STRATAGEM Is Missing A Key Component . . . Strategy

Robin Caroll is a bestselling author of Christian suspense, and has been a favorite author of mine for some time.  Which makes this review very difficult, because I’m still struggling to get into the book . . . and I’m writing the review.

The premise is set around a psychologist, Grayson Thibodeaux, who creates adventure games for businesses as team-building exercises.  In the middle of one such game, his ex-wife, Anna Belle, dies from a severe allergic reaction, even though her allergies were well-known and she had purchased a small arsenal of Epi-pens to ward off such a possibility.

Grayson, being the ex-husband, is naturally the chief suspect.  Especially since the divorce settlement was still being contested by Anna Belle, who felt that Grayson was holding out on her in terms of settlement. 

While it’s an interesting scenario, the book moves at an incredibly slow pace, shifts between past and present times, and the number of red herrings being thrown at the reader resemble a red tide.  Combine that with the fact that the on-again, off-again relationship between the two investigating detectives receives as much attention as the investigation itself, and it’s no surprise that this reader is still hopelessly confused.

3 stars for a book that doesn’t quite live up to its potential

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my open and honest review.

STRATAGEM

Robin Caroll

ISBN: 978-1-68322-730-4

Fiction / Christian / Suspense

Shiloh Press

317 pages

$14.99 U.S. paperback

GOD'S DESIGN (NOT MAN'S) FOR SEXUALITY IN A CHANGING CULTURE

GOD’S DESIGN FOR SEXUALITY IN A CHANGING CULTURE

HARVEST USA

ISBN: 978-1-945270-95-6

RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Counselling

New Growth Press

DVD Video Series

$124.99 U.S.

“Let me tell ya 'bout the birds and the bees

And the flowers and the trees

And the moon up above

And a thing called 'Love'”

                                           Dean Martin - 

                                   The Birds And The Bees 

                                          Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Ok, so maybe that’s not all that’s in this video series.  Maybe, just maybe, you won’t find any of the above in HARVEST, USA’s video series, GOD’S DESIGN FOR HUMAN SEXUALITY IN A CHANGING CULTURE. 

That’s because God’s design for sexuality, and man’s design for sexuality, are diametrically opposed one to the other.  And this series is about God’s design.

A 15-session conference on human sexuality is something that is unusual in today’s society.

A 15-session conference on human sexuality – from a Biblical perspective – well, that’s just plain nuts.

Or is it?

There’s an old proverb, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”  The problem is . . . the world don’t realize that it’s broke! (pardon my grammar.)

And while this may appear to be a (gasp!) BIBLE conference of sorts, who better to sort out one of the most tangled messes than a preacher speaking the truth of Scripture. 

After all . . . sexuality really was God’s idea in the first place, right?  And as with every other aspect of His creation . . . He wrote the manual. 

Covering a veritable potpourri of topics, each one vital to the whole picture, HARVEST, USA has produced a video series that manages to encapsulate in 15 sessions the entire landscape of human sexuality from a biblical perspective.  And they do so in a clear, concise, comprehensive manner which communicates truth and commands respect.

The order of the videos is somewhat puzzling.  Sessions 7 and 8 address what God says about human sexuality in the Old and New Testaments, respectively.  That, to me, seems to be foundational and should be viewed first.  In fact, the first 8 sessions are all “foundational,” so to speak.  The next 7 sessions are more topical in nature, although no series ever goes forward without a biblical foundation, which I find important and refreshing.

Another strength that I find in this video series is the open-endedness.  You can take this series and organize a full-blown conference . . . or you can address the specific issues individually, as time and concerns allow.  Either way, you will be getting the truth . . . and the truth will set you free.

5 stars for an outstanding production on a sensitive subject

I received this video series free of charge in exchange for my open and honest review.

You Shall Know The Truth . . . And The Truth Shall Set You Free!

Awkward.  Embarrassing.  Fearful.  Shameful.  Intimidating.

Any – or all – of these adjectives are inextricably tied to the discussion of sexuality in Christian circles.  Primarily because the Christian perspective and the current postmodern worldview have been, are, and will continue to be – more than any other subject – at the very extreme opposite ends of the spectrum.

HARVEST, USA is leading the charge for change.  They are calling everyone’s attention to the elephant in the room.  With a balanced approach – combining both wisdom and understanding – and firmly based on Scriptural principles, the leaders in this movement carefully, creatively, and confidently address the issue of sexuality and the subjects of pornography, masturbation, transgenderism, abortion, and others head on, recognizing that “All truth is God’s truth . . . wherever it be found.”1

Jesus himself promised, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  (John 8:32 (NKJV).

That is all that HARVEST, USA is really trying to do.  They are not bashing people, they are not trying to make sexuality the next subject for a “witch hunt,” nor are they trying to “ruin everyone’s fun.”  And they are most certainly not trying to turn the evangelical community into a 21^st century cloister, where men are men . . . women are women . . . and nary the twain shall meet.

Taking a BIBLICAL perspective (emphasis mine), HARVEST, USA is promoting and teaching a BIBLICAL theology (again, emphasis mine) of human sexuality, with the goal of setting people free to enjoy one of the most intimate, and most pleasurable, activities under God’s green earth.

The volume I received for review contained both the Student Guide and the Leader’s Guide.  The first three sessions should be covered in order, as they are foundational to the program.  From that point on, the leader(s) is/are free to cover the material in any order they see fit.  This allows the opportunity to address pressing issues, while setting some issues “on the back burner,” so to speak.  This also allows the “guide” to be put in the pastor’s / counselor’s library as a concise “go-to” resource for future reference.

Another attractive feature to this guide is that scenarios are carefully written to address the topic at hand with regard to differences between genders, and difficult or potentially embarrassing terms are carefully and candidly defined and explained. 

HARVEST, USA isn’t promoting “taking the bull by the horns,” so much as they are “taking the child by the hand.”

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my open and honest review.

5 stars for a refreshingly realistic, Biblical approach to human sexuality.

ALIVE: Gospel Sexuality For Students

HARVEST USA

ISBN: 978-1-945270-91-8

RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Youth

New Growth Press

167 pages

$15.99  U.S. paperback

1  THE IDEA OF A CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, Arthur F. Holmes, Wm. B. Eerdman's, 1987

HEALING THE SCARS OF ADDICTION . . . IT'S POSSIBLE!

This is a self-help book.  However, it’s not just another self-help book.  Throughout the book, Dr. Gregory L. Jantz, PhD, and co-author Ann McMurray, keep playing the one string that they want you to remember:  hope.

Dealing with real-life issues, sharing (in a transparent yet respectful manner) real-life stories, celebrating real-life victories . . . and commisserating with real-life set-backs . . . the authors of this book just keep reminding me of that favorite Americanism:  “Where there’s life . . . there’s hope.”

Regardless of your particular addiction, the authors reveal that there is a “commonality” to the addiction cycle.  And they aren’t shy about the truth . . . and they don’t pull any punches.  If you are looking for a “feel – good, let’s all sing Kum – Ba – Yah!" scenario . . . you’ve selected the wrong book.

However, if you are serious about dealing with your addiction, or helping someone with theirs . . . and you are willing to put in the work necessary . . . this book can be a great “first step” in that process.  The author’s are quick to point out that there is no “quick fix,” and that this book is intended to be a “conversation starter.”

But you know . . . that’s where it all begins.

This isn't Dr. Jantz's first rodeo; he's a popular speaker and award-winning author of such books as Healing The Scars Of Emotional Abuse, Healing The Scars Of Childhood Abuse, and Overcoming Anxiety, Worry, and Fear.  He is the founder of THE CENTER:  A PLACE OF HOPE. in Washington State.  Check his website at drgregoryjantz.com.

I received this book free in exchange for my honest review.

5 stars for a refreshing voice dealing with a difficult subject!

HEALING THE SCARS OF ADDICTION

Gregory L. Jantz, with Ann McMurray

ISBN 978-0-8007-2773-4

Self-Help / Addiction and Recovery

Revell Books

196 pages

$13.99 softcover

Don't Resist . . . She's CALLED TO PROTECT!

I didn't get a chance to buckle my seatbelt.  So not fair.

Lynette Eason writes the way machine guns shoot . . . incredibly fast, and in a way that overloads your senses.  But that's a good thing, when you are writing a story.

With incredible ease, the reader is introduced to the characters, and forms an immediate bond with them.  At the same time, Eason ratchets up the tension to the point where you aren't putting this book down until the final page.

You've been warned.  Now, please open your book, CALLED TO PROTECT, to the prologue.  But first . . . buckle up!

Chloe St. John has BLUE running through her veins.  The daughter of the Chief of Police, she has two brothers, a sister, and a brother-in-law all dedicated to fighting crime.  You might say it's a family affair.  And one at which they all excel.

Chloe's partner, Hank, has two left feet.  He also has two right feet.  They are kind of a prerequisite for Dutch Shepherds.  And Hank excels in his job, as well.  While trained mainly for sniffing out narcotics, Hank's nose is versatile.  If he can smell it . . . he can track it.  A neat trick, that.

Chloe's recovering from a broken relationship, and the crime she's currently investigating is guaranteed to take her mind off of her personal issues.  It seems that a certain judge has a vendetta against human trafficking, and the criminals just want him to back off.  To the point where two innocent teenage girls have been kidnapped in an effort to get the judge eliminated by one of his own bodyguards.

U.S. Marshall Blake MacCallum's daughter has been kidnapped, and the ransom note has been delivered:  one dead judge, or else.  The Marshall's daughter is a Type 1 diabetic, so her health issues  further exacerbate the situation. 

As the task force closes in on the human trafficking ring, Chloe and Blake are drawn closer and closer together.  Is it just business, or could things actually be getting personal?

Touching on one of the most polarizing issues of this century - human trafficking - Lynette Eason exposes the crime in sufficient detail while still maintaining the dignity of its victims, conveying concern and compassion in equal measures.

CALLED TO PROTECT is the second book in the BLUE JUSTICE series by Lynette Eason.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars for riveting action and memorable characters

CALLED TO PROTECT

Lynette Eason

ISBN 9780800727031 (E-Book)

Criminal Investigation / Christian suspense

Revell

181 pages

$15.99

How Can A 12-year Old Boy Survive Overwhelming Odds? ONLY BY DEATH!

I’ve found a new favorite author.  Her name is Kathy Herman, she has authored twenty novels, and her writing will grab you from page one, and will not turn you loose until you arrive at the last page, emotionally wrung out, wondering “What just happened?”

It’s not just the fully-developed, complex characters.  It’s more than scenes so detailed you feel as if you were actually there.  There’s a theme of God’s grace, forgiveness, and mercy, as well as his righteousness, holiness and justice.  And Kathy doesn’t preach, so much as she speaks the truth . . . a truth that she has experienced for herself, and so she can faithfully express it through the pages of her novels.

12-year old Jesse Cummings has just witnessed a murder.  He just doesn’t know it yet.

50-something year old Liam Berne has just committed a murder.  He just doesn’t see it that way.

To Liam’s way of thinking, his mother – diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease – would never have wanted to live as she is living.  And she certainly wouldn’t have wanted her children to spend every last dime of the investment’s she and her husband had so carefully built up over the years.  So Liam is simply killing two birds with one stone . . . in a manner of speaking.

Colleen, Liam’s sister, isn’t convinced that her mother, Dixie, simply wandered off, fell into the river, and subsequently drowned.  She’s got questions, and she’s determined to find answers – even if it means spending her share of the inheritance in order to do so.

As details emerge, Jesse finds himself having to grow up a lot sooner than he anticipated.  His faith will be tested almost to the breaking point, and this fictional character will learn a lot more about trusting God and the nature of forgiveness than many of us will in a lifetime.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

5 stars for a work of fiction that unashamedly tells the truth.

EVERY WICKED MAN by Steven James - Just When You Think You've Got It Figured Out . . . You're wrong.

My wife is a writer, and she helped me to understand why my favorite writers are my favorite writers.  That is, what it is about their writing that seems to grab me from page one and keep me turning pages until I fall asleep or finish the book.

It’s called “layered,” or “textured” writing.  One book, two or three separate, distinct plot lines that are woven throughout the book, so that there are three separate rising actions, three “black moments,” and three resolutions.  And yet it is all one story.

And Steven James is a master craftsman.

His latest work, EVERY WICKED MAN, is coming out in September.  I received an uncorrected proof for review.  Funny . . . that didn’t seem to make any difference with regards to the emotional roller coaster that I experienced when I opened the book.

This is a Patrick Bower’s mystery, so fans of this fictional hero will know what to expect.  For the uninitiated, here’s what you can expect:  strong, fully developed characters, impossible situations, complex villains, some romance . . . and tears.  Let’s not forget the tears.  Have a box of tissues readily available.  There is also a strong, authentic, unapologetic faith message woven throughout.

In EVERY WICKED MAN, Agent Bowers is struggling.  He’s struggling to convince his colleagues of the positive aspects of geospatial forensics.  Forget motive.  Why? is not the question that needs answering.  The two questions that Agent Bowers considers are  Where?  and What time?  By focusing on the crime scene, one can more readily apprehend the perpetrator, and eliminate any red herrings.

He’s also struggling with a teenage stepdaughter who is wise beyond her years, and has the sarcasm to prove it. 

And then there’s this little side issue of a drug pusher whose best product delivers the goods and renders the user susceptible to suggestion.  Extremely susceptible.

There.  I’ve given you all the details that I’m going to give you.  Save the date:  September 2018.  EVERY WICKED MAN by Steven James becomes available.  You won’t want to miss this one.

5 stars for a story that will hold you until the very last page.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

EVERY WICKED MAN

Steven James

ISBN 978-1-101-99159-6

Suspense / Thriller

Berkley Press

544 pages

$9.99 paperback