Tag Archives: Book Review

Critical Condition…WOW!

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_225_350_Book.1168.coverIf you like mystery, intrigue and suspense, look no further than Richard L. Mabry’s newest book Critical Condition.  I love it when I find a good writer who is new to me, because that means I’ll be able to go back and read his earlier work.

Critical Condition is the first book that I’ve read by Richard L. Mabry M.D. and I wasn’t disappointed.  He skillfully draws the reader in to the storyline and reveals the characters, almost like pealing an onion, layer by layer you learn about the characters and what motivates them and what brought them to this place and how will it end.

Dr. Mabry brings a different twist to mystery novels.  The story includes characters who are doctors and the reader gets to view the events through the different lens of medicine.

The story is fast paced and more than once kept me up late because I didn’t want to put the book down.  I can tell a good book when it leaves me thinking about the characters and try to figure out what will happen even when I’m not reading the book.

I especially appreciated how Dr. Mabry has interwoven faith into the storyline through the characters as they struggle with and grow in their faith.  Faith seemed to be a natural part of the characters, not just something thrown in because this a book by a Christian author.  I appreciate a writer who doesn’t have to turn to immorality to tell a good story

I give a big thumbs up to Critical Condition by Richard L. Mabry M.D.  I look forward to reading more novels by this writer.

I would like to thank the people at BookLook for giving me a copy of Critical Condition to read and review.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

His Treasure Gems of Love from Your King by Sheri Rose Shepherd – Some Mixed Emotions

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When the opportunity to read and review Sheri Rose Shepherd’s newest book, His Treasure Gems of Love from Your King, was presented I was excited at the prospect of reading her work.  I’ve heard some of her conference messages and found Sheri to be a very compelling speaker.

Based on her writing, I would say that Sheri has a love for the Lord and heart for women.  She desires that the women will grasp the love that God has for them and the blessings that come to a woman who loves the Lord, increasingly trusts and obeys Him.

I found many of the Treasures to be very encouraging, convicting and healing as they touched tender spots where I have emotional wounds that need the Lord’s healing.

Sheri’s love and passion for the Lord comes through in her writing.

I also want to share how I struggled with this book.  My struggle is with the style or genre of this book as if God is speaking to the reader.  I would have felt more comfortable if instead the writer was praying to God.  It’s easy to not accurately represent God, because we see Him through our own unique perspective that is colored by our life and experiences.  I also felt like the sovereignty and holiness of God was somewhat lacking.  The focus seemed to be on the person to whom God was talking and less focused on God.  As portrayed, God seemed to be gently trying to persuade the beloved child or daughter and was seldom revealed as God, the absolute Authority to Whom we will give an account.  I would have also appreciated if scripture references had been given that would line up to the words God was speaking.

I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for providing a complimentary copy of this book.

Sherlock Holmes and the Needle’s Eye – Disappointing

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Sherlock Holmes_225_350_Book.868.cover

When I saw the book “Sherlock Holmes and the Needle’s Eye” by Len Bailey offered by BookSneeze I thought it would be a good read.  I love the Bible, and like mysteries and Sherlock Holmes novels.

The book brings back the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson investigating 10 Bible mysteries as they travel, via a time machine called the Needle’s Eye, to Biblical times as they watch events unfold firsthand.  The mysteries include:

Why did Ahithophel hang himself?
In John 8, what did Christ write on the ground?
Why did Jesus delay in coming to Lazarus?
Why were Christ’s birth and death considered to be at the right time?
Why were the Israelites instructed to march about Jericho one time for the first six days, but seven times on the last day?

Since I had recently studied David’s life, I was interested to read the first mystery, why did Ahitophel hang himself.  The author did a good job in bringing out the background and details of this story and presenting a case why Ahitophel hanged himself.

However, my interest in the booked quickly waned as I continued to read.  I found the book to be quite tedious and boring; the chapters seemed to go on and on.  One problem was that the mysteries being investigated weren’t clearly stated at the beginning of the chapter.  The book jumped around a lot and it was hard to track.  Some of Sherlock Holmes’ conclusions and answers to the mysteries were not clearly presented.

While the book is not entirely without merit, I would not recommend it.  If I hadn’t agreed to read and review this book, I wouldn’t have finished it.

I thank BookSneeze for the opportunity to read and review this book.