Preview: Rare Earth

This week, the  Christian Fiction Blog Alliance  is introducing  Rare Earth  Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)  by  Davis Bunn



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.



Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.



Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.



Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Warning, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt.



A sought-after speaker in the art of writing, Davis serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.  



ABOUT THE BOOK

Marc Royce stares out of the helicopter, a sense of foreboding rising with the volcanic cloud. Below, the Rift Valley slashes across Africa like a scar. Decades of conflicts, droughts, and natural disasters have left their mark.



Dispatched to audit a relief organization, Royce is thrust into the squalor and chaos of Kenyan refugee camps. But his true mission focuses on the area's reserves of once-obscure minerals now indispensable to high-tech industries. These strategic elements--called rare earth--have inflamed tensions on the world's stage and stoked tribal rivalries. As Royce prepares to report back to Washington, he seizes on a bold and risky venture for restoring justice to this troubled land.



But this time, Royce may have gone too far.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Rare Earth, go HERE.

Preview: Almost Amish

This week, the  Christian Fiction Blog Alliance  is introducing  Almost Amish  Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)  by  Kathryn Cushman



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy, but all her life she knew that she wanted to write a novel “some day”. For her, “some day” came in 2003, when she started writing and never looked back.



Her first two manuscripts remain firmly ensconced in the back of her closet (the dust bunnies tell her they really are terrific!). Her third attempt became her first published novel.



A Promise to Remember and Leaving Yesterday were both finalists for the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award, and Waiting for Daybreak was a finalist in Women’s Fiction for the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award.



On the homefront, she has been married to the wonderful and handsome Lee for nearly twenty-five years now, and their two daughters are currently braving the worlds of high school and college.



They’ve lived in Santa Barbara for over twenty years. It’s a beautiful place and Kathryn feel blessed to be there (although a seventy degree Christmas still leaves her dreaming of a white one—or at least a colder one!)



When she's not writing or reading or braving seventy degree holidays, you’ll find her trying her best to keep up with her daughters in their various theater, softball, dance, and filled-with-activity lives.   



ABOUT THE BOOK

Proving the Simple Life Isn't So Simple After All



Overcommitted and overwhelmed, Julie Charlton is at the breaking point. She knows she should feel blessed as a mother and wife--but she just feels exhausted. And then, the miraculous happens. Her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series about trying to live like the Amish and needs another family to join her. It's just the break Julie needs.



But the summer adventure in simple living soon proves anything but simple. With the camera watching every move, Susan's drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. Whether it's cooking, cleaning, or dressing differently, each new Amish challenge raises new complications...and soon each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Almost Amish, go HERE.

Christy Award Winners!!! CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!!!

 

One of the most prestigious awards in Christian fiction is the Christy
Award. These are this year's winners.

Contemporary Romance

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig (Barbour Publishing)

Contemporary Series

The Amish Midwife by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould (Harvest House
Publishers)

Contemporary Standalone

Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing Group)

First Novel

Words by Ginny Yttrup (B&H Publishing Group)

Historical

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing Group)

Historical Romance

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, a division of
Baker Publishing Group)

Suspense

The Queen by Steven James (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Visionary

Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing Group)

Young Adult

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren (David C Cook)

Love Finds You in New Orleans, Louisiana - Reviewed

Book Blurb:
Unlocking the past could open the door to a new future. Ever since her parents died of yellow fever when she was two years old, Adelaide LeClerc has lived with her grandparents, who rarely speak of their son and his wife. They are on the verge of negotiating a contract with a suitor, a man Adelaide dreads, when they discover that she enjoys the company of Etienne Girod, a young Creole man. Adelaide's future hangs in the balance as her grandparents consider whether to stop keeping secrets and reveal the truth that they've known since before Adelaide's birth, a truth that will make the difference between a life of obligation and a life of choice for Adelaide.

My Thoughts:
New Orleans in the 1800's. Christa takes you into the Antebellum Period, and into the lives of Lottie and Gabriel. The streets of New Orleans bustle with activity, you can picture the clothing, smell the food, hear the noise. She makes it all come alive.
The romance between Lottie and Gabriel is one that you cheer for. They have so much going against them and you want them together.
This would be a great summer read! Grab a copy and tuck it in your bag.
Thanks Christa for the review copy!

Hidden in Dreams - Reviewed

Book Blurb:
Elena Burroughs finds her life spiraling out of control. She is dismissed from her position as psychologist at the Oxford University clinic. And the man she hoped she might love is lost to the demands of new work in a distant land. Elena accepts her agent’s request for another world tour, resulting in a huge rush of new publicity and some very public conflict with established authorities.  Rachel, a clinical biologist and statistician, approaches Elena for help with the disturbing dreams of one of her patients. Oddly, they mirror Rachel’s research findings about a dream pattern that has foretold every major global catastrophe stretching back to the dawn of civilization.  That night Elena has precisely the same dream as Rachel’s patient, predicting a cataclysmic financial collapse far worse than what brought on the Great Depression. She searches the professional websites and discovers that her most vehement critic has a client experiencing the same repetitive dreams. Together, they form an unlikely alliance, one that threatens to pierce Elena’s emotional isolation.    All the while, the clock is ticking down to devastation. It’s no longer about the dreams. It’s about survival.



My Thoughts:
I didn't read the first book, but I was able to follow the story fine.  Elena is a professor and has written a book titled Book of Dreams, she is teaching at a Christian college in Florida when Rachel comes to see her about disturbing dreams one of her patients from her clinical trials is having. That night Elena has the exact same dream. Elena's publisher calls her the following day that her arch Nemesis wants to talk to her about clinical research he has about the same dream. 

This was a fast read, and reminded me of Daniel, and Joseph with their dream prophecies. Very intriguing and highly recommended!
 

Out of Time - Reviewed

Book Blurb:

Bree Le Fleur moves to Arizona to heal from her past. She meets her neighbor Donny Garafalo Jr., race car driver and model. Unlike most, she's not impressed. After their disastrous introduction, Bree ends up needing Donny's help. They become friends and Donny decides Bree is the perfect girl for him. He won't inherit the family business unless he can change his ways. He believes dating Bree and attending church will persuade his father. While following his ruse, they fall in love and find faith. Things look promising until Donny hits the road again for his final racing circuit and Bree discovers a plot to harm him. She tries to tell him, but he won't listen, so she takes matters into her own hands. When he finds out, will he thank her for meddling or send her packing? Is their love strong enough to make it through the ultimate test?

My Thoughts:
I have read all of Michelle's books and love every one! She writes books that deal with hurting people, and issues that we all face day in and day out.
For Bree and Donny it's the lust of the flesh. They both have had people want them just for their looks and nothing more.
Donny needs to change his playboy image or he'll loose the chance at getting the family business.
Bree has come to Arizona to heal from her past in New York.

This is a steamy read. Perfect for the summer! Grab a copy before you're Out of Time!

Road To The Christy's - Highlight Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

Book Blurb:
Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But the happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to a library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.

But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. When Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and mystery--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

If you would like to read the first chapter of  Wonderland Creek, go HERE.
 
Author:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped.
 Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women's roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

My Thoughts: 
Alice Grace is a girl after my own heart! She loves books, and reading. She goes to a funeral to honor a gentleman who came to the library that she works at in her town of Blue Island, Ill. During the funeral when different people from the community were giving their eulogies which we all know can drag on and be boring she pulled a book out of her bag and started reading. Her boyfriend, Gordon was so appalled he wouldn't speak to her and ended up breaking up with her. To escape the "talk" of the town over Gordon's break-up she decides to go with her aunt and uncle to the coal mining community of Kentucky and deliver books that she has collected for
them. She was in contact with the librarian from the town there, Leslie. When she arrives she finds that Leslie is not who she thought her to be. Leslie was a man . . and he had Alice all a fumbled mess. Gordon accused Alice of living a fantasy world within her books, when Leslie the librarian is shot she has to start doing what she's only read about in books.
This book had me rolling with laughter just reading the first chapter! It will definitely make my top books for 2011! A must read!