Review of Mind Games by Nancy Mehl

About the Book ~ 

FBI Behavioral Analyst Kaely Quinn's methods may be highly unorthodox, but her talent is undeniable. She's done her best to establish a new life for herself after being demoted and transferred to St. Louis when a reporter revealed she's the daughter of an infamous serial killer. But when that same reporter claims to have received an anonymous poem predicting a string of murders, ending with Kaely's, it seems her old life has followed her.


When a body is found that fits the poem's morbid predictions, Kaely and her new partner, Special Agent Noah Hunter, are forced to move past his skepticism of her approach and work together to unravel the deadly riddle.

With a brazen serial killer who breaks all the normal patterns on the loose, Noah and Kaely must race to catch the murderer before anyone else, including Kaely, is killed.

For more information about Nancy Mehl and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~ 

If you enjoy a good romantic suspense that plays games with your mind, then Mind Games (like what I did there?) by Nancy Mehl should be moved to the top of your TBR stack!

You will want to clear your afternoon when you start this one because you won't be able to put it down! The story is told from multiple points of view, which really helped keep the story moving in the moments where some romantic suspense novels can drag. The author kept the focus on the main plot while working in the subplots in a natural way. I also love how the series is being set up because the romance is developing in such an organic way!

I wasn't surprised by the bad guy because this person was one of my suspects. However, I had several suspects, and the author expertly set up each of them to look like the bad guy! I truly didn't figure it out until the moment Kaely figured it out!

Kaely's unusual methods reminded me of the TV show Bones. While confronting the demons of her past made her feel like a monster at times, it was cool to see how she turned to God's redemptive truth! Noah, a widower, struggles with understanding how God can be good in a world so full of darkness. The author tackles some painful and chilling questions through Kaely and Noah. Mind Games reminded me of the TV show Criminal Minds, but God's love and hope shines a light in the darkness!

Four Stars ~ Mind Games is a chilling tale that isn't afraid to ask the hard questions! Mind Games is the first book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series! I recommend starting with the first book because of the character relationships that are being built. The second book, Fire Storm, releases from Bethany House Publishers on August 6th, 2019!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Review of Enclave by Thomas Locke

About the Book ~

To save his enclave's future, he must risk his own.

Nearly one hundred years have passed since the Great Crash. What was once America is now a collection of enclaves, governed at the local level and only loosely tied together by the farce of a federal government.

Catawba, one of the largest and most affluent enclaves in the southern region, is relatively stable. It maintains successful business relations with nearby enclaves. But when a new vein of gold is discovered beneath the feet of its citizens, it's only a matter of time before trouble finds them.

Now Catawba's fate depends on an untried young trader named Caleb. Could his plan help secure the enclave's future? Yet Caleb is keenly aware that if his secret were exposed, he would not live to see another dawn.

For more information about Thomas Locke and his books, check out his website here!

My Thoughts ~ 

Enclave was...

It was like The Last Ship meets X-Men while being tinged with the Wild West!

That sounds awesome, right? Well, it was awesome! Dystopian and post-apocalyptic story lovers, Enclave needs to be added to your TBR immediately!

The story is told from the point of view of Caleb and Kevin, two very different men thrown together by hate and power-grabs from the mongrels welding their unlawful position against everyone, especially those with special secrets.

Sorry, no spoilers. Hehe!

I would have loved a little more backstory, specifically details about the Great Crash because I like to have ALL the details. However, it wasn't hard for me to imagine the country turning into the lawless wasteland described in Enclave. I especially loved the message the story spoke to me, about fighting for each other, standing by one other, and about welcoming all. Enclave showed a true democracy founded on equality rising out of muck of the evil. Truly inspiring, like a futuristic revolutionary war!

Four Stars ~ Enclave by Thomas Locke was exactly the type of thrilling story that I'd like to read a lot more! I am unaware if this is a series or not. The ending wrapped up the important details like a standalone story, but it also left some room for a sequel. So...we will see! LOL!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Review of Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton

About the Book ~

A Groundhog Day meets Pretty in Pink mashup from author Laurie Boyle Crompton, Pretty in Punxsutawney tells the tale of a girl willing to look beneath the surface to see people for who they really are.

Andie is the type of girl who always comes up with the perfect thing to say...after it's too late to say it. She's addicted to romance movies - okay, all movies - but has yet to experience her first kiss. After a move to Punxsutawney, PA, for her senior year, she gets caught in an endless loop of her first day at her new school, reliving those 24 hours again and again.

Convinced the curse will be broken when she meets her true love, Andie embarks on a mission: infiltrating the various cliques to find the one boy who can break the spell. What she discovers along the way is that people who seem completely different can often share the very same hopes, dreams, and hang-ups. And that even a day that has been lived over and over can be filled with unexpected connections and plenty of happy endings.

For more information about Laurie Boyle Crompton and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

SOOO MUCH FUN!!!

I loved Pretty in Punxsutawney! From the first page, I knew this was my kind of book. The humor and Andie's voice immediately drew me into the story. Despite the same day recurring over and over, the author kept the story light and fresh, moving at an excellent pace. If you took all the things you loved about 80's teen movies and threw them into a literary blender (this device sounds horrifying, but just go with it!), this is the book you would get! And it is adorable and hilarious and romantic!

It's possible that not all readers will understand all the movie references... I even stumbled over a couple *hangs head in shame* However, I think the story would still be enjoyable for those readers who don't know who John Hughes is. (And there's no shame in this...but you should binge watch a lot of movies ASAP!)

I loved the hilarious escapades Andie brought on herself as she infiltrated each high school clique, discovering how to look past labels and see the person for who they really were in the process. Despite all her (in my opinion) brilliant ideas, it was actually the truth that would set her free from her blessing/curse, putting her right where she belonged. Andie's tale shows the importance of speaking the truth and loving the people around you instead of blindly sticking to dividing misconceptions. These powerful messages can be enjoyed at any age, but the fun delivery makes it all the sweeter!

Five Stars ~ Pretty in Punxsutawney will LIVE on my keeper shelf! This is a standalone YA romance. Pretty in Punxsutawney is a sweet, clean read; however, please note that Blink YA Books are not overtly Christian, making their books excellent for both the general market and CBA. I would definitely read more books like this from the author!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!