The Echo Within
Robert Benson
WaterBrook Press
hardcover, 192 pages, $14.99
978-1-400-07434-1

An acclaimed, contemplative writer, Benson gently dispenses wisdom like a modern-day Thomas Merton. In fact, Merton gets a nod in the form of a quote at the beginning of each chapter of The Echo Within: Finding Your True Calling. While Christians often struggle to decipher the will of God for their life and work, Benson offers a more relaxed perspective: Trust your instincts.

The book’s smaller trim size, which limits the number of words on each page, coupled with its one-word chapter names (listening, waking, hearing, being, looking, waiting, living, knowing, choosing and dreaming), give an ethereal feeling better suited for reflective reading instead of practical self-help. This book inspires, but doesn’t instruct.

Benson spends most his space recounting his own journey—specifically how he ended up devoting his life to the craft of writing. For that reason, The Echo Within will appeal not only to people searching for purpose, but also to fans of the written word.

Questions of Truth
John Polkinghorne and Nichole Beale
Westminster John Knox Press
softcover, 194 pages, $16.95
978-0-664-23351-8
Scientist-theologians Polkinghorne and Beale deliver apologetics from a highly scientific worldview in Questions of Truth: Fifty-One Responses to Questions About God, Science, and Belief. Though the book starts as a criticism of atheist Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion, it quickly moves into Q-and-A format, with the authors posing and then answering some of the common objections raised by skeptics and seekers, such as “How did the universe begin” and “Can God’s existence be proved?”
Polkinghorne and Beale tend toward a scientific, allegorical interpretation of biblical events. They believe, for example, that evolution is a tool of God’s creation, that the Adam of Genesis is a metaphor for humankind’s initial consciousness of God and that an un-implanted embryo is probably not a person. Some readers may find their approach cold and impersonal, such as their view on suffering.

For readers comfortable with the authors’ nonliteral take on the Bible, Questions offers some resolution to the apparent conflict between science and religion.

Left At the Altar
Kimberley Kennedy
Thomas Nelson
softcover, 208 pages, $14.99
978-0-785-22878-3
When the thirtysomething Kennedy, a TV news anchor, found her soulmate after years of searching, her life seemed complete. Little did she know that at the rehearsal the night before the wedding, her fiance would break the news that he couldn’t go through with the marriage and her life would be forever changed—a story she tells in Left At the Altar: My Story of Hope and Healing for Every Woman Who Has Felt the Heartbreak of Rejection.

Likening the experience to death, Kennedy grieved the loss of her best friend and the plans she had for her life. She describes the heart-crushing rejection and the eventual heart-healing transformation she experienced through her relationship with Christ.

While most of the book deals with her own journey, she often pauses for practical application for the reader, ending with a chapter of 10 tools for healing and moving on with life. Her mantra—“Man’s rejection, God’s protection”—applies to older singles as well as to women whose husbands have been unfaithful or have filed for divorce.

A Killing Frost
Hannah Alexander
Steeple Hill
softcover, 368 pages, $13.95
978-0-373-78640-4
Believable characters, a compelling tale and nonstop action combine to make A Killing Frost, the third in the “River Dance” series, a book that’s hard to put down.
Dr. Jama Keith returns to River Dance to repay her debt for med school, but brings with her a secret from her past. She tries to avoid her ex-fiance Tyrell, but they are thrown together when his niece, 11-year-old Doriann, is kidnapped. The FBI is called in, but warns Jama and Tyrell not to interfere with the investigation.

Jama knows Doriann is resourceful, rebellious and brave beyond her years, but every hour she’s missing is critical.

A Killing Frost is about facing very real fears. Readers will enjoy the fast pace of the story and the underlying message of trusting in love enough to overcome those fears.

The Centurion’s Wife
Janette Oke and Davis Bunn
Bethany House Publishers
(Baker Publishing Group)
softcover, 384 pages, $13.99
978-0-764-20514-9
Oke, known for frontier romance, has left the North American landscape to go  further back in time to first-century Israel in The Centurion’s Wife, the first in the “Acts of Faith” serires. Joining her once again is co-author Bunn.

Leah, who faces the fear and uncertainty of an arranged marriage, and Alban, the centurion to whom she is betrothed, evaluate the testimonies of those who follow Jesus and have witnessed His resurrection. They grapple with their own journey of coming to faith in this Jewish Messiah and the anxiety they feel while in the service of the very man that had Jesus put to death.

Sweet, mild and pleasant, the story steers clear of describing a darker, complex pre-Christian Rome. The struggle between good and evil is much tamer than it could  have been and difficulties are too easily resolved, yet it makes for an enjoyable read.

Of Different Minds
Maren Angelotti
Regal Books
softcover, 272 pages, $14.99
978-0-830-74720-7
Angelotti, author and mother of four—two with what have come to be called learning differences—wrote Of Different Minds: Seeing Your AD/HD Child Through the Eyes of God to encourage, educate and empower parents of children with learning differences. Inspired by the educators and parents who helped her understand her own children, Angelotti gathered stories about those who are learning to live and thrive with such differences.

Of Different Minds gives a broad treatment of ADD, AD/HD, dyslexia and related disorders. It covers everything a parent needs to know, from how to identify these disorders to the mystery surrounding them; God’s purposes for them; and their impact. The book provides lists of resources, plus tips, methods and Bible studies.
Angelotti, who also has her own practice dealing with children with these disorders, asserts that they can be successful. The message she gives in Of Different Minds is ultimately one of hope and encouragement.

The Late Great United States
Mark Hitchcock
Multnomah Books
hardcover, 208 pages, $19.99
978-1-601-42140-1
In The Late Great United States: What Bible Prophecy Reveals About America’s Last Days, author and frequent lecturer on prophecy themes Hitchcock provides a straightforward review of the many questions and concerns people have about America’s role in the last days.

The Bible doesn’t specifically mention the U.S. as having a prominent place in the end times, he asserts, which may indicate that America could fall from power in the last days. Hitchcock provides further evidence of the nation’s possible collapse with the current economic crisis, America’s reliance on foreign oil and the threat of Islamic terrorism.

While this may seem gloomy, Hitchcock says that Christians can find hope in knowing what will happen to them when they leave this Earth. He lists three things Christians should do to keep America protected and under God’s favor for as long as possible: Remain vigilant in support of the state of Israel, continue to spread the gospel, and do all they can to practice and promote righteousness.

With its personal yet realistic tone, this book is very informative and viable in a time where people want real answers.

Top Pick - Fiction

Kiss
Ted Dekker and Erin Healy
Thomas Nelson
hardcover, 336 pages, $24.99
978-1-595-54470-4

In the new thriller by best-selling author Dekker and co-writer Healy, a kiss is indeed a powerful thing. In the case of Shauna McAllister, recovering from a horrific auto accident that wipes out six months of her memory, the lip-lock carries supernatural properties, allowing her to steal memories and gather clues to a mystery, possibly involving her estranged father—presidential candidate Landon McAllister—and his pharmaceutical company. Were her father or his associates behind the accident that almost killed Shauna and left her brother in a brain-damaged state?

The authors balance the book’s fast pace and unfolding mystery, introducing a distinct cast of supporting characters while keeping readers on board with Shauna’s perspective. She slowly discovers who can and cannot be trusted, including a boyfriend she cannot remember and a stepmother with whom she’s never gotten along. A new friend, her housekeeper Khai, dispenses Scripture verses and godly wisdom about how Shauna’s past might factor into her present and future.

To the authors’ credit, although Shauna questions whether or not she really wants to uncover the whole truth, readers surely will, soaking up page after page until all mystery is finally revealed.
DeWayne Hamby

Christian Living

Death By Church
Mike Erre
Harvest House Publishers
softcover, 250 pages, $13.99
978-0-736-92496-2

Author and pastor Erre turns a critical eye toward the contemporary church in Death by Church: Rescuing Jesus From His Followers, Recapturing God’s Hope for His People. Erre’s premise is that Christian society has undergone something of a spiritual death by giving the church no higher goal than increased attendance. Churchgoers, meanwhile, often expect the institution to fix their lives.

Erre may offend some readers with his interpretation of popular theology. For example, The Four Spiritual Laws presents a narrow interpretation of the gospel, focused on individual salvation. Church, he argues, is not so much for getting into heaven as it is for bringing heaven to earth. The true message of hope in the cross, he asserts, is that the kingdom of heaven is now “at hand.”

For believers willing to have their presumptions challenged, Erre offers a look at what he believes is Christ’s original intent.
John D. Leatherman

Touching Godliness Through
Submission
K.P. Yohannan
Gospel for Asia
(STL Distribution North America)
softcover, 224 pages, $11.95
978-1-595-89055-9

In his latest work, Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia, leads Christians to think more deeply about their convictions and passions, and to wrestle with the truth that submission is “wholesome and liberating.”

With gentleness, he begins with the core concept of submission, the spirit of submission and its benefits, and its essence, revealed through personal examples. He asserts that submission, born of humility, is transforming and is evidenced in obedience. 

In a time when social morés encourage individualism, Yohannan leads firmly but charitably to the cross. He sees submission as more than obeying authority, but as “participating in the very life of Jesus.”

Touching Godliness Through Submission, an easy, engaging read, began as a teaching series Yohannan delivered during a leaders’ gathering in India. He credits such authors as John Chrysostom, Andrew Murray and A.W. Tozer for his understanding of the subject.
Deborah Finnamore

Family

Losing Control & Liking It
Tim Sanford
Focus on the Family (Tyndale House Publishers)
softcover, 192 pages, $13.99
978-1-589-97481-4

Losing Control & Liking It: How to Set Your Teen (and Yourself) Free holds an indispensable key to parenting teens: Parents need to give up inappropriate control if they want a healthy relationship with their teenagers. The author, who is a counselor and a parent, elaborates on the difference between influence and control.

Sanford clearly outlines what parents actually do and do not have control of and the negative consequences of trying to control instead of influence. Encouraging teens to take responsibility for their lives means letting them take control of their own lives, and, yes, reap the consequences of their choices—good or bad. Giving up control, however, doesn’t mean a parent’s job has ended.

As blunt as Sanford can be at times, he is actually quite gentle and compassionate, identifying with all of the emotions of a parent. With his straightforward and concise style, he gets right down to the issue at hand.

Losing Control & Liking It is vital reading for parents and others who work with young adults.
Deborah L. Delk

Fiction

Blood Lines
Mel Odom
Tyndale House Publishers
softcover, 432 pages, $13.99
978-1-414-31635-2

In Blood Lines, the final installment of  Odom’s “Naval Criminal Investigation Service” (NCIS) series, NCIS agent Shel McHenry, in the course of a carjacking investigation, kills Bobby-Lee Gant, son of a notorious criminal, in self-defense. This stirs up a hornet’s nest of trouble for the NCIS team and drags up decades-old history involving Shel’s father, Tyrel. Finding out what happened in Vietnam 40 years ago answers questions from Tyrel’s past and clears up the entire investigation.

Odom’s descriptions of weapons and military tactics will be appealing to his target audience, but may be lost on the casual reader. In the end, his action- filled plot, though layered and twisting, leaves no unanswered questions.

The author quite naturally ties together characters from previous books in this installment, but a reader with no prior knowledge of this military series will still enjoy the story as a stand-alone read.
Allison Hyer

Relationships

From Anger to Intimacy
Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham
Regal Books
hardcover, 256 pages, $22.99
978-0-830-74676-7 

Working out anger issues in marriage is the theme of From Anger to Intimacy: How Forgiveness Can Transform Your Marriage by relationship author Smalley with Cunningham, a pastor he has mentored through the years.

The book is conversational and user-friendly, giving many relatable, sometimes humorous experiences to illustrate the right and wrong ways to deal with conflict.

Interactive elements such as personal inventories and quizzes help to pinpoint issues of the heart. The pair presents a balanced, biblical perspective, encouraging spouses to consider each other’s feelings and helping them recognize their own hot buttons.

From Anger to Intimacy will be a help to those struggling to navigate the challenges of marriage, but should also be required reading for couples who feel like they’re doing just fine. It’s also a good resource for spouses to refer back to throughout their marriage.
Hamby

Women

That Makes Two of Us
Connie Witt and Cathi Workman
Group Publishing
softcover, 128 pages, $14.99
978-0-764-43828-8

When it comes to mentoring, many women feel inexperienced and intimidated. But in That Makes Two of Us: Lifestyle Mentoring for Women, authors Witt and Workman use examples from their own relationship to show that mentoring does not have to be an overbearing, overscheduled application of a program, but something that can happen quite naturally.

The authors present the need for Christian women to reach out to the next generation, show the importance of understanding what mentoring really is and offer biblical instruction.

That Makes Two of Us helps Christian women fine-tune what they already do on a daily basis and learn to think of themselves as mentors.
Jevon Bolden

TOP PICK - FICTION

Where Do I Go?
Neta Jackson
Thomas Nelson
softcover, 352 pages, $14.99
978-1-595-54523-7

Jackson, the author behind the popular “Yada Yada Prayer Group” series, scores a home run with her spinoff series’ first title, Where Do I Go? A Yada Yada House of Hope Novel, a gripping story of family friction and division.

Wife and mother Gabrielle “Gabby” Fairbanks has been recently transplanted to Chicago from Virginia due to husband Phillip’s job change. She literally stumbles over a homeless woman in front of her high-rise apartment building and is eventually led to a women’s shelter where she finds her purpose. She finds fulfillment as the shelter’s social director, while Phillip objects to her job, considering it unsuitable for the wife of an up-and-coming executive. Additional family troubles leave her frustrated, getting little or no help from her social-climbing mate.