Book Review: Nick of Time by Tim Downs

Nick of Time (A Bug Man Novel)

I like to read, and what I like to read most is fiction. I will admit to you right now, that the reason I read this book was that it was the only fiction I could get through the blogger program I am in. The description sounded weird, but it sounded like a murder-mystery so I thought I would give it a try.

This book is about Nick Polchack, a forensic entomologist. Yes you read that correctly, and I already warned you this is weird. Nick is engaged to a lady who can control her 20+ dogs so well, people in her town think she is a witch. This is an odd couple to be sure.  The week Nick and Alena are scheduled to be married, Nick decides to go to a conference which leads him into a murder case to beat all murder cases.

Nick gets so involved in this case that he seemingly forgets he is about to be married, but it also leads he and Alena to explore why they are getting married separately. I will not tell you the conclusions they make and whether or not they get married. You will have to read the book to find that out. What I will tell you is the writing style of the author kept me wanting to read more. The characters were indeed weird but it was a good book. If you can stand the ribbing you will take from your family about reading "A Bug Man Novel" then try reading this book and you too, may be pleasantly surprised!

You m ay purchase the book HERE.


BookSneeze® has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Book Review: Live Loved by Max Lucado

 
Book Review: Live Loved by Max Lucado

Live Loved is a beautiful devotional book taken from Max Lucado's previous writings. It is padded hard-bound book suitable for gift-giving with a ribbon book mark and artfully decorated pages. There are even several note taking pages in the back, allowing the reader to log what he or she has learned. It is rather small, making it the perfect size for devotion time. The theme of this devotion book is experiencing God’s presence in every day life. With each day’s readings one will feel the love of God through the author’s words.

 I like the format of this devotional book which includes a scripture, commentary and a prayer. At the end the author list several more scriptures that relate to the days topic. The only thing I would change is to add more devotions so that there is one for every day of the year.  There are in fact around 149 devotions included in the book.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially as a gift.  You m ay purchase the book HERE.


BookSneeze® has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Book Review: The Inheritance of Beauty by Nicole Seitz

Book Review: The Inheritance of Beauty

 

 The Inheritance of Beauty was one hard book to put down! This is a story about three older people in a nursing home and the story of their childhood. Yes, I know what you're thinking. Sounds like a really action-packed book, right? Well, I don't blame you, but this writer did an excellent job in keeping me not only interested in the story but making me eager to know more with each and every written page.

The older people in the story live in a nursing home and are not in the best of health. They talk about what life is like now, and reminisce about good times from the past. But one day an item and a letter are sent to the main couple that force them to face the scary events from their past and ultimately lead them to find healing.

The way the author starts the story, she gives just a small amount of information about the main "action" of the story, just enough to make me intensely curious to know more. Then she switches between characters in the book, writing form each of their perspectives, making for a very interesting writing style. She saves the last bit of information that I had so eager to know until the very end of the book, so it was truly hard to ever put down!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Read it today! You may purchase the book HERE.

BookSneeze® has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Book Review: Unto These Hills

Book Review: Unto These Hills
By Billy Graham

"Unto These Hills" is a 356 day devotional book that is classic and timeless. Each day starts with a scripture verse, followed by a teaching on that verse by Dr. Graham. The devotionals always end with a prayer to help apply the verse to our lives.

This devotional has been a blessing to our entire family. We read it with our children at night who are 11 and 14 years of age. The truths taught in this devotional have applied to all of us despite the range in our ages. The teachings were not shallow and run-of-the-mill, but deep and profound. We look forward to reading the teachings each and every day. I would highly recommend this devotional to anyone.

To purchase a copy of this book click HERE.

Thomas Nelson,  the publisher of this book has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through Booksneeze.com.

Living Life in the Zone

Living Life in the Zone Living Life in the Zone A 40-Day Spiritual Gameplan for Men

By Kyle Rote and Joe Pettigrew
Published by Thomas Nelson

"Living Life in the Zone" is a daily devotional that uses sports as a tool for connecting with men and leading them into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Listing a number of instances in the Bible where God made significant changes and transformations in 40 days, the book presents daily devotions over a 40-day period. Each devotion is divided into sections that include a "thought of the day," "the coach's corner," and "the game plan."

Toward the end of each daily devotion, there is a "playmakers" section that shares an inspirational or instructional story of someone related to the world of sports. The "playmakers" section is followed by a "timeout" section that poses relevant questions related to the day's devotion, a "today's assignment," and finally, a "home-field advantage" section where the reader is asked to write praises and concerns that they would like to bring before God.

I would recommend "Living in the Zone" to men who are sports fans and who want to set aside a time each day to focus on God and draw closer to His Son, Jesus Christ.

To purchase a copy, click HERE.

Thomas Nelson,  the publisher of this book has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through Booksneeze.com.

Book Review: The Falling Away

The Falling Away

By T.L. Hines
Published by Thomas Nelson 

 

 

In this book that can only be catagorized as a supernatural Thriller we find our main character, Native American Dylan Runs Ahead running away. Running from past problems and current troubles.As a matter-of-fact, he runs right into a  woman named Quinn. She claims to see things that others don't and tells him that he's "chosen." Oddly enough, his buddy in Iraq kept telling him the same thing. Before Dylan Runs Ahead can figure out what that really means, though, he's going to have to stop and face the demons--both literal and figurative--that he's been running from.

Dylan ends up running to a cult to hide from the law and ends up in the worst trouble of his life. Quinn is there to help and the two of them together save everyone in the cult. The main characters have various mental disabilities that are touted as strengths in this book.

I must admit that although this book is very well written, it was hard to follow until halfway through. The story takes some time to understand, if at all and the plot is just plain weird. I think that although there were spiritual elements to the story it left out the most important element - God's saving grace. The main character never gives his life to Jesus but comes out the hero of the story by becoming demon-possessed.  Very strange indeed. Personally I wouldn't recommend this book, but we all have different tastes.

Book Review - If I Could Ask God Anything

Book Review - If I Could Ask God Anything
By: Kathryn Slattery

Have your children ever asked a question that you just didn't feel sure you could answer about God such as:

If God is invisible, how do I know He is real?
Did Jesus live on Earth before or after the dinosaurs?
Why should I go to church? When I die, do I become an angel with a halo and wings?
How can the Holy Spirit help me?
Does God stop loving me when I sin?



Ms. Slattery does an excellent job answering these questions in a kid friendly, scripture based way. The book is well organized and laid out in an eye pleasing way. The pages are not cluttered or too wordy, inviting the reader to enjoy their quest for knowledge as they develop a closer relationship with God.

Our family used this as a nightly devotional book. I would recommend this book to families with children of all ages. If you would like to purchase this book you may use the Amazon.com link provided.

Book Review - Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope: Seeing God's Wit and Wisdom in a Whole New LightKaleidoscope: Seeing God's Wit and Wisdom in a Whole New Light

This wonderful book is small and power-packed much like its author, Patsy Clairmont. Kaleidoscope is a devotional book based on the book of Proverbs. Patsy relates the ideas presented in Proverbs to the reader through funny, quirky stories that are easy to relate to, yet concise enough to fit into any schedule.

I have been encouraged and challenged through seeing the light of Proverbs through the eyes of Women of Faith speaker Patsy Clairmont. I would encourage you to purchase a copy to use to guide your daily devotion time.

To purchase a copy click HERE.

Book Review - Rediscovering God in America

Rediscovering God in America by Newt Gingrich, 

featuring the photography of Calista Gingrich

Rediscovering God in America helps readers to understand the historical role that God and faith has played in the public life of the American republic by examining a number of the monuments and government buildings in our nation's capital. Through the words of America's founding fathers and by examination of their actions (both personal and through the enacting of public policy and the creation of tangible artifacts) the centrality of faith and dependence upon God is evident as the cornerstone of American liberty.

Did you know that the words, "Laus Deo," are written on the eastern face of the Washington monument's cap?This latin phrase, translated "praise be to God," was placed at the highest point in our nation's capital to face the rising sun each new day. Did you know that Thomas Jefferson (who penned the phrase "separation between Church & State" in a letter to the Danbury Baptists) supported and attended church services held in the US Capitol building? 

Through a guided tour of some of America's most famous monuments, the author shares these and many other historical facts that defy the popular misconception that America has always been a secular republic and helps the reader to rediscover the fundamental connection between faith in God and the founding of our nation and many of it's institutions.

I would highly recommend this book as I found it to be both inspiring and enlightening.

To purchase a copy of the book, click here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

BOOK REVIEW: GREEN By Tedd Dekker

BOOK REVIEW: GREEN
By: Tedd Dekker



Green is a science fiction fantasy about a man named Thomas Hunter who could time travel between two worlds. Well, actually between two times. Our world in the "present" and our world several thousand years into the future. What happened in one reality effected the other. It could be confusing at times and riveting at other times. The evil represented in the book was truly evil and gross. If you are squeamish I wouldn't recommend this book. I would not say that he was gross just to be gross, but to depict evil as it really is in all of it's gross darkness. The good represented in the book was as bright and pure as the evil was dark and stinky. Jesus was the ultimate hero in the book who was never in danger of loosing to the evil forces. He was in control all the time and Elyon's will (God's will) prevailed at all times.

I enjoyed the book, but as I finished it I was left less than satisfied because of the circular nature of the series. Green is book zero in Tedd Dekker's circle series. It is really unusual because it is truly written in circular form. I have never read a Dekker book before, and the author suggests that because this is written as a circle, a reader can start with any book and end with any book. I must admit that it took me quite a while to "get into" the book because I had never read the others in the series, but I was indeed able to understand the book and read it "out of sequence" so to speak. I am interested in reading the others now to see if I would have enjoyed it more if I read it in the order in which they were written.It never "ended" in the traditional sense, but led into the next book "Black." But I did enjoy reading the book and look forward to reading the others in the series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Well-Behaved Child

 
Book Review:
The Well-Behaved Child
Discipline that Really Works
By John Rosemond


If you are a parent struggling to try to figure out how to bring much needed discipline to your ill-mannered child – this book is for you! I found it helpful even though I feel like my children are pretty well-behaved for the most part. Mr. Rosemond writes in a straight-forward yet light-hearted way that is really easy to understand. He says that this book is actually a “workshop in a book,” and I heartily agree. He gives many examples and provides several different approaches to solving some of the toughest parenting problems of all time. Many would think that his approach is drastic, maybe even harsh but I feel sure these methods will yield very fast results that will last.

Mr. Rosemond encourages parents to take charge and create a parent-centered household. Children that misbehave regularly are not happy, and there is no peace in the family. When the parent decides to take charge and correct the child so that peace is again restored and the child will be pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

So if you are willing to do what the author recommends, and not cave in, I feel this book can help you reform your misbehaving children into the obedient, God-fearing children you have always dreamed of!

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6

To purchase a copy click here

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”