Always Watching Review

Intensity. Skill. Tenacity. The bodyguards of Elite Guardians Agency have it all. When it becomes clear that popular psychiatrist and radio personality Wade Savage has a stalker, his father secretly hires Elite Guardians to protect his son. But when Wade's bodyguard is attacked and nearly killed, agency owner Olivia Edwards must step in and fill the gap.  Olivia's skills are about to be tested to the limit as Wade's stalker moves from leaving innocent gifts at his door to threatening those closest to him--including Olivia. But in her mind, even more dangerous than the threats to her life is the hold her handsome client has on her heart. Always Watching is the first book in the Elite Guardians series by Lynette Eason was an amazing read. I loved every second of it. The plot was constantly twisting and kept me on the  edge of my seat wanting to see how the story ended.  The characters were all enjoyable and I enjoyed every suspenseful minute I spent in this story.  Lynette Eason is a great author and I can't wait for the next book in this series.  5 out of 5. An Afternoon Snack that is so worth it. I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Beyond the Silence Review

Lillian Porter has always wanted to fulfill her mother's dream of going west, so when she hears about a nanny position in Angels Camp, California, she defies her grandfather and takes a chance on a new future. But she quickly wonders if she made the right choice. There are rumors in town that her new employer, Woodward Colton, caused the death of his wife. This accusation doesn't match the man Lillian comes to know--and Mrs. Goodman, Woody's long-time housekeeper, is decisively on Woody's side--but many in town stay far away from Lillian because of her association with the Colton family.

Lillian's six-year-old charge, Jimmy, was there when his mother died, and he hasn't spoken a word since. Gently, Lillian tries to coax him out of his shell, hoping he'll one day feel safe enough to tell her the truth about what happened. But the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. Will Mrs. Goodman and Jimmy be able to speak what they know in time to save Lillian from tragedy?

Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse was a beautifully written story. I really enjoyed the suspense that was weaved into this historical romance. Lillian and Woody were both great characters that are easy to feel for. Woody and his son Jimmy have seen some difficult times and the way Lillian comes in and helps really pulls on your heart strings. Beyond the Silence is a perfect blend of Tracie Peterson's historical romance and Kimberley Woodhouse's mystery/suspense and I hope to see more of their collaborations in the future. 

5 out 5. An Afternoon Snack that was beyond great.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review. 

Hannah's Choice Review

Hannah Yoder loves her quiet life on the banks of the Conestoga Creek. In 1842, this corner of Lancaster County is settled and peaceful--yet problems lurk beneath the placid façade. Hannah's father worries about the spread of liberal ideas from their Mennonite and Brethren neighbors. And Hannah blames herself for a tragedy that struck their home nine years ago. She strives to be the one person who can bind the threads of her family together in spite of her mother's ongoing depression and her sister's rejection of their family. But her world is threatening to unravel.

When two young men seek her hand in marriage--one offering the home she craves and the other promising the adventure of following God's call west--Hannah must make a choice. Faithfully perform her duties to her family? Or defy her father and abandon her community?

Hannah's Choice by Jan Drexler was a really engaging read! I have to say I normally hate love triangles because in most of the books I've read that have them there's always a clear couple and the other person who's just there to make thing complicated. In Hannah Choice I honestly couldn't tell who would be the couple in the end. I mean, I had my favorite choice but I had no idea which one the authors choice was. Hannah's Choice is definitely a book you should pick up. Great characters that pull you in and a story line that's not as predictable as you might think. 

5 out of 5. A lovely Afternoon Snack. 

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review. 

Merchant of Alyss Review

Life for Hyam is bittersweet. Admired by the citizens of Falmouth for his heroic rescue mission, he cherishes these peaceful days with Joelle by his side. Yet grief over the loss of his magical skills during the great Battle of Emporis threatens to engulf him. Sometimes he even wishes he had never known magic at all.

When Hyam comes into possession of an ancient Milantian scroll, he is thrilled to feel the surge of power that courses through him whenever he touches it. But what he discerns in the text could mean war. He embarks upon another journey to determine its true meaning and forestall any attack. But as Hyam is seeking answers, he is unaware that the merchant of Alyss is seeking him...

Merchant of Alyss by Thomas Locke is the second book in the Legends of the Realm series. I really loved jumping back into this world, it was so worth the wait! Like with the first book (Emissary), there were plenty of twist and turns to keep me turning the page. I loved being able to continue on this adventure with Hyam and like always meeting the new characters was fun! Once again though I am left saying I can't wait for the next book in the Legends of the Realm series to arrive! 

5 out of 5. A wonderful Afternoon Snack!

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review. 

Thin Ice Review

After losing her parents in a car accident and her sister to a house fire, Christy Reed has been mired in grief. Life is finally starting to feel normal again when an envelope arrives in the mail--addressed in her sister's handwriting. And the note inside claims she is still alive.

FBI Special Agent Lance McGregor, a former Delta Force operator, is assigned to reopen the case, but he's coming up with more questions than answers. If Ginny Reed is still alive--who is the woman buried in her grave? Where is Ginny? And is Christy a pawn in a twisted cat-and-mouse game--or the target of a sinister plot? As he digs deeper, one thing becomes clear: whoever is behind the bizarre ruse has a deadly agenda.

Thin Ice by Irene Hannon is the second book in the Men of Valor and about Mac's brother Lance (Mac is from the first book in the series Buried Secrets.) I really enjoyed the suspense which is what I love most about Hannon's books. While I can't say that the characters of Christy and Lance were my favorite I did really love their story. Even if you skipped the first book (Which I wouldn't because it was great!) you could still read Thin Ice and enjoy it. 

5 out of 5. A suspenseful Afternoon Snack. 

 I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

At Love's Bidding Review

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives.

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count--but no mysterious painting--Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse.

At Love's Bidding by Regina Jennings was a treat to read. I fell in love with Miranda on the first couple pages. She is a wonderful character! And so is the hero of this story, Wyatt. Miranda and him make quite a pair as they try to fix the mess they find themselves in. I didn't read the first book in this series (I know shame on me!) but you don't have to in order to enjoy At Love's Biding. But now I do want to go back and read A Most Inconvenient Marriage because why not?! Regina Jennings is an amazing author. I love her books so much. Do yourself a big favor and pick this authors books up! 

5 out of 5. A lovely Afternoon Snack. 

I got a free review copy of At Love's Bidding from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

NIV Bible for Teen Girls Review

An all-new inspirational daily reading Bible designed specifically for girls 13-18, in the popular NIV translation.

The NIV Bible for Teen Girls, designed specifically for girls ages 13 to 18, is for real teenage girls with real lives. Packed with daily readings, highlighted promises of God, challenging insights, smart advice, and open discussion about the realities of life, this Bible is designed to help teen girls grow in faith, hope, and love.

The NIV Bible for Teen Girls is as sincere about your walk with God as you are, helping you discover his will for all areas of your life, including relating to your family, dealing with friends, work, sports, guys, and so much more.

Features include:

Daily readings for teen girls by popular Christian female authors Character profiles of women in the Bible Book introductions for each book of the Bible Highlighted promises of God: verses worth remembering A concordance for help in finding verses The complete text of the bestselling New International Version (NIV) of the Bible

NIV Bible for Teen Girls is an absolutely beautiful hardcover Bible that  I think any teen girl would love.  It's a New International Version translation that is easy for everyone to understand. This teen Bible is one that I feel every teen girl would love to own. The features it includes are amazing. I personally loved the Growing in Faith Hope Love sections. It's a fun little section for you to read along with a Bible passage, I feel like this makes reading the Bible a little less daunting. It takes a passage and tells you how it helps you to grow.

5 out of 5.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for my honest review.