This was an enjoyable archaological mystery following Jack as he finds an historical artifact and is subsequently kidnapped by others after the same artifact! The story tells of his journey through the aftermath of his find and also follows two other sets of characters, his girlfriend and her brother and a ex-CIA friend as the attempt to follow in his footsteps in order to help their missing friend. It is a well written, wholesome adventure, and while it is a "Christian" book, the faith aspects are not overwhelming so would be excellent for any adventure reader, including non-Christians and younger readers. The character's faith definitely influences his decisions at the end in a somewhat surprising conclusion. I did not realize until later that this is the sequel to another novel, Elisha's Bones, though it is quite obvious through the novel that some rather large events had occured before, and they do influence the progression of the novel. However the author does an excellent job of sharing what is necessary without retelling too much. I was satisfied with this book (didn't feel like I missed out) and yet am interested in reading the first book to get more of the story. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure and mystery without all the unnecessary violence and language of mainstream novels.

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.

This book had an interesting premise but the writing just didn't grab me. The characters seemed rather extreme and many things that happened seemed unrealistic. For example, the character of Susan is always grumpy, a super perfectionist, and completely blind to what is happening in her life. Yet somehow, Gary is attracted to her? There are also inconsistencies with the supposed filming. At certain times they are so worried about what the cameras will film and other times it seems that no one is filming. And again with Susan: she is embarrassed to be I front of Gary in her pajamas but not worried about the rest of the country on tv? There were just too many little quirky inconsistencies for me. It did definitely do its job of making me think about how I'm using my time and about what is important to me. If you generally enjoy Christian fiction and aren't too picky, you will probably enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The book Call of a Coward: The God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife by Marcia Moston was an excellent book. I read it in an evening because I enjoyed it so much! The book details Marcia, her husband Bob, and their daughter Lily's call to serve the people of a small village in Guatemala. It begins in their comfortable life in New Jersey and follows their struggle to follow the call to missions, their time there, and their return home. I lived in Central America in Honduras (right next door to Guatemala) for several years and the author's stories really struck home with me even though the timing was much different as well as the fact that they were in an extremely rural area and I lived in one of the two largest cities in HN. Despite these differences, so much made me laugh and remember experiences in my own journey. The author has an easy, humorous writing style and does an excellent job of relating her experiences and struggles. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to see the world outside of our small bubble and especially to anyone considering moving to Central America as a peek at both the difficulties and the joys. Though she definitely doesn't push missions as necessary for every Christian, it made me want to think about missions in my family's future. Again, this is a great, short read that will make you laugh, be grateful for the little things, and maybe even shed a tear or two.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

"Crater" was an enjoyable adventure/sci-fi book. The story takes place on the moon where settlements have been established as people on earth ("earthians") need the Helium-3 found in the crust for an alternative energy source. Crater is a miner who is chosen due to his honesty and mold-ability for a secret mission that he accepts, even though it is not fully explained to him. The book follows Crater on his adventure as he travels with a group of truckers as a scout through a solitary road and his dangerous encounters with the various peoples along that road. I enjoyed this book as I enjoy sci-fi where the author gives a perspective on what the earth (or in this case, the moon) may be like in the future. It was a young adult book, so is not very graphic though there is some violence. The ending was a bit strange however... a lot was tied up very quickly and the package, though made out to be some hugely important thing that people were dying for, didn't really seem all that important. So while it was an enjoyable ride, I wish the ending had been a bit different. Even so, I would read the following book in the series when it is published, and would recommend it.