It has been one of those weekends, where I found myself more busy than I had anticipated. And I’m also taking a little break from reading this week. But that doesn’t mean that you are.
So what are you reading this week?
Author: remaininhislove
As Part of the To Die Once Blog Tour: Interview of Miranda A. Uyeh +Giveaway
Thank you for being willing to be interviewed!
1. What was your inspiration for To Die Once?
A – I’ve been an avid reader and viewer of movies/TV series for a long time, so I can
honestly tell you that they all came together and conspired to create a story in my
head. It started with little bits here and there and, finally, became a huge story that
I just had to put down.
2. Are you an author who plans everything out ahead of time? Or do you write by the
seat of your pants?
A – A little bit of both, actually. There are days when I’m sure if I don’t get a good
handle on the story, it’d become too chaotic for me. Other days, I feel the powerful
surge of the creative juices in my veins and I just let it go. It’s always a fun ride
when I do that!
3. What authors would you say have had the greatest influences on your writing?
A – Love this question! Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, Dee Henderson,
MaryLu Tyndll and Julie Lessman … in that order.
4. A huge part of your novel takes place in Italy, have you ever been there before? Or
did you have to do some research?
A- No, I haven’t been to Italy, so I had to do some research. However, it’s a country
that I’d really love to visit someday!
5. Can you tell us what you’re working on next?
A – I’m presently working on book #2 in the Child of Grace Series, To Lie Once,
and I’ve already laid the ground work for book #3 and #4. To Lie Once will center
on Jennifer’s sister, Joyce. It’s a “good girl gone bad” sort of story. I love where it’s
going so far!
Embassie, thank you so much for having me today! I truly appreciate. Let’s do
again, yes?
Of course! To Learn More about Miranda:
1. Readers can follow To Die Once and the rest of the Child of Grace book series on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ToBeAPerson.
2. They can also follow the #ToDieOnce hashtag on twitter to follow the author and the
influencer bloggers to keep up to date with the reviews.
3. Readers can view the pinterest board set up for To Die Once here: https://www.facebook.com/ToBeAPerson
Miranda A. Uyeh can be found on her Blog, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, Pinterest, Twitter.
To keep up with Miranda and the Child of Grace book series, readers can sign up on her blog here:
http://mautobeaperson.wordpress.com/
Giveaway
Ms. Uyeh is graciously giving away 10 ebooks every week for the next 7 weeks, giving you the opportunity of winning 1 of 70 copies! All you have to do is enter through Rafflecopter below. Every Sunday the winners will be drawn of Miranda’s blog (http://mautobeaperson.wordpress.com/) and winners will be sent the ebook once the giveaway is finished. Open INTERNATIONALLY!!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/645b610/
Tracey Groot’s The Sentinels of Andersonville
About
Near the end of the Civil War, inhumane conditions at Andersonville Prison caused the deaths of 13,000 Union soldiers in only one year. In this gripping and affecting novel, three young Confederates and an entire town come face-to-face with the prison’s atrocities and will learn the cost of compassion, when withheld and when given.
Sentry Dance Pickett has watched, helpless, for months as conditions in the camp worsen by the day. He knows any mercy will be seen as treason. Southern belle Violet Stiles cannot believe the good folk of Americus would knowingly condone such barbarism, despite the losses they’ve suffered. When her goodwill campaign stirs up accusations of Union sympathies and endangers her family, however, she realizes she must tread carefully. Confederate corporal Emery Jones didn’t expect to find camaraderie with the Union prisoner he escorted to Andersonville. But the soldier’s wit and integrity strike a chord in Emery. How could this man be an enemy? Emery vows that their unlikely friendship will survive the war—little knowing what that promise will cost him.
As these three young Rebels cross paths, Emery leads Dance and Violet to a daring act that could hang them for treason. Wrestling with God’s harsh truth, they must decide, once and for all, Who is my neighbor?
Sentry Dance Pickett has watched, helpless, for months as conditions in the camp worsen by the day. He knows any mercy will be seen as treason. Southern belle Violet Stiles cannot believe the good folk of Americus would knowingly condone such barbarism, despite the losses they’ve suffered. When her goodwill campaign stirs up accusations of Union sympathies and endangers her family, however, she realizes she must tread carefully. Confederate corporal Emery Jones didn’t expect to find camaraderie with the Union prisoner he escorted to Andersonville. But the soldier’s wit and integrity strike a chord in Emery. How could this man be an enemy? Emery vows that their unlikely friendship will survive the war—little knowing what that promise will cost him.
As these three young Rebels cross paths, Emery leads Dance and Violet to a daring act that could hang them for treason. Wrestling with God’s harsh truth, they must decide, once and for all, Who is my neighbor?
Review
Let me start of by saying that I love all things Civil War. I’ve been to battle sites, I’ve toured plantation homes, I watch every new documentary on the history/military channel, I read all kinds of books on it, etc. So naturally when I heard about this book I had to read it. And it was so worth it! I’ve read a lot of Civil War novels, but only a few to me, really do the era any justice and this is one of them. Was this novel completely, historically accurate? No. Did the author take a few liberties? Yes. Did that bother me? Not at all. She managed to shine a light on a place that most people don’t even realize ever existed. Without further ado:
What I liked:
-Andersonville is a tragedy. And Ms. Groot does a beautiful job of showing how it has affected so many people. It reaches far and affects more than those who were suffering in the prison. Yet, this novel has some of the funniest lines I’ve ever read in a book. Though the novel is at times heavy, it doesn’t stay that way all the time.
-The characters were so well-developed. And as soon as I met them, I cared about them. There’s Violet (the way she was described stayed with me for days), Dance (love his name), Emery (such a big heart), Lew (my heart went out to him) and let’s not forget Posey.
-Friendship. I’m rarely pulled into a novel because of friendship, but a war novel is not a good war novel if it lacks friendship. And I became invested in this friendship.
-The romance was subtle, slow, but still very sweet.
-I learned about a different kind of soldier. The sentinel.
-Spiritually, the novel is not very overtly spiritual, but there is this beautiful message that you need to just be the Good Samaritan. Stop waiting for others to act.
What I didn’t like:
-I will admit that it’s not all flash and bang, and sometimes slow in parts. But to me, this added more credibility to the story. Things moved slowly back then.
Overall, a wonderful book. Deep and moving. And you will laugh out loud.
Romantic Scale: 7.5
Miranda A. Uyeh’s To Die Once + Giveaway
About
Two men, one woman, a rosebush …
… a terrible past, an uncertain future
Jennifer, a woman unexpectedly trapped in a path of love and passion against everything she believes.
Rodrigo, a man set to get what he wants at the cost of what matters most.
Stefano, a man with a past, a story to tell and passion to offer.
Chidi, a friend in need, a friend indeed. Or not?
From a culture where good girls follow the norm and live as they’ve been told, Jennifer is no different from any other girl until by happenstance, she meets and falls in love with Rodrigo, a man who’s handsome, rich and foreign. Different. She has no idea who he is or what he does, and is swept into a world of romance and passion. It is not long before she discovers a shocking truth that shakes both her world and his.
Then he is gone.
Stefano shows up at a time when Jennifer has made up her mind about the rules of life. He thinks she’s beautiful and is in love with her. In a bid to convince her to give him a chance in her life, old memories once buried are brought to life. And the events that follow don’t leave anyone unaffected by the truth of the past that was left unsettled.
Meanwhile, Jennifer with her friend Chidi, find themselves on a self-discovery journey that has one of them raising questions.
Some just have to ask, where is God in all this?
… an inspirational romance, from Lagos to Italy.
Review
When I first read what To Die Once was about, I was a bit nervous. I’m not a huge fan of love triangles and this book seems to have love triangle all over it. But I read some of the author’s writings and one thing that I have learned is that good writing can trump topics that I don’t like. I can’t go into too much detail because this is one of those books where too much talking will give the surprise away. So, here we go:
What I did like:
Don’t worry about the love triangle! If that’s your fear, please don’t let that stop you from reading this book!
The novel took place in Lagos and Italy. It’s not often you read Christian fiction that doesn’t take place in America. I really enjoyed the cultural aspect that was presented. And sometimes, I wanted more.
The overall premise of the story. I loved the way the novel comes full circle.
Many aspects of this novel felt grounded in reality. Sometimes I feel like romance novels drag certain things out to make the novel longer. And I didn’t feel that way with this one.
Chidi. She was my favorite character.
Spiritually, there are a ton of lessons here dealing with grace, judgment, forgiveness, etc. However, the one that stuck with me the most was that you shouldn’t think that you can handle temptation. If you recognize it for what it is, leave. Oh, wait, there’s another, God can use the mistakes in our lives and use them for something greater.
What I didn’t like:
When Jennifer fell in love, she seemed to base a lot of it on attraction. And so, I felt as a reader that I never really connected with the men in her life. When things got rough between her and a guy, I simply wasn’t as concerned about him. I was concerned about Jennifer and Chidi. But the men, not so much.
Also, one of the characters in this novel seemed to equate grace with trust. While I get that you are a new creation in Christ, trust still must be earned. And this person had some earning to do.
Romantic Scale: 8
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. The writing was beautiful, the story (though a bit farfetched) was really creative, and it’s a beautiful story of grace.
**I received this novel from the author. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**
Giveaway
Ms. Uyeh is graciously giving away 10 ebooks every week for the next 7 weeks, giving you the opportunity of winning 1 of 70 copies! All you have to do is enter through Rafflecopter below. Every Sunday the winners will be drawn of Miranda’s blog (http://mautobeaperson.wordpress.com/) and winners will be sent the ebook once the giveaway is finished. Open INTERNATIONALLY!!
Monday Musings…Things That Keep You From Purchasing a Novel
So I was doing some thinking and I’ve noticed that there are some books that I have read and loved, but I waited a long time before I read them. And I asked myself why? Here are some reasons:
1. Their Covers. It sounds so superficial, and I have been reading books for way too long to think that the outside of the book in anyway reflects the inside. But, seriously, covers will draw you in or repel. Cheap covers make me think cheap books. Boring covers make me think boring books. Lame covers make me think lame books. And yet, more often than naught, that is not the case.
2. Bad Reviews. I am a reviewer. I choose books based on other people’s reviews. But not everyone’s opinion will mesh with yours. There is one reviewer I read because I know if she hated it, I will probably love it. There are other reviewers that I used to read, but no longer do because what we agree on as negatives are not the same. Take a risk. Read a book with a bad review.
3. You’ve read the author before and been let down. There is one author I like who has written an amazing book. And then she wrote like three really boring ones in a row. Sometimes authors let you down. But don’t forget that they can write beautifully when they write well. Be hesitant maybe to buy their next one, but don’t give up just yet!
Are there any other reasons that have made you hesitate before reading a book, only to discover that you loved it?
Lisa T. Bergren’s Remnants
About
Our coming was foretold by the elders— Those who would change the future, just as the planet teetered on the edge of darkness.
Born on the prophesied day with birthmarks in the form of a crescent moon, they knew us immediately. Swaddled and screaming, we were spirited away by those who hid us, trained us, and kept us safe until our time came.
They poured their lives into us. Some died to save us.
And now we, the Remnants, protected by Knights of the Last Order, have gathered.
Called until we breathe our last … to save the world.
Review
As a lover of YA fantasy/dystopian novels, I have discovered that there are two ways in which a brand new series can start: one in medias res (or in the middle of things) and the other as world-building. I would classify this novel as world-building. It’s essentially a new world with a new way of life, and new groups of people, and much of the novel is Andriana coming into contact with different things and people. That is not to say that this novel was not fascinating (I’m very much looking forward to book two!)! Here’s what I noticed:
What I liked:
The world building was done fabulously. In no way, did I feel like the story stopped to explain things. Instead we got to experience and see things through the mostly sheltered eyes of Andriana. And what a world we encountered. It was both modern with the fantastical elements and medieval in the ways that people thought. It’s a great world to be in and I was extremely disappointed that every page I turned meant that I was closer to the end. I will say that it wasn’t always edge-of-your-seat exciting, but the writing was done so nicely, I still didn’t want to put the book down.
Andriana is great heroine. I never got annoyed with her, and that’s good because we’re in her head the whole novel. I liked the way she thought about things. I liked the way she reacted to things, and I liked the way she dealt with things. I also liked the idea of the romance in this. There’s actually a legit reason why they aren’t supposed to be together and that adds a lovely tension to the novel.
I also like the epic-like feel to the novel. I don’t feel like I’m being short-changed or that the author is rushing. There’s a lot going on it, but I was never lost. Furthermore, I like the whole idea of this special group of people who have amazing gifts. I’m very excited to see what happens next.
Spiritually, there are a couple of principles here, but the one that stuck out in my mind is the importance of closing the door to darkness. Otherwise it will take a foothold and take you places you never wanted to go.
What I didn’t like:
My biggest critique would be Ronan. I liked Ronan. I just wished Ronan got a chance to speak more. Every time he spoke, it was like time froze for me. But there’s a huge amount of the novel where he is just this silent presence and while I knew Andriana’s history with Ronan, I felt like I didn’t know Ronan. And he seems like a great person to know. Let’s face it, the whole point of having a great hero is so that we readers can fall just a little bit in love with him ourselves. So, here’s to hoping that book two has lots more of Ronan!
Romantic scale: 7.5
Overall, I really enjoyed Remnants. It was such a treat to read and I’m looking forward to the next one!
**I received a copy of this novel from the author. My opinion was not affected in any way.**
Serena B. Miller’s Fearless Hope
About
When an Amish woman falls for the New York crime writer who buys her family farm, she must decide whether to follow the longings of her heart or the rules of her faith.
When Hope Yoder loses her husband, she is left trying to support her two small children—and one on the way—however she can. She ends up taking a job as a part-time housekeeper for the Englisch man who has bought the farm that once belonged to her family.
Logan Parker is a bestselling crime fiction writer from New York City who accompanies his fiancée on a trip to Holmes County, Ohio, but the trip takes a strange turn when he sees an Amish farmhouse for sale. Intrigued by a strong sense of familiarity, he enters the house and is overcome with a feeling of deep peace. He’s never been to Ohio before, but something in this house feels right, and he purchases the farm to use as a retreat. Something about the peacefulness of the house frees him from the crippling writer’s block that threatens to ruin his career, and something about the quiet Amish woman who comes to clean his home makes him less and less excited about returning to New York and the woman he is supposed to marry.
Slowly, Logan and Hope are drawn together, and when they discover that they share a strange past, they must decide how that affects their future. Will Hope overcome her fear of embracing love again?
Review
Anyone who reads my blog regularly will know I don’t often read Amish Fiction. But, I love Serena Miller and if Serena Miller wants to write Amish fiction then I’m going to read it. So this novel continues in the same town as the other novels in this series with two new people. Here’s what I thought:
What I liked:
The character development. Hope and Logan are such well developed characters that they could have stepped off of the pages. I really enjoyed the chemistry between them. It was slow and subtle, and it worked really well (especially because they come from two very different backgrounds).
The novel managed to pull me in right away and I couldn’t put it down. I was totally invested in Hope and Logan and everyone around them. You get to see Grace and Levi, and Tom and Claire in this novel (and I especially like Grace and Levi’s updates).
The little mystery in this book. It completely blew me away! I loved it!
Spiritually, I love the theme of forgiveness and Ms. Miller does a beautiful job of showing what that looks like. I also liked watching Logan realize that he needed God.
What I didn’t like:
Okay, so this is a personal pet peeve (for which I did not take away any points), but why does the widow always have to have so many children? There I said it. Maybe it’s because I’m (relatively) young, but the thought of marrying someone with a ready-made family would not having me jumping for joy.
Romantic Scale: 8.7
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I know it may not seem as though I have a lot to say, but sometimes less is more! It’s a great book!
**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**
Monday Musings…What Are You Looking Forward To This Season?
These are just a few of the books I’m looking forward to!
Ruth Axtell’s A Heart’s Rebellion
About
Dutiful Jessamine Barry is tired of waiting patiently for a man to decide her future. So even though Lancelot Marfleet, second son of an aristocrat, is taking an interest in her during the London season, she refuses to consider him as a suitor. Instead, she’s ready to take fashionable society by storm–and finds a rakish young man all too willing to help her do it. When things go too far, Jessamine will learn that the man who is faithful through thick and thin is more worthy than the one who speaks pretty words. But will her disgrace keep Lance from reconsidering her as a wife? And when tragedy strikes and Lance becomes his father’s heir and a titled gentleman, will he think she only wants him now because of his title?
Fans old and new will love this lush Regency London story of discovering one’s true self and finding one’s true love.
Review
Because Ms. Axtell has written some of my favorite novels, when I saw she had a new one out, I immediately downloaded it. Then I looked to see what it was about and I became nervous. I’m not a huge fan of reading novels where you know the main character is going to fall. I would much rather read about them after the fall, when they’re on their way to becoming a better person. So, to say I was nervous would be an understatement. Without further ado:
What I liked:
The style of writing. This novel is a regency. It’s got that beautiful slow pace, where just the minute of things can be complete game changers. There are class issues, Napoleon issues, ton parties. Ms. Axtell does a beautiful job of really capturing the era and is one of the few authors I read who can remind me of Georgette Heyer (there styles are very different, but both are definite regencies).
Lancelot. He’s pretty wonderful. He’s not your average outgoing male, but quiet, introspective, and yet has this wonderful spirit of adventure and serving the Lord. As you meet him, you cannot help but like him.
From reading what this novel is about, you become aware that Jessamine falls into disgrace. I was dreading it the whole time. And I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it wasn’t what I thought it would be exactly. And not as bad as I had anticipated. And that makes me happy.
Spiritually, there is a beautiful theme of grace. Jessamine has been good most of her life and she expected her “good works” to open doors for her. I like the way in which Ms. Axtell handles the issue.
What I didn’t like:
The problem with Jessamine is that when you create a hero as wonderful as Lancelot, you begin to wonder if a woman as unsure of herself as Jessamine deserves him. And it’s easy to blame her. Sometimes she was hard to like even if I understood where she was coming from.
I think the “back of this novel” doesn’t quite give this book justice. If you asked me what it was about, I would not stress the things that it stressed because it had me anticipating things that were fairly minute.
Romantically, while I saw Jessamine and Lancelot fall in love, something was missing a bit, and I’m not sure what it was.
Romantic Scale:8
Overall, a very good read and I’m excited about the next one in the series (dare I hope Lancelot’s sister?)
**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**
Liz Tolsma’s Daisies Are Forever
About
Gisela must hold on to hope and love despite all odds in the midst of a war-torn country.
Gisela Cramer is an American living in eastern Germany with her cousin Ella Reinhardt. When the Red Army invades, they must leave their home to escape to safety in Berlin.
However, Ella is a nurse and refuses to leave, sending her young daughters with Gisela. During their journey, Gisela meets Mitch Edwards, an escaped British POW. She pretends she is his wife in order to preserve his safety among other Germans, especially one wounded German soldier, Kurt, who has suspicions about Mitch’s identity. Kurt also has feelings for Gisela and tries to uncover the truth about her “marriage.”
Their journey to Gisela’s mother in Berlin is riddled with tragedy and hardship, but they strive to keep Ella’s daughters safe so they can reunite with their mother. During the journey Gisela and Mitch begin to develop feelings for one another beyond friendship. They reach Berlin, but their struggles are far from over. Gisela and Mitch must learn to live for the day and find hope in the darkest of circumstances.
In this moving, historically accurate portrayal of WWII Germany, the characters learn that, even with destruction all around them, some things last forever.
Review
Lately, WWII novels have become quite popular, and I for one cannot complain. WWII is rich with so many stories, I’m sure there is no way to tell them all.
What I liked:
This novel presents a different aspect of WWII that I don’t usually read about. You have Gisela who, though raised in America, is German and Mitch, who is British. Unlike most WWII novels, the Germans are not the only bad guys. Here you have the Russians. It’s an interesting and unique viewpoint to look through and I enjoyed seeing through Gisela’s eyes what that time must have been like.
Spiritually, there is this great message that you can’t save anything; only Jesus came to save the world.
The novel starts off with you on the edge of your seat. I was completely worried for Gisela and Mitch.
What I didn’t like:
The novel kind of slows down in the middle. Even though there is still danger and uncertainty, somehow I managed to slowly disconnect from Gisela. She has a lot of burdens to bear, but I think she slipped into a feeling-sorry-for-herself zone. And don’t get me wrong, she has a lot to feel sorry about. It’s just that it’s hard to read sometimes. I kind of wished that there had been comic relief or something. Also, she really lets the drama of “he likes me, he likes me not” take over the story when really I felt like she should be focused on survival.
Audra. Audra confused me. I didn’t know what that girl wanted or what she hoped to accomplish (aside from Hollywood) and I’m fairly certain she didn’t either. Her role in creating drama fell a bit flat to me. I couldn’t understand why anyone believed a word out of her mouth.
To a certain degree, though bombs were dropping and people were being threatened, the novel lost that edge-of-your-seat feel to it.
Lastly, Mitch is a bit of a beta male. Fine. I love beta males, but aside from his past, there’s not much I could tell you about him. He came across as a forgettable.
Overall, the novel is not bad and it’s completely original. However, though it drew me in, it failed to keep me there.
Romantic Scale: 7
**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**
remaininhislove 