Book Review: When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason

After a brush with death due to equipment failure, smokejumper Alexia Allen is ordered to take time off while the incident is under investigation. She makes a last-minute decision to recuperate at her mother's home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving home she's involved with murder, arson--and a handsome detective. 

But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared to the ghosts of her past. As she struggles to accept and forgive her family's past, she must also decide if the secret she's been guarding for the last ten years must finally come to light. 

Chock-full of the suspense and romantic tension readers have come to expect from Lynette Eason, When the Smoke Clears is the explosive first book in the Deadly Reunions series.

Series: Deadly Reunions, #1

My rating:

Umm . . . wow. For a romance, that was phenomenal.

The upsides:

-The female protagonist, though determined to solve the mystery, wasn't the stubborn, do-it-all-myself type, which was fabulous. Because I tend to, um, highly dislike those. XD
-Chad. I mean, (SPOILER) I suspected him of the murders almost from the beginning, but when he actually sobered up, I liked him almost more than Hunter. And I was so glad he ended up not being the killer. (END SPOILER)

-The real murderer completely blindsided me. I mean, I guess the clues were there and really pointed to it, but...idk, maybe I'm just unobservant. But it all made sense. And it was fabulous.
-The love triangle. Before you start shaking your head or rolling your eyes at this, let me tell you that I'm not a fan of love triangles either. But idk, maybe it was because I actually liked all the parties involved that it didn't bother me...? Anyway, I thought it was pulled off really well, and everyone's attitudes about it—*SPOILER* especially poor Chad's *END SPOILER*—really impressed me.
-Um...all the characters?? I just loved them all. I mean, Hunter almost seemed...idk...shallow sometimes? But his faith was there and it made the whole thing better.
-Alexia's vulnerability. I know that sounds kinda cruel, but I could relate to her y'all!!
-The couple didn't start out disliking each other!! I'm so stinkin' tiredof couples falling in love after being mortal enemies. They let each other know about their mutual attraction pretty much right away, which I could've done without, but it was definitely better than hating each other. MUCH, much better. I can't even describe how refreshing that was. XD

The downsides:
-The romance. Ugh, please, please don't give me so many details about a kiss. I don't want to know that it starts out lightly, exploringly, then turns deeper. I don't want to hear about kisses all over eyelids. *shudders* spare me plz. I mean, I guess some people like that kind of thing. But there's SO MANY romance books out there, can there please, please please be just ONE intense book out there with amazing cops in it without all the romance?? Pleeeeeeease?! I think this book would've been amazing without it.
But *coughs* that's just my humble opinion.
-And yeah, that's it...? Like I said, it was amazing, and the only thing I didn't like about it was the romance. It was okay when the couple wasn't kissing. I could handle that (except I don't wanna hear about how you think each other smells plz)

I fall in love with each Lynette Eason book I read! Who's your favorite romantic suspense author?

Book Review: Hope's Highest Mountain by Misty M. Beller

Ingrid Chastain readily agreed to accompany her father to deliver vaccines to a mining town in the Montana Territory. She never could have anticipated a terrible accident would leave her alone and badly injured in the wilderness. When rescue comes in the form of a mysterious mountain man who tends her injuries, she's hesitant to put her trust in this quiet man who seems to have his own wounds.

Micah Bradley left his work as a doctor after unintentionally bringing home the smallpox disease that killed his wife and daughter. But his self-imposed solitude in the wilds of Montana is broken when he finds Ingrid in desperate need of medical attention, and he's forced to face his regret and call on his doctoring skills once again.

Micah can't help but admire Ingrid's tenacious determination despite the severity of her injuries, until he learns the crate she brought contains smallpox vaccines to help quell a nearby outbreak. With Ingrid dead set on trekking through the mountains to deliver the medicine--with or without his help--he has no choice but to accompany her. As they set off through the treacherous, snow-covered Rocky Mountains against all odds, the journey ahead will change their lives more than they could have known.

Series: Heirs of Montana, #1

My rating:

Hope's Highest Mountain started out so, so well! I loved how the storyline basically started with tragedy (yes, you already know I'm a sucker for tragedies). But then it got worse . . . and worse . . . and worse.

The writing style was amazing and captured me immediately! Finally, I thought, A review book that I'll finally rate more than three stars! Unfortunately, the contents heavily detracted from that. *cries*

I loved Micah's character: strong, protective, and running away from the memories that haunt him. Having suffered unspeakable loss, he's lost his faith and isolates himself in the wilderness, where he finds the wagon wreck and Ingrid Chastain.

I liked Ingrid? Generally in romances, I tend to like the man far better than the woman, and this was no exception. I did love her heart of gold, but though she was a Christian and prayed every once in awhile (the spiritual aspect of the book seemed lacking), she seemed to have no problems with falling in love with and kissing Micah, even though she knew that he and God were not on good terms.

The overall setting was fantastic. There were times I had trouble conjuring up an image in my mind to match the description, but I could definitely feel the characters' pain and cold.

The last complaint I have is that once I got about 3/4 of the way into the book, it seemed to drag. Like, it reaches a plot twist and you're just like "oh YAY plot twist!" and then another one comes and you're like, "okay, I can handle this" and then by the time the end of the book rolls around, you're wondering if the author was just looking for ways to draw the story out longer.

But, the rest of the book definitely kept me hooked (aside from the romance, thx) and thus 3 stars!

*I received an e-copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Have you read Hope's Highest Mountain? I hope you liked it!

More Movie Soundtracks for Writing

YES, I actually do have more movie soundtracks for you! ;) They're so amazing—they just play in the background and stimulate your creative juices.

Note: I don't necessarily recommend these movies, as I haven't seen them all, but I really enjoy their soundtracks.

The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven's soundtrack tends to be more intense than anything, so listen with care. ;)

The Hobbit

All of you Hobbit fans out there should like this. ;) A mixture of playfulness, heartache, and nail-biting action!

Pride & Prejudice

Perfect for whimsy, rainy day writing!

Jurassic World

Again, more intense, but still fabulous. ;)

The Good Dinosaur

The Good Dinosaur was actually the soundtrack that first got me started on them, even though I only saw the movie for the first time a couple months ago. ;P

Have you seen these movies? How is your writing project going?

Book Review: Martin Legacy by Abigayle Claire

If y'all are connected in the indie publishing world, you've probably seen Martin Legacy circling. The book was just published on Tuesday (the 12th) and I was privileged to read an ARC copy! So, on to my review!

Gemma Ebworthy is a struggling single mother—but not for much longer. Engaged to a kind-hearted farmer boy, her turbulent life is looking more stable at last, but troubles are still on the horizon. It seems their efforts to build a legacy for their unique family are constantly under siege.

Farris cherishes the only life he’s ever known, even though he feels more called to the mission field than his adoptive father’s fields. Growing up among extended family and in the Christian faith, he’s always had a firm foundation.

Yet when the past Gemma is so ashamed of—the one Farris can’t even remember—comes calling again, the life they’ve built is put to the test. For it to remain standing, Gemma is going to have to silence her demons once and for all. But this time, she’s not alone. 

Series: Martin Generations, #2 (would recommend reading in order)

My rating:

So, I read Martin Hospitality soon after it first released, and while I enjoyed it, it didn't really keep my attention. (See my review HERE.)

Martin Legacy, however, was a different story.

Probably because it didn't cover a short time span like MH did. The first two or three chapters really made me kiiiinda dread the rest of the book, because (this might be considered a minor spoiler here) Gemma and Josiah went from madly in love + engaged to Gemma calling the wedding off + getting engaged again in just a few pages. I didn't care for all the drama with Gemma.

Well, okay, let's stop here and talk about Gemma for a moment. I . . . well, she was honestly one of my least favorite characters? I honestly didn't get her. I mean, she was sweet and all . . . but nah. Get this: Josiah was my favorite this time. In Martin Hospitality, Josiah was one of my least favorites because he was too perfect. But in Martin Legacy? He was great! As imperfect as anyone, haha!

Also I know that Farris is the heartthrob and everything, and although I loved his character, he was . . . idk. So different from his mom and biological dad, he didn't really seem to fit. Though he was soooo adorable around age 4/5.

Katherine was . . . a temperamental brat, really. I didn't really like her character; she was awfully, idk, shallow? Though I did love that her nickname was Kat instead of Katie!

So, anyway. There were a couple aspects about the farming I found a bit strange, but not necessarily unrealistic. The overall setting was fabulous—I loved the country vibes!—though there wasn't a wholllle lot of description? All in all, though, I loved how Abi took seemingly mundane lives and wove a whimsical tale!

The thing I most appreciate about the romance in the book is that it was realistic. Josiah and Gemma's relationship was the sweetest thing! Their 'I love you's didn't come after stomach flutters and physical touch; if anything, they came the most after their arguments. If they ever had angry words, they wouldn't part without a kiss and saying 'I love you.' This spoke more about the book than anything else ever could.

The ending was good . . . I feel like there was a huge gap between the last chapter and the epilogue, but I suppose that's the purpose of an epilogue, right? There were a couple things I wish would've been resolved (like what happened to Travis? And DID ANNALIESE EVER GET MARRIED?), but they were minor and could be left to the reader's imagination.

All in all, the finale to the Martin Generations duology was fabulous and kept me hooked once I got into it! Congratulations on your new release, Abi!

*I was given an e-copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Have you read the Martin Generations duology? If so, what did you think about it?

Music Artists for Writing

I so enjoyed writing last week's music post, I thought I might make all my Tuesday posts in November about music! (if you missed last week's you can find it HERE.)

Today, I'm going to share with you some music artists (and my favorite songs by them!) that have amazing instrumentals to write with.

Craig Duncan

If you know me, you know that I'm a HUGE fan of Craig Duncan. He has such a huge variety of music styles, from bluegrass to jazz to polka!

Andy Leftwich

Andy Leftwich only has a couple of albums (one of them is an instrumental hymns album) but they're definitely worth listening to!

The Piano Guys

Is an explanation really necessary here? ;) (if you don't know who TPG are, you're sorely missing out.)

2CELLOS

These guys have serious talent, that's all I gotta say.

William Joseph

I actually literally discovered all of William Joseph's music just today, haha! I was scrolling through my writing music and found one of his songs. Pretty cool!

Do you like these artists? Who are some of your favorites?

Book Review: Martin Hospitality by Abigayle Claire

Gemma Ebworthy is eighteen, pregnant, and alone. Now that she's been evicted, she finds herself sleeping in a barn, never dreaming that tomorrow could bring kindness of a life-changing magnitude. 

The Martins aren't a typical family—even for rural Kansas. With more kids than can be counted on one hand and a full-time farm, Gemma must make a lot of adjustments to fit in. But despite their many differences, Gemma finds herself drawn to this family and their radical Christian faith. 

When Gemma's past collides with her yet again, she must begin revealing her colorful history. With every detail Gemma concedes, she fears she will lose the Martins' trust and the stable environment she desires for herself and her unborn child. Just how far can the Martins' love and God's forgiveness go?

Series: Martin Generations, #1

My rating:

Okay, Farris was super cute. Gemma was sweet. Josiah was . . . well, I don't know. I really liked him, but he seemed too . . . perfect to me. My favorite characters were probably Hollie, Jake, and, in the second half of the book, Mr. Martin.

The first half of the book I enjoyed, but it seemed . . . lacking to me? I suppose I'm just not all that into Christian fiction. ;P

But all the plot twists kept me reading. Like, when I found out that (SPOILER) Travis was Farris's dad... I did NOT see that coming. And then later, THAT SCENE WHEN MR. MARTIN BUSTS ANNELIESE AND TRAVIS WITH THE SHOTGUN. I was cheering him the whole way, haha! (SPOILER OVER)

Idk why, but even though he was a really minor character, Jake was just cool. I loved his character.

And Hollie? At first I was wary because she seemed . . . too nice. But then, I just grew to love her. She's so sweet and buoyant and... yeah.

One thing about the book that bothered me/seemed unrealistic was that Josiah had a flip phone. I know this is a small and unrelevant point, but it just kinda drove me a little nuts because pretty much every farmer I know has a smart phone. Living 'in the sticks' does NOT mean we dont have iPhones. ok, end of rant. XP

Great job on your debut novel, Abi!

Have you read Martin Hospitality? Are you looking forward to the sequel, Martin Legacy? (Review of that one coming next week!)

Movie Soundtracks for Writing

I don't know about you, but when I write, I like to have music playing. Not just out of the computer's open speakers, but through earbuds. There's just something about having the music transmitted directly into your ears that brings the music to life in a way you'd never imagined!

Anyway, sorry, I didn't mean to go on a tangent about earbuds, haha! If you're one of those people that can listen to worded music while writing . . . I envy you. But yet, I also don't envy you. Because if I could write with worded music in the background, I would never have been introduced to the amazing world of soundtracks.

Have you ever noticed that on super old movies, they don't generally have music for every scene? It's sad, really. But, having grown up watching said shows, I didn't even notice. Until I started watching movies that did have soundtracks. And I realized that music brings the movies to life. If the bad guy is about to attack the protagonist from behind, the viewer doesn't really feel the desired fear and trepidation until spooky, suspenseful music is played.

That is why I love listening to music while I write. Unless you listen for it, you don't even notice a movie's soundtrack. But, nonetheless, when it's there, it sharpens the emotions evoked by the scene. So when I turn on a soundtrack (Spotify playlists for the win!), half the time I don't even realize that it's playing; it just drowns out other sounds, and it helps me focus. I can't tell you how many times music has kept me intent on my writing and my fingers flying.

So, without further ado, I'd love to share some of my favorite movie soundtracks that I enjoy writing with! Warning: Most (if not all) have one or two songs that have words, so I'd recommend skipping them. Since I don't even know if the words are good. ;P

The Chronicles of Narnia

The Narnia soundtracks are a mix of intense songs and happy songs, so you might want to sift through them to find the ones you like. ;)

How to Train Your Dragon

I love the HTTYD soundtrack so much!! Again, it's a mix, but it's not quite to diverse.

War Horse

Honestly, I was kinda shocked at how playful the War Horse soundtrack is, haha!

Cinderella

The Cinderella playlist is actually pretty fluffy and light, haha! But it you're writing a fun story, this is PERFECT.

Fireproof

Alllllll the emotions . . . (If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about!)

McFarland, USA

The McFarland, USA soundtrack will get you in the mood for writing, no matter what genre you're writing! It makes you feel ready to tackle the world!

What music do you enjoy writing with? Have you seen any of these movies? Should I do another post with favorite soundtracks?