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We'd seen one of these movies in the past and hoped
the others were as good. I feel obligated to emphasize that these are not some "backyard production." The cast includes such recognizable names as Ben Kingsley, Richard Harris, Barbara Hershey, Sean Bean, Lesley Ann Warren and Christopher Lee. The costumes are accurate; the sets breath-taking and expansive. Each movie follows the Biblical narrative. Watching the entire set was something we looked forward to. The
Emmy-winning Miniseries, Joseph, one we’d not been privileged to
see before, was particularly good.
My husband and I enjoyed popping some corn and sitting down to watch them
one night after another. Now we anticipate seeing them again and sharing
them with youngsters who visit. What an exciting way to introduce (or
re-introduce) these Bible stories in an entertaining and enlightening way.
Right now they are offering a $5 coupon to FishFlix.com if you join
their email list. You can do so at www.fishflix.com/5gift
or by texting 5-GIFT to 44222.
We were fortunate to receive this 4-Movie Collection in
exchange for an honest review.
This book was written by someone who grew up in my home town.
How could I avoid getting a copy? I hadn’t read the summaries or reviews before
sending for it and expected a novel. Instead I was delighted with a women’s
Christian non-fiction book that is sprinkled through with wit and wisdom.
All of us worry periodically, some more than others. Ms. Miller
gives positive methods to overcome our destructive worries through faith.
Worry, after all, is a pointless emotion that resolves nothing and can cause
physical and mental harm. She carefully explains that’s not God’s plan for us.
She quotes many authorities, including those in the Bible.
Through the retelling of stories told to her, as well as her
own, she conveys successful ways to overcome our anxieties. We can never be
completely free of worry, but we can channel our thoughts and actions in
positive directions. By reminding ourselves to trust and have faith in God, our
Father, we can live better, happier, more productive lives by allowing worry to
fall off our backs like so many raindrops.
I took a while to finish this book because I slowly read each
page, attempting to garner all its wisdom. I highly recommend it. — Gail Lewis
Product Details
Print Length: 193 pages
ISBN: 193849976X
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas (November 4, 2013)
Tale of the Penitent
Thief is a compelling concept. However, the book itself proved a
disappointment.
Writing historic fiction gives an author liberty to fill in
gaps in the historic record, not the license to rewrite known facts. I was led
to conclude that either the author is unfamiliar with Biblical history or deliberately
chose to ignore it. For example, he has Joseph and Mary escaping to Nazareth
with their newborn, Jesus. Doesn’t everyone know they escaped to Egypt?
In this book the Magi warn Joseph to flee rather than an
angel as the Bible says…and they leave the same night Jesus is born! According
to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem
forty days after his birth to complete Mary's ritual purification after
childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn, in obedience to the
Law of Moses.
He later names Herod Archelaus as the father of his full brother,
Herod Antipas. Are we to assume Archelaus slept with his own mother? The
historical inaccuracies continue right up to the crucifixion. Death by
crucifixion occurs by suffocation. A crucified individual does not have
sufficient breath for the long, extended dialog the author places in their
mouths.
In reality, Jesus also died before either thief, but not in
this book. Recall they broke their legs to hasten death, but not the legs of
Jesus? This verified scripture that “none of his bones were broken.” In this novel,
Jesus receives the sword wound and continues talking. He was actually pierced
after his death to verify he was dead.
As for the character twist at the end, it came as a
surprise, but I found it too fantastic to be believable.
From an authorial standpoint Mr. Willis violates the prime
directive of writing —
Show, don’t Tell. The book is nearly all telling. The author has an active
imagination and perhaps needs to study fiction writing and then find a genre
without the constraints of Historical Fiction. I wish him well, but cannot
recommend this novel. —Gail Lewis
I received a free Kindle copy for review from BookSneeze.
Product Details: Source ISBN:
1449791956 Publisher:
WestBowPress (April 29, 2013) Sold by: Amazon
Digital Services, Inc. Language:
English
I read Mortal Fire
by C.F. Dunn and enjoyed it except for the cliffhanger ending. I like novels that
conclude with all questions answered, tidied up, and that leave me satisfied. This
book isn’t exactly like that.
When offered an opportunity by Kregel Publications to receive
a complimentary copy of Death Be Not
Proud by C.F. Dunn in exchange for an honest review, I jumped at the chance.
I expected to find answers to the questions left unsettled in Mortal Fire.
In Death Be Not Proud,
historical researcher Emma D’Eresby is recovering in England from the almost
fatal attack she experienced in Mortal
Fire. She’s still in love with Dr. Matthew Lynes, who frightened her away
with questions like: Why is he super
strong? Why do his wounds heal so quickly, and just how old is he? She
begins to search out information about him by investigating his ancestors, and
Emma isn’t prepared for what she finds.
Again, C.F. Dunn’s writing brings you right into the story
and captures your imagination. I enjoyed every page…right up to another abrupt
ending. Matthew and Emma are reunited, sort
of, but their future is left uncertain.
I suppose Ms. Dunn intends to write a third novel
and allow Emma to possibly integrate into Dr. Lynes’s family. Some of the
mysteries surrounding him are yet to be revealed, and at the very end Emma
witnesses something odd as she’s about to enter Matthew’s home. One more cliffhanger.
If you don’t mind leaving a book with more questions than it
answers, then you will enjoy this one. I suppose I’ll gravitate to her third
novel in the hope that all will eventually be revealed. — Gail Lewis
Product Details Series: The Secret of the Journal (Book 2) Paperback: 384 pages
I forget
where I saw this book advertised, but bought it for my Kindle. I’m glad I did.
It is one of those books that keeps you engrossed.
Old Before My Time is a fascinating
account of this family’s challenges and joys. Alternating chapters are from the
perspective of Hayley Okines’ mother and then from Hayley’s point of view. It
is very well done.
As a writer
myself, I want to send out kudos to Alison Stokes for assembling their story in
an entertaining and enlightening way. The events are the Okines’, but the skilled
writing of Ms. Stokes makes the book definitely readable.
I highly
recommend this tale of a little girl’s journey through a devastating illness by
putting a positive spin on it. Currently 13 years of age, she lost her best
friend when Hayley was only 8 and her friend only 11. As devastating as aging eight times faster than normal is, Progeria has opened doors for Hayley and her family that are shut for most of us. Follow her fascinating trips to meet famous people and the overwhelming medical procedures she endures to find a cure for this painful illness.
An annual
event for Progeria children and their families provides them all with
encouragement and helps promote research for a cure. May it advance quickly. — Gail
Lewis
SUMMIT BOOK REVIEW: The Bare Naked Truth is about sex, but not what the title might evoke. Written primarily for teen girls, this non-fiction book is filled with first person stories, humorous quizzes and questions with blank lines that invite the reader to pen personal insights. It assumes most young women who read it are already Christian and promotes abstinence in factual, thought provoking ways.
As a grandmother with five granddaughters, the oldest 15, I was intrigued to learn what approach this author would employ.
She uses numerous first person stories that are sometimes humorous, and often touching.
Here is possibly my favorite quote from the book, from a chapter that spotlights Allison. "I wish I had waited. I thought it would be cool to lose my virginity because everyone around me had. Now I realize the girls who are holding on are not prudes or weird, but are special and strong. It takes courage and guts to save yourself--and guys admire that about a girl."
Teens who do not attend a church and don't think about Christian values may be turned off by this openly Christian book. However, if they read it with an open mind, they'll learn and can benefit greatly from it. I recommend it and am grateful to Zonderman and LitFuse for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review. -- Gail Lewis
Here are a pair of books from Abingdon Press Author Jim Kraus. Summit Book Reviews gets many offers from publishers in exchange
for honest reviews and passes on most of them. These titles intrigued me and I was curious. How can you
write about a talking dog or cat and make it work? Believe it or not, it does!
THE DOG THAT
TALKED TO GOD
The cover says you will be charmed by this story and I was.
I didn’t want to put it down. If you think a dog talking to God and to his
mistress is silly, then you don’t have to believe that he did. It’s possible
that all the brief conversations took place in the heroine’s mind. Or not.
Jim Kraus creates an emotionally charged story of Mary
Knopf, a woman who has lost both her husband and her only child in an auto
accident. Angry over the pain she’s had to endure, she refuses to speak to God
any longer. Years later she acquires a miniature schnauzer that helps her back
onto her path toward God.
Will she ever love again, or strike out on her own away from
the sorrow and grief she’s suffered? After some futile attempts, it appears so.
This is a heartwarming story of endeavoring to carry on in spite of adversity.
If you love dogs, you’ll adore this pooch and will enjoy the human insights Mr.
Kraus provides through Rufus.
THE CAT THAT GOD
SENT
Disillusioned and unsure of himself, Pastor Jake Wilkerson
arrives at his new parish to be met by an injured stray cat. He’s never had a
cat, but this one needs his help and he takes it in.
The cat’s internal dialog will keep you laughing. I particularly
like the cat’s comments about dogs.
A single man, Pastor Jake has a past to overcome, and a
present to protect. A homeless young woman takes up residence nearby, and
there’s a beautiful veterinarian who treats the new cat. She’s responsible for
naming him Petey. Will Pastor Jake settle in and be accepted? Will he find love
again after a broken engagement? Will Petey succeed in what he believes is his
mission through direction from God?
Read this novel and you’ll enjoy it, whether you’re a cat lover
or not.
—Gail Lewis
Follow the Blog Tour for Jim Kraus' Books HERE
Since we reviewed Nick Vujicic's books, Life Without Limits and Unstoppable, we thought you might be interested to see his new baby son, Kiyoshi James Vujicic. Blessings to Nick and his sweet family.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Tracy L. Higley for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tracy L. Higley started her first novel at the age of eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. She has authored nine novels, including Garden of Madness and Isle of Shadows. Tracy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ancient History and has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Italy, researching her novels and falling into adventures. See her travel journals and more at TracyHigley.com
SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:
On an island teetering at the brink of anarchy, Daria finds hope among people of The Way.
She escaped a past of danger and found respite in beautiful Ephesus, a trading center on the Aegean coast, serving as tutor to Lucas, the wealthy merchant who rescued her.
But the darkness she fled has caught up with her.
The high priests of Artemis once controlled the city, but a group of sorcerers are gaining power. And a strange group who call themselves followers of The Way further threaten the equilibrium. As Daria investigates Lucas’s exploits into the darker side of the city, her life is endangered, and she takes refuge in the strange group of believers. She’s drawn to Paul and his friends, even as she wrestles with their teachings.
When authorities imprison Lucas for a brutal crime, Daria wonders if even Paul’s God can save him. Then she uncovers a shocking secret that could change everything—Lucas’s fate, her position in his household, and the outcome of the tension between pagans and Christians. But only if she survives long enough to divulge what she knows.
“Meticulously-researched, spellbindingly written with luscious prose and compelling and complex characters.” —Tosca Lee, New York Times best-selling author of Havah: The Story of Eve
Product Details:
List Price: $15.99
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 12, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1401686826
ISBN-13: 978-1401686826
SUMMIT BOOK REVIEW:
After reading and enjoying Tracy L. Higley’s Garden of Madness and her Isle of Shadow, I was eager to read So Shines the Night. It did not
disappoint. She has the ability to bring historic places to life with her vivid
description. Well done, Ms. Higley! — Gail Lewis
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Prologue
I am an old man, and I have seen too much.
Too much of this world to endure any more. Too much of the next to want to linger.
And though I have nearly drowned in the glorious visions of those last days, yet I know not when it shall come, nor how many years I must tread this barren earth before all is made new.
There is a Story, you see. And we are still in the midst of it, ever striving to play our roles, battling on for the freedom of hearts and souls and minds yet enslaved by darkness.
But I have seen a great light. Oh yes, I have seen it. Even now it is breaking through, as it did on that grassy hillside so many cool spring mornings ago, when Moses and Elijah walked among us and my Brother shone with the glory He had been given from the beginning and will rise up to claim again at the end.
You will wonder, perhaps, at my calling Him brother. And yet that is what He was to me. Brother and friend, before Savior, before Lord. In those days when we wandered the land, going up and down from the Holy City, we shared our hearts, our lives, our laughter. Oh, how we laughed, He and I! He had the irrepressible joy of one who sees beyond the brokenness, to the restoration of all.
I loved him. And He loved me.
But I speak of beginnings and of endings, and these are words that have no meaning, for the day of His birth was both the beginning of the Kingdom and the end of tyranny, and that magnificent Day yet to come—it is the end-which-is-a-beginning, and my eyes have seen such glory in that New Jerusalem, my very heart breaks to tell of it.
And yet they come, young and old, to this tiny home in Ephesus that is to be my last dwelling outside that New City, and they beg me to tell the Story again and again.
And I do.
