Contemporary Fiction

Resuscitation: A Sami Rizzo Thriller by DM Annechino

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Resuscitation by A Sami Rizzo Thriller by DM Annechino was a good book.  I did at points in the book laugh because of how far fetched parts on this book was.  Even with me saying that I still really enjoyed this story.  This is the 2nd book in the series and you don’t have to read the first book if you don’t want to.  I didn’t finish the first book because of the content and it made me super uncomfortable and I was able to understand this book.  I would say though that if you want to read all the books in this series start with the first book because if you read them out of order you will ruin parts of the first book.  I love this authors writing and I did enjoy this book even more that some because part of it takes place in the medical field and I always love books that include things like that.  If you love thrillers I know you will love this book and this series.

Resuscitation

About The Book

Two years ago, Detective Sami Rizzo narrowly escaped a brush with death at the hands of a serial killer. After apprehending the killer and bringing him to justice, this life-changing event compels her to resign from the police force. In her heart of hearts, however, she struggles with the decision. But a second serial killer—a well- respected doctor gone astray—uses his charm to seduce his victims and then performs horrific surgical experiments on them. In a final act of depravity, he scatters their mutilated bodies throughout San Diego County. Feeling a sense of duty and obligation, Sami Rizzo appeals to the police chief and mayor, and they reinstate her as a homicide investigator. As the body count grows and the killer’s experiments become more and more brutal, Sami follows one dead-end lead after another, while trying to deal with a sickly mother and a turbulent relationship with her lover. But then the killer makes a crucial mistake: one of his victims survives. Sami does everything to protect the barely alive victim, but the killer has a different plan.

D.M. Annechino

About The Author

Daniel M. Annechino, a former book editor specializing in full-length fiction, wrote his first book, How to Buy the Most Car for the Least Money, in 1992 while working as a General Manager in the automobile business. But his passion had always been fiction, particularly thrillers. He spent two years researching serial killers before finally penning his gripping and memorable debut novel They Never Die Quietly.

His second book, Resuscitation (Thomas & Mercer 2011), a follow-up to his first novel, hit #1 in Kindle sales in the UK and reached #26 in the USA. He is also the author of I Do Solemnly Swear (Thomas & Mercer 2012) and Hypocrisy. A Piece of You is his fifth novel, the third in the Detective Sami Rizzo series. A native of New York, Annechino now lives in San Diego with his wife, Jennifer. He loves to cook, enjoys a glass of vintage wine, and spends lots of leisure time on the warm beaches of Southern California.

 

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Love or Justice by Rachel Mannino

Winter Book Review

Love or Justice by Rachel Mannino was a great book.  I was a nice change to get back to a book like this one because I do love this genre of book.  I have always been a fan of these types of books so much so that I have been to know to buy them even though I know I won’t get around to reading them for years.  This book was pretty predictable to me, but that is probably because I have read so many books like this one that it is easy for me to figure out the pattern and see what is going to happen before it actually happens.  Even with that being said I still loved this book and was sad when it was over because I fell in love with all the characters right from the start of the book.  I would recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense/thriller novels because I know you will love it just as much as I did.

Love or Justice by Rachel Mannino

About The Book

Laurie Shelton is the only person alive who can identify Hawaii’s most notorious mob boss…

After stumbling into a deadly kidnapping, Laurie’s life is in grave danger, and it falls to US Marshal Dante Stark to keep her safe until she testifies against Kaimi Quamboa—assuming he can be captured.

Dante knows he’ll lose his job if he becomes romantically involved with a witness…

But when he has to comfort her through constant nightmares, he finds it nearly impossible to fight his attraction to the beautiful, strong young woman he is sworn to protect. Laurie feels it too, but aware she’s in a high-stress situation and that when the danger is passed she’ll never see Dante again, she tries to ignore his easygoing smile and the security he offers.

Laurie and Dante are forced to flee again…

When Kaimi’s men descend on their hideaway, they escape to a second safe house, only to be tracked down there as well. Dante now knows there’s a mole inside the US Marshal Service, and the only thing left to do is disappear.

Kaimi will never stop looking for Laurie, and if he’s caught, showing up to testify could be the last thing she ever does.

With each choice as dangerous as the next, Dante and Laurie must confront the boundaries of what they’re willing to sacrifice, and which is more important…

Love or Justice.

Rachel Mannino

About The Author

Rachel Mannino is a passionate writer who creates characters and settings that allow readers to explore power dynamics in relationships, the empowerment of women, and the ethical and moral dilemmas love can create in our lives. Rachel also uses her writing skills to raise thousands of dollars for entities that enrich our lives and create community change around the world.  She has worked for the Peace Corps; the Humanities Council of Washington, DC; Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company; and the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events in Boston, MA. Her first novel, Love or Justice, was published by Limitless Press in November 2016. Her second novel, Fractal, will be published by eTreasures publishing in the spring of 2016. Rachel has a BA in theatre studies and writing, literature, and publishing from Emerson College, and she has used it every day since graduation.  She lives with her husband, author Christopher Mannino (http://www.christophermannino.com/), and their adorable dog and cat in College Park, Maryland.

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Rising Darkness by Nancy Mehl

Winter Book Review

Rising Darkness by Nancy Mehl was an amazing book.  This book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire thing, but it also was nice that you don’t have worry about what will be in it like you do when you read some other suspense books.  I am that kind of person that doesn’t mind books that have violence and sexual things talked about but I know some people  do like that so is great for them.  I loved that you get an amazing story and you don’t have to worry about what you will be reading because of who the author is.  I also loved that she was able to keep me reading and on the edge of my seat.   This is the 3rd book in series, but you don’t have to read them in order because this is the first book in this series that I have read and I can’t wait to go back and check out the other 2 books in this series.

Rising Darkness by Nancy Mehl

About The Book

Sophie Wittenbauer left her strict Mennonite hometown under a cloud of shame and regret. After a rough childhood, her teenage poor choices harmed others, leaving her with no choice but to change her life. Her entry-level writing job at a newspaper puts her in the right place at the right time to overhear office gossip about a prisoner who has information on a decades-old unsolved crime. While the other reporters write off the tip as the ravings of an angry criminal, Sophie can’t ignore it because she knows the name of this prisoner from her old life.

Upon learning from the man that one of the other suspects is hiding out in the Missouri town of Sanctuary, she takes on a false identity to investigate and meets the young pastor of a local church–the very man she’d loved as a troubled teenager. As she gets closer to finding the suspect, will the truth of her own past come out before she discovers the identity of the criminal–or the very person she’s seeking puts a fatal stop to her investigation?

Nancy Mehl

About The Author

Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband, Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. First published in 2001, she has now authored nine books, including an omnibus mystery collection, Cozy in Kansas, which contains three of her previously published Ivy Towers mysteries. Book three in the series, For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls, won the American Christian Fiction Writers Mystery Book of the Year award. Nancy’s main writing interests lie in mystery although her new Harmony Series leans more toward the romantic suspense genre. Nancy runs a HUD program for the city of Wichita and is president of a volunteer organization, Wichita Homebound Outreach. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Kansas Authors Club. You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her Web site at: http://www.nancymehl.com

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The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck

Winter Book Review

The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck was another great book by this author.  I have read several books by this author and I have loved them all so this story had a lot to live up to and I love that it was everything that I hoped it would be.  I have to say that Jimmy was my favorite out of all the characters.  I think it was because of his personality and he seemed the most relatable to me.  I loved that the story was told from different time periods because that gives you a better understanding of  the characters and why things happened like they did.  If you love Rachel’s books or are just looking for a great chick lit book than I would for sure recommend this book to you.

The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck

About The Book

An old, forgotten chapel holds the key to love and forgiveness.

Retired hall-of-fame football coach Jimmy Westbrook never imagined anything would come of his labor of love—building a wedding chapel for Collette Greer, the woman he fell in love with in 1949. But now a realtor wants the land the chapel sits on, and he sees no reason to hang onto the past.

Photographer Taylor Branson is trying to make a life for herself in New York. Leaving her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, she put a lot of things behind her, including her family’s string of failed marriages. When she falls head-over-heels for Jack Gillingham, a top ad man, their whirlwind romance and elopement leave her with doubts. Jack, while genuine in his love for Taylor, can never seem to find the right way to show her he really cares.

When a post-mortem letter from Taylor’s Granny Peg shows up, along with an old photo, she is driven to uncover family secrets and the secret to her own happiness, starting with an assignment to photograph an unknown, obscure wedding chapel back in Heart’s Bend.

Taylor begins a mission to convince Jimmy that the chapel is worth saving—and that forgiveness and healing might happen within the chapel’s walls . . . for both of them.

Rachel Hauck

About The Author

RITA finalist and award winning author Rachel Hauck writes from sunny central Florida.

With strong southern stories, she infuses faith and real life into the lives of her fictional characters.

Rachel loves to encourage new writers and is the book therapist for My Book Therapy and writing community founded by
Susan May Warren.

Rachel graduated from Ohio State University with a BA in Journalism. She’s and avid OSU football fan.

Visit her web site to find out more and click on the icons to follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

http://www.rachelhauck.com

 

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A Moment of Weakness by Karen Kingsbury

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

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A Moment of Weakness by Karen Kingsbury was a book that at first I didn’t like but by the end I loved the book and the characters.  This is the second  book I have read by this author and I have fallen even more in love with this author than I was before.  I wasn’t a huge fan of Jade and Tanner’s parents throughout the entire book.  I know it is because of  how they acted towards each other and if I am being honest small town crap just bugs me.  I really did like Jade and Tanner though so that made reading the book not so  bad.  This is the second book in the series but you don’t have to read the books in order so if you just want to read this one you won’t be lost.  This book was a super easy read and one that I was able to read in a couple of days so you don’t have to commit tons of time to read this one.  If you love chick lit I know you will love this book as much as I did.

A Moment of Weakness by Karen Kingsbury

About The Book

Had they found each other again after all these years, only to lose everything that matters most?”
“As children, Jade Conner and Tanner Eastman were best friends–until scandal drove them apart. Then, one golden summer, they find each other again. Through endless days they share their hearts and souls and dreams of forever. Then, in a moment of weakness, they make a decision that will tear them apart for nearly a decade.

In their own separate corners of the country, Jade and Tanner have become fighters for religious freedom. Now Jade’s unfaithful husband is determined to destroy her in a custody battle that will rock the nation and shake people’s understanding of faith and freedom. Could Jade lose her only child because of her faith? Only one man can help her in her darkest hour. And only one old woman knows the secret about that summer and the truth that can set them all free.”

Karen Kingsbury

About The Author

USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury is America’s #1 inspirational novelist. There are more than 15 million copies of her award-winning books in print, including several million copies sold in the past year. Karen has written more than 40 novels, ten of which have hit #1 on national lists.

Karen has a true love for her readers, and she has nearly 100,000 friends on Facebook along with more than 7,500 followers on Twitter. The popular social networking sites have allowed Karen daily interaction with her reader friends.

Karen is best known for her Life-Changing Fiction (TM) and for creating unforgettable characters. When speaking before women’s groups – some with more than 10,000 in attendance – Karen makes audiences laugh and cry with her compelling story-telling. She likes to tell attendees they have, “One chance to write the story of their lives,” and her talk focuses on reminding women to live every day loving well, laughing often, and finding true life in Jesus Christ. Karen routinely speaks before more than 100,000 women each year.

Karen’s latest novel, Above the Line, Take Three, released March 23rd, 2010. Take Three is the third in the Above the Line Series. Look for the final installment in this series, Above The Line, Take Four to hit stores June 22nd, 2010. Shades of Blue, Karen’s latest stand alone title, hit stores in October, 2009. Karen’s newest series, Above The Line Series began with Take One, which released in March, 2009. The second book in this series, Take Two released in June 2009.

Karen’s recent title, This Side of Heaven landed in the #5 spot on the CBD Bestselling Fiction List. Also, Karen’s novel, Sunset landed #2 on the New York Times Best Seller’s List. Karen has also written many best selling series including The Redemption Series and the Firstborn Series. Her fiction has made her one of the country’s favorite storytellers. Several of Karen’s novels are being considered for major motion picture movies. Her emotionally gripping titles include the 9-11 Series, Even Now, Ever After, and Between Sundays.

Karen is also a public speaker, reaching more than 100,000 women annually through various national events. Karen and her husband, Don, live in the Pacific Northwest with their six children, three of whom are adopted from Haiti.

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The Thread That Binds by Alice Hayes

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The Thread That Binds by Alice Hayes was an amazing book.  I love that the author brings such different women together and have them all connect.  I like it because it made me realize that you never know someone else story is and what they are going through.  I loved this author’s writing and how she made me understand why the characters did the things they do and I was also able to understand the character’s background and where they had come from.  She did all of this without bogging you down with too many details and spending too much time on their backgrounds.  It is a hard thing to not over do the amount of back stories that authors give but she did it just right and she has become of my new favorite authors.  If you love books that take place in modern times than this is one you aren’t going to want to miss.

The Thread That Binds

About The Book

Sherice is a new mother, a sonographer, quilter, and wife; an overworked young woman whose elderly mother is slipping away from her.

Sylvie is a newlywed and recent immigrant, unemployed and virtually penniless. Her husband’s paycheck can’t even cover prenatal care, let alone a baby, and her due date is only drawing nearer…

Joanne’s unconventional pregnancy turns her world upside down, redefining her career and relationships, and even bringing to the surface long-buried demons from her past.

Payton is seventeen, pregnant, and on the run. She flees to her uncle in Georgia with the hope of making a fresh start, but discovers making it on her own is harder than she could ever have imagined.

Gloria is trapped in an unhappy marriage; in love with someone else. Her life is falling apart. With a baby on the way, would it be selfish to flee?

Five women, once strangers, form bonds. Set in modern day Georgia, this is the story of friendship that blossoms in the land of country music, sweet tea, and secrets kept locked tight behind closed doors. Moving, funny, and at times heartbreaking, The Thread That Binds is a lesson in empathy, strength, and the beauty of love.

Alice Hayes

 

About The Author

Originally from Winchester, England, Alice’s plans to read law at a British university were disrupted when she fell deeply in love with Georgia, USA, while studying abroad. After moving all over Georgia, Alice has finally settled in Athens and has no plans to go anywhere else.

She is a single mother to a three-year-old girl and a 65 lb hound dog. She likes coffee, wine, and anything edible with the words ‘salted caramel’ in its description.

At the time of publication, Alice is a 24-year-old history student working full time in a law office, and writing fiction at every stolen moment. She hasn’t slept in approximately two years. Her first published novel, The Thread That Binds won third place in World’s Best Story contest.

Connect with the author:  Website   Twitter

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