Band of Sisters by Cathy Gohlke

About the Book:

Maureen O’Reilly and her younger sister flee Ireland in hope of claiming the life promised to their father over twenty years before. After surviving the rigors of Ellis Island, Maureen learns that their benefactor, Colonel Wakefield, has died. His family, refusing to own his Civil War debt, casts her out. Alone, impoverished, and in danger of deportation, Maureen connives to obtain employment in a prominent department store. But she soon discovers that the elegant facade hides a secret that threatens every vulnerable woman in the city.

Despite her family’s disapproval, Olivia Wakefield determines to honor her father’s debt but can’t find Maureen. Unexpected help comes from a local businessman, whom Olivia begins to see as more than an ally, even as she fears the secrets he’s hiding. As women begin disappearing from the store, Olivia rallies influential ladies in her circle to help Maureen take a stand against injustice and fight for the lives of their growing band of sisters. But can either woman open her heart to divine leading or the love it might bring?

My Review: 

5 Stars

Fans of Cathy Gohlke's Promise Me This will find they will love this book just as much even though its very different. It still has Cathy's excellent story telling, historical accuracy and a page turning book you can't put down. What is doesn't have is the romance story but it has a powerful story that will stay with long after you turn the last page.

I loved Olivia's character and her determination to do good and on honor her father's promise. She is a person that many of can learn from. Of course, I also loved Maureen's character but her story was more heart breaking at times. She was frustrating at times with her stubbornness, which made sense at times but not always.

This is a great book for anyone who likes a good historical story. Though I will say it is not a light beach read by any means, but I think that is why the book is so great and powerful!

* I received this book from Tyndale through Radiant Lit. Thank you!

The Judgement Stone by Robert Liparlu

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Judgment Stone Thomas Nelson (May 14, 2013) by Robert Liparulo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Former journalist Robert Liparulo is the best-selling author of the thrillers Comes a Horseman, Germ, Deadfall, Deadlock, and The 13th Tribe, as well as The Dreamhouse Kings, an action-adventure series for young adults. He contributed a short story to James Patterson’s Thriller, and an essay about Thomas Perry’s The Butcher’s Boy to Thrillers: 100 Must Reads, edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner. He is currently working on the sequel to The 13th Tribe, as well writing an original screenplay with director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive).

When not writing, Liparulo loves to read, watch (and analyze) movies, scuba dive, swim, hike, and travel. He lives in Monument, Colorado, with his wife Jodi and four children: Melanie, Matthew, Anthony, and Isabella.

 ABOUT THE BOOK

What if praying became a curse instead of a blessing?

Former Army Ranger Jagger Baird thought he had his hands full with the Tribe—the band of immortal vigilantes fighting to regain God’s grace by killing those opposed to Him. But that was before he encountered the ruthless group of immortals called the Clan. The Clan is after a prize that would give them unimaginable power—a piece of the Ten Commandments known as the Judgment Stone.

Those who touch the Stone can see into the spiritual world: angelic warriors, treacherous demons, and the blue threads of light that signal the presence of believers in communion with God.

By following the blue beam radiating from those closest to God, the Clan plans to locate His most passionate followers and destroy them.

Jagger quickly realizes his high-tech gadgetry and training are no match for these merciless immortals. But how can he defeat an enemy who hunts believers through their prayers . . . and won’t stop until they’ve annihilated all those close to Him?

In this high-action thriller, best-selling author Robert Liparulo examines the raging battle between good and evil on earth . . . and beyond.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Judgment Stone, go HERE.

My Review:

The Judgement Stone is book two in Robert Liparulo The Immortal File's series and continues on from the first book. I would highly recommend reading the first book, The 13th Tribe as this book carries on the story and it would be confusing on its own. I easily enjoyed this book and found myself reading late into the night as well as the first and can not wait to find out how it will all conclude in the final book.

This book is full of action and will keep you on the seat of your pants as Robert Liparulo presents a battle of good versus evil and how the power of prayer can change so much. If you have enjoyed any of Robert's book then this is a must to read and those new to him may just find a new author that they love.

* I received this book from CFBA for the purpose of this review.

Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck

About the Book:

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.
The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon's Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family's tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna's aid under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is blindsided by love.
Their lives are worlds apart. He's a royal prince. She's a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation.
It's the ultimate choice. His kingdom or her heart? God's will or their own?

My Review:

5 Stars

Oh my what a wonderful book this was. I just loved every minute of it, such a sweet story with tender moments and so much more. From the first page I just knew this book would find a home on my book shelves for years to come. 

Rachel Hauck has done a fantastic job with this book and I just loved Susanna and Prince Nathaniel. Both characters were so much fun to read about and they really complemented each other well. I felt like this would make such a fun movie it really truly is a chick flick in a book form but so much better. I really can't wait to see what Rachel Hauck has up her sleeves for the next book in this series and I hope I don't have to wait to long.

*I received this book through LitFuse for the purpose of this review. Thank you!

Secrets Over Sweet Tea by Denise HIldreth Jones

About the Book:

Secrets can be funny things. We think they keep us safe, but more often than not, they spill out when we least expect and make a mess out of everything. It’s a truth Scarlett Jo Newberry knows all too well—a truth Grace Shepherd and Zach Craig are about to learn the hard way. As the lives of this boisterous pastor’s wife, polished news anchor, and beleaguered divorce attorney intersect in the tree-lined streets of Franklin, Tennessee, scandal threatens to topple their carefully constructed worlds. Grasping at survival, they embark on a journey of friendship and courage, desperate to find a way back to laughter, love, and life.

My Review:

5 Stars

I just love Denise Hildreth Jones' books, I have read many of them and find them to have so much depth and character development that  I am just drawn into the stories and find myself sad when they end and I have to leave the people behind. I absolutely love how real her stories are and feel like they can actually happen and this book is no exception.

I loved all the characters in this book, they each carried their own personality. Scarlett Jo would crack me up all the time, she is the type of person that would intimidate me in real life but on the pages of a book she is just plain funny. There are characters I loved from the beginning and others that took some time for them to grow on me.  It was such a journey seeing their lives intersect and see how they can be there for each other. This book is truly southern fiction at its best.

I think this is one of Denise's best books yet and thoroughly look forward to reading more in the future. This is a great book to thoughs that love southern fiction, lots of drama, and real raw emotion.

*I received this book from Tyndale through RadiantLit for the purpose of this review. Thank you!

Follow the Heart by Kaye Dacus

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Follow the Heart B&H Books (May 1, 2013) by Kaye Dacus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters! Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time college composition instructor for Bethel University.

Kaye Dacus (KAY DAY-cuss) is an author and educator who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. A former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kaye enjoys being an active ACFW member and the fellowship and community of hundreds of other writers from across the country and around the world that she finds there. She currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, which she co-founded in 2003 with three other writers. Each month, she teaches a two-hour workshop on an aspect of the craft of writing at the MTCW monthly meeting. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is an academic advisor and English Composition instructor for Bethel University.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Set during the Industrial Revolution and the Great Exhibition of 1851, Follow the Heart is a “sitting-room romance” with the feel of a Regency-era novel but the fashions and technological advances of the mid-Victorian age.

Kate and Christopher Dearing’s lives turn upside down when their father loses everything in a railroad land speculation. The siblings are shipped off to their mother’s brother in England with one edict: marry money.

At twenty-seven years old, Kate has the stigma of being passed over by eligible men many times—and that was before she had no dowry. Christopher would like nothing better than to make his own way in the world; and with a law degree and expertise in the burgeoning railroad industry, he was primed to do just that—in America.

Though their uncle tries to ensure Kate and Christopher find matrimonial prospects only among the highest echelon of British society, their attentions stray to a gardener and a governess.

While Christopher has options that would enable him to lay his affections where he chooses, he cannot let the burden of their family’s finances crush his sister. Trying to push her feelings for the handsome—but not wealthy— gardener aside, Kate’s prospects brighten when a wealthy viscount shows interest in her. But is marrying for the financial security of her family the right thing to do, when her heart is telling her she’s making a mistake?

Mandates . . . money . . . matrimony. Who will follow the heart?

If you would like to read the first chapter of >Follow the Heart, go HERE

My Review:

I found this to be a sweet story with interesting history. I loved how it dealt with both the brother and sisters romance stories, something that is not done much. It made it like two stories in one but both had the depth and detail needed to make them enjoyable. I did find the book to move kind of slow and was a little hard to get into, but in the end it was an enjoyable read.

* I received this book from B&H Books through CFBA for the purpose of this review.

NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card Insight Notes author is:

Lysa TerKeurst

and the book:

NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women,
Insights for Everyday Life Notes

Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)

***Special thanks to Rick Roberson for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and national speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, author of 15 books, and encourages nearly 500,000 women worldwide through a daily online devotional. Her remarkable life story has captured audiences across America, including appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

This Bible will help you live up to your God-given potential. Insightful daily devotions written by the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries help you maintain life's balance in spite of today's hectic pace. Dive into the beauty and clarity of the NIV Bible text paired with daily devotions crafted by women just like you---women who want to live authentically and fully grounded in the Word of God.

Product Details:
List Price: $34.99
Hardcover: 1536 pages
Publisher: Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310439361
ISBN-13: 978-0310439363

AND NOW...SOME SAMPLE PAGES (CLICK ON PAGES TO ENLARGE):

Book Trailer:

When Love Calls by Lorna Seilstad

About the Book:

When romance calls, will she choose to answer?

Hannah Gregory is good at many things, but that list does not include following rules. So when she must apply for a job as a switchboard operator to support her two sisters, she knows it won't be easy. Hello Girls must conduct themselves according to strict-and often bewildering-rules, which include absolutely no consorting with gentlemen while in training.

Hannah doubts it will be difficult to keep that rule-until a handsome young lawyer starts getting under her skin.

With historic details that bring to life the exciting first decade of the twentieth century, Lorna Seilstad weaves a charming tale of companionship that blossoms into sweet romance.

My Review:

5 Stars

This is a fantastic book!!! After reading Lorna Seilstad first series I knew I couldn't wait to read more from her. I personally think this is her best book yet and I can't wait to for the next two books to come out. 

I just loved the setting off this book! Lorna did a great job of bringing to life what it was like to be a Hello Girl (switch board operator) for the telephone company. Hannah Gregory learns what it is like and how hard it is to follow all the silly rules. For example, a Hello Girl can't itch with out permission and must remain facing forward with both feet flat on the ground at all times, any glances away were recorded. All the little rules and life that they lived was fascinating to read about and also crazy to think of how times have changed in the world of telephones. 

I truly loved this book and can't recommend it enough to fans of Lorna Seilstad and Historical Romance readers in general. This book is a page turner with loveable characters and history that is just interesting. Great Job Lorna on a great book.

*I received this book from Revell for the purpose of this review. Thank You!