DARK VESSEL BY D. I. Telbat

Dark Vessel (The COIL Series) is the fourth in a series of books by D. I. Telbat that describes the missions of C.O.I.L. an organization out to help Christians in distress. It is a Christian suspense novel which means blood and gore, sex and violence are not incorporated within the pages of this ebook, nor the others in the series. Despite the absence of what most popular novelist believe are necessary to make a book worth reading, I promise you, you will not miss the absence of these “marketing gimmicks.”  I believe the lack of these secular exploits improves the flow of the story line.

As with the other books in the series Dark Vessel (The COIL Series) is filled with suspense, action and of course an exciting yet purposeful plot.

I so appreciate the writings of D. I. Telbat which is why he is one of the few fiction writers whose books I will review without hesitation. I would have been surprised if the book had been anything but exciting. I received a complimentary ebook in exchange for an honest review. Despite my obvious bias I recommend Dark Vessel (The COIL Series); because the book is that good.

I would have to caution you that it would be best that you read the other three in the series before reading Dark Vessel (The COIL Series) . In the following order: Dark Liason: A Christian Suspense Novel; Dark Hearted; Dark Rule then Dark Vessel. Like any book in a series it can be very irritating to read a book and then discover you like the story line and then have to play catch-up.

Available on Amazon (click on any link above) and Smashwords

COMPASS: The Study Bible for Navigating Your LIfe

AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 4, 2014

Yes; another Bible! You will never hear me say there are to many Bibles to choose from however to a novice it really can be mind boggling thus I approached this review with two question: 1) Why should anyone read Compass: The Study Bible for Navigating Your Life? 2) Who should read Thomas Nelson’s newest study Bible?

If the book of Job discusses the journey of one going through a difficult time then the book of Lamentations takes that experience up a notch. How does COMPASS treat this book? It was easy for me to choose to review this book of the Bible since I have just completed studying this book and it is one of the most difficult books for me to read, I love the book of Job.

In reading the introduction to the book of Lamentations I found the commentary agreeable in terms of its’ contextual historical perspective. The acknowledgment of who may have been the books author serves as an excellent bridge to an excellent paragraph as to how the reader can apply the words in this book to his or her life. Footnote: this is the same introductory commentary found in  The Voice Bible .

Compass: The Study Bible for Navigating Your Life is the study compliment to the Voice Bible translation, which I love, at first I thought the Bibles were identical however I was pleased to discover the differences which make this new Bible a great tool for study.365 Days through the Whole bible; Maps as well as an Index to in-Text Maps.

I like the Voice translation of the Bible, which as I mentioned the Compass: The Study Bible for Navigating Your Life is. If you are looking for a Bible to read from Genesis to Revelation for the very first time or because this is something you do every year this is a good choice. Why should you read Compass: The Study Bible for Navigating Your Life because it is a great study tool. Who should read Compass anyone who wants to gain understanding of God’s Word.

There were two things I did not like about my copy of this book, neither of which had to do with content. 1) I have had Bibles printed on similar type paper and discovered it tears easily. 2) Because my vision is no longer 20/20 I would have preferred a bigger font. I suspect the quality of the paper and the size of the font were decisions made in order to cover the cost of production, though understandable it is something that I consider when purchasing Bibles.

I understand how difficult it is for anyone to chose a Bible, particularly the first one. This Bible is well worth the purchase and so I do recommend it only if you intend on reading it.I received a complimentary copy of this book with the understanding that my review would be fair and honest.

THE DANIEL PLAN by Rick Warren, Daniel Amen M.D., Mark Hyman M.D.

    The best way to explain The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life is a lifestyle makeover how to. I am not by any stretch of the imagination a “diet professional” thus it was the title that attracted my attention.  That said if I wanted to lose a few pounds this is the book I would choose to read.

    The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life reads more like a motivational book than a health and nutrition guideline. The first few chapters are dedicated to establishing the proper mindset for wanting to lose weight. Yet, these foundational words are more than preparation for weight loss it is the basis of changing the way the reader does life.

    Understanding the five “F’s”: faith, food, fitness, focus and friends help the reader realize the ultimate goal which is a lifestyle adjustment which will lead to a healthier person. 

    Admittedly I cannot tell you if the precepts were successfully for me since it takes more than  a day of reading to make the necessary adjustments. What I can tell you is that the basis of The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life  is solid and well worth investigating.  It is my intention to incorporate the principles introduced and the suggestions presented into my own life which means the book is well worth the read.

    I recommend The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life. For purposes of the review I was presented with an eBook which means that I will have to invest in a print copy for personal use.  My one hesitancy is personal,  I read numerous motivational material thus the first few chapters were a bit wordy HOWEVER  please do not let this discourage you.  xxx Marsha L Randolph

FOOT NOTE: There is a corresponding Study Guide

       

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion. 

EVIL DOES NOT HAVE THE LAST WORD by Eric Shoars PhD

    "Evil Does Not Have The Last Word" by Eric Shoars Ph.D. is a slow paced Biographical / Inspirational book.  It is a one sided conversation in which the author explains to the listener, or in this case the reader, how to overcome dark times. It is not just the author’s experiences that are discussed but those of others who have encountered difficult times which could be considered evil.

  I am struggling to write a review only because I see where the author was going however the pace of the book made it difficult for me to stay interested. Perhaps if I was going through some personal tragedy it would have been easier to follow.

   Now, I am thinking that perhaps this is a “guy”. In “Evil Does Not Have The Last Word” Dr. Shoars uses comic heroes to make some points.  This is definitely not like many of the other books on hope that I have read in the past.

   The fact that “Evil Does Not Have The Last Word” is not like any other books may be why this book is well worth reading.  Often when we are going through difficult times the books seem to read and say the same thing. Because his approach is different perhaps this is really the one you need particularly if you have just experienced a tragedy.

I recommend this book and though it is worth the purchase you might want to read a few pages first.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a review. 

THE DISILLUSIONED BY D. J. WILLIAMS

    Some books you should not start unless you have time to finish it without interruption “The Disillusioned” by D. J Williams is one of them.  I declined an invitation from my husband to go out so that I could finish this book. Yes, it is better than good.

“You don’t just wake up one morning and decide to die.”

    What an ominous statement. (page 52 of my copy)  To answer this question Sam and Danny had to understand their mother’s will. How do you make sense out of something that does not make sense? Particularly when you believed you knew everything there was to know about your parents. How do you ascertain the truth when you do not know where to look? What would the truth look like; particularly after discovering that you believed in  an illusion?

     “The Disillusioned” is truly a well written novel filled with intrigue that just so happens to involve a church. Now there are jabs here and there about traditional religion and I think they were very appropriate, under the circumstances.  If you attend a mega-church put your sensitivity aside, no one is talking about you! The book is fiction.  If you hate big churches, please remind yourself that the book is fiction; this really did not happen even though it reads like a true life story. Get past the church thing and enjoy this very well crafted story of the individual journeys of 3 people who were destined to meet despite the circumstances.

Of course I recommend this book, it is to good to pass up! And I would suggest you purchase your own copy, don’t wait for it to come to a library.   MARSHA L. RANDOLPH 

I received a complimentary copy  in ebook format in exchange of an honest review.