Top Ten Tuesday: Fun Summer Reads

July 11, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They are are hiatus right now.
Each week features a book related top that offers the ability to spotlight your Top Ten.

Topic:
Fun Summer Reads

Summer time is just too hot here. 100* is the norm and when it's that hot, it's just too hot to do much of anything, except staying inside and reading. I also love to read light fun books in the summer. They are breezy and make the day lighter. 

 1. Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay
2. Burning Sky by Lori Benton
3. Courting Marrow Little by Laura Frantz
4. The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer
 5. Shattered by Dani Pettrey
6. Dancing with Fireflies by Denise Hunter
7. A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert
8. Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren
9. Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade
 10. Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer
11. After a Fashion by Jen Turano
12. An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund
13. Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering

The best thing about almost all of these books, they are apart of a series, so it expands these fun books by soooo much more! These are all fun adventures and the authors tell some phenomenal stories. 

What are your Top Ten today?

Review: The Captain's Daughter by Jennifer Delamere (Litfuse Blog Tour)

July 8, 2017

Title: The Captain's Daughter
Author: Jennifer Delamere
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 352
ISBN: 978-0-7642-1920-7
Publication Date: May 2017

Synopsis:
When a series of circumstances beyond her control leave Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chances upon a job backstage at a theater that is presenting the most popular show in London. A talented musician and singer, she feels immediately at home and soon becomes enthralled with the idea of pursuing a career on the stage.

A hand injury during a skirmish in India has forced Nate Moran out of the army until he recovers. Filling his time at a stable of horses for hire in London, he has also spent the past two months working nights as a stagehand, filling in for his injured brother. Although he’s glad he can help his family through a tough time, he is counting the days until he can rejoin his regiment. London holds bitter memories for him that he is anxious to escape. But then he meets the beautiful woman who has found a new lease on life in the very place Nate can’t wait to leave behind.
Review:
Even though I've heard wonderful things about Jennifer Delamere's books, I hadn't been able to read any of her books till now. After reading this story, I can't wait to read her other books!

Jennifer Delamere was able to craft a book that featured a place that is one of my favorite places to read about, London. No matter how many times I read a story set here, it is always a new perspective and Jennifer really made this setting pop around her characters. And I'm thrilled that this is the start of a new series about this town.

What made this story so interesting is that we get to see this town from two different angles. Nate is a guy who can't wait to leave. His desire for the military far outweighs that of the city. He is ready to run. Rosalyn however, hit with many difficulties sees this town as something else and despite the hardships tries to make it work. I love the opposites of these two leads, but it was also good to discover their similarities. Their strengths and weakness paired well and it flushed them out and made them seem more real. They were imperfect and relateable.

I'm so glad that I was able to read this story. I can't wait to read her other books. She had an amazing gift of story telling. She is able to capture the emotion in her writing and bring you in. This was a book that was hard to put down.

Too Read
5 out of 5

About the Author:
Jennifer Delamere's debut Victorian romance, "An Heiress at Heart," was a 2013 RITA award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, "A Lady Most Lovely," received a starred review from "Publishers Weekly" and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She's been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.



Delamere pin 2

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and the author, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books You've Read In 2017 So Far

June 27, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 
Each week features a book related topic that offers the opportunity to spotlight your Top Ten. 

Topic:
Best Books You've Read In 2017 So Far

 My reading has been a bit hit and miss this year, but I have read some fantastic stories this year. And I still have so many ones to read. So, safe to say, this list could easily grow, but for now, here is my list of Top Ten.

 1. True to You by Becky Wade
2. The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green
3. A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz
4. Still Life by Dani Pettrey
5. Life After by Katie Ganshert
 6. I'll Be Yours by Jenny B. Jones
7. Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette
8. Siren's Song by Mary Weber
9. For Love & Honor by Jody Hedulnd
10. Unblemished by Sara Ella

This year has been a good reading year. I can't wait to read the rest of the books coming out for the 2nd part of the year. 

What were your Top Ten for the the first part of the year? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books For The Second Half of 2017

May 30, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 
Each week features a book related topic that offers the opportunity to spotlight your Top Ten. 

Topic:
Top Ten Most Anticipated Books For The Second Half of 2017

 This is always a fun topic for me! I'm always looking ahead for books I want to read.

1. Unraveling by Sara Ella
2. Many Sparrows by Lori Benton
3. Isaiah's Daughter by Mesu Andrews
 4. Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey
5. Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano
6. A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden
 7. Holding the Fort by Regina Jennings
8. Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge
9. The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

This is just a small taste of what all I'm waiting on for the 2nd half of the year. 

What are you looking forward to?


