Wednesday, October 9, 2013
STARRY NIGHT by Debbie Macomber
My thoughts...
Who wouldn't love Christmas after reading this? Macomber has written a delightfully refreshing holiday romance. Reporter Carrie Slayton was tired of writing stories about the city's rich and spoiled, she wants a story with real meaning. Her task is to interview Finn Dalton, the reclusive author, but first she has to find him. When she finally locates him in the Alaskan wilderness she finds herself drawn to him and quickly learns he doesn't like reporters and has been burned by women to the point he has no interest in a relationship.
The characters are interesting and fun, this is an enjoyable read even though you know how it will end. I give it 4 stars!
I received a copy of this book free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
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Sunday, October 6, 2013
THE WALNUT TREE by Charles Todd
The critically acclaimed creator of the Inspector Ian Rutledge and battlefield nurse Bess Crawford mystery series, Charles Todd now offers readers a bittersweet love story and romantic mystery that unfolds at Christmas during the dangerous opening days of World War I.
The Walnut Tree is an unforgettable story of a woman who puts herself in the line of fire for the sake of wounded soldiers and falls deeply in love with a man who may be forbidden to her. For anyone who has fallen under the spell of Downton Abbey, and for all the fans of the British-set mysteries of Elizabeth George, Anne Perry, Ruth Rendell, Martha Grimes, and Jacqueline Winspear, The Walnut Tree is essential reading.
My thoughts...
My first book by Charles Todd and I found it to be very entertaining though it is set in the time of WWI. Lady Elspeth is visiting her fiance in France when war breaks out. Unable to return home to Scotland she feels it's her duty to help care for the wounded and becomes a nursing sister known only as Elspeth. She's a strong woman and wants to do whatever she can. The training she goes through is interesting to read about.
Elspeth agrees to marry Alain the night before he goes off to war not knowing whether she would ever see him again. This is a sad tale of lost love, loyalty, and much more. Good writing, good storyline. 4 stars!
I received a copy of this book free from William Morrow Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
HOME TO HEATHER CREEK SERIES
Before the Dawn begins just one week after the funeral of Charlotte's daughter, Denise. Denise's three children barely have time to process the death of their mother before they must move to the Heather Creek Farm they have never visited with grandparents they barely know. At age 16, Sam is fiercely protective of his younger siblings. Emily is 14 and desperately misses her friends. Young Christopher is only 8 and just wants to fit in. While Charlotte tries to help her grandchildren adjust to their new life, she also wrestles with her own grief and the enormous task of bringing her family together. Bob believes the fastest path to adjustment is a firm routine, with structure and chores, the same way they raised their own kids. However, that route led to Denise running away from home as a teenager and an estranged relationship with her family. Charlotte is worried about making the same mistakes she made with Denise. Is this her chance to make things right?
It is spring when the children arrive, and as Charlotte looks around the farm, she hopes the new life around them will signify hope and healing. The miracle of new life, along with God's healing touch, reminds all of them that it's always darkest just before the dawn.
My thoughts...
Charlotte and Bob are grieving the loss of their daughter, Denise, who left home after an argument. They never saw her again. Now they learn they have 3 grandchildren in San Diego that will be coming to live with them on their Nebraska farm.
Reading how the children struggle to deal with the loss of their mother as well as trying to adjust to their new surroundings was heartbreaking. Bob and Charlotte grieving and trying to be strong while clinging to their faith in Jesus. The author did such a great job expressing the emotions of the characters. This is a touching story... better have a box of tissue handy.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Sweet September picks up at harvest time, as the children are settling into a new school year. While the harvest should be an exciting time, the children don't seem to be getting into the spirit. Emily is struggling with farm life, Christopher spends most of his time alone, and Sam is failing school. Trying to learn from what did and didn't work with her own kids, Charlotte is determined to get her grandchildren back on track.
As tenuous family bonds threaten to break apart, a mystery on the farm might be the one thing that can bond the family together. Charlotte sets out to uncover the truth, and as the kids unite to find answers, this cobbled-together family learns more about one another and the love that binds them together.
