The Last Plea Bargain - Randy Singer

Jamie Brock is a prosecutor who is known for never offering a plea bargain to any case that comes across her desk.   Her resolve is tested though when a prominent defense attorney is charged with the murder of his wife and manages in the process to cause a massive log jam in the court dockets.  Criminals start to run the judicial system by refusing plea bargains and swamping prosecuting attorneys desks.  This leads to felons walking free on the streets.  Faced with many tough decisions along the way, will Jamie be able to hold onto her convictions and protect the reputation of her father?  Or will she set it all aside to convict a man who murdered his wife?

Randy Singer has written a masterful book that kept me hooked to the very last page.  Jamie's struggles with her convictions and her ethics clashing with her desire for justice are gripping.  The book takes so many twists and turns, it made it extremely hard to put down.  Mr. Singer is a genius at the legal thriller.  I sincerely hope to see the character of Jamie Brock again!!

Check out the trailer for the book below, then go run to your local Christian bookstore to pick it up!!!

I received a complimentary advanced reader copy from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for review purposes. 

Flirting with the Forbidden (Finding Grace in a World of Temptation) By Steven James

Steven James uses his skill as a storyteller to dig into the thoughts and reasons of some significant Biblical characters.  Of course, there is some artistic license used in telling their stories, but from what I saw, the thought processes that he writes are very plausible for their situation.  I know that sometimes I look at people in the Bible and see them as these people that don’t make mistakes, and that they don’t struggle with sin and temptation.

The one that stood out to me most was the one about Joseph, and just the way he struggled with temptation to commit sexual sin.  In my life I see situations where men obviously don’t care about sexual purity, but I do.  I really strive for it.  As someone in ministry, it is something that I have to do as a commitment to God, and as covenant to my wife, and as an example to other men.  I have always liked the Joseph story, but never saw all the little things that should have been like a flag of warning.  It does appear that Joseph was conflicted about this temptation.  It seemed like he was saying “no”, but providing the opportunity for “yes”.

Mr. James then provides practical advice based on the things that are described in the story sections.  He looks at things like how to resist temptation, bitterness, disappointment, and each section leads in with a scripture just to give the reader some context. 

I think this is a really great book.  I think that in a culture that seems to think there is no such thing as sin, that Flirting with the Forbidden is timely and can begin to show people how they actually are before God. 

Here are some thoughts from Steven James:


Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Words Spoken True - Ann H. Gabhart

Ann Gabhart's latest novel, Words Spoken True, is set against the backdrop of the political and cultural tensions of Louisville in 1855.  Adriane Darcy is an unconventional woman.  Raised in the offices of her fathers paper the Tribune, Adriane prefers writing newspaper articles as opposed to attending the many galas and luncheons that a proper lady should.  Stuck in an engagement she is unsure of, she meets the editor of her father's paper, Blake Garrett a one of these functions.  Sparks fly instantly, but he is the enemy.  Meanwhile, poor Irish women are being brutally murdered by the River Slasher, and Blake is doing what he can to try to solve the case.

From the very first page this book grabbed me.  Adriane is a very complex heroine.  She is torn between her love for the written word and what her father's wishes are, to marry Stanley Jimson.  She struggles with staying true to her heart amid her developing feelings for the editor of the competing paper.  The ongoing mystery of the River Slasher is weaved throughout the book and only resolved in the last few pages.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

When The Smoke Clears - Lynette Eason

When The Smoke Clears is the first book in the Deadly Reunions series by Lynette Eason.  It is a novel chocked full of suspense, intrigue and nail biting scenes.  Smoke jumper Alexia Allen is told to take some time after a near miss in a fire is being investigated.  She makes the decision to return to her hometown after a ten year absence.  Within hours of being back in town she is thrust into the middle of a murder investigation as a potential suspect when she discovers the body of an ex-boyfriend in her mother's house.  The story takes many twists and turns along the way and in the end while solving the murder, unveils many more questions and leaves you wanting more. 

I have never read one of Lynette Eason's novels before, but needless to say I am hooked.  Her ability to create tension and suspense is superb.  The struggles that Alexia has with her past and rectifying that with a loving God who cares for her are very real.  I loved the journey of Alexia's relationship with her mother and her struggles with forgiveness and letting go.

I cannot wait until book two comes out!!  I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes a nail biting page turner.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Sixty Acres and a Bride - Regina Jennings

Widow Rosa Garner returns to Texas from Mexico along with her widowed mother-in-law Louise.  Upon their arrival, they come to find out that there is a rather large sum of money owed in back taxes. To make matters worse, they only have three months to pay it off or face losing the family ranch.  Rosa works hard to figure out ways to pay off the debt as well as adjust to the customs of her new country.  When the one honorable man she feels she can trust comes along her path she is torn between her feelings and repeating past mistakes. All is not easy for Weston either especially when his past is riddled with guilt that he cannot let go either.

From the very first words in the prologue, author Regina Jennings weaves a beautiful, different take on the biblical story of Ruth, Naomi & Boaz.  Rosa's Mexican heritage and free spirit often clash with her new home and the customs around her.  She is extremely passionate and her desire to save the land of her mother-in-law is incredibly noble.  Even at the detriment to herself.  The path towards love for Weston and Rosa is met with many obstacles including their painful pasts.  I devoured this book as soon as I opened it's pages. I found it hard to believe that this was Mrs. Jennings very first novel. I would highly recommend this novel and will most definitely read more from her!!!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group

A Place at the Table By Chris Seay

Wow! This book is a challenge! Designed to work around Lent, this book calls the reader to fasting to stand with those that don’t HAVE. This is a 40 day devotional with readings each day that include a teaching portion, a specific prayer, and a short personal story from someone that lives in an impoverished part of the world.

Going through this book as someone living in Canada, having a job, and a car, and for the most part not having to worry about where the next meal is going to come from brings perspective. In my culture, I am by no means considered rich, but people in my culture need to be reminded that there is a whole HUGE portion of the world that has almost nothing… that has to walk miles to collect even dirty water, while people where I live complain that they don’t like the taste of just water. Even bringing the idea closer to home, there are people in my city, even my neighbourhood that struggle to make it.

This is an excellent call to fast. Seay allows the reader to come to their own reasons for the fast, but that it all be done to show solidarity with the poor among us. Jesus said that the poor will always be among us. We who are blessed should give, and share. The thing that stood out to me most in this call to fast was in whatever you fast, don’t keep it. Find a way to donate the food or the amount of money to help someone. Doing this fast will be a challenge, but very worth the spiritual growth that it bring.

I strongly recommend this book.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Mere Apologetics: How to Help Seekers & Skeptics Find Faith By Alister E. McGrath

I have been reading apologetics books for about 25 years.  I have always thought that it was a good idea to be able to answer people when they had questions about the Christian faith.  Some people listen, while other people are just plotting their next part of the argument. 

Mere Apologetics starts with section to just help a new reader understand what apologetics is.  He discusses some of the limits of the art (and science as he puts it), and goes over some of the keep ideas of how to apologetics can be applied.

This next section is where I found most interesting.  McGrath tries to show how there has been a shift in Western culture towards post-modernism.  Defining the term is difficult, but most people show how it tries to hold all perspectives as equal, and how it tries to avoid reason in favour of tolerance and story.  This was an excellent idea because most of the apologetics books I have read are well reasoned and very logical... but to the modern younger person, that makes them almost unpalatable.

There are discussions of adapting the method of delivering the message of the Gospel to the audience that it is being spoken to.  He goes to show a few examples from the Scriptures, especially from Paul speaking to different churches in different cultures.

Dr. McGrath discusses some things that he calls pointers to faith... those things that just sort of nudge us all towards the God of the universe.  He talks about some ways to discuss and demonstrate the reasonability of the Gospel in a postmodern culture.  Most communication is done in stories and images to demonstrate a point rather than to go through reasoned arguments head-on.

He addresses a few of the common objections to faith in Christ, and then he moves on to another section that I found helpful.  McGrath makes some suggestions as to how to become an apologist.  This section was great.

As Dr. McGrath says himself, this is by no means an exhaustive apologetics book, but if I was just starting out in the study, this would be an excellent first book to read.  I also noted that there are lots of quotations from books by C.S. Lewis.  When he was writing, it was the height of modernism.  It is amazing to see how his writing is still relevant now.

This is a book very worth the read.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.