Giveaway And Excerpt from A Mistaken Match by Whitney Bailey - Make A Date with Harlequin

 Make A  Date Blog Tour with Harlequin

Bea Reviews Furry Logic, 10th Anniversary Edition by Jane Seabrook

Publisher: Ten Speed Press 
Format Read: hardcover
Source: Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The adorable and high-profile Furry Logic series celebrates its 10th anniversary with a menagerie of illustrated animals and hilarious sayings about life, love, and everything in between.

     No one understands the ups and downs of life's little challenges better than the frisky critters of Furry Logic. The inspirational and tongue-in-cheek advice from series creator Jane Seabrook and her plucky animal characters will tickle the fancy and the funnybone of readers everywhere. Each intricately illustrated spread features a member of the animal kingdom with a unique take on life, from the adorably grumpy owl who advises "Smile first thing in the morning. Get it over with" to the fluffy hawk who admonishes, "If at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished." So join the original flock of penguins, bears, frogs, and more in celebrating a decade of wit and wisdom with ten new illustrated spreads for fans looking for fresh inspiration.blah

SPOTLIGHT & EXCERPT: Redemption by Heather Gray

Heather Gray is back again today with an excerpt from her new book, "Redemption", a historical romance. Heather is the author of the Ladies of Larkspur inspirational western romance series, including Mail Order Man, Just Dessert, and Redemption. Other titles include Ten Million Reasons, His Saving Grace, and Nowhere for Christmas – everything from Regency England to modern-day America. Aside from a long-standing love affair with coffee, Heather’s greatest joys are her relationships with her Savior and family. She decided years ago that she'd rather laugh than yell. This theme is prevalent in her writing where, through the highs and lows of life, her characters find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her.

DISCLOSURE: This book is an Astraea Press title; I work for Astraea Press. I am not being compensated for this post. ~ Bea


Find Heather Online:

My Website – http://www.heathergraywriting.com
My Blog – http://www.heathergraywriting.com/blog
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/heathergraywriting
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/+Heathergraywritingnow
Twitter – http://twitter.com/LaughDreamWrite
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/LaughDreamWrite

Quote-Tastic #46 I can always get back if anything goes wrong

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed you for one reason or another. Everyone's welcome to join in - authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier! Just grab the button and put up your post :) Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.  Quote-tastic is hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup.

This week, the 12th through the  18th, is Children's Book Week. I'm celebrating all week with reviews and giveaways of childrens for kids of all ages. So for today's meme, I picked some quotes from one of my fave kids books, "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe". It's a classic, in kids books, fantasy books, Christian books, and inspirational books. You can enjoy it on one level or many levels.

Interview with Author Kimberly Rae

Amazon bestselling author Kimberly Rae usually writes suspense about human trafficking. Her brand new book, "Blue Ridge Setup", published by Astraea Press, however, is a fun, lighthearted read set in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina.

About Kimberly ~

Amazon Bestselling author Kimberly Rae loves to help people fight human trafficking and live joyfully despite chronic illness. She has been published over 250 times and has work in 5 languages.

Rae has lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. She now lives in North Carolina at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two young children.

Excerpt from Along the Way Home by Christi Corbett

Today I have another Astraea Press author, Christi Corbett here, sharing an excerpt from her recently released debut novel, "Along the Way Home." It's a clean inspirational historical romance set in the western part of the USA. 

About Christi ~ 

I’m addicted to coffee, sticky notes, and the Oxford Comma. I live in a small town in Oregon with my husband and our twins. Our home’s location was especially inspiring as I wrote Along the Way Home because the view from the back door is a hill travelers looked upon years ago as they explored the Oregon Territory and beyond.

Find Christi Online:

When I’m not writing I love chatting with readers and writers alike. You can find me in one of the following locations:

Email: christicorbett@gmail.com

Blog: http://christicorbett.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristiCorbett

Facebook: Christi Corbett—Author

disclosure: I am employed by Astraea Press. I am not being compensated for putting up this post.  

GC Giveaway & Spotlight: The Hero's Lot by Patrick W. Carr

 

The Hero's Lot Blurb ~

 Riveting Sequel from Christian Fantasy's Most Talented New Voice. When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne. In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol's home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Series: The Staff and The Sword #2

Genre: YA, Christian Fiction, Epic Fantasy

Format: ebook, paperback

Release Date: July 15, 2013

Buying Links:  Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Hero's Lot is the Sequel to A Cast of Stones -
 

A Cast of Stones ~  An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers Will Love. In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom. Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Publisher: Bethany House Publishing

Series: The Staff and the Sword #1

Genre: YA, Christian, Epic Fantasy

Format: ebook, paperback

Release Date: February 1, 2013

Buying Links: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 

Author Patrick W. Carr Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

Find Patrick Online:

Website * Facebook

   

 Book Blast Giveaway 

 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

 Ends 8/11/13 

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author.  

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt from The Seduction of Esther by Jennifer Wilck

Hello! Another day, another excerpt. I do love excerpts. :D "The Seduction of Esther" is a romance centered around the Jewish holiday of Purim. The blurb and the cover caught my eye and I eagerly signed up.

Happy Birthday C.S. Lewis!

Actually, his birthday was yesterday, November 29th, but I was neck-deep in edits; today I'm only hip-deep. :D

Today, Lewis is best known for his children's series, The Chronicles of Narnia, but he wrote many more books. Most of them, I believe, have Christian themes, as do the Narnia books. However, I've only read his Narnia books so I may be mistaken.

As a child I loved the Narnia books, they were among my favorites. I only owned "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" but I regularly checked out the others from my school library, the town library and the base library and read them repeatedly. I just realized, I still only own the first book; I never did get around to buying the entire series. :D Bad Bea!

It wasn't until I was in college that I really realized all of the Christian subtext in the Narnia books. My roommate my sophomore year loved the books also and we stayed up late many nights discussing the books: the characters, the action, the detailing, the themes and subtexts. We had many, many discussions that lasted until the early morning hours.

If you're not familiar with the Narnia books, they take place in another world, accessed from Earth, but they are fantasy, not sci fi. Four siblings travel to Narnia and have many adventures. I loved the talking animals, the mythological creatures, and I really loved that little Lucy, the youngest of the siblings, was the smart, courageous, steadfast one. She was the youngest and the littlest, and on Earth, got the least amount of respect, but in Narnia, she was hot stuff. Being the youngest of four, two boys and two girls, just like the books, I could relate.

I was very happy when the first Narnia live action film came out a few years ago; I hoped it would equal or rival the Harry Potter films but alas, that failed to happen. :( So far, there have been 3 books made into movies; the first is my favorite but it was also my favorite of the books. I still have hope that the remaining 4 books will be turned into films. I would see them for sure! Hey, I've had my ticket to The Hobbit for several weeks now! Only 2 more weeks until it comes out. :)

I don't know how I'll make the time but sometime soon, I need to re-read the series. Library, here I come!

The Carpenter's Gift

Although I don't talk about it much on here, I'm a big supporter of Habitat for Humanity. I've volunteered with my local chapter off and on for about 15 years, as my health permits. If you're not familiar with Habitat, they are a global organization that believes every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe, and affordable place to live. While they are Christian based, they build with people in need regardless of race or religion. They accept volunteers and partner families regardless of religious affiliation.

I want to tell you about a children's book they have, "The Carpenter's Gift", published by Random House Children's Books, written by David Rubel and illustrated by Jim LaMerche. Originally issued in 2011, this year they are marking the 80th anniversary of the annual Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Later this year and next, there will be special efforts, currently unknown, made to highlight Habitat’s unique partnership with Rockefeller Center and their annual Christmas Tree donation to Habitat's housing ministry.

Author David Rubel and Habitat for Humanity International collaborated in the creation of "The Carpenter’s Gift", and the author shares a percentage of his earnings with Habitat. Habitat sees the lessons found within the book’s pages as an important way of conveying its mission. In the book, a pinecone grows into a towering tree and brings happiness to millions and a home to young girl. Similarly, Habitat’s hope is that The Carpenter’s Gift plants the concept of ‘sharing your blessings’ in the hearts of young readers. Families or individuals who want to support Habitat’s mission and make this special story even more memorable can order a unique collector’s item bookplate made from the 2010 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree at www.habitat.org/thecarpentersgift.

This is a new to me book, though I have a couple others, adult not children, by them regarding their mission and their origins. I'm not trying to preach to anyone here; I am a big believer in all people having affordable, safe, decent housing and Habitat is one organization working towards that goal. I haven't gotten my hands on this book yet, but I will. We're going into a season of major religious holidays so please consider purchasing this book - for your family, your friends, your local school or your local library.

THE CARPENTER'S GIFT: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree
Author: David Rubel
Illustrator: Jim LaMarche
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Ages: 5–8
Format: HARDCOVER, EBOOK
ISBN: 978-0-375-86922-8
Length: 48 pages

Book Blurb (from publisher):

This new classic Christmas gift book "brings together two great traditions: the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the neighbor-helping-neighbor program of Habitat for Humanity." Opening in Depression-era New York City, The Carpenter's Gift tells the story of eight-year-old Henry and his father selling Christmas trees. They give a Christmas tree to construction workers building Rockefeller Center and celebrate together. Through the kindness of the construction workers and neighbors, Henry gets his wish for a nice, warm home to replace his family's drafty shack. He plants a pinecone from that first Rockefeller Center Tree. As an old man, Henry repays the gift by donating the enormous tree that has grown from that pinecone. After bringing joy to thousands as the Rockefeller Center tree, its wood will be used to build a home for another family in need. 

You can buy the book directly from Habitat, from Random House or any major book seller. This will make a great gift, not only for the young children in your life but for anyone who cares about housing, tradition, or their fellow human being.

Review of Abby Finds Her Calling by Naomi King

Publisher: New American Library
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Series: Home At Cedar Creek #1

Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from the author's website):

The first in a warm-hearted new series featuring two Amish families and their community in Cedar Creek, Missouri.

The Lambright family’s eldest daughter, Abby, runs her own sewing shop. There, she mends the town’s clothes and their torn relationships. But the town maidel has sworn off any suitors of her own because of her unrequited love for James Graber, who is about to marry her younger sister, Zanna…

On the wedding day, Zanna is nowhere to be found, breaking James’ heart. Zanna has brought shame to her family, but there’s more in store for them when they discover how far she has fallen. Long-buried secrets come to light, and they test the bonds of the Cedar Creek community. Abby is at the center of it all, trying to maintain everyone’s happiness. But will she ever find her own?

Teaser:

Emma released her to hang the new dress on a peg where it wouldn't get wrinkled. She ran her fingers over the fabric...a new dress, the matching V-shaped cape, and a crisp white apron, as well. The expression on her face made James realize how perfectly Abby had pleased his sister. Emma had so little time to sew, and was so used to putting Mamm and Dat's-and his-needs before her own, he couldn't recall the last time she'd worn something new.

 And wasn't that on of the things Abby Lambright did best? She quietly watched, and waited for just the right time to share her love and her talents...

Reviewed By: Bea

My Thoughts:

Recently, Amish romances have become a very popular, and best selling, sub-genre of romance. While I typically stay away from religious themed romances, I do enjoy, on occasion, a "clean" romance, minus all of the sex. Hey, even an avowed smut hound such as myself needs a break now and then. Lynn Kurland is my favorite author of clean romances. The blurb for this sounded intriguing, and I was curious about this new variety of romance, so I gave it a try.

First off, I liked how respectful King is to the Amish way of life and her acknowledgement in the story that the Amish are no more cookie cutter, or problem free, than any other segment of American society. Moreover, faith does not mean that there's a lack of doubt or that you automatically do the right thing. Living the way you have chosen, whatever path that may be, has challenges big and small and we see that clearly in this story. There's doubt, fear, anger, pettiness, gossip, etc. But, all of the characters strive, in their own way, to overcome these challenges and live by the code, or Ordnung, of their faith. Some, such as Abby, are stronger than others, but all are imperfect.

Imperfection, is in fact, integral to the story. James' fiance, Zanna, who is Abby's younger sister, has made some mistakes and on her wedding day, shocks her family and the Cedar Creek community. The repercussions of her actions resound throughout the story and effect every one. The story is told primarily from the perspective of three characters: James, Zanna, and Abby, with most of the time being spent with the latter two. I would have liked a little more time spent in James's head as I felt I knew him the least.

You might wonder if an inspirational story would be overly sweet and this one came close, but King manages to avoid that pitfall. Although billed as a romance, it also lives up to it's name: Abby does indeed find her purpose in life. In addition, there's a main romance, the ending of a romance, the start of another romance (that's book two) and an unrequited romance. Also woven in are Abby's and Zanna's relationships with each other and the rest of their immediate family, James's relationship with his family, and their relationships within the larger community of Cedar Creek. It's a lot to work in and I'd have liked more time spent on the main romance (can't really say more without spoilers) but overall, I enjoyed it. The characters are likable and real, the stories are relevant and fascinating, and I enjoyed learning more about the Amish in general and the Amish of this particular community.(You can read more about this in Naomi's guest post.)

I received a paperback for review from the publisher.