The Yellow Packard

I received a copy of The Yellow Packard by Ace Collins from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After George Hall buys a late spinster’s 1936 Packard, a myriad of good fortune comes his way—until his daughter Rose is kidnapped and the car stolen. When the auto comes into the possession of down-and-out salesman William Landers, his luck seems to turn around—until he’s accused of a crime he never committed. Now in the custody of FBI Agent Helen Meeker, the luxury auto leads her into romance, intrigue, and danger. Will Helen discover the Packard’s secrets in time or become a villain’s next victim?
When I started this book I didn't know if I was going to like it.  I'm glad I didn't stop reading it because it's a good book.  There are so many characters that are impacted by the Yellow Packard and many twists that I didn't see coming.  Collins does a great job of keeping you guessing as to how each character is going to gain or lose from owning the Packard and how that impacts the story and other characters.  The ending was definitely something I didn't see coming.

The Bridge

I received a copy of The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Molly Allen lives alone in Portland, but her heart is back in Franklin, Tennessee, where five years ago she walked away from a man she cannot forget, a rare sort of love she hasn't found since.
Ryan Kelly lives in Franklin and spends plenty of time at The Bridge-the oldest bookstore in historic downtown Franklin-remembering the long hours he and Kelly once spent there.
Now, Ryan and Molly's favorite bookstore is in trouble. For thirty years, Charlie and Donna Barton have run The Bridge, providing the people of middle Tennessee with coffee, conversation, and shelves of good books-even through dismal book sales and the rise of eBooks. Then in May a flood tore through Franklin and destroyed nearly every book in the store. By Christmastime, the bank threatens to pull the lease on The Bridge and is about to take the Bartons' house as well. Despondent, Charlie considers ending his life. And in the face of tragedy, miracles begin to unfold.
This is a great book!  I hadn't read any of Karen Kingsbury's books before and I think I'll be ready more of them now.  The story shows how much one person can impact the lives of others.  The way everyone comes together to help get The Bridge back in business helps me remember all the good in the world.

What Every Christian Ought to Know

I received a copy of What Every Christian Ought to Know by Adrian Rogers with Steve Rogers from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Available for the first time in paperback, one of the last books written by revered late pastor Adrian Rogers is also one of his best-selling, a bold yet approachable guide to the ABCs of Christianity that Publishers Weekly calls, "(a) beautifully simple primer on essential truths."

What Every Christian Ought to Know provides readers with a well- organized, well-reasoned grasp of such topics as salvation, eternal security, prayer, the Holy Spirit, resisting temptation, finding God's will, as well as the authority of the Bible and how to understand it better. A valuable volume for new Christians and young disciples, it's also a suitably instructive resource for believers of all ages.

This new edition includes an introduction from Steve Rogers, president of the Adrian Rogers Pastor Training Institute, plus discussion questions for personal reflection or group study.

Adrian Rogers (1931-2005) was one of America's most respected Bible teachers, communicating to millions through his Love Worth Finding radio and television ministry that continues today. He was also senior pastor of the 27,000-member Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis, Tennessee, and a popular author whose books include Unveiling the End Times in Our Time and The Incredible Power of Kingdom Authority.

Steve Rogers is president of the Adrian Rogers Pastor Training Institute.

This is a good book for new Christians, old Christians or anyone else.  I've been going to church since I can remember and many of the things that Adrian and Steve talk about in this book I didn't know.  Or I couldn't explain if I wanted to.  They explain everything so clearly and completely that I can now defend my faith.  This will be a book that I come back to frequently.

Point of Retreat

I received a copy of Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Layken and Will have managed to overcome the obstacles that threatened to destroy their love, proving that they are perfect for one another. What they are about to learn, however, is that the things that have brought them together may be the very things that ruin their connection forever. Layken is left second-guessing the relationship and Will is jumping over hurdles to prove his love for her. What the young lovers discover about themselves along this journey may change their entire world and the lives of those who depend on them the most.      
This book made me think about what would happen if my parents had died when I was 19 and I had to raise a younger sibling.  Would I be strong enough to put my life on hold?  This is the situation Lake and Will both find themselves in.  They do a good job of handling the situations normal parents face with raising children.  They find that having someone in the same situation to help bounce ideas off of is priceless.  Like anyone in a relationship they have problems but together they can get through anything.

Wisdom Meets Passion

I received a copy of Wisdom Meets Passion by Dan Miller and Jared Angaza from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.
Baby Boomers have relied on wisdom to pave the way to success. Education, knowledge, investing strategies, 401ks, real estate leverage and carefully contrived career paths were expected to lead to success in one's golden years. seeing the overall failure of that formulaic approach to life, younger generations today have relied on passion as the guiding principle for their version of success.

And yet both are necessary. Regardless of age, those using wisdom only to achieve their goals are likely to end up disappointed and unfulfilled-feeling as though they have been chasing empty rainbows. Those trusting passion alone may lose the power of wisdom and end up underachieving, falling short of their potential and unable to attain their worthy goals.

Wisdom without passion is a Ferrari with no gas in the tank. Passion without wisdom is a tricked out 57 Chevy with no steering wheel. In Wisdom Meets Passion, bestselling author Dan Miller and his entrepreneurial son Jared Angaza show how to blend the two-equipping you to accomplish your greatest goals, experience the thrill of fulfilling relationships, create meaningful work, and to complete your purpose and calling here on earth no matter which age group you represent.

I've read Dan's 48 Days to the Work You Love and found it helpful.  I really liked this book also.  I think what help make it relate able was hearing Jared's story and comments.  Jared has moved to Africa and lives in a way most of us can't even fathom doing.  I love that he's so committed to helping that he jumped in with both feet.  Where would the world be if everyone was that committed to what we believed in?

My Journey to Heaven

I received a copy of My Journey to Heaven by Marv Besteman and Lorilee Craker from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As Marv Besteman lay in a hospital bed, visions of celestial beauty were the last thing on his mind. He had just had surgery to remove a rare pancreatic tumor. Alone after visiting hours ended, Marv tossed and turned, wanting more than anything else to simply sleep and escape the excruciating pain and misery for a while.
He was about to have an experience he never could have imagined--and could never forget.
In My Journey to Heaven, Marv Besteman shares the true story of his experience of heaven with astounding detail. You'll meet the angels who accompanied him to the gate, overhear his conversation with St. Peter, and feel the joy as he recognizes friends and family members who touched his life.
If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, or even if you just wonder about what happens after we die, you'll find peace, comfort, and encouragement in Marv's story.
I love reading stories about people who've been granted a glance at Heaven.  Marv's story is a little different than others I've read.  He gets to see and talk to Peter, 5 very close people, and lots of babies.  Marv talks a lot about the sky in Heaven.  He says it's like the 4th of July with all kinds of fireworks exploding in so many colors - some he's not ever seen on Earth.  His journey changes his life forever, but then who's wouldn't be changed?

Mixed Signals

I received a copy of Mixed Signals by Jane Tesh from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.It’s Christmas in Parkland, North Carolina, and PI David Randall is looking forward to his mother’s visit to 302 Grace Street, even though he knows she’ll want to talk about his daughter, Lindsey, who died in a car accident. Then he and his friend Camden find Camden’s friend Jared Hunter brutally stabbed. Cam has violent flashbacks to the crime, making him fear he’s linked with the killer. The suspects include Boyd Taylor, who hires Randall. Randall’s investigations reveal Jared served time for breaking into the Parkland Museum of History, and Bert Galvin, son of Ralph Galvin, editor of the Parkland Herald, was also involved.
Randall believes inept superhero, the Parkland Avenger, is a set up by award-hungry Herald reporter, Brooke Verner. The Super Hero Society of Parkland insists the Avenger isn’t one of them. To his dismay, Kary, wanting a more active role in his cases, joins the SHS.
Brooke tells Randall she saw a letter from Bert promising not to tell about the museum funds. By comparing museum records and newsletters, Randall discovers a collector of valuable letters was never paid the full amount and died in a car crash suspiciously soon after the sale. He realizes Galvin used the museum break in to cover up this embezzlement scheme.
A map found in Jared’s comic collection leads Randall and Cam to a series of tunnels underneath several stores that have been recently robbed. Kary, in her guise as Wonder Star, helps them trap Galvin in the tunnels and end Cam’s troubling visions.
I enjoyed this book.  It had me guessing until the last few chapters.  I found out after I started reading the book that it's the second in a series.  I really wish I would have read the first one before this one.  There were somethings that weren't completely explained about the characters that would have helped to know.