Tree Swing Reading

Review of "A Shred of Truth" by Eric Wilson

Description:

In The Best of Evil, Aramis Black uncovered family secrets and historical conspiracies, hoping that his own dark past had come to certain resolution. But now, in the dark of night, he finds his brother unconscious and tied to a statue in Nashville’s Music Row …with the initials AX carved into his back.

A shadow from his former life has reappeared, casting threats of violence and retribution. And soon the attacker is swinging his blade of self-righteous judgment directly at Aramis, calling upon him to “face his sins.” Can Aramis finally break free from the guilt of his old ways… or will he succumb to the vengeance of an arrogant sociopath?

My Review:

Another great suspense! I totally enjoyed this book and think Eric Wilson is right up there with the best of the suspense writers.  Not only is the writing engaging and action-packed, but it also full of important truths brought into the story in a way that is never preachy or contrived. I especially enjoyed Aramis and Sammie's conversation about God's judgement juxtaposed with his grace.  Aramis is a fantastic character and this is a fantastic book.

To learn about Eric Wilson's cool hidden clues in his books, read yesterday's post here.

For my review of the first Aramis Black book, The Best of Evil, read here.

My sunny day rating all the way!

Something Cool about Aramis Black books

Here's something I just noticed...

At the end of this first book, Aramis tells his brother he's going to write the story of his family and the Lewis treasure that everyone was searching for. Johnny Ray (his brother) asks him about the treasure and Aramis says that the first letter of each chapter of his book wil spell out a clue to finding the treasure.

So...I thought, I wonder if this book spells out something with the first letter of each chapter.  Here's what it says:

"In a cave where the wolf's mouth opens and Indians bluff."

Anyway, the second book confirms this clue (which helped me put the words together) and indicates that Johnny Ray figured it out.

So I cheated and looked at the end of the second book. Turns out Aramis is going to write another story and this time the last letter of each chapter will spell a clue. Johnny Ray says, "another treasure to find?" and Aramis says, "You'll just have to see."

So here's what I got from the last letter of each chapter in the second book, A Shred of Truth.

"Human sorrow leads to death. Godly sorrow to repentance."

Pretty cool that Wilson put these into his books.  Just had to share my discovery.

Review of "The Best of Evil" by Eric Wilson

Description:

"Spare your soul," he ranted, "and turn your eyes from greed...."

The tattoos on his arms still reading "Live by the Sword" and "Die by the Sword," Aramis Black is ready for a fresh start. Determined to set aside his violent tendencies, he opens an espresso shop in Nashville and begins to put his childhood memories behind him. The past isn't finished with him, though. One ordinary day at the shop, a man is shot before his eyes, speaking dying words to Aramis that are all too familiar.

Aramis realizes that his path to freedom will demand forgiveness-forgiveness from God and forgiveness of others. Along the way, he must uncover the conspiracy behind a centuries-old mystery and the shocking truth of his mother's death. The question remains: Will Aramis be able to conquer his past, or will evil get the best of him?

My Review:

I think I found another favorite suspense author!  This book was very good. I was worried that I wouldn't like the first-person character, Aramis Black, but I did. In fact I found myself really drawn to his character. He is just the right mix of rawness and realness. Aramis knows he made mistakes in his past and he is trying to make them right. He is trying to live right. But trouble keeps finding him and it is the story of those troubles that weaves a spell-binding story in The Best of Evil. I couldn't stop reading! This book takes its readers on an exciting journey to solve a murder, find a treasure, uncover family history, and wrestle with forgiving past wrongs. 

I give this book my sunny day rating and can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy.

Review of "Skizzer" by A. J. Kiesling

Description:

After receiving news of her sister Becca's abrupt disappearance, Claire Trowling must piece together the shadowy remnants of a past she's long forgotten in order to find her. A cryptic note scrawled in Becca's handwriting leaves more questions than it answers. When a stack of mysterious letters bound by a rare necklace is found, Claire races to discover the secrets that hold her family captive. Suspenseful and full of intrigue, Skizzer takes you on a transcontinental hunt for answers, weaving seamlessly between the distant past of childhood and the urgency of the present.

My Review:

First I just want to say how much I like A.J. Kiesling!  What a kind and friendly author, who made my day when she asked me to read her book.  Plus she earned big points when she told me she likes the name of my blog and had enjoyed reading on a tree limb when she was younger.  How cool is that?

But back to the book...

I enjoyed reading Skizzer very much! It grabbed me right away as Claire finds a mysterious note from her sister in a tin box they had buried when they were children in their old neighborhood. Though it is now 20 years later, after Becca disappeared Claire decided to look for a clue back here and her hunch is rewarded with a note. Her note includes, "...something both terrible and wonderful has happened. I can't explain now. Please don't look for me...Just need some time to myself right now." Immediately I was hooked and had to know what would make a grown woman "run away from home."  Of course Claire and Becca's husband, Rainey, are very worried about Becca and decide to try to unravel her mysterious disappearance to try to find her. 

As the pair (Claire and Rainey) uncover clues and leads, their end up uncovering a lot of family secrets in Claire and Becca's ancestors.  I love how Kiesling develops the story.  As each clue is uncovered, the readers get to go back in time with Claire to remember pieces of her and Becca's childhood that connect with the clues.  The clues include wonderful things like an heirloom jewelry piece and memories of a trip to England, and also sad reminders of a heart-broken grandfather and home-destroying fires.  I especially liked Colin, whom a young Claire meets up with in England when her Aunt Jess takes Claire and Becca on a trip there.  I love his easy-going mannerisms and comfort with himself.  When Claire returns to England again on her hunt for Becca, she meets up with Colin again and their conversations about faith and God contain my favorite lines from the book after Claire expresses her longing for God to be real to her and Colin answers with, "Breathe easy, Claire. If your heart is as open as it sounds, God will fall all over himself to rush out to meet you."  I love that image of God pursuing us!

A wonderful and tender mystery that was part "National Treasure" with historical clues leading to important discoveries, part love story, part genealogy, and lots of enjoyment.  For me, the reasons behind Becca's disappearance became less important in the end as it became more about relationships, forgiveness, and love.

Check out Kiesling's website at: http://www.ajkiesling.com/

Buy the book from Amazon.

I give this book a sunny day rating.  Pick up a copy of this great book to read and enjoy!  Sign up to win it by leaving comment on http://creativetree.typepad.com/treeswingreading/2008/02/birthday-giveaw.html   

Review of "Adam" by Ted Dekker

ADAM by Ted Dekker

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

ADAM
(Thomas Nelson April 1, 2008)


by
Ted Dekker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ted is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.

After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.

Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. Dekker's body of work encompassing seven mysteries, three thrillers and ten fantasies includes Heaven's Wager, When Heaven Weeps, Thunder of Heaven, Blessed Child, A Man Called Blessed, Blink, Thr3e, The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White), and Obsessed, with two more...Renegade, and Chaos to be released later this year.



ABOUT THE BOOK

He died once to stop the killer...now he's dying again to save his wife.

FBI behavioral psychologist Daniel Clark has become famous for his well-articulated arguments that religion is one of society’s greatest antagonists. What Daniel doesn’t know is that his obsessive pursuit of a serial killer known only as “Eve” is about to end abruptly with an unexpected death-his own.

Twenty minutes later Daniel is resuscitated, only to be haunted by the loss of memory of the events immediately preceding his death.

Daniel becomes convinced that the only way to stop Eve is to recover those missing minutes during which he alone saw the killer’s face. And the only way to access them is to trigger his brain’s memory dump that occurs at the time of death by simulating his death again…and again. So begins a carefully researched psychological thriller which delves deep into the haunting realities of near-death experiences, demon possession, and the human psche.

"As always with a Ted Dekker thriller, the details of ADAM are stunning, pointing to meticulous research in a raft of areas: police and FBI methods, forensic medicine, psychological profiling-in short, all that accompanies a Federal hunt for a serial killer. But Dekker fully reveals his magic in the latter part of the book, when he subtly introduces his darker and more frightening theme. It's all too creepily convincing. We have to keep telling ourselves that this is fiction. At the same time, we can't help thinking that not only could it happen, but that it will happen if we're not careful."

New York Times best-selling author Ted Dekker unleashes his most riveting novel yet...an elusive serial killer whose victims die of unknown causes and the psychologist obsessed with catching him.

To buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595540075

My Review:

As always with Dekker's books, I was hooked on the story immediately.  Sometimes I can feel overwhelmed by his ideas of evil, purely out of my own fears. It is more comfortable not to think about it.  However by reading his books, I am stretching myself beyond my comfort zone to think about the spiritual world going on unseen around me.

That being said, the story of Adam is rivitting and ingaging for the same reasons. I was a bit afraid, knowing where Dekker was headed with the story, but I had to see the story to the end knowing that ultimately Jesus' name would conquer. At first blush, the story is a mystery to solve. Who is the killer known as "Eve"?  How will the FBI agents capture him? Where does the evidence lead? Those typical questions that surface in a murder mystery. But deeper within the story is the question of whether evil exists and what form it can take in our world and what part it is playing in this mystery. And as always with Dekker, there were wonderful twists and surprises in the story that I wouldn't dream of giving away. 

I am not sure how to rate this book.  It doesn't really fit in my usual rating system. It was a fascinating read, but not for those who aren't in the right frame of mind to look at the strange mystery of demon possession.

Review of "The Shack" by William P. Young

Description:

Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his "Great Sadness," Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?"

My Thoughts:

This book is definitely creating some strong feelings in lots of people both in praise and in concern in response to it.  I have a mix of both.  I am struggling to write this review because I know that not everyone will agree with me.  That being said, please know that this blog contains my opinion, for what it's worth.

What I liked about the book:

The story was powerful. A parent losing a child in such a violent way is a topic that puts out feelings of pain and fear for anyone. Mack's struggle to recover after this loss is one that I cannot even imagine. His pain is powerful and it spoke to me.

I also liked the concept of Mack's meeting with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It made me think of God and my relationship with Him in a whole new way. It allowed me to imagine what it would be like to hang out with Jesus and to physically feel his nearness and love for me. That part was cool for me.

I am grateful for the way the book reminded me of all Jesus sacrificed for us and for the chance to imagine what it would be like to actually have God, in the shape and form of a person, speak directly to me of His love for me in a way that would leave no doubt. And as God, or "Papa" as Mack refers to him, hears of Mack's pain and suffering over Missy's death, Papa tells Mack that he has felt the pain too and knows of Mack's anguish and has been there with him in it.  That was a powerful reminder.

What I worry about a little:

The worry for me was the undercurrent of the author's feelings about "Christianity." I got a sense, and maybe I'm wrong, that there was a message against it, against churches. I am guessing that the author is trying to say that "religion" in and of itself is not going to save us, but it came out a little bit like "all religions lead to God" no matter whether you are Buddhist, Muslim, etc. Maybe I'm over-analyzing that particular conversation, but it concerned me when I read it because I definitely believe that the Bible clearly states that the only way to salvation is through Jesus and his death and resurrection.  I guess the part where Jesus says, "Who said anything about being a Christian? I'm not a Christian."  was troubling to me. I can't get that out of my mind. I am hoping that the author is not saying that all churches are just a "system of power" that is "sold out to religious activity (page 181)."  I understand that legalism in the church is not salvation, but the Bible clearly calls us to worship together and be a body together.  If you know me, you know I am all about getting away from the use of "rules" to dictate whether we "deserve" God's love or not and am loving books like Steve Brown's Scandalous Freedom, that reminds us that God loves us period and his grace is ours for the taking. That being true of me, I hesitate to mention my concern, but need to put it out there.

There were other "doctrine" type issues that I questioned in my reading.  But I won't go on about them.  I guess my biggest hope had been for a clearer message of the gospel.  Maybe I'm old fashioned, but if you are going to have a conversation with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit personified in the flesh, I would hope for a clear explanation of how to receive eternal life even in the context of their conversations together.  I would think that Jesus would find that very important to make clear.

So what do I think overall?

Well, there were parts I loved.  I loved the imagery of the garden and the "mess" that it looked like to Mack even while God knew of its underlying pattern and saw its beauty.  I relished the reminders of God's love and could almost feel the hugs that Mack received from Jesus along with him.  There were definitely emotional reactions that came from Mack's confrontation with his own pain and sorrow and the process of healing. For the concrete feelings of God's love that it produced in me, it was worth the read. I only feel a bit sad that such a buzz-creating book could create some confusion for baby believers with regards to the basic issues of salvation and the importance of belonging to a body of believers who can support you, disciple you, and encourage your growth in your faith.  Not belonging to a church because it in any way saves us, but for the positives that the right church can bring about in people's lives.

All this being said, I can't decide if I still want to give away a copy of this book or not.  If any of you have an opinion on that, let me know.

Thanks for your understanding as I wrestled with this review.

Review of "Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear" by Sharon Dunn (Book 2 in the Bargain Hunters Mysteries)

Death of a Six-foot Teddy Bear

Book two in the Bargain Hunters mysteries   

Description:

Ginger and the ladies of the Bargain Hunters Network head down to Calamity, Nevada to outlet shop and help Earl get his invention off the ground at the Inventors’ Expo. When a man in a teddy bear costume (it was a publicity stunt) is found dead, suspicion falls on ex-wives, an angry son and Ginger and Earl.

“If you enjoy whimsy, humor, and fun characters with your mystery, Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear is for you!  But beware!  Under the laughs are buried strong spiritual truths.  A delightful, thoughtful read.” — Gayle Roper, award-winning author of Fatal Deduction

“The bargain hunter gals are at it again! Dunn’s riotous romp seamlessly tucks in truth and light and leaves us in stitches. A must-read for those who think living by faith is boring.” — Lois Richer, author of Healing Tides

My Review:

Another fun, quick read in this series.  I love the way that these stories roll merrily along and take the reader with them.  Not to say that there isn't suspense, but the pace is gentle and fun combined with "can't wait to solve it" feeling.  I enjoyed the nice combination that kept me turning the pages.

Once again I enjoyed Dunn's creativity in coming up with some crazy characters and a very unique mystery.  Who can imagine death by squirrel?  Very imaginative. Her foreshadowing is also very nicely done and is part of what kept me reading without wanting to put it down.

I loved how she made reference to Nancy Drew mysteries.  I hope Dunn wouldn't be offended to have me say that her books remind me of Nancy Drew mysteries with moms and wives and college students serving as the current sleuthes. I hope she would see that as a compliment as I always loved Nancy Drew.  I guess it's the way the mystery is suspenseful but not scarey, if that makes sense.  There's a plucky, determined mindedness to Ginger and her friends that would pair them up well with Nancy Drew.

So, if you enjoy a good suspense with a twist of fun and interesting characters, be sure to pick up this book!  Check out my review of her first book in this series, Death of a Garage Sale Newbie. And check out Sharon Dunn's website too!

   A litle info about Sharon Dunn

Sharon Dunn is the author of Death of a Garage Sale Newbie, book one in the Bargain Hunters Mysteries, and the Ruby Taylor mystery novels including Sassy Cinderella, which was voted Book of the Year by American Christian Fiction Writers. She earned a BA in television production and a master’s in history. Sharon lives in Bozeman, Montana, with her husband of twenty years, three children, two cats, and lots of dust bunnies.

What inspired you to write your new Bargain Hunters series?

"The Bargain Hunters series combines two things I love: a solid mystery and the search for a good deal. Just like the main character Ginger, garage sales, punch cards, and clearance racks are my thing. The one time I had an abundance of money to spend (my hubby and I ended up with a surplus in our budget at the end of a trip to Australia), I had no fun at all. I figured the thrill of the hunt and bagging a good deal was what attracted me to bargain hunting. To me, there is no victory in paying full price for something."

Although Death of a Garage Sale Newbie is a mystery, you do have a romantic thread in the story between Ginger and Earl, who are empty nesters. Why did you choose to show a romance between a married couple?

"You just don't see a romance between a married couple in books much. My husband and I are not empty nesters. Although we have been married almost 20 years, we still have three kids at home. What I found out was that it is possible to fall in love with my hubby all over again especially after we lived through some health and financial trials together. It's like you discover that person all over again. I wanted to chronicle that process of discovery and falling in love again in a book. A marriage can become even more intimate and connected. With most books the love story is always prior to marriage. I wanted to show the love story that can continue after marriage."

Review of "Death of a Garage Sale Newbie" by Sharon Dunn (Bargain Hunters Mysteries #1)

Description:

Since when do three women, bonded together by the need to clip coupons and be first in line at door buster sales, solve crimes? Since the fourth member of the Bargain Hunters Network was found dead. When they suspect Mary Margret's murder was prompted by something she purchased at a garage sale the morning of her death, the three amateur sleuths begin to investigate. Suzanne is a mother of three with another on the way. Kindra is a college student with a taste for designer clothes but not the budget. And Ginger is an active baby boomer whose world is filled with scouting the clearance racks, church activities, and helping her retired husband, Earl, test his inventions. Their discoveries take them back twenty years to a dark and buried secretone perhaps better left there.

My Review:

A fun, great read that reminds me of the Smart Chick books by Mindy Starns Clark. I enjoyed the likeable characters who felt like they could be my neighbors because they were real and "less than perfect" in a pleasant and charming way.  They are all in different stages in their lives, but they are joined together by their common passion for bargains.  Who knew that garage-saling could lead to a hidden crime? 

I thought Dunn's creativity shined here by taking such a simple thing as finding a garage sale item and turning it into a mystery.  I enjoyed the tracking of the clues left to the friends and couldn't put the book down until the mystery was solved. 

Come back tomorrow for a look at the next book in the series! I look forward to meeting the characters again and getting to know Kindra and Suzanne even more.

Much better now...

I just wanted to let you know that I am much less stressed now.  I had a little talk with myself, had a little talk with God, found the missing paper, and tried to get things in perspective.  Thanks for your supportive words too!

Today should be relatively relaxing, in a trapped-inside-because-of-a-blizzard-outside kind of day.  Church is even cancelled due to the ice on the roads.

I hope to get some projects done, some reading done, and some good family time too!  We're loving playing the Wii together and the girls are really into mancala lateley. 

Need to vent: stressing myself out

Do you ever stress yourself out over deadlines and expectations that you create for yourself?  I know it sounds crazy but I have been putting tons of pressure on myself to get things done and I had a meltdown over it today.  I have all these "shoulds" of things I "should" be doing but never can find the time to get to and/or never make the time to get to and then I feel so much guilt!  Today my husband asked me where a certain piece of paper was and I lost it over it.  I couldn't find it and then I felt bad for not being more organized and then I felt worse because these always happens and then I was mad at myself for being a mom/wife who can't keep her family organized...and on and on in a downward spiral. 

Please tell me I'm not the only one who can stress herself out over stuff like this.  Meanwhile I'll be tearing my house apart looking for the missing paper.  I need chocolate! At times like this, even my TBR (to be read) pile makes me stressed--I've got books to read for every imaginable thing: diets to try, ways to be a better mom, how to pray, computer software instruction books for my design business, and so on...crazy.