CSFF August Blog Tour ~ A Cast of Stone/A Hero's Lot Day 2

A Cast of Stones and The Hero's Lot
The Staff and The Sword Books 1 and 2
By Patrick W. Carr

I was struck by the lust of power that drives the story.  The old statement power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely (and great men are almost always bad men.) seems to hold true for many of the characters.  But the question is why does the quest for power corrupt?  Is it truly this desire that corrupts the heart or was the heart corrupt all along and the the position of power just gave it the freedom to show its true self?

When we go to the Bible we see that we are all driven by our hearts.  What is in them will eventually come out for all to see.

Luke 6:45 - A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the

evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Matthew 12:34 - O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

1 John 1:8 - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

But we don't need to stay in our corruptible state because

1 Peter 1:23 - Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

We like Errol can be remade.  We can turn from the desire for power and instead turn to the true power God or as He is referred to in this series Deas.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the final day of the CSFF Cast of Stones August Blog Tour.

I was provided a copy of A Cast of Stones and The Hero's Lot in exchange for my honest review and for this blog tour.

* All Biblical references are taken from the KJV.

Get a free eBook of A Cast of Stones here until August 31st!

Be sure to check out all the tour participants who will be posting throughout the 3 day (Aug 26-28) CSFF Blog Tour!

Julie Bihn   Jennifer Bogart   Keanan Brand   Beckie Burnham 

Jeff Chapman   Laure Covert   Pauline Creeden   Emma or Audrey Engel 

April Erwin   Nikole Hahn   Jason Joyner   Carol Keen 

Krystine Kercher   Shannon McDermott   Meagan @ Blooming with Books 

Rebecca LuElla Miller   Writer Rani   Nathan Reimer   Chawna Schroeder 

Jojo Sutis   Steve Trower   Phyllis Wheeler   Rachel Wyant

You can buy the first 2 books of The Staff and The Sword series at the following 

A Cast of Stones    The Hero’s Lot 

Be sure to check-out author Patrick Carr's Website 

The Lost Heir ~ Review

The Lost Heir
The Dragonath Chronicles Book 1
by Andi O'Connor

When an unexplained calamity seemingly out of Darrak Hunter's dreams begins altering Earth, he is whisked away to a foreign world where he is out of his element.

But he isn't as out of his element as he thinks, because he is the lost heir of Dragonath.  But someone is hunting him, an ancient enemy has spent years in the shadows gaining strength and followers and Darrak is caught up in a war that's about to erupt.  A war for the throne of Dragonath and for the survival of Earth.

But Darrak is not alone in his struggles to discover who and what he is.  For some unfathomable reason there are others who have just discovered powers that have not been evident on Dragonath for generations.  And some powers have never before been evident among any the citizens.

On a planet graced by purple skies Darrak Hunter is about to face the Organization and the wielders of Halla magic.  But time is against him and those who are determined to help this unknown lost heir.

I has to say I'm intrigued by the unique aspects of Dragonath - a purple sky, a purple sun, plants that are not green.  How would any of us react if we awoke to what we had dreamed and then just moments later be whisked away from all we know to a new world - a world we a destined to rule?  Probably not as well as Darrak.

I am looking forward to book 2 in this series.  Not to give anything away, but one is definitely left with a cliffhanger of the reading kind.  And I want to know what happens to everyone.

I was provided a copy of this book through Pump Up Your Book for the purpose of this review

 About the Author:

The Lost Heir is Andi O'Connor's debut novel and is available in both paperback and eBook.  Her second novel, Silevethiel, is slated for release in October, 2013.  She is a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, the National Writers Association, The Association of Writers & Writing Programs, and the Boston Chapter of the Women's National Book Association.  Andi lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and four dogs.

You can visit Andi’s website at www.andioconnor.com or socialize with her at Facebook.

About the Book:

Always a meticulous planner, Darrak Hunter leads a dull life until his dreams become plagued with visions of a peculiar and distant world.  Waking up to a brilliant purple sun looming ominously in the sky, Darrak is met by a mysterious violet-eyed sorcerer who whisks him away from the struggling Earth.

Thrown into the clutches of a foreign world where magic is reality and not all is as it seems, Darrak embarks on a journey where he is forced to come to terms with his past and do what he can to shape the future.  Accompanied by a talented swordswoman, a prince, and a beautiful young sorceress, he must overcome cunning plots of treachery and betrayal to discover the strength to stand against a destructive black magic and an enemy who is a master at deception.

Purchase your copy:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

The Lost Heir Blog Tour Page:

http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2013/07/07/virtual-book-tour-pump-up-your-book-presents-the-lost-heir-virtual-book-publicity-tour/

CSFF August Blog Tour ~ A Cast of Stones Day 1

A Cast of Stones
The Staff and The Sword Book 1
By Patrick W. Carr

A Cast of Stones is Errol Stone's story.  It opens with a young man who is a drunk and has been since he was 14 years old.  A tragic lost destroyed him and his image of himself and he turned to ale.  But when a simple task of delivering a message turns into a life and death struggle Errol's life is about to change forever.

In a series of events that threaten to end his life early Errol manages to survive.  But the question top-most on the minds of those most closely related to this lost young man is why would anyone be targeting him. Of what importance is Errol Stone an orphan with no skills but drinking ale?

But each experience strengthens Errol and allows him to grow as a person.  But this is how all experiences in our lives should be - moments of trial should allow us to grow, to be refined.  A Cast of Stones actually brought to mind two songs The Refiner's Fire and the following lines:

Purify my heart

Cleanse me from my sin

Deep within

The second song is Find Us Faithful and the following lines:

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

May the fire of our devotion light their way

May the footprints that we leave

Lead them to believe

And the lives we live inspire them to obey

A Cast of Stones is a fantastic series debut and it left me wanting to read book 2 The Hero's Lot which I can happily say I am doing.  Come back tomorrow for more CSFF Blog Tour insights.


I was provided a copy of A Cast of Stones in exchange for my honest review and for this blog tour.

Get a free eBook of A Cast of Stones here until August 31st!

Be sure to check out all the tour participants who will be posting throughout the 3 day (Aug 26-28) CSFF Blog Tour!

Julie Bihn   Jennifer Bogart   Keanan Brand   Beckie Burnham 

Jeff Chapman   Laure Covert   Pauline Creeden   Emma or Audrey Engel 

April Erwin   Nikole Hahn   Jason Joyner   Carol Keen 

Krystine Kercher   Shannon McDermott   Meagan @ Blooming with Books 

Rebecca LuElla Miller   Writer Rani   Nathan Reimer   Chawna Schroeder 

Jojo Sutis   Steve Trower   Phyllis Wheeler   Rachel Wyant

You can buy the first 2 books of The Staff and The Sword series at the following 

A Cast of Stones    The Hero’s Lot 

Be sure to check-out author Patrick Carr's Website 

The Candle Classic Bible ~ Review

The Candle Classic Bible
Retold in 365 Stories

The Candle Classic Bible is a condensed version of the Bible that would make a perfect gift for a new reader who wants to read through the Bible in a year.  No this is not an in depth exhaustive Bible, but it is one that will appeal to the 7 - 10 year old who wants to read the Bible and not get hung up in some of the more confusing aspects (such as the detailed laws of Israel and multiple names for people and places).

Opening with Creation and ending with John's vision on Patmos your child will be introduced to all the major points of the Bible in an easily understandable book.  Days 1 through 260 cover the Old Testament.  Day 261 touches on the time between the Testaments.  And Day 262 through 365 covers the New Testament with Day 262 to 337 focusing on the Gospel message.

This Bible would be perfect for a gift (birthday, Christmas, or Confirmation/ First Communion) or for family daily devotions.  With illustrations on most pages The Candle Classic Bible is sure to capture even the youngest reader's attention.

I was provided a copy of this title by Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review.

About the book: A Bible story for every day-365 of the best-loved Bible stories fully illustrated in a classic style will become favorites for children and parents alike, with each story divided into easy-to-read sections with the day, heading, and Scripture reference. Children are encouraged to spend family time together reading a new story each day.

Old Testament: From the Story of Creation to Isaac, from Joseph to Ruth, from Job to David, from Elisha to the Prophets.

New Testament: From John the Baptist to the story of Jesus, to the story of the Apostles, to John's Vision of Heaven.

Grace's Pictures ~ Review

Grace's Pictures
An Ellis Island Novel
By Cindy Thomson

America is Grace McCaffery's opportunity for a new life.  An opportunity to get out of the workhouse.  An opportunity to bring her mother to America.  But first Grace needs to get a job and start earning money so she can free her mother from the man she married.  But a workhouse upbringing hasn't prepared her for life in America.

With the help of an immigrant outreach group Grace has a chance at the new life promised her.  Soon Grace is employed by a family as a nanny/housekeeper.  As Grace adjusts to this new life she takes an interest in photography.  When Kodak comes out with its $1.00 Brownie camera, this may be the opportunity that Grace has been hoping for.

But this interest soon places Grace right in the path of danger when she starts taking pictures.  Policeman Owen McNulty is determined to help Grace and other newly arrived immigrants from the dangers that are infiltrating the city.  But Grace has a deep seated fear and distrust of police.  But when trouble finds Grace can she determine who she can trust before it is too late?  Or will she lose those she has come to care for in America too?

Grace's Pictures is a well-written historical fiction that brings the plight of the newly arrived to light.  Seeking a better life many immigrants were trapped in a life of drudgery and poverty from the moment they sent foot in New York City.  When the very people assigned to protect them take part in this extortion or look the other way and system of mistrust took hold, but there were those who sought to right the wrongs in the city and Grace's Pictures shares this effort.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.  


About the Book:
Grace McCaffery hopes that the bustling streets of New York hold all the promise that the lush hills of Ireland did not. As her efforts to earn enough money to bring her mother to America fail, she wonders if her new Brownie camera could be the answer. But a casual stroll through a beautiful New York City park turns into a hostile run-in with local gangsters, who are convinced her camera holds the first and only photos of their elusive leader. A policeman with a personal commitment to help those less fortunate finds Grace attractive and longs to help her, but Grace believes such men cannot be trusted. Spread thin between her quest to rescue her mother, do well in a new nanny job, and avoid the gang intent on intimidating her, Grace must put her faith in unlikely sources to learn the true meaning of courage and forgiveness.

Blowing on Dandelions ~ Review

Blowing on Dandelions
Love Blossoms in Oregon Book 1
By Miralee Ferrell

Katherine Galloway has been making a life for herself and her daughters Lucy and Amanda in the 3 years since her husband's death.  But when her mother decides that Katherine needs her help Katherine is about to get more than she can possibly handle on her own!  All Katherine really wants from her mother is her love and respect, is that too much to ask?

Looking to make a fresh start widower Micah Jones has just recently moved to Baker City, Oregon with his son Zachary.  Micah is angry with God, blaming him for the pain and loses that he has experienced starting with his wife's death.

When Katherine and Micah meet they are drawn to one another, but neither is interested in pursuing romance or the possibility of a second marriage.  Complicating this situation is the "friendship" of Lucy and Zachary.  Throw in Katherine's overbearing mother and a house full of boarders and you're just asking for some overblown misunderstandings.

Blowing on Dandelions looks at how families deal with their disappointments and losses.  Our faith in God goes a long way in determining how we face the challenges of life and and how we respond to those around us.  Respecting and honoring our parents is important but the same is true for how parents deal with their own children.

There is an unexpected depth to Blowing on Dandelions that is hidden within the covers.  A valuable lesson to look beneath the surface of a person's personality to see the true person is wrapped up in a delightfully entertaining story.  I for one look forward to reading the future installments of this series and learning more about the people of Baker City, Oregon.

I was provided a copy of this title by the the publisher David C. Cook and BookFun.org in exchange for my honest review.


Do Dandelion Wishes Actually Come True?

Katherine Galloway knew this moment of calm wouldn’t last, blown away like the dandelion seeds she scattered as a girl. In 1880, three years after her husband’s death, she struggles to run an Oregon boardinghouse and raise two girls alone. Things don't get easier when her critical, domineering mother moves in. Katherine must make the situation work, but standing up for herself and her family while honoring her mother isn't easy. And with a daughter entering the teenage years, the pressure on Katherine becomes close to overwhelming. Then she crosses paths with Micah Jacobs, a widower who could reignite her heart, but she fears a relationship with him might send things over the edge. She must find the strength, wisdom, hope, and faith to remake her life, for everything is about to change.

About Miralee Ferrell

I love life, love my family, love writing and reading and riding, LOL~ did you catch that? Riding my horse, that is, and sailing with my husband, reading other awesome books by Christian authors and puttering in my garden are all ways I relax. I often have my little 6 lb Chihuahua, Lacey, on my lap when I'm working--there's nothing like a warm ball of love on your lap to act as a stress reliever!

First and foremost I'm a child of God and daughter of the King. I've been involved in women's ministries for years, and serve on staff at our small church. I'm married to a wonderful man, have two grown children, two cats, two dogs and an Arabian mare. We live about 9 miles from the nearest town on 11 acres, in a peaceful setting surrounded by trees.

I started writing shortly after I turned 50, and discovered I loved it so much I don't want to stop. I have six books out & a 7th releasing June, 2013, the first in a three-book series. I write both women's contemporary fiction and historical romance. One of my Western romances, Love Finds You in Sundance, WY, was awarded the Will Rogers Medallion for Western Fiction.

Welcome to Last Chance ~ Review

Welcome to Last Chance
A Place to Call Home Book 1
By Cathleen Armstrong

When Lainie Davis decides to leave her life in California behind and get a new start in El Paso, the last thing she expected was getting stranded in Last Chance, New Mexico.  But a dead car in the middle of nowhere town called Last Chance seems about Lainie's luck.

But Lainie is about to experience something she never expected - a town full of caring people.  But does Lainie want to become part of a town where everyone knows what you are doing before you do.  Or does she want to get lost in a big city where no one knows or cares about you?

But Last Chance won't leave Lainie alone as they take her in by offering her a home, a job, and friendship.  But after spending a lifetime of never being able to trust or rely on anyone Lainie isn't sure what to make of Last Chance.  But as the town and some of the residents start to make in-roads in Lainie's life, she worries that her past may catch up with her.

Last Chance reminds me a little of the town where I live, though not so out in the middle of nowhere.  It is the kind of place you wish you could say born and raised here.  I enjoyed Welcome to Last Chance and in fact stayed up late to read just one more chapter and instead finished the book.  I'm looking forward to future installments in this series.  Lainie reminds me of some people I've known - hurting people who are searching for something more.  Welcome to Last Chance is a book of hope and great series debut.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

About

She's learned you can't count on anyone--but she didn't count on landing in Last Chance.
The red warning light on her car dashboard may have driven Lainie Davis to seek help in the tiny town of Last Chance, New Mexico, but as she meets the people who make this one-horse town their home, it's her heart that is flashing bright red warning lights. These people are entirely too nice, too accommodating, and too interested in her personal life--especially since she's on the run and hoping to slip away unnoticed.

Yet in spite of herself, Lainie is increasingly drawn into the small-town dramas and to a handsome local guy with a secret of his own. Could Lainie actually make a life in this little town? Or will the past catch up to her even here in the middle of nowhere?