The Girl Behind the Red Rope ~ Review

The Girl Behind the Red Rope

By Ted Dekker 

      and Rachelle Dekker

Let's just say that this book has a certain creepy factor that one comes to expect from Ted Dekker's work. And the opening chapter with Sylous making an appearance to the faithful of Holy Family Church of Clarksville, Tennessee, just smacks of something sinister. But are the impressions of this sighting by then six-year-old Grace accurate or distorted by her youthful views?   

Thirteen years have passed and Grace finds herself living in the safety of Haven Valley the secluded valley to which Rose lead them more than a decade ago. As long as they stay behind the red rope that marks the boundary of their safe haven they will be safe from the plague that has and is decimating the outside world. But they have rules that they must follow - rules that will keep them safe - rules to ensure that they stay pure. But when the boundaries that they have always followed are broken just what price will they have to pay to restore their faith and to lay their doubts aside?

The Girl Behind the Red Rope is an intriguing read. One could in a way see oneself in just such a similar situation. What does one surround oneself with for protection from the world around us? What does one let fear drive one to do? It is in such a world that Grace finds herself and now finds herself in conflict with. Is color wrong? Is the feeling of emotion a sin? Is illness an outward manifestation of hidden sin? 

This book while entertaining also makes one think deeper about what we do in our own lives. Have we created a prison of our own making created out of our fears? Can coming into the light of truth shatter the lies that have walled us in? If you are looking for a book that is more than words upon a page that offers different layers of depth you won't want to miss this one. This would make a fantastic book club selection with some many potential topics for discussion.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own. 

About the Book:

In a world where the boundaries are clear and punishments severe, a young woman risks everything to break free from the system of fear and control to find freedom and love. 

Ten years ago, Grace saw something that would forever change the course of history. When evil in its purest form is unleashed on the world, she and others from their religious community are already hidden deep in the hills of Tennessee, abiding by every rule that will keep them safe, pure--and alive. As long as they stay there, behind the red perimeter.

Her older brother's questions and the arrival of the first outsiders she's seen in a decade set in motion events that will question everything Grace has built her life on. Enemies rise on all sides--but who is the real enemy? And what will it cost her to uncover the truth?

For the first time, bestselling authors Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker team up and deliver an intense, tightly focused ride through the most treacherous world of all.

Thirst ~ Cover Reveal

Anyone who is familiar with Jill Williamson's work has most likely heard or read her Safe Lands trilogy. And if you have read it, you, like me, have wondered about the outbreak that brought about this world. Well, wonder no more as we are about to be introduced to this world.

Thirst by Jill Williamson is coming soon and we are about to see the cover of the first book in the prequel duology. 

But first a little about the book and then the cover.

The end of the world is only the beginning. A waterborne disease has contaminated the world’s freshwater, decimating the human race. Seventeen-year-old Eli McShane and his friends flee the chaos and violence in Phoenix and journey north toward the rumored location of a safe water source. They add several to their number, including the mysterious Hannah, who is being hunted by a dangerous man. Desperation brings out the worst in many of the travelers, infecting even those closest to Eli. When division comes, will he be able to hold his group together or will each fall victim to their own thirst for survival. 

Join some old friends from Glenrock and Jack's Peak in this thrilling first book of the Thirst Duology. Best-selling author Jill Williamson has brought back the breathtaking suspense of The Safe Lands series in this chilling prequel that will leave readers panting for the next installment.

And now the cover which Jill has been kind enough to share. 

You can preorder at http://jillwilliamson.com/thirst  

It is coming in November!

#thirstduology #jillwilliamson #coverreveal #coverlove #yabookstagram #ireadya  

Foremost ~ Review

Foremost
The Lost Princesses #2
By Jody Hedlund

Maribel's only memories are of life within the isolated abbey hidden away in the Highlands away from the eyes of all save those who call it home. She is anticipating the day when she can take her vows and become a nun. Her healing skills are a gift from God and only as a nun will she be allowed to treat those in need. She knows that she along with her two best friends Edmund and Colette were orphans of noble families that were slaughtered when King Ethelwulf invaded Mercia.

But Maribel's world is shaken when a visitor arrives declaring that she is one of the Lost Princesses of Mercia. Worse she is being hunted by King Ethelwulf's Elite Guard in an attempt to secure his hold upon Mercia forever. Maribel is determined to reunite with the sisters she never knew she had but she isn't willing to give up her desire to take her vows.

Time is against them and all too soon Maribel and her appointed protector Edmund are on the run from Ethelwulf's troops. Can the pair stay ahead of their enemy and make their way to Norland and the presence of Queen Adelaide Constance?

Maribel's protector Edmund Chambers has loved Maribel as long as he's known her though he knows she sees him as just a friend or perhaps a brother. And he is willing to do anything to keep her safe even if it costs him his life! And to get this Lost Princess away from the clutches of Ethelwulf he just might pay it.

Foremost is the second book in the Lost Princesses series and it is just as good if not better than the first book Evermore. Now you absolutely must read the prequel novella Always and Evermore before starting Foremost. The books must be read in order to fully enjoy the series and to understand what exactly is taking place. And seriously they will look great on your bookshelf lined up together.

Those familiar with Jody Hedlund's YA books will enjoy this latest offering that offers enough twists and teases to capture the reader's attention from cover to cover. And the ending gives just enough of a hint of what is to come that the reader will be anticipating book 3 which is releasing at the end of  October 2019.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

A second princess. 

Another key to the treasure. 

And a cruel king desperate to squelch the growing rebellion.

Raised in an isolated abbey, Lady Maribel desires nothing more than to become a nun and continue practicing her healing arts. She’s carefree and happy with her life…until a visitor comes to the abbey and reveals her true identity as one of the lost princesses.

When he was a young boy, Edmund Chambers helplessly watched King Ethelwulf murder his family. Edmund escaped and has lived in the abbey ever since, uniquely trained to work with wild animals. Secretly, he loves Maribel and desperately hopes she doesn’t complete her holy order vows.

When King Ethelwulf’s army arrives at the abbey to capture Maribel, she flees with Edmund across the desolate Highlands in an attempt to reach Adelaide’s rebel army. Edmund can no longer hide his love, but can Maribel give up her dreams of becoming a nun to love him in return?

Available for purchase on Amazon

Add to your to-be-read Goodreads list

Learn more at Jody's website

My Fair Spinster ~ Cover Reveal with Giveaway

About the Book

Series: The Spinster Chronicles
Genre: Adult, Historical, Regency, Romance
Publisher: Phase Publishing
Publication date: October 1, 2019

 The spinster next door…

Grace Morledge is a failure. Or so her father believes, as she is unmarried despite her advantages. In his mind, Grace must have significant flaws to be a spinster and something must be done about them. To her mortification, he demands she be fully examined and all flaws recorded. And the man he chooses is the worst possible candidate of all.

 Aubrey Flint, Lord Ingram, has known Grace since childhood, but he never anticipated Lord Trenwick demanding he examine her for flaws. How can perfection have faults? Reluctantly, he accepts the assignment, and finds far more than he bargained for, and perfection becomes more and more tempting.

About the Author:

Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

Connect online at:

Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

BookBub | Website | Newsletter| Amazon Author Page

The Cover Reveal

Giveaway

(1) winner will receive an ecopy of the book upon release.

Giveaway ends September 30th at 11:59pm MT.

Enter the giveaway HERE.  

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The Gryphon Heist ~ Review

The Gryphon Heist

Talia Inger #1

By James R. Hannibal

Natalia (Talia) Inger is determined to get the Moscow desk as her first assignment with the CIA. All she needs to do is complete this last exam - what could go wrong?

With an assignment to the department known as Other, Talia knows that she has her work cut out for. First, there is her new boss Frank Brennan, directorate of operations, Russian Eastern Europe Division. Talia's just not sure what to make of the guy and whether she should trust him. And her first assignment finds her heading to Transnistria to help provide "security" to a Moldovan tech company with whom the US DOD had contracts. 

As Talia prepares for her assignment with Eddie Gupta a fellow rookie CIA officer with whom she had trained she is less than pleased to hear that they will be working with Adam Tyler a civilian. Adam Tyler is big trouble in Talia's opinion - opinionated and not able to grasp his place on this mission. 

When Talia's plans for a quick mission soon fall apart when the threat to Avantec prove more than credible. And the tech that is in danger could be catastrophic if it falls into the wrong hands. With time against them, Talia has no choice but to use what resources Adam offers. But will it be enough to obtain their objective?

The Gryphon Heist is really a good read. The first few chapters are used to establish Talia as a conflicted and hurting person who puts her all into whatever she feels is worth her effort. These are just a little slow but not in a boring manner. After we like Talia and Eddie are taken to Transnistria the action picks up a little and once the true threat is revealed we are moving. For the most part, Talia is a rather confrontational individual and has the easy ability to not make friends quickly. And offering her advice not a good move as she is more than likely to do just the opposite. I like her partner Eddie Gupta whom we don't learn much about in the way of backstory but he seems like the kind of guy you'd want on your team. And then there is Adam Tyler who has a backstory that we are given a glimpse of - one that makes him even more interesting as a character. One has to wonder just how many secrets he is keeping.

The book keeps the suspense building so that the reader is completely drawn into the story and by page 100 there is no way that you will willingly put it down. The characters are believable with flaws that make them real. The descriptions didn't get bogged down in excessive wordiness offering just enough to keep the story moving. This is the first book in a series and I can say I'm looking forward to what is to come.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion all thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Talia Inger is a rookie CIA case officer assigned not to the Moscow desk as she had hoped but to the forgotten backwaters of Eastern Europe-a department only known as "Other" When she is tasked with helping a young, charming Moldovan executive secure his designs for a revolutionary defense technology, she figures she'll be back in DC within a few days. But that is before she knows where the designs are stored-and who's after them.

