A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano (Ladies of Distinction Series)

First of all.....
A FREE novella by Jen Turano for Kindle can be gotten here! Hurry while you can get it free! ;)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0091T62FS/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=bookreviews0b4-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B0091T62FS&adid=0X75PGNFK91QMPM1CFE5

Now, A Change Of Fortune, that is something a few of us could use. In this case, our Lady in hiding, Eliza aka Miss Sumner aka titled daughter of Lord Southmoor, is in a mess! While working as a "plain" governess, she winds up pressed back out into the social circles of New York. It was here that she thought she could be in hiding since loosing her fiance' and her fortune back in England. That plan was working, until she was pressed into a dinner where she meets Mr. Hamilton Beckett, and his brother. The elder Mr. Beckett is the catch that none of the ladies can seem to catch, and he is already smitten with Eliza.

Soon they find they are both trailing the same family, the same man, the man who has taken Eliza's fortune and changed her life so drastically. Events just keep cascading and soon Eliza is working rather closely with Hamilton  and she isn't totally sure how she feels about it, until his children tug at her heart and she finds herself wondering if her new lot in life will be being their governess if her fortune can't be reclaimed.

This book was just lovely to read. It was funny, and cute, and moved at a good pace. The characters grew and developed with each other and with God. There was adventure, mystery, pain, and healing and forgiveness and closure and yet... new things opening and starting. I enjoyed this book quite well!

Carol :)

About the Book: 

Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. Her fortune was the last thing she had left after losing her father, her fiance, and her faith. Now, masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner, governess-at-large, she`s determined to find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London.

Mr. Hamilton Beckett, much to his chagrin, is the catch of the season, and all the eyes of New York society–all the female ones, at least–are on him. He has no plans to marry again, especially since his hands are full keeping his business afloat while raising his two children alone.

Eliza`s hapless attempts to regain her fortune unexpectedly put her right in Hamilton`s path. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces and, before she knows it, Eliza has a whole retinue of people helping her. Eliza`s determination not to trust anyone weakens when everyone`s antics and bumbling efforts to assist her make her wonder if there might be more important things than her fortune and independence.

When all of Hamilton`s and Eliza`s best-laid plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along.

About the Author:

Jen grew up in the small town of St. Clairsville, Ohio, where she spent an idyllic childhood riding her purple spider bike, ice-skating on a little pond and reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon books in her tree house. High School was, surprisingly enough, fabulous as Jen spent time with her girlfriends. She headed off to college with no idea of what she wanted to be when she grew up, but settled on pursuing a career in fashion because she thought it sounded glamorous. Her parents thought she’d lost her mind, but they resigned themselves to her choice and after earning a BA degree in Clothing and Textiles, Jen set off to take the fashion world by storm, only to discover retail was certainly not the glamorous career she’d imagined it would be. She moved to Buffalo, New York to take a job in the buying office of a large department store, learning all there was to know about cookware, which again, was hardly glamorous, especially to a girl who did not have a knack for cooking. She met her future husband, Al, a few months after taking this job and eight months later, they were married. After moving into management at another department store and working that for a few years, the company went out of business and Jen decided she’d had enough. One year later her son was born and Jen hung up her heels for good and concentrated on being a mom.

She began dabbling in writing when her son, then in elementary school, said he liked her made up stories as much as those in his books. It was then that she  fired up the computer and never looked back.

Jen loves to write humorous stories with quirky characters and a dash of intrigue and finds historical romances especially appealing, seeing as how she’s been reading them since she was a teenager. Her mother gave her a copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss, The Flame and the Flower, and Jen was hooked on the genre. When not reading romance, she loves to read mysteries, young adult and her favorite series of all time, Harry Potter.

Besides writing, Jen enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Author's Web Site: http://jenturano.com/

The Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/Change-Fortune-A-Jen-Turano/dp/0764210181

I received my copy of this book for reviewing purposes from Bethany House Publishing.

Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Angel Eyes is a really good read! I really enjoyed it. From the unique halo to the real way I feel Angels and Demons see the world, this book was one I didn't want to put down. I also really want to read the rest of the series!

Brielle had something horrible happen in the city, off at college. Because of that she came back home to the small town she thought she would be safe in, and where she could hide. Jake is the new boy next door, and at school, and watching her too! He has a strange "relative" that he says watches over him. Before long Brielle finds out that Jake has a gift, and that what we think we see and know, is just a shadow compared to the real world that most of do not see. However, you could see it, if you have Angel's eyes, and the seeing would leave you changed, but in what ways? There is such a major battle going on, can Jake and Brielle stay out of it, or are their very lives entwined into this fight?

Carol

Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .

ANGEL EYES

Brielle went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.

Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.

Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.

A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive.

Angel Eyes is the first in a supernatural trilogy and will be hitting bookstores on May 29, 2012

Book link - http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Eyes-Shannon-Dittemore/dp/1401686354/ 
Author Website - http://www.shannondittemore.com/
Author Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/ShannonDittemore

Images of the covers of the next two books are below! :D

In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Gillian Adams
Julie Bihn
Beckie Burnham
Theresa Dunlap
Nikole Hahn
Jeremy Harder
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Emileigh Latham
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Anna Mittower
Faye Oygard
Nathan Reimer
Chawna Schroeder
Jessica Thomas
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Dona Watson
Shane Werlinger Phyllis Wheeler

Hurt by Travis Thrasher (The Solitary Tales Book Four)

Book One: Solitary

Book Two: Gravestone

Book Three: Temptation

Book Four is here, and it is called Hurt. If you check out my other posts about the books in this series you will find that I am racing to catch up. I somehow missed a shifted review due date, and that has thrown me off a bit. As I get caught up I will do my best to update each of these books's reviews that I am working on. For now I will give you as much as I can about Hurt, and ask you to come back so we can get all caught up together. :) 

First off all, you need to read this series in order! Start with Solitary and read forward so that you aren't reading the last book first and are quite lost. Chris Buckley is stuck in a tiny town called Solitary. He went there with his Mother and now he is back to get her out of there, if he can. Chris has been dealing with evil, and good for quite a while now as I understand it. This is the final stand. God is on his side, but Chris is at war with himself. Something that happened in a prior book, and that I will be finding out about soon! 

That is all for now, I am off to finish reading Solitary so that I can update you with proper reviews worth of reading. ;) 

Carol 

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Hurt David C. Cook; New edition (January 1, 2013) by Travis Thrasher

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After college, he targeted working in the publishing industry and was fortunate to find a job early after graduation. He worked as Author Relations Manager for Tyndale House Publishers, the publisher of his first two novels.

The thirteen years he spent working in author relations taught him the business of publishing as well as the psyche of writers.

Early on, he made a deliberate choice of not wanting to be boxed in by a brand or a genre. Instead, Travis has chosen time and time again to write the stories that mean something to him at that moment. He views his first ten years of being published as training and practice. Those novels in many ways were written for himself.

The four years of writing full time have taught him the discipline and determination necessary to make it as a novelist. They’ve also served to close the chapter on what is hopefully just one era in his writing journey.

The stories continue to fill his head like they did when he was in third grade. The only difference is that Travis now knows what to do with those stories. His goal continues to be to tell stories that move him as well as his readers. He wants to continue to experiment and take risks, but more than anything he wants to provide readers a satisfying experience.

The dream remains the same. To try and write something magnificent. To make up wild worlds full of wonderfully rich characters. To make sense of the world through the stories he tells. And to try and inspire hope with the words he writes.

ABOUT THE BOOK

His Rebellion Will Soon Turn to Hope

When Chris Buckley first encountered the mysteries of creepy Solitary, North Carolina, he had little idea how far he would fall into the town’s shadows. After losing the love of his life, Chris tried to do things his way. He hunted answers. Then he gave up trying to find them.

But now Chris comes back to Solitary knowing there’s a purpose for his being there. As he watches his place in a twisted and evil bloodline become clear, Chris waits for the last battle—and wonders who will be left when he finally makes his stand.

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

Travis can be reached through the Contact link on his Website. 

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1434764168 

Temptation by Travis Thrasher (The Solitary Tales Book Three)

The third book in The Solitary Tales series - Temptation. Due to my reading schedule I have not been able to read this book like I want to, but I will be catching up as fast as possible!

Book One: Solitary

Book Two: Gravestone

Carol

The third book in the Solitary Tales series for young adults, Temptation follows the soul-wrenching twists of Chris Buckley’s journey as he heads deeper into a darkness that threatens all he loves best.

As a reluctant student at Harrington High’s summer school, Chris meets a fun-loving senior girl who offers a welcome diversion from Chris’s past. Soon Chris no longer searches for the truth about the town of Solitary. He no longer tries to pierce its shadows. He no longer questions his role in its mysteries. He makes a new choice: he runs. What he doesn't realize is that he’s running the wrong way—and is very close to being beyond any choices at all.

The Book Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Temptation-Novel-Solitary-Tales-Series/dp/B008SM6GV4/ref=pd_sim_b_2





After college, he targeted working in the publishing industry and was fortunate to find a job early after graduation. He worked as Author Relations Manager for Tyndale House Publishers, the publisher of his first two novels. 

The thirteen years he spent working in author relations taught him the business of publishing as well as the psyche of writers. 

Early on, he made a deliberate choice of not wanting to be boxed in by a brand or a genre. Instead, Travis has chosen time and time again to write the stories that mean something to him at that moment. He views his first ten years of being published as training and practice. Those novels in many ways were written for himself. 

The four years of writing full time have taught him the discipline and determination necessary to make it as a novelist. They’ve also served to close the chapter on what is hopefully just one era in his writing journey. 

The stories continue to fill his head like they did when he was in third grade. The only difference is that Travis now knows what to do with those stories. His goal continues to be to tell stories that move him as well as his readers. He wants to continue to experiment and take risks, but more than anything he wants to provide readers a satisfying experience. 

The dream remains the same. To try and write something magnificent. To make up wild worlds full of wonderfully rich characters. To make sense of the world through the stories he tells. And to try and inspire hope with the words he writes.

The Author's Web Site: http://www.travisthrasher.com/

Gravestone by Travis Thrasher (The Solitary Tales book Two)

The second book in The Solitary Tales series - Gravestone. Due to my reading schedule I have not been able to read this book like I want to, but I will be catching up as fast as possible!
The first book's info can be seen HERE!


Carol

About the Book:

His Fear Will Soon Turn to Anger….

 

At first, Chris Buckley was simply warned. And watched. But as Chris unravels the haunting riddles of the town of Solitary, he finds that much more than the life of a town is at stake.

 

Whether facing a pastor with a house full of skeletons or a cousin he never knew existed, Chris is forced to choose between light and darkness, life and nightmarish death. Every choice he makes reminds him that the unthinkable has already happened—and if he trusts the wrong person, it may happen again.

 

This second book in the Solitary Tales continues Chris’s journey toward finding out who he is and what his own role is in the darkness suffocating his tiny new hometown. Filled with shocking twists, Gravestone is a tale of a teenager thrown into a battle over a town, a secret—and ultimately his own soul.

The Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/Gravestone-Novel-Solitary-Tales-Series/dp/B005OLAD6Q/ref=pd_sim_b_1



After college, he targeted working in the publishing industry and was fortunate to find a job early after graduation. He worked as Author Relations Manager for Tyndale House Publishers, the publisher of his first two novels. 

The thirteen years he spent working in author relations taught him the business of publishing as well as the psyche of writers. 

Early on, he made a deliberate choice of not wanting to be boxed in by a brand or a genre. Instead, Travis has chosen time and time again to write the stories that mean something to him at that moment. He views his first ten years of being published as training and practice. Those novels in many ways were written for himself. 

The four years of writing full time have taught him the discipline and determination necessary to make it as a novelist. They’ve also served to close the chapter on what is hopefully just one era in his writing journey. 

The stories continue to fill his head like they did when he was in third grade. The only difference is that Travis now knows what to do with those stories. His goal continues to be to tell stories that move him as well as his readers. He wants to continue to experiment and take risks, but more than anything he wants to provide readers a satisfying experience. 

The dream remains the same. To try and write something magnificent. To make up wild worlds full of wonderfully rich characters. To make sense of the world through the stories he tells. And to try and inspire hope with the words he writes.

The Author's Web Site: http://www.travisthrasher.com/

Solitary By Travis Thrasher (The Solitary Tales Series)

The wonderful David Cook publishing did it again! They knew how much I love to read, and how much I hate getting the end before any of the rest of the story. Thus when I signed up to read Hurt by Travis Thrasher came up for review with my Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, Cook Publishing sent us the entire series! YEAH!!! :D

So here is the first book in The Solitary Tales series - Solitary. Due to my reading schedule I have not been able to read this book like I want to, but I will be catching up as fast as possible!

Carol 

 

About the Book:
When Chris Buckley moves to Solitary, North Carolina, he faces the reality of his parents’ divorce, a school full of nameless faces—and Jocelyn Evans. Jocelyn is beautiful and mysterious enough to leave Chris speechless. But the more Jocelyn resists him, the more the two are drawn together. Chris soon learns that Jocelyn has secrets as deep as the town itself. Secrets more terrifying than the bullies he faces in the locker room or his mother’s unexplained nightmares. He slowly begins to understand the horrific answers. The question is whether he can save Jocelyn in time. This first book in the Solitary Tales series will take you from the cold halls of high school to the dark rooms of an abandoned cabin—and remind you what it means to believe in what you cannot see.

The Book Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Solitary-Novel-Tales-Travis-Thrasher/dp/B004IEA342/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358290021&sr=1-1&keywords=travis+thrasher

After college, he targeted working in the publishing industry and was fortunate to find a job early after graduation. He worked as Author Relations Manager for Tyndale House Publishers, the publisher of his first two novels. 

The thirteen years he spent working in author relations taught him the business of publishing as well as the psyche of writers. 

Early on, he made a deliberate choice of not wanting to be boxed in by a brand or a genre. Instead, Travis has chosen time and time again to write the stories that mean something to him at that moment. He views his first ten years of being published as training and practice. Those novels in many ways were written for himself. 

The four years of writing full time have taught him the discipline and determination necessary to make it as a novelist. They’ve also served to close the chapter on what is hopefully just one era in his writing journey. 

The stories continue to fill his head like they did when he was in third grade. The only difference is that Travis now knows what to do with those stories. His goal continues to be to tell stories that move him as well as his readers. He wants to continue to experiment and take risks, but more than anything he wants to provide readers a satisfying experience. 

The dream remains the same. To try and write something magnificent. To make up wild worlds full of wonderfully rich characters. To make sense of the world through the stories he tells. And to try and inspire hope with the words he writes.

The Author's Web Site: http://www.travisthrasher.com/

Choices Of The Heart by Laurie Alice Eakes

The more I read books by Laurie Alice Eakes, the more I am draw into them! Choices Of The Heart is about an extraordinary young woman. Beautiful, talented, raised properly with parents who are well off, as well as being a trained mid-wife, those are just a few of Esther Cherrett's qualities. She is also hurt, shunned, and being chased away from all she held dear. In order to get away from it all she takes a position as a teacher in a tiny mountain area, and finds herself in the middle of a mountain of folks who have a tentative peace from fatal feuding. Doing her best to avoid the two cousins who would seek her hand for marriage, Esther starts to immerse herself into trying to hide her healing gifts, and into teach the children who need her.

But it is never so easy to get away from your problems, for they tend to follow you emotionally if not in other ways. Before long Esther is trying to sort out mysteries and get through her past problems and follow the choices that she needs to make for her life, and for others.

A really good read!
Carol

She thought she had left her old life behind . . .

Esther Cherrett comes from a proud line of midwives and was trained by her mother to take over the family calling. But when a terrible scandal threatens all she holds dear, Esther flees, taking a position as a teacher in the wild western mountains of Virginia. But instead of the refuge she was seeking, Esther finds herself in the midst of a deadly family feud—and courted by two men on opposite sides of the conflict. All she wants is to run away again.

But could it be that her past holds the key to reconciliation—and love?

In this gripping story of trust, deception, and bittersweet loss, you’ll discover the true meaning of choices of the heart.

Read an Excerpt!!!


The Book Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Heart-Midwives-Book-ebook/dp/B00A8NUH16/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358229973&sr=1-1&keywords=Choices+of+the+heart

About Laurie Alice Eakes

“Eakes has a charming way of making her novels come to life without being over the top,” writes Romantic times of  bestselling, award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes. Since she lay in bed as a child telling herself stories, she has fulfilled her dream of becoming a published author with a dozen books and novellas in print and more on the way. A graduate of Asbury University and Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction graduate program, she also teaches writing and gives inspirational talks to women’s groups. She lives in Texas with her husband, dogs, and cats, where she enjoys long walks and the beach as often as possible, and knits—rather badly.

Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurieAEakes

Read excerpts from her books at: http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com

The Author's Web Site: http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com/

Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher

FIRST - there is a giveaway! :)
Suzanne is giving away TWO iPads and iTunes gift cards!

Contest details on Suzanne's site: http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/contest
Contest dates: Jan 3-20, 2013
Two winners will receive:
 • A brand new iPad
 • A $15 gift certificate to iTunes Enter today by clicking HERE
 (http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/309430).
Ends on January 20th! Winner will be announced on 1/22/13 at Suzanne’s Blog.

Third in a series, The Lesson is about Mary Kate Lapp, or M.K. Now 19 she is facing all new challenges, and the pull of the great wide world. Through an accident, which she had a hand in, M.K. is now teaching or um, failing at teaching school. What is one girl to do with a class in all age ranges of children who don't even like her? How can she survive this or reach them? Who killed the sheep farmer and what will happen to M.K, if she falls in love?

Meanwhile Chris is just struggling to overcome his past and take care of his little sister Jenny. However, most of Chris's past is tied to his drug addicted mother. Now he lives near M.K. and Jenny is one of her students. Their lives are more tied together than any of them know! There is a deep mystery and love, redemption and forgiveness coursing through this tale.

Carol

About the Book:
In her wildest dreams, spunky and impulsive nineteen-year-old Mary Kate Lapp never imagined herself behind a schoolteacher's desk. A run-in (literally) with the schoolteacher compels her to act as a substitute teacher, just as her restless desire to see the world compels her to apply for a passport . . . just in case. The only thing of interest to M.K. in the sleepy Amish community of Stoney Ridge is the unexplained death of a sheep farmer that coincided with the arrival of a mysterious young man into the community. Frustrated that no one takes the crime seriously, she takes matters into her own hands. Unfortunately, as tends to be the case for M.K., she jumps headlong into trouble.

Suzanne's Web Site: http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/books/
The book link: http://www.amazon.com/Lesson-The-Novel-Stoney-Seasons/dp/0800719891

Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Vanished by Irene Hannon (Private Justice Series Book 1)

Today's book is Vanished, by Irene Hannon. Vanished is what happened to the lady that Moira hit with her car, or did she? She is starting to think she lost her mind, but she just can't let this go with out checking. After all, she is an investigative reporter, and getting to the bottom of things is a part of her. Since her memory hasn't been tampered with before, she takes it upon herself to hire a P.I. to help her solve this mystery, or at least get her mind to leave it alone. 

Cal Burke is former police force, and like his friends who work with him, they all have pretty solid and hefty backgrounds. Cal's wife has been dead for a while, but he hasn't been able to move on. Then in walks Moira, a woman with strength, beauty and brains, but with a case attached to her that would make most men run away, or think she belongs in a mental ward. Cal takes on checking into Moira's case Pro-Bono as she is with out the funding it would take to dig into this. However, the more Cal digs, and the more Moira digs, the more awful things keep being uncovered. What if Moira isn't nuts at all, and a woman was killed and she just vanished. Where are the threads of her life, the traces to follow and the killer, he has to be found. 

Vanished was a good read, with lots of details about the characters and places they went. The romance wasn't too much, it was very light in its own way so that it doesn't overshadow the main events - finding out if there is a killer, who, and why. God will need to be protecting them if the one the suspect is the one behind the murders. 

Carol :) 

About The Book: 

Vanished
Revell, ©2013, ISBN 978-0-8007-2123-7
(Book 1—Private Justice)

Reporter Moira Harrison is new on the job in St. Louis, but she’s no rookie to investigative reporting. She knows how to dig for answers and get results. But when she hits a pedestrian on a rainy night in a wooded area—only to have both the victim and the good Samaritan who stopped to assist disappear—she turns to P.I. Cal Burke, an ex-homicide detective, to help her sort out the puzzle. Cal is more than a little skeptical of her story, especially since the police have dismissed it. But as clues begin to surface, bringing them closer to answers, the danger mounts. Because someone doesn't want this mystery solved—and will stop at nothing to protect a shocking secret that will destroy a life built on lies.

Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/Vanished-A-Novel-Private-Justice/dp/0800721233

About the Author:

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!

Since then, she has written more than 40 romance and romantic suspense novels. Her books have been honored with two RITA awards—the “Oscar” of romantic fiction—and she is a six-time finalist for that prestigious honor. Her books have also won a Daphne du Maurier award, a Carol award, a HOLT Medallion, a National Readers’ Choice Award, a Retailers Choice Award and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. One of her novels was also named by Booklist as one of the top 10 inspirational fiction books of 2011.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full-time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing.  A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.

When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

Find out more at the Author's Web Site: http://www.irenehannon.com/vanished.html

Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group!