Dead Fall - A Review

 

Dead Fall

by

Nancy Mehl

A Review

I reached out to the only Person 

who could show me who I was truly meant to be. 

I found God. Without Him, 

I have no idea where I’d be right now. 

You see, positions, success, praise from people

— none of that lasts. 

If you judge yourself by human standards, 

you’ll fail. The only way to truly know yourself 

is to know the One who created you. 

Without Him, we’ll never find our way. 

No matter what happens, 

nothing will ever rob me of my identity again.

                                                                       -- Nancy Mehl

They were retired FBI Special Agents - and somebody killed them. Now the same UNSUB was trying to kill active FBI Agents. Somebody will have to stop the murders or the BAU will be gone.

It would not be easy and the active members of the BAU would find their lives in danger. Following the themes and practices known to fans of Criminal Minds, the story kept this reader awake as the members of the BAU follow the evidence to identify and apprehend the UNSUB.

The characters are real, with strengths and weaknesses they each have to use and overcome. The ending was a surprise (almost), but worth waiting for. 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 expressed are mine alone.

Lights Out - A Review

 

Lights Out

by

Natalie Waters

A Review

The President is traveling to Egypt, terrorists are on the lose throughout America, and private defense contractor SNAP is stymied in it search for those out to destroy the country before the President walks into his own assassination.

Brynn Taylor, CIA Analyst, finds herself unexpectedly assigned to work with SNAP. She would prefer to work the case in Egypt, but Director Frank Peterson has made his decision - now she will need to work alongside her ex-boyfriend or not work the case at all. The story will take the reader from Washington DC to Houston to California to Guam to Egypt. This well-written faith-based thriller will keep the reader’s attention from beginning to end.

Only two concerns prevent me from giving this a five-star review. First is that though promoted as a faith-based book, it is only moderately so. This might make it more saleable to a secular book market, but not as appealing to a Christian audience. Secondly, the conclusion of the book seemed to sneak up on this reader - it was stumbled on rather than discovered through the usual deductive techniques one would expect in an international thriller. I am giving this 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 expressed are mine alone.

Crosshairs - A Review

Crosshairs

by

Patricia Bradley

A Review

After reading Patricia Bradley’s previous book in the “Natchez Trace Park Rangers” series, I had put the Natchez Trace on my bucket list. Given the number of murders and other events in the first five of 71 chapters of her most recent faith-based book, I am not so sure:

1. Assault of a 94-year-old woman in her home
2. Theft of a 150-year-old diary
3. Death of a 16-year-old out behind the old Methodist church
4. A tornado that swept through part of the county
5. Illegal marijuana sales

Nope, not sure I want to visit.

Having said that, the crimes and writing did hold this readers attention. When the local sheriff, the Investigative Services Bureau of the National Park Service, and the FBI, are all involved in the mess that defined the Trace that week, things do get interesting. The mix of crimes, law enforcement agencies, and characters, easily make for a 5-star book.
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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.

Her Daily Bread - A Review

 

Her Daily Bread

by

Kate Wood

Reviewing this book requires me to ask two questions First, would I purchase this book for myself?  Second, would I purchase this book for my wife or daughter-in-law?

This is a devotional book with one recipe substituted per week in lieu of the devotional. The devotionals are personal reflections on the author’s life. They each conclude with a Biblical reference or two, related to though not directly addressed in the daily devotionals.  The individual entries are not scholarly, but they are well-written thoughts offered for six days a week for a year. 

The recipes offered each week come from seven distinct categories: Snacks, Soups, “Sides, Salads, and Sauces”, Entrees, Breakfast, Beverages, and Desserts. The recipes, themselves, are a bit more high-end than I would expect at my daily family’s meals - perhaps at a special meal when entertaining guests.

 

Back to my two questions. Would I buy this book for myself: NO! Would I buy this book for my wife or daughter-in-law: maybe, as a birthday or Christmas present? They would find refreshment in the devotionals. I do not know how much use they would make of the recipes.  I will give the book 3-½ stars.

______________ 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.

The Family Bible Devotional Volume 2 - A Review

 

The Family Bible Devotional

Volume 2

by

Sarah M, Wells

The subtitle describes this book well: “Stories from the Gospels to help Kids and Parents Love God and Love Others”. What the author has done is to compile a set of 50+ devotionals for parents to share with their children.

After briefly giving some brief suggestions on using the material found in the book, each of the 52 devotions follows a similar pattern:

1. A one-paragraph description of the setting for the chosen text.
2. The week’s scripture is quoted using The Message
3. Some suggested Bible study questions and provide an opportunity for each member of the family to ask their own questions
4. “A Closing Thought” summarizing the lessons that may have come from the passage
5. A “Prayer Prompt” based on the lesson is provided
6. A couple of activities are suggested to help all participants cement the lesson
7. Each lesson concludes with a brief bit of trivia taken from scripture, history, culture, etc.

Though my kids are long gone from home, this year’s collection of studies is among the best I have seen for use in family worship. It would make a great gift for a church to make to families with middle school or junior high school students. With a bit of work and patience, it might even be used with a younger family. Though not designed for a church setting, it might also be used as the basis for the weekly study with a small youth group. I can easily give this 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 expressed are my own.

Your Words Your Worlds - A Review

 

Your Word Your World

by

Louise Bélanger

A Review 

Jesus wins

Against Satan

We know the outcome

We know the end

It is written in the Bible

“And they lived happily ever after”

Will happen

I’d rather have

That certainty

Than one wish granted

By a story book genie

Even three

Poetry is not often something I would jump at reading, but this book caught my eye - I was not disappointed. The author has composed a set of 28 pieces of Free Verse poetry speaking to the author’s and the reader’s relationship to God and the world. They are thoughtful and meaningful - often addressing real questions that are not simply answered. 

Each poem is two to four pages in length (the snippet above is a fraction of the entire poem), including colorful photographs that draw the reader in. Each poem has its own theme: creation, the Trinity, Fairytale Endings, etc. This thoughtful collection of poems is worth 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 expressed are mine alone.  

Dark Intercept - A Review

 

Dark Intercept

Attributed To

Andrews & Wilson

A Review

The authors present a four-star plot with a two-star theme. The story is good and would make a great faith-based book except it attempts to embody spiritual warfare into real armies, both good and bad. The plot would work very well without the addition of the fictionalized creation of spiritual beings that can read people’s minds while also attempting to coerce them to act in ways that are against their best interest and the best interest of humanity. I felt like these “spiritual” elements were sometimes added because the authors did not know how to make the necessary transitions without their additions to the story.

The underlying plot - a young girl being kidnapped, and a former Navy Seal being asked to find and rescue her, would make a great thriller. But with addition of spiritual warfare, the story lost its thrill. Spiritual warfare is real, but not as personified in this book.

If written as a fantasy, rather than a faith-based story, it may have been more acceptable. I will look forward to reading more of these "fantasies"; however, as it is, I have to give the book three-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.