Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead


Kit Livingstone takes a shortcut through a London alley and finds himself face to face with the great-grandfather he thought long dead. Following him to the end of the alley, he discovers  a quaint little seaside village. As his grandfather begins to talk to him about traveling between worlds, ley lines, and a quest to locate an intricate map made of human skin, Kit eventually joins the quest and the hunt begins.

Travelling between worlds, eluding danger, hunting for pieces of the skin map, making friends, making enemies. This becomes Kit’s life in this dramatic sci-fi adventure. 

Well-written and entertaining, The Skin Map kept me reading. The first in a series, this book is a cliffhanger. I was a little disappointed, as I expected at least one major plotline to be resolved. Having said that, the left-hanging part will sell book two, as readers will be anxious to find out what happened. It was a good book, but I would not call it great because it lacks stand-alone value.

A complimentary review copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers with no expectation of a positive review.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Indivisible by Kristen Heitzmann

If you’re looking for classic Kristen Heitzmann, you won’t find it here. Darker and edgier than her other works, this crime drama is not for the faint of heart. As Police Chief Jonah Westfall looks into animal mutilation, rising drug traffic, and his past, he finds that things are not always what they seem.

This suspense novel was well-written and kept me guessing, but it was not as purely enjoyable as Heitzmann’s other novels. It somehow felt odd. Having said that, it did get better as it went along and I was just curious enough to want to know what happened. Fans of the TV series Criminal Minds might like it for its psychological thriller feel. 

A complimentary review copy of this book was provided by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group with no expectation of a positive review.