Monday, July 31, 2017

"Chasing Secrets" by Lynette Eason



About this book:

  “Elite Guardians bodyguard Haley Callaghan may be in South Carolina, but when a photo leads investigators in West Ireland to open a twenty-five-year-old cold case, her life is suddenly in danger. Haley knows how to take care of herself; after all, she's made a career out of taking care of others. But after an uncomfortably close call, Detective Steven Rothwell takes it upon himself to stay with her--and the young client she has taken under her wing. A protector at heart, he's not about to let Haley fight this battle alone.
  In a sweeping plot that takes them into long-buried memories--and the depths of the heart--Haley and Steven will have to solve the mystery of Haley's past while dodging bullets, bombs, and bad guys who just won't quit.”



Series: Book #4 in “Elite Guardians” series. Reviews of Books: #1 Here!, #2 Here!, and #3 Here!


Spiritual Content- Prayers; Talks about God, believing, & forgiving; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God; Steven says he isn’t happy with God right now, but still prays; Mentions of God, peace, & forgiving; Mentions of talks about God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of pastors & preaching; Mentions of Heaven; A few mentions of thanking God; A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A couple mentions of Bibles; A couple mentions of Bible studies; A couple mentions of a cathedral;
*Note: A couple mentions of evil; A mention of demons; A mention of Midas.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘rats’, a ‘son of a gun’, four ‘dumb’s, four forms of ‘idiot’, eight ‘stupid’s, and nine ‘shut up’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Prologue has terror and a young girl seeing her father dead & mentions of gunshots, shooters, blood/bleeding, and screams (up to semi-detailed); Being held hostage, being held at gunpoint, almost being drowned, being bait, fighting, pain, knifes, threatened, & blood/bleeding (semi-detailed); Being shot, gunfire, bullets, pain, blood/bleeding, & screams (up to semi-detailed); Seeing someone die & blood (up to semi-detailed); Being kidnapped, being gassed, & passing out (up to semi-detailed); Villain’s POV after shooting someone & being willing to kill again (up to semi-detailed); Nearly all about mentions of violence, murders, how they happened, killers, dead bodies, gunshots, bullets, shooting, being shot, pain, screams, injuries, blood/bleeding & the smell; Many mentions of an assumed mafia hit & slaughtered people (including an infant, barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of an explosion, deaths of children and adults, & trying to find the killer (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of murders, murderers, killing, & shooting (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of drive-by shooting, shooters, & violence; Many mentions of mafias, gangs, hit-men, & thugs; Many mentions of criminals, crimes, felons, arrests, jails, prisons, & parole; Many mentions of pain, surgeries, stitches, & scars; Mentions of being shot, bullets, blood/bleeding, & brain matter (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of serial killers; Mentions of being willing to kill & hired assassins; Mentions of supposed to die & be killed; Mentions of the possibility of being killed; Mentions of threats of killing; Mentions of blood and deaths being on someone’s hands; Mentions of suicides, depression, & guilt (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of almost being drowned (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fighting, blood, bruises, & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a drunk driver that killed/hit a child (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of terrorists & plots; Mentions of car accidents & deaths; Mentions of morgues & autopsies; Mentions of hostages, snipers, & gunshots; Mentions of explosive devices; Mentions of illegal businesses & dealings; Mentions of stealing, muggings, robberies, break-ins, & knives; Mentions of car jackings; Mentions of a sting; Mentions of nightmares & remembering unpleasant events (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of domestic abuse, beatings, & injuries; Mentions of drugs, drug abuse, drug users, & addicts; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, & bars; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of debts; Mentions of bullies & bulling; Mentions of stalkers; Mentions of hatred, threats, & betrayal; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A few mentions of an attack & kidnapping (Book #3); A few mentions of pirates, drownings, & deaths; A few mentions of graffiti; A few mentions of partying; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of gossip; A few mentions of hunting & dressing a dear;
*Note: Mentions of & going to Starbucks; Mentions of car brands; A mention of Converse shoes.


Sexual Content- a not-detailed kiss, two cheek kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, & Heat (up to semi-detailed); Noticing; Blushes; Mentions of a woman’s (possible) pimp; Mentions of noticing; Mentions of a player; Mentions of dates & romance; A few mentions of embraces & wanting to embrace; A few mentions of an ex-boyfriend; A few mentions of a teen boy being interested in pretty girls; A few mentions of blushes; A couple mentions of a (possible) affair; A couple mentions of staring at another’s lips; A couple mentions of seeing couples kiss; A mention of a (possibility) of a man looking for a prostitute; A mention of prostitution; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
            *Note: A mention of butting out of someone’s business; A mention of butting heads; A mention of a sorry butt through in jail; A mention of not giving a rat’s behind.  

-Haley Callaghan
-Steven Rothwell
                         P.O.V. of switches between them, The Killer (5x), Ian (2x), and Michelle (2x)
                                                     320 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Add a ½ star for older girls interested in law enforcement}
This is the last of this series and it's bittersweet to say the least. I've really enjoyed seeing all these tough women take down baddies and fall in love.
Since the first book, I've been looking forward to learning Haley's story--and was a story it is.
While this novel did take on a more sensitive role with all the mentions of murders of children and minors, I knew that Haley (& Steven too) would find out who was behind it all. I love reading Christian suspense because there's always a hope of good in all the well done books, like this one! :)

Come back tomorrow for a special release day interview with the author, Lynette Eason!


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.

Friday, July 28, 2017

"Mandie and Jonathan's Predicament" by Lois Gladys Leppard



About this book:

  “Mandie couldn't have been more excited when her mother said she could travel to New York City with Celia and Jane Hamilton to visit Jonathan Guyer and his father for the Thanksgiving holidays.
  Arriving by train with a firm grip on Snowball, Mandie is overwhelmed by the city's monstrous buildings and people racing everywhere. When Mr. Guyer insists that they stay at the Guyer mansion, it's even better because now they'll be close to Jonathan.
  But there are strange things going on at Jonathan's house. Who is the strange girl who demands that Jonathan give her the stray dog they found in the Guyer backyard? And who is the foreign-speaking man whom Mandie discovers meeting in secret with the butler? What's really going on behind all the closed doors of the mansion? The strange man leads them far from home. Is it a trap?”



Series: Book #28 in “Mandie” series. (To read the reviews of the previous books in this series, click the number to be taken to that review:
#1! #2! #3! #4! #5! #6! #7! #8! #9! #10! #11! #12! #13! #14! #15! #16! #17! #18! #19! #20! #21! #22! #23! #24! #25! #26! #27!) {There also is the “Young Mandie Mystery” series, (Book #1 review Here and Book #2 review Here!) but they do not connect together well}


Spiritual Content- A Scripture is quoted & prayed; A few prayers & thanking God; Visiting/Touring a church; Mentions of churches/cathedrals; A few mentions of God; A few mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; A mention of Jews.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’ and two ‘shucks’; Mentions of stolen items, thieves, stealing, crimes/criminals, a robbery, & a man tied-up; Mentions of a collapsed building & injuries; Mentions of a girl pulling another girl’s hair & almost slapping her; Mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of a possible kidnapping; A mention of a president’s assassination; A mention of butcher shop.


Sexual Content- A few mentions of adults flirting & a blown kiss; A couple mentions of hand holding.

-Amanda “Mandie” Shaw, age 13
                                          P.O.V. of Mandie
                                              Set in 1901
                          176 pages (also available in a collection with two other Mandie books.)

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

Not a very favorite, but I do enjoy reading Mandie’s reactions to the city and that ending! ;)


See y’all on Monday with a new review!


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.