Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green

by | Mar 4, 2021 | Books, Chicago World's Fair, Historical

MY REVIEW:

Shadows of the White City was another lovely tale from author Jocelyn Green. Her vivid descriptions of the Chicago World’s Fair made me wish I had been there to see it for myself. It still baffles me how such a huge undertaking could mostly disappear with no trace to be seen today. Green’s characters come to life within the pages and began to feel like good friends by the end.

Featuring sister Sylvie Townsend who first made her appearance in book one of the Windy City Saga, Veiled in Smoke, this book can easily stand on its own merits but is oh, so much better after having read the first one. I loved Sylvie’s character who had so much love to give and poured her life into taking care of her father and Rose, an orphaned child she had taken in as her own. Sylvie’s tenant Kristof Bartok was a long-time friend who had quietly made it his goal to help and protect Sylvie as much as possible while he hoped and waited for her to recognize his love for her. I was not so fond of Rose who came across as spoiled and ungrateful for the sacrifices Sylvie had made for her.

A story of love, sacrifice, and family loyalty, Shadows of the White City had its share of drama and mystery as Sylvie frantically searched for Rose after her disappearance. It was a touching tale filled with myriad emotions from grief to hope to joy. I would recommend it to everyone.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

She promised a dying father she would keep his daughter safe.
She can’t fail now.

The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she would never have–a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears–until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World’s Fair, and Sylvie’s life unravels.

With nowhere else to turn, Sylvie seeks help from her boarder and Rose’s violin instructor, Kristof Bartok. Fluent in several languages, his skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant and international communities where their investigation leads.

From the glittering architecture of the Fair to the dark houses of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods, they’re taken on a search that points to Rose’s long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong?

Read an excerpt Here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jocelyn Green (www.jocelyngreen.com) inspires faith and courage as the award-winning and bestselling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King, Wedded to War, and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award, the gold medal from the Military Writers Society of America, and the Golden Scroll Award from the Advanced Writers & Speakers Association. She graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a BA in English, concentration in writing. Jocelyn lives with her husband, Rob, and two children in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.

Network of Deceit by Tom Threadgill

by | Mar 1, 2021 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Law Enforcement

MY REVIEW:

Although I have never read a novel by Tom Threadgill before Network of Deceit, by its end I am confident that it won’t be my last one. In fact, if my TBR stack were already not so tall, I would be picking up a copy of Collision of Lies immediately. It is definitely on my future reads list.

Although considered Christian fiction, Network of Deceit is not overtly so but it is what most would consider a clean read. This book would probably be a good one to share with non-Christian friends who enjoy a good detective tale.

It is rare to read a novel with a female protagonist that is written by a male author but Mr. Threadgill managed to present Amara’s viewpoint quite well. Her love for her family and her tendency to get too involved in her cases made her come to life on the pages. Strong and mostly likeable characters and a steady plot provided a backbone for the story that held my interest all the way through. Several plot twists and surprises kept me guessing  and one final surprise came out of the blue.

I thoroughly enjoyed following Amara’s steps as she gathered clues for a suspicious death that “might” be a homicide. Her interactions with her fellow detective and possible love interest Starsky often added welcome humor to the story. I learned a few interesting things I didn’t know concerning gaming, hackers, and ransomware.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

She’s following her instincts. They’re following her every move.

After her rescue of nearly fifty kidnapped children made international headlines, Amara Alvarez gets what she’s worked for: a transfer to San Antonio’s Homicide Division. But reality sets in quickly when her first case, the suspicious death of a teenager at a crowded local water park, plunges her life into chaos.

As the investigation moves forward, Amara finds herself stalked online by cybercriminals who uncover her personal life in frightening detail. With few leads, she’s forced to resort to unconventional methods to find the killer and prevent her first murder investigation from ending up in the cold case files.

Tom Threadgill is back with another riveting page-turner featuring the detective who is willing to put everything on the line to see justice served and lives protected.

Read an excerpt here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tom Threadgill is a full-time author and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the International Thriller Writers (ITW). The author of Collision of Lies, Tom lives with his wife near Dallas, Texas. Learn more at www.tomthreadgill.com.