Review: Missing by Lisa Harris

Missing by Lisa Harris

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nikki Boyd Enters the Deadly World of Counterfeit Drugs to Find a Missing Woman

Nikki Boyd isn't usually called in on homicides; her forte is missing persons. But when a case with two murdered and two missing pops up on a quiet suburban street, she's ready to start the investigation and find missing homeowners Mac and Lucy Hudson. When the first clues lead her to the boat of her friend Tyler Grant--and another dead body--Nikki must untangle what ties Tyler to the Hudsons. The clues pull her into a deadly maze of counterfeit drugs and a killer who will stop at nothing to silence anyone who threatens his business--including Nikki.

Christy Award-winning and bestselling author Lisa Harris puts readers right into the action in this fast-paced thriller that will have them turning pages long into the night.

Review: Flash Point by Thomas Locke

Flash Point by Thomas Locke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

What if the limits of time and space were breached?

Lena Fennan is a low-level financial analyst with a high-powered conviction. Just as she’s on the verge of a life-transforming windfall, a mysterious invitation draws her into a series of events that threatens to crush her. But captivated by a glimpse into a breathtaking future, Lena refuses to give in.

Reese Clawson emerges from prison gripped by the slow burn of revenge. She aims to track down everyone who had a hand in destroying her—and take them out. First on the list is Charlie Hazard, who will be snared by their shared secret.

As events and places become tangled, Lena and Reese are pulled into a collision course that could redefine everything—even the limits of human possibilities.

MY REVIEW

Review: Trial Run by Thomas Locke

Trial Run by Thomas Locke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

Reese Clawson's work is mind-bending--literally. Her company specializes in global data analysis for an elite group of industry executives, and now a lucrative government contract is moving her into the realm of cutting-edge intelligence gathering. She is determined to crack the limits of consciousness--and in doing so, the boundaries of secrets and lies. But her experiment crashes as test subjects slide into a coma-like state. Reese is left scrambling to maintain control, drawing three disparate people into the search for answers--an adrenaline-amped thrill junkie with altered brain chemistry, an Italian scientist working on remote-viewing technology, and a math prodigy whose algorithms subvert computer encryption.

Will this piecemeal team prevail when a government operative is sent to investigate? As the threads of perception and reality become tangled and even time itself twists in unexpected directions, one warning remains clear: what you don't know can kill you.

With a concept so daring and writing so gripping, readers will swiftly fall under the spell of Thomas Locke's endlessly creative mind. This thrilling psychological journey into the very nature of causation and consciousness will leave them turning the pages and grasping for solid ground.

MY REVIEW

I enjoyed this well-written, fast paced book about two teams of scientists who are experimenting beyond the realm of the conscious state and a new, mind boggling way of gathering intelligence.   The story line will keep you guessing and struggling along with the "good guys" as they fight to keep this new ability and knowledge from getting into the wrong hands.

The whole concept of out-of-body experiences in this techno-thriller is science fiction at it's best.  Thomas Locke does a good job of using his characters to make you believe this is a possibility!   I have to say though that some of the technical jargon and scientific stuff they talked about was above my head...lol.   That brought down the level of enjoyment for me somewhat in reading the book.  I felt a little lost sometimes and some things were so mysterious that I never got a clear picture.

For those who enjoy clean psychological and techno thrillers, this book will no doubt keep you on the edge of your seat.   Even though this is a new genre for the author, he's an excellent writer and you'll be glad you read it!

*Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Thomas Locke is an award-winning novelist with total world-wide sales of seven million copies.

His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.

Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, the University of Oxford. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.

Thomas’s screenplay adaption of Emissary is under development as a feature film with a British production company.

Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com, or find him on his website, Facebook, or Twitter.

Review: Once Upon a Summertime by Melody Carlson

Once Upon a Summertime by Melody Carlson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Managing the Value Lodge in her hometown was not what Anna Gordon had in mind when she set out in the hospitality industry. But it's a safe choice for a woman whose childhood was anything but stable. Out of the blue, she gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reinvent herself by moving to New York City, where she hopes for a management position at a stylish new boutique hotel. The big city is full of surprises--not the least of which is Sean O'Neil. Her childhood crush has applied for the very same position!

Review: Thin Ice by Irene Hannon

Thin Ice by Irene Hannon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After losing her parents in a car accident and her sister to a house fire, Christy Reed has been mired in grief. Life is finally starting to feel normal again when an envelope arrives in the mail--addressed in her sister's handwriting. And the note inside claims she is still alive.

FBI Special Agent Lance McGregor, a former Delta Force operator, is assigned to reopen the case, but he's coming up with more questions than answers. If Ginny Reed is still alive--who is the woman buried in her grave? Where is Ginny? And is Christy a pawn in a twisted cat-and-mouse game--or the target of a sinister plot? As he digs deeper, one thing becomes clear: whoever is behind the bizarre ruse has a deadly agenda.

Bestselling author and two-time Christy Award finalist Irene Hannon warms readers' hearts as they root for a romance between Lance and Christy, but she pulls out all the stops as this high-stakes thriller chills to the bone in a race to the finish.

As always, this suspense novel by Irene Hannon was full of action, twists, and nail-biting suspense along with romance and faith in action.   Christy Reed is just finding her way out of the grief of losing both her parents and her sister in a short space of time when she gets a letter from her dead sister.  I liked how her faith kept her grounded and how her strong character wouldn't let her be intimidated by the customary "don't go to the police" threat.   Adding to the suspense is the fact that you also get part of the story from the perspective of the bad guy, who is plenty creepy and physco.   You'll be on the edge of your seat as you follow the story and try to determine if Ginny is still alive and why this guy has an agenda against Christy and her family.   You'll also enjoy the undercurrent of romance between Christy and FBI Agent Lance McGregor.

*Thanks to Revell & NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions stated are my own.*

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Book Review & Giveaway: Merchant of Alyss by Thomas Locke

~Book Review, Q & A with Thomas Locke, and a GIVEAWAY!!~

Merchant of Alyss by Thomas Locke

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hardcover, Paperback and ebook: 368 pages
Publisher: Revell
Publication Date: January 5, 2016

ABOUT THE BOOK

With the discovery of an ancient Milantian scroll, Hyam feels the resurgence of his magical power. But what he discerns in the text could mean war.

Merchant of Alyss is Book 2 in the best-selling Legends of the Realm fantasy series. Book 1 is Emissary.

Plot Synopsis

Life for Hyam is bittersweet. Admired by the citizens of Falmouth for his heroic rescue mission, he cherishes these peaceful days with Joelle by his side. Yet grief over the loss of his magical skills during the great Battle of Emporis threatens to engulf him. Sometimes he even wishes he had never known magic at all.

When Hyam comes into possession of an ancient Milantian scroll, he is thrilled to feel the surge of power that courses through him whenever he touches it. But what he discerns in the text could mean war. He embarks upon another journey to determine its true meaning and forestall any attack. But as Hyam is seeking answers, he is unaware that the merchant of Alyss is seeking him…

Free PDF sampler of MERCHANT OF ALYSS – Chapter 1


MY REVIEW

I'm loving the Legends of the Realm fantasy series!!  It reminds me of Lord of the Rings with it's wizards, different races, and a hidden and enchanted Elvin forest.   I loved getting lost in this fantasy world! :)

In Merchant of Alyss we continue reading about Hyam and Joelle as well as the loyal friends they have made along the way.   Although one quest has been completed and one enemy vanquished, there is more to come!  

As this well developed story unfolds, familiar characters will face their own demons, some face personal loss, new characters become familiar and essential to the story, and they all work to defeat the evil that is trying to take over their world.  

There is much to love about this book - romance, humor, adventure, epic battles, dragons, enchanted forests, good vs evil - this is must read fantasy fiction!

*Thanks to the author and Revell for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*

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About Thomas Locke

Thomas Locke is an award-winning novelist with total worldwide sales of seven million copies.

His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.

Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College at The University of Oxford. Visit Thomas at http://tlocke.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Q&A With Thomas Locke

Q: Why did you write MERCHANT OF ALYSS?

Thomas Locke: I began work on MERCHANT OF ALYSS before EMISSARY (book 1 in the series) had been accepted for publication. I had no idea anyone would accept these stories, since they were so utterly different from what I had been writing up to that point. But I was so captivated by the concepts and the emotions that I had to write it.

Q: What was your favorite scene to write?

Thomas Locke: My wife was speaking at a conference in San Francisco, and I had come along to play spouse. I rented a bike and was cycling around the city when I was struck by the image of a guard standing on the parapet in a fierce winter storm, watching a new crimson mage. Who then turns away from the city, walks down to the magic grove protecting Hyam’s home, and attacks.

By the time we returned home, I had the first quarter of MERCHANT OF ALYSS mapped out.

Q: There is the element of magic to the story. What do you hope readers take away from the “Magic” element in the story?

Thomas Locke: The issue of using magic was something I grappled with for some time. I found immense guidance from the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Four thousand years ago, when the concept of “epic” fiction originated, there was a specific purpose behind stories where magic and mythical beasts played major roles. The Greeks sought to create worlds that were bigger than life, with challenges and obstacles that were completely and utterly beyond the reach of mortal man.

The authors sought to portray through story that a normal human being can grow beyond the impossible challenges of life. They wanted to show normal people, with flaws and weaknesses as great as those we all carry today, can in fact rise up. They can triumph.

That is what I seek to do with the Legends of the Realm series. I want to return to the original aims of fantasy fiction. I want to re-insert the concept of heroic struggle, and challenges greater than life, and triumphs over evil and darkness.

Q: For what audience did you write this novel?

Thomas Locke: Increasingly, the younger generations within the faith community are moving away from the mind-set of their parents. I am not suggesting that they are abandoning their faith. What I mean is, they are abandoning their parents’ concept of church.

Many younger believers are trending towards a faith that dwells inside the larger mainstream world. Their lives no longer center upon a church so large it contains its own sense of community. They worship in home churches, or smaller centers focused on outreach. They accept a multi-cultural and multi-racial lifestyle, and seek a church that reflects this.

