Category: book tour

April 9, 2015

A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron #review

Two women are bound together in time through another’s powerful story of hope and survival during the midst of war in Kristy Cambron’s A Sparrow in Terezin.

About A Sparrow in Terezin

Present day: With the grand opening of her new art gallery and the upcoming wedding to the man of her dreams, Sera feels as though she has stepped into a charmed life. Until her husband is mixed up in a brutal court battle that threatens to destroy the future they have planned. William faces time in prison for a crime he did not commit and Sera must battle the accusations in order to maintain any hope for the future.

1942: Kaja narrowly escapes Prague in 1939 when she was forced to leave her family behind. Kaja’s father is Jewish and her blended family threatened to see her harmed and instead of seeing this happen her parents send her away. Now she is a reporter in England who discovers the awful and ugly truth that is happening throughout Europe. Kaja can not rest knowing this truth and returns to her birth place in order to find her family to help smuggle them out of the country to safety.

Connecting across time through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times.

My Thoughts

I love Kristy Cambron’s writing – she draws you in and leaves you wanting more. Her newest book is no exception – it met and exceeded all of my expectations from her first book, The Butterfly and the Violin.

She cleverly and uniquely connects two young women living in different time periods. The connection is only discovered over time and this connection only exists through the kindness and sacrifice in another.

Kristy showcases faith, hope and strength in A Sparrow in Terezin. She had me crying at times and praying for those who were stuck in the camp set up by the Germans. You feel as though you are there with them and yet at the same time can not even begin to imagine the suffering that occurred during this time period. Even in this dark place, we find moments of peace, love and forgiveness.

You will not want to miss out on this book! You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page here. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Kristy fancies life as a vintage story-teller. Her debut historical novel, The Butterfly and the Violin, was named to Library Journal Reviews Best Books of 2014. Kristy holds a degree in Art History and has nearly fifteen years experience in instructional design and communication. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons.

April 2, 2015

Daughter of the Regiment Book Tour

During the American Civil War, thousands of women organized to join the war efforts. In Daughter of the Regiment, Maggie Malone is one of those women that leaves the comfort and safety of her home to support those she loves.

About Daughter of the Regiment

Maggie Malone feels the effects of the war firsthand – first when her brothers go off to join the efforts and again when a group of bandits attack her farm. Feeling desperate and alone, Maggie heads off to find her brothers in the Federal Army Camp. There she quickly captures the admiration of Sergeant John “Colt” Coulter who immediately notices her skill and dedication. When circumstances beyond anyone’s control forces Maggie to stay with the brigade, Maggie quickly learns that there is a lot a woman can do to help the brave men she quickly deems “her boys”.

As the hostess of an acclaimed Missouri plantation, Miss Libbie Blair has learned to play her part and remain uninvolved in political affairs of her brother, Walker. When his aspirations lead him to organize the “Wildwood Guards”, Libbie must gracefully manage the house with the officers outside. With the war drawing closer to their home, Libbie must figure out how to protect those that rely on her.

When a battle brings the war to Wildwood Grove, Libbie’s home is transformed into a battle hospital. The two women whose brothers have fought on opposite sides of the battle come face to face.

My Thoughts

This novel was fantastic from start to finish. Historical fiction is always my favourite to read and Daughter of the Regiment delivered perfectly with two strong female leads and a role in history that I was never even aware of.

Maggie is the type of girl I admire – strong, fun and fearless. She doesn’t care what others think of her and sticks by her convictions. When she joins the regiment as a Daughter of the Regiment (a term that was coined by one of her French ‘boys’) she finds a role that suits her perfectly. She can care for those she holds dear and she even finds herself in the middle of battle! She faces all that comes her way with strength and determination.

Libbie on the other hand at first seems your typical aristocrat interested in only herself. As the novel progresses, we are able to see more into her character and witness the transformation she goes through. She actually becomes a character that I admire just as much as Maggie. While she was born into privilege because of the time in history she was stuck in a situation that she could not control nor leave. While both women are so different at first, we find that they are very much alike and would do anything to protect those that they love.

This novel would be great for young women as it features two strong female characters that despite the historical time difference many young women will relate to. Both female characters are strong, confident young women who follow their convictions. I was surprised that this was the first time I had ever heard of this role that women played during the war as ‘Daughters of the Regiment’. History can sometimes tend to minimize the role women played and it was great that this book illustrated the important role these two young women played. Without them who knows where the regiment might have been as they became to rely on the young women and their skills.

You can find this novel on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Stephanie Grace Whitson is the author of over twenty-seven novels. A frequent ECPA best seller, Stephanie is also a two-time Christy Award finalist. When she isn’t writing, speaking or keeping up with her five grown children and grandchildren, she loves to take rides aboard her motorcycle, Kitty. She received her Master of Arts degree in 2012. Stephanie and her husband reside in Nebraska.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

March 23, 2015

Visiting The Sins by Melanie Denman #review

Visiting The Sins is a darkly funny story about mothers and daughters, ambition, redemption and the acts we commit in the name of family.

About Visiting the Sins

Visiting the Sins is set deep in the Bible Country of Texas and follows three generations of women in the Wheeler family. A family of women with lofty social aspirations but whom always seem dissatisfied. Pokey is the quirky matriarch, Rebanelle the former beauty queen and Curtis Jean the gospel singer. Their aspirations are matched only by their poor taste in men and their capacity for holding grudges. A legacy of feuding and scandals threatens to bring down all they have sacrificed to build.

My Thoughts

An interesting story told from the viewpoints of the three women and those closest to them. They are a family that loves each other deeply but also are not afraid to speak their mind nor hold a grudge. With the story being told from each of the women’s own thoughts and feelings you are given a different angle of each situation. While Pokey feels Rebanelle is cold and calculating, Rebanelle feels hurt and that she must bear the greatest burden of the family. The three women constantly perceive each situation differently and of course each one is always the most correct individual. This did get confusing at first until I became quite clear with the names of all the characters but it really gave a great picture of the situations each one endured.

While dark at times, Visiting the Sins is a true portrayal of depression, family love and perseverance against the toughest odds. The Wheeler family pulled themselves out of poverty to become high standing members of their community and did it in a way that only the Wheeler family could achieve. The comedy relief from Pokey balances the novel out perfectly.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon and Barnes & Nobles.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Melanie is a native Texas and a graduate from Stephen F. Austin State University. An eighth generation Texan and a former banker and cattle rancher, she currently lives in San Francisco working on her second novel.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

March 2, 2015

A Life of the Twentieth Century by Irene Even #review

A Life of the Twentieth Century is the story of Aya, a young girl alone in the world after the death of her parents who must face the horrors of the Second World War.

About A Life of the Twentieth Century

Aya loses her parents at the tender age of three. At the age of twelve, she was sent to a boarding school in Budapest that was forced to close after one year due to the Nazi army marching into the city.

Aya was left alone to face the Nazi occupation and to experience the horrors of the war. She faced many life threatening situations, such as prison, bombardment or even the possibility of execution on the spot without really comprehending the gravity of it all.

The end of the war was supposed to mean liberation, the return of hope and freedom for most people however this did not happen for Aya, who was part of a youth group on their way to Palestine. The destination of this youth group was to reach Italy and the Jewish Brigade. They crossed the Alps on foot from Austria to reach Italy.

As they reached their destination Aya met a solider from the Jewish Brigade who was supposed to be her hero, her Saviour but who turned out to be the devil incarnate. From day one this solider of the Jewish Brigade took control of Aya’s life when she was only fifteen years old.

After divorce, destitute and once again alone, she had no direction and almost no hope. From deep inside her she heard a voice telling her to go back to school. It took all her courage to apply to university where she was accepted and after five years was granted a B.A. and a Diploma in Teaching. She spent the rest of her life teaching and as she contemplated her life she said to herself that is she had had all the choices in the world, she would have chosen teaching.

My Thoughts

It is hard to know where to start with such a powerful book. Even more so when the story is a true story of the struggles a young girl faced during the Second World War right through to adulthood. I felt humbled and honoured to read her story as Irene draws us into the story of Aya.

At such a young age, Aya could hardly understand the complexities and the dangers around her during the war but she faced them bravely and without fear. She describes events that gave me goosebumps and a strong sense of appreciation of how brave she was despite being so young (can you even begin to imagine crossing the Alps on foot to reach Italy??!). It is hard to believe that she accomplished so much before the age of sixteen but she did as many like her did as well out of necessity and the need to survive.

I was heartbroken for her as she struggled with depression and a marriage that was unhappy. Like many that suffer from depression it is hard to accept and reach out for help. I was glad to see her pull out from the fog of unhappiness and depression and reach for her goals of teaching. I was even happier when she left the dangerous marriage that she was in. Her marriage only put additional strain on her as a person both mentally and physically.

A Life of the Twentieth Century is a memoir that reads like an unpredictable novel with the beauty of being a true story. A truly lovely memoir of a powerful, brave and determined young lady who grows into an even stronger woman as she struggles on the journey of life. A definite must read especially for young women who will most likely identify with many parts of this memoir.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon or Book Locker.

Rating: 5/5

About Irene Even

Irene Even was born in Hungary. As a child she lived through the Second World War using false papers to survive. After the war, she immigrated to Palestine and lived in a Kibbutz. She then later married and immigrated to Canada with her family. She returned to Israel to teach English and remained there for twenty-two years. After writing her memoir, she now lives in retirement in Montreal.

The Giveaway!

You can now enter to win one of ten e-book copies of A Life of the Twentieth Century. This giveaway is open internationally and ends March 21st. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 15, 2014

A Bridge Unbroken Book Tour & Launch Party

$100 Visa Card Giveaway & A BRIDGE UNBROKEN Book Tour & Launch Party

Welcome to the BlitzKat blog tour for Cathy Bryant’s A Bridge Unbroken. Another Miller’s Creek Novel set in the heart of Texas, A Bridge Unbroken brings two new characters to the forefront while still giving fans a glimpse of their favorite characters from the past, including the old geezers and Mama Beth.

About the Book, A BRIDGE UNBROKEN

Letting go to build a bridge…

Dakota Kelly wants her painful past to disappear. A plan to start afresh is derailed when she co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with the man responsible for the scars on her heart. But Chance Johnson isn’t the only ghost from the past. Someone else is out to get her and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Will Chance and Dakota lay aside their grudges to restore the old farmhouse and bridge, or will evil forces sabotage their attempt at forgiveness?

Click HERE to read a sample chapter of A Bridge Unbroken.

| Purchase Print Version | Purchase eBook Version |

The Other Miller’s Creek Novels

“Miller’s Creek, Texas…where folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth’s front porch beckons…”

About Cathy

A native daughter of the Lone Star State, Cathy loves spinning tales about life in small town Texas. When she’s not weaving stories about the fine folks in Miller’s Creek, you’ll find her rummaging through thrift stores, feeding her reality TV addiction, or up to her elbows in yet another home improvement project in the mountain cabin she shares with her minister husband of over thirty years. You can find out more about Cathy and her books at www.CatBryant.com.

You can also connect with Cathy at:

Reader friends on Facebook may want to visit the following groups, the first for book bargains and the second to discuss all things Miller’s Creek.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChristianBooks.Giveaways/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MillersCreekReaders/

About the Blog Tour and Launch Party

Cathy is celebrating the new addition to the Miller’s Creek family by making several prizes available to reader friends–including a $100 Visa Card Giveaway. Winners will be announced at the interactive Facebook Launch Party on May 22, 2014.

Other prizes include: t-shirts, coffee mugs, tote bags, bookmarks, eBooks, print books and Amazon Gift cards.

Enter the grand prize drawing for the $100 Visa Card now by clicking one of the links below. But hurry, because the contest ends May 22, 2014.

(NOTE: Some contest tasks can be completed daily for extra chances to win.) The grand prize winner will be announced at the A Bridge Unbroken Facebook launch party on May 22.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE DRAWING VIA CATHY’S WEBSITE.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER VIA THE GIVEAWAY TAB ON CATHY’S FACEBOOK PAGE.

See you at the party!

Watch out for my review and e-book giveaway going live tomorrow too!