Thursday, June 29, 2017

Baby Bear's Busy Day by Megan Roth, illustrated by Emiri Hayashi



  • Age Range: 1 and up 
  • Series: Bright Books
  • Board book: 12 pages
  • Publisher: Silver Dolphin Books; Brdbk edition (December 20, 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1626867178
  • ISBN-13: 978-1626867178

About the Book:

Join a young bear and his mother for their very busy day in the forest with Bright Books: Baby Bear's Busy Day. This visually stunning board book features bright neon elements, soft touch-and-feel bears, and shiny foil that will capture baby's full attention and imagination. With sweet, soothing text and gentle illustrations, this engaging book will become a bedtime favorite. Follow along as baby bear has a day full of fun!

My Thoughts:

What a fun book to read to your child!  "Baby Bear's Busy Day" is packed with love and surprises as you read the story out loud to your little one.  Baby Bear himself is fuzzy and brown, and he loves to hear about all the things Mama Bear has planned for his day.

This colorful board book is perfect for greeting the day, or for settling your little ones for bedtime.  The story is easy to read and to understand, and is packed with all kinds of fun adventures your little one will enjoy.

My thanks one final time to my new friends at Silver Dolphin Publishing for my complimentary copy with no services or obligations in exchange.  This is my favorite of the three books I received, and I highly recommend "Baby Bear's Busy Day" to you!  Until I finish my next book...

Mark Your Place, 

Deena

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Bubble's Ocean Friends by Megan Roth, illustrated by Emiri Hayashi




  • Age Range: 1 and up 
  • Series: Bright Books
  • Board book: 12 pages
  • Publisher: Silver Dolphin Books; Brdbk edition (December 20, 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 162686716X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1626867161

About the Book:

Swim along with Bubble in the deep, blue sea! Follow Bubble on her adventure and discover turtles, starfish, crabs, and more. Lively rhyming text, bright, colorful illustrations, and shiny foiled details invite young readers to have hands-on story time. Page after page, babies and toddlers will have fun counting all of Bubble's new ocean friends.

My Thoughts:

Again, a perfect book for a perfect granddaughter!  B loves the water and all things ocean, and I know she's going to love "Bubble's Ocean Friends"!  In fact, one of her first words was bubbles...how cool is that?

Bubbles swims through a sparkling ocean, counting things and meeting with his aquatic neighbors.  The pages shimmer, and Bubble's herself is a very shiny little fish.

The story is in rhyme, and designed for reading aloud.  The book also encourages counting, which is something my granddaughter is just learning to do.  This is going to be one of her favorite board books, and one day she will read it to her baby brother.

My thanks again to my new friends at Silver Dolphin Publishing for my complimentary copy, with no services or obligations in return.  I highly recommend "Bubble's Ocean Friends"!  Until tomorrow and the final book from Silver Dolphin...

Mark Your Place, 

Deena

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Shadow's Nighttime Adventure by Megan Roth, illustrated by Emiri Hayashi






  • Age Range: 1 - 3 years
  • Series: Bright Books
  • Board book: 12 pages
  • Publisher: Silver Dolphin Books; Brdbk edition (September 13, 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1626867151
  • ISBN-13: 978-1626867154

About the Book:

Shadow is a very adventurous cat, but his favorite time for adventuring is at night. He loves saying hello to the moon, strolling around on rooftops, stargazing with friends, and so much more! 

Read along and explore the night in this storybook with rhyming text, colorful elements that illuminate the dark, and a soft touch-and-feel cat to guide you through the night. Bright Books: Shadow's Nighttime Adventure is a delightful bedtime book for babies and toddlers.

My Thoughts:

What perfect timing!  My youngest grandson is about to turn one, and he is going to LOVE "Shadow's Nighttime Adventure"!  My thanks to my new friends at Silver Dolphin Publishing for my complimentary copy of this gorgeous children's board book, with no services or obligations in return.

Shadow is a black cat who loves to explore his world.  The story is designed to be a read along, which is ideal for my family, because Max's older brother loves to read books to him.

The story has glow in the dark features, and Shadow himself is touch and feel fuzzy.  The book is very sturdy and perfect for little hands, and the text is easy to read, which is perfect for growing readers.

I highly recommend "Shadow's Nighttime Adventure".  (As a bonus, if your little one is afraid of the dark, seeing Shadow explore and have fun might just help with that fear!)  Until the next book, another title from Silver Dolphin Publishing...

Mark Your Place, 

Deena

Monday, June 26, 2017

Reunited By Danger by Carol J. Post



  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense; Large Print edition (September 5, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0373216378
  • ISBN-13: 978-0373216376

About the Book:

Fifth book in the Cedar Key Series
When a former classmate is murdered at Detective Caleb Lyons’s ten-year high school reunion, he knows the victim’s old group of friends are keeping secrets. That includes Cedar Key, Florida, police officer Amber Kingston. 
Back in school, Amber was headed for trouble, but now she’s as dedicated to the law as he is. As he works overtime to get the pretty cop to open up to him, Amber and her friends receive messages threatening payback for past deeds. And her friends keep dying…one by one. 
But protecting Amber and unmasking a murderer isn’t just the widowed detective’s shot at redemption—it’s his unexpected second chance at love.
My Thoughts:

This is our goodbye to the fictional town of Cedar Key, and I'm a bit saddened the series is ending.  Carol J. Post has imagined a community I wouldn't mind living in...except for all of the dead bodies that drop!  With "Reunited By Danger", Post ends her five book series on a very high note.

I love novels with lots of characters, and I love stories about high school reunions.  I'd rather read about them than attend one (which I have never done), and this reunion story is one of the best.  Amber and Caleb are well developed characters, and the sweet romance that blossoms has a realistic feel.

I have to admit, I figured out who the murderer was fairly early in the story, but I was fascinated by how the plot unfolded.  Post has a vivid imagination when it comes to murder, and that's a very good thing to have!  I loved every single page of "Reunited By Danger".

My thanks to Carol J. Post for my advance copy with no obligation or services provided in exchange.  "Reunited By Danger" gets my 'packs a punch' vote, and you can pre-order your copy now.  "Reunited By Danger" releases in September 2017, but don't  waste your time while you wait!  I highly recommend getting caught up by reading the four previous books in the Cedar Key series:

No Safe Harbor, Shattered Haven, Hidden Identity, and Mistletoe Justice.  Until next time...

Mark Your Place, 

Deena

Friday, June 23, 2017

Distorted by Christy Barritt


  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Waterfall Press (June 20, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1503942864
  • ISBN-13: 978-1503942868

About the Book:

Mallory Baldwin is a survivor. A former victim of human trafficking, she’s been given a second chance, yet not a night goes by that she doesn’t remember being a slave to weapons dealer Dante Torres. Despite being afraid of the dark and wary of strangers, Mallory is trying to rebuild her life by turning her tragedy into redemption.
To former Navy SEAL Tennyson Walker, Mallory seems nothing like the shattered woman he rescued two years ago, and he can’t help but be inspired by her strength and resilience. So when a stalker suddenly makes Mallory vulnerable once again, Tennyson steps up as her bodyguard to keep her safe.
Mallory and Tennyson’s mutual attraction can’t be ignored, but neither can Mallory’s suspicion that Tennyson is keeping a terrible secret about her past. As the nightmare closes in, it’s not only Mallory and Tennyson’s love that comes under fire but their very lives as well. Will their faith sustain them? Or will the darkness win once and for all?

My Thoughts:

May I just begin with this: I am in LOVE with Tennyson Walker!  He is my kind of hero: strong, loyal, and built like a handsome tank!  "Distorted" is Christy Barritt's latest release, and she has once again taken a swing for the fence...

...and knocked it out of the fictional park.

Sex trafficking is a reality for far too many men, women, teen boys, and teen girls.  I'm so grateful that Barritt chose to shine a spotlight on this horrific crime in "Distorted".  She also tackles stalking, and finding your inner strength to become a warrior instead of a victim.

Both Tennyson and Mallory are well-written characters, and Barritt's uncanny knack for creating romantic tension while torturing her readers with red herrings as we reach the final climax of the story combine for a 'do not miss' read.

Ideal for summer reading, grab your copy of "Distorted" today!  I purchased a copy for my Kindle Fire, but I encourage you to buy the real deal...because paper books are just better!  I'm giving Barritt's "Distorted" my "packs a punch" stamp of approval.  Until the next novel hits my hands (or my Kindle!)...

Mark Your Place, 

Deena

Thursday, June 22, 2017

What I'm Looking Forward To Reading In Contemporary Fiction

When two estranged sisters reunite for their parents’ 50th anniversary, a family tragedy brings unexpected lessons of hope and healing amid the flowers of their mother’s perennial garden.
Eva—known to all as Lovey—grew up in Oxford, MS, surrounded by literary history and her mother's stunning perennial gardens. But a garden shed fire and the burns suffered by one of her best friends seemed to change everything. Her older sister Bitsy blamed her for the fire—and no one spoke up on Lovey’s behalf. Bitsy the cheerleader, Bitsy the homecoming queen, Bitsy married to a wealthy investor. And all the while, Lovey bears the brunt of everything that goes wrong.
At eighteen, Lovey turns down a marriage proposal and flees to Arizona—the farthest thing from the South she can imagine. She becomes a successful advertising executive and a weekend yoga instructor, and she seems to have it all together. But she's alone. And on her 45th birthday, she can't help but wonder what's wrong.
When she gets a call from her father insisting that she come home three weeks early for her parents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration, she's at wits end. She's about to close the biggest contract of her career, but his words, "Family First," hit too close to home.
Eva's journey home to the memory garden her father has planned as an anniversary surprise for her mother becomes one of discovering roots, and truth, and love, and what living perennially in spite of disappointments and tragedy really means.
Eva thought she wanted to leave her family and the South far behind . . . but she's realizing she hasn't truly been herself the whole time she's been gone.


Falling into the past will change their futures forever.
Mary Davies finds safety in her ordered and productive life. Working as an engineer, she genuinely enjoys her job and her colleagues – particularly a certain adorable and intelligent consultant. But something is missing. When Mary’s estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer offers her a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in England, she reluctantly agrees in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways.
But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes she lives in Jane Austen’s Bath. While Isabel rests and delights in the leisure of a Regency lady, attended by the other costume-clad guests, Mary uncovers startling truths about their shared past, who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who now stands between them.
Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation, work out their lives and hearts.


Debut author Lindsay Harrel presents a powerful story of healing, adventure, and learning how to live life to the fullest.
Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide in her small Minnesota hometown and living with her parents, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.
When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship.
As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most.

Until then...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

What I'm Looking Forward to Reading In Thrillers


ON ALL SOULS’ DAY, THE FAITHFUL REMEMBER THE DEAD. THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF DEAD TO REMEMBER.
It's been a year since pastor Parker Saint found himself in the middle of an ancient conspiracy involving demon possession, ritual killings, holy relics, and Vatican operatives, and things are just starting to get back to normal. Well, as normal as they can be now that he’s married to Detective Corinne Kirkpatrick.
Corinne is having trouble adjusting to life as a pastor’s wife. And while she’d love to retreat to the familiarity of her precinct, she’s beginning to feel out of place there too—surrounded by younger, unfamiliar faces and beginning to feel like a relic herself.
When a new series of grisly murders rocks the quiet city of Grand Rapids, everyone is on edge, and no one more so than Parker—at every murder scene, there is some connection to him. Soon he and Corinne are thrown into a deadly game with a timer that is swiftly running out. As the stress takes its toll on their fledgling marriage, they’ll have to lean on God and each other—and even those Vatican operatives—in order to stop the killer before it’s too late.


FBI special agent Patrick Bowers grapples with a baffling series of murders in Detroit—and discovers a terror plot with roots that stretch back centuries.
 
Called in by an ex-girlfriend to consult on a case, Patrick encounters the work of a killer who displays a stunning degree of ruthlessness. Bowers is shocked to find that the slayings are linked not just to his own history with a known terrorist, but to his former lover as well—and that her secret past might hold the key to stopping the crime spree. As layers of intrigue peel away, the city is pushed ever closer to a seemingly unstoppable bioweapon attack. 
 
Unnerving and laced with breathtaking suspense, Every Deadly Kiss is a surprising and complex thriller that will keep readers obsessed to the final page.


Casey is hiding again—in Memphis this time—but it’s different now. She knows without a doubt that Dylan believes her and is doing all he can to help bring Brent’s killer to justice. He’s become an unexpected friend . . . and even, maybe, something more. Hope makes everything more bearable.
Casey makes a deal with the DA to turn over all the evidence she and Dylan have gathered against Keegan and Rollins—only to discover that the DA is in league with them too. After a desperate escape, who can they possibly turn to now?
Time is running out for Casey, but master suspense writer Terri Blackstock will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the last, utterly satisfying page.

Until then...

Mark Your Place, Deena

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

What I'm Looking Forward To Reading In Legal/Criminal Suspense


The police say the woman was a murderer. Emilie Wesley knows they can't be talking about her client . . . but she can't prove it.

To the world it seems obvious: Kaylene Turner snapped and killed her daughter and then was shot by police. However, attorney Emilie Wesley knows a different story. Kaylene was a nurturer at heart looking for a way out of a controlling, abusive marriage. 
Kaylene's death shakes Emilie's world and her belief that she can make a difference for these women. Self-doubt plagues her, and she finds herself struggling to continue her work in the wake of tragedy.
Reid Billings thought he knew his sister—right up until he learned of the manner of her death. He receives a letter from Kaylene begging him to fight for custody of her daughters if anything should happen to her. No attorney in her right mind would take on his case, but Kaylene's letter claims Emilie Wesley will help him.
Thrown together in the race to save Kinley Turner from a father who isn't all that he seems, Emily and Reid pursue the constantly evasive truth. But if they can hang on to hope together, maybe they can save Kinley—and find a future for themselves in the process.


 Tess O’Rourke dreams of becoming the first female chief of police in Long Beach, California. As commander of the East Division, she is well on her way . . . until the night she responds to an officer-needs-assistance call and fatally shoots an unarmed teenager. 

Despite being cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury, Tess is so hounded by the public that she takes a job in Oregon to escape the bad press.

Winning over the residents of Rogue’s Hollow might be more difficult than adjusting to her new role as police chief in the small, backwater town. Especially when her closest friend, the pastor’s wife, goes missing and the woman’s cousin is found shot. 

Tess finds an ally in sheriff’s deputy Steve Logan, but as they track down Rogue’s Hollow’s first murderer, she worries that she’s breaking one of her rules and getting too close to him.


What did the president know? And when did she know it?

For the members of SEAL Team Six, it was a rare mission ordered by the president, monitored in real time from the Situation Room. The Houthi rebels in Yemen had captured an American journalist and a member of the Saudi royal family. Their executions were scheduled for Easter Sunday. The SEAL team would break them out.

But when the mission results in spectacular failure, the finger-pointing goes all the way to the top.

Did the president play political games with the lives of U.S. service members?

Paige Chambers, a determined young lawyer, has a very personal reason for wanting to know the answer. The case she files will polarize the nation and test the resiliency of the Constitution. The stakes are huge, the alliances shaky, and she will be left to wonder if the saying on the Supreme Court building still holds true.

Equal justice under law.

It makes a nice motto. But will it work when one of the most powerful people on the planet is also a defendant?

Until then...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Monday, June 19, 2017

What I'm Looking Forward to Reading in Romantic Suspense




Champion backcountry snowboarder Gage Watson has left the limelight behind after the death of one of his fans. After being sued for negligence and stripped of his sponsorships, he's remade his life as a ski patrol in Montana's rugged mountains, as well as serving on the PEAK Rescue team. But he can't seem to find his footing--or forget the woman he loved, who betrayed him. 

Senator and former attorney Ella Blair spends much of her time in the limelight as the second-youngest senator in the country. But she has a secret--one that cost Gage his career. More than anything, she wants to atone for her betrayal of him in the courtroom and find a way to help him put his career back on track. 

When Ella's brother goes missing on one of Glacier National Park's most dangerous peaks, Gage and his team are called in for the rescue. But Gage isn't so sure he wants to help the woman who destroyed his life. More, when she insists on joining the search, he'll have to keep her safe while finding her reckless brother, a recipe for disaster when a snowstorm hits the mountain. 

But old sparks relight as they search for the missing snowboarder--and suddenly, they are faced with emotions neither can deny. But when Ella's secret is revealed, can they learn to trust each other--even when disaster happens again?


Trish Bailey is on overload trying to deal with a demanding job, an ailing mother, and a healing heart. When a series of unsettling memory lapses leads to a tragic death--and puts Trish under police scrutiny--her world is once again thrown into turmoil.

Detective Colin Flynn isn't certain what to think of the facts he uncovers during his investigation. Did Trish simply make a terrible mistake or is there more to the case than meets the eye? As he searches for answers, disturbing information begins to emerge--and if the forces at work are as evil as he suspects, the situation isn't just dangerous . . . it's deadly.

Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon captures readers with a mind-bending story that will have them doubling back to retrace their steps--and figure out what they missed!


Elite Guardians bodyguard Haley Callaghan may be in South Carolina, but when a photo leads investigators in West Ireland to open a twenty-five-year-old cold case, her life is suddenly in danger. Haley knows how to take care of herself; after all, she's made a career out of taking care of others. But after an uncomfortably close call, Detective Steven Rothwell takes it upon himself to stay with her--and the young client she has taken under her wing. A protector at heart, he's not about to let Haley fight this battle alone.

In a sweeping plot that takes them into long-buried memories--and the depths of the heart--Haley and Steven will have to solve the mystery of Haley's past while dodging bullets, bombs, and bad guys who just won't quit.

Until then...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Friday, June 16, 2017

What I'm Looking Forward to Reading in Romantic Fiction

She’s bent on fun.
He’s bent on faith.
Till true love bridges the gap.

Cat O’Bryen is the prodigal daughter unhappy with God. First, the father with whom she reconciled dies of cancer and now her twin sister and best friend marries, leaving Cat at home with a newlywed mother, her new husband, and a little brother. But when Cat moves in with a roommate of questionable morals, her family is worried, certain she’s on a path that could damage her faith forever.

Reluctant to get involved with a woman like the one who destroyed his life, ex-Navy SEAL Pastor Chase Griffin steers clear of the attraction he feels for Cat O’Bryen. Until her family begs him to take her under his wing, hoping he can draw her back into the fold. But when the draw she has on him proves too strong to resist, he must rely on the strength of God to offer a friendship as steady and strong as the God whose love is wooing her home.


Paige McAllister needs to do something drastic. Her boyfriend can’t even commit to living in the same country, her promised promotion is dead on arrival and the simultaneous loss of her brother and her dream of being a concert violinist has kept her playing life safe and predictable for six years. Things need to change. 

A moment of temporary insanity finds her leaving her life in Chicago to move to Sydney, Australia. There she finds herself, against many of her convictions, as a logistics planner for one of Australia’s biggest churches, and on a collision course with her boss’s son.

Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and is in demand all over the world. But, in the past, his failed romantic relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He's determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one who despises everything he’s ever worked for and manages to push every button he has.

When Josh and Paige are thrown together to organize his band’s next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something that will require them to risk everything?


Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience - or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.” ― Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

Just a few years after their father’s business scandal shatters their lives, Jane and Celia Woodward find themselves forced out of their San Francisco tea shop. The last thing Jane wants is to leave their beloved shop on Valencia Street, but when Celia insists on a move to Austin, Texas, the sisters pack up their kid sister Margot and Jane’s tea plants, determined to start over yet again.

But life in Austin isn’t all sweet tea and breakfast tacos. Their unusual living situation is challenging and unspoken words begin to fester between Jane and Celia. When Jane meets and falls for up-and-coming musician Sean Willis, the chasm grows deeper.

While Sean seems to charm everyone in his path, one person is immune – retired Marine Captain Callum Beckett. Callum never meant to leave the military, but the twin losses of his father and his left leg have returned him to the place he least expected—Texas. 

In this modern spin on the Austen classic, Sense and Sensibility, the Woodward sisters must contend with new ingredients in unfamiliar kitchens, a dash of heartbreak, and the fragile hope that maybe home isn't so far away.

Until then...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Thursday, June 15, 2017

What I'm Looking Forward To Reading In YA Fiction


Hadley Jamison is shocked when she hears that her classmate, Archer Morales, has committed suicide. She didn’t know the quiet, reserved guy very well, but that doesn’t stop her from feeling there was something she could have done to help him. 

Hoping to find some sense of closure, Hadley attends Archer’s funeral. There, Hadley is approached by a man who calls himself Death and offers her a deal. If Hadley accepts, she will be sent back 27 days in time to prevent Archer from killing himself. But when Hadley agrees to Death’s terms and goes back to right the past, she quickly learns her mission is harder than she ever could have known.

Hadley soon discovers Archer’s reasons for being alone, and Archer realizes that having someone to confide in isn’t as bad as he’d always thought. But when a series of dangerous accidents starts pushing them apart, Hadley must decide whether she is ready to risk everything—including her life—to keep Archer safe.
From award-winning Wattpad author Alison Gervais (HonorInTheRain) comes In 27 Days, a story of redemption, first love, and the strength it takes to change the future.


 Emilie Day believes in playing it safe: she’s homeschooled, her best friend is her seizure dog, and she’s probably the only girl on the Outer Banks of North Carolina who can’t swim.

Then Emilie’s mom enrolls her in public school, and Emilie goes from studying at home in her pj’s to halls full of strangers. To make matters worse, Emilie is paired with starting point guard Chatham York for a major research project on Emily Dickinson. She should be ecstatic when Chatham shows interest, but she has a problem. She hasn’t told anyone about her epilepsy.
Emilie lives in fear her recently adjusted meds will fail and she’ll seize at school. Eventually, the worst happens, and she must decide whether to withdraw to safety or follow a dead poet’s advice and “dwell in possibility.”
From Golden Heart award-winning author McCall Hoyle comes The Thing with Feathers, a story of overcoming fears, forging new friendships, and finding a first love, perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven, Robyn Schneider, and Sharon M. Draper.
The Thing with Feathers features a stunning cover with embossing.


From award-winning actress Bailee Madison and Reader’s Choice Award Finalist Stefne Miller, comes Losing Brave. More than a year has passed since seventeen-year-old Payton Brave’s twin sister went missing; and Payton, in her desperate attempt to hold on to what’s left of Dylan’s memory, is starting to crack.
Lost in the mystery and turmoil of her sister’s disappearance, Payton must overcome the aftermath of being the one left behind. She’s unable to remember even the smallest piece of what happened the day Dylan vanished. When sudden and reckless outbursts throw her from the graces of popularity to the outskirts of high school society, her new status attracts a crowd of friends she never anticipated—including a troubling romance with her sister’s boyfriend, Cole.
New clues unearth about the circumstances of her disappearance when another missing girl’s body is recovered from a nearby lake, the victim’s features eerily similar to Dylan’s. The more Payton pries open the clenches of her blocked memories, yielding to her need to know what happened, the further down the path of danger she goes. The darkness around her sister’s disappearance grows and the truth becomes more and more unbearable. And what she finds might just cost her her life.      

Until then...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Letters To The Lost by Brigid Kemmerer



  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (April 4, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1681190087
  • ISBN-13: 978-1681190082

About the Book:

Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.
Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.
When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

What an outstanding novel!  "Letters To The Lost" is a heartfelt tribute to the love between a mother and a daughter, and it will definitely hit you right in the feels.  Both Juliet and Declan are lively characters, and the way the two of them meet is one of the most unique setups I've had the pleasure of reading!

This is a general market YA novel, but it is clean and a very quick read.  Perfect for this hot, hot summer! It's my first time reading a book by Brigid Kemmerer, but it most definitely will not be my last.  This one gets my vote for "Best YA General Market Fiction" for the entire year!

Until the next book appears...

Mark Your Place,

Deena 

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh




  • Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (July 4, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1496421485
  • ISBN-13: 978-1496421487

About the Book:

After tirelessly climbing the ranks of her Chicago-based interior design firm, Lane Kelley is about to land her dream promotion when devastating news about her brother draws her back home―a quaint tourist town full of memories she’d just as soon forget. With her cell phone and laptop always within reach, Lane aims to check on her brother while staying focused on work―something her eclectic family doesn’t understand.

Ryan Brooks never expected to settle down in Harbor Pointe, Michigan, but after his final tour of duty, it was the only place that felt like home. Now knee-deep in a renovation project that could boost tourism for the struggling town, he is thrilled to see Lane, the girl he secretly once loved, even if the circumstances of her homecoming aren’t ideal.

Their reunion gets off to a rocky start, however, when Ryan can’t find a trace of the girl he once knew in the woman she is today. As he slowly chips away at the walls Lane has built, secrets from his past collide with a terrible truth even he is reluctant to believe. Facing a crossroads that could define his future with Lane and jeopardize his relationship with the surrogate family he’s found in the Kelleys, Ryan hopes Lane can see that maybe what really matters has been right in front of her all along―if only she’d just look up.

My Thoughts:

Stock up on tissues, because Courtney Walsh is about to hit all the feels with her newest and most outstanding novel, "Just Look Up"! The story reads like it's from God's ear to Walsh's pen...don't be surprised if it feels like she's somehow read your journal!

"Just Look Up" packs a powerful emotional punch and is filled with characters you'll love,and a few you may want to turn into human pinatas.

But this is more than just entertaining reading. "Just Look Up" is healing and hope-filled, transforming and tender, surprising and satisfying.  And did I mention that this is her best book ever?

I cried through 95% of the pages, and I'm so glad I had a digital copy or I would have been left with a soggy mess.  I love every book Walsh has written, but she's set the bar mighty high with "Just Look Up", which leaves me very excited to see what she creates next!

Do. Not. Miss. This. Book!  "Just Look Up" lands on bookshelves July 2017, but get your order in now.  Then check out Courtney Walsh's other excellent titles!

I'm giving "Just Look Up" my "Oh, The Feels" mark of approval, and sending my thanks to my friends at Tyndale Publishing for my advance copy with no services or obligations promised in return.  Until the next novel appears...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Monday, June 12, 2017

Fatal Trust by Todd M. Johnson




  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (August 1, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0764212354
  • ISBN-13: 978-0764212352

About the Book:

  • Riveting Legal Suspense from Lawyer Todd M. Johnson 
    Ian Wells is a young criminal defense attorney struggling to build a Minneapolis law practice he inherited from his father while caring for a mother with Alzheimer's. Nearly at the breaking point, everything changes for Ian when a new client offers a simple case: determine whether three men qualify for over nine million dollars of trust funds. To qualify, none can have been involved in criminal activity for the past twenty years. Ian's fee for a week's work: the unbelievable sum of two hundred thousand dollars.

    Ian warily accepts the job--but is quickly dragged deep into a mystery linking the trust with a decades-old criminal enterprise and the greatest unsolved art theft in Minnesota history. As stolen money from the art theft surfaces, Ian finds himself the target of a criminal investigation by Brook Daniels, a prosecutor who is also his closest law school friend. He realizes too late that this simple investigation has spun out of control and now threatens his career, his future, and his life.

My Thoughts:

Wow!  What a rush!  Todd M. Johnson gives Robert Whitlow and Randy Singer a run for their money with his legal suspense.  "Fatal Trust" is filled with gritty, realistic characters, rich detail, and a fast paced story that holds you in its grip from start to finish.

Ian is desperate for income to help take care of his ailing mother.  When the offer of $200k for a week's work, and all he has to do is verify the worthiness of the three men due to inherit millions, it sounds too good to be true.

When it sound too good, it usually is.  The three men don't want to be found, and at least one of them isn't worthy of the inheritance.  But which one is it, and can Ian figure it out before he ends losing everything?

The story moves at a rapid pace, and the twists and turns will take your breath away.  I'm grateful to my friends at Bethany House for my advance copy with no services or obligations promised in return.  You'll have to wait until August 2017 for your copy, but check out Johnson's other titles while you're waiting.

"Fatal Trust" gets my mark of "Packs a Punch", and I'm looking forward to more from Todd M. Johnson.  Until the next book comes by...

Mark Your Place,

Deena
 

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