Review of FLIGHT (Texas Murder Files #2) by Laura Griffin

First of all, this is book #2 in the Texas Murder Files series, but it can most definitely be read as a standalone. This is the story of forensic photographer Miranda Rhoads who is determined to leave her former career and just take pictures of wildlife. Thus, she ends up in Lost Beach. Unfortunately, she discovers two dead bodies on her nature adventures and thus meets Detective Joel Breda. This tale of a serial killer was both compelling and intriguing since there were a lot of twists and red herrings leading up to the revelation of the killer. I really enjoyed the fact that I could not figure out the bad guy until Joel and Miranda did! This was a fun read, exciting at times, breath-holding tense at others and just an all-around good book for mystery and suspense fans. I liked getting to know Miranda and Joel, both of whom were individuals with pasts that hurt them but who were survivors made stronger by what they had been through. The descriptions of the scenery that Miranda is taking photos of made me want to be right there with her, on the beach and in the marsh. There were also some steamy sex scenes for those who enjoy those in their romance books. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series since I know that Laura Griffin never disappoints and always delivers a book that is well-written, fast-paced and engrossing entertainment.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Gorgeous cover for a mesmerizing romantic suspense!
I would rate this a definite PG-13 because of the violence and sex scenes.

Available for purchase on March 30th. You can pre-order today! Here are the purchase links:

Google Play Store

Indiebound

Books-a-Million

Powells

Book Depository

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Photo from the author’s website at http://www.lauragriffin.com

BIO:

Laura Griffin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty-five books and novellas. She is a two-time RITA Award winner, and her book Desperate Girls was named one of the Best Books of 2018 by Publishers Weekly. Booklist magazine calls Laura’s popular Tracers series “the perfect mix of suspense and romance.”

Laura got her start in journalism before venturing into the world of suspense fiction. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages. Laura lives in Austin, Texas, where she is working on her next novel. Visit her website at http://www.lauragriffin.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LauraGriffinAuthor

Info for Bio from the author’s website on Amazon at Amazon/Laura Griffin

I sincerely hope that you will check out Laura’s new book FLIGHT! It was nice to have a book in my hands that made me think through a mystery and entertained me at the same time.

Review of BLACKBERRY BEACH by Irene Hannon

Every trip to Hope Harbor is magical and uplifting and this book surely proved that. This is the story of Zach Garrett, the owner/operator of The Perfect Blend coffee shop in town. Happy in his new life and his escape from the demands of his previous career, Zach is not looking for any kind of relationship. When Katherine Parker comes to town for a vacation from her career, there is an instant attraction to Zach, but both know it can’t go anywhere since she is there briefly and he isn’t seeking a relationship. The way their attraction progresses really made this story for me. Everything was a natural progression, without any kind of forced “gotta bring this to a close” kind of plot. There were some twists and some challenges that were unexpected. There was also a sub-plot when Zach’s aunt Stephanie, newly retired from her career, comes to visit and meets Zach’s part-time barista Frank. I really enjoyed visiting Hope Harbor again, a place where everything is described so realistically that I can put myself right there with the characters. The characters themselves fairly jumped off the page and talked to me. In fact, I found myself giving advice to Katherine and Stephanie as I read the book and was happy that they took that advice sometimes. The author knows how to tell a story that draws you in, and that is the magical part of Hope Harbor. I may not be at a beach, but I felt like I was, enjoying the views and the moments of quiet and reflection that her characters were enjoying. I highly recommend this clean Christian fiction to anyone who needs some positivity in their lives! Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone, as can any of the Hope Harbor books. But I’m betting that once you have read one, you will want to read all of them just to get that happy feeling that these books give you.
Disclaimer
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

No warnings here because this is a Christian fiction suitable for all who love clean romance. Rated G.

Coming on April 6th, but pre-order NOW!

Photo and accompanying bio (below) from the author’s website at http://www.irenehannon.com

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!

