The Seven Stories that Shape Your Life: Discover Your God Given Purpose by Gerard Kelly (Book Review!)

The Seven Stories that Shape Your Life: Discover Your God Given Purpose

By Gerard Kelly

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Nonfiction / Christian Living

Published by- Monarch Books and Lion Hudson

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 336

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-0-85721-634-2

Do you ever wonder what your purpose is on this earth?  This book will help you begin to discover it.  Gerard Kelly has chapters about creation, vocation, limitation, formation, incarnation, and restoration.  It shows how to begin to connect with God and utilize the stories in the Bible.

About the Author-

Gerard Kelly and his wife live in France, where they are co-founders of the Bless Network.  He has written eighteen books.

My Thoughts-

This was a book that was filled with good and helpful information about learning my purpose in a life with God.  As I was reading I folded over many page corners, so I could go back and explore the given information.  I want to make sure that the information I was reading was biblically sound.  What I found was great.

I thought the chapters were really long.  I wish they were divided up into smaller chapters.  I did like the divisions in each chapter.  I think that since the chapters are more involved, that a longer summary at the end would be nice.  I did appreciate the summary that was there.  I would have also enjoyed having discussion questions.  Being able to think about and question what I read would be helpful. 

This was a good book.  I highly recommend it to everyone.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Seven Stories that Shape Your Life, by Gerard Kelly, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Kill Fee by Fiona Veitch Smith (Book Review!)

The Kill Fee

Book Two of Poppy Denby Investigates

By Fiona Veitch Smith

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Historical Fiction / Christian / Mystery

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 320

Age Group- Adult 

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-1-78264-218-3

Poppy’s job as the new Arts and Entertainment Editor at The Daily Globe is going well.  There is an exhibition of Russian art at the Crystal Palace.  While she is there a guard is injured and a Faberge Egg is missing.  Soon after the exhibition several people are murdered.  People Poppy knows are some of the suspects. 

Will her job help her solve the murders, or will it put her in danger?

About the Author-

Fiona Veitch Smith currently teaches at Newcastle University.  She was formerly a journalist in South Africa and the United Kingdom.

My thoughts-

This book was filled with just as much excitement as the first one.  Poppy, Daniel, and Rollo were busy trying to get the news stories and solve the murders.  It certainly helped that they were in the newspaper business, so they knew how to ask the right questions and were inquisitive.  Poppy really enjoys getting all the details and solving the mystery.  I like the way she thinks.

There were extras that I appreciate.  I like the 1920s map of London, the list of characters, a historical note, and the list of books and links to more information about this time period.  I was glad that Smith told what she changed, so I wouldn’t assume what wasn’t true. 

There was the continuing romance with Daniel, the photographer from The Daily Globe, so I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.  I want to know if their relationship will grow or not. 

I recommend The Kill Fee to you.  I hope you enjoy it.  You don’t really need to read first book in the series first, but I do suggest you do read it at some point. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Kill Fee, by Fiona Veitch Smith, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Taking My God for a Walk by Tony Collins (Book Review!)

Taking My God for a Walk: A Publisher on a Pilgrimage

By Tony Collins

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Nonfiction / Christian Living / Pilgrimage

Published by- Monarch Books and Lion Hudson

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 249

Age Group- Adult (Men)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-85721-773-8

The Camino is 490 miles long and goes from the French border to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.  Tony Collins decide to take a pilgrimage on that route.  It was an hard physical and spiritual journey, but it proved to be a journey filled with new friendships and spiritual examination. 

About the Author-

Tony Collins started Monarch Books and other imprints.  He has been in publishing for over forty years.

My Thoughts-

I enjoy reading travel books.  When they are based on a spiritual journey, they are even better.  I have read other books like this that weren’t spiritual journeys, think Bill Bryson, but this one was better.  There were no swear word.  I also learned about the religious culture of the area. 

The only thing I would change about this book would be the map.  I would like to see a map at the beginning of each chapter that showed the little towns that were discussed in the chapter.

This was a good book.  I highly recommend it to everyone.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Taking My God for a Walk, by Tony Collins, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Death in the Shadows by Paul McCusker (Book Review!)

Death in the Shadows

(A Father Gilbert Mystery, Book 2)

By Paul McCusker

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Fiction / Mystery

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 302

Age Group- Adult (Men)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-1-78264-122-3

Father Gilbert used to be a Scotland Yard detective.  He is now a priest at St. Mark’s in a small Sussex town.  As a detective, he has experienced death.  He didn’t expect it to follow him to Englesea and a church conference.

Englesea has a strong illegal sex trade, and the people in charge are fighting to dominate.  The victims are being traded across borders and in London.  Now someone has died.  

Will Father Gilbert get involved with the case?  Is there a sinister force involved?   

About the Author-

Paul McCusker currently lives in Colorado.  He has written many novels and audio dramas.  He has written books for Adventures in Odyssey and The Imagination Station Series.  The Father Gilbert Mysteries originally began as an audio drama series.

My thoughts-

I like reading mysteries.  I’m not sure about this series though, because Father Gilbert sees ghosts and something called the Shadow Man.  I know there are evil spirits in the world, but I’m not sure how much I enjoy reading about it.  It’s something to think about before you read the book. 

Death in the Shadows was well written.  There was a lot of detail, and the characters were well developed.  I wasn’t sure who was the murderer.  I didn’t even have any ideas, so I wasn’t sure until the end.  I like it when it is hard to figure out who did it.  I really didn’t see this one coming. 

On the whole I thought this was a good book.  I think it would be a good book for men.  I know that some women would enjoy it as well.

Happy reading!

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Death in the Shadows, by Paul McCusker, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.