Monday, January 13, 2025

CRISS CROSS and CROSS FIRE by C. C. Warrens, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney


REBECCA'S REVIEWS:

HOLLY SERIES #1 CRISS CROSS


"Someone had tracked me down  . . . "

Terrified that her crazed nemesis had located her once again, Holly Smith (as she calls herself) is on full alert. Having moved over and over again to evade him, Holly desperately wants to remain where she is, in a small basement hovel with a steel door and multiple dead bolts. She has one person whom she considers a friend, an oversized cat and a trusty camera. Little does she know . . . the woods will be taunting her again.

Detective Richard Marx has a lot of questions for the petite woman who just managed to evade a brutal attack from two men; one being twice her size and the second one was dead; curious. Within minutes Marx is introduced to Holly's impenetrable emotional walls, the lady isn't all that keen on giving up answers. Recognizing the obvious signs of trauma, he records some basic facts, sends her home, and shows up at her dooe the very next day. As Marx begins to pull on the worn threads of Holly's story, what he discovers is too painful to put into words . . . and there are ten years of her life that she doesn't even remember.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Such a engaging style! Utilizing unique characters, bits of humor, an astounding plot and a steady reminder of God's presence, the author softens the edges of what could be a story drowning in darkness and deftly transforms it into a backdrop for His marvelous light. Part mystery, part suspense, part thriller, this endearing journey of survival will leave readers breathless, before they come to their senses, and frantically clamor for more!
*I purchased the book and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 4.5 stars
 
BackCover Blurb:
Safety is just an illusion...
An illusion shattered by the whisper of footsteps in the darkness behind her.

Holly has drifted from one place to the next for as long as she can remember, never settling long enough to build a life. It's the only way she knows how to survive in a world that has no place for someone like her. But when mysterious footsteps follow her home, and she finds a cryptic note taped to her door, she realizes she's stayed too long.

The man she's hiding from has found her. But how?

When people start dying and old, forgotten memories begin to surface, Holly finds herself wrapped up in a terrifying mystery with God, a pushy Southern detective, and a killer with one thing on his mind: her.

SEE PAULA'S REVIEW

HOLLY SERIES #2 CROSS FIRE

"God, please give me the strength not to run. Running is so much easier than fighting  . . . Give me the courage to stand in the face of my fears. Amen."

Courage. Courage to stand. Courage to stay. It was a constant battle, and one that Holly Cross realized that she could not fight without a measure of divine intervention. Her devious, cruel, incredibly demented foster brother Collin was taunting her again with his presence, and Holly wasn't at all sure that even three, strong, able-bodied law enforcement officers would be able to keep her safe.

Adding to everyone's angst was the fact that Holly had caught the attention of a narcotics ring, one that Detective Richard Marx was working very hard to dismantle. When trouble comes calling, her self-appointed ring of protection had no choice but to move her to a secure location. . . which made Holly want to run all the more.

"Because as much as I like zebras  . . . " Who would have thought that a ridiculous pink zebra table might save her life?


Another riveting story that is terribly difficult to put down! Digging deep into the after-effects of childhood trauma, these kind and heroic characters prove their determination to love Holly wholly and unconditionally, protecting her at great risk to their own lives. Thankfully the tension is routinely broken with snippets of entertaining dialogue and incredibly inspiring prayers of faith.

*I purchased the book and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.
 

BackCover Blurb:
Stand and fight . . .
Or flee and survive.

Collin Wells is no ordinary foster brother. He is evil wrapped in human skin — a living, breathing nightmare, and when he steps back into Holly's life, she's faced with a choice:

Trust the people who claim they can keep her safe, or trust the instincts that have kept her alive for the past fourteen years.

As the threads of her life begin to unravel around her, leaving her terrified, displaced from her home, and caught in the middle of a drug battle, she can't help but wonder if she made the wrong choice. 

See the Holly Series 1-3 at Amazon, Available in digital ebook, paperback, or audiobook

No comments:

Post a Comment

Share This Post

How Our Giveaways Work: The Official Rules

We, the ladies of Inkwell Inspirations, would love to give free stuff to everybody. Since we can't, we will often have a giveaway in conjunction with a specific post. Unless otherwise stated, one winner will be drawn from comments left on that post between the date it was published and the end of the giveaway as determined in the post. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address. This address is used only to contact the commenter in the event that he/she is the winner, and will not be sold, distributed, or used in any other fashion. The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. NO PURCHASE, PLEDGE, OR DONATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Pinterest