Book Review: "A Clearing in the Wild"

Although this book was not one of the best I have ever been fortunate to read, Jane Kirkpatrick's voice in "A Clearing in the Wild" was beautifully stunning. I immediately fell in love with the way in which this novel was written; it feel trustworthy.

Through no fault of the author, this novel's story was not the best fit for me. Although I was able to graciously appreciate the authenticity of the novel, I couldn't get into what felt to me like a religious cult with a leader I probably would not have respected. At the same time, I understand this book isn't set in 2013, but rather a time in which groups like these were more accepted.

Despite the fact that this novel wasn't one I would normally read, I did think it was well written and very well researched by the author. I wouldn't recommend this book to my friends as we share a similar taste in literature, but I would say that for some people, this is definitely worth a read.

Please note that I received "A Clearing in the Wild" free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

To decide whether or not this book is for you, please find more information by clicking here.

Book Review: "God of all Creation"

I found James Robison's "God of all Creation" to be incredibly disappointing. What should have been a beautiful read about the power of God's creations strengthening relationships between humankind and God turned into a clear display of inferiority towards anything not human. The author made note several times that humans are superior to the rest of God's creation, causing me to believe the author never truly understood the messages God was instilling in him through different animals.

I believe animals are closer to God than we can ever hope to be, and that adopting their way of living can assist in creating a new and more improved relationship with the Lord. I find myself challenging the integrity of the author's messages as he clearly missed them himself. We are not above the rest of God's creations. In fact, we might very well be the inferior ones.

The book itself was misleading. A self-proclaimed messaged of God's love through pets was more of a focus of forced biblical passages. I found most of the stories of the animals to be incredibly weak, and some even manipulated to make a suspicious comment. I do not think I can recommend this book to anybody. If you want to learn about God's love through animals, spend some time with them. Play with a puppy. Hang out with a cat. Ride a horse. You'll get so much more out of those experiences than you will by reading this book.

Please note that I received "God of all Creation" for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

Click here to read this book's first chapter.

Book Review: "Eminent Plague"

I had some difficulty deciding on how I would review Don Lowell's "The Eminent Plague." Lowell offered readers a great concept regarding the devolution of civilization by means of a deadly plague and the trials that follow; his execution, however, was flawed.

Lowell weaves a great tale of a group of plague survivors and the problems they face in their attempts at rebuilding some form of civilization. It was interesting to see how the different survivors reacted to their new and changing surroundings. There were a significant number of post apocalyptic obstacles/situations discussed, and Lowell offered great insight into how real people might react to them. I find that most books focusing on the end of the world forget to investigate the human mind; Lowell took a great risk and explored this frontier to much success. However, his execution could have been much more engaging.

For most of this book, I felt that I had no idea who any of the characters were. There seemed to be no development whatsoever, and even the narrator felt like a stranger to me even though I was listing to his story for a significant amount of time. I did not feel as though I were in this world watching the events unfold, but rather overhearing bits and pieces of information from a stranger on a city bus. I had troubling sympathizing with the characters, and when they faced death and destruction, I could not be moved.

Lowell's look into the human mind following the destruction of over 98% of the world's population would have been much more enjoyable and effective had some scenes been lengthened, and others cut. I would have loved to been part of this world, but I did not find Lowell to be engaging enough.

That being said, I would give this book 3 of 5 stars. As I mentioned earlier, the story was great, but there remains much room for improvement when it comes to Lowell's writing style.

This book was published by Dorrance Publishing. Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a complete and honest review as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Review Team.

To purchase your own copy of this book, please click here.

Book Review: "The Gospel of Yes"

I need to tell you right off the bat that I did not enjoy this book in the least bit. Mike Glenn's "The Gospel of Yes" is a poor and manipulated look at the Gospel.

Mike Glenn turned me away from his book at the beginning when he talks about an affair that happened within his Church, and his clear inability to trust God's handling of the situation. For an affair that had nothing to do with his family life, Glenn draws himself as the center of attention. I felt he was looking for sympathy in a situation where he was not even a key player, if a player at all. I was also turned off by his need to discuss business that was not his own, and act as though he was hurt the most from it. I know there are others who will not agree with this, but I am standing by my opinion here.

If the talk of the affair was not enough to turn me off, the tantrum he mounted to get God's attention was absolutely ridiculous. For me, this absolutely destroyed Glenn's integrity as a representative speaker of the Gospels. In addition, the constant use of the words 'yes' and 'no' made me feel as though Glenn was trying to train a dog. I did not appreciate this approach, and there is absolutely no way I would recommend this book to anyone.

If you find yourself looking for answers, read the actual Gospels; they are much more fulfilling than this sad attempt at religious and spiritual intervention.

Should you feel the desire to give this book a chance, the first chapter can be found by clicking here.

Please note that I received my copy of "The Gospel of Yes" free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: "Soul's Gate"

Before offering my review of James L. Rubart's "Soul's Gate," I feel it important to tell you there is absolutely no way I can produce a review worthy of what I believe is an incredibly beautiful and moving novel. I am very critical about the works of literature I add to my personal library, but I knew upon immediately starting this novel that it would have a permanent place on one of my shelves.

The basic idea of this novel is that, with God's help, humans have the ability to travel into the souls of other people and wage war against any demons that may be keeping home there. Just the idea of battling for somebody else's soul really struck a chord with me, as I truly believe we have the power to change the life of another person if we can connect to his or her soul. The execution of this idea is accomplished with the help of Biblical passages and successful character development.

I do want to give anything away, but as the four characters grew stronger as the novel progressed, I could not stop myself from getting chills. Rubart offers his readers a once-in-a-lifetime look at how the soul works, and how God can allow you to be set free. Although this work is a piece of fiction, it gave me incredible hope and strength to battle my own demons. It was incredible watching the characters wage war for one another.

Putting the book down for a break was not an option for me. Every time I walked away from the book, I could not wait to pick it up again.

Even better, the cover of this novel indicates that there might be a sequel!

I would absolutely recommend this book to all of my family and friends. Although there is an incredibly strong religious tone to this novel, it has the ability and power to help anybody in need of freedom and salvation. I do not look at this book as a piece of religious literature, but rather a way to enrich one's life while basking in the love of God.

Please, please read this book if you get the chance. I cannot see any reason why somebody would regret that decision. Even if you are turned off by religious talk, you will definitely become inspired to fight and defeat the demons keeping you from living that perfect life.

This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read.

Please note that I received my copy of James L. Rubart's "Soul's Gate" free from BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: "Unstoppable"

I do not think it is possible to explain just how much I enjoyed reading Nick Vujicic’s “Unstoppable.” To call this a book is absolutely an understatement. “Unstoppable” is a powerful message filled with unconditional love, not only for our Lord, but for all of His creations.

Before accepting this message (I use accepting rather here than the word ‘reading’ because this experience was much more than that), I did not know much at all about the author, Nick Vujicic. I knew a man without limbs existed in this world, but until now, I never had the opportunity to hear his story.

As Vujicic tells his tale, I was in complete shock that he could be so happy and fulfilled without arms and legs. His love for God is unchallengeable, and his desire to spread that love throughout the globe is incredibly inspirational. He really gave me a lot to think about as far as my life is concerned.

I know this review is not doing any justice to “Unstoppable,” but I cannot praise it enough. Even if somebody were not interested in hearing Vujicic speak about God, they can still take a lot from his life filled with courage, hope, and strength. I cannot honestly say that I could remain positive if I had been born without limbs. I would feel lost, neglected, and even worthless. Vujicic, however, is able to overcome all of this negative emotions and create a life for himself this is absolutely stunning and beautiful.

Way to go, Nick!

If I had any criticisms with “Unstoppable,” it would be that this book contains a number of stories from different people suffering from a number of different ailments or situations. I felt that these stories, although inspiring, took away from Vujicic’s own message; there were too many for my personal taste. However, this would not stop me from recommending “Unstoppable” to friends and family.

I give Nick Vujicic’s “Unstoppable” 4.5/5 stars.

Please note that I received “Unstoppable” by Nick Vujicic for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

For more information about “Unstoppable” or the author himself, please visit the following links:
· Author's Web Site
· Book Trailer Video
· Follow Nick on Facebook
· More Info
· Read Chapter One
· Author Bio

Book Review: "The Queensford Family"

I have created a rule for myself when it comes to literature; if the author is able to weave such a tale that I am unable to figure out the ending for most of the novel, I am a very happy reader. I enjoy being kept in suspense, and I do not take spoilers lightly. Even if the writing is absolutely horrible, I will still enjoy what I am reading if I cannot figure out the direction in which the story is heading.

It is with great disappointment that I report that I figured out the entire ‘twist’ to Shelley M. Hollenbeck’s “The Queensford Family” around page 26, long before any surprise ending was even hinted at. If it weren't for the fact that I agreed to read and review this book, I would have put it down and moved on with something else immediately.

With characters that have no substance whatsoever, Hollenbeck promises a story that may even rival those of Agatha Christie. However, Hollenbeck falls incredibly short of fulfilling her promise as she delivers a sad and failed attempt at creating what I am sure she hoped would be the ‘next big thing.’ Right from the start I began to question the integrity of this story as it was so reminiscent of every other ‘murder at a fancy house’ story line where a number of selected people are invited to gather and then all mysteriously die. Hollenbeck’s style of writing was enjoyable to read, but the actual story was incredibly difficult to get through.

Littered with grammatical errors, I was left questioning whether or not this book was actually edited before print. The characters have no substance, the dialogue is forced, and the flow is terrible. We move from scene to scene with no transition; I had to reread many parts of this book to even figure out where I was as far as the book’s setting is concerned.

It is my recommendation that Hollenbeck look at her ‘final’ manuscript and completely overhaul it. It does have potential to be an excellent read, but its current execution is less than poor. As is, I cannot recommend this book to any of my family or friends; their time would be better spent with another book. I would say, however, that if the book were to be rewritten, I WOULD read it again. It was not completely terrible. If anything, it is grossly unfinished.

This book was published by Dorrance Publishing. Please note that I received a complimentary copy of “The Queensford Family” as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.

Should you desire to try this book for yourself, you can find it for purchase by clicking here.