And their entertainment is being drawn from this wider arena.

At the same time, they are not comfortable with much of the darkness that dominates current television and movie trends. With this Thomas Locke brand, I seek to join a small but growing number of believers who are doing this with books and film.

The preliminary response, both from within the younger generations in our faith community, and from the mainstream, has been more than wonderful. It has been a gift.

Q: What question about MERCHANT OF ALYSS do you wish someone would ask?

Thomas Locke: For MERCHANT, I wish someone would ask, “How did you develop such a sense of natural flow out of a realm that doesn’t exist? How did you manage to structure a fantasy where the logic and surprise fit together powerfully?”

I feel this is a crucial element of both EMISSARY and MERCHANT. And with these two books, the answer is extremely different.

With EMISSARY, it came together as naturally as breathing. This happens sometimes. I wish it happened more often, but that is really in God’s hands.

With MERCHANT OF ALYSS, it was the exact opposite. I burned with this story. I had to write it. The passion and the joy were immense. But it was still such a struggle. And the first draft reflected this.

So I completed the work. Then I set it aside. Six weeks later I did a full-bore redraft. Then I set it aside again.

Six weeks later I did another total redraft. Then I sent it to the editors, who said, “Don’t change a thing.”

Then I did the entire process a third time. It went into line edits. And I did it a fourth and final time. A lot, lot, lot of work to make it as smooth and simple as EMISSARY was at first draft.

Q: Where can we learn more about you and your books?

Thomas Locke: You’ll find me at these online outlets:

Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest

Subscribe to Thomas’s e-newsletter and blog: http://eepurl.com/5cnH5

Receive Thomas’s latest blog posts via your feed reader: http://tlocke.com/blog/feed/

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~GIVEAWAY~

GIVEAWAY - Win the first two books in the Legends of the Realm fantasy series!

Prize is a print copy of Emissary (Book 1)  and Merchant of Alyss (Book 2)!

Contest Rules

• Click the link below to enter (follow the prompt and leave a comment on this post).
• Get bonus entries for tweeting about the contest after you entered (I wrote the tweet for you to make it easy to share) and for following the other prompts.
• Contest opens Monday, January 4, 2016 at midnight CST and closes Friday, January 8, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
• No purchase necessary.  Contest is limited to entrants with U.S. shipping addresses.
• The winner will be chosen randomly through Rafflecopter and will be listed on this post as well as sent an email.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.  The winner will have 3 days (72 hours) to respond.  After 3 days another winner may be chosen.
• This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.  
• This giveaway was organized by Laura at www.bloggingbistro.com and sponsored by the publisher, Revell.   The books will be mailed by the publisher.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Trapped (Private Justice #2)

Trapped by Irene Hannon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When librarian Laura Griffith's sixteen-year-old sister disappears on a frigid February day, leaving only a brief note behind, Laura resolves to do whatever it takes to track down the runaway teen. That includes recruiting ATF agent turned PI James "Dev" Devlin to help. But the deeper he digs, the more he begins to suspect that something sinister is at work in the girl's disappearance. And the closer he gets to uncovering the truth, the clearer it becomes that the situation isn't just dangerous--it's deadly.

Chilling and at times terrifying, Trapped is the latest thrilling read from Irene Hannon, the queen of romantic suspense. Hannon outdoes herself with this fast-paced tale of fear, deception, and just the right dose of romance.

Talk about nail biting! I was on the edge of my seat and engaged in the story every chance I got. I was like, no! no! don't do that, don't go there, don't tell him that! I was listening to the audio version and several times I had to explain to my husband why I was groaning...LOL. I agree with other reviews that this was the best book of the three in this series. I felt like I was listening to an episode of Criminal Minds!

The author does a really good job in fleshing out the characters in this book. Laura and Darcy are half sisters who have grown up in different environments and are separated by an age gap. Laura stays strong throughout the book and Darcy does some growing up and changing, some of it forced upon her by her extreme circumstances. The bad guy is a complex mix of good and bad and psychotic and his story is sad. Dev and his team are willing to put their lives on the line for their client and go above and beyond to try to find and save Darcy.

All in all, this is a great book full of nail biting, edge of your seat suspense, a hero who saves the day and a behind the scenes slow romance that you'll be cheering for! :)



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Review: Deceived (Private Justice Book #3): A Novel

Deceived (Private Justice Book #3): A Novel by Irene Hannon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



For three years, Kate Marshall has been grieving the loss of her husband and their four-year-old son in a boating accident. But when she spots a familiar-looking child on an escalator in the mall, she is convinced it is the son she thought was dead.

And so begins the thrilling third book in Irene Hannon's Private Justice series. And she doesn't disappoint. This lady knows how to write a good book!

After contacting the police and getting nowhere, Kate hires private investigator Connor Sullivan. She knows that if she doesn't try to find out if it was her son she will always wonder and regret it the rest of her life. Conner is a little skeptical but agrees to do an initial search to try to identify the boy. As the investigation proceeds and the story unfolds, there are twists and turns you won't want to miss.

*Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-book copy in exchange for my honest opinion & review.*



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