Review: Blinke It Away

Blinke It Away by Victoria Landis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Blinke It Away

Book Description
It's an idyllic day on Oahu until Bess Blinke interrupts a bizarre robbery that ends in homicide. In the following days, she discovers terrible secrets tied to the crime, and her world unravels. When the killer realizes the depth of what she knows and comes after her, she runs, hides, and plots to reveal the truth and expose the brutal force behind several murders.

My Review
This was a great, fast moving thriller! Bess and her best friend Jenny are at the park with her nephew and Jenny's 4 children. Jenny seems distracted but Bess thinks nothing of it. When Jenny disappears, Bess can't understand why she would leave her children whom she loved dearly! When she finds her dead, she can't know that this is just the beginning. What she finds out puts her life in danger and changes everything she thought about her best friend. Even so Bess is determined to bring down the people who did this, even when she finds out who exactly this was. Constant action, great believable characters and an awesome story make this book fantastic!

From a Christian Perspective
In this book I was impressed by the theme of doing what's right even if it may hurt you. I think this is what Jesus exemplified. He came to the world knowing he was going to die, because we are a sinful people. But He came! I'm not comparing Bess and her friend/family to Jesus, but I want to emphasize the point of doing what's right. As a Christian, I'm a little concerned that when she died, Quinn, Bess' nephew said she was in heaven. Not to be judgmental, but the bible tells us that the only way into heaven is through Jesus. There was not mention of Him so we don't know what Jenny's relationship was or if she is in Heaven. I know that's picky but as a Christian I think we need to be aware that not everyone who dies is going to Heaven. They must have a relationship with Christ while they are living to go to Heaven. What are your thoughts on this?

This is a book from my personal Kindle Collection. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

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Review: Abducted

Abducted by T.R. Ragan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Abducted

Book Description
Elizabeth Gardner (Lizzy) is seventeen-years old when she tells her parents she's going out with her girlfriends. Instead, she meets up with her boyfriend, Jared Shayne. As she walks home beneath an inky black sky, her perfect night becomes her worst nightmare.

Fourteen years later, Lizzy is a licensed PI known as the 'one who got away'. When she's not searching for runaway teenagers, working on insurance scams, or talking to her therapist, she's at the local high school teaching young girls to defend themselves. But her world is turned upside down for the second time after she receives a call from Jared Shayne. He's an FBI special agent now and he needs her help. Lizzy has no plans to get involved. Not until Jared tells her the kidnapper left her a personalized note.

My Review
I have to say this book freaked me out a bit! But if a book can freak me out, then it's a really good book! Lizzie was abducted as a teenager after lying to her parents and sneaking off to meet her boyfriend. She was able to convince the serial killer that she was a "good girl" and then was able to escape when he gave her some leeway. She was the one that got away. This event haunted Lizzie throughout her life but she thought her nightmare was over... until he returned. Angry that someone else had taken credit for his "work," the killer returned and made Lizzie his target. He was very creative in doing this and made Lizzie's life a living nightmare. Jared was Lizzie's boyfriend at the time of the abduction and never forgave himself for dropping her off so far away from home. Now he's back as an agent investigating the latest abductions and killings. When he and Lizzie are thrown together, he vows to himself to protect her. As they get closer to the killer, Lizzie's whole world starts to fall apart. Great story, great characterizations! I loved the flow because it didn't give you time to wonder what was going to happen next. The climax was amazing and perfect for the story. I look forward to reading more in this series.

From a Christian Perspective
I love thrillers and I'm not naive enough to think that they will have what I perceive as Christian elements. This book was a case like that. There were situations that I would not engage in myself, but understand why the author wrote the story that way. With that said, the hopelessness was overwhelming. It made me thankful to know that I have a Savior who can rescue me from ANYTHING (Psalm 140:1-2)! I wish these girls could have had some of that hope. I don't think it would make the pain and suffering any less, but knowing that you will rest in the arms of Christ might provide the strength? What do you think?

This was a book from my personal Kindle collection. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

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Saving Hope by Margaret Daley

Saving Hope by Margaret Daley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Saving Hope

Book Description
When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped.

Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

My Review
This is the first book in the Men of the Texas Rangers series and I thought it was fantastic! This thriller had just the right amount of suspense and danger to make it interesting. Kate runs a refuge for girls who had been victims of sexual abuse and exploitation. She helps the girls overcome their past by giving them a safe house and a way to reestablish their future. When one of the girls goes missing and is found dead, it seems like Beacon of Hope is under attack. The Texas Rangers become involved and that's when Kate meets Wyatt. While the focus is on recovering the missing girls, there's no question that sparks are flying between the two. When Wyatt's daughter is targeted, then it becomes more critical to find who is behind this sex trafficking ring. As the stories climaxes, it was hard to wait to read the next page!! Definitely recommending this as a great read!

One thing I thought was very important was the need to make sure our young girls know, everyone the meet is not always who they appear to be. Your guard must always be up and you must trust the instincts that God gave you! While this was fiction, the situation was very real and we hear about young girls going missing every day. I think it was smart of the author to weave that into the story. I would have loved to see information for young girls to reach out if they are in a dangerous situation.

From a Christian Perspective
This book was classified as a thriller, but there was a strong Christian theme running throughout.  Kate was obviously a Christian and through her home, she taught the girls the principles of faith.  It was encouraging to see that even in doubt, Rose knew to call out to the Lord (Psalm 116:4)!!  In one passage there was the reminder that the Lord is always with you "When the Lord is with you every step, you can do what you have to do." This is clearly gave Rose the strength she needed to face challenges.  I appreciate that the author was able to keep the thriller element while adding faith in there as well.  Even Wyatt, his daughter and mother were not unaffected by the demonstration of faith.  To me this made the read even more worth it!

This is a book from my private Kindle collection.

Love and Blessings!
Margaret



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Book Review: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) #bookreview

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ismae has lived a life of abuse, first her father and then her "husband" to be. Ismae is resigned to this life until she is rescued and sent to live with in the convent. This is no ordinary convent for they serve the gods of old, including the god of Death, Mortrain, for whom the convent is named. Ismae is extra special because she has the marks of the daughter. Ismae is trained in various arts until she is ready to perform her masters duties. This sits well with Ismae until she meets him, the one who changes everything for her!

This book follows Ismae from her life with her father to her arrival at the convent to her most important mission.  You can see the full description on Amazon: Grave Mercy (Book I): His Fair Assassin, Book I (His Fair Assassin Trilogy)

I have to say I was fascinated with this book. Even with the subject matter, it was one of the most well written books that I have read in a while. When I first started reading it, I immediately got chills.  I almost put it down 1) because of the subject matter and 2) because it really scared me, I thought I was going to have nightmares!

But I have this thing about reading books, once I start them I have to finish them.  So I pressed on and I'm glad I did.  As you know if you've read my other reviews, I am an emotional person.  Any book that evokes an emotion from me ranks high.  Like I said earlier, this book put fear in me right from the start.  I felt sorry for Ismae but then with the let's say fervor that she took to her new responsibilities, I no longer felt sorry.  I loved that she felt empowered but in the end went with her gut feelings of knowing right from wrong.  The change in her from the beginning of the book to the end of the book was so subtle that I still gasped at the end of the result.  But then when I thought back over the book, I realized it was leading to this point all the time.

I also enjoyed the writing style of this book.  It seemed to start off slow and I will admit, it did drag in some parts.  But I have to say overall, the story was told very well.  I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction. I'm not sure if I will read the future books in the series but we'll see!

From a Christian perspective:  Well, this is obviously not a Christian book so if that makes you uncomfortable, then you don't want to read this book.

I think some people will be offended because it does seem the convent is modeled after the Catholic Church.  I don't say this is right or wrong, it just is.

I don't recall any foul language, but there is brutality and murder.  Surprisingly, for the main characters, there is no extramarital sex although it comes close a few times.  However, it is hinted at in other parts of the book.  There is also an encounter with Death at one point.

It seems weird to give this book a high rating given the subject matter.  But since I review all types of books, I feel that is a fair rating and I stand by it.

I'm curious, as a Christian Reader, would you read this book?  

Disclaimer: I received this book from NetGalley and as a condition of accepting it, I agree to review it.  I was not compensated other than a copy of the book and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Love and Blessings Always!
Margaret


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Book Review: Not This Time by Vicki Hinze #christianbook

Not This Time: A Novel by Vicki Hinze
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not This Time: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center) is the third book in the Crisis Crossroads Center series. I read the first one Forget Me Not: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center) , but I did not read the second one, Deadly Ties: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center) .

In Not This Time, Sara and Beth are the two main characters. They have built a multimillion dollar company and are successful in their own right. When an act of terrorism occurs at a local wedding, the questions start. Who is behind this act and why? Who can they trust and who is the traitor? Beth is sure it has something to do with Sara's husband Robert but then he is kidnapped and presumably murdered, so she has no idea who to trust.  Even Sara, her best friend, is lying to her!  Beth puts everything she has into finding the truth about the attack and about Sara.  The more she finds out, the more danger surrounds Beth, Sara and the other residents of Seagrove Village.

My Review:
The author, Vicki Hinze, does a wonderful job of weaving the story. As you progress through the book, the author lures you into a false sense of "I have this all figured out" when BOOM! another twist comes. Your are kept guessing until the end chapters. 

I also thought the author did a great job of developing the characters, particularly Sara and Beth. The NINA team fit their roles so well as did the "good guys." How she managed to seamlessly weave in romances, I do not know but she did and did it well!  I found myself with emotional connections to the characters even though the were fictional.


It's been a while since I read the first book and I did feel like I was missing some of the nuances. There were some refreshers in there but not enough to make me remember the characters and players in this series. Even though this works as a standalone book, having read the first one, I knew I was missing some important tie-ins from the second book. For that reason, I would recommend reading this series from start to finish. I'm tempted to go back and read the first and second books.


While this is a Christian thriller, it's not slap you in the face religion. The characters faith, or lack, is subtly woven in throughout the story. Reliance on God is evident and comforting. I really love how this author was able to make the story exciting and fluid without having to remove the presence of God in the character's lives.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author. Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for allowing me to review this book as part of the blogging for books program.

If you want a sneak peek, go here to read the first chapter!

Love and Blessings Always!

Margaret

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

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Book Review: Code Blue by Richard Mabry

Code Blue by Richard L. Mabry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Code Blue was a pleasant surprise. When Dr. Cathy Sewell returns to her hometown, she faces many challenges to becoming one of the local doctors, including overcoming the shadow of her father's betrayal. But she soon finds out that not everything is what it seems. The author takes you on a trail that has some twists and turns but the surprise ending will really get you!

I thought the book was well written. There was romance, thriller and mystery all wrapped up in one. It starts off a little slow but really draws you in as you get further into the book. I think the character of Dr. Cathy Sewell is believable. The author does an excellent job of sharing her emotions and allowing you to see inside her character.

What I learned most from this book is that the journey to faith is not easy for anyone, no even doctors who seem to have to "play God" sometimes. Past challenges and hurts can serve to keep us from our destiny but if we trust in God, He will bring us through. Dr. Sewell's reconnection with her faith, was real. She went through many emotions that some of us can relate to as we are making our own journeys. I appreciate the way the author handled this topic.

Overall this was an excellent read, not only for the Christian reader, but for anyone who love a good thriller with a touch of romance thrown in!

This book was from my personal collection and opinions expressed are completely my own.

Love and Blessings!

Margaret

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Book Review: The Canary List

The Canary List: A Novel by Sigmund Brouwer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description from the paperback edition:

Protected by the dark of night, Jaimie Piper runs. But is anywhere safe when Evil is hunting you?


She’s just a twelve year-old girl, bumped around between foster homes and relegated to school classes for challenged kids, those lagging in their test scores or with behavioral issues. But her real problem is that she can sense something the other kids can’t—something dark. Something compelling her to run for her life.

All Crockett Grey wants is to mark the anniversary of his daughter’s death alone.

But when his student Jaimie comes to him, terrified, her need for protection collides with his grief, and a tangled web of bizarre events sends them both spiraling toward destruction.

Crockett’s one hope of getting his life back is to uncover the mysterious secrets of Jaimie’s past and her strange gift. It isn’t long before his discoveries lead him to a darker conspiracy, secrets guarded by the highest seat of power in the world—the Vatican.

My Review:

I'll start off by saying I liked this book. I was worried that I wouldn't because I thought it was just another book about corruption in the Catholic church. It was not that at all! It was interesting and had an excellent plot, which I didn't find predictable. While there were a few parts that I think were dragged out, once you got past them the story picked up. There were some occult references that made me uncomfortable but they were necessary for this story to work. While this is comes from a Christian publisher, I didn't find it to be preachy at all, just a good thriller. I would definitely recommend this book if you like mysteries and thrillers!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this ebook for the purpose of review. You can rate my reviews at
Love and Blessings!
Margaret



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Blog Tour: Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

I'm a little late with this tour but I still wanted to share with you guys this wonderful book.  Also be on the lookout for a giveaway!

SUMMARY OF THE BOOK:

THEIR ELUSIVE ENEMIES TOOK EVERYTHING.  NOW THEY WANT MORE.

Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family.  Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away.  His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith.  Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too.  Why had he survived?  He’d failed to protect his family.

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan.  A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.

The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill.  Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly.  Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?

About the Author: 

Vicki Hinze is an award-winning author of twenty-three novels, three nonfiction books, and hundreds of articles. Selected for Who’s Who in America in 2004 as a writer and educator, Hinze is active in Romance Writers of America and serves as a Vice President on the International Thriller Writers Board of Directors. Vicki lives in Florida with her artist husband, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. Visit www.vickihinze.com

to learn more about Vicki’s books, blogs, and writing programs.

Forget Me Not: A Novel by Vicki Hinze



I really enjoyed this Christian thriller.  It's a new genre for me and I think I will be reading more!  The author does a fantastic job of building suspense, there are great twists in the plot and it really captivated me.  I thought the ending was great.  I have read so many books that were predictable in the last few months that this was a welcome change.  Highly recommended for readers who love Christian fiction/thrillers.  I would love to see this as a movie!


Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah for providing this book for review!