Dark Justice

When Hannah Shire takes an unexpected detour as a means of taking the road less traveled on her way home with her mother who is suffering from dementia, they are about to get more than either one of them bargained for. As they come upon a car accident, Hannah stops to lend assistance to an elderly man named Morton who appears to have been thrown from the vehicle. While she waits for help to arrive the man utters intangible words that don't make sense to Hannah. Believing he is trying to tell her who she can contact for help with his last affects, the paramedics arrive and whisk Morton to the local hospital. The sheriff at the scene begins to question Hannah and her mother as to what has transpired with Morton before help arrived but Hannah holds back the information about the ramblings Morton provided thinking it doesn't mean anything relevant to helping Morton. Not only that but her mother believes that they are destined to find Morton's family in order to help him and has promised she won't tell anyone. She pleads with Hannah not to disclose this information as a binding promise to Morton. Hannah believes she isn't hurting anyone and wants to ensure her mother won't go through one of her outbursts in front of the sheriff.

However when Hannah and her mother arrive home, two men arrive at her front door identifying themselves as FBI agents and inquire as to what happened to Morton when he had his apparent accident. They inform her that he didn't make it when the paramedics arrived at the hospital due to a stab wound they believe Hannah inflicted on Morton prior to anyone arriving at the scene. Hannah learns that Morton has managed to slip a flash drive into her pocket moments before anyone arrived to help and it's what is on that drive that will soon lead to a manhunt that will put Hannah and her mother at risk while she tries to learn just who is the good guys and who are the real bad guys.

In the latest novel from author Brandilyn Collins, Dark Justice takes readers into a high speed pursuit to try and solve an apparent mystery while avoiding both the local and federal authorities. The chapters toggle back and forth between the actual story and an investigation between Homeland Security and one of the local detectives working on the case. The story would have worked better for me without this addition of the investigation interrupting the actual storyline because it provided too many clues before you got to the actual part of that story. You learn that while the characters lives appear to be in danger, the investigation and subsequent trial that each chapter toggles back and forth through shows you that the characters in the story apparently have saved the day before you even get half way through the book. For me, this just didn't work out well. It's like watching a movie only to have someone tell you how it's going to wind up before you get there.

I received Dark Justice by Brandilyn Collins compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and B and H Publishing Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. This novel falls into the Seatbelt Suspense series and though the premise behind the story is excellent, taken directly from a recent threat into the electrical grid security and instability, I was disappointed by the interruption of the chapters involving the investigation which gave too much of the story away. My recommendation would be to read the main story first and then go back and read the investigation chapters afterward. They are easily identified by the change in font style but also written like you're reading a trial transcript. I think it would make the story work better for the reader to enjoy without knowing the ending ahead of time. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and think readers who love a great suspense story with a lot of action would really enjoy this with my recommendations on how to read it without losing the intent of the storyline in the process.

For more information about Dark Justice, Brandilyn Collins or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Dark Justice by Brandilyn Collins

You can also find Brandilyn Collins on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Dark Justice from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour, please click here. 

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (October 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433679531
• ISBN-13: 978-1433679537
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1 inches

A Plain Disappearance

Once again it seems that Chloe Humphrey seems to attract more than just attention, she once again is the common factor in yet another murder in the heart of Appleseed Creek. This brings the total to three and even though she has an air tight alibi, this murder may in fact be the one that ultimately divides the English from the Amish in town. While exploring a deserted barn one early morning after a sleigh ride with her boyfriend, Timothy Troyer, they locate the body of Katie Lambright just under the snow. Signs may point to an accidental death by way of a frozen icicle that is missing just right above when they have found her body, but until they contact the local sheriff, Greta Rose, they won't know for sure. All they know is that she won't like that it will be Chloe once again who has discovered another dead body.

In the third novel in the Appleseed Creek Mystery series by Amanda Flower, A Plain Disappearance once again takes two very different genre's, Amish and Murder Mystery and combines them flawlessly to create something not only unique but unforgettable as well. I have had the wonderful opportunity to be able to read all of these novels and while there is a common thread running through them, they are each completely different. However with that being said in order to understand the relationships the English have with the Amish people living in Appleseed Creek is necessary to read them in order.

In this one it shows the difficulty that can had whenever a crime takes place within an Amish community. Rather than seek outside intervention, the Amish believe that whatever happens is best dealt within their own community of believers and is God's will. The sheriff utilizes the relationship that Chloe and Timothy have being former Amish residents as a common thread that will allow them to solve the crime and find out just who has murdered Katie Lambright, a young girl who was known for attracted more suitors than she needed. Is it possible that despite all the clues they find, the murderer is someone they don't suspect and resides within the town itself working alongside both English and Amish alike? To find out, you'll simply have to pick up this novel!

I received A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flowers compliments of B and H Publishing Group and Handlebar Central for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are mine alone. This is such an exceptional series because of not only the combination of genres but it really addresses the subject of forgiveness and what happens when the seeds of bitterness are allowed to grow in people's hearts. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and look forward to more from Amanda Flower in the future. There are even some great discussion questions included for book groups.

For more information about A Plain Disappearance, Amanda Flower or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flower

You can also find Amanda Flower on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

The Appleseed Creek Mystery Series Books are listed below:

# 1 A Plain Death
# 2 A Plain Scandal
# 3 A Plain Disappearance

• Series: An Appleseed Creek Mystery
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (September 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433676990
• ISBN-13: 978-1433676994
• Product Dimensions: 1.1 x 5.4 x 8.2 inches

Dark Biology

Ever wonder what would happen if you take one of the worst viruses that the CDC has ever worked with and create a biological terror that is unleashed not only on earth but also in space as well? Well you have the beginnings of the premise behind the latest Science Fiction Thriller by author Bonnie Duran, Dark Biology.

Hildi Hildebrant has been in constant competition with her twin brother, Chet both working for the CDC, the Center for Disease Control, and both in what is known as Level 4, where the most volatile of diseases and viruses are kept searching for possible vaccines like Ebola and H1N1, or also known as the Spanish Flu. While Hildi has been given a unique opportunity to venture on the latest shuttle leaving for the International Space Station to work on the effects of microgravity as to how it pertains to working on a vaccine against the flu, her brother Chet has been defying the rules in hopes of securing a Nobel Prize for a vaccine against Ebola. But when he is demoted to Level 3 for not complying with the specifics of his job and risking the agency, he takes the suggest leave of absence as well as a sample of what he believes is just a harmless Level 3 flu virus to right a few wrongs in his life.

Chet has a deep seated grudge against his father, Worth Hildebrant, an infamous Christian marriage speaker who violated his own ethics when he had several affairs and almost caused his own divorce. However with the grace of God, Worth is using his testimony alongside his wife to lead marriage seminars to help others strengthen their own marriages. Chet decides to unleash the flu at his father's upcoming marriage seminar in Denver and hopes his father will fall ill in the process as retribution for the wrong his has caused in Chet's life.

However when conference attendees begin to wind up in the ICU units of the local hospitals while Chet leaves for a week long European cruise, he suddenly looks at the vial sample he obtained and realized it was much, much worse than he could ever imagine. Now that same sample of virus has also find it's way onboard the International Space Station and with it runs the risk of infecting not only the inhabitants on Earth but also risking the lives of the members of the Space Station as well.

I received Dark Biology by Bonnie Duran compliments of Harborlight Books and Upon the Rock Publicity for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review and LOVED this one from the first moment I began reading it. Would LOVE to see this one make it to the big screen because it's truly filled with non stop action as Hildi runs into her own issues being launched into space with her former fiancee, Frank along as pilot while her future boyfriend mans the communications at Mission Control. I wanted to read this one right when I was asked and when it arrived, I literally inhaled it from start to finish in a couple of hours. Think of this as combining the movies Contagion with Apollo 13 and you have the idea behind the novel. I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. A definite must read for Science Fiction fans!!!

For more information about Dark Biology, Bonnie Duran, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Dark Biology by Bonnie Duran 

You can also find Bonnie Duran on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels. #DarkBiology

The Soul of the Rose

Debating the merits of fine literature at great lengths is the common ground that has brought Celia Thatcher and Edward Lyons together.

Celia works for Mr. Chestley as his assistant in a bookstore in Massachusetts in 1876. It's a place she used to frequent with her family as a young girl and its that love of books that has made her a valuable edition for Mr. Chestley. She loves to read, and one of its delights was to provide an escape from the real world. She just wishes she can find someone who will long for her like a rose whose soul has gotten into a man's blood.

Edward Lyons has been a social recluse after the death of his wife, Marguerite, venturing out only at night to pick up his latest book purchase to add to his growing personal library where he lives alone with only his fellow literary characters from his books as companions to pass the time. He is a man who's been searching for the truth but has been searching in all the wrong places avoiding God is doing so. This brings Celia and Edward to some great philosophical debates on the truth when it comes to science versus religion or faith in God.

He needed to know the depth, the sensitivity of her mind. Did she have a true interest in what he valued? He felt she did, but had to know fore certain. He couldn't bear another Marguerite. Edward believed he was the only man to appreciate her, if all he surmised about her was true. Granted, she was a woman of set beliefs, of strong religious conviction, yet he also saw her mind wonder and leap at new thoughts and ideas.

Rumors have been circulating in a small town such as theirs were about whether or not Edward had anything to do with his former wife's death. Some wonder if Edward killed her or is she simply died an early death due to some unknown illness.

Mrs. Harrod, has found another acceptable suitor and escort for Celia, her son Charles, an up and coming Harvard Law Student, who finds a way to charm himself into Celia's life through books and profound theological conversations instead of merely beauty and good looks, but Charles was young, nearer to her own age than Edward. Who would claim her heart and soul?

I received The Soul of the Rose by Ruth Trippy compliments of Abingdon Press for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable one. I have to say that the writing style for me was difficult based on the words used to convey the types of people that Edward and Celia are, both educated and wise beyond their years, but it's that wording that caused me to slow down my progression from the story to take time to investigate the meaning behind the words use to convey this story. It distracted me from the flow of the story and made it difficult to remember what I had read previously, however overall the premise behind the story is exceptional. Being a huge book lover myself, I could easily relate to Celia's character who isn't afraid to speak her mind to men, especially when her upbringing included having those same discussions with her father. She is definitely more than just a beautiful woman! For those reasons, I rate this novel a 4 out of 5 stars and for those that love a great historical romance with a bit of mystery attached to it, then you will undoubtedly LOVE this one!

For more information about The Soul of the Rose, Ruth Trippy or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Soul of the Rose by Ruth Trippy

You can also find Ruth Trippy on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Soul of the Rose, please check out Abingdon Press' website. 

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426767498
• ISBN-13: 978-1426767494
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches

Pretty Is as Pretty Does

"We are thrilled to announce

Piney Point High School's 

10-year reunion

on June 7, 2003, at 7:30 PM

in Piney Point High's

newly renovated gymnasium. 

Attire: Sunday best

RSVP: Laura Moss 601-555-1515

PS: There will be a preparty

at Shenanigan's in Hattiesburg

starting at about 5:00 PM

WOW. Ten years. As I read my high school reunion invitation a second time. I can't help smiling. Although I own one of the most successful businesses in my hometown of Piney Point, Mississippi, I've lost track of most of the people I graduated with.

Knowing the people I went to high school with, this is going to be one crazy event - that is, if everyone attends. I'm not surprised Laura added a preparty to the invitation. Her husband has never attended any social event before prepartying his face off - even in high school. Pete Moss graduated with the dishonor of high school lush, and as far as I know, he continues to hold that honor, which is ironic since I don't remember seeing Laura touching a drop of anything stronger than her mama's two-day-old sweet tea." (pg 11).

As Priscilla Slater anticipates her upcoming high school reunion, she also hopes that she will run into an old high school crush as well, Marcus whom she hopes might just cause a spark to ignite between them. As owner of three beauty salons in the area, Priscilla sees herself as a success while her overbearing mother still believes she has sold herself short of what she could have become. Now armed with hope that she can hold her head high, she takes up invitation of her local beauty supply sales, Tim Puckett, to serve as her "date" for the event. Only Tim has hopes that he might just convince Priscilla that they would make a great couple together and he vows to do whatever it takes to make her see him as more than just a convenient date.

I received Pretty is as Pretty Does by author Debby Mayne compliments of Abingdon Press and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is the first novel in the Class Reunion Series and anyone who has ever attended their high school reunion can probably relate to at least one of the characters in this book. The book is based around Priscilla Slater who can never be good enough in her mother's eyes no matter what she does, and the chapters alternate with each of the main players attending the class reunion.

 Laura Moss who is the reunion chairperson who chases away all the other classmates who have volunteered to help her in the past due to her ability to expect things to be perfect. She is overworked and deals with the drinking of her high school sweetheart, Pete and their four children. There is also Trudy Baynard, the former Miss Piney Point who believes she still needs to uphold her good looks despite the fact that ten years have passed. She has recently divorced her high school sweetheart and husband, Michael who is living another life with his latest girlfriend who is much too young for him. What transpires over the book is sheer genius and I was captivated til the very end. I am also fortunate to have the additional sequels which I will be reviewing shortly, Bless Her Heart and Tickled Pink each showcasing a 15 and 20 year reunion respectively. I rate this one easily a 4.5 out of 5 stars and look forward to adding Debby Mayne to my author watch list.

For more information about Pretty Is As Pretty Does, Debby Mayne or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Pretty Is As Pretty Does by Debby Mayne

You can also find Debby Mayne on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Pretty Is As Pretty Does from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Tour, please click here. 

• Series: Class Reunion Series (Book 1)
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (June 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426733585
• ISBN-13: 978-1426733581
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.5 x 8.5 inches

Promise to Return

On the day that Miriam Coblentz and Henry Matz are meeting with the bishops to discuss their upcoming wedding plans, Henry receives his draft notice. They had almost made it, but now the war will be what keeps them apart for now. Since Henry is Amish and killing others goes against his religious beliefs in the Ten Commandments, he is assigned tasks as a conscientious objector in the Civillian Public Service camp, digging trenches and other tasks. However it isn't without risks.

Will Miriam be able to find the same man after Henry serves his time during World War II, or will the horrors he witnesses take a toll on the man he used to be? How will the men that Henry deals with, the English, see him as one who refuses to fight? Will they have any respect for a man who refuses to defend his own country?

In the novel, Promise to Return by author Elizabeth Byler Younts, this novel picks at a subject most don't come to think about, how the Amish dealt with World War II. I think Elizabeth utilizes all her knowledge and experience both being raised Amish and having a husband who serves in the armed service to blend together a wonderful and compelling story of how much we are willing to risk to serve not only others but our country as well.

Miriam is feeling overwhelmed because of what she has been brought up to believe as well as what the Amish community has been saying not only about Henry but about what will come of their wedding when Henry returns. She takes to heart what people are saying not only to her but about Henry and at times is at odds trying to defend their beliefs. She worries that she might not ever see her dreams about being married and raising a family come to pass especially when Henry returns on a short leave at Christmas and tells her about the discrimination facing the Amish men by the English and their beliefs in not wanting to fight when they are so desperately needed. Henry surprises Miriam when he tells her that he has decided to enlist because it is something he believes God is calling him to do. But is it really?

Now Henry will face shunning by the Amish community when he returns because he has taken it upon himself to enter the war efforts and it is simply more than Miriam can take. Meanwhile there is a man who has an interest in her, Eli and now with Henry out of the picture, will he be able to persuade Miriam that her best interests lie in marrying him instead? You'll have to pick up this novel and find out.

I received Promise to Return by Elizabeth Byler Younts compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. Being a huge fan of World War II fiction as well as Amish Romance, I was thrilled to be able to read this one. I never really considered how the Amish had to deal with the war effort until picking this one up and really loved the conflict for Henry. Trying to decide what is the right thing to do without all the added peer pressure not only from the American soldiers but also from his Amish community. Definitely a hard place to be and trying to convince Miriam that he still plans on marrying her when he returns if she will wait for him. Definitely a task worthy of faith in God and one that takes the reader on an unforgettable journey! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars! There is a great reading guide that is perfect for book clubs as well as a letter to readers from the author explaining her idea in writing this book being a former Amish member and what people had to deal with regarding entering the war as Amish residents. This is the first book in the Promise of Sunrise Series and I can't wait for the next one in this series!!!

For more information about Promise to Return, Elizabeth Byler Younts or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Promise to Return by Elizabeth Byler Younts

You can also find Elizabeth Byler Younts on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Promise to Return on Howard Books website, please click here.

• Series: Promise of Sunrise
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (October 8, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1476735018
• ISBN-13: 978-1476735016
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches

Home to Heather Creek

For Charlotte Stevenson, when it comes to family it's all about the love they have for one another. One to out last anything that they will face in the future and one that will heal them with enough time. Charlotte has now taken on the guardianship of her grandchildren, Sam, Emily and Christopher after the car accident claimed the life of their mother, Denise. Now uprooting the kids from their apartment in San Diego, Charlotte believes that the home where their mother lived might be able to heal the pain in their grieving hearts. But carrying for three children who grew up without knowing their grandparents will provide a challenge and a hurdle that they must all over come.

For Sam, the oldest at sixteen and an avid skateboarder, living on a farm isn't what he had dreamed his future would look like. Just where does one ride his board when all he can see is miles and miles of dirt? How will he ever fit in here? For Emily, the fact that her grandparents have limited internet holds out some hope for a connection back to her friends she left behind. What she doesn't expect however is marginal cell phone coverage. How will she ever find the same kind of loyal friends she left behind in San Diego? For Christopher, the youngest, he seems the most lost. Unable to find a way to make a connection anywhere, he resolves to follow his older brother and sister as a shadow wherever they go. They believe that once their mother's insurance money is settled, they can find a home for themselves someplace else and perhaps locate the father that has been absent in their lives. All they know is they don't want to live with their grandparents on a smelly farm in the middle of nowhere.

Charlotte will have to work hard both with her own feelings and that of her husband Bill to raise her grandchildren in the same faith that has allowed them to endure the distance Denise created when she ran away when she was pregnant with Sam so many years ago. Perhaps God was offering her a second chance to get to know the family she never had when Denise was alive. If only she could find a way to reach them and connect with them. What Charlotte will learn is that it often takes more than just family to find a way to heal through the brokenness that keeps up in bondage to our past.

I received Before the Dawn by Kathleen Bauer compliments of Guidepost Publishing and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. Kathleen Bauer is the pen name for a team of writers who have come together to create the series of Home to Heather Creek. Before the Dawn was written by Carolyne Aarsen, herself a city girl who was transplanted in the country to raise her own children and foster children. This is an unforgettable story that teaches us that through faith, anything is possible and often times we need to look outside of our family to gain insight that will enable us to move forward. This is the first novel in the Home to Heather Creek Series and I can't wait to immerse myself in the next book, Sweet September by Tricia Goyer. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Now that school has picked up again for Sam, Emily and Christopher, some things are changing more than just grade levels and teachers for the Slater children. It's been a rough time not only coming to terms with the death of their mother, but relocating from busy San Diego, to a country farm in Nebraska along Heather Creek to live with their grandparents Charlotte and Bob.
For Sam, he doesn't see the sense in trying to memorize geometry facts along with history names and dates. What's worse is that it's beginning to take its toll on his grades and if his teacher can't convince him, perhaps his grandparents are willing to listen.

Emily is still trying to fit in without the lack of technology she had grown accustom to, it is now non exist on the small farm. What's worse is that her friends from San Diego have apparently moved on without her and there isn't a decent place to shop for clothes in town. Her only hope is the one friend she has managed to make with Ashley, a girl who has befriended her at school but also introduced her to youth group at church as well. Sure beats hanging out on the farm. Christopher, the youngest has managed to keep all his deep secrets hidden along with the occasional treasures he finds during his outings with the family dog, Toby. He wonders if finding a way to invent a time machine might just be the answer they all need to go back to before his mom died. Perhaps they would all be a whole lot happier.

Charlotte knew that it would take time for the grandchildren to fit in but last thing she expected to hear while Ashley spent the night was a conversation between Emily and herself.

" I don't know why anyone would want to stay in Nebraska forever. There is no ocean, no mountains, not to mention all the potholes and no place to shop. As soon as I'm old enough, I'm out of here, just like Sam. Nothing here worth keeping me around."

What would it take for all these issues to be resolved and for her family to find peace amongst one another? Will it take the loss of Bob's health to drive them to put others before their own needs? Will more sacrifices need to be made in order for the family to come together or will another tragedy drive them all apart once and for all?

In the novel Sweet September written under the pen name of Kathleen Bauer, by a team of writers who have come together to create the series Home to Heather Creek. Tricia Goyer takes the helm as she takes us back to the lives of the Slater children whom we read about in Before the Dawn. In this novel however, the children have had some time to adapt to life on the farm, and even though Charlotte had hoped things would work out, it appears that there is more going on than meets the eye. Even her vegetable crop is mysteriously vanishing which means that there will be even less of a harvest to meet the needs of her growing family. Will the family find a way to work together to see that despite tough times, love really does conquer all? You'll have to pick this one up to find out, but well worth the time.

I received Sweet September by Kathleen Bauer (Tricia Goyer) compliments of Guidepost Publishing and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable one. I absolutely LOVE this series. There is so much to admire and appreciate about the family that is struggling to overcome the odds brought about by the death of the children's mother and their daughter, but also in resolving the differences between the generations that were brought up so differently. In the end, it is truly satisfying to see how it all works out. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and look forward to many, many more in this series. It's almost like the Little House on the Prairie Books for adults that grew up loving that series. Now for a more contemporary version with a unique and unforgettable twist.



Guideposts Books is thrilled to announce their brand new series, Home to Heather Creek, by Kathleen Bauer. The first two books, Before the Dawn and Sweet September, launch this month and Guideposts Books is celebrating with a Paperwhite Kindle Giveaway!

One winner will receive:

• A Paperwhite Kindle
• Before the Dawn and Sweet September by Kathleen Bauer

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 5th. All winners will be announced October 7th HERE.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 7th to see if you won! (Or better yet, subscribe to their blog [enter your email in the blog sidebar] and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)