Gatekeepers (Dreamhouse Kings #3) by Robert Liparulo

by admin | Jan 28, 2009 | Books

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Gatekeepers
(Dreamhouse Kings #3)
Thomas Nelson (January 6, 2009)

by
Robert Liparulo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly.

Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children.

Robert’s first novel painted a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A Horseman, is being made into a major motion picture by producer Mace Neufeld and his short story “Kill Zone” was featured in the anthology Thriller, edited by James Patterson.

Bob has sold the film rights to his second book, GERM. And he is writing the screenplay for a yet-to-be-written political thriller, which sold to Phoenix Pictures, for Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, The Guardian) to direct!

And his third book Deadfall. debuted to rave reviews!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Bob Liparulo wants to give away a signed 3 book set of the DreamHouse Kings books! Send an email to Bob [at] Liparulo [dot] com and put “CFBA” in the subject line. He will pick a winner next week!!!!

In the third novel of this young adult series, the mystery deepens in a house that is more than meets the eye.

The Kings have been in the creepy old place, their new home, for only a few days, but they’ve experienced enough terror to last a lifetime. And the mystery is growing even more baffling. Shadowy and shifting, the big house conceals doors into other worlds that blur the line between memories and dreams-and the slightest misstep can change history forever.

At least, that’s if they believe the trembling old man who shows up claiming to know them. “There’s a reason you’re in the house,” he tells them. “As gatekeepers, we must make sure only those events that are supposed to happen get through to the future.”

The problem is that horrors beyond description wait on the other side of those gates. As if that weren’t enough, the Kings are also menaced by sinister forces on this side-like the dark, ancient stranger Taksidian, who wants them out now.

It’s hard to believe that things could have gotten worse for the King family-but they have. Dad’s in handcuffs, the school bully has just found the secret portal that leads from the high school to the house, and Xander is sure he’s found Mom, but they can’t get back to her. Then Jesse arrives, and he seems to be a virtual Obi Wan of knowledge about the place. But is he the key they need to unlock the secrets, or just a crazy old man?

Dangers are increasing from within and without when Xander makes a startling discovery that explains why they haven’t found any rooms that lead to the future. Alongside the threats, though, they’re also starting to find some surprising allies. All they have to do is get organized, get psyched, and get Mom. But that isn’t nearly as easy as it sounds.

Xander, David, and Toria must venture beyond the gates to save their missing mother-and discover how truly high the stakes have become.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Gatekeepers Dreamhouse Kings #3), go HERE

What they’re saying:

Review
“If you like creepy and mysterious, this is the house for you! Every room opens a door to magic, true horror, and amazing surprises. I loved wandering around in these books. With a house of so many great, haunting stories, why would you ever want to go outside?” –R.L. Stine (Goosebumps)

Review
“A powerhouse storyteller delivers his most fantastic ride yet!”
-Ted Dekker, bestselling author of Kiss, Chosen and Infidel

MY REVIEW:

Each installment of the Dreamhouse Kings series seems to become more intense. Just as a few secrets begin to be revealed more mysteries are added to the mix. In Gatekeepers, the King kids are left on their own to face dangers from both known and unknown sources when their father is arrested. Determined to find their mother before it is too late, Xander, David, and Toria once again venture through one of the portals to rescue her. What they find there  is surprising but also the answer to an old mystery. The question is “Does the house have a life of its own and how will they unravel its secrets?”

Gatekeepers is an action packed story filled with mystery and surreal situations. It is sure to appeal to teens and young adults alike (not to mention older adults). One warning though – once you start reading the series you will be hooked. I highly recommend that you read the first two installments first.

The Red Siren by M.L. Tyndall

by admin | Jan 26, 2009 | Books

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Red Siren
Barbour Publishing, Inc (January 2009)
by
M.L. Tyndall

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M. L. (MARYLU) TYNDALL grew up on the beaches of South Florida loving the sea and the warm tropics. But despite the beauty around her, she always felt an ache in her soul–a longing for something more.

After college, she married and moved to California where she had two children and settled into a job at a local computer company. Although she had done everything the world expected, she was still miserable. She hated her job and her marriage was falling apart.

Still searching for purpose, adventure and true love, she spent her late twenties and early thirties doing all the things the world told her would make her happy, and after years, her children suffered, her second marriage suffered, and she was still miserable.

One day, she picked up her old Bible, dusted it off, and began to read. Somewhere in the middle, God opened her hardened heart to see that He was real, that He still loved her, and that He had a purpose for her life, if she’d only give her heart to Him completely.

Her current releases in the Legacy of The Kings Pirates series include:The Restitution, The Reliance, and The Redemption and The Falcon And The Sparrow

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Lady Faith Westcott has turned her back on God and on man. Having witnessed the hypocrisy in the Church of England, her older sister’s abuse at the hand of her husband, and her own mother’s untimely
death in childbirth, Faith has determined never to marry and to gain enough wealth so she and her two sisters will never have to depend on man or God again.

To that end, though a lady by day, she becomes a pirate by night and begins her sordid career off Portsmouth when she attacks and plunders a merchant ship commanded by the young Dajon Waite. Humiliated at being defeated by a pirate and a woman no less, Dajon returns home without cargo and ship, and his father expels him from the family merchant business.

After a brief sojourn into debased society, Dajon rejoins the Royal Navy, where he finds comfort in the strict rules and redemption through his service to others. Three years later, he is sent to the frontier outpost of Charles Town, South Carolina to deal with the pirate problem. There, he connects with his mentor and old friend, Admiral Westcott, who has just arrived with his three daughters.

Much to Dajon’s utter dismay, Admiral Westcott, who is being called away to Spain, asks Dajon to be temporary guardian of his three lovely daughters. One of the ladies seems familiar to him, a striking redhead who immediately sends his heart thumping.

Faith recognizes Captain Waite as the buffoon whose ship she plundered off Portsmouth. Yet, he appears no longer the fool, but instead a tall, handsome and commanding naval officer. Despite her immediate attraction to him, she labels him the enemy, but sparks are guaranteed to fly during the next few months when independent, headstrong and rebellious Faith falls in love with God-fearing honorable, rule-following Dajon-especially when Faith continues her pirating off the Carolina coast while her father is away.

Will Dajon catch her? And what will this man of honor and duty do when he does?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Red Siren, go HERE

Learn more about MaryLu  and her books on her Website

Come and vist with some of those posting for this tour:

Abi at lighter side
Amy at Simple Folk Schoolhouse
Amy at My Life
Andie at Radiant Light
April at Projecting A
Barbara at Victoria Hill Farm
Becky at Savvy Mom
Bonnie at Bonnie Writes
Brittanie at A Book Lover
Caleb at Reviews Plus+
Camy at Camy Tang
Carla at Carla’s Writing Café
Carrie at The Random Thoughts Of Carrie
Dave at The Plot Thickens
Dave at Novel Spotlight
Deanna at Deannna’s Corner
Deborah at books, movies and chinese food
Debra at Soul Reflections
Deena at A Peek At My Bookshelf
Delia at Gatorskunkz And Mudcats
Edyth at Great Reads by Jasmine
Elizabeth at Count it All Joy
Ernie at Writing: My Adventures In Words
Gretchen at Inspire Me
Janis at The Nearsighted Bookworm
Janna at Cornhusker Academy
Jendi at Jendi’s Journal
Jennifer at Musings on This, That, & The Other Thing
Jennifer at So Many Books…So Little Time
Jenny at Come Meet AusJenny
Jill at Christian Work At Home Moms
Kara at Ramblings-n-Writings
Katie at Christian Novels
Kelly at A Disciple’s Steps
Kim at Window To My World
Kim at Rainy Day Diamonds
Kristinia at Loving Heart Mommy
Laura at Laura William’s Musings
Linda at Mocha With Linda
Lisa at Musings
Lori at Noggin Bits
Marjorie at The Writer’s Tool
Melissa at LifeWithTwo
Michelle at Edgy Inspirational Author
Michelle at Michelle’s Great Blogs
Pam at Pam’s Private Reflections
Pam at Daysong Reflections
Peg at Sips ‘n Cups Cafeteria
Rachelle at Stifled Squeal
Rel at Relz Reviewz
Rulan at Fiction Showcase
Ruth at Booktalk & more…
Sally at Welcome To Sally Bradley.com
Shera at Froggy Reviews
Stacy at Vader’s Mom
Sunny at That Book Addiction
Takiela at Beauty 4 Ashes
Tiffany at Snapshots Of Life
Tracy at Pix-N-Pens
Vanessa at Ramblings of A Texas Housewife
Victoria at Overlooked Orchid
Winter at Rodeo with A Twist Of Suspense

The Centurion’s Wife by Davis Bunn and Janeette Oke

by admin | Jan 21, 2009 | Books

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing

The Centurion’s Wife

Bethany House Publishers (January 1, 2009)

by

Davis Bunn and Janette Oke

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Davis Bunn is an internationally acclaimed author who has sold more than six million books in fifteen languages. His audiences span reading genres from high drama and action thrillers to heartwarming relationship stories, in both contemporary and historical settings.

Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include My Soul To Keep, and Full Circle. A sought-after lecturer in the art of writing, Bunn was named Novelist in Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.

He and his wife, Isabella, make their home in Florida for some of each year, and spend the rest near Oxford, England, where they each teach and write.

Her first novel, a prairie love story titled Love Comes Softly, was published by Bethany House in 1979. This book was followed by more than 75 others.

After Love Comes Softly was published, Oke found her readers asking for more. That book led to a series of eight others in her Love Comes Softly series. She has written multiple fiction series, including The Canadian West, Seasons of the Heart and Women of the West. Her most recent releases include a beautiful children’s picture book, I Wonder…Did Jesus Have a Pet Lamb and The Song of Acadia series, co-written with T. Davis Bunn.

Janette Oke’s warm writing style has won the hearts of millions of readers. She has received numerous awards, including the Gold Medallion Award, The Christy Award of Excellence, the 1992 President’s Award for her significant contribution to the category of Christian fiction from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, and in 1999 the Life Impact Award from the Christian Booksellers Association International. Beloved worldwide, her books have been translated into fourteen languages.

She and her husband live nearby in Alberta, Canada.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Janette Oke has dreamed for years of retelling a story in a biblical time frame from a female protagonist’s perspective, and Davis Bunn is elated to be working with her again on this sweeping saga of the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Christianity…and the very personal story of Leah, a young Jewess of mixed heritage trapped in a vortex of competing political agendas and private trauma.

Caught up in the maelstrom following the death of an obscure rabbi in the Roman backwater of first-century Palestine, Leah finds herself also engulfed in her own turmoil–facing the prospect of an arranged marriage to a Roman soldier, Alban, who seems to care for nothing but his own ambitions.

Head of the garrison near Galilee, he has been assigned by Palestine’s governor to ferret out the truth behind rumors of a political execution gone awry. Leah’s mistress, the governor’s wife, secretly commissions Leah also to discover what really has become of this man whose death–and missing body–is causing such furor.

This epic drama is threaded with the tale of an unlikely romance and framed with dangers and betrayals from unexpected sources. At its core, the story unfolds the testing of loyalties–between two young people whose inner searchings they cannot express, between their irreconcilable heritages, and ultimately between their humanity and the Divine they yearn to encounter.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Centurion’s Wife, go HERE

Learn more about Davis Bunn and Janette Oke and their other books on their websites.

MY REVIEW:

I will admit that I was not very excited when I received my copy of  The Centurion’s Wife and discovered it was historical biblical fiction. That has never been my favorite genre of Christian fiction, possibly because I have not gotten hold of many really good novels of the kind and have generally avoided them. To my surprise, The Centurion’s Wife grabbed my attention and kept it until the end.

The pages of  The Centurion’s Wife took me back to the days immediately following Christ’s death and resurrection and allowed me to experience the events as seen through the eyes of various people who were there and the effect it had on their lives. I was given a new perspective that personalized the familiar gospel story for me.

I won’t reiterate what is so skillfully described in the book description above. I will recommend that you make it a point to get your own copy of The Centurion’s Wife as soon as possible.

Come and visit with some of those posting for this tour:

Abi at lighter side
Adam at Northwoods Blumer
Amy at Simple Folk Schoolhouse
Amy at My Life
Andie at Radiant Light
Andrea at Ask Andrea
Andrea at The Laughs Will Go On
April at Projecting A
Barbara at Victoria Hill Farm
Becky at Savvy Mom
Bonnie at Bonnie Writes
Brandi at Lone Star Latte-n-Libre
Caleb at Reviews Plus+
Camy at Camy Tang
Carol at Blogging With Carol
Christy at Christy’s Book Blog
Christy at My Life in Words…Books…
Dave at The Plot Thickens
Dave at Novel Spotlight
Deanna at Deannna’s Corner
Deborah at books, movies and chinese food
Deborah at Comfort Joy Designs
Debra at Soul Reflections
Deena at A Peek At My Bookshelf
Delia at Gatorskunkz And Mudcats
Edyth at Great Reads by Jasmine
Gina at Upon Reflection
Gina at Portrait Of A Writer
Gretchen at Inspire Me
Heidi at Reviews By Heidi
Janis at The Nearsighted Bookworm
Janna at Cornhusker Academy
Jendi at Jendi’s Journal
Jennifer at So Many Books…So Little Time
Jennifer at Quiverfull Family Blog
Jenny at Come Meet AusJenny
Jill at Christian Work At Home Moms
Jill at Artistic Blogger
Kara at Ramblings-n-Writings
Kate at A Simple Walk
Katie at Christian Novels
Kelly at A Disciple’s Steps
Kim at Window To My World
Kristi at Stamped With Grace
Kristinia at Loving Heart Mommy
Laura at Laura William’s Musings
Leah at Ponderings From My Heart
Leslie at A Little Bit Of Sunlight
Linda at Mocha With Linda
Linda at Reading For His Glory
Lisa at Musings
Lori at Noggin Bits
Lynetta at Open Book
Marjorie at The Writer’s Tool
Melissa at Bibliophile’s Retreat
Michelle at Edgy Inspirational Author
Michelle at Michelle’s Great Blogs
Pam at Pam’s Private Reflections
Pam at Daysong Reflections
Peg at Sips ‘n Cups Cafeteria
Pepper at Great Christian Fiction
Ruth at Booktalk & more…
Ryan at loves to read
Sabrina at Hijinks From The Heartland
Sally at Welcome To Sally Bradley.com
Shelley at Ink Scrawls
Shera at Froggy Reviews
Stephanie at Olive Tree
Sunny at That Book Addiction
Susan at New Every Morning
Takiela at Beauty 4 Ashes
Tara at Tara’s View Of The World
Tricia at It’s Real Life
Vanessa at Ramblings of A Texas Housewife

Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus

by admin | Jan 19, 2009 | Books

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Stand-In Groom

Barbour Publishing, Inc (January 2009)
by

Kaye Dacus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kaye Dacus is an author and editor who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. A former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kaye enjoys being an active ACFW member and the fellowship and community of hundreds of other writers from across the country and around the world that she finds there.

She currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, which she co-founded in 2003 with three other writers. Each month, she teaches a two-hour workshop on an aspect of the craft of writing at the MTCW monthly meeting. But her greatest joy comes from mentoring new writers through her website and seeing them experience those “aha” moments when a tricky concept becomes clear.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When wedding planner Anne Hawthorne meets George Laurence, she thinks she’s found the man of her dreams. But when he turns out to be a client, her “dream” quickly turns into a nightmare. Will Anne risk her heart and career on this engaging Englishman?

George came to Louisiana to plan his employer’s wedding and pose as the groom. But how can he feign affection for a supposed fiancee when he’s so achingly attracted to the wedding planner? And what will happen when Anne discovers his role has been Stand-In Groom only? Will she ever trust George again? Can God help these two believers find a happy ending?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Stand-In Groom, go HERE

What they’re saying about it:

“Dacus pulls off a delightful story that places readers in the heart of the South with the debut of the Brides of Bonneterre series. Readers will enjoy this look at how lives are transformed through devastating events and how forgiveness is the key to a promising future. Nothing is as it seems in this heartwarming story.”
–Romantic Times, 4-Star Review

“Absolutely delightful! I enjoyed Stand-In Groom from cover to cover! Ms. Dacus’s clever story and wonderful prose will draw you away to a place deep in the heart of Louisiana, surrounding you with the scents, sounds, and sights of the deep south. A story filled with romance and intrigue, betrayal and forgiveness, I found myself laughing, crying and rejoicing right along with the characters.”
–M.L. Tyndall, author of The Falcon and the Sparrow and the award-winning Legacy of the King’s Pirates series

“Stand-In Groom is as sweet, beautiful, and chaotic as a perfectly planned wedding. Anne is a bright and wounded heroine you’re going to care about for a long time. George is a hero to capture your heart. Kaye Dacus will take you along for a fun, poignent ride in Stand-In Groom.”
–Mary Connealy, author of the Lassoed in Texas series and Of Mice…and Murder

MY REVIEW:

Stand-In-Groom is unashamedly a one hundred percent romance novel. Both Anne and George are committed Christians with painful pasts, but are instantly attracted at their first meeting. Unfortunately, Anne believes that she is planning George’s wedding. Sparks fly as they are forced to spend time together. Secrets and misunderstandings abound and Anne’s trust is challenged when she learns of George’s connection with the man who betrayed her long ago. A story of grace and forgiveness, Stand-In-Groom leaves the reader satisfied that God really does work out things in His timing.