Intervention by Terri Blackstock
Barbara Covington has one more chance to save her daughter from a devastating addiction, by staging an intervention. But when eighteen-year-old Emily disappears on the way to drug treatment—and her interventionist is found dead at the airport—Barbara enters her darkest nightmare of all.

The panic level rises as the mysteries intensify: Did Emily’s obsession with drugs lead her to commit murder—or is she another victim of a cold-blooded killer?

This book is an awesome example of motherly love. Barbara is still grieving over the loss of her husband from a couple of years ago. Her spouse’s death has caused her daughter, Emily, to “act out” and get addicted to drugs. Emily’s behavior has gotten so bad that Barbara finds that she has to stage an intervention to save her child. The interventionist arrives and Emily freaks out, not wanting to hear the letters that her mother and her brother have written about her irratic and destructive behavior. However, once Emily arrives via plane, with the interventionist at the airport where the drug recovery center is located, minutes later, the interventionist is found dead and Emily is missing.

In spite of Emily’s reputation being harmed since the press identifies her as the apparant killer, Barbara knows better. She knows her daughter would never kill, in spite of her recent drug addictions and strange behavior. Barbara is determined to find her daughter, her gut telling her that her child is still alive. Her fourteen year old son Lance also helps with trying to find his sister, not believing his sibling is capable of murder.

This book takes a strange twist as we learn about a detective’s lack of faith in God, and about a demented doctor’s quest to get revenge against the drug recovery facility that “killed” his daughter.

As with Blackstock’s books, this was a suspenseful read that you won’t want to put down – a real page turner.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Dawn’s Light by Terri BlackstockPaperback: 411 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (May 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310257700
ISBN-13: 978-0310257707
In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to the age before electricity, the Brannings face a choice. Will they hoard their possessions to survive—or trust God to provide as they offer their resources to others? #1 bestselling suspense author Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if series in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts—and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world. As the Pulses that caused the outage are finally coming to an end, thirteen-year-old Beth Branning witnesses a murder. Threatened by the killer, she keeps the matter to herself. But her silence could cost her life. Meanwhile, as Deni’s ex-fiance returns to Crockett with a newfound faith and the influence to get things done, Deni is torn between the man who can fulfill all her dreams and Mark Green, the man who inhabits them. As the world slowly emerges from the crisis, the Brannings face their toughest crisis yet. Will God require more of them than they’ve already given? How will they keep their faith if he doesn’t answer their prayers?

This book continues Terri Blackstock’s saga that involves all of the world’s electronics and electricity – both segments cease to work, leaving people scrounging for food, water, and survival since there is no way to transport food and there is no heat or electricity to cook or clean. People still struggle to survive, but the book opens with the lean times getting a bit better, the banks open and customers are allowed to withdraw 2% of the balance shown on the last printed bank statement they received. Thirteen year old Beth Branning sneaks to the bank to see the action, and instead finds herself the witness to a brutal murder. The murderer threatens Beth and her family if she mentions what she’s seen that day. Scared, Beth suffers in silence while her family struggles to understand what kind of demons are haunting her.

Meanwhile, Deni Branning is falling in love with Mark, a Christian neighbor. When Deni’s unsaved ex-fiance, Craig, surpisingly appears from Washington, he makes a big announcement: He’s saved now, and he wants to court Deni again. Deni is torn – Craig has major pull in Washington and he might have the power to get all of the lights in their district turned back on before the others since the Pulses is now over and in a matter of time, things could be back to normal.

When Beth is hurt, Craig comes to the rescue, and Deni is somewhat drawn to Craig’s newfound kindness. What should she do?

I thought the ending to this book was bittersweet. I think I would have had a somewhat different ending. I thought the book was enjoyable and it was a quick fast read that held my interest.

I also noticed that this book alters the way that I think about some things. Like, when my son doesn’t finish his food on his plate, and I throw it away, I remember how the characters in Terri’s books are starving and about how they’d enjoy the food that I’m tossing in the garbage! I know that’s weird, but I think it’s because we’re a land of plenty, but wouldn’t realize it until a crises of this magnitude were to happen, and it would change our attitudes and perceptions about life drastically.

I reviewed the other three novels in this series, here, here, and here.

I emailed Terri Blackstock to ask her some questions about this series and she responded:
How did you come up with the Restoration Series idea?
I came up with the idea when we were all preparing for Y2k (the turn of the century). We thought computers would crash and our power grid would fail. The whole thing captured my imagination. When it didn’t happen, I decided to create an event like that on my own.

Did you lose power and wonder what would happen …?
While I was writing Night Light, Book Two, Katrina hit my state. My power was out for several days, and we had to sit in line for three hours or more to get gas, so I was kind of thrust into the world I was writing about. It turned out to be great research and helped me with the rest of the series.

I hope that helps. Thanks for asking, and for blogging about the series.

You’re welcome, Terry, and I really enjoyed the series! You provided me with several hours of reading pleasure!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Night Light by Terri BlackstockPaperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (July 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310257689
ISBN-13: 978-0310257684
From the Back Cover
In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to the age before electricity, the Brannings face a choice. Will they hoard their possessions to survive or trust God to provide as they offer their resources to others? #1 bestselling suspense author Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if series in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world. An era unlike any in modern civilization is descending, one without lights, electronics, running water, or automobiles. As a global blackout lengthens into months, the neighbors of Oak Hollow grapple with a chilling realization: the power may never return. Survival has become a lifestyle. When two young thieves break into the Brannings home and clean out the food in their pantry, Jeff Branning tracks them to a filthy apartment and discovers a family of children living alone, stealing to stay alive. Where is their mother? The search for answers uncovers a trail of desperation and murder . . . and for the Brannings, a powerful new purpose that can transform their entire community and above all, themselves.

I reviewed the first book in this series here. I can see why this author is a #1 best-selling writer! I was so impressed by the first book that I ordered the rest of this series from Amazon! I kept thinking about the characters and the fact that the lights, electricity and electronics had not been restored by the end of the first book. The characters never left my mind so I eagerly started the second book in the series months later. This book won’t disappoint you! The world is still without power and mankind is still scavenging for food and clean water. Most of the residents of Oak Hollow have banded together to stay alive. They’ve combined their manpower to build a well, so that they can have clean water to drink. Food is still scarce and when the Brannings find children stealing their food, they discover that the youngsters are living in a dirty apartment building, alone.

The children come to live with the Brannings and the family wonders if they’ll have enough food to feed the extra youngsters. Meanwhile, technology in the world does get a slight boost when it’s discovered that old automobiles, build in the seventies and before that, will work because they don’t use a microchip.

Meanwhile, Deni Branning wonders about her fiance. He doesn’t seem to care that’s she’s almost gotten killed during the blackout. Should she breakup with him?

I highly recommend this novel. The story will keep you entertained for hours. Blackstock is one of my favorite authors. Her suspense is extremely intriquing.

~Cecelia Dowdy~