Space Warriors Giveaway

Walden Family Theater is proud to announce the Space Warriors Blog App & a chance to win a family trip to Space Camp!

In Space Warriors, six highly skilled teenagers are handpicked to be part of a summer space camp competition but they don’t realize that they will be forced to solve a life or death crisis aboard the International Space Station as the world anxiously watches.

• Win a Family Trip to SPACE CAMP! - Tune in to Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31 at 8/7c for the secret keyword to win a family trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp!
• Enter here on The Calico Critic to win a Space Warriors Blu-ray Combo Pack! See contest instructions below.
• How Spacey Are You? QUIZ – Are you a Space Warrior? Do you use the stars to navigate your journeys instead of the map function on your smartphone? Visit the app below, and take this quiz to find out whether you're destined to orbit the cosmos or whether you're happiest living here on this planet.
• Prepare for Blast-off! Space Warriors Viewing Guide – Mark your calendars for May 31st and check off the boxes as you watch Space Warriors for the most spectacular, spaciest experience! 

Space Warriors Official Trailer

Giveaway Opportunities

 #1: Watch Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31st at 8/7C for your chance to win a trip for the whole family to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Space Camp! Keep an eye out for the secret keyword for a chance to go on location where Space Warriors was filmed and train like a real astronaut! Then visit the official website to enter!

#2: Enter here on The Calico Critic to win a Space Warriors Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + VUDU Digital Copy) (Walmart Exclusive).  To do this, open the Prepare for Blast-off Space Warriors Viewing Guide PDF found in the Space Warriors Blog App above.  Then leave a blog post comment, letting us know which of the 5 activities listed in the PDF is your favorite.  Some of the options are really crafty and creative!  I'm not sure that I would be organized enough to attempt all of them, but they sure look like fun for the kids.

• In your blog post comment about the Viewing Guide choices, be sure to leave some form of contact information, should you win. 
• Entries accepted until June 15, 2013 at 11:59pm EST.  One winner will be chosen at random.
• Prize shipment will be sent out through PartnersHub via FedEx or UPS. No P.O. Boxes please.
• Open to U.S. residents only.

Space Warriors Official Website

Thanks for entering, and good luck to all! 

About Space Warriors: 

Six highly skilled teenagers are handpicked to be part of a summer space camp competition at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. As the competition heats up, the kids have no idea that their ultimate challenge will be to solve a life or death crisis aboard the International Space Station as the world anxiously watches.

Starring: Thomas Horn, Danny Glover, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Mira Sorvino and Booboo Stewart.

Space Warriors is the second film in the Walden Family Theater original lineup featuring great family entertainment, airing Friday nights exclusively on Hallmark Channel. Walden Family Theater is creating films for the whole family to enjoy together, so make sure to mark your calendars and gather around the television to watch all the great upcoming films!

Past films include: The Chronicles of Narnia series, Holes, Nim's Island, Charlotte's Web, and Return to Nim's Island.
 

Book Review: Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

About Once Upon A Prince:

The Royal Wedding Series Book One

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon's Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family's tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna's aid under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is blindsided by love.

Their lives are worlds apart. He's a royal prince. She's a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation.

It's the ultimate choice. His kingdom or her heart? God's will or their own?

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Two years ago I arose at a very early hour of the morning to take in the nuptials of William and Catherine in England, just as I had done decades before at the wedding of Charles and Diana. Once again I reveled in the pomp and circumstance of it all, only this time I had the perspective and understanding of a long-married woman. And like many of you, I had hope (and still do) that this marriage would be a lifelong one filled with love and true partnership. It was so exciting to see a relative commoner marrying a prince of England, one who had shared her friendship as a school chum years before.

