Archive for the ‘Contest’ Category

Damascus Countdown – Joel C. Rosenberg


About this Book

All eyes are on the Middle East. Israel has successfully launched a first strike on Iran, taking out all of their nuclear sites and six of their nuclear warheads—and causing The Twelfth Imam to order a full-scale retaliation. US President William Jackson threatens to support a UN Security Council resolution condemning the Jewish State for unprovoked and unwarranted acts of aggression.

Meanwhile, CIA operative David Shirazi has infiltrated the Iranian regime and intercepted information indicating that two Iranian nuclear warheads survived the attack and have been moved to a secure and undisclosed location. In danger not only from the ongoing missile strikes on Iran but also from the increasingly hostile and suspicious governments of multiple countries, David and his team are in a race against time to find the remaining nuclear warheads before disaster strikes.

My Review

Once again the author captures the reader within the opening pages as David fights to stay alive and prevent a nuclear holocaust. Like the first two books in this three part series the action is fast paced and intense.

I love the main character David Shirazi! He’s smart, passonate, and real. Like many he struggles to completely understand what it means to live this life of faith. But as he fights to stay alive in difficult situations he realizes that although his fate on earth is uncertain, he eternity is not, this fact drives his actions on many levels.

This book offers not only action and a love story, but some harsh realities of the times we live. There are a couple of secondary story lines I don’t completely understand why the author included, other than to remind us bad things do happen to Christian people.

I definitely feel you want to read book one and two before reading three, you won’t truly appreciate the story if you don’t. If you enjoy action packed stories then this is a winning series. This story will also give you some insights to the end times beliefs of Islam, which I knew nothing about before reading this series.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank Tyndale Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. I was under no obligation other than to give my honest opinion.

If you find this review helpful please click “Yes” on Amazon. Thanks for stopping by! 

The Give Away:

You can leave a comment and I’ll pick a winner on March 31st for my copy of this book. Please note it is a hardback copy. 

The Judge–Review and Give Awayre




The Review: Randy Singer is a thinking man and his books cause you to think and The Judge is no exception.

Judge Oliver Finney is a cigar smoking judge from Virginia, with terminal cancer, but he considers himself a strong Christian. So when he has the opportunity to participate in a reality TV show, designed as a competition between World Religions, he sees it as his opportunity to make a difference for the next generation. What he gets is much more than he ever bargained for, as he does his best to represent the Christian faith and stay alive.

As I’ve already said, this is a thinking book as you watch each of the contestants represent their faith and the interaction between the characters. Mr. Singer allows you to work through the story trying to determine who the “good” and “bad” guys really are. He adds some nice twists that keep you wondering. I missed some of the clues the author gives throughout the story, but realized they were there as Finney reveals them at the end.

Singer subtly puts out a challenge in this book, ‘How would you defend your faith?’ As I thought about this throughout the book, I think the best way to defend your faith is to live it in a real way, developing relationships and letting people see the ups and downs but you remaining faithful.

The only downside I felt was at times it seemed like some narratives were just too long. But I think the author wanted to demonstrate a key component in being an effective Christian witness, it requires relationships and they take time.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank Tyndale Publishers or the opportunity to read and review this book. I was under no obligation to give anything but my honest opinion, which I’ve done my best to do.

Give Away: I’m giving away the copy I received from the publisher. Please fill out the form below to be entered. I will pick a winner on Sept. 30th and notify the winner via email. Open to US residents 18 years of age or older.

Wish You Were Here–Beth K. Vogt


The Interview: I’m so excited to have Beth Vogt join me at Favorite Christian Books.  Especially since this is the first book I’ve read of Beth’s and thoroughly enjoyed it!

FCB: When you reach heaven, other than Jesus, what Biblical character are you most looking forward to meeting and why?

Beth: I want to talk with Peter. He was such a man of extremes – big faith, big doubts. And Jesus loved him just as he was. When I was going through a difficult time, it comforted me that God used someone as imperfect as Peter to tell others about his gift of reconciliation.

FCB: What would be the first question you would like to ask him/her?

Beth: What was it like to walk on the water in the midst of that storm with Jesus holding on to your hand?

FCB: When you were a little girl what did you want to be when you grew up?

Beth: I wanted to be a writer. A few years ago, I sat in a writers conference and listened to a speaker exhort us to pursue our dreams – and I cried because I realized I was living mine.

FCB: In your book Daniel travels many places, are you traveler? If so, where was your favorite place to travel?  If you’ve not traveled a lot, where would be the ideal place for you to go?

Beth: I married a man who was in the Air Force, so yes, I’ve traveled. We lived in Turkey for two years when our first three children were toddlers – that was the most unexpected place we ever traveled to. While there, we vacationed in Italy and got to visit Venice. One day, I’m going back! The postcards in Wish You Were Here? Many of them chronicle places I’ve lived or visited.

FCB: We see a lot of advice out there for writers, but what advice would you give someone like me, who enjoys reading and writing reviews on a book? What makes a good review?

Beth: As a writer, I have great respect for reviewers and I believe that both readers and reviewers are entitled to their honest opinions about the books they read – mine included. That said, I do believe you can be honest without being hurtful. The adage, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” comes to mind. Maybe you’re just not that author’s audience. I also think a good review warns readers if there are spoilers included. I like my readers to be surprised while they’re reading my novels, not while they’re reading a review about my books.

FCB: Thanks so much Beth! I agree no spoilers!

Review: Allison has everything a girl could want a great job doing what she loves without punching a time clock, and in just a few days she’s marrying her perfect man in a big beautiful wedding in the perfect dress. Well, everyone else thinks it’s the perfect dress, Allison hates it. Then to make matters worse she ends up kissing the groom’s brother, Daniel, just five days before the wedding.

This story gave me things to laugh at, to cry about, and to think on. The author did a great job of balancing the story to what real like can be like. Allison is a great character, in that she is like so many women who get swept with the current of expectations. Fortunately, Allison realizes before it is too late it’s time to jump ship and stand on her own two feet.

The author touched on a couple of topics that I hadn’t see before, but sorry I won’t share those here, it would be better for you to experience them yourself. The author also kept me guessing how how things would end. I saw a couple of different directions she could have gone and wasn’t sure until the very end how the story would conclude. Which is really hard to do with romance so a definite bonus with this book.

The author did a nice job with the spiritual aspect. She highlighted Allison’s life decisions very true to real life. As women, it is too easy to forget our first love, Christ, and put other things ahead of Him. However, the Christian message is not so heavy that it scare anyone off. 

For those of you who love romance, you should enjoy this one, if you’re not a big romance fan this book still has a lot to offer, with a fun and interesting storyline a great characters to love and to hate.

To learn more about Beth K. Vogt visit her website.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank Howard Books for the opportunity to read and review this book. I was under no obligation other than to give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

GIVE AWAY Because Howard Books sent me a real book to review, I have one to give away.  If you would like a chance to win my copy, please leave a comment with your name and home state and for fun a place you would like to visit. I’ll pick a winner on May 15th at 9:00PM PDT.

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