Venom and Song by Batson and Hopper Review
July 16, 2010
Venom and Song
c. July 2010
Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 9781400315062
Hardcover, retail: $14.99
From the publisher:
Now in the strange realm of Allyra, the Seven young lords confront a traitor in their midst, a creature-infested forest, teenage fears and doubts, inexplicable mysteries . . . and the Spider King himself.
In a rigorous training program that makes boot camp look like Disneyland, the Seven must quickly learn to harness their own powers, work as one, and elude the Spider King’s spies. But as the ancient Berinfell Prophecies are revealed, the Seven soon discover their training might not be enough. To stop the Spider King they must also unravel the secrets of the Rainsong, travel to a creepy, trap-infested fortress to find the legendary keystone, and lead the Berinfell Elves in an attack on the Spider King’s own turf. An epic adventure with powerful messages about true strength, forgiveness, and working together as one body that will grab the attention of intermediate readers.
Learn more about The Berinfell Prophecies at http://www.heedtheprophecies.com.
My review: I stepped into the story with this book, book two, and right away realized that the story should be read in order; especially given the...
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berinfell prophecies, christopher hopper, thomas nelson publishers, venom and song, wayne thomas batson
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Winston Churchill by John Perry
April 22, 2010
Winston Churchill
Christian Encounters Series By John Perry
ISBN 978-1-5955-5306-5
$12.00
Thomas Nelson
Book Description
Christian Encounters, a series of biographies from Thomas Nelson Publishers, highlights important lives from all ages and areas of the Church. Some are familiar faces. Others are unexpected guests. But all, through their relationships, struggles, prayers, and desires, uniquely illuminate our shared experience. Britain’s master statesman and orator Winston Churchill was in no small way responsible for the WWII Allied victory over the Axis powers.
Perry takes the reader back to the nineteenth century to make the case that Churchill’s upbringing factored into the development of his character. Drawing strongly upon Churchill’s autobiography, Perry draws conclusions about how Churchill’s society parents, particularly his father who died at a young age, took a back seat to the nanny who essentially raised Winston and his brother. Elizabeth Everest taught the boys about matters of faith and behavior, strongly influencing in particular Churchill’s decisions regarding church attendance and behavior both in and out of the classroom. Because she spent more time with Churchill than his parents, her lifestyle choice was more of a role model.
Perry’s style in this biography is somewhat dry in repetition and the use...
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christian encounters, john perry, thomas nelson publishers, winston churchill
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Review of Plain Pursuit by Beth Wiseman
February 2, 2010
Plain Pursuit (Daughters of the Promise Series #2)by Beth Wiseman(Paperback)
Wiseman’s series of romances set in Pennsylvania Dutch country are a delight to read. She’s done the research and added a touch of the mother tongue to draw the reader even deeper in the life of her Amish characters. Plain Pursuit is the story of forgiveness. What act loses the love of family and community? Murder? Adultery? Writing a best-selling tell-all memoir?
Wiseman explores the determination of a particular old-order Amish district’s attempt to keep the church pure. They can forgive choosing not to join the community; they can forgive vow-breakers who rejoin. But forgiveness goes only so far.
Guilt-ridden, fearful and wounded in body and spirit, Carley Marek is offered a choice by her boss: take a short-term vacation, or take a permanent one. Thinking she’d find peace and quiet, Carley chooses a working vacation with a friend who had joined an Amish community. The peaceful vacation is not to be as Carley is drawn first of all in to the early to bed and even earlier to rise...
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amish fiction, beth wiseman, plain pursuit, thomas nelson publishers
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Review of the Power of Respect by Deborah Norville
November 23, 2009
Review of the Power of Respect by Deborah Norville
c. 2009 Thomas Nelson Publishers
Deborah Norville, the host of Inside Edition, recently released another book examining societal issues in American culture. After the success of Thank You Power, Norville now examines the Power of Respect. She uses examples from her popular television interviews and her friendships to help explore what she calls the “most forgotten element of success.”
Norville has a wonderful insight into piecing her stories and interviews together to find the highlights in what makes these people successful. Her common denominator? Respect.
She tells stories of how people overcame disabilities, disadvantages, or rose to the challenge of making their lives better and paying it forward because of an act of respect someone, often a stranger, showed them. From an act of kindness to a waitress who needed dental work to Bob Woodruff’s terrible accident to what makes marriage successful to how bullying in school is too often unrecognized and devastating, and workplace effectiveness, Norville urges all of us to strive for the utmost in each other. Dignity is tantamount in the formula of creating positive results in life.
I...
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Book Review of Max Lucado's Fearless
September 8, 2009
Fearless by Max Lucado
2009 ISBN 978-0-8499-4658-5 Thomas NelsonHardcover, $24.99, 221 pp Lucado’s latest book tackles Christ’s message to “fear not.” I was intrigued to learn that those words far outweigh (21 examples) any other teaching, even that of love God and neighbor (8).
As someone who suffered panic attacks throughout my teen years, until I had my children, and lately have experienced them again, I was very interested in this book. Lucado divides chapters into generalized fears…fear of not mattering, disappointing God; then specifically – what if I can’t…fears. He uses personal examples, as well as those drawn from his life experiences in the pastorate to illustrate how these fears affect us.
I looked specifically for the fear that touches me – fear of failure. Upon reading the chapters, I realized that fear in any situation is truly one of failing anything or anyone.
Lucado uses his talents of verse and story-telling and mnemonics to show readers how to deal with fears. My favorite is PEACEFUL – something I’ll have to plant firmly in my mind. The device comes in chapter four, part of an eight-step plan to overcome woe: Pray,...
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Review of The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns
May 14, 2009
The Hole in Our Gospel
Richard Stearns
Thomas Nelson, Publishers
ISBN 978-0-7852-2918-6
c. 2009 World Vision, Inc.
Richard Stearns, former corporate America CEO of such giants as Parker Brothers and Lenox, recounts his quest to practice his Christian faith in The Hole in Our Gospel. The premise of his journey is the answer to the question “What does God Expect of us?” Stearns, who became president of World Vision USA, says that answering that question in his life changed not only him, but has the ability to change the world.
The Hole in Our Gospel is an autobiographical story of Stearns’s Christian walk, not an easy feat in the generally cut-throat business world. The author talks about how he was raised in a broken home but learned and was deeply influenced by matters of faith from a young age. He and his wife made sacrifices to practice their Christianity and were rewarded financially and spiritually for many years. Despite two periods in his life where Stearns was between positions, which he used as personal growth time, Stearns talks about the successes he was able to achieve as a businessman with a solid witness of faith.
When...
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richard stearns, the hole in our gospel, thomas nelson publishers, world vision
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Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World
December 1, 2008
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/custom/top20/Through_The_Storm_Lynne_Spears_Lorilee_Craker.asp
To preview:
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/custom/widgets/spears.html
I’m guilty of reading the headlines of the tabloids when I stand in line at the grocery store check out. Lynne Spears says that defending herself on behalf of the lies and cruelty regarding her parenting choices is a waste of ink. So what is the purpose behind her biographical work, Through the Storm: The Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World? The back cover copy says “We all want our children to succeed. What happens when they do?”
Spears writes an update on her exploited family which includes actress/singers Britney and Jamie Lynn. She tells her story compellingly – it’s about her and her choices, not about the children. She questions her choices and challenges to do what she thought best to share her children’s gifts in public performance. Yet it’s not a parenting story, Spears readily admits. She writes to honor the memory of her sister and a special friend. Spears’s timeline comes out in fits and chunks – an event, and then a backtrack to how the event came about. There are a number of missing pieces in the story, as well. For instance, who ran the...
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biography, britney spears, fame, inspiration, lynne spears, thomas nelson publishers
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The Moon Shines Down by Margaret Wise Brown
November 17, 2008
The Moon Shines Down
by Margaret Wise Brown, Illustrated by Linda Bleck
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=140031299X
Margaret Wise Brown is resurrected as a master children’s story-teller, this time with the help of her fans. A prolific writer and founder of the “here and now” style in the early twentieth century, Brown’s classics feature children and animals in soft, cuddly tales with strong rhythms, begging to be read aloud. The Moon Shines Down, c. 2008, joins a host of a dozen or so “found” partial manuscripts that have been finished and illustrated with the same 1940s feel. Fellow Wisconsinite Linda Bleck does a credible job matching the artistic style of Goodnight Moon with this new story.
The Moon Shines Down is a journey around the world in a bedtime prayer whose refrain “O God bless the moon and God bless me” is sweet thought upon which to send a little loved one to sleep. A few native words such as the French say oui, oui, oui and some other uncommon words representing places and animals in other countries might cause a bit of stumbling the first few times through, but the general rhythm holds true to Brown’s work. Laura Minchew, the manuscript editor and...
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children stories, linda bleck, margaret wise brown, prayers, thomas nelson publishers
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Reflections on God's Holy Land
November 10, 2008
I signed up to be a blog reviewer for Thomas Nelson publishers. See Michael Hyatt's post: Technorati Profile ">http://www.michaelhyatt.com/fromwhereisit/2008/10/index.html
October 29, 2008, for more information.
Reflections of God's Holy Land
A Personal Journey Through Israel
By Eva Everson, Miriam Vamosh Discover the origin of the Word of God, and the Land of His Heartbeat in Reflections of God’s Holy Land: A Personal Journey Through Israel.
Review on November 10
Reflections of God’s Holy Land by Eva Marie Everson and Miriam Feinberg Vamosh arrived on a day when my children were visiting. I handed the volume over to them and watched while my son and future daughter-in-law both stuck their noses in it. I asked them questions. My son told me that I had not received just a book with a lot of beautiful pictures. He was excited about the different sections of each chapter.When my turn came to read through the scripture and facts and reflections of Everson and Vamosh’s wonderful collaboration, I realize that I can only take a step now on a path of a treasury of experience that will have many layers as I return continually to match scripture and location and facts to...
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bible reference, everson, holy land, thomas nelson publishers, travel, vamosh
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