Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Bones Will Speak by Carrie Stuart Parks

I was very excited to get to read this book! I wanted to read the first one, but I haven't been able to do that yet. Gwen is a forensics re-constructionist. She can sketch a face from someone's memory, or she can take a skull and figure out what that person looked like. So here is Gwen, and of all things, her dog brings her a human skull! Well, that starts things off with a bang.

Gwen is going through a great deal at once. Divorced, raising a child, having had cancer, struggling to pay bills, this sudden skull find is going to change a lot more than she could have imagined! We are able to follow along with Gwen's thinking as she works to get to the bottom of the killer. She's got some issues to resolve, and not just this killer.

In the process, a serial killer thinks he is doing God's work. He is killing girls that look like Gwen's daughter. That is plenty scary, but it isn't the entire thing by a long shot! I really enjoyed this read, and I hope I can read the first book in this series.

Carol :) 


This week, the


is introducing


Thomas Nelson (August 11, 2015)

by



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carrie Stuart Parks is an award-winning fine artist and internationally known forensic artist. Along with her husband, Rick, she travels across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law enforcement as well as civilian participants. She has won numerous awards for career excellence. Carrie is a popular platform speaker, presenting a variety of topics from crime to creativity.

Animals have always been a large part of her life. Her parents, Ned and Evelyn Stuart, started Skeel Kennel Great Pyrenees in 1960. Carrie inherited the kennel and continues with her beloved dogs as both an AKC judge and former president of the Great Pyrenees Club of America. She lives on the same ranch she grew up on in Northern Idaho.


ABOUT THE BOOK


A killer with a penchant for torture has taken notice of forensic expert Gwen Marcey . . . and her daughter.
When Gwen Marcey’s dog comes home with a human skull and then leads her to a cabin in the woods near her Montana home, she realizes there’s a serial killer in her community. And when she finds a tortured young girl clinging to life on the cabin floor, she knows this killer is a lunatic.

Yet what unsettles Gwen most is that the victim looks uncannily like her daughter. The search for the torturer leads back in time to a neo-Nazi bombing in Washington state—a bombing with only one connection to Montana: Gwen. The group has a race-not-grace model of salvation . . . and they’ve marked Gwen as a race traitor.
When it becomes clear that the killer has a score to settle, Gwen finds herself in a battle against time. She will have to use all of her forensic skills to find the killer before he can carry out his threat to destroy her—and the only family she has left.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Bones Will Speak, go HERE.

Carrie can be reached through the Contact link on her Website 

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1401690459


Saturday, September 26, 2015

Doctor Who Big Bang Generation by Gary Russell

More fun, mystery, and yes....The Doctor! A few things I don't get tired of, and The Doctor is one of them. This book mainly features the 12th Doctor, and some different companions. Benny Summerfield and her crew, Legs, Dog Boy, Da Trowel (I like that name) are working with The Doctor to stop a bang that is so big that nothing will be left. Possibly, less than nothing, since this explosion would make "The Big Bang" look small and fizzy. These giant pyramids are a serious issue. Can they fix this in time? 

This was a fast read, but a fun one. It could have been a bit stronger, but I still really liked it. My copy of this book came from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review and nothing more. 

ABOUT DOCTOR WHO: BIG BANG GENERATION

An original adventure tying in to the ninth season of Doctor Who, the spectacular hit series from BBC Television, featuring the new 12th Doctor as played by Peter Capaldi.

“I’m an archaeologist, but probably not the one you were expecting.”

Christmas 2015, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Imagine everyone’s surprise when a time portal opens up in Sydney Cove. Imagine their shock as a massive pyramid now sits beside the Harbour Bridge, inconveniently blocking Port Jackson and glowing with energy. Imagine their fear as Cyrrus “the mobster” Globb, Professor Horace Jaanson and an alien assassin called Kik arrive to claim the glowing pyramid. Finally imagine everyone’s dismay when they are followed by a bunch of con artists out to spring their greatest grift yet.

This gang consists of Legs (the sexy comedian), Dog Boy (providing protection and firepower), Shortie (handling logistics), Da Trowel (in charge of excavation and history) and their leader, Doc (busy making sure the universe isn’t destroyed in an explosion that makes the Big Bang look like a damp squib).

And when someone accidentally reawakens The Ancients of the Universe - which, Doc reckons, wasn’t the wisest or best-judged of actions – things get a whole lot more complicated…

ABOUT GARY RUSSELL

Gary Russell has written over 35 fiction and non-fiction books on subjects including Doctor Who, The Lord of the Rings movies, Frasier and The Simpsons. He has served as editor of Doctor Who Magazine, Creative Producer at Big Finish Productions Ltd,… More about Gary Russell

The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz




Sophie, the midwife's daughter helped a child into the world. The child is her neighbor's daughter, and his wife is very fragile. Six years later The General and his daughter are back next door now, at Tall Acres. 

Sophie's Mother is deceased, as well as her father. Her home, Three Chimney's is on the brink of financial destruction. Sophie's Father aligned himself with the Tories. Now that the war is over, it still haunts her. She is unwelcome and unwanted. When the General's daughter takes a deep liking to Sophie she wonders what her future might hold. 

The world has changed a lot, and Semus's issues from the war have altered him. What plans can God work out from their arranged marriage? With several lovely characters to become fond of, this book was just as good as the last one, maybe better!  My last book by her was The Colonels Lady, which you can read my review here:

Redemption, forgiveness and healing are a few of the things in this lovely read. 
My copy of this book came from Revell in exchange for my honest review and nothing more. 

Monday, September 21, 2015

The First Principle by Marissa Shrock

I'm going to *TRY* for three days with this post. Here is today's post!

The First Principle is hard hitting. This book hit me so hard, that I put it down to take a break after 20 pages! Here is a government controlling the Bible, all the way down to forced termination of pregnancies that aren't approved. One such example, teen-age pregnancy. The Rebels are dead set against this. Vivica Wilkins, the Governor's daughter totally shocks herself when she finds herself upset about the Termination Law by defending a classmate that she hardly knows. To top things off, she finds herself in a situation that is beyond what she expected. It's the tip of the iceberg. Her Mother, the Governor, is doing her part to crush the Rebellion. Will this also crush her own child, or will she care?

This book is amazing, and scary, realistic, and covers topics that are relevant. I was really impressed by the way this book unfolded, and what all it covered.

Carol :)

In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. 

The First Principle - http://www.amazon.com/First-Principle-Novel-Marissa-Shrock/dp/0825443571/
Author Website http://www.marissashrock.com/
Participants’ links: 

Julie Bihn
Thomas Clayton Booher
Beckie Burnham
April Erwin
Victor Gentile
Carol Keen
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Megan @ Hardcover Feedback 
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Jalynn Patterson
Chawna Schroeder
Jessica Thomas

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Doctor Who:Deep Time by Trevor Baxendale

This was a strong Dr. Who story. A new ship, the Alexandria has been launched. On board the crew, run and hosted by the exceedingly wealthy "captain" and owner of  this brand new ship, pops the Doctor, and Clara. The Doctor feels he might be needed.



Dr. Tippy, an archaeologist of sorts, found a dig site with relics which has led them thus far. This ship's mission is to go into a Phaeron Road. The Phaeron's were responsible for mapping black holes, or wormholes. The problem is, this race is gone. They might have died destroying these wormholes, or they might have been wiped out by another race who felt that they were a threat, the Time Lord's history on this is a bit cloudy. Something else much more sinister could have befallen them.

Each crew member, each person on board the Alexandria has a strong reason for going on this mission. They each have a dream or purpose that has pushed them to explore this at great risk. Are they really doing this of their own volition, or is something bigger and more compelling controlling them? In all his 2,000 years, the Doctor hasn't had this kind of adventure.

I really enjoyed this well paced, nicely written book. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others who enjoy Doctor Who. The cover is also very nice!

 My copy of this book came from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review and nothing else.