Suggest a Book

I came up with this idea and have decided to see how it goes:

Suggest a Book

Know of a book that you have been wondering about? Suggest it to me for review here. 

Every book you suggest will either tell me what I need to add to my TBR pile or what needs to be moved to the front of it. Here are the rules:

•Tell me the book title and author. If you would like, say why you are interested in it.

•Please only suggest one book a month. Anyone who suggests more will have the extras deleted.

•If someone has already suggested a book that you want, still suggest it yourself because it will tell me what ones people want to know about the most.

•Authors, please do  not suggest your own book unless you are willing to give me a copy for review. If so, please say so in the comment and leave me a way to contact you.

Other information:

•No erotica. 

•If a review is provided for a book, all comments asking for it will be deleted.

•A book from any year is permitted.
 

A Sound Among the Trees- Susan Meissner

My Rating: 5 stars

Description: A house shrouded in time.
A line of women with a heritage of loss.

As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy for the North, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, doesn’t believe that Susannah’s ghost haunts the antebellum mansion looking for a pardon, but rather the house itself bears a grudge toward its tragic past.

When Marielle Bishop marries into the family and is transplanted from the arid west to her husband’s home, it isn’t long before she is led to believe that the house she just settled into brings misfortune to the women who live there.

With Adelaide’s richly peppered superstitions and deep family roots at stake, Marielle must sort out the truth about Susannah Page and Holly Oak— and make peace with the sacrifices she has made for love.  


My Thoughts: This book was heart breaking and captivating. Susan Meissner has a way of drawing out your emotions and making you feel the regret and loss of her characters. I can't think of another author that places me so firmly in the choices and lives of the characters as to feel like I am suffering the same.

This book is not a beach read, it is for someone who really wants to get deep into both the past and present. I will probably still be thinking about this story tomorrow and the next as I contemplate the choices made and how they are mirrored in my own life.

Note: After reading some other reviews where the "ghost" element was questioned, stating that in the Bible Saul was rebuked for speaking to ghost, I will give this allowance. At first, I agreed with this. I was confused at the tale of ghosts and why they were used. Once I had finished it however, I saw that the point was to let our ghosts (our skeletons in the closest) die. I do not want to give anything away but ask that you read to the end before making a decision about the author's and publisher's reasons for publishing this book.

Please rank this review!


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TOUR FINALE!- Patrick Carr and A Cast of Stones

That's right! To day is the last day to enter. So hurry up and add you name to the cast as many times as you can.

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

A Cast of Stones

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Christian Book Distributors

The Book Depository

Patrick Carr:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Music Themes
Goodreads

The Herbwomen of secret lore

The World of The Staff & the Sword

The Readers of the cast lots

The Watchmen, elite warriors

The Clergy of power

LAUNCH-DAY BLAST! 

1/23 - Backing Books - Herbwomen Beginning

      the herbwomen were the seeds of a reformation      

1/24 – Christian Novels – Review – World Creation

"I elected to use a setting I knew very well: Rock Island State Park in Tennessee. It’s a beautiful place with waterfalls and lush hills and rugged terrain".

1/25 – I Am a Reader, Not a Writer – Readers Patrick Carr on Origins 

If I didn’t come up with some kind of limitation, I was going to have a book filled with the equivalent of a bunch of super-wizards

1/27 – Reads to Reels – Watchmen Beginning

Why do the men of the watch wear black? How come none of them have last names?

1/28 – LDS & Lovin’ It - Clergy Origins

I decided to name the collection of benefices the judica. In Latin, judica means judge. So the catch phrase of the benefices became “Judica me Deas” which would be the equivalent of “Judge me, O Lord.”

1/29 – Proud Book Nerd - World Visuals

I am very much interested to see where this series is going, and will be eagerly waiting for Book 2, The Hero’s Lot.

1/30 – Open the Page - Herbwomen Goals

we find that the herbwomen had perhaps the biggest secret of all

1/31 – Wonderings of One Person – Review - Readers Goals

Errol became my Luke Skywalker and I needed to come up with an Obi-wan Kenobi.

2/1 – RELEASE-DAY BLAST! 

2/3 – Simple Wyrdings - Watchmen Elite Warriors

I really really liked this book!

2/4 – Bookworm Lisa – Review – Clergy Goals

This book is very well written and appealing.

2/5 – Passion & Life – Readers Excerpt from Patrick Carr

This is probably one of my favorite excerpts from the entire series. It was so much fun to write...

2/6 – Kari’s Crowded Bookshelf – Review Herbwomen Visuals

I like how the whole book had a very medieval feel to it... I couldn't put it down.

2/7 – Coffee, Books & Me - Readers Visuals

  

2/8 – Backing Books – Review – World Goals

Errol is perhaps the most realistic hero I have ever read about.

2/10 – Letters to the Cosmos - Watchmen by Patrick Carr

The next guy, Merodach was easy. As soon as I described him as having hair so blond it was almost silver and blue eyes, I knew Rutger Hauer was the perfect model. I loved him in the movie “Ladyhawke.”

2/11 – Colorimetry – Clergy Excerpt

"Only a fool could fail to see you have a story to tell and I would not have it said that I kept an injured man on his feet."

2/12 – ADD Librarian Herbwomen Excerpt

Sometimes a book comes along that you didn’t know you were waiting for until you read it, and somehow your world is more complete.

2/13 – Worthy 2 Read – Review - Watchmen Excerpt

Forsaking their names, they called themselves the watch and... swore an oath never to outlive their king in battle again.

2/15 – Pieces of Whimsy – Review - Readers Excerpt

I was hooked from the first page. I fell in love with the writing, the style and the way the words flowed. The story also grabbed from the beginning, it was exciting and adventurous and deep, and I couldn't stop reading!

  - Judging a Book by It's Cover

2/17 – CTF Devourer – Review

 The best spiritual reference is actually the night Errol stays with the priest he delivered a message to. Not having gone this long without a drink in years, he is sick the whole night through, but rather than the judgment and condemnation like he receives from his local church leader, this priest shows compassion and grace, promising and following through on the promise, to help Errol through the night.

2/18 – Pause Time - Readers Visuals

I'm a difficult reader to please within the fantasy/medieval genre, because I'm not really into it... Now I'm pleased to say that A Cast of Stones is another one of the rarities  that manages to captivate me with its world and that Patrick Carr is definitely one to watch.

2/19 – A Backwards Story – Review – World Excerpt

Sudden pains shot through his calves and he grimaced, struggling against unaccustomed weariness. He shouldn’t be tired. He’d run this trail and others as difficult a thousand times.

2/19 - Christy’s Cozy Corner – Herbwomen Excerpt

Errol stepped toward the herbwoman. Her head rested against the bars in front of him, her eyes milky with blindness.

One shriveled hand stretched through, touched him on the face. It was warm. A voice too soft to carry past the bars greeted him. Old eyes gazed at him in wonder. “You’ve been touched by Aurae. Thank the creator! I did not know any of the solis yet lived.” She paused. “Deas’ hand is on you.”

2/20 – Min Reads & Reviews – Watchmen Excerpt

“Errol Stone.” 

The lieutenant nodded. “An orphan."

2/21 – FINALE BLAST

2/25 - Winner TBA

Jill Williamson – Review 

Enter to WIN for 3 More Days!!!

Grand Prize (USA):  Print copy of entire series of three books (#2 & #3 as they are published) + A Cast of Stones Mug + Lend your name to a character in book #3!!

2nd Prize (USA): Print copy of A Cast of Stones

International Entries: eCopy of A Cast of Stones

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and sponsored by Bethany House & the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Free Short Stories- Wayne Batson

All of Wayne Thomas Batson's short stories are free on Amazon for the next couple of days.

A Crimson Frost- Marcia McClure

My Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Description: Beloved of her father, King Dacian, and adored by her people, the Scarlet Princess Monet endeavored to serve her kingdom well-for the people of the Kingdom of Karvana were good, and worthy of service. Long Monet had known that even her marriage would serve her people. Her husband would be chosen for her-for this was the way of royal existence. Still, as any woman does-peasant or princess-Monet dreamt of owning true love-of owning choice in love. Thus, each time the raven-haired, sapphire-eyed, Crimson Knight of Karvana rode near-Monet knew regret-for in secret, she loved him-and she could not choose him.

 As an arrogant king from another kingdom began to wage war against Karvana, Karvana's king, knights and soldiers answered the challenge. The Princess Monet would also know battle. As the Crimson Knight battled with armor and blade-so the Scarlet Princess would battle in sacrifice and with secrets held. Thus, when the charge was given to preserve the heart of Karvana-Monet endeavored to serve her kingdom and forget her secreted love. Yet, love is not so easily forgotten.


My Thoughts:  At first I had no idea what to rate this one. I really enjoy the books by The Queen of Kissing (Marcia McClure), however, this one was hard for me to decide one way or another. 

I am used to McClure's books being light and fluffy and that was what I was expecting when reading this. That's not what I got. This book was far more serious than previous ones. Couple that with her usually cheesy way of describing the love interests and I was just confused.

Still, the book was clean and cute.

Buy on Amazon
Like my review on Goodreads
Like my review on Amazon
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The Cowboy's Suprise Bride- Linda Ford

My Rating: 3 1/2 Stars

Description:  Traveling to Canada's Northwest Territories is a thrilling opportunity for Linette Edwards—and her chance to escape a dreaded marriage in England. She's more than eager to accept Eddie Gardiner's written invitation. How could she know that Eddie thinks he's marrying not Linette, but her friend, Margaret? 

Eddie planned for a well-bred bride who'd help prove his worth to his father. Instead he's saddled with a ragamuffin stranger and the little boy in her care. He'll shelter them until springtime and no longer. But before the snow clears, his heart is thawing too…, and hoping this makeshift family can find a permanent home together.

My Thoughts:  I thought this book was good. Linette's desire to be more than just an ornament is one that I understand. Her fear of love was one that I did not. I liked the sweetness of the story though I could have done with out some of the restating of opinions and feelings.

I would recommend Linda Ford's books and will most likely read more.

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes & Noble
Like my review on Goodreads
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Iscariot- Tosca Lee

Finally! I had time in my week to finish this. Now, for the review.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One—a miracle-worker. The promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, Judas joins the Nazarene’s followers, ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life.

But Judas’ vision of a nation free from Roman rule is crushed by the inexplicable actions of the Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention—who seems in the end to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas must confront the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Iscariot is the story of Judas—from his tumultuous childhood and tenuous entry into a career and family life as a devout Jew, to a man known to the world as the betrayer of Jesus. But even more, it is a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus himself that forces us all to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous—and infamous—religious icons in history.

My Thoughts:  From cultural stand point, this book was amazing. Lee put a lot research and study into her story. I felt like I could actually see Israel, the Mikva, and Jesus' prayer covering. I felt the social and political tensions as well. No other novel I have read set in the time period has made everything come to life so well from the standpoint of someone actually living then instead of now.

As to her topic, I applaud Lee on her courage. Few would dare to take a hated villain of history and show him as what he truly was, human. I have always believed that there was more to Iscariot's story than simply that he betrayed Jesus and I am glad to finally have read one possibility.

The only issue I had was that some of the events were changed. Either they happened to someone else or in a different place. This threw me off as knew how the stories were supposed to go. However, I understand that Lee needed to condense the story in order to, as she says in her author's note, get to the heart of the story.

Buy on Amazon.
Buy on Barnes & Noble.
Enter giveaway on Goodreads.
Like my review on Amazon.
Like my review on Goodreads.

Sandra Byrd- French Twist

Sandra Byrd has a series she is celebrating, French Twist. I have the first book, which will be free on kindle from Feb 10th-14th. Once I read it, I will post a review. I can not give a date for this as of yet, since my review pile it huge!

Here are the covers:
Let Them Eat Cake
Bon Appétit
Pièce de Résistance

Sandra Byrd is also having a giveaway for some yummy cake on her page.

A Cast of Stones Review, Goals, and Giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

A Cast of Stones
by Patrick Carr
Paperback, 400 pages
Expected Publication: February 1st 2013 by Bethany House Publishers

Premise:

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom. 

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Available 2/1/13:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Christian Book Distributors

The Book Depository

About the Author:


Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

Awards: ACFW Genesis Competition 2010 Finalist for “A Cast of Stones” in Speculative Fiction.

Find & Follow:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Music Themes

Goals:

My biggest goal for the world I created was to act as a receptacle for the characters I’d created. I needed different areas with different customs and physical traits. In this sense, the geography took a back seat to the characters. I probably worked a little backward on this, but as I worked my way through the first draft, I assigned the character traits I needed for a scene and then went back and wrote those traits into the ethnic identity for a particular region.

My Review: This was a really good fantasy. When I read it on ereader I did not realize how long it was, which shows just how much I liked it because I read it in two days. Errol is perhaps the most realistic hero I have ever read about. He has real issues and hurts and we travel through his struggles with him instead of reading about them after the fact. Also, while it is fantasy, it feels like real life. This means that people who usually don't read fantasy will enjoy it was well.

Tour-Wide Giveaway: Add your name to the cast below. :)

Grand Prize (USA & Canada):  Print copy of entire series of three books (#2 & #3 as they are published) + A Cast of Stones Mug + Lend your name to a character in book #3!!

2nd Prize (USA & Canada): Print copy of A Cast of Stones

International: eCopy of A Cast of Stones

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and sponsored by Bethany House & the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Only on this Tour... the author shares the Creation, his Goals, some Visuals and Excerpts on each of these mini-themes:

The Herbwomen of secret lore

The World of The Staff & the Sword

The Readers of the cast lots

The Watchmen, elite warriors

The Clergy of power

Catch the entire Tour!!

LAUNCH-DAY BLAST! 

1/23 - Backing Books - Herbwomen

1/24 – Christian Novels – Review – World

1/25 – I Am a Reader, Not a Writer – Readers

1/27 – Reads to Reels – Watchmen

1/28 – LDS & Lovin’ It - Clergy

1/29 – Proud Book Nerd - World

1/30 – Open the Page - Herbwomen

1/31 – Wonderings of One Person – Review - Readers

2/1 – RELEASE-DAY BLAST! 

2/3 – Simple Wyrdings - Watchmen

2/4 – Bookworm Lisa – Review – Clergy

2/5 – Passion & Life – Readers

2/6 – Kari’s Crowded Bookshelf – Review Herbwomen

2/7 – Coffee, Books & Me - Readers

2/8 – Backing Books – Review – World

2/10 – Letters to the Cosmos - Watchmen

2/11 – Jill Williamson – Review – Clergy

2/12 – ADD Librarian Herbwomen

2/13 – Worthy 2 Read – Review - Watchmen

2/14 – Hey, Tara! - World

2/15 – Pieces of Whimsy – Review - Readers

2/17 – CTF Devourer – Review – Clergy

2/18 – Pause Time - Readers

2/19 – A Backwards Story – Review – World

2/19 - Christy’s Cozy Corner – Herbwomen

2/20 – Min Reads & Reviews – Review Watchmen

2/21 – FINALE BLAST, Winner announced

Iscariot- Tosca lee

Today Iscariot was released!!!

Description: In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One—a miracle-worker. The promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, Judas joins the Nazarene’s followers, ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life.

But Judas’ vision of a nation free from Roman rule is crushed by the inexplicable actions of the Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention—who seems in the end to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas must confront the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Iscariot is the story of Judas—from his tumultuous childhood and tenuous entry into a career and family life as a devout Jew, to a man known to the world as the betrayer of Jesus. But even more, it is a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus himself that forces us all to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous—and infamous—religious icons in history.



My Thoughts: Now I am about half way through reading this, so I do not have a review yet. So far, I love it. The imagery is great for helping me see the Biblical stories, and not in the way of a bedtime story. I will have a review by the end of the week.

