The Shadow of Your Smile - a Tyndale review

I was given the opportunity to review an advanced copy of The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren, one of my favorite authors.

This was a very enjoyable novel. It is a Deep Haven novel, a series of books set in a town called Deep Haven. Deep Haven is set in Minnesota, and the story takes place in the snowy winter months.

A horrible fall after running from the scene of a robbery, Noelle Hueston has lost her memory. She's lost the last twenty-five years of her life, including the memory of being married and having three children. In spite of that, Noelle could tell that her marriage to Eli was strained, but he wouldn't tell her why. Noelle desperately wanted to get her memory back, and slowly her family and friends opened up portions of her life that are missing, including the memory of losing her daughter in a horrific way. During the process, she learned that her relationship with Eli was something she wanted to build, not tear down.

In this story, you will also be thrust into the lives of Eli and Noelle's sons Kirby and Kyle, Kyle's girlfriend Emma and family friend (and Emma's mother) Lee Nelson, who had lost her husband at the same time that Eli and Noelle lost their daughter.

I loved the characters in this story. You could feel their sorrows and joy, feel Eli's embarrassment and frustration with himself, and the detail was just thoroughly enjoyable. Susan goes into detail with Emma's struggle to write lyrics to go along with her music, Noelle's frustration with her memory loss, the family struggles, and action scenes.

If you like a good, clean romance, this book will not disappoint. Way to go, Susan; this one's a winner! :)

Since this book is not released yet, I wasn't able to also post a review on amazon.com, so I reviewed it instead on Goodreads.

I am a member of Tyndale Blog Network, a fabulous website that sends free books to read and keep if you write a review for your blog and for a major retailer (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble). Tyndale Blog Network is through Tyndale House Publishers.

A Lasting Impression - a Litfuse review

Tamera Alexander is an author that I am just now getting acquainted to, and I have to say I LOVE her writing! A Lasting Impression left a great impression on me! :) I loved it so much that I had a very hard time putting it down. At any rate, I'm going to say now: I HIGHLY recommend reading it, especially if you're a historical-romantic fiction lover like I am. What makes it even better is that it's also clean and not filled with language. I wish that I had four hands so that I could give this book four thumbs up; I like it so well! lol

Tamera weaved the story so very well, and the characters felt so real. I love it when I can delve into a book and feel the world simply fade away. If you decide to read this book, I've no doubt that you'll laugh with the characters and feel their emotions--the frustration, fear, anguish, and joy.

Claire Laurent, a painter who helps her father make a living from forging famous paintings for his gallery, comes upon a terrible trial when she comes home to find her father stabbed in the abdomen. She is sent away from Louisiana to Nashville to hide and take her craft elsewhere. When she is sent by her father and his friend to the home of a man with a seedy character, she runs to a chapel where her life drastically changes. She wants to put her forgery behind her and paint honestly and from her heart. But when her past follows her, she's worried that her trust in God might be for naught.

My favorite quote from the book is this: 

Handsome could've been used to describe him, but that would have been like calling Michelangelo's David "adequate."

I won't tell you more--you can pick this book up and read it for yourself. The storyline is so involved, detailed, and rich that you just have to check it out. Thankfully, Tamera has the first two chapters of the book on her site that you can read for yourself before you buy. Here's the link if you want to do that:

Read the FIRST TWO chapters of A Lasting Impression {here}!!
Click on the link that says "Read an Excerpt".

I've slowed down on my collection of books simply because I've nearly run out of room of the books that I want to collect. However, this book will be one I will not trade; it will find its place on a shelf . . . somewhere! lol

I've gotta say that this book is definitely . . .

About the Book:

A fake. A forger. More than anything, Claire Laurent longs for the chance to live an authentic life, to become the woman she wants to be. And she'll be given that choice. But will it come at too costly a price?

Claire Laurent's greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she's forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville only a year after the War Between the States has ended, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe. She considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But after he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she's sorely misjudged the man. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville's society, Claire believes her dream to create a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach--but only if her fraudulent past remains hidden.

The Federal Army has destroyed Sutton's home and confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family's honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him and to right a grievous wrong reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined--as well as the woman he loves.Set at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, A Lasting Impression is a sweeping love story about a nation mending after war, the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves--and each other--for who they really are.

 

About Tamera:

Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious--and precocious--silky terrier.

For more information please visit www.tameraalexander.com

Kindle Fire Giveaway and Facebook Party from Tamera Alexander!

While Tamera and her book,  A Lasting Impression, are traveling across the country virtually (with a few international stops as well!), she will be hosting a Kindle Fire Giveaway (11/4 - 11/15) and preparing for a lavish Southern-Style Facebook Party (11/15) (dripping with hospitality, of course). She will be giving away Southern FoodBaskets, books, and an array of other fabulous freebies! Don't miss a minute of the fun. Swoon!


Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Brand New Kindle Fire (shipped as soon as it releases)
• A copy of A Lasting Impression and 3 other special books Tamera wants you to have (for Kindle)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on November 15th. Winner will be announced at A Lasting Impression Facebook Party on the 15th. Tamera will be wrapping up the A Lasting Impression celebration with an author chat and giving away Southern Food Baskets (Loveless Cafe Food Baskets, books, Amazon & Starbucks gift certificates, and copies of Christy Jordan's Southern Plate cookbook), six gift certificates to Starbucks and Amazon.com, and copies of A Lasting Impression! So grab your copy of A Lasting Impression (it's okay if you don't have one yet- you might win one!) and join Tamera onthe evening of November 15th for an author chat, a trivia contest (How
much do you know about the 1860's?) and lots of Southern-inspired giveaways (complete listing here).

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on the 15th!

 

I received A Lasting Impression as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to give a favorable review; my opinions are my own.

Refuge on Crescent Hill - a Kregel review

Refuge on Crescent Hill is a Christian mystery written by Melanie Dobson. Set in a small town called Etherton, the story revolves around Camden Bristow, a broke, homeless and jobless photographer who decides to return to her grandmother with the hopes that things will get better for her. Crescent Hill, a mansion on a crescent-shaped hill, is where her grandmother lives. When Camden arrives home and finds that her grandmother has died and she's the estate beneficiary, she finds that the situation is not as easy as she thought. When mysterious sounds and a mysterious woman are found in the house and items turn up missing, Camden finds herself in a tailspin to figure out what's going on. What she doesn't realize is that she's not who she thinks she is, and that another family in town is just dying to get a hold of treasure that is supposedly hidden on the property.

Alex Yates, in charge of bringing new businesses (and profits) to the small town, finds himself involved when the city decides that Crescent Hill mansion was falling apart and is in need of condemning. Drawn by Camden and her family's history (and moved by Alex's own sad family history), he decides to help her in any way that he can, even if it means he loses his job.

This story kept me on the edge of my seat, and the characters drew me in. The intrigue was really good; at times when I thought I had the story figured out, I later discovered I was wrong. I love it when that happens! Refuge on Crescent Hill also was inspired by a real mansion. You can view the pictures at Ms. Dobson's website here.

I received Refuge on Crescent Hill as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Kregel Blog Tours. My comments and opinions are my own.

The Greatest Patriot - a MediaGuests review

The Greatest Patriot, written by Daniel Sullivan, is a story that would captivate any JFK conspiracy theorist junkie. However, this is no conspiracy theory. It's a work of fiction, but don't let that deter you from enjoying the story, if this type of book interests you. In this novel author Daniel Sullivan has interestingly weaved a story into the possibility that the whole JFK assassination thing was a fake, a cover-up, a farce. Because of the threat that JFK was presented by Russian leader Nikita Khrushche, he (with the help of his aids and powers-that-be) hatched a plan to remove himself from office, with the idea that doing so would stave off a third world war. This story will take you through the story from JFK's "assassination" to his moving to Aristotle Onassis' island Skorpios on the Ionean Sea. You'll follow how JFK affected political wars, his relationships with his family and friends while exiled, and his loneliness.

This book is written in a unique way. There are no chapters, and at first, that was a bit shocking and unattractive. The way the story is divided is into portions of time. For example, the story is told in the present day and in the past (1963-64, etc.), so the reader is taken back and forth quite often. That was another thing that I had to get used to. The point of view switched quite frequently (at times as often as every page), and at first it was difficult to remember who was whom. There were a lot of characters introduced in the first thirty pages or so, and I had to make a note in my notebook so that I wouldn't forget who was whom.

The author did a good job in making his characters seem real. JFK and his friend Hal were very well plotted, from descriptions of facial expressions to his description of Jack's cigarette smoking.

However, there were a few things that distracted me from the story. There were a couple of misspellings (which isn't uncommon at times in books--not all spelling errors are caught), and there were a few cases of POV issues where the story was told from one person's point of view, but Daniel described what a secondary character was feeling. There were quite a few grammatical errors and some instances where words were missing as well. And since most of my readers are Christians who like to know in advance, there were quite a few instances of language.

Ultimately, I found this story very fascinating (conspiracy theories are a guilty indulgence of mine :P), but I was disappointed by the errors and language.

I was given the opportunity to read and review this book for free for Media Guests. My comments and opinions are my own; I was not required to give a positive review.

To read more reviews on The Greatest Patriot, click on the image below.

Echoes of Savanna - a Media Guests review

Echoes of Savanna, written by Lucinda Moebius, is the story of a young doctor in the year of 2036 and thereafter. She is a child prodigy, and at the age of 19, has proven herself to be a competent doctor. When a terrorist attack threatens the calm and safety of the United States, Savanna Taylor finds herself absorbed in the effort of preparing vaccines to thwart the efforts of biological warfare, namely against smallpox, tuberculosis, bubonic plague, and others.

This book is a sci-fi/dystopia novel with a medical fiction twist.

The first half of this story confused me from time to time. I take notes when I do my reviews, and I'm glad I did because this one was a very involved story.

Savanna Taylor, main character, deals with some of the following topics: biological warfare, the genetic alteration of humans (including the insertion of animal genetics), martial law, fetal adoption, rape, female circumcision, the microchipping of the population, and dealing with sects and militant groups. Because there were so many big topics, I felt overwhelmed at times while I read. It's not uncommon for writers to hit on some controversial topics once in a while, but Lucinda touched on several.

The story begins with Susanna's struggle to calm a pandemic. Then she's swept into a situation where she's dealing with a 14-year-old Navajo girl requesting that Susanna adopt her unwanted embryo. Then the pandemic situation seems to go away, leaving me thinking that the author's going to hit the topic again in a chapter or two. However, it seems to be a background situation that just pops up at random. In fact, it seemed like the author got tired of talking about one topic and would hit another here and there. There was a feeling of underdevelopment that I had.

The secondary characters at first seemed to be faceless to me. As I was reading the first quarter of the story, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a book that preceded this one, because the way Lucinda wrote, it felt like I should already know who some of the characters were.

Also during this first quarter, four or five years pass with too little "activity". In a few lines, six months of pregnancy pass, and then years pass in a few pages. It wasn't until I hit about the 60% point in the book that the story seemed to pick up my interest.

Throughout this story, I kept asking myself: "what is the purpose of this story?" and "what does the main character learn?" I was finally able to answer that question during the last chapter of the book. You'll have to read it to find those answers yourself! ;)

I think Lucinda did a good bit of research in writing this story, and I appreciate that greatly. However, there were times when I had to go and search some things to find out what she was talking about. I'm not familiar with a lot of medical terminology. For example, there was mentioned ACL, and I was waiting to see if there was an explanation of ACL and didn't see it. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see it and ended up looking it up.

As a reader, I'm mildly interested in telling. That's a good thing, but there's a point where too much telling is a bad thing. There was a lot of narration in this story and a lot of year-jumping. For example, one character named Raven was 9 in chapter 31, and then all of a sudden in chapter 33 I read that she's 14. Whoa! This book includes a span of probably about 20 years or so, and that just seems to be too much for one book. I felt like I was reading a lot of "backstory" to get to the good stuff. Once I got past the halfway point, the story finally started, and as a busy mom, I felt a little robbed by all the narration I had to go through to get to the good stuff. I think this book could've easily been made into two or three books, and as a result Lucinda could've really fleshed out some of the topics, the characters, (and backstory) and kept my attention a lot easier.

Ultimately, what I as a reader want is some showing. Don't tell me about the people trying to get into Haven; SHOW me who they are. I want to be able to see their expressions, know their frustrations. Give me some more description, and some dialog.

The last quarter of the story was very moving. I was satisfied with how it ended, and I was pleasantly surprised to find I was wanting to know what happens to the rest of the characters. Hopefully Lucinda will keep writing this story but take it a little slower with the next books. :)

The copy that I received was an e-book version. I was given the opportunity to read and review this book for free for Media Guests. My comments and opinions are my own; I was not required to give a positive review.

To read more reviews of Echoes of Savanna, click the button below.

Shadows on the Sand - a Multnomah Review

Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper was such a great book! At 309 pages, this book flowed smoothly and was one that I had trouble putting down!

The characters in this story felt very real. I was able to feel the characters' frustrations, fears, and joys.

This novel is a romantic suspense. The main character Carrie Carter had had a rough childhood. She and her younger sister Lindsay had run away from a bad home when they were just sixteen and ten. Carrie, as an adult, ran her own successful cafe in Seaside, New Jersey, with her sister as co-owner.

Every morning, she served Greg Barnes breakfast. Greg was an ex-cop, a widower who'd lost his wife and children in an explosion that had been meant for him. Carrie found herself drawn to Greg and attracted to him, but he seemed to never notice her beyond the perfunctory nod, order, and payment.

Carrie and Greg were soon joined in an effort to find out who killed Carrie's dishwasher Jase. Greg found himself drawn to Carrie's life. But when Carrie had an accident in Greg's presence, his panic made him question whether Carrie deserved him. He made the difficult decision to pull away from her, feeling as if she deserved a stronger man. When Carrie's employee Andi disappeared and Carrie found herself in danger, Greg couldn't deny his feelings; he put himself in harm's way to save the lives of Carrie, Andi, and Lindsay.

If you love suspense and a little romance thrown in for good measure, you'll enjoy this book!



I received Shadows on the Sand as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

Bombus the Bumblebee - a Creation Conversations Review

Bombus the Bumblebee, by Elsie Larson (illustrated by David Haidle & Elizabeth Haidle), is a story about Bombus, a bumblebee. At 40 pages, this Christian fiction book published by Master Books, is appropriate for preschool children through early elementary.

Since this was a children's book, I'm including my review and the review of my first grader son, who also has read this book.

Jami's Review
The story takes place shortly after Creation. Bombus makes the mistake of listening to the honeybees who insisted that bumblebees were not meant to fly. They jeered and made fun of Bombus' big body and showed off their abilities to fly easily. Bombus quickly became self-conscious of his abilities to fly and even decided to stop flying altogether until God had a talk with him. "I told you to fly," God said. "No matter what your shape or weight, you can fly because I gave you flight. Now, lift up your wings . . . and FLY."

At the end of the story are pages dedicated to information about bumblebees, some discussion questions for children and adults, and some activities to go along with the story.

This was a cute story, the illustrations were very colorful, and my son Jacob, a second grader, read and reviewed this book as well.

Jacob's Review
This book is about Bombus the Bumblebee. The other bees are trying to trick Bombus; they are mean. I like the book. It's very cool. I think you should get the book. I love, love, love the book.


I received Bombus the Bumblebee as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Creation Conversations. I was not required to give a positive review; my opinions are my own.