Review: Bluebonnet Bride

Book Title: Bluebonnet Bride
Author: Colleen Coble
Series: Butterfly Palace #1.5
Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, short stories
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub Date: April 1, 2014
Disclaimer: I got this e-book from BooklookBloggers for an Honesty Review.
Description: At the turn of the 20th century, Elli Korpela boards The Baltic with hundreds of eager women, all seeking new beginnings and brighter futures in America . . . as mail order brides.

Escaping a forced engagement, Elli seeks refuge in a faraway marriage, desperately needing her new life with a Texan named Nathan White to be safer than the one she left behind in Finland. And as she glimpses her future husband and his darling niece at the train station, she instantly knows her risk will prove the best decision she’s ever made.

Until he became the guardian of four-year-old Hannah, Nathan White never took an interest in marriage, arranging a mail order wife to simply love and care for his orphaned niece. That is, he never took an interest until he laid eyes on the beautiful Elli Korpela.

After a fairytale ceremony in the gardens of the grandest estate Elli’s ever seen, a place called Butterfly Palace, their peaceful beginning takes a disquieting turn as an intruder brutally attacks Elli in the middle of the night. Nathan intervenes, but the devil escapes unidentified, leaving Elli to face two chilling possibilities: either the attack was arranged by strike workers in Nathan’s employ or her shadowy past followed her into the present – and across the sea.

As the danger mounts, Elli and Nathan must face their enemy together, fighting to stay alive – and fighting to stay man and wife.

Reviews: Goodreads/Shelfari/Barnes & Noble

My Thoughts:

This mystery is somewhat fun to read about. There a mystery that keep you interested in the book. I wonder what is to happen for this couple and family. Who is behind the attacks? Why would they want to attack. Will Elli or even Nathan going to solve this. So far this book has me want get the other books in the series. My first reaction is good so far. I would rate this 4 stars or 4 Rats in my case. I would recommend the author Colleen Coble to others if they asked. I want you to decide if this for you or anyone else to read. Just because I liked it does not mean that you like it. It is up to you.

Interview around the Globe “Voting”

Interview Around the Globe Voting Poll #1

Mary HanksStan MorrisJudy GillJim Vuksic

VoteView ResultsPolldaddy.com

Here are the Authors you can vote for. Mary E. Hanks, Stan Morris, Jim Valsic, Judy Gill. I have linked up their Interviews for you to look at and decided. Please vote in my poll to let me know who want to be Interviews Around Globe Month. I will need to do this until we have top 12.

Mary E. Hanks: Interview

Stan Morris: Interview

Judy Gill: Interview

Jim Vuksic: Interview

Please vote in the Poll and leave your comments.

Interview the Globe Voting Period

Here is the rules for all voting periods for this Interaction.  Bloggers and Readers are allow to vote for any of of the authors listed. You may pass this voting to other friends and ask them to vote. Please be kind and talk to each other nicely. The authors volunteered to be interview and to interact with this kind of fun. I want to make it fun for all though involved. Authors are allow to promote their own interview their pages, Facebook and so on. They are allow to ask their friends to vote for them.  Voting period for the month of June is June 26, 2014 though July 1, 2014.

Bloggers and Readers Rules:

1. You may vote for one author only.
2. Vote in poll
3. Leave comments
4. You may ask friends to vote.
5. Be kind
6. Have fun

Authors Rules:

1. Promote your Interview on your page, Goodreads, Facebook
2. Be fair
3. Ask friends to vote for you
4. Be kind

Voting starts June 26, 2014 and Ends July 1, 2014

Interviews Around the Globe with Stan Morris

Today at Interview Around the Globe we have our second Author Interview. Before we get into the Interview with our second interview. So let me start this interview. If you decide that you want to contact him. Their information is in the post.

This something new to me. So please bear with me. I hope to get better has I do it. For our second Author Interview. I was contacted. to do this. Let introduce our Author.

Welcome to “Interviews Around the Globe” with our second Author Stan Morris. Welcome Stan. We will just go ahead and jump on into the Interview.

You can Contact Stan Morris at these sites:

Websites: http://warmhawaiian.wix.com/survivingthefog,https://sites.google.com/site/stanandrene/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Surviving-the-Fog/247365665471675
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/104197033279710118346
Twitter: https://twitter.com/morriss003
Pintrest: http://www.pinterest.com/morriss003/

Describe your *Latest/Recent* book in 20 Words or Less?

My most recent book was What’s In My Shorts? which is a compilation of my short stories.

Where or how did you come up with the idea for your story (in this book)?

There are three main stories in this collection. The Qrim Chieftain is a fantasy about a barbarian chieftain who vows revenge on the princess who scorned him. San, the Amphibian is about an amphibian who acquires a servant girl from a planet with the unlikely name of Earth.
I honestly don’t remember when or how these stories occurred to me.
The third story is New Friends. This was a self challenge to see if I could write a story that skirted the boundary between the sensual and the erotic.

How important are names to you in your book(s)? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you that you?

The names I use are important. I used Gayiana so it could be changed by the chieftain to Gaysha and later to Gayshal. Each name designates her status; princess, slave girl, lover.
In San, I wanted names that suggested water, such as Splo and Flippi.
In New Friends, from the beginning, I planned for Chastity, Faith, and Hope.

Which of your characters (in this book) is your favorite and Why?

Nilda the protagonist from New Friends is my favorite. Her story is that of a girl who hungers for friends and willingly comes under the domination of a couple of her classmates. But her need to love changes them. It was a joy to slowly evolve her.

Was there a certain scene *in this book* that was harder for you to write than others?

 There are several disturbing scenes in New Friends, but the hardest to write was a scene in Qrim in which Gaysha exposes herself so her people will accept that they have a new barbarian leader. It was not easy to explain the justification for that.

If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?

I don’t know, but I was impressed by Elle Fanning’s acting in Super 8. I also like the boy who plays Carl in The Walking Dead.

What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?)

As with many writers, I do not enjoy the marketing process. I’m getting used to it, but it is difficult to get buzz for a book in the myriad of books presently being published. I use social media a lot.

Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you to write?

I have been inspired by many writers, but Robert Heinlein and Jayne Ann Krentz were the most important. Pamela Morisi writes books that treat religious characters sympathetically without comic book characterization, and I like that.

I have two pieces of advice for writers. First, always have more than one piece going, so you can switch if you are not in the mood to write about one. Second, if you plan to write a series, write at least two before publishing the first, and then make the first book free. This will help you get your name and book known to readers.

Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?

I read my reviews very carefully, and I take to heart constructive criticism. I’m not happy to have errors in my books, but I’m happy when readers bring those to my attention. I usually don’t respond, but now and then, I give in to temptation.
A writer should ignore a review that amounts to name calling.

What are you working on now? What is your next project?

I’m presently working on three books in the Surviving the Fog series. These are Howard the Red, Douglas Lives, and Sasha and Kim. They are offshoots of Surviving the Fog, my most popular book.

Bonus Question: Characters often find themselves in situations they aren’t sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?

I don’t find myself in dangerous situation nowadays, but when I was young, I used to hitchhike. That was dangerous. I’ve been in cars with criminals, drug users, and sexual predators. I stayed cool and got out at the first opportunity.

Thank you for taking part. Your responses were fun reading. I enjoyed them myself. I would like to thank Stan for coming by Interviews Around the Globe.

Interviews Around the Globe with Mary E Hanks

Today at Interview Around the Globe we have our first Author Interview. Before we get into the Interview with our first interview. So let me start this interview. If you decide that you want to contact her.

This something new to me. So please bear with me. I hope to get better has I do it. For our first Author Interview. I was contacted. to do this. Let introduce our Author.

Welcome to “Interviews Around the Globe” with our first Author Mary Hanks. Welcome Mary. We will just go ahead and jump on into the Interview.

You can find Mary online at these sites:
Website: http://www.maryehanks.com
Blog: http://maryehanks.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryEHanksAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/maryehanks

So let begin the Interview.

Describe your *Latest/Recent* book in 20 Words or Less?

Winter’s Past (2nd Chance Series) Christian Fiction Romance When Winter’s ex-husband shows up at a conference, she must face her past and the fact she hasn't forgiven him.

Where or how did you come up with the idea for your story (in this book)?

Through my own ups and downs in marriage, this story took root in my heart and needed to be told. Forgiveness is such an important ingredient in marriage and in life.

How important are names to you in your book(s)? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you that you?

I love the name choosing process. Usually the name just comes to me. Sometimes I’ll ponder several names for a while until one wins.

Which of your characters (in this book) is your favorite and Why?

I love Ty! I struggled to make him a hero who readers would love. He did something wrong which makes us want to dislike him. But because God radically changed his life, Ty’s sincere, sweet, sold-out-on-loving-Winter spirit is hard to resist. My editor and I worked to make a beautiful hero, and I love that about Ty.

Was there a certain scene *in this book* that was harder for you to write than others?

Probably the opening. I wanted to grab the reader emotionally right from the start, but I didn’t know how to do that with this story. At my editor’s prompting, I removed the original first chapter, which was too slow.

If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?

Winter is thirty, and Ty is thirty-five, so that limits me somewhat. I’d say Anne Hathaway or Amy McAdams with long red hair for Winter. Mathew Goode or someone similar who could portray strong emotion for Ty. (Dennis Quaid–if only he were younger!)

What was your favorite part to write and why?

My favorite part to write was where Ty breaks down and apologizes to Winter. With deep sincerity and brokenness, he asks her if he can pray for her, and he starts crying and begs her forgiveness. The scene was so gripping, it tugged deeply on my heart.

Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you to write?

Francine Rivers is my hero! I love how her stories are so deep and moving. Also, I’ve enjoyed many of Karen Kingsbury’s books that tell about real life.

Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?

I’m new enough to the publishing world that I do read my reviews. People have been kind to me so far, and I appreciate that.

What are you working on now? What is your next project?

I’m working on book #2 in the 2nd Chance Series: April’s Call. April Gray is fed up with Mrs. Evans’ lectures on how to become the perfect pastor’s wife, and her husband’s around-the-clock vigilance to the church is driving her crazy. Has he fallen out of love with her? Is he having an affair? After months of parsonage warfare, April is sure there’s only one thing left to do–leave!

Bonus Question: Characters often find themselves in situations they aren’t sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?

Me, personally, or one of my characters? If you’re asking about what I do in a really tough situation, say someone’s trying to mug me, the last time that happened, I stared at the guy and laughed out loud because it felt totally surreal. I mean, I’m a woman, five-foot-two, who wears no jewelry, doesn’t dress in designer clothes, and rides an old, rickety bicycle to get where I’m going in Costa Rica. I said, “Do I look like I have anything you’d want?” The poor guy just sighed and went in search his next victim. I figure one of my characters would likely do something similar. (And probably speak the native tongue as poorly as I do.)

Thank you for taking part. Your responses were fun reading. I enjoyed them myself. I would like to thank Mary for coming by Interviews Around the Globe

Introducing “Interviews Around the Globe” – Calling All Authors

Hi all! We’re starting a new feature on the blog ~ called *Interview Around the Globe* ~ where we’ll have an author answer a few questions! I will just about accept all published  or new authors. I will do just about any genres.

I would love combine a few thing together to have Authors, Bloggers and Readers interact with the blog and books.

For Authors:

1. You can request for Author Reviews in “Interviews Around the Globe”. I may ask you if you would like join.
2. You can be located anywhere.
3. All you need to do is fill out the form with your answers.
4. I will post them on Thursday and I will contact you before and after I post your Interview.
5. I will contact you again after voting.

For Bloggers/Readers:

1. I will post a poll up at the end of each month for the voting period.
2. All Bloggers and Readers will be allowed to vote during the voting period. 
3. Voting will take place Friday though Tuesday each month.
4. There will be voting period at the end of the year as well.

If you are interested in being a featured author on “Interview Around Globe”, please take the time to answer this form! Or you can fill up the embedded form here for your convenience. Thank you!

And readers, if you have any suggestions for authors to invite for the feature, please feel free to let me know! I may go and ask them if they would like to do Interview.

* Except hard core erotica, sorry! Don’t want the blog marked by WP or Blogger as adult.

Fill up the embedded interview form after the jump!

Jumping into The Universe of Books #1

Well, I been looking at creating a meme around books. I have been inspired to make this into a meme but to make sure it would be success. I want to try it out and see if I can get anyone to join in it though this comments. If I get a really good response I will make it into a meme the next week. I have a link up for this if you like to join in. I am giving it a try.

I have been in some book blog memes like Feature and Follow by Alison can Read and Book blog Hop by CrazyForBooks. I like some of these and will get back into them again soon. I would like to do one with where you can interact and answer questions about books or even  do a theme or make list. It would be different each week. I wanted to make it a little different and combine it together.

How it will Work:
- I will post this weekly on Tuesday unless otherwise notice.
- I will post a Question or some Activity you may need to do it has to do with books or Book Reviews or Authors or Something with Writing or even something your book blog.
- You need just to Answer the Question or Activity or Topic.

Want to Join in:
- Anyone can join and you can post any day you want once the post is up.
- Create a post about the topic or Question of the week.
- Take the image to put in your blog post.
- Answer it any way you want.
- Have a blog just then Link on up once done.
- Don't have a blog? Then just leave comment in the comment section and leave your link.
- At least follow a blog or two and let them know if you follow them.
- You can click on this get the InLinkz code to share on your blog post.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Question: Have you Fallen behind on your Book Reviews or Book Reading or Writing? Have you fallen behind with anything else this week that might be slacking in a book Related way?
_________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: I have and I am trying to catch up on all the book reviews I need to post. I have read more books then I had of lack them. Have been busy with a few things and still trying balance things out. I have read more books just did not have the time to write the reviews. It that i been traveling, spending time with my dad and his family, I read and I now been doing woodburning it something I want to keep doing in my spare time as well. I just need to post a few reviews. I also got a wedding coming up that going take some time away. Let me  make a list of books I plan to do this week about my book reviews. I have in way of not getting two of my books. One I know where it is and is the one I am looking for. The other is still has not arrived and I will need to contact where I won the book.

Reviews I will be posting:

• Minding Molly
• Backyard Horse Tales 2: Frosty and the Nightstalker
• An Amish Miracle
• Here and Now
• Where The Courage Calls
• The Choice
• King

Books I am Waiting For:

1. A Shining Light
2. Too Hurt To Stay
3. Bluebonnet Bride
4. A Table by the Window

Things I need / hope to work on:

• Updating Bio (About Me)
• New Feature
• A Meme (which would be this with Link up)
• A-Z Authors
• A-Z Series
• Read By Year

As you can see I have a few things to do for the book blog. To be update to be caught up on all the books I have read. I have to post and still have thing I really need to do. If you would like to join you may by commenting if you do not have  blog. If you do have blog you may link it up after you create blog post with the question and your answer to the question. You want to show us your books you may.

The Last Bride

Book Title: The Last Bride
Author: Beverly Lewis
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Pub Date: April 1st 2014
Genres: Christian Fiction, Amish, Romance, Family, Amish Fiction,
Series: Home to Hickory Hollow #5
Synopsis: Of her Old Order parents' five daughters, Tessie Miller is the last to marry. She has her heart set on Amishman Marcus King, but her father opposes the match. Impetuously, Tessie and Marcus elope to the English world, then return to Hickory Hollow to live as singles, trusting they'll convince the Millers to give their love a chance. But when the unthinkable happens, Tessie faces the almost-certain censure of the People. Will she find a reason for hope in spite of her desperate plight?

My Thoughts:

Tessie does something that goes against her father and mother. Though they try and live as single until her father can give their love a chance. They go about it for it seem to work. Then a tragic happens to her husband. Though thing go even more strangely/ Everyone thinks she did something that is a sin. She does not feel the need to repent and she also knows she could get shunned.

My Rating: Goodreads/Shelfari/ LibraryThing/

Blossom Street Brides

Book Title: Blossom Street Brides
Author: Debbie Macomber 
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pub Date: March 25th 2014
Series: Blossom Street #10
Genres: Woman Fiction, Romance, Adult Fiction,
Synopsis: Debbie Macomber has won the hearts of millions of readers with her moving and inspiring stories. Now wedding bells are ringing in the tight-knit community that gathers around A Good Yarn, a store in a pretty Seattle neighborhood. Knitters come to the store to buy yarn and patterns but somehow they leave richer in friendship and love.
Lauren Elliott has waited years for her long-term boyfriend, Todd, to propose, yet he seems more focused on his career than their relationship. When Lauren learns that her younger sister is pregnant before she herself even has an engagement ring, she feels overjoyed yet disheartened. Knowing she can’t put her future on hold, Lauren prepares to make a bold choice—one that leads her to a man she never dreamed she’d meet.

Newly married to her second husband, Max, Bethanne Scranton is blissfully in love. But with Max’s job in California and Bethanne’s in Seattle, their long-distance marriage is becoming difficult to maintain. To complicate matters, Bethanne’s cunning ex will do anything to win her back.

Lydia Goetz, too, is wonderfully happy with her husband, Brad, though lately she worries about the future of A Good Yarn. As she considers how to bring in business, she discovers that someone has beaten her to the punch. Baskets of yarn are mysteriously popping up all over town, with instructions to knit a scarf for charity and bring it into Lydia’s store. Never before has her shop received so much attention, but who hatched this brilliant plan?

As three women’s lives intersect in unexpected ways, Lydia, Lauren, and Bethanne realize that love heals every heart, and the best surprises still lay ahead.

My Thought:
The book is based on three brides mostly. The lives of Lauren and Bethannie and her relationship. Lydia with her husband but also dealing with her adopted daughter Casey. Lydia worries about her daughter relationship with her grandmother. Lydia also worries about Casey dreams as well. Bethannie has to deal with her ex husband and his things that he does between Bethannie and Max. Lauren has to deal with he long time boyfriend and her new boyfriend. I wonder how it all works out. You would need to read it to find out. When I read this kinda book I feel like I am apart of the families. There are times I want to yell at them as well.

My Review: Goodreads/Shelfari/Librarything/

Horse in the Wilderness

Book Title: Horse in the Wilderness
Author: Debbie Eckles
Publisher: WestBow Press
Pub Date: January 16th 2013
Genres: Animals, Romance, Mystery
Declaimer: I got this e-book to review for an Honest Review. The review is from BookLookBlogger.
Synopsis: A missing horse. A missing boy. A vandal with an unexplained grievance against a local farmer. A young woman who drives as though pursued by demons.

An impulsive offer to help locate the missing horse draws Brent Travis unwillingly into the affairs of the Parker family. Are they the gracious, God-fearing Christians they appear to be, or are they the hypocrites of Brent’s past experience?

Autumn Parker’s friendly jibe—quitter—cuts closer than she knows to the heart of the man who has lost his faith in God, in honor, and in loyalty. Caught in a battle between the forces of depression telling him he has nothing to live for and the opportunity to build a new life for himself in rural Orchard Springs, Arkansas, Brent is forced to re-examine everything he believes.

When the vandal strikes again, Brent takes the harshest blow yet—and this time he may not recover.

My Thoughts:
This book is really not what it looks like. It has a horses. It has a Romance in it between Austin and Brent. Will you find out what Brent is hiding? What all the mystery or even Dub finds out? It deals with family and missing folks a bit. Dub happens to see something bad. Do they find  the missing horse or not. You can read it for yourselves.
My Reviews: Goodreads/Shelfari/LibraryThing/ Barnes & Noble/

Review: Made to Last

Book Title: Made to Last
Author: Melissa Tagg 
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Pub Date: September 15, 2013
Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Series, Romance
Book Resource: Received it from LibraryThing for giveaway for a free honesty Review
Series: Where Love Begins #1
Synopsis: Spunky Contemporary Romance from a Sparkling New Talent 

Miranda Woodruff, star of the homebuilding show "From the Ground Up," will do anything to keep the job she loves. Due to a painful broken engagement and a faith she's mostly forgotten, she's let her entire identity become wrapped up in the Miranda everyone sees onscreen. So when she receives news that the network might cancel her program, she must do the very thing she fears most: let the spotlight shine on her closely guarded personal life. The only problem? She's been living a lie--letting viewers believe she's married--and now she's called upon to play wife to a sweet, if a bit goofy, pretend husband to boost ratings. 

Desperate to help his family and prove he's not a total failure, reporter Matthew Knox is looking for a breakout story. When he's offered the opportunity to do an online serial feature on Miranda Woodruff, he jumps at the chance, even if celebrity reporting isn't really his thing. But as soon as he meets Miranda, he knows she's keeping secrets. 

When Miranda's former fiance suddenly appears on the scene again, she doubts her life could get more complicated. Juggling three guys, an on-the-rocks television show, and the potential exposure of her deception is way more than she bargained for. Can the woman who makes things look so good onscreen admit it's time to tell the truth about who she is? And if she does, will the life Miranda's built come crashing down just as she's finally found a love to last?
Reviews: Goodreads/ Shelfari/ LibraryThing/ Barnes & Noble/

My Thoughts:
I was not sure how this was when i started. I thought it would have more promise. I feel lost to what all was to happen. I know she was to pretend to have husband. But thing go in different directions. A romance come about in the book. I really do not want to give away the it ends. I will let you decide how the book is to end.

My Rating:

Should I start a Book Blog Meme?

I have been thinking of starting a Book Blog Meme. I have thought about it for a while. I know what I would call it. I have some ideas of what I would do if I were to start. Though I have come up with ideas and fun thing to do for it.

Some ideas would be fun to do and several different questions. Some topics could be fun to see or do. I have come up with some names for it as well. Let me know how you feel about it. You can leave your answers in the comments and answer the poll as well.

Thanks

A Life Apart

Book Title: A Life Apart
Authors:  L.Y. Marlow
Publisher: Broadway Books
Pub Date: April 22, 2014
Disclaimer: "I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review."
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Pearl Harbor, Civil Rights, WWII,
Description: From the author of Color Me Butterfly, the poignant story of a decades-long interracial love affair between a white sailor and the sister of the black sailor who saved his life at Pearl Harbor.
When Morris Sullivan joins the navy in 1940, his hopes are high. Though he leaves behind his new wife and their baby daughter, he is thrilled to be pursuing his lifelong dream-only to be shipped off to Pearl Harbor when the war begins. When he narrowly survives the 1941 attack, thanks to the courage of a black sailor he doesn't know, Morris is determined to seek out the man's family and express his gratitude and respect. On leave, he tracks down the man's sister, and finds an immediate, undeniable connection with the nurturing yet fiercely independent Beatrice, who has left the stifling South of her upbringing for the more liberal, integrated north.

Though both try to deny their growing bond, their connection and understanding is everything missing from Morris's hasty marriage to his high school sweetheart Agnes, and from Beatrice's plodding life as she grieves the brother she has lost. At once a family epic, and a historical drama that takes readers from World War II through the Civil Rights Movement to the present day, A Life Apart is about a love that creates complicated and unbreakable ties between two families that live worlds apart. L.Y. Marlow brings readers along for the emotional journey as Morris and Beatrice's relationship is tested by time, family loyalties, racial tensions, death, unending guilt, and the profound effects of war.

My Thoughts:
I enjoy this era a bit. I was keep interest in WWII. I also like the way this book went about differently and how thing got complicated between the father and mother of the book. I also like how a romance happened between a white solider and a black solider sister. You learn about some of the things going on Civil Rights. You see it though his daughters, there mothers. It really is a good book.

My Reviews: Goodreads/Shelfari/LibraryThing/Barnes and Noble

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