The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem - A Book Review

 

To be honest, there were several times during the first third of this book that I considered abandoning it because it was filled with characters I didn't particularly like that spent most of their time whining and bickering. Fortunately, I trudged along and by the time I was midway through the book, I was hooked. The last half of the book was compelling, and I ended up liking all of the major characters, and enjoyed seeing how they matured through the many hardships they faced.

The Fault Between Us is set in 1959 in and around Yellowstone National Park. Landsem's fictional characters had endured hardships in life, and largely coped with them in unhealthy ways. Experiencing the non-fictional earthquake that occurred in the Hebgen Lake area greatly impacted their priorities and relationships in a very positive manner. I am grateful that I was moved to continue reading and that I was able to experience this wonderful story. I am also grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this novel from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

 

Prowl by Colleen Coble - A Book Review

  

Coble's Sanctuary series continues with Prowl. This is the continued story of veterinarian Paradise Alden and animal sanctuary owner Blake Lawson. While there are many animals prowling around their enclosures at the sanctuary, the big question is what two-legged mammal is prowling around wreaking havoc on their lives, not only their lives, but also the lives of Blake's mother and younger brothers. How is it possible that such a well-meaning, loving family has such a wide range of possible enemies? The answer to that, as it often is in real life, is secrets that need to remain hidden and greed.

In both her current series, Sanctuary and the Tupelo Grove series which Coble is co-authoring with Rick Acker, Coble's skills in plotting mysteries and writing them with just the right pace, developing characters readers care about, and leaving readers with a satisfying ending yet longing for more are in full display. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Prowl from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

On the Edge of Trust by Patricia Bradley - A Book Review

 

Intense, heart-pounding action from start to finish! Crime reporter turned podcaster Tori Mitchell and FBI undercover agent Scott Sinclair are thrown together as they seek to discover who has it out for Tori, and who committed a murder and allowed someone else to take the fall years ago. Bradley intertwines a themes of addiction recovery, the impact addiction has on friends and family, and the difficulty of restoring relationships and trust within a story of romance and suspense. This inclusion of deep, sensitive themes significantly enhances a novel that has all the elements of a great romantic suspense story. I am happy to be able to recommend On the Edge of Trust and this fantastic author of whom I have been a big fan for years. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this novel from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Red Cottage by Hannah Linder - A Book Review

    

The Red Cottage has a Regency Cornwall setting, a sometimes brooding Scottish hero, a damsel in distress with two handsome men vying for her hand, and unknown assailants. Well disguised clues and red herrings abound. Author Hannah Linder has readers in the palm of her hand until the very end, an ending that is not rushed and completely satisfies. The themes of true love, resilience, and forgiveness versus retribution are well written into this dramatic tale.

I highly recommend The Red Cottage and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Dark Design by Nancy Mehl - A Book Review

  

Author, and former St. Louis police officer, Erin Delaney moved to the small town of Sanctuary located in the Smoky Mountains seeking a more peaceful existence. She had her border collie, Chester, with her and they had been befriended by the local police chief, Adrien Nightengale and his golden retriever, Jake. After Erin was called to Fredericksburg, Virginia to assist in an investigation into a serial killer, strange things began to happen back in Sanctuary. Was there a connection? Was Erin being targeted, or were the events circumstantial? Readers will enjoy following Erin's investigation along with her friends Kaely and Noah in Virginia and Adrian's miles away.

Nancy Mehl has once again given readers a spine tingling serial killer thriller that surprisingly leads to deep spiritual insights: insights into life after death, into the freedom of living without a spirit of fear, and into the light God brings into our lives when we accept His gift of grace. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Dark Design from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright - A Book Review

  

Eeriness to the max, Jaime Jo Wright's signature style, The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall is loaded with it. The mystery of Traeger Hall spans over one hundred years. The stories told here include the years leading up to its closing, and the years leading up to and just after its opening. The question is, will anyone ever know the true stories, stories that include ghosts, treasure, abuse, betrayal, secrets, and murder.

Once again Jaime Jo Wright thrills her readers, leaving them on edge, reading far too long into the night, and then wishing away that spooky feeling with the confidence that all will be made right in the end. She also leaves them longing for her next release. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini

  

While Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters is a work of fiction inspired by history, every incident that I fact checked, and there were many, did indeed occur much in the way they were presented in the book. I found learning about Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln's life both interesting and saddening. I was unaware of her mental health struggles both before and after her husband's death. Jennifer Chiaverini did a wonderful job of portraying Mrs. Lincoln and her relationships with her sisters, her husband, and her children. I look forward to continuing to make my way through her oeuvre.