No, I cannot forget from where it is that I come from I cannot forget the people who love me Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town And people let me be just what I want to be — John Mellencamp
I wasn’t raised in a small town, although the Orlando area wasn’t huge before Disney. I would never say I had a small town upbringing, but I have lived in small towns all my married life. I love a small town, and I think it was the best environment for my children growing up. Is that why I love stories set in small towns? Maybe.
This week TTT is featuring favorite literary tropes. One of my favorites is a character that returns to their roots and discovers truths about their lives. Although the small town mystery/suspense novels I have on the list may make them regret their decision, at least for a while. 😉 I’ve included recent novels I have read — historical romance, women’s fiction, mystery/suspense, contemporary romance — something for everyone. I hope you find a small town to love too.
It’s fall here in the Sunny South, but the only real evidence is the lower humidity — Hallelujah! — and cooler morning temps. I think some cooler daytime highs are in the near future, but until then the air conditioner continues to hum. This week’s TTT is a Freebie, and I decided to list books with a variation of “fall” in the title. Some actually have an autumn connection; others not so much. 😉 I included both adult and children’s books so all can join in on the fun. Hope you find a book that piques your interest.
Congratulations to the talented authors who are this year’s winners of the ACFW Carol Award. I hope your TBR wishlist just got longer! 😉
2021 Carol Award Winners
Contemporary
The Promised Land by Elizabeth Musser; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editor: L. B. Norton
Historical
Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editors: Dave Horton and Rochelle Gloege
Historical Romance
Like Flames in the Night by Connilyn Cossette; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editors: Raela Schoenherr and Jennifer Veilleux
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Dead End by Nancy Mehl; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editors: Raela Schoenherr and Jean Bloom
Novella
Far as the Curse is Found (from The Joy to the World Collection) by Amanda Barratt; Kregel Publications; Editors: Janyre Tromp and Dori De Vries Harrell
Romance
Love and A Little White Lie by Tammy L. Gray; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editor: Raela Schoenherr
Romantic Suspense
Lost Down Deep by Sara Davison; ACFW QIP (Qualified Independently Published); Editors: Ines Jimenez and Deb Elkink
Short Novel
The Christmas Bargain by Lisa Carter; Love Inspired (Harlequin); Editor: Melissa Endlich
Speculative
Stealing Embers by Julie Hall; ACFW QIP (Qualified Independently Published); Editors: Rebecca Heyman and Janelle Leonard
Young Adult
Mortal Sight by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads; Enclave Publishing; Editors: Steve Laube and Lisa Laube
Debut Author
Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editors: Dave Horton and Rochelle Gloege
This week Top 10 Tuesday posts are featuring book covers that depict nature. As I was looking for books to include, I was surprised that I could find as many as I did. Most covers feature people. I chose books that depict a setting or key element of the story (some have people, others not). They span genres too.
Happy Tuesday! Today’s Top 10 Tuesday challenge is listing books that I would throw in the ocean. Uh, even if I don’t like a book, I am not sure I could throw it into the ocean! So instead I am listing books with ocean (or ocean references) in their titles. They include historical fiction, contemporary romance, and suspense — something for everyone!
Have you ever wanted to throw a book in the ocean? (Or at least across the room? 😉 )
This week’sTop 10 Tuesday challenge is FunnyTitles. I posted on that not too long ago, and frankly I don’t read many funny books, so the titles aren’t either. So I decided to share the ever popular Ruined Titles. Basically, you change one or two letters of one of the words in a book’s title so that a great read becomes, well, ruined. 😉 My apologies to the authors.
I went the of way of easy today for Top 10 Tuesday. Instead of coming up with characters names for pets, I chose books that include pets or in some cases, books where wild animals are part of the story. Some are your run-of-the mill dogs (is there really such a thing?) and some are a bit exotic, like wolves, possums, seagulls, and kangaroos. All make the books a little more special. I did a Top 10 Tuesday a while ago with characters that made great cat names. You can check it out HERE.
Lisa Carter has quickly become one of my must-read authors for romantic suspense. With its definite fall-ish vibe, its Blue Ridge setting, and its intriguing characters, The Sound of Falling Leaves is a winner!
After aspiring opera singer Tessa loses her voice in a fire, she needs both a place to heal and a way to keep music in her life. She retreats to her aunt’s apple orchard in rural North Carolina to collect folk ballads. But amid the autumn splendor of this isolated Appalachian community, she uncovers an unnerving connection between a murder case and a long-ago disappearance. Tessa gets a glimpse into an almost-forgotten world, encounters a corrupt, small-town political dynasty, and finds superstition and prejudice at every turn.
She’s also drawn to Zeke, the handsome but enigmatic orchard caretaker, who shows her that mountain justice is neither impartial nor just. But battling a conspiracy of silence, Tessa isn’t sure if she can trust him. Yet somewhere in the mists of the Blue Ridge Mountains, evil lurks, and a killer is determined to keep the past where it belongs — dead and buried.
Multi-published, Daphne and Carol-award winning author Lisa Carter likes to describe her romantic suspense novels as “Sweet Tea with a Slice of Murder.” Her latest suspense novel is The Sound of Falling Leaves. In addition, she writes contemporary romance with Love Inspired, the popular Matchmaker series, set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Lisa enjoys traveling and researching her next fictional adventure. When not writing, she loves spending time with family. http://www.lisacarterauthor.com.
A native North Carolinian, she has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. Follow Lisa on Amazon to receive notices about her new releases and join her newsletter mailing list for book happenings athttps://bit.ly/2Rl6U2r.
My Impressions:
If you are looking for a suspense-filled novel that will keep you up wait too late at night to see just what comes next, then The Sound of Falling Leaves by Lisa Carter is the book for you! There is so much to love about this book. It gets a highly recommended rating from me!
To begin with, Carter gets the setting of The Sound of Falling Leaves just right. I loved the way she captured the culture, the language, the superstition/wives tales, the beauty of nature, and even the poverty and despair that lives within the Appalachians. Set in the North Carolina portion of the Blue Ridge mountains, I felt like I could see the mists and smell the crisp air of autumn. There’s a malignancy that permeates Roebuck county, though, that Carter has captured as well. Ancient beauty and traditions and ancient evil are all part and parcel of the small community in the wilds of western North Carolina. The plot centers around the Cozart family and their nefarious doings. Zeke Sloane is undercover trying to ferret out all of their criminal activities. As orchard manager as his cover, he comes into contact with Tessa Goforth, the owner’s great-niece. She has past troubles she longs to escape. There’s definite chemistry between the two — sometimes triggering explosions. 😉 Their relationship is rocky! Both struggle with faith and carry burdens of brokenness and guilt. The faith message is very strong in The Sound of Falling Leaves, and it beautifully unfolds. For those who love music, this novel has many references that will be a treat. I am musically-challenged, but I spent some time googling coloratura and contralto Youtube videos, as well as the folk music that defines the Appalachians.
While The Sound of Falling Leaves is romantic-suspense (and does it very well), I feel this book has a depth not often found in the genre. The characters are very well-drawn, the plot complex, puzzling, and multi-layered. It’s one of the best I have read in some time. I think the themes of justice vs revenge and nature vs nurture would lend themselves to great discussions — so grab some friends and read this one together!
HighlyRecommended.
Great for Book Clubs.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Kregel for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Happy Friday! I am in North Georgia today chasing the colors of fall. For today’s first line, what better book to feature than The Sound of Falling Leavesby Lisa Carter. Carter’s latest romantic suspense has a decidedly fall vibe — the cover is gorgeous. And it is set in a small Appalachian community, so like where our cabin is located. Perfect for my fall reading!
Here’s the first line:
Zeke Sloane stood in the autumn-bronzed shade of the pecan trees that bookended the farmhouse, waiting.
After aspiring opera singer Tessa loses her voice in a fire, she needs both a place to heal and a way to keep music in her life. She retreats to her aunt’s apple orchard in rural North Carolina to collect folk ballads. But amid the autumn splendor of this isolated Appalachian community, she uncovers an unnerving connection between a murder case and a long-ago disappearance. Tessa gets a glimpse into an almost-forgotten world, encounters a corrupt, small-town political dynasty, and finds superstition and prejudice at every turn.
She’s also drawn to Zeke, the handsome but enigmatic orchard caretaker, who shows her that mountain justice is neither impartial nor just. But battling a conspiracy of silence, Tessa isn’t sure if she can trust him. Yet somewhere in the mists of the Blue Ridge Mountains, evil lurks, and a killer is determined to keep the past where it belongs — dead and buried.
Multi-published, Daphne and Carol-award winning author Lisa Carter likes to describe her romantic suspense novels as “Sweet Tea with a Slice of Murder.” Her latest suspense novel is The Sound of Falling Leaves. In addition, she writes contemporary romance with Love Inspired, the popular Matchmaker series, set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Lisa enjoys traveling and researching her next fictional adventure. When not writing, she loves spending time with family. http://www.lisacarterauthor.com.
A native North Carolinian, she has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. Follow Lisa on Amazon to receive notices about her new releases and join her newsletter mailing list for book happenings athttps://bit.ly/2Rl6U2r.
So how long is long for a book title? 5 words? 7? More? I headed to my TBR shelves to find those books that grabbed me with their intriguingly or amusingly long titles for this week’s Top 10 Tuesday. Have you read any of these? I’d love to know your thoughts.
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