Fairer Than Morning Blog Tour- Review and Giveaway

Welcome to the blog tour for Fairer Than Morning!

The author is hosting an awesome party and giveaway with the book, but first let's learn more about the book and author.

Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli-until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words. 

On a small farm in 19th-century Ohio, young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann's dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor.

Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her father on business. There she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker's apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. But Ann's compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul. Through his encounters with Ann's father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage in the midst of tremendous adversity.

When the Millers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

Read an excerpt here: http://www.rosslynelliott.com/books.php

Rosslyn Elliott grew up in a military family and relocated so often that she attended nine schools before her high school graduation. With the help of excellent teachers, she qualified to attend Yale University, where she earned a BA in English and Theater. She worked in business and as a schoolteacher before returning to study at Emory University, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 2006. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue her lifelong dream of writing fiction. She lives in the Southwest, where she homeschools her daughter and teaches in children's ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com

Buy the book here!

Review:

Ann Miller is a young woman with a lot of responsibilities. Because her mother died in childbirth, Ann takes care of her father and two younger sisters. Will Hanby is a young apprentice with a horrible master. When Ann and Will's paths cross, they discover they have several things in common. However, they both are potentially involved with other people. Throw in some runaway slaves and a bounty hunter, and you've got a historical novel full of intrigue and romance.


As I read the cover blurb, I thought I was getting into a romance. This book was much more a historical novel though. The two main stories being told are Ann's and Will's. Ann has had a hard life taking care of her family. Her father often travels to preach to far-off congregations. Ann also had to refuse a potential husband at a very young age and has been sad ever since. Will has lost both parents, and he became an apprentice to someone who makes saddles. He has a vicious master though, and eventually takes matters into his own hands. Ann and Will were both very interesting characters. They both dealt with struggles to the best of their abilities. While Ann is devoted in her faith, you get an opportunity to see Will truly seek and grow in his beliefs. 

On top of all that, there is also a story involving two runaway slaves who are desperate for freedom. One thing I found interesting was how the author was able to show very good examples of bad people using Bible versus to support their twisted beliefs. While there are no huge surprises or anything like that, the book is very sweet. If you are looking for romance is may be a little on the lighter end there, but the historical story is absolutely fascinating. 


Book provided for review.

Now for some information on the giveaway!

To celebrate the release of her debut novel, Fairer Than Morning, Rosslyn Elliott is giving away two fabulous prize packages. The first is brand new KINDLE in her Fairer Than Morning Kindle Giveaway. Then on September 20th she's giving away a $200 gift certificate toward a Custom-Made Historical Reproduction Dress (from Recollections) during the Fairer Than Morning Book Club Chat Party on Facebook! Sigh...romantic. Fairer Than Morning is receiving wonderful reviews - Library Journal said, "A well- written historical series debut…". Read more reviews here. Be sure to join the fun and enter the Kindle contest - 

One winner will receive: * Kindle with Wi-Fi * Fairer Than Morning (for Kindle) To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, giveaway ends on 9/19. Winner will be announced on 9/20 at Rosslyn's Book Club Facebook Party. Details and official rules can be found when entering the contest. Then be sure to RSVP for Rosslyn's Facebook Party! During the party Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, hosting a book chat about Fairer Than Morning (don't worry if you haven't read the book yet - you could win a copy!) & historical Fiction, testing your trivia skills. She'll also be giving away that $200 gift certificate toward a FABULOUS custom-made period dress from Recollections!

I Loved You First Swag Pack Winner!

The winner has been chosen for the keychain swag pack. The winner is:


Kulsuma


Congratulations Kulsama, and a huge thank
you to everyone who entered!


Keep stopping by for more book reviews and more 
giveaways!

Review: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schultz

Title:		Spellbound
Author:		Cara Lynn Schultz
Publisher:		Harlequin
Imprint:		HarlequinTEEN
Pub. Date:		06/28/2011
ISBN:		9780373210305
Pages:		324

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)

              **************************************************

Emma has had a rough life. Her father left while she was still young, and then she had to deal with the deaths of her brother and mother. Left with only her abusive step-father, Emma soon finds herself in the position to go live with her wealthy aunt in New York City. Emma's ready to just get through school and on her way to college (and the rest of her life). Things change when she soon makes some quick enemies...and sees a boy she's instantly drawn to. She soon finds herself caught up in a story that not only seems unbelievable, but it also transcends time to span many generations. Emma is determined to make things better this time.

Although there are paranormal elements, this story is, at it's heart, a fairy tale. Emma is immediately drawn to Brendan in a way she can't explain. Actually, Emma doesn't want to be drawn to him at all. Like any good fairy tale though, they are meant to be. And like any good fairy tale, there are evil forces trying desperately to keep them apart. I really enjoyed this book. The supernatural aspects felt fun and different. It was a very unique way to tell a fairy tale-type story. The idea of "soul-mates"  can sometimes bring about an overwrought romance, but that was not the case in this book. There was just enough give and take to make things interesting but not annoy you with the constant hot-and-cold aspect. 

I found this to be a really fast read, and one that I didn't want to put down. It did a great job of drawing me in from the beginning. I even put aside a couple things I should be reading to finish this book. Like any fairy tale, the bad guys are really bad. Like no redeeming qualities bad. The good guys though had some fabulous grey areas to them that made them much more interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal books, fairy tales, and sweet romances.

Galley provided by publisher for review.

Huber Hill Winner!

The winner of the Huber Hill and the Dead Man's Treasure give away is:

Christine Davis

Thanks to everyone who entered and don't

forget to enter all the giveaways

still open!

Blog Tour for Conversations with a Moonflower- Review and Giveaway

Welcome to the tour for Conversations with a Moonflower!

I have a review and giveaway of this great book. So first things first, lets learn a little about the book.

(Normally I would have a picture of the cover here, but Picasa is being screwy and won't upload it. Should Picasa start working correctly I'll put it here.)

It all begins with a little flower. This tenderly told story is a beautiful reminder to appreciate the simple joys around you. The perfect gift for even the busiest mothers and friends in your life, this book is guaranteed to change chaos to calm and inspire all to look beyond the ordinary and see the extraordinary.

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)

              **************************************************

Conversations with a Moonflower is a sweet little book. It all starts when the author, Chris, goes with her family to clean out her Grandmother's old house in Amish country. While there, a young Amish woman invites them to come see her moonflowers bloom. Moonflowers are unique in that they only bloom at night, and then fade quickly once the sun begins to rise. Chris and her family are amazed by the moonflower and are very excited then the owner of the moonflowers offers to send some home with them. Once back in Utah, Chris plants her flower and tends it into a beautiful plant. As the moonflowers begin to bloom, they seem to cast a spell over everyone who sees them. Chris's yard soon becomes a gathering place for friends and neighbors who want to see what these flowers are all about. 


More than this though, Chris is able to have time to have "conversations" with the moonflower. Having struggled with ADD her whole life, Chris has often found it hard to sit still. However, with the moonflower she is able to sit back and reflect on things. She has great realizations regarding blooming when she is ready and accepting herself as she is among other things. These are all lessons we could stand to learn. I absolutely loved this book. Just reading about the calming effects the moonflower had on Chris seemed to have a bit of the same effect on me. I think so many times we get caught up in this super busy life without having time to just sit and reflect on things. We could all use some moonflowers in our life that help us to accept and love ourselves faults and all. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I have a feeling I will start giving these out as gifts. It is short and sweet, so anyone can find the time to read it. The lessons Chris learned while talking to the moonflower are universal. This world would be a much better place if we could all find moonflowers of our own.


Book provided by publisher for review.

Want to read this awesome book? Well here's your chance to win a signed copy!

That's right, I have one signed copy of Conversations with a Moonflower. All you have to do to enter is either follow the book's blog or like the book's Facebook page. Two entries if you do both! Just fill out the form below.

This contest is open to residents of the US. It will run from September 3 to September 9. A winner will be determined by random.org on September 10. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. 

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

Blog Tour- Playing Hurt by Brian Goins Review and Giveaway

Welcome to the blog tour for Playing Hurt by Brian Goins!

First of all, a little information on the book and author:

Welcome to the blog tour for pastor and Family Life speaker Brian Goins' Playing Hurt. Everyone admires people who play hurt, from the superstar athlete to the journeyman player who finishes the game even when hurt, sick, or falling apart. Everyone looks up to these athletes and wants to mimic their "never give up" attitude. Except when it comes to marriage.

“I’ve played nine years in the NFL, won two Super Bowl Championship rings, and had five surgeries—injuries are inevitable in the game. You can’t help your team when you’re on the bench. The same is true in marriage. Brian coaches you on how to get back in the game and start winning again.”

—Ken Walter, NFL punter for the Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, and New England Patriots

Brian Goins speaks a man's language and knows how to move a man's heart."

-Dennis Rainey, President, Family Life

About Playing Hurt:

A marriage book that husbands will actually want to read!

Everyone admires people who play hurt, from the superstar athlete to the journeyman player who finishes the game even when hurt, sick, or falling apart. Everyone looks up to these athletes and wants to mimic their “never give up” attitude. Except when it comes to marriage. Most husbands are willing to take a bullet for their wives in a life-and-death situation; but when his bride fires the bullet--hurls an insult, disrespects him in public, ignores his foreplay in private--he’d rather throw in the towel than play through the pain.

Playing Hurt is a biblical playbook for marriage that speaks in the language most men understand—the language of sports. Using a sports analogy to explain the motivation, means, and methods of playing hurt, author Brian Goins shows men how to overcome the temptation to stay on the bench. Playing Hurt is more about inspiration than instruction. It’s about finding the motivation to stay in the game, despite the pain. It’s about becoming like the One who knew more about nails and thorns than any superstar athlete. Using Ephesians 5 as a biblical basis, this book will call husbands to be the heros they long to be--men who play hurt in order to win at marriage.


About the author:

Brian Goins is the author or editor of numerous study guides, workbooks, and Bible studies that he has developed for Insight for Living (Chuck Swindoll) and Walk Through the Bible. When he’s not traveling across the country as a Family Life Weekend to Remember speaker, he and his family reside in North Carolina.
















My Review:


First things first- this is a Christian book about marriage that is geared toward men. Now that you know what you're getting into, let me tell you what I thought. I was very impressed. Using an extended sports metaphor, Brian Goins does a great job of keeping you engaged and interested in a rather complex topic. Marriage is something that has always been an interesting topic for me because it's one of the few things in this life we cannot do on our own. We are very dependent on someone else's choices to be successful in marriage. This book helps men in particular understand the idea of "playing hurt"- that is, staying in the marriage and working no matter what the circumstances. 


Now if you think that this means that men are told to just shoulder unnecessary burdens or become doormats, you can rest assured that this is not the case. I loved that this book was so clear about laying the responsibility for a successful marriage on both spouses shoulders. However, the book is geared to men, and it mostly tells men what they should be doing to help makes things run smoothly. The book also does a great job of keeping marriage into perspective from a religious standpoint. Knowing that marriage is not just a commitment between two people but also between those people and God gives things a new perspective. 


I was talking about the things in this book with my husband as I was reading. He is not a sports fan at all, but he still understood all the concepts. It was fun to discuss the questions at the ends of the chapters and really get a feel for how differently we saw things. This book is not just good for people looking to better a marriage that isn't quite ideal, but I feel it can also help make a good marriage even better if only by just reminding us of things we should be doing. Everyone could use a reminder like that, and this book will do a great job of keeping men engaged and interested. 


Book provided for review. 

Learn more about the book by snapping a picture of this QR code!

www.playinghurt.org

Help us spread the word and you could win a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com:

Kregel Publications is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com Giveway to help promote the release of Playing Hurt. To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using @litfuse) about Playing Hurt or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy. (All Litfuse bloggers who post a review are automatically entered and do NOT need to email us.)

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here's an idea.

TWEET THIS: Playing Hurt by Brian Goins-coaches men to win the 1 game that truly matters–marriage! http://ow.ly/6arVa RT 4 a chance at $50! @litfuse 

FACEBOOK THIS: Everyone admires people who play hurt, from the superstar athlete to the journeyman player who finishes the game even when hurt, sick, or falling apart. Everyone looks up to these athletes and wants to mimic their "never give up" attitude. Except when it comes to marriage. Learn more: Playing Hurt by Brian Goins http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13375058 

To see the rest of the stops on the tour, check out the tour page here!

Thanks for stopping by!

Seers Virtual Book Tour

Welcome to the Seers Virtual Book Tour!!

If you want to learn more about this book, check out the official website. And of course you'll want to know all about the lovely author, Heather Frost.

Interested in what I thought about the book? Then look no further!

Title:		Seers
Author:		Heather Frost
Publisher:		Cedar Fort Books
Imprint:		Bonneville
Pub. Date:		10/08/2011
ISBN:		1599557924 (ISBN13: 9781599557922)
Pages:		330

For Kate Bennet, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble.

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)

              **************************************************


Kate's special for all the wrong reasons. She survived a car crash that killed her parents, and she has had guilt and sadness with her ever since. The real problem though comes in a much more supernatural form. Kate can now see auras. Her world is full of rainbows of emotions. If that's not enough, her relationship with her perfect boyfriend has gone stale. When a dashing new boy joins her classes, Kate notices something different about him. More specifically, she notices something different about his aura. Kate soon learns that her ability has put her in a special position as a "seer," one who can choose to help Guardians or Demons. However, it looks like someone wants to make that choice for her. It will take all that Kate has to take care of otherworldly business and still get home in time for the formal.


I loved this book! It grabbed my attention from the start and never let it go. Kate is an awesome character. I think she could easily have become this person who dwelled too much on everything that was wrong in her life and all her tragedies, but she didn't. She was strong and fierce. Patrick was also interesting. I wanted to know more about his past. I could keep talking about each character I loved, but this would be a long review then. I can't leave out Kate's Grandpa though. What a fun person! You just know that being with her Grandpa, Kate felt loved and safe.I highly recommend this book. It has action and romance. It feel fresh. I did not want to put the book down. It is a fast and super fun read. This book will draw you in and make you forget about everything but what's happening to Kate and her crew. I definitely hope to read more about them!

Galley provided by publisher for review.






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