Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts

2.29.2024

An Unlikely Proposition ~ Review

An Unlikely Proposition
Unexpected Seasons #2
By Roselyn Eves

Imagine being a widow at seventeen years of age. Well, Eleanor Lockhart finds herself in just such a position. Not only is she a widow, she's finished her year of mourning after a mere month of marriage. Yikes!!!! 

But her husband's death has left her with means, and she means to enjoy life a little and have some fun. Her late husband's nephew and heir has other ideas. If Eleanor marries, her inheritance then goes to her dear, loving nephew-in-law. He is so concerned at her widowed state he is determined to help her find someone to become husband number two, and the sooner, the better. After all, he can certainly make better use of her money.

But first, Eleanor needs a new companion, one who won't steer her into a new marriage. Enter Thalia Aubrey, a young woman with poetic tendencies. A friendship between the two young women soon forms.

This is a lovely and delightful Regency read that finds a young woman having to navigate a new period of life. But she's determined to keep her independence, an independence afforded her by her late husband. But she'll have to figure out how to thwart those who are after her inheritance (namely her late husband's nephew). There are heroes and villains, fake engagements, and discovered loves. And they all end in a tangled mess that has a most satisfying conclusion. 

This an enjoyable read that, though written for the young adult reader, can easily be enjoyed by most, especially if you are a fan of Regency Romance. Highly recommended for a quiet afternoon or a long weekend in your favorite cozy corner.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide an honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:
A standalone companion to An Improbable Season, this Regency romance ⁠― perfect for fans of Bridgerton ― is about following your heart, pursuing your dreams, and falling head over heels in love.

Eleanor did not come to London to be proper and boring. After the death of her husband and a year of mourning, the seventeen-year-old wants nothing more than her independence and to have a little fun. She’s hardly looking to remarry, despite pressures from her late husband’s nephew, who is keen on obtaining her inheritance. Eleanor quickly devises a plan that includes a fake engagement. What’s not a part of the plan? Falling for a dashing, quiet man outside of her social circle – a man who is not her betrothed. Can she survive the Season with her heart and her fortune intact?

Thalia is determined to begin afresh after a disastrous first Season in London. No romantic distractions, but only her work as a poet and newfound companion to Eleanor. Determined to get her poems published, she struggles to be taken seriously as a female writer. As the spring progresses, Thalia does not expect to take interest in a man from her past (a man who is engaged to her employer, no less!), but some feelings demand to be felt even if the timing isn’t quite right.

Rosalyn Eves's An Unlikely Proposition is a transportive Regency drama that captures the sparkle of London, the thrill of friendship, and the swoon of new love.



11.19.2023

Of Sea and Smoke ~ Review

Of Sea and Smoke
The Fireborn Epic #2
By Gillian Bronte Adams

This is a fantastic read it follows within hours of the conclusion of book one Of Fire and Ash. And trust me when I say you have to read the series in order! There are so many stories and characters that have come together in this book that if you haven't read the first one, you will be utterly lost, much like Ceridwen finds herself in this book.

This story is from the viewpoints of several characters, all of whom seem destined to play a vital role in the war that has crossed the sea and engulfed more than one nation in the violent quest for power. Ceridwen is The Fireborn and the obvious heir to the throne but for the shame and debt she owes for her brother's death. Then there is Rafi who has been running for so long he doesn't have a place he truly can call home. At least not since the murder of his brother. And then there are his secrets and the lies he lives to hide them. But the one character who seems most shrouded is Jakim. Jakim who is far from his home. Born free, enslaved, freed, and enslaved yet again. He desires nothing more than to return home, yet he feels he has been called to this foreign land at this time for a reason.

From where Of Fire and Ash concluded one felt one had an idea where the story would go to next. Well, it did but then everything went all topsy-turvey and everything got shuffled around. If this hadn't happened so early in the book one would be in despair as to how the book would conclude. Well, it did happen early on, and greater depths were found in our main characters as they struggled to get back what was lost.

This book doesn't lack for anything. All of the characters have depth even those who may only be in it for one or two scenes. The settings are as vast as those seen between hemispheres and continents. There can be richness or starkness and each fits perfectly into place - a tribute to the author's years of work and research that had to go into this book.

I highly recommend this book either as a book in hand or an audio edition (I have both on preorder).

I was provided a complimentary advanced digital copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.




About the Book:
He rides a seablood, 
a steed of salt and spray, 
born to challenge the tides.

Six years ago, the wrong brother survived, and nothing will ever convince Rafi Tetrani otherwise. But he is done running from his past, and from the truth. As civil war threatens Ceridwen’s tenuous rule in Soldonia, Rafi vows to fight the usurper sitting on the imperial throne of Nadaar, even if it means shouldering his brother’s responsibilities as the empire’s lost heir.

The stolen shipload of magical warhorses offers just the edge he needs. But the steeds have been demanded in ransom by the emperor’s ruthless assassin, and if Rafi hopes to raise a band of riders, he must first outwit his brother’s murderer.

Yet when his best efforts end in disaster, and an audacious raid sparks an empire-wide manhunt, even forging an unexpected alliance might not be enough to help Rafi turn the tides, let alone outrace the wave of destruction intent on sweeping them all away.

Seas boil and jungles burn in this tempestuous second installment of The Fireborn Epic as the outcast queen, captive missionary, and royal rebel strive to unearth the mysterious power that hungers for their world.

10.27.2023

The Christy Award 2023 Finalists

The Christy Award Finalists 2023 JustRead Blog Blitz Banner

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for The Christy Award Finalists 2023 organized by ECPA and hosted by 
JustRead Publicity Tours! We extend our sincere and enthusiastic congratulations to 
The Christy Award 2023 Finalists & Winners!

YOU ARE INVITED

The Christy Award Gala 2023
Via webcast

November 16, 2023 | 7 pm CT

Featuring Chris Fabry, Davis Bunn, Janette Oke, 
and a host of Christy-winning authors

Hosted by Christy Hall of Fame author Chris Fabry, the Christy Award Winners Gala will be held 
Thursday, November 16th at 7pm CT via free webcast to recognize the finalists and announce the winners 
of The Christy Award in nine categories, Book of the Year, and Amplify Award. The event will feature two 
literary greats, Christian fiction legacy authors Janette Oke and Davis Bunn. Award presenters will include 
Christy winning authors Amanda Cox, Toni Shiloh, Nicole Deese, Patricia Raybon, Jocelyn Green,
  Sarah Sundin, Terri Blackstock, Karen Witemeyer, Sharon Hinck,
 and Kara Swanson.

The Christy Award Finalists 2023

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

A Seaside Wonder All That It Takes

To Believe in You To Win a Prince

A Seaside Wonder by Melissa Tagg (Larkspur Press)
All That It Takes by Nicole Deese (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
To Believe in You by Emily Conrad (Hope Anchor LLC)
To Win a Prince by Toni Shiloh (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

FIRST NOVEL

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip  The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon  

Porch Music

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon by Linda MacKillop (Kregel Publications)

Porch Music
by Kathy Maresca (TouchPoint Press Faith)

GENERAL FICTION

By Way of the Moonlight  When Stone Wings Fly 

  Where the Blue Sky Begins

By Way of the Moonlight by Elizabeth Musser (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
When Stone Wings Fly
by Karen Barnett (Kregel Publications)
Where the Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner
 (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL

All the Lost Places  The Hidden Prince 

  Within These Walls of Sorrow

All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar
(Tyndale House Publishers)
Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt (Kregel Publications

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

The Italian Ballerina The Rose and the Thistle 

The Sound of Light Yesterday's Tides

The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron (Thomas Nelson Publishers)
The Rose and the Thistle
by Laura Frantz (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)

Yesterday's Tides by Roseanna M. White
(Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER

By Way of Deception Cold Light of Day 

Forged The Souls of Lost Lake

By Way of Deception by Amir Tsarfati and Steve Yohn (Harvest House Publishers)
Cold Light of Day
by Elizabeth Goddard (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
Forged by Sara Davison (Mountain Brook Ink)

The Souls of Lost Lake
by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

SHORT FORM

A Return to Hawthorne House  O Little Town

  Kiss Me On Christmas

Always a Lady (in A Return to Hawthorne House) by Kristi Ann Hunter (Oholiab Creations, LLC)
Hopes and Fears (in O Little Town) by Amanda Wen (Kregel Publications)
Kiss Me on Christmas by Sarah Monzon
(Sarah Monzon)

SPECULATIVE

Drawn in Ash  Dream of Kings  

Yesterday's Gone

Drawn in Ash by John W. Otte (John W. Otte)
Dream of Kings by Sharon Hinck (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)

Yesterday's Gone
by Cindy Woodsmall & Erin Woodsmall (Tyndale House Publishers)

YOUNG ADULT

Blood Secrets  This Dreamer 

  The Whisperer's Wish

Wishtress  The Wonderland Trials

Blood Secrets by Morgan L. Busse (Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media)
This Dreamer by Sara Watterson (Sara Watterson)
The Whisperer's Wish by Janilise Lloyd (Scrivenings Press)
Wishtress by Nadine Brandes (Thomas Nelson)
The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella (Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media)


TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive their choice of The Art of Writing registration OR print copies of 
The Christy Award finalist titles for one category!

The Christy Award Finalists 2023 JustRead Tours giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. 
The giveaway began at midnight October 27, 2023, and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on November 3, 2023. 
The winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk 
forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


REGISTER FOR THE CHRISTY AWARD 2023 EVENTS

The Art of Writing webinars on Thursday evenings, 7 p.m. CT $69
online October 19, October 26, November 2, November 9
This virtual conference for writers, storytellers, and publishing curators includes access and
recordings to four webinars organized by publishers.

The Christy Award winners webcast on November 16 at 7 p.m. CT. - free but registration is required.
Celebrate this year's finalists and winners with authors, editors, publishers, and readers!

The Christy Award & Art of Writing 2023 Banner

REGISTER

The Christy Award® is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) and is
 the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999. For more 
information about ECPA, visit ECPA.org. For more information about the Christy Awards and 
Art of Writing conferences, visit ChristyAwards.com or email TheChristyAward@ecpa.org

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

11.03.2022

Presenting The Christy Award Finalists 2022

The Christy Award Finalists 2022 JustRead Blog Blitz

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for The Christy Award Finalists 
organized by ECPA and hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours

Today is all about the Christy Award Finalists for 2022.
See who is up for each category, and get ready to cheer on your favorite.
Which is, in several cases, hard - having read many of these books 
I don't envy the judges having to pick one winner.

Congratulations to ALL The Christy Award 2022 Finalists!

May the odds be ever in your favor!

The Christy Award Finalists 2022

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

All That Really Matters Bookshop by the Sea Husband Auditions

All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group), Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson Publishers), Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong (Kregel Publications)

FIRST NOVEL

All That Is Secret Recorder Sugar Birds

All That Is Secret by Patricia Raybon (Tyndale House Publishers), Recorder by Cathy McCrumb (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media), Sugar Birds by Cheryl Grey Bostrom (She Writes Press)

GENERAL FICTION

The Letter Keeper The Secret Keepers Old Depot Grocery Under the Magnolias

The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin (Thomas Nelson Publishers), The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group), Under the Magnolias by T. I. Lowe (Tyndale House Publishers)

HISTORICAL

Between The Wild Branches Drawn By The Current The Widows Of Champagne Yours Is The Night

Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group), Drawn by The Current by Jocelyn Green (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group), The Widows of Champagne by Renee Ryan (Love Inspired), Yours is the Night by Amanda Dykes (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

As Dawn Breaks Hope Between The Pages Shadows Of Swanford Abbey Until Leaves Fall in Paris

As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group), Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham (Barbour Publishing), Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group), Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)

MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER

Aftermath On The Cliffs Of Foxglove Manor The Barrister And Letter Marque

Aftermath by Terri Blackstock (Thomas Nelson Publishers), On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group), The Barrister and the Letter of Marque by Todd M. Johnson (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group) 

SHORT FORM

A Texas Christmas Carol False Pretense Mr Nicholas

A Texas Christmas Carol (in Under the Texas Mistletoe) by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group), False Pretense by Heather Day Gilbert (WoodHaven Press), Mr. Nicholas: A Magical Christmas Tale by Christopher de Vinck (Paraclete Press)

SPECULATIVE

A Time To Seek Dark Intercept Recorder Windward Shore

A Time to Seek by Tracy Higley (Stonewater Books LLC), Dark Intercept by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson (Tyndale House Publishers), Recorder by Cathy McCrumb (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media), Windward Shore by Sharon Hinck (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)

YOUNG ADULT

A Gentle Tyranny Realms of Light Shadow

A Gentle Tyranny by Jess Corban (Wander, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers), Realms of Light by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media), Shadow by Kara Swanson (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)


TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive print copies of The Christy Award finalist titles from one category of their choice!

The Christy Award 2021 Finalists JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. 
The full tour schedule is linked below. 
The giveaway began at midnight on November 3, 2022, 
and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on November 10, 2022. 
The winner will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway 
and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. 
US only. 
Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

The giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


REGISTER FOR THE CHRISTY AWARD 2022 EVENTS

YOU ARE INVITED:

Art of Writing on November 17, 12:30-5 pm at Lipscomb University in Nashville $99
A conference for writers, storytellers, and publishing curators.


The Christy Award Gala on November 17, 7-9 pm at Lipscomb University in Nashville, $89
Celebrate this year's finalists and winners with authors, editors, publishers, and readers!

Bundle the Art of Writing Conference & The Christy Award Gala $139

REGISTER*

The Christy Award® is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) and is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999. For more information about ECPA, visit ECPA.org. For more information about the Christy Awards and Art of Writing conferences, visit ChristyAwards.com or email TheChristyAward@ecpa.org


*First 100 to register are entered to win a set of Jan Karon novels!

The first 100 registered for The Christy Award events will automatically be entered to win a full set of The Mitford Series novels by our evening's honoree, Jan Karon -- including a signed copy of At Home In Mitford. Karon will address our attendees via video cast.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours