To Soar on Eagle's Wings by Renee Blare

This is a Christian romance that is a quick and easy read. The plot centers on Rachel, a first year teacher. The novel begins as she is on spring break. She crosses paths with Steve, her brother's old roommate. He's a game warden who has recently been assigned to Timber Springs. He finds evidence someone is harassing animals in the woods and sets out to catch them

There seems to be a spark of interest between the Rachel and Steve. There are issues that must be resolved before the two can pursue romance. Rachel has brothers who are dealing with issues since their mother died. Rachel herself is not sure she wants to continue teaching. A group of young men are terrorizing businesses in town and even threaten Rachel. Steve's life is in danger when he tries to catch the culprits.

The novel is OK. There is nothing really wrong with it but nothing that I found excellent either. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy an easy going and rather short novel with no complicated features. There are some unresolved issues in the book which may be a lead in to the sequel releasing soon.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Renee Blare was raised in Louisiana and Wyoming. She has been writing since junior high. She attended pharmacy school and is still counting pills. She lives in Wyoming with her husband where she loves to fish, hunt, and play classical guitar. You can find out more at www.reneeblare.com.

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 210 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit Tours for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

No Way Up by Mary Connealy

This novel centers on ranch and family life in the New Mexico Territory in the late 1800s. The father wants his three adult children to love each other and take pride in the family ranch. How he determines to do that and the siblings' responses make for a good story.

The novel opens with the father, a son, and a few other hands going after a stray bull. Entering a narrow canyon, a sudden rockfall injures Chance, the father. Heath, a hired hand, sets the man's leg and stems the bleeding, saving his life. Chance is taken to Denver for treatment but demands his latest will be read soon. Heath does so and the siblings are shocked. They must live and work on the ranch for one year or the entire place will go to a despicable cousin.

This is a fun novel that combines humor and suspense. Heath discovers that the avalanche was no accident and it seems someone is trying to run them off their property. In the midst of the escalating tension, Connealy adds a scene with some humor. It ends up being a good mix.

The book is a good study in relationships too. The siblings have a little difficulty getting along. They are angry that their father would make such a demand of them. But they despise their cousin even more so end up working together. I really like Sadie. She is a compassionate woman who can ride a horse hard and rock climb a sheer cliff. What a gal.

I like to learn something when I read fiction and in this novel is was about the possession of land in the New Mexico Territory. Original possession was from Spanish land grants. The Mexican-American War resulted in various treaties and agreements so that the territory became property of the U.S. The New Mexico Territory had applied for statehood in 1850, but 30 years later, as our novel takes place, they were still waiting. I also learned a bit about the Pueblo and their culture.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a western centering around family relationships. There's some good suspense and romance included. Connealy's writing style makes this novel a pleasant one to read.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Mary Connealy writes inspirational romantic comedy. She has won the Carol Award and has been a finalist for the Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader's Choice Award finalist. She is married to a Nebraska rancher. They have four adult daughters and several grandchildren.

Bethany House Publishers, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Blood Symmetry by Kate Rhodes GIVEAWAY

Enter the GIVEAWAY at the end of this post

This is the second novel in the Alice Quentin series that I've read. I liked the first one I read and this one is even better.



Alice is a forensic psychologist. She is brought in to work with a young traumatized boy. He and his mother had been abducted but he managed to escape. The police know the boy has information but he is mute. Alice is to help him remember and verbalize his experience.

His mother is a blood specialist. A pint of her blood is found deposited at a blood research location in London. Someone is systematically withdrawing her blood and leaving it at locations important in the history of blood treatment. Alice figures out there had been other blood specialists who had recently been murdered or died mysteriously. She must first understand the connection between the victims and then find the culprits before more lives are lost.

I love it when I learn something in reading a novel. In this case it was about the tainted blood scandal in the UK in the late 1970s. In a note at the end of the novel, the author gives us the facts of the event. The government had bought tainted blood from abroad and many hemophiliacs got sick with hepatitis and AIDS. I was surprised to find that Rhodes has a personal interest in writing this novel in that her husband was given hepatitis C in the early 1980s. While she acknowledges that she took a few small liberties with the historical facts to fit her story, the novel clearly portrays that troubled time in Britain's medical history.

In with this historical element is much information about blood and its use. I learned about the first blood transfer between greyhounds in 1665 and the first human blood transfer in the nineteenth century. I also learned a bit about how a child might become mute from a traumatic experience and how a psychologist associated with the police might work with that child.

This novel has all of those aspects I like in fiction. The characters are well developed, the mystery is intense, the plot is based in historical fact, and I learned quite a bit on a new subject.

I recommend this novel to readers who appreciate a well crafted suspense novel, don't mind some gruesome scenes, and enjoy learning. You won't be disappointed.

I am taking part in a blog tour of this novel. Click here to view the 'Blood Symmetry by Kate Rhodes' Tour Participants.

A note to my regular blog readers: this book contains casual sex and mild swearing.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Kate Rhodes is the author of the Alice Quentin novels and two collections of poetry. She writes full time and lives in Cambridge with her husband. Find out more at her website, follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Book Details: Genre: Thrillers, Crime Published by: Witness Impulse Publication Date: July 12, 2016 Number of Pages: 368 ISBN: 1444785605 (ISBN13: 9781444785609) Series: Alice Quentin #5 Purchase Links: Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Goodreads 



GIVEAWAY:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Kate Rhodes and Witness Impulse. There will be 5 winners. Each winner will receive one ebook copy of Blood Symmetry by Kate Rhodes. The giveaway begins on July 11th and runs through August 20th, 2016.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Missing by Lisa Harris

Nikki is with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, in the missing persons unit. She is called in to find the missing wife of a murdered man. The victim was found on the boat belonging to a friend of Nikki's. As the plot progresses, Nikki finds that the murdered man was uncovering evidence of counterfeit drugs associated with the pharmaceutical company for which he worked. The investigation soon turns deadly and her own life is in danger.

This novel is a combination of character development and suspense. There is more about Nikki's life than there is suspense and I sometimes skimmed through paragraphs of her thinking.

I always like to learn something when I read fiction and in this novel it was about counterfeit drugs. Medicinal drugs originating overseas sometimes contain contaminated ingredients or the wrong ingredients. They might even lack the active ingredients. Pharmaceutical companies are always looking for ways to increase their profits and that might mean danger for those who receive their products. And then there is the whole issue of doctors receiving money from the drug companies, compensation for advice, clinical trials, or consulting. It is legal but I wonder what that means for patients.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy a character driven plot more than a suspense driven one. This is the second in the Nikki Boyd series but reads well on its own.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Lisa Harris has written over thirty novels and novella collections. She has won the Christy Award and the Romantic Times Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011. She, her husband, and their three children have been living in Africa for twelve years as missionaries. For more information about her books and life in Africa, visit www.lisaharriswrites.com and her blog, http://myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com.

Revell, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Like a River From Its Course by Kelli Stuart

About the Book:

The city of Kiev was bombed in Hitler's blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union, but the constant siege was only the beginning for her citizens. In this sweeping historical saga, Kelli Stuart takes the reader on a captivating journey into the little-known history of Ukraine's tragedies through the eyes of four compelling characters who experience the same story from different perspectives.

Maria Ivanovna is only fourteen when the bombing begins and not much older when she is forced into work at a German labor camp. She must fight to survive and to make her way back to her beloved Ukraine.

Ivan Kyrilovich is falsely mistaken for a Jew and lined up with 34,000 other men, women, and children who are to be shot at the edge of Babi Yar, the "killing ditch." He survives, but not without devastating consequences.

Luda is sixteen when German soldiers rape her. Now pregnant with the child of the enemy, she is abandoned by her father, alone, and in pain. She must learn to trust family and friends again and find her own strength in order to discover the redemption that awaits.

Frederick Hermann is sure in his knowledge that the Führer's plans for domination are right and just. He is driven to succeed by a desire to please a demanding father and by his own blind faith in the ideals of Nazism.

Based on true stories gathered from fifteen years of research and interviews with Ukrainian World War II survivors, Like a River from Its Course is a story of love, war, heartache, forgiveness, and redemption.

My review:

Stuart has written a good novel covering many of the aspects of the Germans invading Russia, specifically Ukraine. The novel presents well the inhumane nature of the war. Women and girls were raped. People were shot indiscriminately. For the Nazis, life had little value.

But there were some Germans, and soldiers, who did not get taken in by the Nazi philosophy. Some understood that there were different ways to think and the value of mankind was more than just the Nazi ideal. (317) Stuart also takes us into the mind of a soldier who obeys his orders to kill but has nightmares that haunt him. While there is much cruelty portrayed in the novel, there are also tender relationships presented.

There were a couple aspects of the novel that I found difficult. One was writing in the present tense. I found that reading the present tense was not as comfortable for me and detracted from the pace of the novel. Also, the novel is written from the first person viewpoints of the four characters. I found that a bit confusing. I would have liked to have had a list of characters at the beginning of the book. I had to try to remember the character again, after reading the first person accounts of the other three characters in between. There were times when I felt like I was reading four individual novels.

I would have also liked to have had an afterward in the book that explained which parts of the novel were based on historical fact. The author did inform reviewers by email that many of the experiences in the novel were based on stories from people she met while visiting Kiev as a teen. Much of the novel, therefore, is based on actual experience.

This is a good novel of WW II. It portrays the horror of the time as well as some of the heroes. Even though I found some aspects of the novel lacking I do recommend it as a moving account of a terrible time in our past.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Kelli Stuart is the co-author of two nonfiction books and has written for brands such as Disney. She and her family live in Florida. You can find out more at www.kellistuart.com.

Kregel Publications, 368 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

The Girl in the River by Kate Rhodes

I've been introduced to a new mystery series from England and I like it. This is the fourth of the Alice Quentin novels. It reads well on its own and I liked it well enough to read the others in the series.

Alice Quentin is a psychologist invited to work with the Forensic Psychology Unit of the Met. The daughter of a government minister had been attacked a year ago and survived. The Met had closed the case after six months but the mother was insisting it be reopened. Alice would use her expertise to support the family and look for new leads.

The attack was shocking. The woman's face was horribly disfigured and she was left in the Thames to drown. Alice begins her consulting and immediately another is attacked, disfigured, and left in the Thames to drown. The victims are associated with the minister and Alice finds there is a deadly secret in the family. When a police woman working the case goes missing, Alice works desperately to uncover the murderer.

I like Alice as a character. She is a flawed sleuth as she suffers from claustrophobia. She has relationship issues. She has a mother succumbing to Parkinson's and a brother battling depression. Even with these issues weighing her down, she works hard to identify the villain.

I like Rhodes' writing style. There is a good pace to the novel as Alice's personal life is revealed while the work to catch the murderer intensifies. There are well developed scenes in the novel, some gruesome and some filled with suspense.

I always like to learn something when I read a novel and in this one it was about excavating the Thames. There is a great deal of history centered on this river and it was interesting to read about the artifacts discovered and their meaning.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy a psychological thriller. It has a good pace with believable characters. It may be a bit complex but I found it an enjoyable novel.

A note to my regular blog readers. There is casual sex and mild swearing in this novel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Kate Rhodes is the author of two collections of poetry and the Alice Quentin novels. She writes full time and lives in Cambridge with her husband, a writer and film-maker. You can find out more here.

Witness Impulse, 352 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

When Trouble Comes by Philip Graham Ryken

Jesus told his disciples they would have trouble (John 16:33). That's true for us too. Trouble will come. Ryken looks at the lives of several people in the Bible and clarifies what they did when trouble came. He gleans lessons for us today from their examples.

From Isaiah we learn our part of confessing our sins and God's part of atoning for that sin. From Elijah we learn about spiritual depression, its causes and cures. From Ruth we see that some blame God for their troubles while others, like Ruth, continue to go with God. From David we learn about sexual sin and from Jeremiah, about the dark night of the soul. Mary is an example of being devoted to God. Ryken reminds us that Jesus understands our troubles. Jesus did not try to get out of his troubles but embraced his calling. He gives us our highest motivation, a commitment to God's glory. Lastly, Paul yields encouragement for being persecuted because of faith.

Ryken's final words are based on those of Jesus too. “Take heart.” If Christ has overcome the world, then we can overcome the world, resist temptation, persevere through persecution, live and die for Christ and his kingdom.

There is a great deal of encouragement in this book. “So do not take the easy way out, make the hard choice instead. When the situation is desperate and even God seems to be going against you, do not give up, but trust his good plan.” And, “Don't give up and don't give in. Keep offering your life for the plans and purposes of God.”

What the book lacks is practical suggestions for doing what Ryken encourages. I thought perhaps the Discussion Guide would have some. Unfortunately, it does not. One of the questions is, “What activities or disciplines might renew your spirit and help you experience God's grace in times of trouble?” Apparently readers must come up with their own ideas as to not giving up, persevering, etc.

The best part of the book, I thought, was Ryken sharing what helped him when he was experiencing trouble. Knowing that his trouble was a normal part of life, trying to live the ordinary routines of life, friends, and God's Word were what sustained him.

From the way the book is written and structured, I suggest it be read and discussed within a group of trusted friends. People can share with others what worked for them when trouble came. This is a short book so it would not be intimidating for new Christians.

Food for thought: “Jesus did not get out of trouble, but went through it, and everything he went through brought glory to God.”

You can watch a video of Ryken on this topic here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Philip Graham Ryken is the eighth president of Wheaton College. He formerly served as senior minister of Philadelphia's historic Tenth Presbyterian Church. He has written or edited more than 40 books. He has lectured and preached at universities and seminaries worldwide.

Crossway, 176 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Eden Hill by Bill Higgs

This debut novel was a delightful trip down memory lane. If you remember fried Spam and Tang for breakfast, you'll love this novel. If you're too young to remember ducktail haircuts, read this novel and be introduced to an era we Baby Boomers remember well.

The setting is the early 1960s Eden Hill, Kentucky. A small town where everybody knows everybody else. The peacefulness of the town is tested when a young couple shows up and the husband buys a vacant lot and begins the process for building a franchise service station. It will be right across the street from Virgil's old service station that's been there for years.

How Virgil and the rest of Eden Hill accommodate this intrusion makes for a fine novel. Virgil struggles with it. Is he to compete or is he to be a good neighbor? He knew times were changing but was unsure what to do about it. How was he to obey God's command to be a good neighbor yet provide for his own family?

Virgil is just one of the many characters in this novel that tug at your heart. There is a Baptist pastor who loves the people of the town yet faces a quandary. When all is not right in Eden Hill, should he meddle? There is a crotchety old church member who complains about everything. There are farmers and storekeepers. There is Virgil's wife, a woman trying to make her way through a time of change and modernity. There is the young, would be service station owner with a wife and newborn daughter.

The novel brings out many issues of the day. Franchise businesses were getting popular in a time when owning your own business was the American dream. Some of the parent companies would burden their franchise owners with huge financial debts. More generic issues include arrogance, compassion, and racial tension.

There are some funny times in this novel too. Virgil's wife loves to try new recipes. She makes a casserole of cauliflower, rutabagas, eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini. On top? Coconut and whipped cream. The cornstarch package showing the recipe on the side panel said it could also be served as dessert. Only in the 60s!

This is a rewarding nostalgic journey to a time when women made their own clothes, gas sold for under thirty cents a gallon, and neighbors helped one another. I recommend it to those who like the Mitford novels or ones similar.

You can find out more about the book and read the first chapter here.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Bill Higgs is a former engineer and avid storyteller. He lives in Kentucky with his wife, author Liz Curtis Higgs. This is his first novel.

Tyndale House, 400 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this novel from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.