Posts Tagged ‘christian suspense’

Predator – a novel

by Terri Blackstock

Do you social network?

I had chills creeping up my spine as I read this suspense thriller!  Young girls being abducted by what they post on their “thought bubbles” pages on a social networking site.

I really like how Terri brought this issue forward.  I don’t think anyone can read this book and not go to their twitter, or facebook, myspace or whatever other social media they are on and check if they’ve left too much information for “strangers” to find them.  I can’t help but think of my own facebook account and how even though it’s for my reviews that I have many people asking to be my friends that I don’t know.  Are they really who they say they are?

How do you safe guard yourself on-line?

Here is a list of some ways you can protect yourself online (not all, but some) that I got from the book.  It is a good idea to implement some of these, especially if you are younger.  As a parent, I personally am very cautious about what information I give out about  my own children online.  These can be helpful if you haven’t thought much about it.

• Don’t post pictures that people can locate you with.  IE.  The name of your school, workplace, or surrounding area.
• Don’t post the name of your clubs you belong to and the times you meet.
• Don’t add friends you don’t know to your accounts (I’m not talking about business accounts).
• If you are twittering don’t give out information that can cause you trouble like where you, your address.

I also like how Terri brings the main character, Krista’s fears about her faith and God forward.  I think it’s the questions we all have at one time or another.  It’s a question that will always need to be answered.

Predator by Terri Blackstock is surprisingly twisted and had me anxious for whodunnit!  I’ve heard a lot of people talk about Terri’s books, but this was my first attempt at a Terri Blackstock and I will say that I’ll be happy to read another book of hers if the rest are like this!  Terri’s writing flows easy and I found myself just absorbed in it.

I could easily pass this book to any YA or adult who enjoys a good thriller!

Description on the back:

The murder of Krista Carmichael’s fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God’s justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome?

Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line.

Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now.

Want to know more about?  Check it out below:

Browse Inside this book Get this for your site

—————————-

One of my favorite  characters is back!  PJ!  Now PJ is near and dear to my heart for a few reasons, her hilarious commentary for one, and not to mention she shares her name with one of my kiddos!  So when I heard that the the conclusion of the PJ Sugar series was up for review I was like OOOOO I”ve been waiting for this one!

Licensed for Trouble ~ A PJ Sugar novel

by Susan May Warren

This trilogy of PJ Sugar has been a fabulous read!

You can read my reviews of the other  two books here:

• the first book Nothing But Trouble,
• the second book Double Trouble

What is Licensed for Trouble about?

PJ finds herself inheriting a house she was in awe of as a child from the towns wealthiest widow – the question is why?  And will it turn out to be a nightmare or a place she can finally call her own?  Throw in her old boyfriend, a new one that’s still trying to figure out where they fit, and a mystery man whit amnesia and life is well “nothing but trouble”.

PJ finds herself asking is she always trouble?  Does it just follow her?  Or can she shake that name forever.

Licensed for Trouble brings closure to this series with a BANG!  PJ has trouble coming from all directions!  It totally had me enraptured in the series!  I love PJ’s personality!  Her amazing adventures!  Not to mention her  pizazz and yet vulnerability.  It just reminds me of… well me! LOL..  mostly I mean I love Susan’s writing style.  She always seems to suck me into her characters and make me feel like I’m a part of the story!

(this may be a spoiler, I’m not sure LOL.. so read with caution just in case!)

This book in particular out of the series has got to be my favorite. I love the thread of  “new life” that comes through this book with the characters.  I was actually surprised by it, but in a good way.  I love that Susan tied her own voice of adoption (she was adopted) into PJ’s character — which is probably why it moved me as much as it did.  Watching people in my own life struggle with their history and life (who they are) just makes me realize how much God has given us through his adoption of us as His children.   I was so happy to see this in this book!  Because throughout all of PJ’s life struggles realizing that she was truly loved was a big thing that some of us miss.

I’ve got two questions though.

Why is the girl on the cover a brunette?  When PJ is a redhead (or really a blonde?) and my real question is –  Is it really over?? I mean I’d love another read from PJ!  I have questions I need to know!!  I just loved her so much!

In short

This book is fast!  It’s furious!  It’s hilarious!  and it’s lovable!  Anyone looking for a great read, check it out!  And if you haven’t read the whole series I totally suggest it.  One of my favorite romantic/sleuthing/chick lit  read series.

=—————————————————————————————–

Enter PJ Sugar’s “Sweet” Giveaway

Licensed for Trouble, Susan’s brand new PJ Sugar novel, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re giving away a Kindle!! You can enter using Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail using the icons below.

One Grand Prize winner will receive a A SWEET Kindle prize package that includes:

• A brand new Kindle (Free 3G, 6”, Latest Generation)
• The entire PJ Sugar series by Susan May Warren

Be sure to check out the blog tour here or purchase a copy of Licensed for Trouble here!
To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form. Then tell your friends about the contest.

Oh, and enter soon! We’ll announce our super sleuth winner on September 2nd.

—————————-

Check out Susan’s blog:  http://susanmaywarren.typepad.com/

** Thanks to Litfuse for the review copy!

Final Touch

by Brandilyn Collins

and Amberly Collins

I’ve heard a lot of people rave about Brandilyn Collin books.  So I finally sat down with one, and it did not disappoint.  I thought it was fabulous that her daughter wrote the book with her!

Final Touch is a fast paced early-teen novel that takes you into the heart of a kidnapping situation! This is the third book in “the rayne tour” series; Sixteen year old Shaley is kidnapped during her mom and dad’s wedding all because of a small mistake — or was it?  You’ll be turning pages so fast to find out what happens that you won’t be able to put it down until you’ve finished the whole thing!

On the back:

The day Shaley O’Conner has dreamed of all her life is shattered by a nightmare.

On a lavish estate in California guarded from the media, Shaley’s mom, rock star Rayne O’Connor, is marrying her teen sweetheart and Shaley’s father, Gary Donovon. It’s a dream come true for Shaley, who has always longed for the father she never knew.

But minutes before the wedding, Shaley is kidnapped.

Who is this man who has taken her—and why? As Rayne and Gary race against time to find their daughter, Shaley’s abductor eludes the FBI at every turn. Fearing for her life, Shaley wills herself to stay strong. But as the days pass, she realizes that no one can save her but herself.

I was pretty impressed and I would definitely read another book by Brandilyn in a heartbeat!  Talk about a “seat-belt” thriller!

Teens (most likely girls) between the ages of 12-16 would enjoy these books the most.  Collins clean style and Christian-take on the kidnapping makes it a great read with all the thrills and spills of suspense!

Curious about it?  check it out here:

Check out Brandilyn’s site:  www.brandilyncollins.com

*review copy provided by Harper Collins Canada

Any Left Behind fans out there?

I enjoyed the books!   I bought a lot of them and even have the movies (yes, lol I’ll admit that – It doesn’t hurt that Kirk Cameron was in them either! lol I used to enjoy watching Growing Pains a lot when I was a kid! ).   I love how the thoughts of what “might” happen in the end days, and the whole being the last Christians alive and what would they do happen through the books.  Some great imagination and suspense going on.

Edge of Apocolypse – The End Series is a lot like that, but still has it’s own twists and ideas on it. Tim LaHaye teams up with Craig Parshall to begin this new series!  Both are well crafted authors and have a lot to bring to this book.

From the start of the book to the end it’s fast paced!  Explosions, nuclear warheads! BOOM! lol.  I felt like I was watching a movie!  You know, you get zoned in, biting my nails because I wasn’t totally sure what was going to happen next — but better because it is Christian and the authors take in to account that God is involved in these situations!  I mean if I’m going to read this sort of book LaHaye and Parshall are masters at it!  It has that “could happen at any moment” feeling to it!

What I enjoy about this book is that it is politically fueled, but still provides enough excitement for you to get lost in without getting caught up in crossing your t’s and i’s if you know what I mean! It gives you ideas on Revelations and the what if’s through the adventure.  It’s also the first book in the series and does a fabulous job of setting the stage for future books.

So what is Edge of Apocalypse about? Well obviously from the title you can get a sense of the world crashing around and someone needs to work at saving it!  Through the scriptures of Revelation, the apocalyptic time – Joshua Jordan a military man has to dig deep to stop a nuclear attack that isn’t just on New York, but on his family as well.  As world-wide forces try and steal weapons  and the economy is collapsing the American government will give up even it’s own to save their backside!  As Jordan struggles through his inner demons he finds refuge and help through a group of leaders called the Patriots.  He learns that the stakes are even higher than imagined!  It also sets the stage for the next book and leaves you wondering what’s going to happen next!

Seriously an adrenaline charged book!  The ending leaves you wanting more, which is what I’ll be waiting for!

I will mention on books like this, while like every book out there there are basis of truths in it, this kind of book is meant to make you think, consider and perhaps strengthen and motivate your relationship with God it is still fiction! Enjoy it as such!!

Perhaps this would make a great Father’s day gift if you’ve got a hubby who enjoys a good book!

Curious about it? Check it out here:

** review copy provided by harpercollins.ca

Life in Defiance

By Mary E. DeMuth

—————————-

This is the continuation from Daisy Chain and  A Slow Burn the third book in the Defiance Texas Trilogy.  I read A Slow Burn and loved it.  It was a dark and foreboding thriller that totally captured me.

Life in Defiance is written in first person by the battered pastor’s wife, Ouisie.  It’s not a light read, and it’s not for the faint of heart.  In fact it had me down right sobbing at points.  Mary digs deep into issues that a lot of people won’t be comfortable with – death, abuse, murder, crazy people, prejudice, drugs,  living with consequences, revealing untold secrets…

Reading this book — well, trying to think how to describe it, every time I stopped I felt like I came out out of a deep sleep… it just really captured me and totally immersed me into the world of Defiance Texas. Mary has a way of taking a story and just drawing you so deeply into the characters that your heart aches and burns over their situations and their encounters. I had a hard time not flipping to the back to find out whodunnit!  Seriously a truly a killer ending to a terrific series.  I cried, I felt pain, I hurt with this book… I’d highly suggest it for those who enjoy the nitty gritties of life!  Mary is a master at setting the stage!  She will keep you guessing until the end!

One the back:

The killing of Daisy Chance continues to haunt Defiance, Texas, even as Ouisie Pepper wrestles with a defiance of her own.  Desperate to become the wife and mother her husband, Hap, demands, Ouisie pours over a simple book about womanhood.  She is sure that if she can just perfect herself, she will calm her husband’s rages– and maybe even stop drinking herself.

In the midst of her constant attempt at self-improvement, Ouisie carries a terrible burden:  She knows who killed Daisy Chance.  And she refuses to tell.  But as her children inch closer to uncovering the killer’s identity, Ouisie has to make a decision.  Will she protect her children by telling the truth?  Or will the anger she fears silence them all?

Curious what others have to say?  Check out the List of all participating bloggers on the Blog Tour Spot

Curious about Mary?   Check out Mary’s website, or  Mary DeMuth’s Blog

Mary DeMuth’s Facebook Profile or Follow Mary DeMuth on Twitter

**review copy provided by Zondervan

Indivisble by Kristen Heitzmann

I love thrillers. They are probably my favorite types of books to read.  There is something about the chase and the electricity you can feel sliding through these books.  Indivisble by Kersten Heitzmann is no different – it will keep you bewildered and piqued.  I had to stop myself from biting my nails a few times lol.

So, what is about?    A baker, candlestick maker, and the police chief all play roles in this phychological thriller.    Jonah is always one step away from taking a drink while fighting off his demons, and Piper doesn’t even know how to stay still since she’s never stayed anywhere longer than a year.  And Tia.  Will Tia the candlestick maker ever get over her families hate for her?  Will she ever be able to forgive herself?  Oh and I can’t forget Liz – the vet who has a twin sister who is an invalid.  Then there is Miles – a mysterious guy who can’t have anyone touch him… ODD or something more?

Kristen really developed the characters well in this book — there was a build up from the beginning to the end.  It was like watching them evolve in front of me.  It was very real — you could really feel the struggles they were fighting and many of us can probably relate to the struggles.  Their raw emotions of their childhood memories and how they interact really tie into the the theme of the book.  Kristen does an amazing job of  touching on some themes that we all can relate to,  such as how do we become whole when we’ve been hurt so badly, how important life is and destructive relationships — what do they do to you. Dysfunctional is a good word for it… people who are Christians who have had dysfunctional issues or people in their life will understand these characters and the issues going on around.  I think others who haven’t had this may have a harder time with it.

I will add, this is not meant for little eyes (or eyes that think they’re big!) and a few things thrown in here and there that some would not find appropriate for children, young adults, or even themselves.  It is not a “gentle” book.  It is one of raw emotional energy with lots of gritties — done very well.  If you’re a CSI fan you’ll probably enjoy this book!  It really pushes you to look at life and why we do the things we do — how we struggle to be ourselves and the demons we fight.

On the back:

An inseparable bond.

An insatiable force.

Battling his own personal demons, Police Chief Jonah Westfall knows the dark side of life and has committed himself to eradicating it. When a pair of raccoons are found mutilated in Redford, Colorado, Jonah investigates the gruesome act, knowing the strange event could escalate and destroy the tranquility of his small mountain town. With a rising drug threat and never-ending conflict with Tia Manning, a formidable childhood friend with whom he has more than a passing history, Jonah fights for answers—and his fragile sobriety.

But he can’t penetrate every wound or secret—especially one fueled by a love and guilt teetering on madness.

From best-selling author Kristen Heitzmann comes a spellbinding tale of severed connections and the consequences of life lived alone.

If you’re looking for a book to freak you out! LOL this is it!

Curious about it?  Try it out by downloading chapter one: http://j.mp/cmf2YR

Follow Kristen Heitzmann online at www.KristenHeitzmann.net

** This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

How many of you have seen Twilight?  With all the hoopla on it and the Vampire Diaries on tv these days, I was excited to see a Christian authors take on vampires.   I  love thriller/suspense  books, and read a lot of that sort of stuff when I was younger, but stopped after I became a Christian.  Of course authors such as Frank E. Peretti and Ted Dekker are among my favorites because of their intense push to bring the darkness, and the ugliness of sin into the light (in a very surreal, imaginative way)..

What’s the book about?  On the back it reads:

When Jesus was resurrected, ancient scripture says many rose from the grave. Today, 36 from this group of undead remain. Known as the Nistarim, they are here to watch over the world.

When Judas hung himself, his blood mysteriously gave rise to another group of undead: the unholy Collectors. Now very much alive, they feed on souls and human blood.

Both groups of immortals still walk among us in an eternal struggle. Now both are after a single target–a boy named Pavel who may possess the key to the Collectors’ unlimited power…or ultimate downfall.

Gina, a woman fleeing for her own life, is determined to protect the boy at all costs. She has survived one battle with the undead already, but has no idea how long she’ll be able to stay a step ahead of them.

The Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy takes readers on a riveting journey, as imaginative fiction melds with biblical and archaeological history.

check out  my review tomorrow on it!

Have you heard of the Chambers of Justice series?

This is a new one for me.  I think if you enjoy shows like Law & Order, or Grisham, or military type stuff, you’ll find this book engaging  from the get-go!

The Accused by Craig Parshall is the third book in the Chambers of Justice series (3/5 I believe!). The first two books are The Resurrection File and Custody of the State.  I haven’t read them and I don’t think you need to read them in order.  This sits well as a stand alone read.  You can bet we’ll be looking for these at our bookstore!

It is a fast paced books and you’ll find yourself submersed in murder, gunfire, mystery and turmoil.   This is engrossing and action packed.  Talk about hard core legal drama!

The underlying question that follows through the book is — Is forgiveness real?

So, what’s this book about?

Will Chambers is a lawyer and a good one at that, but life has changed since he’s become a Christian.  Recently married and old issues gets stirred up during his honeymoon.   His new wife, Fiona and he are starting off this marriage on a the rocks due to the murder of this first wife.  Can Will get over it?  Or is he going to drag Fiona down with the issues he refuses to talk about?

To add to the fire, Will receives a call to be representation to Marine colonel, Caleb Marlowe who is being pinned with accusation of purposefully killing an innocent family during a daring rescue operation.  What’s worse is how can he even come to his own defense when he’s unable to reveal reveal all of the details due to national security!  And now it’s become an international display of deceit of betrayal.

I think Mr. Parshall does a fantastic job of providing suspense and danger combined with real questions that lay deep inside some of us.  He really provides a deep groundwork for this book and you can’t help but feel like you’ve been immersed into Will’s world.

Sound good, check it out:

The Accused, Chamber of Justice Series #3 By Craig Parshall / Harvest House Publishers A honeymoon in Cancun. What could be more romantic? But the happiness of attorney Will Chambers and his wife, Fiona, is ambushed by two unexpected events: a terrorist kidnapping of a U.S. official…and a phone call telling Will that a link has been found to the previously unidentified murderer of his first wife. As the newly married lawyer struggles with these terrible events, one of them thrusts him into a new legal case. A secret U.S. team had tried to thwart the Cancun kidnapping, and the Marine colonel who led it, Caleb Marlowe, has now been court-martialed for the murder of unarmed civilians–disavowed and hung out to dry by the White House. At the mercy of international politics, Marlowe is ping-ponged from a military court to both a Senate subcommittee and the International Criminal Court, with Will arguing his defense. And when the disguise if ripped away from past treachery and callous betrayal, both Will and his client must ask, Is forgiveness real?–or face a debacle ending in bloody vengeance. This is a legal thriller that recounts a man’s epic confrontation of evil from his past–and reveals the power of God through forgiveness.

You know what’s really neat?  When you open up a book and see one of the recommended “preview” readers be a friend of yours!  Lori from Laurel Wreaths Reflections review was right there!  So when I saw it it i was like “shut up!” I can’t believe how cool is that.. i ammm innnn the knowwwwwwwwwwwww lol.. kudos Lori! lol

Anyhow, onto the book!

Enduring Justice by Amy Wallace is the third and final book in the Defenders of Hope Series.  While I’ve never read the first two books, my understanding is the same characters follow through.  However,  just finishing this book, it is a fantastic book on it’s own.

Amy’s writing reminds me immediately of Dee Henderson or Brandt Dodson –  Hard core suspense with a lot of realism (not to mention the whole FBI/suspense thing going on!)  It doesn’t hold back, the action starts right from the get-go  and draws you in immediately.

Enduring Justice is a dark and intense read, but worthy of the time.   The subject for starters was pretty hard to deal with. Ever since I became a mother I have a hard time reading books about child abduction and so this book brought out a lot of tears as I felt the my mother’s anger building up!

Description of the book:

Hanna’s past is coming to life as old issues resurface – the abuse she suffered in her childhood.  Being surrounded by her FBI brother and boyfriend she doesn’t know how to get control of herself, or how to keep the secret much longer… does she tell them or not?  With the fear gripping her, she believes the lie that  everything is her fault.  She just can’t seem to get control and feels her life begins to spinning wildly.

To add to these issues, she becomes the obsession of a racist bent on extreme ratification.

What I love about this book:

It isn’t a comfortable read. It touches subjects that are real — racism, bigotry, rape, and family issues.  It also gives hope to these issues.  I love that Amy shares her personal story (about rape) in the end notes, and how she dealt with some of it.  It really adds to the story and makes it more empowering.  She says “Enduring Justice grew out of my journey where I’ve come to see He is the one who puts shattered lives, hearts, and people back together again.” Wow! Even though it is fiction, I can’t help but feel honored to read this book… knowing that some of the emotions were very real and raw.  :wtg Amy for putting forth such a scary personal area for all of us to see!

The other thing I love about this book is how Amy wrote this.  Each character shares a different angle of the story, and you’ll be able to find someone to relate to.  I really appreciate the fact that the characters are Christan, but not only that in the general sense, but they are down-to-earth  characters.  It’s like when you read a mainstream book, or watch a movie and think to yourself , “Oh! They should be praying!”.. or “arghhhhhhh why don’t they see God’s way???”  (or at least that’s usually the way I feel when I’m watching/reading mainstream).     The beauty in Enduring Justice is that it’s there!  Amy adds in God and it really makes the book so much more! The struggle with emotions in this book from  the un-forgiveness, and  the rage are well represented.  But most of all it really shows the hope and the healing we have by listening to God and letting His truth release us.

This is a great read, and if you’re looking for an edge of the seat thriller, this one is it!

Good things to check out:

• Amy Wallace’s Defenders of Hope series: www.DefendersofHope.com
• enjoy the first chapter : http://www.amywallace.com/ej_chapter.html
• if you’re wanting to see what others say,  check out the blog tour here
• or if you want to check it out at Christianbooks.com, click on the link below!

Enduring Justice, Defenders of Hope Series #3 By Amy N. Wallace / Multnomah

White Soul by Brandt Dodson

Adult fiction – Suspense/Thriller/Organzied Crime/FBI

———————-

On the back cover:

Undercover agent Ron Ortega has a decision to make.. do the right thing, or the desire thing?

His wife is expecting their baby soon and wants him home.

His superiors– and his own naked ambition–want him in Miami.   But when he infiltrates one of the city’s most vicious gangs, someone or someones–want him dead.  And they’ll stop at nothing to achieve their goal.  In a test of his faith, he must decide if he will succumb to the challenges and the temptations that surround him or live the life he’s always proclaimed.

Or for that matter, whether he’ll live at all.

——————————————

After reading Original Sin by Brandt Dodson, I could not wait to dive into another book of his.  White Soul is Dodson’s first book after the Colton Parker Series.  Dodson’s attention to details is well shown in this book. It’s a different set of characters than the Parker Series, but it will please audiences all the same!   I hope it becomes a series because you can not help but want to learn more about the characters involved when you were finished reading.

I really love how Dodson brings his characters to life.  He makes them deep and just raw… the emotions, and the energy that surge through them make the book so believable! (Even if it is dealing with drug lords and other such issues that I don’t have much knowledge on, other than watching too much Miami Vice in the 80′s lol.  I kept having visions of the guy from The Cleaner, as the main character,  Ron Ortega lol.)
You can’t help but want Ron Ortega (the main character) to solve his issues, both personal and work related… in fact, a couple times I wanted to give him a kick in the pants to get him moving in the right direction.

While it may seem subtle to some, the points of good and evil that were drawn out in White Soul were very clear to me.  The real struggle that Dodson gets at in this book is how we struggle with our sinful nature.  How many times does our sinful nature overtake the “right” thing?  It is something that we should be aware of and something we should work on changing (continually).  It’s that inner struggle that Ron Ortega has that we all can relate to.

Genesis 4:7 comes to mind when I think of this struggle.  It says it very well, “If you do not do what is right sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

Oh to think I pulled that out of a thriller/suspense/crime book? LOL  I love that!

So, for all my crime-lovin-nitty-gritty-action-thrillin friends!  Look no further!   White Soul is a book you’ll enjoy! It will push you to think outside the box!  This would make a great gift for the “suspense” reader on your list this year! (or get it for yourself!)

I’m looking forward to reading more Brandt Dodson books.

———————————————-

Visit Brandt’s website: www.brandtdodson.com

So what are you reading today?