Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Vostok by Steve Alten

This book continues a sickening trend in Alten's writing.


What happened to his stories that were like watching an awesome Summer blockbuster? I understand that writers evolve over the years but this has crossed over to teasing one thing and delivering another.

I have enjoyed most of Alten's stories. I gobbled up his MEG series as quickly as I could even when they go so laughably goofy. They were so entertaining. The Loch was another thrill ride with a good dose of explainable reality.

Then we get The Grim Reaper story followed by The Omega one and everything has changed.

With Vostok it appears to promise a sequel to The Loch with another monster story. (Heck, the cover has a giant Croc head.) But what we get is a big tease - using the fan base of his sea creature tales to pump in something else.

The beginning of the book gives us the tease, "hey look I'll give you your underwater creature chase." But then it takes an abrupt turn into totally unrelated territory.

This book really shouldn't have sea creatures in it. It's about something else entirely.

Again, don't tar and feather me yet. I don't fault him for including those things in his stories. Authors can present any kind of agenda they wish. And it's not like Alten is a bad writer. I enjoy his books. He has tremendous skill!

I'm just worried at the direction this is going. Vostok is only a sequel because it has the same character from the Loch. It's painfully connected to the MEG series because of shoehorning in the main character from those books.

If the next MEG book is layed out and presented in the same way as Vostok was, I'm through with Alten. Which is a shame. He had a great niche and a fantastic storytelling ability.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Rebel Press.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

The Grand Paradox by Ken Wytsma

If we're supposed to have this grand relationship with God, then why does it seem like he's distant most of the time?


Wytsma tackles some of the deepest struggles the average Christian deals with on a daily basis and unpacks them with sincere, biblical-minded grace-answers.

Everyone will agree that life is messy and most of us have become jaded by the cliched, quick churchy answers that, honestly, don't add any value to life.

How can we truly find joy in following Christ?

Using sixteen chapters, Wytsma does just that. He is very clear, and precise while keeping the reasons close to home. You won't have to dig for your college supplemental texts to glide through this book.

This is a fantastic resource for anyone dealing with spiritual fatigue or if you know of someone who has serious doubts about their faith, get this book into their hands and read through it together.

You'll be so glad you did.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Snuggle Time Devotions That End With a Hug by Stephen Elkins

Perfect, friends. This book of children devotions is perfect.

Elkins has provided a great resource for any adult to read with their child at bedtime.

There are fifty-two readings each with easy to understand words and ideas. Fun ways to captivate your son or daughter with ideas about God, faith, and Bible stories.

Each reading may include a quick activity or game to play and, of course, they end with a hug.

This book is needed in every house. And it needs to be used in every house.

Get this book as soon as you finish this review. If you don't have kids in the house, buy it for a family near you. They need this book.

My sons love listening to me read this book.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Blindsided by God by Peter Chin

So you've spent the last thirty years growing in your faith. What happens when, over the span of three months, it all comes crashing down?


Peter Chin writes an incredible read about taking his family to plant a church and the wrecking ball that shows up.

Once you open this book and begin the introduction, you will not be able to put this book down. Set aside a few hours and get alone and consume this.

You will find this book, as crazy as it sounds, a fresh breath to your soul as you read a no-nonsense account of what seems to be heartache after heartache and what the Chin family goes through.

If you've spent any time in church you have probably heard the "rock bottom to high rise" testimonies from a number of people. Chin gives it to you real. It's in your face and you are aching right along with them.

How can God pull through this? You'll have to read it to learn the answer.

This book was absolutely mind-blowingly refreshing.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Bethany House Publishing.

This is What You Just Put in Your Mouth? by Patrick Di Justo

Exactly. Do you really want to know all of "stuff" that they put in your food? Apparently a growing number of people do.


This book looks at fifty items - twenty-five food and drink comes under part one while twenty-five other stuff comes in with part two.

Di Justo explains his research at the beginning and why he started this project. Then he dives in.

After naming the item with a little picture to go along with it, you will read just a few of the chemicals that are found mixed in. This is where it might become a tedious read. It reads like a semi-advanced chemistry lecture.

By semi I mean Di Justo tries to add some offbeat humor in with the descriptions and also where else you might find things like the putrescine you find in coffee.

I was hoping for a more everyday explanation instead of the scientific-heavy form we got. Of course this might serve as a warning of the dumbing down we become. But I can't help thinking how if I wanted to explain this book to someone at a party, I would have them completely bored within the first thirty seconds.

I was hoping for something more...which is ironically what is in most of our foods.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Three Rivers Press.