25 Book Reviews

Friday, February 25, 2011

Review of a Raleigh Harmon Novel

View giorello_...gif in slide show
View mountains...jpg in slide showThe Mountains Bow Low
By Sibella Giorello
Well, Sibella has brought back FBI agent, Raleigh Harmon, to solve another crime!! On board a ship to Alaska, she encounters an unexpected mystery and tragedy.This forensic geologist is hoping to leave behind her hectic work schedule and  her engagement that has slowly drained of romance.This is her holiday, she THINKS!!
That plan changes very quickly, when a passenger goes missing and is found dead. Raleigh's vacation gets lost at sea!! Although the death is pronounced a suicide, she knows better and uses her investigative talents to discover the truth.  Help is requested from the FBI- her nemesis arrives-a handsome agent who drives her crazy!! There are five days to solve this crime and figure out her true feelings for this agent who has roots in her past.
Family offers even more challenges. Rifts become larger and problems become bigger with her mother and her aunt.
As stated on the back cover of the book, "Raleigh discovers a mystery so daunting that even mountains might bow down before it."
Sibella, again keeps you engrossed throughout the story with the twists and turns of her plot.  This is definitely a book for mystery lovers.  I found it a bit tiresome and difficult to keep the characters straight, as well as the variety of themes used throughout the book, however, I am not a true lover of FBI novels. Others would find it fascinating, I am sure.
This book was provided free in exchange for a review.. 
To see more reviews on this book go to : http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13142727 )
 Join Sibella and fans of the Raleigh Harmon series on April 5th at 5:00 pm PST (6 MST, 7 CST & 8 EST) for a Facebook Book Club Party. Sibella will be giving away some fun prizes, testing your trivia skills and hosting a book chat about the Raleigh Harmon books. Please RSVP  and if you have questions you'd like to chat about - leave them on the Event page.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

A Heartbreaking Family Story- with Secrets!

Promises to Keep
ByAnnTatlock
This novel is an outstanding story of  a young girl greatly troubled by complex family relationshipships.  Ann has  created such a feeling of home and makes you feel with the unforgettable characters. There are so many deep seated emotions  in this heart-tugging , family drama.  You become so involved with the mysteries, love, delusions of love that it is a book impossible to put down!! The plot is full of twists and turn - just when you think you have a notion of a solution to a problem, there is another shift!! This book is certainly a page turner.

The story begins in a small town where a family has just purchased a house, mom , son and her daughters. An elderly lady appears on the doorstep one morning and sits down to read the paper- THEIR paper - and never really leaves - for good- again!!  The family has met with many challenges.  They are here to attempt a new beginning for their family and to forget some very unhappy circumstances, but here, they meet new problems and situations to solve. 
An absent dad becomes secretly involved with one of his daughters, after a prolonged absence- NOT a good thing to keep secrets!   A young girl is completely confused and  unsure of what to do. There are new family problems at every turn- two families become one! with all their problems!!
An excellent, easy read- BUT don't start it at bedtime!! You will never put it down!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available now from your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Monday, February 7, 2011

An Unlikely Blessing, by Judy Baer

View Unlikely.png in slide showIn celebration of the release of An Unlikely Blessing, Judy is giving away a KINDLE prize package worth over $175 



One lucky winner will receive:



Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi

A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com

To enter just click HERE (http://litfusegroup.com/Blog-Tours/an-unlikely-blessing-by-judy-baer.html) and then tell your friends! Winner will be announced on February 21st on Judy's blog, http://www.judykbaer.com/wordpress






An Unlikely Blessing" By Judy Baer
The main character in Judy's newest book, Alex, endears himself, immediately to all who read the first chapter.  He is the new pastor, having always lived in the city, going to pastor two small churches in the plains of North Dakota.  It is a farming community and as the cover states,"lovely and prickly all at once, like the people who live there". 
As Alex gets settled in, he discovers that this is a place of peril- although quiet!  There are challenges being encountered by the people in his congregation that he can't even imagine going through.  His two churches are divided over a feud that goes back beyond his lifetime. Can he and his God save and help this community??
The single ladies add a note of humor to the serious situations in this novel. Alex is presented with more casseroles and food that he can ever consume!! Wonder why????
Alex's faith is tested over and over, in a way no one would expect. These people who are challenged beyond belief end up teaching Alex much about trusting God's mysterious ways.
This is a MUST READ book!! Judy does  a marvellous job in her description of the characters and involves you in all of their lives. You want to be the person who can help them all.  It is an easy to read book, light at times with humor, serious at others with situations that there seems to be not end to!  What a great book!!
This book was provided by LitFuse in exchange for a review.

A Meaningful Message

Another Dawn
By Kathryn Cushman
Making things right, the second time around,  is certainly the theme of this entire novel.   
Life becomes very complicated for the main character, Grace and usually when that happens, she runs- to escape!!  She has done this many times previously, in romantic relationships, friendships and even her family, after the death of her mother.  But in this particular period of her life, Grace decides that she has been given a second chance and is going to succeed at mending fences. Her sister has called her for help her father - the person that Grace blames for her mother's death.   She had never intended to return to Tennessee again, but with her small son, Dylan, does so to "do the right thing" finally.
Whether Grace goes for the right reason, is at times questionable.  Suddenly, the story is complicated  by further challenges- Grace's son becomes ill endangering many other little ones!!  Was it because of his mom's uninformed decision? Will Grace have the strength to endure what the entire town assumes about her? Will she run again?
This book was a joy to read, to see someone who had problems as does everyone, and has to deal with them.  I was completely engrossed in this book and could not put it down. I had no idea how it would end!! There were twists and turns at every corner- you never knew what would happen next. I was completely shocked at the ending !! What a great book!!
Kathryn manages to encompass you with the personalities of the  family and become part of the story. You want to "jump in and help" her.  Great book, great read!
This book was provided courtesty of  Baker Publishing House and Graf- Martin Communications Inc.  Available now at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Another Fantastic Read by One of My Favorite Authors, Vannetta Chapman!

An Amish Proposal for Christmas  By Vannetta Chapman Synopsis: Her deepest Christmas wish will bring more than she imagined…in this novel by...