Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot

FIRST Wild Card Blog Tour + Review: Threads of Hope (Fabric of Time, Book 1) by Andrea Boeshaar

2012-01-31T18:14:00.000-05:00

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Andrea Boeshaar

and the book:

Threads of Hope
(Fabric of Time)

Realms (January 3, 2012)

***Special thanks to Jon Wooten of Charisma House for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar is a certified Christian life coach; a popular speaker at writers’ conferences, workshops, and women’s groups; and the author of numerous published books, including the Seasons of Redemption series: Unwilling Warrior, Uncertain Heart, Unexpected Love, and Undaunted Faith.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Kristin Eikaas has her hopes set on a new life in America.

The year is 1848, and Kristin Eikaas has traveled from Norway to Wisconsin with dreams of a new life. But when she arrives, she finds one disappointment after another. Worse, her superstitious uncle now believes that his neighbor’s Oneida Indian wife has put a curse on Kristin. Everyone knows the Sundbergs put spells on people…

Everyone except Kristin. Her run-ins with Sam Sundberg only prove that he is a good man from a Christian family. But when her uncle discovers she’s been associating with Sam, his temper flares. To escape his wrath, Kristin gratefully accepts a job as the Sundbergs’ house girl, finding solace at the family’s spinning wheel.

In the time Sam and Kristin spend together, their friendship develops into much more, and Sam prays about a match between them. But opposition threatens to derail their newfound love. Will they have the courage to stand up for what is right—even against their own families?

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Realms (January 3, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1616384972

ISBN-13: 978-1616384975

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

September 1848

It looks like Norway.

The thought flittered across nineteen-year-old Kristin Eikaas’s mind as Uncle Lars’s wagon bumped along the dirt road. The docks of Green Bay, Wisconsin, were behind them, and now they rode through a wooded area that looked just as enchanting as the forests she’d left in Norway. Tall pine trees and giant firs caused the sunshine to dapple on the road. Kristin breathed in the sweet, fresh air. How refreshing it felt in her lungs after being at sea for nearly three months and breathing in only salty sea air or the stale air in her dark, crowded cabin.

A clearing suddenly came into view, and a minute or so later, Kristin eyed the farm fields stretched before her. The sight caused an ache of homesickness. Her poppa had farmed . . .

“Your trip to America was good, ja?” Uncle Lars asked in Norwegian, giving Kristin a sideways glance.

He resembled her father so much that her heart twisted painfully with renewed grief. Except she’d heard about Onkel—about his temper—how he had to leave Norway when he was barely of age, because, Poppa had said, trouble followed him.

But surely he’d grown past all of that. His letters held words of promise, and there was little doubt that her uncle had made a new life for himself here in America.

Just as she would.

Visions of a storefront scampered across her mind’s eye—a shop in which she could sell her finely crocheted and knitted items. A shop in which she could work the spinning wheel, just as Mor had . . .

Uncle Lars arched a brow. “You are tired, liten niese?”

“Ja. It was a long journey.” Kristin sent him a sideways glance.

“I am grateful I did not come alone. The Olstads made good traveling companions.”

Her uncle cleared his throat and lowered his voice. “But you have brought my inheritance, ja?” He arched a brow.

“Ja.” Kristin thought of the priceless possession she’d brought from Norway.

“And you would not hold out on your onkel, would you?”

Prickles of unease caused Kristin to shift in her seat. She resisted the urge to touch the tiny gold and silver cross pendent suspended from a dainty chain that hung around her neck. Her dress concealed it. She couldn’t give it up, even though it wasn’t legal for a woman to inherit anything in Norway. But the necklace had been her last gift from Mor. A gift from one’s mother wasn’t an inheritance . . . was it? “No, Onkel.”

She turned and peered down from her perch into the back of the wooden wagon bed. Peder Olstad smiled at her, and Kristin relaxed some. Just a year older, he was the brother of Kristin’s very best friend who had remained in Norway with their mother. She and Peder had grown up together, and while he could be annoying and bad tempered at times, he was the closest thing to a brother that she had. And Sylvia—Sylvia was closer than a sister ever could be. It wouldn’t be long, and she and Mrs. Olstad would come to America too. That would be a

happy day!

“You were right,” John Olstad called to Uncle Lars in their native tongue. “Lots of fertile land in this part of the country. I hope to purchase some acres soon.”

“And after you are a landowner for five years, you can be a citizen of America and you can vote.” The Olstad men smiled broadly and replied in unison. “Oh, ja, ja . . . ”

Uncle Lars grinned, causing dozens of wrinkles to appear around his blue eyes. His face was tanned from farming beneath the hot sun, and his tattered leather hat barely concealed the abundance of platinum curls growing out of his large head. “Oh, ja, this is very good land. I am glad I persuaded Esther to leave the Muskego settlement and move northeast. But, as you will soon see, we are still getting settled.”

“Ja, how’s that, Lars?”

Kristin heard the note of curiosity in Mr. Olstad’s voice.

“I purchased the land and built a barn and a cabin.” He paused and gave a derisive snort. “Well, a fine home takes time and money.”

“Oh, ja, that way.” Mr. Olstad seemed to understand.

And Kristin did too. One couldn’t expect enormous comforts out in the Wisconsin wilderness.

Just then they passed a stately home situated on the Fox River. Two quaint dormers peered from the angled roof, which appeared to be supported by a pair of white pillars.

“That is Mr. Morgan Martin’s home. He is a lawyer in town.”

Uncle Lars delivered the rest of his explanation with a sneer. “And an Indian agent.”

“Indians?” Kristin’s hand flew to her throat.

“Do not fret. The soldiers across the river at Fort Howard protect the area.”

Kristin forced her taut muscles to relax.

“Out here the deer are plentiful and fishing is good. Fine lumber up here too. But the Norwegian population is small. Nevertheless, we have our own church, and the reverend speaks our language.”

“A good thing,” Mr. Olstad remarked.

“I cannot wait for the day when Far owns land,” Peder said, glancing at Mr. Olstad. “Lots of land.” The warm wind blew his auburn hair outward from his narrow face, and his hazel eyes sparked with enthusiasm, giving the young man a somewhat wild appearance. “But no farming for me. I want to be rich someday.”

“As do we all!” exclaimed Mr. Olstad, whose appearance was an older, worn-out version of his son’s.

Kristin’s mind had parked on land ownership. “And once you are settled, Sylvia will come to America. I cannot wait. I miss her so much.”

She grappled with a fresh onset of tears. Not only was Sylvia her best friend, but she and the entire Olstad clan had also become like family to her ever since a smallpox epidemic ravaged their little village two years ago, claiming the lives of Kristin’s parents and two younger brothers. When Uncle Lars had learned of the tragic news, he offered her a place to stay in his home if she came to America. Onkel wrote that she should be with her family, so Kristin had agreed to make the voyage. Her plans to leave Norway had encouraged the Olstads to do

the same. But raising the funds to travel took time and much hard work. While the Olstads scrimped and saved up their crop earnings, Kristin did spinning, weaving, knitting, and sewing for those with money to spare. By God’s grace, they were finally here.

Uncle Lars steered the wagon around a sharp bend in the rutty road. He drove to the top of a small hill, and Kristin could see the blue Lake Michigan to her left and farm fields to her right.

Then a lovely white wood-framed house came into view. It didn’t look all that different from the home they’d just past, with dormers, a covered front porch, and stately pillars bearing the load of a wide overhang. She marveled at the homestead’s large, well-maintained barn and several outbuildings. American homes looked like this? Then no wonder Mr. Olstad couldn’t wait to own his own farm!

Up ahead Kristin spied a lone figure of a man. She could just barely make out his faded blue cambric shirt, tan trousers, and the hoe in his hands as he worked the edge of the field. Closer still, she saw his light brown hair springing out from beneath his hat. As the wagon rolled past him, the man ceased his labor and turned their way. Although she couldn’t see his eyes as he squinted into the sunshine, Kristin did catch sight of his tanned face. She guessed his age to be not too much more than hers and decided he was really quite handsome.

“Do not even acknowledge the likes of him,” Uncle Lars spat derisively. “Good Christians do not associate with Sam Sundberg or any members of his family.”

Oh, dear, too late! Kristin had already given him a little smile out of sheer politeness. She had assumed he was a friend or neighbor. But at her uncle’s warning she quickly lowered her gaze.

Kristin’s ever-inquiring nature got the best of her. “What is so bad about that family?”

“They are evil—like the Martins. Even worse, Karl Sundberg is married to a heathen Indian woman who casts spells on the good people of this community.”

“Spells?” Peder’s eyes widened.

“Ja, spells. Why else would some folks’ crops fail while Karl’s flourish? He gets richer and richer with his farming in the summer, his logging camps in the winter, and his fur trading with heathens, while good folks like me fall on hard times.”

“Hard times?” Peder echoed the words.

“Ja, same seed. Same fertile ground. Same golden opportunity.”

Uncle Lars swiveled to face the Olstads. “I will tell you why that happens. The Sundbergs have hexed good Christians like me.” He wagged his head. “Oh, they are an evil lot, those Sundbergs and Martins. Same as the Indians.”

Indians? Curiosity got the better of her, and Kristin swung around in the wagon to get one last glimpse of Sam Sundberg. She could hardly believe he was as awful as her uncle described. Why, he even removed his hat just now and gave her a cordial nod.

“Turn around, niese, and mind your manners!” Uncle Lars’s large hand gripped her upper arm and he gave her a mild shake.

“I . . . I am sorry, Onkel,” Kristin stammered. “But I have never seen an Indian.”

“Sam Sundberg is not an Indian. It is his father’s second wife and their children. Oneida half-breeds is what we call them.”

“Half-breed, eh?”

Kristin glanced over her shoulder and saw Peder stroke his chin.

“Interesting,” he added.

“How very interesting.” Kristin couldn’t deny her interest was piqued. “Are there many Indians living in the Wisconsin Territory?”

“Ja, they trespass on my land, but I show my gun and they leave without incident. Sundberg brings his Indian wife to church.” He wagged his head. “Such a disgrace.”

“And the Territory officials do nothing?” Mr. Olstad asked.

Uncle Lars puffed out his chest. “As of three months ago, we are the State of Wisconsin—no longer a territory.” Uncle Lars stated the latter with as much enthusiasm as a stern schoolmaster. “Now the government will get rid of those savages once and for all.” He sent Kristin a scowl. “And you, my liten niese, will do well to stay away from Indians. All of them, including our neighbors, the Sundbergs. You hear, lest you get yourself scalped.”

“Ja, Onkel.”

With a measure of alarm, Kristin touched her braided hair and chanced a look at Peder and Mr. Olstad. Both pairs of wide eyes seemed to warn her to heed Uncle Lars’s instructions. She would, of course. But somehow she couldn’t imagine the man they’d just passed doing her any harm. Would he?

Sam Sundberg wiped the beads of perspiration off his brow before dropping his hat back on his head. Who was the little blonde riding next to Lars Eikaas? Sam hadn’t seen her before. And the men in the wagon bed . . . he’d never seen them either.

After a moment’s deliberation he concluded they were the expected arrivals from the “Old Country.” Months ago Sam recalled hearing talk in town about Lars’s orphaned niece sailing to America with friends of the family, so he assumed the two red-haired men and the young lady were the topics of that particular conversation. But wouldn’t it just serve Mr. Eikaas right if that blonde angel turned his household upside down—or, maybe, right-side up?

He smirked at the very idea. Sam didn’t have to meet that young lady to guess Mr. Eikaas would likely have his hands full. Her second backward glance said all Sam needed to know.

The word plucky sprang into his mind. He chuckled. Plucky she

seemed, indeed.

But was she wise enough not to believe everything her uncle said?

Sam thought it a real shame. Years ago Pa and Lars Eikaas had been friends. But then Pa’s silver went missing, insults were traded, and the Eikaases’ prejudice against Ma, Jackson, and Mary kept the feud alive.

The Eikaas wagon rolled out of sight, leaving brown clouds of dust in its wake. A grin threatened as Sam thought again of that plucky blonde’s curious expression. Maybe she did have a mind of her own. Now wouldn’t that be something? Sam thanked God that not everyone around here was as intolerant of Wisconsin Natives as the Eikaas family. There were those who actually befriended the Indians and stood up to government officials in their stead. Like Pa, for instance. Like Sam himself.

The blistering sun beat down on him. Removing his hat once more, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He started pondering the latest government proposal to remove the Indians from their land. First the Oneida tribe had been forced out, and soon the Menominee band would be “removed” and “civilized.” As bad as that was, it irked Sam more to think about how the government figured it knew best for the Indians. Government plans hadn’t succeeded in the past, so why would they now? Something else had to be done. Relocating the Menominee would cause those people nothing but misery. They’d stated as much themselves. Furthermore, the Indians, led by Chief Oshkosh, were determined not to give up their last tract of land. Sam predicted this current government proposal would only serve to stir up more violence between Indians and whites.

But not if he and Pa could help it.

In the distance he heard the clang of the dinner bell. Ma didn’t like him to tarry when food was on the table. Across the beet field, Sam saw his younger brother run on ahead of him. He wagged his head at the twelve-year-old and his voracious appetite.

With one calloused hand gripping the hoe and the other holding the bushel basket, Sam trudged toward their white clapboard home. Its two dormers protruded proudly from the second floor.

Entering the mudroom, he fetched cold water from the inside well, peeled off his hat, and quickly washed up. Next he donned a fresh shirt. Ma insisted upon cleanliness at the supper table. Finally presentable, he made his way into the basement where the summer kitchen and a small eating area were located. The cool air met his sun-stoked skin and Sam sighed, appreciating the noonday respite.

Next he noticed a cake in the middle of the table.

“That looks good enough to eat,” he teased, resisting the urge to steal a finger-full of white frosting.

Ma gave him a smile, and her nut-brown eyes darkened as she set the wooden tureen of turkey and wild rice onto the table. “Since it’s Rachel’s last day with us, I thought I would prepare an extra special dessert.”

Sam glanced across the table at the glowing bride-to-be. In less than twenty-four hours Rachel Decker would become Mrs. Luke Smith. But for the remainder of today she’d fulfill her duties as Ma’s hired house girl who helped with the cooking, cleaning, sewing, washing, and ironing whenever Ma came down with one of her episodes, which were sometimes so intensely painful that Ma couldn’t get out of bed without help. Rachel had been both a comfort and an efficient assistant to Ma.

“I helped bake the cake, Sam.”

He grinned at his ten-year-old sister, Mary. “Good job.”

They all sat down, Mary taking her seat beside Rachel. Sam helped his mother into her place at the head of the table then lowered himself into his chair next to Jackson, who’d been named after Major General Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of this great country.

“Sam, since your father is away,” Ma began, “will you please ask God’s blessing on our food?”

“Be glad to.” He bowed his head. “Dearest Lord, we thank Thee for Thy provisions. Strengthen and nourish us with this meal so we may glorify Thee with our labors. In Jesus’s name, amen.”

Action ensued all around the table. The women served themselves and then between Sam and Jack, they scraped the bowl clean.

“Good thing Pa’s not home from his meetings in town,” Jack muttered with a crooked grin.

“If your father were home,” Ma retorted, “I would have made more food.”

“Should have made more anyhow.” Jack gave her a teasing grin. “No seconds.” He clanged the bowl and spoon together as if to prove his point.

“You have seconds on your plate already,” Ma said. “Why, I have never seen anyone consume as much food as you do, Jackson.”

His smile broadened. “I’m growing. Soon I’ll be taller than Sam.”

“Brotherly competition.” Sam had to chuckle. But in the next moment, he wondered if his family behaved oddly. Didn’t all families enjoy meals together? Tease and laugh together? Tell stories once the sun went down? According to Rachel, they didn’t. The ebony-haired, dark-eyed young woman had grown up without a mother and had a drunkard for a father . . . until Ma got wind of the situation and took her in. She invited Rachel to stay in the small room adjacent to the kitchen and offered her a job. Rachel had accepted. And now, years later, Rachel would soon marry a fine man, Luke Smith, a friend of Sam’s.

