Review of House of Mercy by Erin Healy

Beth has a gift of healing—which is why she wants to become a vet and help her family run their fifth-generation cattle ranch. Her father’s dream of helping men in trouble and giving them a second chance is her dream too. But it only takes one foolish decision for Beth to destroy it all.

Beth scrambles to redeem her mistake, pleading with God for help, even as a mystery complicates her life. The repercussions grow more unbearable—a lawsuit, a death, a divided family, and the looming loss of everything she cares about. Beth’s only hope is to find the grandfather she never knew and beg for his help. Confused, grieving, and determined to make amends, she embarks on a horseback journey across the mountains, guided by a wild, unpredictable wolf who may or may not be real.

Set in the stunningly rugged terrain of Southern Colorado, House of Mercy follows Beth through the valley of the shadow of death into the unfathomable miracles of God’s goodness and mercy.

This is my second Erin Healy book that I read and I was not disappointed. Healy describes her writing as supernatural suspense, and this book reflects that.  Just like in The Baker's Wife, Healy does a fantastic job setting up the story quickly and you are immersed from the first page of wanting to know what is going to happen to this person. Her characters and writing is so real. To the point that I was getting frustrated and disliked some personalities and had a breaking heart for others.

Putting the fiction aspect aside, the spiritual asset was oh so rich. One part that grasped my heart was during one scene where Beth was having a little conversation with God about healing her grandfather. The gist of it was that God could've healed her grandfather Himself, but He was choosing to use Beth as a way to heal her grandfather, to show her what His mercy looks like. How many times do I miss this in my own life? Where God could so easily do something all by Himself, but instead chooses to do something by using me, to show me His character, grace, mercy and love? Still chewing, mulling and digesting this nugget that I believe is so profound.

This is a fantastic read and I highly recommend it.

Booksneeze sent me this complimentary book to review for them. Opinions of this book are my own.

Review of Vanished by Irene Hannon

Reporter Moira Harrisons is lost. In the dark. In a thunderstorm. When a confusing detour places her on a rural, wooded road, she's startled by the sudden appearance of a lone figure caught in the beam of her headlights. Though Moira jams on her brakes, the car careens across the wet pavement--and the solid thump against the side of the vehicle tells her she hit the person before she crashes into a tree on the far side of the road. 

A dazed Moira is relieved when a man opens her door, tells her he saw everything, and promises to call 911. Then everything fades to black. When she comes to an hour later, she is alone. No man. No 911. No injured person lying on the side of the road. But she can't forget the look of terror she saw on the person's face in the instant before her headlights swung away. The person she hit had been in trouble. She's sure of it. But she can't get anyone to believe her story--except a handsome former police detective, now a private eye, who agrees to take on the case.

Irene Hannon has done it again. Vanished is a book one in a new series called Private Justice. She has kept the reader on the edge of each page, ready to keep flipping to the next. I loved the reference of one of the characters from a previous series and how she incorporated that in, every so briefly.

One portion I was a bit disappointed in was one of the choices the main character made towards the end of the book. It set up an easy-to-figure-out-what's-going-to-happen section of the book. That was a bit of a let down, but the twist at the end wasn't expected, and honestly, was a bit gruesome.

Overall, a fantastic book and I'm looking forward to book two in this new series.

Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary book to review. All thoughts and words are my own.