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Monday, August 10, 2015

Wakulla Book Review: Children of Dreams, by Lorilyn Roberts


Wakulla Book Review:  Children of Dreams, by Lorilyn Roberts.



Summary:  The story chronicles Ms. Roberts’ journey to Nepal to adopt a young girl through an agency where the father loved her [ daughter ] so much that he would sacrifice and put her up for adoption, because when he remarried nothing would become of his daughter because of the cast system and culture of his country.

Ms. Roberts is tested when her daughter becomes ill, doctors don’t have answers, and she is concerned about moving forward with the adoption that she knows in her spirit she is led to do.

When all is clear with the health of her daughter, adoption laws have changed, and this time her journey takes her to Vietnam only to find out that the child she has come for was “kidnapped.”

After a trail of lies, deception, and becoming aware of an ongoing investigation by U.S. officials of her adoption agent Anne, she adopts a child born to a single rice-farming mother.
Her faith is tested in all phases of the adoption, even when she must leave the country without her daughter depending upon Anne to bring her daughter stateside.

Purpose: The author wanted to tell her story of adopting her two daughters and show that our adoption into the Body of Christ can be better understood through what she went through and her ability to love.

Themes: Abortion, human trafficking/baby stealing/family support versus family against divorce and feeling unworthy/incomplete.

Thesis: Adoption into the Body of Christ and trusting in the ways of the Lord even when we can’t understand why in the natural and when those around us talk against instead of giving their support.

daughters in 2014
Controversy: The author is against abortion, which her views are in line with the Word of God. She is also against taking part in bribes and corruption even if it seems as though it is for a greater good for the Word tells us not to.

I enjoyed the book and the fact that the author continued to hold fast to her faith and walking in the direction she knew the Lord was leading her.




Book Review by Clyde 
WAKULLA BOOK REVIEW 



*~*~*~*

I want to personally thank all the men who are reviewing the books written by JOHN 3:16 AUTHORS. I am thankful that we are able to bless them and appreciate the encouragement given to us by their reviews. 



Each WEEK (usually on Tuesday), we are posting reviews from 
Wakulla Correctional inmates of John 3:16 books. 





Inmates are loving the new books from John 3:16 authors. 
Chaplain Steve Fox is adding the new books to the prison library in this initiative to "change lives to ensure a safer Florida."

Wakulla Book Review: The Essence of Evil by Barbara Ann Derksen



This is the second book of the Finders Keepers Series. It picks up where the first book ended and continues the adventures of Christine and Jeremy.

Ms. Derksen does a great job of bringing together many seemingly unrelated events. The plat twists and turns like a Nascar race course, leaving the reader guessing at every corner.

Barbara Ann is a master at integrating the characters faith in Jesus into the everyday matters. It is refreshing and the characters are so life like, it’s amazing.

There are some tough issues dealt with also – child abduction, pedophilia, sex trafficking, physical and mental abuse, and even cancer. Barbara Ann keeps it real, shows compassion, erupts in rage at atrocities, and shares the love of Jesus. Truly an incredible writer and a great book.


I’m waiting for the next book and will recommend her books to anyone that likes a great book!! Five Stars!!   

Book Review by Loren – 
A WAKULLA BOOK REVIEW


*~*~*~*

I (Lorilyn Roberts) want to personally thank all the men who are reviewing the books written by JOHN 3:16 AUTHORS. I am thankful that we are able to bless them and appreciate the encouragement given to us by their reviews. 



Each WEEK (usually on Tuesday), we are posting reviews from 
Wakulla Correctional inmates of John 3:16 books. 





Inmates are loving the new books from John 3:16 authors. 
Chaplain Steve Fox is adding the new books to the prison library in this initiative to "change lives to ensure a safer Florida."

Friday, August 7, 2015

John 3:16 Book Review (Lisa Lickel): The Ambassadors by Marcia Laycock


October 2014
Helping Hands Press
Paperback at Amazon,
list 14.99; other editions available in Kindle for .99
ISBN 978-1622085613

Buy the Book

From the publisher:
The Complete Series Book I 
Prince Eghan Lhin is terrified when he is abducted from his father’s castle but finds himself in a safe place nestled in a hidden valley high in the mountains not far from his father’s kingdom. He learns to trust the man who has brought him there and even begins to trust Nara, the heir to the throne of his family’s sworn enemies. But he cannot trust the God they follow. When they are led into the dangerous territory on the other side of the mountains, to restore Nara to the throne, Eghan must learn more than trust, more than courage. He must learn what faith really means.

My review (Lisa Lickel):
The Ambassadors is a faith-based novel geared toward Young Adult as the hero and heroine are teens. Set in historical era with kings and castles and horses and swords, a young broody prince, Eghan, learns through physical labor and philosophical instruction what it truly means to be a leader. He has grown up in a household of angry grief with a king for a parent who has held him at arm’s length and a guardian who doesn’t have the authority to hold him to a higher standard. A mysterious legendary hermit saves Eghan after he’s abducted by the kingdom’s enemies to show him the way to true peace and a hopeful future reuniting enemy kingdoms to face a greater foe threatening them both.

I enjoyed the story, though agree with another review that found the intrusion of contemporary Scripture and citation inserted in the text to be a somewhat clunky contrivance. Other than that, the story of a princeling forced to grow up and charged with the restoration of the kingdom or surrendering his people to an evil force was often thrilling and somewhat romantic. The setting was nicely done, dialog good. Occasionally too convenient events such as providing an enemy faith-based prisoner in the dungeon made me read faster, but fiction is often built upon such behind-the-scenes workings.

The novel felt like it could have been an epic. I rarely think this, but this is a story that could have been much longer and richer, with more back story and detail; occasionally I felt it went too quickly and jumped over particulars I wanted to know, but overall the pacing was balanced as it moved between parallel events in the kingdom, Eghan’s current life, and that of his guardian who set out to find his abducted charge but discovered much more besides.

Other volumes in the series are available.


About the Author:
Laycock-MarciaFor the past 20+ years I've been a pastor's wife, mother of three girls, caretaker of two dogs, two cats and sundry fish, and oh, yes, a freelance writer. The writing began in the attic of my parent's house where I wrote stories for my dolls. None of them complained, so I kept it up. The Lord has abundantly blessed, challenged, rebuked, healed and restored me through the process of writing and being involved with writers.

Visit my website - www.marcialeelaycock.com

Monday, August 3, 2015

Wakulla Book Review: Shadow Stalker by Barbara Derksen



This was a really WOW! book. I normally do not read murder mysteries but I was given this book to read and write a review on it. As I have already said, “WOW!” This book kept me so into it and the figures within the book were downright riveting.

I could not read the darn thing fast enough. The religious parts of the book were handled in an excellent manner also. It gave me a good attitude about Jesus and I felt that was a major factor in the book.

A very good written book. I am still not a murder mystery book lover but I am a Barbara Ann Derksen book reader. I do have the second book of the Finders Keepers series and will probably read the second book as fast as the first one.


Lord have mercy. This was an excellent book to read. We can only hope for the future in our regular lives.  

Book Review by Bob L. 
WAKULLA BOOK REVIEW 



*~*~*~*

I want to personally thank all the men who are reviewing the books written by JOHN 3:16 AUTHORS. I am thankful that we are able to bless them and appreciate the encouragement given to us by their reviews. 



Each WEEK (usually on Tuesday), we are posting reviews from 
Wakulla Correctional inmates of John 3:16 books. 





Inmates are loving the new books from John 3:16 authors. 
Chaplain Steve Fox is adding the new books to the prison library in this initiative to "change lives to ensure a safer Florida."