Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander

Hi All!

This is my second book by Tamera Alexander that I have gotten to read. I enjoyed this one as much as the first one! It was totally different in many ways, but just as enjoyable. Dr. Molly is just as incredible as the famous woman Dr. that was on TV played by Jane Seymour. Readers will be totally taken by her story. I certainly was!

Carol :)

The Amazon link is:
http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Moment-Timber-Ridge-Reflections/dp/0764203908/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243466317&sr=1-2
Tamera's home page is:
http://www.tameraalexander.com/index.html




Lives are made up of tiny steps. Some are chosen for us;
some we choose.
All hold the power to change who we become—
but only if we let them.

When Dr. Molly Whitcomb, Professor of Romance Languages, steps off the train in Colorado Territory, she makes a choice—one that goes against everything she stands for. Yet it’s the only choice that offers her a chance to regain a fraction of all she’s lost.

Sheriff James McPherson’s instincts about people rarely miss the mark. He senses Professor Whitcomb is hiding something. He just doesn’t know what. When James learns Molly’s secret, his own reputation is undermined. But when Molly Whitcomb’s reinvented life begins to unravel, it threatens his job, the stability of Timber Ridge, and what he always knew to be true about himself.

Rave Reviews: "Pull up a comfy armchair! The main and secondary characters [in Beyond This Moment] instantly become people to care about, and the plot twists will keep you turning pages long into the night. The themes of racial tolerance and second chances are as timely today as they were back in the early days of Colorado's history." -Romantic Times, 4 1/2 star review

“Tamera Alexander paints scenery with the written word, and makes characters, stories, and insights linger long after the book is read.”—Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times bestselling author

“The characters are charming, engaging, and very realistic . . . a great story that will have readers quickly turning pages . . .”—The Romance Readers Connection

Rose House by Tina Ann Forkner

Hello All,

A beautiful story that I haven't finished reading quite yet today. ;) I had a huge internet outage that rocked my world. I am so glad to be back on the net! But back to Rose House! A beautiful cottage, and a wonderful taste of time being "still" a bit set in California's rich beautiful wine country area. What a wonderful backdrop for a book! Lillian is a rich deep character dealing with a great deal of pain. I have had more pain in my life than I care to admit so I tend to feel close to others dealing with pain. Only God can heal us.
I am off to read the ending, I know it will be good, and here is to healing for all of us!

Carol :)


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Rose House

WaterBrook Press (May 5, 2009)

by

Tina Ann Forkner



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary fiction that challenges and inspires. She grew up in Oklahoma and graduated with honors from CSU Sacramento before settling in Wyoming. She lives with her husband, their three bright children and their dog and stays busy serving on the Laramie County Library Foundation Board of Directors. She is the author of Ruby Among Us, her debut novel, and Rose House, which recently released from Waterbrook Press/Random House.










ABOUT THE BOOK

A vivid story of a private grief, a secret painting, and one woman’s search for hope

Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to the Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms.

She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet.

What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day.

A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life.

If you would like to read an excerpt from Rose House, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400073596

Jillian Dare: A Novel by Melanie M. Jeschke

Greetings to my Readers,

I have long loved Jane Eyre, and this was a wonderful courageous re-write! I throughly enjoyed this book with the neat up-to-date twists that Ms. Jeschke included in her book. It was a great read that was fast and just as good as always.
Carol :)


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Jillian Dare: A Novel

Revell (May 1, 2009)

by

Melanie M. Jeschke



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Morey Jeschke (pronounced jes-key), a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from University of Virginia as a Phi Beta Kappa with an Honors degree in English Literature and a minor in European and English History.

A free-lance travel writer, Melanie contributed the Oxford chapter to the Rick Steves’ England 2006 guidebook. She is a member of the Capital Christian Writers and Christian Fiction Writers as well as three book clubs, and taught high-school English before home-schooling most of her nine children. Melanie lectures on Lewis and Tolkien, Oxford, and writing, and gives inspirational talks to all manner of groups, including university classes, women’s clubs, young professionals, teens, and school children.

A fourth generation pastor’s wife (her father Dr. Earl Morey is a retired Presbyterian minister), Melanie resides in the Greater Washington, D.C. area with her children and husband Bill Jeschke, a soccer coach and the Senior Pastor of The King’s Chapel, an non-denominational Christian church in Fairfax, Virginia.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Jillian Dare leaves her Shenandoah Valley foster home behind and strikes out on her own as a nanny at a large country estate in northern Virginia. She is delighted with the beauty of her new home, the affection of her young charge Cadence Remington, and the opportunity for frequent travel to the Remington castle in England.

She is less certain about her feelings for her handsome but moody employer, Ethan. In spite of herself, Jillian realizes she is falling for her boss. But how can a humble girl ever hope to win a wealthy man of the world? And what dark secrets from the past is he hiding? This contemporary story, inspired by the well-loved classic Jane Eyre, will capture readers' hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Jillian Dare: A Novel, go HERE


The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0800733169

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Tuck by Stephen R. Lawhead (Book Three of The Raven Trilogy)

Hello Readers!

YEAH! I get to write a review for a Stephen R. Lawhead book! (Look out, I might just do reviews on all his books on my own!) The first book written by Mr. Lawhead that I ever read was form The Song of Albion trilogy. I might post on them later, so I will not give all the good stuff away!
Suffice it for now to say that I had instantly found one of my new top favorite authors.

My only complaint is that I didn't get to read Hood or Scarlet first two book of The Raven Trilogy. I refuse to read the ending of this one until I get to read the first two books. Why? Because I will get them and read them! Meanwhile, back to Tuck!

Mr. Lawhead has a gift for taking our favorite legends and showing them in a new light. Tuck follows the Robin Hood legends, but true to his form, it is not just another Robin Hood book.
This book is told by Friar Tuck. He is working with Bran and his friends to regain their land and Bran's rightful crown. Friar Tuck, a.k.a. Tuck is shown living out his faith. I really like that. God is ever present in our lives, but do we always show Him?

I can tell you that I can't wait to read the first two books, and the ending of this one!
Carol :)

Featured book,
Tuck - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595540873
Stephen R. Lawhead’s
Web site - http://www.stephenlawhead.com/

Ulterior Motive by Mark Andrew Olsen

Hi All!

Today the title of this book strikes me even more than it did last week. Ulterior motives, sometimes it seems that everyone has one or more in place. Sometimes we have them and don't know it. In this book there are lots of them for both good and evil. In Ulterior Motives Greg is one of the main characters. His story is so real you could reach out and touch it. I was impressed at the way that Mr. Olsen showed Greg's faith in God, and the incredible way that he wrote about al-Qaeda and one terrorist who is standing on the greatest choice of his life.

We are all broken with out remedy and with out God's great grace we would be that way forever. I am so grateful for God's grace and forgiveness! This book shines in showing God's forgiveness, love, grace and mercy while wrapping it all up in a wonderful real life scenario. I have a feeling the depth of the message in this book will be working in me for a while yet. This is a very recommended read.

Carol :)



This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Ulterior Motive

Bethany House (March 1, 2009)

by

Mark Andrew Olsen



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

MARK ANDREW OLSEN whose novel The Assignment was a Christy Award finalist, also collaborated on bestsellers Hadassah (now the major motion picture: One Night With the King), The Hadassah Covenant, and Rescued. Two of his last books were the supernatural thriller The Watchers, and The Warriors.

The son of missionaries to France, Mark is a Professional Writing graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Connie, live in Colorado Springs with their three children.


ABOUT THE BOOK

When an al-Qaeda email is intercepted, threatening an attack on America, it leads to the capture of the group's leader. Yet even under fierce interrogation, the terrorist clings to his jihadist beliefs and refuses to divulge any information. Desperate, the Army resorts to extreme measures--a controversial protocol designed to break a subject's resistance. But the attempt must be masked as an offer of clemency and rely on an outside party, someone who is unaware of the protocol's aims.

They find that someone in Greg Cahill, a disgraced soldier who now serves in a prison ministry. Lured by the chance to restore his reputation, Greg befriends a man the entire country despises. And the result proves combustible, the two men having to flee for their lives. With both in need of redemption, they set out to prevent a major catastrophe...


If you would like to read the first chapter of Ulterior Motive, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764202758

Thursday, May 7, 2009

According To Their Deeds by Paul Robertson

Dear Readers,

Oh what fun! I like mysteries, and I love puns! And this book was just neat! It had a good pace, and when I got to the end I found out why! ;) They say write about what you know, and Mr. Robertson did a good job of that. All the characters were as real as people in your neighborhood. The thought and plots were in-depth and I throughly enjoyed this book! It handled the issues of what do you do if you found peoples lives in your hands so very nicely!
A really good read.

Carol :)




This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

According To Their Deeds

Bethany House (March 1, 2009)

by

Paul Robertson



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and the author of The Heir. He is also a former Christian bookstore owner (for 15 years), who lives with his family in Blacksburg, Virginia.









ABOUT THE BOOK

A Deadly Game of Justice Versus Mercy Charles Beale lives outside the shadow of Washington, D.C. Politics and power matter only when a client crosses the Potomac to visit his Alexandria Rare Books shop.

But that all changes when a former client--a man deeply connected in the Justice Department--is found murdered after a break-in gone bad. When Charles reclaims at auction the books he'd once sold, he quickly discovers he's bought more trouble than he could have ever imagined.


Inside one volume are secrets. A collection of sins that, if revealed, could destroy reputations, careers--even lives. Charles soon learns he isn't the only who knows. Going to the police means ruining a multitude of lives. But staying silent puts a target on his shop, his wife--and himself. Charles must decide: Should one mistake really cost you everything?

If you would like to read the first chapter of According To Their Deeds, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764205684