The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

About the Book
What if the title, the estate, the life of security and splendor… what if it isn’t enough?
Strong-willed and beautiful, debutante Katherine Ramsey feels ready to take the London social season by storm, and she must. Her family estate, Highland Hall, has been passed to older male cousin Sir William Ramsey, and her only means of securing her future is to make a strong debut and find a proper husband. With her all-knowing and meddling aunt as a guide, Katherine is certain to attract suitors at the lavish gatherings, sparkling with Great Britain’s elite.
When a shocking family scandal sidelines Katherine, forcing her out of the social spotlight, she keeps a low profile, volunteering with the poor in London’s East End. Here Katherine feels free from her predictable future, and even more so as a friendship with medical student Jonathan Foster deepens and her faith in God grows. But when Katherine is courted anew by a man of wealth and position, dreams of the life she always thought she wanted surface again. Torn between tradition and the stirrings in her heart for a different path, she must decide whom she can trust and love—and if she will choose a life serving others over one where she is served.
Learn more, purchase a copy, and read an excerpt: http://ow.ly/C7LAY

My Thoughts
Due to the busyness of my life recently I had to read all but seventy pages of this book in one sitting but this book was so good that I really didn't mind! As I've mentioned in other reviews, regency isn't always my cup of tea but I've found myself thoroughly enjoying both of this author's novels.
Katherine was a bit of a spoiled brat in the first book of this series which just made her transformation in this book all the more rewarding! I loved how she learned to switch her focus from herself and her social status to the plight of those around her. It was so cool to watch as she found such joy in helping those less fortunate that her!
And Jon was just an amazing hero! I loved how selfless he was, his genuine faith, and his care for everyone. I pretty much loved everything about him, especially that fact that he was willing to sacrifice his own happiness for the happiness of those he cared about, yet he was also brave enough to follow God's guiding in his life.
I loved getting to catch up with the characters from book one especially Kate and Jon's families. Katherine's aunt was definitely my least favorite character but we weren't supposed to like her so that's okay!
In short I immensely enjoyed this story and I'm looking forward to what is coming next from this talented author!


Meet the Author
CARRIE TURANSKY is an award-winning author of more than a dozen novels and novellas. She has been the winner of the ACFW Carol Award, the Crystal Globe Award, and the International Digital Award, and a finalist for the Inspirational Readers Choice Award and the ACFW Carol Awards and Genesis Contest. She has written contemporary and historical romances, women's fiction, short stories, articles, and devotionals. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, Scott, and they have five adult children and four grandchildren.
Find Carrie online: website, Facebook, Twitter

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 10/31

Hosted by: Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

The Question:

You can go trick or treating with any fictional character (book or film). Who would you go with?

My Answer:

Luca Forelli from Lisa T. Bergren's River of Time Series. There is the obvious reasons of his attractiveness and his sense of humor but in addition to that he would already be in costume and I could dress as Lia! Also I think it would be hysterical to see how he would react to it 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."

If she lived to be one hundred and five, Katherine Evangeline Ramsey would never understand why every debutante must begin the London social season by curtsying to the king and queen.
The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

My Thoughts
While not the most exciting beginning it is certainly fitting for a regency era novel and I rather like it!

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

About the Book
Her secret cloaks her in isolation and loneliness. His secret traps him in a life that is not his own.
Darbury, England, 1819
Cecily Faire carries the shame of her past wherever she treads, knowing one slip of the tongue could expose her disgrace. But soon after becoming a lady’s companion at Willowgrove Hall, Cecily finds herself face-to-face with a man well-acquainted with the past she’s desperately hidden for years.
Nathaniel Stanton has a secret of his own—one that has haunted him for years and tied him to his father’s position as steward of Willowgrove Hall. To protect his family, Nathaniel dares not breathe a word of the truth. But as long as the shadow looms over him, he’ll never be free to find his own way in the world. He’ll never be free to fall in love.
When the secrets swirling within Willowgrove Hall come to light, Cecily and Nathaniel must confront a painful choice: Will they continue running from the past . . . or will they stand together and fight for a future without the suffocating weight of secrets long kept?

My Thoughts
Regency novels tend to be hit or miss with me but I always find myself looking forward to this author's books. She writes in a fresh way that stays true to the time period but also keeps you interested. I felt transported to another time and place and hardly put the book down once I got into it.
I loved both Cecily and Nathaniel's characters, they were both kind and selfless yet still trapped by secrets from their pasts. I loved Nathaniel's care for his mother and sisters after his father's death and how kind Cecily was with Mrs. Trent.
The supporting cast of characters was fantasticly written too from Nathaniel's family to Mrs. Trent and Clarkson, and even those you didn't love quite as much like Andrew and Mrs. Massey.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to seeing what else this author has in store for us!

Meet the Author
Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever. Facebook: SarahLaddAuthor Twitter: @SarahLaddAuthor Website

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.

Award-winning author Sarah E. Ladd examines how to escape the clutches of a tainted past in the final installment of her Whispers on the Moor series. A Regency-era novel, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall cleverly shows that even though our pasts may be shameful or painful, God can take the darkest personal histories and turn them into the brightest futures.

Celebrate with Sarah by entering her Kindle HDX giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 2nd. Winner will be announced November 3rd here.

Waiting on Wednesday #136: That's Amore

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:

That's Amore by Janice Thompson
Revell-November 4, 2014

About the Book

In this wacky new tale, Bella and DJ move (temporarily) to Splendora Texas to open a new wedding facility. Of course, some crazy things happen along the way! You’ll see many of the characters you’ve grown to love, and meet a few new ones, too!

Why I Want It

I loved the Weddings by Bella series and enjoyed Weddings by Design so I am quite happy to get more Bella story!

Top Ten Movies and TV Shows I'd Watch Around Halloween

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

This list needs a bit of a preface so here goes! Growing up we never celebrated Halloween and we didn't read or watch anything scary so my selection of Halloween-like material is very limited (especially in the book department). So I found some movies that are mostly more a mocking of horror films but have that creepy element balanced out with a ton of humor!

Movies

Arsenic and Old Lace

Hangman's Curse

Murder by Death

Clue

The Private Eyes

Addam's Family Values

TV Shows

Angel

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Sleepy Hollow

Psych (Tuesday the 17th Episode)

A Promise to Protect by Patricia Bradley

About the Book
Acting Sheriff Ben Logan hasn't heard from Leigh Somerall in a very long time, but it doesn't mean he can get her--or their whirlwind romance of ten years ago--out of his head. When she calls out of the blue, it is with a strange request to protect her brother, Tony. When Tony dies just days later, Ben is charged with a different task--protecting Leigh and her nine-year-old son, TJ, from the killers. But how can Ben keep an eye on Leigh if she's doing everything in her power to avoid him? And could the secret that Leigh is keeping change Ben's life forever?

Suspense, intrigue, and a touch of romance make A Promise to Protect perfect for readers who like their stories with a hearty dose of mystery.

My Thoughts
After loving this author's debut novel earlier this year I was very excited to get the chance to read this book. Ben was a great character in Shadows of the Past as I loved that he got the chance to be the hero in his own story! And what a fantastic hero he was! He was that great, real character that you couldn't help but loving. Even his stubbornness was endearing, since it was mainly due to wanting to protect Leigh, or a bit of jealousy that he didn't even want to admit he had. Leigh I didn't love quite as much as Ben but she was still a fantastic character. She was a wonderful mother and while it frustrated me how long she kept her secret I did understand her reasoning.
I really enjoyed how the mystery/suspense part of the story wasn't as intense as others while still kept me interested. It was a great balance of the two and I liked it!
This was a completely enjoyable read and I can't wait to read what this author has in store for us next!

Meet the Author
Patricia Bradley's manuscript for Shadows of the Past was a finalist for the 2012 Genesis Award, winner of a 2012 Daphne du Maurier award (1st place, Inspirational), and winner of a 2012 Touched by Love award (1st place, Contemporary). She is a published short story writer and is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America and makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at www.ptbradley.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.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #145

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:

Another one book week but I really enjoyed this one!!

What I am currently reading:

No more progress on the first three! I borrowed the final Gallagher Girl novel from the library and so I am trying to reread the first five before it's time to give it back!

What I hope to read this week:

Two review books that are due and the next two Gallagher Girl books. I'm actually really hoping I get more read but who knows!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #144
Top Ten New Series I Want to Start
Waiting on Wednesday #135: Hawk
Social Media (aka Where to Find Me Online)

Friday Memes 10/24

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 Memes 10/24

Hosted by: Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

The Question:

You accidentally unleashed ghouls from a novel and they are now running amok. What fictional hero (book or film) would you like to help you defeat the ghouls?

My Answer:

My first thoughts were all television heroes due to the fact that I watch a lot of paranormal shows but don't really read paranormal books. So I was just going to go with one of them but since this is a book blog I wanted to have a book hero too, which had me scouring my shelves. For my book hero I ended up picking Luca Forelli from The River of Time Series (Shocker, I know) because not only is he a skilled fighter he's also funny, and in a situation like that I know I could use a little humor! As for TV I'd pick either the Tenth Doctor or Buffy Summers, I really don't think either of them need  an explanation!

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."

"Is it always a sin to tell a lie?
Sixteen-year-old Cecily Faire rolled over to glance at Leah, who slumbered in the narrow bed they shared.
A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

My Thoughts
That first question really makes you think if you do stop to think about it. I've heard and been a part of several discussions on the matter and it is really hard to come down hard on either side of the matter!

Social Media (aka Where to Find Me Online)

Hi! I just wanted to do a post letting you all know where to find me on various social media since I just recently got several of them! I would love to interact!

Abbi Hart

@gatorade635

@gatorade635

Abbi Hart

Abbi Hart

Waiting on Wednesday #135: Hawk

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:

Hawk by Ronie Kendig
Shiloh Run Press-November 1, 2014

About the Book

Raptor’s communications expert, Staff Sergeant Brian “Hawk” Bledsoe is struggling with his inner demons, leaving him on the verge of an “other than honorable” discharge. Plagued with corrupted intel, Raptor team continues to track down the terrorist playing chess with their lives. Afghan pilot Fekiria Haidary is devastated when a systems glitch on her aircraft forces a weapons launch on a safe target. And when the deadly bombing separates Brian from the team, he must make an impossible choice: save his brothers-in-arms, or save the woman and children depending on him to survive a brutal snowstorm.

Why I Want It

It's Ronie Kendig and that's really all that needs said! She is amazing and I love her books so much! This one sounds like it will be just as good as her others!

Top Ten New Series I Want to Start

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

I had a bit of trouble with this list! Pretty much all of the new series I would want to read that have come out in the past couple years I've already started. So I was left with upcoming series which was still a bit difficult since many authors I love are in the middle of series right now. Anyway, I only came up with eight but here are some new series that I cannot wait to read!

#1. Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman
#2. Walker Family by Melissa Tagg
#3. Waves of Freedom by Sarah Sundin
#4. A Class of Their Own by Jen Turano
#5. Men of Valor by Irene Hannon
#6. Beacons of Hope by Jody Hedlund
#7. Texas Crossroads by Amanda Cabot
#8. Brides With Style by Janice Thompson

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #144

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:

This was all I was able to get to this week! With recovering from my sister's wedding and then moving into a new apartment this weekend I had very little reading time!

What I am currently reading:

No progress made in these this week!

What I hope to read this week:

Again hoping to get to these two this week! I still have a bit of unpacking and arranging but I still am going to try to get reading in! Once I get everything set up I'll try to do a post about it!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #143
Top Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want to Visit (Fictional or Real)
NKJV Study Bible (Full Color Edition)
Waiting on Wednesday #134: Lizzy & Jane
Thunder by Bonnie S. Calhoun

Friday Memes 10/17

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 Memes 10/17

Hosted by: Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

The Question:

You're going to a Halloween party and you're going to take a book along just in case you get bored. What book would you bring?

My Answer:

The honest answer would be whatever I happen to be reading at the time, but the other options would be Hangman's Curse by Frank Perreti to go along with the scary theme, or A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman because that is the first in a series that is my go to series!

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."

Tony Jackson shouldn't be dying in a ritzy hotel room in downtown Memphis on a hot July night. He shouldn't be dying at all. 
"Who shot you?"
A Promise to Protect by Patricia Bradley

My Thoughts
Well that was certainly an attention grabbing beginning for sure! Now I really want to read more but the book is unfortunately packed away for my move tomorrow! 

Thunder by Bonnie S. Calhoun

About the Book
In post-apocalyptic America, Selah Chavez is crouched in long grass on a shore littered with the rusted metal remnants of a once-great city. It is the day before her eighteenth Born Remembrance, and she is hunting, though many people refuse to eat animal flesh, tainted by radiation during the Time of Sorrows. What Selah's really after are Landers, mysterious people from a land across the big water who survive the delirium-inducing passage in small boats that occasionally crash against the shoreline. She knows she should leave the capture to the men, but Landers bring a good price from the Company and are especially prized if they keep the markings they arrive with.
Everything falls to pieces when the Lander Selah catches is stolen by her brothers--and Selah wakes up the next morning to find the Lander's distinctive mark has suddenly appeared on her own flesh. Once the hunter, Selah is now one of the hunted, and she knows only one person who can help her--Bohdi Locke, the Lander her brothers hope to sell.
With evocative descriptions of a strange new world that combines elements of scientific advances, political intrigue, and wilderness survival, Bonnie S. Calhoun weaves a captivating tale of a world more like our own than we may want to admit.

My Thoughts
Due to a very hectic schedule I read the first 100 pages of this book very sporadically and I just wasn't connecting to the story. Thankfully life slowed down and the last couple days I was able to devour the rest of the book! I ended up really enjoying it! Bonnie created a very unique world and I was quite intrigued by it! There were a lot of things that weren't fully explained and I am hoping the next books will clarify them.
I enjoyed all the characters from the hero and heroine to the more minor characters like Cleon and Treva, and I can't wait to see how their stories continue to play out!
There were a couple instances where bits of the writing needed some work, but it was just a sentence here or a paragraph there so it didn't affect my overall opinion of the book. Which was definitely positive and I would certainly recommend this book to those who enjoy dystopians especially people who like Krista McGee's Anomaly series!

Meet the Author
Bonnie S. Calhoun is Owner/Director of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance helping to promote Christian fiction with blog tours. She is owner/publishes of Christian Fiction Online Magazine devoted to readers and writers of Christian fiction. As Northeast Zone Director for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she was named ‘2011 Mentor of the Year.” She is President of (CAN) Christian Authors Network, and also Appointment Coordinator for both the Colorado Christian Writers Conference and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference.

In her spare time she is an avid social media junkie, and teaches Facebook, Twitter, blogging and HTML. Bonnie and her husband live in a log cabin on 15 acres in upstate area of Binghamton, New York with a dog and cat who consider the humans as wait-staff.

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 #134: Lizzy & Jane

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:

Lizzy & Jane by Katherine Reay
Thomas Nelson-October 28, 2014

About the Book

Sometimes the courage to face your greatest fears comes only when you've run out of ways to escape.

At the end of a long night, Elizabeth leans against the industrial oven and takes in her kingdom. Once vibrant and flawless, evenings in the kitchen now feel chaotic and exhausting. She's lost her culinary magic, and business is slowing down.

When worried investors enlist the talents of a tech-savvy celebrity chef to salvage the restaurant, Elizabeth feels the ground shift beneath her feet. Not only has she lost her touch; she's losing her dream.

And her means of escape.

When her mother died, Elizabeth fled home and the overwhelming sense of pain and loss. But fifteen years later, with no other escapes available, she now returns. Brimming with desperation and dread, Elizabeth finds herself in the unlikeliest of places, by her sister’s side in Seattle as Jane undergoes chemotherapy.

As her new life takes the form of care, cookery, and classic literature, Elizabeth is forced to reimagine her future and reevaluate her past. But can a New York City chef with a painful history settle down with the family she once abandoned . . . and make peace with the sister who once abandoned her?

Why I Want It

While this book's premise doesn't sound like something I'd normally pick up, I loved this author's first book and I am definitely going to give this one a try!

The NKJV Study Bible (Full Color Edition)

About this Edition
The NKJV Study Bible, the most comprehensive study Bible available, now in a full-color edition with added features! The acclaimed NKJV Study Bible is the most complete study system for all who desire accurate study in God’s Word. The Second Edition includes more features to make it the best all-purpose study Bible. Using the trusted New King James Version, The NKJV Study Bible has “the mind of a scholar and the heart of a pastor.” Nelson's skilled team of scholars has produced the system to reach for when study in God’s Word is the goal.

Features include:

• NEW attractive new full-color page design
• NEW stunning Bible-land photos and graphics
• NEW in-text maps and charts 
• Full cross-references with textual notes
• Word studies and indexes
• Bible Times and Culture Notes
• Book introductions, outlines, and timelines
• Reader-friendly notes and articles ideal for extended study
• Deluxe NKJV Concordance including proper names

My Thoughts

For a long time now I have been wanting to purchase a study bible. The bible I currently use doesn't have much in the way of study tools and I was looking for something to enrich my devotion times. When this bible became available for review I was ecstatic since not only is it a study bible but it also just happens to be my preferred version.

I received my copy today and I am already in love! There are so many awesome features that there is absolutely no way I could talk about them all! So I will just gush about some of my favorites! The concordance is rather large which is something I always love since that's something I use quite a lot! One of my other favorite things is the charts! They have ones for Jesus's miracles, parables, and teachings, prophecies Jesus fulfilled, and prayers in the Bible. I know I will definitely be using those in the future! I love the book introductions and how they include a timeline and I also love the fact that in addition to the normal maps they have smaller ones placed in the text so it gives you the visual right there. 

So yeah this is an awesome edition of the bible and if you like the NKJV then I highly recommend it! The only thing that is a slight downside is it's size, but with all that it contains it needed to be huge and I don't really mind it!

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

Top Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want to Visit (Fictional or Real)

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

Boston-The blame for my desire to visit this city lies solely with Julie Lessman's O'Conner family saga! I love those books so much and I would love to visit the city where they are set!

Italy-I've read a bunch of books set here but the ones that really made me want to go were The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren

Narnia-This needs no explanation!

Middle Earth-Another no explanation needed one!

Ireland-I have always wanted to visit this country but books like There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones made the desire grow a lot!

Alaska-Part of this comes from the fact that my bestie's mom grew up there but also The Alaskan Courage series by Dani Pettrey made me want to go much more!

England-I can't really pinpoint a book that made me want to go here and I have just always wanted to go!

San Francisco-This is also Julie Lessman's fault since I love her other series The Heart of San Francisco!

Belmont Mansion-Tamera Alexander's A Lasting Impression was so beautiful and after seeing all the pictures she's taken there I really want to go!

Russia-I only would want to go here because of the various Susan May Warren books set in this country!