The Phantom of OZ - A Review

The Phantom of OZ

by

Cindy Brown

A Review

A mixture of humor, history, psychology, and self-reflection, Phantom of OZ is a murder mystery with a heaping dose of self-help on the side.

As I read the first chapter, I was a bit skeptical - a seance does not sound like an interesting topic to read for this reader. But the seance was quickly dropped and moved on to the disappearance of the best friend of Ivy Meadows, the primary antagonist. A friendly ghost does make an appearance - but she is more like Casper than Morley.

I enjoyed the way the author wove the theater into the story - though it was more figuratively than literal. Chapter titles are drawn from Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera. The story centers on the cast members performing a remake of The Wizard of OZ set in outer space. Many of the expected characters are there, though they are somewhat creepier - and at least one of them is a murderer. And then there is the kidnapping. Ivy Meadows and her new friends are willing to put their own lives on the line to solve the puzzle and save the life of Candace Moon.

In the midst of all this, the author weaves a secondary story focusing on the issues of body image, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia. The story explores the roots of these diseases and approaches needed for their care. At the same time, the author recognizes that solutions are not easy and not always certain. These themes are addressed simply but clearly, helping those not familiar with the underlying issues to better understand the lives of those struggling with their self-image and their dietary decisions.

The Phantom of OZ is a fun read and a good contribution to the Ivy Meadows series coming from the author. For the reader looking for some lighter reading providing some insight to some darker issues, Phantom might be a good choice for a weekends reading.

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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 are mine alone.

The Cat in the Box - A Review

The Cat in the Box

by

John Gribbin and Mary Gribbin

A Review

Originally published in the UK in 2016, The Cat in the Box has now made its way to the USA with a 2017 publication date. The book is a fun history of science, focused, not on the people of science or the discoveries, but on how the scientific method and the experiments that used this method moved the various disciplines forward.

The author begins by giving a simple definition of the scientific method:

… science is nothing without experiments. As the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman said, “In general, we look for a new law by the following process: First we guess it; then we compute the consequences of the guess to see 

what would be implied if this law that we guessed is right; then we compare the result of the computation to nature, with experiment or experience [observation of the world], compare it directly with observation, to see if it works. If it disagrees with experiment, it is wrong. In that simple statement is the key to science. It does not make any difference how beautiful your guess is, it does not make any difference how smart you are, who made the guess, or what his name is—if it disagrees with experiment, it is wrong .” [Richard Feynman, The Key to Science, Lecture at Cornell University, 1964 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=b240PGCMwV0)] 

Those words—if it disagrees with experiment, it is wrong—provide the simplest summary of what science is all about.

Beginning with that definition, we begin to look at the various ways the physical and biological sciences have used the scientific method to reach the current state of knowledge.

The first experiment discussed is from the 3rd century BCE with Archimedes discovery that equal volumes displace equal volumes of water. Tradition tells us he made the initial hypothesis by watching the water displaced as he sat into his own bath - followed by experiments that proved the hypothesis correct.

The most recent rendition of the book includes a 101st experiment, carried out in 2015 and published in 2016, establishing the gravitational waves spreading out through the universe.

Between those two events, we meet a variety of men and women who made significant contributions to science through their experiments. The author also does a careful job of showing how on scientist discovery provided the foundations for the next generation’s hypotheses. Included are many references to the original publication sources where the experiments are described. Though the 101 experiments are presented in chronological order, in-text notes point to earlier and later work that connect to the current story. As the author concludes,

This astonishing experimental result [the proof of gravitational waves] was the culmination of more than two thousand years of experimental science. And it all began with another kind of wave—ripples in the bathtub of a Greek philosopher called Archimedes. 

The book, though not based on mathematics, is written for a high school graduate or college student. The text is not hard reading - experiments are well explained. The book would have a place in a lower division general science course or an upper division or graduate level history of science course. Though not every experiment could be safely duplicated in the context of a college semester, many of them could be chosen for demonstration or as student projects (perhaps with some simple modification).  

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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 are mine alone.

NIV Thinline Bible - A Review

NIV Thinline Bible

A Review

NIV Thinline Bible is a nice personal Bible. It uses a new font developed for Zondervan that makes the text easy to read and understand. The words of Jesus are in red. Translation notes are included, but no other footnotes. The Bible books are thumb indexed in groups of three or four per section. Missing are the maps which are included in most modern Bibles.

The Bible is comfortable to hold in your hand and opens flat when laid on a table.  The Bible would make a good reading Bible. On a well-lit stage, given the 9.4 point font,  this Bible could easily serve well in the pulpit.

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

NKJV Unapologetic Study Bible - A Review

NKJV Unapologetic Study Bible

A Review

This Bible is non-apologetic in its approach to issues facing the 21st century Christian.  The content is based on eight general topics using four approaches:

Image borrowed from Amazon.com

Colors and icons are used to distinguish the various notes. Indexes at the rear of the Bible provide access to the various entries at a deeper level by providing access to the notes in both a canonical order and for use as a topical study.  Interestingly, unlike most Study Bibles, this edition does not include any colorful maps - yet given the ease at which these are found in other sources, they are hardly missed. Though the translator notes are included, other cross-references are also missing. Similarly, other than the topical helps included throughout the book, no individual textual notes are to be found.

Bible book introductions are included for each book as well as to how the book might fit into the chart given above.

The primary purpose of this Bible edition is not Bible Study per se, but in providing access to a variety of tools to assist the reader in completing topical studies on (as mention in my first sentence above) issues facing the 21st-century Believer. This Bible does have a strong focus on Biblical application, though that is not its stated purpose. The missing component of this study are pointers to additional resources which might assist the reader in doing further research, beyond that included in this text. It also should be noted that no bibliography is provided. A scholar would have no problem with this obvious omission; the lay reader would be helped by having guidelines of where to go for more information.

I will be keeping this Bible on my shelf, though I am not sure how often it will be consulted.

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

Need To Know - A Review

Need To Know

by

Karen Cleveland

A Review

A great plot has to also be told by a great writer. I think the writing of the book distracts from the plot’s telling. I found too much repetition, too many simple sentences, and too little character development. I expect that there may be a second outing from this author in which I hope she addresses some of these flaws.

As others have said, it very well could make a better movie than book. In the meantime, perhaps the reader willing to experiment with the work of a new author will be sufficiently drawn into the story to find it of interest and be able to hold their interest - I was some of the time, but just not enough of the time.

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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 are mine alone.

Blind Spot - A Review

Blind Spot

by

Dani Pettrey

A Review

Blind Spot is a romantic thriller - with a touch too much romance for this reader.

This book picks up where Cold Shot and Still Life began. The team of FBI and private investigators are onto the trail of human traffickers and a terrorist - it would take time to see the connection between the two cases and only one could be solved.

The newest book again weaves in both the professional and personal lives of the characters. Though I enjoyed the book, it felt like there was a bit more romance - though nothing provocative or uncomfortable - in the telling of this story than needed. The author also, as in the earlier books, again focuses on faith issues - notably for this reader, “trust.” Trust of God, of others, and trust of ourselves.  

The author also prepares the reader for the next book in the series as she concludes this story with:

“You did a great job.” Everyone’s attention swung to Luke standing in the doorway, a grim expression on his hardened face. “But we’ve got a far more lethal threat on our doorstep.”

But for that, we will need to wait till next year.

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the author for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

The Barbour Bible Study Companion - A Review

The Barbour Bible Study Companion

Edited By

Christopher D. Hudson

A Review

The Barbour Bible Study Companion is a Study Bible with the text of the Bible, thus allowing it to be used with the reader’s preferred translation.  The book is a reprint of an earlier title, The Layman’s Concise Bible Commentary, originally published in 2013. No explanation is provided for the change in title, even though the book is being reprinted by the same publisher.

The notes include brief introductions to each book which discuss the book’s theme, its author, and the occasion of its writing. The notes themselves are similar in quality to that found in most one volume commentaries - not a great deal of depth, but aimed to help the general reader appreciate the Bible’s major history, teaching, and application.  At nearly 500 pages, there is plenty of content for the reader to mull over as he or she reads the Scriptures. The commentary is essentially evangelical in its interpretation, though estimated dates are omitted for significant events such as the Exodus.

