Review of Fatal Code by Natalie Walters

Natalie has yet again written a nail biter book that keeps you up in to the wee hours of the night turning pages to find out what happens next. This is book 2 in the SNAP Agency series but can be read as a stand alone book. This storyline is a bit complex as the subject is about nuclear energy but if followed right, it will make sense! With different story lines converging, this book keeps the reader interested throughout the entirety. 

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

The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart

Ava Laine is plodding along in life until her world shifts with one phone call. Her treasure-hunter estranged father is dying and wants to reconnect with her. With his help from his bed, Ava begins the journey across the world looking for a famed egg tied to the Russian Romanov family who reigned in the 1920's. 

Stuart writes an interesting historical fiction that any history buff would enjoy. Adventure, a dual story line toggling back and forth between present and past, eye opening realizations, new formed friendships and forgiveness are some topic the reader will come in contact with as they journey through this book. As you read you'll be swept back in time to the 1920's and then whisked to present day. Stuart has a fresh angle on a story that keeps the reader engaged with each page that is turned. 

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

Review of Malicious Intent by Lynn H. Blackburn

Dr. Ivy Collins loves her job and the company she built from the ground up. But someone wants it too and will stop at nothing to get it. Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon is thrown back in to Ivy's life after 15 years apart and is now doing everything he can to keep her alive while he and his team race against time to find who's after Ivy.

This is the 2nd book in the Defend and Protect Series by Blackburn. This fast paced action packed book will keep you guessing as to who's the criminal mastermind. Reading the first book is helpful, but not needed to understand this story line. There are also characters from Blackburn's series Dive Team Investigations who make an appearance in this book as well. I love how characters are crossed over from other books and woven into the story line. This is a great suspense thriller that will keep you up late in the night to race to the last page.

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

Review of Life Flight by Lynette Eason

Penny Carlton loves her job as an EMS pilot. Her skills are pushed to the edge when she has to make an emergency landing with a critical patient on board in the middle of a storm. Along with being a pilot, she also finds herself needing to stay alive from a killer. Teaming up with FBI agent Holt Satterfield, they have to work together to find who is after them and put this killer behind bars. 

This is Eason's first book in the Extreme Measures series. The thrilling pace of this story keeps the reader engaged and turning each page. With a story line that keeps moving and layers being built on as the story progresses culminates in a fantastic ending! Eason shows her experience in writing in this first book and does a great job once again pulling the reader in to her workmanship. Filled with suspense, some romance and an all around great story line, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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

Review of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels

Kendra Brennan has hidden away in her grandfather's cabin to try and write her next book. But shadows of her previous book haunt her and how it affected her readers, one in particular. Kendra finds herself entering those shadows with the help of a new friend and the re-entrance of old friends.

This stand-alone novel peels back the layers of the main character and how her past has shaped her present. And how she's determined to change her future. This is such a raw, gracefully written book that cuts at the heart and then sews it back together with loving thread to make something that is still recognizable but also new. Bartels has written a fantastic story that captures the reader and takes him/her on a journey that you least expect. Such depth is woven through this story line and as the reader, you can tell the author has taken great care in the characters and their stories. 

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

Lights Out by Natalie Walters

Lights Out is a fast paced, action paced thriller that takes the reader in to the inner workings of the CIA. This is the first book in the SNAP Agency series by Natalie Walters. Walters does an outstanding job of creating a story that keeps the reader engulfed with the passing of each page. The suspense keeps the reader engaged right up until the end. With threads of trust and forgiveness, action and suspense woven through the storyline, this read is the complete package. Walters delivers a fantastic story to set up this series and I look forward to reading the 2nd book!

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

Review of Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant

Rory Perez has been given the family's taco truck. Lives depend on her being able to make it successful. The only hitch is, she doesn't like to cook. But she wants to keep her aunt's legacy going. Jude Strong is feeling the pressure from his father to carry on the legacy of the law firm, but what Jude wants to do is cook. Little do these two know is that they are falling for each other via a dating app. When life puts them together at an in-person cooking competition, they try not to fall for each other. Things get complicated and twisted when they realize their on-line relationship is a real-life relationship after all.

Betsy St. Amant has written a delightful story that draws the reader in and warms the heart with every page. With the undertones of You've Got Mail but throwing in a taco truck, a chef, and on-line dating, this cooks up to be a fantastic story where family and love intertwine and difficult decisions change the course of paths and dreams. St. Amant does a great job developing the characters, their stories and the plot throughout the entire book. 

Revell sent me this complimentary book to review and the opinions expressed are my own.

The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox

Sarah Ashby is back home. Back at the familiar of the Old Depot Grocery store. Working along side her grandmother and mother. What she's not ready for is the grocery store to be sold. Caught in between her grandmother's wishes and mother's wishes, she begins to uncover many deep secrets that have been kept about her heritage. 

Cox has written an amazing book that toggles between the past and present to build the story that the reader finds themself in. As pieces are revealed about Sarah, her grandmother and mother, the story starts to become clear as to how the relationships are the way they are in this family. With a delicate balance of stringing the past and present together, Cox has created a story the reader can't put down. With a splash of romance, sadness, forgiveness, selflessness and how important family ties can be, this book is all those and more. A great read that keeps the reader captivated and wanting more.

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

Review of A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano

Ella Blythe has dancing in her blood. Literally. The daughter of a famous ballet dancer, she longs to be on the stage and in the spotlight like her mother. When her dreams come to fruition, she finds it's a lot less glamorous than she thought. Follow Ella through her journey of discovering who she is and how she finds herself in the midst of what it means to be in the spotlight.

Politano does a great job pulling the reader in to the life of the ballet scene. With attention to detail, the story takes a life of it's own and builds upon the character of Ella. With twists and turns that keeps the reader glued to the pages, the lilt of the story is almost like a dance in and of itself. With the names keeping you on your toes and requiring a bit more attention than most books, the storyline flows seamlessly. If you've read other Politano books, you will enjoy this one.

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

Under the Bayou Moon by Valerie Fraser Luesse

Ellie Fields uproots from her home town and moves to the bayou of Bernadette, Louisiana to become the towns teacher. Upon arriving, she falls in love with the town and not long after, falls in love with the people. Little does she know though that there are sinister choices being made politically to try and split the town in two. Through foraging friendships and a town coming together, Ellie finds herself a new place to call home.    

Luesse has written a sweet story about new beginnings, family and love. Her description of life on the bayou draws the reader right in to the sights and smells that surround the characters. Leusse has a way of story telling with light-heartedness and simplicity that makes this a feel-good story all around. There is a depth of Southern-ness that makes you want to book a flight to the Louisiana and experience life on the bayou. This is a great read if you are looking for a pick-me-up book that lifts the spirits.

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

Review of Beyond the Tides by Liz Johnson

Meg Whitaker is not ready to give up the family lobster-fishing business when her dad tells her he is going to sell it to Oliver Ross, her high school arch nemesis. So begins the competition of who is going to win the coveted boat and family heritage. Meg and Oliver now have to work together for the lobster season to show Meg's dad who would could best run the business. But what they did not count on was the forging of a friendship, unexpected conversations about their pasts and the feelings growing towards each other over early mornings and hard work.

Liz Johnson has woven a sweet story of two people who chose to avoid each other for years over one event in this first book of her new Prince Edward Island series. I enjoyed how she equally gave the spotlight to two main characters instead of just one. The backstory for each of them flowed well in to the present story and helped create some depth for each character. The description of the environment around the characters makes the reader feel they are sitting right there watching everything unfold. I look forward to the next book!

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

Review of The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal

Ben Calix is good at what he does...a spy for the Company. But one assignment turns him in to a wanted man and he finds himself on the run, with a woman whom he doesn't even know. Not knowing why he is being hunted, he learns to trust a stranger while trying to bring down a bioweapon that is getting ready to be unleashed on the world all the while using his training just to stay alive.

This is the first book I have read by James Hannibal and it was fantastic! A bit gory in areas during the intense fighting scenes, but the plot line was creative and kept the reader engaged right up to the end. Hannibal spun a story like no other with plot twists and turns that keeps the reader wondering what is actually going on. With action, suspense and a sliver of romance, the reader stays engaged throughout the entire book right up to the end. 

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

Review of Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

Former CIA sniper Kadence Tolle is on the run. Lyndon Vaile doesn't realize he is will be on the run until he meets Kadence Tolle, who saves his life from a sniper. Kadence and Lyndon's worlds collide as Kadence keeps Lyndon alive so he can figure out who is after him and his scientific research. 

This is the first book I have read by Melissa Koslin and it was a great story! From the first page, the reader is sucked in to the story line of the main character, Kadence. As the story unfolds, it's multi-faceted as the characters are developed, their back stories are shared along with the main story line of staying alive. All the way to the end, the reader is involved in the story. Koslin created a very interesting plot and the reader can tell that the author researched the scientific aspects well. I look forward to reading Koslin's 2nd book!

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

Review of Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard

Terra Connors is following in her late mother's footsteps as a US Forest Service Special Agent. One case though brings the past back full force when she has to team up with her former flame Jack Tanner to solve a case that's getting more dangerous by the day. Jack and Terra need to lay aside their past hurt to find out who is involved in the dangerous web of murder and theft.

Goddard weaves a story full of characters and mystery with every page that is turned. The storyline builds on itself and keeps the reader engaged until the end. I enjoyed the archeological information and how that was woven in to the story. You can tell the author did her research and it showed in the depth of knowledge that was written in to the story. There were a few times that it was difficult to remember who was who as there were a couple different story lines going on, but it makes sense now thinking back on the book. I look forward to the 2nd book in this series!

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

Review of Unknown Threat by Lynn H. Blackburn

U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell should be dead. Surviving an attack against he and his friend, Luke is on a mission to find out who is after him, and who killed three other special agents that were his friends. FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is assigned to oversee the case. Her tenacity of not losing a case has her determined to solve this one. Luke and Faith have to work together, and put aside their differences, to catch a killer before the killer catches them.

This is the 1st book in the Defend and Protect Series by Lynn Blackburn. She does a great job weaving together a thrilling story where the action doesn't stop until the very end. What I did enjoy was you had no idea who the "bad guy" was until the end. I think this kept the reader engaged throughout the entire story. I also enjoyed the crossover characters from her previous series and how they played a small, but integral part, in this book. If you enjoy a page turner that keeps you guessing until the end, you will enjoy the first book in this new series.

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

Review of Facing the Dawn by Cynthia Ruchti

Mara Jacobs is barely holding life together. With her husband on the other side of the world saving people by providing clean water, she is back home raising three kids, two of which are heading down the dangerous paths. Tragedy strikes. Again and again. And Mara is plunged in to grief, despair, depression and does not even know how to begin to hold it together. 

What a beautifully tragic story of how to grow amid walking in grief. This is the first book I have read by Ruchti and she did an amazing job bringing the reader in to the Jacobs' home, in to their lives, their emotions, their grief. This was by far from a light, airy book, but one with heaviness, but redemptive heaviness. You can see the cracks of light shine through the darkness as the story progresses all the way to the end. You can feel the pain, the anger, the love, the forgiveness that takes place within the characters. How forever friends are always there. How new forever friends are formed. How family rallies. A fantastic read by ruchti.

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

Review of Obsession by Patricia Bradley

 

Emma Winters is one of Natchez Trace's rangers and loves her job. With the chance to excavate a site on the land, Emma is in her glory. But all that turns to danger when she is shot at and it appears someone is messing with the excavation site. Assigned to the case is her ex-fiance, Sam Ryker, who isn't completely over Emma. Emma and Sam have to work together to find who is after her and trying to take out Sam.

This is book 2 in the Natchez Trace Park Ranger series and Bradley does a great job of writing a story that keeps the reader flipping the pages in to the late hours of the night. Her whodunnit level of writing keeps the reader guessing and the level of suspense keeps the reader glued to the pages. The characters are well formed and the storyline is smooth throughout the entire book. Any suspense reader would enjoy this book and this series by Bradley.

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

Review of Network of Deceit by Thomas Threadgill

After Amara Alvarez was thrust in the spotlight after blowing open a closed case, her dream has come true with becoming homicide detective. Her first case has her questioning if she's cut out for the job when a teen winds up dead at a waterpark. On top of wanting to prove herself as a great detective, she's trying to figure out feelings towards another detective and carrying the weight of a health diagnosis of her mother - the matriarch of the family. Amara learns quickly of what it looks like to juggle so many balls while trying to find a killer.

Threadgill did a masterful job with the depth and narrative of this story! It can be read as a stand-alone, but the reader would understand much more having read the first book in the series. More so with understanding the main character and the continuation of her growth through trials. Threadgill has written another book that is hard to put down until it's finished. Being a more mystery than suspense read, it has the reader trying to figure out how everything fits together, how the pieces line up and keeps the guessing going until the end. 

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

Review of All That We Carried by Erin Bartels

Olivia and Melanie are each carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, but in different ways. Not having really connected in 10 years, they decide to go on a week long backpacking trip to reconnect as sisters. What they don't expect is to find so much more about each other and even more about themselves. 

Erin Bartels knocks it out of the part with this emotional book that carries you along on the journey of these two sisters. With so much heartache and soul searching on the main two characters' hearts, you grieve with them and also celebrate with them. Written with some backstory that ties to current conversations, you get a sneak peek in to their lives and relationship growing up. I loved how God was portrayed in this book as being someone who comes along and helps, who listens, who offers guidance and wisdom in a loving way. With depth and layers throughout, the story weaves grace, forgiveness, sister-hood, introspectiveness and deep heart searching that starts both of the characters a new journey. Bartels did a great job of making this feel real life with real emotions and real situations that could happen to anyone. 

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

Review of The Escape by Lisa Harris

Madison James is doing the job she loves as a US Marshall. It has also been five years since her husband was murdered with no closure on the killer. With feeling the need for a change, her thoughts are of moving out of the city to start somewhere fresh. But before that can happen, she needs to focus on her job of which a new assignment is given to her, along with a new partner, Jonas Quinn. A quick flight transporting two prisoners should have them back home later that day. Things do not go as planned as their plane crashes and one of their prisoners escapes in a remote area. The man hunt begins as they search for their escaped prisoner who is also hunting them as well. Every second and move counts as the manhunt begins.

Lisa Harris has created a new series that keeps the reader quickly turning each page. The suspense is thick, the story writing is top-notch and the plot grips the reader all the way to the end. Harris does a great job of making the story come to life and keeps the reader well engaged with the twists and turns of the two main characters who you feel like you know. If you enjoy a good suspense filled book, pick up this book in Harris' new series US Marshalls. 

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