Hope of Nations by John S. Dickerson - REVIEWED

About the Book:
Every week a terrorist attack, riot, or political scandal makes the headlines—and we feel the world around us shaking again. We struggle to separate truth from biased statements and hope from naïveté. We wonder how we got here and where these uncertain days will take us.

One of the world’s top investigative reporters, John S. Dickerson, addresses this post-truth, post-Christian society in Hope of Nations.

Hope of Nations shows us how and why the world is changing, where those changes will lead, and what it looks like to live like Christ in today’s society. With fascinating historical and political background, Dickerson helps us understand:

The five major forces driving global change in the world today

Why violent displays of Islam continue resurfacing

The incoming moral, social, and political impact of American millennials

Ten ways to respond biblically to trends shaping the world right now

How to live with Christian courage and compassion in tumultuous times

“Times of great social upheaval are times of great spiritual opportunity,” writes Dickerson. “You can live the adventure of this era with great purpose. You can know with confidence that the Creator of the universe appointed you to bring light and life to this moment in human history.”

Among the youngest award-winning journalists and a seminary-trained pastor, Dickerson brings his reporting skills, generational perspective, and biblical insights to this groundbreaking book.


Get a larger view of what is happening with your community, your government, and your international neighbors in this thoughtful look at global events in light of your unique Christian calling.

My Thoughts:
This is a book that takes some time to process, but OH how it gives understanding, context, and practical application to all of the confusing points of view that Christians face in this current age. This book contains a LOT of information, so you have to take time to digest what you read, but you come away with a rich resource and understanding of how to effectively live the gospel in today's society.

This is a MUCH NEEDED tool to have in your arsenal of understanding.  I admire someone so gifted and able to put all of this together in one volume!  This is a book I will have to revisit as I travel my own faith journey - especially on my job at the local university. I am grateful to have this information! 

About the Author:

John S. Dickerson is a prize-winning research journalist, a seminary-trained pastor, and a frequent commentator in national news outlets like USA Today. He aggregates cultural trends, sociology, and historical understanding to give Biblical insight into world events and Christian living today. John’s first book, The Great Evangelical Recession, has equipped tens of thousands to understand the future of the church in the United States. John serves as the Lead Pastor of Connection Pointe Christian Church in the Indianapolis metro area.

A Contradiction to His Pride by Leanne W. Smith - REVIEWED

About the Book:

From the moment James met Corrine as they traveled the Oregon Trail, in Smith's best-selling debut novel Leaving Independence, he couldn’t resist trying to win the sharp-mouthed beauty’s affections.

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Now, as the core group of pioneers in Colonel Dotson’s wagon train begins to settle in Baker City, Oregon and build homesteads, James is restless to make his fortune so he can stake his own claim and win Corrine’s hand with honor.

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But when James takes Corrine on an outing designed to impress her, things go tragically wrong. James foils a bank robbery and unwittingly sets a series of events into motion that shatter Corrine’s heart and now threaten her life, along with his and her older brother Charlie’s.

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Soon there are several folks heading back down the trail—James, Charlie, Corrine, Harry and Tam Sims, the Baker City Sheriff, a newspaper man, a notorious criminal family, and Hoke Mathews—all set to collide in a final showdown in a Colorado mining town as outlaw Duke Walden seeks to make James pay for his heroic actions.

My Thoughts:

Traveling the Oregon trail is a great way to get to know someone, and James Parker sets his heart toward Corrine Baldwyn.  Once he helps his partner put the finishing touches on his new homestead in Baker City, Oregon, James has already made up his mind on the order of events that have to take place in order to present his heart and life to Corrine.  He never figures a bank robbery gone wrong into his plans.  

When James and Corrine go into town with another couple to enjoy a sleigh ride in the snow, the trajectory of their lives are forever changed.  Some lives end altogether that day, but while some grieved their losses in a healthy way, others spent time plotting revenge.  The next curve in their lifetime journey becomes shaped by outlaws who use the local Baker City newspaper as a window of opportunity.  While James and Corrine anticipate time apart, neither imagines what that time apart will entail.

The reader gets to enjoy every nuance of the journey, and, quite honestly, there are moments when you are left to wonder who will survive.  So, if you like history with a frontier flare, pick up a copy of Leanne Smith's latest novel!  It will keep you entertained and introduce you to characters that you will come to care about a great deal. This is a great Summer read!

About the Author:

Leanne W. Smith is a writer and professor. Her books include Leaving Independence, On a Dark & Snowy Night (short story), and A Contradiction to His Pride. She also teaches business courses at a university in Nashville. Smith and her husband have two creative daughters and a son-in-law who make the world a more beautiful place through their art, design, photography, singing, songwriting and mandolin-playing. 

WEBSITE: leannewsmith.com 
BLOG: leannewsmith.com/blog 

Lone Witness by Rachel Dylan - REVIEWED

About the Book:
She's the Only Witness to a Brutal Crime. Now She Can't Outrun the Target on Her Back.
Prosecutor Sophie Dawson has taken a new role at the Fulton County DA's office, and her first case involves a local bank employee who may be cheating customers. She's determined to bring justice to those who've lost their savings . . . but her life is turned upside down when she becomes the only witness to a double homicide involving a vengeful gang. 

With her life at risk, friends and family convince her that she needs protection, and private security guard Cooper Knight is hired as a bodyguard. But as threats escalate, neither Cooper nor Sophie knows whom they can trust. 

Unwilling to back down on either case, Sophie pursues the truth at any cost. But her bank litigation gets more complicated by the day, and the gang will stop at nothing to keep her from taking the stand. With all sides closing in, steadfast Cooper is the only man she can lean on. But drawing close may be the distraction that costs both of their lives. 

My Thoughts:
Reading this, knowing that the author is also a lawyer, I had to wonder if her life was as danger-filled as the main character, Sophie Dawson!  This book has a plot with MANY different layers and angles, and Sophie Dawson seems to have a bulls-eye on her head no matter which direction she turns!

As a prosecutor in the white collar crime division, Sophie thinks that she can diver deep into her cases and serve justice in an area that is often seemed as less dangerous.  What she learns rather quickly is that the reasons that people are drawn into such crimes is that they think they'll never get caught.  Sophie stumbles upon the tip of the proverbial iceberg, and even though she thinks her dad is overreacting by hiring private protection, she is soon grateful for Copper Knight's presence in her life!

I was taken by surprise by the layers that naturally unfolded in this novel.  Honestly, I found myself talking aloud to both Sophie and Cooper and warning them not to trust a certain character!  You can't really trust many people in this novel, so be warned!  There are wolves in sheep's clothing galore! And, you will be shocked at exactly who those people turn out to be!

This was a fun read, folks, and is perfect for the summer!  Enjoy!!


About the Author:

Rachel Dylan was a litigator in one of Atlanta's most elite law firms for over eight years and now works as an attorney at one of the Big Three automobile manufacturers. She is the author of Deadly Proof and four Love Inspired Suspense novels and lives in Michigan with her husband. She is active on social media and you can visit her website at www.racheldylan.com.

Blind Betrayal by Nancy Mehl - REVIEWED

About the Book:
After two years at the St. Louis U.S. Marshals Office, Casey Sloane is tasked with escorting a reporter to Washington to testify before a grand jury. The reporter's research on an up-and-coming environmentalist who suddenly disappeared is now even more vital than anticipated.

At first, Casey's assignment seems routine. But a dangerous attack on the Marshals Office puts everyone on high alert. When Casey and two other Marshals--one a man from her past--are forced on the run with the reporter, they'll do whatever it takes to protect their witness and make it out alive.

My Thoughts:
Talk about a complex storyline!  Have Mercy!  There are so many switch backs in this novel, the reader is almost dizzy trying to keep up! I was truly thankful that Casey and her team had the skills and the steel nerve to face so many duplicitous people and keep their heads enough to sort out who could be trusted and who was out to kill, steal and destroy!

There are some seriously evil folks in this novel!  I have to be honest, there was a point that my imagination had to REALLY stretch to imagine bad guys with such a complex reach throughout law enforcement.  To say there is some deep undercover work taking place is a gross understatement.  The fact that Casey Sloane has a moment to consider anything but the hot mess she lands in during her role of legal delivery of a federal witness is also a bit of a stretch.  But hey, love is a strange bed fellow at times, and her heart is just as easily tweaked by emotion as everyone else!

In short, all of Nany Mehl's characters are believable in their humanness and the reader will be able to pick a side and support their character of choice as the bullets fly!  This is a book that will keep you up nights, so I suggest taking it on vacation so you don't lose too much productivity!  Have a blast reading this novel!  I did!

About The Author:

Nancy Mehl (www.nancymehl.com) is the author of more than thirty books, including the Road to Kingdom, Finding Sanctuary, and Defenders of Justice series. She received the ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award in 2009. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their Puggle, Watson. She is part of The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.