Book Review - "A Simple Song"

Melody Carlson's latest young adult novel, "A Simple Song," is a fun read and one filled with characters that can be related to.  Katrina has a beautiful singing voice; however her parents believe it to be vain.  After Katrina's grandmother passes away, Katrina is given some objects that belonged to her and Katrina discovers that her grandmother was a singer.  Katrina's father needs surgery and in order to get the money to pay for this, Katrina with the help of her best friend applies to be on a reality television show.  As Katrina enters the competition she must deal with being Amish in the English world (including traveling to California!), worrying about what her community is going to say and if she will be accepted back in and deciding just how far she will go in order to fit in and possibly win the competition.  

This is a great story filled with valuable lessons for all young girls; although Katrina is Amish, she is an easy character to be able to relate to.  I really enjoyed this book and I was really intrigued by the storyline of this book and while reading it I was not disappointed at all.  Katrina is faced with choices and while she does "test" a little by dressing differently, she ultimately sticks to her values and beliefs and stands up for herself in a world that is so different from her own and what she is used to.  If you enjoyed Carlson's "Double Take," you do not want to miss out on this one!

“Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Book Review - "Grace's Pictures"

"Grace's Pictures" is an Ellis Island Novel written by Cindy Thomson and it is a book that will inspire you and transport you to the bustling streets of New York City in the early 1900's.  Grace is trying to find a way to earn money in order to bring her mother to America from Ireland.  However, things do not go as planned and Grace is not sure whom to trust and put her faith in.  Grace's camera may be a tool that could help and yet also harm her as Grace has a run-in with a gang.  This book is an exciting and also touching read that immediately drew me into the story and also in Grace's life and world.  The cover is beautiful on this book and sparked my interest before even reading what the book was about.  The author writes in such a style that holds the reader's attention, and the writing is filled with vivid imagery and historical details.  I am looking forward to reading more in these series!



To read an Q&A with the author go here!

To read an excerpt from Chapter 1 of this book click here!


Check out the author's blog: http://cindythomson.blogspot.com/













*Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

 

Book Review - "Ray Of Light"

Book Info

About Ray of Sunlight: Bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray brings inspirational romance to life in this sweet tale of love in the Amish community, Ray of Light, the second installment of her Days of Redemption series. Roman Keim just wants a break from the family drama at his snowy Ohio home when he heads to an Amish snowbird community in Florida. There he meets Amanda Yoder and her daughter Regina who soon are warming his heart. But will Roman return to Ohio or will he stay and help the young widow embrace a second chance at love? The author of the series Sisters of the Heart and Seasons of Sugarcreek, Shelley Shepard Gray delivers an honest, tender love story in Ray of Light, featuring the challenges of faith, family, and romance. Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/l5Xy7 Meet Shelley: Shelley Shepard Gray is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the "Sisters of the Heart", "Seasons of Sugarcreek", "Secrets of Crittenden County", and Families of Honor series. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail. Learn more at http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com.               My Review:     "Ray of Light" is the second book in Shelley Shepard Gray's The Days of Redemption Series and I really enjoyed book 1, I enjoyed this one even more! This is not "just another Amish novel," this is a story of secrets, love and moving on after heartbreak that will tug at your heartstrings and have you rooting for the characters to find love and happiness.  I was immediately drawn into the story and wanted to keep on reading as I was so engrossed in the characters' lives. Right away I loved Amanda and Regina and loved reading about their interactions with Roman and their interactions with each other.  I highly recommend this book (really any book by this author!); it is a quick and engaging read!   To read other reviews included on this blog tour go here!   *Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group for the complimentary copy of this book and for a spot on the blog tour!

Book Review - "Ripples Along the Shore"

"Ripples Along the Shore" is book 3 in Mona Hodgson's Quilted Heart Novella series.  Caroline has returned to her hometown after losing her husband during the war.  Caroline is stuck with living with her sister and brother-in-law, and knows that she needs to make changes in her life.  Caroline wants to leave on a wagon train and feels like this is the change that she needs to make in her life; however of course this is met with opposition by mainly one man, Garrett.  Will Garrett and this move be ultimately what Caroline needs in her life?

This is a quick read and this is a must-read for Mona Hodgson fans.  However, I highly suggest that this book and the other books in the series be read in order.  Being that they are novellas they are short and the characters carry over in each books, so in order to get the full story about each of the characters, you must read all of the novellas.  I love the role of the quilt club and the therapeutic aspect of quilting in the books.  This is a series that will transport you back in town and make you long for simpler times and a close-knit quilting group of your own. 

*Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

Book Review - "Praying God's Word for Your Life"

Kathi Lipp's latest book, "Praying God's Word for Your Life," is written in a conversational tone and it will seem as if you're sitting down with a good friend for a chat over coffee.  The book begins with a few chapters on prayer and preparing to pray for yourself as this is not an easy or typical thing, as we tend to prayer for others instead of ourselves.  Following this are chapters that focus on different areas and times of our lives, such as when we feel overwhelmed, financial situations, our role as a mother, and health issues to name a few.  Each chapter includes specific prayers, verses and scenarios. 

This is a great book, filling with stories, verses and prayers that will inspire and help in times of struggles and throughout every day life. This book is divided into specific sections making it an easy "go to" resource.  The author's style of writing makes the book easy to get into and I know it will be one that I go back to time after time again.

“Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Book Review - "A Heartbeat Away"

Book Info

About A Heartbeat Away: When a band of runaway slaves brings Union-loyal Beth Bumgartner a wounded Confederate soldier named Joe, it is the catalyst that pushes her to defy her pacifist parents and become a nurse during the Battle of Antietam. Her mother's mysterious goodbye gift is filled with quilt blocks that bring comfort to Beth during the hard days and lonely nights, but as she sews each block, she realizes there is a hidden message of faith within the pattern that encourages and sustains her. Reunited with Joe, Beth learns his secret and puts the quilt's message to its greatest test---but can betrayal be forgiven? Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/liQMG  Meet Dionne: Dionne Moore is a historical romance author who resides in South Central PA with her family, surrounded by the beautiful Cumberland Valley and lots of fun, historically rich locations. She is a weekly contributor to "The Borrowed Book", a blog for book-lovers and "Cozy Mystery Magazine", for all things cozy mystery. Learn more about Dionne at http://www.sdionnemoore.com         To watch the book trailer go here!   My Review:   "A Heartbeat Away," written by S. Dionne Moore, is a Quilts of Love story and it is a beautiful, sweet love story set during the Civil War.  Joe and Beth are both strong main characters and ones I fell in love with throughout the story.  Gerta is a character I admired as well and loved her role in the story and in their lives.  Joe and Beth are each fighting for their beliefs and are on opposite sides, yet they cannot help that their hearts are drawn to each other.  I actually felt like I was transported back in time during this story and immersed in the characters' lives.  This is the first book that I have read in this series, and I loved how the quilt was such a part of the story.  I will be reading more in this series for sure!      To read more reviews go here:  Landing page:  http://litfusegroup.com/author/smoore   *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for the complimentary copy of this book and for the spot on this blog tour!*

Book Review - "That Certain Summer"

Irene Hannon's latest novel is not her typical suspenseful read; however it will still appeal to Hannon fans and is one that you will not want to miss out on!  "That Certain Summer" is inspiring, filled with love, healing and looking to the future. Karen and Val are sisters and have never been close and feel like they have nothing in common and have always been played against each other by their mother.  However, when their mother needs their help and Val returns home for the summer, these two sisters find out that they may have more in common than they thought and can really be friends as well as sisters. Not only do Karen and Val reconnect, but they are also dealing with issues in their own lives.  Karen's husband has left her and their daughter for a younger woman.  Karen is used to being the one who will go along with the flow, but now it is her time to take control of her own life.  Val has had to live with a secret and guilt for so many years and now she is trying to move past this.  However, when a handsome man and his motherless daughter become a part of her life, can Val really forgive herself and move on?

This story is an inspiring and emotional read that will immediately draw the reader into the characters' lives and the story line.  Val and Karen are both so easy to relate to and I found myself wanting to join them on their Saturday coffee and grocery shopping time, a time to talk, share recipes and support each other.  This is a great read to begin the summer and will inspire you to have "that certain summer" - a summer to grow as an individual, forgive and forget, look to the future and love.

“Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”