Book Review and Giveaway: Saving Hope: The Men of the Texas Rangers - Book 1 by Margaret Daley

This is wonderful, gripping Christian romantic suspense.

Saving Hope: The Men of the Texas Rangers - Book 1
(The Men of the Texas Rangers series)
by Margaret Daley

• File Size: 584 KB
• Print Length: 336 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (March 1, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0071OOB1M

Genre: Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: March 1, 2012
When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped.

Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

Review:
Kate Winslow is a daughter of society who has opened the Beacon of Hope School, a home for young girls rescued from the streets. These are teens who were either run-aways or lured into drugs and prostitution. The girls have lived under the manipulating, demanding, frightening thumb of those who use abuse and fear to control the girls and keep them quiet. Even with Kate’s sincere hope, faith and love, and a supporting staff, it takes a long time for the girls to trust.

Wyatt is a Texas Ranger who has volunteered for a special task force to fight a child prostitution ring. Wyatt's investigation into the death of a young girl leads him to the Beacon of Hope School. Wyatt joins Kate to help find Rose, who has gone missing from the home.

Kate’s mother has never liked her daughter’s involvement with ‘those girls’. When she hears of the missing girl she pulls the funding she has given the school. Now Kate has to worry about finding alternate funding while she copes with finding Rose and the fragile condition of the other girls.

Meanwhile Wyatt is coping as a single parent with a 14 year old daughter, Maddie, and a mother who has trouble with keeping to any project or boyfriend for any length of time. Maddie is at an age where she views her father as overprotective, especially with peer pressure pushing her to seek independence.

There is plenty of tension and suspense as Wyatt and Kate ferret out clues that bring them closer to the local leader of the prostitution ring. But Wyatt and Kate have no idea how close to home the bad guys are.

Ms. Daley pulls the reader in with the natural, true to life characters and the strong, suspenseful plot.  I enjoyed how Kate continually looks to the Lord for help and shows that faith to the girls.  The writing is crisp and reads smoothly. All of the ladies in book club agreed that this is one of the best books we have read in a while. I had read the third book, Scorned Justice, in this series two years ago and enjoyed it too. I highly recommend this series and this author to those who like Christian based, romantic suspense.

I picked this book up  in print for my Ladies Book Club. I have had the ebook in my Kindle library since July 3, 2012. It qualifies for my COYER event, TBR Double Dog, and as Author I Really Like in my 2015 Full House Challenge.

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY 

to win gently read PRINT COPY

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 comment on the review, OR

visit THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE and tell me something you like/learned there.

* This contest is open to US only for Print Copy.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) February 15, 2015.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after February 15, 2015.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email.

Audio Review: Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

This is delightful and entertaining.
Enchanted
by Alethea Kontis
Read by Katherine Kellgren

Listening Length: 7 hours and 51 minutes
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Audible.com Release Date: May 8, 2012
ASIN: B0081CDUII
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Audie Award Nominee, Best Teens Category, 2013
It isn't easy being Sunday's child, not when you're the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday's only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true. When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical.
One night, Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland - and a man Sunday's family despises. The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction to this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?
©2012 Alethea Kontis; (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Review:
Enchanted is a charming story of the woodcutter’s seven daughters and sons, focusing on the youngest daughter, Sunday. The story incorporates features of many well known fairy tales, including the frog prince, the bean stalk, Cinderella’s lost slipper and many more.

Each of the girls relates to the character traits stated in the old name rhyme. Sunday generally lives up to being 'bonnie and blithe and good and gay' even though she doesn’t always want to be good and gay. She wants more than sitting at home and doing chores. She loves the stories her father tells and writes her own thoughts and stories in a journal. She is careful to write the history of her family as there is some suspicion about what happens if she writes about possible future events.

Sunday finds a frog in the woods and begins a friendship, reading him her stories. She kisses him a few times but nothing happens. One day she kisses him and rushes home not realizing that the spell has finally been broken by their love for each other.

Prince Rumbold, restored from his frog state, returns to the castle where he has learn to live again as a young man. He also has to face the dark forces that included the spell. The Prince wants to go after Sunday but he knows her family resents the King and everyone at the palace. Can the Prince and his friends stop the evil before another of Sunday’s siblings is lost? Will he be able to convince Sunday to love him as a human and leave her family to be with him?

I really enjoyed this fun fantasy. There were twists and turns and varied interesting talents of Sunday and her siblings need to use to defeat the dark magic. The whole story was entertaining.

Audio notes: Katherine Kellgren does a wonderful job of narrating this tale. She uses inflection beautifully to enhance the sensitive, sweet moments and the intense, suspenseful dangers. I highly recommend this story in Audio.

I received this audiobook through the SYNC Audio Program in August, 2013, paired with the Classic: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS by Lewis Carroll, Narrated by Miriam Margolyes (Bolinda Audio).

This is part of my 2015 Audiobook Challenge, the 2015 TBR Pile Challenge and the TBR Double Dog Dare.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway February 6, 2015

Happy Friday. I am tired and a bit cold as I prepare this Thursday night. My week has been not so totally busy with work but productive with tasks and some community work I have been sharing in. Time is moving so swiftly.  I feel like I just have to work through each day and get done what I can. 
I have posted a new book group and regrouped and listed the prior book groups to streamline the old lists.  

TO ENTER:

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up to late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks.


Thank you to all who entered the January 30 Pick. There were two automatic wins this week.  (Automatic winners are those who requested the book four times and I did not note other people asking for that book during those weeks.) There were three titles blocked, with one of those won.
Booklady gets New Blood
and 
Anita gets At the Stroke of Madness

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from January 30 Pick:
bn100 gets Intrepid Encounter

Becky gets Wild Winds through a three way block.

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

I'm calm as long as I have my Kindle and my MP4 in my purse. :-)

Image found at Romancing the Naked Hero

New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015
(I'll try to get the rest linked another day.)

PAIRS:
Virginia Henley: The Pirate and the Pagan (spine creases) and The Falcon and the Flower
James Patterson: London Bridges and Roses are Red (both spine creases)
SINGLES:
Pale Kings and Princes by Robert Parker Audio Cassette Tapes
Hour Game by David Baldacci (spine creases)
If I Had You by Deborah Bedford
The Girl With the Golden Spurs by Ann Major
Can't Take My Eyes Off of You by Kasey Michaels
Dark Possession by Christine Feehan
Daisy's Back in Town by Rachel Gibson
The Man Who Ate the 747 by Ben Sherwood
Paradise Bay by James Michael Pratt
The Last Two Bachelors by Debbie Macomber
Exclusive Anthology by Fiona Hood-Stewart, Sharon Kendrick and Jackie Braun
Duets Romantic Comedy: Lady and the Scamp by Candy Halliday & The Doctor Dilemma by Dianne Drake

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014

PAIRS:
Lisa Gardner: Alone and Gone
Janet Evanovich: Eleven on Top and Twelve Sharp
Stuart Wood: L.A. Dead and Fresh Disasters
SINGLES:
Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card - Tape Cassettes
New Blood by Gail Dayton
Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings
To Collar a Killer by Lee Charles Kelley
Dead I Well May Be by Adrian McKinty
‘Til There Was You by Elizabeth Ann Michaels
The Ladies’ Lunch by Patricia O’Brien
Wild Winds by Janelle Taylor
Shrink Rap by Robert B. Parker - Tape Cassettes
Rescue Me Anthology by Cherry Adair, Lora Leigh and Cindy Gerard


BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty byVickie Kennedy
First to Fight Anthology
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin
Maybe This Time by Victoria Barrett
The Commander by Kate Bridges
The Cinderella Plan by Margaret Daley
The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook by Steve Doocy
A Garden of Friends by Penny Pierce Rose
Intrepid Encounter by Rebecca Ashley
A Stranger's Wife by Maggie Osborne
Richard Paul Evans PAIR: The Looking Glass and The Carousel
Duo Book: Yesterday's Memories by Tara Taylor Quinn and Amanda Stevens
At The Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Catherine Anderson PAIR: Seventh Heaven and Always in My Heart
Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot
Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner


BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)

Touched by Fire by Kathleen O'Reilly
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
It All Began at Monte Carlo by Elizabeth Adler
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
Mariah Stewart PAIR: Priceless and Brown-Eyed Girl
Cattle Rancher, Secret Son by Margaret Way
Whisper on the Wind by Joan Smith
Fulfillment by Barbara Delinsky
Trouble Becomes Her by Laura Van Wormer
Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark
Diana Palmer PAIR: Diamond Spur, Long Tall Texan
A Lady of Consequence by Mary Nichols
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain
Illegal Possession by Kay Hooper


BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)

Final Justice by Jasmine Cresswell
Thinner by Stephen King
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
Mary Higgins Clark PAIR: Let Me Call You Sweetheart and Moonlight Becomes You (SC)
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Dancing on Snowflakes by Jane Bonander
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
Angel's Peak by Robyn Carr
The Millionaire's Daughter by Sophie Weston
Tara Taylor Quinn: Father: Unknown and McGillus v.Wright
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
Anthology: Something Borrowed, Something Blue - this book has spine creases and minor water damage...I thought I had read it and liked it but now I realize it was another anthology I read with Elaine Barbier.
Bride by Command by Linda Winstead Jones
Awaken the Senses by Nalini Singh


BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)

Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo
The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky
One Eye Closed by Karen Whiddon
The Darkroom by Minette Walters
The Elusive Flame by Kathleen Woodwiss
Prey by Michael Crichton - Audio Tape
On Treacherous Ground by Earl Murray
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
McNally's Puzzle by Lawrence Sanders
The Undertaker's Widow by Phillip M. Margolin
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
S is for Silence (Kinsey Millhone Mystery)
Tender Triumph by Judith McNaught
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Death Angel by Linda Howard

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in five+ years I have posted 54 groups of 16 (864) books to find new homes! (as of February 6, 2015).

I am happy to say that so far about 766+ books have found new homes! YAY. I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to far away places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

Audible Review: Immortality by Kevin Bohacz

This is an intense and intriguing doomsday thriller.

Immortality
Written by: Kevin Bohacz
Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins

Length: 26 hrs and 33 mins
Series: Immortality, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:10-28-14
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Sci Fi, Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Without warning, something has gone terribly awry. In the remote and unnoticed places of the world, small pockets of death begin occurring. As the initially isolated extinctions spread, the world's eyes focus on this unimaginable horror and chaos. Out of the ecological imbalance, something new and extraordinary is evolving and surviving to fill the voids left by these extinctions. Evolution is operating in ways no one could have expected, and environmental damage may be the catalyst. Once discovered, this knowledge changes everything...
©2003, 2007, 2011 Kevin Bohacz (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Review:
A strange, silent and swift killer is dropping humans in a small area in an Amazon forest. The phenomena isn’t noticed until another small circle of people drop dead in minutes in Anchorage, Alaska. A specialized military bioweapons group, BARDCOM, is researching the event and trying to keep it quiet. General McKafferty, an ugly, determined man, suspects terrorism but because of the urgency and deadly “kill zones”, he reluctantly brings in the CDC for additional research.

Dr. Kathy Morrison, a CDC specialist from Atlanta, is provided some of the details and has to push for more information. They discover that a large number of the victims are carrying a generally benign water bacteria. Kathy calls in Dr. Mark Freedman, a bimolecular biologist, specializing in research of the water bacteria. Mark leaves his young girl friend, ex-wife and daughter in LA to join the research team in Atlanta. They frantically try to stop the killer even as it hits their own loved ones.

Mark discovers a tiny "seed" embedded inside the bacteria but they are having trouble determining if it is natural or man-made and how it relates to the kill zones. It is similar to nano technology and the more they learn about it the more it seems to be sentient and set on destroying mankind.

Strangely there are a few people who seem to survive even when they were in the limited areas of the kill zones. Sarah, a police officer in New Jersey, survived and sneaks out of the quarantined area with her Rottweiler, Ralph. Sarah seems to have a prophetic vision of the kill zones and, while working her way to Atlanta to try to help the CDC, she realizes that she may have some childhood connection to the menace.

Artie and his pregnant wife, Suzy, survive at the edge of a kill zone in New York. Artie is a former gang member who struggled out of his dangerous youth to become an assistant DA. Artie is intent on getting Suzy to a safe area but runs into trouble along the way. The trouble brings out his gang persona and events thrust him to lead a rebellion against the authorities he views as enemies.

There is a lot of good tension, suspense and danger in the story along with a deep level of scientific detail. It isn’t necessary to get bogged by the detail to enjoy the drama and danger. Bohacz does a good job weaving in views and discussions of society issues including political arrogance, abuse of police powers, class antagonism gang behavior, effects of poverty and religious zeal. The most stressed issues though seems to be the environmental degradation of earth’s resources by man and man's capability and or willingness to change, or evolve. The question arise though - how do we evolve and still remain 'human.'

The story is told with comfortable point of view changes through the primary, and well developed, characters. The pacing flows with good movement from one character to the next to keep things interesting even with the long story. I was intrigued and engrossed by the story and its plausibility until about three-fourths of the way in. At that point Sarah and Mark extend their research into the ‘entity’ through a very unorthodox method that I found a bit far-fetched. Still Bohacz manages to pull in all the pieces to a suspenseful conclusion... or should I say ending as there is a sequel that continues the adventure. I recommend this sci fi, doomsday thriller to readers who enjoy the suspense of a mystery and the imaginative dangers of apocalyptic drama.

Audio Notes: I have to admit I was a little daunted facing a 26 and one half hour listen. I was pleasantly surprised that it moved along well thanks to the strong, narrative performance by Kevin T. Collins. Collins picked up the different voices so there was never confusion about which character’s view was being presented at any time. He also imbued the appropriate temperaments with the characters to help make them real to the reader. I enjoyed the audio and recommend the book in audio format.

I received this audio through Audiobook Jukebox for an honest review. It qualifies for Audio Challenge and I for Alphabet Challenge.

Romance is in the Air $250 Cash Giveaway

I am glad to be sharing in February lovin' with:

Romance is in the Air $250 Cash Giveaway

Happy Valentines!
An Amazing Group of Authors & Bloggers have joined together to bring you 1 fabulous prize!!
Need a little cash for your Valentine? Here is your chance to win some!

1 lucky winner will receive $250 in Paypal Cash!

Sponsor List

I Am A Reader
Danielle Thorne
Laurie Here - Cont Fiction and MORE
Krysten Lindsay Hager author
Ann Swann - Romance and Romantic Suspense
Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Kindle & Me
YA Author Fabio Bueno
Laurisa White Reyes
Martha @ Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf
Glistering B's Blog
Diana's Book Reviews
Lise McClendon - Author
unshefish
The Discerning Reader
A Tattered Copy
J.L. Weil
B. Kristin McMichael
Simple Wyrdings
Kelsey Ketch
Stacy Claflin, Author
LeahSay's Views
Amiabooklover
A Leisure Moment
Aubrey Wynne: Romantasy Through The Ages
Kelly's Lucky You
Dianne Venetta
Every Free Chance Books
inspiredbooksguide
Felicia Starr
Room With Books
Lori's Reading Corner

Giveaway Details

$250 Paypal Cash

Ends 2/14/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway