Shadow Ridge by M E Browning

I enjoyed this police procedure novel and my introduction to Browning. Jo Wyatt is quite the detective. I had a hard time liking her. She's got quite a sarcastic and critical mouth. She has an attitude and serious relationship issues. She seems to have not kept up in her training, not knowing much about cyber crimes, such as that email addresses could be spoofed. As the novel progressed and more of her story came out, I could understand her character but still found her a bit hard to like to the very end.

Jo's greatest positive trait is her tenacious attitude toward solving a mystery. While ruled a suicide initially, something doesn't set right with Jo and she digs and digs and digs. She alienates people right and left, except Squint, her faithful co-investigator. She finally gets to the bottom of the murder(s) and manages to make a friend, sort of, in the process.

The novel highlights the prejudice against women in law enforcement, at least in that area. Jo had been passed up for promotion, unjustly. But she might just have had the last word. We'll find out in the next novel in the series. This is a good novel for readers who like a balance of character development and police procedure with a good dose of suspense at the end.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Colorado Book Award-winning author M. E. Browning writes the Jo Wyatt Mysteries and the Agatha-nominated and award-winning Mer Cavallo Mysteries (as Micki Browning). Browning also writes short stories and nonfiction. Her work has appeared in magazines, anthologies, and textbooks. An FBI National Academy graduate, she worked in municipal law enforcement for more than two decades and retired as a captain before turning to a life of crime fiction.

Crooked Lane Books, 296 pages.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Difficult Words of Jesus by Amy-Jill Levine

We have to admit that some of Jesus' words are hard to understand. Levine, a Jew and expert in all things Jewish, shares her insights on how those listening to Jesus speak would have understood his words. She identifies her book as one for people who want to struggle with Scripture they find disturbing.

I have mixed feelings about the book. On the positive side, Levine shares a wealth of information on the background of concepts and culture and society of Jesus' day. Readers who want insights in those areas will find much valuable information in this book.

Levine is not a Christian, however, so I have reservations about her truly understanding what Jesus meant. I found it interesting to read her comments on Christian theology as a non-Christian. She writes about the “call” of the gospel while noting it is something she has never felt. (140) She does not believe in hell (101) though she does have a good account of how it became accepted into Christian theology. (121-122) She is “not much a believer in demons,” (80) and says the book of Jonah is “manifestly fictional.” (81) She acknowledges that Jesus did see himself in the role of Jewish Messiah (83) but apparently does not accept he is so.

Readers who want to understand more of Jewish thought, especially as it relates to some of what Jesus said, will find this book informative. Evangelical Christians looking for Holy Spirit directed insights into what Jesus said may be disappointed. Miller suggests we cannot fully understand what Scripture means but we can make educated guesses. (xvii) She writes, “...while the Bible may have the first word on a number of questions, it will never have the last word.” (154) Those who want to struggle with Jesus' words in the context of Jewish thought will like this book. You will gain understanding about how a non-Christian wrestles with what Jesus' said.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Amy-Jill Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies and Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies Emerita at Vanderbilt Divinity School and College of Arts and Sciences. She is an internationally renowned scholar and teacher and the author of numerous books. She is also the co-editor of the Jewish Annotated New Testament. She has done more than 500 programs across the globe for churches, clergy groups, and seminaries on the Bible, Christian-Jewish relations, and Religion, Gender, and Sexuality.

Abingdon Press, 176 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

5-Star-Life by Britney Ruby Miller Blog Tour and Giveaway

About the Book

Book:  5-Star Life

Author: Britney Ruby Miller

Genre: Self-Help, Inspirational

Release date: August 20, 2021

 

Britney Ruby Miller has faced overwhelming obstacles in her life—extreme challenges to her faith, her family, her marriage, and her business. Each of these challenges alone might have caused her to give up and shut down, closing herself off to all of her hopes and dreams. Instead, she fought back hard, engaging in a faithful fight to attain a 5-star life.

Are you allowing your negative life experiences to transform you—or to undermine you? No matter what obstacles you face, you can learn ways to fight back, “striving for 5” to reach a 5-star life.

