Harlequin Heartwarming Spring Fling Giveaway!

The authors over at Harlequin Heartwarming are hosting a fabulous giveaway this month! Be sure to enter and comment over on their blog on each day's post for extra entries. Here's all the info:

After the long, harsh winter most of us endured, what better way to celebrate spring—and our April and May Heartwarming releases—than with an exciting new giveaway? As with any celebration, the more the merrier, and we hope you will join us.

First, here are the beautiful covers of the April and May books . . .

And here’s what we have planned to warm your heart and chase away any lingering winter blahs. All eight Heartwarming authors with April and May releases have teamed up to offer two prize packs of four books each. We will also give away one grand prize consisting of all eight books and a stunning mix of “ever-blooming” spring garden flowers, for use indoors or out. These are gifts you can enjoy time and again, as you can read our books over and over, and the flowers won’t fade when winter threatens, since they're steel, painted in bright colors.


Our first prize pack contains:

The Truth About Hope by Kate James
Katia’s Promise by Catherine Lanigan
Raising the Stakes by Karen Rock
A Case for Forgiveness by Carol Ross

These books are certain to provide hours of springtime reading pleasure!

Our second prize pack contains:

The Long Road Home by Lynn Patrick
Man of His Word by Cynthia Reese
Fighting for Keeps by Jennifer Snow
Firefly Nights by Cynthia Thomason

Another set of four wonderful stories you will surely enjoy!

Finally, our grand prize winner will receive all eight books, along with an “ever-blooming” spring garden, consisting of a bouquet of 13 white daisies, two periwinkle blue alliums and a set of 13 black-eyed Susans, a retail value of over $150 US, before shipping.

Photos and “ever-blooming” flowers from Gardener’s Supply Company (http://www.gardeners.com/)

Now if that isn’t enough, we have a bonus book for each prize pack. Harlequin MIRA and Harlequin Intrigue author Elizabeth Heiter will include one of her recent releases—winner’s choice—in each of the prize packs.

There are three exciting prize packs waiting to be won. The contest runs until April 25th. Enter as often as you like. Post a comment right here on our blog for two entries, visit our Facebook pages, follow us on Twitter, and tweet about the contest once a day while it's running! And check back here on April 26th to see if you are a lucky winner!

Happy spring . . . and happy reading!

(Please note, prize packs can only be shipped to a continental US or Canadian address. International winners will receive the books only, in e-book format.)

Photos and “ever-blooming” flowers from Gardener’s Supply Company (http://www.gardeners.com/)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Must reside in the US/CAN for print copies; if outside these countries ebooks only will be sent from the prize packs. You must be at least 13 years old to enter and if under 18 must have adult or guardian permission. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Facebook, Twitter, Google or any other entity other than the authors involved. Void where prohibited by law.

Review: Winter Shadows

Winter Shadows is a dystopian novel I was given the opportunity to review by the Facebook group Band of Dystopian Authors and Fans. I had been following the group for a little while and was excited for the chance to review one of the books they offered. Being picky about the kind of books I read, I was relieved to find a Christian book among the choices. I enjoyed it, though it was not quite what I was used to in a dystopian book. I hope you will enjoy a peek at it.

Description

Winter Shadows

Casey L. Bond

A coming of age story following Claire, a young lady struggling to find her place in the world after losing her mother to cancer. After a corrupt American government declares a pandemic and forces residents into quarantine encampments, Claire and her father, along with other members of their Church and community, go into hiding in a cave system in rural West Virginia. While coping with the losses of her mother, home, friends, sense of safety and normalcy, Claire begins to pick up the pieces of her past, finding a new normal despite the darkness surrounding her. 

While adjusting to a new environment, and the group of people she finds herself surrounded by, Claire is faced with several important decisions that will influence the path her life will take. Who can she trust? Who should she love? How can she survive? Forced to choose between Ethan's steadfast, mature love and the love of mysterious and dangerous Colin who appears. Claire learns the difference between infatuation and love. She becomes self-reliant and strong. Despite her newfound confidence, and the isolation in which she resides, evil is able to find her. While fighting against it, she reestablishes her faith in God and opens her heart to the possibility of love. 

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads

Review

In Winter Shadows, by Casey L. Bond, Claire and her father move into a network of caves with several families from their church after an epidemic caused the American government to take extreme measures against the people to stop the spread of disease. As she grows to accept the changes her life has taken, Claire feels herself drawn to two young men—a fellow cave-dweller and a mysterious boy who saved her life outside the caves.

When I began to read Winter Shadows, I was not all that impressed. However, I grew to enjoy the book the more I read it. There is little action, at least, compared to other dystopian books. The story has other merits.

This is definitely a coming of age book. Claire grew in wisdom, faith, and maturity through the things she experienced within the book. She made several bad decisions regarding the two young men and the group, but she grew and changed because of those mistakes. Even though hard things that happened to Claire, she became a better person because of them.

Each of the point of view characters were told in first person. That said, the author, Casey, did a very good job of identifying when the point of view changed within the first few sentences.

There were a couple demon-possessed characters in Winter Shadows who tried to hurt Claire and her friends. At one point, the story goes into the mind of one of these characters. Be forewarned. However, it is not too dark or frightening for the reader. This aspect of the story shows that redemption can come for the people who are possessed, even after they have or have tried to kill others.

I am glad I read Winter Shadows. Seeing Claire’s growth and experiencing a coming of age dystopian was worth the time I devoted to it.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour: Homecoming

Good morning!
It is my pleasure to introduce to you Homecoming by Kate Hasbrouck.

Description

Homecoming

Kate Hasbrouck

Kerana is being sent to Earth to begin her duty as an Eldurian. Hers are a perfect people, without flaw and without sin, never experiencing the fall of man. Created by God to shepherd His people on Earth, they remain in the shadows, unnoticed. Kerana looks human, speaks like them, and has been taught to act like them. Above all her mission is to serve the humans.

Arriving on Earth, Kerana meets Eli at school. He is an ordinary human, with a father suffering from alcoholism, and a past that threatens to ruin his life. A star scholarship lacrosse player, Eli has to forget his true passion and live in a shell that doesn’t let anyone in. Until he meets Kerana. They find themselves intertwined in a connection that neither can quite explain. When this connection puts the two of them in danger, they find comfort and protection from each other. When Eli discovers that there is more to Kerana than just her stunning looks and grace, the Eldurians and their home planet of Eden may not remain a secret for very long.

Purchase on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

About the Author

Kate Hasbrouck has been writing and creating stories for as long as she can remember. She had written several stories by the time she was a teen, but Homecoming was the first full manuscript she had ever written with the intention of sharing it with other people. She attended Houghton College, where she received her Bachelor’s degree with a dual-major in Writing and Psychology where she honed her skills. She lives in Florida with her husband, a youth pastor at a local church, where she spends time writing, ministering to teens, and enjoying the life God has given her. Homecoming is the first book in a trilogy.

Website: http://katehasbrouck.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/katehasbrouck

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kate_Hasbrouck

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8258803.Kate_Hasbrouck

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katehasbrouck/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kate-Hasbrouck/e/B00KKV4JCO

Guest Post by Kate Hasbrouck

The inspiration for this story is probably what some would consider strange! When my sister was younger, she really loved the Twilight series. And it made me wonder how a story would be with the female who was the supernatural one, the one with the super strength and the super speed! I won't spoil the book, but there is a scene in Homecoming that actually was the first scene where Kerana really demonstrates her abilities! And so as I started to create her, I began thinking of an entire race of people like that. But I wanted them to serve a purpose and to use their abilities to help humans without revealing themselves, unlike vampires who are by nature are nasty creatures!

Review

In Homecoming, by Kate Hasbrouck, Kerana has finally entered adulthood, which means she has to spend a year in the human world. Going to college on Earth and trying to blend in with the humans is harder than she first anticipated. She draws the attention of nearly everyone around her, including Eli. Kerana’s encounters with Eli might just spill the secret of her home planet of Eden.

