by admin | Sep 11, 2012 | Amish, Books, Mystery, Romance
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingFoundAvon Inspire; Original edition (September 4, 2012)byShelley Shepard GrayABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, Abingdon Press, and Avon Inspire. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.
Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.
When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.
Check out Shelley’s Facebook Fan page.
Learn more about Shelley and her books on her Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A murder is solved and a quiet Amish community must deal with the repercussions. Amid the surprising revelations, can a newfound love survive?
As the search for Perry Borntrager’s killer continues, Jacob Schrock feels like his world is about to crumble. Right before Perry went missing, he and Jacob got into a fistfight. Jacob never told anyone what happened that terrible night. He’s good at keeping secrets—including his love for Deborah, Perry’s sister. But when Deborah takes a job at his family’s store and their friendship blossoms, Jacob senses everything is about to be revealed.
Deborah has been searching for a slice of happiness ever since her brother’s body was discovered. When the police start questioning Jacob, Deborah can’t believe that the one person she’s finally allowed in could be the one responsible for her brother’s death. Will she believe what everyone seems to think is the truth . . . or listen to her heart, and hope there is still one more person who is keeping secrets in Crittenden County?
If you would like to read the first chapter excerpt of Found, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
In the final installment of The Secrets of Crittenden County series, Found finally gives up some of those closely guarded secrets. At times it seemed as though everyone in Crittenden County knew something about the death of Perry Borntrager that they refused to reveal and some of those secrets seemed to incriminate the very people holding them so closely. Indeed, there were several people who had every reason to want Perry out of their lives but who wanted it badly enough to kill?
Although the mystery of Perry’s death was finally revealed, the ending of Found was not tied up in a neat little package. In fact it left me with a few questions which may have been the author’s intention. As in the previous books of this series, Found kept me glued to its pages as I attempted to guess the killer right along with Mose and Luke. Just when I though the case was solved (and I wasn’t too happy about the suspect), another secret was revealed and this one came out of the blue!
All in all, Found and the two previous novels of this series were well written and held my interest well. My only complaint is that this series could easily have been published as one book rather than a series – but then that’s just my personal opinion.
by admin | Sep 10, 2012 | Books, Giveaways
| For the next week, starting today and running till next Monday, September 17th, Dan Walsh is celebrating the release of his new novel, The Reunion, with a 10-book giveaway contest!Five winners will each receive a signed copy of The Reunion, as well as his third novel, The Deepest Waters. (He’s including this book because it was named a finalist for an ACFW Carol Award for book-of-the-year).
Click on the link below to see how easily you can enter the contest!
http://danwalshbooks.com/the-reunion-book-giveaway-contest/ |
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by admin | Sep 7, 2012 | Books, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Laura Frantz has done it again! I have been impressed with each and every one of her previous novels. I’m not sure how she does it but each one seems to surpass the last. “Love’s Reckoning” may just possibly be my favorite to date and that’s saying something because I loved all the others.
At a time when many historical romance novels have a spunky, sassy, and/or bold heroine, Eden Lee may seem just a bit innocuous at first. Quiet and unassuming, Eden is totally overshadowed by her sister Elspeth whose bold personality, selfish and competitive nature, and total lack of virtue demands center stage. Then there is our hero Silas Ballantyne, a skilled blacksmith who is finishing his apprenticeship under the sisters’ father. It is somewhat understood that one of the sisters will marry the apprentice and Elspeth decides she wants him. However, Eden and Silas find themselves to be kindred spirits and their low key friendship develops into a stronger attachment that they must keep secret because of Elspeth’s increasing volatility.
I liked the way that the relationship between Silas and Eden developed – his attraction to her gentle and giving spirit and his desire to protect her from the pain caused by her family – and Eden’s response to the respectful and caring way that Silas treated her.
“Love’s Reckoning” is a story filled with emotion and many secrets, some of which are major surprises when revealed. There were times when I didn’t like the choices made by the characters but those poor choices added to the realism of the story. With several characters to love and several to despise, and a couple who disappoint, Frantz’s casting keeps the story compelling. The story itself left me with plenty to chew on and I would venture to describe “Love’s Reckoning” as an epic novel. This book deserves much more attention than it will probably receive and should have the potential to become a classic. I plan to recommend it to my reader friends. Everyone who enjoys historical fiction should pick up a copy.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In this sweeping family saga set in western Pennsylvania, one man’s choices in love and work, in friends and enemies, set the stage for generations to come. Love’s Reckoning is the first entry in The Ballantyne Legacy, a rich, multi-layered historical quartet from talented writer Laura Frantz, beginning in the late 1700s and following the Ballantyne family through the end of the Civil War.
On a bitter December day in 1785, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of master blacksmith Liege Lee in York, Pennsylvania. Just months from becoming a master blacksmith himself, Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship and move west. But Liege soon discovers that Silas is a prodigious worker and craftsman and endeavors to keep him in Lancaster. Silas becomes interested in both of Liege’s daughters, the gentle and faith-filled Eden and the clever and high-spirited Elspeth. When he chooses one, will the other’s jealousy destroy their love?
Available September 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell,
a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Laura Frantz is a lover of history, is the author of The Frontiersman’s Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, and The Colonel’s Lady, and currently lives in the misty woods of Washington with her husband and two sons.
Praise for Love’s Reckoning:
“Stunning. Heart-wrenching. Breathless. Not since Gone with the Wind have I read an epic novel that has stolen my heart, my breath, my sleep to such a jolting degree. Love’s Reckoning marks Laura Frantz not only as a shining star in Christian fiction today but as a shooting star who soars skyward to the glittering heights of Rivers and Higgs —Julie Lessman, award-winning author of the Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series
Praise for Laura Frantz:
“You’ll disappear into another place and time and be both encouraged and enriched for having taken the journey.”—Jane Kirkpatrick, bestselling author of All Together in One Place and A Flickering Light
“Laura Frantz portrays the wild beauty of frontier life, along with its dangers and hardships, in vivid detail.”—Ann H. Gabhart, author of The Blessed
“Frantz paints a vivid picture of the tough life out in the wild, and yet her characters demonstrate that it was possible to have a wonderful life.”—RT Book Reviews for The Colonel’s Lady
by admin | Sep 5, 2012 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingProofKregel Publications (June 1, 2012)byJordyn RedwoodABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jordyn Redwood has served patients and their families for nearly twenty years and currently works as a pediatric ER nurse. As a self-professed medical nerd and trauma junkie, she was drawn to the controlled chaotic environments of critical care and emergency nursing. Her love of teaching developed early and she was among the youngest CPR instructors for the American Red Cross at the age of seventeen. Since then, she has continued to teach advanced resuscitation classes to participants ranging from first responders to MD’s.
Her discovery that she also had a fondness for answering medical questions for authors led to the creation of Redwood’s Medical Edge at http://jordynredwood.com/. This blog is devoted to helping contemporary and historical authors write medically accurate fiction.
Jordyn lives in Colorado with her husband, two daughters, and one crazy hound dog. In her spare time she also enjoys reading her favorite authors, quilting, and cross-stitching.
Learn more about Jordyn and her book on her Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Dr. Lilly Reeves is a young, accomplished ER physician with her whole life ahead of her. But that life instantly changes when she becomes the fifth victim of a serial rapist. Believing it’s the only way to recover her reputation and secure peace for herself, Lilly sets out to find–and punish–her assailant. Sporting a mysterious tattoo and unusually colored eyes, the rapist should be easy to identify. He even leaves what police would consider solid evidence. But when Lilly believes she has found him, DNA testing clears him as a suspect. How can she prove he is guilty, if science says he is not?
Endorsements:
“Jordyn Redwood makes quite a splash with her debut novel. PROOF is a hard-edged mix of medical thriller and crime chiller that grabs you on the first page and doesn’t let go until the end. This one will keep you up way past your bedtime.”
—Rick Acker, best-selling author of When the Devil Whistles
“From the very first chapter, the first page even, Jordyn Redwood pulls the reader into a story that won’t let go. PROOF is proof enough for me that Jordyn is the real deal: an author who knows how to weave a tight story, write descriptive, authentic prose, and deal with some pretty hefty issues. I’m a fan!”
—Mike Dellosso, author of Frantic and Rearview (a 7 Hours story)
“Debut novelist Jordyn Redwood has used her experience as an ER and ICU nurse to craft a blend of medical thriller and police procedural with twists and turns to keep fans of either genre turning pages.”
—Richard L. Mabry, MD, author of Lethal Remedy and the Prescription for Trouble series
“A rollercoaster of a story. Jordyn Redwood’s PROOF has everything you could want in a thriller—believable characters, a villain who makes your skin crawl, a touch of humor, and a twisting plot—all bound by fascinating medical and scientific details. What a fabulous debut!”
—Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of the Wings of Glory series
“Jordyn Redwood may be new on the scene, but she writes like a seasoned pro. PROOF is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time with well-drawn characters including a villain I despised and a hero and heroine I rooted for. I thought I would just take a peek at the first chapter and finish the story later. I thought wrong. I read late into the night, lost sleep, and put off my own writing to finish this book. I’m eagerly awaiting Jordyn’s second book and will be first in line to purchase it the day it releases.”
—Lynnette Eason, best-selling author of The Women of Justice series
“I love a great medical thriller and I’m glad to add another author to my list. Jordyn Redwood writes like the medical insider she is. A gripping tale laced with realism, sleep-robbing excitement, and something every reader loves: hope.”
—Harry Kraus, MD, best-selling author of The Six-Liter Club
“PROOF by Jordyn Redwood is a gripping medical thriller written with vivid detail from an author who knows her subject firsthand. A serial rapist is at large in the town—in the hospital, even? Can Lilly trust anyone? Even her closest friend? And just when you think you can relax, the stakes get even higher.”
—Donna Fletcher Crow, author of The Monastery Murders
“Jordyn Redwood’s debut novel is a page-turner with an ingenious premise and solid Christian values. A satisfying read.”
—Frank J. Edwards, Medical Director, Delphi Emergency Physicians, author of the medical thriller Final Mercy
If you would like to read the first chapter of Proof, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Proof grabbed my attention from the first page and kept me engaged until the very last one. It’s difficult for me to believe that this is the author’s first novel.
I am not sure how to review Proof without major spoilers. There is so much going on in this book, all pertinent to the story, but anything I can think of to describe the story would reveal entirely too much. Personally I think the book description above gives too much away. Basically, the town where Lilly Reeves serves as an ER doctor has been plagued by a serial rapist. Descriptions given by several of his victims indicate that the crimes were committed by the same person. When a man who has two very specific and unusual physical attributes described by the victims is arrested, other evidence seems to prove that he cannot possibly be guilty. Convinced of his guilt, Lilly sets out to prove it before it is too late.
Proof is very well written with a fast paced plot and well defined characters. An intense storyline is laced with enough twists and surprises to satisfy most mystery lovers. A subtle romance takes a backseat to the action and suspense but was a nice touch. The strong message of faith was handled well and did not come across heavy-handed. I will be watching for Jordyn Redwood’s next novel. I expect great things from this new author.
