by admin | Feb 28, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
After witnessing a mob hit, Daisy Grant finds herself on a race for her life. She quickly determines that the police are not able to protect her, so with both sides of a Mafia rivalry after her, Daisy knows she is on her own. With advice from a friend, Daisy attempts to evade her pursuers by faking her own death and ignoring her friend’s instructions makes her way to New Orleans where she encounters more bad luck. Surely the new job and immediate connection she feels with handsome Mark Jensen is a sign that her luck is beginning to change…or is it?
“Down and Dead in Dixie” is a story that hits the ground running and doesn’t stop for more than a quick breath or two until the very end. Filled with action, danger, suspense, and romance, a huge dose of humor adds a welcome sense of relief at frequent intervals. I loved Daisy and Mark as well as their sometimes quirky cast of supporting characters. Although the story is likely improbably, it had me hooked for its entire length and rooting for Daisy and Mark’s successful “deaths”.
“Down and Dead in Dixie” is highly entertaining and I look forward to reading its sequels. Hope I can manage the wait!
I received this book from bookfun.org in return for my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
To live, sometimes ya gotta die! Daisy Grant is in a heap of trouble. She stumbles into a mob turf war and now somebody wants her dead. Daisy may be small-town to the bone, not at all the kind of woman to deal with the Southern Mafia, but she knows how to get creative fast!
Enters the way-too-attractive Mark Jensen… He didn’t mean to rescue anybody, and he certainly didn’t mean to go on the run because of a stubborn, sassy woman. Soon they are up to their ears in so many wacky characters they don’t know who’s on their side. Daisy and Mark decide that to live, sometimes ya gotta die. And sometimes to die right takes . . . practice.
Clean Read. This book is suitable for most readers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Over 1.5 Million Books In Print
Vicki’s first published novel, a romantic suspense, was a bestseller that sold in nearly a dozen foreign countries. Since then, she’s shifted writing focus several times. After co-creating the first single-title open-ended continuity series, she turned to military life and has been credited with a Career Achievement Award for being one of the first to write military romantic suspense, military romantic intrigue, and military romantic thrillers. Recently, she has shifted focus to Christian fiction. Her willingness to take risks and blaze trails has won her many prestigious nominations and awards
by admin | Feb 25, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Quilts, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Scraps of Evidence has a fast-moving plot that follows a team of St. Augustine, Florida detectives as they work to solve the newest case in what appears to be a series of serial murders that began with Tess’s best friend in high school. As in all the books of the Quilts of Love series, quilts are a featured element in the story. Tess finds that quilting to be great stress relief from her demanding job as a police detective and spends hours at her Aunt Kathy’s quilt shop. Her new partner Logan finds Tess and her many talents to be a bit more attractive than might be appropriate for their job but they work well together and make a good team.
Scraps of Evidence is enjoyable with just the right amount of action, mystery, and romance. I recommend it as well as all the other books in the Quilts of Love series. I enjoyed following Logan and Tess through the streets of St. Augustine, a city I have always enjoyed visiting. Many seemingly insignificant incidents are eventually pieced together to create a comprehensive picture that is finally solved through clues in Aunt Kathy’s favorite quilt. I had my suspicions all along but the author kept me in the dark until the end.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Tess has taken some ribbing from her fellow officer, Logan,for her quilting hobby. He finds it hard to align the brisk professional officer he patrols with during the day with the one who quilts in her off-time. Besides, he’s been trying to get to know her better and he’d like to be seeing her during those couple nights a week she spends with her quilting guild.
Then one afternoon Tess and Logan visit her aunt in the nursing home and she acts agitated when Tess covers her with the story quilt. Aunt Susan seems to be communicating a message to them about Tess’s uncle. There’s a story behind this quilt, they realize, one that may lead them to a serial killer. Will they have a chance to have a future together or will the killer choose Tess for his next victim before they find him?
Learn more about this book and the series at the Quilts of Love website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Barbara Cameron is a best-selling author who has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the author of more than 38 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Barbara is a former newspaper reporter. Some of her non-fiction titles include the “Everything Weddings on a Budget Book” and “Her Restless Heart: A Woman’s Longing for Love and Acceptance.” Cameron currently resides in Edgewater, Florida.Find out more about Barbara at
http://barbaracameron.com.
Barbara Cameron‘s Scraps of Evidence is the newest book in the Quilts of Love line, and Barbara is celebrating with an “intriguing” Kindle HDX giveaway!
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HDX
- Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
- Tempest’s Course by Lynette Sowell
- Aloha Rose by Lisa Carter
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 8th. Winner will be announced on the Quilts of Love blog on March 10th.
Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.
by admin | Feb 10, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
“Friend Me” is a contemporary suspense filled novel that could be a harbinger of where current social media could take us if we are not careful. The idea of being able to create virtual friends who actually interact with their creators is unique and many people would jump on the bandwagon in an instant. However Faubion’s tale gives the reader a warning about what could happen when the person behind the scenes is both mentally disturbed and unethical.
The story of Scott and Rachel’s marital problems is one to which untold numbers of husbands and wives could relate – a husband whose work is so demanding that he is unable to spend quality time with his wife and children and a wife whose life is spent in the presence of young children with very little adult conversation. As a result both husband and wife begin to feel unappreciated and unloved and begin to grow apart. In the case of Scott and Rachel, they were both ripe for the picking when they discovered the virtual friend service. Neither of them expected their experience to turn into a living nightmare.
For me, the beginning moved a bit slowly and was filled with more details than I wanted. It took me awhile to connect with the primary characters. Scott and Rachel were obviously Christians who tried to live according to their beliefs and were genuinely remorseful when they failed. Their faith was an integral part of the storyline without being intrusive. After several chapters the plot began to move along and I wanted to keep reading in order to find out what was going to happen. The ending was climatic yet just a little rushed . Overall, I found “Friend Me” to be an interesting concept that made a suspenseful story.
Although the author was able to tactfully convey Scott’s improper relationship with his virtual girlfriend without unnecessary details, there are a few somewhat violent and/or disturbing scenes that I would consider mature content. I would advise parents to read “Friend Me” and judge for themselves whether it is appropriate reading for their teens.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When a lonely wife and her frustrated husband each secretly pursue companionship online, neither dreams that a real woman is behind their virtual creations, threatening their marriage—and their lives.
Scott and Rachel’s marriage is on the brink of disaster. Scott, a businessman with a high-pressure job, just wants Rachel to understand him and accept his flaws. Rachel is a lonely housewife, desperate for attention and friendship. So she decides to create a virtual friend online, unaware that Scott is doing the exact same thing. As Rachel desperately tries to re-create a friendship with a friend who has passed, Scott becomes unfaithful and is torn between the love for his wife and the perfection of his cyber-girlfriend. But neither realizes that there’s a much larger problem looming…
Behind both of their online creations is Melissa, a woman who is brilliant—and totally insane. Masquerading as both friend and lover, Melissa programmed a search parameter into the virtual friend software to find her perfect man, but along the way she forgot to specify his marriage status. And Scott is her ideal match. Now Melissa is determined to have it all—Scott, his family, and Rachel’s life.
As Melissa grows bolder and her online manipulations transition into the real world, Scott and Rachel figure out they are being played. Now it’s a race against time as Scott and Rachel fight to save their marriage, and their lives, before it’s too late.
In today’s digital age, the Internet presents all kinds of opportunities to test our personal boundaries, and this exciting and suspenseful story raises important questions about the ethics of virtual relationships. Friend Me will open your eyes to a new—and terrifying—moral dimensions and how they play out in the real world.
Purchase copy and learn more at John’s website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Faubion has spent many years in Asia as a missionary with his family. Since returning to the United States, John has worked as a senior software developer for a large appliance chain. He teaches an adult Sunday school class and enjoys writing and driving his 1949 Packard automobile. John lives near Indianapolis with his wife, Beth, and their daughter.
by admin | Feb 8, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Patricia Bradley is a new author for me but I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for her future books. Shadows of the Past held my interest from the beginning through the end with its mysterious events and an escalating sense of danger. I really liked the primary characters and the way they interacted. Taylor’s empathy toward others was so evident yet she had difficulty accepting the same advice for herself. Nick’s belief in his brother Scott despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary was admirable. The plot was deftly woven with numerous separate but possibly connected crimes that all came together in a climatic and surprising ending.
It is always a pleasant surprise to open a new book and find that it takes place in a familiar location. I enjoyed the fact that much of Shadows of the Past was set in Memphis, Tennessee and nearby north Mississippi. I have lived my entire life just outside the Memphis city limits and am quite familiar with the city and much of the surrounding area. Although I have spent most of my time north of the Tennessee/Mississippi line, I do have some knowledge of north Mississippi also. It was fun reading about well known streets and locations. There was even one restaurant described that I hope is not a fictional business – I do intend to find out asap.
I really loved this book and could easily envision at least two more books featuring supporting characters from Shadows of the Past. I hope that is in Patricia Bradley’s future plans. If not, this is a STRONG hint.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
While she’s stalking the truth . . . someone is stalking her.
Psychology professor and criminal profiler Taylor Martin prides herself on being able to solve any crime, except the one she wants most desperately to solve–the disappearance of her father twenty years ago. When she finally has a lead on his whereabouts, Taylor returns home to Logan Point, Mississippi, to investigate. But as she works to uncover the truth, someone else will do almost anything to keep her from it.
Nick Sinclair pens mystery novels for a living, but the biggest mystery to him is how he can ever get over the death of his wife–a tragedy he believes he could have prevented. Now that his estranged brother is the only family he has left, Nick sets out to find him. But when he crosses paths with Taylor, all he seems to find is trouble.
Join the chase as Taylor and Nick search the murky shadows of the past for the keys to unlocking the present–and moving into a future they never imagined.
“Bradley had me totally hooked. An outstanding first book in the Logan Point romantic suspense series.”–Sandra Orchard, award-winning author of the Undercover Cops series and Deadly Devotion of the Port Aster Secrets series
“Keep your eye on Patricia Bradley. With her stellar writing and edge-of-the-seat suspense, there is no telling what she has in store for readers next.”–Sandra Robbins, award-winning author
Read an excerpt from Shadows of the Past HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Patricia Bradley‘s manuscript for Shadows of the Past was a finalist for the 2012 Genesis Award, winner of a 2012 Daphne du Maurier award (1st place, Inspirational), and winner of a 2012 Touched by Love award (1st place, Contemporary). She is a published short story writer and is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc. When she’s not writing or speaking, she can be found making beautiful clay pots and jewelry. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America and makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more on her website.
by admin | Jan 29, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Law Enforcement, Quilts, Romance, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingScraps of EvidenceAbingdon Press (January 21, 2014)byBarbara CameronABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A Word from the author:
CBD, CBA, and ECPA bestselling author of 35 books (including new series upcoming for Abingdon Press in 2011/2012) including fiction and non-fiction books for Abingdon Press, Thomas Nelson, Harlequin, and other publishers.
I sold three films to HBO/Cinemax and am the first winner of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award.
My two novellas won the 2nd and 3rd place in the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest from the Faith, Love, and Hope chapter of RWA. Both were finalists for the novella category of the Carol Award of the American Christian Writers Award (ACFW).
Learn more about Barbara and her books on her Website .
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Tess has taken some ribbing from her fellow officer, Logan, for her quilting hobby. He finds it hard to align the brisk professional officer he patrols with during the day with the one who quilts in her off-time. Besides, he’s been trying to get to know her better and he’d like to be seeing her during those few nights a week she spends with her quilting guild. Then one afternoon Tess and Logan visit her aunt in the hospital, and the woman acts agitated when Tess covers her with the story quilt. Aunt Kathy is attempting to communicate a message to them about Tess’s uncle. There’s a story behind this quilt, they realize, one that may lead them to a serial killer. Will they have a chance to have a future together, or will the killer choose Tess for his next victim before they find him?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Scraps of Evidence, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Scraps of Evidence has a fast-moving plot that follows a team of St. Augustine, Florida detectives as they work to solve the newest case in what appears to be a series of serial murders that began with Tess’s best friend in high school. As in all the books of the Quilts of Love series, quilts are a featured element in the story. Tess finds that quilting to be great stress relief from her demanding job as a police detective and spends hours at her Aunt Kathy’s quilt shop. Her new partner Logan finds Tess and her many talents to be a bit more attractive than might be appropriate for their job but they work well together and make a good team.
I enjoyed following Logan and Tess through the streets of St. Augustine, a city I have always enjoyed visiting. Many seemingly insignificant incidents are eventually pieced together to create a comprehensive picture that is finally solved through clues in Aunt Kathy’s favorite quilt. I had my suspicions all along but the author kept me in the dark until the end.
Scraps of Evidence is an enjoyable with just the right amount of action, mystery, and romance. I recommend it as well as all the other books in the Quilts of Love series.
by admin | Jan 10, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Starting with a real life snapshot taken by her father when she was a child, Lis Wiehl has written an electrifying story about a murder for which the wrong man has been imprisoned for fifty years. His impending execution brings federal prosecutor Lisa Waldren and her estranged retired FBI father together to make an effort to find enough evidence to stop the execution. Although “Snapshot” is a novel, it is filled with a wealth of historical facts from the years following the assassination of J.F.K. as well as some valuable insight into the effect those turbulent years had on the people who lived through them, especially the black victims of racism.
I especially enjoyed reading along as Lisa and her father tracked down each clue with the assistance of others who were drawn into the tale as it proceeded. The character development was excellent and the plot was well paced and kept me invested in the story until the very end. Although it was not constantly filled with action and danger, a very real sense of tension pervaded the narrative as it built to a dramatic confrontation near the end.
“Snapshot” is an exciting tale made all the more enjoyable after reading the author’s notes at the end and viewing the video clip found on youtube.com where the author describes the inspiration for this book.
This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publisher’s BookSneeze program.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Two little girls, frozen in black and white. One picture worth killing for.
Federal prosecutor Lisa Waldren’s estranged father wants her to investigate a cold case from his FBI days. Lisa nearly refuses, even though a wrongly convicted man faces execution for murder. Then her father reveals a photograph: a little white girl playing alongside a little black girl at a rally in 1965 where the shooting of a civil rights leader took place. She recognizes herself in the photo.
She was there.
Lisa agrees to help, resolved to boldly seek answers she’s skirted for decades. What she discovers are layers of deception, both personal and professional, reaching as high as the head of the FBI. Possibly even the president.
And though Lisa and the other girl may have escaped the 1965 shooting physically unharmed, her little friend, now grown, bears the scars of it. All because of the color of her skin. As Lisa and her father get closer to the truth, the real killer turns the hunt around.
The author discusses the inspiration for “Snapshot”:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lis Wiehl is one of the nation’s most prominent trial lawyers and highly regarded commentators. Currently, she is the legal analyst and reporter on the Fox News Channel and Bill O’Reilly’s sparring partner in the weekly “Is It Legal?” segment on The O’Reilly Factor. Prior to that she was O’Reilly’s co-host on the nationally syndicated show The Radio Factor. She is also a Professor of Law at New York Law School. Her column “Lis on Law” appears weekly on FoxNews.com.
Prior to joining Fox News Channel in New York City, Wiehl served as a legal analyst and reporter for NBC News and NPR’s All Things Considered. Before that, Wiehl served as a Federal Prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s office.
Wiehl earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and her Master of Arts in Literature from the University of Queensland.
Wiehl is also the author of The 51% Minority, which won the 2008 award for Books for a Better Life in the motivational category, and Winning Every Time.
She lives with her husband and two children in New York.
