The Remaining by Travis Thrasher-A Review-

ABOUT THE REMAINING
The Remaining is a novelization of the apocalyptic movie from Sony Affirm. Just after a young couple says their vows, the earth shakes, and some people die suddenly and are taken away. The rest of their wedding party and friends are left to wrestle with what happened and with their faith. Characters struggle with secret love, dreams, hopes, and beliefs as they continue to evaluate their faith. This book and movie are both action-packed thrillers that will encourage audiences to think about their beliefs.


In one day, everything changes forever.

As a group of college pals gathers for the wedding of two friends, celebration turns to terror when many of the guests die suddenly with no apparent cause. With the big day turned into a nightmare, the friends are left to figure out what’s happening. With mysterious and devastating catastrophes striking the city—and reports of similar events coming in from around the world—they must address the ultimate question.

Is this the end? Or just the beginning of something more horrifying than they ever could have imagined?

Faith, family, and the future are all hanging in the balance.

Based on the affirm films movie

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; MTI edition (September 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414397526
ISBN-13: 978-1414397528
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Critically acclaimed author Travis Thrasher has made a career out of defying expectations. He's written over twenty-five books that have crossed the spectrum between love stories and supernatural thrillers. His variety of inspirational stories have included collaborations with filmmakers, musicians, and pastors. He's also helped write memoirs and self-help books. He lives with his wife and three daughters in a suburb of Chicago.

For more information on Travis, visit www.travisthrasher.com.

MY REVIEW
  I really, really didn’t like The Remaining by Travis Thrasher. In the first place the book didn’t really have a main theme or subject. It just seemed like everyone was running and being grossed out by everything that was happening. The events of the book were talking of the last days. Most of what is in the book is wrong in one way or another. It doesn’t follow the Biblical account as how things will be.
  Don’t get me wrong I really love to read books about the end times and the things that will be happening, but I don’t like when things are changed just to make the book/movie more interesting.
  In this book The Remaining when the end came and the believers were taken away, they just died, bodies left here and souls taken. Also another part when the unbelievers became Christians they were killed or devoured by beasts immediately.
  The characters in this book were very flimsy, shallow people. They seemed like they only became Christians so they wouldn’t be cast into hell with these demons.
Very shallow story and characters. I will give it 2-stars because it had some interesting parts.

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Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing this book for review. 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

Home Run by Travis Thrasher *A Review

ABOUT HOME RUN

Baseball star Cory Brand knows how to win. But off the field, he’s spiraling out of control. Haunted by old wounds and regrets, his future seems as hopeless as his past.

Until one moment—one mistake—changes everything. To save his career, Cory must go back to the town where it all began. His plan is simple: coach the local baseball team, complete a recovery program, and get out as fast as possible. Instead, he runs headfirst into memories he can’t escape ... and the love he left behind.

Faced with a second chance he never expected, Cory embarks on a journey of faith, transformation and redemption. And along the way, he discovers a powerful truth: no one is beyond the healing of God.

A novel based on the major motion picture starring Vivica A. Fox and Scott Elrod, Home Run is an inspirational story of the hope and freedom God offers each of us.
www.HomeRunTheMovie.com

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook; Mti edition (March 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0781408385
ISBN-13: 978-0781408387
Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Travis Thrasher is the author of over twenty works of fiction in a variety of genres. He has collaborated with musicians, filmmakers, and pastors. His stories all feature broken characters on journeys toward redemption. Upcoming books for 2013 include the novelization of Home Run and Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not? co-authored with the band Thompson Square.

Travis and his wife, Sharon, live in a suburb of Chicago and have three daughters. For more information on Travis, go to www.travisthrasher.com

MY REVIEW

Home Run by Travis Thrasher Is a very good book. It tells about a man that made many mistakes in his life. He believes it all to be his father’s fault with the way he was mentally abused when he was growing up. He just doesn’t want to take the blame for anything he does wrong. His life is out of control, but he doesn’t see it. So many people love him, but he keeps pushing them away.
   I enjoyed reading this book and felt it was truly one worth reading over. Cory has to learn many important things and go through lots of hard times before he is willing to give everything over to God. Cory finds out that nothing will work or change without God in your life. You can’t do it by yourself. Home Run is also about forgiving yourself and others and how to make each second count. I recommend this book.

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“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.”

40 A Novel by Travis Thrasher*A review

ABOUT 40 A NOVEL

Nine months shy of his 40th birthday, freelance music producer Tyler Harrison has started to experience horrific hallucinations. At first, he thinks it's just the stress of his job, but the hallucinations continue until they culminate at the three-day concert in Chicago, Lollapalloza, which he is covering for work. There he is approached by an older man who tells him that he's going to die on his fortieth birthday.
The man claims to be an angel named Matthew, and even though he gives Tyler enough evidence to convince him he's telling the truth, he doesn't know what to do with the information.
Tyler's underlying doubt and confusion about Matthew's prediction turn to anger, both at God and those around him. As he begins to exhibit destructive behavior, he befriends Ellis, an internationally known DJ. Tyler is scared that he really is about to die. He's scared for his sanity. He's scared that if he does die, he's not going to Heaven. He also soon becomes scared of Ellis, who is wild and opens up a door of temptation to Tyler.
As Tyler begins falling in a downward spiral of fear and confusion, he reaches out to a pastor he met, Will, and tries to right his wrongs with some of the important people in his life in a desperate attempt to find peace before his 40th birthday.


Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: FaithWords (May 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 044650551X
ISBN-13: 978-0446505512
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.2 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
His goal continues to be to tell powerful and moving stories that will reach fiction readers of all types. As a fulltime novelist for over two years, Travis feels he’s still just warming up.
“There are things I learn about the writing process and about myself with every novel. I believe my best stories are still in front of me, waiting to be discovered like a buried treasure. I’m thankful that I’m able to dig a little more every day.”
Travis lives with his wife and three-year-old daughter in a suburb of Chicago

http://www.travisthrasher.com/



MY REVIEW
40 a novel by Travis Thrasher is a fantastic book I would have given a 5 plus rating, but for two reasons. First I don’t believe a Christian book should have any bad language at all, even through the person isn’t a Christian at the time. Sure Christians swear at times, but that doesn’t mean we have to read it in a book. I feel it is offensive and if I knew before about the swearing I wouldn’t have agreed to read it.
The other reason I won’t give this book a 5 star rating is because I would have loved the book to have a page or two more. I feel it wasn’t finished. I know a lot of books let the reader think up their own ending, but I don’t feel the story is really finished that way.
Tyler Harrison music producer, turned thirty-nine and he sees his guardian angel, Matthew. His angel insists that Tyler will die on his fortieth birthday, which is nine months away. During this time he thinks of his failures and that he really hasn’t done anything in his life worth remembering. Matthew shows him several things that could have happened to him if he wasn’t protected and I found that very interesting. 40 has some very dark happening, but I found them very fascinating. This book isn’t for everyone just for those who long for a book
that will make them think.
It is full of lots of suspense, twists and turns. I really liked the way Travis wrote about the DJ named Ellis a pastor named Will, how they became his friends and how they impacted his life.
I really liked this book very much, but for the previous two points I mentioned. If I knew about either of these points, the language or the ending I wouldn’t have agreed to read it, but also glad I did.
With all of that I still say this is a good book to read and I will recommend it.

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I received my free copy from Sarah Reck at Faith Words/HachetteBookGroup, for my review. 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

Admission by Travis Thrasher-a review

About the book:

Admission is a riveting tale of how buried mistakes can resurface at any time. Adventure Company entrepreneur Jake Rivers gets a call from the parents of a woman who has disappeared and who was last seen with Alec, Jake’s best friend from college. The girl’s parents believe she is hiding out with Alec, but Jake hasn’t heard from him in 10 years. Jake’s moved on from his college days, but the memories of what he’s tried to forget—a friend’s suicide, an enemy’s mysterious disappearance— keep surfacing. Someone wants to keep him from discovering what really happened."

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Moody Publishers; 2nd edition (January 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802486711

ISBN-13: 978-0802486714
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches

About the author:
“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
This quote from Stephen King’s novella, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, sums up the goal of every single one of Travis Thrasher’s novels: providing hope. As the novelist of twelve works of fiction, Travis has spent a decade fighting against being typecast and labeled.
“It’s a natural thing for novelists to be put into a box,” Travis says. “My goal has always been to tell stories about flawed characters who find redemption, whether it’s in a love story or a supernatural thriller.”
Having lived in places as diverse as Munich, Germany, and Sydney, Australia, during his youth, Travis moved to the Chicago area during his junior year of high school. That’s where he has remained.
After graduating from Trinity Christian College, Travis landed a job at Tyndale House Publishers as Author Relations Manager. He worked for over a decade in that position, acting as liaison between the publisher and the authors. But writing always came first, and Travis was fortunate to have his first novel published in 2000. It was THE PROMISE REMAINS, a sweet love story in the vein of Nicholas Sparks.
“I wrote six or seven dark, ambitious novels that went nowhere,” Travis says. “It was only after writing a simple love story about unrequited love that I got my first break.”
Getting that first book published was a dream come true, but Travis always saw himself having multiple books in print. Travis’s drive and imagination have allowed him to see a variety of books published: from love stories (THE WATERMARK; THREE ROADS HOME) to suspense (GUN LAKE; ADMISSION; BLINDED) to drama (THE SECOND THIEF; SKY BLUE) to supernatural thrillers (ISOLATION; GHOSTWRITER).
“I tell people this is not the way to build a writing career, but I’m thankful I’ve been able to build mine the way I wanted to. I want to entertain and surprise readers, and to continue to build a readership that will take journeys with me, whether they’re going to 1929 Brazil or current day Geneva, Illinois.”
2010 will mark a decade of publishing for Travis. It will also be a significant year with the release of BROKEN by Faithwords in May and SOLITARY by Cook in August.
“I’m excited about these two upcoming stories that will surely surprise and move readers,” Travis says. “BROKEN is about a young woman who is just that—broken and bruised by this world. SOLITARY is the first in a teen series that combines a love story with the supernatural. Both are powerful stories.”
His goal continues to be to tell powerful and moving stories that will reach fiction readers of all types. As a fulltime novelist for over two years, Travis feels he’s still just warming up.
“There are things I learn about the writing process and about myself with every novel. I believe my best stories are still in front of me, waiting to be discovered like a buried treasure. I’m thankful that I’m able to dig a little more every day.”
Travis lives with his wife and three-year-old daughter in a suburb of Chicago.
http://www.travisthrasher.com/

My Review:
Admission is a great book that I really enjoyed. The book is told in two different years eleven years apart. It tells of college life when guys or girls mostly go to school to have fun. Admission is about Jake Rivers and his friends how they found every opportunity to party, drink and getting revenge on those him and his friends don’t like.
Jake really wants a relationship with a girl Alyssa who is trying to do good and live the right life. They have a few dates, but she doesn’t want to pursuit the relationship. Jake’s drinking and wild ways are just to much for her.
Admission tells us about sin, hatred, life, friends and finding what truly is important in life and most of all forgiveness and letting go.
This is note a fun, light hearted book, but it gives you many things to think about and lets us see what is really important and lasting in life and relationships.
An excellent book that I highly recommend.

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This book was given to me from Moody Publishers to read and review only.