Angel of Wrath
Bill Myers
FaithWords
softcover, 336 pages, $13.99
978-0-446-69800-9
Myers crafts a gripping supernatural thriller in Angel of Wrath. In the follow-up to The Voice, megachurch pastor Thomas Harmon recruits his sister—dismissed FBI agent Lisa Harmon—and ex-Special Ops agent Charlie Madison to help police catch Kristof, a serial murderer targeting Thomas’ congregation. Kristof chooses victims whom he considers hypocrites.
Readers will find that the story’s action is sometimes used to reveal deeper themes, such as the concept that all passions, even good ones, can become vices. The book’s fast pace will draw readers not put off by moments of gruesome imagery.
—John D. Leatherman
Because I Said So
Dawn Meehan
GuidepostsBooks
softcover, $14.99, 240 pages
978-0-824-94747-7
Meehan’s book of humorous essays about parenting stresses that it’s OK not to have it all together. In Because I Said So …and Other Tales From a Less-Than Perfect Parent, her family’s laugh-out-loud antics are balanced with poignant insights on rearing children.
The faith of this stay-at-home mom of six is evident throughout the book, but is never preached. The essay about her eBay auction of a baseball—which sold for more than $1,000 and drew an instant audience to her blog, BecauseISaidSo.com—is also included.
Most of the time Meehan succeeds in providing a laugh and a pat on the back for parents, though her sarcasm is at times too biting and loses its appeal. But Meehan doesn’t claim to be a parenting expert, so a few missteps may be overlooked.
—Cara Davis
The Disappearance of God
R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Multnomah Books
hardcover, 208 pages, $14.99
978-1-601-42081-7
In The Disappearance of God: Dangerous Beliefs in the New Spiritual Openness, Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, stresses the need for biblical truth in church and society.
The author notes the degrees of doctrinal disagreement before defending evangelical concepts such as eternal punishment and a biblical view of beauty. Mohler dissects Emergent church views and defends the importance of repentance and the exclusivity and power of Christ. He also turns his attention to a decline of discipline and the importance of holiness in today’s church.
Readers will find The Disappearance of God a well-researched but sobering read.
—DeWayne Hamby
The Secret Holocaust Diaries
Nonna Bannister with Denise George and Carolyn Tomlin
Tyndale House Publishers
hardcover, 300 pages, $19.99
978-1-414-32546-0
After six decades of silence, Bannister, who was born into an aristocratic Russian family, reveals the horrors she experienced during World War II, in The Secret Holocaust Diaries: The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister.
Drawn from the events she recorded in a hidden diary, The Secret Holocaust Diaries is an authentic expression of how Bannister felt at each juncture of her horrifying journey through Nazi Germany.
With the help of her husband, Henry, who worked with writers George and Tomlin after Bannister’s death, this story comes to life. Through it, readers see the power of forgiveness and miracles as she escapes as the only survivor from her family.
—Jevon Oakman Bolden
Readers ‘Notice’ Andrews: Andy Andrews’ The Noticer (Thomas Nelson) debuted at No. 6 on the May 22 New York Times Hardcover Advice best-seller list, reflecting sales ending May 16. The book, blending fiction and advice and centered on paying tribute to those who make a life-changing impact, benefited from strong word-of-mouth promotion and advance viral-marketing buzz.
A women’s speaker and author, Baumbich’s work is warmly enthusiastic and humorously inspirational. In Don’t Miss Your Life: An Uncommon Guide to Living With Freedom, Laughter, and Grace, she puts her signature message on paper: slow down, enjoy blessings, and don’t take things too seriously.
Got questions? Mark Driscoll tackles the top questions from Mars Hill churchgoers in Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions ($19.99, Crossway Books & Bibles), releasing under the Re:Lit brand June 30. The author received a total of 893 questions, for which 343,203 votes were cast, and whittled them down to the top nine, covering topics like sexual sin, dating, the emerging church and birth control.
Although the Lord’s Prayer is often recited, its rote memorization and repetition may sometimes result in a loss of potency and meaning in believers’ lives. Haase intends to transform readers’ views of Jesus’ words from familiar phrases to a living conversation in Living the Lord’s Prayer: The Way of the Disciple.
Divine encounters: In her debut book, Dorothy Valcárcel takes a look at 18 women of the Bible whose lives were changed by encountering Jesus in When a Woman Meets Jesus ($13.99, Revell/Baker Publishing Group), releasing this month. The author, who has spent 25 years working with charitable organizations worldwide, also includes questions and reflections for readers at the end of each chapter.