Review ~ Echoes Among the Stones by Jaime Jo Wright

Paperback, 352 pages

Published December 3rd 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

About the Book

After Aggie Dunkirk's career is unceremoniously ended by her own mistakes, she finds herself traveling to Wisconsin, where her grandmother, Mumsie, lives alone in her vintage, though very outdated, home. Aggie didn't plan for how eccentric Mumsie has become, obsessing over an old, unsolved crime scene--even going so far as to re-create it in a dollhouse.

Mystery seems to follow Aggie when she finds work as a secretary helping to restore the flooded historical part of the town's cemetery. Forced to work with a puzzling yet attractive archaeologist, she exhumes the past's secrets and unwittingly uncovers a crime that some will go to any length to keep hidden--even if that means silencing Aggie.

In 1946, Imogene Grayson works in a beauty salon but has her sights set on Hollywood. But coming home to discover her younger sister's body in the attic changes everything. Unfamiliar with the burgeoning world of forensic science and, as a woman, not particularly welcomed into the investigation, Imogene is nonetheless determined to stay involved. As her sister's case grows cold, Imogene vows to find justice . . . no matter the cost.

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My Review

5 STARS!!!

'There was never a good time for Death to visit.'

Jaime Jo Wright is in a league of her own. Echoes Among the Stones held me captive with its deep story, fabulous mystery, and exceptionally well-written characters. I had several theories early on of which person was the killer, one of them being a long shot. In the end, it paid off. I had the correct killer but for the wrong reasons.

Dual-time stories have become some of my favorite to read. There are always lessons to be gleaned from the past and in Echoes Among the Stones, one of the things Aggie is going to learn is how to deal with her grief over the loss of her mother and not let it stymie her from having a fulfilling future.

My heart stuttered more than once through the emotional storm of Imogene’s narrative. If you’ve ever lost someone you dearly love then you know agony. You know you would give anything to be with them one more time. In one scene, Imogene’s brother asks if she’s even been inside Hazel’s room since their sister’s murder.

          Imogene nodded her head.”I have.” She’d considered moving into it. To be closer to Hazel, wrapped in the faint, lingering scent of her.

Oh my. I could totally relate. When my mom passed away, the first thing I did when I went back to her home was go straight to her bedroom, grab her pillow, bury my face in it and breathe in her scent. I did the same thing when my daughter died. Sometimes I still hold her favorite blanket close, imagining I can smell the ‘lingering scent of her’. It’s such a tangible scene in the book that even now, my heart aches and I tear up.

“…Their voices will always echo, here, among the stones, and in our hearts. It is how it was meant to be.”

These are just a couple of thoughts about one of the best books I’ve read in 2019. I highly recommend it. You can’t go wrong with a Jaime Jo Wright book!

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own. 

WINNER!!!

ROSALYN is the winner of 

Seconds to Live by Susan Sleeman!!!

Thanks to those of you who came by and entered the giveaway. 

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Rebecca Reviews ~ Seconds to Live (Homeland Heroes #1) by Susan Sleeman + Giveaway!!!

About the Book

When cyber criminals hack into the U.S. Marshal's Witness Protection database and auction off personal details to the highest bidder, FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stakes chase to find the hacker. Trouble is, he has to work with U.S. Marshal Taylor Mills, who knows the secrets of his past, and the seconds are ticking down before someone dies.

About the Author

SUSAN SLEEMAN is the bestselling author of over thirty-five novels with more than one million books sold. She writes romantic suspense novels that are clean with inspiring messages of faith. Readers love her series for the well-drawn characters and edge-of-your-seat action. She graduated from the FBI and local police citizen academies, so her research is spot-on and her characters are real.

In addition to writing, Susan also hosts TheSuspenseZone.com. She has lived in nine states but now calls Oregon home. Her husband is a retired church music director, and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law, and an adorable grandson.

To learn more about Susan’s books sign up for her monthly email that includes exclusive excerpts, giveaways, and other goodies. http://www.susansleeman.com/susans-ne...

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3.5 stars

"Help. Oh, help. . . . she'd made a huge mistake."

When one of U. S. Marshall Taylor Mills' witnesses breaks protocol and is hunted down by a vicious criminal, the tip of the proverbial iceburg breaks through the surface. Not only has Dustee's whereabouts been compromised but the notorious "Phantom" has managed to breach the entire database of the Witness Protection Program. Frantic to protect those for whom she is responsible, Taylor relunctantly agrees to join forces with an elite FBI RED team, (Rapid Emergency Deployment). However, the lead agent on the case is none other than a man she has only known in cyber-space; Sean Nichols.

Glimpsing Taylor Mills in person for the first time nearly takes F. B. I. Agent Sean Nichols' breath away. They know each other so well, and then again they don't, since their only conversations have been through various emails back and forth across the country. How interesting has this case become, when not only are the lives of dozens of innocent people at stake, but rapid fire emotions are threatening to rise to the surface as well.

As the team rushes to stay one step ahead of a deranged hacker, Taylor and Sean struggle to find a middle ground through some of the tough decisions that a high profile case demands. In the end, who may have "seconds to live"?

What an interesting story line, especially for those who have a profound understanding of technology and how dangerous criminal infiltration can be when exercised at the highest levels. The two main characters spend a lot of time in their own heads analyzing their relationship from every possible angle, which may slow the story down for some readers or it could have the opposite effect . . . . an enhanced satisfaction in the end.

I received a book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Senior Reviewer, Rebecca Maney

Rebecca is a graduate of Bryan College with a degree in Christian Education, and is currently serving at the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, North Carolina as the Director of Children's Ministry. With over 30 years of experience in her field, she has had many opportunities to use her love of reading and writing in creative ways across the generations. A wife, mother of four "nearly" grown children, and grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren, Rebecca has been able to return to her love of reading and more recently reviewing, with a renewed passion for the "beauty of story". 

Rebecca is offering an extra copy of this book to one blog follower.  Just in time for Christmas!!! 

GIVEAWAY RULES

1) Sign up through GFC in the right hand sidebar 

2) Leave a comment letting us know what you most like about reading Christian Fiction 

3) Leave your email address in a non-spam format 
( jane at doe dot com)

 A winner will be drawn on December 13th. 
US entries only (lower 48) because postage is a bear. Sorry! 

Review ~ A Pursuit of Home (Haven Manor #3) by Kristi Ann Hunter

About the Book

When she learns the family she thought dead might be alive and in danger, Jess Beuchene knows her secrets can only stay buried for so long. Desperation brings her to Derek Thornbury, an expert in history and artifacts, to help her decipher the clues in an old family diary. Will their search to uncover the truth of the past lead to a future together?

Paperback, 376 pages
Publisher: Bethany House, Nov 5, 2019

Purchase:
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B&N

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About Kristi

Award winning author Kristi Ann Hunter had been losing herself in stories since before she could read them herself. Now she has the privilege of transporting readers into the Regency-set world of her own creation. With ten books published since 2015, including the acclaimed Hawthorne House series, Kristi has had a busy few years. When she isn’t writing, she hangs out with her children and husband in Georgia watching Marvel movies, trying to learn how to play Minecraft, and eating what some might consider an excessive amount of dark chocolate.

Links:

https://www.kristiannhunter.com/

https://www.kristiannhunter.com/BookPage/APOH

My Review

5 STARS!!!

‘Diaries were incredible windows into the past…He wanted that diary. The question was, did he want it badly enough to deal with her?’

Jess has been an enigma since the first book in this incredible series, A Defense of Honor. She’s cantankerous and intensely private. I was intrigued to read her story and taken completely by surprise. Jess has a sharp tongue but she is funny. Oh the dialogue between her and Derek was downright hilarious at times. He’s marvelous, by the way. A man of God who desires to help others makes him the perfect counterpart to Jess’s prickly exterior.

I enjoyed this book and didn’t want it to end. Hunter has once again given Regency fans a series to read over and over again, making it a modern ‘classic’. I can’t wait to see what is next in her repertoire of book ideas.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher. No review was required. No compensation received.

Review ~ Misleading Miss Verity (Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley #3) By Carolyn Miller

Published November 26th 2019 by Kregel Publications

Paperback, 352 pages

Verity Hatherleigh has a mind of her own—but her actions do not impress her viscount papa. When she gets into one scrape too many, he sends her off to the wilds of Scotland to rethink her headstrong ways.

Anthony Jardine relished his role as curate, but his new duties as laird of Dungally aren’t always to his liking. Though he thought his new inheritance would be a blessing, somehow he’s finding nothing but trouble on these estates. And the intelligent, compassionate, feisty lass who was sent to rusticate in his territory is one of the biggest problems. He’s falling in love with her, but she doesn’t share the faith that’s his foundation—not to mention he’s been lying to her about who he really is. For the truth-loving Verity, that may be unforgivable.

The tangled web these two have woven may spell disaster for their happiness—and for the tenants of Dungally. 

Purchase:

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4 STARS!!!

It’s not often a book sinks as deeply into my subconscious as Misleading Miss Verity. Miller always provides aesthetically pleasing visuals but that’s not what stood out to me this time. Verity is a character that I regret to say I could sadly identify with on many levels. She’s always known she was a disappointment to her parents because she wasn’t a boy, and thus she was always compared to others and treated as less than. I’ll clarify here my own mother never made me feel this way. But Verity’s mom is a real piece of work. I didn’t like her in the first two books and still don’t like her one iota.

Verity’s defining moment comes when she is surrounded in darkness and fear is overtaking her. She calls out to God and it’s a moving moment. But later when she realizes her worth is not in her parent’s expectations, that through Christ she is a new creature, spotless before God, and it is Christ who makes her worthy, it is powerful.

Once again, Miller has proven she has a compelling ability when it comes to storytelling.

I do want to mention I sort of lost respect for Verity’s sisters in this book. They didn’t seem to do anything to encourage her when they were around. And I really liked them in their own stories. Ha! The Chisholm family is great though. I’d like to see James get his own story one day.

I received an early copy from the publisher. My opinion is my own. No compensation has been received.