I recommend having a box of tissues close by because this will bring you to tears. Clara and Aidyn are fantastic characters that show how humans should be. I love how Clara helps Aidyn become a better journalist and a better human being. Aidyn helps Clara realize her true self. I love that this book shows how we can be better people. This is sad and funny and inspirational. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she’s been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who’s just entered hospice care.But there’s more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she’s not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it’s a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that’s just what Mrs. Kip will give her–but she’s going to have to work for it.Debut author Sara Brunsvold delights with this emotional multigenerational story that shows that the very best life is made up of thousands of little deaths to self. You’ll want to be just like Mrs. Kip when you grow up!
I was scared by this book because it sounded like something that could happen in the near future. I loved River, Finn and Elizabeth. I loved that the story showed what could happen to the world when there are crazy people that can become leaders. This has a lot of action and many twists and turns. I received a copy of this book from Pacific and Court for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
The concept of 48 States is original, and sets the story apart from others of its genre. [It’s] an intriguing, futuristic story that was yet to be told until now.The book does raise very interesting concepts about governing, duty, and self-love, all of which come across artfully in the narrative and serve to develop the characters from beginning to end.” – The Book Life Prize
In 2042 the United States is recovering from a series of terrorist attacks that upended the government, rewrote our civil liberties, and erased two states from the map. River, a widow, single mother and veteran of the Caliphate Wars, works as a waste hauling trucker in Energy Territory No. 1, formerly known as North Dakota. Living in a dingy motel room with nothing but her books and a semiautomatic pistol for company, she is weeks away from the end of her contract and returning to her young daughter. Finn Cunningham, a hydrologist with the United States Geology Survey (USGS) in Montana, is suspicious of environmental changes he’s seeing in nearby western waterways and decides to investigate. His decision sets him on a collision course with River, sending them both on the run. One a fugitive, the other a reluctant participant, they develop an affinity for each other, sharing stories of past loves, loss, and hardship. 48 States is a one-of-a-kind dystopian thriller about the dangers of extremism and the power of love and forgiveness.
This story starts fast and just keeps going. I love Temperance Brennan stories. There are a lot of twists and turns. I enjoyed learning about how Katy is doing now that she is out of the army. This book was hard to put down. I received a copy of this book from Scribner for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
#1 New York Times bestselling thriller writer Kathy Reichs returns with her twenty-first novel of suspense featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who, after receiving a box containing a human eyeball, uncovers a series of gruesome killings eerily reenacting the most shocking of her prior cases.
Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe’s place one night, they find a box on the back porch. Inside: a very fresh human eyeball.
GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens.
There seems to be no pattern to the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why?
Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit–and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the mystery: Andrew Ryan, Tempe’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective.
Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears.
At its core, Cold, Cold Bones is a novel of revenge–one in which revisiting the past may prove the only way to unravel the present.
This is a fantastic psychological suspense thriller. I did not put this book down until I finished it. This was spooky. I loved that I could not figure out what was happening to Liv for such a long time. I love Liv. I loved Detective Halliday and Detective Lavelle. This story kept me on the edge of my seat. This was one of my favorite stories this year. I received a copy of this book from St. Martins Press for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
A murder she doesn’t remember committing. A killer she doesn’t remember meeting.Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake is an electrifying novel that proves memory can be deadly.
Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers–a stranger who claims to live in her apartment. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing. In its place is a bloodstained knife. Her hands are covered in scribbled messages, like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.
Two years ago, Liv was thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, similar to the message that’s inked on her hands. What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget–permanently.
A complex thriller that unfolds at a breakneck speed, Stay Awake will keep you up all night.
This is another wonderful book of suspense. I loved the descriptions of Nigeria and of Alaska. There was great romance and some very good suspense. I loved Ranger and Noemi. I love that this leads up to the next book in the series. I felt this was emotional and inspirational. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
When former Navy SEAL and lifelong bachelor Ranger Kingston is called upon to take part in a rescue mission to save his brother Colt, who has been kidnapped by terrorists in Nigeria, he is shocked to find among the hostages a woman he knows and could never forget.Noemi Sutton was attempting to return a young girl to her family in Boko Haram territory when she and the girl found themselves taken hostage, along with several others. And while Ranger Kingston may be able to get the hostages away from their captors, he’ll need Noemi’s help if he ever hopes to get out of Nigeria alive.Her solution? Pose as husband and wife. But when her uncle discovers the union, he insists on a traditional Nigerian wedding–binding Noemi to a man destined to break her heart. Worse, she’s discovered the real reason she was kidnapped, and anyone around her is bound to be caught in the cross fire. Including her so-called new husband.She’ll need to figure out a way to leave the man she loves if she wants to save his life.USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren throws you into the thick of the action in this high-stakes, globe-trotting romance.
I feel that if you like ghosts, talking dogs and small town detectives you will enjoy this story. I loved Dash and Nikki. This is whimsical. I felt this was a great start to a new series. This is a very easy read. I received a copy of this book from Booksprout for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a four out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
When Nikki Knight returns to her childhood stomping grounds in Frog Hollow Georgia, she realizes life has become nuttier than the pecan muffins at her late grandmother’s haunted B&B. But the only ghost in the Moonlight Mansion is the previous lady of the house, still roaming the halls in her afterlife.
Not ten steps into town, Nikki finds herself with a furry new companion. An abandoned royal dachshund who just might carry the secret to his past owner’s untimely demise. But when Nikki is seen snooping around at one too many crime scenes, the local officer becomes suspicious and begins popping up where she least expects him.
Now, she needs to find out what happened ASAP and protect Prince Dasher Dangerdog Bean from falling into the wrong—and deadly—hands.
Can Nikki and her royal dachshund solve the case? Or will they end up roaming the Moonlight Mansion with her grandmother?
I loved this story that takes place in WWll and in 1965. I loved learning about the women and men that were codebreakers in Washington DC and in Hawaii. This made me laugh in places and cry sometimes. I loved Isabel, Lu and Matteo. I enjoyed the intrigue and loved the descriptions of Hawaii. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin and Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Sara Ackerman is a USA TODAY bestselling author who writes books about love and life, and all of their messy and beautiful imperfections. She believes that the light is just as important as the dark, and that the world is in need of uplifting stories. Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and later earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She blames Hawaii for her addiction to writing, and sees no end to its untapped stories. Find out more about Sara and her books at http://www.ackermanbooks.com and follow her on Instagram @saraackermanbooks and on FB @ackermanbooks.
Book Summary:
Dual-timeline historical fiction for fans of Chanel Cleeton and Beatriz Williams, THE CODEBREAKER’S SECRET is a story of codebreaking, secrets, murder, romance and longing.
1943 HONOLULU
Cryptanalysist Isabel Cooper manuevers herself into a job at Station Hypo after the attack on Pearl Harbor, determined to make a difference in the war effort and defeat the Japanese Army by breaking their coded transmissions. When the only other female codebreaker at the station goes missing, Isabel suspects it has something to do with Operation Vengeance, which took out a major enemy target, but she can’t prove it. And with the pilot she thought she was falling for reassigned to a different front, Isabel walks away from it all.
1965 MAUNA KEA BEACH HOTEL
Rookie journalist Lucy Medeiras has her foot in the door for her dream job when she lands the assignment to cover the grand opening of Rockefeller’s new hotel–the most expensive ever built. The week of celebrations is attended by celebrities and politicians, but Lucy gets off on the wrong foot with a cranky experienced reporter from New York named Matteo Russi. When a high-profile guest goes missing, and the ensuing search uncovers a decades-old skeleton in the lava fields, the story gets interesting, and Lucy teams up with Matteo to look into it. Something in Matteo’s memory leads them on a hunt that involves a senatorial candidate, old codes from WWII, and Matteo’s old flame, a woman named Isabel.
If you like steampunk romantic fiction I think you will enjoy this series. I recommend reading the first book in the series before reading this one so that you understand each of the characters. I really liked Celeste and Loveday. I really liked reading about the inventions that are part of the Steampunk genre. I also like the little bit of intrigue in the story. I received a copy of this book from Moonshell Books for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a four out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
Napoleon’s invasion of England is hidden in the clouds…
It is 1819, and Cornwall is agog at the daring of the two young lady aeronauts who, earlier in the summer, flew nearly to France and back in their homemade air ship. Much more is riding on Loveday Penhale and Celeste Blanchard’s new and improved vessel—they plan to win the Tinkering Prince’s prize, offered to anyone who can help England win the war against Napoleon.
To their dismay, they must take two local gentlemen aloft to report on the ship’s capabilities. While Captain Trevelyan and Emory Thorndyke are welcome in drawing room and ballroom, their presence on the air ship proves disastrous. Wildly off course, Loveday barely manages to bring the vessel down safely—in France! Now it is up to the gentlemen to keep the newly designed ship hidden while Loveday and Celeste secure supplies for its repair from Celeste’s former home, l’Ecole des Aéronautes in far-off Paris.
But much has changed since Celeste left the capital, and enemies lurk in its very walls. With her famous aeronaut mother dead in suspicious circumstances, and the flight school closed, there is only one thing to do—make up a story about her absence and approach Napoleon himself. He promptly makes Celeste his Chief Air Minister, and commands her to plan the invasion of England by air. Can she and Loveday stay alive in this nest of vipers long enough to help their stranded friends? Before they are unmasked as spies—and before their beautiful air ship is captured and used to attack England?
If you like to read romantic suspense stories you will really enjoy this one. Henderson and Elle are great characters. I felt that they were made for each other the minute they met. This story had me wondering who was bad and who was good in the town. I enjoyed all of the suspense in the story. This is a fast paced story. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
About the Book
Book: Vanished Without a Trace
Author: Sarah Hamaker
Genre: Romantic Suspence
Release date: June 28, 2022
A missing person case. A new clue. And a fight for survival.
After nine years searching for his missing sister, attorney Henderson Parker uncovers a clue that leads him to Twin Oaks, Virginia—and podcaster Elle Updike investigating the case. Partnering with the journalist is the last thing Henderson wants, until mysterious thugs make multiple attacks on both their lives. Now they’ll have to trust each other…before the suspected kidnappers make them disappear for good.
Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s written romantic suspense novels and nonfiction books, as well as stories in Chicken Soup for the Soulvolumes. As a writers coach, her heart is encouraging writers. She’s a member of ACFW; ACFW Virginia Chapter; and Faith, Hope and Love, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four teenagers, a preschool foster child and three cats. Visit her online at sarahhamakerfiction.com.
More from Sarah
As a podcaster myself, I’ve listened to many true crime podcasts, such as “Up and Vanished” and “Accused,” so when I was thinking about the plot for Vanished Without a Trace, I decided to have my heroine be a true crime podcaster investigating cold missing persons cases. I also am fascinated by unsolved mysteries, probably because I love history, and have a strong sense of justice—I want those who commit crimes to be caught. Of course, as a Christian, I do rest in the assurance of God as the ultimate and only truly righteous Judge, but I do find myself rooting for cold cases to be solved and criminals brought to justice. Thus the book combines my two of my interests—cold cases and true crime.
Personally, I can’t imagine anything more difficult than to have a loved one go missing and never be found or heard from again. The uncertainty of their fate must weigh very heavily on the family members left behind. I wanted to capture some of that with Henderson’s strong desire to find his missing sister, Helena, and reunite her with their mother. He’s seen how much Helena’s absence has taken a toll on their mother’s health and mental well-being, and when he has a chance to chase down the first real lead in years, he jumps at it.
Elle’s motives are no less personal than Henderson’s—her own heart aches for these grieving families. Having distant parents, she wants to help families heal by discovering what happened to a loved one if possible. But Henderson doesn’t trust her motives and the two clash more often than not over her podcast.
I hope you enjoy seeing how Elle and Henderson learn to work together to find Helena…and perhaps, their own happy ending.
To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize package of a Vanished Without a Trace branded tote bag, Vanished Without a Trace pin, a print copy of the book, plus a $75 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
This series gets better and better with each book. I love Bernie, Mac and the Front Porch Ladies. The mystery was fantastic because I got to learn more about Vince and his life. I love that a lot of the characters in this story are older. I received a copy of this book from Tonya Kappes Books for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
Discover the southern life of Bernadette Butler, along with the eccentric and lovable citizens, along with all the fur babies, who live in Sugar Creek Gap in this southern cozy mystery series by USA TODAY Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes.
Wedding bells are ringing all over Sugar Creek Gap for Bernadette Butler and Mac Tabor. Folks in Sugar Creek Gap, Kentucky are so excited for Bernadette Butler! She’s getting married to Mac Tabor, the man of her dreams!
Wedding week is nerve-wracking enough but add to that a murder of a local radio DJ with a nasty reputation was found stabbed to death with a letter opener days before Bernadette’s wedding and the DJ who Bernadette hired for the wedding is the number one suspect. Now Bernadette has not only possibly lost a big part of her dream wedding, she’ll have to solve a mystery with more layers than the five-tiered wedding cake! ‘Red Letter Slay’ is a full-length cozy mystery and can be read as a standalone. Book #8 in the Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery Series.
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