As You Are, Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are

As I read anything that Shauna writes, I feel like she is a friend having coffee with me at my table. Thank you Shauna for sharing your heart. Savor is a yearly devotional I will read again and again.

After finishing "Seamless" by Angie Smith, (which I highly recommend!) I've been looking for a good daily devotional to read and was so excited to order this. I've read Bittersweet and loved Shaun's personality and style of writing. When I received this book, I was pretty disappointed. I wouldn't call this a "devotional". It's more of a daily short stories of personal examples, without tying it to the scriptures. There was only one bible verse listed daily. Just wasn't deep enough for me, for what I was looking for. After glancing over and reading through a couple days, I decided to return it.

I love the way Shauna Niequist writes. However, I felt like this was a very basic "devotional," not for someone who is wanting a deeper, richer experience. And I felt that the word "devotional" was is used in a very loose terms in the way this book is delivered.

I LOVE Shauna Niequest and her books because her words have inspired me so much. However, I am disappointed in Savor as I thought it would be more of a devotion book. Each day contains a very short story...it's more of a "feel good" or "thought for the day" and not a devotion to be challenged by the Bible. She closes with a 1 to 2 sentence take-away suggestion/prayer/thought. The top of each page has a verse, but no reference or explanation of context is mentioned regarding each verse (or at least for the few months I have been reading this.) With all of that said, I still read this book each day (with a new perspective) before I do my Bible study. It only takes about 2-3 minutes a day. Maybe part of the problem is my perception of what Savor was going to be was skewed in the beginning. So long a you aren't looking for an in-depth from the Bible devotion out of this, you may still enjoy it. Also, if you are familiar with her writing and other books, you will notice that a lot of Savor is repeat stories. The recipes are FABULOUS though!

Shauna Niequist possesses a kind and thoughtful voice, and I enjoy reading her material and subscribe to her ideas, and I have been so looking forward to receiving this new book, especially since it has been on back order. However, I find myself entirely disappointed. I'm sure that I would be raving about the book if I had not already read a good portion of it in previously published books. This is nothing but a reproduction of already released material found in BREAD AND WINE and BITTERSWEET, and if I had read COLD TANGERINES, I feel certain it would be even more familiar.

Overall, I'm quite disappointed with this book. I was expecting it to be a good daily devotional and gave it to several friends and family to encourage daily scripture and meditation. However, there is hardly a focus on Christ and our relationship with God. Her writing is mediocre. There are some devotionals that are really deep and meaningful but the majority are weak. It really is just a collection of excerpts from her other books, which seems like a cop out and the finished product prove that it is a cop out. I give it two stars because I continue to read it and some days I get something valuable from it. I think half of the friends I bought it for are still reading this book.

A great, insightful and practical devotional! You feel like your best friend is sharing life and wisdom with you. Shauna Niequist is a true wordsmith and expresses herself in a masterly way. Do yourself a favour and buy this book :)

This should in no way be called a devotional. There is a single scripture followed by a page of the authors thoughts. If you are interested in hearing her thoughts, rather than her persepctive in God's word than this is just what you are looking for. But if you are looking for something that points you toward Jesus I would look else where.

She does have a few recipes in the book and those looked good. But honestly I would feel terrible even giving this book away to any Christian woman under the guise of a devotional.