Audio Book Review: If I Run by Terri Blackstock

This is an engaging suspense; strong beginning to the series.
If I Run
by Terri Blackstock
Narrator: Nan Gurley

Series If I Run Series
Runtime: 6.7 Hrs. - Unabridged
Publisher: Zondervan
Release Date: February 16, 2016
Genre: Christian, Mystery, Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Casey knows the truth.
But it won’t set her free.
Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.
But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up. Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?
Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

Review:
Casey Cox found her officer father dead when she was 12 years old. The police ruled it a suicide, but Casey knew the evidence supported murder. Someone was covering up the facts.

Thirteen years later Casey’s good friend, Brent, a journalist, was digging into her father’s death. He called her to say he had news, When Casey arrives at his apartment she walks in to find his bloody body. Casey stumbles in the blood and leaves her footprints and handprints at the scene. She knows she will be the number one suspect, so she goes on the run.

Dylan Roberts, Brent’s childhood friend, is a stressed veteran suffering from PTSD. He was an investigator in the service and is hired by Brent’s parents to hunt down the murderer and bring her back. As Dylan views the crime scene he quickly sees evidence that indicates that Casey may not be the murderer. He heads out to follow the clues of Casey’s flight run.

Casey is good at disguising herself and staying off the grid. Still she leaves a few clues. Casey has a caring heart and can’t stop herself from becoming involved in the sorrows of others. She chooses to investigate the kidnapping of a missing teen even though it puts her undercover situation at risk.

I enjoyed the suspense and Casey’s cleverness in staying hidden. Both Casey and Dylan are flawed and well-developed characters. The story has steady pacing with strong details and interesting plot lines. I liked how the chapters cover different events alternating between Casey and Dylan. Although there is no real romance in this first book, you can see the anticipated direction. This is a series and the reader should expect to get books two and three.

I have read Ms. Blackstock before and appreciate her writing style. I recommend this to readers who enjoy clean suspense. Even my husband, who is not much of a book reader enjoyed the story though and was ready for book two as we finished book one.

Audio Notes: The narration by Nan Gurley is disappointing. There is no effort to distinguish the female and male voices which sometimes caused confusion, especially for my husband who doesn’t have the same practice at following along as I do. The narration did help me share this with my husband as we listened together. Listen to the sample to decide if you want to listen or read this one.

Source: ChristianAudio Sale 2017. This qualifies for my 2018TBR, Take Control TBR and Audio and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Book Review: Dead Ever After, A Sookie Stackhouse Novel, Book 13, by Charlaine Harris

Entertaining but it seemed time to wrap up this series.

Dead Ever After
A Sookie Stackhouse Novel, Book 13
By: Charlaine Harris
Narrated by: Johanna Parker

Series: Sookie Stackhouse, Book 13
Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 05-07-13
Language: English
Publisher: Recorded Books
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Number-one New York Times best-selling author Charlaine Harris has won numerous awards for her Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire series, which has been adapted into the hit HBO show True Blood. In this 13th and final book, a murder rocks the town of Bon Temps and Sookie is arrested for the crime. After making bail, she sets out to clear her name - but her investigation only leads to more deaths.
©2013 Charlaine Harris, Inc. (P)2013 Recorded Books

Review:
In the last book Sookie used a magical artifact to save Sam’s life. This has a ripple effect as Eric thought she should have used it for him, others wanted the artifact for themselves, and Sam isn’t sure yet how he feels being brought back to life.

An old friend turned enemy returns to Bon Temps and ends up dead after visiting Sookie. Sookie has an alibi but the detective doesn’t seem to want to listen. A collection of Sookie’s friends show up to help bail her from jail and help her investigate several strangers in town. Sookie narrowly escapes several attacks during the investigations and it just isn’t clear if the vampires want her dead, the fairies, the humans or all of the above.

The continuing love seesaw between Sookie and Eric (always intense but ephemeral) and Sookie and Sam (always at arm’s length) finally gets a push which some readers will be like while others will be disappointed. I was fine with the teeter although the ending result was a little weak.

I enjoyed stepping back into Sookie’s world to wrap up the series. Some of the character abilities seemed weaker and others stronger without a good explanation. Still, I liked the murder investigation and the suspense which gave this story some substance. Otherwise I think this concluding episode seemed somewhat anticlimactic. I certainly wouldn’t recommend anyone jumping into the series at the ending, but it had to end somewhere and this is as good a time to wrap as any.

Audio Notes: Johanna Parker does a fine job with the narration. She is the voice of Sookie and manages to convey her quirky personality and also presents the other characters distinctly. The narration enhanced by enjoyment of the series.

Source: Audible 2015 Credit or Sale purchase. This qualifies for 2018 TBR (including Take Control Challenge), Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.

Sunday Post March 11, 2018/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday March 12, 2018

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date.

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.

Hubby and I left Monday for a week long cruise to Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico. We had a goal to purchase a replacement aquamarine as I lost the one in my engagement ring a year or more ago.
So here is the ring without the stone and the new stone.
Our weather was very nice on the trip but we have had storms today and I understand we are expecting some cold weather this week.

I got hubby listening to the "If I Run" series which was nice sharing! I enjoyed listening and a little bit of reading. I finished 5 Audio titles, one Print Book and one ebook. I posted three reviews and my usual memes.

I didn't get to visit last week because the internet was spotty - especially the first three days.
No Shout Out this week since I wasn't visiting.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post March 4, 2018/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday March 5, 2018.

• NGTBR- #NetGalley Book Review: The Darling Dahlias and the Unlucky Clover by Susan Wittig Albert; Cozy Mystery, Woman Sleuth; my rating 4.0.

• MBS February 2018 Reading List Wrap Up.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 9, 2018. Open Worldwide. Ending 3/15/2018.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: Golden Son, Red Rising Trilogy, Book II, by Pierce Brown; Dystopian, Fantasy, Sci Fi; my rating 5.0.

• #NetGalley Review: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip; Fantasy, Magical, Romance; my rating 4.75.

• Sharing Beyond Books #339 Comment Giveaway March 10, 2018. Open Worldwide. Ending 3/24/2018.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement March 11, 2018.

Finished Reading:

1. Audible/MP3 (TBR)

Dead Ever After
A Sookie Stackhouse Novel, Book 13
By: Charlaine Harris
This is a good place to end the series.
Source: Audible 2015 Credit or Sale purchase.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audio/Smartphone (TBR)

If I Run
by Terri Blackstock
Narrator: Nan Gurley
My husband listened with me and we were glad to get book 2 right away.
Source: ChristianAudio Sale 2017.
Click on book title for full description.

3. PLBC (TBR)

When the Morning Comes, Sisters of the Quilt Series #2
by Cindy Woodsmall
This is another emotional story with engaging journey. I will read book 3 soon.
Source: Chirstianabook.com 2016 for Ladies Book Club.
Click on book title for full description.

4. Audible/Smartphone (2018)

If I'm Found
By: Terri Blackstock
Narrated by: Kate Rudd
Series: If I Run, Book 2
Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
I was able to get this second in the suspenseful series downloaded as Hubby was involved listening with me.
Source: 2018 Audible Credit Purchase.
Publisher's Summary
Is Dylan hunting Casey to prosecute her or protect her?
Casey Cox is still on the run, fleeing prosecution for a murder she didn't commit. Dylan Roberts - her most relentless pursuer - is still on her trail, but his secret emails insist that he knows the truth and wants to help her. He's let her escape before when he had her in his grasp, but trust doesn't come easily.
As Casey works to collect evidence about the real murderers, she stumbles on another unbearable injustice: an abused child and a suicidal man who's also been falsely accused. Casey risks her own safety to right this wrong and protect the little girl from her tormenters. But doing so is risky and just may result in her capture - and if she's captured, she has no doubt she'll be murdered before she ever steps foot in a jail.
In this riveting sequel to the USA Today best seller If I Run, evil lurks, drawing Casey out of the shadows...but there is light shining in the darkness. Is Dylan a provision from the God who loves her or another heartache yet to happen?
©2017 Terri Blackstock (P)2017 Zondervan

5. Audible/MP3 (TBR)

Hell Divers
The Hell Divers Series, Book 1
By: Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Narrated by: R. C. Bray
Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
This is a dark, action-packed sci fi.
Source: Audible Daily Deal 2017.
Publisher's Summary
An Audible Editor's Pick of 2016 and An Audible Best of 2016 Science Fiction.
More than two centuries after World War III poisoned the planet, the final bastion of humanity lives on massive airships circling the globe in search of a habitable area to call home. Aging and outdated, most of the ships plummeted back to Earth long ago. The only thing keeping the two surviving lifeboats in the sky are Hell Divers - men and women who risk their lives by diving to the surface to scavenge for parts the ships desperately need.
When one of the remaining airships is damaged in an electrical storm, a Hell Diver team is deployed to a hostile zone called Hades. But there's something down there that's far worse than the mutated creatures discovered on dives in the past - something that threatens the fragile future of humanity.
Narrator Interview: vimeo.com/188195570/ad4a958906
©2016 Nicholas Sansbury Smith (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

6. eBook/Kindle (NG 2018)

If I Live (If I Run Series)
by Terri Blackstock
This is a satisfactory conclusion of this intense series.
Source: NetGalley 2018.
THE HUNT IS ALMOST OVER.
Casey Cox is still on the run after being indicted for murder. The hunt that began with her bloody footprints escalates, and she’s running out of places to hide. Her face is all over the news, and her disguises are no longer enough. It’s only a matter of time before someone recognizes her.
Dylan Roberts, the investigator who once hunted her, is now her only hope. Terrifying attempts on Dylan’s life could force Casey out of hiding. The clock is ticking on both their lives, but exposing the real killers is more complicated than they knew. Amassing the evidence to convict their enemies draws Dylan and Casey together, but their relationship has consequences. Will one life have to be sacrificed to protect the other?
With If I Live, Terri Blackstock takes us on one more heart-stopping chase in the sensational conclusion to the If I Run series.

7. eBook/Smartphone (NGTBR)

Fade to Black: A Doug Brock Thriller
by David Rosenfelt
This is a good crime suspense with a detective who has much of the wry humor found in
Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter character.
Source: NetGalley; Title releases March 13, 2018.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:
1. Audible/MP3

Quarter Share
A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 1
By: Nathan Lowell
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
Series: A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
I am working on my TBR and Alphabet list.
Source: Audible 2016 Credit Purchase.
Publisher's Summary
What if we sent freighters instead of frigates?
In a universe run by corporations, where profit matters more than life, how can an orphan with no skills, no money, and no prospects survive?
When Ishmael Wang's mother dies in a senseless accident, he's given a choice: leave the planet on his own, or the company will remove him. To avoid deportation Ishmael finds work as a mess deck attendant on an interstellar freighter.
Find out what Ishmael must do to earn his Quarter Share.
©2013 Nathan Lowell (P)2016 Podium Publishing

2. eBook/Kindle (NGTBR)

Consent of the Governed
by Bernard LoPinto
I am just starting this.
Source: NetGalley 2017.
It’s 2029, and the United States has fallen under the sway of an oppressive government where all citizens’ rights have been stripped, Red Shirt platoons patrol the streets, and people die for voicing opinions. Into this chaos step Sid and Annie Winthrop. The elderly couple sets out on a deadly journey of revenge against the Red Shirts who murdered their son.
Red Shirt members Victor and Brooklyn have devoted their young lives to the cause of the president in protecting the nation. When attacks on their home town leave dozens of Red Shirts dead, Victor must help his superiors find the vigilante.
At their darkest moment, each couple finds a common bond in their suffering and must decide where their loyalties lie.

3. eBook/Smartphone (NGTBR)

In Wolves' Clothing
by Greg Levin
This sounds good.
Source: NetGalley 2017.
On his best days, Zero Slade is the worst man you can imagine. He has to be. It's the only way to save the Lost Girls.
During his seven years on a team fighting sex trafficking, Zero's become quite good at schmoozing with pimps, getting handcuffed by cops and pretending not to care about the young girls he liberates. But the dangerous sting operations are starting to take a toll on his marriage and sanity. His affinity for prescription painkillers isn't exactly helping matters.
When the youngest girl the team has ever rescued gets abducted from a safe house in Cambodia, Zero decides to risk everything to find her. His only shot is to go rogue, and sink deeper into the bowels of the trafficking world than he's ever sunk.
It's the biggest mission of his life. Trouble is, it's almost certain death.

March 11, 2018 - I had to read at different times on ship when I could catch internet but I managed to stay up to date reading the One Year Bible plan on my new smartphone. It is a great way to start my day. However we realized that it does not match the book plan so we aren't not reading the same scriptures. You can check out the audio on the companion commentary online.

I completed 7 books and posted 3 reviews. That moves me to 7 current reviews.
I am now a good three weeks behind linking at Goodreads, Amazon and Audible.:-(
My NetGalley shelf is down to 16. I have two committed author titles in queue and many through InstaFreebie. I have more new author requests but haven't had time to reply.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday. Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and (yours truly). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I didn't request or receive any review titles.
I resisted the Audible daily deal titles again but purchased one title.
I resisted Kindle deals this week too - especially since I wasn't online.
However, as usual, I picked up more free kindle titles as usual. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.)
Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

NONE

Won

NONE

Purchased

I picked up this Audible with a February Credit to complete the trilogy:

If I'm Found
By: Terri Blackstock
Narrated by: Kate Rudd
Series: If I Run, Book 2

Free

I added only 44 free titles to my Kindle library this week even with only two days of internet! Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement March 11, 2018

Hubby isn’t feeling well so we didn’t make it to church today. These are notes from our Sunday School class on January 28, 2018.

We start each class with prayer and our teacher noted that it is important for us to share this burden of prayer. We should pray for others as we pray for our family. There should be sincerity of prayer. We need to be purposeful, praying with intensity; intentional, pressing in.

God is bigger than we can see. We need to be careful never to box God. His love is beyond what we can understand yet we are directed to love others like Jesus did/does.

God is sovereign. We need to trust that God is working and all things are possible through Him.
There should be awareness in our prayer: awareness of His expansiveness, His sovereignty, and the Peace He gives!

We should be keeping our mind on God and Walking in the Spirit; remembering that God's grace and love is unconditional.

I had this fitting song in my list: My Prayer For You:

Verses for Today:
James 5:14-16 ESV
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.


Lord, Thank you for being our intercessor to God. Please help me to pray sincerely for others.

Image from Sidewalks Chalk.

Sharing Beyond Books #339 Comment Giveaway March 10, 2018

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

I am going to continue to post this event biweekly (every other week) for another month and then see if I am ready to go back to four a month. I have gotten some more questions - Thank you.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
13 of us do not listen to music, several noting distracting and some prefer silence. Three listen to background noise, one listens depending on mood. Only Alina actually listens to a rotating playlist.

The Winner from SBB #338 comments is: #12 Natalija who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post.

**NOTE: I did post an Updated ARC and Other books for Giveaways. I have to go back and list the titles -- someday.
Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #339

(One Question.)

Alina asks: What are some of your pet peeves while reading??

Hmm - I am reading this question as a pet peeve while reading, not a pet peeve about books I am reading. [We can do that one another time.] I had to think about the question. It is a peeve if I am interrupted at a good spot in the reading although I understand this if it is family need. On the other hand, it is terribly annoying when my device runs out of power at a good point in the story.
Another peeve would be loaning a book out and never getting it back.. for that reason I now only loan if I don't need or expect the book back.

Image found at Pinterest.

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify.

Your turn to share. Alina asks: What are some of your pet peeves while reading??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday March 24, 2018 at 5 PM central.