Review: True to You by Becky Wade (Litfuse Blog Tour & Giveaway)

May 29, 2017

Title: True to You
Author: Becky Wade
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0-7642-1936-8
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2017

Synopsis:
It’s the exciting start of a brand-new series by a contemporary romance fan favorite!

After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.

Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother.

The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John’s already dating someone and Nora’s not sure she’s ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.
Review:
I have to start off by saying, I love the cover of this book! The cover design really sets the tone for this book perfectly. It's light, whimsical, with a promise of so much more.

This book starts off in such an interesting way and it hooked me from the first line. Nora is a woman, who works at a museum and helps out her sister. Her and her sister, even though close are very, different, but the two meshed well. They were fun! I always wanted a sister, so when I see the friendship between sisters, like this, I savor it. I connected with Nora in this story and I honestly can't wait to read more in this series!

John, even though opposite of Nora, with his intensity and work background, the two paired together well. His background of a Navy Seal background, and her research background were really the perfect duo for the adventure that came their way.

Becky Wade has an amazing talent for writing couples that pop off the page. I fell in lover with her characters and got hooked on her writing from her previous series. I have to say, with each book, they get better and better. Her attention to detail with not only her characters, but with the settings, even their outfits make it so much more relate-able and engrossing. The little details make this story pop.

This was a fantastic start to a new series. I can't wait to see what happens next! There was so much to rave about with True to You, but I don't want to spoil it. You need to pick up a copy for yourself.

Too Read!
5 out of 5
About the Author:
Becky Wade is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market, took time off to raise her children, then felt God nudging her to pursue contemporary Christian fiction. Becky is the Carol Award-, INSPY Award-, and International Reader's Choice Award-winning author of the Porter Family Novels.






Giveaway:
Do opposites really attract? John and Nora might just be the perfect match. Find out in True to You, book one in Becky Wade's new series! Genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now. Former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.

Celebrate the launch of Becky Wade's new series by entering to win a fabulous prize pack and $100 cash card!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A copy of True to You
  • A $100 Visa cash card
  • A prize pack hand-picked by Becky
 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on May 30. The winner will be announced May 31 on the Litfuse blog.



Thank you to Lifuse, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


Review: For Love & Honor by Jody Hedlund

May 25, 2017

Title: For Love & Honor 
Author: Jody Hedlund
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 256
ISBN: 978-0-310-74930-1
Publication Date: March 7th, 2017

Synopsis:
Lady Sabine is harboring a skin blemish, one, that if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch, put her life in danger, and damage her chances of making a good marriage. After all, what nobleman would want to marry a woman so flawed?

Sir Bennet is returning home to protect his family from an imminent attack by neighboring lords who seek repayment of debts. Without fortune or means to pay those debts, Sir Bennet realizes his only option is to make a marriage match with a wealthy noblewoman. As a man of honor, he loathes the idea of courting a woman for her money, but with time running out for his family’s safety, what other choice does he have?

As Lady Sabine and Sir Bennet are thrust together under dangerous circumstances, will they both be able to learn to trust each other enough to share their deepest secrets? Or will those secrets ultimately lead to their demise?
Review:
Jody Hedlund has done a phenomenal job with this YA series! It is fun, has adventure, appropriate romance, and some fantastic characters that pop off the pages.

This series has been great! Starting off with an Uncertain Choice, then moving into A Daring Sacrifice, and now closing out with For Love and Honor. I love how they all tied together, but they could all stand alone.

I really enjoyed Sabine. She was a great strong character, who also knew how to your her sass and spunk. This story starts off with a robbery, and she wasn't going to stand for it. She let her opinion known. The rest of the story kept going from there. Sabine, used her inner strength for many things, but she was also a wonderful charter in that during her time, she was considered flawed by people, due to a birth mark. Everyone has something that has made with a blemish, but not everyone can see it, but there are people that it can be seen on, and it is about how it is handled.

We also got to see Sit Bennet again. He was one of the three knights from An Uncertain Choice. These guys have been fun and have all offered characteristics that could be characterized as swoon worthy.

Sabine and Bennett were a strong couple and they played well with their strengths, but also were a balance for their weakness.

It has been a fun medieval adventure with this series, and I can't wait to see what Jody Hedlund does next! She is an author who has an amazing gift. I'm so glad she wrote a series for YA.

Too Read!
5 our of 5
About the Author:
Jody Hedlund is a best-selling and award-winning author who loves fairy- tales and happily-ever-afters. She makes her home in Midland, MI with her husband and five children. When she's not writing another of her page-turning stories, you can usually find her sipping coffee, eating chocolate, and reading.








Thank you to Zonderkidz, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


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