Blog Archives
Redemption’s Promise
Redemption’s Promise by Sandi Rebert is a captivating delve into the realm of biblical fiction. Set in Jerusalem approximately 2000 years ago, the narrative unfolds through the eyes of a young protagonist named Jason. From the exhilarating onset, we encounter Jason in the throes of evasion, desperately trying to escape Roman soldiers. But the stakes ascend swiftly as he is confronted with a heart-wrenching decision: what does it truly mean to choose life?
Rebert artfully intertwines Jason’s journey with the seminal events marking Jesus’s life, including His miracles and crucifixion. The brilliance lies in the gradual unveiling of their connection, allowing readers to ponder and anticipate its intricate weave within the broader tapestry of the tale.
One of the standout features of this work is the adept integration of biblical verses that seamlessly align with the unfolding plot. Rebert provides a historical lens, presenting the Romans through the eyes of the Jewish community. While the narrative is fictional, it provokes deep reflection. In a world where Jesus is largely celebrated, Redemption’s Promise serves as a poignant reminder of the contentious views held by the religious leaders of His time, prompting readers to critically engage with the subject of resurrection.
Marrying suspense with spiritual introspection, this book beckons its readers to not only immerse themselves in its riveting plot but also to delve deeper into the intricacies of biblical events. I recommend Redemption’s Promise to fans of biblical fiction and to those intrigued by the myriad possibilities that might have colored the epoch of Jesus’s death and resurrection.
Pages: 276 | ASIN : B09SB8ZWY9
World Upside Down
World Upside Down: The Life of Paul, God’s Chosen Messenger by Louis McCall is a religious tome that provides a comprehensive account of the life of Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus. Despite his background of persecuting Christians, Paul became a paramount figure in Christianity, and his writings continue to inspire and resonate with the church to this day. McCall skillfully draws parallels between Paul’s life and its relevance to Christianity as a whole and the individual believer in modern times.
McCall delves deeply into the historical context of Paul’s life, providing specific details of his daily routines and missionary journeys as an ambassador of Christ. Through these insights, McCall illuminates how Paul’s work has shaped Christianity for centuries. Notably, much of the book is presented in a conversational layout between Paul and a guard named Marcus, while other prominent characters include Timothy, Mark, and Peter. Although some of these conversations are not canonical in the Bible, the points Paul makes through these dialogues, as written by McCall, are instrumental in conveying Paul’s mature theology and teachings. This book is ideal for those interested in learning about biblical characters, accounts of Paul, and spiritual scholars. While some of the writing is fictional, it is inspired by historical biblical accounts. At first glance, this book appears to be a biographical account, but upon further reading, it becomes clear that it is more of a fictionally-inspired conversation.
World Upside Down: The Life of Paul, God’s Chosen Messenger, is for those who profess a Christian belief and will undoubtedly find this book fascinating and thought-provoking. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in Biblical characters, accounts of Paul, and spiritual scholars.
Pages: 133 | ASIN : B0BW161G4Y
The Genesis 6 Project
The Genesis 6 Project is a fast-paced action spree from author Michael Ferguson. A mix of sci-fi and biblical fiction, the story centers around a United States research team and a newly rediscovered dangerous threat to man: the Nephilim–powerful creatures born of fallen angels who once ruled the earth. Tamir-Benob is one such creature. He is a giant who has lived for thousands of years and dispatched armies of men throughout history. The capture, understanding, and, most importantly, militarization of this being will impact the balance of world power for ages. Different factions come to a head as Tamir-Benob rampages through rural Montana, leaving soldiers and tribal Crow warriors broken in his wake.
Paced exceptionally well, The Genesis 6 Project is a really tight read. The action ramps up early and is pretty much non-stop. The different characters from the rival factions, especially Dr. Kathryn Ryan and Indian Affairs agent Ironhorse Whitman, really stand out. Ferguson does an excellent job of switching perspectives between the hunters and the hunted, and those roles reverse many times throughout the story.
At times the novel really reminds me of Rambo: First Blood, and that’s not a bad thing. But unlike John Rambo, Tamir-Benob is a genuinely menacing villain who has plans to lay biblical waste to mankind. The action is fun, and there is also a delightful amount of cloak-and-dagger intrigue. Different individuals are each vying for the power they believe the Nephelim holds. Seeking to use science to unlock the ancient mysteries of what they believe is the descendant of an actual angel, there is plenty of backstabbing and treachery.
The Genesis 6 Project is a suspenseful Christian thriller that blends seamlessly with science fiction themes. This novel will captive readers looking for an action-packed story that keeps them on edge from the open pages till the exciting end.
Pages: 301 | ASIN : B0BN2NWL4L
Miracle Man
Who would have ever thought a pure and wholesome love would awaken something so vile and hideous? Milton Fisk was a kind, plain librarian at the library down the street who’s had a crush on his best friend’s sister, Debra, for years. All he ever wanted was to live by Debra’s side, doing the most mundane things and loving her forever. But things changed when one day, he stumbled upon an incredible power that he knew not the origin of. After that, everything seems to be going fine until one bad decision after another, greed and rejection later. Suddenly the plain librarian down the street was no more. Now he wants to make the world forget about the powerful man from Nazarene and put into action his plan for a new world. He’s willing to go to any length to accomplish his goals, whatever it takes.
Miracle Man by Ken Stark is a dark fantasy horror novel revolving around a man who came to wield such incredible power the world had only read about in books. Milton Fisk, his longtime sweetheart, Debra, and his best friend, Frank, were unsure what to do about this great power. Until Frank came up with a brilliant idea to utilize this newfound power to earn them a fortune. Milton’s love and devotion for Debra kept him on the right track, not losing sight of his true self amidst attention and money. However, one bad conversation later and Milton slowly began to slip away.
Author Ken Stark has written a gut-wrenching horror fiction story. Miracle Man had me on a roller coaster of emotions. At first, it was all roses and sunshine, and then the light switched, and everything became darker, appalling…yet intriguing. The character development of Milton, now Elijah Zion, is intense and mindblowing. Readers can follow the protagonist’s vile thought process and still be shocked and horrified. The change and progression in this character will keep readers on edge and glued to the pages as his devious plot unfolds and mere humans are left to try and stop him.
Miracle Man is a gripping horror novel that takes readers into a spiritual battle that will alter human existence. Ken Stark has written characters that readers will love and hate, but one thing is for sure, they will not forget them. This work of art was unapologetically flawless. Therefore, I recommend this book to dark fantasy and horror-loving readers. The author holds nothing back, and the book contains graphic sexual violence and gory scenes that are intended for mature readers.
Pages: 324 | ASIN : B0B9YTYX35
Wonderful, Marvelous, Magnificent You
Children need to know that they are special, and loved, and that they can rely on Jesus. Author Abbey Feldkamp has written a dazzling children’s book that will warm children’s hearts. This vibrant picture book is a love letter to young ones. I can imagine me saying this quote from the book to my child, “I love you so much, in all of your ways, in all of our moments, all of our days.” Every rhyme contains wonderfully emotive, loving and empowering words just like this.
Every page of this inspiring picture book contains a wonderfully hand-drawn illustration that depicts different children in a variety of joyous situations. I loved the diversity in this book. There are so many different people from different cultures and races represented in this heartfelt kid’s book. There is even a beautiful child with vitiligo on one of the pages, which I think is underrepresented in children’s literature. Children will love how bright the artwork is and how expressive each character is. The stunning artwork will surely keep the attention of little ones as their parents read them this magnificent story at bedtime. And what a sweet message this book sends them off to bed with.
Wonderful, Marvelous, Magnificent is a short but impactful children’s book that will inspire faith in kids and motivate them to think about what makes them special, and to embrace it because God made them that way. This is a picture book that exudes love and is filled with cute illustrations. I highly recommend this to parents or to anyone who wants to give a beautiful gift to a young child.
Pages: 20 | ASIN: B0BKR6T4YC
Holy Parrot
Leonard is, by his own description, a “twenty-one-year-old nerd” in Columbia on a research grant from Australia. Maria is a sixteen-year-old local claiming to be a pregnant virgin, set to give birth to a new Christ, as prophesied by her pet parrot. Despite having exactly nothing in common, a chance meeting brings the two together to form an instant, unexplainable bond that neither could have imagined. Over the course of their friendship, Leonard is forced to question everything he has ever believed about the conflicting ideologies of religion and science. Maria also must confront new ideas and experiences as she faces an ordeal far beyond her years.
Holy Parrot, by Angel A, is a beautiful and thought-provoking novel set in the lush, idyllic landscape of Buritaca, Columbia. The friendship between Leonard and Maria is established almost immediately while treated in a delicate tone that never comes across as either inappropriate or predatory, despite their age difference. It’s easy to understand how Leonard is so quickly spellbound by both Maria and his surroundings, as both are written in such a way that creates a heady atmosphere. Soon Robin is introduced, and he fills out the trilogy of main characters with a group of people who are so incredibly different yet complement each other wonderfully. There are actually few books where each and every character brings the perfect amount of support to a story, but this one manages that feat quite well. Every character, no matter how minor, is a necessary addition to this miraculous tale.
Holy Parrot covers many ideas and themes throughout its pages, including love, loss, religion, faith, and family. At its core, it could be argued to be a story about destiny, setting your own path while finding your true self amid past pain and present conflict. Leonard positively shines as the story’s narrator, slowly revealing himself to be a character with an incredible amount of depth, stepping outside his comfort zone time and time again in the unexpected role of protector. Even as he struggles to justify his own actions, Leonard never fails to stand up for Maria or stand beside Robin, all the time traveling toward a better understanding of what it truly means to live a fulfilled life.
This book gets an easy 5 out of 5 stars from me. It was extremely hard to put down, and the characters became as familiar as old friends. Even though I would love to know more about their lives after these events, I think the book ended in the most perfect way it could have. In addition, the ideas presented in regard to faith left plenty to consider far beyond the pages of the book without weighing it down with a glut of religious dogma. It was a perfect balance in every way!
Pages: 300 | ASIN : B0B8SL82J6
Peyton’s Promise
When Peyton arrived at Calumet Castle for a summer job, she had only a vague idea of what to expect. She knew of her wealthy employers and that her progressive ideas and choice of career made her a target for the social circles but little else. It came as a huge shock to find herself working alongside her childhood best friend, Patrick, and in turn, they were both shocked at how much their three-year absence from each other had changed them. Rekindling her relationship with Patrick, navigating new feelings for him, rediscovering her faith, trying not to anger the staunchly old-fashioned housekeeper of the castle, and doing her actual job give Peyton a busy and conflicted summer to contend with.
Peyton’s Promise is the third novel by Susan Mathis in her Thousand Island Gilded Age Series. Set in the Thousand Islands, on the St. Lawrence river, these stories take the setting and make it a palpable part of the story being told. Peyton’s Promise is no exception, describing the sights and homes of the area with beautiful depth and recreating what it might have been like in the early years of the 20th century when the area was a popular destination for many of the wealthy elite in society.
Mathis is adept at weaving historical figures into her fiction and has done so in this story with the Emerys. Calumet Castle’s owners function as the mostly absent champions of Peyton’s work, an upholsterer beyond her apprenticeship. Mathis always includes a brief note to explain the real history she has included, with details about the families, their homes, and more about the area.
Peyton’s Promise has a similar feeling to the other Thousand Island stories. Readers will find enjoyment and take comfort in returning to the beloved landscape and having the experience of revisiting a favorite vacation location. The storyline moves quickly with an internally conflicted heroine, a love interest that seems too much at odds to ever succeed, and a rival antagonist that seems on the cusp of bringing disaster more than once. This book is truly wonderful and difficult to put down! The pacing has readers engaged from start to finish. Additionally, the amount of detail included about the Islands is just enough to encourage some further research. They are perfect for a light read for those that love a Christian historical romance novel.
Pages: 291 | ASIN : B09N6J5X6M
Eve of Awakening: The Onoma Series
Author Alisa Hope Wagner’s Eve of Awakening is set within a dystopian world, but there is a beacon of hope that shines throughout this Christian fiction novel. The author takes readers on a journey to a vivid futuristic world, where humans are strictly divided into two classes – Efficientists and Colonialists. It’s a world where everything is controlled by machines, high performance and high productivity is encouraged, while faith and religion have taken a backseat. The protagonist, Eve, is one of the champion performers of this world – a top-order Efficientist.
Her outlook on life changes after having a near-death experience. She returns to the life of devotion that she has shunned to prioritize productivity. Readers will follow Eve’s profound journey of awakening to the power of God and learn how he can restore peace and happiness in one’s heart.
Eve of Awakening is anything but a typical Christian fiction novel. The author has vividly illustrated an ultra-tech-savvy futuristic world while subtly hinting toward the gloomy future humanity is headed towards. Readers will recognize current institutions and technology that parallel the world that the author has created. Covering everything from communications, remote working, shopping, and how we socialize, there is an eerie feeling that our society could be headed in a similar direction as those in the novel.
The author uses easy to understand language to tell her captivating story. It’s easy to get swept away with the story within the first few pages because of how simple language that allows you to lose yourself within the story. The character of Eve is developed with care and attention, giving a detailed back story and showing her growth as she discovers a past she had forgotten. Eve’s internal conflict is relatable to those who have struggled with their spirituality and worked to find their way back to God.
Eve of Awakening is a captivating Christian science fiction novel with a compelling plot and a captivating protagonist. Everything from the characters to the storyline has a sense of intrigue that seems baked into it, which is something that kept me coming back to this novel again and again.
Pages: 291 | ASIN : B00RS1HLLU
LITERARY TITAN 