The God Hater

If you're look for a relevant, thought-provoking, page-turning book -- and you have a heart to help orphans -- buy The God Hater by Bill Myers.

Not only is The God Hater one of the best books in the genre of Christian Fantasy that you'll read, but here's the double-whammy: The proceeds go to Orphans First -- a non profit organization helping children. (Read my recent article on Orphans First work in Haiti here.)

Since I'm a huge Bill Myers fan, I posted a review of The God Hater a while back which you can read here. You can also read my fellow Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy (CSFF) blogtour colleagues' reviews here:
Noah Arsenault
Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Rachel Briard
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
April Erwin
Amber French
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Katie Hart
Ryan Heart
Joleen Howell
Bruce Hennigan
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Emily LaVigne
Shannon McDermott
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
MollyBuuklvr81
John W. Otte
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
Tammy Shelnut
Kathleen Smith
James Somers
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Nicole White
Dave Wilson
Kathy Brasby

Bottom line: There's a whole lot of us who recommend The God Hater.

Oh, and for those curious about the Orphans First / Bill Myers connection: As well as being a brilliant writer, Bill has a huge heart for orphans. As well as being an advocate and supporter, he is on the Orphans FIrst Advisory Board. (He was also our guest speaker for our commencement ceremony at Theological Institute in France years ago.)

Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
Copyright © February 2010
www.orphansfirst.org
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
www.twitter.com/JaneyDeMeo

Vanish by Tom Pawlik

Here’s an adult supernatural suspense novel I thoroughly enjoyed: Vanish by Tom Pawlik (Tyndale). A real pager turner. Here’s the gist of the story (hopefully, without any spoilers).

The protagonist, lawyer Conner Hayden (known by his wife as Connie), sees bizarre, white-eyed people—or shadows that waft like ghosts. He can’t decide if he’s losing his mind, sick or if something really weird is going on.

Conner finds himself plunged back into familiar scenarios from his past. Haunting scenes of his family as it once was before he separated from his wife and before his young son drowned, unfold like a movie, but also seem real. The wispy creatures seem tangible—not at all like in a vision. Is Conner stuck somewhere between death and life?

Conner also discovers that the whole population has vanished except him. The stores are empty, no cars on the road, no sign of life . . . He later meets another man, then a few other people who are in the same predicament as he is. With the exception of finding one another – at least for a season – they too are all alone in an empty world. They have lost friends, even family members. And they too experience flashbacks from their past, and see the ghostlike creatures.

One key character Conner meets is a young boy who seems to be lost, or orphaned. The boy later plays a key role later in connecting the dots between Conner’s failed past (divorce, irresponsibility, guilt etc.) and his relationship to God.

More than just an intriguing plot, this book thrusts you forward through the characters and their discoveries about themselves.

Buy your own copy of Vanish here.
And buy its sequel, Valley of the Shadow here.

Check out Tom Pawlik’s website here. http://www.tompawlik.com/

Check out reviews by other CSFF bloggers:
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Alex Field
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Ryan Heart
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Margaret
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Donita K. Paul
Epic Rat
Steve Rice
Crista Richey
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler

Janey L. DeMeo
Copyright © June 2009
www.orphansfirst.org / www.JaneyDeMeo.com

Shade -- CSFF blog tour review

Creepy. Suspenseful. And page-turningly weird. Yep, you’ll find it all in this month’s featured book on the CSFF Blog Tour—Shade by John Olson.

In Shade, Olson weaves a supernatural, suspense story with an unlikely romantic twist.

Intelligent, beautiful Hailey Maniates finds herself assaulted by a homeless man whose thoughts and emotions seem to eerily penetrate hers. When another homeless character comes to her rescue—an ultra-tall, scruffy, bearded hunchback called Melchi—Hailey uncannily finds her mind and emotions meshed with his. These bizarre and almost telepathic sensations land Hailey in hospital where she is diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

An ancient battle between the forces of darkness—personified by the mysterious Mulo—and the light, provide the backdrop for the story and keep you turning pages.

Olson manages to plop the Gospel message in Shade—albeit a little indiscreetly. Still, the book highlights the Christian faith well. It even hints at the deeper struggles Christians often face as reflected in Melchi’s desire to serve the Holy One—an aspiration, which is complexly intertwined with a sense of self-imposed legalism.

Find Shade at Amazon.

Visit John Olson’s Web site .

Check out some of my fellow bloggers’ reviews.
:
Brandon Barr
Jennifer Bogart
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Joleen Howell
Jason Isbell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Magma
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Janey L. DeMeo
Copyright©November 2008