I tell of seals and scrolls, of a dragon and a beast and a Lamb. Of music that makes you weep to hear it and streets that blind the mortal eye. Of a Rider on a White Horse with eyes of blazing fire, whose name is Faithful and True. It is a great Story, and greater still to hear the final consummation of it, for how often we forget that we are living it still.
But I have another tale to tell. A smaller story within the One True Story that began before the creation of this world and is echoed at its end, as all our stories are. It happens here, in this port city of Ephesus but many years ago, when the darkness lay even heavier than it now does upon the people, and their souls cried out for relief from anyone who could give it.
This smaller story does not begin here in Ephesus, however. It begins a day’s sail away, on the sun-kissed shores of the Isle of Rhodes, where the light first began to break upon one woman and one man, even as they walked in darkness . . .
Chapter 1
Rhodes, AD 57
In the glare of the island morning sun, the sea blazed diamond-bright and hard as crystal, erratic flashes spattering light across Daria’s swift departure from the house of her angry employer.
She carried all she owned in one oversized leather pouch, slung over her shoulder. The pouch was not heavy. A few worn tunics and robes, her precious copy of Thucydides. She clutched it to her side and put her other hand to the gold comb pinning the dark waves of her hair, her one remaining luxury.
The bitter and familiar taste of regret chased her from the whitewashed hillside estate, down into the squalid harbor district. Why had she not kept silent?
Along the docks hungry gulls shrieked over fishy finds and work-worn sailors traded shrill insults. The restless slap of the sea against the hulls of boats kept time with the anxious rhythm of her steps against the cracked gray stones of the quay.
She had run once, haunted and guilty to a fresh start in Rhodes. Could she do it again? Find a way to take care of herself, to survive?
“Mistress Daria!”
The voice at her back was young and demanding, the tenor of a girl accustomed to a world arranged to her liking. And yet still precious, still malleable.
“Mistress! Where are you going?”
Daria slowed, eyes closed against the pain, and inhaled. She turned on the sun-warmed dock with a heaviness that pulled at her limbs like a retreating tide.
Corinna’s breath came quick with exertion and the white linen of her morning robe clung to her body. The sweet girl must have run all the way.
“To the School of Adelphos, Corinna. I will seek a position there.”
Corinna closed the distance between them and caught Daria’s hand in her own. Her wide eyes and full lips bespoke innocence. “But you cannot! Surely, Father did not mean what he said—”
Daria squeezed the girl’s eager fingers. “It is time. Besides”—she tipped Corinna’s chin back—“you have learned your lessons so well, perhaps you no longer need the services of a tutor.”
Corinna pulled away, dark eyes flashing and voice raised. “You do not believe that, mistress. It is you who says there is always more to learn.”
They drew the attention of several young dockworkers hauling cargo from ship to shore. Daria stared them down until they turned away, then circled the girl’s shoulders, pulled her close, and put her lips to Corinna’s ear. “Yes, you must never stop learning, dear girl. But it must be someone else who teaches you—”
“But why? What did you say to anger Father so greatly?”
Only what she thought was right. What must be said. A few strong phrases meant to rescue Corinna from a future under the thumb of a husband who would surely abuse her.
Daria smiled, fighting the sadness welling in her chest, and continued her trudge along the dock toward the school. “I am afraid discretion is one of the things I have not yet learned, Corinna. Your father is a proud man. He will not brook a mere servant giving him direction in the running of his household.”
Corinna stopped abruptly at the water’s edge, her pretty face turned to a scowl. “You are no mere servant! You are the most learned tutor I have ever had!”
Daria laughed and looked over the sea as she walked, at the skiffs and sails tied to iron cleats along the stone, easy transportation to the massive barges that floated in the blue harbor, awaiting trade. Papyrus and wool from Egypt, green jade and aromatic spices from far eastern shores, nuts and fruits and oils from Arabia. Her eyes strayed beyond the ships, followed northward along the rocky Anatolian coast to cities unknown, riddles to be unraveled, secrets and knowledge to be unlocked. More to learn, always. And somewhere perhaps, the key to redeeming the past.
They approached and skirted the strange symbol of the isle of Rhodes, the toppled Helios that once stood so proud and aloof along the harbor and now lay humbled, its bronze shell speckled to an aged green, reflecting the impenetrable turquoise sky. The massive statue had lain at the quay for gulls to peck and children to climb for nearly three hundred years since the quake brought it down. Daria found it disturbing.
