Lethal Remedy by Richard L. Mabry

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


LETHAL REMEDY was a bit of a disappointment. I say “a bit” because there were still parts that I enjoyed, but unfortunately it still left me wanting. While I really enjoyed books one and two in the Prescription for Trouble series, the last two were not as well rounded. Now– I am reviewing this book from a female perspective, and the parts of the book I felt were lacking were the relational influence between characters, but I also am a suspense reader and I felt the tie-up in this novel was rushed and lackluster.

Dr. Sarah Miles is struggling on many fronts. The collapse of her marriage, the loss of a child, and now, one of her patients is under attack by a deadly disease that only her ex-husband’s research can help her with. But the more Sarah researches this new wonder drug, the more she realizes it’s a potential killer and someone is willing to silence her before she can make her findings known. As she teams up with fellow physicians, personal attractions arise, but that is where they are left.

The first third of this book was difficult to get into. In fact, when I read the forward and realized book four was an add-on, I felt that answered a lot of questions. It just didn’t have the impact as books one and two. Multiple characters were introduced, but none of them, other than Sarah were really fleshed out. Mabry tugged on heartstrings here and there, but that only left me wanting more. But, that is something I’ve come to realize with male authors. Sometimes they lack on the emotional front. The conclusion was a bit anticlimactic and rushed. In fact, I read the wrap-up without even realizing it.

All that to say, I haven’t given up on Richard Mabry, I would still probably buy his future books, hoping they have the intensity of his first two installments.




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Attracted to Fire by DiAnn Mills

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


ATTRACTED TO FIRE by DiAnn Mills was good, but didn’t quite have that something extra I am use to.

Special Agent Meghan Connors has been called upon to protect the Vice President’s daughter. She will have to work double time protecting Lindsay Hall from not only the person who is threatening her, but from her own self-inflicted pain. Drugs and alcohol have forced Lindsay into multiple rehabs, but her true demon is not substance abuse but the person who has haunted her since her childhood. Meghan realizes Lindsay is hiding something more than the influences of the party world she delves into, but Lindsay is too terrified to admit her true fears.

On top of the complexities that come with guarding a teenager bent on hurting herself and those around her, Meghan must also deal with Ash Zinders the special agent in charge of the task force. Zinders has made it quite clear that he does not believe women should be allowed in the Secret Service. He is hyper critical and looking for any deficits in Meghan’s ability so he can cut her from his team. But since she was hand selected by the Vice President, he has to put his personal feelings aside and work with Meghan. It doesn’t take long for Zinders to see the positive influence Meghan has on Lindsay. And try as he might he can’t ignore the impact Meghan is having on him as well.

Overall, I enjoyed ATTRACTED TO FIRE. I just found some of the dialog below par for DiAnn Mills. The beginning was slower than usual and it took a while for me to attach myself to the characters. There were a few threads left dangling, like what was behind Meghan’s cancelled engagement and her difficult relationship with her mom. The last third of the book picked up and felt more like the stories I have come to expect from DiAnn Mills.




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My Review - God in a Brothel

God in a Brothel: An Undercover Journey into Sex Trafficking and Rescue by Daniel Walker

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The choice to read GOD IN A BROTHEL has to be a personal one. Daniel Walker (pseudonym) at times is graphic and conjures up vivid pictures of the victims in the human trafficking world. I found it incomprehensible that victims of such young ages are the preferred choice in this horrendous business. The author is honest in how his constant exposure to this world of sex, stimulation, and sensuality, wore down his astuteness and unfortunately lured him to cross the line into the world he was trying so hard to expose. This book does speak of his numerous successes in exposing sex trafficking rings around the world at the price of his own personal life. At times, I did get tired of reading the numerous “I’s” in this book and felt an underlying arrogance in the writers retelling of his journey and his successes, almost as if he was trying to justify his personal failures against the overall good that his missions accomplished. I had to continue to tell myself this was one person telling of his personal accounts and how even in his writings Walker explained on many occasions that he was a lone light in an otherwise dark world. So of course, his recounting of his missions would be self based. Other than that, this book revealed how truly deep the depravity of man is, and how some people are so lured by self gratification they see their victims as nothing more than an end to their own self-interested needs. From the pimps who buy and sell these women and young girls, to the authorities and government officials who turn a blind eye to the evil that is happening within their own regions, the love of sex, money, and power is never more vividly portrayed than when the catalyst that elevates these men and women to power is done on the backs of the ones who are the young, weak, and forgotten. A candid expose with no happily-ever-after.



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To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


TO WIN HER HEART by Karen Witemeyer was an enjoyable read set in my favorite era.

Eden Spencer is the town librarian and satisfied that will be her future. After a failed engagement, Eden has no desire to start another relationship. But, when Levi Grant, the new town blacksmith shows up, her disinterested first impression of the man with the awkward speech soon turns to interest.

Levi Grant is grateful for a fresh start. After serving a prison sentence for an unforeseen accident, Levi finds himself in Spencer, Texas as the town’s blacksmith. Smitten with Eden, the town librarian, his hopes are dashed when he learns of her exception to violence, even if deemed necessary. But, when he decides to woo her with his knowledge of literature, she soon warms to him.

TO WIN HER HEART was a good read with warm characters. Levi made for the perfect hero, while Eden was your normal jilted, relationship gun-shy heroine. Triumph over odds is the plotline, though not new by any means, Witemeyer makes it seem fresh.




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A Sound Among the Trees: A Novel by Susan Meissner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A SOUND AMONG THE TREES had a rather unique story to tell. I would not classify this book as a Christian novel since there were so few references to God, and only one character towards the end of the book really comes out and says her life was changed by her relationship with the Lord. Everyone else in the book seems to be walking around their present life on eggshells, not wanting to infringe on the lives of those around them or do anything to upset the supposed haunted mansion of Holly Oak.

A trio of characters and the house itself takes the lead at different times throughout this novel. Broken up into five different sections, mostly regarding the mansion–and one section entirely devoted to a string of letters written by one of the women of Holly Oak during the Civil War, this novel had me stymied as to what the message is the author was trying to get across to the reader.

When I came to the section devoted to the letters written by Susannah Page–the woman believed to be haunting the antebellum mansion–I was not thrilled. Reading 100+ pages entirely in letter form had the possibility of turning me off completely. But, instead, it really was a unique way to allow the reader to get to know Susannah Page, and separate her from the rumored stories that had given her credit for the houses foreboding and oppressive vibe.

In the end, I liked A SOUND AMONG THE TREES, though it was mildly melancholy. The darkness of the story of both what went on in the house, and the house’s affect on the characters brought about despair. If the secrets that had been hidden in the house had come to light sooner, the characters would not have had to live their lives, always with a sense foreboding, instead of embracing the historical events that took place in times gone by.

Book provided for review purposes.



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Can A Successful Executive See More Than A Single Mom Struggling To Provide Christmas For Her Daughter?

Dan Walsh Returns With Another Christmas Story Full of Nostalgia, Wonder, And Hope

Award-winning author Dan Walsh creates a nostalgic, Christmas story that takes readers back in time in Remembering Christmas (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1979-1, 272 pages, September 2011.) A time not so long ago in 1980 when IBM had not yet launched the personal computer; the Boombox was hot; Reality TV was unheard of; MTV was just launching; Ronald Reagan was president; the Winter Olympics witnessed the USA team defeat the favored Soviet team and win the gold; and Rick Denton was in pursuit of his career goals and climbing the corporate ladder.

During this time, the holiday season only slowed Rick from his frenetic normal pace. For Rick, holiday downtime for everyone else meant extra time to get ahead on goals and returning calls. His goal in life was to work hard, play hard, live life on his terms, and answer to no one.

Then the phone call came from his mother during Thanksgiving weekend informing him about his stepfather’s stroke. His mom needed Rick’s help at the little run-down bookstore they owned. He has never liked Art, his stepfather and resents the man's presence in his life, despite the fact that his own father abandoned the family when Rick was just twelve. Reluctantly Rick agrees to help and when he arrives at the store, he soon discovers that a few days of managing the store turn into a few weeks.

While there Rick meets the patrons of the Book Nook – some quirky, some homeless, some chatty, some hip and cool - and one a lovely young woman who trains him on the job. He tends to judge them all-- until a moment of truth and discovery: the true meaning of Christmas.

With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story that will have readers remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas.

Dan Walsh is the award-winning author of The Unfinished Gift, The Homecoming, and The Deepest Waters. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for 25 years. He lives with his family in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

My Review - Remembering Christmas

4 out of 5 stars

REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS is a delightful, feel-good, book that ushers in the spirit of Christmas.

Rick Denton is your typical success-driven businessman. He has distanced himself from his mother and the stepfather he refused to let into his life. But, when he receives a frantic phone call from his mother Thanksgiving weekend, he has no choice but to scrub his skiing plans and go back home. Though his heart is a bit calloused, he still loves his mother and hates to see her feeling so desperate. So, against his better judgment, he agrees to run the family bookstore while his stepfather’s recovery is a touch-and-go situation. When Andrea, a part time worker, shows him the ropes at The Book Nook, he decides his time in Seabreeze might not be so bad after all. If he could only get rid of the homeless man that continues to lurk around the store.

REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS seems a bit contradictory. While much of the book has the characters struggling with possible loss, rejection, sickness, homelessness, single-parenthood, financial woes, and emotional roller-coasters, you can’t help but have hope for each of the characters and where it is in their walk that the Lord meets them and fills their needs. Definitely a feel good book that is written with such richness, you can imagine the musty old bookstore, sense the draft in Andrea’s small apartment, and feel the smiles that fill the faces of those who love Rick and are so thankful for his new lease on life.

“Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Book provided for review purposes.

Can a Christmas Store and a Stranger Bring Change to Small Town?

Much-Anticipated Christmas Novella From Award-Winning Author Melody Carlson

In sleepy little Parrish Springs, everyone seems to know everyone else’s business practically before they do. The empty Barton Building has finally sold-- but not to the right person, according to Councilman Snider. He is successful in stirring up the townspeople and turning them against the new owner, Matilda Honeycutt. This older woman with scraggly gray hair and a different fashion sense doesn’t fit into the Parrish Springs tradition. The town is curious and yet afraid of her at the same time. But nothing convinces Matilda to give up her plans for The Christmas Shoppe (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1926-5, $15.99, 176 pages, September 2011) by best-selling author Melody Carlson.

The neighboring shop owners respond in horror when The Christmas Shoppe doesn’t look and feel like all the other charming stores on the town's quaint main street. After all Christmas is approaching, and the last thing the town needs is a junky shop run by someone who looks and acts like a gypsy. But as townsfolk venture into the strange store, they discover that old memories can bring new life, healing, and love.

The Christmas Shoppe, by best-selling author Melody Carlson, offers a touch of Christmas with a mixture of nostalgia, joy, and hope.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than five million. She is the author of several Christmas books from Revell, including the bestselling The Christmas Bus, The Christmas Dog, and Christmas at Harrington’s, which is being considered for a TV movie. She is also the author of many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, Double Take, and the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books in 2010 and 2011. She and her husband live in central Oregon. For more information about Melody visit her website at www.melodycarlson.com.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

My Review - The Christmas Shoppe

3 out of 5 stars

THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPE by Melody Carlson is a quirky story, hedging on the mystical.

Shop owner Matilda Honeycutt has come to the sleepy town of Parrish Springs. But, as she settles in, the town folk are not very welcoming or accepting of Matilda’s eccentricities. Buying a rundown building in the middle of downtown, the town expects Matilda to fix up the store. So, they are not at all pleased that her Christmas Shoppe is nothing more than a secondhand store with tattered and discarded items. As a city councilman stirs the community against Matilda, one by one, the people of Parrish Springs have life-changing encounters with Ms. Honeycutt and her magical store. Hearts changed, love blooms, and forgiveness is given, all because of Matilda’s eclectic merchandise.

Though THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPE was a quick and enchanting read, it was a bit too mystical for me. I enjoyed the growing connection between Tommy and Susanna and so the hurried ending and quick explanation of their relationship left me wanting. But overall, a pleasant story to get you in the mood for the holidays.

Book provided for review.

A Sound Among the Trees: A Novel by Susan Meissner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A SOUND AMONG THE TREES had a rather unique story to tell. I would not classify this book as a Christian novel since there were so few references to God, and only one character towards the end of the book really comes out and says her life was changed by her relationship with the Lord. Everyone else in the book seems to be walking around their present life on eggshells, not wanting to infringe on the lives of those around them or do anything to upset the supposed haunted mansion of Holly Oak.

A trio of characters and the house itself takes the lead at different times throughout this novel. Broken up into five different sections, mostly regarding the mansion–and one section entirely devoted to a string of letters written by one of the women of Holly Oak during the Civil War, this novel had me stymied as to what the message is the author was trying to get across to the reader.

When I came to the section devoted to the letters written by Susannah Page–the woman believed to be haunting the antebellum mansion–I was not thrilled. Reading 100+ pages entirely in letter form had the possibility of turning me off completely. But, instead, it really was a unique way to allow the reader to get to know Susannah Page, and separate her from the rumored stories that had given her credit for the houses foreboding and oppressive vibe.

In the end, I liked A SOUND AMONG THE TREES, though it was mildly melancholy. The darkness of the story of both what went on in the house, and the house’s affect on the characters brought about despair. If the secrets that had been hidden in the house had come to light sooner, the characters would not have had to live their lives, always with a sense foreboding, instead of embracing the historical events that took place in times gone by.

Book provided for review purposes.



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Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


WITHIN MY HEART by Tamera Alexander has all the key elements for a historical romance; a self-confidence heroine, a hero with a haunted pass, and the great outdoors as its glorious setting.

Rachel Boyd is desperate to keep her late husband’s dream alive–to have a prosperous ranch to pass down to their two sons. But her determination wanes as she finds herself deeper in debt. Feeling as if she has nowhere to turn, she concedes and asked Dr. Rand Brookston for help. As talented and handsome as Rand is, he’s a doctor, just like her father. And for Rachel, that’s all she needs to know. She tries to keep her distance from the doctor, but when he continues to surprise her with his selfless acts, the wall around her heart starts to crumble.

Dr. Rand Brookston has left lucrative opportunities in the East in order to offer medicine to those in the Wild West. Settling in Timber Ridge, his dream is to open a medical clinic so he can better serve his patients. But funds are scare, and the townspeople have yet to embrace him fully. When not treating his patients, Rand desires to get to know Rachel Boyd better. But she continues to keep him at arms length. Not sure what it is that Rachel has against him, Rand is determined to break through her stony exterior.

WITHIN MY HEART was quite enjoyable, but then again, it’s exactly what I have come to expect from Tamera Alexander. Though I felt Rachel could’ve thawed sooner to the ever helpful Rand, I knew they would end up together in the end so the personal tug-o-war was just a formality. The Timber Ridge Reflections series was entertaining. Nothing over the top, just a nice story with memorable characters




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