Poison Town

Jack Crittendon has a new mission, as an investigative reporter for The Dispatch, he is turning the tables on the man he just interviewed Leonard Bendickson III, CEO of Demler-Vargas, the fiberglass manufacturer in Trenton City. Since taking the helm as CEO thirteen years ago, Bendickson has steered the Fortune 500 company to unfathomable heights. The $7.9 billion corporation has consistently surpassed Wall Streets expectations on its way to becoming one of the world's most prolific manufacturers of fiberglass - all kinds of fiberglass. Although Demler-Vargas has been the subject of complaints about air pollution from Trenton City neighbors over the years, Bendickson insists the company has worked diligently to comply with OSHA and the EPA.

But there is something sinister and unsettling when Jack discovers that those around him that he knows are dying from similar symptoms. He wondered just what the truth was. Were pollutants from Demler-Vargas hurting employees and neighbors? Were they what killed Travis Randall's mother and made his father, Galen sick? But if Demler-Vargas was hiding something, wouldn't OSHA and the EPA caught on and stopped them? Was Bendickson lying, or was he running a clean shop as he claims?

The more Jack tries to uncover the truth, the more it seems that someone is out to make sure those secrets stay buried. When it gets personal however, and his wife and mother-in-law become victims of a random car accident, Jack begins to dig deeper into the truth. He is aided by Derrick Whittaker, on of Jack's best friends who has been assigned that beat and together they slowly begin to uncover things that don't make sense, especially when their editor, Cecil Barton, will only allow them to spend no more than a hour a day working on this investigation. He seems to think that in the past, Amy Sheets has tried to do much the same thing, but now has moved away to be closer to her aging parents and discovered nothing. But is that really the reason why she is no longer working at the office?

I received Poison Town by Creston Mapes compliments of David C. Cook Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. This could be any real company today as chemicals continue to surface in our food sources and water supplies that are being linked to certain types of cancer and illness that seem to multiply the closer people come to living next to these manufacturing plants. In this case, it is more than just the poisons from the fiberglass plant that are infecting people, it's also greed and justice that are tearing families and businesses apart. But will Jack's now dormant faith come to light in time to save them all or will he fall victim to the same fate as everyone else? You'll have to pick this one up to find out. This is the second novel in the Crittendon Files and I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars. The first novel in the series is Fear Has No Name in which the reader gains insight into the back story of the issues between Jack and his wife.

For more information about Poison Town, Creston Mapes, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Poison Town by Creston Mapes

You can also find Creston Mapes on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Poison Town, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's book tour page.

The Well

Ever since reading The Thief, Stephanie Landsem's second novel in The Living Water Series, I felt I missed out on her debut novel, The Well. I was so impressed and lost in her novel, I had to read this one just to see where it all began and to satisfy the longing in my book lover's heart. You know when you find an exceptional author, you have to pick up everything they write. I was not disappointed in my discovery. Thank you to Howard Books for generously sending me this copy to read and review without any monetary compensation for a favorable review.

One of the things that make Stephanie's novels so exceptional is she doesn't leave out any details when taking a known event from the Bible and expounding on the details that we don't know. Given that very little is known about the Samaritan women at the well that Jesus encounters, I love how Stephanie elaborated on what her life must have been like to bring her to that fateful life changing encounter we all know about from the Bible.

In the novel The Well, the reader is transported back in time to the Samaritan village of Sychar, where we find ourselves meeting the famed adulterous woman, Nava who is once again bringing much shame and disgrace not only to the village but more importantly to her daughter Mara and her disabled brother Asher. Knowing that her mother has completely lost sight of what this could bring to her family if anyone discovers what she is doing, Mara takes on the role of the mother, providing for the care and feeding of her mother and Asher. Since they are among the poorest in the village, they are only able to get by with the charity of the women in town who leave whatever they can spare so Mara and Asher won't go hungry. But Mara knows the charity will only last for so long as she manages to care for her family any way she can.

Fate intervenes when Jesus comes to the town of Sychar and meets Nava at the well. Just when it looks like things will get better for their family, those in the town that seek revenge instead of grace won't stop until they ensure that the laws of God are upheld in town. But once her mother is brought before the court, will there be anyone willing to stand up for righteousness against the odds? You just might be surprised at how well Stephanie writes the conclusion of her debut novel.

I received The Well by Stephanie Landsem compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest opinion. The one thing I didn't realize is how she will preserve some of these characters for their reprising role in The Thief. I don't want to spoil it for you but trust me, if you love Biblical Fiction, you will definitely want to pick up The Well and The Thief. This is such an exceptional journey because you feel as though you're not just reading the story but actually living there. Just the violent act of stoning is something I am glad we don't do any longer and it seems it would be a painful and slow death at the hands of people who believe their are justified in their actions. This reminds me of mob-like vigilante's of the ancient days. I easily give this a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Well, Stephanie Landsem or where you can pick up a copy of The Well today, please click on the links below:

The Well by Stephanie Landsem

You can also find Stephanie Landsem on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Well, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Vintage -

Behind every piece of clothing is a story. That is what makes Hourglass Vintage something unique than your usual retail clothing stores. There is the story of how each item found its way into the store and thus the reason why Violet Turner had desperately wanted her store to succeed. She took the time to understand the purpose behind acquiring each item she sold. She had hoped with each rent payment she made that she would someday own the store she ran and the apartment she lived in above. It was one of the very reasons she entered into the contract with Mortenson & Son Properties Inc.

The last thing she had ever expected to see what a man in her store serving her an eviction notice. Knowing she can't possibly afford to fight this with a high price attorney, she meets with Ted Mortenson to see what options she has. (1) she can pay the market rate for the building, which is around a million dollars, or (2) take a compromise offer of two months of rent and vacate the property in a couple of months. Violet knows she can't possibly come up with the down payment to buy back the building and meets with her life long friend, Karen Young who is an attorney who offers to help her stall the process to give Violet more time.

Meanwhile Violet receives an offer from her friend Betsy Barrett, a wealthy women who was a member of a local women's organization to consider taking on a young pregnant girl, April Morgan who needs a job to help her cope with the recent break up with her boyfriend Charlie. It will enable her to put her math skills to work aiding Violet in establishing a system of organization within her shop and keep April from worrying too much about her future as a mom, now that Charlie cancelled their wedding plans thanks to the encouragement of his wealthy parents to pay for his medical school costs.

As the story progress we get to meet quite a few of Violet's customers who are going through their own personal struggle which brings them into her store. It's more about finding hope through common circumstances as each of the women in Violet's life gives her more than just articles of clothing to sell in her store, they are giving her a piece of their past lives and in some cases ones they don't want back.

I received Vintage from Susan Gloss, a debut novel in The Friday Night Knitting Club compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions in this review are strictly my own. This novel does contain some profanity as a caution to readers who would be caught unaware picking this one up. I would have liked to have seen the author omit it since it's not necessary to move the novel forward or pertaining to Violet's character. I am a huge fan of antiques and vintage items because of the history behind each one you pick up much like the items in Hourglass Vintage which become the chapter starters in this novel. The story toggles between Violet's customers as each share their struggles in both their past and present lives through the articles them bring into her store. I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion based on my personal rating system.

For more information about Vintage, Susan Gloss or where to order a copy of this novel, please click on the links below:

Vintage: A Novel by Susan Gloss

You can also find Susan Gloss on Facebook to stay up to date with all her novels.

To read more reviews on Vintage: A Novel please visit William Morrow's website. 

Childless

In an effort to curb the downward fall of the world's economy, a task force has been created to look for more innovative ideas as part of President Lowman's Youth Initiative. Now in looking for greater incentives for potential transition volunteers to expand the Youth Initiative. Greater incentives meant increased pressure. Make it easier to say yes so it would be harder to say no. America needed more of the elderly and disabled to get with the program. They were, after all, debits. They cost more than they produced. They spent personal wealth on themselves rather than releasing it to the younger, healthier generation. That is why so many had come to label them, "selfish parasites" draining rather than fueling the economy by requiring time and attention from otherwise productive workers and entrepreneurs; those who contributed. Those who paid taxes.

In the second novel in Dr. James Dobson and Kurt Bruners series set in the future 2043, Childless picks up on the heels of it's predecessor Fatherless. We now see the evil that dwells behind the scenes promoting the latest politcal agenda that is facing this generation where there are more senior citizens than young people. The economy has been challenged with reducing health care for it's aging population while trying to increase the younger generation of productive workers. Transition is simply a generic term for sanctioned suicide of the elderly with the governments assistance to reduce the rising costs of health care for senior citizens and the disabled. Now it seems that Congressmen Kevin Tolbert has discovered "bright spots" places in the world when the economy is improving when families increase the number of children they have as well as reduce the number of transitions that happen.

But like all great political suspense thrillers, there is always a twist. Now it seems that in light of the upcoming verdict in the case against NEXT, Inc, the judge Victor Santiago is receiving death threats to consider how he will vote against the lawsuit from a transition's family member and how it would affect NEXT, Inc in the public's eye. Whenever a family member transitions, their inheritance is passed along to the family. Pending the verdict in this case, all cash disbursements are currently on hold until the case is settled. This isn't what Matthew Adams had planned on when he convinced his elderly mother suffering from dementia to transition so he could go to college instead of spending her dwindling bank account on her prescriptions and medical care. Now it seems that it might be on hold indefinitely if the verdict is unfavorable for NEXT, Inc.

But in this novel children aren't being born as families learn they are expecting. In fact, it's quite the opposite, fetuses are being sold at $2000 each to a embryotic's supply company to utilize for skin care and skin grafting procedures. It seems like nothing is off limits. Even your baby can be genetically screened before birth to help parents increase the likelihood of delivering a healthy baby and even the sex of the baby can be guaranteed. They offer this option as a way for families to reduce the lifelong medical expense due to disability and disease. Even now most health care physicians won't even accept insurance unless the parents have undergone the prescreening process.

I received Childless by Dr. James Dobson and Kurt Bruner compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions are strictly my own unless otherwise noted. This is a chilling look at what could very well be the future of the world if we continue on the trends we are now seeing happening all over the world, from physician assisted suicides to abortions. In fact Dr. James Dobson shares his thoughts in a note at the beginning of the novel where "places like Japan and Russia are already experiencing the economic turmoil caused by too few children trying to support a growing pool of aging citizens. In this novel they deal with what happens when sex is severed from the life-giving joys of maternity. Be forewarned, such questions require depicting ugly realities that come when we disregard the beauty and sanctity of the marriage bed." I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars.  I can't wait for Godless, the third novel coming out in the fall of 2014.

For more information about Childless, Dr. James Dobson, Kurt Bruner or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Childless by Dr. James Dobson and Kurt Bruner

You can also find Dr. James Dobson on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

To read more reviews on Childless, please visit Faith Words Website. 

Fatherless

"Free To Thrive
By Julia Davidson (RAP Syndicate)

A friend of mine recently informed me she wants to have a child. She's not religious, but her parents are devout Catholics. They have an opinion on the matter. Actually, two opinions.

First, they want their daughter to find a partner (husband to use their word) before becoming a mom - something less than 25% of women do for good reasons I've covered in earlier columns. (Why do religious fundamentalists criticize our generation for avoiding parenthood yet complain when single women choose motherhood?)

Second, my friend's parents disapprove of a practice that has become standard medical procedure, even among heterosexual domestic partners. In vitro selection (IVS) brings enormous benefits to parents, children and society. But they've cautioned their daughter against 'engineering her child" by vetting common genetic imperfections. They believe IVS puts humans in place of God and fear we have become "picky shoppers" rather than "grateful recipients" when it comes to the "gift of life."

Caving to parental pressure, my friend postponed her selection appointment. I suppose I should celebrate the decision. One fewer carbon footprint polluting the planet. But I hate to see her give up something she wants just because her parents view technology as a moral bogeyman.

These are the facts. Eight out of ten women who wish to have a child use in vitro selection, otherwise known as common sense. In our day and age, why would anyone risk giving birth to children with costly health challenges? Women no longer have to fear receiving bad news after teh birth of a child due to unforeseen disabilities and complications. Only children born to parents who opt out of the genetic vetting process risk the heartache, burden and expenses associated with the most common disabilities and age-related illness. Those expenses, by the way, will end up hitting federal and state budgets as "faith children" survive their well-intentioned but misguided parents. You and I will inherit costly care and medical obligations associated with our aging parents and grandparents.

If my friend decides to have a child, I hope she will give the baby the freedom to thrive by eliminating the risk of unnecessary disease and disability. I only wish we could give the same freedom to those of us already burdened by both." (excerpt pg 81-82.)

It's the year 2042 and while the world struggles to come to terms with a failing economy in every country, they notice that this is the first time the scale are tipping downward. This is the first time that senior citizens outnumber the younger generation. This places a burden on not having enough productive hands necessary to maintain the standards of productivity while the high cost of caring for seniors is skyrocketing. The only solution is to provide transition services to those who have become more of a debit than an asset to their families and society. They can opt out of life through volunteering to transition and leave their wealth behind to their families. But surely something like this is only for fictional novels right? Or is it?

Best selling author and speaker of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson has teamed up with Kurt Bruner to write the novel Fatherless, which was inspired by the foretelling of the ominous trends discussed in this novel by the late Chuck Colson. They use this information to write a very chilling story of what could happen when the very old outnumber the very young. With a decline in marriage and parenthood fueling an unprecedented drop in fertility, then the growth in global population will soon end, then reverse. We are already seeing this happen in places like Japan and Russia. Just what importance is there in a world where growing up with the protective love of a father becomes the exception rather than the norm? I think these two brilliant authors have given us a taste of what may lie ahead of us in the future if we continue this pattern.

I received Fatherless by Dr. James Dobson and Kurt Bruner compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are my own unless otherwise noted. While this is a fictional based novel, we are seeing more approval for physician assisted suicides among the terminally ill or aging that simply want a way out rather than liquidating all their financial assets. What happens then when people stop having children or opt to avoid getting married when they can have a baby in a lab and thus move on with life without the benefits of the family unit. Through a variety of characters this is the premise of Fatherless. This is the first book in the series with Childless and Godless being added to the series. Just the opening and closing stories alone are chilling in their future implications. I easily give this a 5 out of 5 stars for every single person to read, especially believers who know the truth that comes when light is revealed in dark places.

For more information about Fatherless, Dr. James Dobson, Kurt Bruner or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Fatherless by Dr. James Dobson and Kurt Bruner

You can also find Dr. James Dobson on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords; Reprint edition (October 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1455513105
• ISBN-13: 978-1455513109
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches

To read more reviews on Fatherless, please visit Faith Word's website. 

The Devil Walks in Mattingly

As I finished the latest novel from Billy Coffey, The Devil Walks in Mattingly, I remember what he told me when I interviewed him on what the reader would find in this one. He told me it will be much darker. And it is. Much darker!

To those of you that are looking for a happy story of some facet of Billy's walk in life, this is NOT that novel. Ir reminds me in fact of the opening line that Jude Law narrates for Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, "Dear reader, there are people in the world who know no misery and woe. And they take comfort in cheerful films about twittering birds and giggling elves. There are people who know that there's always a mystery to be solved. And they take comfort in researching and writing down any important evidence. But this story is not about such people.The movie you are about to see is extremely unpleasant. If you wish to see a film about a happy little elf, I'm sure there is still plenty of seating in theatre number two."

This novel is actually the prequel to Billy's third novel, When Mockingbird Sings. I've been a huge fan of Billy's since the days I first came across his stories on his Blog, "What I Learned Today", and fell in love with his uncanny abililty to do more than just tell a great story. He makes it come alive and makes you part of the action. I wanted to run ahead and read The Devil Walks in Mattingly as fast as possible, because you will always come away changed after reading ANY of his books. This one was NO different, however much like a race horse yearning to run ahead at the start of the gun, this one held me back restrained. No matter how much I wanted to run ahead, this one made me go slow. To say this novel is deep and dark, is an understatement. I believe it's Billy's finest examples of just how versatile of a writer he truly is.

I liken this novel to something a bit of a blend between Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe and M. Night Shyalmalan's Sixth Sense. This is about what we all face when dealing with the guilt of sin in our lives. Especially in this case where the murder of a young boy, Phillip McBride that happened twenty years ago, is now being felt in the town of Mattingly, Virginia by those with guilty consciences, the local sheriff, Jake Barnett, his wife, Kate, and the recluse that lives in Happy Hollow, Taylor Hathcock. Each of them believes that they have had a hand in the murder of Phillip and each have found a coping method that is slowly unraveling at the seams.

For Jake, he is trying to avoid confrontation at all costs in his job as Mattingly's sheriff, including the apprehension of his own father, Justus wanted for the murder of three men. Jake is haunted by nightmares of that fateful day by Phillip to deprives him not only of sleep but in moving forward in his life. Phillip is the spectre with a warning that he is coming back for him and Kate, and no one will escape. But is it really happening or it just the over active imagination of a guilty conscience?

Kate is stuck making amends for her guilt, one I related to the most. She keeps a notebook of all the young people she has helped to atone for her sin. She is hoping one day, she will achieved enough good deeds to make up for the one she can't apologize for and for the innocent loss of life she claimed that day when her prank took an unexpected turn on the last day of high school.

For Taylor, he spends his days waiting for just the right moment to "wake" them all up. He suffers from a mental snap and believes that the life his is living is merely a dream and that he is the only one who can help them all. He cautiously spies upon the sleepy residents of Mattingly knowing that the day is close at hand. The one event that brings things to life is the day footprints appear in the Hollow from a protective grove that Taylor is the keeper of, that lead back to Mattingly and back to her. Now he just needs to find the clues to piece it all together, but this will also bring to the town of Mattingly, an evil they have never experienced before and one that will forever change the town.

I received The Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey, compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own, unless otherwise noted. This is a novel that showcases much more than a well written story. It shows how far guilt can carry us if we allow it to fester unresolved. It also teaches us the power of forgiveness. People often say that forgiveness is for others, but I beg to differ, it is for us that have been wronged instead. There is freedom in being able to forgive those who have wronged us, no matter what has happened. Those who can't are likely Jake, Kate and Taylor who are stuck feeling justified in keeping those feelings locked inside, and thus become more trapped and tormented than anyone should ever have to. By the time, you get to the end of this one, you will understand what grace truly is and how much freedom there is in forgiveness before you can ever move forward. In my opinion, by far, Billy's finest novel to date. There is such maturity in his writing this novel that is unparallelled in anything I have read and thus the reason for my 5 out of 5 stars. Looking forward to going even deeper Billy!

For more information about The Devil Walks in Mattingly, Billy Coffey or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey

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

To read more reviews on The Devil Walks in Mattingly, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website.

When Calls The Heart - Lost and Found

Nashville , Tennessee- When Calls the Heart Produced and directed by Michael Landon Jr. and inspired by the best-selling books by Janette Oke, tells the story of Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), a young high society teacher receiving her first classroom post in a prairie town in the Western Frontier. Also stars Lori Loughlin as Abigail Stanton, a widow and mother whose husband, along with a dozen other miners, was killed in an explosion at the local mine.When Calls the Heart- “Lost and Found” is a feature length film from the first two episodes of the When Calls the Heart television series.When Calls the Heart television series debuted on the Hallmark Channel to more than 3 million viewers, making it the No. 2 for the night on all of cable for the primary telecast at 9 p.m and No. 3 overall in households.Distributed by Word Entertainment, The DVD will be available to purchase in Christian Retail February 25th, 2014.

Synopsis“When Calls the Heart” tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), a young teacher accustomed to her high society life, who receives her first classroom assignment in Coal Valley, a small coal mining town where life is simple, but often fraught with challenges. Lori Loughlin plays Abigail Stanton, a wife and mother whose husband, the foreman of the mine, along with a dozen other miners, has just been killed in an explosion.The newly widowed women find their faith is tested when they must go to work in the mines to keep a roof over their heads. Elizabeth charms most everyone in Coal Valley, except Constable Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) who believes Thatcher’s wealthy father has doomed the lawman’s career by insisting he be assigned in town to protect the shipping magnate’s daughter. Living in a 19th century coal town, Elizabeth will have to learn the ways of the frontier if she wishes to thrive in the rural west on her own.

My Review:

I've been completely addicted to this series since I watched the original movie When Calls The Heart. Then I was excited to learn that the Hallmark Channel had decided to pick this one up as a series and continue the story from best selling author Janette Oke. In this DVD, When Calls The Heart: Lost and Found, we find that Elizabeth Thatcher has left her wealthy and prominent life to journey west to become a teacher in Coal Valley. She believes despite all her father's misgivings she can do what they believe she can't. Armed with nothing more than her clothes and some books, she is soon the victim of a stage coach robbery that leaves her with little more than the clothes on her back. She arrives at the request of the women of Coal Valley that have suffered the loss of their husbands and older children in a mining explosion. Their only hope is that Elizabeth can educate their children so that they don't have to become miners when they grow up.

But Elizabeth isn't at all prepared for what she is hoping for and thus no matter how hard she struggles to fit in, she is more of a challenge than she thinks. From learning to deal with issues that the children are facing to establishing the school in a saloon during the day, there are numerous laughs to be found along the way. Elizabeth's biggest ally is Abigail  Stanton who has lost both her husband and son in the mining explosion. Yet both women persevere despite all the odds against them. Abigail dispenses motherly wisdom to Elizabeth when she feels overcome by the challenges facing her on the frontier and the two become friends.

Jack Thornton arrives as someone Elizabeth's father has hired to watch over his daughter while she insists on taking up the teaching in Coal Valley. Soon the sparks fly between the two even though they fight the attraction brewing between them. Yet after some time, Elizabeth soon discovers that Jack is more than just a friend and the harder they try to fight their romantic feelings the more they each are drawn closer together.

I received When Calls the Heart: Lost and Found compliments of Word Films, The Hallmark Channel and Edify Media Inc for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for my honest review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own unless otherwise noted. It's so wonderful to know that in a world where choices in television and movie entertainment is becoming challenging for families that a series like When Calls the Heart comes along. Completely suitable for all ages in your family it reminds me of Little House on the Prairie from my own childhood. This series is directed by Michael Landon Jr and produced and written by Brian Bird and will be one that I am sure you will LOVE. My entire family LOVES this series from my youngest daughter at 15 to my husband. This DVD will be the start of an incredible journey for you and your family and one I can easily give a 5 out of 5 stars too! This is the first DVD in the series!

You can find out more information about When Calls the Heart: Lost and Found, Word Films, the Hallmark Channel or where you can pick up a copy of this DVD today by clicking on the links below:

When Calls the Heart: Lost and Found by Word Films and the Hallmark Channel

You can also find When Calls The Heart on Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest information on the series. 

To learn more about Word Films, please visit their website or Facebook page.