What I'm Reading ~ Weekend 5/18-20/12

Hello all! Here we are again, and boy do I have some reading to do! Yesterday I received probably a record of seven books in the mail, so as you can imagine, and I'm sure relate to, I am scrambling for shelf space!

I am very happily busy helping to prepare for out church's Summer Reading Program! My brother and I are so excited!

So we'll see what I can finish up this weekend! So onward to the books!

First up is The Key on the Quilt by Stephanie Grace Whitson, which I am really enjoying right now, and I was happy to see Ms. Whitson return to her Nebraska roots with this book after A Most Unsuitable Match. One thing that is really interesting is that it is set in a prison!

Here's the blurb:
Enter a historic Nebraskan prison where three women find betrayal, love, and ultimate truth. Jane Prescott is serving a ten-year sentence for murder. Can a broken spirit be healed behind bars? Matron Mamie Dawson feels called to help the wounded women in her charge. Will a guard's attentions keep her from her mission? Warden's wife Ellen Sullivan has changed her preconceptions about these female prisoners. Will it be enough to save her from a life-or-death situation? Will the cryptic quilt connecting their lives expose the truth of one woman's past and ensure a better future for them all?

I just started My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade, and I have heard alot of mixed reviews about this one so I am very interested to read it for myself and find out exactily what everyone is talking about. LOL!

Here's the blurb:
Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother
asks Kate to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance,
takes a leave of absence from her job as a social worker, and the two of them set off.
Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man her grandmother has hired to renovate the house. From the first moment
she meets Matt, Kate can't help but be attracted to him--he's got a combination of good looks and charisma that draw and tug at her. But she knows there's zero chance of a romance between them. Matt's in love with his dead wife, and even if he weren't, Kate realizes that she's way too ordinary for him. For Matt Jarreau is no ordinary guy. Kate discovers that he was once a great NHL hockey player who left the sport when his wife--an honest-to-goodness former Miss America--was diagnosed with brain cancer. Matt's been hiding from people, from God, and from his past ever since. Yet Kate is absolutely determined to befriend him, to try to reach him, to help him in some small way.
No, Kate's not looking for love. She knows better than that by now. But when the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and
Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she
ever dreamed?

And for my third pick, Beckon by Tom Pawlik. I'm very excited to read this thriller, I have heard great things about this author, and am very much looking forward to reading it, though I have heard somethings are rather ... weird.

Here's the blurb:
Some things weren't meant to be discovered. Three people are each drawn to the small town of Beckon, Wyoming. A young anthropologist researches a Native American legend and makes a terrifying discovery. An ex-cop investigating her cousin's disappearance finds herself in grave peril. And an aging businessman is lured by the promise of a miracle. One by one they discover the town's ghastly secret. The only question is . . . will any of them make it out alive?

So what are you reading? You know I'd love to hear about it :)
Have an awesome weekend!

Forever Hilltop by Judy Baer ~ Litfuse Blog Tour and Review

My Review: Welcome to Small Town U.S.A.!

Forever Hilltop captured my heart with all the wonderful characters, that I met between the pages of this book. Alex Armstrong has quite the job marked  out for him, between stopping the adorable Will Packard from turning every empty building in the county into a "hoomain" society for animals, to uniting two churches at odds with each other, all while trying not to gain a pound from all the good cooking! Full of small town community charm, with good natured humor that made my mouth quirk up into a grin.

Alex faces struggles of his own as well as trying to give comfort to those in his congregation.

Overall I would say that this is a well written, warm-hearted read that was well paced and that makes it terribly hard not to grin ear-to-ear :) This is the type of book that a wide variety of people from all walks of life can enjoy, it's not much a romance, it's true, but it's full of adventure and lots of heart. I personally think that this book collection would make a pretty cool gift. I would definitely recommend this book. Thanks!

I received this book from the publisher through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for and honest review.


Buy the Book HERE!

