Community Corner
Eldersburg Recommends Hot Summer Books: His Way Christian Bookstore
Patch asked local businesses what readers should pick up this summer.
Looking for recommendations for books to read this summer while relaxing poolside or enjoying yourself on the beach? Take a look at the books below, recommended by in Eldersburg, and see which interest you.
By Todd Burpo
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Heaven is for real, says little 4-year-old Colton Burpo. Having almost lost his life in emergency surgery, Colton shocks his family when he begins to tell his father, a Nebraska small-town pastor, that Jesus has a rainbow horse in heaven and that he could look down while his body was in surgery at his father and mother in separate rooms in the hospital. Unbelievable at first, yet when Colton tells his family he met his miscarried sister and his long deceased great-grandfather, the details he knows are undeniably something to be noticed.
This book, a No. 1 New York Times Bestseller, has opened the eyes of many a reader, whether they believe in heaven or not. Recommended for readers age 10 and up, the author, Todd Burpo, is releasing Heaven is for Real for Kids in November 2011.
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By Bill Myers
How does one combine technology with the Christian faith? Bill Myers does just that in The God Hater. Myers paints the portrait of Dr. Nicholas Mackenzie, a college professor who absolutely detests any sort of religion and loves to argue and destroy the beliefs of any of his students. However, when Mackenzie becomes involved with a computer “world” in which he must choose a religion, all goes awry when the computer “society” rejects any type of philosophy except for an extraneous “Law-Giver.”
This goes against everything Mackenzie stands for, so Mackenzie creates a computer model of himself to explain to the virtual reality citizens their new laws. Alas, not all is solved, for a virus invades the computer program, and Mackenzie is thrown a curveball when he must yield his own body to bear the virus so that the virtual society will survive and adopt the new “Law-Giver” philosophy.
A religious fiction novel, The God Hater is recommended for readers ages 16 and up.
By Rachel Hauck
Singers who lipsync, writers who plagiarize, scientists who falsify results, and chefs whose dishes are made by Gourmet To Go: all talents that aren’t real. Joy Ballard is one of those chefs, except her situation is particularly heinous because a major network is taking on her cooking show. Unexpectedly, Joy meets chef and fine food connoisseur Luke Davis, who has moved to lowly Beaufort, South Carolina, after leaving his former big city Manhattan lifestyle where his restaurant went belly-up.
A match made in heaven it seems, with Luke looking to restore his reputation, but unfortunately, Joy and Luke don’t exactly get along like peas and carrots. What will happen when Joy, who wouldn’t even eat her own food, is exposed on national television that she can’t even boil pasta? Will Luke help her along with a little assistance from God? Read the book to find out.
Dining with Joy is a religious romantic comedy recommended for readers 15 and up.
By Max Lucado
Want an inspirational book that is sure to pick up your soul? Check out Max Lucado’s Outlive Your Life, a novel that shares Lucado’s teachings on how to spread joy and hope throughout the grief-filled and poverty-stricken world. Lucado invites you to not only live your life, but to outlive it, by contributing to the well-being and the lives of those who are not as advantaged around the world.
As an added benefit, 100 percent of the author’s royalties go toward ministries of faith-based compassion. This book is recommended for readers ages 16 and up.
By Wayne Thomas Batson
Local author Wayne Thomas Batson hits another home run in the Christian fantasy genre with The Sword in the Stars. What happens when a Pandora’s box is opened and evil is allowed to root itself into the kingdom of Anglinore? In the first novel of The Dark Sea Annals series, Alastair Coldhollow’s life depends on the coming of Halfainin, who is alleged to come and save the kingdom.
Yet the state of the entire kingdom also is wracked by tensions between Anglinore and the bloodthirsty Gorrack Nation, and the evil beings that will stop at nothing to claim ownership of an unknown, abandoned child.
This book is recommended for readers who want a wild ride into a fantastic world beyond any imagination. It is recommended for readers age 14 and up.
By Bryan Davis
Odd title, yes, but don’t be fooled; The Song of the Ovulum is a great book for any young adult reader. The novel is the first in the Children of the Bard series by Bryan Davis. Twins Billy and Bonnie Bannister are two teenagers with dragon powers trapped in a maximum security prison while being poked and prodded and experimented upon to reveal the secret of long life. However, the twins are separated when Walter Foley finds Billy Bannister and an ancient demon kidnaps Bonnie Bannister.
The twins are used to conquer evil and as a weapon of evil, respectively. The fate of the two worlds now depends upon two teenagers with extraordinary dragon powers. Will they be courageous enough to overcome the evil that has infiltrated both worlds and the Second Eden?
The Song of the Ovulum is recommended for young adults ages 12 and up. The author is preparing for a book signing tour that will come through His Way Christian Bookstore in fall 2011. Please call the bookstore for further questions.