Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Daughters of Northern Shores- Joanne Bischof

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description: Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor’s child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon—whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.

Having fled the farm after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon’s cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor’s which is already at stake through a grave illness brought to him as the first prick of warfare.

Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she’s been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he’s fighting for.


My Thoughts: This is a sequel I had waited anxiously for. The first book was probably my favorite read last year, with so much depth and strong character development. However, I felt as though this book rode the coat tails of the last, relying on all that happened before in order to make this story worth while.

The majority of the first quarter of this novel is dedicated to dredging up what happened in the last story, reminding the characters and perhaps informing new readers. As I had already read the first book, I found myself tempted to skip sections of this while also struggling with strong emotions over remembering what happened in the last book. A book that was SO GOOD. But my love of the last book could only carry my enjoyment of this one so far.

The first book dealt with a lot of things: overcoming addiction, finding love, the heartache of being deaf in a hearing world, the festering pain of childhood lose... and I could go on.  However, this story focuses on the reconciliation of Haakon with his family and the long time simmering hatred that the Sorrell Klansmen hold for Thor. While these are worthy things to be covered in the story, after the beauty of the first book I was left feeling that this book could have been so much more. Especially since the danger of the Klansman only really affects the end of this book despite being brought up through out.


I won't lie and say that there was never a moment that I was choked up or heartbroken over a portion of this story. But those moments were directly tied to the first book, and in between I waited for more to be happening. For the Sorrell's to be a greater threat or for side characters to be engaged in some other struggle rather than going about their lives as usual, waiting for the main characters to take care of all their problems.

I have provided an honest review after receiving a copy of the book through the publisher.

Monday, June 17, 2019

Fairest Son- H.S.J. Williams

My Rating: 5 Stars

Description: The Fair and Foul courts of the fey folk have long yearned for one to bring them together in peace, but hopes are dashed when the fairest prince and the prophecy concerning him are laid to ruin. Burdened with shame and sorrow, the prince flees to the cold mountains far above the forests and lochs with nothing but animals and goblins for company.

When a human huntress stumbles upon him in her search for a legendary predator, their fates are intertwined. But she hides deadly secrets, and if he dares to trust her, he may risk the doom of both courts to an ancient evil...

A Retelling of Snow White


My Thoughts: It has admittedly been a little while since this novella was released, and honestly I am wishing that I had read it long before now. This is an amazingly well written narrative of Snow White and makes it feel like something new.

The writing style is highly reminiscent of many original fairy tales, while the story itself is far more modern. With a gender bent cast of characters, the huntress is Williams' heroine, a strong woman who has earned that title, and the prince is her "damsel in distress", though both characters do some saving of each other.

The only thing that could have made this better is perhaps if there were a few more of the wonderful art pieces like those shown at the beginning and end. But maybe for a future edition.

I have provided an honest review after receiving an ecopy from the author.

Monday, June 10, 2019

The Number of Love- Review and Giveaway

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White with JustRead Publicity Tours! Follow along with the tour for a special inside peek at how The Number of Love is connected to the author's previous book from another series, A Song Unheard.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Number of Love 
Series: Codebreakers #1 
Author: Roseanna M. White 
Publisher: Bethany House 
Release Date: June 4, 2019 
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue

Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy that just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the too-intelligent Margot, but how to convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?

Amidst biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them, but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save them all from the very secrets that brought them together.


Title:A Song Unheard
Series: Shadows Over England #2 
Author: Roseanna M. White  
Publisher: Bethany House 
Release Date: January 2, 2018 
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which make her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I—to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won—until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is in meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't—that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
| Book Depository | ChristianBook


REVIEW


Until The Number of Love, I had never read any of Roseanna White's books other then A Song Unheard. Fortunately, that meant that I was now reading Margot's story, the sister of Lukas from the book. And while I think that the story itself would be easy enough for someone to understand without having read the previous one, I was surprised by how much the events of A Song Unheard were brought into this story.

Margot is a bright young woman, more like a genius, who lives her life breaking code and dreaming of the day when, just maybe, people will stop underestimating her. As a spy, Drake can only ever do his best to make sure that people DO underestimate him, or else his life might be forfeit. But when a bullet sends him back home, he'll have to prove to Margot not only that he doesn't underestimate her, but that she shouldn't underestimate the future they can have together.

Like with A Song Unheard, The Number of Love is an enjoyable read. I connected well with the fact that Margot finds it difficult to make female friends, something I also dealt with through my childhood and still sometimes today. And her love of puzzles and mathematics sparked my own, so that I would stop reading ever once in awhile to grab my sudoku.

At the same time, however, I found some of Margot's behavior better suited to her childhood in the last book. She throws just as many tantrums as she did in her younger years, even if she better rationalizes them, and she doesn't attempt to make friends until God literally commands her to. But perhaps that is my perspective because, while I was never as intelligent, I was much like Margot though I grew out of it much quicker. Yet Margot is still young, and how can I not like a story about a heroine who thinks much the same as me?

I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of the book through Just Read Tours.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books...to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.

CONNECT WITH ROSEANNA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


TOUR GIVEAWAY

Grand Prize: Shadows Over England series, The Number of Love, and the Decrypto board game, plus "Mi Alma" necklace (Necklace is 24" chain with a 1" pendant that says "Mi Alma" Spanish for "My Soul". A term of endearment used throughout the book. Handmade by Bookworm Mama)

(3) additional winners of The Number of Love.

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 3, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm June 17, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
cropped-justread-logo.png

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

A Song Unheard- Spotlight and Giveaway as Part of The Number of Love Tour

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White with JustRead Publicity Tours! Follow along with the tour for a special inside peek at how The Number of Love is connected to the author's previous book from another series, A Song Unheard.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Number of Love 
Series: Codebreakers #1 
Author: Roseanna M. White 
Publisher: Bethany House 
Release Date: June 4, 2019 
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue

Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy that just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the too-intelligent Margot, but how to convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?

Amidst biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them, but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save them all from the very secrets that brought them together.


Title:A Song Unheard
Series: Shadows Over England #2 
Author: Roseanna M. White  
Publisher: Bethany House 
Release Date: January 2, 2018 
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which make her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I—to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won—until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is in meeting theintriguing Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't—that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
| Book Depository | ChristianBook


EXCERPT


        She was an enigma. Scarcely looking his way during dinner, playing the part of smiling guest wherever the conversation went. But there was more to her, of that he had no doubt. The way she’d been studying that building yesterday . . .

         The way she studied the violin now, from her stance behind the sisters’ sofa. She didn’t reach for it. Her posture said she was perfectly at ease—nearly bored even.

         But her eyes were hungry.

         His father and his sister could spend days studying a mathematical enigma—Lukas had never shared that particular love of theirs. But a puzzle of a woman he could study for an eternity.

         He drew his bow from its bed and held it out to her. “Here you are, Miss Forsythe. Whenever you are ready.”

A smile danced over her lips, vanishing again even as she reached for the bow.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself.Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books...to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.

CONNECT WITH ROSEANNA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


TOUR GIVEAWAY

Grand Prize: Shadows Over England series, The Number of Love, and the Decrypto board game, plus "Mi Alma" necklace (Necklace is 24" chain with a 1" pendant that says "Mi Alma" Spanish for "My Soul". A term of endearment used throughout the book. Handmade by Bookworm Mama)

(3) additional winners of The Number of Love.

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 3, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm June 17, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
cropped-justread-logo.png

Monday, June 3, 2019

Flight of the Raven- Excerpt and Giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Flight of the Raven
(The Ravenwood Saga #2)
By Morgan L. Busse
Christian Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
April 30th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

Selene Ravenwood, once the heir to House Ravenwood, is now an exile. On the run and free of her family's destiny, Selene hopes to find the real reason her family was given the gift of dreamwalking. But first she must adapt to her new life as wife to Lord Damien Maris, the man she was originally assigned to kill. 

While adjusting to her marriage and her home in the north, her power over dreams begins to grow. As the strongest dreamwalker to exist in ages, her expanding power attracts not only nightmares but the attention of the Dark Lady herself.

With a war looming on the horizon and a wicked being after her gift, Selene is faced with a choice: embrace the Dark Lady's offer, or search out the one who gave her the gift of dreamwalking. One path offers power, the other offers freedom. But time is running out, and soon her choice will be made for her.


Other Books in the Series

Mark of the Raven
(The Ravenwood Saga #1)
By Morgan L. Busse
Christian Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
November 6th 2018 by Bethany House Publishers

Lady Selene is the heir to the Great House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person’s dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. For the last hundred years, the Ravenwood women have used their gift of dreaming for hire to gather information or to assassinate.

As she discovers her family’s dark secret, Selene is torn between upholding her family’s legacy–a legacy that supports her people–or seeking the true reason behind her family’s gift.

Her dilemma comes to a head when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations, but who will also bring about the downfall of her own house.

One path holds glory and power, and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and execution. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?


EXCERPT FROM FLIGHT OF THE RAVEN

Damien watched her a moment longer before turning to address the crowd. “People of Nor Esen and the Northern Shores.” The people quieted and Selene wondered how much of Damien’s words they could actually hear.
“Let me present to you Lady Selene of House Ravenwood, my new wife.”
It took a moment for Damien’s words to spread across the crowd. The cheers began again, although not quite as loud. Selene reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, unsure if she should wave or just stand there. She opted to stand there as Damien spoke for a little longer.
A few drops of rain splattered across the stone railing, and one hit the tip of her nose. She glanced up. It looked like the heavens were about to burst open. Damien finished his speech, waved again, and turned, his hand still in hers. A few more drops fell from the sky, and the wind picked up.
The door was open and waiting for them. Damien stepped back and motioned for her to enter first. As she walked by, he placed his hand on her back and gently guided her. Every nerve inside of her felt his contact, as if his hand was a hot poker pressing into her back.
“There is a special dinner tonight in our honor. Some of the same people you met last night will be there.”
“And who are they?”
Damien led her down the stairs, following the path of water that ran along either side of the walkway toward the doors ahead. The people in the wings were already filing out. “Members from a handful of lesser houses, some wealthy families whose source of income is trade, and people handpicked by me. And Taegis, of course. Do you need anything, or are you ready to head to the dining hall?”
“No, I’m ready.”
He kept his hand on her back, guiding her along the lit corridor. Two guards followed.
“So who exactly is Taegis?” Selene asked, still feeling the pressure of his fingers along her back. “A councilor? Captain?”
“He’s my guardian. And he was my father’s guardian before me. He acts as a personal bodyguard, counselor, and friend.”
“I see.” In some ways like Mother’s Hagatha, although Hagatha served more as a servant than a guardian.
“I don’t know what I would have done without him when my family passed away.” There was a hint of sadness in his voice. He cleared his throat. “By the way, you looked radiant standing there on the balcony.” His smile was back. “I think the people of Nor Esen approve of you.”
“Thank you,” she said as they turned a corner. But did he approve? She clenched her hand against her side as doubts flooded back into her mind. Did Damien want her? Now wasn’t the time, but eventually she was going to ask him, even if the answer was the one she feared, the one that haunted her nightmares. At least then she would know the truth.
I never wanted to marry you. I only married you to save myself.



About the Author


Morgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series and the steampunk series The Soul Chronicles. She is a Christy and INSPY Award finalist and won the Carol Award in 2018 for best in Christian speculative fiction. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel.


Tour Schedule


Tour Giveaway


1 winner will receive print copies of Mark of the Raven, Flight of the Raven, and a $20 Amazon gift card
2 winners will receive print copies of Mark of the Raven and Flight of the Raven
- US only
- Ends June 7, 2019

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