Downfall - Terri Blackstock

Emily Covington has been sober for two years and life for the Covingtons is almost back to normal; but Barbara is still afraid that her daughter will relapse. Emily is still dealing with the rumors about her past; and what she wants most is just to be out of the spotlight. But when she finds a bomb under her car and people start being murdered, Emily exposes a connection that has all eyes on her once again. After hearing a conversation about an Alfred Hitchcock movie and a plan for double murder, Emily is now a suspect. Will she be able to prove her innocence? Or will these events lead to her downfall?

“Downfall” is the much-anticipated ending to Terri Blackstock’s Intervention series. In Intervention, we were introduced to the Covingtons. The intensity of the story, Terri’s fast-paced writing style, and the realistic characters made the first two novels impossible to put down; so I was sure “Downfall” would be great. It definitely did not disappoint! Once again, Terri has written a novel that can be classified as “up-all-night fiction”. “Downfall” has all of the intensity of “Intervention” and “Vicious Cycle” and more. I hung on every word and had already guessed one of the twists, only to be surprised by yet another twist!

On top of that intensity, Terri has an exceptional writing style that has just enough detail to put the reader into the story, but does not go into unnecessary detail that takes up space. This makes the novel very fast-paced and intense and never lets go of the reader’s attention.

Terri did an excellent job at continuing to develop the characters that had already become so real to the readers. Emily has made a complete turn-around and has managed to stay sober for two years; so the Emily that we see in “Downfall” is completely different than the Emily from the first two books. Tension arises as the reader wonders if Emily will eventually relapse—especially since she is being accused of murder.

Fans of Terri Blackstock will be very pleased with her ending to the “Intervention” series; and with the whole series now available, it is a great time for new readers to begin this great series!

A Walk Across the Sun - Corban Addison

Seventeen-year-old Ahalya and fifteen-year-old Sita have known only the privileged and sheltered life that their father has given them in India; but when a tsunami destroys everything they’ve ever known and claims the lives of their parents, the girls are forced to seek shelter. When they ask an old friend of their father’s for help, they are sold from one man to another in the sex and drug trades; and soon they can’t help but believe there is no way to survive.

Thomas Clarke’s entire world consists of his ex-wife and his recently deceased infant daughter. When his career begins to go downhill, Thomas makes a last-minute decision to join a non-profit organization. Thomas is shocked to discover the hidden reality of girls being sold for sex. When he learns of Ahalya and Sita, he makes it his personal mission to rescue him. But Thomas will soon realize that he is about to encounter the most gruesome and heartbreaking of crimes and the most evil of men; and once he starts this mission, there’s no turning back.

“A Walk Across the Sun” is a beautiful story that casts a light on the evils of human trafficking. This novel is another step to the sex trade not being hidden in the shadows. Throughout the novel, your heart will break for the girls who must endure such torment every day. Tears will wet the pages as you see a cop pass by a truck full of girls or when a passerby glances and ignores what he has just seen because he believes it isn’t his business. “A Walk Across the Sun” will make you angry at an evil ignored.

With a truth that shines through the story, the characters become so much more than just characters to the reader. They seem real as the reader turns page after page in hopes for their survival.

"A Walk Across the Sun" is Corban Addison's first novel; so I was amazed at the beautiful way the story flowed. From the first word, I was hooked; and it was the exceptional prose that grabbed my attention and refused to let go. There was just enough detail to put me in the novel and make the characters seem real, without being excessive.

Corban Addison has penned a masterpiece of fiction. With a beautiful writing style that immediately catches your attention, characters that steal your heart, a story that is not easily forgotten, and a message that will get the attention of a comfortable world, “A Walk Across the Sun” will not disappoint. Fiction readers will love the story and the truth that shines through; and non-fiction readers are sure to view this book differently from any other fiction book they may have read as they encounter the reality that the story depicts. I highly recommend this book to every reader!

*SilverOak Publishing provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Last Light - Terri Blackstock

Planes have fallen out of the sky. Cars have stopped moving. Watches and clocks have stopped ticking; and the world as everyone knows it, is coming to an end. Deni Branning just wants to plan her dream wedding. Her family just wants to keep living the life they have grown accustomed to; but all of that changes when a world that is run by technology, no longer has any of it. Now, Deni is stuck in Birmingham, Alabama with her family; and all she wants is to get back to her fiancé in Washington DC. But will the outage bring out the worst in people? What will the people who live in this quiet neighborhood do when they discover that one of their own is a killer?

Terri Blackstock begins the Restoration series with “Last Light”. When I first picked up the book, I was surprised that I did not find it to be as fast-paced as the “Intervention” series. Rather than reading “Last Light” in less than a day (which is something I have grown accustomed to when reading Terri’s up-all-night fiction), it took me several days; but by the middle of the book, I was far from disappointed. I was desperate to know more! “Last Light” is a great beginning to the series! I can’t imagine what waits in the next three books!

Terri’s character development is truly exceptional! She has gained my attention with the way she creates characters who are real to the reader. Never once do you feel like you are just reading a story. The characters are real people; and they often feel like friends. The first half of the novel was mostly character development; and that made it very slow-paced; however, by the middle of the book, I knew that every second of character development was necessary for what was coming. By then, I had analyzed every character because I felt like I knew them. I spent so much time analyzing their every action, just trying to identify the killer. It wasn’t until the middle of the story that I realized that Terri had done her job well by spending so much time on character development. The book would not have been as powerful; and the ending would not have been as intense if I did not feel a strong connection to the characters.

“Last Light” puts a lot of things into perspective. How much do we love our stuff? What are we willing to do to keep it? The outage brought out the worst in a lot of people; and it really emphasized the biblical teachings of sharing what we have.

While it is not as fast-paced as the Intervention series, “Last Light” is an amazing story! Fans of thriller, suspense, mystery, and Christian novels will love this novel!

*A copy of this book was provided by Zondervan in exchange for my honest review*

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

This review is for the sequel to "The Hunger Games". If you have not read "The Hunger Games", you will not want to read this review yet.

In “Catching Fire”—the second installment of “The Hunger Games” trilogy—Katniss and Peeta have returned home after being named the victors of the 74th annual Hunger Games. Picking up where “The Hunger Games” left off, both Katniss and Peeta are traumatized by what they endured in the Games, and trying to figure out how to move on with life; but before they can even attempt to move on, they have to go on their “victor’s tour” through all of the districts, and face the families of the dead tributes. What Katniss doesn’t realize, however, is that she is being watched by the entire country, and every move she makes and every word that comes from her mouth seems to spark rebellion among the people. After an uprising against the capitol begins, Katniss is informed that she—along with her family and friends—will be held responsible; leaving her to decide whether she supports the uprising or wants it to end for the sake of her family. As she tries to promote peace among the districts, it seems like nothing she does is enough. The question of what the Capitol intends to do continues to haunt her; but the answer she gets is nothing she could have imagined.

I didn’t think it was possible after “The Hunger Games”; but Suzanne Collins somehow managed to deliver a story with equal—if not more—intensity than the first novel! With unexpected twists occurring all throughout the story, the reader can’t help but be completely lost from reality and ready to scream at any given moment.

The plot of this second book blew me away! The intense anticipation of what the Capitol was planning, the revelation of their evil intentions, and the race with Katniss and Peeta as they try to survive, had me in complete shock; and all of the plot twists ensured that I had no idea what to expect next! This novel is sure to have you screaming after every other chapter.

Collins is a master at developing characters. They seemed like old friends in “The Hunger Games” and I could feel every emotion; but in “Catching Fire”, I felt their pain more than ever. With exceptional detail and that perfect first person point of view that fits the story so well, Collins lets the reader in on every thought and emotion that Katniss feels; and connects the reader to Peeta much more than in “The Hunger Games”. The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale is well developed and becomes much more intense in “Catching Fire” as Katniss tries to decide between the two guys who she cares about the most. Although it seems like every young adult novel has to include a love triangle now days, the added touch of being able to feel what Katniss is feeling made this one much better than others.

New fans of “The Hunger Games” will definitely not be disappointed with “Catching Fire”. The sequel is everything “The Hunger Games” was—if not more—and if you want to keep your sanity, I would advise that you already have the third book, “Mockingjay” on hand; because waiting is not an option.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

“Impossible to put down, this adrenaline-packed novel will have you forgetting to breathe as your heart beats faster than you can imagine.”

In Panem, the country that rose up from the ashes of what was formerly known as North America, the government believes the only way to keep the districts in line is by forcing 24 teenagers to fight to the death each year.  While some look for a reason to embrace the competition and raise their children up for the Hunger Games, others look on in fear at the reminder that they are completely at the mercy of the Capitol.  With her name in the pot over twenty times, 16-year-old Katniss fears that this may be the year she is chosen for the gruesome and fatal Hunger Games; but when her 12-year-old sister’s name is chosen, Katniss puts all fear aside to stand and fight in her place.  Katniss is shocked when her district partner—who she also must kill to survive—happens to be the boy who helped her years ago.  With the rule that there can only be one winner haunting the 24 tributes, there is no doubt that the worst must be done to survive; but will they be able to show the Capitol that they are not just pawns in their horrible game? And when love and survival come face to face, which one will win the battle?

The Hunger Games is possibly the last book you would want to judge by any summary you may read on the back of the book, Amazon, or any other retailer website.  The idea of a “fight to the death” game between 24 teenagers seems repulsive; and as you read, you will most definitely be outraged at the deaths of each character.  Your emotions will run wild.  You’ll laugh and cry; and sometimes you’ll want to throw the book against the wall.  Still, in the end, you only want more.

From the first page, the reader can’t help but be completely taken captive by this book.  Suzanne Collins has written a fast-paced novel that immediately becomes real to the reader and is impossible to put down!  No, that’s not the same “impossible to put down” that you read about thrillers on a regular basis. This is the intense, adrenaline-producing, edge-of-your-seat, nothing else exists, “I won’t sleep until I finish this book” kind of “impossible to put down”.  From beginning to end, I did not let the story out of my sight.  The idea of doing anything else seemed impossible with all the possibilities of what could happen next!  The story played out in my head as if it were real—as if it had actually happened. 

To add to the intensity of the plot, Suzanne Collin’s writing style is mesmerizing and sure to hold your attention from beginning to end!  Written in present tense and first-person point of view from the eyes of Katniss, the reader feels as if he or she is experiencing everything with the character. 

The characters are exceptional!  Several of them start to feel like old friends; and your heart breaks for the horror of what they must do to survive.  As I read, I couldn’t help but talk about them as if they were completely real any time I had a conversation with someone about the book!  Because that’s what they are to the reader!  Even the worst savages of the teenagers become people who you can’t help but sympathize with.  As a matter of fact, throughout the entire novel, I could not be truly angry at any of the teenagers, no matter who they killed.  Instead, I could only be angry at the Capitol for forcing the teenagers to kill each other to survive; and all any reader wants is for them to defy the Capitol and prove that they are not pieces to their game.

This young adult novel is certainly not a book that only teenagers will enjoy.  The writing style is beautiful without child-like word choices; and the fast-paced plot will produce adrenaline in readers of all ages and leave them begging for more.  When I finished reading, I couldn’t think of any part of “The Hunger Games” that I did not find to be exceptional.  The second and third installments of the series are “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay”; and the first movie is scheduled to release in March of 2012.  This story is not one that will be easily forgotten!

Vicious Cycle - Terri Blackstock

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible”
-Ephesians 5:11-13

In “Intervention”, Terri Blackstock introduced us to Barbara, Emily, and Lance Covington. After the death of Barbara’s husband and the father of her two children, Emily and Lance, Emily turned to drugs to mask her pain. Her downhill spiral tore the family apart until Barbara decided that it may be her last chance to save her daughter. If you want to read more about “Intervention”, you can read my review for that as well!
“Vicious Cycle”, the second book in the Intervention series puts the reader back into the Covington family just in time to see Lance in trouble. A good kid who has made it his mission to help people who were addicts like his sister, Lance ends up in jail and in the middle of a human trafficking deal after trying to help a pregnant teenage drug addict. Desperate to save her son, Barbara calls in Kent, the man who saved her daughter a year earlier, and had won her heart along the way. Will Barbara, Kent, and Emily be able to save Lance from the consequences of a crime he didn’t commit, while also saving a teenage drug addict and her newborn baby?
“Intervention” introduced me to the unbelievable, fast-paced fiction by Terri Blackstock! Fiction that takes your breath away while keeping you up all night just to finish the race! That’s what I feel like when I pick up one of Terri Blackstock’s books! “Vicious Cycle” was my second of her books, and the stories that she likes to call “up-all-night fiction” definitely live up to their name for me! I read both books in under 24 hours each! When I pick one up, everything else gets pushed aside as I start a new adventure that I can not back away from until I see it to completion! Terri’s writing style couldn’t be better! She provides enough detail to make the reader feel like he or she is in the story, without adding excess detail that the reader just wants to skip over! This definitely contributes to my inability to put her books down!
Terri Blackstock is exceptional when it comes to building believable characters that touch the reader’s heart. Through both “Intervention” and “Vicious Cycle”, I felt like I had stepped out of reality and into the world of the Covingtons. I felt as if I was trying to solve their dilemma with them rather than just sitting on my bed, propped against some pillows, and drinking a cup of coffee. I enjoyed reading a novel that focused on Lance, since I absolutely love his character! Lance is sure to touch every reader’s heart with his strong faith, fun personality, and willingness to do whatever it takes to help someone in need.
From the first words of “Intervention”, I have felt a strong connection to this story; but never in my wildest dreams did I expect what “Vicious Cycle” would bring! Terri Blackstock unveiled the horrible and evil reality of human trafficking—a subject that is often considered taboo; and a subject that is very significant to my life. I am a firm believer that we must live by Ephesians 5:11-13 and expose the evil of the world by casting light on it; and I expect to see that in my writing and the stories I read.
In case you can’t tell, I believe that Terri Blackstock has written an exceptional story with this series. This is a story that is perfect for readers of various ages—teenagers to grandparents; and is sure to touch the hearts of Christian, grandparent, mother, father, daughter, or son everywhere! The next installment of the series, Downfall, is scheduled for release in February of 2012, and I couldn’t be anticipating it more!

*Zondervan provided a copy of "Vicious Cycle" in exchange for my honest review*

The Canary List - Sigmund Brouwer

Hidden deep within the Vatican archives is a list—a list that contains both revelation and truth, as well as the power to destroy. For once the truth is revealed, the Catholic Church would be destroyed.
Jaimie Piper’s life has been everything but normal. Hunted by evil and darkness, Jaimie spent most of the past twelve years confused, until a psychiatrist and a priest promised to help; but the one day that her psychiatrist does not answer her call, Jaimie runs to the only other person she feels she can trust—her teacher, Crockett Grey. Crockett Grey is definitely not prepared to help the twelve year old girl who shows up at his door, since his only plans were to get drunk and pass through the anniversary of his daughter’s death; but once Jaimie chose him, there was no turning back. Crockett soon discovers that he is part of a plot that must somehow involve the girl; but what he doesn’t realize, is that he is actually a part of a conspiracy that has been long hidden…by the Vatican. Trying to clear his name of the various charges that have been placed against him, Crockett searches for answers; but the answer he finds will alter everything he once believed.
It seems like more and more authors are wanting to write suspense stories that reveal a conspiracy of sorts that has been hidden by the Catholic Church. I must say that usually these stories are not well researched and just not very good; however, as a fan of “The Da’Vinci Code” by Dan Brown, I will pick one up on occasion. “The Canary List” is especially intriguing since the main character, Jaimie, is supposedly being hunted by evil, and can only keep that evil at bay with a magnetic bracelet. This story had me constantly wanting to know what was going to happen next; and putting it down was simply not an option. Complete with several distractions, twists, and turns that confuse you into believing that you’ve been wrong from the very beginning, Sigmund Brouwer is a master of suspense. It seemed like I had a new idea of what was going on and how the book would end after every other chapter; and then I couldn’t believe what I was reading as I read the ending.
Satanism in the Vatican—the ultimate conspiracy that could change the world; that is what Sigmund Brouwer presents in this story that is sure to keep you up all night wanting more.
I was definitely not prepared for what I would get when I opened “The Canary List”; but from the very first sentence, I was caught completely off-guard and my emotions ran wild as I escaped into a story which I wasn’t sure I wanted to be involved in; nevertheless, my fascination got the best of me and I went along for the ride. I must warn you though that the summary does not provide justice for this story. I couldn’t believe what I was reading once I had read the first sentence. Shaking with tears running down my face as I stared at something so real and gripping on the first page, I knew this wouldn’t just be another story for me. The opening chapter grabs you and refuses to let go.
While the characters can be interesting at times, they are nowhere near as developed as the storyline. Brouwer clearly has the ability to pen an excellent story that keeps the reader coming back; however, his characters just seem like people who are also along for the ride. I wouldn’t say they are characters that will not soon be forgotten; however, I was very intrigued with Jaimie, since I was able to relate to a lot of her emotions. I determined from the very beginning that Jaimie was basically me ten years ago; with the exception that I was not being hunted by evil. Her emotions were very believable and accurate for a girl with her past and the current situation she still faces.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of suspense! “The Canary List” certainly does not disappoint; and at the end, you will only want more.

*This book was provided by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for my honest review*