I grabbed this e-book when it was free on BarnesandNoble.com. I didn’t read it right away, but when I finally had time I really enjoyed this inspirational medical based story. There were a few problems with word spacing and dropped letters, but I don’t know if it was book editing or e-book formatting problems. It didn’t bother me, but I know some find it annoying.
The story is about a female doctor whose life is spiraling out of control when her identity is stolen. She is a woman of faith and therefore her decisions and daily life reflect that faith. In fact, at one point I was disappointed in a decision she made only to realize that her decision was the morally correct one. What was I thinking! The story is not “preachy”, but just part of her life.
I thought it was a good story and will definitely read more by this author.
Amazon.com link to pre-order Oath of OfficePre-order NYT best-selling Michael Palmer’s 17th medical/ political thriller OATH OF OFFICE and support The Food Project, a great organization in Eastern Massachusetts supporting youth through sustainable agriculture. Learn more about the initiative and how to get involved: http://on.fb.me/zya842
Michael Palmer is the author of sixteen medical mystery/suspense novels. It is no secret that he has been one of my favorite authors for years, and Oath of Office is another outstanding book by this author.
The character of Dr. Lou Welcome brings us an area of medicine that patients do not like to think about. He is a medical doctor that has fought his way back from addiction and is now helping other troubled doctors. Unexpectedly, one of his doctors suddenly goes on a shooting spree. He kills patients, another doctor, and his staff before killing himself. Lou was overseeing this doctor’s progress and is held responsible for the carnage. But things are strange all over the small town of Kings Ridge, and Lou finds several cases of individuals behaving out of character. He must solve the mystery to keep his position as counselor to his troubled colleagues. There is a political connection (non-partisan) in the story that leads all the way to the First Lady and President.
I always enjoy the medical foundation to the story, and with the suspense and great writing, this book was a pleasure to read. Each of the main characters of the book is unique. Lou Welcome was likeable, and I enjoyed the relationship he had with his father, daughter and even his ex-wife Renee. He and Renee still had a respect and fondness for each other. Of course, there is action and adventure when Dr. Welcome finds criminal activity going on where you least expect it. There is a perfect balance of dialog and narration, and I highly recommend Oath of Office.
Giveaway
Michael Palmer has offered a reader copy of Oath of Office for one reader of Bookvisions.
1. US Only and no P.O. Boxes
2. Contest will end February 10, 2012 at Midnight Central time.
3. One winner will be chosen and will have 48 hours to send me your mailing address.
4. Leave a message with your email address and let me know of any other Michael Palmer books you have read.
Shear Murder is a fun mystery/romance. There is quite a bit of detailed wedding information because the character, Marla, is not only a bridesmaid in a wedding, but also planning her own wedding.
Imagine finding a dead body under the wedding cake table! Suspects abound in this story, and Marla is well know by local police as someone who likes to get involved. I think that there was maybe a little too much information gained by eavesdropping, but Marla is eager to solve the crime.
I was a little worried when I saw that the book contained just over two pages of a Cast of Characters with the names and brief bio of everyone in the book (including pets!), but keeping track of everyone was not a problem even without the list.
This is the tenth in the “Bad Hair Day” mystery series, but it is very much a stand alone. This was the first in the series that I read and I never felt like I didn’t know something that had happened in the past. I am not sure if this is the last in the series, but if it is, fans will be pleased.
Gone to Ground is a serial killer murder mystery told from the perspective of three women. Each of these women believes they know who committed the murders, and all have something to lose by coming forward. Amaryllis, Mississippi is not the type of town where murders happen, but now a serial killer has the whole town on edge. Brandilyn Collins takes us into the lives of these three women as they try to do the right thing.
You are first introduced to Cherrie Mae, the senior of the three ladies possessing the grace and wisdom of a mature Christian. She cleans houses and finds information that leads her to think that one of her employers is the killer. There is a dialect used for her narration, but it is not overdone and doesn’t interfere with the flow of the story. Tully, a young pregnant woman, believes that her abusive husband may be the murderer. Deena, a beauty shop owner, is afraid her special needs brother may be involved. Woven through the book is the story being retold as a newspaper article by Trent, a reporter. All of the characters are likeable and realistic.
Although the chapters change the point of view, you will never be lost in this chilling tale of murder. I appreciated the Brandilyn Collins’ careful development of each character and clear “voice” for each. Of course, it also helps that the chapters are labeled with the name of the viewpoint! The story brings the three women together so that their lives intertwine. Once again Brandilyn Collins brings suspense, mystery, and faith to her characters in a special way. Of her books I have read, I think this is the best so far.
I have a great new book, and I will be posting my review this week. For now, I just want to give you a little information about the book and how Brandilyn Collins researched it. I enjoyed Gone to Ground very much. Scroll down for the book trailer.
About Brandilyn Collins -Author of Gone to Ground
Brandilyn Collins is a best-selling novelist known for her trademark
Seatbelt Suspense®. These harrowing crime thrillers have earned her the tagline, Don't forget to breathe . . .®, and have made her one of the most well-known figures in the mystery/suspense literary genre.
Following the steps of a mysterious serial killer, Brandilyn's latest novel, Gone to Ground (March 2012, B&H Fiction, $14.99, Trade Paper), takes readers to the fictional Southern town of Amaryllis, Mississippi. To research this book—her first set in the South—Brandilyn ventured to Jasper County, Mississippi. One of her biggest challenges lay in learning the accent well enough to recreate it in dialect, especially for the black character.
“I need to speak with an African American woman who’s at least sixty,” Brandilyn told the clerk. She was introduced to Cherrie Mae Gammage, whose first and middle names were so perfect for the character, Brandilyn asked for permission to use them. Cherrie Mae agreed, and later lent her musical Southern accent to the book trailer for Gone to Ground. Auditions for the other two characters’ voices were eventually held in Bay Springs, and the city clerk who introduced Brandilyn to Cherrie Mae became the voice for thirty-five-year-old Deena.
Brandilyn's first book, A Question of Innocence, was a true crime published by Avon in 1995. Its promotion landed her on numerous local and national TV/radio spots, including daytime talk shows. A speaker on the writing craft, Brandilyn is also known for her distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons). The Writer magazine named Getting into Character one of the best books on writing published in 2002.
BRANDILYN COLLINS is the bestselling author of 23 novels. Awards for her work include the Carol Award (three times), Inspirational Readers' Choice, and Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice. When she's not writing, Brandilyn can be found teaching creative fiction at writers' conferences. She and her family divide their time between homes in the California Bay Area and northern Idaho. For more information, please visit
BrandilynCollins.com.
Rev Billy Graham is one of the most well known and respected Christian pastors. I am so happy that he chose to write this book about how to live an honorable and useful life as we grow older. There is much useful information for those of any age, but especially those who are starting to feel the restrictions of age. Rev. Graham shows how God used men and women from the Bible when they were in their later years of life, and, of course, how He can still use us today.
Although he writes about failing strength, health issues, retirement, loss, and family decisions, this is never a depressing book. He also writes about the “Foundation that Lasts”, influencing those around us by our attitude and behavior, and our home in heaven, and I felt only his upbeat optimism for his heavenly future.
This is a wonderful book not only for seniors, but for every age. As a matter of fact, young adults will benefit from this book because Rev. Graham gives great insight into the need for preparing for the future. This is an easy book to read and I appreciated his message. Growing older is not easy and can easily be depressing if we focus on what we can’t do instead of what we can. Rev. Graham has accomplished so much for the cause of Christ, but he is always humble in his demeanor and writing.
I received this book for review from the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze program.
I was the fortunate contest winner of this book, a gift certificate to Home Depot, and foam molds to create concrete address numbers. The project for the house numbers was a video garden project presented on the Timber Press website. http://www.timberpress.com/
A couple of years ago I made some stepping stones with concrete with found “treasures” around the house, but when I saw Concrete Garden Projects, I realized there were many other things I could make with a little concrete. I love projects that repurpose and use found items.
This book has inspiration as well as specific instructions for creating useful concrete objects for the yard. There are a variety of pots using either homemade molds or other containers you have around the house. There are also mini-ponds, birdbaths, tea lights, and other decorative items. The last section of the book is the Project Handbook with step-by-step instructions and photographs for working with concrete and molds. There are instructions also for adding decorative touches to your concrete project.
The photographs are nicely done and most are full-page. Most of the projects are easy and can be made with things you have around the home or inexpensive kitchen or candle molds. This is a great book for those who love their patio spaces!
I am frequently asked to post links to articles written by others, and I usually don't because they are clearly are done to promote their websites. I did find this one interesting though, and thought I would go ahead and post the link with the understanding that I am not promoting their website, only the article.
“The vision is that we would see broken spots in our soul.” I received the leaders’ kit for this group Bible study program that contains a leader’s guide, a workbook, a DVD with eight video lessons, and a deck of conversation and scripture cards.
The Bible Study Meeting:
The leader is reminded to listen, not lecture, and not to counsel. The lessons, except lesson one, are to be completed at home before the meeting. To do the lessons properly I would say they would probably take 30-45 minutes at home to study and complete. The homework discussion at the meeting should last 20-30 minutes.
The DVD lessons are very nicely produced. The speaker is engaging and the backgrounds in the video are very nice. The video and teaching should last 10-40 minutes.
There is a deck of cards that contain questions used as conversation starters. The cards for that week are set out and each lady chooses her favorite one. The scripture card for the week is also placed out. The ground rules for the card session are:
Be concise
Keep sharing confidential
Rely on scripture for truth
No counseling
Meeting attendees are reminded of these rules at each meeting. The women are then asked to “share” their answers to the question they chose. This session should last 30-75 minutes. I chose three questions randomly as examples:
What do you love more than God?
What things in your life right now get you down?
How has your past contributed to your stuck places?
The material as a whole is very good and we all want to be able to say “It is well with my soul.” I would say that this Bible study would appeal to young women, immature Christians, and not-yet believers seeking God for their lives. Jennie talks quite a bit about her life and her children in the DVD lessons, and I think this age group would find it most engaging. It is very much a feelings based study, and some of the sharing the women are asked to participate in is very personal. The fact that the leader is to remind them at each meeting that the conversation is confidential means that it could be very damaging if that confidentiality isn’t held.
The print in both the leader’s book and the study guide is gray instead of black and is very difficult to read. While lovely to look at, it is very hard on the eyes. My hope is that in later printings the print will be darkened.
With only eight lessons, I think this is a good way for women who feel they are stuck in their spiritual lives and to receive a needed push to move forward.
Sometimes I just can 't figure out authors! There are a few ways that authors or publicists can contact me and ask for a book review. One is directly by going to my website and reading the side-bar paragraph about what types of books I like to read. Another is a listing in a an e-book that was distributed to independent authors with the same information. They can see the other books I review (some are Christian, some not), and it states that I will read Christian books. I also get emails with requests for reviews with an introduction to their book, and that is how I found this book. So why wouldn't the author mention that an important part of the story is that Christians are reviled in this book?
There was nothing on the back cover or in what I was sent that would warn me that I would be insulted on every other page of this book. I am still a little stunned at the hatred on those printed pages. This isn't the first time this has happened, but I just can't figure out why an author would want to insult so many people. Do they think Christians don't read general fiction?
Here is my review, and I tried to be fair: Although I did not enjoy this book, it is a pretty good medical mystery. The plot follows a doctor as he introduces each patient, his connection to them, and their treatment. Several become victims of a serial killer. Although I was able to figure out the killer early on, there were plenty of suspects and interesting characters throughout Brier Hospital.
I have tried to review this book fairly and not let my personal views get in the way. Unfortunately, the author did not give the reader the same courtesy. I would not recommend this book for Christians, or anyone who is pro-life unless you don't mind being insulted on every other page.
Since I prefer browns and beiges to bright colors, this is definitely the right book for me.
The book begins with an explanation of neutrals, values, planning, general cutting and piecing instructions, appliqué, and binding. There are very good instructions from start to finish that would help even a beginning quilter.
Skill levels are not listed, but I would say seven are beginner to easy, three intermediate, and two experienced. My favorite easy projects are Summer Stitch In which is a pattern with squares and triangles, and the matching pillow Woven Pillow Sham. My favorite experienced project is Going my Way?, a French braid type quilt.
The cutting and piecing instructions are clear, and the templates are full-sized. The snowflake templates have to be placed on the fold of fabrics, but are easy to use.
I like this book very much and it has earned a place on my permanent shelf.
Thank you to Martingale & Company for the review copy of this book, accepted with the understanding that I will give my honest opinion.
Setting the scene for a medical story is often difficult and unrealistic, but Philip Hawley was able to make the opening hospital scenes believable and intense when a young boy arrives with an unknown deadly illness. The web of secrets and lies creates an interesting and unforgettable story.
Stigma is a first-rate medical thriller/action/adventure and I would never have guessed this was an author’s first book. Philip Hawley’s book can stand right along side books by the more “famous” authors. Each character is developed carefully so that the reader becomes involved with each of them and the story.
The story doesn’t just stay in the hospital though, it travels out of the country and off on an adventure I didn’t expect. It is a good story with interesting characters, and is the type of story that will appeal to both men and women.
With 627 recipes, you really can’t go wrong with this cookbook. The Introduction is written by Carol Roth Giagnocava and the Forward is by Alan Giagnocavo in which they introduce the Amish and Mennonite cookbooks and the impact the funds have for the Mennonite Central Committee Relief efforts. There is also a brief history of the Amish and Mennonites.
All of the categories that most cookbooks have such as Appetizers, Soups, Main Dishes, etc. are here, but there are also additional recipes for European Dishes, Traditional Classics, Cheese-making, Jams, Grandma’s Remedies, and Soap Making.
The recipes included are good, hearty, home-cooking comfort food. There are also lovely rural countryside photographs to enjoy.
Inspirational Applique by Cheryl Almgren Taylor is a unique book of beautiful quilts that allow you to express your faith in the symbolism of design. Her book begins with the section of “Symbolism in Design” in which she explains the symbolism behind the colors, numbers, and specific designs.
There are three designs representing the Old Testament Scripture and eight for the New Testament. The skill levels are not marked, but I would characterize them as three for a knowledgeable beginner, four for intermediate, and four for the advanced appliqué quilter.
Your inspiration can be as obvious or as subtle as you like, and adjusting some of the more advanced designs can make them easier for a quilter with less experience. For example, the quilt “As for me and my House” wall hanging would be much easier without the lettering. Of course, you are not making the statement of the scripture, but you would still have a lovely wall hanging and the practice so that you may advance in your skills.
My favorite is the “Daily Bread” wall hanging with its bundle of wheat tied with a ribbon, but it is definitely for a more advanced (or more patient) appliqué quilter.
My thanks to Martingale & Company for a review copy of this book, accepted only with the understanding that I will post my honest opinion of the book.
Sewing seams in knit garments isn’t difficult, but it is a very time-consuming process to make it look nice. So I was happy to find a book with almost seam-free patterns, Seamless (or nearly seamless) Knits by Andra Knight-Bowman.
The book starts with a short (3 pages) section of Special Techniques and Tips that contains instructions for cast ons, three-needle bind off, and knitting in the round.
The patterns are divided into three sections:
Building from the Bottom Up – A shell, a sweater with ½ sleeves, a long sleeveless dress, sweater with ¾ sleeves, 2 vests, 2 long sleeve sweaters, a jacket, and a hoodie
Taking it from the Top Down – A v-neck sweater with ¾ sleeves, and three long-sleeve sweaters
Somewhat Side to Side – Long vest (my favorite), Short sleeve sweater (my second favorite), 2 long sleeve sweaters, and a jacket.
Skill levels are marked and there are 8 labeled as easy, 10 as intermediate and 1 for experienced knitters. There are 5 size ranges in each pattern.
I liked the styles in this book because they are current without being wild. The patterns are easy to follow and have easy to read double spacing between row instructions. The only problem I had is that on a couple of the more difficult patterns there were abbreviations that I was not familiar with. There is a section in the back of the book for abbreviations, but I found at least three that were not explained.
Thank you to Martingale & Company for a review copy of this book, accepted only with the condition that I write my honest opinion of the book.
Hi! I'm Linda. Yes, I know my e-mail says annarudow, but my e-mail was originally for genealogy research. Anna was my ggrandmother-just in case you are related!
I would be happy to consider your book for review. Please contact me at annarudow at gmail dot com with a brief description of your book. As you can see by my blog I have varied interests . My favorites are mystery, thriller and Christian books, but I do read other genres. I do not read paranormal, fantasy or erotic. I will accept e-books compatible with the Barnes and Noble nook. I will also review baby and children's books, but in physical copy only. I post my reviews on both commercial (Amazon, B&N, Borders) and reader websites (librarything, goodreads), as well as my blog.
Guidelines for Blog Reviews and Disclaimer:
Most of the books that I review on this blog I have received free of charge from the publisher, publicist, or author. In most cases it is an advanced reader copy or electronic copy. Receipt of the book is always with the understanding that I only post honest, thoughtful reviews. I receive a short description of the book from the sender, and then I try to accept only books I will like. I am not an author or professional writer. I am just a book lover and enjoy blogging. Unless I note that I am reviewing a library, a purchased, or borrowed book, you may assume that my book has been received for review. As a courtesy to the author, I post a link to amazon.com, but I do not receive any benefit if the book is purchased.