Since then, she has written more than 50 romantic suspense and contemporary romance/women’s fiction novels. She is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—and a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She has also received a Career Achievement award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work. In addition, her books have won a Daphne du Maurier award, two Carol awards, three HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice award, a Retailers Choice award, three Booksellers’ Best awards and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews. She is also a two-time Christy award finalist.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full time. She is happy to say she has no regrets! 

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing. A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

Purchase Links for this amazing book:

Christian Book

Indiebound

Google Play Store

Books-a-Million

Barnes and Noble

Powells

Amazon

I’m delighted to participate in this Blogger Program from Revell which gives me the opportunity to read excellent Christian books and share them with you, my faithful readers.

Only 10 more days until this awesome and uplifting book can arrive for your reading pleasure. Plan a visit to Hope Harbor today and enjoy the sights and the positivity for yourself!

Review of PRESENT DANGER by Elizabeth Goddard

The first book in a new series is always exciting, but this one was especially so since it has a beautiful setting and characters that are complex and who react in an expected and totally human way. Starting with a plane crash and a pilot who stumbles away and disappears, this book is non-stop action with lots of mystery that just keeps building. Detective Jack Tanner is working in Montana after giving up his job as an FBI Special agent and ends up working with US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors when the two of them unexpectedly find a dead body. Since the two of them have a past that ended with a split, their interactions were very interesting, bringing simmering romance into all of the suspense. The plot was intriguing and intellectually stimulating to me. I had never really heard about archeological artifacts being stolen and trafficked, but that is really what is going on in this complicated and well-written book. There are many characters, but all are necessary as they add to the mystery one at a time and build up what becomes a satisfying resolution. The twists were surprises to me and the pacing was perfect. All of the chapters just flowed one into another so it was hard to stop reading since I really wanted to know what was going to happen and who the villain was. My favorite part of the book was the description of the scenery, because each new place the characters went was described with intricate detail so that I could place myself into that scene. My favorite character was Terra’s brother Owen, a wounded war veteran who is a real “horse whisperer” and a true hero. Of course, I loved the mounting suspense and the interaction between the characters. It seemed that Terra was destined for danger, but I enjoyed watching how she got herself out of those encounters. I particularly enjoyed knowing how the characters were working out the mystery in their minds, sharing with me what they were thinking so that I could work on the mystery myself. All in all, this was a thoroughly entertaining and delightful book and I am already looking forward to book #2 in the series.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program via Netgalley. I also received a complimentary hard copy from the author as part of her review team. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Note to my readers: I loved this book so much and want to collect the series, so I purchased my own copy from Baker Books.

First in a new series and a totally clean read suitable for all readers of Christian romantic suspense.
Five plus stars for this amazing book!
Photo from author’s page on Amazon

BIO: With over a million books sold, Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over fifty novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES–a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. Buried, Backfire and Deceptionare finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to fulfill her dreams of writing full-time. (BIO from the author’s website at http://www.elizabethgoddard.com

Available on April 6th! Pre-order now at the following purchase links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Google Play Store

Christian Book

Indiebound

Powells

Books-a-Million

Great book! Wonderful characters and stimulating plot! Order today and enjoy it on April 6th!

Review of A MILLION REASONS WHY by Jessica Strawser

This is a thought-provoking and heart-tugging domestic drama. The story revolves around two half-sisters who have just discovered their relationship via a mail-in DNA test. Caroline has a dream life, with a solid marriage, three healthy children and a great job. Sela, on the other hand, is a struggling graphic artist, a single mom to a toddler and suffering from kidney disease that requires a transplant. When we meet them, Caroline is blissfully ignorant that she even has a sister, and Sela is hopeful that she will be able to survive until a kidney donor is found. Both women provide their points of view in this contemporary fiction that had me thinking long and hard about what it means to donate an organ and what it means to be the recipient. Since I was born with only one kidney and have had to be tested regularly to make sure that it’s still functioning okay, this book really touched me deeply. It is a powerful story about choices, acceptance and forgiveness. It also opens the door to learning about organ donation and even being an altruistic donor. I had never heard that term before, but the author did a good job of researching kidney disease and organ donation, presented by Sela’s caregiver Janie in such a way that the information flows seamlessly into the story. By no means are Caroline and Sela the only ones facing tough choices and forgiveness in this complex tale of family. The minor characters, too, must face their own demons and come to make a ultimate life-changing choice. I really enjoyed this book and totally looked forward to a new book by this author. It was different in that I didn’t really have any “aha” moments or times when I was amused. I was inspired to think about choices and consequences and unselfishness vs. selfishness. I highly recommend this book, especially for book clubs, because I am convinced that more than one group will be gathered around, discussing the dilemma of Caroline and Sela.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I would rate this book PG because of its sensitive content.
Photo and bio from the author’s website at https://jessicastrawser.com

Available on Tuesday, March 23rd! Purchase Links:

Indiebound

Books-a-Million

Powells

Google Play Store

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

I loved this book and highly recommend it. Many thanks to #StMartinsPress for the ARC to read and review!

Review of UNKNOWN THREAT by Lynn H. Blackburn

The first book in a new series is always exciting, but this book was far beyond that. It was an explosive, gut-wrenching thrill ride from beginning to end! The Secret Service agents in Raleigh, NC are being targeted and killed one by one by an unknown assailant. Faith is sent in from the FBI office to investigate and protect them, but she has more than an unknown perpetrator to deal with. She has to get past the shell-shocked agents who may or may not feel like being cooperative when their own members are being picked off. I really enjoyed the repartee between Faith and Luke, a secret service agent who has a real hang up against the FBI. I think my favorite thing about the book is that the protagonist is a strong female with unbelievable intuition and skills but also a soft side who needs to be loved just like everyone else. My favorite character was Hope, Faith’s sister, who offers timely and wise advice from her wheelchair. She does not pity herself because of her damaged body; she just moves on with life and is wiser for her choice to accept and continue in her faith in God. Faith is also dealing with a lack of belief in God, so there is that underlying theme. Damaged characters are realistic, since everyone is damaged in some way and we all have to overcome whatever obstacles life has thrown our way. That could be a theme of the book, but I think the real theme is forgiveness and hope and also finding one’s way back to God. The plot was well-developed with a lot of twists and red herrings and it winded its way to a nice conclusion. I look forward to seeing more of these characters in future books. Fans of Christian fiction and romantic suspense will want to read this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Totally clean Christian fiction with some intense scenes involving the murder of secret service agents. I would rate it PG.
Photo and info from the author’s website at http://www.lynnhblackburn.com

Available Now! Here are your purchase links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Powells

Indiebound

Christian Book

Google Play

Books-a-Million

Delighted to participate in a blogger program with uplifting Christian books!

If you love Christian books, then this one will fit the bill for you! With action, suspense, romance and faith, it’s perfect! Buy it today!

Review of FACING THE DAWN by Cynthia Ruchti

A completely clean Christian read, but it does deal with some difficult topics, so I would rate it PG.
I would definitely give it more stars if I could.

Goodness! This is the first book ever that I had to put away for a few hours after certain chapters and just let it settle in my mind before I could continue reading. The depths of emotion in this novel were real, in the book and in my mind as I read. Mara is almost a single mother, in that her husband is in Uganda on an extended missions trip, providing water for the needy in Uganda. Mara has problems with two of their children: Dylan who is on probation, with Chelsea who isn’t trying very hard to graduate, but not with Jeremy, the pre-teen who just loves his mom and is empathetic to her loneliness and stress. When the unthinkable and unimaginable happens, Mara has to dig deep just to survive. The author writes so well that I put myself right into the middle of the story and was feeling what Mara felt. I was as thankful as Mara when her best friend Ashlee shows up, having moved to town recently and is there for just the right time. It is Ashlee, a widow who has been through grief, who understands Mara’s anger, resentment and feelings of unworthiness. Sol and Logan are neighbors who pitch in to help out and Mara is overwhelmed with the circumstances and the aid that she receives. The book was so realistic that I wanted to just reach into the pages and give Chelsea and Dylan a good shake and an “in your face” lecture. With well-written dialog between the various characters and an extremely well-developed plot, this book was the first book that I have read by this author, but it will definitely not be the last. I enjoyed every minute that I spent getting to know Mara, her family and her friends. By the end of the book, I even considered her my friend, too. With the themes of resilience, forgiveness, acceptance and love for others, this book was one of the best that I have read that included a difficult topic. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to feel hopeful and faithful when not much is going the way you expected.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Info and photo from the author’s web site at https://cynthiaruchti.com

This wonderful book just published yesterday. Here are the purchase links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Christian Book

Powell’s Books

Books-a-Million

Indiebound

Google Play Store

I’m happy to be a part of this program that allows me to discover authors new to me and share them with you!

Review of LADIES OF THE HOUSE: A MODERN RETELLING OF SENSE AND SENSIBILITY by Lauren Edmondson

Adjectives to describe this book include: delightfully witty, engaging, entertaining, clever, insightful and fast-paced. To break it down, the book is touted as a “Modern Retelling of Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen. Gasp! I never read that entire book, so I can’t tell you whether this one was an accurate re-telling, but I do know that Austen did not dabble into loose morals, so this modern story definitely left the trail provided by Austen in many ways. However, I actually enjoyed this book, which was one of the reasons I did not enjoy Austen’s dry book. This book captured me from page one, with the dilemma of Cricket (the mom), and her two daughters Daisy and Wallis. Senator Gregory Richardson died of a heart attack with another woman and his family left behind has to survive the scandal. Unfortunately, the man who lost his reputation also lost his money and the family has to sell the family home. I felt bad for what each of them had to face in the judgmental society of D.C. The characters were well-developed and the conversations that took place between them was unexpectedly humorous. Daisy was the main character and the one who was determined at all costs to salvage the family’s name. With acerbic social commentary on the life and politics of D.C. this book was like reading an extended gossip column, with some PG rated details. My favorite character was Daisy’s best friend Atlas, a newspaper columnist tasked with writing an exposé of the disgraced senator. He was totally charming and seemed to be there to rescue Daisy from herself. He was also the one who was intelligently insightful into what was actually happening with the family. As the debut novel of this author, this book impressed me with its brilliantly crafted and uniquely relevant to our times social commentary on life among the rich and powerful. The author has done a magnificent job of representing the family drama genre!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Rated PG-13 for sexual innuendo and content and some expletives
Information about the author can be found at her Amazon page at Laura Edmondson on Amazon

Available Now At These Retailers:

Google Play

Indiebound

Books-a-Million

Powells

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

If you just need some light, entertaining reading, then this debut novel is for you!

Review of WHEN TWILIGHT BREAKS by Sarah Sundin

The cover drew me in, the story kept me there.

The author informs us readers at the end that the character Lisa is named after a Sunday school student who categorized her books are “war-romances.” What an accurate description and kudos to that young lady for being able to come up with that word! This is the story of when Hitler was first taking over Germany and all of the changes in the society, including the beginnings of the purges of Jews from businesses and from German society in general. Evelyn is a newspaper reporter who is like a dog with a bone; she just won’t let go of the story until she finds the truth. Her friend Peter is pursuing his Ph.D. In German while he teaches at a local university in Munich. The meeting of these two main characters was magical and so well-written. The entire story was like a film running in my mind, with such excellent descriptions of scenes and background. I felt as though I could feel the evil of the Gestapo and the traitors against Evelyn and Peter. My heart was in my throat during the most emotional moment that they shared together. This is one of the absolutely best historical fiction books that I have read about the pre-WWII era! I cannot recommend it highly enough. Even if you don’t like historical fiction, try this one. I’m not usually a fan of this genre, but I love Sundin’s books and have devoured all of them since I first discovered her. The research is impeccable, the writing is magnetic and the characterization is dramatic. Loved this book!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

A totally clean read, rated PG because of content. Historically accurate, so some of the scenes with the Gestapo and their treatment of the Jewish people was more than a little disturbing. Nevertheless, the story needs to be told and Sarah Sundin did a masterful job!
Photo from the author’s website at http://www.sarahsundin.com Additional information about Sarah’s inspiration, her writing journey and her list of amazing books can be found at this website.

Available NOW! Purchase Links:

Google Play Store

Books-a-Million

Indiebound

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Christian Book

Powells

I’m delighted to participate in this excellent and uplifting program that offers books to review that are clean and well worth reading!

Get your copy of this wonderful book today! Read, Enjoy, Share!

Review of OBSESSION by Patricia Bradley

A totally clean read, rated PG because of content

A fast-paced and intriguing mystery involving a Natchez Trace ranger who is also an historian and her former fiancé who is a law enforcement ranger. Emma doesn’t like it when Sam is assigned to investigate the case after someone shoots at her in the park early one morning. But since Sam is tasked to keep her safe, Emma just has to suck it up and go along with his constant presence. Unfortunately, there is someone else who has Emma in his sights, someone who is totally obsessed with her. Sam can’t keep her safe unless he can figure out what his really happening and the twists and turns in this book are rampant. I enjoyed meeting Emma and Sam and how they interacted with each other. It was apparent from the beginning that Sam was still smitten with Emma, but Emma wanted nothing to do with him. There are several layers of mystery here, including the disappearance of Emma’s twin brother Ryan and the death of Ryan’s girlfriend Mary Jo. The historical part of the story deals with a cemetery for slaves and that in itself was interesting. I loved how the deeper Emma dug into the cemetery, the more that was revealed from past mysteries and the more intrigue about the present. The story was complex but not hard to follow since the clues to the killer were clearly laid out. I did not guess the perpetrator because there were a lot of red herrings, but I did understand all of the clues once the identity was revealed. My kind of mystery! This book gave me just the right amount of chills and thrills and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Although the book is part of a series, it can definitely be read as a standalone and it is a good, clean read!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the #RevellReadsBloggerProgram via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Information about the author can be found on her website at http://www.ptbradley.com

This book is available NOW! Purchase Links:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Google Play Store

Powells

Christian Book

Books-a-Million

Indiebound

I’m pleased to be a part of this team that reviews Christian books for discerning readers! I hope that you enjoy my reviews as much as I enjoy the books!

Review of THE VINEYARD AT PAINTED MOON by Susan Mallery

A cover you can step into!
I would rate this a PG13. It is almost a totally clean read and was an absolute pleasure for me to escape into!

What a wonderful and magical book! The characters were charming (well, most of them) and the plot was well-written, with just enough foreshadowing to leave me with the desire to continue to read to see if I was right. Mackenzie is a strong female protagonist, a talented winemaker who gets stronger in the face of adversity. Barbara, her domineering mother-in-law, is selfish and short-sighted, two characteristics that lead to her loneliness. Stephanie and Four, Mackenzie’s loving sisters-in-law, are the perfect matches to help Mackenzie through the rough times in her life. I really enjoyed how the plot unspooled itself, one thread or loop at a time. The book was perfectly written to make me ponder the themes: relationships, work v. family, single parenting and selfishness. There were characters that I knew from the beginning that I would not like, like Lori, the other sister-in-law, the one who tries to ingratiate herself with Barbara by disdaining Mackenzie. I honestly did not like Barbara and her manipulations at all, but I did understand that was all that she knew. I loved Bruno and could have just swooned when he appeared on the scene. He was a metropolitan man in a country setting, and he stood out as a super hero tends to do. All of the characters were complex and so well-developed that they have lived with me in my den for the past week or so. Fans of good romance will want to snap up this fantastic book! And the author has included bonuses at the end: wine pairings, recipes and discussion questions. This is definitely a great book to read with a book group!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

More information about the author and her other wonderful books can be found at her website: http://www.susanmallery.com

Available NOW! Purchase Links:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Indiebound

Powells

Books-a-Million

Google Play Store

This is one of the best romance books that I have ever read, so I highly recommend it and hope that you will get a copy and enjoy it, too!