Rachel Hauck had similar thoughts as she enjoyed the ceremony in 2011 as well. This spawned her idea for Once Upon a Prince, the story of a common girl from Georgia and a royal from the fictional European kingdom of Brighton. In this adorable, delightful tale, Susanna meets an attractive young man named Nate, but she is hesitant to open her heart to him, as she recently had endured the breakup of a 12-year relationship. Likewise, Nate must be careful with his heart, despite his attraction to Susanna. Royal politics prevent him from being romantically involved with a common American like her.

Both Susanna and Nathaniel are Christians, and are very committed to following God’s will for their lives.  It’s admirable that both are even willing to sacrifice their earthly desires for what the Lord has for them, even if it doesn’t include being together. Serving God and those around them take high priority. That being said, spiritual matters do not dominate every topic and scene within this fun story. Their faiths are a part of who they are, but Christian themes are not heavy-handed throughout the book.

I truly enjoyed this light, romantic story from Rachel Hauck. Of course, as a Christian writer she kept things very clean and chaste, which I appreciated. The characters were just delightful, with their own distinct personalities. I especially enjoyed the character of Aurora, who serves as a whimsical advisor of Susanna’s along the way.  She made me laugh and look at my busy, complicated life in a different way.

You can probably imagine how the story plays out in Once Upon a Prince, but that is of no consequence. It was such an enjoyable read, very much a modern fairy tale that any optimist would enjoy.  Hauck also raises some important issues for her readers to consider, such as God’s will for their life, self-sacrifice, embracing life’s changes, and affecting the entire world for Christ. These are weighty issues, but they’re handled with a deft touch and incorporated into the story nicely. I’m so glad to know that this is the first book in a series of royal wedding novels.  Whether Rachel Hauck chooses to continue on with these entertaining characters or if she creates new ones, I’m sure the upcoming books will be just as enjoyable. Once Upon a Prince was a magical tale, and one I can heartily endorse.

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Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of Once Upon a Prince with a fun "Royal Wedding" Giveaway and connecting with readers at her May 28th Facebook Party.

One "royal" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 27th. Winner will be announced at the "Once Upon a Prince" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 28th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of book chat, wedding trivia, laughter, and more! Rachel will also be sharing a sneak peek at the next book in the series and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Once Upon a Prince and join Rachel on the evening of May 28th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!

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Meet Rachel: 

Rachel Hauck is the bestselling author of Carol Award winner Sweet Caroline, and RITA Finalist Love Starts With Elle, and of the critically acclaimed fiction collaboration with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, The Songbird Novels. She lives in sunny, though sometimes hurricane plagued, central Florida with her husband and their ornery pets. Rachel earned a degree in Journalism from Ohio State University and is a huge Buckeyes football fan. She is the past President of American Christian Fiction Writers and now sits on the board as an Advisor.

Find out more about Rachel at:

RachelHauck.com

Facebook 

Twitter

Pinterest

                 

Book Review and Giveaway - The Future Mrs. Darcy by Maria Grace

With the regiment come to camp in Meryton, many young ladies are pleased. Not all share their enthusiasm. Among them, Mr. Carver, who removes his family from Meryton's savage society. He blames, not on the militia officers, but the Bennet family. The flirtations and boisterous ways of the youngest sisters are too much to be borne. Not even Jane’s renowned beauty and charm can make up for them.   Elizabeth denies the allegations at first, but rapidly uncovers the shocking truth. The Carvers are not the only family to cut the Bennets from their acquaintance. Their reputations materially damaged, the family borders on social ruin.   The news is too much for Mrs. Bennet who collapses from the shock. So, Elizabeth and her sisters must manage the estate until she recovers, a task for which none of them is prepared.   Warned by Mr. Pierce, the local curate, that several of the officers have unsavory designs on the local girls, Elizabeth must find a way to honor her father, rein in her sister and salvage the family’s reputation, all in the most ladylike way possible. 

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In the first volume of the Given Good Principles series, Darcy’s Decision, we are introduced to Fitzwilliam Darcy in a sort of prequel/retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  The focus is on the Darcy and Wickham families, and Elizabeth Bennet is not a part of their lives yet. Near the end of the novella, Darcy’s heart for his unknown future bride is revealed; he hopes to one day marry a woman of integrity, not necessarily one of position or wealth.

In the second volume, The Future Mrs. Darcy, the same concept is applied. It’s a bit of a prequel/retelling, and almost the entire focus is on one side of the Pride and Prejudice world. This time we are privy to the family life of the Bennets. Mrs. Bennet has taken ill due to her frequently fragile nerves, and the girls are left to fend for themselves in running the household.  They learn about the management of the meager estate, and we witness how the girls (Lydia in particular) are functioning in society.

The Future Mrs. Darcy is an interesting peek into the life of the Bennets, and in particular the character of Elizabeth.  She shows strength and leadership, stepping up to helm the inner workings of the household during a difficult time.  She more than proves to the reader that she is worthy of becoming Darcy’s future bride.  Conversely, Lydia shows the opposite characteristics as usual, displaying selfishness, immaturity and an insatiable desire to pursue military men in town. As was seen in Pride and Prejudice, her antics put the future marital chances of her sisters in jeopardy.

As with Darcy’s Decision, Maria Grace’s writing and excellent, with many educational footnotes throughout the text.  Although she acknowledges some adult content, her choice of words is always kept clean and family-friendly.  She characterizes Austen’s personalities respectfully, taking them a bit away from the source material, but staying true to how Austen saw them.  Jane is kind and sweet, Elizabeth is responsible and smart.  Mr. Bennet does his best to shepherd his gaggle of women, especially the over-the-top Lydia, who seems to bring nothing but trouble to the family. These characters certainly aren’t infallible, and Maria’s presentation of them keeps the story interesting and colorful.

The Future Mrs. Darcy, while short, was another enjoyable Maria Grace novella for this Janeite. Because of the way the stories are presented, Darcy's Decision or The Future Mrs. Darcy could be read in any order. I eagerly look forward to the next combining volume, All the Appearance of Goodness, where our two story lines presumably merge. My expectation is that it will be a fine addition to this delightful series.

Post Update:  Read my review of Book 1, Darcy's Decision

 
         

Connect with Maria Grace
Twitter
Facebook
Website
Pinterest

Giveaway: The Future Mrs. Darcy
(U.S. Entrants Only)

I enjoyed The Future Mrs. Darcy very much, and I would like to share my gently-read review copy with one of my U.S. readers.  Be sure to read the guidelines below, enter via the Rafflecopter widget, and good luck!

• The contest period ends at 12:00am EST on Saturday, June 1st.
• Contest is open to U.S. entrants only.
• Make sure you leave your email address in the one required portion of the Rafflecopter form. Should you win, I will contact you on Saturday the 1st. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• All entries must go through the Rafflecopter form. If you leave an optional blog post comment, in order for it to count toward your contest entry, be sure to indicate that you commented through the "Leave a Blog Post Comment" button on the Rafflecopter form.
• The award will be mailed via USPS Media Rate shortly after the U.S. mailing address is provided.
• Entries will be verified.  If a fraudulent entry is detected for the winning name, another winner will be drawn.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah Ladd

Darbury, England, 1814

Amelia Barrett gave her word. Keeping it could cost her everything.

Amelia Barrett, heiress to an estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend's baby. She'll risk everything to keep her word-even to the point of proposing to the child's father-a sea captain she's never met.

When the child vanishes with little more than an ominous ransom note hinting at her whereabouts, Amelia and Graham are driven to test the boundaries of their love for this little one.

Amelia's detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she's forced to examine her soul and face her one weakness: pride.

Graham's strength and self-control have served him well and earned him much respect, but chasing perfection has kept him a prisoner of his own discipline. And away from the family he has sworn to love and protect.

Both must learn to have faith and relinquish control so they can embrace the future ahead of them.

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Usually when I’m reading historical fiction set in early 19th Century England, Miss Jane Austen is somehow involved. With The Heiress of Winterwood, I ventured into entirely original territory. Sarah Ladd brings us to the English moors of 1814, with all the aspects of genteel society that we Janeites have come to love.

The Heiress of Winterwood was a delightful story, with characters who were well-drawn and likeable, and with a villain or two who were quite the opposite! Sarah Ladd’s Amelia is as brave and caring as she is beautiful (think Kate Winslet), and Captain Graham Sterling is an excellent romantic lead, with a heart of integrity (a la Hugh Jackman).  Right from the outset, these two are thrust together through unfortunate life events, and the tension not only between them but in their circumstances remains high throughout the novel.  While I wouldn’t consider this a taut thriller, there is rarely a dull moment, and I found my attention fully engaged at all times.

Like most Christian fiction, the novel works into issues of faith throughout the story.  The characters struggle with doubt, surrendering pride and trusting the Lord to see them through some fairly tough moments.  Captain Graham’s struggles in particular were ones with which I would identify.  He endures regret over past mistakes, and he literally has physical scars on his body to remind him of those poor choices.  He also fights with a past tendency to self-medicate.  In his case, he struggles with overindulging in alcohol.  In my case, I struggle with the tendency to self-medicate with food, and I have the extreme stretch marks to prove it.  And while alcoholism and food struggles are not identical, Sarah Ladd’s description of the war going on in his heart were very familiar.  One could “plug in” any Pauline thorn to this situation and relate:

“The ale taunted him.  The old vice knew its strength and mocked his weakness. He had ordered [a drink] for show and would drink in moderation. But his desire was to drink it and as many more that it took to dull the pain of his past and present.” (p.248)

Not only do I struggle with wanting to overindulge each day, but when I see the skin on my body that was ruined due to my poor choices, I have to fight back the tendency to beat myself up about it.  Ladd gives us a comforting thought in this regard, showing us that our scars can be a part of our life story:

“Instead of succumbing to guilt every time you look at that scar, you can be reminded of God’s forgiveness.” (p.251)

This is so true—I have asked for and received God’s forgiveness for those past indiscretions. I can now walk forward in freedom, victory and forgiveness, available to be God’s instrument in the world.

Regardless of philosophy, The Heiress of Winterwood was a sweet, romantic, entertaining novel.  The content is decidedly chaste, definitely written for adults, yet PG in nature.  Curse words are referred to but never printed.  And while I found the plotline to be incredibly predictable, I thoroughly relished these characters and enjoyed going along for the ride.  It seems that this title will be the first in a series, and I certainly hope that I have the opportunity to delve into Sarah Ladd’s world once again.  There is an incredible back story that could be told with Captain Sterling and his deceased wife Katherine, as well as the journey he took in coming to be a man of faith.  It’s my hope that future titles will include a prequel to The Heiress of Winterwood,  as I would love to spend more time with not only the Captain, but also his doomed wife, as their stories seem to hold much promise, even in the past.

Sarah Ladd has written a pleasant, enjoyable title in The Heiress of Winterwood, and I can heartily recommend it to my audience, as well as anyone who enjoys Christian or Regency-era fiction.

Sarah Ladd is celebrating the release of The Heiress of Winterwood
with a Downton Abbey Kindle Prize Pack Giveaway!

 
One winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire

Downton Abbey, seasons 1-3

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 30th. 

Winner will be announced on 5/2/13 {HERE}.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Click here for more information on The Heiress of Winterwood, Author Sarah Ladd and the entire blog tour schedule!

   In exchange for an honest review, I was given a free copy of this title.


As much as I enjoyed The Heiress of Winterwood, I cannot keep in it my personal library. I simply do not have the shelf space. If you would like my review copy for yourself and are willing to pay the postal costs, please contact me so that we can arrange shipment. I'll remove this paragraph if an agreement has been made with someone. Sorry I couldn't offer this in a free giveaway--I'm really pinching my pennies these days.

