Tracking a Killer

GIVEAWAY

GODDARD, ELIZABETH

TRACKING A KILLER

Can an officer and her furry partner survive a killer and the wilderness?

When Rocky MountainK-9 officer Harlow Zane and her cadaver dog, Nell, join the search for a serial killer, the last thing she expects is that she'll draw the killer's obsessive attention. But her former academy rival, FBI Special Agent Wes Grey, notices she matches the victim profile. After another look-alike goes missing, they must work together to catch the criminals...before Harlow's the next to disappear.

Rocky Mountain K-9 unit

My Review:

Can I say again just how thrilled I am that this continuity series is available in audio edition as well as the usual paperback and ebook? I've got them all lined up on my preorder shelf on audible and get such a kick when I get the notification that one has become available. Does that sound weird? Probably, but, I can't stop the bibliophile fangirling! Great narration by Amanda Nolan enhanced my enjoyment of this spectacular romantic suspense.

Elizabeth Goddard knows how to write suspense. How to draw out the creep factor without going over board. How to plant clues and red herrings in a twisty turn plot that keeps me breathless with anticipation. And she really knows how to create a dynamic love story in the midst of all the danger and chaos. To say I was captivated all the way through is an understatement.

Love the reunion romance aspect to the story. Harlow and Wes have an interesting past -- academy rivals on the verge of something so much more until it self-destructed. But they've both picked up the pieces, dedicating themselves to their law enforcement careers. Relationships and romance? Not a chance...until...

Squeeallll! Such a great romance fraught with emotion. To come face to face again as part of a make-or-break career case...well, the pressure is on and I was so there for it!

Really enjoyed the Yellowstone National Park setting -- my second book in a row set in a park. There's something about the wilderness location that amps up the suspense in these books and the environment is so different from my citified life that I find it intriguing. 

And, of course, shout out to beagle Nell. Her sweet nature belies her rather grim job -- cadaver dog. I've really enjoyed reading about the different types of working K-9s that law enforcement uses in this series. Love learning a little somethin' while I'm being entertained!

Tracking a Killer is the sixth book in the Rocky Mountain K-9 unit series but it can be read as a standalone. Each book has its own unique location and mystery while a common suspense thread is loosely woven throughout. Each author does a great job of keeping readers up to date on the over arcing suspense plot though, so you could easily leap in at any point in the series and not feel lost. 

Goal Update: #6 Stay current with a series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy. Winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Tracking a Killer, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 3 2022 . Offer open to 

Rebuilding Hearts

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, CAROLYN

REBUILDING HEARTS

Who knew a bank robbery could shoe a girl that good guys still exist?

Tim Franklin. Quiet, shy, almost incapable of speaking to a girl, and a budding horticulturist. Oh, and he survived a bank robbery five years ago not to mention its resulting trauma.

Bookworm Bella Dwyer just wants to feel safe and Tim's actions during the robbery made her believe there might be guys who live up to her dictional heroes. Trouble is, a chance with Tim seems as remote as this year's celebrity heartthrob.

Instead, she settled for a relationship with a guy who's commitment-phobic.

So when Bella encounters Tim on tiny Sparrow Island, the challenges of her past and present collide, and she questions whether there really is a future with a man who can't commit.

In a leap of faith, Bella dumps her boyfriend, even before shy-guy Tim can make a move. But in wanting to live by faith and conquer fear, has she made the right choice, or are her hopes for freedom and a future destined to fail?

My Review:

Nothing like ending the summer on a beach reading high! There's something about a Carolyn Miller romance that puts a curl in my toes before I even open up the book! Love the anticipatory glee almost as much as the actual bookish enjoyment! 

Rebuilding Hearts is a delightfully awkward, tender, sweet and swoony love story! I don't often meet shy heroes in my fictional journeys. I'm not sure why, maybe they aren't considered hero material? But Tim blows that theory out of the water (see what I did there, this being an island romance and all?) His feelings run deep and though he doesn't say a lot, you want to pay attention when he does. And be prepared to swoon into a puddle of bliss! Plus, the man's a book reading gardener! I mean -- that right there is enough to give me heart palpitations! And when he waxes horticulturally poetic, well that might just be my love language. :-)

And then we have a librarian heroine with a family history researcher side gig -- and an even better job offer on the horizon...but I'm getting ahead of myself. Phew, must calm down and try to think clearly but my mind is all muzzyfuzzied from post-read euphoria. 

Bella is in a relationship at the beginning of the story and af first I was worried about venturing into dangerous love triangle territory, but fear not, that is but a blip on the radar of this romance. Blink and it's over because Bella has sense...and a heart yearning for so much more than doofus brain (not referring to Tim) can give her. 

Love the island setting and especially the small informal church -- real proof that  when "two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Matt. 18:20) And it comes with some quirky secondary characters who have their own ideas about Tim and Bella. :-) Plus we get to meet up with previous heroes and heroines from Miller's earlier island novels which was loads of fun.

Side note: This reads perfectly perfect as a standalone -- Rebuilding Hearts is part of a multi-authored long running series set in a string of islands connected by ferry or bridges. There's lots of scope for story fodder with the various island businesses and tourist trade. Sometimes there's character overlap but it's done so well that you wouldn't notice if you hadn't read any of the other books.

Carolyn Miller's website tagline says "Stories of hope, heart & humour" and she definitely delivers that in this perfect fictional getaway!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Rebuilding Hearts, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 3 2022 . Offer open to 

Carol Awards Finalists 2022 -- Young Adults and Debut Novel Categories

GIVEAWAY

First off -- what exactly are the Carol Awards?

They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2022 finalists are books published in 2021. You might have read them already, you might not. I'll include links to reviews of the books I've read, but I have a lot of catching up to do so there will be gaps.

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2022 -- Young Adult OR Debut Category you would like to receive if your name is drawn. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you're entering that way) and if you win, that's the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the three finalists:

*Another doubled up day. Winners are announced next week! So today's giveaway is your choice of ONE of these six novels. Pay attention to the formats available per title because they vary.

YOUNG ADULT FINALISTS

Traitor by Laurie Lucking

(Tales of the Mystics; 2)

Princess Penelope has finally found a way to redeem her past mistakes -- if only it didn't require betraying her new fiancé.

Princess Penelope has been the object of gossip and ridicule ever since she returned home in disgrace following her failed engagement to the Crown Prince of Imperial. When her father offers a new start in a country far across the sea, she has no choice but to accept.

Even if it means another betrothal, this time to a total stranger.

Penelope arrives in Delunia determined to avoid bringing further shame upon her family. But her devoted, caring fiancé makes it harder to guard her heart than she anticipated, and rumours of dark magic haunt her with memories she'd rather keep buried far beneath her pristine exterior.

When a poverty-stricken village outside the palace gates looks to her as their hope for a brighter future, Penelope embraces the opportunity to make amends for her transgressions. But in order to help, she must manipulate her new fiancé, putting her reputation on the line once more. And her heart.

Can Penelope rise above the failures of her past, or will she forever be branded a traitor?

Realms of Light by Sandra Fernandez Rhoades

(The Colliding Line; 2)

From the Ashes, Spring Will Rise

On the run from the brutal Sage and his arm of Legions and Cormorants, seventeen-year-old Cera Marlowe knows the only place strong enough to protect her is the Alliance Council Estate.

Cera's introduction to the Estate is far from welcoming. As a Blight, her dueling powers of light and darkness make her a half-breed threat to the Alliance's sacred powers. Cera's ability to decipher hidden messages in classical artwork buys her shelter temporarily, but the clock is ticking as she's faced with a daunting choice that could cost her everything.

Mountain of Flame by Diane E. Samson

(Gems of Fire; 3)

Reeling from Jack becoming king of Oclen, Princess Anna returns home as Sunderland's Defender. Earning her title was a hard-fought honour, but Anna can't escape the guilt of leaving Jack alone in that cursed, starving place.

When Jack comes to Sunderland seeking aid from Anna's father, she must decide whether to return with him and help defeat the curse plaguing the cold northern land. If she remainsSunderland's Defender, she knows her heart would never forgive her for abandoning Jack to rebuild a crushed kingdom.

Can Anna leave what she loves to become queen of a people suspicious of her and the gems? Joining Jack would mean battling an evil greater than anything she's ever faced, for the curse's roots grow deep. But if she doesn't, Oclen will likely fall and Anna will lose Jack forever.

DEBUT FINALISTS

Sugar Birds by Cheryl Grey Bostrom

Northwest Washington State, 1985

For years, Harris Hayes has taught his daughter, Aggie, the ways of the northern woods. So when her mother's depression worsens, Harris shows the girl how to find and sketch the nests of wild birds as an antidote to sadness. Aggie is in a tree far overhead when her unpredictable mother spots her and forbids her to climb. Angry, the ten-year-old accidentally lights a tragic fire, then flees downriver. She lands her boat near untamed forest, where she hides among the trees and creatures she considers her only friends -- determined to remain undiscovered.

A search party gathers by Aggie's empty boat hours after Celia, fresh off the plane from Houston, arrives at her grandmother's nearby farm. Hurting from her parents' breakup, she also plans to run. But when she joins the hunt for Aggie, she meets two irresistible young men who compel her to stay. One is autistic; the other, dangerous.

Perfect for fans of The Scent Keeper, The Snow Child, and The Great Alone, Sugar Birds immerses readers in a layered, evocative coming-of-age story set in the breathtaking natural world where characters encounter the mending power of forgiveness -- for themselves and for those who failed them.

Solomon's Porch by Janet Morris Grimes

Time.

Solomon is running out of it. 

A broken and forgotten man fighting the demons of dementia, he longs for the past when both he and his beloved military town of Ginger Ridge once thrived.

When his stooped body collides with the hardened realities of the present, Solomon lies in a coma as an unidentifiable victim of a hit-and-run accident in a faraway city.

With nothing to keep him going but flashbacks of relationships from his past, Solomon has no idea what a difference he will make on the future.

Who will come to his rescue, and what secrets will they uncover along the way?

If you're a fan of friendship novels like A Man Called Ove and Tuesdays with Morrie, then you will absolutely love this heartwarming tale of live, love, and loss. Solomon's Porch and its unforgettable characters will stay with you long after the last page has been turned.

Into the Room by Steven Rogers

Ben Cahill's life is an alcohol saturated mess. After an insincere effort in a rehab facility, he is alienated from his family, out of work, and determined to continue his habit. To make matters worse, he finds himself on a tour of Israel along with, as he calls them, a bunch of Holy Rollers.

As the trip progresses, Ben experiences the Holy Land's major historical sites and is exposed to God's word. He interacts with his fellow travellers, gradually learning about their faith and their lives. Along the way, Ben becomes embroiled in a spiritual war, reinforcing his guilt and, in turn, forcing him to recall his past actions and behaviours. He also begins a different journey, one that leads him to redemption and a place in God's family.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Giveaway options vary per title. Please see list below:

YOUNG ADULT FINALISTS:

Traitor by Laurie Lucking -- ebook only

Realms of Light by Sandra Fernandez Rhoades -- ebook only

Mountain of Flame by Diane E. Samson -- paperback or ebook

DEBUT FINALISTS:

All three books are available in paperback or ebook format -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  these finalists, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 3 2022 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

A Mosaic of Wings

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ

DUFFY, KIMBERLY

A MOSAIC OF WINGS

Nora Shipley has one goal -- to carry on the legacy of her late father by taking over the scientific journal he started. To that end, she's fought to be taken seriously among her male classmates and graduate as valedictorian of Cornell's  entomology program. When pressures to settle down rise to a fever pitch, she impulsively joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field and win a scholarship.

But India holds several surprises -- she is impressed not only by the beauty of its natural wonders, but also by the gentle nature she discovers in the rival classmate who accompanied her, Owen Epps. Instead of exploring, however, she is forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her. During the many quiet days, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has been dedicated to the goddess against her will.

In this spellbinding new land, Nora is soon faced with impossible choices -- between saving Sita and saving her career, and between what she's always thought she wanted and the man she's come to love.

My Review:

Published in 2020

I discovered a second copy during my major shelf re-shuffle, so here she is, ready to go adventuring in the great wide world. Good luck!

---

Laura Frantz-esque in a different time period with a wider world view.

What a stunning debut novel! Duffy's rich, decadent prose creates such a thrilling ambiance. Seriously, she nearly had me swooning over bugs! I did not think I could connect with an etymologist heroine but I was wrong. Nora is a fascinating woman of her time. She's passionate about her future involving more than a suitable husband and nursery full of babies. She's brilliant and competitive and prone to rash actions, thinking things through only once she's in the middle of the aftermath which makes things interesting -- and frustrating -- for all involved, including the reader!

At the beginning of the novel we meet an opinionated, strong-willed Nora. Sometimes, she gives the impression of being stuck-up and aloof in her drive to pursue her education in a male dominated environment. While I found some of that off-putting, I could see where the attitude was coming from. Duffy shows the sharp contrasts in the expectations (or lack of) in 19th century women compared to their male counterparts.

And then there's Owen (did my heart just skip a beat?) Stalwart hero material. So patient and protective and encouraging. Content to embrace the multi-faceted Nora, prickles and all. A couple of reviewers mentioned an Anne and Gilbert vibe to their romance (Anne of Green Gables) which I found funny because that's exactly what came to my mind too. Great minds think a like and all that.

A Mosaic of Wings is a coming of age story that spans continents.It's a journey of self-discovery, shifting thought processes and the hope of new love. Nora's transformation is both exhilarating and terrifying. And she doesn't always get it right but, like us all, she's a work in progress.

"There is a peace here I have never felt before. It feels like a sanctuary hidden deep in the country of a thousand idols. A place where God's fingerprints point to His plan." (p 121)

A breath-taking, complex read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  A Mosaic of Wings, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 27 2022 . Offer open to 

August Giveaway -- Week Four

 

WON BY SARAH

WON BY CARYL

WON BY JOY

WON BY ABIGAIL

WON BY PERRIANNE

WON BY BECKY

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address in a comment, otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca (please note it's ca as in Canada not com)

From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address (or email address for ebooks) and I'll email you to confirm your book is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring on the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping times.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

I had fun re-reading some amazing books over the summer, and, while I intend to continue re-reading from time to time, it will no longer be a Sunday feature. In my perusal of my 'eclectic' (translation -- out of control mess) book shelves I've discovered duplicates of two titles which will be featured in this week's giveaways. Not quite re-reads, but great books all the same. 

SUNDAY

MONDAY

'tis the season of the

Carol Awards Finalists Countdown

This week we will look at the

Young Adult and

Debut Categories

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Loving Lovina

GIVEAWAY

JOHNS, PATRICIA

LOVING LOVINA

When the peaceful Amish community of Bountiful, Pennsylvania, is rocked by scandal, the three Yoder siblings must each find their path to love, family, and forgiveness...

Waking in the hospital after a car accident, Lovina Yoder doesn't remember the Amish family who claim her as their own -- or the man who says he's her fiancé. Thoughtful and handsome, Johannes Miller clearly cares fro her, and Lovina longs to recall the walks and buggy rides he describes, and the plans they once made. Life in the Amish community seems full of joy, faith, and warmth. And yet, Lovina sense there is something more in her past, just beyond her grasp...

Gott has answered Johannes' prayer to bring Lovina lack -- but not quite as he oped. A year ago, she ran away to the Englisher world, unable to face the community after her daet's misdeeds. Her family hopes that Lovina can rediscover her Amish heart before those painful recollections return. Johannes loves her as deeply as ever, but if she walked away once, will she leave again, taking his dream of home and family with her? Or will the new memories they are making together, day by day, convince her that this Bountiful future is Gott's plan for them both?

My Review:

I've been taking a hiatus from novels featuring the amnesia trope but, occasionally one intrigues me enough to give it a try and Loving Lovina practically jumped off the library shelf and into my arms screaming, 'Pick me! Pick me!' so I did. :-)

The cover intrigued me. Amish or English? Well...both really and that's where the amnesia twist is so innovative. Because Lovina left her Amish community a year ago and wakes up in the hospital without any memories of her life before then. So, when an Amish family claims her as theirs she dutifully goes home with them to recuperate...and hopefully regain her memories. But they are hoping she can reconnect with her faith and community before that happens because Lovina -- and, in fact, the entire Yoder family's story -- is complicated. Fraught with tragedy and pain and loss. Each sibling is facing their challenges in different ways, but they all agree that together they are stronger.

And then there's the issue of the fiancé Lovina left behind. Is it a reunion romance since they had a relationship before, or is it a new romance since Lovina can't remember anything? Or maybe unrequited love because Johannes has never stopped loving her? Oh, the deliciousness of all the emotional turmoil punctuated with the sweet wonder of falling in love...again.

This is the third book in the Infamous Amish series, and, while there is a lot of back story from previous novels, the author does a great job of keeping new readers updated and not feeling lost. So I can definitely recommend Loving Lovina has a standalone novel.

Goal Update: #10, Give unloved tropes a second chance

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- Winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Loving Lovina, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 27 2022 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

By Way of the Moonlight

GIVEAWAY

MUSSER, ELIZABETH

BY WAY OF THE MOONLIGHT

Two courageous young women, tied together by blood and shared passion, will risk everything to save what they love most.

For as long as she can remember, Allie Massey, a gifted physical therapist, has dreamed of making her grandparents' ten-acre estate into a trauma recovery center using equine therapy -- a dream her grandmother, Nana Dale, embraced wholeheartedly. But when her grandmother's will is read, Allie is shocked to learn the property has been sold to a developer.

Decades earlier, headstrong Dale Butler's driving passion is to bring the prized filly her family lost to the Great Depression, but with World War II looming she's called upon in ways she never could have imagined. And while her world expands to include new friends and new love, tragedy strikes close to home one fateful night during the Battle of the Atlantic, changing her life forever.

As Nana Dale's past comes to light in Allie's search for answers, Dale's courage and persistence may be just what Allie needs to carry on her grandmother's legacy and keep her own dreams alive.

My Review:

So, I'd heard so many good things about this book in online chatter that I had to buy the audible edition even though I was waiting on a paperback copy...it was just taking way too long to arrive and I was in the mood for a richly layered emotional read right now! lol I can get kinda cranky impatient when my reading life is thwarted. 'Course, Murphy's law had my book arrive the day after I downloaded it from audible. :-) But I really enjoyed Susan Bennett's narration so I'm a happy customer and now I can do a giveaway of the paperback so it's all good.

I'd categorize 'By Way of the Moonlight' as Women's Fiction with strong romantic undertones. And honestly, I was a blubbering mess by the end. I'm not sure I can do justice to this book in a review. 

The way the author builds both timeline stories to a crescendo of gobsmacking revelations is so amazing that it defies description so I'm not even going to try! Just know that the impeccable pacing picks up speed as the novel progresses and you'll reach a point where you won't be able to put the book down so consider this your FYI -- clear your calendar and prepare to become so immersed in Dale's and Allie's lives that you won't care you even have a 'real' world to get back to. 

(True Confession: I got to a point near the end that I actually sped up my listening speed to 3x because I was so greedy to know everything right away! Then, once I'd settled down a bit I went back and listened to it all over again at proper speed while I sniffled into my hankie.)

Other random thoughts about 'By Way of the Moonlight':

All kinds of cover love!!! The stark simplicity of the silhouette is so eye-catching and I love that smoky blue background. 

Love the all consuming 'horsiness' of this novel -- it channels my junior equestrian reading obsession from back in the day -- Black Beauty, Misty of Chincoteauge, The Little White Horse etc. And the Equine therapy is an extra draw. The author really captures the miraculous wonder of the program.

I'm also enamoured with the incredible, salt-of-the earth secondary characters who provide guidance and wisdom that are passed down through generations. Like this:

"It will never be enough, Dale, until you decide that you already have it all. You settle in your mind a grateful heart, a content spirit, and everything else will be gravy, girl." (p 120)

This is a resounding theme throughout both timelines as both Dale and Allie come to terms with dreams vs reality. 

'By Way of the Moonlight' is an enthralling, uplifting, emotional adventure -- a novel I will cherish and reread many times over the years. A new 'Classic' for my listening library.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc. 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  By Way of the Moonlight, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 27 2022 . Offer open to 

Forged in Steele

GIVEAWAY

SLEEMAN, SUSAN

FORGED IN STEELE

When a baby goes missing...

The ink was barely dry on the contract Bristol Steele had signed for Steele Guardians to provide security for a metro hospital when a baby is abducted from the nursery. Horrified and devastated for the family, Bristol puts everything in her life aside to find the abducted child and return her to her devastated parents. But when FBI agent Jared Wolfe steps in and tries to shut down her efforts, Bristol isn't prepared for the sparks that fly between them. 

She'll risk everything, even her life.

Bristol can't back down and soon finds herself working alongside Jared. She struggles to make sure her growing feelings for him aren't a distraction, but as she tugs at Jared's heart and he makes his feelings clear, she's not sure she's succeeding. Maybe she does need to back off for the good of the missing baby, but that might leave her company's reputation in the dirt and proving her abilities to her family has always been her driving force.

My Review:

I get positively giddy when a new Susan Sleeman novel releases. I especially love the way she builds a whole series around a family. The Byrd brothers (Nighthawk Security) might have the edge but these Steele sisters/cousins are nosing in pretty close. Their agency is very much a family affair and I love the occasional assist they get from their parents and grandparents too. These older Steeles add humour and wisdom and a healthy dose of faith to these stories.

Plus there's a bunch of cameos from a previous series -- Truth Seekers -- which I haven't read yet, but I have to now! One of this author's strengths is the ability she has to create a standalone novel within a series so you could totally jump in with this third book. But she also manages to add in former heroes and heroines from earlier series without losing readers who haven't met them yet. If that makes any sense. Like, rather than feeling overwhelmed when these characters pop up, I'm so intrigued I know I have to hit her backlist and read their stories too. 

Forged in Steele has an emotionally compelling suspense plot. Who can't empathize with distraught parents over the abduction of their newborn?! The investigative process was fascinating -- I could feel the impatience of everyone involved as they meticulously attend to every tedious detail in their search for the missing child. At times it felt like they were working in slow-mo and then they'd suddenly be catapulted forward with a new lead and it see-sawed back and forth that way for the whole read. Kept me on the edge right to very end.

Come to think of it, the romance was kinda like that too. Hellooo, reunion romance angst. Nothing like a chance to mend young love gone awry! More reasons that make this book unputdownable...

...or unstoppable, because I listened to the audible edition narrated by Whitney Dykhouse and I couldn't stop listening. 

Goal Update: #1 Read more indie authors, #6 Stay current with a series, #8 Play author catch-up (I'm just 2 series away from being caught up with Susan Sleeman!)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- Winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Forged in Steele, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 27 2022 . Offer open to 

Fatal Code

GIVEAWAY

WALTERS, NATALIE

FATAL CODE

In 1964, a group of scientist called the Los Alamos Five came close to finishing a nuclear energy project for the United States government when they were abruptly disbanded. Now the granddaughter of one of those five scientists, aerospace engineer Elinor Mitchell, discovers that she has highly sensitive information on the project in her possession -- and a target on her back.

SNAP agent and former Navy cryptologist Kekoa Young is tasked with monitoring Elinor. This is both convenient since she's his neighbour in Washington, DC, and decidedly inconvenient because...well, he kind of likes her.

As Elinor follows the clues her grandfather left behind to a top-secret nuclear project, Kekoa has no choice but to step in. When Elinor learns he has been spying on her, she's crushed. But with danger closing in on all sides, she'll have to trust him to ensure her discoveries stay out of enemy hands.

Natalie Walters sucks you into the global race for space domination in this perfectly paced second instalment of her SNAP Agency romantic suspense series.

My Review:

Absolutely LOVE the team building in this series! SNAP (Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency) is a group of elite agents with diverse talents and backgrounds -- including ethnicities. The banter is out of this world! I laughed out loud so many times! This is a found family full of heart and faith...and they're not above a little bickering now and then. :-)

Former Navy cryptologist and all-round computer nerd, Kekoa is the life of the party. His light-hearted kidding keeps the whole team on their toes, but it also hides the pain he has been harbouring for much too long. His larger than life persona -- both in personality and physique -- masks lots of depth. I was head over heels for him in the first book so was thrilled to find his story featured in this second one.

Elinor is much more reserved -- never mind a wall, she's built a fortress around herself, choosing to focus on work rather than the vagaries of relationships. Only the guy who just moved onto her floor is hard to ignore. Bwahahaha -- they have this awkward moment at the end of the first book that was funny enough but their 'meet-cute' here is even squirmier. Poor Kekoa turns bumbling teenage-angsty when Elinor is around.

Of course there are misunderstandings and then grudging acceptance and tentative hope -- which has the potential of crashing down all around them because of the intrigue.

And I LOVE the way Walters has written this suspense. It's more investigative, less crazy car crashing, bullets flying, bombs going off action. Not that there isn't danger and this is still a page-turner, just in a different way. A more subtle, slow build with the ominous foreshadowing of things to come. Really appreciated how that not only amped up the suspense for me, but provided lots of time for Kekoa and Elinor to start developing their relationship.

The author even finds the time to set up the romance for the next book because there's definitely some crazy chemistry going on between team members Lyla and Nicholas! But we have to wait until next spring to find out how that's going to go. Gah, I can't wait. 

Oh -- and while Fatal Code is part of a fantastic series, it could be read easily as a standalone as well. Only, Lights Out is so good, you really should read it too...while you're waiting for that illusive book three. :-)

I enjoyed listening to the audible edition narrated by Morgan Hallett.

Goal Update: #5 Diversify my reading, #6 Stay current with a series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- Winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Fatal Code, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 27 2022 . Offer open to 

Carol Awards Finalists 2022 -- Speculative Fiction

GIVEAWAY

First off -- what exactly are the Carol Awards?

They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2022 finalists are books published in 2021. You might have read them already, you might not. I'll include links to reviews of the books I've read, but I have a lot of catching up to do so there will be gaps.

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2022 -- Speculative Category you would like to receive if your name is drawn. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you're entering that way) and if you win, that's the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the three finalists:

Secrets in the Mist by Morgan L. Busse

(Skyward; 1)

What's lurking in the Mist is the least of their worries...

In a world where humanity lives in the sky to escape a deadly mist below, Cass's only goal is survival. That is, until she finds a job on the airship Daedalus as a diver. Now she explores ruined cities, looking for treasure and people's lost heirlooms until a young man hires her to find the impossible: a way to eradicate the Mist.

Theodore Winchester is a member of one of the Five Families that rule the skies. Following in his father's footsteps, he searches for the source of the Mist and hopes to stop the purges used to control overpopulation. But what he finds are horrifying secrets and lethal ambition. If he continues his quest, it could mean his own death.

The Mist is rising and soon the world will be enveloped in its deadly embrace, turning what's left of humanity into the undead.

Windward Shore by Sharon Hinck

(The Dancing Realms; 3)

The island world of Meriel faces an old adversary and a new danger. Will the reformed Order die before it has a chance to blossom?

Storm clouds loom on the horizon as Carya and Brantley struggle to overcome wounds of the past and build a future together. The fragile new Order is on shaky ground, with too few dancers and sparse resources. Then trouble erupts -- and now an insidious rebellion and a new foe threaten their entire world.

When she uncovers an old enemy behind all the destruction, Carya realizes the past is not done with her. With conflict tearing apart the dancers and villages, dimmers are soon overrun, and Carya must unite her people by leading the battle to protect the very head of her world...or lose it all.

Cast the First Stone by David James Warren

(The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone; 1)

One case haunts him. One chance to fix the past. One mistake could cost him everything.

Ex-Minneapolis Police Detective Rembrandt Stone Walked away from a career he loved -- just the price of being sure he can come home to the wife and daughter he cherishes. But he can't shake the deep regret over a case left behind.

When his mentor, the former Chief of Homicide dies and leaves Rembrandt with a box of cold cases and a mysterious watch, he finds himself thrust into a world he recognizes -- a world from twenty years ago -- the same world he's woken from in a cold sweat a hundred times . But is it a dream, or some kind of twisted reality?

If he solves the case that plagues him, and justice is finally served, will it destroy the life he loves?

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Giveaway editions vary -- see below for the options

Secrets in the Mist by Morgan L. Busse -- ebook only

Windward Shore by Sharon Hinck -- ebook only

Cast the First Stone by David James Warren -- paperback or ebook

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  one of these finalists, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 27 2022 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck