Saturday, June 16, 2012

No Greater Love by Levi Benkert

What would it take for you to completely up root your family and head off to a foreign country?


Levi Benkert was asked to travel to Ethiopia to help a friend organize an orphanage. Six weeks later he tells his wife and three young children that they are moving to Ethiopia.

This is a book that will tug at your adoption heartstrings. Not only was this an orphanage they were creating, but they were saving these children from death as part of tribal religious ceremonies.

The fourteen chapters read quick and this story is over before you know it and once you've closed the book, you'll be seriously contemplating adopting a child of your own.

You'll read of Benkert's experience in running an orphanage along with the stories of finding homes for these beautiful children.

Sometimes hilarious, sometimes devastating. This is a fantastic read.


This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

I Review For The Tyndale Blog Network

The Presidents Club by Nancy Gibbs & Michael Duffy

In this season of vicious partisan politics, it's a fresh breath to read a book about the most exclusive fraternity in the world: The U.S. Presidents Club.




This book is full of fantastic stories and anecdotes about what it's like to be part of the brotherhood of United States Presidents. Beginning with Hoover and all the way to Obama, these authors provide ample examples of how these men will stand by one another even when they don't always agree.

It's wonderful to read stories of how the leaders of each political party can rise above the vindictiveness of campaigning and realize they need one another.

While there are examples of how these Presidents have strained the relationship at times, most of the stories revolve around unity. It's the civility that we should take note of whenever we're dealing with differing policies.

You'll read how the new Presidents reached out to the former Presidents when they realized the job was much harder than they realized. You'll read how President Carter has done more as an ex-President than he ever did while in office. (sometimes not such a good thing for the other Presidents) You'll see how, despite what the talking heads may say during transitions, the Presidents have always wanted to make things as smooth as possible for "the next guy".

Perfect example is when President Obama sat with the former Presidents and President Bush said, "We want you to succeed."





Full of stories and two sections of photographs. This book is a nice, positive political book that we need now more than ever.


7 Hours: The Last Night of Alton Webber by Robin Parrish

In each installment of 7 Hours, a character is visited by the enigmatic Thomas Constant, who makes a heart-stopping statement: “You are about to die. But you may choose from one of three options: Live seven more hours, travel back in time and relive seven hours, or accept the inevitable and die now.” 
The clock is ticking. 

What will you do with the time you have left?




Robin Parrish plays by different rules. As the final installment of the 7 Hours saga, this book reads completely different than the previous stories. Alton Webber is a criminal genius. Since grade school, he has had the brains to think three steps ahead of the competition. Now that he nears his death, he has gathered his "group of seven" - men who were part of his cadre.

With the seven waiting near Alton's bedside, Thomas Constant arrives. Instead of presenting Alton the typical seven-hour choice, the group turns their criminal attention to holding Constant.

Parrish's touch of secret societies and his love of TV's Lost comes through this story as we flash back to the past with each chapter. These flashes help flesh out the plot taking place in the present. The ultimate question is, of course, why are the seven doing this and what is Alton's final master plan?

Parrish excels and creates yet another page turner.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale House Publishing.

Friday, June 15, 2012

To Heaven and Back by Mary C. Neal, MD

It's one thing to read a book about someone dying, going to heaven, then coming back when that person is a child. It's a totally different thing when that person is an orthopaedic surgeon.




Dr. Mary Neal drowned while kayaking in Chile. After going over a waterfall, she was pinned at the bottom and, despite the efforts to rescue her, died.

This book is the good doctor's detailed account of what transpired.

The 33 chapters are very short which makes this an easy read for the summer. Plus there's an excellent Q&A with Dr. Neal at the back.

This isn't just a book about dying, going to heaven and all that encompasses that experience. This book wrestles with some of the meatiest theological questions: who is God? What is God and is it possible for people to relate to him? Dr. Neal won't "beat around the bush" or give you cliches; she spits out her honest experience and relates her applications without apology.

Purpose and meaning come into play as well for Dr. Neal. This book will definitely be added to the libraries of those who crave to know more about the hereafter.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The Jesus Scandals by David Instone-Brewer

A contextual look into why Jesus was so scandalous to his contemporaries and why he continues to be today.




This book was fantastic. Instone-Brewer breaks the scandals into three parts:
Scandals in Jesus' life
Scandals among his friends
Scandals in his teaching

The chapters are very short but he packs a wallop in each one. He brings to light social and community insights that I never thought of before. And that is saying something with all of the "Jesus in his First Century Context" books I have read.

You'll learn a possible reason why Jesus remained single (Who would want to marry an illegitimate son?), how it was the children that perpetuated the chanting while Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and all the gritty details  as to why his relationships were fodder for anger.

The section on his teaching scandals is worth the read. You'll learn about Jesus' stance on divorce, child abuse, anger and oaths along with a number of other topics that ring true in our world today.

There is so much nuance and aspects to social life that we take for granted. By taking the time to relearn some of these aspects, you gain a fuller understanding of Scripture and the truth behind Jesus' words and actions. To be sure, the stories of Jesus were not written in 2012 USA.

This is a great book to read in one sitting or as a daily study. It will whet your appetite to dig further and explore the life of first century Palestine.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Monarch Books.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

7 Hours: All Of Our Dreams by James Andrew Wilson


In each installment of 7 Hours, a character is visited by the enigmatic Thomas Constant, who makes a heart-stopping statement: “You are about to die. But you may choose from one of three options: Live seven more hours, travel back in time and relive seven hours, or accept the inevitable and die now.” 
The clock is ticking. 

What will you do with the time you have left?




Luke Harrison gets his chance with Thomas Constant. For the past five years Luke has been caring for his wife who is suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease. While caring for her, he has been working on a painting that could be the ultimate masterpiece and remembering all of the dreams that the two of them will never see come true.

Now he has a choice before his death. Will he pick to go into the past or extend his life for seven more hours?

James Wilson had me very confused throughout this story. The timeline jumps all over the place without any form of coherence. (This may play into the plot he explores...) You'll be with Harrison in the present and then zip to the past without any indication. This style takes a while getting used to.

By the end of this short story you will understand the purpose behind this style and, once again, find yourself in the midst of a tear-jerker.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale House Publishing

Friday, June 8, 2012

7 Hours: Whole Pieces by Ronie Kendig

In each installment of 7 Hours, a character is visited by the enigmatic Thomas Constant, who makes a heart-stopping statement: “You are about to die. But you may choose from one of three options: Live seven more hours, travel back in time and relive seven hours, or accept the inevitable and die now.” 
The clock is ticking.

What will you do with the time you have left? 

Former Green Beret Hawk Wilson and his team were ambushed in Afghanistan which left Wilson without an arm and his team dead.

He relives the horror every day in his mind, seeing the young Afghan boy catch sight of them and revealing their position. Wilson's angry at everyone so when he gets the opportunity to relive seven hours of his life, he knows just where he'll go and what he'll do to stop the massacre from happening.

Kendig is well known for her military thrillers. As this was my first experience with her prose, I was engaged from the get-to. I'm typically not a military fiction type of reader but this was an excellent addition to the 7 Hours mythos.

Like every other short story in this series, Whole Pieces will provide you with an outlet to explore the "what would I do" possibilities.


This book was provided for review, at not cost, by Tyndale House Publishing

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Surfing for God by Michael John Cusick

Cusick gives an honest look at the pull of sexual sin and the habitual way people try to overcome it.

This guy has gone through the mill. He's been there and suffered through his addiction in the deepest forms possible.

This book is his way of explaining how all the "solutions" people try to come up with can never actually do any good. Cusick claims that when men lust for porn, they are actually starving for a passion that only God can give. It may sound bizarre but from his experience, Cusick helps readers understand the steps of porn addiction: how they begin, how to prevent them and how to overcome the compulsion.

Within the fourteen short chapters, you'll find part personal testimony and part practical steps.

You will not find the Christian-pat answers that can be so frustrating. Cusick goes deeper to pinpoint the disconnect many men have. Having suffered with the addiction, Cusick provides one of the best resources a pastor and/or counselor could use.

You will learn how this is a cry for intimacy, how it perpetuates feelings of inadequacy, and furthers the endless cycle of shame. 
 
This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

I review for BookSneeze®

Monday, June 4, 2012

7 Hours: Recollection by Tom Pawlik


In each installment of 7 Hours, a character is visited by the enigmatic Thomas Constant, who makes a heart-stopping statement: “You are about to die. But you may choose from one of three options: Live seven more hours, travel back in time and relive seven hours, or accept the inevitable and die now.” 
The clock is ticking.


What will you do with the time you have left? 






Adrian Colfax wakes up muttering a string of numbers. He's just had a crazy dream that doesn't add up. Something feels off once he wakes up.

Adrian believes he's supposed to do something important if only he could remember.

I absolutely loved Tom Pawlik's addition to the 7 Hours world. His book reads like an episode of Lost. You have the main character who can't remember while having small pieces of memory to string together and we are trying to solve the problem right along with him. You have the desperate love story that has to be resolved before the end and, of course, there are mysterious numbers that come into play which has the potential to solve the entire puzzle.

This story had me turning pages like a blaze. It was that engaging. If you loved Lost, you will read this book on a flash of lightning.

This story asks the question, would you save the person you love most if it meant something else catastrophic could occur. Would you take that chance?

I can't say enough good things about this short story and yet I will because this is the end of the review.





This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale House Publishing.

7 Hours: Teardrop by Travis Thrasher

In each installment of 7 Hours, a character is visited by the enigmatic Thomas Constant, who makes a heart-stopping statement: “You are about to die. But you may choose from one of three options: Live seven more hours, travel back in time and relive seven hours, or accept the inevitable and die now.” 
The clock is ticking.

What will you do with the time you have left? 




Mike Harden is caught by surprise with his death. When he's offered the choice by Thomas Constant, he chooses to travel back sixteen years to the day of his marriage.

While you might think this is a wonderful way to spend the last seven hours of your life, Mike has other plans. It was on this day that a man named Vince Levy first saw Mike's wife, Ashley, and decided to murder her. Mike plans on destroying Vince before that can happen.

This is the second Travis Thrasher book I have read. He takes his readers to the limit of visualizing violence in your head. He doesn't go about it with the descriptive gore but it's his choice of words - they're like sucker punches to the imagination. He lays them out quick and joltingly; and then it's over. But the residue stays with you long after the book is over.

This was a high-impact, emotional tale. In fact, the ethereal-like quality almost disengaged me from the story. Alot of this story takes place in Harden's thoughts as he wrestles with what he's going to do with the man who murdered his wife. Is he going to be able to carry out his plan and change the course of history?

These books allow us to experience the "what if" scenarios for ourselves. Thrasher's contribution has a lasting effect.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale House Publishing.