Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason Book 1 in Danger Never Sleeps series Release date: January 7, 2020 Rating: 4.5/5
Wow. That was so good. Lynette Eason always has thrilling stories but this one was extra special. Action, mystery, romance and medicine – what else could a girl need? (I’m not biased as a medical student at all lol.)
Having almost finished serving her time in the military as a psychiatrist, Captain Brooke Adams is injured overseas and sent home. She loves her job being able to help people but has never felt that she really helped any of the service men and women she saw in Afghanistan. She is determined to try to forget what happened and move on by not seeing any veterans in her new practice. That all changes when retiree Sergeant First Class Asher James walks back into her life just as bullets are flying. Unsure of why she’s being pursued, she and Asher must figure out what the bad guys are after and how to keep each other safe along the way. Will the sparks flying between these two souls help them deal with their PTSD and bring them closer together?
The military details are very authentic sounding and well explained for a non-military person like myself. It was a bit confusing in the first chapter with all the military lingo, but after re-reading it a second time, it made more sense. I guess I needed a warmup. 😉
I also love the way that Eason incorporates her faith into these stories. She has a way of weaving it all into the story without any cringe.
Her characters are flawed and need time to grow and develop. Mental health is such a huge topic in this day and age, especially with veterans. The story could be taken from the headlines – I love that she writes about what’s current and relevant for today.
Highly recommend to anyone who loves Christian military action, romance, mystery, and suspense.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
A disguised warrior on a mission to save a dying kingdom,
but God has more planned.
Aria has left home with one goal. Find the weapon used to defeat the horde of the Black Knight and save what remains of her kingdom.
But things are not going as planned.
Disguised as a male knight, she saves the young prince of the neighboring kingdom, and tales of her fighting prowess spread like a raging fire. Now, within the castle walls of a foreign kingdom, a young girl masquerading as her page serves as her only confidant. But the widower king and his enemies are taking notice of her. The legendary weapon, however, is nowhere to be found.
What is God doing?
Aria needs to save her home without losing her heart.
Michelle Janene lives and works in Northern California, though most days she blissfully exists in the medieval creations of her mind. She is a devoted teacher, a dysfunctional housekeeper, and a dedicated writer. She released her first novella Mission: Mistaken Identity in the fall of 2015, God’s Rebel in 2016, Rebel’s Son in 2017, and has been published in several anthologies. She leads two critique groups and is the founder of Strong Tower Press—Indie solutions for indie authors.
My Review
Hidden Rebel by Michelle Janene Book 3 of the Changed Heart series Rating: 4/5
I don’t think I realized that this book was part of a series but it didn’t hurt my experience at all. This story can be read as a standalone novel. The story is action-packed and full of adventure. I do love a good strong heroine who can fight. Was the story a bit predictable? Perhaps, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn’t want the story to end.
Aria has a mission that she is determined to see through to the very end. She is a trained knight disguised as a man who ends up saving a neighboring king’s younger son. She is desperately seeking help from this king to fight off the Black Knight that is slowly taking over her home. She searches for the only weapon that can defeat the darkness. Will this widower king be able to help her? Will she be able to fulfill her God-given destiny?
There are quite a few characters but I never felt lost while reading. Certain characters are more fleshed out than others but for the most part, every character gets a moment to shine. As a woman, it is always nice to read about a young woman who can defend herself – even better than a man. However, she is humble about her abilities and doubts her prowess. Her faith is extremely important to her and is what grounds her. Her visions from God guide her on this journey. The different relationships Aria forms are endearing and made me laugh and smile.
This was definitely an enjoyable read. Parts of the story are a bit slow but it’s definitely worth reading to the end. I will definitely need to read the other books in this series.
My thanks to the author and CelebrateLit for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
More from Michelle
The main character of Hidden Rebel is a princess who is also a warrior. She needed to move between court and the battlefield with minimal issues. Aria also took the verse that women should not dress as men seriously. I wrote about a fighting skirt for her.
It appeared to be a pleated skirt with several long panels. Those panels weren’t sewn together other than at her hips. When Aria moved it was clear the skirt panels where over tight trousers and tall boots.
I thought about the skirt so much I created my own. I have worn it to local Renaissance Faires.
The Noble Guardian by Michelle Griep Book 3 in the Bow Street Runners Trilogy Rating: 4.5/5
Abigail Gilbert is finally free! She is leaving her family who hates her and is going to meet her beloved fiancé and live happily ever after with someone who actually wants to be with her. However, highwaymen run rampant on her journey and threaten her life.
Captain Samuel Thatcher is in charge of keeping the roads safe from highwaymen and steps in to save Abby’s life. The captain is close to retiring but begrudgingly agrees to escort Ms. Gilbert to her destination in exchange for money from her fiancé for her safety.
Unfortunately, this harrying journey is more than either expected. Together they must find a way to coexist and not kill each other as they face many trials and heated discussions.
This fast-paced story is everything you’d want and more. I didn’t quite know what to expect when I started reading this story but I knew it would be good because of Michelle Griep’s ability to weave a fun and provocative tale. When I first started to read, I wasn’t aware it was part of a trilogy. It can definitely be read as a standalone book. After realizing it was part of a trilogy, I found that I had read the previous books but didn’t realize it because that first book was from back in 2015. I will have to revisit those other two books in the series to jog my memory but that isn’t necessary to appreciate the wonders of Griep’s gripping action. The characters are lovely and you feel their tension and conflict. Very well written and highly recommended.
My thanks to Barbour Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
Siren’s Fury
by Mary Weber
Rating: 3/5
Book Two of the Storm Siren Trilogy
Thomas Nelson – Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic | General
After saving Faelen from Draewulf, Nym finds herself without her special Elemental powers and finds her love, Eogan, has been possessed by Draewulf. As the new king of Bron, Draewulf (as Eogan) has more influence than Nym is willing to allow. She finds a way to travel with a group of delegates from Faelen to monitor and try to stop Draewulf as he returns to Bron.
When Nym forms an alliance with Lord Myles who promises a way to unlock more power and free Eogan from Draewulf’s power, she opens a door that may require more from her than she could even imagine. Can Nym discover a power that will give her the strength to save the man she loves and prevent Draewulf from gaining more power?
I really enjoyed the first book, Storm Siren, and was excited to read the second in the trilogy since the first book ended on a cliffhanger. Nym is such an interesting character and I really enjoyed the glimpses into her inner thoughts and her journey to finding her powers. As much as I enjoyed the continuing saga, I didn’t feel this book was as gripping as the first. It was good but it wasn’t like I couldn’t put it down.
I still recommend the book to anyone who enjoyed the first in the series and enjoys a good young adult story with fantasy and magic.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Siren’s Fury