Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #86: With Autumn's Return

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're
eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

With Autumn's Return by Amanda Cabot
Revell-January 15, 2014

About the Book
Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to establish her medical practice thanks to the wooing of her two older sisters who extolled the beauty of the land. She's certain she'll have a line of patients eager for her expertise and gentle bedside manner. However, she soon discovers the town and its older doctor may not welcome a new physician. Even more frustrating, the handsome young attorney next door may not be ready for the idea of a woman doctor. For his part, Jason Nordling has nothing against women, but he's promised himself that the woman he marries will be a full-time mother.

Despite their firm principles, Elizabeth and Jason find that mutual attraction--and disdain from the community--is drawing them ever closer. And when the two find themselves working to save the life and tattered reputation of a local woman, they'll have to decide how far they're willing to go to find justice--and true love.

Why I Want It
I have enjoyed all the books I've read of this author's including the first two in this series so I'm excited for this one. I'm also excited to meet Elizabeth who's been talked about by her sisters but we've never met. And lastly it just sounds good!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Top Ten Romantic Suspense Covers

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic was supposed to be scariest book covers but I don't read scary books so I went with the closest thing I could think of, romantic suspense covers! So here are ten covers of romantic suspense books I've read. These aren't going to be in any order!

Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren

Vanished by Irene Hannon

Talon by Ronie Kendig

When A Secret Kills by Lynette Eason

The Protector by Dee Henderson

Submerged by Dani Pettrey

Dangerous Passage by Lisa Harris

Escape to Morning by Susan May Warren

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig

Stranded by Dani Pettrey

Monday, October 28, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #94

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:
My week was busier than I thought it was going to be so I only managed to finish the book I was in the middle of and one more. The second book I got on the day I needed to post my review so I had to read it rather quickly!

What I am currently reading:
I'm about 1/2 through Snow the Tulips and it's pretty good and I'm enjoying Real!

What I hope to read this week:
I got a ton of review books this week including these three and I'm hoping to get to at least one or two of these but who knows?!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #93
Top Ten Character Names I Love
Waiting on Wednesday #85: Princess Ever After
Greetings from the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge&Cheryl McKay

Hope you have a great reading week, thanks for taking the time to check out mine!
Leave your link below and I'll be sure to stop by!

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Stacking the Shelves #33

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Books to Review
Heart Failure by Richard L. Mabry, M.D. (Booksneeze)
Greetings from the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay (CFBA)
Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma (Litfuse)
I've already read the first two and I'm in the middle of the third-all enjoyable reads!


The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson (ARC-ZStreet Team)
Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay (Litfuse)
The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (Blogging for Books)
I'm excited for all of these especially The Captive Maiden!

Real by Jamie Snyder (Bethany House)
The Wall Around Your Heart by Mary DeMuth (Booksneeze)
These look like they will be interesting non-fiction reads!

Kindle Books
Known by Kristin Warner
Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall
Redeeming Grace: Killer in the White House by Ward Tanneberg
Beowulf by Ronie Kendig (NetGalley ARC)
Welcome to Last Chance by Cathleen Armstrong
The Secret's in the Sauce by Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson

Friday, October 25, 2013

Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley

About the Book
In a case that could change her career, Miranda uncovers a love that will change her life.
When Miranda Hunt sees the classified ad for an heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch, she knows assuming the identity of Annie Beckman is the perfect cover. As one of the finest agents for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Miranda has been tasked with apprehending the Phantom - an elusive and notorious train robber thought to be hiding on the sprawling ranch.
But she isn't the only one there with something to hide. Wells Fargo detective Jeremy Taggert is working the scene undercover as well. And although their true identities are a secret, it is impossible for Jeremy and Miranda to hide the spark that flares between them.
But neither is about to let romance interfere with such a huge case. Besides, Miranda hasn't removed Jeremy from her list of suspects yet. The closer they come to uncovering the identity of the Phantom, the more dangerous he gets - and no one on the ranch is safe.
But neither are their hearts - the longer Miranda and Jeremy spend working together, the harder it becomes to keep their feelings in check. Their careers - and their lives - depend on solving this case. Love will have to wait.

My Thoughts
I think this was my favorite of this series! I loved the whole angle of two undercover agents from rival agencies working on the same case without each other knowing about it! It made for some very fun times and I also liked the fact that we were able to skip the whole “you lied to me and we can't be together now” bit that usually comes with undercover situations! And I was really impressed with the way the author avoided any confusion when it came to the names of the characters. The hero and the heroine each went by to different names but I was always able to keep them straight without even trying. I have read books were that has not been the case and I'm not sure how this author did it but I really appreciated it!
I really appreciate how the author was able to use the same basic premise of a girl coming to try to become the heiress of a ranch and yet create three very unique stories without much redundancy! That is a sign of a truly great author!
I enjoyed all of the characters especially Miranda (Annie) and Branch (Taggert) and it was fun seeing all the characters from the previous books! I loved the interaction between the two main characters as they each thought the other was working for the bad guy and then once they realized they were rivals!
This was a great conclusion to a really fun series that I definitely recommend! It is a series but I feel like you could read any of the books by themselves!

About the Author
Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this--except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter at the time. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."
So that's what Margaret did. She's now a New York Times bestselling author and a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist with more than 25 novels to her credit. Her first non-fiction book "Grieving God's Way: the Lasting Path to Hope and Healing" has won much critical acclaim. She is currently working on the third book in her "Brides of Last Chance Ranch series."
Not bad for someone who flunked 8th grade English. Just don't ask her to diagram a sentence.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.


Margaret Brownley's latest release, Gunpowder Tea, is receiving high praise, and she's celebrating with a Kindle Fire giveaway and a "Tea with Margaret" Facebook party!
gunpowder-rafflecopter

  One winner will receive:
  • A Kindle Fire
  • Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. Winner will be announced at the "Tea with Margaret" Facebook Author Chat Party on the 7th. Connect with Margaret and friends for an evening of book chat, prizes, and get an exclusive look at Margaret's next book!

So grab your copy of Gunpowder Tea and join Margaret on the evening of November 7th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on 11/7!

Friday Memes 10/25

Book Blogger Hop

The Question:
What is your favorite horror novel and why?

My Answer:
Well as I've said the past few weeks I don't read horror books. The closest thing to a horror book I've read and enjoyed was Hangman's Curse by Frank Peretti. It's been awhile since I've read it though so I'm having a hard time coming up with the why but oh well! 


Hosted by: Rose City Reader

"Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name."

"Schnell, schnell!" A German soldier jammed the cold, hard barrel of his rifle into Gerrit Laninga's back. Gerrit's heart throbbed against his ribs like waves in a squall against a dike. Any minute now, it would burst through his chest, splitting open as it flopped to the ground. He scrambled to keep pace with the other nine Dutch Resistance workers in front of him. If he fell behind, the Germans would shoot him on the spot. Not that it mattered one way or the other.
Gerrit was on his way to his execution.
Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma

My Thoughts
Great beginning! Nothing like someone walking to their death to grabbed your attention! This immediately sucked me in!

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Greetings from the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Greetings from the Flipside
B&H Books (October 15, 2013)
by
Rene Gutteridge

MY THOUGHTS:
Sorry for the late posting! I just got this book today and had to rush to read it!
After reading some other reviews I had an idea of what to expect going into this book but it still was quite an interesting read!
The twist of having most of the book be the imaginary story of the main character who was in a coma was extremely unique. It sounds very strange but it actually worked to make a very enjoyable book.
It was fun to pick out which parts of the coma world were influenced by what was going on around Hope.
The characters were all quite fun and Hope's mom especially cracked me up!

All in all it was a great read and these authors really know how to make a unique plot work!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rene is the author of seventeen novels. She also has extensive experience writing comedy sketches, and worked for five years as the director of drama for a church. She has a degree specializing in Screenwriting, for which she earned the Excellence in Mass Communication Award, and graduated magna cum laude.

She is married to Sean, a musician and worship leader, and has two children. They reside in Oklahoma, where Rene writes full time and enjoys instructing in college classrooms and writers conferences.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Hope Landon has been rewriting other people's greeting cards since she was six years old -- there's always a funnier caption. She's all set to chase those creative dreams with her musician fiance in New York City until he leaves Hope at the altar, deciding he must not really love this girl if he can't write a song for her. That may give her something to write about . . .

Hope disappears alone on what was supposed to be the couple's month long honeymoon. Upon returning she learns of her funeral -- everyone in her life concluded Hope must have killed herself after being jilted. Needing a fresh start more than ever, she heads for the Big Apple only to discover it's not that easy to rent a place when you've been declared dead.

Taking shelter at the YWCA, Hope soon lands a job at a Christian inspirational greeting card company as an assistant to Jake, a guy who shut down his organization's humor department. She has lost her faith in love; he needs to find something or someone that will make him laugh.

Is there anything in the cards for these two? Find out in the truly original Greetings from the Flipside by authors Rene Gutteridge (Boo) and Cheryl McKay (screenplay for The Ultimate Gift).

If you would like to read the first chapter of >Greetings from the Flipside, go HERE.

Waiting on Wednesday #85: Princess Ever After

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're
eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck
Zondervan-Febuary 4, 2014

About the Book
Regina Beswick was born to be a princess. 
But she's content to be a small-town girl, running a classic auto restoration shop, unaware a secret destiny awaits her. One that will leap from the pages of her grandmother's hand-painted book of fairytales.
Tanner Burkhardt is the stoic Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. When he is tasked to retrieve the long-lost princess, he must overcome his fear of failure in order to secure his nation's future---and his own.
Yet lurking in the political shadows is a fierce opponent with sinister plans to abolish the throne forever. 

Overwhelmed with opposition, Regina must decide if she's destined to restore old cars or an ancient nation. Together---with a little divine intervention---Regina and Tanner discover the truth of her heritage and the healing power of true love.

Why I Want It
I loved the first book in this series and I'm really looking forward to this one! The lost princess intrigued me while reading Once Upon A Prince and I can't wait to read her story!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Top Ten Character Names I Love

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I was really excited about this topic since it was actually my suggestion but I didn't realize just how hard it would be to pick just ten names! I finally got it down to 5 guy names and 5 girl names and here they are in no particular order!

GUYS
#1. Beckett-There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
#2. Roman-Sands of Time by Susan May Warren
#3. Berk-Anomaly by Krista McGee
#4. Slater-Every Little Thing About You by Lori Wick
#5. Dakota-A Texas Sky by Lori Wick

GIRLS
#1. Finley-There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
#2. Aspen-Talon by Ronie Kendig
#3. Shiloh-Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig
#4. Eden-To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer
#5. Sarai-Sands of Time by Susan May Warren

Monday, October 21, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #93

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:
I enjoyed all three of these books and the finishing of them marked the completion of a long-standing goal of mine. For a few years now my goal has been to have no books in my owned TBR pile for at least a day. And when I finished The Preacher's Bride I completed my goal and have actually had no books added for about 3 days! It's time to finally start borrowing off of my sisters!

What I am currently reading:
I'm halfway through this and it's pretty good!

What I hope to read this week:

The first two books I've been borrowing from my sister for awhile now and I'm hoping to finally read and I just got an e-ARC of Beowulf so I'm hoping to jump in this week!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #92
Top Ten Books I Was "Forced" to Read
Waiting on Wednesday #84: A Draw of Kings
Cover Reveal: Forget Me Not
Love by the Letter by Melissa Jagears
A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears

Hope you have a great reading week, thanks for taking the time to check out mine!
Leave your link below and I'll be sure to stop by!

Saturday, October 19, 2013

The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser

About the Book
A pampered socialite embarks on a journey to the Wild West where her life is changed forever.
A setting populated by hundreds of laborers, outlaws, and Indians is hardly the place for a wealthy general's daughter from the nation's capital. But Josephine Cain is determined to visit her father, who supervises the day-to-day work involved in the grandest ambition of post-Civil War America: the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Life with the railroad is far from the proper life Josephine is used to, and she faces deadly gunfights, harsh weather, and vigilante uprisings. She is torn between the West and the East; between her privileged upbringing and the challenges of a new frontier; between the pull of the suitable beau her parents approve of and an attraction to a rough but charming Irish railroad worker. But if Josephine is willing, and courageous, she just might find a new life, a unique purpose . . . and true love.

My Thoughts
I did enjoy this book but to be honest it left a little to be desired. I can't go into to too much detail without spoiling things but one of the big problems I had was the fact that the hero and the heroine really didn't spend much time at all with each other until the second half. Though to be fair at that time they both were in relationships with other people but I still wanted a little more.
I really enjoyed the historical aspect of the laying of the railroad and also the look into what it must have been like for those who were in the theater when Lincoln was assassinated. Both were things that I hadn't given much thought to so it was cool to learn about them.
Both Hudson and Josephine were great characters though Josephine was a little spoiled and selfish at the beginning. Thankfully though it wasn't to an annoying extent and not enough to make you not like her.
All in all it was a good book that made for a great one time read.


About the Author
Nancy Moser is the best-selling author of more than twenty novels. She is a winner and two-time nominee of the Christy Award, and her latest novel was named to Booklist’s “Top 10 Romance Novels of 2011.” Nancy and her husband have three grown children and three grandchildren, and they live in the Midwest.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.



The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser follows the adventures of a D.C. socialite as she gets involved with the building of the Transcontinental Railroad right after the Civil War. Be sure to check out Nancy's fun Pinterest board for the book!


Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!

journeyofcain-rafflecopter

  Five winners will receive:
  • The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 26th. All winners will be announced October 28th at the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 28th to see if you won one of the books!

Friday, October 18, 2013

Heart Failure by Richard L. Mabry, M.D.

About the Book
When her fiancé’s dangerous secrets turn her work upside down, a beautiful doctor must choose between her own safety and the man she loves—and thought she knew.
Dr. Carrie Markham’s heart was broken by the death of her husband two years ago. Now, just as her medical practice is taking off, her fresh engagement to paralegal Adam Davidson seems almost too good to be true . . . until a drive-by shooting leaves Carrie on the floor of his car with glass falling around her.
When he confesses that Adam isn’t his real name and that he fled the witness protection program, Carrie is left with an impossible choice: should she abandon the fiancé she isn’t sure she really knows, or accept his claim of innocence and help him fight back against this faceless menace?

While Carrie struggles to decide whether to follow her heart or her head, the threats against them continue to escalate. Her life—as well as Adam’s—depends on making the right choice . . . and the clock is ticking.

My Thoughts
After enjoying Stress Test earlier this year I was excited to read this next book. I often avoid fiction that has to do with medical things since I have a weak stomach but this author does a pretty good job of keeping the details of the medical things to a minimum, which is awesome!
The plot was extremely intriguing and I was constantly kept guessing as to what was going to happen. Every time I thought I figured it out something else would happen that left me back at the start!
I enjoyed both Carrie and Adam's characters and even though there wasn't the whole falling love bit it was cool to watch as the craziness of their circumstances served to make their relationship stronger.
The only real problem I found with this book was that there was a bit of redundancy though I'm sure for people that read the book slower than I did (I got it mid-afternoon and finished it before going to bed) will appreciate the reminder of details they may have forgotten.

All in all this was a great read that I recommend!

About the Author
Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, past Vice-President of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and the author of five published novels of medical suspense. His books have been finalists in competitions including ACFW’s Carol Award and Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year. His novel, Lethal Remedy, won a 2012 Selah Award from the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. His most recent medical thriller, Stress Test (Thomas Nelson), was released in April of this year, and will be followed by Heart Failure in October.
Richard’s non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse (Kregel Publishers), has ministered to multiple thousands of grieving individuals. His meditations and short pieces have appeared in The Upper Room, In Touch, and several other periodicals.

When Richard is not writing, he spends his time reading, working fruitlessly to improve his golf game, and defending his title as the world’s best Granddad. He and his wife live in north Texas and are active members of Stonebriar Community Church, pastored by Dr. Chuck Swindoll.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Friday Memes 10/18

Book Blogger Hop

The Question:
Norman Bates VS Hannibal Lecter: Which one of these famous book murderers is scarier?
(Optional Question: Who is your favorite book villain?)

My Answer:
I really don't know anything about either of those people so I can't pick which is scarier. And as for favorite book villain, I don't know. Villains don't really stick with me and I don't think I'd pick any as a favorite!


Hosted by: Rose City Reader

"Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name."

Vesta got up early that morning, before Guide's Bell rang to mark the start of labour, before the sun had come up and brought heat and full light.
Doctor Who: The Silent Stars Go By by Dan Abnett

My Thoughts
A rather average start but I didn't mind since I was excited to read my first Doctor Who book!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Bride for Keeps
Bethany House Publishers (October 1, 2013)
by
Melissa Jagears

MY THOUGHTS:
I am a huge marriage-of-convenience fan so I was really excited when I found out about this book. But for some reason my brain decided that I probably wouldn't love it as much as I was hoping so I went in with very low expectations. And boy was I wrong! I loved this book SO much! I devoured it and rarely put it down. I read the first 100 pages in one sitting and I would have read the remaining pages in another except that I had to take a short dinner break.
Everett was by far my absolute favorite character! I felt so bad with all that he had gone through with trying to find a bride. And my heart broke as he struggled between not wanting to be hurt again and wanting to be a good husband. The author wrote in such a beautiful way that I could totally feel all of his emotions.
Julia was also an awesome character. It was horrible the things that she'd experienced and it was sad to watch as she fought between being completely afraid of love and affection from Everett while at the same time desiring it. I was really impressed with how she didn't back down from any hard work no matter what it was or how little she knew about it!
I was also really happy that Dex and Rachel were a big part of this story! It was cool to see how their lives had turned out!
So in short I loved everything about this book and I can't wait to see what else this author has up her sleeve!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A Word From The Author:
I am a stay at home mother on a tiny little farm with a fixer-upper house. As much as I love writing and reading about homesteaders, I am so glad I’m a homesteader during an era with modern grocery stores to take up for my slack. I am an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher by trade, and I still work occasionally in that field along with being my church’s financial secretary and writing novels.
My husband and I have been married since 2001 and have a daughter and two little boys. My husband shares my fascination with traditional living except for being more hands on. He loves blacksmithing, knife smithing, traditional archery, hunting, etc. Generally whatever a mountain man does, he does it or has or wants to attempt it. He comes in handy for research! And of course, the rest of the family gets involved. I have my own blackpowder rifle, named Calvin, that my husband made for me. And I’m pretty sure my daughter is probably one of very few her age who can instruct adults how to shoot a longbow properly. The boy digs random holes in my yard to make “cement” with dirt and water making our yard a tripping hazard. The baby does what babies do.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Tender Tale of Love on the Prairie Perfect for CBA Readers!
Although Everett Cline can hardly keep up with the demands of his homestead, he won't humiliate himself by looking for a helpmate ever again--not after being jilted by three mail-order brides. When a well-meaning neighbor goes behind his back to bring yet another mail-order bride to town, he has good reason to doubt it will work, especially after getting a glimpse at the woman in question. She's the prettiest woman he's ever seen, and it's just not possible she's there to marry a simple homesteader like him.
Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. Having finally worked up the courage to leave her life in Massachusetts, she's determined to find a place where people will value her for more than her looks. Having run out of all other options, Julia resorts to a mail-order marriage in far-away Kansas.
Everett is skeptical a cultured woman like Julia could be happy in a life on the plains, while Julia, deeply wounded by a past relationship, is skittish at the idea of marriage at all. When, despite their hesitations, they agree to a marriage in name only, neither one is prepared for the feelings that soon arise to complicate their arrangement. Can two people accustomed to keeping their distance let the barricades around their hearts down long enough to fall in love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Bride for Keeps, go HERE.