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Saturday, December 30, 2017

God, Faith and Reason



"What you will see in this book are snapshots of God, not a complete film. This book is presented in an omnibus style and does not have to be read in precise, sequential order. What you will see is one man's glimpses of God - images along the road of life. It is a scrapbook of the highest power through dreams, memories and stories, much like the ancient texts. I know a lot of people who are not religious but say, "You know, it's terrible. We were once a great Christian nation, and the churches are empty and the mosques are filling up. They always wanted someone else to go to church. People who don't go to church don't' really believe in God. They want someone to believe for them. They cry, "Oh, why are the churches empty?" To which I reply, "Well, why don't you go?" They aren't religious, but they wish other people were. Well, you are the other people."

As I have said many years ago, we've gone from St. Christopher medals to dream catchers in one generation. When I was a kid, it seemed as though every other car had a Catholic owner. They had little St. Christopher's statues on the dashboard. Myself, I didn't have one, but I liked that there were people who believed in God. And one day, I woke up, it was post-Obama and there were dream catchers hanging off mirrors. There are so many things hanging off mirrors, I don't know how people can see through their windshields. Mirrors and beads and voodoo. There is voodoo paraphernalia hanging off automobile mirrors and the country is melting down. It's total anarchy." (God, Faith and Family Preface).

God, Faith and Reason is a hard hitting book from Michael Savage, who doesn't hold back blunt honesty. If you are looking for a candy-coated rainbow colored book on what has happened to this once great nation that was founded on Christian principles, you might want to find another book. Michael Savage is about taking the hard hits and giving readers the blatant truth of his own opinion on where he believes this country was headed and how we might hope to get back the same foundation it was once built on. But it is going to take people to stand up for what is right, regardless of the costs. We need to stop building more laws and put the old laws back into place. Our country was built on the Constitution the way our founding fathers wrote it, not reinterpreting it to please our latest mood at the moment. When did people start becoming so offended anyway? Do we all have to agree? Can we not all have differences of opinion any longer? Must we all be forced to get along even when we don't agree with the way things are going?

I received God, Faith and Reason by Michael Savage, compliments of Center Street Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Groups. I LOVE his books because he doesn't hold back the punches that need to be addressed. For the last 8 years, we have had leaders in this once great nation, completely rewrite and reinterpret what our Constitution has meant. Almost reading between the lines as it was. Now bakeries are being sued because a gay couple wanted a cake baked to their standards even if it didn't agree with this particular bakeries standards and beliefs. In fact, they had turned down other orders for the same reason, but now, it seems like everyone is lawsuit crazy instead of merely taking their business to another baker, they sued based on what? Their feelings being hurt. Seriously, that is what is wrong with this country and it is time to take back the country from the children who were running it based on what certain people felt. In my own lifetime I never thought I would see it coming apart at the seams but thank God in His mercy, He has allowed us a chance to possibly get this country back on its feet and earn the respect it once had. Something people could be proud of. We just need to get rid of those in office that are making that difficult. Hopefully some of the things Michael talks about in this book might help us do just that. All it takes is one person at a time, doing the right thing. For me, I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. Check it out for yourself and I hope you LOVE what you find tucked inside.

For more information about God, Faith and Reason , Michael Savage or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:


You can find Michael Savage on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books and projects.

To read more reviews on God, Faith and Reason, please visit Hachette Book Group's website.

Friday, December 29, 2017

Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops



In this life, we are bound to have difficult days, most of the time whether we want them or not. I find that humor can often help us get over some of the really difficult days and I want to ensure that everyone single woman I know reads, Rhinestones on my Flip-Flops by Jane Jenkins Herlong. Think of her as a bit of Erma Bombeck coupled with a southern Lady and you might just have touched the ice berg of what you will find tucked behind the covers of this wonderful book.

The reason why I would recommend it to every woman alive is that there are things only women can relate to being a woman that is, from our periods, which Jane refers to that should be renamed as exclamation marks instead. Just reading that, I knew I found someone I could relate to and thus the adventure into this book begins. Using examples of both her own life's humor married to those classic examples we find in the Bible are woman, Jane refers to as WOW, women of wisdom. Sometimes those might come in the form of a mother, sister, best friends or just people you might make that connection with in the world. It unites us and makes us all look at life through a different perspective at times, and we all definitely need those when we feel we are at the end of our rope and its unwinding quickly.

She labels these women by their own chapters like Deceived Eve, Domestic Diva Martha, to even Whiny Naomi and more. There are things we can learn from these women of the Bible even though we have read about them more times that we can recall. We all know that Eve was the first who didn't read Apple's Terms and Conditions thoroughly. Sound like you? I can relate, if I am being honest. So what might you learn from Eve besides learning that her husband would point the finger of blame at her when God asked, what happened? We have to remember that the crafty serpent was initially to blame and even though he tickled her ears with wanting to know everything like God, he failed to specify the consequences that might go along with those seemingly innocent choices she made. Do you know of anyone in your life that might be playing with a little fire themselves or maybe you are dealing with a moral dilemma.

"I bet that serpent in the garden had Eve so mixed up that she could have been convinced to count Adam's ribs just to make sure that there was not another woman around. The enemy's greatest tool is deception and many, beyond reason and common sense, fall prey. Eve truly had it all and didn't even have to wish for world peace. If there had been a label to read it would have said 'perfect.' Did Adam wear the "plants" in the family? When God questioned him, he blamed Eve. Then Eve blamed the serpent. What else could she do? There was plenty of blame to go around, so God said to both Adam and Eve, "Sorry, out you go."

I received Rhinestones on my Flip-Flops by Jane Jenkins Herlong compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups and I am so glad I got this book. It would be such a fun study for women to work through this book together at church. I can imagine the friendships that would be made providing us with more WOW to hang out with, pray with or even cry with at times in our own life. The small section above it just a few short paragraphs of the wonderful eye opening humor and life lessons you will take away from this. I think at times reading this that Jane is my relative, we just don't know the connection yet or perhaps we are related by God's wonderful bloodline. If you know of someone going through a tough time, consider picking this book up for them as a huge encouragement and even a way to bring a smile if not a laugh back into their day. For me, hands down a 5 out of 5 winner in my opinion.

For more information about Rhinestones on my Flip-Flops, Jane Jenkins Herlong or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:


You can find Jane Jenkins Herlong on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Rhinestones on my Flip-Flops, please visit Hachette Book Group's website.


Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Chalk Man



When I finish a book the hardest thing might just be how to rate it. From a Christian perspective, I have always LOVED thrillers, mysteries, and the occasional horror novel because it is what led me to Christ in the first place. So with that being said, how to rate The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor, her first novel. Knowing how I have set up my personal rating scale this would garner a 3 out of 5, based on sexual content and profanity, but rating it as the world would I would give this a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I always ask myself the same question when novels are lowered on my own rating scale based on the subject matter that most people don't know about going into a novel. Will there be profanity, will there be adult or sexual content or will this be something dealing with violent graphic matters? Most importantly I ask myself, could the story stand alone on its own merits without those things being added for flavor perhaps.

In this case, the profanity could have easily been left out and the sexual content could have been toned down in a different way to enhance the warped sense of one character who really is evil personified, and in both cases a yes, helps me to rate a novel in a well-rounded manner. So if you're the author reading this, the answer is yes, in my opinion, profanity and sexual content did not need to be added to move this story line along. While I had my own guesses at the beginning of who I thought the chalk man was, I was sadly mistaken. To me, that is a sign of a brilliant writer's ability to carry the reader along a different perspective that has been there all along, only you simply didn't see it. Kinda of like The Sixth Sense, it isn't until you get to the end to see the revealing that has been there all along. Maybe we simply didn't want to see it.



The Chalk Man is a thriller based on two different time periods, one in 1986 and the other in 2016 both involving the same group of kids who grew up together and thus like most, have those found coming of age stories. Only in 1986, Eddie, one of five kids witnesses a terrible accident at a fair, that inevitably changes him without ever realizing it. He was forced to help deal with the outcome of a young girl who could have died without his help. It also bonded him to a mysterious new school teacher who dealt with an albino skin condition that rendered him a bit odd looking. The kids have an unusual method of communicating with one another, stick figures drawn in chalk of various colors to send secret messages. Only those same figures is also a way for a killer to move the children to discover a dismembered body and the possible killer, twenty years later. This is unlike most thrillers you've read before and one I thoroughly enjoyed because it definitely kept you wanting to read more to know if your guess is correct.

I received The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor compliments of Crown Publishing, a division of Penguin Random House Publishing Group. This is definitely going to be a writer to watch and can easily see this being made into a movie for the big screen. So many movies are being remade simply because they lack original ideas like this one. Think if it like the Goonies but only a bit darker with a sinister side that not all things are as they should be. Be prepared to look at things a bit differently because this writer is definitely a talent to watch. In my opinion, I would give this a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Chalk Man, C.J. Tudor or where you can preorder a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:


You can find C.J. Tudor on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on The Chalk Man, please visit Penguin Random House's website. 


Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Sunday Silence



Sometimes when you book up a novel, anticipating it will be a really good one, and immediately get so lost, you backtrack and try reading it again, only to get to the same place you did the first place and question what are you doing wrong? Why are you connecting with this book? What are you missing? This is the case I encountered with Nicci French's novel, Sunday Silence. Seeing as this is a series, and this is the 7th novel, I questioned if that is where I was getting lost. Perhaps. Then I do what I usually do and see if I am the only one feeling this way, by reading previous reviews. I found I am not alone in my assessment.

I have NOT read the previous novels in this series, and I have no backstory to go off of except to dive into this novel and hope for the best. The novel opens with a gristly discovery found beneath the floorboards of Frieda Klein's home. The body of someone she knows and therefore, has to explain to the local police how she knows this man. While it appears the man has been dead for some years, the decomposing of the body shows it is a recent murder. Is Frieda guilty or is someone setting her up? I found it interesting that the police merely questioned her and she was immediately let go. I mean how many people wind up with an unexplained body beneath their floor? Wouldn't you detain that person until you verified she was innocent?

Guess like me, you'll have to read further into the novel. It appears as if Frieda has been the victim of a serial killer who finds putting Frieda and those she is close to at risk based on just having a connection with her. It seems like a game of cat and mouse until one discovers that there are two cats each with their own motive and she is now doubly in danger and must stay a step ahead to avoid being the victim of either killer. While I was hoping for more than this one delivered, I guess each reader will have their own opinion of what they think of this novel. For me, the connection point of truly caring for the main character, didn't just pan out and I was actually hoping that this would end and thus put me out of my misery of trying to find something salvageable about this novel. I didn't unfortunately and have to say I give this one a 3 out of 5 stars.

I received Sunday Silence by Nicci French compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. I may have to go back and read this series from the beginning in hopes of garnering support that this is an exceptional series as some have claimed. I truly LOVE good mystery books that really keep the reader engaged and for me, this just never happened. It fell flat for me of what I expected but I hope that others will have a different opinion than I did.

For more information about Sunday Silence, Nicci French or where you can pre order a copy of this novel due out in January of 2018, please click on the links below:


You can find Nicci French on Facebook to stay up to date with all their latest novels.

To read more reviews on Sunday Silence, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website. 

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

The Atomic City Girls



Can you imagine a story based on historical facts that takes small town city girls and gets them to work in a secret city in Oak Ridge, Tennessee? All the girls know is that it is a job, will help them earn a living while the men are serving overseas in the war, and that they are helping their own country. They are required to sign documents that states they are not allowed to share anything that goes on within the Oak Ridge city limits and to do so might just get you jail time, a hefty fine, loss of your employment or all three.

The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard is the novel that takes place in November of 1944 when a young 18-year old girl, June Walker begins what will be a defining moment in her career working in someplace she can't even talk about or write about. She struggles to understand her own role in things, when she marries a man she doesn't love only to have him killed in the war. Now she faces coming to terms with her widowhood at such a young age, while other girls around her are more than happy to benefit from the movies, dances and social activities that abound after they leave their monotonous jobs.

All she does with every other girl is work in a cubicle all day watching dials, and when they deviate from their norms, she dials them back in. She questions what this might all be, but she knows she also can't afford to lose her job by talking about it either. Spies are literally everywhere who would be all too happy to report anyone from breaking any of the strike employment guidelines they were all required to sign upon their first day of work. It appears there is more than meets the eye where she works and one day, a young girl makes the mistake of wearing hair pins to work only to have them ripped violently from her head. What does this secret city have to do with magnets and the war effort? You'll have to read this novel for more inside information.

