Monday, September 30, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #90

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:
 I got a lot of reading done this week thanks to the Fall Into Reading Read-A-Thon and they were such great books! Picking a favorite would be next to impossible since all but one got 4-5 star ratings!

What I am currently reading:
Nothing except my daily devo book but I'll be starting another book soon!

What I hope to read this week:
I'm really hoping to get to these all this week!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #89
Fall Into Reading Read-A-Thon: Progress Updates
Fall Into Reading Read-A-Thon Day 2: Challenge
Top Ten Best Sequels
Waiting on Wednesday #81: The Headmistress of Rosemere
Interview with Author Melissa Tagg
The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson

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, September 29, 2013

Fall Into Reading Read-A-Thon: Wrap-Up

Fall into Reading · Hosted by The Bibliophile Sisters · Runs from Sept. 22-29th

This read-a-thon was really fun and I got way more reading done that I expected! 
I finished a total of 11 books which added up to 3,117 pages!

The Books

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Stacking the Shelves #31

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
The Merciful Scar by Rebecca St. James & Nancy Rue
Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren
The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser
The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson
A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears
A Talent for Troule by Jen Turano

Kindle Books
Love's Miracles by Sandra Leesmith
The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena B. Miller
Running on Empty by Ruth Logan Herne
Bleeding Heart by Amber Stokes

Emma, Mr. Knightley, and Chili-Slaw Dogs by Mary Jane Hathaway

Friday, September 27, 2013

The Merciful Scar by Rebecca St. James & Nancy Rue

About the Book
Kirsten has spent her life trying to forget. But mercy begs her to remember.
When she was in high school, a terrible accident fractured her family, and the only relief Kirsten could find was carving tiny lines into her skin, burying her pain in her flesh. The pain she caused herself was neat and manageable compared to the emotional pain that raged inside.
She was coping. Or so she thought.
But then, eight years later, on the night she expects her long-time boyfriend to propose, Kirsten learns he’s been secretly seeing her best friend. Desperate to escape her feelings, she reaches for the one thing that gives her a sense of control in the midst of chaos.
But this time the cut isn’t so tiny, and it lands her in the psych hospital. Within hours of being there she knows she can’t stay—she isn’t crazy, after all. But she can’t go back to the life she knew before either.
So when her pastor mentions a treatment program on a working ranch, Kirsten decides to take him up on the offer and get away from it all. But the one thing she can’t escape is herself—and her shame.
The ranch is home to a motley crew, each with a lesson to teach. Ever so slowly, Kirsten opens herself to embrace healing—even the scarred places that hurt the most. Mercy begs her to remember the past . . . showing her there’s nothing that cannot be redeemed.

My Thoughts
This book was so much better than I was expecting! Not that I was expecting it to be bad I just thought I would like it less than I did. The only real “problem” I had with it was that I am extremely squeamish so whenever the cutting parts came up I was cringing a lot! Though it actually wasn't too horrible and I'm sure normal people will be able to read it without a problem. And now that that's out of the way, on to the good stuff!
The characters were very well-written each with their different pains that they needed to face! The authors did a great job of pacing the revealing of their stories so that you were constantly turning more pages so that you could peel back the layers and see what was hidden beneath. It was so easy to become emotionally involved with all the characters till I really felt like I was in the story.

I also really liked how the authors seemed to have found the perfect balance to create a story that was deep, helped you grow, made you laugh, cry, and left you feeling better for having read it. I highly recommend this book!

About the Authors
Rebecca St. James is a Grammy and Dove Award recipient and a best-
selling author whose books include Wait for Me and What Is He Thinking? Her leading role in the pro-life film Sarah’s Choice won critical acclaim. A passionate spokesperson for Compassion International, more than 30,000 children have found sponsorship through her worldwide concerts.

Nancy Rue is the best-selling author of more than 100 books for teens, tweens, and adults, two of which have won Christy Awards. Nancy is also a popular speaker and radio guest due to her expertise in tween and teen issues. She and her husband, Jim, have raised a daughter of their own and now share their Tennessee lake home with two yellow labs.

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

Friday Memes 9/27

Book Blogger Hop

The Question:
What weekly memes do you follow on a regular basis?

My Answer:
I have several memes that I participate in!
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Hosted by Book Journey,
Top Ten Tuesday Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish,
Waiting on Wednesday Hosted by Breaking the Spine,
Book Blogger Hop Hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer,
Book Beginnings Hosted by Rose City Reader,
Stacking the Shelves Hosted by Tynga's Reviews


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 you spot him again, shoot him on sight," my father said. "I shall deal with the repercussions myself."
Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren

My Thoughts
Having read the previous two books in this series I already had an idea of what this was in regards to but regardless of that it is a strong beginning that draws you in!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson

About the Book
An unlikely spy discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution.
As the British and Continental armies wage war in 1781, the daughter of a wealthy Virginia plantation owner feels conflict raging in her own heart. Lydia Caswell comes from a family of staunch Loyalists, but she cares only about peace. Her friend Sarah Hammond, however, longs to join the fight. Both women's families have already been divided by a costly war that sets father against son and neighbor against neighbor; a war that makes it impossible to guess who can be trusted.
One snowy night Lydia discovers a wounded man on the riverbank near Caswell Hall, and her decision to save him will change her life. Nathan introduces her to a secret network of spies, couriers, disguises, and coded messages---a network that may be the Patriots' only hope for winning the war. When British officers take over Caswell Hall and wreak havoc on neighboring plantations, Lydia will have to choose between loyalty and freedom; between her family's protection and her own heart's desires.
As both armies gather near Williamsburg for a pivotal battle, both Lydia and Sarah must decide how high a price they are willing to pay to help the men they love.
Part of the American Tapestries™ series: Each standalone novel in this line sets a heart-stirring love story against the backdrop of an epic moment in American history. This is the fifth book in the series.
Purchase a copy: http://amzn.to/1aLxC9s

My Thoughts
This book really pleasantly surprised me! I went in expecting a book that was good but not anything to spectacular, but that expectation was quickly and efficiently shattered! This book was SO good!
One of the things that made this book so great was the way that the author showed just how hard life during the American Revolution was for the colonists. I never really thought about just how difficult it would be for some to choose which side they were on! And it really must have been a hard decision, one that you could never be sure the consequences of!
I also really loved all of the characters and how real they were. Everyone from the main characters to the minor were all written so believably and you could really see exactly where they came from. The author did a great job of making you feel exactly how you should about each character whether it was love of the heroes and heroines, disgust for the “bad guy”, or a mixture of the two for other characters.
Another great thing about this book was how the story started and ended many years in the future, it was cool to see how the characters lives ended up and how the hero and heroine's love for each other never diminished.
And lastly I really enjoyed all the historical aspects of the story. George Washington is one of my favorite historical figure and I did a lot of research about him during my four years of high-school so I love reading stories set during the Revolutionary War and lining them up with his time-line!
I highly recommend this book to all lovers of historical fiction and good books!

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.

About the Author
Melanie Dobson is the author of twelve novels; her writing has received numerous accolades including two. Carol Awards. Melanie worked in public relations for fifteen years before she began writing fiction full-time. Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides with her husband and two daughters in Oregon. Read more at melaniedobson.com

Blog Tour Post: http://litfusegroup.com/author/mdobson

Melanie Dobson's latest release, The Courier of Caswell Hall, is a riveting story you won't want to miss. The newest offering in the American Tapestries™ series, it follows an unlikely spy who discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution.

Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!

courier-of-caswell-rafflecopter

  Five winners will receive:
  • The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 5th. All winners will be announced October 7th at the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 7th to see if you won one of the books!

Interview With Author Melissa Tagg

After reading and loving Melissa Tagg's debut novel, Made to Last, I was extremely excited for the chance to interview this amazing author! (You can read my review HERE)

Welcome! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Sure thing! I’m a former reporter turned author. Well, author by early morning and late night, that is. By day, I work for a Christian nonprofit that serves homeless and hungry men, women and children. I do grant writing and communications stuff.  I have the coolest family, love to travel and can talk your ears off about classic movies.

What is your book, Made to Last, about?

Made to Last is a romantic comedy about figuring out who we are underneath the trappings of success—or lack thereof—and in the process finding a faith and love that’s made to last. It’s about a homebuilding TV show host/DIY guru who’s trying to boost her ratings and save her show, even if it means pretending to be married to a man who’s definitely not the fiancĂ© who ran out on her. And shadowing her every move is a handsome reporter whose digging brings him a little too close to the truth—and to her.

What made you want to start writing?

I was a total bookworm as a kid…still am. I love stories and bringing characters to life. So I’m a definite storyteller at heart. As for writing, it’s my most natural form of communication. So put them together, and I’m an author.

Who would you say has had the biggest influence on your life?

Definitely my parents. They are two of the coolest people you will ever meet and definitely the biggest cheerleaders in my life. Their combined love for God and each other is awesome.

What is one of the best names you ever gave a character in a story-published or unpublished?

Ooh, fun question. So, in a book that will probably never be published, I named a guy Case Matthews. I thought it was a fabulous name…I have no idea why, I just did. But the funny thing is, this character was a farmer who always talked about his John Deere equipment. If you’re at all ag-savvy, you know Case IH is one of John Deere’s biggest competitors…which didn't even compute with me until about halfway through the writing of the book.

Case Matthews is a really cool name-I love it! I'm not at all "ag-savvy" but that is quite amusing!

Where is your favorite place to write?

My mom and dad’s house! They live about an hour north of me, just a few miles outside my hometown. They have a pretty backyard and tree-filled ravine in back…AND…no wi-fi. So it’s like completely distraction-less. Obviously I can’t do all my writing there, though, so I’m usually at my desk in my place.

That sounds like such a cool place to write!

What would you say is your most interesting writer's quirk?

Hmm, I’m not sure this is interesting per se but I always feel the need to have a Diet Coke with Lime, a cup
of coffee and a glass of water when I sit down to write for a long chunk of time. Otherwise, if I only have one thing, I will convince myself I need something different…in other words, I am great at looking for excuses to leave my desk. Haha! So if I have all three to start with, I am less likely to wander off to the kitchen.

I'm pretty good at looking for excuses to put off doing things too though it's usually with reading a book that I need to finish for review. I often "bribe" myself with a small snack that I can eat one piece of every 5 or 10 pages so that I keep reading. I just did it with chocolate chips yesterday!

What activities do you enjoy besides writing?

Reading, watching classic movies, taking long walks…seriously, walks with friends are like my favorite thing ever. I also love hanging out with my family. We’re kind of spread out now, but I take ever chance I can to get together with them.

How do you to get over writer's block?

I push through it. I force myself to put words on the page (er, screen) even if I know I’ll eventually delete them all. Too, this is odd, but the TV show Gilmore Girls always gets my brain pinging. The dialogue in it is really quick and witty—it reminds me of the movie His Girl Friday (so good!!). And for some reason, I can
watch it for like 10-15 minutes and it’s enough to get me refueled.

Gilmore Girls is awesome and that is such a fun way to get over writer's block! I can totally see how it would help!

If you could switch places with one of your characters for a day, which one would you pick?

FUN question. Probably my main character, Miranda Woodruff, because I’d get to see what it feels like—even if only for one day—to be good at building things and DIY projects.

What book or books are you currently reading?

I’m reading Anne Mateer’s “A Home for My Heart” right now. Such a great book. Also just finished Jody Hedlund’s “Rebellious Heart” and Laura Frantz’s “Love’s Awakening.” Fabulous, both of them!

Rebellious Heart was SO good and I can't wait to read Love's Awakening!

What kind of music do you like to listen to?/Who are your favorite artists?

I am CRAZY about Coldplay. Crazy. I love them SO much. So that’s what I listen to tons. I also adore Needtobreathe. And just recently, I got super into Erin McCarley. I also seem to have this thing for British bands—Keane, Travis, Muse…

What are some of your all-time favorite books and/or authors?

