Mysteries, and writing

March 3, 2019 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

The other day someone asked me if this blog is about writing. It is…… indirectly.

I am a novice at writing so have little to offer that would be useful in perfecting a writer’s craft. I have thoughts and opinions but nothing I would share.

On the other hand, I have much experience as a reader. I’ve learned to recognize good writing and not-so-good writing. I am passionate about the value of an active and robust reading life in an aspiring writer.

Deeply disappointing experiences with books that could have been great and weren’t has ignited this passion to be an influencer.

To be great you have to hang out with the greats.

Discussion of mechanics will only take you so far. Watching a master at work will take you places an instruction book could never hope to go.

Attempting to inspire, here are a few more examples of good writing.

If you get caught up in a story and lose sight of the writing……it was a good book.

Hunt for Justice Willa Carson Novels – Due Justice book 1, Twisted Justice book 2 – Diane Capri ….

Due Justice … Judge Willa Carson and her sister have a long history of a rocky relationship and Carly has been ignoring Willa’s attempts to connect with her for over a year. The sight of her sister showing up at her door is a bit of a shock, to say the least. This visit wouldn’t be happening without good reason and Willa is immediately wary of being drawn in, again. If she asks the reason for the visit, and it turns out to be criminal in nature, she would have to choose between loyalty to her sister and the letter of the law requiring her to report to law enforcement. It could mean her job.

Carly is a successful lawyer herself and knows how to make things go her way. Despite her best efforts to avoid involvement, Willa finds herself signed up as legal counsel for a sister accused of murder. Can she manage to walk this tightrope? Helping her sister while keeping her job? Or will she crash and burn?

Twisted Justice …. Judge Willa Carson’s beloved husband has been arrested for murder. He has been leading the fight to defeat General Randall Andrews’ nomination to the Supreme Court. Andrews has been found dead and the police are convinced the evidence points to George Carson.

Willa doesn’t believe George did it but she feels helpless because he won’t discuss it with her. He says he has an alibi but can’t, or won’t – she’s not sure which – tell her where he was. He is refusing to hire a lawyer or to discuss his defense with anyone.

Willa decides; under normal circumstances George trusts her judgement so hopefully he will this time. One of Willa’s old classmates has become a high powered defence lawyer, it looked like a good fit but things don’t go as smoothly as hoped. George still refuses to cooperate and clues are hard to come by. Things are not what they seem and the truth – when it comes out – is a shock.

Leah Nash Mysteries – Dangerous Mistakes book 2 – Susan Hunter ….. Reporter Leah Nash is back at her small-town newspaper after a disgraceful exit from her big city job. She plans to do whatever it takes to survive this job and work on her true-crime book as a way to get back to the city. This won’t be easy since her new boss seems to have it in for her for some reason.

Escaping the notice of her boss becomes difficult when the daughter of the local surgeon is convinced her father did not commit suicide but was murdered. The authorities believe this murder theory is a figment of an overactive imagination so in desperation she turns to Leah for help. Soon everyone in town, everyone that matters anyway, is upset with Leah for poking her nose in where it doesn’t belong.

Even she begins to question the sanity of the murder theory but then odd things begin to happen and it’s clear, this is a dangerous position to be in, chasing a determined killer. Well, so is she … determined ….. to find the truth.

If your passion for reading is at a low ebb, I hope you will be inspired to make a change.

Here’s to finding books that will carry you away to magical places.

Happy hunting.

The Presence

February 17, 2019 / For the Love of Books / 2 Comments

It’s always a special moment for me when a story speaks into my life with something appropriate for the place I’m at. Unexpectedly, this book has done just that, more than once. It feels like validation.

The Presence would have caught my interest even if I was at a different point in life. Having it relate to where I am now is a bonus. Davis Bunn always provides a good read.

The Presence – T Davis Bunn ….. The downside to helping his young friend get elected was his own loss for re-election. It seems his sense of integrity was a contributing factor in his defeat.

T.J. Case, lawyer and politician, has always been an honest man. That’s why billionaire entrepreneur Jeremy Hughes hired TJ to represent his company many years before and has never regretted a day of it.

Their relationship is not just business. They have also become close friends over the years. So close that Jeremy can tell when something is bothering TJ. That’s why he knew something had happened while he was out fishing the quiet lake on Jeremy’s large yacht.

TJ wouldn’t talk about it on the drive home and his wife, Catherine, would only say that it wasn’t her story to tell.

He’d loved God all of his life and had never had an experience like this one. It was still hard to wrap his head around what happened, even after a few intense days to think and pray. It seemed impossible to talk about, to anyone – including his wife, because it sounded so unbelievable.

With his usual cup of coffee, TJ had gone up on deck – like he did every morning – to read and pray in the quiet of the dawn. The morning started out like any other but then something changed. It was a new quiet that seemed sacred, one that pulsed with meaning.

When it was gone, TJ was left questioning what had just taken place. Was it a dream, a hallucination? Was it real?

He did know one thing. He was supposed to go to Washington DC.

How could that possibly happen? You don’t just decide to go to the capitol without invitation. And besides, what was he supposed to do when he got there?

Over the next few days both Jeremy and Catherine wrestled with this new idea that would turn both of their lives upside down if TJ went through with it.

Jeremy announced he needed a few days away to think but he didn’t give any clues as to how he was thinking.

Catherine was struggling with moving away from everything familiar and going to who knows what; when her daughter took sick and grandma was needed. It felt like a blessed reprieve, giving her more time to embrace a decision she knew she’d make.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, newly elected Congressman John Silverwood was having lunch with two senior Senators and feeling very pleased about it. He was not yet acquainted with political workings and didn’t think to question motives.

The Senators had come with an agenda. For some reason, unclear to John, TJ’s presence was needed in Washington. Filling a position with an outsider was rarely done. The three of them would have to get their heads together and come up with an assignment that could be given without raising a great deal of suspicion.

John was then tasked with persuading TJ it would be in his best interest to come and accept Education Advisor to the President. He was hoping TJ would feel honored and view this insider opportunity as a favor given. One he would feel obligated to pay back, somewhere in the future.

The cab arrived at an address that was a surprise to TJ. Hopefully Jeremy, who was obviously waiting for him, would have an explanation for this fancy house. The thing is – Jeremy knew that Washington would eat him up and spit him out unless TJ had someone in his corner watching his back. That was the reason for the house, and like it or not, Jeremy planned to fill every other need as well…. butler, driver, whatever. TJ was hoping that, when she got here, Catherine could talk some sense into Jeremy. He hasn’t figured out, yet, that the two of them are working together on this.

With no idea about what he would be doing, or with whom, TJ could only trust that if God was behind all of this, his presence would be near, and he’d let him know what to do when the time came.

His wildest dreams couldn’t have predicted the way things would go. God moves in mysterious ways….. because he knows the truth about what is in the hearts of men.

Like TJ, I’ve been saying yes to God for decades. Lately, it’s like he has a task in mind for me but hasn’t let me in on the details yet.

It’s scary saying yes when I do know what it’s all about, never-mind when I don’t. Even when I know ahead of time, it’s always something bigger than I could accomplish on my own. This time will be no exception.

God tends to be gentle with me, especially when he’s asking for something outside my comfort zone. He always waits for me to say yes and then he works on answering my fears, bringing me to the place where I am happy to do whatever it is. Everything he’s ever asked of me has turned out to be a blessing, even when it’s been hard. We have a good track record together.

Writing has not been on my radar, nor has the thought of coming-out-in-the-open in such a public way as this.

I’ve been highly resistant to the idea of writing. Especially a book.

I’m beginning to rethink my position on this. I’m finding myself coming around and being okay with working to produce something that could be used, maybe. It all just quietly happened with the beginnings of my newest blog. Just like the needle you expected would hurt and felt surprise when it didn’t.

I’m left thinking…. wow, smooth move. I didn’t see that coming, God. He just smiles.

The second blog is already started at letterstomamierose.blog “a safe place to talk about PTSD, and other things we wrestle with” The focus will be sharing my journey with abuse and PTSD. This isn’t about me needing a place to talk. It’s about hurting people needing a safe place to land. Most of us hurt in silence and loneliness. Healing comes when we discover community.

The idea of starting a community is not new to me. It has been in the works for over a decade, it seems now is the time. Some of my support community will be with me in this venture. We’re better together.

I’m also working on the courage to start a third blog “God, Creator of the Universe, Loves Me” It will be about my journey with God. He has been with me my whole life, including the darkest years – the first 12. I know I’m supposed to share about this and have to keep my Yes promise.

I think I’m meant to talk about him this way because God wants a chance to say I Love You to others as well. If you think he is saying it to you, and you want to know if he is….. ask him. He will talk to you.

This third blog is in the works and hopefully it will go live soon. I think this post will be the first post over there. It seems appropriate somehow.

In the meantime ….. may you hear some things you need to hear too.

Happy reading!

Podcasts, vlogs, and blogs

February 10, 2019 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Podcasts and live videos have been capturing my attention lately and I am hooked. There is something about live interaction that makes the dissemination of information so much more attractive – at least to me anyway.

Podcasts

Carey Nieuwhof is one of the podcasters I’ve been following lately. http://careynieuwhof.com/mypodcast/

Carey’s specialty is leadership training and everything he does revolves around that. He has the gift of finding interesting guests and insightful questions for his podcasts. Every one I’ve listened to so far has been worthwhile and inspiring; even more interesting than the titles suggested to this non-leader type person. I examine the subject title and wonder how it could relate to me. It’s a surprise to find there is always something to catch my interest and keep me listening. Most of the interviewees have recently written a book and that’s always part of the conversation as well.

Today’s podcast was to be about organizing your calendar in a way that would make it possible to accomplish a daunting list of tasks without spending mega hours in the office. This guest is a busy man with an overwhelming mountain of responsibility but somehow he manages to streamline his day and get it all done. They discussed his methods for a while and then switched to the topic of his new book. It’s called The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self Discovery, by guest Ian Morgan Cron. It’s based on an old psychological system with nine personality types. That’s a higher number than some of today’s more popular systems use, which makes it different before we even get started. They touched briefly on each of them in the hour long podcast. Carey had read the book and applied the test to himself so the informed discussion was enlightening.

The first order of business at the end of the podcast was to purchase my own copy from Amazon. I’m always interested to see what I can learn about myself with any of these tools. I haven’t started reading the book yet but I’m sure I’ll be talking about it when I do.

Video Podcasts (Vlogs)

Anglican Unscripted is a video podcast/vlog I’ve been following for a year or so. They do a journalism show in live video. The subject is always news as it relates to the Anglican church and happens once or twice a week. I’m not Anglican, (although I am ecumenical – does anyone even use that word anymore?) but I find their discussions interesting. It appeals to me because I like to have a feel for what is going on in the world.

There are three main participants in the show; Kevin Kallsun and George Conger in the US, (Connecticut and Florida) and Gavin Ashenden in the UK. The link to check them out is AnglicanTV Ministries – YouTube.

Gavin used to be chaplain to the Queen but parted ways with the Anglican Church over doctrinal issues. He is highly educated and has a wise way of expressing himself. George is an Episcopal priest and while he agrees with Gavin, most of the time, he has his own slant on things. I enjoy watching them discuss the issues of the day. Once in a while, we even hear interviews from Australia, Israel, Africa, or several other places.

This week Anglican Unscripted/Anglican TV shared six videos that captured my interest enough to watch all of them three times. The speakers were polished, knowledgeable, and inspiring; workshop leaders at an Anglican’s For Life Conference in Washington DC. The conference was in conjunction with a Right to Life march happening there that weekend.

The speakers did touch on the subject of abortion, but only one spoke to it in depth. The others spoke on topics like terminal illness and its affect on both the patient and the family; the needs that stem from this hurting community and how they can be met. Up to ninety percent of a persons support systems fall away after cancer diagnosis, mostly because as a society we don’t know how to deal with the issue and tend to run away from it. The challenge from each speaker was to step up and learn what we can do to be there for these people in our lives. They talked about post abortion devastation and the grief process that is being endured hopelessly, in silence, and about bringing hope to the elderly – their life isn’t over, it still has meaning and purpose, if they look for it.

On the surface the subjects sound depressing but each speaker dealt with their segment in a way that brought hope for a better future.

I found the speakers compelling and know I will be contemplating their thoughts for some time to come. If you would like to hear more, the videos are on YouTube on the Anglican TV channel. It would be well worth your time if you have a heart for hurting people.

The speakers I liked the best were Georgette Forney, Rick Berge, David Bereit, Aveda King (related to Martin Luther King Jr.), Ryan T Anderson, and Cathie Young.

Blogs

Last but not least, I have been following Dr. Perry’s blog at makeitultrapsychology.wordpress.com. I recommend his site if you are looking for safe and helpful input in your life. Check out his bio for a clearer idea of what his site is all about.

This time it was an excellent and helpful post about empathy; but what really caught my attention was a comment on the post. A reader mentioned a book she found helpful, by Alan Alda, one of my favorite actors in the old Mash TV series.

Alan is an intelligent, educated, and well-read man interested in all things science. He hosted a science show for over a decade and has followed some of his own ideas with an obsession. Communication is dear to his heart and he’s put much effort into testing and understanding his ideas for improvement. Empathy forms a large part of his strategy for good communication and he has a light-hearted way of sharing serious information so that it sticks. He’s written a book called If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? I’m half way through it and I have to tell you; he has a lot to say. This book is the literary equivalent of a well packed suitcase that must be sat on to be closed successfully.

Empathy is connection with another person. You learn how to notice what they are thinking and feeling. This takes communication, and relationships, to a whole new level. Empathy improves not only verbal exchanges but written ones as well. We can become better writers if we practice empathy. And practice is exactly what’s needed. the more we do it the better we become and our work will improve to show it.

If I understood you

There is so much more that could be said about each and every one of these examples but I wanted only to give you a taste, hoping you would explore these sites for yourself, and be enticed to follow them too.

Happy hunting.

Happy New Year

January 1, 2019 / For the Love of Books / 1 Comment

January 1st is a good day to wish all of you a very Happy New Year. May 2019 be kind to you, kinder than you expect it to be. And, may your travels bring you many great books in 2019.

Finding books to read is a challenge for me this week, all because the unthinkable happened on Christmas eve. My Kindle died with a broken screen.

It seems I crammed my constant companion into my purse one too many times. Imagine the shock and dismay to pull it out and see a frozen fragmented screen. Just when I wanted to catch a few stolen reading moments too. It felt like the end of the world. Panic set in.

Of course, at that moment I didn’t know the problem was the screen. I thought maybe a reboot would resolve the issue. A half dozen attempts later and I had to admit defeat. Not ready to lose hope, I wondered if travelling in our cold winter weather was the cause, maybe a warm up would wake things up. With high expectations for a positive outcome, I looked for the warmest spot I could find in a cool bedroom – under the covers with me. It was a sad moment, facing the truth of the death of my friend.

Did I ever mention I’m addicted?

The next question was how to replace it in a timely fashion. I wanted to walk into a store and walk out with a new one ready to read. I decided the best option was my most favored office supply store and I hurried over there at the first possible moment. I was crushed to find they didn’t carry Kindles. They used to.

You would think I would scurry home to figure out what to do next. Nope. I figured while I was there I should check out some other things I have been thinking about lately. After about a half hour of cruising up and down one section, thoughtfully reading all the labels, considering what they meant in relation to my needs – a clerk (who turned out to be the store manager) stopped to ask if I needed help. He didn’t know what he was getting into when he asked that question.

To make a long story short, he answered my many questions, listened to my many needs and this old lady walked out of the store having purchased a powerful gaming computer. I chuckle out loud every time I think of it. I love my new computer.

The need for greater power comes because I have started another blog, with a totally different slant, and some of my plans for it will require a capacity I don’t currently have in the computers I’ve been using. I know I will tell you more about it once it’s ready to go public, in case you are interested.

In spite of no Kindle, I left the store a happy camper.

At home I took the plunge and ordered a new Kindle online. It will show up in about a week. In the meantime, I do have the Kindle app on several devices so it’s not like I can’t read if I want to. Telling you about the latest books I’ve read has been the challenge. The app on the computer sorts differently and I’m lost. In the fruitless search I’ve also discovered I can read many books again, because I don’t remember reading them the first time. Good to know, when I am out of recent books appealing to me.

I am feeling pretty excited about the surprises 2019 could hold. I’m excited about new ventures already unfolding in my life. I have two major passions (more than that if I’m honest but only two to blog about – although I will admit that could change) one here about books and the new one. The new one is stretching me into unexpected first time areas.

There seems to be a general sense of positive expectancy about the future. I feel it but I’m also hearing other people talk about it. Talk that is encouraging us to take risks….. to be all that we can be. To live up to our potential. To dream, ignoring the naysayers.

The purchase of the new Kindle and the expensive new computer is evidence of my commitment to becoming more than I’ve ever been before.

I hope that many of you will hear the challenge too, to become more than you’ve ever been. I think the world needs us, more than ever, to stand up and do this.

That’s my challenge for 2019…. Dream big and go for it!

I will save books for the next post but will still challenge you to keep reading! I am reading too.

All the best for 2019

Happy reading!

A boxed set, of Christmas Lights

November 18, 2018November 19, 2018 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Comfort & Joy

In my mind it’s never too early. I love Christmas any time of year.

Maybe it’s because I don’t get caught up in all the stressful parts of the season like I used to – the shopping, baking, obligatory social events – I’m past all of that these days. Now I relish the positive parts of the season – lights, music, family, the reason for the season. Every year it seems to feel a little sweeter, in spite of some circumstances, I love how that happens. So…. pardon the early start 🙂

Looking at the cover of this Christmas boxed set, you might be thinking fluff – but you would be wrong. The one line teasers on Amazon even give a feel-good impression. That’s why it was a bit of a shock to find these stories were definitely not light reading. They would fall more into the category of Romantic Suspense. There was romance alright but the details of their lives took them to unexpected, and sometimes dangerous, places.

Having said all that, I enjoyed this set. The exposure to different authors is great. It provides a first introduction, if we haven’t already met, and gives us a chance to see if we enjoy what they have to offer.

Alana Terry is author of the first book Frost Heaves and is someone to keep your eye on. She’s young and relatively new to the writing scene but is prolific, with an impressive number of published books to her name. She has participated in boxed sets before, I enjoy her writing and look forward to reading more from her.

Toni Shiloh is author of the second book Deck the Shelves and is new to me. She is listed on Amazon with 8 or 10 books and looks to be a promising author as well. BookBub also carries Toni’s books and that accomplishment is a recommendation in itself.

Cathe Swanson is author of the third book The Christmas Glory Quilt. I don’t believe I’ve read anything from her before. This was a good experience for me and her offerings on Amazon look promising. I’ll be watching for more from her as well.

Chautona Havig is no stranger to this blog, having been mentioned here many times. She is highly involved in the writing scene and shows up in different places, in different ways, and is a regular participant in boxed sets. Not just Christmas sets either. The Ghosts of New Cheltenham, the fourth book in this set belongs to her.

I like the way they’ve planned and tied the stories together; it makes for a unique and interesting reading experience. All of the books in this set are stand-alone but there are familiar elements threaded through them.

They are all captivating and well written but my personal favorites were books 1 and 4.

The set has been offered on Amazon for .99, (in US and Canada anyway, not sure about other countries) which is a steal and makes it easy for us to take a chance on new authors.

Comfort & Joy

I hope you are feeling inspired to search for captivating books. There are so many out there just begging to be read.

Happy searching!

The Lawman Returns, after football

November 14, 2018 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Sunday was a great day. Our football team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, won their Canadian Football League Western Semi Final game and will play for Western Finalist next weekend. If they win that, they will play against the Eastern Finalist team for the Canadian Grey Cup in two weeks.

We were all pretty excited, the whole house full of football fans. I’m the only one in the family not really understanding much of what is going on. I mean, I have a general idea about what is happening …… it’s the rules that escape me. I like watching anyway. Especially when they are winning.

I’ve decided there’s not a lot of hope for me, I’ve been not understanding the game for a very long time. I used to cheer for the BC Lions, decades ago when I lived in Vancouver. (I really liked the Lions even though they have a terrible track record.) The last few years I’ve been following the Bombers, and watching my grandsons football games, every now and then. You’d think with that much exposure over the years something would stick in my brain. Nope. Thank goodness for commentators.

Winnipeg is definitely excited over the chance their team could be going to the Grey Cup.

Enough about football. Let’s get back to the subject of books…

I’m always excited when Lynette Eason’s name shows up in my daily suggestions email. Her stories are gripping and interesting, and I enjoy reading them.

Wrangler’s Corner – The Lawman Returns – Lynette Eason …..

Social worker Sabrina Mayfield answers a call to find Jordan, one of her kids, in a panic, wanting a ride. She’s getting directions when he changes his mind and tells her to stay away, it’s too dangerous. He hears someone coming and is suddenly afraid for his life. He has seen something that tells him who killed deputy Steven Stark. If they notice he has seen it, he’s dead.

In a panic, Sabrina requests backup and hurries out to the trailer park to find out what’s gong on. The place looks deserted and creepy, and there’s no sign of the police yet.

Calling for Jordan, she approaches the rickety steps. It feels like someone is watching her but she looks around and can’t see anyone. About to go back to her car and wait, she hears a cry, like that of a small child. Now she’s torn. She knows better than to go in without police backup but how can she ignore a cry for help.

She tries the door, it’s locked. Before she can decide what else to do, there’s a loud crack and something whizzes past her head, slamming into the trailer. Someone just took a shot at her.

Pulling into the driveway as the shot was fired, Deputy Clay Stark yells at her to get into his car. He is about to tear out of there, to safety, but changes his mind when she tells him why she’s there.

He is not about to pass up on new evidence and the chance to find out who killed his brother.

She doesn’t want to leave yet either, because she still thinks she heard a small child crying.

She did hear a small child. She recognizes the face in the trailer window. What was Jordan’s little brother doing out here alone in this dangerous place?

Check this author out, if you haven’t already.

Happy reading

Christy Barritt Mysteries

November 11, 2018 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

I cannot believe how quickly the weeks are flying by. It feels like a new month is starting every couple of weeks. I know it’s not but it sure feels like it

Lately, I find myself spending more time in front of my work computer and less in front of my blog computer. I have mixed emotions about this. I appreciate the heavier workload but …… like my favorite bumper sticker says I’d rather be reading. I’m gradually working up to I’d rather be writing and I do see a little progress in that area.

It seems I’m not the only one writing less these days. I’ve noticed many of the bloggers I follow aren’t writing as often as they once were, either. It would be interesting to know why this is. Is it a busier life? Less interest in writing… or in life? Is it a normal cycle, maybe, to start out strong and fade after awhile? Every day, as I check emails for new notifications of blog posts, I wonder about the answer to this question of why. I miss the writers I used to count on as being there. I miss seeing the regular readers for my posts too. They still pop up now and then but not like before. Hopefully things will change one day and we will find our motivation again.

It would be nice to overcome the lethargy I feel at the end of a work day, and find the energy to spend time blogging. The writing process can be an uplifting experience, releasing some of those feel good endorphins. My intentions are good, to do better……. but you know what they say about good intentions…..

In the meantime, I’m still finding good books. Today I have a couple of mystery books to share with you. Author Christy Barritt is showing up often these days and her books are always a good read.

Lantern Beach Romantic Suspense – Shadow of Intrigue book 2 – Christy Barritt …… Lisa Garth feels out of place, all of her friends have someone to share life with and she is odd man out, having no one. It’s most noticeable in the off season with tourists gone and reduced hours at her restaurant leaving her too much time to think.

Braden Dillinger plans to spend several weeks at Lantern Beach, on the recommendation of his therapist. The hope is that beach time will bring some healing for the debilitating scars of his Special Forces days in battle.

Friends have loaned him the use of their cottage while they are away visiting family. Lisa promised Ty and Cassidy she would play hostess to their guest and cook for him while they are gone. Things have gotten off to a rocky start, and now she wants to turn her back on that promise.

With no car in the driveway , Lisa assumed their guest had not yet arrived and let herself in to prepare dinner. Braden, forgetting about the special arrangement for his meals, has gone to take a shower and doesn’t hear her come in. She knew he had an injury of some sort but had no idea just what it was, or what reaction her presence in the house would trigger.

She thought she was going to die at his hands.

She explains her presence, he apologizes and, eventually, they begin an uneasy truce.

Distressing, inexplicable events keep happening to them both. Evidence of break-ins in his cottage, shadowy figures watching both houses, shots fired through her window. With his blackouts, Braden is afraid the memories of these events are part of his paranoia and he is only imaging things. Lisa is labelling her attacks as bored teenage pranks.

Gradually, Braden is convinced someone is trying to kill him, but who is it and how did they know where to find him? Then, there’s the question of Lisa’s attacks – are they connected to his or is something else going on with her?

When he sees Lisa is busy and short handed, Braden decides to offer his services at the restaurant . He thinks listening to the town’s gossip may give him clues as to who and why. He’s hoping he can figure this out before it’s too late.

Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries – Random Acts of Outrage book 6 – Christy Barritt ….. As usual, Holly arrives on time after school to pick up Sarah, her fourteen year old foster daughter. She’s even a little early today. The line keeps moving up and eventually Holly realizes, all the other students have gone, and Sarah isn’t here. Convinced something is terribly wrong she runs to the school staff and calls her case worker, but no one takes her seriously. They are all of the opinion Sarah has run away, that’s what foster kids do. Holly doesn’t believe it. There are too many indicators, in her mind anyway, that Sarah has been taken against her will.

Holly is desperate and can think of only one person with the ability to help her. He is her ex fiancé, and it will be awkward, but she asks them to call Detective Chase Dextor. Sarah has Type 1 diabetes and without her meds, she could die, they have to find her..

Holly is convinced Sarah hasn’t run away. They have developed a close relationship, and this home situation is the best she’s ever had. She’s even more convinced now that she’s talked to the teachers responsible for supervising after school pick ups. Someone saw Sarah get into a lady’s car in the student parking lot and drive away. Holly doesn’t believe she is running, there is something else going on here.

Once she’d gone through her house and found all of Sarah’s meds still there, Holly knew this wasn’t a planned meeting. The deeper she searches the greater her conviction, something is desperately wrong.

Fortunately for her; Chase believes her and is doing everything he can to help figure out what happened. The problem is; they have very little to go on.

It’s a good thing they are looking, because Sarah needs them more than they could ever imagine.

How is your book search going? Have you discovered a good source for books? What is your favorite? My favorite is still BookBub.

Happy searching, and happy reading this week!

Everard – Not-So-Fairy Tales

November 10, 2018 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Everard Everard – Not-So-Fairy Tales – Chautona Havig

The awesome narrator (I’ll tell you why she’s so awesome, later) is telling us the Terrible War is finally over and the surviving soldiers are allowed go home.

Brave and courageous, Everard of Havilund is one of the first allowed to leave the battlefield. He knows he is ahead of the others, and they will likely be at least a half day behind him. He also knows the people in the villages will be unaware of their victory and he is excited to share the news with them. This is uncharacteristic for him because, despite his bravery, he finds it difficult to hold simple conversations and will go out of his way to avoid them.

He’s been travelling four days without seeing another person so when he comes upon a farm house with someone in the yard, he’s fairly bursting to share the news.

Roana has a brother in the war and is desperate to know what’s happening, She is as excited to hear the good news as he is to give it. So excited, in fact, that she flies into his arms, and in the emotion of the moment he does something he has never, ever done before. Something that leaves him totally stunned.

He kisses her.

Of course, she has flown back into the house to share the good news with her dad, completely unaware of Everard’s state of mind.

In the weeks following his arrival back home he comes to a decision. After wrestling with his guilt over what he considers his compromising of her good reputation – he feels honour bound to marry her.

Normally, in this situation, because of his status as a prince, he could simply ask for her hand and it would be given to him. His sense of fairness won’t allow him to do that. He has decided that he must ask for her hand and she must be freely willing to give it.

This is where it gets a little sticky. You would think a father would be thrilled to have a prince asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Not this father. For reasons we have yet to understand, he decides the prince must fulfil a challenge first, to earn the right to ask for the hand of his daughter. It wasn’t just any old challenge either, he had to slay a dragon, and he had to do it alone.

Everard negotiates to have one person accompany him so that when he is killed there will be a witness to take word home to his family. You can see he is not expecting this situation to go well for him and yet he is willing to try anyway.

This challenge does not go the way you might expect, her father keeps changing the rules.

I liked this story because, while it is the retelling of a fairy tale, it is a loose retelling. It’s more like a mash-up of several fairy tales. This makes it impossible to predict where it is going next. It seems like it should end in a wedding but there are times when it looks a little doubtful.

That brings me to the Narrator. She is hilarious, in my opinion anyway. She thinks it is her duty to stop and explain certain things, and she has definite opinions on the type of things the reader needs to know. She also wants to avoid misunderstandings, and is apt to stop suddenly, to clarify some detail she thinks may confuse someone. I like the way she thinks.

She also has opinions on some of the decisions Everard makes; but he’s not listening to her. He is bound and determined to stick to the course he has set out for himself.

Everard’s strong sense of responsibility for the wrong he thinks he has committed makes his task that much harder to complete. And, when it gets right down to it, things are not always what they seem either.

He is so likeable you can’t help but cheer him on.

This was a fun read. If you like fairy tales I’m sure you will like this one too.

There are more books to talk about…. soon.

Happy reading!

Rogue Wave

October 30, 2018 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Last post ended with this comment: Speaking of addictions: that reminds me….. of a idea which I will save to talk about in the next post……… This subject that has been on my mind, often, since that post, and as it won’t seem to go away, I’ll share what I was thinking that day….

I heard an interesting commentary on addictions the other day. It was in regard to things that – in and of themselves – are not bad for you. Things like work, sports, reading…. activities that, if taken too far, can cause us to neglect obligations, and the significant people in our lives.

The speaker was describing a way to enjoy an activity while encouraging it to shrink back to healthy levels. The gist of her thought was this – We need to expand our happiness base. Adding to the number of activities we enjoy will do this, and the hold any one activity has on us will be lessened.

This commentary belongs to award winning lyricist, Gloria Gaither, and she was giving it in response to a question from Mark Lowry on Monday’s With Mark, (Mark Lowry’s live video interviews on You Tube.) (Mark is funny, real, and wise beyond his years. Check him out, you might like him). The addict Gloria was speaking about is workaholic Bill Gaither, who agreed – he is an addict. He also agreed that expanding his happiness base has made a big difference in it’s hold on him. Interestingly enough, reading has become one of his new favorite activities. We are cheering you on, Bill!

After hearing this interview, I’ve been taking an honest look at the activities in my own life. It seems I bounce back and forth between four or five different things (sometimes all in one day). Maybe that’s a good sign my happiness base has broadened…. at least a little. There is this compulsion though, in the back of my mind, always looking for openings to snatch a few diversionary moments, doesn’t matter how big or small they are. I think my happiness base expansion still needs some work.

Addictions and stress levels are never as simple as all that but even now, several weeks later, I can still see the value in the point Gloria was making. I have been making an effort to vary the way I spend time and it has been making a difference. It is getting easier to make myself get up and get going when I need to.

This time the book is …. fantasy.

Deep sea adventure, intrigue, death threats, bombings, rogue killer waves, green men …. really….. a good book for the addictive reader

Rogue Wave – Christopher Cartwright

A killer wave that can sink massive ships without leaving evidence of what it is, or where it came from.

A mystery solver dragged into a sinister plot for reasons that are unclear. Someone notices and now his life, and that of his crew, is in danger.

His business associates have fallen for the promise of a payout in the millions, but with his personal wealth and laser focus on new inventions – the lure of money has no effect on him. He votes to reject the lucrative deal, he can see what this takeover is really all about – a threat to life as we know it.

His rejection of this deal is a threat to life as he knows it.

In the meantime, his father’s shipping business has been taking a hit with mega tankers disappearing and he wants his son to figure out what’s going on.

Are any of these things related? Are they all related?

He has a talented crew, with sophisticated equipment, ready to take on the challenge. He’s not confident they will live through the experience so he makes plans.

He decides their best hope is to disappear while they investigate discretely. That’s when the fun begins.

I love a good book, don’t you? 🙂

Happy reading, everyone

Exposed

October 14, 2018 / For the Love of Books / 2 Comments

Hours of enjoyment, that’s what was waiting for me in this boxed set. A Romantic Suspense collection.

Off the top, I have to say – I appreciated the clean-ness of these books. I find that when it’s less than clean (for me anyway) it’s like going to a party with a spot on the front of your favorite outfit ….. it takes the shine off the whole experience. I love an awesome, distraction free, tale of mystery and intrigue.

These books were well written, with interesting characters, and a fresh slant on the idea behind the stories. I’m a fan of all three attributes but fresh slant is my favorite.

It seemed like before I knew it, I was finishing the last book. I’m a chain smoker when it comes to books. Finish one and light up another. I think I’ve mentioned I’m an addict.

I’m always sad when a story comes to an end. For a few seconds anyway.

Speaking of addictions: that reminds me……. of a idea I’d better save for the next post.

So….. back to books

Exposed

Exposed

A Boxed Set Book Bundle Collection of Romantic Suspense with seven great books

Hallowed Ground – Mary Alford …… Erin is devastated when Blake, her CIA partner, is killed in a terrorist attack in Afghanistan and she’s grateful to have the support of Blake’s best friend and fellow agent, Jax. The team is sent to Afghanistan on a mission to find Blake’s killers but it’s a set up. This realization set in when their unit was attacked and none but two survived. The details of their deployment could only have come from their superiors. With no idea who to trust, they carefully start digging and uncover more lies. Did Blake discover something he shouldn’t? Or was he part of something worth killing for? Working with Jax to find the truth has Erin realizing for the first time, Jax is a good man.

Fire – Lynette Bonner …. Kyra is a teacher by trade but helps out with manicure’s on the side. It’s a shock, on the first day of school, to see a new student in her class, looking much like a younger version of the good looking guy in her shop on Friday, the one who asked her out. Case Lexington is just as shocked to see Kyra and is living with fear she will blow his cover. He’s posing as a student, to help umcover the source of the drug supply killing local teenagers. Kyra wants to do her part in this search, motivated by the drug related death of her brother. Case is attempting to discourage her, afraid for her safety. A mere student has no credibility so, as a last resort, he chooses to keep an eye on her by working with her. Not an easy thing to do. It’s been a very long time since he met a woman who could catch his interest, and she thinks he’s a student. The next shock is the source of the fatal drugs.

Jill Came Tumbling After – Lesley Ann McDaniel …. Jill Martin, a single mother of two, is looking for a job, after finding the courage sever ties with her alcoholic husband. Jobs are scarce but there is a new factory in town and, in spite of her obvious lack of skills, they hire her, effective immediately. Working to get the offices up and running she begins to see things that don’t seem quite right. She is smarter than expected and manages to figure out they are planning something that will be a hazard to the whole town, She’s torn between the need to tell and the need to keep her job. If they notice her discovery …. will she even live to tell?

Deadly Exposure – Lisa Phillips …. Bradley Harris comes home from deployment to discover his sister, a US Senator, has been abducted and the FBI suspect Alexis, her best friend and former aide. The whole town holds Alexis in contempt, but, knowing her as well as he does, Bradley has doubts about the accusations against her. Once he uncovers the truth behind her fall from grace, he wonders if any of them will survive the fallout. Getting his sister back and saving Alexis too – seems like an impossible challenge.

Dead on Arrival – Angela Ruth Strong …. Peruvian Princess, Maritza Rosado and her father land in Washington DC and instead of the usual presidential welcome, they are greeted with a gun battle that kills her father and his body guard and has Maritza running for her life. Hiding out in a soup kitchen is not going well, she’s been recognized by Levi Parker, fresh home from a mission trip to Peru where he learned of her. Terrified to trust him, she does anyway, and venturing they discover someone has taken over her country. Not only that, they killed her father and want her dead. Devastation is finding out the betrayal is at the hands of someone they both trusted.

Termination Dust – Alana Terry …. Kimmie is afraid to move away from her abusive step father after the death of her mother. She is old enough to leave and make a new life for herself but she is afraid she would be forced leave her little brother behind, and he would pay the price, in escalated abuse, for her actions. The family has lived in isolation and secrecy for so long, she can think of no one she can turn to for help.The local State Trooper suspects the truth of the situation and is trying to offer acceptable support, encouraging Kimmie to leave before the abuse escalates. It happens, before her plans are in place, – she is forced to grab her little brother and run for her life.

For Love or Money – Virginia Vaughan …. Amy Sullivan left everything behind with the lure of a family connection. When an aunt she didn’t know existed, contacted her requesting a visit, it seemed like a dream come true. While finding a family connection is important to Amy, it’s not easy learning to love a stranger. Inadvertently she discovers there is more to the situation than she has been led to believe. Her aunt has been hiding the fact she has terminal cancer. Amy was there for her mother and is determined she won’t be shut out now. Despite the growing closeness in those final days, it’s a shock for her to learn she has been left with a sizable inheritance. It’s an even greater shock to discover someone wants it enough to kill her to get it.

‘Til next time – Happy Reading!

Here’s hoping you are also experiencing many hours of good reading. I don’t want to be the only one finding exquisite treasures, not when there are so many to be found.