Both free until Tuesday at midnight from multiple vendors!Monday, September 30, 2013
Made to Last by Melissa Tagg
This is a wonderful, humorous story about a young woman who gets in way over her head when she keeps up a marriage charade for the sake of the homebuilding TV show she stars in. When Miranda Woodruff auditioned for the show, she talked about her fiance, Robbie, and that he taught her all she knows. However, she didn't expect that he would run out on her before the wedding and that she would have to pretend she had a husband for the last three years. Now her ratings are slipping and the show is in danger of being cancelled, so she agrees to introduce her mystery husband to the public. To make matters more complicated, she's also being shadowed by a reporter who's looking for a career boost as well. Will he see the truth and expose her or protect her secret? Will she finally be able to trust and love again?
What a well-written debut novel! The characters are wonderfully real, with flaws and quirks. There were so many wonderful male characters it was almost hard to figure out who she might end up with, so I hope their stories will be continued as a series. I really liked that sign language with a deaf niece was included; it was a nice, unique touch and added a lot to Matthew's story. The romance was very sweet and I liked the focus on forgiveness, making things right, and grace. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for her next one!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Fired Up Review! Also Enter to Win a Kindle Fire HD from Mary Connealy and RSVP for her Live Webcast Event!
Dare Riker is a doctor who saves lives, but someone seems determined to end his. It may have something to do with the traitors he dealt with during the Civil War, or it might be related to the recent incident with Flint Greer and the ranch. Whoever the culprit is, he or she seems really fired up, and Dare can't let his guard down for a moment, which is a challenge, since right now he's trying to win the heart of the recently widowed Glynna.
Glynna Greer came west as a mail-order bride and ended up in a bad situation. Now her husband, Flint, is dead, and she's determined to care for her son and daughter on her own. She wants to believe Dare Riker is as decent as he seems, but she's terrified to lock herself into another marriage. She plans to support her small family by opening a diner---never mind that cooking is not her greatest talent. The men in Broken Wheel, Texas, are so desperate for home cooking that they seem willing to overlook dried-out beef and blackened biscuits.
Glynna can't help but notice that danger follows Dare wherever he goes. There's the avalanche. And then the fire. But things really get out of hand when someone plunges a knife from Glynna's diner into Dare's back. Are Flint's cronies still plotting revenge? Is Glynna's son engaged in a misguided attempt to protect his mother? Is a shadowy outsider still enraged over past injustices? And can Dare survive long enough to convince Glynna to take another chance on love?
My review: I really enjoyed this humorous romance! The group of friends and ex-soldiers from the Civil War, the Regulators, are wonderful heroes and there wasn't a dull moment. The women are tough and feisty and give the men a run for their money. I liked how it was a bit mysterious, since they weren't sure who was trying to kill Dare. The romance was fun, though I wished I had read book one first since that's when Dare and Glynna met. We also get introduced to another couple who I hope book three is about. There were some serious topics dealt with, too, such as abuse and forgiveness, but this is mainly a fun, lighthearted read. I highly recommend it!
I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/oOqGx
Check out other reviews here!
Meet Mary:
Mary Connealy writes fun and lively "romantic comedy with cowboys" for
the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid
Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's Daughters
series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a
two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern
Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.Connect with Mary: http://maryconnealy.com/
Mary Connealy is back with the second book, Fired Up, in her Trouble in Texas series, and she's celebrating with a Kindle Fire giveaway and a LIVE author chat party on October 8th.
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HD
- Swept Away and Fired Up by Mary Connealy
So grab your copy of Fired Up and join Mary and friends on the evening of October 8th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 8th!
