Until She Dies by Kendra Elliot Book Review

About the Book:

Detective Noelle Marshall and FBI Agent Max Rhodes unearth bodies and secrets as they become targets of a serial killer in a chilling novel of suspense by a Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

When a search dog locates a mass burial ground in the Oregon forest, Detective Noelle Marshall is plunged into a hunt for a killer who’s hiding in plain sight. The key to her case lies in a decades-old secret: a lone survivor who escaped and is still out there, living in fear. The murderer is a phantom who left behind a collection of victims with nothing in common but their final resting place.

As pressure mounts to identify the bodies and find the killer, the investigation draws in FBI Agent Max Rhodes―Noelle’s partner in work and in life. They’ve hunted monsters before, but this one has spent years preparing for this moment, and he craves revenge. As the search narrows and the clock tightens, Noelle and Max must confront a predator who knows the terrain―and their weaknesses―better than they do.

My Review:

I have read many of Elliot's mysteries because they take place in Oregon, next to my own Washington State. I have enjoyed them, especially the Columbia River series. For some reason, this novel just did not seem as good as her earlier novels. It did not seem as tightly plotted as what I have come to suspect. And there is a great deal of hurt that happens, even to important characters. There is a dating section in this novel that did not seem well written. I like the investigative scenes Elliot writes much better than the dating ones.

I do have high standards for Elliot as I have thoroughly liked her novels. While I didn't think this one was up to what I have come to expect, I still liked it and will be watching for her next novel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author:

Kendra Elliot has landed on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list multiple times and is the award-winning author of the Bone Secrets series, the Noelle Marshall series, the Callahan & McLane series, the Mercy Kilpatrick novels, and the Columbia River novels. She’s a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, an International Thriller Writers Award finalist, and an RT Award finalist. She was born and raised in the rainy Pacific Northwest but now spends most of her time in sunshine. Visit her at www.kendraelliot.com.

Montlake, 331 pages.

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

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Dwelling in Christ by Jonathan R Bailey

About the Audiobook:

Like many Christians, you may feel as if you're living in a cycle of fits and starts, seeking to grow closer to God but feeling disillusioned in your faith. In a culture of hustle and hurry, maybe you long to trade a transactional faith for a transformational relationship with God.

In Dwelling in Christ, Jonathan R. Bailey reintroduces the Threefold Way―an ancient, time-tested path of Christian spirituality. Moving beyond quick fixes and performance-based faith, this well-worn path offers a practical movement through three stages for growing in Christlikeness over a lifetime.

Discover anew how to walk the Threefold Way:

•  Purgation: Learn to release the harmful and unloving things that pull you away from God.
•  Illumination: Dwell more deeply in God's presence as you intentionally and gradually align your heart more and more with his.
•  Union: Experience an ever-deepening friendship with God that increasingly transforms you into Christlikeness from the inside out.

Aided by the wisdom of ancient monastics, contemporary theologians, and thoughtful reflections on his own spiritual journey, Bailey invites you to trade the illusion of control for the reality of love. In continuity with spiritual voices such as Dallas Willard and Richard Foster, this book offers a hopeful and practical way of life through retrieving a framework reaching back into the earliest centuries of the church. With Dwelling in Christ, be free from chasing quick fixes and enter the steady, lifelong journey of becoming like Christ.

My Review:

I really like this book. Bailey clarifies how we usually see spiritual growth, as transactional. We do this thing and we expect a certain result. He tried again and again but his best efforts led to frustration. He advocates growth that is transformational. It is a slow process and will take a lifetime. We never finish because we are always becoming. We never will arrive until we see Jesus face to face.

I like how Bailey has investigated the experiences of Christians over the centuries. He goes through the three fold path, explaining how each transforms us. By his own admission, he has not come into the union stage. That in itself may take the rest of his life.

This is a great book for every Christian frustrated by the usual means of growth. Bailey's personal way of explaining what he has learned makes for a very good listening experience. I highly recommend this book. There are additional resources at the book's website.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

About the Author/Narrator:

Jonathan R. Bailey writes about Christian spiritual formation and the slow work of becoming like Christ.

He is the author of Dwelling in Christ: Discover the Threefold Path of Spiritual Transformation, a book that draws from Scripture and the wisdom of the Christian tradition to explore how God forms us through the ancient path of purgation, illumination, and union.

Jonathan is the creator of the Three Weekly Lights newsletter, a Ministry Team member with Renovaré, and co-founder of Dwell, the audio Bible app.

He is especially interested in what Christians from the past can teach us about following Christ in the present.

He lives in Texas with his wife, Kori, and their three children.

InterVarsity Press, 6 hours 1 minute.

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

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Silence at Mystery Bay by D D Black

About the Book:

Private investigator Thomas Austin is enjoying a relaxing holiday vacation in picturesque Port Townsend, Washington, accompanied by an intriguing new friend. But his tranquility is shattered when the nearby community of Mystery Bay is rocked by the death of a revered musician at an infamous counterculture festival: The Rabbit Hole.

The Rabbit Hole is an annual gathering of musicians, gamers, techies, and political radicals who revere music, art, technology, and—perhaps most highly—mind-altering substances. Bound by an unspoken code of silence, festival goers refuse to aid police in their investigation, raising tensions between law enforcement and dozens of tight-lipped witnesses.

Desperate, the local sheriff enlists Austin and the Kitsap Sheriff's Department to penetrate the stonewalling witnesses and unearth the truth. Navigating the unconventional beliefs and simmering conflicts permeating The Rabbit Hole, Austin nears a breakthrough. But as he does, the festival takes a deadly turn no one saw coming.

In this community bound by defiance and dark secrets, Austin faces his most challenging case yet. A case that will leave him questioning everything he's ever been sure of, even his own sanity.

The thrilling eighth installment in this acclaimed mystery series immerses you in a suspenseful journey into a quaint small town and a futuristic festival so strange—and so deadly—you'll have to read it to believe it.

My Review:

This adventure for Thomas Austin is a little different as it takes place at a drug infused celebration. There are some really strange characters who do some really strange things. But there is also a murder and Austin is on the case.

I did not like this novel as well as some of the others. I think because of the weirdness of the drug scene. Some of the dialogue was beyond me, but then, so were some of the actions. One fellow said we create our own reality in our minds and there was some strange reality created here. I really like this series though, so will move on to the next mystery.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

D.D. Black writes crime fiction set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He is the author of the Thomas Austin Crime Thrillers and the FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. series. When he's not writing, he can be found strolling the beaches of the Pacific Northwest, cooking dinner for his wife, and throwing a ball for his corgi over and over and over. To learn more, check out my website, where you can join the VIP Reader Club for discounts, news, and more corgi photos than you ever knew you needed. You can find out more at https://ddblackauthor.com/ 

Independently Published, 254 pages.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Art of the Margins by D J Williams

About the Book:

This countercultural manifesto calls us back to creating not for platform or praise but to restore beauty where it’s been fractured, speak truth where it’s been blurred, and rekindle hope in a weary world.

The moment we exchange our soul’s call to create for our culture’s demand to be seen, joy gives way to exhaustion. We stop chasing rhythms and melodies, words and ideas, light and color. We’re too busy checking the charts, the clicks, the views, the endorsements. But true creativity is not sustained by visibility. It is forged on our knees in the presence of our Creator.

Art of the Margins calls creatives to embrace obscurity as the sacred birthplace of purpose. Across thirty cinematic chapters, D. J. Williams blends personal story and biblical wisdom to reframe hidden seasons as holy ground. This guide propels us to create from conviction, live from calling, and have lasting influence―even when we’re unseen.

Creativity not only belongs in galleries, studios, and pulpits. It belongs in the forgotten places where we may feel invisible. It belongs in the margins.

My Review:

This book is full of encouragement for those called to creativity. Williams shares his own experiences as he explores those forgotten places, the margins. He reminds us God often starts with the unseen, the overlooked, giving examples from the Bible. Jesus was born in the margins. He writes about facing fear and being willing to venture into the unknown. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to have certainty. Just take a step.

“Creativity is worship,” Williams writes. (181) My favorite saying from this book is “We weren't made to follow someone else's path.” (120) Each of us was made to be an original. If you are called to journey the creative path, your own original creative path, this book will give you much encouragement along the way. You were made to be an original. It is time to step out, even if the outcome is unknown.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

With the DNA of a world traveler, D.J. Williams was born and raised in Hong Kong, igniting an adventurous spirit as he ventured into the jungles of the Amazon, the bush of Africa, and the slums of the Far East. His global travels submerged him in a myriad of cultures, providing a unique perspective that fuels his creativity.

As a fresh voice in mystery, suspense, and YA fantasy, his novels have climbed the charts ranking as high as #1 on Amazon Hot New Releases. His books The Auctioneer and Hunt For Eden’s Star have received stellar reviews from Kirkus Reviews, the most trusted voice in book discovery. Williams has also been featured in Publishers Weekly and Writer's Digest.

Currently living in Los Angeles, D.J. is always on the hunt for the next story.

David C Cook, 256 pages.

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

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Faithfully Dissident Daughters by Chelsea Kim Long

About the Book:

For centuries, patriarchal Christian spaces and interpretations of Scripture have distorted women’s understanding of God, their bodies, and their place in the world. Faithfully Dissident Daughters invites anyone who has felt unseen or diminished by their faith tradition to reimagine and reclaim what it means to love God and embrace themselves.

Raised in evangelical churches, Chelsea Kim Long had a clear vision of the Christian woman she was born to be: a doting wife and mother, filled with the joy of the Lord and love for her family. But after suffering a traumatic birthing experience, postpartum depression, and further reproductive loss, she found that vision―and her faith in a God who would mandate that singular role for women―shattered.

Working through the pain of these deeply feminine experiences opened her eyes to the broader ways the patriarchal Christian worldview undermined not only her but womanhood in general. The faith she’d been handed had no room for questions or nuance and even less room for the bodies, feelings, or the spiritual authority of women’s lived experience.

Through raw personal narrative and rich theological reflection, Chelsea explores the false limits the church has placed on women and how the demand for unquestioning obedience silences women’s natural intuition and erodes self-trust. Chelsea shares her search for and embrace of feminine expressions of the Divine, uncovering long-neglected images of God as Mother, Wisdom, and Spirit that have always lived within the Christian tradition. Steeped in Scripture and diverse, historic Christian traditions, this book will inspire and empower readers to become faithfully dissident by stepping into a faith that feels honest and whole through honoring women’s bodies, emotions, experiences, and innate wisdom.

My Review:

Long writes on the difficult topic of remaining faithful to Christ while being against practices in Christianity that harm people. She investigated the role of women in Christianity. She reminds readers that theology as we understand it today has not always been so clearly defined. She also reminds us of the idea of the Spirit as feminine and the fact that Wisdom is portrayed as female in Proverbs. A surprise to me, a life long Calvinist, was her well researched argument that the heart is not “desperately wicked.”

This is a good book for readers who want to remain in the love of God and the way of Christ while dissenting from distorted expressions of Christian faith. (5) Long draws from a number of Christian traditions with refreshing results. This is a thought provoking book and I recommend it.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Chelsea Kim Long is a writer, lay theologian, and meditation teacher exploring Christianity through the lens of women’s embodied experiences and contemplative spirituality. Her work invites readers to reimagine Christianity beyond patriarchy and toward a more expansive and inclusive expression of faith. She lives in San Diego with her husband and three kids, where she co-leads an intentional neighborhood faith community grounded in belonging and justice.

Westminster John Knox Press, 212 pages.

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

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols

About the Book:

Months after the shocking murders at Marigold Cottages, eccentric landlady Mrs. B finds the peace and quiet a little too peaceful. That’s why she invites her young friend CJ Moore to move into a now-vacant cottage: CJ is a suspect in the death of her employer, a wealthy Santa Barbara philanthropist who tumbled down the stairs of his mansion during a dinner party. The dead man’s much-younger widow claims she saw CJ push him, but Mrs. B is certain that she’s innocent. Why? Oh, just a feeling.

That’s enough for her to summon the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective. Lily-Ann will marshal the facts, Hamilton will dig around online, Sophie and Nicholas will offer eyewitness testimony, and everyone will hope that Ocean keeps Mrs. B out of trouble.

Just as the tenants begin to suspect that Elsa is in fact the perpetrator, there’s a second murder. A bloodier one. And with their tight-knit community in the crosshairs, they must prove her innocence - or accept her guilt.

My Review:

This novel includes an eclectic group of people solving a murder. The characters are quirky. This second one in the series was not as engaging to me as the first one, though it is a good cozy mystery in general with older sleuths.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my review of the first book in this series, The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective.

About the Authors:

JOEL ROSS is the author of an award-winning fogpunk adventure series that includes THE FOG DIVER and THE LOST COMPASS, the BEAST & CROWN series, and ALLEY & REX series. As Joel Naftali, he wrote a skunkpunk children’s series and co-wrote THE ARMY OF FROGS trilogy which became a Netflix animated series―for which he and Lee wrote the screenplays. He is also the author of two adult WWII thrillers. And as Joel Dane, he wrote the CRY PILOT science fiction series, along with the science fiction podcast, MARIGOLD BREACH that starred Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto.

LEE NICHOLS is the author of five chick lit novels including the bestselling TALES OF A DRAMA QUEEN and HAND-ME-DOWN. She’s written the HAUNTING EMMA series for young adults, which is currently optioned for TV and co-wrote the animated Netflix series, THE ARMY OF FROGS.

Lee and Joel met in college and have lived together more years than they have not. They currently reside in Santa Barbara with two cats named Earl and Betty and have one son who pretends to be learning something while away at college. After collaborating on roughly thirty books together for both children and adults, they finally sat down to write The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective, their first mystery. Photo credit: John Parsons. 

Minotaur Books, 352 pages.

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

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Jesus-Centered Planner -2027

 

About the Book:

 

Keep Jesus at the center of every appointment, holiday, and where-did-I-put-my-coffee day. Beautifully minimalist and spiritually intentional, the Jesus-Centered Planner 2027 blends practical organization with daily Scripture, weekly devotional readings, and guided prayers to help you manage your schedule while keeping your heart anchored in Jesus all year long.

In a world that feels nonstop, creating order in your daily life makes space for peace. The Jesus-Centered 2027 Planner provides a practical way to stay organized so your heart can slow down and focus on what matters most. Closing the gap between a busy schedule and an attentiveness to God’s voice, this newly designed planner includes:

• A daily reading plan focusing on the four Gospels
• Monthly Scripture memory verses connected to the daily reading plan
• Weekly Christ-focused reflections
• Year-at-a-glance pages
• Weekly challenges to inspire you to live out your faith every day
• Prayer journaling prompts
• Gratitude prompts
• Pocket page for keepsakes
• Spiral-bound pages for ease of writing

If you’ve struggled to carve out time for Bible study, prayer, or reflection, this planner will help you build consistent spiritual habits while staying on top of your schedule.

My Review:

I always have a planner next to my chair. I have always used a generic one but I am excited to be able to use one with spiritual emphasis for 2027. I will be prompted to read through the four gospels next year and have a monthly memory verse. I was happy to see there is plenty of space for reflection and prompts for prayer and expressing gratitude.

This will be a great way to focus my thoughts on Jesus as I go through the year.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

David C Cook, 168 pages.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

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

The Knot by Seth Godin Audiobook Review

About the Book:

You’re not stuck because the problem is too hard.
You’re stuck because something invisible is holding it in place.

Most persistent problems—at work, in organizations, and in our own lives—aren’t unsolvable. We’ve tried harder. We’ve optimized. We’ve worried about it.

And nothing changes.

This is the kind of stuckness that shows up for people who lead, create, and build—for those who care deeply, think clearly, and still find themselves going in circles.

Some challenges are situations outside our control, best met with acceptance. But others are real problems, capable of being changed. The trouble is, we often can’t tell the difference.

That’s because we’re entangled.

An entanglement is a hidden commitment that creates conflict beneath the surface: wanting progress without risk, change without loss, or forward motion without letting go of who we were—or who we promised to become. When we want two incompatible things at the same time, effort doesn’t help. We stay stuck.

In The Knot, Seth Godin offers a clear, practical framework:

• How to tell the difference between problems you can solve and situations you need to accept
• How to see systems, understand what people actually want, and create conditions for change rather than simply hoping for it
• A practical guide to entanglements—time-based (sunk costs, premature optimization), social (phantom audiences, borrowed scorecards), and identity-based (who we were, who we promised to become)—each named, examined, and shown to be removable

My Review:

Godin provides many examples of problems that appeared unsolvable yet were solved by an insightful individual. The key is finding that one knot that is keeping the problem together. Once that is found and loosened, the whole problem can be solved. I think the strength of this book is near the end when Godin provides a number of questions to ask to help identify that knot.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

This book releases September 22.

About the Author:

Seth Godin is the author of 20 international bestsellers that have been translated into over 38 languages, and have changed the way people think about marketing and work. For a long time, Unleashing the Ideavirus was the most popular ebook ever published, and Purple Cow is the bestselling marketing book of the decade.

He worked as a year as the volunteer founding editor of The Carbon Almanac, and his recent bestsellers also include The Practice and This is Marketing.

Simon and Schuster Audio, 4 hours 24 minutes.

I received a complimentary digital audio edition of this book through NetGalley. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)