Review of Always Look Twice by Elizabeth Goddard

Harper Reynolds is on a year long vacation with your sister traveling the country in their souped up Airstream. The last stop on their trip before heading home is Grayback, Wyoming where the sisters grew up. This vacation of healing turns deadly as Harper witnesses a murder through the lens of her camera while taking pictures of a bear. As a former crime scene photographer, it was this exact thing she was trying to heal from. As the murder unfolds before her eyes, the murderer sees her and she runs for her life, losing her camera and her memory card which hold all the evidence. Heath McCade, Harpers best friend growing up, re-enters her life as her rescuer but also is assigned to protect Harper as it appears her life is now in danger. With everything safe unraveling around the two of them, they are in a chase against time looking for a murderer and a bomber who is escalating.

This is book 2 in the Uncommon Justice Series by Goddard. She does a great job of keeping the interest of the reader throughout her story, building off the first book and continuing shining the spotlight on the McCade family. Though the first book does not need to be read to understand this book, it is still a great book to read. Goddard weaves a suspenseful tale and keeps you guessing who "the judge" may be. The main characters have depth with the supporting characters feeling just as important. The characters coupled with the descriptive writing makes for a great book to read.

Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Dark Ambitions by Irene Hannon

When former Army Night Stalker Rick Jordan finds clues that an old army buddy may be in trouble, he goes on the hunt to find him. He enlists the help of PI Heather Shields to unweave what is becoming a very sticky situation that seems to be tied up in politics and cover-ups.

In book three of the Code of Honor series, Hannon does a great job weaving a suspenseful story line that keeps the reader engaged all the way until the end. With drama and fast paced action throughout the entire story, this book is a hard one to put down. This can be read as a stand-alone book, but reading books one and two will add just a bit more depth to the story that if it is read by itself. With Hannon's trademark suspense, this book will not disappoint Hannon fans in the least.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Unscripted by Davis Bunn

Movie producer Danny Byrd has had his life turned upside down when his best friend ran off with all his money. But an unexpected surprise has him back in the movie game and that surprise is Megan Pierce. How will these two broken people find healing through the makings of a movie?

Bunn brings a legal drama to light in this fantastically written story. In the fast paced legal light of Hollywood and the cut throat industry whom everyone is trying to make their name in, Bunn develops two characters who defy the odds. With a great story line that keeps the reader interested with a splash of mystery and a dash of romance, any reader would enjoy this book. With the legal aspect present throughout the entire book, even the lawyer enthusiasts would enjoy Bunn's book where the story line is woven masterfully.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of The Girl Behind the Red Rope by Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker

The red rope is there for a reason. To protect the outside world from coming in. Fear is what keeps you safe. These rules are what Grace, her mother and brother live by. Since moving to Haven Valley, Grace tries to live perfectly every day because she and the entire community are the chosen ones, the bride of Christ, the safe ones whom God has chosen to rescue the world. As Grace comes face to face with the past and her future, she has to make the choice which will alter her entire life and the life of the community.

This Dekker duo has written a phenomenal book that everyone needs to read. With page turning suspense and heart wrenching sadness, these two have created a book that would be hard for anyone to put down. Masterfully written with unique characters, setting and plot, the reader is transported to a community where fear is the only way to live. With threads about forgiveness, grace and love this book will take you on a journey that will open your eyes to things unseen and what fear can actually do to your soul.

Revell Reads send me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano

Who is Lady Enderly? Raina Bretton would like to find out this answer. As a woman who sells rags on the street as a living, Raina is approached by a man who can save her from the streets and give her everything she could ever want. The only caveat is she has to pretend to be someone she's not. The infamous Lady Enderly. But at what cost is she willing to trade her identity?

Davidson-Politano sculpted a story-line that was interesting and unique. With her descriptive words and style, she was able to capture the expressions and grandeur of the surroundings of Lady Enderly. What a great story of twists and turns, especially the second half where it seems the mystery of the main characters is stepped up a notch and keeps the readers engaged until the very end. Davidson-Politano does a great job transporting the reader back to the time of castles, balls and house staff that keep secrets.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of A Glitter of Gold by Liz Johnson

When Anne Norris moved to GA, it was to get as far away from her past as she possibly could. Determined to start fresh and try to erase a life-changing event, Anne finds herself living paycheck to paycheck running her own business taking people on pirate tours. When she lands a discovery which looks like it came from a pirate ship, she finds herself at the local museum talking to the director, Carter Hale. Carter is on his own mission of landing a job in a big museum someday and sees Anne's find as what can take him to the next career step. Walk along with Anne and Carter as they go ship hunting but also encounter who is it God made them to be.

This is the second book in the Georgia Coast Romance series by Liz Johnson. What a sweet story with a bit of mystery and adventure thrown in. Johnson did a great job weaving together two very different characters in to one story that shows how strong family ties are, what forgiveness looks like and how being brave happens in even the small choices. This was a great read for a lazy day in the hammock where you can feel the ocean breezes and sway to the ships rise and fall as the story with in the story takes the reader back to pirates battling merchant ships. A great read for sure!

Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Deadly Intentions by Lisa Harris

Is it her imagination or are the people on Caitlyn's team dying one by one unexpectedly? When she starts asking questions about these deaths, her life all of a sudden becomes a target. So she goes to the one person who she thinks she can trust, detective Josh Solomon. Josh is hesitant to help Caitlyn as his wife was one of those team members who died. But as they dig deeper in to the deaths, ugly truths start to become more evident, even within Josh's own department. With no one to trust, Josh and Caitlyn try and stay one step ahead of who ever is out to kill them before they are silenced forever.

In this suspense packed story, Harris weaves a thriller that is hard to put down. Using descriptive story writing, you feel like you are right next to all the action as it takes place. Harris takes you on a fast paced journey with the characters as they race against the clock. She has written another great book that keeps you flipping the pages right to the end. If you enjoy thrilling suspense novels, this is the book for you!

Revell Reads sent me this complimentary book to review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Vow of Justice by Lynette Eason

In book 4 of the Blue Justice series, the spot light is on FBI Special Agent Linc St. John and his partner Allie Radcliffe. When Allie is thought to be dead, Linc goes on a hunt for the killer only to find that she is actually alive. Linc and Allie are on the hunt to bring down this killer, but someone is also on the hunt to kill them as well. In this twist and turn adventure, who will come out alive in the end?

Eason did a great job once more spinning a tale of suspense, romance and mystery in this novel. It reads well as a stand alone novel even though it is part of the series. The series is based on different members of one family and Eason does a great job keeping the spotlight on the main character. With plot twisters and action-packed pages, this book will keep you up in to the night so you can get to the end and find out what happens! The story-line is fast-paced and Easton did a great job keeping the reader engaged from the beginning to the end.

Revell Reads sent me a complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of The String by Caleb Breakey

The Conductor is in charge of all those he chooses. Markus Haas is now one of his players, but bucks against everything the Conductor wants him to do. Markus, the campus cop that law enforcement doesn't really believe in, takes it upon himself to track down who the conductor is before time runs out and those he loves are killed. 

This story was intense!! From the opening chapter, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to read it, but yet, I could not put this book down. Not one I could read at night thought. Filled with suspense like I haven't read before, this book grips you page after page. I had to slow myself down several times so I wouldn't miss anything. Graphic at times with the violence, but this story was riveting, creative and unbelievable good. Caleb Breakey knocked it out of the park with this fantastic masterpiece! Talk about a page turner that gives you chills but yet you just have to find out what happens.

If you enjoy intense suspense, you will love this book. A page turner that will make your insides knot and unknot time after time. And this is book 1! I can't wait for the 2nd one to come out!

Revell Reads sent me this complimentary book to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker

Cohen Marah's life starts to relive itself after he finds his father bleeding on the floor of their business. Events from the past start to blend in with every day life and he begins to piece it all together to make sense of everything. He lives the past and the present all at the same time in trying to figure out what happened to his father.

Shawn Smucker wrote an excellent story. Full of color and darkness, light and forgiveness. The back of the book says "Master story weaver" and this is 100% accurate. What a story! Chalked full of what family really looks like, what forgiveness looks like, what love looks like. It's not all pretty, tied up with a bow. It's messy and hurtful and raw, yet beautiful, meaningful and redemptive. Smucker does an exceptional job with this story of what true redemption looks like. From the characters to the story line that jumps from the past to the present, he created a work of art in this book.

I think anyone would enjoy this book. With a bit of good vs. evil in there and light vs. darkness, it makes for a capturing read that you won't want to put down.

Revell Reads sent me this complimentary book to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner

Set during the Vietnam War, Annie Jacobson's life is about to change forever. With her brother deployed to the war and her estranged father showing up in her life after leaving years earlier, Annie is on a journey that will change her life forever.

When I started reading this book, the phrase that kept coming to me of how it was written was: lyrical. There is a certain type of lilt to how Susie writes her books that seems whimsical, but yet something hidden just beneath the words that takes you on the journey of the characters. There's a mysterious depth to how she weaves the story and a thread that holds the story together when at the end a beautiful picture is created. I thoroughly enjoy Susie's writing as it is fresh but yet poignant and still down to earth. I enjoy how the characters were developed throughout as you feel like you could've been friends with them. Great job Susie!!

Revell Books sent me this copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own. And I strongly encourage you to read this book and Susie's other books. Check out her website here!

Review of Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner

Cadie has her list of what her dream guy would look like. Then she banishes the list and thinks no one is out there for her. Then Will enters her life. And he becomes everything she ever thought until one misunderstanding. One mistake. One journey that took a hard turn and Cadie found herself on a different path of learning who she was, how to allow God to forgive her, how to forgive herself and how to move on from life choices.

Bethany Turner does it again. The first thing I noticed about this book was the cover. I knew I wanted to read it based solely on the cover. And having read Bethany's previous book, I knew this one would not disappoint. With a whimsical writing style, Bethany takes a situation that can have devastating affects on the heart, on relationships, and on ones self and turns it into a redemption story of how God forgives us. This story is so down to earth, so "normal", so every day living. And it's amazing. I really did not want this book to end as it just made your heart feel good. You found yourself rooting for the characters to figure it out because you just know they can and restoration CAN happen. What a great book to remind the reader that no matter the mistake, the misunderstanding, the hurt, that God ultimately wants you to draw close to him and he wants to restore and redeem.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Living Lies by Natalie Walters

Imagine battling your own mind and trying to hold it all together for everyone around you. This is the life for Lane Kent. Her husband has died, her father is holding it over her head, she's running a cafe, and she finds a dead body of a teenage girl. As Lane battles her own demons, she is forced to work with the new deputy in town, Charlie Lynch. As the plot thickens and those she loves become in danger, the hunt is on for the killer who is wreaking havoc on an entire town.

This is the first book I have read by Natalie Walters and it did not disappoint! This was book one in the Harbored Series. What a fantastic story line with amazing characters and a plot that just keeps twisting throughout. It was link a layer was added on to another layer and then another and soon you have a depth to a mystery that you hope gets solved by the end! The element of romance, of forgiveness, of faith and of struggles that people face daily in the real world were all balanced just right throughout this book. It was a hard to put down and I grabbed it every chance I got to find out what happened next! I look forward to book 2 when it comes out!

Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review of The Edge Over There by Shawn Smucker

This book was a very different style that I usually read. I chose it at first because the cover was eye catching and it sounded interesting. While the writing was fantastic right from the start with descriptive words and characters, it was a bit difficult to get in to. Realizing that this is the 2nd book, it would be good for anyone who would like to read this book to read the 1st book The Day the Angels Fell. While this was my first distopian/fantasty book by Revell, it was a bit hard to get through without reading the first book. I look forward to reading the first book and then trying this book again. Shawn Smucker has quite the talent with his way with words and I look forward to reading any book he writes in the future!

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Justice Delivered by Patricia Bradley

Carly Smith has escaped a horrific entrapment of the sex slave industry and is trying to lead a normal life. That is until her previous life comes back to present and she is forced to relive it all over again when one of her clients brings up a similar story of Carly's past. Determined to bring the man that sold her in to sex trafficking, she returns to her home town, but with a different identity. Detective Logan Donovan feels like he knows this new lady who has mysteriously arrived in his home town, but isn't able to pinpoint where from. As Carly's life becomes in danger and her niece is kidnapped by the same sex traffickers that kidnapped Carly years before, Carly needs to trust the one cop in her life who can keep her safe before it's too late.

Patricia Bradley does it again in creating a gripping novel that keeps the reader flipping page after page until the very end. This book is part of the Memphis Cold Case Novel series, but is easily a stand alone book. Ride the waves of suspense as Bradley takes you on a fast paced journey of Carly Smith and her life of escaping sex trafficking. Bradley, as in her previous books, weaves a story of suspense and mystery throughout her story and does such a great job unfolding the characters throughout the storyline. She doesn't show all her cards at the beginning but keeps the reader engaged and wanting more until all the pieces are put together and the puzzle is clear by the end.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Driftwood Bay by Irene Hannon

In the sleepy town of Hope Harbor, another story is unfolding. Meet Jeannette, the owner of the towns lavender and tea shop. She has successfully built a hedge around her home. Physically and emotionally. She has vowed to keep everyone at a distance as being hurt hurts too much. Her new next door neighbor, Dr. Logan West, though is going through hurts of his own raising his niece of whom he knows nothing about. As these two neighbors' lives intersect, hearts begin to soften.

In this sweet story of healing past hurts, you will find some familiar faces from previous books in the Hope Harbor series. Mainly Charley, the taco making, artist town sage who makes an appearance in every book along with his two side kick seagulls Gladys and Floyd. Walk along the shores of Jeannette and Logan's lives as you discover how these two have more in common than meets the eye. The author does a great job setting the scene and developing the characters in a nonsensical way that keeps the reader interested throughout the book.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Never Let Go by Elizabeth Goddard

Willow Anderson's life is flipped upside down when her grandfather is killed. Not only was he her business partner in his genealogist company, but he was her rock and the one she looked up to for everything. When she decides to continue investigating the case he was working on when he was killed, she quickly finds out that it's much more dangerous than she expected. When attempts are being made on her life, she realizes that someone doesn't want the truth exposed. With the help of her ex-boyfriend and former FBI agent, Austin McKade, uncovering the truth will lead them on unexpected paths, not only for the case, but their hearts as well.

Goddard spins a fast-paced, action packed story that keeps the reader flipping the pages to find out what happens next. This is the first book in the Uncommon Justice Series and it does not disappoint. with twist and turns around every corner and with every page, Goddard does a great job creating a story that keeps the reader interested and wanting more. If you enjoy suspense with romance thrown in throughout, you will enjoy this book.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of The Sky Above Us by Sarah Sundin

In this story of tenderness and compassion, we find Violet Lindstrom and Lt. Adler Paxton learning what it means to lean and grow their faith. Violet works for the Red Cross and Paxton as a fighter pilot during the days leading up to the fated D-Day. As their paths intersect, so do their hearts. But amidst scandal and possible thievery, they learn to trust each other, but mostly to trust that God will work all things according to his plans.

This is book 2 in the series Sunrise at Normandy by Sundin. This is a great book for those who enjoy war stories and history during D-Day. Sundin weaves history in to this novel making it feel like you are right there hearing the fighting and walking along the roads and paths that are traveled. With a bit of mystery thrown in, the reader finds themselves moving along with the characters wondering how it will all work out. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will enjoy this 2nd book in the Sunrise at Normandy series.

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review of We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartels

What it's about: Three women. Three eras of history. Three lives that intertwine and connect over decades. Three underlying themes in each of their lives that so adequately define where America was and is on the subject of racism. Journalist Elizabeth Balsam finds herself on a journey that she thought was going to take her in one direction, but takes her on a completely different path. A path of finding family that she didn't know existed and a history of the Balsam name that she knew nothing about. Because of one meeting, a camera and some photographs, Elizabeth begins a search that leads her to realizations about racism reaching back to the Civil War that impacts her family.

What I thought: This book was one of the very few books that I would define as one of my favorite. Carefully written, but written in such a way that the reader can't help but mourn, cheer, cry and be angry at how America has been shaped regarding racism and the injustices that have been woven into the decades of society. This story covers three women, all in the same family, spreading from the Civil war, to the marches of Martin Luther King and the riots in Detroit to present day. The subjects of slavery to interracial marriage. To how past thought one color of skin was incomprehensible and an embarrassment on the family history to the present seeing how beautiful all people are. A powerful story to help open eyes and begin conversations about America's history and opening eyes to racism.

Would I recommend this: A resounding yes. This was one of the most powerful fiction books I have read in a very long time. Beautifully and heart wrenchingly amazing, this book will be one that has impacted me to the core. Bartels did an exceptional job and I look forward to reading the books she writes in the future. Well done!

Revell sent me this complimentary copy to review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

What it's about: Brady St. John's vacation comes to an abrupt halt one day as he hears screams from the secluded lake by the house he is staying in. One choice sets in motion events in which lead he and the woman he rescues, Emily Chastain, on a life or death hunt for why Emily is being targeted and attempted to be killed.

What I thought: This is the 3rd book in the Blue Justice Series by Lynette Eason. She weaves a story of twists and turns that has you wondering who is the hunted and who is doing the hunting of the main characters in this story. Eason does a remarkable job keeping the reader in suspense throughout the entire book, right up until the end. With threads of romance and learning about confident self-image, this book will keep the reader engaged until the last page is turned. There are ties to the first two books, but the reader can read this book as a stand-alone. I would encourage you though, if you read this book, to read the first two in this series as you won't be disappointed.

Would I recommend it: yes! absolutely, without a doubt, read this book. Read the series! if you enjoy mystery suspense, then you will like this book.

Revell sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own.