Month: October 2022

Bargain books October 31, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Today may be a good book day. Lots of suggestion emails this morning. We will see if it works out or not. Maybe, hopefully.

This book wasn’t in one of the emails, instead it showed up in Amazon suggestion strips as I checked out email suggestions.

This is the next book in a series we’ve been following and I’m excited to see it.

Lethal Betrayal (Vanishing Ranch Book 5)

Emily Holcomb never thought working for a nonprofit would endanger her life. But when she’s abducted by ruthless men, it’s clear someone has an agenda they don’t want exposed. She manages to escape, only to find herself at the mercy of another man. But is he her oasis or a deadly mirage?

Former Mexican federal police commander Mateo Garcia wants to leave his painful past behind. Vanishing Ranch offers him a fresh start. When he stumbles upon a mysterious woman in dire need of help, he realizes something about the woman seems familiar. He’s certain of one thing—Emily didn’t end up at Vanishing Ranch by chance.

Even though Emily and Mateo don’t trust each other, they’re forced to work together. With danger closing in, the answers they need are buried deeper than the desert sand and clothed in betrayal. Can they discover the truth before their search becomes lethal?

**********************

I decided to take the time to check out more of Christy’s books since the other suggestions were not working out well for me. I’m sure they would be worth while to someone maybe, but not to me. And since I get to decide what to pick, since it’s my blog, well. . . you get the idea.

I did find more bargains on her site, books that I don’t already own, and I own quite a few. Let’s see, it looks like I’m up to 67 including today’s purchase. Christy is a writing machine. There are others that I don’t own, not yet anyway.

The next bargain I found is also next in another series I’ve recently started following. I’m up to book two and enjoying it. I’m not a big fan of cutesy, the thing the little dog on this cover would suggest. In this case the cover is very cute but the story is not, the lapdog plays a minor role.

Book four is next up for purchase.

This is a continued story so it is good to read them in order but not really necessary. Each book follows a different crime, their relationship status is the continuing story.

Bound by Trouble (Beach Bound Books and Beans Mysteries Book 4) 

With the grand opening of Beach Bound Books and Beans, Tali Robinson’s dreams are finally coming true. She hopes to now put the past behind her and start a new chapter. When a suspicious stranger mysteriously shows up at her celebration, her hopes disappear faster than a bestseller at a book signing.

Mac MacArthur is ready to solidify his relationship with Tali. But mending their differences is easier said than done. Then someone sets their sights on Tali—and wants to put her out of print . . . permanently.

With trouble brewing, Tali and Mac have no choice but to dive into the chaos of the past. However, as more answers are revealed, the danger increases. The truth will come at a great cost . . . one that will bind them together or drive them apart.

********************

The first three.

There are several more bargains from other series but they will keep until the next post.

Happy Reading y’all.

Nostalgia October 29, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

I miss the mountains. I lived my whole life in British Columbia Canada up until 2012 when I moved to Manitoba Canada. Where the land is flat. Not perfectly flat but much flatter than I was used to. I miss them everyday.

That’s why I like to follow a YouTube channel I discovered close to 2 years ago when they had major flooding in BC. There is a major highway running north and south through the rugged mountains and the damage was severe. The highway follows the river running through the tight valley and the overflow took huge chunks of the highway and some of the bridges along with it.

I’ve travel this highway many times over the years and the scenery is amazing. Flying over the area gives a whole different perspective, one I’d never had until now.

This is an update video showing us how the highway has been repaired and traffic is flowing again. If you check out their channel there are lots of videos showing the original damage and subsequent efforts to get traffic moving again.It’s amazing the way they’ve managed to get it done so quickly. Many predicted it would be many years, construction in the mountains is no small feat.

The truckers are pretty happy to have it fully open, a least parts of it anyway since it is a major truck route. They did manage to have one half of the highway open to two way traffic fairly early on but two separate parts is so much better with the heavy traffic this route experiences.

Enjoy this update on the newly opened portion. Be sure to check out their other videos as well. They are an adventuresome bunch and they are entertaining to listen to. They live in the area so they are familiar with the good sights and can show us things we would never experience without them.

I’m still not sure what an atmospheric river is but I gather it’s a big storm that could bring flooding with it. Parts of the highway are about down at river height and flooding could be an issue with more damage. Fingers crossed.

Enjoy.

No books today, sadly.

Free book October 28, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This is interesting. BookRunes brought us this suggestion.This is the first time we’ve crossed paths with this author and her story description is unique. Checking out the warnings at the bottom this blurb, this book does not sound anything like our usual reads in a number of ways. Maybe that’s not a bad thing. Sometimes a story like this helps us see the real world and the horror that victims are forced to live through. Some of us may find this triggering. That was not mentioned in the warning but maybe it should be. Read carefully.

The Woof Pack

BOOK ONE in The Woof Pack Trilogy
A Christian Romantic Suspense Series

It’s just a regular evening when Iyana’s neighbors ask her to babysit their dog. Everything seems fine until two masked men enter the apartment without an invitation.
At first, Iyana thinks they’ve come to steal the dog—she’d heard of a string of break-ins in the community by a group called The Woof Pack. But when these thugs overpower her and drag her away, she realizes they’re not pup-loving enthusiasts at all.

A case of mistaken identity gets Iyana taken in by one of the deadliest gangs in New York. Now, she has seen their faces and has learned their names; even though they know they’ve got the wrong girl, they aren’t going to let her go.
Fortunately, Iyana is a smart woman. She strikes a deal with the leader of the gang … they’ll let her live as long as she makes herself useful. But Iyana is just a naive Christian girl babysitting an innocent pup. What can she offer the most dangerous man in the city?

She knows exactly what he wants. She can tell from the way he looks at her, the way his eyes linger when she catches him staring. But she’s not willing to give him that. Anything but that.
The Woof Pack have taken her hostage; they’ve taken her mind, body, and her will. But she won’t let them have her heart.

If only Vito Gerardo were that easy to resist.

***WARNING***
This book is a work of Christian fiction: there is no foul language, and no graphic scenes of violence, sex, or gore. Due to content involving gang activity and hostage situations, this series is recommended for mature audiences ages 17+

*************************

1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion.

One Little Lie (The Pelican Harbor Series Book 1) 

It started with one little lie. But Jane Hardy will do everything in her power to uncover the truth in this gripping romantic suspense.

Jane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, but there’s no time for an adjustment period. When her father is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, Jane quickly realizes someone is attempting to destroy the only family she has.

After escaping with her father from a cult fifteen years ago, Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother—who refused to leave—ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?

Reid Dixon is well-known for his documentaries, and his latest project involves covering Jane’s career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.

Jane finds herself depending on Reid’s calm manner as he follows her around filming, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross—especially once her father’s lie catches up with him.

**********************

Two complex stories, how awesome is that?

Happy Reading y’all

Free books October 27, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us

My Father’s House: a novel

Growing up, life is idyllic for Lily Rose Cates due to one constant – her father’s love. But in her sixteenth summer, all that changes without warning. There begins Lily’s struggle to find herself and the life she’s lost. . . .
Marriage promises fulfillment, but her happily-ever-after barely survives the honeymoon. Her husband’s sophisticated façade hides a brooding man with even darker secrets. When all illusions shatter, Lily must make hard choices – abandon her husband or risk losing much more than her marriage. She flees their home in Detroit and sets out on a fearful journey to a house in Georgia that her husband knows nothing about.

This is one woman’s compelling tale of love and survival as she finds her way back home to who she’s meant to be . . . in her father’s house.

*********************

BookRunes has a FREE suggestion too.

Jane: A Fierce Heart (Harvey Girls Book 3)

Jane is determined to make the world a better place even when everything seems so bleak in this clean and wholesome historical western romance story.

Independent, red-haired Jane Harris is twenty years old in 1917 when war breaks out and changes her life. In her hometown of Beaumont, Virginia, she does her best to be a good sister, a good daughter, and to volunteer however she can for the war effort.
But it’s not enough. Her brothers, many of her friends, and the man she loves are gone to France, and Jane needs to do more than knit socks for them. She needs to be busy. She needs to leave home. Luckily, her mother understands, and soon Jane is interviewing to be a Harvey Girl.

The job comes with challenges she has never before experienced. Far away from home, she must stand against her adversaries, and sometimes against her friends. She will have to work hard to achieve things that come easily to those around her, but luckily she will learn that character triumphs over talent, especially when times are hard.

Watching a new world unfold all around her, Jane realizes she is changing too. Will she recognize the difference between childhood devotion and true love? Will she choose the man who can give her the love she deserves? And will he make it home safely?

**************************

Happy Reading!

Free book October 26, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This will be a short and sweet post, once again.

1531 Entertainment is behind this suggestion. We’ve read and enjoyed other books in this series.

SCARS: Contemporary Christian Romantic Suspense (Spiritual Warfare Series, Book 4)

He tried to leave the past behind, but it won’t leave him…

Ex-gang member Garrett Lovett is a new creature in Christ. At least, he’s trying to be. He’s got a wholesome routine, a place on the IronWorks football team, and a pretty woman he wants to know better.

