Book Review -- The Canary List

The Canary List is about a young girl, named Jaimie Piper, who can sense when a person is demon possessed. Along with a teacher named Crockett Grey and a psychiatrist named Madelyne Mackenzie she is brought to Vatican City to expose cardinals who are believed to be possessed by demons.

Crockett was mourning the anniversary of his daughter’s death when Jaimie Piper came to him asking for help. To keep him from interfering, evidence was planted so he would be falsely accused of pedophilia. However, that backfired, so Crockett was brought to Rome with the others to find out what was happening.

O’Hare is the Vatican’s Chief Exorcist, and when Mackenzie told him about Jaimie’s strange behavior and abilities, he saw the opportunity to manipulate the appointment of the new pope.


The idea of the book, as I understand it, is to show how people do not often suspect there is another world besides our own. Jaimie Piper is well aware of the “Evil”, as she calls it, that is around her. A minor character in the book, who was hired to kill Jaimie, lives with a demon named Abez. But there are some, like Crockett, who doubt there is a spiritual world.
Because of some content, The Canary List is not for younger readers. Exorcism is presented as a placebo for those who want to blame mental illnesses on something or someone else, but there was still mention of it from time to time. It is mentioned that some in the papacy are pedophiles. Abez tries to convince Nathan to kill Crockett’s neighbor, an elderly woman whose testimony would prove his innocence (and it is mentioned that Nathan killed his mother at Abez’s bidding).


Actually, I wouldn’t recommend the book to anyone. I was skeptical in the first place about the book, but I thought I’d try it since I enjoyed another of the author’s books. I certainly understand book is simply trying to confront an issue. However, I didn’t like The Canary List, for various reasons. It was not graphic, but the beliefs that showed in the book do nothing to help a Christian’s growth.


(also, the book was horribly in need of proofreading, but as I received an advance reading copy that is said to be an uncorrected proof, I will try to overlook it)

I received this book for free from the publisher for its review; I was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review -- The Dragons of Chiril

Tipper has had to sell things from their home, and her father’s artwork, to support herself and her mother after her father’s disappearance. Three of the statues were carved from a single piece of stone, and were made to fit together. After her father shows up again, she learns that the three statues were a foundation for a gateway to the other side of the world. Without the stones to anchor the gateway, her father will periodically disappear and reappear, and eventually disappear altogether. To fix this, Tipper sets out with her father, a giant parrot named Beccaroon, an artist, a wizard, and a few others to find the statues and reunite them.

I had trouble with some of the names at times, especially the difference races. It was nearly impossible to remember what each race was like, with names like “emerlindian”, “tumanhofers”, and “kimens”. I also had no idea how old Tipper was throughout half the book, and I was surprised when I finally found that she was 22, because she always seemed much younger.

The most annoying part of the book for me was the fact that you hear constantly how handsome and charming and well-dressed Prince Jayrus is, and how taken Tipper was with him. At one point I think I actually said something aloud about how I was sick of hearing about him so much.

Overall, I wasn’t very impressed with The Dragons of Chiril, and there are other better-written and more interesting books out there to read.

I received this book for free from the publisher for its review. I was not required to write a positive review.

This review has also been posted at Into The Book.

Book Review -- Dug Down Deep

I mentioned I was reading Dug Down Deep, and at least three people immediately told me how great it was. I had high expectations for the book, and I’d say it fulfilled them

Dug Down Deep isn’t your typical book of theology. Joshua Harris presents basic but important truths, in simple, relevant terms. This book is great whether you’re a new Christian or just need a refresher. I found both things I’ve heard before that I should remember, and a few new ways of seeing things.

He also backs up what he says with Scripture. Many Bible verses are included to show where he’s getting the things he writes about in Dug Down Deep.

He makes the book personal by sharing some of his experiences, and also the story of his dad’s salvation.

It was an easy read, with no confusing concepts or big terms to stumble over, but at the same time was really useful. Joshua Harris is a great author, and like another of his books that I have read (I Kissed Dating Goodbye), I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

I received this book for free from the publisher for its review. I was not required to give a positive review.

Book Review -- I Kissed Dating Goodbye

I Kissed Dating Goodbye doesn't just tell you that dating is bad, or tell you courtship is the only way to go. It doesn't tell you to avoid the opposite sex entirely. Joshua Harris instead encourages "a new attitude toward romance and relationships".

Throughout the book, the author reminds readers that "the joy of intimacy is the reward of commitment". He points out problems with today's dating habits and ways to avoid this.
Rather than following this up with a list of rules, he instead talks about what the true definition of love is and how we should enjoy the time we have as a single and use it for God's glory.

He talks about viewing marriage properly, and not basing our affections on mere appearances but instead on character. He mentioned some "little acts" of a person's character to look for, which I found extremely helpful. Not only are they things to look for in a person, but also things we should work on in our own lives.

I Kissed Dating Goodbye is not necessarily about dating vs. courtship as much as it is not pursuing romantic relationships until the proper time. Whatever your views on dating/courting, and whether you are currently dating or not, there are many helpful tips to be found in this book. I Kissed Dating Goodbye is definitely a book I would recommend.


I received this book free from the publisher and am not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: Take Action Bible, NKJV

The Take Action Bible from Thomas Nelson contains stories of people who are "taking action" with God's word. There is also an introduction to each section of the Bible, along with maps, a concordance, a plan for reading through the Bible in a year, and 52 "action ideas".

It was smaller than I expected, which is nice. I was afraid it would be large and bulky, but it is about the same size as some of the books I own, which makes it easy to carry. It is paperback, which I prefer over hardcover, but I don't know how long it will hold up if I use it for church as I do the Bible I currently use. The concordance is only 52 pages long, so it isn't as useful as a stand-alone concordance.

Overall, while I probably won't use it for church, it will be useful for study at home. I enjoyed reading the stories in there as well, as they remind me that we can all make a difference, and to put what I'm reading into action.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 

Book Review -- The Ale Boy's Feast

The Ale Boy’s Feast by Jeffrey Overstreet is the fourth book in the Auralia Thread fantasy series. When I first noticed this, I wondered if I would understand what was going on, but I found that wasn’t the case.

There is a lot going on in this book (which was slightly confusing for the first few chapters). There’s the ale boy, called Rescue, who falls through a crack in the earth, and finds himself leading a party of people from both Bel Amica and Abascar, along with a beastman named Jordam. There’s the king of House Abascar, Cal-Raven, who has gone missing. There’s the mage, Scharr ben Fray, who uncovers the lie so many had believed. Auralia, who many are searching for because of the color she brought into their world. And that’s just the beginning of the many characters involved.

I was thrilled to find such a great book, and fantasy at that. The author tells a wonderful story, showing skill in weaving so many characters together. As an aspiring writer, I really appreciated how there are so many new things in this book that are different from the world we live in (vawns, Deathweed, mawrn, beastmen). The Ale Boy’s Feast was excellent, and one of the few books that I would read many times over, and recommend to other fans of the fantasy genre.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Book Review -- Soulprint

In Soulprint by Mark Batterson, he talks about finding who we really are -- God's masterpieces. He talks about how disappointments can redefine us and says that we should put confidence in God in those times. He tells us to embrace embarrassment, comparing it to the way David danced for joy even though he looked ridiculous. He closes with saying that "as we confess our sin, our past mistakes no longer define us. Christ's righteousness will define us."

I liked how he used David's life as an example various times, but I didn't like the second chapter very well. He says we should have "lifesymbols", meaning physical reminders of spiritual lessons. I understood the meaning, but I didn't really like the term, and something seemed slightly off.

Some good points were made, but there were things I weren't sure about in a few places, and the book as a whole didn't keep my attention very well.


I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Book Review -- The Truth About Dating, Love, and Just Being Friends

The Truth About Dating, Love, and Just Being Friends by Chad Eastham is, like his other books, helpful and thought-provoking. I like how he provides information that is relevant to teens, and holds your interest the entire time.

This book covers mistakes teens make when dating and how to avoid them, what love is and isn’t, questions regarding when and why to date, what it means to be “just friends” and other related topics. Even if you aren’t planning on dating in the near future, I think this book is still helpful because it helps you know what you should watch for when you do consider dating, and reminds you that you don’t have to be dating someone to be happy.
At the end of the book, Chad tells readers that “there are many answers that can’t be just simply given to you.” He says you have to search for some answers, and reminds us to look to God for help.

I liked how you can see that what Chad says in this book is grounded in God’s Word, and at the same time it doesn’t seem like he is forcing Christianity on readers. It was a good read, and I think every teen should hear what he has to say.

Thanks to BookSneeze for the book! :)

Book Review -- Under the Overpass

When I saw *Under the Overpass*, I thought "Hey, this sounds interesting. I'd like to read it." After I started reading it, I found it was more than interesting. I didn't realize how much this book would show me.

We don't really think about the people we pass on the street. We don't think about how hard it must be to be homeless. Do we even see those people as human, sometimes? Even though we don't realize it, I think we sometimes forget they're just like us.

It made me think, honestly. I try to love people no matter what, but what would I do if I had a chance to do something for a homeless person? Would I help? Or would I do the same as others might... look at that person in disgust, and walk away? I say I'm a Christian, but so did others that Mike mentioned in this book. Yet some of them walked right by Mike and Sam as they sat on the streets. Sadly even a few churches turned them away.

I think this was a great book, and one everyone needs to read. We need to realize just what some people have to go through.


Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah for the book!

Book Review -- Flight of Shadows

I have read three books Sigmund Brouwer wrote with Hank Hanegraaff, and enjoyed them very much, so I expected Flight of Shadows to be great as well. It turned out to be even better than I had thought it would.
After escaping a bounty hunter, Caitlyn Brown became an "Invisible". Her DNA was different from others' and a deformity on her back made her a freak. She meets up with a man who calls himself Razor. She doesn't know if she can trust him, but she has no choice but to let him help her. People are after her once again, and she is faced with choices that will change her life.
I loved how this book was written, and it's one that I couldn't put down. The story was interesting and even suspenseful, and the setting made the book even better. I really enjoyed the characters and how the author gets you to care about what happens to them. The ending was sad, when I read about Razor's background, but that's one of the things that makes this book great. The characters are what makes a story.
I highly recommend this book to teens and adults.





I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Book Review -- The Truth of the Matter

The Truth of the Matter by Andrew Klavan is the third book in the Homelanders series. Charlie West can’t remember the past year, and he hopes that by finding a man named Waterman he will regain his memory. At the same time he has to stay hidden from both the police and a group of terrorists who are trying to find him. The fourth book in the series is available August 2011.

I thought the book was okay, and the storyline was interesting enough. There were some spots I didn’t really like, because they didn’t seem very well-written. I also don’t like when someone shoots at someone else and misses, even if they’re fairly close to each other and the person shooting is someone who you think would be a very good marksman. If it was only once or twice it happened, I would just think it was part of the story, but this was slightly overdone for my tastes.

I did like how even though I haven’t read the first two books, this one still makes sense. I will probably read the fourth book next year because I’m curious about what happens.

This book is okay if you overlook the writing and just listen to the story itself, for the most part. It’s not the best book I’ve read, but it wasn’t bad.



I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Book Review -- Heaven is for Real

                Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo is the story of four-year-old Colton, who told his parents that he left his body during surgery. He tells them about God and the angels, and repeatedly tells his father how much God loves us. They’re skeptical at first, but over time he told them things that are in the Bible, even though he hadn’t learned them yet.

                I’m not sure what I think about people visiting heaven, but this was still an interesting book. I enjoyed reading how the little boy described heaven. It was also cool to me to see how God worked in their life. They went through many hardships, but they trusted God and He provided for them. They thought their son was going to die, but God worked a miracle. Even if you don’t believe people can visit heaven, there are still other things to learn from this book. The things Colton tells his parents are all in Scripture, and the verses to back up what he says are provided.

Overall it wasn’t too bad, and I liked it for the most part. I’m not sure if I would really recommend it to anyone, but I really don’t have anything bad to say about it either.




I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Book Review -- Outlive Your Life

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado is a beautifully written book with a great message. This book reminds us that even “common” people can make a difference.

We learn that we have to open our eyes to what is going on around us. We have to be willing to help others, and not be content in our own little worlds where everything is perfect. We can’t forget what the main goal is, and we have to be willing to work with others even when we don’t completely agree with them. Even when faced with persecution, and even though people may not see what we do, we are to stand up for those who have less than us, no matter their race, gender, or social status. Jesus said in Matthew 25 that whenever we serve someone else, we are serving Him.
But no matter what we do for others, we should never forget the God was right there with us, showing us the way. We can’t do this on our own. We have to learn to pray before doing anything else, and more than anything else.

I liked how he used the story of Ananias and Saul. Ananias had heard the stories of what Saul had been doing to the Christians, and yet he obeyed God and was willing to help Saul. I loved this book, and I think it is a good reminder that we should always be praying and be willing to serve others.

Book Review -- How To Reach Your Full Potential For God

Dr. Charles Stanley, at the beginning of his book How To Reach Your Full Potential For God, writes, “…I was sitting up in my bed wide awake with this question burning in my spirit: Do you want to reach your full potential?” He then goes on to explain to readers how we can reach our full potential. We learn that we shouldn’t merely try to get through life, but instead find out what God has planned for us and pursue His best. By living a “settled-for life”, we miss out on so much. He explains to readers how we can pursue our potential by getting rid of excuses. Seven chapters talk about overcoming some of the hurdles that often deter believers from following Christ fully. We learn that we have to continue pursuing our potential, even through challenges. He ends by encouraging us to ask God to help us pursue our potential, without waiting any longer.

I enjoyed this book, and it is definitely worth reading again. I would recommend it to any Christian who doesn’t want to live life by just getting by. There’s so much we are meant to do, and this book helps us realize how we can accomplish that.

This book was a gift from BookSneeze (Thomas Nelson) for its review.

Book Review: Saving Cicadas by Nicole Seitz

Saving Cicadas is a moving story told through the eyes of eight-year-old Janie Doe Macy. She lives with her seventeen-year-old sister Rainey (who has Down’s syndrome), and her mother Priscilla. When Priscilla finds out she is pregnant, she packs up and takes her parents and two daughters on a road trip while trying to decide what to do with the baby. Janie is very supportive of her mother, despite her young age, and tries to help her mother make the right decision.

They move into the home where Priscilla grew up, and Janie learns things about her past that change her life and how she sees things.

Janie does everything she can to convince her mother to keep the child. Just before her mother has an abortion, Janie tries one last time to help Priscilla realize what she was about to do. Through this experience, Priscilla learns that every life is precious.

So many times we, like Janie, only see things that we want to see. Sometimes people have to tell us the hard truth before we realize what is really going on around us. This story also helps you realize that every life is precious, and shows how innocent young children can be. And those innocent children help adults realize what is really important in life.

This book was a gift from Thomas Nelson for its review.