Wednesday

A Message To Deliver by Jeremiah Peters

MY REVIEW

There are many who love this book. Love the characters, love the premise, love the plot line and its simplicity. Love the interactions between good (Melissa) and evil (demon/co-worker).

I had trouble getting into the story because naiveté does not have to be dumb or ADHD, which is how Melissa's character reads to me.

I think this would be an excellent book for younger readers, especially because of the way the sensitive subject (abortion) was handled. However, I was frustrated with the Melissa at first, and was too grateful that she "wised up" quickly. She is not stupid because she has great reasoning skills.

I have a problem with the theology that a human can come back to earth to give a message, which is an angel's job. If this had been an angel on a mission to deliver the message, then I would have enjoyed it a lot more, I think. I could have set aside the adjustments to earthly life from Heavenly life as good reading instead of frustration. There was no explanation for the human coming instead of an angel. One little sentence of explanation would have settled my discomfort. Maybe, I'm being too picky, and maybe you won't be that picky. But to each his own, and I prefer my fiction be a bit more theologically correct even if it is spec fiction.

 2 stars of 5 stars because of those things I've listed above.

ABOUT THE BOOK 


Melissa is on a mission from God. With no memories of her life on Earth, she is immersed in a foreign world, far different from her home in the paradise of Heaven. As Melissa struggles to discover the intended recipient of God's message, she simply tells everyone she meets the good news of God's love.
Her new friend Todd Simmons blames abortion providers for the death of his mother. When an abortion clinic opens in the neighborhood, Todd starts down the path of vigilante revenge.
As Melissa battles the influence of demonic forces, will she be able to save Todd and deliver God's message or will the dark truth of her past lead her to abandon her mission?

The Healer's Touch by Lori Copeland

MY REVIEW

Normally I can really get into a Lori Copeland novel. She is such a great writer, and does fantastic research. You get a good feel for the era of the novel, and her characters are very well developed.

This novel is no exception. Except... I had a lot of trouble with the characters. I really have no patience for stupidity. Not that the characters were stupid, but the way the two sister were developed made me want to scream with frustration. It was giving me so much stress, I had to quit reading the book.

I did love Ian a.k.a. Joseph. The patience he exhibited is extraordinary. I would not have had such patience... did not have it because I had to quit reading it.

Giving Copeland credit, she absolutely did give excellent reasons for the silly thought processes of her characters. The build up to a confrontation is quite humorous, too. This is a great study of how prejudice infiltrates and spreads through gossip and intolerant bull-headedness.

It is well-written, with good, quality premise, and believable characters. Just because I had no patience for Lyric and Lark, doesn't mean you won't enjoy the story.

I give it 4 of 5 stars. I liked the premise very much, and I liked one character very much. I had great sympathy for the loneliness that Lyric felt. The plot unfolded at a good pace. It was just the tactics for character development that I had no patience for.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lyric Bolton doesn’t ask for much—just friendship and acceptance from her rural Missouri community. But her family is regarded with suspicion and fear because of her mother’s sickness—a sickness of the mind that grows worse by the day. Lyric is resigned to a life of isolation and doesn’t see any way out…but that’s before Ian Cawley bolts into her life on a runaway stallion.
As she opens her heart to Ian, Lyric dares to imagine a different life. But what will happen when he discovers the secret she holds closest of all?

Monday

The City by Dean Koontz

MY REVIEW

I can hear a lot of you saying, "But Koontz is not a Christian fiction writer!"

You are correct. But I really like the way Koontz writes so I asked to review this book and the publisher graciously gave me permission.

This is not typical Koontz. You know everything will be okay in the end because the beginning is actually the end. The City reminds me a lot of The Prayer of Owen Meany. I really liked that novel, too. 

You are quickly whisked back to last century (around the 60s) to the life of one nine-year-old boy called Jonah Kirk who has eight or nine names of famous black musicians between the Jonah and the Kirk. Add a good-for-nothing father and a wonderful Christian mother set in an apartment house in the middle of a big city (Chicago, I think, it really is not important which city). Then stir in some truly evil people that have zero feeling for the sanctity of life, a wonderful Japanese neighbor who is struggling with his own demon, and you have the perfect mix for a great literature reading experience.

[Spoiler Alert!] There are numerous religious connotations in this novel. I was a tad disappointed in Miss Pearl at the end. I think Koontz tried to bring in some whiffs of his old time novels with how this character acted in the climax. There could have been some truly remarkable insights that Jonah could have shared during this part, but that opportunity was sadly missed. I hope Koontz gains a lot more courage in his later works. It is not wimpy or craven to own up to one's Christian beliefs... then, again, maybe he did own up and he really believes all that about Miss Pearl being The City. If so, I missed the allegory's true meaning. [End Spoiler Alert!]

Pay attention to that key word: literary. This is very similar to the old timey novels of yesteryear where the reader gets a lot of description that makes you feel the heat, the chilling rain, the taste of the ice cream and hot dogs. You are taken for an in depth tour of some of the most chilling villains, but it is not like a jerky head jumping ride. The transitions are smooth and extremely expert. This is more a psychological thriller than one of Koontz's monster fear factors of his early career. Unlike a lot of today's fair, you actually want to read to the very last word. The ride is very satisfying.

The book will hit bookstores on July 1st. Get in line!

Five of five stars. I was tempted to give it four stars because of one segment in the climax, but the book overall deserves five stars. You'll pay a lot of money for the hardback version, but it is worth every penny. The book is a keeper.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The city changed my life and showed me that the world is deeply mysterious. I need to tell you about her and some terrible things and wonderful things and amazing things that happened . . . and how I am still haunted by them. Including one night when I died and woke and lived again.

Here is the riveting, soul-stirring story of Jonah Kirk, son of an exceptional singer, grandson of a formidable “piano man,” a musical prodigy beginning to explore his own gifts when he crosses a group of extremely dangerous people, with shattering consequences. Set in a more innocent time not so long ago, The City encompasses a lifetime but unfolds over three extraordinary, heart-racing years of tribulation and triumph, in which Jonah first grasps the electrifying power of music and art, of enduring friendship, of everyday heroes.

The unforgettable saga of a young man coming of age within a remarkable family, and a shimmering portrait of the world that shaped him, The City is a novel that speaks to everyone, a dazzling realization of the evergreen dreams we all share. Brilliantly illumined by magic dark and light, it’s a place where enchantment and malice entwine, courage and honor are found in the most unexpected quarters, and the way forward lies buried deep inside the heart.

Acclaim for Dean Koontz

“A rarity among bestselling writers, Koontz continues to pursue new ways of telling stories, never content with repeating himself.”—Chicago Sun-Times

“Tumbling, hallucinogenic prose. ‘Serious’ writers . . . might do well to examine his technique.”—The New York Times Book Review

“[Koontz] has always had near-Dickensian powers of description, and an ability to yank us from one page to the next that few novelists can match.”—Los Angeles Times

“Koontz is a superb plotter and wordsmith. He chronicles the hopes and fears of our time in broad strokes and fine detail, using popular fiction to explore the human condition.”—USA Today

Wednesday

Review: The Grand Sophy


The Grand Sophy
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This is one of my favorite Heyer novels.

I fell in love with Georgette Heyer's novels when I was a teenager when I was spending my entire allowance (except for my tithe) on books. Heyer is well known for her humorous scenes in her books, and this one is no exception.

You can never go wrong with a Heyer novel except one and that was Charity Girl.

If you are looking for an excellent premise, a good plot line and story flow with well-developed characters, then read this book. Light, entertaining, and excellent escape from mundane life material.



View all my reviews

Monday

Deliver Us From Evil by Don Basham

MY REVIEW

I disagree that demons can actually inhabit a Christian, which Basham seems to be saying. However, I do know that demons can oppress true believers because of sin, because they allow that kind of persecution from the demonic realm. Satan will take and use any means to ruin a believer's witness. When a Christian allows such inroads, then trouble follows.

This book should be a must read for any church body. Basham gently, but inexorably outlines how Christians deceive themselves and other members of the body. Then he exposes how Satan uses such to encroach upon our peace of mind that is our right because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Just as God deals with each of us individually, so does Satan and his minions. This book unlocks those so called secrets, and shines a bright light upon the workings of the demonic realm.

Buy the book, read it, pass it along to your sisters and brothers in Christ, teach a class on it. The body of Christ is sick with unbelief, and we need this kind of knowledge to make her well, and strong, and flourishing within the power of God so that others will see the light and come to Christ. Amen!

5 of 5 stars.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Are Christians at risk of demonic invasion?
Absolutely not, thought Pastor Don Basham when another pastor suggested evil influences might be causing turmoil in his church and failures in his ministry. But after more troubling and perplexing problems, Basham began to discover he was wrong.
In this page-turning account, Basham chronicles his reluctant journey from disbelief to acceptance in the existence of demonic spirits. More than a story, he imparts what he discovered about demons, the difference between infestation and possession, and how to engage in spiritual warfare. He also describes the biblical tools that bring about deliverance from demonic influence.
Through this moving story, you will learn how to recognize the presence of evil spirits, pray for deliverance and protect against demonic invasion. It’s never too late. You can find the freedom and healing you need—and be an agent of deliverance to others.

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