Category: Uncategorized

 Review
This was my first introduction to Victoria Bylin and as Contemporary Christian Romance novels appear to be going through a revival, I knew I had to read it. Without further ado:
 
What I liked:
 
Nick. He’s just a really great hero. He has this past, but he also has this great future ahead of him. Everything he does really seems to honor the Lord and those around him. He was reliable and trustworthy as a narrator. I enjoyed getting to know him.
 
The premise. It’s a bit overdone where you have the big city gal “forced” to come back to the small town and she falls in love with it. But, I really felt like Ms. Bylin didn’t quite handle it the same way as other authors. Kate never really hated the small town, she just had a lot of job opportunities outside of the small town and so it wasn’t necessarily the main focus.
 
Nick and Kate deal with some real struggles in their relationship that I think only contemporary novels can really address, and it’s a nice change. I also liked that even though there was mutual attraction, their romance was based on friendship.
 
Spiritually, I thought Ms. Bylin does a beautiful job of showing what it looks like to rely on God vs. a person. Kate really puts Nick on this pedestal, which I thought was very realistic (he’s that kind of guy), but she still has to learn what it is to have a relationship with God.
 
What I didn’t like:
 
Kate. She was kind of afraid of everything. And while I could see why she was falling for Nick, I had no clue what he saw in her.
 
This book had some peaks…but it also had some valleys. I always complain about authors who create problems, but this is one novel that could have used…something.
 
Overall, a very sweet romance, if a bit slow.
Romantic Scale: 7.9
**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

About

After playing nomad for five years, Blake Hunziker has finally had enough of adventure. Not sure what reception he’ll get from everyone back in Whisper Shore, he’s stunned at not only a warm welcome from his hometown but also a job offer. The job is his if he can successfully pull off the annual Christmas Festival. If only he knew the first thing about coordinating events…

If there’s one thing Autumn Kingsley knows, it’s Whisper Shore. For years, she’s been stuck running her family’s inn when all she wants is to see the world. Now she has a visit scheduled from a potential investor who could take over the inn, as well as a dream job offer in Paris. But with just two weeks to whip the inn into shape, her chance at escape is a long shot.

The Hunzikers and the Kingsleys may not get along, but Blake knows Autumn’s the only one who can help him. She agrees to a trade–she’ll help with the Festival and he’ll help with inn repairs. But what was meant to be a simple deal quickly becomes much more than that when the guy who’s done running away joins forces with the girl who can’t wait to leave.

Review

I had the pleasure of reading the first book in this series, and being introduced to Blake. Blake was pretty unique in the first novel, so I was glad for the chance to get into his head. And it was worth it! Here’s what I thought:

What I liked:

Blake. He has such a rich back story that encompasses who he is. I found myself just wanting to know more about him. I liked him, I liked the way he thought, and I liked the way he reacted in different situations.

Blake’s family. I loved the way they just supported him. So often we read about parents who fail to be understanding and loving, and I was glad that Blake had the support that he needed.

Autumn. She was a heroine who was really likeable. Some crazy things happened at her inn and she was handling it. I really liked that she had a dream and did what she could to make it happen even as circumstances got in the way.

The romance. It was a friendship based romance and I enjoyed when Blake and Autumn were on the same page of the book. There was a nice simplicity to their romance that made the novel just fun to read.

Spiritually, Blake has to learn to forgive himself and one theme that stuck out in my mind is that God loves you just as you are.

What I didn’t like:

It’s not so much what I didn’t like, but what I noticed. We are told a lot about the problems between the Kingsley and Hunzikers and while there was some tension there, I failed to be really concerned about it like I think the author wanted me to.

Overall, very cute and in my opinion better than the first novel.

Romantic Scale: 8.5

**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

Do I have any Christy and Todd fans out there? Because if I do, have you seen this?

I fell in love with Christy & Todd approximately six years ago. I bought the YA novels for my younger sister, but I decided to read one to make sure it was on the up and up before I gave it to her. Welllllllll, I ended up reading the whole series, plus the college years, and a spin-off as well.  Christy & Todd are such an interesting couple, and I”m more than a little excited to know that there story has not ended. I do believe it releases June 10th!

This week marks the second year of blogging for me! I’m so grateful to God that I was obedient in following his will that I blog. It’s been such a blessing to me and I hope an encouragement to others. So, here’s to a new year!

About

Captain Dean Watters keeps his mission and his team in the forefront of his laser-like focus. So when these two things are threatened by hackers, Dean’s Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Failing to stop the hackers from stealing national security secrets from the military’s secure computers and networks isn’t an option. Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e Sharif. And a target. When Zahrah is captured because of her expertise in quantum cryptology, endangering the US national security, Dean is forced to crack the lockbox around his heart—a move that might come at the highest cost.

Review

If you have read Ronie Kendig’s A Breed Apart series, than you’ve been introduced to Dean Watters. I was really excited to see him (and his men) get his own story. Let me just start off by saying I have read every book that Ms. Kendig has written, but I found this book to be very different than the others. And it was almost as though it had two very different parts. Here’s my thoughts:

What I liked:

Not that I’ve been in the military and certainly not to the Middle East, but it felt real. Nothing about this book sugarcoated the military or glossed over various actions. I felt like I knew exactly what it was like to serve as an American soldier in the Middle East. Ms. Kendig comes across as a very trustworthy author which means that her characters are equally trustworthy.

And speaking of reality, there are some serious things that happen in this novel and thought it was hard to read, I appreciated that the novel didn’t shy away from reality.

Zahrah. I love that she is a woman of color who brings with her a culture of her own. She’s both American and Afghani, and it is so nice to read about someone who is a bit different in a Christian novel. Not to mention that she really is a great heroine. She’s such a brilliant woman and yet she gives of her time and energy in service. I also like how she thinks and reacts to situations around her, she’s so much more focused on the bigger picture.

Dean Watters. I liked him too. Usually I say people with his hang-ups need to get over themselves, but this guy has been through a lot. Oh Dean. The things he suffered and not just for himself but for others. My heart just went out to him.

Papa Z. He’s a character. Keep your eye on this one.

Spiritually, for me, this book shows that God will do a lot to reach us and that we just have to keep focused on the greater plan even when all the small things look to be going south.

What I didn’t like:

Okay, so this is hard because I don’t want to give a thing a way. Let me just say that though I liked Zahrah and Dean together in the beginning, but I failed to be invested in their romance and wondered why everyone else in the novel was. I kind of put the book on the shelf, a bit frustrated with the insta-love I felt like I was being sold.

Then the second half of the novel started. And I became a believer.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was engaging, different, fascinating, kept you on the edge-of-your-seat, original, etc. I’m already a fan of Ronie Kendig, but she took me to new heights with this one. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Romantic Scale:8.5

**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

About

About

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?

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/

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!!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/645b610/