WWW Wednesday (53)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…


• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

01. Currently Reading:
The Knightmare by Deborah Valentine. A novel that takes place in present day and in 1209. Seems like a character or two are alive in both, waiting to figure out the connection! =) Interesting book so far.

02. Recently Finished:
Without a Trace by Colleen Coble. A great mystery about a husband and son's disappearance and how it connects to a murder a year later.

03. Reading Next:
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. With the movie coming out next week, I'm excited to read this novel about a zombie who doesn't exactly act like a zombie.

Teaser Tuesday (63)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Knightmare (Kindle Loc. 1689-91)
  - Deborah Valentine


"Am I to understand that I am a prisoner here?" he asked.
"Why no, sir. You are free to move as far as your bonds and bandages allow."

Without A Trace

In the quiet town of Rock Harbor, lighthouse resident Bree Nichols' life is turned upside down when her husband and young son disappear in a plane crash. With her search-and-rescue dog, Samson, Bree sets about scouring the wilderness. There she unwittingly discovers a plot that threatens to tear her peaceful town apart.


Mystery fans will love this romantic suspense novel from best-selling author Colleen Coble. Set in the untamed beauty of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Rock Harbor novels draw readers into the life and adventures of a canine search-and-rescue team as it unravels the secrets of an enchanting wilderness.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Without a Trace is a Christian Mystery novel by Colleen Coble that should be on your reading list. As Bree searches the Upper Peninsula with her rescue dog, Samson, she finds more than she ever hoped. Who knew that a small town could hold so many secrets? But when enemies are closer than friends, it's difficult to believe the truth. 

Bree is the main character of Coble's novel, though she shares the story with a few other minor characters. Readers will absolutely love and respect Bree's strength in her time of weakness as she struggles to let go of her husband and son who disappeared one year ago. Her desire to find the wreckage and give her family a proper burial has been her obsession, though it's diminishing her faith in God and in herself. Readers will relate to the struggle Bree journeys through as the framework can be applied to many different situations. 

Aligned with the emotional turmoil Bree is working through, there's also a deadly plot that may lead Bree to question her family's plane crash. Coble sneaks in surprise after surprise as the book progresses, forcing readers to discover the terrible secret that Rock Harbor is hiding. Without a Trace is definite a must read for mystery lovers!

Rating: 3.5/5

Without a Trace (Rock Harbor Series #1)

Justice (Deck of Lies #1)

A House of Cards...

When you build an entire life on a foundation of lies, it only takes one truth for the whole thing to come crashing down. I never invited the truth in. I never went searching for it. I never had any reason to suspect that the two people I loved most were dishonest with me every second of every day. 

I made one bad decision, and in a single day my entire world changed. If I'm ever going to discover the truth about myself and my parents, I have to trace all the lies back to their source. I have to try to find the truth that they're hiding. 

The more I discover about myself, and my past, the more I realize that lies really are better than the truth. But now that I know the lies are all around me, I can't stop until I've discovered them all. I'll pull each lie away, one by one, and examine it to see what's underneath…until this house of cards crumbles into dust at my feet. 

I just hope I can survive the crash.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Jade Varden's first novel in the Deck of Lies series, Justice, is a tornado of chaos with crosswinds of lies and deceit. When Rain Ramey discovers that she was the victim of kidnapping when she was a baby, the life she knew was swept away. Now, as the daughter of a prominent family she must unravel the mystery behind her kidnapping and catch a murderer while adjusting to her new family. 

Rain is a great main character, surprising readers and herself as the story evolves through her point of view. Readers follow her discovery of being kidnapped and the strange emotions it brings. She's strong, persistent, and brave as she searches for the truth hidden behind the lies she's given. Readers will love her go-get-'em attitude, though her naivete, at times, is bothersome. It's easy to connect with a character when the novel is written in first person, and Varden does a wonderful job at bringing the reader into the story. 

The plot, as the first in a series, continuously builds as the pages are turned. Not only does the story revolve around Rain and her kidnapping, but it also creates a mystery when a teenage girl, who was close to her birth family, is murdered. As the story arcs into the climax, the novel ends with the promise that the story isn't even close to finished.

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1)

WWW Wednesday (52)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

 

01. Currently Reading:
Justice (Deck of Lies #1) by Jade Varden. When a teenage girl abruptly finds out that she was the victim of a child kidnapping, her life is turned to shambles. Loving this novel so far!

