Waiting on Wednesday: Here to Stay
February 12, 2014
Waiting On:
Author: Melissa Tagg
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: May 6th, 2014
Synopsis:
After playing nomad for five years, Blake Hunziker has finally had enough of adventure. Not sure what reception he'll get from everyone back in Whisper Shore, he's stunned at not only a warm welcome from his hometown but also a job offer. The job is his if he can successfully pull off the annual Christmas Festival. If only he knew the first thing about coordinating events...Why I'm Waiting:
If there's one thing Autumn Kingsley knows, it's Whisper Shore. For years, she's been stuck running her family's inn when all she wants is to see the world. Now she has a visit scheduled from a potential investor who could take over the inn, as well as a dream job offer in Paris. But with just two weeks to whip the inn into shape, her chance at escape is a long shot.
The Hunzikers and the Kingsleys may not get along, but Blake knows Autumn's the only one who can help him. She agrees to a trade--she'll help with the Festival and he'll help with inn repairs. But what was meant to be a simple deal quickly becomes much more than that when the guy who's done running away joins forces with the girl who can't wait to leave.
I loved Melissa Tagg's debut novel Made to Last and I was so happy to see that Here to Stay is going to feature my favorite character from the first novel, Blake Hunziker! He was the best...I don't want to say sidekick, but he kind of was. His humor was great and I can't wait to see what his story brings.
What are you waiting on this week?
Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Will Make You Swoon
February 10, 2014
Topic:
Top Ten Nine Books That Will Make You Swoon
These are the books that I found that had fantastic male leads. Gentlemen through and through!
1.Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
Alex Powell is a quiet hero who loves books as much as Sam, the heroin. The relationship that happens grows, starting as a friendship and moves to something more.
Alex Powell is a quiet hero who loves books as much as Sam, the heroin. The relationship that happens grows, starting as a friendship and moves to something more.
2. A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund
Sigh...Carl Richards is the man of every girl's dream. He is considerate and he keeps the fairytale alive.
3. Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
Really, it's the whole series. There are wonderful characters all the way through, but I'm partial to the comic of the men presented, Luca.
4. Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden
Bane...I don't need to say anymore than that, ok, I guess I shall. Elizabeth Camden is able to write such a unique and captivating story. The leads Lydia and Bane face unique challenges. Their relationship was a roller-coaster.
5. Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz
The growth of Morrow and her understanding of Red Shirt and the progression of their relationship was a gripping story. I couldn't help but want more.
As the story starts, the main characters, Priscilla and Eli are as different as they can be, but the journey they face in their marriage of convenience turns to something else for them as they progress in their travels.
Really, the whole series is just fantastic. Brady Stoner is every girl's dream of a cowboy. Respectful to all women, a tough rodeo cowboy, and he calls all women darlin'.
I'm still reading this story, but oh, how I like Jefferson Tucker! Kathleen Y'Barbo can create some very intriguing men for her stories.
This story was about two people who even though were the cream of society were a bit on the outside, at least in their ideas. Felecia tried to change who she was for a man, but that fell flat. Grayson is an English gentleman who doesn't claim his title. Instead of being down, both offered their own fun sense of humor and their relationship blossomed on friendship.
Author: Anita Lustrea & Caryn Rivadeneira
Publisher: River North
Pages: 260
ISBN: 978-0-8024-0968-3
Publication Date: August 20th, 2013
Synopsis:
It's 1954 and the world-even the far Northwoods of Maine-is about to change. But that change can't happen soon enough for fourteen-year-old Mercy Millar. Long tired of being the "son" her father never had, Mercy's ready for the world to embrace her as the young woman she is-as well as embrace the forbidden love she feels.Review:
When childhood playmates grow up and fall in love, the whole community celebrates. But in the case of Mercy and Mick, there would be no celebration. Instead their relationship must stay hidden. Good girls do not date young men from the Maliseet tribe. At least, not in Watsonville, Maine. When racial tensions escalate and Mick is thrown in jail under suspicion of murder, Mercy nearly loses all hope-in love, in her father, and in God himself.
Shades of Mercy was a very sweet and quiet coming of age story. The story follows Mercy, a fourteen year old girl, who believes she has her life planned out. In a few years, she and her long time friend and recent boyfriend Mick will go off to college together, then once finished with school, they can get married, and live happily ever after. However, Mercy dreams come crashing around her when a friend of hers and her boyfriend disappear. However, this isn't a normal young love runaway, at least in the eyes of the Mercy's friend's father. When he finds out that the girls boyfriend is from the local Maliseet tribe, his prejudices come to a boil and sets the whole town on edge. Mercy hopes that everything will be resolved soon and then things can go back to normal. Sadly, that isn't what happens when her boyfriend Mick, who is also Maliseet, is charged with a crime.
The struggles Mercy's deals with are presented in such a realistic way. She is innocent to the ways of prejudice and still young. Mercy is written in such a way that you feel for her. You watch as she holds out hope for her dream to still come true and for everything to blow through. It was refreshing to read about a real teenager that has respect for her parents and who was raised in a loving home, not a teenager that was full of angst. I enjoyed that about the book.
The one issue I had with the story was the pacing. The story dealt with a very heavy topic and handled it very nicely and not heavy-handed, but a lot didn't seem to happen in a part of the story. I did enjoy how the story focused on one part of Mercy's life, just one summer. The ending left it open for the series to continue on and to grow with Mercy.
It was an enjoyable story.
3.5 out of 5
About the Author:
Anita is the co-author of “Come to Our Table: A Midday Connection Cookbook” and “Daily Seeds from Women Who Walk in Faith”, a Devotional for women. Her first solo venture as an author releases in November, 2010, “What Women Tell Me: finding freedom from the secrets we keep.”
Anita and her husband, Mike Murphy, a pastor, along with her teenage son John live in the Chicago suburbs. When she’s not traveling or speaking, you can find her reading and drinking a venti hot tea at her local Starbucks.
Caryn has written dozens of magazine article. Her work has appeared in such publications as Christianity Today, Relevant, FamilyLife, and Engineering and Mining Journal (you read that right).
Giveaway:
I'm giving away 3 copies of Shades of Mercy by Anita Lustrea & Caryn Rivadeneira. 3 winners will be chosen at the end of the drawing! Thank you to River North for the books!
Thank you to River North, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Isle of Shadows
February 9, 2014
Author: Tracy L. Higley
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 374
ISBN: 978-1-4016-8744-1
Publication Date: November 13th, 2012
Synopsis:
Review:Revised and updated from the original, Christy-award finalist Shadow of Colossus.Enslaved in a World of Money and Power, Tessa Dares to be Free.Raised as courtesan to wealthy and powerful men, Tessa of Delos serves at the whim of her current patron, the politician Glaucus. After ten years with him, Tessa has abandoned all desire for freedom or love, choosing instead to lock her heart away.But when Glaucus meets a violent death in his own home, Tessa grasps at a fragile hope. Only she knows of his death. If she can keep it a secret long enough, she can escape.Tessa throws herself on the mercy of the Greek god Helios, but finds instead unlikely allies in Nikos, a Greek slave, and Simeon, Glaucus’s Jewish head servant. As Simeon introduces her to a God unlike any she has ever known and Nikos begins to stir feelings she had thought long dead, Tessa fights to keep her heart protected.As an assassination plot comes to light, Tessa must battle for her own freedom—and for those to whom she has begun to open her heart—as forces collide that shatter the island’s peace.
Tracy L. Higley once again brings her readers back into the past with her fantastic writing style! Isle of Shadows (formerly titled Shadow of Colossus), sweeps us back to ancient Greece to the Isle of Rhodes, where secrets, spies, and conspiracy run rampant.
Isle of Shadows focuses on Tessa, a hetera to the most influential politician on the island...in other words, she is a slave. Paid for her services as a companion. However, the system back then is interesting. Wives and daughters didn't have a say in politics or didn't have the ability to have an intellectual battle with men, but the hetera's could. They were the only women welcomed into the men's area of the house and forums and in doing so, hetera's had their ears at all time to the political climate and to the secrets that abound these men of society.
Even though Tessa has what other women of her position wanted, it wasn't what she had hoped for. Tessa is desperate to be free. Free from her owner and buyers, free from the island, but the freedoms she desires are a far off dream and because of this, she is closed off, desperate to turn to stone and not feel. As much as she wants to keep the ability to feel at bay, Nikos, a new worker to the island slowly starts to break away at her facade with the help of an old servant at Glaucus's house, Simeon.
As Tessa learns more about Nikos, she finds he is different then most of the men she is use to dealing with. However, with Nikos is not all that he seems to be. Like most everyone else in Rhodes, he comes bearing secrets, but his are far different then those that Tessa are used to.
This was such an interesting story to read. It brought me to a place I didn't know much about and it was fun to explore this area through the book.
I can't wait to read another story by Tracy L Higley! The attention to detail and history is just wonderful!
Too Read
4 out of 5
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