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First Line Fridays - 4/21/17 - Behind the Scenes

Friday, April 21, 2017


Happy Friday!

Do you have any plans for the weekend? We decided to PAINT our kitchen! It is sort of in the halfway stage right now. I will hopefully have pictures of the final product by next week! Anyhoo...My First Line this week comes from one of my favorite authors EVER! Jen Turano delivers stories that have unique and quite humourous heroines. Miss Permilia Griswold is no exception. In fact, she may be my favorite Turano character to date. Although I am only about halfway through the book right now (are you seeing a trend here?). Be looking for my review NEXT Saturday! 


March 1883 - New York City
Pressing her nose against the glass of the carriage window, Miss Permilia Griswold felt her stomach begin to churn as she took note of the throngs of people lining Fifth Avenue.

Amazon

Read the Novella for FREE!

Now it's your turn! Post your first line below and blog hop and join in more First Line fun!

Andi - Radiant Light

If you would like to host First Line Fridays on your blog, contact Carrie on Reading is my SuperPower.

All of You + Giveaway - A Carrington Family Novel Book 2 - Sarah Monzon

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

"Sometimes the past reaches forward to bring hope to the future."

My Rating
★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul. (More Info)

About the Book
Maryland, Present Day

Jacqueline Rogers can rebuild anything...except the shambles of her past. A restorer of vintage planes, she's worked hard to earn the reputation of being one of the guys. The last thing she needs is a former Navy pilot fighting his own inner demons stepping in to defend her from dangers she thought she’d outrun long ago. Some battles must be fought alone.



After a freak accident severs Lieutenant Michael “Finch” Carrington’s dreams, as well as two limbs, he’s left with nothing but a fragile faith and a duty-bound promise to watch out for his friend’s baby sister. A promise she insists is as unnecessary as it is unappreciated. But when she turns the tables and begins to weld together the broken parts of his life, it may be his heart that is in need of protection. 



England, 1942

With the world at war yet again, Alice Galloway rejects her father’s traditional expectations and offers her piloting expertise to the Air Transport Auxiliary. She may be a woman in a man’s world, but when she overhears key intelligence, she must find the strength to transcend boundaries and her own fears. Or countless people may die.



My Thoughts
As a newly converted contemporary fiction reader (previously I was strictly Historical), Sarah Monzon's books hit a sweet spot in my heart. A split timeline that weaves the past and the present together in a tapestry that is full of beautiful and unique characters. 

I simply adore what Sarah is doing with this series. The dual timelines are so much fun and make it VERY hard to put the book down. ONE of my favorite parts was reading about the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) in All of You. The ATA employed several women during WWII to transport planes. I think this is a part of history that is so important, yet not widely known. You can read more about the ATA HERE. In addition we get to follow Jack around as she flies and repairs planes in the present day thread. I just LOVE IT! It was super easy to jump back and forth for me. And just emphasizes my complete adoration of history. 

As Michael struggles to adjust to his new "normal", he is trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. When our lives are taken completely off course from where we were headed, when we were doing what we THOUGHT God had called us to do, it raises a lot of questions. It can be tough and confusing and hard to trust that the end result will be good. But through it all it is so important to keep our focus on Christ. I know that is cliche, but it is true. Sarah mentions the song "Thy Will" by Hillary Scott in her book and so I wanted to include it here for you. Listen to the words, to her heart, let it soak into your spirit. And remember that no matter what we go through: 
"Sometimes I gotta stop 
Remember that you’re God
And I am not"



All of You speaks to the heart and the message is loud and clear: We may not always know why God allows things to happen to us, but putting our trust and faith in Him...to believe that HE knows what He is doing...will lead us to the ultimate freedom. Take it ONE DAY AT A TIME. Allow Him to guide your step. Don't be passive, step through the doors that He opens for you. I pray that as you read All of You, your heart hears the truth on these pages. There is so much I could share about this book, but I will stop here because I want you to read it for yourself! AND, because I love this book so much...I am hosting a giveaway for an eBook copy of All of You! This book releases on May 15th and will be sent to the winner on that day.


I want to hear from YOU...What book have you read with a unique setting/character?


I received a complimentary copy of All of You from Radiant Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Purchase Options



About the Author
Sarah Monzon is a Navy chaplain's wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world. Playing pretend all day with them isn't enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters. When she isn't in the world of make believe, she can be found in the pine forests of western Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings.Her debut novel, The Isaac Project, skyrocketed to Amazon bestseller status while her Sophomore book, Finders Keepers, has finaled in contests such as the Inspy Awards and received a 4 star review from Romantic Times.
Connect

More Books by Sarah Monzon on Bookworm Mama

Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway copy provided by myself. I was not compensated for this giveaway.

Many thanks to Canva for providing an AMAZING program for me to design all these beautiful graphics. Book covers, publisher logos, and author pictures not owned by me. All other graphics created by Bookworm Mama with public domain photos on Canva

Top Ten Tuesday - Reasons I Pick Up a Book

Monday, April 17, 2017



Thanks to the wonderful Carrie from Reading is my SuperPower and the brilliant minds from The Broke and the Bookish...I have finally decided to jump into the Top Ten Tuesday posts! Yay! It only took me about a year to finally get around to it. Better late than never right? This week's topic will hopefully be enlightening for you...and I am curious to know your answers. So comment below before you skedaddle. 😊


As an avid Bookworm (or dragon) with a TBR pile that is threatening my existence on a daily basis (read more about this struggle on Paper Fury)...It can be a HUGE challenge to decide what books are worthy of my immediate time. However, between the "Hmmming" and "Hawing", I do have a sort of system that I TRY and stick to. Of course there are times when I abandon all reason and pick up a book spontaneously just because I want to. In no particular order...I give you....my Top Ten Reasons I Pick Up a Book!


A Friend's Recommendation

My Review
I have several bookish friends that read WAAAAY more than I do. They KNOW my style and the kinds of books that I swoon over. Hence, when they tell me I NEED to read a book (sometimes they go so far as to actually sending me the book...) I KNOW I have to move it to the "Very Tippy Top" (Nicole Coley) of my list. I am referring to The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof in this particular instance. And it is now one of my TOP FOUR FAVORITE BOOKS EVER!!! 


The Cover

I admit it...I DO judge a book by its cover. Now, I won't pass up a book just because the cover doesn't call to me...However, if the cover is beyond swoon-worthy...I will put it on my list in a heartbeat! Here are A FEW of my VERY favorite covers (in no particular order)! #coverlove 
Click the titles below to learn more about these fabulous books!
The White Feather Murders | Close to You | A Worthy Heart | The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest
At Your Request | Can't Help Falling | Not by Sight | The Lost Girl of Astor Street
The Genre

I am a SUCKER for Historical Romance (clean) and Young Adult Fiction...If the covers above didn't tell you that already...I have a hard time passing up anything in these two genres. I am slowly adapting to a wider variety...But I will ALWAYS have a soft spot for Historicals. And if it comes down to it, I am more likely to choose Historical or YA over any other genre. (The Thorn Keeper is one of my very favorite books of all time.)
Follow the links below to learn more about these books
The Thorn Keeper | Leviathan

A Unique Setting

While the genre has a lot to do with the setting of the book...I am talking about WHERE this book takes place. I am currently reading All of You by Sarah Monzon and WOW! Talk about UNIQUE! Not only is it a split timeline book, jumping back and forth between present day and WWII...But our main female characters are pilots...YES a WWII FEMALE PILOT! I have NEVER EVER read a book with this type of setting and I am COMPLETELY IN LOVE!!! (Granted I had NO idea about the setting when I picked this book up...but that is beside the point.) And this is only ONE unique aspect of this book. You will have to check it out for yourself! You can pre order All of You HERE. Pepper Basham also has wonderfully unique books. Especially her most recent one Just the Way You Are. A Britallachian book that clashes British and Appalachian cultures in a Romantic Comedy! (My Review)

Critical Reviews


As a rule...I don't read reviews on retail sites or Goodreads. But there are times when I do, and if I run across critical reviews that are (to be blunt) pathetic...It immediately makes me want to read the book. While I wholeheartedly agree with everyone having a right to their own opinion...I will NOT stand for people completely tearing down and trashing an author or their book. ESPECIALLY in the Christian Book world. We should instead, state our opinion in a way that allows the author to grow and learn. We should be encouraging and uplifting...Not destructive. Unfortunately, this happens more times than it should. One book that I have bought and read because of this...was For Such a Time by Kate Breslin. This book is now one of my favorites! My Review

The Author
I am VERY LOYAL to "My Authors" and it is very likely that I will read ANYTHING published (or not published) by certain authors. A few of those FABULOUS people are listed below. Chances are I would read their grocery list written on a napkin if it came down to it. In fact Pepper Basham DID write a grocery list...(items inspired by her books of course)...

Click on the author's name below to learn more about their books.
Jen Turano | Pepper Basham
Jody Hedlund | Kate Breslin | Kristy Cambron




Publishing House

I will 100% read a book from a different publishing house or an Indie published book. But THESE houses tend to produce the majority of the books I am drawn to. I trust the quality and the content wholeheartedly.





Author Recommendation


While I do consider many authors personal friends of mine...Their opinions are usually held at a different level for me. Not higher necessarily, but their insight is simply from a different point of view. Recently Rachel McMillan kept talking about The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill. And I adore Rachel's books (Herringford & Watts Mysteries)! Therefore, even though I was swamped with reviews and life and adulting, I disregarded all reason and I decided I should give this book a try. I AM SO GLAD I DID!!! Check out my review HERE




The Title


Sometimes you just find a title that SPEAKS to you...Saying "YOU MUST READ ME!!!" Kristy Cambron's books do that to me...I mean how can I say no to The Ringmaster's Wife or The Illusionist's Apprentice? A book I recently bought purely because of the title (well and cover...and possibly the general theme...) is Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly. I know nothing about the book...except that it is an original story based off of Beauty and the Beast. (The 2017 movie is INCREDIBLE by the way...I am currently listening to the soundtrack for the 500 millionth time since I saw it in theatres a month ago. My review can be found HERE.) I look forward to getting lost in THIS book SOON!!! 