Published with an imitation leather cover, the book has an attractive feel and appearance. It would make the perfect gift for someone needing a well-done Study Bible, but who already has a good translation. It would also make for an inexpensive addition to a student’s Study Bible or Commentary library.   

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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 are mine alone.

Imperfect Justice

Imperfect Justice

by

Cara C. Putman

A Review

What do you get when you mix spousal abuse, three murders, and an abused child, a stalker, a group of female lawyers, and a successful investment manager - you get Imperfect Justice.  The author did a great job of pulling together too many sub-stories into a very satisfying novel that left this reader wanting more.  

The case was closed when Emilie Wesley’s client did not show up for the Protective Order hearing. She knew it, her boss told her it was true, and the fact that the client had died made it very clear - the case was closed. It did not help that police were convinced that Kaylene Adams, her client, had killed her older daughter, seriously wounded her younger daughter, and then killed herself. The case was closed.

There were two reasons she could not let the case go. First, her own gut told her this young mother would not harm her children. And, then, there was Reid Billings. Reid was the client’s younger brother and, he, too, was convinced that something was amiss. But there was no proof - never was, never would be. Yet, if Emily did nothing, Kaylene’s younger daughter, Kinley, might be left living with a murderer.

Cara Putnam’s experience as a courtroom lawyer has allowed her to write a novel as intriguing as anything coming from the pen of John Grisham or Robert Whitlow. As in her previous book, Beyond Justice, the author weaves in just enough faith and romance with the law to make this book of interest to an assortment of readers. Though not a direct sequel to the earlier work, a number of characters do cross over and help flesh out this newest work. The connection between the two books does not detract from the current story.

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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 are mine alone.

Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys: The Big Lie - A Review

Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys:
The Big Lie

by

Anthony Del Col

A Review

I grew up with the Hardy Boys - oh, I knew of Nancy Drew, but never read the books. I could not get my hands on a Hardy Boys book fast enough; it would be my first stop at the bookstore. Sadly, fifty years ago I outgrew them.

This past week Anthony Del Col renewed my interest. The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins, and Tom Swift, have all been recreated in the 21st century. This reincarnation is not for the book-loving fans of the past, but for the graphic novel loving generation.

The story is top-notch - easy to follow and involved enough to hold this sexagenarian’s attention for the entire 162 pages of graphic art. Though the stars are definitely The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew are the starts, but we also get a glimpse of the Bobbsey Twins and Tom Swift. Beginning with the suicide (or was it murder) of Frank Hardy, the Boys’ father, the story quickly shifts to the Hardy Boys being each (or jointly) being involved in the events surrounding the death. The police are quick to identify them as the wanted parties and give little thought to other possible suspects. The biggest part of the book focuses on unraveling the events of the night when Frank Hardy died.

Not a great fan or critic of comic art, I did find the art more remanence of the 60’s or 70’s than the more explosive style prevalent in much of today’s comic art. That may have made this reader feel more at home, but it should not drive away those more often exposed to the current style. Because I was reading an e-book, I am not in a position to evaluate how effective the artwork is reproduced with modern inks and paper.  Having said that, let it be known the e-book is well done.

The book concludes with a number of special features - interviews with the author, the artist, the colorist, and the letterist. A number of close-ups are provided of the art found within the stories pages are also included. And finally, a hint - what is that about the Bobbsey Twins and a future mystery? We will just have to wait and see.

Read the book - whether you are current graphic art fan, a fan of the comic books of yore, or a fan of the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew. The reader will not be disappointed - I wasn’t.

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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 are mine alone.

Stay Calm and Collie On - A Review

Stay Calm and Collie On

by

Lane Stone

A Review

A pet spa, a British matron, and a collection of characters that are enamored with Elvis Presley all contribute to a great mystery and a fun story.

The story takes place in Lewes, DE, a small coastal town sitting at the lower reaches of the Delaware River. New to town is the proprietor of Buckingham Pet Palace - and it is her employee Henry that is found dead in the store’s delivery van. The case seems to focus on the dogs that Henry is transporting back to their owners - but there is more. The many references to other cozy mysteries and art history woven into the story may for a great setting for a murder mystery.

