Saturday, October 24, 2015
OUT OF ASHES by T.K. CHAPIN
It is refreshing to be able to welcome a character back like Kane. He is such a great character with a big heart. He seems to always be the guy to defend his buddies without thought to his own well being. After a wrong desicion in a bar leads to his arrest, he gets suspended from his job at the fire station for a few days. When he receives a call from his sister that their mom is not doing well, he makes a trip to go visit her. Kane's mom is a very faithful woman who knows when she dies she will be in heaven , but Kane still has some unbelief.
Kane's mom suggests that he let his nephew Christopher, stay with him for a few days, so his sister can spend some time with her. Christopher is all for some bonding time with his uncle. They head out to the park to play baseball when an unexpected power outage happens. We find Kane meeting a lovey young woman named Kristen. She is very active in her church and has a son . Is this the woman who might help Kane find his way back to God? As the story progresses the author does a great job of showing us how we have to wait on God's perfect timing for things to happen. We have all had that urge to move ahead of God, but find ourselves making things worse.
Kane finds himself dealing with a tragedy that overwhelms him and he turns to alcohol to help him deal with it. He tries to find comfort in drinking, but the pain is still there. Who will be able to reach Kane and help him turn his life around? Can he surrender to God or stay on the destructive path his life is headed? There is a secret that his mom has been hiding for a very long time . Can this secret lead to an out of control Kane, or will he finally trust God ?
The story is packed with characters who lose their faith and try to find their way home with trails along the way. It's not always easy when we find ourselves in desperation, but God is always there with open arms waiting for us. I love reading how Kane tries to do things as the world would, but as he slowly changes the transformation is very inspiring. One of the hardest things we all struggle with is forgiveness. The author does a powerful job of showing how forgiveness can set you free and help you heal from past hurts. I always look forward to reading books from this author, because the message within each story is encouraging to everyone. We have heard the saying that "people never change." but as you read this book you realize how untrue that statement is. We can all change but we alone are the only one who can make that decision. Kane is a great character to read and follow as he looks for help to change his old habits and be a better person. I look forward to the next book in this outstanding series.
I received a copy of this book from Librarything for an honest review.
Kane's mom suggests that he let his nephew Christopher, stay with him for a few days, so his sister can spend some time with her. Christopher is all for some bonding time with his uncle. They head out to the park to play baseball when an unexpected power outage happens. We find Kane meeting a lovey young woman named Kristen. She is very active in her church and has a son . Is this the woman who might help Kane find his way back to God? As the story progresses the author does a great job of showing us how we have to wait on God's perfect timing for things to happen. We have all had that urge to move ahead of God, but find ourselves making things worse.
Kane finds himself dealing with a tragedy that overwhelms him and he turns to alcohol to help him deal with it. He tries to find comfort in drinking, but the pain is still there. Who will be able to reach Kane and help him turn his life around? Can he surrender to God or stay on the destructive path his life is headed? There is a secret that his mom has been hiding for a very long time . Can this secret lead to an out of control Kane, or will he finally trust God ?
The story is packed with characters who lose their faith and try to find their way home with trails along the way. It's not always easy when we find ourselves in desperation, but God is always there with open arms waiting for us. I love reading how Kane tries to do things as the world would, but as he slowly changes the transformation is very inspiring. One of the hardest things we all struggle with is forgiveness. The author does a powerful job of showing how forgiveness can set you free and help you heal from past hurts. I always look forward to reading books from this author, because the message within each story is encouraging to everyone. We have heard the saying that "people never change." but as you read this book you realize how untrue that statement is. We can all change but we alone are the only one who can make that decision. Kane is a great character to read and follow as he looks for help to change his old habits and be a better person. I look forward to the next book in this outstanding series.
I received a copy of this book from Librarything for an honest review.
SEX AS A POLITICAL CONDITION
by
Carlos Nicolas Flores
TITLE: Sex as a Political Condition
AUTHOR: Carlos Nicolás Flores
GENRE: Literary Fiction: Political Satire
# of pages: 408
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Oct 17 All For the Love of the Word promo
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Oct 26 Because It’s My Life Y’all review
Oct 27 My Book Fix Author Q&A
Oct 28 Book Crazy Gals review
Oct 29 All For the Love of the Word review
Oct 30 Hall Ways review
Oct 31 MissusGonzo review
Sex as a Political Condition: A Border Novel is a raucous, hilarious journey through political dangers that come in all shapes, cup sizes, and sexual identities, a trip into the wild, sometimes outrageous world of the Texas-Mexico border and all geographical and anatomical points south.Honoré del Castillo runs the family curio shop in the backwater border town of Escandón, Texas, and fears dying in front of his TV like some six-pack José in his barrio. Encouraged by his friend Trotsky, he becomes politically active—smuggling refugees, airlifting guns to Mexican revolutionaries, negotiating with radical Chicana lesbians—but the naked truths he faces are more often naked than true and constantly threaten to unman him. When a convoy loaded with humanitarian aid bound for Nicaragua pulls into Escandón, his journey to becoming a true revolutionary hero begins, first on Escandón’s international bridge and then on the highways of Mexico. But not until both the convoy and Honoré’s mortality and manhood are threatened in Guatemala does he finally confront the complications of his love for his wife and daughter, his political principles, the stench of human fear, and ultimately what it means to be a principled man in a screwed-up world.
BUY LINKS
A native of El Paso, Carlos Nicolas Flores is a winner of the Chicano/Latino Literary Prize and author of a young adult novel, Our House on Hueco (TTUP, 2006). As a director of the Teatro Chicano de Laredo and a former director of the South Texas Writing Project, he has long been engaged in the promotion of new writers and writing about the Mexican American experience. He teaches English at Laredo Community College in Laredo, Texas.
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Thursday, October 22, 2015
The Christmas Cradle
By Charlotte Hubbard
GENRE: Amish/Inspirational Romance
BLURB:
For the peaceful town of Willow Ridge, November presents an early holiday surprise. Stranded in the snow, 18-year-old Lena Esh and her boyfriend Josiah Witmer need more than a place to stay for the night. Lena defied her strict family and their judgmental beliefs to run away with Josiah and have his baby. But she’s starting to wonder if he can prove as responsible as he is passionate. And she isn’t sure how—or if—they can ever find a place to truly call home.
Expecting their own miracle baby, Miriam and Ben Hooley rally the town to help the young couple, and Lena draws strength from their unexpected support. Though trouble may come calling, in this season of joyous rebirth, a little child will lead them. And two couples will see their dreams of forever family come true…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPTS (Exclusive Excerpt)
As the bell above the Sweet Seasons door jangled behind the last departing lunch customers on Saturday, Miriam sighed heavily. She stood at the serving window, gazing at the sturdy furniture the Brenneman brothers had built for her, the blue denim curtains she’d sewn for the café’s opening, and the white board where Rhoda wrote the daily specials. Aromas of Josiah’s brisket and ribs came into the kitchen as he carried the pans from the steam table into the kitchen. Rhoda, Rebecca, and Savilla chatted as they wiped down the tables. It had been a bittersweet day of keeping her emotions to herself, but at this moment Miriam felt as empty as the bakery case beside the cash register.
Naomi came to stand next to her. “Ya gonna be all right, dearie?” she murmured beneath the clattering of Josiah’s metal pans. “If it makes ya feel any better, Savilla’s top-notch help—and her brother’ll come around, I believe. It was a gut idea for him to start cookin’ his meats for the lunch shift.”
“Jah, that’s truly his talent,” Miriam replied softly. “Savilla’s a natural-born organizer, so I suspect they’ll do fine in the evenings without your supervisin’. I’ll probably write out another business agreement in a couple of weeks.”
Naomi smiled, grasping Miriam’s hand. “It’ll all work out. And I don’t want to hear about how you’re mopin’ around at home or frettin’ over how we’re doin’ without ya, understand me?” she insisted. “I can well imagine how different you’re gonna feel, though. I don’t know what I’d do with myself if I had to stay at home. Cookin’ here keeps me goin’ from one day to the next.”
“I know all about that.” Miriam turned her head so Naomi wouldn’t see her blinking back tears. “Stayin’ home’s the right thing to do. But I can’t think I’ll be doin’ anything that matters—leastaways not until the baby’s born.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community in Missouri, longtime Missourian Charlotte Hubbard writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle in her Seasons of the Heart series. Like her heroine, Miriam Lantz Hooley, Charlotte considers it her personal mission to feed people. Faith and family, farming and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle. She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and when she’s not writing, she loves to try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Charlotte now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie.
Website: www.CharlotteHubbard.com
Facebook: facebook.com/charlotte.hubbard1
Buy Link:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-christmas-cradle-charlotte-hubbard/1120552927?ean=9781420133110
By Deana Dick
I'm happy to be back with this wonderful continuation of Seasons of the Heart series. The story picks up with Miriam and Brn expecting their first child together. They are excited and so blessed to have this opportunity to bring a child into the world to share their love with. Ben has secretly been working on a special gift to surprise Miriam with. It is the most exquisite hand made cradle that will hold their precious child in. One snowy ,cold evening a knock is heard at Miriam and Ben's door. When they open the door, they see two young people standing there shivering in the snow. The young woman is very pregnant and they both have this look of desperation on their faces. Josiah and Lena had made a wrong turn and ended up far off course from their destination. They explain that their horse needs a new shoe and Miriam and Ben offer to let them stay overnight. The story is about two couples , one married and excited about the birth of their baby. The other couple is not married, but as the birth of their baby draws near, so does their love for each other. The community welcomes Josiah and Lena and shows them that not all people judge others. As Miriam and Lena are talking one day Miriam says," Everybody hits rock bottom now and again. It's how we bounce back that determines how high-and how far we'll go once we're headed in the right direction." Will Lena learn to rely on God for His direction for her life? Can Josiah find a way to support Lena and their child? I loved the way the author tells a story with characters that learn to walk in forgiveness , help each other out and love unconditionally . Throughout the story , Josiah and Lena struggle with acceptance, but I loved what the author wrote about the difficulties we each face with acceptance and finding our place in this world. " When it seems God has turned His back , maybe that's when He's leading us toward a better life, a future that He alone can see-but we have to follow Him." Thank you for a book that was written with such graceful words that shows us how to forgive, love each other, and trust God with everything.
Charlotte will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW by DEBBIE MACOMBER
Ashley Davison is desperate to get home to Seatlle to surprise her mom for Christmas. There is one little problem. There are no flights available and she doesn't know what to do next. Dashiell Sutherland has a very important interview in Seattle and has to be on a plane by December 23rd or his chances of getting the job are gone. What a predicament these two strangers are in. What will they decide to do to reach their destination?
As Ashley makes a mad rush to rent a car, Dash is right behind her with the same idea. As luck would have it, there is only one car available. Through a series of arguments and insults, Ashley and Dash decide to share the car so they can both get to Seattle on time. The story starts off with a few laughs as Ashley and Dash adjust to each other. I couldn't figure out the FBI story and how it made any sense in the storyline. It seemed almost like an afterthought to put an unbelievable supposed terrorist in the storyline to make it intriguing. When I started reading about a man who was helping Ashley and Dadh repair their car I almost closed the book. He is described as having an alien for a wife and believes he was abducted by other aliens. Now I know that I could not connect with this story.
I was really hoping to see more character development between Ashley and Dash. We find out very little about them and their relationship seemed very rushed. It was hard to believe that a young woman would agree to share a car with a total stranger and not be terrified. I am a big fan of the author's books, but this one just did not live up to her usual amazing writing.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review
As Ashley makes a mad rush to rent a car, Dash is right behind her with the same idea. As luck would have it, there is only one car available. Through a series of arguments and insults, Ashley and Dash decide to share the car so they can both get to Seattle on time. The story starts off with a few laughs as Ashley and Dash adjust to each other. I couldn't figure out the FBI story and how it made any sense in the storyline. It seemed almost like an afterthought to put an unbelievable supposed terrorist in the storyline to make it intriguing. When I started reading about a man who was helping Ashley and Dadh repair their car I almost closed the book. He is described as having an alien for a wife and believes he was abducted by other aliens. Now I know that I could not connect with this story.
I was really hoping to see more character development between Ashley and Dash. We find out very little about them and their relationship seemed very rushed. It was hard to believe that a young woman would agree to share a car with a total stranger and not be terrified. I am a big fan of the author's books, but this one just did not live up to her usual amazing writing.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
DEADLOCK
by
Diann Mills
Two murders have rocked the city of Houston. Are they the work of a serial killer, or is a copycat trying to get away with murder?
That is the question facing Special Agent Bethany Sanchez, who is eager for her new assignment in violent crimes but anxious about meeting her new partner. Special Agent Thatcher Graves once arrested her brother, and he has a reputation for being a maverick. Plus, their investigative styles couldn’t be more opposite: he operates on instinct, while she goes by the book.
When hot leads soon fizzle out, their differences threaten to leave them deadlocked. But an attempt on their lives turns up the heat and brings them closer together, and a third victim might yield the clue that will help them zero in on a killer. This could be the case of their careers . . . if they can survive long enough to solve it.
Praise for the FBI: Houston series
“[A] fast-moving, intricately plotted thriller.” Publishers Weekly
“As romantic as it is exciting, Firewall will appeal to fans of Dee Henderson’s romantic suspense stories.” Booklist
“The tension level rises as layers of lies are peeled away in multiple plot twists.” Library Journal, starred review
Read Chapter 1 of DEADLOCK HERE
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.
Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.
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