Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Tiffany Girl


Tiffany Girl
Deanne Gist
(Howard Books)
ISBN: ISBN 978-1451692440
May 2015/288 pages/$15.99

From the bestselling author of It Happened at the Fair and Fair Play comes a compelling historical novel about a progressive “New Woman”—the girl behind Tiffany’s chapel—and the love that threatens it all.

As preparations for the 1893 World’s Fair set Chicago and the nation on fire, Louis Tiffany—heir to the exclusive Fifth Avenue jewelry empire—seizes the opportunity to unveil his state-of-the-art, stained glass, mosaic chapel, the likes of which the world has never seen.

But when Louis’s dream is threatened by a glassworkers’ strike months before the Fair opens, he turns to an unforeseen source for help: the female students at the Art Students League of New York. Eager for adventure, the young women pick up their skirts, move to boarding houses, take up steel cutters, and assume new identities as the “Tiffany Girls.”

Tiffany Girl is the heartwarming story of the impetuous Flossie Jayne, a beautiful, budding artist who is handpicked by Louis to help complete the Tiffany chapel. Though excited to live in a boarding house when most women stayed home, she quickly finds the world is less welcoming than anticipated. From a Casanova male, to an unconventional married couple, and a condescending singing master, she takes on a colorful cast of characters to transform the boarding house into a home while racing to complete the Tiffany chapel and make a name for herself in the art world.

As challenges mount, her ambitions become threatened from an unexpected quarter: her own heart. Who will claim victory? Her dreams or the captivating boarder next door?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deeanne Gist has rocketed up bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her very fun, very original historical novels. She has won the National Readers’ Choice Award, Booksellers’ Best Award, USA Best Books Award, and stellar reviews. With a background in education and journalism, Deeanne has written for People, Parents, and Parenting magazines. Visit her online at IWantHerBook.com and on Facebook.


MY THOUGHTS

Deeanne Gist has written another fascinating book set during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. I loved It Happened at the Fair and Fair Play (click the titles for my reviews), and this novel is equally enchanting. (My only dislike was the cover. I don't care for the full shot of the model, and her hairstyle doesn't match the heroine in the novel. Additionally, the cover differs greatly from those of the first two novels Gist wrote about the Fair and inaccurately represents the focus of the story, which is not the well-known Tiffany lamps.) Gist crafts a fascinating tale about the young ladies who were hired in the midst of a strike by Louis Tiffany to piece together the windows of the Tiffany chapel for display at the World's Fair. Tiffany Girl portrays the social and political attitudes of the late 1800's with a degree of authenticity that reflects her vast research without interrupting the flow of the story, which is why Deeanne Gist is one of my favorite historical authors. I loved Flossie's efforts to become a "New Woman" and find some freedom from her father's rule and her efforts to bond friendships between the boarders. This book has something for everyone: history, art, romance, and a bit of intrigue. And as always, Gist's notes at the end, where she details fact vs. fiction and shares the amazing amount of research undertaken before writing the story, are fascinating. Don't miss Tiffany Girl, available for pre-order now and arriving at bookstores everywhere next Tuesday!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Howard Books as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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Monday, April 27, 2015

Every Bride Needs a Groom


Every Bride Needs a Groom
A Brides with Style Novel
Janice Thompson
(Revell)
ISBN:978-0800723996
April 2015/368 pages/$13.99

Somewhere in a sea of tulle and taffeta, satin and crepe, Katie Fisher needs to find a key ingredient of the perfect wedding--the groom.

Small-town girl Katie Fisher is busy planning her fairy-tale wedding. Sure, her boyfriend hasn't managed to pop the question just yet, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't enter a contest in Texas Bride magazine to win the dress of her dreams, right? Anyway, she's sure he'll be getting down on one knee any time now. And a one-of-a-kind designer dress doesn't just fall out of the sky right when you need it.

But when Katie's boyfriend takes a job in another town and breaks up with her--on the very same day she wins her dream dress--her world is turned upside down. Dare she go to Dallas to claim her prize? And will the hunky pro basketball player who runs the beyond-swanky bridal shop--yeah, you read that right--discover her humiliating secret if she does?

"Every Bride Needs a Groom is one to savor over and over. This compelling tale keeps you hooked and ignites your heart. What an intriguing way to visit the culture of a small central Texas town."--Eleanor Clark, award-winning author; motivational speaker; and Fairfield, Texas, resident

"Thompson launches a new bridal series with a contemporary, joyful Cinderella story that is filled with good humor and old-fashioned Southern style. Readers will fall in love with Katie and the rest of the well-drawn Fisher clan. This swoon-worthy tale will appeal to aficionados of humorous romances by Rachel Hauck and Lisa Wingate."--Library Journal

Read an excerpt.

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 hugely popular Weddings by Bella series, the Backstage Pass series, and the Weddings by Design series. She lives in Texas. Learn more at www.janiceathompson.com.


MY THOUGHTS

If I want a book that will cheer me up and make me smile, I make sure that Janice Thompson is the author! She kicks off a new series with a fun story set in a small Texas town along the interstate between Houston and Dallas, and she has captured it perfectly. Although it's been a few years, I've been there many times and eaten at Sam's--thanks to this novel, I felt the years fall away! I loved Katie and her family. Katie's dilemma is simultaneously amusing and embarrassing! Once again, Thompson has created a wonderfully eclectic yet authentic set of characters for this tale. A couple of folks from her previous series either pop in or are mentioned, making the story that much more enjoyable. The tension between the small-town and the big city are well portrayed, with the positives and negatives of both equally noted by various characters. And the decades-long stand-off between Katie's grandmother and great-aunt was perfectly depicted and such a reminder of how much time is lost in relationships that fracture over misunderstandings. Janice Thompson remains on my list of favorites for light-hearted reads with a subtle faith message. Grab your copy of Every Bride Needs a Groom today!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Baker/Revell Publishers as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”



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Thursday, April 23, 2015

2015 Christy Award Finalists



It's always exciting each April to learn who the Christy Award Finalists are! I was at work on Tuesday when they were announced, but that hasn't kept me from being thrilled about the nominees, especially a few who I have the honor of knowing personally.! Below is the complete list; those titles which are hyperlinked lead to my reviews.


“The finalists this year represent the widest group of publishers in the history of the awards and also include an independently published novel. Several of the judges commented on the growing diversity and overall excellence of the novels submitted,” said Donna Kehoe, executive director of the Christy Awards.

CONTEMPORARY


Farewell, Four Waters by Kate McCord (RiverNorth, an imprint of Moody Publishing)

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate (Tyndale House Publishers)
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE


A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert (WaterBrook Multnomah)

Firewall by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House Publishers)

Undetected by Dee Henderson (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
CONTEMPORARY SERIES


The Amish Blacksmith by Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner (Harvest House Publishers)

Home to Chicory Lane by Deborah Raney (Abingdon Press)

When I Fall in Love by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers)
FIRST NOVEL


Feast for Thieves by Marcus Brotherton (RiverNorth, an imprint of Moody Publishing)

For Such a Time by Kate Breslin (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

House of Living Stones by Kate Schuermann (Concordia Publishing House)
HISTORICAL


The Advocate by Randy Singer (Tyndale House Publishers)

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking)

The Sentinels of Andersonville by Tracy Groot (Tyndale House Publishers)
HISTORICAL ROMANCE


A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Thief of Glory by Sigmund Brouwer (WaterBrook Multnomah)

With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
SUSPENSE


The Color of Justice by Ace Collins (Abingdon Press)
[Note: I purchased this book and enjoyed it but never posted a review. Excited to see Ace Collins nominated for his first Christy!)

A Cry from the Dust by Carrie Stuart Parks (Thomas Nelson, a division of Harper Collins Christian Publishing)

Sky Zone by Creston Mapes (David C Cook)
VISIONARY


Once Beyond a Time by Ann Tatlock (Heritage Beacon Fiction)

Shadow Hand by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes (Enclave Publishing)
YOUNG ADULT


Failstate: Nemesis by John W. Otte (Enclave Publishing)

This Quiet Sky by Joanne Bischof (Independently Published)

Storm Siren by Mary Weber (Thomas Nelson, a division of Harper Collins Christian Publishing)


The Christy Awards will be presented on Monday, June 28 in Orlando, Florida.


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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Thorn Bearer


The Thorn Bearer
(Penned in Time, Book 1)
Pepper D. Basham
(Vinspire Publishing)
ASIN: B00VZE0WB2
April 2015/341 pages/$2.99 ebook

From the decks of the ill-fated Lusitania to the smoke-filled trenches of France, Ashleigh must choose between the forgiveness of her past, life in the present, and a Savior who can rescue her from them all.

When her fiancĂ© leaves her eight months before their wedding, the unexpected blow ignites a battalion of insecurities stemming from her father’s intimate betrayal. Her worst fears are confirmed – who could ever love a soiled woman?

In an attempt to escape the shame and disappointment of her past, Ashleigh boards the ill-fated Lusitania to cross the war-torn waters of Europe. Much to her dismay, she isn’t traveling alone.

Sam Miller is always making up for his best friend’s mistakes. Determined to help Ashleigh, he offers his compassion and protection as she ventures across a perilous sea. With the faint hope of renewing his lost love for Ashleigh’s sister, Sam never expects to find the woman of his dreams in his best friend’s former fiancĂ© and his own childhood companion.

As they travel across the Atlantic, neither is prepared for the life-altering and heart-breaking journey of their friendship.

When the truth of Ashleigh’s past explodes in the middle of war and Sam rejects her, Ashleigh must decide if God is enough – or if the double weight of her betrayal and past will crush her life forever.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pepper D Basham has been telling tales ever since she was a little girl and fell in love with storytelling while listening to her granny share oral history. A native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, mom of five, speech-language pathologist, and lover of chocolate, Pepper enjoys sprinkling her native Appalachian culture into her fiction wherever she can. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC, where she works with kids who have special needs, searches for unique hats, and plots new ways to annoy her wonderful friends at her group writing blog, The Writer's Alley. She is represented by Julie Gwinn of Seymour Literary Agency. Her debut novel, The Thorn Bearer, arrives on May 7th 2015 and is the first book in the Penned in Time series. Her first contemporary romance, A Twist of Faith, is slated to release later the same year. You can find her at www.pepperdbasham.com or follow her writing antics on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pepper-D-Basham or Twitter at https://twitter.com/pepperbasham.


MY THOUGHTS

Pepper D. Basham bursts upon the publishing scene with a debut novel that outshines many written by much more experienced authors. Compelling in its depth and multitudinous layers, the story swept me away to 1915 and the voyage of the Lusitania. Rich historical detail and vivid characters bring this tale to life, and the pages practically turn themselves. I ached for Ashleigh as she endured the lingering pain and sorrow caused by her father's actions. Basham skillfully portrays a difficult topic not often addressed in Christian fiction, accurately depicting the devastating impact such a situation has on a young woman's life and relationships while simultaneously keeping the story from being weighed down and depressing. I sighed when I finished this amazing book. Don't miss this beautiful tale of brokenness and healing. A must for your spring reading list!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an advanced digital copy of this book from Pepper Basham as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”



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Monday, April 20, 2015

The Inn at Ocean's Edge


The Inn at Ocean's Edge
A Sunset Cove Novel
Colleen Coble
(Thomas Nelson)
ISBN: 978-1401690267
April 2015/336 pages/$15.99


Claire’s visit to a luxury hotel in Maine awakens repressed memories, threatening all she holds dear.

In 1989, Claire Dellamare disappeared from her own fourth birthday party at the Hotel Tourmaline on the island of Folly Shoals, Maine. She showed up a year later at the same hotel, with a note pinned to her dress but no explanation. Nobody knows where Claire spent that year—and until now, Claire didn’t even know she had ever been missing.

But when Claire returns to the Hotel Tourmaline for a business meeting with her CEO father, disturbing memories begin to surface . . . despite her parents’ best efforts to keep them forgotten.

Luke Rocco lost his mother under equally mysterious circumstances—at the same time Claire disappeared. After a chance encounter reveals the unlikely link between them, Claire and Luke set out together to uncover the truth about what happened that fateful year.

With flashbacks swimming just beneath her consciousness and a murderer threatening her safety, Claire’s very life depends on unscrambling her past . . . even if her family refuses to acknowledge it. Someone—maybe everyone—is hiding something from Claire Dellamare, and it will cost her everything to drag the truth out into the light.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Colleen Coble has written several romantic suspense novels including Tidewater Inn, Rosemary Cottage, and the Mercy Falls, Lonestar, and Rock Harbor series. Find out more about Colleen at http://www.colleencoble.com/




MY THOUGHTS

Colleen Coble once again releases a well-crafted story with numerous twists and turns that drew me in from the first pages. The mysterious prologue, Claire's panic attack when she arrives at the hotel, and the scene she stumbles upon minutes later--I could barely catch my breath! Coble is a master storyteller, and as always, she deftly weaves suspense into this tale, gradually adding new elements to the story. Engaging characters touched my heart, and I felt for both Claire and Luke as they tried to uncover the secrets from the past. While I suspected aspects of the outcome, the complete resolution contained a few surprises as it unfolded. I'm already looking forward to the second book in this series. Grab your copy of The Inn at Ocean's Edge today!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson & Litfuse Publicity as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


The minute she steps inside the grand Inn at Ocean's Edge, Claire Dellamare knows something terrible happened there—and only Luke Elwell believes her. Colleen Coble's new book, The Inn at Ocean's Edge, is a must-read for mystery and suspense readers. As Claire and Luke put together the pieces of a decades-old mystery, they discover that some family secrets refuse to stay buried. And some passions are worth killing for.

Celebrate the release of The Inn at Ocean's Edge by entering to win a Kindle Fire and RSVPing to her May 5th author chat party!

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One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A Kindle Fire
  • A copy of A Heart's Disguise
  • A copy of A Heart's Obsession
  • A copy of The Inn at Ocean's Edge
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 7th. Winner will be announced May 8th on Colleen's website. Plus be sure to clear your calendar on the evening of May 5th because Colleen is hosting an author chat party on Facebook to celebrate her A Journey of the Heart series and the release of The Inn at Ocean's Edge! RSVP here!

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RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER
and increase your chances of winning.
Hope to see you on May 5th!

















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Thursday, April 16, 2015

A Sparrow in Terezin


A Sparrow in Terezin
(A Hidden Masterpiece Novel, Book 2)
Kristy Cambron
(Thomas Nelson)
ISBN: 978-1401690618
April 2014/368 pages/$15.99

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor’s story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairytale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels she’s stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancĂ© William Hanover threatens to destroy the perfectly planned future she’s planned before it even begins. Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped occupied Prague in 1939, and was forced to leave her half-Jewish family behind. Now a reporter for the Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, Kája has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin, was named Library Journal Reviews’ “Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction)” for February 2015.

Cambron is an art/design manager at TheGROVEstory.com storytelling ministry. She holds a degree in art history from Indiana University and has nearly 15 years of experience in instructional design and communications for a Fortune-100 company. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good Christian fiction read.

Find out more about Kristy at http://kristycambron.com and connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.


MY THOUGHTS

I have been eagerly anticipating this book ever since I read Kristy Cambron's amazing debut, The Butterfly and the Violin, last year (click here for my review of that book), and I was not disappointed. In a style reminiscent of best-selling author Susan Meissner, Cambron skillfully weaves together a contemporary story with a haunting and compelling tale from the days of WWII. While the stories seem may initially seem disconnected at first, as the novel progresses their paths are brought closer and closer together. A Sparrow in Terezin can be read as a stand-alone, but references to Cambron's first novel will be easier to grasp if both books are read in sequence. And trust me, you don't want to miss either one! Pulsating with realism and emotion, this tale held me spellbound as I follwed Kája and Sara's journeys. Don't miss this beautiful story of hope and faith. A must for your spring reading list!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson & Litfuse Publicity as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection in Kristy Cambron's new book, A Sparrow in Terezin. Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

Kristy is celebrating by giving away a basket filled with goodies inspired by her new book!

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One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A set of poppy notecards
  • A poppy pin
  • A copy of I Never Saw Another Butterfly
  • A copy of the Mrs. Miniver DVD
  • Literary tea bags
  • Tumbler
  • A copy of A Sparrow in Terezin
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Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 28th. Winner will be announced April 29th on Kristy's blog.

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{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}


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