Each of which would have been better had they been separate books.

The first book criticizes the traditional Jewish belief in the Torah as divine revelation, and proposes "Liberal Supernaturalism" as an alternative (i.e. accepting man-made halacha even if it rests on a man-made Torah rather than a purely Divine Torah). Contrary to what one reviewer wrote, Jacobs does not limit his justification for this view to Psalms; he goes over a few inconsistencies in the Pentateuch itself. Nevertheless, the broader point stands: Jacobs devotes one chapter to an issue that really is worth a full book or something close to it.

Jacobs then justifies halacha on the ground that it connects us with the Jewish tradition and with holiness generally- a point of view likely to persuade more-or-less observant Jews, but less likely to persuade the apathetic.

The second book is an excellent little guide to the factions within Judaism (leaving aside Conservative Judaism, which the author's "Liberal Supernaturalism" chapter implicitly argues for). Jacobs seems to maintain an OK balance between criticism of and respect for both Reform and for various tendencies within Orthodoxy (including Hasidism, mysticism, Modern Orthodoxy, and other more traditional variants of Orthodoxy).

This book should really be entitled 'Beyond Reasonable Scholarship.' Dr Jacobs bases his argument on the false claim that Jewish tradition only countenances a single author for Psalms i.e. King David. Then he goes on to infer that as this is untrue (how could David write about future events?) the belief in the divine authorship of the five books of Moses must also be untrue. This is blatant nonsence as Dr Jacobs must know.
There are several Talmudic references to Psalms as a composite work and many later commentators such as David Kimkhi and the Malbim also explain how Psalms was the work of over 10 authors, edited in his generation by David and that later editions added Psalms written in the Babylonian exile. Therefore the supposed authorship of Psalms has not a jot to do with the authorship of the Pentateuch. This a bad book full of bad scholarship. It is also an insult to any academic or traditionally learned Jew who is aware of the sources.