Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson

Danger in the Shadows is a well-written read by author Dee Henderson. The story takes you through the internal struggle of a kidnapping victim who cannot get over the events of the past, living in fear that her captor will find her as an adult, and unable to imagine a future without constant worry. When she reluctantly becomes involved with a retired football player, whose fame is a deal-breaker for the reclusive Sara, she has to reevaluate her circumstances.

The story is fast-paced, with good character development and a g-rated love story thrown in as well. My biggest complaint is that there are a lot of biblical references thrown in. The book was definitely Christian/faith-based, though that was not disclosed in the description provided by the author/publisher. I understand that there are readers who are looking for faith-based stories--and this is a good one--but it should be brought to the readers attention from the beginning.

I still enjoyed the book, but found myself skipping the preachy parts. I would have liked to have known how her brother became wealthy, but if it was explained, it was mixed in with the bible verses and overlooked by me. All-in-all, a good story and a must read for those who enjoy a heavy dose of religion with their mystery/romance.

Happy reading!

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Cross Fire by James Patterson

James Patterson (or his publisher) offered a free 30-chapter preview (Kindle) of his latest novel, Cross Fire. I finished reading the sample last night and have to say that I wanted to read on! The book was exciting, filled with tension, and a real page-turner...unfortunately, when I went to purchase the full novel I noticed the price!!! $14.99 for a digital book? I'll pass, thank you very much. I suppose there are faithful fans who will need to have his most recent thriller immediately, but I am not one of those readers. I love James Patterson, but fifteen bucks for something I'll read in a few hours? No thanks.

But the free preview did accomplish something...I will buy this book when the cost comes down (probably after the paperback has been out for a few months). The sticker-shock had me pondering what I'm willing to pay for books nowadays...and I have to admit that I'm stuck on the under $5 price-range. I am reading strictly on an ereader now and there are so many options out there that I really don't have to pay more.

What is your limit? Are there authors out there that you will pay whatever the asking price to have their latest book immediately? This inquiring author wants to know!

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Crush by Alan Jacobson

I finished reading Crush, the second in Alan Jacobson's series featuring Karen Vail. An enjoyable read with plenty of research on the author's part to make the story believable. For the price (currently free for Kindle and Nook), it's a must-read. The plot flows well and you have to keep reading until the very end to figure out who the killer really is (sorta, kinda, maybe?).

I really enjoyed the wine-country setting!

Great action scenes and descriptions that paint a vivid image. Unfortunately, the ending is abrupt and leaves you hanging a bit too much for my taste. I understand the author is hooking us in for the next book and even enjoy a few loose ends to keep me guessing, but we're not talking about your average cliffhanger...the author leaves nearly every tangential storyline up in the air.

I wanted to scream when I realized there isn't even a preview of the next book at the end. If I like a book, guaranteed I'll buy the next one out by the same author. But... I believe every book should be able to stand alone and this one falls short in that department. Loved it up until the very end, but it's never good to leave a reader frustrated and I am. Crush has great reviews on Amazon and even several from well-known, best-selling authors...so what do I know? It's free for the time being, so see for yourself. Or better yet, wait until the next one comes out and read them both to avoid my frustration.

Summary: Great writing, plot & characters...unsatisfying ending--in this reader's opinion.

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox

Finished Reading The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox and it was a kick-ass good time. Funny and irreverent with plenty of humor and action. The plot was fast-paced and the author spent just the right amount of time to make every scene enjoyable without leaving me wondering and at the same time not bogging me down with too many details.

I stumbled upon this book and am glad that I did! It was an enjoyable, easy read and I highly recommend it. One minor nit-pick is that the font didn't translate well to the digital version for Kindle and several times the sentences at the top of the page overlapped. I would hope the issue had been fixed by now, but try the sample chapters to make sure before you download.

Happy reading!

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Grown Ups

I finally saw Grown Ups last night. Funny movie. Not as funny as I had hoped, but better in a way I hadn't expected. I don't want to give anything away, but the story had a lesson woven inside the humor that I really related to. Kudos to Adam Sandler for once again entertaining and delighting me.

I have to admit that there were several scenes where all I could do was shake my head and say, "That's just wrong..." and then proceed to laugh in spite of myself. My husband thought it was hysterical, so I'd have to say that a lot of the humor was "guy humor," but women will enjoy it too.

Overall, good movie. If you're in that 35-55 age range, it's a must see. Enjoy!

Not What She Seems by Victorine Lieske

Not What She Seems by Victorine Lieske pulled me in from the opening page and didn't let go. Great writing, fascinating characters, the pace was frantic and kept me guessing...loved it!

I believe this is the author's first published novel, but you would never guess that after reading it. There is exceptional talent in her writing. The only complaint I can come up with is it seemed a bit short. Hard to tell in ebook format and the paper copy says it is over 300 pages. But I read it in under a day with many interruptions and that it extremely fast for me. It could be that I was so absorbed that I read at a faster rate than normal. I would like to know the word count, though it doesn't really matter as the story was well-told at its current length.

Conclusion: If you enjoy suspense/thrillers geared toward a female audience (though not entirely), I recommend this book highly. You will not be disappointed. Happy Reading!

Next up:

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Compromising Positions

I finished reading Compromising Positions this weekend and while I was slow to get wrapped up in the story, by the midway point, the pages flew. I really enjoyed the read and found the characters to be charming. Fun Chick-Lit and easy to recommend if you enjoy the genre. I won't be giving anything away by saying that the epilogue was fantastic and ended the story exactly how I wanted it to end.

I am excited to read more by this author!

Next up for me is Not What She Seems. I started reading last night and had a hard time putting it down. The suspense is addictive and the story is so well-written that it's hard to stop turning the pages!