• Home
  • Blogs
    • Adults
    • Young Adult
    • Youth
    • Interviews
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosures & Policies
  • Other
    • Book Challenges >
      • Yearly Reading Challenges
      • Bout of Books
      • LDS Fiction Reading Challenges
    • Resources
    • About the Logo
Singing Librarian Books
  • Home
  • Blogs
    • Adults
    • Young Adult
    • Youth
    • Interviews
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosures & Policies
  • Other
    • Book Challenges >
      • Yearly Reading Challenges
      • Bout of Books
      • LDS Fiction Reading Challenges
    • Resources
    • About the Logo
Singing Librarian Books

Adult Blog

A Gateway to Hope (The Hope Series #1) by E.C. Jackson -- Book Tour Review + Giveaway

7/30/2016


Twenty-one-year-old Neka is a bit of an introvert, she also happens to be stunningly beautiful.
When she discovers her friend James is about to be dumped, she sees the perfect opportunity to escape from her quiet life. Can she summon the courage to leave it all behind?
 
James Copley comes from a ruthless family. It’s rubbed off. Years ago, he disengaged from his brother’s smear campaign, but now his father has offered him an ultimatum, “Get married or lose your seat at the table.” Plotting to stamp his design on the family business, he proposes to a woman, even though he doesn’t love her. But his carefully laid plans start to unravel when she leaves him on the day she’s due to meet his family. Could years of planning his comeback vanish with her departure?

A possible solution comes in an unexpected form: Neka. She’s not only a friend, but the daughter of his benefactor. And she’s right there, offering to support him. But will her support stretch to marriage? He attempts to win her over to his plan but collides with her powerful father who wants to leverage the situation for his own gain.

In their fight for survival and love, they are forced to face some uncomfortable truths.
Can they overcome thwarted dreams and missed chances to find true love, or does forcing destiny’s hand only lead to misery?

~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ Smashwords ~
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~


E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. For three and a half years, she published the Confidence in Life newsletter for Alpha Production Ministries, in addition to writing tracts and devotionals. Teaching a women’s Bible study at her church for eleven years led naturally to her current endeavor, writing inspirational romance novels. Her mission: spiritual maturity in the body of Christ through fiction.
Connect with the Author here: 
~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Amazon ~
~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~


A Gateway to Hope is E.C. Jackson’s first novel. It includes themes of past mistakes, trusting in God, a hope for the future, and lasting love. Although the ending of the story is somewhat predictable, E.C. has created characters that readers will easily relate to as read about the relationship struggles of Neka and James and relate it to their own struggles. This novel is both fun and series. Readers who enjoy contemporary romance fiction with a strong theme of dealing with relationships of loved ones will enjoy this novel.

Genre: contemporary romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Publication date: May 2015
Number of pages: 294

Content Rating: PG
Book Rating: 5 stars



A review copy of this novel was provided by Loving the Book.

Author's Top Ten Favorites List

Favorite book: Pride and Prejudice
Favorite soda: ginger ale
Favorite ice cream: French vanilla
Favorite cake: yellow cake with chocolate icing
Favorite candy: milk chocolate
Favorite flower: tiger lily
Favorite season: summer
Favorite musical: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Favorite television channel: HGTV
Favorite characters: Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple


To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 


For more content, fun and prizes check out these two events below for this Series!
To join the tour for the second book in the series click here
To join the Blitz for the book series click here

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Time Key by Melanie Bateman -- Book Tour Review + Giveaway

7/30/2016
Picture
Picture
Picture
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Suspense
Publisher: Sweetwater Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort
Publication date: June 14, 2016
Number of pages: 320

When Stanley saves a man, he's given a mysterious device that allows him to travel through time. But he soon learns that changing his past doesn't necessary lead to a better future. Traveling over 100 years into the future may be the only way Stanley can change his fate and save his family.
GOODREADS | AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT
Picture
Picture
Melanie Bateman was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and moved to the United States at age nine. She has an associate’s degree in fine art from Utah Valley University, emphasizing in illustration. From a very young age she’s had a passion for drawing, specifically nature and the human figure. It is from this creative look on the world that she began to write stories.
​​​GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | AMAZON | WEBSITE
Picture
Check out the interview with the author HERE.
Picture
​Favorite book: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Favorite soda: Malta polar (Venezuelan malt drink. To die for!)
Favorite dessert: Tres Leches Cake
Favorite flower:  Roses
Favorite season: Autumn
Favorite movie: To laugh: Hot Rod, always. To laugh and cry: Life is Beautiful.
Favorite country you want to visit: Italy
Favorite comic book character: Batman
Favorite place to visit: St. George, Utah with family.
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Picture
I could go on and on about the ideas that brought The Time Key to life, but I’ll try my best to avoid spoilers here!

1. The actual Time Key I designed after a timepiece necklace that my husband gave me as a gift our first year of marriage. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of time travel, and that necklace was the first spark for me to really consider writing a story. 

2. To keep the story respectful, the Roma Travelers are called just by that name in The Time Key, despite the research I did about real people living in Andalucía, Spain referring to themselves as gitanos. I have a great admiration for the culture, and some of the scenes included were inspired by this video (see below).
​3. I chose the year 1897 as a reference to Henry James’ publication of What Maisie Knew that same year, as I borrowed the name for one of my characters. It’s a sad story, but so is Maisie’s. 

4. Lena’s name, an unexpected character in The Time Key, was borrowed from H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine. The time traveler in that book has a little helper called Weena, and I thought a similar name would suit my own character. 

5. I read a lot of Victorian literature while preparing to write The Time Key. When I kept returning to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle I decided to research his life. A lot of his beliefs reflected those of a lot of people at the time. I found that it was a time of massive progress, but in general people were still widely superstitious. Spiritualism was becoming popular at this point as well. Then I ran into the story of the Cottingley Fairies and read that the author readily believed that the photographed fairies were authentic. I had been toying with the idea of including fantasy elements in the story, and with my findings I wanted to bring that same innocent belief into The Time Key. 

6. On that same note, Russell Gilmore was loosely based on how I saw Doyle. A physician, a tall man with a mustache, and a spiritualist, which might explain why he’s so accepting of all the mystical events and creatures in the story. 

7. I throw in a few minor details that hint at other versions of our world. The “yo-yo” wasn’t called by that name until 1920’s in America when immigrant Pedro Flores started selling the toy under that name. So, where did Stanley hear “yo-yo” in 1897 England? He probably heard it from a traveling observer just passing by (you will get this reference in the book). 

8. In this version of Kingston-upon-Thames, the market exists, same as ours, but the monument is different. The illustration is based on the Greek Goddess of war, on whom I based the goddess in this story. There’s a lot more lore to it, but that would be a spoiler! 

9. While I searched for pictures about the WWII London Blitz in 1940, I saw that the area of Kingston had been affected by the bombings. The scene where Stanley sees a burning cathedral in ruins was one of the first scenes I wrote, which was based on that picture. 

​10. The idea of Rosie/Sibyl came to me as I was outlining the plot. I needed a “fixer” in a time traveling story, someone who knew secrets that Stanley needed to learn. Rosie’s abilities came together after I read The Time Traveler’s Wife, in which the main character has a similar “condition” to Rosie. 
Picture

​Chapter One

​There couldn’t be a better time to begin Stanley Becker’s story than at the moment he stood on the frozen stone wall of Kingston Bridge overlooking the river Thames, breathing in the winter night and pressing the icy metal barrel of a pistol to his jaw.
I have often wondered where it would be most appropriate to begin. A few other moments come to mind, but despite the significance they play, I choose to begin Stanley Becker’s story at the approaching end of his life.
Before he found himself standing on the bridge, Stanley hadn’t contemplated what the best approach to ending his life would be, but he had assumed that a bullet to his head would be the quickest. What did he know about suicide? All he knew was that it would be rather unfortunate if he missed.
Through his misty breath, he looked down at the black waters that seemed so calm and knew it would be the perfect resting place for his worn-down body. The moment he blew his brains out, his corpse would crash down into the dark waters and conceal him from the world he was so determined to leave. Few things could be more poetic. Stanley Becker smiled. Soon he would see Jane again, holding little Maisie’s hand and grinning, just as the last time he had seen them alive.
Although Stanley Becker was about to take his life on this particular night, his thoughts lingered elsewhere, remembering the tragic event that had taken his entire reason to live. He remembered it quite vividly. Six years ago, Stanley had refused to attend the opera despite Jane’s pleading. He had stayed home to write a story that he would never finish. Unbeknownst to him then, on the same bridge where he now stood, his wife and daughter had lain sprawled in the crimson-stained snow, lifeless.
Perhaps the fact that Mr. Miller had not driven that night, but one of the drivers employed by Jane’s father, could have been the single event that sealed his family’s fate. There were other incidents that only I had been able to see as I revisited the night when everything changed, and although unclear, they nevertheless deserve some mention. Perhaps the cause had been that Jane’s father had insisted on sending his own driver, that the driver himself had had a drink too many and had failed to see the incoming collision. Or, possibly, that a street cat had darted across the street and consequently startled the horse of a carriage whose driver had had recent late nights looking for a runaway daughter, losing control only moments before the accident.
I only observed the minor events of that night, but the matter of life and death could have been the result of numerous decisions by unknowing players and (as Stanley’s mother always told him) could not have been stopped and can never be changed. I can’t help but feel sympathetic when I am reminded of this truth, however insignificant it renders us, but it would be a long time before Stanley understood the fragility of our human existence, and how crucial our resolve to ignore such realities impacts the way we play our set role.
As he presently stood on the bridge, yearning for the end to come, Stanley was comforted by the thought that he would no longer need to worry about what he could have done differently. Soon, the long, numbing, excruciating life he had led for six years would be over. He was ready for whatever awaited him in the next life, if there was any- thing waiting for him at all.
The pistol felt heavy and the cold embraced him. He wondered if attempting a suicide could be any less pleasant. As Stanley passed a hand over his eyes, he steadied himself for the big moment. The barrel pressing on his jaw was aimed straight to his brain. For a split second he wondered if it would hurt.
His gloved hand gripped the gun. His finger touched the trigger. Stanley Becker held his breath and felt the end draw near. He squeezed the trigger.
Picture
​A magical and captivating story of time travel and mystical creatures.  This is a story that will pull you into the adventure from page one and tug you along and keep you there until the very beginning.  Common themes in the story deal with family, redemption, and sacrifice.  Melanie Bateman has written a fun, riveting, and thrilling adventure and time travel story that readers will absolutely not want to miss.
 
Genre: science fiction, fantasy, time travel
Publisher: Sweetwater Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort
Publication date: June 14, 2015
Number of pages: 320
 
Content Rating: PG, violence, nothing graphic
Book Rating: 5 stars
Picture
A review copy of this book was provided by SLB Tours.
Picture
​a Rafflecopter giveaway
Picture
​July 25--Reading Is My SuperPower​ | Katie's Clean Book Collection​
July 26--Toni Shiloh Prayerfully-Lifted Romance | Zerina Blossom's Books​
July 27--Christy's Cozy Corners | Bukwurmzzz
July 28--Mel's Shelves
July 29--26 Countless Possibilities
July 30--Singing Librarian Book​​
Picture

Eve: In the Beginning by H.B. Moore -- Review

7/29/2016

About the Book

Picture
The first love story on earth... Haunting... Lyrical... Unforgettable...

In a world where everything is perfect, yet the same day after day, Eve must decide if she wants to live forever in the garden with Adam and never know what lies beyond the walls. When she makes a choice with terrible consequences, the pain of mortality is swift. As she and Adam explore their new world, and her body changes, Eve discovers the sweetness of first love with the man who has always been at her side.
 ​
GOODREADS | AMAZON--KINDLE, PRINT, & AUDIBLE

About the Author

Picture
Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen historical novels and thrillers, written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah.
​GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | AMAZON | WEBSITE | BLOG

Review

​In the novel Eve: In the Beginning, H.B. Moore has written an enrapturing and intriguing story of Eve and Adam, as mentioned in the bible.  Descriptions of the garden and other surrounding areas, as well as of Adam and Eve and what is going on are beautifully depicted.  This novel is written from both the perspective of Eve and Adam and goes through their time in the Garden of Eden, as well as once they are banished from the garden.  This novel shows Eve as a strong female character as she goes through the trials of life.  I would recommend this novel to readers that enjoy historical, biblical fiction with a bit of romance.
 
Genre: historical, romance, biblical, Christian
Publisher: Mirror Press
Publication date: April 15, 2015
Number of pages: 289
 
Content Rating: PG-13, some adult type content due to the storyline, nothing graphic
Book Rating: 4 stars
Picture
An audible review copy of this book was provided by H.B. Moore Fans.
Picture

Hope at Dawn (Of Love and War #1) by Stacy Henrie -- Reivew + Author Interview

7/29/2016

About the Book

Picture
With her brothers away fighting the Great War overseas, Livy Campbell desperately wants to help her family. Her chance comes when she meets a handsome stranger who lands her a job as a teacher in a place far from her parents' farm. But the war casts a long shadow over the German-American town that Livy now calls home—and the darkness will test everything she thought she knew about family and love . . .

More than anything, Friedrick Wagner wants to be part of his adopted country's struggle for peace. But when the bitter animosity between Germans and Americans soon turns citizens against newcomers, friend against friend, he will do whatever it takes to protect Livy from the hysteria that grips their town. As tragedy—and dark secrets from the past—threaten their future, Friedrick and Livy have one chance to stand up for what's right . . . and one chance to fight for their love.
GOODRAEDS | AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT

Books in the Series

About the Author

Picture
​Stacy Henrie has always had a love for history, fiction, and chocolate. She earned her B.A. in public relations before turning her attentions to raising a family and writing inspirational historical romances. Wife of an entrepreneur husband and a mother to three, Stacy loves to live out history through her fictional characters. In addition to author, she is also a reader, a road trip enthusiast, and a novice interior decorator.
GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | ​WEBSITE 

Author Interview

Check out the interview with the author HERE.

Review

Book one in author Stacy Henrie’s series Of Love and War, Hope at Dawn, is a story that shows of the prejudices and hatred toward German-Americans during WWI.  It is also about a German-American man and an American woman that through it all find a way to friendship and eventually love.  This beautiful story also shows of the support and love of a German-American community that comes together to help in times of need.  This sweet historical, romance story will touch and inspire readers with its delightful characters and charming story.  I would recommend this story to readers that enjoy historical, romance novels.

Series: Of Love and War
Genre: historical, romance, WWI, Christian
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: June 24, 2015
Number of pages: 384
 
Content Rating: PG
Book Rating: 5 stars
Picture
Other books in the series:
1.5-A Christmas Hope
2-Hope Rising
2.5-Hope’s Promise
3-A Hope Remembered

A review copy of this book was won in a giveaway from the author, Stacy Henrie.

First Line Fridays -- 07.29.16

7/29/2016
Picture
It is Friday and I am joining Carrie from Reading is My SuperPower, Rachel from Bookworm Mama, and Beth from Faithfully Bookish in First Line Fridays.  If you would like to join us, send Carrie a meassage and let her know!

Grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line!

Today I am going to post a line from
The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof.

You can check out my previous author interview with Joanne HERE.

This book is a greatly anticipated read on my TBR pile.  I am thrilled that it is finally releasing and my hope is to get to it real soon.  This is one of those books that I just know I am absolutely going to LOVE!!
GOODREADS | AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT
Picture
"With the hiss of smooth irons and the starchy scent of soap trailing her, Ella toted a bundle of hospital linens up the steps."
​What are you reading?  What is your first line?
​Open the book nearest you and post the first line...