The police chief was not a lover of dogs, but he would need the help of Sue Patrick, Lady Anthea Fitzwalter, and the other members of the Buckingham Pet Palace staff if this murder was to be solved.

If you like dogs, if you like Elvis, if you like British slang, you will like this cozy mystery. I can only hope that Lane Stone will be creating more novels set in Lewes, Delaware.

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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 are mine alone.

Portrait of Vengeance - A Review

Portrait of Vengeance

by

Carrie Stuart Parks

A Review

It was a story that had its start 20+ years ago. And the fact that it was happening on the Nez Perce Reservation made it that more difficult to investigate the deaths - but it was the job Gwen Marcy, Forensic Artist and trained interviewer, had been given to do. Well, almost. She had volunteered for this case - after all, it was near where her own parents had been killed. And she raced to be on scene as fast as her legs and automobile could move her from Missoula, MT.

The double homicide and a missing four-year-old child would require all of her skills and some that she had yet to develop to solve.

What she did not know was that during the next few days this new case would also force her to look at the murder of her own parents and put her own life in jeopardy.

Portrait of Vengeance is a non-stop thriller. A bit more than the average cozy mystery, it was an exciting read. Though the author is a believer and there are a few hints of faith (see the discussion questions provided at the end of the book), but that is not the focus of the book. The story is well written and attention grabbing - the reader is not likely to be disappointed.

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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 are mine alone.

NIV Color Code Bible (deluxe leathersoft version) - A Review

NIV Color Code Bible

(deluxe leathersoft version)

A Review

This volume is a kids Bible that has much in common with the widely available Rainbow Bible. The major difference is that not every verse is marked with a highlight color, but only a limited number of verses focused on ten sub-topics:

Animals Family Love God Sin

Jesus Praise/Prayer Washed Clean Growth Heaven

A Scripture Index (located near the front of the book, allows the reader to locate each verse assigned to the various categories. The marked verses will make the make the Bible attractive to the young person.

A number of other essays/features will make this Bible increasingly valuable as a child uses it. Brief, but helpful, articles are included on a number of topics:

• What Is the Bible?
• Who Wrote The Bible?
• Why Should You Read the Bible?
• Why Did God Send Us the Bible?

Mixed in with the essays are several daily Bible reading plans, the Scripture Index mentioned above, and a summary of the meaning of the color code used to highlight scriptures. Note, the essays are aimed at the older elementary school or middle school child - do not expect to find complex, scholarly, responses to the questions asked. This leathersoft edition would make a great reward Bible for kids reaching some milestone in Sunday School, Awana, etc,

This would make a good first Study Bible for the fourth grade student through the first year of middle school. On the same note, it is too simplistic for the typical high school student. For the right student, it would make the perfect birthday or Christmas gift. I will be passing my copy onto a multicultural ministry associated with my church to be provided to a student as a gift or to be added to that ministry's library.

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

NIV Color Code Bible - A Review

NIV Color Code Bible

A Review

This volume is a kids Bible that has much in common with the widely available Rainbow Bible. The major difference is that not every verse is marked with a highlight color, but only a limited number of verses focused on ten sub-topics:

Animals Family Love God Sin

Jesus Praise/Prayer Washed Clean Growth Heaven

A Scripture Index (located near the front of the book, allows the reader to locate each verse assigned to the various categories. The marked verses will make the make the Bible attractive to the young person.

A number of other essays/features will make this Bible increasingly valuable as a child uses it. Brief, but helpful, articles are included on a number of topics:

• What Is the Bible?
• Who Wrote The Bible?
• Why Should You Read the Bible?
• Why Did God Send Us the Bible?

Mixed in with the essays are several daily Bible reading plans, the Scripture Index mentioned above, and a summary of the meaning of the color code used to highlight scriptures. Note, the essays are aimed at the older elementary school or middle school child - do not expect to find complex, scholarly, responses to the questions asked.

This would make a good first Study Bible for the fourth grade student through the first year of middle school. On the same note, it is too simplistic for the typical high school student. For the right student, it would make the perfect birthday or Christmas gift. I will be passing my copy onto a multicultural ministry associated with my church to be provided to a student as a gift or to be added to that ministry's library.

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.