Homecoming was different than I expected. I’m not quite sure what I expected, but it was certainly unlike any other book I have read. In a good way, of course. I confess, I could barely put the book down.

The characters were sweet and had depth. Seeing Kerana experience earth and both the dangers and joys of it was entertaining. Both of the main characters grew in many ways.

The plot was intriguing. I barely knew how the events would play out. I was seriously stressed about how the romance would turn out. How could it be possible for someone who is perfect to marry a non-perfect person? Especially with the other major problem going on.

One of the things that impressed me the most was the Eldurian race that Kerana was a part of. I was curious to see how the author, Kate, would portray a perfect race, a race like the humans that had never given in to sin. Because of this, I was extremely curious as to how Kate had come up with the idea. Kerana’s impressions of Earth and the comparisons to her perfect world brought home the consequences of the Fall of mankind. I was surprised to see that Kerana and the other Eldurians had selfish or jealous reactions or emotions. If they are merely emotions, than they are not sin exactly, but if they are more than that, then they are sin? All the same, I loved the perspective on the two worlds and the differences therein.

Overall, Homecoming was a sweet romance with an intriguing look on human nature and the comparison to a perfect world. I look forward to new books from Kate Hasbrouck.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Giveaway

Want to enter the world of Eden? Kate is giving away a SIGNED copy of Homecoming (US only) and an ebook (INT) as a thank you to all who have been with her through her writing journey.

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Tour Schedule

Monday, April 6^th

-        Guest Post at The Art of Storytelling

Tuesday, April 7^th

-        Review at Lyric & Longhand

Wednesday, April 8^th

-        Review and Guest Post at Zerina Blossom’s Books

Thursday, April 9^th

-        Review at JoJo’s Corner

Friday, April 10^th

-        Review at Wonderous Reviews

Tuesday, April 14^th

-        Interview at A Writer’s Heart

Wednesday, April 15^th

-        Review at A Book in the Hand

-        Review at Inklings and Notions

Saturday, April 18^th

-        Review at Fictionally

Sunday, April 19^th

-        Book Tour Wrap Up at Crafty Booksheeps

Spring Reads

There are a ton of new books releasing this spring that I am interested in reading. My dates might be slightly off because they are subject to change, but I hope you will enjoy looking into these awesome new books.

March 15

I know, the date for Out of Darkness Rising (and the next book) already passed, but I could not help but share it with you because it looks so great! It was written by Gillian Adams who writes one of my favorite blogs, Of Battles, Dragons, and Swords of Adamant.

March 20

Omega Dragon is the 4th and supposedly final book of the Children of the Bard Series and the 12th book in that story world that began with Raising Dragons. I loved those books from the start and am excited for this newest book. If you're interested, Bryan Davis writes a blog called The Author's Chair that teaches its followers how to write. I love it!

March 30

Crossed Roses is not on Amazon until the day of its release, so unfortunately, I have no links for it. However, you can look at Breeana Puttroff's Facebook page for news or Blog for extra scenes (only for newsletter subscribers, which you can become from the blog). I was enchanted with Seeds of Discovery, book one, told from Quinn's perspective, when I first read it. Crossed Roses is a retelling of Seeds of Discovery from William's perspective, which should be interesting.

April 21

Heir of Hope is the third book in the Followers of the Word series. Since the covers of the other books were remade and because I keep hearing awesome things about them, I am quite interested in reading them now, though I have heard they might be a little dark. We shall see. You can find Morgan L Busse on her Blog/Website.

May 5

I have been following the Selection Series for a while now and was excited when Kiera Cass announced the addition of The Heir to her former trilogy. It continues the story with the princess, the daughter of the main characters, and her selection as she reaches adulthood. I was surprised to find that Kiera Cass is a Christian, as she openly declares on her Website/Blog, along with news about her newest books.

May 12

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest is the newest medieval fairy tale retelling from Melanie Dickerson. It appears to be a Robin Hood romance entwined with who knows what other fairy tales and romance. I always loved Robin Hood and am curious how Melanie Dickerson will tell this tale. You can find her on her Website which has a link to her blog.

May 25

I have been super curious about the newest Tale of Goldstone Wood, Draven's Light, since Anne Elisabeth Stengl teased us with the cover reveal during her Facebook party for the previous book!.Anne Elisabeth's books are very, very good, funny, and unique and I can hardly wait until its release! Currently, Anne Elisabeth Stengl is holding a fan art contest on her Blog. The deadline for the contest is March 31 and anyone can vote on the winners. There have been some amazing submissions in years past, so be sure to check it out!

So, here are seven awesome releases for the next three months! I haven't even mentioned the non-young adult books I am looking forward to, but seven will have to be enough.

What are some books you are anticipating this spring?

Cover Reveal: Cinderella's Shoes

Cinderella's Shoes

by Shonna Slayton

Release Date: 10/06/15

Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

The war may be over, but Kate Allen’s life is still in upheaval. Not only has she discovered that Cinderella was real, but now she's been made Keeper of the Wardrobe, her sole responsibility to protect Cinderella’s magical dresses from the greed of the evil stepsisters’ modern descendants. 

But Cinderella’s dresses are just the beginning. It turns out that the priceless glass slippers might actually exist, too, and they could hold the power to reunite lost loved ones like her father—missing in action since World War II ended. As Kate and her boyfriend, Johnny, embark on an adventure from New York to Italy and Poland in search of the mysterious slippers, they will be tested in ways they never imagined.

Because when you harness Cinderella's magic, danger and evil are sure to follow...

First book in the series:
(cover linked to Goodreads)

Buy Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble│iBooks

About the Author

SHONNA SLAYTON is the author of the YA novels Cinderella's Dress, (Summer 2014) and Cinderella's Shoes (Fall 2015) published by Entangled Teen. She finds inspiration in reading vintage diaries written by teens, who despite using different slang, sound a lot like teenagers today. When not writing, Shonna enjoys amaretto lattes and spending time with her husband and children in Arizona.

Author Links:

   

Cover Reveal Organized by:

Note: If you're wondering, I did post this a day late. So sorry! I was used to receiving the emails for blog tours a week or more before the post is due instead of a day. So, when I received the information for this post, coupled with the fact that I didn't know the cover-reveal date, I did not look at the post but put it off until I had more time. I won't be doing that again. I'm terribly sorry!

But still, don't you think the cover is beautiful!

Book Review: Where Trust Lies

And now, for the book that inspired last week's blog post.

Description

Where Trust Lies

Janette Oke

Laurel Oke Logan

She loves her friends and students in the West, but family obligations have called her home. Where does she truly belong?

After a year of teaching in the Canadian West, Beth Thatcher returns home to her family. She barely has time to settle in before her mother announces plans for a family holiday--a luxurious steamship tour along the eastern coast of Canada and the United States. Hoping to reconnect with her mother and her sisters, Beth agrees to join them, but she quickly realizes that things have changed since she went away, and renewing their close bond is going to be more challenging than she expected. 

There's one special thing to look forward to--letters and telephone calls from Jarrick, the Mountie who has stolen her heart. The distance between them is almost too much to bear. But can she give her heart to Jarrick when it will mean saying good-bye to her family once again--and possibly forever? And will she still want to live in the western wilds after the steamship tour opens up a world of people and places she never imagined?

Then comes a great test of Beth's faith. Someone in her family has trusted the wrong person, and suddenly everything Beth knows and loves is toppled. Torn between her family and her dreams, will Beth finally discover where her heart truly belongs?

A companion story to Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart TV series!

Amazon, B&N, CBD, Google Play, Goodreads

Review

After teaching in the West, Beth Thatcher returns home for the summer. Upon arriving, she finds that her family planned a cruise for the majority of the summer. How will that impact Beth’s hopes for teaching the next year and for her relationship with Jarrick? And what to do about Julie’s suspicious new friends?

Where Trust Lies by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan is the second book of the Return to the Canadian West Series. If fully lives up to the standards set in book one, Where Courage Calls, with its realistic characters, spiritual growth, and intriguing plot. 

To my delight, the story was placed in an entirely different setting—a cruise along the eastern coast of Canada and the United States. The authors give vivid descriptions of the places on the trip, making me wish I was there with them and remembering similar vacations in my life. Interesting historical facts are given as Beth and her family travel to different cities. I learned new things about Canada’s history.

Many of the characters were either new to the series or played a small part in the former book. Each one of them had a distinct personality, a few of which clashed throughout the story.

Beth definitely grew in this novel. True to life, she did not grow only in one way, but in several. I especially appreciated the way she grew in her relationship with her mother. In the previous book, Beth’s heart was softened towards her mother and in Where Trust Lies, Beth continued to grow to understand and know her in a way she never had before.

Despite the fact that Jarrick was hundreds of miles away, Beth and Jarrick’s romance blossomed during the tour as they grew to understand and know each other more than ever before. They are such a sweet couple!

Tying it all together is the bit of action at the end. In many books I saw the climax happen so swiftly I would almost miss it. Not in this book. The situation is drawn out to make the story more interesting and bring the characters together.

As a whole, Where Trust Lies is a very well written novel with vibrant characters and a plot that will make the reader want to read it all over again.

I received a free copy of Where Trust Lies from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Oregon Vacation

Hello!

I am busy, busy, busy this week. Spring break is right around the corner for me and I have far too many things to do before that happens. I apologize for not being able to post many or any book-related things in the coming days.

However, I have been thinking recently about a trip I went on about a year ago. A book I am reading, Where Trust Lies, reminded me of a week-long vacation I took last year to the Oregon Coast. So many beautiful places and memories. It was a relaxing, laid-back trip. I thought I would include a few photos for the fun of it. I included few or no photos of the group I traveled with for the sake of their privacy, but there are many other beautiful things to see. I hope you will enjoy the photos and the change from my regular posts.

Twin Rocks Friends Camp

The first place we visited was Twin Rocks Friends Camp, named for the two rocks jutting from the beach across the street from the camp. Our group of 16 or so stayed a few days there before moving on to other locations and activities.

The beach temperature was cool and breezy in late May. We had a bonfire of driftwood going nearly the entire time we spent on the beach. It was just warm enough not to freeze our bare feet but still too cold to go without a sweatshirt for the most part.

One of our group bought a kite we took turns flying around the beach. I have never lived in a place that was breezy enough to fly a kite, so I enjoyed the opportunity.

I found this bright moth or butterfly. In such a neutral-colored world, it provided a striking contrast. I have never seen one like it before.

The view though piles of driftwood.

Oregon Zoo

One of the next places we went was the Oregon Zoo. We saw all kinds of animals as well as some beautiful flowers. The parts of Oregon we visited made up such a wet, rain-foresty land. Ivy was twining up many of the trees in Portland.

Some cheetahs made their beds on the other side of a window, providing us with an awesome, close-up of the beautiful creatures.

Tillamook Cheese Factory

We visited the Tillamook cheese factory on our way to Portland from the coast. The process of making all the cheeses was very interesting. But I must say, the part I loved most was the ice cream at the end!

Portland Aquarium

We visited a small but fascinating aquarium in Portland. 

Multnomah Falls

And finally, we went to Multnomah Falls on our way home. Such a beautiful falls. I could not capture all of it in one photo.

On our trip, we traveled to many more places and did many more things. We went to Powell's Book Store to my and several of my friends' delight. Four stories of books! 

The had its ups and downs for me, but remembering it, I think mostly of the good things. Hopefully, I will be able to visit at least the beautiful coast another time. 

Where have you gone on vacation? Are you planning anything for Spring Break or the not so distant summer?