The Amish Firefighter by Laura V. Hilton -- Review

7/25/2016

About the Book

Picture
A Beautiful Young Woman Banished from Home
Abigail Stutzman thought it was bad enough being dropped at the nearest bus station and sent to live several states away with some relatives she’d never even heard of, much less met. But now, just a week after her arrival in Jamesport, Missouri, she finds herself at the scene of a barn fire. An intentional barn fire. And all fingers are pointed at her. She’s desperate to prove her innocence and protect her reputation, but nobody’s making that easy to do. And God certainly doesn’t seem willing to help.
A Brave Firefighter with an Agenda of His Own
Sam Miller is in the process of turning over a new leaf. Determined to atone for the follies of his past, he is a volunteer firefighter, an EMT, and a doctor-in-training. With suspicious barn fires escalating, and the Miller family being among the victims, no one is more determined to see the perpetrators brought to justice than Sam.
A Kindled Flame Neither One Could Have Anticipated
When their paths first cross at the site of a barn burning, the emotional intensity rivals the warmth of the flames. Soon, they must decide whether this fire is one they should feed or fight. And they’ll discover that the truth can prove more dangerous than a blazing inferno.
​GOODREADS | AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT

About the Author

Picture
​Amish fiction lovers responded positively and immediately to Laura V. Hilton’s debut novel, Patchwork Dreams, when she burst on the scene in 2009 with her unique series, The Amish of Seymour, set in the tiny town of Seymour, in Webster County, Missouri. Fans of the genre immediately recognized Hilton’s insider knowledge, not only of the Webster County community, but Amish culture in general. Her natural speech and writing patterns, she says, are uniquely “Amish,” acquired from her Amish maternal grandparents. The Amish of Seymour, includes Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts, and Promised to Another. Her second series, The Amish of Webster County, is comprised of Healing Love, Surrendered Love,and Awakened Love. A stand-alone title, A White Christmas in Webster County, was released in September 2014. The Birdhouse concluded Laura’s 2015 series, The Amish of Jamesport, includes The Snow Globe, The Postcard and The Birdhouse. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer. Laura and her husband, Steve, have five children, whom Laura homeschools. The family makes their home in Arkansas.
For more about Laura, her latest book, the books she’s written and those she’s reviewed visit Laura Hilton'sWebsite.
​GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | AMAZON | WEBSITE

Review

All is not as it seems and Abigail Stutzman is caught up in a web of hidden lies and deceit from her family’s past.  Laura V. Hilton has written a novel that readers will thoroughly enjoy from page one all the way to the end.  This is an enticing and sweet story of mystery and romance that readers will be easily captivated by.  I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy Amish fiction.
 
Genre: Amish, contemporary, romance, mystery
Publisher: Whitaker House
Publication date: May 3, 2016
Number of pages: 244
 
Content Rating: PG
Book Rating: 4 stars
Picture
A review copy of this book was provided by CelebrateLit.
Picture

Summer Countdown Blitz -- The Suspect's Daughter by Donna Hatch

7/23/2016
Picture
Picture
Picture
 Donna Hatch, author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” has won writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she is a sought-after workshop presenter, and juggles multiple volunteer positions and her six children. A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

Q&A with the Author

​1.  What inspired your book?
The murder plot in The Suspect’s Daughter was inspired by a true event in England known as the Cato Street Conspiracy, which thankfully, was averted largely in part due to an undercover Bow Street Runner. This event happened in 1820, the same year my book takes place. When I read of the Cato Street Conspiracy, I knew it had to be Grant's story. Obviously I took some creative license, but the suspense plot in my book strongly parallels the real one. As far as the romantic plot, Grant is so emotionally closed off, as readers of my other books already know, that I knew it would be fun to pair him with a spunky, vivacious, glass-half-full kind of girl who is emotionally strong enough to not only challenge him and match him wit for wit, but with a big enough heart to see through his defensive barriers into the lonely, vulnerable man hiding underneath. 
 
2. How do you spend your free time?
Free time? I don't think I have ever had any free time. I'm not even sure what that means. When I'm too mentally or emotionally tired to write, and if my family doesn't need me for anything pressing, I read. Reading recharges me in a way that nothing else can. I enjoy going for long walks, watching old movies--especially adaptations of Jane Austen novels and romantic comedies--and playing games with my family. I've become pretty good at ping pong (table tennis) and my husband is a ruthless opponent.
Connect with the Author here: 
~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Google+ ~
Picture
Picture
"Determined to help her father with his political career, Jocelyn sets aside dreams of love. When she meets the handsome and mysterious Grant Amesbury, her dreams reawaken. But his secrets put her family in peril.                

​Grant goes undercover to capture conspirators avowed to murder the prime minister, but his only suspect is the father of a courageous lady who is growing increasingly hard to ignore. He can’t allow Jocelyn to distract him from the case, nor will he taint her with his war-darkened soul. She seems to see past the barriers surrounding his heart, which makes her all the more dangerous to his vow of remaining forever alone. Jocelyn will do anything to clear her father’s name, even if that means working with Grant. Time is running out. The future of England hangs in the balance...and so does their love."
~ Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ 
~ Amazon Canada ~ B&N ~ Smashwords ~
Picture

Author Top Ten List

1. I like cats--kittens are even more fun.
2. I am a harpist and I teach harp lessons.
3. Every morning after I get the children off to school, I go for a walk. (At least, that's always the goal)
4. I hate spiders. HATE. With a passion.
5. Due to moves in my childhood, I attended 9 different schools. Being the new kid isn't all it's cracked up to be.
6. I love cheesecake just as much as I love chocolate--chocolate cheesecake is even better. Caramel is a close second. Caramel-chocolate cheesecake, anyone?
7. Currently I'm juggling: a YA dystopian aka speculative fiction, a YA historical paranormal, book 4 of my Rogue Hearts Regency series, and a new Regency trilogy.
8. I am majorly claustrophobic, which is exactly why, when I had to give my super-warrior weapons master, Kai Darkwood in my fantasy Queen in Exile, some flaw or fear, I chose claustrophobia for his--I understand it.
9. I love to ballroom dance. LOVE.
10. I also love bodies of water of any kind--ocean, river, lake, stream, waterfall, backyard garden pond. It just does something for my soul. This is partly why we recently moved from the desert to Washington State. I even love water when it's falling from the sky. Mermaid, anyone?
Picture
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page
Picture
Picture
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Picture

First Line Fridays -- 07.22.16

7/22/2016
Picture
It is Friday and I am joining Carrie from Reading is My SuperPower, Rachel from Bookworm Mama, and Beth from Faithfully Bookish in First Line Fridays.  If you would like to join us, send Carrie a meassage and let her know!

Grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line!

Today I am going to switch it up a little.
I am going to do the first line from all three books in the Gulf Coast Chronicles by Beth White.

These are books that are sitting on my shelf waiting to be read...
​Book 1 I purhcased, book 2 I won in a giveaway, and book 3 was sent via the author for review.
The Pelican Bride
GOODREADS
​AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT
Picture
The Creole Princess
​
GOODREADS
​AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT
Picture
The Magnolia Duchess
​
GOODREADS
​AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT
Picture
The Pelican Bride
​"The fifty-six-gun frigate Pelican lunged as Genevieve Gaillain dropped six feet over its side before the canvas sling jerked her to a stop."
The Creole Princess
"Lyse Lanier danced on bare feet along the Water Street wharf with her crab buckets bumping against her leg, face lifted to a welcom early-morning breeze off the bay."
​The Magnolia Duchess
​"She could set fire to the letter in her pocket and it would still be true."

​Have you read any books in this series?
​
​What are you reading?  What is your first line?
​Opent the book nearest you and post the first line...​

Through Raging Waters by Renee Blare -- Book Tour Review + Guest Post + Giveaway

7/22/2016
Picture

About the Book

Picture
If Mother Nature has her way, Timber Springs will never be the same…
A warm spring and early rainstorms melt the snowpack. Spring runoff compounded by the storm of the century sends Timber Springs into a tailspin.
Tossed into the role of rescuer, local pharmacist Paul Fitzgerald must face his past before the whole world falls apart. While he fights to contain the beast around him, he finds his steadfast control slipping through his fingers. And life…everyone’s life…hangs by a thread…once again.
She isn’t a hero. Melissa Hampton has her own demons to battle. After she learns of her mysterious beginnings amidst her mother’s keepsakes, she faces more than just the river rushing outside her door. Now, she must discern friend from foe…but as waters rise and tension climbs within Timber Springs, she needs to rise to the challenge or lose the only man she’s ever loved.
Can two people find each other through raging waters?
GOODREADS | AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT

About the Author

Picture
Renee Blare’s nose has been buried in a book for as long as she can remember. Raised in Louisiana and Wyoming, she started writing poetry in junior high school and that, as they say, was that. After having her son, a desire to attend pharmacy school sent her small family to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. She’s been counting pills ever since. While writing’s her first love, well, after the Lord and her husband, she also likes to fish and hunt as well as pick away on her classical guitar.
Nestled in the foothills of the Wind River Mountains, she lives in Wyoming with her husband, crazy dogs, and ornery cat. She serves her beautiful small town as a pharmacist while penning her stories about struggling Christians as they travel along the journeys of their lives. She loves to interact with readers and invites you check out her website, blog, and social media.
Blog: Renee’s Inspirational Moments
Group Blog: The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction
Website: Renee Blare|Christian Author Website

Guest Post from Renee Blare

I Wrote a Book

Five years ago, I wrote a book…and then I wrote another and another and another. Many said that the words flowed like a river onto the page. Or I painted a picture with letters.  As for me? I simply write what I see so you can see it too. What about you? Do you want to write a book?
If so, there’s one thing I’d like you to know. A book’s like a child. It starts out small or simple with garbled language…often repetitive and indistinguishable. Kind of like when a baby babbles “dada” over and over. And then that moment comes when you rejoice because you hear him say “mama.” That’s the growth every book…writer…reader…yearns for.

Different stories float around inside an author’s mind, flowing in a way much like labor. Some authors plot, others don’t. And still others combine the process in a convoluted method. But like birth, no matter how the words eventually find their way to the page, the development of a book doesn’t stop with its first dawn. It takes time, energy, and growth.
​
Take my first release, To Soar on Eagle’s Wings. Five years ago, I wrote it, my very first book, in three months. And it was awesome! I couldn’t believe it. God brought the plot together in a phenomenal way. But publication wasn’t the next step. I had a lot to learn before that could happen.
My latest release, Through Raging Waters is the example of a writer’s growth, but also her soul. I learned that I had to leave more than my knowledge and my heart on the page. I needed to leave a piece of my soul. When you read Paul’s struggles, you read mine. Melissa’s fear and confusion? Yes, they’re mine. The anger, the pain . . . the trials, the lessons learned are scriptural but also first-hand, taught by my Father.
Writing is more than a job. It’s more than a hobby. It’s sharing your knowledge, your hope with the world. So if you want to write a book. Do it. Then take that next step, and the next. You’ll get there. Oh, and I can’t wait to read it!

Review

From page one, Renee Blare has a mass number of characters that come into play and each of these characters has their own story to tell.  As interesting as these characters were, I had a difficult time getting into this novel.  I also discovered it was the second in a series; so although it can be read as a stand-alone, some details would probably have been clearer if book one, To Soar on Eagle’s Wings, had been read first.
 
Series: Snowy Range Chronicles
Genre: contemporary
Publisher: Prism Book Group
Publication date: July 8, 2016
Number of pages: 275
Content Rating: PG
Book Rating: 3 stars 
Picture
Other books in the series:
1-To Soar on Eagle’s Wings​

A review copy of this book was provided by CelebrateLit.

Giveaway

Picture
To celebrate her tour, Renee is giving away a wonderful package that includes a $20 Cabelas gift card, a set of her series paperbacks (books 1 and 2), and fleece blanket. Click HERE to enter.

Tour Schedule

July 19: Pause for Tales
July 20:  Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
July 21: Captive Dreams Window
July 21: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
July 22: Singing Librarian Books
July 23: A Reader’s Brain
July 24: A Greater Yes
July 24: Eat, Read, Teach, Blog
July 25: bigreadersite
July 25: Cassandra M’s Place
July 26: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
July 26: Splashes of Joy
July 27: Blossoms and Blessings
July 27: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner
July 28: Daysong Reflections
July 29: Quiet Quilter
July 30: Texas Book-aholic
July 30: Lights in a Dark World
July 31: Bukwurmzzz
July 31: Through the Open Window
August 1: Carpe Diem
Picture

Trapped in East Germany by Carolyn Twede Frank -- Book Tour Review + Giveaway

7/22/2016
Picture

About the Book

Picture
WHEN THE DISCUSSION OF ESCAPE FINALLY CAME UP, KARIN WAS READY. It is the autumn of 1943, and Karin Graeber is keenly aware of the uneasy tide of change swirling around her. She is not alone—in wartime Berlin, it seems that everyone has been swept up in the frightening transformation of their city. No more than a child, Karin is far too young to understand the Nazi presence or the drone of air-raid sirens or the absence of her beloved Pappa, a soldier in the German army. But when a bomb destroys their home, Karin is forced to grow up far too soon as her family joins the tens of thousands displaced in the raids on the city. Relying on their faith as Latter-day Saints, Karin and her family begin a journey that will prove the indomitable strength of the human spirit.
What follows is the sweeping narrative of one young girl’s journey through war and beyond—from her childlike observations of World War II in Germany to her changing view of the world as she grows up in a land divided by war. Now, driven by starvation and the perilous existence of refugees, Karin and her family must draw on a deep reservoir of strength and faith to sustain them through the harrowing escape ahead . . .
GOODREADS | AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT

About the Author

Picture
I grew up in Payson, Utah. Ever since elementary school I have loved to write. In junior high and high school I was on the newspaper staff. My senior year, I even had my own column: Carolyn’s Corner. While attending USU as a freshman, my journalism teacher, in an effort to “prepare me for the real world of writing," tore down my work to the point that I gave up, dropped my minor of journalism, and concentrated on my other love—biology. I graduated with a BS in Horticulture and an MS in Botany and went on to start my own business in a totally unrelated field: manufacturing puppets.  Six years ago, after having raised my five kids and growing my business to a point of being viable to sell, I rediscovered my love of writing. I have since sold my manufacturing business, retaining a small division of it that I can operate out of my home and I spend the rest of my spare time writing. I now live in Kaysville, Utah.
​

​Oh, and I love the color yellow
GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | WEBSITE

Review

Book was recieved just a few days ago and has not been read at this time.  Watch for my review coming sometime this weekend.

Note: I have always been fascinated with books taking place during WWII.  This book is no different and I greatly anticipate a good read!
A review copy of this book was provided by Covenant Communications.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

July 18th
http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/

July 19th
http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/
​

July 20th
http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/
http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/

July 21st
http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

July 22nd
http://sweetlymadejustforyou.com/blog/
http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/
Picture
Previous

    ​Bringing you your next favorite clean read...

    Need a good book to read?  Check here...  Anything from regency, romance, historical fiction, contemporary...


    ​Learn more about how I rate the books I read HERE.

    Follow the adult reader blog via email.
    Subscribe to Adult Blog
    How to comment on the blog due to weird theme issues: 
    -Name
    -Email
    -Website
    -Comments
    -Notify me of new comments to this post by email
    Need to search the site?  Use the search engine below...

    Categories

    All
    Book Hangover Wednesdays
    First Line Fridays
    LDS Fiction Reading Challenges
    Month In Review
    Read-a-thon
    Slb Author Book Spotlight
    The-sabbath-is-a-delght
    Top Ten Tuesday
    Waiting-on-wednesdays

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

Follow the blogs via email here:

adult reader blog
teen reader blog
youth reader blog

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner


Author interviews
slb tours landing page
CFSRS

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner


Search the site here:

follow or connect with me on:
​
​AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB