Frequency

GIVEAWAY

HARRIS, LISA

FREQUENCY

Adrenaline-field fiction

She trusted the wrong person. Now her life depends on finding out the truth.

In today's world, law enforcement agencies across the country rely on forensic tools, DNA testing and crime labs. But what if that technology was suddenly no longer available? No one in the small. west Texas town of Shadow Ridge knows what took down the power grid, or when it's going to be back up, but everyone knows exactly where they were the moment it went down. And now, with no electricity, no internet, and no modern technology, the men and women responsible for keeping the town safe are going to have to learn how to fight crime all over again.

Four deaths most likely tied to arsenic-tainted water, leave the town of Shadow Ridge frantic for answers before someone else dies. But that isn't the only nightmare Tess McQuaid is facing. She has proof someone attempted to cover up a murder as another arsenic death.

Deputy Kellan Gray is heading to Shadow Ridge when he encounters Tess, running for her life. Pursued by a killer in the isolated west Texas desert, can he keep her safe while trying to stop the man determined to silence her?

My Review:

The author's tagline for this series is 'Longmire meets Jericho' and that sums it up nicely. The Dystopian aspects make the suspense that much edgier and add a creepy undertone to each story. This is book three and we still don't know exactly why the power grid went down and what's being done to fix it. The law enforcement in Shadow Ridge (many of them McQuaids) have enough on their plate keeping the peace and protecting their town from marauding bandits. 

'Frequency' has a survivor vibe to it since Kellan and Tessa are caught out in a storm as they dodge a killer...or killers. Lots of tension and action with a few unexpected twists that took my breath away. The romance is lighter in this book, but it's there and ends on a hopeful note.

The author also provides a teaser for the fourth book, 'Deception', and phew...but it can't come out fast enough for me! There are six books and a novella so 'Frequency' falls right in the middle of the series. I definitely think you will get more out of each story if you read them in order.

Goal Update: #1 Read more indie authors (hybrid author), #6 Stay current with a series, #9 Read outside my comfort zone.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

PLEASE NOTE: because of the continuous nature of this series the winner  who wants a paperback copy can choose between any of the books published to date:

Novella: The Last Day

Book One: Survival

Book Two: Hunted

Book Three: Frequency

Just let me know which one you would pick if you win the giveaway.

BONUS for EBOOK readers:

A winner who chooses an ebook copy will win a box set of Books 1 - 3

If you would like a chance to win a copy (or copies) of one of the Fallout books, 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 July 9 2022 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Survival

GIVEAWAY

HARRIS, LISA

SURVIVAL

Adventure-fueled fiction

He came back to Shadow Ridge to escape his past. Now the survival of the town depends on him facing his greatest fear.

In today's world, law enforcement agencies across the country rely on forensic tools, DNA testing and crime labs. But what if that technology was suddenly no longer no longer available? No one in the small, west Texas town of Shadow Ridge knows what took down the power grid, or when it's going to be back up, but everyone knows exactly where they were the moment it went down. An now, with no electricity, no internet, and no modern technology, the men and women responsible for keeping the town safe are going to have to learn how to fight crime all over again.

When one of the men in charge of storing food for the town of Shadow Ridge is found murdered execution style, it's up to Jace McQuaid to find the killer. What he discovers is a group of organized raiders who are stealing supplies and selling them on the black market -- and the survival of the town depends on stopping them.

Morgan Addison's estranged brother-in-law, shows up at her house demanding weapons and confirming her fear that he's part of the outlaws. Tensions are raised further when Ricky kidnaps her son to ensure safe passage out of town. Jace must find a way to save Noah and ensure the survival of Shadow Ridge.

My Review:

An adrenaline rush of a read! And a riveting start to Lisa Harris' new Dystopian-ish suspense series and I'm ready to dive into the third book (have already read the second...yes, this is me, reading a series out of order...again!) 

Love the modern day Wild West vibe to this series. Law enforcement trying to keep the peace without all the technological tools we've become so reliant upon. It's a huge learning curve that makes it a struggle to keep up with bad guys... shudder, so many bad guys. But there are also plenty of stalwart Shadow Ridge citizens who have learned to work together for the greater good of the community.

So, this book starts out with an eye-popping opening scene and then fast forwards eight months, revealing a Dystopian world that's operating with a little bit of 21st century ingenuity and a whole lot of 19th century pioneer know-how. Completely fascinating!

And then there's a second chance romance for widowed Morgan and the town's reluctant sheriff, Jace McQuaid. Perfect set up for so much angst, and Harris does an amazing job of capturing the desperation and fear as the reality of their situation nearly overwhelms them. Phew -- I was living each moment with them from beginning to end!

Thankfully, the author relieves the tension with some incredible inspirational scenes that bring hope and comfort...once Jace is through wrestling with God over all the 'what ifs' and 'whys' that have been plaguing him.

Summed up in one word: Unputdownable!

Goal Update: #1 Read more indie authors (hybrid author), #2 Catch up on a series I'm behind in

 GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy. 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Survival, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a 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 June 25 2022. Offer open to International Readers.

The Line Between

GIVEAWAY

LEE, TOSCA
THE LINE BETWEEN

In this frighteningly believable thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee, an extinct disease re-emerges from the melting Alaskan permafrost to cause madness in its victims. For recent apocalyptic cult escapee Wynter Roth, it's the end she'd always been told was coming.

When Wynter Roth is turned out of New Earth, a self-contained doomsday cult on the American prairie, she emerges into a world poised on the brink of madness as a mysterious outbreak of rapid early onset dementia spreads across the nation.

As Wynter struggles to start over in a world she's been taught to regard as evil, she finds herself face-to-face with the apocalypse she's feared all her life -- until the night her sister shows up at her doorstep with a set of medical samples. That night, Wynter learns there's something far more sinister at play and that these samples are key to understanding the disease.

Now, as the power grid fails and the nation descends into chaos, Wynter must find a way to get the samples to a lab in Colorado. Uncertain who to trust, she takes up with former military man Chase Miller, who has his own reasons for wanting to get close to the samples in her possession, and to Wynter herself.

Filled with action, conspiracy, romance, and questions of whom -- and what -- to believe, The Line Between is a high-octane story of survival and love in a world on the brink of madness.

My Review:

I have a love/hate relationship with Dystopian Fiction -- it totally freaks me out but I become a compulsive reader anyway. Which leads to a period of strange dreams and I approach certain news stories with real trepidation as I flashback to the all-too-plausible scenarios I've read about. So an author really has to pull me in from the very first page of a dystopian or I'm likely to bolt! Clearly, I didn't bolt when I brought The Line Between home from the library -- I pretty much inhaled the whole thing in one sitting because how could I possibly stop reading?!

I was utterly fascinated by the cult aspect which added an intriguing dimension to the story. It flips back and forth between present day and Wynter's years in the cult and the way the author weaves the two together is sheer brilliance! The tension increases with every chapter as all the pieces start falling into place. Rabid page-turning is inevitable as the plot builds to a hyperventilating rush of edgy wonder. I can't even find the words...Gobsmackingly good!

Please note: mild language throughout

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Please Note :This giveaway is for an ecopy edition of The Line Between

If you would like a chance to win an ecopy of The Line Between, 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 February 23 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Divide

GIVEAWAY

PETERSHEIM, JOLINA
THE DIVIDE

In the gripping conclusion to The Alliance, nearly six months have passed since Leora Ebersole's Old Order Mennonite community fled to the mountains for refuge after an attack destroyed the region's power grid and altered life as they knew it. Since then,  Leora has watched and waited for news of Moses Hughes, the young Englischer pilot who held off invading looters long enough for everyone to escape. Unsure Moses even survived, Leora has begun to warm to the affections of Jabil Snyder, who has courted her patiently. But she struggles to see herself as the next bishop's wife, especially when she learns that Moses is alive and has now joined a local militia.

An unexpected encounter in the woods deepens Leora's crisis, as does a terrifying new threat that brings Moses's militia into the community's shaky alliance with the few Englischers left among them. When long-held beliefs are once again put to the test, Leora wrestles with the divide between having faith and taking action. Just how much will her shifting landscape changer her?

My Review:

An eerily compulsive read especially in these unsettled times. This is the sequel to The Alliance, and I do think it's better if you have read that book first. There's just so much that happens before the opening scene in The Divide, and though the author does a great job of covering the important stuff, you'll feel all the emotional nuances in this one more if you've experienced Moses and Leora's journey from the very beginning. And what a journey it is!

Chaos reigns as people struggle to eke out a livelihood in a post apocalyptic US. It's a grim and bleak world where lawlessness is the norm as divisive groups fight for power. Though rife with danger and hardship, Petersheim still manages to weave a thread of hope amidst despair. as she highlights the best and worst in humanity. A desperate setting for love to blossom, but that makes it all the more precious.

This is the kind of story that really makes you think. Assess your values, your faith and contemplate what you would do if it was all threatened. A triumphant page-turning conclusion that may not give us all the answers but does give us enough hope to believe that good really can come from evil.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Divide, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a 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 easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 19 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.

Raging Storms

GIVEAWAY

CHAPMAN, VANNETTA
RAGING STORMS

In the darkness anarchy awakens

When a massive solar flare wiped out all modern technology across the globe, the small town of Abney, Texas, was thrown into chaos. Shelby Sparks and her teenage son, Carter, have found refuge, but Shelby knows she can't simply remain hidden. Carter has type I diabetes and needs insulin...and Shelby will risk her life traveling to Austin to make sure he gets it.

Shelby's best friend and high school sweetheart, Max Berkman, won't even consider letting her make the perilous journey alone. Together, they manage to reach the capital...only to discover that while things are desperate in Abney, Austin has turned into an urban nightmare on the brink of anarchy.

Shelby and Max's search for medical supplies will lead them into terrifying territory, where the only thing more uncertain than finding what they need is the hope of making it out of the city alive.

In this second book in an eerily plausible, action-packed dystopian series, survival will be threatened and faith will be put to the ultimate test as a raging storm engulfs America.

My Review:

Truth be told this series kind of scares me. It has left me with a whole string of 'what ifs' that make me realize that I am totally doomed if a solar flare actually does wipe out all modern technology. LOL And yes, I know this is fiction but Chapman has created a realistic vision of what life might be like after this kind of natural disaster. And it's unsettling. But makes for a riveting read.

This is book two in the Remnant series and this is definitely a case of needing to read the books in order as, with all dystopian series, each book depends upon the others and there tends to be cliffhangerish endings that leave readers gnashing their teeth and pulling out their hair, which Raging Storms definitely does!

There's plenty of action and stomach churning twists and turns as Shelby and Max and their friends make their harrowing journey across an apocalyptic Texas. And it isn't pretty. Truly terrifying in places. Plus there's a secondary plot involving Shelby's teenage son which brings its own unique spin to their desperate situation.

As overwhelming as parts of this story can be, hope still shines through as people of faith rise to the challenge and seek to serve the 'least of these.' I'm anxious to see what develops among the Remnant in the final installment of this epic saga. I can't wait for Light of Dawn to release and I can (hopefully) breathe a huge sigh of relief!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Raging Storms, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your 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 is easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 2 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Deep Shadows

GIVEAWAY

CHAPMAN, VANNETTA
DEEP SHADOWS

All it takes is one night to plunge the whole world into darkness

Life in Abney, Texas is predictable and safe -- until the night a massive solar flare wipes out all modern technology.

Shelby Sparks, novelist and single mom, had one goal: to provide for her diabetic son. In the wake of this global disaster, her mission hasn't changed. Only now, medication is a priceless commodity, and the future resembles an apocalyptic nightmare.

Max Berkman and Shelby were once sweethearts, but he lost his chance at claiming her love years ago. When the abrupt loss of power ushers him into a leadership role, he rises to the occasion. But his highest priority -- to keep Shelby and her son safe -- could prove to be the biggest challenge of all.

As the brilliant northern lights gave way to deep shadows, Max and Shelby's faith will be tested like never before. Only one rule remains: Find a way to survive.

In this first book in an eerily plausible dystopian series, a memorable cast of characters must navigate a familiar world thrown into chaos.

My Review:

Eerily gripping. I'm not a huge dystopian fan -- especially this kind because it seems so plausible and it gives me the heebie-jeebies. But I adore Vannetta Chapman so much that I will follow her anywhere, including into literary Dystopia. :-) And I'm glad I did (once the nightmares faded!)

Amazing characters that I bonded with from the get go are faced with the unthinkable as Chapman unravels their world with an epic natural disaster. We have become so complacent about our reliance on technology that I kept finding myself astonished by the catastrophic circumstances that kept cropping up. Everything from accessibility of fresh water to life-saving drugs become a battle for survival.

And, of course, an event of this magnitude brings out both the best...and the worst...in people. Makes for a mesmerizing read. And I love the way Chapman has woven a solid faith thread throughout it all. It doesn't necessarily make things easier for Max and Shelby and their friends and family, but it anchors them during these desperate times. There's plenty of action, the hint of romance and enough closure at the conclusion to book one of the Remnant series that you'll be satisfied to sit on your laurels until book two, Rising Storm, comes out in February.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Deep Shadows please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the  subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 13 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Alliance

GIVEAWAY

PETERSHEIM, JOLINA
THE ALLIANCE

When Leora Ebersole sees the small plane crash in her Old Order Mennonite community, she has no idea it's a foreshadowing of things to come. Soon after the young pilot, Moses Hughes, regains consciousness, they realize his instrument were destroyed by the same power outage that killed the electricity at the community store, where Englischers are stranded with dead cell phones and cars that won't start.

Moses offers a sobering theory, but no one can know how drastically life is about to change. With the only self-sustaining food supply in the region, the pacifist community is forced to forge an alliance with the handful of stranded Englischers in an effort to protect not only their supplies but their very lives.

In the weeks that follow, Leora, Moses, and the community will be tested as never before, requiring to make decisions they never thought possible. Whom will they help and whom will they turn away? When the community receives news of a new threat, everyone must decide how far they're willing to go to protect their beliefs and way of life.

My review:

Kind of eerie and a little uncomfortable to read but totally compelling. I was riveted from the very first page. Complex characters and an intriguing plot made The Alliance a real page-turner. And my goodness, this story has left me with a lot to think about.

Dystopian fiction can be tricky because it shows so much of what is bad in humanity and that can get depressing. But while Petersheim doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of this new bleak world, she is careful to weave in messages of  faith and hope as well.

The Alliance is told from two points of view -- nineteen year-old Leora, an Old Order Mennonite woman and returned soldier Moses, the pilot who crash lands in her family's field. Such a contrast in views! I found myself alternately siding with both as they strive to find the best way to navigate this new chaotic world.

There are so many layers to their backstories. Both Leora and Moses have suffered difficulties and loss before they become entangled in this dystopian catastrophe. The kind of depth that keeps you up at night so you can read one more chapter and then another and another...Captivating stuff.

The hint of an impossible romance blooms even though Leora has ties to a community man. It seems that everything she understood to be true is challenged in just a few short weeks and that leaves Leora questioning where her allegiance lies.

The ending left me breathless and aching for more because there's a second installment due out in the spring. The Divide. I can't believe I have to wait until then to get full closure but you better believe I'll be first in line to buy the sequel! A stunning and thought-provoking book and well worth the read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Alliance please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday August 28 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!