Reading, Writing & Pondering

When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard is the first book in the new Mercy Ridge series. After finishing this book, my first thoughts were, "Whew, what a ride!" It sure kept me turning pages. Sarah Ellison makes her way to Mercy Ridge after learning that her brother was murdered in relation to a deathbed confession by her grandfather. She hopes to find out why and knows that the government buried some sort of secret in the nearby Cascade Mountains. Can She find it? Former Navy SEAL Ryder Goodwin hasn't worked as a mountain guide for 2 years--not since his dad died in a tragic accident while he was nearby. At first, Ryder says he won't help Sarah but as she continues to face problems, he decides to go ahead and be her guide.  I enjoyed getting to know Sarah and Ryder in When the Silence Breaks . Sarah and Ryder face some obstacles before they head up the mountain. Once on the mountain, they face even bigger obstacles. I don't want to give anything away. This ...

  Spies, Lies, and Alibis by Natalie Walters was a fun read. This rom-com has romantic tension, suspense, action and was an all-around fun read. Cybil Langford works as a spy for the SNAP agency. She hides behind a polished business facade as she works for her crime boss and gathers intel for SNAP. Ben Bradley is working undercover for the FBI and gathering intel on his crime boss.   Neither Cybil nor Ben know the others real situation and they both suspect the other of having gone over to the dark side from when they met years before. They run into each other, literally, at a black tie affair reeking of crime and corruption. Originally, they knew each other as kids and Ben was Cybil's early crush until something went wrong and they parted ways. Little did Cybil know, but she was Ben's crush too. With everything going on, can they sort out their feelings for each other? Spies, Lies, and Alibis was a fast-paced adventure. I have read all of Natalie Walters' books up unti...

  I have been anxiously awaiting Last to Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn for a few months now. This book is the third book in the Gossamer Falls series. You could read it as a stand alone but it would be more enjoyable if you read the series in order. This book is Bronwyn Pierce and Mo Quinn's story. I have been wondering about them since the series began. This book did not disappoint. Bronwyn is running The Haven, her family's exclusive mountain resort. She runs a tight ship and does a good job. . .but something is off and she can't put her finger on the problem. Mo is a former army intelligence officer so she asks for his help in finding a problem in the book-keeping that her gut tells her is there. She also feels she is being watched. Her family has a lot of issues and she isn't sure how the "bad" guys are in this situation. Can they figure it out before her time runs out? I read Last To Fall in a day and enjoyed it all. I liked how the relationship developed be...

  I have to be honest, I am not fond of winter or cold places so reading a book set in Alaska wouldn't be my first choice--EXCEPT it is written by Susan May Warren. I will pretty much read anything she writes. Track of Courage is the start of a new Call of the Wild series and is set mainly in Alaska.  Keely William is a pop singer who came to Alaska to search for her biological mother. When she sees her, she chickens out on telling her who she is. . .and gets on a plane to go home.  However, things don't go as planned when the plane is hijacked and crashes.  Dawson Mulligan is an ex-cop who had a bad knee injury and has some PTSD after a rescue that went wrong. He decides to fly home to Copper Mountain to recuperate and figure out his next move. On the way home, they spot the downed plane. His dog, Caspian, then runs off on a trail of a survivor.  When Dawson catches up to Keely, they both may have found more than they bargained for. Can Dawson get her out of t...

  Do you follow authors who write in more than one genre? I have been reading and enjoying Irene Hannon's books for a long time. Out of Time is a romantic suspense book and the last book in her Undaunted Courage series. She also writes regular romantic fiction in her Hope Harbor series. This book has a preview of her next book in that series coming out next year. I loved that too! Historical Anthropologist Cara Tucker is a professor on sabbatical at a remote country estate. She is also working with the estate's owner to translate journals that are written in an outdated language. Not long after she arrives, strange things are happening around the estate.  Sheriff Brad Adams investigates the strange happenings. Soon Cara and Brad feel an attraction towards one another.  At the same time, more strange things are going on at the estate. Who is behind all of them? Is Cara in danger too? I enjoyed Out of Time . This author writes clearly and the plot has good pacing. The "bad...

  Break My Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn is a mix of family drama, romance and suspense all in one book! Dr. Meridith Quinn is a dentist who has returned to her home town of Gossamer Falls to practice dentistry. One thing she really enjoys is offering clinics to nearby areas that are underserved. Sadly, there are also drug dealers and traffickers in this same area. Dr. Quinn has unwittingly stumbled into the middle of it all when she helps one of her dental patients. Grayson Ward is the police chief of Gossamer Falls. There is an attraction between Grayson and Meredith but Grayson has some pretty high walls built around him. Can those walls be breached? Break My Fall is the latest romantic suspense book from Lynn H. Blackburn. Break My Fall is also the second book in the Gossamer Falls series. I enjoyed this romantic suspense book. However, I think Blackburn's suspense books are different than the usual books in this genre that I have read. This book is more character driven so it mo...

  Are you looking for a new fast-paced suspense read? Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard will keep you turning pages to figure out what is going on. Remi Grant is a former army photographer who is struggling with amnesia. She has been in hiding the past couple of years and simply can't remember what happened. However, puzzle pieces start coming in the mail that are supposed to be significant and help her remember--before it is too late. Can she finally remember what was so terrible she blocked it out? Remi now manages a secluded lodge. There a mysterious man saves her life not just once but twice. Still she isn't sure Hawk is one of the good guys but she wants to trust him. Hawk has some issues of his own that he is struggling with as well. He has been told his former army brother, Cole, is now working for the dark side. Thrown together, Hawk and Remi work to solve both of their mysteries. Is there a connection between them? I enjoyed Storm Warning . The pacing was good and I ...

  Ivy's mother is in cancer treatment and has requested Ivy go to Alaska to find a rare copy of a Jack London manuscript that has never been published. Ivy's mother runs a bookstore that carries rare books. However when she arrives in Alaska, Ivy finds out the manuscript is gone and the granddaughter of the manuscript owner is missing along with it. Ivy is determined to find both. Soon Ivy joins forces with Alaska State Trooper Nolan Long, who she met and spent time with when she was in Alaska previously. Together Nolan and Ivy search to find the manuscript and the granddaughter--along with battling the dangerous Alaska winter. Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard is the third book in the Missing in Alaska series. In this case, I have not read the other two books in the series but it didn't stop me from enjoying this one. This book kept me guessing almost until the very end. I liked the history about Jack London included as well as a the idea that he had a hidden manus...

Hidden Mountain Secret s by Kerry Johnson is the latest book in the Tunnel Creek suspense series from Love Inspired Suspense.  Brielle Holt is an antique dealer who has stumbled into more than just the latest great finds for her antique shop. Unfortunately, she is in the middle of a family feud and it could have grave consequences for her--and her staff at the antique store. Fortunately, her old family friend, Lucas Scott, who is a trained detective is there to help her--but can he keep her safe? Hidden Mountain Secrets continues the story of the Holt family if you have read the two books prior to this release. However, it isn't necessary to read those to enjoy this story. I enjoyed the action and the suspense in this story. It took me a bit to figure out how the villain in the story was. These books are a quick read and a great size to stick in your book bag to carry with you and read when you have extra time waiting somewhere. Since they aren't as long as a trader paperback,...

Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn is the first book in her new Gossamer Falls series. Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life with her young daughter in Gossamer Falls after her abusive husband passed away. She is known for beautiful pottery and has made a good life for herself and her daughter, Eliza. Landry's good friend Bronwyn gave her a job and helped her move to the area to start over. Callum Shaw is a former marine who moved back home to Gossamer Falls and is a respected home builder in the area. Landry hires Callum to build a home for her and Eliza on some land that Bronwyn sold Landry. Not long afterwords, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. A handwritten note indicates that Landry and Eliza seem to be in danger--but from whom? And why? I enjoyed Never Fall Again . However, at first I did have a little trouble keeping all of the characters straight. This book features a lot of family members from two different families that were feu...

  Into the Fire is the first book is Irene Hannon's new Undaunted Courage series. This book was a different take on suspense than my usual suspense books for me in that the villain throughout the book was a suspected arsonist. Brianna Tucker was a storm jumper when she lived in Idaho. After a career-ending injury, she moved back to her home city of Saint Louis where she started working as an arson investigator. She is also living near her family. ATF Special Agent Marc Davis is assigned to a case with Brianna (Bri). He moved back to Saint Louis to help care for his Grandmother who has been in treatment for breast cancer.  Between Bri and Marc, there are some sparks but they both have some walls up when they meet each other. Will those walls come down in time? Can Bri and Marc solve the puzzle of a fire that took the life of a former colleague for Bri? Her former colleague was continuing to research several cases that, at least in his mind, were tied together. Neither Marc nor...

    Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Mountain Storm Survival by Cathy McDavid, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours !   My Review: Mountain Storm Survival by Cathy McDavid is part of the Mountain Rescue series. This is the first book that I have read in this series. I like to take Love Inspired Books with me since they are a great size to carry along. Kate Spencer gets a new job helping with a youth wrangler camp full of young foster kids. Rand Walkins is the Ranch Manager. Kate was formerly in prison so she is glad to have this job. Rand isn't glad to have her because he is part of the reason she was in prison. Along with their challenging working relationship, they become trapped in the Superstition Mountains with two of the campers as illegal miners try to hunt them down in the midst of a storm.  There is a lot going on in this Love Inspired book. This is a tale of forgiveness and redemption among a few people. There is also a lot of action and suspense as th...

  Creed. The man who feels like a criminal because of his past. Can he become a prince to save the princess he loves? Creed by Susan May Warren is the final book in the Minnesota Marshalls series.  I have enjoyed all the books in the Minnesota Marshalls series and have looked forward to Creed . This book is full of action, with intermittent romance, and full of many of Marshalls coming in together for the conclusion. Seeing updates to characters you recognize from past series is always fun with this author. I enjoyed the mystery of figuring out how the bad guys are and just how big this plot is that run throughout the series.  Unfortunately, some things aren't entirely wrapped up in Creed . It is like an end-of-season episode of a series like Loki that leaves one dangling with future answers to come in another series or two. I can see the fun in that for the author, but it can be frustrating to the reader. In any case, Warren has me right where she wants me as I will con...

  Are you looking for a Christmas fiction book with a mix of suspense and swoonworthy romance? Look no farther! Better Watch Out by Natalie Walters is the perfect mix of the two.  Francis, aka Frannie, headed to New York for what she hopes is a romantic weekend with her boyfriend who has been away for a year. Sadly, when she gets to New York City, instead of a romantic proposal as she hopes, she gets dumped.  Armed with a bucket list of things she hoped to do with her Ex, Frannie decides to skip the pity party and enjoy her time in the big city. However, her big brother thinks she needs to be watched over since she is a naive small-town girl. Frannie's big brother asks his buddy, Andrew, to protectively escort Frannie to the airport. Then the shenanigans began as Frannie armed with pepper spray takes aim at Andrew.  I enjoyed this novella from start to finish. It is a page turner with a mix of action and romance. I liked seeing Frannie and Andrew's developing relati...

Ned is the third book in the Minnesota Marshalls series by Susan May Warren. Let me tell you, with her many years of writing experience, this author knows how to write books that keep your heart pounding and your fingers turning pages quickly. Ned has been through four years of training to be a Navy SEAL. He has the woman of his dreams, Shae Johnson is waiting for him in Switzerland. Unfortunately, when he finally gets to see her after being on a mission, the two have a disagreement. That is bad enough, as both Shae and Ned almost instantly regret their words, but right afterwords Shae goes missing. Shae has been kidnapped by Russian thugs and is in Siberia. What will it take to get her back? Ned has some hoops to go through to get to Shae. I love all the action in this book. I like the close-knit Marshall family and how they all work to help each other out in difficult times. I also like Shae and my reader heart goes out to her in her difficult predicament that I can not imagine in ...

    Do you enjoy a suspenseful mystery with a dash of romance thrown in? Tunnel Creek Ambush by Kerry Johnson kept me guessing right up until the end. I had a few suspicions but I did not get this one figured out at all.  Kinsley Miller and Officer Jasper Holt were high school sweethearts. However, after Kinsley's parents died in a car crash, which she was also involved in, she let her guilt and fears drive her away from her home town. For several years she had been working as a biologist with a zoo. Now, she is back in town for her Aunt's funeral. At first, she tries to mix work with her personal life--until she is assaulted while trying to find bats to monitor in a tunnel. Then Jasper comes to her aid. However, things keep going haywire with more crazy assaults on Kinsley leading them both to wonder what type of trouble she is in. As Jasper and Kinsley try to solve the mystery, will they keep their relationship on the back burner or will they look for a way to move for...

  Are you a fan of Susan May Warren? Her books are among my many favorites. I especially love how she connects characters through different series to sort of keep regular readers updated. Jonas is the second book in the Minnesota Marshalls series and I recognize a character or two from a previous series.If you're a regular reader, I think you will too. Jonas Marshall is a storm-chaser--although now it is mainly in his spirit. He says he is done chasing storms after a terrible accident happened on a run . .but he is still a weatherman. Only this time he is involved in an experiment tracking dirigibles that gather weather information in Slovenia. It was sort of a safe gig, until he met Sibba Kovac and danger came knocking on both of their doors. Sibba disarms bombs for a living. Jonas weeks Sibba's help to disarm a bomb made from one of the dirigibles after meeting her for the second time on her grandfather's farm. However, their hearts are racing from more than just the exc...

  Lyla Fox has a reputation in the SNAP Agency for being impulsive and following her instincts, which has her taking a lot of risks. Nicolas Garcia is cool and controlled. He is drawn to Lyla but can his heart handle it when she takes chances he wouldn't? In Blind Trust , readers finally get to see Lyla and Nicolas work together in a whole new way. We also find out some back story on both characters that makes it is truly hard to put Blind Trus t down once you start reading it. I enjoyed this final book in the SNAP Agency series. I think this one is best enjoyed by those who have read all the preceding books, including Initium . I don't recommend it as a stand-alone. Blind Trust gave me all the feels. I pulled for Lyla. I pulled for Nicolas. I pulled for other characters. I love that the characters from Fatal Code and Lights Out are part of this book. I just really enjoyed all of these books and all of the characters. I like the spiritual element in this book. I liked the wa...

  Counter Attack by Patricia Bradley is the first book in the new Pearl River series.  Alexis Stone has been working in Chatanooga as a police detective when her grandfather has a heart attack. He asks her to fill in as interim sheriff in Alexis' hometown of Pearl Springs until he gets back on his feet. She had been trying to solve the Queens Gambit serial killer case when she left Chatanooga. The first day on the job as interim sheriff, the killer strikes again. Each time, the killer leaves a white chess game pawn and a note with a chess move printed on it. To solve the crime, Pearl Springs Police Chief, and Alexis high school sweetheart, Nathan Landry helps her track down the killer. Counter Attack has a lot of action. I don't play chess but the chess pieces and the moves the killer left were interesting. At the same time, I didn't feel the suspense with this book that I have with other Bradley books. Maybe because, in this case, I figured out the killer early on in the b...

  Under Fire by Lynn H. Blackburn is the third installment in the Defend and Protect series. I have enjoyed this series a lot and Under Fire was a great conclusion to the series.  Special Agent Tessa Reed made some big changes in her life. She thought she left her old ways completely behind her--when the past caught up with her as she works to protect the President during a fundraiser. USSS Agent Zane Thacker is also in town to help protect the President. Tessa and Zane reconnect and may become more than friends--or will they let the past come between them? I enjoy all of the main characters in the Defend and Protect series. I especially enjoyed seeing Zane and Tessa's relationship grow in Under Fire . I enjoyed the romance. I enjoyed the plot and trying to figure out the mystery of the book. There is a lot of action in this book, just like the other books of the series. Under Fire is definitely a book that will keep you up turning pages to get to the end. I received a copy ...