Dark Visions by James Byron Huggins - A Book Review

 

If you read Dark Visions you are going to want to learn the authenticity of the portrayal of a raven's behavior and intelligence. Well, I've done the research for you. Ravens are indeed reported to be as intelligent as dolphins and chimpanzees. They can mock human speech as well as other environmental sounds, and they do problem solve. They even display empathy. In Dark Visions the raven, Poe, is more friend and protector than pet to Joe Mac Blake. It is suggested that Poe has a personal connection to and mission from God.

After reading a couple of chapters of Dark Visions I got online to double check that this novel was actually categorized as Christian fiction, which it was. As such, I feel the need to alert readers that it does contain some profanity and that both the name of God and Jesus are at times used carelessly as exclamations. I know that there has been much discussion on various Christian reader social media pages about the use of such language in books labeled as Christian fiction, and just wanted readers to be aware as to be able to make decisions based on their prayerful perspectives.

As to the plot and writing style, Dark Visions is well titled, exciting, fast paced, and has believable dialogue. Joe Mac Blake is a retired NYPD detective who was blinded in the line of duty. He sets out with rookie Detective Jodi Strong to find a serial killer who has included Joe Mac's grandson among his victims. Evidence points to a member of a group of Druids as the prime suspect. Their investigation takes them into the dark underworld of the Druid culture and into a world of danger.

I struggle with rating this book due to the careless use of holy names. I was not terribly bothered by the profanity. If it were not for the misuse of holy names, I would readily give it five stars. I thank NetGalley and Wildblue Press for providing me with a copy of Dark Visions in exchange for an honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation

Called to Protect by Lynette Eason - A Book Review

  

Called to Protect is the second book in Eason's Blue Justice series featuring the St. John family comprised mostly of law enforcement personnel. This book focuses on the tragedy related to human trafficking, both the tragedy that leads to it and the tragedy that results from it. Eason graces her readers with cameo appearances by two characters from her Elite Guardians series.

For six months Penny St. John, teenage cousin to Officer Chloe St. John, had been missing. Law enforcement, including most of the St. John family, had been actively searching for her. Unlike Rachel MacCullum whose disappearance had gone unreported. Unreported because she was being held as a means of forcing her father, Deputy US Marshal Blake MacCullum, into killing the judge he was assigned to protect. The only place Blake had to turn was to his best friend, FBI Special Agent Linc St. John, and consequently Linc's sister, Chloe. Would the three of them be able to use their available resources in time to save Rachel and to find Penny?

Human trafficking is becoming a growing problem in our world today. According to the Polaris website, the International Labour Organization estimates that there are 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally, and that it is a $150 billion industry worldwide. Force 4 Compassion's site says that 3,287 people are sold or kidnapped and forced into slavery every day, and that is just the reported cases. I appreciate Lynette Eason using her platform as a novelist to keep this issue in the public eye. Let us all seek to be informed of ways we can be part of the solution.

In addition to raising our social consciousness, Called to Protect is a good read. The characters are engaging the plot captivating and well-paced, and the dialogue believable. I highly recommend this book and this author. I thank NetGalley and Revell Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

Caught by Surprise by Jen Turano - A Book Review

  

I truly enjoyed the first twenty-eight chapters of Temperance Flowerdew's story from her kidnapping to finding those responsible for the threats on her life, from the difficulties of living with cousins who did not want her to the pursuit of her hand in marriage by someone who wanted her very much. I had anticipated the events that occurred early in chapter twenty-nine, but had been hoping the story wouldn't take that trite route. Then at the end of the chapter I found myself rolling my eyes. Although I actually would have embraced the end of chapter twenty-nine without the beginning. So, I chose to hold onto the wonderfulness, if that's even a word, of the first twenty-eight chapters and rewrite the ending in my head. Jen Turano provided me with some pretty fun characters to do that with, placed them in a delightful setting, and gave me twenty-eight great chapters to become involved in their lives. I thank her for that, and hope she doesn't mind my parting ways over the last couple of chapters.

I thank NetGalley and Bethany House for providing me with a copy of Caught By Surprise in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

The Lady of Tarpon Springs by Judith Miller - A Book Review

 

     I was excited to see this title because I love Tarpon Springs, Florida: the history, the close community feel, the absolutely amazing food, and the culture. Judith Miller captured it all in The Lady of Tarpon Springs. About a quarter of the way into the story I turned to the Author's Note in the back in order to get an idea of which characters were fictional and which weren't. It turns out they are all fictional, but the story gives the flavor of the time and place quite well, giving a down-sized version of the arrival of Greek sponge divers, an industry that continues to play an important role in the small town as it also sustains tourism in the area.

     Attorney Zanna Krykos and physician Lucy Penrose are taking on new roles for women in the early 1900's, not only in their chosen professions, but also in the ownership and management of a sponge company that fell into their hands with the death of Lucy's father. While Lucy owned the company,it was Greek-speaking Zanna who managed day-to-day operations along with Nico Kalos, the leader of the fifty Greek sponge divers. Lucy's father had left them ill-prepared, but Zanna proved herself up to the task. Once the daunting challenge of housing and feeding such a large group was met, other challenges continued to arise. While relying on Nico to help meet them, Zanna realized she was losing her heart to the seafaring man, something that would not set well with her own father.

     I have some other books by Judith Miller loaded on my Kindle. After reading The Lady of Tarpon Springs I am anxious to read those as well. I thank Net Galley and Bethany House for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

Dead Drift by Dani Pettrey - A Book Review

 

     I stepped into Dani Pettrey's Chesapeake Valor series with Dead Drift, the final book in the series. While it was obvious as I read that it would have been preferable to read the books in sequence, Pettrey provided just enough background information to inform a reader new to the series and to refresh the mind of a reader following the series without causing the story to drag.

     CI A operative Luke Gallagher was recruited by the agency fresh out of college. He walked away from friends, family and the love of his life, Kate Maxwell, for what he thought would be a short assignment and a big adventure. Now he was back for the first time after a seven year absence. The hunt for the terrorist Ebeid having brought him full circle, back to his hometown. Now he must find Ebeid with the help of Kate and their closest friends, each with their own special skill set for fighting crime, before Ebeid could carry out his plan to unleash anthrax on unsuspecting Americans. He must do this while facing the fact that Kate was still the only woman he had ever or would ever love, working with the friends he had abandoned, and coming to terms with the things he had done while working as an operative.

     Kate Maxwell, a private investigator and a federal consultant on the task force to bring down Ebeid, was shocked to have Luke walk back into her life after seven years; seven years in which she had never gotten over loving him or being betrayed by him. No way she was going to risk having her heart pummeled again, but would her resolve hold out? Danger has a way of defining priorities.

     I recommend Dead Drift, and do suggest reading the entirety of the Chesapeake Valor series in sequence. Pettrey can always be counted upon for a fast paced, adventure filled read, and this book does not disappoint. I thank NetGalley and Bethany House for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

The Reckoning of Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright - A Book Review

 

     The Reckoning of Gossamer Pond is a story of grace. Both Libby Sheffield's journey to grace in the early 1900's and Annalise Forsythe's in current times were painful but necessary. They had to learn to forgive themselves for their past mistakes, but first they had to bring them into the light and face them. This was made much more difficult by living in a town which was keeping more than its own share of secrets.

     Jaime Jo Wright has once again demonstrated her prowess in writing time split novels. The smooth flow with which she transitions between time periods, and the intricacies with which she ties them together make her a standout author in this genre. Wright has given her readers historical romance, contemporary romance and suspense all together in one delightful package. She has created characters that are intriguing and that have depth. The reader can easily identify with the circumstances of their lives and the difficult choices set before them. Wright puts forth an honest picture of the church with its beauty that God intended as well as its ugliness caused by our fallen natures. As was previously stated, this novel is a story of grace. Who among us doesn't need that?

     I thank NetGalley and Bethany House for providing me with a copy of The Reckoning of Gossamer Pond in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

Died in the Wool by Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery - A Brief Comment

  

This book came to me from my mother's bookshelf. It started out as a quick read between ARC books that I was scheduled to read and review; it ended up capturing my attention. It read like an episode of a 1980's mystery series, which are my faroites on retro channels. If you like them too, I recommend Died in the Wool.

I am interested in checking out more Hometown Mysteries. In this one librarian Monah Trenary is quite the sleuth, especially after discovering a corpse in her own library. Monah's boyfriend, Detective Mike Brockman, has his hands full keeping her out of trouble, finding the murderer of two citizens while searching for an arsonist, all in a little town that boasts only one traffic light. Settle in and enjoy the twists and turns of this cozy mystery.

The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble - A Book Review

  

     Blogger and home renovation expert, Ellie Blackmore, responded with fierce loyalty to the accusations and rumors connected with the disappearance of her sister Mackenzie (Mac). She continually assured herself that the copious amount of of blood on Mac's tall ship's deck did not automatically mean that she was dead. Nor did the evidence that was piling up mean that she was a drug dealer. There must be more to the story.
     What a coincidence that Grayson Bradshaw of the Coast Guard Investigative Services was sent to investigate a theft of cocaine that had been previously apprehended in the same small town where he had just learned that he had been adopted from. The appearance of his biological sister, Shauna Bannister, and her new husband in the town where he was visiting his parents, with her bombshell news that he was adopted and was her long lost brother was distracting him from the case at hand, a case that needed his full attention. Shauna and her news were not the only distractions; there also was the sister of his lead suspect.
     Colleen Coble has crafted yet another spell-binding mystery. Her ability to reveal facts and unforeseen connections and to plant plausible red herrings, always places her mysteries among my favorites. While this one is not the first book in her current series, it works well as a stand-alone read. If you are a fan of mysteries, whether a fan of Christian fiction or not, you will enjoy the master storytelling of Colleen Coble. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof - A Book Review

 

     Through Thorald Norgaard Joanne Bischof honors the deaf and their language. She makes clear the importance of listening and of being heard, whether verbal speech is a part of that communication or not, and in spite of gender or race differences. Even for the hearing community, much of what we say and hear involves non-verbal communication, being aware of that will improve our skills if we will allow it to do so.

     Thor is the middle son, a skilled apple farmer and maker of hard ciders and wines. He is also an alcoholic, a slave to his handiwork, even as he supports those freed from slavery following the Civil War. Aven Norgaard is the young widow of the brothers' cousin who has braved the seas to come live with their Aunt Dorothe and the three “boys” under her care. She arrives to learn that Dorothe has passed away, and the three boys are grown men, one of whom quickly claims her heart. Aven has seen the results of a life given to alcohol, and is unsure of how to guard her heart.

     Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a study in relationships and a story of forgiveness given and at times withheld. It is a story of choosing to do the right thing over choosing the easy or self-centered path. Joanne Bischof is a new to me author, and I will be looking for more of her books in the future. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

River to Redemption by Ann H. Gabhart - A Book Review

    
     I loved this story of Adria Starr's rescue as a child caught in the cholera epidemic of 1833 by two of her town's slave community, and her being raised by Ruth Harmon who was widowed during that same epidemic. I loved it even more after reading the author's note following the story. Learning which characters were the real people, the ones who lived through the cholera epidemic and around who the story was built, made me want to read it over again through the lens of that new information. I live not far from Springfield, Kentucky where the story is set, and hope to visit the memorial monument in honor of one of these true, historical characters, a person of great faith, courage and compassion.
     The theme of River to Redemption is faith after great disappointment. Both Ruth Harmon and Reverend Will Robertson prayed for their critically ill spouses, standing on Scriptures about the power of prayer and God's faithfulness to answer prayer, but their spouses died anyway. With their faith rocked, they now stood on shaky ground longing for assurance. They must learn again how to “pray believing.”
     I highly recommend this book to those who are also longing for the type of faith that brings assurance, to those who enjoy historical fiction that is well-researched and based on true events and people, and to those who love a story that is carried on by a sense of mounting tension. I thank NetGalley and Revell Publishing for providing me with a copy of River to Redemption in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.