With Autumn’s Return

Title: With Autumn’s Return
Series: Westward Winds
Author: Amanda Cabot
Publisher: Revell
Published: January 21, 2014
Pages: 416
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Elizabeth Harding came to Cheyenne, Wyoming to open her medical practice with high hopes. She’s certain she’ll have a line of patients eager for her services, but she quickly realizes that the town isn’t ready to welcome a new physician, particularly a lady doctor. Friends tell her that people will warm up, but Elizabeth has her doubts, particularly after a confrontation with the only other doctor in town.

Jason Nordling, a handsome young attorney and Elizabeth’s new neighbor, seems to also disapprove of Elizabeth’s chosen profession, but the more they get to know each other the more his opinion starts to change. He does, however, know that he can’t marry someone who will be a part time mother, particularly after his childhood. So, despite his attraction for Elizabeth and his ease at being around her, he’s determined to not fall in love.

Jason’s best laid plans might be futile when a web of deceit blankets Cheyenne’s wealthiest residents and threatens to entangle both him and Elizabeth. Despite the danger and the odds, they must work together to save one of Elizabeth’s patients and catch a criminal, even if it means falling in love in the process. Something neither of them want.

Can Elizabeth overcome the bias in town and become a successful doctor or will people avoid her because of her gender? Can Jason fall for Elizabeth despite of her career or is he too dead set on his idea of the perfect wife and mother? Can Elizabeth and Jason work together to set a trap without falling in love or will they fall hard as fast for each other? Can both Jason and Elizabeth follow God’s plan or will they be too caught up in their own stubbornness to follow?
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I’ve followed the Harding sisters’ journeys since the first book and have enjoyed every one, but this one has to be my favorite of the three. I loved the set up of this book and how it all came to an end. This book was definitely well written and captured me until the last page. I greatly look forward to what other adventures Amanda Cabot sends me on and how each one will play out.

The romance in this book is a slow and steady one. It’s not one with a ton of kissing or anything like that but it’s definitely very well written and was a favorite because of the sweetness. As the romance progresses you see Jason struggle with his idea of a perfect wife and mother and how Elizabeth isn’t that and you see Elizabeth struggle with how a family wasn’t in her plans. I loved the realistic look at love and I loved the fact that I got to watch it play out.

There’s a bit of intrigue in this book as well, but it’s a small chunk and the romance takes the limelight. However, this suspense is a critical part of the book and it gives the characters the shove they need to finally be together, not to mention it just works really well in the story. The culprit is fairly easy to figure out but it’s still a nice nail-biting suspense to complete the book. It makes the book more interesting and helps break up what could be called monotony that is an average romance.

Because this is the last book in the series, some loose ends that have been there since the beginning are tied up and I’m left with a feeling of completeness that I sometimes don’t get. All of my questions ended up answered and all the little side stories were completed and it made it easier to say goodbye to a series I have been reading for almost two or three years now. It makes me look forward to the future endeavors of this author.

Amanda Cabot created a hit in this one for me. Though it wasn’t my all time favorite, I definitely enjoyed it and the escape I got from it. This book is my favorite of the three and can be read alone but I usually recommend that you read them in order and this is one of those times. You just don’t get the same effect if you tea them out of order. I highly recommend this book and its series to any lover of historical romance.

Overall, I loved this book the most out of the series but I don’t think it’ll make it onto my all time favorite list. I did however absolutely adore the romance and it did make it up there. This book is perfect for anybody who like historical romance novels. I think this book is best left to the adults though the content can easily accommodate teens. I give this book a four out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

No One To Trust

Title: No One To Trust
Series: Hidden Identity
Author: Lynette Eason
Publisher: Revell
Published: January 7, 2014
Pages: 336
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When Summer Abernathy wakes up one morning to find her husband missing and three men intent on finding him, life as she knows it is now gone and replaced with a life that she never thought existed. She now has to navigate the hurt and pain that her husband’s lies and betrayal bring but also the uncertainty and danger her new world has to offer. Now’s the time to decide her fate, if she can stay alive long enough to choose.

David Hackett, AKA Kyle Abernathy, made some decisions and some enemies that placed him in Witness Protection with a new name and new life. He never intended to involve someone else, until he met Summer and married her. Now he’s been found again and on the run – again, but it’s not just him he needs to worry about this time, but with Summer’s trust for him shattered, it’s hard to protect her.

While Summer tries to stay alive, she searches for answers about her husband and his life before her. Her search takes her deep into a world of organized crime where people are used one minute and discarded the next. And with her deepest relationship of trust destroyed, she doesn’t know who to believe or whether she can forgive her husband again, but one thing she does know, it’s a fight to stay alive and she’ll fight even if she has to do it with her lying husband.

Can Summer dig up the truth about her husband and his past or with her digging cost her everything? Can Summer forgive her husband or will his lies be too much for her to forgive? Can Summer and David stay alive long enough to do what made David get into Witness Protection in the first place or will the Mafia get to them first? Can U.S. Marshall’s keep them safe or is the Mafia’s reach just too far and strong to really escape?
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After Lynette Eason’s last series, I became a huge fan of hers and was very excited to the the opportunity to review her newest one. However, though this was typical Lynette style, it wasn’t a favorite of mine and didn’t grab me like her previous ones. It’s hard for me to pin down just why I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the others but I do know that there was something off about this story.

The suspense was awesome. It was full of action and bullets and definitely was a nail biter. At times I felt that the Mafia was a bit of a stretch for the story but overall, Lynette Eason did really well in crafting a believable and intense story about the Mafia after one man with the key to their freedom. For me it was fairly easy to guess certain things that were going to happen, others were a surprise, but that’s generally how Lynette Eason’s books go and I enjoy being surprised because it doesn’t happen often.

I think my problem with this book might stem from the characters. Summer was a but over dramatic about some of the secrets her husband had, others she was spot on about. She really held onto her anger towards her husband over his name the most and though I can agree with her anger, I think she maybe blew it out of proportion just a little bit and for a bit too long. David on the other hand is too perfect. Not once does he get frustrated with Summer, or anyone for that matter, and he manages to do everything right all the time, never once messing up.

That said though, the rest of the book was pretty good and I enjoyed the fact that the couple was already married so there was already love established. It made it easier and more believable to see their love reestablished instead of forming. It was also nice to see how a married couple could go through anything and come out with a stronger marriage on the other side. It shows a hopeful side of marriage that we don’t get to really see anymore.

Lynette Eason is still a favorite author of mine, but this book isn’t. I still look forward to her next book in the series, thanks to the nail-biting teaser at the back of the book. Lynette Eason is still the queen of thrilling suspenses that stretch the imagination, but this book didn’t feel as put together as I would’ve liked. I recommend this author and this book, but big fans of the author might feel like something’s missing too.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t my favorite Eason book. I look forward to her next one to hopefully redeem this one. I recommend this for fans of suspense and or the Mafia. This book is not recommended for children but adults and very mature teenagers may really enjoy this one. I give this book a three and a half out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Singularity

Title: Singularity
Series: The Jevin Banks Experience
Author: Steven James
Publisher: Revell
Published: November 5, 2013
Pages: 464
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Illusionist Jevin Banks is determined to find out what happened when his friend is murdered deep in the jungle. Labeled as an accident, Jevin and his crew know differently and are drawn to the mystery that no one seems interested in solving. So the hunt begins and the more Jevin digs the deeper he’s drawn into a dark world of secrets and conspiracies until Jevin and his crew are in too deep to escape unscathed.

Jevin is determined to find out the truth, no matter what and that leads him and his crew into a world few even thought existed, a world where the human body is only a suggestion and the human consciousness can be uploaded into a robot. This discovery only leads to more confusion on Jevin’s side and questions about why his friend was involved in this world.

