Get Out of That Pit - Straight Talk About God's Deliverance by Beth Moore - REVIEWED

About the Book:
From her first breath of fresh air beyond the pit, it has never been enough for Beth Moore to be free. This best-selling author and Bible teacher who has opened the riches of Scripture to millions longs for you to be free as well—to know the Love and Presence that are better than life and the power of God’s Word that defies all darkness.

Beth’s journey out of the pit has been heart-rending. But from this and the poetic expressions of Psalm 40 has come the reward: a new song for her soul, given by her Saviour and offered to you in Get Out of That Pit—friend to friend. This is Beth’s most stirring message yet of the sheer hope, utter deliverance, and complete and glorious freedom of God:

I waited patiently for the Lord
He turned to me and heard my cry
He lifted me out of the slimy pit
He set my feet on a rock
He put a new song in my mouth

It is a story, a song—a salvation—that you can know too.


My Thoughts:
“I’ve made up my mind.  In the light of day of dark of night, find me in Christ.” (p. 167)

It is hard to sum up such a powerful book, but this declaration comes close.  Basically, no matter what happens to us, whether we choose to do something headlong or whether someone else hits us upside the head with a bad choice, or even if we make a series of wrong choices that land us in a huge mess, the pit we wind up in is painful and messy.  Beth Moore knows about this pit first hand, but she also knows how to find freedom from the pit finally and completely!

I must apologize for being late with this review.  Honestly, I’ve been too busy praying, taking notes, underlining and sharing this book with friends to remember my deadline.  For that, I am sorry.  BUT what I’ve learned from the pages of this book has set a fire within me, just as is has Beth Moore, to shout from the rooftop that IN CHRIST ALONE I AM FREE!!

I may not always be the one placing myself in a pit – sometimes, I’m thrown in.  Other times, I do choose pit living.  No matter how I get there, I must choose to get out.  I’ve been guilty of choosing to stay in a pit for a while, but once I am free, it takes a bit more push to get me back there…and even more push to get me to stay.  I think that is the most important lesson I’ve carried from this book – yes, there will be pits, but I don’t have to live there.  In fact, if I choose to live there, I’ve no one to blame but myself.

THIS IS A MUST HAVE RESOURCE FOR EVERYONE!!  I know this book has been around a few years….ten to be exact….but the life lessons and biblical principles are as timely as they have ever been.  Please, read this book!  Share it with friends!  Pray and ask God to speak to you and transform your life – set you free!  I have!! Won’t you join me?


About the Author:

Beth Moore has written many best-selling books and is a dynamic teacher and a prolific Bible-study author whose public speaking engagements take her across the United States to challenge tens of thousands. Beth is focused on teaching women all over the world and is known and respected wherever she goes. She is a dedicated wife and mother of two adult daughters and lives in Houston, Texas, where she leads Living Proof Ministries and teaches an adult Sunday school class at her church.

Fault Lines by Thoman Locke - REVIEWED

About the Book:
What if reality is only the edge of possibility?

There isn't much that can throw Charlie Hazard off balance. But the mystery woman with the striking eyes and the intense request to follow her--now--is about to shake his world. Knowing little more than her name, Charlie leaves his post as a guard at the Satellite Beach community center for what he thinks is just another risk-containment job. But Gabriella, an experimental psychologist, has far more in store for him than protection duty--if the two of them survive the test.


Reese Clawson relishes her work at the Combine and all the perks and power that come with it--including the ability to manipulate perceptions. But the Combine never anticipated this mind-shifting technology. If Gabriella's experiments succeed, the Combine would be destroyed. And Reese will never allow that to happen.

My Thoughts:

“Isn’t this fun?”  (p. 371)

Well, fun is a relative term when it comes to special ops, clandestine companies running insane experiments, and inserting Charlie Hazard into the mix of all of this and more!  Honestly, I think I held my breath through most of the book!  Wow!  Talk about mind bending!  (pun intended!!)

I think the scariest part of reading this story is its totally plausibility.  There are so many things being developed and kept secret from the public, you can’t help but shiver when you read tales like Fault Lines.  There are lines that you hope will never be crossed, and yet man’s desire to be in total control has been burning fierce since the Garden of Eden.  The lie the enemy tempted mankind with then has been exponentially tweaked in this novel!!  Have mercy!

So, if you enjoy action packed, high intensity drama you will LOVE THIS NOVEL!!  Set aside time to get behind on major tasks, because time simply evaporates once you being reading.  Charlie Hazard is a to-die-for hero in every sense of the word, and his nine lives make him all the more endearing!  Honestly, he can get out the worst situations and live to tell the tale!  I’d hate to know what he dreams about when he ever does go to sleep!  I shudder to imagine!

Anyway, great characters – both good and bad – amazing writing and a plot line that leaves you begging for more!  No wonder this authors books have sold more than seven million copies!  Great day in the morning!! I hope I’ll be reading the adventures of Charlie Hazard for years to come!!  What are you waiting for????

About the Author:
Thomas Locke is a pseudonym for Davis Bunn, an award-winning novelist with worldwide sales of seven million copies in twenty languages. Davis divides his time between Oxford and Florida and holds a lifelong passion for speculative stories. He is the author of Emissary and Merchant of Alyss in the Legends of the Realm series, as well as Trial Run and Flash Point in the Fault Lines series. Learn more at www.tlocke.com.

The Soldier Who Killed a King by David Kitz - REVIEWED

About the Book:
A stunning story of Holy Week through the eyes of a Roman centurion

Watch the triumphal entry of the donkey-riding king through the eyes of Marcus Longinus, the centurion charged with keeping the streets from erupting into open rebellion.

Look behind the scenes at the political plotting of King Herod, known as the scheming Fox for his ruthless shrewdness.

Get a front-row seat to the confrontation between the Jewish high priest Caiaphas and the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

Understand as never before the horror of the decision to save a brutal terrorist in order to condemn the peaceful Jew to death.


If you've heard the story of Passion Week so often it's become stale, now is the time to rediscover the terrible events leading from Jesus's humble ride into the city to his crucifixion. The Soldier Who Killed a King will stun you afresh with how completely Christ's resurrection changed history, one life at a time.

My Thoughts:
“I hated being forced into this role, the role of the killer, the executioner.” (p. 221)

The Soldier Who Killed a King tells the story of the crucifixion from the point of the man charged with nailing Christ to the cross.  After you read this novel, you will think about Jesus’ death from an entirely different angle.  You will realize anew what a transforming power lies within the faith to believe that Jesus is, in fact, the Son of God.  The same power that saved the soldier charged with his crucifixion, is the same power that saves believers today.  Halleluiah!!

The detailed telling of this story places the reader in Jerusalem to experience Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city, his trial, execution, burial and glorious resurrection!  The soldier’s point of view gives new perspective to the minute-by-minute details that passed between Jesus’ entry into the city and His re-entry into his earthly body.  You will feel the weight of the spikes that were used to nail him to the cross, you will feel the earth quake as He surrenders to death and experience his body being taken down from the cross and laid in the shroud.  The wails of anguish that fill the air as the earth quakes and the smell of blood spilled onto the ground….your heart will ache with the knowing that this is, in fact, what Jesus’ went through…willingly…for you and me.

Through all of these experiences, you will witness the heart transformation of Marcus Longinus as he fulfills his role as the centurion charged with overseeing the crucifixion of Jesus.  To realize that the man whose death you were responsible for was, indeed, the Son of God….wait a minute!  That is my place too!  If you are a believer by faith in Jesus Christ, it is the role you fulfilled as well!

I appreciate the fact that the author was careful to maintain the integrity of Scripture as he quoted Christ’s words in the context of his story. It made the entire experience more powerful and transformative!  I encourage everyone to read this novel as soon as you are able!!  It is most excellent!

About the Author:
David Kitz is a Bible dramatist and outreach minister with the Foursquare Church. His previous work includes Psalms Alive! Connecting Heaven and Earth and Little Froggy Explores the BIG World, which won the Word Guild Children’s Picture Book award.

Star Passage Book Two: Heroes and Martyrs by Clark Rich Burbidge - REVIEWED

About the Book:
The award-winning StarPassage saga continues with the relic guiding the Carsons to a new and desperate family. Two brothers, Bobby and Mike, are struggling after a tragic accident turns their world upside down.

Join our heroes on a series of dangerous adventures to solve the relic’s riddles, save lives, escape the ever-increasing Tracker threat, and experience some of the most dreadful and exciting moments in history.

Will they learn from the past–should they change it if they can? Is there any hope for survival?

My Thoughts: 
“Just remember, this may be tough, but easy isn’t always good.”  (p.89)

The second book in the Star Passage series delivers another homerun!  The premise of the story rests upon the Carsons using the star of passage to help others.  The two brothers they are directed to are dealing with the painful fallout of a totally random accident.  Like everyone, both brothers are trying to find a reason for the accident, lay blame on themselves….but their encounter with Tim and Marty and the star of passage reveals truths to them that change their entire world!

Once again, the characters travel to major points in history.  The lessons learned are always timeless, but are always helpful to the life lessons that are being experienced by the travelers. Mike and Bobby become dear to the reader’s heart as the story develops, and although they experience some dangerous and exciting things as they travel, they seem to grow stronger in their faith and their relationship with one another by the end of the story.

I can’t forget one important detail…the Trackers.  These displaced spirits take on a more deadly aspect in the second story of this series, and they promise to be more of a threat than ever.  I’m not really looking forward to the role it seems they are headed toward in future novels.  I think the complexity of the stories will only grow and develop in fantastic ways!

Clark Burbidge has created a young adult series filled with action, adventure, faith and a bit of history for good measure. This is a novel that is hard to put down!  I can’t wait to see what happens next! 


About the Author:
Clark Burbidge was born and raised in the mountain valleys of the Rockies. He earned an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BS from the University of Utah. Clark and his wife, Leah, live near Salt Lake City, Utah, where they enjoy their blended family of ten children and five grandchildren. StarPassage is Clark's seventh book. His award-winning works include the Giants in the Land trilogy and A Piece of Silver: A Story of Christ.

Every Deadly Kiss by Seven James - REVIEWED

About the Book:
In the latest installment of the Bowers Files, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers grapples with a baffling series of murders in Detroit—and discovers a terror plot whose roots stretch back centuries.

Called in by an ex-girlfriend to consult on a case, Patrick encounters the work of a killer who displays a stunning degree of ruthlessness. Bowers is shocked to find that the slayings are linked not just to his own history with a known terrorist, but to his former lover as well—and that her secret past might hold the key to stopping the crime spree. As layers of intrigue peel away, the city is pushed ever closer to a seemingly-unstoppable bioweapon attack.


Unnerving and laced with breathtaking suspense, Every Deadly Kiss is a surprising and complex thriller that will have readers obsessed to the final page.

My Thoughts:

“You looked pretty good in there to me.” (p. 539)

Sounds like a very common statement, right?  Well, like every word in Steven James’ latest novel, Every Deadly Kiss, contains layers upon layers of meaning!  I’ve read every word James has every written, and I think I can safely say this novel is one of the most complex stories I’ve ever read from his pen!  There is a rogue serial killer that passes through shadows, and you are never quite sure who it is.  There is a homegrown terror threat that is insidious and makes you absolutely tremor with fright because it is so incredibly plausible!

So, dive in if you dare!  Honestly I adore Patrick Bowers now more than ever!  I have to say, I am VERY thankful this series is being read as a glance back into his history, otherwise I might just have a heart attack!  This is a novel with so many twists and turns that I was almost tempted to take notes at one point.  Seriously, this is a very complex plot line, but it is so well-written, and the characters are so believable that the pages evaporate so fast you are almost breathless by the end!  There were a couple of times I wanted to smack Patrick because of how careless he was in his decision making in regards to his partner, but I have trust issues, so I didn’t let that take away from my delight in his overall greatness.

I refuse to give away any spoilers.  Just trust me when I say you need to read this book NOW!!  What are you waiting for?

PS...I must be consistent....there are a few language moments - as in vulgarities - that appear in this book that have previously be absent.  I am trusting James will not continue this trend.  

About the Author:

Steven James is a national bestselling novelist whose award-winning, pulse-pounding thrillers continue to gain wide critical acclaim and a growing fan base.

After consulting with a former undercover FBI agent and doing extensive research on cybercrimes, Steven wrote his latest thriller, EVERY CROOKED PATH--a taut, twist-filled page turner that is available now wherever books are sold. 

If you've never met environmental criminologist and geospatial investigator Patrick Bowers, EVERY CROOKED PATH is the perfect chance to dive into the series and find out what fans and critics everywhere are raving about.

Suspense Magazine, who named Steven's book THE BISHOP their Book of the Year, says that he "sets the new standard in suspense writing." Publishers Weekly calls him a "master storyteller at the peak of his game." And RT Book Reviews promises, "the nail-biting suspense will rivet you."

Respected by some of the top thriller writers in the world, Steven deftly weaves intense stories of psychological suspense with deep philosophical insights. As critically-acclaimed novelist Ann Tatlock put it, "Steven James gives us a captivating look at the fine line between good and evil in the human heart."

My Daughter's Legacy by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould - REVIEWED

About the Book:

A thrilling tale of two women longing to follow God's leading, make the most of second chances, and find true love at last

Virginia, 1864

Therese Jennings cannot abide the thought of owning slaves. When her widowed mother inherits a plantation, Therese flees to Civil War Richmond, where she works as a governess by day and tends to wounded soldiers at night. But when trouble befalls her family, can she reconcile her obligations with her beliefs? And will love-whether with an old beau or a handsome new suitor-ever fit in her broken world?

Virginia, present day

Nicole Talbot's life is back on track after years of substance abuse. Home from college for the summer, she's finally ready to share a shocking secret, one that raises new questions about a traumatic childhood experience. But when facts she uncovers cast doubt on her family's legacy, she must risk all that she's gained-her fresh start, her family's trust, and her growing relationship with a new man-to unlock the secrets of the past.

Learn more and purchase your copy HERE.

My Thoughts:

This is a story that readers from all genres will love! There is mystery and history layered so tightly that you almost forget where present day ends and history begins.  No surprise that the link between the past and present reveal some profound and eternal truths about the longing each of us has to know and understand our place in time.  History always effects our present, but being brave enough to change the present into something better is not without its pitfalls

I think greed, pride and the longing to do what is best for all are just a few of these pitfalls, and the choices that lie before Nicole as she re-enters life as a recovering addict closely mirror those faced by her predecessor as she is forced to make decisions during a time in history that was utterly divided over slavery.

You will be left slack-jawed at each woman's discovery!  Clark and Gould make a very effective writing duo, and I highly recommend this novel to everyone!!

About the Authors:

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction, with over a million copies sold. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live in Pennsylvania.

Find out more about Mindy Starns at http://mindystarnsclark.com.

Leslie Gould, a former magazine editor, is the author of numerous novels, including "Beyond the Blue" and "Garden of Dreams." She received her master of fine arts degree from Portland State University and lives in Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four children.

Find out more about Leslie at http://www.lesliegould.com/.