Review: "Deception on Sable Hill" by Shelley Gray

Though Deception on Sable Hill is the second of the Chicago World's Fair mystery series, I did not feel lost having not read the first novel. However, this book was so enjoyable I may have to go back and read it out of order!

Eloise Carstairs is considered by many to be the most eligible bachelorette: she comes from a very wealthy family, is beautiful, and has a spotless reputation. What her high society acquaintances don't know is that she's hiding a horrible secret. At the beginning of the novel she's hasn't told anyone that she was sexually assaulted, and that haunts her through the story. 

When Eloise finally gets up the courage to start attending parties again, she stumbles into another horrible nightmare. There's a "Society Slasher" on the loose, attacking well-to-do ladies with a stiletto knife, marring their beautiful faces. 

Lieutenant Detective Sean Ryan is on the case and he takes a special interest in ensuring Eloise's safety. Despite being of a much lower class, the two develop an affection for one another. Through their relationship, they teach each other that class shouldn't matter so much and that beauty is as internal as it is external. 

Though the story takes place during the Chicago World's Fair, it is mentioned only briefly and only one scene takes place there. I enjoyed reading about society, the Chicago slums, and in general what Chicago was like in that time period, but I would've liked to see more of the fair as well. 

The characters are lovable and have diverse personalities that create interesting situations. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good romance story with a bit of mystery and  crime. 

I received this book courtesy of BookLook in exchange for an honest review. 

To Review: "Deception on Sable Hill" by Shelley Gray

I received Deception on Sable Hill by Shelley Gray to review from BookLook. It's part of the Chicago World Fair mystery series.

I love the cover on this one, and as a resident of Chicago, I'm very excited to read a book that takes place here.

I can't wait to get started reading it!

Review: "Double Cross" by DiAnn Mills

Double Cross was a suspenseful and danger-filled novel. The FBI and Houston Police Department team up to solve a case where someone is selling fraudulent life insurance to elderly dementia patients. It gets personal when Officer Daniel Hilton's grandparents are affected and the stake's are raised when suddenly the purchasers of the scam life insurance policies start dying.

There is a lot of tension as the FBI teams up with a former criminal who has found Christ and with all the danger they are in, no one knows for sure who they can trust.


There are discussion questions at the end, which make me imagine this book being used by a church book club.

Though the protagonists, FBI agent Laurel and Officer Daniel Hilton, are both adults at least relatively well into their careers, their romantic interests in each other seems immature as they seem to rely on others to tell them that they are interested in one another. There was also a few other instances where I really didn't like the characters because they reminded me more of middle school children than professional law enforcement personnel: "When had he become such a wuss? He'd never been shot by a female until today" (217).

It was a little slow to get started, but the story was actually very enjoyable, with lots of twists and turns. It's a good, quick read and the pace really picks up toward the end, even to the point of seeming rushed. At nearly 400 pages, I think this novel should've been paced a little differently, but I would still recommend it to someone who was interested in FBI/police mysteries.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Tyndale Fiction for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

To Review: "Double Cross" by DiAnn Mills

Next up to for me to review is Double Cross, an FBI: Houston Novel, which came in the mail today courtesy of Tyndale Fiction!



The FBI and Houston Police Department team up to investigate a scam targeting the elderly.


Should be exciting!

Review: Only God Can Make a Kitten by Rhonda Greene and Illustrated by Laura Bryant

Only God Can Make a Kitten is a delightful rhyming story book for ages 4-8, according to the back of the book.


The story features a young, inquisitive boy asking his mother questions about who made things, from the ocean, to trees, to snow. His questions are posed in a concise four-line stanza, which his mother answers in a similar rhyming stanza.




The illustrations are beautifully done and add a younger sister to the story. My favorite pictures were of the kitten, who really isn't in the story very much. That was my only complaint -- that I was hoping for more kitten in the story. The kitten is only mentioned on two pages and in three illustrations (excluding the front matter, which actually had quite a lot of kitten illustrations).



Its important to note then that is a story about a boy asking about who created things that happens to include a kitten. Accepting that this is not a book about kittens, I would fully recommend this book as I think the rhyming stanzas and colorful illustrations will capture the hearts of young readers.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Book Look for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Review: Tiny Bear's Bible

Tiny Bear's Bible is a fuzzy covered book that toddlers are sure to love. The bears ears can be wiggled on the cover, which I know my niece will enjoy.



Between the fuzzy covers are board book pages that tell twelve Bible stories through short one-to-two paragraph poems. After the poem, there is sometimes a direct address to little bear, such as, "Yes, Tiny Bear, God keeps his promises!" Stories include: Noah's Ark, Daniel in the Lions' Den, David and Goliath, and the birth of Jesus.

The illustrations are very well done. On the left page, the illustration is from the Bible story with the title and verses it is taken from. On the right is the poem telling the story, along with a picture of the little bear that relates to the story.

The publisher suggests that this book is appropriate for ages 2-5, which I think is appropriate given the board book and fuzzy cover format, along with Bible story poems that will grow with the child.  It's a great book to read aloud and a really fun way to introduce young ones to the Bible.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Book Look for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Review: "God Watches Over Me"

God Watches Over Me is a collection of poems and Bible verses, illustrated with Precious Moments drawings. It is a board book with a foam board cover, making it ideal for children like my niece who haven't learned to be gentle with the pages yet!

Each page has a category of a place or time where God is watching over us, featuring at least one poem, Bible verse, and illustration. Some of my favorites were "God Watches Over My Friends and Me," "God Watches Over Me When I Travel," "God Watches Over Me When I Get Hurt," and "God Watches Over My Pets."

The illustrations are adorable and are the reason I was interested in this book. However, the poems themselves are just okay--mediocre rhyming paired with long poems that would be challenging to keep a toddler interested in. It's not a typical easy rhyme and low word count per page book.

I do think it's a book that could grow with a child though since it is durable. All in all, I would recommend only for the biggest Precious Moments fans, since the content isn't the best.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Book Look for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.