Book of Days

I just finished Book of Days by James L. Rubart.
"… in Your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being." —Psalm 139:16
Young Cameron Vaux’s mind is slipping. Memories of his wife, killed two years earlier in a car accident, are vanishing just as his dad predicted they would. Memories he knows he has to remember.
His father tells Cameron that to save his mind he must find "the book with all days in it" —the past and future record of every soul on earth.
When an obscure clue leads Cameron to a small central Oregon town, he meets enigmatic Taylor Stone, a possible guide to finding the book who seems to carry secrets far deeper than anyone imagines. Local hotshot TV personality Ann Bannister thinks the legend of the book is a farce, but she has her reasons to join Cameron’s search anyway. Finally, there is fanatical New Age guru Jason Judah, who will stop at nothing to find the book of days before Cameron does.
This is another great book by James L. Rubart.  There are days that I can totally relate to Cameron when he's trying to think of something but just can't remember no matter how hard he tries.  I like how no matter how hard everyone in town is against helping him find out about the book of days Cameron never gives up.  The more Cameron snoops the more he likes the people and Three Peaks, with the exception of Jason Judah.  Jason seems the best person in town to help but he rubs everyone the wrong way and seems to love doing it.  The town also has a connection to Cameron's late wife's adopted sister Ann Banister.  She and Cameron haven't talked much since Jesse's death, but work together to find her family history and the book of days.

A January Bride

I received a copy of A January Bride by Deborah Raney from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What will happen when novelist Madeleine Houser’s “pen pal” friendship with a lonely widower takes an unexpected turn?
Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie's never met the innkeeper - but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie's alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn's owner - a man who's likely many years her senior - and who she's never even met.
This was an easy book to get into.  I really liked how Maddie and Art jumped to conclusions about each other because of Ginny.  Just goes to show how easy we can make up our minds before we get all the details.

Rooms

Rooms by James L. Rubart

On a rainy spring day in Seattle, young software tycoon Micah Taylor receives a cryptic, twenty-five-year-old letter from a great uncle he never knew. It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast that will turn his world inside out. Suspecting a prank, Micah arrives at Cannon Beach to discover a stunning brand new nine-thousand square foot house. And after meeting Sarah Sabin at a nearby ice cream shop, he has two reasons to visit the beach every weekend.

When bizarre things start happening in the rooms of the home, Micah suspects they have some connection to his enigmatic new friend, Rick, the town mechanic. But Rick will only say the house is spiritual. This unnerves Micah because his faith slipped away like the tide years ago, and he wants to keep it that way. But as he slowly discovers, the home isn’t just spiritual, it’s a physical manifestation of his soul, which God uses to heal Micah’s darkest wounds and lead him into an astonishing new destiny.

This was a great book.  I wish I had the chance Micah was given to learn so much in such a short time.  Seeing how his decisions changed each of his lives was amazing.  We don't normally get to really see how what we do changes our lives so drastically.  Having someone like Rick in our lives would also be great.  His advice was often vague but when Micah thought about it he understood.

The Survivor

I received a copy of The Survivor by DiAnn Mills from NetGally in exchange for an honest review. 
Kariss meets Dr. Amy Garrett, who survived a brutal childhood attack in which the assailant was never found. Now Dr. Garrett wants her story written in a novel. Kariss wishes she could seek the advice of Special Agent Tigo Harris, but she broke off the relationship a few months prior and seeing him again would be too painful. She interviews Amy and conducts her own research, stepping unaware into a viper's pit of danger. Tigo misses Kariss and wants her back, but he understands why she broke off their relationship. Instead, he concentrates on solving a car bombing and bringing the killer to justice. As Kariss's new story attracts an onslaught of danger that she never expected, can Tigo save the woman he loves and find who wants her dead for writing about an unsolved cold-case?
This book took me a while to get into.  There was a lot of referring to the The Chase which is part one of the series.  Because of this I'm glad I read the first book before reading this one.  Kariss has a bad habit of getting herself into trouble even if she didn't intend to.  Amy contact's Kariss and brings trouble with her.  Good thing for both ladies Kariss has contacts in the FBI.  

The Chase

To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.
The format of this book took a little while to get used to.  In each chapter was a couple story lines.  Part was dealing with Kariss and another was with Tigo.  Kariss is used to going after what she wants and doesn't like anything getting in her way.  Tigo doesn't like the idea of being a babysitter on the job.  The more they get to know each other the more they enjoy spending time together - that is when Kariss isn't in trouble.

Forget Me Knot

I received a copy of Forget Me Knot by Mary Marks from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Welcome to San Fernando Valley, California, where Martha Rose and her coterie of quilters are enjoying life on the good side of retirement--until murder pulls a stitch out of their plans. . .
Martha and her besties Lucy and Birdie are set to expand their Quilty Tuesdays by inviting newcomer Claire Terry into their group. Though at forty Claire's a tad younger than their average age, her crafty reputation could perk up their patchwork proceedings, especially as they prepare for the fancy quilt show coming to town. But when they arrive at Claire's home and find her dead inside the front door, and her exquisite, prize-winning quilts soon missing, Martha is not one to leave a mystery unraveled. Especially if she wants to stop a killer from establishing a deadly pattern. . .
This book was a little slow to get me hooked but once it did I couldn't put it down.  I love how the Quilty Tuesday group relied and helped each other every time they were needed.  We all would benefit from having a group like that to rely on.  Martha was so smart to figure out the messages in Claire's quilts.

The Guardian

I just finished The Guardian by Robbie Cheuvront and Erik Reed.

Anna Riley has just come into possession of a two-thousand-year old scroll that God gave to John the Disciple. Her mission—to guard the scroll and unlock its secret. Jason Lang, her protector, has his work cut out for him as they begin their journey around the world, facing corruption and dodging bullets—all the while trying to keep his attraction to Anna at bay. Will he succeed in defending the woman he’s vowed to protect? Will Anna, forced to trust other people to stay alive, fulfill the challenge that she’s accepted?

This book is one that will make you think.  It's based on a verse of scripture from the Bible and is fictional, but is filled with information that keeps you thinking.  What if we could find the scroll or any other Biblical artifact?  Would that change people's minds?  I was really surprised that Anna was chosen to be the next in her family to take and protect the scroll when later on we find out that she's never accepted Christ into her life.  She went to church but didn't really believe anything that was preached about.  How many of the church goers are in the same boat?

Beowulf

I received a copy of Beowulf by Ronie Kendig from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Beowulf—a hulky, brindle-coated bullmastiff—is the only “boy” for Timbrel Hogan. And she has a history to remind her why. But when Timbrel, a handler at A Breed Apart, embarks on a mission to detect WMDs in Afghanistan, she reunites with Tony “Candyman” VanAllen and her no-other-man philosophy is challenged. While tension mounts between Timbrel and Tony, the team comes under fire after Beowulf gets a “hit.” When tragedy threatens Tony’s career and Timbrel’s courage, they must maneuver through an intricate plot and a mission like no other. . . 
I really liked this book.  This is the 3rd and last book in the A Bread Apart series.  Ronie does a great job of creating characters that I can really get to know and relate to.  I'm sure it helps that I'm an animal lover since Boewulf is a working dog.  It's great to see how animals can help keep troops safe and also help injured troops after they make it home.