Persian Betrayal by Terry Brennan

How much can Brian Mullaney risk to serve God and save lives—without losing his own? DSS Regional Security Officer Brian Mullaney has been tasked with an incredibly dangerous mission. When a synagogue in Jerusalem is destroyed by an explosion, burying the second key prophecy Mullaney is hunting—and the deadly box that protects it—the answers he desperately needs are also crushed. How can he discover the meaning of the centuries-old prophecy now? Why are he and the ambassador he’s assigned to protect being targeted? And is there any way this lone man can thwart a nuclear arms race between three ascendant empires of the past? An otherworldly servant of evil known only as the Turk is maneuvering all three nations into an intricate dance designed to undermine prophecy about the end times. And he won’t let Mullaney or anyone else get in his way. Wounded in a bloody shoot-out, pressured by his wife to come home, and mourning the death of his best friend, Mullaney doesn’t need a powerful enemy. Who is he to save the Ishmael Covenant, the treaty promising peace in the Middle East? Despite angelic intervention, Mullaney wants nothing to do with his final assignment. But without him, evil will win the ultimate struggle . . . and humankind will have no hope left.

About the author

Terry Brennan is the award-winning author of The Sacred Cipher, The Brotherhood Conspiracy, and The Aleppo Code, the three books in The Jerusalem Prophecies series. His latest series is Empires of Armageddon, which includes Ishmael Covenant and Persian Betrayal. A Pulitzer Prize is one of the many awards Brennan accumulated during his 22-year newspaper career. The Pottstown (PA) Mercury won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing for a two-year series published while he led the team as the newspaper’s Editor. Starting out as a sportswriter in Philadelphia, Brennan became an editor and publisher for newspapers in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and New York and later moved to the corporate staff of Ingersoll Publications (400 newspapers in the U.S., Ireland and England) as Executive Editor of all U.S. newspaper titles. In 1996, Brennan transitioned into the nonprofit sector, spending 12 years as VP Operations for The Bowery Mission and six years as Chief Administrative Officer for Care for the Homeless,  both in New York City. Terry and his wife, Andrea, now live in Danbury, CT. More on Brennan can be found at www.terrybrennanauthor.com. He is also on Facebook (Terry Brennan) and Twitter (@terrbrennan1).

What others are saying

“A fantastic combination of thriller, historical conspiracy, biblical prophecy and Middle Eastern complexity—and you’re never sure where the line is drawn between fact and fiction.” ~ Ian Acheson, author of Angelguard “This roller-coaster thrill-ride will keep readers breathless all the way to a nail-biting cliff-hanger … please don’t keep us waiting for the final resolution of this exciting thriller trilogy.” ~ Jeanette Windle, award-winning author of CrossFire, Veiled Freedom, and Freedom’s Stand

My Take;  Wow This book took off from the very beginning and never let up.  This is the second book in this series and  I thought it was great.  If you have ever thought about the Middle East especially Israel this book does a very good job of letting you know what life is probably like over there.  I liked the supernatural elements but not in the demon kind of way but in what God does.

I received a review copy from Audra Jennings PR and was not required to leave a positive review.

Gathering of Sisters by Darla Weaver

Once a week Darla Weaver bundles her children into the buggy, hitches up her spirited mare, and drives six miles to the farm where she grew up. There she gathers with her four sisters and their children for a day with their mother. In Gathering of Sisters, Weaver writes about her horse-and-buggy Mennonite family and the weekly women's gatherings that keep them connected. On warm days, the children play and fish and build houses of hay in the barn. In the winter, everyone stays close to the woodstove, with puzzles and games and crocheting. No matter the weather, the Tuesday get-togethers of this Old Order Mennonite family keep them grounded and centered in their love for God and for each other.

The rest of the week is full of laundry, and errands, and work that never ends. But Tuesdays are about being sisters, daughters, and mothers.

Hear straight from Amish and Mennonite people themselves as they write about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith in the Plainspoken series from Herald Press. Each book includes "A Day in the Life of the Author" and the author's answers to FAQs about the Amish and Mennonites. 

My take:  I really enjoyed this book.  I like to think about simpler times when people use to get together for more than just the holidays and kids got to play with their cousins and really got to know them.  Instead of just getting together once a year if that.  I have a brother so we don't get together to do crafts etc.  I am trying to get my grandkids together but right now I have five grandkids and four of them are in the same family.  Although this is part of a series this book can be read by itself.  

I received a review copy of this book from Read with Audra for my honest review.  

Summer Plans and other Disasters by Karin Beery

About the book

Elementary school music teacher Callie Stevens thinks she’s finally figured out God’s plan for her life—she even made a list to keep her on track. Moving in with her brother and reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend are at the top of the list. What’s not on the list is running into her childhood crush, Ryan. God wanted her to connect with Kyle, right? Trying to figure out God’s plan is hard enough. But a dating-averse older brother, the young blonde who adores him, a pregnant best friend, and Callie’s continual mishaps make her wonder whether her best laid plans were truly God-inspired.  Now available from Elk Lake Publishing!

About the author

Karin wrote her first novel in 2007 to cope with her husband’s cancer diagnosis (no worries – he’s cancer free now!). With the support and encouragement of her family, she submitted that manuscript. That particular manuscript has not been published yet, but Summer Plans and Other Disasters, her first published book, releases in September 2018. Karin writes contemporary and speculative fiction stories with a healthy dose of romance, but she’s also expanded her repertoire: she writes feature stories for the local paper, copy material for businesses, and blog posts for herself and others. She even edits (offering copy editing, fiction editing, and critiques through Write Now Editing Services) and teaches (she’s the Substantive Fiction Editing instructor for the PEN Institute and can be found around the country teaching writing and editing courses at conferences and at her local college). When Karin’s not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys cooking and baking. She plays the piano and sings (the key of E, please). She kayaks with her husband in the summer, watches football in the fall (Go Blue!), and enjoys Christmas lights all winter long. Shy but extroverted, Karin adores her nieces and nephew and loves spending time with her family.  Learn more about Karin at: karinbeery.com. You can also follow her on: Facebook - www.facebook.com/authorkarinbeery/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/karinbeery  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/karinbeery/ Elk Lake Publishing (for tagging) Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ElkLakePublishingInc/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/ElkLakePubInc Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/elklakepubinc/   My Take;  I found this book to be very entertaining with a lesson that we all can relate to Callie Stevens has made plans for the summer but she didn't bother to ask God what he wanted her to do.  When her plans don't go as planned she feels like God has abandoned her but she didn't give Him a chance to let her know what she should do.  I find myself very often making plans but not praying to God to find out what he wants me to do.  Callie is a bit clumsy and has a tendency to continue on with her plans without waiting on God.   I received a review copy of this book from Read with Audra and was not required to post a positive review.