Book Review :: NIV Lifehacks Bible: Practical Tools for Successful Spiritual Habits - notes by Joe Carter, foreword by Kevin DeYoung

It's Bible week on my blog!

Stay tuned this week as I review a variety of Bibles.

The NIV Lifehacks Bible is a new Bible out from Zondervan that focuses on spiritual formation. The version I am reviewing is the hardcover, but there are also imitation leather cover options available as well as a Kindle version. The hardcover is sturdy and comes with a matching dust jacket (both are printed as shown in the cover photo, but the hardcover does not include the back cover text from the dust jacket).

The fun color scheme on the cover of the NIV Lifehacks Bible is what initially sparked my interest, but unfortunately that is where the color stops. The interior pages of the NIV Lifehacks Bible are all grayscale. The NIV Lifehacks Bible has all black text (including the words of Christ) and the Bible text is laid out in two columns. (The added readings are single column.) This is the NIV version of the Bible (© 1973, 1978, 1984, & 2011). The text is standard size - not large, but not extra small. The NIV Lifehacks Bible does contain some basic footnotes.

Surely putting "lifehacks" in the title is just a way to catch a person's attention, but what this Bible really focuses on is spiritual formation. (And that's a good thing.) There are a total of 365 readings placed throughout the NIV Lifehacks Bible text. (The readings are each placed on a full page, so they do not interrupt the flow if you are just reading Scripture.) Having 365 readings means that they can be completed in a year by reading 1 per day throughout the year. The readings link to corresponding passages of the Bible. The readings don't seem to be the tug-at-your-heart kind that you might consider a "devotional", but they do make you think.

There are a few study helps as well as some full-color maps at the back of the NIV Lifehacks Bible. The study helps are: a "Table of Weights and Measures", "Endnotes", "Subject Index", and "Index to Readings by Habit".

With both a Bible and 365 readings in one, I find the NIV Lifehacks Bible to be a great value and a good tool for our spiritual walk.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.