Book Review: Dead Gorgeous

9 Jan

641315Fashion model Kirsty Manners is young, beautiful, and recently dead

Kirsty Manners is trying to make it as a model. As the in-house model for the Ivano King fashion house and girlfriend of Ian King, the man behind the label, she believes she is well on her way. But Kirsty is found dead in her flat one Sunday afternoon and D. I. Angela Costello is called to the scene.

First enquiries center on the local gym where Kirsty, her dangerous ex-boyfriend, Darren Carpenter, and her jealous flatmate, Sandra Hodges, worked out. But things are more complicated. Ian King is considered to have lost his edge. Why then is he so buoyant about his latest collection for London Fashion Week? What about his new girlfriend, Eleanor Chandler, who openly admits to having a reason to wish Kirsty dead?

Behind the gleaming smiles and flawless makeup of the glamorous fashion world, Angela’s enquiries uncover theft, drug-addiction, prostitution, and imprisonment—and suddenly her own life could be in danger.

 

61gVSHh+-7L._UX250_Elizabeth Flynn is a Londoner of Anglo-Irish parentage. An ex-actress, she currently works in a hospital. However she has always written and has a particular interest in crime fiction. For several years she has also been a keen tennis fan and is very happy that her first novel is a murder mystery set in the tennis world, located at the famous tennis tournament, Wimbledon.

 

My Impressions:

Dead Gorgeous by Elizabeth Flynn is a twisting, British, police procedural that keeps the reader guessing and turning the pages. Set amidst the glitz and glamor of the fashion business in London, it is filled with not so likable characters, both victim and suspects, except for D.I. Angela Costello. Angie is a smart and savvy detective and is determined to get her man.

The very British setting and style of Dead Gorgeous will appeal to those who like a British accent with their mystery. The clues are disclosed a bit at a time and keep the reader guessing along with the investigative team. The good guys — those in the police, Angie’s family and the family priest — are very likable. I really enjoyed the banter between them and their keen sense of right and wrong. The bad guys, and there are plenty, though not all are murderers, exhibit greed, jealousy, larceny and brutality. There is some adult subject matter (prostitution and human trafficking) but no graphic details. There is also a bit of profanity — this is a British publication. And while this is technically Christian fiction, there is very little evidence of it. A priest is a minor, yet crucial, character, and Angie Costello and her family are said to be believers.

I had a little trouble with the writing style. Transitions of scene within chapters are a bit abrupt. I found I had to go back and get my bearings. And there is some British idioms that I had to get used to. But it was English! I was able to easily make the translations ;)!

So if you are looking for a bit of Britain in your mystery selection, then I would suggest trying Dead Gorgeous. It is book 2 in the series, but is easily read as a standalone.

Recommended (with some profanity).

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for my review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Tales from The TBR Pile: Prophet by R. J. Larson

8 Jan

Tales from The TBR Pile features books that are languishing on my shelves; books that deserve to be highlighted even though I haven’t read them. This month I am spotlighting Prophet by R. J. Larson, book 1 in the Books of the Infinite series. A fantasy with a Biblical feel, it has 208 5-star reviews on Amazon. If fantasy is your thing, then make sure to check it out.

 

209710_w185Ela Roeh of Parne doesn’t understand why her beloved Creator, the Infinite, wants her to become His prophet. She’s undignified and bad-tempered, and at age seventeen she’s much too young. In addition, no prophet of Parne has ever been a girl. Worst of all, as Parne’s elders often warn, if she agrees to become the Infinite’s prophet, Ela knows she will die young.

Yet she can’t imagine living without Him. Determined to hear the Infinite’s voice, Ela accepts the sacred vinewood branch and is sent to bring the Infinite’s word to a nation torn apart by war. There she meets a young ambassador determined to bring his own justice for his oppressed people. As they form an unlikely partnership, Ela battles how to balance the leading of her heart with the leading of the Infinite.

 

Kacy310dpicropedR. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as The Women’s Devotional Bible, and Seasons of a Woman’s Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons, and is suspected of eating chocolate and potato chips at her desk while writing. The Books of the Infinite series marks her debut in the fantasy genre.

R. J. is also known as Kacy Barnett-Gramckow!
Visit Kacy’s site here: http://www.gramcoink.com.

 

(Thanks to Bethany House for a copy of this book.)

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Children’s Corner: Adventure Bible Miracles of Jesus

7 Jan

732426Miracles of Jesus is a level two I Can Read! based on the NIV Adventure Bible. In it, young readers read about how great God’s love is for all people. At this read-alone level, newly independent readers follow Jesus as he travels, spreading the Good News of his Father’s love. Along the way, Jesus shows in wondrous ways just how powerful God’s love is when he brings health back to a young girl and a long-suffering woman, and how he gives comfort to thousands of believers with a delicious meal as well as the precious word of God.

Written for the newly independent reader, vocabulary and content is at a more advanced reading level, making this series appropriate for children almost ready for their first chapter books.

This I Can Read! series of Bible stories makes use of the unique features found in the NIV Adventure Bible such as “People in Bible Times” and “Words to Treasure”.

Content aligns with the Common Core Standards for informational reading.

 

My Impressions:

Miracles of Jesus is great book for your developing reader. Not only does it encourage children to read in a way that fosters success and continued interest, but it teaches them about a few of the miracles of Jesus. Based on the Adventure Bible, it follows closely the Biblical narrative and includes colorful illustrations by David Miles that bring the scenes to life. The I Can Read! series has been around since the 1950s and has a high success rate in promoting reading among children. A great addition to your child’s library, I recommend Miracles of Jesus.

Recommended.

Audience: developing readers.

(Thanks to Zonderkidz for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Emissary

6 Jan

723859Hyam is a likeable lad who will make a fine farmer someday. But he carries a burden few can fathom. As his mother slips toward death, she implores him to return to Long Hall, where he spent five years as an apprentice. It was there that Hyam’s extraordinary capacity for mastering languages came to light–and soon cast him into the shadows of suspicion. How could any human learn the forbidden tongues with such ease? When Hyam dares to seek out the Mistress of the Sorceries, her revelation tears his world asunder.

He has no choice but to set out on the foreboding path–which beckons him to either his destiny or his doom. An encounter with an enchanting stranger reminds him that he is part hero and part captive. As Hyam struggles to interpret the omens and symbols, he is swept up by a great current of possibilities — and dangers.

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thomas-lockeThomas Locke is an award-winning novelist with total worldwide sales of seven million copies.

His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.

Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.

Thomas’s screenplay adaption of Emissary is under development as a feature film with a British production company.

My Impressions:

Thomas Locke is a new voice in epic fantasy with the first book in a new series, Legends of The Realm. Written from a Christian worldview, Emissary is not your typical Christian novel, yet it embodies the themes of justice, mercy and compassion. Unlikely and ordinary characters achieve the extraordinary through shear will and determination. If you like classic fantasy, then you need to check out this novel.

Following the death of his mother, Hyam must travel to give the news to the father that left him long ago. Memories of abuse by the community of wizards his father belonged to feeds the grief and resentment in his heart. But Hyam finds out that all he once thought true has been a lie and his past is shrouded in a secret held for a thousand years. As he struggles to understand the powers he possesses, he finds he must fight the darkness that has begun to grow in the land. Along with another outcast and a former mage, Hyam gathers other outcasts to fight for what is right and true.

Part quest, part coming of age story, part suspense novel, Emissary is filled with beautiful images of a medieval world nothing like our own. Hidden kingdoms, Elves and other fantastical people, power emanating from colorful orbs, and 1000 year old secrets all make this new world unique to the reader’s experience. The main characters of Hyam and Joelle are complex and very relatable. Their responses to injustice are sometimes noble and sometimes vengeful, providing the reader with a lot to ponder about what his/her own reactions would have been. As stated earlier, there is not an overt Christian message, but the struggle between good and evil mirrors a Christian worldview. I especially liked that the forces the characters draw their powers from are influenced by motives and the desires of the heart. In Hyam we find a character that draws joy from his connection with the power — something that all Christians have when truly connected to God. For those who like action in their books, you are in luck. There are plenty of fights, close scrapes and escapes to keep you turning the pages.

Emissary is just book 1. While a lot is resolved in this book, the danger is not yet gone and Hyam, Joelle, Trace and other characters will face more uncertainty and fear with the rise of another dark force. More adventure, more suspense, more fantasy — perfect for lovers of this genre.

Recommended.

Audience: older teens and adults.

(Thanks to Revell for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Critical Reaction

5 Jan

210154When a Warning Siren Screams in the Desert Night,
the Worst Has Happened

After turning out plutonium for the Cold War, the shuttered Hanford Nuclear Facility’s poisoned buildings may be a bigger risk than ever. The men who guard the facility from sabotage or monitor its buildings are told the dangers are under control. But then the worst happens–a thunderous explosion in the dead of night.

Kieran Mullaney survived the blast, but when threats and silence meet his attempts to discover what really happened, he reconnects with an old friend–inexperienced lawyer Emily Hart. Convinced Hanford is hiding something, they also realize their case is sunk without more help.

Emily’s estranged father, Ryan, has the courtroom experience they need, but he’s grown jaded and weary of the profession. Still, it’s a chance to rebuild ties to Emily, and the deeper he digs, the stranger–and more dangerous–the case gets.

 

14de351636d085353b7c693b2bb4e121_f45Todd M. Johnson has practiced as an attorney for over 30 years, specializing as a trial lawyer. Todd’s career experience blends with his passion for writing in his novels published through Bethany House.

A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Minnesota Law School, he also taught for two years as an adjunct professor of International Law, and served as a US diplomat in Hong Kong.

The Deposit Slip, Mr. Johnson’s first novel, debuted in 2012.

Todd lives outside Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife Cathy and children Ian and Libby.

 

My Impressions:

Critical Reaction by Todd Johnson had been languishing on my shelf for far too long. I loved his debut novel, The Deposit Slip (read review HERE) and was anxious to read book 2. But life gets busy and other book review deadlines seem to push some books to the bottom of the TBR pile. But a long road trip during the New Year’s holiday allowed me to finally pick this title up. I had to put it down with just 7 pages to read when my turn at driving came around (just as the action had hit its peak!). By the time I was back in the passenger seat, it was dark. So the flashlight app on my phone allowed me to get to the end. Yeah! Critical Reaction is a great novel for fans of legal suspense.

There’s been an accident at the defunct Hanford Nuclear site and a huge cover-up is under way. Kieran survived the accident and wants some answers. But the lawsuit he has filed looks like a long shot in the company town of Sherman. When he retains new counsel, the stakes go higher and the company increases its pressure and intimidation. How far will the company go to make sure its plans are successful and the people investigating will shut up or just disappear?

Critical Reaction has all the elements of a legal suspense novel — a David versus Goliath story, cover-ups and conspiracies and a legal team with issues of their own. While the plot kept me turning the pages, the characters were what made me love this book. Emily is an idealistic public defender who takes on Kieran’s case because of it rightness. Her father, Ryan, reluctantly signs on to the case after years of grief and malaise following his wife’s death. Kieran and Poppy are honorable men just trying to find out the truth. The villains are complex as well. Adam Worth has many motivations and enough sociopathic tendencies to make him very interesting. There are lots of shadow characters on both sides of the action to cause plenty of reader speculation.

So if you are looking for a suspense a la Whitlow, Singer or Grisham, then be sure to check out Critical Reaction.

Recommended.

(Thanks to Bethany House for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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January Book Club Pick

2 Jan

Both of my book clubs are reading the same book for January — The Sentinels of Andersonville by Tracy Groot. And . . .  wait for it . . . we will be meeting with Tracy to discuss her book! Yipee! If you’ve read this one, we would love to hear your opinions. And if you haven’t, why not join us in reading it?

 

Sentinels-of-AndersonvilleNear the end of the Civil War, inhumane conditions at Andersonville Prison caused the deaths of 13,000 Union soldiers in only fourteen months. In this gripping and affecting novel, three young Confederates and an entire town come face-to-face with the prison’s atrocities and learn the cost of compassion, when withheld and when given.

Sentry Dance Pickett has watched, helpless, for months as conditions in the camp worsen by the day. He knows any mercy will be seen as treason. Southern belle Violet Stiles cannot believe the good folk of Americus would knowingly condone such barbarism, despite the losses they’ve suffered. When her goodwill campaign stirs up accusations of Union sympathies and endangers her family, however, she realizes she must tread carefully. Confederate corporal Emery Jones didn’t expect to find camaraderie with the Union prisoner he escorted to Andersonville. But the soldier’s wit and integrity strike a chord in Emery. How could this man be an enemy? Emery vows that their unlikely friendship will survive the war—little knowing what that promise will cost him. Emery leads Dance and Violet to a daring act that could hang them for treason.

Chapter 1

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Book Review: Recipe for Murder

31 Dec

HSM-Recipe for Murder Cycle 1 2008Pricilla Crumb’s guest list has just turned into a suspect list. . .for murder. Pricilla never expected to be involved in a real life mystery, but that’s exactly where she finds herself when one of the guests at her son’s hunting lodge is found dead after sampling one of her salmon-filled tartlets. Determined to discover the truth, this unconventional busybody follows one lead after another, dishing up laughter and suspense along the way.

 

harrislisAward-winning author Lisa Harris has been writing both fiction and nonfiction since 2000 and has twenty novels and novellas in print. She currently lives with her family in Mozambique, where they work as missionaries.

Visit her website at http://www.lisaharriswrites.com and her blog at http://www.myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com.

 

My Impressions:

Recipe for Murder is a quick cozy mystery featuring sixty-something Priscilla Crumb. Newly retired and helping out at her son’s Colorado lodge, Priscilla is on the hunt for a murderer. Between cooking for the guests and figuring out her attraction to long time friend Max, Priscilla irritates the police and her suspects. But her intuition is almost as good as her homemade treats.

Lisa Harris has created a fun character in Priscilla. She combines nosiness, loyalty and faith in God. She draws on her years of teaching at a school and reading mystery novels to observe and deduce. Sometimes clueless and naive and sometimes insightful, Priscilla is never boring. If you like a cozy mystery with a touch of romance and a faith message, then try Recipe for Murder. And if you enjoy it, it is the first book in a 3 book series — more Priscilla Crumb to enjoy!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased this book for my Kindle. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Andi Under Pressure

30 Dec

737025Twelve-year-old Andora ‘Andi’ Boggs and her new best friend Colin Carter couldn’t be more excited to attend the prestigious science camp at the local university in Killdeer, Ohio. Unfortunately, Discovery Camp’s curriculum appears to include much more than just chemistry and biology. From day one, the university is plagued by a series of pranks—missing markers, loose crickets, and stolen scales. Campus security blames the mysterious janitor Polk, but even though Andi agrees he’s acting suspicious, she can’t believe the gentle old man would do anything illegal. Then one prank goes too far and their chemistry professor is injured by an explosion in the lab, upping the stakes of the investigation. Andi and Colin must unravel the secrets behind the chemistry department and Polk’s dark past before danger closes the camp for good.

Amanda Flower, an Agatha-nominated mystery author, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. Her debut mystery, Maid of Murder, was an Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel. Amanda is an academic librarian for a small college near Cleveland. She also writes mysteries as Isabella Alan.

My Impressions:

I love a mystery. My first experience with mystery novels was, of course, Nancy Drew. I loved becoming part of a team uncovering clues to solve a case. For a new generation, Amanda Flower has created Andi Boggs and her case-solving adventures. In book 2 in the series, Andi Under Pressure, the young sleuth and her partner, Colin Carter, look into the mishaps at a summer science camp. The slightly nerdy duo are tenacious in their quest for answers.

Andi Under Pressure is perfect for girls. The heroine is a math and science whiz finding her way in a new town and family. Andi’s parents were killed in a plane crash, and she and her sister must now make a home with her aunt. Readers will have a lot to think about besides the mystery — what makes a family and what is important in our closest relationships. The pitfalls of being the new kid are explored as well.

So if you are looking for a book to please the mystery-loving child in your life, be sure to check out Andi Under Pressure.

Recommended.

Audience: kids ages 8-12.

(Thanks to Zonderkidz for my review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: A Table by The Window

29 Dec

731753The youngest heir to a French-Italian restaurant dynasty, food writer Juliette D’Alisa has spent her life negotiating her skill with words and her restaurant aspirations. When her brother Nico offers her a chance to open a restaurant together, she feels torn—does she really have what it takes? Should she risk leaving her journalism career?

After the death of her grandmother, Juliette discovers an antique photograph of a man who looks strikingly like her brother. As the truth behind the picture reveals romance and dark secrets, Juliette struggles to keep the mystery away from her nosy family until she can uncover the whole story.

Inspired by her grandmother’s evolving story, Juliette resolves to explore the world of online dating. To her surprise, she finds a kindred spirit in Neil McLaren, a handsome immunologist based in Memphis, Tennessee. With a long-distance relationship simmering, Juliette faces life-shifting decisions. How can she possibly choose between a promising culinary life and Neil, a man a world away in more ways than one? And is it possible her Grandmother’s story can help show the way?

 

IMG_4972 - black frame bwHillary Manton Lodge is the author of A Table by the Window, Plain Jayne, and Simply Sara. A graduate of the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism, Hillary discovered the world of cuisine during her internship at Northwest Palate Magazine. Her latest novel, Reservations for Two, will release in April of 2015 from WaterBrook Publishing Group.

In her free time, Hillary enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, attending indie concerts, and finding new walking trails. She and her husband make their home in Portland, Oregon, with their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Shiloh.

 

My Impressions:

Juliette is a twenty-something youngest daughter of a food family. Restaurants, recipes, big appetites and big attitudes are the norm for the D’Alisa family. But Juliette is dissatisfied — with her job, her lack of a love life and the direction her life seems to be taking. Setting out to discover a new relationship, career and a family secret, she discovers more about herself.

A Table by The Window is satisfying on many levels. Hillary Manton Lodge uses a variety of writing devices — first person narrative, emails and recipes — to tell Juliette’s story. The story proceeds at a pace that is just right — slow enough to mirror real life, but fast enough to keep the reader interested and engaged. And with a lot of characters to keep up with, Lodge did a great job of developing them and making them real and relatable. If you are a foodie, you will love this book as well. Each recipe fits with the action of the story and adds a great extra touch. And while I will probably never make any of the dishes featured (I’m just not an adventurous cook), I savored each one.

Targeted at the New Adult demographic, A Table by The Window still appealed to this 50-something reader. The themes of family and finding one’s place within it resonate across generations. There are quite a few story threads that are left dangling, so I am eagerly anticipating book 2 in the series, Reservations for Two, due out in April, 2015.

Recommended.

Audience: women ages 22 and up.

(Thanks to Waterbrook for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase this book, click on the image below.

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Rachel Hauck Fires Up the Romance with “A Brush with Love” Kindle Giveaway!

28 Dec

“Fire” up the romance in the new year with Rachel Hauck‘s newest book, A Brush with Love, by entering her Kindle Fire giveaway! And be sure to catch a sneak peek of the soon-to-be-released How to Catch a Prince!

brushwithlove-400

One grand prize winner will receive:

  • A Kindle Fire
  • A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking HERE. But hurry, the giveaway only runs for a week, 12/30 – 1/5. Winner will be announced January 6th on Rachel’s blog.

Rachel Hauck A Brush with Love

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