Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Zondervan (2008), Edition: 1st, 320 pages
Description
Drama. Fiction. Suspense. Historical Fiction. HTML: A wall went up around Alex Brady's heart when his father, a New York firefighter, died in the Twin Towers. Turning his back on the only woman he ever loved, Alex shut out all the people who cared about him to concentrate on fighting crime. He and his trusty K9 partner, Bo, are determined to eliminate evil in the world and prevent tragedies like 9-11. Then the worst fire season in California's history erupts, and Alex faces the ultimate challenge to protect the community he serves. An environmental terrorist group is targeting the plush Oak Canyon Estates. At the risk of losing his job, and his soul, Alex is determined to infiltrate the group and put an end to their corruption. Only the friendship of Clay and Jamie Michaels---and the love of a dedicated young woman---can help Alex drop the walls around his heart and move forward into the future God has for him..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member SherylHendrix
A story of redemption, forgiveness, love, and the completeness available through a relationship with Jesus Christ. This 9/11 follow-up story combines the best of what Karen Kingsbury fans love about her books - heart, wisdom, and a clear testimony of how Christ can shape a life for good.
LibraryThing member DoubleDare
I really liked the strong emphasis of God's concern in working in people's lives to bring together seemingly unrelated circumstances for totally different corners of their lives to work on their soul to bring them to Him, back to Him, or even just to teach them and make them stronger or wiser. This
On the downside, though this may be totally rooted in personal preference, this book probably wouldn't have gotten me through the first chapter if I had been depending on the intrigue to make me sit down and read it in an actual book form. As it was, I had it on audio CD. So, I played it on my walkman while I had a day to spend cooking. It was enjoyable to listen to while I was doing something else, but it wouldn't, like other books have, make me so curious that I would be willing to sit down and "waste" my time when there were other things I could be doing. This is a definitely a romance, no mystery, and very little action. There is some at the end for those that enjoy light action, but most of it is thinking, considering, and focusing on inner struggles. I enjoyed the scenes where the people we interacting and doing something. Still, even those were few and far between. This would be good for those that enjoy a light read.
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is so true. It's touching to me how much He really does care about each individual and giving them comfort and peace no matter their trial. This book reminded me of that old song, "This world is not my home. I'm just a passing through." We aren't here to try to make this world a perfect place. Comfort in this life is an extra because it is not what we should be living for. Our mansion is in heaven, in a perfect place where wind or storm or wicked men cannot harm it like happens to our treasures here. Everything and everyone we have here could be gone in an instant. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth were moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through an steal, but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through and steal." Our goals on this earth should be for laying up those treasures and doing everything in our power to make sure that our loved one's will be there to share them with us. This life is just a drop in the bucket compared to eternity. I liked her spiritual applications.On the downside, though this may be totally rooted in personal preference, this book probably wouldn't have gotten me through the first chapter if I had been depending on the intrigue to make me sit down and read it in an actual book form. As it was, I had it on audio CD. So, I played it on my walkman while I had a day to spend cooking. It was enjoyable to listen to while I was doing something else, but it wouldn't, like other books have, make me so curious that I would be willing to sit down and "waste" my time when there were other things I could be doing. This is a definitely a romance, no mystery, and very little action. There is some at the end for those that enjoy light action, but most of it is thinking, considering, and focusing on inner struggles. I enjoyed the scenes where the people we interacting and doing something. Still, even those were few and far between. This would be good for those that enjoy a light read.
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LibraryThing member judyg54
A story of two people who lost someone they loved on 9/11, and how they each dealt with that loss. Alex Brady lost his Dad, who was a New York fire fighter and who died in the Twin Towers. He shut out all the people who cared about him, moved to California, and made it his goal to eliminate evil in
Holly was Alex's girlfriend when that fateful day happened, and although she tried hard to be patient and wait on Alex to handle his grief, Alex eventually sent her away and that relationship died. Now Holly is in California working for Oak Canyon Estates and selling houses that are being built. The problem is that an environmental terrorist group has targeted that sight, during the fire season, to make a statement and burn it to the ground.
This was a well written story that helped you see the struggles Alex was going through and kept you on the edge of your seat at times during a few harrowing action scenes. I liked how the author helped us all to see "how Christ never intended for people to rid the world of all bad things, but for people to deal with the evil inside themselves". I felt real peace for Alex when he realized what his Dad had lived all his life; "He believed that trouble was a certainty in this world, but he was not to worry because God had already conquered the evil in this world".
I will give a warning near the end of this story have some Kleenex handy, because if you are like me, you are going to need several of them. This was part of a series, but you can easily read it as a stand alone. It does touch base with people from the other two books, and it is always good to read about how people are doing from other stories. It was a story I finished reading, but didn't forget about when I put the book down. A story I will think about "every now and then".
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the world and prevent tragedies like 9/11.Holly was Alex's girlfriend when that fateful day happened, and although she tried hard to be patient and wait on Alex to handle his grief, Alex eventually sent her away and that relationship died. Now Holly is in California working for Oak Canyon Estates and selling houses that are being built. The problem is that an environmental terrorist group has targeted that sight, during the fire season, to make a statement and burn it to the ground.
This was a well written story that helped you see the struggles Alex was going through and kept you on the edge of your seat at times during a few harrowing action scenes. I liked how the author helped us all to see "how Christ never intended for people to rid the world of all bad things, but for people to deal with the evil inside themselves". I felt real peace for Alex when he realized what his Dad had lived all his life; "He believed that trouble was a certainty in this world, but he was not to worry because God had already conquered the evil in this world".
I will give a warning near the end of this story have some Kleenex handy, because if you are like me, you are going to need several of them. This was part of a series, but you can easily read it as a stand alone. It does touch base with people from the other two books, and it is always good to read about how people are doing from other stories. It was a story I finished reading, but didn't forget about when I put the book down. A story I will think about "every now and then".
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LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
I didn't realize this was related to two other books I've read until Jamie's time in NYC was mentioned. I vaguely remember that from one of the Tuesday Morning books. I like Kingsbury in general though her fiction seems to have an "unreal" quality to it. Unreal in the sense that real life doesn't
How do you react when tragedy strikes your life? Do you turn to God or turn away from Him? After his father dies in the collapse of the twin towers, Alex hardens his heart and closes out everyone but his K9 partner, Bo. He can't reconcile how a loving God would allow firefighters to die in the line of duty. Others struggle with this question also, but have already found their way back to a relationship with God.
Evil will always exist in this world. No matter how much anyone tries, no matter how many people try to eradicate it, it will continue to exist. In the end, the only evil we have any control over is what's inside us--and even that we can only do with God's help.
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generally work out in the way that it does for her characters. How do you react when tragedy strikes your life? Do you turn to God or turn away from Him? After his father dies in the collapse of the twin towers, Alex hardens his heart and closes out everyone but his K9 partner, Bo. He can't reconcile how a loving God would allow firefighters to die in the line of duty. Others struggle with this question also, but have already found their way back to a relationship with God.
Evil will always exist in this world. No matter how much anyone tries, no matter how many people try to eradicate it, it will continue to exist. In the end, the only evil we have any control over is what's inside us--and even that we can only do with God's help.
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LibraryThing member SarahGraceGrzy
Hmmm . . . I have very mixed feelings on this book.
While I enjoyed it from the perspective that it is a clean, Christian, enjoyable piece of action-filled fiction, I also had some issues with it.
This is only the second book by Kingsbury I have read, but I am getting a distinct impression: Kingsbury
But, while this was disappointing on some levels, there was a fair bit about it I did like. The characters were all enjoyable. Alex was . . . um, depressed. I struggle to relate to and understand the depressed, "nobody could ever love me" type characters, perhaps because I am such a happy person. All in all though, his struggle was realistic, and his character arc was fairly well done. I think my favorite character was his girlfriend. I wished there was more with her POV! I could really relate to her character. Jamie and Clay were also fantastic! I love the older, mentor-type characters.
It took me a few chapters to really get into the story, but once I did, I just wanted to keep reading. The climax, of course, happened late at night, so I stayed up past 11 pm to finish it. I loved the whole police officer element - I love stories with emergency personnel as the main characters. And the whole K9 aspect was definitely fascinating.
I think what really bothered me most about this book was Kingsbury's writing style: it's very minimalistic in regards to punctuation, and such, which frustrated this Comma Queen. While yes, a lot of it was stylistic, and just more the way I'm used to thinglike things, there were a few instances where comma rules dictate a comma, and there wasn't a comma. Commas are dying an unnatural death, and I don't like it. Who cares about saving the planet? Save the commas, people!
But anyway, overall, this book just didn't really cut it for me. If you are looking for a clean, thriller read, with strong Christian themes, then definitely give this a try.
CONTENT NOTE: The main character is a police officer, so there are various issues portrayed throughout, such as driving under the influence, arson, gun play, death, violence, and a few characters get trapped by a wildfire. For those reasons, and for somewhat deep subject matter, not recommended for anyone under the age of 15.
While I enjoyed it from the perspective that it is a clean, Christian, enjoyable piece of action-filled fiction, I also had some issues with it.
This is only the second book by Kingsbury I have read, but I am getting a distinct impression: Kingsbury
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is good at writing Christian themes, she's good at writing suspenseaction, she is good at writing emotion, she is good at writing clean content, but somehow, as a whole, her books just really . . . lack. The first one I read was very "meh", and this one was the same. Just kind of left you with an "Hm. Well that happened." Rather disappointing. But, while this was disappointing on some levels, there was a fair bit about it I did like. The characters were all enjoyable. Alex was . . . um, depressed. I struggle to relate to and understand the depressed, "nobody could ever love me" type characters, perhaps because I am such a happy person. All in all though, his struggle was realistic, and his character arc was fairly well done. I think my favorite character was his girlfriend. I wished there was more with her POV! I could really relate to her character. Jamie and Clay were also fantastic! I love the older, mentor-type characters.
It took me a few chapters to really get into the story, but once I did, I just wanted to keep reading. The climax, of course, happened late at night, so I stayed up past 11 pm to finish it. I loved the whole police officer element - I love stories with emergency personnel as the main characters. And the whole K9 aspect was definitely fascinating.
I think what really bothered me most about this book was Kingsbury's writing style: it's very minimalistic in regards to punctuation, and such, which frustrated this Comma Queen. While yes, a lot of it was stylistic, and just more the way I'm used to thinglike things, there were a few instances where comma rules dictate a comma, and there wasn't a comma. Commas are dying an unnatural death, and I don't like it. Who cares about saving the planet? Save the commas, people!
But anyway, overall, this book just didn't really cut it for me. If you are looking for a clean, thriller read, with strong Christian themes, then definitely give this a try.
CONTENT NOTE: The main character is a police officer, so there are various issues portrayed throughout, such as driving under the influence, arson, gun play, death, violence, and a few characters get trapped by a wildfire. For those reasons, and for somewhat deep subject matter, not recommended for anyone under the age of 15.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
8.39 inches
ISBN
9780310266150
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