“May I still visit you at the school, Mistress Daria?”
She smiled. “One challenge at a time. First I must convince Adelphos that he should hire me.”
Corinna’s tiny sandals scurried to keep pace. “Why would he not?”
“It is not easy to be an educated woman in a man’s world of philosophy and rhetoric. There are few men who appreciate such a woman.”
“How could anyone not appreciate someone as good, as brave, as you?”
The child gave her too much credit. She was neither good, nor brave. She would not be here in Rhodes if she were. Though she was trying. The gods knew, she had been trying.
Corinna lifted her chin with a frown in the direction of the school. “I shall simply explain to Adelphos how very valuable you are.”
And how outspoken? Interfering? But perhaps the girl could help in some way.
“Will you demonstrate some of what I have taught you, Corinna?”
The girl’s eyes lit up. “Just wait, mistress. I shall amaze and delight that crusty old Adelphos.”
Daria studied the impetuous girl and bit her lip. But it was a chance she must take.
The School of Adelphos lay at the end of the docks, its modest door deceptive. Daria paused outside, her hand skimming the rough wood, and inhaled determination in the sharp tang of salt and fish on the breeze. Who would believe that such distinguished men as the poet Apollonius and Attalus the astronomer had studied and written and debated behind this door? Sea trade had kept Rhodes prosperous for centuries, but in the two hundred years under Roman control, the Greek island had grown only more beautiful, a stronghold of learning, of arts and sciences and philosophy.
Inside its most famous school, she blinked twice and waited for her sun-blind eyes to adjust.
“Daria!” Adelphos emerged from the shadows of the antechamber with a cool smile and tilt of his head. Tall and broad-shouldered, he was several years her senior, with the confident ease of an athlete, a man aware of his own attractiveness.
She returned the smile and straightened her back. “Adelphos. Looking well, I am pleased to see.”
He ran a gaze down the length of her, taking in her thin white tunic and the pale blue mantle that was the best of her lot. “As are you.”
“I have come to make you an offer.”
At this, his eyebrows and the corner of his mouth lifted in amusement and he gave a glance to Corinna, still at the door. “Shouldn’t we send your young charge home first?”
She ignored the innuendo. “My employ as Corinna’s tutor will soon come to an end, and I desire to find a place here, in your school. As a teacher.” She swallowed against the nervous clutch of her throat.
Again the lifted eyebrows, but Adelphos said nothing, only strolled into the lofty main hall of the school, a cavernous marble room already scattered with scholars and philosophers, hushed with the echoes of great minds.
She gritted her teeth against the condescension and beckoned Corinna to follow, with a warning glance to keep the girl quiet, but the child’s sudden intake of breath at the fluted columns and curvilinear architraves snapped unwanted attention in their direction, the frowns of men annoyed by disruptive women.
Adelphos disappeared into the alcove that housed the school’s precious stock of scrolls—scrolls Daria had often perused at her leisure and his generosity.
Daria spoke to his back. “Do you doubt my abilities—”
“What I doubt, my lady, is a rich man’s willingness to pay a woman to teach his sons.”
Daria waved a hand. “Bah! What difference does it make? I can do a man’s work just as well. And if they learn, they learn!” But a cold fear knotted in her belly.
Adelphos traced his fingertips over the countless nooks of scrolls, as if he could find the one he sought simply by touching its ragged edge. “And you, Daria? Do you want to live a man’s life as well as do a man’s work? What woman does not long for love and family and hearth?”
Her throat tightened at his words, too close to the secrets of her heart. Yes, she longed for those comforts. For a love that would accept her abilities, complement rather than suppress. But for now, for now she had no one and she must assure her own welfare.
She coughed to clear the dryness of her throat and stepped beside him, examined the great works of philosophy and literature, their tan Egyptian papyri wrapped in brown twine, sealed in waxy red.
Adelphos reached past her to a nook above her head, and his muscled arm brushed her shoulder.
The touch was intentional, clearly. Manipulative. Even so, his nearness left her breathless and her usual sharp-tongued wit failed. When she spoke, it was a harsh whisper, too raw with emotion, though the words emerged falsely casual. “And why should I not have both?”
At this, Adelphos huffed, a derisive little laugh, and turned to lean his back against the shelves and unroll the scroll he had retrieved.
“A woman of ambition. Does such a breed truly exist?” His gaze darted to hers. “But what am I saying? You have already wedded a husband, have you not?”
Daria pulled a scroll from its recess and pretended to study it.
“You are interested in the work of Pythagoras? That one is newly arrived from Samos.”
Daria shrugged. “I find his work repetitive. What new has he added to Euclid’s previous efforts?”
“Indeed.” Adelphos pulled the scroll from her hands and replaced it in its nook. “But you have not answered my question.”
“I am a widow, yes.”
“A widow with no sons. No dowry.” He glanced at Corinna, clutching the doorway. “And no employment. Is there anything more desperate?”
Daria lifted her chin and met his gaze. “It seems you are in an enviable position, then, Adelphos. You have found a skilled teacher, available for a bargain.”
Adelphos circled to Corinna, an appreciative gaze lingering on her youth and beauty. “And this is your prize specimen? The pupil of whom I have heard such wonders?”
The girl straightened and faced Adelphos with a confidence borne of knowledge. “Shall I demonstrate the superior skill Mistress Daria has given me with languages?”
Daria silently cheered and blessed the girl. “Corinna has been working hard to master the tongues of Rome’s far-flung empire.”
Adelphos’s brow creased and he opened his lips as if to speak, then sealed them and nodded once. No doubt he wanted to ask what use there might be for a girl who could speak anything but common Greek. As Daria herself was such a girl, the implicit question struck a nerve. She turned a shoulder to Adelphos and nodded encouragement to Corinna. “Let us hear Herodotus in the Classical first, then.”
The girl grinned, then gushed a passage of Herodotus in the proud language of her Greek forebears, the language of literature and poetry, before Alexander had rampaged the world and equalized them all with his common koine.
“And now in Latin, Corinna.”
The girl repeated the passage, this time in the tongue of the Romans, the new conquerors.
Adelphos tilted his head to study the girl, then spoke to her in Latin. “Anyone can memorize a famous passage in a foreign tongue. Few can converse in it.”
Corinna’s eyelashes fluttered and she glanced at her hands, twisted at her waist. When she answered, it was not in Latin, but in Persian. “Fewer still can converse in multiple languages at once, my lord.”
Adelphos chuckled, then glanced at Daria. “She does you proud, lady.”
A glow of pride, almost motherly, warmed Daria’s chest. “Indeed.”
Corinna reached out and gripped Adelphos’s arm, bare beneath his gleaming white tunic. “Oh, it is all Mistress Daria’s fine teaching, I assure you, my lord. I wish to be an independent woman such as she someday. There is nothing she cannot do.”
“Corinna.” Daria smiled at the girl but gave a tiny shake of her head.
Corinna withdrew her hand and lowered her eyes once more. “I have told my father this, but he does not understand—”
“Her father has been most pleased with her progress.” Daria tried to draw Adelphos’s attention. “He saw a superior mind there from an early age and was eager to see it developed.”
He waved a hand in the air. “I have seen enough. You may go.”
This is not a dry, clinical book. It’s easy to read and
entertaining as well as informative. Whatever you thought was dangerous about
prescription or over- the-counter drugs, multiply that at least a hundred fold.
Expect to be shocked.
Dr. Marcum fills this book with true-life stories of drug
interactions gone bad. More importantly, however, he gives warnings that all of
us should pay attention to. He shines a light on the highly profitable pharmaceutical
business that is in a hurry to mainstream drugs, very often before their
potential side effects are adequately documented. He also discusses many of the
more commonly prescribed medications that have been on the market for decades,
yet still carry high risks. He points out that the number one cause of death in
this country is actually medications.
Ultimately, in Medicines
That Kill, Dr. Marcum examines some of the most commonly prescribed drugs
and offers healthful ways to get off them. He discusses what harms our health
the most: anger, stress, inactivity, being overweight, smoking. He could have
ended his book there and it would have been highly successful.
Yet, he bravely goes farther and openly the talks about the best
solution to obtaining good health. It is Love. Especially love of God. The
Bible holds the key to this understanding. To quote the author, “…by
understanding the important connection between who we are (God’s created
children) and how we are to live (a lifestyle designed by that same God), we can
open the door to some incredible insights.” He goes on to discuss the “Laws of
Health.”
I highly recommend this book to everyone. I, for one, am
going to try to laugh more often, love more freely, limit my use of pain
relievers, continue to exercise and lose weight in order to throw away my high
blood pressure medicine, and nurture an attitude of gratitude.
