Hear No Evil by Matthew Paul Turner

If you’ve ever had the opening bars of a song transport you back in time or remind you of a pivotal spiritual moment, Matthew Paul Turner’s honest—and frequently hilarious—musings will strike a chord. Straight-forward and amusing, Hear No Evil is Turner’s “life soundtrack,” a compilation of engaging personal stories about how music—and music’s ability to transform—has played a key role in his spiritual life.

What I liked about the book:


I really enjoyed the author's style of writing. He is an interesting writer, and humorous. I could relate to his story. I grew up in a church where all too many people think drums are of the devil, and any music that has drums is likewise - so I can appreciate his story in that regard.

Turner starts back when he was four years old, and talks about how is view of music, and the styles he listened to, changed over the years. He gives a fascinating look at the music industry, and Nashville specifically. He also addresses what it really means to be Christian, and had some interesting takes on different denominations and beliefs. Overall, I really did enjoy the book - a great read.

What I didn't like:

Though I enjoyed a lot of the book, I get the idea that Turner advocates pushing the envelope on Christianity - getting by with as much as you can. He relates an incident of making out with his girlfriend at a Christian college in which she had "practically ripped" his shirt off of him as if that is the norm for Christians. Other things like his Christian friends who smoke, have premarital sex - and he and his Christian friends going to a bar where Christian singers go to smoke and drink - if he disapproves of that all, it didn't come through in the book. He also related about an accountability group he was in while in a Christian college, and discussed a problem they all had with solo sex - I felt it was out of place in a book of this type.

He does raise some interesting points and thought in the book, and as I stated, it is an interesting read.

About the author:

Matthew Paul Turner is a blogger, speaker and author of The Coffeehouse Gospel, Provocative Faith, Beatitude: Relearning Jesus, the What You Didn’t Learn from Your Parents About… series, and several other popular books. He has written for Relevant, HomeLife, Christian Single magazines and was the former editor of CCM magazine. Matthew and his wife, Jessica, live in Nashville, Tennessee. He can be found online at http://www.matthewpaulturner.com/.

To learn more about this book, or to purchase, go to RandomHouse.com.
Thanks to Waterbrook/Multnomah for the review copy.

Enemies Among Us by Bob Hamer

When undercover FBI agent Matt Hogan totals three vehicles in an out-of-policy Beverly Hills pursuit of a fleeing Arab drug runner, he incurs the wrath of the Bureau hierarchy. To avoid an almost certain suspension, he accepts a new assignment tracking terrorist cell groups while posing as a volunteer at a nonprofit charity. What he doesn't know is the ripples of danger from this case will threaten not only his life but the safety and security of the entire nation.

This is a "free" book review. I did not receive this book to review, but enjoyed it, and since it falls under men's fiction, decided to give it a little shout out.

This is the kind of book I love. It has terrorist plots, undercover FBI work, great plot, and likable and believeable characters. Woven within the plot was also a strong Christian message. I really liked the main character, and hope the author does more books with him as the central character/hero of the story.

The story was made all the more believable and enjoyable for me knowing that the author is a former FBI agent who also did his share of undercover work. I highly recommend this book by a new fiction author, and though you women might enjoy it, I would recommend it more for men.

And one last thing I'd like to add: this book was curse-free and clean. I had a Christian fiction author defend curses and some other inappropriate content in a book of this style by saying in this type of book you have to have that - you do not have to, and this author proves that.

First chapter here.

About the author:

Bob Hamer spent twenty-six years as a "street agent" for the FBI, many of them in an undercover capacity. In assignments lasting anywhere from a day to more than three years, he successfully posed as a drug dealer, contract killer, fence, pedophile, degenerate gambler, weapons dealer, and white-collar criminal.

Bob worked undercover against such diverse groups as La Cosa Nostra, the Sicilian Mafia, Mexican Mafia, Russian Mafia, Asian organized crime groups, and Los Angeles-based street gangs. His successful infiltration of NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) resulted in the arrest of what one defendant called eight members of the "inner circle."

He received numerous awards throughout his career including the FBI Director’s Award for Distinguished Service, four United States Attorney Awards for Distinguished Service, and numerous letters of commendation including one from then U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani.

Now retired, he is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of Canada and has written for TV. He also worked as the technical advisor for The Inside and Angela's Eyes and has consulted for Law & Order: SVU and Sleeper Cell. He appeared as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Sean Hannity Show, Laura Ingraham, and other national and local TV and radio programs to discuss his role in the NAMBLA investigation.

In 2009, The Last Undercover was named as the Fifteenth Annual San Diego Book Awards Association, Best Memoir, General Interest.

A Marine Corps veteran and law school graduate, he is married and has two children.

Enemies Among Us is available from Fidelis Books, an imprint of Broadman & Holman Publishing.

Swinging On A Star by Janice Thompson

There's a fine line between ambitious and crazy.


Bella's just not sure where it is.


Bella Rossi's life is nearing perfection. Not only does she have the perfect guy, but she's also running a successful wedding-planning business and is about to plan its most ambitious wedding yet--a Renaissance-themed fairy tale come true, complete with period costumes and foods, horse-drawn carriages, and even a castle. There's only one hitch. The best man just happens to be Hollywood's hottest and most eligible bachelor, and he's showing an interest in Bella. Oh, and did we mention he's staying at her house to avoid the paparazzi?


With all the pressure surrounding this wedding, Bella's not sure she's going to make it through. Add her starstruck sister and her feuding aunt and uncle, and you've got a recipe for disaster--and a lot of laughs.

Janice Thompson has done it again. She has written a book that keeps you sitting on th edge of your seat. This book has Bella planing a medieval-style wedding. Throw in a crazy parrot, a naughty Yorkie-Poo, a movie star, a night in jail, and three singing sisters, and you have got a riot. Simply entertaining! Excellent book!

About the author:

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and native Texan. An experienced wedding coordinator herself, Thompson brings alive in her books the everyday drama and humor of getting married. She is the author of Fools Rush In and Swinging on a Star. She lives in Texas.



Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
 
Thanks to Revell Publishing for the review copy, and thanks to my sister, Vicki, for reviewing the book. She enjoyed the first one so much, I had her do this one also.

Love Finds You In Bridal Veil, Oregon

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon


Summerside Press (January 1, 2010)by


Miralee Ferrell





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In October 2007 Kregel Publications published The Other Daughter with excellent reviews. The Romantic Times Review magazine gave it Four out of Four and a half stars, with a very strong review. Two different major motion picture studios are currently considering the book as a possible family movie, and my second book in the series (Past Shadows) is on my publishers desk being reviewed for a possible contract offer now.



In February of 2009, Love Finds You in Last Chance, California was published by Summerside Press



And Finding Jeena will release in April 2010 from Kregel Publications.



Miralee Ferrell lives in Washington with Allen, her husband of more than 37 years, ans has two grown children. She serves on staff at her local church ans is actively involved in ministry to women.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Against a backdrop of thievery and murder in Bridal Veil Falls, Oregon, a historic logging community, a schoolteacher is torn between the memories of a distant love and the man who could be her future.



Sixteen-year-old Margaret Garvey had given her heart to Nathaniel Cooper the night he disappeared from town. Four years later, just as she's giving love a second chance with Andrew, a handsome logger, Nathaniel suddenly returns. He steams back into Bridal Veil on a riverboat to work at the nearby sawmill to town with a devastating secret.



While grappling with the betrayal of those she trusted most, Margaret risks her reputation and position by harboring two troubled runaways who might be involved in the murder of a local man.



When disaster strikes the town and threatens the welfare of its citizens, Margaret will be faced with the most important choice of her life.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon, go HERE

My visit to the hospital

Last night, I deveoped a bad pain in my side. It wouldn't go away, so I quickly researched on the internet. Great - most likely my appendix. Something that definitely needs attention. Emergency room, here I come....

I drove to the nearest hospital, wincing with the pain. Walking into the emergency room, I groaned inwardly. The room was pretty full. I walked over to the admissions window, and waited until the woman seated there looked up. Before I could speak, she asked "What is your ailment?" "I think it's my appendix. I.." She brusquely intterupted me. " Find a seat and fill these papers out." With that, she was back to reading the novel in her hands. I sighed, and found a seat beside a man clutching a hand that was wrapped with a blood-soaked cloth. "Hey man, how long have you been waiting?" He shifted pain-filled eyes to me. "Going on two hours, and this is ridiculous!' He launched into a tirade against the hospital, so I began filling out my paperwork.

A few pages later, I walked up and handed my paperwork to the novel-reading woman at the window. Without looking at it, she tossed it onto a tall stack of papers, and went back to her novel. "Ma'am, do you have any idea of how long the wait will be?" She looked up with annoyance. "Nope", and went back to her novel. I walked back and sat beside Mr. Bleeding Hand again, and looked around the waiting room.

Everyone looked irritated, and most looked like they were in pain. There was a young man in his early 20's who looked like he had been in an accident. His face and arms had several cuts and lacerations, which he kept dabbing at with a rag that looked like it had seen better days. From the blood spots on the floor, he wasn't succeeding at getting all the blood.

Beside him, sat an older man, clutching his chest and beathing sporadically. A woman that I assumed was his wife, sat on his other side, holding onto his arm and looking worried. Next to her sat a woman holding a small child who was crying his eyes out. Even from where I sat, I could see bruises all over the poor kid on any skin revealed. My perusual of the room halted as a well-dressed woman walked in. She viewed the room with disdain and walked rapidly to the admissions window. Novel-reader looked up. "Your ailment?" The other woman looked at her haughtily. "None." I watched with amazement as the admissions clerk laid down her book, and looked with interest at the woman. "Great. The doctor will see you immediately. Go down the hall and go into room #4, second door on the left." I watched aghast as the woman marched down the hall leaving a room of hurt and sick people. What on earth?!

Shaking my head in disbelief, I continued looking around the room. Yikes! My eyes fell on a teenaged boy with an obvious broken leg. The fractured bone was sticking out through his skin. His face was contorted in pain. A couple I assumed was his parents flanked him on each side rubbing his shoulders, while shooting frantic glances at the admissions window. As I watched, the father walked to the window, but was turned away with a brusque "you must wait your turn." I watched the family with sympathy until the pain worsened in my side, reminding me of why I was there.

A noise at the door drew my attention. A large family walked in the door and headed for the admissions window. I quickly counted. One, two, three, four, five children. Who takes their whole family to the emergency room. My heart sank. Could a whole family be that sick? But they all acted and looked healthy. I listened intently as Linda (I had finally learned her name) looked up. "Alright, who has what ailments?" The father announced louldy (and proudly, I thought) "No one is sick. We are all 100% healthy!" Linda looked extremely pleased, and paused for a moment. "Ok, go down the hall to room #7 - it is our family-sized room. The doctor will see your family right away." I couldn't believe it. Was I in the twilight zone or something? This didn't make a bit of sense.

Evidently the parents of the kid with the broken leg didn't think so either, for he headed for the admissions desk again. "Listen uh, Linda - my son is in extreme pain, and we have been sitting here for an hour while you keep ushering in perfectly healthy people. I demand that you have a doctor see him immediately!" Linda looked at him with disinterest. "Go find your seat sir." And went back to her book. Or tried to. The irritated father reached in, yanked the book from her hands and threw it over his shoulder. "Now listen to me you useless, stupid woman......" That was as far as got, as two large men in suits approached him. "Is there a problem, sir?" Looking relieved to finally get some attention, he quickly explained the situation - "My son has a bad leg break, and I see all these healthy people going back to see the doctor. Why won't they admit my son?!" The two men exchanged a look, and the older one spoke. "Sir, I would advise coming back when your son is healthy. You can wait over there, or go home and come back later." The father looked dazed and angry. "Come back when he is better? What are you, a lunatic? This is a hospital!" He muttered a few curse words. Everyone watched in amazement as the two goons grabbed him and escorted him from the building.

I sat puzzled - and worried. If they wouldn't see the boy with the broken leg, surely I had no chance. What kind of hospital refused to see sick and hurting people? The man beside me with the bleeding hand stood to his feet. "I'm outta here man. I've been coming to this church for two years, and no one ever wants anything to do with me. My sins aren't "nice" sins, so they ignore me and focus on the "perfect" people. The ones who have it all together, and look just right." Wait, this was a church? Not a hospital? I looked around again. I saw no illness, no broken leg, no blood. I did see empty eyes, broken lives, people hurting from wounds that no one could see. And the ache in my side? I realized it was in my heart. An ache that hurt worse as I realized that I was another broken life that the church had no time for.

I looked at the people in the waiting room with new eyes. That wasn't a young man with a broken leg. It was a young confused guy with his male lover at his side. They seemed to be the most avoided. And that wasn't a young woman with a baby. She was a used woman with needle tracks all over her arms. I looked at the guy standing by me. His hand wasn't bleeding, but in one hand he held a can of beer, clearly not his first, and was that a porn magazine sticking out of his back pocket?

I grabbed my jacket and stood also. "You know what pal? You're right. I don't want to be here. I don't fit. Let's go have some fun and forget about this church thing." Besides, looked like he needed a driver. As my new friend led the way, I looked around with disgust. Maybe I should try that hospital - I mean church - on the other side of town. Maybe next Sunday......

 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Mark 2:17 NKJV

Hunter's Moon by Don Hoesel

This week, the



Christian Fiction Blog Alliance



is introducing



Hunter's Moon



Bethany House (February 1, 2010)



by



Don Hoesel



(My thoughts at the end)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:







Don Hoesel was born and raised in Buffalo, NY but calls Spring Hill, TN home. He works as a Communications Department supervisor for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal.



Don and hopes to one day sell enough books to just say that he's a writer. You can help with that by buying whatever his newest novel happens to be.



He lives in Spring Hill with his wife and two children.







ABOUT THE BOOK

Every family has secrets. Few will go as far as the Baxters to keep them. Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades. Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past. With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it's no match for power and money. There are wounds even time cannot heal.





If you would like to read the first chapter of Hunter's Moon, go HERE

My thoughts:

This book really sounded good - and looked good. I loved thc cover. I was disappointed in the book, however. First, the main character. I was a good ways into the book before I discovered that unfortunately he was a Christian. He assaulted a book critic with a book, broke into his estranged wife's house, then fled to his hometown to avoid arrest warants. He cursed - a lot, though none of the words were printed - he drank - a lot - hung around at the bar, drinking enough on at least one occasion to not drive, and gambled regularly - poker for money. And seemed to hang around his former girlfriend - now marrried - too much.

There wasn't a redemptive element in the book. The main charater's family was bizarre and had weird behaviors. CJ (main character) seemed to stir up trouble everywhere he went, and acted far from what a Christian should.

I thought the book was suspense, but there was none until the very end.

I have read books where the main character was "flawed" in some way, but if they had sinful behaviors, they worked on them and it was not portrayed as normal for a Christian - but this book, though fiction, paints a pathetic portrayal of a Christian - and I have to say that is my main disappointment in the book. For being Christian fiction, it was very weak in the Christianity it portrayed. Not a book I would recommend.

Ransomed by Els Van Hierden, and a giveaway

Book description:

Russia, 2003—with the collapse of communism, hundreds of thousands of orphans reside in orphanages and on the street. In search of purpose after the death of his children, David Valensky has left a successful career in a U.S. firm to establish a street ministry in Perm, Russia. During his outreach to orphanages he meets Karina Svetlana, an introverted, morose orphanage director. David’s attempts to reach her with the Gospel fail as she carefully guards the secrets of her dark past.


Meanwhile, Jared and Vanessa Williams travel from Canada to Russia to adopt a son, only to lose their child to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Disillusioned, they return to home with shattered hopes and damaged faith.


David’s misunderstood outreach to Karina costs him his position, sending him home to face his sick mother and a past he has not made peace with. When he is invited to return to his ministry in Russia, a young boy’s suicide opens up a deadly secret within the shelter. Karina is still desperate for God’s healing. Jared and Vanessa make a second attempt at adoption. Will one four-year-old be the answer to their prayers? And will Karina finally accept the answer to her bitterness—the healing power of God’s love?

My thoughts:

This is an excellent book. Well-written, good plot, great and likable characters, and a loud and clear message of redemption.

The author not only tells a great story in Ransomed, but she also gives a realistic look at what the orphanages are like in Russia, along with a insider's view of what goes on during the adoption process, having adopted five children from Russia herself. I was pulled into the story, and found myself wishing I could adopt some of the Russian orphans myself. I believe a really good story can do that - pull you in, tug at your heart strings, and cause you to want to change the world, as the hero and heroine of this story does - at least their part of the world.

Though fictional, this is a very believeable story, and shows how God can - and still does - work in people's lives, and that no matter how badly things may be going, He can still make it all turn out right, and ransom even the most unlikely sinner.

I very highly recommend this book - a great read, by a first time author - and a great Christian message. And who knows, if you read it, you may end up adopting some kid who needs parents, or jumping a plane to Russia to work with orphans.

About the author:

 

Els Van Hierden has a message of encouragement for anyone who has ever considered adopting a child internationally or getting involved in missions. She has personal experience in the journeys involved in both. She and her husband Edward adopted their fifth child from Russia in 2006. From this very personal experience, Els has crafted a compelling novel. Els has a heart for suffering children, having been active in the pro-life movement and missions for many years. Her family traveled to Romania for five weeks in April, 2008, to work with an orphanage organization. Els and her husband have been involved with FamilyLife Canada.

 
 Els is also involved in her local church, working with the teens as well as teaching Sunday school. She currently owns and operates an equestrian centre in Southern Alberta, where they board about forty horses. A Certified Equine Therapist by profession, Els teaches anatomy and sports therapy. Their children range in ages from six to sixteen. Her first book is especially close to her heart as it deals with the passion of her life; redemption and healing through Jesus Christ.
 
Giveaway:
 
The author has very graciously agreed to give a copy of her book, Ransomed away. U.S. entries only. Drawing will be 10 days from today, February 16, using Random.org. To enter, leave a comment.
 
Ransomed is available for purchase from Winepress Publising, and the author's website.

All the profits for the book go to LifeLine Haiti until the end of February and after that it will go to Children's Camps International.
 
Thanks to Winepress Publishing for the review copy, and to Els Van Hierden for doing the giveaway.