{Sunday}

~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 ~

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; 

the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Review -Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig

Captain Dean Watters keeps his mission and his team in the forefront of his laser-like focus. So when Dean’s mission and team are threatened, his Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Failing to stop hackers from stealing national security secrets from the military’s secure computers and networks isn’t an option. Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e Sharif. And a target. When Zahrah is captured because of her expertise in quantum cryptology, compromising the US military, Dean is forced to crack the lockbox around his heart—a move that might come at the highest cost.

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My Review

Dean Watters is a phenomenal leader, warrior, soldier; a man with a past. He has been through hell and back, seeing death up close and personal. His strength and stamina are amazing, both physical and mental.  

Zahrah Zarrick is a woman of strong Christian faith, teaching young Afghani girls in her mother’s home country of Afghanistan. Amidst a war torn country and age old traditions, she is a beacon of hope for those she teaches.

  

I’m not sure how to describe this book. It’s one of those that has so many layers, once they’re peeled back, more and more appear. It is full of intensely gritty scenes that even though I found difficult to read, I couldn’t stop reading. The prose is mind-blowing  and held me hostage from the first page to the last. The intensity of emotion in Raptor 6 tops every one of this author’s other books.

Every. single. one.

There are some difficult scenes to read. It’s a war zone, after all. Terrorists commit horrific crimes. Dean and Zarrah are thrown together in dreadful circumstances. He relies on his own strength. She relies on her undefeatable faith in God; in His sovereignty over all situations. There’s a real battle going on and it’s not just on the ground but in the heart. And no one shows the struggles and victories these brave men and women go through better than Ronie Kendig.There’s a reason her tagline is Rapid-Fire fiction, and Raptor 6 showcases it to the extreme.

I'm eagerly awaiting the next two books in the series. 

Thank you, Barbour Publishing and Litfuse Publicity, for sending me a copy to review. No compensation has been received. Only my honest opinion of the book was required.

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Visit Ronie Kendig on her website, Rapid-Fire Fiction.

Click here to purchase a copy in audio.

Review ~ Somebody Like You by Beth Vogt

Book Blurb (from Goodreads)

Can a young widow find love again with her husband’s reflection?

Haley’s three-year marriage to Sam, an army medic, ends tragically when he’s killed in Afghanistan. Her attempts to create a new life for herself are ambushed when she arrives home one evening—and finds her husband waiting for her. Did the military make an unimaginable mistake when they told her Sam was killed?

Too late to make things right with his estranged twin brother, Stephen discovers Sam never told Haley about him. As Haley and Stephen navigate their fragile relation­ship, they are inexorably drawn to each other. How can they honor the memory of a man whose death brought them together—and whose ghost could drive them apart?

Somebody Like You is a beautifully rendered, affecting novel, reminding us that while we can’t change the past, we have the choice to change the future and start anew.

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My Review

Displaying  a mastery of writing skills, Beth Vogt has penned an astonishingly complex and emotional novel. Somebody Like You is a deeply moving story about a pregnant young widow whose husband Sam, after only three years being married, has been killed in Afghanistan. 

Haley, otherwise known as ‘Hal’, grew up having three older brothers that she had to keep up with or be left out. Over the years, she developed the persona of being ‘one of the guys’. That’s one of the traits that attracted Sam to her in the first place. He always said she was the perfect Army wife; he didn't have to worry about her while he was deployed (which was most of their marriage) because she was independent and strong. At her core, she wonders how she is going to manage everything without Sam; taking care of a new house and a baby. And then her world is rocked again. Is that her deceased husband back from the grave, standing on her front porch?

Stephen Ames has been estranged from his twin brother, Sam, for over a decade.  When he gets news that Sam has died, he is filled with remorse and wonders how will he reconcile now that his brother is gone. He decides to seek out Sam’s widow in hopes of learning about his brother’s life the past decade and somehow make amends. Stephen is the opposite of Sam in so many ways, except looks. In fact, they were mirror twins, so when he shows up on Haley’s doorstep, she thinks Sam survived after all. That scene in the book is one of the most touching and wrenching I believe I have read in a long while. Can you imagine someone that you thought was gone, reappearing?

Somebody Like You is a beautiful book, from the lovely cover to the words on the pages. While I felt the sadness and sorrow over Sam’s death, I enjoyed watching Haley and Stephen get to know one another. They had to let go of expectations of themselves and each other, much like we do in real life. And the scenes between Stephen and the baby are precious! He really is the best fictional uncle J

There’s such a great blend of faith, grief, humor and just plain fun in this story. I know it sounds kind of crazy. How can all those things go together? But they do, and quite perfectly at that.

I appreciate the author and Howard Books providing me a copy for review purposes. My honest opinion is all that was required. No monetary compensation has been received.

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About the Author

God’s best is often found behind the doors marked “Never.”

So many times I approached life with with a virtual roll of yellow duct tape emblazoned with the word NEVER. Over and over again I sealed off certain opportunities.

I would never marry a doctor or anyone in the military.

I would never have children.

I would never write fiction.

And don’t you know God stripped off the duct tape and walked me through each of those NEVER doors?

Have you ever marked a door NEVER … only to discover his best waited where you said you’d never go?

Following God through that door doesn’t mean we’re on “easy street,”‘even though we’re where he wants us to be.

Connect with Beth @ www.bethvogt.com

Two years ago today...

Our precious Amy went to be with the Lord. 

I look forward to this day...

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; 

and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, 

neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

~Revelation 21:4

Until then...

In God is my salvation and my glory: 
the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
~Psalm 62:7

Contributor Review ~ So Fair a Lady by Amber Perry

About the Book

Boston, MA 1773: Shards of Eliza Campbell's life crash to the ground when she discovers a devastating secret: her father was a spy for the Sons of Liberty. Determined to uncover the truth--at any cost--not even a marriage proposal from the dashing British Officer Samuel Martin can dissuade her. When rescued from British capture by handsome patriot Thomas Watson, Eliza discovers what her father risked his life for and yearns to know more. But will her budding attraction to this courageous patriot damage her already wounded heart? 

After years of being blackmailed by Officer Martin, Thomas plans to start a new life in the small town of Sandwich. However, when his actions place Eliza and her sister in danger, he must act quickly to protect them from falling into enemy hands. If the three of them are discovered, their lives will never be the same. Now, not only must he protect Eliza, he must protect his heart from a love that is sure to wound him far greater than any British soldier ever could.

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So Fair a Lady - Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

A spectacular debut novel by Amber Perry! Breathtaking and gut-wrenching scenes fill this wonderful Pre-Revolutionary War story about two courageous Americans; whose faith and patriotism motivate them to seek truth above all else, and whose love of country and each other push them toward ultimate sacrifices.

Eliza Campbell's sheltered life disintegrates when her beloved father dies and leaves behind the discovery of a well-kept secret; one that he desperately wishes Eliza to know and understand. Abruptly driven from her home by British forces, she and her sister Kitty escape from Boston with a virtual stranger; Thomas Watson. Thomas has secrets of his own and vows to protect the beautiful daughters of his beloved mentor by sheltering them in obscurity, within the walls of his own home. Also pursuing both Eliza and Thomas; for totally different reasons, is British officer Samuel Martin, who demands love from Eliza and vengeance from Thomas. Both realize the horrific consequences of being found; not only for themselves but for the cause they support.

The ensuing chapters of this book are filled with tender moments and glimpses of historical events; events that should challenge those of us who enjoy freedoms afforded by the valiant efforts of those who bravely secured them, to be very thankful. Perry's characters are well developed; the scenes in this book are neither under-written or over-written and the reader leaves its pages with a deepened understanding of the value of serving one's heavenly King above all else.

It was tempting to banner this novel with five stars and I would have, except that I think Amber Perry is only going to get better, and the rest of this story is just waiting to be told in its upcoming sequel.

It was a pleasure to receive this novel from the author and act as an early influencer.

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After reading nothing but positive reviews of this book, I am looking forward to reading it myself! Have you read it yet? 

Only available on Kindle. Click here to purchase. You can download sample chapters for free! PLUS, There is a PC AND Mobile App for Kindle, so you can read it right on your computer or smart phone if you don't have an e-reader :)

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Have a blessed day in the Lord!