Conspiracy of Silence by Ronie Kendig

I know when a book has the name of Ronie Kendig on the cover it will be a fast paced book with well developed characters and a lot of research put into it. Ms. Kendig's newest novel, Conspiracy of Silence is book one of her new series "The Tox Files" and as expected, it is fast paced and full of twists and turns as the reader is taken to different places on the globe.

Back Cover Blurb

This Is the Way the World Ends. 

Four years after a tragic mission decimated his team, Cole "Tox" Russell has been disavowed by the United States. And that's fine--he just wants to be left alone. But when a dormant, centuries-old disease is unleashed, Tox is lured back into action.
 
Tox and his former Special Forces team regroup to work with FBI deception expert, Kasey Cortes, and fiery archaeologist, Tzivia Khalon, to search the globe for answers--and a cure. As the mission leads from one continent to another, it becomes clear they're not just fighting a plague but battling an ancient secret society whose true goals remain hidden.
 
With time running out and the threat for a global pandemic rising, Tox and his team realize their sole chance might be to reach back through centuries of silence to find the only answer that can save them all.

My Thoughts

This novel is filled with lots of suspense centering around a military ops team that has been brought in to stop a terrorist from releasing a deadly toxin that originated during biblical times. The characters involved are well defined and pull the reader into their fast paced story.

While I enjoyed getting to know the characters I didn't love them a whole lot. I think the story was so fast paced that I sometimes got lost along the way. However, I did love the historical background within this book and found myself quite impressed by the obvious research the author put into this book.

I you like fast paced action novels, this book is definitely for you. There is also a little romance in it as well.

On a 5-Star scale - 4 Stars.

I would like to thank the publisher, Bethany House for my copy of Conspiracy of Silence. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review.

Smiles & Blessings,

NKJV Know the Word Study Bible

Back of Book Jacket:

DON'T SETTLE FOR BEING A READER WHEN YOU AN BE A STUDENT OF GOD'S WORD.

Have you ever felt doverwhelmed by the thought of studying the Bible? The NKJV Know the Word Study Bible make it easy for you to understand God's Word. By breaking down key Bible topics and the books of the Bible into bite size portions, this Bible makes studying Scripture an approachable and rewarding experience. Readers can choose to study book by book, verse by verse, or topic by topic. Whether you choose one approach or all three, the NKJV Know the Word Study Bible gives you practical tools to develop a pattern of regular Bible study. Gain a deeper understanding of Scripture. Grow your relationship with God.

My Thoughts:

I loved this Bible. As mentioned above, you have three choices on how to study this Bible. If you choose book-by-book you'll find a series of notes that lead you through the main points of each book of the Bible. If you choose verse-by-verse you will find notes that will help you dig deeper into God's word. Your third choice, is to study topic-by-topic. Throughout this Bible you will find topic-by-topic studies that cover 21 theological topics that will guide you through a series of insightful notes and give you a thorough biblical understanding of each topic.

This Bible is a red-letter edition with a concordance in the back as well as colored maps. It is easy to maneuver through and I would highly suggest it to anyone who would like a good Study Bible.

I would like to thank BookLook Bloggers for my copy of NKJV Know the Word Study Bible. I received my copy for free in order to give my honest review.

Smiles & Blessings,

Pursuing Gold by Cynthia L. Simmons

I have always enjoyed reading books about the Civil War period, so I couldn't pass up the chance to read Pursuing Gold by Cynthia L. Simmons. In this novel, Ms. Simmons brings information to the reader regarding the banking industry during the Civil War.

Back of Book Blurb

With his father dead and his business partner incapacitated, Peter Chandler inherits the leadership of a bank in economic crisis. Peter, with only a newly-minted college degree and little experience, joins his partner's daughter, Mary Beth Roper, in a struggle to keep C&R Bank afloat while the Civil War rages around Chattanooga. Political pressure for unsecured loans of gold to the government stirs up trouble as tempers and prices rise. Their problems multiply when Mary Beth discovers counterfeit money with Peter's forged signature. Can they find the forger before the bank fails? The two friends must pursue gold on behalf of their business, as they learn to pursue their heavenly Father to find hope and peace.

My Thoughts:

The story started out a little slow for me as I waded through the dialogue that flooded the first few chapters. But as the plot began to develop I was engrossed in the twists and turns that kept me turning the pages.

Sadly, I was never drawn into the story like I wanted to be. I think this is partly due to quite a few grammatical errors within the book. Each time I encountered one I had to stop and re-read what I had just read in order to figure out what the author meant.

The characters never truly came alive for me, but I did care about them and I was rooting them on throughout the story.

If you like books written about the Civil War period you might like this book. Please keep in mind that it is more "behind the scenes" and not on the front lines of the battle.

On a 5-Star scale = 3 1/2 stars.

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity for my copy of Pursuing Gold. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review.

Smiles & Blessings,