Still Life

Series: Chesapeake Valor #2

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

When Avery Tate makes her way back into the art world that rejected her to support a friend, she never imagined she would end up investigating her possible death!

When the photography world turned its back on Avery Tate, she put her talents to use as a crime scene photographer. She started working with analyst Parker Mitchell and it wasn’t long before she developed feelings for him as more than just working partners. She knew she couldn’t work with him feeling the way she did, so she quit working with him, but it wasn’t enough to shut of her growing feelings. Now, for the first time since being rejected, Avery is going back to the art world for a gallery opening to support a friend that is being featured in one of the photos. However, when she arrives her, friend is nowhere in sight except for a picture that shows her deceased. The photographer says that is not the picture he took. Avery knows she is in over her head and calls Parker to help. Together they search for the truth of what happened to her friend and who might be to blame.

Dani Pettrey is becoming a top name in the Christian Romantic Suspense world and for good reason. Her Alaskan Valor series was top notch. Now with the second book in her Chesapeake Valor series she is continuing that trend. I really liked the concept of this book. And while it was a really good read I can’t say that it was my favorite. I had several issues. Even though there weren’t a massive amount of characters, I found myself having a hard time following who was who at different times. Between Avery and Parker as well as Declan and Tanner there seemed to be too much going on. I wish the focus would have been on one of the couples and their growing romance instead of trying to go back and forth between them both. Avery and Parker were the main focus and they came together pretty good. The tension really heated up about three quarters of the way through. At this point there, was a spot I thought it was about to take off into warp speed, instead it totally fizzled out. I don’t want to give too much away about the story but I was really disappointed it didn’t go in the direction I was hoping. Other readers might not have a problem with this but for me it wasn’t as good as it could have been. Overall it was still an enjoyable read and romantic suspense lovers will want to add this to their list.

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

The Lost Girl of Astor Street

astor-street Author: Stephanie Morrill

Publisher: Blink YA Books

Release Date: February 7, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Losing your best friend at age 18 is horrible, but in mafia riddled 1924 Chicago, there’s no shortage of suspects as her killer.

At age 18, Piper Sail doesn’t have much to worry about or so it seems. One of the affluent Presley girls, Piper is finishing school and hoping to go to a university so that she can side step all the questions about finding a husband and settling down. Her father is getting ready to be remarried, which is not one of her favorite topics to discuss. She and her neighbor Lydia have been friends forever and recently Lydia has started to have seizures. Instead of getting help, her parents have asked Piper to keep it a secret, even from Lydia. Lydia herself is smitten with the family’s chauffeur, so when her parent’s want to send her to the Mayo clinic in Minnesota, she is devastated. Lydia tells Piper that she is going to tell him how she feels and the neighbors that she cannot watch their child this summer. Then that night, Lydia disappears.

When Piper realizes that Lydia didn’t just run away with the chauffeur, she is determined to find out what happened to her friend. But being a young woman in Chicago is no easy task, especially in 1924. Piper enters a world of speakeasies, mafia, gambling, and nastier underbelly activities that Chicago has to offer. Was it the chauffeur? Why was she afraid of the neighbor kid’s dad? Why is the handsome detective so interested in her? Who is her brother’s new girlfriend? As Piper unrolls the answer to each question, will she be able to find Lydia before it’s too late? Or was Lydia even the intended target?

This book is truly a great read of YA fiction crossed with historical fiction. This is not something that you will typically see teens reading, but Morrill does a great job of making this an interesting mystery coupled with some unforgettable characters that is sure to be a hit with any audience. Piper is a determined young woman that many will find they identify with. She doesn’t believe the police are looking in the right places, so she takes up her own investigation. What she doesn’t realize is that other female characters in the book begin to admire her. She becomes a bit of a role model to those characters and will undoubtedly be to some readers as well.

I like that Mariano humored her throughout the book and then fell in love with her. Their chemistry was natural and played out very well. My only nitpick was that I felt it wrapped up too fast. I wish there would have been a bit more played out between Piper and Alana, but I also realize that you can’t draw out too much without possibly losing this genre’s attention. A must read for YA historical fiction lovers.

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

Justice Delayed

justice-delayed Author: Patricia Bradley

Series: Memphis Cold Case #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

An investigation into a cold case brings old secrets to life and danger to all involved.

Andi Hollister has become a hot television crime reporter with her investigations into cold cases. However, her next investigation hits a little too close to home, which is the death of her sister over eighteen years ago. There is a man behind bars that confessed to the murder and his execution date is coming soon. His cousin is Detective Will Kincaide who has just been promoted to the Cold Case Unit and wants to prove his cousin is innocent after a letter surfaces claiming he isn’t the killer. There is less than a week to find the killer and stop the execution. As Will and Andi work together to get justice for her sister, they find more than they bargained for, including police corruption, smuggling and running for their lives.

As the first book in Patricia Bradley’s newest series, she has started off on the right foot. Romantic suspense is hard to write and find the right balance so as not to lose the reader with romance in the middle of the tension. Patricia Bradley is becoming better with every novel. I liked Andi and her spunk. I do feel a few of her issues were left open at the end that needed a little more closure. Will was a top notch cop that had a lot of personal issues, but kept focused on the job at hand. The writing flowed smoothly, especially with the dialogue scenes. The narrative dragged a bit at times with so many characters but that I can only classify as a nit-picking issue. I am finding myself more a fan of Bradley and her writing with each new book and can’t wait to see where she goes with this series. This book will be perfect for fans of Bradley’s work and those that love romantic suspense novels. I recommend Justice Delayed to all that enjoy a good read with a good message.

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

Rescue Me

rescue-me Author: Susan May Warren

Series: Montana Rescue #2

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The second book in the Montana Rescue series cranks up the suspense and romance with returning characters and new ones to love.

Sam Brooks is the deputy with the Mercy Falls sheriff’s department and works with the PEAK Rescue team. He likes to keep things in order on the job, in private that is another story. His father died in a skiing accident and since then he has stuck around to take care of his mother while his brother Pete did whatever he wanted. He hopes he has found true love with Sierra Rose. Sierra is also one that likes order, her sister, Willow, is opposite of her in almost every way. Willow has been in love with Sam since the first time she saw him. She has never wanted to cause her sister harm in any way and has kept her feelings to herself, but it is becoming more difficult to keep it bottled up. Willow may be a free spirit, but she has worked hard to get the job of youth pastor at their small town church. While leading a hike in the mountains, Willow and Sam find themselves thrown together in a fight to survive and save the youth with them. As tension mounts, their feelings grow as well, but things get far worse before they get better.

As the second book in Susan May Warren’s Montana Rescue series, the whole gang at PEAK rescue is back and things are heating up. This book focuses on several groups, Sam, Willow, and Sierra along with Pete, Jess and Ty. These groups find themselves thrown together in frightening, and strenuous situations that cause emotions to go haywire. Warren did an excellent job weaving these relationships in a way that allowed each one be believable and fit with the characters. I particularly liked the way Sam worked out his feelings. The wilderness setting and the way the characters dealt with the wilds of nature kept the suspense at a great pace. There were situations that everyone can relate to and learn a lesson from. I can’t wait to see what Warren does with the next book in the series. There are still several characters that have much to be explored. The book was left open for the next in a way that makes me frustrated that I have to wait for it to come out. I love this series and the characters in it. I will be anxiously awaiting the next in the series.

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

Murder on the Moor

murder-at-the-moor Author: Julianna Deering

Series: A Drew Farthering Mystery #5

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Another murder, another mystery, and Drew and Madeline are back to solve it!

As Drew and Madeline Fathering get ready for another typical night, the phone suddenly rings with a request to speak with Drew. One of Drew’s old schoolmates, Beaky Bloodworth, is calling with a request for his help. He has read about Drew’s amateur sleuthing in the newspapers and wants his help to investigate some matters going on up in Yorkshire at his newly inherited lodge. As it turns out, the local vicar has been recently murdered and no one can figure out why or who would do it. Beaky’s recently wedded wife, Sabrina, is now hearing things in the lodge and getting rather scared about it. Drew and Madeline consent to coming to help, but may be stepping off into more than what they expect. Soon after arriving, they begin meeting many of the residents around the small town as well as the neighbors, who had bad blood with Beaky’s uncle. There is also a gamekeeper on the property who could give Don Juan a run for his money. Add a local poacher that lives on the moor and there are more than enough suspects as to who would want to run Beaky and Sabrina off the moor. But why kill the vicar? Then when another murder takes place, it has connections to both Sabrina and Beaky’s uncles. Can Drew and Madeline solve it before they become the next victims?

Julianna Deering writes such fun loving mysteries. I love reading these stories and have been so happy that the common characters always return for each new installment. I thought I was going to be a little disappointed that Nick Dennison wasn’t going to be in this one, but then he showed up at just the right time, as usual. However, after five mysteries, I’m beginning to find that I’m a pretty good sleuth right alongside Drew and Madeline. I actually had this one figured out pretty well into it. Well, I should say I knew who-did-it, but not actually who it was. I should have though, so she still has that on me.

I also love the way that we’ve seen Drew grow spiritually throughout the books. He has really gotten some depth to his character. And the witty banter between himself and Nick is always there. Not as much in this particular book, but I still love it. I recommend the entire series, but this one is still a good stand alone as well. No matter the age, pick up one of these and give it a try!

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

Moving Target

moving-target Author: Lynette Eason

Series: The Elite Guardians #3

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A game of cat and mouse leaves Maddy McKay and Quinn Holcombe running for their lives while trying to protect their loved ones.

Maddy Mckay is a member of the Elite Guardians, a group that provides protection and helps solve hard cases when needed. She has been working with Quinn Holcombe for a while now and they both can feel their attraction to each other growing. When neither of them show up for a surprise birthday party for Quinn, their friends fear something has happened to them. It isn’t like them to disappear without telling anyone and the more the friends search, the more it becomes clear that Quinn and Maddy didn’t just run away to be together. As their friends are searching, Maddy wakes up in a strange cement room with no memory of how she got there. She finds she isn’t alone. Quinn is with her and they are being hunted by a crazed madman out for revenge. Maddy and Quinn are in his game whether or not they want to be and the rules are being made up as they go. If they don’t find a way to win the game, they won’t make it out alive.

The Elite Guardians is quickly becoming one of my favorite series with this installment being right at the top. The game of cat and mouse had the tension so tight I could hardly turn the pages fast enough. However, I wish the hunt on the island at the beginning would have gone on a little longer. I think there really could have been more developed there to make the story even better. I know this is partly a romance story too, but if that aspect had been toned down just a little bit and focused more on the suspense with Quinn and Maddy being chased, it would have blown the story away. The end didn’t really surprise me too much, I could pretty much see every twist and turn coming in the last 50-100 pages. I’m not sure what the next book in the series is going to focus on but it is going to be hard to top this one. An excellent read that I will recommend to readers that enjoy a fast paced suspense story with a little romance sprinkled throughout.

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

Unfolding

unfolding Author: Jonathan Friesen

Publisher: Blink YA Books

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

When a Tornado hits a small town in Oklahoma, it brings more than just destruction and devastation.

Oklahoma is known for its tornados and the destruction they bring. When Jonah was just a baby, a twister hit his town and not only destroyed parts of it, it also left a baby on the lawn next to his. He has since fallen in love with Stormi. Jonah is plagued with scoliosis and epileptic seizures. Stormi doesn’t seem to have a care in the world. She goes through life seeing things before they happen. She listens to these prophecies inside her even when she doesn’t like what they are saying. Her latest feeling is telling her to get out of town. She goes to Jonah for help and they both leave and discover the secrets the town has been keeping could do more damage than a twister ever has.

Jonathan Friesen has crafted 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. The best thing about this book, in my opinion, is how it shows that even if you have a condition or disability it doesn’t limit your ability to help others and believe in those you love. Jonah had many problems but he never once let that stop him from trying to help Stormi and others. He had a determination that is very lacking in many of that age. Stormi knew that others didn’t want to believe in her predication and thought she was unnatural; however, still she follows her heart and does what she can and knows to be right. I loved how Friesen crafted the secret the town has hid for so long and the way it came out. There is a lot to like about this book and not much to dislike. So few novels, especially YA read this quickly but still have a good message that doesn’t get lost in the mindless ramblings of characters that aren’t needed. This is a story that I will recommend to YA lovers and readers of all ages who just enjoy a really good story with a message.

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

The Fifth Petal

5th-petal Author: Brunonia Barry

Series: The Lace Reader #2

Publisher: Crown

Release Date: January 24, 2017

Reviewer: Jennifer S. Roman

On November 1, 1989, a little girls is found, crying and almost catatonic, in some bramble bushes at a murder scene. Three young women, including the girl’s mother, have been brutally murdered, and the little girl has been spared. The women have all been accused of witchcraft, and the woman they live with, Rose Whelan, is a scholar on the Salem witches. She is also accused of the murder. The little girl, Callie, is taken in by local nuns and the only obvious repercussion to her is a large rose-shaped cut on her hand from the rosary she held tightly all night long.

Present day Salem brings another murder charge to Rose, who was exonerated of the murder of the three girls, commonly known as the Goddesses around town. They are known for their sexual exploits and the pull they have on the men in town. Rose has never been the same since the incident, and after this new murder accusation, she becomes catatonic and is hospitalized. Callie is called to tend to Rose, and all of the secrets of her mother’s and Rose’s past are brought to light again.

Callie becomes involved with the son of a prominent “old money” family, and as she gets to know the family, she learns many more secrets about the Goddesses and Rose. Close family friends also provide answers and provoke memories that Callie completely forgot. Callie finishes Rose’s research about the hanging of several accused witches in Salem and discovers things that people have been keeping from her all her life.

This book is a long read that gives its readers many opportunities to figure out what happened to Callie’s mother all those years ago and why. Just when the reader thinks it is figured out, however, something new comes along to challenge that theory. There is a lot of backstory involved, which at times is confusing, but it all adds up to a thick, rich story. Readers will need to pay attention to keep track of the huge cast of characters, both present and past, in order to piece together the events that happened the night Callie lost her mother. I enjoyed the constant tease of the revelation that was then pulled back to reveal more to the story. The unfolding of the characters’ involvement with one another and the murders is complex and adds another layer to the mystery of Callie’s past. There is a bit of mysticism and fantasy at play, as several of the characters see visions, predict the future, and read minds. All put together, The Fifth Petal is a mystery that has so much more.

I highly recommend this book to people who love mysteries with a bit of fantasy. It does contain sexual situations, some profanity, and violence, and is therefore recommended for mature readers only.

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

The Returning

the-returning Author: Rachelle Dekker

Series: Seer #3

Publisher: Tyndale

Release Date: January 17, 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The final book in the Seer series brings it full circle, just like another Dekker.

It has been twenty years since Carrington and Remko Brant have seen their baby Elise, who was taken from them as they were forced to leave the Authority City. No matter how far they traveled, she has never been far from their hearts and minds. The man that took her is now the Authority City president trying to bring the city into a new era of peace. The Scientist Roth Reynard is still there providing his Genesis Serum that takes away all memory of emotion keeping rebellion from happening. The seers, with Aaron, have been tucked away until now and are ready to take their restoration to the rest of the world, starting with the Authority City. They have a chosen seven that are going to rescue Elise and be at the forefront of the battle that is sure to come. Elise is the key to the victory they hope to achieve as all they know will be tested.

As the third and final book in Dekker’s debut series, I can say she did a fine job wrapping it up. If you have read any of her father’s writing, it will be easy to see the similarities in his writing as well as hers. For this reason, I am going to say that this book will be best read by those that haven’t read anything by Dekker Sr. His work is great and is probably what will have turned most people on to Rachelle and her writing. If you take her as a separate entity, which you should but is still hard, it will be much more enjoyable. While the first and second book focused mostly on Carrington and Remko, they are not mentioned much here except for maybe a chapter or two. That was an interesting change of pace, I wish there would have been a little more focus on them instead of going straight into the grown up children. There was a lot to straighten out here and luckily all was wrapped up by the end. My nit-pick for the book would have to be Jesse, for some reason he just didn’t click with me. I can’t put anything specific down except for the times he was there never fully felt authentic. The chapters went back and forth between several different points of views making the story flow at a quicker pace in my opinion. As a reader, you get to see more of the action from more characters without fleshing out those characters as much as if only one or two were the main focus. Overall this was a very enjoyable read, probably the best of the series. I would recommend this for fans of dystopian series with a faith base.

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

Check out our author interview here.

The Calling – Rachelle Dekker

Write - Read - Life

The follow up to The Choosing takes things in a different direction, but not in a bad way. The Calling by Rachelle Dekker is a great sequel to what has the potential to be an excellent series.

Carrington Hale convinced Remko Brant to escape the Authority City with her and now they are married and have a young daughter. He is the leader of the Seers and never before has he had so much at stake. Time and time again he and his team infiltrate the city to attempt dangerous rescue missions that fail more often than succeed. Damien Gold is the newly appointed authority President with dangerous ambitions and is bent on catching Remko and his group of rebels and destroying their message of hope and everything they represent. Remko is losing control of his camp and is afraid everything he has worked so hard for might be slipping…

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