Colors of Christmas is a two-in-one book. Two short stories with Christmas as the common theme. Christmas is supposed to be a happy time of the year but this year things are just not quite right.
First up is Christmas in Gold which finds Astrid moving out of her home and into an assisted community living facility. Christmas will be very different this year with all that she has been used to no longer an option. Christmas will no longer be the family gathering in her home. Rather it will be in her son's home.
But when the plans for Christmas are put in doubt Astrid makes plans with those she has come to know in her new home. And Astrid can tell that her therapist could use her friendship. And this year the greatest gift Astrid can give is friendship and hope.
Wondering why the title Christmas in Gold? This has to due to Astrid's memories of a cherished Christmas from her childhood one which was marked by special ornaments.
The second story is Christmas in Blue - Angela has lost her dearest friend and Christmas this year just won't be the same. And somehow the town's Christmas celebration has become her responsibility. But nothing seems to be going easy, in fact, it all keeps going wrong. With Christmas just days away help is nigh on impossible to find until an unexpected offer arrives. Soon what was going to be a blue Christmas becomes a Christmas celebration that will gladden any heart no matter what color Angela finds to create A Christmas to Remember.
These stories are both contemporary settings that end on an up note. These are stories that focus on the season and the importance of friendships in our lives. If you are looking for short but delightful Christmas reading this is an option.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the Book: Christmas in Gold When eighty-year-old Astrid moves into an assisted living community and meets a young woman on the brink of despair, she resolves to stir up Christmas hope one more time. Christmas in Blue Angela just wants Christmas to be over. Instead, she finds herself in charge of the town’s celebration, and everything goes from bad to worse. Can she rescue Christmas for the town—and herself?
Lady Cora Winfield is expected to marry well and of a man on her mother's approved list of eligible suitors. Unfortunately, most who meet her mother's criteria aren't men who appeal to Cora. When the Duke of Blackdale, Adam Douglas first sees Cora he is drawn to her. But meeting Lady Cora is nigh on impossible with her pre-approved suitors and the constraints of proper society.
But Cora's delight in nature, even when dictates of society suggested other activities would be preferable, could not be doused. And this very passion provides the duke with a means of connecting with the lady who has made such an impression upon him. But can he win the heart of such a lady - one who
When his suit is rejected in a most cruel manner, the Duke of Blakedale determines to capture the lady of his heart. But will Cora agree to be his bride when her desires are not taken into consideration? And her mother is not about to allow her only child to be whisked away against her wishes.
With the weather against them and the certainty of pursuers, Lady Cora is about to go on a journey she never expected and one that will forever alter her. After all, can a lady's reputation remain unblemished when she is soon to become the talk of London society?
This is a summer that no one involved in this dash to Scotland and Gretna Green will ever forget...
This is a delightful story that will enamor fans of Regency fiction. Cora is a character with whom the reader will wish to form a friendship with. And the Duke of Blakedale is one who earns the reader's empathy as he deals with his past. And Cora's mother the Dowager Countess of Winfield, well, what can I say, other than she wants her only child to be very close once she is wed and a Scottish Duke is not to her liking at all.
Sit back with a cup of tea, a cookie or two and enjoy a Regency escape with The Darkest Summer!
I was proovided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Darkest Summer:
In this riveting retelling of the classic myth of Hades and Persephone, Lady Cora Winfield is captivated when she first meets Adam Douglas, Duke of Blackdale. Despite their attraction, Cora’s mother refuses to allow the duke to marry her. Taking matters into his own hands, the duke abducts his chosen bride and Cora is swept into the adventure of her lifetime. Amidst danger and thrilling uncertainty, Cora must face the reality that she is falling in love with her captor.
When dutiful Lady Hester Douglas, over thirty and long on the shelf, receives word that her brother Adam, the Duke of Blackdale, has survived the Battle of Waterloo, she abandons propriety and heads to Brussels to be by his side. Her widowed minister, Mr. Alasdair Gilchrist, escorts her on the journey from Scotland into a Europe recovering from years of war.
Once she reaches her injured brother, Hester must fight to keep Adam alive and tightly guard her heart’s deepest secret—she’s been in love with Mr. Gilchrist for years.
Will the pain of being with the minister, the man she loves and can never have, distract her from her purpose? Or will she overcome the barriers of age, rank, and station, and seize the love she’s dreamt of?
The Darkest Hour is a standalone inspirational Regency romance novella and a prequel to The Darkest Summer.
Author bio:
Rebecca J. Greenwood is an author, artist, and designer with a love of stories, especially Regency romances. She grew up in Texas as the oldest of six and studied visual art with a music minor at Brigham Young University. Rebecca lives in Utah with her husband, where she listens to audiobooks, cooks experimentally, has an interest in alternative health, and constantly has a new project in mind. Visit rebeccajgreenwood.com to experience more of her art, writing, and upcoming projects.
Deeds of Darkness The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon #10 By Mel Starr
When Bampton's haberdasher and coroner, Hubert Shillside goes missing Hugh is called upon by the man's son. Will Shillside is concerned that his father is late returning from a purchasing expedition in Oxford. But clues are few and no evidence can be found of foul play other than Hubert's unexplained disappearance. But a stop at Osney Abbey reveals that others have fallen prey to the same apparent fate as Hubert.
Putting his skills to use Hugh is hard-pressed to find the victims he seeks. But as the days pass crime seemingly has moved into the area. Homes are robbed. People attacked. And an unidentified victim has been found. The road to Oxford is no longer safe to travel day or night. And unless the guilty party makes a mistake Hugh may be unable to bring justice to those in sore need of its administration.
Deeds of Darkness is a truly captivating mystery. And just when one thinks "Ah, he has discovered his villain" something occurs to throw this thought into doubt. This is one tangle that will take all of Hugh's skills to unravel.
If your cup of reading runs to historical mysteries, you simply have to give Hugh de Singleton a try. The story is set in the late 14th Century outside of Oxford. And for those who like to have historical figures in their historical fiction will enjoy scenes with Hugh's former professor of philosophy - Master John Wycliffe.
This is the tenth book in this series, but if you have not before read any books in this series that should not be a problem as the book can be read-alone and easily understood. There is a glossary of terms at the front of the book that you'll definitely make use of.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the Book:
To bring justice,
Master Hugh must foil the corrupt power of great men
Many medieval scholars discontinued their university studies before completing their degree. Some lacked funds; others became bored with a scholar's life. Occasionally these young men formed lawless bands, robbing and raping and creating chaos. They were called goliards.
In Deeds of Darkness, Master Hugh learns that the Bampton coroner, an old friend, has been slain while traveling to Oxford. As he seeks the killer (or killers) he discovers a band of goliards in the area between Oxford and Bampton. But how to apprehend these youths? They have protectors far above Hugh's station. He must deal with the claims of justice on the one hand and the power of great men to protect their henchmen on the other.
THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS tells the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other classic characters from “A Christmas Carol.” This special holiday film is sure to become another Christmas classic!
In celebration of this new movie, a 3-movie DVD giveaway is taking place. Yes, that's right 3 movies! But to find out more please read through the rest of this post and enter below to join in on this early Christmas fun. First off a little about the movie:
The Man Who Invented Christmas tells the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. Directed by Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), the film shows how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) mixed real-life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today.
THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS releases in theaters on
November 22, 2017.
That's right the movie opens the day before Thanksgiving
~
Have plans for the holiday weekend yet?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Now when it comes to your own Christmas traditions what do you most look forward to? Is there a favorite movie that you just have to see and enjoy with those closest to you? For my family, there are a couple of movies we look forward to. One Magic Christmas allows a woman to see just how blessed she truly is when she thinks that she has lost everything (husband, children, home, and job). The other movie that we enjoy is The Christmas Carol, the one starring Patrick Stewart. The acting is superb and Ebenezer's transformation is truly a thing to behold from young hurting child to miser to reformed uncle.
Unlike Scrooge, we in my household don't hold with the idea of not helping those in need and over the years have helped others through local giving to the food bank, clothing drives, and toy drives. But one of our greatest pleasures, as well as heartbreaks, has been ChildFund International. Watching these children grow and mature through years of correspondence can touch even the Scroogiest heart. And Christmas offers a chance to give them an additional gift. It is amazing how so little here can go further in another country offering the hope of an additional source of income for years to come. This was an organization that my mother supported before she and my father married and to this day my family continues to support several through it. If you are willing to stretch your heart check out this worthwhile organization. www.ChildFund.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Now to the giveaway and all the fun of entering.
First off you are probably wondering what is being given away ~ Admit it even if you don't want to enter the giveaway you are curious. I know I would be.
The DVD bundle is
The Sound of Music (starring Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews)
Beauty and the Beast (live-action starring Dan Stevens)
and
A Christmas Carol (starring George C. Scott)
Please enter for a chance to win
Open to residents with a US postal mailing address only
Purple Turtle Graded Readers Level 2 By Vanessa Black
Looking to help your child with their early literacy skills? Well, this delightful boxed book set is the perfect option. The box measures 14-3/4" wide x 9-1/2" tall x 1-3/8" deep.
The individual books measure 7" x 4-3/4" and in the box, the books are 3 across and 4 deep. The books are hardcover with a stitched binding. The books are just under 30 pages each. Each book has a story and is followed by several pages of activities that correspond to the story.
The books in the Level 2 collection include the following titles.
Too Many Clothes when Zing's closet won't close because of too many clothes Purple helps him out by sorting out what is used and what is not. Four fun pages of clothes activities follow.
Purple Goes on Holiday which is a week's worth of fun activity with Mama, Papa, and Purple trying out new things. Six fun-filled activity pages follow this adventuresome week!
Purple Visits the Zoo has Purple visiting the zoo with Mama where they discover a baby monkey is missing. They search for the baby monkey as they explore the zoo. Fun animal activities follow this story.
Biggy Breaks an Arm when Biggy breaks his arm while playing he is sad to learn that he won't be able to swim while he has a cast on his arm. Purple and the gang decide to cheer him up by helping discover that he can have fun even with a broken arm. Six fun activity pages that Biggy could enjoy follow the story.
At the Aquarium has the friends visiting the local aquarium and seeing new fish and sea creatures. There are fun counting and number activities.
The Art Banner Purple and Roxy create a banner for the new art center. But it takes a lot of work to get it just right. Two fun pages of art-themed activities follow this story Roxy Plays by the Rules When Roxy's cheating gets too much the gang decides to teach him a lesson about playing by the rules. Four pages of activities follow this story. Ride to the City Purple and Roxy decide the go to a car show and getting to and from the city is an adventure all its own. Four fun activities add to this stories delights. Who am I? Purple and the gang are stuck indoors because of the weather. When they come up with a new game they have to guess what they each are pretending to be. This book has six pages of various activities. Want to give this game a try yourself? Roxy Gets Angry Roxy is making a gift for Purple but when Biggy accidentally breaks it Roxy gets angry. This book explores feelings and a couple activities that deal with feelings. Wish Upon a Star finds Purple and Zing stargazing when they wish upon a shooting star. Purple's wish comes true and they find themselves on a rocket in space. Four fun space-themed activity pages follow this story. Purple Goes to School Purple's first day of school has arrived and Purple isn't ready to go. But Papa and Mama were right - school is fun. Three school themed activity pages finish this book.
These stories and fun for young readers. Please be aware that there are a few words that use British English spellings instead of American English. (Examples include tyre instead of tire and colour instead of color). There are colorful images on each page that help with story comprehension. These would be a lovely gift for children or grandchildren who are in the beginning stages of reading - think Kindergarten or First Grade depending on the individual child.
I was provided a complimentary review copy of this boxed set with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Boxed Book Set Details: Book Title: Purple Turtle Graded Readers Level 2 (12 Titles) Category: Children's Fiction, Genre: Educational Publisher: Aadarsh Pvt. Ltd. Release date: April 1, 2017 Tour dates: Oct 30 to Nov 24, 2017 Content Rating: G (informative content intended for and available to children and their parents/educators to enhance and support learning. Suitable for: Family audiences with younger children.)
Boxed Book Set Description:
Welcome to a world of fun-filled learning with Purple Turtle. Purple Turtle Graded Readers by A1 Edutainment is an amazing new reading program that is ideal for emerging readers. The second level includes a set of 12 books with 12 interesting stories and several engaging activities that is likely to make learning an enjoyable experience. The book has a word count of 150-250 and is based on the ATOS and Lexile reading level system. This level is for readers who have just learned to read.
Purple Turtle is India’s 1st International brand with its educational content in several languages sold in more than 30 countries including Russia, China, US and UK. The character of Purple Turtle has delighted children across the globe through beautifully created Purple Turtle books, rhymes, and videos available on YouTube.
Purple Turtle was created with the idea to spread education through a wide range of innovative books for children. To give them the experience of convenient online learning, Purple Turtle also brings both learning and entertainment on a common platform to give a wholesome learning experience to young minds.
The next best thing to a new book in hand is the cover reveal along
with a tantalizing description of
said book.
And guess what?
It is time for another cover reveal.
But before you get a peek at the cover wouldn't you
L♡VE
to learn a little about the book?
I knew it, you love drawn-out suspense as much as I do. And now to the title...
FAWKES Fawkes is by Nadine Brandes the author of the
fabulous Out of Time series.
🕖Time to start the countdown🕖
This book is set to be released on
July 10, 2018 Christmas in July is coming early in 2018
AND
your summer reading list just got its newest member!
And now a short summary that will make you wish
July was not 8 months away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the King of England.
Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.
But what if death finds him first?
Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did it. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.
The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King James.
The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.
No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I know, right?
I'd love to get my hands on a copy too and you haven't even seen the cover yet... But 🎈SURPRISE 🎈 you can enter for a chance to win an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book! Okay Jump up and down Scream (silently if you are near someone else) or do whatever you do to express your excitement (for me its just a big grin) The giveaway is located at the bottom of this post.
And now for the absolutely entire reason you decided to check out this post today
~
THE COVER
Who or what hides behind the mask?
And what do the cracks signify?
Do the apparent explosions that surround it have anything to do with it?
And even more to wonder at what is the background behind the mask? Is it the ground or is it someone altered by the Stone Plague?
To me, these are what the cover first brings to mind.
And as for the description, I just have to KNOW
what will Thomas decide to do?
Will he side with his father?
Will he choose to follow the leadings of his heart?
Or will he follow an altogether different path that will
satisfy no one?
Or will he step in and save everyone except himself?
Please comment below and let me know what your thoughts are.
It's 1864 and the War Between the States has taken a toll on the divided nation. In Tennessee, the Thornton family though aligned with the North extends their care to all wounded regardless of their uniform. When escaped prisoner of war James Galloway is attacked near the Thornton home, Rachel Thornton acts quickly to help save his life. Helping her father nurse James back to health leads to unexpected feelings.
But James Galloway is a war artist for Harper's Weekly and he has a commitment to return to the war. But when danger draws close to the Thornton home he is forced to acknowledge his growing feelings for the young woman how has aided his recovery.
But war has a way of tearing people apart and though he is not a soldier James is to rejoin the dangers that accompany war. Can Rachel wait for his return? Or will the arrival and attention of another send her heart in a different direction?
This is a standalone novella set in the later months of the Civil War. And just like now, the characters are anticipating both Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you like short historical fiction stories in which a happy ending is not a certainty checkout this newest offering from Carrie Turansky. If you are looking for a quick and enjoyable trip into the past get ready for an enjoyable weekend read.
I was provided a review copy of this book by the author with no expectation of a positive review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.
About the Book:
The daughter of a wealthy Tennessee doctor falls in love with an injured artist-correspondent on assignment to cover the battles near Union occupied Nashville.
The year is 1864 and the Civil War is raging on. British born James Galloway, a “special artist” for Harper’s Weekly, travels with the Union troops, sketching battle scenes to bring war news home to those in the North. It’s dangerous work, but he is committed to the Union cause. When he is captured along with the troops, he spends several months in a prison camp. Finally, he escapes and travels north, hoping to reach the Union lines, but a bushwhacker attacks him, steals his horse, and leaves him for dead at the side of the road.
Rachel Thornton, a kind-hearted doctor’s daughter takes James into their to home and nurses him while he recovers. Her feelings for James grow, but she has already lost one man she loves in the war. How can she give James her heart, when she knows he may be another casualty.
