Book Review: Echo Falls by Jaime McDougall

This story grabs you from the first sentence and keeps up a nice fast pace - good entertainment..

Echo Falls

by Jaime McDougall

• File Size: 285 KB
• Print Length: 240 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (July 15, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005FQN2A4

Genre: Paranormal Romance

My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Product Description
Running from a nightmare stalking her every move, Phoebe Martin arrives in Echo Falls hoping she has finally found a safe place to stop. But trouble has a way of catching up and soon the signs are there.

After a vicious attack in an alley, policeman Aidan O'Bryan is left with Phoebe as his only path to understanding why the Echo Falls werewolf pack - his pack - is being attacked. When another pack member is killed, Phoebe is forced to confront her past before she loses Aidan and everything she has come to love.

Love and duty become one as Aidan strives to prevent Phoebe from becoming the next victim. But with Phoebe just as determined to protect Aidan and her new home, secrets from her past threaten to tear them apart.

Will love give Phoebe the strength to trust Aidan and face her fears, or will her past destroy her future?

Review:  This is a fast paced read with warm characters.
Phoebe has recently moved to Echo Falls and is hoping to stay and set up a photography business. She thinks she has finally out run the trouble that has chased her. Unfortunately she is attacked and soon learns that there is a murderer in town. Although not certain at first she does suspect that the killer, hunter, has followed her. But Phoebe is alone and has never had the responsibilities or protection of a pack.

Aidan is the local werewolf pack leader and a police officer. He rescues Phoebe from a fierce attack then tries to question her to see if she remembers and is alarmed by the ‘non human’ combatants.  It is quite clear that Phoebe doesn’t want to be questioned, doesn’t want help and is hiding secrets.  Though Phoebe may not be part of his pack, Aidan has determined that he wants to protect her.

As more lone weres are killed it appears that the killer has a partner within the pack.  When one of Aidan’s own pack friends dies the betrayal becomes even more painful.

I really liked Phoebe’s strength and determination. Unfortunately her decision not to reveal facts hinders the investigation and her insistence on not seeking help only puts herself and others at risk. 

Aidan is just what you’d look for in an alpha male: strong, dedicated and protective. He is a warm character with friends who support him even when times are troubled. Phoebe may have to find out if he will forgive her for her secrets and the danger that has followed her to his community.

The ‘hunter’ is a nasty piece of work and is portrayed well.  He has some oily charm but underneath is a shallow brute.  It is fairly easy to guess which member of the pack is helping him. Even though the mystery is revealed pretty quickly, the danger of the situation kept my attention hoping that Phoebe really could find a way to defeat the killer. Not likely, but I give her points for deciding to stop running and stand her ground. 

The writing flowed well with good action and interesting and warm characters. The romance is sensual and tasteful. I enjoyed this quick read and would like more stories by Ms. McDougall. I recommend this to those who enjoy warm werewolf stories with a little mystery and lots of danger.

The Hook:
Keep running, keep running, keep running. Location 21.

Smooth ease in the writing:
She silently told it [her growling stomach] to be quiet, wanting the easy drift of sleep for just a while longer. Location 54-55

Thank you to the author for providing the ebook to read and review.

I'm not positive but I believe the location is in Washington for my Where are you Reading Challenge. I will include this in my ARC challenge.

Winners of Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop.

US/Canadian Winners: June Julianne and Savannah
1.  June M. chose #2 The Romantic Suspense Package
2.  Julianne chose #3 The Paranormal Romance Package
and
3.  Savannah M chose #5 The Cowboys Package

International Winner:  Mystica
Mystica chose The Guardian by Margaret Mallory

Thank you to everyone who entered. Happy reading to ALL!

Book Review: Home by Karen Wiesner

This story has an emotionally struggling protagonist.

Home
by Karen Wiesner
Inspirational Romantic Fiction
978-1-921636-76-9 (electronic);
978-1-105-20118-9 (trade paperback)
Available now in electronic formats by
Writers Exchange E-Publishing
and trade paperback by http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/karenwiesner
Download from Smashwords
Download from Amazon.com

Genre: Inspirational Romance
My Rating:  4.0 of 5.0

Description:

Small-town girl Ayodele "Della" Flynn lives in a city she abhors, where danger seems to be lurking around every corner. When her husband dies very unexpectedly, she's confronted with figuring out where her home is with her young son River and trying to come to terms with the loose ends her husband left their lives in.

Review: If you like emotional drama, this book has some to share.
Della was born in small town, Peaceful, Wisconsin and she wasn’t happy about moving to Chicago when her husband, Declan, pushed her to do so for his business.  She always hoped the move would be temporary. When she became pregnant with their son, River, he became the focus of her love. The family lives in a ramshackle apartment in an area that is unsafe.  The money that Declan and his partner, Hannah, made from the sale of the business was reinvested in a new business that is failing. Della has to walk to a nearby waitress job just to have money to keep food in the house. All of this leads to resentment and a deterioration of Della and Declan’s relationship.

When Della discovers that Declan has betrayed their seventeen year marriage it is the last straw.  Della announces that she is taking River and moving back “home”.  As Della prepares to leave town, she gets a call from Hannah advising that Declan is dead! Hannah is understandably distraught and she keeps harping about having a share of the insurance.  Della is less than sympathetic to Hannah’s situation and has to cope with her own, and River’s, shock and grief.

Declan’s parents and a nephew, Cade, drive in to bring Della and River home to Peaceful. Cade has always been interested in Della, but Declan got to her first. He quickly bonds with River and is a huge help but Della is too injured to consider a new relationship.

There are some interesting details regarding Declan’s death that add intrigue and vengeful actions by Hannah bring a bit of suspense. Primarily though the story is focused on Della’s emotional turmoil. Some of her thoughts made me contemplate. For example, which comes first: the husband’s loss of self-esteem or the wife’s loss of respect when he doesn’t do more to support the family?  Either way it is a downhill spiral unless someone takes steps to stop the disastrous cycle.

I liked Della’s fierce love for her son and her steadfastness. However, I thought she had been too weak for so many years and part of the decline in the relationship has to lay on her shoulders. She eventually recognizes she needs to be less self absorbed and she needs to rely more on God than in her own strengths.  Particularly she has to allow God to heal her issues of extreme distrust and fear if she is ever to be able to love again.

This story is told in first person by Della.  Although technically well written, I thought this presentation resulted in a bit of  “telling” rather than showing. I honestly prefer stories with less drama and more action.  Ms. Wiesner has the ability to create real to life characters and situations but the protagonist here is not my favorite. Although Della’s emotional trauma is very real, I was annoyed that she had such a struggle to get beyond the past betrayal and pain of loss.  This is an easy enough read but the pace was less motivated due to the weight of the unhappy emotions. Readers who enjoy emotional drama might well like this story a bit more than I did. Ms. Wiesner is a wonderful author with many stories to choose from and enjoy and I look forward to reading more of her works.

 Thank you to the author for this book to read and review.

I will add this to Chicago for my Where Are you Reading Challenge and to my ARC challenge.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? March 26, 2012

This meme starts at Book Journey!

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I had a good week of reading and reviewing although not much blog visiting.   I completed four books; posted four book reviews, an author guest post with Giveaway, an excerpt with giveaway chance links, a Giveaway Hop and a Sourcebook announcement. Plus I posted the regular Friday Pick Giveaway, Saturday Sharing Beyond Books Comment Giveaway and Sunday Words. 

Thanks again to the nice people who visited me last week.I didn't get to visit last week but hope to tonight.
These were last week's posts plus a Winner post not listed.

• It's Monday What are You Reading? March 19, 2012.

• Book Review and Feature: The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing by Mayra Calvani and Anne K. Edwards; Non Fiction, Resource;  my rating 4.25.
  

• Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop Open Worldwide. Ends 3/25.
  

• Book Review: Assassins in Love by Kris DeLake; Sci Fi Romance;  my rating 4.25.
  

• Pen Names and Me, Guest Post by Kris DeLake, Author of Assassins in Love, with Giveaway. Ends 3/30.

• Announcement: Help Sourcebooks Choose their next Ebook Deal.

• Book Review: The Day of First Sun by Sheryl Steines; Fantasy;  my rating 4.25.

• Excerpt of The Day of First Sun by Sheryl Steines, with Chance to Win prizes. Now Closed.

•  Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 23, 2012.  Open Worldwide.  Ends 3/29.

• Audio Book Review: Lothaire by Kresley Cole; Paranormal Romance;  my rating 4.0.  

• Sharing Beyond Books #41 Comment Giveaway.  Open Worldwide. Ends 3/30.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement March 25, 2012.

Finished Reading:
1. ebook/Kindle
 

The Day of First Sun
by Sheryl Steines 
An enjoyable fantasy. Review and Excerpt Posts linked above.

2. Audio CD (in car)

 

Lothaire

by Kresley Cole.

A sexy romance.

Audio Book Review linked above.

3. eBook/Kindle
 

Echo Falls

by Jamie McDougall

This is an engaging werewolf story.  

I'll post a review this week. Read for the author.

Product DescriptionRunning from a nightmare stalking her every move, Phoebe Martin arrives in Echo Falls hoping she has finally found a safe place to stop. But trouble has a way of catching up and soon the signs are there.

After a vicious attack in an alley, policeman Aidan O'Bryan is left with Phoebe as his only path to understanding why the Echo Falls werewolf pack - his pack - is being attacked. When another pack member is killed, Phoebe is forced to confront her past before she loses Aidan and everything she has come to love.

Love and duty become one as Aidan strives to prevent Phoebe from becoming the next victim. But with Phoebe just as determined to protect Aidan and her new home, secrets from her past threaten to tear them apart.

Will love give Phoebe the strength to trust Aidan and face her fears, or will her past destroy her future?

4. eBook/Kindle (NG) 

Beyond the Misty Shore

by Vicki Hinze

This is a 'hauntingly' nice read.

I'll post the review this week.

Read for the Publisher through NetGalley.

Product Description“[A}clever fusion of humor, mystery, and romance.” – Publishers Weekly“Powerful and uplifting.” – Literary TimesWhimsy. Serenity. And a Touch of Magic. The Seascape Inn.Marketing executive Maggie Wright and artist T.J. MacGregor are linked by a mysterious car accident that killed Maggie’s cousin, Carolyn, T.J.’s fiancée. When Maggie arrives on the Maine coast determined to get answers from T.J., she discovers a tortured man who is bound to the Seascape Inn by supernatural forces. Despite the tragedy that stands between them, Maggie and T.J. begin to fall in love, seeking answers and a healing spirit they may never achieve. Vicki Hinze is the award-winning author of 24 novels, 4 nonfiction books and hundreds of articles, published in as many as sixty-three countries. She is recognized by Who’s Who in the World as an author and as an educator. Visit her at http://www.vickihinze.com.
 

Line Edits/Releases: Making final adjustments then releases will be posting.

Currently reading:

1. Print

 

Believe It or Not
by Tawna Fenske

This is definitely fun!

Reading for Sourcebooks.

Product Description - click on title link.

2. eBook/Kindle
 

An Irish Rogue

by Suzanne Barrett

I just started this and I like the characters already.

Reading for the Author.

Product Description
Justine Farris would do anything for her dotty old aunt, but marrying Declan Walsh seems just plain crazy. Although the handsome handyman might be sent back to Ireland unless they pretend to tie the knot, how can Justine possibly say “I do” when they can’t agree on anything.

Declan would never have proposed to an independent, unconventional woman like Justine, but this is an emergency. Then, suddenly, he begins to wish that his temporary fiancée could stay in his arms forever. And where there’s a will, there’s a way…
.

3.  Print (Kindle)
 

Love to Water My Soul (Dreamcatcher Series #2)
by Jane Kirkpatrick

Book Club was postponed a week and I still have to read this.
Book Description - click on title.

4. Audio (on MP3)

 

Jacob's Return

by Annette Blair

I am enjoying the sweet story and this audio.

Review will post on April 3.

Reviewing for Audiolark.

 Product Description

Jacob Sauder abandons his Amish heritage when the woman he loves, Rachel Zook, agrees to marry his brother, Simon. Though he adapts to the ways of the “English” — even fathering twins — he remains an outsider. When the mother of his twins dies, Jacob knows only one way to raise his children — the Amish way. He brings them home to the community he vowed to leave forever. For his children he can do anything, even be strong when he sees Rachel, his love, married to his brother.

Years ago, Simon lied to ensure a future with Rachel Zook as his wife. Now Rachel is barren, a disappointment to him. Unaware of the lie Simon told to drive Jacob away, Rachel believes Jacob abandoned her when he left the Amish community. Shocked when he returns with two-year-old twins, Rachel knows there can be nothing between them, for marriage is a life-long commitment among the Amish. But the twins need a mother and Rachel loves children. As she cares for Jacob’s children as if they were her own, her feelings for him deepen into a love that cannot be.

Jacob’s Return is the story of a prodigal son, a forbidden love, and a fanatical preacher. As shocking as it is compelling, Jacob’s Return is both uplifting and unforgettable. A wonderful read, this is a universal story about love and faith in impossible circumstances.

I am again listening to The Listener's Bible NIV read by Max McLean. 

[Reading and listening on my new MP3.]

Instead of studying with the Tyndall One Year Bible this year I am studying with Through the Bible in One Year by Alan B. Stringfellow. It is a Study that I used for teaching back in around 1989 so I will enjoy it again. This week's reading will be 1st & 2nd Chronicles.

Line Edits: I hope to finish reports this week and get back to work on print releases.

I still have 5 books to finish and review for the month so A Light on the Veranda and Promise Me look like they will roll into April.
March:
Scheduled:
3/31 Love to Water My Soul (Dreamcatcher Series #2) by Jane Kirkpatrick, review (my Ladies' Book Club)

Sourcebooks
Believe it or Not by Tawna Fenske
A Light on the Veranda by Ciji Ware

Author Reviews:
Promise Me by Dee Julian

An Irish Rogue by Suzanne Barrett


[To be posted - I am setting these up for interview/feature days.
These were read and ready for reviews for Authors.
Quest for Magic by Jean Hart Stewart - Read; review to be posted with interview.
Seeing for the First Time (What You See is What You Get) and To See (What You See is What You Get) by Nicole Zoltack - Both Read; setting up author interview with reviews.]

Sunday Words of Encouragement March 25, 2012

I am posting late because we had church "connect' (small group) lunch and then I fell asleep when we came home. Just to clarify --- my comments for Sunday Words are my interpretation and thoughts from my  sermon notes, not his direct sermons.

Our Pastor has been preaching on Hope.  A couple of week’s ago he explained that hope is expectancy and faith is taking action.

Last week Pastor preached on Life’s Changes. How should we face life's changes? We need a Fixed point of reference, God. We need to be Flexible to listen to the leading of the spirit.  We need Faith to follow, move as directed.

What resources do we have? Sometimes we have something hidden in a closet (to cash in with Auction Road trip). Do we have skills we aren’t using? Is there a relationship we aren’t using? Are we working in our own strengths instead of God's will? We all have one important relationship that we can rely upon - the relationship with our Creator, Savior and Guide.

If we don't realize the inheritance, and promises, available through Christ then we may never seek them. We only have to allow the spirit to direct and fulfill the hope. By faith we can accept and act on the promises given. How do we know we can trust? Through our personal knowledge of the promise giver.  We can hold fast to promises knowing He is faithful, with assurance through the relationship we have in Christ. God supplies everything we need.

Although I was looking first for a song of Hope,
this song popped up and I think it is a lovely choice.
We should always "remember."

Verses for Today:

2 Peter 1:3-4

³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

We prayed this morning for faith to act in God's Will.