Review of Silent Shadows by Natalie Walters

About the Book ~

They're running from their pasts into an unknown future.
But first, they'll have to survive the present.

Nurse Pecca Gallegos moved to the tiny town of Walton, Georgia, to protect her son and escape the dangerous lifestyle that once defined her. When a series of strange circumstances evolves into threats, Pecca finds herself confiding in an unlikely ally -- her stubborn patient.

Army veteran Colton Crawford is desperate to recover from the disorder that is ruining his life, and his instincts are on high alert when threats against his nurse and her son force him to take action. But Colton's involvement only ramps up the danger when he uncovers a family secret revealing that whoever is after Pecca is closer -- and more deadly -- than they realized.

Welcome back to Walton, Georgia, where everyone knows your name -- but no one knows your secret.

For more information about Natalie Walters and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Secrets are exposed in Silent Shadows by Natalie Walters! The residents of Walton, Georgia -- and her readers! -- are in for a lot of surprises!

The fictional town of Walton is so sweet and fun -- definitely one of my favorite fictional towns! Additionally, quirky characters and their camaraderie are some of my favorite parts of a story, and Silent Shadows has these elements in spades! I also love the author's writing style. The plot flows smoothly, the story reads quickly, and the clues and suspense were paced nicely. And I really LOVED that the suspense doesn't feel "too big" for the story! Even with the small town setting and the focus on Pecca and Colton's romance, the actual suspense felt like something that could happen to the average Joe.

The characters were my favorite part of this story! Through Pecca and Colton's romance, the author was able to weave many beautiful threads of truth into the story. Pecca was a woman who loves with the fierce love of God! I also love seeing Hispanic main characters! Through Colton, the author touches on difficult subjects like medication dependency, cognitive brain therapy, and movement disorders. I found these aspects of Colton's character development to not only be really enlightening but also powerfully written! The freedom Colton experiences when he finally embraces the truth that he has so much to offer the people around him is beautiful and desperately needed in this world!

Five Stars ~ Silent Shadows by Natalie Walters is a sweet conclusion to a stellar series! Silent Shadows is the third book in the author's Harbored Secrets Series; however, Silent Shadows can be read as a standalone.

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

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

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable little girl. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon Author Page!

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

Review of Kings Falling by Ronie Kendig

About the Book ~

As the Race for the Book of the Wars Escalates
the World Teeters on the Brink

Leif Metcalfe and his team, dubbed Reaper, need to recover the ancient Book of the Wars if they hope to stop the Armageddon Coalition and their pursuit of global economic control. But their attention has been diverted by a prophecy in the book that foretells of formidable warriors who will decimate the enemies of ArC. While Iskra Todorova uses her connections in the covert underworld to hunt down the Book of the Wars, Leif and Reaper attempt to neutralize these agents but quickly find themselves outmaneuvered and outgunned.

The more Reaper tries to stop the prophesied warriors, the more failure becomes a familiar, antagonistic foe. Friendships are fractured, and the team battles to hold it together long enough to defeat ArC. But as this millennia-old conspiracy creeps closer and closer to home, the implications could tear Leif and the team apart.

For more information about Ronie Kendig and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Kings Falling by Ronie Kendig should come with a warning label that should henceforth be referred to as the Kendig Effect. Symptoms of the Kendig Effect include huddling in a corner while eating your own hair, rocking back and forth, and unintelligible muttering because you are both eager and terrified to read another installment from this author!

And that pretty much sums up Kings Falling!

The plot of Kings Falling -- no spoilers! -- is like playing a championship chess match while skydiving. With people shooting at you. And explosions...somewhere. Not sure where. The plot is so intricate and layered with plot twists and key details. The author even manages to take the buildup of a plot twist you expect and still make it shocking! It's...incredible! Additionally, the author takes readers on a journey of covert operations around the globe with a supernatural twist to boot! It's like National Treasure meets Marvel's Bucky Barnes meets Armageddon. THAT'S RIGHT!

Let's talk about the characters. Not only do the supporting characters leap off the pages with a life of their own, the main characters -- Leif and Iskra -- are awesome! Leif is the type of hero I one hundred percent believe we need to see more of in fiction! He's not perfect. In fact, as he navigates past trauma and current struggles, he reacts far from perfect. But he's real, and I love that in a fictional hero! And Iskra is a strong heroine that is inspirational and empowering! Despite trauma, unspeakable abuse, and horrific betrayal, she does not let the past hold her captive. And as Leif, Iskra, and the rest of Reaper navigate the darkness surrounding them, their desperate fight for light will resonate on a soul level!

Five Stars ~ Kings Falling by Ronie Kendig is a thrilling and suspenseful chess match of a story! Kings Falling is the second book in The Book of the Wars Series, and the books should be read in order of release to understand the storyline and to prevent major spoilers.

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

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

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable little girl. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon Author Page!

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

Review of Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese

About the Book ~

Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there's only one match she's committed to now -- the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first-grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency's requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.

Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.

With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart...even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.

For more information about Nicole Deese and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese is a tale of sacrificial love that will break your heart and mend it all at once! I recommend keeping a huggable pillow nearby for this one!

I love the "journey" readers get to experience in Before I Called You Mine! From the shenanigans of a first grade classroom to a magical Christmas festival to an amazing adoption in China, the pace of this sweet story keeps readers on their toes. What an endearing journey filled with laughter and love!

I loved the characters the author so wonderfully crafted in this sweet story!  I loved the hero for a lot of reasons! His love of dinosaurs. His wit and charm. His steadfast and sacrificial love. And because he was a man... Okay, that sounded weird. What I mean is that I loved how he pursued Lauren, backed off when needed, and wasn't afraid to tell her how he felt without any games or agenda. I found those things to be incredibly -- for the lack of a better explanation -- manly. All the heart eyes! I absolutely adored Joshua Avery as a bookish hero!

And I could never forget Lauren Bailey! The heroine of Before I Called You Mine won my bookish friendship for life! Like so many of us -- if not all of us! -- she wrestles with God's timing, calling, and plan for her life. Her call to adoption and sacrificial love is not an easy journey. Additionally, it's also a probing look at what sacrificial love really means in each of her relationships -- friends, family, and romantic. While the either/or impasse Lauren has to face is a little dramatized for the sake of the story, this also allows Joshua to step up again (Once again, I love this hero!)! The steadfast willingness to wait but also to wait for God's amazing and perfect timing is another beautiful message to be found among the pages of Before I Called You Mine! As we see in Lauren's journey, it's a bittersweet truth to accept, but it's worth it. It's worth every second of it.

Five Stars ~ Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese is a beautiful story of sacrificial love! Before I Called You Mine is a standalone, but the author has other books her in backlist for readers to enjoy.

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

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

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable little girl. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon Author Page!

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

Review of Cry of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse

About the Book ~

Wife. Warrior. Lady of Two Worlds.

As war looms, will her power be enough to save the ones she loves?

Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker -- a power greater than any in history. She embraces her new role as Nightwatcher, able to intercede for her people in the dream world, but the dark shadow of war draws ever closer. 

Working together, the Great Houses come up with a plan to secure the borders from the approaching Dominia Empire. But dissension, conflict, and suspicion threaten to destroy their tenuous treaty, and as the empire burns a path across their lands, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks.

The only one who can keep the Great Houses unified and restore her husband's power is Selene. But it will require that she venture deep into the dream world to confront the enemies of her past who will do anything to stop her power. Will it be enough, or will both worlds fall under the empire's might?

For more information about Morgan L. Busse and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

The only thing that grieves me about this book -- this series -- is the fact that it's finished! Wow, guys! WOW!!! I cannot rave about this EPIC conclusion to this EPIC series ENOUGH! Cry of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse is a captivating finale to The Ravenwood Saga!

The conflict with the Dominia Empire -- and amongst the Great Houses! -- comes to a chilling climax in Cry of the Raven! The breathtaking places we (Yes, we! I was with Selene and Damien. Don't fight me on this!) went and the heartbreaking battles we fought were spellbinding. The author's writing style is vivid without being unnecessarily flowery, allowing us to be thoroughly swept into the unfolding story. I also appreciated how the author didn't make everything perfect at the end. There was loss and pain and characters who are still (we pray!) coming to know the Light. It is raw, real, and right.

There are so many great messages in this book! Truly, it's like this story is the product of the House of Wisdom (in case you are wondering, it's House Vivek). For instance, as Selene embraces love and her calling as a Nightwatcher, she has to accept that using her gift means allowing herself to be vulnerable. Another nugget is Damien's struggle with letting go -- letting go of what he can and cannot control, letting go of grief, and letting go of his loved ones and committing them to the care of the Light. However, each nugget of wisdom works together to point to this truth:

Remember who, what, and -- most importantly -- for Whom we fight. Because He is always with us.

Five Stars ~ Cry of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse is phenomenal in its entirety! Cry of the Raven is the third book of The Ravenwood Saga. The previous books need to be read in order to understand the series conflict and see the fantastic character development in each book!

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

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

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable little girl. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon Author Page!

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!