With more questions than answers Jevin keeps digging but the more he digs the bigger and more complicated the puzzle gets until it seems like it’ll never be solved. Still Jevin persists and soon the puzzle starts to get solved but what they discover is a dark secret that could change the fabric and future of humanity forever. Now Jevin and his crew must try and defeat an enemy that is different than any of them expected and hopefully come out alive.

Can Jevin find the reason his friend was killed or will he get lost in the puzzle? Will Jevin defeat the madman who’s after them or will they end up as mere casualties to his plan? Will Jevin be able to help save humanity or will he be too late to save anyone? Can Jevin and his crew outsmart the enemy and win the battle or will they be defeated by someone smarter?
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Having loved the first book in the series, Placebo, I was excited to get my hands on Singularity. Having extremely high hopes, I embarked on yet another journey with our lovable and trouble-prone hero/illusionist, Jevin Banks, and thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. Steven James concocted yet another spine tingling, mind boggling, intellectually stumping suspense that definitely kept me on my toes.

My favorite part about all Steven James novels is the creepy almost horror-like bad guy and the realistic torture and gore scenes. Morbid but true. Steven James has a real talent for making a sadistic killer and thinking up new and unique ways to kill people. The one that I felt was the most gruesome and unique was at the very end. This may sound sadistic and morbid to those that have never read a Steven James novel, but for those of us that have and keep coming back for more, it makes total sense.

This book had a much thicker plot than Placebo and frankly at times it felt almost too thick. There was so many threads and people to keep track of that half the time you forgot who somebody was or why that part of the story was significant. In the end all the threads are connected and the story makes sense but the road getting there is a long, mind boggling one, which I guess help it be unpredictable but it still felt a little overwhelming at times. Not to mention that almost half of the research and technical talk I didn’t understand and because of that found myself skimming. I’m not a dummy, but I’m not a genius either and I found it very difficult to follow when they started talking about artificial intelligence. I am still very curious how the next book is going to go, though, because of how this one ended. It doesn’t seem like there’s much of a plot left for a third, but knowing Steven James, he will find a way.

This book is set in one my favorite cities and my future home, Las Vegas. It’s also the home to Jevin Banks and his illusion show on the Strip. The book was chock full of fun facts and history about Vegas that were handy, but probably not very necessary to the storyline, not that you’ll find me complaining. Though for those of you who don’t like the city or don’ care about learning about it, this will definitely get in the way for you. I loved it though, because it helped me learn about the city I will soon call home.

Steven James definitely knows how to construct a complex and unique suspense and I love it. I fully intend to keep coming back for more horror, gore, and mystery, because Steven James has hooked me yet again and I can’t wait to see how it all ends. I will eagerly anticipate the next installment of Jevin and his girlfriend Charlene’s story. This author, series, and book come very highly recommend.

Overall, though it can be confusing at times, it’s still a classic Steven James novel and fans of him will flock to this book and fall in love with his writing all over again. Fans of Steven James and fans of edgy suspense will love this book and it’s predecessor. I don’t recommend this book for anyone but adults as some scenes can be horrific and terrifying. I give this book a four out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Severed Trust

Title: Severed Trust
Series: The Men Of The Texas Rangers
Author: Margaret Daley
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: October 15, 2013
Pages: 320
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Sadie Thompson, a high school teacher, is thrust into the issue of drug abuse after a beloved student dies under suspicious circumstances and everyone feels the sting of his loss. She becomes more aware of the ever growing problem of prescription drug abuse by teenagers and is determined to help eradicate the problem to help current and future students be safe in school. Because of her determination to stifle the problem, she’s put in the crosshairs of some nasty pranks and she might need help if those threats ever come true.

For Texas Ranger Ethan Stone this wasn’t the case he wanted after just moving back. However, the case becomes personal when Ethan’s niece, Lexie, is drugged in an attempt to silence her of what she knows. After this Sadie joins up with Ethan and they discover that the drug ring goes way deeper than just Sadie’s high school. They also must work together to help Lexie piece her life back together from the betrayal and hurt that has been piled on her.

Progress is made until Lexie’s best friend commits suicide, or so it looks to the authorities. When Lexie confides in Sadie about her doubts about her friend’s death, Sadie tells Ethan and they work together to stop abuse and a murder before they have another crime scene on their hands. Their closeness brings them together and their digging puts them in danger but they’re not going to stop until they stop the drug ring completely.

Will Ethan and Sadie be able to find out who’s responsible for all the deaths or will they lose another person before they figure it out? Will Ethan and Sadie be able to have a relationship or will circumstances and a brother keep them apart? Can Lexie help find her friend’s killer and help stop another from dying or will she keep information to herself? Can Ethan and Sadie stop the drug ring or will it still go strong?
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I believe this is the first book I’ve ever read by Margaret Daley and I must say that she did a very good job at making a very believable storyline and mystery. Her choice of topic is an interesting one and one I don’t think many know even exists let alone is a big problem in our culture. She did an amazing job at capturing the severity of the topic and forming a believable suspense from it. It really asks the question how far would you go to keep your secret?

Like most suspenses written by women, this boom has some romance to it. Also like most suspenses, the romance takes second stage to the actual mystery and that’s how I like it. Actually I got two small romances out of this novel, but the main focus was on Sadie and Ethan, their investigation and romance. I thought that their love was sweet and made sense and I loved it.

The suspense isn’t very intense which means that the majority of the book is spent with threats and secrets and not much action which can make the book drag on a bit at points. However, the action points are nicely handled and the end if the suspense was a perfect end to the mystery. The author also chose to make the murderer almost impossible to figure out as they are only really mentioned once or twice throughout the book. I was actually a bit surprised at the author’s choice for the killer and their motive. The killer was handled excellently.

I think the topic of this novel is one we should all pay more attention to, our prescriptions and potential abuse. People think that their child would never take their pills but peer pressure is very strong and you never know what your children might decide to do with the right coaxing. That’s why anyone that has a child that lives at home needs to be aware of their medications, even ones that seem harmless or ones that don’t seem desirable. Keep track of how many you actually have and if you have medication that you don’t use anymore, properly dispose of it instead of letting it sit in your medicine cabinet ready for the taking. If every one of us does this maybe we can at least deter substance abuse, at least in our own homes. This book carries a heavy cautionary tale that we should all take seriously.

The author is a new one for one but this book, even though it wasn’t the best I’ve ever read, definitely made me want to read the other three in the series and see what other serious and fatal topics that this author broaches. The fact that she chose a topic that isn’t widely known or light made me a fan an gives her major points in my book. If all of her books are like this you can expect to see more reviews for books of hers popping up on this website.

Overall, even though this book wasn’t perfect, the topic made this book memorable and because of that I gave it more points than I normally would’ve given it. This book is perfect for fans of Margaret Daley and suspense or people who want fiction novel that will show them the dangers of prescription medication abuse. This book is definitely best left to the adults but teenagers could read this to show them what could happen if they start taking medication that isn’t theirs. I give this book a four out of five.

*I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Deadly Devotion

Title: Deadly Devotion
Series: Port Aster Secrets
Author: Sandra Orchard
Publisher: Revell
Published: June 1, 2013
Pages: 384
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When Kate Adams friend and research mentor, Daisy Leacock, is suddenly found dead from poisoning, she is devastated and angry. Kate knows her mentor’s death wasn’t a suicide or a careless accident. Both Kate and Daisy work with plants all day long and they were working on an herbal medicine that would treat depression. Knowing this, Kate is determined to unearth the truth about what happened to the woman who changed her life.

Former FBI agent Tom Parker is finding that it’s harder to adjust to life back in his hometown of Port Aster than he thought it would be. Not everyone approves of his new position as a detective for the local police force even though the police chief, his old buddy, gave him the job. He’s just trying to sty out of the spotlight, but when Kate Adams demands he reopen the investigation into her friend’s death, he knows he could easily be fired. He’s willing to help her even though he thinks she has something to hide.

The more Kate and Tom dig into the death of Daisy the more secrets they uncover about their seemingly perfect and quiet town, proving that no one is as they seem. With a stack of suspects and a killer on the loose both are very aware of the fact that this killer might just try and kill against I keep their secret a secret. Bad memories on both side keep them from falling in love but being thrust together by danger starts to rip apart their boundaries and open doors they never thought possible. They just have to catch a killer first.

Will Kate be able to prove that her friend was murdered or will she be forced to accept that her friend took her own life? Will Tom find out what Kate is hiding or will it plague him forever? When Tom finds out how will he react? Will the killer try and keep their secret safe or will Kate and Tom be safe from an attempt on their lives? Will Kate and Tom’s budding relationship make it or will the pressure of keeping each other safe break apart their fragile relationship?
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The cover on this book drew my eye and the description captured my attention. I was hoping that when I finished this book that I would be able to say that the contents lived up to the cover and I can assuredly say that it did. I actually loved this one and the fact that I was never really ever to fully figure who was the killer made the book an absolute joy to read. I can’t wait for the next one!

The storyline of this story is very intricate yet pretty simple to follow. I got so enraptured by this storyline that I found the world around me completely fading away and the only thing left was me and book filled with so much intrigue it practically spilled out of the pages. I never felt left behind or like the wording was choppy and I certainly never felt bored with this one. This author has a gift for storytelling and she uses her full gift in this one and I loved it.

My favorite character by far is Kate. She’s tough, stubborn and the complete polar opposite to a damsel in distress. Though some of her choices in this book were questionable, I can’t say that they didn’t fit her nor could I say that I wouldn’t do the same thing. Her character struck a chord with me and hooked me from the instant she marched into the police station with all that red-headed anger and demanded her friends’s case be reopened. Her character is a perfect mixture between stubborn, spunky, and vulnerable. Her character completely made the book and I can’t wait to see more of her.

The suspense was actually a mystery to me. With so many suspects and so many reasons why each would’ve done it, I had a hard time figuring out who killed Daisy. The suspense was intricately woven together and each suspect’s secrets exposed, making you really realize that people really aren’t always who they seem. The suspense had a nice steady flow and never really let up for the majority of the story making this an enjoyment to read.

I’ve only read one book by Sandra Orchard before and it was a Love Inspired novella and I don’t think it properly portrayed her talent for suspense and storytelling. I am literally waiting on pins and needles to read the next book in this series and have the rest of the small loose ends tied up. This novel was fantastic and I would definitely recommend it to anyone regardless of what they normally read.

Overall, fantastic. I think I might have found a new favorite author. I have no complaints about this one. I highly recommend this one to anyone who likes suspense novels. This book is best left for adults and mature teens. I give this book a five out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Placebo

Title: Placebo
Series: The Jevin Banks Experience
Author: Steven James
Publisher: Revell
Published: November 1, 2012
Pages: 416
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Jevin Banks has made a living doing illusions and knows all the tricks. He now makes a living doing exposé films investigating scams and how they do them. His new assignment is a controversial neurological research program that tests whether or not people are connected in more ways than physically. Naturally, Jevin is skeptical and wants to prove this is just another fake, but he begins to wider if he’ll be able to.

When Jevin and his partner, Charlene, find themselves entangled in a conspiracy involving murder, arson, and a web of deception and lies so tangled the people involved will do anything to keep their secrets hidden. Jevin and his team must now try and find answers for the questionable mind-to-mind communication program and go up against one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. All while recovering from a horrifying family tragedy.

The more they dig deeper searching for answers the more confused they become and they start to question whether they will be able to untangle the truth from the lies before they are able to hurt or kill someone else. With a team of a computer hacker, tech geek, and his former magic assistant, Jevin is determined to find the answers to questions he was forced to ask.

Will Jevin and his team be able to find out the answers or will the secrets continue to be that? Will Jevin be able to move on from the horrifying details of his family tragedy? Will Jevin be able to prove mind-to-mind communication a fake or is it possible that we can communicate with just our minds? Will Jevin be able to stop these people before they fulfill their true plan or will he be to late figuring out this long complicated puzzle?
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I was able to read The Pawn by Steven James and became a fan, unfortunately I was unable to read the other books in the series but I hope to someday. I looked forward to reading this book and was really excited to read this book. This wasn’t what I expected, though. It had a science twist that was the main storyline. The author even threw in some quantum physics into the mix and solidified the science story.

The storyline is actually pretty good, despite the fact that at certain parts where the science got pretty thick, I got a little lost. The idea that humans can communicate, help, or hurt others just by our thoughts is kind of scary and intriguing as well. Also, the fact that the main character is an illusionist brings another aspect to the storyline and makes it even more interesting. However, the storyline did lag a bit in parts and made it hard to continue reading. But when the story was action packed it was action packed and definitely enjoyable.

This book was more of a thriller instead of a suspense, so it really didn’t have any mystery of who is doing the crimes, it’s more a why factor. Normally, I dislike that, but because it’s more of a thriller than a suspense and it was done so well, I actually really enjoyed the way this book was set up as far the action/ thriller part is concerned. There is one mystery, though. The mystery is who one man is, a man that is somehow associated to the pharmaceutical company. You do find out at the end who he is, but I can guarantee you probably won’t guess who he is correctly. That aspect completely made this thriller even better.

The author added a little romance the story as well. But in typical male suspense/thriller fashion it really wasn’t one that makes your heart flutter and really wasn’t supposed to. I can’t really decide if I like this romance or feel like the author should’ve left it out completely. I think I’m leaning towards like it, though. There was something about this romance that was nice. I think it’s because it fit into the storyline perfectly. There wasn’t anything forced about it and it seemed like a natural part of the story. This was a huge boost to the storyline.

This author captured me with The Pawn and because of that I jumped at the chance to read his book. Though, I don’t feel like this is a great example of what he can do, I feel like fans of this author will enjoy this book or at least it won’t ruin chances of them picking up another one of his books. I do plan on reading the rest of this series and more from him, but I feel this book is more suited to people who like more unique thrillers.

Overall, this book was a nice change from the norm and was definitely different, but it lagged in parts and wasn’t the best from this author. This book is great for lovers of science and/or thrillers. I give this book a three and a half out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

The Sons of Jude

Title: The Sons of Jude
Series: Sons of Jude
Author: Brandt Dodson
Publisher: Kregel/Monarch
Published: September 1, 2012
Pages: 320
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Detective Frank Campello just lost his partner in an ambush and is now trying to get things back to normal while trying to do his job. When he’s paired with Detective Andy Polanski, a man who told of a crime involving two officers and a man whom he has no respect, he is just trying to keep his contempt for the man in check. Together they’re assigned to the homicide of Trina Martinez and what seems like an open-shut case. An unfortunate girl at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Little do they know, nothing is as it seems. They start uncovering a huge secret and a determination to keep it a secret. A wall of silence formed by powerful interests halts their progress and makes their inquiries a lost cause. Not only does their investigation stir up trouble but it puts everyone involved lives in danger. A simple case with anew partner turns into a nightmare.

Enlisting the help of reporter Christy Lee, a stubborn journalist that refuses to give up on a story she knows is important, puts them under immediate fire. With Christy’s help they hope to fight the system and hopefully smoke out the criminals. As they start to have a growing respect for each other, they start to find out that this secret is a lot bigger than they thought.

Will Frank ever be able to see why Andy did what he did to his fellow officers or will he forever view him as a snitch? Will the trio be able to catch the elusive killer or will they end up just another victim? How will the trio fight a system that wants to keep this secret buried as deep as it can get?
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I’ve never been a huge fan of police suspense. I feel like they’re pretty much predictable and this book didn’t change my opinion in that respect, but it did try. Though this book has a pretty predictable storyline, it ended on a nice nail biter with an interesting cliffhanger. Though cliffhangers drive me crazy, I do like them, they make me want to read the next book in the series, so it’s safe to say that I have a love-hate relationship with cliffhangers.

Like I said, the storyline is pretty predictable. It involves mob influence, corrupt politicians, and curry or cops. Sounds pretty typical of every police story ever right? However, despite its predictability, the authors execution of the novel was flawless. Coming from a long of police officers and being previously employed by the FBI, I would expect no less and he showed his knowledge perfectly about the subject.

There’s even a little bit of romance in the book if you can believe it. It didn’t interfere with the storyline and was a nice little side story. It wasn’t forced and wasn’t really touched and it’s basically the average romance written by a man. There but not at the forefront of your mind. I appreciated the effort and felt that this romance was fit nicely into the storyline.

As far as the suspense goes, there’s really no question as to who did, just why did it happen. A nice angle but I prefer the question of who not how and why. However, it was handled nicely and shows the author’s skill in not only police but in suspense writing as well. This suspense is different from what I normally choose or prefer and I don’t think that’s going to change, but I do want to read more by this author.

This author’s execution of this novel is flawless and I loved how it turned out. I intend to at least read the next books in this series. After the cliffhanger, I feel like I have to to find out what’s really going down at CPD. I encourage this author to continue doing what he’s doing because he’s amazing at it. Though he didn’t fully convert me to police fiction fan, he did change a few opinions I have about the genre, including that all of them are boring. I intend to keep an eye on this author and suggest you do the same.

Overall, this book is a good police suspense and is perfect for fans of the genre. I highly recommend this book for fans of books about police officers. I give this book a three and a half out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Eyes of Justice

Title: Eyes of Justice
Author: Lis Wiehl
Series: Triple Threat
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: April 3, 2012
Pages: 320
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Cassidy, Allison, and Nicole fight or justice every day, Cassidy as a crime reporter, Nicole with the FBI, and Allison as a federal prosecutor. Together they’ve dubbed themselves the Triple Threat and a force to be reckoned with. But, they’ve never faced a case so full of painful roads and dark alleys. They race to find the culprits to a friends murder before the killer decides to find them too.

After they find out that the police have a fellow cop in custody, some new evidence points to someone else and they’re determined to find him and bring him to justice. The Triple Threat women don’t know who to trust other than close friends and a new unexpected ally, a quirky private investigator named Ophelia. Together they start to engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game that could leave them all dead.

As the killer gets closer to home with every day and closer to picking off the Triple Threat gang one by one, the Triple Threat also gets closer and closer to finding out who this mysterious person really is and his vendetta towards them. With a little help from friends and a lot of skill and badge pulling, they start connecting dots that were never meant to be noticed let alone be connected.

Will the Triple Threat gang be able to catch the killer before he gets to them or will they only see who he is with their last breath? Who is it? Is the killer someone they know or is it someone completely unrelated? Will the Triple Threat end up losing their jobs over nothing or will they catch the real killer before it’s too late?
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I haven’t read anything by this author before and was a little concerned that wouldn’t be able to read this book as a stand-alone. Thankfully, that wasn’t an issue. What was was the slow start and lack of realism as far as the jobs went. The characters seemed too keen on pulling rank and showing badges to get where and what they want. It seemed a little unrealistic and odd to me.

There definitely was a slow start to this book. It started out with a murder but dead end after dead end inhibited the story and crippled the end result. However, once the story picked up it never let up which is a perfect quality in a suspense/thriller novel. The author was fantastic at creating suspense and making the reader be put on the edge of their seats but I just wish that it had been through out the story and not just the second half.

The suspense was very suspenseful and thrilling and the author didn’t give very many clues as to who the murderer was making the guessing practically impossible and somewhat of a surprise, making it a huge plus for me. However, I think the way it was executed was a tad bit bland but the reasons the killer had for his murders were original and something that I haven’t really read before, but the premise of the story is a lot better than the actual story.

I felt that the characters lacked depth as well. One of their best friends was murdered and they cry and sob for the first half and then the second comes and nothing. The friend isn’t given much of a second thought and it was a huge letdown because of how close they supposedly were to each other. Also, there was an emotional gap between the women and any male in the women’s lives. Almost like they didn’t want them to know how they really feel. It was definitely strange considering one of them is married.

I’m sure this author is a good author, but I didn’t get to see it in this book. I may read more from tis author but I probably won’t jump at the opportunity. The only thing that saved this book was the suspenseful thrilled aspect in the book and even that was subpar in my opinion. I read so many books in this genre and because of that feel that book needs to be at it’s best for me to really like it. Unfortunately, this book didn’t really hit the mark for me, but maybe it will for you.

Overall, it’s an exciting thriller suspense but isn’t totally original in its execution and it can be boring due to the lack of action in the beginning and the lack of emotional connections between the characters. I recommend this book for fans of Lis Wiehl and for beginners in the genre. I give this book a two and a half out of five.

*I received this complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher though their Booksneeze blogger program. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Dying to Read

Title: Dying to Read
Author: Lorena McCourtney
Series: Cate Kinkaid Files
Publisher: Revell
Published: August 1, 2012
Pages: 320
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Cate Kinkaid’s life is well, floundering. Her social life, career, and haircut are all a mess. When she becomes unemployed, she jumps at the chance to work for her PI uncle, just until she can find a “real” job. With no experience, she begins to realize that investigative work is a little bit harder than she realized and she can’t wait to find a job she actually knows how to do.

Her first assignment is simple, determine whether a particular woman lives at a particular address. When she reaches the old, dark Victorian mansion, she’s greeted by an angry horde of gray-haired mystery readers and a dead body that held all the answers. Now her “simple” PI job is turning into a nightmare. Her uncle assured her that there was no excitement and nothing like the television, but with this job, Cate doesn’t really believe him.

Now Cate must traverse a boatload of suspects, finding her client, and trying to figure out the murder. Also, add the fact that there is a handsome man who wants to be in her life and Cate feels like a kite with no string. Care feels lost and out of control not to mention, she has no idea what she’s doing.

How is Cate going to solve a murder when she can’t even find her client? Is she going to be able to solve the murder or will she die not knowing who is the murderer? Will she open up her heart to love or will she let past experiences close her heart? Will Cate continue her search for a “real” job or will she find that enjoys being a PI?
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This book surprised me in many ways. I didn’t expect to enjoy this book quite as much as I did, nor did I expect to not guess the killer. Thankfully, I was surprised on both accounts and I ended up enjoying the beginning and ending and every part in between. Lorena McCourtney was able to capture my attention and keep me interested until the very end.

However, there did seem to be a lot of characters, and by a lot I mean too much. It was character after character that was on the edge of being hard to remember who was who. Not too mention, that almost every character was a suspect, which was great for throwing people off the scent of the murderer, but horrible for a manageable number of characters.

Another thing that I didn’t like, was the senseless romance. Her love interest came in handy for rescues and Internet searches, but other than that, the romance seemed pretty pointless. However, I do like how the author handled it. She tried to make the romance realistic and in the background, which I appreciate, and I look forward to seeing their relationship progress as the books continue, but I’m still not totally sure that it was a necessary part to add to the book.

The one thing that I really liked about this book was the fact that Cate had no idea what she is doing and only knows what she’s seen on TV, which isn’t much. It added some comedy to the book to see her inexperience, not to mention, some of the situations she gets into trying to find and help her client.

Lorena McCourtney’s book isn’t perfect, but it is an enjoyable read that’ll keep you hooked until the very last page. I definitely look forward to reading more from this author and I will definitely read every book in this series that I can get my hands on. This book got me hooked and I can’t wait to see what trouble Cate’s going to get into next.

Overall, this book is a great read but expect a lot of characters. I recommend this to anyone looking for a mystery that’s difficult to solve or anyone who just wants a good mystery. I give it’s book a three out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*