Ashes in the Wind by Peggy Levesque

I like FBI investigative suspense fiction and this is a great novel in that genre.

Sara Jennings had already had one attempt on her life, not too long after the death of her DEA Agent husband. That put her in the Witness Protection program for two years. Then another attempt on her life convinces her she might as well go back home to Phoenix. She counts on the protection of Mac, another DEA Agent and her husband's best friend.

Things go horribly wrong when it appears there is a mole in the agency tipping off the drug cartel. It becomes evident that Sara's husband left her something that may identify the mole and bring down the cartel. But the turned DEA Agent finds out what Mac and Sara are up to and sends danger their way.

I really liked this novel by an author new to me. It is full of action and suspense. I really liked the way Sara was developed as a character. She was devastated when her husband died. She is angered when some accuse him of being on the take. She is determined to clear his reputation. She is a capable and gutsy woman. Mac was great too. He tries so hard to protect Sara while working to flush out the mole. Near the end he has too much to do and Sara faces deadly danger.

The action in the book is intense and nearly continuous. This is one of those books that kept me reading to the very suspenseful end. I highly recommend this book to those who like action packed FBI type suspense novels.

Peggy Levesque has a background in business. She has led women's Bible studies, served on church boards and has freelanced the writing, editing, or production of several publications. She lives near Phoenix. You can find out more at www.peggylevesque.com.

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 270 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through The Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Lethal Beauty by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

I like suspenseful legal fiction and this one fits the bill.

Mia Quinn is called to prosecute the case of a murdered Asian prostitute. We readers are made privy to a whole world of human trafficking and forced prostitution and other slavery – right here in the U.S. A star witness disappears and one juror is adamant on his view and will not change. Quinn suspects something much bigger at stake than this one case.

Parallel to the court case is the experiences of Gabe, Quinn's fifteen year old son. He's a skinny kid and wants to bulk up. He finds someone selling steroids and starts using. He has no idea he has just entered into the world of a very complex and dangerous Asian underworld.

The suspense in this novel builds as the two issues in Quinn's life come crashing together. There is good action throughout the novel as the nefarious actions of the Asian underground are revealed. Their lies promise Asians a wonderful life in the U.S. but make them slaves instead. The issue is very real on the west coast and this novel brings it to the forefront.

I really liked this combination of murder mystery and legal fiction. Quinn's character is great. After the death of her heavily indebted husband, she has had to go back to work for the Seattle Prosecutor's office. I really felt for her trying to do the best she can as a mother and as a prosecutor. She's a gutsy woman, willing to stand up to her weak willed boss who will be up for re-election soon. I like Charlie too, a Seattle police detective who has eyes for Quinn but keeps it to himself. He does a good job of protecting her.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy a legal thriller with mystery and suspense. It is the third in the Mia Quinn series. It reads well on its own but the story will offer more enjoyment if the previous books in the series have been read.

Lis Wiehl is a New York Times bestselling author, Harvard law School graduate, and former federal prosecutor. She is a popular legal analyst and commentator for the Fox News Channel. Find out more at http://www.liswiehlbooks.com/.

April Henry is the new York Times bestselling author of mysteries and thrillers. She and her family live in Portland, Oregon. Find out more at http://www.aprilhenrymysteries.com/.

Thomas Nelson, 336 pages.

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

You're Loved No Matter What by Holley Gerth

Perfect. Aren't we supposed to have the perfect make-up, the perfect family, the perfect – everything?

Gerth writes about what she calls a scandalous truth: we don't have to be perfect to be loved. The reality is that we are not supposed to be perfect. We are supposed to be human.

Finally, someone with a voice of reason in this, “You can do it all” culture. We can get rid of those unrealistic expectations. We can admit we're a mess, that we don't have it all together.

Gerth explains the allure of perfection, how it appeals to our core needs. She also explains what God requires of us and what Jesus has done for us. She also writes about guilt (how we misunderstand it) and grace. She helps us understand the influence of our parents, friendships, marriage, and leaders.

What a refreshing voice! Gerth helps us find our skills, our love language, personality types, etc., so we can be ourselves. She also helps us understand the difference between pursuing perfection and pursuing excellence. She reveals that the only thing that can truly defeat perfectionism is God's love. She also explains why we will always have that desire for perfection in our hearts – the promise of heaven.

I recommend this book to anyone weighted down by expectations, the pressure to be someone you are not, or by trying to fit in a mold God never intended for you. This book will definitely help you on your way to letting go of that pressure of perfection so that you can be truly who God created you to be.

She ends her book with a “Going Deeper Guide” for individuals and groups. There are questions for each of the eleven chapters. She includes very practical steps for letting go of perfection, with wonderful prayers.

Food for thought:

“My worth is not based on the size of my dust bunnies. It's based on who Jesus says I am.”

Find out more at http://holleygerth.com/loved-no-matter-what/.

Read a chapter here.

Holley Gerth is a bestselling author, speaker, certified life coach, and cofounder of the popular website (in)courage. She shares God's heart for women through partnerships with companies like Dayspring. You can find out more at www.holleygerth.com.

Revell, 224 pages.

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

A Thousand Stolen Moments by Connie Ann Michael

Emme Sawyer is a twenty-two year old navy corpsman assigned to a marine unit heading into Helmand Province. The unit is attacked and lives are lost. Sawyer begins to question her faith, wondering where God is in all of this. She finds comfort in her commanding officer, Raven. Their relationship is difficult. They are in the Afghanistan desert and they are both aware of the military's view on fraternizing. Can their budding romance survive?

This novel takes us to the front lines in Afghanistan. It is not a pretty sight. War is terrible and this novel does a good job of portraying the emotional toll experienced when someone is killed. The friendships formed in the heat of battle are strong and the death is painful.

Women in the military, especially in combat zones, has been an issue. This novel really gave me a sense of how both the men and women must act in order to keep relationships civil. During their romance, Raven asks Sawyer to voluntarily go back to the hospital where she was originally assigned, leaving the front lines. “I can't do my job if you're out there running around,” Raven says. At another point, Raven wants to kiss her but Sawyer is busy helping village children and says, “Let me do my job. Please.” Even though this is a romance, it does point out the difficulty of men and women on the battlefield together. Emotions and hormones run high in situations where life is so fragile.

This is a pretty intense romance as the relationship develops rather quickly. Sawyer's character is developed well as the novel is from her viewpoint. Raven remained pretty aloof as far as his character development goes. He is the team leader and responsible for his men, so he takes a somewhat hard attitude. When the romance developed, I was a little surprised at his emotion. It just seemed to appear without warning.

There is some mild swearing, but nothing one would not expect on the battle field. This novel shows how romance might occur in the military under battlefield conditions.

Connie Ann Michael grew up in Seattle but moved to Central Washington State after college. She is a second grade bilingual teacher. She is married and has two college age sons. Find out more at her blog: http://www.connie-avidreader.blogspot.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Ananiah Romance, 292 pages. Publisher's website for the book.

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

A Heart's Disguise by Colleen Coble

The time is just after the end of the Civil War in Wabash, Indiana. Sarah had waited for Rand, the only man she had ever loved. But then Rand's family had received the letter that Rand was dead. Sarah had been devastated. She continued to spurn the affections of Ben, a wealthy man who had been after her for years.

Five months had passed since Rand's death notice had been received. Even though Sarah wanted to believe it was a mistake, it looked like it was true. She would never see Rand again, on this earth at least. Sarah's father was ill and had been told he did not have long to live. Her brother pressed for Sarah to accept Ben's proposal. Sarah's mother had died when Sarah was young and she had raised her younger brother. Now, with her father soon dying and her older brother wanting to be rid of her, she finally gave in to Ben. He promised to provide a good home for her younger brother, something she needed from a husband. Even though she knew she did not love him, what else could she do?

But Rand is very far from dead. He is on his way home, wondering why none of the letters he had written while in the hospital had been answered. He had even sent one home with Ben. Surely Sarah was still waiting for him!

This is the first episode in a serialized novel. Coble wrote the novel years ago and it is now being issued in a collection of novellas. New episodes will be released each month.

This episode, about 90 pages long, does a great job of setting up the story line. We know there is great affection between Sarah and Rand but when he returns to find her preparing for a marriage, he is shocked and hurt. He has a hard time understanding why Sarah could so quickly turn to another man.

But we totally understand Sarah's dilemma. She has a younger brother to care for and her older brother is not a very likable man. Ben is very nice to her, and though she does not love him, he would at least provide a home for her and her brother. We can imagine her confusion when Rand shows up, very alive. When Rand tells her of Ben's treacherous ways, she can hardly believe it. Before this episode ends, it looks like there is just too much hurt between Rand and Sarah for them to ever see their way to be together.

We are left hanging, waiting for the next episode in the series. Besides the hurt and confusion between Rand and Sarah, Ben is very angry. His threat of revenge brings an element of danger to the situation. I'm waiting for the next installment.

I am taking part in a blog tour of this novella and you can read other reviews here.

Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. She and her husband live in Indiana. Find out more at http://colleencoble.com/.

Thomas Nelson, 128 pages. You can buy a copy here.

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

If You Find This Letter by Hannah Brencher

This book records Brencher's journey to find purpose for her life. She had gotten a job in New York City after college. While working with preschoolers was rewarding, she still was looking for meaning.

One day on the commuter train, she saw an old woman wearing laceless construction boots. Brencher thought to write the woman a letter, taking out her notebook. She thought back to all the letters her mother had sent her. Although the woman left the train before the letter could be delivered, something changed in Brencher. She started writing letters, picking out people randomly. She wrote with honesty, filling an entire notebook.

One day she realized she did not need to keep the letters. She could write more. She decided she would scatter these love letters all over New York City. She left them in coat pockets, on benches, propped up on bathroom sinks.

Her aim was to encourage, to carry people away from their troubles for a while. “I think it all comes back to presence,” she writes. “How nothing feels so wonderful as knowing someone, somewhere, is thinking of you.” (97) She wrote on her blog that she would be willing to write letters to those who requested one. She wrote a hundred, and a second hundred.

She got a job in her hometown and moved back. Then came an email from a Wall Street Journal reporter and the possibility of making this whole thing bigger than herself. She built the website, MoreLoveLetters.com. Others began writing letters and leaving them in places Brencher could never reach.

There are two aspects of this memoir that are so encouraging. One is that Brencher had a simple idea – write an encouraging love letter and leave it for another to find. That idea has touched thousands of lives. Maybe God has an idea for you that will touch other people too.

The second is that the idea is so simple, you can can easily get in on being a blessing to someone else. When you read the stories of letter recipients Brencher includes in her book, you'll see the impact a letter can have.

I enjoyed reading this memoir of one young woman finding what her purpose in life was, at least for this time and this place. I was encouraged by the impact one person can make on the lives of many.

You can watch a short TED talk here. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

Hannah Brencher is a writer, speaker, and founder of The World Needs More Love Letters. More than 20,000 people across six continents participate. She has been featured in many national publications and was named as one of the White House's “Women Working to Do Good.” She is a 2010 graduate of Assumption College. You can find out more at http://hannahbrencher.com/ or www.moreloveletters.com.

Howard Books, 272 pages.

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

Mercy's Rain by Cindy K. Sproles

This novel may be a hard one for some to read. It is very well written - it is the subject matter that is so disturbing.

Mercy was raised in a home with an angry father and an abused mother. Sproles does an excellent job of portraying Mercy's father, the Pastor, as a mean man. The abuse he heaped on his daughter and wife is painful to read. And the worst part is that he did it all in the name of the Lord. He was an angry and very mean man. The devil, Mercy said. He raped women in his Appalachian congregation to get their sin out of them. He whipped and burned his wife. He killed husbands when they stood in his way. Well, I think you get the idea.

And nobody will stand up to him. No man in the Tennessee community will protect the women. Finally, when an opportunity presents itself, Mercy takes matters in her own hands. Not yet twenty, Mercy is kicked out her home by her grieving mother. She travels to the other side of the mountain where she finds out the truth about God and love and mercy.

So this is a good story – it is just that for some, it may be very hard to read. Sproles has done such a good job of portraying Mercy's father, the Pastor, as an angry and mean abuser, it may be hard for some to read. Anyone raised in a household with an angry father may find their own memories stirred. Through flashbacks and memories, we encounter Mercy's abuse even as she grows in experience and understanding of what a loving man is really like.

Another aspect of the novel that may may it difficult for some is how the Pastor portrays God as harsh and unforgiving. Those who have grown up in a church portraying God as more vengeful than forgiving, as more judgmental than full of love and grace, may have difficulty reading this novel. Even though one may have a corrected view of God now, memories may come to the forefront. Like Mercy's own experience, it takes a long time to get those childhood memories put where they can no longer do harm.

My recommendation on this book is twofold. If you were raised by a loving father in a household that portrayed God as loving and merciful, I would highly recommend this novel. It is exceptionally well written, with characters and actions that draw emotion out of you. But, if you had an angry father and a vengeful God in your childhood, this may be a very difficult novel to read. Sproles has done such a good job of portraying that angry and mean father, right up to the very end (through flashbacks), the novel may be painful experience.

Cindy K. Sproles is an author and speaker, having her devotions published in newspapers in the eastern US. She is a teacher at Christian writers conferences and women's seminars nationwide and is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. She and her family still live in the mountains of east Tennessee. Find out more at http://cindysproles.com/.

Kregel Publications, 265 pages.

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

Scary Close by Donald Miller

Miller found out that being authentic was scary. He shares his experience of finding out that he was hiding his true self behind a reactionary construct of humor. He began to understand why he had created the “act” in the first place. He also realized that he had found at a young age that he could get respect from writing. But he began to wonder what it would be like if he dropped the act and began to trust being himself.

Miller takes us through his journey to intimacy, to a deep sense of meaning. He shares the retreat he went to, the counselor he saw, the books he read, the guys he talked to, and the woman who helped him (his then future wife, Betsy).

He shares his breakthroughs and the insights he gained. He recognizes the paradox of relationships. Individuals must be independent and free in order to be with each other. “Intimacy means we are independently together.” (97) He was able to identify manipulation and control. “You can't control somebody and have intimacy with them at the same time.” (95)

Sometimes Miller had to learn lessons that seemed obvious to me. For example, “I'm convinced honest is the soil intimacy grows in.” (168) He does mention that women seem to have an easier time of it than men. So perhaps men will identify with the torturous route Miller took to honesty and intimacy. He owes a great deal to Betsy as she was stability through his journey, even when he acted like a jerk.

This book is not pushy Christian. Miller does share his Christian experience but is also not embarrassed to say he hadn't attended church for over five years. His thoughts will probably resonate with the younger generation who question the value of community worship and fellowship.

People who are discovering who they are might appreciate this book, especially men. It is very experience oriented, as opposed to instructional. Miller just shares his own experiences, lots of his own experiences. I think I know more about him than I ever wanted to. Men may need the type of encouraging experience found in this book. Women might find themselves repeatedly saying, “Well, I already knew that.”

Donald Miller is the author of several books, including the bestseller Blue Like Jazz. He helps people create a life plan at http://www.creatingyourlifeplan.com/ and helps businesses at www.storybrand.com.

Thomas Nelson, 256 pages.