Washington D.C. is gripped with fear at the hands of a deadly serial bomber. Religious icons and buildings are being targeted at an alarming rate, and lives are being lost. Former FBI agent Dinah Harris begins consulting on the case, sorting through both clues and unexpected challenges, professionally and personally, determined to find the kiey to solving this crisis.The past impacts the present as a troubled family and a marriage fall slowly apart from the burdens of guilt and the pain of domestic violence. Confronting doubt and troubling questions of faith, Dinah will struggle to triumph in a story that highlights the redemptive grace of Christ to change even the most broken or evil life.Through the painstaking investigation, it becomes clear that the bomber is angry at God and on a twisted mission as an avenging ‘angel of justice.’ Dinah focuses on the bombers disturbingly humanistic motives, while authorities race to stop the violence. Will the bomber complete his deadly goal or can Dinah save the next victim – and herself – before time runs out?

The final chapter is this thrilling fiction trilogy!

Julie Cave divides her time between being a wife, a mother, and an author in Brisbane, Australia with her family. Her newest book is the compelling sequel to Deadly Disclosures and The Shadowed Mind.

Visit Julie’s website at www.juliecave.com

My Impressions:

The last installment of Julie Cave’s Dinah Harris mystery series, Pieces of Light, left me wanting more — more great mysteries by this talented author! Cave has again penned a well-researched psychological mystery this time featuring the effects of abuse on children.  A serial bomber is targeting churches in the DC area with the aim of getting his message out — stop helping the abusers and focus on their victims.  The continuing story of Senator David Winter is also wrapped up with a very satisfying conclusion.  And Dinah continues to grow in her Christian faith, relying on small group accountability to keep her from alcohol.

I recommend anyone who likes a mystery that makes them think and has a very positive Christian message to pick up all three of these books by Julie Cave.  I just hope that Cave has more books in the works.  I would especially like reading more books starring Dinah Harris.

Click on the following titles to read my reviews of Deadly Disclosures and The Shadowed Mind.

(I received Pieces of Light from the author in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

“Be still and know that I am God.” is one of the most beautiful verses from the Bible, but it’s not easy to practice in this busy world. Mornings with Jesus will help you do just that—“be still” in Jesus’ beautiful and powerful presence. For those who are seeking a deeper experience in their relationship with Christ, Mornings with Jesus offers a fresh perspective of who Jesus is (the Healer, the Son of God, the Comforter, the Good Shepherd) and what that means for day-to-day life. With a warm and friendly voice, 365 short devotional writings on the character and teachings of Jesus encourage readers to greet each day by drawing near to Him and inviting His presence into their day. Spend time with Jesus at the beginning of each day and experience His nearness and peace in a new way throughout the year. Each day’s selection includes: • a Bible verse • an entry based on Jesus: His words, miracles, and parables; His wisdom, compassion, and comfort; His mystery, power, divinity, and humanity • a “faith step” that will inspire and challenge readers to apply the day’s message to their lives.

My Impressions:

What a wonderful way to start the day:  Mornings With Jesus 2012!  I have been using this devotional since I received it and it never fails to bring a new insight and a new challenge to my day.  There is a devotional for every day of the week.  A verse of scripture, a personal story from one of the authors and a prompt for going a little deeper is included in each day’s offering.  Perfect for a quick start to your day, I Highly Recommend that you try Mornings With Jesus 2012.  It may just be the thing for you to get your mind on living a Christ-filled life.

Find out what others are saying about Mornings With Jesus 2012 by clicking HERE.

(I received Mornings With Jesus 2012 from LitFuse in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

And the winner of a copy of Mornings With Jesus 2012 is Its Time To Read Mamaw!  Thanks to all who entered the giveaway.

Excerpt

Mel Starr was born and grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He graduated from Spring Arbor High School in 1960, and Greenville College (Illinois) in 1964. He received an MA in history from Western Michigan University in 1970. He taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, thirty-five of those in Portage, MI, where he retired in 2003 as chairman of the social studies department of Portage Northern High School.

Mel married Susan Brock in 1965, and they have two daughters; Amy (Kevin) Kwilinski, of Naperville, IL, and Jennifer (Jeremy) Reivitt, of Portage, MI. Mel and Susan have seven grandchildren.

My Impressions:

Looking for a mystery that will keep you guessing to the end?  Like a historical novel that makes you feel like you are there?  Then pick up Mel Starr’s newest medieval mystery, Unhallowed Ground.  Hugh de Singleton is back in Bampton enjoying the first months of his new marriage to his beautiful and intelligent Kate when he is thrust into the mysterious death of Thomas atte Bridge.  Thomas is an old nemesis of Hugh’s and it seems the rest of the town. No one, save his widow, is mourning his death.  But what is ruled a suicide by the local coroner may not be what it seems.

The fourth book in the series, Unhallowed Ground can easily be read as a stand alone.  There is some back story involved, but not enough for the reader to feel at sea.  Hugh, the bailiff to the local gentry and Paris trained surgeon, turns his attention to detective work with a keen eye for clues, that although limited by the absence of technology and the addition of superstition, rivals any 21st century detective.  Starr brings us a thoughtful and thorough investigator who will satisfy any mystery reader out there.  And Starr’s wonderful research of the 14th century adds authenticity — from mealtimes to building techniques to the practice of medicine.  Here is a great way to visit Merry Old England without the worry of time travel or the Black Plague.

Again the character of Hugh is well developed.  He struggles with the conventional wisdom of the day as well as his role in seeking justice for a man most deem undeserving.  And Kate continues to be a wonderful helpmate to Hugh.  This is my second book to read in the series and I look forward to many more.  (Please see my review of A Trail of Ink HERE.)

Highly Recommended.

(I received Unhallowed Ground from Kregel Publishers in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for college and out of harm’s way. It has always been easy– until senior year of high school. Suddenly she is at a loss. Nothing feels safe anymore; every time her kids leave the house, she worries about them.

On a hot summer’s night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget…or the courage to forgive.

Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, Night Road raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope. This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love.

Excerpt

Sue Duffy is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in Moody Magazine, The Presbyterian Journal, Sunday Digest, and The Christian Reader. She is the author of Mortal Wounds (Barbour, 2001) and Fatal Loyalty (Kregel, 2010). Sue has also contributed to Stories for a Woman’s Heart (Multnomah). She and her husband, Mike, have three grown children.

Find out more at www.sueduffybooks.com.

My Impressions:

The Sound of Red Returning is a fast-paced suspense novel with a lot of romance thrown in.  Liesl Bower is a world renowned concert pianist who has just been targeted by rogue Russian spies determined to bring the glory of Soviet Russia back.  Liesl’s mentor was a spy who before his murder was coming back to the American side.  The knowledge he held was thought to have been buried with him, but fifteen years later many believe Liesl is the key to a conspiracy set to change the power structure of not only the Middle East, but the world as well.

I liked the overall premise of this story — spies and double agents, FBI and CIA operatives desperately trying to uncover a mole(s) in the upper reaches of world governments and unsuspecting civilians getting mixed up in the mess.  But there were some things about the story that just bugged me.  I found the portrayal of FBI and CIA agents unrealistic.  They seemed to be bumbling around — something that would have gotten them removed from a case this sensitive.  And I don’t think that two of the characters that enter the mix — Cade (Liesl’s love interest) and his grandfather, Ian — would have been allowed anywhere near Liesl until the crisis was resolved.   Liesl’s character was annoying as well, but I think that was the point.  She became much more sympathetic as the book went on.  I also was not fond of the use of flashbacks and multiple, seemingly unrelated story lines that took up the first third of the book.  I wanted the action to get going.

So I seem a bit negative, huh?   It could just be me.  So, I recommend reading what others on the tour have to say to get the full feel for The Sound of Red Returning.  Click HERE for other readers’ take on the novel.

(I received The Sound of Red Returning from LitFuse in return for an honest review.  The opinions stated are mine alone.)

Sue Duffy and her publisher, Kregel Publications, are giving away a “Red Returning” prize package worth over $200 to one lucky winner!!!! (1/23-2/11)

Enter the Sue Duffy’s Giveaway today and you could win:

* A brand new Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
* The Sound of Red Returning by Sue Duffy

To enter click one of the icons below. But, hurry! The giveway ends on 2/11.  Sue will be announcing the winner of the “Red Returning” Giveaway on February 13th on the Litfuse website!

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop is

Kara D.!

Thanks to all who entered.

A suspense-filled mystery which answers an ominous question:

Who will be found worthy to live; who is the next victim?

After the deadly investigation into the Smithsonian murders, Dinah Harris is now facing a daily battle to keep her sobriety while struggling to form a new career from the ashes of her former job as an FBI agent. From the shadows will emerge a cunning and terrifying killer, who carefully and methodically will decide whose life has value to society and whose does not.

Using her profiling and security skills as a private consultant based in Washington, DC, Dinah uncovers a connection to the shadowy world of neo-eugenics, and those who publicly denounce the killings but privately support a much different view.

Against this backdrop, Dinah must come to terms with her own past, as those associated with the deepening mystery face their own personal demons, and struggle with the concept of God’s inexhaustible grace and forgiveness. Old secrets are revealed, tragedies unearthed, and the devastating legacy of science without compassion is finally brought to light.

Julie Cave divides her time between being a wife, a mother, and an author in Brisbane, Australia with her family. Her newest book is the compelling sequel to Deadly Disclosures and The Shadowed Mind.

Visit Julie’s website at www.juliecave.com

My Impressions:

The Shadowed Mind is the second installment in the Dinah Harris Mystery series by Julie Cave, and it is better than the first!  (See my review of Deadly Disclosures HERE.)  The first book in the series involved the evolution/creation science debate.  This time around eugenics is the motivation for murder.  What results is a chilling story that is just a little too believable.

A serial killer is on the loose in Washington DC.  He is targeting those he deems unworthy of life — the homeless, the addicted, the disabled.  Dinah Harris, now an ex-FBI agent, is called in to consult with the DC police in profiling the killer. She pairs up with the imposing and closed mouthed  veteran detective, Samson Cage.  She is also sober for the first time in a long time, but still feels the strong pull of her addiction.  Together Dinah and Cage work to stop a killer who has given up morality in favor of the greater good of society.

Julie Cave has written a complex mystery that combines police work with the background of eugenics.  I learned a lot about the policy that flourished in America in the early 20th century, only to fall out of favor due to the atrocities of Nazi Germany.  It is hard to read what passed as science and social progress, but was just plain bigotry and ignorance.  Cave does a good job of presenting the other side — the value of all human life in God’s eyes.

So far Cave’s series just gets better and better.  Dinah continues to grow as a character, and Cave hasn’t forgotten about that extreme villain, Senator Winters. I am sure he will be playing a major role in the next book, Pieces of Light.  I can’t wait to get to it!

Recommended.

(I received The Shadowed Mind from the author in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci’s masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers’ adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on–and the runners are playing for keeps.

Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW’s Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas.  (www.triciagoyer.com)

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier and the bestselling Every Man’s Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California.   (www.mikeyorkey.com)

My Impressions:

Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey is a suspense-filled historical jaunt through the waning months of WWII.  Set on the eve of the liberation of Paris, two Swiss OSS agents, Gabi and Eric, are charged with getting supplies to the Paris resistance leaders.  But they find themselves caught in even greater peril than they bargained for.  The Germans are pulling out, but not before one last attempt to wreak havoc on the French.  That includes making off with the most valuable painting in France, perhaps the world — the Mona Lisa. But the political stakes of a new France are high and friends can quickly become foes.

The sequel to The Swiss Courier, Chasing Mona Lisa is easily a stand alone read.  Having not read the first novel, I had no trouble getting into the action of this book.  And the book is non-stop action.  It is also a well-researched historical novel.  I found myself saying I didn’t know that several times.  If you like a book that takes you on a chase through several countries with twists and turns along the way or if you like fiction with a good mix of historic figures and believable fictional characters, Chasing Mona Lisa is for you.  I know I liked it.  Now I just have to go and get book 1!

Recommended.

Want to know what others are saying about Chasing Mona Lisa? Click HERE.

(I received Chasing Mona Lisa from LitFuse in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

About the iTouch SPY Prize Pack Giveaway:

Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The Swiss Courier). This time the duo are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world  - the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!

One passionate protector will receive:

• iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps & Music.)
• Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights.)
• Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes.)
• Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes.)
• Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Great handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on January 31st. Winner will be announced at Chasing Mona Lisa Facebook Party on 1/31. Tricia and Mike will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from Tricia’s website) and giving away copies of their books and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Tricia and Mike.)

So grab your copy of Chasing Mona Lisa and join Tricia and Mike on the evening of the 31st for an author chat, spy training (How much do you know about WWII?) and lots of giveaways.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Have you made some reading resolutions this year?  Perhaps you want to read more or just read different genres?  Well, my giveaway will help you achieve your goals!  I am giving away a package of 4 books — one each of historical fiction, memoir, modern classic and mystery.  To enter, just leave me a comment including your email address.  (Please note:  an email address MUST be included in the body of the comment for the entry to be eligible.)  

Good luck and happy reading!

The Prize Package:

Wolves Among Us - When a double murder stirs up festering fears in a tiny medieval German village, a charismatic inquisitor answers their call for help. But when he offers a deadly mix of spiritual fervor and self-deceptive evil, women soon become his targets. Will any villagers dare to listen to another Voice—and discover the power of love?

The Place of Belonging — It’s not easy being the child of a single mother living in Big Sky country during the 1940s. But sometimes fitting in isn’t the best way to discover who you are. Faulkner’s story of a girl struggling to find her place in a blended Montana farm family explores how separation and loss can bring wholeness.

I Capture The Castle -- I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle’s walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has “captured the castle”– and the heart of the reader– in one of literature’s most enchanting entertainments.

Miss Pym Disposes – Miss Lucy Pym, a popular English psychologist, is guest lecturer at a physical training college. The year’s term is nearly over, and Miss Pym — inquisitive and observant — detects a furtiveness in the behavior of one student during a final exam. She prevents the girl from cheating by destroying her crib notes. But Miss Pym’s cover-up of one crime precipitates another — a fatal “accident” that only her psychological theories can prove was really murder.

Gloria’s relationship with her daughter is tattered and strained, and the arrival of Kai, despite the woman’s apparent good intentions, makes Gloria fearful. Gloria longs to restore her relationship with Lily, but in the wake of this potentially devastating diagnosis, is Kai an answer to prayer–or will her arrival force Gloria to sacrifice more than she ever imagined?

Excerpt

Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University with a BS in education and completed master’s-level courses in English at Indiana State University. She taught at Heartland Community College until May 2006, when she resigned to pursue her passion of writing. The author of three previous novels, Patti is the mother of two grown children and lives with her husband in Normal, Illinois.

My Impressions:

Wow, what a wonderful story!  Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy is sure to be on my best of the best list for 2012!  Lacy’s latest novel is a complex study in western and eastern cultures, teenager turmoil and the life and death struggle of a serious disease. Sounds like a lot is going on, right?  There is, but Lacy deftly weaves all the elements into an unputdownable read.

Joy Powell is a very troubled teenager.  Brought to the United States from China by her adoptive parents, Joy has struggled with her identity and the prejudice of others almost from the start.  Her parents, Gloria and Andrew are clueless as to how to help her.  Enter a previously unknown sister, Kai, who brings some potentially devastating news about Joy’s Chinese family’s health history.  Kai long ago vowed to reclaim Joy/Lily for the Chang family and has worked hard to get to the point to do it.

Reclaiming Lily was difficult at first to read.  There are major differences between western and eastern cultures that Lacy presents.  It was hard to connect with Kai and her very Chinese way of looking at things.  Then there is the character of Gloria — an overprotective mother determined to do the right thing, but failing miserably.  And Joy/Lily is the teenager every parent fears.  But as the story unfolded, the characters became so real and believable.  And the story of reclamation, new starts and new life is beautifully profound.

Reclaiming Lily is simply a wonderful story.  You need to read it!

Highly Recommended.

(I received Reclaiming Lily from Bethany House Publishers in return for a review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)