive, and we have a choice, let it take us captive or take the thoughts captive. Throughout the pages of this book, readers see how important it is to look to scripture in order to transform our minds and overcome what the world wants and expects of us. Many times throughout my life, I have heard that the Bible is the instructional manual for our lives. That can be hard to believe but it really is true. The Bible gives us instructions to deal with whatever may come our way, and I’ve had several hard things come my way lately. Learning to truly rely on God and his word is a hard thing but when we do find that faith it will change lives.

Dealing with trauma and pain can make relationships and our journey through life very difficult but using the words throughout Brain Washed will help make things easier. As I read through the pages of this book, I found myself nodding my head and smiling at many of the lessons it taught. With social media and all the outlets available to escape into, it is easier than ever for evil thoughts to get into our head and take us down a path we don’t want to be on. Readers will go throughout these pages and find helpful advice for everyday life and so much more.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Rise of the Black Quarterback

Author: Jason Reid

Publisher: Andscape

Release Date: August 2, 2022

Good history of black quarterbacks throughout the NFL and the caliber of young quarterbacks currently in the league.

Throughout the history of the NFL, there have been many players to don a jersey in many different positions. Some quarterbacks have been great, while others weren’t even the best player on the team. A far cry from most of the players to start in that position for todays’ games. However, one trait was very common for the position of quarterback for decades: they were white. There have been a few black quarterbacks with teams that challenged the status quo, but many of them never saw the Super Bowl. Flash forward to present day, names like Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, and Lamar Jackson are linked to high talent teams who regularly make playoff and even Super Bowl appearances. Times have changed and what is in store for the future of football?

It’s easy to forget how difficult change comes to any organization, but one as large as the NFL seems to have major difficultly making any kinds of shift. Reading this book and looking back in time, it was really startling to see how different the position of quarterback was compared to what it has become today. It’s just so easy to think of things in the present only. Reid does a great job chronicling this history and how changes came to be. He also gives dedicated chapters to several of the players who helped to shape that change as well as the current players who are pushing the envelope even farther.

Readers who enjoy documentary type reads and sports books will love this one!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Rookie Mistakes

Author: Kelly Bandas

Publisher: July 19, 2022

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

We all make mistakes; this book helps us learn to laugh at the mistakes and learn from them so we can have the best life possible.

Kelly Bandas is a comedian that uses her humor to help others by learning from the mistakes she has made and our own at trying to become a functional adult in this crazy world we live in. She was raised in a catholic home and all throughout her childhood Kelly was afraid to upset God, that she would never be good enough. As she grew, she tried to learn what it was like to live in a world that was cruel and hard at times and even though she felt alone, she was never alone. Each story that Kelly shares brings laughter and a sense of head nodding readers can agree with and feel connected to someone in ways they might not have expected.

As I read this book, I found so many of the stories relatable and made me feel better as a parent and person in this crazy life. We all make mistakes, every single day, but if we can learn from the mistakes and learn to do better without judging ourselves or others too harshly for it life will be better. If we can learn from our Rookie Mistakes and not keeping making the same ones over and over, maybe it will all be worth it.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Her True Worth

Author: Brittany Maher & Cassandra Speer

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: July 5, 2022

A powerful book that hits home in this day and age of social media and feeling like we have to live up to the false identities all around us.

Brittany Maher and Cassandra Speer have the ministry Her True Worth and are popular on social media. They are using their calling to help other women work to break free from the chains that social media can impose on them. Brittany worked for years in the beauty industry while Cassandra became depressed with the messages being sent about a woman’s worth. All around they would both see women lost and seeking attention and affirmation without looking to the only one that can give us what we need, Jesus Christ. Within the pages of this book, these two women show readers what God intended our identity to be, not what we have been told it should be. Each chapter is a reminder that our true worth is found in the one that loves us unconditionally and will steer us away from the false messages we have been led to believe.

This book hit me hard at a time I have doubted my worth not only with God, but with others around me. I recently had a great friend of mine celebrate a birthday and had lots of friends post about times with her and I started to wonder if I was as good of a friend because I didn’t post on Facebook about our friendship. How crazy is that? I had to take a step back and realize if that affected our friendship, which it didn’t, the friendship wasn’t real to begin with. With social media in our world, we see more and more young adults and even older adults becoming obsessed with being online and “liked” and depressed if they don’t have the right social media presence. I loved each and every chapter of this book and the way it pointed out how our value is much more than we realize based on social media and the world around us. If we can continue to remind us to look to Jesus and what he thinks of us instead of the world we will all be in better shape.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Running with Purpose

Author: Jim Weber

Publisher: Harper Collins Leadership

Release Date: April 26, 2022

An insightful read about how to take on larger competitors in business and in life.

In Running with Purpose, Jim Weber tells his life’s story from growing up to college to business to becoming the CEO of Brooks. He shares his triumphs and his tribulations throughout his journey both in business strategies but also in his life. He shows why the connections you make throughout your career are so important and how you can think strategically to overtake your competitors in market areas by being true to yourself and your brand!

Let’s be honest here. I picked up this book because I love to run and I love to use Brooks shoes for running. So, it just made sense that I would likely enjoy this book and I did! I didn’t even know Brooks existed until the 2000s when I would get my first pair for recreational running, which would turn into competitive obstacle course racing. There is a lot of backstory to Brooks and how they tried to compete on the level of other name brands that had a lot more apparel for each sport until Weber came along and refocused the brand to be just about running. I also enjoyed getting to learn about Weber’s life and the challenges that he has faced to show people that he is just as human and the next guy.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

100 Great American Parks

Author: Stephanie Pearson

Publisher: National Geographic

Release Date: May 10, 2022

A great book to give readers the traveling itch and hit the road!

If you love to travel, and visit national parks in particular, this book is a must for you. This book selects 100 of the best National Parks throughout American with a glimpse into each one. The book is organized around different regions, so if you live in a particular area or just want to travel there, you can skip to that section and find out what parks are available by state (or territory) and get your travel list in order.

I love that this makes it easy and fun to get the travel bug. I’ve been to some of these parks, but there are still so many more to go. Just yesterday we hit up Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan and I can’t wait to see what else we can see. With amazing pictures and history of the parks, it makes it fun to just read about and plan your visit.

I recommend this book to travelers and those who just love a good book on travel for reference.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Faith Pump 40 Day Devotional

Authors: Beth Duewel, Edie Melson, Karen Porter, Kaley Rhea, Rhonda Rhea, Karen Sargent & Tina Yeager

Publisher: Bold Vision Books

Release Date: April 14, 2022

A devotional book that I can see myself reading again, and again, and again! So much good within the pages that readers will absolutely love.

With all the wit and fun that Faith-Pump has brought to their Facebook Group and previous books, this new devotional will leave readers feeling refreshed and spirit soaring. One of the nicest things about this group of ladies is that anything they write is always exactly what I need to read at that moment. No matter what you are going through, you will always be able to find encouragement, wisdom and insight from this group. Each day comes with a story from the different authors that is filled with humor and more than enough personalization to make you feel like you are sitting on the couch with a group you might gather for bible studies on a regular basis.

This is the kind of book I see myself buying up all the copies and giving out to anyone I come into contact with. So much good within the pages, readers will have trouble spreading it out to 40 days if they are anything like me. As soon as I finished one day, I would continue to the next to see what other wisdom was on the pages for me. A lot of times when I pick up a devotional book, I will read a few pages and then put it aside and not think about it for a while. Not with Faith-Pump, I kept turning the pages and felt so encouraged as I kept reading. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, if you are down you will be encouraged, if you are needing a laugh you will find it, if you just wonder what God might be saying to you, listen closely as you read and you will hear him talking to you. I am so happy I came across the Faith-Pump group on Facebook, it has been a huge blessing to me and I hope it will be to others that pick up this book.