Book Review: The Priest's Graveyard

The Priest's Graveyard

By

Ted Dekker

Quote:

" Of course. Of course. There's nothing worse than injustice. I've always believed that those responsible for it should be brought to their knees even when they come in small, frail packages." ~ Danny pg. 129

Started: September 13, 2017

Finished: September 27, 2017

hardback cover, 360 pages

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From the cover:

Two abandoned souls are on the hunt for one powerful man, soon, their paths will cross and lead to one twisted fate bound by a perilous love.

Danny Hansen came to America with hopes of escaping haunted memories of a tragic war that took his mother's life. Now he's a priest, incensed by the powerful among us who manipulate the law for their own gain, uncaring of the shattered lives they leave behind. It is his duty to show them the error of their ways, even if he must put them in the grave.

Renee Gilmore is the frail and helpless victim of one such powerful man. Having escaped his clutches, she now lives only to satisfy justice by destroying him, regardless of whom she must become in the pursuit.

But when Danny and Renee's paths become inexorably entangled things go very, very badly and neither of them may make it out of this hunt alive.

My Review:

I bought this book from ThriftBooks a few years ago but it had been put up and forgotten. I went through a huge  Ted Dekker phase and read about 5 of his books almost back to back. I absolutely love his writing style and amazing stories. I think I jut burnt myself out and moved on to something lighter and this book got forgotten. I'm so glad I found it and decided to read this one. 

It is a stand alone and I love that I wasn't getting in to a commitment...I have so many on my TBR list that I have slacked off on series unless, I already have the whole set.

Dekker did not disappoint!

As with all of his books, I was hooked from the first page.

He has an amazing way of saying just the right words to make you immediately ask the question, "What's happening here?"...and you have to keep going to figure it out.

Always action packed from the beginning.

In The Priest's Graveyard, it starts out with Renee asking a priest if he will listen to her, or rather Danny's confession, but only if he is 100% he will keep confidence and have time to hear the full story and hopefully understand Danny better. 

The Priest assures her God can forgive anything, but Renee isn't so sure... this time.

Danny's confession, written out in a journal, describes how it all started. How he became the priest who claims the lives of those who have done evil and gotten away with it. 

It details how he became who he now is and the events he has been involved in.

Throughout the book, Danny and Renee's relationship takes many turns and their lives become more entangled. They become teacher and apprentice, friends, partners, and even foe.

Much of Renee's life has been forgotten or at the least regressed memories that her brain isn't ready to deal with just yet. Will Danny uncover her secrets and be able to help her through the memories...or will he help to destroy her and the life she is now building with him?

How will all these events play out and what are the final consequences? Who really gets the final say?

I don't want to spoil the story for you readers. So, ....READ IT!

I can only say good things about yet another awesome Dekker book!

Make sure you check out all of his great books over at Goodreads!

Have you read any of his books?
Which is your favorite?

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Review: The Red Church

The Red Church

by Scott Nicholson

Quote: " We both know there's more to this church than just nails and chestnut and rippled glass."~ Archer pg. 113

Started: March 30, 2012

Finished: April 9, 2012

hardback

352 pages

From the cover:

The church was constructed in the 1800s under the guidance of Reverend Wendell McFall. His sermons declared the existence of God's Second Son- whose mission it is to undo all of Jesus' work on Earth. McFall had the church painted red to summon the First Son to defeat the Second. But when he sacrificed a child to support his rantings, his congregation hung him from the rafters of his own sanctuary....

  For twenty years, the red church stood empty. Crumbling to ruin, it has become a site for Halloween pranks and the setting for ghost stories- including one about the thing that lives in the bell tower, a creature being blamed for a brutal murder that occurred in the church's graveyard...

  Now, Archer McFall has purchased the church to house his Temple of the Two Sons- whose zealous worshipers will stop at nothing to see the Second Son return to his rightful glory...

My Review:

I'm not sure how to start this review or what to say first.

I guess for me, I want to say that I am a Christian and by no means believe in what this book is about. With that said, I am not naive either in believing that this can't, doesn't happen somewhere everyday. I mean, there are people obviously who believe differently than myself. This book is about a "cult" that believes God had two sons. One good(Jesus), the other evil(Archer). It shows how easily the human mind can be persuaded into believing almost anything. No matter how out there it may seem to someone else. What people will do and sacrifice for something they believe in. This book has a little religion, paranormal, crime and even romantic implications.

I won't say that I think this book is sacreligious. I see it as a learning bookand entertaining(isn't that why we read?). I'm not going to NOT read something because of what it may be labeled as.(Haven't I told you I will read anything?!?!?) And, after all it IS fiction, right?

Way to go Scott Nicholson !!!

I will be reading more of his books!

Also, this book is the first in the Sherriff Frank Littlefield series! Look it up!

Review: House

House

by

Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker

The light came into the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it.

My heart holds all secrets; my heart tells no lies.

House

The Only way Out is In

started reading~ 9/16/11
ended~ 9/22/11

Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker come together to give us a chilling, heart thumping look into the battle between good and evil. Every chapter has you wanting to hear more and finding more twists than the last. 

It starts out with Stephanie and Jack... a not so perfect couple, with some secrets and turmoils of their own.

After arguments, pity parties, and then...car trouble things go from bad to worse.

They decide to head out on foot to find help or shelter until daybreak. Up ahead is a sign that reads THE WAYSIDE INN. It is their only hope,... or is it?

There's a game to be played in order to leave this house! There are rules to his game. The rules are simple.

Rule 1.God came to my house and I killed him

Rule 2. I will kill anyone who comes to my house like I killed God

Rule 3. Give me one dead body and I might let Rule 2 slide

I really enjoyed this book. My first impression of the cover was that it would be creepy in a gruesome kind of way, but having read Dekker before I should have known it would be way deeper than boogeymen and zombies.

 I think Jack's character was well written but could have given more details into all the characters....don't want to give any spoilers away. Susan was by far my favorite, the most mysterious of them all.

By the middle of the book, the message is clear but it still has a few twists you weren't expecting. nothing is ever as it appears.

Over all I would give this book 4 stars.

It was definitely a book I would recommend and I have already ordered the movie based on the book. I cannot wait to see how it compares.

Hope you enjoy your next read!

Don't forget to check out other great reads by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti