Wednesday, July 30, 2014

ELECTIVE PROCEDURES



Tour Info:


Book Formats: Netgalley & Print
Hosting Options: Reviews, Showcase, Interview, & Guest Posts
Giveaway: 4 Physical Copies -- First Come

Synopsis:

Elle Harrison has taken a leave of absence to mourn the death of her husband Charlie.
Her friend Becky takes her out to dinner to cheer her up and, on impulse, drags her into a fortune teller's shop. The fortune teller predicts that Elle will travel and meet a new man. She also says that Elle is surrounded by a dark aura that draws the dead to her.
Elle dismissed the predictions as hogwash. But then her friend Jen takes her, Becky and another friend, Susan, to Mexico where she is getting lost cost cosmetic surgery. Elle is attracted to and asked out by Jen's surgeon, Alain DuBois. And Elle finds a woman hanging onto the balcony next to hers by her fingertips. Elle tries to save her and fails, almost dying in the process.
All of the fortune teller's predictions have come true. And, as the week progresses, more of Alain DuBois' patients are gruesomely killed, Jen is attacked, Elle is nearly murdered, and the spirit of her dead husband Charlie keeps appearing to her.
Who is trying to kill Dr. DuBois' patients--And why? Who is trying to murder Elle? Why does she keep seeing Charlie--Is she nuts? Or is his spirit really trying to protect her?
ELECTIVE PROCEDURES makes a week in Mexico into a chilling page turner, full of twists and unexpected developments, as well as a face lift or two.


Read an excerpt:

Don't look down. Don't look down.
I kept repeating those three syllables, a singsong mantra to steady myself and get through time, pushing through seconds and minutes until it would be afterwards and this nightmare would be over.
Don't look down.
But I didn't have to look. I knew what was beneath me. I could picture what was lying six stories down on the concrete beside the kidney shaped swimming pool, near the mouth of the alligator water slide. Under the glowing light of sunrise, I imagined a widening crimson puddle. A clump of arms and legs. A shattered bone protruding through flesh. Tangled hair matted into a cracked skull.
Don't look down, I said again, and I didn't. Instead, I aimed my eyes straight ahead focusing not on the brick wall in front of me, but on the air surrounding my head. I stared into it, straining to see my aura, looking for stains, for splotches of darkness. Was it possible to see your own aura? Was there even such a thing? If there was, I couldn't see it, saw only inches of emptiness between me and the bricks, and, at the periphery of my vision, the railing. For the briefest moment, I had a lapse; I almost turned my head, almost looked down at my hand. Don't look, I chanted. Don't look. Looking would mean moving my head. And if I moved it--if I moved anything at all, I'd disrupt my balance and slip, and then, with a thud, there would be two blobs of bones planted beside the pool.
A pelican dive-bombed past me, the rush of air nearly knocking me over. I held my breath, holding steady. I called out again, hoping someone would wake up, but no one came. So I told myself to stay steady and thing of other things. Other times. I stared at the wall and repeated: Don't look down don't look down don't look down.

Author Bio:

Merry Jones has written the Elle Harrison suspense novels (THE TROUBLE WITH CHARLIE, ELECTIVE PROCEDURES), the Harper Jennings thrillers (SUMMER SESSION, BEHIND THE WALLS, WINTER BREAK, OUTSIDE EDEN, and this fall, IN THE WOODS), the Zoe Hays mysteries (THE NANNY MURDERS, THE RIVER KILLINGS, DEADLY NEIGHBORS, THE BORROWED AND BLUE MURDERS). She has also written humor (including I LOVE HIM, BUT...) and non-fiction (including BIRTHMOTHERS: Women who relinquished babies for adoption tell their stories). Jones taught college creative writing for fifteen years. Her work has been translated into seven languages, and appeared in many magazines, including GLAMOUR. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, The Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers, and The Philadelphia Liars Club. The mother of two grown daughters, she lives outside Philadelphia with her husband.

