Wednesday, May 30, 2012

First Chapter Review: Dead Running by Cami Checketts



When this book was released, the author held a huge fitness giveaway. Though I didn't win, I received an email later on from Cami Checketts that said she was offering entrants a FREE Kindle version for a short period of time on Amazon. I went ahead and picked it up.

BLURB: Cassidy Christensen is running.

Running from the mercenaries who killed her parents.

Running from a scheming redhead intent on making her life miserable.

Running from painful memories that sabotage her dreams of happiness.

With two very tempting men competing for her attention, she hopes she'll finally have someone to run to, but can she trust either of them? When secrets from her past threaten her family, Cassidy decides to stop running and fight for her future.

COVER: Love it! The running woman ties into the plot of the story, as does the gun sight. I like how the woman is running in a creepy wooded area. It speaks of danger and suspense.

FIRST CHAPTER: Cassidy awakes one night to find her father struggling with an unknown man.
Four years later, Cassidy is running a 5K route with her pregnant sister-in-law, Raquel, when she makes a surprising discovery that forces her past to resurface.

KEEP READING:  Definitely. The cliff-hanger ending coupled with what appears to be a great plot makes me want to keep flipping the pages. Cassidy is a likable and funny character. Her banter with Raquel is so realistic. That said, the opening of this book is filled with suspense. There's no funny stuff there. When Cassidy wakes up to find her Dad arguing with a strange man, you feel the emotion of a scared daughter who wants to protect her father, while the father is determined to protect her. Checketts seems to be building a book that will nicely blend romance, suspense, and a dash of humor.

The book design of Dead Running is a bit unusual. Learning to Run appears to be the prologue and takes place four years before the 5K run chapter, which is titled, The First Run. Each subsequent chapter has its own title too. I'm not sure I'm fond of this format, because I wasn't sure what the first chapter was supposed to be, though I'm guessing it's The First Run. Not a big deal, but I really like to know all the details.

I'm eager to read more of this one. What happened to Cassidy's parents? Who are those strange guys she met? What else is there to know about the two good-looking men she met at the run? I'm hoping to find all the answers to these questions as I continue.

  • File Size: 423 KB
  • Print Length: 209 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: Birch River Publishing (March 27, 2012)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B007PJ70MA



  • I downloaded a free copy of this book for my Kindle from Amazon. I received no monetary compensation of any kind for this first chapter review.

    3 comments:

    brokenteepee said...

    Sounds like it will keep you in suspense 'til the end

    Cami Checketts said...

    Thanks, Cheryl. I really appreciate you sharing and hope you enjoy the book!

    Cami Checketts said...

    Thanks, Cheryl. I really appreciate you sharing and hope you enjoy the book!