Vanished Has a Magical Storyline!

Vanished
Irene Hannon

Book Summary: Reporter Moira Harrisons is lost. In the dark. In a thunderstorm. When a confusing detour places her on a rural, wooded road, she's startled by the sudden appearance of a lone figure caught in the beam of her headlights. Though Moira jams on her brakes, the car careens across the wet pavement--and the solid thump against the side of the vehicle tells her she hit the person before she crashes into a tree on the far side of the road. A dazed Moira is relieved when a man opens her door, tells her he saw everything, and promises to call 911. Then everything fades to black. When she comes to an hour later, she is alone. No man. No 911. No injured person lying on the side of the road. But she can't forget the look of terror she saw on the person's face in the instant before her headlights swung away. The person she hit had been in trouble. She's sure of it. But she can't get anyone to believe her story--except a handsome former police detective, now a private eye, who agrees to take on the case.

Review: This was a buckle your seat belt, nail biting suspense. I loved the cat and mouse suspense. Much of the mystery was easy to solve it was just waiting for the other shoe to drop and all the blanks to be filled in. I liked Irene Hannon’s writing style and how she developed characters. There were some moments when Moira did some hair brained things that were somewhat out of character for her. Over all the story line was solid and the characters were likable with a good set up for the other books in the series.

Amish Blacksmith Great Stand Alone!!

Amish Blacksmith
Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner

Book Summary: New from bestselling authors Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner, The Amish Blacksmith (Book 2 in The Men of Lancaster County series) explores the men of an Amish community in Lancaster County, how their Amish beliefs play out in their unique roles, and the women who change their lives. Apprenticed blacksmith Jake Miller is skeptical of Priscilla Kinsinger’s innate ability to soothe troubled horses, especially when he has own ideas on how to calm them. Six years earlier, Priscilla’s mother died in an awful accident at home, and Priscilla’s grief over losing her mother was so intense that she was sent to live with relatives in Indiana. She has just returned to Lancaster County. Not that her homecoming matters to Jake, who is interested in courting lighthearted Amanda Shetler. But Jake’s boss is Priscilla’s uncle, and when the man asks Jake to help his niece reconnect with community life, he has no choice but to do just that. Surprisingly, he finds himself slowly drawn to the beautiful but emotionally wounded Priscilla. Jake then determines to prove to her that it’s not her fault her mother died, but what he discovers will challenge everything they both believe about the depth of love and the breadth of forgiveness.

Review: Enjoyed the majority of the book. I liked Jake and Priscilla, was never sold on Amanda. I did like all the secondary characters like Amos, Owen and the Kinsinger family along with the Miller family. Great sequel and yet a good stand alone book. The thing that I found slow was toward the end. A lot happened yet it seemed to move slower than the beginning and middle. Great ending with believable events throughout. Enjoyed the real faith that was included and scripture use. That was real nice to see slipped in the story with sincere warmth for the scripture picked and used.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Harvest House Publishers for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

Shadows of the Past Leads to Nail Biting Suspense

Shadows of the Past (Logan Point Book #1)
Patricia Bradley

Book Summary: Psychology professor and criminal profiler Taylor Martin prides herself on being able to solve any crime, except the one she wants most desperately to solve--the disappearance of her father twenty years ago. When she finally has a lead on his whereabouts, Taylor returns home to Logan Point, Mississippi, to investigate. But as she is stalking the truth about the past, someone is stalking her. Nick Sinclair pens mystery novels for a living, but the biggest mystery to him is how he can ever get over the death of his wife--a tragedy he believes he could have prevented. With his estranged brother the only family he has left, Nick sets out to find him. But when he crosses paths with Taylor, all he seems to find is trouble. Join the chase as this determined duo search the murky shadows of the past for the keys to unlocking the present and moving into a future filled with new hope and love. Readers will be swept into the sultry South in this debut novel from a promising and already award-winning writer.

Review: While Taylor took a little time for me to warm up to I really did come to understand her character and root for her. She grew as a character throughout the story by admitting her weaknesses and wrongs. Her coming back in to the faith was welcomed. Livy and Nick were great additions to the story of the stalking & missing father story. It was well blended and easy to follow. I read it quickly from page 15 onward. I am looking forward to the next books in the series and would like to see one about Taylor’s brother and his missing wife along with Livy. I loved Taylor’s mom and their home which seemed so breezy and comfortable even if Mississippi/Tennessee is hot and humid in the summer. Liked how well things were woven together throughout the story that the ending was believable. I found Scott’s character to be believable and amazingly resilient throughout all his problems. Worth the read and am looking forward to the next in the series.

The Healer's Touch was Enjoyable

The Healer’s Touch
Lori Copeland

Book Summary: Lyric Bolton doesn't ask for much--just friendship and acceptance from her rural Missouri community. But her family is regarded with suspicion and fear because of her mother's sickness--a sickness of the mind that grows worse by the day. Lyric is resigned to a life of isolation and doesn't see any way out...but that's before Ian Cawley bolts into her life on a runaway stallion. As she opens her heart to Ian, Lyric dares to imagine a different life. But what will happen when he discovers the secret she holds closest of all?

Review: I forgot how much I love reading Lori Copeland’s books until I started this one. I was hooked right away and read 75% of the book in one day. I will not wait this long to read another book of hers. I loved her vivid description and could picture the mountains of Missouri and the Bolton Holler easily. The characters were well written and likable. Lyric and Ian were easy to like and root for. I found Lyric to loosen up a bit after tending to Ian. The only thing I was not enthralled with was the light. It did not add to the story and seemed to weigh it down at times - with Katherine and Levi. Overall a fast paced story that kept me interested all the way to the end.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Harvest House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

The Family of Jesus

The Family of Jesus
Karen Kingsbury

Book Summary: America’s favorite inspirational novelist offers a fictional view of six of the family members of Jesus, all anchored by Scriptural truth, creating a life-changing and unprecedented emotional connection to the Bible. Through The Family of Jesus, readers will develop an emotional connection to the family members of Jesus, learning about their lives and falling in love with Scripture along the way. Bible studies and devotionals abound, and in churches everywhere people gather to seek a deeper understanding of God’s word and its application to their lives. But too often these studies engage only the analytic approach to Bible learning. In The Family of Jesus, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist Karen Kingsbury will make you laugh, cry, and ultimately care more deeply about the Bible by helping you grasp the truths in Scripture not just with your mind, but with your heart. The characters in these short stories were among those closest to Jesus—Mary, Joseph, Jesus’ brother James, John the Baptist, Zechariah, and Elizabeth. Each has a compelling tale to tell. Kingsbury intersperses fictional, emotionally gripping details anchored in Scripture with historical and theological insights and questions that will guide soul-searching and reflection. The Family of Jesus not only provides a deeper understanding of the relatives of our Savior, but also helps readers acquire tools that will draw them closer to Christ, to the Scriptures, and to each other.


Review: I find Karen Kingsbury to be a talented writer and this book puts flesh on the people surrounding Jesus and puts the dust on your face and leaves sand in your mouth from the skillful way she weaves a story.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Howard Books for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

Blind Trust is Part of a Unique and Exciting Series!

Blind Trust
Sandra Orchard

Book Summary: Kate Adams had no idea she was carrying counterfeit money, and she can't believe that it came from her sweet neighbor. Or that it lands her in the middle of another one of Detective Tom Parker's investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor's innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue that is far deeper than a two-bit counterfeit operation--and strikes too close to home for comfort. As family secrets come to light, her world--and her budding romance with Tom--begin to crumble. To Kate, it's clear that she won't be safe until she uncovers all of Port Aster's secrets. But is it too late for her and Tom?

Review: Very suspenseful and well written. Even though this was a sequel to Deadly Devotion it was still readable as a stand alone. There was some spoilers throughout the book, but not enough to keep me from reading the first in the series someday. I found the storyline to be interesting. There was a lot going on throughout the story but I never felt like things were so scattered that they couldn't be resolve in the last 30 minutes of reading the book. It is nice to see the immediate things resolved. There were times that I was on the edge of my seat and a bit jumpy due to the events occurring in the book. I love the thrill of the suspense and the characters were original and likable. The secondary characters and some surprises kept me going to the end. I am looking forward to the next book in the Port Aster Secrets series.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Revell for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.