Smoke Screen

When I picked up Smoke Screen and started reading I had high expectations and as usual Terri Blackstock met them!  From the very first chapter I was hooked.  There was not as much suspense as I thought there would be, but the characters are so well developed I was completely enthralled in their story.

Fourteen years ago Nate was in love with the preacher's daughter.  When Brenna sneaked out to be with Nate the preacher confronts Nate's drunk dad, a fight ensues and later that night the preacher is found murdered.  Everyone blames Nate's dad and he is convicted and sent to prison.  Not long after his conviction a church burns to the ground and everyone thinks Nate did it.  Nate decides to let rumors fly and leaves town.

Nate is now working as a fireman and after being injured he heads back to his home town.  His dad has just been pardoned and his mom insists that he has changed, but Nate and his dad are still not getting along.  Nate decides to give him the benefit of the doubt and begins looking into what really happened the night the preacher was killed.

Brenna is going through an ugly divorce and her life is in shambles.  She turns to alcohol to help her cope, but it's just making things worse.  Nate walking back into her life was the last thing she expected, but she needs him now more than ever.  No one is happy that they are seeing each other again and Brenna is not sure she's ready to let him back into her life.  As secrets begin to be revealed will time heal all wounds, or are some scars just too deep?

As I read this my heart just broke for Brenna.  Her helplessness over what is going on with her children is just heart wrenching.  She wants to be a good mom, but her situation is so out of control she begins to make bad decisions.  Nate's love for her is so pure and noble.  He truly wants to help her, but she has to want to help herself too.  There is a lot of family fractures that need to be healed in this story and perseverance and love always wins!

Unveiling The Past - A Book Review

Kim Vogel Sawyer is one of my all time favorite authors.  When she comes out with a new book I count down the days until I have it in my hands.  She has a unique writing style that I always connect with.  But, if I'm completely honest, I really struggled with Unveiling The Past.  It's not that it was a bad book by any means, but it didn't reach my usual expectations. 

First, I will say that I am not a big fan of modern day novels, so I'm sure that was a big factor.  It seemed to have too much going on.  Too many story lines going in different directions and I thought the relationship between Meghan's mom and this man who abandoned her while she was pregnant seemed a little too far fetched and a little inconsiderate to Meghan's feelings.  What I did like was the faith aspect.  Kim Vogel Sawyer's books always are rich in faith and have a deeper meaning that speak to the reader's heart.  I really love that about her writing.  I did connect with Meghan and wished the story would of focused on her  relationships a little more, instead of veering off to the job she was working on.  With all that being said, Kim Vogel Sawyer is still one of my all time favorite authors.  One book that I don't connect with isn't going to change that!

Newlyweds and cold case detectives Sean and Meghan  have been given the task of investigation the twenty year past disappearance of a husband and a father.  A judge ruled that the missing man chose to leave the country and abandon his family, but his wife wouldn't concede that he left his family nor declare him dead.  Now that their mother is gone, the children want answers.

Sean is reading for children Meghan is not.  She decides that trying to locate her biological father my bring the closure she needs and help her desire to start a family.  She is struggling with everything going on and feels like she is falling short and failing everyone.

Meghan's mom, Diane decides to take action and reconnects with Meghan's father.  God begins to work in Meghan's heart like never before and she is learning to trust Him in a way that she never has.

This is book two in the Bringing Home Maggie series.  I really enjoyed the first book!  I say give them both a chance! 

Deadly Deceit - A Book Review

In the last couple years I have become a big fan of christian suspense books and I'm always thrilled to come across an Author that I like in that genre.  Natalie Walters has just made my list!

Deadly Deceit by Natalie Walters is the second book in the Harbored Secrets series.  It makes a great stand alone book, but I think it is more enjoyable to have read the first book in the series.  You'll have a deeper connection with the characters and feel more invested in the story.

Vivian DeMarco is a journalist and when her boss Harold calls and wants to meet with her to give her the details of a big story she heads to see him, but when Harold dies unexpectedly the only thing Vivian has is the name he gave her in his dying words.  She knows that she needs to figure out what he was trying to tell her.

Ryan Frost has returned to the town of Walton after training in Quantico, he now works as a deputy.  He responds to the death of Harold where he reconnects with Vivi.  They begin to work together, but the more they uncover the more they see that there is a whole lot more going on than meets the eye...deceit, blackmail, murder..  He is determined to protect Vivi no matter the cost.

What a fun romance between Ryan and Vivi.  Their playful banter and connection was so enjoyable.  The thing I loved most though is the mystery.  I love a story that keeps me guessing and this one did just that.  Every time I thought I had it figured out, there would be a new twist that left me guessing.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!

***Thanks to Revell Reads for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Echoes Among the Stones - A Book Review

Echoes Among the Stones is the second book I've read by author Jamie Jo Wright and she is quickly making her way on to my favorite suspense author list. Her books are always very unique and tell the story from two perspectives being both past and future characters.

Aggie has just lost her job and is grieving the loss of her mother. She finds herself on her way to Wisconsin to be with her grandmother and work as a secretary for a cemetery. Her main responsibility is to restore the flooded part of the historic cemetery. She never expected to stumble on an unsolved mystery and it seems that even though it happened years ago someone is determined to keep it a mystery and will do whatever it takes to silence Aggie.

In 1946 Imogene comes home to find her sister Hazel murdered in the attic bedroom. As time goes on the case grows cold, but Imogene is determined to bring justice no matter how long it takes. She vows to never forget the details of her sisters life, but is her sister who she really thought she was?

This book was so good not only for the mystery and suspense aspect, but it speaks so much about grief and how it affects those left behind. There were several places that I found myself reading twice and thinking on the words. I'll share one such passage below:

"Greif made its own indelible mark on a person's soul, and only those who toiled through its muck could understand the exhaustion that came with it. Of the final never seeming final."

Most everyone has been touched by grief in someway and if you haven't, you will. Dieing is part of living and learning to grieve and not let it consume your life is so important.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishing for providing me with this complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.