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​book reviews

At the Edge of the Jordan: What Waits for Us After This Life and Why It Matters                        by Leah Chrest

5/28/2022

52 Comments

 
Debut author, Leah Chrest introduces us to her fiction story about the afterlife:
What waits for us when we die? How can the truth of heaven revolutionize our faith?

In this unique work, Leah Chrest, a lifelong Christian, draws from both hundreds of near-death experiences and the Bible to create a captivating tale of faith and personal transformation. Based on the NDEs of Nancy Rynes, Rev. Howard Storm, Dr. Eben Alexander, Mary C. Neal, George Ritchie, and dozens more, Aislinn's story will answer your heart's deepest questions and inspire you to live a more peaceful, inspired, faith-filled life.

Journey with Aislinn, a young woman who is no stranger to grief, having lost her sister and grandparents in the span of just a few years. On her honeymoon, Aislinn drowns in a freak surfing accident. Her soul leaves her body and enters heaven, where she meets with Jesus and has the innermost questions of her soul answered:
  • What is the purpose of our life on Earth?
  • Why do good people suffer?
  • Do we have guardian angels? How can we feel their presence?
  • Is hell real?
  • What happens to our loved ones when we are separated by death?
  • What is life like in heaven?
  • What is the future of the Earth?
  • How can we live in connection to the Holy Spirit, as Jesus did?

If you have always wondered about near-death experiences, this well-researched narrative account will warm your heart and inspire you to live with deeper purpose and meaning.

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A fascinating story with tantalizing glimpses of what heaven and hell might be like. It’s an emotional rollercoaster at times with the death of loved ones and suffering being part of the story. Those darker moments are balanced with healings and connecting again with family members.
I found the footnotes to be interesting and they add a welcome depth to the story. I enjoyed them as an information junkie. However, you can enjoy the story quite well without reading any of the footnotes. The story easily stands on its own.
I give “At the Edge of the Jordan” 4.8 stars.

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You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/At-Edge-Jordan-Waits-Matters-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-at-the-edge-of-the-jordan
 
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/ChristianMedit2
http://thecontemplativechristian.com
https://www.instagram.com/christianmedit2/
https://www.youtube.com/c/christianmeditation
https://www.facebook.com/christianmedit2
 
Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction 

52 Comments

The Tales of Mr. Mouse and Friends                       by Jacqueline Mead

5/21/2022

3 Comments

 
Multi-volume, multi-genre author, Jacqueline Mead introduces us to her children’s book, “The Tales of Mr. Mouse and Friends”:
Join Mr. Mouse as he tends to his award-winning garden, makes friendships, meets Hilda his future wife, all the while drinking lots of tea and eating lots of cake. Mr. Mouse is a popular character whose door is always open, who is on hand to help anyone who needs assistance, who will rally around a worthwhile cause and who is highly thought of throughout the woodland community. Each chapter is a short story of its own and set in a season, there are twelve chapters following Mr. Mouse over three years. Read about the woodlands during a harsh winter when the woodlands are covered in six-foot snow drifts, during spring when the season is changing from winter, summer when Mr. Mouse’s award-winning gardens are at their best and autumn when the trees and plants are losing their leaves.
Mr. Mouse with a house on the River Louse will become a favourite bedtime story for your children.

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I enjoyed this book a lot. My two granddaughters did also. The casual rhyming was clever and the character names were pleasing.
I loved the illustrations also, they are soft, the pastels are easy on the eyes. Each chapter has a full-page illustration. They look nice even on my Kindle.
Each chapter is its own story. That makes for a pleasantly short read for bedtime, leaving time to answer questions a child might have.
The overarching theme of the book is that family and friends are important and worthy of attention. Another wonderful theme is caring for your surroundings and environment.
You are going to enjoy this peaceful visit to the river and woods where Mr. Mouse and his friends live.
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You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Mr-Mouse-Friends-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-tales-of-mr-mouse-and-friends
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tales-of-mr-mouse-and-friends-jacqueline-mead
 
You can follow the author:
@Jackiem158 
http://www.jacquelinemead.com 


Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
3 Comments

Even Blue Birds Sing

5/14/2022

41 Comments

 

A Battered Mother’s Message to Her Son
by Karen Buyno, as told by Lisa Kobayashi 

Debut Amazon author, Karen Buyno introduces us to “Even Blue Birds Sing”:
Moved by newspaper reports of a family’s tragic plight, a prominent couple donated $50,000 to a Maine Family Crisis Services center. Even Blue Birds Sing recounts the true events behind those media reports, details that were not reported until the publication of this book, events that will cause you to question everything you thought you knew about domestic violence, the protection of children, and justice in America.
Lisa is a mother and the wife of a man who wants to kill her. She escapes through the assistance of an underground railroad of sorts, but what she doesn’t count on is a twist the law takes in declaring her one of America’s Most Wanted. Now she must evade not only the man who wants her dead, but also a justice system intent on sending her to prison.
This is a tale of a mother who sacrifices everything to ensure her son’s happiness. She wants to tell him what happened, if only she could….

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I wish this story was fiction. It is so gut wrenching and painful. It is true. Not just for Lisa but for many others.
The author did an amazing job of writing this story. It is clear and unflinching in describing the events that Lisa had to live through even from her early years as a child.
I can’t recommend this book enough, everyone in law enforcement, the justice system and first responders should read this book.
I award 5 stars to “Even Blue Birds Sing”.

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You can buy this book:
https://rdrpublishers.com/even-blue-birds-sing-by-karen-buyno
https://www.amazon.com/Even-Blue-Birds-Sing-Battered-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-even-blue-birds-sing 

Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction 

41 Comments

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