Gripping, lyrical, and poignantly beautiful. This story pulled me in and held me tight. It wasn’t a high impact detailed, and quick moving story by any means, but it did grip my heart and impacted me in big unexpected ways. It was a great snowy day read. It sent me straight to the lake. At first I thought it was a little, while beautifully written, lacking in strong story. But oh was I wrong. I’m glad I kept reading. It’s a book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it. Read it! I hope it touches your heart like it did mine. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
Synopsis
When novelist Kendra Brennan moves into her grandfather’s old cabin on Hidden Lake, she has a problem and a plan. The problem? An inflammatory letter from A Very Disappointed Reader. The plan? To confront Tyler, her childhood best friend’s brother–and the man who inspired the antagonist in her first book. If she can prove that she told the truth about what happened during those long-ago summers, perhaps she can put the letter’s claims to rest and meet the swiftly approaching deadline for her next book.
But what she discovers as she delves into the murky past is not what she expected. While facing Tyler isn’t easy, facing the consequences of her failed friendship with his sister, Cami, may be the hardest thing she’s ever had to do.
Plumb the depths of the human heart with this emotional exploration of how a friendship dies, how we can face the unforgivable, and how even those who have been hurt can learn to love with abandon. (From Amazon)
“Recently widowed Serena MacDonald Stewart focuses on her children to the exclusion of her career, her art, and her sanity. When her brothers ask her to oversee the family guest house on the Isle of Skye, it’s a chance to dust off her long-ignored business skills and make a new start. But her hopes for a smooth transition are dashed when the hotel manager, Malcolm Blake, turns out to be irritating, condescending . . . and incredibly attractive.
Malcolm Blake gave up everything—his home, his girlfriend, and his career—to return to Skye and raise his late sister’s teenage daughter. With few job opportunities available on the island, he signs on as the manager of the MacDonald family hotel, which he’s soon running successfully without interference from the owners. That is, until Serena shows up, challenging his authority and his conviction that there’s nothing missing from his new life on Skye.
Before long, Serena and Malcolm have to admit the spark between them is more than mere irritation. But as single parents, there’s more on the line than their own hearts. Will their commitment to family be the thing that draws them together or the only thing that could keep them apart?” (Amazon description)
My Thoughts
Ok well, just a warning, this book will take over your day, your night, your weekend! I started this book and proceeded to read it every chance I got til I finished it. Love this story and the entire series for that matter. The setting is so intriguing. The characters are ones I would like to know in life. I loved the build up and romantic tension leading up to the first kiss. It was well written. Tugged at my heartstrings! I would have loved some more internal context though. I felt like the characters could have been more complex and even more life like. I wanted to know more about both of the main characters past. It would have taken the story to the next level. I also felt like there were a few scenes that were maybe unnecessary filler. But I still loved the story and would love to read more about these characters and Scotland. I received a copy of this book from netgalley. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
A new book by Susie Finkbeiner? After I read All Manner of Things, I knew I would read her subsequent books. That book was so good. I’m comes Stories That Bind Us! I was excited to see another book by this author. I had probably, too high expectations for the book. It started out fantastic. The characters are amazingly well written. The story floats along at the beginning. And then I feel like it kind of stagnates. The story is still good but it is slow. It’s very real life in pace. Not the super high flashy stories of Hollywood. The slow small town stories we know growing up. The ones we feel don’t mean much. There’s power behind the words of the story. The characters live life and find life in their family. I love the way Susie Finkbeiner writes her sentences. They have meaning. However, I found myself just a little bored with this book and wondering where it was headed. It was nice that it was unpredictable. That’s hard to do! Overall the story was nice. Not gripping like the first book I read. Would I recommend it? Sure. Yea. Would I read it a 2nd time? No. It won’t be a repeat read for me. I gave the book 3 stars. I received a copy from the publisher. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner. But not everyone at the palace wants her gone. When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?
First things first, the cover! Can I say gorgeous?! That blue dress and that tiara… the book just begs to be picked up and read. Yep, totally judged a book by its cover. What’s awesome is that when you open the book, you find equally beautiful story on the inside. The book cover totally matches the quality of the book itself. I was intrigued by the story. I read 200 pages in a few hours all in one night because I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters Kenna and Ben. There was this romantic tension that pulled me through the book. I think Hannah Currie is really good at writing romantic tension & irony. It makes the reader cheer for the characters, want them to be together, want them to be happy.
I did have a little bit of trouble with some of the details. I felt like they distracted a bit from the story and could have been left out to no harm to the plot line. I wanted some more information on the inner lives of the characters. I wanted more information on the kingdom. I feel like when a book is set in a made up place there needs to be a little more development of the setting because it’s a new place. The reader needs help placing themselves into the location. It’s not like they’re jumping into a place they may have heard about or seen on tv or in a book or magazine. Some context would have been helpful. However, that being said, I still loved the book even with that missing. I hope there are subsequent books in the series. It reminded me of another royal series set in a made up kingdom by Kiera Cass, that I also love. So for lovers of that series, you will love this book as well! I give this book 3.5/5 stars. I received a copy of this book from CelebrateLit. I was under no compulsion to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
About the Author
Aussie author, Hannah Currie, loves God, family, people (in small numbers, let’s not go crazy here!) and writing. She and her husband live with their three adorable kids in sunny Queensland, where it really is beautiful one day and perfect the next. Except, maybe, during heatwaves. They’re not so fun. She loves to connect with readers at http://www.hannahcurrie.com.
More from Hannah
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by royalty. Real ones like Queen Elizabeth II, who is such an incredible woman and a total hero of mine (not to mention, as a proud Australian and member of the Commonwealth, my monarch) but also the not-so-real ones. Those found in fairytales. Romances. Narnia.
I’m one of those people who blocks out an entire day to watch a royal wedding, sighs like a hopeless romantic through cheesy princess movies, reads just about any novel I find with a crown on the front and loves a full-spread photo souvenir magazine. I may have even written a short story starring a princess for an English assignment at school. More than once. [Side note, if you’re going to write a story about a princess who is totally adorable but can’t spell, don’t use a misspelled word as the title. It takes a lot of explaining to make sure the teacher knows you did it on purpose and doesn’t mark you down for it… sorry Ninth Grade English teacher!].
The glamor draws me in, the beautiful clothes, the history and romance of it all, but it’s the expectations they have on them which hold me there. Every title comes with a million expectations, whether or not they’re realistic. We expect royals, both real and fictional, to behave in a certain way. To be honourable (assuming they’re the good guys). To care for their people and put them first. To always be there. Yes, even to be beautiful.
But what happens when they’re not? When they’re shy? Fight anxiety? Hate the spotlight? Are blemished in some way? What happens when what’s best for the people isn’t what’s best for them? Or when they make a mistake? Something which, for anyone else, would be easily fixed or glossed over but for a royal, gets written into the history books forever. Purely because of their title.
Kenna, the main character in Heart of a Royal, never meant to be a princess. She wasn’t born into royalty, neither did she choose it. And yet, due to circumstances far beyond her control, there she is. Living in a palace. Part of that life.
Very few of us are royalty but I think we all know how heavy expectations can be and the pain of being thrust into situations beyond our control. And yet, even in those moments and seasons, just like Kenna, we have choices. They might seem small, maybe even insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but they’re there. Who we put our trust in. What we do with the circumstances we’ve been given. Where we go from there.
Heart of a Royal is as much my story as it is Kenna’s. No, I’m not a princess (thankfully!) but I have struggled through finding hope and purpose when life flies out of control and the expectations prove too much. And here’s what I’ve found – God is good. There is hope and God is good. I hope, through Kenna’s story, you are reminded of that too.
Two young friends embark upon an epic journey across 1940s middle America in search of answers, a family, and a place to call home.
The only kind of life Brighton Turner understands is the one she has endured within the dreary walls of a rural Pennsylvania asylum. A nurse has thoughtfully educated and raised Brighton, but she has also kept vital information from her in order to keep her close. Brighton befriends a boy whom she calls Angel—he doesn’t know his name—and as the two of them learn more about what lies beyond the walls they call home, they fight for their release and eventually escape.
However, the world outside the only place they’ve ever known is not what they expect. They have no real names, no money, and no help—and they must rely upon the kindness of strangers as they walk and hitchhike from Pennsylvania to Michigan to find their last hope of a home.
This heartbreaking journey, narrated in gorgeous prose, explores what it means to belong—and to scour the universe with fresh eyes for the brightness within.
When I found out Elizabeth Byler Younts had written another book, I knew I had to read it. Her book The Solace of Water was phenomenal; it’s the one I recommend to everyone who asks for a book recommendation. In comes The Bright Unknown. Sign me up! I know it’s going to be great. And oh my goodness was I right. This book is a sensory experience. The words come alive. They dance through your senses in every way possible. The “xylophone of sounds” create a rhythm you can’t help but dance to. The depth of the characters, their attunement to the deepest parts of their soul, is both horrifyingly painful and beautiful at the same time. Ms. Younts has a way of writing chapter endings that entices you to read just one more before returning to life as you know it. The story pulls you like a dog pulls its owner on a leash, unwilling to let you slow down, begging you to hold on for dear life. You find yourself in the pages of this book; in between the lines, inside the characters’ hearts and souls. Younts beautifully incapsulates humanity and our depravity, our brokenness and our longing for wholeness, relationship, and to be seen. Rarely do I underline anything in a fiction book. But I sat reading this book with a pen in my hand. This is a book to keep on the shelf, to revisit, to find pieces of your lost or hiding self in. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I’d give it 10 if I could. Younts is an author to follow. I received a copy of this book from CelebrateLit. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
About the Author
Elizabeth Byler Younts gained a worldwide audience through her first book, Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed novel The Solace of Water and the Promise of Sunrise series. Elizabeth lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, her two daughters, and a small menagerie of well-loved pets.
More from Elizabeth
The Bright Unknown was born out of a seed of a true story that my husband’s grandmother, Gigi, shared with me. Gigi told me that when she was a young girl living in Oklahoma her mom had a friend who was a nurse. During one of her visits over coffee she would occasionally talk about her patients at the local asylum. One particular story really intrigued Gigi and even decades later she still remembered it. The story was about a patient who had a baby while at the hospital and while Gigi remembers nothing about the patient or the child, she knew that when she moved out of Oklahoma several years later that asylum-born girl was around eighteen and still living within the walls of that hospital along with her patient-mother.
That story stuck with me. This trapped girl and her mother wouldn’t let me go. I began to wonder over her and ask all sorts of unanswered questions. Slowly but surely my imagined story for her came to life. Layer after layer I learned about Brighton, my name for her. I also named two characters after Gigi, her first and middle, as an honor to her. This story was born from a memory but now these characters feel real and present in my life today and I hope you will journey with them in The Bright Unknown.
Bestselling author Kristy Cambron concludes the Lost Castle novels with this sweeping tale of art and secrets long buried in England.
It was supposed to be a one-week job: survey an art find, collect a hefty fee, and use that to settle historian Kiera Foley’s life back into balance. But from the moment she sets foot in the East Suffolk countryside, the mysteries surrounding the old English manor and the enigmatic art thief who’s employed her stir more questions than answers. Then, Kiera finds the existence of a portrait captivating enough to upend all of her expectations. This one could be a twin-a painting so close in composition to a known masterpiece, it may be rendered priceless if it truly captured the likeness of a young Queen named Victoria.
Set in three time periods-the rapid change of Victorian England, the tumultuous skies over England’s eastern shores in WWII, and modern day-The Painted Castle unfolds a legacy of faith, family, and stories that are generations in the making.
First things first, the cover! Amazing. It’s so green and fresh and begs to be explored. 2nd, the setting, who doesn’t love a book set in Great Britain? Perfection. I love Ms. Cambron’s writing and her story telling skills are top notch. She weaves time periods together in such a great way. I feel like sometimes time hop novels can be disjointed. This is not the case here. The stories flow nicely in sync with one another. I did struggle a little bit with the amount of description. The descriptions were great, don’t get me wrong. It just felt overwhelming at times. I was lost in the details and had a hard time pulling myself out to the big story surrounding them. This story contains a little mystery, murder, a little history, ok no a lot of history, family, royalty, who doesn’t love a story that includes an element of royal!, art, love and just life! What an amazing stack of topics. This story doesn’t disappoint. Snuggle up under a warm blanket, with a cup of something hot and enjoy! I gave this book 4 stars out of 5. I received a copy of this book from CelebrateLit. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
About the Author
KRISTY CAMBRON is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping series. She’s a Women’s Ministry Leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, and a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation, working with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.
More from Kristy
About The Painted Castle
A war-torn estate holding its secrets close. A lost library bricked off from the world. And a portrait-maker’s unknown masterpiece of a Queen named Victoria… What stories do they long to tell?
It was supposed to be a one-week snatch-and-grab: survey an art find, collect a hefty fee, and use that to settle historian Kiera Foley’s life back into balance. But from the moment she sets foot in the East Suffolk countryside, the mystery of an old English manor, a crumbling beekeeper’s cottage, and a library that had long ago been sealed off brick by brick, all stir more questions than answers. What begins as a novice assignment instead peels back layers, lulling Keira into the depths of the estate’s long-forgotten history.
Despite questions swirling around the enigmatic, rumored art thief who’s employed her, Keira finds the existence of a portrait captivating enough to upend all of her expectations. This one could be a twin—a painting so close in composition to a known masterpiece, it may be rendered priceless if it truly captured the likeness of a young Queen named Victoria…
1842— In order to salvage what’s left of her family’s shaky circumstances, artist Elizabeth Meade knows her duty must be to marry well. But she hopes looks can be deceiving enough to hide her true motives behind a congenial smile and gain entry into the ballrooms of England’s noble elite. Instead of husband-hunting, Elizabeth searches for the one thing that’s seared to her memory—the eyes of her father’s killer, whom she unwittingly sketched one snowy night in Piccadilly ten years before. She never expects to find answers tucked away in the countryside at Parham Hill, in the form of a portrait-maker who could help her artist dreams come true, if only she could forget the highwayman she’s hunted for the last decade—the estate-owner who unwittingly selects her as his betrothed…
1942—When the 390th Bomb Group arrives at Amelia Woods’ Parham Hill Estate, the American flyboys bring playing cards, B-17 “flying fortresses”, and enough bravado to believe they can triumph over Hitler just by staring him down. Amelia isn’t certain, and she’s unwilling to compromise the safety and security in a carefully-crafted world she’s built for the dozens of London-evacuated children left in her charge. But with Anderson shelters buried in the gardens and an Allied airfield a stone’s throw away, Amelia may have no choice but to wait out the war under blackouts and bombs, and accept help from the captain who offers it—even if it means risking all she has left of her late husband’s memory…
From the streets of Piccadilly and the lavish halls of Buckingham Palace to the countryside surrounding Framlingham Castle, a warn-torn estate, a hidden library, and the lost portrait of a queen come together to write the final chapter in the Lost Castle series. Set in three time periods—the rapid change of Victorian England, the tumultuous skies over England’s eastern shores in WWII, and modern day—The Painted Castle unfolds a legacy of faith and the family we fight for, of risk and reward, and the artful crafting of a story that can be generations in the making… yet still change everything about a single life.
You want to be a woman who looks life in the face and says, “You can’t beat me.” A woman who knows love is a risk and reaches out anyways. A woman who understands kindness takes real courage. Who doesn’t fake it or try to hide her scars. Who fights to believe she is who God says she is and helps others do the same.
In Strong, Brave, Loved, bestselling author Holly Gerth offers you sixty short devotions to empower you to be that kind of woman. It’s simple, personal, and practical, with room for you to journal your own responses and reflections as you learn to live in freedom, hope, and holy courage.
My Thoughts
THIS BOOK IS BEAUTIFUL!!! The gold is just gorgeous with the red flowers. I know we shouldn’t judge books by their cover but how can you not when it’s that gorgeous. It’s simple and feminine and just excellently designed. Then you open the book and the “devotionals” are so good too! Now I put devotionals in quotes because they’re not full devotionals in my mind. They’re more encouragement with a little scripture and a prayer thrown in with each passage. I don’t know if I would type this book as a devotional. That said, I love the writing. It’s encouraging. It’s motivating. It’s empowering. I love it. It’s very practical, which is awesome. And it’s relevant. The topics covered are ones women today are hit with from all sides. The questions at the end of each passage are great for reflection and processing where you can apply what you just read to your own life. I found many things I wanted to underline. Many moments where I found myself saying, “YES!” “I need this!” One of my favorite lines came in passage Sixteen. It says, “What we really need from each other is not a pared-down version of ourselves that’s been polished and carefully presented. We need to be true to who we are, to show up as is, because that’s the only way we actually feel less alone.” I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It’s great. Pick it up and read it often. Your life will be better for it. I received a copy of this book from Revell. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
Robin Windsor has spent much of her life under an assumed name to avoid association with her infamous parents. She thought she’d finally found sanctuary running her used bookstore in quiet River City, Michigan. But when she receives an eerily familiar book in the mail on the morning of her father’s scheduled execution, Robin is thrown back to the summer she met Peter Flynt, the perfect boy who ruined everything. Why would Peter be making contact now? And why does she have a sinking feeling that she’s about to be exposed all over again? With evocative prose that recalls the classic novels we love, Erin Bartels pens a story that shows that words — the ones we say, the ones we read, and the ones we write — have more power than we imagine.
My Thoughts
After reading Ms. Bartels debut novel and being completely blown away, I had high hopes for this second novel. And it was amazing! The writing is superb, beautiful, and flows so smoothly. There’s none of that going back to reread because you didn’t quite get what the author is trying to say. It’s not overly wordy either. Just the perfect amount of words beautifully strung together to make the story dance off the page into real life. The setting is so charming and homey. Being from the midwest, I feel like I’m at home in the book. I also love all the reference to great literary works. I loved the characters. Love how Bartels slowly draws the reader into the life of the character, with some comic relief and tugs at the heart strings. The characters deal with real life, big issues, and respond in such normal ways. The story doesn’t feel rushed, or over dramatized and cheesy. Erin Bartels is quickly becoming one of my favorite new authors. I recommend her books to all my friends. I give this story 5 stars. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
Harper Taylor is used to being alone—after all, she grew up in one foster home after another. Oliver Jackson finally took her under his wing when she was a runaway teenager, and now Harper pours her marine biology knowledge into Oliver’s pen shell research. But she’s never stopped wishing for a family of her own.
So when a DNA test reveals a half-sister living just two hours away, Harper is both hopeful and nervous. Over warm cinnamon rolls, Harper and Annabelle find striking similarities in their stories. Is it just a coincidence that both their mothers died tragically, without revealing Harper and Annabelle’s father’s name?
Oliver’s son Ridge still sees Harper as a troubled teen even all these years later. But when Oliver is attacked, Ridge and Harper find themselves working together to uncover dangerous secrets that threaten to destroy them all. They must unravel her past before they can have any hope for the future.
Suspense, romance, and generational secrets meld in this engrossing new novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble.
She’s done it again! Colleen Coble is that author you know you can count on. Her writing is consistently amazing. This book follows that description perfectly. I loved the characters and their back stories were unique and interesting. The setting is beachy balmy and makes you want to visit, kinda. The plot moved along well and kept me interested the entire time. I didn’t feel like I knew who-done-it early in the book either, which is a huge plus! I don’t like it when you can guess the end at the beginning. This is not one of those books. It is however, a book that makes you not want to clean you house, not want to go to bed, not want to watch tv… I had to just keep reading! That’s the sign of a great book. You’re not going to want to miss this amazing story. The faith aspects are minimal, maybe to the point of wanting some more. They’re definitely not in your face at all. I gave this book 4 stars. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
About the Author
Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series. Connect with Colleen online at colleencoble.com; Instagram: colleencoble; Facebook: colleencoblebooks; Twitter: @colleencoble.
Read a Premium Excerpt
Suspense, romance, and generational secrets meld in this engrossing new novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble.
Strands of Harper Taylor’s childhood are resurfacing—but will the truth save her . . . or pull her under?
Harper Taylor is used to being alone— after all, she grew up in one foster home after another. Oliver Jackson finally took her under his wing when she was a runaway teenager, and now Harper pours her marine biology knowledge into Oliver’s pen shell research. But she’s never stopped wishing for a family of her own.
So when a DNA test reveals a half-sister living just two hours away, Harper is both hopeful and nervous. Over warm cinnamon rolls, Harper and Annabelle find striking similarities in their stories. Is it just a coincidence that both their mothers died tragically, without revealing Harper and Annabelle’s father’s name?
Oliver’s son Ridge still sees Harper as a troubled teen even all these years later. But when Oliver is attacked, Ridge and Harper find themselves working together to uncover dangerous secrets that threaten to destroy them all. They must unravel her past before they can have any hope for the future.
Suspense, romance, and generational secrets meld in this engrossing new novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble.
“Free-dive into a romantic suspense that will leave you breathless and craving for more.” –DiAnn Mills, bestselling author
“As always, Colleen Coble never disappoints. Strands of Truth is no exception. I was hooked from the first page. Trying to read this story slowly is impossible. Don’t be surprised when you find yourself flipping the pages in a hurry to find out what happens next! This one is for your keeper shelf.” –Lynette Eason, bestselling, award-winning author of the Blue Justice Series
“Colleen Coble’s latest book, Strands of Truth, grips you on page one with a heart-pounding opening and doesn’t let go until the last satisfying word. I love her skill in pulling the reader in with believable, likable characters, interesting locations, and a mystery just waiting to be untangled. Highly recommended.” –Carrie Stuart Parks, bestselling author of Formula of Deception
“Once again, Colleen Coble delivers an intriguing, suspenseful tale in Strands of Truth. The mystery and tension mount toward an explosive and satisfying finish. Well done.” –Creston Mapes, bestselling author
“Just when I think Colleen Coble’s stories can’t get any better, she proves me wrong. In Strands of Truth, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The characterization of Ridge and Harper and their relationship pulled me immediately into the story. Fast paced, with so many unexpected twists and turns, I read this book in one sitting. Coble has pushed the bar higher than I’d imagined. This book is one not to be missed.” –Robin Caroll, best-selling author of the Darkwater Inn series
“It’s in her blood! Colleen Coble once again shows her suspense prowess with a thriller as intricate and beautiful as a strand of DNA. Strands of Truth dives into an unusual profession involving mollusks and shell beds that weaves a unique, silky thread throughout the story. So fascinating I couldn’t stop reading!” –Ronie Kendig, bestselling author of The Tox Files
Months after her husband, Sean, is killed by a hit-and-run driver, physicist Georgie Brennan discovers he lied to her about where he had been going that day. A cryptic notebook, a missing computer, and strange noises under her house soon have her questioning everything she thought she knew.
With her job hanging by a thread, her son struggling to cope with his father’s death, and her four-star general father up for confirmation as the next Secretary of Defense, Georgie quickly finds herself tangled in a political intrigue that has no clear agenda and dozens of likely villains. Only one thing is clear: someone wants her dead too.
The more she digs for the truth, the fewer people she can trust.
This book had me holding my breath! I could feel my heart pounding trying to jump out of my chest. I listened for noises in my house at night. I hate to love books like this. They grab your entire person and take you on this crazy ride. I love when an author can illicit such a response from a reader with just words! I read half of the book in one sitting and couldn’t wait to read the rest in the next. The few issues I had with the book were small in the scope of things. I felt like some of the details were unnecessary and like other details would have been more helpful. I wanted to know more about the inner life of the main character. It seemed like there was a lot of external focus. I also felt like there were details that sent you down a small rabbit trail only to snap you back to the main part of the story with no warning. Why were those things included? I was confused. I also struggled to understand all the military talk. I couldn’t grasp every part of the story. I had to back off and read it as a whole instead of worrying about trying to understand all the details. I also thought the ending was a little rushed. There was so much build up but them bam! it was done. An epilogue would have been a great addition to this book. But overall the story was great. Definitely kept my interest and my heart beating fast. I would recommend the book and gave it 4 stars. I received a copy from CelebrateLit. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
About the Author
Siri Mitchell is the author of 14 novels. She has also written 2 novels under the pseudonym of Iris Anthony. She graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and has worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri is a big fan of the semi-colon but thinks the Oxford comma is irritatingly redundant. Visit her online at sirimitchell.com; Facebook: SiriMitchell; Twitter: @SiriMitchell.
More from Siri
A Sense of Place
I’m so excited about the release of State of Lies! Among the many reasons for my excitement is the fact that I set the story in my own home town: Arlington, VA. Here are some things you might not know about Arlington:
Arlington was originally included within the borders of Washington, DC.
Arlington isn’t actually a city – it’s a county. We’re the smallest self-governing county in the nation.
Arlington regularly takes the top spot as the most educated place in the country.
Arlington LOVES books. I count at least a dozen different little libraries in my neighborhood alone.
Our region often has a hurricane warning or two every hurricane season. Can you guess where I’ve seen the longest lines when people start to make last-minute preparations? It’s not the grocery store; it’s not the hardware store. It’s the library! (Why wouldn’t you stock up on books too?)
We host Arlington National Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Marine Corps War Memorial, and the Pentagon.
We are home to the very first Five Guys hamburger joint location.
We are also home to the headquarters of over a dozen national agencies as well as organizations like Rosetta Stone and Nestlé.
People who attended our high schools include Sandra Bullock, Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, Katie Couric, and Patch Adams.
The thing I love most about Arlington? Its people. Countless government contractors members of the federal workforce live here. I number them among my friends and neighbors. I’ve never met a group more dedicated, more informed, or more determined to put their expertise to good use. And guess what? My heroine, Georgie Brennan, is one of them!
Living Life Free in Christ 