The Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell

“Feathers—no matter what size or shape or color—are all the same, if you think about them. They’re soft. Delicate. But the secret thing about feathers is . . . they are very strong.”

 In the pre-Katrina glow of New Orleans, Amanda Salassi is anxious about chaperoning her daughter’s sixth-grade field trip to the Big Easy during Halloween. And then her worst fears come true. Her daughter’s best friend, Sarah, disappears amid the magic and revelry—gone, without a trace.

Unable to cope with her guilt, Amanda’s daughter sinks into depression. And Amanda’s husband turns destructive as he watches his family succumb to grief. Before long, Amanda’s whole world has collapsed.

Amanda knows she has to save herself before it’s too late. As she continues to search for Sarah, she embarks on a personal journey, seeking hope and purpose in the wake of so much tragedy and loss.

Set amidst the murky parishes of rural Louisiana and told through the eyes of two women who confront the darkest corners of humanity with quiet and unbreakable faith, The Feathered Bone is Julie Cantrell’s master portrait of love in a fallen world.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Looking at the cover of this book, I wasn’t sure what it would be about. I don’t read the back cover or reviews until I’m into reading the book, so I had no idea what it was about. But being a Julie Cantrell book, I knew it had to be good. The story starts off with Amanda chaperoning her daughters class on a field trip, but things turn bad when her daughter’s friend Sarah disappears and couldn’t be found. This throws Amanda and her daughter into a state of depression.

This is not an easy book to read. It is so full of emotions and tension that I had to put it down for a while, but then I couldn’t wait to pick it back up because I wanted to find out what would happen to the characters. The Feathered Bone deals with some pretty tough issues, mainly human trafficking. This is an issue I would love to be able to help with in some way because it is so horrifying and downright scary! I appreciate authors such as Ms. Cantrell writing on such issues. My heart ached with  each character as they grieved for their classmate. The scenes are so vivid, its like they are real life actions, and I felt drawn into the story as if I was a part of it.

There is a lot going on in this story, it goes deep, a story that you can’t just read in a day like some books. I felt like I was digging deeper and deeper as I read this one. If you like stories that deal with horrific issues that happen in today’s world, then I highly encourage you to read this one! I received this book from The Fiction Guild to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55

There Will Be Stars by Billy Coffee

There Will Be Stars
By Billy Coffey

“IN A LIFE FULL OF LIES, HE FINALLY SETTLED FOR THE TRUTH.”

No one in Mattingly ever believed Bobby Barnes would live to see old age. Drink would either rot Bobby from the inside out or dull his senses just enough to send his truck off the mountain on one of his nightly rides. Although Bobby believes such an end possible—and even likely—it doesn’t stop him from taking his twin sons Matthew and Mark into the mountains one Saturday night. A sharp curve, blinding headlights, metal on metal, his sons’ screams. Bobby’s final thought as he sinks into blackness is a curious one—There will be stars.

Yet it is not death that greets him beyond the veil. Instead, he returns to the day he has just lived and finds he is not alone in this strange new world. Six others are trapped with him.

Bobby soon discovers that this supposed place of peace is actually a place of secrets and hidden dangers. Along with three others, he seeks to escape, even as the world around him begins to crumble. The escape will lead some to greater life, others to endless death . . . and Bobby Barnes to understand the deepest nature of love.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Bobby Barnes seems to be what is known as the town drunk who takes his twin sons Matthew and Mark to the mountains one Saturday night. There was an accident that turned Bobby’s world around.

It took me a while to get into this book, I’m really not a fan of this type of book, but after reading for a while, it did get interesting. There are a number of characters that make up this story, and they develop well as the story unfolds. This story seems to be one that either you like it or you don’t, so I encourage you to pick up a copy of There Will Be Stars and see what you think. If you enjoy fantasy type books, I think this one would be for you.

I received this book from The Fiction Guild to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.

If I Run By Terri Blackstock from the Fiction GUild

If I Run 
By Terri Blackstock 

CASEY KNOWS THE TRUTH. BUT IT WON’T SET HER FREE.

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they’ve failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up.

Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices: the girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

MY THOUGTHS ON THIS BOOK

Casey Cox is coming close to finding her fathers killer when she finds her good friend murdered. And she is afraid the same person who murdered her father has struck again. If I Run is  fast pace thriller from author Terri Blackstock. Casey has no choice but to run after she finds her friends, because her DNA is all over everything, and she knows she will  be at hit for the murder. PI Dylan Roberts was hired to find Casey but it all just doesn’t make sense to him. There is no way evidence proves that Casey murdered her friend.

At times this seemed like a wild goose chase because Casey was always a step ahead of anyone trying to catch up with her. She was hiding out goodtime. And not like most of Terri Blackstock’s books, this one ended living me hanging. I hope there will be a book two to follow because it doesn’t set well with me the way it ended!

 

I received this book from The Fiction Guild to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.