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Blog post comments are always relished and appreciated, but if you'd like to enter the Kindle Fire/Downton Abbey contest, be sure to click one of the giveaway links above!

Book Review: Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

From Goodreads.com:

An utterly captivating reinvention of the Rapunzel fairytale weaved together with the scandalous life of one of the tale's first tellers, Charlotte-Rose de la Force.

Charlotte-Rose de la Force has been banished from the court of Versailles by the Sun King, Louis XIV, after a series of scandalous love affairs. She is comforted by an old nun, Sœur Seraphina, who tells her the tale of a young girl who, a hundred years earlier, is sold by her parents for a handful of bitter greens...

Selena is the famous red-haired muse of the artist Tiziano, first painted by him in 1512 and still inspiring him at the time of his death, sixty-four years later. Called La Strega Bella, Selena is at the centre of Renaissance life in Venice, a world of beauty and danger, seduction and betrayal, love and superstition, retaining her youth and beauty by the blood of young red-haired girls.

After Margherita's father steals a handful of parsley, wintercress and rapunzel from the walled garden of the courtesan Selena Leonelli, he is threatened with having both hands cut off unless he and his wife give away their little red-haired girl. And so, when she turns seven, Margherita is locked away in a tower, her hair woven together with the locks of all the girls before her, growing to womanhood under the shadow of La Strega Bella, and dreaming of being rescued...

Three women, three lives, three stories, braided together to create a compelling story of desire, obsession, black magic and the redemptive power of love.

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The tower. The hair. The romance. The magic.  From fairy stories in childhood, to a Disney film, to a recent YA novel, the story of Rapunzel has always held my fascination.  With her expansive tale in Bitter Greens, Kate Forsyth has written an epic, sweeping novel that goes far beyond the standard fairy tale.  It’s the story of three women, the historical figure Charlotte-Rose de la Force, the familiar Margherita (a.k.a. “Rapunzel”) and Selena Leonelli, the witch who imprisons innocent girls in a tower in order to perpetuate her youth.

Set throughout the 16th and 17th century, Bitter Greens begins with the story of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, who will ultimately become known as the author of Persinette, which was eventually adapted by the Grimm brothers to become known as Rapunzel. We see her life as it passes through high society, and on into imprisonment within a convent. While shut away in this dreary existence, she meets a nun who tells her the story of the witch Selena Leonelli, as well as her captive Margherita. Author Kate Forsyth alternates now and again between these three narratives, weaving in and out of time periods and perspectives.

As in the classic tale, the witch imprisons Margherita in a tower, far from society and alone for weeks at a time. The innocent girl is a lovely singer, and has a long braid with which Selena can climb up to visit her on a monthly basis. Through Margherita and some black magic, Leonelli is able to perpetuate her youth as she has for many years. And like the story of old, there comes a day when a handsome young man hears Margherita’s lonely singing, discovering her locked away in the tower.

Bitter Greens is a captivating, emotional tale of love, loss, power, liberation and forgiveness. It isn’t merely about a pretty girl trapped in a tower.  Much time is spent on the story of her captor, Selena, and we come to understand why she has chosen to live such a depraved, warped life.  In fact, it could be estimated that the greatest amount of time is not spent on the main Rapunzel theme, but is spent on Charlotte-Rose and her winding tale through the royal court in France to her banishment.

Kate Forsyth has written such a marvelous work, one that I enjoyed immensely. The richness of the narrative made me relish every opportunity I had to open the book, as the story undulated from storyline to storyline.  The 500 pages turned quickly as I looked forward to the next episode in each woman’s life.  In that sense, it reminded me of Ruins of Lace, another delightful work of historical fiction I read recently.

There are only a couple of things that hold me back from giving a complete, wholehearted approval of the book for all audiences.  There is a significant amount of adult content and language within the novel, especially in regard to Charlotte-Roses's storyline.  Some of it is indeed appropriate.  The world in which these characters live is gritty and at times repulsive. Prostitution was not uncommon. The plague was ravaging many villages. This gave a realism and flavor to the novel that enhanced my experience. It was the reality of the times in which they were living, and they did their best to make their way in the world. However, there were times when the material was racier than I would have preferred.  Also, I wish less time had been spent on Charlotte-Rose and more time spent on Selena and Margherita.  These two characters are the core of the Rapunzel mythos, and I couldn’t get enough of their narratives. Those reservations are offered for those who want to avoid racier content, but I still enthusiastically endorse Bitter Greens.  This is the type of book I'll remember in years to come with fondness.

It’s unfortunate that Bitter Greens seems to be hard to find these days.  I believe it was originally published out of Australia and recently out of the U.K., so you might have to dig a bit to find it if you live elsewhere.  Although that is the case, I would say it’s well worth your search. Bitter Greens is a marvelous tale, full of love, loss, adventure and triumph.  Kate Forsyth has presented us with a literary treasure, one that I hope finds a larger audience as time goes by.

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About the Author

Kate Forsyth is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 books for adults and children , translated into 13 languages. She was recently named in the Top 25 of Australia's Favourite Novelists. Since The Witches of Eileanan was named a Best First Novel by Locus Magazine, Kate has won or been nominated for many awards, including a CYBIL Award in the US. She’s also the only author to win five Aurealis awards in a single year, for her Gypsy Crown series of children's historical novels. Bitter Greens has been called ‘the best fairy tale retelling since Angela Carter’ and ‘an imaginative weaving of magic, fairy tale and history’. A direct descendant of Charlotte Waring, the author of the first book for children ever published in Australia, Kate is currently studying a doctorate in fairy tales at the University of Technology in Sydney, where she lives by the sea, with her husband, three children, and many thousands of books.

Please visit Kate Forsyth's WEBSITE and BLOG for more information.  You can also find her on FACEBOOK and follow her on TWITTER.

Want more Bitter Greens? Check out the virtual tour, sponsored by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours: Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/bittergreensvirtualtour/

Twitter Hashtag: #BitterGreensVirtualTour

Options for Purchasing Bitter Greens

The Book Depository: 
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Bitter-Greens-Kate-Forsyth/9780749013622

Amazon.com:

Book Review: AfterLife by Hank Hanegraaff

From the author’s website:

If there was ever a need-to-know book, AfterLife is it. On his daily call-in radio show, the most common questions Hank fields are about the hereafter. For instance, millions are voraciously reading about the near-death experiences of young children. Consumers are desperate for knowledge and reassurance about what comes after life on this earth. Hank Hanegraaff, one of the most remarkable theological minds of the 21st century, explains the marvelous way this physical life connects our past to our eternal future. AfterLife gives readers a clear and concrete understanding about what happens after death to us and to those we love.

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In recent years, the literary market has been flooded with revelatory titles related to heaven and/or near-death experiences (NDE’s).  While this genre has been in existence for decades, it became much more noticeable after Don Piper’s 90 Minutes in Heaven was released in 2004.  And following the mega-bestselling Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo, publishing houses have been rushing to publish almost anything they can get their hands on in relation to this topic.

Along with the aforementioned titles, I’ve also read Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander and To Heaven and Back by Dr. Mary Neal. And while I don’t have the theological expertise to dissect all of these NDE-themed books, this latter title I found to be particularly off base when comparing it to the truth of God’s Word. After questioning quite a bit of the worldview that Dr. Mary Neal presents in her book, I began to long for a solid, Bible-based work that could really be trusted by a traditional, conservative Christian like me.

Author Hank Hanegraaff is known for his work as an apologist, answering tough life questions and concerns about the Bible and the Christian worldview.  While he hasn’t had an NDE himself, he does have quite a bit of knowledge when it comes to what the Bible has to say about life, death, heaven, hell and other related topics.  In his latest book AfterLife, Hank addresses many of the concerns that come to mind when thinking about the afterlife.  Here are just a few of the issues he discusses:

• Does hell exist?
• Does heaven?
• Do pets go to heaven?
• Do we float around with wings? 
• How much good work is required for entry?
• Have people been and come back to tell the tale?
• Will there be sex in heaven?
• How old are we there?

After so many subjective testimonies from well-meaning authors, it was refreshing to have these issues addressed while looking through the lens of scripture, not based on anything else.  Hanegraaff’s content is not as sensational or titillating as the other works in this genre, but as I was reading, I had a sense of comfort, knowing what he had to say was Biblical and not based purely on his own experience.

I can say that Hank’s writing, while solid, is very textbook-like, complete with a useful glossary and bibliographical notes.  He communicated truth in every chapter, but I didn’t really feel the sense of wonder and amazement as I did in the previously mentioned titles.  It came off very dry and even sometimes condescending.  He didn’t seem to have a large amount of compassion for what happened in the lives of the other authors.  But I suppose his task is different.  He is not here to entertain, sensationalize or amaze in any way.  He is here to put a spotlight on scripture and ultimately point his readers to Christ, not to any mind-bending story that will knock our socks off.

AfterLife is not the most entertaining book on the hereafter that I’ve read.  But it’s certainly the most Biblically solid one, and the one I trust the most out of all the others on the market. For a Bible-believing Christian who plans to read any of the other NDE-related titles, I’d highly encourage that reader to either read AfterLife immediately before or after taking in the testimony of the others.  This is not to say that everything the other authors have to say is 100% off base, but AfterLife is a solid, Biblical lens with which we can filter the many varying, subjective experiences out there.  And in the end, all truth is God’s truth, and it will line up with His word every time.  Hank Hanegraaff has given us a quality tool with which to do this, so that we can have many of our questions answered as we live on this side of heaven.

Review copy provided by Glass Road Media & Management

About the Author

Hank Hanegraaff, is host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, heard daily throughout the United States and Canada via radio, satellite radio Sirius-XM 131, and the Internet. He’s author of the runaway bestsellers The Prayer of Jesus and The Complete Bible Answer Book—Collector’s Edition. He and his wife, Kathy, are parents to twelve children. www.equip.org

The History Channel's The Bible Promotion and Giveaway

From Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett comes The Bible — an epic 10-part miniseries retelling stories from the Scriptures for a whole new generation. Breathtaking in scope and scale, The Bible features powerful performances, exotic locales and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through Revelation. This historic television event is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family! Where will YOU be 3.3.13?

To celebrate this upcoming event, PartnersHub is hosting a giveaway!  They'll be giving away a copy of one of the official The Bible companion books. (Prize will be chosen randomly from the book titles below!)

• A Story of God and All of Us (HARDCOVER)
• A Story of God and All of Us (REFLECTIONS)
• A Story of God and All of Us (YOUNG READERS)



The contest is open to U.S. entrants only.  To enter, take the Bible Scene Quiz featured in the widget below.  Come back and comment on this post, letting us know what your score was.  (When I took the quiz, the average score was 57%, and my score was 69%.  I contend that I rushed through it, otherwise my score might have been higher!) After leaving your score comment, be sure to include some way of contacting you if you win, such as your email address.  One entrant will be chosen at random. Entries will be accepted until 12:01am EST, March 17, 2013.  The prize will be sent via FedEx or UPS. No P.O. Boxes please. Good luck, and enjoy the series!

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Blogger Note: As I have not seen this series, I cannot confirm the Biblical accuracy of it, so this post is not an endorsement per se. My hope is that in some way, God will be glorified through it, and many will be led to read His word on their own.

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Contest Update:  The contest has now closed.  Congrats to Beth, winner of the giveaway!