And, just to say this, Laura Frantz's upcoming book is called Love's Fortune. The cover has yet to be revealed, but I'm sure that it will be as beautiful as the first two covers in this series. If you haven't read Love's Reckoning or Love's Awakening I recommend that you do. Laura has a way of writing that steals your breath away and makes you feel like you are walking through the pages of the book laughing, crying, hurting, and loving with the characters.
Just wanted to share the upcoming release of novels by some of my favorite authors! I was so excited to learn that Janette Oke and her daughter have a new novel coming out. I have read most all of Janette Oke's books. My favorite series was When Calls the Heart. Can't wait to read Where Courage Calls! This book is the first to be published by Rooglewood Press--which Anne Elisabeth Stengl has started. Jill Stengl is Anne Elisabeth Stengl's mother. This is Jill's first novel. She has written things before, but only novellas. She hasn't had anything new released in 7 years. I can't wait to read this book! I have to say, I'm a big Tamera Alexander fan. I've read all of her books. This one looks absolutely wonderful. However, after this one I'm hoping she will do something other than a Belmont Mansion novel. Her most recent books have been set in such similar settings that they are beginning to blur together. I was so excited to see this one! I adore Karen Witemeyer! So far, out of all of her books, To Win Her Heart has been my favorite. Isn't the cover adorable! This cover makes me breathless just looking at it! I have enjoyed this talented author's books immensely. I hope the story lives up to what the cover promises! I became a fan of Christian fantasy because of Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Each book is intricately interwoven with the other, though each can be understood even if read out of order. Except for Veiled Rose and Moonblood. Those are the only two that should be read together. If you don't like fantasy, reading one of Anne Elisabeth's books will definitely change your mind! I can't wait for Shadow Hand! This intriguing title snagged my attention immediately. I've never read anything this author has written before, but I would love to read this book. Who doesn't love Susan May Warren? Happily Ever After and My Foolish Heart are my absolute favorites out of all she has written. It Had to be You looks like a lovely read. And last, but certainly not least, Francine Rivers newest book, Bridge to Haven. Like all of her books, I'm sure that this one will be a heart and life changing book. I am dying to read all of these books!
And, just to say this, Laura Frantz's upcoming book is called Love's Fortune. The cover has yet to be revealed, but I'm sure that it will be as beautiful as the first two covers in this series. If you haven't read Love's Reckoning or Love's Awakening I recommend that you do. Laura has a way of writing that steals your breath away and makes you feel like you are walking through the pages of the book laughing, crying, hurting, and loving with the characters.
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One day my 13-year-old sister, Hannah, was so bored she was staring at me while I was reading a particularly good book. I sighed, "Hannah, what are you doing?"
"Staring at you." "You don't have something to read...or something?" "No." I thought for a moment. "All right, then." I stood up, grabbed my Kindle and scrolled around until I found the book I was looking for. I had gotten Anne Elisabeth Stengl's first book, Heartless free on Kindle a couple of days ago. I had read it and loved it. Maybe my sister would too. "Here," I handed her my Kindle. "Read that. You'll like it." So she did and she and I have both been fans of Anne Elisabeth's wonderful novels ever since. We have read all of this wonderful author's books except for the newly released Goddess Tithe, which we are both dying to read along with Anne Elisabeth's next book Shadow Hand. Here is Hannah's review on Heartless. Hope you like it! Heartless, by Anne Elizabeth Stengel, was by far one of my all-time favorite books. All of the characters were perfectly formed and throughout the book I was clearly able to learn their personalities. My favorite character would have to be Aethelbald but I guess that doesn't count since he is perfect. A close second would have to be Death-and –Life. I know it sounds weird but he was such a creepily cool, evil character. At the beginning of the book, Una seemed to be a wonderful character, but I couldn't help but stop liking her when she carelessly gave her heart away. I was also completely shocked (in a good way) when Death-and -Life’s kiss turned her into a dragon. I loved the way Aethelbald continuously searched for Una even though she kept rejecting him. My favorite scene would have to be when Una finally gave in and Aethalbald gave her his heart so that she would live (sigh). All in all, Heartless was a lovely fantasy-filled book and I am giving it five shiny gold stars out of five. Felicia Murdock has been living a life not her own for the past four years while trying to catch the eye of a certain minister. When he gets married to someone else, she has to set herself and her priorities straight—which is a little humbling.
Grayson Sumner has a past that he’s not too proud of and a little Chinese daughter that is a little hard to explain. He decides to settle in New York to try to find some semblance of normalcy for both himself and his child. But when he meets Miss Murdock he realizes that his life will never be normal again! He quickly realizes that she has a talent for something that no woman he has ever met has had a talent for. Trouble! First of all, what a delightful cover! Pure eye candy! I’m certain it works to help the reader want to read if even more for I knew it did me! I am quite familiar with Jen Turano’s work and got exactly what I expected when I read this novel. Nothing more and nothing less. It was cute, fluffy, frothy fun just like all of her books. Felicia was a sweet character with excellent development—as was Grayson. However, the book only focuses on those two characters giving little chance for other characters to become more developed. I felt as though the only other character that was somewhat developed besides the obvious main two was Felicia’s mother, Ruth. I believe this gave a stifled aspect to the book, not allowing the reader to get to know any of the minor characters. I got to know Felicia and Grayson so well that I could almost predict what they were going to do next! I also felt somewhat annoyed sometimes because it seemed as though Grayson and Felicia were somehow always at odds with one another and when they weren't they were being interrupted by something or someone, giving them almost no time alone. Also, one thing I thought was odd was that Felicia's father was completely left out of the book even though he was alive and well. I kept on wanting to meet him but he was mentioned very rarely and only said one thing near the end of the book. Jen Turano’s books are never very deep spiritually or mentally. It is pretty much you get what you see—or read in this case. I know this sounds strange—but reading her books is always like eating cotton candy to me. Sweet and sugary for a moment and then gone the next instant. Nothing of substance. But her work is always very entertaining and comical. If you are looking for a read that will make you smile A Talent for Trouble will definitely be a good choice for you. A Talent for Trouble could have delved even deeper into God and His truth. The potential was there. But—like always—it didn’t. Grayson did ask forgiveness from God in the end but no scene was actually portrayed of him doing so—which I was a little disappointed in. Also, now that I think about it, I don’t think any scripture was actually used in this book. That kind of reveals how shallow it is right there. I will give credit to Grayson to being a little deeper than the rest not because of him but because of the mistakes of his past. I was very interested in that. Also, while reading this book, I kept on feeling a sense of déjà vu. I read Jen Turano’s novella Gentleman of Her Dreams before I read A Talent for Trouble and found remarkable similarities between them. In fact, if the two were combined it would have made for a better book! All in A Talent for Trouble is frothy fun that is good for a laugh. But it will not challenge the reader in any way spiritually or mentally. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. *I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for the purpose of this review Description: Johnnie James is a successful accountant with a prestigious Atlanta firm when her newest client brings Johnnie to Táino Castle, an island fortress once the stronghold of an infamous pirate and now a luxury hotel. The owner, Esteban Ventura, proves to be an elusive package of contrasts, managing to leave Johnnie feeling both frustrated and flattered.
Johnnie finds her sanctuary high above the rocky cliffs in the tower suite, where a wrought iron balcony provides an exquisite view of the sea. But the tower is rumored to be haunted, and Johnnie is quickly introduced to the eerie voices filtering through the castle's labyrinth of darkened tunnels. When pirates begin prowling the placid waters of the Caribbean, Johnnie wonders if the castle's history has forever tainted the surrounding beauty. The truth behind the man and the castle is shrouded in ancient secrets and timeless greed but in discovering it, will Johnnie lose what she holds most dear? This is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s older and probably not published anymore so this book is often overlooked. It’s very unique in its presentation and execution. Jonnie, the heroine of the book, is a warm, lovable character with understandable flaws that often lead her into embarrassing situations. Esteban, her love interest, is an enigma that she is constantly trying to unravel, not realizing that he views her in the same way. Their growing love for each other is sweet, lovely, and—at times—even a little heart-wrenching. I love how The Balcony incorporates poetry and scripture. This novel is also well researched with beautiful little details that just enhance the overall story. There is always something happening, some mystery going on, or some mishap that needs to be righted. To my knowledge, this is Lynn Morris’s only solo book apart from her father. I absolutely adore her writing and would love it if she wrote another book by herself. Jonnie and Esteban are some of my very favorite literary characters. Every character in this book is well developed and memorable. This is a story that sticks in your mind long after you've turned the last page. There’s a type of perfection to this book that I have rarely found in other books. Disregarding the poetry incorporated, it’s quite lovely. However, because of the poetry, The Balcony sticks out even more from ordinary books. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for something fresh and extraordinary. I give The Balcony 5 out of 5 stars. This is a special blog post. My blogger friend and I decided to do a dual review on The Reason. I'm posting my review first, then hers. Enjoy!
Brooke's Review A huge, old, wooden church cross falls in the middle of a lightning storm…can it be fixed? James Lindy, an old, godly minister is blind…can he ever see again? Alex, a little boy, has leukemia…can he become well? Miracles begin to happen in that small town of Michigan. Miracles that seem to revolve around a simple carpenter…Kenneth. But even with those miracles things seem to be getting worse and worse. One phrase is repeated over and over in the minds and hearts of these people. Only believe. The Reason started out extremely slow for me. I just couldn't get into it until Kenneth popped up in Pastor Jim’s church. That was around page 100. However, the characters were well developed. I thought, at the beginning of the book, that there were just too many characters. But the author did a very good job of developing each of them. However, I believe he could have condensed two of the female characters into one and the book would have picked up somewhat. I thought that Brooke, Alex’s mom, could have been a little better developed. She was the average single mom. I thought that something could have been added to her character to have made her even more special. She was probably the most predictable out of all the characters in the book. I really liked Pastor Jim. He had a wonderful sense of humor, even though he was blind. I don’t think any reader can help but like him. I also enjoyed getting to know his seven foot son, Charlie. Charlie was unique. I have never read about another character like him. I loved the relationship between Charlie and little Alex. It was adorable and well portrayed. If you are going to read The Reason then you’ll figure out quickly who Kenneth is supposed to be, though the book never actually says it. He kept on popping up whenever somebody needed him. I looked up his name, thinking that maybe his name had some allegorical quality, but it didn’t. However, the name Kenneth seemed to suit him anyway. This wasn't my usual reading material. I like things with more romantic elements. There was absolutely no romance in this book. Because of my personal preference, I’m naturally going to like this book less. But it was interesting to read, nonetheless. I felt that both the beginning and a place near the end utterly dragged. I was so bored that I nearly put it down, but did not because I was obligated to read it. Also, all the miracles seemed somewhat unbelievable. I thought that if the author could have toned them down a little I would have bought them more. Yes, miracles happen today. But the way that some of the miracles were presented just seemed too unreal. I give The Reason 3 out of 5 stars. Danyelle's Review Normally I like dramatic stories with plot twists and a gritty-realistic look on life, but books like this are hard for me to swallow. Not only do I not like books about pediatric leukemia but I hate how those books usually end. This isn't the first book that I've read about this and it probably won't be the last but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I also didn't like the turn this books takes after about the hundred page mark. It took the story from believable to unrealistic and unfair. Not to mention chapter thirteen was missing! William made a major mistake for me when he made Kenneth. Kenneth is an interesting character that seems to know everything about everything and you have a feeling who he is though it's never really mentioned. Kenneth is a carpenter who fixes things instantly and is supposed to be Jesus. I found this character choice very biblically inaccurate because I don't believe that Jesus is walking the earth and I can guarantee when he comes back he's not going to be healing. I felt that Kenneth was a major mistake for the author and he should've never gone there. The other characters of this story were half developed and I only got a glimpse of half of their lives. It felt like a jigsaw puzzle but even put together it felt incomplete and like it was only half of the true picture. I think there were too many characters to properly develop and if the author had had less maybe it wouldn't feel so disjointed. Another problem I had with this book is the answers given to the hard intellectually stumping questions that the characters ask. I felt that most of the questions were glossed over and not really answered and the ones that were answered made no sense or wouldn't bring me the peace that it supposedly brings the characters. It seems like the characters accept the non answers given to them without question whereas I felt unsatisfied with them. Another problem was the slow pace. This book dragged on between exciting moments and I was half tempted to just put it down but because of my obligation to review it and my OCD ways about finishing books, I couldn't. It started out on a nice front but quickly slowed down to the point where I wondered why I was even reading it and sped back up again at the end. The ending was pretty much the way I figured until the author had to put the unrealistic and really unfair ending. This author definitely didn't help those in grieving with this ending and I think his ending choice made less of an impact than it would've if he would've left it alone. The only bright spot of this book is the adorable and innocent relationship between Charlie and Alex. I loved it and I loved how a lot if attention was put there. Seeing the relationship between them was absolutely sweet and adorable and made the story so much better, but it didn't save it for me, just helped bump it up a number or two. I really wish this book would've been better. This author hasn't impressed me with this book and I don't fully know why this book is even here. The missing thirteenth chapter made me think I was crazy for a second then came across as cheesy. I don't know if it was intentional but if it was it was another mistake for this author. I don't know if I'll read anything by this author again but I won't have the same expectation that I had for this one. Overall, I didn't like this book at all except for Charlie and Alex. I don't really recommend but this book might be enjoyed by those who enjoy miracles. Keep this book away from your kids and keep it just for the adults. I give this book a two out of five. *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.* Here is the link to Danyelle's blog if anybody is interested. http://danyelle0423.wordpress.com/ Vartan is the crown prince of Astara. Besieged by a man aided by the dark lord Phaon, Vartan knows that he has no chance of winning the battle that he is challenged to.
But for the sake of honor and his country, he knows that he has to fight. Even if to fight means to die. Danae has fallen in love with the prince, though godless he may be. For Vartan does not believe in Danae’s God, or any other God, save his own wit and will and pride. If he does accept Athan and His Son Eisa…will Vartan be able to defeat not only a man…but the very Spirit of Darkness? Giver of Roses was an excellent Christian allegory/fantasy. The teachings of the Bible and Jesus were clearly depicted in the novel. But it also had fantasy elements that enhanced the beauty of the land of Gadiel. My favorite part of Giver of Roses was the dragons and their dragonmaids. I found it fascinating how the author gave her own definition of a dragon and what one would be like in the land of Gadiel. She also used descriptive, beautiful language which made the book all that more enjoyable. I am always looking for that kind of writing in books, especially in fantasy books. Danae was a sweet, selfless character whom I enjoyed. She was faithful to Vartan no matter what happened to him or what he did. Vartan, on the other hand, was prideful but exactly what a prince ought to be. He was handsome and willing to give his life for his country and family. They were both well-developed characters with flaws and virtues. One complaint I have would be how the book ended. (spoiler alert) Vartan and Danae do not get married and were kept apart by circumstances that they could not help. But since this is the first book in a trilogy, there will be time for them to get together some way. By the way, for anybody who is looking, the other two books in the trilogy are not written yet. I also thought that there was too much description of how the war was proceeding and where the guards should go to fight. I found myself bored by that. In a movie, it would be fine. But in a book…I just don’t believe that it’s necessary. I would have liked to learn more about the dragons and their dragonmaids than anything. I give Giver of Roses 4 out of 5 stars. A good Christian fantasy, but not amazing. I am so glad to be participating in Alana Terry's blog tour! There is a really neat giveaway at the end of this blog post that Alana is hosting. Be sure to enter after reading my review on The Beloved Daughter! The audiobook version of Alana's bestselling debut novel is narrated by Kathy Garver, a four-time Audie award winner and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from the Motion Picture Council. (You might also recognize Kathy as Cissy from the TV show Family Affair.) Listen to a sample of the audiobook at this link http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/The-Beloved-Daughter-Audiobook/B00FY50Z6K/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1383156756&sr=1-1 Or buy the e-book at this link : http://amzn.to/10bLi5l or the paperback here http://smarturl.it/tbd At twelve years old Chung Cha is taken in the middle of the night from her parents. She is put in a building where she sees both her father and mother separately.
The guards who took her interrogate them both. Chung Cha’s mother denies Christ. Chung Cha’s father does not. Because he doesn’t, Chung Cha is tortured so that her father will finally give in and deny Christ so that he can save her. Chung Cha thinks, day after day of torturing, that he never will. But one day she is told that her father has denied Christ and hung himself in his cell. She and her mother are then transferred to Camp 22. An evil, depraved place where Chung Cha has to grow up fast. Almost a decade later, Chung Cha is falsely accused and sent to a prison. There she meets the Old Woman. There the seeds of her faith are replanted. But when the Old Woman dies…what will happen? The Beloved Daughter is a realistic first person retelling of the life of one girl who experienced horrible, unspeakable things because of a corrupt government, and the immorality that that government so encouraged. This novel puts a whole new perspective on faith. It’s easy, here in America, to believe in Christ. Because nobody is telling you that you can’t. But in North Korea either you either deny Christ, or you are tortured and put to death. Not to mention the ones you love. I couldn't help but wonder what I would do if I was put in Chung Cha’s position. The utter wickedness and spiritual darkness this novel reveals about North Korea is overwhelming. Chung Cha is just one victim out of thousands. Alana Terry did an excellent job on research and making this novel heartbreakingly realistic. Chung Cha was a character who was made strong by many trials. My favorite character, however, was the Old Woman. She certainly lived the verse “the joy of the Lord is my strength”. I was surprised when I discovered that The Beloved Daughter has some allegorical qualities. Each name of every character has a meaning that somehow relates to the circumstances of that part of the novel. Alana Terry has a beautiful and faith-filled writing voice. For instance, “Our soul’s yearnings remind us that heaven is our true home…It is only there that we will ever find real and lasting freedom.” The Old Woman was talking to Chung Cha when she was saying this. There were several other places in the novel that I marked because of the lovely words that can apply to life. (spoiler alert) I was confused in one part near the end of the novel. The story reveals that Chung Cha’s father actually died earlier than Chung Cha thought. Before she was tortured, even. I thought that was strange. If Chung Cha’s father was dead before she was tortured then why was she tortured at all? The book suggests that perhaps it was the guards’ intent to destroy her faith entirely. But I just don’t think it adds up. There are many wild twists and turns in The Beloved Daughter. Something was always happening, so I was never bored with it. Each chapter all the way down to the last one ended with a note of suspense. First I thought somebody was dead only to find that he was really alive. Then somebody else was dead but…no, wait. He’s alive, too! I liked the unpredictability of the novel. It held my attention extremely well. Another favorite character of mine was Moses. He turned out to be somebody quite unexpected. I really liked him though it seemed like he had to compromise his faith in order to be who he was. I hope that Alana Terry’s next book has more to do with him. He seemed like an extremely complex character. All in all I give The Beloved Daughter 41/2 out of 5 stars. *The author provided me with an e-book copy of The Beloved Daughter You can enter a $100 giveaway to Amazon or Target (you choose) hosted by Alana Terry. Second Prize: Choose from the Prize Gallery (facebook.com/alanaterrywrites) Follow this link to the giveaway http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f0028f6/ Still Lolo tells the story of the life of a beautiful, vibrant woman who met with horrible tragedy. After taking a plane ride, Lauren Scruggs gets off the plane and walks into the propeller. In one moment, her life is altered. She loses an eye as well as her hand in the accident.
How will she ever rise above this devastating and life-changing event? This is not my normal reading. I normally read fiction, but I was intrigued by the title and the synopsis of this book. I never felt bored with it. It kept my attention all the way through. Lauren, her sister, and her parents are interesting people whom I wouldn’t mind meeting. The book starts out with the story of how Lauren and Brittney (Lauren’s twin) are born. That in itself was a miracle. This book is filled with miracles. Reading it, I was very thankful that I have both my arms and legs. Learning to live without a limb would be extremely difficult, but Lauren Scruggs managed to learn and survive to tell her story. One thing that I thought really moved the story along was how it was written. Still Lolo is told not only from Lauren’s point of view but from Brittney, Jeff, and Cheryl’s point of view as well (Jeff and Cheryl are Lauren’s parents). Different perspectives and different writing styles kept me intrigued and entertained. The language of the novel is vivid and descript, reading almost like fiction, though it is the story of someone’s life. I loved Jeff and Cheryl’s story and their testimony of getting divorced and then remarried. I really liked the pictures in the book as well. They helped me to relate more so to Lauren and her family. Everything in the book was well-written. I also really liked how the book skipped from the accident to the past. Reading Still Lolo will make you thankful for what you have and make you wonder if you could handle something as tragic as Lauren Scruggs did. After the accident, her life was different. But it was just as full—if not more full—than before. My only complaint with this book is that they didn’t wait a few more years to write it. I wanted Lauren to find the love of her life in the end and marry him. Unfortunately, she didn’t. But I did enjoy reading about Lauren’s valiant struggle against the darkness that infiltrates her life. She shone forth with the light and love of Jesus in the end. And that is the testimony that every true Christian woman should have. I give Still Lolo a 4.5 star rating. *Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. Grant Borrows is walking down the street to work one day and realizes…he’s somebody else…
And he suddenly has an unexplainable power… His world shatters to pieces…and his very destiny is revealed to him though he has to struggle to get the pieces in order to figure it out. Is he just a pawn for powerful figures to play with? Or is he really the fulfillment of a prophesy as ancient as Creation? Relentless explodes into action on the first page and doesn't ever let up. Even the last page is full of danger and suspense. I don’t normally read books like this, but I was pleasantly surprised with Relentless. It took me a while to get into it, since I had absolutely no idea what was happening to Grant for at least the first 50 pages. But the action and mystery drew me in and I began to figure out Grant’s future with him. When it seemed like Grant would fight and fight and fight to get any scrap of information he could, I was slightly bewildered. It seemed as if that each piece of information was nothing but another dead end mystery. But Grant eventually got what he so desperately wanted. However, he had to fight hard. And there were grave casualties at times for all the danger he had to constantly be in in order to figure out clearly what was happening to him. Relentless is an extremely clean read. It had no language whatsoever except when Hannah, Grant’s love interest says, “And God knows…”. Grant falls in love and kisses his girlfriend once, but that is the extent of it. However, Relentless, had no biblical or moral values that I could find. If there was one, it was lost in the relentless action. There was a passage of scripture to reveal how the mysterious rings of the Loci came to be. Which I found quite interesting. But no personal relationship with Christ was talked about, for the characters didn't have one. Anything about God seems to be left out of the picture, which I think is kind of sad. Relentless could have been much better than it was because of that. I enjoyed the mystery, suspense, and assassins. I thought that the two assassins in this book were really well written. Grant Borrows has one huge strength and many small weaknesses. That strength seems to make up for most of those weaknesses in the end, though. I also thought that Alex was a strange and intriguing character. I kept on wondering why she was barefoot, though the book never revealed why. I give Relentless 31/2 out of five stars. |
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AuthorI love Jesus, taking long walks, reading, writing, (did I mention reading?) and eating chocolate. Archives
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