We thank Tyndale House Publishers for providing us with a review
copy in exchange for an honest review. —Gail Lewis
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers; 1 edition (January 17, 2013)
Easter comes early this year, but this book is right on time!
Take this opportunity to download a free copy of E G Lewis' 5-Star, #1 Ranked Book, In Three Days - The History & Traditions of Lent and Easter. It will be free for the Kindle from Sunday, 2/3/13 until Thursday, 2/7/13. Click HERE to get yours now.
Critics say:
“Amazing in its breadth and depth”…“Fun and educational, something new on every
page”… “Until I read In Three Days I
didn’t know how much I didn’t know.”
Take a
fact-filled journey through the Lent
and Easter Season from beginning to end in twenty-eight fascinating chapters
that cover a wide variety of topics: Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Fasting,
Pretzels, the Lenten Food, Prophecies of Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter,
How the Date of Easter is Determined, Maundy Thursday, The Practice of Foot
Washing, Burial in the First Century, and The Three Marys. Also includes designated chapters on each of The Four
Men who Tried Jesus: Annas, Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas, along
with individual studies of the Three Relics of the Passion: Veronica’s Veil,
The Sudarium, and The Shroud of Turin. Special additional chapters deal with Shekers or False Messiahs, Baptism in
the Early Church, Did Jesus Wear a Toga, Did Jesus Have Long Hair, The Way
Jesus Dressed, The Names of God, and The Names of Jesus. Plus a fun Bonus —
What to do with all Those Easter Eggs.
Everybody Needs To Forgive Somebody is an easy, enjoyable and inspiring read. We are given many examples of forgiveness, not the least of which was Christ's forgiveness of Peter.
The story that most moved me was the forgiveness example of Bud Welch, father of 23-year old Julie Marie Welch who died in the Federal Building in Oklahoma City when Timothy McVeigh bombed it. How do you forgive something horrific like that? It isn't easy, yet forgiveness has nothing to do with forgetting and everything to do with faith.
Read how and why Bud Welch met with Timothy McVeigh's father, who was also grieving. This was a touching story, as were many others in this inspirational book. This is a quick 92 pages and well worth reading.
Author, Allen R. Hunt, is a former Protestant minister who converted to Catholicism. I am eager to read his book, Confessions of a Mega Church Pastor.
-Gail Lewis
PRODUCT DETAILS: Paperback Publisher: Beacon Publishing (September 15, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937509281
ISBN-13: 978-1937509286
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
I was
excited to see if Nick Vujicic could possibly add anything to Life Without Limits. His first book was full
of encouragement and told of many challenges throughout his astonishing life. It
is a remarkable read and I wondered if he would match it. He did.
Unstoppable
continues with amazing first-person stories about Nick, including how he met
and won his beautiful new wife. It includes lovely color photos. In addition to
his own tales, much of this book also includes incredible narratives of the challenges
faced by others. There are many surprising, life-changing accounts in this
book.
If you’ve seen Nick’s portrayal in The Butterfly Circus, you’ll be very
interested in co-star, Eduardo Verástegui. His story is extremely inspiring, as
are so many others. You’ll meet people overcoming addictions, thoughts of
suicide, cutting themselves and more. Their poignant stories and Nick’s are moving
and touching. Then there is little Daniel, who was also born without limbs.
This entire book is inspiring and
uplifting. Get it, read it and share it! We were delighted to receive a free
copy of Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic
in exchange for an honest review. We also recently learned that his wife, Kanae,
is pregnant. Ultrasounds show that this baby boy has all his limbs, fingers and
toes. God bless this burgeoning family.
When Kregel Publications offered a free
review copy of The Tainted Coin for
our review it immediately caught our interest. Turns out it was a book well worth reading, very
much so, in fact.
This novel is the fifth in a
chronicle of surgeon, Hugh de Singleton, and takes place in Bampton, England in 1367. As bailiff to the Lord of the area, it is his
duty to investigate crimes. Awakened early in the morning, he is summoned to a
grisly scene where a man has been beaten. The man ultimately dies, but before he does he whispers his last words, “They
didn’t get me coin.”
When examining him, Singleton finds an ancient Roman coin hidden in his mouth.
What follows is a chase to locate
the villains and the family of the deceased. With the help of groom, Andrew,
Master Hugh discovers further mystery in the victim’s home. Ultimately, Master
Hugh’s wife and small daughter are threatened, requiring protection for them
and further motivating him to locate those responsible for the murder.
His exploits result in the unexpected rescue
of a rather disagreeable young woman who has been held captive for ransom and
then the ultimate rescue of one of the men who was guarding her. This subplot alone
makes the book worth reading.
The only criticism I have of this
novel is that I expected something more mysterious regarding the ancient coin. It
had no magical powers and didn’t lead Master Hugh to any satisfying conclusions
about it. Why hide an ancient coin in your mouth while you’re being beaten? It
wouldn’t have revealed the location of an ancient treasure. Maybe our victim
realized it would verify to his attackers that he actually had found a treasure?
I wanted more clarity on that one facet
of the story. Meanwhile, Master Hugh doesn’t locate the source of treasure
either, but it is out there and might figure into a future novel, perhaps?
Eventually, our hero’s quest
discovers the guilty men and provides a bright future for a poor widow, her two
children, and the man she marries. To tell you anymore would give too much away. Read the book, it’s an enjoyable read.
I hope to go back and read the first
four books in the Series that chronicle the life of Master Hugh, The Unquiet Bones, A Corpse at St. Andrew’s Chapel, A Trail of Ink, and Unhallowed Ground. The titles are
intriguing and Master Hugh de Singleton is a fascinating character.
—Gail Lewis
FYI:The Tainted Coin's blog tour runs until Friday, Jan 25th. During this period, Kregel is offering the Kindle version for just $5.00. Click HERE to go to Amazon for savings.
"GENESIS PEOPLE," Book One of the 5-Minute Bible Story Series, by Sheila Deeth. Remarkable stories for children and adults alike. Excellent!!! Link to Amazon.com for free book is below:
ABOUT PROMISES: A
Recipe for Trouble--Take one jilted Supermodel on the rebound, Add an unscrupulous
businessman who'll do anything to save his floundering business, Agitate until
both are steaming, then keep at a low simmer. When looking for love sometimes
you find it...and sometimes you don't!
Smooth
as a sip of Kentucky Bourbon, PROMISES eases you into Kentucky's Appalachian
hill country. That wonderfully wild place of mountains and hollows, creeks and
rivers, with its hardscrabble life and whiteboard churches where roots go deep,
family matters, and Granny Wright's never wrong. A place where King Coal still
rules and beneath its veneer of respectability lies a hidden web of treachery.
Mary
Jane Combs may have gotten her Momma's good looks, but her strong-willed
determination came straight from Daddy. Growing up in Kentucky she dreamed of a
simple life with a loving husband, a home of her own, and healthy kids. Instead
she's become an international Supermodel, swapping the Appalachian coal country
for New York City's Upper West Side and traveling the world in her private jet.
But,
she'll need all the determination she can muster when her ex-husband sets out
to destroy everything she's accomplished. But two questions remain to be
answered: Can she do what needs to be done and still remain true to the
promises she made at her mother's deathbed? And when the dust settles, will she
at last find the loving relationship she always dreamed of as a girl?
ABOUT GENESIS PEOPLE: Readers say,
“Charming…Delightful…A marvelous teaching tool…” Gather the kids and join
author Sheila Deeth as this long-time Christian Educator and Sunday School
Teacher leads a fun and educational field trip through the Book of Genesis.
Designed for independent reading by middle-graders, or reading aloud to younger
children, each one of this series of linked short stories is not too long, not
too short…but just the right length.
Make learning fun as you and your children come to know these Biblical characters
in ways you never have before. All your favorites are here. She begins at the
beginning with God, of course, then come Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel, Seth,
Methuselah, Noah and others. Proceed on to the age of Patriarchs where you meet
Terah, Lot, Melchizedek, Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael, Sarah and Isaac, Rebekah,
Esau and Jacob, Laban, Leah, Rachel and many more.
From there,
continue on to the story of Joseph, his brothers who sold him into slavery, and
his life in Egypt where he eventually rescues the fledgling nation of Israel. All-in-all,
Genesis People contains nearly 50
separate stories, each one the ideal length for reading at bedtime or before a
nap. Using her insights, masterful storytelling skills and gentle way with
words, Ms. Deeth creates a series of stories that will have your children
begging for “Just one more.” Genesis People is a wonderful way to introduce
youngsters to the Bible. Includes Author’s Notes.
