I'm getting a vision

"The Witch of Lime Street:  Séance, Seduction, and Houdini in the Spirit World" by David Jaher tells the true story of how Houdini and his gang of scientist  exposed the scam artists otherwise known as Spiritualist.  Scientific American, a magazine during the 1920's, had arranged to have a contest for the medium that could pass all of their tests to be claimed "genuine".  During the 20's, America was going through a paranormal phase.  It was all the vogue.  Everyone wanted to believe it was true, though probably no one really did.  But it was fun to believe.  Much like our present day essential oils.  Houdini, however, was a skeptic, mostly because at one time he had been a fake mind reader/ medium.  His job in the contest was to figure out how the medium was faking.  He always got his ghost.  The medium that came the closest was Margery, the wife of a surgeon who deeply believed in spiritualism, even when he was faking it.  Margery was more charming then convincing and sometimes, that is all it takes.
This is a long, detailed book.  It is extremely well researched and beautifully written.  However, it is not a light read.  If you know little about this era or Houdini, I recommend watching the biography movie, Houdini, the one with Adrien Brody first.  It will help with catch up and visualization.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review from www.bloggingforbooks.com.

Daylight

"Street God" by Dimas Salaberrios with Dr. Angela Hunt, is the autobiography of Salaberrios, street name, Daylight, a drug dealing boss from Queens.  Dimas began dealing at the age of 11 and transferred it to a regular career by the age of 14.  Though he wasn't raised to that lifestyle, his mother a principal and father a Community corrections officer, Dimas had big dreams of being a street god.  It was a life he chose.  He had other choices, he wasn't hungry, he knew right from wrong.  He wanted to be a dealer.  After many tangles with both the law and other dealers, Dimas comes to know Jesus.  He goes to Him in a naive state and learns his way around the church world.  Which isn't always better than the drug world.  He eventually learns what God has in mind for him and begins his own church and ministry, taking it to the very streets he that he began.
This book is an incredible story.  He never takes on a bragging atmosphere whether talking about the dealing or the preaching.  I am unsure how much is Salaberrios and how much is Hunt, but the writing is quiet charismatic.  I would highly recommend t his book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Tyndale Blog Network.

The Methuselah Project review

"The Methuselah Project" by Rick Barry follows Roger Greene, a WWII fighter pilot who was shot down in Germany.  He was taken prisoner by the Reich and used in the Methuselah Project, which was experiments to achieve a super soldier.  A soldier that healed miraculously quick and didn't age.  Roger was held prisoner until 2015 when he finally escaped and came to the United States.  Katherine is an American woman in her early twenties who works for the modern day Nazi Party called the Heritage Order.  However, she doesn't have any knowledge of the what the Order actually does.  She is assigned to watch Roger and bring him in until her uncle, a high level member, returns from a hunting trip in Africa.  The story idea is great, however, the middle tends to drag.  That would be the only negative I could give.  The end reads similar to a Bourne novel. Lots of excitement and drama.   I really like the beginning and the end.  I received this book in exchange for a review from The Book Club Network. 

Why do bad things happen.......

In Shelley Hitz's "Trusting God When Bad Things Happen", Hitz asks the age old question:  Why do bad things happen to good people?  She never really answers, but she does give the tools to learning to trust God when the bad things do happen.  This is a small book; I used it like a devotional, but it really isn't.  She draws from her own life experiences and encourages the reader to journal.  I received this book from www.bodyandsoulpublishing.com. 

Merry Christmas!

Our family Christmas is over.  We have had quiet an eventful one.  Long too.  We've had over night guests.  Some are still here!  From Texas and Arizona to Missouri and Oregon.  Our version of Four Christmases included Star Wars, guitar jamborees, football, 5 hour poker games (twice), target practice, a couple of car wrecks, a tiny blizzard, extreme snacking, three babies, Christmas morning in London, and watching the Chiefs snag the playoffs live and in person.  Presents included homemade dishes, appliances, 4 pairs of shoes, and 6 World Series shirts!  It was fun while it lasted but I am glad things are calming down.  Time to think about the birth of our Savior and the impact of his life (and death).  Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year!

Going back to Sanctuary

"Rising Darkness" by Nancy Mehl is the third novel in the Sanctuary series.  It also incorporates the Kingdom series.  I love that she decided to write about Sophie from Kingdom.  You remember her.  The weird, hateful girl with the horrible parents.  Sophie has become tired of being that girl from Kingdom and has reinvented herself.  She has a job as a food critic for a St Louis paper, but has dreams of being an investigative reporter.  She has a lead on a cold case of two robbers/killers that may be hiding out in Sanctuary.  She goes undercover to root them out.  Only to discover Jonathan, the love (from afar) of her life has taken up residence there.  Sophie has changed so much, that even Jonathan doesn't recognize her.  Sophie begins a delicate tight walk of finding the story and dealing with the hurt of her past that Sanctuary keeps reminding her of.
Mehl just gets better with each novel.  Sophie is such a great, realistic character.  She wasn't covered deeply in Kingdom, but here we get to know her and her past.  Mehl develops her characters more with each novel.  I give this one 5 stars.  I don't know what I'm going to do with the next one.  Have to readjust my rating scale I guess.  I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers. 

House at Homecoming Review

"The House at Homecoming Cove" by Ginny Baird begins as a simple romance, but then the ghosts enter the picture.  I would classify this as a romance/mystery/ghost story.  There is a little something for everyone.  Melissa is a pianist that writes music for television shows.  She has writer's block, therefore, she rents a house in Homecoming Cove for a month to set her mind straight.  While there she meets Stone, the caretaker's goodlookin' grandson who does the yard work.  The two have sort of de ja vu thing going on and an instant attraction turns to romance.  Melissa learns of the house's story and the legend of Fiona, the ghost of the house.  As Fiona is haunting the two, the romance is brewing.  When they aren't gazing they are trying to solve the mystery of why Fiona is haunting in the first place. 
Though an experience romance reader might find the story predictable, the younger reader will love it.  It is a sweet romance. Making out, no sex.  I would recommend it for the teen to 30 year old crowd.  Or really any one wanting a little romance and is tired of the "just sex" part.  I received this book from the author through the Sweet Team.