Ben's Book Blog

Winner!

2011-12-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to foreverbama! You are the winner of 3 books, check your email for information on how to get the books!

Book Review: The Betrayal + GIVEAWAY

2011-11-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

Title: The Betrayal
Author: Jerry B. Jenkins
Publisher: Tyndale House
Pages: 290

The Betrayal is the sequel to Jenkins The Brotherhood. I recommend the first book just as much as the second.

(Spoiler Alert) In reviewing this book I will have to reveal a few small spoilers, so if you are an anti-spoiler type, skip this and buy the book :-)

Boone Drake is now in recovery mode from his injuries sustained in the first novel and much of the novel touches on his dealing with the pain and encumbrances in trying to go about his day, his relationship with Haeley, and friendship with Jack.

To add to the physical pain, there are several emotional battles Boone must deal with this time around. There appears to be a traitor in the Chicago PD and Boone's mission is to make sure the correct person is identified and brought to justice.

Jenkins does a good job keeping you on the edge of your seat and trying to figure out the who and why of this insider mole. This book contained a little more of the "investigation" work you might find from a real life officer, as compared to the first book.

The Betrayal effectively portrays the struggles and joys of the young Christian Boone. This is done in a non-preachy way, but Christ is professed perfectly through several of the characters.

This novel is not necessarily a edge-of-your-seat, suspense at every turn type book, but a detective story about love, betrayal, and friendships.

4.5 / 5 Stars

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me for free by the Tyndale Blogger Review team in exchange for an unbiased review.

I am giving away 1 copy of The Betrayal (ARC), Go Down to Silence, and The Personified Project (ARC).

How to win!:

1 vote: Follow my blog (and let me know you are doing so in the comments)
1 vote: Leave me a comment and let me know which unread fiction book in my library I should read next: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/mudrash

Winners will be selected using random.org on 12-5-11

Book Review: Nick of Time

2011-09-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

Book: Nick Of Time
Author: Tim Downs
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 336

I have come to a conclusion, Tim Downs is my favorite author.

Nick of Time is the most recent novel by Downs, and it is a doozy. Continuing in the travels, exploits, and adventures, is no other than Nick Polchak. Our beloved forensic entomologist is once again in the middle of trouble, and in this story, love. A former co-star appears again in this novel, and she is one to be reckoned with.

Tim Downs is top dog author in my book because of the way he weaves suspense, forensics, and comedy into one grand tale, and boy is this one grand! The turns in this one bowled me over and the huge plot twist at the end...never saw it coming!

If you are new to Tim Downs' offerings, I would recommend all of his books (starting with Shoofly Pie). If you want to jump in with the current story arc, check out "Less than Dead", "Ends of the Earth", and then "Nick of Time."

Although this is from a Christian publisher house, this is not a "Christian" book per se, where Christ is preached blatantly throughout, it remains "clean," with no foul language, or sexual overtones. There are several positive characters that speak great truth into the lives of the characters.

Disclaimer: I was provided a review copy of this book as part of the booksneeze.com / Thomas Nelson Blogger network.

5 / 5 Stars

Book Review: The Final Summit

2011-09-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

Title: The Final Summit
Author: Andy Andrews
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 256

From the dust jacked: "This is humanity's last chance. Centuries of greed, pride, and hate have sent mankind hurtling toward disaster, and far from its original purpose. There is only one solution that can reset the compass and right the ship-and that answer is only two words.

I have enjoyed several of Andy Andrew's novels in the last several years. He is an excellent writer and does a great job creating a suspenseful and exciting storyline with purpose.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same about The Final Summit. As described above, this story centers around finding the answer to life. The cast of characters in "heaven" trying to figure it out, are many. The Lord only knows who will be in heaven, but Andrews does take some liberty with some of the famous people. This is of course a fiction read, so I will not belabor this later point too much.

This novel falls apart for me in two different ways. (Minor Spoilers ahead)...

First of all, it becomes pretty obvious from the start of this process to find the answer to life, that they are not going to figure it out on the first guess, or the second, or the third...so the constant brainstorming between the main characters goes on and on. Secondly, the final answer miserably fails in my opinion. As a Christian, reading a book from a Christian publisher, in a heavenly setting, I thought that there just might be a mention of Jesus...nope.

This book has some good advice, but certainly no "solution" to life.

1.5 / 5 Stars

I received this book free of charge, as part of the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze.com Book Review blogger network.

Book Review: Ale Boy's Feast

2011-08-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

So ends one of the best fantasy series I have read.

I have read all of Jeffrey Overstreet's "The Auralia Thread" and it has been a wonderful adventure.

This book does an excellent job of bringing the story to a conclusion. I did make the mistake of reading several of the books many months apart, so I was a little lost with some of the characters and plot lines when I got to the final book. I am looking forward to going back and reading all of the books in succession.

The Ale Boy's Feast finishes "The Auralia Thread" and Overstreet's amazing writing style continues throughout. The characters and especially the environments come alive in this final story.

There are plenty of twists, surprises, and exciting moments in this novel.

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone that is looking for a different take on the fantasy genre.

4.5 / 5 Stars

DVD Review: unPlanned

2011-06-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

Title: Unplanned
Publisher: Tyndale
Media Format: DVD

"Abby Johnson thought she was helping women in crisis. She was about to learn the truth . . . and facing the secrets of her own painful past would be the toughest truth of all. In this documentary based on the book Unplanned, learn how Abby Johnson went from Planned Parenthood clinic director to leading voice for life and women in crisis."

This is the first movie about abortion/pro-life that I have ever watched and I must say it was well done. Unplanned details Abby's Christian upbringing, new experiences and freedom's in college and choices she personally made of whether or not to keep her own child when she was pregnant.

Most of the movie focuses on Abby's work at the Planned Parenthood facility and the work of a pro-life from just down the road. The particular agency that Abby eventually ends up joining made a huge impact on Abby as she was working for PP. The pro-life agency was not a ranting, picketing and condemning group, but faithful and compassionate prayer warriors that wanted to help women going through the tough decisions that come with pregnancy.

This was a great reminder of Christ's love and grace toward me and that "His kindness leads to repentance."

I would recommend this DVD to anyone that is wanting more information about what happens in abortion clinics as well as pro-life facilities. One word of caution: A late term abortion is described in some detail halfway through the movie - this is definitely a pertinent piece of information for this topic, but it is graphic.

4.5 / 5 Stars

Note: I received this DVD free of charge as part of the Tyndale blog network reviewers program.

Gray Matter Review

2011-03-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

Title: Gray Matter
Author: David Levy with Joel Kilpatrick
Pages: 304
Publisher: Tyndale

Gray Matter by David Levy is an excellent non-fiction account of his career as a neurosurgeon and his steps of faith to make prayer a central part of his career.

One of my favorite things about this book is what he doesn't write about. Many non-fiction auto-biographies will spend 4 to 5 chapters discussing the main character's background, family history and what had they had for lunch when they were 7 years old :-) Levy and Kilpatrick do an excellent job of getting right into the action by describing a consult and surgery of a women with a brain aneurysm. The story delves into Levy's calling to pray for his patients before surgery. There are several different surgeries highlighted throughout the book.

Levy's stories carry heavy emotion (especially since many of these cases are life or death matters) and he does an excellent job describing his own inner turmoils he deals with as a surgeon. Several times I was really pulled into the stories of people that were entrusting their lives to a doctor, who was in turn calling on the Lord, that all things might be done in his name.

Toward the middle part of the story, as Levy becomes comfortable praying with his patients, he shares his experience of helping patients ask for forgiveness from those that have heart them in the past. Some of these parts of the book feel a little bit like a psychology/psychiatric session, but for the most part it was done in the right way.

I will finish with two final notes. Some of the surgeries and consults seemed to run together and be similar, but again not to the point of annoyance. If you are interested in a faith-based novel with excellent and fascinating descriptions of neurosurgery this novel is for you. Great read!

4.5/5 Stars

Dragons of the Valley Review

2011-03-24T14:22:00.001-07:00

Title: Dragons of the Valley
Author: Donita K. Paul
Publisher: Waterbrook
Pages: 370

Dragons of the Valley is the wonderful sequel to The Vanishing Sculptor by Donita K. Paul.

Invasion is upon the land of Chiril and the main character Tipper Schope is tasked with protecting the statues crafted by her father from falling into the wrong hands.

The eccentric wizard Fenworth, librarian Librettowit, prince Jayrus, artist Bealomondore, and many of the characters from the first book join this tale. Several new races are introduced which in turn presents several new faces that take a prominent place in the story.

As noted by some other reviews, I found this one a little harder to get into compared to the first book. There was quite a bit of running around in the first eight chapters and different characters going this way and that on mini-adventures. For the most part it starts to all come together about mid-book and that is where this novel starts to shine.

I thoroughly enjoyed Donita Paul's use of witty dialogue especially Lady Peg (Tipper's mother) and the banter back and forth between the wizard and librarian. I found myself laughing out loud several times.

There is one dastardly character introduced in this story and his name is The Grawl. With the addition of this bad dude the story does have a darker tone when focusing on his plans. The way this evil character was written into the story was done perfectly and the ultimate conclusion of the story involving this character brings shows redemption.

Several times in this story I was hugely encouraged by the spiritual message. Paul has a canny ability to write a crazy tale of fantasy, but still pull in elements of the Christian faith to ask tough questions, encourage people, and illuminate grace. As this was written by a Christian author, by a Christian publisher, with an allegorically Christian God as the creator written into the story, this should be expected if you chose to pick this one up.

Looking forward to the third book!

4/5 Stars

Note: I was provided a free review copy of this book by Waterbrook press through Librarything early reviewers program.

Adventures in BoogaBooga Land DVD Review

2011-02-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

Title: Adventures in BoogaBooga Land: Squid Sushi Loses His Marbles

3 Episode DVD

First for the good news: My 6 year old daughter and 3 1/2 year old son said they "liked" the 3 episode DVD of Booga Booga Land.

The bad news far outweighs the good:

- First off the sound volume was a little messed up and I had to turn the volume way up to hear it.
- In all three of the episodes there was no mention of Jesus or God and the Biblical allegories that were promoted and advertised on the front and back of the DVD were very unclear.
-The animation of this DVD was ok, but definitely not of high quality.
-I was also dissapointed that there was no extra dvd content.
-Lastly, the story jumped frantically from subplot to subplot and felt very disconnected.

I had high expectations for this movie because of it's proclaiming to have it's stories so well connected to the parables of Jesus. I just can not recommend this movie based on my viewing. If you asked a child they might say different, but all this film has going for it is some slapstick humor, slightly funny looking animated characters, and some well hidden allegories.

1/5 Stars

(I have received this DVD free as a review copy from Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Bringing up Girls Review

2010-12-25T14:39:00.000-08:00

Title: Bringing up Girls

Author: Dr. James Dobson

Pages: 285

Having two daughters of my own I was very interested in Dr. Dobson's book "Bringing up Girls." After reading this book I would recommend it to any family that has daughter(s) and could use some good sound answers and advice in parenting.

The first part of the book covers the different roles and protrayals of women and girls in times past and in our current society, including the media and movies. The changes are alarming and disparaging, but presented in an adequate manner. There is also a significant amount of research and studies in Chapter 4 and later in Chapter 14 (Consequences) and 18.

There were some great practical tips in Chapter 10 (Fathers to Daughters) that were actually from another book title Father to Daughter: Life Lessons on Raising a Girl.

The middle chunk of 20 pages consists of a question and answer with Dr. Dobson. Questions about sports, movies, and behaviors.

The book finishes with a chapter on Bullying, more question and answer, and finally parental resources.

This book covers many different topics related to "bringing up Girls" and would be a noteworthy addition to any Christian's bookshelf.

4/5 Stars

Note: I was provided this review copy by Tyndale Publishing.

The Skin Map review

2010-12-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

Author: Stephen R. Lawhead
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 398

Time travel and high adventure abound in this brand new title from veteran author Stephen R. Lawhead. Lawhead published his first novel in 1981 and has written over 20 novels.

The main character Kit Livingstone's great-grandfather appears to him out of the blue with a story of passage to other worlds all held together by an important map. There are other people after the map and the tension mounts in a race for power and control over the map. *Minor spoiler ahead* Kit's girlfriend plays a significant part in the story as she spends a good amount of time starting a new life in a different world and a different time.

The Skin Map is a well-paced novel with excellent dialogue, amazing scenery, and an ending that I didn't see coming. I would recommend this title to any fans of historical adventure.

There are more books to come in this series and I enjoyed it enough that I will pick up the next novel as soon as it is released (The Bone House - September 2011).

4/5 Stars

*I received this book as a review copy from Thomas Nelson*

Review: Through the Fire

2010-09-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

Title: Through the Fire
Author: Shawn Grady
Publisher: Bethany House

Through the Fire is an excellent novel written by an expert in the field. Author Shawn Grady is a paramedic/first responder and he brings his experiences to life in his first novel.

The story centers around Aidan O’Neill, a firefighter down on his luck and desperate for answers to a troubled past. An arsonist is on the attack in the Reno area and Aidan is bent on finding out who it is.

Grady writing is detailed and imaginative and I found myself caught up in the imagery of the fire battle scenes. Some of the technical language was unfamiliar to me, but not to the point of being frustrating.

The story moves quickly and there are several twists and turns along that the keep the suspense and interest level high. Aidan's wrestle with God and faith is intertwined into the writing in a perfect and seamless way.

Grady's first novel is an effort worthy of a read.

4 / 5 Stars

3 Mini Reviews

2010-07-13T14:15:00.000-07:00

Title: Raven's Ladder
Author: Jeffrey Overstreet

The third novel in the series (the fourth is nearing completion: http://tinyurl.com/2fecs4n). If you have not read this series I highly recommend it!
My only misgivings is that so much time passed between my readings of the other two books. I was a little lost in some parts, but the character index in the back of the book helped greatly.

There is whole new setting in this book and the characters are continuing to be built and created in a marvelous fashion.
5/5 Stars

Title: Eternity Falls
Author: Kirk Outerbridge

Eternity Falls falls under the cyber-punk or cyber thriller genre and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The futuristic elements intertwined in the novel were not over the top and the setting was defined (though I was hoping for a little more information about the city itself).

There were plenty of twists and turns turns in this plot with one of the major ones occuring in the middle. The element of faith was also woven succinctly through the plot. There are several great discussions between characters about free will and God's sovereignty all in context to living forever on earth or letting natural causes eventually end life.

One of my first cyber thriller reads and another high recommendation.

5/5 Stars

Title: Burn
Author: Ted Dekker and Erin Healy

Three childhood friends are caught up in the dealings of a madman and the results of one frightful night will affect them forever.

Burn is a fast paced novel that I finished in about four sittings. Dekker and Healy are a great team and I enjoyed this novel even more so than their first (Kiss).

It is difficult to describe this book without giving away spoilers. All I can say is that this book does well showing the Biblical truth of our sin nature and "new man" battling against each other.

I was expecting more of a "bang" for an ending, but overall I really enjoyed the characters and the way it all came together.

4.5 / 5 Stars

Review: Rooms by James L. Rubart

2010-05-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

Title: Rooms
Author: James L. Rubart
Publisher: B&H Publishing
Pages: 400

Overview from the publisher website:

"On a rainy spring day in Seattle, young software tycoon Micah Taylor receives a cryptic, twenty-five-year-old letter from a great uncle he never knew. It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast that will turn his world inside out. Suspecting a prank, Micah arrives at Cannon Beach to discover a stunning brand new nine-thousand square foot house. And after meeting Sarah Sabin at a nearby ice cream shop, he has two reasons to visit the beach every weekend.

When bizarre things start happening in the rooms of the home, Micah suspects they have some connection to his enigmatic new friend, Rick, the town mechanic. But Rick will only say the house is spiritual. This unnerves Micah because his faith slipped away like the tide years ago, and he wants to keep it that way. But as he slowly discovers, the home isn’t just spiritual, it’s a physical manifestation of his soul, which God uses to heal Micah’s darkest wounds and lead him into an astonishing new destiny."

My thoughts: This book kept me thoroughly entertained, but more importantly I was challenged. I was continually asking myself "what would I do in this situation?" As a Christian, this book was an encouragement with the large amount of scripture that was used to tie the novel together and offer support. I enjoyed the supernatural components of the story and the writing style was down to earth and clear.

I would describe this book as a combination of the movie Back to the Future with some sprinkles of Lost the TV show and The Shack (so I have heard - I have never read the later).

If you are looking for a book that will challenge the way you live your life and a read that will encourage you to seek Christ, then this book is for you.

5/5 Stars

I have received this review copy from B&H Publishing through Librarything.com book giveaway.

Review: The Revolutionary Paul Revere

2010-05-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

Title: The Revolutionary Paul Revere
Author: Joel J. Miller
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 224

"Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere..."

And so begin the lines of the famous poem of Paul Revere's midnight ride, and that is about all I have remembered about Paul Revere since junior high.

The Revolutionary Paul Revere was a great recap and biography of; who Paul Revere was, how he influenced the beginnings of our nation, and how many different talents he had.

I am not usually a biography reader, but this book was interesting enough that I read it in just a few sittings. Many biographies will go on for 3+ chapters discussing the main characters family, which I can find boring at times. This book touched on his family and then got off to a fast start with Paul's life in the New World.

The book details Paul's involvement with the Masons and other political groups in Boston. There was only a small amount of information on Paul's midnight ride, but just enough to satisfy my interest. The Revolutionary War takes center stage in several chapters and I found the war commentary detailed and exciting.

Paul's gift as an artist/engraver/craftsman are intertwined quite nicely into this story. The number of prints, pictures, and metal working he created is fascinating.

I would recommend this book to anyone that would like a refresher on the history of Paul Revere. This book was not an exhaustive biography, but just a perfect size and amount of information for me.

4/5 Stars

I received a review copy from Thomas Nelson as part of their blog partnership.

Review: The Red Letters Project

2010-03-25T23:01:00.000-07:00

Title: The Red Letters Project
By: Velocity Entertainment (various artists)
Distributed by: Tyndale House
Contents: 3 Compact Discs and the book of Matthew in large pamphlet form

This is probably one of the most unique pieces of music I have ever listened to. The Red Letters Project is 3 CD's of music with all of the songs using the words of Jesus from the book of Matthew. The words are taken from the New Living Translation which I enjoy reading and should be easy for most people to understand.

Most of the songs have a Rock/Heavy Rock sound with a few sprinklings of light Rap/Spoken (reading to the beat) style. Several of the songs are set to a slower beat and sound as well.

The idea behind this CD is a great one. You can not get anymore Biblical and sold with music lyrics than ones that are from the spoken words of Jesus. For Christian music fans this is a great alternative to the Bible on CD when you are traveling. Another excellent way to memorize the Word of God!

I can only imagine how difficult this project must have been to complete. The words of Jesus don't usually rhyme so some of the songs are difficult to listen to in a tempo/rhythmic kind of way.

For the most part I enjoyed most of the songs on all three discs. One other note is that there are several different performing artists on this album, but most of the songs are sang by one person. I enjoyed the his sound, but for future projects I would like to see more variety in vocal talent.

Check this out!

4.5/5 Stars

Disclaimer: I was provided a review copy from Tyndale Publishing

Review: The Flowering Cross

2010-03-13T09:29:00.000-08:00

Title: The Flowering Cross
Author: Beth Ryan
Illustrator: Renee Graef
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

From the back cover: "Mean Old Jack" was better known for his ill temper than the beautiful flowers he grew, but his grumpiness turns to kindness and love when his six-ear-old neighbor helps him see the real meaning of the Cross."

This children's book would be a great addition to any Christian family library. The story centers around Katie and her compassion toward her neighbor Jack and the tradition of the flowering cross.

I enjoyed the way the book put an emphasis on Katie's simple faith and love for her neighbor all in the light of Christ and the cross.

I read the book to my 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son. My son lost interest after the second page, but my daughter was enthralled through the whole story. Here are some of the comments from my daughter: "This is an important book", "The little girl was beautiful", "I liked the cross they made and the puppy Waggles."

Most of the pages also have a "Faith Imprint" sentence at the bottom (e.g. "Share how Katie did what her mother told her to do."). I didn't use these, but in subsequent readings I could see the effectiveness of them. Below the Faith Imprints are scripture references that pertain to that page of the book.

The last page of the book gives directions on how to make a Flowering Cross.

Highly Recommended!

4.5 / 5 Stars

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review.

Book Review: Rediscovering God in America Review

2010-02-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

Book: Rediscovering God in America: Reflections On the Role of Faith in our Nation's History and Future
Author: Newt Gingrich
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 118

Rediscovering God in America is a good introduction to the historical background of many of the monuments and buildings in Washington D.C.

Five of the chapters describe memorials for a certain person (Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, and Ronald Reagan), the other chapters cover the National Archives, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Capitol Building, Supreme Court, Library of Congress, White House, World War 2 Memorial, and the Arlington National Cemetery.

Newt Gingrich starts each chapter with a historical background to the different monuments and memorials throughout the DC area. The next part of the chapters discuss the faith of the person represented by the memorial.

The history and religious descriptions are brief, yet provide enough background information for the reader to get an overall idea of the person.

The chapters are just the right length to make for easy reading and the accompanying pictures fit the text well.

This book would be a great read for someone that is going to be visiting Washington D.C. or has never heard the Christian history behind our nation and its historic background.

4/5 Stars

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review.

Review: Called to Worship by Vernon W. Whaley

2009-11-21T16:41:00.000-08:00

Review: Called to Worship: The Biblical Foundations of Our Response to God's Call
Author: Vernon M. Whaley

"Called to Worship" is a well written book detailing the different accounts of worship in the Bible. The book is broken down into three parts: Part 1: Old Testament Principles of Worship (Chapters 1-15). Part 2: New Testament Principles of Worship (Chapters 16-20). Part 3: Worship in Heaven (Chapter 21).

The book held my attention throughout, though most of the information was not "new" to me. The author did an excellent job of referencing Bible verses (from several versions) to back up his writings. I prefer the KJV over NCV (NCV was referenced most frequently) and the Message seemed like too much of a loose interpretation to be used in this work.

Before reading this book I was expecting the author to discuss the instances of worship in the Bible as related to praising the Lord through music, but he covered other areas of "worship" in the Word that I had not considered. There was also a lot of Bible commentary in this book that was not necessarily related to worship. For that reason I think this book would be suited for someone looking for a basic commentary on the Word with a specialization on Worship.

4 / 5 Stars

I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

Review: Fearless by Max Lucado

2009-09-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

Max Lucado has done it again! I can't remember a Lucado book that I have read that I looked back and thought "hmm, that was ok, but doesn't really pertain to me" or "that was a huge misrepresentation of God." Fearless is no exception!

Fearless is a continuation of Lucado's solid Bible teaching and practical application in the area of fighting fear. There are many Bible verses to support each chapter and Lucado's stories really bring out the truth of Christ's message. I also appreciate that Fearless does not pull any punches when it comes to trials that happen despite our prayer's and trust in Christ. Lucado keeps a good perspective of all sides of the matter.

I would recommend this book to anyone in the midst of struggle or preparing for life in general. There is much here that can be put to use immediately.

4.5 / 5 Stars

Note: I am a Nelson Book Reviewer: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

Review: Read and Share Toddler Bible

2009-08-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

Title: Read and Share Toddler Bible

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Pages: 192

Retold by: Gwen Ellis

Illustrations: Steve Smallman

The Read and Share Bible is a great little Bible for young children from 2-4 yrs old. This Bible covers 25 Old Testament stories and 15 New Testament stories.

Here are some positives about the Bible:

*Pictures are well done. Although they don't stand above some other stories Bibles I have read.

*There are color coded page numbers for each story.

*Cross-references are displayed when the story can be found in multiple books of the Bible.

*There is a Parent/Child activity at the end of each story

*Stories are not too long for little children (my 2 yr old boy)

*Variety of Bible stories

*THE BIG POSITIVE with this Bible was the enclosed DVD (with 14 stories). The animation, storytelling, and features of the DVD were excellent. Both of my children were enthralled by the video. Highly recommended.

A couple of negatives before I finish:

-Other than the DVD, the Bible didn't do much to separate itself from the other hundred children's Bibles that are out there.

-Some of the activities at the end of the story require scissors, paper, crayons, etc. If you are using this Bible for a bedtime story crafts don't work so well (for me at least).

3/5 Stars w/o DVD

4/5 Stars w/DVD

NOTE: I am a reviewer for Thomas Nelson Publishers

Review: Deception by Randy Alcorn

2009-07-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

Overview: "Ollie Chandler is a brilliant and quick-witted homicide detective with exceptional deductive skills and street smarts. He's a police department legend for his off-beat methods that solve crimes and coax confessions. But he's a risk taker and a rule-bender who drives his procedure-conscious superiors crazy. If not for his success rate, he'd have been squeezed out of the detective division years ago.When a Portland State University professor is found murdered in his home, Ollie is called in. Some strange indications on the professor's body suggest a peculiar means of death. Tests confirm something even more bizarre than Ollie suspected.

A motive of revenge seems likely. But revenge for what? The murder mystery gets more complex the deeper Ollie probes.Deception is a spin-off of Randy’s first two novels, Deadline and Dominion." (From Randy Alcorn's website)

Review: This book was one amazing read! From the hilarious dialogue of smart-alec Ollie Chandler, to the perfect dose of Christian apologetics, and finally the mind-blowing plot twist at the end...Wow!

This book probably took me about 6 months to read because I purchased and began reading it when I was very busy. Of course I am always reading 3 or 4 books :-), so this one didn't always have priority. I don't recommend reading this one like I did. I forgot characters along the way and had to re-read several parts. I would have loved to have a list of characters in the back of the book to reference every now and then (minus character details that might give away the plot).

Alcorn's presentation of Chandler is brilliant. He succeeds in his portrayal of a down on his luck detective. I thoroughly enjoyed Ollie's interactions with his dog and his two friends Jake and Clarence. The way Jake and Clarence challenge Chandler's faith through discussions is solid and touches on many key points an unbeliever might ask.

The pace of the book is a little slow in the middle and in other parts because Alcorn spends a hefty time on dialogue. But it was a bearable because the tone and voice were perfect. The last 150 pages was an amazing flash of plot twists and audible "what's"??, and "no ways."

I highly recommend this book and was encouraged in many different ways.

5/5 Stars

Review: Higher Hope

2009-07-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

Overview: Tami Taylor law clerk is assigned to a libel case involving an ouspoken preacher, all is not what it seems and Tami has to deal with several relationships at work.

Honestly, this was NOT my kind of novel. I have read several other Robert Whitlow books and was expecting something a little different.

First with the negative - 1) I don't read romance novels and this one had a little too much for my taste :-) There were some funny interactions and dialogue between the two men and Tami, but just not my flavor 2) The only courtroom scene found in the book took up less than a chapter. That scene was one of my favorite parts of the book, but it was so short!

Some positive comments - Whitlow's characters are well written and he intertwines elements of faith seemlessly. I really enjoyed the protrayal of Tami's conservative parents and how they interacted with their daughter.

2.5/5 Stars

Note: I am a review for Thomas Nelson Books

And the NEW winner is...

2009-07-07T23:13:00.000-07:00

Well, "A Family" did not contact me with an address to ship the book :-( So I am holding a second drawing and the winner is Jessica!

I will get the book out to you as soon as possible.

Higher Hope review coming later this week.

And the winner is...

2009-07-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

A FAMILY!! By random drawing, A Family will be getting Cyndere's Midnight. Contact me within 5 days with your mailing address and I will get the book sent to you.

Thank you to the other entries. Stay tuned for more reviews and giveaways!

Update and Cyndere's Midnight mini-review + Giveaway

2009-06-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the tumbleweeds, I was very busy with the end of the school year. Summer is here now and I hope to do a few more reviews in the next couple weeks. Stay tuned.

Cyndere's Midnight by Jeffrey Overstreet is the sequel to Auralia's Colors. These two books (the third will arrive next year) have been an absolute joy to read. If you are a fan of deep, vivid writing, amazing fantasy creatures, and a simply amazing storyline, this is the series for you. Both books have elements of Beauty and the Beast and involve great kingdoms struggling for power. Highly Recommended!

If you are finished with the first book and might be interested in the second, leave me a comment of your favorite fiction book you have read in the last 6 months and I will send my copy of Cyndere's Midnight to a random entry. All entries are due by June 30th and make sure and leave your email address!

Book Review: The Rivers Run Dry by Sibella Giorello

2009-05-02T18:45:00.001-07:00

Raleigh Harmon, FBI agent is freshly planted in Seattle and ready to start up a new case. The mysterious disappearance of a rich young woman leads Raleigh on a ride of intrigue and investigation.

The Rivers Run Dry was one of the first Christian novels written by a female author that I have read. The best way to describe this book would be a "pretty good" read, that is through the first 200 pages. The plot, characters, back story, etc are set and the writer does it all with some interesting descriptive writing. Some of the descriptions seemed like they were a little forced, but nothing too horrible. At one point I was having a little trouble following all of the detectives, FBI agents, and police officers involved (nothing new here, that happens to me a lot with other books).

I felt the book really started to shine in the last 100 pages, and that was too bad, because it would have been nice to have felt that excitement early on. The spiritual content was not over-the-top, but it was present and seemed to work into the story just right. Overall, this was a good book and I enjoyed it.

3.5 / 5 Stars

Note: I am member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

Book Review: The Noticer by Andy Andrews

2009-04-08T22:55:00.001-07:00

Max Lucado meets John Maxwell in this inspiring tale of hope, determination and love. A mysterious figure calling himself Jones visits the lives of several down-on-their-luck individuals. What bits of wisdom and direction will change their life forever?

The Noticer is a VERY fast read. My usual dose of page turning is incited by Christian Fantasy, Suspense, or Action novel's, but The Noticer was a different read. The story had such a simple concept that I was easily sucked in. I found myself thinking of people in my own life that are going through or have already experienced the situations presented in this book. The Jones character is a very likable figure and easy to adore. Some will draw comparisons to Jesus and I believe that is fair, in some degree. He is a very loving and compassionate character, yet direct when he needs to be. The source of his advice is not always Biblical, but is is good advice, nonetheless.

This book challenged me to take a look at my own relationships and the way I interact with others. I was also encouraged when the author used Biblical stories to make Jones' point come across even clearer.

I have already lent this book out and will be buying copies for several of my friends.

5 / 5 Stars

Disclaimer: I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program. http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

2009-03-28T22:04:00.001-07:00

Review coming soon for:

Stay Tuned!

the Word of Promise Next Generation New Testament Audio Bible review

2009-03-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

New Testament Dramatic Audio Bible

Format: MP3

This is the first Audio Bible that I have owned. Glancing at the front cover you can see that there are a lot of talented actors/entertainers/etc used to read the story of the Bible. I must admit that I am not up on the teen scene and didn't recognize some of the readers.

Voice: The readers on this MP3 were easy to listen to and seemed to fit their part fine. I especially enjoyd Max Lucado and his daughter reading the introduction to each of the books. None of the actors were "boring" and they had great voice inflection. At the same time, I wouldn't say that any of the readers were "amazing" (Though Sean Astin is a sure hit as usual).

Presentation: The set comes with three MP3 disks and one "behind the scenes" DVD. I did find it odd that the front of the case was a picture of all of the cast instead of something related to the Bible. Maybe covers are different for audio MP3's as compared to a book that has a more artistic cover. A note that these will not play in most CD players because they are in MP3 format. MP3 was the right way to go though, packing around 50 cd's just is not convienent :-)

Overall: After listening through one of the gospels, 1 Corinthians, and other parts of the disk, I would say this is a job well done. I prefer to read the Bible, but on long car trips, and in medium doses my two children should enjoy this. My 4 year old daughter was listening for the first time today (I played it on my computer) and she seemed to enjoy it.

4/5 Stars

Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure (DVD review)

2009-03-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

Title: Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Running Time: 60 minutes including bonus features

Story: From DVD back cover: "Skeeter can't do anything right. But his famous brother can do no wrong. Which will find the treasure? Skeeter's "perfect" brother Sir Sinclair M. Skeeto, the world famous adventurer, comes to the garden with a mysterious treasure map left by their father. All the garden gang are in awe of Sinclair, and fawn all over him. But could it really be up to wrong-way Skeeter and his crooked stinger to solve the mystery of the treasure's location? Lesson is based on Psalm 139:13-14."

Production Quality: Bright and vivid computer animation. The backgrounds were well done, but no lavish.

Music: The background music and songs were very upbeat. My son and daughter were dancing at the start of the movie. There was a chirping bird sound in the background that was a little annoying during most of the scenes.

Story: There were several unique insect characters that helped to serve as the basis of this story. I enjoyed how God spoke directly to the characters at one point in the film. The movie did an excellent job showing the importance of each persons special talents and skills God has given them. The voice acting was excellent and enjoyable.

Kids Viewpoint: My four year old stayed in rapt attention throughout the whole film. She said she liked when the two brothers used teamwork to solve the mystery!

DVD extras: Mary had a little Lamb was added to the end of the main Skeeter movie, but really should have been included as bonus material on the DVD. It seemed a little thrown together and not funny or creative like the main film. Bonus features include: A trivia quiz, the sounds of Hermie (shows how/what sounds were used in the movie. I found this very interesting), a sing-along, and quite a bit of DVD ROM for computer stuff.

Final opinion: This DVD had great animation, good music, unique characters, and an amazing story. There were a couple twists and turns that were unique and original. The length of the film seemed just right for adults and young children. I would recommend this for children (and adults) of all ages! Psalm 139:13-14 - "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (NIV)

4.5/5 Stars

The Boat and the Sea of Galilee

2009-02-24T22:11:00.000-08:00

Anyone looking for a great story about an ancient boat should look no further.

"The Boat and the Sea of Galilee" is a fine archeology "lite" book. The personal story of those that discovered the boat is interwoven with a description of how the boat was excavated, transported, preserved, and finally displayed.

Writing style: Written in a very easy to read style, with short chapters. The book was translated from Hebrew and some of the writing was a little awkward in parts, but nothing substantial.

Pictures: Amazing pictures and maps. I enjoyed seeing the detail of the different stages of bringing the ancient vessel back to life.

Fun Factor: Many parts of this book had a suspenseful feel in regards to the way the boat was being cared for. Many different "hiccups" occurred on the way and it was pretty amazing to find out how it all worked out in the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out about some basic archeological techniques. As a Christian, I also found this book spiritually uplifting and encouraging.

4/5 Stars

Welcome

2009-02-24T22:04:00.000-08:00

I hope to use this blog in the future to blog reviews of books that I have read. Stay tuned!