September Pick of the Month

I'm sorry I'm a bit late in posting this, but here is this month's pick. In a few weeks, I'll reveal why I picked this book for September. Until then, here's the review I did on it last year. 


Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and Mark J. Bertrand

5 out of 5 stars

If you're looking for a good romantic suspense, I highly recommend Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand.

In the neighborhood of Charleston's elite residents, a thief is leaving behind a trail of messy crimes. Dog walker, Rylee Monroe and Post & Courier reporter, Logan Woods, both find themselves in the middle of the action. As the crimes worsen, Logan can't ignore the mounting evidence that suggests Rylee has some connection to the crimes. With his career and heart on the line, he has to make a choice--and soon--before he loses it all.

Bertrand and Gist collaborate to bring a sensational read that will keep you turning the pages. I have to say this is the best collaboration I've ever read. They work well together.

Their portrayal of Charleston is dead on. As a Charleston resident, I found myself in awe of the way they brought this city to life on the page. They captured its richness and culture in a way that few non-natives do. Their fresh perspective on the city left me longing to explore the streets Rylee and Logan strolled down. The minute I set the book down, I felt eager to head to Charleston. 

While the book isn't suspenseful in the sense that it leaves you gripping the pages as your heart beats with tension, it is an entertaining--and equally page-turning--light mystery. 

This is an excellent read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in suspense and Charleston.

Questions and Answers with the Authors

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Beguiled

My Pick of the Month for July

"The Message of biblical Christianity is not 'God loves me, period,' as if we were the objects of our own faith. The message of biblical Christianity is 'God loves me so that I might make him--his ways, his salvation, his glory, and his greatness--known among all the nations.' Now God is the object of our faith, and Christianity centers around him. We are not the end of the gospel; God is."  pg. 70-71

Despite the fact this book has lined the shelves of numerous bookstores for over a year now, I've still chosen Radical by David Platt. A little over four months ago, I finished this book with my Bible study group. Every week we would read a new chapter on our own, then each of us would return to church on Sunday night and corporately dig into the Scripture while sharing our thoughts regarding the current mind-blowing chapter.

The things I learned during this study continue to resonate deep inside--and four months later I'm still raving about the book as though I had just finished it yesterday. David Platt does such an excellent job of showing us how the American dream has slipped into the church  and twisted the Scriptures to its ideology. He shows us how the dream has turned discipleship, evangelism, and missions into convenient options that are no longer important to us. Above and beyond that, he shows how this seducing dream has shaped God into our image. 

No doubt, you'll want to throw the book down at some point. I remember one night our leader asked what we thought about one of the chapters we had just read. I huffed a breath, then spat out "I hated it!" Of course, our leader asked why. The only reason I offered was that I felt hot coals of conviction searing me after reading both the chapter and the Scriptures I had studied.

This book earned a #1 spot on "my favorites list"--even knocking some long-held favorites off it. I highly recommend this book. It will awaken each of us to encounter our radical Savior and challenge us to live our lives as His radical followers. 

In addition, Multnomah/Waterbrook publishers is currently celebrating that  Radical has claimed a spot on the New York Times bestsellers list for over one year. 


Once you purchase Radical, I recommend checking out the following sites:

http://www.radicalthebook.com/home.html   Here, you will find podcasts that correspond to the chapters in the book, as well as a link to the corresponding Bible study options.

http://www.radicalexperiment.org/home.html  Here, you'll find group and family study guides, as well resources to help you embark on your radical journey. 

If you've read the book, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Feel free to leave a comment.

Radical by David Platt (Chapter 1)