Deliver Us from Evil

Something I discovered during my fast from books was how much I used them to cope with every day life. I read while I'm waiting in the doctor's office, at the bus stop for Mia, and on long car trips. I also have a book in my hand whenever I'm sitting down. I rarely watch television without reading too. As I was preparing for the fast, I had to turn down several blog tours that I really wanted to participate in. I have authors whom I follow closely and read everything they write. Turning down the opportunity to get their books for free was pretty difficult.

After the surgery, I ended up fasting from books again for about 36 hours. I felt so miserable during recovery, that while I had a book on the table next to the bed, I didn't have the strength or interest in opening it. I was teased by the doctor and nurses pre-surgery, because I kept a book in my hands right up until they wheeled me into the operating room! I really do love to read.

I couldn't wait to get back on the reading train, and I was thrilled that Jane Kirkpatrick would be one of the first authors I would break my fast with. I have found however, that just because I missed reading, doesn't mean that just any book would fill the void. I'm still just as picky, but I am working on expanding my comfort zone. I just finished a historical epic by Anne Perry, The Sheen on the Silk, that is a considerable break from her usual Victorian era mysteries. It didn't hold my interest as much as it could have, but I loved her examination of religion vs faith. I also have a mystery by Donald Westlake on my shelf, written mid-20th century, it's not my usual oeuvre, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

Deliver Us from Evil by Robin Carroll is the first book in an unnamed series about about law enforcers in the South. Brannon Callahan is good at her job as a search and rescue helicopter pilot in the Great Smoky National Park. She's called in to rescue a downed chopper carrying a US marshall named Roark Holland who is bringing a donor heart to the only witness who can bring down a child trafficking ring. They end up on the run for their lives after a sniper takes out her chopper and kills another pilot and an EMT. I was a bit disappointed in the villain; he was obvious from his first appearance on the page (he was smoking in a Christian book, hello!), and many of the other plot points were equally obvious. Brannon and Roark's relationship is the saving grace of the story as they each struggle to let go of previous pain and fear and come together. I hope that in the sequel, Fear No Evil, Carroll has given more time to character and plot development. Her nail-biting action scenes will keep readers turning pages until the very end.

Thank you to B&H Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

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