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Stranded - Alaskan Courage 3 - by Dani Pettrey
This is a wonderful, suspenseful story about Darcy St. James, a former investigative reporter who gets a call from her former partner for help. Abby has been working undercover on an Alaskan cruise ship, but she's in over her head. Darcy sees her only briefly when she arrives, but then she doesn't show up to their meeting and no one's seen her. As she investigates, the answers she finds lead her to suspect foul play, but what did Abby uncover? She has no idea what Abby was even investigating. Darcy runs into another friend on the ship, Gage McKenna, a man she met 6 months ago when she was writing a story in Yancey, Alaska. He and his siblings run an outdoor adventure company and he just started leading adventure excursions from the same cruise ship. Though they're both drawn to the other, Darcy is a believer and knows Gage is off-limits because of his bitterness and anger at God, while Gage has his own reasons for trying to stay away. Will she be able to find her friend and uncover the story? Will Gage turn to Christ and to her?
I really enjoyed the romance and suspense in this book. I've been on an Alaskan cruise and it was fun to remember, but also a little creepy in light of the story line. It's well-written with very likable characters. I haven't read the first two books in the series and I would recommend you do so first because there was a history between Darcy and Gage that I'm guessing takes place in one or both of the previous books. I can't wait to pick those up! The investigation was very interesting, though sometimes I thought Darcy should have suspected or questioned something that Gage seemed to figure out, since she was the investigative reporter. There's one instance of a British swear word being used, which I don't mind as much as others, but still isn't needed. I loved that Darcy had a strong faith and the clear gospel message in the story. I definitely recommend this book!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Free E-Books, 2 Saturday Only!
http://www.tyndale.com/ebookextra/
Free for kindle through Sept. 29th!Amazon
Giveaway and Review! The Courier of Caswell Hall - An American Tapestry - by Melanie Dobson
This is a very interesting story that takes place during the Revolutionary War. When Lydia Caswell saves a man from the river one wintry night, she has no idea how much her life will change. Her family are strong Loyalists and she suspects Nathan is a Patriot, but she can't let him die. All she wants is for the war to be over and for there to be peace at last. When British soldiers decide to stay at Caswell Hall, she must decide how far she is willing to go to protect Nathan and her family. Her neighbor and friend, Sarah, is trying to run her father's plantation on her own, ever since her brother, Lydia's fiance, joined the Patriots a few years ago. She dreams of adventure and travel, but will she get her wish? Will she ever see the man she loves again?Which side will Lydia choose and which man will ultimately win her heart?
I love learning about history and this was a very exciting time. People weren't sure who were Loyalists and who were Patriots, so there was a lot of distrust and secrecy. I never thought about how hard it would have been to try to hang onto property when soldiers were destroying or taking it and how helpless the people must have felt. Slavery's also dealt with some in the story and I found it interesting to learn that the British offered colonial slaves their freedom if they would join their army. I didn't like finding a swear word in the book. I did like the main characters, but I was extremely annoyed with Lydia's sister and somewhat with her father. I also really liked the multiple plot lines so we could see the various adventures the characters were experiencing. Each book in An American Tapestry series is a stand-alone. I would recommend this if you like historical fiction.
I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
Check out the book's page at Litufse!
litfusegroup.com
Melanie Dobson's latest release, The Courier of Caswell Hall, is a riveting story you won't want to miss. The newest offering in the American Tapestries™ series, it follows an unlikely spy who discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution.
Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!
Five winners will receive:
- The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson
Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 7th to see if you won one of the books!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Love's Awakening - The Ballantyne Legacy 2 - Laura Frantz
This is a wonderful story about Ellie Ballantyne, a young woman who's tired of finishing school and being hounded by the Matrimonial Society of Philadelphia and so decides to return home to Pittsburgh in 1822. While on her way, she gets caught in the storm of the century and is rescued by Jack Turlock, whose family has long been at odds with hers. While her family attend church and follow the law, the Turlocks do all they can to break it. They make their living with whiskey, own slaves, and suspect the Ballantynes of being abolitionists. Ellie's parents are away and her siblings don't seem to want her to stay, but she decides to start a day school for young ladies to occupy her time. She's shocked when Chloe Turlock begs to come. Teaching Chloe puts her around Jack and she must decide if he's like his family or if there's more to him than meets the eye.
I loved this book! It was beautifully written, with descriptions that made me feel I was there. The characters were wonderful and felt as if they would walk off the page. I loved the insight into what was happening in Pennsylvania with abolitionists, slaveholders, and runaway slaves. The author has a note in the back of the book that says "every name and incident involving slaves...is taken from the historical record," which gives the stories she shared even more meaning. This works fine as a stand-alone, but there are some references to book one, as that book is about Ellie's parents' romance. I haven't read it yet, but I can't wait to get to it. It made a lot of favorites lists last year. There's a sweet romance, redemption; it's just a wonderful story. I'm so glad to discover such a talented new author to me!
I received this book free from Revell in exchange for an honest review.
Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
You can connect with Laura Frantz on
her website
http://laurafrantz.net/ or
Free E-Books, One Expires Friday at Midnight!
Both free until Friday at midnight from multiple vendors!David C. Cook
Free for kindle!Amazon
Free for kindle!Amazon
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Apostate: The Men Who Destroyed the Christian West by Kevin Swanson
This is a fascinating book that examines the men who are responsible for the decline of Christian influence on western civilization. These men were raised in the Christian faith or were at least familiar with it, but rebelled and have caused a profound destructive influence on cultures and countries all over the world. Many of these are considered the "great thinkers," but when you look at their impact, you see the destruction they've brought about. The book is divided into three sections. The first section discusses worldviews before studying the different thinkers chronologically, starting with Thomas Aquinas in the 1200's and ending with Jean-Paul Sartre in the 1900's. One idea from Aquinas was a starting point for many of these men and they built on each other's ideas through the years. Their influence, lives, and philosophy are explained. The second section focuses on writers from Shakespeare to Twain to Hemingway. Their lives are discussed and some of their writings are examined to discern what their worldviews really were and what they communicated through their stories. Section three shows how many musicians today are selling these same ideas of existentialism and humanism through their music.
I've heard of most, if not all of these men, and even read some of them in school, and I am familiar with some of their ideas. Of course, what I learned in college about them was not nearly as informative as this book. It was very eye-opening and sad to see the way they lived their lives and chilling to realize what a lasting negative impact they have had on the world. Their ideas have caused murder on a massive scale, not to mention hopelessness, loss of morality, etc. It's frustrating to see how far down we've gone, but the author reminds us that God is still in control. This book is well-written and Swanson's argument well laid out. I think this should be a must-read for everyone, from teenagers on, because we need to realize how much these dangerous ideas are embedded in our culture so we can recognize the truth and take a stand when we see them.
I received this book free from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an honest review.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Free E-books, One Until Tuesday at Midnight!
Free from multiple vendors until Tuesday at midnight!http://www.dccebooks.com/products/reinventing-rachel
Free for kindle! Amazon
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Free E-Books! One Sunday Only!
Free for kindle Sunday only!Amazon
http://www.tyndale.com/ebookextra/
Saturday, September 21, 2013
The Invention of Sarah Cummings - Avenue of Dreams 3 - by Olivia Newport
This is an engrossing story about Sarah Cummings, a parlor maid to the wealthy Banning family in Chicago. After losing her parents when she was young, she lived in an orphanage until going to work at sixteen for the Bannings. She dreams of the day when she'll no longer be a maid and can live the life she deserves, as part of high society. She uses her talent for sewing to not only remake gowns for herself, but to start teaching a sewing class for the older girls at the orphanage. She never wanted to go back there, but is pushed into it by the orphanage director, who not only wants to help the girls, but has a personal interest in Sarah, as well. When she meets a new young woman to town, she introduces herself as Serena Cuthbert, a high society woman, and makes up a fake back story for her fake name. She's finally able to move in the circles she's always wanted to and when she meets a wealthy young man who seems interested, she finally sees a way out. Will she be able to juggle all of the lies, or will the truth finally come out? Will she discover true love and contentment?I have read book two in this series and remembered Sarah as selfish, which she still is for most of the book. However, I feel as though I understand her better and can see why she did what she did. I did have a hard time understanding why the director would like her when he didn't seem to see her good qualities very much, but I guess love is blind. I kept wondering when she would get found out, so that lent some suspense to the story. The day-to-day glimpse of what life would have been like for a maid in this time period and also some of what was happening politically and financially during that time gave a sense of reality to the story. This series has a Downton Abbey feel to it, which I enjoyed. Check it out if you like historical fiction!
I received this book free from Revell in exchange for an honest review.
Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
You can connect with Olivia Newport on her website, facebook or twitter:
Friday, September 20, 2013
Dangerous Passage - Southern Crimes 1 by Lisa Harris
I enjoyed this fast-paced, suspenseful story about Avery North, a detective who thinks she might have a serial killer on her hands! She has two Jane Does with the same magnolia tattoo on their shoulders and as her team investigates, things aren't adding up. She feels pulled in many directions, from being there for her daughter as a single parent, to spending time with her family, and trying to find her brother's killer. She's really not sure she has time for a new relationship with medical examiner Jackson Bryant; will this case bring them closer or push them apart?I liked the police procedural aspect to this story as they tracked down leads and followed the evidence. The characters are great and struggle with real issues, from learning to love again after the death of a spouse to balancing work and family. I liked that Avery asked the hard questions, especially about why there's evil and how she struggled with feeling helpless in the face of it all even though she had a strong faith. It was interesting to see how she related to her family, especially her father. The wonderful father-daughter relationship was refreshing. There's also some romance mixed in. Overall, it's a satisfying story and I'll plan on looking for the next one in the series.
I received this book free from Revell in exchange for an honest review.
Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
To connect with Lisa Harris be sure to visit her on her website, facebook or twitter:
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Sisters of Mercy Flats by Lori Copeland
This is a rollicking romantic adventure, set during the Civil War! When three con artists, who happen to be sisters, are attacked on their way to jail, they're each rescued by a different man. Abigail ends up with a shoe salesman, Hershall Digman, an inept man she can't wait to be rid of. However, after stealing his horse and discovering papers he was carrying, she wonders if he could truly be a Confederate spy. When he shows up, she's determined to make him take her home in exchange for the papers, but everything keeps going wrong. Can a con artist mend her ways and a Rebel open his heart to love?Abigail was a fun and feisty character, but what a handful! I really liked them both and it was entertaining to see what catastrophe would happen next. The banter was amusing, though sometimes a phrase didn't fit the context, which was distracting and confusing. The faith elements were more general, mentioning belief in God, and the characters' struggles didn't feel very fleshed out either. I'm guessing there will be a couple more books in the series, one for each of the other sisters, or at least I hope so because this was a fun romance and I want to find out what crazy things happen to the other sisters!
I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
2 FREE E-Books, One Until Friday at Midnight!
Free from multiple vendors Thursday only!http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse/ebook-specials-from-bethany-house
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Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Free and Sale E-Books, One Wednesday Onlly!
Free for kindle Wed. only!Amazon
These plus many more free at the link. Just click on the title you want there and then choose the vendor at the left.
http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse/ebook-specials-from-bethany-house
Invisible only $2.99 for kindle! This is an amazing book!Amazon
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
The One Year Holy Land Moments Devotional by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein & Dr. Tremper Longman III
This is a fascinating and unique devotional written by a rabbi and a theologian. This devotional is made to last for the year with each week made up of six one-page devotions and questions to reflect on for the seventh day. Each devotion features a verse or two printed out, a larger portion written by the rabbi, and a paragraph written by the theologian. The rabbi discusses a topic from the Jewish Bible, which is the Christian Old Testament, then the theologian will bring in New Testament references.
I really liked the insight I gained into Jewish culture and tradition as I read this. Learning about the Jewish festivals, insight into words and grammar used, and interesting stories about Jewish history from thousands of years ago to the present make this not only entertaining, but informative. I also felt challenged and encouraged in my walk with God. While Christians and Jews would be especially interested in this book, I think anyone who wants to understand these two faiths more would really enjoy this.
I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Eventide - The Days of Redemption 3 by Shelley Shepard Gray Plus Giveaway of the Whole Series!
This is an enjoyable story about Elsie Keim, a young Amish woman who is slowly going blind. She yearns for her family to see her for more than her disability, as the capable, strong woman she is. With her twin sister engaged and her brother newly married, she wonders if she will ever find a love of her own. When she meets their new neighbor, Landon, he seems to be interested and she wonders if this could be the man she's been waiting for, but worries what he'll think if he knows the extent of her disability. She decides to keep it a secret, at least for a while. Landon is very interested, but when Elsie's brother shares her secret, he's not sure if she fits in with the plans he has for the future. Will Landon learn to love her no matter what, or are they better off apart?
I found the romance to be sweet, but I felt a little frustrated with both Landon and Elsie at times for how they would handle things. It also felt like one of Landon's decisions changed rather quickly for how momentous it was, like he didn't think it through. I liked the different perspectives the story was told from and I found the different story lines interesting even though I haven't read the first two books and it seemed like some were a continuation. I probably would have gotten a little more out of this story if I had read the first two, but it worked pretty well as a stand-alone. A little annoyance I had was sometimes a phrase or action didn't seem to make sense or was repeated. I liked all of the characters and felt like I could relate to Elsie's struggle with something that feels restrictive and admired her willingness to take risks even though she could get hurt. I plan to read the first two books because I really want to see what happened to the other characters and check out the other series she has.
I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.
Shelley Shepard Gray is celebrating the release of the final book in The Days of Redemption series, Eventide, by giving away FIVE sets of the series.
Five winners will receive:
- Daybreak, Ray of Light and Eventide by Shelley Shepard Gray
Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Shelley's blog on the 23rd to see if you won one of the book sets!
Purchase your copy: http://ow.ly/oBHhP
Meet Shelley:
Shelley Shepard Gray is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author of the "Sisters of the Heart", "Seasons of Sugarcreek", "Secrets
of Crittenden County", and Families of Honor series. She lives in
southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often
be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.Connect with Shelley here: http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com/
Check out the Litfuse page here:
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Free E-Books, One Sunday Onlly!
Free for kindle Sunday only!Amazon
Free for kindle until Sept. 30th!Amazon
http://www.tyndale.com/ebookextra/
Free for kindle! For about 8-12 year olds.Amazon
Friday, September 13, 2013
Death on Lindisfarne - The Aidan Mysteries 2 by Fay Sampson
This is a very different kind of mystery than what I'm used to. Aidan and his daughter Melangell head to the island of Lindisfarne for a week's retreat on Northumbrian saints. Aidan's a widower of six months and wants to show his eight-year-old the place her mother loved. There they meet an eclectic group of people, including the Methodist minister running the course and the troubled girl she's trying to save. The island's cut off from the mainland by the tide twice a day and when one of their group is found dead, they wonder if it's murder and if the killer is still there or if they made it off the island. The characters were interesting and it was tough to figure out who the killer was. There were so many possibilities! I don't know much about saints and there was a lot of stories and history of many of them, which felt like a lot to me. I didn't even realize there was a first book in the series until after I read this one, so it works great as a stand-alone. There's some swearing, which I prefer not to see in Christian books. There's also some talk about praying for the dead, so the story felt more Catholic. I didn't like the way the dead person was portrayed one way and then after they were dead, it was said they were at peace now when the minister really didn't know that. There's always the chance, of course, that they repented at the last possible moment, but it's portrayed as a certainty. Overall, the story was okay, but I don't plan to read others in the series.
I received this book free from Kregel Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Free PDF Until Sunday!
Free PDF ends Sunday! Make sure you click on the download pdf button, not one of the retailers.David Cook
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Free for kindle! A well-written and interesting story!
Free for kindle!
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