"Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God" by Max Lucado

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What I have to say...
Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God definitely tops my favorites list when it comes to books written by Max Lucado. There is just something about his writing style that I love. Each chapter is the story of a different person from the bible. The way Lucado tells each story is uncommon, suitably so since these are stories about “common people and an Uncommon God.” He tells their stories as if they are happening today. I think this aspect helps the unbeliever to understand and the believer to understand stories that they’ve heard and read a million times in a fresh way. You’ve probably heard these stories before, and if you’ve read a lot of Lucado’s books you’ve probably even heard them the way that he tells them. Little did I know I had already read one of the stories that spoke to me most; I guess this was just the time in my life that I really needed to HEAR it. I love how each separate story comes together to form the entire book and an overall message that I think is most magnified in the last couple chapters, those about Lazarus and Peter. These aren’t just their stories, this is your story.


This book was provided for review by Book Sneeze.

"Facing Your Giants" by Max Lucado

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What I have to say...
Max Lucado’s book Facing Your Giants is modernly poetic. Lucado’s style of writing is sophisticated yet understatedly simple. In this book Lucado takes the reader on a journey through the life of biblical hero David. You see David’s good and bad and how he faces his giants the different times of his life. I think it’s important to learn from other people’s mistakes, it allows you to save yourself from the misery of making the same mistakes and having to face the consequences of such. Lucado does a great job of relating David’s giants; to the giants we face today. I mean how many of us will be gunned down by our best friends father because we were just declared king? My guess is none. My favorite bit of advice from Lucado is the fact that David took five stones to fight Goliath. He suggests using your five fingers to remember those five rocks and what they stand for the fight your giant. In fact I am constantly looking at my fingers reminding myself of those stones. If a young-teenage Sheppard boy can beat his giant, I can beat mine. There is also a very helpful study guide to finish the book off.

*This book was provided for review by booksneeze*

"The Last Christian" by David Gregory

What I have to say...




David Gregory’s novel, The Last Christian, is about the future. In this future “tolerance” has come to pass and Christianity no longer exists. Abigail Caldwell grew up in a remote jungle in Papua New Guinea. A disease killed her village, forcing her into a “real world” that she has no connection to except a dated message from her grandparents, a mission to return the Christian faith to America. Technology now offers eternal life, but at an expense. Abigail, with a little help from a professor and an ousted FBI agent, takes on the most powerful players in America in order to show the world what real eternal life is.


The future in the book is eerily not so far in the future anymore. It’s almost scary how easily the reader can imagine the circumstances in the story coming to pass. The faith aspect of this story is very thought provoking; the reader will definitely look at the gospel in a brand new light. There’s a heavy focus on life, a little love, and a tolerance that isn’t so tolerant. Christ freely gives what the world tries to sell, but cannot come through on. So America, what life are we going to buy into?
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*This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.*

Summary (as seen on randomhouse.com)
In the future, it’s possible to live forever—but at what cost?


A.D. 2088.

Missionary daughter Abigail Caldwell emerges from the jungle for the first time in her thirty-four years, the sole survivor of a mysterious disease that killed her village. Abby goes to America, only to discover a nation where Christianity has completely died out. A curious message from her grandfather assigns her a surprising mission: re-introduce the Christian faith in America, no matter how insurmountable the odds.

But a larger threat looms. The world's leading artificial intelligence industrialist has perfected a technique for downloading the human brain into a silicon form. Brain transplants have begun, and with them comes the potential of eliminating physical death altogether—but at what expense?

As Abby navigates a society grown more addicted to stimulating the body than nurturing the soul, she and Creighton Daniels, a historian troubled by his father's unexpected death, become unwitting targets of powerful men who will stop at nothing to further their nefarious goals. Hanging in the balance—the spiritual future of all humanity.

In this fast-paced thriller, startling near-future science collides with thought-provoking religious themes to create a spell-binding "what-if?" novel.
About the Author (also taken from randomhouse.com)

David Gregory is the coauthor of two nonfiction books and a frequent conference speaker. After a ten-year business career, he returned to school to study religion and communications, earning two master's degrees. David lives in Texas, where he works for a nonprofit organization.

"The Cross Gardener" by Jason F. Wright

What I have to Say...

Jason F. Wright’s newest novel, The Cross Gardener, is a quick read with a huge heart. Although some of the theology is questionable, Wright knows how to weave his stories into your heart for good. The reader is taken along main character, John Bevan’s story, from being born on the side of the road, to learning how to overcome a lifetime of loss. Most readers will not be able to imagine the kind of loss the John suffers in this story, and those than can I’m sure will connect to this book unlike anyone else could. You follow John’s story from meeting the girl of his dreams in elementary school, to their first date, to her death and that of their unborn child. John makes the accident site into a memorial, which he visits daily. He is so consumed by his loss that all else in his life comes in a far second, and he can’t figure out how to help his daughter with the loss, which has left her mute. I hope this book finds its way to the New York Times Bestselling list, because I’m sure that it would do extremely well there. It’s life in the purest form. It’s realistic, there’s death, love, and life. I urge you to read this book and discover how John comes to heal, and better yet find out who helped him heal.

http://www.jasonfwright.com/thecrossgardener.html

"Never Let You Go" by Erin Healy

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Summary
Losing everything has Lexi clinging to her daughter. Hell is determined to loosen her grip.

It's been seven years since disaster struck her family. Lexi Solomon has held it all together since then--just barely.

But now Lexi is losing it. The husband who deserted her is back in town, wanting to see their daughter Molly. Her sister's shameless murderer is up for parole. An unsavory old friend is demanding payment for debts that Lexi knows nothing about and can't begin to meet.

And something else is going on--something Lexi feels but can't explain. A dangerous shift is taking place between this reality and the next. Forces beyond her imagination are vying for control.

A rare novel that will satisfy a wide range of readers, Never Let You Go explores the high-stakes decisions played out in the thin spaces between heaven and earth. As the enemy's grip tightens around Lexi, she will have to decide what's truly worth holding on to.

"Keeps you glued to the pages until the very last."--Tosca Lee, author of Havak: The Story of Eve


What I Have to Say...

Ask any loyal reader of Ted Dekker who Erin Healy is, and they can most likely tell you. Her first independent novel, Never Let You Go, I believe takes her from award-winning editor to an author that should be award-winning as well. Healy definitely knows how to write a page turner. This novel will leave you wondering what is real and what is not, where do the spiritual and physical realms meet? These lines become blurred in the novel as main character Lexi deals with her not so ex-husband’s bad decisions of the past, as well as poor decisions that she has made. Old acquaintances threaten to ruin the life that she has worked so hard to give her daughter. As soon as these old acquaintances reappear, so does Lexi’s husband, as well as trouble. Unexplained events take place that leave Lexi wondering what is really going on. I wanted to read this novel because I extremely enjoyed Kiss, a novel Healy co-wrote with my favorite author, Ted Dekker. Healy blew away my expectations. I was hooked to every page, every word she wrote. This may just be one of the best written novels I have ever read. Healy definitely knows what she is doing, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for readers next.

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"The Bride Collector" by Ted Dekker

What I Have to Say..
Ted Dekker has done it again, he has written another brilliant thriller. This newest novel is called The Bride Collector. It is about a serial killer who murders women leaving a bridal veil at each crime scene. The novel starts with the death of his fourth victim and you read through his pursuit of his seventh and final, who in his perspective is God’s favorite and perfect bride. Dekker dives into the subject of mental illness, asking the question are those who are dubbed mentally ill really normal and those who are dubbed normal really the ones who are mentally ill. Not for the light of heart, the killings are gruesome and it was hard for me to read at first. Dekker used a great name as an underwear brand though; maybe that’s what hooked me. ;) Dekker is one of those minds that dare to ask the questions no one else wants to think about. Maybe that’s what makes this book so brilliant. If we all just understood each other; if we understood that we are all God’s favorites because He loves us unendingly we wouldn’t pin false stigmas upon one another. I dare you to open your mind to Dekker’s questions.

*This book was provided for review by Center Street*

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"Forget Me Not" by Vicki Hinze

Summary
A mother who cannot face her future.
THEIR ELUSIVE ENEMIES TOOK EVERYTHING. NOW THEY WANT MORE.

Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family. Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away. His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith. Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too. Why had he survived? He’d failed to protect his family.

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan. A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.

The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill. Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly. Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?

About the Author
Vicki Hinze is an award-winning author of twenty-three novels, three nonfiction books, and hundreds of articles. Selected for Who’s Who in America in 2004 as a writer and educator, Hinze is active in Romance Writers of America and serves as a Vice President on the International Thriller Writers Board of Directors. Vicki lives in Florida with her artist husband, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. Visit www.vickihinze.com to learn more about Vicki’s books, blogs, and writing programs.

What I Have to Say...
Author Vicki Hinze’s first work of Christian fiction, Forget Me Not, is a must read. If you like a book to keep you on the edge of your seat, this will surely do it. A woman who looks exactly like main character, Benjamin Brandt’s, diseased wife shows up at their crisis center. In her pocket is Ben’s wife Susan’s necklace and a card bearing her name. This woman has been left for dead and has no memory except that someone had tried to kill her. Nameless and homeless, Ben takes her in trying to figure out who she is and how her case links to the death of his wife. This is a story of mystery, love, and faith. I have never read a book that was better at showing how bad things still happen when you’re a Christian and that faith takes effort. Faith isn’t a one time deal, it is a continuous thing. You’ll find this book to have a shocker or two. I could not ask for more in a story, it had everything in it. I sincerely hope that Vicki Hinze takes to writing more Christian fiction. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for it!

*This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.*

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