The Presence

Title: The Presence
Author: T. Davis Bunn
Genre: Fiction

T. Davis Bunn is a very versatile writer. He has co-authored with Janet Oake and even written is own romance novels. However,my personal favorite T. Davis Bunn novels are the ones where he ventures out to the edge of modern day legal thrillers. Such books as The Great Divide and Drummer in the Dark are along these lines. These books actually challenge my mind and can be a little more difficult to read, but I enjoy them. The Presence was my first experience of Bunn's novels along these lines.

T.J. Case is a lawyer and politician steeped in integrity. As he considers his options after loosing an election, he finds himself in the middle of Washington D.C. politics. While he is in Washington, Case and his wife, sense a divine hand leading them to help lives that are twisted and challenge a corrupted legal system. Of course, Case is met with direct opposition. A good verses evil stand off takes place and if good is to prevail, a sacrifice must be made.

Flabbergasted!

Title: Flabbergasted
Author: Ray Blackston
Genre: Fiction


If you are looking for the perfect book to take on a camping trip, road trip or to the beach, Flabbergasted is an excellent choice. The story is about a twenty-something single guy named Jay. He just accepted a new job in the town of Greenville, North Carolina. After closing on his house, he asked the realtor where the best place would be to make some friends (or meet the girls). Because Greenville is the Bible belt of the south and churches out number the bars in town, she suggests to Jay, to visit the local church. Yes, the fun starts here.

It is at North Hills Presbyterian Church that Ray meets a new group of friends, and also discovers Allie, beautiful brunette with the year round tan. After spending several months with his new friends, he realizes that there is more to life than a solid career and a nice bank account. No, this is not a love story; it’s just a funny story about one guys life.

Because I work as a lay leader for the young adult group at my own church, I totally understood and appreciated the humor of Ray Blackston. I found myself laughing out loud several times (my personal favorite was the excel spreadsheet….read the book!). I know that Ray Blackston has 2 more books out that include the same characters in Flabbergasted, they are called: Lost in Rooville, and A Delirious Summer.