Hidden in the Stars - a Litfuse Review

Series: Quilts of Love

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (September 16, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426773609

Book Description

A quilt holds the secret to a killer still at large—and who his next victim will be.

Following an attack that killed her mother and stole her ability to speak, 21‑year‑old Sophia Montgomery has no choice but to accept her estranged grandmother’s offer to return to their family home. Although detective Julian Frazier is working hard on the case, Sophia unknowingly frustrates him because her inability to speak thwarts her eyewitness evidence. The fact that Julian is undeniably attracted to Sophia doesn’t help either, so Julian hides his feelings as concern for a trauma victim and focuses instead on finding the killer.

Little do they know, the clues to solving the case may be right in front of them, displayed in Sophia’s mother’s “special” quilt design. Who will realize the secret Sophia’s unwittingly been hiding in plain sight? When the truth comes to light, will Sophia find her voice again? Or will the murderer—still at large—silence her forever?

My Thoughts
I had never read anything by Robin Caroll before, and I've definitely added her to my list of much-appreciated authors! Hidden in the Stars is a murder mystery, full of suspense that will leave you wondering "who done it". The characters are very succinctly and nicely depicted, the plot is strong and fluid, and the attention to detail that Robin deftly worked in was very well done. It was a book that kept my attention, and as my regular readers know, that's not easily done with this busy mom who is easily distracted.

Twenty-one year old Sophia finds herself smack dab in the middle of chaos, pain and misery, and her grief and pain came across the page in a very real way. There were elements in this story that impressed me that the author used--the use of a lip reader being one. It was remarkable, and I loved the fact that the dialog between the lip-reader and Sophia was done very smoothly--not a bit choppy or confusing.

I have nothing but good to say about this novel, and I highly recommend anyone who likes mystery and suspense check this out and be prepared for a great read!

About the Author
Robin Caroll is the author of 22 published novels. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of 20‑plus years, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character‑filled pets at home in Little Rock, Arkansas. She gives back to the writing community by serving as conference director for ACFW. Her books have been named finalists in such contests as the Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, Bookseller’s Best, and Book of the Year.



I've been given a copy of Hidden in the Stars by Litfuse Publicity Group, in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

You Don't Know Me - a Litfuse review

First, let me make my apology to Litfuse and Susan May Warren for not getting this review out when I was supposed to. I was scheduled to put my review up on the 3rd, and somehow I must have deleted the email, and weeks later noticed that there were reviews being put up on the Litfuse site. After then emailing Christen for info on the blog tour, I got delayed with a bad costochondritis flare-up (was not able to type up my review) and then went out of state for my dad's knee surgery and to help out afterward....It's not been my month! Please accept my apology for my tardy review.

If you've not read Susan May Warren's Deep Haven series, you have really been deprived! If you enjoy a nice, Christian contemporary novel with little splashes of romance and suspense thrown in, you will love the novels in this series. I've been given the opportunity once again to review one of these novels (last year I reviewed an advanced copy of The Shadow of Your Smile and also My Foolish Heart). Susan absolutely is a terrific writer. She magnificently fleshes out her characters in a way that leaves me wondering how she does it! I can tell that she spends quality time allowing her characters to develop into their own personalities. She weaves the storyline in a way that feels natural and not at all forced.

The emotion in You Don't Know Me was palpable. Several times, I found myself in tears because of the characters' emotional situations. When a book can bring me to tears, I know it's excellent!!

About the Book: 

A Deep Haven Novel

Sometimes the secrets we keep to protect ourselves can be our undoing.

To all who know her, Annalise Decker is a model wife and mother. She’s a permanent member of the PTA, never misses a sporting event, and is constantly campaigning for her husband’s mayoral race.

No one knows that Annalise was once Deidre O’Reilly, a troubled young woman whose testimony put a dangerous criminal behind bars. Relocated through the Witness Security Program to the quaint harbor town of Deep Haven, Deidre received a new identity and a fresh start, which began when she fell in love with local real estate agent Nathan Decker.

Twenty years later, Annalise couldn’t be more unprepared for her past to catch up with her. When Agent Frank Harrison arrives with news that the man she testified against is out on parole and out for revenge, Annalise is forced to face the consequences of her secrets. Will she run again, or will she finally find the courage to trust those she loves most with both her past and her future?

Meet Susan:
Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning novelist of over thirty novels. A five-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award. A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. Find out more about Susan May at http://www.susanmaywarren.com/.


If you would like to read more reviews from this blog campaign, click {here}!

I received You Don't Know Me as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to give a favorable review; my opinions are my own.

The Stars Shine Bright - a Litfuse review

The Stars Shine Bright, the fifth novel in the Raleigh Harmon series, blew me away again! I've reviewed two of Sibella's other novels in this series, and I love Raleigh Harmon. If you're looking for a character with an engaging personality--spitfire, really!--this one is for you. The story is packed full of twists, turns, emotional elements, and an ending that will tug at your heartstrings.

This novel is a Christian suspense novel about an FBI agent named Raleigh Harmon. Hailing from Virginia, she's been called to work in Washington State at a racetrack. Assigned to a lovely horse-owner named Eleanor, Raleigh's task is to find out what is happening in the horse racing business. Horses get sick, die, are kidnapped, and it's Raleigh's job alone to remain undercover to solve the mystery.

But when her personal life gets in the way, it makes it hard for Raleigh to remain undercover. Concerned for her job, she tries hard to remain professional and keep her head on her shoulders. With her rich Virginian fiance visiting, she finds her task at keeping her job a secret is on the rocks.

Find out what the reviewers are saying here!

More about the book:

After the FBI suspends her for bending its rules, Special Agent Raleigh Harmon is looking for a chance to redeem her career and re-start her life.

Sent undercover to a thoroughbred horse track, Raleigh takes on a double life to find out who’s fixing the races. But when horses start dying and then her own life is threatened, Raleigh realizes something bigger—and more sinister—is ruining Emerald Meadows.

She’s never felt more alone.

Her one contact with the FBI is Special Agent Jack Stephanson, a guy who seems to jump from antagonistic to genuine friend depending on the time of day. And she can’t turn to her family for support. They’re off-limits while she’s undercover, and her mother isn’t speaking to her anyway, having been confined to a mental hospital following a psychotic breakdown. Adding insult to her isolation, Raleigh’s fiancé wants them to begin their life together—now—precisely when she’s been ordered not to be herself.

With just days left before the season ends, Raleigh races to stop the killing and find out who’s behind the track’s trouble, all the while trying to determine if Jack is friend or foe, and whether marrying her fiancé will make things better—or worse.

Raleigh is walking through the darkest night she’s faced, searching for a place where the stars shine bright.

Meet Sibella Giorello:

Sibella Giorello grew up in the mountains of Alaska admiring the beauty and nature that surrounded her. She majored in geology at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts hoping to learn more about the landscape she loved back home. From there Sibella followed a winding path, much like the motorcycle ride she took across the country, which led to her true love, journalism. 

She found herself in Seattle writing for rock-n-roll magazine and earned a journalism degree from the University of Washington before heading south to the land of great stories.

In Virginia, Sibella became a features writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. It was there she also met her husband and would hear Jesus whispering her name at a tent revival.

Sibella started writing about Raleigh Harmon as a way to keep her love of story-telling alive while staying at home with her young sons. As a journalist and author, her stories have won state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. The Stones Cry Out, the first Raleigh Harmon novel, won a Christy award for debut novel in 2008. Sibella now lives in Washington state with her husband and sons.

Visit Sibella Giorello online at www.sibellagiorello.com, Facebook or Twitter.

 

 

Win a Kindle Fire from SibellaGiorello in "The Stars Shine Bright" Giveaway! Novelist Sibella Giorello is celebrating the release of the latest book in her praiseworthy Raleigh Harmon series by giving away a Kindle Fire! 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• The entire 5-book Raleigh Harmon series.

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/25/12. The winner will be announced on 8/27/12 on Sibella's blog!

Just click one of the icons below to enter. Tell your friends about Sibella's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

I received The Stars Shine Bright as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to give a favorable review; my opinions are my own.

Saving Hope

Saving Hope is a book right up my alley. Margaret Daley is an author whose books I've read in the past, so when I saw that she had a new book coming up, I wanted to snag it in a hurry!! If you love suspense and romance wrapped up in a Christian novel, this book won't disappoint!

This book is first in the series titled Men of Texas Rangers, so if you like Saving Hope, you'll want to keep looking for more from this series.

Kate Winslow, the director of Beacon of Hope, a shelter for teenage girls who have been caught up in prostitution rings, discovers that the shelter van is missing, along with one of her girls.

Wyatt Sheridan is a widowed father of teenage Maddie and is also a Texas Ranger. He has personal reasons for becoming involved with trying to break up the local teenage prostitution ring. When he and Kate Winslow come together to seek answers, Wyatt gets too close to finding the solution and Maddie becomes at risk for kidnapping by none other than the King of the ring himself.

This book is quite a lengthy story (a hefty 336 pages), but it doesn't feel like a lengthy read. It's a fast-paced story that will leave you breathless at times! If you're interested in reading a sample of this title, Margaret Daley currently has a sample on her website.

I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity to read and review Saving Hope through NetGalley and Abingdon Press. My opinions are my own.

Waiting for Dawn

Oh my word! This book blew me away! Loved it! Waiting for Dawn is a short (novella) story written by Susan May Warren about a brave heroine who takes it upon herself to find her friend Jim Micah, who is MIA in Afghanistan. This novella is a prequel for Flee The Night--the first book in the Team Hope series.

Because of her link with the Department of Defense, contractor Lacey Galloway hatches a plan with Jim's best friend who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend Lieutenant John Montgomery.

Jim Micah has been in love with Lacey for years, and when he had introduced his best friend to her years before, he immediately regretted it. John stole her heart immediately.

Lacey finds herself torn between two men: one a dear friend, and another a handsome charmer.

This book grabbed me from the first word and kept my attention to the last. When the last page arrived, I began searching for where I could read more. Susan May Warren has caught my attention yet again! If you enjoy a nice suspense-filled romance, this book is sure to please!

I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity to read and review Waiting for Dawn through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Shadows on the Sand - a Multnomah Review

Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper was such a great book! At 309 pages, this book flowed smoothly and was one that I had trouble putting down!

The characters in this story felt very real. I was able to feel the characters' frustrations, fears, and joys.

This novel is a romantic suspense. The main character Carrie Carter had had a rough childhood. She and her younger sister Lindsay had run away from a bad home when they were just sixteen and ten. Carrie, as an adult, ran her own successful cafe in Seaside, New Jersey, with her sister as co-owner.

Every morning, she served Greg Barnes breakfast. Greg was an ex-cop, a widower who'd lost his wife and children in an explosion that had been meant for him. Carrie found herself drawn to Greg and attracted to him, but he seemed to never notice her beyond the perfunctory nod, order, and payment.

Carrie and Greg were soon joined in an effort to find out who killed Carrie's dishwasher Jase. Greg found himself drawn to Carrie's life. But when Carrie had an accident in Greg's presence, his panic made him question whether Carrie deserved him. He made the difficult decision to pull away from her, feeling as if she deserved a stronger man. When Carrie's employee Andi disappeared and Carrie found herself in danger, Greg couldn't deny his feelings; he put himself in harm's way to save the lives of Carrie, Andi, and Lindsay.

If you love suspense and a little romance thrown in for good measure, you'll enjoy this book!



I received Shadows on the Sand as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

Treasuring Emma - a BookSneeze review

Treasuring Emma, by Kathleen Fuller, was a nice Amish story. There were bits of romance and suspense laced throughout.

Main character, Emma, was an Amish woman who was unmarried at age 25. The young man that Emma had loved as a young girl had left the faith and gone to another state. When Adam left, Emma's heart went with him.

Having recently lost both of her parents, Emma and her grandmother Leona were forced to take care of the farm on their own. When Emma's sister Clara begins to make problems for Emma, heartache begins to ensue.

Shortly thereafter, Adam returns because of an illness that his mother seems to have, and Peter, Clara's husband, has a cousin show up at his and Clara's door. While Adam returns for a good reason, Mark King--Peter's cousin--arrives to wreak havoc.

I enjoyed this story, but there were a few things that left me a little perplexed. Mark's part in the story felt a little forced, as if the author felt like some action needed to be added to the story. His part seemed a bit jumbled to me, and I'd have been just as satisfied with his not being a part of the story at all.

Also, Clara and Emma had some issues that I felt needed to be fleshed out a bit more. There were problems between the two of them, and then the issues were resolved after Mark's situation was wrapped up. The mending of Clara's and Emma's relationship felt a little disjointed to me.

Otherwise, this is a great story to read, and if you like Amish stories, I'm sure this one will be a pleaser.

If you'd like to read other reviews I've done for Kathleen Fuller's books, check here and here.

I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer's website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

Thunder of Heaven - a Zondervan review

Ok. Let me just get this off of my chest:

WOOOOW!!

Thunder of Heaven is absolutely incredible. When I was given the opportunity to review this second book in The End Series written by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall, I knew it was going to be good. I didn't waste any time trying to read the second book before having read the first, so luckily I found it at the libary. By the time Thunder of Heaven arrived at my door, I'd read Edge of Apocalypse and was ready to roll. :)

Thunder of Heaven is a book that has a similar feel as the Left Behind series. It's captivating, full of drama, and it leaves you on the edge of your seat. The End Series, however, focuses more on military aspects than the Left Behind series does, but don't let that discourage you from reading if you're not entirely too thrilled about reading military jargon. I'm normally not interested in military or political fiction, but this book has completely changed my mind. Coming from a girl who tends to prefer chick lit, that's saying a lot! ;)

Main character Joshua Jordan, retired colonel from the Air Force, is the head of a secret "round table" of individuals who meet regularly to try to protect the country from disaster when the government seems to turn a blind eye to danger. So Joshua Jordan and some of his pals created a RTS (Return to Sender) antimissile defense system, which had first been used in the first book (Edge of Apocalypse) to detract certain demise intended for New York. The RTS system was considered controversial, and Joshua Jordan was considered a criminal for using a system that hadn't been given the OK by the government.

Joshua's wife Abigail, their son Cal, and daughter Deborah are thrust headfirst into chaos when threat comes from Russia. Joshua and Deborah head to Israel to attempt to help the Israelis thwart an attack, while Abigail and Cal work to keep things together as the round table is being brought to justice for their secret meetings.

Even though this book is set in the future, it has an intensely current feel to it. LaHaye and Parshall do an excellent job fleshing out the characters, portraying the feel of corruption, and leaving the reader turning the pages furiously in attempt to absorb it all!

I hope that they're working on Book 3, because this chick is ready for more!!

I received Thunder of Heaven as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Zondervan.

Mission of Mercy Series - a Litfuse Review

I was given the opportunity to read the Mission of Mercy Series (January 2011, March 2011, and May 2011 Love Inspired Suspense novels) for review. The books were easily read, and Susan May Warren is the author of all of these books.

Point of No Return is a story about Chet Stryker, head of Stryker International security team and Mae Lund, experienced flyer. When Mae's nephew Josh goes on a mission trip and then turns up missing at the same time as a young lady ends up missing. Chet is asked by the CIA to find the young lady and Josh, and Mae Lund ends up finding him in Georgia. Mae and Chet, no strangers, reluctantly band together to find the two missing young people. A brush with terrorists and Chet's own "shoot-to-kill" status in the country of Georgia (due to his previous experience in Georgia causing him to be an unpopular guy there) makes their situation a little complicated. Or should I say, VERY complicated!

I highly recommend this book if you like suspense.

Mission: Out of Control is the second story that I read in this series. Brody "Wick" Wickham is an ex-Green Beret now on the payroll of Stryker International security team. He has been assigned the job of protecting a Senator's daughter. Veronica "Vonya" Wagner, American rock star, becomes a thorn in Wick's side as he discovers that she is very stubborn and independent and wants to forge her own life. After she finally realizes that her life is in danger, though, she's forced to allow Wick to keep her safe from harm. What neither of them wants to happen though is for there to be feelings to be developed. But they find that that's the one thing Wick can't protect them from!
This is another suspense novel that I think would be a great read for those of you who like that and a little romance thrown in, too.
Undercover Pursuit, the third and final book that I read in this series, involves another individual from the Stryker International security team. Luke Dekker has been assigned to protect the fiancee of a druglord's nephew. He's also been assigned to work with another individual--a woman named Stacey who will act as the bride's maid of honor and also help keep the bride safe. When Luke comes in contact with Scarlett Hanson, he believes that she's Stacey, the agent he's supposed to work with.
Scarlett Hanson is due to help her sister with her wedding. When Scarlett's flight lands, she finds Luke in her marked taxi, believing him to be the date her sister has fixed her up with for the wedding. What she doesn't realize is that Luke thinks she's an agent to help protect another woman's wedding--not her sister's wedding!
I thoroughly enjoyed all three of these books, and I highly recommend them for individuals who like suspense with a little clean romance mixed in.

If you're interested in reading more reviews on these books, go here


Susan May Warren is thrilled to announce the release of her 3 book Missions of Mercy series!

Three heroes, all on missions of mercy, who discover that God not only saves us from evil, but from the darkness inside.

Point of No Return: Can God deliver us from our mistakes? This question is posed to Chet and Mae as they race to save Mae’s nephew from an evil warlord in the Republic of Georgia. More here.

Mission: Out of Control: Does God turn his back on us when we fail? Brody and Vonya discover the answer as they conspire to capture an international smuggler and free a child soldier from war. More here.

Undercover Pursuit: What if we deliberately sin and harbor bitterness in our hearts? Is there a rescue from the dark places inside? Luke and Scarlett find out as they work to protect a bride-turned-informant whose courage could dismantle a human trafficking web. More here.

To celebrate the series, Susan is giving away a Missions of Mercy Prize Pack worth over $200! One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new FLIP HD Camera
* The entire Missions of Mercy series

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. You may enter once per email, facebook, and twitter. The contest ends on May 31st. Tell your friends! Winner will be announced on June 1st at the Litfuse Publicity site and at Susan May Warren's website. (While you're there, check out her rockin' new website!)

I received the Mission of Mercy series as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Litfuse Publicity Group.