Such a good portrait of characters in the bible. One great reminder that we are not perfect and God doesn't expect us to be. Ann does an amazing job of giving you great ways of placing these aspects into your daily walk.

Ann Spangler has definitely become an author I enjoy reading from! Her work is realistic, approaches readers in a thoughtful and downright real. This book focuses on real individuals from the Bible that many of us love and others we dislike. This book is a reminder to readers that even when you think you're alone in dealing with life and the only one going through you aren't. This book touches on topics that are very prevalent in our day and age. Murders. Con Artists. One-Night Stands. White Lies. Betrayal. Prostitution. You name it's all happened before in the Bible.

What I loved most about this book is that it touched on people I really didn't know about myself or simply expounded on things I knew little of. Biblical evidence is given in this book to support all that Ann writes. This is definitely one for keeps and a useful one for your personal arsenal. It will remind you that though these people were used by God in some fashion, they were still human and dealt with a range of emotions just like us. Less than Perfect is the perfect title for this book. It reminds me that it's not about perfection.

Fantastic read!

Ann Spangler has written a series of 30 devotions looking at some of the broken people who are featured in the pages of Scripture. Though the stories are not fiction, the author has used some of the techniques used by the story-teller to bring the stories to life. The primary audience for these stories are for the adults trying to understand their own brokenness.

Each entry begins with a single verse of Scripture helping the reader understand that the individual is important to God’s story as revealed in Scripture. Then comes the story – not as found in Scripture, but as it might be told sitting around a fire at night with the family retelling the events that had defined their family for generation. Embellished, yes, but close enough to reality that the truth and lessons are not lost on those listening to the stories. Then comes a bit of historical background including references to the underlying scriptures – whether a single reference or a group of references which help the reader discover the story. Each entry ends with a set of questions to allow the reader to dig deeper into the stories application to life.

The stories are well written and held this readers attention. About 90% of the chosen stories come from the Old Testament (my only major concern with the book; thus, a 4-star review). The book could easily belong next to the bed for devotions or on the home coffee table as a conversation starter. Pastors may find it to be a starting point for creating a series of sermons.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

In "Less than perfect - Broken men and women of the Bible and what we can learn from them" Ann Spangler presents 38 Bible characters whom she declares part of "your spiritual family tree". Some of them are well-known to the avid Bible reader, e.g., Naomi, Ruth, Saul, Hannah, and David, whereas others are less well known like Gomer or Herodias. Spangler is retelling their life story and supports it by Bible references in order to allow the reader to verify the character's story. She completes the retelling with information of the historical and cultural background of their time (The times). The key take aways (The Takeaway) provide the readers with points for their lives. The questions for discussion and reflection at the end of each chapter help to apply the teaching to the personal life. They are useful when the book is studied by an individual or in a small group setting.
Spangler shows the reader with her presentation of those 38 Bible characters that they were real people in their being "less than perfect." The Bible characters had struggles and challenges like people today. God loves and uses imperfect people and extends his grace to them.
Spangler's book is not a new approach to writing about women and men of the Bible. She herself has written similar books, e.g., "Men of the Bible", "Wicked women of the Bible", and "Women of the Bible" (together with Jean E. Syswerda). Others have written similar books as well, e.g., Liz Curtis Higgs "Bad girls from the Bible and what we can learn from them", but Ann Spangler has added the historical and cultural background and the Bible references which makes this book stand out. As such it can be recommended for readers that do not own one or more of the similar books.

Less Than Perfect
By Ann Spangler
Less Than Perfect opens up the people of the Bible to an in-depth discovery of their life, sins included. It allows the reader to understand how human the people God used were and how alike we are to them. Reading this book, I was able to understand how the people of the Bible better and how their lives affect mine. The Bible is full of real people and it is easy to forget that. We sometimes use the time and cultural differences of the Bible to put off the truth of God’s Word. The Bible is real though and reading this book makes me realize how ageless sin is but also Gods love, and mercy.
I really enjoyed studying each person Ann highlighted, as well as reflecting on the questions she posed with each chapter. I was able to appreciate how similar I am to the people God chose to use (and not always in the positive light). I think this is a great book for anyone wanting to know more about who God is.
I received this book from the publisher to give an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. The author did a good job writing about biblical characters. At the end of each chapter there are thought provoking questions that could be pondered alone or in a group setting. I have been reading and studying the Bible for over 50 years and I learned quite a bit about several Old Testament figures while reading Less Than Perfect. I would wholeheartedly recommend this novel. The easy to read format explains biblical characters in a way that breaks down the complexity of the Bible . Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ann Spangler has written thirty “dramatic retellings” of Biblical characters who were all “less than perfect”. Her accounts stay true to the facts of the Biblical record. As she tells each of these stories, she gives a glimpse of what the characters could have been thinking or feeling at that time. It’s an effective way to help us see these characters as “real” people rather than only “characters in a Bible story”. At the end of each chapter, she adds historical/background information that greatly enhances the understanding of the times in which each event occurred. She also gives the Scripture references for each story so that we may easily go back and read these accounts for ourselves.

Although most of these accounts will be familiar to those who read the Bible on a regular basis, there were a few that I was pleasantly surprised she included. Gomer’s story was one of those. I had always looked at this from Hosea’s perspective, but never from Gomer’s. It truly touched my heart and made me extremely thankful for God’ s great, undeserved mercy towards us and His forgiveness of our sins if we turn to Him.

Throughout the whole book, I was reminded of the scope of God’s unfailing love for us and His grace towards us. I once again got a view of how all of Scripture points us towards the need of Christ dying in the cross for our sins. I was reminded of how our sins have a sweeping effect on the lives of others.

I’m glad I read this book and look forward to reading it again in the future.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I requested this book because it is Ann Spangler and I have loved a previous book by her that I've read. This one is no different and one that I have really enjoyed reading. I love how each section is broken down by a particular individual or relationship with corresponding Bible verses. I even enjoy the liberties slightly taken with what that person may have been feeling or thinking and how they went about what they did in their particular book of the Bible. Honestly, it was just a great book and I look forward to buying the physical copy to dig deeper.