Rebel Book Reviews

Bedtime Read and Rhyme Bible Stories by Bonnie Rickner Jensen (Thomas Nelson 2016)  I'm still on my kick about reviewing books for children. I have come across some great titles, and books that will make exceptional Christmas presents. This book by Bonnie Rickner Jensen and illustrated by Robert Dunn is great. Even though as times the rhymes may seem forced, that only occurred twice that I found, the stories are easy to read and hold a cadence that will delight young readers. The Biblical stories are sound and accurate. I especially loved the stories, Moses Leads God's People and Three Big Names, Three Brave Men. But the one I loved the most was The Shepherd cares for the Lost . "If one of His sheep,  Just one little one,  Wanders away from His side,  He wont's give up! He won't give in! He'll search both far and wide." A simple, yet powerful, story of His amazing love. The details of the illustrations are rich ...

The Watchman by V.B. Tenery (Pelican Book Group 2014)  He can't save the world....but he can try. With special abilities, Noah will try to use his power for good and for the glory of the Lord.  As a P.I. Noah takes on a pro bono style case that soon becomes meshed with two others. Not everything is as it appears and sometimes those guardian angels have to call in reinforcements in order to protect God's children, sometimes from their own stupidity, Noah included. This is a well paced book, with plenty of action, just enough grit, and a whole lot of faith. The readers are given moments of down time to recover from the last high impact action before the next page hurdles them headlong down another road of chases, fights, and flights. Noah has a self-depreciating attitude at times coupled with subtle humor; this is seen in his tongue-in-cheek alias Sam Spade (who is a P.I character well known for his cutting and snide remarks aka snarky attitude). You couldn't fall ...

Killswitch by Victoria Buck (Pelican Book Group 2016) Although not as captivating as the first book, Wake the Dead , Killswitch did offer its own list of merits. It centered mainly about the underground church and how Chase tried to insert himself in this strange life of people who are far different from the world he lived in. The Christianity portrayed in this book is strong, and at times it felt too strong for me. I did have a problem with the people thinking that lying was a sin. Remember Rahab and her blessing for her lie that protect God's people? Only the bearing of false witness aka lying to harm another is a sin. So that part kind of bothered me, especially when the theft of supplies wasn't frowned upon. (Of course the theft was needed to survive.) The narrative was at times jilted and I was left with filling in the blanks to obtain the picture needed. BUT that didn't keep me from reading. This story wasn't about the action or the undergr...

God's Little Lambs Bible Stories by Julie Stiegemeyer (Zonderkidz 2016)  I don't often write reviews on children books or children Bible storybooks. Usually because those book are open to interpretation and artistic flair. Children's minds are not like adults so the stories would have to be severely scaled back for their understanding. This book captured my attention with the illustrations and I chose to review it thinking it may make for a nice Christmas gift. What did I think of God's Little Lambs Bible Stories ? I found it interesting. I like how the major stories of the Bible: In the Beginning, Garden of Eden, Noah, Jericho, Joseph, David, and Jesus to name a few. The stories did host an abbreviated account of each, but still relayed the most important parts of that Biblical account. The New Testament was different in its telling, making sure that the stories centered around Jesus and sparked an ember for a child to want to know more about ...

Shattered Vigil by Patrick W. Carr (Bethany House 2016)   Shattered Vigil is the second installment in the Darkwater Saga. If I thought By Divine Righ t and Shock of Night were superb, then I have no words for Shattered Vigil . Patrick Carr has the ability to pull the reader into a new world and immerse that reader into cultures, beliefs, societies, and lands that are rich in detail. He uses not just first person point of view (Willet Dura), but also third person, to give the reader a dual experience. Let them know what is to come and what is happening, but to also be there, be that character. When it comes to reading a fantasy novel, I want to be swept away with complex characters. Those type of characters where at times I will hate them or extremely dislike them, but other times where I view them as a hero. There are no stereotypes in this book. Published by a Christian company, Shattered Vigil holds a multi-faceted story of the Christian faith. So ma...