I've read the first three books in the Patrick Bowers series by Steve James, and while I enjoyed those, the detailed descriptions of murder and mayhem became a little much for my liking. There is some element of that in Placebo, but it seemed a much more tame ride than the Bowers books. That's a good thing in my opinion. That being said however, Placebo also seemed to lack the same kind of tension that the Bowers books used to keep me on the edge of my seat and reading into the wee hours of the morning. Placebo was enjoyable but in the end I was looking forward to finishing the book so I could move on to the next novel on my shelf. James is still a very good author even though this particular book didn't quite hit the mark for me. I'll read the next book in the series before deciding whether or not to carry on.

Tony Campolo and his challenging message has long been a thorn in the side of the contemporary church on both a corporate and personal level. In The Red Letters, Campolo's challenge is as direct and convicting as ever. This is an excellent DVD study for groups of any size that addresses topics from Materialism to Compassion to Joy. You will find a lot here to agree or disagree with, but one thing is certain: you will not finish this study unchanged.

At its heart, The Kite Runner is a story of one man trying to redeem himself for his complicity in a horrible act of violence committed against his best friend, who also happens to be a member of the lower, servant class who faced ridicule and oppression as a daily part of their lives. Set in Afghanistan in the 1970's right through to the present day, the story is at once heartbreaking and life-affirming. I came away with far greatest knowledge of the people and customs of Afghanistan, and a new sense of respect and understanding for the "regular" people of that war-torn nation who have suffered at the hands of outsiders for decades now. The Kite Runner is by no means a political novel, but the backdrop against which the story takes place plays a significant role in the development of the characters and the daily struggles they face - both internally and externally. I can't recommend this novel enough. It is a beautiful gift given to us by author Khaled Hosseini that deserves to be read for generations to come.

Just like so many other reviewers here, I found it extremely difficult to finish The Sentimentalists, despite the accolades it has received. In the end I managed to persevere but came to the same conclusion as so many others, namely, what's all the fuss about? I was intrigued by the mysterious back story of the Vietnam war, however, the book is primarily about the stunted relationship between a father and daughter. After finishing, I went back to re-read some critical sections as it related to the "fallen comrade" storyline, but even then, was still unable to piece together exactly what happened. Perhaps that was the author's intent. If so, it was a mystery buried much too deep, in my opinion. We never do find out the real events of the fateful night in question. Not the worst book I've ever read by a long shot, but certainly not one I would have awarded the Giller either.

"This is what the devil does to little girls."

That line will hit you like a punch in the gut as you read the latest novel from Tom Davis, the president and CEO of Children's HopeChest. I try not to write reviews immediately after finishing a book because the reaction can be too raw, too emotional to offer a balanced approach to what I've just read. In this case, a raw, emotional response is exactly what's required.

Priceless is the story of Stuart Daniels whom we met in Davis' previous novel SCARED. This time, photographer Daniels is on assignment in Russia when he gets swept into rescuing young girls from the underground sex slavery trade. Young girls who are primaily orphans that the rest of the world has either forgotten or turned a blind eye towards.

If this were simply a novel, I might be tempted to think of it as hyperbole, the product of an overactive imagination by an author with an agenda. Sadly, this is not hyperbole, and author Davis is all too familiar with the horrors of the sex trafficking industry as part of his work with HopeChest. Just like SCARED, Priceless left me angry at the animals who perpetuate the sex trade and profoundly sad for the young girls whose innocence is stolen from them at the time of their greatest need.

To call Priceless a great read is to imply that it is simply entertainment intended to while away a few hours. Yes, it is well written and difficult to put down, but this book will do far more than entertain...it will educate you and hopefully motivate you to learn more, to become involved in the fight against sex trafficking and the plight of orphans wherever they may be.

As with Scared, I recommend you get a copy of Priceless immediately and immerse yourself in this story about the dark world of sex-trafficking. Even here you will find the light of redemption - and you just might discover that God is calling you to be that light.

I just finished reading a book that has been on my shelf for years: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy. As head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Dungy led the team to a Super Bowl championship in 2006 (he has since retired and is doing commentary for NBC.) The book is a fascinating look at the life of a professional football coach at the highest level, but also a personal look at a man who's faith has sustained him during some very difficult circumstances - firings, loses, and the death of his son. Throughout the highs and lows, Dungy continually points the attention back to God as the source of his strength and the one who "works all things together for the good of those who love Him." The following is an inspirational handout that Dungy gave to his players while coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

"The first step toward creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it. Vision will ignite the fire of passion that fuels our commitment to do whatever it takes to achieve excellence. Only vision allows us to transform dreams of greatness into the reality of achievement through human action. Vision has no boundaries and knows no limits. Our vision is what we become in life."

A pretty good mission statement I'd say, all based on Tony's basic strategy of "Keep doing the ordinary things better than anyone else. Be uncommon. Do what we do." Good advice for football teams and the rest of us as well.

I'm a big Robin Parrish fan. He may in fact be my favorite Christian fiction author of the past few years so I was eagerly anticipating his latest novel Nightmare, a story that considers paranormal activity from a Christian perspective. As usual, the author's pacing is bang on, keeping me on the edge of my seat and making it almost impossible to put the book down. The chapter-by-chapter interplay between the present storyline and flashbacks leading up to the current crisis provides fantastic character development and also gives insight into "real" paranormal activity and locations as recorded throughout the years. That being said, I found the conclusion a bit too great of a stretch to be plausible and put the book down feeling a bit disappointed in this latest effort. I would still recommend Nightmare to any thriller/suspense fan but might suggest starting with another Parrish book before moving on to this one to avoid writing him off too quickly.

Although I get a little tired of the graphic "murder and mayhem" books that seem to be so popular with Christian publishers, I must admit that this was one incredible story that was almost impossible to put down. Author Steven James' previous books in the series - The Pawn and The Rook - we're great reads as well, but the depth of character and pacing of The Knight tops them both. If you enjoy suspense/mystery stories and can deal with some graphic scenes, then I highly recommend you pick up this book. You just might want to pick up a Rubik's Cube as well...

There's no need for me to rehash the plot here, as others have covered that off quite well already. I will say however, that I picked up this book on a whim, simply because I had a discount coupon to use, and am so glad that I did. Keith Donohue has written a novel that will pierce a place deep within you as you live through the struggles of two characters whose lives are forever entwined by the shared secret they carry. While falling broadly into the mythology/fantasy genre, this is no ethereal fairy story. The Stolen Child is very much grounded in the day to day lives of two people who grieve for a life they once knew, yet long to move forward to the promise of a better life ahead. This is one myth I will never forget; it will remain a part of my own story for a very long time.

This is a difficult novel to read simply because the storyline is anything but fiction. The horrific scenes portrayed here personalize the effects of extreme poverty in the life of one very special little girl and those she comes in contact with. I can't tell you the number of times I had to put the book down to wipe the tears from my eyes.

If you are a person who cares about those living in poverty, read this book then buy copies for your friends (I plan to.) If you are not convinced that God has called the church to serve the poor, this book will change your worldview. And if you've just never taken the time to become informed about the effects that poverty is having on children "over there," this book just might change your life.