Book Review: Church Forsaken

Church Forsaken

Practicing Presence in Neglected Neighborhoods

by Jonathan Brooks

InterVarsity Press

Christian , Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date 06 Nov 2018

I am reviewing a copy of The Church Forsaken through InterVarsity Press and Netgalley:

The author of this book was raised in the Englewood Neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. When he was able to he left and moved as far away as he was able. But through a remarkable turn of events he found himself not only back in Englewood but also serving as a Pastor as well as a community leader.

In this book Jonathan Brooks challenges local churches means to rediscover that loving our neighborhoods.

Using the themes of Jeremiah 29, he shows how Christians can be completely present in local communities including doing things like building homes and planting community gardens.

I give The Church Forsaken five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

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Book Review: Christian Higher Education

Christian Higher Education

Faith, Teaching, and Learning in the Evangelical Tradition

by David S. Dockery and Christopher W. Morgan, eds.

Crossway

Christian , Professional & Technical

Pub Date 30 Nov 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Christian Higher Education from Crossway and Netgalley:

At one point in time almost all Higher Education was considered Christian Higher Education. Many institutions have drifted away from their Christian Heritage replacing it with a myriad of alternative world views. In this book 29 experts from a wide variety of disciplines work together to offer a renewed vision for the work of Christian Higher Education. They explain that the fundamental beliefs about God, knowledge, and humanity are distinctive parts in Christian education.

This book goes on to defend teaching Faith-Based science. It goes on too to talk about the impact of theology in such disciplines as Mathematics, and talks to about how Mathematics has an impact on ministry. It talks about the role of faith in the Social Sciences.

I give Christian Higher Education five out of five stars!

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Book Review: Let The Dead Keep Their Secrets

Let the Dead Keep Their Secrets

by Rosemary Simpson

Kensington Books

Kensington

Historical Fiction , Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 27 Nov 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Let the Dead Keep Their Secrets through Kensington Books and Netgalley:

Gilded Age New York Heiress Prudence MacKenzie and ex Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter investigate crimes that take them from the slums of five points in Lower Manhattan to the fifth Avenue mansions of the society’s elite. During the late nineteenth century women were quite vulnerable to crimes.

In the nineteenth Century childbirth can be dangerous even for the wealthy. So when Opera Singer Claire Buchanan shows Prudence and Geoffrey a Post Morten Cabinet photograph of her dead sister and her New Born Niece, they are sad but not surprised. The popular black bordered portraits are the eras way of coping with the devastating losses that plague every family. What makes this death different is Claire believes Prudence’s sister Catherine and her baby were victims of murder.

Prudence’s friend feels that Prudence’s Twin Sister’s lingering presence is showing that she is demanding justice. Catherine’s widower a man named Aaron Sorensen, is a cold, controlling man who quickly remarried after his wife’s death now his new wife is pregnant could she be in terrible danger? Geoffrey will delve into the past while Prudence Casts herself as the next victim putting her own life in danger.

I give Let The Dead Keep Their Secrets five out of five stars!

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Book Review: A Moment in Crime

A Moment in Crime

A Santa Fe Revival Mystery

by Amanda Allen

Crooked Lane Books

Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 21 Dec 2018

I am reviewing a copy of A Moment in Crime through Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley:

The murder of a famous Jazz aged Film director unearths a hornets nest of passion, duplicity, and naked ambition, and bitter revenge.

The Golden age of cinema has begun. Santa Fe is in the grip of movie fever when Luther Bishop arrives for the filming of his new Cowboy Film. Maddie Vaughn-Alwin’s cousin Gwen Astor is in town with a small part in the movie. Unfortunately Gwen finds herself caught in a whirlwind of Mischief before the filming even starts. The plot thickens when the director is found hanging in his office!

Soon it comes to light that Gwen was having an affair with Luther, leaving Gwen as the prime suspect in his murder much to Maddie’s dismay . But Maddie knows that Gwen was not the only one who he had an affair with. He’s made his fair share of enemies. Luther’s widowed Wife Bridget finally takes her late husbands coveted directors chair meanwhile head of wardrobe Lorelei Fontaine is denied a role that Luther had promised her. Original leading man Harry Kelly was fired by Luther just as they arrived in Santa Fe.

Desperate to prove her cousin Gwen’s innocence Maddie begins an investigation of her own but every clue reveals a new motive. Can Maddie prove her cousin’s innocence.

I give A Moment in Crime five out of five stars!

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Book Review: Indivisible

Indivisible

A Novelization

by Travis Thrasher

Thomas Nelson–FICTION

Thomas Nelson

Christian , General Fiction (Adult)

Pub Date 23 Oct 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Indivisible through Thomas Nelson-Fiction and Netgalley:

When Darren Turner is deployed to Iraq as an army Chaplain his wife Heather vows to help serve military families back home where she cares for their three young children.

Darren realizes he is overseas to support the troops in their suffering as a Chaplain. What he is not sure of is how he is going to get through his darkest moments. As time goes on Darren communicates less with Heather leaving her to wonder what’s happening to his heart. As time goes on she To grows weary of day to day life of the Military base- thinking of all there children’s milestones Darren will never see, each morning waiting for orders, every night waiting for that knock on the door.

When Darren returns he has changed. Darren is no longer the husband she once knew and she has changed too she’s no longer the woman that he wed. Now that he’s at home the Turners face their most difficult battle, the one to save their wedding.

I give Indivisible five out of five stars!

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Book Review: The Widow Next Door

The Widow Next Door

The most chilling of new crime thriller books that you will read in 2018

by L.A. Detwiler

Avon Books UK

Avon

General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 12 Nov 2018

Jane and Alex Clarke are newlyweds when they move into what seems like the perfect house on the quaint Bristol Lane. The couple is excited to start their new life in their forever home.

When an elderly neighbor brings them a pie to welcome them, she soon becomes a friend. She grows a little too interested in the couple next door as she sits watching them day in and day out, from the rocking chair in her window.

Alex tells Jane it will be fine, but what will Jane find when she’s invited into her house!

I give The Widow Next Door five out of five stars!

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Book Review: Stratagem

Stratagem

by Robin Caroll

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Shiloh Run Press

Christian , General Fiction (Adult)

Pub Date 01 Nov 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Stratagem through Barbour Publishing and Netgalley:

Psychologist Grayson Thibodeaux works in the deep underbelly of New Orleans. He loses everything when his life leaves him so she can climb her companies corporate ladder. So he buries himself in his job of creating mind bending adventure games for businesses as team building explorations.

Once his ex wife’s company hires him he is not sure things could get any worse, until she dies during the game and he realize they could in fact get much worse, when he finds himself as the prime suspect of her murder!

I give Stratagem five out of five stars!

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Book Review: What You Hide

What You Hide

by Natalie D. Richards

SOURCEBOOKS Fire

Sourcebooks Fire

Teens & YA

Pub Date 04 Dec 2018

I am reviewing a copy of What You Hide through Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley:

Mallory left home out of necessity because it was not a safe place for her to stay. She ends up sleeping at her best friends house and spending the rest of the time at the library doing her online schooling as well as trying to figure out what comes next. She refuses to live in fear the way her Mother did.

Spencer volunteers at the library, community service for a stunt he pulled but he likes the work he does there, and it allows him to escape the pressure his parents pressure to excel at school at ice hockey at everything especially after he meets Mallory.

When there is a tragic death at the library, suddenly what was once a sanctuary turns sinister. Ghostly footprints, strange scratching sounds and scrawled messages on bulletin boards and walls. Mallory and Spencer don’t know who or what is responsible but what they do know is they are not alone or as safe as they once thought they were.

I give What You Hide five out of five stars!

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Book Review: Firsts: Coming of Age Stories by People with Disabilities

Firsts: Coming of Age Stories by People with Disabilities

by Belo Miguel Cipriani

Oleb Books

Biographies & Memoirs

Pub Date 01 Oct 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Firsts: Coming of Age Stories by People With Disabilities.

There were parts of this book I loved and parts I certainly could have done without. The stories in this book deal with first adventures, first heartbreaks as well as the first time the unexpected comes into your life.

This book collects the most thought provoking a nd exciting stories about those with disabilities.

I give Firsts Three out of five stars

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Book Review: Fatal Promise

Fatal Promise (Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Book 9)

by Angela Marsons

Bookouture

Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 19 Oct 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Fatal Promise through Bookouture and Netgalley:

Only the killer knows who the next victim will be.

After the discovery of a brutally murdered man Detective Kim stone is shocked to discovered the Doctor they discovered is Gordon Cardell a man who was linked to an earlier case she worked on involving the death of a school girl. Gordon has a checkered path but Detective Stone does not know anyone who wants him dead.

When the investigation gets underway Gordon’s son is involved in a horrible car crash that leaves him fighting for his life. Kim is certain that the accident was no accident that it was intentional.

A woman’s body is found dead, under suspicious circumstances and while on the case case Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russell’s Hall Hospital. This is the same hospital where Gordon worked.

While still grieving the loss of one of their own the team is at its weakest and yet have to face the most dangerous serial killer of their career. Will Kim be able to keep her squad together and capture the serial killer before he strikes again.

I give Fatal Promise four out of five stars!

Happy Reading!