by admin | Feb 25, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Quilts, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Scraps of Evidence has a fast-moving plot that follows a team of St. Augustine, Florida detectives as they work to solve the newest case in what appears to be a series of serial murders that began with Tess’s best friend in high school. As in all the books of the Quilts of Love series, quilts are a featured element in the story. Tess finds that quilting to be great stress relief from her demanding job as a police detective and spends hours at her Aunt Kathy’s quilt shop. Her new partner Logan finds Tess and her many talents to be a bit more attractive than might be appropriate for their job but they work well together and make a good team.
Scraps of Evidence is enjoyable with just the right amount of action, mystery, and romance. I recommend it as well as all the other books in the Quilts of Love series. I enjoyed following Logan and Tess through the streets of St. Augustine, a city I have always enjoyed visiting. Many seemingly insignificant incidents are eventually pieced together to create a comprehensive picture that is finally solved through clues in Aunt Kathy’s favorite quilt. I had my suspicions all along but the author kept me in the dark until the end.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Tess has taken some ribbing from her fellow officer, Logan,for her quilting hobby. He finds it hard to align the brisk professional officer he patrols with during the day with the one who quilts in her off-time. Besides, he’s been trying to get to know her better and he’d like to be seeing her during those couple nights a week she spends with her quilting guild.
Then one afternoon Tess and Logan visit her aunt in the nursing home and she acts agitated when Tess covers her with the story quilt. Aunt Susan seems to be communicating a message to them about Tess’s uncle. There’s a story behind this quilt, they realize, one that may lead them to a serial killer. Will they have a chance to have a future together or will the killer choose Tess for his next victim before they find him?
Learn more about this book and the series at the Quilts of Love website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Barbara Cameron is a best-selling author who has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the author of more than 38 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Barbara is a former newspaper reporter. Some of her non-fiction titles include the “Everything Weddings on a Budget Book” and “Her Restless Heart: A Woman’s Longing for Love and Acceptance.” Cameron currently resides in Edgewater, Florida.Find out more about Barbara at
http://barbaracameron.com.
Barbara Cameron‘s Scraps of Evidence is the newest book in the Quilts of Love line, and Barbara is celebrating with an “intriguing” Kindle HDX giveaway!
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HDX
- Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
- Tempest’s Course by Lynette Sowell
- Aloha Rose by Lisa Carter
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 8th. Winner will be announced on the Quilts of Love blog on March 10th.
Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.
by admin | Feb 20, 2014 | Amish, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Teen, Young Adult
MY REVIEW:
I opted in to review “My Amish Boyfriend” because I always enjoy books by Melody Carlson. I was not overjoyed to have to read another Amish novel because it seems that I get more than my share of them to review. Fortunately, Carlson’s take on Amish fiction did not follow the usual pattern.
With her usual attention to detail, the author brings her readers a story about a sixteen-year-old city girl whose big plans for her summer vacation are preempted by her mother’s mysterious illness. Shannon and her mother find themselves on a bus to live with relatives Shannon was not aware existed. When they arrived at their destination, she was further surprised to learn that they were Amish. Shannon makes a good effort to adapt to the new lifestyle while helping take care of her mother. A good-looking Amish guy seems interested in her so Shannon finds her summer to be looking better all the time.
On the surface, “My Amish Boyfriend” may seem to be a fairly shallow teen romance story. I wanted to warn Shannon over and over about Ezra’s real intentions but fortunately she came to her senses before it was too late. In fact, I loved watching Shannon mature almost before my eyes as she made every effort to be a part of her new family and to help her mother recover. As always, Melody Carlson has written a simple story with deep spiritual truth.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Shannon’s summer just got a whole lot more . . . Amish?
Shannon McNamara has exciting plans for the summer–getting her driver’s license, a job, and more–and she can’t wait to dive in. But her ill mother has plans of her own: to relocate them both to the heart of Amish country in Ohio where she has relatives who can help her.
Turns out a “simple” life is actually a lot of hard work. But when a hot young Amish guy named Ezra enters the picture, Shannon’s ready to get an Amish makeover and even consider making it a permanent change. Will these plans come crashing down around her too? Or can she really make the jump into a whole new way of life?
Teen favorite Melody Carlson brings fans another surprising story of worlds–and families–colliding.
Read an excerpt from “My Amish Boyfriend” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, including the Life at Kingston High series, the Dating Games series, Double Take, and A Simple Song. She has received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice. Melody and her husband live in Oregon. Find out more HERE.
by admin | Feb 12, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction
MY REVIEW:
The Sinners’ Garden is one of those books that will not be quickly forgotten. I fully expect that various events from the novel will pop into my mind or dreams from out of the blue. It is a beautifully crafted story with a supernatural ambiance that captured my imagination yet left me with some thoughts to ponder.
It was easy for me to connect with the characters of The Sinners’ Garden. They are fairly normal people, although each is emotionally broken in some way. Pain or grief has been a constant companion to some of them. Each is desperately in need of healing. Another thing they have in common is their need for God but like many of us, they are so busy trying to earn His love or feeling unworthy of His attention, that they completely miss His free gift of grace. But God has chosen as unique way to get their attention that is a predominate factor in the plot.
With a strong cast of characters, a well-paced plot, a good dose of mystery and suspense, and a reasonably strong emphasis on faith and forgiveness, The Sinners’ Garden is nearly perfection. There were several scenes where sharing the message of salvation would have fit quite well and would have been so appropriate. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed The Sinners’ Garden and look forward to future books by this author.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In the small Lake Erie township of Benning, someone is at work cultivating a supernatural garden …
Andy Kemp’s young life has been as ravaged as his scarred face. Disfigured by an abusive father, the teenager hides behind his books and an impenetrable wall of cynicism and anger.
As Andy’s mother struggles to reconnect with him, his Uncle Rip returns transformed from a stint in prison and wants to be a mentor to the reclusive boy, doing everything he can to help end Andy’s pain. When Andy begins hearing strange music through his iPod and making near-prophetic announcements, Rip is convinced that what Andy is hearing is the voice of God.
Elsewhere, police officer Heather Gerisch responds to a late-night breaking and entering in one of the poorest homes in town. She soon realizes that the masked prowler has left thousands of dollars in gift cards from a local grocery store.
As the bizarre break-ins continue and Heather pursues the elusive “Summer Santa,” Andy and Rip discover an enormous and well-kept garden of wildflowers that seems to have grown overnight at an abandoned steel mill.
Soon, they realize who the gardener is, and a spree of miracles transfigures this small town from a place of hopelessness into a place of healing and beauty.
Purchase a copy HERE.
Read an excerpt from The Sinners’ Garden HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Over the course of his life, William Sirls has experienced both great highs and tremendous lows–some born of chance, some born of choice. Life lessons involving faith, grace, and forgiveness are evident in his writing. “The Sinners’ Garden” is his second novel. His first novel, “The Reason,” was published in 2012. William makes his home in southern Michigan.
Learn more at William’s website.
by admin | Feb 10, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
“Friend Me” is a contemporary suspense filled novel that could be a harbinger of where current social media could take us if we are not careful. The idea of being able to create virtual friends who actually interact with their creators is unique and many people would jump on the bandwagon in an instant. However Faubion’s tale gives the reader a warning about what could happen when the person behind the scenes is both mentally disturbed and unethical.
The story of Scott and Rachel’s marital problems is one to which untold numbers of husbands and wives could relate – a husband whose work is so demanding that he is unable to spend quality time with his wife and children and a wife whose life is spent in the presence of young children with very little adult conversation. As a result both husband and wife begin to feel unappreciated and unloved and begin to grow apart. In the case of Scott and Rachel, they were both ripe for the picking when they discovered the virtual friend service. Neither of them expected their experience to turn into a living nightmare.
For me, the beginning moved a bit slowly and was filled with more details than I wanted. It took me awhile to connect with the primary characters. Scott and Rachel were obviously Christians who tried to live according to their beliefs and were genuinely remorseful when they failed. Their faith was an integral part of the storyline without being intrusive. After several chapters the plot began to move along and I wanted to keep reading in order to find out what was going to happen. The ending was climatic yet just a little rushed . Overall, I found “Friend Me” to be an interesting concept that made a suspenseful story.
Although the author was able to tactfully convey Scott’s improper relationship with his virtual girlfriend without unnecessary details, there are a few somewhat violent and/or disturbing scenes that I would consider mature content. I would advise parents to read “Friend Me” and judge for themselves whether it is appropriate reading for their teens.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When a lonely wife and her frustrated husband each secretly pursue companionship online, neither dreams that a real woman is behind their virtual creations, threatening their marriage—and their lives.
Scott and Rachel’s marriage is on the brink of disaster. Scott, a businessman with a high-pressure job, just wants Rachel to understand him and accept his flaws. Rachel is a lonely housewife, desperate for attention and friendship. So she decides to create a virtual friend online, unaware that Scott is doing the exact same thing. As Rachel desperately tries to re-create a friendship with a friend who has passed, Scott becomes unfaithful and is torn between the love for his wife and the perfection of his cyber-girlfriend. But neither realizes that there’s a much larger problem looming…
Behind both of their online creations is Melissa, a woman who is brilliant—and totally insane. Masquerading as both friend and lover, Melissa programmed a search parameter into the virtual friend software to find her perfect man, but along the way she forgot to specify his marriage status. And Scott is her ideal match. Now Melissa is determined to have it all—Scott, his family, and Rachel’s life.
As Melissa grows bolder and her online manipulations transition into the real world, Scott and Rachel figure out they are being played. Now it’s a race against time as Scott and Rachel fight to save their marriage, and their lives, before it’s too late.
In today’s digital age, the Internet presents all kinds of opportunities to test our personal boundaries, and this exciting and suspenseful story raises important questions about the ethics of virtual relationships. Friend Me will open your eyes to a new—and terrifying—moral dimensions and how they play out in the real world.
Purchase copy and learn more at John’s website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Faubion has spent many years in Asia as a missionary with his family. Since returning to the United States, John has worked as a senior software developer for a large appliance chain. He teaches an adult Sunday school class and enjoys writing and driving his 1949 Packard automobile. John lives near Indianapolis with his wife, Beth, and their daughter.
by admin | Feb 10, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Valentine's Day
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingOnce Upon a Winter’s HeartCenter Street (January 7, 2014)byMelody CarlsonABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from pre-school teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eight years, she has published over ninety books for children, teens, and adults–with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards.
She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Emma Burcelli has suffered over a decade of dating disasters. But she concludes that love is officially dead when her grandfather Poppi suddenly passes, leaving her grandmother Nona devastated. To help out, Emma works in the family bookstore, which Nona insists must be decked out in sweetheart décor as Poppi would have done for Valentine’s Day. Although she feels like a V-Day Scrooge, Emma quickly learns to enjoy the task with the help of a handsome family friend, Lane Forester, who shows her that hanging hearts is much more fun when done to the tune of Dean Martin. As Emma and Lane share time and memories of Poppi, she reconsiders the notion that romance is alive.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Once Upon a Winter’s Heart, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
I have come to look forward to Melody’s newest Christmas novella each year – it just wouldn’t be Christmas without one! After reading Once Upon a Winter’s Heart, I vote for a new tradition of an annual Valentine’s Day book as well. In true Carlson style, this novel is a tender romantic story that also gets to the heart of what constitutes a good marriage and/or relationship.
A quick read, Once Upon a Winter’s Heart is a story about Emma, a young woman who has given up on finding true love when she finally meets a man who seems to be everything she has ever desired. Naturally there are complications and Emma tries her best to keep her heart intact. I loved Emma’s devotion to her family, her loyalty to her sister, and her love for her nephew. Lane was such an encourager that I hoped he and Emma would end up together.
A sweet romance with a Valentine theme, Once Upon a Winter’s Heart is sure to be an encouragement to those who have almost given up on finding their perfect match.
by admin | Feb 8, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Home at Last is a short but sweet romance that can easily be read in one sitting – at least for me! It features Olivia Lamington, a woman approaching the age of forty who has had almost no interaction with men and has never even been kissed. Her background is tragic but she has maintained her innocence, her integrity, and most of all her total trust in God. At the death of her employer of twenty years, Olivia has inherited his estate. Unexpectedly, the long presumed dead heir returns to make amends with his father but he is a few weeks too late.
This story is one of those that borders right on the edge of belief but is just so good and sweet that you can’t help but love it. It paints a picture of how we wish things could be – that there really are those whose hearts are as pure as Olivia’s and who still possess the wonder of a child. Although Noah has traveled the world and is somewhat jaded, Olivia touches something in him that makes him hope once more. I loved the way that each of them encouraged the other to face the pain from their past.
Filled with humor, romance, emotional scenes, and secrets that are revealed, Home at Last is the perfect book to help you wind down after a hectic week.
The author provided a free copy of this book for my honest review.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Olivia Lamington’s never had a home or family
When her late employer leaves Bromfeld Manor to her, Olivia feels secure for the first time in her life. Then Bromfeld’s prodigal son returns, challenging her claim to the estate—and everything Olivia understands about family…and love.
The woman his father left his fortune to is as beautiful as she is innocent, which is why Noah Bromfeld offers to let Olivia stay while he settles his father’s affairs. The closer he gets to Olivia, though, the more Noah wonders if this sweet beauty is the key to his future. But will his dark past destroy his only hope for happiness?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.
