CFBA Review: Fear Has a Name by Creston Mapes

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Fear Has a Name

David C. Cook (June 1, 2013)

by

Creston Mapes

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Creston has fond memories of his boyhood in Bath, Ohio, where he became enchanted with his future wife, way back in the fourth grade. His father, Bernie, owned and operated The Weathervane Furniture Shop in town. The whole family lived right upstairs in the century-old house known as "The Shop."

Creston studied journalism at Bowling Green State University, then began his writing career. During the past 30 years, he has worked as a reporter, corporate copywriter, creative director, freelance writer, and author.

ABOUT THE BOOK

From popular suspense author Creston Mapes comes another faith-building thriller, a tale that follows journalist Jack Crittendon as he fights to protect his family from a stalker's terrifying schemes, investigates a pastor's mysterious disappearance, and struggles to keep his faith amidst unthinkable fear.

With his family's safety on the line, Crittendon realizes there are secrets behind "Christian" walls--secrets with painful, deadly implications. He must find the faith to trust a God who allows inconceivable trials, and the courage to guard his family, with danger exploding at every turn.

Through it all--the sharp, character-driven writing for which Mapes is known--takes fans and new readers on an edge-of-your-seat journey that explores the harsh, far-reaching consequences of bullying and the Christian response to fear.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Fear Has a Name, go HERE.

CFBA Review: The Judgement Stone by Robert Liparulo

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Judgment Stone

Thomas Nelson (May 14, 2013)

by

Robert Liparulo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Former journalist Robert Liparulo is the best-selling author of the thrillers Comes a Horseman, Germ, Deadfall, Deadlock, and The 13th Tribe, as well as The Dreamhouse Kings, an action-adventure series for young adults. He contributed a short story to James Patterson’s Thriller, and an essay about Thomas Perry’s The Butcher’s Boy to Thrillers: 100 Must Reads, edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner. He is currently working on the sequel to The 13th Tribe, as well writing an original screenplay with director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive).

When not writing, Liparulo loves to read, watch (and analyze) movies, scuba dive, swim, hike, and travel. He lives in Monument, Colorado, with his wife Jodi and four children: Melanie, Matthew, Anthony, and Isabella.

 ABOUT THE BOOK

What if praying became a curse instead of a blessing?

Former Army Ranger Jagger Baird thought he had his hands full with the Tribe—the band of immortal vigilantes fighting to regain God’s grace by killing those opposed to Him. But that was before he encountered the ruthless group of immortals called the Clan. The Clan is after a prize that would give them unimaginable power—a piece of the Ten Commandments known as the Judgment Stone.

Those who touch the Stone can see into the spiritual world: angelic warriors, treacherous demons, and the blue threads of light that signal the presence of believers in communion with God.

By following the blue beam radiating from those closest to God, the Clan plans to locate His most passionate followers and destroy them.

Jagger quickly realizes his high-tech gadgetry and training are no match for these merciless immortals. But how can he defeat an enemy who hunts believers through their prayers . . . and won’t stop until they’ve annihilated all those close to Him?

In this high-action thriller, best-selling author Robert Liparulo examines the raging battle between good and evil on earth . . . and beyond.


If you would like to read the first chapter of The Judgment Stone, go HERE.

CFBA Review - Wounds by Alton Gansky

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Wounds

B&H Books (May 1, 2013)

by

Alton Gansky

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Alton L. Gansky is the author of 24 novels and 8 nonfiction works, as well as principle writer of 9 novels and 2 nonfiction books. He has been a Christie Award finalist (A Ship Possessed) and an Angel Award winner (Terminal Justice) and recently was award the ACFW award for best suspense/thriller for his work on Fallen Angel. He holds a BA and MA in biblical studies and Lit.D. He lives in central California with his wife.

In addition to his own writing, Alton Gansky has consulted and provided editing/ writing service to several CBA publishers and written copy, video scripts, and other works for the general business market. Through Gansky. Communications he has consulted with publishers and agents, as well as provided editing services. He is “the go to guy” for co-writing having been selected by Penguin, Waterbrook, Broadman Holman, and other publishers to work with their top tier authors.

Gansky is in frequent demand at writer’s conferences having taught and keynoted in California, Arizona, New Mexico, North Carolina, Delaware, Washington, and Canada. He has also been guest lecturer on suspense writing at Taylor University in Indiana.


 ABOUT THE BOOK


A man’s lifeless body is found in the fresh soil of San Diego’s botanical garden. Cause of death is asphyxiation, an easy call for the medical examiner. More mysterious, however, are the tiny drops of blood on the victim’s skin, resulting from hundreds of punctures.

A rabbi leaving his house for work expects a regular day at the synagogue. That quickly changes when he discovers a dead man on his front lawn, clearly beaten to death.

Motorcycle riders racing along the empty streets of an abandoned military base stumble across another man’s corpse, its skin revealing long, red-purple marks of a thrashing given with wood dowels.

The numbers mount. Each week another victim and another mysterious clue in a game of mass murder the police don’t want to lose. The solution rests with Dr. Ellis Poe, a religious professor who only wishes to be left alone with his books and classes.

But evil must be faced, and the choice is no longer his own.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Wounds, go HERE.

40 - A Novel by Travis Thrasher

40

By Travis Thrasher

Forty—the milestone that leaves your either dreading the fact that middle age has finally arrived or embracing the new era in your life.

I found it somewhat appropriate that I read Travis Thrasher’s book 40 over the month that I entered this decade of my life. As I embraced the turn of age, I found myself somewhat glued to Thrasher’s character Tyler Harrison as he journeyed toward his big 4-0. I was also very thankful I wasn't facing Tyler’s sudden mortality.

With only nine months to go before music producer Tyler turned forty, he starts developing strange hallucinations. As he struggles to comprehend what is happening to him, he meets Matthew, his guardian angel. Matthew, unfortunately, is not the bearer of good news. Instead he tells Tyler that he has only two hundred and fifty-six days to live. He will see his next birthday, but not a day longer.

Matthew takes Tyler on a journey through his past, showing him events in his life where he could have died had Matthew not been there to prevent it. When Matthew refuses to give Tyler any straight answers, Tyler sends him away and continues his downward spiral into hopelessness and despair.

As his personal D-day approaches, Tyler meets DJ Ellis and Pastor Will, two polar opposites who both intrigue and unsettle him. Ellis takes Tyler on a fast and furious journey of immorality and temptations, while Pastor Will tries to help Tyler sort through his confusion and fears.

Thrasher did a fantastic job with characterizations  especially Tyler’s, who was very dark, gritty, and complex. However, I do have to issue a bad language warning for those who prefer not to read it in a book. 

Musical references played a big part in the story, with each chapter also named after a song title. While the references helped solidify Tyler’s character, I didn't always get them and found some confusing and unfamiliar, even though I was brought up in that era.

As with all good suspense novels, a twist is inevitable. 40 is no different and Thrasher managed to take me by surprise with its excellent execution and thought provoking implications.

Written in first person narrative, 40 is very dark and highly introspective. I have to admit, I struggled at times to finish the book and I still can’t decide if I loved it or hated it. One thing is for sure, 40 is not a book you will forget in a hurry. 

Relentless Pursuit by Kathy Herman

With the ashes of two parents to scatter, Sax Henry has only one thing on his mind. Find his missing sister.

It’s been twenty-eight years since Sax left home in the middle of the night. Twenty-eight long years since he left his vulnerable teenage sister in an abusive home. Twenty-eight years of built up guilt and a burning desire for peace.

After three years of searching, Sax finally has a lead that could reunite him with his sister, Shelby. Packing his bag, he sets off to Les Barbes, Louisiana. What he doesn’t expect to find at the end of the trail is wealthy Adele Woodmore, Shelby’s ex-employer, putting his attempts at reconciliation on hold while she decides whether to give him the vital information he needs. Forced to stay longer than anticipated in Les Barbes, Sax books into a guesthouse to await Adele’s decision.

Instead of the idyllic tourist town Sax envisioned, Les Barbes soon becomes the center of national attention when a suspected bio-terrorist attack begins to claim lives. With most of the local eateries closing down due to the cyanide threat, Sax frequents Zoe B’s Cajun Eatery, run by Zoe Broussard and her husband, Pierce. Between the guesthouse and the eatery, Sax becomes acquainted with numerous residents whose lives are entwined by the tragedy engulfing the town.

Can Sax find his sister and the peace he desperately craves amidst a town reeling from loss and suspicion?

From page one, I was pulled into Sax’s desire to find his sister and make right his tormented past. With his parents gone and failed marriages behind him, Sax longs for a connection with the sister he had abandoned. Anyone who has lost or hurt a loved one will sympathize and relate with Sax as he searches for the forgiveness he desperately needs.   

Sax is not the only character readers will relate too. Relentless Pursuit has a large cast of characters, each one unique and struggling in their own way. I soon found myself grieving along with the townsfolk over those who had become victims to the cyanide attack. I did figure out who was behind the cyanide poisonings early on, but this didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story.

Although Relentless Pursuit is the third in the Secrets of Roux River Bayou series, the first two titles being False Pretenses and Dangerous Mercy, I had no trouble following the many characters and their previous histories. Herman is a master at interweaving the current storyline with just enough backstory to keep readers informed without clogging the existing action. I will definitely be reading the two previous books in this series and reacquainting myself with the now familiar characters. Come with me. Pick up one of the series and immerse yourself in the rich Cajun flavors of south Louisiana.  

My thanks to TitleTrakk.com for providing a review copy of Relentless Pursuit.

CFBA Book Review: Hurt by Travis Thrasher

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Hurt

David C. Cook; New edition (January 1, 2013)

by

Travis Thrasher

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


After college, he targeted working in the publishing industry and was fortunate to find a job early after graduation. He worked as Author Relations Manager for Tyndale House Publishers, the publisher of his first two novels.

The thirteen years he spent working in author relations taught him the business of publishing as well as the psyche of writers.

Early on, he made a deliberate choice of not wanting to be boxed in by a brand or a genre. Instead, Travis has chosen time and time again to write the stories that mean something to him at that moment. He views his first ten years of being published as training and practice. Those novels in many ways were written for himself.

The four years of writing full time have taught him the discipline and determination necessary to make it as a novelist. They’ve also served to close the chapter on what is hopefully just one era in his writing journey.

The stories continue to fill his head like they did when he was in third grade. The only difference is that Travis now knows what to do with those stories. His goal continues to be to tell stories that move him as well as his readers. He wants to continue to experiment and take risks, but more than anything he wants to provide readers a satisfying experience.

The dream remains the same. To try and write something magnificent. To make up wild worlds full of wonderfully rich characters. To make sense of the world through the stories he tells. And to try and inspire hope with the words he writes.

ABOUT THE BOOK


His Rebellion Will Soon Turn to Hope

When Chris Buckley first encountered the mysteries of creepy Solitary, North Carolina, he had little idea how far he would fall into the town’s shadows. After losing the love of his life, Chris tried to do things his way. He hunted answers. Then he gave up trying to find them.

But now Chris comes back to Solitary knowing there’s a purpose for his being there. As he watches his place in a twisted and evil bloodline become clear, Chris waits for the last battle—and wonders who will be left when he finally makes his stand.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hurt, go HERE

CFBA Review: A Wild Goose Chase Christmas by Jennifer AlLee

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

A Wild Goose Chase Christmas

Abingdon Press (November 2012)

by

Jennifer AlLee

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


A Word from Jennifer:

As I look back on my life, it's interesting to see where God's taken me, and where I took myself that God pulled me out of. I finally got back to writing, the dream of my heart. Since 1996, I've published numerous short stories, devotions and plays. I've also been active in church drama ministries, another passion of mine. My first novel, The Love of His Brother (November 2007, Five Star Publishers), was followed by The Pastor's Wife (February 2010, Abingdon Press) and The Mother Road (April 2012). A Wild Goose Chase Christmas is book two in the new Quilts of Love series.

Besides being a writer, I am a wife and mom. Living in Las Vegas, Nevada, my family has learned how to enjoy the fabulous buffets here without severely impacting our waistlines. God is good!

ABOUT THE BOOK


Upon her grandmother's death, Izzy Fontaine finds herself in possession of a Wild Goose Chase pattern quilt that supposedly leads to a great treasure.

Of course, once the rest of the family finds out about the "treasure map," they're determined to have a go at the treasure themselves. And, if that weren't enough, Max Logan, a local museum curator, contacts Izzy and says that Grandma Isabella promised him the quilt.

What is it about this quilt that makes everyone want it? Is Izzy on a wild goose chase of her own, or a journey that will lead her to the treasure her grandmother intended?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Wild Goose Chase Christmas, go HERE.