Through the Smoke by Brenda Novak

In the beginning I just knew I was hooked after reading the first few sentences. "He'd kill her. Just as soon as he could get his hands around her delicate neck, he'd stop the black heart that beat beneath all that misleading beauty and put an end to his own misery." Now if that's not one hell of a way to start a book then I don't know what is but then I became a little conflicted. As I read on I just wasn't sure if I was going to be able to really get into it. I was wrong. Let's start with Rachel's character, while I do admire a person trying to honor their deceased loved ones wishes and the place in which you come from, sometimes I felt as if Rachel had WAY TO MUCH pride and although I am aware the author wanted to portray her this way I still felt like it was a bit much and at times it got on my nerves. I wanted to scream at her and say go for it, give in to your desires and to hell with what everyone else thinks! Truman and Rachel seemed to be taking forever to actually let themselves be together so I was extremely proud when Rachel was the one who finally said screw it and made a move. I wanted to jump for joy. Truman (Lord Druridge) is actually a very caring and compassionate person which is exactly the opposite of everything your lead to believe in the beginning and I have to say for me personally I liked his character, he was a very presistant man and I enjoyed seeing that quality as he tried to find the person that was responsible for the fire and while he persued Rachel. Let me say that although this is a romance, there is another dynamic than just the relationship between the earl and the shopkeeper. There is a bit of mystery while Truman tries to save himself from the gallows by finding the true killer of lady Katherine (even though it is pretty obvious from early on who that is.) I was rather surprised when the truth about the accomplace was revealed. That was a pretty good twist in my opinion. So with that let me add that I am not that big of a fan when it comes to romance novels but this one I would recommend to anyone, rather your a romance fan or not. It definitely proved itself worthy of my time!

The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

When I first heard about this novel I could not wait to get my hands on it. I must admit now that I don't think it possible to have been more disappointed. I usually finish every book I start because I believe that in order to judge something as such you must read it entirely. I could not do that with this one. The writing was boring and slow and the characters had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. There was nothing about it that got me excited. As a matter of fact in as many as a hundred pages there wasn't anything that could even grab and hold my attention. When I would think about reading this book for the sake of being able to write my review I began to dread it, it felt as if it was work I had to get done but didn't want to. I absolutely LOVE to read, it is without question my favorite past time, and should never ever feel like work. With all of that being said I do not recommend wasting valuable reading time on this book.

Only You (A Mephisto Covenant Book) by Stephanie Feagan

Mariah is broken, Phoenix is riddled with guilt, they are complicated and complex but when they are together the world can be a little easier to live in. An epic yet not at all traditional love story. I have never been one to really enjoy a romance novel but this book was so much more than your typical romance and I am so glad I decided to read it. This is my first book by this author but this will by far be my last! Stephanie Faegen just got herself a brand new fan and I look forward to reading so much more from her! I have never really been into the romance/new adult genre because I have never liked reading through excessive sex scences just to get to the story but this book did not at all make me feel like I had to skip over anything, it had just the right amount to make things 'steamy' but not to excess and take over the rest of the book and I must give the author props for that because this was actually the first time in my very long reading career that I have been able to read this type of genre and NOT have to skip over unnecessarily long sex scenes. Great plot, twist, characters, this book is just GREAT! This story grabbed me from the first chapter, Stephanie made me feel for the characters and what they were going through the entire time. Sometimes I would shout out loud, others I would come to goodreads just to make comments about what I was feeling. I used words like raw, intense, and incredible to describe this book while I was reading and this book absolutely deserves that kind of praise. I cannot wait to get my hands on another Mephisto book or any book from Stephanie/Trinity Faegen for that matter!

Cold Mourning: A Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery by Brenda Chapman

Cold Mourning is the first book in a new series and I must say what a wonderful way to start off. If the rest of the series is anything close to this first installment then us readers of the mystery/thriller genre are in for a really nice treat. Native American Kala Stonechild moves to Ottawa not in search of a new job but actually in search of something else altogether and she has a past that she just can't seem to shake. Stonechild lands herself a job in a special unit of the Ottawa Police Department headed up by detective Jacques Rouleau. Detective Rouleau is a good man that made some mistakes in his past but he is doing what he can to right some of those wrongs. Both Stonechild and Rouleau have a past they must work through in order to move on and that is one of the good aspects of this novel, to be able to get to know the characters on a deeper level. As for the main mystery, business man Tom Underwood goes missing and Rouleau's team gets assigned to the investigation of his disappearance which later turns into a murder investigation where family, friends,  and business associates alike could all have a possible motive and nothing is as it seems with anyone. With possible motives from practically everyone Tom Underwood was associated with and very little stone cold evidence the case seems almost impossible to crack. I had a few supicions along the way but was never quite able to put my finger on who was responsible. This book definitely kept me guessing up until the very end which of course is what makes a good mystery novel! I can't wait to see what else Brenda Chapman has in store for us and I will absolutely be picking up the next book in what has started out to be an incredible series.

Vanishing Trail: The Taking of Jonathon Bishop by Stephen Kosa

Jake Bishop seemed to have the kind of life that most people dream of.  Married to the woman of his dreams, an extremely successful career, and a new baby, life couldn't get any better. Things are going great for Jake and his family until one fateful day that changes everything, leaving Jake a widower and a single father. After the untimely death of his wife Blanca, Jake does his best to put his life back together and be a good father to his young son Jonathon. Jonathon is everything to Jake so when he is abducted from his elementary school, what semblance of a life Jake had left is shattered and Jake will go to the ends of the earth to try and find his son and have him safely returned home. The author of this book makes the characters relate able and very likable, taking you with them on their emotional journey, the entire time hoping that things work out the very best for them. The story line moves along smoothly and is written at just the right pace that makes it almost impossible to put down until the very end. Vanishing Trail is an amazing book that is above all a mystery/thriller but it also shines on things such as family and friendship, love and the ties that bind us to one another. Well written and beautifully crafted I recommend this book to anyone that has a passion for reading a good story.