Experiencing God Thorough His Names by Sheryl Giesbrecht - REVIEWED

About the book:

Experiencing God Through His Names (Bold Vision Books, June 2016)

What's in a name?

Names are more than groups of letters that represent a person or identify objects. Names are powerful. A person's character and destiny can be influenced by his or her name. God's attributes and personality support His unique and distinct names. If we comprehend the meanings of His titles, we can know God more intimately. In Experiencing God Through His Names, Sheryl Giesbrecht walks with you on an exciting journey to discover and absorb the truth about God's character. In the next 31 days, God wants you to get to know Him. Are you ready?

Purchase your copy HERE.

My Thoughts:
Though small in size, the truth packed in this book is powerful and transformational!  Please take each name of God - one each day - and ponder it in your heart.  Embrace the power found in each name!  Truly, God's names are tenderly intentional! He didn't miss a single opportunity for His name to speak to EVERY SINGLE need and situation in our life!!  What love is this?!

Every day I came to this book, it seemed as though God was speaking to a specific need or situation found within the course of that day!! It has truly been a blessing I looked forward to receiving each day!  There is a practical application - usually something from the author's own experience - scriptural foundation and a thought provoking way to examine your own life and allow God's Name to speak to your heart.  Each name is contained in a brief chapter and ends with a prayer you can take with you in your heart throughout the day!

I loved this book and am happy to recommend it to everyone!!

About the Author:

Sheryl Giesbrecht has written three books, hundreds of articles, blogs, and columns. A nationally syndicated radio host, Sheryl is a sought after inspirational speaker who facilitates leadership training for thousands internationally.

Sheryl is giving away TEN COPIES of this book!!! Go HERE to enter and win a copy!!

Suzanne Woods Fisher is giving away an iPad Mini

About the Book:

Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She's done all she can to prepare to go-passed the GED, saved her money-but she can't quite set her journey into motion.

Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He's come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to "everything Plain." Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.

Ruthie's next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back---anything---and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way. 

Go HERE to enter

The Raven by Mike Nappa - REVIEWED

About the Book:
As part of his street performance, a deception specialist who goes by the name The Raven picks his audience's pockets while they watch. It's harmless fun--until he decides to keep the wallet of a prominent politician, hoping for a few extra bucks. When he finds compromising photos of the councilman and his "personal assistants," The Raven hatches a plan to blackmail the man. However, he quickly finds himself in over his head with the Ukrainian Mafia and mired in a life-threatening plot code-named "Nevermore."

Private investigators Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill must scramble to sort out the clues to rescue The Raven from a wild card bent on revenge.

My Thoughts:

“This is going to get really messy really soon.”  (p.14)

One of the characters in Mike Nappa’s book, The Raven, is a street magician/petty thug that calls himself by the same moniker.  He is one of three or four characters whose point of view is expressed in alternating chapters.  Nappa alternates point of view and time line throughout the book, but once you get in the rhythm, serves the story well and acts effectively to push the plot along at an ever increasing pace.

I must say this at the outset…don’t ever have anything to do with the Ukranian mob!  They are bad business!  Mobs, gangs, CIA, PI’s….this book has it all.  I was intrigued by the intricacy of how everyone worked together – sometimes knowingly  - sometimes covertly – to achieve a certain end.  I was under a wrong assumption at first – who was on which side of the law – and as the story progressed I still followed a red herring now and again. To me, that is the true litmus test of a mystery series….Nappa is GREAT at misleading the reader only to execute a switchback and take the reader in an entirely new direction!

Trudi and Samuel make the perfect dysfunctional detective duo, and their relationship is both complex and very realistic!  The Raven’s character is sort of compelling, but kind of get-on-your-nerves indecisive and juvenile while also being a sort of street-wise thug.  I also felt a bit sorry that he crossed hairs with some pretty wicked folks, and found myself rooting for his survival toward the end!  There in another key character that I will mention only in passing who keeps this VERY interesting!  Her character switches direction on a dime!!  Follow her carefully!

This was a GREAT read!  I was fully engaged throughout the story, and the characters are very believable and intriguing!  There are lots of things to recommend this book to a very wide audience!! I’m a FAN!