Taking a bite of his meal, he chewed and looked across the table at Mary. Both she and Jack resembled their mother, dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and graceful, willowy frames, while Sam took after his father, blue eyes and stocky build, measuring just under six feet. Yet, in spite of the outward dissimilarities, the five Sundbergs were a closely knit family, and Sam felt grateful that he’d known nothing but happiness throughout

his childhood. He had no recollection whatsoever of his biological mother who had taken ill and died during the voyage from Norway to America.

Sam had been but a toddler when she went home to be with the Lord, and soon after disembarking in New York, his father met another Norwegian couple. They helped care for Sam and eventually persuaded Pa to take his young son and move with them to Wisconsin, known back then as part of the “Michigan Territory.” Pa seized the opportunity, believing the promises that westward expansion touted, and he was not disappointed.

He learned to plant, trap, and trade with the Indians, and he became a successful businessman. In time, he saved enough funds to make his dreams of owning land and farming a reality.

Then, when Sam was a boy of eight years, his father met and married Mariah, an Oneida. Like her, many Oneida were Christians and fairly well educated due to the missionaries who had lived among them. In time Sam took to his new mother, and she to him. Through the years Ma cherished and admonished him as though he were her own son. She learned the Norwegian language and could speak it fluently. As far as Sam was concerned, he was her own son—and Mariah, his own mother.

They were a family.

“Was that the Eikaas wagon driving by not long ago?” Mary asked.

Sam snapped from his musing. “Sure was. It appears they have relatives in town.”

“Mr. Eikaas didn’t stop and visit, did he?” Mary’s eyes were as round as gingersnaps.

Sam chuckled. “No, of course not. I can’t recall the last time Lars Eikaas spoke to me . . . or any of the Sundbergs, for that matter.”

“Erik is nice to me at school.” Mary took a bite of her meal.

“Glad to hear it.”

“I can’t wait to begin school next week.”

Sam grinned at his sister’s enthusiasm. He’d felt the same way as a boy.

“Sam, what made you assume Mr. Eikaas transported relatives in his wagon today?”

He glanced at Ma. “A while back I’d heard that Lars’s niece was coming to America, accompanied by friends, and since I didn’t recognize the three passengers in the wagon this morning, I drew my own conclusions.”

“Is she pretty?” Jackson’s cheeks bulged with food.

“Is who pretty?”

“Mr. Eikaas’s niece . . . is she pretty?”

Sam recalled the plucky blonde whose large, cornflower-blue eyes looked back at him with interest from beneath her bonnet. And pretty? As much as Sam hated to admit it, she was about the prettiest young lady he’d ever set eyes on.

Jackson elbowed him. “Hey, I asked you a question.”

Sam gave his younger brother an annoyed look. “Yeah, I s’pose she’s pretty. But don’t go getting any big ideas about me courting her. She’s an Eikaas.”

“You’re awful old to not be married yet.” Jack rolled his dark eyes.

“What do you know about it? I’m only twenty-one.” Sam grinned. “Hush up and eat.” It’s what the boy did best. “So . . . did everyone have a pleasant morning?” He forked another bite of food into his mouth, wondering why he tried so hard to shift the subject off of Lars Eikaas’s niece.

Kristin looked around the one-room shanty with its unhewn walls and narrow, bowed loft. Cotton squares of material covered the windows, making the heat inside nearly unbearable.

Disappointment riddled her being like buckshot. Although she knew she should feel grateful for journeying safely this far, and now to have a roof over her head, she couldn’t seem to shake her displeasure at seeing her relatives’ living quarters. It looked nothing like her uncle had described in his letters nor the homes she’d glimpsed on the way.

“Here is your trunk of belongings,” Uncle Lars said, carrying the wooden chest in on one of his broad shoulders. With a grunt, he set it down in the far corner of the cabin. “Where is my inheritance? Let me have a look at it.”

“Right now, Onkel?”

“Ja, ja . . .” Impatience filled his tone.

Pulling open the drawstring of her leather purse, she reached inside and extracted the key. She unlocked the trunk and opened its curved lid. Getting onto her knees, Kristin moved aside her clothes and extra shoes until she found what she searched for. Poppa’s gold watch. She held the black velvet-covered box reverently in her hands for one last, long moment before she stood and presented it to her uncle.

“This belonged to my poppa.”

“Ah . . .” Uncle Lars’s face lit up with delight as he opened the box. Looking to Aunt Esther, he nodded. “This will bring a fair price, do you think?”

Disbelief poured over her. “But . . . you would not sell Poppa’s watch, would you?”

“None of your business!”

Kristin jumped back at the biting reply. Her opinion of her uncle dropped like a rock into a cavern.

“Anything more?” Her uncle bent over the wooden chest and quickly rummaged through it, spilling clothes onto the unswept floor.

“Onkel, please, stop. My garments . . .”

“Does not seem to be anything else.” Uncle Lars narrowed his gaze. “Is there?”

“No.” The necklace Mor had given her burned against her already perspiring skin. Still, Kristin refused to part with the gift. “Nothing more. As you know, Poppa was a farmer. He supplemented his income by working at the post office, but no money was ever saved. After my parents died, I sold everything to help pay for a portion of my passage to America. I earned the rest myself.”

“Any money left?”

Kristin shook her head as she picked up the last of her belongings, careful not to meet her uncle’s stare. A little money remained in the special pocket she’d sewn into her petticoat. For safety, she’d kept her funds on her person throughout the entire voyage. The last of her coinage would purchase muchneeded undergarments. She’d managed to save it throughout the journey for the specific purpose of buying new foundations when she reached America. It wasn’t inherited. She’d worked hard for it.

With a grunt Uncle Lars turned and sauntered out of the cabin.

“You will sleep in the loft with your cousins.” Aunt Esther’s tone left no room for questions or argument. Wearing a plain, brown dress with a tan apron pinned to its front, and with her dark brown hair tightly pinned into a bun, the older woman looked as drab as her surroundings. “Your uncle and I sleep on a pallet by the hearth.”

“Yes, Tante. I am sure I will be very comfortable.” Another lie.

“Come, let us eat.” Aunt Esther walked toward the hearth where a heavy black kettle sat on top of a low-burning fire. “There is venison stew for our meal.”

“It sounds delicious.” Kristin’s stomach growled in anticipation. She’d eaten very little on the ship this morning. Excitement plus the waves on Lake Michigan made eating impossible. But after disembarking in Green Bay, her stomach began to settle, and now she was famished.

Aunt Esther called everyone to the table, which occupied an entire corner of the cabin. Her three children, two girls and one boy, ranging in ages from seven to sixteen, came in from outside, as did the Olstads. After a wooden bowl filled with stew was set before each person, the family clasped hands and recited a standard Norwegian prayer . . .

I Jesu navn gar vi til bords,—We sit down in the name of Jesus,

Spise drikke pa ditt ord,—To eat and drink according to Your

Word,

Deg Gud til are, oss til gavn,—To Your honor, Oh Lord, and

for our benefit,

Sa far vi mat i Jesu navn.—We receive food in the name of

Jesus.

Amen.

Having said grace, hands were released, and everyone picked up a spoon and began to eat. Kristin noticed her cousins, Inga and Anna, eyeing her with interest. They resembled their father, blonde curls and blue eyes.

“What do you like to do on sunny afternoons such as this one?” she asked cheerfully, hoping to start conversation. After all, Inga’s age was close to hers. Perhaps her cousin would help her meet friends.

“We do not talk at the table,” Aunt Esther informed her. “We eat, not talk.”

“Yes, Tante.” Kristin glanced at Peder and Mr. Olstad who replied with noncommittal shrugs and kept eating.

Silently, Kristin did the same. The Olstads always had lively discussions around their table.

When the meal ended, the girls cleared the table and the men took young Erik and ambled outside.

“May I help with cleaning up?” Kristin asked her aunt.

“No. You rest today and regain your strength. Tomorrow we are invited to a wedding, the day after is the Sabbath. Then beginning on Monday, you will labor from sunup to sunset like everyone else in this place.”

“Except for one,” Inga quipped. No one but Kristin heard.

“Who?” Her lips moved, although she didn’t utter a sound.

“Far, that is who.” Disrespect seeped from Inga’s tone, which was loud and clear.

Hadn’t Aunt Esther overheard it?

Tante suddenly whirled around and glared at Kristin. “Do something with yourself. We are working here.”

With a frown, Kristin backed away. Her aunt’s brusque manner caused her to feel weary and more homesick than

ever. She missed her parents and her little brothers. Why did God take them, leaving her to live life without them? And Sylvia . . . how she longed for her best friend!

Kristin knelt by the trunk and carefully lifted out a soft, knitted shawl that had once belonged to her mother, Lydia Eikaas. Mor had been an excellent seamstress, expert in spinning wool into yarn and thread, as well as in weaving and sewing garments. She’d taught Kristin everything she knew about the craft. Surely Kristin could now put her skills to good use in this new country, this land of opportunity.

She sighed and glanced over to where her aunt and two cousins continued straightening up after the meal. Inga and Anna barely smiled, and her aunt’s expression seemed permanently frozen into a frown. Is that what this country really afforded . . . misery?

Allowing her gaze to wander around the dismal cabin once more, Kristin began to wish she had not come to America.

My Thoughts:
Threads of Hope is a sweet tale of a young Norwegian immigrant struggling with family, faith and love. If you're looking for a book with a different setting and characters who are a bit different from traditional American Midwest set fiction you should enjoy this! I love books that feature immigrants making a new life in the United States but lately most stories written today (at least the one's I've read) seem to be set in New York or eastern cities. Threads of Hope is set in Green Bay,Wisconsin, I'm not sure if I've ever read a book set there!

However interesting the setting was I'm sad to say I was a bit disappointed in the overall story. This is the second book in a new series that I've read this week that left me wanting more. I think it's because the previous series, Seasons of Redemption, was so good that my expectations for this book were too high. I will say this although I wanted to punch a few characters in the face (yes, I'm passionate about my fiction), I was happy that Kristin was no shrinking violet and stood up for herself at all turns. Too often I've read heroines who were supposed to be "strong" but seemed to cower in the face of any kind of challenge. She was quite determined not to be pushed around by anyone including her bully of an uncle.

If you're looking for a book that features a little bit of everything from Native American relations to a bit of mystery Threads of Hope may just be the book for you. Hopefully the Sundberg family saga will continue and Andrea Boeshaar will have a real "keeper" with Threads of Faith, book two!

Life at a Frontier Fort: Summer of Promise by Amanda Cabot

2012-01-30T22:52:00.001-05:00

Summer of Promise (Westward Winds, Book 1)
by Amanda Cabot
Revell Books
Copyright 2012
ISBN: 9780800734596

My Thoughts:
Out of concern for her eldest sister, Abigail Harding leaves a comfortable life and ventures across the country to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Along the way she encounters danger but is rescued by a fellow stage passenger. Lieutenant Ethan Bowles. Believing that the only good thing at the fort is her sister Charlotte and a precocious pup named Puddles she's anxious to return home to her cozy job and soon to be fiance. Little does she know that the frontier is more than it seems and the people at the fort are much more than gun-toting soldiers.

In this start to a brand new series Amanda Cabot once again tells an interesting tale of life and love in the West. While not as fast-paced or romance filled as Scattered Petals, Summer of Promise is a good story if for no other reason than being set at a 19th century garrison. It was a little hard to believe that Abigail would drop everything just because her sister seemed "melancholy" in her letters especially in a time when travel wasn't as easy or safe as it is today. I know she is an "impulsive" character but it still didn't make a ton of sense.
She just had some quirks that annoyed me.

As for the storyline itself it was good but only a story I'd recommend to historical fiction or romance fans not suspense or mystery readers. While I may not be the sharpest tack in the corkboard I picked up on the killer/robbers/rogue soldiers other than the mysterious "baron" (whose identity will apparently remain a mystery until book two) much too easily. I know, I know this is marketed as romance but still if there are going to be murders and robberies I like to be surprised or have at least a few red herrings thrown in the mix.

Even though this wasn't my favorite story I still think it was worth the read. The next story definitely has potential and if Westward Winds is anything like Texas Dreams it will get better with each book. I plan on making a point of reading this next story as it will focus more on Charlotte. I hope she gets what she deserves. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

~3 stars~

***********************************

About the book:
Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte's letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. When her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day.

Abigail plans to marry when she returns to Vermont, just as soon as she attends to her sister. As the summer passes, she finds herself drawn to this rugged land and to a certain soldier determined to persuade her to stay. When summer ends, will she go back East, or will she find her heart's true home?

To learn more about the author visit her WEBSITE

*I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review during the tour.*

Crazy Pooch!

2012-01-30T11:52:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted a cute dog pic so I thought I'd one up it today and post a super cute video that I found. Of course it's a collie but even if you aren't familiar with the breed I think you'll agree that this pup is adorable! I guess all collie's have something quirky about them, the one in the video apparently doesn't like styrofoam cups. My dog Coco doesn't like finger nail clippers, sweepers, pencil sharpeners, the emergency radio scanner, helicopters and the list goes on... Sometimes I really wonder what in the world is going through her head!

Giveaway (Open to US and CAN. Residents) + Review: Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl
Copyright 2011
Chronicle Books
264 pages
ISBN: 9780811876254

About Promise the Night:

Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. As in her debut novel, Prisoners in the Palace, MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure.

**To learn more about the book and author visit Michaela's WEBSITE**

**Order the book on Amazon**

My Thoughts:
Books like this are why historical fiction is my absolute favorite genre. Starting out reading this book based on a real-life heroine, horse breaker and airplane pilot Beryl Markham I knew little to nothing about her life and after reading this I want to know more! For me the best novels can take historical events, places or people and make you want to go out and do a little research of your own or at least make a trip to the local library and see what you can dig up the who, what, where, when and why. Promise the Night does that with just enough facts and fun to pique one's interest and make you want more.

Promise the Night is a perfect story for tweens and teens and ever older folks (*blush*) like me. With a great African setting and a touch of danger and mischief that only kids can rustle up Beryl's story is sure to please guys and gals alike. Beryl is most definitely a precocious girl and you can't help but cheer her on. At times she seems bratty and very rebellious and real so even though this story is set in an exotic locale kids everywhere can relate to her. She struggles with bullies and naysayers at almost every turn but doesn't let it get her down. Beryl is/was definitely a fighter.

Promise the Night has proven that there is no sophomore slump for MacColl and you don't need vampires or angels to write a cool story. I'm very much looking forward to seeing which historical figure the author takes on next. It's sure to be a blast and an adventure!

*Thanks to Lara @ Chronicle books for the complimentary copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.*

********************************************

Giveaway Details:
~Open to US and Canada residents ages 18 and up (if you're younger get your parental units to enter for ya)
~Fill out the form embedded in this post.
~Contest closes Thursday, February 2, 2012 @ 11:59pm EST
~Void where prohibited.
~ I'm not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes.
~ TWO winners will be selected using random.org and notified on or around February 3 via email and will have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner(s) will be selected.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Good luck and happy reading!!!!!!

Clash of the Titles: The Redemption by MaryLu Tyndall

2012-01-25T19:22:00.000-05:00

**guest post by Michelle Massaro

For the last couple weeks, Clash of the Titles has been exploring two books delivering powerful death scenes. That's right, death scenes. The two books were The Vengeance Squad and The Redemption. We met authors Sidney Frost and MaryLu Tyndall and waited with bated breath to find out which title got the most votes. If you missed Friday's announcement, I won't keep you in suspense. Though the competition was stiff, the champion title is...

...

The Redemption, by MaryLu Tyndall

Congratulations!

About the book:

Lady Charlisse Bristol sets off on a voyage in search of a father she never knew, only to find herself shipwrecked on a deserted island. After weeks of combating the elements, her salvation comes in the form of a band of pirates and their fiercely handsome leader, Edmund Merrick. Will Charlisse free herself from the seductive lure of this pirate captain and find the father's love she so ardently craves?

While battling his attraction to this winsome lady and learning to walk a more godly path, Edmund offers to help Charlisse on her quest--until he discovers her father is none other than Edward the Terror, the cruelest pirate on the Caribbean. Can Edmund win this lady's love while shielding her from his lecherous crew and working to bring her father to justice?

Can the supernatural power of God rescue Charlisse and Edmund from the danger and treachery that await them as they ride upon the tumultuous waves of the Caribbean?

***

A few of the comments from readers:

I loved the Excerpt B.....I look forward to reading the book..it seemed more historical and the genre of books I enjoy reading. I am personally blessed by many of the Christian fiction authors and want to say thank you for all you for your readers. God bless you both!

Someone turning to Christ at the last moment is always a touching scene. It tugs at your heart to know that someone you would never see again, now you will. Very touching!

Keep writing as God leads you. You are bringing God's truth to readers; some who really need those truths in their lives.

About the author:

MaryLu Tyndall, a Christy Award finalist, and author of more than ten novels is known for her swashbuckling historical romances filled with deep spiritual themes.

MaryLu dreamt of tall ships and swashbuckling pirates during her childhood years on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Unfortunately, instead of pursuing that dream, she worked as a miserable, landlocked software engineer for fifteen years. Only by the grace and providence of God, did she decide to answer His call to write a Christian Pirate series. Today, while writing her eleventh novel, she manages a home, husband, and six kids while battling three cats who have decided that her keyboard is the best place to sleep! She believes that without popcorn and chocolate, life would not be worth living, and her sole motivation is to bring others closer to God.

***

What fun! For a sneak peak at the book, check out the winning excerpt here. You might also enjoy her fascinating interview here.

Right now, COTT is in the middle of a brand new clash so be sure to head over there to cast your vote. You just might win a free book!

Happy reading!

A Book That Grows on You: Where Wildflowers Bloom (Sisters at Heart, Book 1) by Ann Shorey

2012-01-22T23:47:00.000-05:00

Where Wildflowers Bloom
by Ann Shorey
Copyright 2012
Revell Publishers
336 pages
ISBN: 9780800720742

My Thoughts:
With her "At Home in Beldon Grove" series and now this new series, "Sisters at Heart" Ann Shorey has definitely made a niche for herself in the historical romance genre. While not always focusing on romance and faith but also underlying issues like the treatment of single women in business in the 1800s her stories aren't just fluff and nonsense. However don't let me fool you into think that her stories aren't without "sigh-inducing" moments.

In her latest book, Where Wildflowers Bloom we meet Faith Lindberg who has lost nearly everyone she loves to the War Between the States and lives with her aging grandfather. Since her grandfather isn't quite up to running the family's general store by himself Faith undertakes the task upon herself. She isn't completely unselfish in her motives however and hopes to persuade her grandfather to sell the business and travel west.While managing the store she must face how to pay for mounting debts, deal with thefts AND matters of her own heart concerning one intriguing stranger and one gentle but scarred stableman.

Once again Ms. Shorey has crafted a sweet story set in a small town that is sure to capture everyone's hearts. Faith is a bit selfish and slightly annoying in her reluctance to accept that maybe moving West isn't for her or her grandfather. I was a little frustrated by her stubbornness which made her unlikable. Thankfully as the book progresses her attitude does change. I'm very happy to say this is a book where the main character definitely learns a few lessons and grows up throughout the course of the story. There isn't a boatload of drama--just enough to keep one reading. Fans of prairie romances and Christian fiction will probably like this story as I did.

~3.5 out of 5 stars~

************************

About the book:
How far will she go to follow her dreams?

The Civil War stole a father and brother from Faith Lindberg--as well as Royal Baxter, the man she wanted to marry. With only her grandfather left, she dreams of leaving Noble Springs, Missouri, and traveling west to Oregon to start a new life, away from the memories that haunt her. But first she must convince her grandfather to sell the family's mercantile and leave a town their family has called home for generations.

When Royal Baxter suddenly returns, Faith allows herself to hope that she and Royal will finally wed. But does he truly love her? Or will another man claim her heart?

To learn more about the author visit HER WEBSITE

*I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting this honest review for the tour.*

Look It's a Freebie!!!!

2012-01-19T13:00:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! I know I don't normally post about Kindle freebies since there are already so many great bloggers who do that but I just HAD to tell you about one that I found out about today and that's Sandra Bricker's Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride. I have loved each and every book I've read by this author and if you haven't yet had the chance to read her books for yourself now's your chance and you don't haveta spend a red cent (although I'm sure this book is worth at least $15)! Check out the link below (click the cover)...remember it's for a limited time only so if you wait too long you might not be able to take advantage of this great title compliments of Amazon and Abingdon Press.

Happy Reading!!!!

FIRST Wild Card Blog Tour + Review: Love Blooms in Winter (The Dakota Diaries) by Lori Copeland

2012-01-19T12:48:00.000-05:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Lori Copeland

and the book:

Love Blooms in Winter (The Dakota Diaries)

Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to
Karri | Marketing Assistant |Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lori Copeland is the author of more than 90 titles, both historical and contemporary fiction. With more than 3 million copies of her books in print, she has developed a loyal following among her rapidly growing fans in the inspirational market. She has been honored with the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and Walden Books' Best Seller award. In 2000, Lori was inducted into the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame. She lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband, Lance, and their three children and five grandchildren.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

This new romance from bestselling author Lori Copeland portrays God’s miraculous provision when none seems possible. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more adventure than Tom Curtis is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter with God in charge.

1892—Mae Wilkey’s sweet next-door neighbor, Pauline, is suffering from old age and dementia and desperately needs family to come help her. But Pauline can’t recall having kin remaining. Mae searches through her desk and finds a name—Tom Curtis, who may just be the answer to their prayers.

Tom can’t remember an old aunt named Pauline, but if she thinks he’s a long-lost nephew, he very well may be. After two desperate letters from Mae, he decides to pay a visit. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more of an adventure than Tom is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter when God is in charge of things.

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736930191
ISBN-13: 978-0736930192

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Dwadlo, North Dakota, 1892

The winter of ’92 is gonna go down as one of the worst Dwadlo’s ever seen,” Hal Murphy grumbled as he dumped the sack of flour he got for his wife on the store counter. “Mark my words.” He turned toward Mae Wilkey, the petite postmistress, who was stuffing mail in wooden slots.

“Spring can’t come soon enough for me.” She stepped back, straightening the row of letters and flyers. She didn’t have to record Hal’s prediction; it was the same every year. “I’d rather plant flowers than shovel snow any day of the week.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Hal nodded to the store owner, Dale Smith, who stood five foot seven inches with a rounded belly and salt-and-pepper hair swept to a wide front bang. “Add a couple of those dill pickles, will you?” Hal watched as Dale went over to the barrel and fished around inside, coming up with two fat pickles.

“That’ll fix me up.” Hal turned his attention back to the mail cage, his eyes fixed on the lovely sight. “Can’t understand why you’re still single, Mae. You’re as pretty as a raindrop on a lily pad.” He sniffed the air. “And you smell as good.”

Smiling, Mae moved from the letter boxes to the cash box. Icy weather may have delayed the train this morning, but she still had to count money and record the day’s inventory. “Now, Hal, you know I’d marry you in a wink if you weren’t already taken.” Hal and Clara had been married forty-two years, but Mae’s usual comeback never failed to put a sparkle in the farmer’s eye. Truth be, she put a smile on every man’s face, but she wasn’t often aware of the flattering looks she received. Her heart belonged to Jake Mallory, Dwadlo’s up-and-coming attorney.

Hal nodded. “I know. All the good ones are taken, aren’t they?”

She nodded. “Every single one. Especially in Dwadlo.”

The little prairie town was formed when the Chicago & North Western Railroad came through five years ago. Where abundant grass, wild flowers, and waterfalls had once flourished, hundreds of miles of steel rail crisscrossed the land, making way for big, black steam engines that hauled folks and supplies. Before the railroad came through, only three homesteads had dotted the rugged Dakota Territory: Mae’s family’s, Hal and Clara’s, and Pauline Wilson’s.

But in ’87 life changed, and formerly platted sites became bustling towns. Pine Grove and Branch Springs followed, and Dwadlo suddenly thrived with immigrants, opportunists, and adventure-seeking folks staking claims out West. A new world opened when the Dakota Boom started.

Hal’s gaze focused on Mae’s left hand. “Jake still hasn’t popped the question?”

Mae sighed. Hal was a pleasant sort, but she really wished the townspeople would occupy their thoughts with something other than her and Jake’s pending engagement. True, they had been courting for six years and Jake still hadn’t proposed, but she was confident he would. He’d said so, and he was a man of his word—though every holiday, when a ring would have been an appropriate gift, that special token of his intentions failed to materialize. Mae had more lockets than any one woman could wear, but Jake apparently thought that she could always use another one. What she could really use was his hand in marriage. The bloom was swiftly fading from her youth, and it would be nice if her younger brother, Jeremy, had a man’s presence in his life.

“Be patient, Hal. He’s busy trying to establish a business.”

“Good lands. How long does it take a man to open a law office?”

“Apparently six years and counting.” She didn’t like the uncertainty but she understood it, even if the town’s population didn’t. She had a good life, what with work, church, and the occasional social. Jake accompanied her to all public events, came over two or three times a week, and never failed to extend a hand when she needed something. It was almost as though they were already married.

“The man’s a fool,” Hal declared. “He’d better slap a ring on that finger before someone else comes along and does it for him.”

“Not likely in Dwadlo,” Mae mused. The town itself was made up of less than a hundred residents, but other folks lived in the surrounding areas and did their banking and shopping here. Main Street consisted of the General Store, Smith’s Grain and Feed, the livery, the mortuary, the town hall and jail (which was almost always empty), Doc Swede’s office, Rosie’s Café, and an empty building that had once housed the saloon. Mae hadn’t spotted a sign on any business yet advertising “Husbands,” but she was certain her patience would eventually win out.

With a final smile Hal moved off to pay for his goods. Mae hummed a little as she put the money box in the safe. Looking out the window, she noticed a stiff November wind snapping the red canvas awning that sheltered the store’s porch. Across the square, a large gazebo absorbed the battering wind. The usually active gathering place was now empty under a gray sky. On summer nights music played, and the smell of popcorn and roasted peanuts filled the air. Today the structure looked as though it were bracing for another winter storm. Sighing, Mae realized she already longed for green grass, blooming flowers, and warm breezes.

After Hal left Mae finished up the last of the chores and then reached for her warm wool cape. She usually enjoyed the short walk home from work, but today she was tired—and her feet hurt because of the new boots she’d purchased from the Montgomery Ward catalog. On the page they had looked comfortable with their high tops and polished leather, but on her feet they felt like a vise.

Slipping the cape’s hood over her hair, she said goodbye to Dale and then paused when her hand touched the doorknob. “Oh, dear. I really do need to check on Pauline again.”

“How’s she doing?” The store owner paused and leaned on his broom. “I noticed she hasn’t been in church recently.”

Dale always reminded Mae of an owl perching on a tree limb, his big, dark blue eyes swiveling here and there. He might not talk a body’s leg off, but he kept up on town issues. She admired the quiet little man for what he did for the community and respected the way he preached to the congregation on Sundays.

How was Pauline doing? Mae worried the question over in her mind. Pauline lived alone, and she shouldn’t. The elderly woman was Mae’s neighbor, and she checked on her daily, but Pauline was steadily losing ground.

“She’s getting more and more fragile, I’m afraid. Dale, have you ever heard Pauline speak of kin?”

The small man didn’t take even a moment to ponder the question. “Never heard her mention a single word about family of any kind.”

“Hmm…me neither. But surely she must have some.” Someone who should be here, in Dwadlo, looking after the frail soul. Mae didn’t resent the extra work, but the post office and her brother kept her busy, and she really didn’t have the right to make important decisions regarding the elderly woman’s rapidly failing health.

Striding back to the bread rack, she picked up a fresh loaf. Dale had private rooms at the back of the store where he made his home, and he was often up before dawn baking bread, pies, and cakes for the community. Most folks in town baked their own goods, but there were a few, widowers and such, who depended on Dale’s culinary skills. By this hour of the day the goods were usually gone, but a few remained. Placing a cherry pie in her basket as well, she called, “Add these things to my account, please, Dale. And pray for Pauline too.”

Nodding, he continued sweeping, methodically running the stiff broomcorn bristles across the warped wood floor.

The numbing wind hit Mae full force when she stepped off the porch. Her hood flew off her head and an icy gust of air snatched away her breath. Putting down her basket, she retied the hood before setting off for the brief walk home. Dwadlo was laid out in a rather strange pattern, a point everyone agreed on. Businesses and homes were built close together, partly as shelter from the howling prairie winds and partly because there wasn’t much forethought given to town planning. Residents’ homes sat not a hundred feet from the store. The whole community encompassed less than five acres.

Halfway to her house, snowflakes began swirling in the air. Huddling deeper into her wrap, Mae concentrated on the path as the flakes grew bigger.

She quickly covered the short distance to Pauline’s. The dwelling was little more than a front room, tiny kitchen, and bedroom, but she was a small woman. Pauline pinned her yellow-white hair in a tight knot at the base of her skull, and she didn’t have a tooth in her head. She chewed snuff, which she freely admitted was an awful habit, but Mae had never heard her speak of giving it up.

Her faded blue eyes were as round as buttons, and no matter what kind of day she was having, it was always a new one to her, filled with wonders. Her mind wasn’t what it used to be. She had good and bad days, but mostly days when her moods changed as swift as summer lightning. She could be talking about tomatoes in the garden patch when suddenly she would be discussing how to spin wool.

Mae noted a soft wisp of smoke curling up from the chimney and smiled. Pauline had remembered to feed the fire this afternoon, so this was a good day.

Unlatching the gate, she followed the path to the front porch. In summertime the white railings hung heavy with red roses, and the scent of honeysuckle filled the air. This afternoon the wind howled across the barren flower beds Pauline carefully nurtured during warmer weather. Often she planted okra where petunias should be, but she enjoyed puttering in the soil and the earth loved her. She brought fresh tomatoes, corn, and beans to the store during spring and summer, and pumpkins and squash lined the railings in the fall.

In earlier days Pauline’s quilts were known throughout the area. She and her quilting group had made quite a name for themselves when Dwadlo first became a town. Four women excelled in the craft. One had lived in Pine Grove, and two others came from as far away as Branch Springs once a month to break bread together and stitch quilts. But one by one the women had died off, leaving Pauline to sew alone in her narrowing world.

Stomping her boots on the porch, Mae said under her breath, “I don’t mind winter, Lord, but could we perhaps have a little less of it?” The only answer was the wind whipping her garments. Tapping lightly on the door, she called, “Pauline?”

Mae stepped back and waited to hear the shuffle of feet. Pauline used to answer the door in less than twenty seconds. It took longer now. Mae made a fist with her gloved hand and banged a little harder. The wind howled around the cottage eaves. She closed her eyes and prayed that Jeremy had remembered to stack sufficient firewood beside the kitchen door. The boy was generally responsible, and she thanked God every day that she had him to lean on. He had been injured by forceps during birth, which left him with special needs. He was a very happy fourteen-year-old with the reasoning power of a child of nine.

A full minute passed. Mae frowned and tried the doorknob. Pauline couldn’t hear herself yell in a churn, but she might also be asleep. The door opened easily, and Mae peeked inside the small living quarters. She saw that a fire burned low in the woodstove, and Pauline’s rocking chair sat empty.

Stepping inside, she closed the door and called again. “Pauline? It’s Mae!”

The ticking of the mantle clock was the only sound that met her ears.

“Pauline?” She lowered her hood and walked through the living room. She paused in the kitchen doorway.

“Oh, Pauline!”

My Thoughts:
While not quite as fun as the Brides of the West series or the Men of the Saddle series Love Blooms in Winter is a good start to what I'm sure will be another entertaining and sweet romance series from the pen of Lori Copeland. Set in the North Dakota town of Dwadlo Love Blooms in Winter is a sweet tale of what happens when two strangers come together to help an elderly neighbor out of the goodness of their heart and find a love that was more than they bargained for. I didn't find this book to be anything unique or different from the traditional Christian romance and to be honest if it weren't such a quick read I probably would not have finished it. I definitely didn't think it was at all realistic that Tom would pretty much give up his job to travel such a distance to visit someone who he didn't think was a relative based on a letter from a complete stranger. Two train derailments in one book was also a little "much" to take in. That said I really liked the quirky character of Lil, the pig farmer. I was a little disappointed that her relationship with the blacksmith wasn't explored further but hopefully that happens in the next book. Although this book wasn't for me if you're a fan of Lori Copeland or a fan of a quick to read romance you might enjoy Love Blooms in Winter.

Litfuse Blog Tour: Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey

2012-01-18T12:52:00.001-05:00

Chasing Mona Lisa
by Trica Goyer and Mike Yorkey
Copyright 2012
Revell Books
ISBN: 9780800720469

My Thoughts:
World War II set stories are some of my favorites to read. When it comes to suspenseful, adrenaline filled novels nobody crafts a story quite like Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey. Chasing Mona Lisa is a masterpiece that is sure to please every reader both male and female.

If you have read The Swiss Courier you will see some familiar faces in special agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler but if you haven't yet had the chance to read it don't worry Chasing Mona Lisa can be read as a stand alone book. From the very first page I can almost guarantee that you will be hooked and have an interest in what happens to Gabi and Eric as well as some of the new faces. I'm not sure I've ever read a story that was as exciting and breathtaking as the opening scenes of this tale or a book with characters and a storyline that kept me guessing so much. That said the story does lag a bit in the middle but the quest to save the Mona Lisa from Nazi hands and rescue it from the French countryside towards the end is nothing short of nerve wracking! Without giving too much away I will just say I would never have had the guts (or the steady hands) to be caretaker of a priceless piece of art like the Mona Lisa.

This book is a really good example of historical fiction, suspense, and romance. Combined with an exciting setting in war-torn Paris I think it definitely appeals to all types of readers including those who don't normally read Christian fiction. Since it is a book set during a war there is some violence so it may not be suitable for the youngest readers.

~3.5 out of 5 stars~

To read what other readers are saying about the book go HERE

*I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review/opinion of the book for this tour.*

About the book:
It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more here. http://www.triciagoyer.com/historicalfiction.html#ChasingMonaLisa

*************************

Win an iTouch SPY Pack in the Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway from @triciagoyer @mikeyorkey!

Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The Swiss Courier). This time the due are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world - the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!

One passionate protector will receive:

iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps & Music.)
Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights.)
Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes.)
Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes.)
Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Great handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on January 31st. The winner will be announced at the Chasing Mona Lisa Facebook Party on 1/31. Tricia and Mike will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from Tricia's website) and giving away their books and a Book Club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Tricia and Mike.)

So grab your copy of Chasing Mona Lisa and join Tricia and Mike on the evening of the 31st for an author chat, spy training (do you know how to pick a lock?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Laurel Award-Winning Novel, Fairer Than Morning

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

*by Sr. Editor, April W Gardner

“I knew that I had just been given an amazing true story that needed to be told.” –Rosslyn Elliott, Clash of the Titles 2011 Laurel Award Winner

Portions of that story—Fairer Than Morning—won the majority of COTT reader votes in June when it took the victory in the “Best Protagonist” ring. In November, it competed against a long list of other COTT champion novels then took home the Laurel. More hearty congratulations go to author Rosslyn Elliott for her win.

Read June’s winning excerpt (excerpt B).
Read the Laurel Award winning excerpt (excerpt A)

The Saddler's Legacy series is inspired by a real family in American history--the Hanby family, who are to this day the most celebrated citizens of Westerville, Ohio.

About Laurel Award-winning novel, Fairer Than Morning:
Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli—until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words.

On a small farm in 19th century Ohio, young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann’s dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor.

When Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her minister father on business, she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker’s apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. Anne’s compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul.

Through his encounters with Anne’s father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage even in the midst of tremendous adversity.

When the Millers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

Learn more about the book as Clash of the Titles staff interviews the author:

Hostess Raqul Byrnes asks, “What led you to use the inspirational Hanby family and how did you first come to know about them?”
Rosslyn: After I finished my doctoral dissertation, I decided to try my hand at writing my first historical novel. I was living in Westerville, Ohio at the time, so I decided to go visit a small local house museum so I could research all the kitchen artifacts and farm tools. Before the tour, a guide took me into an outbuilding and showed me a video about the Hanby family, who had lived in that house. By the time I stood up thirty minutes later, I knew that I had just been given an amazing true story that needed to be told. The Hanbys lived romantic, action-filled lives marked by courage, and most importantly, they served others out of faith and love.

Hostess Lisa Lickel asks,“Rosslyn, what does “nobility” mean to you and to the era of your story and today? What made you choose that character trait?”
Rosslyn: The origin of that word on the back jacket of the book is that when my publisher and I were creating jacket copy, I had to come up with a condensed way to describe what it means to find a man of true value. And both in Ann’s time and today, the words noble man mean a man of great worth and high virtue. It also made a nice contrast with the apparent gentility and breeding of one suitor, who would fit the other meaning of nobleman far more obviously than the ragged Will Hanby!

Assistant Editor Michelle Massaro asks, “What circumstances led up to Will Hanby's down-trodden situation?”
Rosslyn: In the novel, we learn that Will’s parents and his sisters all died of a virulent form of tuberculosis which killed much more quickly than ordinary TB. (The novel never reveals this in such specifics, but the TB was disseminated bovine TB, for those who care, acquired through milk ingested on a visit to a cattle farm, when Will and his brother were not with the others!). Their deaths left only Will and his younger brother, who were forced to indenture themselves to farmers to avoid infection and work in exchange for food and board. The farmers were kind, but Will ends up under a much harsher master when he signs a new indenture with Master Good. The historical facts behind what happened to the real William Hanby were somewhat different, but the effect was the same: out of dire poverty, he indentured himself in his youth to Master Good, and much of what followed was what also happens in the novel.

Talent Scout Katie McCurdy asks, “Which character, not counting Ann or Will, is your favorite? Did you have a certain character that kinda suddenly took a main role that you didn't forsee when you plotted Fairer Than Morning?”
Rosslyn: My favorite supporting character is Ann’s father, Mr. Miller, whom I admire so much that I honestly wonder how I wrote him sometimes. His was the part of the novel that seemed most spirit-led. But the characters who suddenly appeared onstage who weren’t part of the novel at all, in the original sketchy outline, were Mr. and Mrs. Holmes and their daughter Amelia! They showed up on that steamboat and began to take on a life of their own, and before I knew it they were a major subplot.

Listen to Another Interview:
After her Laurel Award win, Author Rosslyn Elliott was also interviewed by Christian Authors Guild board member, Cynthia L. Simmons. This is a podcast you won’t want to miss. You can listen to in our sidebar or find it by visiting this link.

The second in the series, Sweeter Than Birdsong, releases next month and promises to be just as compelling as the first. Below, in two short, yet intriguing excerpts, the author shares a taste of what’s to come.

But first, here’s a brief summary of Sweeter Than Birdsong, book two in the Saddler’s Legacy series.

Music offers Kate sweet refuge from her troubles… But real freedom is sweeter.

In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter’s dreams are almost within reach. As the first woman to graduate from Otterbein College, she’ll be guaranteed her deepest wish: escape from the dark secret haunting her family. But with her mother determined to marry her off to a wealthy man, Kate must face reality. She has to run. Now. And she has the perfect plan. Join the upcoming musical performance--and use it to mask her flight.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein College’s musical genius, sees Kate Winter as an enigmatic creature, notable for her beauty, yet painfully shy. Then he hears her sing—and the glory of her voice moves him as never before. He determines to cast her in his musical and uncover the mystery that is Kate. Still, he must keep his own secret to himself. Not even this intriguing woman can know that his passionate faith is driving him to aid fugitives on the Underground Railroad.

A terrifying accident brings Kate and Ben together, but threatens to shatter both their secrets and their dreams. Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage—and her voice—if she is to sing a new song for their future.

Excerpts:

Chapter One

Westerville, Ohio 1855
Her customary walk across the college quadrangle had become an executioner’s march.
Kate’s heeled shoes clunked over the flagstones. Her full skirt and horsehair crinoline dragged from her waist, too warm even for this mild May morning.

She climbed the stone steps of the whitewashed college building and laid hold of the black iron door handle with a clammy palm. The dim foyer led to the lecture hall. Her breath came faster and her corset squeezed her lungs. It had not felt so tight when the maid laced it an hour ago. Up ahead loomed the dark rectangle of the hall’s oaken door, which stood ajar.

She paused on the threshold. Inside the hall, a baritone voice lifted in clear, well-balanced phrases. The speaker’s persuasive power carried even here. Ben Hanby. He was the best orator in the class. She laid a hand to her midsection to quell the pulsing nausea there. If she did not go in now, she would not go at all.

At her push, the door swung open to reveal rows of masculine shoulders in dark coats, all heads turned toward the speaker. Each gentleman’s neat coattails fell open over his knees, black against the polished wood floor. Each white collar rose to the sweep of hair worn according to the current vogue, longer than a Roman’s but never past the collar.

On the raised platform beyond them, Ben Hanby stood, as natural and poised as if he were alone in the room, his dark hair thick over his brow. His eyes were intent, his face alive with interest in his subject, but his words floated past Kate in a wash of sounds her jumping nerves could not interpret. Of course speaking came easily for him—his father was a minister.

He finished with a question to the audience, and even her disrupted attention caught the subtle humor in the lift of his eyebrow as he delivered his line straight-faced. A chuckle rose from the young men, echoed in the lighter laughter of the small party of young lady scholars seated with their chaperone on the end of the front row.
Ben Hanby descended the stairs, the barest smile appearing as he exchanged glances with his friends.

“Miss Winter.” Professor Hayworth’s bass rumbled across the hall.
Heads turned toward her. Her skin tingled in waves of heat, her heart kicked in an uneven cadence. Could it stop from such fright?—the thought made it worsen, like a stutter in her chest that could not move on to the next beat.

“I am glad you choose to join us today.” Professor Hayworth spoke to her from the dais, beside the podium, full bearded in his formal black robe. “You have arrived just in time to give the first of our ladies’ speeches.”

She avoided their curious stares as her pulse quickened and her mouth dried.

“Please proceed to the podium,” he said.

******

All was quiet and dark. The boat bobbed like a cradle soothing a baby to sleep.

It didn’t calm Kate, who sat immobile in the prow. She laced her hands together in her lap where John Parker could not see them and dug her fingers into the back of her knuckles. She couldn’t stop the faint tremble that had started inside her and traveled to her hands. He mustn’t see her shaking or he would think her unfit for the errand.

The chirp of crickets set a rhythm for little splashes from the oars as John rowed them toward the Kentucky side. They were quite close now.

She must shake off this dreamlike state. She peered at the riverbank as far as she could see to left and right. At least there was no sign of a lantern.

They bumped up against the reeds. John jumped out, heedless of the mud and several inches of water. He lashed the tow rope of the fishing boat to a birch tree.

She must move now. She clambered over the side and into the dark water.

The unfamiliar feeling of the breeches increased her sense of having traveled to some different life, some strange body. It could not be she, traipsing around the wild in men’s trousers. Someone else entirely had come on this errand—someone braver and stronger who just happened to resemble her on the outside.

A few waterlogged steps brought her to where John stood on the riverbank, like the shadow of a tree in the moonlight.

“This way.” He walked ahead of her, straight towards the thickest tangle of thorny bush.

****
If you would like to join the COTT Blog Alliance tour for this award-winning novel (Jan 14-18), please email us at contactcott(at)gmail(dot)com.

*****

A Sweet Love Story: The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

2012-01-16T13:47:00.000-05:00

The Accidental Bride
by Denise Hunter
Copyright 2011
Thomas Nelson Publishers
304 pages
ISBN: 9781595548023

My Thoughts:
Some author's write stories that grip you, some write stories that scare you and some write sweet romances. Denise Hunter, author of The Accidental Bride and A Cowboy's Touch from the Big Sky Romance series, falls into the latter category. When you read a book by Ms. Hunter you're bound to be swept away by a light-hearted romance, simply put her books are good readin!'

In The Accidental Bride we are once again in Moose Creek, Montana and some characters from A Cowboy's Touch make cameo appearances. Shay Brandenberger was left at the altar by Travis McCoy here high school sweetheart. Years later, at the request of a friend Shay agrees to participate in the reenactment of a Founder's Day wedding without knowing who the "groom" is. Thanks to the minister performing the ceremony Shay gets married to the last man she'd ever want--her ex fiance. Modern day cowboys and independent heroines butt heads and make for some sizzling chemistry.

While I don't quite understand how Shay and Travis ended up officially married since they never technically said vows to each other this story is just so romantic! I'm such a sucker for the knight in shining armor and that's just what Travis is. It may not be the most believable story, in fact some things didn't make a whole lot of sense to me but I liked it anyway. Denise definitely writes heroes you wish you could meet and frustratingly stubborn heroines who you'd sometimes like to slap but they are what make her stories. If you're looking for a book to read on a lazy Sunday afternoon this is it.

4.5 out of 5 stars

About the book:
Shay Brandenberger is raising her daughter in Moose Creek, Montana, on her childhood ranch, nestled against the Yellowstone River. Despite the hard work, she can't seem to keep her head above water-and now the bank is threatening to foreclose. She prays for a miracle, but the answer she receives is anything but expected.

Having agreed to play the bride in the Founders' Day wedding reenactment, Shay is mortified to be greeted at the end of the aisle by none other than Travis McCoy, her high-school sweetheart-the man who left her high and dry for fame and fortune on the Texas rodeo circuit.

Then the unthinkable happens. Thanks to a well-meaning busybody and an absentminded preacher, the make-believe vows result in a legal marriage. But before Shay can say annulment, Travis comes up with a crazy proposal. If she refuses his offer, she may lose her home. If she accepts, she may lose her heart.

Shay isn't sure if the recent events are God's will or just a preacher's blunder. Will trusting her heart to the man who once shattered it be the worst mistake of her life? Or could their marriage be the best accident that ever happened?

To learn more about the author visit:
HER WEBSITE

*I received my complimentary review copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest opinion of the book.*

COTT Rings In The New Year

2012-01-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

IS THERE A BOOK YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE COMPETE ON CLASH OF THE TITLES? PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO ENTER THE TITLE IN OUR QUICK SURVEY, BELOW!

*by COTT Sr. Editor, April W Gardner

January is in full swing, starting 2012 off with a bang. At Clash of the Titles, you can take that quite literally! For the next two weeks, we’re featuring Death. That’s right. Death.

Death has the power to intrigue and terrify, and it’s that power that a good book taps into, often leaving a permanent mark on the reader’s memory. Visit Clash of the Titles today, to read two Death excerpts and vote for the one that impacts you the most.

Remember that every book you send to the Champions Ring will have a shot at our Laurel Award, handed out at the end of our Tournament of Champions. Coming October 2012!

Between now and our October Tournament, we'll have a slew of exciting clashes—some, old reliables; others, brand new.

Here’s what's on the COTT calendar:

Almost Kiss--

(Feb, accepting submissions)

Unpublished Hooks--

(March, accepting submissions)

Here's a glimpse at clashes you might see in the future:

Good Guy

Bad Guy

Leading Lady

Back Cover Summary

Comparable Covers

Mayhem and Mishaps

Creepy Covers

Author’s Choice

Reader’s Choice

Tantalizing Titles

Young Adult

Childrens

Is there a specific book that comes to mind that you would like to see compete on Clash of the Titles in one of these clashes? We want to know!! Please enter the book title in the survey box below.

Also new in 2012, once a quarter, a specially selected COTT Champ will be featured in a podcast interview with Christian Authors Guild board member, Cynthia L. Simmons. You can hear our current podcast HERE.

Clash of the Titles thanks each of our readers and voters for making COTT such a fun hang-out during 2011. We look forward to another year of introducing you to amazing new books and giving you the opportunity to win them!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Litfuse Blog Tour: The Shadow of Your Smile (A Deep Haven Novel) by Susan May Warren

2012-01-09T14:54:00.002-05:00

The Shadow of Your Smile
by Susan May Warren
Copyright 2011
Tyndale House Publishers
ISBN: 9781414334837

My Thoughts:
~3.5 stars~
Small-town love stories are some of my favorites to read. Being a small-town girl myself I often find I can relate to the characters in those kinds of stories. The town of Deep Haven in which Susan May Warren has set many of her contemporary stories has become so real to me as I've followed the series. In The Shadow of Your Smile the latest book by Warren two of its finest families face incredible losses and heartache and in the face of it all rediscover love in a small town.

