"Bright Empires Book 1: The Skin Map" by Stephen Lawhead

The writing of Stephen Lawhead has always impressed me. He is a true master of the craft. He has the rare gift of being able to approach familiar subjects (like time travel and parallel dimensions) and to introduce them in new and engaging ways. And, I must say, that this story is very engaging.
The summary of the plot doesn't quite do it justice: two modern-day people are magically transported to a different world, where they must race against the evil men to get the ultimate prize. That is the gist of the story, but there is SO much more to it!
Mister Lawhead is able to lead you along, following several different characters - and only give you enough information to know their stories are crucially connected, but never enough information to have you guess the outcome. That is the mark of a great writer. His version of time travel possibility is one of the more complete (and clearly stated) that I've ever read, which gives the story a certain credibility. And the idea of the map being made of human skin is certainly realistic (as it has been done by real people), but wonderfully creative nonetheless.
There were a few times where the story focused on one person for so long that, when the next chapter re-visited another character, it took me a moment to remember what was going on the last time I read about them - but this is not a criticism of the writing as much as it is a criticism of my memory! Other than that, I can think of no negative comments to make of this book. The characters are believable, the emotions are tangible, and the mystery is tantalizing. In short, I can hardly wait to read the second story in the series!
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers as part of the Booksneeze bloggers' program. I was not required to write a positive review.

"Swope's Ridge" by Ace Collins

The second book in the "Lije Evans Mysteries" series picks up easily where the last book left off. However, Ace Collins masterfully introduced a secondary plotline in such a way that you could read this book as a stand-alone novel. The talent required to pull this off is extraordinary!
Only a few minor items were negative to me. The first of which is the sheer complexity of the plot. I like twists and stories that bring it all together at the end, but I couldn't keep up with all the facts. (The characters in the novel could, though... and it kinda bothered me that they could but I couldn't....)
The next negative issue revolved around the fact that the protagonists too easily stumbled across necessary information at exactly the right time. Everything was WAY too neat and tidy. It was like one guy would say, "Hey, we need to find out if so-and-so ever had a condo in Miami." Then guy #2 would be like, "Let me check. (whips out cell phone for a brief conversation) Yep, between March and June of 1998."  Not all info was gathered so easily, however.
On a positive note, this book was a little more overtly Christian in content than the last one. And there was one pretty good twist at the end, even though you could see it coming for a little while. Many scenarios in the book were just too far-fetched, though. I'm fairly forgiving, but don't abuse my leniency.
I'd give this book an enjoyable 3.5 out of 5 stars.

"Strike the Dragon" by Charles Dyer and Mark Tobey

I hate to say this, but usually books are put on the "bargain buy" shelf for a reason. If you pay a buck for a brand new book in a bookstore, then don't expect it to be the best book you've ever read. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised though. This book falls somewhere in between. It was a decent (if unoriginal) concept, but the execution was lacking a little bit.... Let me start with the negatives so we can end on a good note.
There were typos scattered throughout, but I can forgive that. Really, my two biggest issues were these:
1) The authors frequently felt the need to describe in very minute detail things that had absolutely no bearing on the plot of the book. It got a little annoying as the book went on. Explanatory comments were inserted at times when they were not necessary at all.
2) Everyone talked like Christians. The cops, the CIA, the Mossad agents, the Muslim terrorists - all of them phrased things in ways that you only hear at church. Now, if you've read any of my other reviews, you know I appreciate CLEAN dialogue. I have little tolerance for Christian authors using curse words. But I mean, there were hardly any contractions used in the dialogue, no slang, no normal street language. (It's hard to explain, but just read about 25 pages from the middle of the book and you'll see what I'm talking about). And the CIA, Mossad, and Chicago Police apparently love to refer to terrorists as "bad guys" over their communication lines with each other. This made the dialogue unrealistic. In fact, more than once I almost gave up on reading the book at all.
Now for the good points. It was truly a Christian novel. In fact one character trusts Christ at the end of the book! The authors used a few opportunities to work in some apologetics, and I appreciated that (even though some would see that as a negative). The book also had some good action near the beginning and some more near the end (however, I feel the authors missed out on some GREAT opportunities for nail-biting suspense). In all, the story was weaved together fairly well.
I would give the book a 3 out of 5.

"Rooms" by James L. Rubart

This book was 100 times more than what I had hoped for. It is the exact kind of Christian Fiction novel I have been waiting for since Frank Peretti's "The Visitation." Rubart writes for more than just thrills; he writes to make a point and to help us grow as Christians.
There are too many lessons to be learned from this book than I could list here, but here's a short sample: the power of prayer, the lure of materialism, the deceit of our own heart, forgiveness, making the right choices, Godly friendship, true joy, and the amazing gift of salvation.
The story centers around a young software tycoon who inherits a house on the beach from his great uncle. But all is not what it seems....
This book impacted me so tremendously, I'm not even going to try to describe it or critique it. (Sure there were probably a few things I could pick out if I wanted to super-critical, but I refuse to focus on the minor negatives)
GO BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW. You need it. I know I sure did. I made an earlier reference to "The Visitation" by Frank Peretti. That book influenced my life so profoundly I read it over a dozen times.
I have no doubt that I will be reading "Rooms" again.
10 out of 5 stars!

"Dreamhouse Kings Book 3: Gatekeepers" by Robert Liparulo

Well, I am halfway through the series, and it has (so far) been getting better and better. In fact, there were more overt Christian references in book 3 than either of the other two. The villains have gotten creepier. The house has gotten a little more active. And the King family is getting some unexpected help.
This book marks the first time the family makes progress. I won't tell you what it is, that would be cheating! They are starting to figure out a lot more about the doors and the house in general.
Xander and Dad reconcile a bit more in this book. The kids have made quite a habit out of lying to their dad, using the justification that he had been lying to them about the house. Let's hope the young readers don't miss the point: it is NEVER right to lie.
These books are the perfect length for young readers. Any longer and you run the risk of losing interest. Any shorter, and you would wonder why he had to take 6 books to tell the story instead of just making a trilogy out of it.
So far, I've had no luck in finding books #4  and #5 at my bargain bookstore. I can get it for full price at Lifeway Christian (and I might wind up doing that), but I was hoping to find it for a little cheaper. Not because the books aren't worth the price, but because I'm broke!
Still 5 out of 5 stars!