Book Review - Hadley Beckett's Next Dish

Hadley Beckett's Next Dish is as sharp as a well honed chef's knife and as hot as the kitchen in which she and Chef Maxwell Cavanaugh spar.

Chef Max's very public temper fit ruined Chef Hadley's moment of glory in the finale of America's Fiercest Chef. Now he's back from hiatus and smack in the middle of her life, for better or for worse. In fits and starts, they have to figure out how to make the best of the situation, while learning about communication and forgiveness in a way that kneads and stretches them both.

I enjoyed this recipe for disaster, and love, from Bethany Turner. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review it. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Traitor's Pawn

Aubrey Grayson's peaceful sunrise chat with her Papps is shattered when he was shot, and it only goes downhill from there. As a detective, she is used to intense situations, but this one is different from any she has experienced before. Kidnapped while waiting for assistance and then rocked by an explosion, can it get any worse?

FBI agent Jack Shannon has followed the leads to Corpus Christi in the hunt for the man who is selling government secrets to foreign agents. He is surprised to find himself tangled in a mess that involves a senator and a police detective, especially when that detective is the woman Jack once loved.

The action keeps the pages turning in a fast paced novel that kept me guessing, even after the story ended. And the dynamic between Aubrey and Jack is a strong element that had me rooting for them, even when they didn't seem to root for themselves. Lisa Harris presents a solid romantic suspense that will keep you guessing, and cheering, from beginning to end.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - The Happy Camper

I.am.so.guilty.

For real, y'all.

Guilty as all heck.

What have I done, you ask? Well, I judged a book by its cover. But I really think you'll give me a pass when you see it. I mean, has there ever been a cover more unbelievably adorable as this one? Take a moment to look at it and literally feel the stress melt away. It is fairly magical.

In all fairness, I did also judge this one by the author. Sometimes I'm having a Melody Carlson kind of day, or week, or quarantine (I'm totally nailing this social distancing thing!) See, I know I can trust Melody to give me the kind of Hallmark-y experience that allows me to simply enjoy a book without super stressful plot twists and deep theological introspection. Don't get me wrong, you know I love all those things, too. But let's recap my own personal reality at the moment:
*Quarantine/Social Distancing Day 12 (TWELVE, Y'ALL!)
*Little Brother has been in a big ol' cone of shame for eleven days. That means, for eleven days he has been trying to cuddle with me and really mostly succeeding only at whacking me in the face over and over. And over. And, also, over.
*Princess Pea Pod is a little frustrated that her spring break is spent at home, being socially distant, and continues to ask if I'll please just take her to (Walmart\the mall\the park\friend's house\anywhere but here) in spite of every explanation.
*Yesterday, the power went out. Then the internet was out. And the garage door broke.

Melody Carlson, take me away! I so need Hallmark-y right now!

Dillon has had enough! She doesn't even realize it until she has chucked the dead-end boyfriend and the dead-end job, but her heart knows exactly where to go, and Grandpa welcomes her home with open arms. When she finds her childhood bedroom occupied by her own mother, Grandpa solves the space issue by offering her a vintage camper. Restoring Rose gives Dillon purpose, as well as the opportunity to get to know Jordan Atwood through trips to his hardware store and a shared enthusiasm for vintage campers. It's a bit of a bumpy ride, but Dillon and Rose find their identity together. I enjoyed the support Grandpa gives, the understanding Dillon and her mother find for each other, the banter with Jordan, and the joy Dillon finds through her new fascination. Thank you, Melody Carlson, for delivering another truly enjoyable story!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Chasing the White Lion

Oh my gravy, y'all! I was doing great in my bookish world, reading all the good books, writing all the reviews, geeking out over all the authors I love. Then along comes James R. Hannibal with The Gryphon Heist, Talia Inger, Tyler, Finn, Eddie and the rest of the merry-ish band of law and disorder. My world was rocked. My Google searches got a little weird and TripAdvisor is STILL trying to convince me to take my dream trip to Transnistria. (Thanks, TripAdvisor, but I'm currently self-quarantined.) By the end of The Gryphon Heist, I wasn't sure who it was that I love and who I don't trust, who is telling the truth and who has been lying so elegantly all along. What I did know, is that I wanted more and Chasing the White Lion could not be released soon enough!

Problem solved! At least one problem was solved; I still had to convince the entire world to leave me alone while I utterly devoured this book! It was almost as if a hand reached out of the story and grabbed my face. There was no putting it down! This is the kind of book that genuinely left me breathless at the end, with a bit of, "What the heck just happened here?!?" The action of the story, the actual pursuit of the White Lion and the search for the missing children, is excellently crafted. The real core of the story, though, is one of redemption and of family.

It is always encouraging when an author takes an opportunity to use an already awesome story to fulfill a higher purpose. James R. Hannibal does this through a partnership with Compassion International, a wonderful organization with a heart for the impoverished children of the world, in which a portion of every book sold goes to support their mission. That's fiction with a purpose, for sure!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Out of the Embers

Someone was watching.

I was immediately caught! Thanks to Amanda Cabot's hook of an opening line, I was involved in Evelyn's story from the first sentence. Out of the Embers is the first book in Cabot's new Mesquite Springs series and follows orphan Evelyn Radcliffe from the destruction of the orphanage she called home to the home that was meant for her.

Ten years after her parents were killed, Evelyn must start all over when her orphanage home is destroyed by fire. Who set the blaze that killed the matron and all of the other orphans, save sweet little Polly? Where will Evelyn and Polly go? How will Evelyn support them?

Wyatt Clark has always gone above and beyond to care for his family and nurture the dream of his deceased father, but he's planning for the day he can escape to chase his own dream. He is utterly unprepared to do anything more than providing shelter and food to the strangers he finds huddled under a wagon in a storm.

Amanda Cabot entwines their stories and their hearts deftly, while creating a lovable cast of characters in the town of Mesquite Springs. I look forward to the continuation of the series as we see what she has in store for Wyatt's dear sister, Dorothy, as well as the other citizens of their cozy Texas Hill country town.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Collision of Lies

Imagine that your son has been dead for three years when you receive a text message from an unknown phone number, "Help me, Mom." I know I would move mountains to find out where this message came from and what it might mean for my child.

Imagine now that you are minding your own business when this message and the parents to whom it was sent land squarely in the middle of your peaceful Saturday morning breakfast. Amara Alvarez, property crimes detective for the San Antonio Police Department, just wants to eat her breakfast and do her job well enough to get her transferred to Homicide. But she hopes a quick check of the text will prove to be an accident or a nasty prank. She never expects what unravels from there. Aided by a Texas Ranger, the FBI, a quirky and intelligent SAPD medical examiner, a homicide detective named Starsky, and Larry, her trusted iguana, Amara follows the shreds of evidence to uncover something much larger and more sinister than anyone could imagine.

Tom Threadgill offers up quite a thrilling web of unfolding details in Collision of Lies. This book was hard to put down from the very beginning and held my attention firmly. Amara and her cohorts were very relatable and highly enjoyable. I look forward to the next time we meet Detective Alvarez and Larry in action!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Isaiah's Legacy

Book Review - Isaiah's Legacy

From the Cover:

Eight year old Shulle has only known life in a small village with her loving but peculiar father. When Uncle Shebna offers shelter in Jerusalem in exchange for Shulle's help tutoring King Manasseh, Judah's five-year-old co-regent, she's eager to experience the royal court. But Shulle is soon disillusioned with Yahweh, the God of her father, when she discovers He's given King Hezekiah only ten years to live. When Uncle Shebna threatens her father's safety and demonstrates the starry hosts' power, Shulle begins the subtle swaying of young Manasseh, using her charm and skill on the boy no one else understands. Will Shulle free Judah from Yahweh's chains? What role will she play in Isaiah's legacy?

Years later, tragedy thrusts an embittered and ambitious twelve-year-old Manasseh onto Judah's throne. When an even darker influence seeks to twist his brilliant mind toward cruelty, Shulle begins to wonder if the gods they've worshipped so freely have led their hearts into captivity... and if anyone can be too far gone to experience the sovereign love to the one true God.

Review:

Isaiah's Legacy, the third installment in the A Novel of Prophets and Kings series by Mesu Andrews, follows in a grand tradition of inspired biblical fiction that enlightens as it carries the reader to Judah for a turbulent ride through the reign of King Manasseh. A thoroughly researched and well crafted novel, but not an easy one to read, it examines a level of spiritual darkness and depravity that is often danced about, implied, but rarely addressed directly. However, these issues are very real and are critical to a true understanding of the evil that gripped King Manasseh's heart until Yahweh broke the chains that bound him and redeemed him in a glorious way.

This novel picks up after the conclusion of Isaiah's Daughter, at the end of King Hezekiah's life, as his son Manasseh prepares and eventually becomes king. We are subject to the conflict of loving certain characters while we hate the evil that works its way into their lives and shackles them apart from the loving God. Shulle had my heart from the very beginning, and my heart broke for her over and over again as she was tricked and manipulated into the sorcery that bound her while masquerading as power. Manasseh's reign of terror against the prophets and Yahwehists is a horror that was foretold, but not any easier to bear as it unfolded. Through it all, Queen Hephzibah can only pray and hope that her previous boy will someday see Truth and turn from darkness. And her abba, the prophet Isaiah, foretells his own demise at the hands of his grandson, knowing that it must be done as Yahweh says to ultimately give Him the glory.

Dear reader, know that Isaiah's Legacy is not a bit of fiction to be undertaken lightly. As Mesu Andrews toiled to bring it forth, so you will toil to digest it. And yet, it is certainly one of the most valuable and eye opening novels I have ever consumed. The understanding that comes from the scripture and the exploration of the spiritual, social, and political turmoil within reveals what is possibly the greatest prodigal story ever told. And if Shulle and Manasseh can be unchained by Yahweh, then nobody is beyond His redemptive love.

About the Author:

Mesu Andrews is the Christy Award-winning author of Isaiah's Daughter and numerous other novels, including The Pharaoh's Daughter, Miriam, Of Fire and Lions, and Love Amid the Ashes. Her deep understanding of and love for God's Word brings the biblical world alive for readers. Mesu lives in North Carolina with her husband, Roy, and enjoys spending time with her growing tribe of grandchildren.

Links:

Find Mesu online at MesuAndrews.com

Follow Mesu on Goodreads * Instagram * Facebook

Purchase Isaiah's Legacy at Amazon (Release date February 18, 2020)

Disclaimer:

Woman By the Grace of God received a book to facilitate this review. The views and opinions expressed here are 100% honest and my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, part 255 Guidelines, concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in advertising.

Launch Party Info:

Join Mesu on Facebook Live for the Isaiah's Legacy launch party! Come prepared to hear about Isaiah's Legacy and to ask questions about the research and writing of this awesome novel! Click here to select GOING and receive reminders prior to the party, February 18 at 8pm EST. (I'm pretty sure a little birdie mentioned giveaways!)

Speaking of Freebies:

Did you know that Mesu has written FOUR short-story prequels that have been combined into a novella prequel to Isaiah's Legacy? It's called Adnah's Legacy, and it's FREE to Mesu's newsletter subscribers. Just go to any page on her website, and you'll find a sign-up widget in the right-hand column.