Fearless by Mike Dellosso

A child mysteriously appears in the lives of Jim and Amy Spencer. Will her presence be a blessing…or a curse?

When a nine-year-old girl named Louisa mysteriously appears in the middle of a house fire with no memory of how she got there or where she came from, Jim and Amy Spencer agree to take her in. Wrestling with the recent loss of their own child, Amy is hurt and angry while Jim is just trying to make it through each day and hold their marriage together.

For Jim, Louisa is the daughter he always wanted, but Amy isn’t as comfortable with her. The girl has a special gift, and soon that gift will unknowingly push them all into contact with a serial killer who has been terrorizing the small town of Virginia Mills. Only by uniting can Jim and Amy save themselves and Louisa before it’s too late.

 

My review:

   After taking a break from his usual genre' of writing to write a story about cancer and its affect on a family,  Mike is to write what he does best: thriller/suspense. That isn't to say his other book wasn't good. It was, but he excells at this genre'.

 

   Much of what Mike writes could be classifed as Christian horror/thriller/suspense, with some supernatural elements. I would classify this book as just thriller/suspense with some unexplained/supernatural elements.

 

   As with any of his books, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Fearless. He created some great characters, good and bad, and worked a great plot around them that kept me guessing. For most of the book, it seemed like there were two stories going on, and I knew they were connected, but I didn't know how. The book had more than one twist and turn that I didn't see coming, especially who the bad guy was. There was something that I kept wondering about, and I won't say what as to prevent spoilers, but it all made sense in the end.

 

   Mike is another author who isn't afraid to work a Christian message into his book, and this one was no exception. The message in this one was a message that would be good for all of us: Never lose faith in God. Even in the bad times, He is still there and can work things out.

 

  I had put reading the book off til close to the release date, and once I started reading it, I kept at it until I was finished, and though not everything was explained, I was left with that feeling when I finish a great book. Satisfied.

 

About the author:

 

Mike Dellosso is the author of numerous novels of suspense, including Darkness Follows, Darlington Woods, and Scream. He is an adjunct professor of writing at Lancaster Bible College and frequent contributor to Christian websites and newsletters. Mike is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers association, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, the Relief Writer’s Network, and FaithWriters, and he plans to join International Thriller Writers. He earned his BA degree from Messiah College and his MBS from Master’s International School of Divinity. He lives in Hanover, PA, with his wife and daughters.

 

 

And might I add, he is a great and genuine guy.

 

Check out Mike's website at MikeDellosso.com

 

Fearless is available from Realms Publishing.

 

Thanks to Charisma House for the review copy

 

What's the Truth About Heaven and Hell? by Douglas Jacoby

Recent books about heaven and hell have aroused the interest of committed Christians and curious seekers alike. But the wide range of viewpoints has also created confusion and left many people wondering what they are to believe. This user-friendly guide presents the most popular views on heaven, hell, purgatory, judgment, and related topics, followed by brief, easy-to-follow analysis. Readers will be equipped to make their own well-informed decisions about questions like these:

• What happens when we die? Where did the idea of purgatory come from?
• Will our bodies be resurrected someday? If so, does cremation offend God?
• Will unbelievers be judged by God and punished in hell forever? Or will they be annihilated? What about those who never heard the gospel message?

This summary of the latest Evangelical teaching and traditional mainstream scholarship provides readers with tools to assess each position in the light of Scripture.

My review:
   If you have read many of my reviews, you know I rarely give negative reviews. I may take issue with curse words being in a Christian fiction novel, which still boggles my mind, but I never give a completely negative book review. However, this one will be.

  I disagreed with the author a lot. I think its a dangerous thing to go through the Bible and deciding on what parts of it can be interpreted literal, and what parts cannot. It is more dangerous to put your views in a book. The author spends quite a bit of time doing just that. He says that 1/3 of the Bible is poetry then gives several examples of passages and verses that we should not take as literal, and I didn't agree with a lot of the examples he gave.

 An example: I am not trying to start a debate on this verse, but Matthew 5:32 says "But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery. (NLT) The author said this verse cannot be taken as literal...... Uh, if you start throwing out statements Jesus Himself made like that, where are you going to stop? That one was the worst example he gave, but I had a hard time taking anything with a grain of salt that he said after that.

  He gives several views of hell, and seems to go with the idea of annihilation, and gives the idea of burning in hell forever is from tradition. My Bible says it will be forever...... where does the tradition idea come from? The author doesn't believe the miliennium is literal...... I could go on and list other examples, but let me just say I didn't like the book, I didn't like or agree with the author's views, and cannot recommend this book. I hate to give a bad review, but I cannot in good conscience do otherwise with this title.

About the author:

Douglas Jacoby is a Bible teacher and professor and the author of A Quick Overview of the Bible, Compelling Evidence for God and the Bible, Your Bible Questions Answered, and The Ultimate Bible Quiz Book. A graduate of Duke University (history), Harvard Divinity School (New Testament), and Drew University (ministry), Dr. Jacoby has taught in more than 100 nations around the world.

What's the Truth About Heaven and Hell? is available from Harvest House Publishers.

Thanks to Harvest House for the review copy.

 

 

The Judgment Stone by Robert Liparulo

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Judgment Stone Thomas Nelson (May 14, 2013) by Robert Liparulo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Former journalist Robert Liparulo is the best-selling author of the thrillers Comes a Horseman, Germ, Deadfall, Deadlock, and The 13th Tribe, as well as The Dreamhouse Kings, an action-adventure series for young adults. He contributed a short story to James Patterson’s Thriller, and an essay about Thomas Perry’s The Butcher’s Boy to Thrillers: 100 Must Reads, edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner. He is currently working on the sequel to The 13th Tribe, as well writing an original screenplay with director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive).

When not writing, Liparulo loves to read, watch (and analyze) movies, scuba dive, swim, hike, and travel. He lives in Monument, Colorado, with his wife Jodi and four children: Melanie, Matthew, Anthony, and Isabella.

ABOUT THE BOOK

What if praying became a curse instead of a blessing?

Former Army Ranger Jagger Baird thought he had his hands full with the Tribe—the band of immortal vigilantes fighting to regain God’s grace by killing those opposed to Him. But that was before he encountered the ruthless group of immortals called the Clan. The Clan is after a prize that would give them unimaginable power—a piece of the Ten Commandments known as the Judgment Stone.

Those who touch the Stone can see into the spiritual world: angelic warriors, treacherous demons, and the blue threads of light that signal the presence of believers in communion with God.

By following the blue beam radiating from those closest to God, the Clan plans to locate His most passionate followers and destroy them.

Jagger quickly realizes his high-tech gadgetry and training are no match for these merciless immortals. But how can he defeat an enemy who hunts believers through their prayers . . . and won’t stop until they’ve annihilated all those close to Him?

In this high-action thriller, best-selling author Robert Liparulo examines the raging battle between good and evil on earth . . . and beyond.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Judgment Stone, go HERE.

My review:
   I loved the first book in this series, The 13th Tribe, and this book was even better. The author threw some more bad guys into the mix and picked up close to where the last book ended. I love the main characters in the book, and it had plenty of suspense and action to keep me happy. It also had a great message: That there is evil out there and Satan wants to take us all down. The book also made me think about how easy would it be for me to be hunted down as a Christian, or would I be safe and not considered a threat. Awesome book, looking forward to more in this series.
   

A Heartbeat Away by S. Dionne Moore

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Heartbeat Away Abingdon Press (May 1, 2013) by S. Dionne Moore

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

S. Dionne Moore started writing in 2006. Her first book, Murder on the Ol’ Bunions, was contracted for publication by Barbour Publishing in 2008. In 2009 she moved on to writing historical romances as an outlet for her passion for history. In 2010 her second cozy mystery, Polly Dent Loses Grip, was a 2010 Carol Award finalist and she was also named a Barbour Publishing 2010 Favorite New Author. In 2011 her first historical romance, Promise of Tomorrow, was nominated a 2011 Carol Award finalist.

Born and raised in Manassas, Virginia, Moore moved to Greencastle, PA in 1993, then to Mercersburg in 2009. Moore enjoys life in the historically rich Cumberland Valley where traffic jams are a thing of the past and there are only two stoplights in the whole town.

For more information, visit her Website at www.sdionnemoore.com.
Follow her on Twitter: @sdionnemoore
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sdionnemoore
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/sdionnemoore

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a band of runaway slaves brings Union-loyal Beth Bumgartner a wounded Confederate soldier named Joe, it is the catalyst that pushes her to defy her pacifist parents and become a nurse during the Battle of Antietam.

Her mother's mysterious goodbye gift is filled with quilt blocks that bring comfort to Beth during the hard days and lonely nights, but as she sews each block, she realizes there is a hidden message of faith within the pattern that encourages and sustains her. Reunited with Joe, Beth learns his secret and puts the quilt's message to its greatest test—but can betrayal be forgiven?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heartbeat Away, go HERE.

Watch the video:
AHeartbeatAway - Medium from S. Dionne Moore on Vimeo.

Not Quite Healed 40 Truths for Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Cecil Murphey and Gary Roe

Survivors of sexual abuse face a long road to recovery. With every bump and bruise and setback, they may wonder if total healing is even possible. In fact, the feeling that “I should be healed by now” is one that every survivor will have to deal with at some time. A survivor himself, Cecil Murphey writes, “I absolutely affirm that God can produce such a miracle. I don’t know of any, but I still think that it is possible.”

So how are survivors to overcome the challenges they are sure to face? Finding strength in community with other survivors is one key to recovery. In Not Quite Healed, two survivors join forces to share insight and encouragement on the issues that challenge them most. After a candid discussion about each issue, the authors provide a self-affirming statement that men can study, memorize, and recite on their darkest days—statements such as:
-Forgiveness is a difficult task for me, but it’s a simple thing for God.
-Accountability is the first step to livability.
-God wants to heal my pain to bring healing to others.Whether men are struggling with relying on God, living behind a mask, dealing with flashbacks and recurring dreams, or learning to forgive, Cecil Murphey and Gary Roe offer hope and comfort for the ongoing journey of recovery from sexual abuse.

My review:
   First a "disclaimer": I have never been sexually molested. I reviewed this book solely for the purpose to help with the publicity to get the word out about it.

   The book was written by two men who were sexually abused as children by adults. They don't give much details about the abuse, but focus more on the effect it has had on them, and still has on them. Though I could not relate, I felt they approached it in a very compassionate and informative way. They offer no quick fixes, and in fact say it is a long and painful process.

  The book is sad. They reference their own experiences and the experiences of others they have talked with and dealt with. We all know it happens, but to read about real people who went through it is an eye opener that isn't pleasant.

  Something I walked away with is the fact that kids that are,  or feel unloved are targets of predators. The lonely kid that is starving for attention. It can happen to any kid, but those are the kids that are ripe for the picking for predators. Parents need to keep their kids close and supervised, and be very careful who they let them around. Sadly in today's world, very young kids need warned about the dangers of sexual predators, as they are often close friends or family members. You can't keep your kids in a plastic bubble, but you can guard them better.

  The authors do offer a lot of helpful and Biblical advice for victims of sexual abuse. If you are a victim, or know someone that is, this would be an excellent and helpful book.

  About the authors:

Cecil Murphey has written or coauthored more than one hundred books, including the autobiography of Franklin Graham, Rebel with a Cause and the New York Times best-seller 90 Minutes in Heaven. Cecil lives in Georgia.

Gary Roe has been in full-time ministry for thirty years, serving as a college minister, a church-planting missionary in Japan, and a pastor in Texas and Washington. He currently works as a hospice chaplain and interim pastor in Central Texas. He writes a weekly newspaper column and is the co-author (with Cecil Murphey) of Saying Goodbye: Facing the Loss of a Loved One. He has three adopted Colombian daughters who are also abuse survivors.


Check out Cecil's blog/wesbite http://menshatteringthesilence.blogspot.com/

Not Quite Healed 40 Truths for Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse is available from Kregel Publishing.

Thanks to Kregel for the review copy.

Biking Across America by Paul Stutzman

Discover the heart of America on this life-changing, cross-country bike adventure
After Paul Stutzman finished hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, he found himself longing for another challenge. Trading his hiking boots for a bicycle, Paul set off to discover more of America.

Starting at Neah Bay, Washington, and ending at Key West, Florida, Paul traversed the five-thousand-mile distance between the two farthest points in the contiguous United States. Along the way he encountered nearly every kind of terrain and weather the country had to offer-as well as hundreds of fascinating people who represent the challenges and triumphs of the entire country. Through cold and heat, loneliness and exhaustion, abundance and kindness, Paul pedaled on. His reward-and yours-is a glimpse of an amazing country that inspires us all.

If you long for adventure, love to meet new people, and love this place called America, get ready for the ride of your life.

My review:
   I've always enjoyed stories of people traveling across America, and since I already read and reviewed Paul's other book, Hiking Through, I knew he was an interesting author.

  This book was even better and more interesting than Hiking Through. Paul runs across more interesting people and landmarks, and his narrative made me want to jump on my bicycle and head out on a trip myself, but reason prevailed. He relates some great stories of how God worked in people's lives, and also of how people are doing things for God all across this country. He gets in a little "preaching" to the reader now and then, but it was all good.

   I found the book to be a challenge to myself, to let God use me and to get out there and really live. The book makes you want to do more and be more than you are.

   I really enjoyed reading the book and getting a glimpse into parts of our great country that I have never been in.

About the author:

Paul Stutzman is the author of Hiking Through. A former restaurant manager who left his career
after his wife's death from breast cancer, Paul hiked the Appalachian Trail in search of peace, healing, and freedom. He continues to seek out adventure in new ways every day. When he is not hiking or on a cross-country bike ride he makes his home in Berlin, Ohio. Find out more at www.paulstutzman.com.


Available May 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.

Talon: Combat Tracking Team by Ronie Kendig, and a give away

Aspen Courtland is out to find her missing brother. Only his combat tracking dog, Talon, knows where to look. Problem is, after a brutal attack that separated dog and handler, Talon’s afraid of his own shadow. The search is on, but when one mistake means disaster, can Talon muster the courage for one last mission?

My review:
    There are certain authors that define quality Christian fiction, and Ronie Kendig has quickly become one of those authors. With the exception of her first book, Dead Reckoning, all of her books center around the military and special opps, and are full of suspense, drama and excitement. She is an author who proves fiction can be clean, Christian, and worth reading.

   Talon: Combat Tracking Team is the second book in the Breed Apart series, which focuses on Military War Dogs, which is something I didn't know much about until I started reading this series.

  This book centers on Aspen and MWD Talon, who were introduced in the first book, Trinity: Military War Dog,  but had minor roles in the story. Ronie also brought back several other characters from Trinity, and added some new ones. She always has some great characters in her novels, and this book was no different. In creating Dane, she created a terrific character with tremendous depth, and although he is fictional, shows that no matter how bad things are in our past, God can still redeem us and make us into something worthwhile. I don't think its a bad thing when a fictional character inspires the reader to be a better person, and that is what the fictional Dane does.

   There is a lot of excitement, drama, romance, and military action in the book, which all makes for a great read. I loved the book, which is not a surprise, and couldn't put it down, so I read it all in one evening, and loved every single page of it. There were a couple of surprises in the book, and I was one very satisfied reader when I reached the end of the book. In addition to being a great story, the book also has a great message of hope, and helps the reader better appreciate all of our military heroes, even the four-footed ones.

  Trinity launched this awesome series, and Talon continues the pulse pounding suspense and military action that Ronie's books bring. I highly recommend any of her books to men or women, and if you have a friend or family member in the military, her books would make great reading for them.

About the author:

An Army brat, Ronie Kendig grew up in the classic military family, with her father often TDY and her mother holding down the proverbial fort. Their family moved often, which left Ronie attending six schools by the time she’d entered fourth grade. Her only respite and “friends” during this time were the characters she created.
It was no surprise when she married a military veteran—her real-life hero—in June 1990. Married more than twenty years, Ronie and her husband, Brian, homeschool their four children, the first of whom graduated in 2011. Despite the craziness of life, Ronie finds balance and peace with her faith, family and their three dogs in Dallas, TX.

Ronie has a deep love and passion for people, especially hurting people, which is why she pursued and obtained a B.S. in Psychology from Liberty University. Ronie is an active member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has volunteered extensively, serving in a variety of capacities from coordinator of a national contest to appointment assistant at the national annual conference.

Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have been gained critical acclaim and national attention, including:

• 2012 Christy Award Winner – Wolfsbane (Contemporary Romance)
• 2012 Carol Award Finalist – Wolfsbane (Romantic Suspense)
• Finalist in Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards (Nightshade)
• RWA’s Faith, Hope, & Love’s 2011 Inspirational Readers’ Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense (Nightshade)
• Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)
• 2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 3^rd place as New Favorite Author, 8^th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.
• INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)
• The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)

Thanks to Ronie for the review copy. Check out her website RonieKendig.com

Talon: Combat Tracking Team and most of her books are available from Barbour Publishing.

I have an extra copy of Trinity: Military War Dog to give away to a lucky winner. I don't usually do extra entries, but am going to do so with this giveaway. I will let it run for two weeks, then pick a winner on June 4. If there is a way to contact the winner, I will do so, and I will list the winner here on June 4.

The first entry is mandatory, a comment on this blog post. You can comment on whether you have read any of Ronie's books, or whatever you want to say, and you have to comment through blogger, not Rafflecopter. Comment on the blog post, then click that you commented on Rafflecopter. Sorry, its my first time using it.

If you're already doing what the extra entry asks for,  you can still have the extra entry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway