Stalker! More Danger than Afghanistan!

Deb’s Dozen: A retired field surgeon, a stalker, a security agent, romance. What action!

I love Lynette Eason books and Active Defense (third book in the Danger Never Sleeps series) became one of my favorites. Lynette manages to write unforgettable characters, who get into unimaginable difficulties. How the characters get out of their scrapes always entertains. Lynette Eason takes us to places that excite, terrify. and surprise!

In Active Defense, Heather Fontaine, a former field surgeon in Afghanistan saw plenty of action. I always wanted to be a doctor, so any character who practices medicine automatically becomes a favorite. When Heather returns home, she finds safety there as elusive as on the battlefield. Someone searched her house, completely canceling her sense of security.

In the meantime, Heather correctly ascertains the surveillance. Not only by the stalker, but by Travis Walker, who watched her surreptitiously for weeks. He owns his own security agency, and asked him to help. When they team up, they have to figure out who wants Heather dead before the stalker gets his or her woman.

Of course, Heather and Travis end up together–one of the hallmarks of an Eason book. But how they get there creates the fun of the reading. In addition, trying to figure out the stalker before the end of the book challenges the reader.

To quote her Amazon Author’s page: “Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher’s Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more.” Married, Lynette treasures two children and lives in Greenville, SC.” As Lynette continues as one of my favorite authors, I read every book she writes.

NetGalley gave me a copy of Active Defense, but I was in no way obligated to post a review.

Power of Evil Fights Angels of Heaven

Deb’s Dozen: We aren’t fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but powers of the unseen world.

Ottoman Dominion is the final book in the Empires of Armageddon series by Terry Brennan. This series embodies Ephesians 6:12, giving substance to the battles Christianity fights against the power of evil. A series about prophecies of the Vilna Gaon: the first of which came true; the second a product of the author’s imagination, thank goodness.

Knowing revelation of the prophecy would mean defeat, the creature known only as The Turk takes over the body of the prime minister of Turkey to wreak havoc on the American embassy in Israel and the ambassador’s residence. He must obtain the box and the prophecy, or he loses the battle and his power. Then Messiah comes again.

The players from the first two books, Ambassador Cleveland and Brian Mullaney, play huge roles in this book as well. The third member of the triumvirate, Tommy Hernandez, lost his life in book two. They labor against the machinations of Noah Webster, the US Deputy Secretary of State, who covets power and more power and will stoop to nothing to attain that power. And, unknown to them, Cleveland and Mullaney labor against the authorities of the unseen world.

But heaven favors them—and the mighty angels of heaven fight on their behalf. Not only are their human battles occurring, but heavenly battles as well. Mullaney has been made the guardian of the box and the prophecy and has no choice but to serve that role after Cleveland disappears. And heaven’s power narrowly overcomes the power of evil
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Bloody battles, technology of the latest design, people and powers operating for their own benefit, murder and mayhem permeate the pages of Ottoman Dominion. The ending is predictable, but the manner in which they arrive at the conclusion is both bloody and beautiful. Four stars for this book and the series.

“The LORD bless you and keep you, the LORD make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you, the LORD lift up his countenance on you, and give you peace.”

About the Author

Terry Brennan is the award-winning author of The Jerusalem Prophecies as well as this series. He also led a Pulitzer-prize winning journalism team. He is married to Andrea, and they have a daughter, Meghan.

Kregel Publications gave me a copy of Ottoman Dominion but in no way required me to write a review.

Faith Under Fire–Literally


He’s a fireman, loves his job, loves his wife, and his daughter. He has everything going for him … and then disaster strikes. His wife has cancer, aggressive, fast-moving cancer and she’s gone. His world ends. Where is God in all this? Why did God take his wife? How is he supposed to work and care for his daughter, who is now walking in his wife’s cancer footsteps? How will he endure without the love of his life?

Faith Under Fire covers issues we all face at one time or another in our lives. What happens when our world comes tumbling down, our plans are strewn all over and trampled upon, where is God in this. The answer is simple, but oh, so hard to bear. We have to have faith. Faith triumphs over all our trials and sorrows–not that we don’t go through them, we do. But God promises to always be with us and to never leave us. Someone once said that until you’ve been through the sorrows in the valley, you can’t enjoy the joys on the mountain top. My life verses are James 1:2-4, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you face trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (ESV)

Faith Under Fire allows us to walk through the fire with this man, feel the pain he endures, watch as he struggles to find and keep his faith. An excellent film, one that will touch your hearts and make you grateful we have so rich a blessing in our salvation and life through Jesus Christ. Well worth the watching. Four stars. On December 8, the new faith-based drama will be available on home entertainment and DVD. And in markets where theaters are still open, the film will be available in select theaters November 27-December 1. Faith Under Fire stars Nick Vlassopoulos, Dean Cain, and Kevin Sorbo.

I watched this movie thanks to a screener sent by the Biscuit Media Group, a PR agency for the film. I was in no way obligated to write a review.