Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Contest. Recently she has won the Golden Quill Contest, FHL’s Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest, Winter Rose Contest, Holt Medallion and the Barclay Gold Contest. She wrote for various secular publishers before the Lord led her to the Christian romance market. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines, romantic suspense for Abingdon Press and historical romance for Summerside Press. She has sold eighty-three books to date.
Margaret is currently the President for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), an organization of over 2300 members. She was one of the founding members of the first ACFW local chapter, WIN in Oklahoma. She has taught numerous classes for online groups, ACFW and RWA chapters. She enjoys mentoring other authors.
Until she retired a few years ago, she was a teacher of students with special needs for twenty-seven years and volunteered with Special Olympics as a coach. She currently is on the Outreach committee at her church, working on several projects in her community as well as serving on her church’s vestry.
On a more personal note, she has been married for over forty years to Mike and has one son and four granddaughters. She treasures her time with her family and friends.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A serial killer is targeting illegal aliens in southern Texas. Texas Ranger Cody Jackson is paired with a local police officer, Liliana Rodriguez, to investigate the murders.
While the case brings Cody and Liliana ever closer, the tension between Americans and Mexican Americans heightens. As Cody and Liliana race to discover who is behind the murders and bring peace to the area, what they uncover isn't what they expected. Will Cody and Liliana's faith and love be strong enough to survive the storm of violence?
My review:
This is only the second book I have read by Margaret Daley, but I loved both of them. This is the second book in The Men of the Texas Rangers series, and it is even better than the first book. Margaret writes a terrific suspense novel while working in some romance and other themes. The topic of bullying and wife abuse are both dealt with, along with a father/son relationship.
I give this book the highest rating. The book is totally free of vular language and cursing, and the author delivers an awesome suspense novel while dealing with some big issues. The romance factor wasn't the main part of the book and only added to the story. With only this second book I have read of hers, Daley is becoming a favorite author of mine.
Tyndale Publishing started a new rewards program last month. By just signing up you can get points, then get more by posting review of their books, getting more people to sign up, etc. After you get so many points, you can get free product. Check it out at this link, and if you sign up through this link, I will get points for it: http://tyndalerewards.com/signup/?pc=3cc0-7k0l-f78d-r7sk
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Sharon Farnell for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Robbie Cheuvront is the worship/associate pastor and an elder of The Journey Church in Lebanon, TN, and cofounder of C&R Ministries with Erik Reed. He is also a songwriter and formerly tour with BNA recording artists, Lonestar who is best known for their crossover smash, “Amazed”, which was #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Hot 100. The band also won 1999 ACM’s Single of the Year” for “Amazed” as well as ACM’s Song of the Year award. Robbie is married to Tiffany and has two children, Cason and Hadyn, and is currently pursuing a theology degree.
Visit the author's website.
Erik Reed is the lead pastor and an elder of The Journey Church in Lebanon, TN. He graduated from Western Kentucky University with a BA in Religion Studies. He also graduated with his MDiv from Southern Seminary. Erik is married to Katrina, with two children, Kaleb and Kaleigh.
SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:
When former black ops specialist turned CIA operative Jonathan Keene is summoned to the White House, he’s not sure what to expect. And neither does FBI agent Megan Taylor. Together they learn they’ll be working with a former military chaplain Boz Hamilton to track down a man claiming to bear a message from God about the imminent downfall of the United States. As the three of them traverse the country and the globe in search of the Prophet, they’re led deeper down a path of deception and dead ends. Suddenly they’re called to join a battle against an enemy no one saw coming. As the US is pushed into a situation it hasn’t seen since its inception, a conflict awaits that will test the foundations of the country…and force Keene to face a past and faith he’d rather leave buried. Can Keene—and America—survive?
Product Details:
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (September 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616267690
ISBN-13: 978-1616267698
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
THE CLOCK ON THE WALL TICKED DOWN THE SECONDS
AS HE STARED INTO THE CAMERA.
This was it. In a matter of minutes, his life would change. Everyone’s life
would change.
He rehearsed his lines, though he knew them by heart. There would be
no teleprompter. There would be no script. There would only be him. And
the camera, of course. And the person who would receive this message.
A small television sat off to the side, monitoring the feed. He could see
his image staring back at him. He watched as the second hand ticked off
the final seconds. Tick. Tick. And then it was time.
The red light above the lens flicked on. With the remote in his hand,
he zoomed in and watched the monitor. This was it. No turning back.
He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath and let it out
again. His heart was pounding through his chest. He opened his eyes and
set his jaw firm. And then he began.
“Good evening, Mr. President. I am the Prophet. And I have been
commanded to give you a message.”
Prologue
H i d a l g o C o u n t y S h e r i f f ’ s D e p a r t m e n t
E d i n b u r g , Te x a s , J u l y 2 , 2 0 2 5 ; 1 0 : 3 0 a . m .
Becky Sayers looked at the discolored, flat-screen plasma TV and silently
cursed her boss. “You’d think in this world of technology, we could find a
TV that wasn’t made before I was born,” she mumbled to no one. “I mean,
this thing’s not even in 3-D.” A rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond was
playing—the one in which Raymond fakes going to the doctor so he can
play golf. She’d seen it at least four times, but it was one of her favorites.
She pushed back from her desk and stretched her legs. The switchboard
had been quiet most of the afternoon. A few drunk-and-disorderlies and a
domestic dispute. The holiday weekend usually meant a boring few days
at the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department. But even though Hidalgo
County seemed like half a world away from Washington, DC, the impact of
the last two weeks’ events were being felt. It seemed that everyone was waiting
to see what would happen next.
The green light flashed on her board. She placed the earpiece in
her ear and said, “Thank you for calling the Hidalgo County Sheriff ’s
Department. This is Becky. . . .”
The caller made her complaint and hung up abruptly. Her neighbors
were setting off illegal fireworks; could a deputy come by and take care of it?
All of south Texas had experienced a horrible drought these last few months.
The governor had issued a decree, suspending all fireworks throughout the
entire state. Residents weren’t happy, but they understood. Brushfires this
time of year were common and could lead to damage in the billions of dollars.
Becky keyed her microphone. “Roy, this is Becky. I need you to go out
to Ms. Dobson’s farm, out on Highway 83. Neighbor kids are shootin’ off
sparklers or something.”
She waited for the grumpy complaint that was sure to come. Roy
hated dealing with neighborly disputes. He always tried to pawn them off
on one of the other deputies.
Nothing.
“Roy, this is Becky—come in.”
Nothing.
“Roy! I ain’t playing! Pick up that radio or else!”
Still nothing.
She switched over to another channel. She couldn’t figure why one
of her deputies would switch channels, but she was starting to get a little
worried. Roy was dependable, if nothing else. He’d never not answered a
call while he was out in the field.
“Roy, this is Becky. You change channels on me to try and get some
R and R?”
Nothing.
Now she was getting worried. She switched the channel back. “Clay,
this is dispatch. Check in—over.”
Nothing.
“Marcus, check in—over.”
Nothing.
She walked down the hall and found her boss, told him what was
going on, and waited for a response. He told her not to worry. It was probably
just weather related. “Probably a sunspot or something, messin’ with
the radios,” he said. “Try again in a few minutes.”
Back at her desk, she waited, watching the end of the show. As the
credits rolled she picked up her microphone. After five minutes of going
through the motions again, she decided this was no sunspot.
She grabbed the phone and called the Cameron County Sheriff ’s
office—the next county over. She told them what was going on and asked
if they were having any trouble. Gina, the dispatcher over there, said none
of her deputies had checked in or returned back to HQ either.
Becky hung up and called Star, Zapata, and Webb Counties. All three
reported the same goings-on. At that point, she dismissed paranoia and
called the state police. She was told that they, too, had a few officers who
weren’t responding, but all of the state police vehicles were equipped with
GPS and were being located as they spoke. The young man at state police
HQ offered to send a few officers her way to check on her deputies as well.
She thanked him and told him where her deputies were last known to be.
July 4, 2025; 12:00 p.m.
Becky stood in front of her fourth TV camera in the last hour and told
her story again. This time it was Fox. NBC and CBS had already been by.
The mysterious disappearance of her deputies two days ago was making
national news. Several sheriff ’s deputies, border patrol agents, and state
and local police officers had all turned up dead, all across the border towns
in Texas. Over the last two days, New Mexico and Arizona had reported
similar tragedies.
Becky was one of the first to discover the disappearances across the
border, therefore she was a hot commodity with the news anchors.
The pretty, blond reporter smiled and nodded as Becky told her story.
She opened her mouth—Becky figured she was about to ask another
question—and then slapped her hand over her left earbud. Her smiled
faded and gave way to a look of disbelief, shock, then horror. Tears filled
her eyes and her face turned ashen. Her arm dropped to her side, taking
the microphone with it.
“What’s wrong?” Becky had never seen a television personality act like
this.
The reporter turned to her, eyes wide. She moved her mouth but
nothing came out.
Becky grabbed the woman by her shoulders and shook her. “Hey,
what’s wrong?”
The reporter looked at Becky blankly and said, “Bomb. . . They’re all
dead.” Her knees gave out, and she slumped to the hard, dry ground.
Becky ran back inside to the flat-screen TV.
Hidalgo County, Texas
July 4, 2025; 11:30 a.m.
Jonathan Keene pulled his car off the road onto the dirt path, according
to the directions he’d been given. After a mile, he came to the fork in the
road. Up ahead, on the left, there stood the house.
He parked the car, got out, and surveyed the area. Nothing. No sign
of anyone. The house was a typical single-family home. It needed a coat
of paint, and the railing on the front porch had seen better days. The lawn
was unkempt, but a somewhat new-looking satellite dish sat mounted on
the corner of the roof.
Walking into the house, he noticed the reflection of light coming
from the hillside off to his left. He waited ten minutes. Then, as per his
instructions, he left through the back door and walked slowly up the hill
toward the reflection.
Once at the top, he got to his knees, placed his hands behind his head,
and interlocked his fingers. This was the unsettling part. Out in the open.
No cover. The sun blazing in his eyes. The wind blowing dust everywhere.
It was hard to see anything past twenty feet. He did feel better, though,
knowing that strapped to his back, under his loose shirt, was his Glock
9mm. It lay inches from his fingertips.
After nothing for five minutes, he heard the faint hum of motorcycle
engines. Within seconds he was surrounded by a half dozen, armed
Mexicans. One, covered with tattoos and a scar across his left cheek,
moved toward him. According to the description he’d been given, this was
his informant.
“Hola,” the young man said. “Welcome to Mexico.”
Though the walk uphill had been a short one, Keene knew that in
doing so, he’d illegally crossed the invisible border into the gangbanger’s
country.
“Gracias.” Keene shifted uncomfortably and squinted upward. “You
must be Hector.”
“Do I need to search you?”
“Not unless you want to find the nine mil I got strapped to my back,”
Keene said.
Hector laughed. “Stand up.”
“So what’s so important that you need to talk to the CIA?”
“Follow me.” Hector began walking down the hill toward the house.
Keene followed the men back into the house, thankful to be back on
sovereign US soil.
“I know what happened to those sheriff ’s deputies,” Hector said.
“Yeah, so. Call the police.”
“Nah, CIA, la policía don’t want none of this.”
“None of what?”
“That’s a nice watch. Where was that made? China?”
“Yeah,” Keene said. “What’s that have to do with anything?”
“Lots of stuff in your country made by China.”
“Yeah, so?”
“Funny thing. In the last two months, I been seeing lots of Chinese
people ’round here.”
“Maybe they like the food.”
“Maybe,” Hector answered. “But these Chinese been coming in
droves. In big military trucks. From down south.”
“Interesting.” Keene gave this some thought.
“You want to know what’s really interesting?”
Keene shrugged.
“These Chinese, they got guns.”
“So?”
“And tanks. And airplanes.”
“What?”
“You heard me. They got an army down here. They been bringing it
up here to the border for the last two months.”
“Impossible. We would’ve known about it,” Keene said. This guy was
unnerving him.
“You wanna know what happened to your cops? About three hundred
Chinese foot soldiers, with automatic weapons, crossed your border and
took them out. I got boys all up and down the border saying they see it,
man. Now, I don’t know what’s up with a hundred thousand Chinese
being in my—”
“What did you say? How many?”
“From what I hear, about a hundred thousand.”
Keene’s jaw went slack. There was no way a hundred thousand Chinese
soldiers were living across the border without the United States knowing
about it. Something was wrong.
“You look like you seen a ghost.”
“Why are you telling me this? Why now? Why not two months ago?”
“ ’Cause two months ago, I couldn’ta cared less. You Americans don’t
know what goes on down here. You come to your vacation spots and get
treated like kings. Then you go back home and don’t care what happens
to the rest of us. Well, guess what? These Chinese start showing up and
doing nice things for our communities. Nobody says anything ’cause they
like it. Then, without warning, they start taking over. And our policía don’t
care. They getting paid off. Next thing I know, I start seeing guns, tanks,
and fighter planes. And then they come into town and line up five men
and shoot them in the head. They say, anyone talks or tries to do anything,
they kill the whole town.”
“This is—this is ridiculous!” Keene said. “I don’t know what your
game is, but this isn’t funny. You could get into a lot of trouble—”
“I ain’t playin’!” Hector shouted angrily. “They kill my little brother,
man! And something bad is about to happen! I’m telling you as a favor.”
He hung his head and wiped his eyes. “I don’t know why your government
don’t know about this, CIA, but I’m telling you. Someone had to mess up
big to miss this.”
Keene stood there dumbfounded. There was no way this could be
true. An entire army couldn’t march on the United States’ border and not
be detected. He had to call Jennings. He reached for his phone and felt the
buzz against his leg. He looked at the display. Funny, he thought.
“I was just getting ready to call you,” he spoke into the mouthpiece.
“Get back here immediately,” his boss, Kevin Jennings, ordered.
“Yeah, about that,” Keene said, “I think I need to stay here awhile.
I need to check something out.”
“No, you need to get back here immediately. Turn on the TV.”
“What’s happened?”
“Just do it!” came the reply.
Keene pushed past the group of men and pushed the button on the
television sitting on a makeshift stand. It only took a few moments for him
and the others to see what was happening.
Every channel had interrupted programming, now covering the
breaking news. Plumes of black smoke rose into the sky from devastated
buildings. Bridges and highways melted into a pile of searing red metal.
Ash and debris covered the entire landscape. Cars were turned over and
blown to bits. Then the camera changed. A new city. Same result. Then
another. Then another. Finally the images ended. The cameras returned
to the news station. A disheveled-looking man in blue jeans and a sweater
sat in front of the camera. He opened his mouth and said the words that
would change the course of history.
“Ladies and gentlemen, less than ten minutes ago, the entire West
Coast of the United States of America was attacked. It appears to be a
nuclear strike. Every major city from San Diego to Seattle. The death toll
has to be in the millions. . . .”
Chapter 1
Two Weeks Earlier
The man sat in front of the small camera, rehearsing what he was about to
say. Behind him, the wall was dotted with computer monitors, all displaying
different news websites, with the screens zoomed in showing today’s
date. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his cheek as he bit into his
lower lip, trying to calm himself. He was moments away from doing something
that couldn’t be undone.
He’d wrestled with himself the last three days, knowing what would
happen if he didn’t do as he was instructed. He’d cried out in desperation,
begging that he wouldn’t have to be the one. He’d even tried to bargain his
way out of it. But it was no use. This would be done. If not him then someone
else. But no. It was his charge. Given to him with explicit instructions.
He would be obedient and do as he was instructed.
The clock on the wall ticked down the seconds as he stared into
the camera. This was it. In a matter of minutes, his life would change.
Everyone’s life would change.
He rehearsed his lines, though he knew them by heart. There would be
no teleprompter. There would be no script. There would only be him. And
the camera, of course. And the person who would receive this message.
A small television sat off to the side, monitoring the feed. He could
see his image staring back at him. He watched as the second hand ticked
off the final seconds. Tick. Tick. And then it was time.
The red light above the lens flicked on. With the remote in his hand,
he zoomed in and watched the monitor. This was it. No turning back.
He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath and let it out
again. His heart was pounding through his chest. He opened his eyes and
set his jaw firm. And then he began.
“Good evening, Mr. President. I am the Prophet. And I have been
commanded to give you a message.”
Chapter 2
The sun had begun to set over Washington, DC, as the streets bustled
with the commuters going home from work. Slivering rays of light pierced
their way through the buildings, making way for the cool early summer
breeze that wound its way off the Potomac and into the city streets. Soon
the breeze would give way to the hot midsummer. Soon you would be able
to see, as well as feel, the heat wafting up from the pavement, making DC
inhabitants wistful for the pleasantries of June.
The president was just a few minutes away from giving his highly anticipated
speech on health-care reform. Rarely did a president call together both
chambers of Congress for the purpose of an address to the nation outside of
the State of the Union address. But since President Calvin Grant had taken
office, it had been one of his major priorities to put an end to all of the
infighting with the health-care industry once and for all. This speech was
to be the exclamation point at the end of a three-year, grueling bipartisan
reform effort. Though it was no secret that the president had been working
on the new policy, details of it were. The only thing that had been leaked
so far had been the fact that President Grant had successfully achieved what
none of his three predecessors could, a comprehensive bill with regulation
that all parties agreed upon. Outside of that, not even a hint of what was
to come had been available, which had every news anchor and pundit both
frustrated and in anticipation.
The news anchors outside the Capitol seemed to be in deep conversation
with their cameras, floating their ideas and predictions of what was to
come. And then, as if being led by a conductor, they all nodded in unison,
each to his respective camera, signifying the president’s speech was about
to begin.
Inside the chamber of the House of Representatives, significant leaders,
from both parties, lined the aisleway, hoping to get a photo opportunity
with President Grant as he passed by. The room, as was typical for this
sort of event, was a cacophony of noise as everyone continued conversations
and settled in. Finally the outer doors to the House chamber swung
open, and the sergeant at arms entered. Immediately the room quieted, as
if someone flipped a switch. Then came the announcement.
“Mr. Speaker, the president of the United States!”
As was traditional, the room was again flooded with noise as the members
of the Senate and House, along with everyone else in attendance,
stood and applauded as the president slowly made his way to the floor of
the chamber, shaking hands, signing autographs, and posing for pictures
along the way. Finally, with the business of being sociable behind him,
President Grant held his hands up to quiet the almost eight-minute opening
ovation.
