What You Need To Know About Bible Prophecy by Max Anders

Book Description: Prophets. Rapture. Tribulation. Judgment. End times. Learn what the Bible has to say about prophecy, how Christians differ in their views of the end times, and what the universal aspects are on which all Christians agree. The Max Anders What You Need to Know About series is made up of ten 12-lesson study guides covering the fundamentals of Christianity. The ten books in the series together form a "Basic Knowledge" program for seekers, new believers, and veteran believers who want a stronger foundation in the Christian faith.

Features include:

• 12 lessons that can be completed in under 1 hour each
• Real-life application of biblical truth
• Explanations of prominent Christian views on each topic

• Easy-to-teach lessons, including previews and summary features
• Questions for discussion
• Core teachings on Christianity that will challenge any seeker, new believer, or veteran believer looking for a stronger foundation

What You Need to Know About guides sold to date: More than 200,000 units

My Review:  As a "veteran" Christian I still find that I don't know everything about the Bible. Every time I pick up God's Word I find some new nugget. So, when this book about Bible prophecy came available I knew that I could glean from God's Word by using this study guide. There are 12 lessons that help the reader to grasp what is in the "lesson" I found the discussion questions to be vital and interesting...of course, I was doing this study alone and not in a group. This would be great for group study! The explanations that the author gives are good for the inquiring mind. If you long to more about the upcoming days and what God's Word has to say about it all, then grab this book. There is SO much in this book! Of course, the reader needs to realize that this is not the "end all" book nor does it contain all the answers but it is a wonderful start and a great guide. Time is never wasted when one studies God's Word! 

*This book was provided by BookSneeze/Thomas Nelson*

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (June 19, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401675344
• ISBN-13: 978-1401675349

Murder In Miami (Cuban Trilogy) by Noel Hynd

Book Description:  Alex LaDuca travels to Miami to continue her investigations into the murder-and-money laundering activities of the Dosi cartel, an intrigue set in motion in Hostage in Havana. Sent there by the U.S. Treasury Department to speak with a recent Cuban defector, she soon realizes this key player may be no help at all. A vast global money laundering scheme fueled by cocaine profits. A man who promises to put Alex 'in touch with the deceased.' A lethal trap by the Dosi cartel. A handsome actor back in New York who suggests that love and romance may soon return to Alex's life ... Alex attempts to navigate a Miami underworld that encompasses elements of the surreal and supernatural. But can Alex emerge from this world with her life---and her faith---intact? Can she get past the painful tragedy of her past and discover God's plan for her future? Readers of general market thrillers, such as Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy will eagerly anticipate this second installment.

My Review: This is the second book in the Cuban Trilogy.  Alex is a strong female character but in this second book she becomes more mature in her faith.  

Not ever having been part of or even close to the drug cartel or the "underworld,"  I found this read fascinating.  As we all know, fiction is based on facts not dreamed up by the author.  There were moments when I actually held my breath waiting for Alex to not get hurt or to make a wise decision.

The cruel world of cocaine and it's terrible effects on people is enough but when one reads about the cruelty of the underworld and the mob bosses it gives one pause for thought.

The romance in this book is not overdone...in fact, it's more understated and sweet.  I like the fact that there isn't any profane language or crude references to sex.  

This is one of those reads that will have you on the edge of your seat!  The intrigue and faith makes it feel like a newspaper article that was made into a fantastic read!

Grab your beach chair and a glass of ice tea and enjoy a great summer read!

*This book was provided by Zondervan for review*

Meet the Author:

Noel Hynd is an American author who has more than four million books in print. Most of his books have been in the action-espionage-suspense genre (Conspiracy in Kiev, Midnight in Madrid, Countdown in Cairo, The Enemy Within) but others (Ghosts, The Prodigy, A Room For The Dead and Cemetery of Angels) were highly acclaimed ghost stories. He currently has a multi-book publishing contract with Zondervan/HarperCollins.

He is also a former contributor to Sports Illustrated and several other national magazines. His 1988 non-fiction book, The Giants of The Polo Grounds, was an Editor's Choice of The New York TIMES Review of Books in 1988. He has also written several produced screenplays.Mr. Hynd was born in New York City, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylavnia, and lives in southern California with his wife Patricia.The Kindle editions of Midnight in Madrid and Conspiracy in Kiev were simultaneously numbers 1 and 2 among all books on Amazon's Kindle Best Seller lists in December 2009.Several dozen foreign editions of his books have been published over the years. Readers are welcomed to reach Mr. Hynd at NH1212f@yahoo.com.

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (May 22, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310324564
• ISBN-13: 978-0310324560

The Anniversary Waltz by Darrel Nelson

Book Description: At their sixtieth anniversary party, Adam Carlson asks his wife, Elizabeth, for their customary waltz. After the dance they gather the family and share their story—a story of love and courage overcoming adversity and thriving in the face of overwhelming odds.It’s the summer of 1946, and Adam has just returned from the war to his home in Reunion, Montana. At a town festival he meets Elizabeth Baxter, a young woman going steady with his former high school rival and now influential banker, Nathan Roberts. When Adam and Elizabeth share a waltz in a deserted pavilion one evening, their feelings begin to grow and they embark on a journey, and a dance, that will last a lifetime.
My Review: The Anniversary Waltz is one of those sweet never ending stories.  A story that grabs the heart and then the reader realizes this was. well. fiction.  (but based on events in the author's family history).

The Anniversary Waltz is not only a sweet story but a love story filled with struggles and  that.one.of.a.kind.courage that seemed to come with the World War II era.

Adam has been to the war and back.  Elizabeth is dating, Nathan, who seems controlling but Elizabeth has her eye on Adam.  This is their story.  From 1946 to 2006 Adam and Elizabeth give their family and friends the story of their life. 

The telling of the kissing game where all the single men and single women play for kisses is where, I think, Elizabeth lets Adam know she would REALLY like his attention.  An interesting game.

The relationship between Adam and Elizabeth reminded me of George and Mary in It's A Wonderful Life.  A husband and wife team, working together against all odds to bring not only unity in their marriage but to help others.

There are family issues that aren't neatly put into a box but could be real life issues that we all might face.  The story of real men and real women!

Life challenges will either make us or break us and as Darrel  Nelson so aptly writes..."I would never have given up on you, Elizabeth." {p. 284}

A heart warming read!

*This book was provided for review by GlassRoad PR*

Meet the Author:

I am a schoolteacher by profession and have taught school for (thir—ahem!) years. I grew up in Raymond, Alberta, and attended the University of Lethbridge after graduating from high school and serving a two-year mission to Japan. During university, I met and married Marsha Smith, and we are the parents of four children, which has grown to include their spouses and our ten grandchildren.

I have always loved to write. I started writing stories before I was old enough to realize I was writing stories. It seemed a natural thing to pick up a pencil and paper and create a world simply by using words—worlds of adventure in steaming jungles (Tarzan was an early influence on me) or realms of adventure in outer space (Buck Rogers). But as I have grown older, I have discovered that the real inspiration for me is exploring the theme of love and how it can make such a difference in the world.

I’ve had an article published in Lethbridge Magazine and have written several dramatic plays, two of which won provincial recognition and were showcased at a drama festival. I won the CJOC radio songwriting contest two years running, and have had one of my songs receive international airplay. I have written four novels intended for the juvenile market. They are unpublished as yet, but I read them annually to my fourth grade students and my students tell me they love them, the darlings. 

If you'd like to read the first chapter excerpt of The Anniversary Waltz, go HERE.

Book Humor!

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday} Shrimp Boil Kabobs

It's that time of the year again...too hot to cook!  So I'm grilling this out ....YUMMO!

Shrimp Boil Kebabs

from Everyday Food, June 2011

1/2 pound small new potatoes

2 small ears corn, cut into 1 1/2 inch rounds

1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1 inch rounds

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined 

1/2 stick butter, melted

4 teaspoons Tabasco

2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

Boil the potatoes in salted water over medium-high heat for about 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.   Drain and rinse under cold water.  

Thread potatoes, corn, andouille and shrimp onto skewers.  (This makes about 4 skewers.)  

Heat grill to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil the grill.  In a small bowl, combine the butter, Tabasco and Old Bay.  Grill kebabs turning and brushing with butter mixture occasionally until the shrimp are cooked through and corn in starting to char, about 8 minutes.  Serve with lemon wedges. 

The Chase by Diann Mills

Book Description:  To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.

My Review:  Diann Mills believes that "her readers should expect adventure."  So, quite frankly, if you don't love action and adventure DON'T read this book!  I adore action, adventure and suspense in a christian read!  So, you guessed it!  Diann Mills has become one of my "most favortist" authors.

Now in, The Chase, the action begins on page one!  As the reader opens the book and begins reading...two things are immediately established...there will be sadness and there will be triumphant.  

Kariss is one of those characters who is so believable that the reader wonders, "Have I met her in real life?"  And Agent Tigo?  He's the kind.of.guy we all would like to have watching our back!

This adventure takes quite a toll on the reader!  I experienced so many emotions while reading The Chase...fear {um, quite real!}, sadness {can people really live this way} and triumphant {God allows the good guys to always overcome!}.

Such a fantastic read!  I was truly wishing for book 2 when I finished this book!

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (March 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310333172
• ISBN-13: 978-0310333173

My Life and Lesser Catastrophes {a memoir} by Christina Schofield

Book Description:  Just after her thirteenth wedding anniversary, Christina Schofield woke up groggy and disoriented, surrounded by nurses in a hospital. She and her husband had hit a gravel patch while on their motorcycle and crashed into a ditch. With the exception of a concussion, she was fine. But Allen had broken his neck. He was now a quadriplegic.

With her entire life flipped upside down, she began an astonishing journey of tenacious faith amid increasing doubt. Full of dark, silent hours and a woman's honest questioning of the God she thought she knew, this is also a story full of miraculous answers to prayer and head-scratching, awe-inspiring encounters with her loving Lord.With candid warmth and transparency, Christina shows readers that even in their darkest hours, God's goodness shines through.

My Review:  As I read this book the poem, The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost, especially the ending kept coming to my mind . . . "I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference".

Christina unflinchingly writes from the heart.  She writes of tears, frustration, joy and a road that was taken. 

On that fateful day, Christina writes, "I always thought about God when we rode . . . and then I found myself praying a prayer I would think about over and over in the months that followed:  God, I don't like living fearfully and I don't think it pleases You.  So right and now, I want to affirm my trust in You-I trust You to protect me and keep me safe." (p. 16)  This quote sums up the whole book for me.  Trust Him!

Even though this is a small book it is packed with faith.  This is definitely one of those reads that builds your faith and makes you teary eyed (a nice way to say you'll probably cry).   And then there are times I totally laughed out.loud because, well, I guess you'd have to experience a conversation with your spouse like Christina and Allen have on page 73.  

And I love the way Christina ends the read . . . The end. Sort of.  Because with God there are no endings, only beginnings that draw us closer to Him.

*This book was provided by Bethany House Publishing*

Meet the Author:

Christina Schofield has been a children's illustrator and writer for the last ten years, working with Zonderkidz, Group Publishing, Standard Publishing, and Cook Communications. She and her husband, Allen, a campus pastor, have one daughter, Lily, and live in Rolla, Missouri.