Category: Terri Blackstock

2019 Favorites (Print)

1/9/2020

Favorite Print Books From 2019

Here is a list of Tell Tale Book Reviews' favorite books read and reviewed in 2019.
You can find all of these reviews and many more by visiting our Book Review List page

2019 Reviews

Fiction

Secular Fiction

We are excited to start reading and reviewing in the
new year and hope you will be joining us for...

0 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock + Review & Excerpt

11/20/2019

0 Comments

*No Giveaway for this Celebration Tour

One father was murdered, and another convicted of his death.
All because their children fell in love.

Nate Beckett has spent his life fighting wildfires instead of the lies and rumors that drove him from his Colorado home town. His mother begs him to come to Carlisle now that his father has been released from prison, but it isn’t until he’s sidelined by an injury that he’s forced to return and face his past. But that means facing Brenna too.

Fourteen years ago, Nate was in love with the preacher’s daughter. When Pastor Strickland discovered Brenna had defied him to sneak out with Nate, the fight between Strickland and Nate’s drunken dad was loud—and very public. Strickland was found murdered later that night, and everyone accused Roy Beckett. When the church burned down, people assumed it was Nate getting even for his father’s conviction. He let the rumors fly and left Carlisle without looking back.

Now, Brenna is stunned to learn that the man convicted of murdering her father has been pardoned. The events of that night set her life on a bad course, and she’s dealing with a brutal custody battle with her ex and his new wife where he’s using lies and his family’s money to sway the judge. She’s barely hanging on, and she’s turned to alcohol to cope. Shame and fear consume her.
As they deal with the present—including new information about that fateful night and a wildfire that’s threatening their town—their past keeps igniting. Nate is the steady force Brenna has so desperately needed. But she’ll have to learn to trust him again first.

Genre: Christian Suspense
Release Date: November 5, 2019

Click here to get your copy.

My Review

Their past has come full circle...

While I can't say that I even remotely begin to understand Brenna's choices, specifically turning to liquid 'help' when life got tough. But, what I can say is that it's about time someone peels back our plastic Sunday faces and dare to shine a little light of reality into fiction. Author Terri Blackstock has bared the unmentionable before in her Intervention series, where a mother deals with a child addicted to drugs, and, she has done it again in Smoke Screen. Life is not guaranteed to be perfect...even for Christians...

Despite the rather heavy topics I found myself unable to put the book down, finishing it in a single evening. I enjoyed it immensely! It was the perfect blend of psychological drama and suspense, with a decent helping of romance. I've been a fan of Terri Blackstock since I started reading her books as a teenager. I'm pleased to say that I seem to like each one more than the last. This held true with Smoke Screen, which is going to wind up being one of my favorite books read this year.

I loved Smoke Screen and it's one I would definitely recommend, whether you are a longtime reader of Terri Blackstock or if this is your first. Don't miss out on this emotionally moving and suspense filled story!

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock a 5 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Excerpt from
Smoke Screen

I woke up in a blinding bright room, my clothes off and something clamped to my face. I tried to reach it, but I couldn’t bend my right arm, and my hand stung. An IV was taped to my other hand, but I moved carefully and touched the thing over my face.

An oxygen mask. I tried to sit up. “What happened?”

T-bird came to my bedside, a sheen of smoky sweat still soiling his face. “Nate, lie back, man.”

“The fire,” I said. “Need to get back. My men.”

“They’re still there. Making progress. But you’re not going anywhere near a fire for a month or so.”

I took the mask off and coughed a little, but managed to catch my breath. “A month?”

“Yep. Second degree burns on 20 percent of your body. Some of the burns are deep.”

It came back to me, the event that had gotten me here.

“The family. Were they injured?”

“Not a scratch or burn. Turns out it was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. He says you’re a hero.”

“You know I had no choice. They were in the path—”

“Take the praise where you can get it, man. We don’t get that much.”

I looked at my right side. My right arm was bandaged, and so was my side and down my right leg to the point where my boots had stopped the flames. Second degree wasn’t so bad, I told myself. Third degree would have been brutal. I’d be able to leave the hospital soon. I’d heal.

“I won’t need a month,” I said.

“Yes, you will. They can’t let you go back. Doctor’s orders. You’re grounded until he releases you.”

I managed to sit up, but it was a bad idea. The burns pulling on my skin reminded me why I shouldn’t. “I can’t be grounded during fire season. Are you crazy? I need to be there. You don’t have enough men as it is.”

“Sorry, Nate. It is what it is. Why don’t you go home to Carlisle for a while? Take it easy.”

Go home? Pop had just been pardoned, and he and my mom were trying to navigate the reunion. Though she would love to have me home, I didn’t know if I was up to it. My father could be challenging, and fourteen years of prison hadn’t done him any favors.

Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series. Visit her website at www.terriblackstock.com; Facebook: tblackstock; Twitter: @terriblackstock

Blog Stops

As He Leads is Joy, November 9
Sara Jane Jacobs, November 9
CarpeDiem, November 9
Christian Bookaholic , November 9
Fiction Aficionado, November 10
KarenSueHadley, November 10
Quiet quilter, November 10
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 10
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 11
Among the Reads, November 11
Genesis 5020, November 11
A Reader’s Brain, November 11
Robin’s Nest, November 12
All-of-a-kind Mom, November 12
Bigreadersite , November 12
Blogging With Carol , November 12
Betti Mace, November 13
Spoken from the Heart, November 13
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, November 13
Emily Yager, November 13
By The Book, November 14
For Him and My Family, November 14
A Baker’s Perspective, November 14
Splashes of Joy , November 14
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 15
Through the Fire Blogs, November 15
Andrea Christenson, November 15
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 16
The Christian Fiction Girl, November 16
Just the Write Escape, November 16
Mary Hake, November 16
Remembrancy, November 17
Simple Harvest Reads, November 17 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
EmpowerMoms, November 17
Bloggin’ ’bout Books, November 17
Blessed & Bookish, November 18
Older & Smarter, November 18
For the Love of Literature, November 18
Inklings and notions, November 18
Lights in a Dark World, November 19
amandainpa , November 19
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 19
Pause for Tales, November 19
Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 20
For The Love of Books , November 20
Hallie Reads, November 20
Cathe Swanson, November 21
Christian Bookshelf Reviews, November 21
All 4 and About Books, November 21
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 21
Batya’s Bits, November 22
Livin’ Lit, November 22
Texas Book-aholic, November 22
janicesbookreviews, November 22

0 Comments

Celebrate Blog Tour - Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock + Review & Guest Post & Giveaway

12/26/2018

4 Comments

This Year, Christmas Comes Just in Time
As a first-year law associate, Sydney Batson knows she will be updating her resume by New Year’s if she loses her current court case. So when her grandmother gets inexplicably ill while she’s in court, Sydney arranges for a cab to get her to the clinic.

The last thing cab driver Finn Parrish wants is to be saddled with a wheelchair-bound old lady with dementia. But because Miss Callie reminds him of his own mother, whom he failed miserably in her last days, he can’t say no when she keeps calling him for rides. Once a successful gourmet chef, Finn’s biggest concern now is making his rent, but half the time Callie doesn’t remember to pay him. And as she starts to feel better, she leads him on wild goose chases to find a Christmas date for her granddaughter.

When Finn meets Sydney, he’s quite sure that she’s never needed help finding a date. Does Miss Callie have an ulterior motive, or is this just a mission driven by delusions? He’s willing to do whatever he can to help fulfill Callie’s Christmas wish. He just never expected to be a vital part of it.

Genre: Christian Fiction, Romance, Christmas
Release Date: October 9, 2018

Click here to purchase your copy.

My Review

Can they help an elderly woman get her Christmas wish?

To say that I am only used to Terri Blackstock's suspense novels would be an understatement. I had NO idea that she ever stepped out of that genre. But, when I saw that she was the author of Catching Christmas I thought I would take the chance and step out of my usual limit on reading only a select few holiday-themed books during the season. I'm glad I did.

Catching Christmas is sweet, funny, poignant, and a bit of a tear-jerker. Believe me, you'll run the gamut of emotions at the hands of Terri Blackstock's delightful characters. And if you've ever loved someone with dementia etc. this book will be particularly touching.

The characters in this book are truly something else. I fell in love with the blunt wanna-be-gruff-but-is-really-a-softy Finn right away. Sidney took me a little longer to warm up to but just about anyone can understand the sheer pressure of caring for an elderly relative while trying to hold down a demanding full-time job. And then there's Callie, your heart just goes out to her as she faces declining health while trying to remember “where are my manners?” She's a sweet lady with a faith as big as the ocean, a faith that reaches out and touches the granddaughter she loves and the hurting cabbie she takes into her heart.

Catching Christmas is a fairly quick read but it's a story that will linger long after the wrapping paper has been thrown away and the twinkle lights have been put away for another year...

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock a 4.5 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Guest Post

from Terri Blackstock

Enjoy this premium excerpt from Catching Christmas
https://aerbook.com/books/-128993.html?utm_source=pubpage

To get you in the Christmas mood, here’s a holiday playlist:
“White Christmas” sung by Bing Crosby
“I Heard the Bells” sung by MercyMe
“Light of the World” sung by Lauren Daigle
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” sung by Amy Grant
“Don’t Save it All for Christmas Day” sung by Avalon
“Till the Season Comes ‘Round Again” sung by the Katinas

-Terri Blackstock-

Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series. Catching Christmas is her first Christmas romance.

Visit her website at www.terriblackstock.com
Facebook: tblackstock
Twitter: @terriblackstock

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Terri is giving away a grand prize of a
finished copy of Catching Christmas and a Christmas Tree Ornament!!

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/d776/catching-christmas-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

December 15
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
Daysong Reflections
Genesis 5020
Back Porch Reads
December 16
The Power of Words
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions
Quiet Quilter
December 17
Among the Reads
Kathleen Denly
By The Book
Lighthouse Academy
December 18
Cultivating Us
Simple Harvest Reads (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)
Remembrancy
December 19
Caffeinated Christian Raves – N – Reviews
Jennifer Sienes: Where Crisis and Christ Collide
Christian Author, J.E. Grace
December 20
All-of-a-kind Mom
amandainpa
Christian Chick’s Thoughts
December 21
Multifarious
Cathe Swanson
Stories By Gina
December 22
Connect in Fiction
Have A Wonderful Day
Splashes of Joy
Bibliophile Reviews
December 23
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy
Lis Loves Reading
Mary Hake
Bigreadersite
December 24
Book by Book
Pause for Tales
To Everything A Season
December 25
Southern Gal Loves to Read
A Good Book and Cup of Tea
Vicky Sluiter
December 26
Tell Tale Book Reviews
Inklings and notions
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses
December 27
Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet
Captive Dreams Window
Texas Book-aholic
A Baker’s Perspective
December 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
Older & Smarter?
Janices book reviews
Carpe Diem

4 Comments

Book Review - Twisted Innocence by Terri Blackstock

4/2/2015

0 Comments

Genre:
Suspense

Twisted Innocence
Moonlighters Series book 3
by Terri Blackstock

-From the back cover-

Holly Cramer's past choices have finally caught up to her, but she never expected them to endanger her baby.

Though Holly's stumbled through most of her adult life as a party girl, she longs to live a more stable life for her daughter. Then police show up to question her about the whereabouts of Creed Kershaw, Lily's father. Holly has kept Creed's identity from friends and family – she never even told him about the pregnancy. Now he's a person of interest in a drug-related murder case.

Determined to keep him out of their lives and turn him over to police, Holly uses her private investigating skills to search for him. But her bravado backfires when he turns the tables and takes her and the baby hostage. As desperate hours tick by, Holly realizes his connection to Leonard Miller – the man who gunned down several members of her family. Creed claims he's innocent and that Miller is after him too. His gentleness with Lily moves Holly, but she can't trust a man who has held her at gunpoint . . . even if he reminds her so much of herself.

Dangers old and new threaten Holly and her baby, and lives are demanded as sacrifices for love. Through a complex web of mistakes and regret, redemption is the on e hope Holly has left to hold on to.

Buckle your seatbelt!

I've been a fan of Terri Blackstock for years. I graduated from Nancy Drew straight into Terri's Cape Refuge series, I remember reading the first couple and then waiting, waiting, waiting, for the library to get each successive title. I am a confirmed fan and get excited each time I hear about a new book or series. That said, I think the Moonlighters Series is one of my favorites and Twisted Innocence was the perfect conclusion.

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

Terri Blackstock

Author's Website

Twisted Innocence is an edge-of-your-seat story, from the dramatic cover to the last page. I was glued to the page from start to finish. Terri Blackstock is a very accomplished suspense author, she knows how catch and keep readers attention, and it is never more evident than with Twisted Innocence and the previous books in the series.

I really wasn't sure I was going to like Holly when I started, she seemed like a bit of a flake sometimes earlier in the series, but it didn't take long for me to change my mind about her. Holly has made a real mess out of her life but is working very hard to turn things around and make a good life for little Lily. But then things take a dangerous, potentially lethal, turn. . .

All questions are answered and loose ends sewn up. Terri Blackstock has penned a very satisfying conclusion to a great series. I can't wait to find out what she will be writing next. In the meantime grab a copy of Twisted Innocence and prepare to for life-as-normal to cease for several hours.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Twisted Innocence by Terri Blackstock a 4 Bark rating.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (February 3, 2015)
ISBN-10: 0310332362
ISBN-13: 978-0310332367

PRINT

KINDLE

3-E-BOOK SET

Notice: I have an affiliate with Amazon so if you purchase a book through the links provided I will receive a small kickback.

0 Comments

2014 Favorites (Print)

1/3/2015

3 Comments

Favorite Print Books From 2014

Here is a list of Tell Tale Book Reviews' favorite books read and reviewed in 2014.
They are in not listed in any particular order.
You can find all of these reviews and many more by visiting our Book Review List page,
HERE

Distortion

Down And Dead
In Dixie

Harvest Of Rubies

Stuck Together

A Bouquet Of Love

Price Of Privilege

A Match Of Wits

All For A Sister

Palace Of Darkness

Sidetracked

The Land Uncharted

The Princess Spy

Caroline's Secret

Annie's Stories

The Yuletide Rescue

Slave Again

A Bridge Unbroken

Abandoned Memories

A Woman Of Fortune

Silenced

The Quilted Heart Omnibus

The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn

Firewall

Where Courage Calls

Death By The Book

The Captive Maiden

The Turning

Unseen

In Perfect Time

We are excited to start reading and reviewing in the
new year and hope you will be joining us for...

2015 image from freedigitalphotos.net

3 Comments

Book Review - Distortion by Terri Blackstock

3/26/2014

0 Comments

Genre:
Suspense

Distortion
Moonlighters Series book 2
by Terri Blackstock

-From the back cover-

A HUSBAND'S LIES CAN
HAVE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES

When Juliet Cole's husband of fifteen years is murdered before her eyes, she thinks it was a random shooting. Devastated and traumatized, she answers hours of questioning, then returns home to break the tragic news to her sons. But a threatening voicemail escalates this from a random shooting to a planned, deliberate attack.

Juliet realizes that she and her children are in danger too – unless she meets the killer's demands. But as she and her sisters untangle the clues, her husband's dark secrets come to light. The more she learns, the more her life is dismantled. Was her husband an innocent victim or a hardened criminal?

Wow! What a wild ride! A complete emotional roller coaster that left me feeling wrung out and yet begging for more.

Distortion is the story of a family once again ripped apart by murder, grappling with grief, and discovering that the person they loved and trusted may not have been the person they knew.

There was nothing to dislike in this book at all. Terri Blackstock is a master at the Suspense genre and each new book just seems to be even better than the last. I was pulled in from the first page and couldn't put it down until my eyes wouldn't stay open any longer. Gosh, when you start with a murder in the very first chapter, well, you really get the readers hooked that way!

This Book earned a 5 Bark rating.

Terri Blackstock

Visit Terri's Website
HERE

I loved reading mystery books as a kid and I still do, but it seems like so many of the stories are ones I just can't morally read. Terri Blackstock's books are the perfect answer for someone that loves suspense and wants the full thrill without sacrificing quality. The stories, and Distortion in particular, are well written, thought provoking, and gripping. The emotional depth of the characters is well done, you feel everything they do along with them. Even as a single girl with no children I still felt Juliet's fear, shock, and hurt, her mama-bear attitude when someone goes after her children. This book engages your emotions and also your senses. I would suggest leaving the light on after reading Distortion at night....

Even the dramatic cover has a way of drawing the reader in and making them want to read the contents. I would definitely say kudos to the Zondervan team for their presentation of the story and also to Terri for once again leaving her readers begging for more.

Distortion is a must read for any fan of Terri Blackstock and Christian Suspense!

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Distortion by Terri Blackstock a 5 Bark rating.