What I'm Reading

Hey everyone!  I'm trying to mix things up a bit here on my blog, and add in a few things other than home decor.  My home and how I decorate is absolutely a great passion of mine, but my "authentic" self wants to have more balance in my life.  Ricki Jill at Art @ Home is one of my "besties."  She's very talented as an artist, is an avid reader and does the best book reviews on her Literary Fridays linky party.  I think I would find myself in such a "rut" without people like Ricki Jill to add some "class and sophistication" into my life.  I've even added a Pinterest board just for books I want to read, many of those selections are a direct result of Ricki Jill's recommendations.  Anyway, this is my attempt at broadening my horizons and sharing what I've been reading.  Just to preface, I'm a very slow reader, so linking up every Friday is probably not going to happen.....lol!

J.A. Jance is a New York Times best selling author.  She has written many books featuring several distinct characters -- Joanna Brady- Cochise County Sheriff, Ali Reynolds- Media Relations Consultant  for the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office, and J.P. Beaumont- Seattle Special Homicide Investigator.  I was first drawn to Jance because of the Joanna Brady books that centered in my home state and in areas of the state that I am very familiar with.  Then I accidentally stumbled upon the J.P. Beaumont character and really enjoyed his character, especially after having lived for many years in the Northwest and very close to Seattle.  This current book features a character, Ali Reynolds, who was new to me; but again an Arizona character.  This time it's Sedona, another favorite area of mine.

'Trial by Fire'

As posted on Amazon:

In the heat of the Arizona desert, a raging fire pushes temperatures to a deadly degree, and one woman is left to burn. Pulled naked and barely breathing from the fire, the victim has no idea who she is, let alone who would do this to her—or why. In her hospital bed she drifts in and out of consciousness, her only means of communicating a blink of the eye. And then an angel appears. Known around town as the “Angel of Death,” Sister Anselm has devoted her life to working as an advocate for unidentified patients. To her burn patient, she is a savior. But to this Jane Doe’s would-be killer, Sister Anselm’s efforts pose a serious threat.

Ali Reynolds is on the scene as the new media relations consultant for the Yavapai County Police Department, keeping reporters at bay and circumventing questions about arson and a link to a domestic terrorist group called Earth Liberation Front. But her job quickly becomes much more. As Ali struggles to help Sister Anselm uncover the helpless woman’s identity, they realize that by locating the missing relatives they may be exposing the victim once more to a remorseless killer determined to finish the job. Faced with the possibility of putting all three of their lives in jeopardy, Ali fearlessly pursues justice—and what she discovers is a secret even darker and more twisted than she ever could have imagined.  

Jance novels are an easy and quick read.  I enjoy books that are easy to put down and pick back up, without losing (or in my case, forgetting) the plot line.  I consider novels like this as good "filler" reads when I've been actively reading an intense series, like Diana Gabaldon's 'Outlander' series.  Sometimes I just need to pull away from those for a bit, so Jance is one of my "go-to" writers.

Hope you have a great Sunday!