Rebel Book Reviews

Hearts of Fire: eight women in the underground church and their stories of costly faith by The Voice of the Martyrs ( The VOM Books 2015) God will call anyone He chooses and these women prove that sometimes one must step up, be strong, and stand firm for Christ. I shared this book on Facebook, urging others to read it. Here's my post:    Voice of the Martyrs: this book is something I encourage everyone to read it. It will open your eyes about those who suffer for Christ. It will open your eyes to other religions who persecuted Christians (Islam, Hindu, Buddhism and various other tribal beliefs). It will rewrite your heart and soul and show you the true meaning of following Christ. Even though these testimonies will span the decades, you will see similarities to today's culture and society as it were decades ago. Instead of spending your money on a cola and junk food or even that lazy day when you purchase fast food; put off buying that shirt or shoes; take...

Bella Gets Rescued by Ellie Wakeman (Ambassador International 2017)  This is a cute story. Cat owners can relate to the behaviour that is seen in many of our pets and these behaviours are brought to life in the small story of Bella Gets Rescued . The illustrations were soft and eye catching, a sure win for those little readers who delight in stories that are able to be told through the pictures. Not too long that it will lose the attention of the young reader and not too short that it rushes the story, this book is a perfect balance for a little child. What's more is that Bella Gets Rescued has an underlying message to us all: we should not fear. The parallel of being lost to Christ and then found is a major theme in this children's book. I see this as a great Sunday School lesson, a homeschool lesson, or as an entertaining read that will stick with the little ones as they grow. Lessons of love, acceptance, patience, and thankfulness will gain a foothold all because...

Every Job a Parable What Walmart Greeters, Nurses & Astronauts Tell Us About God by John Van Sloten (NavPress 2017) Again, it is rare that I find a book that just doesn't suit me. I'm honor bound to write a review, and although this isn't a negative review, per se, it is a review that is honest about what I thought of Every Job a Parable . When I read about this book, read the blurb on the back, and the description I thought it would be how jobs, whether blue collar or white collar, can be a parable in Christian living. How awesome to see how a person's everyday living can be a testimony and how awesome that the author took the time to talk to these people....I was mistaken. This wasn't a book that I expected it to be. The author expounds upon these jobs by relating what he had observed and then creating a sermon from it. Some of the vocations mentioned were not what I would call a vocation and some of the "parables" seemed as tho...

Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson 2017) This book struck a balance between the pros and cons. In my opinion, although the writing was solid, there were instances where delivery of the art was lacking. Denise Hunter, in the vein of Song of Solomon , portrayed the sensuality and physical attraction between a married couple. Although these two were in the process of finalizing the divorce, the attraction was still there. The author toed the line (according to Christian fiction standards), never quite stepping over it, when it came to describe the lust, love, and attraction between the characters. There might have been one instance where a reader would say that God's name was taken in vain, but it depends on how the sentence is read. The faith wasn't as strong in Sweetbriar Cottage as it were in her earlier books. Gladly, there were no more usage of mildly crude language that had appeared in some previous works. Denise Hunter handled a very sensitive...

The Divide (The Alliance #2) by Jolina Petersheim  (Tyndale 2017) This is one of those rare times where I really enjoyed the book and where the pros barely overrode the cons. I'll start with the cons in this second installment of The Alliance story. The insertion of Sal's POV seemed more of a storyline crutch than any added value. Sure it helped knowing the "other side" of what was happening, but it could have been approached differently in my opinion. The four/five times that the POV was used compared to the alternating POVs of Moses and Lenora was jarring and inconsistent. The first two thirds of the books seemed draggy, and took a while for things to happen. It did become a chore to read at first. And the last negative point about this book would be the abrupt transition from one scene to another. The first book handled it smoothly, but in The Divide , no matter whose POV, the scene breaks jarred me a little out of the story until I could visualize wh...

God's Lineup Testimonies of Major League Baseball Players by Kevin and Elizabeth Morrisey (Ambassador International 2012)   Any major league sport will have a devoted fan base and even the players themselves will view their chosen sport as the most important thing in life. In God's Lineup , we are exposed to the raw faith of 26 Christian players who are either retired or actively playing. As in many areas of life, Christians can be ridiculed and baseball is no exception; although MLB does have what is called Baseball Chapel. We are shown through a few testimonies how this ministry became a pivotal point in many players' lives. The testimonies contained in this book doesn't lessen the masculinity of the men, but instead it fortifies the uniqueness of each and how they yearn to spread the Gospel. Like the Topps , Fleer , and Upper Deck baseball cards, each chapter has a take on the player highlights, but geared toward their faith: born, favorite verse...

Scientists Discover God by William Dallas (Ambassador International/Ambassador Books and Media 2012) This book from across "the pond" is one that melds Christian faith and science. Written in layman terms, William Dallas takes sciences such as quantum physics, quantum theory, natural selection, geography, etc. to show that many discoveries (past and present) and theories prove the existence of God. For one example: The Big Bang Theory states that nothing existed beforehand and yet science proves that nothing can be created from nothing. The first third of the book cites many sources, secular and faith, to set up his argument. The second third explains the Christian faith. The last portion concluded with a merge of the two. Being a nerd in all things dealing with the universe, quantum theory and physics, etc., I found this book ideal for an introduction into the deep topic, and a controversial one. It was thought provoking and informative, a highly re...