I received The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. What I LOVED about this novel is all the historical photos that a placed throughout the novel, from the elaborate signs being placed all over the city, to the plain boring work stalls each girl had to work in. How they managed not to go crazy from boredom is beyond me, but at a time where each was assured they were all helping the war effort, things begin to change once the first of two bombs fell on Japan and soon enough things began to be discovered and wondered how dangerous were their jobs if this was the result. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Atomic City Girls, Janet Beard or where you can preorder a copy of this novel today due on February 2018, please click on the links below:


You can find Janet Beard on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

For more reviews on The Atomic City Girls, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website. 




Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Last Christmas in Paris



One of my fondest memories as a child growing up was during one summer, a friend and I, picked out anonymous names and became pen pals since seeing each other as often as we wanted was out. It was the best summer I can remember. I have a profound respect for men and women who served during our great wars, WWI and WWII. All of the WWI veterans have passed away and we still have a handful of the veterans from WWII but not for long. The stories they still hold is as relevant to them as my summer of being pen pals. There is just something about sharing memories and stories that needs to be treasured.

In Hazel Gaynor's latest novel, Last Christmas in Paris, readers are given a behind the scenes look at how a trio of siblings and friends found a way to survive the war. For Evie Elliot, she watched as her brother Will and best friend to both Evie and Will, Tom Harding went to war for England. The book parallels to different time periods both in 1968, where our story both concludes and begins, but also the formation of hope, faith and love that is shared as the letters between the three are shared in this novel. It shows the progression of optimism that the war will be over by the first Christmas, it shows the loss that comes when war raises its ugly head, and the love that can be found by never giving up, of dreaming of a better future than the current one.

As a reader, I felt guilty as if I had happened upon these letters by chance and was given an insider's look at the lives of both the authors and recipients. Sometimes the things we want to say but can't can be conveyed in writing better than if we spoke them in person. There isn't a fear of what might be said in response because one must wait to hear the outcome in another letter. I have read most of Hazel Gaynor's novels and have to give her credit for taking the reader right into her novels. There is so much detail in her writing style, you can hear and smell the things as they are being described like the Zepplin's nightly air raids on the small towns and of Evie and Tom's promise that one day they will visit Paris for Christmas when the war is over.

I received Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. Readers will enjoy a bit of historical fact woven into the story line and for fans of history like myself, will truly enjoy and appreciate this novel. I hope more will pick this novel up and join me in preserving a bit of history by doing so. War is hard enough, but it is the love that outlasts all the evils that will always prevail. For me, this one garners a 5 out of 5 stars in this readers opinion.

For more information about Last Christmas in Paris, Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:


You can find Hazel Gaynor on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can find Heather Webb on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Last Christmas in Paris, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website. 

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

The Two of Us



I am so glad I held off reading The Two of Us by Victoria Bylin til the Christmas season, because this one is just so good, I didn't want to rush it and take my time enjoying the relationship that is played out between Mia Robinson and Jake Tanner. The two meet in Las Vegas where they are best man and maid of honor to their siblings without realizing it. They meet in a small cafe, where Jake wins a stuffed Hen that he gives to Mia. This is their meet-cute! They won't discover how closely they are about to be related until the day of the wedding in just a few hours. Mia has vented a bit to Jake, that her sister Lucy is making a bad decision in getting married so quickly just because she is pregnant.

When they meet up again at the Vegas wedding chapel, Lucy has started spotting and fears she is going to lose the baby. Mia thinks this might not be such a bad thing, since it was what initiated such a quick marriage to begin with, but puts aside her own personal feelings and takes over with her nurse training and manages to get Lucy to a hospital where she learns that baby is safe for the moment, but Lucy will be on strict rest until the doctor feels the baby is well enough that she can go back to normal life again. This doesn't sit well for Lucy who wants her marriage and honeymoon to Sam to be picture perfect, but Sam is more than willing to wait.

Mia is planning on leaving soon to head off on a Missions trip where she will take her medical training and help children in third world countries, but insists that she will stay and help Lucy until that happens. Jake insists on Sam and Lucy moving to the Tanner ranch where there is plenty of help and support to help not only Lucy, but Jake's mother Claire who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. This also gives Jake and Mia time to explore their own feelings for one another even though they agree remaining friends is the best thing knowing where they both envision a future for themselves. But does God have other plans? Find out by picking up this wonderful heart-warming romance! I received The Two of Us by Victoria Bylin, compliments of Baker Publishing Group and Net Galley and easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Two of Us, Victoria Bylin or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:


You can find Victoria Bylin on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews of The Two of Us, please visit Baker Publishing Group's website. 


Monday, December 18, 2017

The Missing



Sometimes when I write a review I often wonder how much to share and how much to hold back on. Such is the case with C.L. Taylor's novel, The Missing. I guess since there is no official rating scale for books, that is where reviews come into play. Mine might be a bit harsh but I want readers to know what they are truly getting into before they pick this one up. If they're fine with the subject matter, than they won't be as surprised as I was when I read this novel. The premise is simple, a young 15-year-old boy Billy Wilkinson goes missing without a trace and his family is left to deal with the aftermath.

The novel is divided into a series of events being seen through the eyes of his mother, Claire, who truly believes her son is alive even though she doesn't know where to begin to look for him. The book begins 6-months after his disappearance, and the family is going back to the public for an appeal to help them find out what has happened to their son. The family is beyond fragmented as each of them attempt to deal with things in their own way. Claire thinks she must stay busy because trying to go back to normal can't happen until she finds her son. She begins to see him everywhere and follows them to almost tragic ends without considering her own safety. I would too, if I was Claire. Her older son, Jake is almost forgotten by her husband, Mark. Seeing as he has turned to alcohol as his way of dealing the pain of being cast aside, while dealing with his live-in girlfriend, Kira who has escaped an abusive upbringing.

Claire suffers from black out episodes where she has no recollection of how she arrives in any location and soon her family believes she might just need to see a specialist dealing with mental disorders. The majority of the book deals with the family trying to figure out what happened to Billy but in the midst of all of this are homosexual encounters between a group of teens, Claire happens to follow that lead to an apartment where she walks in on two men have sex. Also her best friend, Liz is dealing with her own son having a boyfriend. I felt that neither of these issues needed to be built into the novel and found them distracting from following along with Claire trying to find her son. That being said, it wasn't quite the novel I had hoped for.

I received The Missing by C.L. Taylor compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. This novel capitalizes on every parents worst nightmare. Not knowing if your son has simply chosen to walk away from adult responsibilities and seek his future without his divisive parents or he was truly a victim of suspicious circumstances. The novel does toggle between Claire's hunt for the truth and text messages between two individuals who have a tormented relationship that involves underage drinking. Is this a clue or another diversion? You'll have to read the novel to find out how it all turns out. I rated this novel a 3.5 stars in my opinion based on my own review criteria.

For more information about The Missing, C.L. Taylor or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:


You can find C.L. Taylor on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Missing, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website. 


Friday, December 15, 2017

Seeds of Hope



I can only imagine how difficult it must be to have a childhood crush on a boy, ten years older than you. Yet you remain the very best of friends. For Miriam Troyer, she kept that secret buried deep inside even though the feelings she had for Mark Byler have never changed. She had hoped that time and distance might change all that, but since Mark had moved away to the big city to follow his dreams of becoming an attorney, those familiar feelings remained. Even though he was now engaged to a young woman, Tiffany who was just like the jewelry maker, high maintenance and wealthy beyond measure, just the right kind of wife for an up and coming successful lawyer.

When Mark receives a letter from his grandfather to come to Paradise, Pennsylvania, he worries that his grandfather might be ill. He has never written to him before asking for anything, and when he doesn't return Mark's calls, he fears the worst. Yet all that John Byler wanted was a chance to talk to Mark in hopes of convincing him that unless he accepted taking over his farm, it would be sold and given to someone other than a Byler to run. He had hoped to stir those feelings inside him long ago when he used to visit his grandfather on the farm during his summers away. But he could't just walk away from the life he had now, and there was no way that Tiffany would have anything to do with farming.

So when a high profile case of Mark's suddenly takes a turn for the worst, his law firm insists that he take some time off to let things die down in the public's eye. The only place left for him to go, is back to his grandfather's farm to help him work the harvesting season and payback all those who have helped his grandfather for all those years, and maybe that includes Miriam Troyer who has spent her days bringing meals to his grandfather so he wouldn't have to fend for himself. Now she just hopes that she can keep those long-time feelings tucked inside because as things stand now, there is no hope for her and Mark to have anything romantic happen between them. For now, she will just do her best to be the friend he needs.

I received Seeds of Hope by Barbara Cameron compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Gilead Publishing. This is such an incredible novel that conveys the need for loyalty and love of family. It goes beyond what others might want especially in the big city of Philadelphia, who seemed to distance themselves from the negative publicity even his fiancè, Tiffany. It is a valuable lesson on what we define as important to us, and Mark soon realizes that money can't buy everything he once thought it could and that the love of close family and friends is indeed priceless. Discussion questions are included at the conclusion of this book that would make it the perfect choice for book clubs. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and can't wait for the next novel in the Harvest of Hope series.

For more information about Seeds of Hope, Barbara Cameron or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:


You can find Barbara Cameron on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Seeds of Hope, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 


Thursday, December 14, 2017

A Dangerous Legacy



"Talent is a gift from God," he would say, "It's a sin to hoard our talent. There is nothing special about me except I can build things to make life better for the people around me. And when I do that, I feel God smiling on me." (excerpt from A Dangerous Legacy).

When the Drake family remains divided over the rights of the invention of a pressure valve, Lucy and her older brother Nick, believe they are following God's purpose in insuring that every single home or apartment building has the available to provide clean water, through the installation of the valves her Uncle Eustace, had invented. He was only swindled out of his legal rights when he was called to serve his country, and left a partially signed contract with his brother. What he failed to understand is that it limited where he could sell those valves, while his brother was free to sell them outside Manhattan for whatever he wanted and whenever he wanted.

Now that Uncle Thomas Drake is on the move to prohibit Lucy and Nick from utilizing their valves that Eustace's taught Nick to make due to the legalities of the contract. He has even stooped to spying on them in whatever means he can utilize. Although Lucy, as a telegraph operator for the Associated Press has developed her own way of spying on them through the use of the telegraph wire Nick has subtly hooked up that no one can see. Until the one time, he rival at the Reuter's press, located in the same building as Lucy, hears the coded message and realize it has nothing news worthy to provide to the AP. So Lucy and Colin Beckwith come to an agreement, that she will not pass along rumors of Colin's dinner behavior that would humiliate him in the public's eye, if he will remain quiet about the secret wire she is using to enable her to stay apprised about the legal status of their lawsuit with her Uncle.

I received A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden compliments of NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers. The thing about Elizabeth's novels is that the reader doesn't realize they are learning about a piece of historical fact that she has woven in to keep them unaware, while providing just the right blend of fiction to keep them glued to the outcome of the story. Now I completely understand how water reaches the tops of those high rise apartments and businesses. I also didn't know that two rival newspapers really did work in the same building but on different floors and how the AP had to lease out using Reuter's Telegraph wires to gain news from the Eastern countries until they were able to lay their own Pacific cable. Also of historical note is the reason and construction details for the Panama Canal which readers will find at the conclusion of this novel. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. This is the first novel in the Empire State series.

For more information about A Dangerous Legacy, Elizabeth Camden or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:


You can find Elizabeth Camden on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Dangerous Legacy, please visit Bethany House Publisher's website. 


Wednesday, December 13, 2017

A Prairie Girl's Faith



Do you often wonder why so many people are still watching beloved reruns of Little House on the Prairie? Why so many mothers still read the books to their children? What has been the lasting impact on why so many people are still drawn to the woman who shared her stories of life living on the prairie for so many generations to enjoy?  You just might be interested in A Prairie Girl's Faith by Stephen W. Hines, to discover the spiritual legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

In a world of vastly different subject matters, parents I believe are still holding on to the family values and good-natured morals of the Ingalls family. Where forgiveness can still be found, where family is the greatest binder of faith, hope and love, and where holding on to the values that the Bible speaks of rings true no matter the age or background of those interested in the books or television show. I believe that people could identify with Laura and the true stories she told of life on the prairie with her family and those they came into contact with, where every family member felt as real to us as those in our own family.

The Ingalls family has taught us that those pioneer values of hope, endurance, courage and religious conviction, shaped by our Lord and His teachings, have given us a vision of America that we should strive for. True Christian faith can guide us into the future and one example for a healthy, loving faith is found in Laura Ingalls Wilder and her beloved family. It is her faith that is woven into her family's story of pioneering in the old West. This book introduces and takes the reader through understanding why this young woman's story has outlasted time, and seems to find new fans throughout the generations and those to come. That despite the odds against them, the family remains together and united by their faith. There is no consideration of leaving, divorce or walking away when the going gets tough. They work through things, not always perfectly, but together.

I received A Prairie Girl's Faith by Stephen W. Hines compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. I LOVE how this book, takes readers into the background of things we never questioned but what built the foundation that continues to draw people into the Ingalls family. This was a family for whom their faith was tantamount because going to church on Sunday, was just a common as getting up for milking the cow. It was never questioned how one might spend that day. It was reserved for nurturing the family in strengthening their faith, and that closeness shared between their family. Perhaps that is what is missing so much from the world today, that faith can move mountains. It can reunite and heal brokenness in a family and give them the strength to endure whatever hardship that comes their way simply by applying their faith as they understood it through what they learned and applied in their day to day lives. I easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about A Prairie Girl's Faith, Stephen W. Hines or where you can pre-order a copy of this book today due out in February of 2018, please click on the links below:


You can find out more information about anything related to Little House on the Prairie by visiting their website. 

To read more reviews on A Prairie Girl's Faith, please visit WaterBrook Multnomah Publisher's website. 


Monday, December 11, 2017

Strong to the Bone



I absolutely LOVE finding an incredible author that generates such an interest in their novels, that once you begin them, not only are you transported into the story as a bystander, but you simply can't put it down. Such is the case with my introduction to Jon Land's series of Caitlin Strong novels, with his latest, number nine by the way, Strong to the Bone. This is my first experience with this author and let me tell you, he can weave a story so compelling, you won't be able to put it down, until you know how it all plays out, and finally an author that doesn't convey the plot line too soon, so you have to stick it out.

In Strong to the Bone, the novel toggles between the Strong family, both in present day and also during 1944. The connection point between the two time frames is unforgettable in how they simply traveled together over the time passes to impact a Texas Ranger family, first the grandfather, Earl Strong and then subsequently the daughter, Caitlin Strong who originally didn't want to follow in her grandfather's footsteps. However when she was a victim of a rape, it changed her mind dramatically to take charge of her role in finding out who did it since she was drugged at the time and can't remember who handed her the drink initially. Now she is working a case that links her own crime to another rape victim and the DNA results tie it to the same perpetrator.

Once more the storyline will reach back into the past when Earl Strong's initial prisoner during WWII left behind three fatalities in a POW camp that also set the killer free. It was the one case he would never truly solve and one that kept him awake at nights. Now with a biological weapon posed to strike the US, could this have a connection from the past, and will Caitlin be able to solve the one missing piece of the puzzle her grandfather was unable to?

I received Strong to the Bone by Jon Land compliments of Partners in Crime Tours and Forge Books. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and love how I was able to jump right in without missing anything from the previous eight novels. That to me, is a sign of a truly talented writer. While this book does contain some profanity and sexual content that might be offensive to some readers, the overall story line is amazing. For that reason, I easily give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars based on my own review criteria and can't wait for more from this author.

For more information about Strong to the Bone, Jon Land or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:


You can find Jon Land on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Strong to the Bone, visit Partner's in Crime Book Tour participants listed below:

12/04 Review @ The Book Divas Reads
12/05 Review @ 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too
12/06 Blog Talk Radio w/Fran Lewis
12/06 Review @ CMash Reads
12/06/18 Review @ Just reviews
12/07 Interview @ CMash Reads
12/07 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
12/08 Guest Post @ Loris Reading Corner
12/08 Showcase @ The Bookworm Lodge
12/10 Showcase @ Bound 2 Escape
12/11 Review @ Reviews From The Heart
12/11 Showcase @ Chill and read
12/12 Interview @ Quiet Fury Books
12/13 Review @ A Bookaholic Swede
12/14 Excerpt @ Suspense Magazine
12/15 Interview @ A Blue Million Books
12/16 Showcase @ Books, Dreams, Life
12/17 Review @ Mythical Books
12/18 Review @ Cheryls Book Nook
12/19 Interview @ Mythical Books
12/20 Review @ Bookishly me
12/21 Guest post @ Aurora Bs Book Blog
12/29 Review @ Rockin Book Reviews
01/04/18 Review @ Wall-to-wall books - Giveaway
01/05 Interview @ BooksChatter
01/07 Showcase @ Brooke Blogs
01/09 Review @ Lynchburg Mama - GIVEAWAY
01/10 Review @ Its All About the Book
01/11 Showcase @ The Reading Frenzy
01/22 Review @ Mystery Suspense Reviews
01/23 Guest post @ Mystery Suspense Reviews
01/26 Review @ Celticladys Reviews
01/30 Review @ A Room Wihtout Books is Empty
01/31 Review @ The Avid Book Collector

Strong to the Bone by Jon Land Banner

Strong to the Bone

by Jon Land

on Tour December 4, 2017 - January 31, 2018

Synopsis:

STRONG TO THE BONE by Jon Land
1944: Texas Ranger Jim Strong investigates a triple murder inside a Nazi POW camp in Texas.
The Present: His daughter, fifth generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong, finds herself pursuing the killer her father never caught in the most personal case of her career a conspiracy stretching from that Nazi POW camp to a modern-day neo-Nazi gang.
A sinister movement has emerged from the shadows of history, determined to undermine the American way of life. Its leader, Armand Fisker, has an army at his disposal, a deadly bio-weapon, and a reputation for being unbeatable. But he s never taken on the likes of Caitlin Strong and her outlaw lover, Cort Wesley Masters.
To prevent an unspeakable cataclysm, Caitlin and Cort Wesley must win a war the world thought was over.
"Strong to the Bone is another fine effort by Jon Land, who manages to mix character development with gripping, page-turning plots. This is his best novel yet."
StrandMagazine

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Forge Books
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 0765384647 (ISBN13: 9780765384645)
Series: Caitlin Strong Novels (Volume 9)
Purchase Links: Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Goodreads | Macmillan 

Read an excerpt:

CHAPTER 1

Austin, Texas
What the hell?
Caitlin Strong and Cort Wesley Masters had just emerged from Esther’s Follie’s on East 6th Steet, when they saw the stream of people hurrying down the road, gazes universally cocked back behind them. Sirens blared off in the distance and a steady chorus of honking horns seemed to be coming from an adjoining block just past the street affectionately known as “Dirty Sixth,” Austin’s version of Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
“Couldn’t tell you,” Cort Wesley said, even as he sized up the scene. “But I got a feeling we’re gonna know before much longer.”
* * *
Caitlin was in town to speak at a national law enforcement conference focusing on homegrown terrorism, and both her sessions at the Convention Center had been jam-packed. She felt kind of guilty her presentations had lacked the audio-visual touches many of the others had featured. But the audiences hadn’t seem to mind, filling a sectioned-off ballroom to the gills to hear of her direct experiences, in contrast to theoretical dissertations by experts. Audiences comprised of cops a lot like her, looking to bring something back home they could actually use. She’d focused to a great extent on her most recent battle with ISIS right here in Texas, and an al-Qaeda cell a few years before that, stressing how much things had changed in the interim and how much more they were likely to.
Cort Wesley had driven up from San Antonio to meet her for a rare night out that had begun with dinner at Ancho’s inside the Omni Hotel and then a stop at Antone’s nightclub to see the Rats, a band headed by a Texas Ranger tech expert known as Young Roger. From there, they’d walked to Esther’s Follies to take in the famed Texas-centric improve show there, a first for both of them that was every bit as funny and entertaining as advertised, even with a gun-toting woman both Caitlin and Cort Wesley realized was based on her.
Fortunately, no one else in the audience made that connection and they managed to slip out ahead of the rest of the crowd. Once outside, though, they were greeted by a flood of pedestrians pouring up the street from an area of congestion a few blocks down, just past 8th Street.
“What you figure, Ranger?”
“That maybe we better go have ourselves a look.”

CHAPTER 2

Austin, Texas
Caitlin practically collided with a young man holding a wad of napkins against his bleeding nose at the intersection with East 7th Street.
“What’s going on?” she asked him, pulling back her blazer to show her Texas Ranger badge.
The young man looked from it back to her, swallowing some blood and hacking it up onto the street. “University of Texas graduation party took over all of Stubb’s Barbecue,” he said, pointing in the restaurant’s direction. “Guess you could say it got out of hand. Bunch of fraternities going at it.” He looked at the badge pinned to her chest again. “Are you really a Texas Ranger?”
“You need to get to an emergency room,” Caitlin told him, and pressed on with Cort Wesley by her side.
“Kid was no older than Dylan,” he noted, mentioning his oldest son who was still on a yearlong leave from Brown University.
“How many fraternities does the University of Texas at Austin have anyway, Cort Wesley?”
“A whole bunch.”
“Yeah,” she nodded, continuing on toward the swell of bodies and flashing lights, “it sure looks that way.”
Stubb’s was well known for its barbecue offerings and, just as much, its status as a concert venue. The interior was modest in size, as Caitlin recalled, two floors with the bottom level normally reserved for private parties and the upstairs generally packed with patrons both old and new. The rear of the main building, and several adjoining ones, featured a flattened dirt lot fronted by several performance stages where upwards of two thousand people could enjoy live music in the company of three sprawling outdoor bars.
That meant this graduation party gone bad may have featured at least a comparable number of students and probably even more, many of whom remained in the street, milling about as altercations continued to flare, while first responders struggled futilely to disperse the crowd. Young men and women still swigging bottles of beer, while pushing and shoving each other. The sound of glass breaking rose over the loudening din of the approaching sirens, the whole scene glowing amid the colors splashed from the revolving lights of the Austin police cars already on the scene.
A fire engine leading a rescue wagon screeched to a halt just ahead of Cort Wesley and Caitlin, at the intersection with 7th Street, beyond which had become impassable.
“Dylan could even be here, for all I know,” Cort Wesley said, picking up his earlier train of thought.
“He doesn’t go to UT.”
“But there’s girls and trouble, two things he excels at the most.”
This as fights continued breaking out one after another, splinters of violence on the verge of erupting into an all-out brawl going on under the spill of the LED streetlights rising over Stubb’s.
Caitlin pictured swirling lines of already drunk patrons being refused admittance due to capacity issues. Standing in line full of alcohol on a steamy night, expectations of a celebratory evening dashed, was a recipe for just what she was viewing now. In her mind, she saw fights breaking out between rival UT fraternities mostly in the outdoor performance area, before spilling out into the street, fueled by simmering tempers now on high heat.
“You see any good we can be here?” Cort Wesley asked her.
Caitlin was about to say no, when she spotted an anxious Austin patrol cop doing his best to break up fights that had spread as far as 7th Street. She and Cort Wesley sifted through the crowd and made their way toward him, Caitlin advancing alone when they drew close.
“Anything I can do to help,” she said, reading the Austin policeman’s nametag, “Officer Hilton?”
Hilton leaned up against an ornate light pole that looked like gnarled wrought iron for support. He was breathing hard, his face scraped and bruised. He noted the Texas Ranger badge and seemed to match her face to whatever media reports he’d remembered her from.
“Not unless you got enough Moses in you to part the Red Sea out there, Ranger.”
“What brought you boys out here? Detail work?” Caitlin asked, trying to account for his presence on scene so quickly, ahead of the sirens screaming through the night.
Hilton shook his head. “An anonymous nine-one-one call about a sexual assault taking place inside the club, the downstairs lounge.”
“And you didn’t go inside?”
Hilton turned his gaze on the street, his breathing picking up again. “Through that? My partner tried and ended up getting his skull cracked open by a bottle. I damn near got killed fighting to reach him. Managed to get him in the back of our squad car and called for a rescue,” he said, casting his gaze toward the fire engine and ambulance that were going nowhere. “Think maybe I better carry him to the hospital myself.”
“What about the girl?”
“What girl?”
“Sexual assault victim inside the club.”
Hilton frowned. “Most of them turn out to be false alarms anyway.”
“Do they now?”
Caitlin’s tone left him sneering at her. “Look, Ranger, you want to shoot up the street to get inside that shithole, be my guest. I’m not leaving my partner.”
“Thanks for giving me permission,” she said, and steered back for Cort Wesley.
“That looked like it went well,” he noted, pushing a frat boy who’d ventured too close out of the way, after stripping the empty beer bottle he was holding by the neck from his grasp.
“Sexual assault victim might still be inside, Cort Wesley.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.”
“Got any ideas, Ranger?”
Caitlin eyed the fire engine stranded where East 7th Street met Red River Avenue. “Just one.”

CHAPTER 3

Austin, Texas
Four firemen were gathered behind the truck in a tight cluster, speaking with the two paramedics from the rescue wagon.
“I’m a Texas Ranger,” Caitlin announced, approaching them with jacket peeled back to reveal her badge, “and I’m commandeering your truck.”
“You’re what?” one of the fireman managed. “No, absolutely not!”
The siren began blaring and lights started flashing, courtesy of Cort Wesley who’d climbed up behind the wheel.
“Sorry,” Caitlin said, raising her voice above the din, “can’t hear you!”
* * *
The crowd that filled the street in front of Stubb’s Barbecue saw and heard the fire truck coming and began pelting it with bottles, as it edged forward through the congested street that smelled of sweat and beer. What looked like steam hung in the stagnant air overhead, either an illusion or the actual product of so many superheated bodies congealed in such tight quarters. The sound of glass braking crackled through Caitlin’s ears, as bottle after bottle smashed against the truck’s frame.
The crowd clustered tighter around the fire engine, cutting off Cort Wesley’s way backward or on toward Stubb’s. The students, their fervor and aggression bred by alcohol, never noticed Caitlin’s presence atop the truck until she finally figured out the workings of the truck’s deck gun and squeezed the nozzle.
The force of the water bursting out of the barrel nearly knocked her backward off the truck. But she managed to right and then repositioned herself, as she doused the tight cluster of students between the truck and the restaurant entrance with the gun’s powerful stream.
A wave of people tried to fight the flow and ended up getting blown off their feet, thrown into other students who then scrambled to avoid the fire engine’s surge forward ahead of its deafening horn. Caitlin continued to clear a path for Cort Wesley, sweeping the deck gun in light motions from side to side, the five hundred gallon tank still plenty full when the club entrance drew within clear view.
She felt the fire engine’s front wheels mount the sidewalk and twist heavily to the right. The front fender grazed the building and took out a plate glass window the rioting had somehow spared. Caitlin saw a gap in the crowd open all the way to the entrance and leaped down from the truck to take advantage of it, before it closed up again.
She purposely didn’t draw her gun and entered Stubb’s to the sight of bloodied bouncers and staff herding the last of the patrons out of the restaurant. Outside, the steady blare of sirens told her the Austin police had arrived in force. Little they could do to disperse a crowd this large and unruly in rapid fashion, though, much less reach the entrance to lend their efforts to Caitlin’s in locating the sexual assault victim.
She threaded her way through the ground floor of Stubb’s to the stairs leading down to the private lounge area. The air felt like it was being blasted out of a steam oven, roiled with coagulated body heat untouched by the restaurant’s air conditioning that left Caitlin with the sense she was descending to hell.
Reaching the windowless sub-level floor, she swept her eyes about and thought she heard a whimpering come from a nest of couches, where a male figure hovered over the frame of a woman, lying half on and half off a sectional couch.
“Sir, put your hands in the air and turn around slowly!” Caitlin ordered, drawing her SIG-Sauer nine-millimeter pistol. “Don’t make me tell you twice!”
He started to turn, without raising his hands, and Caitlin fired when she glimpsed something shiny in his grasp. Impact to the shoulder twisted the man around and spilled him over the sectional couch, Caitlin holding her SIG at the ready as she approached his victim.
She heard the whimpering again, making her think more of the sound a dog makes, and followed it toward a tight cluster of connected couch sections, their cushions all stained wet and smelling thickly of beer. Drawing closer while still keeping a sharp eye on the man she’d shot, Caitlin spotted a big smart phone lying just out of his grasp, recognizing it as the object she’d wrongly taken for a gun. Then Caitlin spied a young woman of college age pinned between a pair of couch sections, covering her exposed breasts with her arms, her torn blouse hanging off her and jeans unbuttoned and unzipped just short of her hips.
Drawing closer, Caitlin saw the young woman’s assailant, the man she’d just shot in all likelihood, must’ve yanked them down so violently that he’d split the zipper and torn off the snap or button.
“Ma’am?” she called softly.
The young woman tightened herself into a ball and retreated deeper into the darkness between the couch sections, not seeming to hear her.
“Ma’am,” Caitlin said louder, hovering over the coed while continuing to check on the man she’d shot, his eyes drifting in and out of consciousness, his shirt wet with blood in the shoulder area from the gunshot wound.
Caitlin only wished it was her own attacker lying there, from all those years before when she’d been a coed herself at the Lone Star College campus in West Houston. Some memories suppressed easily, others were like a toothache that came and went. That one was more like a cavity that had been filled, forgotten until the filling broke off and raw nerve pain flared.
Caitlin pushed the couch sections aside and knelt by the young woman, pistol tucked low by her hip so as not to frighten her further.
“I’m a Texas Ranger, ma’am,” she said, in as soothing a voice as she could manage. “I need to get you out of here, and I need you to help me. I need to know if you can walk.”
The young woman finally looked at her, nodded. Her left cheek was swollen badly and one of her arms hung limply from its socket. Caitlin looked back at the downed form of the man she’d already shot once, half hoping he gave her a reason to shoot him again.
“What’s your name? Mine’s Caitlin.”
“Kelly Ann,” the young woman said, her voice dry and cracking.
Caitlin helped her to her feet. “Well, Kelly Ann, I know things feel real bad right now, but trust me when I tell you this is bad as they’re going to get.”
Kelly Ann’s features perked up slightly, her eyes flashing back to life. She tried to take a deep breath, but stopped halfway though.
Caitlin held her around the shoulders in one arm, SIG clutched in her free hand while her eyes stayed peeled on the downed man’s stirring form. “I’m going to stay with you the whole way until we get you some help,” she promised.
The building suddenly felt like a Fun House Hall of Mirrors. Everything distorted, perspective and sense of place lost. Even the stairs climbing back to the ground floor felt different, only the musty smell of sweat mixed with stale perfume and body spray telling her they were the same.
Caitlin wanted to tell Kelly Ann it would be all right, that it would get better, that it would all go away in time. But that would be a lie, so she said nothing at all. Almost to the door, she gazed toward a loose assemblages of frat boys wearing hoodies displaying their letters as they chugged from liquor bottles stripped from the shelves behind the main bar on the first floor. How different were they from the one who’d hurt her, hurt Kelly Ann?
Caitlin wanted to shoot the bottles out of their hands, but kept leading Kelly Ann on instead, out into the night and the vapor spray from the deck gun now being wielded by Cort Wesley to keep their route clear.
“’Bout time!” he shouted down, scampering across the truck’s top to retake his place behind the wheel.
Caitlin was already inside the cab, Kelly Ann clinging tight to her.
“Where to, Ranger?”
“Seton Medical Center, Cort Wesley.”
Before he got going, Caitlin noticed Officer Hilton and several other Austin cops pushing their way through the crowd toward the entrance to Stubb’s.
“Don’t worry, Officer, I got the victim out safe and sound,” she yelled down to him, only half-sarcastically. “But I left a man with a bullet in his shoulder down there for you to take care of.”
“Come again?”
“I’d hurry, if I were you. He’s losing blood.”
***
Excerpt from Strong to the Bone by Jon Land. Copyright © 2017 by Jon Land. Reproduced with permission from Jon Land. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

Jon Land
Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of 43 books, including eight titles in the critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series: Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance, Strong Rain Falling (winner of the 2014 International Book Award and 2013 USA Best Book Award for Mystery-Suspense), Strong Darkness (winner of the 2014 USA Books Best Book Award and the 2015 International Book Award for Thriller, and Strong Light of Day which won the 2016 International Book Award for Best Thriller-Adventure, the 2015 Books and Author Award for Best Mystery Thriller, and the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best Mystery. Strong Cold Dead became the fourth title in the series in a row to win the International Book Award in 2017 and about which Booklist said, “Thrillers don’t get any better than this,” in a starred review. Land has also teamed with multiple New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham on a new sci-fi series, the first of which, The Rising, was published by Forge in January of 2017. He is a 1979 graduate of Brown University and lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Catch Up With Our Author On: Website , Goodreads , Twitter , & Facebook !

 

Tour Participants:

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Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jon Land. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com gift Card AND 5 winners of one (1) eBook copy of Strong To The Bone by Jon Land. The giveaway begins on December 4 and runs through February 2, 2018.
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Friday, December 8, 2017

Christmas, Present



If you're looking for a Christmas book filled with good cheer and happy tidings, Christmas, Present by Jacquelyn Mitchard is NOT for you. Reading the premise from the back cover promises that" a family comes together during the holiday season as they learn a powerful lesson about love and how to live each day of their lives as if it were their last." This is NOT a happy story, while there might be a message tucked inside that tomorrows are never a guarantee and that we should embrace the present as if is the only day we will ever have.

As Elliot and Laura Banner make plans for their fourteenth wedding anniversary by attending a very wonderful play that Laura has been wanting to see performed by Cirque du Soleil only to have their car break down on their way home. Laura has been dealing with a horrible headache that she feels is a migraine, although she has never had one. She begs Elliot to take her to the hospital or at least call for an ambulance because she feels something isn't quite right. After considerable stalling, Laura begs a policeman to call the ambulance for her. Elliot can sense at this point that she doesn't look right and agrees.

When they arrive at the hospital, Laura is whisked away while Elliot deals with the paperwork only to learn that despite all his efforts, Laura has had a rupture of a major artery in her brain and has only hours left to live. Even if he had called for an ambulance when she experienced her headache, it would have been too late to do anything. While the doctor believes some internet searching and calling some colleagues might yield a different result, he tells Elliot that she will continue to have seizures until she lapses into a coma and dies.

I received Christmas, Present by Jacquelyn Mitchard, compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. I guess the intent in the writing this novel is to embrace our days even more than we do now, because we always believe there will be a tomorrow. But like the Bible reminds us, life is merely a vapor. It is gone much too soon, and then we are faced with dealing with regrets for things we never did, believing we could always do it later. I would advise, NOT reading this during Christmas as the holidays are difficult to get through without reading something not so cheerful. I had hoped it would turn out differently but it doesn't. This is not a book with a happily ever after ending, unless it is a that the family will eventually move on, dealing with their losses in their own way. For me, I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Christmas, Present, Jacquelyn Mitchard, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:


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Thursday, December 7, 2017

T-H-B



When you look at the state of the world around us, it can sometimes be difficult to imagine a future. Even more so is to imagine a future with religion in it. For as long as we can read throughout history there has been religion in it. Some might even argue that if religion were removed from every social and racial group, the world might just be a better place, since so many wars seemed to have been founded on religious interests. Move the world forward to the year 2089 and imagine a world without religion. That is the setting for Randy C. Dockens novel T-H-B. It is the first in the Coded Message Trilogy and it all begins when a confetti-size piece of paper falls at the feet of astrophysicist, Luke Loughton. All it contains on it is the letters T-H-B. Another man quickly appears as if looking for that same paper and as Luke intends to offer it to him, as if he lost it, the man quickly vanishes.

Thinking nothing of it, he places it in his pocket and continues to head on it to work at the Houston Aerospace Engineering Center working on tasks for an upcoming Mars mission via his holo-computer which removes the screen as a feature and instead projects a 3-D hologram to work from. He anticipates a way to date a fellow co-worker Sarah, a physician and fellow neighbor out to dinner. The date is set for after work but before he can get a chance to follow through on his intentions, two federal agents show up to arrest Luke, based on the evidence they find on him containing the T-H-B message. Despite his arguments of just randomly finding it on his was into work, he is physically detained and tossed into a holding cell.

A woman enters, that Luke refers to as the Ice Lady, who questions him about what he knows about T-H-B, which is essentially nothing. A man enters to room to provide him with a purple fluid to be injected into him and promises that they will know everything momentarily. When Luke wakes up, he still vaguely remembers why he is still in a holding cell, but can't remember what he told the investigators. Sarah shows up to bail him out and take him home, where his entire apartment has been ransacked. Further more, when he arrives at work, no one can remember anything except that Luke was taken from the facility by two EMT's and they are all concerned about his apparent illness. It seems that Sarah and Luke are the only ones not affected by the circumstances because these people truly believe what they saw. This only leads to the investigation now that Sarah and Luke will begin to discover what exactly T-H-B means, and what is someone hiding that can affect an entire population.

I received T-H-B by Randy C. Dockens compliments of Clovercroft Publishing. This is a unique blend of Science Fiction and Mystery as you find yourself like me, wondering just what is T-H-B and what does it mean? Why are so many working to prevent others from discovering its secret? Join our characters along for the ride as a silent observer and get prepared for the sequel slated to be launched in early 2018. When you look into the authors' background, you get a clear sense that he is writing from experience and that is what makes this novel believable. I  would give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in this readers opinion.

For more information about Randy C. Dockens, T-H-B, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:


You can find Randy C. Dockens on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.