Alaskan Avalanche Escape, K-9 Search and Rescue #9 by Darlene Turner

Book description:

 Sabotage in the mountains…

Can this K-9 sniff out the truth?

After surviving a sudden avalanche, mountain survival expert Jayla Hoyt and her search-and-rescue K-9 discover that it was no accident—someone deliberately triggered the mountain explosion. To uncover the culprit, she’ll have to partner with Alaska park ranger Bryson Clarke, a man she doesn’t trust. But when the investigators become targets, can they capture the criminal mastermind…before they’re buried alive?

My review: 
Confession: I don't like dogs. Not even a little bit, though puppies are OK....but I love books where dogs are used in search and rescue, or by law enforcement or military. It is fascinating what they can use dogs for.

 This is the 9th book in the Search and Rescue Series by multiple authors on the Love Inspired label. I have read other books by this author, and have enjoyed every one, including this one.

  The action and suspense start immediately, and is pretty much non-stop til the end of the book. The two main characters have a history, and she can't stand him. Both characters have things in their past that they are dealing with, and Bryson is somewhere between atheism and believing in God.

 A lot happens in this book, and it is the kind that you never know what is going to happen...mostly. At one point I felt like yelling "it is a trap, don't go!"

  I feel this is one of this author's best books, and she did a great job on her portrayal of a search and rescue dog. The book had a great ending, and I enjoyed every page.

I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author:

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning, best-selling author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders. Be sure to follow her on BookBub.

  

Check out the rest of the series:

Book 1: Desert Rescue by Lisa Phillips

Book 2: Trailing a Killer by Carol J. Post

Book 3: Mountain Survival by Christy Barritt

Book 4: Search and Defend by Heather Woodhaven

Book 5: Following the Trail by Lynette Eason

Book 6: Dangerous Mountain Rescue by Christy Barritt

Book 7: Wilderness Hunt by Lisa Phillips

Book 8: Alaskan Mountain Search by Sarah Varland

Cold Light of Day, Missing In Alaska #1 by Elizabeth Goddard

Book description: 

 Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.

Grier is in Alaska for the same reason many others are--to disappear--when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he's not sure even Autumn could save him.

My review:
  I have read several of this author's books, including all of the ones written for Revell Publishing and several of the ones she wrote for Love Inspired. In my not so humble opinion, this one may be the best one yet.

 The book had an excellent plot, one that kept me guessing for most of the book what was going on, who the bad guys were, and what they wanted. The suspense was non stop, and the author pulled off quite well that not knowing what would happen next.

 This might sound weird coming from a guy, but Grier is what truly made the book. It is obvious from the start that he is hiding and on the run. I don't believe Goddard could have come up with a more likable and suitable male protagonist if she had tried. One of my complaints about the Christian fiction market, is that it is geared and aimed heavily towards and for women. Even when a series is about brothers or some other group of men, the focus is heavily on a female.

 However, in this book, Grier is much more at the forefront than most male protagonists are. He is the one in the most danger. He is the one hiding out and on the run from evil men....not that Autumn isn't in danger.

 You know from the start that Grier is a good guy, a  hero. As much as he needs to stay hidden, he can't stop himself from being a hero and helping Autumn out. This book is 322 pages long (not including author info and excerpt from the next book). Slight spoiler: Goddard does not reveal all about Grier until page 230. So the reader goes well beyond the halfway point before they find out the truth. :)

 I will admit something: I thought I had figured out who he was and what he was hiding from. I was wrong. :)

 One the truth is out about Grier, the suspense and drama get amped up, and made the book all the more difficult to put down.

  This is the first book in a new series, and the author has hit it out of the park. It has everything lovers of Christians suspense want: non-stop suspense, a great hero and heroine, other likable characters,  an intricate plot that both entertains and keeps the reader guessing, a few surprises thrown in,  and Christian and inspirational content. I can't wait to see what is coming next in this series.

 In case I need to say it after all that: I loved and enjoyed the book. This is how Christian suspense is done.

I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author:

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 50 novels, including Cold Light of Day and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader's Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at www.elizabethgoddard.com.

Cold Light of Day will be available from Revell Publishing on February 7.

Check out her other books/series from Revell:

Critical Threat, Extreme Measures #3 by Lynette Eason

Book description: 

Working with the son of a serial killer? That's a first.

FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley tracks serial killers, using her skills as a psychiatrist and behavioral analyst to get dangerous people off the street and safely behind bars. But prison psychiatrist Sam Monroe knows that just because a killer is incarcerated doesn't mean they're not a threat. His own father, Peter, is a serial killer--in prison but certainly not out of Sam's life, as much as he wishes he was.

When bodies start showing up with startling similarities to Peter's MO, Sam and Grace are both called in to consult. They've met before, and though Grace thought they'd made a real connection, Sam ghosted her. They'll have to get past the awkwardness and mistrust to solve this case--especially because it's about to get personal.

My review:
   I read and reviewed my first Lynette Eason book in April 2010, Too Close to Home, and was immediately hooked. I have reviewed every book she has written for Revell Publishing since, and she has not lost her touch, and is one of the best Christians suspense authors in my opinion.

 This third book in the Extreme Measures Series is proof of that. I loved the other two books, but there was so much in this one that makes it more than just an entertaining read.

 Serial killers are an intriguing and interesting topic. And I don't mean that in an admiring way. In the book, Sam is the son of a serial killer living under his wife's last name. There is discussion in the book whether serial killers are redeemable. Is there anything in them that can ever turn to God and cause them to change, or does their sociopath tendencies render them unable to ever come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? I have wondered that before, and the book and conversations in the book have caused me to think on that more.

 I also enjoyed the (of course fictional) perceptive of a young man finding out that his father is a serial killer, and the lifelong effect on him. It isn't something we often consider, the fact that the families of killers are also victims, usually blamed and looked down on by many.

 Sam and Grace were great characters, and their similar jobs were fascinating in their own ways. I like it when their is family involved on both sides, and both Sam and Grace had their family drama and baggage. The plot was awesome and the killer's methods extreme, and one that had me ultra curious as to the why.

 As with any of her books, there is a lot of suspense and drama that had me reading at top speed to find out what was going to happen next.

 I am fine with romance in a book, and even enjoy it. Slight spoiler: As much as I do enjoy it, we all know the idea of a couple meeting and falling in love while running from killers is not realistic. In this book, Sam and Grace had already met and felt a mutual attraction, but Sam had backed off because of his serial killer father and the baggage that came with that. Their romance was very slow building, and ended with more of a "I think we have a future, let's see where this goes" instead of "I love you, will you marry me?" :)

 Awesome read. Lynette Eason has shown she can still write a suspense novel that can make it a read in one sitting book for any reader. 

I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author:

Lynette Eason is the USA Today bestselling author of Life Flight, Crossfire, and Critical Threat, as well as the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master's degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband. They have two adult children. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com.

Critical Threat is available from Revell Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.

Check out the other books in the series:

                                                               Book #1

                                                                         Book #2

And coming August 2023: 

Book #4

The Oasis King by Mark David Pullen

 

Book description:

Dylan, Jack, and Tripp are looking for adventure, but when they find an entryway into a magical land, plagued by the malevolent Stranger, the cost of their new, exciting journey might prove to be too much.

While on vacation at their grandmother’s farm, cousins Dylan, Jack, and Tripp learn of a long kept family secret and the power of wishing on a star. The boys are swept away to the Valley of the Oasis—a strange, primal paradise, where monsters and danger lurk around every turn. They find refuge with a lone hunter and his dogs, who have lost track of time and appear trapped in this magical land.

But the hunter and his dogs cannot rest for long. He is pursued by the Stranger, a strange green-skinned being from another time and place who also seeks to escape the Valley of the Oasis. As they narrowly escape the Stranger’s attacks, the boys worry that they, too, are trapped with no way home. Will the hunter protect the boys and send them home in time, before the Stranger closes in once and for all?

The Oasis King is the first in a series of an action-adventure tales for younger readers who seek new lands, heart-racing challenges, and unexpected twists.

My review:
   I typically review adult fiction books, but am happy to review juvenile fiction when given the chance.

   This book is different, but in a good way. And it is the type that the age it is geared for will definitely enjoy. It is for middle age readers. The three boys in the story, all cousins, are 10, 11, and 12.....so I am guessing that is the ages that the book is geared for.

  The author has a gift for description. There are all sorts of different animals and other things in the world the boys find themselves in, and I was impressed at his ability to come up with those and describe them in a way that I could easily picture them in my mind.

 Plot-wise, the author also did a great job. The book could be considered a bit Narnia-like in some ways, though there is no talking lion to rescue the day. There is a man with four dogs that comes to the rescue, and the identity of I guess before he identified himself.

 Characters: I never did completely like Dylan. As the oldest of the three cousins, he was a bit arrogant, full of himself, and not always very nice to his cousins, especially the youngest, Tripp. And poor Tripp.....no spoilers though. Jack also was pretty likable, but was not always too easy on the youngest cousin either.

 I enjoyed the book, and feel the author has come up with an exciting adventure that kids will enjoy. I am guessing with the way he ended the book that he plans on writing at least one more book to go with it. 

I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author: 

(The only bio I found of the author is one he wrote first person)

My name is Mark David Pullen, and I write Middle-Grade science fiction and fantasy novels. If you’re searching for non-stop action, pulse-pounding thrills, and a host of fun, colorful characters to guide you along your journey with the turn of every page, then look no further! My main goal for you, my readers, is that I may provide you with an imaginative escape from the daily grind of growing up and the struggles that go along with it. Secondly, I hope that through my writing, you learn to be brave and face your problems head-on instead of running away from them, just like the characters in my stories do. Now, here is a little something about me. I live in beautiful upstate New York, where I was born and raised. I live here with my wife, two children, and our dog Toby. I love spending time outdoors, hiking, fishing, and hunting. Feel free to click the link and head over to my website. From there, you can check out my blog and sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date about what I’m working on next. Thanks again for stopping by, and I hope you will visit again soon!

Check out his website: The Oasis King.

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz

Book description:

 In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Blythe quietly awaits the crowning of a new king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with her maid in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.

My review:
   This is the first book I have read by this author. I have heard a lot of good about her books, so when I had the chance to review this book, I took it.

  I had a hard time getting into the book at first, to be honest. Maybe it had a slow start, and maybe it was just me. Once I got into it, I did have a hard time putting it down.

 What I liked:

  The two main characters. Everard (where on earth did that name come from?!) and Blythe were extremely likable characters. He, the oldest of 7 sons, was laird upon his father's death, determined to do the right thing, and in charge of everything. Including his fatherless and motherless eight year old brother, Orrin. Also, a very enjoyable and likable character. And also in charge of his surprise guest, his father's goddaughter, Blythe. Blythe was also a great character, hiding out because of her father's Jacobite leanings and sympathies. She won not only the new laird's heart, but the rest of the household, including the youngest brother.

 The history. I knew pretty much nothing about the Jacobite uprising, so I used Google a few times to better understand that.

 The language. There are a lot of Scottish words and sayings that we do not use. The author included a handy glossary in the front of the book which I used a lot, and also found myself Googling some she did not define, along with other things I wondered about, such as foods. Haggis - I did already know about.

 For most of the book, the story was slow and sedate, but yet interesting as the day to day happenings of Wedderburn Castle and the inhabitants played out.

 Slight spoiler: things do liven up some towards the end of the book, leaning a little towards a little suspense, which I always like.

  So I did enjoy my first Laura Frantz novel. Yes, it took me a while to get into the book, but it was definitely and enjoyable read with a setting that I have not read much of or about. I liked her writing style, and she excelled at likable characters and their development. I enjoyed not only the plot and characters, but also learning more about the customs and rules of that day, especially of a place such as Wedderburn Castle.

 Of interest, if you read the "about the author", the author is a direct descendant of the real Hume family who lived in the castle in this story.

 I even bought a couple of the author's books on eBay. :)

I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author:

Laura Frantz is a Christy Award winner and the ECPA bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including The Frontiersman's Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Lacemaker, and A Heart Adrift. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and a career firefighter. A direct descendent of George Hume of Wedderburn Castle, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion, Laura lives with her husband in Washington State. Learn more at www.laurafrantz.net.

The Rose and the Thistle is available from Revell Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.