The Narnia Code

Michael Ward

Tyndale House Publishers

softcover, 208 pages, $13.99

978-1-414-33965-8

It's difficult, if not impossible, to approach Ward's The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens without a giant's share of skepticism. Would Lewis have kept such a major underpinning of his most popular books secret? And yet, hard as it is to believe, Ward's answer to this question, and his explanation of his theory, has been joyfully convincing for many scholars and fans alike.

After describing how he came to his discovery, Ward examines how each of the "Narnia" books, while clearly retaining their biblical connections, are thematically linked to one of the seven planets—or "heavens"—of medieval cosmology. Intimately familiar with Lewis' work, Ward explains that Lewis, a literary classics scholar, admired the medieval "heavens" as portraits of the wonder of God's creation.

Aslan's faithful need not fear: The "code" does not diminish the centrality of Aslan, nor his role as a Christ figure. Ward's discovery does no harm to the biblical connections present in the series; on the contrary, it makes them clearer.

—Dave Stuart Jr.

Our Witchdoctors Are Too Weak

Davey and Marie Jank

Monarch Books (Kregel Publications)

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-1-857-21008-1

Calling to mind Don Richardson's missions autobiography Peace Child, with its profound story of an unreached tribe receiving "God's Talk" for the first time, Our Witchdoctors Are Too Weak: The Rebirth of an Amazon Tribe tells of the Janks' 10 years among the Wilo from the Amazon village of Pikali.

Among witchdoctors and jungle animals, hiking trails and riding by canoe or outboard motor, the authors show how difficult it can be to live in a place with limited medical treatment, where the food is strange to one's palate and with people who have never had an opportunity to hear God's words to them.

With a sometimes humorous story that emphasizes the power and simplicity of God's Word, Our Witchdoctors Are Too Weak reads quickly, and will give each reader an understanding of the significance of being a witness, wherever one may be.

—Jennifer Toth

God's Guest List

Debbie Macomber

Howard Books

hardcover, 208 pages, $23

978-1-439-10896-3

Macomber—herself admired by fans as an author of New York Times best-selling fiction—confesses that she longed to meet certain people she admired or who inspired her. But, in doing so, she discovered some weren't all she had expected. Disappointed, she soon realized that the people who had the most profound effect on her life were the ones God wanted her to meet.

In God's Guest List: Welcoming Those who Influence our Lives, Macomber encourages readers to take their focus off of those they perceive to be important and begin to view every person as an opportunity to bless and be blessed. In her case, one of the people God wanted her to "meet" was her own mother, who she felt was perpetually disappointed in her, and one of her assistants, who was fond of being in control.

With humility, Macomber admits that she fell into a focus on celebrity. In God's Guest List, she helps readers who, like herself, are ready to take on God's priorities and look for His hand in their lives.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

Dancing With the Avatar

Jovan Jones

Destiny Image

softcover, 336 pages, $16.99

978-0-768-432718

Dancing With the Avatar, book two in the "Descent" series, is a continuation of Jones' fiction based on her true life story. In the novel, she incorporates her experience of living in India and exposes the spiritual powers of Hinduism.

Maya, a young American, continues her spiritual quest with guru Cha Ma while living at an ashram in India. As she dutifully participates, she seeks to reach enlightenment, but what she does not see is a spiritual realm where her chant for the deity Kali invites demons to surround her—demons who are trying to kill her.

With Christian parents back home praying for her, angels are positioned to protect her from the plans of the enemy. The battles between the angels and demons lay a foundation for the plans the Lord has for Maya and her parents.

Jones' characters address the differences of Western and Indian civilization and culture. She also provides a glossary and pronunciation aid to assist readers with unfamiliar terminology. With the popularity of best-selling book Eat, Pray, Love, Dancing With the Avatar should ride the wave of recent interest in Indian culture.

—Nicole Anderson

Dining With Joy

Rachel Hauck

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 320 pages, $14.99

978-1-595-54339-4

In Beaufort, S.C., Joy Ballard has become the host of her own cooking show; there's only one problem—she can't cook. In Dining With Joy: A Low Country Romance, Joy promises her father minutes before he dies that she will take on his show. All is well until her producer decides to sell the show to Allison Wild of Wild Women Productions—who was never told of Joy's lack of cooking skills.

Enter chef Luke Davis, who has lost his Manhattan restaurant and ends up working at a local café to pay off his debts. Joy and Luke, who is also in the dark about her secret, fall in love and, as young Christians, must fight the physical chemistry they feel for each other. Joy's secret is revealed on national television, and now both she and Luke must regain their dignity.

Hauck, a former president of the American Christian Fiction Writers, will attract fans of Southern fiction who have read her previous novels in the genre, including Sweet Caroline and Lost in NashVegas. Dining With Joy is a quirky romance to be enjoyed by readers even if they have never visited the South.

—Tanya Ohle

Common Prayer

Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Enuma Okoko

Zondervan

hardcover, 512 pages, $24.99

978-0-310-32619-9

Not to be read alone but in community, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals was not written alone either. Claiborne, an activist who lives in a "new monastic" community in inner-city Philadelphia; Wilson-Hartgrove, a Baptist minister also in a monastic community; and Okoko, a woman who was formerly director for Duke Divinity School's Center for Theological Writing, came together to create this volume.

Seeing liturgy as a tool to bring unity, the authors encourage every Christian, from the Pentecostal to the Benedictine, to use this volume of songs, prayers, ideas and memories meant to be spoken aloud and shared in some kind of community. Along with a well-organized liturgy, the guide includes prayers for special occasions and a selection of songs ranging from the Doxology to Taize chants and African-American spirituals.

Appealing to the liturgy veteran as well as the novice, Common Prayer encourages active prayer and worship as believers join to regularly refocus their lives on God.

—Christine D. Johnson

Letters to a Young Calvinist

James K.A. Smith

Brazos Press (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 160 pages, $14.99

978-1-587-43294-1

The apostle Paul wrote epistles, or letters, to instruct, edify and encourage. So, too, do contemporary authors such as Christopher Hitchens (Letters to a Young Contrarian) and George Weigel (Letters to a Young Catholic).

Drawing inspiration from this genre, philosopher Smith writes a series of letters and postcards to "Jesse," a fictional recipient who represents an amalgam of young believers—and their questions—whom Smith encountered during his ministry in Los Angeles. These letters serve as an introduction to Calvinism and the Reformed tradition.

Smith's work is especially relevant because Time magazine recently listed New Calvinism as one of today's most influential ideas, and this year marks the 500th anniversary of John Calvin.

Letters to a Young Calvinist is a crisp, conversational collection of theological education and spiritual formation presented in digestible form.

—Brian Smith McCallum

Generous Justice

Timothy Keller

Dutton Adult (Penguin Group USA)

hardcover, 172 pages, $19.95

978-0-525-95190-2

How does the gospel affect our attitude toward the poor? In an intensely biblical, immensely practical eight chapters, pastor and best-selling author Keller provides the what, why and how of living justly in response to God’s grace. Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just argues that “our heart attitude toward the poor reveals our heart attitude toward Christ.”

And yet, Keller’s book is not a guilt-laden, moralistic journey through the Bible. On the contrary, he points out that guilt is not adequate motivation for doing justice—it may goad us into volunteering occasionally, but it will not lead us to “ponder long and hard about how to improve [the] entire situation” of the powerless.

Only the One who considered humanity’s miserable situation, entered it and sacrificed everything to free us from it can lead us into such a rigorous approach to justice. This is why Keller repeatedly draws his readers to consider the cross.

Readers will be strengthened in joy and inspired to seek genuine justice in practical ways, and their walk with the Lord will be renewed by Keller’s intimacy with the gospel.

Adventures in Daily Prayer

Bert Ghezzi

Brazos Press (Baker Publishing Group)

hardcover, 160 pages, $17.99

978-1-587-43267-5

In the well-named Adventures in Daily Prayer: Experiencing the Power of God’s Love, Ghezzi shares his experience in daily communication with God and encourages the reader to begin his or her own adventure of meaningful prayer.

Along with relating his personal experience, Ghezzi, a Catholic charismatic Christian, also offers the testimonies of Catholic saints and evangelical Christians as they developed their prayer life. At the end of each chapter, he encourages readers to think, pray and act, as they practice a more disciplined prayer time.

Adventures in Daily Prayer is a book to be experienced, not simply read. With topics such as praying in the Spirit and relying on God, it has the potential to lead to a richer, more rewarding prayer time for anyone seeking to draw near to God. It could also serve well as a study guide for prayer groups.

Between a Rock and a Grace Place

Carol Kent

Zondervan

hardcover, 224 pages, $22.99

978-0-310-33098-1

Best-selling author and speaker Kent continues the story of her son Jason’s life imprisonment and the emotional consequences to his family, in Between a Rock and a Grace Place: Divine Surprises in the Tight Spots of Life.

Kent reveals the hard truths she had to re-learn more than 10 years after Jason murdered his stepchildren’s father in order to protect the children after all other avenues seemed lost. She introduces people she has met along life’s road—from one woman who suffered with postpartum depression to another whose choir-director husband was arrested for homosexual activity. Kent reminds the reader that the cross is for everyone and that no matter how devastating their experience, the grace, mercy and love of God is always greater.

Mixing her heartbreaking tale with the redemptive qualities of the cross, Between a Rock and a Grace Place is for people in any stage of the grief process and for those who support them. 

The Next Christians

Gabe Lyons

Doubleday Religion

hardcover, 240 pages, $19.99

978-0-385-52984-6

In 2007’s UnChristian, Lyons and David Kinnaman shared research indicating what Christians had long been uneasily surmising: that younger generations were disenchanted with “church as usual.” In The Next Christians: The Good News About the End of Christian America, he builds on this work by describing the type of Christian practice that is drawing in new generations.

This is not a book of “relevant” techniques or successful programs. Rather, the Christianity that Lyons describes is rooted in historical orthodoxy and centered in a full-fleshed gospel. He portrays Christians who are viewing the world not as it is, but as it ought to be, and who fight for these “oughts.” The bulk of the book describes “restorers” who are creators of culture (rather than critics), who are living in community (rather than in isolation) and who are called (rather than merely employed).

With Lyons’ gift for observation, The Next Christians offers a glimpse at the Holy Spirit’s overall work in America today.

The God Hater

Bill Myers

Howard Books

softcover, 320 pages, $14.99

978-1-439-15326-0

Myers blends philosophy, science fiction and modern-day action in The God Hater, a tale that keeps the reader thinking while flipping pages.

Professor Nicholas Mackenzie loves to flay Christians with his razor-sharp thinking and atheistic philosophy, yet he’s loveless and friendless except for Annie Brooks, a molecular biologist who is also a Christian. Enter Travis Mackenzie, Nicholas’ errant brother who kidnaps him and starts him on a journey of self-discovery, thanks to Travis’ highly advanced cyberworld.

Nicholas tests all his pet philosophies—Darwinism, existentialism, relativism, Buddhism—yet none can save the cyberworld. He’s left with only one option—offering his cyber self as a sacrifice to save the people there. As Nicholas becomes enmeshed in the cyberworld, Annie and Travis must contend with enemies from all sides eager to steal or destroy the technology Travis created.

In The God Hater, Myers offers a well-thought novel that challenges ancient and modern philosophy, while offering a logical metaphor for creationism.

The Twelfth Imam

Joel C. Rosenberg

Tyndale House Publishers

hardcover, 384 pages, $26.99

978-1-414-31163-0

Author Rosenberg combines fears of a nuclear-armed Iran with speculation, in the espionage thriller The Twelfth Imam,the first of a new series. The title alludes to an event in Muslim eschatology tantamount to Christ’s Second Coming.

Iranian by blood, but born American after his parents fled Khomeni’s 1979 revolution, David Shirazi excels as an undercover CIA operative in the Middle East hoping to gain intelligence on Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

While Israel prepares for a pre-emptive strike on Iran, a miraculous healer reveals himself to Iran’s leadership as the long-awaited Twelfth Imam, calling for an apocalyptic attack on Israel and America to usher in the end of the age. Shirazi’s best hope for averting the crisis may be a high-ranking Iranian nuclear scientist who has begun to question the Muslim faith and converts after an encounter with Jesus.

Rosenberg’s narrative is fast-moving and engaging, despite a shifting point of view. Some readers may find the resolution overly dependent on the supernatural, but others will appreciate the reference to visions that many believe still lead Muslims to Christ today.

The Coming Economic Armageddon

David Jeremiah

FaithWords

hardcover, 272 pages, $23.99

978-0-446-56594-3

A pastor and author whose recent works have centered on the End Times, such as the New York Times best-seller What On Earth Is Going On? (Thomas Nelson), Jeremiah continues that trend with his debut FaithWords title, The Coming Economic Armageddon: What Bible Prophecy Warns About the New Global Economy.

Looking through the lens of biblical prophecy, Jeremiah presents the signs leading to a new global economy under the control of the Antichrist, including the recent economic recession, American debt and unemployment figures. He compares current news with historical milestones that brought the world to this point. At the same time, the book includes personal warnings to readers, such as resisting materialism and debt.

The Coming Economic Armageddon is sobering for casual readers, although the author still delivers encouragement for Christians in the Last Days.

Hope Unseen

Capt. Scotty Smiley with Doug Crandall

Howard Books

hardcover, 256 pages, $24.99

978-1-439-18379-3

Smiley, a U.S. Army captain tells of his recovery from a life-altering injury in Hope Unseen: The Story of the U.S. Army’s First Blind Active-Duty Officer. Blinded by an Iraqi insurgent car bomb in 2005, Smiley forges a new way to serve his country, teaching leadership skills at the United States Military Academy.

Desiring a military career from an early age, Smiley descends into despair after losing his sight less than two years into his first deployment. He relies on his family to get through his rehabilitation, particularly his wife, who refuses to sign papers that would have discharged him as a wounded veteran. Smiley eventually accomplishes many things he had once written off as impossible: attending graduate school, extreme sports—surfing, skydiving, mountain climbing—and raising two sons.

Smiley’s autobiographical account is mostly chronological, though he flashes forward or back at appropriate times for effect. Readers will appreciate how Smiley’s faith gives him the will to believe that God still has a purpose for his life. The book includes eight pages of black and white photos.

—John Leatherman

The Faith and Values of Sarah Palin

Stephen Mansfield and David A. Holland

FrontLine (Strang Book Group)

hardcover, 256 pages, $22.99

978-1-616-38164-6

Best-selling author Mansfield and writing partner Holland reflect on the life of 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate in The Faith and Values of Sarah Palin: What She Believes and What It Means for America. The book investigates the ways her faith informs and influences her personal and political choices.

Palin took seriously her youth pastor’s challenge to be salt and light, sensing she was destined to serve. Devoted to family, with husband Todd his own man but ever supportive, she is strongly pro-life, which led her to carry her Down’s Syndrome baby, Trig, to full term against medical advice. The authors also write of her stand to see the creation account given a fair hearing in public schools.

Seeking to explain Palin and her views, the authors pause after each of the book’s three sections to learn from her beginnings, reflect on her politics and even offer her advice. The reader will see her as a devoted servant of the people aiming to practice her faith in the public square.

—Christine D. Johnson

City On Our Knees

TobyMac

Bethany House (Baker Publishing Group)

hardcover, 224 pages, $19.99

978-0-764-20865-2

TobyMac’s song “City on Our Knees” took the Christian music world by storm, and now the musician takes his lyrics one step further with this book, which “reflects the message of the song,” he says.

In the song, 
TobyMac sings, “when we step across the line, we can sail across the sea”; in the book he illustrates the lyric with numerous stories of people who have stepped across lines of persecution, doubt, prejudice or despair to change the world one bit at a time. From Augustine of Hippo to young Alexandra Scott and her lemonade stand, from John Wesley to Haiti earthquake survivor Dan Wooley, all have helped create a better world.

Many stories are familiar—George Mueller’s orphanages, The Blind Side’s Michael Oher’s journey to football fame—but just as many aren’t, such as Jeannine Brabon’s work in a Colombian prison.

Yet all, including TobyMac with his own insights, will inspire readers with a strong message of action and love to step across the line.

—Ann E. Byle

Stronger

Jim Daly

David C. Cook

softcover, 240 pages, $14.99

978-1-434-76446-1

Daly, who serves as president and CEO of Focus on the Family, writes about one of the paradoxes of the Christian—the blessing of brokenness—in Stronger: Trading Brokenness for Unbreakable Strength.

No stranger to suffering, as a boy he was abandoned by his alcoholic father and then lost his mother to cancer. He not only shares vignettes from his own life—his marriage and his wife’s struggle with depression—but also relays the stories and struggles of others who’ve crossed his path, offering no easy answers to the “Why, God?” question.

Drawing from David’s Psalms and Paul’s writings, Daly explains that life’s tribulations cause people to become beaten, bitter or broken. The path of brokenness is the preferred road, he says, reminding readers of Paul’s signature philosophy in 2 Cor. 12:10: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Believers will especially appreciate Daly’s teaching on the different facets of hope. Ultimately, he steers readers’ attention to the source of eternal strength, closing with a quote from Psalm 62: “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.”

—Brian Smith McCallum

Immanuel’s Veins

Ted Dekker

Thomas Nelson

hardcover, 384 pages, $25.99

978-1-595-54009-6

When advance publicity material warns that Dekker’s latest is for everyone, but “not everyone is for this story,” it’s either nervousness or clever marketing. Certainly in this tale of vampires and seduction set in 18th-century Russia, Christian fiction’s favorite provocateur once more pushes the boundaries as he depicts the lure of sin in a way that may make some frown. But there is a strong redemptive thread woven into the adventure for those who persist beyond any initial discomfort.

It’s not all subtle: IV (Get it?) features an ancestral being named Alucard. Yet, the story of warrior Toma Nicolescu’s heroic love for beautiful but bewitched Lucine Cantemir is fast-paced—like a period-themed music video—and rich in imagery about the power of blood to infect or deliver.

This edgy parable—while maybe not for everyone—could entice and then entreat “Twilight” fans to shine a light into the dreamy shadows cast by the vampire series and discover that temptation demands a price that only true love can pay.

—Andy Butcher

Naomi and Her Daughters

Walter Wangerin Jr.

Zondervan

hardcover, 228 pages, $24.99

978-0-310-32734-9

Based on Judges and Ruth, Naomi and Her Daughters weaves the history of ancient Israel into the drama of Naomi’s life as a 
storyteller-poet.

Naomi enters the homes and hearts of the residents of Bethlehem where she ministers to their physical needs, and as their wise woman or Hakamah, teaches them their history. Wangerin’s Boaz becomes a grief-stricken wanderer through the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah as he remembers Naomi’s stories.

With Wangerin’s descriptive touch, even characters briefly mentioned in the Bible seem to take on flesh and blood. Readers will come to care about the pain and struggles, the defeats and victories of Naomi’s contemporaries. The familiar story of Ruth and Boaz retold by this award-winning author affirms the founding of the lineage of Jesus Christ.

—Eilene Ishler

Dancing With Max

Emily Colson

Zondervan

hardcover, 200 pages, $16.99

978-0-310-29368-2

Being a parent of a child with special needs can be isolating and difficult—and a challenge when it comes to faith—or so Colson found her experience with her now 19-year-old son, Max.

In Dancing With Max: A Mother and Son Who Broke Free, Colson shares her experience. Colson—whose husband left when Max was an infant—was overwhelmed with the lack of progress Max was making early on as she saw others his age get along in life just fine, while she suffered through his repeated setbacks and, at times, embarrassing incidents. Finally finding answers, she discovered that Max had autism, enabling her to move forward and grow with Max.

In sharing her discovery of God’s gift to Max of seeing the world with a different but uncluttered view, Colson will bring hope and encouragement to those who have a child with autism. The book includes a prologue and epilogue by author—and Max’s grandfather—Charles Colson.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

The Gathering Storm

Bodie and Brock Thoene

Summerside Press

softcover, 320 pages, $14.99

978-1-609-36033-7

Mega-selling authors Thoene build on their popular "Zion Covenant" and "Zion Chronicles" series, covering the time period in between with the new "Zion Diaries" series. Using their legendary research and writing skills, the Thoenes draw readers into Adolf Hitler's blitzkrieg with this novel of strong faith and unique history.

The American-born daughter of an Austrian father who protests Hitler's policies, Loralei Bittick Kepler spends time in Berlin as the dictator is rising to power, then in Brussels, Belgium, where she and her family must flee the German army. Tragedy finds them, though Lora and others do make it across the English Channel. As she faces the loss of her husband, she embraces the many European refugees landing in England. She finds solace in work—and in the arms of Eben Golah, a man whose mystery is as profound as his heart for saving people.

The Gathering Storm is a unique blend of present and past, history and romance, ancient secrets and future peace. Readers will enjoy once again the Thoenes' storytelling, and take into their hearts Lora, Eben, Varrick and many others who take their stand against evil.

—Ann E. Byle

Bittersweet

Shauna Niequist

Zondervan

hardcover, 256 pages, $16.99

978-0-310-32816-2

Writing with another tasty theme in mind, Niequist (Cold Tangerines) sees bittersweetness as "the idea that in all things there is both something broken and something beautiful, that there is a sliver of lightness on even the darkest of nights, a shadow of hope in every heartbreak."

In Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way, she shines light in that darkness, thanks to her own journey through change and heartbreak and questions and doubt, through her struggle to find good and God in the messiness of life.

Niequist and her husband faced job changes, a move and miscarriages, all rendered here in the smooth language and deep honesty that defines her style as a writer. She's honest, too, about the good things—food, friends, family. Her short essays allow a glimpse into her life, but, more importantly, her heart.

Readers searching for an honest look at the bitter and sweet of life will find it here; those looking for fine writing and God in the day to day will experience that here as well.

—Ann E. Byle

Encountering Heaven and the Afterlife

James L. Garlow and Keith Wall

Bethany House (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 288 pages, $14.99

978-0-764-20811-9

Encounters with angels, ghosts and the afterlife are a dime a dozen, but Garlow and Wall, whose previous book Heaven and the Afterlife became a best-seller, combine credible accounts with excellent storytelling in Encountering Heaven and the Afterlife: True Stories From People Who Have Glimpsed the World Beyond. Each encounter with a divine emissary gives insight into the afterlife. 

