by admin | Mar 14, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Southern
MY REVIEW:
“A Stillness of Chimes” is a haunting but beautiful Southern tale chock full of childhood friends, lost love,forgotten faith, and dark family secrets in a charming Georgia town where everything is not as it seems. It is a book I did not want to put down once I began reading. The plot and its characters pulled me into the pages so thoroughly that I had to find out what would happen next.
I enjoyed everything about “A Stillness of Chimes”, the interaction between characters, the mystery of a long believed dead man suddenly reported seen around town, and the dregs of a romantic relationship with a possibility of renewal. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, the author pulled another surprise out of her endless bag of tricks. Certain revelations near the end were a bit shocking and although some things did not turn out exactly how I might have hoped, the symbolism was perfect.
A wonderful blend of mystery, drama, romance, with just the right touch of faith, sacrifice, and forgiveness, “A Stillness of Chimes” is the perfect book for lovers of Southern novels.
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah
Blogging For Books program.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Laura Gantt doesn’t mind being home in Prospect, Georgia, but she minds the Southern niceties and mini-sermons she has to endure after her mother’s unexpected death. On her summer break from teaching in Colorado, Laura wants to focus on wrapping up her mother’s estate. Turns out dodging painful memories becomes impossible when her lifelong friend and former beau Sean Halloran reveals that the town is buzzing with rumors due to numerous sightings of her father, Elliott. Problem is, her father has been dead since she was seventeen.
Known for his horrible mood swings after returning home from Vietnam, Elliott Gantt wasn’t always the most stable person. But if he is alive, why did he fake his death and remain in hiding for so long?
Click here to download chapter one of A Stillness of Chimes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Meg Moseley is still a Californian at heart although she’s lived more than half her life in other states. Holding jobs that ranged from candle-maker to administrative assistant, Meg eventually contributed human-interest pieces for a suburban edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Contemporary fiction remains her real love, and she’s the author of When Sparrows Fall and Gone South. She lives in Atlanta near the foothills of the Southern Appalachians with her husband.
Learn more about Meg and her books on her website.
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 | Jan 31, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Romance, Texas
MY REVIEW:
I have been a huge fan of Lisa Wingate’s books since I first picked up a copy of “Texas Cooking” several years ago. Since then I have read almost everything she has published and the ones I haven’t read are patiently waiting on my bookshelf for me to make the time to enjoy them. I usually have a pretty demanding review schedule because I have great difficulty saying no to books. For that reason, I rarely have a chance to read something on my personal list. Fortunately, Lisa’s novels appear of my review list frequently. Needless to say I was thrilled to have a chance to participate in the blog tour for Lisa’s latest, “Wildwood Creek”.
“Wildwood Creek” takes the reader back to Moses Lake, Texas where most of the locals are friendly and you can pick up a cold drink or lunch at the Waterbird Bait and Grocery and add your favorite quotation to the collection on the wall. Although the locals make an occasional appearance in the pages of “Wildwood Creek”, the story primarily takes place on the site of a historical town from which all the residents mysteriously disappeared. Cast and crew for a reality type television show are in residence in the recreated town of Wildwood and access is restricted to the rest of the world.
The story of Wildwood Creek is told through two points of view – the historical story of Bonnie Rose and the current story of Allie Kirkland who has been chosen to play the role of Bonnie Rose in the television production. Allie has become very interested in finding out what really happened to Bonnie Rose as well as the rest of the former residents of Wildwood and has found herself becoming defensive when hearing accusations against Bonnie Rose, who many believe is responsible for the disappearance of so many. Determined to follow in her father’s footsteps in film production, Allie pushes herself to meet everything that is expected of her. A number of strange incidents leaves Allie wondering who she can trust but she is unable to resist a budding friendship with Blake Shelton, her neighbor on site.
I very much enjoyed “Wildwood Creek” and had no difficulty switching from Bonnie’s story to Allie’s story and back again. Like Allie, I found myself rooting for Bonnie and hoping that she had somehow survived despite stories to the contrary. I loved watching the development of the relationship between Allie and Blake as well as how Blake helped Allie to see the negative actions of others as a cry for help. I loved the way the suspense built through both tales and was quite happy with the way everything turned out at the end.
Although “Wildwood Creek” is the fourth book in the Moses Lake series, it is not dependent upon the previous installments and can be read as a stand-alone novel. Take my advice and pick up a copy for yourself. Better still – get the entire series. I don’t think you will be sorry.
This book was provided for review by
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group compliments of the author.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
With love and loss tangled together, how was she to know where her life would lead?
Allie Kirkland has always heard the call of her father’s unfinished destiny. When she’s offered a production assistant’s job on a docudrama filming in the hills near Moses Lake, Texas, the dream of following in her director-father’s footsteps suddenly seems within reach. The reenactment of the legendary frontier settlement of Wildwood is a first step into the film industry. A summer on set in the wilderness is a small price to pay for a dream.
But in 1861, the real Wildwood held dangerous realities. Town founder Harland Delavan held helpless residents, including young Irish schoolteacher Bonnie Rose, in an iron grip. Mysterious disappearances led to myths and legends still retold in the region’s folk songs. Eventually, the entire site was found abandoned.
When filming begins, strange connections surface between Allie and the teacher who disappeared over a century ago, and everyone in Wildwood–including Blake Fulton, Allie’s handsome neighbor on the film set–seems to be hiding secrets. Allie doesn’t know whom she can trust. If she can’t find the answers in time, history may repeat itself…with the most unthinkable results.
Read an excerpt from Wildwood Creek HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books, including Tending Roses, Talk of the Town, Blue Moon Bay, and Larkspur Cove, which won the 2011 Carol Award for Women’s Fiction. Lisa and her family live in central Texas. Visit www.lisawingate.com
by admin | Oct 14, 2013 | Amish, Books, Mystery, Romance
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingA Plain DisappearanceB&H Books (September 1, 2013)byAmanda FlowerABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amanda Flower, an Agatha-nominated mystery author, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. Her debut mystery, Maid of Murder, was an Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel. Amanda is an academic librarian for a small college near Cleveland.
Learn more about Amanda and her books on her Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
USA Today recently hailed award-nominated author Amanda Flower for A Plain Death, calling it “the first Amish rom-com . . . bring on the next one!” As the enthusiastic reviews continue to mount, she’s back with her third Appleseed Creek mystery, A Plain Disappearance.
It’s Christmastime in Amish Country, and Chloe Humphrey has begun settling into her life in Appleseed Creek excited to see where her new relationship with Timothy Troyer will lead. Unfortunately it leads to murder when the couple discovers the body of Amish teenager Katie Lambright while on their first date.
Near the scene there is evidence that Timothy’s friend and auto mechanic Billy Thorpe is involved with the crime. The police reveal Billy is not really who he said he was and has been living the last decade in Knox County under a stolen alias. Now, Chloe and Timothy must find Billy, bring him to justice, or prove his innocence.
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Plain Disappearance, go HERE.
by admin | Sep 18, 2013 | Books, Mystery, Romance, Texas, Western
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingFired Up(Bethany House March 1,byMary ConnealyABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Christy Award Finalist, a Carol Award Finalist and an IRCC Award finalist.
The Lassoed in Texas Series, Petticoat Ranch, Calico Canyon and Gingham Mountain. Petticoat Ranch was a Carol Award Finalist. Calico Canyon was a Christy Award Finalist and a Carol Award Finalist. These three books are now contained in one large volume called Lassoed in Texas Trilogy.
The Montana Marriages Series, Montana Rose, The Husband Tree and Wildflower Bride. Montana Rose was a Carol Award Finalist.
Cowboy Christmas—the 2010 Carol Award for Best Long Historical Romance, and an Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist.
The Sophie’s Daughters series. Doctor in Petticoats, Wrangler in Petticoats, Sharpshooter in Petticoats.
She is also the author of; Black Hills Blessing a 3-in-1 collection of sweet contemporary romances, Nosy in Nebraska, a 3-in-1 collection of cozy romantic mysteries and she’s one of the three authors contributing to Alaska Brides with her Carol Award Winning historical romance Golden Days.
Learn more about Mary and her books on her Website .
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Rollicking Wild West Adventure and Romance from Bestselling Author Mary Connealy
Dare Riker is a doctor who saves lives, but someone seems determined to end his. It may have something to do with the traitors he dealt with during the Civil War, or it might be related to the recent incident with Flint Greer and the ranch. Whoever the culprit is, he or she seems really fired up, and Dare can’t let his guard down for a moment, which is a challenge, since right now he’s trying to win the heart of the recently widowed Glynna.
Glynna Greer came west as a mail-order bride and ended up in a bad situation. Now her husband, Flint, is dead, and she’s determined to care for her son and daughter on her own. She wants to believe Dare Riker is as decent as he seems, but she’s terrified to lock herself into another marriage. She plans to support her small family by opening a diner–never mind that cooking is not her greatest talent. The men in Broken Wheel, Texas, are so desperate for home cooking that they seem willing to overlook dried-out beef and blackened biscuits.
Glynna can’t help but notice that danger follows Dare wherever he goes. There’s the avalanche. And then the fire. But things really get out of hand when someone plunges a knife from Glynna’s diner into Dare’s back. Are Flint’s cronies still plotting revenge? Is Glynna’s son engaged in a misguided attempt to protect his mother? Is a shadowy outsider still enraged over past injustices? And can Dare survive long enough to convince Glynna to take another chance on love?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Fired Up, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Fired Up is classic Connealy with a bevy of handsome cowboys, a feisty heroine, a little mystery and danger, plenty of action, a romance or two and of course Mary’s trademark humor. What more could a fan of western romance novels ask than the latest addition to the Trouble in Texas series?
In this second installment of the Trouble in Texas series, the story continues with many of the characters who first appeared in “Swept Away”. It was fun to catch up with Ruthy and Luke as well as Vince and Jonas but Fired Up is mostly Glynna and Dare’s story. Peppered with misunderstandings, suspicious accidents, and plenty of interference from others plus Glynna’s determination to avoid involvement with all men in her future, things do not look very promising for Dare’s attraction to the pretty widow even if he manages to stay alive.
Fired Up is a fast-paced tale with an emphasis on friendship, loyalty, and forgiveness. I was not 100% happy with the way the book ended but have high hopes that everything will be resolved to my satisfaction in the next book in the series. I just hope I don’t have to wait too long to find out.
by admin | Sep 17, 2013 | Books, England, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingBorn of PersuasionTyndale House Publishers, Inc. (September 1, 2013)byJessica DottaABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born in the wrong century–except for the fact that she really likes epidurals and washing machines–Jessica Dotta writes British Historicals with the humor like an Austen, yet the drama of a Bronte.
She resides lives in the greater Nashville area—where she imagines her small Southern town into the foggy streets of 19th century London. She oversees her daughter to school, which they pretend is an English boarding school, and then she goes home to write and work on PR. Jessica has tried to cast her dachshund as their butler–but the dog insists it’s a Time Lord and their home a Tardis. Miss Marple, her cat, says its no mystery to her as to why the dog won’t cooperate. When asked about it, Jessica sighs and says that you can’t win them all, and at least her dog has picked something British to emulate.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.
With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows what’s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country’s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Born of Persuasion, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
There was a time in my life when I devoured Gothic romance novels by authors Victoria Holt, Phillipa Carr, etc. As I read Born of Persuasion I was reminded of those novels and how much I enjoyed them with their mysterious and ominous mood.
With its intricately woven plot, Born of Persuasion allowed me to tag along with Julia Elliston on her dangerous quest for safety after her mother’s death. At times I was not in favor of the choices made by Julia but I remained as confused as she was about who she could believe and/or trust for the entirety of the book. Only as the story neared its end were some of my questions answered and even then I believe I will be forced to wait until the next volume is published to gain more satisfactory answers.
I found Born of Persuasion to be both enjoyable and frustrating but that is the mark of a skilled author. I eagerly anticipate the release of “Mark of Distinction” and hope the wait is not too long.