About the Author:

Mike Nappa is an entertainment journalist at FamilyFans.com, as well as a bestselling and award-winning author with more than one million books sold worldwide. When he was a kid, the stories of Edgar Allan Poe scared him silly. Today he owns everything Poe ever wrote. A former fiction acquisitions editor, Mike earned his MA in English literature and now writes full time.

The Domino Effect by Davis Bunn - REVIEWED

About the Book:
Esther Larsen, a top risk analyst at one of the country's largest banking institutions, is becoming more and more convinced that she has uncovered a ticking bomb with the potential to make the 2008 market crash look minor by comparison. And as her own employer pursues "investment" strategies with ever-increasing levels of risk, she becomes convinced she must do something. But Esther is only one person; can she stand up to an international conspiracy of greed? And if she does, will anyone take her seriously?

Every moment of indecision edges the markets closer to a tipping point--the teetering first domino in a standing row that circles the globe. And when Esther finds her voice, those she seeks to expose will not sit idly by. With global markets on the brink, and her own life in danger, Esther is locked in a race against the clock to avert a financial tsunami that threatens worldwide devastation.

My Thoughts:

“I’m doing this because I care for people I’ll never meets.  I want to help them.  I want to keep them safe.”  (p. 234)

Esther Larson’s job as a risk analyst at one of the largest banks in America is anything but safe! One of the most satisfying aspects of Bunn’s latest novel, The Domino Effect is watching the transformation taking place in Esther’s life!  But I’m getting ahead of myself….

This novel is based on scary facts about the way our world finance system balances precariously on the whims of bankers turned gamblers.  Stocks trade hands at the speed of thought, and once a good dose of human depravity is injected in the mix the world economy becomes a game of Russian roulette!  Esther is a brilliant lady who has analyzed the markets for years, and when she realizes the danger represented by those who care only about satisfying their own greed, she decides (much like her Biblical namesake) to take action – action that very well may cost her life.

Once Esther makes the decision to care for others and make choices that effectively make a difference in the world she becomes a different character entirely!  The transformation is real, believable, and remarkable.  Bunn has created a host of very believable, full-blooded characters that will keep you captivated from the first page to the last!  This novel is scary emotionally, financially, and relationally.  If you look beyond the amazing plot line, you, the reader, will discover life transforming truth.

Pick up your copy today!! This is a GREAT read!!

About the Author:

Davis Bunn is the award-winning author of numerous national bestsellers with sales totaling more than seven million copies. His work has been published in 20 languages, and his critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction. Davis also writes fantasy under the pseudonym Thomas Locke (tlocke.com). He and his wife, Isabella, divide their time between England and Florida. Learn more at www.davisbunn.com.

Jesus and the Beanstalk by Lori Stanley Roeleveld - REVIEWED

About the Book:
Use the hidden gifts in 2 Peter to topple the giant challenges in your life.

We live in unsettling, challenging times. Everywhere we look, we see giant problems: giant obstacles to sharing faith, giant barriers to peaceful lives, giant strongholds of fear. But what if you knew eight small secrets to unlocking a strength big enough to overcome whatever obstacle life may bring?
Using allegory and a bit of humor, Jesus and the Beanstalk explores a passage in 2 Peter 1 to uncover eight truths that will help you unleash a larger-than-life faith:

· Faith
· Goodness
· Knowledge
· Self-control
· Perseverance
· Godliness
· Affection for others
· Love


In this creative, refreshing perspective on spiritual growth, you will discover an unyielding strength when you tap the power of a God who is stronger than any beanstalk and bigger than your biggest giants. 

Purchase your copy HERE!

My Thoughts:

I will freely admit that the title is what drew me to this book outright.  I will also admit that I was unprepared for the depth, the boldness, the Biblical teaching and the rich relationship that I have developed with this book!  I will confess that I am blogging about it before I have completed the book, but I plan on spending a lot of time with this particular volume, and I simply refuse to rush through it, because I don’t want to miss a single thing!

Readers, if you are looking for a book that will both teach you and inspire you to pursue God’s truth and His Word so that you grow in your relationship with Christ, look no further!  This book will send you in search of God’s voice and truth and will stretch you in meaningful and profound ways!

Each chapter builds on the previous one.  The chapters aren’t particularly long, but they all end with a series of questions that send you deeper into God’s Word to mine the teaching in a way that becomes personal and transformational! 

In other word…DON’T MISS THIS BOOK!!  I am prayerfully asking God if this will serve as the foundation of my Spring Small group!  This is RICH!!  I’m very excited to recommend this to EVERYONE!! 

About the Author:

Lori Stanley Roeleveld is the author of Running from a Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus) and Red Pen Redemption. Her blog, LoriRoeleveld.com, was voted Top 100 Christian Blogs by RedeemingGod.com and has enjoyed over 2 million views. Lori lives in Hope Valley, Rhode Island. 

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Fifth Column by Mike Hollow - REVIEWED

About the Book:
Detective Inspector Jago investigates, uncovering deception and betrayal

At first glance, the young woman found in the early hours of the morning where bombs have landed is just another casualty of the previous night's air raid. But when the post-mortem shows signs of strangulation, Detective Inspector Jago is called on to investigate.

The dead woman is smartly dressed but carries no identification. However, a local engineering company reports a staff member has failed to appear at work that morning and the body is quickly identified as that of Miss Mary Watkins.


DI Jago's initial interviews yield little fruit; no one can think of a reason why Mary would be murdered. But as the investigation continues DI Jago begins to uncover a trail of deception and betrayal.

My Thoughts:

“She seemed oblivious to the bombs which continued to crash to the earth, their blasts now thuds receding gradually into the distance. (p.299)

Bombs falling in the background is only believable, because Detective Jago has to do all of his investigative work in France in the heart of the Second World War.  The man barely sleeps, grabs food on the run, and has an eclectic group of cohorts that enable him to solve a crime no matter where the path leads!

Mke Hollow gives readers a believable look in to daily life as it tries to survive during war time. What is amazing is how he weaves human depravity so tightly within the story line that by the time he captures the murderer – and yes murder outside of the bomb casualties – you almost feel like some of the behavior was mildly justified!  His characters are so well developed, you wind up feeling a tad bit sorry for some of them.  After all, desperate times and all of that….but Detective Jago sticks close to justice, and, in the end, he is somewhat successful.

I will tell you this, he really has to dig through some serious rot to get to the bottom of this mystery!  I admire his persistence and his sense of both justice and mercy.  Fifth Column is a very well-written, multi-layered story that will keep the reader engaged from the first bomb raid to the final shadow across the moon. (you’ll understand once you get to know the characters)  Enjoy the adventure!!

About the Author:
Mike Hollow studied languages at Cambridge, then worked for the BBC, and then Tearfund. Now a freelance writer and editor, he lives in Basingstoke with his wife Margaret. A popular poet, his work has been widely performed and has appeared in many collections.

The Bible and Me by Lois Rock and Alida Massari - REVIEWED

About the Book:
Lois Rock and Alida Massari have teamed up to create a Bible storybook full of inspiration and delight, sure to elicit moments of contemplation. Thoughtfully written, each section begins with a Bible quote and ends with a prayer or psalm that fits the theme of the story to help readers reflect further on what they've read. Alida Massari's richly colored and deeply peaceful illustrations fit perfectly with the meditative theme. Includes twenty stories from the Old and New Testaments. 

My Thoughts:

This is a beautiful book!  I love to discover a beautiful pictorial interpretation of God’s Word I’ve encountered lately!  The chapters are brief, but sometimes cover several major Biblical stories.  Each chapter ends with other related verses of Scripture that relate and strengthen the message of that particular chapter.  Each passage of Scripture is clearly notated, and I believe that this will open the door wide for great discussions with the young people that God allows you to share your life with.  Even the pictures are filled with interesting detail that will spark questions and discussion that will allow God to speak life into the hearts and soul of both parents and children.

I am thrilled to recommend this book to everyone serving children – family, friends, Sunday school, pre-school – anywhere children gather with an opportunity to introduce God’s Word into their lives!

About the Author:
Lois Rock has established an international reputation as a children's writer. Specializing in Bible stories, prayer books, and information books, her books have been translated into over thirty languages with sales approaching four million copies. She draws on her experience as a mother of three and as a leader of church children's groups.

Alida Massari is an award-winning artist who studied illustration at the European Institute of Design in Rome. She finds inspiration from ancient art and architecture. She describes her work as modern with an ancient atmosphere.