Book Crash Review: The Prodigy Project by Doug Flanders

by Doug Flanders
© 2010 by Douglas R. Flanders
Published by Prescott Publishing



Doug Flander's, The Prodigy Project , is a medical thriller crafted around the author's personal experiences and lifestyle. Flanders utilizes 15 years of experience as an Army reservist and almost two decades of medical practice to write an intriguing story with excellent, thorough, and believable detail.

The story captivates the imagination of readers with a plot centered around an operation to awaken dormant viruses within human DNA in effort to create a biological weapon powerful enough to give its master control of the globe and the future of humanity. The discovery of the operation by two young Chinese researchers leads them to contact the United States with information about the operation and attempt to flee China before their actions are realized. Jon Gunderson, a doctor and an expert in bio-weaponry, comes to their aid with his wife and nine children in unknowing accompaniment. When plans for rescue begin to go awry, Jon must face his family and admit his dishonesty about his work but his family must reconcile their anger and disappointment if they are to rescue the young informants and leave China with their family intact. As the large and closely-knit family seeks to leave China in safety, Jon must also be mindful of the earth shattering consequences of failure to remove the researchers and foil the virus-reviving operation.

The novel is 327 pages of exciting and realistic detail complemented by a thrilling storyline and the broad knowledge base of the author. Flanders clearly describes scenes with excellent detail of landscapes, physical and emotional conditions, relationships, and communication between characters. He develops his characters extensively allowing readers to feel as though they know them but not to the extent that their actions and decisions are predictable. Flanders' attention to detail and medical expertise also contribute to the quality of this novel as he is able to craft scenes of medical complexity that can be easily understood by lay readers. The author's love for family (and big ones!) is clearly communicated in this novel and he is able to draw from firsthand experience in organizing and portraying a large family within the pages of the work.

Although an excellent novel, the author is somewhat emotional in his descriptions at both the beginning and the end of the work. There are a few instances in which he seems to be writing scenes as he would like them to (or perhaps as they have) played out in his own family. Additionally the author seemed to be attempting to include every good idea he could conceptualize within his book and seems to rush to cram as many as possible into the story near the end. Although this makes the work seem somewhat over-dramatic in its final pages, it does not reduce the overall quality of the novel.

In addition to offering readers excitement and great detail, Flanders also carefully weaves family values and the importance of faith, trust, and forgiveness into the pages of his novel. He easily integrates his faith and beliefs into the story and characters but also allows characters to make mistakes and experience failures in their own faith and family.

Overall this is an excellent novel. Readers will be easily caught up in the excellent story-telling and will experience difficulty setting the book aside. The work is well suited for both teenaged and adult readers.


I received this book from the publisher through the BookCrash program at no charge in exchange for this review.

Tyndale House Publishers Review: Oops! by Bill Myers

Oops!
by Bill Myers
© 2011 by Bill Myers
Published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc

Oops! is the third book in Bill Myers' newest series for kids, TJ and the Time Stumblers. TJ (also known as Thelma Jean Finkelstein) continues in her pursuit to fit in at her new school in Malibu, California while attempting to keep the pesky time stumblers from the 23rd century, Tuna and Herby, from completely ruining her life with their crazy antics. In Oops! TJ learns to appreciate the people around her, despite their rude behavior, oddity, and strange habits, as the individuals God created them to be. But thanks to the 23rd century invention of the thought-broadcaster pen (which makes the thoughts of anyone it hits audible), TJ finds herself in some precarious situations that only seen to get worse with her attempts to fix them. In addition to hampering her struggle to fit in at school, the pen also creates havoc in TJ's developing friendship with cute-boy, Chad Steele. In a conversation with her dad, TJ learns how her mother had handled problems and situations that she did not like and she realizes that it is best to try to see what God sees in others, not only what she sees. TJ also learns that regardless of an individual's behavior or attitude, each person in the world needs to be loved.

This book is written for ages 8 (3rd grade) and up. It is comprised of eleven chapters in 158 pages. The book offers a great deal of dramatic design in it's pages with regard to fonts and spacing for effect, and gives young readers the opportunity to use their imaginations when reading particular words from the pages. The author uses a great deal of contemporary humor and made-up words that will appeal to readers in the 8-12 year age group as well as captivate their imaginations and leave them wanting to read more about this sort-of-crazy girl and her almost-out-of-control life.


Check out this trailer for the series:




The author shares the story well and uses characters that young readers will find amusing and to whom they can most likely relate. He uses characters and situations that most readers will find relevant and easy to imagine as well. Myers blends these elements with biblical principles that urge readers to consider what God would want them to do in similar situations.

Although this book is part of a series readers do not need to have read the previous books to keep up with the characters or storyline. Myers masterfully conveys the events and character development in such a way that allows readers new to the series to effortlessly follow the story and want to read more.

The author uses a variety of interpersonal relationships to tell TJ's story, but some of the situations and the context of certain relationships may be slightly too mature for readers closer to 8 years old than 12 years. Parents who are concerned with early exposure to relationships with the opposite sex should be aware that there is a great deal of emphasis on boy-girl relationships and the terms boyfriend and girlfriend are used in a mature context.

Overall this book is enjoyable to read, entertaining, and promotes a biblical message to kids in a fun way. I recommend this book and the series for young readers ages 10-12 years.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Book Sneeze Review: Thank You, God, for Blessing Me by Max Lucado

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me
by Max Lucado
© 2011 by Max Lucado
Published by Thomas Nelson
Illustrations by Frank Endersby





Thank You, God, for Blessing Me is a charming and delightful book written for pre-school age children. The book is classified as a "Read 2 Me" book, intended to be read aloud to children who are not yet able to read. This is a board book with heavy cardboard pages that cannot be ripped or torn and is appropriate for small children who will want to reach out and touch the colorful illustrations in this book.

The book offers nine pages of sweet and playful rhyming text. It offers a lesson on gratitude and gives parents and other caregivers an opportunity for a teachable moment with their children, encouraging them to be thankful for every-day things. The book has beautiful color graphics that are fun to look at and make the story come to life. Parents and children alike will want to linger on the pages of this text as the illustrations are truly fantastic.

This book is part of the "Little Hermie" series and makes some references to characters who appear in other books in the series. This could create a small problem for children who are not familiar with the other books and characters. However, this would probably be a minor issue while reading, and possibly looked over by most younger children.

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me is a wonderful addition to the collection of Christian books for pre-school age children and gives parents the opportunity to enjoy reading to and sharing their faith with their young children.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. I was not required to post a positive review.

BookCrash Review: Deliver Me Edited by Dianne E. Butts

Deliver Me: Hope, Help, and Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy
Compiled and edited by Dianne E. Butts
© 2011 by Dianne E. Butts
Published by Connections Press Pueblo, Colorado

Deliver Me is a compilation of short stories and essays in 235 pages and nine chapters. The book explores the decisions and choices of real women who faced unplanned pregnancies. It offers over 50 stories from women and men who faced questions concerning abortion, adoption, keeping their baby, facing family and society, as well as letters and essays written by husbands, partners, and family members affected by unplanned pregnancy. The work offers hope and encouragement to women (and men) who are struggling with unplanned pregnancy as well as healing and encouragement to readers whose experience is in the past.



The chapters in this book cover questions including who faces unplanned pregnancy, the concerns of her family, and who can help these women find options. The book also discusses issues including abortion, adoption, how to help women who choose to keep their baby, the affect of abortion on men, learning from women and families who have experienced abortion, and how to reach out to those in need.

Deliver Me is a relevant work that offers personal and real stories of women and men struggling with the choices surrounding unplanned pregnancy. The work offers current data and statistics surrounding the topics addressed and conveniently organizes the statistics within the appropriate chapters. The end of each chapter offers resources for readers who wish to follow up or learn more about particular topics or find solutions and help in their own situation.

The work offers a valuable and legitimate chapter concerning men and their role in the issues considered in this book. The essays are written by men who supported the choice of abortion, those who said they would support any decision made by their partner (thereby relinquishing themselves from the responsibility of choosing), and men who opposed the option of abortion. One contributor observes that while statistics indicate that one in three women in the church has had an abortion "women didn't do this all by themselves [and] one in three men in the church are post-abortive as well." He writes that "men seem invisible in this issue" and indicates that while the emphasis is usually on "getting to the women to save he babies" there should also be focus toward saving men and women from the regret that often follows abortion (p.96).

In addition to chapters devoted to relevant information, resources, and statistics, the work also offers several pages of notes and sources as well as brief biographies of individual contributors. These two sections lend credibility to the work and extinguish any skepticism regarding the validity and authenticity of the stories within the book. A unique feature of this book is a chapter specifically dedicated to educating readers about the role of crisis pregnancy centers. The chapter goes beyond describing the pregnancy-related work of these centers and illustrates that they also assist women who are struggling with abusive relationships, parenting issues, post-abortion recovery, and sexual abuse recovery.

Although this book has a great deal to offer readers, it falls short in a few areas. One of it's most glaring shortcomings is its relatively narrow target audience. A story about a grandmother struggling with her daughter's pregnancy with a biracial child could have been edited for content to appeal to a wider range of readers. While the story illustrates God's love, forgiveness, and power to change hearts, readers who are new in their faith, or who do not share the editor's faith, may find the story distasteful and offensive rather than heartwarming.

Some further editing would have helped to clarify a few of the stories in the book as some contributors seem to drift from their topics while sharing their experiences. Other contributors use rather dated lingo including words such as "cyberspace" (p.168) within their narratives that could probably be edited as well.

Additionally, the book's format lacks aesthetic value. The individual stories within the chapters do not flow well from page to page and would be more pleasing to look at if they were spaced out a little bit differently rather than just continuing from one page onto the next. The cover and graphics also appear to be somewhat dated and this looks more like a paperback from the 1990s than a recently published book.

This book would be complimented by a corresponding website that offers up-to-date links to the resources listed in the book. A website offering this type of information would be more user friendly, save readers from typing in long and cumbersome web addresses and would also keep the book current and allow for updates to resource information.

Overall this book is an excellent resource for anyone involved in an unplanned pregnancy including pregnant women, their partners, parents, grandparents, friends, family, and those involved in the work of crisis pregnancy centers. It allows readers to explore the experiences of others who have faced unplanned pregnancy and offers resources for those searching for answers to their questions. This book would also be an excellent piece of literature for those who are undecided on their position on abortion as it speaks to the human impact of the issue rather than just the political.

I received this book from the publisher through the BookCrash program at no charge in exchange for this review.

A Tribute to the Blue Recliner

Today would have been my Uncle Robb's 52nd birthday. He was a pretty cool guy and pretty much everyone he met liked him. He was a husband to my Aunt Debbie, a dad to my cousins, Amanda and Ryan, and an Uncle to several adoring nieces and nephews. He was also a son, a brother, and a good friend to many. He was an Iowa farm boy who knew the value of hard work and he applied it to his daily life. I remember him laughing a lot, teasing, telling jokes and goofing around. He always seemed to enjoy life, family, and friends. His life was cut short though, and after a years-long battle with cancer, he died at the young age of 34.

I wrote the following piece several years ago while in grad school. I had kind of forgotten about it but when I gave the PC to my Dad he found it saved in some random file. He thought it was neat and gave me a hard copy of it. I haven't changed much from the original piece aside from a couple of typos. I hope you enjoy it and can see a little bit of a really awesome guy who loved life, his family, and God.

I have in my possession a large blue lazy boy recliner. It's your standard, overstuffed, early nineties vintage recliner; not so attractive, but super comfy. Over the years it has drifted from garage to dorm room to bedroom to living room and back several times.

In the many years that I have been the owner of this fine piece of ugly furniture, may have tried to convince me to get rid of it. "Throw it out!", "That thing is hideous!", Why don't you get something else?" they say. But the blue recliner remains a member of my household. It has a tear in it that grows larger with each passing year, but the blue recliner lives on. Perhaps it is my own (sometimes pathetic) sentimental side that persuades me to keep the the chair.

You see, it once belonged to my Uncle Robb who spent many weeks in it during his battle with cancer eleven years ago. As a ten year old, I spent a large amount of time with him, my aunt and their two children helping out after chemotherapy treatments. I would rub his feet as he sat in the chair to help distract him from the pain and nausea of the vicious disease he was battling. I sat next to him and learned the pi equals not just 3.14, but 3.1415927! I hated learning it, and I still hate math, but I will certainly never forget what pi is! While he sat in that chair I read aloud to him to get used to talking with my retainers, and as soon as I would stop and try to take them out, a quick "No, Kathy, leave them in or you'll never get used to them!" would follow.

It's funny how something like an old recliner can shape and mold one into the adult they eventually become. When I sit in my recliner I think about the bravery and courage my Uncle Robb showed during his three year battle with cancer, I think about the strong hope of recovery that he carried with him for those difficult years, I remember his strong faith and belief in God that developed and grew with each passing day. I think about the love he felt and showed for his family, and his understanding that family should not be taken for granted.

It wasn't until adulthood that I learned that from his diagnosis doctors told him that the form of the disease in his body was fatal; the best they could offer was treatment to prolong his life for a few short years.

He knew from the beginning of his battle that he had no medical chance of surviving, but he battled the disease for three grueling years. When I feel discouraged about life and it's pressures, I think about my Uncle Robb and his crusade against the disease that eventually took his life. I think about his courage in the face of imminent death and his faith and hope that he could survive.

When I sit in the recliner I realize that fear of the future is completely normal, but I also realize that faith and hope are required to overcome that fear. When I'm worried about life or how things are going to turn out, I sit in my recliner and think about my Uncle Robb and the things I learned from him. I think about how one day, when I meet him again, I will thank him for all the things I learned from him while he sat in that old recliner - all of the things that have so deeply influenced my life.

And I will smile for him so he can see my straight teeth and laugh when I tell him that pi equals 3.1415927 and that I still HATE MATH!

Book Sneeze Review: The Fight of Our Lives by William J. Bennett & Seth Leibsohn

The Fight of Our Lives: Knowing the Enemy, Speaking the Truth, and Choosing to Win the War Against Radical Islam
by William J. Bennett, Seth Leibsohn
© 2011 by William J. Bennett, Seth Leibsohn
Published by Thomas Nelson



The book is comprised of eight chapters and notes in 186 pages. Within the chapters of the work the authors describe how America has arrived at this point of apathy concerning threats to our freedoms, the failure of current and previous administrations to deter terrorists and the politically correct rhetoric and actions of Republicans and Democrats alike, that have left terrorists unafraid to murder innocents at will. The work provides a history lesson spanning for September 11, 2001 to the months preceding it's publication. The authors offer information about the drastic change in American culture in the months and years following 9/11 and the switch from a country and government hard on terrorism to one that is soft and appeasing toward the threat of terror. They discuss the change in national rhetoric, from leaders in government and the press and the effect this change has had on the American psyche and will to battle against Radical Islam and the terrorists it produces.

This short work begins with the account of the massacre at Fort Hood in November 2009. The authors review the facts of the event and those leading up to it and point to the response of leaders in American government and military as evidence that our nation is entrenched in a battle for Western Democracy. They assert that America's leadership is more concerned with cultural diversity than human life (p.10) and give evidence to support this claim. They point to the events at Fort Hood and the following official report issued by the military as evidence that the United States is suffering from a serious "crisis of will" (p. 15) and failure to recognize the threat of Islam to our national security, rights, and way of life. The authors assert that American culture has made standing up to Islamic threat politically incorrect and that this apathy and failure to challenge those who wish to harm America will be the root of her demise. They cite facts surrounding the Fort Hood massacre as evidence that there was more than ample warning of Nidal Hassan's intentions, but too many were afraid to confront what they knew to be threats and too many were concerned about personal ramifications should they speak out against a Muslim. The authors contend that American leadership does not view action against terrorists and those who harbor them as imperative to our survival and instead seek to appease the enemy who is "made bold by our dismissal and appeasement" (p.4) inviting further attacks on America and her people.

This work offers readers reminders of why America became and has remained involved in a war of which many have grown weary. It's authors implore Americans to recall the human rights violations, the treatment of men, women, and children in the corrupt Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. They call on readers to remember that it was the man that America went to war with in 2002 whose record "of barbarism and terrorism was virtually unparalleled" who "by most accounts had killed more Muslims than any other person in modern history." (p.35)

The book also helps readers muddle through issues that are difficult to navigate and understand without research and historical knowledge such as the events and problems in Iran. The authors challenge readers to look at the way a nation treats it's children as a test of it's government's intentions and motives. They point to Iran's use of children as minesweepers in the 1980s and call on readers to recognize that "if you want to know what they will do to us, look at what they do to their own people." (p. 90)

The authors indicate that in dealings with Iran, Barack Obama has ignored the lessons of history and previous successful denunciations of regimes aggressive toward the United States. Instead he has opted to meet with leaders of countries that threaten peace and Western democracy "without preconditions" (p. 86) which has led to a more dangerous world and an America who appears weak and without resolve against terrorist threats against her people. The authors also assert that Obama is not dealing with the problem in Iran, rather he uses flowery rhetoric to appease terrorist rather than fight them (p. 104). The authors assert that despite his ostentatious speech it is really Obama's actions that have sent a clear message to terrorists regarding his lacking resolve to fight terrorism. Obama's bow to the Saudi King sent a message of submission to the leader of an Arab country with a disgusting history of human rights violations and one that is also known to fund terrorist organizations(p. 105). The work asserts that his action in this circumstance "showed national humiliation" and did nothing to counter the actions of terrorist organizations the globe over.

The book also offers a helpful comparison of violence in Islam and violence in Christianity and Judaism. It illustrates distinct differences in Old and New Testament violence and that found in the Koran. The authors discuss the difference between the Koran and the Bible arguing that those who "wish to equate the Bible and the Koran misunderstand, ignore, or deny the difference between a historical account and a living injunction." (p. 113) Using a quick test they ask readers to determine the effect of particular religions on terrorist activity by citing the "number of Jewish terrorists or criminals who have cited the Bible to justify their actions" (p. 112). They also indicate that Judaism (unlike many other faiths) "does not demand converts" (p.113) as does Islam.

This short book is appropriate for lay-readers and scholars alike. Although some of the information may seem repetitive to those familiar with the subject matter it is an excellent resource and a quick lesson in modern history and diplomacy. This book is required reading for Americans concerned about the future of their country and for those wondering what Islam's quiet appropriation of Western Civilization means to America.

The work debunks many popular arguments in favor of tolerance and gives readers the information they need to successfully dispute claims that America is selfish, weak, or sorry for her actions in the Middle East. Although the author's use a large portion of the book to discuss problems and the history of those problems, they also offer solutions and call on American leadership to recognize the threat to liberty and act swiftly in demanding change.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. I was not required to post a positive review.

Blogging for Books Review: The Harvest of Grace: An Ada's House Novel by Cindy Woodsmall

Sylvia Fisher is not an ordinary Amish woman. She prefers hard work, milking cows, and tending to her family's dairy herd to managing a household, tending to small children, and participating in other more feminine duties as most Amish women. When she is forced by betrayal, scandal, and guilt to leave her home and beloved family farm she chooses to help another family try to rescue their dilapidated farm. In the process she falls in love with the farm, her work there, and adopts the couple who own the farm as her surrogate parents. Her hope to help the farm turn a profit is shattered when the couple's son and only living child, Aaron Blank, returns and announces that his parents should sell the farm and move to a nearby community where he plans to run an appliance shop for Plain folk. Sylvia and Aaron spend the summer working side by side toward the same goal, ridding the farm of debt, but for different reasons. While Sylvia struggles to accept God's grace and forgiveness, Aaron struggles with temptations of his own and battles to make his parents see the changes he has made in his life. Although Sylvia and Aaron both work against the goal of the other, they work together to bring the farm to prosperity, and to help each other find their path toward peace, living in God's grace, and in harmony with their community.

The Harvest of Grace is the third in the Ada's House Novel series by Cindy Woodsmall. It is comprised of forty chapters in 344 pages. The author offers an introduction to the Ada's House Novels series in the beginning of this book so that readers do not need to have read the previous novels in the series to follow the events and characters of The Harvest of Grace.

This book is an excellent piece of fiction that allows readers to feel more than just self-indulgent while ravenously turning its pages but also allows readers to learn and self-reflect while contemplating the situations, attitudes, and feelings of the characters within the story. Cindy Woodsmall expertly blends jealousy, betrayal, heartache, and anger with forgiveness, faith, love, and grace. Her grasp of the Christian faith, and specifically Amish beliefs regarding forgiveness and grace, allow readers to examine their own spiritual walk and faith. The everyday circumstances faced by her characters allows readers to consider their own faith, walk with Christ, and how they might react in similar situations.

Although the main characters of this novel are Sylvia Fisher, Aaron Blank, and their immediate families, the author nearly seamlessly weaves the stories of several other individuals in the community into the story as well. For readers of the Ada's House Novel series the transitions would be very easy to follow, but for readers who have not experienced the other books in the series the transitions may prove to be more difficult to discern.

The primary characters in this work are well developed, likable, and interesting. The author carefully discloses information about the characters in such a way to leave the reader eager to read more and anticipate the actions and choices of the characters. However, the relationships between the primary and secondary characters sometimes seem underdeveloped and lacking. This is probably not a concern for readers of the entire series, but for readers of this novel exclusively it can cause some hindrance in piecing the intertwining stories together.

This work also offers readers a glimpse into the lives of men and women following the ways of the Old Amish Order in modern times. The author uses her unique knowledge of the Old Amish Order as well as extensive personal research and utilization of a consultant within the Order to assure that her stories are culturally accurate. (Watch a video on this here.) Her style of writing allows readers to imagine that the events within the story could have happened a year ago as easily as they could happen tomorrow.

Overall this is an excellent novel for readers looking for something that can be enjoyable, simple to follow, and informative. Woodsmall gives readers the opportunity to indulge in a good fiction story as well as get lost in it's pages (and isn't that why most people choose fiction?!) Her sentence structure, word mastery, and the ease with which she weaves together the stories of her primary characters make this book easy to read but her capacity for story-telling make it difficult to put down.

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I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.