REVIEW: Beyond Orange County - Lydia McLaughlin

**Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Any thoughts and opinions are my own.** 

Real Housewives of Orange County fan-favorite, McLaughlin inspires readers to a life of purpose—not fame.

I used to be a reality TV addict. Especially when it came to the Housewives franchise! I could tell you all of their names, all of their business, and all the beef between the women. I loved those shows. Orange County was my favorite because it was the first and has had so many crazy women on that show! When Lydia first came onto the scene during Season 8, I was a bit weary. One of the first things I saw from her on the show was talking about her faith, which I thought was great BUT I was still skeptical. One of the other housewives on the same show talked about her faith a lot when she first got on the show; she even filmed in her church. But other than talking about her faith, she didn't really do much to show that she really even believed in what she was saying. It was very confusing and disheartening. After watching Lydia on the show and seeing how different she acted from the rest of the women, I thought maybe she was genuine. My husband calls me Doubting Thomas, though, so of course I was still skeptical. Especially when the opportunity to review this book came up. 

This isn't an Orange County tell-all. If that's what you're expecting, then I feel sorry for you. This book is so much more than that. Lydia really inspired me while reading this book and following along with the discussion questions and scripture passages. I've let my relationship with God slip away and I'm trying to build that relationship back up. It was inspiring to see someone who seems to have everything she could ever want, struggle with something like I have. It was also very refreshing to see someone who proclaimed their faith from the very beginning of their fame and never falter or change their beliefs in order to make more money. Yes, Lydia admits that she really wanted to do Season 9 because of the money and the dresses and all the glitz and glamour. Who can blame her? The fact that she didn't because she knew God was telling her no, really spoke volumes to me. 

Lydia seems like a very down-to-earth type of woman and seems like someone that you would want as a best friend. From the things she says in this book, she genuinely loves God and loves people and wants to share those loves with anyone and everyone she can. She's a woman after God's own heart and I believe that she and her husband will continue to reach people and touch their lives in the years to come. Not only is she a successful business woman, but she seems to be a great mother as well. She learned quickly that all the fame and the parties was not as important or even as rewarding and special as being home and being a mother to her children. 

I've read some reviews about this book that talks about how the print is really large so it's a quick, easy read and that the reading level is on a 3rd or 4th grade level. I've also read some other really negative reviews and at the end of the majority of them it was all because she didn't spill secrets about the other wives. This book is easy to read which I think is important for a book like this where you are able to turn it into a study of the Bible and how to live a happy life. People do not want to read something that feels like they're being preached at or talked over. I also liked the print being big, too, but I'm half-blind so I may be biased. 

This is a great book for anyone who is a new baby Christian or is a Christian struggling with how to be in the world without being "of" the world. Lydia brings up a lot of good points and never fails to back up what she says with scripture. Her enthusiasm for God, her family, and living a happy life in general is very contagious and uplifting. Thank you, Lydia and Worthy Publishing for the opportunity to review this book! 

Review: For Real by Alison Cherry

**Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Any thoughts and opinions about this book are my own.**

From Alison Cherry, author of Red, a novel PW declares “sparkles with wit,” comes a terrific new book about two sisters and one big question: how do you know who’s for real?

No parents. No limits. No clue what they’re in for.

Shy, cautious Claire has always been in her confident older sister’s shadow. While Miranda’s life is jam-packed with exciting people and whirlwind adventures, Claire gets her thrills vicariously by watching people live large on reality television.

When Miranda discovers her boyfriend, Samir, cheating on her just after her college graduation, it’s Claire who comes up with the perfect plan. They’ll outshine Miranda’s fame-obsessed ex while having an amazing summer by competing on Around the World, a race around the globe for a million bucks. Revenge + sisterly bonding = awesome. 

But the show has a twist, and Claire is stunned to find herself in the middle of a reality-show romance that may be just for the cameras. This summer could end up being the highlight of her life . . . or an epic fail forever captured on film. In a world where drama is currency and manipulation is standard, how can you tell what’s for real?

I was really excited to be able to review this book because I have a twelve year old and this book is aimed toward that age group. I am very much one of those parents who tends to censor what her child reads. You may or may not disagree with that, and that's okay, but I feel like my child sees enough bad stuff in the world every day; she doesn't need to read about it in her free time. And it's not that I want to "protect" her from the world but I think that a kid should be a kid for as long as they can and in my opinion there is no place for adult material in children/pre-teen books like the trend seems to be these days. That being said, if you're anything like I am about what your children read, I highly recommend this book! 

I was a little apprehensive about the way the book starts out because I wasn't sure how graphic the scene with Miranda catching Samir cheating was going to be but Alison Cherry managed to write in a way that she didn't need to be graphic for  you to get the point. From that point the book to a really interesting turn when they decided to go on the reality show. I'm a reality TV nut so I personally enjoyed the fact that Claire watched MacGyver Survivor, Speed Breed, and Obstacle Kitchen. I also loved that she was willing to step out of her comfort zone just to support her sister. 

Without spoiling the book, the reality show race was humorous and entertaining all the way to the very end. I was really impressed that Claire manages to learn several lessons along the way about herself and others and manages to bloom into a confident, capable young woman. The bond that she shares with her sister, Miranda, definitely gets tested throughout the show but Claire proves to the the shows producers and everyone else that she is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her sister. The sacrifices they make for each other shows how much they care for and truly love each other and this story quickly goes from being a story about revenge to being a story about the bond between sisters. 

I loved Alison Cherry's writing style and her sense of humor. I was also very impressed that she managed to keep this book truly aimed at pre-teens instead of slipping in adult content. It was refreshing to read a pre-teen novel that wasn't full of foul-mouthed, disrespectful brats. I will definitely be recommending this to moms of pre-teens; as well as anyone else who is interested in a lighthearted, humorous story about what it means to love your sister even when she's acting like a complete jerk.