Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush

Aww, what a sweet story of these two women growing up together and staying connected through everything.

This is another book I got from the used bookstore in Canton, NC- Blue Moon Books. I have been in a moment of easy reading and I would say this was the perfect transition book, dealing with real people and their real experiences, but not a heavy thinking and processing book.

The Bush twins are not anyone I really know about or have had an interest in their lives. I was drawn to the cover and figured this would be a fun read to learn about them as individuals, twins, daughters and granddaughters of Presidents, and their adult endeavors. I was right; it was fun to read about their lives from their own perspectives and to see how intertwined not only they are, but the whole (extended) family, in one another’s lives.

Sometimes it gets weird for the reader when a book has two authors, but I will say it flowed better because the girls shared about the same experiences and ultimately, their lives are connected in a way most co-authors’ aren’t.

If anyone remembers my least favorite thing about memoirs it is the awkward chunk of photographs slapped arbitrarily in the middle of the book. And this book also delivers this annoyance. I enjoy photos, but I get frustrated by the placement. I like to see the pictures as I read along so I have to try to find the right pictures without spoiling anything for myself.

The writing style is very honest and relatable. The sisters do a great job of sharing important moments and their differing experiences in the same situations. Since I did not know much about the Bush family there were plenty of fun moments I experienced for the first time through this book. Let’s recap a few favorites.

Barbara as a child trying to order pizza for a party while her grandfather was President so the company hung up on her after she told them her name is Barbara Bush. And that would prove a pivotal lesson of giving a different name when needed! Did you know the twins are both named after their grandmothers? The idea of a bunch of Secret Service on a college campus (or two!) dressed in jeans with backpacks full of weapons trying not to be obvious as they follow the First Daughter around. Barbara spent a semester abroad in Italy in high school. The reality of Jenna’s husband picking her up at the White House for their first date. Just like that movie about dating the President’s daughter. (It’s the big white house- you can’t miss it.) Barbara started and runs a whole global charity. That’s phenomenal. Michelle Obama inviting Jenna to check out her old room the first time Jenna came back to the White House as a reporter during the Obama years. So many fun moments!

I would certainly recommend this book for anyone interested in memoirs, celebrity stories, political figures and familes.

Awake and Alive by John Cooper

I was excited to find that John Cooper of Skillet wrote a book about the current time in our world and the quest for truth.

Not to crush the energy I just expressed, but I was disappointed in the 116 pages Cooper produced. First of all, I was surprised how short the book is. I don’t want to judge books based on the length because there is something to be said for properly condensing and still explaining things clearly. However, the length did initially make me think the book might not be great.

Secondly, there are lots of quotes from other books and it gave me the feeling that I could just read those other books instead of this one. It’s never good if I get the impression I’m reading a research paper instead of a book.

Thirdly, the book is very simple, and I found it to be too simple. Maybe that is because I realized the audience is non-believers who are seeking truth and understanding, not believers who seek to surrender to Christ daily. Even for a different audience than me, I would say it isn’t enough to draw nonbelievers into the Kingdom and I would still point anyone who wants to genuinely learn about Christianity to Mere Christianity. I did end up skimming through different chapters as there wasn’t much keeping my attention.

Lastly, the editing on this book is lacking. I don’t think a proofreader was used on this project because I found many errors throughout the book from grammar and spelling to formatting issues which made it obvious the book was self-published. As a writer I do know plenty of authors who have self-published great books and you cannot tell. This book is an example of why self-publishing gets a bad wrap. I do also have some hesitation if someone’s first book is self-published because it makes me think no one wanted to publish the book, instead of the decision being made for other reasons.

I hate giving bad reviews, especially for Christian books with authors pursuing God and producing good fruit, but I have to say I would point everyone to reading Mere Christianity instead of this one. I do endorse John Cooper and his other work- Skillet’s music and his podcast, Cooper Stuff- because he has been intentional to declare God as Lord always and was never willing to downplay his salvation to increase his influence or records sold. In conclusion, support John Cooper, but skip this book.

Also, I am trying to get my hands on his new book to see if it runs with similar issues. Hopefully not!