Review: If I'm Found (If I Run #2) by Terri Blackstock

Amazon

If I'm Found is book two from the If I Run series. Casey Cox is still on the run and Dylan Roberts is still on her trail. She must uncover who is the real murderer and then finds herself in more danger. Will Dylan help her or turn her in?

If I Found is another book by Terri Blackstock that kept me on the edge of my seat. I kept guessing who to trust and who not to trust. Casey really found herself in dangerous situations and I hoped Dylan would get to her in time to help her and protect her. The story is action-packed and so thrilling that I did not want to put the book down. What a page turner! I cannot wait to find out what happens next in the series.

Five stars.

I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

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Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway Virtual Book Tour: Paris Runaway by Paulita Kincer

Paris RunAway

(women’s fiction)

 Release date: June 30, 2016
at Oblique Press

ISBN: 978-1365189234
256 pages

Author’s page
Goodreads

   

SYNOPSIS

When divorced mom Sadie Ford realizes her 17-year-old daughter Scarlett has run away to Paris, all she can imagine are terrorist bombings and sex slaves. After learning her daughter chased a French exchange student home, Sadie hops on the next plane in pursuit. She joins forces with the boy’s father, Auguste, and the two attempt to find the missing teens. The chase takes Sadie and Auguste to the seedier side of Marseille, where their own connection is ignited. Since the divorce, Sadie has devoted herself to raising kids and putting her dreams on hold, but when her daughter needs her most, Sadie finds that concrete barrier to life beginning to crack. In her journey, she learns the difference between watching the hours pass and living..

“This enjoyable romp through Paris and Marseille combines the terror of a possible kidnapping with chick-lit-style romance…. A pleasant diversion with an appealing lead character and just enough tension to propel the narrative.” — Kirkus Review

The book has currently a 4.5 rating on Goodreads and Amazon, and the author herself thinks this is her best so far!

EXCERPT

I sighed. No one home again.
There are worse places to wait, I thought as I heard a louder crack of thunder from outside. The sky had been threatening rain all morning, and apparently the clouds now delivered on their threat. I imagined myself standing outside the gate without buttons to push as the rain soaked through my t-shirt, jeans and thin cardigan.
I assessed the landing where I could be waiting for most of the day. A thick wool rug covered the floor and a small table fit flush against the wall with a flat back.
The other half curled out in a semi-circle. On the table sat a round fishbowl with aqua-colored rocks in the bottom. A goldfish swished back and forth in the dim light. How strange, I thought, as I became entranced watching the fish make his circles, pausing to open and close his mouth in my direction a few seconds before swimming around again.
I sank to the floor with my back against the wall, like the little table. I would be able to hear or see either door if it should open. I might as well rest my tired feet. I debated undoing those ankle straps. But I decided to simply rub at the sore spots while leaving the sandals buckled. Who knew when I’d have to make a dash to catch someone?
I sat where I could gaze at the fish, and his endless rounds made me feel calm. I could feel my breath becoming slower and deeper. I knew I’d find Scarlett today; I just needed to be patient. Slow and steady, I told myself as I became more mesmerized with the striking orange fish.
Suddenly the fish ducked inside one of his faux coral hiding spots. I hadn’t moved or startled him. I glanced around, moving only my eyes, and I saw the reason for the fish’s abrupt disappearance. A handsome black-and- white cat crawled stealthily up the stairs. His front paws perched on the top step, and his nose and eyes just peeked between the paws. The rest of his body must be poised on the stairs below, ready to pounce on the table and snatch up the fish.
The cat moved only his eyes too, but they found me, and he froze. I was going to ruin his attempt at breakfast. I smiled. I missed my own cat Puck. His warmth on my lap, the way his purring could put me into a trance of well-being. This cat on the stairs seemed to have accepted the fact that an actual person sat in the stairwell. His eyes locked with mine, and I saw his body relax. He would not need to pounce after all. He turned to look at the fishbowl, but the wise goldfish remained hidden.
“It’s okay,” I said. I held out my hand, palm up, toward the cat. “Here, kitty. Come see me.” I didn’t have anything to offer him, but if he smelled my hand, he might let me pet him, rub my hand over his soft fur, gain some sort of relief from contact with another living creature.
“Come on, boy,” I said, making an assumption about his gender. It didn’t matter because the cat probably didn’t understand English anyway. My voice was soft and soothing as I tried to coax him. Suddenly, a desire overwhelmed me to hold a cat on my lap, stroke his soft back, and feel his purr kick in and vibrate against me.
Even a cat that didn’t understand English must sense distress and want to comfort a human. To feel some sort of release from the past two days would be such a respite.
“It’s okay; you’re safe,” I said. “Come on.” I had moved from sitting on the floor to perching on my knees as I held my hand closer to the cat. Suddenly, the cat streaked past me. I expected it to stop abruptly at the closed door of the apartment, but it continued to zoom through the legs of a man and down the hallway beyond. The door stood open now when it had definitely been closed the whole time I waited.
I looked up from the floor, drinking in the man whose brown leather Lacoste shoes stood before me. The little alligator near the heel marked them as Lacoste, and I couldn’t decide if I would adore or detest the pomposity of the shoes.
Brown jeans encased the man’s long legs, and he wore a white broadcloth shirt unbuttoned at the top. A loose cotton scarf with blue and gold draped loosely around his neck.
“Are you trying to seduce my cat?” The timbre of his deep voice, still thick with sleep, mixed with the French accent on the English words sent a quiver through me. His words sounded like a promise and a warning.
“Seduce?” My voice rose at the end of the word and came out like an irritating crow’s caw, in comparison to his smooth accent.

VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 25
Review by Denise

Friday, May 26
Review + Excerpt + Giveaway at Locks, Hooks and Books

Tuesday, May 30
Review by Andrea

Thursday, June 1
Review by Kim

Friday, June 16
Review + Excerpt + Giveaway at Bookalicious Traveladdict

   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paulita Kincer has an M.A. in journalism from American University. She has traveled to France 11 times, and still finds more to lure her back. She currently teaches college English and lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her three children, two cats and one husband.

Visit her website www.paulitakincer.com 
and her blog at http://www.paulitaponderings.blogspot.com
or follow her on Twitter @paulitakincer and Instagram
Like her Facebook page at Paulita Kincer Writer.
Email paulita@paulitakincer.com
Buy the book (print, ebook audiobook):  Amazon

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

MY REVIEW:

Paris Runaway starts off with any parent's nightmare. Sadie finds that her teen daughter, Scarlet, has lied to her about her whereabouts and has actually run away to her classmate Luc's home in Paris. I would be beside myself and not have a clue what to do. Sadie? She just hops on the next flight to Paris and begins her search. I have to say, I admire her courage and determination. I just could not imagine going into a foreign country alone. With the seriousness of the situation aside, I did find myself laughing out loud at some of her antics going through the city. Then she finally finds Luc's father, Auguste, who just discovers that his son is, also, missing. They wind up on quite an adventure they never thought possible. I did not expect the twist to where they would end up next.

I did like this book. It has a perfect combination I love in a story, some laughs, mystery, suspense, adventure, action, and romance. I highly recommend it!

Five stars

I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This book review is 100% my own honest opinion.

Note to my clean readers: There is some foul language and mild explicit scenes within the book.

Review: Mighty to Save (Texas Romance #9) by Caryl McAdoo + Giveaway

Amazon

Mighty to Save is the ninth installment from Caryl McAdoo's Texas Romance series. Evelyn marries Nathaniel against her parent's wishes. They did not like he was a nonbeliever of Christ. But eventually he does become a believer and even become a preacher. A beautiful story of faith and forgiveness.

I found Mighty to Save to be a pretty good read. It is a kind of read that plays on a reader's emotions. There are scenes of heartache and tears and, also, tender, romantic moments. Such a great beautiful story to show the joy of faith and redemption. I would recommend this book to those who love Christian Historical Fiction. I hope there will be a tenth book of the series in the future.

Five stars.

I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.


Now, I have a surprise for my followers! Caryl McAdoo is offering to giveaway a print copy of Vow Unbroken (Texas Romance #1). If you would like to enter to win a copy, please leave a comment telling me if you have read any of the books from the Texas Romance series. If so, which ones?

For extra entries, leave a separate comment for each way you follow me(Bloglovin, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, GFC or Email)

If we are not friends on Facebook, don't forget to leave your email address (do the format like this to avoid spam: janedoe at something dot com), so I can get in touch with you if you win. Giveaway will be open until June 7 and I will contact the winner then. Good Luck!

Review: Jefferson's America: The President, The Purchase, and The Explorers Who Transformed a Nation by Julie M Fenster

Amazon

Jefferson's America: The President, The Purchase, and The Explorers Who Transformed a Nation is an interesting read. It tells the story about the discovery, exploration, and consequences of the Louisiana Purchase. I learned more about the Louisiana Purchase than I had known before. I had no idea that Thomas Jefferson and America were facing war with Spain because of this major purchase for our country in history. I was fascinated by the events. The information was a little overwhelming at times, making me a little bored and needing to put the book down for a bit. My favorite part of the whole book was the end where it tells what happened to the major known explorers after they came back home, such as, William Clark, Meriwether Lewis, and Sacajawea.

I would recommend this book for those who enjoy nonfiction about American history.

Four stars

I received this book from Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

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Review: Trusting Grace (Virtues and Vices of the Wild West #3) by Maggie Brendan

Amazon

Trusting Grace is the third book from the Virtues and Vices of the Wild West series by Maggie Brendan. In this installment, widowed and childless, Grace Bidwell, is taking care of her ailing father and struggles to run a farm alone. She posts a help wanted ad in town to hire someone at the farm. Widower Robert Frasier, comes to town with three children in tow. He has a lot of hurt and bitterness toward his late wife and trusts no woman. When Grace meets the three precious children, she instantly connects with them. Feelings begin to grow between Robert and Grace, but can they get over the past to move forward?

I thought Trusting Grace was a pretty good read. Even though it was predictable, I still enjoyed it. I like the characters of Grace and Robert but Grace's father and Stella were my favorites. The story is sweet with the lesson of learning how to have faith, taking chances, moving on from the past, and being able to forgive. I would give this book four out of five stars and believe it is most definitely a worth a read. 

I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% it's my own honest opinion.

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Wings of the Wind (Out From Egypt #3) by Connilyn Cossette

Amazon

Wings of the Wind is book three from Connilyn Cosette's Out From Egypt series. In this installment, the reader is introduced to Canaanite, Alanah, who had lost her family by the Hebrews. She seeks revenge and goes to battle against them. She is then injured and meets Hebrew Tobiah. He feels he must protect her and marries her. She finds peace until her past comes back and she finds herself in danger. How will she survive?

I enjoyed Wings of the Wind. I thought it was a good piece of Biblical Fiction. The author's vision of how the people lived during those times were vivid and I felt like I was right there living among them. I instantly fell in love with Tobiah. His love of faith was admirable and how he wanted to protect Alanah was sweet.

I would most definitely recommend Wings of the Wind, as well as, the rest of the Out From Egypt series.

A well-deserved 5+ stars.

I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

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Review: Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson

Amazon

Catching the Wind may my favorite book written by Melanie Dobson yet. It starts off during World War II Germany with Brigitte Berthold and Daniel Knight escaping the Gestapo, who had already their parents. Their journey takes them to England where they are separated. These two go to a place in history they never thought possible.

I love this story! Melanie Dobson has weaved quite a tale. To be honest, I was not sure what I thought of Quenby in the beginning. I quickly began to like her more and more as I continued to read. The mystery of what happened to Brigitte kept me guessing where she was. Is she alive? Did she die during the war? Where was she? I could not have predicted how it all unfolded. One of the best books I have read in a very long time. This book is a keeper!

An excellent novel that I highly recommend. I would most definitely give this story 100 stars if I could.

I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is of my own honest opinion.

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The Hidden Thread Blog Tour (Plus Giveaway)

The Hidden Thread Blog Tour

Title: The Hidden Thread

Author: Liz Trenow

Publication Date: May 1^st, 2017

Publication Date: Trade Paperback

ISBN: 9781492637516

Summary: The Hidden Thread is a breathtaking novel about the intricate craft of silk and the heartbreak of forbidden love.

When Anna Butterfield’s mother dies, she’s sent to live with her uncle, a silk merchant in London, to make a good match and provide for her father and sister. There, she meets Henri, a French immigrant and apprentice hoping to become a master weaver. But Henri, born into a lower class, becomes embroiled in the silk riots that break out as weavers protest for a fair wage.

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/2oD9jdX

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2o4BGQL

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2oDa5rC

Book Depository: http://bit.ly/2oK9i4W

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2nc4tE4

About the Author: Liz Trenow is a former BBC and newspaper journalist, now working freelance. She is also the author of The Last Telegram.

Connect with Liz: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway

3 Finished Copies of The Hidden Thread, US Only

Click Here to Enter the Giveaway

My Review:

Hidden Thread is set in London England during the 1760s. Anna Butterfield's mother passes away and her father sends her to live with her uncle in London, who is a silk merchant. She meets an immigrant from France, Henri. Henri hopes to one day be a Master Weaver. Both are attracted to one another but because they are from two different worlds, it is forbidden for them to be together.

I did find Anna and Henri's story in the Hidden Thread to be pretty good. I found the struggles of the merchants to be quite interesting. I had no idea that this was part of English history and found it to be intriguing and refreshing. I found the book to be emotional at times with the challenges Anna and Henri face. Though I did enjoy other books by Liz Trenow more, I still think this is a must read. 

4 1/2 stars.

I received this book from NetGalley.com, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

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A Love So True (Teaville Moral Society #2) by Melissa Jagears

Amazon

A Love So True is the second novel from Melissa Jagears's series, Teaville Moral Society. Evelyn Wisely loves working at the orphanage but wants to help others, as well. Her employer agrees to help her build a shelter for the women of Teaville if she gets the approval from others in town. She finds an ally in David Kingsman, a local businessman. They develop a partnership that could be more than they bargained for.

I enjoyed A Love So True. I admired Evelyn's determination to help those who had fallen on hard times and had hope to give them a new life they never have imagined without her help. Evelyn is such a strong woman of her time. I love the character of David and loved how he grew throughout. This story had some really serious scenes that were hard to read, as well as some tender, sweet moments. I love how it all came together in the end.

4 1/2 stars.

I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

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Review: Home on the Range (Double S Ranch #2) by Ruth Logan Herne

Amazon

Home On the Range is the second book from Ruth Logan Herne's series, Double S Ranch. This installment involves Colt Stafford's brother, Nick. He is still dealing with his ex-wife, Whitney, leaving their family three years earlier. Struggling being a single dad to his two little girls, he gets the help he needs from psychologist Dr. Elsa Andreas. Elsa, too, had her own struggles in the past and has to learn to trust herself and live again. Just when things were coming together, Whitney shows up, turning everyone's world upside down.

I absolutely love the first book of the series, Back in the Saddle, and could not wait to continue the series. Home On the Range did not disappoint! I was not sure if I really cared for Nick when I first was introduced to him and Back in the Saddle. He sure did grow on me! I sure love his sweet little girls. My heart just ache for them not having their mother, but admired Nick's courage and determination to be a good dad to them. They were so cute with Elsa and love the authors comedic references to the Disney movie, Frozen.

I truly enjoyed everything about this story. It is beautiful, tender, well written with some laugh out loud moments, and more importantly, a wonderful reminder it is never too late to forgive and move forward. Looking forward to the third book of the series.

5+ stars.

I received this book from Blogging for Books program. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

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