The Tag Line

I do NOT read book blurbs...you know the synopsis on the back of books? Ya...avoid them like the plague. (I apologize to authors everywhere, because I know how much work you put into writing those.) I can not abide spoilers...of ANY kind! I would rather jump in blind and sort things out as I go. I much prefer an unbiased, unspoiled opinion as I go in. HOWEVER, a good tag line is ALWAYS fun! Like with Mikal Dawn's upcoming book Count Me In (see below)! THAT combined with the AMAZING cover...and the fact that I ADORE Mikal...This book went on my TBR faster than my little fingers could type this sentence.


And there you have it my friends! Typically it is a combination of these items that will cause me to want to read a book IMMEDIATELY. But there are times when a book just stands out to me a screams my name! (Seriously, I hear it saying, "RAAAAAAACHELLLLLL......REEEEEEEEAAAAAAAD MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" How do you say no to that?) What about you? What makes you decide to read a book? I would love to hear your thoughts below! 

Many thanks to Canva for providing an AMAZING program for me to design all these beautiful graphics. Book covers, publisher logos, and author pictures not owned by me. All other graphics created by Bookworm Mama with public domain photos on Canva

The Sound of Emeralds Birthday Tour + Giveaway! - Rachelle Rea Cobb


Hello and welcome to The Sound of Emeralds birthday blog tour! I’m posting today about Rachelle Rea Cobb’s third installment in the Steadfast Love series, an inspirational historical romance set during the 16th century!


Rachelle is also the author of The Sound of Diamonds and The Sound of Silver, the first two books in the series. She has also written Write Well, a guide for writers! Last summer, she married a man with the same first name as the hero of the Steadfast Love series! I’m joining in this blog tour to tell you a little more about Emeralds and spread the news about the rocking giveaway Rachelle is hosting—make sure you enter using the Rafflecopter form to win signed copies of all three books!

Giveaway!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below to signed copies of ALL THREE of Rachelle’s novels. The whole series, signed!

International friends, this giveaway is open to continental U.S. addresses only (sorry!). But do still enter, because one international winner will also be chosen to receive all three e-books.


About The Steadfast Love Series
In 16th-century Europe, the Reformation rages between Protestants and Catholics. Gwyneth, half-Dutch, flees from England to Holland to escape the man who murdered her parents. When he follows her there and insists he came to rescue her, will she trust this man called Dirk? When tragedy strikes, will their steadfast love erode?




About the Author
Times gone by snatch Rachelle Rea Cobb close, so she reads and writes about years long ago--her passions include the Reformation, Revolutions, and romance. Rachelle wrote the Steadfast Love series during college. Five months after she graduated, she signed a three-book deal with her dream publisher, WhiteFire. She's a homeschool grad, Oreo addict, and plots her novels while driving around her dream car, a pick-up truck. In June 2016, she married a man with the same name as her fictional hero, and they live happily ever after in Small Town, South. She is also the author of Write Well, a guide for writers, which released on March 4th!

Connect with Rachelle
Instagram - @RachelleReaCobb

About The Sound of Emeralds
What once was blazing hatred has turned to lasting love, but could the union of a wild heart with that of a lady ever result in more than heartache?



With the help of an old friend with uncertain loyalties, Dirk inches ever closer to clearing his name. Gwyneth throws her faith into good tidings and the promise of a future as a family. But an old evil comes to call, just as tragedy rips apart a fledgling truce. Enemies from the past and grief for the future threaten to tear asunder what God had brought together…

As the date of Dirk’s trial approaches, his fate and his family hang in the balance. Will he be proven innocent of Gwyneth’s parents’ murders—or separated from her forever? How much pain does it take to erode a love steadfast?



Find The Sound of Emeralds on…

First Line Fridays - 4/14/17 - For Such a Time

Friday, April 14, 2017


Happy Friday!!!

Today's book was chosen by random selection. I LOVE this book. A very unique (check out what Carrie has to say on that topic HERE) storyline and it will grip your heart so tight that you will cry! Reading WWII books always wreck havoc on my emotions. It is so heart wrenching to read of the atrocities that occurred. But to see the light in the darkness, to witness the hope that the Lord provides even in the midst of tragedy, to watch the nations of the world band together against the evil. Kate Breslin did a beautiful job weaving this story together. If you are interested in WWII novels, then I highly recommend this one!  Read my review HERE.



Monday, February 14, 1944
"The stench was unmistakable. Seeping through the walls of the two-story chalet, turning pungent from the warmth of an oil furnace, the insidious odor drifted upstairs to where Stella lay asleep on a window seat. It filled her nostrils and roused her with a jerk; she struggled upright, shielding her eyes against the bright light penetrating the glass."

Amazon

Now it's your turn! Post your first line below and blog hop and join in more First Line fun!

Andi - Radiant Light

If you would like to host First Line Fridays on your blog, contact Carrie on Reading is my SuperPower.
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