Review: The Imposter by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Imposter

I do not tend to read a lot of Amish fiction, just because it does not really appeal to me.  There have been a few that I have really enjoyed and Ms. Fisher’s historical, Anna’s Crossing, was the first one I have read of hers and really enjoyed it.  So I decided that I would try out one of her contemporary ones and started with her new series, The Bishop’s Family and the first book The Imposter.  I was not disappointed.  Suzanne Woods Fisher has a way with her words that keeps me interested in a story even when it is not a genre I enjoy that much.  I became very much a part of this family, the father and his six children, seeing them through their ups and downs since their mother was killed.  All of these characters were so unique.  My heart broke with Katrina as she lost whom she thought was the love of her life and faces some challenges that will change her down the road.   I felt the great weight that David carried not only for the church, but especially for his dear children as he tried to raise them up in the absence of his beloved wife.  And I chuckled and cringed many times at the situations Jesse, the 16 year old son, found himself in.  I loved his use of words and found his character so amusing that I think he might be my favorite.  There were a couple of slow budding romances that was a treat to see unfold.  If you are not sure about Amish fiction, like I was, don’t hesitate with Ms. Fisher’s stories.  I have only read two so far but I look forward to more of her lovely writing.  I received a copy for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own.

Review: Chased by God..and Stalked by Death by Susan Goffard

Chased by God...and Stalked by Death

Chased by God and Stalked by Death was a title that caught my attention.  This is the true life adventures of Susan Goffard and her family.  This was an action filled story that had me biting my nails and wondering how she was going to get out of some of the very unsafe situations she found herself in.  Whether it was due to her own naivety or nature itself, her story read like a fast paced fiction novel that everyone wouldn’t believe could happen in real life.  I really enjoyed her story and testimony and through her tale she pointed out that aren’t we all chased by a loving God who saves us many times from unsafe situations while death stalks our every move.  I recommend picking this one up.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry

The Methuselah Project

The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry was a really fun read.  Reminiscent of Captain America, it’s about a World War II soldier, Roger Greene, who is captured by Nazis and made at least partially immortal, and Kathleen Mueller, who unwittingly works for the organization that keeps him prisoner. Roger Greene must somehow survive being a lab rat and a prisoner of the Nazis- and then face assimilation into the modern world with an evil organization trying to silence him. Meanwhile Kathleen trains and waits for the perfect guy to walk into her life.  And when he does, neither of them is prepared for the assassins and danger they face.  A thoroughly exciting and romantic read and I hope to see many more such unique books in the Christian market.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Jes Drew

Review: A Simple Act of Betrayal by Ren Brim

A Simple Act of Betrayal

I rarely come across a book that I will keep reading where I really can’t stand the main character.  However, with A Simple Act of Betrayal, I did simply because I could tell the author really put her heart into her book and the story was intriguing and kept me reading.  David was a jerk and a womanizer and I didn’t like how everything was handed to him on a silver platter.  I did not particularly like his friends either but they added humor to sometimes a really intense situation.  By about the middle of the book my dislike actually turned to pity and I saw David for the lost soul he really was.  As I continued reading I really hoped for redemption for him and that he would change into a better person.  Throughout the story I waited for the big reveal of the betrayer and I was quite surprised at who it ended up being.

There was a lot of head hopping in the storyline and a lot of flashbacks that would happen abruptly that at times confused me as to which viewpoint we were getting.

Content warning: I do believe this is meant to be an inspirational story with fallen people living in a fallen world, however there was some content that was included that surprised me and may not be for everybody: crass talk, sexual and sensual undertones, and a bit of language and violence.

I received a copy of this book from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.  

Review: Renaissance Faire (Dall and Emily 1) by Jane Stain

Renaissance Faire

This was a really cute time travel romance between Emily, a college girl, and Dall, a time traveling highlander.  Meeting at the Renaissance Faire, they spend the Faire weekends working and getting to know each other.  Emily has her suspicions about Dall being a time traveler unfortunately a certain group of people surround him at all times making it difficult to ask him.  Finally, being let in the group and getting the answers she seeks, Emily is swept back to Scotland in the past with Dall, only with a twist.  This was a lighthearted read with plenty of romance and plenty of mysteriousness to keep me turning my Kindle pages.  I look forward to the next book and so continue Dall and Emily’s story.  If you enjoy going to Medieval and or Renaissance Fairs like me, you will enjoy this book.  I received an e-copy for review from I Am A Reader Not A Writer, and the opinions are my own.

Content:  This is a clean read.

Review: Kill and Run by Lauren Carr

Kill and Run

Kill and Run was an explosive first read by Lauren Carr.  This is a new series but with characters that others have met in her previous series.  This book deals with the Thornton clan especially with husband and wife teams Joshua and Cameron and Murphy (Joshua’s son) and Jessica.   I really liked this blended family who stuck together and supported one another even though some of them were carrying some hefty baggage.  Starting with a glimpse of how Cameron’s first husband was killed this story took off and did not let up in the action or the intrigue department.  As seeming unrelated circumstances occur, our characters are thrown together in overwhelming life and death situations.  I was quickly turning the pages to see how this story would play out and if this family would survive the killer’s intentions that seemed unstoppable.  I really, really liked this family and the passion, protectiveness, and love they had for each other.  I enjoyed the pets, even Monique the tarantula, but my favorite was the TV watching dog.   Ms. Carr has even provided a cast of characters in the beginning to keep everybody straight however, you will quickly catch on.
 

Content warning:  There is a lot of violence, some sex talk/sensual scenes between the married couples, some language, and the topic of rape plays a big part in this story.  None of these issues are portrayed graphically.

I received this book for an honest review from I Read Book Tours and the opinions are my own.

Author's Bio:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Open Season for Murder is the tenth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.

Three Days to Forever introduced Lauren Carr’s latest series detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for Kill and Run, the first installment in this series, to be released September 1, 2015.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. Visit Acorn Book Services’ website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author:   Website  ~  Twitter  ~   Facebook

Review: The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White

The Lost Heiress

The Lost Heiress is a novel about a young woman by the name of Brook Eden who is looking for her place in the world.  Starting in the year 1910, Brook who has been living in Monoco, has just been informed by her very best friend, Justin Wildon, that he may have found her birth family.  Leaving all she knows she travels to North Yorkshire, England to meet her possible birth father.  This story is full of intrigue, mystery, familial love, romance, and of course misunderstandings and danger.  With a list of characters in the beginning I at first felt intimidated but that did not last long.  Each of these secondary characters brought their own and added such a wonderful dimension to the story.  I really liked Brook’s character: she was sunny, happy, and quite adventurous.   Her character did go through a lot and she did change in some respects, but I am glad that the core of who Brook was remained.  This was a riveting read and I enjoyed the moving romance and the very strong family bonds with a mystery that seemed behind everyone’s motives.  I so look forward to continuing this series especially after getting to know the hero of the next book.  I enjoyed reading the dedication of this novel and the author notes on how this story came to be.  I received a copy for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers and the opinions are my own.