I've come to realize that nobody tells a story quite like Susan May Warren. This Deep Haven novel along with a few of her historicals that I have read have proven that tugging at the heartstrings is what Ms. Warren does best. She writes characters that are complex, relatable and most importantly--flawed and far from perfect. While the story itself wasn't one of my favorites I absolutely loved Emma. She was somewhat atypical of other characters that I've read in Christian fiction with her rocker chick lifestyle. She's definitely not a "cookie cutter" heroine. I also loved Noelle. I honestly can't say the last time I read a book when a character with amnesia was a big part of the story. I know, I know you're probably saying, "Wow that sounds like a cheesy soap opera," but it's definitely not.

If you've read a story by this author before you know she can make pretty much anything work. That said I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous book, My Foolish Heart. I wish Emma and Kyle had had their own story so their relationship didn't seem so rushed but I'm still happy to have read The Shadow of Your Smile. I hope this series continues or if not that we "meet" some of the characters again.

Read what others are saying about the book HERE

*I received my complimentary review copy for the tour in exchange for posting my honest opinion of the book.*

About the book:
A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage.

After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle's memory. Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember?

Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future? Read the story behind the story here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/books/the-shadow-of-your-smile.

Come Back to Deep Haven and Win a $200 Visa Card from @SusanMayWarren!

Sometimes love requires a little forgetting ... Come back to Deep Haven and find out what's been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you're new to the Deep Haven series - this is the perfect book to start with - each book in the series is a stand alone story.

Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28.

One grand prize winner will receive:

A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to rekindle a little romance, treat yourself to a spa day, snap up those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or purchase a few great books!)

The entire set of Deep Haven Books

The winner will be announced on 1/30/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles! Just click one of the icons below to enter and tell your friends about Susan's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Happy Reading!!

Here We Go Steelers!!

2012-01-08T12:52:00.000-05:00

Today is the first Steelers playoff game of the season against the Denver Broncos. I thought it was only fitting to celebrate by paying tribute to the late, great Myron Cope. Myron was the radio voice of all things black 'n gold for decades and the sports broadcaster for Channel 4 news here in the 'Burgh. Check out this cool video of his parody of "Deck the Halls" aptly titled, "Deck the Broncos" made in 1984. Gotta love Myron. :)

Myron Cope's "Deck The Broncos" Song - Video - WTAE Pittsburgh

Go Steelers!!!!!

Litfuse Blog Tour: The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher

2012-01-05T00:01:00.013-05:00

The Keeper (Stoney Ridge Seasons, Bk 1)
by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Copyright 2012
Revell Books
ISBN: 9780800719876

My Thoughts:
~4.5 stars~
When am I going to admit that I am once again a fan of Amish fiction? Right now. I got sick and tired of the same ol', same ol' when reading Amish fiction in the earlier years of this decade but it's quickly become one of my favorite genres again. With her latest novel Suzanne Woods Fisher has cemented herself and her Amish stories right on my "must read" list. Yep, it's all because of her wonderful, heartrending and impulsively readable novels that I'm HOOKED on Plain fiction.

The Keeper is quite possibly going to go on my best books of 2012 list! Yes I just posted my 2011 list last week and I'm already making room for this book to go on December 2012's list. The characters, the setting and most importantly the story are beautiful. As I began to read this I thought how wonderfully light and refreshing this was going to be but it was so much more than that. By the end of the story I was reaching for the tissues. Each and every one of the characters will imprint themselves in your heart but possibly none more so than M.K. and Menno, two of our heroine Julia Lapp's younger siblings. If ever there were two fictional characters you wish you could meet in reality it's those two. I dare you to come back here after you have read this book and tell me you didn't like them.

Fisher has a real knack for making the Plain life anything but simple and teaches lessons in love and life that we can all learn from. In just over 300 pages she managed to make me laugh, growl in frustration then cry my eyes out and hook me so completely that I have to keep reading this series. Revell will you please push up the release date of Sadie's story so I can read it ASAP? If you only read one Amish book this year make sure it's this one, I'm pretty sure you won't regret it.

To read what others are saying about the book go HERE

* I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest opinion of the book for this tour.*

About the book:
Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

To learn more about the author visit HER WEBSITE

****************************

Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi

A $25 gift certificate to iTunes

A copy of The Keeper

But wait there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!

RSVP early and tell your friends!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

New Book Alert: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012-01-03T16:26:00.000-05:00

We're three days into the new year and already my 2012 book wishlist is full. There are so many unique and interesting looking books that are coming out this year that you might not be able to decide which ones to buy. I don't know about you but this cool sci-fi take on the Cinderella fairy tale is going to be a must read and may just be one of the few books I go out and buy. Check out the trailer and let me know what you think. :-)

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, Book 1) by Marissa Meyer:

Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time…. Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

Follow Marissa on Twitter

Follow Marissa on Facebook

Happy New Year and happy reading!

Fiction Debut: The Loom by Shella Gillus

2012-01-02T18:56:00.000-05:00

The Loom
by Shella Gillus
Copyright 2011
Guideposts
ISBN: 9780824948160

My Thoughts:
This book arrived in the mail as a surprise from the publisher. Although this is set in a time period I love to read about I had never heard of the book or the author and I'm happy to say I enjoyed it. The Loom is definitely not a romance but rather a story of a slave in the antebellum South trying to capture the one thing she wants the most--her freedom. Lydia (aka Caroline) is so light-skinned that she learns she can pass for white and in spite of being in love with a field hand at the Kelly plantation she runs away to a neighboring home where she captures the owner's eye.

The Loom definitely has an authentic to the period feel but the story itself is somewhat lacking. I didn't think it was feasible that a slave who had tried to escape before but was captured and beaten wouldn't be sought after by her owner and found almost immediately especially since she was still so close to home. I also thought that the reasoning behind why she left John who she was supposed to love without so much as a word were a bit selfish. However the story is still eye-opening concerning slavery and filled with lessons about deceit and its consequences as well as faith and love that make it a book to read.

Shella Gillus has a good thing going and The Loom is a fine debut. I really look forward to reading more from this author who definitely has the potential to write a five star book in my opinion.

*Note: The ARC of this story was apparently tweaked and looks like it varies from the final version of the book.*

About the book:
Caroline Whitfield lives in the world she dreamt of as a child. Married to Jackson, a plantation owner, in the quiet hills of 1835 Montgomery County, Maryland, she enjoys a simple life, until new slaves, seven-year-old Sadie and her father, arrive.

When Sadie’s daddy is taken from her, the young girl is forced to serve the master and mistress she holds responsible for her loss. With her grandmother, fellow slaves in the “Loom Room,” and a young man bent on obtaining his freedom, Sadie struggles to make sense of God’s will in the midst of pain.

But Caroline harbors a secret that could bring her world crashing down, and her love for Sadie, the daughter no one knows she had, threatens to tear it all apart. Meanwhile, Caroline draws closer to an old friend, an empathetic and dependable married man. Now she must douse the raging flames of a jealous husband and fight to keep her perfect world intact. The Loom is a colorful tale of three families linked by a lie and their discovery that the truth is not always black and white.

Visit the author's website HERE

*Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary ARC. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.*

Treat Yourself to a Good Book in 2012!

2011-12-31T00:31:00.000-05:00

Every year I try to make a list of the best books that I've read throughout the year and every year it gets more difficult to narrow that list down but that's a good thing right since that means I'm reading so many wonderful stories. Well once again I've decided since it's hard enough to pick a select few books that I loved that I'm not going to put them on a ranked list but just give you eleven (sorry...couldn't narrow it to JUST ten) of the books that I thought were amazing enough to earn spots on my keeper shelf. :-) I gave so many books 5 star ratings this year but here are a few that I REALLY REALLY loved. If you're looking to treat yourself to a book for the new year I'll just bet any of these will keep you thoroughly entertained.

Wolfsbane (Discarded Heroes, Book 3) -- by Ronie Kendig

The Colonel's Lady -- by Laura Frantz

Waterfall (River of Time, Book 1) -- by Lisa T. Bergren

Yesterday's Tomorrow -- by Catherine West

Heiress (Daughters of Fortune, Book 1)-- by Susan May Warren

The Doctor's Lady -- by Jody Hedlund

Deeply Devoted (Blue Willow Brides, Book 1) -- by Maggie Brendan

To Win Her Heart -- by Karen Witemeyer

A Heart Divided (Heart of the Rockies, Book 1) -- by Kathleen Morgan

A Heart Most Worthy -- by Siri Mitchell

Save the Date -- by Jenny B. Jones

So those are SOME of my picks, if you really want to see more of my favorite books just "friend" me on Goodreads. :-) I hope you all have a Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T23:08:00.000-05:00

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! Here are this years holiday carols as performed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whether you're a "Steeler Girl" or not I hope they put a smile on your face.

All-American Romance: Come A Little Closer by Dorothy Garlock

2011-12-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Come A Little Closer by Dorothy Garlock
Copyright 2011
Grand Central Publishing
390 pages
ISBN: 9780446540155

My Thoughts:
I absolutely adore fiction set in the 1940s. Dorothy Garlock best-known for her American romance never disappoints with her timeless stories of love. Her latest novel from Grand Central Publishing entitled Come A Little Closer blends the turmoil of a nation recovering from war with a touch of small town and romance.

Christina Tucker a former nurse in Worl War II longs to continue her career helping people heal both physically and mentally so she agrees to take a position helping Dr. Samuel Barlow at his general practice. If she survives the trip to her new home she just may be able to fulfill her dreams. When Christina unexpectedly meets the doc's two nephews her desire to help goes beyond nurse/patient kinship and she must decide between two intriguing brothers both with their own shares of baggage.

If you're at all familiar with Ms. Garlock's stories you know that simple settings and complex romance are her style. In Come A Little Closer she delivers just that. While it was a bit frustrating that everything seemed to happen so quickly between Christina and the Sutter brothers, it was still enjoyable. Two antagonists who were completely unrelated but equally insane made for some very interesting situations for the Miss Tucker and the entire Barlow/Sutter family. I've come to the conclusion that romances feature some of the creepiest characters and Garlock's villains definitely get under your skin in a not-so-good way. This is a general market romance so there is a love scene but nothing over the top and some strong language but not so much that it turned me off to the story.

~3.5 out of 5 stars~

From the publisher:
America's Heartland, 1946. World War II has ended, and everyone is pursuing peacetime's bright promise with fresh energy and hope. Newly-arrived in a small Wisconsin town, Christina Tucker now dares to chase her long-cherished dreams: put her wartime nursing skills to use and reconnect with country life. But helping a shell-shocked veteran recover soon tests her determination and disturbs town memories best left buried. She has no choice but to turn to her patient's seemingly-irresponsible brother, Tyler Sutter. A restless ex-soldier, Tyler can't believe this pretty ladylike nurse can heal his family. Yet as Christina begins to understand Tyler's own fears, the two grow close, then closer still-as a terrible secret sparks one man's violent, vengeful spree. With both the guilty and innocent alike in harm's way, Tyler and Christina must face all their fears . . . or never live to see the future.

To learn more about the author visit her WEBSITE

* I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review.*

Clash of the Titles: Meet 'n Greet Our Blog Alliance Members!

2011-12-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

~by Gail Palotta

Thank you to our blog alliance partners

Jessica Keller works from an office her husband set up for her in their Chicago home. Using a bright orange laptop she posts five days a week. She blogged big-time in college, garnering a huge following. She says, “It got to the point where people I didn’t know would walk up to me and start talking…about my life because they were addicted to my blog.”

After graduation she ended that blog and went to work in the records department of law enforcement. She figured her blogging days were over, but she started writing novels. She thought about author blogs she loved and wanted to “create a place like that so…someday when a novel-length piece is published…” she’ll already have a blog.

Her blog reflects her love of baking, her communications and Biblical studies degree and her enthusiasm for books. She’ll read over one hundred this year. On Mondays she muses about life in general. Tasty Tuesdays give cooking advice and recipes. On Writing Wednesdays she shares her writing struggles and advice or hosts experts. Thick-of-it-Thursdays feature a spiritual message, and Fridays for Readers introduces new writers. At least once a month there’s a cookie give away. Yum.

During the past nine years she’s written articles, short stories and a novella and recently made the finals in three contests. When she isn’t writing she runs in 5K’s and mentors college-aged women. When asked for a random fact about herself she said, “I have two cats named for super heroes, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent.”
Visit Jessica's blog here.

Carol Moncado blogs about life and writing from a big cushy chair in a basement in the Ozarks. She says the area “is slowly becoming my office/library.” She’s written on and off ever since she was a kid, seriously for the last two years. She blogs everyday attracting readers, other writers and friends who want to know a little more about her, her writing and the authors she likes. She says, “I try to have humor – and we all know laughter is the best medicine!I love to get comments.”

As for her writing, she’s currently blogging her way through NaNoWriMo. When she isn’t blogging or working on her own writing projects, she takes care of four children, reads and watches television. Her all time favorite show – NCIS.

When asked to share a random fact about herself she said, “When we moved into our first house, we moved on Friday the 13th to a house on Elm Street. We found and put an offer on our second [current] house on 06/06/06.”

Visit Carol’s blog here.

Marianne Evans started her blog, A Minute with Marianne, a little over two years ago. She says, “I loved the idea of chronicling my thoughts and expanding my writing platform…Call it ‘keeping up with the times.’” An added bonus. “It’s a blast…”

She posts almost once a week. A Minute with Marianne introduces readers to writers and books they may not otherwise hear about. Marianne says, “There are so many wonderful inspirational, Christian themed books out there. I love shining a light on them and getting the word out on new and exciting authors.” Her blog also covers writing inspirations, motivational tidbits, reviews and publishing news.

She keeps her blog casual with highlights on having fun, getting to know people and sharing a passion for great writing. When Marianne isn’t blogging, she writes. She’s A Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence winner for Hearts Crossing. She was a 2011 finalist for Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year for Hearts Surrender. Marianne says she made the jump from secular romance to Christian Inspirational romance/fiction when “the call on her heart matched the ideas in her head.” Visit her blog here.

Christian Fiction Book Club: She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

2011-12-17T00:01:00.010-05:00

December Book Pick: She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

Okay so as you may know I love history as a matter of fact I have a degree in it. One of my very favorite eras in the history of our nation is the Victorian Era. From the clothing, the attitudes, the transitioning of our nation and the mystique of the upper-crust society I love it all and anytime I can read a book that combines my love of all things Gilded Age with my other love, romance I'm thrilled. Siri Mitchell moved to my must-read list after her 2010 book, She Walks in Beauty. Not only is the cover amazing but the story between the pages is magnificent as well, it was definitely on my 2010 favorite books list and is still quite possibly one of the best books I've read period. When Joy and Serena @ Edgy Inspirational Romance were taking volunteers to lead up the December book club for this book I jumped at the chance. If you've read the book feel free to join in and even if you haven't you can still join in the discussion! So--let's dish!

Did you discover anything new about this time period? Did anything surprise or shock you?

Since the Victorian era is something I studied up on in high school and college nothing new about the period caught my attention while reading this but it did remind me just how much women had to suffer...for fashion. The corset scene in this book (or if you haven't read it, the famous corset scene from Gone with the Wind) makes me shudder. Within the very first pages just what it meant to be a "lady" in the 19th century is enough to make one's head spin! To have to whittle a 22 inch waist down to an 18 inch waist is almost unthinkable and to wear a corset with 600 bones in it 24/7 seems like pure torture. I don't care if girls wore corsets almost their entire lives, there is no way to get used to that kind of discomfort. I guess most of us today should be glad that corsets went out decades ago and all we have to put up with is underwire in our bras.

Fashions through the ages have often been created on the assumption that people aren't shaped correctly. What apparent flaws does modern fashion try to correct? What is today's ideal standard of beauty?

Almost every time you open up a magazine or even read the inserts in the newspaper you see things promoting some kind of women's fashion, advertisements for jeans that "hide the tummy" or "instantly slim you" or a bra that conceals that "unsightly" back bulge. There are sooo many products out there that suck it all in, push it up or even claim to burn it off that it's crazy! I'm pretty sure that modern fashion tries to correct anything and everything. Need proof? go HERE. I guess in some way the undergarments we wear are the 21st century's version of the corset. Heaven forbid if you wear that cocktail dress and you see even a hint of (dare I say it?) flab. Eeep. Don't you know you're supposed to look like a Victoria's Secret model? Even though as a society we are becoming more accepting of "curves" so to speak if you look at advertising and what we're bombarded with on TV and on the newsstand thin is still in.

***Even though I answered the questions pertaining to looks and fashion please feel free to check out the rest of the discussion questions HERE. I'd love to know what your thoughts are on the book or the time period it's set in. :-) If you set up a post on your blog please enter it on the Linky below!***

Clash of the Titles Historic Covers Champion: Spring for Susanna by Catherine Richmond

2011-12-14T20:54:00.000-05:00

*by Michelle Massaro

Last week Clash of the Titles held their first ever Clash of the Covers. This fast-paced clash was different than their usual fare, because instead of judging the author's story, we judged how well their cover designs matched their theme or made us want to pick up the book. There were four books to vote on, from authors Cathy, Erica, Lacy, and Maggie. The books were Marrying Miss Marshal, Spring For Susannah, A Bride's Portrait, and Deeply Devoted.

It was a VERY CLOSE race and it saw enough voter participation to max out the scoreboards!

Some of the comments included:
Spring for Susannah - Susannah is aware of the man but she looks as though she could turn away, or turn towards him.
Marrying Miss Marshall seems to speak volumes about the heroine-just in her position.

The cover of A Brides Portrait, really sells the title by having the woman with a camera on it. Caught my attention.
I love cover C...looks like the "old west"!!!

Marrying Miss Marshal. Hmm, with that rifle laid across her lap, one wonders who's daring enough to approach her, much less marry her. Intriguing.
I loved A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City - it added so many components of the story into the cover besides just a profile :)

Love this (A) - it's intriguing. I'm not sure from the picture whether she's toting for justice, revenge, or protection. Makes me curious.

The Champion Book that was voted

BEST SETTING THAT CAPTURES THE MOOD OF THE TITLE:

Spring For Susanna, by Catherine Richmond

This week, COTT is sporting a holiday/winter theme with host Gail Pallotta. We expect it to be another huge turn-out so please join us. We'll cozy up to the virtual fireplace, egg nog in hand, and browse for books. In this case, it's okay to judge the cover. =)

We’ll be taking a break December 26 – January 6

And then come right back on January 9 with a new clash that will – literally – take your breath away! If you're an author, don’t forget to check upcoming open clashes and submit

A Seriously Suspense Filled Story: Attracted to Fire by Diann Mills

2011-12-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

Attracted to Fire by Diann Mills
Copyright 2011
Tyndale Publishers
410 pages
ISBN: 9781414348643

My Thoughts:
When it comes to romance Julie Lessman is queen, when it comes to fairy tales nobody weaves a tale like Melanie Dickerson but when it comes to suspense DiAnn Mills is your gal! In her latest Lone Star state romantic drama, DiAnn takes on the Secret Service and a killer with an agenda that could affect the state of the nation. With her trademark for writing a "good" bad guy and ability to keep a reader guessing Attracted to Fire is sure to please. I love her characters too but the hero prevented me from enjoying this story as much as I could have. Ash was too much of a jerk for me to like him anymore than a little even though he does improve by the conclusion of the story. The chemistry between Ash and Meghan felt forced. I think it would have been more natural for a friendship to develop rather than a full blown romance. If you're looking for a great romance you might want to pass on this but if you're looking for drama and an adrenaline rush I'd say this could be the book for you! Even though this wasn't an all-time favorite I still enjoyed it enough to recommend it to fans of the suspense sub-genre of Christian fiction books.

~3.5 out of 5 stars~

About the book:
Special Agent Meghan Connors’ dream of one day protecting the president of the United States is about to come true. Only one assignment stands in her way. After the vice president’s rebellious daughter is threatened, Meghan is assigned to her protective detail on a secluded ranch in West Texas. Unfortunately, working with Special Agent in Charge Ash Zinders may be as tough as controlling her charge. Ash has a reputation for being critical and exacting, and he’s also after the same promotion as Meghan. But when the threats escalate and security on the ranch is breached, it becomes clear this isn’t the work of a single suspect—it’s part of a sophisticated plan that reaches deeper and higher than anyone imagined. And only Ash and Meghan can put the pieces together before it’s too late.

To learn more about the author visit HER WEBSITE

* I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review.*

Free Preview: The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall

2011-12-09T16:18:00.000-05:00

Like Amish fiction? Check out Cindy Woodsmall's Plain tale The Christmas Singing. I'm sure if you have a reader in the family this will make a wonderful holiday gift too. :-) I've read Cindy's books in the past and they've all been wonderful so I'm sure this won't disappoint!

The Christmas Singing (Chapter 1 Excerpt)

Clash of the Titles: Meet Christine and Pamela!

2011-12-06T15:30:00.000-05:00

by Delia Latham

Christine and Pamela!

A huge welcome to blogger and author Christine Lindsay! Christine is another extraordinary member of the COTT Blog Alliance. On Wednesdays she posts the COTT weekly article, and on Fridays she posts either an editorial/devotional or a review on a book.

What's her blog like? Christine wants her blog to be somewhere a reader can find a true inspirational story to encourage their faith. For example, on her blog she has in book-length the entire story of her experience as a birthmother. From the moment she found out she was pregnant, to the relinquishment of her child, and to their reunion 20 years later.

Do not miss this testimony. Her birth-daughter, Sarah, modeled for the cover of Shadowed in Silk. Take a look at how it all came together—it's well worth the read.

I asked Christine who she is outside the realm of writing and publication and all that jazz.

"I am so ordinary, it's hilarious. I used to be an administrative assistant, going off to work in suits, high heels and makeup. Now that I'm following the labor of my heart (writing) I work in my home office and wear the closest thing I can get to pajamas—sweat pants and a sweat shirt.

"But there are times I have to go out and leave my beloved laptop behind along with my cat. Then I slap on some mascara, whip a comb through my hair, put on some decent slacks and head out the door with a cup of tea in my hands. I can drive with one hand and drink my tea with the other."
What "ordinary"? That's multi-tasking!
Why is she willing to give COTT space on her blog every other week?

I find the COTT alliance an energetic group of writers that inspire me. I love the fun and camaraderie with the clashes," she said. "And it gets the word out to readers of all the great Christian fiction that's available. They are a great group of people to be affiliated with. I consider it an honor."
The feeling is entirely mutual!

Christine's blog

Christine's website

Book trailer

Meet Pamela S. Thibodeaux:

Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Bayou Writers Group: http://bayouwritersgroup.com

A great big welcome to Blog Alliance Partner Pamela S. Thibodeau. We're so pleased to have her aboard.

I asked this author and blogger where she finds inspiration for her blog, Pamela S. Thibodeaux—Blog.

"I must admit that, personally, I'm pretty burned out on topics…but I love showcasing other authors on Saturday Spotlight and hosting their virtual book tours. This helps me fill in when I can think of nothing to talk about. LOL!"

Honesty…I love it! (Also really glad to know I'm not the only blogger with this kind of problem…)

I'm always interested in why our Blog Alliance members choose to be members. Here's Pam's reason:

"I believe in what COTT is doing and frankly, any website that helps promote Christian authors—especially those who are new, unknown, small press or independently published—is a place I try to support. Doing regular posts for COTT helps me do just that."

Pamela's newest release, The Visionary, is an absolutely wonderful book, one I can whole-heartedly recommend. Without being offensively graphic, it deals with some pretty heavy issues of child abuse and its aftermath.

What are some of the challenges you face as an author?

The biggest challenge I face is not having my work accepted by the “Christian” publishers. As one reviewer said, “Though undeniably Christian, it is never dogmatic or insular; offering faith rather than religion.” (From Elizabeth Burton's review of Tempered Dreams for Blue Iris Journal) My books deal with issues in a way that is unacceptable in the traditional CBA market. Now that is not saying that my books are better than those published through traditional CBA publishers, only different. As I’ve said many times, everything that gives God glory deserves to be praised!

So true. And all I can think to say in response is a very sincere, "Amen!"

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally: A Story for Gals Who Love the Gridiron!

2011-12-05T17:21:00.002-05:00

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Copyright 2011
Sourcebooks Fire
284 pages
ISBN: 9781402262272

My Thoughts:
Okay let's face it I'm probably not in the female majority when I say I'd rather stay home on Sunday and watch the big game than go to the mall but it's true. I love football--always have, always will. I was raised on it and I live right smack in the middle of Steelers nation and in an area where everyone knows what WPIAL means. Friday night lights...yeah we live it here. That said when I got an email from Sourcebooks about a YA book centered around football and romance I jumped right on it and boy am I glad I did! Catching Jordan is, you know I have to say this, a touchdown!

In the age of dystopian fiction I've kind of gotten used to kick-butt heroines and it's all gotten a bit...blah. I'm so happy to say that Jordan, our girl in Catching Jordan is that kick-butt heroine but she's totally realistic and easy to relate to and absolutely refreshing! She doesn't fight for her life in some kind of sci-fi/futuristic world but on the football field as team captain and quarterback for Hundred Oaks High School. Since football is still a man's world Jordan has to work hard to maintain her status as team leader and potentially gain a spot on the best men's college team in the country.

Catching Jordan isn't simply about a girl playing football it's also about life as a teen. Jordan faces difficulties with friends, family and school that I'm sure just about every girl out there had face or will face in her life. While some points of the story were a little hard to wrap my head around, for instance the entire football team hooking up with various members of the cheerleading squad and nobody (including the cheerleaders) seeming to care I still really enjoyed the "reality" of the book. I absolutely love the chemistry between Jordan and Sam Henry (they are so cute together) as well as the sparks between Jordan and the new guy, Ty. Even if you can't decide if you're "Team Ty" or "Team Henry" I can guarantee that you will be "Team Jordan!" I didn't like some of the decisions that she made but in the end I loved that she decided to follow her heart and didn't give up her dream of playing college ball. There's just enough angst and drama to keep everything interesting and the perfect amount of humor and romance to keep it from being weighted down.

Catching Jordan is a great read for older teens and fans of young adult fiction who are looking for something different in a world full of paranormal and dystopian reads!

Note: Some strong language and alcohol use

~4 out of 5 stars~

About the book:
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though- she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

To learn more about the author visit her WEBSITE

* I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review.*

Girls Playing with Boys: Guest Post by Miranda Kenneally author of Catching Jordan

2011-12-05T11:55:00.000-05:00

Girls Playing with Boys: According to statistics there are over 1,200 female high school football players across the country. What are some of the positives and negatives of blurring the lines between female and male sports? Do you support it?

Positives:
* Girls can be just as strong and fast as guys. Why not prove it?
* If girls prove they are as awesome as guys on the field, they can prove they’re awesome off the field.
* I can’t wait until we have a female president of the USA.
Or even a Vice President!

Negatives:
* Girls’ body frames are more fragile than guys’. They get hurt more easily. I would be remiss if I didn’t say this.
* I don’t think there are any other negatives!

I definitely support girl power. One woman who truly impresses me is former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. I bet she’d get along well with my character in Catching Jordan, Jordan Woods. Not only is Dr. Rice a beautiful woman, she’s smart and she followed her dreams. She loves football, and would love to be the NFL Commissioner one day. She’s not scared to be herself: unique. I’ve met her and heard her speak many times about how her ancestors from Alabama were sharecroppers. As an African-American woman, she had many hurdles to get past in her life, and I know she’s glad she took risks. Everyone should take risks, regardless of sex or race or background. Otherwise, we’ll never evolve as human beings.

I guess what I’m saying is, Yes. Most guys are stronger than most girls. But if girls keep trying and working hard, they’ll eventually evolve to become stronger – maybe even stronger than guys one day.

I very much relate to Dr. Rice. I grew up in Tennessee. Not many people in my family had been to college. Hardly anyone thought I’d succeed in life. My high school guidance counselor told me I probably wouldn’t make it at a big university in Washington, D.C., and then she encouraged me to go to a local community college instead.

But I disregarded her comments and did what I wanted to do.

You should never let anyone hold you back from your dreams. I certainly didn’t. Dr. Rice didn’t.

I’ve gotten way off topic here, so getting back to girls playing sports generally played by boys. I think girls should play the sports they want to play, while keeping safety in mind.

If we all don’t try to improve or move beyond the status quo, the human race will only move backwards.

*****************

Please check out the trailer for Catching Jordan. I loved this book and will be posting my review later today so be sure to stop back and check it out!

A Texan's Promise by Shelley Gray: A Story With Cowboys and Romance!

2011-11-30T12:24:00.000-05:00

A Texan's Promise (Heart of a Hero, Bk 1)
by Shelley Gray
Copyright 2011
Abingdon Press
ISBN : 9781426714597

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the world's biggest Amish fiction fan but I thoroughly enjoy each of Shelley Gray's Plain stories. When I learned that she was writing and historical western series I knew I had to read it. The first book, A Texan's Promise did not disappoint. Ms. Gray's stories are traditional but in the best sense. In A Texan's Promise she takes the damsel in distress plot and adds a bit of faith and hope in the mix and the result is a finely told love story for any reader's keeper shelf.

From the very first page I can almost guarantee you will be hooked. The chemistry between Vanessa and Clayton is terrific. In spite of the unthinkable circumstance that led them away from the Circle Z Ranch I loved the way that their romance developed--slowly and tenderly. I was slightly frustrated by Clay's actions midway through the book but what is a romance without a man getting some fool notion in his head now and then?

If you're a fan of Shelley Gray's smooth style of storytelling and characters you can connect with you won't be disappointed. A Texan's Promise is a journey across the West that will capture your heart and quench your thirst for danger. I enjoyed this book and look forward to A Texan's Honor releasing soon!

About the book:
When Clayton Proffitt, foreman of the Circle Z Ranch in Texas, discovers Vanessa Grant is the victim of her stepfather’s advances, Clayton knows he must protect her honor and move her far away from the ranch—and from the man she fears.

As they make their way West, an unexpected, deep bond develops between Vanessa and Clayton—far more powerful than a mere friendship or his sense of duty to her. But Vanessa’s stepfather won’t let her go so easily. As Clayton and Vanessa place their faith in God and their trust in each other, will they find healing and hope for the future together?

To learn more about the author visit her WEBSITE

* I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review.*

Waterfall Winner!

2011-11-29T13:19:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered my Waterfall giveaway. The winner as chosen by random.org is...

LINDA!

Linda has been contacted and has claimed her prize. If you didn't win this time don't worry there will be more giveaways soon!

My Pick for Lord Greco!

2011-11-25T17:23:00.000-05:00

This week has turned out to be the "unofficial" time travel week on my blog. I gotta say as I've just completed the River of Time series by Lisa Bergren that it's going on my keeper shelf right next to the other two books I've read by this author. One of the reasons I love this time travel series as stated in my previous posts this week is the abundance of gorgeous Italians, one of those being Lord Rodolfo Greco! In the series our heroine Gabi, whose heart is held by Marcello even admits that Lord Greco (aka Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome) is GQ material. So naturally since I have all of your, my loyal blog reader's, best interests at heart I figured I should seek out a perfect Lord Greco "in the flesh" so to speak. I'd love to know what you think! Enjoy!

Henry Cavill

Is this not a very Lord Greco-ish picture? Not sure if he'd go into battle without some armor or at least a shirt but what the heck... ;-)

Henry Cavill as Theseus (Immortals, 2011)

For Lisa's choice and more about Lord Greco go HERE

Giveaway Time: Waterfall by Lisa Bergren

2011-11-22T17:24:00.000-05:00

About the book:
Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one.
Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved…
and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know…and love itself.

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds… until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.
And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

********************************

If you read my previous post about time travel you know that Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren is one of my favorite time travel books. If you'd like to be entered to win my extra copy just fill out the form below!

For two extra entries leave a comment on my time travel post HERE

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Heart Time Travel!

2011-11-22T13:04:00.000-05:00

Recently it seems as though a theme has come up in my watching and reading habits. I realized last night after I finished reading Cascade (Book 2 in the River of Time series by Lisa Bergren) that I *might* be a bit obsessed with time travel--but for good reason. Time travel is simply fascinating! It's so complex, I can't even begin to understand the "science" behind it but wanting to go back in time is probably something we all wish we could do. How many times have you thought about stopping yourself from wearing those bell bottoms in 1998 or reuniting with a deceased loved one?

As a history lover I've always thought it would be neat to go back to Gettysburg in 1863 to hear Lincoln give the Gettysburg address or to just spend a few days with Jane Austen. I know that I probably wouldn't last 5 minutes without my computer or (gasp!) my daily glass of Mountain Dew but it would still be fun wouldn't it? Well until the TARDIS shows up outside my house I'll have to settle for 2011! In the meantime here are some time travel films, books and a television show that I'm absolutely obsessed with!

Film:
Kate and Leopold (2001)

I love romance so if time travel and Hugh Jackman are thrown in the mix that makes it all the better!!!

Books:
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (general market)

I love this series so far (I've read the first two books) but that's a given since it combines both of my loves--romance and time travel. Did I mention there's a hunky Highlander named Jamie Fraser? ;-)

Waterfall by Lisa Bergren (Christian fiction/YA)

Waterfall (River of Time Book 1)

by Lisa T. Bergren

David C. Cook

ISBN: 9781434764331

Two reasons why I love this time travel series: Hot. Italians.

TV:
Doctor Who (2005-?)

My all-time favorite time traveler is the Doctor! Can you say C-H-A-R-I-S-M-A? Yeah this guy has it in spades. The complexities of traveling in the Time And Relative Dimension In Space confuses me to no end but I still love it. ;-)

Clash of the Titles Winner: Laura V. Hilton

2011-11-21T20:34:00.000-05:00

Guest post by Delia Latham

The Amish are known for their quiet, unassuming manner. Their love of all things peaceful…and shunning of competitive pastimes.

Well. I'm afraid that all flew out the window in the COTT Clash featuring Amish fiction. It was a fight to the finish.... a nose-to-nose race...a no-holds-barred dash to the finish line!

Contestants were:

Suzanne Woods Fisher

(Click on the cover to read Suzanne's Excerpt A)

and

Laura V. Hilton

(Click on the cover to read Laura's Excerpt B)

Both authors hit the ground running with sizzling teasers that presented a definite challenge to our readers. Both were super-fantastic! Both offered a tantalizing glimpse into an amazing read.

But only one of these fabulous excerpts could take the win.

When at last the dust died down…the crowd silenced in expectation…and the winner stood revealed…

LAURA V. HILTON

held the finish line ribbon firmly in hand!

CONGRATULATIONS, LAURA!

The choice was not an easy one, as our readers made perfectly clear in their comments:

"Both of these excerpts are immediately engaging—I think I'd like to read both books!"

"Both excerpts are winners. Can't wait to read them."

"I enjoy the Clash of the Titles!! Each author is fantastic!! And such a great place to hear of new authors that perhaps you haven't read before. Good luck!"

"I love to read stories of the Amish. Thank you for your hard work."

"The authors who write Amish fiction are doing a great job keeping true to the Amish ways while holding the reader's interest with wonderful story lines over and over again."

Heartfelt thanks and deep appreciation to both Suzanne and Laura. I wish we could call it a tie and put both in the winner's slot, because both authors truly are winners.

Another Great Movie Trailer!

2011-11-18T19:39:00.000-05:00

I know, I know I already posted a movie trailer this week but I couldn't help myself from posting this trailer for The Vow starring Channing Tatum (Dear John) and Rachel McAdams (The Notebook). I'm a sucker for all things romantic and while this looks like a real tearjerker I definitely have to see it! I don't know about you but I think 2012 looks like it's going to be an amaaaaaazing year for movies!

Meet Julie Arduini and Renee Chaw (Me!)

2011-11-15T00:01:00.001-05:00

*guest post by Michelle Massaro

Today it is my pleasure to shine the spotlight on two more amazing women who are both members of the COTT Blog Alliance.

Julie Arduini was born on Good Friday with tornado warnings. A description that she says could not be more accurate!

She lives in NE Ohio with her husband and two children. She's also a step-mom to two adult children who live in out of state. Her writing is featured in ten books (learn more on her site!) She also blogs monthly for the marriage counter at the Internet Café. She loves serving in children’s and women’s ministries through her local church and Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) chapter.

Julie says: "I love my strong coffee, lilacs, NCIS, and Beth Moore Bible studies (not in that order!)"

Her site has been up since December 31, 2006 and was her first act of surrendering fear of what others would think about her. That fear had kept her from doing what she loved since childhood but her baby step into blogging quickly led to many other writing opportunities—a true testament to listening to the whisperings of the Lord.

Julie's warm, transparent personality is woven throughout her blog posts. "I’m not a scholar, just a wife and mom trying to help anyone willing to read know that Jesus is close and intimate with arms open to receive, not turn away." Her focus is to encourage readers, mostly adult women, to find "freedom through surrender."
An avid reader, Julie provides book ideas on her site based on what she's reading. On Sundays you can take a peek at her amateur nature pictures with a few thoughts about God’s love. She posts 5-7 days per week so there's always something new! If you're looking for a blog-hostess gift, I hear she really really loves chocolate!

Surrendering the good, the bad, and---maybe one day---the chocolate
**********

Say hello to Renee Chaw (and her 3 year old dog, Coco.) Renee's blog features reviews of Christian fiction, romance and young adult fiction as well as posts about some of her favorite movies, TV shows, and Steelers football. Woot!

Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot is a fun place to gather. Renee is always looking for a way to make you chuckle or at least inform you about some great books and movies. She also sometimes posts about her other interests like vintage jewelry, TV, antiques, sports, pets etc. She always makes you feel welcome!

Another great reason to add her to your blog roll: she loves doing giveaways and hosting authors.
Renee says she's an avid reader of just about anything from the back of the cereal box to the back of a book. ^-^

"I love to blog. I've met so many great people through the blogging world and have had the opportunity to read so many wonderful books that I might not have otherwise had the chance to. I love being a member of FIRST Wild Card and this Blog Alliance, two other great groups that I wouldn't have had the chance to join if it wasn't for blogging. I'm loyal to the local sports teams, especially my Pittsburgh Steelers (LOVE those Black 'n Gold guys ;-)) and I'm a crazy car girl LOL! Take me to a car show over the mall any day of the week!"

She tries to post everyday but sometimes 'real life' limits her blogging to 3 times per week. If you want to bring her a blog-hostess gift, make sure you get a big box with holes in it. Renee loves big, furry dogs! =) Of course, it might be easier to just bring a treat for Coco.

Be sure to check out these two blogs and make a couple new friends!

* Michelle Massaro is Assistant Editor for Clash of the Titles. Find her on twitter @MLMassaro, and Facebook.

The Hunger Games Trailer!

2011-11-14T11:01:00.000-05:00

Oh. My. Gosh. Have you seen this trailer?! I absolutely love love LOVE The Hunger Games series and I think I'm looking forward to this movie even more than Breaking Dawn. Squee!

What do you think? Is this a movie you're going to rush out and see? I know I am!

Christian Fiction Book Club Book December Book Selection: She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

2011-11-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

My friends Joy and Serena @ Edgy Inspirational Romance have put together a fun way to dish and discuss great Christian books, it's their online Christian Fiction Book Club. Each month different people from around the blogiverse have the opportunity to host and post about a certain title that has caught their eye. This December I have the great pleasure of hosting the discussion for the December book which is...

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell!!!!!

About the book:

During New York City's Gilded Age...

The game is played amid banquets and balls.

The prize is a lifetime of wealth and privilege.

The rules will test friendships and

the desires of a young woman's heart.

Clara Carter is the social season's brightest star...

but at what cost?

For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.

Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries. When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her marriage at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.

Discussion Date: December 17, 2011

Want to participate?

1. Secure a copy of She Walks in Beauty and read it before the discussion date (Dec. 17).

2. Find the reading group guide in the back of the book or on the publisher's website. Choose one or more of the discussion questions to address in a blog post. You might also want to include a short review of the book and read my review HERE.

3. Schedule your blog post to run on the discussion date. You may copy and use the book club logo above if you'd like.

4. On the discussion date I will post the link to my review and answer a few discussion questions.

5. On the discussion date, we all hop around reading and commenting on the reviews and opinions of participating bloggers.

6. If you do not have a blog of your own, you can share your opinions about the book club pick in the comment sections of other blogs.

7. Have you already read our book club picks? Great, participate anyway! You'll have a head start answering some of the questions! Hope to see you then!!!!

November Giveaway Hop Winner!

2011-11-12T14:01:00.000-05:00

Thank you all so much for entering my first Hop! I wish I could give every single one of you a book but sadly I cannot. I also want to say welcome to all the new followers. I hope you all stick around and check out my reviews and future giveaways. I would love to see your friendly faces. :-) Now on to the winner...

Jasmyn N!!!!

I've emailed Jasmyn and she's already claimed her prize. Again, thank you all for entering and happy reading!!! Happy Fall!!!

A "Drop Everything to Read This" Kind of Book: Firethorn (Discarded Heroes, Book 4) by Ronie Kendig

2011-11-10T00:01:00.003-05:00

Firethorn (Discarded Heroes, Book 4)
by Ronie Kendig
Copyright 2012
Barbour Books
352 pages
ISBN: 9781602607859

~ 5 of 5 stars ~
Before I say anything about this book I have to say this if you've followed this series at all you're probably like me and have fallen head over heels for the guys of Nightshade and gone through more than your fair share of tissues. Firethorn, the conclusion to the action-packed Discarded Heroes series is absolutely bittersweet in so many ways that you will want to have the tissues at hand even if you have never cried while reading a book. I can honestly say that Ronie Kendig not only writes the best romantic suspense novels but the most jam-packed, full of emotion stories that you will ever lay your hands on. There's anger, there's fear, there's hatred, there's grief--all the emotions that you might expect from a novel involving spec-ops, spies and terrorism but also hope and love showcasing the strength of the human spirit.

Kazi (don't you just love that name?!) Faron and Griffin "Legend" Riddell are polar opposites in every sense of the word but one thing's for sure the mission is everything and anyone who stands in their way will live (or not) to regret it. When the Nightshade team is attacked and separated, maybe for good, Kazi and Legend must learn that trust in each other is the key in completing a mission where so many lives are on the line. Unlike the previous books in this series the romantic element isn't front and center but focuses the most on trust between Kazi and Griffin--take heart romance fans you will be rewarded though. ;) Firethorn has more action than the Diehard movies and a great cast of characters that will have you enthralled!

I recommend the entire series to readers of all types or fiction, not just Christian fiction or suspense. If you're looking for real characters who are damaged and discouraged and far from perfect this is a series to read. Are you in search of an edge of your seat thrill-ride? You've found it. The risks that the author took with this series really paid off and since it's so edgy and different Discarded Heroes has earned spots on my keeper and must re-read shelves.

My review of Nightshade- Bk 1
My review of Digitalis- Bk 2
My review of Wolfsbane- Bk 3

To learn more about the author visit her WEBSITE and BLOG

Firethorn is available now for pre-order from Amazon or your favorite bookseller

*Review of galley from Netgalley and the publisher. I was not obligated to provide a positive review.*

Books to Add to Your Christmas Shopping List from Scholastic!

2011-11-08T21:11:00.000-05:00

If you're like me you LOVE to buy books for people you love for Christmas, luckily Scholastic has made it easier to decide what to buy for the kids and teens in our lives...check out the list below!

Scholastic Inc. 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012-3999, (212) 343-6700

www.scholastic.com

SCHOLASTIC PREDICTS THE HOTTEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS OF THE 2011HOLIDAY SEASON

Children’s Literacy Experts at Scholastic Book Clubs and Book Fairs Offer Recommendations to Help Holiday Shoppers

November 7, 2011 – Get ready for holiday shopping. The children’s book experts from Scholastic Book Clubs and Scholastic Book Fairs have just revealed their picks for what will be the most popular new children’s books for the 2011 holiday season. This go-to list features books for all ages from a variety of authors and publishers to help gift-givers pick the right books for the kids in their lives.

Some of the book picks include new releases and sequels for popular series, such as The Heroes of Olympus, Book Two: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney, and The 39 Clues®: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 2: A King's Ransom by Jude Watson; others are tied to highly anticipated film releases such as War Horse, Hugo, and The Hunger Games, all of which are based on books.

“Parents, grandparents and educators all know the value of giving the gift of reading to kids, but we know they also struggle to compete with the hot new toy, electronic device or video on the market,” stated Francie Alexander, Chief Academic Officer at Scholastic. “This list was curated by the experts at Scholastic Book Clubs and Book Fairs to help shoppers identify the books that will be sure to delight a child as much as any other favorite gift.”

Scholastic’s Holiday Gift List for Kids:

Picture Books

10 Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Lois Ehlert (Simon & Schuster)
Can You See What I See? Toyland Express written and illustrated by Walter Wick (Scholastic)
If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond (HarperCollins)
The Man in the Moon written and illustrated by William Joyce (Simon & Schuster)
Pinkalicious: The Princess of Pink Treasury written and illustrated by Victoria Kann (HarperCollins)

Click here for full list

Transitional Readers and Chapter Books

Clementine and The Family Meeting by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Marla Frazee (Disney Hyperion Books)
Fly Guy: Fly Guy vs. The Flyswatter! by Tedd Arnold (Scholastic)
Magic Tree House: Dogs in the Dead of Night by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Salvatore Murdocca (Random House)
Rainbow Magic: Magical Holiday Boxed Set by Daisy Meadows (Scholastic)
Super Diaper Baby 2: The Invasion of the Potty Snatchers by Dav Pilkey, George Beard, and Harold Hutchins (Scholastic)

Click here for full list

Middle Grade Fiction

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney (Abrams)
The Heroes of Olympus, Book Two: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (Disney Hyperion Books)
The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 2: A King's Ransom by Jude Watson (Scholastic)
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (Scholastic)
Wonderstruck written and illustrated by Brian Selznick (Scholastic)

Click here for full list

Young Adult Fiction

Crossed by Ally Condie (Penguin)
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini (Random House)
Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt (Clarion Books)
The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic)
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic)

Click here for full list

Nonfiction

How Cool Is This: An Up-close, Inside Look at How Things Work (DK Publishing)
The Hugo Movie Companion: A Behind the Scenes Look at How a Beloved Book Became a Major Motion Picture by Brian Selznick (Scholastic)
Lego Harry Potter: Building The Magical World (DK Publishing)
Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia (DK Publishing)
Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Special Edition 2012 (Scholastic)

Click here for full list

These books are available through Scholastic Book Clubs and Scholastic Book Fairs in schools and online atwww.scholastic.com/bookclubs. When you purchase these or any other books through Book Clubs and Book Fairs you are helping out your child’s school. Teachers are awarded bonus points through Scholastic Book Clubs to purchase books and materials for their classrooms, and schools raise money through their Book Fairs to support the school community. If a title from Scholastic’s holiday gift list is not available through your child’s Scholastic Book Club or Scholastic Book Fair, check with your child’s teacher or visit a book retailer or library.

For the full list please visit http://oomscholasticblog.com/2011/11/we_predict.html.

For more information on Scholastic (SCHL), visit us at mediaroom.scholastic.com.

November Giveaway Hop: Young Adult ARC Pack (US Giveaway)

2011-11-08T00:02:00.002-05:00

CONTEST NOW CLOSED!!!!

I love to read YA fiction and I know a lot of you do too so I thought I'd share the love by giving away an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) giftpack of two books to one lucky winner!

Fateful by Claudia Gray (Sept. 2011 release)

Various Positions by Martha Schabas (Feb. 2012 release)

Rules:

~For one entry just leave a comment stating that you want to be entered along with a valid email address (disguised something like this: steelergirl83(at)gmail(dot)com) so I can contact you if you are the winner. If you are a GFC public follower and let me know that you are in your comment you will get 2 extra entries! Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize after I send the winner email or another winner will be selected. US residents only please. Contest closes to entries November 11, 2011 @ 11:59pm EST. Void where prohibited. Winner drawn using random.org.

CONTEST NOW CLOSED!!!!

A Sweet Wild West Tale: Valley of Dreams (Wild West Wind, Book 1) by Lauraine Snelling

2011-11-08T00:01:00.003-05:00

Valley of Dreams (Wild West Wind, Bk. 1)
by Lauraine Snelling
Copyright 2011
Bethany House Publishers
352 pages
ISBN: 9780764204159

~3 stars~
It's been years since I last read a book by Lauraine Snelling but when I read the cover blurb for her latest novel, Valley of Dreams I knew I had to give this author another try. The world of circuses and Wild West shows have always been fascinating to me so a book with an Annie Oakley heroine and furry yet talented critters promised to be entertaining. I'm sad to say I was a bit disappointed. If you're looking for a Christian Water for Elephants type story you will be as sad as I was that this book was not about a circus or show but rather a girl leaving one to fulfill her deceased father's dream. That said after getting over the initial let down that this wasn't going to be about the Lockwood and Talbot Wild West Show it definitely has potential to be an interesting story.

