Rachelle Dekker: Nine

By Kelly Bridgewater

Zoe Johnson spent most of her life living in the shadows, never drawing attention to herself, never investing in people or places. But when a wide-eyed, bedraggled teenager with no memory walks into the diner where Zoe works, everything changes. Now, against her better judgment, Zoe, who has been trying to outrun her own painful memories of the past, finds herself attempting to help a girl who doesn't seem to have any past at all. The girl knows only one thing: she must reach a woman in Corpus Christi, Texas, hundreds of miles away, before the government agents who are searching for her catch up to them.

Award-winning author Rachelle Dekker throws you into the middle of the action and keeps the pressure on in this page-turning story that, asks Are we who the world says we are--or can we change our story and be something more?

From Goodreads

 

My Thoughts:

Nine by Rachelle Dekker start with a promise, and I watched as the characters raced for their lives, but then about 50% into the book, I had a hard time staying focused. The characters were doing things all science like that didn't capture my attention. I didn't understand why in the beginning of the novel a hero character appeared to be on the bad side, then he flips and helps out the heroine. I was a little confused as to where his loyalty actually lied. As for the plot, it was a little odd and hard to follow. I don't think I would continue to read any other books like this one. I wasn't really found of this story. It started like a thriller, then it turned into a science fiction fantasy that lost my attention. Overall, Nine by Rachelle Dekker didn't thrill me. I had a hard time staying focused. But I imagined fans of science fiction authors like Kathy Tyers might totally disagree with me and love this novel. This is my humble opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of Nine by Rachelle Dekker from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Nine

Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker: The Girl Behind the Red Rope

By Kelly Bridgewater

Ten years ago, Grace saw something that would forever change the course of history. When evil in its purest form is unleashed on the world, she and others from their religious community are already hidden deep in the hills of Tennessee, abiding by every rule that will keep them safe, pure--and alive. As long as they stay there, behind the red perimeter.

Her older brother's questions and the arrival of the first outsiders she's seen in a decade set in motion events that will question everything Grace has built her life on. Enemies rise on all sides--but who is the real enemy? And what will it cost her to uncover the truth?

For the first time, bestselling authors Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker team up and deliver an intense, tightly focused ride through the most treacherous world of all.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Fear is something that encapsulates everyone and everything. Ted and Rachelle Dekker have written a fascinating novel with The Girl Behind the Red Rope covering this exact topic. What have we allowed fear to cover that doesn't allow us to fully embrace God's love? I know we all have little vises, whether we admit them or not. The plot of this novel starts with a cult feeling like Tosca Lee's latest series The Line Between and A Single Light but it goes into a totally different direction. The plot moves along at a rapid pace and captured my attention. I had some ideas about Bonnie and Rose so that didn't come as a surprise to me. Why the story is listed as a suspense novel is beyond me? A thriller. Yes. The definition of a thriller is something about to destroy humanity and this entire novel is based on the fear on the unknown and fear of not being good enough to earn heaven. Even though I believe the novel is labeled as the wrong genre, I don't think it takes away from the strong message the Dekker's are trying to portray to the reader. It is strong and makes me ponder. I journaled about the idea of fear and probably will go back and do a Bible study on the Light of God. Seems interesting to me. Overall, The Girl Behind the Red Rope is a wonderful parable story for today's readers. It was well-written and filled with truth. Just like Jesus would have done in his day. A good book for the church to pick up and read. Definitely something I will be passing on.

I received a complimentary copy of The Girl Behind the Red Rope by Ted and Rachelle Dekker from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Girl Behind the Red Rope

About the Authors:

From Amazon

TED DEKKER is a New York Times bestselling thriller author. Heralded as a "master of suspense" by Library Journal, Dekker has sold millions worldwide, establishing himself as one of the most widely recognized author brands.

He began his career writing fantasy novels that explored spirituality (Black, Red and White) and has since become a major force in the mainstream fiction arena with his recent thrillers, "Adam," "Thr3e," "Skin," "Obsessed," "BoneMan's Daughters," which landed in the #10 on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list in 2009, and "The Bride Collector". Dekker has been honored with a Christy Award as well as a Gold Medallion Award for Best Fiction. "Thr3e" and his novel "House" became feature films.

Dekker was born to missionaries and grew up among cannibals of Indonesia, and his peculiar upbringing gives him a unique perspective outside the cultural bubble, allowing him the freedom to share provocative insights in his fiction. After leaving Indonesia, Dekker graduated from a multi-cultural high school and took up permanent residence in the United States, earning his B.A. in philosophy and religion, and then went into business.

In the early nineties, Dekker decided to pursue his desire to write fiction, selling his company, moving his family to the mountains of western Colorado, and writing full-time. Two years and three books later his first novel, a supernatural thriller called Heaven's Wager, was published. Dekker proceeded to write 6 more supernatural thrillers, rising to the top of many bestsellers lists and earning himself critical acclaim and legions of fans. "Thr3e" heralded his launch into mainstream fiction and was followed by "Obsessed," "Skin," "Adam," and "BoneMan's Daughters," all of which hit the New York Times bestseller list.

Ted Dekker's fans are comprised of readers of all ages, backgrounds, and belief systems who love his compulsively readable stories, authentic characters, and universal and relatable themes that he explores from a unique point of view.

He resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and children. You can find him at Teddekker.com and Facebook.com/teddekker. (Taken from Amazon.)

  

From Amazon

The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through the avenue of storytelling. She writes full time from her home in Nashville, where she lives with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat Blair.

Connect with Rachelle online at her website (www.rachelledekker.com) or on any of these social media platforms:

Facebook.com/rachelledekkerauthor
Instagram.com/rachelle_dekker
Twitter.com/rachelledekker

Rachelle Dekker: When Through Waters Deep

By Kelly Bridgewater

Alicen McCaffrey finally has the life her mother always dreamed for her: beautiful home in Santa Monica, successful husband, adorable daughter. Then tragedy blows her carefully assembled façade to pieces. Worse yet―Alicen feels solely responsible. At rock bottom, she decides to accompany a childhood friend back to Red Lodge, Montana, where they spent summers together as kids.

The peaceful mountain landscape, accented with lush forests and small-town charm, brings back happy memories of time spent with her beloved, eccentric Grandma Josephine. Alicen begins to hope that perhaps things could be different here. Perhaps the oppressive guilt will lift―if only for a moment.

But when Alicen starts hearing voices and seeing mysterious figures near the river in the woods, she begins to fear she’s completely lost her sanity, as it’s rumored her grandmother did. Or might there be more to Red Lodge than meets the eye? Could the voices and visions be real―and her only means of finding the healing she so desperately needs? Or will they prove to be her final undoing?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I have read the Seer series by Rachelle Dekker, and I really enjoyed the first two books, but the third one kind of fell flat for me. So when I heard Dekker wrote a new book, When Through Waters Deep, I read the synopsis and was interested to read the book. The story is lumped in the Psychological Thriller genre. Dekker does a wonderful job at diving deep into the emotions and delusions of Alicen. I believe this is the strongest part of the novel. As for the thriller aspect, I really didn't see that coming. I don't even lump this story into that genre until the end of the book suggested it. It started more like a speculative novel, than ended with a thriller ending. The first seventy-five percent of the book doesn't read like a thriller should. There should have been more external danger to Alicen, but the only danger occurs right about ninety percent into the book. So I don't think it is a suspense novel either.

Overall, Through Waters Deep by Rachelle Dekker is a truly unique story with a wonderful crafted 

dive into the world of someone's mind, but to place this book in a psychological thriller genre seems way too wrong for the actual plot. I believe fans of James Rubart, Amanda Stevens, and Ted Dekker might enjoy this novel. 

I received a complimentary copy of When Through Waters Deep by Rachelle Dekker from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

*GIVEAWAY* Interview with Rachelle Dekker

By Kelly Bridgewater

Welcome!

Last Monday, on January 16, 2017, I have my review posted with my thoughts of Rachelle Dekker's final installment of her A Seer Novel series The Returning. Feel free to read my thoughts and then come back to this interview with Rachelle.

From Amazon

Author's Bio:

The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through the avenue of storytelling. She writes full time from her home in Nashville, where she lives with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat Blair.






Let's get this interview started!

   1. Set the scene for The Returning. What has happened since The Calling  ended?

Well,it’s been nearly 20 years, and the world has changed. I don’t want to give too much away for those who haven’t read the first two, so I’ll just say the world is very different and much more dangerous than it once was. But something is brewing under the surface. Change is coming, and people know it.

    2. What themes are explored in this book?

Identity is something I am always exploring, so that’s no different in The Returning. But in this novel I took a really hard look at forgiveness and how that relates to our journey of discovering who we really are.

     3. How have Carrington and Remko developed as characters throughout this series?

Well, we meet them as young adults, just out of their teen years, and we find them middle-aged in book three. So we’ve journeyed quite a bit of life with them. They have grown and changed, as people do, and even in this last novel they struggle with remembering their true identities. I believe life is always stretching us and showing us different ways to love, so their growth reflects that.

    4.The Returning focuses on Carrington and Remko’s daughter Elise. Tell us more about Elise’s character and her growth throughout the book.

Elise starts the book in a pretty dark place. She grew up without parents, believing she

was abandoned,only to discover there’s an entire world that has been kept from her. Her journey can be divided into two parts,in my opinion: first, learning who she really is; and second, learning how to live that out. It’s the same journey we all take, and I believe that makes her pretty relatable.

From Amazon

      5.You talk about the power of belief in the book. What is the purpose of faith,and what makes faith so powerful in people’s lives?

Belief and faith are everything. We form our own realities. We make judgments based on the past and what we think the future will bring; then we shape our idea of what we are capable of around those beliefs. Imagine if we truly believed we were infinite sons and daughters of the creator. How different would the world look then? When we believe and have faith in who the Father calls us, then the world looks pretty different.

