25 Book Reviews

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Jennifer Beckstrand Welcomes Us Back to Huckleberry Hills!! Be sure to enter the author''s giveaway!




            "A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill"
                   By Jennifer Beckstrand

                          About the book:



Genre: Christian Amish Fiction
Release Date: December 26, 2017
Elsie Helmuth’s plain-spoken ways got her in trouble once before, so she needs to make a good impression at her new teaching job. But she’s not about to let disabled student Wally Sensenig work below his potential. And she definitely won’t put up with his hot-headed older brother sabotaging her efforts, no matter how handsome he is. . .
Sam is nearly at the end of his rope caring for his ailing, widowed mother, working their farm, and raising his siblings. He’ll admit Elsie’s ideas are bringing Wally out of his angry shell—but why does she have to be as stubborn as she is pretty? Yet as it turns out, Elsie has taught Sam something about himself as well. And he’ll do whatever it takes to make up for his mistakes—and win her heart forever.

Click here to purchase your copy.
My Thoughts:

I jumped at the chance to review another book by this fabulous author! Huckleberry Hills has to be my favorite imaginary spot in creation, where the comical, quirky characters, Anna and Felty reside! This book was one that filled my heart with joy, at the heartwarming, sweet, however misguided, matchmaking skills of this elderly woman. Anna is known throughout this series, to never be at ease, when a single individual is anywhere near her. Her belief in happiness in love and marriage is clearly shown in this new novel. 

The characters are so realistically and well described, that you immediately become attached to them. Anna is such a delightful character, even when making a pest of herself! The elderly characters bring smiles and giggles as they captivate you with their individuality, while attempting to put love in the hearts of two young people.

The plot moves steadily towards the goal.... marriage of another single person!! This is a book that compels the reader to read it in one sitting. I could not put it down!! It was a sweet story that just captured my undivided attention and tickled my funny bone. 

I highly recommend this five star book to all readers, those who love a sweet love story, humorous happenings and simply a GREAT book!

This book was received as a gift. The thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own. I was not required to write a positive review.


About the Author:


Jennifer Beckstrand is the RITA-nominated, award-winning Amish romance author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hillseries and The Honeybee Sisters series for Kensington Books. Her much-anticipated Amish series, The Honeybee Sisters, has created a lot of romantic buzz. Sweet as Honey received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and Sweet as Honey and A Bee in her Bonnet were both awarded Top Picks from RT Book Reviews. Jennifer has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people and loves writing about the antics of Anna and Felty Helmuth and the Honeybee sisters’aendi Bitsy. Jennifer has a degree in mathematics and a passion for Jane Austen and Shakespeare. She and her husband have been married for thirty-three years, and she has six children and six adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.

Guest Post from Jennifer Beckstrand

I have a very special place in my heart for teachers. My dad was a high school math teacher. My mother taught second grade for over twenty years. My son-in-law taught choir in high school, and my daughter taught seventh-grade science. Another daughter taught American history labs at the university and still another daughter taught classes for a youth summer program.
Elsie Stutzman is a dedicated teacher who was dismissed from her last teaching job in Ohio and is trying to make a fresh start and a good impression in Bonduel, Wisconsin. Unfortunately one of her students, Wally Sensenig, is making things difficult for her, and Wally’s hot-headed older brother seems determined to get her fired. But Elsie is a dedicated teacher, too stubborn to back down and too steadfast to give up on anybody.
Elsie’s grandparents, Anna and Felty Helmuth, have other plans for her. They want her to fall in love with one of the local boys, but they’re finding it a little difficult to get the two young people together.
Teachers have an immense impact on our lives. We all remember a favorite elementary school teacher who inspired a love of learning or a high school teacher who encouraged us to reach for greatness. One of my favorite teachers was Mrs. Zobell, who taught ninth grade English. I distinctly remember her reading “The Outsiders” out loud to our class. She had a way of making great books and great stories come to life, and she sparked a love of reading (and writing) that I will always be grateful for. The teacher who had the most impact on my life is my dad. He helped me through Calculus in high school and inspired me to major in math in college.
I hope we will take the time this month to thank the teachers in our lives for all they do for us and all they do for our kids.
Who was one of your favorite teachers and why?

Blog Stops

Blossoms and Blessings, January 16
Mommynificent, January 17
Bibliophile Reviews, January 18
The Power of Words, January 18
Multifarious, January 19
A Greater YesJanuary 19
Texas Book-aholic, January 20
Karen Sue Hadley, January 21
Splashes of JoyJanuary 21
A Reader’s Brain, January 22
Mary Hake, January 22
SusanLovesBooks, January 23
Janices book reviewsJanuary 24
Carpe Diem, January 25
Quiet Quilter, January 26
margaret kazmierczakJanuary 26 (Interview)
cherylbbookblog, January 27
Simple Harvest Reads, January 28 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Pursuing StacieJanuary 28
Vicky Sluiter, January 29
BigreadersiteJanuary 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to three winners!! https://promosimple.com/ps/c6cf
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

A Fabulous New Book by Caryl McAdoo! Don't forget to enter the author's fantastic giveaway!!!


                       "Son of Promise"
                        By Caryl McAdoo

About the Book:


Genre: Woman’s Fiction
Be it known, your sins will find you out, but God’s mercy endureth forever!
Can a wife find the grace to forgive when her husband’s withheld the truth?
Travis Buckmeyer has a secret son, and the morning’s come to tell his sweet wife. He hates breaking Emma Lee’s heart. She promised him one ten years ago, but hasn’t been blessed to carry a baby to term. Every miscarriage made the telling harder, but now his clock’s run out. He’s going for his son, praying he won’t lose her.
Click here to purchase your copy!
My Thoughts:

I absolutely LOVED this book!! As this is the first novel that I have read by this author, as usual, I was a bit nervous wondering if her book would meet my expectations of a good book, one that can grab my attention in the first chapter and keep me totally engaged until the last page is read. Happily, I can honestly say it did that and more!! It is a story of redemption, faith and forgiveness , and new beginnings, which will leave a lasting impression within, long after the book is read. 

The characters are so realistically and vividly described that the reader quickly identifies with each, making one walk alongside them in their troubled life journey. Each heartache, problem and challenge was deeply felt as they became my good friends.  Unconditional love became a very important part of these individuals. 


The plot moves quickly, with totally unexpected twists and turns at every corner. I was  so engrossed within this tale, that the world passed me !  I could NOT put this book down!!  The overall message of God's power shone throughout the story. Without Him, who could ever live through such challenging , heartbreaking situations. Finding peace and forgiveness in the most intense situations can only be a work of the Lord. 


This is definitely a five star book!! I highly recommend this book to all readers! A story of love, faith and forgiveness, a message we all need to be reminded of!


This book was received as a gift. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.



About the Author:


Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and a quick scroll through her novels’ rankings by Christian readers attests to the Father’s faithfulness. She loves writing almost as much as singing the new songs He gives her—look her up on YouTube to hear a few. Her high school sweetheart husband won her heart fifty-two years ago, and now they share four children and seventeen grandsugars. Ron and Caryl live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

Guest Post from Caryl McAdoo

SON OF PROMISE—a companion story to my Texas Romance Family Saga’s book ten CHIEF OF SINNERS—features Travis and Emma Lee Buckmeyer, who readers first meet in CHIEF. She’s the sister of its heroine Sandy Harris, and he is a friend of its hero Buddy Nightingale; he’s also the son of Crockett Buckmeyer (from book eight COVERING LOVE) and grandson of Patrick Henry Buckmeyer (hero of book one VOW UNBROKEN).
A standalone, it isn’t necessary for readers to know all these ancestors to enjoy SON OF PROMISE, but those who do will surely love it all the more. What I know is that this couple won a chunk of my heart. Their faith is outstanding and their love inspiring. In the ’40s, Emma Lee didn’t have the fertility options young women do today, and miscarriage after miscarriage left her hurting. That’s why he hadn’t told her.
He didn’t want to hurt her, but circumstances had changed, and time was up. She had to be told that morning he already had a son born from a one night liaison thirteen years before because he was leaving to claim his Cody from a reform school and bring him home.
The boy had never known real love, but I loved him from the first. Forced to grow up way too fast—lying, stealing, and participating in most any other rebellious act—he’s missed so much. He’s overwhelmed with Travis and Emma Lee—their home, their partnership and love for each other, and their generosity toward him.
He planned to light out from the start, but days piled on top each other, and he never pulled the trigger.
In VOW UNBROKEN, there was an awesome canine named Blue Dog, and I went into his POV (Point Of View—got into his head) a couple of times. My Simon & Schuster editor ‘requested’ that I lose those segments, and so I did. But in this novel, I get into a canine’s head again . . . I’m hoping readers will find that fun.
In years past, I owned, managed, and milked a herd of eighty-plus dwarf goats and loved their Great Pyrenees guardians, so it was fun to include them in the story. I love how Emma Lee was able to sell her paintings for exorbitant prices, but remained so humble and unassuming. And that she and Travis opened their home (they’re so much like my husband and me) to total strangers. We’ve had so many people live with us over the years, to help them, be blessings—the hands and feet of God in the earth.
I pray my story gives God glory and that its readers will be drawn closer to Him through it. He blesses me and highly favors me daily. I can’t thank or praise Him enough!


Blog Stops

Splashes of JoyJanuary 19
Karen Sue Hadley , January 20
Maureen’s Musings, January 20
Bibliophile Reviews, January 21
Reading is My SuperPower, January 22 (Interview)
A Greater YesJanuary 22
Texas Book-aholic, January 23
Baker kella, January 24
Janices book reviewsJanuary 24
Jeanette’s ThoughtsJanuary 25
Quiet Quilter, January 26
Carpe Diem, January 26
C Jane Read, January 27
Simple Harvest Reads, January 28 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Pursuing StacieJanuary 28
cherylbbookblog, January 30
BigreadersiteJanuary 30

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away
GRAND PRIZE : $50 Amazon Gift Card
1st Prize: Choice-of-Caryl’s Titles (print or ebook)
2nd-4th: ebook of SON OF PROMISE!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c511


Thursday, January 11, 2018

Awesome Book!! Awesome Giveaway!!



                    "The Valentine Verse
                         By JoAnn Durgin

About the Book:


Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 5, 2017
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for February 14th anymore! Love should be celebrated every day of the year. That’s Thornton Fielding’s philosophy. In spite of a few false starts in the arena of love, he holds out hope he’ll eventually find the woman of his dreams. The problem? He loves his job, and there’s no end in sight to his travels. But when Thornton returns to his tiny hometown of Cherish, Minnesota, he meets a beautiful and intriguing woman he believes might be God’s answer to ending his bachelor status—permanently.
Vara Alexandris is soured on love and scoffs at the notion of soul mates. But soon after meeting the handsome and unconventional Thornton, the speech and language pathologist suspects he might be the perfect ally to help jump-start her stroke patient’s recovery—if only Vara can keep Thornton grounded in Cherish long enough. This man who spouts romanticized and idealistic ideas about love seems all too eager to resume his world travels. Could it be Thornton actually prefers globetrotting in order to avoid a romantic relationship?
Is it time for Vara to call the dreamer’s bluff? And can Thornton convince Vara to put past heartache behind her and trust in God’s plan for her heart?
Join Thornton and Vara in USA Today bestselling author JoAnn Durgin’s latest release full of her trademark humor, romance, and lively, small-town characters in a story of God’s fierce passion and loving guidance for His children—if only they pay attention! The Valentine Verse is sure to warm your soul during any season of the year.
My Thoughts: 


"The Valentine Verse" is a  heartwarming story of some beloved characters (from one of JoAnn's  popular series) who all must deal with previous hurts and rejections . Their future relationships are dependent on the healing that only faith and trust in God can provide. Although some characters from previous novels appear in this story line, it can be thoroughly enjoyed as a stand alone. The two main characters were realistically described making them easy with whom to identify. 

The plot moves somewhat slowly but steadily towards an expected happy ending. The story was one that I would highly recommend for those who love a sweet Christian romance.  I enjoyed the humour that JoAnn uses throughout the book, lightening the mood and making this tale one that holds one's interest from beginning to end. The message  and importance  of faith in God shines throughout. It definitely carries a strong Christian message that can be an example to us all. 
This book was a gift. The thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.
 Click here to purchase your copy!
About the Author:
JoAnn Author Photo (Princess Cruise)JoAnn Durgin is the USA Today bestselling author of the beloved Lewis Legacy Series as well as Prelude, the prequel to the series. Her other works include the Amazon bestselling Catching SerenityHeart’s Design and its sequel, Gentle Like the Rain, The Wondrous Love Series, Echoes of EdinburghPerchance to DreamWhisper to My HeartThee Will I CherishThe Christmas Challenge, and the popular Starlight Christmas Series.
A former estate administration paralegal, JoAnn now writes contemporary Christian romance full-time and lives with her family in her native southern Indiana. Writing Christian fiction is her passion, and she loves nothing more than sharing the hope to be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Guest Post from JoAnn Durgin

A Little More about The Valentine Verse from Author JoAnn Durgin
I adore writing and reading contemporary Christian romance, but I’ve noticed very few novels in the genre have an actual Valentine’s Day theme and/or title. Perhaps authors believe it would limit the “shelf life” of their book. The way I see it, if Christmas novels (and Hallmark Christmas movies) can be popular year-round, why not Valentine’s Day books?
I’ve always been somewhat of a rebel in my writing career. Don’t tell me I can’t do something or I might just try it (within reason)! After a Christmas release last year followed closely by the eighth installment (500 pages!) of my longest-running series, I knew I couldn’t possibly release a Valentine’s Day book. That’s when one of the primary themes of The Valentine Verse “hit” me—Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be reserved only for February 14th. Expressing our love to one another should be celebrated throughout the year! This concept became the philosophy of the hero, Thornton Fielding, and the book released in early May. Let me tell you a little more about the idea for Thornton…
I dedicated The Valentine Verse to my uncle, Mr. Thornton, and named my hero after him. My uncle was instrumental in my being able to quit my full-time paralegal job in mid-August 2014. Without going into specific details, there were three things that took place (“signs,” if you will) beginning earlier that same year, which seemed to clearly indicate I should try to make writing my full-time career. My debut novel released in late 2010, and the story of my road to publication can be found on my website at www.joanndurgin.com. By early 2014, my books were beginning to find faithful readers, and I was blessed with decent sales. The third and final “sign” and blessing came from Mr. Thornton. Truly, it was as if God were saying, “JoAnn, what more will it take for you to step out in faith?” I promised the Lord and myself that I’d take a year and see how it went…and I haven’t looked back since! I took the leap of faith, but I’m also doing what I feel the Lord has called me to do. Almost three years to the day of quitting my day job, I released my 24th novel. God is so good, and it is my great honor and privilege to write for His glory.
Thank you to Celebrate Lit for the gracious opportunity for this blog tour. The Valentine Verse features fun characters (how can you miss with a small Minnesota town named Cherish?), heartwarming lessons, *sightings* of two of my most popular heroes from another series, and even a surprising twist at the end! I hope you’ll enjoy The Valentine Verse.
Blessings, friends.
JoAnn
Matthew 5:16

Blog Stops

Mommynificent, January 10
Power of Words, January 10 (Spotlight)
Karen Sue HadleyJanuary 11
Reading is my Super Power, January 11 (Interview)
Quiet Quilter, January 12
RemembrancyJanuary 13
Bibliophile Reviews, January 15
Texas Book-aholic, January 16
Janices book reviewsJanuary 18
Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 19
Carpe Diem, January 20
Simple Harvest Reads, January 21 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
God is Love, January 22
A Greater YesJanuary 23
margaret kazmierczak, January 23 (Interview)
Pursuing StacieJanuary 24
BigreadersiteJanuary 24

Giveaway:

To celebrate her tour, JoAnn is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c5dd

Another Fantastic Read by One of My Favorite Authors, Vannetta Chapman!

An Amish Proposal for Christmas  By Vannetta Chapman Synopsis: Her deepest Christmas wish will bring more than she imagined…in this novel by...