Carrie Stuart Parks: Fragments of Fear

By Kelly Bridgewater

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Fragments of Fear by Carrie Stuart Parks, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book:

Title: Fragments of Fear
Author: Carrie Stuart Parks
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: July 23, 2019
Genre: Inspirational Suspense/Thriller

Stolen art. A New Mexico archaeological dig. An abandoned dog. And a secret that’s worth killing for.

Evelyn McTavish’s world came crashing down with the suicide of her fiancé. As she struggles to put her life back together and make a living from her art, she receives a call that her dog is about to be destroyed at the pound. Except she doesn’t own a dog. The shelter is adamant that the microchip embedded in the canine with her name and address makes it hers.

Evelyn recognizes the dog as one owned by archaeologist John Coyote because she was commissioned to draw the two of them. The simple solution is to return the dog to his owner—but she arrives only to discover John’s murdered body.

As Evelyn herself becomes a target, she crosses paths with undercover FBI agent Sawyer Price. The more he gets to know her, the more personally invested he becomes in keeping her safe. Together, they’re desperate to find the links between so many disparate pieces.
And the clock is ticking.

From JustRead Tours

My Thoughts:

I have adored Carrie Stuart Parks's writing since I picked up her first novel. I'm really glad to have another Christian suspense author to enjoy. So many Christian play it safe by writing romantic suspense, but those lean toward the romance side as more of a plot tactic. But Parks is definitely not like that. She writes suspense that grips me in the first chapter and doesn't let go. In Fragments of Fear, the plot had me guessing a couple time of where I thought the story would head to, but Parks would throw a curve ball in the action and take the story in a different direction. I love how each one of Parks' heroines are artist who use their ability to capture the bad guy. There was a budding romance between Evelyn and Sawyer, but I really didn't believe they fell in love as fast as Parks claimed they did by the end of the novel. While the romance really didn't fit, the suspense was well-written and captured my attention. I believe fans of Steven James, Ronie Kendig, and Lynette Eason should pick up this book or anything by Carrie Stuart Parks.

I received a complimentary copy of Fragments of Fear by Carrie Stuart Parks from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Amazon Goodreads  Barnes and Nobles  Book Depository  Christianbook
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About the Author:

From JustRead Tours

Carrie Stuart Parks is a Christy finalist as well as a Carol Award–winning author. She has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art tolaw-enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho.

(Taken from JustRead Tours.)

Connect with Carrie Stuart Parks:
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Caleb Breakey: The String

By Kelly Bridgewater

Welcome to the string, a game of impossible decisions and deadly consequences. Let's go over the ground rules.

Rule #1: Participation is mandatory.
Rule #2: If anyone refuses to play, all threats will come to pass.
Game on.

Get ready for a deadly social experiment as a sociopath known as The Conductor delivers disturbing threats and twisted moral dilemmas to unsuspecting students and staff.

As a powerful instinct for self-preservation sweeps through the campus, one man has a grave decision to make. Will university cop Markus Haas play the game to protect those he loves? Or will he break the string and incite massive chaos--and even death?

In the great suspense tradition of Ted Dekker and Steven James, Caleb Breakey's explosive debut novel will have you turning pages into the night.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Psychological Thrillers are my favorite genre ever!!! I love the chase for the bad guy and the noose getting tighter and tighter on the characters where they have no choice but to listen and do what is asked. The String by Caleb Breakey is a wonderful story. The first chapter is  little confusing, and I had to read it two times to move past it, but after that, the novel took off. And I mean, it took off and didn't stop. I kept flying through the story and didn't want to put it down. I wanted the Conductor caught. Who was he? I had a couple of suspicions, but the novel kept barreling ahead. Breakey did exactly what I expected and wanted. The characters' lives were in danger, and the climactic moment kept rushing toward me. This story was original but reminded me of a Steven James' novel with its format and the main character of Haas reminded me of Patrick Bowers on some level. While the plot did keep my attention glued to the page, the ending was a little bit of a letdown. I can't say why because then it would be a spoiler. You have to read and see if you agree with me. Overall, The String was a well-crafted and original story that leaves me begging for the second book in the series. Fans of Steven James and Lynette Eason should pick this book up. BUT as a word of caution, if you like safe suspense like Colleen Coble, Irene Hannon, or DiAnne Mills, this novel, I believe, might not be the one for you.

I received a complimentary copy of The String by Caleb Breakey from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase The String

About the Author:

Caleb Breakey is the CEO of Speak It To Book, the premier ghostwriting agency for influencers, thought leaders, and industry celebrities. He is an ECPA Award finalist and a winner of the prestigious Genesis Contest for fiction writers, and he loves exploring truth through story. He writes in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and enjoys visits from a mischievous mini husky and a smiley Shiba Inu. (Taken from Goodreads.)

An Island

By Kelly Bridgewater

This blog post is basically written for future published authors, but don't be discouraged if you don't want to write, maybe you will learn something from this too.

As a writer, most of us are introverts.

We enjoy spending time with ourselves. Being a part of a crowd scares me. I don't like to make small, pointless talk. I like to stand or sit in a corner and listen. Watch facial expressions. Watch body movements. I don't liked to be hugged. (So please, don't hug me the first million times you see me!)

When I was a little girl, I enjoyed spending hours playing with my Barbies. I only played Barbies with one other person, and she was my best friend, Robin. We understood each other and could play for hours together. I enjoyed playing by myself in my yard. I enjoyed reading by myself. I found tons of ways to keep myself entertain while I was a little girl. My sister couldn't do that, and still can't, so she would always find ways to annoy me.

When I go to group gathering, I have my Kindle in my purse. I never leave home without it. With over 700 books ready to be read, I can choose any genre of book that I want to read for the moment. I know my husband has frown on me when I have pulled it out when we are invited to someone's else house. I didn't see a problem with it. I wasn't joining in on the conversation anyways, so why can't I spend time reading?

BUT . . .

As a writer, we live in the world of our creations. We spend hours, days, weeks, months, and maybe even years, sitting alone in our dark corners, playing God to our creations.

It is hard to come up with a way to include others in the creation process.

Yes, I know people that are apart of writing groups where they meet once a month or once every three months or even once every six months and brainstorm and critique each other's work.

What a dream to have that. (Come next week, and I'll talk specifically about writing groups.)

I enjoy the creative process and designing my own characters and watching them work for me, but I have a very hard time believing my writing is worth sending to anyone for being published. Even though that was my ultimate goal up until a year ago.

So the question I leave you with is:

How do you, as a writer, spend more time with fellow writers? Do you meet with a writing group? Do you spend time listening to published authors' advice?

Nancy Mehl: Fire Storm

By Kelly Bridgewater

When FBI profiler Kaely Quinn's mother is diagnosed with cancer, Kaely takes time off work to go to Dark Water, Nebraska, to help her brother care for their mother. Upon her arrival, she learns of a series of fires in the small town, attributed by the fire chief to misuse of space heaters in the frigid winter. But Kaely is skeptical, and a search for a pattern in the locations of the fires bolsters her suspicions.

After yet another blaze devastates a local family, Kaely is certain a serial arsonist is on the loose. Calling upon her partner from St. Louis, Noah Hunter, and her brother's firefighter neighbor who backs Kaely's suspicions, Kaely and her team begin an investigation that swiftly leads them down a twisted path. When the truth is finally revealed, Kaely finds herself confronting a madman who is determined his last heinous act will be her death.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Fire Storm by Nancy Mehl is a thought process crime solving fires around Darkwater. I enjoy reading stories where the reader gets to follow the heroine, Kaely Quinn, as she solves a crime. I love reading the thought processes. It helps complete the mystery for me. I enjoy seeing them work through the information they know, and how they come up with a solution. While the story idea isn't original, the hunt for the villain made me a little upset. Mehl explains pretty early on  who the fire chief believes is the arsonist, and Mehl allows the story to lead that way. I would have enjoyed the villain being another character. I had another character in mind who I don't believe most people would have suspected, and he fit the attributes of the arsonist also. But Mehl took the easy way out. While this element bothered me, the heroine Kaely Quinn is pretty heroic. I really enjoy her ability to talk to Georgie and the suspects in her mind. I do that sometimes when I'm plotting a character, so I understand her dilemma. Overall, Fire Storm was a well-written romantic suspense novel that captured my attention and carried a wonderful heroine. I can't wait to see what drama Mehl places in her for the next novel.

I received a complimentary copy of Fire Storm by Nancy Mehl from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Fire Storm

About the Author:

From Amazon

Nancy Mehl lives in Missouri, with her husband Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. She's authored thirty books and is currently at work on a new FBI suspense series for Bethany House Publishing.

All of Nancy's novels have an added touch - something for your spirit as well as your soul. "I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing," Nancy says. "It's a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn't be writing at all if I didn't believe that this is what He's called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can't overcome with His help."

You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her Web site at: www.nancymehl.com. She also is active on the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com and on FaceBook! (Taken from Amazon.)

Rachel Fordham: Yours Truly

By Kelly Bridgewater

For three years, Penny Ercanbeck has been opening other people's mail. Dead ends are a reality for clerks at the Dead Letter Office. Still she dreams of something more--a bit of intrigue, a taste of romance, or at least a touch less loneliness. When a letter from a brokenhearted man to his one true love falls into her hands, Penny seizes this chance to do something heroic. It becomes her mission to place this lost letter into the hands of its intended recipient.

Thomas left his former life with no intention of ending up in Azure Springs, Iowa. He certainly didn't expect a happy ending after what he had done. All he wanted to do was run and never look back. In a moment of desperation, he began to write, never really expecting a reply.

When Penny's undertaking leads her to the intriguing man who touched her soul with his words, everything grows more complicated. She wants to find the rightful owner of the letter and yet she finds herself caring--perhaps too much--for the one who wrote it.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Yours Truly, Thomas by Rachel Fordham is a delightful western tale of romance through letters and a chance encounter. The writing is beautiful and Fordham does a wonderful job at creating a tale of romance and learning to move on from past mistakes. The plot moved seamlessly and captured my attention. It is a predictable romance with the predictable happily-ever-after. Thomas is a hero who needs to learn from his mistakes and comes out a better man on the other side. While I enjoyed seeing who Thomas was and learning about his past, I would have liked to see personally who he was before, so the transformation would have been a little more fulfilling. As for Penny, she is a brave woman to travel to a place unknown just because of a letter. I would like to have seen more of her past too. It seems readers are thrown into the middle of the transformation story while it is occurring without the beginning to show the transformation. Overall, Yours Truly, Thomas by Rachel Fordham is a captivating western romance. Fans of Karen Witemeyer, Jody Hedlund, and Regina Jennings would, I believe, enjoy this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of Yours Truly, Thomas by Rachel Fordham from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Yours Truly,Thomas

About the Author:

From Amazon

Rachel Fordham has long been fascinated by all things historical or in the words of her children "old stuff". Often the historical trivia she discovers is woven into her children's bedtime tales. Despite her love for good stories she didn't attempt writing a novel until her husband challenged her to do so (and now she's so glad he did). Since that time she's often been found typing or researching while her youngest child naps or frantically writing plot twists while she waits in the school pick-up line. In addition to her passion for storytelling she enjoys reading, being outdoors and seeing new places. Rachel lives with her husband and children on an island in Washington state.

Learn more about current projects at rachelfordham.com (Taken from Amazon.)