Although the authors include scriptural background and history, the most compelling part of the book is hearing the voices of those who share their testimonies. One story mentions a child revived after falling to the bottom of a swimming pool, and he suffered no brain damage. Another tells of a man who explained how he died and came back to life, which eased the pain of a family member who had blamed himself for his brother's death.

Readers who are open to reading about near-death experiences or encounters with angels will appreciate this addition to the topic. Skeptics may even be won over by these believable accounts.

—Jennifer Toth

Hipster Christianity

Brett McCracken

Baker Books (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 256 pages, $15.99

978-0-801-07222-2

Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide is not another how-to guide on becoming the next relevant church. Rather, it explores the "cool" movement in Christianity based on twentysomething journalist McCracken's research and personal experience.

Divided into three parts, the book first explains the history of what it means to be cool or hip and how the idea entered the church.

Next are discussions on what hipster Christianity is, where it is found and how being hip is put into practice. Finally, McCracken concludes by sharing some problems and solutions in hip Christian culture and how it compares to the core message of the faith.

Geared toward those who grew up in the '80s and '90s, this discussion on the desire to be hip and relevant will benefit young people in the church as well as the leaders who wish to reach them.

—Nicole Anderson

Nudge

Leonard Sweet

David C. Cook

hardcover, 256 pages, $19.99

978-1-434-76474-4

Theologian and trend spotter Sweet challenges the notion that evangelism is simply persuading people to accept propositions about sin and salvation, in Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who's Already There. He sees evangelism as "nudging people to pay attention to the mission of God in their lives and to the necessity of responding to that initiative in ways that birth new realities and the new birth."

Sweet explains that Christianity is a mix of signs, images, rituals and stories, contending that evangelists are called to read "the signs of the times," scanning the cultural landscape for divine activity. Sweet structures his work in two parts, "Shining," helping readers see the manifestations in real life, and "Sensing," focusing on how we experience God through our senses.

This paradigm-shifting book is a rich and fascinating read. Well rounded and well read, Sweet quotes from a diversity of sources, among them poets, apologists, writers, psychiatrists and philosophers. Pastors, ministry teams and lay people will benefit from Nudge.

—Brian Smith McCallum

The Art of War for the Spiritual Battle

Cindy Trimm

Charisma House (Strang Book Group)

softcover, 224 pages, $15.99

978-1-599-79872-1

While reading Sun Tzu's The Art of War—an ancient Chinese manual on conducting military operations, popular in today's corporate world—charismatic author Trimm saw the relevance of the concepts to spiritual battle, thus the title of her book, The Art of War for Spiritual Battle: Essential Tactics and Strategies for Spiritual Warfare.

Believing that Christians aren't gaining much ground, Trimm calls on readers to fight again like "the evangelists and revivalists of old"—to get divine direction for this time in history. She writes that God is looking for spiritual generals to organize and lead the charge, and emphasizes scriptural operation of authority and leadership in the church.

Clear and direct, Trimm writes to motivate believers to exercise the disciplines of a prayer warrior, to organize prayer initiatives, to wage prayer campaigns and to establish and expand God's kingdom. Discouraged Christians will be challenged to believe that they still have a role to play in a war that has not yet seen its end.

—Christine D. Johnson

Angel Song

Sheila Walsh and Kathryn Cushman

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 352 pages, $14.99

978-1-595-54685-2

Annie Fletcher is proud of her sister Sarah and her upcoming graduation. But a night of celebrating new beginnings turns into tragedy as Sarah loses her life.

In her loss, Annie finds herself hearing music and quickly realizes that no one else is hearing it. In her search to figure out what she is experiencing, she decides it is easily explained away by stress, but as time goes on, she's not so sure.

As her late sister's neighbors—and their Down Syndrome son—take her under their wings, Annie is forced to come to terms with hurts of the past. As God places the right people at just the right times to direct her, Annie is forced to tear down the walls she has built around herself and in so doing, discovers a world she never before believed in and promise for a new future.

Angel Song aims to speak to anyone who has ever wondered whether God could use angels to touch a life. The authors also affirm the value of individuals who have a disability yet seem to have special gifting.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

Evolving in Monkey Town

Rachel Held Evans

Zondervan

softcover, 400 pages, $14.99

978-0-310-29399-6

Anyone who knows American history or has seen the movie Inherit the Wind will be familiar with the names Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan and the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, a famous court case on creationism in which they played a part.

In Evolving in Monkey Town: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask the Questions, Evans, a twentysomething journalist, shares her journey of growing up in Dayton, Tenn., where the case took place. The book brings readers into Evans' home, where she grew up with her theologian father and spent her halcyon days at Christian schools, including Bryan College—named after William Jennings Bryan. She introduces readers to people who've crossed her path—from "Matt the Apologist" to Zarmina, a Muslim woman—and shares her journey from fundamentalism through doubt and eventually to faith.

Evans' autobiographical account is an important contribution to the dialogue between church and culture. Her writing is lucid, witty and trenchant, and her transparency will appeal to seekers. Evolving in Monkey Town gives readers permission to live and even rest in uncertainty and doubt.

—Brian Smith McCallum

23 Questions About Hell

Bill Wiese

Charisma House (Strang Book Group)

softcover with DVD, 160 pages, $15.99

978-1-616-38027-4

Wiese follows up his New York Times best-selling 23 Minutes in Hell with 23 Questions About Hell: Everything You Want—And Need—To Know! The author says he was once sent to the place of the damned for 23 minutes, and he offers lessons learned from that experience on a DVD that comes with the book.

In 23 Questions, he addresses common and not so common concerns, one per chapter, using the Scriptures to explain why God created such a place, what it's like and who goes there. The first chapter goes to the root of all of the questions, asking, Isn't God mean for making hell? Other such inquiries also delve into God's character, one asking whether He would be unloving to not allow a "good person" to enter heaven.

Wiese combats the views that hell is metaphorical and not a real place, and that anyone who goes there is annihilated and not left to suffer eternally. With the heart of a prophet and the love of an evangelist, he leads unbelievers to pray the sinner's prayer, urging them to take hell seriously and make the choice to go to heaven.

—Christine D. Johnson

Gotta Have It!

Gregory L. Jantz with Ann McMurray

David C. Cook

softcover, 272 pages, $14.99

978-1-434-76624-3

Author and founder of A Place of Hope Counseling Center, Jantz offers a way to freedom from the "excessities" of life—whether food, alcohol, exercise or any other stronghold used to cushion life's blows—in Gotta Have It! Freedom From Wanting Everything Right Here, Right Now. He argues that often what is considered a necessity isn't at all, and it inevitably crowds out those things that are, cheating individuals of a free and full life.

Helping readers understand what is a necessity and what is a desire, he offers them opportunity to question their motives and the whys and wherefores of the not-so-healthy things that have crept into their lives. Through questions, application exercises as well as the cases of his patients, he sheds light on how to break free into God's way to a life of abundance, patience, endurance, wisdom and hope.

This book is helpful for anyone who is ready to take honest inventory of his or her life and with the help of God, truly live.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

The Outsider Interviews

Jim Henderson, Todd Hunter and Craig Spinks

Baker Books (Baker Publishing Group)

hardcover with DVD, 208 pages, $24.99

978-0-801-01345-4

Inspired by Barna Group President David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons' 2007 book UnChristian, three men set out to conduct interviews with young adults who don't consider themselves Christians to find out how they perceive believers and the church.

Henderson, Hunter and Spinks filmed interviews in four cities, giving their reflections on what was said in The Outsider Interviews: A New Generation Speaks on Christianity. Mainly, their aim is to instruct the church on how culture has changed, how Christianity is now perceived and how such perceptions have created the need for a change in how believers connect with "outsiders."

The authors want readers to really listen to unbelievers without becoming defensive, in order to be more effective communicators. They caution Christians not to perceive all hostility as persecution, realizing that outsiders have seen Christianity misrepresented and are reacting to that.

The Outsider Interviews is challenging to read and sure to cause a variety of responses, both negative and positive. A DVD of the interviews accompanies the book.

—Deborah L. Delk

The Power of a Praying Life

Stormie Omartian

Harvest House Publishers

hardcover, 256 pages, $13.99

978-0-736-92688-1

Adding to her best-selling "The Power of a Praying ... " series, Omartian presents a new classic in The Power of a Praying Life: Finding the Freedom, Wholeness, and True Success God Has for You. From beginning a ministry in music and exercise to spanning a career writing 50 books, Omartian shares insights learned in times of joy and pain.

Her book reads quietly and confidently, offering healing to readers who have questions about prayer. She shares scripture and insights in different sections that explain the significance of God's will in the life of the Christian, how to know the enemy, God's holiness, His love and the power of prayer and fasting.

As in previous classics on prayer, Omartian aims to teach once more the basic principles that need to be retaught in this generation in regard to prayer.

This well-written book should teach, disciple and build faith in the hearts of all who read it.

—Jennifer Toth

Back on Murder

J. Mark Bertrand

Bethany House (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 384 pages, $14.99

978-0-764-20637-5

Back on Murder: A Roland March Mystery is an engaging crime novel taking readers on assignment with Houston's best homicide detective.

Detective March believes he is on his way out of the force because his peers trivialize his accomplishments—until he observes evidence at a major crime scene. Determined to find the victim and regain the respect he once held, he pursues his gut instinct to connect the victim with a missing, high-profile teen girl.

Because of his rogue decision, he is taken off the murder case and put on the task force to find the missing teen. Refusing to give up on solving the murder case, March finds himself cracking an internal cover-up when a fellow officer approaches him with answers to the case.

Bertrand captures a realistic view of a homicide detective's life, from the paperwork to life-threatening situations. Readers will relate to the struggles of his characters, their faltering faith and success.

—Nicole Anderson

Danger Close

William G. Boykin and Tom Morrisey

Fidelis Books (B&H Publishing Group)

hardcover, 336 pages, $24.99

978-0-805-44955-6

Author Boykin and retired Lieutenant General Morrisey explore the Islamist threat in the terrorist thriller Danger Close,which imagines an Al Qaeda intent on trumping itself with a more deadly attack on America.

After a successful tour in Afghanistan, Lieutenant Blake Crenshaw accepts a secret assignment from the CIA's counterterrorism chief. He switches places with an Anglo recruited into Al Qaeda by Muslim clerics in prison. Under this identity, he joins a D.C. sleeper cell and travels via London to a Pakistani training camp. There he learns of a nuclear device provided by North Korea for detonation near the Capitol and must escape before Predator drones take out the camp.

Throughout his ordeal, Blake, a devout Christian, must reconcile his faith with the life of deception and violence he must lead for a greater good—adding a dimension of spirituality often missing from espionage thrillers. In addition, the authors' attention to detail, particularly with military hardware, makes the story chillingly plausible.

—John Leatherman

The Imam’s Daughter

Hannah Shah

Zondervan

hardcover, 288 pages, $19.99

978-0-310-32575-8

After 10 years of enduring abuse behind the closed doors of her Muslim home, Shah had determined that it was time to flee before being sent to Pakistan and forced into marriage. After years of keeping up appearances for the sake of her family and her culture, Hannah could take no more and, at the point of contemplating suicide, she mustered the courage to leave the life she had known.

While her escape opened up a new world of unimaginable freedom—revealing to her what love really is and bringing her into a new life in Christ—it did not come without dark hours and sheer terror, as her father hunted her down.

Now married and living as freely as she can under a new name, Shah travels the world speaking to bring awareness to what happens behind closed doors and to bring the promise of a brighter future for Muslim women.

The Imam’s Daughter: My Desperate Flight to Freedom is a powerful story for readers curious about the lives of Muslim women and for those who desire to see God’s love and power in action.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

Anatomy of the Soul

Curt Thompson

Tyndale House Publishers

hardcover, 304 pages, $22.99

978-1-414-33414-1

Psychiatrist Thompson provides an innovative look at the way God has wired the mind in Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections Between Neuroscience and Spiritual Principles That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships.

Drawing on the problems of real-life patients as well as psychological studies of biblical figures, Thompson shows how understanding the workings of the mind leads to spiritual healing. For example, the logical, left brain allows one to know the facts of salvation, but the abstract, right brain permits experiencing God’s love. Likewise, the brain’s lower “reptilian” and “mammalian” lobes provide hardwired emotional responses to stimuli, but the cerebral cortex allows a Christian to override instinct when God requires it.

The chapter structure provides a self-reinforcing progression to advancing God’s mercy and justice through what Thompson calls an integrated life, represented by the acronym FACES: flexible, adaptive, coherent, energized and stable. He admits he is not undertaking anything bold, like proving God’s existence via neurons, but is just challenging believers to examine their walk with Jesus in a new and scientific way.

—John D. Leatherman

The Wisdom of Pixar

Robert Velarde

IVP Books (InterVarsity Press)

softcover, 168 pages, $15

978-0-830-83297-2

In The Wisdom of Pixar: An Animated Look at Virtue, Velarde offers a thoughtful perspective on Christian principles as presented in some of the most popular animated films in recent years. Cars, Up and Finding Nemo are just a few of the films he examines to find themes that support Christian values.

While careful to point out that Pixar does not tie all its films to theology, Velarde draws sensible conclusions and connections between the Christian life and many Pixar characters and plotlines. The themes of hope and imagination run throughout many of the films—Remy from Ratatouillebecomes fascinated with humans because of their creativity, for example.

Velarde discusses the creativity of God and how humans created in His image also have the gift of imagination. Other themes such as justice, humor, love and even technology are explored in depth.

Concise chapters and discussion questions make this book accessible for group studies.

—Bonnie Bruner

The Homecoming

Dan Walsh

Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 320 pages, $14.99

978-0-800-73389-6

A sequel to The Unfinished Gift, Walsh’s The Homecoming continues the story of Shawn Collins and his son Patrick as the pair navigate a new reality without wife and mother Elizabeth. Shawn’s relationship with his father, Ian, is repaired,yet Shawn’s military duties during World War II keep them apart.

Readers will be happy to see character Katherine Townsend again, in a new role as Patrick’s nanny. Mrs. Fortini returns, too, offering food and friendship to all. The family must cope as Shawn is ordered stateside to speak at War Bond rallies—a job many would relish, but which he dislikes. How can he keep tabs on his son, and what about his father’s failing health? And how can he understand his feelings for Katherine?

From a historical perspective, The Homecoming is entertaining. In fact, Walsh’s best writing occurs when he describes Shawn’s crash landing of his B-17 in enemy territory. The book flows slowly, though readers will soon become immersed in the drama of World War II and the Collins family.

—Ann E. Byle

Connecting Like Jesus

Tony Campolo and Mary Albert Darling

Jossey-Bass (Wiley)

hardcover, 256 pages, $21.95

978-0-470-43102-3

While the 21st century offers many ways to communicate—smartphones, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, Instant Messaging—paradoxically, these technologies can leave people feeling alienated and disconnected.

In Connecting Like Jesus: Practices for Healing, Preaching, and Teaching, sociologist and preacher Campolo and communications expert Darling have combined forces to bridge the gap of interpersonal distance. Their goal: to help people “relate to others in ways that deeply satisfy the deepest needs of our souls.” Divided into three parts—Connecting Like Jesus, Practices of Soul Healing and Practices for Teaching and Healing—the book focuses on important themes, including self-awareness, overcoming fear and redeeming conflict.

Connecting Like Jesus is an essential resource for churches and religious organizations. Yet it has broad appeal and will aid students, seminarians, counselors, church leaders and lay people. In sum, it will intrigue any reader interested in how the Holy Spirit can break down walls between people.

—C. Brian Smith

The Soul of Spider-Man

Jeff Dunn and Adam Palmer

Regal Books

softcover, 144 pages, $9.99

978-0-830-74752-8

The Soul of Spider-Man: Unexpected Spiritual Insights Found in the Legendary Superhero Series follows a trend of authors using popular stories to illustrate biblical lessons. Taking their cue only from the films and not the comic books,Dunn and Palmer trace Director Sam Raimi’s trilogy about the wall-crawling superhero, inserting biblical narratives where possible.

The wisdom of Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben and his catchphrase “With great power comes great responsibility” is driven home, as are lessons about love, fear, sin, bitterness and death. Since the awkwardness of Spider-Man alter-ego, Peter Parker, has resonated with young viewers, the authors have a wealth of material to mine.

Written for younger teens, The Soul of Spider-Man is divided into short chapters with simple terminology, and will provide a helpful resource for youth groups.

—DeWayne Hamby

Chasing Superwoman

Susan M. DiMickele

David C. Cook

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-1-434-76462-1

In Chasing Superwoman: A Working Mom’s Adventures in Life and Faith, working mothers receive the support needed for the daily struggles they encounter when multitasking between work, family and a relationship with God.

Sharing her experiences as a working professional and a mother, DiMickele addresses the emotional issues mothers face in meeting the expectations others put on them and the demands they place on themselves. She empathizes with her readers on the common concerns of guilt, fear and insecurities, time management and raising spiritually developed children. She also acknowledges how, often, the church fails to meet the needs of working moms, but encourages them not to isolate themselves.

DiMickele helps mothers know that, with God’s grace, they can do their best, —and that the working mother does not have be a superwoman.

—Nicole Anderson

TOP PICK

The Radical Disciple

John Stott

IVP Books (InterVarsity Press)

hardcover, 144 pages, $15

978-0-830-83847-9

Christian Living

Stott, an elder statesman of evangelical Christianity, delivers what will most likely be his last book in The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling. The book, culled from a recent speech given by the 88-year-old minister, presents a back-to-basics approach to what it means to be disciple of Christ.

Stott presents eight characteristics of discipleship—nonconformity, Christ-likeness, maturity, creation care, simplicity, balance, dependence and, finally, death, which symbolizes finishing well and dying to self. He uses the book’s final chapters to acknowledge his own frailty and impending passing while presenting lessons of faith. He even ends the book with a personal message to readers about the future of publishing and a final “farewell!”

There’s a weightiness when someone offers final words, and with a respected theologian such as Stott, his final rallying cry to younger generations is inspiring. The Radical Disciple offers a spiritual diagnostic for all believers.

—DeWayne Hamby

FICTION

Chasing Lilacs

Carla Stewart

FaithWords

softcover, 304 pages, $13.99

978-0-446-55655-2

In Chasing Lilacs, Stewart’s first book, she tackles weighty topics, including puberty, mental illness and suicide. The story centers on Samantha “Sammie” Tucker, a 12-year-old in the small Texas community of Graham Camp. With her mother deep in depression, Sammie is mostly raising herself. Her best friend, Tuwana, voices her opinion on most everything, regardless of whose feelings she hurts. Cly, a mysterious visitor, seems to switch between juvenile delinquent and friend.

At a time when her life should be carefree, Sammie is worried about everything—and then things go from bad to much worse. Her mother is found dead, by her own hand. Aunt Vadine, Sammie’s mother’s estranged sister, comes to help, complicating matters further. The frightened girl begins to worry that she may be mentally disturbed as well, but soon finds her hope in God.

Chasing Lilacs is a page-turner with realistic characters, descriptive scenery and fast-paced action, and will especially appeal to those who recall 1950s’ small-town life.

—Beth Anderson

Darlington Woods

Mike Dellosso

Realms (Strang Book Group)

softcover, 304 pages, $13.99

978-1-599-79918-6

Dellosso continues his run of supernatural horror in his latest release, Darlington Woods, a thrilling tale of a man’s relentless search for his missing son in the darkness of a village lost to fear.

After losing his wife and son, Rob Shields travels to a small town in Maryland, expecting nothing more than to live out the remainder of his days enduring haunting dreams and hallucinations. Visiting the local diner, he encounters a peculiar man who seems to know something about the whereabouts of his son, who he starts to hope may still be alive.

Juli, the waitress, also seems to be hiding what she knows, and when Rob insists on venturing to Darlington to find his son, she knows her calling is to go with him. Through the dark woods, Juli tells Rob that Darlington has only one way in and one way out. The town seems abandoned, yet each home glows with lantern light.

As strong as fear may seem, the theme of Darlington Woods is that God’s light casts out all fear. Readers will enjoy the high suspense and plot twists, as well as the journey of finding faith in the midst of despair.

—Bonnie Bruner

LEADERSHIP

Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them

Charles Stone

Bethany House Publishers (Baker Publishing Group)

hardcover, 224 pages, $19.99

978-0-764-20705-1

A pastor, Stone provides sustaining advice to his colleagues in Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them: Help for Frustrated Pastors. Using research from the Barna Group, Stone analyzes his profession almost as a business, with the congregation as the customers.

His five “killers” are denial, emotional investment in the wrong issues, unhealthy response to frustration, over-reliance on self (or self and God) and neglect of spouse and family. Rather than deal with each in turn, Stone acknowledges the inevitability of frustration in any church, then outlines four decisions a pastor should make: speak up with courage, own up with humility, show up with integrity and open up with vulnerability.

Stone hopes that by spelling out the challenges leaders face, it will help the lay community better understand and appreciate their pastor.

—John D. Leatherman

Radical

David Platt

Multnomah Books

softcover, 240 pages, $14.99

978-1-601-42221-7

Platt, lead pastor of Alabama’s Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, wonders if the “American Dream” is compatible with the Great Commission, in Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream. The author contends that the American church has turned away from the message of Jesus and molded the Christian life into its own image—one that closely resembles materialism, excess and complacency.

He encourages readers to re-visit the revolutionary message of Christianity. He draws inspiration from leaders such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who defied Hitler and urged believers to abandon attachments to this world. Ultimately, Platt challenges readers to partake in a Radical experiment. The book, in fact, includes a contract, an agreement to commit to five goals—praying for the entire world, reading through the entire Bible, sacrificing money for a specific purpose, spending time in another context and multiplying community.

Platt’s work is, in a word, convicting. Radical will inspire Western readers to think beyond themselves and see through a global lens as well as spread the message of Christ.

—C. Brian Smith

WOMEN'S ISSUES

I Will Carry You

Angie Smith

B&H Books (B&H Publishing Group)

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-0-805-46428-3

Smith, wife of one of the members of the music group Selah, recounts the couple’s darkest days and the faith that pulled them through in I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy. In 2008, Smith and husband Todd discovered that their expected fourth daughter had health conditions making her “incompatible with life,” their doctor said.

Advised to terminate, the Smiths determined to carry their daughter Audrey to term and eventually held the newborn for her brief two hours of earthly life. The biblical story of Lazarus is also recounted as Smith relates to the grief of Mary and Martha. She offers tips for those watching their loved ones grieve and shows how to help children cope with loss as well.

I Will Carry You is heart-wrenching read, especially for parents, but it’s an important resource for those walking through their own valley of the shadow of death. As Smith quotes, “joy is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ.”

—Hamby

When a Man You Love Was Abused

Cecil Murphey

Kregel Publications

softcover, 256 pages, $13.99

978-0-825-43353-5

Popular author Murphey tackles the taboo topic of sexual abuse in When a Man You Love Was Abused: A Woman’s Guide to Helping Him Overcome Childhood Sexual Molestation. The book was spawned from a magazine article that generated significant response. Acknowledging that the problem is far too common, the author offers a sympathetic take on personal healing.

In addition to providing many personal stories of couples who have faced such challenges, Murphey offers his own advice to wives, including allowing a husband’s inconsistencies and the need for honesty and not pushing him to forgive the abuser. Although men may glean insights that will help, Murphey’s attention is consistently pointed toward women. He even relates stories of the prominent role wives have played in the healing of men he has counseled.

As an abuse survivor himself, Murphey, a New York Times best-selling author, combines balanced, heartfelt compassion and practical steps for healing.

—Hamby

The Truth About the Shroud of Turin
Robert K. Wilcox
Regnery Publishing
softcover, $16.95, 234 pages
978-1-596-98600-8

Casual readers may have forgotten about the holy relic explored in The Truth About the Shroud of Turin: Solving the Mystery, as it has faded from its earlier prominence in the news in the '70s and '80s. Since then, however, novelists such as Dan Brown have introduced readers to spiritual mysteries in books such as The Da Vinci Code, so a true-to-life, faith-fueled narrative on conspiracies and cover-ups could provoke new interest.

Wilcox wipes the dust from the subject, consulting experts in various scientific disciplines as well as addressing carbon-dating controversies contributing to the dismissal of the shroud's authenticity. He summarizes 10 compelling reasons for its authenticity, including how starkly the image of Christ contradicts popular renderings of Him from the time of its discovery.

Regardless of individual conclusions, however, Wilcox offers a fair, thorough and fascinating narrative on the relic's history.

—DeWayne Hamby

GrAttitude
Ace Collins
Zondervan
softcover, 192 pages, $14.99
978-0-310-32477-5

In GrAttitude: Practicing Contagious Optimism for a Positive Change, Collins points out that gratitude is much more Collins tells stories of individuals who have learned gratitude, such as missions pioneer William Carey, who reached out to a world beyond himself to share the gospel. Another story includes a young lady inspired to love and serve others after witnessing a nun at her school working diligently.

GrAttitude is characterized by great stories that serve as an encouragement for readers to take on a fresh perspective on life and the call of Christ.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

Plan B
Pete Wilson
Thomas Nelson
softcover, 224 pages, $14.99
978-0-849-94650-9

Nashville pastor Wilson's Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn't Show Up the Way You Thought He Would? is a book Plan B offers encouragement to those struggling to redeem their decisions or who are facing doubts about their direction in life. Wilson's pastoral heart speaks clearly, pointing to the cross of Christ as the ultimate solution of love and hope.

—Bonnie Bruner

Pure Scum
Mike Sares
IVP Books (InterVarsity Press)
softcover, 174 pages, $15
978-0-830-83629-1

Pastor Sares chronicles the development of Scum of the Earth, the unusually named, Denver-based church for the
Pure Scum: The Left-Out, the Right-Brained and the Grace of God. The title and the church's name are derived from 1 Cor. 4:9-13.

Following a series of unsatisfying jobs, from steel to sales, Sares entered the ministry at age 40, his first church assignment ending in a forced resignation. Supportive friends and family provide funding for Sares to start his own church, and he conceived Scum: welcoming all regardless of past sins, focusing on God without "Christianese" and reaching out to those intimidated by traditional churches.

Sares goes on to describe Scum's ongoing challenges, such as congregants who come only for the meal served before the sermon and others who find Jesus and then backslide.
While some readers may not agree with Sares' concept of Scum as what a church should be, this unique approach to evangelism should be useful reading for anyone interested in outreach ministry.

—John D. Leatherman

Valley of Bones
Eric Wilson
Thomas Nelson
softcover, 416 pages, $14.99
978-1-595-54460-5

Valley of Bones, the final installment of the "Jerusalem Undead" trilogy, blends best-selling author Wilson's After Gina Lazarescu stages her own death to protect herself and her loved ones from Akeldama, a blood-collecting cluster of demons, she finds that her son—dead for the past seven years—has been resurrected.

Meanwhile, Akeldama warrior Natria sets out to find answers to Gina's staged "death" and plans to destroy members of the Concealed Ones, the original 36 raised from the dead during Jesus' crucifixion.

Valley of Bones is an exciting adventure that will grab readers' interest in the power of the Nazarene's blood. A beginning summary of past settings and character relationships is provided to help readers who have not yet read the trilogy's previous titles.

—Nicole Anderson

Divanomics
Michelle McKinney Hammond
Tyndale House Publishers
softcover, 272 pages, $12.99
978-1-414-33382-3

In Divanomics: How to Still Be Fabulous When You're Broke, speaker and TV host Hammond is candid about her Using the Bible as her guide, along with wise counsel, Hammond shows how to maintain one's "Diva" status through organization, pinching pennies and learning the difference between needs and wants. She teaches from personal experience that no one cares more about your money than you do.

Divanomics shows readers how to hold their heads high with dignity and grace, rebuilding self- and financial worth with simple tools. McKinney defines a true Diva as a woman "who knows that life is not about her, but rather the contribution she makes to others … and the legacy she will leave." Written with such Diva girls in mind, the book is a hopeful, encouraging read for women who were never taught how to spend and save responsibly.

—Andrealynn Boyd

Edge of Apocalypse
Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall
Zondervan
hardcover, 432 pages. $24.99
978-0-310-32628-1
audio CD, unabridged, $29.99
978-0-310-32629-8

Best-selling author LaHaye ("Left Behind" series) partners with Parshall for Edge of Apocalypse, the debut release in the new prophecy-based fiction series "The End."

Joshua Jordan, former U.S. spy-plane-hero-turned-weapons-designer, has created a missile defense system christened "Return to Sender." He uses it to diffuse a North Korean attack designed to level New York City. Following that success, he is caught in a web of political double-dealing, international intrigue and personal danger. Jordan's integrity, personal values and patriotism are put to the test, as he feels his wife pushing him to accept a Savior he is not ready for.

Though it's fiction combined with eschatology, Edge of Apocalypse has a realistic feel, as if it were lifted from tomorrow's headlines. Readers seeking end-times adventure will welcome this action-packed beginning and look forward to future releases in the series.

—Beth Anderson

Giving Church Another Chance

Todd D. Hunter

IVP Books (InterVarsity Press)

hardcover, 176 pages, $18

978-0-830-83748-9

Hunter, founding pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Orange County, Calif., shares his journey of despair in
Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices. The author's background includes time spent at Vineyard, Calvary Chapel, emerging churches, house churches and more. Through Hunter's pilgrimage, he learned that "church is the place to engage in important spiritual practices that have nourished followers of Jesus for thousands of years."

Giving Church Another Chance is in no way a tirade against the church. Rather, it is a call to re-engage spiritual practices and live in the way of Jesus. Simply put, Hunter writes for the disaffected believer: the "de-churched" and "re-churched."

Readers of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard and Eugene Peterson will appreciate Hunter's contribution to how spiritual disciplines fit within the context of communities and bodies of believers. In the midst of our frenzied culture and harried pace of life, Hunter reminds us that speed is not the greatest good. Instead, deep, lasting change and transformation is the goal, with church the springboard to that end.

—C. Brian Smith

Kaleidoscope

Patsy Clairmont

Thomas Nelson

hardcover, 208 pages. $16.99

978-1-400-20270-6

Popular author and Women of Faith speaker Clairmont takes a lighthearted look at the Christian life in Kaleidoscope: Seeing God's Wit and Wisdom in a Whole New Light. In 33 chapters—with such titles as "The Tube of Mirrors," "Barnyard Wisdom," "Stretchmarks" and "Sewing Kit for the Heart"—she delves into everyday issues for busy women.

In a style that is totally Clairmont, the author mines the book of Proverbs and discovers the wisdom she believes God has for women today. She addresses topics aiming to reveal truth in relationships, everyday lives and health. Although humor is found on every page, there is also insight, prayerful advice and deep scriptural knowledge.

Kaleidoscope could be used as a devotional, but would also be enjoyable for use in women's meetings or casual reading. For women who would better understand the Christian life and enjoy a personal relationship with their heavenly Father, this book is an excellent read.

—Beth Anderson

Wildflowers of Terezin

Robert Elmer

Abingdon Press

softcover, 352 pages, $13.99

978-1-426-70192-4

In the international flavor of his youth series "Young Underground," Elmer's latest stand-alone novel Wildflowers of Terezin is the story of a young nurse and a pastor who risk their lives to protect the Jews in German-occupied Denmark during World War II.

Pastor Steffen Petersen begins to see how his world is dramatically changing when he finds himself caught in crossfire on the streets of Kobenhavn. While being treated for his injuries at Bispebjerg Hospital, Steffen meets Hanne Abrahamsen, a striking young Jewish nurse full of compassion.

Days later, rumors of Jewish deportation bring Hanne to Steffen's church, seeking a hiding place for her family. Though Steffen usually finds comfort in his pastoral duties, his faith comes alive when he helps those truly in need.

Wildflowers of Terezin is based on actual events during the German occupation in Denmark. Readers will appreciate the historic value of the novel, while the characters bring life to both the sorrows of war and the joys of love reunited.

—Bonnie Bruner

Yesterday's Promise

Vanessa Miller

Whitaker House

208 pages, $9.99, 400 pages

978-1-603-74207-8

Author and playwright Miller addresses the women-as-preachers debate in her latest romance novel, Yesterday's Promise.

Lead character Melinda Johnson knows at a young age that God has called her to preach alongside her father, Bishop Johnson. When he retires and appoints her ex-fiancée, Steven—now a widower with a young child—as pastor and bishop, it reopens old wounds.

While dealing with the rejection brought on by her father's choice, she finds out that her father hopes she and Steven will reconcile. But it doesn't help the situation when Steven proclaims he still does not agree that women should preach.

Yesterday's Promise goes beyond the traditional romance and gives a descriptive example of the communication barriers between men and women relating to love, career, ministry and family.

—Nicole Anderson

The Map

David Murrow

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 244 pages, $14.99

978-0-785-22762-5

Murrow, author of Why Men Hate Going to Church, outlines a man's spiritual growth guide in The Map: The Way of All Great Men. The map is a metaphor for how Jesus' ministry is highlighted in the Gospel of Matthew.

The first third of the book recounts the international treasure-hunting intrigue that supposedly led Murrow to the figurative "map." The author then reveals the story is fiction, but mines it for examples and illustrations.

Murrow observes that in Matthew's Gospel, Jesus undergoes three journeys to spiritual maturity—submission, strength and sacrifice. Submission's journey, up to the Sermon on the Mount, embraces traits Murrow classifies as feminine—giving, forgiveness and mercy. Strength's journey, ending with the Last Supper, focuses on Jesus' more masculine traits—righteousness, pride and anger. His final journey of sacrifice turns feminine again as He renders the ultimate act of service.

In the book's final third, Murrow suggests how much of contemporary Christianity stifles men by overemphasizing the feminine journey of submission. The Map is intriguing reading for men seeking to advance spiritually.

—John D. Leatherman

My Bangs Look Good

Susanna Foth Aughtmon

Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 192 pages, $12.99

978-0-800-73418-3

In My Bangs Look Good & Other Lies I Tell Myself, Aughtmon reflects on the lies she has believed that have hindered her spiritual walk. Geared toward young adult women, the book shares the author's own journey of how she came to know the truth about God.

Aughtmon examines many misunderstandings about God, such as the idea that He is vengeful, that He owes His children something or that He cannot hear those who cry out to Him. Disputing these myths, she points to the truth, sharing many inspiring stories such as the story of Mary who was visited at a young age and told the most outlandish thing she had ever heard.

This is an encouraging book for young women seeking to push past the myths that have bogged down their Christian walk, remove the cloak of fear and step out into a faith-filled life.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

A Positive Life

Shane Stanford

Zondervan

hardcover, 224 pages, $19.99

978-0-310-29292-0

The journey propels readers on a rocket ride through Stanford's childhood home in Mississippi, dealing with hemophilia, the spires of Duke University, secret hotel meetings with officials about ordination, golf, the inner workings of the United Methodist Church, hospital stays and much more. Through it all, he addresses the stereotypes and stigmas that often accompany HIV.

A Positive Life is a guide on how to grow as a man, father and pastor, in crisis, while living with chronic disease, and is for anyone wanting to see God's grace and unconditional love at work. The Bible study and resource guide at the back is helpful for church leaders of all denominations as well as for people looking to grow in compassion and love.

—Andrealynn Boyd

Storylines

Andy Croft and Mike Pilavachi

David C. Cook

softcover, 224 pages, $12.99

978-1-434-76475-1

In Storylines: Your Map to Understanding the Bible, popular international speaker, author and founder of the Soul Survivor youth ministry organization, Pilavachi joins the up-and-coming author Croft to discover Christ in the Old and New Testaments. The introduction sets a lighthearted tone that continues throughout this powerful Bible study.

Pilavachi and Croft show how the themes of Jesus, covenant, presence, kingdom, salvation and worship are threaded throughout Scripture, revealing the need for and the glory of Christ. God's desire to have a personal relationship with His children is evident in the writers' presentation.

Storylines challenges readers to get out of their comfort zone and dig deeply into the richness of the Scriptures. With humorous personal stories and extensive biblical references, the book will help anyone looking to rekindle their love for God's Word.

—Andrealynn Boyd

Everything You've Always Wanted To Know About God: The Jesus Edition

Eric Metaxas

Regal Books

hardcover, 224 pages, $19.99

978-0-830-74615-6

In Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God: The Jesus Edition, Metaxas approaches theology with a thoughtful, pastoral heart while communicating to readers with wit and solid practicality.

He guides readers through a series of conversations on many of the theological tenets the church holds about Christ, posing commonly asked questions about Him and then working through the answers step by step.

While answering the questions within the context of the culture and time of Christ, Metaxas also incorporates examples of what these characteristics of Christ might look like today. The questions range from the validity of His existence and resurrection to what His difficult teachings mean and why His words have such an impact. Metaxas uses scripture from both the Old and New Testaments to show who Christ was and what He means to a fallen world.

While some of his explanations are what anyone would expect to hear about Jesus, others are clever and insightful. In the midst of this readable and entertaining book, Metaxas manages to effectively convey serious, meaningful truths about the character and person of Jesus Christ.

—Bonnie Bruner

Halos & Avatars

Craig Detweiler, ed.

WJK Books (Westminster John Knox Press)

softcover, 256 pages, $19.95

978-0-664-23277-1

Detweiler taps game designers, reviewers and players for a Christian interpretation on video games in Halos & Avatars: Playing Video Games With God. Avoiding the simplistic trap of branding games as evil, the compilation examines the benefits, spiritual and otherwise, that gamers derive from this leisure activity.

Detweiler groups the various authors' commentaries into three sections dealing with video game story, play and role issues. Because of the multiple authors, the viewpoint is not entirely consistent from chapter to chapter, and similar points arise repeatedly. For example, several authors feel that some secular titles such as Bioshock offer a spiritual takeaway superior to that of what they consider to be superficially Christian games like Left Behind: Eternal Forces.

Interspersed among the chapters are sidebars with blatantly honest profiles of teenage gamers—most confessing they would achieve better grades without games. An appendix offers coping hints for game-weary parents. For Christians unsure of what to make of video games, Halos & Avatars offers some intriguing perspectives.

—John D. Leatherman

One in a Million

Priscilla Shirer

B&H Books (B&H Publishing Group)

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-0-805-46476-4

Author and speaker Shirer wants women to move beyond living a complacent Christian life. In One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land, she takes a look at the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt into the land of milk and honey, correlating their travels to the lives of many Christians today.

Shirer contends that Christians enjoy deliverance from sin and bondage, but have a tendency to look back and desire the things that have passed away. Out of fear and uncertainty, they miss out on the rest of the journey God has planned for them. She strongly encourages Christians to not allow themselves to become too comfortable in times of peace, nor embittered in times in the wilderness.

One in a Million is a helpful read for those who have found themselves discouraged or stagnant in their Christian walk and are ready to press on for more.

—Heidi Ippolito

The Vertical Self

Mark Sayers

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 244 pages, $14.99

978-0-849-92000-4

Sayers, pastor of Red East Church in Melbourne, Australia, confronts the idols of the 21st century in The Vertical Self: How Biblical Faith Can Help Us Discover Who We Are in an Age of Self Obsession. He focuses on such masks and diversions as sex, fame, image and coolness, and distinguishes between the horizontal life and the vertical life.

The horizontal life is marked by a focus on such values as self, status and image; conversely, the vertical self embodies growth, holiness and community, among other ideals. Sayers has included helpful charts, lists, diagrams and an interactive study guide to flesh out major themes of the false self and true self.

The Vertical Self is no panacea or quick fix, and the author clearly articulates that the path to shalom (peace), balance and holiness is a journey. Though Sayers specializes in youth discipleship, The Vertical Self is appropriate for teenagers as well as adults.

—C. Brian Smith

Forget Me Not

Vicki Hinze

Multnomah Books

softcover, 352 pages, $13.99

978-1-601-42205-7

An intriguing suspense novel, Forget Me Not is filled with drama, hidden agendas and a budding romance.

After his wife and son are murdered, Benjamin Brandt loses his faith and gives up on life. But when an amnesiac woman wearing a necklace resembling one his late wife wore walks into his crisis center, Ben sets out to solve a mystery. The young woman had been left for dead in a wooded area of Florida, so Ben and his crisis-center team work on finding clues to her identity and why someone would want to kill her. Unbeknownst to Ben and the woman, they are pawns in a bigger plot that exposes a terrorist group.

As the mysteries of the young woman's identity unravel, she stands in faith in God, even though she does not know what her future—or past—holds. The twists and turns of Hinze's latest thriller will appeal to readers of inspirational romantic suspense.

—Nicole Anderson

Her Mother's Hope

Francine Rivers

Tyndale House Publishers

hardcover, 520 pages, $24.99

978-1-414-31863-9

Best-selling author Rivers delivers another captivating novel in Her Mother's Hope, her first full-length work since 2003. Main character Marta, born and reared in Switzerland to a controlling father and a placid mother, rejects the poor and miserly life she sees ahead of her. Working her way up through jobs in various cities, she eventually meets her husband-to-be, Niclas. Terminally ambitious, the two move to California, where they raise their four children.

Marta's second child, Hildemara—nicknamed Hildie—has a very passive nature, much like Marta's younger sister who had committed suicide. Marta is harder on Hildie than on her other children. In turn, Hildie works hard at school, at home and on the job. Her siblings seem to always succeed and garner their mother's praise, but Hildie works harder and harder—unaware that her mother admires her grit and determination. Marta's faith is learned from her mother but is not terribly strong. Hildie learns that her faith must be her own, not that of her controlling, disapproving mother.

Her Mother's Hope launches the new series "Marta's Legacy." Working actual historical happenings and place settings into the storyline, Rivers proves once more that she can keep readers transfixed and wanting more.

—Beth Anderson

Thin Places

Mary DeMuth

Zondervan

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-0-310-28418-5

In Thin Places: A Memoir, DeMuth traces her life's influences, both positive and negative. The title refers to the times and places throughout her life when the everyday and the spiritual world seemed close enough for her to reach across and touch Jesus.

While the book is autobiographical, it is not chronological. Each chapter traces a particular facet of her character through various seasons of her life. One chapter, for example, chronicles the three divorces of DeMuth's mother and how the loss of each successive father seemed to rob DeMuth of something. Then she skips ahead to a troubling season with her own husband, showing how her childhood struggles gave her the strength to restore her marriage for the sake of her children.

Some of the chapters are disturbing, as DeMuth has experienced childhood sexual abuse and child pornography. Still, Thin Places offers a poignant look at the development of a well-known Christian writer.

—John D. Leatherman

How to Reach Your Full Potential for God

Charles F. Stanley

Thomas Nelson

hardcover, 256 pages, $21.99

978-1-400-20092-4

Stanley continues to his writing on practical theology and the Christian life in How to Reach Your Full Potential for God: Never Settle for Less Than His Best. Deeply rooted in the Scriptures, the book enumerates the essentials of a rich, meaningful existence. A clean heart, a clean mind and a balanced schedule can do wonders to revive an arid soul, according to the author.

Stanley grapples with the existential issues that confront us all: questions of identity, meaning, purpose and destiny. He realistically and frankly discusses obstacles, setbacks and frustrations in the believer's path to reaching his or her potential—stress, alcohol, sexually transmitted diseases, broken relationships, fear and low self-value. More importantly, the popular Bible teacher inspires readers to learn about and exercise their spiritual gifts as well as to take risks—which is the essence of faith and trust in God.

How to Reach Your Full Potential for God makes for a good read when considering the new year and its resolutions.

—C. Brian Smith

Deliver Us from Evil

Robin Caroll

B&H Fiction (B&H Publishing Group)

softcover, 320 pages, $14.99

978-0-805-44980-8

The suspense novel Deliver Us From Evil sheds awareness about child sex trafficking within the United States. U.S.
Marshal Roark Holland is assigned the task of escorting a donor heart for a major witness that will open up a child trafficking case. Park ranger Brannon Callahan finds herself caught in the middle of Holland's case when she rescues him after a plane crash.

As they move through the woods, accompanied by Callahan's partner, Lincoln, they discover that someone is out to ensure their mission fails. Once they understand the mission is to save the life of innocent children, determination, teamwork and faith become their stablizing forces.

Caroll's action-packed adventure weaves together a mystery that keep the reader turning the pages and a lighthearted romance that builds between two strangers thrust together in life-threatening circumstances and loss.

—Nicole Anderson

Never Say Never

Lisa Wingate

Bethany House Publishers (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 352 pages, $14.99

978-0-764-20492-0

Wingate's Never Say Never is a "deep in the heart of Texas" thrill ride. It begins with 71-year-old Donetta Brandford and her two best friends, Imagene and Lucy, who decide to take a cruise to break the monotony of their lives in small town Daily, Texas.

At a country store, they encounter twenty-something Kai, a cruise line employee who reveals that the ship has already left to get out of the way of a hurricane. Everyone else is trying to get out, too, including some bad characters and a church from Louisiana.

As this group unites, chaos reigns, but in the midst, God shows all of them that miracles do still happen. The book ends with a surprise event and everyone is thankful to God for finding such great friends.

Women, young and old, will identify with the theme of the quest for true love and be met with the promise of perfect love in Christ.

—Tanya Ohle

A Year of Blind Dates

Megan Carson

Regal Books

softcover, 192 pages, $12.99

978-0-830-74810-5

Debut author Carson's A Year of Blind Dates: A Single Girl's Search for 'the One' is a comical account of her search for Mr. Right. Though she has always been blessed with a supportive family, friends and a life full of purpose, at age 28 she becomes more determined than ever to find the man of her dreams.

With the help of a dating service and friends who are all too willing to introduce her to potential mates, Carson embarks on a series of dates that will change her in a way she never expects.

The World's Best Dating Service—names changed to protect the innocent—promises 14 dates in the course of a year, surely enough to find the perfect match. From Penthouse Pete to Miguel the Matador, most of the dates simply go from bad to worse. The few that have potential still do not make it far.

After a heart-breaking year, Carson accepts that she cannot change or, much less, spoil God's plan for her life. Her story offers encouragement to those looking for "The One" and is a sure reminder of God's love and faithfulness.

—Bonnie Bruner

You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes

Lisa McKay

David C. Cook

softcover, 208 pages, $12.99

978-1-434-76726-4

McKay, a blogger writing her debut book with You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes…And Other Great Advice From an Unlikely Preacher's Wife, didn't plan on becoming a pastor's wife. Her husband, Luke, worked in construction, and they were on the brink of divorce before he got saved. Then, when he sensed God's call to ministry, McKay wasn't too certain about this vocational change and especially not her new leadership role.

With humorously refreshing advice to her fellow pastors' wives, McKay shares some of her mishaps in trying to fit into a stereotype that did not suit her personality—and reveals how God set her free from that mentality.

But the book is not written solely to pastors' wives; rather, she addresses congregation members, giving helpful, realistic guidelines to all—pastor, pastor's wife and church member—on how to serve each other and together build God's kingdom.

—Deborah L. Delk

Dug Down Deep

Joshua Harris

Multnomah Books

hardcover, 256 pages, $19.99

978-1-601-42151-7

Harris, best known for the teen advice book I Kissed Dating Goodbye, draws from his experience growing up in the church for Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters. Opening with a look at Rumspringa, the Amish rite of passage, Harris explains his personal spiritual journey and why all believers come to a point of personal faith ownership.

The author credits notables such as J.I. Packer and John Piper for defining moments in the formation of his understanding of theology. He also focuses on why theology, along with orthodoxy, has been overlooked—to the detriment of the church. Some of the most memorable moments, however, center on times when Harris discovers his life should revolve around God and not vice versa.

Dug Down Deep is an easy, conversational read targeting those who, like Harris, have found themselves in a shallow spirituality. He stresses the relevance of Scripture in modern living and urges readers to know what they believe and why.

—DeWayne Hamby

Still Standing

Carrie Prejean

Regnery Publishing

hardcover, 202 pages, $27.95

978-1-596-98602-2

Prejean, former Miss California and Miss USA runner-up, gave the answer "heard round the world" last year when questioned by gossip blogger Perez Hilton about her stance on gay marriage. After offering her unpopular opinion, Prejean's career trajectory changed, a journey she details in Still Standing: The Untold Story of My Fight Against Gossip, Hate, and Political Attacks.

Prejean speaks openly about her Christian faith and how she was encouraged to keep it under wraps by pageant officials even before being confronted with the infamous question. She details the fallout from her answer, including her firing from the Miss USA organization, meetings with Donald Trump, the surfacing of nude modeling photos and even the leaking of her parents' divorce papers to the press. Prejean doesn't set herself up as a victim or a hero, however, but rather someone who shared unpopular views with an angry audience.

With endorsements from Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter and a foreword from Sean Hannity, Still Standing is poised to appeal to a conservative political audience, but offers spiritual lessons in addition to cultural analysis.

—DeWayne Hamby

Points of Power

Yolanda Adams

FaithWords

hardcover, 256 pages, $19.99

978-0-446-54578-5

In Points of Power: Discover a Spirit-Filled Life of Joy and Purpose, recording artist and radio talk-show host Adams
offers stories of encouragement and hope in Christ.

Using examples from the Bible such as Joseph and Daniel, and individuals like Billy Graham and Chris Gardner, as well as her own life experiences, Adams relays uplifting stories of what it means to live a life focused on God and surrounded by His grace. She encourages readers to walk in obedience, freely confess shortcomings to Christ and allow Him to work in their hearts, so that they can live a life of power and purpose.

Points of Power is full of short stories and life-application questions, and is useful for the busy reader desiring spiritual growth.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

Happy Spouse...Happy House

Pat and Ruth Williams with Dave Wimbish

Standard Publishing

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-0-784-72356-2

Author and sports executive Williams and his wife, Ruth, offer marital advice in Happy Spouse...Happy House: The BEST Game Plan for a Winning Marriage. "BEST" is an acronym for Bless, Edify, Share and Touch.

The authors devote several chapters to each action.Though most of the principles apply to both spouses, Pat usually speaks to the male reader, while Ruth's segments target wives. One section could belong in a different book, as the authors devote nearly a chapter to choosing the right mate.

Most of the advice will be familiar to readers of marriage books, but the couple offers their own unique slant to keep it from becoming cliche. The understated premise of the authors' qualification is that they have between them 19 children, and both work in full-time careers requiring travel.

—John D. Leatherman

An Amish Gathering

Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller and Barbara Cameron

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 400 pages, $14.99

978-1-595-54822-1

With the backdrop of the Pennsylvania countryside, fans of romance fiction will enjoy sharing in the lives of Leah Petersheim, Rebecca Miller and Amanda Graber in this three-novella collection, An Amish Gathering: Life in Lancaster County.

Opening with "A Change of Heart," Leah teaches readers how to be themselves and follow their dreams. In "When Winter Comes," readers will learn from Rebecca how to overcome grief and fear, and know true forgiveness. Finally, in "A Place of His Own," Amanda is an example of a true friend who never gives up on the ones she loves.

Each novella centers on following God's will, and when it's least expected, He sends the right person to help. These heartwarming stories show humorous complications in courting while spotlighting lessons in true love. Extras include recipes, a glossary of Amish terms and a Reading Group Guide.

—Nicole Anderson

Start Somewhere

Calvin Nowell with Gayla Zoz

Tyndale House Publishers

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-1-414-32331-2

Christian recording artist Nowell offers Start Somewhere: Losing What's Weighing You Down From the Inside Out as an encouragement to anyone who has ever felt trapped by unhealthy patterns.

Nowell shares memories from childhood that seem to have planted the seeds that would later grow into a lifestyle of secret sin. Overindulgence in food was the sin that eventually took over, though he managed to function for years keeping up the appearance that he had his life together.

But at his breaking point, he began to understand that God had wonderful plans for his life that he would never see unless he submitted his food addiction to Him. The process of changing his routines was difficult, but the most significant transformation was the one that took place in his heart and mind.

Readers will find Nowell's honesty and transparency touching. Though the topic of weight loss is central to the book, its themes are global and applicable for all readers.

—Bonnie Bruner

Forgotten Girls

Kay Marshall Strom and Michele Rickett

IVP Books (InterVarsity Press)

softcover, 175 pages, $16

978-0-830-8373-1

Author and speaker Strom and Sisters in Service founder Rickett are on a campaign to give voice to the voiceless victims of crime and depravity around the world: young women.

A follow-up to Daughters of Hope, which told the stories of persecuted Christian women, Forgotten Girls: Stories of Hope and Courage puts faces to the statistics of millions of persecuted girls throughout the world. Christian or not, young women are trapped in a cycle of poverty and oppression that Christians in the West—those who often have the resources and voices—have the ability to help.

Five sections—physical life, education, sexual protection, prison and war, and spiritual life—cover the gamut of issues oppressed women face today. While the book's stories are touching, and at times overwhelming, the authors are careful to infuse them with action steps the average person can take to help make a difference.

Forgotten Girls may not be a book readers want to read, but those who are interested in social justice will find it a helpful guide to awaken passion and educate them on the issues of global persecution that seriously affect women and children.

—Cara Davis

Becoming Lucy

Martha Rogers

Realms (Strang Book Group)

softcover, 304 pages, $10.99

978-1-599-79912-4

In Becoming Lucy, the first entry into historical fiction from Strang Book Group and the first installment of the "Winds Across the Prairie" series, Boston heiress Lucinda Bishop's world is shaken when a tragic carriage accident takes both of her parents. She moves to her aunt and uncle's ranch in Oklahoma Territory, where she must find a way to face her grief and adjust to a primitive land.

Meanwhile, she and one of her uncle's cowboys fight a growing attraction for one another—for her, because he does not share her faith, and for him, because of a hidden and shameful past. When he becomes a Christian, he reveals his past and returns to Texas to face the law, leaving her to continue life in the wilds of Oklahoma wondering if he will return.

Becoming Lucy is populated with sweet, earnest characters whose simple faith in God remains strong even through horrendous circumstances such as the death of loved ones and the loss of most of their earthly possessions. The story takes a satisfying route to a happy ending, and Rogers' debut historical romance will appeal to fans of the genre.

—Allison Hyer

When Heaven Comes Down

Ché Ahn

Chosen (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 192 pages, $13.99

978-0-800-79479-8

In When Heaven Comes Down: Experiencing God's Glory in Your Life, Ahn explores the glory of God—what it is, how it is revealed, what it does and how to receive it.

The author maintains that God's glory is His manifest presence by which He reveals His goodness and displays His power through signs and wonders. Christians are called to glorify God and reflect His glory to the world. In other words, the glory of God brings about personal and societal transformation. Often His glory has manifested in revivals, and Ahn recounts the times in church history when this has been apparent and its effect on society.

Ahn's book will enlighten readers pursuing a deeper relationship with God, showing how that relationship produces fruit in the life of the believer and how the kingdom of God is extended through God's people.

—Deborah L. Delk

One Simple Act

Debbie Macomber

Howard Books

hardcover, 224 pages, $22.99

978-1-439-10893-2

In One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity, popular author Macomber touches on the story of the boy with the meager lunch of fish and bread that Jesus was able to share with 5,000 people, as a perfect example of what God can do with what one might consider so small.

Macomber reminds her readers that there is much more to be given than money. The gifts of time, intercession, comfort or hospitality are among those acts of kindness that make a world of difference. These are the gifts that matter most.

One Simple Act is a wonderful book for anyone who is looking to find ways to be a blessing to others. Macomber offers assurance that no matter how big or small the act of kindness, when done in the love that Christ has shown His people, the act of kindness will never be in vain.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

Tithing

Douglas LeBlanc

Thomas Nelson

hardcover, 176 pages, $17.99

978-0-849-90095-2

As part of "The Ancient Practices Series," LeBlanc's Tithing: Test Me In This explores responses to the text of Malachi 3:10. This seventh book in the eight-part series devoted to spiritual disciplines of the Christian church features a foreword by eminent religion editor and writer Phyllis Tickle.

LeBlanc, a journalist, traverses the United States and talks with pastors, priests and rabbis from a diversity of traditions, including Episcopalians, Catholics and Orthodox Jews. He discovers in his conversations that there are believers who actually view tithing as an act of compassion, joy and generosity, rather than a rigid, legalistic requirement. Furthermore, he encounters believers who give altruistically; that is, they do not "give to get" manifold blessings.

Tithing, overall, is conversational, personal and practical. Readers will no longer view tithing as a burden. Instead, they will be inspired by the stories of those whose lives have been enriched by obeying God.

—C. Brian Smith

Powers

John B. Olson

B&H Fiction (B&H Publishing Group)

softcover, 400 pages, $14.99

978-0-805-44735-4

Olson delivers a supernatural thriller in Powers, which, though a sequel to his novel Shade, is a self-contained story. Powers begins with Mariutza, raised in a Louisiana swamp by her grandfather, Purodad. He has trained her to be one of the Standing, a group to which God gives extrasensory powers against the Badness, Satan's human presence. When 10 cloaked men murder Purodad, his dying words send Mariutza on a quest for Jazzaniah the prophet and a treasure the Badness wants.

Meanwhile Jazzaniah, a struggling New Orleans musician, is experiencing strange visions leading him to Mariutza. Jazzaniah helps her find others of the Standing to aid their search while dodging police, FBI and shadowy government agencies convinced by the Badness that the Standing are a terrorist group.

The portions written in Mariutza's viewpoint may throw some readers since she does not understand everyday things such as automobiles and cell phones. Nonetheless, Powers offers a gripping plot that will keep the reader engaged.

—John D. Leatherman

Saving Cicadas

Nicole Seitz

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 320 pages, $14.99

978-1-595-54503-9

In Saving Cicadas, 8-year-old Janie Macy is a normal kid, as far as she knows. She lives in a small town with her mother, Priscilla Lynn; her older sister Rainey Dae, who has Down Syndrome; and their grandparents. When her mother gets pregnant though, her whole world changes.

Janie begins to understand what is at stake when her grandparents tell her about abortion, and she and Rainey look it up online. When Janie's mother schedules an abortion, Grandma Mona decides Janie needs to try to stop it. To help her do so, she tells Janie some closely held family secrets.

Seitz deals with the weighty issue of abortion through the innocent eyes of a child. The supernatural surprise at the end makes for a somewhat far-fetched story, though the book's message is powerful. Through Janie's eyes, readers will see the abortion issue in black and white.

—Allison Hyer

Do Something!

Miles McPherson

Baker Books (Baker Publishing Group)

hardcover, 224 pages, $19.99

978-0-801-01332-4

In Do Something! Make Your Life Count, McPherson challenges readers to make a difference in their lives and communities through the love of Jesus. Each chapter offers teaching couched in a real-life story demonstrating a biblical truth.

McPherson shares his personal experiences in dealing with drug addiction, unhealthy relationships and the pressures that come with being a professional athlete. His painful journey eventually leads him to follow Christ. He shares stories of his friends and congregation members, showing how loving people can impact the world.

Myths about who can "do something" for the Lord often hide the truth that anyone with a willing and open heart can be used by God to do something amazing. With each teaching, McPherson offers a prayer and a tangible challenge to show love in a real way.

Do Something! is an inspirational read. Readers will appreciate the practical lessons, and the book's concise chapters, along with an available DVD curriculum, makes this book useful for small group discussion.

—Bonnie Bruner

Perry Stone

Charisma House (Strang Book Group)

hardcover, 176 pages, $15.99

978-1-599-79752-6

In Angels on Assignment: God's Relentless Protection of You and Your Loved Ones, author and evangelist Stone places the spotlight on the issue of divine protection. He begins by discussing prayer and particularly intercession before addressing why bad things happen to good people and what can be done to prevent them.

Known for his Old Testament studies, Stone draws principles from the life of Jacob, particularly regarding what is known as the Mizpah Covenant between Jacob and his father-in-law, Laban.

The author stresses that biblical covenants can release the power of God's protection, which, in turn, brings the aid of angels. He also documents angelic visitations in other biblical stories—including a belief that the pre-incarnate Jesus appeared in angelic form—and his own personal experiences. Stone also instructs believers on how not to offend angels.

Angels on Assignment is an easy read with many bits of wisdom for life application. It will be especially helpful for readers facing doubts about God's power and compassion.

—DeWayne Hamby

Extraordinary

John Bevere

WaterBrook Press

hardcover, 240 pages, $22.99

978-0-307-45772-1

In Extraordinary: The Life You're Meant to Live, Bevere gives grace back its full biblical meaning and power. Not only does salvation come through grace, but it also provides the power to live a dynamic godly life.

Grace cannot be earned, and love comes unconditionally, but God is pleased with faith. True believers will desire to please God, not just want to escape hell, Bevere asserts.

The author believes that Christians need to stop seeing themselves as poor sinners saved by grace who will barely make it into heaven. Instead, they ought to see themselves as full citizens of God's kingdom with access to His power to overcome sin and make positive changes on Earth. Bevere also cautions that believers ought not to think of faith as means to selfish gain, but as empowerment to serve.

An effective discipleship resource for a small group or one-on-one mentoring, Extraordinary is an inoculation against unbelief for those who have never understood the overcoming power of faith and a booster shot for those that have.

—Deborah L. Delk

The Year of Living Like Jesus

Ed Dobson

Zondervan

hardcover, 304 pages, $19.99

978-0-310-24777-7

The title and cover of pastor Dobson's The Year of Living Like Jesus: My Journey of Discovering What Jesus Would Really Do immediately bring to mind its inspiration—A.J. Jacobs' The Year of Living Biblically—in part because Jacobs himself wrote the foreword to Dobson's book.

Dobson acknowledges the source of his inspiration in the introduction for his year-long journal. Whereas Jacobs, a nonreligious Jew, set out to chronicle what it would be like to live out what the Bible says literally, Dobson set out to live more intentionally the way Jesus, who was also a Jew, did.

The inevitable comparison to Jacobs' work ends there, however. Jacobs' writing was meant to be a humorous study in cultural oddities, but Dobson's is based on his own sincere attempt to live more like Jesus.

The book is helpful for those who want to learn more about the culture in which Jesus lived. And Dobson's personal reflections on living with a terminal, slowly progressing form of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) are especially poignant.

—Cara Davis

Shades of Blue

Karen Kingsbury

Zondervan

softcover, 336 pages, $14.99

978-0-310-26622-8

Kingsbury's Shades of Blue explores the harsh realities of abortion through the lives of her characters.

Brad Cutler and Laura James are engaged to be married in only six weeks when a secret from his past suddenly begins to affect the prospect of his future. Though he now follows Christ, Brad can no longer hide the truth about a previous relationship.

Emma Landon, his high school love, has been living broken and alone for nine years. As a teacher, she shows her students love, but her sadness tarnishes every day. With deep humility and strong faith, Brad seeks forgiveness from his first love for the worst decision of his life.

Kingsbury's bold handling of this difficult topic is fairly balanced, but charged with emotion. Mature readers will appreciate how God's grace and forgiveness are demonstrated in a tragic situation.

—Bonnie Bruner

Thirsty

Tracey Bateman

WaterBrook Press

softcover, 384 pages, $13.99

978-0-307-45715-8

Thirsty, the first thriller from romance fiction author Bateman, grabs readers with each turn of the page as recovering alcoholic Nina Hunt is forced to return to her hometown of Abbey Hills, Mo., even though she vowed she would never come back.

On the day Nina and her daughter, Meg, arrive with Nina's sister Jill, a dead body is found cut with occult markings and with its blood drained. While her sister—the town's sheriff—is solving murders, Nina struggles each day with the temptation of alcohol and works on restoring her estranged relationships.

Needing someone to talk to, she befriends Markus, the mysterious, handsome neighbor next door—who holds the secret to the unsolved murders and animal killings in Abbey Hills.

This well-written suspense tale will give readers an adrenaline rush that brings to life old folklore and vampires who thirst for blood in the night.

—Nicole Anderson

Master Leaders

George Barna with Bill Dallas

BarnaBooks (Tyndale House Publishers)

hardcover, 256 pages, $24.99

978-1-414-32624-5

Barna joins forces with Dallas to extract secrets from great leaders in Master Leaders: Revealing Conversations With 30 Leadership Greats. Barna initially prepared a series of 150 questions, spending one-on-one time with each leader. But instead of including a dry transcript of the results, he presents the content in a conversational setting—the fictional backstage or "green room" of Master Leaders conference.

Readers "listen" in on the dialogue and, at times, disagreement and debate. The roster includes pastors (Erwin McManus), college presidents (Sam Chand), CEOs (Jimmy Blanchard), clinical psychologists (Henry Cloud and John Townsend), military (Bob Dees), professors (John Kotter of Harvard), film producers (Ralph Winter), athletes (Tony Dungy) and politicians (Mike Huckabee).

Chapters focus on such issues as vision and values, trust, conflict and confrontation and building teams.

Master Leaders will reach a wide audience, including students and professionals, with readers learning the 16 key facets of leadership. Chock full of wisdom, this book will help existing or aspiring leaders take their skills to a higher level.

—C. Brian Smith

The Misunderstood God

Darin Hufford

Windblown Media (Hachette Book Group)

softcover, 224 pages, $13.99

978-1-935-17005-1

In The Misunderstood God: The Lies Religion Tells Us About God, the first new nonfiction release from the publisher of The Shack, Hufford confronts a skewed idea of the nature of Christ perpetuated by teachers, preachers and believers in general. The author addresses these misconceptions and then asks who would want to love a god that beats a person down, judges unmercifully, betrays or abandons if one wrong move is made?

Hufford, however, challenges readers to cast out the image they've been taught. He encourages them instead to open the Bible and read it anew to search out who Christ really is and to discover God's genuine love for His people.

The Misunderstood God provides a refreshing and quite freeing perspective as to the true identity of Christ and the love He has for His people, as Hufford expounds on 1 Cor. 13. This is a wonderful book for anyone who is ready to rediscover Christ.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

The Church of Facebook

Jesse Rice

David C. Cook

softcover, 240 pages, $12.99

978-1-434-76534-5

The social networking site that has exploded in popularity is the subject of The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community. The author calls attention to how the online world is reshaping community, focusing on the need for connection.