Two John 3:16 Authors Are Readers' Favorite Award Winners - SUSAN MIURA and LORILYN ROBERTS

BOOK REVIEW

Religious Fiction for Young Adults

Reviewed by Gail Kamer for Readers' Favorite

“Inside my head, I see his broken parts. Inside my head, I feel his pain.” Those words hooked me immediately. Healer by Susan Miura shares the story of a young girl named Shilo coming to terms with the gift of healing. She’s different. Why? Is she a freak? 

Shilo struggles with her spiritual powers. When to use them? How to keep the world from using them and using her? Should she keep them secret? How to just be a normal person? Will her boyfriend understand? In addition, Shilo becomes involved when a drug gang’s transaction places loved ones in danger. A favorite aunt has cancer but Shilo can’t heal her. What good is the gift if she can’t heal someone she loves? In addition to that, Shilo can’t mend her own broken heart.

Healer by Susan Miura is one of the best Christian young adult books I have ever read. Ms. Miura keeps the reader guessing what will happen next and how in the world the main character will solve the problem. 

The pace is fast. The writing is active. The story line is amazing. She’s made connections with today’s young adult world. Healer is a wonderful story to restore your belief in God’s good in the world and would make a great book club read for young adults. The reader bonds with the characters and, of course, wants more. That’s good since this is volume I. Hurry, Ms. Miura and get volume II out. I’m ready to see what happens next.

To purchase from Amazon, click here

To learn more about Susan Miura visit her website at 

http://susanmiura.altervista.org/

☦☦☦☦☦☦☦☦☦☦☦☦☦☦☦

BOOK REVIEW

Religious Fiction for Young Adults



by 

Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Seventh Dimension - The Prescience: A Young Adult Fantasy by Lorilyn Roberts is the fifth book in the Seventh Dimension series that has a very unique take on time travel. Daniel and Shale, a recently engaged (betrothed) couple, found a lost orphan girl in Jerusalem and try to save her from the devastated city. From there, they embark on God’s plan and return to the first century and search for Daniel’s father who has gone missing. Finding his father could be the first step in unraveling the mystery of a tragedy that is waiting to happen. 

However, it is proving to be more dangerous and difficult than both of them ever thought. There are far too many enemies and dangers awaiting them, and all they can do is fight them together. But can they? 

With religious themes mixed with coming of age, the novel is definitely very different and the author seems to be in her element here. I enjoyed the time travel, how the two main characters fought the odds together and came out victorious at the end. Although I have not read the previous novels in the series, I still enjoyed it and caught up with the story really quickly. The story was fast paced and entertaining. 

Right from the beginning, the story gripped my attention. The chemistry between Shale and Daniel was perfect; they respected each other with an intensity and worked together as a team. The element of time travel was spot on; the author ensured that the characters, the dialogues and even the environment were time appropriate. I thoroughly enjoyed everything about the novel! A really entertaining coming of age story.

To purchase from Amazon, click here

To learn more about Lorilyn Roberts, visit her website at 

http://LorilynRoberts.com

A Dime is a Sign is a Masterpiece of Emotional Catharsis.

A Dime is a Sign Poems of Love and Loss 

Touched my heart in a way I didn't expect. I found myself reliving moments that had been buried deep in the sands of time. And that's what good poetry does. It lingers, makes you stop, and remember - the hills, the valleys, the ebbs, the flows, the good, and the bad. A Dime is a Sign allowed me to open up my feelings to myself.

I think sometimes I'm afraid to feel. Or I'm afraid to think about difficult subjects - love, loss, failure, disappointment, broken friendships, the "what could have been's " - and yet, how can we appreciate God's goodness if we don't remember the hard places we've endured, those unfortunate turns that sent us screaming, crying, shouting, or pouting?

I remember one poem brought to mind some roses that I admired many years ago that were part of a rose competition. I never knew there could be so many different varieties, so many different colors, and so many spectacular blends. How could the judges choose just one winner?

I think Dime is a Sign resurrected that memory because God has been telling me for a while - stop and see the beauty in the land of the living. Feel more, taste more, dream more,  embrace life more -  in all its fullness and nuances. Don't be afraid to feel love, sadness, dejection, or anger. It's in feeling that God restores our soul and gives us more of Himself.

In this fast-paced world in which we live, perhaps it's just too easy to forget the beautiful sounds and rhythm of well-written poetry. We need to remember the beauty of words stunningly put together draw a portrait of our humanness. It's our frailties, passions, hopes, and despairs that give us commonality with the world and with each other. I needed to be reminded of many things that had been put away in a crowded box of the forgotten. In feeling deeply, I know I'm still alive.

I thank Sherrill S. Cannon for taking me down a road less traveled (at least for me) and helping me to be more than I was before. Helping me to slow down and risk living at a slower pace

I'm good at building invisible walls so I stay in the middle of the road on which I travel. At least today, I ventured out along the edges where I stopped and picked up stones that were beautiful and redemptive. Beautiful poetry has a strange way of doing that.

A Dime is a Sign is vulnerable, introspective, and a masterpiece of emotional catharsis. Enjoy the read to the fullest.

The Plagues 

A Christopher Cyprus Bible Adventure

RJ Peck

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Released from Fox Ridge Publications Sept 28, 2018

$2.99 eBook

$7.95 Print

Christopher Cyprus, aged twelve, has stepped into his grandfather's shoes as God's Secret Agent and Legacy Holder. The Lord calls Chris to help during the time of the Hebrew’s deliverance from Pharaoh. But the portal slams mysteriously shut when he arrives in Egypt. He and his new friends must solve the Pharaoh’s Enigma or risk losing the power of God’s special relics, including Moses’s staff and the portal.

Review by Martin Roth

An Intriguing Series with a Great Concept

This is another in the intriguing Relics of Power series. It is a great concept - 12-year-old Christopher Cyprus is God's secret agent and caretaker of God's special relics. These relics are needed to help the ancient Israelites when they are in trouble. In this book Christopher must head back in time to help the Israelites in Egypt in their battle with the Pharaoh. I recommend this book and the entire series.

YA Bible Adventure series The Walls of Jericho

The Wall s of Jericho, a Christopher Cyprus Bible Adventure by RJ Peck

$2.99 Ebook

$7.95 Print

Released from Fox Ridge Publications, Sept 28, 2018

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Amazon Canada

Christopher Cyprus, aged twelve, has stepped into his grandfather's shoes as God's Secret Agent and Legacy Holder. When Chris is sent back in time to help Rahab and the Spies, he learns he must fight the forces of evil as well as the king of Jericho’s soldiers. Chris must rely on the Whole of Armor of God and a scarlet cord to fulfill his mission.

Reviewed by Martin Roth
Another Fine Book in a Great Series

October 12, 2018

This is the third mission for 12-year-old Christopher Cyprus, a secret agent working for God. In each book he is sent back in time to the biblical era, in order to help the Israelites. As the title suggests, his mission this time is to help the Israelites in their efforts to enter the promised land of Canaan. In particular, he is to aid Rahab and the Israelite spies. This is another fine book in an excellent series.

New YA Bible Adventure Series - Relics of Power by RJ Peck

The Lion's Den is book one in a series of Bible Adventure stories for young adult. Twelve-year-old Christopher Cyprus has inherited the Legacy from his grandfather. Now it is his turn to become God's Secret Agent, time-traveling to help God's people when they get into a jam. His first assignment? Help Daniel the Prophet survive the night in The Lion's Den. And rescue Grandpa Jack on his final mission.

Book Review by Award-Winning Author Martin Roth

This is the first in an intriguing new series for youth and young adults, and I have to admit that right from the start I was hooked (though I am far removed from the target audience demographic). The theme is simple - twelve-year-old Christopher Cyprus is the latest in a long line of secret agents who have been used by God to help build His kingdom on Earth. It seems that in each book he will be required to go back in time and participate in some kind of adventure.

In this first book, Christopher receives, Mission Impossible-style, a secret message from a stranger. He is instructed to go back to ancient Babylon to help Daniel in the lion's den.

The book is fast paced and well written. It is full of atmosphere, taking us right into the heart of Babylon, with all its sights and sounds and smells. We learn enough about Christopher to enjoy being in his company. This is a great start to a new series. I highly recommend this book.

*~*~*~*

Get all four books in the Relics of Power Series by clicking on this link.

Book review and interview for A Crash Course in the Bible

Nonfiction Bible study
Released May, 2018 from Bible Believer's Publishing
See this post

US $2.99 eBook

US $6.99 Print

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Amazon UK

Amazon Canada

Amazon AU

About the Book: 

God is the author of the Bible as well as the author of life. He reveals his heart and his mind through his words. And when you read his words, you get to know him. A Crash Course in the Bible contains approximately two hundred Bible verses. And these Scriptures will teach you what God wants you to know.

Lisa Lickel’s review:

Larry Vaughn, author the The Bible Believer’s Handbook, has released another little gem in A Crash Course in the Bible. In this tidy little book, Vaughn plucks lessons from everyday life, from children to faith to recompense to salvation and wisdom, and shows how the Word of God teaches God’s ways to humankind.

Opening with an introduction on how times have changed since the Pilgrims first sought America, Vaughn urges us to return to those spiritual roots, and ends with “Twelve things” every believer should know; again, the basics from what faith and redemption are to how to achieve that state of grace and what we should do about it through our newly opened conscience and confidence.

Readers of nonfiction Biblical works will find peace and comfort in these verses, as well as a good way to quantify your faith to share it in a meaningful and understandable way with others.

Briefly:

Larry, What do you want readers to know about your latest book, Larry?

I wanted to make the Bible easy to access and easy to understand. And to show how great God is and how generous he is to us.

What do you hope readers will take from this book?

The readers of my book will know what the Bible says. And they will understand what that means to them.

About the author:

Larry Vaughn has been married to his best friend Marie for fifty-one years. They have three daughters, eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. And they live just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. Web: http://larryvaughnauthor.blogspot.com and http://Biblebelieverspublishing.com

Veteran's Voice Podcast: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Hear Larry Vaughn's Testimony

My name is Larry Vaughn and I'm a Vietnam veteran. Twenty years ago, I had to leave my job because of my PTSD. This was a disaster for me. I was too sick to work and I didn't know if I would ever be able to work again.

I cried out to God and asked him to help me. And I started reading the Bible every day. The Bible has taught me how to live with my PTSD. And that's why I love it so much.

The Bible tells us to take what we've learned and to teach it to others. And that's why I wrote A Crash Course in the Bible. It's a summary of the things that I've learned from the Bible over the past twenty years.

I've learned that God is an excellent Father who provides everything that we need. A Crash Course in the Bible describes thirty-eight gifts that God has provided for you. And it tells you how to receive them.

"12 Things You Need to Know" is an excerpt from A Crash Course in the Bible. You can download it and read it for free when you go to my website at http://Biblebelieverspublishing.com.

Click here to go to the website, click on "Podcast" and select "Veteran's Voice."

Make sure you click on the "Podcast" tab and select "Veteran's Voice." 

Walking Daily with the Lord, Hearing God's Whisper - by Chaz Douglas

Questions to Ask God

“So Manoah asked him, `When your words come true, what kind of rules should govern the boy’s life and work” (Judges 13:12 NLT)?

As we live our lives for Christ there are specific questions we should ask God that are designed and tailor-made for us. There will be questions that only you can ask God because he has only given you the particular gifts and abilities.

Manoah didn’t see or speak to the angel but he prayed that the angel be sent again to teach him and his wife how to bring up their son. 

God has given us different gifts and we must go to him so we will know how to use what he has given us.  God only gave Manoah and his wife the gift of Samson so they will have specific questions for God based on the awesome gift they had been given. We have gifts, abilities, and talents that God has given us that we must ask specific questions of God about how he wants us to use them.

Here are some tips on what we should do with our gifts:

1. God wants us to come to him to learn how he wants us to use the gifts that he has given us.  There are specific places, times, and groups of people that God wants us to minister to with our gifts.  We have to come to him so we can be where he wants us to be when he wants us to be there, and to help who he wants us to help.
2. We should ask God questions to understand specifically what he wants us to do with our gifts.  God has made us to have completely different bodies, personalities, education, abilities, and resources.  It would behoove us to ask God specifically how he wants us to use our gifts with our unique bodies, education, personalities, abilities, and resources. Remember God gave Manoah the unique son of Samson so he had specific questions based on what God gave him.

What has God given you that only you can ask God about?

To purchase, visit Amazon by clicking on this link.

Chaz Douglas is an educator and member of the United States Air Force Reserve.  He has a Bachelors in Education from Eastern Michigan University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Central Michigan University.

Douglas began teaching Bible Study for the Youth Ministry at his church from the ages 6-17.  He would later be asked to teach the Youth Ministry’s teachers learning strategies and biblical principles to assist them with the children that they would instruct.

He is currently taking a course by Tom Corson-Knowles an Amazon bestselling author. Douglas believes the course is preparing him to become an author who is producing what readers want.

The reason for writing this series was the experience Douglas had being deployed in the Air Force.  He was deployed for six months and used his time at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait to increase his relationship with God.  As he prayed, read, and mediated on the Word of God the Holy Spirit increased his wisdom to be able to write biblical lessons that that men and women can apply in their lives.  The Holy Spirit led him to write this series to help all people have a better relationship with the Lord.

A New Mystery from Carole Brown

released July 10, 2018
$2.99 ebook
$11.99 Print
Buy on US Amazon
Book 4 in the series

About the book

Everyone loves Toby Gibson. A co-owner of Undiscovered Treasures, a unique shop of antiques, collectables and junk, Toby is friendly, generous to a fault, the director of the local plays in Appleton and supports his church's youth functions. But the minute his sister, Caroline and her new husband, take off for their honeymoon, a “ghost” begins to haunt the shop—or maybe it's just an intruder. If so, Toby has no idea for what the thing is looking. To add to his troubles, he suspects Amy, not only is bidding for the property he's wanted forever, but is in love with him. And he's not interested.

Amy Sanderson who owns the only flower shop in Appleton—Bloomin' Life—is drawn into capturing Toby's “ghost” when her own business is damaged by a destructive intruder. Having loved Toby since a teenager, she's more than willing to join forces with him. But she has no interest in being his best friend or a sister to him. And if she has to resort to schemes of outbidding him at his frequent auction attendences to get his attention, then so be it. She can be just as stubborn as the man who's determined to ignore her love.

In between the break-ins, destruction of property, thefts and personal competitions against each other, Amy and Toby work together to find the thief who seems so determined to find a valuable item, he'll stop at nothing.

Lisa Lickel's Review

Toby Gibson is sure he’s got a ghost in Undiscovered Treasures, the store he owns with his sister, who’s out of town on her honeymoon. He’s alone in the above store apartment, but as sure as he is that he’s got an unwanted visitor, he’s equally sure Detective Eddie of the Appleton Police won’t be able to help. Not until his friend Amy from the flower shop on the other side of the abandoned building between them and he start experiencing real break-ins, that is.

From the moment Toby meets a grumpy old man badgering Amy who outbid him on a piece of furniture we wanted at an auction and stole his dream of expanding into next building this fourth book in Brown’s series is like coming home to old friends.

Poor, clueless Toby, is about to get a lesson in the real meaning behind best friends. It’s a riot to watch Toby get what’s coming to him while working with his friends to unravel the mystery of dark family secrets in sunny Appleton, West Virginia.

Cleverly weaving businesses and friends from the previous stories and melding them into a new mystery, Brown makes Appleton a fun place to visit. Told from multiple perspectives with good pacing. Brown’s stories are clean and inspirational, and recommended for junior high readers and up.

About the Author

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole  Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband have ministered and counseled across the country. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons? 

Connect:

Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/browncarole212
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown