One Final Breath

When investigator Gabriel Chavez had his cover blown by an aggressive reporter, the silver lining was being able to rejoin the dive team. The downside? Dive team captain Anissa Bell--a woman who both fascinates and frustrates him.

Anissa grew up as a missionary kid on the Micronesian island of Yap and always planned to return after college. But she remained stateside, determined to solve the case that haunts her--the murder of her best friend and the disappearance of a three-year-old child.

When Anissa's fractured past collides with Gabe's investigation into the tragic shooting death of a teenage boy in Lake Porter, they'll have to put their complicated history with each other aside in order to uncover the identity of a killer. What they'll discover is that revenge has no statute of limitations.

Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn closes out her nail-biting Dive Team Investigations series with a story that will have you wondering how long you can hold your breath.

I have been anticipating this book for MONTHS! The first two books in this series are amazing and I knew the finale would not disappoint. It did not! The relationship between Anissa and Gabe was so intriguing in the prior books and watching their relationship progress in this story was so worth it. The mysteries in this book draw you in from the beginning and I had trouble putting the book down because I wanted to know what was going to happen. Learning Anissa & Gabe’s backstories(finally!) answered a lot of questions and played in to the current mysteries perfectly. I was also thrilled to see a favorite character of mine from the first book, Mr. Cook in this story and that he played a more major role in this book. Lynn is very good a crafting a perfect mix of humor, romance, mystery and faith in her stories and this one has all of that. I am so sad this series is done because it is a favorite of mine but I am excited to see what Lynn has in store for us next!

I received this book for review and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Northern Lights

Life is hard in Barrow, Alaska. Football mom Cathy Parker first caught a glimpse of this far-away reality from the comfort of her Jacksonville, Florida, living room while watching a 2006 ESPN report on the Barrow Whalers, a high school football team consisting mostly of Alaskan Inupiat Eskimo natives playing in the most difficult of conditions and trying to overcome the most unlikely of odds. These players—raised in the northernmost town in the United States, where drug abuse is rampant and the high school dropout rate is high—found themselves playing on a gravel field, using flour to draw the lines. And while the community of Barrow felt a strong pride for their boys, many felt football was not worth the investment. That is, until Cathy Parker became involved.

Overcome by a surprising stirring in her soul to reach out and help, Cathy was determined to build a suitable field for the Barrow Whalers. Not fully understanding the many obstacles, both financially and logistically, that would line the path ahead, Cathy charged forward with a determined spirit and a heart for both the football team and the greater community of Barrow. She spearheaded a campaign that raised more than half-a-million dollars through people all around the country rallying around one common goal: changing the lives of young men through football.

This is not just the story of how the Barrow Whalers became the first high school above the Arctic Circle to have a football program. This is the story of how we are sometimes called to the most unlikely of causes and to believe in something a little bit bigger, changing our own lives and the lives of others for the better in the most unexpected of ways. 

My Rating 3.5 Stars

I first heard of this book through the radio personality Delilah on her Facebook page. I then found the book on NetGalley and decided to give it a try. This book was the first I had heard of this effort to give the town of Barrow a football field which in turn would hopefully give the failing town a better future. The book is interesting. I enjoyed learning about the effort that provided Barrow with the much needed football field and all the miracles God granted to bring it to fruition. It certainly is mind boggling when you consider the amount of difficulties it took for this to happen. Cathy presents the story well and it’s a quick and easy heartwarming read. If you enjoy football, faith and a feel good story, give this one a try!

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.  

You Belong With Me

Small-town realtor Hannah Thornton has many talents--unfortunately, selling houses isn't one of them. When a developer sets his sights on the historic homes in Heritage, Hannah turns to her best friend Luke for help. Will Luke risk his future and confront his past to help her succeed?

My Rating: 5 Stars

This is a spectacular debut by Tari Faris! I adored this book. From Hannah and Luke to Janie and Thomas and a few additional characters we meet along the way, Heritage is a town I will be visiting again. This was a two for the price of one romance story with sister and brother Hannah and Thomas and their respective love interests. There is a ton of story packed within these pages-from romance and humor, mystery and several nuggets of Godly wisdom. Basically this book has it ALL! It even has a twist or two that caught me totally by surprise. If you like contemporary Christian Fiction with lots of heart, don’t miss this one!

I received this book from the RevellReads Program. I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

The Words Between Us

Robin Windsor has spent most of her life under an assumed name, running from her family's ignominious past. She thought she'd finally found sanctuary in her rather unremarkable used bookstore just up the street from the marina in River City, Michigan. But the store is struggling and the past is hot on her heels.

When she receives an eerily familiar book in the mail on the morning of her father's scheduled execution, Robin is thrown back to the long-lost summer she met Peter Flynt, the perfect boy who ruined everything. That book--a first edition Catcher in the Rye--is soon followed by the other books she shared with Peter nearly twenty years ago, with one arriving in the mail each day. But why would Peter be making contact after all these years? And why does she have a sinking feeling that she's about to be exposed all over again?

With evocative prose that recalls the classic novels we love, Erin Bartels pens a story that shows that words--the ones we say, the ones we read, and the ones we write--have more power than we imagine. 

My Rating: 2.5 Stars (rounded up to 3 on Goodreads)

This was a very unusual read. This is my first read by Erin Bartels and and it put me in a mind of an author I grew up reading-Judy Blume. I enjoyed the dual time aspect of the novel and thought it was very well written. The cover is definitely eye-catching and will make my list of favorite 2019 covers. The story moved well and kept me intrigued and invested. I loved the book store and the bookish aspects. It’s a little heavier then I was anticipating and I do wish that certain aspects had been more tied up. An Epilogue would have been nice. All in all, an interesting read and I liked it enough, that I will read more from this author. 

I received this book from RevellReads and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

Diamond In The Rough

                                             

To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become. 

Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy's grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for. 

My Rating: 5 Stars

Jen is one of my absolute favorite authors, because her books have the perfect ratio of romance, humor, a bit of mystery and characters I love. I have yet to read one of her historical books that I didn’t adore (and I have read them all!), and Diamond In The Rough is no exception. The escapades that Poppy somehow manages get tangled up in kept me in stitches and I loved the new characters we met in this story, especially Murray. He was adorable and I loved seeing his growth in the book. If you love to laugh, I HIGHLY recommend this book. As for me, this book has more than earned its place on my keeper shelf next to the rest of Jen’s lovelies, 

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

A Redesigned Life

The very existence of HGTV, the DIY movement, and Pinterest proves we love great design. We adore plans and perfectly staged rooms. But what happens when we discover we are living a life we did not design? When our dreams lie in tatters or when we experience loss of any kind? What happens when life feels like one big Pinterest fail? Where is God in the midst of what doesn't make sense? Does he care?

Drawing from time-honored design principles such as movement, contrast, and pattern, former interior designer and Bible teacher Tracy Steel offers frustrated and discontented women the assurance that God is their ever-present, caring Designer. With a mix of wit and wisdom, Tracy proves through biblical examples and personal testimony that God remains true to his plans and purposes, accomplishing them in and through us in every season of life. She helps us recognize God's design principles, enabling us to embrace our sometimes messy lives, especially when they're ones we never would have designed for ourselves.


My Rating: 5 Stars
First of all, I love the premise of this book! Using design principles applied to our spiritual walk is a new and fresh way to look at our walk with the Lord. Considering the way my life isn't what I had planned it to be back when, this book was a must read for me. It did not disappoint! Chock full of practical and Godly wisdom, this book is one I will read again because there is a lot of meat to this read. I especially identified with the sections on contrast and balance. I am already planning a slower reread of this book in the future because I know there is more to glean from only reading it one time. This is headed straight to my keeper shelf!

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Death By Jack-O’-Lantern

Overcommitted committee member Abby McCree gets in a patch of trouble trying to solve the murder of a pumpkin farmer ...
The small town of Snowberry Creek, Washington, is gearing up for the Halloween Festival, and naturally Abby is on the planning committee. As part of her duties, she's picking up a pumpkin order from ornery farmer Ronald Minter. But what she finds instead is the farmer in the middle of his corn maze with a knife in his back.

The police suspect a homeless veteran named Kevin Montgomery, who was seen arguing with Minter when the farmer accused him of trespassing and stealing pumpkins. Abby's tenant Tripp Blackston, a veteran himself who's been helping Kevin, is sure he's innocent. Together, Abby and Tripp follow the twists and turns of the case to corner the corn maze killer--before someone else meets a dead end ...

My Rating: 5 Stars

I am loving this new cozy series! In this second book in the series, Abby has a Halloween murder to solve. With her friend and tennant, Trip sitting in jail because he refuses to give up a friend’s(and a person of interest in the case) whereabouts, it’s up to Abby to do some sleuthing on her own, to get Trip out of jail. This is a fun mystery. I enjoyed the fall/Halloween time frame of the mystery and it had quite a few surprises along the way. I am definitely keeping this series on my must keep up with list. 

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

The Coffee Club Mysteries

Six Mysteries Are Brewing in Small-Town Kansas
The coffee shop on the corner of First and Main in Oak Grove, Kansas, seems to attract a series of mysterious events. Or perhaps it is the six women who frequent the shop for book club who are the magnets for trouble. . . .
 
Morgan Butler, owner of the Coffee Perk, finds a project worker hanged at her shop.
 
Evelyn Kliff discovers a church meal organizer dead.
 
Harper Daggett is being stalked for an antique jade owl she bought.
 
Baker Jeanine Gransbury’s charity event money goes missing.
 
Jo Anderson shares hazelnut coffee creamer, sending a man into anaphylaxis shock.
 
Penny Parson finds a gun in one of her beehives.
 
Join them as they unravel six unexplained events that have the potential to ruin business and spoil friendships if not handled with care.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Let me start by saying I love the premise of this book! Coffee, books and mysteries are three of my favorite things, so I HAD to read this collection. The stories are short and make for quick reads. The mysteries are good and most of the stories have a bit of romance too. There are two stories in the collection that are mainly mysteries with little/no romance. Those stories are: The Honey Hive Mystery” & “ Nuts For Coffee.” The last 2 stories in the collection were my personal favorites. ‘In Hot Water” was a fun mystery about who’s out to harm Harper after she buys something at an estate sale that someone else clearly wants by any means possible. I enjoyed the story and the developing romance between Harper and the handsome Deputy Davis. “Nutty As A Fruitcake” was my other favorite. It was written by one of my all-time favorite authors: Janice Thompson. I was thrilled to see a brand new story from her! The story was adorable with a budding romance and a missing charity donation all at Christmastime. It had Janice’s trademark humor and great characters. All in all this is an enjoyable collection of mystery stories. If you like cozy mysteries, check this collection of stories out. I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Jealousy Filled Donuts

When a firecracker becomes a murder weapon, Emily Westhill pursues a killer with a short fuse ... 

It is a truth universally acknowledged--cops and donuts go together. Exhibit A: Deputy Donut Cafe, owned and operated by detective's widow Emily Westhill and her father-in-law, the retired police chief of Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. Named after Emily's adored and adorable tabby, the donut shop is a favorite among cops, firemen, and EMTs, as well as tourists and townspeople. So when Fallingbrook needs donuts for their Fourth of July picnic, Emily's shop gets deputized.

But a twisted killer has found another use for Emily's treats. At the picnic, a firecracker is hidden in a stack of raspberry-filled donuts and aimed at the unwitting queen of the festivities. When it explodes, she is killed. Having her jelly donuts involved puts Emily in a sticky situation, and when a shady shutterbug tries to frame her with incriminating photos, she finds herself in quite a jam. To preserve her freedom and her shop's reputation, Emily needs to solve this case--before the fuse-lighting felon goes off again ...

My rating: 4 Stars
I discovered the first two books in this series at the end of last year and was excited to read this newest installment. While I didn’t love it quite as much as the first two, this story was still very well crafted. I loved the premise of it set around the 4th of July and the murder weapon was definitely one of the most unusual I have come across! The mystery kept me guessing and I enjoyed the conclusion and the killer’s unmasking-talk about an exciting scene! This DEFINITELY a series I will happily continue. Hope to see lots more Deputy Donut stories!

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Back Roads to Belonging: Unexpected Paths to Finding Your Place and Your People

At one time or another, shifting seasons in family, friendships, employment, and communities will bring each of us face-to-face with the feeling of being on the outside looking in. Because we are made for connection, this will often lead us down one of two roads. Either we will hop on the popular but crowded highway that asks us to do whatever it takes to get noticed, or we'll stand still, paralyzed by the fear that we're not important, loveable, or worth other people's time and attention.

But what if there is another way? With an understanding voice that will speak into your own circumstances, Kristen Strong walks beside you along the less traveled but more satisfying third way--the back road way--to belonging: remaining in Christ and relaxing into the unique role God has for you. Along the way, you will learn simple, doable actions that not only will help you feel and know that you belong but will welcome others in as well.

My Rating: 5 Stars

"Making friends is hard. Expanding our belonging place is hard." 

This quote from chapter 11 of Back Roads To Belonging: Unexpected Paths to Finding Your Place and Your People perfectly sums up why I had to read this book! As someone who has fought loneliness and insecurities form pretty much all my adult life, when I saw this book I knew I had to read it. It was a great read! It's got practical advice about to find the place where you belong along with stories from the author's own life experiences as well as stories from people she cares about. Add in scriptures and  stories from Biblical characters as well, all work together to make this a fantastic book. As someone struggling to find her place at a new church and who has felt rather disconnected from social stuff for about a decade, this book was something I desperately needed. The older I get, the more I find how hard making friends is as an adult. In my teen years as well as in my 20's, making friends was a breeze. In my 30's? It has become nearly impossible! This book will hopefully help me change that-or at least help me to be more patient in the "growing" times. Either way I am glad to have read this book and it will have a place on my keeper shelf.


I received this book from the RevellReads program and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.