In Valley of Dreams we meet Cassie Lockwood, a sharpshooter and trick rider along with two of her friends Chief and Micah who travel together after the disbanding of the show due to financial woes. They travel with only a few dollars to their name and a few of the furry friends they couldn't bear leaving behind in search of the land Cassie's father owned in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Also introduced separately in the story is the Engstrom family including Ransom and his siblings, Lucas and Gretchen who are struggling to keep their ranch afloat after the death of their father. Both "families" are facing rough spots in their and must rely on God, the kindness of strangers and themselves to make it on life's journey.

Ms. Snelling definitely has a knack for writing a good character but the pacing of the story plods along. I know that this book is going to be a part of the series but it felt as if I read a third of a book rather than a complete story. There really is no growth or development, I felt as if I was just getting to know the characters, especially Cassie, and kept waiting for something more to happen (that "ah ha" moment) but before I knew it the story was over. The conclusion definitely has me wanting to read more but I feel like this is a series that will probably be best read after all the books have been released in order to get the full affect.

To learn more about the author visit her WEBSITE

*I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review.*

Tournament of Champions: Week Four

2011-11-07T16:22:00.000-05:00

Week FOUR of COTT's Tournament of Champions saw four more authors compete and three more scavenger hunts played.

Here's a recap:

Becky R went to Gail Pallotta's Blog on Monday to find out when Love Turns theTide's Cammie sees a different side of Vic. She got the correct answer and walks away with a $10 Starbucks card from Lisa Lickel. Pumpkin Latte, anyone?

Megan D visited Marianne Evans' blog Tuesday to discover which of Marianne's books was a Christian Small Publisher's Book of the Year nominee. She won a $10 Amazon gift card from Amanda Stephan. Awesome!

Theresa M stopped by Margaret Brownley's Blog on Wednesday and found the name of the Christmas anthology which Margaret contributed to. She also received a $10 Amazon gift card donated by Raquel Byrnes.

Congrats ladies! Clash of the Titles has awarded over $125 worth of game prizes, thanks to its generous sponsors. Thanks, COTT--and another round of applause for all those game winners!

This was the last week of reader games, but fear not! There's still a chance to win the Grand Prize! I'll share how in a minute. But first...

Which Books Won the Clashes?

Rosslyn Elliot's "Fairer Than Morning" and Delia Latham's "Destiny's Dream" clashed last Monday. "Fairer Than Morning" came out the winner.

Shellie Neumeier's, Driven and Ann O'Barr's Singing in Babylon struck swords on Wednesday. Driven took the top spot.

These two victorious titles competed together on Friday to determine which would move on to the finals for a chance to win the Laurel Award. And that finalist is...

Rosslyn Elliot's "Fairer Than Morning"

She joins Marianne Evans' Hearts Crossing, Elaine Cooper's The Road To Deer Run, and Karen Witemeyer's A Tailor-Made Bride. We now have all four finalists vying for the ultimate COTT honor.

Voting for the Big Winner is going on RIGHT NOW, and continues all week long. The big announcement will be made on November 12th. Public vote determines the outcome, and one reader will receive a Grand Prize of 15 books!!! Want a shot at it? Enter by sharing links, putting up buttons and banners on your blog, becoming a follower of COTT (just make sure you tell them you've done so--they aren't psychics!) Details on the prize basket and full instructions on how to enter can be found here. To make it easy to grab n go, here are the banner and button codes.

Here's the button code:

Find me on twitter @MLMassaro, and Facebook.

Good luck!!!!!!

Blog Tour: A Lasting Impression (Belmont Mansion, Book 1) by Tamera Alexander

2011-11-05T00:01:00.002-04:00

A Lasting Impression
by Tamera Alexander
Copyright 2011
Bethany House Publishers
432 pages
ISBN: 9780764206221

The hopes and dreams of many Americans were crushed following the Civil War and the nation was never the same. Two very different people, one a forger of fine art and the other an attorney looking out for his employer's best interest, cross paths in post-bellum all in the shadow of Belmont Mansion and its mistress. Can two people from different worlds set aside their pasts and look ahead to a future of love or will their lives be crushed by lies and deceptions? A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander is truly a work of art.

In this masterfully told story of hope and second chances, the splendor of one of the country's finest homes provides a backdrop for a story that will capture your attention completely. It's a rarity to find a book with such a gorgeous setting let alone one with a cast of characters such as those created by Ms. Alexander. Not only will you hear the fans flapping in the hands of young ladies in Belmont's ballroom but you also feel every emotion and struggle faced by Claire. At times it's a pure nervousness, wondering whether or not Claire's past will be discovered.

If you're a fan of Tamera's previous works this story is very different but her traditional attention to detail and "real" character's are present. With this book Tamera has proven that she's not just a writer of westerns but southern fiction as well. This is no 3-hour quick read but a thick, juicy novel to savor and treasure like a bright, sunny day.

To read what others are saying about the book go HERE.

*I received my complimentary copy through Litfuse Publicity group in exchange for posting this honest review.*

*****************************

Kindle Fire Giveaway and Facebook Party from Tamera Alexander!

While Tamera and her book, A Lasting Impression, are traveling across the country virtually

(with a few international stops as well!), she will be hosting a Kindle

Fire Giveaway (11/4 - 11/15) and preparing for a lavish Southern-Style Facebook Party (11/15) (dripping with hospitality, of course). She will be giving away Southern Food

Baskets, books, and an array of other fabulous freebies! Don't miss a

minute of the fun. Swoon!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One grand prize winner will receive:

A Brand New Kindle Fire (shipped as soon as it releases)
A copy of A Lasting Impression and 3 other special books Tamera wants you to have (for Kindle)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on November 15th. Winner will be announced at A Lasting Impression Facebook Party on the 15th. Tamera will be wrapping up the A Lasting Impression celebration

with an author chat and giving away Southern Food Baskets (Loveless

Cafe Food Baskets, books, Amazon & Starbucks gift certificates, and

copies of Christy Jordan's Southern Plate cookbook), six gift certificates to Starbucks and Amazon.com, and copies of A Lasting Impression! So grab your copy of A Lasting Impression (it's

okay if you don't have one yet- you might win one!) and join Tamera on

the evening of November 15th for an author chat, a trivia contest (How

much do you know about the 1860's?) and lots of Southern-inspired

giveaways (complete listing here).

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on the 15th!

Romance and Cowboys in Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble

2011-11-02T00:01:00.001-04:00

Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble
Copyright 2011
Thomas Nelson Publishers
348 pages
ISBN: 9781595542694

There's nothing I like more than a cowboy hero and Colleen Coble sure knows how to write 'em. With each book in the Lonestar series the characters just keep getting better and better and the romances are sweeter. Whether you're a fan of westerns or not Coble ropes you into life on a Texas ranch, so much so that you don't want to leave as it feels like you're abandoning old friends. There's no such thing as a slow beginning in any of the books of the series including this one. It's almost a guarantee that you will be turning page after page until you get to the end--in one sitting!

At first glance I thought that this wasn't going to feature a lovely cowboy (is that an oxymoron?) but some city slicker named Kent but I am SO glad one of Coble's famous cowboys soon came on the scene. From the first chapter on you can't help but want everything to work out for Eden and Clay and hope that they discover the daughter they never stopped loving in Bluebird Crossing, Texas. The sparks fly between the two in spite of how Eden left things when she ran out on Clay years ago. If you're a romance junkie who thrives on tension, you will be pleased. ;-) The foster kids who are guests at the ranch are so adorable and you will just love the ending of their story too!

Some parts of the story were slightly hard to believe for example, I couldn't believe a mother would ever give up hope of finding her child alive, especially if she was never proved to be dead but it was still a story I wouldn't hesitate to read again. If you're used to a ton of action and adventure this book is kind of low key in that aspect but there is a touch more suspense than your regular run of the mill romances. All in all I recommend this entire series including, Lonestar Angel to everyone who loves a sweet, not to preachy romance.

To read more about the book go HERE

To learn more about the author go HERE

*I received my complimentary copy of this book through Booksneeze. I was not obligated to provide a positive review.*

Tournament of Champions: Third Week Recap

2011-10-31T00:01:00.001-04:00

*Guest post by Michelle Massaro

Week THREE of COTT's Tournament of Champions saw four more authors compete and three more scavenger hunts played.

Here's a recap:

On Monday, players were sent to Elaine Cooper's Blog with a mission: Find the full name of the girl Nathaniel Stearns falls in love with in the book trailer video on her home page. Renee C won a $10 Amazon gift card from Marianne Evans, author of Hearts Crossing.

Tuesday, the hunt was on at Shellie Neumeier's Blog. The question: What is the name of the book Shellie co-wrote with Lisa Lickel? Tammy G won a $10 Amazon gift card from April Gardner, author of Wounded Spirits.

Wednesday we were led to Naomi Musch's Blog. The question: In her new release, The Red Fury, Colette's daughter Lainey is seeking solace from tragic loss and two searing rejections by doing what 2 things? B.J. Robinson won a $10 CBD gift card donated by Ann Gaylia O'Barr, author of Singing in Babylon.

Want your own spending spree? Be sure to play in this week's hunts. Check Clash of the Titles for game info.

And what about the competing books? Who won?

Karen Witemeyer's A Tailor-Made Bride and Lena Nelson Dooley's Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico battled on Monday. A Tailor-Made Bride came out the winner.

Christine Lindsay's Shadowed in Silk and Naomi Musch's The Green Veil struck swords on Wednesday. The Green Veil took the top spot.

These two victorious titles competed together on Friday to determine which would move on to the finals for a chance to win the Laurel Award. And that finalist is...

Karen Witemeyer's A Tailor-Made Bride!

There are now three finalists vying for the ultimate COTT honor. In this final week they'll be joined by a fourth book, then all will be thrown into the ring until only ONE remains. Who will it be? It's up to readers to decide, so cast your votes!

The Laurel will be awarded on November 4th, along with the 15-book grand prize that will be given to one lucky reader. Want a shot at it? You can enter by sharing links, putting up buttons and banners on your blog, becoming a follower of COTT, etc. Details on the prize basket and full instructions on how to enter can be found here. To make it easy to grab n go, here are the banner and button codes (just don't forget to let them know if you put them up!)

Here's the button code:

* Michelle Massaro is the Assistant Editor for COTT. Find her on twitter @MLMassaro, Facebook, and Adventures In Writing.

Princes and Dragons in Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

2011-10-28T20:14:00.000-04:00

Veiled Rose (Tales of Goldstone Wood, Book 2)
by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Copyright 2011
Bethany House Publishers
400 pages
ISBN: 9780764207822

I'm not usually one to pick up books labeled as fantasy but whenever I have I enjoyed them--unfortunately I didn't care for this one. It wasn't the writing style, which was fine, but I didn't feel any connection at all to the characters and Prince Leo annoyed me. He seemed very immature and, well, snotty. I realize he was a child when we first met him but he remained pretty much the same throughout his young adult years. Granted, at the end of the story in his encounter with Rose Red he was truthful about himself and accepting of her so that gave him a tad more appeal but still not enough to make me want to read the next book to see what happens next. Rose Red was a decent character and her loyalty to the Prince and Southland was unfailing in spite of being cruelly treated.

I guess maybe I just didn't "get" this story. It probably would have helped if I had read the first book, Heartless, but time didn't permit. I will say one thing about this series--the covers are amazing! Don't get me wrong, I love books with pretty pastel covers but these are so mysterious and somewhat foreboding and not something you see everyday on a Christian fiction book.

If you are a fan of fantasy or fairy tales or have middle school aged children who are this might be a series for your home library. Even if you don't like religious fiction this series may still be enjoyable since there are only parallels to Christianity and no "preachiness."

To learn more about the author visit her WEBSITE

* I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review.*

Drama, Drama, Drama in Julie Lessman's A Heart Revealed

2011-10-27T00:01:00.000-04:00

A Heart Revealed (Winds of Change, Bk 2)
by Julie Lessman
Copyright 2011
Revell Books
512 pages
ISBN: 9780800734169

Are you surprised by the title of this post? Well you won't be since you now know that this is a review of Julie Lessman's latest novel, A Heart Revealed. If you are at all familiar with this series you know that drama is the key to each of these stories. If you're like me the more drama, the better and it comes in spades in this book.

Continuing the O'Connor saga is the story of Emma Malloy and Sean, the eldest O'Connor sibling. Each has a past that they let control their future and both must learn to give it to God for a chance at happiness. The unfolding story of Emma and Sean's romance is one that is sweet, passionate, and altogether frustrating. A friend asked if I threw the book across the room as I was reading, well let me just say that there are black and green spots on my wall where there once was only white paint. Emma is almost too giving and good. I wanted to throttle that girl if she tried to push Rose off on a certain character one more time and trust me I'm not violent in the least! If there's ever a series where you feel so connected to the characters it's this one! They come alive and one even has a cute quirk that will have you craving chocolate.

So grab a Snickers, a few lemon drops and a caffeinated beverage (you're gonna need it because you will want to stay up past midnight) and your copy of A Heart Revealed today. You won't regret it! If you haven't read a book by Julie I suggest getting to know the O'Connor family by reading the books in order starting with A Passion Most Pure, Book One in the Daughters of Boston series and going from there. Happy Reading!

To learn more about Julie and her books visit HER WEBSITE and don't forget to check out her JOURNAL JOTS page!

*I received my copy from the author in a giveaway. I was not obligated to post a review much less a positive one.*

Waiting on Wednesday!

2011-10-26T00:01:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I've done one of these posts but thanks to my friend Rel @ Relz Reviewz and her great post on new Bethany House releases in Summer 2012 I had to post this!

The book I'm looking forward to the most next summer is...

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

About the book:
No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

Doesn't this sound terrific? I LOVE Karen's books and I just know this is going to be so cute! Can't wait till Summer!!!

**********************

Jill over @ Breaking the Spine hosts a weekly meme that features one book that you can't wait to be released! Be sure to visit Jill's site to see what she and other readers can't wait to get their hands on.

A World Where Chocolate is Illegal Is Here in All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

2011-10-25T20:55:00.001-04:00

All These Things I've Done
by Gabrielle Zevin
Copyright 2011
Farrar, Straus, & Giroux Books
368 pages
ISBN: 9780374302108

Can you imagine living in a world where chocolate is illegal and caffeine is strictly forbidden? I know this girl couldn't go on without an occasional Hershey Bar or daily glass of Mountain Dew. Oh the horror! Gabrielle Zevin, best selling author has created a world where this is reality and laws change at the drop of a hat, resulting in an underground lucrative black market where chocolate and those who control its distribution are king.

Anya Balanchine, the 16-year-old daughter of the deceased head of a notorious crime family wants nothing to do with illegal chocolate but those around her including her older brother, Leo pull her in. Like most young adult fiction these days there's a bit of forbidden romance (and potentially a love triangle!) which only adds to the drama in Anya's life. Despite being only sixteen most of the responsibility rests on her shoulders and Anya must learn to grow up and embrace the life that she shuns--the life that continues the legacy of her father.

In spite of the "heaviness" of this story Gabrielle Zevin manages to make life in the late 21st century easy to relate to. Sure not many of us are members of a crime family (at least I hope) but we can all relate to caring for siblings, coping with the pressures of high school our faith, and the risks involved in love. Anya is easy to like and no matter how much she wants to avoid it this girl fits the mold of tough-as-nails mob daughter. I could see her in the Godfather movies any day of the week. No worries though, there's no violence that's over the top or inappropriate for a YA novel. It's actually pretty decent compared to a lot of the YA out there these days.
In general I really liked this book and would definitely like to see where Anya's new alliances take her in the future. The ending was somewhat bland and I wasn't wishing that I had the next book to jump right back in but I'm definitely intrigued by Anya's world and will probably read the sequel when it's released.

Note: Strong language throughout, some violence and sensuality.

To learn more about Gabrielle visit her WEBSITE

*I received my complimentary copy through Zeitghost Media in exchange for posting this review*