Bookshelf Friday - The Chase

I was asked recently if I like every book I read. Nope. I don't. But that's not why I do Bookshelf Friday. My Fridays are for books I've liked and would pass on to friends. Some I may like more than others, but I don't post anything that wouldn't receive at least three stars. I follow the Goodreads Star system which is: 3-liked it, 4-really liked it, 5-it was amazing. You can check out my Goodreads shelf from my right side bar if you want to see those actual star ratings. Otherwise, my Fridays are simply chatting with friends about books I liked:)

Okay, now onto The Chase by DiAnn Mills. I purchased The Chase for my Kindle earlier this week--it's on sale for $2.99 and more than worth the price! I've read DiAnn before, and really like how she handles suspense. She writes strong characters with depth to them-we don't get to know them completely in the first chapter. Her stories slowly unfold while the action keeps moving. However, if you're looking for a strong romantic element then DiAnn might not be for you. While sparks of attraction--and sometimes a kiss or two--may make themselves into her book, the romance element is never the central theme. And that definitely holds true with The Chase.

One of my struggles with this book was the fact that her main character, Kariss, was a writer. At times I felt it was more DiAnn speaking--trying to make a point about the writing world--rather than Kariss. And while I liked the points she made, it pulled me from the story. I did like that this book was the first of a series centered around Kariss and the male lead, Tigo (at least that's how it appears when I read the first chapter of the next book). I find I enjoy series where I slowly get to know the main character and her life. I tend to get attached and don't like to say good-bye at the end of one book, so I'm excited Kariss and Tigo will be back.

Okay, here's a blurb:

To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.

Like I said, you can buy The Chase for your Kindle here for $2.99 (at least as of today still). Or you can purchase a hard copy here.

Have a great weekend! I won't be here on Monday - I'm finishing my spring break with family and friends and celebrating Easter! Many blessings to you all and I'll see you on Wednesday:)