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BOOKS AND PRODUCTS FROM 


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THE COLUMBUS CODE
by
Mike Evans


about the book
When Christopher Columbus set out to discover the New World, was it because he wanted to serve the king and queen of Spain or because he wanted to escape them? Did he have stronger ties to Jerusalem than anyone suspected? Was Columbus actually a Jew fleeing the Spanish Inquisition? And could uncovering those secrets prevent international disaster in a world of terrorism today? Secret Service agent John Winters is determined to find the answers in this riveting novel based on recent scholarly discoveries. In The Columbus Code, Middle East historian and New York Times best-selling author Mike Evans uses rich story to unscramble a historical puzzle and remind us how the past is always a part of who we are.


my review

I found this book hard to get into... It is much like The DaVinci Code an international suspense novel . Filled with ancient documents, terrorist threats and a secret society determined to establish a one-world government. Unfortunately, the story line in this book drags and the characters are not developed in a way the holds the attention of the reader. I just could not get into it...I did not even finish reading it....it is more for a person like my beloved husband...


I would recommend this book t those who like Mike Evans’ novel is perfect for those who like conspiracy theories and last days narratives.



about the author
Mike Evans is one of the most in-demand analysts on the subject of the Middle East. Evans recently launched the Mike Evans Museum in Jerusalem, Israel, officially known as the Friends of Zion Heritage Center. Michael David Evans is an award-winning journalist, has appeared on hundreds of network television and radio shows including Good Morning, America, Cross Fire, Nightline, The Good Morning Show (Great Britain), and appears frequently on the Fox Network, CNN World News, NBC, ABC, and CBS. He is one of the most in-demand analysts on the subject of the Middle East.  Dr. Evans' 2008 bestseller was Jimmy Carter: The Liberal Left and World Chaos. It was followed in 2009 by Atomic Iran, Countdown to Armageddon, and in 2010, Dr. Evans entered the field of fiction with the thriller, GameChanger. His book The Final Move beyond Iraq debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list in May 2007. It contained interviews with former CIA director James Woolsey, Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, General Hugh Shelton, Mort Zuckerman, owner, U.S. News and World Report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and a host of others.  Dr. Evans' book, Showdown with Nuclear Iran became a New York Times and Amazon.com bestseller. He is also the author of 30 books including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, USA Today, Amazon #1, and Barnes and Noble.com #1 bestseller, The American Prophecies, and the New York Times bestseller, Beyond Iraq: The Next Move.  Mike Evans has won more than fifteen national awards for his prime time specials based on his books. Evans is an award-winning producer, having produced eighteen documentaries on Israel. His most famous special "Let My People Go!" spotlighted Natan Sharansky, who was at the time in a gulag in Russia. Dr. Evans asked President Ronald Reagan to seek Mr. Sharansky's release, and the release of some 400 Jewish prisoners from President Mikhail Gorbachev. Dr. Evans also worked with a Dutch government official to encourage the opening of the doors of the Dutch Embassy in Moscow to the Jews of Russia.  Dr. Evans has met with over 52 leaders of nations, (including foreign ministers, ambassadors, prime ministers and kings). He has worked closely with Israel's prime ministers for almost three decades. As an advisor to Prime Minister Begin, he recommended Benjamin Netanyahu for his first government post. His recommendation followed a meeting with the future prime minister after his brother, Jonathan, had been shot in the back while leading the raid on Entebbe in Uganda. Benjamin Netanyahu is now serving his second term as prime minister of Israel. 
Dr. Evans is a member of the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. He has officially represented the evangelical broadcasting community in the United States for more than two decades covering strategic events throughout the world, such as the Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid and at the 43rd General Assembly of the United Nations specially convened session in Geneva. He also covered the International UN Conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, Netherlands, and the UN Durban Review Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

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THE METHUSELAH PROJECT
by
RICK BARRY

ABOUT THE BOOK
In World War II, German scientists began many experiments. One never ended.
Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed―until the day he's shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy.
When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success―but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn't Captain America―just a lousy existence only made passable by a newfound faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger's sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there's no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It's 2015―and the world has become an unrecognizable place.
Katherine Mueller―crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle―offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee?
Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

MY REVIEW

I am from German decent and I am always interested in books such as this. I do not agree with what many Germans have done but, lets remember the innocent. I was caught up instantly into the story. I wanted to see what would happen to Rodger,who is a very believably character. His experiences were filled with many trials....but Rodger was not the kind to give up. All the surroundings and other characters just came alive. Rick the author was very precise in describing all things around and the characters but not too over descriptive. I liked this book and now have placed Rick Barry on my favorite author list.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a good page turner!!!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rick Barry has authored three novels (Gunner's Run, Kiriath's Quest, most recently The Methuselah Project) as well as hundreds of published articles, and short stories. He speaks Russian and has visited Eastern Europe over 50 times. His experiences have included skydiving, mountain climbing, rappelling, camping in Russia, kayaking, wilderness hiking, white-water rafting, and visiting World War II battlegrounds. He believes that all experiences in life provide fuel for a writer's imagination. He and his wife Pam have two grown children and live near Indianapolis.

You can contact Rick through his author site, https://www.rickcbarry.com or via his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRickBarry.


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 the lost garden

by
Katharine Swartz

ABOUT THE BOOK 
Present and past residents of a countryside English vicarage search for love
Marin Ellis is in search of a new start after her father and his second wife die in a car accident leaving her the guardian of her fifteen-year-old half-sister, Rebecca. They choose the picturesque village of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast and settle into Bower House, the former vicarage, on the edge of the church property. When a door to a walled garden captures Rebecca’s interest, Marin becomes determined to open it and discover what is hidden beneath the bramble inside. She enlists the help of local gardener Joss Fowler, and together the three of them begin to uncover the garden’s secrets. In 1919, nineteen-year-old Eleanor Sanderson, daughter of Goswell’s vicar, is grieving the loss of her beloved brother Walter, who was killed just days before the Armistice was signed. Eleanor retreats into herself and her father starts to notice how unhappy she is. As spring arrives, he decides to hire someone to make a garden for Eleanor, and draw her out of―or at least distract her from―her grief and sorrow. Jack Taylor is in his early twenties, a Yorkshire man who has been doing odd jobs in the village, and when Eleanor’s father hires him to work on the vicarage gardens, a surprising―and unsuitable―friendship unfolds. Deftly weaving the dual narratives, Katharine Swartz explores themes of loyalty and love through her memorable characters and strong sense of place.

MY REVIEW
As I began reading this book, I sensed desperation, death, despair. It is not particularly the type of book I would typically choose. However, I continued reading this is a story of love, grief and forgiveness. of making sacrifices and fresh starts. I found myself feeling the heart of the characters and of the village in which they lived. The cutting of weeds and brambles unearthed more than a former garden. This is a warm story and has depth of meaning and characters as everyday as your neighbor might be. It is a book that goes from one area to another. It has a lovely ending.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life--although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they've gone off to! She writes women's fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com


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DAY OF ATONEMENT
by
David A. deSilva

ABOUT THE BOOK
In the blank pages between Malachi and Matthew, the course of an entire nation was changed . . .

His brother, the high priest Honiah, enjoyed the authority of the high priesthood, and all important decisions needed his approval. But it was Jason who was shaping the future of Jerusalem and, with it, all Judea. He breathed in again, imagining that he could feel the wave of destiny impelling him forward toward his vision as he exhaled . . .

The Greeks have taken over the world, but Jerusalem is still the same backwater city Jason has always known. He wants to help his hometown rise to a new age of prosperity and influence. If that means stretching the terms of the city s divine covenant, so be it. But how far is he willing to go to achieve Greek greatness for this Jewish city? It will take the willingness of a handful of Jews to die rather than violate the covenant in order to turn the tide back to God.

Written by an internationally recognized expert in the period between the Testaments, Day of Atonement invites readers into Judea during the tumultuous years leading up to the Maccabean Revolt. It was this pivotal decade that reminded Jews of the centrality of the covenant to their national security and taught them that the covenant was worth dying for. The story is so foundational, it is still told every year at Hanukkah. The lessons learned during this turbulent time also shed light on just what was at stake in the ministry of Jesus, whose radical message seemed to threaten the covenant once again. 

Day of Atonement joins the perennially successful novels Pontius Pilate and The Flames of Rome by renowned historian Paul Maier on Kregel s premier list of captivating and historically accurate biblical novels.

MY REVIEW
It took me a long while to get into this book because there are descriptions of architecture, priest duties, sacrifices, Sabbath observation, foods served at meals, etc. It is not a page turner. David did a nice job of showing the complexities of the time. The characters are well developed.
One good thing about this book is in the amount of information it contains concerning the tumultuous time between the Old and New Testaments, leading up to the Maccabean Revolt. There were family rivalries and feuds as individuals connived for the powerful office of High Priest. Other families struggled to remain faithful to Jehovah during the time of the encroaching pagan culture. Readers will gather much about the historical events of the time.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading historical book.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David deSilva combines his superb historical knowledge with deep religious understanding and literary sensitivity to create a story that does more than reconstruct the circumstances leading to the Maccabean rebellion. Day of Atonement compellingly explores issues that continue from antiquity to the present: the relationship between faith and politics, the struggle between national identity and cultural assimilation, the zeal of the martyr, the power of faith." 
—Amy-Jill Levine, professor of New Testament and Jewish studies, Vanderbilt University 

"Moving from the Mediterranean coast to Jerusalem, I pass Modein in the low foothills. Here I contemplate, and mystically relive, some dramatic events in our history. I look back westward to the coastal plain and imagine the foreign armies being defeated by Judas Maccabeus. Looking ahead to the Judean hills rising to the east, I often ponder the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple and the inauguration of Hanukkah. All these events spring to light in deSilva’s magisterial novel, crafted after decades of walking these hills and reading the historical accounts. History without imagination is dull; with informed sensitivity ancient heroes take on flesh. Echoing now is Ari’s question: 'Where are heroes like that now?'" 
—James H. Charlesworth, director and editor of the Princeton Dead Sea Scrolls Project 

"When it comes to the history of Israel or early Christianity, historically sound novels are few and far between. Sometimes a good writer doesn't know his religious history well enough; sometimes a good historian is not a skilled enough writer to pull off page-turner that both educates and entertains. David deSilva's new novel reflects a high level of skill on both counts. Applying his considerable expertise in intertestamental literature, deSilva provides us with a winsome tale about how Hellenized Jews sought not merely to recover their land from foreign rulers but to 'plunder the Greeks' when it came to art, education, and language. Highly recommended." 
—Dr. Ben Witherington III, Amos Professor of NT for Doctoral Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary - See more at:day-of-atonement



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Bible Dominoes


This domino game helps children to learn about the Bible and Jesus while playing! It also encourages communication, sharing, counting, and matching skills. The pieces are large and colorful, so they're easy to pick up, and the pictures are clear. The set includes 28 dominoes with a mixture of Bible story characters, numbers, and animals to match, as well as instructions and a story booklet explaining the stories featured on the cards. A useful resource for home, school, or Sunday school. 

My Review
I asked to review this product because I love sharing Jesus with others, especially with young children....to plant a seed in their mind and heart.
When I received this and saw the box that is bright and happy I thought this is awesome!!!
Then when I opened it I was even more surprised and excited because the dominoes are also brightly colored and easy to see.....they are larger than I expected and easy enough for the very youngest to understand. 

Even in the electronic age I believe all children would love to play with these AWESOME dominoes!!! Not only does it teach children to add but more importantly they teach them about JESUS!!! I gave this set to my grand-nephew who LOVES the dominoes and enjoys playing with them with his mom.

I HIGHLY recommend these dominoes for the younger ages and for the parents too!!!

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My Little Life of Jesus

My Little Life of Jesus introduces the story of Jesus' life to 3-to 5-year-olds. It follows Jesus from His birth, being baptized by John, meeting the disciples and teaching them how to pray, telling His stories to people in nearby towns and villages, right through to His return to the heavenly Father. Illustrated throughout with adorable artwork from a popular Candle Books artist, there is also a map included to show the land where Jesus lived. This padded hardcover comes complete with a presentation page for gift or award giving.

My Review
I wanted to read this book because it is for little children and I wanted to see how Jesus story was written out for them.....i was pleasantly surprised by how the pictures did not have a blonde haired blue-eyed Jesus....and the story was written so easy to understand that the 3 to 5 years children will have no problem understanding this life changing story. Well Done!!!
I would recommend this book to ALL parents!!! 

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If You Follow Me
By
Pam Rhodes


Description:
In the parish of Dunbridge, the news is out--Claire and Neil are engaged! And yet, almost before the celebrations have begun, Ben, the father of Claire's son, appears back on the scene--keen to pick up where he and Claire left off.
As Neil reels in the face of Claire's confusion, Wendy always seems to be there to provide support and comfort. Little does he know of Wendy's involvement in Ben's reappearance . . .
However, Neil has little chance to ponder his love life as the whole weight of running the church and parish descends upon his inexperienced shoulders. His mother, Iris, who has never hesitated to share her opinions, has just moved to be near him and Neil's time as a curate in Dunbridge is coming swiftly to an end. Where should he go next, and just who will go with him?


My Review

.This book held a few surprises.
I love the characters and the setting of the story so much, there were a few questionable moments in the story that I wasn’t sure of.
If you love small town stories, rich in characters don’t miss this one!
This is a well written story that invites us into the life of Neil.

There is one main theme, the love triangle, and many sub plots within. You will fall in love with many of the characters. This story will make you laugh and cry... it will put your emotions on a "roller coaster" ride; and keep you wondering what next?

The only thing that disturbed me was, a clergy was engaged to an unbeliever. The Bible tells us not to yolk ourselves with unbelievers, and not to "missionary date" 2 Cor. 6:14.

This book does have a very liberal theology but this book had a few things that bothered me:

 The preacher married a non-Christian, something the Bible teaches against.
 There was a use of the bad word used for women that aren't so nice which the Bible teaches against
The book gave approval of homosexuality as a lifestyle. Which the Bible teaches against

This book is well written, if you can overlook a few things I just mentioned.

Sorry to say I do not believe this things that are written in it and would not recommend this book.
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The Bachelor 
A Plain City Peace book
By
Stephanie Reed

About the Book
In this sequel to The Bargain, Betsie Troyer is back home in her Amish community where she knows she belongs, free from the confusing Englisher way of life.
She and Charley Yoder have made promises to each other, and her life is back on track–until Gerald Sullivan shows up with his young daughter, asking for Betsie’s help. He’s on his way to find his estranged wife, and begs Betsie to take young Sheila in. When she agrees, Betsie’s carefully planned life is shaken up again. Sheila’s newfound faith is troubling to Charley–and his attraction to another girl is beginning to be a problem. But how can Betsie confront him when she is still trying to confront her own feelings about Sheila’s brother, Michael? Keeping the peace between the Amish man she’s always loved, a twelve-year-old Englisher girl, and a draft-dodging hippie is more than she ever thought she’d have to deal with in her simple, orderly life. Still, Betsie is convinced she can keep things from falling apart completely. Then during her best friend’s wedding, tragedy strikes and her world is upended. She has to make a decision: does she love Charley or Michael . . . or is she craving a deeper love that only God can give?
The compelling second novel of the Plain City Peace series, The Bachelor deftly weaves together the strands of a solid, simpler time with the turmoil of an era of change, revealing the strengths of both in its powerful narrative.


My Review
I haven't read the first book of this series, The Bargain, but that didn't take anything away from this book for me. I thought Reed did a great job with introducing her characters to new readers. In fact, one of my favorite parts of this book was the way Reed slowly revealed the true heart of each character. It seems like a lot of authors either give away everything to soon, or don't fully realize who the character is. Reed hits exactly the right balance of telling readers about the characters and letting us make our own judgments about them.

I thought the plot and the message in the book was very good as well. I have read a lot of Amish fiction, but I have to say that I learned a lot about the Amish lifestyle and beliefs in this one. It seems like Amish fiction either romanticizes the lifestyle, or goes to the other extreme. Reed educates readers while entertaining us, which is the best part about reading! I also appreciated the unusual time period in which the book was set. You don't see a lot of Amish fiction set in the 1970's.

The only negative thing I have to say about this book is from the very last page. It is the absolute worst thing for a reader to get to the end of a great book and then discover that the sequel isn't due out for some time. In this case, readers have to wait until Winter 2016! I was very sad to learn I would have to wait that long, because I really enjoyed the characters and the story and can't wait that long to find out what happens next!

This is a very entertaining book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction.


ABOUT STEPHANIE REED
Stephanie Reed lives on the outskirts of Plain City, Ohio, site of a once-thriving Amish community. She gleans ideas for her novels from signs glimpsed along the byways of Ohio, as she did for her previous books, “Across the Wide River” and “The Light Across the River.”
Find out more about Stephanie at https://www.facebook.com/StefReedBooks


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