Delayed Justice, by Cara Putman

I was excited to read another book by Cara Putnam. This was my third or fourth book of hers, and I've always loved her warm, conversational style, and her likeable characters. I was not disappointed!

Delayed Justice tells the story of Jaime Nichols, a lawyer who is finally able to face the abuse she suffered as a child at the hands of her uncle. As she presses the long-awaited charges, she is faced with both the emotional toil, and the threats of an unknown stalker. Even as she works to make sure her own uncle is brought to justice, she fights to help another little girl in a similar situation.

Chandler Bolton is a retired veteran who through a series of circumstances, finds himself, along with his trained emotional support dog, Aslan, working alongside Jaime to aid the little girl who was going through something so similar to Jaime's past. Together they support young Tiffany, as well as work to see to it that Jaime is safe, and that her uncle finally faces up to what he's done.

One of the things that I love about Putnam's books is that there is always an element of romance woven throughout the book, without making it the sole focus. The real focus of the book is the story, and the growing sparks between Jaime and Chandler are natural and organic.

As always, a nice suspenseful story, a lovely budding friendship, and gently told testimony of faith.

Formula of Deception, by Carrie Stuart Parks

Formula of Deception was the first book I read by Carrie Stuart Parks, and I was not disappointed. It tells the story of Murphy Anderson, who after the murder of her twin sister, goes undercover and tries to disappear in Kodiak, Alaska.

When she begins working as a forensic artist, local authorities take interest and hire her to draw the memories of a dying man. The assignment takes her to a hut where five bodies were found, and the questions start piling up. Murphy's soon back in the spotlight. As the investigators who were with her at the hut slowly start turning up dead, Murphy finds herself once again tangled up in a murderous plot, and needs to work to get questions answered and solve the mystery before it's too late.

Parks is a wonderful and skillful writer. This was very much a page-turning, can't-put-it-down mystery. Her characters are fleshed out and likeable, the dialogue was believable, and the story itself was fresh and snappy. A fun zippy who-done-it that will keep you up late at night to finish it.

A Light So Lovely: The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle by, Sarah Arthur

A Light So Lovely gives a beautiful and detailed account of the life and journey
of Madeleine L'Engle, beloved, imaginative, and bestselling author of such books as A Wrinkle in Time.

I admittedly did not know a lot about L'Engle before I read this book, beyond that she was loved and respected in the literary world.  But her life and her faith were very inspiring, and I found myself grateful for the opportunity to learn more.  I could very much relate to much of her story.

What I enjoyed most about the book was L'Engle's steadfast refusal to fit her writing, or her life, into any one box.  Too Christian for some, and too secular for others, the world didn't quite know what to do with her.  But she remained true to herself throughout, and showed us that life is not black and white.  In fact, this entire book is built around the word, "AND" rather than, "either, or."

Faith AND science

Religion AND art

Fact AND fiction

Sacred AND secular

None of these things are mutually exclusive, and they can and do not only exist at the same time, but can be beautifully blended together.  Madeleine L'Engle understood this so very well, as did Sarah Arthur, who wrote the book. 

Her life, faith, and writing were something new and refreshing.  She single-handedly created a genre that bucked tradition and forged its own path.  It was a true pleasure to learn more about her and her work.

Murder At The Flamingo, by Rachel McMillan

Murder at the Flamingo is a fun little story set in 1930's Boston.

Hamish DeLuca is a young eager lawyer who suffers from crippling anxiety.  When one bad episode leaves him particularly embarrassed, he escapes to Boston to stay with his cousin, Luca Valari.  Luca is in the middle of opening what promises to be Boston's hottest new nightclub, The Flamingo.  He takes Hamish under his wing, and immerses him in a whole new world.

Regina "Reggie" Van Buren has run away to Boston for her own reasons.  A beautiful heir from a privileged family, she longs to live independently, away from the watchful and critical eyes of her family.  Determined to live life on her own terms, she arrives in Boston and takes a job as Luca Valari's secretary. 

When a body is found at The Flamingo, Reggie and Hamish must work together to make sense of Luca's dark world, suss out the truth, and solve the mystery of the murder at The Flamingo.

I don't ordinarily read period novels but I'm glad I made an exception in this case.  The setting of 1937 was fun and flashy, and I enjoyed getting to know Hamish, Luca, and Reggie, as well as the world they inhabited.  The story was well-written and well-paced.  So often books of this genre feel rushed, but that was not the case here.  McMillan was content to slowly tease the story out, and the book is all the better for it.

Overall, a good lighthearted read.



*I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.*

Hurricane Season, by Lauren K Denton

Hurricane Season, by Lauren K Denton, is a story about family, self-reflection, and redemption.

Jenna is a young single mother who's made a string of bad decisions.  She decides to follow a life-long dream and heads off to a photography retreat, hoping to rediscover her passion.   She leaves her two girls with her sister and her husband, Betsy and Ty Franklin.  Betsy and Ty, who own a dairy farm, and are dealing with their own demons, are suddenly thrust into the roles of caregivers for their two young nieces.  What is originally supposed to be two weeks becomes open-ended, and Jenna and Betsy both struggle with finding their individual purpose in life, as well as re-defining their relationship with one another.

This was a really warm and lovely book, and one that I read quickly.  I honestly didn't know which direction Jenna was going to choose, which made the build-up and the ending all the more satisfying.  I appreciated the detail and attention that Denton paid to the relationships of all involved... parent and child, sister and sister, husband and wife.  I felt invested in every single character, which is always the hallmark of a good book. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming, in equal measure. 

An overall beautiful story, and one that very much mirrored real life.

Imperfect Justice, by Kara Putnam

Imperfect Justice is a classic legal thriller with just the right amount of tension.  Kaylene Adams allegedly shot her daughter and then was killed by police.  The police and the media present it as an open and shut case, but attorney Emilie Wesley believes a different story.  She knows that Kaylene was being abused by her husband, would never dream of hurting her girls, and was looking for a way out of the unhealthy and violent relationship. Joined by Kaylene's brother, Reid Billings, she works to uncover the truth and secure a safe future for Kaylene's surviving daughter.  

This the second book I've read by Cara Putman.  I previously read and enjoyed Beyond Justice, so I was looking forward to reading another one.  I was especially excited to see Emilie Wesley, a roommate who held a smaller role in Beyond Justice.  Once again, Putnam did not disappoint.  Her characters are well developed and likable (except the ones that are not supposed to be likable!)  Emilie and Reid made a lovely and interesting pair, and their story felt believable rather than forced.  Their scenes always brought a smile.  The romance was skillfully woven with the mystery, and neither one overpowered the other.  

Imperfect Justice, along with Beyond Justice, were just very enjoyable books.  Well-paced, interesting, and easy to read.  They are not in same league as John Grisham thrillers.... but they don't try to be.  They do something a little bit different, and they do it very well.   

*I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.*

The Rescue, by Jim Cymbala

The Rescue, by Jim Cymbala, is a collection of true stories:  True stories about people who were lost, broken, and spiraling into a life of drugs, depression, and despair.  They are the stories of people who were lost... and then found.  People who healed, recovered, and found new hope.

This was a quick read (I read it in one afternoon), and a decent book.  I walked away with mixed feelings though.  It was well-written, and the stories were touching, but after reading a few, they all felt like the exact same story with different details.  Person has a tough life;  person turns to drugs or alcohol or other unhealthy self-medicating to escape the pain;  person gives up on life; person eventually turns to God and starts life anew.

The stories were inspiring to be sure, and feel-good endings are always nice.  They just felt a little... redundant.  Still, it was a well-written book, and a good little reminder about the redeeming power of faith.

The Book Of Joe, by Jeff Wilser

I'm not ordinarily a fan of books about political figures.  In fact, up until The Book of Joe, I don't think I'd ever read one.  But what little I did know about Joe Biden interested me, and I liked the tagline: "The life, wit, and (sometimes accidental) wisdom of Joe Biden.

As it turns out, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It did, of course, discuss his political trajectory, but it spent just as much time - if not more - talking about Joe the person, which is what I found fascinating. From a young boy with a painful stuttering problem, to a confident (but never OVER-confident) young man, to a husband and father who endured the greatest of tragedies.  He was, and is, a man of great integrity and principles, and the boy next door who just wants to enjoy his ice cream cone, and this author described it all so very well.

Joe Biden carried, and continues to carry, wisdom from his mother, most notably the admonishment she gave him when he was just a boy:  "No one is better than you.  And you're not better than anyone else." These are words that Biden absolutely took to heart, as he remains by all accounts, a real, humble, relatable man.

Excellent, touching, and at times very funny account of a great man.  A good read even if you're not particularly interested in his politics.


"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

How To Fix A Broken Record, by Amena Brown

How To Fix a Broken Record is one woman's journey of learning to let go of past wounds, to love, to be herself, to say yes to a life that served her, and no to the things that did not. Woven through the deeper themes in the book was a delightful recounting of bad dates, hair snafus, nerdy clothes, social media, music, and stories from The Waffle House.

I enjoyed this book so very much.  While the author and I led different lives, there were so many parallel similarities that I often found myself tearing up at her ability to so deeply "get it."  This is a book that I think anyone could relate to, particularly those who struggled to fit in, to find ourselves, and to get rid of the old negative voices from our past.

Her writing style is warm, casual, and conversational.  I didn't feel like I was reading a book; I felt like I was having coffee and danish with a girlfriend... talking about big things, small things, and everything in between.  And laughing.  There would definitely be laughing.

Finally, while her faith so clearly guides her, the book never once felt preachy or heavy-handed. Instead, it was honest and sincere.  She writes about Jesus in a similar way to the way she writes about her husband... in a way that lets the reader know that she takes the relationship seriously, but not without injecting her natural lightheartedness and humor.  One of my favorite lines: "I'm also pretty sure that Jesus would never invite anyone to play Candy Crush Saga."

Lovely, funny, and touching book.  Two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

*I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.*

Faithful Finance, by Emily G Stroud

Faithful Finance, by Emily G Stroud, is a guide book, from a biblical perspective, on how best to handle and control your money instead of letting it control you.

Stroud, an MBA and CFA, is clearly knowledgeable, and she organizes her thoughts well.  She writes in a warm, conversational style that makes a topic that could be rather dry into something that is easy to read.  The book is broken up into ten chapters, and covers everything from saving to budgeting to managing debt and more.

This is a great book for those looking to learn more about managing their finances in a responsible way.  My only caution would be that if you've already read a lot of related books, this covers very similar information.  I have read several things by Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey, so this book did not contain a whole lot that I had not already heard.  Still, it was presented well, and was easy to understand.  If you're new to the idea, and/or have had difficulty connecting with other authors' interpretations, this book is an excellent place to start.



*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.