02. Recently Finished:
Love Will Find a Way by Barbara Freethy. After Rachel's husband dies in a tragic car accident, she must prove it was really an accident. With that comes old feelings and older secrets.

03. Reading Next:
Without a Trace by Colleen Coble. A mystery about a son and father's disappearance. Can't wait to start this one! :)

Teaser Tuesday (62)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Justice (Deck of Lies #1)
   - Jade Varden


"But I don't understand. What crime are my parents being questioned about?" I asked.
He cleared his throat before answering. "They're being questioned about a kidnapping, Rain."

Love Will Find a Way

Rachel fell in love at nineteen with a man who came into her life on a whirlwind of sunlight and romance. She married Gary Tanner, had his son, and thought she would live happily ever after. But fate had other plans. Gary died in a tragic accident … at least she thought it was an accident. Now, there are questions that need to be answered, and only one man she can turn to, Gary's best friend, Dylan.


Rachel was everything Dylan Prescott wanted in a woman. But Gary met her first, so she became untouchable. For years he stayed away from her. Now Rachel is a widow, her marriage is over, and she turns to him for help. The passion he feels for her is no longer out of his reach. The life he always wanted is beckoning to him, but when the secrets come out, will their love find a way to survive?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Barbara Freethy, who has quickly become one of my favorite authors, weaves a tale of love based on a family legend in her novel, Love Will Find a Way. Love story meets mystery is Freethy's style and she definitely delivers everything that a reader could want and more! 

Rachel and Dylan are the main characters and readers will fall in love with both of them. Promise. Rachel is a girl who loves stability and predictability. When her husband dies and the insurance company questions whether it was really an accident or something else, the world Rachel thought she knew crumbles under the weight of secrets and lies. With an urgent need to uncover the truth, Rachel must look at the past nine years with an unmatched scrutiny, which happens to include Dylan, her deceased husband's best friend that she's always had feelings for. 

Dylan has always been in love with Rachel, but his best friend saw her first. Loyal, caring, respectful, and honest Dylan let his best friend be happy. Or so he thought. When the car accident that killed Gary is accused as a suicide, Dylan is determined to clear the air and help Rachel. Thus the mystery and the love story align as two people who never explored their feelings are thrust together with a ghost standing between them. A man both Rachel and Dylan thought they knew better than anyone. 

As the mystery is unraveled, the secrets told, and the lies replaced with truth readers will be praying the story goes on. They will form unshakable bonds with both of the main characters while the plot forces them through a whirlwind of emotions. Love Will Find a Way comes highly recommended! 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Love Will Find A Way

Faceless

NightCard, a private genetic engineering agency, has been creating experiments with a multitude of astounding abilities. Experiment 1343, or “Faceless” as he calls himself, is one of them. He was genetically designed with the ability to rip his face off and morph it into anyone he can imagine. His hyper-reflexes, along with diverse martial arts training, make him the perfect spy. Craving freedom he escapes to Paris in search for the woman he met and fell in love with as a child. NightCard sends the Four Kings, their best assassins, with orders to bring him back dead or alive, and they may be closer than he thinks.


The girl he met as a child was treated for a psychotic break. Her unbelievable story about a man who could tear off his face had her parents believing she was crazy. She grew to be a beautiful artist, and her collection of art features a faceless man dancing with a woman. Spade, one of NightCard's Four Kings is a lover, as well as a fighter with a habit of spending too much time with too many women. He has been searching for something to quench his hunger. Spade befriends a man that's in desperate need of help getting the girl of his dreams, not realizing it's the very man he is supposed to be hunting.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Faceless by Dustin Sanchez is a novel that takes readers into the realm of genetic manipulation where spies and assassins are created by unlocking the secrets of their DNA. In this fast paced thriller, an engineered spy who can morph into anyone he's ever seen escapes into the real world. When other modified assassins are sent after him, it's becomes a fight for life and love. 

Faceless is the main character of the novel. He's loyal, loving, and persistant. Traits that make him a likeable character but a failed experiment. Readers will become emotionally tied to him as he tries to find the girl he fell in love with as a child. The strength of his character is magnified when he's beaten and threatened by the very people that created him as they try to break his resolve. Yet he repeatedly defies them. 

I think readers of science fiction will love this novel. Though, the dialogue is a bit strained at times and is often flogged with adult-only speech. The sexual scenes are very detailed which could make some readers uncomfortable with the writing style. However, the type of novel Sanchez writes does call for this adult focused style. I think many readers of both the sci-fi and thriller genres will enjoy this book as long as they know what to expect. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Faceless (NightCard Saga)

Book 5 of the 2013 Genre Variety Challenge 

First: Blog Tour

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Mira works on a farm in the ruins of Texas, along with all of the other descendants of the defeated rebels. Though she’s given her heart to Tanner, their lives are not their own.

When Socrates, a powerful First, chooses Mira as his Second, she is thrust into the bewildering world of the rich and influential. Will, a servant assigned to assist her, whispers of rebellion, love, and of a darker fate than she’s ever imagined.

With time running out, Mira must decide whether to run to the boy she left behind, the boy who wants her to live, or the man who wants her dead.

Review:

If you loved the Hunger Games trilogy, get ready for your next obsession. Chanda Stafford catapults readers  into the future with her novel First, set after a brutal civil war and the discovery of mind transplantation. With mind transplants, those chosen to better the world are allowed to live forever through their Seconds. First revolves around Mira, a young teenage girl who has been chosen to be the next implant for Socrates, the oldest immortal mind. 

Readers meet Mira before she's been chosen while she still lives on a farm in Texas as a servant. She's full of life, passionate, bright, bold, loyal, and stubborn. Basically everything that is required of a heroine, and a Second. As she goes through the process of learning what a Second actually does she finds there are more lies and secrets in the business of bettering the world than there should be. 

The connection readers have with Mira grows rapidly as she is thrust into situations that reveal her true nature. Respect and love will be gained when readers realize how far Mira will go for the greater good while tears will be shed for the same reasons. 

First is a novel of belief in the future and trust in those who will create it. With a thrilling story line, characters that elicit strong emotional reactions, and  the promise of a sequl, Chanda Stafford clears the bar with First.

Rating:

4/5 Cups

Meet the Author:

Chanda Stafford teaches middle and high school English. She loves traveling and currently lives in Michigan with her husband and a menagerie of rescued dogs and cats.

When she’s not reading or writing, Chanda enjoys old zombie movies, authentic Italian food, and comic books.


Chanda Stafford's Blog





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Yellow Socks and Blood Spots Release Day

Synopsis:
Two lines means pregnant, and pregnant is the very last thing seventeen-year-old Isabelle wanted to be. She's just beginning her senior year, she's rekindling the respectable relationship she once had with her family and she has finally fallen in love. Her boyfriend, Jason wants an abortion, while Isabelle wants to give her baby a chance at life, whether that means adoption or raising her baby herself. Her situation raises a question of values, beliefs, rights, societal expectations and personal opinions, and as Isabelle's friends and family discover the news, they seem to think they know what's best for her and her baby. Within two weeks of finding out about their beautiful disaster, Isabelle and Jason have to come to a mutual agreement and make a life and death decision.

Look forward to The Coffee Pot's review of Yellow Socks & Blood Spots on June 25th! While you're waiting, go enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed proof of the novel. 

Enter the Giveaway

Teaser Tuesday (61)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Faceless (p.77 of PDF)
   - Dustin Sanchez


She tried to remember when she was childish like that. When she thought things like freedom were important.

Beautiful Redemption

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

*Contains Spoilers*

After our beloved hero died in the third book of the Beautiful Creatures series, we thought the story would end. After all, death seems so final. But Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl prove readers wrong, bringing hope to mortals and casters alike, in the final book, Beautiful Redemption, where Ethan discovers a way to return to the land of the living and that he was never truly meant to trade his life for the world in the first place. 

For the first time, Garcia and Stohl give Lena the main point of view as we watch the world move on without Ethan. It's odd at first, reading the story from another character's sight, but this gives the audience the ultimate chance to finalize their connection with Lena. Throughout the series, the bond between Ethan and the readers has blossomed, grown, and deepened. And now, we get to see why Ethan fought so hard to stay with the girl he loves. We get to see what happens after Ethan is taken away from her. It's almost like the authors wanted to prove that Ethan died for the all the right reasons, even if he was never supposed to die in the first place. 

As Lena and Ethan share the POV - readers also get to see what the Otherworld has in store for our fated hero. We see Ethan reconnect with his mother and Aunt Prue, even the Greats. It's a glorious afterlife with all the ones Ethan lost, but must lose again in order to return to Lena. The bond between Ethan and the reader will never be stronger after this book. While he faces down his biggest fears, struggles with the memories, and bargains his soul readers will be on the edge of a breakdown waiting for the final word. 

Oh how I wish it wasn't over. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

Beautiful Redemption (Beautiful Creatures)