Thin Ice - Irene Hannon

If Ginny Reed is still alive--who is the woman buried in her grave?
After losing her parents and her sister, Christy Reed has been mired in grief. Now, life is finally starting to feel normal again--until an envelope addressed in her sister's handwriting arrives in the mail. And the note inside claims she is still alive. 

FBI Special Agent Lance McGregor, a former Delta Force operator, is assigned to reopen the case . . . but he's coming up with more questions than answers. Is Christy a pawn in a twisted cat-and-mouse game--or the target of a sinister plot? As Lance digs deeper, one thing becomes clear: someone in the shadows has a deadly agenda. 

My take:

I've been wanting to read a Irene Hannon suspense novel for a while now and when I saw Thin Ice on Revells review list the premise pulled me in. I've always loved figure skating. This book is well researched in this regard, although skating isn't mention much because the heroine is a retired skater. Thin Ice is book 2 in the Men Of Valor series but I read it as a standalone and it wasn't confusing. I liked how fast-paced and well written this book was and the suspense is great but I thought it was kind of stupid the FBI wouldn't protect Christy. I mean isn't that part of their job?! And the villain was really creepy I didn't like reading the parts about him and what he was thinking (shiver) he was mean to his grandma and he tortured mice. But I guess in order to have a good suspense book you need a nasty villain but I didn't exactly enjoy exploring his mind. All in all it was a good book but it could have been better.

* I received this book from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Until The Dawn - Elizabeth Camden

Fascinated by Dierenpark, an abandoned mansion high atop a windswept cliff in the Hudson River Valley, Sophie van Riijn sees no harm in setting up a rooftop weather station for her work with the newly established Weather Bureau. While the villagers are suspicious of the mysterious estate and its tragic history, Sophie has come to see it as her own enchanted piece of paradise. 

The first Vandermark to return to the area in sixty years, Quentin intends to put an end to the shadowy rumors about the property that has brought nothing but trouble upon his family. Ready to tear down the mansion, he is furious to discover Sophie trespassing on his land. 

Instantly at odds, Quentin and Sophie yet find common ground when she is the only one who can reach his troubled son. There's a light within Sophie that Quentin has never known, and a small spark of the hope that left him years ago begins to grow. But when the secrets of Dierenpark can no longer be kept in the past, will tragedy triumph or can their tenuous hope prevail

My Take:

I love historical fiction and Elizabeth Camden is by far one of my favorite authors in this genre. I've read four of her books before this one and I've loved everyone of them! But this one just didn't grab my interest as much. It was a good book and I enjoyed the story but I didn't have any trouble setting it down to do other things. The characters were interesting but Quentin and Sophie didn't seem to have the usual banter or chemistry characters in Camden's other books had. All in all, I still think that Until The Dawn is worthwhile reading, Camden knows how to tell a good story. Until The Dawn does have a prequel Toward The Sunrise get it FREE HERE! While the characters in it aren't mentioned much in Until The Dawn it's a really nice intro into Dierenpark and a cute short love story.

* I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Biography

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

She regularly posts about the joys of the book world at http://elizabethcamden.com/blog

Streams Of Mercy-Lauraine Snelling

Anji's Return to the Red River Valley Offers a Fresh Start--and a Surprising Second Chance at Love. 
Anji Baard Moen, recently widowed in Norway, returns to North Dakota with her children. She quickly settles back into life in the familiar surroundings of Blessing, teaching in the high school and writing articles for the Blessing Gazette. In the midst of an unexpected crisis, Anji is thrust into a role she never imagined. And almost without her even being aware, an old friendship begins to show signs of developing into something more. 

Meanwhile, Thomas Devlin, a minister without a post, has arrived in town. Devlin supports himself as a journeyman carpenter, and with the town growing rapidly, he has no shortage of opportunities. Establishing himself in a new community has its challenges, but as the newcomer gets to know the young widow whose house he's been working on, he thinks he may have found yet another reason to stay. . . . 

My Take:

I've been a fan of Lauraine Snellings books for years. But for some reason I can't seem to appreciate this series!

I like that I can catch up with character friends from other books, but it seems like Lauraine is so into writing this book about the town that the romance that the back cover insinuates is put on the back burner. Anji and Thomas aren't even part of the central plot! To be honest I had a hard time getting through this book the only reason I continued reading is because I'm already invested in and love these characters and wanted to see how things turned out but I'm debating if there is a next book if I'll even bother reading it or not. All in all if your a fan of Lauraines other 'Blessing' books you might like this one.

* I received this book for free from Bethany house publishers in exchange for my honest review.