Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Among the Fair Magnolias by Tamera Alexander, Shelley Gray ,Dorothy Love, Elizabeth Musser

About the book: 
Among the Fair Magnolias
 (Thomas Nelson, July 2015)

In the most turbulent decade of our nation's history, four Southern women---destinies forged by birth, hearts steeled by war---face near impossible choices on their journeys in life . . . and in love.

To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander
Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when new owner, Aidan Bedford, a Boston attorney and former Union soldier, seeks to redecorate the house for his fiancée, Savannah jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking. Can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front. This time, one of the heart.

An Outlaw's Heart by Shelley Gray
When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he's determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother's homestead, he discovers she's very ill, and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and sweet as he remembered. With time running out, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.

A Heart So True by Dorothy Love
Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another. A terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.

Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser
Emily has a secret: She's in love with one of the freedmen on her family's plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not as they seem and secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.

Purchase a copy: 
http://bit.ly/1Igkc7H
About the authors:
Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of numerous books including A Lasting Impression andThe Inheritance. Tamera is a two-time Christy Award winner, two-time RITA winner, and a recipient of the prestigious Library Journal Award. A native of west Tennessee. websiteTwitterFacebook 

Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their golden retriever. An award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, Dorothy made her adult debut with the Hickory Ridge novels.websiteTwitterFacebook

Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list. website,TwitterFacebook

Elizabeth Musser, a native of Atlanta, Georgia now living in France, is a novelist who writes what she calls 'entertainment with a soul.' For over 25 years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in mission work with International Teams. websiteTwitterFacebook


My Take:  I don't usually read novellas because I usually want a little more to my stories.  These four stories were just the right length and didn't leave me wanting for more.  These stories are set during the period after the Civil War in the south so there are alot of issues that need to be addressed in each of these stories.  I think my favorite story was To Mend a Dream.  If you have read any of these authors give yourself a treat and try these stories which are just right for that inbetween time when you don't now what to read next.

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from Litfuse.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Becky K Vogt

About the book: 
Crazy Little Thing Called Love: A Destination Wedding Novel
 (Howard, June 2015)

Wedding bells and storm clouds collide in the first engaging novel in a brand-new series about destination weddings, the power of love, and the possible mishaps and missteps that happen on a couple's journey down the aisle to "I do."

Paramedic Vanessa Hollister has put her adolescence behind her, including the unwanted label of being the new kid in town over and over again, thanks to her father's military career. She's overcome what her mother called "the biggest mistake of her life" and is planning an elegant destination wedding in Destin, Florida with her new fiancé. But will the reappearance of her first husband from her what-were-you-thinking teenage elopement disrupt her dream of an idyllic beach wedding?

As a professional storm chaser, Logan Hollister is used to taking risks. However, a reckless decision during the last tornado season has him questioning the future of his team, the Stormmeisters. Coming face to face with his ex-wife eight years after their divorce compels him to confront his greatest regret: losing Vanessa. Does their past give him the right to interfere with her future?

A fast-moving, powerful hurricane throws Vanessa and Logan together as they evacuate to a storm shelter along with other residents of the Florida Gulf Coast. Forced to spend time together, the pair battles unexpected renewed feelings for each other.

Vanessa and Logan are faced with a choice: Should they accept, once and for all, their teenage marital mistake? Or is God offering them a second chance at happily ever after?

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1VkD0s8
About the author:
Beth K. Vogt believes God's best often waits behind the doors marked "Never." A 2015 RITA® Finalist and a 2014 Carol Award finalist, Beth is a contemporary romance novelist with Howard Books. Her 2014 novel, Somebody Like You, was one of Publisher's Weekly's Best Books of 2014. In 2015 she introduced her destination wedding series with both an e-novella, Can't Buy Me Love, (May) and a novel,Crazy Little Thing Called Love (June).

Visit Beth online:  websiteFacebookTwitter






My Take: This was a very enjoyable Summer read.   It is the perfect book to take with you to the beach. When Vanessa goes to Destin Florida to plan her wedding because her fiancee wants to kill two birds with one stone so he can attend a conference where he can get education credits for work. She doesn't want to return there because that s where she meet her ex-husband.  When she gets there she is throw together with him often even though there are both just visiting.  If you want a light fun read then this is for you. 

I received a review copy from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

A Bride At Last by Melissa Jaegers

About the book: 
A Bride at Last (Bethany House, July 2015)

Abandoned by his mail-order bride, Silas Jonesey has fought an uphill battle to recover from a pattern of poor choices. Now his prayers for reconciliation have finally come true and his estranged wife has contacted him with her whereabouts.

Kate Dawson was supposed to be a mail-order bride, but upon realizing she'd been deceived about her intended groom, she's now settled into life as a schoolteacher. When the mother of a student passes away, Kate assumes she'll take on care of nine-year-old Anthony-until two men suddenly show up in town, claiming to be the boy's father.

Silas can see Anthony loves Kate, so he enlists her help in reaching out to the boy and attempting to prove his paternity to the court. When a common interest in Anthony leads to an interest in each other and Silas and Kate begin to think they can overcome their rocky start, neither is prepared for the secrets and past hurts that have yet to come to light. Can Silas, Kate, and Anthony's wounded souls bind them together or will all that stands between them leave them lonely forever?

Purchase a copy: 
http://bit.ly/1M44A97
About the author:
Melissa Jagears, an ESL teacher by trade and the author of A Bride for Keeps and A Bride in Store, is a stay-at-home mother on a tiny Kansas farm with a fixer-upper house. She's a member of ACFW and CROWN fiction marketing, and her passion is to help Christian believers mature in their faith and judge rightly.

Find Melissa online: websiteFacebook








My Take:  This was really an enjoyable book.  I did get irritated after awhile when the two main adult characters kept looking at each others lips and think about a kiss that they shared.  i felt at those times they had some very serious things that they should be thinking about other than kissing each other.  this didn't take away from how much I enjoyed this book.  As with most books like this alot of the problems the couple had could have been solved with better communication but that is the same with most couples I know.  this is the third in a series but it can be read as a stand alone.  If your like books set out west or books about mail order brides you will enjoy this book. 

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from Litfuse. 

July Wrap Up and August TBR

I unofficially participated in four readathons in July but I only finished 6 books.

I participated in the yearathon last month because the theme was Agatha Christie or mysteries.

I read two books during this readathon

Just Plain Pickled to Death (Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery, #4)
Just Plain Pickled to Death by Tamar Myers

Death by the Dozen (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #3)
Death by the Dozen by Jenn McKinlay

Next was the Crammathon. I read one book during this readathon.

Monument 14 (Monument 14, #1)
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Next was Week of Wisdom Readathon which I didn't finish any books.

Then was #tbr takedown 2.0 which I finished two books for this readathon.

A Bride at Last (Unexpected Brides #3)
Bride At Last by Melissa Jagears This satisfied a sequel.

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer This satisfied outside my comfort zone.

I also finished my audio book that I was listening to.

An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
read by Fiona Hardingham and Steve West

So That Was the six books I read during July

Here is my Tbr for August

Audio Book
The Invasion of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling, #2)
The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Books
Landline
Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Destination Wedding #1)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt

Among the Fair Magnolias: Four Southern Love Stories
Among the Fair Magnolias by Tamera Alexander, Shelley Gray, Dorothy Love, Elizabeth Musser

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)
Cress by Marissa Meyer

NOS4A2
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

The Ugly Stepsister
The Ugly Stepsister by Aya Ling

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Invasion (C.H.A.O.S., #1)
Invasion by Jon S. Lewis


The 12 Brides of Summer - Novella Collection #3
12 Brides of Summer by Margaret Brownley, Miralee Ferrell, Pam Hillman


Divergent (Divergent, #1)
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Influenza Bomb (TSI: Time Scene Investigators, #2)
Influenza Bomb by Paul Mc Cusker, Walt Larimore M.D.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

Glory Days: Living Your Promised Land Life Now
Glory Days : Living Your Promised Land Life Now by Max Lucado

The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner, #2)
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

13 Stolen Girls
13 Stolen Girls by Gil Reavill


Irish Meadows (Courage to Dream #1)
Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason