Karen Siddall

With its engaging characters, non-stop action, and a uniquely gritty plot, I couldn’t put this book down. Cold Light of Day is the first book in author Elizabeth Goddard’s new Christian romantic suspense series, Missing in Alaska, and I must say that I was taken completely by surprise by the fast-paced, gritty action and naturally expressed faith-forward narrative. This story hit the ground running and never stopped. I loved the two main characters, Police Chief Autumn Long and Grier Brenner. They both are good, strong individuals with burdens to carry and secrets to keep. I was behind their relationship from the first exchange of dialogue, but to be clear, the story is more the suspense over the romance, once again making this unputdownable. The author slowly and tantalizingly revealed their stories amidst the danger and tension, and I didn’t want to put the book down. Like many readers, just the mention that the setting of a book is in Alaska, and I’m on board. What is the lure of The Last Frontier? Is it the remoteness? The inherent danger? The sheer challenge of absolute self-reliance? I don’t know, but it is like catnip to a cat, with just so much that can go terribly wrong in a blink. Something makes this location uniquely compelling, and this book delivers all of these feelings and the wild beauty besides. In addition to the broader Alaskan setting, the story unfolds in the small town of Shadow Gap. While there is an underlying assumption that the people who make their way to the 49th state are a different breed from those in the lower 48, people are still people. The small-town feel is front and center, amusing at times, even comforting, and everyone knows everyone else and, inevitably, all their business. The disgruntled and vindictive city councilman naturally causes Autumn trouble, but the author has a unique spin, and I found the ramifications very interesting. With its engaging characters and non-stop action, I recommend COLD LIGHT OF DAY TO READERS of Christian romantic suspense who enjoy a grittier storyline set in “The Land of the Midnight Sun.”

Kids will relate to the vividly illustrated story! "Let’s Hide From Mom" is the fun sequel to author Parimalasri Docktor’s children’s book "Tortoise Goes to the Vet." It features Radha, an Indian Star Tortoise who, like many young children, doesn’t want to go to bed at her established time. Along with her tortoise companion, Krishna, she scrambles to hide from Mom when she comes to put them to bed. Radha is a precocious little tortoise who knows all the best hiding places. She also tries to coach Krishna in finding the perfect spot. Small children will love hearing about how they escape detection, maybe seeing themselves in Radha’s desire to stay up past bedtime. The author also illustrates the story and uses bright colors in her often intricately detailed scenes. Her style gives readers plenty to look at and discover on each page. At the end of the book, there is an entertaining section devoted to finding specific items hidden in plain sight, such as birds, butterflies, and insects. That bumblebee is a tricky one! I recommend LET’S HIDE FROM MOM to young readers and adults for reading aloud.

Fantastic debut for this YA fantasy series! "Seven Faceless Saints" is the first book in author M.K. Lobb’s new YA fantasy series of the same name, grabbing me from the start and never letting go until its tease of an ending! Ombrazia has been embroiled in the Second War of Saints for decades, and the downtrodden populace has had enough of being fodder for the prolonged fight with Brechaat. The book is an intriguing high fantasy with a compelling backstory starting with the First War of Saints and leading up to the simmering civil unrest within the country’s main city. I enjoyed the premise of the seven saints of old and that only some of the members of their bloodlines inherited their ancestor’s magical traits. Those so gifted are known as disciples and lead lives of privilege. However, there are apparently some drawbacks to their lifestyle, such as working in the temple, which are only explored briefly through the eyes of the main heroine, Rossana “Roz” Lacertosa. Those individuals skipped in the genetic lottery are referred to as the unfavored. Their existence is much more difficult, and they seem to disappear into the unwashed masses, forgotten and disenfranchised. The story unfolds in alternating chapters through the viewpoints of Roz, a disciple, and her former childhood friend, Damien Venturi, unfavored but the son of the leading general in Ombrazia. Their budding romance as teenagers was interrupted when Damien was sent north to fight in the war with Brechaat. The fallout from the war results in tearing the couple apart, setting them on opposing paths in the future, and creating huge conflicts for them to overcome when they must work together to solve a series of murders. They are both damaged people, and I rooted the entire story for them to have a second chance and to heal with each other at their side. The author has a wonderful writing style: descriptive yet easy to read. The dialogue flows well throughout the novel and is one of the author’s strong suits. Exchanges between characters felt natural, even under tense or unnatural circumstances. I can’t wait to read more by this author. With its wonderfully imaginative fantasy world, compelling plot, and endearing main characters, I recommend SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS to readers who enjoy high fantasy, magic, and stories with a second chance romance.

Riveting crime fiction! "A Bad Bout of the Yips" is the third book in author Ken Harris's crime fiction series featuring PI Steve Rockfish. From the start (of this book or any in the series), readers old enough to know will immediately feel his kinship with the old-school investigators and the nod to and nostalgia of the classic PI television shows from the 1970s, such as "The Rockford Files." If you loved those shows, this is the series for you! If you don't know what I'm talking about, this is still a series you'll want to give a look-see. Steve Rockfish is a cool customer, a tough guy, and he needs to be in his line of work, especially as he's going up against the mob in this real estate development-themed crime fiction tale. His young partner, Jawnie McGee, is still reeling after the previous book's events. This normally steadfast and stand-up gal shows some vulnerability in her fragile state, but although she struggles early on to regain her footing, she comes on strong later in the story. This third book has multiple storylines, some involving old nemeses that harken back to previous books. However, the third time's the charm as storylines converge and are wrapped up. The Baltimore and other Maryland and New Jersey settings were comfortable yet fresh (I'm just done to death sometimes with Chicago and NYC). I loved the cultural nods and the guessing game to identify the source of the references with Lynn. The case that lands Rockfish and McGee in dutch involves a lesbian couple who have purchased a rundown miniature golf business out from under the nose of a large real estate development corporation with mob ties. Immediately after taking possession, threatening messages appear, and an escalating series of vandalism plagues the property, including anti-gay slogans spray painted across the buildings and inflammatory fliers pepper the neighborhood to stir up trouble with the locals. What follows on the way to resolution are twists and turns, tense action and danger, told with a riveting vim and vigor that I found myself smiling as I read, completely engaged and unable to put the book down until the last page was turned. I recommend A BAD BOUT OF THE YIPS to readers who enjoy crime fiction, old-school PI heroes, a Baltimore setting, and fans of the previous novels in the series.

Fast, unrelenting pace and irresistible characters! "A Deadly Wilderness," the debut Christian romantic suspense novel by veteran author Kelly Irvin, updated and re-released, is an absorbing tale of police work and personal relationships. The compelling story is sure to grab readers from the start and not let go until the final page. With its fast, unrelenting pace and irresistible characters, the pages fairly flew by. Set in San Antonio, Texas, the story looks at the murder of the youngest son of a prominent local family in one of the city’s many public parks. Partner homicide detectives Ray Johnson and Deborah Smith lead the investigation when Ray discovers the body while hiking in a park’s wilderness area. They are under pressure from city leaders to find the killer because of the victim’s father’s political connections. The partners’ relationship is a complicated one. Newly assigned as a team, neither one is familiar nor comfortable yet with the other. She sees Ray as a “Bible Boy” or “Jesus Freak,” and he knows she has a problem with alcohol and men. This situation made for compelling reading, wondering how it would all work out. Deborah Smith is a strong woman, but her early and meteoric rise through the ranks to her current position has taken her to the edge of burnout. Ray Johnson is a strong and forthright hero who is carrying a torch for his immediate supervisor’s sister, Susana, with whom he has a history. Susana Martinez Acosta has her hands full. A widowed former firefighter, she’s going to school in preparation for a career change, caring for two small and active boys, and making ends meet while torn by grief for a fallen husband and guilt over her interest in Ray. Long undisclosed backstories for several of the characters confused me, making me wonder if there was a previous book to this one that I had overlooked. Besides the murder, the story examines several troubled relationships and heavy topics such as adultery and alcoholism. However, the plot remains fast-paced, with the killer just out of reach of the investigators. The villain is suitably evil, and I was on the edge of my seat for Ray and Deborah to unmask and stop him as soon as possible. The detectives are persistent, and a couple of twists kept the story extra exciting. I recommend A DEADLY WILDERNESS to readers of contemporary Christian fiction, romantic suspense, and mystery, especially those interested in San Antonio or locations in Texas and fans of the author’s other work. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through "Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours."