Words Spoken True

This book review is for the novel "Words Spoken True" by Ann H. Gabhart.

This is my first read of Ms. Gabhart's and I'm so glad I picked it up!

Set in the 1850's this book will appeal to anyone with a love for historical fiction. I wasn't always the biggest fan of this genre but I find myself loving it more and more!

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Adriane Darcy knows what she wants and how she wants things done. Her father's newspaper is one of the most important things to her. She absolutely cannot imagine her life without any of this. It is what she has known and what she continues to want for herself, or so she thinks. Sometimes the heart tries to pull you in a direction that your head simply won't accept.

Blake Garrett might be impulsive but he has a good heart and everything in him wants Adriane. Even with the way she feels almost nothing will stop Blake when he has decided he wants something. Whether it's the story he's after or the girl, Blake never gives up.
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I love all the twists and turns in this book and the wonderful historic quality to it. It is always so interesting to read something that is set so far back in time.
I recommend you pick up this awesome book for yourself and go along this newsprint covered adventure with us!


Jenny


*Note* I received a free copy of this book from Revell in exchange for a review. I am not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

~Sweeter Than Birdsong~

This review is for the novel "Sweeter Than Birdsong" by Rosslyn Elliott.


It is the second book in "The Saddler's Legacy".


I cannot say enough about Rossyln's books! They are amazing and each one has gotten better than the last! These books pull you into the pages of this story and it is as if you are living it out with the characters as you fly through the scenes. I can easily see these books becoming movies!

When I got this book I literally finished reading it by the second day of picking it up as I did not want to put it down! It was so entertaining, moving and has such great historical quality to it! I cannot wait until the third book releases!!! Rosslyn has obviously done her research and her writing gets better and better with each book. She is a definite story teller :)
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It is 1855 in Westerville, Ohio and Kate Winter's dreams have almost come true. When she becomes one of the first women to graduate Otterbein College she will be guaranteed her wish of escaping her house and the dark secrets that lurk there.

Public speaking, however, is Kate's nemesis and one she is required to conquer in order to graduate and fulfill her dream. It is the only thing standing in the way of her escape.

Desperation almost causes her to do the unthinkable, but God always has a way of working things out for our good.

When her mother insists she sign up for a school performance and sing, she is inexplicably thrown together with one of the young men helping to run it, Ben Hanby.

Little do either Kate or Ben know that they both hold their own secrets far from the light of day and other peoples prying eyes.

Kate holds them close for the shame they would cause and Ben does, simply for the dangers to himself and his family if they were to be discovered.

God has a way of always having perfect timing and that is exactly how it is for Ben and Kate.

They are put into each others path just when it's needed and just when the timing is right.

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Read part of the book here: Book Excerpt


About Rosslyn:

Rosslyn Elliott is the award-winning author of Fairer than Morning, the first in the Saddler's Legacy series. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and a Ph.D. in English from Emory University. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue writing fiction. Elliott lives in Albuquerque, where she homeschools her daughter and works in children's ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com

Link to buy the book: Buy The Book!

Enter 2/9-2/28!

In this second in the award-winning Saddler's Legacy series, Rosslyn Elliott has written a stirring novel of hope and faith inspired by real historical people and events. With Ben Hanby, a genius composer, Kate Winter, one of the first female college graduates in America, and John Parker, an ex-slave who risked his life time and again to help fugitive slaves, Sweeter than Birdsong is full of real heroes to inspire us. "I hope readers will find a renewed sense of strength in their own lives," says Elliott, "knowing that change is possible, and our efforts matter. I want them to remember these unique, brave people in history who left us a shining example of what it means to live out one's beliefs with passion and commitment."

So to celebrate the music in all of us, Rosslyn and Thomas Nelson are hosting this "sweet giveaway".

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Brand new iPod Nano (Winner's choice of color!)
• Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott
• Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn ElliottEnter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 28th. Winner will be announced at Sweeter than Birdsong Author Chat Facebook Party on 2/28. Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, sharing a sneak peek of the next book in the series, hosting a trivia contest, and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, season 1 of DowntownAbbey, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Rosslyn.)

So grab your copy of Sweeter than Birdsong and join Rosslyn and friends on the evening of the 28th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!




Once again, Rosslyn, I commend you on your impeccable attention to historical detail and I loved diving into this book! I am very eagerly awaiting the last one but hope it is just the first series of many for you! And I give you a standing ovation hands down!



Highly recommend that you pick up this novel and dive into the pages of amazing writing!

Jenny






*Note* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I am not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

~Summer of Promise~

This book review is for the novel "Summer of Promise" by Amanda Cabot.
It is book 1 of the Westward Winds series.

I like Amanda's writing style and enjoyed the well thought out story that she brings to the pages of this novel.
I also appreciated the different historical facts that she weaved into the storyline and will look for more books by her.

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Abigail Harding, lives her life by the books. She has a steady job as a teacher and a life all planned out with a gentleman, who also teaches at her school.  He wants the same things in life that she thinks she wants. A steady job, with predictable summers off and a home near the school where they teach.

What she doesn't expect is to have to venture out to the untamed wilds of Fort Laramie, Wyoming.
But when she feels that God is leading her there to check on her, newly wedded, sister, whose forced cheerfulness in her letters don't seem to ring true, off she roams.

All she seems to see in this rugged country is boring scenery and danger, such as the stagecoach attempted robbery on her first day in the place. What she might not realize is that not only does her sister need her but just perhaps she is drawn there to receive something that she, herself might need.
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The book is full of adventure and sisterhood as well as romance. It kept me interested and turning the pages!


Keep Reading!
Jenny


*Note* I received this book for free from Revell in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

Love for Lady of Milkweed Manor

This book review is for "Lady of Milkweed Manor" by Julie Klassen.

I am a huge fan of Jane Austin and that is what Julie Klassen's novels remind me of. Which of course means that I love them! Even in saying, however, that they remind me of Jane Austin, rest assured that Julie definitely has her own style! I cannot say enough about her work and how she pulls you into the story. I sat down to read this and ended up finishing it in one setting. You just want to keep turning the next page to find out what is going to happen.


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Charlotte Lamb is the daughter of a, quite proper, Vicar. She has one sister and her mother is long dead. Being a Vicar's daughter, however, does not mean that one won't fall. And Charlotte will end up paying the ultimate price for her indiscretion.

Sent away in shame, Charlotte is sentenced to while away at the dreaded Milkweed Manor. Shunned from her family and her heart lost, she comes face to face with an old potential suitor who has more than enough problems of his own.

Charlotte is inevitably faced with one of the hardest decision she can be asked to make. Painful as her life may be, will she find the good in what is left of her circumstances?
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The book has some amazing details of what life was like for women back in this era so you feel like you are learning something as well as enjoying a wonderfully done story! It also helps to remind us that no matter the person or circumstance, no one is immune to sin or to making a mistake.

Kudos to Julie!

Hope you all are having a fabulous week!
Jenny





*Note* I received this book for free from the Bethany House in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

*The Accidental Bride*

This book review is for the novel "Accidental Bride" by Denise Hunter.

It is "A Big Sky Romance".

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Shay Bradenberger is raising her daughter all alone in Montana on her childhood ranch, which she is struggling to keep afloat by herself and one teenage hired hand.

Travis McCoy, the boy who broke her heart, is back in town and the last thing she wants to do is run into his smug face.

Add in a meddlesome town and a town event and you've got Shay not only running into Travis...you have her married to him in a freak accident.

Deciding to take Travis up on a crazy proposal in order to save her ranch, Shay may be in serious danger of losing her heart to this man for the second time in her life.
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I am a huge Denise Hunter fan and was so excited to read this new release! I was not disappointed and will defiantly be putting this one on my shelf to read again!
Denise always manages to draw you into the story so well you don't want to put the book down until you have finished the entire story.


Highly recommend you pick this book up for yourself.

Jenny



*Note* I received this book for free from the B&B Media Group, Inc in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

~Where Wildflowers Bloom~

This book review is for the novel "Where Wildflowers Bloom" by Ann Shorey.
It is the first novel in the "Sisters at Heart" series.

Faith Lindberg has known loss at the hands of war. She has lost her father, her brother and the only man she wished to marry. All that is left after the strains of Civil War is her elderly grandfather and the store that they run.

Her grandfather is getting on in years and therefore starts teaching Faith to take over the running of the store for him.

A good part of their customers agree that it isn't seemly for a woman to be running a store and decide to take business elsewhere which just fuels the burning desire that Faith has to leave her old town and the bad memories behind and head to Oregon for a fresh start. The only obstacle that stands in her way is convincing her grandfather to go.
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I liked the fact that Ann included some facts of history in the story, such as what one would need to purchase before starting the arduous journey overland to Oregon.

That was a pretty monumental time in our history especially with families trying to repair themselves after the horrors of the Civil War and I enjoyed reading about it.

The romance that was thrown in always helps too ;)

Ann's writing easily helps you imagine that you are sitting in front of that stove playing checkers with the old timers in the old mercantile.

It was a quick and enjoyable read and I will be looking forward to the next book in the series!


Happy week all,
Jenny


****Be sure to check out the contest that Ann is running! http://www.annshorey.com/contest.html ****



*Note* I received this book for free from Revell in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

Rally Round Green!

This book review is for the title "Rally Round Green" by Judy Christie.

I LOVE this series and have so far enjoyed reading each and every title that is in it. I can't wait to read the next one and hope it's not the last!


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Green is still in the midst of recovering from the tornado that ripped the town apart on Lois and Chris's wedding day. It took lives, houses and businesses but Green has proven that they are a town that can stick together and come out on the other side better than they were before.

Lois and Chris are in the middle of not only putting things back together but also renovating the Craig's old family home that Chris had moved onto her land after Lois's house blew away.

While they long for life to just be normal again, already, that isn't what is in store for them just yet it would seem.

Life seems to sort of be slowing down, when a strange man in a suit makes his way to Green.

Add a displaced principle and the woman who took his job and you have suspicion in Green.

Rightly so, as the man and woman want to close Green's only school and place the students in different areas around the country.

Green's citizens are outraged and rightly so. What will their town be if their school is taken from them?

Lucky for Green, they have some determined people and will stand together and fight for not only their town's history and pride but to show they will not be defeated when their are other options available to them!
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I love the fact that the Green series is not only about just one plot point. There are so many smaller stories weaved around the big one. You come to like the people and feel like a part of Green.

Great job, Judy Christie, once again!


Hope your January is going fab!
Jenny



*Note* I received this book for free from Abingdon Press in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.