"Killing Faith" by B.J. Woster

I had high hopes for this story based on the cover and description but found too many things happening that I just couldn't believe. Melissa's superior sends her to another country alone without any back up from that country's police department to bring down a criminal that no law enforcement agency has been able to ensnare. She has absolutely no idea what she's doing. She's dragging around a priest who's as helpless as she is. They meet the priest's twin brother, and they float around trying to outsmart the bad guys. Throughout the entire book, the priest moans about not wanting to be a priest anymore, but never explains well enough why or if he will do something else. The ending was the most unbelievable of all. I don't want to give details that will spoil the book for others, but, really? This is how the notoriously vicious bad guys are brought to justice? Two senior citizens? The story wasn't for me. 

"Trust No One" by Debra Webb

 

Wow! This book has so many secrets, lies, and mysteries. Highly entertaining, it kept me turning the pages and wanting to return to the story as soon as possible. Sometimes it seemed a little overwhelming, though, trying to keep up with who did what. At first, I thought Sela's point of view could have been left out because I felt it gave away the ending too quickly, but kudos to the author for misleading the reader in that as well.  The conclusion satisfied, a sort of justice served equally to all bad guys who participated in a crime that triggered the murder of Mr. Abott and his mother-in-law. But would this work? Would the mastermind get away with it? Read it and find out!

I will look forward to reading future books featuring Detectives Devlin and Falco. 

"Satin and Cinders" by Jan Sikes

 

This extremely short story is heart-warming and tells a tale of devotion. After many years of longing and admiring her from afar, a Stallion risks giving up his freedom in order to experience the comforts of the barn and the companionship of Satin. Well-told, it offers a peek into the heart and mind of majestic animals.

"Garnet's Love Story" by P. L. Van Bibber

 

The idea behind the plot of the story was good, and the message endearing. I liked the adoption of the girls and their names. However, the writing needed proofing. Two main characters' points of view shared in the same paragraphs/chapters confused. The interactions, conversations, and dialogues between all characters were formal and awkward. The "misunderstanding" that kept them apart for a year didn't ring true when the office busybody discussed all personal things and wanted them to be together but didn't mention the man's history? Characters could have been fleshed out more. I wouldn't know the difference between any of the many sisters, besides the stated facts of different professions. The relationship between the main characters went from cold to instantly in love. Again, it had promise, but it needed a bit more to be a four-star read, in my opinion.

"Hit and Run" by Alan Gorevan

 "Hit and Run" is a fast-paced thriller that keeps you reading! Jack Whelan emerges as a confident character, but he doesn't stay that way long. Passed over for promotion, and losing a considerable bet sends him to his therapist, and this catapults him into a world of trouble. His girlfriend's slowly-revealed true nature astonishes. So much happens in such a small time frame that you don't have time to second-guess anything. Jack's redemption satisfies. A highly entertaining read! One of my favorites this month!

"Wall of Silence" by Tracy Buchanan

 

Fitting Book Cover. 

 

The story is told alternately from Melissa's point of view, who doesn't have a clue what's going on, and Lily's point of view who knows precisely what happened and where all the secrets are buried. I liked that. The author gives very little help along the way, but I had my suspicions. I don't like it when I figure out the plot too quickly. No chance of that here. I just wanted to keep reading and reading. All the details come out pretty close to the end, and it wasn't what I thought it was. Refreshing.

I didn't care for the use of 'Facebook chatting' to hint at certain information, and some of it, I skipped over. 

What a wicked web we weave when first we practice to deceive! "Wall of Silence" has so many shocks in store for you! I recommend it!

"Wildthorn" by Jane Eagland

 

A fabulously enticing book cover!

Louisa Cosgrove wants to be a doctor, and she feels her father supports her in this ambition. When he dies, she learns that her brother will never allow her to follow her plans, and ultimately, she doesn't only lose her dream but also her freedom when somebody has her placed in an asylum. But who? Why? She has her suspicions, but this story will keep you guessing until the end.

There were parts of the story that I felt too defeated for Louisa, and I had to force myself to continue on just hoping something good would finally happen, and she would catch a break. I especially hated Weeks, a caretaker at the asylum. There were plenty of characters to dislike there. I didn't care much for any of Louisa's family either. Perhaps Grace held some redeeming qualities.

The way Louisa introduced her feeling for her cousin was a curve, and I was certain it would turn out to be the cause of her hospital commitment, but there were surprises still to come.

"White Out" by Danielle Girard

 

I liked the cover; it matched the story well. 

The plot built pretty slowly, but there were enough pieces of the puzzle to keep you wondering what was happening. Not one person with memory loss, but two! Iver Larson, a local bar owner had his demons to deal with from PTSD and alcohol. A dead girl in the dumpster outside the bar was troublesome for him when he couldn't remember where he was or what he did at the time of her death. Lily Baker survived a car wreck and couldn't remember a thing. Luckily, the two are eventually drawn together to help one another. I enjoyed reading this one and figuring out exactly how things fit together.

One thing that bugged me was Lily's amnesia. She thought she was a drug addict before the accident, but she didn't have symptoms. Even if her mind didn't remember, wouldn't her body have the symptoms of withdrawal if she stopped taking drugs?

"Unhinged" by John Podlaski

 

The author did an excellent job recounting moments of fear and shock that anyone can probably relate to and compare with an instance in their life. I wanted to say childhood, but I have had a few heart-racing moments like that in adulthood as well. The setting of the drive-in theater with the scary movie playing was an excellent choice. I enjoyed this quick read and found the characters entertaining.

"Here To Stay" by Mark Edwards

I loved this book! Even though Elliot seemed over-the-top nice, I wanted him to do something through the whole book to get rid of the in-laws. Admittedly, what he ended up doing wasn't very rational, but oh, how it satisfied. Unfortunately, there were more secrets, deceptions, and duplicities to uncover. I pray a sequel comes because where it ended just wasn't enough for me. I need to know what happens next.

"Spirit of the Book" by D.E. Howard

Ellie's story didn't turn out to be what I'd expected. The beginning of the book shared her mother's story; it formed the foundation of why she moved into her apartment. I would have preferred to start where she found the magic book and learned about her mother gradually, or perhaps I didn't even need to know about her mother. I'm not sure leaving it out would have affected the story at all. My favorite part of the book was Sayid and Farley's tale of long ago and the curse that landed him in the book. I very much enjoyed it, the sacrifice Ellie made to help him escape, and the conclusion.

'The Black Fox: Run for your life. (A Lambeth Group Thriller)' by Gordon Bickerstaff

I enjoyed Zoe's character- her strength, intelligence, and loyalty. The race to figure out what lurked in Gavin's subconscious thrilled. The many twists and the difference between what he thought was happening and what was genuinely happening surprised me. His character seemed a little weak and, at times, annoying, but his wits prevailed in the end, and he was redeemed. The action and battle of strategic forces entertained.