Renegade Review

Having grown up in the foster system, Private Pike Morgan’s rough exterior and problem with authority earn him few friends among his fellow Marines. When he’s not on missions for the Marine Reserve, Pike’s rebellious attitude and eagerness for vigilante justice have the local police regularly at his doorstep. Struggling to set down roots, and nervous of his desire to, Pike’s eager to answer the military’s call for another deployment.

On a peacekeeping mission to Afghanistan, Pike and his squad soon find themselves entrenched in a heated war zone. After an American journalist is kidnapped by known terrorist Zalmai Yaqub, the whereabouts of this al Qaeda leader become a top priority for the American military. But when Yaqub flees to Pakistan, will anyone aid Pike in his hunt, or will this strong Marine find himself without an ally?

Renegade by Mel Odom is the second book in the Called To Serve series.  I had said that the first book was the most captivating book I’ve read in a while; well it’s just been topped. I loved reading more about Pikes story. His past was kept a mystery in Deployed and was revealed more in Renegade. I can’t wait for the next book! 

That Dog Won’t Hunt Review

Dearing Family Book 1, Southern Contemporary

ebook: $2.99 

 

    paper: $9.69                     

www.brandilyncollins.com 

Meet the Dearings, a crazy, loving, boisterous family in small-town Mississippi. There's mom and dad, three daughters and their families, and the youngest—twenty-five-year-old Ben. Oh, and the family dog, a Yorkie who thinks she's royalty.
"This one's perfect," Ben says about his new fiancée, Christina, when he brings her home for a family reunion. Ben is just sure everyone will love Christina, and she'll fit right in.
He always did tend to wear rose-colored glasses.
Christina loves Ben but secretly fears their relationship will never work. They've only known each other ten weeks. She hasn't told him about her horrific past as an only child—the beatings, the neglect, and verbal abuse. Christina doesn't
know how to trust or be honest about her feelings. Being thrust into the middle
of a tight-knit family like the Dearings is sure to send her over the edge.
With poignancy and humor, That Dog Won't Hunt explores the complexities of
relationships and the inner strength needed to overcome a difficult childhood.

The Dearings are no perfect family, but they know how to love—if only Christina will accept it

That Dog Won’t Hunt is different from Brandilyn Collins other books but just as great. Being used to Brandilyn’s trademark Seatbelt Suspense® I wasn’t sure if I would like her newest book  as much as do all of her other books I’ve read. Boy was I wrong. I fell instantly in love with the loud, loving Dearing family that seemed so much like my own. I loved That Dog Won’t Hunt and can’t wait for the next book in the Dearing Family series. I would definitely recommend this to my friends.

5 out of 5. An Afternoon Snack that leave you with a good taste in your mouth. 

A Noble Groom Review

All Annalisa Werner hoped for was fairy-tale romance. A prince charming to sweep her off her feet and carry her away. Instead she got a husband who cared more about his drinking and gambling then his wife and daughter. But now with her husband dead and on the brink of losing her farm Annalisa must marry again if she hopes to save her land. So her father sends a letter to his brother in Germany, asking him to send Annalisa a groom.

           

            Carl Richards is a man who is lucky to still have his head. Forced to flee Germany with nothing but the clothes on his back Carl takes refuge with Annalisa’s family. He claims that he is former school teacher and was sent by Matthias, Annalisa uncle. Carl asked that he be allowed to stay with Annalisa’s parents in exchange for helping out on her farm until her new husband arrives to take his place. Desperate Annalisa accepts his offer.

            Annalisa soon realizes that Carl is everything her first husband wasn’t. Caring, fascinating, and gentle, the prince charming she always dreamed of.  But she also knows that her new husband may arrive any day.

            A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund was brilliant! I fell in love with Annalisa and Carl immediately and felt their troubles as if they were mine. Everything about this story was great. The best thing was that I could imagine every part of this story being true. Every character and every place was brought to life with Jody’s writing. I absolutely loved A Noble Groom and will definitely recommend it!

5 out of 5. This Afternoon Snack was worthy of royalty!

I got a free review copy of A Noble Groom from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

Avenged Review

Officer Carly Edwards’s life is once again thrown her a curve ball when she discovers three Las Playas gangbangers shot execution style. This puts the whole Las Playas PD on edge knowing a gang war may be around the corner. But everything isn’t adding up and when Carly discovers a gang leader with weapons stolen from a military base thing become even more unclear. Making matters worse Carly loses her partner to a knee injury and is facing questions about her job when a reporter decides to ruin her professional reputation. Will Carly have enough faith to trust God when trials push at her from all sides?

Avenged by Janice Cantore is the third and last book in her debut series, Pacific Coast Justice. I loved, loved, LOVED this book! I had thought the first two books in the series were as good as it could get, but boy was I wrong. Avenged was a great conclusion to the Pacific Coast Justice series and I can’t wait for Janice’s next book to come out!

5 out of 5. As an Afternoon Snack it was quite delicious!

I got a free review copy of Avenged from Tyndale House Publishers in return for my honest review.

Firefly Island Review

Mallory Hale has always thought that all she wanted with her life was the hustle and bustle of Capitol Hill. That is until she met Daniel Webster Everson. After a whirlwind of a romance Mallory soon finds out that not only is she willing to trade in her life on Capitol Hill, she’s willing to trade it in for a husband, a three-and-a-half-year-old stepson, and a ranch house in a town she never heard of, Moses Lake. Not a big deal if you’re madly in love, right? ‘Love conquers all’ and stuff like that… easy-smeasy.

Amid a pile of house repairs, a crash course in parenthood, and unwanted marriage advice from her mom, Mallory begins to doubt her sanity. Whatever made her believe that she, a city girl, could handle life in a small town? And if living more than five miles from the nearest Wal-Mart was tough how was she ever going to deal with the scandal revolving around her husband’s creepy new boss, Jack West. Not to mention the mysteries surrounding a neighbor who seems to be hiding something, an island that nobody’s aloud on, and a cow that needs to be milked...like now!

Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate was one of the best books I’ve read this year. I loved following Mallory through all her misadventures as The Frontier Woman. As I read I fell in love with all of the characters and found myself wishing that Moses Lake was real. Several times throughout the book I wanted to hop in my car and drive down to Texas so that I could add my name to the Wall of Wisdom and have a nice chat with Pop Dorsey while I sucked on a lollipop (Hey I’m a kid at heart). All in all this is a book I’ll be sure to tell my friends about.

5 out of 5. This Afternoon Snack was a winner.

I got a free review copy of Firefly Island from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

To Honor and Trust Review

Callie Deboyer is working as a tutor for the Bridgeport’s youngest children while the family spends their winter at Bridal Veil Island. Callie’s treated almost as family by the Bridgeport’s, attending most of the many social events on the island. Mrs. Bridgeport has even signed her up to take tennis and golf lessons with the Bridgeport’s youngest son, Thomas. She’s living a life many would envy but she could care less about social standing and possessions. She just wants to do what God wants her to. But it’s hard to do that when she’s not sure if God’s calling her to stay where she is in with a job she loves or to join her parents with their missionary work in Africa. Throw in a handsome young golf instructor that Callie believes is different from all the other young men she ever met and everything just got a little more complicated.

To Honor and Trust written by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller was a wonderful book. I love many Tracie’s and Judith’s other books and had high expectations for To Honor and Trust. It did not disappoint. With its delightful characters and captivating story I could barely put it down. I’d recommend to anyone looking for an entertaining read that leaves them satisfied.

5 out of 5. An Afternoon Snack that you can trust.

I got a free review copy of To Honor and Trust from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

All for a Song Review

Dorothy Lynn Dunbar’s life is what you would expect it to be considering she was the daughter of a small town preacher. She lives with her mother waiting for the day she marries her father’s replacement pastor, Brent Logan. She loves her life and the time she spends in the woods close to her house. There she can worship God and play for him on her brothers old guitar. Her life is one many would envy… but she can’t shake the longing for life outside of Heron’s Nest.

With seven weeks till her big day Dorothy Lynn goes to visit her older sister in St. Louis. Planning to get her wedding dress, new guitar strings, and then head home, Dorothy Lynn is surprised at big city way of life. It was everything she had secretly wished for and more. The movies, dancing, fashion, and the strange woman evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson. When she has the chance of joining Aimee’s crusade Dorothy Lynn realizes it was more than she had ever dreamed of doing with her life. But was it really what she wanted?

All for a Song by Allison Pittman was a fascinating story about one woman’s life in the Roaring Twenties. I liked learning about Aimee Semple McPherson. Before reading All for a Song I had never heard of her before. So that was interesting. But the story itself didn’t grab me like I was expecting it to. I found myself pushing through it looking for that one thing that would garb me and pull me deep into the story. But it didn’t happen for me… This time. I look forward to reading it again in maybe a year or so and hopefully next time I’ll find what I was looking for.

3 out of 5. This Afternoon Snack didn’t quite make my taste buds sing.

I got a free review copy of All for a Song from Tyndale House Publishers in return for my honest review.

Author Bio:

Award-winning author Allison Pittman left a seventeen-year teaching career in 2005 to follow the Lord’s calling into the world of Christian fiction, and God continues to bless her step of faith. Her novels For Time and Eternity and Forsaking All Others were both finalists for the Christy Award for excellence in Christian fiction, and her novel Stealing Home won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award. She heads up a successful, thriving writers group in San Antonio, Texas, where she lives with her husband, Mike, their three sons, and the canine star of the family—Stella.
www.TyndaleRewards.com