A Bouquet of Love by Janice Thompson

About the Book
Cassia Pappas has found herself in a nearly impossible situation. She wants to spend her time immersed in her new job at a Galveston Island floral shop, arranging blooms and brightening occasions with her lovely creations. But her huge Greek family--especially her father--has other ideas. They've all relocated to Galveston to open up a new family restaurant location on the Strand--directly across the street from the Rossis' popular pizza place--and they want Cassia's full participation.
To make matters worse, as Cassia is trying to develop a strong professional relationship with Galveston's premier wedding coordinator, Bella Neeley, her own father is intent on stealing all of the Rossi family's faithful customers. Not exactly the best way to get into Bella's good graces!
Still, at least Alex, that hot delivery guy from the nursery, is always hanging around the flower shop . . .
Fan favorite Janice Thompson gives readers one more romp with Bella, Galveston, and the bustling wedding biz in the final installment of her popular series. Anyone who loves quirky families, loads of laughter, and tender romance will find themselves hooked.

My Thoughts
I think this was my favorite from the whole series! It was such a fun read and I kept laughing out loud! The Pappas family was full of entertaining characters and it was hysterical to watch them interact with the Rossis, especially the feuding Laz and Niko! I thought it was so funny how almost all of the Pappas family members inadvertently became friends with Rossi's. Everything played out in the most amusing way and it was perfect!
Alex and Cassia were great too! I thought Cassia's Judy Garland kick was a really cool angle, even though she's not my favorite classic actress I did get most of the references which was fun.
I loved seeing all of the crazy characters from the previous books and they once again made for a fabulous cast. All in all this book was the perfect ending to a great series!

Meet the Author
Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the hugely popular Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series, as well as Picture Perfect, The Icing on the Cake, and The Dream Dress. She lives in Texas. Learn more at www.janiceathompson.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.

Friday Memes 8/28

Hosted by: Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

The Question:

Do you request notifications of new replies when you post a comment on a blog post?

My Answer:

No. I just leave the page open on my browser if I am waiting for a response.

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."

We paused on our hike, panting and wiping our upper lips as our guide-the old Italian farmer who owned this land-chopped down a small sapling, clearing the overgrown trail. "Ecco, vedi," he said, pointing at the ground. See here.
Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

My Thoughts
Since this is my third time reading this book my thoughts were mainly just anticipation of the awesomeness awaiting me but other than that it is a great beginning that raises the curiousity!

A Match of Wits by Jen Turano

About the Book
After his departure from New York two years ago to meet up with his almost-fiancée, Zayne Beckett is the last person Agatha Watson wanted to stumble upon in her travels as a reporter with the New York Tribune. Quite pathetically bedraggled, he clearly needs to be taken in hand and sent back East to his family. Although she no longer has feelings for him, Agatha realizes, by hook or by crook, she'll have to be the one to get the obstinate man home.
Zayne has no desire to be taken anywhere and is prepared to drag his heels all the way home... until he finds himself slipping back into the familiar banter of his former friendship with Agatha. Once they arrive in New York, Zayne realizes Agatha's determined nose for news has earned her a few enemies, and he hopes to repay her help with some help of his own. When she rebuffs all his attempts to prove himself a knight in shining armor, the lengths to which they'll go to win this battle of wills lead to some memorable antics.

Everyone else may think them a match, but nothing could be further from the truth--until Agatha finds herself in real trouble. Have these two stubborn, too-smart-for-their-own-good people been meant for each other all along?

My Thoughts

Finally Zayne and Agatha's story! From the very start I loved Agatha Watson's character and I absolutely could not wait till we finally got to see her and Zayne's happy ending! Thankfully this book was everything I hoped it would be and more! I was laughing out loud almost every page and if I wasn't laughing I usually had a huge grin on my face!

There was so much about this book I loved and I really can't think of anything that I didn't! Agatha and Zayne were both such fun as I knew they would be, due to what I saw of them in the previous books. Agatha still had her act first, think later way of doing things which landed her into some amusing and dangerous situations that she always seemed to find a way out of. I loved the addition of Matilda the pig (though don't tell her I called her that) to add to the whirlwind that was Agatha Watson.

And Zayne with his absolute obliviousness as to how to handle woman was funnily endearing. He was always saying or doing the wrong thing but had no idea that he was doing it, thus leaving everyone else aghast and him confused. I loved all the crazy ways he tried to help and protect Agatha, most of which backfired. 

I once again loved all of the characters and was glad we got to see those from the previous books, since this was that last book and I will miss them all dearly. 

Suffice it to say this book was amazing and the absolutely brilliant ending to a wonderful series! I can't wait to dive into her next one!

Meet the Author

Jen Turano, author of three books and one novella, is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in clothing and textiles. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Learn more at www.jenturano.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.

Captured by Love by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
Michigan Territory, 1814
A voyageur and a young woman swept up in a time of upheaval and danger
discover firsthand the high price of freedom.
The British Army has taken control of Michilimackinac Island and its fort, forcing the Americans to swear an oath of loyalty to the crown in order to retain their land. Pierre Durant is a fur trader who returns after being away from the island for years, only to find the family farm a shambles and those he cares about starving and at the mercy of British invaders.
Torn between the adventurous life of fur trading and guilt over neglecting his defenseless mother, Pierre is drawn deeper into the fight against the British--and into a relationship with Angelique MacKenzie, a childhood friend who's grown into a beautiful woman. She now finds herself trapped by the circumstances of war and poverty, and the cruelty of her guardian, Ebenezer Whiley.

As tensions mount and the violence rages on, Pierre and Angelique must decide where their loyalties rest and how much they'll risk for love.

My Thoughts
Jody Hedlund has done it again! She has written another novel that brilliantly captured me (pun intended)! From the first sentence I was hooked and didn't want to set this book down for anything.
I loved the historical aspect. It was a part of history that I knew nothing about which made the history nerd in me very happy. Jody always does an amazing job of saturating her stories with historical details and it's almost like getting a history lesson without even knowing it!
Pierre was the reformed rogue that you just couldn't help loving! His charm, good looks, and humor would be hard enough for any girl to resist, but throw in that deep desire to do the right thing, to make up for past wrongs, and it's no wonder Angelique fell so hard! As a recent believer he struggled a lot with figuring out what was right. It was interesting to watch his journey to discovering what God had for him and his learning to rely on God rather than himself.
I admired Angelique so much! Her selfless care for Miriam, the hard work she did without complaint, her kindness to everyone, even those who didn't deserve it, and her willingness to give up her own happiness for the sake of another's.
The "villians" were well-written to the point where I wanted to reach into the book and wring Ebenezer's neck for his treatment of Angelique and his blatant hypocrisy!

I loved every second of this book and I definitely recommend finding a way to get your hands on it sooner rather than later!

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is an award-winning and bestselling author of inspirational historical romances.
As a busy mama-writer, she has the wonderful privilege of teaching her crew of 5 children at home. In between grading math papers and giving spelling tests, she occasionally does a load of laundry and washes dishes. When she's not busy being a mama, you can find her in front of her laptop working on another of her page-turning stories.

She loves reading almost as much as she loves writing, especially when it also involves chocolate and coffee.

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 #127: Love's Fortune

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"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:

Love's Fortune by Laura Frantz
Revell-September 9, 2014

About the Book

Sheltered since birth at her Kentucky home, Rowena Ballantyne has heard only whispered rumors of her grandfather Silas's vast fortune and grand manor in Pennsylvania. When her father receives a rare letter summoning him to New Hope, Rowena makes the journey with him and quickly finds herself in a whole new world--filled with family members she's never met, dances she's never learned, and a new side to the father she thought she knew. As she struggles to fit in during their extended stay, she finds a friend in James Sackett, the most valued steamship pilot of the Ballantynes' shipping line. Even with his help, Rowena feels she may never be comfortable in high society. Will she go her own way . . . to her peril?

With her signature attention to historical detail, Laura Frantz brings 1850s Pennsylvania alive with a tender story of loss, love, and loyalty. Fans will cheer for this final installment of the Ballatyne saga.

Why I Want It

I loved the first two books in this series and I can't wait to dive into Wren's story!

Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Miracle in a Dry Season Bethany House Publishers (August 5, 2014) by Sarah Loudin Thomas

MY THOUGHT:
This book was interesting for sure! This book had the typical 50's air that I've found in the other novels set in this era but it was definitely unique! There were a couple things that gave me a bit of a pause since they were out of the ordinary but they weren't unrealistic either. And the author's writing style was excellent.
I didn't overly connect with any of the characters but that's not to say I didn't like them. I loved the fact that Casewell didn't shun Perla like almost everyone else in town did, though I liked the way that the author had him struggle with it a bit first since in that time it really would have been a hard pill to swallow.
All in all this was a great debut and I'm looking forward to what else this author has in store for us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Loudin Thomas grew up on a 100-acre farm in French Creek, WV, the seventh generation to live there. Her Christian fiction is set in West Virginia and celebrates the people, the land, and the heritage of Appalachia. Her first novel, Miracle in a Dry Season, releases August 2014 through Bethany House. Sarah is represented by Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency.

A graduate of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC, Sarah once dreamed of being a marine scientist. But her love for words won out and she has spent much of her career in public relations and marketing. She currently oversees fundraising and communications for a Christian children’s home in Black Mountain, NC.

Sarah and her husband Jim live in the mountains of Western North Carolina with Thistle–the canine equivalent to a personal trainer pushing them to hike, run, and throw sticks. Sarah is active in her local church and enjoys cooking and–you guessed it–reading.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In a Drought, It's the Darkest Cloud

That Brings Hope

It's 1954 and Perla Long's arrival in the sleepy town of Wise, West Virginia, was supposed to go unnoticed. She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, Sadie, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle.

Casewell Phillips has resigned himself to life as a bachelor. . .until he meets Perla. She's everything he's sought in a woman, but he can't get past the sense that she's hiding something. As the drought worsens, Perla's unique gift divides the town in two, bringing both gratitude and condemnation, and placing the pair in the middle of a storm of anger and forgiveness, fear and faith.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Miracle in a Dry Season, go HERE.

Top Ten Books I Really Want to Read But Don't Own Yet

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

Stuck Together by Mary Connealy
The Elite & The One by Kiera Cass
Scarlet & Cress by Marissa Meyer
Four by Veronica Roth
A Hero in the Making by Laurie Kingery
The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Su & Kate Rorick
Perfect Scoundrels & United We Spy by Ally Carter
A Table By the Window by Hillary Manton Lodge
Burning Sky by Lori Benton
Fair Play by Deeanne Gist

Bout of Books 11: Wrap-Up

I had such a fantastic time this read-a-thon! I exceed my goal by a lot and was able to participate in all of the challenges!  I read 12 books in total (2 were novellas), which added up to 3,373 pages! All in all an exceedingly good week of reading!

The Books

This was such a diverse group of books! There were a couple similarities between a couple but they were all pretty different! A dystopian prequel (Tremors), a YA emotional story (The Fault in Our Stars), a book set in the 50's (Miracle in a Dry Season), a suspense prequel (Overkill), a fairytale-ish dystopian (The Selection), two dystopians with very different directions (Revolutionary & Dualed), a modern day mixed with a fairytale like setting (Destined for Doon), a science fiction(?) (Origin), a fantasy (Storm Siren), a YA with a fun hollywood setting (Finding June), and lastly a futuristic fairytale retelling! I loved all of them!

DAILY PROGESS

Day 1-Monday
Pages Read 366

Books Finished 2

Day 2-Tuesday

Pages Read 444

Books Finished 2

Day 3-Wednesday

Pages Read 302

Books Finished 1

Day 4-Thursday

Pages Read 400

Books Finished 1

Day 5-Friday

Pages Read 645

Books Finished 2

Day 6-Saturday

Pages Read 735

Books Finished 2

Day 7-Sunday

Pages Read 481

Books Finished 2

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #136

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:
This week was the Bout of Book read-a-thon and I managed to finish 12 books!
Full details in my Wrap-Up Post!

What I am currently reading:
I finished all the books I'd started for the read-a-thon and haven't picked up my next one yet!

What I hope to read this week:

With Deluge finally releasing I am planning to spend this week rereading the first five books and then diving into Deluge! (And by this week I mean Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday if I get really busy! LOL)

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #135
Bout of Books 11: Day 1 Challenges
Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling Me I Must Read
Bout of Books 11: Day 1 Update & Day 2 Challenges
Waiting on Wednesday #126: Tried & True
Bout of Books 11: Day 2 Update & Day 3 Challenge
Bout of Books 11: Day 3 Update & Day 4 Challenges

Friday Memes 8/22
Bout of Books 11: Day 4 Update & Day 5 Challenges
Bout of Books 11: Day 5 Update & Day 6 Challenge
Bout of Books 11: Day 6 Update & Day 7 Challenge

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!

Bout of Books 11: Day 6 Update & Day 7 Challenge

Books I Read Today:
Origin by Jessica Khoury (279 pages)
Storm Siren by Mary Weber (333 pages)
Finding June by Shannen Crane Camp (123 pages)

Books I Finished Today:
Origin by Jessica Khoury
Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Pages Read Today: 735

Total Books Finished: 10 (8 novels 2 novellas)

Total Pages Read: 2,892

My Thoughts on Today
I am so happy with today's results! I got exactly what I was hoping to read and even a little more which resulted in my highest page count to date! I'm hoping to finish two more books this last day which will far surpass my original goal! So happy that I had a lot of free time this week!

5 Book Challenge
Hosted by: Falling Down the Book Hole

"It is 11:00 PM on a Sunday night. You are laying in bed thinking about all of the things you must do the next day. Tasks of the coming days consume your thoughts and while your mind is somewhere else you are caught off guard by a flash in the sky that is followed by a large wailing screech that pierces the air and shatters your bedroom window. Slowly you move to the window and what you see catches your breathe and causes you to stumble back a few steps. The aliens (at least you think they are aliens) have began to enter the city and destroy everything that is in their path. Through the window your view is consumed with destruction, screaming people and large flames that are dancing across the city at a fast pace. You notice that the creatures are heading in your direction and you realize you probably have about fifteen minutes before they reach your home. That means you have only about ten minutes to gather your belongings and escape before you are caught in the attack from the aliens invading the city."

"Given the short amount of time you are only able to take 5 books with you. What books would you pick to take with you as you escape and prepare for the end of the world. Would you choose books that would help you survive in the post-apocalyptic world ,books for pleasure that would make you happy and take you to a fantasy reality or books that you can’t live without?"

Considering the fact that I have no books that would help me survive I would definitely take books for pleasure! It would take me next to no time to decide because there are books that I read and immediately want to reread. I am going to cheat a bit and list 7 because they are a series and there's no way I would leave one behind!
The O'Conner Family Saga by Julie Lessman
A Passion Most Pure
A Passion Redeemed
A Passion Denied
A Hope Undaunted
A Heart Revealed
A Love Surrendered
A Light in the Window

Bout of Books 11: Day 5 Update & Day 6 Challenge

Books I Read Today:
Dualed by Elsie Chapman (188 pages)
Destined for Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon (340 pages)
Origin by Jessica Khoury (115 pages)
Finding June by Shannen Crane Camp (2 pages)

Books I Finished Today:
Dualed by Elsie Chapman
Destined for Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon 

Pages Read Today: 645

Total Books Finished: 8 (6 novels 2 novellas)

Total Pages Read: 2,157

My Thoughts on Today
Best day yet! My cold in finally going away so I was able to concentrate more! I've officially passed my goal but I am still hoping to get a few more books done, it will just depend on how busy I end up being the next two days!

Spell it Out Challenge
Hosted by: Kimberly Faye Reads

"Use the first letter in any book you’ve read or want to read to spell out a word. You can choose first name, initials, your birthday month, or your zodiac sign."

I decided just to do my first name and since my attempt at a graphic just resulted in frustration I did a basic list! All of these are books I've read this year!

 Allegiant
                              Broken Kind of Beautiful, A
           In Perfect Time
Graceful
                     Appalachian Serenade
            If the Shoe Fits
                Love's Awakening

Bout of Books 11: Day 4 Update & Day 5 Challenges

Books I Read Today:
Revolutionary by Krista McGee (298 pages)
Dualed by Elsie Chapman (102 pages)

Books I Finished Today:
Revolutionary by Krista McGee

Pages Read Today: 400

Total Books Finished: 6 (4 novels 2 novellas)

Total Pages Read: 1,512

My Thoughts About Today
Not quite as much as I was hoping but nothing to sneeze at either! I ended up watching an episode of a show and a movie with my sis which took up a chunk of my day, though it was fun enough that I didn't mind!

 Recreate a Cover Challenge
Hosted by: Spines and Covers

"For this challenge, all you have to do is directly link to a cover that you have recreated.  Any genre or book can be used. Also, remember, it isn’t about being an artist. It is about creativity and FUN!!!"

I am horribly uncreative and the best I could think of was to remove the guy in the background of one of my favorite covers since I think he kinda ruins it!

The Original

My Version

Book Chain Challenge

Hosted by: Christian Bookshelf Reviews

"You must link four books by using the last word of the previous title to the first word of the next one. To start, pick a book (ANY book; your choice!) and start linking! A, An, and The don't count, so if your book starts with one of those, just use the next word. To make this challenge tougher, you can decide to only use books you've read within the last twelve months - but that's not a requirement."

The Pelican Bride by Beth White

The Bride Wore Blue by Mona Hodgeson

Blue Moon Promise by Colleen Coble

A Promise to Love by Serena B. Miller

Friday Memes 8/22

Hosted by: Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

The Question:

Do you reply to comments on your blog or do you figure folks won't be stopping back to read your reply so you don't bother?

My Answer:

I used to not reply unless there was a question but one of my goals this year was to be better about that and I try to reply to each comment. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get around to it but I don't think I've missed one this year!

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."

I've buried nearly everyone I love.
That's the thought that keeps crossing my mind as I sit in the restaurant, picking at the seam along my sleeve where it's starting to wear thin.
Dualed by Elsie Chapman
  My Thoughts
That first sentence definitely hits hard!

Bout of Books 11: Day 3 Update & Day 4 Challenges

Books I Read Today:

The Selection by Kiera Cass (250 pages)

Finding June by Shannen Crane Camp (52 pages)

Books I Finished Today:
The Selection by Kiera Cass

Pages Read Today: 302

Total Books Finished: 5 (3 novels 2 novellas)

Total Pages Read: 1,112

My Thoughts on Today
I didn't get as much read as I was hoping to due to the fact that my sister-in-law and my two nieces were here for most of the day (not that I minded) and I have a head cold that is sapping all energy and brain thought. So with all that going on I guess I should be glad I got what I got! I just hope tomorrow is better!

Like This, Try This Challenge
Hosted by: Writing My Own Fairytale

"You must recommend a book based on another book, movie, tv show, etc similar to this: “If you liked _____, you should try _____ because _____.”

If You Liked...

Try...

Because...
They both have a very similar plot line, though admittedly The Selection's was a little more intense!

Bout of Books 11: Day 2 Update & Day 3 Challenge

Books I Read Today:

Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas (318 pages)

Overkill by Ronie Kendig [a novella] (73 pages)

The Selection by Kiera Cass (77 pages)

Books I Finished Today:
Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas
Overkill by Ronie Kendig

Pages Read Today: 444

Total Books Finished: 4 (2 novels, 2 novellas)

Total Pages Read: 810

Create a Sentence 
Hosted by: Book Reviews from a Christian Gal

"For this challenge, I want you to pick some awesome books out and make a sentence with the first two words from each of your books."

"I'm told one year, now that it was my head."

The Books:
Origins by Jessica Khoury
So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones
Matched by Ally Condie
The Death Cure by James Dashner
Revolutionary by Krista McGee

Waiting on Wednesday #126: Tried & True

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"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:

Tried & True by Mary Connealy
Bethany House-August 26, 2014

About the Book

Saddle up for a wildly fun ride with the Wilde sisters!

Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister--and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It's a risk--they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as "boys"--but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.

Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future? 

Why I Want It

I have loved every Mary Connealy book I've read and this one sounds like it's going to be just as good!

Bout of Books 11: Day 1 Update & Day 2 Challenges

Books I Read Today:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Tremors by Bonnie S. Calhoun (Novella)

Books I Finished Today:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (318 pages)
Tremors by Bonnie S. Calhoun (48 pages)

Pages Read Today: 366

Total Books Finished: 2

Total Pages Read: 366

My Thoughts on Today
I finished exactly what I set out to read today and that made me happy! I was a bit busy so I was surprised I actually made my goal! I really enjoyed both stories!

Challenges

One True Pairing
Hosted by: Infinite Ink

"For this challenge, I want to hear all about your favorite literary OTP.  Tell me why you ship them.  Tell me how perfect they are for each other.  Vent about how frustrating it is that the author paired them with other people.  Give me proof about why they are actually canon, but nobody knows.  I want to hear it all."

I've never really been the OTP type but I'll give this a shot. My couple that I'm picking is one that I think is absolutely perfect for each other and they are one of my favorite-ist couples ever!

Sean O'Conner and Emma Malloy
from A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

It's really hard to put into words this couple's perfectness for each other if you haven't read any of the books! They just fit together so perfectly and since they do end up together there's not much else I need to say!

Book Spine Poetry 
Hosted by: My Little Pocketbooks

"Take a minimum of 3 books put them in a pile to make a poem."

Forbidden Secrets
Hidden Places
Nowhere to Turn
No One to Trust
Until I Found You

Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling Me That I MUST Read

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

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee
The Blood of Kings Series by Jill Williamson
Night Song by Tricia Goyer
My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay
Replication by Jill Williamson
Trade Winds Series by Linda Lee Chaikin
Origin by Jessica Khoury
Coming Home by Tracie Peterson

Bout of Books 11: Day 1: Challenges

Book Scavenger Hunt
Hosted by: The Book Monsters

1. A Book that begins with “B”  (for Bout of Books!)

2. A book that has been made into a movie/tv show

3. A series you love

4. An anthology of poems or short stories

5. A book on your TBR shelf, or your full TBR shelves

Playlist

Hosted by: LuLo FanGirl

Make a playlist centered around at least ONE of the books you plan on reading during the read-a-thon.

I chose The Fault in Our Stars by John Green which I just finished reading! I'm pretty bad at this but here goes!

Amsterdam by Imagine Dragons

Time of Our Lives by Tyrone Wells

Rubik's Cube by Athlete

My Immortal by Evanescence

Ever Enough by Rocket to the Moon

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #135

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:

I was pretty happy with the reading that I got in this week, though I will admit that most of it was in the last two days since I was rather busy the first five days of the week!

What I am currently reading:
I literally just finished both Love's Awakening and Appalachian Serenade and haven't had a chance to start another!

What I hope to read this week:
I am once again participating in the Bout of Books read-a-thon and I'm hoping to read at least 7 books! You can see my choices on my goals post HERE!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #134
Top Ten Books I'm Not Sure I Want to Read
Waiting on Wednesday #125: Destined for Doon
Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer

Friday Memes 8/15
In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin

Bout of Books 11: Goals

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!

Bout of Books 11: Goals

My goal for this read-a-thon is to read at least 7 books though I am hoping to get closer to 10! I'm not exactly sure which ones I'll end up reading but it will probably be some of these!

In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin

About the Book
Bold, sophisticated, and flirtatious, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.
Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer to where they don't want to go. Can they confront the fears and misunderstandings in their pasts?
Sarah Sundin seamlessly weaves together emotion, action, and sweet romance into a tale that transcends time and calls us to believe in the power of love.

My Thoughts
After waiting so long for Kay and Roger's story I am quite happy to say it completely met my expectations! Sarah Sundin has once again penned a beautiful novel that swept me away to another time and place!
We met Kay and Roger a bit in the previous two books but I was so excited to really get to know them because they were those characters who you just knew had so many hidden layers and I couldn't wait to dive in!
I was so angry at Kay's family, especially her father, for the lies they fed her about herself, her worth, and God. It was no wonder she turned out the way she did and it was so beautiful to watch God shatter those lies and show her how much she was loved. I loved how much Kay grew throughout the book and I totally loved her.
And Roger was awesome too! I loved how he listened to God's direction to give certain things away that made all the difference in lives!
Their love story was really cool even if it did take them a bit to realize that they should be together!

Everything about this book was absolutely beautiful though I do think it was the first of Sarah's books that didn't make me cry, which was probably a good thing since I mostly read it at work and that would have been awkward.

Meet the Author
Sarah Sundin lives in northern California with her husband, three children, an antisocial cat, and a yellow lab bent on destroying her writing career. When she isn't driving kids to tennis and karate, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist and teaches Sunday school and women's Bible studies. She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Authors Network, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. In 2011 she received the Writer of the Year Award from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. A Memory Between Us was a finalist in the Inspirational Readers Choice Awards and was featured on Booklist's Top Ten Inspirational Fiction List for 2010. Please visit Sarah's website at http://www.sarahsundin.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.
*I accidentally received copies from both the publisher and Litfuse and I want to acknowledge them both. I will hopefully be giving away my extra copy in the future!


Don't miss Sarah Sundin's hot-off-the-press novel, In Perfect Time. Publishers Weekly gives it an enthusiastic thumbs up: “Sundin excels at well-researched historical detail . . . with such accurate depictions of culture and setting that we are fully immersed in the times as well as in the story. The strength of relationships forged in war and the apprehension of God in times of trouble infuse this well-crafted novel with substance and light.”

Sarah is celebrating the release of her book with a fun giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle HDX
• The Wings of the Nightingale Series (With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, and In Perfect Time)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 24th. Winner will be announced August 25th at Sarah's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Sarah's blog on the 25th to see if you won! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)