Rina's Reading: May 2014

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

WoW #43: Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Series: Hidden Masterpiece, #1
Thomas Nelson July 2014

About
And then came war . . .

"Today." Sera James spends most of her time arranging auctions for the art world's elite clientele. When her search to uncover an original portrait of an unknown Holocaust victim leads her to William Hanover III, they learn that this painting is much more than it seems.

"Vienna, 1942." Adele Von Bron has always known what was expected of her. As a prodigy of Vienna's vast musical heritage, this concert violinist intends to carry on her family's tradition and play with the Vienna Philharmonic. But when the Nazis learn that she helped smuggle Jews out of the city, Adele is taken from her promising future and thrust into the horrifying world of Auschwitz.

The veil of innocence is lifted to expose a shuddering presence of evil, and Adele realizes that her God-given gift is her only advantage; she must play. Becoming a member of the Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz, she fights for survival. Adele's barbed-wire walls begin to kill her hope as the months drag into nearly two years in the camp. With surprising courage against the backdrop of murder and despair, Adele finally confronts a question that has been tugging at her heart: Even in the midst of evil, can she find hope in worshipping God with her gift?

As Sera and William learn more about the subject of the mysterious portrait--Adele--they are reminded that whatever horrors one might face, God's faithfulness never falters.

Why I want to read it

I don't automatically pick up books that take place in two different time periods, but recently I read A Promise in Pieces that beautifully wove the present day with the past. So I'm willing to give it a try. This book sounds hauntingly lovely. Bonus: check out the author's Pinterest board devoted to this book.

Pre-order it:

Amazon ($11.95 / $9.99) and ChristianBooks ($11.99 / $9.99) and Barnes and Noble ($11.95 / $9.99)
Prices are good as of April 9, 2014 for pre-ordering the paperback/ebook edition. Please double check for yourself.

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Thursday, May 22, 2014

The Truth Seeker by Dee Henderson

The Truth Seeker by Dee Henderson. Tyndale, 2001. 330p. (9781414310589) Series: O’Malley, #3

A year ago I received this whole series as a gift, I’ve finally gotten around to reading them and in four days I’ve read four of the books (the prequel and 1 through 3). Tonight would have been number five but I had an event to go to, an email to compose and this review to write - tomorrow though!

Goodreads Summary/ Backcover:

Amy Ireland disappeared twenty years ago without a trace. For U.S. Marshall Quinn Diamond, it's a case that has never closed. He's still searching - determined to learn the truth.

Lisa O'Malley is a forensic pathologist: mysteries are her domain. She has worked crime scenes in Chicago for years. Examining a sea of evidence, the connections between victims are so faint that they fade into ill-defined wisps as she searches for a pattern.

The threads are pulling Lisa's and Quinn's cases together. And where they intersect there's a killer who will stop at nothing to see his secret remain buried.

Quinn wanted Lisa's help. He never planned to put her in danger. She didn't expect him to invade her heart...or his God to change her life. And while Lisa understands death and darkness all too well, she's about to discover love and the Resurrection.

My Review:

I have really enjoyed this series. Mysteries involving grim situations that require FBI agents, crisis negotiators, U.S. Marshalls, forensic pathologists and more (those are the professions of the lead characters in the first four books) aren’t usually the books I pick up for fun. But I’m so glad I finally got around to this series.

The books are page turners; I have a new respect for the long hours and stress endured by law enforcement and emergency personnel. Except for the prequel, each book is about a different member of the O’Malley family – a group of orphans that adopted each other and all legally changed their names. And each has a stressful job, in addition to the ones mentioned above there is a firefighter, trauma counselor, paramedic, and pediatrician.

In at least two of the books so far I’ve noticed an editorial mistake. In this one the months got mixed up – something happened on the “last Monday of October” when the reader has already been told an important wedding will be on October 22^nd of this year. And the wedding does take place later in the book.

The author does a great job addressing different aspects of Christianity that people have a hard time accepting, but the resolution and the ‘I believe’ moment happens very quickly and almost too conveniently.

Photo source

Since I’m reviewing this book to count for a book scattegories game on Goodreads, I had better mention that there’s a horse named Annie that Lisa rides and is comforted by. (Needed an animal’s name to start with an A!)

Oh, and the stories definitely take place in the late 1990s or turn of the century because house phones still had cords and watching a movie at home involved rewinding the tape. :-)

If it weren’t so late and I wasn’t tired and Saturday wasn’t packed full, I would start the next book and stay up until probably 3 am reading. But I’ll be a good girl and get much needed sleep. :P

If you like mystery, crime stories, smart and witty characters, and law enforcement with some romance and Christianity then this is a series for you.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($9.99 / $13.17); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($9.69 / $11.99 or $8.99); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($10.49 / $13.41)

(E-book / paperback prices good as of May 22, 2014; always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I received this book as a gift from a friend. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

~~~

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

WoW #42: Heaven Sent Rain by Lauraine Snelling

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Heaven Sent Rain by Lauraine Snelling

FaithWords July 2014

a woman with a long white coat and red umbrella approaches a boy and dog on a bench

About
Dinah Taylor has an orderly life that is just how she likes it. A perfectly furnished luxury apartment, a satisfying career as a scientist and CEO of her own company, and an uncomplicated personal life. But all of that changes when she meets seven-year-old Jonah.

The boy shows up one day, a scruffy dog by his side, in front of her office building. Dinah knows nothing about kids and even less about animals, but after she buys him breakfast, he shows up the next day...and the next. She tries to learn more about him, to help him, but he's remarkably skilled at evading her questions. And then, late one night, he calls her in a panic-his dog has been badly injured. Dinah rushes them to a local animal clinic, where she meets Garret, a veterinarian with a thriving practice and a passion for drawing. Though Jonah takes to Garret right away, for some reason neither understands, Dinah and Garret just don't mesh. But for Jonah's sake, their lives continue to collide, and slowly the relationship between these three strangers begins to change.

Why I want to read it

It sounds like a sweet story and a type that is different from a lot of the books I've recently read. Plus there's something about the cover that just captures your attention - you just want that boy and dog to find someone.

Pre-order it:

Amazon ($13.50 / $9.99) and ChristianBooks ($11.99 / $8.79) and Barnes and Noble ($13.23 / $9.99)
Prices are good as of April 9, 2014 for pre-ordering the paperback/ebook edition. Please double check for yourself.

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Monday, May 19, 2014

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge. YWAM Publishing, 2000. 222p. (9781576581643) Series: Christian Heroes: Then & Now

This has been sitting on my nightstand for a while and this morning I picked it up and read it over breakfast. Then I read it during lunch and kept reading until I finished it. What an interesting story! I know it only scratched the surface of Cameron Townsend’s life.

Written for youth this book chronicles the life of Cameron Townsend as he struggles to figure out what to do with his life as a teenager, to becoming a missionary in Guatemala, to translating the New Testament into Cakchiquel, to founding Camp Wycliffe that later became the Summer Institute for Linguistics and Wycliffe Bible Translators, to founding JAARS and all the work that went into establishing those organizations.

His was a very full, very busy life with sorrow and tragedy but also triumph and success. I never knew how Wycliffe Bible Translators got founded and now I want to learn more about Uncle Cam as he became known, his family, and the many amazing stories translators have to tell.

If you are interested in the history of missions, Wycliffe Bible Translators, or Mexico and Guatemala then this is a book worth reading.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($6.99 ebook); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($6.69 pb); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($8.09 pb)

(Prices good as of May 18, 2014 always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Sunday, May 18, 2014

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay. ThomasNelson, 2013. 328p. (9781401689681)

I’m writing this a few months after reading the book. (It’s been a busy semester and other reviews got pushed ahead of this one…) But this is the third book I read on my 24 hour trip home for Christmas and while I did have to close my eyes a few times on the third and last flight I did finish this delightful book before touching down at home.

Goodreads Summary:

Dear Mr. Knightley is a contemporary epistolary novel with a delightful dash of Jane Austen.

Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.

My Review:

I certainly enjoyed this book while reading it but the characters didn’t stick with me. Though that might be because I had hardly slept in 24 hours when I read it. Flipping back through it now makes me want to reread it and savor all the references to Austen and Bronte classics.

Samantha Moore, Sam, is an interesting character to get to know. Life hasn’t been easy and I think the author did a good job portraying Sam’s fears and the rational for her actions. Her story sucks you in and makes you hope she figures out what she’s looking for and can find it.

If you enjoy epistolary novels, characters that overcome difficult childhoods, and lots of quotes and references to classic books than you should give this book a try.

Go read it! Findit at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($9.99 / $14.39); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($9.99 / $11.99); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($9.99 / $14.69)

Prices are good as of May 18, 2014 for the ebook/ paperback edition. Please double check for yourself.

Disclosure: I received these book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter

Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter. ThomasNelson, 2007. 298p. (9781595542571) Series: Nantucket, #1

I’ve read the other books in this series and finally got a chance to read the first book. You don’t have to read them in order as the characters don’t overlap. Just the setting, Nantucket island, is the same.

Goodreads Summary:

On the beautiful island of Nantucket, salt and roses scent the air, waves sparkle over hidden currents, and a storm-tossed soul seeks safe harbor.

When Samantha Owen's estranged stepfather dies, she inherits his cottage in Nantucket--a place she left years ago, never planning to return. As a single mom, Sam can't afford to pass up on a financial windfall like ocean-front property. So she travels home to fix up the house and sell it . . . never suspecting that Landon Reed still lives two doors down. As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Sam must face the fact that Landon still doesn't know why she left the island. Will the secrets she's hidden all these years tear them apart . . . or is Landon's love really as unconditional as he claims?

Denise Hunter weaves a heart-tugging tale of shattered trust and enduring love . . . all in a romantic seaside setting.

My Review:

For a good part of the book I was wondering if the author had decided to branch out into non-Christian fiction. The characters didn’t have active faiths if they had one at all, there was no mention of church or praying or anything you usually expect.

Nearing the end I realized that she was giving us a picture of what persistent, unconditional love looks like. So it’s a cool visualization of what Christ’s love is like, but if anyone misses the allegory I don’t think it’s a realistic portrayal of human love. Landon was too perfect.

I did enjoy the story though and was reminded that the life of a single mother is a difficult one – a good reminder to pray for the single mothers I know. Samantha who goes by Sam, was nicely written and as with all the books in this series, now I want to visit Nantucket.

There are a number of kisses and once when Sam gets drunk she makes some stupid decisions and goes home with a man. They get interrupted though and there aren’t a whole lot of descriptive details, but still I’d say this is for older teens and up.

Rating: I didn't like enough to say 4 butterflies (i.e. worth the read and reread) but it's not exactly a fluff book either...so, 3.5 butterflies

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($9.99 / $13.14 or $7.19); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($9.99 / $11.99 or $6.29); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($9.99 / $7.99)

(E-book / paperback prices good as of May 13, 2014 always double check for yourself. The second pb is the value edition.)

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Blog Tour: Until That Distant Day by Jill Stengl

I'm quite excited to be a part of the launch tour for Until that Distant Day by Jill Stengl! As of Saturday I've started the book and the first few chapters hold a lot of promise. In just a few chapters I already care about Colette De Mer, wish her happiness and joy, admire her for standing up to and for her brothers, and hope she finds her own place in the world.

Back cover description

~ ~ ~

Colette and her brother Pascoe are two sides of the same coin, dependent upon one another in the tumultuous world of the new Republic. Together they labor with other leaders of the sans-culottes to ensure freedom for all the downtrodden men and women of France.

But then the popular uprisings turn bloody and the rhetoric proves false. Suddenly, Colette finds herself at odds with Pascoe and struggling to unite her fractured family against the lure of violence. Charged with protecting an innocent young woman and desperately afraid of losing one of her beloved brothers, Colette doesn’t know where to turn or whom to trust as the bloodshed creeps ever closer to home.

Until that distant day when peace returns to France, can she find the strength to defend her loved ones . . . even from one another?

"Jill Stengl is one of the rare authors with the ability to transport the reader to another world--a delightfully rich world of scent and sight and sound.” – Kim Vogel Sawyer, bestselling author of Echoes of Mercy

“Award-winning author Jill Stengl has created her greatest work yet in the inspiring and moving Until That Distant Day.” Jill Eileen Smith, bestselling author of the Wives of King David series.

~ ~ ~

As a part of this stop on the tour Jill has agreed to tell us:

“How did you go about researching the details of your story and what were some of the surprising things you learned?”

Thank you for joining my blog tour, Rina, and thanks for a great question!

I used several books about the French Revolution, including an amazing compilation of historical sources, The Days of the French Revolution by Christopher Hibbert. The bibliography of this book directed me toward original sources, many of which are available in their entirety on the Internet. I was able to read firsthand interviews and see engravings of buildings which are long gone—including the Palais des Tuileries, which is a central feature of my book.

One rabbit trail I followed while researching where the common people would have been buried at that time led me to the ossuaries in the catacombs underlying Paris. Apparently the overcrowded ancient graveyards inside the city became a public-health hazard by the late eighteenth century. So entire cemeteries were exhumed and the bones dumped into ancient mine tunnels beneath the city. At the time of my story, only one churchyard within city limits was still allowing burials—and, not many years later, even this graveyard was emptied and its contents added to the ossuaries . . . which, by the way, can be toured as part of the Paris museum system. Bizarre, n’est-ce pas?

Now who is this author you might ask? Frequent readers of this blog will recognize the name Stengl. That's right! Jill is Anne Elisabeth's mom! But now for the more formal author bio:

Jill Stengl is the author of numerous romance novels including Inspirational Reader's Choice Award- and Carol Award-winning Faithful Traitor, and the bestselling novella, Fresh Highland Heir. She lives with her husband in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin, where she enjoys her three cats, teaching a high school English Lit. class, playing keyboard for her church family, and sipping coffee on the deck as she brainstorms for her next novel.

She blogs at Books, Cats, and Whimsy. Do stop by and follow her to keep up with all her writing and reading-related activities!

Any good blog tour has a giveaway...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now be sure to visit the other stops along this tour and learn even more about this lovely book:

May 5

Tales of Goldstone Wood

Edgy Inspirational Romance

May 6

The Wonderings of One Person

May 7

The Writer’s Window

Jill Eileen Smith

The Writer of Dream Things

May 8

Letters from Annie Douglas Lima

May 9

May 10

The Overweight Bookshelf

May 11

Too Read or Not Too Read

May 12

Creative Madness Mama

May 13 – Giveaway Winner Announced

Tales of Goldstone Wood

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Top Ten Book Covers I'd Frame As Pieces of Art

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Book Covers I'd Frame As Pieces of Art

A rather difficult topic since while there are plenty of lovely book covers out there I'm not sure I'd want them all hanging on my walls... But let's see what searching through my Goodreads shelf turns up:

1. Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

2. The Soul of the Rose by Ruth Trippy

3. Dealing with Dragons by Patrcia C. Wrede

4. I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

5. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

6. Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson

7. River Secrets by Shannon Hale

8. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

9. The Wretched of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler

10. Winnetou III by Karl May

Whew, I found 10 and it only took going through 900 out of 1242 books on my Goodreads shelf.

What book covers would you like to hang on your walls?

Have you read any books with a librarian as an important character? Please share!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Blog tour and review: Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade

A book tour hosted by Prism Book Tours.

Welcome to my tour stop for

Meant to Be Mine

by Becky Wade

Meant to Be Mine
(A Porter Family Novel #2)
by Becky Wade
Christian Romance
May 2014 by Bethany House Publishers

My Review:
One of the things that stood out to me the most in this book is Becky’s talent for painting a scene so incredibly well. I felt like I was on the sidewalk looking at that tacky wedding chapel with Celia and Ty. That I was standing in the parking lot when Celia and her little girl saw the car.

Becky also made the characters come alive. I really wanted to shake some sense into Ty and ask, “What in the world do you think you’re doing!?!” Sorry all you Team Ty people, I still favor Matt from My Stubborn Heart. Maybe I’m just not used to encountering smart men from good families in Christian fiction that want a divorce so they can marry a gal who strings them along. Though he is very charming and caring and generous to both Celia and her daughter.

I really enjoyed that cute little girl, getting to meet the characters from Undeniably Yours and the uniqueness of a romance where the characters are already married. Plus we get to know a little more about Jake Porter. And I’m very much looking forward to his story!

Read this if you enjoy contemporary romance with twists, cowboys and cute little girls. And great (clean, but sweep you off your feet) kisses.

Book Description:
Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school—irresistible. When their paths cross again after college—still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

From Becky's pinterest board

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia’s ready to be Ty’s wife, but Ty’s not ready to be her husband. He’s a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he’s long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he’s known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia’s buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty’s achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn’t forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia’s trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * ChristianBook

About the Author

During her childhood in California, Becky Wade frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She's been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky's passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market, put her career on hold for many years to care for her kids, and eventually returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She’s delighted to be penning warm, wry, and heartwarming contemporary romances for the Christian market. Her CBA debut, My Stubborn Heart, was a finalist in both the RITA and INSPY awards. Undeniably Yours kicked off her Texas-set Porter Family series. Her newest contemporary romance, Meant to Be Mine, has just hit shelves!

These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Prize #1: $50 Visa gift card and a paperback or ebook copy of Meant to Be Mine (open internationally)
Prize #2: 1 lb. of Starbucks coffee and signed copies of Undeniably Yours and Meant to Be Mine (US Only)
Prize #3: Box of See's Chocolates and signed copies of Undeniably Yours and Meant to Be Mine (US Only)

May 4 - 18

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Come follow the tour!

May 5

Tressa's Wishful Endings

I Am A Reader

Rina's Reading

May 6

The Wonderings of One Person

JoJo's Corner

Heidi Reads...

May 7

Copywrite1985

Kindle and Me

Redpillows

AddLibrarian

Little Lisa

May 8

Katie ' Clean Book Collection

Christy's Cozy Corners

Tell Tale Book Reviews

The Written Adventure

Elle in Organic Shoes

Life Isn't Always a Fairytale

May 9

My Love for Reading Keeps Growing

Reviews By Molly

Batch of Books

Getting Your Read On

Coffee Books and Me

May 11 - Grand Finale

Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.

Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

Pages

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

WoW #43: Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Thursday, May 22, 2014

The Truth Seeker by Dee Henderson

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

WoW #42: Heaven Sent Rain by Lauraine Snelling

Monday, May 19, 2014

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Blog Tour: Until That Distant Day by Jill Stengl

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Top Ten Book Covers I'd Frame As Pieces of Art

Monday, May 5, 2014

Blog tour and review: Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade

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