Happy New Years ~ 2015

Special Guest Post from author Susan May Warren

What better way to start off the New Year than with a special guest post from author of the Christiansen Family series ~ a series which follows the Christiansen family as the they live life.  Lives filled with joys, struggles, sorrows, and triumphs.

~ Susan May Warren ~  

It’s January.

This is what my town looks like in January.

Do you see the cold pallor? The icy streets? Right now, I am currently sitting under a blankie,
with little half-gloves on to keep my fingers warm.

I know, I know. WHY do we live here?

Because it’s a gorgeous place to set a story. Located on the rocky shores of Lake Superior, It’s a
little touch of Lake Woebegone – all the men are good-looking, all the women heroic. And it has
the overtones of small town Cheers, where everyone knows your name. Which means that
when you get into trouble, the entire town knows about it. Ack!

Welcome to Deep Haven, the home of the Christiansen family!

Their resort...Evergreen Outfitters and Cabin Rentals is located on an inland lake in the woods,
nestled among the pines, serenaded by the call of the loons and the waves against the shore.

And If you haven’t met the Christiansens, they’re a crazy, love big and live life out loud family
who *might* be a little like my family. (and one that might feel like yours, too!) The 6 adult
children and two parents, run a resort and try to figure out faith while living life (that often goes
wrong). They make mistakes, but they love each other through them.

Not unlike our family. (That’s us, not the Christiansens. Just in case you might be confused.)

The Christiansen family series follows each one of the adult children through their trials and
triumphs of falling in love and finding their way in the world. The next book hits the shelves in
the next month – Always on My Mind, a story about Casper, brother #2, who just can’t get the
wrong girl off his mind...

Right now, I’m hunkered down writing book #6...The Day After Forever, the last story in the
series, a story that asks...can Prodigals come home? (Um, I sure hope so!)

I wanted to write a series about a family with adult children, learning what it meant to carry on
the legacy of faith into their lives. And I wanted to write a series that would really let readers
dig into the family, feel like they were a part of their journey. The first two books ignite the
series not only by introducing us to Darek and Eden, the two oldest children, but also set up the
series with the loss of the family resort to a forest fire. Book 3, When I Fall in Love brings us to
Hawaii and back home and sends our prodigal on his way, and scatters the family.

Book 4 picks up the pieces of the prodigal’s actions and brings home the family peace-maker,
Casper in Always on My Mind, and Book 5 adds in a new twist, when daughter Amelia has to
choose between a hometown boy and a rich European she met while overseas. (And hello –
have you see the hunk on THAT cover? The Wonder of You, baby!)

And then there’s Owen. Troublemaker Owen who just might surprise them all when he comes
home...just in time to save the day. Or not... (Cover still pending!)

As the Christiansens rebuild their resort, the kids need to decide whether they want to carry on
the family legacy...or if life and faith might bring them somewhere else.

And, did I mention romance. Oh yeah – we have to have something to keep us warm up here
during the chilly months.

It’s a series full of family drama, community and...some really great food.

And cookies. (Seriously – check out: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/blog/2014/11/11/tuesdays-tasty-treat-eden-graces-lucky-kiss-peanut-butter-cookies/)

That’s the news from Lake, um, Superior.

Have a great January...and try to keep warm – Susie May the Siberian

Forever Amish ~ Review

Forever Amish
Legacy of Lancaster County 3
By Kate Lloyd

I'll be perfectly honest when I got this book I had a hard time getting into it.  It wasn't the book - it was me.  So I put the book aside for a bit of time and read other books that I needed to review.  I then picked up Forever Amish this last weekend and had no trouble getting lost between the covers.

I have not read the first two books in this trilogy, but I don't think that is necessary as the story is Sally Bingham's and she is new to the series too.  So seeing everything through her eyes is as new to me as it is to her.

Sally has been lured to Lancaster County by a young woman Lizzie Zook who is seeking to purchase a dog.  But when Sally arrives she is shocked to discover that Lizzie isn't quite how she pictured her. Lizzie is Amish and her father is a no-nonsense type who won't have a dog in his house.

But the really reason behind Lizzie's motives does not become immediately obvious.  And when the truth comes out Sally's entire world is rocked to its core.  As Sally struggles with rediscovering who she is, Lizzie is going through her own struggles as she to tries to determine what path her life will take.

The root story of Forever Amish seems to be family and the love and support that they can offer us.

I was provided a copy of this book through TBCN/BookFun and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
Sally Bingham needs some time away to sort through the changes in her life and to rethink her upcoming marriage. Despite her ailing father’s hesitations, she takes off for a bed and breakfast in Lancaster County for a weekend away. But her best-laid plans leave her in a near collision with a bishop’s buggy and in the home of a mysterious Amish woman named Lizzie. Lizzie introduces her to a different perspective on life, a charming farmhand named Armin— and opens a Pandora’s box that will forever change Sally’s life.

The latest book in the Legacy of Lancaster trilogy, Forever Amish introduces us to a young woman about to uncover a shocking secret and find an invitation to a new way of living. This is a story of forgiveness, legacies, and the ties that bind through generations.

About the Author:
Author Kate Lloyd is a passionate observer of human relationships. A native of Baltimore, Kate spends time with family and friends in Lancaster County, PA, the inspiration for her best selling novels Leaving Lancaster and Pennsylvania Patchwork, and her newest release, Forever Amish, the third book in the Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy.

Kate is a member of the Lancaster County Mennonite Historical Society. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest, the setting for Kate's first novel, A Portrait of Marguerite. Kate studied art and art history in college. She's worked a variety of jobs, including car salesman and restaurateur. As a younger woman, she raised show dogs.

For relaxation and fun, Kate enjoys walking with her camera in hand, beachcombing, and playing with her two young grandchildren.

Find out more about Kate Lloyd at her Website: www.katelloyd.net
Blog: http://katelloyd.net/blog/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/katelloydbooks
Twitter: @KateLloydAuthor
Pinterest: @KateLloydAuthor

Kate loves hearing from readers!

Search for the Shadow Key ~ Review

Search for the Shadow Key
Dreamtreaders Book 2
By Wayne Thomas Batson

Some doors should never be opened...

As the only surviving Dreamtreader Archer Keaton is losing the nightly battle to seal all the breaches in the Dream Fabric.  And if Archer can't stop the breaches the Dream Realm and the Waking World will merge and reality will be lost to the dream.

But Dreamtreaders can't be found easily and they need training but time is a luxury Archer doesn't have and neither do we.  Master Gabriel has promised Archer that help is coming, but Rigby and Kara aren't about to close the doors of Dream Inc.  After all they don't believe that Lucid Walkers will cause the damage that Archer is warning them about.

But Rigby has opened a door that he never should have.  And in opening this door Rigby has unleashed a force that can cross from the Dream to the Waking World.  And Rigby is determinrd to use them to destroy Archer by taking that which he holds dearest - family and friends.

But there is another force within the Dream who seems to have sided with Archer and the Dreamtreaders.  Can the Windmaiden help them stop the Scath and prevent a new Nightmare Lord from taking the throne?

Search for the Shadow Key is an excellent follow-up to Dreamtreaders.  Wayne Thomas Batson doesn't disappoint as he further explores dreaming in an epic and entrancing series that tweens and teens will love reading and sharing.  Fantasy fans too will delight in a series that captures their imagination from cover to cover.  Woven throughout are subtle messages about the importance of withstanding temptations even though such a choice can be difficult.  Another aspect is family and the importance it plays in each individual's life and what we will do to protect it.

In my opinion there is only one drawback and that is that I now have to wait for the concluding book in this trilogy. 

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

Book Description:

Book #2 in a trilogy from fantasy author Wayne Thomas Batson explores the concept of dreams and their effects on us.

Fourteen-year-old Archer Keaton discovers he has the ability to enter and explore his dreams. He is a dreamtreader, one of three selected from each generation. Their mission: to protect the waking world from the evil lurking in the Dream.

The Nightmare Lord has been thrown down, but his throne is no longer empty. Rigby Thames has taken up the evil mantle with Kara Windchil as his queen. Now the only living dreamtreader, Archer Keaton finds himself on the outside of two worlds looking in. Dream Walking Inc. is taking the world by storm, allowing Rigby to build an unstoppable empire. Worse still, Rigby has unleashed the Tendrils, shadow people who can cross over into the waking world. As Archer's family and friends begin to disappear, unexpected help comes in the form of the Wind Maiden, a mysterious angelic being who seems to know how Archer can rescue his loved ones and defeat the new Nightmare King. But the cost may prove too dear for Archer to pay.

Steeped in epic fantasy and intrigue, this second book in the Dreamtreaders series teaches kids important Christian values such as being a light in the darkness, resisting temptation, and keeping your faith, even when you feel like you're standing alone.

About the Author:

Wayne Thomas Batson is the author of several bestselling novels, including The Door Within trilogy, The Isle series, and The Berinfell series. As a middle school reading teacher, Wayne writes adventures set in imaginative locales because he believes that we all dream of doing something that matters.

The Battle of Castle Nebula ~ Review

The Battle of Castle Nebula
The Cendrillon Cycle 1

By Stephanie Ricker

If you read the Five Glass Slippers anthology and enjoyed Stephanie Ricker's A Cinder's Tale you have to read The Battle of Castle Nebula.  This novella is set before the events of A Cinder's Tale introducing you to Elsa and Bruno and tragedies that lead them to become cinders and the dangers such a life would bring.

The Battle of Castle Nebula is told from from two different times set 10 years apart.  The first time period covers the Battle of Castle Nebula and the destruction that tore apart both Elsa and Bruno's lives.  The second time period is the beginnings of Elsa and Bruno's friendship though friendship seems unlikely following their first meeting.

But there is something that causes Elsa and Bruno to forge ahead in their respective lives even when giving up would be so easy.  

If you haven't read A Cinder's Tale don't worry you won't be lost and left adrift in the Castle Nebula. You can pick-up a copy of the Five Glass Slipper's and read A Cinder's Tale at a later date and fully enjoy both.  

The Cendrillon Cycle is a promising and enjoyable step into the future.  A future of promise with potential danger lurking nearby.  And when humans are involved in the outcome of what their future holds human nature can be the greatest danger we face or our greatest strength.  I, for one, am looking forward to the second volume in the Cendrillon Cycle with much anticipation

I was provided a copy of the title by the author in exchange for my honest review.

Available for purchase at Amazon The Battle for Castle Nebula and Five Glass Slippers

About the Book:
She has nothing left, not even her dreams. But Elsa Vogel still has her duty, and she will do it, no matter the peril, no matter the anguish in her heart as she leaves her ravaged home planet, perhaps never to return.

And the same tragedy that tore Elsa’s life to pieces also transformed the lives of others. Others who may need a reason to go on living, after the cataclysmic Battle of Castle Nebula…

If you enjoyed the world of A Cinder’s Tale in the Five Glass Slippers anthology, explore that universe further in The Cendrillon Cycle, a series of novellas recounting the past and future adventures of Elsa, Karl, Bruno, and the rest of the cinder crew. 

The Brickmaker’s Bride ~ Review

The Brickmaker’s Bride 

Refined by Love

By Judith Miller

The Woodfield Brickworks has been known for its quality and reliability.  But with the death of the owner Isaiah Woodfield in the War between the States the brickyard has been idle, awaiting a new owner.

When Hugh Crothers and his nephew Ewan McKay show an interest in purchasing her father's brickyard Laura Woodfield insists on meeting them.  Ewan shows an understanding unlike his brusque and profit-seeking uncle.

The sale of the brickyard sees Ewan seeking out Laura and her understanding of the workings of her father's brickyard.  Laura is more than happy to offer her assistance in offering information and guidance on potential workers, contract contacts, and bookkeeping records.  Where Hugh and especially his wife meet Laura's offered assistance with suspicion, Ewan accepts it with gratitude.

But Hugh isn't the businessman he thinks himself to be and signs a contract that threatens to destroy the business that Ewan is struggling to build up.  And it could displace all the workers who have been employed at the brickyard.  Laura is determined to see Ewan and the brickyard succeed, but is there anything she can do to help?

The Brickmaker's Bride is set in West Virginia shortly after the end of the Civil War.  The Tygart Valley River region has been devastated by the war and is in a state of rebuilding.  This is a world where a woman's place was to be found in the home as a wife and mother.  And immigrants are meet with suspicion.  This is an interesting and entertaining step back in time.  We often consider this to be a simpler time, but when we take a longer look this is not so.  This yet another delightful book from Judith Miller you'll want to take the time to enjoy.

I was provided a copy of this book by Bethany House through their blogger program in exchange for my honest review.

About the book:

In the clay-rich hills of the newly founded state of West Virginia, two families tentatively come together to rebuild a war-torn brickmaking business.

Ewan McKay has immigrated to West Virginia with his aunt and uncle, promising to trade his skills in the clay business for financial help. Uncle Hugh purchases a brickmaking operation from a Civil War widow and her daughter, and it's Ewan's job to get the company up and running again. 

Ewan seeks help from Laura, the former owner's daughter, and he quickly feels a connection with her, but she's being courted by another man--a lawyer with far more social clout and money than Ewan. Resolving that he'll make the brickworks enough of a success that he can become a partner in the business and be able to afford to bring his sisters over from Ireland, Ewan pours all his energy into the new job. 

But when Hugh signs a bad business deal, all Ewan's hard work is put in jeopardy. As his hopes for the future crumble, Laura reveals something surprising. Can she help him save the brickworks, and will Ewan finally get a shot at winning her heart?

Lena Goldfinch Cover Reveal & Short Story Spotlight with Giveaway

Are you familiar with Lena Goldfinch's books?  Well, here's the latest on her work.  
There is a special Christmas short story releasing today and the cover from her upcoming book is being revealed today.  Adding to the fun is a special giveaway, so be sure to read through to the end for a chance to win BOOKS! 

About the Short Story:
What's a wife to do when her Christmas plans fall apart?

Join Becky and Isaac from The Unexpected Bride in a romantic short story complete with sleigh bells, mistletoe, and sweet holiday surprises.

It's Christmas Eve, and smoke isn't just rising from the chimney—it's pouring from the stove due to yet another batch of burnt biscuits. Becky wants everything to be perfect for her family, but a ruined meal spells disaster for all her high hopes. Will the night end
in despair...or with a happy Christmas dream?

Reconnect with your favorite characters from Book 1 of "The Brides" series and learn more about Jem (the hero of Book 2) in Sleigh Bells and Mistletoe.

Includes an excerpt from Book 2, The Bartered Bride.


Short Story 1.5 in The Brides Series
Sweet Historical Western Romance / A Mail-Order Bride Short Story

Now available in Kindle format for only $.99!

~ Coming Soon ~

About Book 2

The Bartered Bride

What’s a confirmed widower to do when he finds a bride in need of rescue?

James (“Jem”) Wheeler just wants to get back to the ranch in Colorado and make a fresh start after the loss of his wife. But when his train stops at a town in the middle of nowhere, his 2-year-old daughter runs off—straight to a mute young woman and a
puppy. Before he has a chance to reclaim little Mae, he overhears an itinerant preacher preparing to sell off the woman to the highest bidder. It’s an injustice he can’t ignore, no matter the fact that he’d never planned on remarrying.

From a young age, all Annie has wanted is to belong. Abandoned and cast aside by those who should have loved her, and with no voice to protest against the wrongdoings she’s witnessed, her hope is but a faint flicker. When Jem steps into her life, she simply
tries to get him to save the puppy—never expecting him to save her too.

Could a bartered bride and a grieving widower ever make a happy home together?

Contact Amber Stokes
Email: amberstokes@corban.edu

Book Two in The Brides Series
Sweet Historical Western Romance
Coming 2015

Author Bio:

LENA GOLDFINCH writes romance and fantasy for adults and teens. She’s a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it’s a novel, novella, or short story, young adult or adult, fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Elements of romance, fantasy,
and mystery have a way of creeping into her writing, even when she's writing historicals or something light and contemporary. Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests. She lives in a
scenic small town in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and a very spoiled Black Lab.

Visit Lena at www.LenaGoldfinch.blogspot.com.

Rafflecopter Giveaway:
Deck the halls and bring on the books! One winner will receive mistletoe earrings from
the LuvlyMint Etsy shop, as well as a signed paperback copy of  The Unexpected Bride,
Book 1 in “The Brides” series. This prize is only available to residents of the U.S. and
Canada. Three runners-up (can be international) will receive one e-copy each of Sleigh
Bells and Mistletoe.

a Rafflecopter giveaway