    6. Aaron is a somewhat mysterious character throughout the series. What is he supposed to represent and what kind of spiritual leader is he?

I like to leave this one open, which I know isn’t really the answer you want. I want the reader to decide who he is to them. For me he’s a guiding light, an angel maybe, a representation of the spirit who communicates with us and leads us. He can be many things—mostly, though, he’s a great way to hear truth.

      7. The theme of identity is explored in all three Seer books. How does forgiveness relate to identity?

For me, forgiveness is more about the one who feels wronged than the one who committed the wrong. What if, for a moment, you believed that nothing could harm you? That you, as a believer, are seated at the Father’s table and standing with him? Can anything harm the Father? If you believe no, then can anything harm you—the true you, the true spirited self? So then, forgiveness becomes more about letting go of false belief and stepping into the true identity that the Father gave to you. I know it’s radical, but belief like that could change the world, don’t you think?

     8. How do you hope this book will resonate with your readers?

I hope,as with both of the other books, that the reader sees themselves in the characters and that the storycauses them to look inward. To ask hard questions like, Who am I? What am I capable of? Do I see myself the way the Father does? Can I? I hope it

challenges their idea of identity and then gives them hope to see themselves and others more clearly. Because that is how these stories have impacted me, and we are really just the same.

************************GIVEAWAY********************
I have a final copy of The Returning and an ARC copy of The Calling to one person. Feel out the Rafflecopter below AND leave a blog post comment to be entered. (This contest is open to U.S. residents only. Sorry!!) This contest runs from today until Tuesday, January 24th at midnight. Come back on Wednesday, January 25th when I will announce the winner. Good Luck!!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*********************************************************

Rachelle Dekker: The Returning

By Kelly Bridgewater

Twenty years have passed since Carrington and Remko Brant’s baby, Elise, was kidnapped and they were forced to leave her captive in the Authority City. Though they fled with the Seers far from Authority reach, they’ve never given up hope of rescuing their daughter from the man who betrayed them. Now Authority President, he’s ushered the city into a new era of “peace”―one where the Scientist Roth Reynard’s Genesis Serum has eradicated all memory of emotion or rebellion.

But the mysterious Aaron and his Seers are once again on the move, threatening the illusion the Authority has worked so hard to build. As the Seers send seven chosen warriors to rescue Elise and bring restoration to the Authority City, the lines are drawn for a final battle between light and darkness. The key to ultimate victory may rest within the strangely powerful girl who has felt forgotten but was never abandoned―a truth she’ll need to wage war against the powerful forces of evil.

From Amazon

My Review:

I have read both books in the A Seer Novel Series, and while I enjoyed the introduction to the series better than the second installment, the last book was okay. Being a futuristic novel with a world with no emotions, I had to go along with the author while she created this world around me. But even with any fantasy novel, I should be able to relate to the characters and feel comfortable in the setting. With Rachel Dekker's The Returning, I didn't feel that way.

Dekker does have a handle on clear and concise writing. She stayed in the point of view of the character who should be controlling the scenes. I was never taken out of the story because the wrong person was speaking alongside another character. I felt the emotions that Elise, Willis, and the other characters felt when I needed to. As for the setting, there really wasn't much description in this novel. Elise went to prison and sat in a chair in a number of rooms while a partially constructed building and a hospital waiting room played at the edges for a light conversion. Most of the setting was just dialogue while the characters roamed around.

While The Returning starts twenty years after the last novel ends, I finally get to see and observe Elise, Carrington and Remko's daughter. She has this ultimate power entitled the light where she can bring emotions back to the world and allow then to see the light of the Father. There really wasn't one hero in this edition of the series. It could be Willis. It could be Jesse. I wasn't sure who Dekker wanted me to side with. Both of these characters were pretty flat to me. The best part of Jesse was near the end of the novel as he fights internally between the dark and the light.

The Returning is a great metaphor for the light us Christians are supposed to bring to this dark and dying world we live in. Likewise, I enjoyed the story being an entire metaphor for the Christian faith. We are supposed to be the light and bring the truth to the unbelievers by showing them the truth they are desperately seeking.

As for the pace of the plot, I felt it moved slowly. There were a lot of repeat actions. Something would occur to Elise, than Dekker would go back to the same scene and show it again, but this time it would be from Willis or Jesse's perspective. I didn't understand why she did that. There were moments of chasing or running from things, but I still felt like there really wasn't anything hurrying the novel along. I wished for more action.

While this is an original and unpredictable novel for fans of any age, I would recommend this series to fans of Ted Dekker's latest creations or James Rubart's Well Springs series since it does include using spiritual gifts to bring others to Jesus.

In conclusion, I felt like Rachelle Dekker's The Returning was not as well-written as her first edition in the series, but it does feature some good spiritual lessons that could be taken from the story. I wanted more to the plot than repeated scenes over and over again.

I received a complimentary copy of Rachel Dekker's The Returning from Tyndale Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own. 

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 

Come back on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 where I will have interview questions with Rachelle and A GIVEAWAY!!!!!