Review ~ Thirst of Steel by Ronie Kendig (The Tox Files, #3)

 Available Now!!!

Paperback, 384 pages

Published July 31st 2018 by Bethany House Publishers

Dismantled centuries ago, the sword of Goliath is still rumored to thirst for its enemies' blood. Cole "Tox" Russell only wants to begin his life with Haven Cortes, but he must first complete a final mission: retrieve that sword and destroy the deadly Arrow & Flame Order.

The AFO, however, is determined to claim the sword. Wielding their father's life over Tzivia and Ram Khalon, they threaten to expose Ram's long-held and dangerous secret while demanding Tzivia locate the sword. With the Wraith team slowly being torn apart, things only worsen when Mercy Maddux, a new operative, emerges with the stunning news that the sword is tied to both Ram's secret and a string of unsolved serial murders.

Tox, Ram, and the others are forced to set aside fear and anger to focus only on the enemy. No matter the cost, Wraith must stop or take the enemy down with them.

 

About the Author

Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army brat. She married her own hunky hero, who’s an Army veteran. After twenty-plus years of marriage, she and her husband have a full life with four children and a retired military working dog. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of raw, broken characters. Since launching onto the publishing scene, Ronie’s Rapid-Fire Fiction has hit the CBA Bestseller List, won the prestigious Christy Award, the RT Reviewer's Choice Award, the HOLT Medallion, IRCA, FamilyFiction’s Readers’ Choice Awards, as well as being named an RT Book of the Year Nominee. Ronie loves people and helping other writers through speaking, workshops, and/or mentoring. Find Ronie at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction) , Twitter (@roniekendig), GoodReads, and Instagram.

My Review 

5 STARS!!!

I was gutted at the end of Thirst of Steel, the astounding conclusion to The Tox Files. It's a good thing no one was here. Seriously, my husband would have thought I was crazy, crying over a fictional character like I did but I was totally stunned and almost sick to my stomach—the emotional tension in the final chapters was off the charts! Yes. I know that sounds unbelievable. We are talking about fiction, after all. But I think that is the sign of an unquestionably good book, when the author can draw the reader so far into story that you connect with the characters, feel invested in their lives and the choices they make or don’t make. Every book I choose to read, I hope this is the way I am going to feel. 

The Tox Files has been one of the best series I have read and certainly Kendig’s finest! There are many memorable characters that deserve mention. No doubt about it. But the two that impacted me most are Tox and Ram and their relationship. They are not only brothers-in-arms but brothers-in-Christ. The trust between them is unwavering. At a critical moment, they quote the Special Forces Creed to each other. As the parent of an active military member, I know firsthand the bond and allegiance that forms between compatriots and my tears flowed.

Incredible amounts of energy and emotion are prevalent in Thirst of Steel. It resonates with the purest and most perfect example of well-written characters, dialogue, mystery, and sacrifice. No quarter is taken in the pacing, action or intensity of this story. Be prepared for the ride of a lifetime as Tox, Ram, and the Wraith team slake the  
Thirst of Steel!

I was provided an electronic copy of the book from the publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. No compensation has been received.

~Happy Reading~

Rebecca Reviews ~ The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck + Giveaway

Rebecca's Review

4 STARS!!!

"Remember me as Before. When my Deeds, if not my Words, proved my Heart."

Actress Chloe Daschle has finally gotten the opportunity to live . . . . . on screen, that is. Up until now, her best roles have been ones where Chloe's characters have met their demise, but playing the part of Esther Longfellow in "Bound by Love" will give her the opportunity to erase that stereotype, once and for all, won't it?

Writing a screenplay based on a curious love letter penned by his ancestor Hamilton Lightfoot, who fought in the Revolutionary War, Jesse Gates is optimistic that his future might in fact, heal his past. When he meets the leading lady, Chloe Daschle, at a mutual friend's wedding, his intuition goes into overdrive. All of a sudden, life is getting complicated again, for "Chloe was Esther in so many ways".

"The House of Hobart. Warriors. Lovers. Followers of Christ." Perhaps there are many more love letters to be written. 

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 nearly 28 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".

Giveaway Opportunity!!!

Enter to win a copy of The Love Letter by clicking on the link below. 

Be sure and read the entire post and follow the directions!

GIVEAWAY!!! The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck

  ~Happy Reading~

Review ~ Miss Serena's Secret (Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope #2) by Carolyn Miller

Published July 24th, Kregel Publications

With devastating scars in her past, Serena Winthrop is sure no man can be trusted—especially not men like the far-too-smooth Viscount Charmichael. His reputation as a charmer and a gambler is everything she despises. And the young artist makes sure that this disreputable heir to an Earldom knows of her deep disapproval whenever they encounter one another.

Henry, Lord Carmichael, is perfectly aware of his charms to the women of the ton. He's gambled with plenty of their hearts as easily as he does their husband's money—it's all in good fun to him. But lately he's been wondering if there's more to life—and confronting the idea that his actions might not prove worthy of the admirable wives his friends have found.

When Serena's brother-in-law asks his best friend to protect his young ward, Henry promises to be on his best behavior and not woo her. But the more he learns of her, the more he realizes she might be his best reason for changing his character. Then the lady's art leads her to London infamy. Now Henry must choose between the life mapped out for him as the Earl apparent, and the love of his life. And Serena's secret may mean the end of his titled family line.

The second in a new series by internationally popular author Carolyn Miller is full of the same rich historical detail and evocative writing that readers enjoyed, and familiar characters make appearances here. The witty banter will continue to draw in fans of Jane Austen, Sarah Ladd, and Julie Klassen.

My Review
4.5 STARS!!!

Sharp wit, dramatic undertones, and romance equal a lovely Regency rendering in Miss Serena’s Secret.  Serena is a young woman highly gifted in the arts, making for lovely word pictures painted throughout the story. I had no trouble envisioning the scenery of England and was quite keen to be there to see something so beautifully grand for myself. After an unfortunate incident, Serena is left disillusioned toward men and filled with sorrow, thinking to put painting aside forever. What shall restore her spirit and cause her to pick up a brush once again, illuminating canvas with color?
 

Henry, Viscount Carmichael, is a bit older, making for the perfect rogue-turns-hero. He really does live a sin-filled life but isn’t that who Christ came to save…the sinner? Of course we know in the end he is going to turn to Christ but it is the getting there that makes the story. 

‘His thoughts darkened, yet he forced himself to act his part, all the while conscious of feeling like a snared hare, caught by this foppish, fleshly reputation he’d cultivated over many years, bound forever to expectation and obligation, even as the morals of the Winthrops whispered freedom for the man he wanted to be.’ 
~Henry, Viscount Carmichael, Miss Serena’s Secret

Henry senses something mysterious in Serena’s countenance upon meeting her and it intrigues him. He is decidedly focused in finding out what her secret is. As he gets to know her, a protective side that he had never built upon but one that will both frustrate and draw Serena to him, manifests itself. Will Henry be one of the instruments God uses to heal her fractured heart?

 ‘If he claimed affection for her in his heart, then that affection should be outworked in his attitude and actions.’ ~Henry, Viscount Carmichael, Miss Serena’s Secret

Broaching mysterious medical maladies in a heroine is not something you see often and I was quite surprised at Serena’s final diagnosis. It perplexed me the whole time and kept me guessing, which I have to say was quite good on the author’s part. Henry’s father, the Earl of Bevington, likewise suffers an ailment that today is quite openly spoken of but long ago could not possibly have been understood, causing much discomfiture and probably confinement in horrendous manners, although this does not happen to the earl in the book. I thought this aspect added much depth to the story between Henry and his parents, and it genuinely tugged at my emotions.

Fans of Regency and Christian fiction will enjoy the latest quintessential offering from Miller. I was provided a digital copy from the publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. No compensation has been received.

  

 ~Happy Reading~ 

GIVEAWAY!!! The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck

Rebecca has an extra copy of Rachel Hauck's newest release, The Love Letter, and is graciously offering it to one blog follower who leaves a comment. Read and follow the directions below so your entry doesn't get discarded! I've had several people recently that did not follow the directions for giveaways and I did not count them.

Paperback 352 pages
Thomas Nelson (June 12, 2018)

With the colonies at war and his country divided, Hamilton Lightfoot must choose sides: Fight for the British Crown or for the Independence of America. But after witnessing the death of his family at the hands of redcoats, he fears he’ll fight for revenge instead of honor. On the verge of a great battle, he pens a letter to Esther, the woman he loves.

Esther Longfellow is in love with Hamilton, but her father is a loyalist, living in upcountry South Carolina and working for a wealthy British lord. When the Revolutionary War comes to her doorstep she is forced to choose between devotion to her father and her love for Hamilton.

Chloe Daschle is the daughter of Hollywood royalty—a great director and an Oscar-winning actress. Yet her career has taken an unexpected turn: She’s the queen of death scenes. Trying to break out, she accepts a supporting role in a revolutionary war film. But she longs for the perfect role and the perfect real-life romance. Does happily ever after only exist in the movies?

After a life-changing tragedy, MIT graduate Jesse Gates decides to leave his life behind and move to LA to try his hand at acting and screenwriting. When he finds a page from one of his ancestor’s letters, he becomes consumed with the love he finds there. Determined to help his grandfather find happiness at the end of his life, Jesse writes and sells a screenplay based on the events surrounding the lost love of previous generations.

When Jesse meets the woman he has cast to play Esther Longfellow—his grandfather’s one true love—the stories of all four collide across time and space. The love letter from the past might have more power to affect the future than any of them could have imagined.


 

Let's talk Love Letters!!!


The first 'official' six months of mine (Anne) and my husband's courtship was done completely through writing letters as he was living in Haiti, working for a missions organization. I still have every single letter we exchanged! 

image source: Graphics Fairy  

 Song of Solomon 3:4~ It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go. . .    

Have you ever written a love letter? Have you ever received a love letter?

Rebecca and I are looking forward to chatting with you about Love Letters!
Please leave a comment below answering the question(s), along with an email address in a non-spam format (jane at doe dot com) so you can be contacted if you win. A 'no-reply blogger' will not be entered! Giveaway is US Only due to postage costs. Winner will be drawn on August 3rd.



 Oh, just an FYI - If you enjoy audio books and sign up for a FREE trial of Audible on *Amazon, you can get The Love Letter audio FREE with their trial offer! 
*I am in no way affiliated with Amazon and make no monies from them.

Review ~ My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas, Madeline's Search by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Paperback, 256 pages

Published July 2018 by Barbour Books

Journey now to Galveston, Texas, of 1880...
Where is Mrs. Smith’s granddaughter?  Who is the mysterious Mrs. Smith?

Pinkerton agent Jonah Cahill is hired by the mysterious widow to find her lost granddaughter, rumored to be living in Galveston, Texas. Though Jonah prefers to travel alone, Mrs. Smith insists that she and her companion accompany him. Madeline Latour, investigative reporter, has been acting as Mrs. Smith’s assistant for several months, and Madeline will not allow anyone—even a Pinkerton agent—to ruin the story of a lifetime. The pair forges an uneasy truce as the investigation grows dangerous.

Is there a bigger story beyond a missing girl to be revealed?

About the Author

 

Bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than eighty novels with almost two million copies in print in the US and abroad.

A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine.

*Purchase Links - Paperback
Amazon

CBD

My Review

4 STARS!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading My Heart Belongs in Galveston TX, Madeline’s Search. The history of the area was fascinating and I appreciated Y’Barbo including detailed author notes in the back of the book. 

Jonah Cahill, Pinkerton agent, and Madeline Latour, an investigat

ive reporter who has an interest in finding lost treasure—not necessarily of the human kind—team up to find a widow’s long lost granddaughter.  The two have a history causing a lack of trust between them but find themselves still drawn emotionally to the other despite giving it their best effort to tamp it down. Their interactions are humorous and at times keen, exhibiting a snappy rhythm throughout the story, along with several other mysterious elements that add to the intrigue of the missing granddaughter. 

Needless to say, Y’Barbo is an highly acclaimed author who never fails to provide me a few hours of lighthearted entertainment through accomplished wit, savory characters, sweet romance, and a gentle faith theme. Fans of Christian historical fiction will especially enjoy this story

 I was provided a paperback copy of the book from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. No compensation has been received.

~Happy Reading~

  * I am not affiliated with any online retailers and make no money if you use the links provided to purchase. They are provided only as a courtesy.