Devotions for Boots on the Ground by James W. Visel

Compelling and Personal ; a true testament of faith

From the Publisher

There is possibly nothing more conducive to thoughts of the Eternal than having ones face slammed into red, wet muck, with explosions so close your body arcs and bounces off the ground, hot shards burn in your flesh, and concussions are bright flashes of dirty fire beating a tattoo on the light receptors in the backs of your eyes. Your head aches; throbbing from visual shock waves. Time has come to an end; there is no right, no wrong, only whatever follows a life that is now over. The dark reaper is here. What’s it going to be like on the other side? Is there another side? 

The old timers use the maxim, “There are no atheists in a fox-hole”. Possibly so; I can only give my own experience, and I never had the opportunity to be in one. Combat aviators crash and sometimes burn instead. But close calls almost always give rise to interminable questions; especially when the survived experience is seared into the human psyche. For some, satisfactory answers never seem to come. For myself, may I pro-offer both scorching experience, and incredible life-lessons learned? Then, should you ever fall into similar adventure; you man go into it better prepared than I was.

                                                                                                -- James W. Visel

My Take

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up Devotions for Boots on the Ground. Would it be about Visel’s Vietnam War experiences? Would it be a devotional? Or his journey with God? I was quite surprised to find out it was about all of them.

Visel tells stories about combat that may be disturbing to some but they are the truth---a truth that nobody really talks about. Some parts are gruesome but Visel tempers them with bible verses and interpretations of God’s voice. 

I personally know James W. Visel and know that he is a very faithful Christian and always relates life to bible teachings. He does this same thing in Devotions for Boots on the Ground. He constantly looks for God’s lesson in the events described in the book. 

There are also amusing accounts of soldiers letting of some steam interspersed in Visel’s account of a situation. With all the death and destruction in Vietnam, it’s understandable that the solders played practical jokes and made light of certain events. 

One suggestion I would make is to have an appendix or list with all the abbreviations and their meanings. That would have been very helpful for a layperson. The military is full of acronyms and it's hard to keep track of them if the reader doesn't have a military background. 

I give Devotions for Boots on the Ground 4 starts. For new author, James W. Visel, the writing is compelling, sometimes hard to read, but the reader feels part of the story. With a published book under his belt, Visel had a promising future as a writer.

I received this book free for personal use. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

About the Author

James W. Visel is a highly decorated helicopter crew chief who did three tours of duty with the 173^rd Assualt Helicopter Company “Robin Hoods” during 1966, 1967, and 1968. He was shot down or crashed due to catastrophic mechanical failure seven times and wounded twice during the Vietnam War.   

Targeting today’s GIs and their families, and drawing from personal experiences, the author reveals the surprising source of his incredible courage. A maverick whose life experience mad him passionately spiritual-minded; is a decorated combat vet, family man, 40 yr. building boss, skydiver, pilot; who projects refreshing, out of the box perspective to intense situations. Life can get dicey, Jim articulates, but God is faithful. You can trust Him!

Chasing Sunsets by Eva Marie Everson

ENGAGING, ROMANTIC, SUPER SUMMER READ

From the Publisher

Kimberly Tucker’s life hasn’t turned out the way she wanted. While her ex is living it up, she struggles to understand what went wrong with their marriage. When her two sons end up spending five weeks of summer vacation with their father, Kim plans a respite at the family vacation home on Cedar Key. As she revisits the long-forgotten past, she discovers that life’s treasures are often buried, and the only way to find them is to dig deeply—within yourself.

Get ready to be swept away to an island retreat of warm tropical breezes—and a glorious journey of self-discovery.

My Take

CHASING SUNSETS by Eva Marie Everson is the first book I’ve read by this author and I think I’ve found a new favorite author to follow! 

This is a book of hope, forgiveness, introspection and love.  I love the fact that the main character decided to take a trip to Cedar Key by herself to do a little relaxing. For the first time since college, she’s alone for 5 weeks in the summer.  She seemed to be at loose ends until she meets her neighbor and “wise woman”, Patsy. This time alone gives Kimberly the opportunity to examine her life, her ended marriage, and what she wants to do in the future. As in real life, it’s a difficult road to take.

I love that the characters in the book are developed – it’s like you actually know them.  When an author can pull that off, I’d say the book will be a success.  You want to take sides in the character plots but Ms. Everson brings out both the good & the not-so-good qualities of everyone. No single character is black or white---just like in real life---but they have awesome traits and everyday flaws. Personally I like that in my reading.

Chasing Sunsets is a fabulous summer read---by the pool, in a chaise lounge, or even on the patio. Bring out a fruity drink & you have the makings of a relaxing time just for you.  I’m giving this a 5 star rating and look forward to the next book in the series!

Available June 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I received this book free from Revell as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

About the Author

Eva Marie Everson is a successful speaker, a popular radio personality, and the award-winning author of Things Left Unspoken and This Fine Life. She is coauthor of the Potluck Club series and the Potluck Catering Club series. She lives in Florida.

The Path I Had to Walk by Raven

From the Publisher

This is a heartfelt story as told by the author in her own words, about triumph over tragedy. The story unfolds with the telling of a small girl’s life growing up in an environment few could imagine. It describes in tragic detail the terror experienced by a small child at the hands of her family.

As you read this book, you will be drawn into a relationship with a dysfunctional family and become part of the story. The story shows how a child with little chance for a successful life chose success over failure in a world of physical and mental abuse achieving triumph over tragedy.

With so many stories of failure, this story enlightens and encourages anyone born into adversity to the hope of a better life. In drawing from her faith and inner strength a little girl overcomes circumstance to achieve success beyond expectation.

Raven lives a blessed life in the south and her story continues.

From the Author

I write under the pseudonym of Raven. I live in the south with my husband and wonderful children. I have always had a talent for writing. Reading and Language Arts were my best subjects in school. My hobbies are reading RL Stine, Christopher Pike, Norma Roberts and James Patterson books.

I have been married for twelve years and we have three of the most wonderful children you could ever meet. I spent

I began writing my life story as therapy, a way of getting it all out like keeping a journal. I learned that the more I wrote the more I understood my life. Since I am the type of person who believes that everything happens for a reason, I realized that my hard up bringing was what made me into the woman I am today. Everything I experienced was just the path I had to walk.

My Take

Heart-wrenching!!  Compelling!

Raven’s young life was undeniably complex and harsh. It’s very difficult to imagine how a mother could treat her own child as Raven was treated. Why would someone have a child just to treat them worse than a pesky rodent? My heart goes out to Raven for the years she had to endure. Just reading some of the passages brought tears to my eyes but, in the end, her courage prevails.

Learning forgiveness and understanding truly is the underlying message of this compelling story. Raven has taken those years and learned from them in order to make herself a better person. Thank you, Raven, for sharing your story---it’s a work full of optimism and bravery.

Published by Brighton Publishing and available for download on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

five years in the United States Army and found it to be a very enriching experience.

The Band that Played On by Steve Turner

From the Publisher

The never-before told, inspiring stories of the 8 brave musicians who played as the Titanic sank.
When Titanic collided with an iceberg on April 14, the eight members of the band had already retired for the evening. Still, they put on overcoats and came out to play in the lounge.

When most of the First Class passengers had taken to their lifeboats, the musicians moved to the deck and continued to play as the ship sank. One passenger said: “Many brave things were done that night, but none were more brave than those done by men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea.

The music they played served alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recalled on the scrolls of undying fame.” But who were they? What journeys brought them to this deck on this icy ocean? Who did they leave behind? Historian and biographer Steve Turner delves into the lives of these brave men, revealing eight unique portraits of bravery.

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My take

For some reason, I have always been enamored with The Titanic---shows on The History Channel, the movie, and anything else I can find. So when this book became available for review, I thought it would be another bit of information for my fixation. Never has there been a book all about the musicians. This should be interesting!

Starting the book, there was a lot of foundational information interspersed with the last hours of The Titanic's voyage. It was fascinating to learn how the cruise ship industry obtained musicians and crew in the early 1900's. It's quite a bit different that what we know now. Once the foundation was set, there was so much detailed historical information, I kind of thought I was back in school again. I found myself skipping over sentences to get to the "meat" of the chapter.

Each of the musicians' lives are chronicled in their own chapters. From a young age to the time of their deaths, the author detailed their lives. Sometimes a little too much. None of the musicians lead extraordinary lives so the fascinating story I was anticipating didn't pan out.

In my opinion, the best part of the book came at the end during the ship's sinking. Most of the information was speculation from witnesses and because of the traumatic situation, their versions were varied. The only semi-consistent theme was the final song heard while the ship went down. Most of the witnesses heard Nearer My God to Thee but that still wasn't agreed upon. Unfortunately it became somewhat tedious reading the descriptions over and over.

While Steve Turner definitely did his research, I felt the book was dry in places. It was not meant to be sensationalic or romanticized, it was meant to be factual. Regrettably, because of that, I had a hard time reading it. I have to give it a 2 1/2 out of 5---more than a 2 because of the information presented but less than a 3 because of the monotony.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Beginning of End's Beginning by Charlean Fletcher

From the Publisher

Life has never been easy for Sharla Fisher. Hardworking and strong-willed, she has little time or patience for friends. She saves her affections for her mother and her older brother, Jerry, a professional sports phenom.

After graduating from high school, Sharla and her family plan a vacation to celebrate, but at the last minute, Sharla is offered a promotion at work and she stays behind. It is a decision that will forever change her life.

Her family is killed in a car accident while on the trip, and Sharla is left to fend for herself. Hardened by life, she struggles to find people she can trust. This becomes even trickier when Sharla realizes just how much money her brother left her.

Even after she meets the charming Richard Crane, she remains uncertain about ever opening her heart. And the more people find out about her money, the more difficult everything becomes.

My Take

Reading the description of this book on Dorrance Media’s website, it sounded intriguing. Everything included in the description actually does happen in the book---Sharla definitely had a hard life growing up, going without many things since her mother didn’t make much money. She also had almost an estranged relationship with her sister and other brother but loved her older brother, Jerry. Sharla’s high school years were very bumpy as many are in a small town—cliques of girls shunned her (quite traumatic to a teenager), even her cousins.

Sharla is lucky enough to get a job with the telephone company two towns away during her summers. She becomes a hard working and dedicated employee so when she’s offered a promotion, she reluctantly gives up her family vacation in order to work. While her family is driving to their destination, they are involved in a horrible car accident that kills them all. For some reason, her older brother, Jerry, had proactively set his financial house in order before the vacation and Sharla inherits his immense fortune.

After the death of her family, Sharla begins her plan of revenge on all those people who snubbed her and attacked her during her young life. The only thing she is missing in her life is love and emotional attachment. She won’t allow anyone into her heart or life for fear they will turn against her. Even when Sharla meets Richard, she can’t fully commit her emotions to him. His family finds out about the fortune she inherited and everyone wants a hand-out. Sharla steps up her complicated retaliation plan with the help of Richard’s father and they set the wheels in motion.

I have to say this was a difficult book to read for several reasons, the first of which was the size. In an 8.5x11 format, it was cumbersome to hold unless you were sitting at a table. The actual writing was very stilted with no contractions used—people don’t talk that stilted or formal, especially in the region where the story takes place.

It wasn’t easy to determine the point in time when the story took place. The discussion of becoming a telephone operator and extensive use of Greyhound buses leads the reader to believe maybe the era was the 1950’s or 1960’s. At one point, Sharla sells her family’s home for $36,000. Even in today’s economy, that’s a very low value for a home. On the flip side, there was discussion of CD players, cell phones, and laptops which implies a current time frame.  I found it very confusing not knowing the period of the story.

Another problem in reading the book was the editing. There are numerous edit errors involving punctuation, sentence structure, and quotation of the character’s discussions. Most of them could be ignored without impacting the storyline. However, when it comes to where the quotation marks were missing or out of place, it was hard to follow the conversation.

There were other issues with the writing style, but I think you get the idea. As for the plot of the book, sometimes I wondered where it was heading. I’m not sure there was really an obvious climax and resolution. After reaching the end of the book, I was left feeling disappointed—was that it? Where was the conclusion to all the loose ends?

Unfortunately, I’m going to have to give this book a 2 out of 5.

About the Author

Charlean Fletcher is retired and currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is the mother of one son, Shawn, who encouraged her to write The Beginning of End’s Beginning, her first book.  Charlean worked for the telephone company which gave her insight to her character.

Authors: Charlean Fletcher
Publisher: Dorrance Publishing
Published Date: 2010-06-30
ISBN-10: 1434907201
ISBN-13: 9781434907202

I received this book free from Dorrance Publishing as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Ending Elder Abuse by Diane S. Sandell & Lois Hudson

From the Publisher

Nearly 1.6 million Americans now live in nursing homes. That number will double in the next twenty years, as medical science lengthens our life expectancies and the senior population grows. Inevitably, most of us will have to supervise the care of aging parents or grandparents, and every one of us faces the prospect of growing old and possibly frail. Thirty percent of elderly Americans say they would rather die than move into a nursing home. Their fears are well founded: Inspection documents show that more than a quarter of the nursing homes in the United States have been repeatedly cited for violations that caused serious harm or death to residents. In California, fully one third caused serious injury or death, and less than 2 percent of nursing homes had no violations!

My Take 

Bessie Lane Jarvis had lived a full and fulfilling life. She had survived the Great Depression, bore three children, watched her son go off to war, lost a son too soon and a husband after more than 60 years of marriage. She was a survivor. That is until she was moved to a nursing home. Here she was abused and beaten by a facility employee. Her family had thought she was supposed to be safe here. Bessie’s family quickly moved her to another facility after the beating but she died only six weeks later.

Ending Elder Abuse tells the story of Bessie Lane Jarvis—the mother of author Diane Sandell. In the first half of the book, Sandell discusses her own personal experience with her mom’s situation and tells us about her mom. The second half is more for the doctors, families and administrators.  There are also chapters called “Attention” directed to various groups asking them to put themselves in the elder person’s place and how the group is treating the elder. The most informative chapter, in my opinion, were the last couple chapters on evaluating and coping care concerns.

I am a caregiver for my mother and there will be a assisted living or nursing home in our future. When I had the opportunity to review this book, I was very excited thinking I was going to get some concrete assistance. Then I read the disclaimer in the book indicating “the information herein is derived from the authors’ personal experience” and that it “is not the purpose of this book to reprint all the material that is……on the subject of elder abuse prevention”. With a title of Ending Elder Abuse, a family guide I think I was expecting more than just personal experience. I wanted some guidance on how to end elder abuse or at least how to avoid it.

Overall, this was a sad, although interesting, book about Mrs Jarvis’ situation. There were a couple of short chapters that gave me information regarding our foray into elder facilities but not enough to call it a “family guide”.

I would give this book a 3 out of 5 for being a guide for families.