But when the old gang resurfaces with the ultimatum to re-up or face consequences, Garrett has tough decisions to make. These guys know how to get to him—his addictions, his fears.

When things get life-threatening, Garrett must decide if this God he’s heard about is real or not. And if so, can he rescue Garrett and those he loves before it’s too late?

**********************

This is my current read and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.

I’m just starting book 4

Finding Love Medical Romance Boxed Set: Five Sweet medical Romance 

Home For Love
She’s a widow who has loved and lost.

He’s just been jilted.

Neither of them have love in their plan… As situation forces them together, Jared finds it hard to step away from the woman and her two sweet kids who have captured his heart.

Alison knows the longer she depends on Jared, the harder it will be to leave. If only she didn’t have to leave.

*******************

Have a good day.

Happy Reading.

Bargain books October 25, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This may be a good day afterall.

BookBub has a suggestion for us with an author we’ve seen many times before. It’s possible I’ve even read this book, it was first published in 1997.

A Time to Mend 

Her mother’s tragic death led Jacquelyn Wilkes to her career as a nurse, in hopes of saving others from similar sorrow. But her carefully built world was shaken when a new doctor, Jonah Martin, arrived at the clinic. Warm with his patients, yet coolly distant toward the nurses, his behavior fueled her mistrust, until she discovered a lump in her own breast–one that was malignant.

In Jonah, Jacquelyn found an unexpected ally in the fight of her life, though she could sense the secret turmoil behind his thoughtful gaze. When past accusations came back to haunt the handsome Jonah, Jacquelyn must find within herself the strength to heal her doctor’s wounds.

************************

Browsing, I found author Christy Barritt has a couple of cute bargain books.

Bound by Disaster (Beach Bound Books and Beans Mysteries Book 2)

Talitha Robinson is knee-deep in renovations as she prepares to open her new bookstore when a body washes ashore on Lantern Beach. While news of the suspicious death surges across the island, a stranger comes knocking on Tali’s door, begging her to endorse his unfinished suspense novel.

Unable to dissuade the author, Tali is left holding his manuscript in her hands. But she has no idea of the peril written on its pages.

Mac MacArthur has kept his distance from Tali since they uncovered a shocking connection about their pasts. But when someone begins to act out the murderous scenes from the book, one victim at a time, Mac’s protective instincts override his decision to stay away.

As danger escalates, Mac and Tali must manage their conflicting feelings as they work together to stop this killer . . . before the last chapter is written.

**********************

Bound by Mystery (Beach Bound Books and Beans Mysteries Book 3)

Talitha Robinson is well on her way to completing renovations for her new bookstore, Beach Bound Books and Beans, in Lantern Beach, North Carolina. But when she hosts a friendly meet-and-greet with bookstore owners from nearby islands, the progress she’s making comes to a deadly end.

Someone is backstabbed—literally—right under Tali’s nose. To make matters worse, Tali’s fingerprints are all over the murder weapon and a neighbor claims to have seen Tali commit the crime.

Mac MacArthur knows Tali isn’t the type to hurt anyone, but it doesn’t take a former police chief to figure out things don’t look good for her. The two work together to read between the lines and decipher the truth before Tali gets locked away for crimes she didn’t commit.

As more evidence stacks up, it becomes clear that someone wants to take Tali out of the story. For good.

*************************

Happy Reading!

Free and bargain books October 24, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us. It is book 2 in the series, we have seen books 1 and 3 but it’s been several years.

A Time to Love: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novel (The Hope Series Book 2)

They met on Flight 259. Now the story continues…

Jenna Davis and Scott Browning fell in love, but both have preconceived ideas about what love means. As they begin to sort out where life has left them both following Flight 259, love, hopes and dreams, and life must change. But what will that look like? Who will have to bend? How will healing and hope retake their places in their battered hearts?

*********************

In case you would like to see books one and three . . .

***

Review update October 23, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

False Pretense (A Murder in the Mountains Book 4)

It’s been decided. Yesterday I mentioned that the beginning of my current read left me undecided about interest level, was it going to be worth my while? It was too early to tell given I’d only read a few pages. My assessment soon was that the story looked interesting but the writing was left wanting. In the end I didn’t read every page but did read the whole book.

My final decision? The story was well thought out, strong, and interesting. The writing/editing was inconsistent. There were large segments that worked well interspersed with smaller ones that were weak and dissatisfying.

Most of the weak segments were part of the transition between scenes. Tense seemed to be part of the problem at times. (Present? I mostly noticed when it felt off. I wasn’t paying enough attention to tell for sure what was originally intended. I’ve been told present tense is not easy to do well.) But the main distraction involved the regular habit of switching between showing and telling. I can see how it may have been easier to list the needed information leading into scene changes but that practice weakened the story.

In the end though, I loved the book.

**************************

My current read is going much better. The stories, strength wise, are on a par but the writing/editing is much better in this one. My one complaint is excessive descriptive detail. I’m skimming pages fairly often in this read too. But I’m loving it otherwise.

Sunrise (Sky King Ranch Book #1) 

Pilot Dodge Kingston has always been the heir to Sky King Ranch. But after a terrible family fight, he left to become a pararescue jumper. A decade later, he’s headed home to the destiny that awaits him. 

That’s not all that’s waiting for Dodge. His childhood best friend and former flame, Echo Yazzie, is a true Alaskan–a homesteader, dogsledder, and research guide for the DNR. Most of all, she’s living a life Dodge knows could get her killed. One of these days she’s going to get lost in the woods again, and his worst fear is that he won’t be there to find her.

When one of Echo’s fellow researchers goes missing, Echo sets out to find her, despite a blizzard, a rogue grizzly haunting the woods, and the biting cold. Plus, there’s more than just the regular dangers of the Alaskan forests stalking her . . .

Will Dodge be able to find her in time? And if he does, is there still room for him in her heart?

***************************

Sometimes I wonder if excessive descriptions are used as a tool for achieving word count. In most cases the stories would survive without them.

I’m happy reading.

Bargain books October 22, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Water is falling out of the sky, the sun is in hiding, and BookBub has an interesting suggestion for us. Except I’ve already read 2/3 of it. Oh well, It’s not like I’m hurting for something to read.

Romance In The Rockies Box Set Series: A Sweet Small-town Interracial Romance Collection

1. Complex : Sofia Wise returns home to mourn the loss of her grandmother, and the last thing on her mind is love. When a dark, devastatingly handsome stranger shows up on her family’s doorstep, Sofia takes one look and is tempted to make her visit permanent. The problem is, the town’s detective is suspicious of her entire family, and it might take some convincing to prove that she’s more interested in the man himself than in the complex case at hand.

2. Choices: Just as Chloe starts dating the town’s contractor, a handsome doctor passes through their town.
With new dating options, Chloe is forced to make a crucial choice. Marry the golden boy or the charming doctor who makes her weak in the knees. Can she trust God’s plans for her future?

3. Beyond Repair: Hiding from her troubled past, Jules Demski sequesters herself in the mountains of Eron, Colorado, the only place she’s ever felt safe. Her solitude is shattered when an injured man staggers into her family’s barn.
Burned once and still in repair, the last thing she needs is another criminal on her hands. If she can only convince her heart of this, she just might be able to resist the interloper’s charm.

****************************

This just popped up before me. It’s a new book by a popular author Dani Pettrey, set to be released in May 2023. It’s a pre-order bargain. I’m excited, I love new books.

The Shifting Current: A Coastal Guardian Novella 

An elusive killer. A false identity. A deadly maze of lies.

When Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agent LOGAN PERRY’s beloved grandfather is murdered, Logan races to his hometown of Cauldron Creek, New Mexico to investigate the murder. His teammate and friend, EMMY THORTON, insists on joining him. Not a good idea—not when he loves her, but carries a secret that he knows will tear them apart.

Emmy knows Logan will pursue the investigation no matter the cost, and she won’t let the man she loves plunge into a dangerous situation alone. She needs to be at his side, even if he believes friendship is her only reason for joining him.

What looks like a robbery gone wrong rapidly shifts, drawing Emmy and Logan into a dizzying maze where nothing is as it appears. Every lead slips through their fingers as threats against them grow deadlier at each turn. Having only each other to rely on, their love for one another deepens, but will they live long enough to admit their attraction to each other?

They’re in the killer’s sights. One wrong move puts their future together and their lives on the line.

******************************

I’m starting a new read and I’m undecided on how it’s going. The story is interesting but the writing is inconsistent. It fluctuates between telling and showing. At this point I will keep at it a bit longer to see if the story is enough reason to keep going. I will hurry through enough to at least see how it ends if it isn’t gong well.

Tess has her work cut out for her—from her day job at the police station to her nights on the campaign trail with her husband, she’s stretched thin. Her two young children also keep her busy, but thankfully she has a supportive mother-in-law who lives just next door.

When the legendary Mothman makes a terrifying appearance and a local librarian goes missing, Tess feels compelled to get involved, convinced something evil has been unleashed on her little town. Then another woman disappears—this one bearing an eerie resemblance to Tess—and the police receive a cryptic message hinting that a serial killer is on the prowl.

After a nightmarish turn of events completely upends the Spencer family, Tess musters her courage to hunt for the monstrous murderer in the woods…even if she has to walk straight into the Mothman’s lair to do it.

*******************************

I did acquire one new book (well, in a few months I’ll have it when it’s published) so it not a bad day.

I’ll be back later if anything good shows up.

In the meantime. . .

Happy Reading

Bargain books October 21, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

It’s Friday and the sun is shining. It’s looking like we may have books too. This first suggestion by BookBub is with an author we’ve seen several times. I’ve looked through my lists and her name is not there so I’m guessing I didn’t have a strong opinion one way or the other. There are five books in the collection and I’m struggling for reading time but still, with that many books it’s a good chance to form an opinion.

I like having opinions because it narrows down the mind boggling choices, for one thing, and it protects us from unsatisfactory reads, for another. Boring is the worst. Well thought out, well written books are the best.

So, back to the collection.

Finding Love Medical Romance Boxed Set: Five Sweet medical Romance

Whispers of Love
Two people determined not to fall in love, but love has other plans.Can Ty get over his past to fight for the wonderful future standing right in front of him as he learns to trust God? Will Jordyn let go of her fear and risk her heart for a chance at true love?

A Chance For Love
He’s a Prince. She’s a foster kid turned nanny. They’re world apart. When the nanny challenges his parenting skills, he is determined to do better. Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan. But can a prince and a street girl beat the odds?

Destined To Love
It was just a kiss on a dare. But their lives were altered forever. When he finds out he’ll be working with the only girl who’d ever believe in him, he sees his chance to apologize for humiliating her. Righting the wrongs proves more difficult than he imagined and now he doesn’t want just her forgiveness, he wants her heart.

Home For Love
She’s a widow who has loved and lost. He’s just been jilted. Neither of them have love in their plan… As situation forces them together, Jared finds it hard to step away from the woman and her two sweet kids who have captured his heart. Alison knows the longer she depends on Jared, the harder it will be to leave. If only she didn’t have to leave.

A Second Shot At Love
Two people unlikely to fall in love. When circumstances beyond their control push them together, Stormie and Jordan fight the growing attraction for each other. Can they possibly be given a second shot at love?

*****************************

This next one has a definite bent toward talking about God, just sayin’. They are fiction stories though so there is that. I’m sharing this collection for those of you who would find it appealing. There is something encouraging to be found in these stories, especially if we are facing hard times ourselves.

A Whisper of Peace: A Mosaic Christmas Anthology IV 

Jesus came into this world silently, bringing the gift of peace to a hurting world. In the midst of the crazy, messy lives of the people in these stories, will they be able to hear His whisper of peace over the clamoring of their hearts this Christmas season?

A Mosaic Christmas Anthology IV

★★★

“Christmas at the Crossroads” by Eleanor Bertin

Myra and Sue are best friends. One is raised in a strict, religious home, the other permissively indulged. Which one will influence the other? When the teens are caught breaking the law near Christmas, the consequences force them to a crossroads with unexpected results.

“The Magic of Christmas” by Lorna Seilstad

Occupational therapist Shayna Winters will do anything to create some magic for her pediatric patients this Christmas. But when an accident on the gridiron lands Dante Gallo’s nephew in her care, she has to find a way to make her former boyfriend see that peace is more than an illusion.

“A Single Spark of Light” by Sara Davison

God had abandoned him a long time ago. And Ty didn’t blame him one bit.

Tyrone Jones will never forgive himself for the people he hurt in the past. And he has no reason to believe that God will ever forgive him either. Until he meets a stranger on a bridge one night a couple of weeks before Christmas.

A stranger who sends Ty on a quest that just might change his life—and his heart—forever.

“Reclaiming Tomorrow” by Angela D. Meyer

An old threat resurfaces, forcing Josie to face her greatest fear.

Josie Ferris is making strides to build a new life when an old threat resurfaces. Will Josie trust her new friend Daniel enough to let him teach her how to defend herself so that she can stand up to the man determined to destroy her future?

“Whispered Miracle” by Stacy Monson

Casey Younghans has bounced around foster care most of her life. About to age out and unprepared to be on her own, she faces an uncertain future alone. Being sent to Outlook Adventure Camp for Christmas is just one more place she won’t be welcome. Then she meets Lula, the tiny dog with understanding eyes, and the camp staff who seem to accept her, attitude and all. Could she actually find a way to fit into the world just the way she is? It would be a miracle.

****************************

Ten books, that counts as a good day.

Now, off to work since the sun is finally off the office computer. That’s the trouble with the change of seasons. The sun is lower in the sky and can full on peek in all of the windows enough to be a nuisance.

There is another one of those annoying words. peak and peek

Happy Reading y’all