Book Review: Sundown by Susan May Warren

    Sky King ranch is a place where adventure and danger seem to be around every corner. In this book, Colt is trying to protect a woman named Tae. Tae has developed an antidote to a plague. Men wishing to weaponize this plague are now after her.

    I honestly have a hard time writing any type of summary for  this book because it is quite confusing. It might be because it's part of a trilogy, but it definitely starts in the middle of a story. There is no solid starting point within this book. Because of this, it took me a while to catch on to what was happening. I'm hoping the first two books would make this less confusing to returning readers, but I have not read the first two books. 

    The book is also very far from believable. This isn't always a bad thing, but it did add to the confusion within this book. A lot of the action seems "choppy" in the sense that it's one thing after another with little lead up to the action. From the moment you open this book, someone seems to be consistently in immediate danger.

    While the action is back to back, it is written very well. The fighting scenes are well-described and easy to picture. The romance is a little cheesy, but in a way I really enjoyed. It was predictable and gives a "feel-good" vibe I enjoyed.

    While this book was a little confusing and far from believable, I thoroughly enjoyed the action and romance. I would not recommend this book as a standalone read, but I would suggest trying out the series. I myself am intrigued and will be after the first book of this series if I find the time. If the prior books make this book less confusing, then it would make it all worth the read. 

I received this book for free from the Revell reviewer program in exchange for this honest review.

Book Review: Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon

Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery? This book has characters with depth, suspense, and a little bit of romance.

The story is about a coroner who starts finding a small similarity between otherwise natural deaths. However, when she also becomes the victim of threatening acts, it becomes clear that she may have stumbled upon murders. With the help from a handsome sheriff, she hopes to find the killer before the killer finds her.

I really enjoyed this book, However, this book is not without a flaw that really drove me insane. The romance in this book is very procedural and could easily be compared to a business deal. I also think the way the romance starts is rushed and unplanned. 

This book is still very much worth the read. Although the romance was lacking, the family relationships were very well-written. This book gives very raw and realistic views of family life. It doesn’t sugarcoat issues, but does include some real feel-good family moments. 

While this book wasn’t without a flaw, I do still suggest picking it up if you like a good murder mystery. 

I received this book for free from the Revell reviewer program in exchange for this honest review.

Word of Honor by Hallee Bridgeman Review

 

This story is one of betrayal, forgiveness, honor, and love. It has a lot of good values packed within it. In the midst of twists and hurts these characters face, you will see a steady focus on God. The characters often send up prayers in times of trouble. So while this book is not lacking in the action department, it keeps a solid focus on where to turn in those tough times.

Speaking of action, this book is about an eco terrorist group that main character, Lynda, accidentally discovers when attempting to serve a warrant with her partner. Now her partner is dead and Lynda is the only one who has seen the faces of the group. For this reason she is to go undercover to help spot the men who killed her partner. The twist? In order to do so she must be paired with an old college sweetheart who broke her heart.

The characters in this book are very well thought out. They each have a wonderful personality that you will get to know both through action and nickname. Learning the meanings behind each nickname helps you understand just who each character is.

This book features a glossary of terms to make it easier to read. Though, it’s not hard to follow without it. I appreciate the glossary, but the terms aren’t used so often that you would have to continuously flip back and forth. 

If you like books with undercover agents and secret missions, but don’t want all the strong language that usually comes with it, then this book is for you. If you like action alongside your romance then this should be next read. If you're looking for Christian fiction that will hold your attention, then I suggest this book.

I received this book for free from the Revell reviewing program in exchange for this review.

Book Review - Bible Promises to Live by for Women

Bible Promises to Live by for Women

by Katherine J. Butler, Ronald A. Beers

(A book review)

I love this little book. It's small and fashionable so it's perfect for your purse or car. Each chapter is on a specific topic so it's great when you're dealing with a specific trial. I like to keep mine close (in my purse) so that way I can have a source of encouragement wherever I go. If you would rather read front to back then skip around by topic, the book has a lovely ribbon to keep your place.

For each topic there is a lovely devotional and a few verses on the topic. I love how there's multiple verses for every topic. Most devotionals I read only have one. I find that in every devotional I find at least on verse I feel is relevant enough to my life to write on card and tape to my mirror.

The fact that this devotional is by topic makes it a useful tool for daily life. I do wish it didn't have "for women" branded right on it, because it's truths are useful for anyone.

I received this book for free from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for this honest review.

Book Review - He Holds My Hand by Carol Kent

He Holds My Hand

by Carol Kent

(A Book Review)

I want to start by saying that Carol Kent is someone to be admired. While her writing is amazing, her faith is astounding. I think that's why this book is so meaningful to me. I think it's important to know that she is a woman who has faced hardship and turned to God in it's midst. 

This book is a devotional. Each devotional has a quote, the body, and a verse. The devotions are all one page long which makes them quick, but powerful reads. This book is awesome for a first thing in the morning read to start your day right. On the other hand, if your like me you prefer your devotional before bed to help with a restful night. Regardless, these devotions don't take up much time so they're good for anyone who doesn't have a lot of time to spare.

It's devotions are by day of the year, which is a style I have a hate/love relationship with. On one hand, If I don't start it on January 1, I'm starting in the middle. It may just be my OCD talking, but I prefer books I can read front to back. On the other hand, I know if I miss a day I'll either have to play catch-up or I'll miss a devotional entirely. This actually works well as motivation for me to have my daily time with God. 

Recently, I found myself faced with a difficult hardship. I don't want to go into detail, but I will say that this book has been the most significant book in helping me return to my faith. I truly believe this is due to the fact that Carol Kent understands the hardship I was facing and you can see it through her words. More often then not, I found that her daily devotional spoke to my daily life on such a personal level it felt like the book was written for me.

I will be recommending this book to everyone. It was personally a support in my life and I think it could be to anyone else who reads it.

In closing I would like to share today's verse from the devotional:

"The time of the LORD's favor has come...He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair"

-ISAIAH 61:2-3

(Verse can be found on page 164 of the book - June 13)

I received this book for free from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for this review.

Thanks for reading!

Book Review: 31 Proverbs To Light Your Path

31 Proverbs To Light Your Path

Liz Curtis Higgs

I love Proverbs. Its one of my two favorite books of the Bible: Psalms and Proverbs. That's why I chose this book to review. Upon receiving it, I realized I have also read and reviewed "32 Verses to Write On Your Heart". I'm happy to have yet another book by Liz Curtis Higgs, especially since the two books are extremely similar.

Each day you will find a new Proverb, a devotional, a prayer, and something called "one minute one step". The devotional gives information on the verse and breaks it down into small chunks. You're sometimes reading only three words of the verse while getting paragraphs of information on that small chunk.

The "One Minute, One Step" is an amazing piece of the devotional. It lets you to take all you learned in that day and apply it to your everyday life. If that's not enough application there's also a study guide in the back of the book to dive even further.

In my review of "32 Verse to Write on Your Heart" I called that book a tool. This book is the same. It's not just information, it's got the actual steps for application. This is a wonderful book.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for this honest review.

Book Review - The Wonder of Advent Devotional by Chris Tiegreen

Christmas is all about Christ's birth, but how easy it is to forget during this busy time of the year. This book is a great way to get back to the true meaning of Christmas. I do suggest reading it with your entire family so you can all celebrate Christ's birth together.

The devotionals are meant to be started on November 24th and go until Christmas. I like how they span the entire holiday season, because a devotional is just what's needed as the days get busier. The devotionals vary in type but they mostly include a Bible Verse, a bit of the story of Christmas, and Quotes from a Christmas Carol. They give you references for further study which gives you the opportunity to dive deeper by yourself and the discussion questions give you an opportunity to discuss and grow with your family.

Chris Tiegreen does a wonderful job of reminding us daily of the reason for the season. I truly believe this book is a great addition to any home. It will help us think of Christ as we give, get, and share time with our families. I suggest this book to any family wishing to dive deeper this holiday season.

I received this book for free from Tyndale in exchange for this honest review.

I give this book 5 out 5 stars.

Happy Holidays!