“Fragments of Fear” by Carrie Stuart Parks *review & giveaway*

MY REVIEW:
I enjoyed this clean Christian fiction drama and suspense!! There were lots of twists and turns and it was somewhat complicated with all the different “bad guys”, but I like that it kept be guessing.

I liked the main character Tavish and learning about her art style/drawings and her journey throughout the book to try to find peace despite all of the traumatic tragic unsettling events that continued to happen to her. I loved reading about the dog Marley and her added character and comfort to Tavish throughout the story.

I wish there had of been more romance between Tavish and Sawyer, but overall I really enjoyed this steady paced suspense! I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

Fragments of Fear FB Banner About the Book

Book: Fragments of Fear

Author: Carrie Stuart Parks

Genre: Suspense

Release date: July 23, 2019

Fragments of FearFrom award-winning author Carrie Stuart Parks comes a new novel with danger that reaches from a New Mexico Anasazi archaeological dig to micro- and nano-chip technology.

Evelyn Yvonne McTavish-Tavish to her friends-had her almost perfect world in Albuquerque, New Mexico, come to a crashing end with the suicide of her fiancé. As she struggles to put her life back together and make a living from her art, she’s given the news that her dog is about to be destroyed at the dog pound. Except she doesn’t own a dog. The shelter is adamant that the microchip embedded in the canine-with her name and address-makes it hers.

Tavish recognizes the dog as one owned by an archaeologist named Pat Caron because she did a commissioned drawing of the two of them months earlier. The simple solution is to return the dog to his owner, but she arrives only to discover Caron’s murdered body.

After meeting undercover FBI agent Sawyer Price the mystery deepens as more people start disappearing and Tavish becomes a target as well. Her only solution is to find the links between microchip technology, an Anasazi site in the desert, her fiancé’s death, a late-night radio show, and the dog. And the clock is ticking.

 

Click here to purchase your copy.

 

About the Author

Parks Carrie StuartCarrie Stuart Parks is a Christy finalist as well as a Carol Award-winning author. She has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law-enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho.

 

More from Carrie

Using Art to Solve Crime: Techniques Used by Forensic Artists

 

Since 1981, I’ve been a forensic artist—an amazing feat since I’m only . . .um. . . well, younger than that. In those years, I’ve seen some shifts and trends, but some things have never changed. Despite the overwhelming prevalence of computers in almost every other field, they have never been able to replace a trained forensic artist. Artists have an amazing toolbox of techniques we use to gather the information we need to help solve crime.

  1. The pencil. Any forensic artist worth her weight in graphite knows the power of the lowly pencil and a sketchpad. Law enforcement would love a photographic image of the suspect, but all we have to work with is memory…and memory is faulty. The more the image looks perfect, the more imperfect it is for helping to identify a suspect. We want the drawing to just suggest a likeness and eliminate those not similar.
  2. Now that we brought up the subject of memory, a forensic artist needs to understand how memory works. The average witness will remember between four and five facial features. When they describe the person they saw, they will do so from their strongest memory to their weakest memory, from most important to least important. We listen carefully to the order of facial features.
  3. Whole vs Parts. We don’t look at faces as individual parts, although a particularly outstanding nose or Marty Feldman eyes might catch our attention. We will remember the face as a whole, with the proportions of the face an unacknowledged part of that. Forensic artist prefer to use reference photographs where the whole face is viewed.

Want more? Check out the rest of my article at The Strand Magazine

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 23

All-of-a-kind Mom, July 23

Blogging With Carol, July 23

A Reader’s Brain, July 23

A Baker’s Perspective, July 24

The Avid Reader, July 24

CarpeDiem, July 24

Fiction Aficionado, July 25

Christian Bookaholic, July 25

Godly Book Reviews, July 25

Through the Fire Blogs, July 26

Livin’ Lit, July 26

The Becca Files, July 26

Inklings and notions , July 26

Real World Bible Study, July 27

Cathe Swanson, July 27

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 27

For Him and My Family, July 28

Lights in a Dark World, July 28

Retrospective Spines, July 28

Bigreadersite, July 29

Simple Harvest Reads, July 29 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Mary Hake, July 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Acdemy, July 30

Blossoms and Blessings, July 30

EmpowerMoms, July 30

Aryn The Libraryan, July 31

Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 31

For the Love of Literature, July 31

Inspired by fiction, August 1

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 1

By The Book, August 1

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 2

Remembrancy, August 2

amandainpa, August 2

Pause for Tales, August 3

For the Love of Books, August 3

Just Your Average reviews, August 3

Hallie Reads, August 4

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, August 4

Daysong Reflections, August 4

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, August 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 5

Texas Book-aholic, August 5

janicesbookreviews, August 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away a grand prize of her book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/e592/fragments-of-fear-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

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“Fragments of Fear” by Carrie Stuart Parks

MY REVIEW:
I enjoyed this clean Christian fiction drama and suspense!! There were lots of twists and turns and it was somewhat complicated with all the different “bad guys”, but I like that it kept be guessing.

I liked the main character Tavish and learning about her art style/drawings and her journey throughout the book to try to find peace despite all of the traumatic tragic unsettling events that continued to happen to her. I loved reading about the dog Marley and her added character and comfort to Tavish throughout the story.

I wish there had of been more romance between Tavish and Sawyer, but overall I really enjoyed this steady paced suspense! I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.


Welcome to the Blog Tour for Fragments of Fear by Carrie Stuart Parks, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Fragments of Fear
Author:
Carrie Stuart Parks
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date:
July 23, 2019
Genre: Inspirational Suspense/Thriller

Stolen art. A New Mexico archaeological dig. An abandoned dog. And a secret that’s worth killing for.

Evelyn McTavish’s world came crashing down with the suicide of her fiancé. As she struggles to put her life back together and make a living from her art, she receives a call that her dog is about to be destroyed at the pound. Except she doesn’t own a dog. The shelter is adamant that the microchip embedded in the canine with her name and address makes it hers.

Evelyn recognizes the dog as one owned by archaeologist John Coyote because she was commissioned to draw the two of them. The simple solution is to return the dog to his owner—but she arrives only to discover John’s murdered body.

As Evelyn herself becomes a target, she crosses paths with undercover FBI agent Sawyer Price. The more he gets to know her, the more personally invested he becomes in keeping her safe. Together, they’re desperate to find the links between so many disparate pieces.

And the clock is ticking.

“Over the years, Carrie has mastered forensic art, fine art, and her own brand of offbeat humor. As a novelist she combines these skills with another: puzzle writing––scattering puzzle pieces all over her fictional universe and then dropping them into place in twists, surprises, revelations, and side-pocket whimsy until the big picture emerges, never too soon, always on the brink of disaster.” —Frank Peretti

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carrie Stuart Parks is a Christy finalist as well as a Carol Award–winning author. She has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law-enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho.

CONNECT WITH CARRIE: Website | Facebook | Twitter

 


 

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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“Winning Your Blood Sugar Battle” by Richard Furman


Winning Your Blood Sugar Battle by Richard Furman
THE TIME TO MAKE LIFESTYLE CHANGES IS NOW!
“As of 2017, more than 30 million Americans have diabetes. Another 84 million–more than 30% of the adult population–have elevated blood sugar levels that put them at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.”

Isn’t that startling? I’ve had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant and blood sugar issues and diabetes runs in my family; I was very interested in reading this book. I also have friends and co-workers struggling with diabetes so I know this threat is very real and dangerous! A person I went to school with actually died a couple years ago from diabetes and all its complications and he was in his early 30s! So sad and scary!!

It’s divided up in 2 main parts… Part 1 focuses on UNDERSTANDING DIABETES-medicine, insulin resistance, the connection between diabetes and your heart and brain. Part 2 focuses on DEFEATING DIABETES-habits, exercise, what to eat and body weight.

I read this book cover to cover, marking it with a yellow highlighter. I appreciate all the medical research and study that Dr. Furman put into reading this book. I found it very easy to read and took several days to go through the book in detail.

In part 2 he talks about creating exercise habits and what to eat and not eat. If you are looking for a book that will give you specific meal plans, recipes and exercise routines-you will NOT find them in this book. But don’t let that deter you from reading this book and applying the principles. Use this book/research to empower you to look up more specific books about preventing diabetes and specific meal plans and recipes.

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

About the Book:
As of 2017, more than 30 million Americans have diabetes. Another 84 million–more than 30% of the adult population–have elevated blood sugar levels that put them at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. For most of us, it takes a medical emergency to get us to make vital changes to our eating, exercise habits, and weight control. At that point it is often too little, too late. The unfortunate reality is that 80% of diabetics will die of a heart attack. This book is the trigger for you to make lifestyle changes before any medical emergency ever occurs.

In Winning Your Blood Sugar Battle, Dr. Richard Furman shows you the three essential steps to take in order to defeat diabetes before it defeats you. He carefully explains the latest medical literature, offers proven guidelines on what to eat (and what not to eat), and outlines an effective exercise program for keeping the heart healthy.

Anyone who is diabetic, prediabetic, or overweight, as well as the loved one or caregiver who wants specific directions for supporting the diabetic in their life as they make vital lifestyle changes, will find this book a lifeline.

Purchase your copy here:

About the Author
Richard Furman, MD, FACS, spent more than thirty years as a vascular surgeon. The author of Prescription for Life, Your Cholesterol Matters, and Defeating Dementia, Furman is past president of the North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, past president of the North Carolina Surgical Society, and a two-term governor of the American College of Surgeons. He is cofounder of World Medical Mission, the medical arm of Samaritan’s Purse, and a member of the board of Samaritan’s Purse. He lives in Boone, North Carolina.

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“Identity Theft” by Alana Terry *review & giveaway*

MY REVIEW:
This was a quick, easy to read, suspenseful story set in the beautiful area of Alaska. I wish the relationships in the story had developed more, but for a shorter story (137 pages), they were believable and I enjoyed getting to know them. There were times I was frustrated with Lacy/Jo and her on and off again feelings for Kurtis. But the author did a good job of expressing why Lacy had trust issues and how she was working thru them during the book.

I really enjoyed this story-the characters, clean romance and suspense. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

Identity theft FB banner

About the Book

Book: Identity Theft

Author: Alana Terry

Genre: Christian fiction, mystery/suspense

Release date: March 15, 2019

Identity TheftShe imagined Alaska would be the perfect place to hide. She found out it’s the most dangerous place to be found …
Lacy has a secret. A secret nobody knows — not even her fiancé.
A secret that would cost her life … and so much more.
So it’s a good thing she’s tucked away in the very heart of rural Alaska, where for once in her life she is finally safe.
But can she stay that way for long?
Suspenseful, thrilling, and impossible to put downIdentity Theft is an unforgettable novel by bestselling Christian author Alana Terry.
Buy your copy today … but be prepared to stay up late!

 

About the Author

alana terryAlana is a pastor’s wife, homeschooling mom, self-diagnosed chicken lady, and Christian suspense author. Her novels have won awards from Women of Faith, Book Club Network, Grace Awards, Readers’ Favorite, and more. Alana’s passion for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom shines through her writing, and her books are known for raising tough questions without preaching. She and her family live in rural Alaska where the northern lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer make hauling water, surviving the annual mosquito apocalypse, and cleaning goat stalls in negative forty degrees worth every second.

 

More from Alana

What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about Alaska? Are you a city soul or do you prefer the country? I’m pretty happy in small-town Alaska, but I’m afraid that wasn’t always the case.

Have you ever lived in a town with 400 residents? Even with all the wide-open spaces, it’s enough to make some personalities feel claustrophobic.

I thought of our move to rural living as our big adventure. (Because what’s more adventurous than feeding chickens and milking goats at negative 40 degrees?) Then I read my first draft of Identity Theft and realized the adjustment wasn’t going as smoothly as I hoped. It was more autobiographical than I had realized!

However, I learned to love rural Alaska, and that’s the main reason I wanted to write my Alaskan Refuge Christian Suspense Novel series – so I could share some of my favorite parts with you.

Identity Theft is the first of three stand-alone novels, all filled with adventure, suspense and thrills, and all set against the backdrop of Alaska. I hope as you settle in to readyou will begin to experience a little of what I’ve grown to love living in this spectacular state.

Blog Stops

Genesis 5020, July 25

EmpowerMoms, July 25

Inklings and notions, July 26

Blogging With Carol, July 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 27

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 27

Just the Write Escape, July 27

Just Your Average reviews, July 28

Splashes of Joy, July 28

Carla Loves To Read, July 29

Retrospective Spines, July 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 29

All-of-a-kind Mom, July 30

The Becca Files, July 30

Quiet Quilter, July 31

Maureen’s Musings, July 31

Godly Book Reviews, August 1

For Him and My Family, August 1

Texas Book-aholic, August 1

Literary Reflections Book Blog, August 2

Mary Hake, August 2

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 3

CarpeDiem, August 3

Through the Fire Blogs, August 4

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, August 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 5

Moments, August 5

Henry Happens, August 6

Livin’ Lit, August 6

janicesbookreviews, August 6

As He Leads is Joy, August 7

A Readers Brian, August 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Alana is giving away a $30 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e546/identity-theft-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

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LewisGale #SalemVAHalf & VA #LewisGale8k 2019 RACE ENTRY GIVEAWAY & discount #virginiablueridge


This will be my 4th year participating in this race series and I was also selected as a race ambassador which meant I received my race entry complimentary so I could share my training, race recap, honest opinions and share a special discount code with my readers. Everyone likes a race discount, right? I know I do! 🙂

I also get to give away (1) race entry-for either the half marathon or 8k distance. Please only enter if you can attend the race. Travel arrangements will be at the expense of the winner if you are not local.

This is one of my favorite races because of the unusual distance (there aren’t alot of 8k races around here!) and because the rolling hills and views are beautiful!!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here’s my race recap from last year:
http://empowermoms.net/2019/03/lewisgale-salemvahalf-va-lewisgale8k-race-recap-for-2018-virginiablueridge.html

If you don’t win, don’t forget to use my special code: AmbassadorRachel20 to save 20% off your race registration! Register for the race here: http://www.salemhalfmarathon.com/

I would recommend registering BEFORE September 9th in order to be guaranteed the correct size race shirt. GOOD LUCK and happy race training!

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