Hostile Intent by Lynette Eason {review}

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.

This book started off with the potential to become my new favorite Eason book. The action was fast-paced and came often, which made for a great suspense formula. The characters were intriguing, which added richness to the story being told. The settings were very well used, which increased the depth of the tale. Overall, this was a fantastic series finale, capping off one of the best series Mrs. Eason has produced to date.

Read more on my new website.

Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason {book review}

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Reads. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.

What a twisty, complicated story! This was an atypical Lynette Eason read for me in that I was not able to figure out very many details prior to a couple of pages before the twists or reveals came. Sometimes her books are more predictable to me (yet still quite enjoyable), but this one kept me guessing throughout. Something that aided that was the high tension present in every chapter and the stakes that kept ramping up with each turn of events.

The style was good overall. I did struggle at times to keep a few characters straight. I think this was because many names were given in a few patches early on. That made it more difficult for me to settle in to which characters were POV holders and which were supporting. It settled out in my mind eventually, but this was a bit of a struggle for me. There were a handful of word or phrase choices that bugged me, and they seemed out of character for the author compared to her earlier books. Other aspects of the style were great. The author voice was clear, the military details seemed spot-on, and the human trafficking aspect appeared well researched and applied. My reading experience was enhanced by the details of the way of life in Afghanistan, particularly as it pertained to American female military personnel, as this helped me immediately feel immersed in the tale.

The plot twists were fabulous, and I never really got a foothold on figuring things out ahead of time. Usually, with an Eason book, I can figure out one or two of the main bad guys way before the big reveal. This time, though, I was unable to do so. The pacing and surprises and high tension lent themselves well to creating an edge-of-my-seat reading experience that kept me mentally off kilter in the best way.

Protecting Tanner Hollow by Lynette Eason {a review}

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Reads. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.

Lethal Homecoming

Just as mysterious as I recalled! Again, I didn’t figure out whodunit. I liked the family drama and that this was a complex little novella.

Lethal Conspiracy

Wow. So blown away by this one. Such a great addition to the series. I especially enjoyed the wonderful usage of technology and forensic science. The drama and suspense were spot-on and engaging. The faith thread was light, but that did not detract from the amazing quality of this story.

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

Editing doesn't always allow extra time for pleasure reading, but there are some books that demand a person make the time for them. Code of Valor by Lynette Eason is one of those. Even though I had many hours of editing over the last three days, I still eked out enough minutes to inhale her latest Blue Justice story.

Here's my review as it appears on Goodreads, NetGalley, and Amazon.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Revell. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Yet another amazing suspense story by Lynette Eason, and, yes, it stole my sleep! The surprises and twists kept me flipping pages way too late into the night, and I was able to finish this one up in only three days. The plot was wonderful and involved many different players and settings and events. I like how mysterious things were; there was definitely a vibe of secrecy going on throughout that intrigued me.

Called to Protect by Lynette Eason

It's been many years since I first discovered Lynette Eason's suspense novels. I really enjoyed the Women of Justice series, which was the first one of hers I read, and I've been following her career with the publisher Revell since then. When the second Blue Justice book showed up on NetGalley, it took me half a second to request it, because I'd quite liked the first book and was eager to read the next one. I read Called to Protect last week, and here are my thoughts about it, as posted on Goodreads and NetGalley.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

My favorite two things about this book were how much the talents of K-9 officer Hank were featured and that the human trafficking angle was handled so expertly as to highlight the dangers of it while not delving into the nastiest parts. The author handled both of these things like an old pro, with lots of grace, spot-on details, and creativity.

A couple of key things were highly predictable to me, but that did not stop this book from easily sliding into my top-five list of new releases in 2018. There were enough surprises along the way that I was kept intrigued and flipping pages faster and faster the deeper I got into the story. The human trafficking aspect was perhaps the most inspiring angle of all, as there was so much hope for redemption and escape fused into each chapter. This isn’t an easy book by any means, as the aforementioned topic hints, but it is a must-read for all suspense fans.

Need a Short Read?

by Andrea Renee Cox

This month, as you might know, is a Camp NaNoWriMo month. That being the case, I am hard at work this morning, working on a novella. I'm already on the eighth chapter, and I'm just starting the second week of camp. Needless to say -- but I will anyway -- I have a secondary project to work on for later in the month. I'm hoping for just as much success on that one, but I still have to finalize my outline and finish up the last three chapters in the novella before I can start on the next project.

Since I'm working on a novella right now, I got thinking about a couple of novellas I've recently enjoyed. This past weekend, I read the Lynette Eason one I'll share in a moment, but it's been a few months since I read the Cara Putman one, and I'm hoping to be able to reread it soon. It's a quick read, so I think it will fit into my schedule one of these weekends.

Do you like novellas? Why or why not?

Without Warning by Lynette Eason

by Andrea Renee Cox

Is it difficult to follow a great novel with an even better sequel?

Yes.

Did Lynette Eason accomplish this with her latest book?

Yes!

Be My Guest: Lynette Eason

by Andrea Renee Cox

One of my favorite suspense authors has stopped by the blog today. Hope you enjoy this fun interview with Lynette Eason!

An Interview with Lynette Eason

Andrea: Always Watching is a fantastic start to your new Elite Guardians series. How did you come up with the idea to feature a team of female bodyguards?

Lynette: Thank you so much! I appreciate that. I was reading a book about a male bodyguard and started doing the “what-if” game. What if there was a female bodyguard for a male? How would that play out? Would my heroine come across too “male”? Would the hero come across too wimpy? Once I started creating the characters, I soon realized that as long as my hero was as strong as the heroine and not overshadowed by her—and what most people assume is a career for mostly males—then the story could be great and the readers would fall in love with the characters.

Always Watching by Lynette Eason

by Andrea Renee Cox

When a radio host is being stalked, the women of the Elite Guardians Bodyguard Agency swoop in to protect him and his twelve-year-old daughter. But what if the stalker turns violent... and aims at the protectors?

Always Watching is the first book in Lynette Eason's newest series: Elite Guardians. It's fast-paced adventure with memorable characters that face true-to-life issues, including common fears.

Protecting Her Daughter by Lynette Eason

by Andrea Renee Cox

"Not one of us is perfect or without baggage, but together we can overcome that and build a great life together." ~Aaron Starke; Protecting Her Daughter by Lynette Eason

Would you risk everything, including your own life, to protect your child?

Zoe Collier faces that very scenario in Protecting Her Daughter by Lynette Eason. Not only does her daughter, Sophia, have diabetes, but she's also nearly been kidnapped, and the bad guys have now become even more aggressive and dangerous. At least Zoe has run to Wrangler's Corner, TN. The quiet town is home to the Starke brothers, who head up the protection detail for Zoe and Sophia. But will their efforts be enough to uncover the plot to steal Sophia?

New Year, Busy Schedule

by Andrea Renee Cox

Have you changed your calendars yet? Have you written the correct date today, or is that 5 sticking around?

As much as I would love to tell you that life will slow down in this new year, I am not seeing any proof of that in my schedule. My day job of tutoring begins again this afternoon, and as the state assessment tests are in spring, the work will be fast and furious this semester.

I'm continuing to study my memory verses, as the Siesta Scripture Memory Team (SSMT) conference is coming up this month. So excited for this bit of busyness! The Lord is working in interesting ways through my memory work, and I can hardly wait to see what He's got in store for that incredible conference weekend.

Copyediting jobs promise to keep my busy throughout 2016, for which I'm grateful. (Have you read any of Ashberry Lane's books yet? Check out ashberrylane.com for more information.) It's such a joy for me when I have the opportunity to work on other writers' manuscripts. The challenge to retain their voice while correcting typos, inconsistencies, and factual errors is one I meet gladly every day when I turn on my computer. They say writing is a lonely journey, but I beg to differ. There is such camaraderie and teamwork that take place through the process of publishing that there is a sense of support and encouragement even when you're facing the keyboard on your own. Gives me chills just thinking about it.

Favorite Quotes 2015

by Andrea Renee Cox

Hard to believe it’s been a year since my last “favorite quotes” article, but the Christmas season is now upon us. As we all prepare for the holidays, let me share with you a few of my favorite book quotes from novels I read during 2015.

No Place to Hide by Lynette Eason

by Andrea Renee Cox

What if you were running for your life and only had a brief encrypted message for a clue as to why bad guys and law enforcement were hunting you down?

Jackie Sellers and Ian Lockwood are on the run with no place to hide. It seems like everyone on both sides of the law are tracking them. And all they know is they're being blamed for a terrorist plot ... but they're completely innocent. Will they find someone to trust before they find themselves arrested or buried? Will they be able to untangle the only clue they have before the terrorist plot becomes a terrorist act?

Favorite Quotes of 2013

Since we’re now in December and nearing the end of the calendar year, I’m looking back today at some of my favorite quotes from books I read during the year. Have you read any of these titles yet? If you’re looking for a great read for the holidays, any of the following would be a fabulous choice. Happy reading!

 

“The truth is always fitting.”

            Broken Wings by Dianne Price

“Some things in life don’t get better when they’re rushed. Marriage is one of those things.”

            Jennifer by Dee Henderson

“For now, just do the thing right in front of you that makes sense, and let Him take it from there. There’s going to be a way through this.”

            Jennifer by Dee Henderson

“I decided every female doctor needed a Sully.”

            Catch a Falling Star by Beth K. Vogt

“A lot of us make plans, Griffin. And then life changes.”

            Catch a Falling Star by Beth K. Vogt

“But when a single woman bought a house, it was like admitting that she was alone. Like a widow.”

            Gone South by Meg Moseley

“See, that’s the great thing about faith—the more you need, the bigger it grows.”

            Lakeside Family by Lisa Jordan

“And I won’t settle—even if it means staying single for the rest of my life.”

            Lakeside Family by Lisa Jordan

“Alexia decided she much preferred the visible enemy of a good fire to murder, personal attacks, and home invasions.”

            When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason

“I always feel better when I’m ministering to someone else, even if the someone else is a cat.”

            What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer

“Dear Lord, why must I always fall short?”

            What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer

“Your driver’s license and social security card only prove your identity, but they don’t show me who you are.”

            Awakening by JoAnn Durgin

“Tell Lincoln husbands—pretend or otherwise—don’t grow on trees.”

            Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

“Because somehow saving the show meant saving herself, her identity.”

            Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

“Better a life among enemies than a noose around her neck.”

            Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White

“Women are baffling, George. Baffling. They complain if you treat them as pets but grow bored if you treat them as equals.”

            Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White

“Letting go can be a harder way to love than holding on.”

            My Hope is Found by Joanne Bischof

“One can only search for so long before you realize there are just some things you cannot outrun.”

            My Hope is Found by Joanne Bischof

“It’s time for you to drop your bucket deep down into the well of possibilities that you’ve been ignoring all these years. Drop it all the way down and see what you pull up.”

            Sisterchicks on the Loose! by Robin Jones Gunn

What book quotes have struck your fancy this year? Any books you recommend I add to my to-be-read list?

When a Heart Stops

When I began reading When a Heart Stops by Lynette Eason, I expected medical examiner (ME) Serena Hopkins to be under duress in China . . . considering that’s what the epilogue of When the Smoke Clears, book one in the Deadly Reunions series, indicated.

At the very least, I expected her work with the earthquake cleanup in China to be mentioned sometime throughout When a Heart Stops.

Neither of those scenarios happened, but that didn’t distract too much from the whodunit suspense found upon the pages I kept turning long into the night. With each new twist and turn along the journey (none of which I’ll be sharing, so you’ll have to pick up a copy of the book to discover the sneakiness for yourself), my heart beat faster and faster as I attempted to anticipate what would happen next.

I was wrong so often!

But that’s part of the fun of reading a Lynette Eason novel. If they were predictable, they wouldn’t be so addictive.

Book three I recently purchased because I knew I’d want to read it after finishing this one. I was right. I want to read it NOW!

In When a Heart Stops, ME Serena Hopkins and FBI agent Dominic Allen are baffled to discover that the Doll Maker Killer is back—even though he’s sitting in prison. How is this possible? They aren’t quite sure, but you can be certain they’ll use all their knowledge and resources to find out!

This novel is an edge-of-your-seat suspense that will keep you up late, flipping pages while the moon inches higher and higher in the sky—not that you’ll notice. If you haven’t yet read any of Lynette Eason’s books, the Deadly Reunions series is a great one to start with. You’ll be hooked before you know it!

Have you ever read a book that you just couldn’t put down? What drew you into the story so thoroughly? What tips do you have for authors who want to write books that keep you flipping those pages?

Summer Reading!

Yes, summer is in full swing. Perhaps we’re even on the downside of summer. (But none of us really want to think about that yet, do we?) Usually during June, July and August, I read as many books as I can. This summer is no different. I’ve got a full slate of books on my list to read this summer. Take a peek!

When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason, Revell, 2012

After a brush with death due to equipment failure, smokejumper Alexia Allen is ordered to take time off while the incident is under investigation. She makes a last-minute decision to recuperate at her mother’s home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving home she is confronted with murder, arson—and a handsome detective.

 

Jenna’s Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater, Revell, 2010

Jenna Callahan Colby thought she was content. A partner on her father’s successful ranch, she is surrounded by family and friends. But she never expected to see Nate Langley back in town—the first guy she ever noticed, the one her father sent away all those years ago. And she never thought the attraction they felt would be as strong as ever.

Prairie Song by Mona Hodgson, WaterBrook Press, August 2013

Though it means saying good-bye to the beloved friends and spiritual mentors of her St. Charles, Missouri, quilting circle, Anna Goben is certain that she needs to enlist her family in the Boone’s Lick Company Wagon Train. The loss of her beloved brother in the Civil War has paralyzed her mother and grandfather in a malaise of grief and depression, and Anna is convinced that only a fresh start in the Promised Land of California can bring her family back to her. Although unknown perils of the trail west loom, Anna’s commitment to caring for her loved ones leaves no room for fear—or even loving someone new.

*Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah for my advanced reader copy for an upcoming review.

Awakening by JoAnn Durgin, Torn Veil Books, 2010

Lexa Clarke signs up for a TeamWork Missions summer assignment expecting adventure in a far-off, exotic country. Instead, she’s sent to sweltering San Antonio to help rebuild homes destroyed by sudden flooding. She survives the four-hour bus trip from Houston, dust in the lungs, a flat tire, a tool-throwing incident and a spitting goat—not to mention an inquisition from a distractingly handsome cowboy—all before reaching the work camp. What will she find once she gets there?

*Thanks to JoAnn Durgin for my complimentary copy. Stay tuned for an upcoming review.

What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer, WaterBrook Press, September 2013

On a small Kansas farm, Christina Willems lovingly shepherds a group of poor and displaced individuals who count on her leadership and have come to see the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor as their home. But when a fire breaks out leaving the house uninhabitable, she must scramble to find shelter for all in her care, scattering her dear “family.” Will the incident and its aftermath destroy Christina’s hopes of fulfilling the mission to which she’s dedicated her life?

*Thanks to Kim Vogel Sawyer for my advanced reader copy as a member of her Hope Harbingers “street team.”

Mysterious Ways by Terry W. Burns, River Oak, 2005

When Amos Taylor steals a parson’s clothes, he thinks he’s found the ideal disguise to hide his life of crime—until an old blind man enters his life who has a little trick up his own sleeve. Before long the disguise is working too well: The local residents start expecting Amos to actually serve as their preacher! When revival breaks out in the small Texas town, Amos’s payoff is bigger than he could have dared imagine—proving, indeed, that the Lord works in Mysterious Ways.

Made to Last by Melissa Tagg, Bethany House, September 2013

Miranda Woodruff has it all. At least, that’s how it looks when she’s starring in her homebuilding television show, From the Ground Up. So when her network begins to talk about making cuts, she’ll do anything to boost ratings and save her show—even if it means pretending to be married to a man who’s definitely not the fiance who ran out on her three years ago. When a handsome reporter starts shadowing Miranda’s every move, all his digging into her personal life brings him a little too close to the truth—and to her. Can the girl whose entire identity is wrapped up in her on-screen persona finally find the nerve to set the record straight? And if she does, will the life she’s built come crashing down just as she’s found a love to last?

*Thanks in advance to Melissa Tagg for my advanced reader copy as a member of her Tagg Team influencer team.

Now it’s your turn! What books are on your summer reading list?