Ooh, good question. I grew up slightly obsessed with the book Christy by Catherine Marshall, so that has to go on the favorites list. I also love The Brothers K by David James Duncan which is about four brothers, baseball and even politics and religion. It’s an odd sort of book for me to like, but it’s just amazing. And I read tons of CBA. Favorite authors include Susan May Warren, Rachel Hauck, Jenny B. Jones, Jody Hedlund, Beth Vogt, Laura Frantz, Anne Mateer, Joanne Bischof, Lisa Jordan…I could go on and on.  I also think Ted Dekker is brilliant and could (and do) read his Circle series over and over.

Susan May Warren, Jenny B. Jones, and Jody Hedlund are all favorites of mine too and I've really enjoyed the books I've read of Rachel Hauk and Laura Frantz. I'm not a huge Ted Dekker fan (though I haven't read the Circle series) but my sister is a huge fan!

What are some of your favorite TV shows/movies?

Oh my, you’ve opened Pandora’s Box. J I don’t watch much television—basically just Downton Abbey and
Sherlock (LOVE!)—these days BUT I was obsessed with 24 back in the day. Jack Bauer’s so cool! As for movies, I love classic movies so much. SO much. Anything with Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Carole Lombard, Jean Arthur, Clark Gable…oh, and I can pretty much quote the entirety of What’s Up Doc from 1972.

Sherlock is awesome! I still need to watch the last two episodes of season 2 though! Classic movies are great-especially musicals!

Favorite book you read as a child?

Christy by Catherine Marshall.

Favorite book or verse of the Bible?

I LOVE the book of Romans. Romans 15:13 is one of my faves—it talks about the God of hope filling us with peace and joy as we trust in him. I also love 2 Thessalonians 1:11, especially as its paraphrased in The Message: “Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you.”

Love Romans and that is a really cool verse! I don't think I ever really noticed it much before!

What is your favorite color?

Blue and green are tied.

Early bird or Night owl?

Both! I’m totally serious. I used to be solely a night owl but a couple years ago I trained myself to become a morning person. A friend promised me if I got up at 5 a.m. for 21 days in a row, it’d be habit. She was right. But I still love late nights. Thus, sleep and I have a bit of a rift in our relationship right now. Haha!

Cat or dog?

Dogs. So totally dogs.

Tea or coffee?

Coffee! But…I did study in London and eventually finally did get hooked on it. But coffee is still my first choice.

What is a charity or mission that you are passionate about?

Haha, I should probably say the charity I work for.  We are a Christ-centered nonprofit—the largest privately-funded provider of programs and services for those who are homeless and hungry in Iowa. It’s a very cool ministry. I also love Compassion International and Project Rescue (thanks to my friend, Jessica Patch, for introducing me to the latter).

Are you currently working on a new book and can you tell us a bit about it?

I am! I’m currently finishing up edits on my second book—Here to Stay—which releases May 1 next year. It features one of my favorite characters from Made to Last.  And I’m also putting together a proposal for another series I’m pretty excited and hopeful about!

I can't wait!

Thank you so much Melissa for this fun interview!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #81: The Headmistress of Rosemere

"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:

The Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah Ladd
Thomas Nelson-December 21, 2013

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.

Why I Want It
I loved Sarah Ladd's debut novel and I'm really looking forward to this second one! It sounds really good!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Top Ten Best Sequels

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

Sequel is actually a slightly hard term to figure out! I decided to split my list between books that aren't technically in a series but are connected and second books of series! To make it a little easier for me the only books I used for the second books of series list are ones that are my favorite of that particular series!

Sequels not in a series
Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer
Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden
There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

Second books of series
Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
Escape to Morning by Susan May Warren
The Drifter by Lori Copeland
Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon
A Texas Sky by Lori Copeland

Monday, September 23, 2013

Fall into Reading Read-A-Thon-Day 2: Challenge


Today's challenge was to write a poem about fall and while I am in no ways good at this I gave it a shot!

Fall
Red leaves on the ground 
Crisp air all around 
Pumpkin pies in the oven
Cold hands interwoven
A comfy old sweater
Family and friends all together

Fall into Reading Read-A-Thon: Progress Updates

Fall into Reading · Hosted by The Bibliophile Sisters · Runs from Sept. 22-29th

I will be updating my read-a-thon progress here so if you want to see how it's going feel free to check back here everyday! If you are participating in this read-a-thon feel free to leave the link to your update post and I'll be sure to check it out! Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 

Day 1-9/22
Books I Read Today: The Others by Kristin Bryant (142 pgs), The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (73 pgs)
Books I Finished Today: The Others by Kristin Bryant 
Pages Read Today: 215
Total Books Finished: 1
Total Pages Read: 215
Thoughts About Today: Not too bad for a day that was mostly taken up by church in the morning and prayer meeting in the evening!

Day 2-9/23
Books I Read Today: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (55 pgs), The Invention of Sarah Cummings by Olivia Newport (79 pgs), The Merciful Scar by Nancy Rue & Rebecca St. James (237 pgs)
Books I Finished Today: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Pages Read Today: 371
Total Books Finished: 2
Total Pages Read: 586
Thoughts About Today: Much better than yesterday but not as much as I was hoping-still a good day though!

Day3-9/24
Books I Read Today: The Merciful Scar by Rebecca St. James & Nancy Rue (111 pgs), The Invention of Sarah Cummings by Olivia Newport (73 pgs)
Books I Finished Today: The Merciful Scar by Rebecca St. James & Nancy Rue
Pages Read Today: 184
Total Books Finished: 3
Total Pages Read: 770
Thoughts About Today: I wasn't really surprised by how little I was able to read today since I had my Grandma and sister over from the moment I woke up until 4&5 and my sister-in-law and niece were here for a few hours too. And then I had a babysitting job from 6:30-10. So yeah I was a little busy today! But I was glad I was able to get in what I did and I hope tomorrow is better!

Day4-9/25
Books I Read Today: The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson (328 pgs) The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (146 pgs)
Books I Finished Today: The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson
Pages Read Today: 474
Total Books Finished: 4
Total Pages Read: 1,244
Thoughts About Today: By far my best day as of yet! I had hoped to also read 1/4 of another book but just wasn't able to fit it in and it really wasn't that big of a deal since I'm pretty happy with today's results! I don't really have any plans for tomorrow besides reading so I'n hoping to get quite a lot done!

Day 5-9/26
Books I Read Today: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (133 pgs), The Invention of Sarah Cummings by Olivia Newport (76 pgs) Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren (223 pgs)
Books I Finished Today: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Pages Read Today: 432
Total Books Finished: 5
Total Pages Read: 1,676
Thoughts About Today: I was hoping to get slightly more done today but I'm still pretty happy with the amount I got in!

Day 6-9/27
Books I Read Today: The Invention of Sarah Cummings by Olivia Newport (77 pgs) Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren (220 pgs) Love by the Letter by Melissa Jagears (78 pgs) A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears (16 pgs)
Books I Finished Today: The Invention of Sarah Cummings by Olivia Newport, Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren, Love by the Letter by Melissa Jagears
Pages Read Today: 391
Total Books Finished: 8
Total Pages Read: 2,067
Thoughts About Today: I'm pretty happy with today's results though I was hoping to get a little further into A Bride for Keeps!

Day 7-9/28
Books I Read Today: A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears (315 pgs) Trapped by Irene Hannon (263 pgs)
Books I Finished Today: A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears
Pages Read Today: 578
Total Books Finished: 9
Total Pages Read: 2,645
Thoughts About Today: My best day! I absolutely loved/am loving these books and I just couldn't put them down!

Day 8-9/29
Books I Read Today: Trapped by Irene Hannon (130 pgs) A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano (342 pgs)
Books I Finished Today: Trapped by Irene Hannon, A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano
Pages Read Today: 472
Total Books Finished: 11
Total Pages Read: 3,117

Thoughts About Today: I was pretty happy with the amount of reading I was able to fit in due to being at church most of the day and it was the perfect end to a great read-a-thon!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #89

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I finished last week:
I was hoping to read a bit more this week but I was pretty happy with my results! Faking Grace was a reread that was just as good the second time. Rebellious Heart was amazing, and I enjoyed The Others!

What I am currently reading:
I'm almost done with this one and I am enjoying it!

What I hope to read this week:
I'm participating in the Fall into Reading Read-A-Thon and my goal is to read at least 5 of these books but I'm not sure which!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #88
Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta
Top Ten Books on My Fall 2013 TBR List
Waiting on Wednesday #80: The Dancing Master
Fired Up by Mary Connealy
Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White
Fairchild's Lady by Roseanna M. White
Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White

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, September 22, 2013

Fall into Reading Read-A-Thon: Goals

Fall into Reading · Hosted by The Bibliophile Sisters · Runs from Sept. 22-29th

I just found out about this read-a-thon today when I saw a bunch of blogging friends posting their goal posts and since I was planning on doing a chunk of reading this week I decided to join!

MY GOALS

Finish these two books that I'm in the middle of!
The Others by Kristin Bryant
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Read at least 5 of these books!
Not sure which ones and it would be super awesome if I could finish them all but I kinda doubt that I could manage that!
The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson
The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan 
I Really Do Miss Your Smile by Susan May Warren
Take a Chance on Me by Susan May Warren
Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren 
Chance Encounters of the Heart by Various
A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears
The Merciful Scar by Rebecca St. James & Nancy Rue

Friday, September 20, 2013

Friday Memes 9/20



The Question:
What is your favorite genre? List two of your favorite books in that genre.

My Answer:
I have several genres I enjoy but the two main ones are Christian Romantic Suspense and Christian Historical Fiction. Picking two favorite books in those genres would be next to impossible so I'll instead list authors!
Historical Fiction-Mary Connealy, Sarah Sundin, Karen Witemeyer, Jody Hedlund, and Jen Turano
Romantic Suspense-Susan May Warren, Dee Henderson, Irene Hannon, Ronie Kendig, and Dani Pettrey


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."

Maizy Grace Stewart's 5 Step Program to Authentic Christian Faith
NAME:  Grace
Nice, upstanding Christian name-lucked out on that one. Must remember to answer to it.
Faking Grace by Tamera Leigh

My Thoughts
Humorous beginning that makes me this this book is gonna be a laugh (and it is!)!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White

About the Book
This exciting and adventurous romantic spy novel is the second book in a new series from Roseanna M. White. Whispers from the Shadows combines fascinating cloak-and-dagger secrets with a tale of love and intrigue during the War of 1812.
Treachery causes Gwyneth Fairchild's world to crumble. The daughter of a British general, she barely saves her life by fleeing London aboard a ship to America. Her goal is to find refuge with the Lane family in Maryland, having been told by her father she could implicitly trust Winter and Bennet Lane, even though their nations are once again at war. After meeting their son, Thad, she wonders how safe she truly is when she discovers that the Lanes trade in a dangerous commodity--espionage.
Not long after Gwyneth finds refuge in his city, Thad Lane experiences the tug of love, though he fears it may blur lines of loyalty. With family playing the part of enemies and enemies proving themselves friends, a future with Gwyn is uncertain. But at this moment, with the British advancing on Washington and Baltimore, they have only their shared faith in God as a shield about them.

My Thoughts
Since I completely loved Ring of Secrets and Fairchild's Lady I could not wait to dive into Whispers from the Shadows! I thought it was so cool how it was about the characters from the first book and novella's kids! I was really excited about when this book took place since I have never really read much about The War of 1812 so I loved the little bits of history I was able to pick up.
The characters were all awesome from Thad and Gwyn, to Winter and Ben, to Thad's friend and his son, and even Thad's sister, the family's housekeeper, and her daughter. I loved the way they all interacted with each other and the obvious love that was there.
The plot was very well done and I was honestly shocked by some things that I never saw coming at all! It was so well written that you never guessed what was going on but when you looked back you could see the little hints.
I thoroughly loved this book and I can't wait for Circle of Spies!

About the Author
Roseanna M. White grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, the beauty of which inspired her to begin
writing as soon as she learned to pair subjects with verbs. She spent her middle and high school days penning novels in class, and her love of books took her to a school renowned for them. After graduating from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, she and her husband moved back to the Maryland side of the same mountains they equate with home.
Roseanna is the author of two biblical novels, A Stray Drop of Blood and Jewel of Persia, both from WhiteFire Publishing (www.WhiteFire-Publishing.com), and Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland, a historical romance, with Summerside Press. She is the senior reviewer at the Christian Review of Books, which she and her husband founded, the senior editor at WhiteFire Publishing, and a member of ACFW, HisWriters, HEWN Marketing, and Colonial Christian Fiction Writers.

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.

Fairchild's Lady by Roseanna M. White

About the Book
This bonus romantic novella is set in the intervening years between Ring of Secrets and Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White. In 1789 General Isaac Fairchild travels across the Channel on a very special assignment. After surviving the American Revolution, he is now gathering information on life at King Louis XVI’s court. But he must also locate a countess and her grown daughter and escort them back to England before revolution explodes in France. He knows danger is in the task set before him, but when he meets the beautiful Julienne, a new peril beckons him deeper into the intrigue of Versailles.

My Thoughts
After absolutely loving Ring of Secrets I was super excited to read this novella about one of the characters from that book. In Ring of Secrets Fairchild was technically the enemy but he was still a really great guy so I was really happy that he got his own story. A lot of times novellas leave you wanting but this one did an excellent job of giving you the full story and leaving you content and happy. Fairchild was once again a great character and Julienne was a great match for him. Since it was such a short story it's harder to give opinions without spoiling things but I will just say that it was excellently written, the characters were great, and the plot was intriguing! You definitely should read Ring of Secrets before this but after you do I highly recommend this novella! I now absolutely can't wait to read Whispers From the Shadows which is about the son of the characters from Ring of Secrets and the daughter of the characters from this novella!

About the Author
Roseanna M. White grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, the beauty of which inspired her to begin
writing as soon as she learned to pair subjects with verbs. She spent her middle and high school days penning novels in class, and her love of books took her to a school renowned for them. After graduating from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, she and her husband moved back to the Maryland side of the same mountains they equate with home.
Roseanna is the author of two biblical novels, A Stray Drop of Blood and Jewel of Persia, both from WhiteFire Publishing (www.WhiteFire-Publishing.com), and Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland, a historical romance, with Summerside Press. She is the senior reviewer at the Christian Review of Books, which she and her husband founded, the senior editor at WhiteFire Publishing, and a member of ACFW, HisWriters, HEWN Marketing, and Colonial Christian Fiction Writers.

Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White

About the Book
Winter Reeves is an aristocratic Patriot forced to hide her heart amid the Loyalists of the City of New York. She has learned to keep her ears open so she can pass information on British movements to Robbie Townsend, her childhood friend, and his spy ring. If she's caught, if she's hung for espionage...well, she won't be. Robbie has taught her the tools of the trade: the wonders of invisible ink, drop locations and, most importantly, a good cover.
Bennet Lane returns to New York from his Yale professorship with one goal: to find General Washington's spy hidden among the ranks of the elite. Searching for a wife was supposed to be nothing more than a convenient cover story for his mission, but when he meets Winter, with her too-intelligent eyes in her too-blank face, he finds a mystery that can't be ignored.

Both believers...and both committed to a separate cause. Will their faith in God lead them to a shared destiny or lives lived apart?

My Thoughts
I have seen this book around a lot and the plot intrigued me. So I was extremely happy when a friend of mine sent me a copy for my birthday. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect but I was not prepared to love it as much as I did! This book was amazing and I loved every minute! Winter was awesome and I loved how she pretended to be completely dumb so that no one would suspect what she really was a spy. Her “mistakes” made me laugh a lot and I loved how clever she really was. Bennet was also a great character. I loved how he saw through Winter's facade and did his best to discover the true person behind her mask. The other characters were all well done as well from the ones you loved to the ones you hated they all were written perfectly. I loved this whole idea of a story of spies during the Revolutionary War and it made for quite the intriguing story. There were many things that I did not see coming at all, which was perfect for a spy story. I absolutely loved this author's writing and can't wait to read more!

About the Author
Roseanna M. White grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, the beauty of which inspired her to begin
writing as soon as she learned to pair subjects with verbs. She spent her middle and high school days penning novels in class, and her love of books took her to a school renowned for them. After graduating from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, she and her husband moved back to the Maryland side of the same mountains they equate with home.
Roseanna is the author of two biblical novels, A Stray Drop of Blood and Jewel of Persia, both from WhiteFire Publishing (www.WhiteFire-Publishing.com), and Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland, a historical romance, with Summerside Press. She is the senior reviewer at the Christian Review of Books, which she and her husband founded, the senior editor at WhiteFire Publishing, and a member of ACFW, HisWriters, HEWN Marketing, and Colonial Christian Fiction Writers.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Fired Up by Mary Connealy

About the Book
Dare Riker is a doctor who saves lives, but someone seems determined to end his. It may have something to do with the traitors he dealt with during the Civil War, or it might be related to the recent incident with Flint Greer and the ranch. Whoever the culprit is, he or she seems really fired up, and Dare can't let his guard down for a moment, which is a challenge, since right now he's trying to win the heart of the recently widowed Glynna.
Glynna Greer came west as a mail-order bride and ended up in a bad situation. Now her husband, Flint, is dead, and she's determined to care for her son and daughter on her own. She wants to believe Dare Riker is as decent as he seems, but she's terrified to lock herself into another marriage. She plans to support her small family by opening a diner---never mind that cooking is not her greatest talent. The men in Broken Wheel, Texas, are so desperate for home cooking that they seem willing to overlook dried-out beef and blackened biscuits.
Glynna can't help but notice that danger follows Dare wherever he goes. There's the avalanche. And then the fire. But things really get out of hand when someone plunges a knife from Glynna's diner into Dare's back. Are Flint's cronies still plotting revenge? Is Glynna's son engaged in a misguided attempt to protect his mother? Is a shadowy outsider still enraged over past injustices? And can Dare survive long enough to convince Glynna to take another chance on love?

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

My Thoughts
Even though this book wasn't as good as some of Mary Connealy's other books I still did really enjoy it!
After meeting Dare and Glynna in Swept Away I was rather excited for their story since it seemed like it'd be quite interesting. Dare was probably my favorite of the Regulators with his mix of the gruffness of a soldier and the gentleness of a doctor and Glynna intrigued me with how she had suffered through two dead-beat husbands and came out stronger because of it.
I was really afraid that Glynna's son Paul was going to cause trouble and be obnoxious but he had just enough anger and protectiveness of his mom to fit with the story but not enough to drive me crazy which was really awesome!
I loved seeing all the characters from Fired Up again though I wish Big John would have been in this one!
It absolutely cracked me up how all of the men in town would endure Glynna's horrible cooking just to see her and it was even more amusing how many of them ended up at Dare's with stomach problems!

 All in all it was an enjoyable read and if you liked Swept Away then you won't want to miss Fired Up!

About the Author
Mary Connealy writes fun and lively "romantic comedy with cowboys" for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.
Connect with Mary: http://maryconnealy.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.

Mary Connealy is back with the second book in her Trouble in Texas series. Fired Up and she's celebrating with a Kindle Fire giveaway and a LIVE author chat party on October 8th.

Fired-Up-rafflecopter

  One winner will receive:
  • A Kindle Fire HD
  • Swept Away  and Fired Up by Mary Connealy
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 8th. Winner will be announced at the "Fired Up" Live Webcast Event on October 8th. Connect with Mary for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Mary will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Fired Up and join Mary and friends on the evening of October 8th 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 8th!

Waiting on Wednesday #80: The Dancing Master

"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:

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen
Bethany House-January 7, 2014

About the Book
Finding himself the man of the family, and with no other options, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But Alec is stunned to learn the village is controlled by a wealthy widow who has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.
Alec finds an unlikely ally in Miss Julia Midwinter, the widow's daughter. While initially wary of Julia's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and a hidden sorrow of her own.
Julia Midwinter is instantly intrigued by the handsome dancing master--a man of whom her mother would never approve. She cannot fathom why he would leave London--or why he evades questions about his past.

Together, can Alec and Julia bring new life to this quiet village--and to one woman's hardened heart?

Why I Want It
 I have really enjoyed the four books I have read of this author and this one sounds like it'll be as good as the others!