Friday, January 31, 2014

Friday Memes 1/31

Book Blogger Hop

The Question:
When you receive new books in the mail, do the older ones get moved to the bottom of your list or do go strictly "by the book" and keep your list with older books first and then the new ones?

My Answer:
I always try to read review books first, so I read them based on which tour is closest, and then after that I just read whatever I feel like. Sometimes I'll try to mix up the ones I'm super excited about with the ones I'm less excited about, and other times I'll have random.org generate a number (I have a list of my unread books) and read whatever book it gives me. But generally I'll just pick what I'm in the mood for!


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."

Death unfolds like a budding flower,
Tentatively, sweetly.
Unfurling it's majestic power
Until then my love...until then
Black roses last week, now spidery words scrawled on a scrap of paper with "Meade Funeral Home" printed across the top. Someone was stalking her, and they wanted her to know it.
Shadows of the Past by Patricia Bradley

My Thoughts
Great beginning! It captures your attention and makes you want to find out more! 

Thursday, January 30, 2014

55 Book Related Questions

Earlier this month Jillian at Covers and Ink answered these questions on her blog, it looked really fun but this was the first I've had a combination of remembering, having time, and having a free posting day so that's why it's taken so long! Feel free to join in on your blog or answer some of the questions in the comments! I love learning more about the reading habits of my blogging friends!

1. Favorite childhood book? Haha this is rather hard to answer! There were different times when different books were my favs but some that come to mind as ones I read several times are The Runaway Princess and Captive Treasure by Milly Howard, and the Annie Henry Series by Susan Olasky. I also really enjoyed the Dear America books and the Royal Diaries, my favorite of which was Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine, France, 1136.

2. What are you reading right now?  Shadows of the Past by Patricia Bradley, Worth the Wait by Laura Jackson, A Match Made in Texas by Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Carol Cox, and You're Going to Be Okay by Holley Gert

3. What books do you have on request at the library? None

4. Bad book habit? The only thing I can think of is that I tend to read so many that I can forget a lot of things about the ones I've read.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library? None unless you count my sister's collection which I'm borrowing about 9 books from!

6. Do you have an e-reader? Yep! I have a Kindle Fire!

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once? I enjoy both! Sometimes it's nice to just focus on one book at a time and other times it's fun to mix it up! I usually at least have one fiction and one non-fiction going at the same time!

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog? I've definitely branched out a lot more, trying new authors and genres. Before I started reviewing I could only get a few books a year so I was very selective. I also read more now, I used to get about 100 books read a year now I usually get over 200!

9. Least favorite book you read this year? Well I've loved all the 15 books I've read so far this year but the only one that got four stars instead of five was With Autumn's Return by Amanda Cabot!

10. Favorite book you've read this year? Haha! All but one book I've read this year got five stars! I would definitely say the Julie Lessman books (all of them) were my favorites!

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone? On occasion. I have a pretty wide comfort zone so there aren't too many books outside of it. I'm usually willing to give most books a try!

12. What is your reading comfort zone? As previously stated it's pretty large, for the most part if it's Christian I'll give it a chance, except for Amish! I'm not a huge fan of thrillers but I'm willing to try them if they sound good enough!

13. Can you read in the car? It varies! Most of the time it's fine but occasionally there will be stretches of time where I get carsick when I read. Reading on my kindle seems to work better in the car than an actual book!

14. Favorite place to read? I typically read on my bed, but when I'm at my sisters' place I enjoy reading on their couch too!

15. What is your policy on book lending? My family and friends know they can borrow a book when they want. Sometimes they return them bent which makes me really sad but it doesn't stop me from lending!

16. Do you ever dog-ear books? NEVER

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books? NEVER

18. Not even with text books? Nope!

19. What is your favorite language to read in? English.... 

20. What makes you love a book? There are so many factors and I'm not overly hard to please! Great characters are a big part!

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book? If I loved it then I'll recommend it! My sisters treats my collection like her personal library so I'm always recommending books to them!

22. Favorite genre? Yeesh...I have several! I have the most of Historical Fiction so I'd probably say that's my fav though close seconds are Romantic Suspense and Young Adult!

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)? Hmm can't really think of any!

24. Favorite biography? Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

25. Have you ever read a self-help book? I read Christian living but I don't view that as self-help so I'm gonna say no.

26. Favorite cookbook? Pillsbury's The Complete Book of Baking

27. Most inspirational book you've read this year (fiction or non-fiction)? Fiction: Julie Lessman's books. Non-Fiction: You're Already Amazing by Holley Gerth

28. Favorite reading snack? Chocolate chips or cracker are usually what I snack on while reading if I snack at all. It's more common that I'm drinking tea!

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience. Can't think of any! The only "hype" I usually get is from blogging friends who have similar taste so I usually agree with them!

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book? I don't really pay much attention to critics and make my own opinion!

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? I'm not going to lie and say I liked a book when I didn't but I always try to find some good and sandwich the bad between the good. I also try to keep those reviews shorter. There is no reason to bash a book just because you didn't like it! I usually state that it wasn't for me and recommend reading other reviews!

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose? German. I'm 3/4 German and know a bit of the language!

35. Favorite Poet? I don't read poetry!

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time? We rarely go to the library...

37. How often have you returned books to the library unread? Quite often!

38. Favorite fictional character? This is next to impossible but some that come to mind are the O'Conners and their spouses from Julie Lessman's O'Conner series, Luca, Lia, Gabi, and Marcello from the River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren, the Archer brothers from Karen Witemeyer's books, the McKenna siblings and their significant others from the Alaskan Courage series by Dani Pettrey, the Novak brothers from the Wings of Glory Series by Sarah Sundin, Miranda, Matthew, and Blaze from Made to Last by Melissa Tagg, and I really need to stop before I go on forever!

39. Favourite fictional villain? I really don't like villains, so I can't think of a fav!

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading. I think the longest solid time was two and a half weeks which was this past November when I read only three books all month!

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish. There have been quite a few but the first that comes to mind is Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading? People having conversations around me, my brain just automatically starts listening in!

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel? Either the Lord of the Rings movies (including The Hobbit) or The Hunger Games movies!

45. Most disappointing film adaptation? Love Comes Softly Series

46. The most money I've ever spent in the bookstore at one time? I rarely shop at bookstores since I do most shopping online but the most I've spent was probably around $30

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it? Never, I hate spoilers!

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through? Several things but the biggest ones are head-hopping, too much description, redundancy, language, and inappropriate content. Sometimes I just stop if I'm just not enjoying the book.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized? Yes! I am very particular about my books and right now they are are alphabetized by author.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you've read them? Unless I absolutely did not like a book, I keep it!

51. Are there any books you've been avoiding? Not that I know of! Sometimes books are ignored due to review requirements but I don't think I've avoided any books!

52. Name a book that made you angry. I'm having a little difficulty remembering but the thing that makes me the angriest is when the bad guy is a family member especially a father!

53. A book you didn't expect to like but did? City of the Dead by T.L. Higley

54. A book that you expected to like but didn't? Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading? All of my reading is guilt-free and most of it is pleasure reading but my two favorite things are rereading favorite books and reading new books from my favorite authors!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

With Autumn's Return by Amanda Cabot

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.

My Thoughts
This book started a little slow and I would only read a bit at a time (it didn't help that I started it right after reading and rereading some of my absolute favorite books, and I was in a slight reading slump) but then it got much better and I hated putting it down! I have enjoyed all of the Harding sister's books and I was excited to meet Elizabeth, who we'd heard of but hadn't met. She was great! I absolutely loved how much control she had over her tongue! There were several times where she could have gotten mad or said something unkind about someone-and in these situations no one would blame her-but she always found a way to either say things in a civilized manner or just say nothing at all. I really admired that aspect of her character! Jason was great too! It's hard to find something in particular to point out since he was just a great guy but I did love how-after their initial meeting-supportive he was of Elizabeth! And it was so cool how they figured out how to make their relationship work, even though there had seemed to be an insurmountable obstacle! There were several times where we were kept guessing as to what would happen next, several times with lives hanging in the balance, and that kept me turning the pages just to find out how it would turn out!
I enjoyed Gwen, Harrison, Rose, and some of the other townspeople again and I loved watching Gwen and Harrison's story!
Overall this was a great conclusion to the series and the epilogue wrapped it all up nicely! 

Meet the Author
With both parents avid readers, it's no surprise that Amanda Cabot learned to read at an early age. From there it was only a small step to deciding to become a writer. Of course, deciding and becoming are two different things, as she soon discovered. Fortunately for the world, her first attempts at fiction, which included a play for her fifth grade class entitled "All About Thermometers," were not published, but she did meet her goal of selling a novel by her thirtieth birthday. Since then she's sold more than twenty five novels under a variety of pseudonyms. When she's not writing, Amanda enjoys sewing, cooking and - of course - reading.

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.

Waiting on Wednesday #97: Plots and Pans

"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:

Plots and Pans by Kelly Eileen Hake
Shiloh Run Press-April 1, 2014

About the Book
Order dictates Tucker Carmichael’s life—his orders. On a cattle drive, a moment’s hesitation can mean death. The Chisholm Trail is dirty, dangerous, and no place for women. After years at school, Jessalyn Culpepper has come home and is determined to show everyone that a woman can manage everything from cooking to cattle—whether they like it or not! Tucker tries to manage his partner’s headstrong sister, horrified when she wants to join the cattle drive. But when they need a chuck wagon cook, Jessalyn seems the only solution. Will God stir up love along a trail filled with their Plots and Pans?

Why I Want It
I have loved the four books I've read of this author and I have two more on my shelf that I'm super excited about! So when I saw that she was releasing a new book I got really excited and it sounds so good! I also love the title!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Review Copy Cleanup 4.0: Sign-Up


So I saw a couple of my blogging friends sign-up for this and since I have a ton of review books right now I decided to join up! I have a bunch already and there are a few that should be here really soon so I'm hoping to finish at least 14 books for this read-a-thon!

The Books

The Guidelines
The Review Copy Cleanup 4.0 runs from 1 to 28 February It starts and ends at midnight according to your local timezone to avoid confusion.

Every book you received for review counts towards the challenge, both e-books and hard copies (even audiobooks for review, if you have those), including all genres and lengths 

More at the Sign-Up Post!

Top Ten Characters I'd Never Want to Switch Places With

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

#1. Charlie West from The Homelanders by Andrew Klaven-He's on a crazy run for his life and I'd never make it!
#2. Thalli from The Anomaly Trilogy by Krista McGee-Yeah I wouldn't want to deal with all the stuff she has to!
#3. Jamie Cash from Don't Look Back by Lynette Eason-Serial killer-no thank you!
#4. Liberty Holloway from Widow of Gettysburg by Jocelyn Green-Her home is turned into a Civil war "hospital" and she's forced to help-I would not be able to stomach it!
#5. Cornelia de Vries from Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma-I would never be able to keep the fact that I was hiding a man a secret!

Once again I needed my sister Becky's help and here are her picks!

#1. Chris Buckley from The Solitary Tales by Travis Thrasher-His world literally goes crazy and he's so often alone in it.
#2. Lydia Bennett from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen-She throws everything away for a guy who's not worth it and is too self centered to even care.
#3. Omar from Captives by Jill Williamson-His good intentions go far beyond horrible-everyone knows it and hates him.
#4. The Baudelaire Children from A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket-The poor trio, despite their cleverness and loyalty to each other, are constantly thrown into worse and worse situations...and on top of all that , they can never get the adults to listen until it's painfully too late.
#5. Sidney Grey from Sophie's Daughters by Mary Connealy-His personality is hideous. He wants respect so badly that he tries to demand it or buy it all of which makes everyone else see him as a pathetic weasel. I'd hate to be viewed as so small and pathetic, especially by my spouse.

Monday, January 27, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #107

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:
I love how similar the coloring is on these two! Dare to Love Again was amazing and I really enjoyed With Autumn's Return

What I am currently reading:
These first two books are by debut authors and I'm loving them both! And the third is a really good non-fiction read!

What I hope to read this week:
These are the next three on my long list of review books and I'm extremely excited for all of them!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #106
Love At Any Cost by Julie Lessman
Top Ten Things on My Reading Wishlist
Dare to Love Again by Julie Lessman
The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen
Waiting on Wednesday #96: Fair Play
The Headmistress of Rosemere by Julie Lessman
The End of Julie Lessman Time (for now!)

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!

Friday, January 24, 2014

Friday Memes 1/24

Book Blogger Hop

The Question:
Do you think you will ever read every book in your TBR stack? 

My Answer:
Yep! Right now I only have about 20 books in mine! In fact last year I actually did it and for a couple days had no books in my physical TBR stack! I don't count my ebooks because I don't think I'll ever get through them all!


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."

At last! Elizabeth Harding grinned as she hung the sign in the window.Thirteen black letters. Four words. A simple message.
With Autumn's Return by Amanda Cabot

My Thoughts
Definitely makes you want to know what that sign says! Any guesses?

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The End of Julie Lessman Time (For now!)


This has been such a fun 10 days! I loved reading all of your comments and want to thank you all for coming by and for your kind words! 
I had an amazing time reading/rereading and reviewing these 9 books, each one has earned itself a place on my absolute favorites list and I can see myself rereading them several times in the future! It took me longer than I'd hoped to read them all because we ended up being really busy the past two weeks and reading time was hard to come by. That being said I did manage to read them in less than 13 days! And being the nerd that I am I thought it would be fun to see how long it took me to read each book and then I added them together. For a total of 4,059 pages it took me 32 hours and 47 minutes averaging about 124 pages per hour! Here's a pic of the times it took for each book and their page numbers!

And lastly I need to announce the winner of the giveaway!
Congratulations!! Julie should be in contact with you soon!

The Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah E. Ladd

About the Book
Patience Creighton has dedicated herself to the Rosemere School for Young Ladies. But the return of the enigmatic master of the estate puts everything she loves at risk.
Bright, sensible Patience knows what is expected of her. At twenty-five, her opportunity for a family of her own has passed, so she invests herself in teaching at her father's school for girls. When her father dies suddenly and her brother moves away to London, she is determined to make the school successful.
Confirmed bachelor William Sterling also knows what is expected of him, but mistake after mistake has left him teetering on ruin's edge. As master of Eastmore Hall he owns a great deal of property --- including the land where Rosemere School is located --- but possesses little money to manage its upkeep. When debtors start calling, he is desperate to find a new source of income, even if it means sacrificing Rosemere.
When a fire threatens the school grounds, William must decide to what lengths he is willing to go to protect his birthright. And when Patience's brother returns with a new wife to take over management of the school, Patience suddenly finds herself unsure of her calling. After a surprising truth about William's past is brought to light, both William and Patience will have to seek God's plans for their lives-and their hearts.
Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/sgVC4

My Thoughts
After loving Sarah E. Ladd's debut novel last year I was extremely excited to read her second one, and it did not disappoint. From the glances we got of William Sterling in the previous book I wasn't sure what exactly to expect from him but he turned out to be a pretty awesome hero. He had many flaws but it was really cool to watch as he put his past behind him and worked toward becoming the man he was supposed to be. Patience was a great heroine too. I greatly admired her ability to be polite and do the right thing even in very difficult circumstances. She had to deal with so many things but she did it with grace and dignity. I was able to guess some things about the ending but there were a few surprises in there as well. Knowing what was coming did nothing to detract from the story at all and I loved watching it all play out! This was a beautiful sophomore novel and I can't wait to see what else this author has in store for us!

Meet the Author
Sarah E. Ladd has more than ten years of marketing experience. She is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing. The Heiress of Winterwood was the recipient of the 2011 Genesis Award for historical romance. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.
Learn more about Sarah at: http://sarahladd.com

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.

Don't miss Sarah Ladd's latest Regency novel, The Headmistress of Rosemere. She is celebrating the release of book two in her Whispers on the Moors series with a fun "School" Your Desk Kindle Fire Giveaway and an Author Chat Facebook Party!
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Between January 17–28, visit Sarah Ladd's Facebook Page to enter to win a new giveaway each day and be entered to win a Kindle Fire grand prize. Winners will be announced at the Facebook Author Chat party on January 28th! (Don't have a Facebook account? Enter here.)

RSVP today for Sarah's The Headmistress of Rosemere Author Chat Party on Facebook. During the party Sarah will be hosting a book chat, testing your Regency trivia skills, announcing the winner of the "School" Your Desk Giveaway, and giving away books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving partygoers an exclusive look at the next book in the Whispers on the Moors series!

So grab your copy of The Headmistress of Rosemere and hope to see you on the evening of January 28th! (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. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 28th!

Waiting on Wednesday #96: Fair Play

"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:

Fair Play by Deeanne Gist
Howard Books-May 6, 2014

About the Book
From the bestselling author of It Happened at the Fair comes a historical love story about a lady doctor and a Texas Ranger who meet at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Saddled with a man’s name, the captivating Billy Jack Tate makes no apologies for taking on a man’s profession. As a doctor at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, she is one step closer to having her very own medical practice—until Hunter Scott asks her to give it all up to become his wife.
Hunter is one of the elite. A Texas Ranger and World’s Fair guard specifically chosen for his height, physique, character, and skill. Hailed as the toughest man west of any place east, he has no patience for big cities and women who think they belong anywhere but home…
Despite their difference of opinion on the role of women, Hunter and Billy find a growing attraction between them—until Hunter discovers an abandoned baby in the corner of a White City exhibit. He and Billy team up to make sure this foundling isn’t left in the slums of Chicago with only the flea-riddled, garbage-infested streets for a playground. As they fight for the underprivileged children in the Nineteenth Ward, an entire Playground Movement is birthed. But when the Fair comes to an end, one of them will have to give up their dream.

Will Billy exchange her doctor’s shingle for the domesticated role of a southern wife, or will Hunter abandon the wide open spaces of home for a life in the “gray city,” a woman who insists on being the wage earner, and a group of ragamuffins who need more than a playground for breathing space?

Why I Want It
I've enjoyed all of Deeanne's novels and I'm sure this will be no different! Also I loved the bit of these characters we got in their novella Tempest in the White City so I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

About the Book
Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.
Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul---and hidden sorrows of her own.
Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master---a man her mother would never approve of---but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village . . . and to her mother's tattered heart?
Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/s7Yl1

My Thoughts
Well this was definitely another Julie Klassen masterpiece! Am I surprised? No. Am I happy? Yes!
I love how this author knows how to give you just enough information to keep you reading but not enough so that you figure it all out! I was constantly kept guessing as to what exactly was going on and I liked that-it's no fun when you figure out the story before the end!
I enjoyed all of the characters even Lady Amelia who was technically the “bad” person wasn't so bad once you got her side of the story.  Alec and Julia were great but it was the secondary characters who stood out to me more!
I loved the look into the world of dancing that this book gave and it was fun to imagine it all in my head. I was completely transported to a different place in time and it was awesome! All Julie Klassen fans will in enjoy this newest installment and new readers will love it too!

Meet the Author
Julie Klassen loves all things Jane---Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She is a three-time Christy Award winner and a 2010 Midwest Book Award winner for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Learn more about Julie at: http://julieklassen.com

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.

Best-selling author Julie Klassen will be hosting a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a live webcast event (1/23) to celebrate the release of her latest novel, The Dancing Master. Enter and RSVP today!

dancingmaster-400
 
  One winner will receive:
  • A Kindle Fire HDX
  • The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 23rd. Winner will be announced at the "All Things Jane (from Austen to Eyre)" Live Webcast Event on January 23rd. Connect with Julie for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Julie will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, Jane Austen DVDs, fun "Jane" merchandise, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Dancing Master and join Julie and friends on the evening of January 23rd 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 signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

Dare to Love Again by Julie Lessman

About the Book
Spunky Allison McClare is determined to be a fearless, independent woman, resorting to a mammoth hat pin for protection on her way to and from the school where she teaches. But when she takes a notion to explore the wild Barbary Coast she quickly discovers she is no match for rum-soaked brute strength.
Detective Nick Barone would rather do almost anything than teach this petite socialite jiu-jitsu, but it seems he has little choice in the matter. Sparks fly every time the two meet until a grudging friendship develops into something deeper. But when Nick suddenly leaves town, Allison realizes he's a fraud just like all the rest of the men she's cared for. Does she dare love again?
The lushness of the glorious Gilded Age beautifully showcases Lessman's passion as a writer in this engaging love story written with humor and heart. From the glamour of San Francisco's Nob Hill to the seedy gambling dens of the Barbary Coast, Dare to Love Again is a journey to find a love that never fails. Fans will love revisiting the world of the cousins McClare, and new readers will seek more of Julie's passion-filled novels.

My Thoughts
After loving the McClare's in Love At Any Cost I was extremely excited to dive into this next book of the story! And it was just as amazing as the first-not that I had any doubts!
Allison was fantastic in book one so I knew she would be even more amazing as she took center stage and I was right! I loved her so much! He fierce streak of independence, her kind heart, her care for all those in her life, and her temper that seemed to only flare up when a certain gentleman was in the room all served to make her one awesome heroine! I loved how she stood up to Nick and gave what he dished out back to him! I also loved how she didn't let having her heart broken several times change her from being the sweet person she was, sure she was wary of men but that is to be expected!
Nick was pretty great too! His grumpiness was actually kind of funny especially with how all the women in his life teased him about it and it was cool to watch Alli soften him, both towards people and towards God. The constant stating of the pronunciation of his name got slightly annoying, but I did like that we were actually told how to pronounce it since often we are left to just guess, and there were times when it was funny!
I thought it was really cool how jiu-jitsu was incorporated into the story with Nick teaching it to Alli and I really loved watching her put it into practice, especially when she tried her new moves on Jamie!
Nick's past was such a mystery throughout the book and I honestly had no clue as to what it was going to be, but it was well executed and perfectly played out!

Again I loved all of the other characters from the previous book, the McClares, their staff, Bram, Jamie, and the new ones like Miss Penny, Nick's landlady and mother figure, and Lottie, the sweet little girl who had Nick wrapped around her finger! It was also cool to get more of Cait and Logan's story which I'm very interested to see play out! All in all it was another Julie Lessman hit that I adored!

Meet the Author
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of "Passion With a Purpose" underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 14 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as "Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction." Chosen as the #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also awarded #1 Historical Fiction Author of the Year in that same poll and #3 Author of the Year, #4 Novel of the Year and #3 Series of the year. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and is the author of "The Daughters of Boston" series--A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. Book 1 in her "Winds of Change" series A Hope Undaunted ranked #5 on Booklist's Top 10 Inspirational Fiction for 2010. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com
P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

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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.

Top Ten Things On My Reading Wishlist

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

This week's topic is your reading wishlist, basically if you could make authors write about these things you would. Could be a specific type of character, an issue tackled, a time period, a certain plot, etc.

#1. WWI-There are very few books set during the first World War and I would love to read more!
#2. WWII-This is my favorite time period so I always want more books written about it!
#3. Marriage of convenience/love after marriage-I love this plot line!
#4. The 50's-I love all things about the 50's!
#5. Series about siblings-I love reading series about siblings because you get to get really involved in their lives!

My mind drew a blank so I asked my sister, Rebekah, and here are five of her picks!

#1. WWI
#2. WWII from viewpoints of Italy, Russia, or Austia
#3. The 60's
#4.Vikings
#5. The Hindenburg

Monday, January 20, 2014

Love At Any Cost by Julie Lessman

About the Book
Jilted by a fortune hunter, cowgirl Cassidy McClare is a spunky Texas oil heiress without a fortune who would just as soon hogtie a man as look at him. Hoping a summer visit with her wealthy cousins in San Francisco will help her forget her heartache, Cassidy travels west. But no sooner is she settled in beautiful California than Jamie McKenna, a handsome pauper looking to marry well, captures her heart. When Jamie discovers the woman he loves is poorer than he is, Cassidy finds herself bucked by love a second time. Will Jamie discover that money can't buy love after all? And can Cassidy ever learn to fully trust her heart to a man?
With delectable descriptions and a romantic sensibility, bestselling author Julie Lessman brings the Gilded Age to life in this sumptuous new series. Readers will faithfully follow Lessman to the West Coast for more romance, passion, and surprising revelations found in Love at Any Cost.

My Thoughts
After adoring the O'Conners I was slightly worried as to how much I would like this new series. I shouldn't have worried though since I ended up loving it! I loved the McClares from the get go and I can tell I'm going to love reading all of their stories!
Cassie was such a fun heroine! I loved her spunk and down to earth ways! I also loved how wow she was sweet and fun when she wanted she could be tough and no nonsense when needed! And another favorite thing about her was how strong her faith was and how she refused to lower her standards! I felt so bad for her with all the pain she went through but I was greatly impressed by how strong she stayed through it all!
Jamie was great too! Though I was a little annoyed with how he wanted to marry rich I did understand where he was coming from since he wasn't thinking just about himself but rather about his mother and sister. I really admired his love and care for his family and how dedicated he was to making a better life for them. I also really liked the fact that he held himself to a pretty high standard when it came to drinking and women. It was really cool to watch as he learned to give God the control and trust in Him rather than doing everything himself.
As I said I loved the rest of the McClares as well, from kind and motherly Caitlyn, to stubborn rogue Uncle Logan, and Cassie's cousins Blake, Allison, Meg, and Maddie. I also really liked Bram (side note: I love that as a nickname for Abraham!) with his quiet faith and his friendship with Jamie. And then there were Hadley, the old butler with the bad hearing, Rosie, the gruff but sweet housekeeper/nanny, and Miss Behave, the parrot that they taught to say funny things, all of whom I loved.
So suffice it to say I thoroughly loved this first book of Julie's new series and I can't wait to read more!

Meet the Author
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of "Passion With a Purpose" underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 14 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as "Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction." Chosen as the #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also awarded #1 Historical Fiction Author of the Year in that same poll and #3 Author of the Year, #4 Novel of the Year and #3 Series of the year. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and is the author of "The Daughters of Boston" series--A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. Book 1 in her "Winds of Change" series A Hope Undaunted ranked #5 on Booklist's Top 10 Inspirational Fiction for 2010. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com
P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #106

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a signed Julie Lessman book of your choice! The links to my reviews that have the giveaway widget are below! Ends at midnight 1/21!

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:
I absolutely loved rereading the Winds of Change series and I loved Love at Any Cost as well!

What I am currently reading:
I haven't technically started this one but I'm just about to and I can't wait!

What I hope to read this week:
Really looking forward to these two!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #105&Bout of Books 9.0: Wrap-Up
A Light in the Window by Julie Lessman
Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm Excited For
A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman
Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love
Waiting on Wednesday #95: A Beauty So Rare
A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman
A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman

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!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman

About the Book
She's hoping to find her first true love.
He's hoping to forget his.
Will her secret come between them?
Orphaned in Iowa, Annie Kennedy has moved to Boston and is embracing the city life, with a new name and a wide-open future. When she gets involved with a fast crowd at Ocean Pier--one that includes the handsome Steven O'Connor--she is pulled deeper and deeper into a world of rule breakers and mischief makers. She finds herself drawn to Steven and the whole O'Connor family. But a secret Annie is keeping has the power to destroy her best-laid plans.
Will Steven ever see her as more than a sweet country girl who needs protecting? And will he break her heart when he finds out who she really is?

With heart-pounding romance, intense family drama, and the emotional twists and turns Julie Lessman fans have come to expect, A Love Surrendered will ignite your senses and inspire your spirit.

My Thoughts
This book is hard to read. Not because of anything to do with the actual story though! What makes it hard is that it's the last of the O'Conner books! After 7 books and 3,248 pages we have to say goodbye to this family that has embedded themselves in our hearts and it's quite painful! Also this book is 100 pages shorter than the others which is a little sad (mean publishers), I think this is the only almost 400 page book that I found too short! And lastly I was sad that we don't get to see any of Steven and Annie after their marriage like we did with all of the others!
But now that I have all that out of the way I can commence the gushing about how much I love this book! And boy did I love it! Like all the others it is simply phenomenal!
From the moment we meet the quiet eight-year-old Steven in A Passion Most Pure I knew I was going to love him and I wasn't wrong. Growing up he was always the good child, rarely getting in trouble, doing what he's told, getting good grades, and just generally being the model child. Then in college that all changes and starts hanging with the wrong people and disobeying his parents at every turn. But when his rebellion threatens the life of his father he does a complete 180 and turns into the law-abiding prohibition agent is riddled with guilt and constantly trying to redeem himself. My heart broke for him as he struggled with his guilt, with trying to do the right thing, and with trusting God and letting Him change his life. I absolutely loved the conversations Steven had with his father and Sean and I was so happy when he began to take their words to heart! It was so cool to see the transformation and even though I loved him before he became so much more awesome after!
And Annie! I loved her so much!! I loved how strong she was and how she let her relationship with God cover every aspect of her life! I was so proud of her when she was willing to let Steven go if he tried to push her past her boundaries and later in the story when something life-shattering happens and she finds the strength to forgive those who hurt her (I don't want to spoil anything but those of you who've read the book know what I'm talking about!)! I could go on for quite awhile about how much a love Annie, her kindness, her innocence, her heart full of love, and so much more!
There weren't as many new secondary characters but I did love Glory, Aunt Eleanor, and Frailey! And I once again loved Patrick and Marcy, Collin and Faith, Mitch and Charity, Brady and Lizzie, Luke and Katie, Sean and Emma, Gabe, and all the grand-kids!

There were hard moments, funny moments, and sweet moments in this book all of which created a story I will never forget! And even though I was sad to see it end the epilogue left me with a huge grin on my face! I love the O'Conners so much and I'm sure I will visit them again soon!

Meet the Author
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of "Passion With a Purpose" underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 14 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as "Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction." Chosen as the #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also awarded #1 Historical Fiction Author of the Year in that same poll and #3 Author of the Year, #4 Novel of the Year and #3 Series of the year. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and is the author of "The Daughters of Boston" series--A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. Book 1 in her "Winds of Change" series A Hope Undaunted ranked #5 on Booklist's Top 10 Inspirational Fiction for 2010. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com
P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

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Saturday, January 18, 2014

Stacking the Shelves #36

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
I'm excited for all of these!!!

Books I Was Given
I bought most of these with Christmas money and one was a gift from a friend!

Books I Won
I won this during Seekerville's New Year's Eve Party.

Books I Bought
Looking forward to these!

Kindle Books
To Review

Other

A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

About the Book
Ten years ago, Emma Malloy fled Dublin for Boston as a battered woman, escaping the husband who scarred her beautiful face. The physical and emotional wounds have faded with time, and her life is finally full of purpose and free from the pain of her past. But when she falls for her friend Charity's handsome and charming brother, Sean O'Connor, fear and shame threaten to destroy her. Could Sean and Emma ever have a future together? Or is Emma doomed to live out the rest of her life denying the only true love she's ever known? Filled with intense passion and longing, deception and revelation, A Heart Revealed will hold readers in its grip until the very last page.

My Thoughts
Even though I adore all of the O'Conner's stories this book is probably my favorite! I just love it so much that it's almost impossible to put it into words but that's not going to stop me from trying!
I love Sean so much! He is such an amazing hero and in the words of Emma “He's the peacemaker, the buffer, the Rock of Gibraltar everyone relies on.” That really is the perfect description of Sean. He is constantly trying to do things to help others without thinking about himself. And he has that calm strength that makes him the perfect person to lean on when things go wrong. My heart broke for him as he realized he was in love with a woman he could never have but I admired how he stood strong determined to be her friend no matter what. And when we finally found out what had happened to him during the war I wanted to cry.
And Emma...where to begin! I loved her from the very start! She was such a good friend to Charity and the perfect balance for her as well. I loved her quiet strength, her kindness, and her giving heart. I hated all the things her husband had done to her. That someone would do such things to anyone let alone someone like Emma baffled me and I honestly wanted to deck him! It was amazing how she could go through all that she did and come out the sweetest person you'd ever meet. Definitely a testament to the difference it can make when you give your heart to God rather than to bitterness!
It was painfully sweet to watch their journey, two people who deserved love the most being robbed of it but not letting it destroy them. Sadly this review is sounding a bit depressing so let me assure you that there is a happy ending! I won't spoil it but suffice it to say I ended the book with a smile on my face!
And again all of the “secondary” cast was absolutely fantastic except for those few that you were supposed to not like, and didn't! I loved Bert whose grumpiness hid a soft side, and Alli with her heart of gold, and Mrs. Peep with her mothering. Then there are the characters from the previous books, Patrick and Marcy, Collin and Faith, Mitch and Charity, Brady and Lizzie, Luke and Katie, Steven, Gabe, Father Mac, and all the grand-kids, all of whom I once again thoroughly loved!

So yeah I think this is my favorite O'Conner story mainly because I love Sean and Emma so much and I loved watching them find the happiness they so richly deserved!

Meet the Author
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of "Passion With a Purpose" underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 14 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as "Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction." Chosen as the #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also awarded #1 Historical Fiction Author of the Year in that same poll and #3 Author of the Year, #4 Novel of the Year and #3 Series of the year. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and is the author of "The Daughters of Boston" series--A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. Book 1 in her "Winds of Change" series A Hope Undaunted ranked #5 on Booklist's Top 10 Inspirational Fiction for 2010. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com
P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway