A Promise to Break

WOW! I almost gave up on this novel but took a break and resettled back into it someplace where the outside distractions of life were not present and I am so glad I did! A Promise to Break is the debut novel of Kathryn Spurgeon that chronicles the life of Sibyl Trimble, a young girl who believes she holds the promise of a future generation, at least that is what her father reminds her. She is as actively involved in politics and the outcomes of the country as it begins to enter 1930's with the threats to the economy from job losses to bank closures. Farmers are losing their farms as banks and the government foreclose on them instead of finding a way to help them stay afloat in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

It is advantageous for the Trimble family because they are not impacted like others in the city as they are part of the affluent, and while Sibyl struggles to figure out what her purpose in trying to help will play, her father and mother believe a suitable match to someone who can provide a financial future is the way to go. But James is not the answer to love or what Sibyl defines love truly is. She has a brief moment with a blue-eyed hobo in a train station that gives her a glimpse into what love at first sight might look like, but she knows that is the one promise she can't break to her father. To settle for love instead of wealth and security.

But God has much different plans and He creates a way for Sibyl to gain the insight into what her father's life truly looks like when the facade is removed and she can see him for what he truly is. A man consumed by greed and power, and it begins to divide even her own family beginning with her grandparents. Her younger sister winds up pregnant but is overlooked in her indiscretion as her family believed that would be her lot in life, but when it happens to Sibyl things are cast into a much different light and the future her father had planned begins to crumble one stone at a time.

I received A Promise to Break by Kathryn Spurgeon compliments of Memory House Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my unbiased personal opinion of the novel. This is such a two-sided look at what life must have been like for people living through the Great Depression as some benefited from it, while others lost everything they had including their lives when hope ran out. For Sibyl is shows her that God has always had a plan and purpose for her life even though it was not the one she thought it would be, and it always turns out to be better than what we hope. For me, this one rates a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and this story was based on the life of Kathryn's grandparents which we see glimpses of in the Author's Note section at the conclusion of this novel.

For more information about A Promise to Break, Kathryn Spurgeon or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Promise to Break by Kathryn Spurgeon

You can find Kathryn Spurgeon on her blog to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

Anchor in the Storm

The one thing that Lillian Avery wanted more than anything was to be strong. She never wanted to be an imposition to anyone especially to her family. She had long given up on the hope of ever finding love again after being devastated in her last and final relationship. It is what gave her the determination to find a career so she could take care of her own needs. Being part of a large family, comprised of three older brothers and a twin sister, Lucy, she never wanted to be a burden to any of them. Lucy was the sickly one in the family and while she found a way to rub things in Lillian's face whenever she could, Lillian would not let herself be a victim. When she lost her leg in a hunting accident, she vowed to do all she can to learn to stand on her own two feet again.

Archer Vandenberg has tired of all the women in his life only wanting one thing from him, the chance to be Mrs. Vandenberg, heir to the Vandenberg fortune. His escape was to join the Navy. He just never expected to survive the sinking of his destroyer. Now the only thing holding him back is the raw nerves and shaking he experiences whenever he remembers being trapped inside the sinking ship. He can't seek any medical help because the Navy would remove him from service and send him packing under the medical care he might need. All he can do is pray that God will help him figure out how to heal him from the nightmares keeping him trapped.

When Archer is invited to Lillian's home for a two week stay, courtesy of his best friend Jim, Lillian's older brother, he jumps at the opportunity to escape going home to deal with all the drama unfolding at his own home. He wants nothing to do with Bitsy, who left him high and dry when he said he was joining the Navy. He finds solace in however, with Lillian who is not at all impressed with the charm Archer tries to pour on him. In fact, it seems to make her draw away from him even more. Jim warns him that Lillian is fragile when it comes to men trying to flirt with her and suggest they simply become friends instead. So when Lillian and Archer working on their friendship, it takes them to the unlikeliest of places, right in the middle of an apparent prescription drug ring that connects them both on board Archer's ship and at Dixon's Drug Store where Lillian works at a pharmacist. Just what is the connection?

I received Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Revell Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and personal opinions. This is the second novel in the Waves of Freedom Series and one I am enjoying from first to last page. Sarah Sundin is an expert at taking an idea from factual history and incorporating her story lines and characters around it. I love Lillian's attitude of not feeling sorry for herself despite her disability. She is willing to take risks most wouldn't including being one of the first female pharmacists. She utilizes the assets she still has to be the very best she can be, no matter what she faces. I love that the chemistry develops slowly over the course of the novel and Lillian doesn't simply fall for Archer despite all the attention she receives from him. Add in a bit of mystery and you have the recipe for a successful and wonderful novel. For me this really hit a 5 out of 5 stars in my book. A Reader's Guide Discussion Questions are included which makes it perfect for book clubs and even a sneak peek into the third novel coming soon. Fans of WWII fiction will absolutely LOVE this novel!

For more information about Anchor in the Storm, Sarah Sundin or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin

You can find Sarah Sundin on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

For more reviews on Anchors in the Storm, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 


In a time of sacrifice, what price can one put on true love? Pharmacist Lillian Avery and Ensign Archer Vandenberg are about to find out in Sarah Sundin's new book, Anchor in the Storm. During the darkest days of the war, Arch's destroyer hunts German U-boats in vain as the submarines sink dozens of merchant ships along the East Coast. Still shaken by battles at sea, Arch notices his men also struggle with their nerves—and with drowsiness. Could there be a link to the large prescriptions Lillian has been filling? As the danger rises on both land and sea, the two must work together to answer that question. But can Arch ever earn Lillian's trust and affection?

Celebrate the release of Sarah's Anchor in the Storm by entering to win her All Hands on Deck Prize Pack!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A signed copy of Anchor in the Storm
• Nautical tote bag lined with anchor fabric
• Anchor necklace made from copper reclaimed from the USS Constitution in Boston during restoration
• 365 Devotions for Hope by Karen Whiting
• Shine: Nautical Inspirational Adult Coloring Book
• "Hope Anchors the Soul" journal
• Set of two nautical tea towels

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on June 8th. The winner will be announced June 9th on Sarah's blog.

The Secrets of Flight

Funny how the older we get, the more we tend to love history. I can honestly say, I hated it in school but truly appreciate it now, especially the role women played in the war efforts that sad to say were missing from my history books growing up. Maybe that is why I appreciate it so much now and to know that few of our WWII veterans remain living, so their stories are just waiting to be told if we simply sit down with them while they are still here to listen to.

In the novel The Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler, I was drawn to the story of Mary Browning, a 87-year-old woman who used to be a WASP pilot during WWII but is now wishing she had the time to write down her memoir. She can't write because she suffers from tremors and using a computer now is beyond her knowledge of technology. She resolves to spend her time, meeting with a group of fellow seniors, sharing their love of writing once a week at the library and collaborating and editing them although many will never be published. Perhaps it just keeps them young at heart.

However when 15-year-old Elyse Strickler arrives at the library one day to answer an add one of the members places in the local paper seeking new writing talent, things are about to get interesting. Mary now realizes that she can get Elyse to write her story as a part time job, but it will mean divulging all those secrets of a life she left behind in WWII that no one including her writing group is aware she holds. Elyse on the other hand is suffering her own issues at home, dealing with the potential divorce of her family and gaining the attention of a young boy at school, while she is less than popular at school This is where her and Mary becoming peer and mentor of sorts and an unlikely friendship is born of the secrets they keep.

I received The Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of the novel in exchange for my honest and personal evaluation. While I was initially drawn to this story because of the WWII side of it, I was left a bit disappointed first, by the amount of profanity used in the novel, but the disconnection I felt for the characters. For me, that is what makes a great novel, is that you can connect with them on some level, but this one for me fell short of my own expectations, but others might feel differently. Mary's secrets in this novel are many and for those close to her, she felt the need to lie to them about virtually everything in her life, from going to flight school at the University to enrolling in the WASP program and it affects those relationships throughout her life. For me this one rates a 3 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Secrets of Flight, Maggie Leffler or where you can pre-order a copy of this novel that is available in May of 2016, please click on the links below:

The Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler 

You can find Maggie Leffler on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Secrets of Flight, please visit William Morrow's website. 

 

The Aleppo Code

We all know about the parting of the Red Sea by Moses, whether we have seen it on the movies, television or read about it in the Bible. Now Terry Brennan has taken the story of the staff of Aaron to a whole new level in his suspense series, Jerusalem Prophecies in his third novel, The Aleppo Code. This is a must read for fans of Indiana Jones, the DaVinci code or anyone who loves a Christian Action Suspense novel. Since this is the third novel in the series, you truly need to read the first two to understand where the characters are at in this point of the series.

Once again, Tom Bohannon has gathered together those team members that have been together since the beginning to search for the staff of Aaron that Moses used when he parted the Red Sea among the many miracles he performed. But where does one begin to look for such an object like this? By the biblical accounts it was recorded to have been contained in the Ark of the Covenant. But did it stay there? It is possible that the staff has been used from creation until it's current location whenever one of God's chosen people has needed it? Could it have been passed down throughout the generations and now lays in wait for the coming of the promised Messiah to Israel?

Utilizing every resource available to the team of experts, Tom's group must go back to the beginning of their initial search to uncover what they have missed along the way. It will take them quite literally around the world gathering pieces of seemingly random clues to point them to the ancient city of Babylon where lays buried beneath the sands of time, the gate to the Garden of Eden. Whoever finds this source of godly power in the possession of the staff will unleash the power of God and be in control of the entire world. That is something they can not let happen considering the world at this point is on the verge of World War III and this will be the deciding factor of who will win if they can possess this.

I received The Aleppo Code by Terry Brennan compliments of Kregel Publication for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this novel, in exchange for an honest review. This is one of my favorites when it comes to what I would call Christian Antiquities and Archaeology Fiction if there was a category. We have the team in a modern day setting in the Middle East, using clues from history to unravel the mystery while they are being hunted by various enemies against time. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and based on the way it ended, I don't think Terry Brennan has ended it just yet. Well played Mr. Brennan! I hope there is more to come and for that reason this one rates a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Aleppo Code, Terry Brennan or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Aleppo Code by Terry Brennan

You can find Terry Brennan on Facebook, to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

For more reviews on The Aleppo Code, please visit Kregel Publication's website. 

Esther

I have to begin this review with saying the Biblical fictions are one of my favorites. We know the stories we read about in the books of the Bible don't contain every little piece of what happened but more of a synopis or summary of the book instead. I've read quite a few on the Book of Esther and was really looking forward to Rebecca Kanner's take on the story as well. While it may be based on the idea and concept of the story of Esther, the woman who would be queen, that is about all the Biblical aspects you will get from it aside from a quote from the Bible out of the book of Esther randomly at the beginning of certain chapters.

Now keep in mind, we don't know the detailed extent to what happened from the time of Esther's capture until she is accepted as the replacement queen for Vashti under the rule of King Xerxes. I had hoped to see the same biblical themes carried through the story but was more of an afterthought than anything. The plot from Haman and his family was a subtly that didn't move the story in the direction it should have with more jealousy being placed on Halannah, not finding favor as Queen over Esther. While we know it would have been important to save her faith while living in the palace, in this story, Esther maintains possession of an object given to her by one of the soldiers she develops feelings for and would have been considered a pagan object by those of the Jewish faith whom Esther was raised firm to believe in and understand.

The entire story was woven from what Esther does and who rallies behind her to help her rather than having faith in God to bring her to the place He ultimately has in store for her. If you take the Bible's story of Esther and this one, you can see there is quite the division between the two. I would have a really difficult time labeling this one a Christian based story since this one also deals with a lot of adult based themes more such as Esther's preparation to be queen and the night she must spend together with the King winning him over. There is a sexual undertone that you can't miss throughout this book. That being said, if you want a book that takes the concept of Esther, a young girl kidnapped to become queen your story, than this one is perfect. I would not recommend this to someone thinking it is a biblical version of the same story because it is not.

I received Esther: A Novel by Rebecca Kanner compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. As I stated above, this is not the biblical version of Esther but a more adult and modern version of the story over what the Bible clearly points out. While it does contain some scripture it is not to help guide or educate the reader along the way with the purpose behind the story of how a Jewish woman would rely on her faith in God to save the Jewish people and win the heart of the King in the process, not through seduction, but on her godly character and morals. I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Eshter, Rebecca Kanner or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Esther: A Novel by Rebecca Kanner

You can find Rebecca Kanner on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Esther: A Novel, please visit Howard Book's website.

Until My Name Is Known

Some of my favorite fiction novels since I've been a book reviewer are those that take a well known story from the Bible and expand on it without losing the initial meaning. We all know that there is more to the story than what we read and once again, another talented author has managed to do just that. Sonya Contreras has launched a series called Tell of My Kingdom's Glory and in the debut novel, Until My Name is Known, we are transported back to the time of Moses. Not the Moses who was put in a basket and floated up the river, but this was after his killing of an Egyptian guard and now he has be called by God to go to Pharoah to seek the release of the Israelites who have been slaves for more than 40 years.

Those familiar with the story remember how Pharoah isn't about to let them go, because they are the man power capable of building his empire, and no matter how many times Moses and Aaron attempt to convince him to let their people go, Pharoah refuses. After all he has the power of all the Egyptian gods he can call upon through his viziers and priests, so until the threats are taken seriously by all, the plagues of Egypt will continue. I love how Sonya will expand on the outcome of each of the plagues, how they might have been perceived by both the Egyptian people as well as the Israelites who got a slight reprieve from the plagues but still had to endure the first few. It showcases how Pharoah might have perceived his sense of power prior to the plagues and how with the downfall of each, he loses a bit more of his power but also the respect of his people who look to him for their sense of well being. Just like those in powerful positions, Pharoah isn't about to be taken for granted, and until it seems like it all is just about to slip away, he relents, but only enough to realize, he can't let the people stay gone. He has to bring them back otherwise suffer the ruination of his kingdom.

I received Until My Name is Known by Sonya Contreras compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Bull Head Press for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review aside from a free copy of this book, and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. I look forward to seeing what is next in this series and it truly does convey to the reader, that God doesn't want any to perish but to come to know Him, through the many wonders and promises found in His Word. You can tell quite a bit of research went into this book based on the number of resources she refers to in her bibliography to help us fill in the missing pieces. The best part of this book for me, was seeing it laid out as the 10 plagues of Egypt were called down by Moses and how it simply did just happen in the course of a couple weeks. It shows how far God is willing to go to reach people with each plague getting more darker as Pharoah turns in desperation to the gods of Egypt to counter God's power. I would rate this one 4 out of 5 stars based strictly on the formatting of the book. I would have like to have seen it spaced better to help the reader from feeling overwhelming by the lack of spacing on each page.

For more information about Until My Name is Known, Sonya Contreras, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Until My Name is Known by Sonya Contreras

You can find Sonya Contreras on Twitter to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Until My Name is Known, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour page. 

The Ticket

Some people never realize how difficult it can be growing up and dealing with all the stereotypes in school. From those social group "clicks" to just knowing how to process what teens deal with in school to making that transition from home all while dealing with the changing of hormones and brain development. Harder than it looks and one we don't give them enough credit for.

In Debra Coleman Jeter's coming of age novel, The Ticket, we get a long look at how hard that life is for Tray Dunaway who has to deal with all those peer pressures that come from going to school and being seen as less than worthy in the eyes of not only her classmates but also from her own mother. Being raised in a poor family, her grandmother painstakingly makes all of Tray's clothes which are mocked by those she faces whenever she goes to school. This pushes Tray to become the shy social outcast who prefers to stay by herself whenever possible but longs for a life that everyone seems to have who have more than she does. She desperately wants to fit in and be accepted, but finds those opportunities have been shut off from her.

She longs for the day when she might be able to buy something that would make her feel the way she dreams about and in the meantime, spends those wasted moments looking through a catalog hoping one day soon, she might be able to buy something instead of homemade clothes. Her mother struggles with a deep depression, spending her days stuck in bed and dealing with migraines that only seem to increase whenever Tray possess a question about when things might change, like simply being able to buy a new pair of socks that won't slide down when she wears them, but is met with less than worth responses you would expect from a mother. When her father is given a lottery ticket as a way of thanking him for driving a man into town to purchase his, they aren't prepared the amount of problems that they will have to face when they actually win. Is this the life she dreamed she'd have one day or is this simply a way of introducing a set of problems they never dreamed they would have when the man suddenly wants a share of the winnings!

I received The Ticket by Debra Coleman Jeter compliments of Firefly Southern Fiction, a division of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. The one thing I truly loved about this novel is how it is written from Tray's perspective. How she views her life before the ticket and even afterwards. How she believes money will change things and doesn't realize how greed can destroy much more than poverty can. She dreams of a day when this might happen, and when it does, the reality is a lot different than what she imagines and it might be just what the family needs to learn how to appreciate the riches they never noticed before. I give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and thing this is a great young adult novel for any teen struggling to find their sense of purpose and self worth in the world, when faced with seeing things through a different perspective!

For more information about The Ticket, Debra Coleman Jeter or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Ticket by Debra Coleman Jeter

You can find Debra Coleman Jeter on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on The Ticket, please stop by Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's Book Tour page. 

Empire's End

Okay, I must first open this review with a couple of disclaimers and all of which are my own personal opinion which you can take with a grain of salt if you wish, but when I search for a book to purchase, I often sort through the reviews, the good and the bad to help decide if I really want to pick it up and read it, however if it is by an author I love, I will pick it up regardless.

Since I've been a huge fan of biblical fiction, I gravitate towards that whenever possible. I love how some creative authors will take what the Bible story is and add to it, provide filler in order to help us fully understand the role this person may be played in the context we read about them in the Bible. I also understand this will not be your typical re-telling of a Bible story and some liberties will be taken.

Second, I've been a huge fan of Jerry B. Jenkins since his co-authorship of the Left Behind series and countless others, so I naturally wanted to pick this one up. That being said, I was a bit disappointed by his latest novel Empire's End, the story about the life of Paul the Apostle or Saul of Tarsus as he was formerly known. I had thought the television series A.D. was a bit disappointing by their own interpretation of events after the death and resurrection of Jesus, so I was hoping for a bit more than what I found.

The novel opens as a journal-like text from Saul/Paul as he conveys his story of his journey apart from what we gain from the Bible. It picks up with a brief overview of Saul's initial conquest as persecutor of Jesus follower's beginning with Stephen, and his subsequent conversion on the Damascus Road where he lost his eyesight and discovered Jesus in a vision. The majority of the book tells about his journey after being lowered down the wall of Damascus as those there sought his arrest for being a follower of the Way, or Jesus Christ. He flees on a horse that is spiritually led across the desert by interaction from a conversation with God to arrive at a Bedouin camp in the Arabian desert when he encounters the family of the very man he persecuted.

This is where the story is a bit confusing for me, because it deviates from the Bible in such a manner that a believer in Christ would find this one a little hard to swallow. (Sorry Mr. Jenkins, but I truly LOVED all your other novels). To think that perhaps Paul had come to terms with the widow of Stephen and spent time there while awaiting God's next instruction, was hard to come to terms with. I would have preferred if the story stuck to the role of Saul/Paul's life from the Bible instead of deviating so much from the original. It truly wasn't what I was hoping for, nor what I found. in fact more than half the book was about this spiritual journey of Paul's as he studied under the guidance of morning inspirations and visions of God where he was staying.

I understand that this is strictly a fictional story and was hoping for a bit more knowing how much Jerry Jenkins follows the Bible in past novels but in my opinion this was not the case here. There is no record this didn't happen in Paul's life, but then again, there is no record it did either if we are to take the Bible at its face value. I think that is perhaps what has disappointed so many readers of this book was the expectation it would follow some road map of Paul's life from the Bible with some filler added in to make it seem more alive. For me, this one didn't hit home.

I received Empire's End by Jerry B. Jenkins compliments of Worthy Publishing and Icon Media Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions contained here are strictly my own and others might feel quite differently about this novel over what I did. I would rate this one a 3 out of 5 stars. The book I, Saul was the precursor for this novel.

For more information about Empire's End, Jerry B. Jenkins or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Empire's End by Jerry B. Jenkins

You can find Jerry B. Jenkins on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

You can read more reviews on Empire's End by visiting Worthy Publishing's website.

PUP: A Novel of Accidental Heroism

Sometimes a great novel can be summed by the extraordinary gift of storytelling by a talented writer. One that simply makes you forget your reading a book, but makes you feel like you stepped into real life. For me, that is simply, Christopher Slater and his novel, PUP: A Novel of Accidental Heroism. He was the winner of the authors first novel contest and after reading this book, you'll know with certainty why it was chosen.

I can saw it almost feels like a Forrest Gump story, of a young man PUP who has just graduated high school and has his future set on college. Knowing the Second Korean War has begun along with the draft he feels confident that he will not see combat based on his ability to have someone take one look at him for a likely candidate to be drafted and simply look the other way. But that is not what happens. In fact, PUP finds himself heading toward the South Sea along with many other soldiers who have begun to join the fight, but for the life of him, can't understand why he has been chosen, while many of the others have been chosen based on their ability to bench press most of the weights in a gym, PUP resembles the bar alone. Not to mention that he is prone to motion sickness, and takes just about everything on the market for it. He didn't plan on it making him nauseous and gains him an immediate dislike by a muscle bound soldier who insist that if PUP is going to throw up, he is going to rip off his nose and eat it. He later learns that this man is his squad leader with the nickname Hannibal. Wonder why?

The novel follows the coming of age that PUP will have to endure as he finds himself the FNG on the squad and will have to find ways to make himself useful to those who are on their second and third tours. Thinking he will be assigned to completing paperwork and requisitions, he is assigned infantry duty and soon learns the true meaning of pain when he heads out, fully loaded with no idea of how he will handle what war requires for someone like him. This one is a true trial by fire story of what so many of our young men had to endure on their first enlistments into fighting a war no one wanted to be a part of.

I received PUP: A Novel of Accidental Heroism by Christopher Slater by The Story Plant Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is such a great novel because I feel it has a sense of realism to it that is lacking in many military novels. Like I stated above it feels like a Forrest Gump story of how one unlikely soldier suddenly finds himself an unlikely hero and learns the meaning of what it is to lay down one life for another. There is humor, humility and a sense of growing up too soon when war comes calling that must be experienced by reading this book. For me, it is a 5 out of 5 stars and one I would LOVE to see brought to the big screen. It's the story of one man being in the wrong place at the right time to make a difference in the lives of those he serves with!

For more information about PUP: A Novel of Accidental Heroism, Christopher Slater or where to preorder a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

PUP: A Novel of Accidental Heroism by Christopher Slater

You can find Christopher Slater on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

To preorder a copy of PUP: A Novel of Accidental Heroism from Amazon due out in June, please click here.

A Memory of Violets

A parallel set of stories between two sets of sisters are the basis for Hazel Gaynor's latest historical fiction, A Memory of Violets. One taking place in 1876 between Florrie Flynn and her sister Rosie who find a way of making a living on the bleak streets of London selling bunch of flowers that they could obtain to put food in their stomachs. Spending nights in the shelter of staircases and wherever they could find a place to sleep while waiting til the next morning to sell their bunches of flowers for a penny.

The other story takes place in 1912 between Matilda "Tilly" Harper and her sister Esther. Tilly seems to understand that her mother loves her younger sister Esther more than her and makes her watch over her when they are away from home. Their father has left to fight in the beginning of the war and now it is up to the girls to do what they can to help their mother. When an unexpected accident happens, Tilly feels she is to blame and takes a job helping as a housemother for Mr. Shaw's Training Homes for Watercress and Flower Girls. It provides her safe distance between her family and the guilt that seems to consume her during her quiet moments.

Tilly finds a wooden box in her closet with a notebook written by Florrie to her sister Rosie. She spends her down time reading about the tragic story of the search to find Rosie when she got separated from his sister one afternoon and it would be a search that Florrie would never resolve during her lifetime. Tilly finds a desire to help continue the search with the few clues located in the notebook as well as a wooden peg, a rag doll and a button in the box. She feels that if she can help find Rosie it might help her find her own sense of healing within her own heart towards her sister Esther.

What she finds during the search is how their lives will intersect and all four of their lives will be forever changed by a series of circumstances to bring about healing, restoration and forgiveness. A Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor is based on the true story of John Groom who was her basis for the creation of the character Albert Shaw who saw the plight of these children, London's Flower Sellers,  who were growing up orphans with no one to care for them and a fear of workhouses. This is such an incredible novel and one that historical fiction fans will definitely want to pick up and enjoy for themselves.

I received A Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are my own. I absolutely have LOVED every single one of Hazel Gaynor's novels. She breathes life into the untold stories that are littered in our history that until they appear in book, they are often forgotten or neglected. I applaud her attention to share this one and the details make you feel like you've gone back in time to the pitiful, bleak and depressing state of the streets of London during that time. At the conclusion of this novel are some great bonuses, The Memoirs of Albert Shaw, The Languages of Flowers, The Story Behind the Story and a Reader's Discussion Guide. For me this is one that will become a beloved part of my personal library and worthy of all 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about A Memory of Violets, Hazel Gaynor or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor

You can find Hazel Gaynor on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Memory of Violets, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website. 

Land of Dreams

When I had the opportunity to review Land of Dreams by Kate Kerrigan, I really thought this would be a novel I would love. I love novels that take you back to fond times in our history, from WWII, to romance of the glory days of Hollywood in its infancy stages along with struggling to find ways to fit in for immigrants that had come to America searching for a better life. Even the back of the novel offered me a glimpse into something magical that fit the types of novels that I enjoy and find myself coming back to again and again. However this one for me didn't translate over from the premise to the actual story itself. There was a disconnect there I was searching for and never really found.

Being a huge fan of Kate Kerrigan's from Ellis Island, I was hoping for more than what I got by the end of Land of Dreams. Ellie Hogan has been through two marriages in her life time which has resulted in her being a single mother of two boys she didn't give birth to but adopted when their own birth mothers had abandoned them. Neither of the two boys, Leo and Tom were related either. She lives on Fire Island in New York where she makes a living as an Irish impressionist selling her works of art she paints from her time on the island or from her memories in Ireland. Tom, the youngest still lives with her while Leo has been sent to a Catholic boarding school.

She receives a phone call from the school telling her that Leo has simply left school and they fear is headed to California where he went with a schoolmate on vacation and found himself being lured into the magic of being the next rising star by a man he met there. Now Ellie, rushes off to find Leo in hopes of getting him to return home and back to school. When she arrives, she finds 16-year-old Leo in the company of Freddie Dubois, an upcoming agent finding new talent for the movie studios. He believes that Leo will be the next big star to make it to the big screen and has convinced Leo to audition. Ellie is torn between taking Leo back home and realizing that he already lost so much with the death of his father and abandonment of his birth mother, she relents and makes a temporary move to Los Angeles while he tries out. Upon her arrival she has now lost her drive to paint and instead immerses herself in being a full-time mother to Tom, supporting Leo in his career and making her own way in life with the men she meets. She knows she doesn't want to fall in love and get married again, but soon finds the charms of a man named Stan who comes to her aid more than once, a possibility. Soon war is declared and America is now involved with WWII and we see how that plays out for everyone involved including the internment of the Japanese Americans.

I received Land of Dreams by Kate Kerrigan compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my complimentary copy of this novel. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions included here are strictly mine. I was hoping for more than the novel delivered for me, perhaps dealing with Hollywood a bit more than just a gloss over when Leo was auditioning for the parts, but it was more along the lines of dealing with Ellie as the central character and what that meant as she transitioned to a life she never dreamed of and made the best of for the sake of her children and her friends. There were characters you got introduced to like Freddie, who seemed like filler instead of an actual character we could care about. We see bits of pieces of him through Leo's story but never understood his motivation or why he found himself in places he winds up. Even Leo's story is a bit vague considering Ellie uproots her entire life to chase after him, but he seems like a bit of a ghost in this one. I rate this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars and believe others may have different perspective than what I got. Being a huge fan of old Hollywood and WWII, I was hoping for more than what this one delivered.

For more information about Land of Dreams, Kate Kerrigan, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Land of Dreams by Kate Kerrigan

You can find Kate Kerrigan on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Land of Dreams, please visit William Morrow's website. 

The Sea House

Sometimes in searching for the truth behind the legends we have read about we find more than we bargained for. In the debut novel, The Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford, the reader is tossed between the past and the present surrounding those who have made the Sea House, their home. For Ruth and Michael a newly married couple just starting their new lives together, they dream of restoring this old home into a Bed and Breakfast nestled high above the ever present crashing Scottish sea. While they are in the process of removing the old floorboard, they discover a secret that has been buried beneath the house for more than a century. A small wooden box that bears the skeletal remains of what appears to be a child with fused together legs that leads Michael and Ruth to believe they have discovered what could be a mermaid child.

The image and knowledge lodge into Ruth's mind to uncover just who this child was and why was it buried beneath the Sea House. What stories are waiting to be told. It seems that as Ruth is going through the research on the child, she finds herself drawn very much into the parallel life of the child and her own missing family. The only knowledge Ruth has of her own family, is that her mother drowned one night leaving her to spend her childhood years being shuttled from foster home to foster home. Never knowing who her father was, Ruth can identify with the child she has discovered beneath her home. Perhaps in a way, if she can uncover who this child is, she can put to rest the haunting of her own past of not knowing where she came from as well.

What she learns takes her back to 1860 where she learns the Sea House belonged to Reverend Alexander Ferguson, the vicar for the small town in the Hebrides Islands of Scotland. The Reverend believed in the legends of sea people called Selkies, that his family originated from but there is no physical proof that has been discovered to prove the stories as true or simply the legends of the past. So he begins his own search looking for proof among the lives of the people who live among the island. He finds himself faced with his own personal dilemmas when his faithful maid, Moira faces the eviction of her own family under the land they live on owned by Lord Marstone. Since they are unable to make a living on what they can farm there because of the poor soil and harsh terrain, they are forced to buy food from Marstone. When he comes calling upon their payment of debts and they have no way to pay, he forces them to flee aboard a ship and takes what meager possessions of theirs as payment and burns the homes to the ground. 

I received The Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford compliments of St. Martin's Press and Litfuse Publicity as a free copy for my honest review. I did not recieve any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I have to applaud Ms. Gifford on her first novel. This is truly the stuff you would expect to find when you read an exceptional novel. The writing style reflects both the language and dialog of the past and present in Scotland so it feels authentic. The setting and rich details of both the historic past and contemporary present are so well written, you can feel the salt air on your face, and hear the crashing waves on the rocks below the Sea House. It truly draws the reader in for something unexpected much like searching for mermaid legends and instead you find the truth you've been searching for all along. 

The characters are well written and I would have liked to have known a bit more about the history behind Lord Marstone a bit more than I got. Readers should be warned that there is some profanity in this one, but these are based on cultural differences between the literature in the US versus that of the UK as I've been told. It doesn't distract from the story in any way. This was truly had me captivated much like Ruth's character as she began to unravel the smallest details bit by bit. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and look forward to more novels from her in the future. 

For more information about The Sea House, Elisabeth Gifford, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below. 

The Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford

You can also find Elisabeth Gifford on Facebook to stay up to date with her latest novels. 

To read more reviews on The Sea House please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page. 

Don't miss The Sea House, a stunning fiction debut from the UK. Set in a house on the windswept coast of the Outer Hebrides, Elisabeth Gifford's haunting tale effortlessly bridges a gap of more than a century. Adeptly interweaving two tales involving residents of the titular house, Gifford sets up an absorbing mystery revolving around local lore and myths about mermaids, selkies, and sealmen. Stretching seamlessly back and forth through time, layers upon layers of secrets are slowly and effectively peeled away in this evocative debut (Booklist).

Celebrate with Elisabeth by entering her Kindle giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• The Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 19th. Winner will be announced October 20th at Elisabeth's Blog.

Watch the trailer:

Defy The Night

Whenever I read anything connected to the Holocaust, I am deeply moved. I can't imagine the horrors that happened to an entire race of people simply based on what other people thought of them, that they were less than worthy of living. It is hard not to be impacted in a deep sense that these things really happened and they are not the works of fiction. In the novel, Defy The Night by authors Heather and Lydia Munn, the story chronicles the lives of women who were moved to save the children that found themselves in refugee camps and later became detention camps. This happened before these camps would later be turned into concentration camps by the middle of 1945 and would involve the mass murder of men, women and children in the Holocaust.

While many people still died in these camps, due to lack of food and water and health care, this story is about the time when people running these camps still had compassion on children and would allow them to be released into the care of women who would care for them and find suitable homes for them. Most of these children would remain orphans and would carry with them the memories of these camps for the rest of their lives.

This novel centers around a young girl Magali who knows she must do something more with her life than simply find a husband and begin a family. On the whispers of a pending war, France still remains free while Hilter and his army slowly begin to absorb taking over country's one by one. Food rationing is a must and Magali grows frustrated with her life. She can't stand the fact that they have to do without while Hilter takes everything that doesn't belong to him and makes her and her family have to struggle just to find ways to survive. She hopes that some day things will be different. She grows frustrated that even her closest friends are refugees from other countries and they remain shell shocked by the horrors that they have brought to their town, always on the watch for German soldiers.

Magali gets an idea to find a way to help those hurt most by the war when a young woman named Paquerette arrives on the train with orphans from a detention camp. Malnourished and in desperate need of medical care, she helps her arrange to have the children cared for by the town's mission homes. She learns that Paquerette is legally moving these children away from those camps and giving them a second chance at life, even if their parents never leave. It is a offer of hope that Magali finds too hard to pass up. She learns that Paquerette could use her help if only she convince her parents to let her. But after seeing what Hilter can do, her parents are hard to convince. They do offer to let Magali go once her studies have been completed just so she can see the horrors of what is really going on outside their small town in hopes, she will never want to return. But that will not be the case!

I received Defy the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn compliments of Kregel Publications for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. I love how elegantly these women did their research into what was happening to Jewish families just prior to WWII, how they were at first moved to these camps as refugees, then were detained as a way of cleansing the country of their presence and moved into detention camps where families were forced to endure deplorable conditions and serve in labor camps. Most people died just based on the conditions of the camps, the lack of food and water being given just bread and water most times to survive on. The French did it as a way of appeasing Hitler so that the French Jews would hopefully be left alone. It shows the basis for what would later be deporting this people to Germany as a way of meeting Hitler's quota for Jews to be exterminated in concentration/death camps later as the war progressed. I applaud their efforts to share this novel and the basis for creating an awareness that most never knew about or even considered. It makes us all wonder just what we would do should something like this occur again. I easily give this a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and hope that everyone picks this one up!

For more information about Defy The Night, Heather and Lydia Munn, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Defy the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn

You can also read my review on How Huge The Night, the first novel that showcases the lives of Nina, Benjamin and Julian whom we meet in this novel.

Healer of Carthage - Review and Giveaway

Just when Dr. Lisbeth Hastings thinks her life can't get anymore complicated than what it is as a first year resident trying to stay ahead of her game, she finds herself thrust into an ancient history she had only read about before. Losing her mother 23 years ago during an archaeological dig, she has taken over the helm studying to follow in her mother's footsteps as a doctor. Only where her mother excelled, Lisbeth is struggling with trying to appease everyone she can. But when sleep deprivation finally begins to take its toll and a young child she provides a hurried diagnosis for ends up dying, Lisbeth is given a two week reprieve to get her head straight or face more serious consequences.

Doubting her ability whether she will ever be able to make her mother proud, Lisbeth uses the two weeks to join her father while he continues to search for her long lost mother in a cave in Tunisia called the "Cave of Swimmers. He believes he may have uncovered clues to point to where she may have gone, which Lisbeth writes off to a medical diagnosis of perhaps Alzheimer's. But when she wanders into the cave looking for her father, she happens upon some ancient cave paintings of colorful swimmers on the wall. When she places her hand on one of them, she is immediately transported beneath the ground to third-century ancient Carthage in Rome where she is about to be sold as a slave to proconsul Aspasius. Fortunately for Lisbeth being fluent in a variety of languages allows her to speak Latin, the language of this time in history.But just before the deal is about to be sealed, Cyprian Thascius claims victory of her sale instead which Lisbeth isn't too happy with.

When she learns that Cyprian has done her a favor, all she can think of is how to escape and find her way back to her father, who now has lost both his wife and daughter in the Cave of Swimmers. But what Lisbeth will soon discover is that her medical skills will enable her to help heal what is impacted the poor people of Carthage, a deadly plague that if left unchecked will spell doom for the town. But she is about to discover an alliance she never dreamed she would, when she realizes that her mother is the famed healer of Carthage and working as a slave for Aspasius, a violent and temperamental ruler for Carthage who is targeting the destruction of all the Christians. Now she must find a way to escape along with saving her mother before time runs out for them both!

I received Healer of Carthage by Lynne Gentry compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This is the first novel in the Carthage Chronicles Series and one that employs a variety of genres to make this one an amazing read and one you will want to follow along in the journey that Lisbeth must undertake. First she must deal with her own inadequacies as a failing doctor and discover that she truly does possess talents that can help people even if she doubts herself. Taking a modern doctor and thrusting her back in time, is a wonderful premise that really works for this series. She can understand simple medical issues that can be cured if only enough time were available like the discovery of citrus and even antibiotics but she must utilize what she has available to help cure the plague that is ravaging the city. I easily rate this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait for the next one in this series, which you get a sneak peek at in this one along with a reader's discussion guide that is perfect for book clubs.

Now for the best part, thanks to the generosity of Howard Books, they are providing a giveaway copy of Healer of Carthage to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here is all you need to do to enter:

1. "Like" Howard Books Facebook page so you don't miss out on any of their amazing books!

2. "Like" Lynne Gentry's Facebook page! Trust me you will LOVE her novels!

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. If you have a Twitter account, make sure you follow Howard Books and "Tweet about this giveaway using @Howard_Books @Lynne_Gentry in your tweet!

5. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of Healer of Carthage along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. But if I don't have your email address, I can't notify you if you're the lucky winner. Trust me, you don't want to miss this one!

I will notify the winner by email once the giveaway ends on March 17th to give you plenty of time to enter. .Remember you gain an entry for every one of the guidelines you complete and you can enter as many times as you'd like. Simply leave comments on Howard Books and Lynne Gentry's Facebook if you have already "Liked" them.

For more information about Healer of Carthage, Lynne Gentry or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Healer of Carthage by Lynne Gentry

You can also find Lynne Gentry on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Healer of Carthage, please visit Howard Book's website. 

No Turning Back

Before we all became believers we all made mistakes in which we needed to find God in order to gain an understanding of who He is and about the forgiveness of sin. When we struggle in the darkness, it is hard for us to see what believers see so clearly. The hallmarks of a sin-filled life. They watch us struggle to come to terms with our sin, our anger, our pain and hurts before we find such a freedom and release in learning to hand all that over to God and find redemption and forgiveness in its place. Such is the case for Katy Thannen, an Austrian born sixteen-year-old who is struggling with just that very issue. While she has some basis for a faith in God, she becomes resentful when others point out what God is doing in their lives and how it can help her as well.

Growing up for Katy hasn't been easy. Her mother has worked hard to give Katy what she can, offering her schooling in a local convent but soon Katy realizes the value of hard work and obtains a job working for a wealthy family as a maid. There she finds herself the center of attention from the son of a wealthy Austrian bureaucrat, Alex Meissen, who sees nothing wrong with falling in love with Katy. That is, until he confesses his intentions and feelings to his parents which are met with less than expected results. They send Alex off to the small town Egg to gain a better understanding of the business world and in the hopes, he'll give up marrying Katy.

But like all great love stories, love is the greatest thing in life, and no matter the distance, Katy and Alex defy all the odds when they make a plan to leave Austria and head to America to leave their families behind. However since they remain distanced, Alex provides Katy the money and directions to meet him at the dock to board a ship bond for America, but they never find one another. Alex's train is derailed and since he can't get a message to Katy, she believes that Alex may have changed his mind and she heads to America without him. Now arriving in New York City alone, Katy realizes that a chance encounter with Alex has left her pregnant. She finds a place to stay with a local convent who helps immigrant women arriving in America find a job and a place to stay but once again Katy meets an unlikely adversary with another immigrant who finds her work in a laundry facility and offers to share rent in flat in town.

Through a series of truly unfortunate events, Katy makes a series of bad decisions which alter how she views Alex and her life in general. When Alex finds comfort in learning more of God's provision, Katy only rebels further away from him. It seems the closer Alex moves to God, the further Katy moves away and soon it will take a miracle of sorts to get Katy to view the circumstances in her life as something that can be redeemed no matter how great she believes they are. It may in fact take her to the brink of death before she can see what has been in front of her all along. But will she see it before it's too late?

I received No Turning Back by Joanne Wilson Meusburger compliments of Ambassador International Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. My first impression upon reading this book was I did not believe it to be a Christian novel at first based on the series of events that happen to both Alex and Katy and the decisions they make. But like all of us, we have all found ourselves like sheep being led astray til we discover the truth about life and how God can redeem and forgive us once we establish that relationship with Him. This is just what happens with Katy and Alex, it's the struggle between unbelievers finding hope and love in the midst of some of the most difficult situations life has to offer. We don't always make the right decisions, but in the end it enables us to be able to use those for the good of others and I think that is precisely the message the author provides in this novel. That nothing is too great to keep us separated from God. I give this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about No Turning Back, Joanne Wilson Meusburger or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

No Turning Back by Joanne Wilson Meusburger

You can also find Joanne Wilson Meusburger on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

For more information on No Turning Back, visit Ambassador International Publisher's website. 

The Girl Who Came Home

Well over one hundred years since the fateful sinking of the Titanic, people are still interested in the many stories that have been written about that night on April 15, 1912. When the unsinkable ship met its match when it encountered an iceberg despite the many warnings of sightings in the area and yet they failed to reduced their speed and tempted fate. So many mistakes and so many to blame, but what we fail sometimes to remember is that people did survive despite the odds from both first class passengers to steerage and even a handful of dogs, while even more lost their lives from babies to older couples in the prime of life.

For those that did survive, they have passed along their stories of what it was like that fateful night, when so many had left their homes in search of a better life in America but never reached it. Those that kept that night long buried in their memory never wanting to talk about it to even their close family and friends. If you think about it now, there are no survivors left from that night. They have all died but their stories live on in the lives of those they did share their secrets with.

In the novel, The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor, she takes a different spin on all the other novels that have been written choosing instead to focus on handful that survived among a group of fourteen that left Ireland for better opportunities each personal in their own way. It is based on fact but then filled in with some fiction as filler but the story remains the same. People struggled to survive from all social classes and on that night it was literally everyone for themselves. The reader is introduced to Maggie Murphy who is leaving Ireland despite her wishes to find new hope in America with her Aunt Kathleen. Kathleen has agreed to take a group of Irish immigrants to America if they can secure a ticket. She will make sure they all arrive as promised.

For Maggie, she is leaving behind more than just her childhood home, she is leaving behind the one man she had hoped to marry, Seamus Doyle. They agree to write one another as much as they can, but Seamus believes that Maggie will return home to him one day when she is older. He vows to wait for her, despite not being able to accompany her on this trip because of his ailing father. He only hopes the pack of letters he has written her, one for every month they have been in love, will help to pass the time for Maggie. Neither of them could ever imagine how this trip would end for either one.

The novel toggles between various characters from Maggie's journal she writes in to pass her time on the ship, to their steward Harry Walsh who has fallen for one of Maggie's friends on board, Peggy Madden who wishes to be married to a wealthy man and thus raise herself in the social class but for now has to settle for her lot in life. Grace Butler is Maggie's great granddaughter who also tells her story of what learning about survival means to her moving forward in her own life, leaving behind a man she loved to care for her father. Maggie and Grace soon learn that life is too precious to waste and thus must be embraced every single day.

I received The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. I've been a huge fan of the Titanic for quite some time and LOVE reading everything from fictional based novels to non fiction about the lives that were forever changed that night. This one tells the survival story of how a third class steerage passenger was able to live to tell her tale and how it changed how she moved forward in the remaining years of her life in America. The novel also uses the authentic Marconi messages from the Titanic and Carpathia to begin each section of the book. There is a section at the end where the author provides the factual information she obtains as the basis for her novel and a reader discussion guide as well. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Girl Who Came Home, Hazel Gaynor or where you can preorder this novel that is due for release in April of 2014, please click on the links below:

The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor 

You can also find Hazel Gaynor on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Girl Who Came Home, please visit William Morrow's website. 

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; First Edition edition (April 1, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062316869
• ISBN-13: 978-0062316868
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches

Where Courage Calls

For as long as I can remember, I've always loved the Old West and when Hallmark launched the television series, When Calls The Heart by best selling author Janette Oke I was completely addicted. Even my youngest daughter at thirteen, truly loved the movie. So when the opportunity became available to review Where Courage Calls, a special companion story to the When Calls the Heart TV series, I knew I had to read this one. If you've already read When Calls the Heart, you may remember Elizabeth Thatcher has left her wealthy lifestyle to head west as a teacher for Coal Valley, a small coal mining town who is in desperate need of a school teacher for the children of the town. Along the way she was escorted by Edward Montclair, who was sent to keep an eye on her by her father to ensure her safe arrival in Coal Valley.

However like all great stories, this one has a twist. Upon arriving in Lethbridge, a larger town on the outskirts of Coal Valley, Edward makes the mistake of letting a porter take their bags only to realize later than they have been robbed. The porter was really a thief in disguise and now Elizabeth has only the clothes on her back and no school supplies. Edward feels personally responsible since Elizabeth's luggage contained a valuable violin that her father gave her as well as a compass that he used to own. But Elizabeth is determined to fulfill her year contract with Coal Valley and the school board even though the school takes place in a saloon during the day.

The women of Coal Valley have taken it upon themselves to fund Miss Thatcher's employment believing that an education is necessary if they want a better life for their children than becoming coal miners which claimed most of the men and older boys in a mining explosion. In Where Courage Calls, Elizabeth's adventures are detailed in what could be future episodes on the Hallmark TV series in each chapter, from dealing with financial difficulties of the mining families when the begin to run out of food during a blizzard, what happens when Elizabeth comes down with the flu, when new miners appear in town to work in the mine but don't speak English and most of all how Elizabeth can keep the love of learning alive during her first year in Coal Valley while finding more than one man who in interested in her beside Edward, which introduces us to Jack Thornton, a Canadian Mountie who shares a common interest with Elizabeth in being the local police in Coal Valley. So more than just sparks will fly between them!

I received Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. This novel concludes at the end of Elizabeth's first year of teaching in Coal Valley and the reader is left hoping that more will come in the very near future. I absolutely LOVE this series both the books and the TV series! I love the strong determination that Elizabeth digs deep to find especially when all the odds are against her. She refuses to accept failure at any turn and her love of not only teaching but the children and women she meets is apparent in the many times she goes out of her way to help people in need. Even though she comes from a wealthy upbringing, she becomes one of the women and gains so much more insight into her own strength and character, especially when her sister comes for a visit and gets more than she bargained for. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about Where Courage Calls, Janette Oke, Laurel Oke Logan or where you can pick up this novel today, please click on the links below:

Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan

You can find Where Calls the Heart on Facebook to stay up to date with all details from the series.

To read more reviews on Where Courage Calls, please visit Litfuse Publicity Book Tour Page. 



Janette Oke's newest book, Where Courage Calls (co-written with her daughter, Laurel Oke Logan), is receiving rave reviews. It is the companion story to Hallmark Channel's TV series When Calls the Heart, set in the Canadian west.

Janette and Laurel are celebrating with an iPad Mini giveaway and a Facebook author chat party on March 4th.

One winner will receive:

• iPad Mini
• Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan
• When Calls the Heart DVD

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 4th. Winner will be announced at the Where Courage Calls Facebook Party on March 4th. Connect with Janette and Laurel for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more!

So grab your copy of Where Courage Calls and join Janette and Laurel on the evening of March 4th 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 clicking JOIN on the event page. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

The Thief - Giveaway and Review

The part about being a book reviewer that I love the most besides reading amazing books, is discovering talent I would have never discovered before, which leads me to authors whose ability to write does more than simply tell a story. They take you there by the hand and create a place so vivid and rich in details that you feel like you are part of the story itself. That is just what I discovered when I picked up Stephanie Landsem's latest novel, The Thief. It is the second book in her Living Water Series and after reading this one, I will DEFINITELY being going back to read The Well.

Stephanies's writing style is like that of best selling author Tosca Lee who takes a simple character found in the Bible and takes us on the journey of just how they arrived to that historical point in the story we all remember them from but now they aren't just a supporting character, they are the part of the headliners.

Stephanie begins the novel of The Thief with the character known simply as Mouse, a young boy who makes his living in Jerusalem stealing jewelry, coins and whatever he can lay his hands on to support his family. His older brother Cendron has been born blind and barely makes enough begging to help support his family. His father spends all his time, losing money playing dice and getting drunk, while their mother drinks herself into a stupor and fails to even cook and clean. Without Mouse's thieving, the family would be out on the street and hungry.

Mouse's ally is an elderly man named Dismas who takes Mouse under his wing and teaches him how to work the system to avoid getting caught. If you are caught stealing, you are publically flogged and cast out. If you use a knife or rob at night, it means death by stoning, something Dismas and Mouse have to make sure that doesn't happen to them. While spending the day, stealing, Mouse sees a crowd of people enter Jerusalem with a man they believe to be a prophet with claims he can heal the blind and sick. Cedron vows to do whatever it takes to see this man they call Jesus to see if he can in fact heal him of his blindness so he can help provide for his family as a believer in God. But when things don't go according to plan for Mouse, he vows to find a way to give up his life of stealing before he gets caught.

I received The Thief by Stephanie Landsem compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. I literally was transported to the streets of ancient Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles and became on the people witnessing everything that happened. It was so life-like and real I had a hard time believing I was simply reading a novel in the comfort of my living room. I can only hope a screen-writer grabs this one and turns it into a movie because it is simply that great. If you ever wanted to read a truly exceptional novel about living in Jerusalem as the famed thief from the Bible, you will definitely want to pick this one up. Trust me! YOU DON'T want to miss this one. I easily give this one HANDS DOWN 5 out of 5 stars!!! I can't wait for her next novel The Tomb coming soon.

For more information about The Thief, Stephanie Landsem or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Thief by Stephanie Landsem

You can also find Stephanie Landsem on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Thief, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Now the best part, thanks to the generosity of Howard Books, they are providing a giveaway copy of The Thief to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. "Like" Howard Books Facebook page so you don't miss out on any of their amazing books!

2. "Like" Stephanie Landsem's Facebook page! Trust me you will LOVE her novels!

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. If you have a Twitter account, make sure you follow Howard Books and "Tweet about this giveaway using @Howard_Books @stephlandse in your tweet!

5. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of The Thief along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. But if I don't have your email address, I can't notify you if you're the lucky winner. Trust me, you don't want to miss this one!

I will notify the winner by email once the giveaway ends on March 10th to give you plenty of time to enter. .Remember you gain an entry for every one of the guidelines you complete and you can enter as many times as you'd like. Simply leave comments on Howard Books and Stephanie Landsem's Facebook if you have already "Liked" them.

Carolina Gold

Charlotte Fraser has gumption. A willingness to dig deep even though the men around her believe that she will ultimately fail. With the death of her father behind her, she heads back to her family home in Fairhaven now that the Civil War has ended. She has been told not to expect anything to be left since the freed slaves and Yankees have left nothing of value behind. She knows she will need to do whatever she can to ensure that the rice crop is planted to provide a living for her and to pay back the bank loan she has acquired. The only thing that remains in her name is the property at Fairhaven as well as the summer home at Pelican Cottage. The only question is the validity of her families claims on the property at Fairhaven since a land deed in her father's name can't be found.

Charlotte hopes that the remaining clue her father whispered to her about remembering the fire will lead her to discover some hope that she will not have to leave the only home she has ever known. She is more than pleased to find that some of the families she has grown up with have also moved back to South Carolina but now that all the slaves are free, Charlotte isn't quite sure how she will manage planting rice crops with no labor available. The only few men remaining now realize that they can charge Charlotte whatever the going rate is to restore some of her crops. When she arrives home, she finds the family home literally gutted. Not even the bathtub remains. The barn is in shambles, no live stock remains, and the fields where her family grew lots of rice and vegetables is in a state of disrepair. She soon bands together with the local family to hire a group of men to help plant their rice crops along with selling her stories to the Enterprise newspaper about the Southern Reconstruction efforts.

When Nicholas Betancourt moves back to Willowood, he hopes he can pursued her to tutor his two young girls while he himself attempts to start over, but Charlotte is far from qualified to teach anyone. Her methods don't follow the tradition formal training a teacher would use but she could definitely use the money to help make ends meet. Nicholas is hoping that having a woman's presence back in his daughters lives will help them readjust to a life after the death of their mother. Soon Charlotte finds a friendship with Nicholas she wasn't expecting and wonders if love can possibly arrive from the ashes of war. Being a woman living alone presents some problems for her but nothing she can't manage with raw determination and grit. Now if she can only put her mind at ease and locate the papers her father must have had to show ownership of the property otherwise all the money she is investing will be in vain.

I received Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. This novel was based on the true story of a Carolina rice plantation owner Elizabeth Allston Pringle. The author Dorothy Love shares just how she came to develop the storyline which gives readers an inside look at how this woman struggles in the midst of coming home after the Civil War and trying to make a start of things when life was extremely difficult with the many changes the war left. I have read every single book that Dorothy Love has written and once again, I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars. I love historical fiction and learning a little bit about history that I had never known before.

For more information about Carolina Gold, Dorothy Love, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love

You can find Dorothy Love on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels. 

To read more reviews on Carolina Gold from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour, please click here. 

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (December 10, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 140168761X
• ISBN-13: 978-1401687618
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches

Don't miss Dorothy Love's latest historical novel, Carolina Gold. Fun news: The release of Carolina Gold coincides with Dorothy's birthday. Celebrate with her by entering the Southern Essentials Giveaway and RSVPing to her Facebook party on January 14th!

 
Between January 3–14, visit Dorothy Love's Facebook Page to enter to win a new giveaway each day and be entered to win the $100 Visa Cash Card grand prize. Winners will be announced at the Facebook Author Chat party on January 14th! (Don't have a Facebook account? Enter here.) RSVP today for Dorothy's Carolina Gold Author Chat Party on Facebook.

During the party Dorothy will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, announcing the winner of the Southern Essentials Giveaway, and giving away books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving partygoers an exclusive look at her next book!

So grab your copy of Carolina Gold and help Dorothy celebrate her birthday on the evening of January 14th! (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. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 14th!