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.

Stitches in Time - A Book Review

When it comes to Amish fiction Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of my favorite authors. I have not read a book of hers that I have not loved. The current series, The Deacon's Family is one of the best yet!

In Stitches in Time, book two of the series, we get to revisit some of the well loved characters from the first book. Even though this story focuses more on the relationship between Mollie and Sam, we also get a continuation of the story of Luke and Izzy which I really loved. You wouldn't necessarily have to read the first book in the series to enjoy this novel, but I would definitely recommend it.

More about the book:

Detachment had worked well as a life strategy for horse trainer Sam Schrock. Until he met Mollie Graber..

New to Stoney Ridge, schoolteacher Mollie has come to town for a fresh start. Aware of how fleeting and fragile life is, she wants to live it boldly and bravely. When Luke, new to his role as deacon, asks the church to take in foster girls from a group home, she's the first to raise her hand. The power of love, she believes, can pick up the dropped stitches in a child's heart and knit them back together.

Mollie envisions sleepovers and pillow fights. What the eleven year old twins bring to her home is anything but. Visits from the sheriff at midnight. Phone calls from the school truancy officer and the most humiliating moment of all:  the girls accuse Mollie of drug addiction.

There's only one thing that breaks through the girls hard shell... An interest in horses. Reluctantly, Sam gets drawn into Mollie's chaotic life. What he didn't expect was for love to knit together the dropped stitches of his own heart... Just in time.

I highly recommend this book for Christian fiction fans. It's such a heartwarming story that you are sure to love!

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

Seconds To Live - A Book Review

Do you know what I love?  I love to pick up a book and from the very first page be so captivated that I don't want to put it down.  That is exactly what happened with Seconds to Live.   From page one I was hooked.  It begins at a fast pace and keeps up to the very last page.  I'm also excited that this is a "new to me" author.  It was the first book I have read by Susan Sleeman and I will definitely be checking into her other books.  In fact, Seconds To Live is the first of a series called Homeland Heroes and I cant wait for the next book!


When Cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals' Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses' personal details to the highest bidders the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stake chase to find the hacker, but before he cn even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life.  Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness's help, as she's the person who has come closes to discovering Phantom's identity.

Trouble is, she's a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets.  But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other....but the seconds are ticking down before someone dies.

If you are a fan of Christian Suspense books I would highly recommend this one.  It has well developed characters, fast paced suspense and a little romance.  Trust me, you won't want to put it down!

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

One More River to Cross - A Book Review

I really thought One More River to Cross by Jane Kirkpatrick was going to be a story that I loved.  It had all the makings of the type of book I love.  I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and wagon trains are always a favorite of mine, especially when they are traveling from my home state of Missouri.  I'm also a fan of the author, but this book didn't make the cut for me.

I tried.  I really tried to like this book.  I struggled from page one. It lacked that instant pull, but sometimes you can push through and still get into the story.  There were too many characters to focus on and the lack of a true main character to connect with.  The men were degrading to their woman and there was a lot of feminism in the book which seemed out of place to me.  

What I thought would be a promising book soon became a big dud for me.  Still a fan of Jane Kirkpatrick, but just not this book.

In 1844, two years before the Donner Party the Stephens-Murphy-Townsend company leaves Missouri to be the first wagons into California through the Sierra Nevada.  They enjoy a safe journey until October, when a fierce mountain snowstorm forces difficult decisions.

The party separates in three directions.  Some go overland around Lake Tahoe.  Others stay to guard the heaviest wagons.  The rest of the party, including eight woman and seventeen children, huddle in the makeshift cabin at the headwaters of the Yuba River awaiting rescue.  The months ahead will be long and at times terrifying.  But with friendship, family, and enough courage to overcome their fear, these intrepid pioneers will discover what truly matters in times of trial.

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

Aiming For Love - A Book Review

I have been a fan of Mary Connealy's books for years, but Aiming For Love is definitely my favorite to date! 

Jo and her two sisters have been raised in isolation in the mountains of Colorado.  They were raised by their grandparents and were taught to fear people and that going to town would bring sickness and possibly deat
h.  With both of their grandparents gone the girls have been living alone and are extremely self sufficient.  They love each other fiercely and have no need or desire for the outside world.  When Dave comes to the mountains in search for pasture for his cows, he encounters Jo.  Dave is fascinated by the capabilities of these women and how they have survived on their own and Jo is fascinated by the new things she is seeing and learning. When Dave's family arrives in the mountains and need shelter, Jo and her sister Ilsa are willing to help, but Ursula remains fearful of these new people.  When sickness soon takes over it seems that grandma was right with what she told them, but there are other things, things that the sisters are now questioning...could it be that the life the were living was not all they thought it to be.  Were there grandparents keeping secrets?

This book was so entertaining!  It had me laughing out loud on several occasions and it had a sorta "Tarzan and Jane" feel with the roles reversed.  I'm pretty sure I can figure out who the next two sisters will be paired with in the upcoming books and I can't wait to see if I am right.  If the other books are as great as the first, this will for sure be a favorite series of mine!  Now if the second one would release already..

More Than Words Can Say - A Book Review

Sometimes after reading a really good book I have a hard time getting into the next one I pick up.  I had just finished reading a book that was amazingly good, so when I picked up More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer I was not sure how easily I would "get in" to the story.

How wrong I was.  This was such a delightful book!  I have been reading a lot of suspense novels lately and this was a refreshing change.  When a book can bring out real emotion from me, I know I have found a favorite and this one had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.  It was just a fun book to read.

It's actually the second book in the Patchwork Family series.  I would definitely say that it works well as a stand alone book, because I have not read the first book in the series.  I will soon be remedying that though.  I loved it so much that I want to read more about the family.  I'll be ordering More Than Meets the Eye very soon!

Abigail needs a mans name on her bakery's deed or she will be out of business due to an outdated town ordinance.  She decides her best solution would be a marriage of convenience and proposes to Zacharias.  She presents a contract and surprisingly he agrees, but not without a few stipulations of his own.  Zacharias is so much more than what she bargained for.  She did not expect such a compassionate, hard working and caring man.  It's not long before feeling start developing and their marriage of convenience is becoming more and more like a real marriage.  Everything should be going smooth, but it seems as if someone is out to destroy Abigail and her business. Plus, Abigail's sister has some secrets of her own.

Zach and Abby's love is so pure and innocent and it was so enjoyable to read and see it unfold.

***Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book.  I was not required to review and all opinions are my own.

Fire Storm - A Book Review

Wow! Let me just say that again.  WOW!

After reading the first book, Mind Games, in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series I figured it would be hard to compete with such an amazing book.  But scooch over Mind Games,  I need to make room on my favorite's shelf for Fire Storm right beside ya!

First of all, you need to read them both.  So don't just pick up Fire Storm and start reading.  It would probably work all right as a stand alone book, but trust me, you do not want that.  You should start from the beginning so you can fully get to know Kaely Quinn.  She's such a deep character and there's some back history that you don't want to miss.

In Fire Storm Kaely heads to see her mom who's health is failing fast.  While there she finds herself on the case of a serial arsonist.  When her mother's house burns, Kaely realizes that the arsonist has her in his sights.  Can she figure out who it is before it is too late and will it cost her the relationships that she has been trying to salvage?

You kind of know as you're reading the story how it's going to turn out.  At least the "who done it" was pretty clear for me, but there were so many twists and turns and fast pace suspense that had me on edge until the very end.  This is the perfect example of the kind of book I love.  I didn't want to put it down and a matter of fact, I didn't.  An all nighter was pulled just so I could finish.

I cannot wait until the third book in this series is released.  There's no doubt in my mind that it will be as excellent as the first two!

***Thank you to Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book.  I was not required to give a review and all opinions stated are my own.