I approached reading this book with some hesitation, but I was intrigued by the premise.  The hesitation was for two reasons: Stephen Lawhead and Christian Fantasy.  I read several of Stephen Lawhead's (Ross's father) books when I was in college and enjoyed them but found them tough to get through; the writing style didn't suit me.  I'm also weary of trite and simple fantasy marketed to the Christian sector.  The books I've read have no depth and the writing styles are usually too simplistic. I was intrigued because The Realms Thereunder deals with elements of English mythology that I wasn't aware of (I really like the King Arthur tales, but am not aware of much more).  I've got to say that I'm glad I gave it a chance.  Ross Lawhead's writing moves quickly and is easy to follow.  The protagonists, Freya and Daniel, are followed during two different times in their lives.  One thread of the book deals with the two as children and the adventure the went on in a realm literally underground in England.  The second thread revisits the two in their early 20's, when strange and evil occurrences begin happening around them.  This refers back to their childhood.  I found the story to be engaging as it moved back and forth through time, following Freya and Daniel.  My only complaints are that the editing needs to be tightened up (sometimes names were transposed, causing confusion) and that this is clearly the first book in a series.  The story line was barely wrapped up and the sequel does not arrive until next year.  I'll definitely be reading the next installment to discover what happens next to Daniel and Freya.

I received this book free from Booksneeze.com in exchange for my honest review.

As an 8th grade language arts teacher, I'm always looking for good Young Adult books, particularly ones that will appeal to the boys.  Invasion, the first in the C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy, hits the mark.  The book is about a 16 year old named Colt McAlister, who's parents die in mysterious circumstances.  He is sent to live with his grandfather, who may or may not be the famous Phantom Flyer, a real-life comic book hero from World War II.  Along the way, Colt joins up with Oz, Danielle, and romances Lily, all while trying to uncover an alien conspiracy.  It's an exciting and fast-paced introduction to the series.

The story combines all the best elements of sci-fi movies, superhero comics, pop culture, and the "hero's journey" story.  I kept envisioning Colt's adventures as a tv show, possibly a cartoon.  The writing is crisp and the characters begin to show some depth as the story moves along.  There is an ending to this story, but you'll want to pick up the next book as soon as it comes out.  Colt's quest and purpose is far from over.

Finally, this book is published by Thomas Nelson.  It has some subtle Christian themes, perfect to support the morals it's heroes try to adhere to. 

I recommend this book to sci-fi, action, superhero fans of all ages, but particulary middle school boys.  I look forward to it's sequels.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review.

Alienation is the second book in the C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy.  The first book, Invasion, was entertaining.  Alienation is more of the same.  The book is very fast paced, with short chapters and lots of action.  Colt McAlister, along with his friends Oz and Danielle, are heading to the C.H.A.O.S. Academy for training.  They will be joining a group of recruits who will defend the Earth against invasion by the Thule, six-armed aliens from one of the twelve known worlds.  What Colt doesn't know is that he has been marked for death by someone inside C.H.A.O.S.  Even though this is the second in a trilogy, the story is resolved while laying the foundation for the final book.

Some observations:  This is a quick read, and the first book appealed to some of my students.  It is full of comic-book type action, with jet packs, aliens, secret bases, and conspiracies.  The characters are a little two-dimensional, but are showing some growth.  I feel like a subplot concerning Colt's "girlfriend" from the first book was rushed or tacked on; it either needs to be eliminated or fleshed out more.  Also, with only one book to go, I'm curious how the potential invasion will be dealt with.  There is a lot of room for sequels or other series and I'd be interested to see Colt's world expanded on.

This was an entertaining book, and I'd recommend it particularly for 10-16 year old boys, although anyone could enjoy it.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson's BookSneeze program in exchange for my honest review.

The Final Summit is a sequel of sorts to the book The Traveler's Gift.  I have not read this book, but found that is was not necessary to understand The Final Summit.  Andy Andrews has created a parable of sorts, addressing the issue of how Christians, and people in general, can "save humanity".  The main character, David Ponder, has learned the Seven Decisions (during The Traveler's Gift), and now he is an old man nearing the end of his life.  As he contemplates life without his wife, who recently passed away, he is visited by the archangel Gabriel and told he is to join a summit of all the Travelers throughout history.  There task is simple: answer one question with a two-word answer.  The question is "What does humanity need to do, individually and collectively, to restore itself to the pathway toward successful civilization?"  David and his fellow Travelers, including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and King David, have five opportunities to answer the question correctly, or humanity's time will run out.

I found the story fast moving and interesting.  The historical characters were integrated into the story well, and I found that I learned some interesting facts about some of them.  One in particular, Eric Erickson, has a story almost too amazing to believe.  In fact, I googled him after reading his tale, and found it too be true.

The ideas presented were fairly simple to understand, but seem to be lacking in modern society.  However, the ultimate answer to the question was not quite the earth-shattering solution I expected.

The references to Christianity and God run throughout the novel, but act more as an anchor for the reasons each of the characters feels the way they do, or makes the choices they make, than as a means of "preaching" the message of Christ.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and thought it was entertaining. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy an inspirational and encouraging message.

First, Beyond Talent is a new paperback edition of John Maxwell's book Talent is Not Enough.  I was not aware of that when I got this book.

I have read several of Maxwell's previous books, and enjoyed them all.  Beyond Talent was no different.  In it, Maxwell states that talent is God-given and does not guarantee success; there are lots of talented, unsuccessful people.  What makes the difference is what you do with that talent.  To this end, he lists thirteen choices that can be made to maximize talent:

            1.  Belief lifts your talent.

            2.  Passion energizes your talent.

            3.  Initiative activates your talent.

            4.  Focus directs your talent.

            5.  Preparation positions your talent.

            6.  Practice sharpens your talent.

            7.  Perseverance sustains your talent.

            8.  Courage tests your talent.

            9.  Teachability expands your talent.

            10. Character protects your talent.

            11. Relationships influence your talent.

            12. Responsibility strengthens your talent.

            13. Teamwork multiplies your talent.

Each of these thirteen choices is given it's own chapter.  Each chapter begins with an anecdote proving the choice.  Then Maxwell breaks the choice down into steps.  There are also many inspirational quotes and sayings contained in each chapter.  Each chapter ends with application exercises.

In short, this is an excellent book about how to take talent to the next level, and why those talented people you know never really reached their potential.  I would highly recommend this to anyone in a leadership position, or who hopes to be in a leadership position someday.

Dug Down Deep is a book about theology.  That is a heavy and complicated subject no matter who you are, and one I wasn't sure I wanted to tackle.  Fortunately, Harris writes with a style that made this subject easier (not easy) to understand.  The bulk of the book attempts to Biblically answer the truth about the following subjects: God, Scripture, Jesus, the Cross, salvation, sanctification, the Holy Spirit, and the church (from the introduction).  Harris tackles each of these topics using personal anecdotes, Bible references (the ultimate authority), and references to other noteworthy books on theology, doctrine, and orthodoxy.  It was a very interesting and challenging read.  I learned about the Amish ritual of Rumspringa (look it up, you'll be amazed); I discovered that Harris is the actual author of an email story called "The Room", which is based on a dream he had (it's very moving; google it with his name); and gained a deeper understanding of the theology I base my life and faith on.  My favorite chapter dealt with Harris's father's conversion to Christianity.  The chapter about the Holy Spirit deals with some charismatic issues that I wasn't real clear on previously.  The final chapter is called Humble Orthodoxy and calls Christians to be firm but loving, and to live the truth.  Harris states , "But I'll tell you what deflates my arrogance and self-righteousness faster than anything else: trying to live whatever truth I have."  What a great challenge.

This version of the book contains a Reflection and Discussion Guide, notes, and a recommended reading list for further study.

I learned more about theology and doctrine from reading Dug Down Deep.  It is well worth the read, whether you are a new Christian, have been saved for a long time, or somewhere in-between.

I received this book from the publisher as part of WaterBrook Multnomah's Blogging for Books review program.

Brennan Manning's The Ragamuffin Gospel has influenced many people since it was first published in 1990.  Among these are several Christian musicians, including Michael Card, Michael W. Smith, and most notably, Rich Mullins, who named his band The Ragamuffin Band.  Manning's book puts forth the idea that we are all ragamuffins (broken, wounded, sinful, hurt, imperfect, etc. people) and God loves us because he is God.  There is no getting yourself ready to present yourself to God, just accept his love for what it is and confess your sins.  The main passage of scripture comes from the story of the Prodigal Son.  It's a good message, and I believe it is presented well in the book.  I had the opportunity to hear Manning speak several times during grad school and his simple message of God's love was consistent with The Ragamuffin Gospel.

The current edition of the book was published 15 years after the original.  It references the fact that Manning and his ideas/theology have come under attack by various other Christian/Catholic groups.  I don't know enough about all his sources to accurately judge it either way.  Additionally, this edition contains a section titled "19 Mercies: A Spiritual Retreat".

I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.

I was given a copy of this book to read by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

With a title like My Imaginary Jesus, you might think this book was sacrilegious but you'd be mistaken.  Matt Mikalatos has taken this strange idea and used it to readers face to face with some (hard?) spiritual truths.

Matt stars as the protagonist of this story, a Christian who discovers the Jesus who accompanies him is imaginary.  He meets the Apostle Peter and a talking donkey named Daisy who join him as he tries to discover who the real Jesus is (just writing that seems absurd).  Along the way, Matt meets many other Jesuses: Testosterone Jesus, Magic 8-Ball Jesus, Legalist Jesus, TV Jesus, Free Will Jesus, and a multitude of others (again, it sounds sacrilegious).  At times almost too over-the-top, My Imaginary Jesus slowly pulls back and reveals some startling truths.  I particularly liked the section that speaks to Communion.

Several times as I was reading, I found myself wanting to share the story with my wife or pastor.  It is well-written and touching.  I am curious, though, about how much of Matt's actual life made its way into the book.

I give this a hearty recommendation!

I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

I finished Robert Liparulo's new novel The 13th Tribe last night.  The end flew by and I found myself thinking, "Just one more chapter; they're short."  The climax had several surprising twists, completing this story but leaving the door open for more (this is the first of The Immortal Files series).  A quick and action-packed read, I look forward to the next installment.

A brief summary:  When Moses was receiving the 10 Commandments, his brother Aaron made a golden calf for the Israelites to worship.  When Moses discovered this, he threw down the commandments and the presence of God actually caused 40 Israelites to become immortal, never to age and never to know the peace of God and Heaven.  These 40 formed The Tribe, and they began to try to earn God's forgiveness by killing sinners.  Flashforward to the present: The Tribe is kill sinners on a massive scale, and unfortunately many innocents will die as well.  It's up to Jagger Baird, a former soldier and investigator, now head of security for a monastery at Mt. Sinai (the location where Moses received the 10 Commandments), to stop them. 

Once the action starts, it doesn't let up.  This is a fun read.  I do wish there had been a little deeper character development.  Hopefully further entries will expand and deepen the world of The Tribe.

I received a review copy of this book as part of the  Book Sneeze book review program in exchange for an honest review.