by admin | Oct 23, 2019 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, England, Historical, Ireland, Romance, Split Time, WWII
MY REVIEW:
The final book in Kristy Cambron’s Lost Castle series, The Painted Castle features Kiera, another member of the Foley family who seems destined to have castles in their lives. As an art expert, Kiera is asked to evaluate a mysterious painting found in an old English manor. Parallel stories that also feature the same manor take place in the Victorian era and during World War 2.
Each story could have easily been developed into a full novel of its own but worked splendidly together to flesh out the history of the people who had once lived in the manor as well as the mystery behind the portrait found there. Not only was each story a romance but each also contained unique elements that kept me wanting to know more. Victorian era Keaton and Elizabeth’s story held a murder mystery that spanned a decade. Amelia and Wyatt experienced the horrors of World War 2 bombings. Emory and Kiera worked together to discover the secrets of the manor and the unknown painting that had been hidden for so many years. These wonderful characters revealed a solid strength as they battled difficult circumstances in their lives.
I thoroughly enjoyed this journey through the years and Cambron’s unique way of revealing the manor’s secrets bit by bit. I hated to reach the end and could easily have read more about each time frame of the story. 
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
| Book: The Painted Castle
Author: Kristy Cambron
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Click here to grab your copy. |
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Bestselling author Kristy Cambron concludes the Lost Castle novels with this sweeping tale of art and secrets long buried in England.
It was supposed to be a one-week job: survey an art find, collect a hefty fee, and use that to settle historian Kiera Foley’s life back into balance. But from the moment she sets foot in the East Suffolk countryside, the mysteries surrounding the old English manor and the enigmatic art thief who’s employed her stir more questions than answers. Then, Kiera finds the existence of a portrait captivating enough to upend all of her expectations. This one could be a twin-a painting so close in composition to a known masterpiece, it may be rendered priceless if it truly captured the likeness of a young Queen named Victoria.
Set in three time periods-the rapid change of Victorian England, the tumultuous skies over England’s eastern shores in WWII, and modern day-The Painted Castle unfolds a legacy of faith, family, and stories that are generations in the making.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
KRISTY CAMBRON is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping series. She’s a Women’s Ministry Leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, and a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation, working with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.
MORE FROM KRISTY:
About The Painted Castle
A war-torn estate holding its secrets close. A lost library bricked off from the world. And a portrait-maker’s unknown masterpiece of a Queen named Victoria… What stories do they long to tell?
It was supposed to be a one-week snatch-and-grab: survey an art find, collect a hefty fee, and use that to settle historian Kiera Foley’s life back into balance. But from the moment she sets foot in the East Suffolk countryside, the mystery of an old English manor, a crumbling beekeeper’s cottage, and a library that had long ago been sealed off brick by brick, all stir more questions than answers. What begins as a novice assignment instead peels back layers, lulling Keira into the depths of the estate’s long-forgotten history.
Despite questions swirling around the enigmatic, rumored art thief who’s employed her, Keira finds the existence of a portrait captivating enough to upend all of her expectations. This one could be a twin—a painting so close in composition to a known masterpiece, it may be rendered priceless if it truly captured the likeness of a young Queen named Victoria…
1842— In order to salvage what’s left of her family’s shaky circumstances, artist Elizabeth Meade knows her duty must be to marry well. But she hopes looks can be deceiving enough to hide her true motives behind a congenial smile and gain entry into the ballrooms of England’s noble elite. Instead of husband-hunting, Elizabeth searches for the one thing that’s seared to her memory—the eyes of her father’s killer, whom she unwittingly sketched one snowy night in Piccadilly ten years before. She never expects to find answers tucked away in the countryside at Parham Hill, in the form of a portrait-maker who could help her artist dreams come true, if only she could forget the highwayman she’s hunted for the last decade—the estate-owner who unwittingly selects her as his betrothed…
1942—When the 390th Bomb Group arrives at Amelia Woods’ Parham Hill Estate, the American flyboys bring playing cards, B-17 “flying fortresses”, and enough bravado to believe they can triumph over Hitler just by staring him down. Amelia isn’t certain, and she’s unwilling to compromise the safety and security in a carefully-crafted world she’s built for the dozens of London-evacuated children left in her charge. But with Anderson shelters buried in the gardens and an Allied airfield a stone’s throw away, Amelia may have no choice but to wait out the war under blackouts and bombs, and accept help from the captain who offers it—even if it means risking all she has left of her late husband’s memory…
From the streets of Piccadilly and the lavish halls of Buckingham Palace to the countryside surrounding Framlingham Castle, a warn-torn estate, a hidden library, and the lost portrait of a queen come together to write the final chapter in the Lost Castle series. Set in three time periods—the rapid change of Victorian England, the tumultuous skies over England’s eastern shores in WWII, and modern day—The Painted Castle unfolds a legacy of faith and the family we fight for, of risk and reward, and the artful crafting of a story that can be generations in the making… yet still change everything about a single life.
BLOG STOPS:
| All-of-a-kind Mom, October 15
The Power of Words, October 15
A Baker’s Perspective, October 15
The Avid Reader, October 16
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 16
Betti Mace, October 16
Reflections From My Bookshelves, October 17
Fiction Aficionado, October 17
Through the Fire Blogs, October 17
Inklings and notions , October 18
AndreaChristenson, October 18
She Lives to Read, October 18
Bloging With Carol, October 18
The Christian Fiction Girl, October 19
Back Porch Reads , October 19
Christian Bookaholic , October 19
KarenSueHadley, October 20
Livin’ Lit, October 20
A Reader’s Brain, October 20
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 20
Genesis 5020, October 21
Worthy2Read, October 21
Life of Literature, October 21
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 22 |
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, October 22
janicesbookreviews, October 22
For Him and My Family, October 22
Older & Smarter?, October 23
Mia Reads Blog, October 23
The Becca Files, October 23
Daysong Reflections, October 24
Connect in Fiction, October 24
Texas Book-aholic, October 24
Just the Write Escape, October 24
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 25
Moments, October 25
Simple Harvest Reads, October 25
Pause for Tales, October 26
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 26
Lis Loves Reading, October 26
Hallie Reads, October 26
Living Life Free In Christ, October 27
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 27
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 27
Soutgern Gal Loves to Read, October 28
Remembrancy, October 28
Batya’s Bits, October 28
Leona J. Atkinson, October 28 |
by admin | Mar 22, 2019 | Books, WWII
MY REVIEW:
What a delightful book! I have not previously read anything by this author but will definitely be on the lookout for her books in the future. By the end of the book, all the characters were as familiar as old friends, each with a distinctive personality of his/her own.
Dolly Chandler’s boarding house is filled to the brim with people who have come from all over the country to her little corner of Alabama for work. All strangers, their lives become intermingled under the influence of Dolly and her husband as well as some of their neighbors on “the loop”. The old house has a few secrets of its own, especially the rumor of the former owner who disappeared with his wife on their wedding day never to be seen again. It was also rumored that the owner was a pirate who had stashed his treasure on the property before his apparent untimely death.
Almost Home is a story of faith, hope, and healing that is rife with the mysterious and surprises. I enjoyed the way some of the home’s history was related through some old journals. Then there was the big surprise at the end but you’ll have to discover that for yourself.
I loved this book and look forward to reading more by this talented author!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The things that tear us apart can also bring us together
With America’s entrance into World War II, the town of Blackberry Springs, Alabama, has exploded virtually overnight. Workers from all over are coming south for jobs in Uncle Sam’s munitions plants–and they’re bringing their pasts with them, right into Dolly Chandler’s grand but fading family home turned boardinghouse.
A struggling young couple from the Midwest, unemployed professors from Chicago, a widower from Mississippi, and a shattered young veteran struggling to heal from the war are all hoping Dolly’s house will help them find their way back to the lives they left behind. But the house has a past of its own.
When tragedy strikes, Dolly’s only hope will be the circle of friends under her roof and their ability to discover the truth about what happened to a young bride who lived there a century before.
Read an excerpt HERE.
Purchase a copy HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Valerie Fraser Luesse is the bestselling author of Missing Isaac and is an award-winning magazine writer best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently a senior travel editor. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, Luesse has published major pieces on the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Delta, Louisiana’s Acadian Prairie, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana won the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama.
by admin | Sep 10, 2018 | Books, Historical, Romance, Split Time, WWII
MY REVIEW:
Any time I feel like our world has gone totally crazy, I only have to read a novel about the people who lived through the absolute terror of Hitler’s assault on Europe. Melanie Dobson has a rare talent for taking me right into their reality for awhile and leaves me more appreciative for the blessings I have in my own life.
Hidden Among the Stars is a time-slip novel that moves back and forth between war-torn Austria in 1938 and present day in the United States. When an antique book with mysterious lists inscribed within its pages is given to her, bookstore owner Callie Randall determines to do her best to solve the mystery. The narrative alternates between Callie’s story and that of Max Dornbach, Annika Knopf, and Luzia Weiss, central characters to the story connected to the book.
Not only is this book very well written but its characters and setting are so vividly described that I could almost see them. Much of the book is intense with several separate threads that are all tied together perfectly at the end. Hidden Among the Stars was such a powerful story that I feel mostly inadequate to even review it. It is nearly impossible for me to imagine the sheer strength of character it took Max, Annika, and Luzia to remain so strong and determined in the face of the Nazi takeover. The story is truly a perfect example of what it means to lay one’s life down for another.
If you enjoy your history with plenty of action, drama, mystery, and a touch of romance, Hidden Among the Stars might just be perfect for you.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
| Book Title: Hidden Among The Stars
Author: Melanie Dobson
Genre: Historical Fiction (However, this is a time-slip novel, so there is also a contemporary component to the story)
Release date: September 4, 2018 |
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From the award-winning author of Catching the Wind, which Publishers Weekly called “unforgettable” and a “must-read,” comes another gripping time-slip novel about hidden treasure, a castle, and ordinary people who resisted evil in their own extraordinary way.
The year is 1938, and as Hitler’s troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family’s summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker’s daughter, who is eager to help the man she’s loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika’s feelings and puts their entire plan—even their very lives—in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone.
Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quiet life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambi that connects her to Annika’s story . . . and maybe to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she’s built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love.
Click here to purchase your copy!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of nearly twenty historical romance, suspense, and time-slip novels including Catching the Wind and Chateau of Secrets . Three of her novels have won Carol Awards; Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana in 2010; and The Black Cloister won the Foreword Magazine Religious Fiction Book of the Year.
Melanie is the former corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and owner of the publicity firm Dobson Media Group. When she isn’t writing, Melanie enjoys teaching both writing and public relations classes at George Fox University.
Melanie and her husband, Jon, have two daughters. After moving numerous times with work, the Dobson family has settled near Portland, Oregon, and they love to hike and camp in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest and along the Pacific Coast. Melanie also enjoys exploring ghost towns and abandoned homes, helping care for kids in her community, and reading stories with her girls.
Visit Melanie online at www.melaniedobson.com.
GUEST POST FROM MELANIE:
Hallstatt’s Hiding Places
Backpacking across Europe—that’s how my husband Jon and I decided to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. We savored the old world culture and charm as we hiked along Italy’s coast, toured medieval castles in Germany, and cruised the canals in Belgium; we both left a bit of our hearts in an ancient lakeside town called Hallstatt.
The moment we stepped off the ferryboat and into this storybook village, we crossed through a portal of sorts, traveling back several centuries in time. The rugged, snow-capped mountains around us and alpine lake, the quaint village with its church steeples and cobblestone lanes and waterfall that spilled into town—all of it captivated us.
Along the shore, hidden partially by trees, we could see spires of an abandoned castle, and I wanted to know its story. No one in Hallstatt could tell us who’d lived in the castle—at least, not in English—so my husband agreed to a new adventure. With a swan as our escort, we glided across the lake in an electric boat so I could study the rusty turrets, boarded windows, and wooden boathouse resting in the water like a felled log.
Instead of quelling my curiosity, the match of inspiration ignited my mind. Who had lived in this castle, and what happened there? I began writing in my journal that night, trying to capture my rogue thoughts on paper, hoping that one day a novel would emerge from the ashes of this castle’s story.
When we returned home, I began researching more of Hallstatt’s history and discovered that this region, in all of its beauty and mystique, had been infiltrated by an enemy in 1938. This town and the surrounding Salzkammergut became a mountain retreat for Nazi officials who built mansions on the shores of its many lakes and used salt mines to hide “ownerless treasure”—the gold bullion and artwork they’d stolen from the Jewish people.
The Nazis intended to build a Fourth Reich in this alpine fortress, but the Allies had other plans. Near the end of the war, these lakes became a dustbin of sorts, collecting whatever the enemy dumped into its waters—weapons, counterfeit banknotes, concentration camp lists—as they fled south from the Allied troops. The Devil’s Dustbin, locals call it.
Lake Hallstatt plunges more than four hundred feet between the fortress of mountains. Because of its depth and the many hiding places in the underwater forests, caves, and shifting sands, divers continue finding World War II artifacts today. Some still believe there’s a treasure trove buried on the bottom, but no one has reported finding any gold.
After our trip, a story about this castle and what happened to the heirlooms of the Austrian Jewish people continued to burn inside me until I finally put it on paper. So I built Schloss Schwansee—Castle of Swan Lake—in my mind, inspired by the castle along Lake Hallstatt, and created a cast of historical and contemporary characters who are searching for lost treasure.
Hidden Among the Stars is a time-slip novel about a castle and treasure and fairytales, but most of all, it’s a story about God using ordinary people across Austria to resist evil in their own extraordinary way.
BLOG STOPS:
| Reading Is My SuperPower, September 6 |
amandainpa, September 12 |
| Fiction Aficionado, September 6 |
Maureen’s Musing, September 13 |
| Back Porch Reads, September 6 |
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 13 |
| Among the Reads, September 6 |
Just Commonly, September 13 |
| The Power of Words, September 7 |
Book by Book, September 13 |
| Multifarious, September 7 |
Connect in Fiction, September 14 |
| lady ansel book vibes, September 7 |
Pause for Tales, September 14 |
| The Becca Files, September 7 |
Have A Wonderful Day, September 14 |
| God’s Little Bookworm, September 8 |
Splashes of Joy, September 14 |
| Christian Chick’s Thoughts, September 8 |
The Christian Fiction Girl, September 15 |
| Painting with Words, September 8 |
Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 15 |
| Lis Loves Reading, September 8 |
To Everything A Season, September 15 |
| cherylbbookblog, September 9 |
A Baker’s Perspective, September 15 |
| Living LIfe Free in Christ, September 9 |
proud to be an autism mom, September 16 |
| Madeline Clark, September 9 |
Bibliophile Reviews, September 16 |
| Mary Hake, September 9 |
Bigreadersite, September 16 |
Reflections From My Bookshelves,
September 10 |
Aryn The Libraryan, September 16 |
| Genesis 5020, September 10 |
By The Book, September 17 |
| Faithfully Bookish, September 10 |
Christian author, J.E. Grace, September 17 |
Simple Harvest Reads, September 10
(Guest post from Mindy Houng) |
Janices book reviews, September 17 |
| Margaret Kazmierczak, September 11 |
Texas Book-aholic, September 18 |
| All-of-a-kind Mom, September 11 |
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 18 |
| Daysong Reflections, September 11 |
Carpe Diem, September 18 |
| Caffeinated Christian Raves – N – Reviews, September 11 |
Godly Book Reviews, September 19 |
| Seasons of Opportunities, September 12 |
For The Love of Books, September 19 |
| Remembrancy, September 12 |
Live. Love. Read., September 19 |
| Inklings and notions, September 12 |
Reader’s Cozy Corner, September 19 |
To celebrate her tour, Melanie is giving away a grand prize package that includes a $25 Amazon gift card, Catching the Wind paperback, and Hidden Among the Stars paperback!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/d2ad/hidden-among-the-stars-celebration-tour-giveaway
Amy Lynn Green (www.amygreenbooks.com) is a publicist by day and a novelist on nights and weekends. History has always been one of her passions, and she loves speaking with book clubs, writing groups, and libraries all around the country. Her debut novel, Things We Didn’t Say, was nominated for a 2021 Minnesota Book Award and received a starred review from both Booklist and Library Journal. Amy and her husband make their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.
Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of several popular WWII series, including Sunrise at Normandy, Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. The Sky Above Us received the Carol Award, her bestselling The Sea Before Us received the FHL Reader’s Choice Award, and both Through Waters Deep and When Tides Turn were named on Booklist‘s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” Sarah lives in Northern California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.
