Homer is on the Case - A Review

 

Homer Is On The Case

by

Henry Cole

A Review

The author has created a delightful cozy mystery starring Homer (a homing pigeon) and Lulu (an Amazon Parrot). Together these two birds solve a series of burglaries that are haunting the city's parks.

Together they will track the villains down and then communicate to their humans their results. I found myself both intrigued by these characters. I was laughing as they communicated together, with their humans, and, eventually, officials from around the town. They put on quite the performance.

I could not tell if the book was aimed at an adult audience (I am an adult and did enjoy the book) or a pre-adolescent audience (I expect that pre-teens would enjoy the book as well). For the adult reader the book is a fun, quick read. I give it 5-stars. I can hope that the author finds more cases for these two feathered friends to solve.
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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.

Night Fall - A Review

 

Night Fall

by

Nancy Mehl

A Review

Nancy Mehl’s latest thriller is both solidly Christian and somewhat creepy.

Adam Walker and Alex Donovan were raised in very similar situations: broken homes who were committed to following the Book, the basis for a cult known as The Circle. Yet they turned out very differently because of the choices they made during their lives.

God was working in both their lives. Both would hear his voice, but only one would listen. As the plot makes clear: God loves everyone, but each must individually respond to that love.

These themes are explored in a story that takes the reader from Washington DC to Kansas City KS to Ethiopia. The danger is real and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit will need to work hard to discover the source of the threat and stop it before millions are killed.

Though it picks up many of the ideas that are familiar to those who watch Criminal Minds on TV, the characters are decidedly different. At the same time, the book echoes some of the creepier stories from that show. Unlike the TV show, the book clearly demonstrates God working in the lives of all who put their trust in Him. I give the book 4 stars.
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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.

Psobriety - A Review

 

Psobriety

by

Jeff Dafler

A Review

Scripture has long been a solid rock for those who have struggled with addictions or who have lived with those who do. Jeff Dafler has written a set of 150 daily devotions based on the book of Psalms.

The book is as much a personal journey of the author as he moved through his own addiction issues a it is a study of God’s answer to many of the issues which the addict or their family may face as they move through their recovery.  Though I have been in recovery for 25+ years, there are times that I still need to rethink and review the answers that have kept me growing through the years. Psobriety is a book that allows me to do exactly that.

Each of the Psalms is addressed by a single devotional composed of three parts. The author begins by quoting one or two verses of that day’s Psalm.  The author then offers a one page devotional focusing on that day’s Psalm, rarely, if ever, overing details from other places in scripture. This is one of the two weaknesses seen in the book, in that no balance is shown from the rest of scripture. The daily devotional ends with a short prayer aimed to reinforce that day’s lesson. Each devotional is well-written, thoughtful, and helpful.

This leads to the second weakness of the book: the lack of an index. There is no way to easily discover or rediscover a reading dealing with a particular issue or topic. There are times when it is helpful to review issues in some random order, but there are also times that I need to address a particular issue today (e.g.depression).  

I give Psobriety four stars. ______________ 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.

Hours to Kill - A Review

 

Hours to Kill

by

Susan Sleeman

A Review

“For the Spirit God gave us 

does not make us timid, 

but gives us power, 

love and self-­discipline.”

II Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

That was Mack’s verse. He had learned to rely on it as he worked with a Christian counselor on the issues surrounding his PTSD from his time in the Middle East. It had almost allowed him to kill his wife, Agent Leigh Jordan, after a nightmare - they broke up over that incident. Now he had to work with her.

Normally stationed in Washington DC, the attempt on his wife’s life brought him to Portland to track down the person responsible - a drug runner, a gun runner, and a sex trafficker. The RED Team of the US Marshals Service followed suit. And Bear, the retired police dog, added a new twist to this faith-based thriller.

A fast paced story that travels from Alabama to Oregon to California takes a number of unexpected twists and turns keeping this reader up late. The book includes all the tension of Criminal Minds and all the romance of Bones, providing an entertaining story with lots of excitement. I give the book four stars.
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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.

Big Truths Bible Story Book - A Review

 

Big Truths
Bible Story Book

by

Aaron Armstrong

A Review

Aaron Armstrong has written a book that is colorful enough for children and detailed enough for an adult audience. The book is well-suited for family devotions. In seminary it was suggested that those of us not brought up with a substantial Christian background take the summer before beginning our studies to read a children’s story Bible. At the same time it could serve as a primer on theology.

The book is divided into 52 weekly stories chosen from both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Genesis to Revelations). Each entry consists of two to four pages of commentary and one page of helpful and thoughtful discussion questions. The book concludes with a two page glossary and a two page summary of the “Big Truths” presented within the book and suggested memory verses for each concept discussed within the book.

Whether used for family devotions, personal devotions, preparation for more formal education, or a discipling program with a new believer, the book gets five stars.
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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.

Einstein's Fridge - A Review

 

Einstein's Fridge

;]

by

Paul Sen

A Review

Paul Sen has created a fascinating book discussing the history of physics from the mid-19th century to the present as he takes the reader on a journey through the development of the field of thermodynamics.

During our journey we meet men and women who shaped this new field of study. Some of those we meet are well-known (e.g. James Watt), some are well-known for their contributions in other fields (e.g. Alan Turing), and some are more obscure (e.g. Emmy Noether). Regardless of their reputation, each contributed significantly to the body of knowledge we now know as thermodynamics.

Focusing on the people, the book is not a mathematical monograph, but uses a series of thought experiments to help his readers understand the growth of this subfield of physics. It was interesting how new ideas grew upon each other and, occasionally, folded back on an earlier researcher to again further the world’s understanding of the relationship between heat and cold. The book will be appreciated by anyone with a basic high school or college freshman physics course under their belt.

Two notes found in the Epilogue of the book help the reader understand the author's intention of writing this work:

At its heart, this book is a celebration that between 1850 and today the science of heat has played a vital role in promoting the greatest improvement in the human condition in our species’ entire history. 

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The main obstacle to dealing with climate change isn’t scientific. Instead, it’s political and emotional. While some refuse to accept that the problem exists, others refuse to accept the solutions. That brings me back to why I wanted to write this book. Now, more than ever, it’s important that all of us have a basic grasp of the science of heat, so that we can make sensible and informed decisions about how best to ensure progress while preserving or improving living conditions fo fellow humans without ruining the environment. Should we commit to nuclear energy? Should we drive electric cars? How much tax should we pay on petrol, and how much should we subsidize wind farms? We will be in no position to answer these vitally important questions unless we have a basic understanding of the laws of thermodynamics.

Weaving together Carnot’s basic understanding of heat, Turing's application of information theory and embryology, and Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, as well as the work of many others, I give the book five stars.
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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.

Engaging the Christian Scriptures - A Review

 

Engaging the
Christian Scriptures

by

Andrew E. Arterbury

W. H. Bellinger Jr.

Derek S. Dodson

A Review

Baker Books offers a Biblical introduction that focuses more on the scripture’s setting and history than the individual books. It covers the books in by type (i.e. history, writings. Prophesy, etc.), particularly as it moves through the Old Testament. The authors spend more time on individual books within the NT canon. The coverage is broad, giving minimal explanation for the positions taken when discussing issues which are still open for debate. For example, when discussing the origin of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the authors write:

We are uncertain of the exact dates or location of Paul’s imprisonment, though many scholars theorize that Paul corresponded with the Philippians while jailed in Ephesus between 56 and 58 CE. This theory accounts for the numerous trips that Epaphroditus and the Philippians made while providing assistance to Paul (2:19–30), given that a journey from Philippi to Ephesus would take significantly less time than journeys from either Rome or Caesarea, where we know Paul spent time in prison (Acts 23–25; 28).

The inclusion of a Scripture Index and a General Index should add value to the work though these indexes seemed to be missing from the Advanced Readers Copy I received from the publisher.

The book is a good Biblical introduction for a lay audience or an undergraduate course in Biblical Introduction. I would have a difficult time recommending it for a seminary or graduate level course. It has a place in the church library though I think there are better choices for the pastor’s personal library. For this reason I give the book 4 stars.
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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.

A Deadly Chapter - A Review

 

A Deadly Chapter

by

Essie Lang

A Review

A Deadly Chapter should have been a great cozy mystery:

• Set in a well-known vacation spot in Upstate NY - the 1000 Islands
• A boathouse serves as the protagonist’s home
• She owns (or is part owner of) two book stores
• There is a castle
• There is a cat
• And there is a murder

Having said that, I found the book a less than enthusiastic read. It had a very slow start, though it picked up its pace toward the end. The setting was not as descriptive as one might hope for a beautiful area of the country - the same might be said for the abundance of characters to whom the reader is introduced. And rather than keeping me alert, wanting more, I found myself falling asleep while reading - not a good sign.

This is the third book in the “Castle Bookshop Mysteries” series with a promise of more to come. I was not so put off that I do not want to read more, but this book was not the finest cozy mystery I have read. I give it 3-½ stars.
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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.

Unknown Threat - A Review

 

Unknown Threat

by

Lynn H. Blackburn

A Review

“Lastly, when it comes to the happily ever after, no one in the real

world gets that. That’s not what marriage is. God designed marriage
 for a lot of reasons, but if you keep looking for someone who will
never argue with you or you’ll never disagree with, then you are
on a true mission impossible.”

(page 149)

Secret Service agents were being killed. Three had died, two others had been targeted but survived by sheer luck. And it did not look as if the attacks were over. When an arm of the US Government was attacked stateside, it was the job of the FBI to investigate. Except in Raleigh NC the Secret Service and the FBI had a history - a history that could prevent the two agencies from fully cooperating. FBI Special Agent Faith Malone would need to tread carefully as she had to convince both the local Secret Service office and her own FBI office that she and those that worked with her were up to the task.

Lynn H. Blackburn presents another faith-based, romantic, thriller that holds the reader’s attention from the opening moments of the first chapter to the end of the book. More lives were on the line and the author does an admirable job of weaving together a series of plot lines to make a believable story.

Neither the faith nor the romance is loaded on too heavy, leaving a book that can be enjoyed by many. It could easily find a place on the shelf of the local public or church library. I give the book 5-stars.
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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.