Release Date: April 19, 2016

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

A psychological thriller that played on my love for profiling the antagonist, even if it was a little predictable.

Allie has spent the last ten years of her life in the Arrendale State Penitentiary in Northern Georgia for a crime she didn’t commit. Accused and convicted of the murder of her hometown’s high school football coach, Allie watched her dreams of medical school and seeing her daughter grow up get washed away.  Now she is back in Brunswick and is shunned by those she once called friends.  Even her own daughter doesn’t want to see her, which kills Allie on the inside.  Her sister Emma was the only person who came to visit her every month of those ten years.  But how well does she know her sister.  She has been raising her daughter in her absence, but this have changed now that Allie has come home.  Her behavior has gotten more erratic and unpredictable.  Perhaps her sister dear has more to the story that has turned her life upside down.

I always enjoy a good mystery, especially a who-done-me-wrong kind of story that I found with Sister Dear.  The book is told from five different viewpoints to give the reader multiple perspectives.  This really helped in developing the characters.  Even so, I feel that Natalie’s point of view, which only occurred once, could have been condensed with that of Sheriff Gaines to not have an additional person to follow.  Aside from that, everyone’s personality was very believable.  Especially 15 year old Caroline, who really played her part quite well.  The book jumps around between viewpoints quite a bit and jumps back and forth between past and present, but McNeill does a good job of indicating when this happens and what time period that you are visiting.

The setting for this is south coastal Georgia, which is a beautiful place. The way the McNeill described it took me out to the islands and felt the breeze blow the pages across my fingers.  Even so, my main qualm with the book was the predictability of it.  Within the first fifty pages I had correctly guessed who was actually responsible for the murder.  However, there was definitely a twist between the coach and the sheriff that I didn’t see coming.  Recommended for those who like psychological thrillers.

Author: Patricia Bradley

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: April 19, 2016

For the final book in the Logan Point Series, Patricia Bradley gives a suspenseful story that will keep readers hooked till the end!

Bailey Adams has been serving as a missionary in Mexico for the past two years. She felt called to go, or at least she thought she was called.  Now she is questioning if she was just running away from her past.  She is about to return to Logan Point with one of the children from the mission when they are both almost kidnapped.  They barely escape with the help of Danny Maxwell, the one person she never expected to see in Mexico.  She doesn’t know who is after them and is afraid to let anyone else help them for fear that they too might be in danger.  Throughout the chaos of running for their lives Bailey realizes she still has feelings for Danny.

This is the fourth and final installment in the Logan point series and even though it is a series, it could be a stand-alone. I have only read book three and four in this series and don’t feel you have to read the series to enjoy each individual book.  At times I felt like I might be missing something from the previous instalments but not enough to hinder the enjoyment of this book. Silence in the Dark was a fast paced read with very little I didn’t enjoy.  The interaction between Bailey and Maria was well played as well as the scenes between Bailey and Danny.  Most characters were well played and believable, which is unusual.  Usually I find at least a few characters I have a hard time believing either their dialogue, mannerisms, or both.  Bradley did a fine job with both the dialogue and prose throughout the entire story.  I enjoyed up to the final few chapters what was going to happen and how it played out.  Overall it was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend.

Don Brown has brought about another intriguing story with Code 13.

Caroline McCormick has just been assigned to the prestigious Code 13, a special section of the Navy JAG division where many aspire to work. On top of the nerves of starting a new duty assignment, Caroline has to deal with being around her former flame, P.J. MacDonald.  They are still friends and she is hoping more can come of it as they get the chance to work together again.  He has been given a special assignment he tells her about, working on the legality of a proposed drone-sharing contract with Homeland Security that would allow the sale of drones for domestic surveillance.  It is a fine line and he is tasked with determining if it violates the posse comitatus set forth to keep the military from intervening with civilian matters.  The contractor wants clearance but the mob wants the proposal stopped before it can make it past his desk.  Things quickly get out of hand as P.J. is gunned down and the next in line to review the proposal is also killed.  Caroline is bent on finding P.J.’s killer and goes to her commanding officer and volunteers to write the legal opinion herself, knowing full-well it puts her right in the crosshairs.  Caroline is determined to see things through no matter the price she has to pay.

Code 13 is the second book in the Navy JAG Series by Don Brown. I enjoyed the first and equally enjoyed this novel.  I am a big fan of military thrillers and both the Television shows, JAG and NCIS, and enjoyed the references to the shows.  There is a lot to follow throughout and at times can be a bit confusing trying to keep up with all the characters.  A few secondary characters could be left out and not hurt the story at all.  The main characters however were enticing and enjoyable to follow.  The romance scenes were not as well done as I would have liked, but the action scenes were very well done.  The dialogue flowed smoothly and the action scenes were the fastest in the whole book.  I don’t want to give anything away, but one of the last twist was a little hard to believe.  I didn’t feel there was enough build up to believe what was trying to be conveyed.  Having become a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy and worked as a lawyer in the JAG division, Brown has the experience to write about this branch and its inner workings.  This wasn’t the best book I have ever read but it does rank high on my list as a very enjoyable read.  I will recommend this book to those that enjoy military thrillers.

Author: Ridley Pearson

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Ridley Pearson brings the magic once again with the Kingdom Keepers going into the past to try and save the future.

Finn, Charlene, Maybeck, Willa, and Philby have traveled back in time and find themselves at Disneyland on Opening Day. As usual, though things don’t go exactly as planned.  They have come to retrieve Walt Disney’s infamous pen that once saved the parks as we know them.  They get to see the early days of the Tower of Terror, the origin of the Disney villains, the Overtakers, and magic that makes a series of events that propel both the Keepers and Disney into a darkness no one saw coming.  They get a chance to do what few now a-days have only dreamed of, see the home of Walt Disney and try and save the parks, something they are getting used to.  In the present time, the three Fairlies, Amanda, Jess, and Mattie, are doing everything they can to help their friends while dealing with problems of their own.  They have unmasked a long-buried secret that threatens everything they have all worked for.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Disney. There is something incredibly magical about everything Disney.  It doesn’t matter if you are a kid or adult, Disney is magic.  Ridley Pearson has brought that magic to readers once again with the continuation of the Kingdom Keepers. I have read all the Kingdom Keeper novels and have yet to get tired of these stories.  Pearson has woven an intricate set of characters together with an amazing adventure that readers can’t help but devour.  This is perfect for middle school kids and up to enjoy reading on their own or even for a fun family read.  The adventures these kids get to go on is one so many would love to be a part of and can be by reading the stories.  Each story is a continuation of the next and I wouldn’t advise trying to jump into the series part way through; instead, start at the beginning and follow the keepers on each journey.  I liked the addition of the new characters, Nick, and Emily to help the Keepers in their journey, it kind of makes the ordinary reader feel like they can be a part of the magic.

I can highly recommend this book and the entire series for all to enjoy.

Author: Ridley Pearson

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Just when the Keepers thought their lives could get back to normal, things start up again in the Magic Kingdom that require their special skills.

Finn knows no one believes him, but deep down he can’t get over the fact that things might not be over in the Kingdom. They all thought they defeated the Overtakers and were prepared to move on with their lives, but now things don’t seem so simple.  Clues keep popping up from Wayne, their mentor, that suggest there is one last puzzle for them to solve before they can move on and put everything behind them.  Together they must solve the puzzle of the past or be crushed under an evil that makes the Overtakers seem like gentle souls.

I was excited when I saw this book coming out. I thought the Keeper series was finished with book seven, which I enjoyed, but wasn’t my favorite.  I wasn’t sure which direction this story was going to head since the series seemed to be tied up neatly at the end of KK7.  Surprisingly there was a nice little twist that gave the start of this new series a nice direction to head, backwards.  It may sound strange but it worked well here.  The return worked nicely for me because it was set up differently.  In the original KK series, things seemed to drag at times, too much detail that could have been cut down.  Here the story was more concise and held my attention much better.  I also liked the way it went back and forth between Orlando and California working in the story of Finn and the Keepers with Amanda, Jess and their new group.

One of the nicest things about Pearson and his writing of these books is the history of Disney. The reader gets to find out about the history of the parks without actually having to read a history of the parks.  Here we get action, adventure, suspense, history all rolled into one.  Disney, whether it be movies, the parks, books, T.V. or anything else out there, is something that is ageless.  Young and old can enjoy together.  This is the type of book that can be read by a parent to a child and both will enjoy.  I think Pearson did a much better job with this story than the last few KK novels toning it down and making it more enjoyable.  It was a good length with just the right amount of everything included.  With this being the start of the new series I can’t wait to see what adventures he takes us on.

Author: Drema Hall Berkheimer

Publisher: Zondervan

Release Date: April 12, 2016

A great memoir that looks at life as a child in 1940s West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains.

Everyone has a story and Drema is no different. Throughout Running on Red Dog Road, she recounts her childhood memories living with her grandparents in West Virginia.  Growing up in the 1940s is drastically different from today and Drema shares her activities of farming, watching her grandfather preach, playing with gypsies, and visiting the annual carnival.  She also recounts the trouble she got into with her older sister and the challenges and fascinations of living with her brother who lost his hearing after a bout with spinal meningitis.  With mischief, hilarious stories, and heartbreak, Drema’s story is a snapshot in time that no history book could ever truly capture!

I always forget how much I enjoy reading memoirs. I often stray from non-fiction, but I need to be on the lookout for more stories like these.  Everyone has a story about their life that they should share.  They will all be different and we can learn from them.  Not only are they a picture of history, but they also teach valuable life lessons that still apply to present day.  I wish that my grandparents had written down their memories before they passed away.  I would have loved to learn more about them and who they were outside of the memories that I have made with them.

I really enjoyed all the stories that Drema shared. I think one of the most memorable is when she and her sister were playing cow power in the car where you counted the number of cows on your side of the car and then if you passed a cemetery, you had to bury all of your cows and start over.  I was also amazed at how many sayings that I recognized even though I grew up 40 years later in West Texas.  It is amazing how some things have been around for a long time.

I recommend this book for anyone who loves history or memoirs!

A fun book for kids about the importance of mother’s day.

With Mother’s day quickly approaching, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear want to do something special for Mama Bear. She is the best mama in all of Bear Country and they want to show her how much she means to them.  As a family, they go throughout the day realizing that it’s not getting special presents or spending a lot of money that makes the day special for mom.  As long as they are together as a family, Mama Bear feels the love from those around her.

The newest title in the Berenstain Bears Living Lights, The Berenstain Bears Mother’s Day Blessings brings the bears together to show Mama Bear how much she means to them.  Throughout the book we get to see mothers doing all sorts of things: out with family, working at the hospital or at the farm.  This is a good conversation starter for young ones to ask about the different roles moms might have.  I am a stay at home mom and read this with my five year old and we talked about the different moms working and the ones that stayed home.  It’s hard to go wrong with a Berenstain Bears book.  There is a valuable lesson in each one and they are at a level that is easy enough for even the youngest reader to enjoy and take away a positive message.  There was a lot of focus on the different roles mothers pla:, stay at home mom, doctor, farmer, police officer, etc, but there was very little focus on the day and the appreciation for moms in general.  It’s good to show women in all sorts of roles and they can be appreciated for all that they do every single day.

I was provided this book by booklook bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Beverly’s debut novel takes you on a dark ride across America as a young teen discovers there is more to life than he has ever known.

Fifteen year old East has spent his whole life in an area of Los Angeles known as the boxes. He stands yard for one of his uncles several crack houses located in the boxes.  He is good at what he does, recruits a good team of lookouts, and has run a successful operation for the last couple of years.  Then one day, a neighborhood fire distracts the lookouts and the vice squad shows up to shut down the house.  Since East is in charge of the yard, it is his fault and he fears the worst.  After a discussion with his uncle, East agrees to take on a new task to travel across America to assassinate a federal judge that has the potential to lock his uncle away for several years.  A team of four is selected for the task including East and his estranged brother Ty.  Once the team has accomplished their mission, East must decide to return to the life he has always known or to continue to find something new in the American Midwest.

While perusing through new releases of authors, Dodgers showed up as a book that I might enjoy.  After reading the synopsis, I was intrigued and decided to give it a try.  The cover originally made me think that this was set in the past, but it is actually in present day which just goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover.

The entire story is told from the viewpoint of East. As a reader, I got to see some glimpse into how some drug rings are operated, which was definitely different from what I typically read.  What was most interesting was the apparent yearning East had for an actual father figure.  He didn’t ever know his own dad, but he got taken under his uncle’s wing at the age of nine and started learning the drug trade.  Later in the story when he got to Ohio, Perry became the father figure for him.  I got to see his transformation in work ethic and how the two people from opposite ends of the spectrum earned each other’s trust.  This is a problem that is huge across all parts of American and Beverly captured it without even calling it out.

For a debut novel, this was very well written and very enjoyable. It was written with a prose that keep me interested through the entire book.  Even though there is some violence, it is not very graphic.  There is some strong language, but that is to be expected in the dialogue that the characters would use based on their backgrounds.  Even so, I would still recommend this book to mature readers.  I will be looking forward to see what his sophomore novel will bring!

The Pug List takes a family’s tragedy and shows you it is possible to find happiness again.

After their home is set on fire by an arsonist in the middle of the night, Alison Hodgson and her family find themselves scared and not sure how to find normal again. Between the insurance battles, tearing down what is left of the house, trying to rebuild, parenting three kids, and post-traumatic stress, they decide to add adopting a dog to the mix.  Alison’s seven-year-old daughter, Eden, wants to adopt a pug more than anything and determines now is the perfect time and is relentless.  One day Alison finds Eden’s diary with an entry titled “The Pug List” and realizes that resistance is futile.  Now on a quest to find the perfect pug, they look at online sites and the search ensues in getting them back to a life as close to normal as possible.

As far as non-fiction goes, I usually try to avoid it for the most part. Most non-fiction books that I have read are not written in a way that grabs my attention and keeps me turning the page.  The nice thing about The Pug List is that for most of the book I forgot I was reading a non-fiction and just enjoyed the story.  Even though Alison and family endured several tragedies, they persevered and were able to find the good.  They found a way to smile again.  Most dog books usually have a sad ending that will leave you in tears.  I’m not saying there were not sad moments, there were, but they were written with heart and even a bit of humor.  Hodgson was able to write about her family and the tragedies they endured in a way that kept me turning the page and loving every word.  There was just enough story to make it interesting but not so much that it became boring, a very fine line for writers to find.  I’m happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed The Pug List and will easily recommend it.