And that’s July

July is now just about behind us, and tomorrow we shall welcome in August. Not my favourite month, I admit, but it does bring us one step closer to Fall, so I suppose I shall survive. ;)

July has been hot. Very, very hot. And of course, busy, as per usual of summer. Every year, our town has a sort of ‘summer celebration’ in July, which is a few days long with various activities. We usually only attend the Parade and Book Sale (because…books! And free candy at the parade. ;)), but this year and the year before we also attended the Kiddie Parade because my darling nephews were in it, so we walked with them and enjoyed their adorableness. :D

Other June happenings included more kittens being born, more storms, and just getting things done. I have read a fair amount, though I still feel a tad bit behind on my reading list. It’ll come though!

So, in July, I read the following books:

 

      

 

Quite a few good ones there! I reviewed several of them (and just realized that while I posted my review of “Suit and Suitability” on goodreads and amazon, I’m not sure I ever posted it to my blog….I’ll have to check on that one, and amend if need be!).

My review for “A Name Unknown” by Roseanna M. White will be posted on the Third of August – it is an excellent book, one I encourage you not to miss!

 

The books I have added to my shelves:

 

• “Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations” – Giveaway Win
• “The Genesis Tree” – Gift from the author for being on her team and reviewing an ecopy
• “Paige Torn” – Tyndale Rewards
• “Freedom’s Ring” – Tyndale Review Copy
• “A Name Unknown” – Review Copy
• “The Lost Loves of World War II Collection” – garage sale find!

 

And then I found a few others of those Barbour Collections like the last one, at our library booksale.  I love the scalloped pages of those books!

 

So, readers, what have you been up to lately? Reading anything good? Spending lots of time outside? Do you like this hot weather?

“The Captain’s Daughter” by Jennifer Delamere ~ Book review

(Click on image to go to its amazon page)

 

“The Captain’s Daughter” by Jennifer Delamere

Book one in London Beginnings

Review copy from Bethany House Publishers

My Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

 

When a series of circumstances beyond her control leave Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chances upon a job backstage at a theater that is presenting the most popular show in London. A talented musician and singer, she feels immediately at home and soon becomes enthralled with the idea of pursuing a career on the stage.

A hand injury during a skirmish in India has forced Nate Moran out of the army until he recovers. Filling his time at a stable of horses for hire in London, he has also spent the past two months working nights as a stagehand, filling in for his injured brother. Although he’s glad he can help his family through a tough time, he is counting the days until he can rejoin his regiment. London holds bitter memories for him that he is anxious to escape. But then he meets the beautiful woman who has found a new lease on life in the very place Nate can’t wait to leave behind.

 

My Thoughts:

 

“We can not keep dwelling on the past. We must look ahead. Remember Mr. Muller’s admonition that God will always meet our needs.” -TCD

When I requested this book for review, I didn’t actually know it would have mention of George Muller’s orphanage, but finding that was a nice surprise. Rosalyn and her sisters were orphaned and spent their growing up years in the GM orphanage. When I found that out, I expected this story to have more of that included, with relying on God really being Rosalyn’s foundation. However, it seemed that the main focus of this story was on Rosalyn’s life in London; to be more specific, in the theater. It was a very interesting read, and also very easy to get into and continue reading without getting bored or hung up on things. It flowed smoothly, and was entertaining. I would’ve just liked to have seen more emphasis on trusting God – that the faith aspect would’ve been the central theme. It was included of course, but more as an undertone to the story. The plot and Rosalyn & Nate were the driving force of this novel.

Rosalyn and Nate were good characters. Rosalyn could be quite…naiive, but she was still a likeable character. I just got frustrated with her relationship with Tony – I did not like Tony at all.

Nate was a solid character, and I enjoyed his and Rosalyn’s relationship. Though it would’ve been nice to have them finally get together and work out things sooner rather than it all just happening in the end chapter. The ending seemed a bit rushed, but I do hope we will get to see glimpses of their story in the next book about Rosalyn’s sister, Julia. I’m looking forward to reading that one – Julia seems like quite an interesting character.

The theater aspect was indeed interesting. I did like following that story.

And the cover is lovely, though I should note that, while she is technically a daughter of a captain, I suppose, the title is slightly misleading, as her father isn’t in this story, nor much about the sea.

Overall, I liked “The Captain’s Daughter”, and will continue with the series. There were just a few things that frustrated me, but I still enjoyed the book.

 

“God is the supplier of need,” Mrs. Moran said. “We are simply blessed to be His agents sometimes.” – Page 166

“Perhaps not. But then, absolution doesn’t come through what we can do, does it? It comes from another source. One greter than ourselves.” – Page 325

Special Book Review “Ceaseless” by Sarah Holman

Why is this book review special, you might ask? Well, this short story is not yet released, nor does it have a cover or ‘about’ blurb. So this is a very, very early review I guess you might say. :)

 

“Ceaseless” by Sarah Holman

Short story part of the Tales of Taelis series

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

Not available. To hint at, it is the short story connected to “Courage and Corruption”, about a character named Alfred.

 

My Thoughts:

This was a very good short story, part of the Tales of Taelis series! Very well written, with a meaningful message. It was short, as the style would suggest, but still very enjoyable and a connecting piece to two of the books in this series.

I was impressed that so much could be expressed about Alfred and his journey in such a short amount of story-telling time.

As I said, love the writing style, and the author’s note at the end was beautiful. I really love this series. :)

*I was given an ecopy from the author. All thoughts are my own.

“The Coronation” by Livy Jarmusch ~ Blog Tour & Giveaway!

Welcome to my stop on this blog tour, celebrating the release of Livy Jarmusch’s book “The Coronation”! Today you will get to hear about this book, and have a chance to win a digital copy, too! So, lot’s of fun. :)

 

Wow, isn’t that just a beautiful cover?! I love it. :)

Now that you’ve seen the cover, would you like to read what the story is about?

 

The Coronation by Livy Jarmusch

 

 

 

About the Author:

 

http://www.livylynnblog.com/

 

!!!GIVEAWAY!!!

Livy Jarmusch is so kindly offering a digital copy of “The Coronation” for one of you to win! Here’s how to get your name in the hat:

Mandatory Entry: Answer this question in the comments – Would you enjoy being the heir of a modern day monarchy? Why or why not?

Bonus Entries:  Answer this question in the comments – What would you do if you were a royal Princess of a European country for a day?

Share about this release/giveaway on your favourite social media platform and post a link in the comments where you shared.

 

—- The Mandatory entry will get you one entry, and with the bonus entries, you will get one more entry point per thing you do/share. So say you answer the bonus question, and post on three different platforms, that would give you 4 extra entries. Have fun!

 

 

 

– The Coronation BLOG TOUR – 

June 26th – Character interview with Bella @ Worth It All Blog

June 27th – Writing Tips from my amazing Editor! (Right here!)

June 28th – Review from Halee @ Writer Ramblings

Review from Hannah @ The Different Girl 

June 29th – Book Giveaway @ Becoming Esther

June 30th – Author Interview @ With a Joyful Noise

Review from Michaela @ Michela Joy Blog

July 1st – Author Spotlight @ Leila Taulla Blog

July 3rd – Interview with Prince Addison @ Girl on Fire

Feature with Mary Shelley @ The Reid Who Writes Blog

Book Review from Alia @ Shine His Love

July 5th – Author Interview with Amanda @ SKG FUN

July 6th – RELEASE DATE! Party time!

Author Interview with Sari @ Penumbra Reviews

July 7th – Feature with Kaila @ Moments of the Heart Blog

Feature @ The Meaning of Written Words

Feature @ Kelsey’s Notebook

July 8th – Bella’s Writing Tips

July 10th – Character Interview with David @ Salt and Light

Author Interview @ Knitted by God’s Plan

July 11th – Book Review @ Oh So Priceless

Book Review by Elizabeth Anne @ Whimsical Thoughts

July 12 – Character Interview with Riley @ Riley Writes

Review and Author Interview with Maddie @
Hot Chocolate Confessions

July 13th – Review by Anna Jayne @ Jumbled Thoughts

Book Giveaway with Brittany @ Encouragement for Everyday

July 14th – Book Review by Kimberly @ Peculiar On Purpose

Review by Abbie @ Chronicles In Bloom

July 15th – Book Review by Caitlin

Feature with Hope @ Conquer the Norm

July 17th – Book Giveaway @ God’s Peculiar Treasure

July 18th – Feature with Mykaela @ Making Music for the Master

 

A couple Blog Tags

Hello, and happy Sunday Morning!

I thought, since I have a few moments for once, I would do a couple blog tags – because those are always fun, aren’t they? The first one I saw on facebook, but I didn’t want to post it there, so I thought why not bring it here. And the second tag is from Marrock’s blog, where he tagged whomever wished to do it. Granted that was a couple weeks ago, but I’m assuming the open-invitation is still valid. ;) So, here we go…

 

 

1. Who are you named after? Both my first and middle name are family names. :)
2. Last time you cried? Last night.
3. Do you like your handwriting? It’s okay.
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Turkey.
5. Longest relationship? My parents and siblings. :D
6. Do you still have your tonsils? I do not.
7. Would you bungee jump? Goodness, no.
8. Favorite kind of cereal? Organic Honey-nut-O’s.
9. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Nope.
10. Favorite Ice cream? Vanilla. I do love vanilla mint chip though, too.
11. What is the first thing you notice about a person? Um…Their face maybe?
12. Football or baseball? Baseball I guess, though I don’t watch either.
13. What color pants are you wearing? Varous coloured-striped pj pants. XD
14. Last thing you ate? A bowl of cereal last night.
15. What are you listening to right now? Birds singing outside the window.
16. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Hot pink.
17. What is your Favorite smell? Books!
18. Last Person you talked to on the phone? …..I have to think about this one…My brother-in-law, I believe (though I didn’t really talk to him, just answered the phone..)
19. Married? Nope.
20. Hair color? Brown
21. Eye color? A mix between green and hazel, with copper specks.
22. Favorite foods to eat? Chocolate. Cheeseburgers. Pizza. Chocolate. ;)
23. Scary movies or happy endings? Happy Endings most definitely.
24. Last movie you watched? As in a movie-movie, or would a tv show count? Last tv show would be The Monkees, and last movie would be… “The Minions” I think.
25. Favorite color? Hot pink. Army green.
26. Favorite Holiday? Hanukkah.
27. Beer or Wine? Um, neither? I’ve never had beer, and I don’t like wine.
28. Night owl or morning person? Morning person
29. Favorite day of the week? Saturdays because they’re our rest days, and Sunday’s because I like watching a couple shows that are on as a family. I also like Mondays because the mail comes. ;)
30. Favorite season? WINTER! I even sang a song about it last night. Not that I’ll share that, but yes, I love Winter. Fall is a close second though!

 

 
1.Why did you start blogging? Well, I was 11, and it sounded like fun. Thankfully, my blog has changed, grown, and matured since then (and I actually don’t have the same blog as I did when I was 11, just to note that. This one is from when I was 14. ^.^).
2. How did you come up with the title of your blog? De Bible. Love that verse about being God’s Peculiar Treasures!
3. What’s your favorite thing about blogging? The community, the friendships.
4. Are your novels usually plot driven, or character driven? Character driven, I think. I can be both, but characters are probably my main focus.
5. Have you ever thought that the movie was better than the book? Hmm… good question. I haven’t actually read a ton of books that get turned into movies, so I guess I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll say “How to Train Your Dragon” – because, while I do *adore* the books, the movie is quite different, but one of my most favourites.
6. Of the four Pevensie children from the Chronicles of Narnia, which do you relate to the most? Lucy. I’m also the same age as the actress in the movie, and growing up, I was always told I looked just like her, which was fun. ^.^
7. What is your favorite fandom(s)? “Are you ready for this?!” (quote from a tv series screentest…*cough*).

 

Okay, so you probably get the gist, though I could go on. Their show is the greatest, and their music is fantastic too. No, they are not a “boy band”. Yes, they are better than “The Beatles”.

Another “fandom” favourite of mine:

I mean, ahh! So cute!
8. What is your favorite genre to read? A lot? Probably Biblical Fiction at the top. But I enjoy so many others too. :)
9. What do you do more than the other, writing or reading? Reading. While I adore writing, I don’t do it near as much as reading.
10. How do you rate a book? 5 Star system. 5 = I absolutely adored it, 4= it was a very good read, 3= it was good, not super, but good, 2= I didn’t like it, 1= I hated it.
11. Who is your favorite author, and what is the first question you would ask them if you could? Tessa Afshar, Chuck Black, Stephanie Landsem…I could go on. And I don’t know if I could come up with actual questions if I met them. I’d probably just rave about how much I love their books! I might ask about their writing-process…

 

 

And that’s all! If any of you would like to do either of these tags, please feel free to! I won’t tag anyone because I know Summer is a busy time of year, so if you can fit it in and want to do it, go for it! If not, no biggie. Let me know if you do though, so I can read your answers. :)

 

 

 

Questions:

1. Who are you named after?  
2. Last time you cried? 
3. Do you like your handwriting? 
4. What is your favorite lunch meat?
5. Longest relationship?
6. Do you still have your tonsils?
7. Would you bungee jump?
8. Favorite kind of cereal?
9. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
10. Favorite Ice cream?
11. What is the first thing you notice about a person?
12. Football or baseball?
13. What color pants are you wearing?
14. Last thing you ate?
15. What are you listening to right now?
16. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
17. What is your Favorite smell?
18. Last Person you talked to on the phone?
19. Married?
20. Hair color?
21. Eye color?
22. Favorite foods to eat?
23. Scary movies or happy endings?
24. Last movie you watched?
25. Favorite color? .
26. Favorite Holiday?
27. Beer or Wine?
28. Night owl or morning person?
29. Favorite day of the week?
30. Favorite season?

 

 
1.Why did you start blogging? 
2. How did you come up with the title of your blog?
3. What’s your favorite thing about blogging?
4. Are your novels usually plot driven, or character driven?
5. Have you ever thought that the movie was better than the book? If so, what movie/book was it?
6. Of the four Pevensie children from the Chronicles of Narnia, which do you relate to the most?
7. What is your favorite fandom(s)?
8. What is your favorite genre to read?
9. What do you do more than the other, writing or reading?
10. How do you rate a book?
11. Who is your favorite author, and what is the first question you would ask them if you could?

Blog Tour: Go West by DiVoran Lites

Howdy-do all – today I’m taking part in another blog tour. This is for a book/author I am not familiar with, but the story sounds quite interesting! Read on for more information, and an except (and don’t forget that giveaway!). :)

 

About the Book

After duty as an ambulance driver in World War I, Ellie Morgan returns to Chicago to take up her share of the work in her grandparents’ department store. Ellie doesn’t want to alienate her family or disappoint them, but despite a six year effort to settle in, she feels increasingly trapped in store routine. Meanwhile, her grandmother urges her to marry a local politician and help him succeed in his chosen field. Ellie’s grandfather, however, wants to see her happy and independent. “Go West, young woman, go west,” he advises paraphrasing a popular quotation of the day. So with Granddad’s help, Ellie secures a job on a ranch in Colorado and sets out to prove that she has the necessary character to succeed at a third vocation.

When Aldon Leitzinger meets Ellie’s train in Clifton Colorado, he introduces himself as the foreman of the ranch. But the more people Ellie meets in the community, the more apparent it becomes that she is in demand to fill a number of roles for which she is not prepared. Desperate to prove herself, she settles in to please everyone, a task that puts her at risk of failure in every attempt at finding a new and happier life.

Buy now on Amazon!

 

 

About the Author

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn. She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

 

 

Giveaway

DiVoran has five prizes for five people! First to go will be the beautiful art cards and then we’ll have the two eBooks. Enter below:

Giveaway link

Excerpt

 

 

She looked up into the eyes of a tall man with silver-blond hair. He held her carpetbag in one hand and a deep brown Boss of the Prairie Stetson in the other. She didn’t know yet who he was, but she knew from working in her grandparent’s department store back home, that he had good taste in hats. His frayed khaki shirt, however, looked as if it were part of a uniform from the Great War.

 

 

Tour Schedule

July 10
Bookish Orchestrations – Tour introduction
Rebekah Lyn Books – Author Interview
Janice’s book reviews – Review

July 11
Frances Hoelsma – Book Spotlight
Rachel Rossano’s Words – Author Interview
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections – Character Interview

July 12
Shout Outs – Book Spotlight

July 13
Laurel’s Leaves – Author Interview
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae – Book Spotlight
Old Things R New – Book Spotlight

July 14
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Book Spotlight
Stephany’s BLOG Snippets – Character Interview

July 15
Bookish Orchestrations – Giveaway Winners

Save

“Continuing Destiny” by Sarah Holman ~ Book Review

(click on image to go to its amazon page)

“Continuing Destiny” by Sarah Holman

Short Story collection

My Rating: 3.5/4 out of 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

What would Maria’s life look like three years after The Destiny of a Galaxy? What about James, Quint, and Winter? This collection of four stories gives readers a glimpse into the romance, faith, trails, and everyday lives of this group as they each explore their Continuing Destiny.
Approximately 17 pages (5,500 words) long.

 

My Thoughts:

After finishing The Destiny Trilogy, it was fun to sort of “revisit” them, and see where the characters were a few years past the time where the series ended.

The short story (stories? They were more like chapters told from different character’s POV’s, telling a sort of continuing story) had a bit of a different feel to it, but still familiar and well-written. I very much enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend finishing off this series with this one! Adds a nice touch. :)

 

Blog Tour: “Dreams and Devotions” by Sarah Holman

Hello readers! Today I am taking part in the release blog tour for “Dreams and Devotions”! As you may have seen, I reviewed this book a short time ago – you can read that review here, if you’d like.  And now, for today’s post!

 

Some dreams will be dashed, and their devotion will be tested.

Dara’s life is full of farm work and worries, especially now that her older brother is a priest in a far off city. Yet she still has time to dream of the life she hopes will someday be. She dreams of marrying her dear friend and the worries of her family ending. Now, the selfishness of one person threatens her very way of life.

Dresden’s initial excitement about living a life devoted to the service of God quickly is dashed on the rocks of reality. The life of a priest is nothing like what he imagined. To make matters worse, he finds out his family back in his home village is on the brink of disaster. Torn between his vows and his love for his family, what will he choose?

 

Buy the book for the special preorder price, here.

 

 

 

Giveaway | Rafflecopter :)

 

 

 

About the Sarah

Sarah Holman is a not so typical mid-twenties girl: A homeschool graduate, sister to six awesome siblings, and author of many published books and short stories. If there is anything adventuresome about her life, it is because she serves a God with a destiny bigger than anything she could have imagined.

Find her at http://www.thedestinyofone.com

 

 

 

 

 

Stops on the blog tour:

July 8

Bookish Orchestrations ~ Faith Blum

July 9

His Princess Warrior ~ Katie Hamilton

July 10

In the Book Case ~ Tarissa Graves

Jessica Greyson ~ Jessica Greyson

July 11

Gods Peculiar Treasure Rae ~ Raechel

Read Another Page ~Rebekah Morris

July 12

Whimsical Writings For His Glory ~ Jesseca Dawn

Shannon McDermott ~ Shannon McDermott

July 13

The Page Dreamer ~ Deborah O’Carroll

July 14

Knitted by God’s Plans ~ Kendra E. Ardnek

With a Joyful Noise ~ Amanda Tero

Once Upon an Ordinary ~ Kate Willis

July 15

Jaye L. Knight ~ Jaye L. Knight

 

 

“Father, Forgive Them” by Sarah Holman ~ Book Review

(Click on cover image to go to its amazon page)

“Father, Forgive Them” by Sarah Holman

A Resurrection Story

 

My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

 

About the Book:

Jonathan was happy that this blasphemer would die. His only regret was that the Romans, not his people, would carry out justice. Yet, his world is rocked with a few words spoken from the cross.

A 5,000 word short story

 

 

My Thoughts:

This was a very short story about the death and glorious Resurrection of our Savior. It was a very touching story, as we are reminded the power in the empty grave – He is alive, and has forgiven all. Beautiful message, and well written for being so short!

“Under a Summer Sky” by Melody Carlson ~ Book Review

“Under a Summer Sky” by Melody Carlson

Book Three in the Follow Your Heart Series

Review copy from the publishers through Revell Reads Program

My Rating: 2.5/3  out of 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

High school art teacher Nicole Anderson is looking forward to a relaxing summer in Savannah, house-sitting and managing an art gallery for a family friend. The house is luxurious in a way that only old money could make it, and the gallery promises interesting days in a gorgeous setting. Yet it isn’t long before her ideal summer turns into more than she bargained for: a snooty gallery employee who’s determined to force her out, a displaced adolescent roosting in the attic, and two of Nicole’s close childhood friends–who also happen to be brothers–vying for her attention.

With a backdrop of a beautiful historical city, incredible architecture, and even an alleged ghost or two, combined with the opportunity for romance . . . anything can happen!

Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson invites readers to spend the summer surrounded by beauty and tantalizing possibilities for the future.

 

My Thoughts:

There was some aspects of this book that I enjoyed, and some that I did not. I also didn’t know this was the third in a series (the review program didn’t say I don’t believe), but it seemed to stand on its own just fine.

High school art teacher, Nicole, is from Seatle but accepts a summer job managing a gallery for a family friend down in Savanna. She is charmed by the southern town, and enjoys the scenery but her summer isn’t without difficulties as she deals with a co-worker and possibly un-wanted attention from a once-upon-a-time crush.

What I liked: The gallery. This actually surprised me, because art isn’t really my thing, but I found the scenes where she was working very interesting. I liked Ryan right away, and Bernie was a good character too. Possible SPOILER—-  I liked Nicole’s relationship with Ryan the best – that and the gallery is what mainly kept me reading; to find how where that led. END of SPOILER.

What I didn’t like: I wouldn’t catagorize this as a Christian book – pretty clean yes, but not necessarily Christian – it’s one of those books that the author is Christian, so a character may “say a prayer” real quick, but it is devoid of any true faith, which I find disheartening.

I didn’t care for Alex, but that is a personal preference I suppose. However, the love-triangle thing was a bit annoying – not as bad as I first expected though, so at least there was that. And what bothered me the most besides the missing faith (which is the most important element of a book in my opinion) was the almost obsessed fascination and acceptance of ‘ghosts’. Those are not something to play around with, because even what they described as ghost occurances are often  demonic. They made light of the whole ghost thing, making it a ‘cutesy’ part of the story, but I just don’t agree with that. While I do not believe in the “ooooh ghosts!”, I do believe the reality of demons.

In conclusion:

This book was an easy read – I was able to read it in just a couple sittings. And it does hold your attention pretty well, but for me it was more of a ‘fluffy’ book than anything.

(Also bummed they didn’t include Vivian’s return in the story – I would’ve liked to read how that went!).