Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin

Hello Readers!

I am actually still finishing up this book. Why? Because much of it is too close to my real world. I have at least one "heavy set" relation. While not as heavy as Agnes is, I know too well from having had several very heavy friends some of the trails and issues that Griselda deals with in this book. Nevertheless, God uses anyone who lets Him.

In the process people can tend to feel like it is the person praying that is the cause of God moving, instead of God moving because we asked and believed. To me this is a very real book with strong characters and worth the read. It is a good reminder that it is the power of agreement and faith that moves God, and not just the prayers of one certain person.

Carol :)



This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow

Abingdon Press (September 2009)

by

Joyce Magnin



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Joyce Magnin is the author of short fiction and personal experience articles. She co-authored the book, Linked to Someone in Pain. She has been published in such magazines as Relief Journal, Parents Express, Sunday Digest, and Highlights for Children.

Joyce attended Bryn Mawr College and is a member of the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Fellowship. She is a frequent workshop leader at various writer’s conferences and women’s church groups.

She has three children, Rebekah, Emily, and Adam; one grandson, Lemuel Earnest; one son-in-law, Joshua, and a neurotic parakeet who can’t seem to keep a name. Joyce leads a small fiction group called StoryCrafters. She enjoys baseball, football, cream soda, and needle arts but not elevators. She currently lives in Havertown, Pennsylvania.

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is her first published novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is the story of an unusual woman, Agnes Sparrow. No longer able or willing to leave her home, where she is cared for by her long-suffering sister Griselda, Agnes has committed her life to the one thing she can do-besides eat. Agnes Sparrow prays and when Agnes prays things happen, including major miracles of the cancer, ulcer-healing variety along with various minor miracles not the least of which is the recovery of lost objects and a prize-winning pumpkin.

The rural residents of Bright's Pond are so enamored with Agnes they plan to have a sign erected on the interstate that reads, "Welcome to Bright's Pond, Home of Agnes Sparrow." This is something Agnes doesn't want and sends Griselda to fight city hall.

Griselda's petitions are shot down and the sign plans press forward until a stranger comes to town looking for his miracle from Agnes. The truth of Agnes's odd motivation comes out when the town reels after a shocking event. How could Agnes allow such evil in their midst? Didn't she know?

Well, the prayers of Agnes Sparrow have more to do with Agnes than God. Agnes has been praying to atone for a sin committed when she was a child. After some tense days, the townsfolk, Griselda, and Agnes decide they all need to find their way back to the true source of the miracles-God.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1426701640

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

The Vanishing Sculptor by Donita K. Paul

Delightful!

I am so glad I got this book! I first read the first half of the last of the Dragonkeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul. It was good enough that I forced myself to put it down, and wait until I can read the first 4 books in that series! I have the first 2 now, and will be reading them and giving you a review as I can. ;)

This book was just super! Tipper is fantastic, all the characters are! I do not want to give away too much, but if you read it you will not regret it at all!

Carol :)


The Vanishing Sculptor - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400073391

Donita Paul’s Web site - http://www.donitakpaul.com/
Donita Paul’s blog - http://dragonbloggin.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 18, 2009

The Carousel Painter by Judith Miller

Lovely book!

I really enjoyed this read! Of course, I already knew a good deal about how Carousel animals and how the horses are made, so it just made this book even more fun! Ms. Miller told this story with a great deal of detail for not only the horses, but a woman working in a man's arena.
Carrie is a lovely portrait of a woman fighting to follow God, cope with friends, and man.

Carol :)



Without the means to support herself after her father dies, Carrington Brouwer receives the opportunity to use her artistic talent at her friend's father's carousel factory. But the men at the factory are not happy that a woman has been given the very desirable job of painting the elaborately carved horses. When mishaps occur at the factory and jewelry disappears from the home of the factory owner, accusations swirl. Is the handsome young factory manager truly Carrie's ally or will he side with those who believe she should be fired?

The book link to Amazon is here:
http://www.amazon.com/Carousel-Painter-Judith-Miller/dp/0764202790/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253298978&sr=1-1



Dawn's Prelude by Tracie Peterson

Hello!

Another good easy read! A nice romance with some adventure in it.
That works for me on rainy days! I have heard there is another one coming in this series.
If so, I would read it too.

Carol :)


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Dawn's Prelude

(Bethany House - October 2009)

by

Tracie Peterson



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 70 novels. She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research.

Ephesians 1:18 has become a cornerstone verse for a new non-fiction book she's been working on -- its also become a cornerstone in her life. The verse reads, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

Tracie and her family live in Belgrade, Montana.






ABOUT THE BOOK

Newly widowed Lydia Sellers discovers that through an unforeseen fluke, she is the sole recipient of her husband's fortune. But instead of granting her security, it only causes strife as her adult stepchildren battle to regain the inheritance for themselves.

Lydia, longing to put the memories of her painful marriage behind her, determines to travel to Alaska to join her aunt. Lydia's arrival in Sitka, however, brings two things she didn't expect.

One is the acquaintance of Kjell Bjorklund, the handsome owner of the sawmill. Second is the discovery that she is pregnant with her dead husband's child. What will this mean for her budding relationship with Kjell? And what lengths will her stepchildren go to reclaim their father's fortune? Lydia soon finds her life--and that of her child's--on the line.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dawn's Prelude, go HERE


The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764201514

Monday, September 14, 2009

Danger At The Door by Michelle Sutton

Loved the e-book format!

Carol :)

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Danger At The Door

(Desert Breeze September, 2009)

by

Michelle Sutton



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Sutton, otherwise known as the Edgy Inspirational Author, is Editor-in-chief of Christian Fiction Online Magazine, a member of ACFW, a social worker by trade, and a prolific reader/book reviewer/blogger the rest of the time.

She lives in Arizona with her husband of nineteen years and her two teenaged sons. Michelle is also the author of It's Not about Me (2008) and It's Not About Him (Sheaf House 2009). She has nine other titles releasing over the next three years.






ABOUT THE BOOK


Upon her fiancé's death, Laney became a recluse who only left her home for emergencies. She managed to survive - barely - on food delivery service and her work-at-home job. When she tries to move on from her grief, the commemorative meal she orders is ruined. However, it leads to an unlikely friendship with an attractive man, Bojan, who speaks little English.

As he befriends Laney he continually says the wrong things, but he doesn't give up trying to win her trust. Meanwhile, she has this strange feeling of being watched and wonders if she's losing her mind.

Complicating things further, every time she leaves her house something bad happens, confirming that she is safer at home. Can Bojan convince Laney she'll be safe with him, or will his presence put her in further danger? Will he be able to protect the woman he loves before it's too late?


If you would like to read the Prologue and first Chapter of Danger At The Door, go HERE

The book link is: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-29/Danger-at-the-Door/Detail.bok

Thursday, September 10, 2009

The Blue Enchantress by M.L.Tyndall

Wonderful book! I couldn't put it down, and I was so glad to have it to read!
Family in the hospital is a drag!

Carol :0


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Blue Enchantress

Barbour Books (August 1, 2009)

by

M.L.Tyndall



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



M. L. (MaryLu) Tyndall grew up on the beaches of South Florida loving the sea and the warm tropics. But despite the beauty around her, she always felt an ache in her soul--a longing for something more.

After college, she married and moved to California where she had two children and settled into a job at a local computer company. Although she had done everything the world expected, she was still miserable. She hated her job and her marriage was falling apart.

Still searching for purpose, adventure and true love, she spent her late twenties and early thirties doing all the things the world told her would make her happy, and after years, her children suffered, her second marriage suffered, and she was still miserable.

One day, she picked up her old Bible, dusted it off, and began to read. Somewhere in the middle, God opened her hardened heart to see that He was real, that He still loved her, and that He had a purpose for her life, if she'd only give her heart to Him completely.

She had written stories her whole life, but never had the confidence to try and get any of them published. But as God began to change her heart, He also showed her that writing had been His wonderful plan for her all along!

Her other current release in the Charles Towne Belles series includes The Red Siren.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Betrayed by the man she longed to marry, Hope Westcott is about to be auctioned off as a slave to the highest bidder on an island in the Caribbean . After enduring a difficult childhood in an unloving home, Hope?s search for love and self-worth have led her down a very dangerous path. All she ever wanted was to find true love and open an orphanage where she could raise children with all the love she never experienced as a child.? But how can a woman with a sordid past ever hope to run an orphanage, let alone attract the love of an honorable man?

Determined to overcome the shame of his mother?s past, Nathaniel Mason worked for many years to build his own fleet of merchant ships in an effort to finally acquire the respect of Charles Towne society. Ignoring the call of God on his life to become a preacher, he forges ahead with his plans for success at a distant port in the Caribbean , when he sees a young lady he knows from Charles Towne being sold as a slave. In an effort to save Hope, he is forced to sell one of his two ships, only to discover that her predicament was caused by her own bad behavior. Angry and determined to rid himself of her as soon as possible, Nathaniel embarks on a journey that will change the course of his life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Blue Enchantress, go HERE

View The Book Trailer:



Tuesday, August 25, 2009

The Knight by Steven James

Outstanding!

A warning was issued with this book for the review and I tell you what, it is incredible! I don't mind descriptive books, or movies if the plot is good and the story worth the telling. The Knight belongs in that category! While it is the 3rd book in a best selling series, I hadn't heard of this author before. I was definitely missing out!

I wasn't the least bit lost, you can read this book and not feel like you lost parts of the story because you haven't read the first two books in this series. They are The Pawn and The Rook. I will be getting them as soon as I can too! ;)

Patrick Bowers is the "leading man", an incredible FBI criminologist who finds that a killer is tracking him now! The scenes are gripping and as real life as any CSI, Bones or anything you can list. This book is as real as it comes, so if you are brave enough, if you think you can "hang" while Patrick tracks this brutal killer, then you need to be already reading The Knight! The twists, turns, issues with faith are all up close and personal. Quite a masterpiece!

Carol :)



Killer is on the loose with an ancient manuscript as his guide. New thriller from critically acclaimed novelist takes readers on a shocking rollercoaster ride to stop this violent killer before it’s too late.

the_knightSteven James is one of the nation’s most innovative storytellers — with a Master of Arts in Storytelling degree to prove it. For the past decade, he has been crafting compelling and evocative stories that pull readers into the thick of his brilliant, mind-bending plots, and his latest creative endeavor is no different: The Knight, the third installment in his bestselling series of thrillers, is full of the chilling twists and adrenaline-laced action that readers have come to expect from James.

The Knight picks up in The Bowers Files series, starring FBI criminologist Patrick Bowers, who is assigned to tracking the country’s most dangerous killers. But when he is called to his most disturbing crime scene yet, Bowers begins to realize that this criminal mastermind has actually been tracking him.

To get to the bottom of this old-blooded case, Bowers uses his cutting-edge investigative techniques to decipher the evidence and discovers that the murderer has been using an ancient manuscript as a blueprint for his crimes. This sends Bowers on a race against time to stop the killer before he takes his next victim in another grisly crime.

But even as he is working to crack the clues of this bloody trail, Bowers finds himself stumped by another matter: An old murder case haunts him, causing him to question himself and wonder which is more important—truth or justice. The answer might set a killer free or change Bowers into a criminal himself.

Keeping readers guessing until the very end, James has earned rave reviews from the likes of Publishers Weekly, which called his thrillers “a wild ride with a shocking conclusion.” The Knight offers readers more of the same, as the satisfying follow-up to his previous bestselling psychological thrillers in The Bowers Files series, The Pawn and The Rook.

Available August 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.


“Heart-pounding excitement…
Once the last page is turned, you’ll be tempted to flip back
to the beginning to see where you missed vital clues.

Top-notch suspense!”

— Romantic Times review of The Knight


Reviews for The Bowers Files series

Praise for The Pawn

“Riveting.” —Publishers Weekly

“An exhilarating thriller.” —Mysterious Reviews

“Brilliant.” —Ann Tatlock, Christy-award-winning author

“There is nothing not to like.” —The Suspense Zone

“An exceptional psychological thriller.”—Bookshelf Review

“Seriously intense.” —Pop Culture Tuesday

Praise for The Rook

“It’s a wild ride with a shocking conclusion.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Readers will be on the edge of their seats.” —Romantic Times top pick

“Steven James has mastered the thriller.” —The Suspense Zone

“Suspense thriller writing at its highest level.” —TittleTrakk.com

“Steven James hooked me with his debut, The Pawn. Now in his explosive
sequel he has absolutely blown me away.” —The Christian Manifesto


Praise from real-life investigators

"Steven James's ability to use modern, up-to-date investigative
techniques to solve his criminal mysteries places him
at the forefront of current mystery writers."
— E. Cleon Glaze, retired FBI agent, Alaska

"Steven James combines 21st-century high-tech law enforcement
techniques with 18th-century Sherlockian deduction
to craft an exciting, suspense-filled story."
— Dr. Kim Rossmo,
Center for Geospatial Intelligence and Investigation, Texas State University