Implosion by Joel C. Rosenberg

Joel C. Rosenburg’s new book Implosion: Can America Recover From Its Economic & Spritual Challenges in Time? presents thought provoking evidence that America is in trouble.  But is America in decline?  Is it near an implosion?  The author cites political leaders, journalists and political commentators with both sides of the issue. Quotes from Keith Olbermann, Glenn Beck, Al Gore, Charles Krauthammer and quite a few more show the balanced approach he took in presenting the problems in America.

This book is a study in current affairs, a history lesson, and a Bible study as the current state of America is discussed with reference to the end times of the Bible. He takes a look at America through the lenses of economics, politics, and scripture. He answers such questions as:

What roll, if any, should Christians have in politics?

What are the signs of the last days?

What happens to America in the last days?

How does the Bible describe the Rapture?

This is a good guide for Christians to examine themselves, their church, their politicians, and open their hearts for a revival.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review.

Doll's Eyes by David Grace

Doll’s Eyes is an intriguing story that begins when 16 year old Hannah McGuire saves the life of 13 year old JT Trainer and then disappears. JT grows up to become a homicide detective with a life-long passion to find Hannah. 

When a young girl is killed when caught in the cross-fire of an assassination plot, JT finds a web of murder, fraud, child abuse, and corruption of high officials.  This is a police procedural that gets a little bogged down with details at times, but I did enjoy the story and the underlying need to know what happened to Hannah. The characters are believable and I especially enjoyed the relationship JT had with the couple that took him in when he had no family. 

This is the second David Grace book I have reviewed.  Shooting Crows at Dawn was the first.

What You Need to Know about Bible Prophecy by Max Anders

What You Need to Know about Bible Prophecy: 12 Lessons That Can Change Your Life by Max Anders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What You Need to Know About Bible Prophecy is a book with 12 lessons that can be taught in a Bible class, Sunday School or personal Bible Study. The book has a “who, what, where, when and why” feel to it. Why study prophecy and what is the big picture? It is also presented with differing viewpoints commonly believed by different faiths, and presented in a neutral manner. This is not a fluff study, but tends to provoke thought and discussion.

Following each chapter is a review section that I think is one of the best I have seen. Sometimes in the review I try to find an answer, but I am not sure I am correct. These review sections are divided into five subsections. The first, entitled Speed Bump!, is a question and then the answer is provided. Next is a fill in the blank of the same questions and answers. There are also discussion questions, and a section for non-believers to understand how to apply the information. The last is scripture and books for further study.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the Booksneeze program of Thomas Nelson. It is accepted with the understanding that I will give my honest opinion of the book.


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The Wrong Man by David Ellis

The Wrong Man by David Ellis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How does a lawyer defend a man that can’t or won’t defend himself? When Tom Stoller, a homeless Iraqi war vet suffering from PTSD, is accused of murder, Jason Kolarich takes on his defense. His defense is complicated by the fact that his client won’t talk and statements at the time of arrest appear to be a confession. Jason is a bulldog of a lawyer that doesn’t rest until he finds the best way to defend his client, especially when he starts to believe that Tom may be innocent.

Although The Wrong Man is book three of a series, it is very much a stand-alone story. I never felt I needed to know some back story to fully understand what was happening. It did have some problems that put me off a little. There were certain surprise twists in the story that were not much of a surprise for me. Also, the way he incorporated a girlfriend into his work life was odd. I did enjoy reading the book and I would still recommend it to those who like legal mystery/thrillers.

Disclosure: I won an ARC of this book from librarything.com.

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The Hour of Predators by Lane Stark

The Hour of Predators is a different twist on a murder mystery. Marcus Chao is not your typical law enforcement character, and I enjoyed his interaction with the other characters, especially with his ex.  This well-written story takes on some strange characters and situations, but the story flowed so well that I felt as though all was normal.   Set in a small town in Canada where the culture clash between the Native Indians and the whites creates a difficult case to solve.  Strange traditions, magic, and ordinary redemption brings this story to a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to another book by this author and hope another Marcus Chao story is in the works. 

The Hour of Predators is Available at Amazon 

Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus by Joyce Magnin

 As someone with a huge salt and pepper shaker collection how could I not love a book about a woman who shares that interest!

Harriet has reached a certain point in her life when she knows she needs to make a change.  Her husband has passed and she feels as though she has never accomplished anything.  After losing a bet, she agrees to move in with her son and daughter-in-law.  She packs up her huge salt and pepper shaker collection and sends her dog ahead to her son’s home. But Harriet decides that she will set off to travel cross country by bus – not the Greyhound kind - but local transportation whenever possible. Her main goal is to make it to the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg TN. (yes, it really exists)

Harriet Beamer Takes a Bus is a delightful story of an older woman as she discovers things she never knew about travel, people, and her own family.  She has quite a few adventures along the way and meets many interesting people.  She reaches out to people who are hurting and shares her wisdom, but also opens her heart and learns much in return from them.  

Thank you to Zondervan for the advanced reader copy of this book.  I accepted the book with the understanding that I would give my honest opinion.  I provide a link to purchase the book, but I receive no compensation for any purchase through my link.

Link to purchase Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus

The Women’s Fibromyalgia Toolkit by Dawn A. Marcus, MD and Atul Deodhar, MD

The Women’s Fibromyalgia Toolkit contains current information including some of the changes in diagnosing fibromyalgia.  There is now a larger umbrella of symptoms to help with the diagnoses. It also includes a diagram with the original diagnosis tender points.  My personal opinion as someone who has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia is that the tender point chart gives a more accurate picture of the condition. I think the new criterion creates a muddled view of fibromyalgia.

There is a lack of organization in the book, but fortunately there is an index to help find all of the topics covered.  There is a large section with suggested exercises complete with black and white photographs.  Also included is information on nutrition, pain management drugs, symptom tracking charts, pain management through pregnancy, and what to discuss with your physician.

The Women’s Fibromyalgia Toolkit is a good reference for the newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia or for someone who suspects they may be suffering from this syndrome and would like to know more about it. 

The Anxious Gardener's Book of Answers by Teri Dunn Chace

If you are planting your first garden or perhaps have just had your first garden disaster, this is the book to find out where things went wrong.  As much as I would like to stick a few plants in the ground, scatter some seeds, and come back to a bountiful garden, it doesn’t work that way.  There are planting times, weeds, pests, and a variety of problems that can occur. 

The Anxious Gardener’s Book of Answers is written question and answer style with topics covering most of the important aspects of good garden care.  The book covers proper planting times and depths, soil, weed control, fertilizer, pests, different plant types, and much more.

Most topics contain information on what can go wrong, the right way to do it, and if it can be fixed if a mistake is made.  This book is more for beginners because there is just basic information on each subject, but it is certainly enough to get started and a great quick reference guide if you are not sure about something that has gone wrong.

Thank you to Timber Press for providing me with a review copy, accepted only with the understanding that I give my honest opinion of the book.  I receive no compensation for books purchased through any of my links. 

Link to purchase The Anxious Gardener's Book of Answers  

The Desperate Christian by Leigh Crane-Freeman

There is a problem within today's churches that in many cases causes them to go stagnant. Christians can get discouraged, unattached to the church, and desperate. Leigh Crane-Freeman helps the reader get back on the right track. She encourages the reader to focus more on who you are through Christ and less on what you do.

The book is well referenced with end notes at the end of each chapter and loaded with scripture as a guide. It is divided into two parts. In the first, she lets the Christian know that they are not alone in feeling a spiritual void from the church and explains some of the problems in today's church. In the second part there is specific information for the struggling Christian to put them on the path for spiritual growth. She answers questions such as "What does it mean to be led by the Holy Spirit?", and "What does God need from me to work through me?" There are eleven questions in all that the author answers using scripture and practical advice.

This would make a nice devotional, Bible study, or could even be used in a church setting because she does encourage anyone that has fallen away from the church to go back.


I received an electronic copy of The Desperate Christian free of charge with the understanding that I would read and give my honest opinion of book.  I receive no compensation for any books purchased through my link.


Link to purchase The Desperate Christian

Shooting Crows at Dawn by David Grace

Jubal Dark has been a tough common-sense sheriff for 20 years and is facing down a re-election that is not going well.  In fact, he full expects to lose. Although Dark has caught his share of criminals, there is a hostile attitude in town concerning three escaped killers and an unsolved murder cold case of a young girl.

The characters are all believable.  Dark is a very likeable character as a widower and father of an adult daughter.  Holly Sharps is a crime scene tech working for Texas Ranger Buck Nevis. Buck allows her to make coffee, file, and pick up his dry cleaning.  Holly offers to help Dark solve his cold case and work for free if he will just give her a chance.

This is a pretty gritty tale and although it had a little more violence than I like, I was impressed with the quality writing and suspenseful plot.  This is a great crime drama!

Link to purchase Shooting Crows at Dawn

I received an electronic version of Shooting Crows at Dawn for review in return for a review giving my honest opinion. I receive no compensation for any books purchased through my links.

Simple Shortcut Recipes by Gooseberry Patch

I love my Gooseberry Patch recipe books because they are of sturdy construction with attractive pages and easy to follow country-style recipes.  They are also packed with special hints and tips about foods, recipes, and décor.  I always feel like I am getting a little something extra with the Gooseberry Patch cookbooks.

Simple Shortcut Recipes is a welcome addition to my collection with more than 225 recipes that uses shortcuts to make easy dinners for busy cooks.  The first recipe I tried in this book was Busy-Day Beef with three ingredients and a Crock-pot^©.  It was delicious!  I was actually very surprised at just how good it was, and it will be a new regular meal in this house. 

The categories are:

Beat-the-Clock Breakfasts

Simple Soups, Salads, & Sandwiches

Fast-Fix Sides & Breads

Dinner Express

Oh-So-Easy Entertaining

Piece-of-Cake Desserts

These are practical, easy recipes that taste good.  Some are updated versions of old favorites, and all of them have ingredients that you can find in your local food stores. That is important for those of us who live in small towns or rural areas.

Link to purchase Simple Shortcut Recipes

I received a review copy of Simple Shortcut Recipes in return for my honest opinion of the book.  I receive no compensation for any book purchased through my link. 

Called to Controversy by Ruth Rosen

The emotional introduction to this book was so shocking that I gasped when I read it.  I recently read a fiction book that made clear the Jewish author’s hatred of the Jews for Jesus, so I was intrigued and wanted to read this book all the more.

I had heard of the Jews for Jesus group over the years, but really didn’t know much about them.  It was not at all what I expected.  Back in the 1960’s and 1970’s they were an unconventional ministry that was very much like the “Jesus Movement” at the time. 

This biography of Moishe Rosen by his daughter is direct, informative, and a good overview of this unusual man.  I didn’t really find Moishe a very likeable man, but very blunt and direct.  His daughter’s honest portrait of her father is what I liked most about this biography. The change that came after he became a follower of Jesus was painful, gradual, but effective.  One instance described in the book is when he spoke out in a hurtful manner. It took a while, but he did apologize and asked for forgiveness.  I think the personality of Moishe must have made this very difficult. 

Moishe’s testimony of salvation is interesting and his story of the break with his family is heartbreaking.  The book shows how God used Moishe’s daughter’s illness to overcome prejudice. 

Called to Controversy is a beautiful testimony to a courageous man’s life. The book ends with a letter Moishe wrote to be published when he died.

Link to purchase Called To Controversy

I received a copy of this book from the Booksneeze program with the understanding only that I would give my honest opinion.  I receive no compensation for any book sold through my links.

Healthy Hair Rehab Now by Jacqueline Tarrant

If you have ever had a question about hair health, growth, breakage, thining, or need an answer to a hair problem, Healthy Hair Rehab Now by “Hair-ologist” Jacqueline Tarrant is just what you need.  I am not sure what I expected, but I found this book so interesting that I couldn’t put it down! 

I think I expected more product information, but I was pleasantly surprised that instead the author explains how environment, health, and food cause changes in our hair.  There is information on all types of hair types and all age groups. 

I don’t think I have ever read so much detail and helpful information about hair.  I have thigh-length hair so I have experienced many of the problem situations in this book. Jacqueline goes over all of the problems that can cause problems with hair.  Diet, medications, general health, and a variety of other factors can cause hair breakage, loss and problems. 

I thought I already knew a lot about hair, but I was wrong.  I learned so much from Healthy Hair Rehab Now! 

Link to purchase Healthy Hair Rehab

I received a review copy of Healthy Hair Rehab Now with the understanding that I would give my honest opinion of the book.  I received no compensation for books purchased through my link.  

The Art of Garden Photography by Ian Adams

Link to purchase from Timber Press
This book is a little older published in 2005, but is still very current. After conducting a series of garden photography workshops, Ian Adams realized that a book specific to garden photography that included digital camera information was needed.  There is information about both film and digital equipment along with the author’s personal experience of his transition from film to digital.  The photographs in the book are beautiful and printed on glossy paper, but most were taken with film and not digital.  I would have liked a more balanced variety.

I enjoy seeing “experiments” that the photographer/author provided when he tried different exposures or filters for interesting outcomes.  There are detailed sections on composure, how to choose a viewpoint, and the common mistakes made by inexperience photographers with close-ups. I think the most valuable information for me was how and what to include in my pictures that was illustrated in his photographs.

I have always wanted to capture some of the beauty in my own garden and this is just what I need to get started.   Not just for the summer bounty, all four seasons are covered with beautiful photos of each. The Art of Garden Photography has earned a space on my permanent bookshelf.

Thank you to Timber Press for the review copy of this book.  I receive no compensation for the book's purchase from my link. 

Redemption Day by Steve O'Brien

Home-grown terrorists are a real and constant threat in the United States. Redemption Day by Steve O’Brien brings to life the story of the kidnapping of a Supreme Court justice.  Nick James is a Federal terrorism analyst who finds himself out of work and being drawn into the crime - possibly drawn in too far.  Nick has to solve the kidnapping while at the same time he is being framed for murder.  Top on his list of suspects is the Posse Comitatus, a militia-style organization who believe that the government has gone too far.

After the initial tense kidnapping scene, the story hits the skids while the author has to backtrack with information on all of the characters involved.  Possibly there was too much information, and the story becomes rather choppy. However, as the story picks up again so does the suspense.  There is a good balance between dialog and narration, and the characters were OK, but I didn’t feel any real connection to them. I also didn’t find the story believable, but sometimes you just have to get lost in the story and not worry about whether it is logical or not. There is plenty of action, adventure, torture scenes, and surprises that kept me guessing.   Link to purchase Redemption Day 

I received a copy of Redemption Day only with the understanding that I would give my honest opinion. I receive no compensation if the book is purchased through my link.