God Loves You--He Always Has and Always Will by David Jeremiah

God Loves You—He Always Has and Always Will by David Jeremiah

Dr. Jeremiah recounts the many ways that the Bible shows God loves each one of us.  Although many of these are very basic, to review them is a powerful thing.  He includes examples from the Ten Commandments and the parable of the prodigal son, among others. 

This book is well-written, packed with many interesting illustrations.  It is a captivating book, because who wouldn’t want to believe down deep that God always has and always will love them?  Although Dr. Jeremiah quotes scripture to make some points, it is never preachy, but rather feels like the author is holding a conversation with the reader.

I would highly recommend this book to mature Christians and non-Christians alike.  Dr. Jeremiah has something valuable to say to both groups.  In short, it is a worthwhile book for everyone.

Five Miles South of Peculiar by Angela Hunt

 

Fifty-year old Darlene Caldwell, her twin Carlene and their younger sister Magnolia, find themselves under one roof again—at Sycamores, their childhood home and the aging estate of their grandfather.  Life together isn’t easy as Darly and Carly have secrets in their past to overcome while the clock is ticking down to the time when Sycamores will revert ownership to the county.  Darly, widowed, and Carly, recently retired from Broadway, along with Nolie, who has never left the estate, must learn to forgive each other free each other from past offenses.

Angela Hunt, one of my favorite authors because of her varied subjects and plots, deals with sin, love, forgiveness and second chances.  She peels back the layers in the story one at a time, allowing the reader greater understanding of the characters and the plot.  Despite this process, she keeps the reader’s attention and encourages the reader to examine his or her own past and its relevance to the present.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its characters.  I would recommend it highly.  The publisher provided my free copy and this is my honest review.

Running For My Life by Lopez Lomong

 

At a church service, six year old Lopez Lomong was torn from his parents, thrown into the back of a truck with other children and then forced to endure weeks of harsh captivity.  If he survived the deprivation of food and water his only choice was to become a child soldier in the Sudanese civil war.  Unbelievably, he is cared for by 3 “angels” as he calls them and is led in a dangerous escape into Kenya, where he is taken to a refugee camp with other “lost boys.”

Despite many hardships he perseveres and learns to live without his biological family.  As part of his daily routine, he runs and plays soccer, and attends school. In an unusual circumstance, he watches Michael Johnson win the 400-meter dash on a small black and white television during the 2000 Olympics and it changes Lopez’s life. He now dreams of being an Olympian. 

When he has the opportunity to come to the United States, Lopez is taken in by Rob and Barbara Rogers in New York.  His account of learning to live in the United States is very touching.  After seeing his natural ability in running they encourage him to pursue his dream.  The book spells out the rest of his story and how his dream comes true.

This is a story of faith, hope and perseverance.  Lopez has a refreshingly positive attitude and is a great role model for budding athletes.  I intend to watch his career and life to see what other amazing feats he will accomplish.  This book was given to me by Thomas Nelson and this is my honest review.    

Beauty to Die For by Kim Alexis and Mindy Starns Clark

Juliette Taylor is a retired super model with her own line of spa products.  On her way to a conference at a world famous spa she runs into Raven, a former co-worker and super model.  Raven, definitely a selfish diva, has the potential to make Juliette’s weekend miserable, but before that can happen Raven dies during a mud wrap.  Was it murder?  And if so, who would want to kill her and why?  While running the conference Juliette tries to piece together the facts of Raven’s death.  In doing so, she finds herself in danger, too.

This novel  definitely took place in a different setting than most novels that I have read.  It was an entertaining read.  The plot was not too much of a surprise.  It seemed a bit formulaic.  The characters were interesting as much as they were developed.  I found myself drawn more to Crystal, one of the supporting characters, rather than the main character Juliette.  I would hope that a future book might include more of Crystal’s story, as her character had more depth and facets than Juliette’s.  If you enjoy a murder mystery with a bit of romance in a unique setting, you would enjoy this book.  I am grateful to the publisher for the free e-book and this is my honest opinion. 

Brink of Chaos by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall

This is the third book  in the End Series featuring Joshua Jordan, an American hero.  He has fled the United States because of being falsely accused of treason.  He is the designer of the RTS defense system, which has made him welcome in Israel, but also hunted by Israel’s enemies.  His wife, Abby, is a high profile lawyer, trying her best to clear his name so that they may be together again.  She must work behind the scenes because she has refused to be tagged by the government and is on their list to be apprehended.  Also included in the story are their adult children, Deborah and Cal.  Joshua survives several attempts on his life and must make a difficult decision to sacrifice himself to save his family.

This book surprised me.  I was expecting another Left Behind series, and it did have some elements of that.  However, the writing was fast paced and kept me turning pages.  It has some interesting parallels to politics and world events today.  It made me think about possible end times scenarios and my response to them.  In short, it was a good, well-thought out story and had a satisfying, but surprise ending.

If you enjoyed the Left Behind series, but want something with a bit more relevance to today’s events, this book should satisfy you.  Even though it was the third in the series, I could easily follow the story line.  I think many readers will enjoy it like I did.  I appreciate receiving a free copy from the publisher and this is my honest review. 

Faith and Other Flat Tires by Andrea Palpant Dilley

I appreciated Andrea’s honesty in sharing her story.  As a parent, I found it very enlightening.  I was impressed by her upbringing and was glad that she said her departure from faith was not due to anything that her parents had or hadn’t done.  I was encouraged that God was big enough to work in her life despite her doubts and searching.  I would be able to recommend  this book to others looking for  honest answers to life’s questions.

I enjoyed  Andrea’s descriptive writing.  I appreciated the way she laid out the facts of her life without judging others and without giving inappropriate details.  Her book reminded me a bit of Donald Miller’s book, Blue Like Jazz.  Both of them chronicled their spiritual journeys in ways that non-Christians can relate.  I look forward to reading her future books.  Thank you, Zondervan, for the free copy.  I enjoyed it and this is my honest opinion.    

Double Blind by Brandilyn Collins

Lisa Newberry has been traumatized by life. She has experienced several miscarriages.   Her husband has died, she has been attacked and she can’t muster up the strength to face life.  An empowerment chip implanted in her brain offers her hope of a new tomorrow.  She undergoes the surgery and immediately feels better.  However, she begins having horrific nightmares or visions of a murder.  She is convinced that it is from the newly implanted chip.  She fears that it is a memory of a murder that has taken place.  But why does she have those memories and where have they come from?  Who is the woman she sees murdered?  Who is the murderer?   Though terrified, Lisa is determined to answer these questions.

Brandilyn Collins’ book is a real page-turner.   She keeps the plot moving along.  She develops the character of Lisa in a realistic manner and allows the reader to feel Lisa’s pain and fear.  She brings the story to a heart-pounding climax with an unexpected twist.  Then she resolves the story in a satisfactory manner.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others as a great summer read.  I appreciate the publisher for giving me  the free e-book and this is my honest review.