by admin | Aug 29, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction
MY REVIEW:
“Home to Chicory Lane” is a story that focuses on following God and taking the time to see His hands in our lives. An emphasis on the importance of family and tough love was also woven throughout the narrative. This novel was a good, clean read with interesting characters and a faith-filled message. A contemporary novel, “Home to Chicory Lane” features two generations of the Whitman family. Grant and Audrey Whitman’s last of five children have left the nest and Audrey’s dream of turning the family home into a bed and breakfast is about to be realized. Little do they know that newly married daughter Landyn will show up right in the middle of their grand opening because she and her husband Chase have had a rift.
Overall, the plot progressed smoothly despite the changes in points of view. Reading it from the position of a parent with grown children of my own, I of course found myself sympathizing with Audrey and Grant, especially when Landyn came across as a spoiled brat during the first part of the story. I found myself frustrated with her attitude and felt that she had brought her troubles upon herself. I was happy to find that as the story progressed and Landyn and Chase faced several serious trials, both of them began to mature and make better choices as well as recognizing God’s blessings in their lives.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Landyn longs for home, but her mother may have other plans.
Audrey Whitman’s dreams are coming true. Now that their five kids are grown, she and her husband, Grant, are turning their beloved family home into a cozy bed and breakfast just a mile outside of Langhorne, Missouri.
Opening weekend makes Audrey anxious, with family and friends coming from all over to help celebrate the occasion. But when Audrey’s daughter, Landyn, arrives, the U-Haul she’s pulling makes it clear she’s not just here for a few days. Audrey immediately has questions. What happened in New York that sent Landyn running home? Where was Landyn’s husband, Chase? And what else was her daughter not telling her? One thing was for sure, the Chicory Inn was off to a rocky start. Can Audrey still realize her dream and at the same time provide the comfort of home her daughter so desperately needs?
Learn more and purchase a copy on Deborah’s website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Deborah Raney’s books have won numerous awards, including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken, recently traded small-town life in Kansas—the setting of many of Deborah’s novels—for life in the (relatively) big city of Wichita, where they enjoy gardening, antiquing, movies, and traveling to visit four children and a growing brood of grandchildren who all live much too far away. Visit Deborah on the web at DeborahRaney.com.
Find out more about Deborah at http://deborahraney.com.
$200 B&B Weekend Getaway Giveaway & 9/9 Facebook Party with Deborah Raney!
The first book in Deborah Raney‘s new Chicory Inn series, Home to Chicory Lane, introduces us to Audrey Whitman, a mother who has launched all her children into life and now looks forward to fulfilling some of her own dreams during her empty-nest years. However, not all of her children are ready to stay out of the nest quite yet.
Deborah is celebrating the release of her new series with a $200 B&B Weekend Getaway and a Facebook author chat party.
One winner will receive:
- A B&B Weekend Getaway (via a $200 Visa cash card)
- Home to Chicory Lane by Deborah Raney
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 9th. Winner will be announced at the Home to Chicory Lane Author Chat Party on 9/9. Deborah will be hosting a heartfelt book chat, giving away prizes, and answering questions from readers. She will also share an exclusive sneak peek at the next book in the Chicory Inn series!
So grab your copy of Home to Chicory Lane and join Deborah on the evening of September 9th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)
Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 9th!
by admin | Aug 26, 2014 | Appalachia, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
After reading my very first novel by Lisa Wingate, I became a forever fan of her work. I love that I often have the opportunity to review her novels but it is a certainty that I would purchase each and every one of them if I happened to miss receiving one for review. “The Story Keeper” is Lisa’s latest and greatest. I’m not 100% sure about the greatest because whatever book of hers that I happen to be reading is my current favorite. They are ALL so good that it is difficult for me to choose between them.
Books with Appalachian settings have always intrigued me so “The Story Keeper” came as a pleasant surprise. I loved the union of two stories in one that features an historic journal with a pivotal role in a contemporary story. The characters in both are so well-rounded that they began to feel like friends. The trials and tribulations of Sarra and Rand offered a peek into how difficult life could be in the mountains during that time frame. The bias against Melungeons was new to me and Sarra’s story inspired me to do a little research on them. It was quite easy to sympathize with Jen because I have a familiarity with similar family situations and know how difficult it can be to know where to draw the line when attempting to help.
I have always noticed how quotable Lisa’s novels can be and “The Story Keeper” is no exception. I wish I had taken the time to jot some of them down so I wouldn’t forget. Ahh…just another reason to go back and read it again! I really can’t say enough good things about this book. Everything about the story was spot on and I found it filled with history, romance, drama, a bit of mystery, inspiration, and faith. But most of all, Lisa has a way with words that always leaves me with something to think about after an enjoyable escape into her fictional world.
My only complaint is that Lisa just doesn’t write fast enough! Of course she is just human and I have to practice my patience. Can’t wait to see what she has for her readers next time.
This book was provided for review by Lisa Wingate’s Book Ambassadors.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When successful New York editor Jen Gibbs discovers a decaying slush-pile manuscript on her desk, she has no idea that the story of Sarra, a young mixed-race woman trapped in Appalachia at the turn of the twentieth century, will both take her on a journey and change her forever. Happy with her life in the city, and at the top of her career with a new job at Vida House Publishing, Jen has left her Appalachian past and twisted family ties far behind. But the search for the rest of the manuscript, and Jen’s suspicions about the identity of its unnamed author, will draw her into a mystery that leads back to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains . . . and quite possibly through the doors she thought she had closed forever.
Read a preview from The Story Keeper HERE.
Purchase a copy of The Story Keeper HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Wingate is a magazine columnist, speaker, and the author of nineteen mainstream novels, including the national bestseller, Tending Roses, now in its eighteenth printing. She is a seven-time ACFW Carol award nominee, a Christy Award nominee, and a two-time Carol Award winner. Her novel, Blue Moon Bay, was a Booklist Top Ten of 2012 pick. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others, as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life. When not dreaming up stories, Lisa spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women’s literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteers teach adults to read.
Lisa lives on a ranch in Texas, where she spoils the livestock, raises boys, and teaches Sunday school to high school seniors. She was inspired to become a writer by a first grade teacher who said she expected to see Lisa’s name in a magazine one day.
Lisa also entertained childhood dreams of being an Olympic gymnast and winning the National Finals Rodeo, but was stalled by the inability to do a back flip on the balance beam and parents who wouldn’t finance a rodeo career. She was lucky enough to marry into a big family of cowboys and southern storytellers who would inspire any lover of tall tales and interesting, yet profound characters. She is a full time writer, and pens inspirational fiction for both the general Christian markets. Of all the things she loves about her job, she loves connecting with people, both real and imaginary, the most. More information about Lisa’s novels can be found at www.Lisawingate.com.
by admin | Aug 26, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Quilts, Romance
MY REVIEW:
A Grand Design is a quickly read romantic novel set on Mackinac Island. In this story, a return trip to the island after many years away revives old memories and pain for Alyssa Denham. With the help of her best friend, her grandmother, and Scott Whitman, Alyssa begins to break down some of the walls she has so carefully built to protect herself.
The novel length was a bit too short for the author to go into as much depth as I might have preferred but she did manage to cover all the bases adequately. Her descriptions of the island were vivid and made me want to visit it. The characters were well defined but I would have liked to spend more time with them. A Grand Design is short and sweet and the perfect book for when you don’t have the time or notion to dig into something that requires more concentration.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A getaway on a charming island may be just what Alyssa needs—if only she can let go of her past.
When Alyssa Denham, a single career woman, wins a fun getaway for two on Mackinac Island where her grandmother lives, she gives her carefree best friend a call. Together, they tour the old shops and hidden treasures of the quaint island while helping Alyssa’s grandmother piece together an heirloom quilt. Their quest gains them entrance into the homes of many longtime residents of the island, parts of the city that are otherwise off limits to tourists.
As the quilt’s story takes shape, Alyssa gains amazing insight into her grandmother’s life . . . and attracts the attention of the handsome Scott Whitman, an island resident in charge of hotel transportation. Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will the quest to piece together the heirloom quilt restore Alyssa’s fractured heart—and bring healing to her entire family?
Find our more and purchase a copy at the Quilts of Love website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amber Stockton is an award?winning author, a national speaker, and a direct?sales brand partner with Nerium International. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have a daughter and a son, and an Aussie/retriever mix named Roxie. Three of her novels have won annual reader’s choice awards. Find out why readers love her by visiting her website AmberStockton.com.
Find out more about Amber at http://amberstockton.com.
Quilts of Love | A GRAND DESIGN – Kindle HDX Giveaway & “Fall into Fall” Facebook Party!
Don’t miss this month’s Quilts of Love book, A Grand Design by Amber Stockton. Who hasn’t struggled to let painful memories go and move into God’s healing? You’ll be sure to love this heartfelt and encouraging tale set on historic Mackinac Island.
Celebrate August’s release by entering to win a Kindle from Quilts of Love and RSVPing for the “Fall into Fall” Facebook author chat party.
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle HDX
- A Grand Design by Amber Stockton
- Hidden in the Stars by Robin Caroll
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 16th. Winner will be announced on the Quilts of Love blog. Plus make sure you RSVP to the October 7th author chat party with Amber Stockton and Robin Caroll for an evening of book chat, quilting tips and tricks, prizes, and more!
RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.
Hope to see you on October 7th!
by admin | Aug 20, 2014 | Books, Bosnia, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
I will be honest here – if I had paid more attention to the subject matter of this book, I probably would not have agreed to review it. Because I try to fulfill all my commitments, I began to read it. First of all I will say that writing flowed so naturally that it was easy to be drawn into the story. On the other hand, I really wanted to put it down after each chapter but I became so involved in Carla’s story that I had to keep reading. I so did not want to know about the atrocities that took place in Bosnia during that era of horrific ethnic genocide. Current news, especially from the Mideast, indicates that similar carnage is once again taking place (if it has ever stopped). My tendency is to want to bury my head in the sand and live in denial of all evil but of course that is impossible.
The main focus of “The Last Witness” is Carla Lane, one of the only survivors of one of the Serbian death camps twenty years earlier. After the death of her husband, Carla’s repressed memories of that time of her life return and she vows to find out what happened to her parents and brother and to make sure that the men responsible for so many deaths are punished. The plot moves along at a steady pace with details from the past filled in by entries from a journal written by her mother that survived with Carla. The story takes a few twists along the way with at least one major surprise in store.
“The Last Witness” is not an easy book to read. It contains some fairly graphic details that demonstrate the utter depths of depravity men can reach. The fact that the story is based on true historic events makes it that much more difficult to stomach. This novel is very well written with a powerful message but it is not for the faint of heart. I am sure the images in my mind will be with me for awhile.
This book was provided for review by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
After a massacre at a Bosnian prison camp, a young girl is found alone, clutching a diary, so traumatized she can’t even speak. Twenty years later, the last witness to the prison guards’ brutal crimes must hunt down those responsible to learn what happened to her family.
Twenty years ago, after the fall of Yugoslavia, the world watched in horror as tens of thousands were killed or imprisioned in work camps during an “ethnic cleansing” in Bosnia. Carla Lane has little knowledge of what went on halfway around the world when she was a child. She is living a near perfect life in New York City, married and soon to have a family of her own. But when her husband is murdered by a group of Serbian war criminals, strange memories start coming back, and she discovers that she underwent extensive therapy as a girl to suppress her memories. She is given her mother’s diary, which unlocks her childhood memories and reveals that she was, along with her parents and young brother, imprisoned in a war camp outside Sarajevo.
As her memories come back, it becomes clear that she is the last witness to a brutal massacre in the prison and that her brother may still be alive. She sets out to find her brother, but first she must hunt down the war criminals responsible for destroying her life. But these killers will stop at nothing to protect their anonymity and their deadly pasts…and are determined to silence the last witness to their crimes.
From the talented storyteller who gave us The Second Messiah, The Last Witness serves up another captivating and nail-biting thriller that will keep you holding your breath right to the end.
Read an excerpt from “The Last Witness” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Photograph © Fred Cannon
Glenn Meade was born in 1957 in Finglas, Dublin. Several of his novels have been international bestsellers, translated into more than twenty languages, and have enjoyed both critical and commercial success.
by admin | Aug 19, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Quilts, Romance
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingA Grand DesignAbingdon Press (August 19, 2014)byAmber StocktonABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Words from the author:
Hi, I’m Amber, but my friends call me Tiff, short for Tiffany, my first name. I am in my mid-30’s, married to the love of my life since July 2007, have a daughter and a son, and live in Colorado. Here, I am content to do what I love—write, speak, and offer virtual assistance.
Thanks to the gentle nudging of a fellow author — Tracie Peterson — in 2002, I joined the American Christian Fiction Writers and wouldn’t be published today without them. For those of you who are also fiction writers looking for a wonderful support group, check them out! My very first book, Promises, Promises, sold in December 2006 and released in February 2008. I’ve been going steady ever since.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When Alyssa Denham, a single career woman, wins a fun getaway for two on Mackinac Island where her grandmother lives, she gives her carefree best friend a call. Together, they tour the old shops and hidden treasures of the quaint island while helping Alyssa’s grandmother piece together an heirloom quilt. Their quest gains them entrance into the homes of many longtime residents of the island, parts of the city that are otherwise off limits to tourists.
As the quilt’s story takes shape, Alyssa gains amazing insight into her grandmother’s life . . . and attracts the attention of the handsome Scott Whitman, an island resident in charge of hotel transportation. Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will the quest to piece together the heirloom quilt restore Alyssa’s fractured heart—and bring healing to her entire family?
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Grand Design, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
A Grand Design is a quickly read romantic novel set on Mackinac Island. In this story, a return trip to the island after many years away revives old memories and pain for Alyssa Denham. With the help of her best friend, her grandmother, and Scott Whitman, Alyssa begins to break down some of the walls she has so carefully built to protect herself.
The novel length was a bit too short for the author to go into as much depth as I might have preferred but she did manage to cover all the bases adequately. Her descriptions of the island were vivid and made me want to visit it. The characters were well defined but I would have liked to spend more time with them. A Grand Design is short and sweet and the perfect book for when you don’t have the time or notion to dig into something that requires more concentration.
by admin | Aug 19, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Humor, Romance
MY REVIEW:
One thing I can count on when I open a novel by Janice Thompson is that I will be entertained. Her trademark sense of humor never fails to make me laugh and I can be sure to expect a sweet romance that will probably have a few hurdles to overcome before the happy ending. “A Bouquet of Love” met all my expectations 100% and I read through it in an afternoon.
In this particular novel, I did find that all the fun, humor, and romance helped to sweeten a strong dose of reality based medicine that made me stop in my tracks and examine myself. I know without a doubt that it was a message I needed to hear and it would probably be relevant to many if not most other Christians. How often do we go merrily through our days without realizing how our unloving attitudes toward others affects our testimony? Janice brought that across quite plainly through one of her characters as she confronted her husband about his behavior. I am thankful for the talent that enabled Janice to convey so much truth in such a palatable way.
As always, I enjoyed meeting up again with so many favorite characters from previous novels from more than one series. Love those gals from Splendora. I am afraid to say more because I don’t want to spoil the story for other readers. I will say that as long as Janice will keep writing her books, I will keep reading them. If you haven’t discovered her funny and romantic novels yet, don’t wait another day to read one. I think you will be a forever fan.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She didn’t expect to fall in love–but roses aren’t the only thing blooming on Galveston Island
Cassia Pappas has found herself in a nearly impossible situation. She wants to spend her time immersed in her new job at a Galveston Island floral shop, arranging blooms and brightening occasions with her lovely creations. But her boisterous Greek family–especially her father–has other ideas. They’ve all relocated to Galveston to open up a new family restaurant located on the Strand–directly across the street from iconic pizza place Parma John’s–and they want Cassia’s full participation.
To make matters worse, as Cassia is trying to develop a strong professional relationship with Galveston’s premier wedding coordinator, Bella Neeley, her own father is intent on stealing all of the Rossi family’s faithful customers. Not exactly the best way to get into this former Rossi’s good graces!
Still, at least Alex, that hot delivery guy from the nursery, is always hanging around the flower shop . . .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the hugely popular Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series, as well as Picture Perfect, The Icing on the Cake, and The Dream Dress. She lives in Texas. Learn more at www.janiceathompson.com.
