The Constantine Codex by Paul L. Maier

MY REVIEW

This story starts out with a huge bang, suspenseful and intriguing. While the storyline is compelling and keeps you turning pages, the plot depends upon this "lost" books of the bible: II Acts and the "rest" of Mark. For any plot to work, it must be plausible.

Where these archaeologists found these extra books doesn't make sense to me. When the Council of the Nicene convened they had so many manuscripts to choose from that make up what we know as The Holy Bible canon. I just can't wrap my head around the idea that  some obscure church somewhere would  have a part of a manuscript written by Luke that didn't make it into the Bible. I would be more apt to believe part of Jeremiah was left out since it is not written in chronological order.

Setting those problems aside...

The book is well-written with good character development. The professor does have a weird sense of humor (the kind I like), but it shows up in inopportune moments (also what I like). But sometimes the humor falls flat because timing is everything with humor. When one becomes used to jokes at the wrong time, they aren't funny anymore. I especially did not like the joke he played on his wife who is afraid of heights. It was cruel and any man who loves his wife and knows her fears is a cad extraordinaire for jokes that feed those fears. I lost interest in the story after that and only read enough to do this review. I thought for sure this would be an excellent book, but instead I found it lacking in finesse and plausibility.

This one gets 2 stars out of 5

ABOUT THE BOOK
Harvard Professor Jonathan Weber is finally enjoying a season of peace when a shocking discovery thrusts him into the national spotlight once again. While touring monasteries in Greece, Jon and his wife Shannon—a seasoned archaeologist—uncover an ancient biblical manuscript containing the lost ending of Mark and an additional book of the Bible. If proven authentic, the codex could forever change the way the world views the holy Word of God. As Jon and Shannon work to validate their find, it soon becomes clear that there are powerful forces who don’t want the codex to go public. When it’s stolen en route to America, Jon and Shannon are swept into a deadly race to find the manuscript and confirm its authenticity before it’s lost forever.

Hunter's Moon by Don Hoesel

This novel is by the same author who wrote Elisha's Bones which I loved. So I settled into this one fully expecting something, if not like it, at least as well defined. It is not.


I had to let this one sit for a couple of days before I could write this review. This is a psychological thriller and frankly, it is not a light read. In some ways that is a good thing, in other's not so good because it gets deeply reflective so that you are not sure what the story is about or where it is going.


There are a lot of readers who like that kind of suspense in a novel. I prefer storyline suspense. Keeping the reader in suspense while all the characters know what's going on is not a tactic that I have a lot of patience with. Once I found out what CJ Baxter's brother was capable of, I could finally settle into the read because I knew where it was going. You may not have that problem at all. 


We get a clue when brother Graham sucker punches CJ during a little basketball one-on-one at Grandfather Sal's funeral. The little blurb that shares a CJ memory of a so-called hunting accident happens many pages later. This is when the story should take off like a rocket blast, but it doesn't. We must meander around reminiscing about the younger years of CJ, meet his mom and find out how rotten his dad was to her and her revenge. Which all ties together when we find out what really happened long ago and why CJ just can't seem to connect with Dad and Brother Graham. 


The climax is the best part of the story (isn't that the way it is supposed to be?) but it isn't just one eye-popping moment. We've got several in a row which keeps the pages turning and the midnight oil burning. It's a keeper.

Don Hoesel is a Web site designer for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction inRelief Journal. He lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.Elisha's Bones is his first novel.

According to Their Deeds by Paul Robertson

Paul Robertson has created the most charming characters in Charles and Dorothy Beale, and don't forget the formidable Angelo. This is quite possibly the best novel of the year. I could not put it down and even though I had to be up early, I read deep into the night. I loved it! I want more of it!

Robertson is an expert wordsmith. His play on words, sophisticated puns, and corny puns keep this murder mystery moving at a very fast pace. There is not one yawning page in the whole book. These days, that is quite an achievement. One of my favorites is this line: "He was a teapot of a man, short and stout..." and there was something about him coming steaming and whistling into the room, but I've forgotten the exact wording so I won't butcher the quote here.

Let's talk about Charles for a moment. He is a rare book store owner and drops $27,000 on 13 books at an auction without the least drop of sweat. Nevertheless, the running of this most amazing book store does not plug the storyline flow. Anytime he breezes in or out of the store, he asks his faithful sales clerk, Alice, what did we sell this morning? They always have sold something and it is amazing how it has something to do with what is going on. Fascinating. Charles is also a most wonderful romantic. He celebrates with his wife, Dorothy, by handing her one book at a time and the title of it recalls a moment of their life together. It is blissfully charming.

Robertson has an excellent command of suspense as well. He plays the story out in a satisfying way; we learn as Charles learns, we are mortified when Charles is mortified, we are joyful when Charles is joyful. However, the very end is a pleasant surprise, not jolting, not discovered long before the last page. The story is enhanced by the ending, not stretched into impatience or yawning boredom. Robertson gives the reader just enough to figure it out just before it is revealed who is behind all the turmoil and murder so the reader feels a great deal of satisfaction. If it had been done any other way, it would not have matched the pace and charm of the story.

Only one thing that mars this delicious experience and that is the conversations between Charles and the dead man. Some of it lends quite well to the story and some of it bogs it down. It is a most highbrow discussion and if you want more insight into the murdered man and why he was murdered, then you can study those conversations if you like that sort of thing. Or... you can skip through them. I did both and it did not subtract from the enjoyment or the understanding.

Simply put, job very well done, Paul Robertson. I want more of this fare!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
According To Their Deeds
Bethany House (March 1, 2009)
by
Paul Robertson


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and the author of The Heir. He is also a former Christian bookstore owner (for 15 years), who lives with his family in Blacksburg, Virginia.



ABOUT THE BOOK

A Deadly Game of Justice Versus Mercy Charles Beale lives outside the shadow of Washington, D.C. Politics and power matter only when a client crosses the Potomac to visit his Alexandria Rare Books shop.

But that all changes when a former client--a man deeply connected in the Justice Department--is found murdered after a break-in gone bad. When Charles reclaims at auction the books he'd once sold, he quickly discovers he's bought more trouble than he could have ever imagined.

Inside one volume are secrets. A collection of sins that, if revealed, could destroy reputations, careers--even lives. Charles soon learns he isn't the only who knows. Going to the police means ruining a multitude of lives. But staying silent puts a target on his shop, his wife--and himself. Charles must decide: Should one mistake really cost you everything?

If you would like to read the first chapter of According To Their Deeds, go HERE

The Real Enemy

This is a real soap opera and all the drama that goes with it. I want to say one good thing about this book... It is interesting for the most part, and it did keep me reading.

However, I would just LOVE it if authors would realize that their readers are NOT dumb idiots who have to be reminded every 20 pages what the plot is and why we should keep reading. This one goes to the extreme on that. Perhaps, there are lots of readers out there who read v-e-r-y, v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y and must be reminded why they are reading this book. However, those who I pal around with who always have a book in their hand or their tote bag, who pick up the current book while waiting on anything or even sitting on the toilet do not need to be reminded what the plot is.

This book would have been so much better without the Prologue. I have read several books lately that spoil the plot by giving such broad clues in the prologue, that I really do not need to read the book. Having a prologue is supposed to bring intrigue and whet the appetite, not spill the beans. For the first half of this novel, the protagonist--one Brilliant Jessup, Police Chief of a small town in Tennessee. Of course, she's called Brill and it is a nickname--is faced with two crimes which the prologue actually reveals as one large crime.

Then we have the subplot that Brill's husband had a one-night stand and we deal with her anger and his remorse throughout the book. To have several subplots is what makes this a soap opera. If you like that kind of thing, then this book is for you.

Kathy Herman has written 14 books. I'm thinking that is where my critique is coming from. I expected so much more from a veteran like this, which is why I'm being so harsh. I really don't mean to be so harsh, but I was disappointed.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Real Enemy
David C. Cook (March 2009)
by
Kathy Herman


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suspense novelist Kathy Herman is very much at home in the Christian book industry, having worked five years on staff at the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and eleven years at Better Books Christian Center in Tyler, Texas, as product buyer/manager for the children’s department, and eventually as director of human resources.

She has conducted numerous educational seminars on children’s books at CBA Conventions in the U.S. and Canada, served a preliminary judge for the Gold Medallion Book Awards of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association , and worked as an independent product/marketing consultant to the CBA market.

Since her first novel, Tested by Fire, debuted in 2001 as a CBA national bestseller, she's added thirteen more titles to her credit, including another bestseller, All Things Hidden.

Kathy's husband Paul is her best friend and most ardent supporter and manages the LifeWay Christian Store in Tyler, Texas. They have three grown children, five adorable grandkids, a cat named Samantha—and an ongoing fascination with hummingbirds. They also enjoy world travel, deep sea fishing, stargazing, and bird watching and sometimes incorporate all these hobbies into one big adventure.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Brill Jessup just became the first female police chief in Sophie Trace, Tennessee, and is riding on the credentials of a stellar eighteen-year career on the Memphis police force. She may be a pro at finding clues, but she tends to ignore the obvious in her personal life. And she would rather work than deal with the bitterness she feels about her husband Kurt's infidelity. Kurt, is weighed down by her unrelenting anger as he struggles to let God redeem the stupidest mistake he ever made. He is genuinely contrite and making every effort to show his commitment to Brill. But she hides behind her badge and her bitterness, deciding that moving her family away from Memphis is the only change she needs to make. So why can't Brill get over this anger?

Before she ever has time to unpack her boxes, people start disappearing. Lots of them. Seven people in seven days To complicate matters, a local legend has many residents believing that the cause is unearthly─tied to the “red shadows,” or spirits of the departed Cherokee who once inhabited the land.

While Brill draws on all of her experience and instinct to solve the case, she must confront an enemy that threatens everything she holds dear─one that cannot be stopped with a badge and a gun. She is forced to confront the real enemy.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Real Enemy, go HERE

Kiss

I guess the last read as great as this one was Robert Lipulo's Deadfall.

Kiss has all the elements of great suspense. A most excellent confusion at the very beginning and wonder at how it would eventually tie in, then it did tie in and in the very next chapter. The investigating, the agony of delibert cruelty, the debilitating effect of memory loss, the intriguing exploration of a new seventh sense and the chilling reminder that researchers can be so caught up in science humans become dehumanized for the sake of the result.

This is a keeper, I highly recommend it.

The characters are very well done, the protag is charming and fiesty with an excellent dose of a fiery temper. An excellent combination when a person wants to excavate the truth from deception. This is well worth the money.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
KISS
Thomas Nelson (January 6, 2009)
by
Ted Dekker
and
Erin Healy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ted is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.

After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.

Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. Dekker's body of work encompassing seven mysteries, three thrillers and ten fantasies includes Heaven's Wager, When Heaven Weeps, Thunder of Heaven, Blessed Child, A Man Called Blessed, Blink, Thr3e, The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White), Obsessed, Renegade, and Chaos.

*******************
Erin Healy is an award-winning fiction editor who has worked with talented novelists such as James Scott Bell, Melody Carlson, Colleen Coble, Brandilyn Collins, L. B. Graham, Rene Gutteridge, Michelle McKinney Hammond, Robin Lee Hatcher, Denise Hildreth, Denise Hunter, Randy Ingermanson, Jane Kirkpatrick, Gilbert Morris, Frank Peretti, Lisa Samson, Randy Singer, Robert Whitlow, and many others.

She began working with Ted Dekker in 2002 and edited twelve of his heart-pounding storiesbefore their collaboration on Kiss, the first novel to seat her on "the other side of the desk."

Erin is the owner of WordWright Editorial Services, a Colorado-based consulting firm specializing in fiction book development. She and her husband, Tim, are the proud parents of two children

ABOUT THE BOOK

Let me tell you all I know for sure. My name. Shauna.
I woke up in a hospital bed missing six months of my memory. In the room was my loving boyfriend-how could I have forgotten him?-my uncle and my abusive stepmother. Everyone blames me for the tragic car accident that left me near death and my dear brother brain damaged. But what they say can't be true-can it?

I believe the medicine is doing strange things to my memory. I'm unsure who I can trust and who I should run from. And I'm starting to remember things I've never known. Things not about me. I think I'm going crazy.

And even worse, I think they want to kill me.

But who? And for what? Is dying for the truth really better than living with a lie?

Sometimes dying with the truth is better than living with a lie.

After a car accident puts Shauna McAllister in a coma and wipes out six months of her memory, she returns to her childhood home to recover, but her arrival is fraught with confusion.

Her estranged father, a senator bidding on the White House, and her abusive stepmother blame Shauna for the tragedy, which has left her beloved brother severely brain damaged. Leaning on Wayne Spade, a forgotten but hopeful lover who stays by her side, Shauna tries to sort out what happened that night by jarring her memory to life. Instead, she acquires a mysterious mental ability that will either lead her to truth or get her killed by the people trying to hide it.

In this blind game of cat and mouse that stares even the darkest memories in the face, Shauna is sure of only one thing: if she remembers, she dies.

If you would like to read the first chapter of KISS, go HERE

Watch the Video Trailer




What people are saying about KISS:

“The human brain could actually be the real final frontier—we know so little about it and yet it drives the world as we know it. So when authors like Erin and Ted bravely explore these mysterious regions, going into complex places like memory and soul and relationships, I become hooked. The creativity of this suspenseful story is sure to hook other readers as well. Very memorable!”
~Melody Carlson, author of Finding Alice and The Other Side of Darkness

“Dekker and Healy prove a winning team in this intriguing, imaginative thriller.”
~James Scott Bell, bestselling author of Try Darkness

“Kiss by Erin Healy and Ted Dekker is a superb thriller that hooked me from the first sentence. The original plot kept me guessing, and I may never look at a kiss the same way again. I’ll be watching for the next book!”
~Colleen Coble, author of Cry in the Night

“The writing team of Erin Healy and Ted Dekker has taken me through a page-turner with Kiss. It’s one of those books that you think about when you’re not reading it. I highly recommend it, especially if you don’t mind staying up late because you can’t put the book down!”
~Rene Gutteridge, author of Skid and My Life As a Doormat

Try Darkness

I am in love with a character in a book.

Ty Buchanan is not only brilliant, but he's human and he has a soft spot in his heart for a little six year old girl. Take a look at where he lives... with nuns at a convent. Not your typical convent, either. His neighbor is a priest who was falsely accused of abusing children and the Catholic church leaders wanted to shove him out of the way so they put him at this convent. Then there's Sister Mary, who has the sharpest elbows and a truly wonderful heart and a smart-alec mouth who also plays a mean game of basketball. Add two full cups of Sister Hildegard who does not seem to have a Christian heart at all, and you've got the ingredients for a masterful series.

James Scott Bell is literally in a class all his own. This series leaves you very satisfied, but also eager for the next offering. You can pick up this book independently of his first book, "Try Dying", but why miss out on another wonderful experience?

I highly recommend you start "Try Darkness" in the ver early evening, or maybe on a Saturday morning because you can't put it down. It's that good. It was extremely satisfying. There are none of the editing mistakes I've found in other books. There were none of the mistakes so often made by young authors that completely ruin the storyline flow, and no wonder because BEll is very experienced. Plus, there were a few really excellent turns of phrases that either make you smile or laugh out loud. It's a pleasure to tell you to run to the stores and pick up this book. There have been only a very few books that I've read in this Blog Tour thing that I've wanted to add to my own library. This one and "Try Dying" are two that have found spots on my shelves. I love finding Keepers.

If you would like to read chapters 1 & 2, go HERE


JAMES SCOTT BELL is a former trial lawyer who now writes full time. He has also been the fiction columnist for Writers Digest magazine and adjunct professor of writing at Pepperdine University.The national bestselling author of several novels of suspense, he grew up and still lives in Los Angeles. His first Buchanan thriller, TRY DYING, was released to high critical praise, while his book on writing, Plot and Structure is one of the most popular writing books available today.

House of Dark Shadows and Watcher in the Woods

Let me just say that I really love Bob Liparulo. He is such a sweetie and has such a love for the LORD. That being said, I have to be honest about this Dreamhouse Kings series.

I have mixed emotions about this fantasy series. What a great thing to be able to walk into a different world or to go to the squeeky-voice meadow to forget about the deepest troubles if only for just a little while. On the other hand, it isn't a solution. On the other hand, I know that kids don't confuse fantasy with reality unless they have a huge, quadruple dose of imagination. So, that being said...

These stories are gripping. They are written from a child's perspective, but with adult suspense. I was briefly reminded of To Kill A Mockingbird, but only briefly because the stories are not at all parallel, nor are they the same genre. But, writing a story from a child's perspective is not as easy as it may seem. You've got to get into the child's head and think like a child, but communicate on a level that has sufficient interest for young adults, but not leave behind the 12 year olds. This comes from a person who devoured Gone With The Wind when she was at the tender age of 13. Are you aware that most authors write at about a fourth grade level? Shocking, I know, but true.

Liparulo's stories are gritty and somewhat older than advertised because of the violence and subject matter. He leaves a lot to the imagination, and my imagination can sure run a marathon. I love that about Liparulo's stories. I think what he does not say is the most frightening. I love that, too. So often these days, authors (both Christian and secular) want that graphic, gut-spilling verbage that spells everything out, leaving nothing to the imagination. Where is the fun in complete nudity when tantalizing peeks at the trim ankle can stir the blood so much? Okay, so I was born in the wrong century... But, you do get my drift, right?

Without further ado... on to the sneak peek...

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing a double pair

House of Dark Shadows
and
Watcher In The Woods
(Books 1 and 2 in the Dreamhouse Kings Series)
Thomas Nelson (May 6, 2008)
by
Robert Liparulo


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly.

Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children.

Robert's first novel painted a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A Horseman, is being made into a major motion picture by producer Mace Neufeld and his short story "Kill Zone" was featured in the anthology Thriller, edited by James Patterson.

Bob has sold the film rights to his second book, GERM. And he is writing the screenplay for a yet-to-be-written political thriller, which sold to Phoenix Pictures, for Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, The Guardian) to direct!

And his third book Deadfall. debuted to rave reviews!

ABOUT THE BOOKS

House of Dark Shadows
(Dreamhouse Kings Book 1)
Dream house...or bad dream?
When the Kings move from L.A. to a secluded small town, fifteen-year-old Xander is beyond disappointed. He and his friends loved to create amateur films . . . but the tiny town of Pinedale is the last place a movie buff and future filmmaker wants to land.

But he, David, and Toria are captivated by the many rooms in the old Victorian fixer-upper they moved into--as well as the heavy woods surrounding the house.

They soon discover there's something odd about the house. Sounds come from the wrong directions. Prints of giant, bare feet appear in the dust. And when David tries to hide in the linen closet, he winds up in locker 119 at his new school.

Then the really weird stuff kicks in: they find a hidden hallway with portals leading off to far-off places--in long-ago times. Xander is starting to wonder if this kind of travel is a teen's dream come true . . . or his worst nightmare.

Watcher In The Woods
(Dreamhouse Kings Book 2)
It's not just the house that's keeping secrets.
Pretending everything's all right is harder than it sounds. But the Kings know that even if they told the truth about the bizarre things happening in their house, no one would believe them. They're hyper-focused on rescuing their lost family member before anyone finds out what's going on.

But when a stranger shows up to take their house, their options start dwindling fast. Why would he be so interested in a run-down old place? And what secret is he hiding--just as he hides the scars that crisscross his body?

The mystery gets stranger with each passing day. Will the Kings be able to find a way to harness the house's secrets and discover who is watching their every move before another gets snatched into an unknown world?

The Dreamhouse Kings Series has three contests that you will not want to miss...Dream the Scene, a weekly "Thanks For Reading Trivia contest, and the Dreamhouse Kings Street Team contest. There are also free bookplates that you can request, and a chapter of each book that you can download!

You can get all those goodies HERE.

Betrayed

A thriller with international tones describes Betrayed. It starts out rather slow, but it quickly builds to a "who can you trust" type of story.

The storyline is very good, but the delievery is not as edge-of-your-seat as it promised.

I particularly liked the background story - Vicki finding out who her parents were and stumbling into someone who knew and loved them. I didn't understand, though, why we didn't find out right away that Holly was her sister. Holding back that information didn't add to the story at all, especially when it's revealed in the next chapter. That made it feel contrived.

Other than that, it was quite frightening because it felt so real. In fact, we're told that the author, Jeanette Windle was the child of missionaries in Colombia. I'm sure this is why the story feels so real. Then her research and writing is so realistic that it prompted the government agencies to question her if she'd received any classified information.

It isn't searing suspense, but it is an enjoyable read.

The Minor Protection Act

The premise of this book is incredibly chilling. I can see the beginnings of a net just like Jodi depicts in this book. I doubt it could go as far as Jodi depicts it. I did like this book. I especially liked the deeply embedded faith aspects of it and the correlation to Paul. It is worthy.



It is December 1st, time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter!

This month's feature author is:

JODI COWLES

and her book:

The Minor Protection Act
Musterion (December 1, 2005)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jodi Cowles caught the travel bug when her parents took her on her first international flight at six months of age. Since then she’s been in over 30 countries. Along the way she’s gotten locked out of her cabin on an all night train to Kiev, helped deliver a baby in Indonesia, taught English in South Korea, gone spelunking in Guam, hiked the Golan Heights and laid bricks in Zimbabwe. Her interest in politics stems from hunting Easter eggs on the south lawn of the White House as a child. For her 30th birthday she ran the LA Marathon and promised to get serious about publishing. Jodi resides in Boise, Idaho and this is her first novel.


AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

If the politically correct set was searching for a poster couple, they would need to look no further than Erik and Roselyn Jessup. In college they lit up doobies while attending passionate speeches about legalizing marijuana and freeing Tibet. Erik was even arrested once for helping break into an animal research center. Roselyn bailed him out. After five years of dating they decided to tie the knot. Seven years later, after Roselyn had enough time to get established in her career, she gave birth to their pride and joy, Jayla Lynn Jessup.

Both had satisfying full-time jobs that left them only enough time to pour themselves into Jayla. They attended every event at school, even if it meant working overtime and paying the after school program for a few extra hours. When Jayla made the principal's list or won a spelling bee, they were cheering, and filming, from the front row.

Jayla began junior high at a brand new school with a brand new curriculum. It was being called "progressive" in the papers; the first program of its kind implemented in California with plans for a nationwide rollout over the next 10 years. Praise poured in from around the country, applauding the straight talk about sexuality and focus on tolerance.

Erik and Roselyn were thrilled to have their daughter in this groundbreaking program. Granted, it took several phone calls to district authorities to accomplish the transfer and Roselyn had to drive an extra 30 minutes each morning to drop off Jayla, but it was quite a coup to brag about in their circle of friends.

Jayla turned 13 two years into junior high. For her birthday she told her parents she wanted to order pizza and hang around the house – there was something she needed to tell them. Over pepperoni and Coke, Jayla calmly informed them that she'd been discussing it with her friends and teachers and had decided she was gay.

Though she had never had a girlfriend, or a boyfriend for that matter, Erik and Roselyn were quick to affirm her decision and let her know she had their full support. Roselyn applauded her daughter's honest, courageous move and told Jayla how proud she was. Erik was also supportive and went so far as to tease Jayla about her best friend Sara.

There weren't too many lesbians in her junior high and Jayla had a pretty average experience, but she attracted attention when she entered high school wearing the rainbow buttons specially purchased by her mother. Soon she was 15 and seriously involved with Carla, the 17-year-old senior who was President of the Gay Pride Club. When Erik and Roselyn saw the relationship deepening they sat Jayla down and had a heart to heart "sex talk," encouraging her to be responsible and safe, and only to have sex if she was truly in love.

She was. However, when the year ended Carla left for college on the east coast and broke off the relationship in a letter.

Jayla was heartbroken. Erik and Roselyn were quick to comfort, as any loving parents of a shattered teenager, but their answers seemed hollow to Jayla, their comfort cold. At 16 she began dabbling in drugs - a first for her.

By the time her senior year began the family bond that was once so strong had disintegrated to the degree that she seldom spoke to her parents unless it was to strike out in anger. She had not entered into another dating relationship, as much as they encouraged her in that direction. Rather, she seemed withdrawn from the world and spent endless hours either locked in her room or suspiciously absent. Finally, Roselyn had enough and took her to a doctor who prescribed an anti-depressant for teenagers that had just been released on the market.

By Christmas the medication seemed to be working. Jayla was coming around, spending more time at home. She seemed calmer and more at peace. They were even beginning to talk about college. But New Year's morning they found her dead, her anti-depressant bottle and a quart of vodka laying empty in the trash and a mass of journals and letters scattered around her in the bed.

Erik and Roselyn were devastated. Jayla had been their whole life. They dove into the letters and journals, trying to make sense of it all. What they found only served to inflame their anger. Some boy named Nick had been telling their daughter that she was a sinner, quoting Bible verses that said her sexual preference was an abomination before God. Jayla's journal was full of self-loathing, page after page about her relationship with Carla, page after page of rambling, agonizing pain. Why was she made like this if homosexuality was a sin? Why would her parents have supported her if it were an abomination? Why had she listened to the seventh grade teacher who told her experimentation was the best way to determine her sexuality? What was wrong with her?

They could hardly stand to finish it but they read every word. In the end their grief found relief, as it so often does, in bitterness and hatred. The day after Jayla's funeral, attended by hundreds of students from Jayla’s school, Erik and Roselyn met with the District Attorney. A year later, bitterness not yet assuaged, they went to see a lawyer. In the culture of America, where there is rarely tragedy unaccompanied by litigation, they found a willing law firm. Someone would pay.

Try Dying

On a wet Tuesday morning in December, Ernesto Bonilla, twenty-eight, shot his twenty-three-year-old wife, Alejandra, in the backyard of their West 45th Street home in South Los Angeles. As Alejandra lay bleeding to death, Ernesto drove their Ford Explorer to the westbound Century Freeway connector where it crossed over the Harbor Freeway and pulled to a stop on the shoulder.

Bonilla stepped around the back of the SUV, ignoring the rain and the afternoon drivers on their way to LAX and the west side, placed the barrel of his .38 caliber pistol into his mouth, and fired.

His body fell over the shoulder and plunged one hundred feet, hitting the roof of a Toyota Camry heading northbound on the harbor Freeway. The impact crushed the roof of the Camry. The driver, Jacqueline Dwyer, twenty-seven, an elementary schoolteacher from Reseda, died at the scene.

But, what exactly does she die from? The impact... crushed roof... something else?
Oh what a tangled weave this enjoyable book is.

Ty Buchanan reminds me a little of sarcastic Micky Spillane and the snappy one-liners of Cary Grant in "His Girl Friday"... only this is a modern day mystery with cell phones and and a computer savvy nun. Oh, and Jacqueline was the fiancee of Ty, so he has a deep interest in finding out exactly what happened to Jacqueline.

Here is another good book that is slated Christian Fiction, but is not at all Christian Fiction. It flirts with it, but never gets serious. The protagonist realizes that his lovely wife to be was a Christian, and as the story unfolds, we see that she had some reservations about marrying someone who was not a Christian. That isn't discussed, though because it's all from the eyes of the protag. However, at the end of the book his rage magically turns into forgiveness with no explanation.

While it was enjoyable, and it is worth the money, it fell flat after this guy goes through hell on earth without ever finding what he was looking for. It had a great build up, but doesn't deliver a satisfactory explanation for the change of heart. Because of that, I can only give this book 2 stars.

Deadfall

Let me just get one thing clear, this book is not Christian Fiction, even though the author is Christian and a man of God.

In this book, none of the characters lean on God or turn to Him, although God is referred to subtly and prayers are mentioned. In Christian Fiction, there is a relationship between a character and God, and that doesn't happen in this book. However, Bob shoves up the bar for any secular novel to an insurmountable height. I doubt the quality can be duplicated by any secular author.

This book is harrowing and illustrates how one man can completely destroy the lives and families of an entire town. This is a "Ride the Wild River" moved to the snow crusted mountains of Canada, with an ultimate high tech twist.

Robert Liparulo proves that a book can be exciting and a page turner without foul language or graphic sex. However, this book is filled with violence that shakes the soul. But, then video games are filled with violence, too.

You'll fall in love with a little nine year old boy named Dillion, and be completely awed by the wilderness survival skills of Hutch. You are in for the ride of your life at the psychotic whims of a sick-minded, power-crazy young man. This is a study in human character, both good and bad. The best thing about it is when you turn the last page, you're satisfied with a good read. Boys and girls, that is hard to find these days!

I give it 31/2 stars. It is well worth the money and is a keeper.

So, Bob, maybe in your next book you can put a little God-searching soul search in it?

Illuminated

Matt Bronleewe has written an amazing story, but there are some flaws that make this book a little choppy.

I like the fact that you don't really know who the good guys are until the middle of the book. I like the fast pace. The characters are okay, but ... I can't put my finger on it. They just don't mesh well.

I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for the faith element to come into play and that part fell flat for me.

However, I would have picked this book up in any bookstore and bought it. I would not have been disappointed. The story kept me turning pages, and I read it to the last page of the last paragraph. So compared to some of the huge flops that have put me to sleep this past year, I give this one two and a half stars. It is worth the money and it will keep you interested.

Nobody

Creston Mapes has created a truly unique winner.

There is a newspaper reporter who has the night shift and hears on the scanner something about a shooting. He heads out to the scene of the crime and there are no cops, no ambulances, Nobody is there. Just an old bum that smells like soap who has been shot. Just an old homeless guy... a nobody.

Not on your life!

This is a truly wonderful read. It has some interesting twists and turns and some characters that probably really do live in Las Vegas. It is not an edge of your seat nail-biter. It has some exciting moments, but not like a roller coaster. That does not at all detract from the book, though. Mapes has a flair for snaring a character's essence and that makes a huge difference. You actually wind up caring what happens to the characters. And the best character of the book is the "old homeless guy" who every one thinks is a Nobody.

The story takes place in Las Vegas. It is very accruate in locale. The protag is a newspaper reporter, and that part of the story is not accurate... but, only someone who's actually been a reporter would catch those mistakes so don't let that stop you from grabbing up this book. It really is worth the money. Go buy it!

Now for a head's up. This is totally different than another book that will be featured here on FIRST in November. That book is called Nobody Hollywood. Do not get them confused. Mapes' "Nobody" is the one to buy.

Crimson Eve

Brandilyn Collins has done it again! Super tension, good read.

Do you know someone who’s never read a Brandilyn Collins novel? Surely no such person exists. However, should you scrounge up such a friend—someone who enjoys suspense—here’s a special offer from Brandilyn. Be among the first 50 people between now and October 21, 2007 to e-mail her assistant at gayle.brandilyncollins@gmail.com with the person’s name, e-mail address and street address. (Due to exorbitant overseas mailing costs, United States residents only, please).

A signed copy of Crimson Eve will be sent to your friend—free—along with an e-mail from Brandilyn announcing the book is on its way, courtesy of you. (Don’t worry. Brandilyn won’t spam these email addresses. She just wants your friend to know who to thank.)

No worries that this story is third in the Kanner Lake series. Each book stands alone. Brandilyn is convinced your friend will so love Crimson Eve, he/she will surely reciprocate with expensive chocolate.

Island Inferno

Rarely have I enjoyed a book so much as this one. It is Rip-roaring, edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting suspense. And there wasn't one single foul word in the whole book. Chuck Holton is a Wowser writer.

It takes a real man to pray and to admit he needs God to be in control.

How many men out there are still struggling with being in control?

I read this in two sittings, only because I had to go to work this morning and I was late, because I was so late going to bed. Choose a different time to read this book than Sunday afternoon. You won't want to put it down. I promise.

What are you still sitting there reading this for? Go get the book! Click on the link above and buy the book. You won't regret it.

You want to know what it's about? Sigh...

This fellow is a special ops guy... did I tell you that this is the second book of a trilogy? Anyway, the special ops guy and his team must track down this liquid bomb stuff called ITEB. When it combines with oxygen, it explodes. (Which is why so many water bottles were conficated by the airlines--did anyone but me wonder about that?)

It's a boy meets girl story only this guy literally falls into her lap.
It's a God taking control story...I do not believe in coincidences, I'm reading a book called "God Winks" which is about that. At one point in the story, I was thinking, that is just too far to stretch believability when I slapped my forehead like "Wow, skip the V-8, it's God at work without the author coming out and saying, "Hey, stupido, God is at work here performing miracles."
It's about not being ashamed of your faith.
It's about real men and how they deal with God. (Great insight, girls!)
It's about a beautiful, but deadly island off the coast of Panama.

Warm, tropical breezes, warm sea water, paradise island, what could go wrong?
Everything! Get the book.

The Election

Jerome Teel is a new author and is one that I think will go very far. If you like John Grishom, then you'll really like Teel's offering, The Election.

Ed Burke has waited a lifetime to become president of the United States. He's not about to let his nemesis, Mac Foster, stop him now... especially when he's sold his soul for the Oval Office.

This is good fare. But, I have to say that I think there are too many characters. I did not like The Pelican Brief where all those judges were killed at the beginning of the book... four chapters and we were still meeting new characters. This one is kinda like that. For some people that isn't a problem. For me, who is old and set in her ways, it becomes a problem because I sleep after I read and then I forget who is what and who is who and it takes a while to get back up to speed. But, don't let that stop you from getting this book. Once you've learned the character, it's a rocket ride.

I asked Jerome my favorite questions:

Gina: What did you learn about God while you were writing this book? How has that impacted your life since?

Jerome: I learned that God is completely in control of every situation no matter what we may think or feel. We can't rush His timetable. Things will happen in His perfect will, in His perfect time.

What a perfect lesson to learn! I like this guy.

Jerome Teel
The Election
Bible
Christians
Christian Living
Christian Book

Violet Dawn

I am being truly, completely lazy today. I've copy/pasted Brandilyn's new book review from the CFBA website. Thank you Bonnie Calhoun! I appreciate this time saver today!

From September 27th thru the 29th, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance presents Violet Dawn by Brandilyn Collins. Violet Dawn, which released in August of this year, is published by Zondervan and is part of Brandilyn's new Kanner Lake series. There are two other books to come...Coral Moon, releasing in March of '07, and Crimson Eve, releasing in September of '07.You must also stop by and visit Scenes and Beans, the REAL blog for the fictional Java Joint coffehouse in Kanner Lake. I blogged about Scenes and Beans here.


This is a unique marketing tool for the series, involving about 30 otherwriters (including several of our CFBA members), and eventually involving readers of the series who want to audition posts. Now, I've made you wait long enough.

The book is classic Brandiln Collins Seatbelt Suspense. It grabs you from the very beginning...
Something sinuous brushed against Paige's knee. She jerked her leg away.What was that? She rose to a sitting position, groped around with her left hand.Fine wisps wound themselves around her fingers.Hair?She yanked backward, but the tendrils clung. something solid bumped her wrist. Paige gasped. With one frantic motion she shook her arm free, grabbed the side of the hot tub, and heaved herself out. I'm telling you that this is suspense at it's finest! Brandilyn has a group of friends that she affectionately calls the Big Honkin' Chickens Club, because the women in the group are unnerved by Brandilyn's writing. This new series is a prime example of that kind of work!Paige Williams slips into her hot tub in the blackness of night...and finds herself face to face with death.Alone, terrified, fleeing a dark past, Paige must make an unthinkable choice.In Violet Dawn, hurtling events and richly drawn characters collide in a breathless story of murder, the need to belong, and faith's first glimmer. One woman's secrets unleash an entire town's pursuit, and the truth proves as elusive as the killer in their midst.You can go HERE to read a first chapter excerpt. But using Brandilyn's famous tagline....."Don't forget to breathe..."