Book Review and GIVEAWAY - Daring to Live: How the Power of Sisterhood and Taking Risks Can Jump-Start Your Joy, by Sheri Hunter {ends 6/17}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

Brenda spoke up. “I’m kinda afraid of heights. Why not a bicycling trip or something? I’m good with anything that keeps us on the ground.”

“I second that!” I said. Brenda and I clinked coffee mugs. “If there’s a mishap with a coaster, you usually live to tell the tale. Can’t say the same about a parachute gone bad.”

“Yeah, things can go wrong,” Mia began, “but that’s true of all the dares. Heck, it’s true of driving a car! I think I’d like to try it anyway.” This from the same girl who’d gotten stuck dangling hundreds of feet in the air during our ziplining dare.

Ang nodded in agreement as Mia continued. “If we are going to call ourselves the Dare Divas, then we should be daring! I mean, cycling? Big whoop! We’ve all been riding bikes since we were little. No offense, Brenda.”

Brenda gave a lackluster smile, and I signed at the direction this conversation was headed.

I did think about what I’d miss if I didn’t do the dare. I’d miss out on bragging rights, the unity of accomplishing a death-defying challenge with the Divas, and the sense of pride that came from being afraid but doing it anyway. I finally decided that my God was bigger than my fears, even though I wasn’t absolutely sure I wouldn’t go splat during the dare.

I called up Ang later and gave her my vote. “I’m in.”

Sheri Hunter and her sister-friends, the Dare Divas, consider their friendship as vital to how they’ve navigated their lives. This book could be inspirational to those cautious about chasing their own dreams.

Official synopsis:

When her husband, Mannard, unexpectedly passed away at just 50 years of age, Sheri Hunter was devastated. With her whole world falling down around her, she turned to her friends. Years before, she and these Dare Divas had gone on a whitewater rafting trip. Now they sought out other adventures - zip-lining, skydiving, mountain climbing, and more. Through these death-defying activities and the unwavering support of her friends, Sheri slowly found the strength to move forward in life.

More than just a memoir, this empowering female travelogue pairs emotionally resonant, confessional storytelling with spiritual takeaways, challenging readers to engage fully in their own lives, surround themselves with friends who will support them, and face life's challenges with courage and faith.

If you've ever experienced a sudden loss or upheaval in life, Sheri's story will reassure you that even if life as you knew it is over, the future God has for you is always full of new adventures.

A couple years before her husband’s untimely death, Sheri Hunter felt she needed more girlfriends and convinced him to join a ministry group at their church with her. In this group she met Mia, Ang, and Brenda. Together these four women became each others’ closest friends, and the Dare Divas.

When her husband died, her friendships were more important than ever. They helped her come through using pills and alcohol to deal with her grief, and the ministry they had in common reminded her to always trust God to see her through.

Overall, this book has the potential to be inspirational to someone interested in renewing or strengthening their religious faith. Whatever else happened, Sheri always reminded her readers to trust in God’s will above all else. I’d give this book 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it to Christian women who enjoy inspiring memoir-style stories.

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Becki Bayley is a wife, mother, and book reviewer. In her spare time she plays Animal Crossing and Nonogram. Find a little more of her life at SweetlyBSquared.com.

GIVEAWAY:

Two of my lucky readers will win both a copy of the book and a "Dare Divas" t-shirt! Click here to check out the t-shirts (available in gray and black).

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, June 17th, at 11:59pm EST, and winners will be notified the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner(s) will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Daring to Live, by Sheri Hunter