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Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Merry CHRISTmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from ASC Book Reviews!
May you be warm, safe, joyous, and greatly blessed!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6


Tuesday, December 4, 2018

The CHRISTmas Book Shoppe Book Blitz!



About the Book:
Keeping her book store might take a Christmas miracle…

Trudy Gallagher is quite content with her simple life. For the past five years, she has lived and worked at The Christmas Book Shoppe, a new and used book store formerly owned and operated by her great-aunt. She loves nothing more than spending her days in the Victorian house filled with books, surrounded by her cat and loved ones. As Christmas, her favorite day of the year approaches, she begins the season with her usual verve and excitement.

Yet when her landlord threatens to sell The Christmas Book Shoppe, she is devastated. She cannot imagine life without the book store she calls home. As she struggles to create a plan to keep the book store open, it seems as if her whole word is turned upside down and her every attempt to save the store fails.

Can she find a way to keep the store she loves?

Add to Goodreads

About the Author:
MIRANDA ATCHLEY has written several novels, both historical and contemporary, one of which was a finalist for an indie writing award. When she isn’t writing, Miranda loves getting lost in a good book and watching period dramas. She lives in a small town in Arkansas. Visit her blog and subscribe to her mailing list at: arealwriterslife.blogspot.com

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Enjoy an excerpt from

The Christmas Book Shoppe

As she placed the last ornament on the Christmas tree, Trudy Gallagher stood back and looked at her handiwork with a gratified smile. It was the Monday after Thanksgiving, and she had spent the majority of the day decorating The Christmas Book Shoppe for the holiday. Like every other year, she and her assistant Marge had placed the eight foot artificial Christmas tree before the front window in the foyer, and Trudy had happily wrapped it in lights and tinsel, placing book themed ornaments along the branches.

“A little early to be putting up a Christmas tree, don’t you think?” Mr. Scranton, a regular patron at the book store–and the town’s resident curmudgeon–asked when he came to donate yet another stack of used books.

“Well, Thanksgiving was last Thursday,” Trudy replied in the kindest tone she could muster. It was tradition at The Christmas Book Shoppe to decorate for the holidays the Monday after Thanksgiving. After all, they were The Christmas Book Shoppe, a store that carried a mix of new and used books and was housed in the historic district of a small town called Christmas, Arkansas–which was named for the town’s settler as opposed to the holiday, as most out of towners understandably believed. They had to embrace the spirit of Christmas, just like most other businesses in town did. Yet there was always someone who accused them of decorating too early. Trudy couldn’t help but wonder; what would Mr. Scranton say if he knew that she had decorated her apartment on November first?

Scoffing at her, Mr. Scranton turned and went on his way, his pace slow as his cane assisted him. Trudy could have sworn she’d heard him mutter “bah humbug” under his breath as he exited through the front door, his harsh tone clashing with the twinkling bell above the door. Though that could have simply been her imagination, which, given all the novels she read, was usually quite overactive.

Trudy shrugged as she placed the two heavy plastic bags full of moldy paperbacks on the desk and began to sort through them.

Really, who could blame her for embracing the Christmas spirit as fully as she did? After enduring long humid Arkansas summers that often started as early as April and boasted weeks of temperatures in the high nineties and low hundreds, it was a relief to have cooler weather. When the heat of summer was too much to bear, she often daydreamed about the Christmas season just to distract herself from the reality of living in such a humid climate.

But it wasn’t just the cold weather she enjoyed. She loved everything about Christmas. Watching classic Christmas movies, drinking hot cocoa while reading a light and cheery Christmas novella, and listening to Christmas songs all December were some of her favorite things. And there was just something about all the pretty decorations and lights that made the whole town of Christmas, Arkansas look like the inside of a snow globe…minus all the snow. It was simply a magical time of year.

“I’m glad you enjoy decorating the tree so much,” said Marge when Trudy made her way back to the front desk. With a deep sigh, she added, “Putting that tree up just wears me out.”

Looking up from the copy of Thoreau’s Walden she’d been inspecting, Trudy offered a smile and said, “Well, I’m happy to do it.”

With raised eyebrows, Marge shook her head. “I can certainly tell.”

Marge was a middle aged woman who had been working at The Christmas Book Shoppe for the last few years. While she was a good employee, she didn’t share Trudy’s excitement about literature and holidays and found her boss’s enthusiasm rather tiring. It was amazing that the two got along as well as they did.

Trudy once again smiled and then took the newly arrived books and began to shelve them. It was a little curious that Mr. Scranton had donated so much as of late. Counting what he’d brought in today, he’d donated a total of ten bags full of books in two weeks. Trudy wondered how many books he had in that old, somewhat off-putting house he lived in on the edge of town.

After Mr. Scranton’s donations were situated on the shelves, Trudy took to straightening the book cases, and in the process she found herself somewhat distracted, reading the synopsis scrawled on the back covers of titles that caught her attention. She often found herself similarly distracted while working here at the shop and realized that this was one reason why her to-be-read pile was growing entirely out of control.

When she found a particularly interesting novel set in the Edwardian era, she flipped open the cover and read the first few pages. Soon her mind was thousands of miles and a hundred years away, caught up in a world of lords and ladies.

“That a good book?”

With a gasp, she slammed the book shut. Looking up, she saw her friend, Reed Thornton. A roughish smile twisted his mouth, making him look more like Downton Abbey’s Tom Branson than ever.

“You scared me to death,” she said, taking a deep breath in an attempt to steady her heart rate. “And yes, it is a good book. I think I’ll keep it for myself.”

In his hands, she saw a stack of books, all bearing familiar titles. The Great Gatsby, Wuthering Heights, Persuasion. In Trudy’s world, it was unusual for most guys to even like reading. But for a guy to pass up science fiction and thrillers for classic romance? That was just unheard of.

“Looking for a good romance, are we?” she asked as they made their way back to the front desk.

He gave her the same exasperated expression he offered each time she made a wise crack about his reading habits. “It’s required reading for my classic lit class.”

Trudy smiled skeptically. She knew Reed had in fact enrolled in a classic lit class at the university after recently going back to college in order to earn a master’s degree in literature. Yet she also knew that Reed had always been a sucker for classic literature, just like her. They’d taken literature classes in high school together and their mutual love of the classics was one reason why they’d been such good friends for most of their lives.

“You know there isn’t any shame in guys reading romance novels, right?” With a snort she added, “I mean, look at Nicholas Sparks. His novels have been giving women false hopes for years now. And Fitzgerald was a guy, and he wrote The Great Gatsby. Besides, haven’t you already read that?”

“When we were seniors in high school,” he said with a half frown. “But that was a long time ago. I’ve read too many books since then to remember all I need to know about it for this class.”

“Well, it is a pretty good one to revisit,” she said as she rounded the corner of the front desk.

As she scanned the barcode on Persuasion, she cocked an eyebrow at Reed.

He sighed as he dug his wallet out of his back pocket. “It’s the only Austen I haven’t read yet.”

She chuckled as she placed the stack of books in a bag bearing the store’s emblem.

“Do you give all your customers this hard of a time?” he asked as he accepted the bag.

She simply laughed in reply.

“You know, I could just buy my books on Amazon. I’d get a lot less cheek if I did.”

“Yeah, but you’d pay a lot more. Plus, you wouldn’t get this sparkling customer service that brings in customers from miles around.”

Chuckling, he rolled his eyes, took his bag and left.



Giveaway:
One winner will receive a Kindle download of The Christmas Book Shoppe. The giveaway begins December 4 and ends December 7. Open internationally to anyone who can receive a Kindle download via email. Must be 18 or older to participate.

Rafflecopter code:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer: I have not yet read this book.

Friday, November 30, 2018

CHRISTmas Game TIME! :D

Name the CHRISTmas movie this quote comes from and who says it: 
"When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone!"

Friday, November 23, 2018

CHRISTmas Game TIME! :D Movie edition!

Name the CHRISTmas movie this quote comes from and who says it:
"When I figure out what that means, I'll come up with a crushing reply."

Thursday, November 22, 2018

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM ASC BOOK REVIEWS!

"Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, 
and praise thy glorious name."
1 Chronicles 29:13

Monday, November 12, 2018

The Reluctant Warrior Audio Review!!!!

The Reluctant Warrior by Mary Connealy

Book Description:
Union army officer Cameron Scott is used to being obeyed, but nothing about this journey to Lake Tahoe has gone as expected. He's come to fetch his daughter and nephew, and seek revenge on the people who killed his brother. Instead he finds himself trapped by a blizzard with two children 
who are terrified of him and stubborn but beautiful Gwen Harkness, 
who he worries may be trying to keep the children.

When danger descends on the cabin where they're huddled, Cam is hurt trying to protect everyone and now finds Gwen caring for him too. He soon realizes why the kids love her so much and wonders if it might be best for him to move on without them. When she sees his broken heart, Gwen decides to help him win back their affection--and in the process he might just win her heart as well.




Monday, November 5, 2018

A Tale of Two Hearts Audio Review!!!!!!!

A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep

Book Description:
London, 1853: Innkeeper’s daughter Mina Scott will do anything to escape the drudgery of her life, for there’s nothing more mundane than serving customers day after day. Every minute she can, she reads and dreams of someday becoming a real lady—and catch the eye of William Barlow, a frequent guest at the inn.

William is a gentleman’s son, a charming but penniless rogue. However, his bachelor uncle will soon name an heir—either him or his scheming cousin. In an effort to secure the inheritance, William gives his uncle the impression he’s married, which works until he’s invited to bring his wife for a visit.

William asks Mina to be his pretend bride, only until his uncle names an heir on Christmas Day. Mina is flattered and frustrated by the offer, for she wants a true relationship with William. Yet, she agrees. . .then wishes she hadn’t. So does William. Deceiving the old man breaks both their hearts. When the truth is finally discovered, more than just money is lost. 

Can two hearts survive such deception?


Thursday, November 1, 2018

Lost Christmas Memories Audio Review!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lost Christmas Memories by Dana Mentink

Book Description:

A witness with amnesia

Can she trust this Gold Country Cowboy with her life?

Tracy Wilson witnessed a murder—but after a head injury, she can’t remember what she saw. Now someone plans to silence her for good, and only cowboy Keegan Thorn believes her. With a killer after her at Christmas, Tracy is running out of time to remember…and falling dangerously hard for the cowboy who could break her heart.



*I received this book from the author for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Lost Christmas Memories. ~ASC

Monday, October 29, 2018

Minding the Light Audio Review!!!!!!!

Minding the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher 

Book Description:
Six long years ago, Captain Reynolds Macy sailed away from his bride, looking forward to the day when he would return to Nantucket Island with a ship’s hold full of whale oil. But when that momentous day finally arrives, Ren soon discovers that everything has changed in his absence. Everything.
Unlike most islanders, bold and spirited Daphne Coffin doesn’t defer to Ren as an authoritative whalemaster, but sees through his aloofness to the aching heart beneath. She encourages him to return to his Quaker roots and “mind the Light,” finding solace in God and community. As Ren becomes the man she believes him to be–honorable, wise, faithful–she finds herself falling in love with him.
But how can she, when her heart is spoken for?

Thursday, October 25, 2018

The Lost Castle Audio Review!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lost Castle by Kristy Cambron

Book Descriptions:
Launching a brand-new series, Kristy Cambron explores the collision of past and present as she discovers the ruins of a French castle, long lost to history.

A thirteenth century castle, Chateau de Doux Reves, has been forgotten for generations, left to ruin in a storybook forest nestled deep in France's picturesque Loire Valley. It survived a sacking in the French Revolution, was brought back to life and fashioned into a storybook chateau in the Gilded Age, and was eventually felled and deserted after a disastrous fire in the 1930s.

As Ellie Carver sits by her grandmother's bedside, she hears stories of a castle . . . of lost love and a hidden chapel that played host to a secret fight in the World War II French resistance. But her grandmother is quickly slipping into the locked-down world of Alzheimer's, and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family's history.

Sparked by the discovery of a long forgotten family heirloom, Ellie embarks on a journey to French wine country to uncover the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty--the castle so named for Charles Perrault's beloved fairy tale--and unearth its secrets before they're finally silenced by time.

Set in three different time periods--the French Revolution, World War II, and present day--The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged, and an enchanted castle that inspired the epic fairy tales time left behind.


Want a French Violet hat of your own?  
Drop me a comment with your email or find me on facebook: HERE
They will be made to order!

Monday, October 22, 2018

Her Cherokee Groom Audio Review!!!!

Her Cherokee Groom by Valerie Hansen

Book Description:
Runaway Wedding On the run from false murder charges, Annabelle Lang can only count on one man, Cherokee diplomat Charles McDonald. The handsome ambassador has already helped her escape Washington City. Now he's proposing marriage to protect her honor. Though she's losing her heart to Charles, Annabelle's certain his offer comes from duty, not love. Charles's feelings for the flaxen-haired beauty go beyond mere companionship, but he's doubtful a lady like Annabelle would ever consider him under normal circumstances. And with his family expecting him to wed a Cherokee bride, he wouldn't have asked. If it's more than convenience that binds Charles and Annabelle, there's only one way to find out--he'll have to court his own wife!


Monday, October 15, 2018

Caught by Surprise AUDIO REVIEW! :)

Caught by Surprise by Jen Turano

Book Description:
After years of hiding her true nature, Miss Temperance Flowerdew is finally enjoying freedom outside of the shadow of her relations, 
so the last thing she expected on her way to work 
was to be grabbed off the street by a stranger 
and put on a train bound for Chicago.

When Mr. Gilbert Cavendish is called upon to rescue a missing woman, he follows the trail to Chicago only to discover that the woman is his good friend, Temperance. Before they can discover who was behind her abduction, they're spotted alone together by a New York society matron, putting their reputations at risk.

Even though Gilbert is willing to propose marriage, Temperance is determined not to lose her newfound independence. But when the misunderstanding in Chicago escalates into a threat on her life, accepting Gilbert's help in solving the mystery may lead to more than she ever could have dreamed.


*I received this book from the author for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Caught by Surprise. ~ASC

Monday, October 1, 2018

BOOK BLAST and Guest Post from Author Marshalee Patterson!



About the Book
Title: A Shattered Life Restored
Author: Marshalee Patterson
Genre: Inspirational Christian Romance
Release Date: September 20th, 2018
Synopsis
Sitting at the Saint-Roch Train Station with tears in her eyes, Meg contemplated where her life had gone wrong. She was at a point in her life where she felt abandoned by God after the last remaining person who truly loved her, died. Now with a baby on the way, she had begun to lose hope that the future, she knew the Lord had promised her was never meant for her.
With a gentle tap on her shoulder, her gaze turned to meet that of Derek’s, the kind stranger whose smile brought warmness into her heart. “Was he sent to fulfil God’s promise in my life?” she thought. With assured faith, she followed him as he led her away, trusting that God had not forsaken her. Now she felt content to allow God to have his way in her life and totally surrender all to him.
Excerpt
Meg sat staring out the window of Olivier’s car for the duration of the drive to the cemetery. Her silence kept him glancing back and forth at her with a worrisome look on his face. Not even a sob escaped her lips, and the heavy breathing he observed from her chest made him wonder what was going through her mind.
The cemetery was fifteen minutes away from Jeanne’s house, and the environment was quiet and peaceful. When Olivier stopped the car and turned off the ignition, Meg turned to look at him. Her eyes were watery, and one blink would cause the tears to start flowing. He was not sure what he could say to make her feel better— he wasn’t sure of what was said between her and Jeanne.
“I’ll wait here and let you go talk to Ernie,” he said hoping that would help somewhat. 
Meg nodded and gave him a little smile before she pulled on the lock and exited the car. As she walked towards Ernie’s grave, she breathed deeply in and out to get her breathing back to normal. The sight of other graves made her think about all the family she had lost back home in Jamaica, her life now without Ernie with a baby on the way, and what Jeanne had just said to her.
 She felt hopeless.
She stood in front of Ernie’s grave and stared down. The sight of dead flowers only caused her tears to flow. She fell to her knees and wept aloud.
“How will I make it without you, my sweet? Your smile was always like sunshine to me.  I need your strength for this baby, Ernie.” She sighed. “Would you believe what your mother said to me? She said I killed you, that I am carrying a bastard and that I was no good for you.”
Silence surrounded her, not a rustle of leaves from the nearby trees, or the chirping of birds. This made her tears flow even harder. No response, no Ernie. Meg leant against the headstone, wrapped her arms around it and closed her eyes.
“I miss you Ernie, please come back to me. I don’t know what to do anymore. Everyone I care for is all gone.” She blinked back the tears. “I want our child to grow with joy and laughter, not sorrow and pain.”
After about twenty minutes, the wind began to blow sending leaves everywhere.  Meg kept her eyes closed, even as she felt something wet hit her cheek. She didn’t want to be away from Ernie or the place where his body lay.
“Meg!” Olivier shouted, rushing towards her.
She did not move.
He squatted down next to her the moment he approached her and pried her hands away from the headstone before she opened her eyes to take notice of the rain. 
“Come on; let’s go before you get soaked.”
Meg wrapped her arms around Olivier’s neck as he scooped her up in his arms and then made a dash towards the car. By the time they made it to the car, the rain began to pour harder. Once inside, Olivier quickly switched on the heater to keep them warm.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“No.”
Guest Post: How does one grieve the loss of a spouse?
Jeff and I were the best of friends, always sharing everything. I could even look at another man and say to my beloved, ‘Jeff that man looks nice doesn’t he?’ and he wouldn’t be jealous about it. He knew me well enough to understand when I compliment another that it’s just that and nothing more.
We knew each other for four years before we finally got married. It was great getting to know each other. We were in different countries at the time we courted and would write letters and called each other every day. What strengthened our relationship was our belief in Psalm 127—we always ended our phone calls with one reading the word and the other praying.

It built our spiritual lives and our relationship so much—we became a part of each other in more ways than a physical connection.

Friday, July 17, 2009, was the last time I spoke to Jeff; it was just before I left for church that night.
Strange thing too was after service that night my pastor’s wife told me she had a dream seeing me in a valley of blood, but she wasn’t sure if it was me or another Marsha who also came to the church. 
I wasn’t sure what it meant at the time.

The following day—the Saturday I called Jeff like I usually did—his phone rang out. I thought he had gone to visit his friend who had a truck he usually helped with. I called again later that evening, still nothing. He usually called me when he got home so when he didn't that night, I wondered what happened and called his house—this time it was his cousin, Ann who answered.

She told me his mom was not able to speak and so she was the one who broke the news to me. It was a shock at first. When I hung the phone up I did not cry or reacted. I did not believe it. I never had such an experience before and it felt unreal.

The only thing I could think of doing was calling my pastor, and he told me not to get bitter. An advice many would shun but it kept me from turning from God.  We had only been married 22 days before he died in his sleep because of prescriptions he mixed. He had fallen down the stairs some months previous and the pain had returned which caused him to reach for pain tablets- so a word of caution to those of you who try one medication for pain and because it doesn’t work you try another before that one is out of your system.

That Sunday I went to church and when the pastor spoke to the congregation about it, that was probably the only time I cried openly. It still hadn’t hit me as yet. I kept on praying for God to bring him back like he did Lazarus. It was one of those days while I was praying that the Lord revealed to me it was a test- like Abraham was.

Tested I was, as, since that Sunday of going to church, I withdraw to myself and didn’t go anywhere not even church. Sometimes I felt an eerie presence around me, which I knew wasn’t Jeff, but an evil spirit that was feeding off my pain-something I added to Meg’s experience in the book. I had to really do some warfare praying one night to rid myself of that evil presence that comes around us when we lose someone.

I thought I would have heard from my fellow brothers and sister in Christ during those days when they didn’t see me at church—but only two persons called me a few times to see how I was. Not even my pastor called.

I found myself thinking of so many others going through something similar all alone and wondered how they got through. Sure I had family, but none seem to understand my pain. I was angry at my church and thought about the parable of Jesus leaving the 99 sheep to look for that one lost soul. How many churches remember the members of their churches that don’t show up for some reason and seek to find out how they are?

Although I was hurting, God was allowing me to see many things that affect so many of us. It was his presence that kept me. It was always around me; no exaggeration. I felt him every day and it felt like he was hugging me. God loved me enough to stay with me through all that and at first I almost didn’t want it. I wanted just a hug- not someone to preach to me—just a hug. I cried every day and by myself. But soon I grew to appreciate God’s presence and embraced the experience to be able to give some of His love and hope to others.

I am healing but even though it has been 9 years, I still miss my best friend and I know many of you will always miss your loved ones as well.

Writing this book came to me with just seeing a woman sitting at a train station looking sad. I had no idea what God had planned through it but I knew that it is meant to heal and bring hope. I hope you will enjoy the story and that the characters will lift you up out of the darkness and help you feel God’s love around you as He was with me.        
About the Author  
Marshalee Patterson was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She has loved reading since she could walk. Growing up without a television sparked in her a love for reading and the world of imagination. Some of her favourite novels were written by Charles Dickens, Jane Eyre and Victor Hugo, as she found she liked the true to life stories that we all can relate to. She wrote her first novella-Predestined Love after travelling to Italy and wanted to write a romance novel about it, only she didn’t know that God had plans for her and that story, when he changed the direction of what she originally had in mind. It was then that she knew she was called to write stories to uplift and inspire readers, showing them how to find God in their struggles and the faith to trust Him through it. She is a lover of nature and the tranquillity of it. She finds the outdoors refreshing and peaceful. Marshalee loves Spanish ballads and dances salsa very well.
Connect with Marshalee

Links to Buy




*Disclaimer: I have not read A Shattered Life Restored therefore I cannot give my opinion, nor say whether I agree or disagree, with or about anything expressed in the book (though I will say that I truly LOVE Marshalee!). Please use your own God led discernment when it comes to reading any books shared on my blog! Happy reading! ~ASC
Blog Stops 
Oct. 1st - ASC Book Reviews
Oct. 2nd - Christian Bookaholic
Oct. 3rd - A Diva's Heart
Oct.4th - A Hopeful blog
Oct.4th - Brooke's Blog
Oct. 5th - Traci's Blog
Oct.6th - Yoursincerelyd
Oct. 7th - Pursuing Stacie
Oct. 8th - Miracle Writes
Oct.9th - Britt Reads Fiction
Oct. 11th - Remembrancy
Oct. 12th – By the Book
Oct. 14th - The Daily Gee

Friday, July 20, 2018

The Seafaring Women of the Vera B

The Seafaring Women of the Vera B
by Susan Page Davis and James S. Davis


Book Description:
28962647With the Vera B’s captain dead in Melbourne, Australia, Alice Packard thinks the worst has happened, until she learns the crew has deserted her husband’s ship in favor of the goldfields. 

Only one old man, Gypsy Deak, sticks by her, but Gypsy alone can’t raise a crew from the depleted population. In desperation, Alice turns to the only source of plentiful workers: the women of Melbourne.
In a bold move, she and Gypsy empty a brothel, promising the escaped women a new life. 

Her all-woman (save one) crew put their backs and hearts into the voyage, but Alice finds training her sailors much harder than she expected. Her faith is tested to the limit. With a cargo to sell, angry brothel and tavern owners in pursuit, pirates to evade, and a mysterious stowaway, will the seafaring women of the Vera B. survive to tell the tale of this daring adventure?

My Opinion:
I LOVE THIS BOOK!  WOW WOW WOW WOW What an adventure this is!  But I NEED MORE!  This is one of those books that I had to FORCE myself to put down so that I could....you know....sleep! ;)  And then I would just lay there wide awake longing to pick it back up and wondering what was going to happen to these characters next!  It is one great scene after another.  I LOVE the Faith threads!  I will say that some might find quite a bit of blood shed towards the end, but no more then when you watch an old western, or the old 1960 Swiss Family Robinson.  In fact it reminded me SO much about our old classic addition of Swiss Family Robinson that I had to pop it in and watch it! ;)  But there's cliff hangers in this book and I'm LONGING for MORE!  I LOVE so many of these women and the whole concept of this story!  The fact that they're leading these women to a better life and Faith, is fantastic!  But then you throw in all the adventure and well written descriptions and this becomes a book I could read again and again!!!!  If you're looking for a story filled with Faith, pirates, sailing, strong female leads, a touch of romance, humor, excitement, and SO much more, then this is the book for you!

Songs: Amazing Grace
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

John 20:31

~ASC

*I received this book from the author for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about The Seafaring Women of the Vera B. ~ASC

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Falling for You Review

Falling for You by Becky Wade

Book Description:
36347611

Willow Bradford is content taking a break from modeling to run her family's inn until she comes face-to-face with NFL quarterback Corbin Stewart, the man who broke her heart--and wants to win her back. When a decades-old missing-persons case brings them together, they're forced to decide whether they can risk falling for one another all over again.



My Opinion:
Not for me.  This was my first Becky Wade book and sadly it was personally not my cup of tea.  I couldn't find a connection with the characters for some reason.  And the drama wouldn't capture me either.  Plus there are parts of the writing that I would have preferred not being in a Christian novel.  The mystery within however intrigued me enough to skim through/past the parts not to my taste instead of putting it down all together.  Though that (the mystery) too didn't personally satisfy my reading appetite in the end.  Please remember this is my own personal opinion and taste so if you are interested in this book my recommendation would be for you to read an excerpt first. :)

Songs: "Amazing Grace"
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

1 Peter 5:6-7

~ASC

*I requested and received this book from Bethany House for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Falling for You. ~ASC

Monday, July 2, 2018

Cowboy Bodyguard Review!!!!!!!

Cowboy Bodyguard by Dana Mentink

Book Description:
39300921
She must protect a baby...With her secret husband's helpIn this Gold Country Cowboys novel, Jack Thorn gets a surprise call from the woman he married in secret years ago. Shannon Livingston needs his protection for herself and the baby she's hiding from a biker gang targeting the mother. Now Jack must help Shannon, even if shielding her means pretending to be a true husband to the only woman he's ever loved..



My Opinion:
WOO HOO!  I LOVED IT!  I've loved Jack pretty much from the beginning of this series and I was SO happy to read his story!  And what a story it is!  The pace is SO fast in this one!  I found myself figuratively on the edge of my seat the whole time, and had to find just the right places to force myself to put it down so I could, you know.......sleep! ;D  Needless to say I DEVOURED this book!  Dana has once again come up with a completely unique plot and while there are many scenes I enjoyed there's this one scene.......well I don't want to give anything away, let's just say IT IS THE BEST SCENE!  But you'll have to read it and see what you think and if you can tell which part I'm talking about! ;)  Even though I love Jack and truly enjoyed his story it's the next Thorn brother who I've been waiting for! :D  Can't WAIT to return to Gold Country! 

Songs: "God Gave Me You" by Dave Barnes
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

Jeremiah 29:11

~ASC

*I received this book from the author for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Cowboy Bodyguard. ~ASC

Saturday, June 23, 2018

BOOK BLAST for A Time for Adventure!


Book 4 in the Abi Hensley Series!

A Time For Adventure 
(The Abi Hensley Series Book 4) 
by Miranda Atchley


Book Description:
40176846
The year is 1921, and after years of dreaming, Abi Hensley has set out to travel through Europe. Along with her friend Meg Clery, Abi travels from the rich historical sites in England, to the gorgeous green landscapes of Ireland, visits an abandoned castle in Scotland, and roams through the chic streets of Paris. Along the way, they meet a myriad of interesting people, encounter familiar faces, and see things they’ve only ever dreamed of. Yet their time in Europe isn’t without its challenges. While in Ireland, Abi joins Meg in spending time at her family’s farm. There, they find that the Clerys are overwhelmed by the demands of their farm. In light of this, the family must make some hard decisions; choices that could change the course of their lives forever. One thing is for certain; Abi’s tour of Europe will most definitely be a tie for adventure.



About The Author:
Miranda Atchley loves books of all sorts, but has always had a special place in her heart for historical fiction. Writing is her favorite thing to do and she has published three historical novels and three contemporary young adult novels. Her novel A Castle in the Sky was a finalist for Read Free.ly’s The 50 Best Indie Books of 2016. She also writes the blog A Real Writer’s Life. When she isn’t writing, you can usually find Miranda with her head in a book, taking a walk, or watching Downton Abbey at her home in Arkansas.
Find Miranda at:
Also in celebration of this release,
the Kindle edition of Book 3 will be FREE to download June 22-26.


The Abi Hensley Series

   A Castle in the SkyAll The Future HoldsOf Things To ComeA Time For Adventure (The Abi Hensley Series Book 4)






Tuesday, June 12, 2018

The Captured Bride Review!!!!

The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep

Book Description:
36040947
Mercy Lytton, a scout with keen eyesight raised among the Mohawks, and Elias Dubois, a condemned traitor working both sides of the conflict, must join together to get a shipment of gold safely into British hands.

A War-Torn Countryside Is No Place for a Lady 
Mercy Lytton is a lady like none other. Raised amongst the Mohawks, she straddles two cultures, yet each are united in one cause. . .to defeat the French.  Born with a rare gift of unusually keen eyesight, she is chosen as a scout to accompany a team of men on a dangerous mission.  Yet it is not her life that is threatened. It is her heart.  Condemned as a traitor, Elias Dubois faces the gallows.  At the last minute, he is offered his freedom if he consents to accompany a stolen shipment of French gold to a nearby fort—but he is the one they stole it from in the first place.  It turns out that the real thief is the beguiling woman, Mercy Lytton, for she steals his every waking thought.

Can love survive divided loyalties in a backcountry wilderness?

My Opinion:
This is the Michelle Griep writing I LOVE!  Anyone that follows my reviews knows that her last book wasn't my cup of tea, but since I've loved her others in the past I jumped at a chance to read The Captured Bride.  And this is one that grabbed me and didn't want to turn me loose in the beginning.  Towards the end the pace slowed in spots a bit, but everything wrapped up nicely!  I LOVED these characters!!!!  Elias especially became a huge favorite!  This read like a fantastic western to me (except in the East! LOL!)!  It's got action, suspense, love, betrayal, and Faith!  OH those prayers and Faith moments, I LOVE THEM!  It reminded me of the show Hawkeye in a few ways.  Overall I enjoyed this read and wouldn't mind reading it again sometime. ;)

Songs: "Freedom Hymn" by Austin French
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

Jeremiah 29:11

~ASC

*I received this book from Barbour for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about The Captured Bride. ~ASC

Saturday, June 2, 2018

The Accidental Guardian Review!!!!!!!

The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy

Book Description:
35086271She's the only witness to a wagon train attack. Keeping her safe, though, means his world is about to be turned upside down.

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he's finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail. He'd hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.
Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter--but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

My Opinion:
Highly Entertaining!  I LOVE Mary Connealy's books!  And The Accidental Guardian is no exception!  A fantastic western adventure filled with fabulous characters!  I LOVE the Faith scenes and the humor laced with in the serious!  When the plot would start to get really heavy Mary throws in some humor or even a touch of action to lighten the mood of the story.  There were some lulls in the pace of the story for me, every now and then.  And while not everything is highly realistic it's all in good entertainment and adventure! ;)  I have to give a shout out to ???? for that completely beautiful, eye catching, and adorable cover!  I REALLY loved all these unique and relatable characters and was totally left hanging in the end.  So I am champing at the bit for the next in this series!

Songs: "God Gave Me You" by Dave Barnes 
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23

~ASC

*I requested and received this book from Bethany House for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about The Accidental Guardian. ~ASC