"Deadly Target", by Elizabeth Goddard

A romance novel

Rocky Mountain Courage book #2

I love authors under the Publisher Revell their books have an excellent and captivating story. The narrative and dialogue are clear and clean and as the plot moves along it is easy to find ourselves being hooked in so much suspense that it is hard to put the book down especially when the rush of adrenaline hits. Along the storylines we find a teasing romance that last from the opening till the conclusion and this triggers some emotions...I liked to slap the characters to get on with it. Since “Revell” is Christian publisher we do not have over the top sex scenes. Elizabeth Goddard is one of my favourite author I enjoy reading and I love how she pens an intriguing story for our enjoyment.

Although “Deadly Target” is part of a series it stands well by itself.

Now that you know what I think...time to give you a snippet of the storyline:

“Crime psychologist turned podcaster Erin Larson agrees to assist a county detective in finding answers to a cold case. The deeper they dig the more dangerous the situation gets.”

Main characters: Erin Larson, podcaster and criminal psychologist and Nathan Campbell, detective and Erin’s ex-boyfriend

Ms. Goddard excels in bringing to life these two characters through their actions and in the manners they face difficult situations. Along the way we meet a mix of characters we love to hate....maybe even love some of them.

“Deadly Target” is well said and well-done

Thank you Revell for the opportunity to read and review this book

"Three Sisters", by Heather Morris

Book #3 and the final book in the Tattooist of Auschwitz trilogy

A promise to stay together, an unbreakable bond and a fierce will to survive.

“Three Sisters” follows the real-life Meller sisters who all survived imprisonment at Auschwitz-Birkenau and the winter march at the end of WW11. When the war ended, the sisters wandered through Germany before returning to Slovakia. Only to find once there, their home occupied by squatters and a strong anti-Semitism still lingering. The girls then set off to a training camp for future immigrants to Israel and in 1948 after a harrowing journey they reached their dream land. They worked, prospered, found love, had children and grandchildren.....always together.

By balancing imagination with extensive research Ms. Morris skillfully chronicles the life of the sisters from childhood to old age and immersed us in their lives. Cibi, Magda and Livi are the ones telling the story and their voices shines through the author’s vivid and simple words. This is a fascinating and compelling account

“Three Sisters” came to life when Miss Morris was contacted by Livi’s son Oded Ravek and discovered their amazing story. In an Afterword, Oded sums up the novel as a testament to the power of love and devotion.

I never tired reading how against all odds some managed to survive years of imprisonment in the most notorious death camp in Nazi Germany: Auschwitz.

What a breath-taking conclusion. Well-done, well-said

I received a copy of this book from St-Martin Press via Netgalley for a honest and unbiased review.

"Random Hearts", by Warren Adler

Originally published in 1982

Vivien Simpson and Edward Davis came together after a tragic air disaster. They discovered during the investigation that their loving spouses were entangled in a love affair and was on a tryst to Florida when the plane went down, the two paramours died on impact. Vivien and Edward were determined to pick up the piece and embark on a hunt for the truth behind their spouses’ infidelity.

Mr. Adler wrote the novel after being moved by the 1982 Air Florida Flight 90 disaster. In 1999, the novel was made into a motion picture directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas. The author tells us in a note that the movie although good was far from the story he wrote.

Vivien and Edward explore their marriages as a way to discover why their spouses cheated on them. As they dig deeper into the stories they find themselves attracted to one another and the relationship between them grows.....As I was reading I kept visualizing Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott in the roles of Vivien and Edward

What an interesting premise two people having a discreet affair and not a soul knows about them, nor even suspects. As I was reading, one page lead to another I was so involved in the characters and their emotions I had to see how it would end. They author’s word strikes so deep with the sense of betrayal and leads us to the core of relationship and love....Some may question themselves.....just a basic need to know...

Although I enjoyed this book it wasn’t anything out of the extraordinaire. A bit slow at times and ended abruptly. The story is not deep and the language is ordinary but the emotions are lasting...

‘Random Heart” is quick and moody story I enjoyed passing time with.

I received this book from The Book Whisperer for my thoughts.

"Make Her Pay", by Melinda Woodhall

Detective Nessa Ainsley Novella #3

Short and sweet this 3rd story is captivating as we push on to another case Nessa is involved with. A private investigator disappears after meeting an anonymous source launching an investigation that uncovers more than one suspect could have been behind this incident. Nessa will risk everything to find her and along the way we are plunged into a very suspenseful mystery hard to put down....

I love most novellas even with the short lived suspense they give us. Ms. Woodhall knows how to keep us on our toes and flipping pages with intriguing plots and by giving us thrills galore. Within 80 pages, “Make Her Pay” provides all the excitements we can wish for. The story is definitely not hard to follow nor to gruesome even with a killer on the loose. Smoothly written and engaging #3 is a good addition to the Nessa Ainsley sagas...

I received a free copy of this book and I leave a voluntary review, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

"Warsaw Fury", by Michael Reit

Warsaw 1939 through 1944

This harrowing story based on true events is an exhausting read, so well written it is like walking next to the characters and facing: rage, horrors, death, starvation, homelessness and most of all the Nazis. I admit to rarely put down a book but with this one I had to do so a few times in order to take a breather and let my heart slow down....What a great novel about despair, courage, resilience and hope.

The novel is divided into four sections and the cadence in the narrative makes the book a page-turner. From the beginning till the conclusion tension is a constant.

First the story introduces us to the main characters Natan Borkowski and Julia Horowitz and weaves both stories with skill. They live in deferent neighborhoods till the day Hitler’s armies invade Poland and unleash a reign of terror and death across the city. Julia and her family end up in the newly-formed Jewish ghetto and Natan see himself on the opposite side of the wall but their lives are quite similar...What to do....die or fight...they chose to fight...Then the story runs through the ghetto, the city of Warsaw and even brings us down beneath the streets and into the smelling, dirty sewers...

Most parts the author describes the ghetto uprising in detail including the role of the Gray Ranks, the members of the resistance, the struggle of the civilian Poles especially the Jewish people who were the target of brutal atrocities but mainly the loyalty of the Varsovians toward their country: to go down fighting till their last breath...and too many did.

I enjoyed the characters and we cross many extraordinary young people in this heartbreaking and tear jerking story....what a great read.

My thanks to Michael Reit, The Book Whisperer, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.

"The Stolen Child", by Roberta Kagan

Jews, the Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets, Book 2

Ms. Kagan knows how to pen a story that will pull you in from the start and keeps you captive till you reached the conclusion ... then you are left there wondering what comes next...I never felt lost not knowing what had previously happened in “Her Son’s Secret” book #1 but now I wish I had known that book#2 picked up where book#1 left...

The principal characters:

Kara (the mother), Karl (the son) and Oskar (SS officer)

In a few words what to expect:

Four year old Karl suddenly disappears launching an increasingly frustrating search. Oskar will do anything for Kara’s love; his empathy towards the situation is in absolute contrast to the macabre nature of an officer. What game is Oskar playing?

My thoughts:

What a captivating story. For most part I wanted so much for Kara to see through Oskar but he was so conniving that she never did. I felt like screaming open your eyes...but again I had the advantage as the reader to see Oskar’s side. I felt the pain Kara had losing her son and the torment she suffered not knowing if he was dead or alive. The emotions get to you...and behind all this is Oskar... This story is a terrifying look at how manipulative and cunning some can be. Oskar in front of Kara is a sweet and loveable man but deep down he is a devious and cruel individual.

Ms. Kagan writing style is simple and easy to follow. The narrative pulls you in from the start and serves to drive the sheer anguish felt by many. This is another poignant war story.

I received this book from the Book Whisperer for an honest and unbiased review

"Deadly Summer Nights", by Vicki Delany

“A Catskills Summer Resort Mystery, book 1

It`s Summer of 1953, we are at Haggerman’s Catskilss Resort, a getaway vacation paradise, run by Elizabeth Grady an owner/manager eager to organize her guests and entertain them with different activities: food, drinks, pool, mountain hikes and lake activities....all the amenities one would expect in a high end resort...Everything went smooth sailing till a reclusive guest is found dead in a lake on the ground.....

This cozy mystery moves at a modulate pacing: moody at times and raging mad at others. Live running a resort brings all kind of challenges and death of a guest isn’t something you want broadcast less the rumours that your hotel is a communist hotbed. Elizabeth gets involved in solving the murder and squashing all bad mouthing running wild...the resort and the employees’ wellbeing are at stake.

We meet all kinds of people through the story from chambermaid, cooks, garden attendants, the media folks , of course police officials coming in out doing their things or should have and not forgetting the next door resort competitor to add spice to the story. The author vividly set the scene through her setting and her characters and transports us back in time to the 1950’s when men wore tuxedo or well-cut suit, women were full of glitters and children were disciplined.

I love to take a break from time to time from exhausting read and I know Ms. Delany’s style will provide another original, exiting and smoothly said mystery that is not taxing. I was never disappointed in the past and with this latest I stayed captivated from the opening page till I flipped the last one. This is a good start for this new series.

I received a copy from Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for my thoughts.