by admin | Oct 4, 2016 | Books, Giveaways
You’re invited back to Stoney Ridge for a story of dreams deferred and hopes fulfilled in The Devoted.
Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She’s done all she can to prepare to go–passed the GED, saved her money–but she can’t quite set her journey into motion.
Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He’s come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to “everything Plain.” Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.
Ruthie’s next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back–anything–and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way.
Suzanne is celebrating the release of The Devoted with a special giveaway!
One winner will receive:
- A copy of The Devoted
- An iPad Mini 2 16GB
Enter today, but hurry! The giveaway ends on November 2. The winner will be announced November 3 on Suzanne’s blog.
Enter to win by filling out the form when you click here, or click the graphic above to enter to win.
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by admin | Oct 4, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, England
MY REVIEW:
I really had no idea what a book entitled “How to Make Victoria Sponge” might be about – maybe a woman who bakes? Not exactly. Written in the form of a journal, this story is about an ordinary mother of four and what happens when she wakes each morning and responds “Yes” to whatever the Lord has planned for her day. Actually Victoria is pretty extraordinary in the way she relates each and every thing that happens throughout her day to God.
In many ways, I had difficulty with this book. First of all, the style is not my usual cup of tea. I am one who enjoys a good dialogue between characters. There were times that I just couldn’t relate to the character because her thought process was so different than my own. But…”How to Make Victoria Sponge” did make me think…especially about my own shortcomings and how just maybe I need to be more open to the Lord’s leading myself. And sometimes, maybe the Lord has me read a book that is out of my comfort zone because He has something to teach me through it.
Victoria was a unique character and so inclined to one disaster after another. Written in a different style, some of her exploits would have been pure slapstick. But at the end of the day, no matter what had happened, Victoria knew she had done her best in the sight of her Lord. And that is exactly what we all should aspire to.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Click to purchase
Victoria Sponge – a well-known cake? Maybe, but also a wife and mother of four children. Disorganized and chaotic, with obligations galore, sweet Victoria clings to God, her best friend who shares His amazing love with her. From tripping over a hoover left in the hallway to discovering her son’s desire to die because he is different, she journeys through her own Lent. Giving up is not an option, but saying ‘yes’ to God each day is. Tragedy and comical events follow Vicki through her week. Does Victoria Sponge rise through all the messiness that life offers or does she sink?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born in England, Margaret Kazmierczak loves storytelling, but dyslexia made writing difficult. After marrying and birthing three children, she finally got around to it. She and husband Peter live in Dorset, United Kingdom with two daughters.
Guest Post from Margaret Kazmierczak
For those that know me cooking is not a talent that I am famous for. I follow the recipes, but for some unknown reason my cakes remain flat, albeit cleverly disguised with chocolate. My friends were, quite understandably, shocked that I appeared to have written a cookery book.
My friends let me introduce the Baker who inspired me to write, ‘How to Make Victoria Sponge’. His name is God the Father. This cook needs all the help she can get.
In 2010 God literally took me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to become vulnerable. He took away my health and job. An active middle aged woman reduced to a shell. For two years I struggled to come to terms with my condition. Then one night I prayed and asked what I was supposed to do now? The message was simple, “write a book”. Well I could think up a million and one reasons why not to write a book. I declared them one by one but God the Father was having none of it. He reminded me of WHO was commissioning me.
To say that my reading and writing skills were on a par with my cooking skills was an understatement. So I stopped questioning and listened to His answer. “I shall give you the ingredients and you provide the humour and story outline with your life experiences.” So Victoria Sponge was born. Not a cookery book per se but a recipe for a closer relationship with God the Father through story and petition.
This journey took two years, a long time to wait for a cake to rise! The proof, however, was in the tasting which for some time was bitter due to rejection. Then a sequence of events happened one after the other and ‘How to Make Victoria Sponge’ was cooked, oops, birthed. I have been blown away with the face to face reviews in England of the book. A Methodist minister used it to empower her congregation, to show them how even the simplest things in life can lead to a prayerful response.
Victoria known as Vicki, married to Bob, is a normal woman with four children. The book looks at a week in her life and compares it to Jesus’ Lent week. Many issues are explored through the pages. Vicki Sponge could be you or me and the response to each situation, a solution to your own challenges.
Without the Baker this book would end up like my cakes! The writing of it helped me to begin a new life and I hope it helps you to do so too if you read and journey through its pages.
Blog Stops:
September 29: A Reader’s Brain
September 30: The Power of Words (spotlight)
October 1: History, Mystery & Faith
October 2: Bukwurmzzz
October 3: Artistic Nobody
October 4: Quiet Quilter
October 5: Daysong Reflections
October 6: Mary Hake
October 7: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
October 8: Simple Harvest Reads
October 9: Bibliophile Reviews
October 10: Petra’s Hope
October 11: His Grace is Sufficient
October 12: Onceuponatime
Giveaway:
To celebrate her tour, Margaret is giving away a themed gift bag containing an apron, whisk, Bible, and a limited 1st edition paperback copy of How to Make Victoria Sponge!
Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a416
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by admin | Oct 4, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
I was unfamiliar with Alison Stone’s novels when I agreed to review “Pointe and Shoot” but its description sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try. I was pleased to find it to be a well-written book that held my attention throughout with its fast moving and suspense filled plot. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more books by this author.
I particularly liked Jayne, the primary character. Her devotion to her family, especially her mother, was admirable. Giving up on a career she had dreamed of in exchange for helping her mother with her dance studio was a pretty big sacrifice. I also thought that Danny was a good match for Jayne and enjoyed reading about how their relationship grew from a renewed friendship to love. When one of the dance instructors dies in a mysterious car crash, Jayne suspects it was more than an accident and is determined to prove it despite the doubts of nearly everyone else. Even Danny is unsure of her suspicions but because he cares, he tries to help. Adding the perpetrator’s thoughts to the story was a brilliant idea that gave me some insight into the warped mindset of the killer without giving too much away. By the end, I did have an inkling of who this person was but was never 100% certain.
Lots of danger, mystery, and suspense as well as plenty of personal insight fill the pages of “Pointe and Shoot”. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and learning about the dance school. I also found the subtle message of faith to be just the right touch. I would recommend this novel to all who enjoy a good contemporary suspense.
A digital copy of this book was provided by the author through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Jayne Murphy has always put family first. That’s why she abandoned her dream of joining the police force to run her ailing mother’s dance studio.
When one of the studio’s most talented instructors dies in a car crash, Jayne isn’t convinced it was just an accident. Relentlessly pursuing her hunch, she teams up with Officer Danny Nolan, the best friend and partner of her brother Patrick, who died in the line of duty. Haunted by Patrick’s death, Danny has begun to question whether he should still be a cop at all.
As Jayne digs deeper, suspects emerge, including the victim’s clingy ex-boyfriend and a jealous foe from the cutthroat dance world. Her evolving insights into the case rekindle Jayne’s passion for police work. Danny, too, feels a renewed sense of purpose…and a definite attraction to his unofficial partner, which seems to be mutual. Now, if Jayne can only keep herself out of harm’s way, she and Danny both might get a second chance—with their careers and each other.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
With a degree from Georgia Tech, Alison Stone was an engineer in several industries before trading her corporate career for motherhood shortly after the birth of her second child. She became a novelist in a roundabout way, first trying her hand at writing children’s books and articles for local publications before eventually discovering her love of romantic suspense. Stone lives with her husband of twenty-plus years and their four children in western New York, where the summers are gorgeous and the winters are perfect for curling up with a good book—or writing one.
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by admin | Sep 27, 2016 | Books, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I knew as soon as I saw the cover of “Guide Me Home” that it was a book I must read and was thrilled when I found it was a choice on my Blogging For Books account. I can enthusiastically say that it more than met my expectations.
“Guide Me Home” is the story of a family struggling to make a living in Kentucky in the area near the famous Mammoth Cave. Despite their hardships and family tragedies, the family members are almost all content with their lives and the love they have for each other. The oldest daughter Rebekah carries a heavy load of guilt and regret over the accidental death of her brother so she is determined to find employment that will allow her to help her father provide for their family. When the only job available happens to be as a guide in the very caves where her brother died, Rebekah overcomes her fear, dons some men’s clothing and becomes “Reb” during working hours. As such stories usually go, Rebekah meets a young man, Devlin Bale in the course of her work and begins to care for him.
“Guide Me Home” is a story overflowing with unique characters who embody the best and sometimes worst of human nature. I loved the way Tolly looked out for Rebekah’s reputation and took the time to teach her what she needed to know in order to succeed at her job. I also liked the secondary story-line that featured sister Cissy, the one family member not satisfied with her lot in life. Although her character was sometimes frustrating, it was gratifying to see her attitude undergo change before the story’s end. Rebekah was such an admirable character who won my heart early in the novel and Devlin worked his way in as well.
Another book that I didn’t want to put down until I finished the last page, “Guide Me Home” was such a satisfying read. Once again Kim Vogel Sawyer has penned a masterpiece that took me back to another time and place and made me want to stay there. Loved, loved, loved this book!
A copy of this book was provided for review by Blogging For Books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Working in the massive cave might allow Rebekah the chance to bring joy back to her family.
But will it claim more than it gives?
After tragedy leaves its mark on Rebekah Hardin’s family, she plans to help her parents and six siblings honor her beloved brother’s memory and alleviate their poverty by working as a guide in the dangerous cave system. Kentucky’s renowned Mammoth Cave presents profitable opportunities in for hardworking, capable men. But Rebekah is determined and if it means presenting herself as a himself, then she’s up to the job.
Under the wing of experienced guide Tolly Sanford, “Reb” begins to learn the complexities of the cave and the two are joined by an aspiring young cartographer, Devlin Bale.
The university student has traveled to the hill country to map tunnels—not to fall for a girl in disguise. Can the God who designed miles of underground astonishment shape Devlin’s ambitious plans and free Reb from the weight from the past?
Read an excerpt from “Guide Me Home” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
KIM VOGEL SAWYER’s titles have garnered awards including the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Kim lives in central Kansas with her retired military husband Don. She enjoys spending time with her three daughters and grandchildren.
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