Author: vicklea

I love to read! I’m a retired teacher with a spouse of 45 years, three amazing children and nine wonderful grandchildren. I am blessed!

Review of HOLD YOUR BREATH by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell

On By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

About the Book

Author: Kristen Hogrefe Parnell
Series: Crossroads Suspense, Book 2
Genres: Inspirational, Romantic Suspense
Tag: Recommended Books
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Publication Year: 2023
ASIN: B0CGY1LS81
ISBN: 9781953957382

The end justifies the means–or does it?

Serial dater and travel blogger Jayna Scott lands a dream assignment in Bimini, Bahamas at Mario Delgado’s resort. But after she falls hard and fast for her host, she discovers his terrible secret. Her flight instinct sends her to the mountains of North Carolina on a trip with a Tampa church group, but Mario pursues her, determined to prove his actions were justified.

Private investigator Liam Bracken helps his best friend plan a surprise engagement in Beech Mountain to the woman he once liked. Now, the mysterious Jayna, the new addition to their group, tugs at his heart, but his instincts warn him she’s running from something. When Jayna emerges at the epicenter of his agency’s high-profile drug investigation, Liam prays he can save her—and guard his heart at the same time.

My Thoughts

Although this is the second book in a series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. This novel tells the faith journey and perilous adventures of travel blogger Jayna Scott. Traveling to the Bahamas, she gets unwittingly trapped into illegal activity there and has to depend on new friends from her Bible study group to help her out. The genre is cozy mystery with a firm faith foundation. The characters are relatable and realistic and the plot moves along at a good steady pace that is engaging and entertaining. I especially enjoyed how Jayna interacted with the Bible study group and really wanted to be a part of it even though she did not feel as though she really belonged. I also liked Liam Bracken’s willingness to be a hero for a young woman he barely knows but who touched his heart. The mystery is just complex enough to keep me on the edge of my seat at times as I cheered for the good guys to get there on time and for the bad guys to be thwarted. This is a feel-good and satisfying read, but readers should be warned that there are triggers like sexual and emotional abuse within the storyline. This is a Christian read with no graphic details or expletives, so I found it suitable for anyone able to read on this level. With a breathtaking setting and an engrossing story, this is one not to be missed for those who enjoy powerful stories with engrossing suspense.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author as part of her launch team. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Christian fiction with intense suspense. Rated PG

About the Author

Kristen Hogrefe Parnell writes suspenseful fiction from a faith perspective for women and young adults. Her own suspense story involved waiting on God into her thirties to meet her husband, and she desires to keep embracing God’s plan for her life when it’s not what she expects. Kristen also teaches English online and enjoys being a podcast guest.
Her young adult dystopian novels, The Revisionary and The Reactionary, both won the Selah for speculative fiction, and she has partnered with Mountain Brook Ink for her Christian romantic suspense series, beginning with Take My Hand (2022). Hold Your Breath, book two, releases November 2023. She also enjoys guest blogging opportunities for both The Write Conversation and the KHCB Network. Kristen lives in Florida with her husband and young son.

Social Media

Website: https://kristenhogrefeparnell.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KHogrefeParnell.author
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khogrefeparnellauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kristen-hogrefe-parnell
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4774818.Kristen_Hogrefe_Parnell
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kristenhogrefeparnell/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/khogrefeparnell
Newsletter Sign Up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/g8f8x7

RELEASE DATE IS NOVEMBER 7, 2023. PREORDERS ARE AVAILABLE! PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

AMZ KINDLE

BOOKSHOP

POWELL’S

This was the first book that I have read by Kristen and I really loved it so much that I purchased the first book in the series and I’m enjoying it, too. What a talented faith-filled author! Don’t miss her newest book!
The first book in the Crossroads Suspense series, just FYI. All of Kristen’s books are on her website that I listed under her photo. Please check them out!

A Blessing

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

Yesterday’s meeting was a true blessing for me! I got to meet a lot of new ladies and interact with them. So, that is my good report.

Today, in my devotional, I read the blessing that God told Moses and Aaron to speak over the people of Israel as they continued to travel to the Promised Land.

I am praying this promise over anyone who reads it today as well as over the people of Israel as they face a mighty and devious foe. Grace and peace from the Lord is a real blessing.

The Blessing-Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes

Being Fed

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

I only have a brief post today because I have a meeting with the ladies at my church. It’s called “The Gathering” and we are gathering together to study God’s word and to fellowship. I am looking forward to it but also a little anxious as the introvert in me has a tendency to be when I know I will be in a large crowd of people. Nevertheless, I am stepping out of my comfort zone in order to receive from God whatever He has for me there.

I pray that all of you will be nourished by God’s Word today, not just the milk but the real meat of the truth in His Word. May you be blessed to be a blessing!

Just Read Publicity Tour: MOUNTAIN STORM SURVIVAL by Cathy McDavid

On By vickleaIn blog tour, Book Promo, Book Review5 Comments
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Mountain Storm Survival by Cathy McDavid, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Mountain Storm Survival
Author: Cathy McDavid
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

A brutal storm. Relentless pursuers.

And more than their lives are on the line…

Helping with youth wrangler camp is how Kate Spencer is atoning for her past. But now she and ranch manager Rand Walkins are trapped in the Superstition Mountains with two girls as illegal miners hunt them down. Rand has every reason not to trust Kate, much less forgive her. But working together is the only way they’ll escape from the danger that threatens them all…

My Thoughts

A plot that includes a ranch with the purpose to help kids adjust to their troubled lives enticed me to read this book and I’m so glad that I had that opportunity! The story is centered around ranch hands who have a past history together and really need to walk the road to forgiveness. Rand Walkins is a bitter young man who lost his chance to be a rodeo star because of a careless choice by new employee Kate Spencer. The two of them are characterized perfectly, a little brittle and wary and not ready to even talk to each other. The kids in the group are typical teens, determined to do their own thing and not caring that others share in their consequences. The entire story was told realistically, with a lot of details about surviving in brutal weather conditions in the wilderness. The story was fast-paced as the characters went from one dangerous situation to the next and had to cooperate together in order to survive the storms and the villains. I enjoyed the romance but the adventure kept me engaged in the story and the faith element was an added bonus.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Just Reads Publicity Tour. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

About the Author

CATHY MCDAVID wrote her first book at sixteen. The self-illustrated children’s story featured a young girl whose lack of responsibility nearly resulted in the demise of her pet fish. It’s quite possible the book was an autobiography, but Cathy’s not telling. She wrote her second book, and first romance, at nineteen with the help of a portable Smith Corona typewriter. One never knows how the unrequited crush on a college professor will affect their eventual career. These days, with over 57 titles and 1.6 million books in print, she still incorporates a little of her own life in each story. A lover of all things western and former avid horsewoman, her stories include riding, ranching, and rodeo because, well, who doesn’t enjoy a good cowboy romance? Mother of grown twins and married to her own real-life sweetheart, Cathy is living her dream penning heart-stopping suspense thrillers and heart-touching family dramas for Harlequin. Connect with Cathy by visiting cathymcdavid.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will win a print copy of both Blizzard Refuge and Her Surprise Cowboy Groom, a $5 Starbucks gift card and a cowboy coffee mug!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 31, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 7, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

__________________________________________________________________________

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Review of ALL THE LITTLE TRUTHS by Debra Webb

On By vickleaIn Book Review2 Comments

About the Book

ISBN-13:9781662508844

Publisher: Amazon Publishing

Publication date: 11/07/2023

Series: Finley O’Sullivan , #3

Synopsis

Legal investigator Finley O’Sullivan has dealt with her share of shady characters, but the firm’s latest client has an even darker past than most. In fact, Nashville Metro Police seems to think he’s a murderer.

Finley isn’t so sure. Her investigation into Ray Johnson’s history focuses on the unsolved murder of a teenager who died seventeen years earlier. The case went cold, but questions remain. Months after the girl’s death, people close to her started disappearing—her mother first, then Ray’s brother. But why?

As Finley races to solve a decades-old murder, she uncovers new clues and long-buried secrets that could blow the case wide open. But whoever killed the girl all those years ago may still be a threat—and now the chase is on.

My Thoughts

Finley O’Sullivan is a kick butt and take no prisoners private investigator and lawyer. She wants all the truth, but first she has to methodically weed through the lies. She’s my favorite character in the series because she is damaged but refuses to be broken, vulnerable but not weak, intelligent and intuitive. In the latest Finley novel by Debra Webb, Finley has to try to solve a cold case of a murder and a disappearance that are over a decade old. Lucy Cagle was an intrepid high school student, determined to investigate a crime syndicate and expose the bad guys just like her famous reporter mom did. But Lucy was killed and her murderer was never found. At the same time, Ian Johnson, a younger son in the Johnson crime family, disappeared, never to be seen again. Now it is up to Finley to find out if the two events are related and if so, how since she is helping her employer Jack investigate Ray Johnson for an impending case against him. There are a lot of very satisfying twists in this novel that had me wondering just where the story was going and how it was going to get there. But author Debra Webb never disappoints in weaving a tale that is complicated and that stimulates my imagination as it keeps me mesmerized in the story and the characters. Each character contributed to the story and none was more evident than Finley’s unassuming and kind-hearted father who apparently knew something about Lucy that he wasn’t sharing. I loved the dynamics of the characters and how Finley had to prod and poke at them to get to the truth. This is a book with breath-stopping suspense and sharp, addictive writing that kept me reading and guessing all the way to the end. With well-crafted and cleverly written twists, this book is absolutely brilliant and one of the best suspense books that I have ever read! With a compelling and multi-layered mystery, this novel had me intrigued, only willing to put the book down once I had reached the satisfying conclusion.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley as well as from the author as part of her street team. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Rated PG-13 for content

About the Author

DEBRA WEBB is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil, the Colby Agency and the Shades of Death series. She is the recipient of the prestigious Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Romantic Suspense as well as numerous Reviewers Choice Awards. In 2012 Debra was honored as the first recipient of the esteemed L. A. Banks Warrior Woman Award for her courage, strength, and grace in the face of adversity. Recently Debra was awarded the distinguished Centennial Award for having achieved publication of her 100th novel. With this award Debra joined the ranks of a handful of authors like Nora Roberts and Carole Mortimer.
With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood when her mother bought her an old typewriter in a tag sale. Born in Alabama, Debra grew up on a farm and spent every available hour exploring the world around her and creating her stories. She wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the Commanding General of the US Army in Berlin behind the Iron Curtain and a five-year stint in NASA’s Shuttle Program that she realized her true calling. A collision course between suspense and romance was set. Since then she has expanded her work into some of the darkest places the human psyche dares to go. Visit Debra at www.debrawebb.com.

Available for preorder now! Releases on 11-07-23. Purchase Links:

https://amzn.to/49dJ0Oz (AMZ)

https://amzn.to/3Sj9hFd (Audible)

https://bit.ly/3QDRHuw (Barnes and Noble)

Resting in Peace

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

Patty went home this morning about 2:00 a.m. She is no longer in pain and we who know and love her trust that she is at rest at last. All of us will one day face a final breath, a final look at a loved one, a final clasp of loving hands and a final kiss. Then, our soul will be no more in this body on this earth, but we will be with our Father in Heaven who has prepared for us and knows exactly when to expect us to come to Him.

We don’t know when the hour will be, but we know that every person will die in some way at some time. My prayer for each of you is that you are as prepared to meet God as He is to welcome you.

Life Watch

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

Our son’s mother-in-law was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer a month ago and given only a few months to live. Last night, our son contacted us to tell us that his wife was heading to PA as her mom was not expected to survive long. So began what I was calling the “death watch.” But, in all actuality, Patty is a dear believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, so it should be a “life watch.” She will be leaving this earthly life soon, with all of the trials and pain that she has had recently, and entering into a new life with her Lord and Savior. We here who know and love her will miss her face, her cheerful demeanor all the time and her sweet cards that she sends. But we are not without hope that we will see her again someday.

