Greater Love

I am reviewing Greater Love by Robert Whitlow after receiving this book from Thomas Nelson's booksneeze. I love, love,love suspense and this book was fantastic. I read the first book in the Tides of Truth series and somehow did not read number two so I knew this would be good. This was one of the best I have read lately. I could not put it down after reading 40 pages the first day, I read the rest today. The story just flowed and continued building till the end. The characters were from the first two books and the love interest that has continued between two men for Tami. Tami has graduated and become a lawyer and has to decide where she will practice law. She has a wonderful Christian upbringing and wants to please God in all her decisions and uses that throughout the book. Her first case involves a runaway teen and the problems begin with her dishonesty along with being terrified of something she won't confide in. His character development and storyline makes for a page turning read. I love his writing because of the Christian values and how God works in the characters lives and it was evident in this book. The end was crafted extremely well. Now to the library to get book #2 Higher Hope by this author so I will know what I missed in the second book.

Lonestar Secrets

Somehow I missed reading the second of the Lonestar books by Colleen Coble. I picked this up at the library and was not disappointed by this book.
First of all, Colleen is one of my top 3 book authors and I love her writing and her stories are always well written. She always throws suspense laced with romance and this book was one of her best. She always keeps me guessing and I didn't figure this one out either.
Shannon Astor left West Texas as a single mother then is offered a vet job and comes back to the town where her secrets were buried, or so she thought. There she encounters a girl who looks identical to her daughter and she must uncover the details surrounding the two girls. Add to the story mix a Spanish treasure and a legendary black stallion plus a love interest. This book will make you a fan of Colleen's so pick it up and enjoy

The Clouds Roll Away

I received this book from the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze program for bloggers.
I was really excited to get a fiction book since I really love fiction and this was a suspense which I love also.
Raleigh Harmon is a forensic geologist that goes back to her hometown and ends up investigating a hate crime, problems with her boss at the FBI and strange problems with her mother(that are never indulged) along with a former boyfriend that pops up here and there in the book. Her father was murdered a few years earlier and it was mentioned a few times but I kept wondering if and when this would make more of an impact in the story-it never did which I think was a mistake not to go further into that story or not mention it so much otherwise.
I can't say I hated the book but I can't say I loved the book either. I found it did not hold my interest as there were so many back and forths throughout the book. Each chapter she went different ways and they didn't seem to tie together. Suspense should excite you to keep reading and keep trying to figure out "who did it" and how it will end. This book ended and I never felt a climax to the ending just an ending. I actually have her first book, which I have never read, and I think I will try it to see if it is any better than this one.

START SOMEWHERE

I received this book free from Tyndale as part of their blogger program.
This book is only less than 200 pages long so a quick read or scan.
Start Somewhere deals with Calvin Nowell's journey from a 450 lb man losing 215 lbs and how it came to be. He lost the weight without medical intervention with four major ideas-Trust God, Eat less, Move more, Understand there are not quick fixes. These are the same identified in many weight loss books so this was not anything new. Most of his book chronicles his life and how he got so obese. Thirteen chapters are devoted to the God part of the solution and the end is dedicated to diet, journaling and exercise.
Starting somewhere is picking up the change and be willing to let go. If we think we do anything by ourselves, the Lord won't take the burden. He will wait patiently while we continue to try and handle it ourselves.
This book was ok-did not hold my interest. In my opinion,it would be a library book to read and not a book purchase.

66 Love Letters

I received this book from Booksneeze for review. I was so excited to read this since I looked at this book at our local Christian book store. This book by Larry Crabb is absolutely superb and so unique. Each book of the bible is a letter from God to you and what He wants you to know from that chapter. Each chapter also has a subtitle to explain what that chapter may deal with. For example, love letter from Exodus-You must know me to trust me. Larry Crabb always asks- God what do you want me to hear, know or get from as I read this chapter? That is something that has changed me-I need to ask that as I read God's love story to me. This book has become one of my daily devotionals as I read a chapter a day. He suggests you read each chapter as a weekly devotional but I find it so interesting I want to finish it sooner. Each chapter of this book is only 2-3 pages so that makes it short but very interesting reading. This book invites you into His story and helps change the way you look at the bible.
This book enables you to hear God speak. You can know who He is and what He is up to and where He's going. Now you can join Him in the story He is telling.
Please read Larry's prologue on how this book came into being-it all began in 2006 and took this long to put it together.
This is one book that will be a favorite to buy and give away-it's that good!!!

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN

Just finished the new book by Mark Mynheir-The Night Watchman. This is the fourth book I have read by him and it was "GREAT" He is a homicide detective by trade and he encompasses that in his suspense books.
Ray Quinn was a tough Orlando homicide detective at the top of his game until a barrage of bullets ended his career and his partner's life. A pastor and an exotic dancer are found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. The pastor's sister can't and won't believe her brother was capable of murder and hires Ray to find out the truth. He unravels a murder investigation so deep it threatens to turn the Orlando political landscape upside down. There is someone determined to keep him from ever finding out the truth-at any cost. He kept me guessing who was trying to silence Ray and how he was ever going to find out the truth. This, like his other books, are page turners and extremely well written stories.
Try Mark Mynheir out-you will really like him

My library reads

Now that I don't work at a Christian book store with lots of books at my disposal, the public library has become my "my new best friend". It's fun to request books and not have to pay for them. My bookcases are full and this "feeds" my love of reading.
I had three books come in at the same time so it has been fast and furious reading. All three have been superb.
Fat Chance by Julie Hadden
I am a lover of The Biggest Loser tv show- and have been for a long time. Julie was on season 4 of TBL show. It was an interesting read-especially the behind the scenes of the show and the trainers.
The book chronicles her journey-from childhood to making it on the show and where she lost nearly half her body weight and saw her life forever changed. This book is so inspiring and she gives God the credit for everything which is how it should be. Great book for anyone who has struggled with weight-and who hasn't. Great quote from Julie-"When I began to catch a glimpse of the Julie that God saw, a Julie who was far different from the one staring back at me in my mirror-it was then that I started living the life I was created to live." If you enjoy the show you will really enjoy this book.

IN THE PRESIDENT'S SECRET SERVICE by Ronald Kessler
I normally do not read non Christian books but I saw this was a bestseller and it sounded really interesting and it was eye opening!!!!. This book went behind the scenes with agents in the line of fire and the presidents they protect. He goes into a lot of detail about past presidents that will shock and dishearten you about the men we elect to lead this great country. I guessed which presidents were mean and ugly even to the agents protecting them and which presidents passed the "nice" and a joy to be around and protect. This book will open your eyes to how the government-president, vice president, Cabinet officers and their families are really like-it is not a pretty sight.

GOING ROGUE Sarah Palin
I will be honest-I voted for the McCain/Palin team so this book was one I wanted to read. It was an adventure to read and very enjoyable. I find her to be a remarkable woman and this book just enforced that opinion. She prides herself as being a main street American woman: a working mom, wife of a blue-collar union man and the mother of five children with the last being a special needs child. She starts out as a child growing up in Alaska, getting married and then venturing into local politics-then state-then the national scene. What I enjoyed the most was her importance of faith and family. She was very candid about the 2008 presidential race and national politics. She brings a fresh vision of a way forward for America and her unfailing hope in the greatest nation on earth. It is going to be fun to see what God has in store for her and our country next. Big book but definately worth the time to read.