CFBA: Into the Whirlwind

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Into the Whirlwind Baker Publishing Group (August 15, 2013) by Elizabeth Camden

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A research librarian and associate professor, Elizabeth Camden has a master’s in history from the University of Virginia and a master’s in library science from Indiana University. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband in central Florida.




ABOUT THE BOOK

After her father's death, Mollie Knox takes over his watchmaking company and uses her head for business to solidify the good name of the 57th Illinois Watch Company. Her future looks bright until the night her beloved city is destroyed in the legendary Great Chicago Fire. With her world crumbling around her, Molly must do whatever it takes to save her company in the aftermath of the devastating fire.

Zack Kazmarek is an influential attorney with powerful ties to the political, mercantile, and ethnic roots of Chicago. His only weakness is Mollie Knox, a woman who has always been just beyond his reach. However, all bets are off after the fire destroys Chicago, and Mollie is in desperate need of assistance. Just as Zack finally begins to pursue the woman he loves, competition arises in the form of a hero from her past who can provide the help she needs to rise from the ashes.

While Mollie struggles to rebuild, the two men battle for her heart. One has always loved her, but the other has the power to save her. In the race to rebuild the city, can she survive with her business and her heart intact?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Into the Whirlwind, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS
How much do you know about the Chicago Fire?  This book will take you into the fire as it happens.  I've never really read about the fire, and of course this is Historical Romance, but it still shed a bit of light on the subject!

I enjoyed the romance, the mystery, and pretty much everything else about this book.  I fell in love with Mollie right away, she was a woman with true grit and helped to make this an entertaining, fast-paced read.
 
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from CFBA

CFBA: The Lost Medallion

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Lost Medallion B&H Kids; Mti edition (June 1, 2013) by Bill Muir and Alex Kendrick

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Bill Muir is a popular speaker, an international award winning film maker and a sought-after consultant.

Having completed his new novels The Lost Medallion and A Hidden Treasure, Bill has turned his creativity to his new Children’s novel, Howdy Neighbors.

When Bill isn’t writing a novel, he’s busy directing and producing movies. He recently spent four months in Thailand filming, The Lost Medallion: the adventures of Billy Stone. The movie will be in theaters this fall. When he isn’t working on movies, he’s having fun with his family working their farm.

Alex Kendrick is associate pastor of movie outreach for Sherwood Baptist Church. He is also an actor, writer, and director whose film credits include Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous. He and his wife, Christina, have six children.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Archaeologist Dr. Michael Stone looked for the lost medallion his entire life, and now his son Billy has taken up the search. Amazingly, the medallion ends up in Billy's hands and a spontaneous wish in a precarious situation takes Billy and his best friend Allie, back 200 years to what they realize is a very different Aumakua Island. When Billy and his friends are not jumping off waterfalls, avoiding animal traps, crossing the ocean, sneaking through caves or escaping a prison they're facing their nemesis Cobra, who wants nothing more than for them all to disappear. With no other way to get home, and the well being of the entire island resting on his shoulders, Billy must discover the key to reclaiming the medallion and its tremendous power. One way or another, this adventure will change Billy, and life on the island, forever. Best-selling author and film director Alex Kendrick (The Love Dare, Courageous) and Youth for Christ veteran Bill Muir bring us this exciting novelization of The Lost Medallion movie.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Lost Medallion, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS
From the first sentence this book has energy and is filled with excitement as Billy and Allie follow the trail of the lost medallion!  Hurled back through time they encounter a very different life and are thrown into an exciting adventure!

This is an excellent read, one that will keep children engrossed for hours.  I would recommend it for a summer read but since summer vacation is over for some and ending for others, this would make a wonderful stocking filler, or make a cold, dreary day full of wonder!  A definite keeper.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from CFBA

Mod Cloth's Last HURRAH!

It's the Last Hurrah at ModCloth - Get these goodies while you still can!

 

 

Book Review: Icing on the Cake

 

"This breezy, fun-filled romance is sure to please."--Library Journal

Scarlet isn't sure if she has just the right ingredients for true love--or utter disaster
Scarlet Lindsey is busy making her dreams come true. She's moved her bakery to a prime spot on Galveston's most popular street, she's planning an extravagant cake for her best friend's wedding, and she has a great relationship with Bella Neeley, the island's most popular wedding coordinator. Business is booming and Scarlet is enjoying the ride.

But when Bella's dangerously handsome brother Armando breezes into her life, Scarlet is faced with a sticky situation. Should she stay with the safe, sweet guy who's been a fixture in her life for years? Or will this brash Italian hunk melt her guarded heart?

Fan favorite Janice Thompson is back with more wit, more weddings, and more of what you love best--bridal-business drama laced with laughs.

"Not only does Janice Thompson know how to spin a delightful tale, she knows weddings and wedding cakes. If you've ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes, take a big bite of this sweet, romantic story. It will leave you laughing and looking for the nearest confectionary!"--Lisa Wingate, bestselling author of Firefly Island and The Prayer Box

"Janice Thompson has done it again! From characters that will jump right off the page and into your heart to a story that had me laughing even as I cheered them on, The Icing on the Cake is a sweet treat. I urge you to indulge--you won't be sorry!"--Kathleen Y'Barbo, bestselling author of The Secret Lives of Will Tucker series

About the Author

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series, as well as Picture Perfect. She lives in Texas.
Visit www.janiceathompson.com for more information.

MY THOUGHTS

This was a fun read, if you like to bake, especially cakes, this book will make your day!  Scarlett is a fun character and her aunt pulls the stings and is quite the curmudgeon, but....there just may be someone who can change that!

You can find romance just about anywhere, even in a bakery with flour on your nose, this book has a fun plot and is a great lazy day summer read!





*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from Revell


 

Some knitting inspiration!

Ok my friends.....I am in TROUBLE again......I'm sitting here waiting for my lunch to be done (left-over home made lasagne) and decide to scroll through the craftsy website.  It's getting cooler here and I'm getting in a knitting mood again.

Oh boy....they have some CUTE patterns, of course the ones I'm falling in love with are for babies, and I have no babies, no one I know has babies...so maybe I'll just knit up a stash in preparation for when my 17 and 18 year old finish up school/college, get jobs, get married and then FINALLY have kids!  Provided the moths don't eat my stash by then!

Anyway, just have to share some of these photos with you while I try to decide which ones to buy.....and of course, I already have some free patterns in my cart!

 

 

 

Here's a link that will get you to the Craftsy site!  Let me know if you buy anything knitting patters....or get any free ones......

We all need a little inspiration from time to time, I love seeing knitting projects, done, in the works, doesn't matter, love to hear about them too, so don't be shy....let me know what you're working on!

 

Book Review: Welcome to Last Chance

          Welcome to Last Chance

By Cathleen Armstrong

The red warning light on her car dashboard may have driven Lainie Davis to seek help in the tiny town of Last Chance, New Mexico, but as she meets the people who make this one-horse town their home, it's her heart that is flashing bright red warning lights. These people are entirely too nice, too accommodating, and too interested in her personal life-especially since she's on the run and hoping to slip away unnoticed.

Yet in spite of herself, Lainie is increasingly drawn into the small-town dramas and to a handsome local guy with a secret of his own. Could Lainie actually make a life in this little town? Or will the past catch up to her even here in the middle of nowhere?

Cathleen Armstrong lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, but her roots remain deep in New Mexico, where she grew up and where much of her family still lives. Her debut novel, Welcome to Last Chance, has already won the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for Women's Fiction.

 

Praise for Welcome to Last Chance

"With equal parts hope, charm, and tender faith, Cathleen Armstrong spins a tale as warm and welcoming as a roadside cafe on a dusty highway. Exit from the fast lane and visit Last Chance. It's a place you won't soon forget."

Lisa Wingate, bestselling and award-winning author of Firefly Island and Blue Moon Bay

"Cathleen Armstrong packs a lot into her debut novel: the suspense of danger lurking on the edges of Lainie Davis's life, a touch of can-this-really-go-anywhere romance, small-town friendships becoming like family, and the disappointment of family being less than ideal. With an eclectic cast of characters and well-developed plot, Welcome to Last Chance pulls the reader in from the first blink of the warning light on the dashboard of Lainie's car to the happily-ever-after waiting at the end of her last chance to get her life right."

Beth K. Vogt, author of Catch a Falling Star and Wish You Were Here

"An outstanding debut novel! Welcome to Last Chance gives us a warm but never sentimental view of small-town life, sprinkled with characters full of quirks and faults--all seen through the eyes of a tough but fragile heroine. Cathleen Armstrong has crafted a story to cherish."

Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of With Every Letter

MY THOUGHTS 

Last Chance.....it sounds so final, so serious, but this book has the word "welcome" in front of it, it sounds so much more friendly...and it is!  The problem is, Lainie not so comfortable with friendly, she's had a rough life, and friendly makes her uncomfortable, and maybe even a bit suspicious.

I enjoyed how Lainie softened throughout the story .  As you read you can feel her wanting to, but she has such a hard time letting go of her toughness.  Several of the characters have some pretty big issues, but only Lainie's seems to have danger lurking behind.

A few twists and turns kept the book exciting and fun, a great end of the summer read.

 *I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

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

CFBA: Rules of Murder

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Rules of Murder Bethany House Publishers (August 1, 2013) by Julianna Deering

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuts with Rules of Murder (Bethany House, 2013) and will be followed by Death by the Book (Bethany House, 2014).




ABOUT THE BOOK

Downton Abbey Meets Agatha Christie in This Sparkling Mystery

Drew Farthering loves a good mystery, although he generally expects to find it in the pages of a novel, not on the grounds of his country estate. When a weekend party at Farthering Place is ruined by murder and the police seem flummoxed, Drew decides to look into the crime himself. With the help of his best friend, Nick Dennison, an avid mystery reader, and Madeline Parker, a beautiful and whip-smart American debutante staying as a guest, the three try to solve the mystery as a lark, using the methods from their favorite novels.

Soon, financial irregularities at Drew's stepfather's company come to light and it's clear that all who remain at Farthering Place could be in danger. Trying hard to remain one step ahead of the killer--and trying harder to impress Madeline--Drew must decide how far to take this game.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Rules of Murder, go HERE.


MY THOUGHTS
I was ready to dig into a good mystery....and lucky me, I received Rules of Murder!   A very well written, refreshing, Christian mystery with great characters and plot.  The cover alone was enough to get me excited....although, the beginning almost caused me to give up, it was rather slow, but I kept on reading and am so glad I did.



This story is the first in the series so it was rather an opening to get you ready for the following books, the clues, the characters...the twists and turns all leave you wondering what will happen in the future..and if you like the 1930's and England as well as a good mystery, this book is for you!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from CFBA