Avenged by Janice Cantore

Avenged is the third book in the Pacific Coast Justice Series. I haven't read the others in the series so I jumped right into this novel. The author does a good job re-capping events that happened in the previous books so I didn't feel to out of it. There was obviously major tension between Carly and her husband, Nick which had since been resolved. The storyline kept my attention and the suspense was well done. If you enjoy police drama, this would be a good series.

I received this book free from Tyndale publishers in exchange for my review.

Fortress of Mist by Sigmund Brouwer

Fortress of Mist is the second book in Merlin's Immortals series. This series continues to intrigue and make you look forward to the next in the series. The forces of good and evil are played out well and at times your not sure who to root for. The mysteries are still being unraveled and we get just enough into Thomas's past with those mysterious books. I enjoy the character of Katherine who disguises who she really is. I am looking forward to figuring out more about her character as she seemingly is falling in love with Thomas. If you enjoy fantasy books, you'll enjoy this series which is geared toward middle school age.

I received this book free from Waterbrook Press in exchange for my review.

A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr

The fantasy genre is a favorite of mine and this book was a great read. I like that its not written for middle schoolers but geared to adults. I felt really invested in these characters by the end of the book and I look forward to reading the next in the series. The main character Errol goes from being an orphaned drunk with no purpose in life to the hero of the story. I love the change he goes through and how it flowed through the book. There was the right amount of action, adventure and imagination. I was glad they left the romance element out of the first book as there was enough happening without adding that to the story. If you enjoy fantasy, this is well worth the read.

I received this book free from Bethany House in exchange for my review.

Clouds by Robin Jones Gunn

Clouds is part of a series of 8 books that have to do with characters in a town called Glenbrooke. This is the first novel I have read in the series and I didn't feel like I was missing anything from another book. I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought the character development between Shelly and her childhood friend Jonathon was well done. You really felt the connection between them. You of course want them to be together but know there will be a twist. I thought the way the book was woven together made it a delightful read. I will even say I'm surprised I liked this book so much because normally contemporary romance is my least favorite genre. Definitely a worthwhile summer or cold winter's day read!

I received this book free from Waterbrooke Multnomah in exchange for my review.

Wishing on Willows by Katie Ganshert

"Wishing on Willows" is a contemporary romance novel that has an element of grief but also a book about second chances. I enjoyed the characters and their development. The author does a fine job creating tension between the main characters and you find yourself wanting them both to win even while wanting opposite things. The fact that both Ian and Robin have loved and lost and are grieving over two different kinds of losses they can still relate to each other and their attraction grows without them even realizing it. I did find Robin irritating sometimes in her need to fix everyone's problems.  I enjoyed this book and for anyone who enjoys contemporary romance, this is a great read.

I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my review.

Twice a Bride by Mona Hodgson

Twice a Bride was the fourth in series Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek. I haven't read any of the other books but it didn't hinder my understanding of any of the characters. There were a few instances when I ran into a character that I knew their story was told in one of the previous books, but the author did a good job giving us just enough information to get a picture of what happened. I enjoyed the story as well as the historical aspect of women starting to enter the workforce and it being mostly accepted. One negative for me was all the characters in the story. They were difficult to keep straight at times. I'm sure if I had read the others in the series that wouldn't have been an issue. A good story if you enjoy Historical Romance.

 

I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my review.

The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann

I always enjoy Kristen Heitzmann novels and this was no exception. Breath of Dawn was a romantic suspense novel about a girl who is running from a man she testified against and finds herself turning to Morgan, a rich "success guru" who is mourning the death of his wife. This book hooked me from the beginning and was engaging the whole way through. I was thinking about a third of the way through that I had read about these characters before, which of course I had in "Rush of Wings". I thought the build up about the scary basement was a little overdone but it did come full circle in the end. I thought the book was very well done and just the right amount of suspense and romance.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my review