There is a giveaway for Iscariot on Goodreads.

Or you can buy it at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Only Uni- Camy Tang

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: Senior biologist Trish Sakai is ready for a change from her wild, flirtatious behavior. So Trish creates three simple rules from First and Second Corinthians and plans to follow them to the letter. No more looking at men as possible dates, especially non-Christians. Second, tell others about Christ. And third, she will persevere in hardship by relying on God. And just to make sure she behaves, she enlists the help of her three cousins, Lex, Venus and Jennifer, the only Christians in their large extended family.

 But Trish's dangerously tempting ex-boyfriend, Kazuo the artist, keeps popping up at all the wrong moments, and her grandmother, who has her eye on his family money, keeps trying to push the two of them back together again. Then there's Spencer, the hunky colleague at work who keeps turning Trish's thoughts in the wrong direction.

 It just isn't fair. She's trying so hard, but instead of being God's virtuous woman, she's going nuts trying to stand firm against two hunky guys. Trish thought following her three rules would be a cinch, but suddenly those simple rules don't seem so simple after all.

My Thoughts:  This book was great. Tang comes at the difficulties of life with humor. If her heroines didn't know how to laugh at themselves, I sure they would go crazy with what they go through. In this book, Trish learns that what matters in life is what God thinks of her and not what everyone else does. It's a lesson that I sometimes have to remind myself of.

The one thing that keeps this from being five stars it that some of the plot elements are the same as in Sushi for One? If it were not for that, I would definitely have rated it higher.

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes & Noble

Sword of the Six- Scott Appleton

My Rating: 3 stars

Description: When in ancient times the dragon prophet was betrayed by his choicest warriors, he set in mind a plan to bring the traitors to justice. Nearly one thousand years later he sets new warriors on a quest to mete out justice . . . these warriors' veins flow not with human blood, but the strength of the dragon's. Weilding rusted swords whose blades still drip with the blood of the innocents slain by them, the dragon's human daughters set out to find the first of the traitors.

My Thoughts:  The beginning and end of this novel were EPIC! I loved them. The imagery is amazing and so easy to picture, just as it is through out the novel. There was just something great about the prologue especially. I love the cover too.

That is where my praise ends. I don't know it was simply the draft I read and it was edited once more before publication, but things were just wrong. Certain things were repeated to where it was annoying, such as the location of the sisters' scabbards. Also, things would be referred to as 'the' when they had never been mentioned before or there were many of them.

I was also confused as to Albino's role. He seemed to be all knowing, as God would, but then not be. Most of the sisters, as well, confused me. They had to be there, but then did not do much of anything. There were also some other unexplained things.

At the beginning, the Appleton had a note that said that this book is sort of a prologue to the rest. In that case, the next books will probably make a lot more sense as they are the true story. If the book went through another draft, I could see this book being a 4, possibly even 5, stared book. As is, it is only a 3.

Buy at Amazon.
Buy at Barnes & Noble.
Like my review on Amazon.
Like my review on Goodreads.

Release Day- and Giveaway

Released TODAY!!

Look for my review on the 8th.

A Cast of Stones
by Patrick Carr
Paperback, 400 pages
Expected Publication: February 1st 2013 by Bethany House Publishers

Premise:

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom. 

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Available 2/1/13:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Christian Book Distributors

The Book Depository

On Tour NOW!!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Only on this Tour... the author shares the Creation, his Goals, some Visuals and Excerpts on each of these mini-themes:

The Herbwomen of secret lore

The World of The Staff & the Sword

The Readers of the cast lots

The Watchmen, elite warriors

The Clergy of power

Catch the entire TOUR!!

Tour-Wide Giveaway:  Add your name to the cast below. :)

Grand Prize (USA):  Print copy of entire series of three books (#2 & #3 as they are published) + A Cast of Stones Mug + Lend your name to a character in book #3!!

2nd Prize (USA): Print copy of A Cast of Stones

International Entries: eCopy of A Cast of Stones

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and sponsored by Bethany House & the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway