Melanie Shankle

See original review @ The Indigo Quill: http://theindigoquill.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-sparkly-green-earrings-by.html

Oh my goodness. This has to be one of the funniest books I have ever read. And I seriously mean ever. I honestly couldn't put it down because it was like watching a comedy flick. Make sure you have some popcorn and a delicious beverage ready when you read this. If you are a woman, have children, or ever plan on having children, you need to read this book. Melanie Shankle show more goes through just about every detail of child birth, from trying to conceive to raising a child and surviving it. I found myself laughing and crying with her through the journey of motherhood.

I myself have not yet had children, but I am reaching that time in my life and I found this book eye opening and useful. You always hear about the early mornings and time consumption, but Miss Shankle didn't sugar coat anything for us. Actually, her personality and no-beating-around-the-bush gusto reminded me a lot of myself (is that a little ridiculous to say?). She must be part redhead... ;)

Anyway, this was the most enjoyable book I have read in quite a while. It's a nice, light read and I thoroughly enjoyed Miss Shankle's insight and wit. I think the only thing that knocked off that .5 point was the formatting, which I'm positive was meant to be informal in the least. I thought the side notes were funny, but my OCD (or CDO, in alphabetical order as they should be) caused me to cringe at the back-to-back parenthesis. I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. I am human.

Should you read this book? YES. When? RIGHT NOW. So go ahead and run to B&N, grab a Caramel Salted Frappuccino from the Starbucks within (those things are freakin' AH-mazing!) and if your B&N has the same placement as ours, this lovely little gem will be waiting for you on the end cap of the Christian Biography section. show less

Funny, witty, and heartwarming. Shankle takes on the lessons of life with hilarious anecdotes peppered with 80s references - remember Gunne Sax and jelly shoes, Swatch and home perms? Each chapter has a theme and focus with a "brighter side" take-away that is typically the good kind of common sense advice you hear from your most trusted friend. For example, in her chapter on Comparison and Competition, she notes that these things "cease to be healthy when they do nothing but make you feel show more like what you have isn't enough." There are some biblical examples in each chapter too and most were a good fit for the point Shankle was trying to drive home. Her own personal examples of being a wife, mother, community member, and working woman ring more true in her authenticity and willingness to look less-than-perfect. Mostly her goal is to restore some joy and kindness to our daily lives and our interactions with each other and this hits the mark. show less

I highly suspect that the author and I are not kindred spirits. She seems like a person who has a way of seeing the world with hope and humor, but she's not my people, and I suspect I wouldn't be hers. So, part of the low score is due to fit.

However, part is also because as far as memoirs go, this one is mediocre. It feels like a random assortment of stories without any system as to why these stories were the ones she chose to include. Although I have not read her blog, the book is clearly show more in the genre of blogs that were turned into books without significantly changing things.

So all-in-all, not my preferred reading choice. show less

EXTRAORDINARY GUIDE TO SLAYING DRAGONS!

You can determine when a book has made a deep impression on your soul in several ways. One of the best ways is to create a list of the people in your life who need to read the words this author has shared from her personal life while you are reading it. Melanie Shankle has written an extraordinary book on dealing with the dragons we all face. I highly recommend it! Her premise for facing dragons is this: In medieval times, uncharted waters were marked show more on maps as “Here Be Dragons” to signify that no one knew what dangers might lie ahead. Shankle considers these modern-day dragons and has written this book to help tread the deep waters of motherhood, mean girls, and generational trauma.

Shankle writes her spectacular book in an open, heartfelt way that seeks to help readers face and overcome generational trauma with God’s help, lead our daughters to become the young women that God created them to be, to be warriors who are not afraid to stand up for themselves when they need to do so, to be tough and tender, to understand what it means to know they are priceless, to know they are loved unconditionally, and to make lasting impressions on everyone they meet.

Waterbrook and NetGalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. However, the opinions are entirely my own and uninfluenced. show less