About the Book:

The charming and often hilarious Forever Hilltop series follows the experiences of former city dweller Alex Armstrong as he settles into his new role as pastor of a Scandinavian community in rural North Dakota. Alex is sometimes baffled by his parishioners and their colorful ways, but he comes to appreciate their simple wisdom. One thing's for sure -- life in Hilltop Township is never dull! This new two-in-one format features An Unlikely Blessing along with its sequel, Surprising Grace.
In An Unlikely Blessing, Alex Armstrong is a former city dweller who has just accepted his first parish assignment to a small community in the wilds of North Dakota. In Hilltop Township, Pastor Alex becomes familiar with the residents and their odd traditions, from julebukking to King Oscar's fish balls. And then there's the excitement the single pastor creates among the unmarried women in the community! Alex soon discovers that his new church home has as much to teach him as he has to teach them.

In Surprising Grace, Alex Armstrong is settling into his new role as pastor of Hilltop Church, and he's even starting to understand the strange ways of the people who populate this barren stretch of North Dakota prairie. But he also finds that his flock needs help and counsel like he never imagined. In this cozy and entertaining read, Alex must choose between the woman he once loved -- and the home he's come to love.
 
About the Author: Judy Baer was born and grew up on a farm on the prairies of North Dakota, experiencing many of the same things as her Hilltop characters. An only child, she spent most of her days with imaginary people-either those she read about or those she made up in her head.

Baer graduated from Concordia College with majors in English and education and a minor in religion. While at the time, she was simply studying what interested her, Baer later realized that she was educating herself for her future career as a Christian writer. She certainly put her education to use as she is the author of more than 75 books.

A certified professional life coach now certified in three coaching disciplines, Baer coaches primarily professional and aspiring writers. She is also a faculty advisor in the Department of Human Development at St. Mary's University in Minneapolis, MN. Baer has two daughters and three step children. She and her husband live in Minnesota.

She invites you to visit her at her web site www.judykbaer.com for more information on her and her books. 

@JudyKBaer is giving away a Kindle for YOU … and one for a Friend in her Forever Hilltop Giveaway!

Celebrate with Judy by entering to win a Kindle for you and a friend!

One lucky winner will receive:

• Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi
• Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi to Giveaway to a Friend!
• Forever Hilltop by Judy K Baer for you and a one for a friend

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 22nd. Winner will be announced 5/24/12 on Judy's Blog.

 



Don't miss a moment of the fun. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 21st!

Check out all the other great stops on this tour here: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13467681/foreverhilltop

Like Sweet Potato Pie by Jennifer Rogers Spinola ~ Review

My Review: Humorous, with a huge dose of good old Southern charm!

I loved this book! Shiloh is a girl who has made her share of bad choices, but now as a new Christian she continues to battle her past mistakes and new threats to her inheritance from her half-sister. Shiloh has come from a glamorous life in Japan as a reporter, living well beyond her means to clipping coupons and eating ramen noodles in a small town in Virginia. Shiloh faces many choices in this sequel, but now she has great friends, one special guy and most of all she has the Good Lord in her life, is there anything she can't face?

I'm going to start out right off and say that I had the hardest time with the beginning of this book because I could tell by the way it was written that I should have read the prequel first, but thankfully I figured things out and fell head over heels in love with every single one of the characters of this book--minus the not very nice ones, of course! But wow, for me the town just really came alive, and it became almost real to me. I think one of the things that made this book easy to relate to was how, Shiloh had transformed from someone who basically charged everything--even things she didn't need--on her credit card, obviously before coming to Virginia, and then becoming a person who pinched pennies and clipped coupons. I loved it!

I think my favorite characters where Todd and Becky, they were just the epitome of the perfect redneck, kinda quirky couple, who both had hearts of gold. They were just awesome, and I thought it was hilarious that Todd had a mullet! And their story was very moving and I loved how rich and full it was, and it was just a side story. Adam was pretty awesome too, totally a southern gentleman, full of honest-to-goodness charm and thoughtfulness, like, he was just really kind, yet straight forward at the same time, definitely a great hero.

Overall this is a fun, Southern, witty read, with a moving theme. Basically, in my mind this is a book about trusting God, and having the courage to do that, because when you do things will always work out, even if it doesn't seem like it does. Great characters, who were startlingly real. Great plot. Great book! I would highly recommend this :)

I received this as an ebook from the publisher in return for an honest review. Thanks!

Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan ~ Litfuse Blog Tour and Review

My Review: Crazy Dangerous is crazy awesome!

Chilling mystery, and adventure collide in Andrew Klavan's thrilling, yet thought provoking book.

While reading it, I wasn't ever quite sure where this book would go, it was so unpredictable, and I loved that! I loved how it was told in a more unique second person point of view, like I was hearing the tale right from Sam Hopkins' mouth.

There were elements that some might question at first, but I think by the end they will realize what was going on and totally enjoy the book. Because for me I had that sense in the beginning that I wasn't sure if I liked where it was going, but by the time I had turned the last page down, I was beyond psyched about it. I loved the fast paced action and the slight chill about it, made it almost like watching an action/adventure/thriller movie, but better!

Probably my favorite thing about this book was the theme : Do Right. Fear Nothing. Basically to sum it up this book really showed how doing the right thing is never the wrong thing to do. No matter the temporary consequences, doing the right thing has a reward beyond description.

Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend, and will definitely try to get my brother to read it. This is totally the kind of book that is super-hard to put down! I would definitely recommend very highly :D


Buy the Book HERE

About the Book:
 "You probably want to hear about Jennifer and the demons and how I played chicken with a freight train and-oh yeah-the weird murder . . . you're definitely going to want to hear about that." 

Sam Hopkins is a good kid who has fallen in with a bad crowd. Hanging around with car thieves and thugs, Sam knows it's only a matter of time before he makes one bad decision too many and gets into real trouble. 

But one day, Sam sees them harassing an eccentric schoolmate of his named Jennifer. When Sam finds the courage to face the bullies down, he loses a bad set of friends and acquires a very strange new one. 

Because Jennifer is not just eccentric. To Sam, she seems downright crazy. She has terrifying hallucinations involving demons and the devil and death. And here's the really crazy part: Sam is beginning to suspect that these visions may actually be prophecies--prophecies of something terrible that's going to happen very soon. Unless he can stop it. 

With no one to believe him, with no one to help him, Sam is now all alone in a race against time. Finding the truth before disaster strikes is going to be both crazy and very, very dangerous.

About the Author: 

Andrew Klavan was hailed by Stephen King as "the most original novelist of crime and suspense since Cornell Woolrich." He is the recipient of two Edgar Awards and the author of such bestsellers as True Crime and Don't Say a Word. 

His books and screenplays have been turned into films directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Michael Douglas, Ed Burns, Michael Caine among others. 

Hometown: Santa Barbara, California

Books Sold to Date: over 1.5 million.

Check out all the other awesome stops on this tour : http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13492426

The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport ~ Review

My Review: A shining debut from Olivia Newport!

Lucy Banning is a privileged young woman of the 1890's determined to do something with her life. Lucy is engaged to her childhood friend, Daniel, but when her brother, Leo, brings home Will Edwards, "a friend from Princeton" and promising young architect, Lucy has some decisions to make. With the friendship of the newest maid, Charlotte, Lucy tries to keep her activities hidden from her family and fiance, as well as keeping the secrets of those around her. Are all these secrets helping or harming the ones that she holds dear?

A wonderfully paced book, that evoked memories of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey, with the grand houses and the relationships between the servants and the grand folk of the house.

 This was a really fun, and fast read. The characters were for the most part very likable though, Daniel scared me more than a bit! The character of Leo really reminded me of my brother, and wouldn't you know, his name is Leo too!

Ms. Newport has a lovely attention grabbing style, that took me quickly into the story's depths. I really enjoyed being swept into a different time and place. The  I will most certainly be keeping my eyes out for more books from this author! The 1890's have always fascinated me because the setting is so different depending on location, the bustling city or the rustic country, and being set during this time is one of things things that set thing book apart and made it fresh.

Overall I would say that this was a highly enjoyable book, that I will definitely be recommending often. Lucy was a feisty character with a sort of no-nonsense approach to things, which made her a strong lead. And I look forward to visiting the Bannings again sometime soon :)

I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. Thanks!

“Available May 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

What I'm Reading ~ Weekend 5/11-13/12

Hello there! I hope you all are well, and reading wonderful books this week :) You all might have noticed that I haven't posted too many reviews this week, and I have a very good reason behind that. A whole passle of reviews will be coming at you next week, post with their appropriate blog tours! So I am very excited to have so much going on next week.

And so without further to do, we will proceed onward to the books!

First up is Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan. A very fast paced story about a teenage boy who finds himself in a crazy dangerous situation.

Here's the blurb: "You probably want to hear about Jennifer and the demons and how I played chicken with a freight train and—oh yeah—the weird murder and how I found out about it—you're definitely going to want to hear about that. But first, I have to tell you about the stupidest thing I ever did . . ."

Sam Hopkins is bored with his status as a preacher's kid. So when a group of guys notorious for being in trouble offers him friendship, he accepts. Before long, he has several new skills—including hot-wiring cars.

At school, there's an eccentric loner named Jennifer. When Sam defends her from being bullied, she begins to seek him out as her only friend. Her ramblings often seem illogical . . . but then start to contain grains of truth. One leads Sam to discover that one of his new friends has been killed. And then she tells him, "I'm looking for the devil." Sam doesn't know what that means, but he knows it's a matter of life and death that he figure it out.

Everyone else thinks Jennifer is suffering from schizophrenia. But Sam is starting to wonder if there could be something prophetic in her words. Discovering the truth is going to be both crazy and dangerous.

The other book I'm reading is much different, about a nice small town in North Dakota. About a new pastor and the adventures he has with his congregation.

Here's the blurb: The charming and often hilarious Forever Hilltop series follows the experiences of former city dweller Alex Armstrong as he settles into his new role as pastor of a Scandinavian community in rural North Dakota. Alex is sometimes baffled by his parishioners and their colorful ways, but he comes to appreciate their simple wisdom. One thing's for sure -- life in Hilltop Township is never dull! This new two-in-one format features An Unlikely Blessing along with its sequel, Surprising Grace.

In An Unlikely Blessing, Alex Armstrong is a former city dweller who has just accepted his first parish assignment to a small community in the wilds of North Dakota. In Hilltop Township, Pastor Alex becomes familiar with the residents and their odd traditions, from julebukking to King Oscar's fish balls. And then there's the excitement the single pastor creates among the unmarried women in the community! Alex soon discovers that his new church home has as much to teach him as he has to teach them.

In Surprising Grace, Alex Armstrong is settling into his new role as pastor of Hilltop Church, and he's even starting to understand the strange ways of the people who populate this barren stretch of North Dakota prairie. But he also finds that his flock needs help and counsel like he never imagined. In this cozy and entertaining read, Alex must choose between the woman he once loved -- and the home he's come to love.

Well that is what I am reading this weekend.
Now it's your turn, what are you reading this weekend?
Have a great weekend!

The Bride Wore Blue by Mona Hodgson ~ Please Rank My Mom's Review

Lucie's Review: A story about how it's never too late to make the right choice.

Vivian, the youngest of the Sinclair sisters comes to Cripple Creek to join her three sisters and to flee her past. But what starts out so innocently turns into a bigger mess than Vivian could have imagined. Each step making it harder to make the right choice.
There is also the sheriff, Carter Alwyn, what will he think when he finds out about her secrets?

Third in the Brides of Cripple Creek series, fans of the series will be happy to finally read about the youngest Sinclair sister. While it is not absolutely necessary that you read the first two books first, I believe that it would be extremely helpful. I read the first book, so I knew about two of the sisters, but I haven't read the second book yet, so I had some catching up to do!

There were times that I will honestly say that this book was difficult to read, when Vivian kept making more and more bad choices. I just wanted to be able to tell her, "No, please don't do that!" But this story had a surprisingly powerful message, that no matter how many mistakes she made, and the harder it got to get out, she still had a choice, and she could always turn to the Lord.

One of the side stories that I really appreciated was the one of Nell (one of the sisters from the first book) and her husband, who wanted children, but it just wasn't happening for them. But of course, if you want to know what happens you'll have to read and find out :)

Overall this was a terrific read! I loved how it updated me on the former characters, yet introduced new ones. This was a pretty riveting read considering how I read this book in less than one day, in a 4 hour sitting, to be more exact! And I will most certainly be picking up the second book as soon as can. The Bride Wore Blue is a book I would happily recommend, it is definitely a book that sticks with you long after the last page is turned down.

I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Dawn Comes Early by Margaret Brownley ~ Review

Lucie's Review: Come meet a ranch full of fun, quirky characters at Last Chance Ranch!

Dawn Comes Early is the tale of a stubborn heroine, Kate, who is a struggling dime-novelist, whose latest book has been banned! When Kate reads an advertisement in the paper, seeking an heiress to inherit a ranch, she can't resist an opportunity to get out of the city. When Kate gets to the Arizona desert she finds out how it's really done out west.

Filled with many colorful characters, Dawn Comes Early was a fun read that contained many a laugh. I really appreciated the little snippets from Kate's novel that were inserted at the beginning of every few chapters, it must have been some book! My favorite character had to be Ruckus, he was a something of a cowboy theologian. Very fun, guy.

There's mystery, and humor, even the bad guy was a kind of funny character, looking back now in hindsight. I liked how Kate and Luke interacted well with each other and it wasn't unnatural or uncomfortable. And I came to admire Kate's determination to stick with her job even when things were tough. And how she encouraged Luke's brother to pursue his passion for writing.

Overall, this was a really fun book to read, and it progressed at a steady pace, I found the characters very likable and there were some definite laugh out loud moments! There were some times that I questioned the authenticity of some of the ranch practices and terms, but those were mostly things that I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't grown up practically on a ranch. So overall a lovely book that I would highly recommend, especially to those who like westerns. Thanks!

I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. Thanks. 

Two Crosses by Elizabeth Musser ~ Review

My Review: A detail rich story that encompasses many sub-genres.

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Algerian war for independence from France, in the 1960's. Two Crosses is one of those books caught in that time where it's hard to decide whether to call it a historical or a contemporary, also it is something of a suspense, but in a way that is more calculating, rather than blood pounding.

I loved the attention to detail and character that Ms. Musser invested into this story. It was interesting in how as I was reading it I sort of saw it happening in today's world, minus our technology. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the tale that could almost be set in today's world, and even though it is set in the 60's I found myself comparing some aspects of the political situation with the ones we have today.

There were so many characters, that I thought that it might be a bit hard to keep them all straight, but I found that I had no difficulty keeping any of it straight! Each of the characters were so well crafted, and they had this unbelievable realness to them, like, if you tried to tell me they weren't real people I would find it very hard to believe it. The characters were some of the best that I have ever encountered and that's not just the main characters, it was all of them.

The plot was so complex and had this elegance to it, and I loved watching all of the pieces of the puzzle come together before my eyes. I loved how the character progressed, and this book had some of the best character progressions I have ever seen, ever!

Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend checking out, because even though it is a bit slower paced than you might expect at first, I learned to savored this well crafted story, that has a little something for everyone :)

I received this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley. Thank you!

What I'm Reading / Up to This Weekend ~ 5/4-5/6/12

Hello there! I hope y'all had a wonderful week. I'll admit that I did not get as much reading done as I wanted this week, what with the end of Awana (my mom is the Sparks director, so we are kept busy!) and with the ominous SAT coming my way tomorrow...I've spent alot of this week reviewing vocab cards.

But I am in the middle of The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport, which I am absolutely loving! A delightful read that is hard to put down, and since I just came off of watching Downton Abbey ...yes, again...I found myself pleasantly reminded of it. Though this book is very much set in America, and such but it does remind me of Downton...but that might just be me :)

Here's the back blurb:

Lucy Banning may live on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago's rich and famous, but her heart lies elsewhere. Expected to marry an up-and-coming banker from a respected family, Lucy fears she will be forced to abandon her charity work--and the classes she is secretly taking at the newly opened University of Chicago. When she meets an unconventional young architect who is working on plans for the upcoming 1893 World's Fair, Lucy imagines a life lived on her own terms. Can she break away from her family's expectations? And will she ever be loved for who she truly is?

Well that's what I'm reading. What about you, what will you be reading this weekend? I'd love to hear from you :)

Have an SAT free weekend...lol...just kidding.
Have a amazing weekend :D

God bless!