Catch Up With the Author:   





My thoughts...

This is a good mystery that kept my attention to the last sentence. Love the characters, especially Elle. She accompanies three friends on a trip to Mexico and instantly things begin to happen that make for a very unusual and unrelaxing vacation. Death surrounds her.

Fast paced with a little humor thrown in make this a fun summer read and a vacation like no other.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tour Participants:

To Sign up either complete the linky with your Blog Name, book format, requested date(s) and how you'd like to host or email me at gina at partnersincrimetours.net. Thank you for your interest in this tour.


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

TOP TEN AUTHORS I OWN THE MOST BOOKS FROM



Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

I own lots of books but there's a few authors that I must have all their books! Who are your favorites?

Lisa Wingate
Lynn Austin
Francine Rivers
Robert Whitlow
Neta Jackson
Denise Hildreth Jones
Lauraine Snelling
Dan Walsh
Ted Dekker
Mary Beth Whalen


Add your link here!

Monday, July 28, 2014

THE UNWILLING ACCOMPLICE



World War I Battlefield nurse Bess Crawford’s career is in jeopardy when a murder is committed on her watch, in this absorbing and atmospheric historical mystery from New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd.

Home on leave, Bess Crawford is asked to accompany a wounded soldier confined to a wheelchair to Buckingham Palace, where he’s to be decorated by the King. The next morning when Bess goes to collect Wilkins, he has vanished. Both the Army and the nursing service hold Bess negligent for losing the war hero, and there will be an inquiry.

Then comes disturbing word from the Shropshire police, complicating the already difficult situation: Wilkins has been spotted, and he’s killed a man. If Bess is to save her own reputation, she must find Wilkins and uncover the truth. But the elusive soldier has disappeared again and even the Shropshire police have lost him. Suddenly, the moral implications of what has happened—that a patient in her charge has committed murder—become more important to Bess than her own future. She’s going to solve this mysterious puzzle, but righting an injustice and saving her honor may just cost Bess her life.

My thoughts...

If you enjoy historical fiction this is a great one. The author describes details well and the plot is a good, I like being unable to figure out who did it and couldn't which made the ending worth the read! Loved the cast of characters, the heroine, and the plot with so many interesting things happening throughout the book.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Mad Libs with Books!



This afternoon while going through my blog roll I saw on Crafty Booksheeps that Laura had done a Mad Libs with Books and I decided I wanted to do it too!

Let me know if you decide to participate! I would love to stop by and see your book choices!
My answers are based on titles alone.

In school I was: The Insanity Plea

People might be surprised I'm: Penny Wise

I will never be: Hope Deferred

My fantasy job is: BlueBonnet Bride

At the end of a long day: Thankful

I hate it when: The Devil Walks in Mattingly

Wish I had: The Whole Enchilada

My family reunions are: Stranger Things

At a party you'd find me with: Hacker

I've never been to: Poison Town

A happy day includes: The Summer Wind

Motto I live by: A Promise Kept

On my bucket list: The Rockin Chair

In my next life, I want to be: The Painted Table

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

DAISIES review & giveaway 3 winners!



About the book

Love is a lesson learned over lifetimes.

Spanning three generations, Daisies is a stirring debut novel from a singular talent. In 1954, awkward Gwen Hisel falls in love with the affable Willie Bennett on the dusty Oklahoma prairie. What follows is a harsh life for the two youngsters as they struggle to make the best of their difficult circumstances.

Twenty years later, Sheila Hisel, daughter of Gwen and Willie, marries Darrel McAllister. But while her parents’ love for one another had seen them through tribulation and adversity, Sheila’s own marriage crumbles under the strain of hard times.

Now, if Sheila’s son, Lonnie, ever wants to succeed in love, he must unravel the mysteries of two very different relationships to true happiness.



Meet the author

Joshua Senter was raised in the Ozark Mountains where he was homeschooled along with his four sisters on a five hundred acre farm. He moved to Los Angeles in August 1997 to pursue a degree in filmmaking from Art Center College of Design.

In 2002 he started writing for the hit Showtime series The L Word. A year later, he joined the international phenomenon, Desperate Housewives, where he was nominated for a Writer’s Guild of America award for his episode, Don’t Look at Me. In 2013 Joshua began writing and co-producing a new show for ABC Family, Chasing Life, which will begin airing in 2014. Daisies, is Joshua’s debut novel.

Website: http://joshuasenter.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8301648.Joshua_Senter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaRaySenter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JRSenter
Purchase: http://diversionbooks.com/ebooks/daisies


My thoughts...

In 1954 Gwen and Willie marry and soon a daughter is born. Their life is hard but they make it with hard work and determination. Their daughters name is Shelia and at age 20 she marries the love of her life but their love won't last through the hard times and their marriage ends. Her son, Lonnie, is now trying to understand exactly what love is so that his marriage doesn't fall apart like his parent's.

This is a great book, I enjoyed getting to know Gwen and Willie as well as Sheila and Darrel. Their marriages were very different. The characters are likeable and the story is written well. I appreciate how Lonnie is determined to find out what works and what doesn't. Interesting and real is how I would describe it.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, July 21, 2014

FIREWALL

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Firewall
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (July 1, 2014)
by
DiAnn Mills


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops.

DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Visit her website or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/diannmills


ABOUT THE BOOK

After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be.

Agent Grayson Hall’s number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day’s act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. But his instinct tells him her pleas of innocence are genuine. Is her naiveté just for show, or could she truly be another victim of a master scheme, possibly linked to the software she recently developed for her company?

With both their lives and reputations on the line, and the media outcry for justice increasing with each passing minute, Taryn and Grayson have no choice but to trust one another . . . and pray they can uncover the truth before they become two more casualties.

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

My thoughts...

A good mystery that did keep me wondering who the criminal was, the romance between Taryn and Grayson was predictable but light, it wasn't the main aspect of the book. I did like the storyline, it made me stop and think about how this could really happen. I enjoyed the FBI investigation with occasional twists that got my adrenaline rushing. I loved the ending which wrapped everything up nicely.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY GIVEAWAY HOP!





Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer Each participating blog has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one. This giveaway is open internationally.

The PRIZE is your choice of one of the following books:




a Rafflecopter giveaway



Check out these links for more chances to win!

Friday, July 18, 2014

Shenandoah Dreams

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Shenandoah Dreams
OakTara Publishers (July 1, 2014)
by
Lisa Belcastro


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Belcastro lives with her family on Martha’s Vineyard. She loves chocolate, gardening, outdoor activities, cooking, laughing, reading, traveling, a healthy dose of adventure, and her cat Ben, who keeps her company while she spends hours working at the computer.

She was inspired to write Shenandoah Nights, the first book in the Winds of Change trilogy, while chaperoning two Tisbury School summer sails with her daughter, Kayla, aboard the schooner Shenandoah. The weeklong adventure, sans electricity, Game Boys, iPods and modern conveniences, kindled her imagination to dream of an altogether different voyage.

In addition to writing romance novels, Lisa currently pens the cuisine column for Vineyard Style magazine. She has worked as a staff and freelance reporter and photographer for The Chronicle of the Horse and as assistant editor at The Blue Ridge Leader. She has written articles for USA Today, Dressage (London), USA WEEKEND Magazine, The Blue Ridge Leader and Sidelines.

When she’s not at her desk, Lisa is living in paradise, volunteering at her daughter’s school, serving in her church community, planting and weeding her numerous gardens, trying to run a marathon a month, or walking the beach looking for sea glass.

ABOUT THE BOOK

What if she met the man of her dreams...in another century? Tisbury, Massachusetts, Martha s Vineyard. It s just a dream, Melissa Smith whispers as she stares into the intense eyes of a man dressed in Colonial clothes, as though stepping out of an American Revolution movie set. A school chaperone with Holmes Hole Elementary, she d boarded the old schooner Shenandoah for a weeklong educational sail. But they are not visiting Plimoth Plantation, the Boston Tea Party Museum, or the Concord Bridge reenactment. They re sailing the waters around the island of Martha s Vineyard. Yet, when she awakes in Cabin 8, the captain claims to be Isaiah Reed, who sailed the original Shenandoah in the eighteenth century. He cannot possibly be real, Melissa thinks. And traveling back in time is impossible. But days pass, and she s still in 1770. What if Isaiah, who is simply too handsome to be real, is real? What if the fire he ignites in her from barely a touch isn t in her imagination? Can a dream last for weeks on end? If so, how will she find her way home...to the twenty-first century? And can she bear to leave the one man who has captured her heart, when everything in her longs to stay? A Vineyard Romance Romance, history, adventure. Get swept into the exciting Winds of Change series.

If you liked to read the first chapter of Shenandoah Dreams, go HERE.

My thoughts...

If you like lighthearted romances, books about time travel, you may like this one. A chaperone on a 6th grade class trip discovers one of the cabins on the ship is a time machine. She travels back to 1776 and must deal with being on a boat full of men she's never seen before. An unrealistically fun read.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, July 14, 2014

A SONG FOR THE DYING



A heart-stopping crime thriller and the fourth consecutive No. 1 Bestseller from the author of the Logan McRae series and Birthdays for the Dead.

He’s back…

Eight years ago, ‘The Inside Man’ murdered four women and left three more in critical condition – all of them with their stomachs slit open and a plastic doll stitched inside.

And then the killer just … disappeared.

Ash Henderson was a Detective Inspector on the initial investigation, but a lot can change in eight years. His family has been destroyed, his career is in tatters, and one of Oldcastle’s most vicious criminals is making sure he spends the rest of his life in prison.

Now a nurse has turned up dead on a patch of waste ground, a plastic doll buried beneath her skin, and it looks as if Ash might finally get a shot at redemption. At earning his freedom.

At revenge.

Amazon Purchase Link: A Song For The Dying
HarperCollins Publishers (July 8, 2014)
My Rating: 4/5 stars


My thoughts...

Ash Henderson, former cop, is determined to find the person that framed and put him in prison if he ever gets paroled. Meanwhile, several murders are occuring, women are being kidnapped and having their abdomens opened up with plastic dolls placed inside and then dumped. Plenty of gruesome details, fast paced, dark humor, you gotta keep reading. The characters are awful people, Ash is kind of strange but he does do a good job. Lots of action and more than one plot going on.

I received a free copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

DON'T TRY TO FIND ME



About the book

When a fourteen-year-old runs away, her parents turn to social media to find her—launching a public campaign that will expose their darkest secrets and change their family forever, in this suspenseful and gripping debut for fans of Reconstructing Amelia and Gone Girl.

Don’t try to find me. Though the message on the kitchen white board is written in Marley’s hand, her mother Rachel knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.

As the days pass and it sinks in that the impossible has occurred, Rachel and her husband Paul are informed that the police have “limited resources.” If they want their fourteen-year-old daughter back, they will have to find her themselves. Desperation becomes determination when Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter, and launches FindMarley.com.

But Marley isn’t the only one with secrets.

With public exposure comes scrutiny, and when Rachel blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins. Now, the blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It’s not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally, anyway. But when it’s discovered that she’s lied, even to the police, the devoted mother becomes a suspect in Marley’s disappearance.

Is Marley out there somewhere, watching it all happen, or is the truth something far worse?



Amazon Purchase Link: Don't Try To Find Me
William Morrow Publishers (July 8, 2014)
My Rating: 4/5 stars


My thoughts...

Marley has run away to meet her online boyfriend who lives across the country, leaving a note for her parents that says "Don't try to find me". Having recently relocated she has no friends in her new school and has not stayed in contact with friends from the former school her parents have little to go on. As her parents put all they have into finding her things about her mother are exposed.

I found this to be a well written drama with a hint of mystery, a story about family secrets and relationships though I wasn't able to connect with the characters like I wanted. Overall a pretty good debut novel.

I received a free copy of this book from Harper Collins Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, July 11, 2014

THE GIRLS OF AUGUST



Every August, four women would gather together to spend a week at the beach, renting a new house each year. The ritual began when they were in their twenties and their husbands were in medical school, and became a mainstay of every summer thereafter. Their only criteria was oceanfront and isolation, their only desire to strengthen their far-flung friendships. They called themselves the Girls of August. But when one of the Girls dies tragically, the group slowly drifts apart and their vacations together are brought to a halt.

Years later, a new marriage reunites them and they decide to come together once again on a remote barrier island off the South Carolina coast. There, far from civilization, the women make startling discoveries that will change them in ways they never expected.

Amazon Purchase Link: The Girls of August
Grand Central Publishing (July 8, 2014)
My Rating: 1/5 stars


My thoughts...

This is the first book I've read by this author, I was very disappointed and struggled to read each page. I don't think I've ever seen such superficial characters and a storyline that was totally boring...nothing happens. There's really nothing else left to say about it.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

PENNY WISE



Penny Wise introduces us to yet another family in "the neighborhood"---the Jaspers, busy with demanding jobs, busy with church, busy volunteering, parents of three active teenagers, juggling sometimes crazy schedules. All good things. Until all those "good things" feed into a series of crises that affects the whole family. Something's gotta change!

The third in the Windy City Neighbors series, Penny Wise is a contemporary peek at an urban family wrestling with the spiritual and practical challenges of real life. The series employs the innovating storytelling technique of "parallel novels," each with its own drama and story arc, but whose characters' lives become intertwined with their neighbors and affect one another. Welcome to Beecham Street---a typical, isolated American neighborhood that is beginning to come out of its shell . . . for better or worse.

Amazon Purchase Link: Penny Wise
Castle Rock Creative Publishers (June 10, 2014)
My Rating: 5/5 stars




My thoughts...

Saying I enjoyed this latest novel from the Jackson's just doesn't cut it. I really loved this book. They've captured the stressful busyness of everyday life and thrown in some unusual extra's for an amazing read. I especially loved the "pennies", it touched my heart and made me just stop and think about how much God cares for us.

The characters are interesting and I can't wait to read more about the neighbors on this block. Meeting them has been fun. The Jaspers are the focus of this book, they're much too busy with work, children, church, and volunteer activites. Having to deal with bullies, gangs, and then a parents nightmare. So well written... a treasure.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

HOPE DEFERRED

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Hope Deferred
HopeSprings Books (July 1, 2014)
by
Elizabeth Maddrey


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who loves a good happily ever after.

Elizabeth Maddrey began writing stories as soon as she could form the letters properly and has never looked back. Though her practical nature and love of computers, math, and organization steered her into computer science at Wheaton College, she always had one or more stories in progress to occupy her free time. This continued through a Master’s program in Software Engineering, several years in the computer industry, teaching programming at the college level, and a Ph.D. in Computer Technology in Education. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books and has mastered the art of reading while undertaking just about any other activity.

She lives in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. with her husband and their two incredibly active little boys.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christian fiction for women.
Can pursuit of a blessing become a curse?
June and July and their husbands have spent the last year trying to start a family and now they're desperate for answers. As one couple works with specialists to see how medicine can help them conceive, the other must fight to save their marriage. Will their deferred hope leave them heart sick, or start them on the path to the fulfillment of their dreams?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hope Deferred, go HERE.


My thoughts...

Book two in the series follows twin sisters in their journeys to become pregnant. The author has done a good job of allowing us to feel the pain, anger, and hopelessness of infertile women. Not only is the journey expensive but there are moral dilemas June and July face.

One of the sisters does become pregnant and we see how the other sister handles the news as well as the mom to be and the effects it has on her knowing her sister isn't and may never get pregnant. I liked the book and look forward to seeing what else happens in their lives.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

THE OLEANDER SISTERS



An emotionally riveting tale of the bonds of family and the power of hope in the sultry Deep South.

In 1969, the first footsteps on the moon brighten America with possibilities. But along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a category five storm is brewing, and the Blake sisters of Biloxi are restless for change. Beth "Sis" Blake has always been the caretaker, the dutiful one, with the weight of her family's happiness—and their secrets—on her shoulders. She dreams of taking off to pursue her own destiny, but not before doing whatever it takes to rescue her sister.

Emily Blake, an unwed mother trying to live down her past, wants the security of marriage for the sake of her five-year-old son, Andy. But secure is the last thing she feels with her new husband. Now she must put aside pride, and trust family to help her find the courage to escape.

With Hurricane Camille stirring up havoc, two sisters—each desperate to break free—begin a remarkable journey where they'll discover that in the wake of destruction lies new life, unshakable strength and the chance to begin again. Dreams are reborn and the unforgettable force of friendship is revealed in The Oleander Sisters, an extraordinary story of courage, love and sacrifice.

Amazon: The Oleander Sisters
Mira Publishers (July 29, 2014)
My Rating: 5/5 stars


My thoughts...

I started reading this book right after lunch and finished before bedtime, it is that good! Talk about a book grabbing you from the first page... I love it when that happens. The characters are amazing, strong Sis who puts everyone else first and is the protector of the family, Jim who comes home from the war suffering PTSD, Sweet Mama who may be losing her mind but she can pull it together when her loved ones are in need, and a sister that wants a father for her young son so badly she ignores warning signs of danger ahead.

There are secrets and plenty of excitement from front to back, the tenderness and fun of family togetherness. This is a heartfelt story of courage, love, and the strength of family. I LOVED it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

7 Years Younger - Instant Makeover



I have something exciting to share! 7 Years Younger- Instant Makeovers. This book was written by the editors of Woman’s Day magazine, and is packed with makeovers you can do yourself and get instant results.

There are over 100 simple makeovers for hair, skin, and more with inexpensive product suggestions. You can learn how to hide (and prevent) visible veins, how to fade dark spots, and how to create face framing brows. A couple of my favorites were evening out skin tone and building a better breakfast... I am not a fan of breakfast but this helps.

Want to slow down the aging process? Try the book for 21 days risk free. 7 Years Younger - Instant Makeovers

THE STORY KEEPER



When successful New York editor Jen Gibbs discovers a decaying slush-pile manuscript on her desk, she has no idea that the story of Sarra, a young mixed-race woman trapped in Appalachia at the turn of the twentieth century, will both take her on a journey and change her forever.

Happy with her life in the city, and at the top of her career with a new job at Vida House Publishing, Jen has left her Appalachian past and twisted family ties far behind. But the search for the rest of the manuscript, and Jen’s suspicions about the identity of its unnamed author, will draw her into a mystery that leads back to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains . . . and quite possibly through the doors she thought she had closed forever.

Amazon Purchase Link: The Story Keeper
Tyndale Publishers (September 1, 2014)
My Rating: 5/5 stars


My thoughts...

This is probably my favorite Lisa Wingate book, I love the setting, the characters, the storyline. As I read page after page I could visualize each scene. I would love to dig into that slush-pile and read till my heart's content!

Right after Jen begins a new job with a top publisher in New York City an old manuscript appears on her desk. Knowing this came from the slush-pile that everyone is warned not to touch she isn't sure what to do at first but curiosity overcomes and she reads it which leads her into an exciting but sometimes frustrating search for the author and right back to the place she never wanted to return.

Difficult subjects are handled, we meet Jen's annoying (sometimes maddening) family and of course the author of the manuscript. Amazing story, superbly written.

I read this book through Lisa's "Sisterhood of the Traveling Book".

FREEDOM TO READ GIVEAWAY HOP



Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

Each participating blog has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one. This giveaway is open internationally.

The PRIZE is your choice of one of the following books:








a Rafflecopter giveaway



Check out these links for more chances to win!

Lauraine Snelling's "GIVE JOY" Sweepstakes!



In bestselling author Lauraine Snelling's new novel, Heaven Sent Rain, Dinah Taylor has an orderly life, and that is just how she likes it. A balanced bank account, a perfectly furnished luxury apartment, a satisfying career as a scientist and CEO of her own company, and an uncomplicated personal life. Then her well-ordered world is thrown into chaos when she finds a seven-year-old boy and his scruffy dog sitting alone outside her office building. See my review HERE.

To celebrate the release of this heart-warming novel, FaithWords and author Lauraine Snelling are pleased to present the GIVE:JOY Sweepstakes. This sweepstakes features three spectacular prizes, each closely connected to the story, but each prize also comes with a twist: you “Enter to Give”, rather than “Enter to Win”!

This is your chance to do something beautiful and make a difference for a friend, family member, shelter, church, or charity.

Timeframe & Notifications:

This giveaway starts July 1, 2014 and ends July 21, 2014 @ 11:59 pm (PST). Entry is open to US residents only, age 18 and over. Winners will be selected Tuesday July 22, 2014, and announced at laurainesnelling.com.





GRAND PRIZE:

GIVE:JOY Grand Prize
HELP & HOPE SUPPORT GIFT

In Heaven Sent Rain, Dinah meets an extraordinary little boy named Jonah, and his dog, Mutt. Jonah faces a life of struggle, hunger, and poverty, but his courage in these challenges inspires Dinah to step outside her well-ordered world and do something wonderful for him. Through her choice, Dinah discovers joy is found not in getting more for herself, but in giving to make someone else’s life better. Our Grand Prize winner will have the same opportunity for joy, with their choice of :

• A $250 VISA gift card for a friend in need, or
• A $250 donation to the faith-based charity, church, or shelter of their choice





SECOND PRIZE:

GIVE:JOY Second Prize
BLESSINGS & BLOOMS SURPRISE BOUQUETS

A mysterious thing happens to Dinah several times in the story: flowers! Beautiful encouragement bouquets—with no sender's name—appear on her office desk during difficult times when she feels she can’t go on. In honor of Dinah's secret flower sender (you'll have to read the story to find out his or her identity) we're offering our Second Prize winner the chance to become a secret flower sender themselves, and brighten the day of a sick friend, a new mom, a military spouse, a weary co-worker, or some other deserving person in their life, with:

• A 3-month gift subscription to ProFlowers Bouquet of the Month Club





THIRD PRIZE:

GIVE:JOY Third Prize
VALIANT VET ENCOURAGEMENT GIFT

Like Jonah's dog, Mutt, the animals in our lives are priceless sources of help, comfort, and unconditional love. No one understands this better than our story's hero, veterinarian Garret Miller. Throughout the book, “Dr. G” works tirelessly to save and heal people's furry friends, including Mutt, and an injured service dog named Valiant.

And Like Dr. G, many real-life veterinarians and animal shelter workers make all the difference in the lives of our animals, often giving services beyond what's billed. Our Third Prize winner will have a chance to do something extra special for their favorite vet or animal shelter, with:

• A $100 veterinary/shelter donation to be used toward treatment of an animal whose owner cannot afford to pay for veterinary care, or
• A $100 Starbucks card sent to the veterinary/shelter staff as a special encouragement gift



How to Enter:

Go to http://www.laurainesnelling.com/html/giveaways.html and complete the entry box, anytime between July 1 and July 21.

About the Book

Book Title: Heaven Sent Rain – by Lauraine Snelling

ISBN:089296913X