Have You Heard From God Lately? by Keon Lindsey Blog Tour Book Review

 

About the Book

Book: Have You Heard from God Lately? 30 Messages from Heaven to You

Author: Keon Lindsey

Genre: Bible Study/Devotional

Release date: March 15, 2024

Who is God?  Does He care about you?  What does He want you to know?  What is your purpose on Earth?  Why is your life not perfect?  Is there any hope in this out-of-control world?  Can you actually know God?

Have You Heard from God Lately?  30 Messages from Heaven to You helps you discover the answers to these all-important questions.  The messages are organized to progressively build your understanding of the God of the universe so that you can relate to Him.  Why?  He wants to give you the wonderful life you were made for but cannot reach without Him.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

The devotions contained in this book form a good overview of the basics of Christian belief. Lindsey takes readers step by step to understand what God has said through the Bible. Many Scriptures passages are given as the basis for each of the thirty devotions. This would be a great book for a new Christian or for someone who wanted to understand what Christianity is really about. This book would be a great refresher of biblical truth for seasoned Christians too. There are a few review questions at the end of each reading to help us think about what was just read. The questions are good for individual reflection but could also be used for a group discussion.

These devotions are just a few pages long and are a good daily reading. The book would be a good choice for anyone looking for a month long spiritual emphasis. Lindsey's writing is clear and easy to understand.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

“Throughout my life God has been the source of my success and my sustainment in failure.  I’ve experienced His great love and want others to know the joy that He provides.”

Keon Lindsey is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Pilot, PMP, Business Finance Expert, Black Belt in Karate, and has a master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering. More importantly, he has studied the Bible over 40 years and taught Bible studies for adults and youth.

Keon writes to inspire others to dig into God’s Word and find satisfaction for their souls. His first book, Seeking the Lord, a 30 Day Start to Your Journey, was published in 2020. His second book Have You Heard from God Lately? 30 Messages from Heaven to You was released in 2024.

More from Keon

How would you like to get a personal letter from someone? Most people like real mail, especially if its from a person who truly cares about you. What if that letter not only shared their affection but it revealed the answers to some of life’s most profound questions? God has written you such a letter, the Bible! Actually, the Bible is a collection of all God’s written messages to you.

This fact was impressed on me as I read the New Testament book of Hebrews. It opens with a bold statement. God had given messages to humanity in ancient times through prophets and angels. Finally, God sent Jesus, the Ultimate Messenger with the ultimate message that is vital for every person.

This captured my attention and made me wonder how the previous messages in the Bible led up to Jesus and His message? Researching that question took me on an exciting journey of discovery, encouragement, and warning in God’s Word. The result is my book, Have You Heard from God Lately?  It summarizes major Bible themes to help you navigate the amazing Book. I hope it inspires you to open God’s letter and realize just how much He cares for you!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 9

An Author’s Take, October 10

Blossoms and Blessings, October 11 (Author Interview)

Godly Book Reviews, October 11

Artistic Nobody, October 12 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 13

Inspired by Fiction, October 14

Stories By Gina, October 15 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 16

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 17 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 18

Guild Master, October 19 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 20

A Reader’s Brain, October 21 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 22

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Keon is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5463/

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The President's Lawyer by Lawrence Robbins Book Review

About the Book:

A high-stakes legal thriller that is perfect for fans of John Grisham and Scott Turow following a Washington, DC, litigator who is hired to defend his best friend, the former President of the United States, against a murder charge.

After a long career as one of DC’s most powerful litigators, Rob Jacobson is faced with the case of a lifetime: the former President of the United States—his childhood best friend—has been accused of murdering his mistress.

Rob knows he’s the only one who can prove his friend’s innocence, but he is soon overwhelmed as he attempts to devise a strategy to defend an authoritative man with a taste for infidelity, serious anger issues, and unconventional sexual appetites. As the high-profile case unfurls, the troubled, intertwining pasts of the two men complicate Rob’s efforts and soon, doubts begin to grow in his head. Could his oldest friend truly be capable of murder or is something even darker at play?

My Review:

I liked this engaging legal thriller, right up until the last chapter. I am not sure I would believe, however, that a lawyer who was a childhood friend of the accused and who had had an affair with the murdered woman would even consider the job. I think there was just too much conflict of interest and too much that could come out during trial and ruin the whole thing. Nonetheless, the lawyer does defend his childhood friend, the ex-president. The defense aspect of the novel was quite informative. I appreciated Robbins' attention to detail and his extensive knowledge of how to make evidence prove what you want it to.

The very last chapter was an unexpected twist. While the novel itself covered a trial in detail, the last chapter glossed a couple of years of really important action in a few sentences. While the twist was foreshadowed, I guess, I did not like it at all. I felt it sort of ruined or discounted all the preceding events in the novel.

This novel is a very informative in the details of legal procedure. There is some kinky sex mentioned but not described in detail. I think Robbins has a good future in writing more legal novels. A more traditional ending would appeal to me better than something like was done here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Lawrence S. Robbins is an acclaimed trial and appellate litigator who has famously argued twenty cases in the United States Supreme Court, and sixty others in the federal circuit courts of appeals. He served as counsel to Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and the Biden campaign, among others. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law, he formerly served on the United States Court of Appeals, founded Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck & Untereiner, and is currently a partner at Friedman Kaplan. Photo credit: Francis Ayisi

Atria Books, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher, My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

A Token of Love by Carrie Turansky Blog Tour Book Review

 

About the Book

Book: A Token of Love

Author: Carrie Turansky

Genre: Fiction, Historical Romance

Release date: September 3, 2024

Separated by centuries, the lives of two women intertwine through their shared pursuit of love, truth, and justice.

In 1885 London, Lillian Freemont embarks on a treacherous journey to reunite with her long-lost niece, Alice, who was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital eight years ago. Fueled by her sister’s plea and armed with the gold token that identifies her niece, Lillian teams up with investigative reporter Matthew McGivern to expose the grim reality of the shadowed streets of London. As Lillian and Matthew unravel the mystery of Alice’s disappearance, their partnership blossoms into one of shared purpose and undeniable attraction.

In present-day London, Janelle Spencer finds herself unexpectedly running the Foundling Museum. When filmmaker Jonas Conrad arrives to document the museum’s history, their collaboration takes a surprising turn as they uncover articles from the past that shed light on a haunting connection to the present. As Janelle becomes caught between exposing the truth and protecting the museum’s reputation, she must decide if she can risk everything for what she believes.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Turansky has written an engaging novel that explores the vulnerability of girls and young women. Her dual time narrative looks at how girls were misused over a century ago and then relates it to how teen girls today might be lured into harm's way today.

I like how Turansky developed the two stories in a captivating parallel way, introducing readers to the similar dangers and then the attempts to stop the evil. The historical part of the novel carried far more emotional force but both stories had a similar pull. I really like how Turansky explained in her Author's Note that much of the historical part of the novel was based on fact.

This is a great novel that will tug at reader's heart strings. Be sure to have a tissue ready as you near the end. Potential readers should note that both aspects of the novel deal with human trafficking, specifically girls and teens. This might be a trigger situation for some. I highly recommend this very well written novel.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of twenty-one inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She loves traveling to England to research her Edwardian novels, including No Journey Too Far, No Ocean Too Wide, Across the Blue, and the Edwardian Brides series. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have received starred reviews from Christianbook.com and Library Journal.

 

More from Carrie

Come with me to London!

My latest novel, A Token of Love, is a dual-time story set in London during the late Victorian Era and present day. That prompted my husband and I to take a trip to London earlier this year. We were especially delighted to visit the Foundling Museum which tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, the first children’s charity home in England. The Foundling Hospital and Foundling Museum tie the historical and contemporary plots together in A Token of Love.

Thousands of children were taken in by the Foundling Hospital when their mothers could no longer care for them. Some of the mothers left small items such as coins, thimbles, and pieces of jewelry with their infants as identifiers in the hope that if their situation changed, they might be able to return and reclaim their child. Those items were called tokens, and we saw several of them on display at the Foundling Museum.

Each token is unique and represents a mother’s love and desire to be reunited with her child. It was very moving to view them on display and think of all the heartache and hope behind each token.

More than two years ago, I saw an image of the tokens on Pinterest. That sparked my curiosity, and I followed the research trail to learn more about them. That led to the Foundling Museum’s website, which offers a treasure trove of information and personal stories about the mothers and children connected by those tokens. What I discovered helped me develop the characters and plot for A Token of Love. The story highlights one mother who gave her daughter into their care, then eight years later tries to reclaim her. But her daughter is missing, and that sets off a series of events that stirs all of London. Family drama, romance, inspiration, and a touch of mystery will make the story meaningful for readers.

If you like stories based on true events in history that will touch your heart and lift your spirit, then I think you will enjoy reading A Token of Love!

If you’d like to see more photos from my research trip to London and the Foundling Museum, I hope you’ll visit my website photo page!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 7

Maureen’s Musings, October 7

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 9

Connie’s History Classroom, October 9

Texas Book-aholic, October 10

Devoted To Hope, October 10

Simple Harvest Reads, October 11 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Live.Love.Read., October 11

Stories By Gina, October 12 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 12

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 13

lakesidelivingsite, October 13

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 14

Cover Lover Book Review, October 14

Lighthouse Academy Blog, October 15 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 16

Blossoms and Blessings, October 17

Holly’s Book Corner, October 17

Inspired by Fiction, October 18

Pause for Tales, October 18

Labor Not in Vain, October 19

To Everything There is A Season, October 20

Romances of the Cross, October 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away the grand prize of a $15 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of A Token of Love!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5461/

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Color of Home by Kit Tosello Book Review

About the Book:

The life she's designing may not be the life she's meant to live.

Bay Area interior designer to the rich and pretentious, Audrey Needham is already on thin ice with her impossible-to-please boss when her great-aunt Daisy asks for support as her husband descends into Alzheimer's. Now Audrey is risking the career she worked hard to build as she returns to Charity Falls, Oregon.

Her feelings toward the idyllic small town are . . . complicated. While she has many good memories of her childhood summers there, Charity Falls is also the place her father was killed in a tragic fire at the Sugar Pine Inn thirteen years ago.

Despite Audrey's intent to avoid emotional entanglement, something should be done about the deteriorating inn. A local girl with an incarcerated father needs a friend. And handsome local do-gooder Cade Carter is coloring Audrey all shades of uncertain. The pull of home is hard to resist.

My Review:

This is an adult coming of age novel as Audrey finds out what she really wants in life. A number of issues revolve around that frame. There is Audrey's great uncle who has dementia and there is a girl whose father is in prison. There is a potential romance but an obstacle creating misunderstanding. Healing from grief is also explored.

The plot might be a bit predictable and unrealistic with the necessary intervening event happening just a the necessary time. But then, this is fiction and a debut novel. I think Tosello will get more creative in her plot construction over time. She is a word smith and there were some passages where the writing was quite beautiful.

The first person narratives alternate between Daisy and Audrey. While the character is identified at the beginning of each section, it is not a technique I like. Reading an ebook, it is too easy to be confused as to the point of view a little way into a chapter.

This is just a feel good novel. It is one where you sigh at the end, feeling good.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author:

Kit Tosello is an award-winning writer of small-town contemporary fiction with a big heart, as well as inspirational essays and devotionals. With her eye trained on the beauty hiding in plain sight all around us, she arranges words with tenderness, humor, and hope. When not writing, Kit can be found in the loose-tea shop she operates with her husband, exploring the great Pacific Northwest, or enjoying the "great indoors"--bookstores and libraries. Always with a matcha latte in hand. Learn more at KitTosello.com. Photo credit: © Ely Roberts

Revell, 352 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

A Perfect Flock by Mike Bogue Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: A Perfect Flock

Author: Mike Bogue

Genre: Christian Science Fiction

Release date: October 26, 2023

Tuck Jameson vows to stop his brother Clay from joining The Body, a religious cult that uses nanotechnology to turn its members into Christian automatons.

But Clay disappears—and in three days, his nanotechnology conversion will be complete. Desperate to find Clay, Tuck enlists the aid of former high school mentor Adam Shimura, now a black ops agent with potentially mixed motives.

Brother Moody, the cult’s Chief Elder, mobilizes his acolytes against Tuck. Worse, a shocking prophecy ups the ante, making Tuck realize the stakes involve not only him and Clay, but all of America—and perhaps, the world.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This novel creates a situation where advanced technology is used by a powerful cult leader. The cult leader uses the Bible to manipulate people and nanotechnology to control them. The novel is a worrying picture of a possible future. There is quite a bit of Christian jargon in this novel. Christians will understand it but others might be overwhelmed by the terms.

The development of Moody, the cult leader's character, is disturbing as he can sound so Christian. It made me wonder if Bogue wanted us to consider if Moody could, at times, really hear from God. Perhaps we are to conclude it is a deceiving voice. I was unsure and would have rather had a clearer development of this aspect of his character. His mother's character was puzzling as she seemed to really be in touch with the Holy Spirit, yet sometimes seemed to be obeying her son. I didn't understand her actions as they felt inconsistent. Coach's character was the most puzzling of all. His actions seemed to be contradictory. In the end I was still wondering about him as there was no definitive conclusion.

Bogue explored several issues in this novel. Here are a couple. Is it acceptable to do something illegal to ultimately fulfill God's will? What is the price we should be willing to pay to stand up for what we believe is right?

I felt Bogue's writing style could have used some editing and polishing but, in general, I liked the premise and he has certainly written a thought provoking novel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Why does Mike Bogue write speculative fiction? Because he finds it a perfect genre to explore timeless themes and timely science, as well as the collision between technology and faith. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys watching Godzilla movies, singing 1960s pop tunes, and munching Fiber One brownies. Single and retired, Mike lives with his cat Bendi in Western Arkansas, where he and Bendi regularly hold contests to see who can nap the longest in a single day.

 

More from Mike

“If brainwashing means losing my free will for God’s sake, so be it.”

Thus says a recruit for the religious cult The Body in my novel A Perfect Flock.

When planning the novel, I wondered—should Christians use technology to enhance their moral lives? What if technology forced us to be good? Should we use it? Should we advocate it? Would it make Christians, and therefore the Gospel, more appealing to non-Christians?

A Perfect Flock explores these issues. In the novel, technology that might have been a blessing becomes a curse in the hands of cult leader Brother Moody. Indeed, becoming Moody’s version of a perfect Christian might just cost you your soul.

In A Perfect Flock, you will confront the well-meaning but dark future into which technology may be taking Christians and society; experience a fast-paced quest in which an older brother is determined to save his younger brother from technological enslavement; and face the tension between free will and enforced will—if we had the technology to force others to become Christians, should we?

If you like near-future Christian science fiction novels such as Steven James’ Synapse, I think you’ll enjoy A Perfect Flock.

A technical note: The book was released last October 23, so it is available now.

Best of hopes and dreams,

Mike

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 5

For the Love of Literature, October 6 (Author Interview)

The Book Zone, October 7

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 8 (Author Interview)

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 9

Through the Fire Blogs, October 10 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 11

Artistic Nobody, October 12 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 13

Stories By Gina, October 14 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 15 (Author Interview)

A Reader’s Brain, October 16 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, October 17

Back Porch Reads, October 18 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Mike is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5459

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Draw Near by Hadassah Treu Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: DRAW NEAR: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings

Author: Hadassah Treu

Genre: Christian Non-Fiction

Release date: March 15, 2024

Can something so painful, even tragic, actually be God’s way of blessing?

As believers, we generally expect good things to happen in our lives. We expect a blessing upon blessing because we love God and He loves us and we form an expectation of prosperity (relational, emotional, and physical). And when the tragedy strikes and we enter a season of unwanted changes and suffering, we are shocked, angry, disappointed, and confused. We start doubting God’s love and His good intentions and plans. We begin questioning His ways and methods. We don’t understand. It is difficult to reconcile the pain we feel with what we know about God. This encouraging book aims to help you not only identify and accept specific losses but to realize that painful experiences could be the birthplace of blessings. We lose something, but there is more to gain.

What is God using your pain for?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Treu gives us a fresh look at pain and suffering, how God works in them and how they are opportunities to grow close to God. The sufferings humble us and prepare us for ministry. Suffering is the path of self-knowledge, True says, and God knowledge.

Treu writes from her own experiences and is very honest about her own pain and disillusionment, including barrenness and the sudden death of her husband. She includes illustrations from Bible characters. She explores a number of issues including sadness, anxiety, rejection, loneliness, grief, failure, betrayal, and more. Each chapter contains review points with truths to declare, reflection questions, verses upon which to meditate, and a powerful prayer.

This is a powerful book containing great teaching and practical ideas. I highly recommend it.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Hadassah Treu is an international award-winning Christian author, blogger, poet, and speaker, and contributor to several faith-based platforms like Koinonia and Devotable, and a dozen devotionals and poetry anthologies in English and Bulgarian. She is a COMPEL Provers 31 Blog writer and Freelancing Community Group leader. Her writing is featured on (In)Courage, The Upper Room, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Her View From Home, Living by Design Ministries, Thoughts About God, Today’s Christian Living and other popular sites.

More from Hadassah

Why me? Why this? Why now? How am I going to heal from this pain? Where are you, Lord?

These are the questions I often asked when I stayed awake in the night, with tears burning down my cheeks. I needed a new perspective, a deeper understanding, and the assurance of God’s love and good plans in my painful experiences. I longed for comfort and hope, and help to fix my eyes on the divine transformation going on in my heart.

Do you face the same struggles?

We all do. We all need a biblical perspective and a new look at suffering to help us reconcile our painful experiences with what we know about God. Suffering remains a mystery and there is no simple theological answer to it. But what is our role? What are we supposed to think and do when we go through undeserved and unexpected pain and trauma?

The first and most important is to learn to see our dark moments as new chances and opportunities to draw near to God. We can choose to take off the glasses of loss and replace them with the lenses of God’s love, biblical truths, and thankfulness. Then our outlook will change and we will see more of the bigger picture. We can choose to live with open minds, believing God’s Word, with hands raised in prayer. We can commit to putting every effort into finding the balance between the reality we live in and the reality in which we live with God. It is in this balance of our reality and God’s reality that we find peace instead of fear, rest instead of anxiety, and wholeness instead of destruction.

Our painful experiences are glorious opportunities to draw near to God, to bond with Him, and to enjoy intimacy and fellowship with Him amidst the pain. This is the most important thing we can do in our lives because everything else results from bonding and connection. A loving connection with God births maturity, growth, transformation, and eternal blessings. Besides that, suffering is a privilege and a possibility to take part in our Lord’s sufferings and to know the power of His resurrection.

When we choose to listen and draw near to God in our pains, something miraculous will happen. God’s Spirit will birth blessings and precious gifts out of the pain.

Are you ready to unpack them?

Blog Stops

Inspired by Fiction, October 3

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 4

Fiction Book Lover, October 5 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 5

Texas Book-aholic, October 6

A Reader’s Brain, October 7 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 10

Back Porch Reads, October 11 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 11

Cover Lover Book Review, October 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 13

Stories By Gina, October 14 (Author Interview)

She Lives To Read, October 15

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 16 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

 

To celebrate her tour, Hadassah is giving away the grand prize of a $30 Amazon card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5457

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)