The Devil's Eyes ~ Review

The Devil's Eyes
In the President's Service, Episode 5
by Ace Collins

Episode 5 of In the President's Service is yet another action packed adventure.  And the man behind Alistair Fisher's unique abilities Dr. Bauer is further revealed and he is even creepier than one first suspected.  And he is pulling strings throughout the world, manipulating and scheming to get what he truly wants - power.

Helen Meeker and her team are determined to find out who is behind Alistair and his assassination attempt.  The Nazis? Or organized crime?  Helen has her suspicions, but to find the truth she and the team need to remain dead.  But someone has become aware of their deception and this knowledge just may have ramifications they hadn't counted on having to contend with.

Get ready for more stakeouts and subterfuge as a hidden threat within the United States is tracked.  I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed this latest episode and am looking forward to Episode 6.

I was provided a copy of this book by TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
The Devil’s Eyes picks up where Fatal Addiction left off, with singer Grace Lupino charming her way into men’s hearts while plunging a knife in the back of anyone who gets in her way.

While Helen Meeker and her team, supposedly dead, hide in the shadows, trying to discover the identity of the mole in the White House as well as uncover the truth of who is behind the evil that snuffs out lives and steals souls without a twinge of conscience, some of the most important and valued documents in American history become a pawn between life and death.

At Home in Last Chance ~ Review

At Home in Last Chance
A Place to Call Home 3
By Cathleen Armstrong

Kaitlyn Reed is trying to make up for her past mistakes - the biggest of which was leaving Olivia behind with her brother Chris.  Kaitlyn doesn't know if she'll ever be able to make up for all the pain and heart-break she caused her daughter, but she's determined to try.  But working at the Dip 'n' Dine is trying, especially working with Juanita.  Kaitlyn loves styling hair, but Last Chance doesn't have a salon.

The one person who doesn't seem to hold her past and its mistakes against her is Elizabeth Cooley. And Olivia loves the woman who has stepped in to give her stability in all the upheaval that has been her life the last year.  

Steven Braden, the black sheep in the Cooley family, is back in Last Chance - at least for the time being.  He feels as if the rest of the family expects him to always mess up - to run out of town at the slightest hint of crisis.  Steven knows he isn't the person his family believes him to be.  At least his grandmother believes in him or who he could be.  But when it comes Kaitlyn, Elizabeth is determined to keep Steven from poring on the charm - charm which Kaitlyn seems to be immune to.  

With the help of family and friends can these two people make a new start in Last Chance that will last a lifetime?  When a crisis throws them an unexpected challenge can Kaitlyn and Steven hold true to the promises that they've made to themselves?

At Home in Last Chance is the concluding book in the A Place to Call Home series and all the series favorites are back for one last time.  Come for one more visit to Last Chance you just might want to stay for a while.

The characters are well developed and the story is easy to read and follow (even if you haven't read the previous titles in the series).  Last Chance is a tight-knit community that is like an extended family.  They know your faults and they love you in-spite of yourself.  This isn't a quick and simple happy solution book,but it will leave you satisfied as the characters all deal with situations that will make them grow as people.  I have to say that Elizabeth has to be my favorite character throughout the series and I would love to join her for a cup of tea.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher - Revell through their blogger program in exchange for my honest review.

What happens when the life you're running from won't let go of your heart?

Kaitlyn Reed and Steven Braden have always had a similar philosophy of life: when the going gets tough, they get going--out of town and away from the problem. Now they are both back in Last Chance, New Mexico, and trying to start over.

Kaitlyn is working to reestablish a relationship with the seven-year-old daughter she left behind six months earlier. Steven is trying to prove to his family that he is not the irresponsible charmer they have always known him to be. As Kaitlyn and Steven find themselves drawn to one another, one big question keeps getting in the way: How will they learn to trust each other when they don't even trust themselves?

With emotional depth and characters who leap off the page and into your heart, Cathleen Armstrong invites you to return once more to the dusty and delightful town of Last Chance.


Cathleen Armstrong lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Ed, and their corgi. Though she has been in California for many years now, her roots remain deep in New Mexico where she grew up and where much of her family still lives. She is the author of Welcome to Last Chance, winner of the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for Women's Fiction, and One More Last Chance.

The Patmos Deception ~ Review

The Patmos Deception
By Davis Bunn

The island of Patmos hides an ancient secret.  And someone has discovered this truth and they will do anything to possess it.

When the chance of a lifetime brings Carey Mathers to Greece, she feels as if all her hard work has been worth it.  And when her childhood friend/crush Nick Hennessy offers her a job as his research assistant in tracking down antiquities that have been disappearing from Greece.  But the investigation must remain secret both because of the danger involved and the far reaching influence the perpetrators seemingly have.  What Carey and Nick discover could cost them everything - even their lives.

And then there is Dimitri Rubinos a man struggling to stay above the economic fallout that has encompassed Greece.  And when he is given a chance to escape he must make a choice that could destroy or save him.

The Patmos Deception is an exciting book that will capture your attention as various characters add new and complex twists to the story.  Suspense runs throughout and there are threads of romance that have an interesting influence on several of the characters.  But the greatest attribute is the heart-altering effect the island of Patmos has.

Carey, Nick, and Dimitri are all seeking something and they just may find it, though it may not be what they thought they had been seeking.  I really enjoyed this newest work from Davis Bunn and hope that these characters will have sequel.  The story is told from the view points of the three main characters and slowly their stories come together in a believable and enjoyable way.

I highly recommend this book to those who like suspense, mystery, romance, and fiction.  This book has wide appeal and is worth the time spent immersing one's self between the pages.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Bethany House through their blogger review program in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book:
An Ancient Island Holds an Ancient Secret . . .
Nick Hennessy, a young Texas journalist yearning for his big break, finds himself in Europe--his assignment, to investigate the alarming disappearance of invaluable Grecian antiquities. Nick has the credentials--and cover ID--to unearth the truth. And he knows just the researcher to help him...
 
Carey Mathers, fresh from her studies in forensic archeology, has accepted a job with the prestigious Athens Institute for Antiquities--a dream come true, really, particularly when the Greek isle of Patmos, where the Apostle John received his vision of the Apocalypse, was a particular focus of her research.
 
Dimitri Rubinos, for whom the Greek islands represent his life, holds on by his fingernails to the family charter boat business. But his country's economic chaos isn't the only thing that has turned his world on its head...

Eruption ~ Review

Eruption
By Adrienne Quintana

         They control the world
                             BUT she controls the future...

Jace Vega has landed the job of her dreams.  She's up-and-coming in an up-and-coming tech firm.

But there is a cloud hanging over the future she sees for herself.  She's getting flashes of memories, memories she can't remember.  And the only thing Jace can't remember is the is a period of time when she was kindergarten.

When she finds a advanced piece of Omnibus technology that shouldn't exist she is sent on a path she never saw coming.  Somehow a message from the future has made its way into Jace's hands and she must solve the message that has been sent to her before it is too late.

Not sure who to trust Jace turns to an old acquaintance.  An acquaintance to whom she has been lead to.  But someone knows what Jace has in her possession and they will do anything to get it, even resort to murder.

The past and the future are about to converge in the here and now and how the future unfolds is about to be determined by a few people who have discovered one possible scenario.  But is the future already determined with no chance to change what is about to happen?  Only time will tell...

Eruption is a fast paced, engaging story that will keep you turning the pages until the last page.  Trust is important and one will trying to determine who can be trusted along with Jace.

I highly recommend this book and author to those who love to get lost between the pages of a book. Eruption will take your breath away and leave you wanting more.  I, for one, can't wait to see what comes next and am hoping for a sequel.

This is science fiction yet will appeal to those who aren't fans of sci-fi.  There is touch of romance and a thread of mystery - all-in-all a well balanced story with broad appeal.

I was provided a copy of this book, by the publisher Cedar Fort, in exchange for my honest review and my participation in this blog tour.

About the book:

Information terrorism. Complete network blackout. Global panic. Above the chaos, one company rises to restore order, achieving complete political and military takeover:  Omnibus.

Stanford graduate and new Omnibus employee Jace Vega faces these sobering images, appearing to show her future, when a cutting-edge Omnibus tablet mysteriously falls into her hands.  Reeling from the recent tragic death of her mother, socially reclusive Jace struggles as she carries the weight of this foreknowledge.

When Corey, an acquaintance from Stanford shows up, he becomes central in helping Jace try to stop Omnibus.  But because the plan involves getting close to Damien, the charming, smooth son of Omnibus founder, Victor Trent, Jace becomes conflicted with a barrage of new emotions.  Both men profess allegiance, but she doesn’t know who she can trust.

As Jace wrestles to understand how to change the future, vivid dreams and waking visions unmask her obscured past and her true identity.  In the ultimate test of self-trust, Jace must harness her unique internal power and use it to stop Omnibus.

About the author:

Adrienne Quintana is the second of nine children and has always loved to read. After a mission, marriage, and four children, Adrienne completed her Bachelors of Science and Communication at the University of Phoenix.  In the midst of housekeeping, potty-training, and carpooling, Adrienne discovered that she could still find time to accomplish her a life-long dream of becoming a writer.

Draw-a-suarus ~ Review

Draw-a-suarus
By James Silvani

Kids love dinosaurs and what better way to spend those hours of free time than learning how to draw them.  This book will teach skills that can be used for drawing more than dinosaurs.

Do you have a favorite dino?  Fans of the Land Before Time series can have fun picking out their favorite and learning to bring them to life with their own paper and pencil.

T-rex? Triceratops? Stegosaurus? Parasaurolophus? Pteranodon?  Learn to draw these dinosaurs and many more.  With more than 150 pages of dinosaur drawings and facts you will soon be an expert when it comes to dinos.  First attempts may be a bit rough and even humorous but in no time at all (well, there will be time expended) you will see an improvement in both your technique and abilities.

Kids (and adults) will learn to visualize shapes as they rough in their drawing, learning to define and detail it as they progress.  Textures are part of the fine-tuning process that are taught in the later part of the book.

Need a something for the kids or grand-kids to prevent boredom?  Want an activity that doesn't involve hours on the computer?  Want to spark their creativity and imagination?  Draw-a-saurus may be just what you're looking for.

Another plus with this book is if you have a reluctant reader who loves to draw or loves dinosaurs this book may give them an added push towards the scary land of the written word.  And when you can learn to master a dinosaur with a pencil words are not so scary.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.
About the Book:
This in-depth yet accessible dinosaur drawing guide combines humor, creativity, and the latest dino research to show artists young and old how to breathe life into drawings of their prehistoric favorites. Prehistoric Pencil Power!
Even though they lived some 65 million years ago, dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles continue to rule today. From movies to comics and cartoons, these ancient, giant beasts are everywhere you turn. Of course, who wants to just read about or watch these dinos when you can learn how to use pencils, pens, markers, and more to draw your very own? Cartoonist James Silvani combines easy-to-follow art exercises with the latest, greatest dino-facts to help you create fun and cool dinosaur doodles all by yourself. With lessons on old favorites like T-rex and stegosaurus, as well as lesser-known (but still awesome) creatures like the massive argentinosaurus,Draw-a-Saurus has everything the dinosaur fan could ever ask for (outside of their very own pet dino!). 

Want to learn more? Check out the following:

More Info (there is a neat video you have to see)
Author Bio

Hidden Agenda ~ Review

Hidden Agenda
Southern Crimes 3
By Lisa Harris

For the last eight months Michael Hunt's family thought he was dead, killed in an explosion while working undercover.  What they thought was wrong and unless something changes soon Michael Hunt will be dead and his family will never know the truth.

The case that Michael has been working on has him deeply embedded with the cartel.  But his cover has been blown and he finds himself on the wrong side of the cartel and the law.  With time running out his only hope lies with the children of the man he has been gathering evidence against.

Olivia Hamilton can't believe that her father is capable of what she's heard.  But there is a life in danger and she can't wait to discover the truth before acting.  The cartel has influence throughout the region and Michael and Olivia don't know who they can trust.

This is a fast paced suspense that will keep you up reading into the waning hours of the night. Deception has filled their lives and they must work through the layers to get to the truth.  But time is short in this battle for control.  Will the cartel rule the day?  Or will the Hunt family finally be reunited?

Hidden Agenda takes place just days after the events in Fatal Exchange.  And while reading the first two books isn't necessary they provide an important back story so that some of the references are more fully appreciated.  And if you have read the previous Southern Crimes books read them again looking for clues you may have missed the first time around.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Revell through their blogger program in exchange for my honest review.

His cover is blown. Now his enemies are on his heels and closing in.

Presumed dead by friends and family, Michael Hunt is alive--and on the run. Presumed dead by friends and family, the undercover assignment he's been working for the past eight months has just been blown. With a hit out on his life and corruption inside the Atlanta police department, Michael finds himself hunted by both the cartel and the law. His only hope is Olivia Hamilton--the daughter of the man who wants him dead.

This nonstop chase from Christy Award-winning Lisa Harris will leave you breathless.

Lisa Harris is the award-winning author of more than twenty books, including the Christy Award winner Dangerous Passage and Fatal Exchange. Winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times, Harris has spent over ten years living with her family as missionaries in Mozambique, where she leads a women's group and runs a nonprofit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. Visit www.lisaharriswrites.com for more.

Wonderful Lonesome ~ Review

Wonderful Lonesome
Amish Turns of Time 1
By Olivia Newport

An Amish settlement is struggling to grow in the harsh environment of 1914 Colorado.  And through the struggles and losses Abbie Weaver is determined that this settlement will survive.  But the hardships continue to whittle away at their numbers.  Illness, drought, harsh elements wear away at many of the settlers eroding their resolve to stay and fight for their new homes.  

But the greatest enemy to morale is the lack of spiritual nourishment.  For over a year the community has been without a church.  They have no minister and surrounding community bishops no longer visit.

Abbie is forced to choose between family or community.  What will she choose?  And when the man she loves seemingly betrays all she holds dear will she follow her heart?  Or will loyalty to a dying community determine her future while sacrificing her dreams?

Change is coming and it may break Abbie's heart more than once.

I was provided an audio version of this book by the publisher through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.


ABOUT BOOK: In a struggling Amish settlement on the harsh Colorado plain, Abbie Weaver refuses to concede defeat to hail, drought, and coyotes, even as families begin to give up and return east. The biggest challenge of all is the lack of a spiritual shepherd and regular worship. When Abbie discovers the root of a spiritual divide that runs through the settlement, she faces her own decisions about what she believes. She must choose between a quiet love in her cherished church, passion with a man determined to leave the church, or imagining her life with neither.


ABOUT AUTHOR: Olivia Newport's novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. She chases joy in Colorado, where day lilies grow as tall as she is. Her husband and two twenty-something children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books.