With her shady civilian partner, Adam Tyler, Talia takes a deep dive into a world where criminal minds and unlikely strategies compete for access to the Gryphon, a high-altitude data vault that hovers in the mesosphere. But is Tyler actually helping her? Or is he using her for his own dark purposes?

The Words Between Us ~ Review

The Words Between Us

by Erin Bartels

She thought she'd hidden from the past and her connections to her and their shame. But the truth has a way of coming out and for Robin Windsor, it keeps happening. 

When she was 14 years old her life was forever changed and she lost her parents to their crimes and she reinvented herself in Michigan as Robin Dickenson. There she meets Peter Flynt and forms an unusual friendship that revolves around his late mother's books. But their friendship is destroyed when Robin experiences another unexpected loss and words are exchanged.

Years have passed and Robin has a life that she's content with (mostly) but when her father's scheduled execution draws close she receives an unexpected package. And this is but the first as the books that Robin and Peter shared that one year found there way back to Robin. Wondering what this means Robin has no way to question Peter as each book comes to her from a different location. 

The Words Between Us take us from the present to key moments in Robin's life that shaped her into who she is today. This is a journey through one person's life and how words - spoken, printed, unspoken, and written have a profound and lasting effect on one's life. Are words reversible? Can the pain they cause be removed as easily as they were applied? Words can crush or they can build-up. They can be a window to the soul or the cloak that hides it from the world.

It is interesting to see how over the years Robin presents herself to others, all the while hiding and running from who she was. I just love the title of this book - the words between us - it offers just a hint of what is to come. Are the words divisive? healing? loving? Or just waiting on someone to take them in? I love the possibilities that it offers of hope in the face of loss.  This is one book that one can easily get lost in as the story is both engaging and reflective as it offers a glimpse into what was, what is, and what could be. 

This is the first work of Erin Bartels that I have experienced and experienced is the perfect word for this as reading doesn't do this one justice. This book is a standalone title so it is a perfect intro to Erin's work. The story doesn't lag and has a steadily progressive motion even when we are taken into the past. The characters aren't perfect but they have that certain something that makes you want to know them better. Would be an excellent book club selection if you are wondering what should be your next suggestion.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A reclusive bookstore owner hoped she'd permanently buried her family's sensational past with a new name. But when the novels she once shared with an old crush begin appearing in the mail, it's clear her true identity is about to be revealed, threatening the new life she has painstakingly built.

You Belong With Me ~ Review

You Belong With Me
Restoring Heritage #1
By Tari Faris

Hannah Thornton doesn't want to let her hometown die nor does she want to see it "upgraded" with a strip mall. But she's just not sure how to convince the rest of the town to see her vision for Heritage - a name that deserves a town worthy of it with links to its heritage. And she is determined to make up for the misdeeds of her mother all those years ago. There is just one problem no one seems to appreciate Hannah's effort to fix things. Not her brother, Thomas nor Luke her best friend that she's crushed on like forever.

Unfortunately for Hannah, her services as a realtor are suffering because she tries to steer her sellers away from buyers who only see progress and razed houses in Heritage's future. But when she learns about a restoration grant that could restore her beloved town to what it once was she is all in. She just needs to come up with a plan that the town council is willing to agree to. And then there is a small matter of raising $10,000 to foot the bill for the required good faith gesture of proving that Heritage is willing to do what it takes to renew itself.

With the help of her friends and her brother's fiancee (who btw is just WRONG for Thomas) a plan to raise funds is put into action. A bachelor auction is the perfect draw to the town's festival sure to bring in a lot of out-of-towners with deep wallets. She has it all planned out. Except Luke refuses to put his name on the list, but what's a girl to do to get her favorite guy's name on the auction block?

Luke Johnson has always felt as if he just didn't belong in Heritage, Michigan. Yeah, being a foster kid since he was 5 years old had a big part in this feeling. And the fact he never got adopted was another. But the biggest issue he has is that Hannah seems to think of him as one of her projects - some stray dog to be pitied and he isn't going to go along with a Luke makeover. But somehow Hannah hasn't gotten the message and left him for someone better.

You Belong With Me is the first book in the Restoring Heritage series and it seems off to a good start. The Thornton family which at present consists of Hannah and Thomas is struggling with the sins of their family which in the long run is having an effect on their present and potentially their futures if they can't see what is going on. This book falls into the contemporary romance genre but there is more to it. There is a bit of mystery surrounding Luke and his past which in the end plays a big role in the path this book takes and its ultimate conclusion. Ultimately this is a story family, community, and finding your place in it. And a word of advice talk - don't let old hurts, fears, and regrets stand in the way of words that need to be said.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

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?