Our son contacted us again this morning and told me that Iris, our autistic granddaughter, is having a rough day because her mom was not there to put her on the bus. If you know anything about autistic children, they crave routine and get very upset if that routine is disrupted. A few weeks ago, my husband had to go to the school to get Iris because she would not stop wandering the halls, crying and screaming and refusing to be consoled. Although we live over an hour away, Harry rushed to be there for Iris, took her out of school and spent the day consoling her. Why was she so distraught? I think it was because she had been spending every weekend saying “goodbye” to her grandma and she didn’t understand or like what was happening. So, prayers for Iris and all of the family would be appreciated at this time. We are waiting now for the next communication to tell us how we can help and what our son wants us to do for them. I have done laundry in anticipation of traveling. My husband is going to pick up medications that he needs before we travel. Meanwhile, we are praying. I am praying that Patty’s deep physical suffering is not extended and that the God of all comfort will be right there beside Melissa and her other family members. I especially pray for her dad, a humble and loving man who has spent over seventy years with Patty.

Again, we are not without hope because we know that God has provided eternal life for those of us who believe in Him and accept His free gift of salvation. But it is never easy to say farewell, so for that reason I ask for prayers from anyone who believes.

The following are the verses that God gave me this morning to comfort and strengthen me. If you are facing the loss of a loved one, may they also comfort you as you realize the truth of God’s word stands forever.

Never Weary

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

I don’t know about you but all of the news, the health issues that keep coming at me, the demands of my time from others and just life in general has me worn out. I wake up in the morning, thank God for a new day and get up. But what I really want to do sometimes is pull the covers over my head and not even face the day. I was encouraged this morning by my devotional in which I read that God never gets tired.

God understands my deep bone and soul weariness and He doesn’t chastise me or tell me worthless platitudes about things getting better. Instead, He assures me that He is not tired or reaching out to me and He is still strong on my behalf. So, if you are feeling a little buffeted by the waves of life, then grasp hold of this Scripture. God hears, understands and never gets weak or weary. We can count on Him to always be the same even when the world around us seems to be shifting in ways we don’t like. God is good…all the time! And because of His goodness, mercy and never-changing love, I can face the small challenges of life and reach out to others who need an encouraging word.

Of Books and Libraries

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Anyone who knows me knows that I love books and never leave home without at least one. I have books surrounding me. They are on the table next to me, the shelves around me, the shelves in the living room and even in my bedroom. I have collected books for years. I also gift them frequently to others whom I know will appreciate the story that is within. As a bibliophile, I like visiting libraries. In fact, each of the twenty-five times we moved, I was not totally content in the new place until we had visited the local library. I guess I just wanted to assure myself that there was one in some of the remote locations in which we were stationed. I also enjoy looking at photos of unusual libraries around the world. Here is one in Stockholm:

Look at all those books! Can you imagine visiting such a wondrous treasure trove of knowledge and entertainment? But there is something even better.

John completes his gospel with these words. Everything Jesus did could not be contained in all of the libraries in all the world. Amazing claim, isn’t it? But if you think about it, it is so true! Jesus is still working in lives today and if each of us who is touched daily by His love and grace keeps a journal or writes a poem or a letter, anything that is written about what Jesus has done, then that could be added to the “library” of what Jesus has done and is continuing to do.

Yes, I love books, but I also love the fact that God loves each of us so much that He provided a record of what He has done for us and even includes prophecy about what the future will be like. All of the adventure, mystery and historical books in the world cannot compare to the magnificent story of God told in His Holy Word, the Bible. It is a love story without comparison and it was gifted to us. Each of us has a part of that story that we carry around in our hearts. Some of us share it with others in writing, adding to the library about Jesus a testimony of what He has personally done in our lives and how He has changed us.

The next time you see a beautiful library, remember that all of the works of Jesus are too many to be contained in it. Then, start thinking of all He has done for you and be grateful. And maybe write a few things down as a record for others to read and marvel at…what a mighty God we serve!