Monday, January 13, 2025

End Game by Rachel Dylan

Series: Capital Intrigue #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: January 7, 2020
309 pages
About the Book:

When elite members of the military are murdered on the streets of Washington, DC, FBI Special Agent Bailey Ryan and NCIS Special Agent Marco Agostini must work together to bring the perpetrator to justice. Unfortunately, all evidence points to a Navy SEAL sniper whom Bailey refuses to believe is guilty.

When Bailey and Marco start to connect the dots between the victims, including a link to a powerful defense contractor, they wonder if there's a deeper cover-up at play. Then Bailey is targeted, and it becomes clear that someone is willing to kill to keep their dark secrets.

With the stakes getting higher by the moment in a twisted conspiracy, there's a rush against the clock to determine whom they can really trust. As allies turn to enemies, the biggest secret yet to be uncovered could be the end of all of them.




My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐


The murder of a SEAL is connected to another murder which leads to Bailey (from the FBI) and Marco (from NCIS) working together to figure out who is responsible. The investigation leads them into danger and corrupt people. When another couple murders happen the clue start fitting together. Can they figure it out before they get hurt? In addition to Bailey and Marco's point of views, there are point of views from Lexi and Izzy. I was invested the most in Lexi and wish I could have spent more time with her instead of the others. This felt like I was watching an episode of NCIS. There were so many characters and agencies involved it was difficult to keep track of everyone.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Sunday, January 12, 2025

A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly

Genre: Historical Fiction 
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Released: April 5, 2022
320 pages
About the Book:

Based on the remarkable true story of the Carpathia—the one ship and her legendary captain who answered the distress call of the sinking Titanic.

Shortly after midnight on April 15, 1912, the captain of the Carpathia, Arthur Rostron, wakes to a distress signal from the Titanic, which has struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage. Though information is scarce, Rostron leaps into action, determined to answer the call for help. But the Carpathia is more than four hours away, and there are more questions than answers: Will his ship hold together if pushed to never-before-tested speeds? What if he also strikes an iceberg? And with the freezing temperatures, will there be any survivors by the time the Carpathia arrives?


Kate Connolly is a third-class passenger on Titanic, and she is among the last to receive instruction and help after it hits an iceberg. Despite the chaos of abandoning ship, Kate is able to board a lifeboat, though after seeing the Titanic sink into the abyss and hearing the cries from hundreds of people still in the water, she wonders if any rescue is even possible.


Told in alternating chapters from both Captain Rostron and Kate Connolly.



My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


I learned so much from this book. Even though it is a fictional retelling of the response of the ship Carpathia to the Titanic's distress call you could tell that the author did quite a bit of research into this event and the author's note at the end detailed this. Story is told through through alternating perspective's of the Carpathia's captain, Arthur, and a Titanic passenger, Kate. There are also various journal entries and newspaper articles interspersed throughout. I was captivated. I enjoyed how the captain tried to put the passengers first and gave credit to his crew, not himself. Highly recommend listening to the audiobook. 

(I borrowed a copy of this book through Audible; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

 

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Saturday, January 11, 2025

Downfall by Terri Blackstock

Series: Intervention #3
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Publisher: Zondervan 
Released: February 22, 2012
284 pages

About the Book:

A girl with a questionable past. An Alfred Hitchcock movie. And a plan for a double murder conspire for one explosive ride. Emily Covington has turned her life around after a drug addiction, but her family still has trouble trusting her. Though Emily has committed herself to a year-long treatment program and has been sober for almost a year beyond that, even her mother walks on eggshells around her, fearing she’ll relapse. After her behavior during her drug years, Emily realizes she has a lot to prove. When police discover a homemade bomb under Emily’s car, and she then learns the wife of one of her friends was murdered that same morning, she knows things are deadly serious. But who wants her dead? A conversation she had with two men, an Alfred Hitchcock movie, and a plan for a double murder all conspire for one explosive ride . . . and Emily is the only one who can identify the killer and save the life of the next potential victim. But will anyone believe her? As she frantically works to solve this ever more complicated puzzle and convince the authorities of the truth, Emily finds the focus of the investigation turned back on her. She’s played right into the killer’s hands . . . and he won’t stop until more lives are destroyed.



My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

4.5 rounded up to 5

I devoured this book and couldn't put it down. After getting to know these characters from books one and two, I was hopeful that with their move to another city, life would calm down a bit, but that's not the case. Emily is being targeted, and Lance is struggling to find friends at the new school. I enjoyed getting the pov of the villain and trying to guess who they were. I was hooked and needed to know how the villain would be stopped. Again, Lance was my favorite character in the book. He was always looking out for others and determined to do what he could to help. My only criticism would be is Emily and Lance were both a bit impulsive and should have talked to Kent or Barbara before acting a couple times but they were better at it in this book than in the previous two and they are still young. It was wonderful to see the change and growth of Emily throughout the series. I am pleased with the way the series wrapped up for the Covington family.
(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

 

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Friday, January 10, 2025

Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock

Series: Intervention #2
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: February 15, 2011
322 pages

About the Book:

When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows she’s the newborn daughter of a meth addict he’s been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse. His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan—the man whom she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own. Kent flies to her aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies. In this latest novel of suspense and family loyalty, bestselling author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the devastating choices that can change lives forever.







My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Emily is on the road to recovery and about to be released form rehab. Lance is trying to help a friend and gets sucked into a very dangerous situation. This book shows the dangerous effects of drugs and the pull they have on a person. Jordan wants to do the right thing for the her baby, but her drug addiction is strong and struggles quite a bit. I liked that Lance wanted to help but I was scared for him being pulled into this dangerous situation. I liked that part of this was told through Emily's point of view as this allowed me to get better connected with her and see the changes she is trying to make even through her struggles. The world of drugs is a scary place. I think the decision Barbara makes at the end was the right one for the family.
(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Thursday, January 9, 2025

Intervention by Terri Blackstock

Series: Intervention #1
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Publisher: Zondervan 
Released: September 20, 2009
317 pages

About the Book:

Barbara Covington has one more chance to save her daughter from a devastating addiction by staging an intervention. But when Emily disappears on the way to rehab—and her interventionist is found dead at the airport—Barbara enters the darkest nightmare of all. In the wake of Barbara’s husband’s death, her eighteen-year-old daughter Emily has developed a severe addiction to drugs, and Barbara is afraid her son Logan will pursue the same path. In desperation to save her daughter, Barbara enrolls Emily in a rehab program, complete with an intervention agent scheduled to securely escort Emily to the facility. Emily and the agent set off for Georgia, but when the interventionist is murdered in the parking garage of the Atlanta airport and Emily disappears into thin air, Emily becomes the prime suspect. Convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that her daughter is innocent, Barbara and her son race to Atlanta to try to find Emily before Detective Kent Harlan arrests her for the murder. Detective Kent has questions of his own. His gut tells him that this is a case of an addict killing for drugs, but as he gets to know Barbara, he begins to hope he’s wrong about Emily. Fearing for Emily’s life, Barbara maintains her daughter’s innocence. But does she really even know her daughter anymore? The panic level rises as the mysteries. Did Emily’s obsession with drugs lead her to commit murder—or is she another victim of a cold-blooded killer?



My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Emily Covington is 18 years old and addicted to drugs. Her mom sends her off to rehab, but on the way there the person she was travelling with is killed and Emily is now missing. The police think Emily is responsible but Barbara is sure she something bad has happened to her daughter. Story follows Barbara and her 14 year old son, Lance, trying to find Emily. I loved Lance, he was a huge support to his mom during this time but he also made comments that felt typical of a 14 year old boy. I didn't really care about Emily at the beginning, but eventually the story includes scenes from her point of view and that helped me connect to her. This one had me on the edge at times concerned for what was going to happen next. I wasn't a fan of the hints of a romance blooming, it felt out of place and inappropriate in the midst of the case.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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