There Will Be Stars

"In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair...the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes will nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die. ~ Dorothy Sayers"

I sat here for quite some time, wondering how I can put into words what Billy Coffey's newest novel, There Will Be Stars is, without giving it away. I'm probably sure of one thing, after I write this review and publish it, think on it some more, will probably wish I had written something else. I always do when it comes to Billy's novels and that my friend, is what makes his novels so unique! I guess, I'm still wondering what genre it might fit into, because for some it will be one thing, and for others something else. I think people will all take something very different away from this novel, and that is what makes Billy Coffey's writing style so unique and almost ethereal in a sense. It takes you someplace, you're not sure you want to go, kinda of like hearing that strange noise at night, and you don't really want to know what it is, but you have to see for yourself if it is something or simply nothing at all.

There Will Be Stars in a novel from the Mattingly Series of novels Billy began writing about and as he places a disclosure at the beginning, these can be read in any order, but this one takes place a few years after  In the Heart of the Dark Wood. I love to read them in the order he has written them, and then I make in fact go back and read them in a different order. This is the story not only of Bobby Barnes, the main character in this novel but those who he is interconnected with. Not only those who play a role in this novel, but those who he speaks with in getting from the beginning to the end of this story.

Bobby Barnes is the town's drunk. He runs a automotive repair shop in the small town of Mattingly, Virginia, one in which everyone knows your business, often without your permission, because it is that small and everyone is connected in some unique way that can only be explained by the mind of the writer of the novel. People have been saying for some time, that Bobby will one day drink himself to death, either by consuming so much or by getting behind the wheel. Bobby might have a different opinion on that one. He works better when he has had a few even though he rarely gets much done. Perhaps he drinks to forget, perhaps he drinks simply because that is all he has known, and to do something different, might just throw him for a spin he isn't willing to take. Whatever the issue, this is the story of how Bobby defines those very moments in something I have a hard time describing. All I know is that you have to experience it to understand it and that my friend, is why you need to read this novel.

I received There Will Be Stars by Billy Coffey compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review and I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and personal opinion. How to describe what this novel is about is like mixing Groundhog Day with the Twilight Zone. There are six people who are about to find out what heaven or hell is like based on their own perceptions of where they are in life and how they see the events that are coming to them all. In fact, all I know is that Billy Coffey can spin a tale that will have you second guessing yourself all the way to the very end and make you want to reread it to see if you might have missed something along the way. For me, this is a definite sign of a truly talented writer, and for me, this one rates up there with something Stephen King might have written! Well worth again another 5 out of 5 stars! Keep em coming Billy Coffey, keep em coming! A reader's discussion guide is included at the conclusion and would make for one great novel for book clubs to take a poke at!

For more information about There Will Be Stars, Billy Coffey or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

There Will Be Stars by Billy Coffey

You can find Billy Coffey on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To see more reviews on There Will Be Stars, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website. 

Mattingly Series Novels by Billy Coffey 

When Mockingbirds Sing

The Devil Walks in Mattingly

In the Heart of the Dark Wood

The Curse of Crow Hollow

There Will Be Stars

Isolation

Warning: Do NOT read this book into the late night hours, it will seriously creep you out and make you wonder what every single noise in your house is, and making it extremely difficult to sleep without thinking about what you have read. If you love being scared right to the end of a great suspense thriller with a wicked twist, then by all means pick this one up. It was a rough night last night after I read it just before bed.

It is definitely a novel you won't be able to put down. From the first to the last page, the suspense only intensifies and you have to keep reading it to know how it will all turn out. I love that Travis Thrasher writes novels like this, because before becoming a solid believer in Jesus, these are the kinds of books I read. Not the slasher novels, but the ones dealing with the supernatural world, because somewhere in the back of your mind, you know that it is all possibly true and it could and has happened. This is why these novels and movies work so well to their target audience group.

This one is about the Miller family who has recently returned from a missions trip in Papua New Guinea and has come away from that place forever change and a bit separated at the seams. James Miller and his wife Stephanie are feeling the strains of being married and coming back after what they dealt with regarding the supernatural evil in the village where they served. Is it possible that they simply didn't leave it all behind, or is there another more deeply buried reason from Stephanie's pasts that are causing her to have the most unreal nightmares of seeing things in her home that she swears is real, only to come to find out she's been sleepwalking. It is causing a division in the family even among the children that is bringing fear into their home.

James learns about a lodge nestled away up in the Smokey Mountains that is being designed for us for missionary families returning from their trips as a way of getting back to the real world and the 45,000 square foot mansion is just waiting for them to be the first family to try it. The only other people staying there are the caregivers of the lodge an elderly couple by the name of the Petersons. The only restriction is that the north wing is locked as the original owners strive to move some of the personal belongings that remain in the lodge. Sounds like the perfect retreat right? Well you'll just have to join the family to see how it all works out in the end.

I received Isolation by Travis Thrasher compliments of the author, himself, as he knows what a huge fan I am of his others series like Solitary and the Books of Marvella. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this novel and the opinions are strictly my own. Fans of Stephen King, Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti will absolutely have to pick this one up. It is definitely a 5 out of 5 in the way of suspense, horror and all the elements that readers love when they pick up a book like this. They want to be scared right to the end, and the part that I love about Travis Thrasher's writing style is he doles out pieces of suspense a small bit at a time, so you seriously don't know what is coming or what lies behind the locked doors and secret passages in the lodge known simply as Edge Hill.

For more information about Isolation, Travis Thrasher or where you can pick up a copy of this novel, please click on the links below:

Isolation: A Novel by Travis Thrasher

You can find Travis Thrasher on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To pick up a copy of this book, please visit Travis Thrasher's website for more details. 

Rise of the Fallen

Angels were created long before humans were and as such, they have been there to witness the creation of the world. They hold some valuable positions in the Heavenly Realm, some act as messengers like the Archangel, Gabriel, others are warriors like the Archangel, Michael and still others have found another purpose like Lucifer, once the most beautiful of all of God's created angels before he believed he was higher in authority than God and succeeded in persuading a third of the heavenly angels to follow him to the earth.

In the amazing new young adult series from Chuck Black, Wars of the Realms, Rise of the Fallen is the second book to make its way into the series. While I was anticipating a continuation of sorts from the first novel, Cloak of the Light, this was a very different sequel. In this one, Chuck takes readers back in time to the creation of the world and showcases how the rebellion of the fallen took place and how it will subsequently impact the lives of the characters we find in this series. From the initial rebellion, to the many events in history that showcase how evil has tried to take precedence over the humans God so lovingly created from that moment in the Garden of Eden with Eve, to the corruption that impacted the God's decision to cleanse the Earth with the flood.

While this is merely written from a fictional perception, Chuck references biblical facts through the use of bold text and a great reference at the conclusion of the book that highlights the biblical implications used to complete the storyline. In this novel, we see how an angel Validus who was the last created angel feels less than worthy considering his angelic role at first, not a warrior, not a messenger, he finds himself in without a place among God's elite until the fall of Lucifer. He is then assigned a role before the birth of Jesus Christ, as a warrior angel to help control the evil that is taking both human lives and angelic lives in the spiritual and physical realms. He soon finds allies with a group of angels known at the One Hundred who befriend him and make him feel like a part of God's plan. It won't be until the rebellion in Heaven when Validus will have to make up his own choice to be part of God's plan or find his calling in Lucifer's domain on earth.

The novel is written as a chronological look back into the history of earth and how evil might have played a role in being instruments of the fallen to use humans to gain an upper hand in taking over the earth. It moves slowly forward to the present where we find Validus has been assigned a new role that of an assistant guardian to watch over Drew Carter, the main character in the first novel. It is through the marriage of these two novels that the reader can see what is happening though the eyes of the angels in the spiritual world while at the same time, connecting these events to the first novel in a quick look back before the end of the book. Now the two stories are complete and can move forward to the final epic battle between good and evil in both world in the next novel in the series.

I received Rise of the Fallen by Chuck Black compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I absolutely love how Chuck decided to write this novel because there is so much information you want to pass along before you move your story forward for readers to truly understand the impact that demons and angels have in our lives as both believers and non believers in Jesus Christ. It is truly eye opening and made me really consider just how much goes on in our daily lives where we are simply unaware and just how powerful prayer really is. Now I can't wait for the next novel in this exciting new supernatural spiritual warfare series and one I can easily give a 5 out of 5 stars too!

For more information about Rise of the Fallen, Chuck Black or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Rise of the Fallen by Chuck Black

You can find Chuck Black on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Rise of the Fallen, please visit Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers website.

Unbound

Anyone who has followed my book reviews, knows that I love supernatural and spiritual warfare fiction novels. That is precisely why I jumped at the opportunity to review Unbound, the first novel in The Omega Trilogy by J.B. Simmons. It is based in the near future where technology has advanced quite considerably with people allowing themselves to be implanted with a device known as precepts, a computer that responds to your thoughts and enables only you to have access to it unless you agree to sync with another user. Everything in this future is activated by a wrist like implant that allows you to pay for items or even activate users to your internal precept. Security is the main goal in this new futuristic world and those lucky enough to pass the test, can become spies for the International Security Agency or ISA to combat terrorists threats all over the globe.

Elijah Goldsmith, a young Jewish man who is among the wealthy and finishing up college has applied but not without much reservations. Elijah, like his Bible predecessor, has been having what he can only call nightmares of a dragon rising from a giant hole in the ground in the city of Rome after a great earthquake. A charismatic man is also there who speaks to the dragon and then Elijah wakes up. Each night without fail he experiences the same nightmare even with the help of the sleep pills he's been taking to avoid having them. He is struggling with his own faith because none of these things make sense to a Jewish boy. Jesus was just a great guy and nothing more right? The book of Revelation is just something that should never been added to the Bible because all it contains is symbolic myths of a future that some man dreamed. Is not real right? Or is it?

I received Unbound by J.B. Simmons compliments of Believers Media for my honest review and did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of the book for my honest review. The opinions contained here are strictly my own. While the reviews on this novel compare it to a mix of The Da Vinci Code meets Hungry Games meets Left Behind, I would disagree. It is more along the lines of Left Behind with a bit more science fiction tossed in for good measure. It was an enjoyable read but the storyline took quite awhile to get to the meaning of the purpose of ISA and Elijah's involvement with it as well as the friends he interacts with along the way. While knowing this is the first novel in the series, I felt the author raced a bit to get to the action level, the purpose of Elijah's dreams, and kinda left us feeling left behind ourselves. I am hoping that the next novel might offer a bit more than what this one did and I was left feeling like I really wanted to know more before moving forward. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and for fans of books like Left Behind, you might want to check this one out as well.

For more information about Unbound, J.B. Simmons or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Unbound by J.B. Simmons

You can find J.B. Simmons on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

You can pick up a copy of Unbound through Amazon or your local book retailer.

The Devil's Game - Giveaway and Review

Not since Stephen King or Frank Peretti have I come across such an exceptional Christian Supernatural Suspense until I picked up Daniel Patterson's The Devil's Game. In fact if you asked Simon Paradis, Harmony's newest resident, he would tell you that you have lived yet until you have met him. Things are going to get a whole lot more interesting for the people in Harmony. What they don't realize is that their very souls are on the line and the last time, Simon came to town, every single person died who chose to stay and see if they could match wits with him.

Reverend James Buchman at New Hope Church knows that the man in front of him wearing a long, black coat that is frayed at the edges, long hair and a black goatee with some gray in it, looks much older than he appears even though he can't put his finger on it. Simon Paradis seems to be able to charm his way into volunteering to help out all the people who are part of James church. Little do they really know what his true motives are. Not only is he able to control the thoughts of people he likes to call "weak-minded" but he has a sinister plot in mind if he can only get rid of Reverend Buchman.

He knows that subtlety and patience go a long way to bring his plans to fulfillment and all he needs is to convince a few key players in town to do their part to keep Reverend Buchman busy trying to save some people while he begins his deadly game. All he was hoping for was for the Reverend to be willing to lay down his life for his flock or in a twist of fate, simply leave town and Simon will take care of the rest In fact his sinister past has decimated cities in the past, and he is looking to make Harmony his latest target. With Reverend Buchman have enough faith to beat the devil at his own game? Check this one out and see!

For fans of Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker and Stephen King, you will definitely want to pick this one up. It's easy to get addicted to it and you can literally inhale this one in a matter of hours. This is a supernatural thriller that pits the devil against the pastor to see who will ultimately win in this spiritual battle for the town of Harmony. This is the first book in the Reverend Buchman Series and at is now available in print and ebook formats. This book is so well written because it engages you from the first chapter and before you know it, you're done. It does have a bit of a cliff hanger ending so you know that the battle continues and Simon is still on the loose. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and LOVE this genre, not to mention it's a Christian suspense thriller! I can't wait for more from Daniel Peterson.

Now the best part, thanks to the generosity of author Daniel Peterson , he is offering a signed copy of his book, The Devil's Game to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. "Like" Daniel Patterson's Facebook page if you have a Facebook account. While your there let him know how excited you are that The Devil's Game is now available in print.

2. "Tweet" about this giveaway and share your link if you have a Twitter page.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US Shipping Address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a signed copy of The Devil's Game. Don't forget to include your email address along with your comment. Without it, I have no way of notifying you that you're the lucky winner. You can even use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will announce the winner via email (included with your comment below) on December 15th. Enter as many times as you wish and feel free to spread the message to all your social media friends.

For more information about The Devil's Game, Daniel Patterson or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Devil's Game by Daniel Patterson

You can find Daniel Patterson on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

The Devil's Game

Not since Stephen King or Frank Peretti have I come across such an exceptional Christian Supernatural Suspense until I picked up Daniel Patterson's The Devil's Game. In fact if you asked Simon Paradis, Harmony's newest resident, he would tell you that you have lived yet until you have met him. Things are going to get a whole lot more interesting for the people in Harmony. What they don't realize is that their very souls are on the line and the last time, Simon came to town, every single person died who chose to stay and see if they could match wits with him.

Reverend James Buchman at New Hope Church knows that the man in front of him wearing a long, black coat that is frayed at the edges, long hair and a black goatee with some gray in it, looks much older than he appears even though he can't put his finger on it. Simon Paradis seems to be able to charm his way into volunteering to help out all the people who are part of James church. Little do they really know what his true motives are. Not only is he able to control the thoughts of people he likes to call "weak-minded" but he has a sinister plot in mind if he can only get rid of Reverend Buchman.

He knows that subtlety and patience go a long way to bring his plans to fulfillment and all he needs is to convince a few key players in town to do their part to keep Reverend Buchman busy trying to save some people while he begins his deadly game. All he was hoping for was for the Reverend to be willing to lay down his life for his flock or in a twist of fate, simply leave town and Simon will take care of the rest In fact his sinister past has decimated cities in the past, and he is looking to make Harmony his latest target. With Reverend Buchman have enough faith to beat the devil at his own game? Check this one out and see!

For fans of Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker and Stephen King, you will definitely want to pick this one up. It's easy to get addicted to it and you can literally inhale this one in a matter of hours. This is a supernatural thriller that pits the devil against the pastor to see who will ultimately win in this spiritual battle for the town of Harmony. This is the first book in the Reverend Buchman Series and at this time is only available for eBook readers. This book is so well written because it engages you from the first chapter and before you know it, you're done. It does have a bit of a cliff hanger ending so you know that the battle continues and Simon is still on the loose. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and LOVE this genre, not to mention it's a Christian suspense thriller! I can't wait for more from Daniel Peterson.

For more information about The Devil's Game, Daniel Patterson or where you can pick up a copy of this eBook today, please click on the links below:

The Devil's Game by Daniel Patterson

You can find Daniel Patterson on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

Spirit Bridge

You know you've reached a great series, when you actually take part of the novel with you in your own dreams. This is just the case with James L. Rubart's latest novel in the Well Springs Series, Spirit Bridge. This concludes the journey of the group known as the Warrior's Riding, comprised of Dana Raine, Marcus Amber, Brandon Scott, Reese Roth. Each of them have had a role to play in venturing forth in the spiritual realm to do battle with the coming evil lead by a demon called Zennon. Through each of the subsequent novels these four have had to fulfill the ancient prophecy that foretold of this battle and how each of them would be instrumental in helping to achieve success. Until that time, they have been growing in strength and wisdom guided by the Spirit of God and practicing their skills in the spiritual realm. Often times they have been called to help find healing through visiting another's soul and discovering what deep dark secret lies buried beneath that is preventing them from being all they can be.

Now as they prepare for the final battle against Zennon and his demons who will hold nothing battle in their attempt to destroy the Warrior's Riding and their mission to help others know God through their ministry. This time, they feel they have the upper hand due in part to a secret weapon that will be unleashed in the midst without them knowing about it and will begin to destroy them from the inside out, much like the Trojan Horse did to Greece. Now all they have to do is be patient and wait for the signs that the warfare has been released and then they will take over the lives of the Warriors as well as those they had hoped to save.

I received Spirit Bridge by James L. Rubart compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review and did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I have loved this series from the beginning and think that James did an exceptional job not only at character development, but in the entire concept of spiritual realm travel and warfare. To have the ability to war within the spiritual realm and to further the cause of Jesus Christ is so mind blowing, you can't help but get lost in the true meaning behind it all. There is a freedom that comes from being released from the bondage that keeps us from truly seeing what God wants us to see and know as well as the softening of the human heart towards the things of God. That is why so many remain blinded even in our world today, despite what is apparent to us as believers. 2 Corinthians 4:4 makes this point perfectly clear and thus, I believe, defines the purpose of the Warriors Riding to set unbelievers free. " "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

I can easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and was my favorite novel in the entire Well Springs Novel Series. I love how James defines Simon, the street magician's role in this novel and shows just what connection he has had to the group. It also shows us how subtly the enemy can even work in the believers life to gain a foothold to cause chaos and temptation where we least expect it. I know I came away with this a whole lot stronger in my faith in Christ and the battle we all face every single day. This novel is the third and final book in the Well Springs Series and isn't designed to be read as a stand alone as James L. Rubarts previous novels have. To begin the journey, pick up Soul's Gate, then Memory's Door before concluding with Spirit Bridge. Definitely a must read for fans of spiritual warfare fiction.

For more information about Spirit Bridge, James L. Rubart or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Spirit Bridge by James L. Rubart

You can also find James L. Rubart on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Spirit Bridge, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website. 

You can see my reviews on the first two Well Springs novels in the series below:

Soul's Gate by James L. Rubart (#1 in the Well Springs Novel Series)
Memory's Door by James L. Rubart (#2 in the Well Springs Novel Series)

Memory's Door

"There will come a day when you will train them - they will be four. The Song, the Teacher, the Leader, the Temple. Keep your eyes open to see, your ears open to listen, you heart open to feel, and your mind open to discern.

When the time comes, the Spirit will reveal each of them to you. You will teach them the wonders of my power they can't yet imagine. And instruct these warriors how to go far inside the soul and marrow.

They will rise up and fight for the hearts of others. They will demolish strongholds in the heavens and grind their enemies to dust. Their victories will spread across the nations. You will pour out your life for them and lead them to freedom, and they will turn and bring healing to the broken and set the hearts of others free.

And then the Wolf rises, the four must war against him and bring about his destruction.

Only they have hope of victory.

And for one, their vision will grow clear,

And for one, the darkness of choice will rain on them,

And for one, the other world will become more real than this one,

And for one, death will come before the appointed time."

For Reece, Brandon, Marcus and Dana, they are the chosen four spoken of in the prophecy about to be fulfilled in the second Well Spring Novel from best selling author James L. Rubart in Memory's Door. When we left the foursome in Soul's Gate, the first novel in the series, they had ventured into the souls of those people who have been held in bondage by their sin and their pasts as a way to begin the training that they will now have to utilize to war against what is known as the Wolf. They just have to figure out who or what the Wolf is before it's too late.

Now that the four have mastered the ability to travel within the souls of those needing healing and freedom from their sin that has held them in bondage, they are about to go head to head in an epic spiritual battle that I've only found in novels by Frank Peretti but this one will leave you shaking your head and wondering what is real and what is part of the spiritual deception played out by the demon they fought against in Soul's Gate, Zennon who has already robbed Reece of his sight. Will they be able to find a way to work together despite all the outside issues that are working against them being successful as the Warriors Riding or are these merely just another ploy of the enemy to cause division among the group?

This series combines some of the best genres together to create something that almost defies a clear explanation of what you are to immerse yourself in. Take Science Fiction, Supernatural Spiritual Warfare, Fantasy and add in the element of Suspense and you have briefly looked into the remarkable creation that only James L. Rubart can create. I received Memory's Door by James L. Rubart compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I have not received any monetary compensation for a favorable review. It took me much longer than I anticipated to finish Memory's Door, partly because it had been awhile since reading Soul's Gate that I had to spend some time refreshing myself with what had happened in the first book to be able to move forward in this one. This is definitely not meant to be a stand alone novel and I recommend reading Soul's Gate before picking this one up.

The other issue is that there is so much happening in this novel. It is packed with action and mystery with each of the four characters not only having to deal with their personal issues, Dana with her career, Marcus with his past decision that could destroy his marriage and family, Reece coming to terms that his vision might not ever be restored like he believes, and Brandon struggling with his music career. They must each find their personal freedom with what God has in store for each of them and be willing to let things go that they are grasping so tightly in this world before they can hope to master what awaits them in the spiritual realm. If not, it might just be the end of one or all of them.

I easily rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and it's meant to take some time to gain a full grasp of what the meaning is behind this book. I found myself constantly looking at characters with fresh perspective because just when you think you might have someone's motives figured out, you realize you were so wrong. I believe James accomplishes his purpose by the time you get to the end and you find yourself reflecting on some of your own issues that may be hindering your own spiritual walk in growing closer to God. Ultimately the message is that Jesus is the only way to have freedom from sin that keeps you believing the lies of the enemy. That you can never change, you can never be forgiven, and there is no hope for a better life. Jesus can free you from all those lies and give you the freedom you seek.

For more information about Memory's Door, James L. Rubart or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Memory's Door by James L. Rubart

You can also follow James L. Rubart on Facebook and stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Memory's Door from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour, please click here.


James L. Rubart takes readers deeper into the world he began in Soul’s Gate (a 2013 Christy Award winner) with Memory’s Door (Thomas Nelson), the second book in the Well Spring series.

James is celebrating the Memory's Door release with a fantastic Kindle Fire HD giveaway.

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HD
• Soul's Gate and Memory's Door by James L. Rubart

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 7th. All winners will be announced September 9th at Jim's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Jim's blog on the 9th to see if you won! (Or better yet, subscribe to his blog (enter your email in the blog sidebar) and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

The Influence

It seems like lately I've come across some amazing, life-changing novels on the subject of spiritual warfare and how it relates to the unseen realm of angels and demons and the influence they have in our lives. Yet I just finished a fantastic novel that took me much deeper than I could ever imagined as if I were quite literally in the shoes of Mark, a man who is trying to find answers in coping with the loss of his son, a year old. He believes if he can simply understand the "why's" of it, he may help him move through it and move on in his life. But for seven years, it seems he is no further ahead. His wife, Kathy is at a loss on how to help and it doesn't help matters when she can't seem to get pregnant again. Fearing that his depression will only get worse, she struggles with the choice of leaving him behind when her father, John, has surgery that requires her assistance for a few days while he recovers at home. Mark assures Kathy to go, but the unsettling feeling she has continues to plague her as she drives to the hospital.

Sotare is called in when Mark is plagued by a demon's influence to take his own life to help him simply let go of the pain he's been holding onto. It is this angelic presence and divine intervention that will undoubtedly take both Mark and the reader into the answers that only God can provide and give them a peek at just what lies hidden behind a veil we can't not see. Since both Mark and Kathy are unbelievers who honestly accept that simply being good people and live their lives accordingly is good enough, Sotare shows Mark just how wrong they both are. He shows them if they are not believers in God, then they are believers of Satan even if they have not made that decision personally. Until Mark and Kathy find the truth for themselves, the battle for their very souls and human lives in literally on the line.

Kathy's father John has been praying for them both diligently in the hopes that they will find God in their own timing. Yet when he feels an unsettling presence in his room while recovering he knows that something more is at stake than what he can see. He calls his pastor Tim, who agrees to meet with him at the hospital and offers a prophetic vision from God that shows just what the risks are to their souls if they remain where they are at in their lives.

The Influence by author Matthew John Slick takes the reader deeper than I have ever gone into the spiritual world of angels and demons and educates us what really goes on every single day that we simply don't see because it is hidden from our human eyes. Yet it makes such a wonderful case to those that haven't made a decision for God that simply can't be debated. I took so many notes from this one that answered many questions that I had as a believer for years, such as Why does God allow Evil in the world if He is truly a God of love? Why does He allow people to die? If He is all powerful why doesn't He do something about it?
I received this book as a free download quite some time ago and was thrilled to immerse myself in this one. The thought of such influence in our lives is downright chilling even as believers to know how much the enemy can still attempt to cause trouble in our own lives and just how powerful prayer really is. I rate this one an unforgettable 5 out of 5 stars and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. If you really want to see what is going on in the spiritual world, you will definitely want to check this one out. By far one of the best spiritual warfare fictional novels I've read! I'm hoping for a sequel for this one soon!

For more information about The Influence, Matthew John Slick or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Influence by Matthew John Slick 

You can find Matthew John Slick on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: StoneHouse Ink (August 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615525733
• ISBN-13: 978-0615525730
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.4 x 8.4 inches