Tag Archives: Terri Blackstock

Aftermath by Terri Blackstock – Fast-paced Suspenseful Story

Posted in Aftermath, Book Review, Intrigue, Mystery, NetGalley, Suspense, Terri Blackstock, Thomas Nelson Publishers by

Terri Blackstock’s books are filled with intrigue and suspense and that’s why was excited to read her newest book Aftermath.  This book will hold your attention from the get-go.

Taylor Reed and her friends Desiree and Mara are at a political rally, the draw isn’t Presidential candidate Ed Loran, but instead their favorite band Blue Fire is playing.  What happens next is the things nightmares are made of.  An explosion, smoke, people screaming.  The only thing Taylor can think of is getting out alive.  Later that night, Dustin Webb is driving home and suddenly the police are pulling him over.  Certain that he wasn’t speeding nor was there any cause to be pulled over, he consents to the police searching his car.  What they find will land him in jail and Dustin will be the suspect in the bombing that left dozens of people dead.  His one phone call will be to his friend Attorney Jamie Powell, whom he hasn’t seen in fifteen years.  If anyone will believe him, it will be Jamie.

Aftermath seems like it could have been ripped from today’s headline news.  It’s fast-paced and filled with twists and turns.  What I liked best were the characters Dustin and Jamie, their personalities and friendship that spanned many years.  Taylor was an interesting character, I found myself asking how I would handle the trauma that she endured.  I also found her irrationality and thought processes very disturbing.  Dustin’s friend and business partner Travis and his wife Crystal are going through their own battle as Crystal is fighting for her life.  Dustin understands why Travis can’t be there to help right now, but Dustin’s fighting for his own life, and the world’s about to turn against him unless he can prove his innocence.

I liked the storyline and it grabbed my attention from the beginning.  I liked the main characters Dustin and Jamie, but I was frustrated when Dustin seemed to be making illogical decisions and didn’t believe the evidence that showed who the bad guy was.  I figured out who the bad guy was and his motivation, but had to see how the story all fit together.  In many respects, Taylor seemed like a loose cannon and the most illogical.  I liked the fast clip of the story, it fit the narrative but the end of the book seemed to drag a bit and the story came to an abrupt ending.

The Christian faith wasn’t a big part of the story, I think that the characters’ development would have been richer if their faith had been included.  I appreciated that the story did not have sexual immorality and or profanity.  Aftermath was an interesting story with likable characters, but it could have been richer.  I would like to see the main characters in other books.

If you like mystery, intrigue, and suspense I recommend that you read Terri Blackstock’s newest book Aftermath.  This book is being released on May 11, 2021.

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Aftermath by Terri Blackstock.  I was provided with a complimentary copy of the book but was not obligated to give a favorable review.

Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock – Likable Characters in a Compelling Story

Posted in Mystery, NetGalley, Smoke Screen, Suspense, Terri Blackstock, Thomas Nelson Publishers by

Terri Blackstock is on my shortlist of authors, who when they write a new book, I want to read it.  I was excited at the opportunity to read Terri’s newest book Smoke Screen.  She has a way of drawing the reader into the story with an honest portrayal of likable characters with broken lives.

What makes Smoke Screen a good book?  In this book, it was the main characters, Brenna and Nate and an interesting storyline.  Brenna is in a rough season of her life.  She’s had a divorce that she didn’t ask for or want and now she is battling a weak but powerful and strategic ex-husband for the custody of their children.  Nate, an admirable man with proven character, a hero who along with his teammates puts his life on the line to save lives and protect communities when wildfires are burning.

Both characters bring their history of brokenness to the table.  One whose father was murdered and the other whose father was convicted of that murder.  Imagine what losing a father does to a family with children.  It tears them apart and leaves scars that take a long time to heal.  Can the love between two teens possible survive?  What if the man who served 14 years for a crime that he didn’t commit is set free?  How will that impact the families involved as well as the community?  Will the truth ever be made known and will justice be served?

Nate was my favorite character.  A strong man of courage, who lives out his Christian faith with grace and forgiveness.  Yet, even he will have that faith tested.  Brenna, a woman who has been through a lot of tragedy in her life.  Her faith is wavering and her walk is stumbling along.  The secondary characters, especially Nate’s brother and mother were likable too.

There were a few things I struggled with.  One being Brenna’s alcohol problem.  I understand that she was overwhelmed and just trying to get through, but as a Christian how did she get there.  Nate was very solid in his faith walk, except for a couple of areas where his response didn’t seem fitting.  One, when testifying in court he waffled and played loose with the truth.  Two, when Brenna is out of control with her drinking one night, he just lets her drink, to her very public detriment.  I didn’t understand that response.  It didn’t seem fitting of his character, especially when Brenna had so much to lose.

I appreciate that the story included the Christian faith.  There were some good examples, but I would have like to have seen it portrayed deeper and stronger.

I liked this story and the characters, even with some of the messiness and brokenness of their lives.  I really like Nate’s commitment and faithfulness as a son, brother, friend, teammate, and firefighter.

If you like Terri Blackstock, or mysteries and suspense, give Smoke Screen a read.  I found myself thinking about the characters even when I wasn’t reading the book and I was challenged to ask how I would respond if I faced similar situations that the characters faced.

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock.  I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

 

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock – Relatable & Heartwarming

Posted in Book Review, BookLook, Catching Christmas, Christmas, Terri Blackstock, Thomas Nelson Publishers by

Terri Blackstock is on my list of writers, that when they write a new book, I want to read it.  I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read her newest book Catching Christmas.

This story is a little different than most of Terri’s books.  The book centers around three people, Finn, Sydney and Callie, who don’t have a lot in common.  But circumstances have a way of creating some unusual bonds, especially around Christmas.

Take Finn for example, he’s a cab driver and for him, time is money.  His life is about to get more complicated when he picks up his next fare.  Callie, an older woman in a wheelchair, seems to be taking a little nap when Finn arrives and she needs transportation to a doctor’s appointment.  Who in the world sends their grandmother to the doctor via a cab?  Meet Sydney, Callie’s granddaughter, who is burning the candle at both ends and just trying to keep her new job, thus the cab for her grandmother.

Terri has way of making her characters very relatable and real.  My favorite character was Finn, a little gruff on the outside, but deep down he has a tender heart, a guilty conscience and wants to get it right this time.  Callie reminds me of my mom in her latter years.  Only with Callie…I could laugh at some of the embarrassing uncomfortable moments.  I related to Sydney too and felt like I had walked in her shoes.

The Christian faith is talked about some in this book.  Callie is a Christian and she loves Jesus and talks to Him and about Him to others.

Catching Christmas is a heartwarming book to read for the Christmas holiday season.  It’s a short book, so even if your schedule is busy, you’ll be able to find time to read Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock.

I would like to thank BookLook and Thomas Nelson Publishers for the opportunity to read Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock in exchange for an honest review.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

If I Live by Terri Blackstock – You Won’t Want to Put It Down

Posted in Book Review, Christian Fiction, If I Live, Terri Blackstock, Zondervan Publishers by

I love reading Christian mysteries and suspense novels and Terri Blackstock is one of my favorite writers.  That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to read her newest book, If I Live, which is being released March 6, 2018.

This is the third book, in the If I Run series, which tells the story of Casey Cox who has been on the lamb since her friend Brent Pace was found brutally murdered.  She is the chief suspect because her DNA was found all over the crime scene.  Dylan Roberts, who was hired by Pace family to bring Casey to justice, now believes she is innocent.  So much so that he has been working with Casey to compile evidence that will break open this case wide open and allow the guilty to be exposed.

From the opening chapters of If I Live, the reader had better be strapped in because it takes off and doesn’t let up until the very end.  Each chapter in the storyline is told from a different character’s perspective.  It’s a different technique and almost makes you feel like you are in the character’s head and seeing things from their point of view.

I really liked If I Live, it’s full of suspense and intrigue.  It’s fast paced.  I appreciate how the Christian faith has been woven in to several characters.  Casey become a Christian during the course of this book and it’s interesting to see all that happens to her from the point of view of a new believer.  I especially liked how Casey recognized that though it was tempting to be angry and unforgiving towards those who had done evil, the Holy Spirit was showing her that a Christian doesn’t respond the same way as the world does.  I liked the developing relationship between Casey and Dylan.

As a Christian, I appreciate how author Terri Blackstock tells a good story without including sexually explicit scenes, filthy language and shows the Christian faith in the lives of characters.

After everything that Casey has been through, will it all be for naught?  Will she make it out of this alive?  Will she be free or spend the rest of her life in jail?  Just how much evil can one person get away with?  How widespread is this corruption and how many lives have been affected?  Who is clean, who is dirty and most importantly who can be trusted?

Well to find out the answers to those questions and more, you’ll need to read Terri Blackstock’s newest book, If I Live, which I highly recommend.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Zondervan Publishers for the opportunity to read If I Live in exchange for an honest review.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

 

If I Run by Terri Blackstock – Will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end

Posted in BookLook, Terri Blackstock, Zondervan Publishers by

_240_360_Book.1818.cover

I’m a fan of Terri Blackstock’s writing so I was excited at the opportunity to read her newest mystery If I Run.

This book is much different from her other stories. If I Run is written in the first person narrative from two character’s perspectives, Casey and Dylan.

The story jumps right in to a mystery from the first sentence with Casey leaving the scene of a murder. Over time the reader learns more about who was murdered and why and why in the world Casey is on the run.

Shortly thereafter readers are introduced to Dylan, a friend of the murder victim, who was hired by family to help bring into custody the chief murder suspect Casey.

Why is Casey fleeing the scene? If she’s really innocent why doesn’t she hang around to defend herself? After all, won’t the evidence exonerate her if indeed she is innocent? Does Dylan really want to find the person who murdered his friend? Or is he hunting Casey down just for the money? Will truth prevail or will evil triumph?

To get answers to those questions, you’ll have to read If I Run by Terri Blackstock. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

One of the things I appreciate about reading Christian writers is when they incorporate the Christian faith into the characters. Unlike some of her other books the main characters aren’t believers. They’ve had some exposure to Christianity, but they aren’t believers yet.

Both characters, Casey and Dylan were very likable. I’ve got to confess, Casey had me pulling my hair out at times. But I realized that the character reminded me of real life. We can’t control what other people do and the decisions they make and they have their reasons for making them.

I recommend Terri Blackstock’s newest book If I Run. Readers will enjoy Terri’s unveiling the characters and storyline one layer at a time. I forewarn you, you may need to stay up late to finish this book.

I would like to thank BookLook and Zondervan Publishers for the opportunity to read Terri Blackstock’s newest book If I Run in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

Distortion – Fast-paced Intrigue & Suspense

Posted in Distortion by

_225_350_Book.1140.coverIt was my pleasure to read Terri Blackstock’s newest novel Distortion, the second book in the Moonlights Series.  I love to read mysteries and in the past I’ve read a number of Terri’s books and now I remember why I liked her writing so much.

Distortion is a fast-paced murder mystery.  From the very beginning of the novel, I was drawn into the storyline and characters.  This is the second novel in the series, but the reader is not at a disadvantage if you haven’t read the first book Truth Stained Lies.  There is enough information peppered throughout the book that helps the reader know about the background of the characters.  I do wish I had read the first book, but Distortion a good standalone book too.

Terri does a great job in developing the characters as the storyline unfolds.  I find her characters very likable and appealing.  Unlike other writers, Terri doesn’t have her characters making stupid blunders, just to put them in jeopardy.

As a Christian, I’m very appreciative of having Christian characters that wrestle with their faith in the middle of a crisis and see how they interact with family and friends, believers and unbelievers.  I also appreciate a writer who doesn’t offend my moral standards by throwing in sin and immorality just to titillate the reader.

If you like mystery and suspense, I recommend that you give Terri Blackstock’s newest book Distortion a read.  I do forewarn you that you may be staying up late a few nights because you won’t to put the book down.

I would like to thank people at BookLook for providing me with a free copy of Distortion to read in exchange for an honest review.  I was under no obligation to provide a favorable review.