Book Recommendation - Fallout

 

Carrie Stuart Parks is in a league of her own when it comes to inspirational suspense. While many authors draw you in with nail-biting and intense page turning, Ms. Parks whets your appetite with mystery and intrigue, draws in some real life history and events, adds dogs and art to each and every story, and creates characters with more quirks than  usual. This book was no different. Here's a little bit about the book:

Samantha Williams’s carefully crafted life is about to be demolished as thoroughly as her art classroom when a careening SUV smashes into the school.

In the dusty farming community of LaCrosse, Washington, art teacher Samantha Williams manages to save her students when an SUV crashes into the school. Her car isn’t so lucky. Oddly, her purse—containing her driver’s license, credit cards, and other identification—is missing from the wreckage, forcing her to rely on the kindness of strangers. Never one to trust easily, Samantha is thrust into a world far different from her simple life of jigsaw puzzles, children’s books, and lectures at the library.

One of the strangers who befriends her is a reporter from Spokane who is in town investigating two sets of skeletal remains that were recently discovered. When authorities discover that the driver in the school accident was shot before the crash, Samantha quickly becomes enmeshed in strange events, which turn ominous with the discovery of blackmail, murder, an abandoned town, and a secret government project.

Samantha has long tried to forget the tragedy of her past, but the links here can't be ignored. Yet these are secrets that others are determined to keep buried, and they’ll use any means necessary to stop Samantha’s search for truth.

This book releases September 13, 2022, wherever books are sold. For additional info, check out the following links:

Carrie Stuart Parks' website: http://www.carriestuartparks.com/

Carrie Stuart Parks' facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/carriestuartparks123

My full 4-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4690886627#

Book Recommendation - Worthy of Legend

 

When I want to enjoy a historical romance that includes mystery and intrigue as well as spiritual depth, I know I can count on Roseanna M. White. Her Secrets of the Isles series has followed  a group of friends - some of the nobility and others not - to the Scilly Islands, off the coast of Cornwall. The islands are filled with legends - many based in fact - that have brought many a treasure hunter to their shores. This series tells some of those tales. This final installment in the series includes the legend of King Arthur and the sinking of Lyonesse together in a way that is altogether believable. This book ties up the series nicely and brings closure to the characters. I also enjoy any book that includes a dog and there's a delightful puppy included in this one as well. 

Here's a bit about the book:

After a summer of successful pirate-treasure hunting, Lady Emily Scofield and her friends must hide the unprecedented discoveries they've made, thanks to the betrayal of her own family. Horrified by her brother, who stops at nothing to prove himself to their greedy father, Emily is forced to take a stand against her family--even when it means being cut off entirely.

Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, is fascinated with tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table--an interest he's kept mostly hidden for the last decade. But when a diary is unearthed on the islands that could lead to a secret artifact, Bram is the only one able to piece the legends together.

As Bram and Emily seek out the whereabouts of the hidden artifact, they must dodge her family and a team of archeologists. In a race against time, it is up to them to decide what makes a hero worthy of legend. Is it fighting valiantly to claim the treasure . . . or sacrificing everything in the name of selfless love?

Fans that sign up for the author's newsletter also get a bonus chapter to this book! This book releases on September 13, 2022 wherever books are sold. For more information, check out the following links:

Roseanna M. White's website: https://www.roseannamwhite.com/

Roseanna M. White's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RoseannaMWhite

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4690893036

Book Recommendation - Fostered

 

As a CASA who is always looking for good continuing education books to read, this book popped out to me as one that I would really be interested in. It is written by a woman who grew up in foster care, and is now married and a foster mom. She overcame her obstacles and healed from her trauma by the grace of God and I knew that I wanted to hear her story. Honest about where she came from and owning up to her own bad decisions that took her further down that road, Ms. Petersen readily points to her relationship with God as being what saved her - physically, emotionally and spiritually. This book is one I'd recommend to anyone who works with or around foster youth or simply wants to know more. 

Here's a little bit about the book:

If you’re wondering if God can truly move in the life of someone with all the odds stacked against her, look no further than Tori Hope Petersen.

Tori grew up in the foster care system, a bi-racial child in a confusing and volatile world. Growing up with a mentally ill mother and living in twelve different foster homes, nothing was in her favor. And yet, even with a miniscule chance of graduating college and a great risk of being homeless, jobless, and on drugs, Tori overcame every negative stereotype and assumption that attacked her identity. 

However, Tori will tell you she did not overcome. Christ did. In the face of the storm, Jesus made a way for Tori to find profound hope, deep faith, renewed purpose, and a loving family, too.  After so many years of being on one side of foster care as a child, Tori is now on the other side as a foster mom, adoptive mom, and biological mom. On top of that, she was crowned as a Track and Field All-American and named Mrs. Universe 2021, a platform she now uses to pursue her passion for foster care reform, adoption advocacy, and help for vulnerable populations.

If you want to hear the true tale of an unlikely overcomer, this book is for you. If you want to learn more about the foster care system from a former foster youth’s perspective, this book is for you. If you want to better dwell in the reality of your own spiritual adoption by our Heavenly Father and better understand the orphan and the widow that He loves dearly, this book is for you. Ultimately, if you want to remember who God is, and what He can do through the most unlikely of people, Fostered is for you.

This book releases August 30, 2022, wherever books are sold. For more information, check out the following links:

Tori Hope Petersen's website: https://www.torihopepetersen.com/

Tori Hope Petersen's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/torihopepetersen/

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4923575150

Book Review - Dead Sea Conspiracy

 

Jerry B Jenkins has long been a prominent name within the Christian fiction genre and has made quite a name for himself in the industry. He has written quite a few wonderful books and I've read and enjoyed many of them. This book is the first dual timeline book of his that I've read and as that is a favorite genre of mine, I was thrilled with the premise of this one. The characters and dialogue in this one fell a bit short for me, though the plot and story-line were still very good. I believe I would have enjoyed this one more if I'd read book 1 in the series first. Here's a bit about the book:

In this thrilling adventure, archaeologist Nicole Berman is about to discover the key to unifying three major religions—if a dangerous enemy doesn't stop her first.

Archaeologist Nicole Berman is the first woman to be awarded a permit to lead a dig in Saudi Arabia. Nicole believes what she hopes to discover has the power to to rewrite world history. She assembles a team that will ultimately surprise - and in some cases - betray her. 

In a parallel storyline, readers are launched back to ancient Ur where young Abram is sent to learn from his forebears, who tell him firsthand stories of being on the ark during the Great Flood. 

This book releases August 23, 2022 wherever books are sold. Check out the following links for additional information:

Jerry B. Jenkins's website: https://jerryjenkins.com/ 

Jerry B. Jenkins's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jerry.b.jenkins

My full 3.5 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4888569898?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1