Book Review: Stranger Things by Erin Healy

I enjoyed this suspenseful story that weaves faith and a touch of supernatural.
Stranger Things
by Erin Healy

File Size: 1866 KB
Print Length: 357 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 7, 2014)
ASIN: B00DNBECVQ
Genre: Christian Suspense, Crime
My Rating: 4.5. of 5.0

In the burnt-out hollow, a house of dark secrets and an eerie beauty beckon.
Serena Diaz’s life is imploding. A troubled student has accused the young biology teacher of sexual misconduct, cutting off her promising career just as it was starting to blossom. But that’s just the beginning of Serena’s problems.
When a therapeutic walk in the woods leads her to a ruined house overtaken by criminals, Serena is assaulted and finds herself witness to the senseless murder of the one man who tries to help her.
Hurled into a world of false accusations and hounded by the press, Serena must confront evil itself to unravel the mysterious visions—and terrifying danger—that pursue her. But she can’t ignore the most haunting question: Why would a mysterious stranger give his life to save hers?
The answer, if she can find it, will point the way to her freedom from evil men in a lascivious trade.
“With her typical flair and eloquence, Healy takes readers through an incredible journey that will leave you thinking long after the last page closes.” —Lifeisstory.com
“Healy’s latest is thought-provoking and engaging, and becomes even more so as the story progresses. The author uses courageous characters to address the sex trade crisis. Themes of hope and redemption are seamlessly woven with spiritual elements and a touch of the supernatural.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 stars

Review:
Serena is a dedicated teacher who cares about her teen students. One of those students gets angry when his teacher’s grade threatens his scholarship. He speaks to his corrupt uncle to try take revenge by making false accusations against Serena.

Serena is shocked by the accusations and takes a drive out to a secluded wood where she likes to walk and reflect. She stumbles upon an old dilapidated house which seems to shimmer into something marvelous under a golden beam of sunlight. Serena isn’t aware that the house has been commandeered by criminals who are involved in human trafficking. A creepy man comes out of the house and grabs her, but another strange man steps out of the woods trying to pull her away. Serena witnesses the murder of the strange man who steps in front of her.

Serena is glad to have the help of her lawyer boyfriend. He has promised to resolve the accusations against her and to let the authorities know about the murder without getting her involved. Yet he doesn’t seem to be making progress and is dodging her many questions.

Soon Serena is tangled between the predators and the forces who are trying to stop them. She is experiencing confusing visions of young girls in fear and danger and young girls sharing laughter.

The author provides strong descriptions and the plot is well developed. This story is well written and full of good suspense with interesting twists and supernatural edges. I liked the characters and the struggles against the sinister leaders of the human trafficking ring. I also liked the faith aspects. I recommend this to readers who enjoy suspense with supernatural and faith elements.

Source: I picked up the print version at discount at Christianbook.com in 2016 for Ladies Book Club. This qualifies for 2018TBR.

Book Review and Giveaway: Talon: Combat Tracking Team (A Breed Apart Book 2) by Ronie Kendig

This has good characters and engaging action and suspense…plus a dog. :-)

Talon: Combat Tracking Team (A Breed Apart Book 2)

by Ronie Kendig


File Size: 1045 KB
Print Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Shiloh Run Press (May 1, 2013)
Publication Date: May 1, 2013
ASIN: B00C1T441O
Genre: Mystery Suspense, Military, Christian
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Aspen Courtland is out to find her missing brother. Only his combat tracking dog, Talon, knows where to look. Problem is, after a brutal attack that separated dog and handler, Talon’s afraid of his own shadow. The search is on, but when one mistake means disaster, can Talon muster the courage for one last mission?

Review:
Aspen Courtland was in the military service, but not in combat. She manages her own activities to keep fit, including boxing. She is working with her missing brother’s combat tracking dog, Talon. Aspen is half preparing for the chance to go abroad to look for her brother. If only she had a hint that he was alive and where to look.

Cardinal was raised in a very difficult situation. Now he is a government “asset” staying low and waiting for the chance to find his missing protégé, Austin Courtland. He finally gets the “go ahead” and reaches for another resource that he needs to locate Austin: Talon. Cardinal doesn’t tell his secrets – to anyone. He won’t be telling Aspen his connection to her brother but he needs the dog. What Cardinal didn’t plan on was Aspen as the handler who has to come along with the dog to find Austin.

Aspen, Talon and Cardinal, and a few friends, go to Africa to try to pick up the trail where Cardinal thinks he last saw Austin. Talon has bonded with Aspen but it isn’t clear if he is totally ready as he is still suffering from PSTD. Things become very tense and the team comes under fire. Aspen grows closer to Cardinal and tries to make him break from his secrets. Then a threat comes to challenge Cardinal with Aspen and Talon witnessing.

Cardinal is a dark loner and wonderfully conflicted character. His darkness is balanced – and challenged -- by Aspen’s sweet nativity and trust. I enjoyed the conflicted romance, the action, the dog element and the faith references, even though I thought there could have been some capitalizing on God’s control.

I (and the other book club ladies) really enjoyed the story as a whole. However, there are issues. The story bounces between characters but this is a style that Ms. Kendig uses. I have read some of her other military books and she jumps between scenes and characters as the story builds so that was okay for me. A couple of the characters have multiple aliases so you have to figure out who is who. I recognized several of the characters from the Quiet Professionals series by Ms. Kendig. The underlying conspiracy of corruption involves some of those characters without having filled in backstory. It would have been nice to provide that connection although it isn’t totally necessary to enjoy this story. There were also unexplained or loose ends: how was some of the intelligence of the enemy obtained? How did everyone get time off at the end?

So it wasn’t perfectly executed but it was still engaging. I recommend it to those who enjoy military action, military dogs and of course a romance with a rogue hero.

I picked this title up at a good price last November for our Ladies Book Club. I count it for TBR Triple Dare, March 2016 TBR Challenge and "T" in Alphabet Soup.

GIVEAWAY: Two Winners:

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US Only for Print; Worldwide for eBook

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Book Review: Sky Zone: A Novel (The Crittendon Files) by Creston Mapes

This is an action packed thriller with a lead character whose faith is real and tested. 
Sky Zone: A Novel (The Crittendon Files)
by Creston Mapes

• File Size: 3223 KB
• Print Length: 448 pages
• Publisher: David C. Cook (June 1, 2014)
• ASIN: B00IZQWZEU

Genre: Thriller, Christian Fiction
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: June 1, 2014
A rally for a controversial presidential candidate.
A terrorist threat.
A nightmare of cataclysmic proportions.

Jack and Pamela Crittendon have hit the breaking point. After months out of work as a reporter, Jack is playing Mr. Mom and working part-time at Festival Arena with his survivalist friend Brian Shakespeare. Meanwhile, Pamela has gone back to work full-time while eight months pregnant. Having her recently widowed mother on hand isn't making matters any easier.
With financial pressures boiling, Jack reports for duty at a rally for controversial presidential candidate Martin Sterling where he expects a mindless night on the job. But when Homeland Security picks up intel about a potential terrorist threat, Jack and Shakespeare are thrust into a life-or-death battle to save their own lives--and the lives of thousands of innocent people.

This third book in The Crittendon Files reminds us of the power of family, friendships and faith--and why we are never in as much control as we think.

Review:
Jack Crittendon lost his job as a news reporter and is struggling.  Jack’s friend, Brian Shakespeare, an obsessive survivalist, helped Jack get a part time job as extra security at the local event Arena. Jack’s wife, Pamela, has had to go back to work full time even though she is eight months pregnant. Her mother, Margaret, a recent widow is living with them and beginning to show signs of memory loss and confusion.

Jack has interviewed for a news position that is scheduled to open up if Martin Sterling does well in early polls. Sterling is a presidential candidate who is running on a controversial platform to restrict activities of all Muslims as potential terrorists. Sterling is scheduled to appear at a rally at the Arena and a popular rock musician turned Christian evangelist, Everett Lester, is appearing too.

Homeland Security announces a terrorist threat to the rally function but Sterling refuses to cancel the event. The Arena managers are poorly prepared to deal with the threat and call in a small team of experts as well as local authority. Shakespeare is convinced they have already missed clues as first one Arena guard, then a second disappears. Although the experts waiver, Shakespeare is sure that the terrorists are already in the building hiding in the upper levels known as the Sky Zone. Shakespeare has a weapon stash in his car that he retrieves in order to help protect the Arena guards, Sterling and Lester.

They tried to keep the fans out of the Arena but a couple thousand got in when doors were accidentally open. Shakespeare helps some people escape but among those who get trapped inside with the terrorists are Pam and Margaret. Pam goes into early labor while the terrorists kidnap Sterling and Lester.

There is plenty of excitement in this thriller as well as close character involvement. I did guess some aspects of the terrorist attack but it was fun reading how the truth was revealed. I enjoyed how the author portrays Jack’s true-to-life struggles with his circumstances even as he tries to understand how God is allowing these difficult things to happen out of Jack's control. Jack and Pam must cope with the possibility of health problems with their baby. Jack faces true temptation when doing the “right thing” will likely result in him not getting the news job he wants so badly.

The writing is direct and after a bit of a slow start the story reads at a good pace. This is apparently a third book in a series but I was able to enjoy it as a stand alone. I recommend this to readers who enjoy a thriller that presents Godly faith in the lives of the characters.

I received this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Last Christian by David Gregory

This is a good thriller with a strong faith message.

The Last Christian: A Novel
by David Gregory

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; 1 edition (May 4, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400074975
• ASIN: B006J3W9UG

Genre: Christian Suspense
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: April 26, 2010
In the future, it’s possible to live forever—but at what cost?

A.D. 2088.
Missionary daughter Abigail Caldwell emerges from the jungle for the first time in her thirty-four years, the sole survivor of a mysterious disease that killed her village. Abby goes to America, only to discover a nation where Christianity has completely died out. A curious message from her grandfather assigns her a surprising mission: re-introduce the Christian faith in America, no matter how insurmountable the odds.

But a larger threat looms. The world's leading artificial intelligence industrialist has perfected a technique for downloading the human brain into a silicon form. Brain transplants have begun, and with them comes the potential of eliminating physical death altogether—but at what expense?

As Abby navigates a society grown more addicted to stimulating the body than nurturing the soul, she and Creighton Daniels, a historian troubled by his father's unexpected death, become unwitting targets of powerful men who will stop at nothing to further their nefarious goals. Hanging in the balance—the spiritual future of all humanity.

In this fast-paced thriller, startling near-future science collides with thought-provoking religious themes to create a spell-binding "what-if?" novel.

Review:
Abby has lived her thirty-four years with the Papua New Guinea village tribe her parents came to as missionaries. When her village suffers a strange decease she struggles through jungle and rivers to seek aid but returns with a doctor to discover everyone is dead. Abby receives a 16 year old message from her Christian grandparents telling her that she is to bring the Christian message to America, a country where Christianity died many years before.

Abby has never been on an airplane, ridden in a car or experienced normal house facilities. It is a major cultural shock to deal with the surroundings but it is even more difficult to face a society (in 2088) where the majority of people live their lives -school, work, recreation and even experience sex- in VR, virtual reality.

Abby is not particularly welcomed by her Aunt Lauren who is a politician in the active weeks of campaigning. Lauren sees Abby as an embarrassment but at least her partner, Sabin, is nice and tries to help Abby. Abby is interviewed on a global media program but feels that her message -- that Jesus is the only way to eternal life -- falls flat. This message is particularly difficult considering that Bryson Nichols, a technological genius who is funding Lauren’s campaign, has just announced that he has reached eternal life by transferring his brain system into a technology based brain.

Abby’s isolated upbringing captures the attention of Creighton who is the one to share this story. Creighton is a history professor who is fascinated by Abby’s strength, determination and commitment to her faith. Creighton and Abby discover a warning message from her grandfather, Ray. Abby doesn’t understand how her Christian grandfather, a brilliant neuroscientist, could have partnered with Nichols. Bit by bit Creighton and Abby uncover clues that someone killed the villagers and that someone is trying to kill Abby. Could Abby’s message threaten someone so much that they would kill to keep her quiet?

The characters are well developed and represent different perspectives from evil to good. The author presents an interesting history and message of Christianity through a story of ruthless manipulations and mystery. Creighton’s college lecture discusses causes for the demise of Christianity while there is argumentative discourse as Abby presents and defends her faith. Abby also discovers a greater message with the help of Creighton and her grandfather.

The ladies’ book club members agreed that this was a good story. One member, who spent years overseas, questioned the extent of Abby’s education learned while in the jungle. However she agreed that the cultural shock returning to a country like America would be extremely difficult. We all liked the message the story conveys. The story raised a good discussion too of faith as more than head knowledge but also more than feelings. If you enjoy mystery and a good faith message I recommend you try this thriller.

We enjoyed this as our Ladies' Book Club selection for November.
This fit in with my church messages this morning which I have sumarized in my Sunday Words post today.

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for TWO book copies - Print for U.S. or digital for International.

ENTRY FORM HERE

Don't forget to fill in the form for entry! 

I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.  

 For 3 Extra Bonus entries Visit the author's website and tell me something you find of interest.

* This contest is open to U.S. for print or International for digital ebook.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on November 15, 2013.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED after November 15, 2013.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Book Review: The Return of Cassandra Tod by Darrel Nelson

This is an easy read with good suspense and drama.

The Return of Cassandra Todd
Darrel Nelson

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Realms (February 5, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1621360210
• ISBN-13: 978-1621360216

Genre: Christian Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
When the popular girl whose friends bullied him in high school suddenly reenters his life, little son in tow, Turner Caldwell must put the past behind him if they are to survive.

Turner Caldwell works at a local motel as a handyman while attending college full-time. On his way to class one day, he is shocked to see Cassandra Todd and her young son in town. The sight of her brings back powerful memories of being bullied in high school—she was the popular head cheerleader and he the target of her friends’ mean-spirited pranks.

When Cassandra and her son check into the motel where he works and she asks for his help in eluding her abusive husband, he finds himself entangled in a dangerous drama that will require him to forgive and draw on every skill he has if they are to survive.

Review:
Turner was pretty much a loner in high school. He was a skinny kid who got bullied by the handsome, popular, football quarter back, Brad Duncan. Brad and his buddies nick-named Turner “Pancake” after Brad tripped him to fall face first into his plate of pancakes. Turner began to grow into his own after high school when he served successfully as a Christian Camp Counselor. He was angry when the position was discontinued and became bitter with God when his mother died from cancer.  Now Turner works as a handyman for a motel and attends college in the evenings.

Turner is surprised when he goes to fix a door chain on one of the rooms and discovers the occupant is Cassandra Todd with a young son, Justin. Cassandra was one the head high school cheerleader and although Turner recognizes her she does not recognize him. She has returned to town  to take care of finances as she is running away from her abusive husband.

Two thugs, with an angry husband close behind, show up looking for Cassandra and Justin.  Turner and the motel owner end up hiding Cassandra and Justin and they manage to sneak them away.  They are provided a cabin in the woods where they have a short time of refuge. But somehow the bad men manage to follow and soon Turner is struggling in the woods, using all the survival skills he can think of to protect Cassandra and Justin. Cassandra shares her strong faith in God slowly convincing Turner that God brought them together for such a time to help each other.

I liked that Turner is a character with flaws and vulnerabilities. He is not the usual big, strong hero but he is smart, kind and wonderful with Cassandra and Justin. Cassandra is steadfast in her faith and strong in her determination to protect her son. Justin is a sweet boy and the author is able to use a part of the story to show the effects of trauma against the child as well as the mother. I understand Cassandra’s fear of going to the police but even though restraining orders are not always sufficient protection, it is important to have abuse documented or the true facts will likely be twisted by the abuser. Some of the events are a bit of a stretch but, then again, I am one who believes that God can and does perform miracles.

Although I am not a huge fan of drama stories, this story has plenty of suspense which is very well done. I loved the clever ‘tools’ of nature that were used as defensive and offensive weapons. The writing is smooth and very easy to read. I enjoyed this and recommend it to those who like suspense and drama mixed with a little bit of romance and a good dose of faith.

I received this book for an honest review as part of Glass Road PR tour.

This story is set in Colorado for my 2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge. The author is new to me.

Book Review and Giveaway: Five Days of Fear by David Kovach

This is a solidly engaging crime thriller.

Five Days of Fear
by David Kovach

• File Size: 614 KB
• Print Length: 338 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1611530288
• Publisher: Light Messages Publishing (November 9, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English

Genre: Thriller, Christian Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2012

During a family picnic, Jessica Britton’s well-ordered world is slammed against a brutal reality and her faith is tested when her mom is kidnapped, her dad is shot, and authorities can find no clues to begin their investigation. Jessica’s own anxiety and fear for her mother’s life compels her to help FBI Agent Dan Hamilton look for motives and clues that would lead to rescuing her mom. By chance, clues begin to emerge, and the once floundering investigation speeds to a hectic race against time and criminal minds in a desperate attempt to save Jessica’s mom and the lives of many in San Francisco’s business district.

Review:
Jessica is an attractive, popular and warm hearted first grade teacher. She hasn’t yet found the right man to interest her. When a peaceful family picnic is interrupted by strangers kidnapping her mother, Angie, and shooting her father, Jessica is set on a path of worry. She finds herself inexplicably drawn to the comforting presence of the steady, competent and controlled FBI agent handling the case, Dan.

Dan is an experienced agent and knows how important it is to pursue all clues immediately in a kidnapping. The problem is they have no real clues on this case. He is very attracted to Jessica, the only  witness who saw the kidnapper.  Jessica appears to be a straight forward, pragmatic, caring and brave young woman. Dan agrees to keep her apprised of the progress of the case and even agrees to let her help in a peripheral fashion.

Dan’s team members, his mentor, Chad, the bickering Ben and Ruth, and the newbie, Kyle, are a little surprised by Dan’s behavior with Jessica but they respect his leadership and are partly glad to see him take interest in a young lady. Surprisingly Ruth and Jessica both focus in on the same news story, involving jealousies and allegations of mishandled funds, as a possible avenue to investigate.

Meanwhile Angie is able to leave a few ‘bread crumb’ hints that, once found, create an urgency of time and help intensify the pace of the investigation. The FBI team races against time to follow the slim clues to try to prevent a bomb attack and also to rescue Angie before it is too late.

I really enjoyed the procedural details in this story.  Mr. Kovach shares methodology on finding possible conflicts of interest, image enhancing software, the use of dogs, following financial records and more. There were a couple of points that I questioned such as Dan taking lunch breaks with Jessica while there were leads that could be followed. I give the benefit of the doubt that other members of the team were doing leg work although that wasn’t made clear.

I can’t quite explain why the writing felt ‘simplified’ to me but it did. It reminded me of the old journalism rule that the article should be written at an eighth grade education level.  That bothered me a little at first but by a quarter or so into the book I was wrapped up enough in the story that it didn’t matter. Then I was fully engaged by the action, the plot details and the character interaction, including the sweet emotions that grow between Jessica and Dan.  There is a soft underlying faith shown by the family’s strength in the face of the trauma.  I recommend this book to those who like strong investigative details, good clean action and sweet romance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some sections dealing with Jessica’s anxiety issues:

Jessica suspected that Dan liked her. That might be why he was being so nice to her. But her emotions were booked at the moment. To think of anything other than her mom’s safety and her dad’s health was beyond her. She wanted to be free of the fear that gripped her. Page 39.

Jessica tells her dad: “....I wish I didn’t have this feeling of anxiety and fear hanging over me....”
Her father responds: “Different personalities might be one reason. We’re made differently. Also, I think because you posses so many gifts and talents, it might be harder for you not to over-rely on those abilities.”  Page 137.

I received this book from TLC Blog Tours for an honest review.

This story is set in San Fransisco. I will add it to my New Author challenge list.
Learn more about David Kovach at these links:

• the author's website
• Facebook page
• Twitter account
• book trailer

Check the full tour schedule HERE.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for my Review Copy.

ENTRY FORM HERE

For 3 Extra Bonus entries Visit the author's website OR watch the trailer and tell me something you find of interest.

* This contest is open US and Canada.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on December 7, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on December 8, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Book Review and GC Giveaway Link: Dark Side of Valor by Alicia Singleton

Great Read - This is an engrossing and intense story that kept me turning pages.

Dark Side of Valor 

by Alicia Singleton

• File Size: 744 KB
• Print Length: 352 pages
• Publisher: Strebor Books; Original edition (February 7, 2012)
• Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005GG0MM4

Genre: Christian Suspense

My Rating:  4.75 of 5.0

 

Book Description

 Publication Date: February 7, 2012

Child advocate Lelia Freeman saves children for a living. As the director of ChildSafe Shelters, she ventures to abandoned squats and crackhouses to rescue teens from the hellish streets of Los Angeles. When she is summoned to Washington to serve on a committee that aids the children of a war-torn African nation, Lelia is kidnapped and becomes a political pawn in a sinister conspiracy. Oceans away from everything she knows, she must trust a mercenary to save her life, or die in the clutches of a psychopath.

Hunting, combat and staying alive are Elijah Dune's specialties. Vengeance is his passion. Haunted by past demons, he travels to the Motherland to collect a debt. A debt that demands one payment. Death.

Caught in the crosshairs of a madman, Lelia and Elijah must survive the jungles of Zaire and the horrors of their pasts or be forever consumed by the DARK SIDE OF VALOR.

Review:
Lelia Freeman became a frightened teen on the streets of Los Angeles trying to stay out of the hands of the crack dealers and pimps.  She finally becomes desperate enough to seek help through a local church. But before she can lead the church brother to her sick young ‘street sister’, the local pimp and his thugs snatch Joella and threaten both girls. When Lelia wakes up in the hospital she finds the church family there to take care of her. Unfortunately all she has left of Joella is a half-heart pendant.

Lelia  returns to the streets to help others. Her fame and success as a valiant street warrior result in her being pulled onto a government task force to aid children of an African country devastated by civil war. She takes her role reluctantly but is determined to push for the protection of the children. Instead she is caught in the middle of a rebellious faction and the ruling government. She is kidnapped and wakes up in Africa.

Lelia remains stubborn and defiant to her kidnapper and one mysterious household servant comes to her aid. She is led out of the house in secret and placed under the care of two mercenaries.  One is a charming rogue and the other is a brooding, intense man with secrets of his own. Elijah's plans of revenge did not include rescue. Lelia survived the hood, the streets of Los Angeles, and a malicious kidnapper. But will she survive the unexpected dangers of revenge in the jungle?

Ms. Singleton does a great job of putting the reader in the setting of the hood, the streets and the jungle. She also pulled me into the lives of her characters so that I felt Lelia’s anguish, longings, fear and heartbreak of betrayal. I really liked Elijah’s dark, moody character. His secret creates a great twist and adds trauma and conflict to an already action packed story.

The faith aspects of the story are subtly established through the wonderful church family who adopt Lelia as one of their own. The underlying foundation they teach her brings strength to Lelia at her most dire and despairing moments.

I very much enjoyed the fast-paced action, the tension and the dangers described. I felt that the return of the kidnapper was a bit of a stretch although it made for good excitement. The first part of the book seemed so authentic but I was a bit disappointed that there was no clear resolution on the political and international entanglement that the kidnapping would have created. This was the story’s only weakness.

The story was even better than I anticipated. If you like stories with real-life settings, strong characters and lots of action you should like this one. I will definitely be glad to read more by this author.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lelia's emotions:

   Tears wouldn't come. She felt too numb to cry. After she'd lost Joella, she'd promised herself she'd never fell that much. Not again. Sometimes lies and promises share the same face. Page 69.

   The image of him looking over his wife and daughter's graves kept sentry in her brain. Her heart bled for him. A product of misery, the tragedy shaped the man, had destroyed him.
   She's see it before. Lives molded by pain. Each kid she's helped had his own terror-patterned existence. Page 293

A BIG thank you to Alicia Singleton for providing this book for review through Pump Up Your Book Blog Tour.

Join Alicia Singleton, author of the suspense novel, Dark Side of Valor (Simon &  Schuster/Strebor), as she virtually tours the blogosphere June 4 – August 24 2012 on her second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!  Alicia has agreed to give away a $100 Visa Gift Card at the end of her tour and you could be the one!   Find out how you can win by scrolling down and enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  Stop off at all her blog stops for more entries.  Good luck!

ABOUT ALICIA SINGLETON

Born and raised in Philadelphia, the Howard University graduate embraced the written word at an early age. She credits this to her loving, older sister whom, while they were youngsters, made the author eat lotion on a regular basis. Realizing the need to sound-out the ingredients on the lotion label, Alicia stopped the lotion-eating practice, but continued to read the labels of the concoctions her sister brought for her to try. This early necessity to read flowered to a passion; hence, a writer was born.The award winning author resides in Maryland with her wonderful husband and son.  Still an avid reader, label or otherwise, Alicia is hard at work completing her next suspense novel.Her latest book is the suspense novel, Dark Side of Valor. Visit Alicia’s website at www.aliciasingleton.com.
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This $100 Visa Gift Card promotion will run from June 4 – August 24. Winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, contacted by email and announced on August 25, 2012.
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