Book Review: Beckon by Tom Pawlik

Dark. Damp. Eerie. In an unmapped cave in the small, mysterious town of Beckon, Wyoming.  As an anthropologist whose dad ran off years ago, this cave is one of the only clues his father left behind. However, his father never meant for it to be uncovered.  Beneath the surface of the quaint town, Something sinister is going on. Literally beneath the surface. Three unconnected people must decide whether to leave, or stay and live forever. With giant, man-eating, devil crabs, glowing moss that fives long life and odd food cravings, This book is a certain winner.

I loved the character development. The author did a fantastic job providing the background for each character, as well as blending the characters stories in a perfect manner. The way the author wrote the book was incredibly interesting, and it had a superbly interesting plot. It kept you reading to the last page. I liked how it was written into three different sections, and how the sections mingled towards the end of the book. The only thing I disliked was how hard it was to understand at first, but towards the middle it was much clearer.

Overall, it is a fantastic sci-fi read for ages 16+

Tyndale publishers gave me this book in exchange for a free review.

Book Review: Breath of an Angel by Karyn Henley

Melaia was just an innocent bystander. A priestess. She didn’t purposely become the witness to a murder. Even though blameless, Melaia still has watched a supernatural death occur. The stranger who was murdered, unbelievably has wings. Not to mention the murderer has  the shape of both a hawk and a man. She never believed the myths about “angels” and “shapeshifters.” But that has all changed. Caught unexpectedly in a war of paranormal proportions, Melaia has to go under the protection of a small band of angels. The few angels that are trying to repair the broken stairway to heaven.  They cannot complete it, however, without changing Melaia’s destiny.

Overall, I thought this book was OK, not really the greatest, but not really the worst either.  I found the beginning to be really slow, as well as extremely confusing.  I had to really focus, and also I had to re-read a few sections of the literature. It was hard to make sense of the names and places. That said, after I finished it, I was fairly interested in the next book. My curiosity was most definitely piqued. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is OK if the beginning of a book is slow. I would give this book 3 out of 5 stars

This book was given to me from Waterbrook in exchange for this review.

Heart of Ice by Lis Wiel

Elizabeth Avery has it all; she is a drop dead gorgeous woman, and she can manipulate people with ease that only comes from practice. No one would guess that her heart was icy enough to kill.
Federal prosecutor Allison Pierce and FBI agent Nicole Hedges are forced to work on crimes that seem to be completely unconnected, but they have a feeling there is more than what meets the eye.

Through this intense, suspenseful, thriller of a novel, Nicole and Allison must race the clock before the killer ends this cruel game. It will be an end unthinkable.

Overall, I liked this book very much. It had a very captivating, suspenseful, and wonderful plot. Lis Wiel certainly does not disappoint. She uses wonderful descriptions, as well as fantastic plot twists. She never dissatisfies with her unbelievably realistic characters. She develops them so nicely! In addition, I was kept on the edge of my seat the throughout the entire book. The only thing I partially disliked was the fact that Christianity, or faith in general, was scarcely mentioned throughout the book. Taken as a whole, this book is a fantastic read, and it is most definitely worth your time and money.

This book was given to me for free from booksneeze

Book Review: The Scroll by Grant R. Jeffrey and Alton L. Gansky

" One last dig. One final descent into the twisted tunnels of ancient Jerusalem.  Will the truth be found among the ancient treasures that lie beneath the holy city?"

In this thrilling suspenseful novel, Dr David Chambers, the leading archaeologist in Jerusalem, the holy city. He used to be without doubt in his faith, but lately, it seems he has fallen into a bottomless pit of doubt. Instead of thinking upon the marvelous scriptures of the Old testament, he fill his mind with questions regarding the holy verses. His life seems without hope, since he has been ripped from the love of his life, his fiance Amber. Will he find the answers he is looking for underneath Jerusalem? Or will he remain ever in turmoil?

     I thought this book was fantastic. It was very suspenseful, and it intrigued me.  I loved the characters; they were entirely wonderful.I was held in suspense for the entire book, and I couldn't wait to read the next chapter.  I could not wait to the the next artifacts they found, as all the old relics were quite wonderful. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading suspense novels, as well as those who have like books about archaeology. This book is a fantastic Christian archaeology book for everyone who likes reading. Overall, it is a fantastic book that is worth your money!

This book was given to me from Waterbrook Multnomah for this review

Book Review of "Valley of Dreams"by Lauraine Snelling

    Addy Lockwood's life has turned upside down. Firstly, her mother had died when Addy was young. Following her mother, her father died. On top of that, the wild western show she has worked in since she was young closes down. Addy is thrust into a new life, one she is naive existed. Traveling with only a hired hand and an Indian chief from the once-thriving show, she tries to travel to the legendary valley her father had promised to take her to, and never did. She hopes she can reach this "Valley of Dreams" before winter, and the dangers of the black hills, swallow them.
  I liked the plot of this book, except, however strange it sounds, it needed more conflict. It was almost too easy. I did love the descriptions, the characters, and the sweetness of the book. I loved how innocent and naive Addy was, as well as the emotions she fights through. On a cosmetic note, I liked the cover a lot, the swirled accents and the colors were beautiful together. Her longing look also is wonderful for the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the beauty of the Black Hills, and also anyone infatuated with the old west. Overall, a Very, Very good book.
Richard L.

Bethany House Publishers gave me this book free in exchange for this review

Book Review: Departures by Robin Jones Gunn

     Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen both have one thing in common: They both are dealing with friend problems, boy problems, and emotional freak-outs.  Christy is simply unsure about her feelings toward her “friend” Matt.  Just friends or something much more cherished? She hopes that in the short weekend her family is visiting her hometown; she can sort through her feelings enough to enjoy her vacation. Sierra wonders if she is the only girl who has not yet begun to like boys, and if she should or should not. After a fun vacation with friends, that all might quickly change for Sierra.

    I thought this book was very cute. A fairly predictable plot, but with enough different “bumps” that it was still totally unique.  I loved the two characters and their descriptions, as well as the untimely “meeting” the two had. I agreed {for the most part} with their dating/courting philosophy and would likely recommend this to friends. I am eager to read the rest of these books, as I can hope are as well written as this one. Overall, I hope this review has helped you see that these characters and the story are beautifully written, as well as appropriate for girls of all ages!

Richard

This book was given to me free of charge by water brook for this review

Book Review: Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl

    2:13 a.m. The haunting time Dani Harris continually wakes up. Absurd, seemingly meaningless nightmares scare her during the wee hours of the morning. Dreams of her late parents, a stone, and an oncoming apocalypse continually frighten her and cause her a lack of sleep. Tommy Gunderson, a retired pro-football player, finds himself awoken one night by an eerie elderly woman, speaking in Latin and with an unnatural strength.  When an unknown girl is found murdered and mercilessly harmed, both Tommy and Dani must find a reason behind the peculiar happenings, and they must find an answer before it is too late.

     I found this book to be wonderful. It was one you can barely put down, and if forced to put down, you do so extremely grudgingly. I loved the character of Tommy Gunderson, who seems to be a cool Christian guy. If there were any criticisms, it would be the abrupt ending of the book; however, I absolutely cannot wait for Lis Wiehl’s next novel, as I am left on an edge with this one! I would recommend this to anyone who watches murder mysteries, and enjoys suspense. I would not recommend it to anyone who does not handle violence well, due to the content. I sincerely hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did!

Richard

Thomas Nelson gave me this book free in exchange for this review.