Top 10 Books of 2009

I read over 100 books in 2009, and decided to list my top 10 list, not in any particular order, but these are what I feel are the best books I have read this year:

1) Fatal Illustions by Adam Blumer - Christian Fiction, suspense. This author's first book, and it was an awesome read. Though full of suspense and mystery, still extremely Christian in content. My sister thought it was too scary, but it was just right.

2) The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh - Christian Fiction, Christmas. Another new author's first book. I recently reviewed it, and consider it one of the best Christmas stories I have ever read, and one of the top 10 books for this year that I read.

3) The Riley Covington Series by Jason Elam & Steve Yohn - Christian Fiction, suspense/action. I read all 3 books in this series this year, and loved them. Since all 3 were excellent, I am counting the series as one here. Full of action and suspense, I highly recommend this series, especially for men, but my sister loved the books too.

4) Scream by Mike Dellosso -Christian Fiction, suspense. Mike is a fairly new author, Scream being his second book. I enjoyed his first, Hunted, and he only got better with Scream. He is another author who pulls no punches with the Christian message in his books. An author to watch.

5) Defenders of Hope series by Amy Wallace - Christian Fiction, suspense/mystery. The third book in this series, Enduring Justice, was my first book I was officially given to review. I read all 3 books in the series in 2009, and really enjoyed all three. The author combines suspense and mystery, a solid Christian message, and extremely flawed characters and comes up with a great story -three times. Highly recommended for mystery & suspense readers, and another author to keep your eye on.

6) Losing God: Clinging to Faith Through Doubt and Depression by Matt Rogers - Christian "Self-help". I haven't read many books dealing with depression, but thought this was an excellent one. The author chronicles his own story of depression and getting through it. I found the book extremely encouraging and helpful, and probably need to read it again.

7) The Dreamhouse Kings Series by Robert Liparulo - Young adult Fiction - though published by a Christian publisher, there isn't much Christian content in these books, 5 of 6 out right now - but they are excellent, and something adults can enjoy too. Definitely among the best books I have read in 2009. I am eagerly awaiting the sixth and final book coming out in a few months.

8) Firstborn by Conlan Brown - Christian Fiction, suspense. One of the most recent books I reviewed, and one of the best I have read this year. Suspense with supernatural aspects, I was pulled into the story and enjoyed the whole book. This was the first book by this young author, and definitely worth reading.

9) Sophie Trace Trilogy by Kathy Herman - Christian Fiction, suspense & mystery. Two of the three books are out in this series, and I am really enjoying it. Another author who pulls no punches with her Christian message, Kathy also spins a great story of mystery and suspense. I personally think this is her best series yet. She only gets better.

10) If God Is Good....Faith In The Midst of Suffering and Evil by Randy Alcorn - Christian living. The best book I have ever read that tackles the question of how can God be good and allow evil and suffering. The author doesn't answer it in a few quick sentences either. This is a thick book, yet interesting and easy to read.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Firstborn by Conlan Brown

Today I am introducing a new fiction author, Conlan Brown, and reviewing his book, Firstborn.

Book description:

The Firstborn, those gifted with Foresight, Hindsight, and Insight at the time of Christ's death are divided between themselves. And when an Islamic holy man is murdered outside of his mosque it becomes apparent that one of the Firstborn was to blame. Now, with the threat of a terrorist attack on an unspeakable target the Firstborn are spiraling out of control. Leaders are dying, members are being kidnapped, and unity is being forced. Three heroes, differently gifted and divided must work together to thwart those who would go too far.

Their breakneck race against time plunges them into a world of danger and through a gauntlet across the United States. From the Riverwalk of San Antonio, where Devin Bathurst, John Temple, and Hannah Rice must protect one another from assassination, to the gritty streets of Washington DC, a paramilitary compound in Pennsylvania, and ultimately back to our nation's capital, the Firstborn must unite to prevent an impending atrocity from becoming reality.

This book is one of the best Christian fiction novels I have read this year - and I read over 100 books this past year. The plot is a bit unusual - the author takes the idea that the people who rose from the dead when Jesus was crucified were given special supernatural abilities: Some can see the past, some the present - things going on apart from where they are - and the future. These 3 groups do not get along, and some of them have lost sight of their purpose - to protect people.

This novel is described as a "thriller" on the cover, and it is. There is a lot of action and suspense, yet it is definitely Christian in content and its message.

One can read too much into a fiction novel, but if I am correct, the message the author was trying to get across, is as Christians, we can lose our focus. Get so set on defeating evil and those who do not see eye to eye with us, that we lose our focus. And that we need each other, and unless we unite as Christians, we will be useless and will face defeat.

I highly recommend this book, and the sequel which I haven't read. This is definitely an author to watch.

This book is from Realms Publishing, an imprint of Strang Communications, and they are fairly new to the Christian fiction market, but I have really enjoyed and been impressed by anything I have read from their authors so far.

About the author:

Born in 1984, Conlan Brown was functionally illiterate until the fifth grade, when he learned how to read and write, as well as a love of story, from his grandmother. Conlan went on to start college at the age of sixteen, and now holds a Master's degree in Communication, which taught him the academic principles needed to write Firstborn.

Conlan lives on Colorado's Front Range where he is working on his next book. He enjoys video editing, film scores, and developing high octane, thought provoking fiction that turns pages and excites the senses.

Firstborn is available from Realms Publishing.

Thanks to Leann from Strang Communications for the review copy.

A Not-So-Silent Night by Verlyn Verbrugge

Christmas is a time for peace on earth, a time for favorite carols, family dinners, and familiar traditions. It’s about a beautiful story of a lovely babe in the manger. Or is it?

A Not-So-Silent Night is a revolutionary book that reveals the darker side of Christmas, a side that exposes pain, humiliation, fear, and danger. Though we usually choose to ignore them, these elements—in their cultural and historical context—reveal the true meaning of Christmas where the shadow of the cross is inseparable from the manger. Author Verlyn Verbrugge maintains that until we see the dark side of Christmas, until we shed tears with Mary and Joseph, until we experience the fear that war is on the horizon, we will never truly understand the awesomeness of what happened in that little town of Bethlehem. Timely and provocative, A Not-So-Silent Night is perfect for pastors looking for a new approach to their traditional Christmas sermons and for anyone who wants to get past holiday commercialization and get back to the reason for the season.

This is not your average Christmas book. The author takes a look at the darker side of

Christmas - what it was like for Mary and Joseph to face people's reactions to her out-o

f-wedlock pregnancy, the slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem, and even had an interesting take on the no room in the inn situation.

This book isn't what you'd call light reading, but I found it informative, interesting, and gave me some new insights into the Christmas story.

About the author:

Verlyn Verbrugge (PhD, Notre Dame) was a full-time pastor before becoming senior editor of academic and professional books at Zondervan. He has authored and contributed to several books, including Early Church History and Your Church Sign.

A Not-So-Silent night is available from Kregel Publishing.

Thanks to Kregel for the review copy.

3 Cowboys

My brother-in-law emailed me this picture from his cell phone - I thought it was too good to not pass on. My nephews with some of their Christmas presents:

Just One Star, re-post

I posted this from memory last year before Christmas, and after Christmas ran across a book that had it in the after Christmas clearance sale at a Christian bookstore. So here, in better wording than my memory, is "Just One Star."

Back in the throne room of Heaven, plans were being made to announce the birth of God's Son on earth. Michael, the archangel, had just finished describing his great heavenly display of comets and falling stars, for a year preceding, and following the birth.

Gabriel went on with his musical plans - a great angelic choir with tens of thousands of voices, tuned with Heaven's finest and latest harmonies, ready to serenade the earth. There would be ten thousand sopranos, ten thousand altos, ten thousand tenors, ten thousand basses.

But God interrupted their conversation. "No," He said, "that's not really what I had in mind."

"What, you want more?" Asked Gabriel?"

"No", God smiled. I planned a small family gathering in Bethlehem, actually. We don't need all those trimmings."

"But.... all my stars...." said Michael. "What will I do with them?"

"And my angels," Gabriel added.

Just then, Jesus stepped through the pearly gates, out into the red carpet of time, and started down the spiral stairway of stars.

Michael pleaded, "Father, let us do something, please! He simply can't go unannounced!"

"Well, alright, " God said. "Gabriel, a few angels.... and Michael, just one star."

Paperbag Christmas Winners

Congrats to the 5 winners of The Paperbag Christmas. Using Random.org, I had the site pick 5 random numbers, and these people are the winners:

Kim M
Wendy
SandraK321
Brooke
wendy (had 2 different Wendys)

Thanks for entering, and thanks to Valerie from Hachette books for giving the books away.