Now the CEO of a chain of nationally ranked, high-end steakhouses, Britney has fought the battles of rejection, feelings of low self-esteem, family tragedy, infidelity, infertility, and the global pandemic that threatened not only to close her family’s business but also to decimate the entire restaurant industry. “I am so thankful that God helped me stretch, heal, learn, and grow from my journey so far,” says Britney. “There is absolutely no way I would have been able to function at such a high level at work, balancing so many plates at once, and be full of God’s love and peace even in the hardest of times, without having been transformed through a lifetime of experiences. God used all of my negative experiences to make my life more rich and full of joy and purpose.”

Britney’s ingredients for a 5-star life include:

* Partnering with God to live the life you were meant to live
* Working together for a strong family life
* Cultivating a unified, loving marriage
* Pursuing excellence at your job or business
* Giving back to others in your community and the world

With captivating stories and reflections to take you deeper into principles for success, this book will show you how to keep your faith and hope in the midst of challenges, setbacks, and even tragedy as you persevere with tenacity to attain your 5-star life of excellence.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is an impressive memoir with lessons on Christian living. One might think Miller is a privileged woman, daughter of a successful business owner. But she is quite open in sharing her own tragedies and mistakes and how God saw her through. “He doesn't always rescue us from the consequences of our choices, but He is faithful to lead us back to higher ground if we let Him.” (965/3768)

This memoir contains good insights in two major areas. First is in living life. Miller is honest with her life because she hopes readers will be encouraged by her example to live their best life. She includes many life lessons on relationships, marriage, and parenting. She shares her feelings on her husband's infidelity and her own pain from miscarriages, and PTSD and anxiety after an automobile accident. Second, she tells us of her experiences in learning the restaurant industry, working through all the positions, finding mentors, and finally moving into management. She even shares how they made it through the Covid restrictions.

Miller invites us to see every crisis we might encounter “as an opportunity to learn and grow.” (3631/3768) She helps us do that by recounting her own experiences and the spiritual lessons she learned from them. The book contains practical information for business owners, such as in handling complaints, and for Christians, such as taking the steps to forgiveness. It is well written and inspiring.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Cent (JRCE), headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, which manages a portfolio of high-end steakhouses widely regarded as among the best in the nation. She directs the company’s seven steakhouses in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, leading a team of hundreds of employees.

“When your father is a steakhouse baron, you don’t just show up and take over the family business when you come of age,” she says. Britney started working in one of the family restaurants at age fifteen and subsequently gained experience in all areas of the business, and she also attended culinary school. Britney was studying in the Lindner College of Business when 9/11 hit, prompting her to switch her major and earn a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from the University of Cincinnati before returning to the family business and eventually joining JRCE’s corporate team. She is currently pursuing an MBA from Xavier University.

In her corporate role, Britney’s leadership led to eight years of consecutive same-store sales growth, expanding the company while enhancing the key element on which its success depends: delivering absolutely incomparable total dining experiences in each market. When the economic effects of Covid-19 threatened not only her own business but also the entire restaurant industry and food supply chain nationwide, Britney became an energetic advocate for the restaurant industry and related industries on both state and federal levels.

Britney also helped to develop and launch one of her family’s main charitable endeavors, The Jeff Ruby Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to remove Cincinnati from the “Top 5 Childhood Poverty” lists by providing homes for foster children and lowering the number of kids in the county foster system. Brittney has been named to the “40 Under 40″ lists of the Cincinnati Business Courier and Cincinnati’s Venue magazine, and she is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from restaurant management to marketing to women in business. She serves as a board member of both The Jeff Ruby Foundation and the Cincinnati State Foundation, and she is a member of the Young Presidents Organization.

Britney is a dedicated wife and mother. She is married to Caleb Miller, a former linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals, and they have four children. Committed to putting family first, Britney continually strives to balance family life and work demands, enriching both realms of her life.

More from Britney

How to keep going in the midst of challenges, setbacks, and even tragedy to attain a 5-star life of excellence.

Blog Stops

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 16

deb's Book Review, September 16

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, September 17

Mary Hake, September 17

An Author's Take, September 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 19

Texas Book-aholic, September 20

Inklings and notions, September 21

For Him and My Family, September 22

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 24

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, September 25

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 26

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 28

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, September 29

The Space for Grace, September 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Brittney is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/119f1/5-star-life-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Boyd

This novel is an immersion in all things Cajun. It got off to a bit of a rough start for me as the story began with lots of people, food and getting together. It took me a while to figure out who belonged to whom and how they were all related, whether by birth or business or interest. This is the seventh book in the series and I realized I missed much of the previous material on relationships. There is a big list of characters at the beginning of the book. That should have clued me in to the vast number of people and their interactions.

The murder did not happen until a quarter of the way into the book. After the murder, there seemed to be a better focus on the plot line and I became more interested. Prior to the murder, I did have a little trouble maintaining my interest in the book.

Several of the characters are involved in food preparation and service. There is much about the various kinds of Cajun foods and when they are eaten. Part of the plot is the stealing of recipes and I was surprised to find out that such a practice is done often and really cannot be prosecuted. And if you want to make some of the delicious sounding foods, recipes are included.

I like Maggie as an amateur sleuth. She is persistent in her tracking down the murderer as people she loves are suspects, including her mother. But I do think the best part of this book is the setting. It's a good book for readers who would like to be immersed in Cajun atmosphere, from hospitality to delicious food.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Ellen Byron is the Agatha Award winning author of the Cajun Country Mysteries, a USA Today bestselling series also winning multiple Best Humorous Mystery Lefty Awards from the Left Coast Crime conference. She also writes under the pen name of Maria DiRico. She is also a screen writer and has written over 200 national magazine articles. A native New Yorker, she attended Tulane University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. You can find out more at https://www.ellenbyron.com/.

Crooked Lane Books, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an honest and independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J Mondragon Blog Tour and Giveaway

About the book:

A knitting group’s change of scenery changes lives in unexpected ways

Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran had a good thing going: meet every week in the quiet of their peaceful chapel and knit prayer shawls. No muss, just ministry. That is, until their pastor boots them out of the church in his last-ditch effort to revive the dwindling congregation.

Uptight Margaret isn’t having it. Knitting prayer shawls where people can watch is the most ridiculous idea she’s ever heard of, and she’s heard plenty. Prayer belongs in the church, not out among the heathen masses. How are they supposed to knit holiness into these shawls if they’re constantly distracted by the public? But with no choice, the others embrace the challenge. They pack their knitting bags and drag Margaret—grumbling the whole way—to the mall with them. She can’t wait to prove them all wrong when it fails miserably, and show the pastor that she always knows best.

Without the familiar mold the group has been stuck in, their own losses, pain, and struggles rise to the surface. And the people and situations they encounter every time they try to sit quietly and knit are taking them a lot further out of their comfort zone than they ever imagined. Can they find the courage to tackle the increasing number of knotty issues they learn about in the community--or will the tangle be too much to unravel?

Sharon J. Mondragon’s debut is warm and delightful, full of real laughter, grief, and personality. It beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ.

 

To read an excerpt of The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady click here.

My Review:

This is a delightful novel for women, especially those who might be set in their ways. It is a well crafted story exploring what might happen when control is relinquished and God is allowed to move freely. Lives are changed, both those prayed for and those praying. Deep hurts are brought to light and hearts are healed.

The characters are well crafted too. There are young people in desperate need of prayerful love and direction. There are elderly women filled with love ready to burst out. There are a couple of dragon ladies too. Hard nosed, controlling. It is amazing to see what God can do when allowed to penetrate a controlling personality. Forced to get out of her comfort zone, Margaret declares, “Our ministry used to be such a neat and tidy operation, but now we never know what will happen next.” (3284/3424)

This is an entertaining novel but is also an encouraging one. Read it if you are ready to allow God freedom to work. And read even if you're not because you'll see what God can do. And if you are interested in a prayer shawl ministry, lots of information is included at the end of the book.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

 

About the author:

Sharon J. Mondragón writes about the place where kindness and courage meet. Her debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady (originally titled The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry) was the 2017 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award in the Short Novel Category, and she has also been recognized by The Saturday Evening Post where her short story, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” was an Honorable Mention Awardee in the 2014 their Great American Fiction Contest.

Mondragón has been active in prayer shawl ministry since 2008 and currently serves as facilitator for the prayer shawl ministry at her church, St. Paul Episcopal in Waxahachie, TX. She also knits with the Circle of Healing at Red Oak United Methodist Church. She is a Level 2 Certified Knitting Instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and teaches beginning knitting at a local yarn store.

Mondragón is the mother of five grown children and has four grandchildren. After 26 years as an Army wife, she has settled in Midlothian, TX with her hero/husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.

Visit Sharon Mondragón’s website and blog at www.sharonjmondragon.com and follow her on Facebook (Sherry Mondragón) and Twitter (@SJ_Mondragón). 

Kregel Publications, 272 pages.

ENTER TO WIN A COPY

Click on the link below to enter.

https://www.audrajennings.com/2021/09/win-copy-of-unlikely-yarn-of-dragon-lady.html

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Audra Jennings PR.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Lines Between Us by Amy Lynn Green

 About the Book:

A WWII novel of courage and conviction, based on the true experience of the men who fought fires as conscientious objectors and the women who fought prejudice to serve in the Women's Army Corps.

Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gordon Hooper and his buddy Jack Armitage have stuck to their values as conscientious objectors. Much to their families' and country's chagrin, they volunteer as smokejumpers rather than enlisting, parachuting into and extinguishing raging wildfires in Oregon. But the number of winter blazes they're called to seems suspiciously high, and when an accident leaves Jack badly injured, Gordon realizes the facts don't add up.

A member of the Women's Army Corps, Dorie Armitage has long been ashamed of her brother's pacifism, but she's shocked by news of his accident. Determined to find out why he was harmed, she arrives at the national forest under the guise of conducting an army report . . . and finds herself forced to work with Gordon. He believes it's wrong to lie; she's willing to do whatever it takes for justice to be done. As they search for clues, Gordon and Dorie must wrestle with their convictions about war and peace and decide what to do with the troubling secrets they discover.

You can read an excerpt here.

My Review:

This is Green's second novel and it is another good one. (You can read my review of her first one, Things We Didn't Say.) I had no idea of the strong feelings people had in the mid-1940s toward conscientious objectors, especially after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Green does a wonderful job of taking us into the midst of the heat of disagreeing about being part of the war effort. She has also crafted believable and engaging characters. Gordon is a deeply honest man and has deep convictions about being a pacifist. His character is thought provoking, making me ask questions about when, if ever, it is right to go to war to stop evil. Reading groups will have much to discuss on this issue. There are also some other issues explored in the novel, including the government keeping information secret and the treatment of blacks in the general war effort.

It is clear Green has done a great deal of research in molding this novel around historical facts. I appreciate the depiction of the dangerous work of the smokejumpers in Oregon. I also liked the setting of Fort Lawton near Seattle and the women who served there. I can tell Green read many personal accounts of service in both areas.

This is a good novel for readers who enjoy historical fiction from WW II but are ready for something other than plots set in war zones. You'll learn about another aspect of the war, that on the home front.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Amy Lynn Green is a publicist by day and a novelist on nights and weekends. History has always been one of her passions, and she loves speaking with book clubs, writing groups, and libraries all around the country. Her debut novel, Things We Didn't Say, is a Carol Award finalist, was nominated for a 2021 Minnesota Book Award and received a starred review from both Booklist and Library Journal. Amy and her husband live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can find out more at www.amygreenbooks.com. Photo: © Roger Smith Photography.

Bethany House Publishers, 384 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post is from the publisher.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Death and Sensibility by Elizabeth Blake

This is a good cozy mystery for lovers of literature and all things Regency. While the occasion is a conference of the Jane Austen Society and there is much about Austen, there are references and allusions to many authors, such as Keats and Milton. The heroine, Erin, is well crafted. She is known for her passion in solving murder mysteries (I've missed the first in this series). Blake gives Erin an interesting motivation for her sleuthing pursuits. Erin had watched helpless as her mother died of cancer. Now, solving murders gave her a illusion of control. (1806/4615) Erin wrestles with personal issues in the form of two men romantically interested in her, as she pursues identifying the murderer. Blake provides a good balance of personal story intermixed with murder investigation progression.

I liked how Blake firmly placed the plot in location. The setting is the quaint English town of York. We get a good idea of the community, its history and geography with such interesting actions as walking the surrounding wall. The history of the area is inserted into the plot in a reasonable way.

I like how so many suspects come to light as past secrets and character relationships are revealed. The revelation of the villain did not come as a surprise and astute readers will probably figure out the individual along the way.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery for its interesting characters and informative setting. I liked the literary bent to the plot. I also liked the great critique of Hallmark Christmas movies as they are compared to great literature.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Elizabeth Blake is the pseudonym of Carole Bugge who also writes as C E Lawrence. She is the author of ten novels, six novellas, and multiple short stories and poems as well as being a notable playwright. She is the winner of several awards for her poetry, fiction and playwright material. She has a BA in English from Duke University. She teaches creative writing at NYU and Gotham Writers Workshop and is a Fellow of the International Writers Retreat at Hawthornden Castle, Scotland, as well as Writer in Residence at Byrdcliffe Arts Colony in Woodstock, New York. You can find out more at http://www.celawrence.com/.

Crooked Lane Books, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Silent Altitudes by Michael Emberger Blog Tour and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Silent Altitudes

Author: Michael James Emberger

Genre: Cli-Fi Thriller (Climate Fiction/Thriller)

Release date: March 30, 2021
The world looks up to the sky in hopeful anticipation as the Pennychuck Atmospheric Carbon Reduction System comes online. Finally the chance to eliminate global warming will be obtainable.

Within moments, something goes terribly wrong. Dr. Milford Pennychuck races to find the underlying problem that caused so much destruction. Yet when an assassination attempt and system sabotage blindsides him, he has to rely on a surprising ally.

Together they delve into a conspiracy deeper than they can fathom. As the system operates at progressively higher altitudes, the two scientists must find a way to shut it down…or die trying.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is a timely novel as it deals with both the current climate issue and conspiracy theories. Emberger explores the possibility of a fix for the excess carbon in the atmosphere. An innovative scientist has a potential answer featuring a combination of technology and nuclear power. But the well designed technique encounters a problem.

That brings in a secret society. They have been making use of social unrest and political controversy to further their plan to rule the world. This climate fix is a perfect opportunity to further their agenda. A compromised and blackmailed scientist is forced to change the parameters of the computer program controlling the fix, ultimately endangering the entire world.

Emberger has crafted good characters, heroes to fight the destruction and villains to further their cause no matter the human cost. The secret society conspiracy is chilling as members take a good scientific project and sabotage it. The plot moves well as we are taken to various locations in the US as the project runs wild. The action builds to a suspenseful climax.

This is a good novel for those who would enjoy an engaging story about the possibilities of scientific progress in dealing with climate problems countered by the possibility of projects being sabotaged by a secret and powerful society.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author

Michael James Emberger is an author of thrillers and suspense, and he resides in Wilton, New Hampshire. He enjoys weaving narratives of conspiracy and misguided intentions around divisive topics. Where there is debate, there is always room for a villain with goals far out of alignment from either side. Michael is a graduate of Messiah College, where he studied Engineering and met his wife racing solar cars cross-country. When he’s not working on home renovations or writing, he enjoys visiting the ocean and exploring the majesty of God’s creation on the summits of New Hampshire’s mountains.

More from Michael

Silent Altitudes is a Cli-fi (Climate Fiction) thriller set in the near future. I wanted to avoid the current political debates over global warming, so I went with the assumption that the world eventually comes to consensus about what to do. The United Nations rolls out an elaborate technological solution, but sabotage and conspiracy lead to disaster on startup day. That’s the type of angle I enjoy writing. Climate change is the backdrop, but this book is about family and survival and fighting against the greed and corruption that have laid good intentions to ruin. It’s about loss and hope and trusting that God is still in control even when everything seems hopeless.

A significant inspiration for this book was a phrase my daughter would say when she was little: “Hold you Mommy.” It meant she wanted a hug. I contacted Laura, a pottery artist on Etsy, and ordered a custom mug with that phrase as a Christmas present for my wife. Laura was a joy to work with, and our conversation led to me developing characters and themes that provided the heart of my story. I find it’s those little inspirations that make the biggest difference in my writing.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 18

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 18

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, September 19

Library Lady's Kid Lit, September 20

Rebecca Tews, September 21

Texas Book-aholic, September 22

Inklings and notions, September 23

For Him and My Family, September 24

Blogging With Carol, September 24

deb's Book Review, September 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 27

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, September 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 29

A Reader’s Brain, September 30

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, September 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 1

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Michael is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/119f6/silent-altitudes-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)