A Hundred Small Lessons

A hundred small lessons Author: Ashley Hay

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: November 28, 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Beautifully written, compelling, thought provoking, and just overall a good read.

After a fall that left her alone and helpless in her house, Elsie Gromley’s two kids make the decision to move her from the house she had lived in for sixty years to a nursing home. They put the house up for sale and a young family purchases the house. Lucy Kiss, her husband Ben, and their young son move in and being to adjust to being a family rather than two lovers who have been skirting the globe. Soon, the house begins to share its secrets with Lucy as it seems that there are little tidbits of Elsie left throughout the house that begins to connect Lucy and Elsie in unimaginable ways.

Sometimes it’s good to have a good, mellow book to read as you move into the holidays. The writing really help bring some introspection as the stories of Lucy and Elsie intertwined. It hits a little close to home as my husband’s grandmother had almost the same experience not two years ago. She fell in her house, which she had lived in for fifty-eight years, since the day of her wedding. She broke her ankle and had to be moved into a nursing home for rehab. Sadly, she passed shortly thereafter and never had a chance to return home.

There wasn’t much of a plot to the story, but more of just a steady flow of memories from Elsie and coming of age by Lucy. Even so, this was an interesting read and recommended for the genre audience.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Top 5 YA Fiction

It’s that time of year again when we showcase our top picks for the year. To kick off 2017’s list is Young Adult fiction. With such great books out this year, it was almost impossible to narrow down, but here are six that we felt were the best!

the-valiant 1. The Valiant by Lesley Livingston

One of the most powerful and exciting stories that we read all year, this book is a must read for YA lovers. The history combined with the suspense made for a great opportunity to reach young readers. This is the type of book that makes you dread you next book because it was just so good.

Read the full review here.

2. In 27 Days by Alison Gervais

One of the most emotional reads of the year that deals with today’s bullying issues head on. This story was so original that we couldn’t put it down.

Read the full review here.

Ferorcious

3. Ferocious by Paula Stokes

Nothing like a good vengeance story to keep the pages turning. Tor Teen has found a winner with this series and a new fan as well.

Read the full review here.

It Started With Goodbye

4. It Started with Goodbye by Christina June

A compelling read that really helps us to focus on finding the positive in all of our outcomes. This book had the best character development of any that we read all year.

Read the full review here.

Secret Sky

5. Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean

A deliciously intriguing story that can’t help but be devoured. An adventure that needs to be read again and again just to let it all sink in. There better be another book to follow because we want more.

Read the full review here.

unfolding

6. Unfolding by Jonathan Friesen

A unique story that twists and turns faster than the EF5 tornado that has hit the town more than once. With characters that are easily relatable, even if they are considered weird and different by many, the story is easy to follow and hard to put down.

Read the full review here.

Vanishing Point

Vanishing Point resize.indd Author: Lisa Harris

Series: Nikki Boyd Files #4

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: November 7, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The newest installment in the Nikki Boyd series is by far my favorite. Lisa Harris has written one of her best and one of my top picks for the year!

Garrett Addison has left his father’s law firm to be a member of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. He hasn’t ever felt like he belonged in that lifestyle and wants to make a difference with what he is doing in his life more than his father would have with their practice. When his team is called out to the scene of a murder of a young girl left with a Polaroid of her scared face just before being killed, they are able to tie her to a string of unsolved murders. The FBI is called in to help, leading Garrett to work with Special agent Jordan Lambert. Garrett and Jordan have a past. Before she went off to the academy they were in love and could have married each other if distance and careers hadn’t gotten in the way. After years of murders and unsolved cases, Garrett decides he can’t take it and leaves the task force. As time goes by, another dead girl brings the team back together. Garrett vows that this time will be different, he won’t fail this time. He is more determined than ever to get justice for the murdered girls and keep everyone else safe, including Jordan, who is quickly winning his heart again.

I have been a fan of the Nikki Boyd series since Lisa Harris started writing them and her latest installment doesn’t disappoint. While this is a Nikki Boyd novel, Nikki isn’t the main character. She is in the book, but more as a secondary character this time. The time line starts in 2004 and leads up to the present giving lots of information that wasn’t in the previous books, but adds to the story of Nikki and how she got to the point we see her at starting the series. With Garrett and Jordan as the main characters, we see more than one side to things. Garrett starts with the task force and then leaves to help others in a different way while Jordan is with the FBI. While she is not consistently on the Angel Abductor case, she can’t help but think about it at all times. Their being brought together is a natural occurrence of events and goes along with what the characters would naturally do. And while it is obvious they both have feelings for each other they don’t act on the feelings at inappropriate times that wouldn’t make sense for the story and take away from the suspense, a fact I appreciate greatly. I liked how everything wasn’t wrapped up in a time frame that wasn’t realistic as real life cases sometimes take years to solve and it can be messy.

I have found some authors and books are enjoyable, but forgettable. I am happy to say Vanishing Point by Lisa Harris is not one of those. I recommend this book to those that love a good suspenseful novel with twists and turns throughout and just the right mix of romance to bring the characters together.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Death at Thorbun Hall

Death at Thorburn Hall Author: Julianna Deerking

Series: Drew Farthering Mystery #6

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: November 7, 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Mystery lovers will delight in another fantastic Drew Farthering mystery!

Drew and Madeline Fathering are looking forward to enjoying the invitation to go see the British Open at the Muirfield course in Scotland with Drew’s cousin Lady Rainsby. Drew hasn’t seen Lord and Lady Rainsby since he and Madeline were married and is curious as to the invitation, but happy nonetheless. Added to the excitement is that Madeline’s friend Carrie Holland is coming from America to stay with them as well. She and Drew’s friend Nick Dennison were quite the item before the four of them were nearly murdered a year and a half ago and since then Carrie has lost her father and remainder of her family in America. Shortly after arrival, Lord Rainsby pulls Drew aside and tells him some suspicions of his business partner and asks Drew to do some investigating discreetly. Not long after this, Lord Rainsby is killed in an unfortunate horse riding accident, but things don’t add up to it being an accident. As the crew investigates, each person involved seems to have a motive to kill Lord Rainsby, but then other murders begin to happen. Can they solve yet another case?

So this story had a little different approach than some of the previous mysteries. Typically, they center around the mystery itself and Drew, Madeline, and Nick solving the case together. In Dressed for Death, Carrie was also involved, which made it even more interesting. However, this time the story still centers on the mystery but also on Nick and Carrie’s relationship and what is going to become of it. The only downside is that it took away from some of the banter between characters that I always look forward to, but the characters are also maturing as the series progresses. As always, the story is fun to read, the scene is set very well, and the mystery is fun to solve. I pretty well had the villain pegged early on, but not necessarily for the reasons that he or she may have had.

I’m hoping that this series continues as Deering is beginning to venture into pre-World War II having mentioned Hitler in several instances of this story. I would like to continue to see all of the characters grow and develop. After all, the next logical step for Drew and Madeline is children and wouldn’t that be a huge adventure for all?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Rancor

Rancor Author: John House

Publisher: W&B Publishers

Release Date: August 28, 2017

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Can what is gained by revenge be saved by love?

Paul Roper believes that the town of Bakersville, Georgia destroyed his life as he knew it at the age of 14. His family was the typical family that loved each other, but one day in 1962 set a motion of events in order that eventually led to the death of his parents. Shortly thereafter, he and his sister were placed in foster care and eventually split up. Paul endured abuse in a juvenile detention center as well as other foster homes and felt that disaster followed him wherever he went. At the age of 18, he was able to enlist in the army and soon found himself shipped off to Vietnam to endure even more horrifying experiences of death and destruction. Eventually he found his way to becoming very competent with explosives and upon being cycled back stateside, took up an interest in firefighting and inspections. When the legislature required that all cities and counties have a fire inspector, Paul finds that he may finally have the opportunity to extract his revenge on the town of Bakersville and rid the world of it once and for all.

This book was definitely a little different than my normal selections, but still held my interest through the entire book. It starts off in 1962 in the South with a lynching, suicide, sexual and emotional abuse, and the rarely seen darkness of the time period. Add the Vietnam war to the mix and you’ve got a very clustered book. Even so, the flow of the book stayed progressive making me want to get to the next chapter to see what was going to happen next. Then there was also an unexpected love story that eventually changed Paul’s life for the better, but not before he almost ruined it for life. I was glad to see that justice was finally served by the character who truly deserved to dish it out.

There is a lot of foul language throughout the book as well as some fairly strong sex scenes as well as implied homosexual rape. I recommend this book for mature audiences.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Imperfect Justice

Imperfect Justice Author: Cara Putman

Series: Hidden Justice #2

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: December 5, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A legal thriller that meets all the criteria for a complete thrill ride and more!

Emilie Wesley has worked hard to keep the women that come in to the Haven safe from the abusive men in their lives. When her latest client, Kaylene Adams, is said to have killed her daughter, wounded the other and killed herself, Emilie has a hard time believing the story delivered by the media. Kaylene was ready to leave her abusive husband and start a new life, so why would she suddenly kill herself and the children she loved so very much? Reid Billings, Kaylene’s brother, may not have been close to his sister in recent years but still has a hard time believing she could have taken her own life and attempted to take her daughters with her. Reid finds a box he had forgotten his sister left at his place, he opens the box and finds a letter asking him to fight for custody of her daughters if something should ever happen to her. He may have been estranged from his nieces, but now he is determined to fight for the only family he has left. The letter tells him to ask Emilie for help in getting custody. Together the two must work together to prove Reid is better suited to raise his niece than her own father. When everything seems to be against them, they turn to a strength together to save a young girls life and maybe find something more in the process.

As the second book in the Hidden Justice series, Cara Putman gets right to the point with suspense, intrigue, and mystery for a story that is unstoppable. Emilie was a secondary character in the first book and now carries the story herself with ease. We see some of how she is affected from what happened in Beyond Justice and can understand her a little more with the background given her. The story does have several different arcs but they all tie in together by the very end. While it might not be obvious till the end who Emilie’s stalker is and how he ties into the story, give it time to play out and you won’t be disappointed. I felt there were a few moments that the tension was cut short abruptly and could have been played out a little further, but that is just me personally, I often like things to go a little further than others for the sake of suspense. It is obvious Cara Putman knows what she is talking about when it comes to the legal aspects of the novel, a fact that helps carry the story greatly.

I am becoming a fast fan of Cara Putman’s writing and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I recommend this book to those that love a suspenseful story with a tinkling of faith mixed in and a sprinkling of romance to top it off.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinion expressed within are my own.

Beyond Justice

Beyond Justice Author: Cara Putman

Series: Hidden Justice #1

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: April 4, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Hayden is a young lawyer on track to fulfill all her dreams, that is if her current case doesn’t kill her first.

Hayden McCarthy uses the pain of her past injustices to drive her to be the best attorney she can be. After winning an unwinnable case, she is assigned a new case against the government which turns out to be much more than anyone could have foreseen. The more she investigates and the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she finds herself in. She looks to those around her for help including her roommate’s cousin, Andrew Wesley. His father is a congressman and with her taking on the government, she sees the difficulty in having any kind of relationship with Andrew. Just when she thinks she is finding answers, the more those around her end up injured or in danger making Hayden question if she can follow through with the case or give it up and keep everyone safe and let go of her pursuit of justice.

This is the first Cara Putman book I have read and I am kicking myself for not reading her works sooner. This was a fast-paced, intense, enjoyable read. There was just the right mix of tension with romance throughout the entire story. Hayden’s backstory was interesting and I would love to see it fleshed out more in further novels. The way she uses her past to fuel her present frustrations is something we can all relate to on some level. Even if we don’t use the past to fuel us, it is something we can do. Different situations for everyone, but it made the emotional connection with the characters that is needed for the reader to stay engaged. I read this after reading several novels I just didn’t enjoy by other authors, which made Beyond Justice even better. The plot is more than just one murder investigated by a lawyer; it goes deeper showing a real motive for the criminals. It is obvious the author is familiar with the topics discussed, everything is real enough to stay believable and carry the story to completion. I recommend this book to anyone that might enjoy a John Grisham type thriller with clean language and a bit of spirituality mixed in. I can’t wait to see what the next installment in the series will bring.

The Christmas Blessing

Print Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jennifer S. Roman

Melody Carlson continues her feel-good, sweet stories with the Christmas Blessing. Amelia Richards decides to go see her seven week old baby’s grandparents in Montana for Christmas. She is hoping they will accept her and her son despite the fact that she was not yet married to her baby’s father, James, who was killed in the War. A series of mishaps befalls her on her journey from San Francisco to Montana, and she arrives just in time to spend Thanksgiving in a run-down motel. She and Jimmy both develop a cold, and with her money and luck run out, she decides to visit the family sooner than originally anticipated. Word on the street is that James’ father is a doctor and salt-of-the-earth kind of guy, while his mother is a strict, cold woman who would fire a volunteer from the Red Cross for not folding bandages properly. Desperate and broke, she decides to leave baby Jimmy in the manger that is part of the family’s outdoor Nativity scene. She just hopes that James’ parents will take in Jimmy and find him a good home and that Amelia can move on with her life.

True to Melody Carlson novels, this one is full of gut-wrenching decisions and heartfelt moments. Even the coldest person has a good heart inside; it just takes some digging to get there. This novel is no different. Amelia is down on her luck and it seems to get worse with each passing day, and she is sure that the only way to give her baby a better life is to give him up. Stung from the loss of a son, James’ mother shuts down and doesn’t want anything to do with anyone until the baby shows up in the manger. A baby appearing in a manger during the Christmas season is a sure sign from God, in her opinion, and this may be what she needs to move on. Of course complications arise and make for interesting reading.

***Spoiler Alert***

I have to say, however, that I was disappointed by the ending. Things came together a little too quickly and suddenly for my tastes. I was not upset that James ended up being saved and returned to his hometown, but I was surprised that everything wrapped up neatly afterwards. Considering that he and Amelia knew each other for just a few days, and then he was held captive as a POW, I was confused as to how they would marry so quickly once reunited. Then again, I am a skeptic pragmatist, so I don’t usually fall for quick happy endings. For those of you who do, I am sure you will be pleasantly pleased with the ending.

There is some violence in the book (in a form of POW torture), and there entire book is based on a child being born out of wedlock. Even this is pretty tame in today’s world, so The Christmas Blessing does not have much objectionable in it. Adults and mature teens should enjoy it for its sweet story and interesting characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Missing Factor

Author: Daniel C. Lorti

Series: Jim Factor Novel

Publisher: W & B Publishers Inc.

Release Date: August 16, 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

When an arms dealer becomes the target of a manhunt, the quest to prove his innocence and protect his family becomes more important than any deal he has ever entered into.

Jim Factor has been an arms dealer for years with no problems from the law or his customers. One day he is contacted by a man he has done prior business with and told he has a target on his head and should leave immediately. Jim doesn’t want to put his wife in danger and believes the threat is real, so he takes off leaving everything behind including his family in order to keep everyone safe. He flees to San Francisco to start a new life. Jim’s wife hires a private investigator to find her husband, which leads to ties with the Russian Mafia and an even more deadly case than either of them could have expected.

Jim Factor is either the luckiest man alive or a totally unbelievable character. With every endeavor he undertakes, he is successful and quick to catch on. For some of us, myself included, things don’t come that easily. If I am trying to learn a new skill, it takes me forever to get it down, so that makes people like Jim infuriating to people like me. I liked the persistence of his wife to find him but found her lack of concern for what was really going on a little disturbing. If this were my husband, I would be frantic trying to find him and figure out why he disappeared without an explanation. I liked the characters of Adam and Chris, who both came across as very authentic and good at what they were doing and seemed to carry the story. The story was divided into two parts and could have easily been trimmed down to one part with a hundred fewer pages in my opinion. The story is still a good one that mystery lovers will enjoy. I recommend this to fans of mystery series that won’t mind a little fluff with their story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Laugh it Up

Laught it up Author: Candace Payne

Publisher: Zondervan

Release Date: November 7, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Everyone fell in love with Candace Payne with the video of her wearing a Chewbacca mask and loving every minute of it went viral. Now she has a book out that will make you love her even more.

Candace Payne had no idea that buying a simple Star Wars toy would lead to the life she has now. She is a wife and mother of two from Dallas Texas and has captured the hearts of nearly 200 million with her infectious laugh all while wearing a Chewbacca mask and recording a video on her phone for Facebook. It quickly became the top viewed video at Facebook and lead to a slew of interviews and opportunities she might never have otherwise had. Laugh It Up tells the story of how she has found laughter in some of the most difficult circumstances and worked her way through to become the person she is today.

Like you, I can remember the first time I saw the video of Candace wearing the mask and couldn’t keep from laughing. There was just something about her laugh and wearing that masks that made me watch the video over and over just to put a smile on my face. Laugh It Up goes deep into what has made Candace Payne the woman she is today. Without knowing the backstory, we can’t truly appreciate her. Her words are both funny and heartfelt. Just like most of us she has gone through her share of struggles and luckily has found a way to overcome those struggles and find something to laugh and smile about, which in turn, has made millions of others laugh as well. There are going to be those that don’t like what she has to say, there always are. But for the majority of readers they will hopefully come away with a better understanding of Chewbacca Mom and what truly makes her someone for us to look to and say there are good things in this life and things to laugh about, we just have to find them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.