The lives of the Stevensons and their grandchildren unfold in this captivating story of the remarkable change that comes from the love of family, the kindness of others, sheer persistence and unshakable faith. As readers follow the Stevensons' inspiring stories, it's almost impossible not feel a part of this friendly, loving community, where God's grace can be seen in every circumstance.
My thoughts...
Book two continues the story of the Charlotte and Bob and their grandchildren. The children haven't adjusted as well as had hoped. Emily doesn't like living on a farm, Christopher has withdrawn, Sam is failing his classes and they miss their friends. Charlotte worries about them and searches for answers when something happens that changes things. Christopher finds an old piece of metal in a field and his quest to discover where it came from opens up a can of worms.
Written by another author this well written tale of a family thrown together by unfortunate circumstances warms your heart as they struggle to become a real family.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Friday, October 4, 2013
THE CLASS REUNION SERIES
Bless Her Heart (bk 2)
Tickled Pink (bk 3)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Debby Mayne is a best-selling author who has published more than 25 books and novellas, 400 short stories and articles, and devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor, and a copy editor and proofreader. Her novel, Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from RT Book Review, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July. She and her husband Wally have two grown daughters, and live in Palm Harbor, Florida.
ABOUT THE BOOKS
Priscilla Slater goes to her ten-year high school reunion with equal parts dread and eager anticipation. Even though she’s a successful owner of a chain of hair salons and no longer has the mousy brown hair, crooked teeth, and discount-store wardrobe, she still feels like the ugly duckling. But when she arrives at the reunion, Priscilla soon realizes that her old classmates aren’t exactly as she remembers them. With humor and a just a touch of sassiness, Priscilla finds herself facing her own truth—and she may be surprised at what she discovers.
As Priscilla Slater’s 15-year class reunion approaches, she decides to attend out of curiosity… and to flaunt her latest achievement—taking her business to a national level with the possibility of a TV show. As if getting ready for the event and putting up with the pranks of her former classmates isn’t enough, Priscilla’s hometown visit is further complicated by her parents’ separation. With the once-solid sanctuary of her home broken at the foundation, there’s only one thing Priscilla’s parents can agree on: no matter what sort of accolades their daughter receives as a hair stylist, she’s not living up to her potential. Eager to escape the painful reality of her childhood home, Priscilla bolts as soon as a call from New York brings good news: her offer to purchase one of the best salons in the country is likely to come through. But returning to New York means returning to Tim, Priscilla’s best friend and business pal who has been impatiently suggesting their relationship should be more than a friendship. Despite her recent achievements, will Priscilla learn that success doesn’t always result in popularity—or love?
Priscilla Slater shows up at her 20-year reunion as a national celebrity. Her hair salon dynasty has skyrocketed, and to top it off, she has her own line of hair products. She has become a huge success with the “Ms. Prissy Big Hair” line that lets women with the thinnest of locks get the coveted “big hair” look so popular in the South. Her classmates have finally come to terms with adulthood, but they’re handling it with the grace of a Southern woman wearing white after Labor Day. It’s just downright awkward! Asserting the maturity that her classmates have often lacked, Priscilla holds her head high. But she can’t ignore everything. When she catches her mother in the arms of her former high school principal, Priscilla can’t get out of town fast enough. Eager to get back to her more comfortable life, Priscilla runs head on into an ultimatum: Tim tells her they’re not getting any younger—as if she has to be reminded.
If you would like to read an excerpt from Pretty is as Pretty Does (bk 1), go HERE
JOIN THE PARTY! Now that all three books have released, let’s party! (Yes, really!) Join our online class reunion the week of October 7, 2013 on Debby Mayne’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/136447929891169/ Stop by to answer questions about the books, respond to fun polls, join in fun activities to help you reminisce your high school days, and win great prizes. Tell your friends and meet us there!
My thoughts...
An enjoyable story of five people preparing and attending their ten year class reunion. Each has issues... Priscilla, owner of 5 highly successful salons, was voted "Most likely to succeed" and that she did yet she has low self esteem. Laura, married to a nonsuccessful man, with 3 children, and a DUI under her belt, is scared to attend. What will her classmates think of her now?
Trudy was prom queen and beauty pageant winner yet sees herself as unloveable since the divorce from her high school sweetheart. She has gained weight and sees FAT when she looks in the mirror. She doesn't want to run into him and his new girl.
Tim (who is also Priscilla's employee) has been in love with Priscilla for years but she feels nothing for him. He volunteers to go to the reunion with her and she accepts telling him he is like a brother to her. Lastly, there's Celeste...the wall flower in school. She has never fit in but as she helps Laura plan the reunion she finally feels like she belongs.
The reunion promises drama, heartbreak, and more. Very entertaining!
"Bless Her Heart" is book two, it's 5 years later and time for their 15th year reunion. Priscilla has lots to brag about and is actually looking forward to going. Her salons have gone international and there's a TV show in the works. Priscilla's parents have separated and still telling her she is wasting her life. Tim is pushing her to take their work relationship into something more.
Laura, unhappily married to a drunk and doesn't have the courage to leave. Celeste and Trudy trying to find who they are and where they fit in. Another enjoyable read and I liked knowing what happened after the 10 yr reunion.
I'm looking forward to reading "Tickled Pink" where they attend their Twentieth class reunion.
I received copies of these books free from Abingdon Press in exchange for an honest review.
THE JOSHUA STONE by James Barney
Partners in Crime is pleased to present
The Joshua Stone
by James Barney
on Tour October 8 - November 30, 2013
A William Morrow Paperback Original
Some secrets belong to the past. Others refuse to stay there...
In 1959, in an underground laboratory in a remote region of West Virginia, a secret government experiment went terribly awry. Half a dozen scientists mysteriously disappeared, and all subsequent efforts to rescue them failed. In desperation, President Eisenhower ordered the lab sealed shut and all records of its existence destroyed. Now, fifty-four years later, something from the lab has emerged.
When mysterious events begin occurring along the New River Valley in West Virginia, government agents Mike Califano and Ana Thorne are sent to investigate. What they discover will shake the foundations of science and religion and put both agents in the crosshairs of a deadly, worldwide conspiracy. A powerful and mysterious force has been unleashed, and it's about to fall into the wrong hands. To prevent a global catastrophe, Califano and Thorne must work together to solve a biblical mystery that has confounded scholars for centuries. And they must do so quickly, before time runs out . . . forever.
My thoughts...
A well written page turner is how I would describe this novel filled with scientific biblical theory. The Joshua stone was associated with a disastrous experiment in the mid 40's. It's not until 50 years later questions are raised about the possible effects of that experiment.
An elderly man walks into a restaurant and passes out. Paramedics find he has been shot, they also notice a few oddities... he looks old but his body doesn't, his hair and nails are long. A government group descends to begin their investigation. Meanwhile, another elderly man walks into the same restaurant. He has a few oddities also.
I loved (and hated) not being able to figure out what was going on, the likeable characters and intriguing plot make for a very interesting read.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
THE LONG AWAKENING ~ A Revell Tour
The day Lindsey O’Connor’s fifth baby entered the world, was the day she left. For 47 days she lay suspended in a medically-induced coma, hovering in nothingness. The time before and after her long sleep were spliced together in O’Connor’s memory. The time in the middle, too long for her loved ones, and time erased for her. The miracle her family desperately prayed for was a miracle that Lindsey missed. She awoke to a world that kept moving without her and began the long journey to love her newborn daughter, to search for her identity, meaning and lost and found love. Applying her journalism background, O’Connor set out to discover what happened during her time lost as she does when researching a piece of literary journalism about someone else. In a strange twist, she reported her own story.
In The Long Awakening, O’Connor beautifully and bravely shares her journey to re-stitch her life after a life-altering trauma and her continuing search for self. On August 30, 2002 at the age of 41, O’Connor experienced childbirth complications and received over 20 units of blood, two times the amount of blood in her body, while giving birth to her daughter, Caroline. Doctors put her into a medically-induced coma to allow her brain, lungs and body to heal. Initially her doctors did not know what was medically wrong, and there was no promise she would wake up. While in a coma, Lindsey suffered multi-organ failure and was close to death several times, leaving her family on an emotional roller coaster.
For 47 excruciating days her family waited with Lindsay’s expected death looming. Miraculously, she woke up. With no memory of the time spent in a coma, in her mind she was holding her newborn only hours ago. She knew who and where she was, but other things took much longer to know. Faced with time that kept moving when her time had stopped, she began her recovery – her long awakening.
My thoughts...
Lindsay O'Connor went into the hospital, gave birth to a baby girl, and shortly afterwards began hemorraging. She lost so much blood doctors knew there would be brain damage... and there was. This is her story.
What a frightening time in the lives of Lindsay and her family. The book opens with Lindsay coming out of a 47 day medically induced coma. Her husband standing beside her asking again and again "Can you hear me?". Lindsay hearing but floating in and out of that sea of darkness. Her husband is absolutely wonderful, never giving up on her recovering. Remembering she had a baby who is now two and a half months old and wondering if she would be able to bond with her.
A story of faith and the will to live. Sad to read at times but I had to rejoice with her as she passed each stepping stone.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
“Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
THE OMEGA PROJECT

The Omega Project
by Steve Alten
on Tour Oct 1 - Nov 30, 2013
Book Details:
Genre: Fiction Published by: Tor/Forge Publication Date: August 6, 2013 Number of Pages: 336 ISBN: 0765336324 Purchase Links:![]()
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Synopsis:
In The Wizard of Oz, a runaway finds herself transplanted to a strange land, only to learn it was all a dream. In Planet of the Apes, an astronaut awakens to find himself in a strange land, only to realize he is still on Earth. The Omega Project ups the ante, and neither the hero nor the reader will know the true reality until the very last page. In 2028, twelve astronauts and a scientist are cryogenically frozen for 30 days beneath the Ross Ice Shelf to prep for a mission to Europa. Only one will awaken... 12 million years in the future!Omega Project Trailer
My thoughts...
This book sounded exciting and I couldn't wait to read it, sad to say I was disappointed and couldn't finish it. The plots were good but to me weren't fully developed. Everything ended quickly so the next adventure could be introduced which left me feeling cheated.
The writing style was frustrating, too much hopping around making it a little difficult to understand. Also there is just too much sexual content that wasn't necessary to make a story good. Overall I give this one 2 stars.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Read an excerpt:
When the oil stopped flowing death became a game of musical chairs. Accepting isolation over the insanity of anarchy, I remained alone in my fortress of solitude, waiting for the world’s population to drop from seven billion to just under six hundred million, knowing that if I could safeguard my chair then maybe I’d live to see a different, wiser world. Instead, I found myself quarantined against a society gone mad in every sense of the word. After sixteen months of rationing, I was forced to venture out of my prison -- and that’s when I met my new companion.Author Bio:
Steve Alten earned his Bachelors degree at Penn State University, a Masters Degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Delaware, and a Doctorate of Education at Temple University. Struggling to support his family of five, he decided to pen a novel he had been thinking about for years. Working late nights and on weekends, he eventually finished MEG; A Novel of Deep Terror, a thriller about Carcharodon megalodon, the 70-foot prehistoric cousin of the great white shark. MEG went on to become an international best-seller, with movie rights sold. The Mayan Calendar plays a big part in his Domain series -- another international best-seller sold in the U.K. as THE MAYAN PROPHECY series. Steve's other work includes The LOCH -- a modern-day thriller about the Loch Ness Monster, The SHELL GAME -- about the end of oil and the next 9/11 event, and GRIM REAPER: End of Days -- a modern-day Dante’s Inferno which takes place in New York when a man-made plague strikes Manhattan. His best work yet, THE OMEGA PROJECT – was released in August 2013. As an author, Steve has two goals. First, to continue to work hard to become a better storyteller and create exciting page turning thrillers. Second, to remain accessible to his readers. Steve reads and answers all e-mails, uses the names and descriptions of his loyal fans as characters in all his novels, and even hires readers as editors, depending on their particular expertise.
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