Only a few moments later and the speech was in full swing, and the
president had wasted no time in commanding the attention of the entire
nation. So far, the speech had lived up to its expectations. With the news
of his wife being diagnosed with cancer only a few weeks earlier, he was
expected to deliver a stunning blow to the health-care reformers. And with
the content of the speech being perhaps the closest-kept secret in all of
Washington, the entire room, as well as the rest of the country waited
on bated breath to hear what the president had to say. That and the fact
that President Grant was thought of as perhaps one of the most beloved
presidents in recent history, it was a sure bet that this address would go on
record as being one of the most viewed events in all of television history,
not just presidential history.
Homes all across the country were tuning in to hear what the president
would say. Ratings were already pouring in from all over the country.
Indeed, this was already a record-setting event. Within the first ten minutes,
the reports were already surpassing the collective quarterly ratings.
President Calvin Grant had the nation waiting on bated breath for his
next thought.
The speech was just over forty-five minutes when, just as promised,
President Grant landed his final blow. The news was simple. He had already
been working with members of Congress and had the support needed to
change the health-care system. His plan would strip away the potential for
many of the frivolous lawsuits that plagued the industry. New law was being
introduced to allow Americans unprecedented access to good health insurance.
And there were major stipulations being put on the insurance companies,
regulating how they underwrote policies and collected revenue. No
longer would there be massive abuses, deterioration of services, and rising
costs. The message was simple. There was about to be a complete overhaul
of the American medical system. An overhaul that would eliminate the
government-run policies of previous administrations and give the medical
field back to the private sector, but with some “seat belts,” as President Grant
liked to call it.
The speech ended in thunderous applause. And though there had
been some lines drawn previously in the speech between parties, the final
five minutes brought both sides of the chamber to their feet in rousing
cheers.
After the speech, President Grant made his way through the chamber,
once again pausing for photos and signing autographs. He tried to be as
pleasant as he could, but there were bigger things on his mind right now.
Tess, his wife, was at home, lying in bed. He wanted nothing more than to
get home and see how she felt.
After another fifteen minutes of meet-and-greet obligations, he finally
excused himself, reminding everyone where he really needed to be right
now. He asked the Secret Service agent in charge of his detail to make
ready the motorcade. He wanted to leave in the next few minutes.
The drive back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was quiet. He waved to
the guard as the car passed through the security entrance. Once inside, he
headed straight upstairs to the private residence.
Tess was lying in bed and greeted him with a huge smile.
“You were amazing, Calvin. I’m so proud of you.”
“Nah,” he brushed it off. “Just a bunch of no-good politicians trying
to make things worse is all we are!”
“I wish I could’ve been there.”
“Me, too, Tess,” he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He took
her hand in his and kissed it gently. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she said.
“I’ll leave you to rest,” he said, standing back up. “Besides, I’m going
to go surf the net and see all the good stuff they’re saying about me!” He
winked.
Tess smiled back at him and said, “Don’t stay up too late. You need
your rest.”
“Look who’s talking.”
He left her to sleep and stepped into his private office. He sat down and
turned on the monitor to wake up the computer. In just a few moments,
the desktop came alive. He opened a browser window and typed in his
search. Already, there were over twenty-five thousand results for his speech.
He was looking down the list when he heard a ding. His private e-mail.
He assumed it was one of his staff, congratulating him on a successful
speech. He decided to check it because, well, he thought at least one
positive response would be nice before he started sifting through all the
negative ones.
Opening the mail server he saw the new message. There was no
subject. There was no return address. He didn’t think much of it, so he
double-clicked the icon and watched it open. It was a video. And it definitely
wasn’t from one of his staff. But he was afraid that he knew who this
was. And what this was about. He had heard from this man before. Just
not like this. How did you get into my private e-mail? he thought. He stared
at the still image of the man on the screen. Should he call for Agent Green?
Should he just step away from the computer and not touch anything? No,
he decided. He wanted to see it. He pushed Play.
The man sat still on a stool and stared into the camera. A bead of sweat
rolled down his forehead and clung to the top of the bandana that covered
every inch of his face below the eyes. He wore a plain, long-sleeved, white
T-shirt and blue jeans. His shoes were everyday work boots. All in all, a
very nondescript, average-looking man—with the exception of the face, of
course. Behind him stood a white wall with what appeared to be computer
monitors with websites showing today’s date.
A few seconds, which might as well have been hours, passed as the
strange man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As he opened his eyes
again, he began to speak.
“Good evening, Mr. President. I am the Prophet. And I have been
commanded to give you a message.”
The man swallowed hard and then continued, “I am a servant of the
Lord Most High. And I have been instructed to warn you. Since the days
of our forefathers, the United States has become a prosperous nation,
strong in her defenses. She has done great moral things in the name of
peace and freedom. She has been an open door for those who are in search
of something greater. And she has brought stability to the world.”
The man blinked hard and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“But,” he continued, “‘I have this against you,’ says the Lord. ‘That
you have abandoned the love you had at first.’
“Therefore, thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, the day of the Lord comes,
cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to
destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations
will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the
moon will not shed its light. I will punish the world for its evil, and the
wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant,
and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. I will make people more
rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will
make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at
the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger. Behold, my
anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, upon man and beast,
upon the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; it will burn and not
be quenched.’
“Yet fourteen days, and the United States shall be overthrown!”
My review:
This is definitely one of the best books I have read this year, and given how many I have read, that is saying a lot. This is the second book by these two authors. I had the privilege of reading and reviewing their first book, The Guardian last year. It was a great book, but they have put out and even greater read with this one.
The 13: Fall is the first in a series, and hopefully the second book isn't too far away. The word awesome gets overused, but this is truly an awesome read. It is a suspenseful read, but not in the mystery sense. There is a lot of political intrigue, military action, and drama in the book. As entertaining and riveting as the book is, it is also sobering and scary to imagine the events in the book really could happen.
We as a nation have forgotten God, and are voting in politicians who have no use for Him. We can't keep going on the way we are going without having a day of reckoning. I am of the mind that the same Chinese who own most of our debt are not our friend and could turn on us. This book, though fictional, paints a scary, yet realistic picture of what could happen to America if we keep going on the way we are.
And yes, though the book does paint a scary picture, I loved the book. It is definitely worth reading, and is one of those fiction books that people will enjoy who don't normally read it. I would give it 5 out of 5 stars and wouldn't change anything in it. The authors have created some great characters and woven a terrific political plot around them. I can't wait to pick up the story in book two.
Thanks to Barbour Books and FIRST for the review copy.
Pat Simmons is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth. She is passionate about digging up the dirt on her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels. She has been a genealogy enthusiast since her great-grandmother died at the young age of ninety-seven years old.
She has won numerous awards for her previous novels and was voted the Best Inspirational Romance for 2010. She was also a nominee for the African American Literary Award’s best Christian fiction award. Pat is best known for her Guilty series. The Jamieson Family Legacy trilogy: Guilty by Association, Guilt Trip and Free From Guilt is a continuation of first three Guilty Series books and the of the story of the much-loved Grandma B.B character and her new sidekick, Mrs. Valentine.
Pat and her husband live in Missouri and have two children.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Jamieson Family Legacy series follows the lives of the two Jamieson brothers in Boston, Kidd and Ace and their cousin Cameron from St. Louis. Kidd, the older brother, is struggling with anger and resentment issues toward his absentee father who never married his mother, but had the audacity to demand his illegitimate sons carry his last name Jamieson. Ace, on the other hand, is on a collision course with disaster as he shows how much a "chip off the old block" he is when it comes to women. Their highly educated MIT graduate cousin, Cameron Jamieson, is all about saving his family from self-destruction. Through genealogy research, Cameron's mission is to show his cousins their worth as eleventh generation descendants of a royal African tribe and give them a choice: to be angry black men or accept the challenge to become strong successful black men.
In Free From Guilt the third book in the Jamieson Legacy, Cameron, cousin to Kidd and Ace, has it all: the looks, money and tbrains. An MIT double degree graduate and lecturer, he is a genius. No amount of knowledge or wisdom however can convince him of the simplicity of God's love and the gift of salvation. He believes it's much more complicated than those men preaching from an outdated book lead others to believe. It's simply going to take more to make a believer out of him. And, he's not alone in this thinking.
Beatrice "Tilley" Beacon, aka Grandma BB is a seventy-something, childless widow who is young at heart and full of life. Her antics are legendary among her surrogate family, the Jamiesons, her five hundred facebook fans and the local law enforcement, to whom she is known as the neighborhood one-woman militia crime task force.
The Jamieson's always thought they were a unified front to draw Grandma BB to Christ. But when Cameron, her surrogate grandson and the youngest of their clan, returns to spend time with the family in St. Louis, he immediately takes Grandma BB's position that life is to be enjoyed to the fullest. There's always time to repent ...later.
R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as Women's Devotional Bible and Seasons of a Woman's Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons. Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Kien Lantec, you will bear witness to my followers in ToronSea.
The last thing Kien Lantec expects on his first day of military leave is to receive marching orders from his Creator, the Infinite. Orders that don't involve destroyer-racing or courting the love of his life, Ela. Adding to Kien's frustration, his Infinite-ordained duties have little to do with his skills as a military judge-in-training. His mission? To warn the people of ToronSea against turning their backs on the Infinite to worship a new goddess.
Tell them I see they are beguiled. Tell them I seek their hearts. The wise will hear Me.
But why Kien? Isn't this the role of a true prophet, such as Ela of Parne? Seeking answers, Kien visits Ela and finds her stricken by a devastating vision of her own. Her birthplace, Parne, has forsaken their Creator and will soon suffer judgment. Pulled in separate ways, each must seek to follow the Infinite's leading...and hope He will reunite them again soon.
Child of dust, will you be My servant?
If you would like to read the first chapter of , go HERE.
Jonathan Steel is a man with no past who is destined to spend his future hunting down the most powerful demons on earth.
Following the defeat of the thirteenth demon, Vivian Ketrick has plans to take control of his now-open territory. But another—and much more powerful—entity has arrived from Europe to challenge her claim. Rudolph Wulf has genetically engineered his blood to carry “vampire magick,” and he is using it to recruit an army of vampires and werewolves the likes of which the world has never seen.
Raven, an assassin from Steel’s past, has also surfaced. Hired by Ketrick, she has dark plans of her own and could hold the key to Steel’s lost past. As the forces of darkness converge for battle, Steel is caught between his desire to regain his memories and his mission to save the lives of those he cares about most.
Fast-paced and thrilling, The Twelfth Demon, Mark of the Wolf Dragon stretches from the slums of the big city to the shadowy world of Transylvania to explore the legend and lore of vampires and the power of cults to control lives.
My review:
I had the good fortune to review Bruce Hennigan's first book in this series, The 13th Demon, when it was published. I liked what I read, and was very happy to see the second book pop up as available to review in an email.
This book is even better than the first book. There is a vampire craze going on nowadays in movies, books, and TV shows. They all glorify vampires and make them out to be something they aren't. It is unusual to read a book where they are portrayed as evil and demonic, and not having any good qualities. I have to think that if they really did exist, that they would most likely be closer to what this book portrays them as, rather than the Twilight type.
The author is described as a Christian horror author. I don't do horror, so I am not sure that is a good description, but they could lean that way. This book was a fascinating and riveting read. I may have used this description on the first book, but this book is like one of Frank Peretti's earlier books on steroids. There are demons and vampires in the book, and the action and descriptions are beyond Peretti's books somewhat, but yet not in a way that would inspire curiosity to experiment. Instead, it lends a healthy fear and awareness of the evil that is so prevalent in this world.
I like Hennigan's main character and look forward to seeing him more developed. I also like the teenager he has had to take care of against his will. He adds a lot to the story and hope he is kept in the books.
This book is a page turner. It has a lot of suspense, drama, and action. I really enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to more in this series.
About the author (in his words):
There isn’t much to do in the country for a young boy with an active imagination and sixty two acres of pastures and woods unless imagination opens the door to another reality. I spent my childhood chasing dinosaurs, giant robots, aliens from Alpha Centauri, and an occasional cow through this vast land of imagination. And, then I discovered another world — the universe of stories!
My parents grew up during the Depression and would gather on weekends with their relatives. While they shucked corn or shelled peas, these hardy survivors of dustbowls and famines spun wild stories of lightning storms, exploding syrup mills, and haunted graveyards. I would sneak back into the house, turning my back on the other kids playing outside so I could hide in the back hallway and listen to these incredible tales.
In the eighth grade, I saved up my meager allowance and bought a teal blue portable typewriter and began to write down my own stories. They were a mixture of the wild imaginative tales I had played out under the stars and the strong, heroic spirited characters of my parent’s stories. I was doomed; captured; enslaved by Story!
Throughout high school, I wrote for the church newsletter and I had the honor and privilege of being taught by Mrs. Griswold in English who wrote at the top of every creative writing assignment, “Publish! Publish!” in bright, red ink. While a senior in high school, my poem, “Epitaph” won first place in the state of Louisiana. It seemed my writing career was off to a start.
But, God intervened. He called me to another profession and the call was as powerful and undeniable as any call into the ministry. He wanted me to be the very last thing in the world I wanted to be — a doctor. I continued to write through college and medical school trying my best to get my science fiction stories published. My one claim to fame? A rejection letter signed personally by Isaac Asimov. I continued to write for the medical school newsletter under the pseudonym “Grok” and spun out highly sarcastic and caustic tales of robotic instructors and Nazi-esque security guards to the delight of the rebellious student population.
I married Sherry Kidd in 1980 after joining Brookwood Baptist Church. I finished a residency in radiology and settled into private practice in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1983 with every intention of renewing my writing career.
But, God intervened. Again. I was asked to help out with the writing of a drama. As I sat before the computer and banged out dialogue, I discovered I LIKED this! Then, I was asked to direct the drama I had co-written and I was smitten. Beginning in 1989 God took me on a journey through drama. In 1992, I became the drama director at Brookwood and over the next fifteen years wrote dozens of full length plays, hundreds of short dramas, directed, produced, acted, and spoke at regional, state, and national drama conferences. I wanted to start a multimedia Christian fine arts organization.
But, God intervened. Once again. After months of struggling with the fledgling organization I descended into a deep, dark depression. God crushed me. I learned the futility of taking my good idea, holding it up to God and asking him to bless it. “Hey, God! Guess what we’re going to do together!” When all God wanted me to do was put aside my good idea and embrace his God idea. After two years of counseling and therapy, my pastor, Mark Sutton came to me and admitted that he, too, suffered from depression. “Let’s write a book.” He said.
In 2001, Broadman & Holman (now B&H Publishing) released “Conquering Depression: A Thirty Day Plan to Finding Happiness”. This book has continued to be a strong seller and we still receive almost weekly emails regarding how this one little book saved someone’s life. God’s idea, indeed!
And so, it was with great humility I asked God to show me what to do next. I wanted to write my novels I had been working on for twenty years. But, once again, God broke me and reminded me that my good ideas, well, you know the rest! And so, I released it all to God and said, “If I only write one book, then give me the peace to accept the fact that I am blessed to be included in your work here on earth.” And that night, I woke up at 4 AM with the story of “The 13th Demon” in my head. I sat down and finished this brand new novel in 30 days.
That was way back in 1999. Rejection after rejection followed for Christian publishers did not understand this very dark, edgy book. They didn’t understand my desire to include my newest love, Christian apologetics, in the storyline. As Michael Crichton would use science and history, I decided to use evidence for the Christian worldview as a starting point for my fast paced, character driven story. I went through two agents before I decided to step out on faith and self-publish “The 13th Demon”. It was well accepted and won several awards. I then self-published the second book, “The 12th Demon” to very good sales and good reviews. At this point, having a “track record” I contacted a reputable agent recommended by one of my author friends. Jeff Jernigan of Hidden Value Group saw the potential of my work. And, in the spring of 2010 I accepted a five book contract with Charisma House imprint Realms Books.
Now, I am working on the Steel Chronicles, a thirteen book series featuring Jonathan Steel and his spiritual battle against evil. I am also working on a number of other books in other genres. I no longer lead the drama ministry at Brookwood. But, I speak regularly at our state drama festival. I also speak regularly to groups about the evidence for the Christian faith. I currently help out with Brookwood’s children’s program, Kidstuf with script adaptation, acting, producing, and directing.
I am a certified apologist for Reasons to Believe, a science faith think tank. I am a Certified Apologetic Instructor with the North AmericanMissionBoard of the Southern Baptist Convention. I have received the Certificate of Apologetics from BIOLA Universityand I am a graduate of the Dynamic Communication Workshop.
Fortunately, my two children, Sean and Casey are grown and my wife and I are taking care of our aging Jack Russell Terrier, Romeo, and our parents. Oh, and I still practice Radiology full time! So, that’s my story up until now. We’ll see what God has planned for me next!
The 12th Demon is available from Realms, a division of Charisma House Publishers.
Celia Anderson doesn't have a husband on her Christmas wish list. But when a traveling carpenter finds lodging at her boardinghouse, she admits that she might remarry if she found the right man--the kind of man who would bring her roses for Christmas. It would take a miracle, though, to find roses during a harsh Wyoming winter. But Christmas, after all, is the time for miracles . . .
My review:
I rarely read a book that is just romance. I can handle if it has suspense/mystery mixed in, or if in this case it is Christmas. I never pass up the chance to review Christmas books.
Amanda Cabot is a new author to me, and this is her first Christmas novel. I don't know what her other books are like, but she has written a great Christmas book, or novella, which is the official name for a book of this length.
Although the book is Christmas romance, it isn't a mushy, gushy type. The author created some great characters and wove a great plot around them. The characters are complex and have complex situations. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, and the length made it an easy one to read in one sitting, which is exactly what I did. If I have stars, it would get an easy five. Great book.
About the author:
Amanda Cabot is an accomplished author under various pen names and a popular speaker. The author of Paper Roses, Scattered Petals, Tomorrow's Garden, and Summer of Promise, she is also a charter member of Romance Writers of America, the cofounder of its New Jersey chapter, a member of the ACFW, and an avid traveler. She lives in Wyoming.
Available September 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of
Baker Publishing Group
Note to authors: I do review for some publishers, but if you are interested in getting a book reviewed, doing a email review, or even a guest blog, contact me. I am primarily interested in Christian fiction. I do prefer physical copies over e-books.
Email: marcus802001(at)yahoo(dot)com
I live in East Palestine, Ohio. I am single, and am uncle to the six greatest kids in the world. I enjoy blogging about Christian fiction, my family, Christianity, and the events of my life
If you are an author, particularly Christian fiction, and need someone to review your book, give me a holler.
