Storm Rising

Storm rising Author: Ronie Kendig

Series: Book of the Wars #1

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: July 2, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

After years of serving under the command of someone else, Leif Metcalfe now has his own team to command, bringing his very own adventure more complicated than any he has faced before.

Leif Metcalfe has a difficult past and knows that it will be hard to push past all that to command his very own team. The time has come for him to step up and take charge. He and his team are tasked with finding the notorious Book of the Wars. They are not the only ones looking for it though. Iskra “Viorica” Todorova, a notorious Bulgarian operative gets to the book first. Iskra is being used by the man that kidnapped her, raped her and trained her to be a skilled assassin. If she can bring the book back to him, she might be able to secure her freedom. As both Leif and Iskra work to secure the book, strange storms blow up around the world that foreshadow the wars described in the book. To get away and secure her freedom, Iskra will have to do the one thing she thought possible, trust someone. Leif doesn’t know if he can trust Iskra but he also knows it might be his only way to secure the book and stop the destruction before it is too late.

If you are a fan of Kendig’s Tox files, you will not want to miss Storm Rising. Many of the same characters are back with Leif including Mercy Maddox (one of my personal favorites in this and I can’t wait to see more with her). I loved the pace of this stor; it was very detailed but not so much so that it took me out of the story. The Tox Files got so deep with the archeology aspects that it can be hard to keep up with everything happening sometimes, still a great story though. Here we get a much lighter story that reads very smooth and will easily keep readers engaged throughout. Ronie Kendig has always had a way of weaving a story that is so rich in history, suspense, and characters that are drawn together in a way that feels natural and real. With each new novel she just gets better and better. This is by far her best work, especially with character development and a natural flow with the relationships and how they fit together smoothly. When dealing with a team like this, there are a lot of characters and at times it can seem like a few too many but as the story plays out readers discover the need for each one. With the next book, I hope to see even more development for these smaller roles. As I said earlier, my favorite character in this book was Mercy, she is feisty, real and exhibits such energy that I can’t wait to see her further develop. She has so much potential as a lead character and I would love to see that for her. I recommend Storm Rising to fans of Kendig’s earlier work, but if this is your first time picking up a book by Ronie Kendig you won’t be lost. Even with the tie in to the previous series, new readers will be able to pick up and follow along with the story without a problem. Another great addition to my library.

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

Murder in Liberty City

Author: Rachel McMillan

Series: Van Buren & DeLuca Mystery #2

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: May 28, 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

As Van Buren and De Luca help the residents of North End Boston, they find themselves investigating their own relationship!

Three years have passed since the infamous case of murder at the Flamingo Club that left Hamish shot on the club floor. His nefarious cousin Luca Valari has vanished back to Chicago but may have an opportunity to return to Boston to pursue some racketeering for the possibility of the United States entering the second great war. Meanwhile, Hamish and Reggie have been building up their investigative practice of Van Buren and De Luca. The pair have grown much closer during the time, but still haven’t crossed any lines of intimacy. They get a call from Pete Kelly, who has been using the harbor area in the North End for black market business for years but keeps the tenants with decent prospects and jobs. The prestigious architectural firm Hyatt and Price (the same firm that the Vaughn of Reggie’s past is employed) is working to develop the area into affordable housing. But after learning of Hamish’s connections to his cousin Luca, Kelly steps away from working with them. Shortly after, Hamish receives a visit from a colored farm league baseball player for the Boston Patriots, Errol Parker. Errol has always been on the receiving end of pranks, but lately they’ve escalated to threats. Hamish and Reggie agree to investigate this and shortly a murder takes place at the stadium. As the investigation continues, all the events that have been taking place begin to become intertwined and it will take both of them to figure it out.

Although three years has passed from when the previous book ended, it was evident that Hamish and Reggie have grown closer. The was a parallel investigation of their personal relationship to that of the murder that was being investigated. It was put through a very trying time in this book and readers will finally get to see what it is made of. The previous book did a great job of setting up a new series including character development and the scenery of the time of the North End of Boston. Since that had already been done, this book just took that previous momentum and carried it forward. There wasn’t as much descriptive scenery, but both Reggie and Hamish continued to develop. Several of the supporting characters from the previous book continued in their progress as well. As a reader, I still didn’t like Vaughn because of his relationship with Reggie, but he was such a good guy and had matured. Dirk of course was still lowly and easy to dislike. I still enjoy the series and will be looking forward to what comes next.

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

A Family of Strangers

Family of strangers

Author: Emilie Richards

Publisher: MIRA Publishing

Release Date: June 25, 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

No matter how much we think we know someone, even the closest to us can be hiding deep, dark secrets that could affect everyone.

It is hard growing up in the shadows of an older sibling you feel can do no wrong. Ryan Gracey has spent her entire life watching her perfect older sister, Wendy. achieve everything she went for. Ryan tried her hardest to be her own person and not live in the shadow of her sister but still got overlooked. Wendy was about to go to college when Ryan was born so the two have never been extremely close. When Wendy calls Ryan saying there has been a murder and she might be accused, Ryan uses her expertise from her podcast looking into cold cases to help figure out what kind of mess her sister has gotten into. All this while taking care of Wendy’s two girls and helping take care of her father who just had heart surgery. The more Ryan digs into the past of her sister, the more sinister things start to look and the more she starts to question what she has always thought was the truth about their lives.

How well do we ever really know someone? Even if they are part of our family, can we ever really know someone? These are great questions that really made me think while reading this book. The beginning started a little slow but once the story started going it really picked up and the last few chapters were irresistible. I loved the way Richards brought about the secrets the family had been keeping and how it all intertwined throughout time and reached farther than Ryan could have realized. I didn’t like or trust Wendy from the very beginning, her story never added up and the lack of emotion she showed for her family was shockingly well written. I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Ryan and her nieces, it wasn’t rushed and felt natural and timed perfectly. Once I got past the first half and had the setup of the story fully established, the story it read quickly and was very enjoyable. If readers want a story that will keep them guessing until the very end they will enjoy this very much.

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

The Islanders

Author: Meg Mitchell Moore

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Release Date: June 11, 2019

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The absolute best quick, fun summer read I have enjoyed in some time. Readers will not be disappointed by what is found within these pages.

Anthony Puckett’s world changes after his debut novel spends two years atop the best sellers list. Before he can release his second book, something goes terribly wrong and he finds himself borrowing a beach house on Block Island from a friend to try and get his life back on track. Joy Sousa has founded a successful bakery on the same island with her daughter after her divorce over a decade ago. When a new food truck comes to the island taking business away from Joy, she must figure out a way to get her life and business back on track before she loses everything. Lu Trusdale reluctantly agrees to spend the summer with her two boys on the island at the request of her in-laws. Her husband goes back and forth to the mainland to work at the hospital leaving her to tend to the kids alone most of the time. At first, she was fine staying home with the kids, but as the years progressed she found herself missing something deep down and started to work on a secret project making her question if she made the right decision. During the summer, these three strangers will find their lives intertwined and must decide which road they need to take to secure the future they want most.

I must admit when I started this book I wasn’t very sure I was going to like it. For some reason I just wasn’t feeling it on the first few pages; however, that changed very quickly. By about the third or fourth chapter I was hooked and flying through. I read this in two quick days. I enjoyed the fast pace, the way the stories between the characters intertwined, and the way it all wrapped up in the end. With multiple viewpoints tied to a back and forth perspective, readers get a much more thorough picture of what is happening in these characters lives. The Anthony story line was probably my favorite, I especially liked the little twist toward the end with his parents. (No spoilers but it is a good one). The characters are all written so well, I cheered for them and I found myself frowning and getting angry with them at all the right moments. I can’t say much that I didn’t enjoy, there is some harsh language but not a ton which would be more suitable for the mature audience which it is written. This is the perfect read for anyone wanting a fun, summer beach read with a little bit of extra drama to spice things up.

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

The Number of Love

Number of Love

Author: Roseanna M. White

Series: Codebreakers #1

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: June 4, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A mysterious read that crosses between A Beautiful Mind and Bing Bang Theory.

Margot De Wilde understands mathematics and finds comfort in numbers. After her family fled Belgium at the beginning of the Great War, Margot has found use for her talents as one of the lead codebreakers in the British navy. An unconventional position for a woman at the time, but Margot is quite unconventional herself. She does not notice any of the attentiveness of men and hopes to secure a professorship at a university after the war. While at work one day, she meets a new young lady named Dot, who is to be serving as a secretary. Dot has her own quirks and doesn’t like to leave her house but knows she must. Margot and Dot strike up a mutual friendship where each person can accept their own faults. But when Dot’s brother Drake shows up, things become much more interesting.

Drake Elton serves as a spy for the British navy. Fluent in three languages and having a grandfather in Spain who runs a prosperous shipping business gives him the perfect cover to set up a base of operations there. But after a botched mission lands him in the infirmary in London, Drake dreads the recovery time. His sister Dot comes to visit him quite often as does her friend the mathematician, Margot. Drake has never met anyone like Margot, who is extremely intelligent and can match wits with Drake on any occasion. When remnants from his mission in Spain begin to show up in London, Drake knows that he must return to duty to save his country and Margot.

This was a very entertaining story from the beginning to the last sentence. Margot became my best friend instantly and we had a great adventure throughout the journey. Granted, I’m married to an engineer, so maybe math people are my friends. Even so, the best way that I can describe Margot is like a female Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. She fully understands numbers and math but is completely oblivious to social norms. The romance between her and Drake evolved in its own time and wasn’t forced like so many books attempt. Everything flowed great and her armor was slowly chipped by Drake until it was worn down and she finally understood what it was to love and be loved. I also appreciated the author weaving faith into the story and the trials and tribulations that Margot had to go through to become the woman she was meant to be.

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

The Pages of Her Life

Pages of her life Author: James L. Rubart

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: May 21, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

If you have never read a James Rubart book, you are missing out! He is one of the best authors I have ever read. The Pages of Her Life is another home run for this very talented author.

Allison Moore thought starting her own architecture firm with her best friend was going to be the best thing ever, no more working in the corporate world and having to answer to others. After her divorce and the death of her father, she needs something good in her life. While she enjoys working with her best friend and not having to answer to anyone, things are tougher than she would like to admit. When her mom tells her that her father had been living a secret double life and has left them almost half a million dollars in debt, she knows she must do something to help. As Allison searches for ways to help, she is gifted a journal which she pours her heart into. With each passing day, her problems seem to intensify and so does the mystery of her new journal. The words she writes in the journal begin to disappear and are replaced by new ones that help her see her situation in a new light.

James Rubart is quickly becoming one of my go to favorite authors. If I see he has a new book coming out, I am all over it. This is the third book I have read by him and it fully lived up to my expectations. His writing style is unlike that of anyone I have read before. He has a way of writing a story that goes so deep with characters that will pull you in better than most. I loved the way Allison and her brother stepped up to help their mom when they found out she was in need. Their mom was trying to do what all moms do and keep her kids from worrying but in the end, they had to come together as a family and work together to solve the difficult problem.

Readers need to go into this book with an open mind for what they will find within the pages. It is not your normal feel good read; this will require readers to go deeper and examine their faith and aspects of their own life. Rubart did an outstanding job of character development with Allison as she goes through trials and tribulations in her personal and professional life. I despised Derek and Linda, but that is ok as these are not characters we are supposed to like, and I loved how real the dislike for them came across. Fans of Rubart’s writing will notice characters from previous novels making an appearance. I almost feel there is a little more that could happen for a few of the characters. The storyline itself wrapped up nicely but I became so invested in these characters I would like to see more with them. I highly recommend this to readers that enjoy a story that will draw them in to the supernatural and explore elements of faith not often written about in such an entertaining and enjoyable story.

Turtles in the Road

Turtles Authors: Rhonda Rhea and Kaley Rhea

Publisher: Bold Vision Books

Release Date: April 21, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A wonderfully enticing story that I couldn’t devour fast enough. Readers will truly fall in love with these characters and the trials they go through to find out who they are and what God has in store for them that is so much better than they would have ever imagined.

Piper Cope thought she had her life figured out. She felt certain God had called her to be a pastor’s wife. When her fiancé breaks off their engagement, she is left uncertain of her future. She packs her car and leaves to go live with her sister, another complicated relationship in her life, while she sorts out what her future holds. While driving on the rainy roads, she swerves to miss a turtle in the road and ends up in the ditch with a broken car stuck in a little unknown town. With her car in the shop and not a lot of money, she ends up at the little bed and breakfast in town and working at the community center. She quickly falls for the little town but doesn’t want to get her heart broken again. The community center director decides to take a chance giving Piper a job and helping her out in her time of need but doesn’t expect to have feelings for her grow as quickly as they do. Will Piper find what she has been looking for or find herself at another dead end and more confused than ever?

Rhonda Rhea and her daughter Kaley Rhea have written one delightful read that I devoured in a single day. This may be one of the most enjoyable Christian Romance books I have ever read. The best thing about this story for me was the fact that nothing felt rushed, the characters acted out exactly as I felt they should, the romance was not rushed in the slightest and I found myself picturing exactly what was happening as I jumped into the pages head first. The writing style is unique and hit the spot; when I say this was funny I mean it was actually funny where it was supposed to be funny and for the right reasons. Most of the times when a book is said to be funny it is because a character has certain quirks that make it funny but here it was situations and the characters jut being flat out hilarious. I loved everything about Piper from the way she ended up swerving to miss the turtle to the very end (I don’t want to spoil the end, but I guarantee you will be smiling). Readers that enjoy a fun clean romance with a good message will absolutely adore Turtles in the Road. This will be on my best of list for sure!

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

Pieces of Her

Author: Karin Slaughter

Publisher: William Morrow Publishing

Release Date: May 21, 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

What do you do when the person you thought you knew best turns out to be a stranger with a life that you never could have imagined that has now put your life at risk?

Laura has spent the last thirty years protecting herself and her daughter Andrea from her past. A past she isn’t proud of and wants to keep secret. When they go out to celebrate Andrea’s birthday, a shooting throws their world into turmoil. Andrea sees a side of her mother she has never witnessed before and finds out that before her mother was Laura, she was someone completely different. Piece by piece, Andrea works to figure out who exactly her mother is and what is causing her past to attack them all. Without her mother giving her information she needs, Andrea travels across the country collecting the puzzle pieces to put it all together and keep them both alive.

Aside from the incredibly harsh language used throughout the entire novel, this was an incredibly engaging read. The story, the characters, and the predicaments they found themselves in kept me hooked throughout. I loved the concept of the book and how the characters had such intricate pasts that caught up with them in the end. The back and forth timelines took a little bit to keep up with who was who and how it related in the past compared to what was happening in the present timeline. Andy had trouble getting her words and thoughts out at times which was a little irritating, I wanted to see more out of her. I do think she had good growth as a character along with her mother. The “bad guys” didn’t really evolve much for me, they started bad and they stayed that way. This was a very engaging and enjoyable story for me but I do wish the language would have been toned down, it just wasn’t necessary to the extent it was used. I do recommend this to readers that enjoy a great mystery. This is the first book by Karen Slaughter and I enjoyed the writing style and will be tempted to pick up more in the future.

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

Powerful Prayers for your Son

Power prayers

Authors: Rob & Joanna Teigen

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: April 16, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A wonderful tool for all parents of boys as they grow and go through the difficult times life will throw their way.

As parents we always want to pray for our kids. Sometimes finding the right prayer can be difficult. Rob and Joanna Teigen write that even when we as parents don’t understand our son doesn’t mean God doesn’t understand what they are going through and what they need. This book offers prayers for many different situations and even stories from parents going through hard times, how they prayed for their kids and what God did to answer those prayers. Also included are sections that explain what is important for boys to learn as they grow and how parents can pray for the lives of their children

I absolutely loved reading this book. I have two young boys and constantly want to pray the right things for them. In the day and age, we are living in a time when there is so much bad in the world that our kids are exposed to, we need to be on guard and pray constantly. I loved the areas with Prayer Stories that gave good examples of what some parents have gone through and how they prayed for their son and how God answered those prayers, even if it wasn’t exactly what they prayed for. Even when we don’t know the right words to pray for our children, if we will call out to God He will answer our prayers in the way He knows is right; it may not always be what we think is right but later if we look back we will see how right it truly is. Certain sections really resonated with me as I see my son going through those tough times and wonder if I am doing enough for him and want him to seek God and hope I am setting the right example. The payers don’t have to be long, they are just enough to say what is on the heart, that we love our children and truly want what is best for them. I recommend this book to parents of kids young and old. We should never stop praying for our kids and can always use more resources to add to our arsenal for them.

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

The Song of the Jade Lily

Jade lily Author: Kristy Manning

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A brilliant piece of literary work that showcases the Japanese occupation of Shanghai during World War II.

Romy and her family are Jews living in Vienna during the 1930s. On the night of Kristallnacht, her family realizes that they must flee the country to save their lives, but only she and her parents are able to secure passage on a ship from Italy to Shanghai, known as Paris of the East. Upon arrival, Romy quickly realizes that Shanghai is very different from anywhere she has ever been. It is overcrowded with people and separated into many different sections including French, British, and Japanese. She soon meets another young woman here age named Li Ho. They form a strong friendship over the next two years, but after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese occupy Shanghai and begin to rid the area of any anti-Japanese sentiment. Will this friendship stand the test of a war-torn country?

Jumping ahead several years to 2016, Alexandra Cohen is a very successful commodities trader in London. But after a bad breakup and learning her grandfather is dying, she quickly returns to Melbourne, Australia. Alexandra has always been different being part Chinese but has never really known the true story of her birth mother. Her parents died when she was young, and her grandparents always change the subject when she brings it up. After her grandfather passes, Alexandra receives an opportunity to work in Shanghai. She takes it with hopes that maybe she can finally uncover the truth about the adoption of her mother and find her true family.

This has been a great year for historical novels that uncover rarely known facts about World War II. This book was no exception as I had little knowledge of Jewish refugees living in Shanghai. I thoroughly appreciated all the research that the author put into this book to bring this era of history to light and how she weaved it into such an intricate story. The character development of Alexandra throughout the book was fantastic as well. She grew from being insecure into someone who can seize the moment and get what she wants from life. There is some very raw emotion throughout the book. There were parts that brought me to tears because of what Romy experienced. I imagine other readers will feel the same way.

This book really focuses on the power of secrets and the damage that they can do to a family over time. However, there is also a theme of redemption in the later part of the book. I enjoyed that the author shared that even when families have secrets, they are not as secret as one might think.

There is very little foul language in the book; however, there are some implied sex scenes that will not be appropriate for younger readers. I recommend this book for readers who love time slip novels exploring World War II and for people who just need a good story!

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