"Living by the Book" by Howard and William Hendricks

Without exaggeration, this is the most helpful book on Bible study/reading that I've ever read. It contains very, VERY practical advice on Bible study and reading. Now, I'm not talking about doing a "Bible study" book. I'm talking about just you and the Word of God. Let's be honest: most of us don't do very well when it comes to studying the Bible. The vast majority of Christians today ADMIT that they don't even read the Bible (see article about a major study done by Barna here). If you didn't follow the link to the story, I'll give you the bottom line - nearly HALF of Americans who CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIAN say that they only read the Bible once or twice A YEAR. That' beyond pitiful.
What are the other half of America Christians doing? Probably struggling to read and study their Bibles - but at least (hopefully) attempting. Bible study can be a frustrating task. There are certain passages that are easy and obvious, then others that are extremely difficult and even obscure. To complicate the matter, we are talking about studying a book that was written a LONG time ago, in another continent. Our cultural frame of reference blinds us to much of the significance of the historical aspects of the Bible pages. How can we overcome these disadvantages?
This book will make you feel like the Bible is your best friend. Why are we so scared and unsuccessful when it comes to Bible study, when God WANTS us to learn from it?
The book is in three major parts: Observation, Interpretation, and Application. In my own life, Observation is the biggest challenge to Bible study. Part of my problem is over-familiarity... "Oh, I know what this passage says. Skim, skim, skim." I have to learn to look at each passage like I've never seen it before. Dig deep, and look at each word, phrase, sentence, verse, and paragraph.
The other two sections were great, as well. The chapters are not too long, and most of them end with a "You Try It" section, to put into practice the lessons taught. These are very helpful.
I can't say enough how much this book has changed the way I read and study the Bible. It is a book that I hope to re-read - maybe several times.
My wife and I started this book together, and she finished it before I did. We learned some interesting things, like the fact that she can learn better from some methods of study than I can (and vice versa). But I believe both of us have benefited greatly from this terrific book. You should go out and get this book TODAY! You need all the help you can get to maximize your study of the Bible.

"Dreamhouse Kings Book 6: Frenzy" by Robert Liparulo

The last book in the series always brings a little bit of apprehension... Will things work out like I am hoping they will? Will I get to the final book only to think the ending is disappointing? How can the author possibly resolve all of the questions?
Let me get right to the meat of this review: this was not the dramatic conclusion I was hoping for. It ended a little anticlimactically, in my opinion. The author admits that he hopes to use the King family in future books, so I can't blame him for not acting like we'll never hear from them again. But still! The ending was just kind of...abrupt.
The good news is (as you can tell by the front cover image) they find Mom! (Which has been the mission of the King family since book 1). There is a really awesome scene where the King family is at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus. But even then, it's sad that they don't realize at first Who it is carrying the cross (until Jesus calls David by name)... If I were traveling through time and came across a man carrying a cross, Jesus would be my first thought! Again, no overtly Christian themes in the book. But I appreciate that Mr. Liparulo included the scene of the Via Dolorosa.
I would gladly read more books about the King family and their travels through time, but I'm glad to reach the end of Book 6!

"Dreamhouse Kings Book 5: Whirlwind" by Robert Liparulo

Well... This book presented two interesting developments in my reading of the series. It was the first book in which I really started getting tired of the two boys disobeying their father, going through a portal, and almost dying but finally escaping. This is also the first book since about book 2 that I felt like we learned some helpful information about the house, the portals, and how the time traveling works. Don't get me wrong - I still really enjoyed the book. I finished this one and "Frenzy" both within about 4 days. But at the end of this one, I was beginning to feel like the series really could have been a trilogy... The redeeming quality was the fact that the trips through time are just so interesting! You can tell that the author did good research into the time periods and cultures the King family visits.

And the time travel is really what keeps me glued to this series. The boys' characters are decent. The dad is not developed as a character as much as the boys are. Mom hasn't hardly been in the series to develop her character, and Toria doesn't really do much either. So I don't feel guilty at all in stating that I read this series to see how and where Robert Liparulo sends the family through time!

Don't forget, you can read excerpts from each book at www.dreamhousekings.com.

Book Trailer: "Fearless" by Eric Blehm (story of Navy Seal Team SIX member Adam Brown)

This book is the story of Adam Brown, of Navy Seal Team SIX. It was brought to my attention by one of the publishers that I review books for. Adam Brown's story is remarkable, and I am including this on my blog because I feel that this story should be told. This man was a true hero, and a follower of Christ by his own testimony and the testimonies of others.
There is a chance I may receive some copies of this book to give to military personnel. If you are a follower of my blog and active duty military, you will get first priority for these free copies.

More info to come. You can also check out these websites about Adam Brown:
1. Read the first chapter here.
2. The book's official website is http://fearlessnavyseal.com/
3. Watch this two-part feature about Adam Brown produced by the National Rifle Association here. (***WARNING: Videos contain at least one swear word and a few images of injuries that may not be suitable for all ages. Parents, please preview these videos before you allow your children to watch them.)

Also, I cannot guarantee that the content of these websites that I have linked to are not offensive to some readers. I have done my best to screen these links, but they may change over time.

"Dreamhouse Kings Book 4: Timescape" by Robert Liparulo

Robert Liparulo is very good at building tension in his books. And all of these books are filled with lots of suspense, action, narrow escapes, and brushes with death. While these books are aimed at younger readers (not TOO young), I don't mind telling you how much I enjoy them! (If you haven't already read my reviews of the first three books in the series, please click on the "Robert Liparulo" label at the bottom of this post).
This book, strangely enough, had more talk about God and more violence and gore than the first three. The King boys have a conversation where David gives God the credit for the new friend that they've made who seems to be exactly the kind of person they need to help them. (Xander is not so sure that God did it, however).
The boys also offer up a few vague prayers... Not directly spoken to God, but assumed to be prayers.
There is a little more blood in this book, as a character is injured fairly badly. (Can't tell you who). There is also a fascinating scene - and extremely coincidental - where David, Xander, and their father wind up on the deck of the Titanic as it is about to sink. Oddly enough, yesterday - April 15th - marked the 100th year of the Titanic disaster where over 1,500 people lost their lives. This scene and the scene of the Viking attack were particularly spectacular and brilliantly written.
Books this intense are not for all readers, but in my opinion these stories are just too good to pass up. It would not be a stretch for me to say that I enjoy this series better than I did any of Mr. Liparulo's stand-alone novels. (By the way, Robert Liparulo just released a new novel, "The 13th Tribe" - check it out and read a sample chapter at his website here. You can also read samples of all the Dreamhouse Kings books at http://www.dreamhousekings.com/)