When a Heart Stops - Lynette Eason

THE BOOK:

As a medical examiner, Serena Hopkins is used to dealing with death. But that doesn't make it any easier when she's called to the eerie scene of a murder--especially when Serena realizes that she knows the victim. Nearly as unnerving is the presence of FBI agent Dominic Allen, her childhood crush.

As evidence mounts and points to a serial killer with disturbingly familiar methods, Serena and Dominic must work to find a pattern and stop the killings before the murderer strikes again. And when Serena's own life seems at stake, she must decide if the secret she has been keeping has put her next on the killer's hit list. Can she trust Dominic with the truth before it's too late?

MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: *****

Okay, Lynette Eason! You are an awesome author, but…*sigh*…must you torture me with yet another cliffhanger??

Don’t worry, dear reader, I mean this in the best way possible! While I’m not the ideal model when it comes to patience, I’ll be the first to admit a cliffhanger has its advantages—such as making you that much more eager to get your hands on the next installment! And such seems to be the case with Eason’s Deadly Reunion series. When the Smoke Clears left the readers with many questions answered…but many more left unanswered! And as When a Heart Stops comes to a pulse-pounding ending, the reader is left longing for the release of the next book.

I always love when a suspense book is written so well that *I* am left on edge and jumpy right along with the characters. And in When a Heart Stops there was several times I had to stop reading and check to make sure there wasn’t any creepy psycho-killers looking at me through the window, (Though it probably didn’t help that I read this book at night after everyone had gone to bed and the house was eerily quiet! Haha!)

As for the characters…they’re awesome! I’ve loved Serena ever since the first time I read about her (In the Women of Justice series), and getting to find out more about her previous life really made her come alive and endear herself to me even more. Dominic was...wow! He was good-looking, a total gentleman, had a cool-sounding name (I know, I know!) and…in short, he was totally sigh-worthy!

The fact that Serena was a medical examiner might be a bit disturbing for some readers. While she does do several autopsies during When a Heart Stops, Eason doesn’t go into too much detail. So those with weaker stomachs shouldn’t get too grossed out. ;-)

I love reading a book that will creep me out. And the whole Doll Maker Killer certainly got me to that point! As is usual for Eason’s novels, I had a pretty good idea of who the serial killer was about halfway through the book, but it didn’t hinder the book at all. It actually kind of enhanced it even more, in my opinion. When a Heart Stops is sure to keep you on your toes from page one! Be prepared for a suspense that’ll creep you out!

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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Band of Sisters - Cathy Gohlke

THE BOOK:

Maureen O’Reilly and her younger sister flee Ireland in hope of claiming the life promised to their father over twenty years before. After surviving the rigors of Ellis Island, Maureen learns that their benefactor, Colonel Wakefield, has died. His family, refusing to own his Civil War debt, casts her out. Alone, impoverished, and in danger of deportation, Maureen connives to obtain employment in a prominent department store. But she soon discovers that the elegant facade hides a secret that threatens every vulnerable woman in the city.

Despite her family’s disapproval, Olivia Wakefield determines to honor her father’s debt but can’t find Maureen. Unexpected help comes from a local businessman, whom Olivia begins to see as more than an ally, even as she fears the secrets he’s hiding. As women begin disappearing from the store, Olivia rallies influential ladies in her circle to help Maureen take a stand against injustice and fight for the lives of their growing band of sisters. But can either woman open her heart to divine leading or the love it might bring?

MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: *****

I really enjoyed Cathy Gohlke’s previous release, Promise Me This, and enjoyed Band of Sisters even more!! It was a really unique plot and storyline that kept you glued to the pages as the O’Reilly sisters dealt with first one, then another, dilemma in their new life in America.

Maureen was a pretty stubborn young Irish woman! Though while I thought she was super-stubborn, I did understood why she was so unwilling to reach out to Joshua—and men in general. Her past was painful and she didn’t want to repeat it. Her younger sister, Katie Rose, was a bit hard to like. She seemed really sweet at the beginning, but soon turned into more of a spoiled brat. I felt Maureen’s pain when Katie was angry at her, and the desire to see them reconcile kept me reading.

Not only that, but the storyline with the underground white slavery really had my stuck in the book, unwilling to put it down. Gohlke did her research and brought the struggles of a single immigrant in America to life. Ellis Island sounded terrifying—I can’t imagine being in Maureen’s shoes, determined to keep her sister with her, desperate to get accepted into America, and reluctant to trust anyone.

While Band of Sisters does go into white slavery, Gohlke hands it all very well and doesn’t go into too much detail of what the women who were forced into prostitution experience. One thing I really loved about Band of Sisters was how Gohlke tied in Charles Sheldon’s In His Steps with the book! All in all, throughout all of Band of Sisters you can’t help cheering for Maureen as both she and Katie try their hardest to begin a new life in America.

I reviewed this book for RadiantLit. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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A Love Surrendered - Julie Lessman

THE BOOK:

Orphaned in Iowa, Annie Kennedy moves to Boston to stay with her spinster aunt. She longs for romance to fill the void left by her parents' death. But when she falls hard for Steven O'Connor, the man who broke an engagement to her sister, Annie is worried. Will he break her heart too when he discovers who she really is?

With heart-pounding romance, intense family drama, and emotional twists and turns, A Love Surrendered is everything Julie Lessman's many fans have been waiting for.



MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: *****

Wowza, what a completion to the series!! Actually, I should say both series, to be exact. :-o The Daughters of Boston series and Winds of Change series both follow the O’Connor crew through countless years of their lives and half a dozen marriages :-) It’s hard to believe that there won’t be any other books on this awesome family—after 6 books, a bookworm like myself can’t help but grow attached to them!

For the final book in the Winds of Change series, it focused on Steven O’Connor and Annie, the younger sister of Steven’s former girlfriend. While this book tells their story (and a very sweet story at that!), in typical Julie Lessman style, there are several side stories interwoven into A Love Surrendered that visits just about each of the O’Connor siblings. From Emma’s struggle to give Sean children, to Katie and Luke butting heads over who they should and should not hang out with. I really loved getting to take a peek inside each of their marriages—it even made me want to go back and reread their books! Especially Sean and Emma’s—their story had to be my favorite…though after reading A Love Surrendered, Sean and Emma just might have to share the “favorite” spot with Steven and Annie!

As in all of Lessman’s books, there are several “bedroom scenes” in A Love Surrendered. None are overtly explicit, but all are still very intimate and, in my opinion, for a mature reader’s eye only. Lessman knows how to heat up the pages, that’s for sure, and older readers will no doubt enjoy the tender love scenes, but I wouldn’t recommend this book to younger, teen readers.

There was one point in A Love Surrendered (about 2/3 of the way through) that I wasn’t sure how Lessman was going to keep the story going. I mean, it seemed as if everything was going perfectly and everyone would get their happily ever after. Well, I should have known better, since this book is written by Julie Lessman—THE Drama Queen! ;-) It wasn’t two chapters later that something big happened and threw a huge curveball into the plot. I couldn’t put the book down after that. Awesome, awesome job, Lessman!!

I don’t think there’s anything more I can say about A Love Surrendered except that it was a wonderful read with some realistic, endearing characters. I did get a little tired of all the ladies in this family that seem to have a thing for hiding things from their husbands…but then it creates all the drama, so what can I say? Haha! But, really, if you at all love drama, the stubborn Irish, and a love story that will get your blood pumping…check out Julie Lessman’s A Love Surrendered today!!

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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The New Recruit - Jill Williamson

THE BOOK:

Forced to choose between military school and a Christian spy organization, skeptic Spencer Garmond signs on with the Bible geeks. But before he even boards the plane for Moscow, Spencer realizes this is no Bible club.

These guys mean business.

Stumbling onto a case involving a gang of homeless boys, a chilling tattoo, and the always beautiful Anya Vseveloda, Spencer struggles to find the faith needed to save the Mission League from enemy infiltration.

MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: ****


I was really excited to read this new release by Jill Williamson. I’ve read two previous books by her and really enjoyed them both. While I can’t say TheNew Recruit was my favorite by her (Replication gets that spot! ;-), it definitely was a fun and entertaining read and is the beginning to what seems to promise an adventurous series that will appeal to teen boys and girls alike.

I really liked the main character, Spencer Garmond. He was just such a…a really normal, average teen guy! In my opinion (as a girl!) Williamson nailed the whole “guy attitude” on the head with Spencer! Seriously, it was awesome! And his sense of humor had me laughing several times. So much fun to read!

If there was one draw-back to The New Recruit for me it was Arianna. I’m sorry, but she was just plain annoying! I was more annoyed with her then Spencer was (that should tell you a lot, for those who have read this book!). While I commended her on wanting to witness to Spencer, she just had too much of a cram-salvation-down-your-throat-till-you-choke approach to sharing the gospel. It was really annoying.

Please don’t take the previous paragraph as saying that I didn’t like this book. I did! It earned 4 stars from me, and earned every one of them! While Arianna just rubbed me wrong, everything else about The New Recruit I found enjoyable. And the range of people that will like this book is very broad—boys and girls, young and old. I don’t know what Williamson has in store for Spencer next, but I look forward to discovering it as the series continues.

I reviewed this book for Team Novel Teen Blog Tour. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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Life with Lily - Mary Ann Kinsinger & Suzanne Woods Fisher

THE BOOK:

For a child, every day is a thing of wonder. And for six-year-old Lily Lapp, every day is a new opportunity for blessings, laughter, family, and a touch of mischief. As she explores her world, goes to school, spends time with her family, and gets into a bit of trouble with her friends, Lily learns what it means to be Amish and what it means to grow up. From getting a new teacher to welcoming a new sibling, Lily's life is always full of adventure.

The first of four charming novels that chronicle the gentle way of the Amish through the eyes of a young girl, Life with Lily gives children ages 8-12 a fascinating glimpse into the life of the Amish--and lots of fun and laughter along the way. It combines the real-life stories of growing up Amish from Mary Ann Kinsinger and the bestselling writing of Amish fiction and nonfiction author Suzanne Woods Fisher. With charming illustrations throughout, this series is sure to capture the hearts of readers young and old.

MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: ****

For this book, I let my younger sister, Julia (12 years old), read Life with Lily and give me her thoughts on the book. So I’ve included her opinion in this review, along with my own.

Julia’s Thoughts: Life with Lily was a very fun, entertaining read. The writing style made it easy for me to read the words. I have never read anything about the Amish, and besides watching a few movies with the family, she didn’t know much about their lifestyle. So Life with Lily gave me a very eye-opening look into their lifestyle.

Katie’s Thoughts: While I wasn't able to read the entire book from start to finish, I took time to flip through and read several pages/scenes. I was delighted to find that the writing was kept simple and easy to understand for a pre-teen, but still filled with many details that made Life with Lily a memorable read. It kind of reminded me of the Little House on the Prairie books I used to read as a pre-teen—though instead of a family living on the prairie, they’re living in an Amish community!  

All in all, a very delightful read to either let your pre-teen read on his/her own, or to read aloud to your younger children (or in my case, siblings). Life with Lily was enjoyable, and I will definitely be getting the next book in this series for Julia to continue her reading adventure with Lily Lapp. :-)

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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The Gilded Lily - Deborah Swift

THE BOOK:

Winter, 1661. In her short life Sadie Appleby has never left rural Westmorland. But one night she is rudely awoken by her older and bolder sister, Ella. She has robbed her employer and is on the run. Together the girls flee their home and head for London, hoping to lose themselves in the teeming city. 

But the dead man's relatives are in pursuit, and soon a game of cat and mouse ensues amongst the freezing warren that is London in winter. Ella is soon seduced by the glitter and glamour of city life and sets her sights on the flamboyant man-about-town, Jay Whitgift, owner of a beauty parlour for the wives of the London gentry. 

But nothing in the capital is what it seems, least of all Jay Whitgift. Soon a rift has formed between Ella and Sadie, and the sisters are threatened by a menace more sinister than even the law. 

Set in a brilliantly realised Restoration London, The Gilded Lily is a novel about beauty and desire, about the stories we tell ourselves, and about how sisterhood can be both a burden and a saving grace.

MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: ***

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began The Gilded Lily by Deborah Swift. I don’t read much secular books, but enjoy historical books and the synopsis to this one intrigued me. (As did the lovely cover!) In all, it was a good story with only a few things that I, personally, found to be “objectionable content”.

The story was very nitty-gritty, in some respects—the world that Ella and Sadie live in is far from easy or desirable. But Swift does a very good job of keeping it accurate with the time period and how many people lived. But evenso, there are a lot of depressing scenes that just made me feel so sorry for these sisters. Especially for Sadie. At one point I just wanted to weep with Sadie and all the difficulties she was having in trying to make a new life.

Ella was a pretty complex character. While I know, deep down, she really loved her sister and wanted to protect and care for her wellbeing, it was very interesting to watch Ella be distracted and drawn away by the dazzling life Jay and “The Gilded Lily” offered her. The way she had to war within herself as she tried to shift between the two lives. It was written very well—I felt the battle she had with herself!

The “objectionable content”, mainly, was the curse words sprinkled frequently throughout the book. The most common was “d*mn”, but “h*ll” and “b*st*rd” were used as well. There were a few references made to men using prostitutes, but thankfully no detail does into these exploits.

All in all, I enjoyed reading The Gilded Lily, meeting the characters and learning more about the time period…but I was a bit depressed at the way Ella treated Sadie during much of the book. And the many curse words. But to readers who enjoy this time period (and don’t mind cursing in their books) will no doubt find the historical details and excellent writing in The Gilded Lily a delight to read.

I reviewed this book for the Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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Trinity - Ronie Kendig

THE BOOK:

An Ex-Green Beret and his war dog on the greatest mission of their lives. 

And probably their last...

A year ago in Afghanistan, Green Beret Heath Daniel’s career was destroyed. 

Along with his faith. 

Now he and his military war dog, Trinity, have a chance to redeem their skills through the A Breed Apart organization. The job works. But his passion is back in the field. The medical discharge says it can't happen due to the Truamatic brain injury that forced Heath to the sidelines. 

Until...

Military intelligence officer Darci Kintz is captured while secretly tracking the Taliban. Only one dog can handle the extreme conditions to save her. Trinity. Only one man can handle Trinity. Time is running out on the greatest—and most dangerous—mission of their lives.

MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: *****

It is really over?? MUST it really be over??

What an awesome read!! Trinity is the kind of book where you are rushing through it, biting your nails as you read as fast as possible in order to see what on earth is going to happen next...yet you're heartily depressed when you reach the end!!

Ah well, I guess every good book must come to an end. AndTrinity certainly made it easily into that category. I haven’t read many books that feature an animal as a main character, but I really loved seeing how a military war dog functioned in the field and in all the action. They certainly are amazing creatures!

As far as story plot, character development, and writing style goes in Trinity…Ronie Kendig is in her element!! The action and tension start to build from the first page and the characters seem so real and personal. Kendig’s writing uses that sharp, hard style that really makes those action scenes just pop! There is a bit of torture used on one of the main characters, but it was written very well and isn’t too disturbing for the reader…just made me wince in pain for the character!

Needless to say, I am really looking forward to the release of the next book in the A Breed Apart series, Talon! Both Talon and his owner, Aspen, were characters I wanted to get to know more. Not sure what I make of Timbrel. I have my doubts about that woman... But I'm confident that by the time she and Beowolf get the spotlight with their own book, Ronie Kendig will get me to like her just as much as I like all the other characters brought to life through her talented writing. :-)

I reviewed this book for the author. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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