A Heart's Promise Review!!!!!!!

A Heart's Promise by Colleen Coble 

+Colleen Coble

Book Description:

A Heart's Promise (Thomas Nelson, July 2015)

Emmie makes a promise to her friend that, if fulfilled, could mean the end to her dreams of a future with Isaac.

Emmie Croftner let Isaac Liddle go to avoid telling him about her past. But Isaac remains determined to win Emmie's heart and hand. Though Emmie resolves to keep her heart in check, it hurts when she sees that another woman has set
her bonnet for Isaac.

Then Emmie's dear friend extracts a costly promise: if anything happens to her in childbirth, Emmie will marry her widower and raise the baby herself. And it seems Emmie may have to fulfill that promise. But can she live happily without Isaac?

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1Gc4QeO

About the author:

Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. Seagrass Pier, the third installment in her acclaimed Hope Beach series, marks a new highpoint for emotion and complexity in Coble's addictive brand of romantic suspense.

Find Colleen online: website, Facebook, Twitter

My Opinion:
Excellent installment!  Oh dear I truly LOVE this series and this one is SO hard to review because I don't want to give anything away!  A Heart's Promise brings out fears and threats!  And as usual leaves me wanting more and chomping at the bit for the next installment!  Emmie is really a great character!  Hard working and loving she is nothing like her brother!  But can she trust her heart and if she does will her enemy ruin it all!?  Old friends and old enemies return in this one and the pot is thoroughly stirred! ;)  When you reach the end of A Heart's Promise it leaves waiting for the other shoe to drop and I'm sure it will be dropping soon!  
Songs: *"Fear Not (Isaiah 43:1-2)" by Missi Halle*I have not heard this whole song but what I heard in the sample sounded right so it's the one I chose.
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC



Isaiah 43:1-2

~ASC

*I requested and received this book as a member of Litfuse for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about A Heart's Promise. ~ASC

http://litfusegroup.com/author/ccoble

Among the Fair Magnolias Review Part 1!!!!

Among the Fair Magnolias by 

Tamera Alexander, Dorothy Love, 

Shelley Gray, and Elizabeth Musser

Book Description:

Among the Fair Magnolias (Thomas Nelson, July 2015)

In the most turbulent decade of our nation's history, four Southern women---destinies forged by birth, hearts steeled by war---face near impossible choices on their journeys in life . . . and in love.

To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander
Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when new owner, Aidan Bedford, a Boston attorney and former Union soldier, seeks to redecorate the house for his fiancée, Savannah jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking. Can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front. This time, one of the heart.

An Outlaw's Heart by Shelley Gray
When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he's determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother's homestead, he discovers she's very ill, and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and sweet as he remembered. With time running out, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.

A Heart So True by Dorothy Love
Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another. A terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.

Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser
Emily has a secret: She's in love with one of the freedmen on her family's plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not as they seem and secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1Igkc7H

About the authors:

Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of numerous books including A Lasting Impression andThe Inheritance. Tamera is a two-time Christy Award winner, two-time RITA winner, and a recipient of the prestigious Library Journal Award. A native of west Tennessee. website, Twitter, Facebook

Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their golden retriever. An award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, Dorothy made her adult debut with the Hickory Ridge novels.website, Twitter, Facebook

Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list. website,Twitter, Facebook

Elizabeth Musser, a native of Atlanta, Georgia now living in France, is a novelist who writes what she calls 'entertainment with a soul.' For over 25 years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in mission work with International Teams. website, Twitter, Facebook

My Opinion:
Love, Love, LOVE this book!  I am a HUGE fan of novella collections.  I haven't read one yet that I didn't like!  And I LOVE this one!  First off I've read Tamara, Shelley, and Dorthy's work before, but Elizabeth is new to me.  

Dorthy kicks things off with a wonderful return to one of my favorite places to read about!  Pawley's Island!  I enjoyed A Heart So True even more because I had read Dorthy's Carolina Gold.  I LOVED Abigail's story!  I felt very close to her as a character and I loved her strength!  Filled with lovable good guys, a bad guy to truly dislike, as well as those characters that all kinda in between this is a fabulous story!

Tamara takes the reigns from here and once again I truly enjoy this story because of already being introduced to the main character from her To Win Her Favor!  I was highly intrigued by Savannah's predicament in To Win Her Favor and I'm SO happy to read about what happens to her and her siblings in To Mend a Dream.  Once again this tale is filled with good guys to love and a bad guy to dislike.  Mainly it's the "bad guy's" attitude that rubs me the wrong way.  Tamara opens brings up deep emotions and a treasure hunt!  Will Savannah be able to find the treasure she seeks and what will it contain if she does!?  I think I loved this novella more than To Win Her Favor in many ways!  An excellent adventure!

TO BE CONTINUED!  And Stay tuned for a special giveaway!!!!!!!


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

Isaiah 43:2, Proverbs 16:9

~ASC

*I requested and received this book as a member of Litfuse for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Among the Fair Magnolias. ~ASC

http://litfusegroup.com/author/fairmagnolias

A Bride at Last Review Part 1!!!!!

A Bride at Last by Melissa Jagears

+Melissa Jagears 

Book Description:

A Bride at Last (Bethany House, July 2015)

Abandoned by his mail-order bride, Silas Jonesey has fought an uphill battle to recover from a pattern of poor choices. Now his prayers for reconciliation have finally come true and his estranged wife has contacted him with her whereabouts.

Kate Dawson was supposed to be a mail-order bride, but upon realizing she'd been deceived about her intended groom, she's now settled into life as a schoolteacher. When the mother of a student passes away, Kate assumes she'll take on care of nine-year-old Anthony-until two men suddenly show up in town, claiming to be the boy's father.

Silas can see Anthony loves Kate, so he enlists her help in reaching out to the boy and attempting to prove his paternity to the court. When a common interest in Anthony leads to an interest in each other and Silas and Kate begin to think they can overcome their rocky start, neither is prepared for the secrets and past hurts that have yet to come to light. Can Silas, Kate, and Anthony's wounded souls bind them together or will all that stands between them leave them lonely forever?

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1M44A97

About the author: 

Melissa Jagears, an ESL teacher by trade and the author of A Bride for Keeps and A Bride in Store, is a stay-at-home mother on a tiny Kansas farm with a fixer-upper house. She's a member of ACFW and CROWN fiction marketing, and her passion is to help Christian believers mature in their faith and judge rightly.

Find Melissa online: website, Facebook

My Opinion:
Good read!  This series has intrigued me and I've wanted to read one of Melissa's books for a while now so I jumped at the chance to read A Bride at Last the fourth installment in her Unexpected Brides series!  I have not been disappointed!  From the beginning Melissa unwraps a very unique and interesting story!  The questions of character and parentage leave you wondering and I got so wrapped up in the story that I found myself cheering when good news came and exasperated when bad news came right along with the characters!  You learn more and more about the characters as you read and it only makes you want to learn even more!  Struggles with addiction and past hurts complicate matters as well as present situations.  Can these characters learn to trust each other and their feelings to bring about what's best for the good or will things crumble completely along with their hearts?!  TO BE CONTINUED!!!

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

~ASC

*I requested and received this book as a member of Litfuse for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about A Bride at Last. ~ASC

http://litfusegroup.com/author/mjagears

Take it to the Beach with Colleen Coble’s ‘A Heart’s Promise’ and Tote Giveaway

Will the promise Emmie makes to her friend mean the end to her dreams of a future with Isaac? Find out in book five, A Heart's Promise, of Colleen Coble's A Journey of the Heart series. Emmie Croftner let Isaac Liddle go to avoid telling him about her past. But Isaac remains determined to win Emmie’s heart and hand. Can she live happily without Isaac?

Take a day off and head to the beach with a new giveaway from Colleen: five books (books one–five in Colleen's A Journey of the Heart series) and a beach bag to tote your new books in!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Heart's Promise
• A Lands' End beach tote
• A copy of A Heart's Betrayal
• A copy of A Heart's Disguise
• A copy of A Heart's Obsession
• A copy of A Heart's Danger

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced August 3rd on Colleen's website.

Melissa Jagears’ ‘A Bride at Last’ and a $100 Memory-Making Giveaway

Can Silas and Kate overcome their rocky start and experience healing—and possibly love? Discover the answer in Melissa Jagears' new book, A Bride at Last. Neither Kate nor Silas is prepared for the secrets and past hurts that have yet to come to light as they attempt to prove nine-year-old Anthony's paternity to the court. Can their wounded souls bind them together or will all that stands between them leave them lonely forever?

Celebrate the release of A Bride at Last by entering to win a $100 Memory-Making giveaway and RSVPing to Melissa's August 4th author chat party!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $100 gift card to Netflix (for a family movie night), Shutterfly (to create a family memory book), or TablePlayGames (for a family game night)
• One copy of A Bride at Last

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/4. The winner will be announced at Melissa's 8/4 A Bride at Last Facebook author chat party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Melissa and fiction fans, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

‘Among the Fair Magnolias’ Southern Hearts Kindle Fire Giveaway

Four best-selling novelists bring tales of four Southern women who face near impossible choices on their journeys in life and in love during the most turbulent decade of our nation’s history in Among the Fair Magnolias. Don't miss this collection of stories from Tamera Alexander, Shelley Gray, Dorothy Love, and Elizabeth Musser.

Join the authors in celebrating the release of Among the Fair Magnolias by entering to win their Southern Hearts Kindle Fire Giveaway and RSVPing to their August 13th author chat party!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HD 6
• One copy of Among the Fair Magnolias

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/13. The winner will be announced at the Among the Fair Magnolias Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Tamera, Dorothy, Shelley, and Elizabeth, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 13th!

And watch for a giveaway for a pair of lacy fingerless gloves to be crocheted by yours truly! :)  Happy reading!  ~ASC

Misfit Like Me Review!!!!!!!

Misfit Like Me  by Miranda Atchley

+Miranda Atchley 

Book Description:

Growing up different is hard; especially when you're a Goth in the Bible belt. No one knows that better than sixteen-year-old Madeline Warner. The teasing from her peers, many of whom claim to be Christians, has hardened her heart toward the people around her and the God they claim to serve. If they can be so unkind, then what would God Himself have to say to her? Lonely and in the middle of sophomore year, Madeline gets a new locker buddy, punk rocker Alice Wang. With her colorful make-up and hair and unique taste in music, Alice seems like friend material, but some of her choices may keep the two apart. And on top of that, Madeline's Bible toting Grandma is on her way for a visit. All things considered, Madeline can't help but wonder; how can she survive this season in her life? Find out in this story of rejection and ultimately hope.

My Opinion:
What an AWESOME Read!!!!!  I really enjoyed this book and I'm so happy I'm getting into more young adult reads!  Misfit Like Me gives a very interesting insight to what some teenagers go through and is a wonderful journey to Salvation.  I grew to love Madeline's character and there are many other characters that are dear to my heart throughout!  I LOVE the humor Miranda weaves into the story and the realistic way she writes!  And if I had a teenager of my own I would definitely have them read this cool book!  Messages of God's love and mercy are at the heart of this read and I love how some of the character's roles seem to reverse as the book goes on!  I would LOVE to read more about these characters; to see what happens to all of them in a couple of years and see where they have been led from here!  I definitely recommend this wonderful and quirky read!

Songs: "Learning to Be the Light" by Newworldson,
"Come As You Are" by Crowder,
"We Believe" by Newsboys,
"Hello, My Name Is" by Matthew West,
"God-Shaped Hole (2010 Version)" by Plumb
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

John 8:32

~ASC

*I received a review copy from the author, this in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Misfit Like Me!

Thank you to Miranda for sending me a review copy!

Music Monday!!!!!!!

Music Monday!

For those viewing in their inbox if you don't see a video below this please go to ASC Book Reviews to view it! 

"[Whistles]

Oh my Lord it's a winding road
It's all bent from a heavy load
Feel the weight beneath the ground
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down

Oh my Lord I can barely sing
Waiting for You and Your reckoning
Angels hummin', can you hear the sound?
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down

[Chorus:]
I will rise, I will rise
I will rise, I will rise
Troubles come for everyone
Death has no respect for love
Roll that stone I won't be found
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down

Lord I'm crooked from head to toe
Got dirty hands and a dirty soul
I was lost but now I'm found
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down

[Chorus]I will rise, I will rise
I will rise, I will rise
Troubles come for everyone
Death has no respect for love
Roll that stone I won't be found
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down

Whoa Oh [repeat]

Feel the weight beneath the ground
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down

[Chorus]I will rise, I will rise
I will rise, I will rise
Troubles come for everyone
Death has no respect for love
Roll that stone I won't be found
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down
Whoa Oh [repeat]

Ain't no grave gonna hold me down
Ain't no grave gonna hold me down"

Find me on Zibbet!

Hello all! :)  

I have an announcement!!!  

I've opened a shop on Zibbet!!!!  

I only have a few things posted right now, 

but I'm slowly adding more and more!  

My latest addition is this

 approximately 8 inch Pastel Rainbow Hair Bow, 

but I also have some crochet items up already!

If you're interested please come on by and check it out, 

and if you know anyone else that might be interested please pass it on! :)  

Thank you guys for reading!!!

In Him, ASC

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Review Part 1!!!

Shadows of Ladenbrooke by Melanie Dobson

+Melanie Dobson 

Book Description:

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor (Howard, June 2015)

When Heather Toulson returns to her parents' cottage in the English countryside, she uncovers long-hidden secrets about her family history and stumbles onto the truth about a sixty-year-old murder.

Libby, a free spirit who can't be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver's death.

Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family's cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions. She's mourning her father's passing but can't let go of the anger and resentment over their strained relationship. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family's belongings left behind in the cottage. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family's history.

Award-winning author Melanie Dobson seamlessly weaves the past and present together, fluidly unraveling the decades-old mystery and reveals how the characters are connected in shocking ways.

Set in a charming world of thatched cottages, lush gardens, and lovely summer evenings, this romantic and historical mystery brings to light the secrets and heartaches that have divided a family for generations.


Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1HuCCkT

About the author:


Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of thirteen historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels. Two of her novels won Carol Awards in 2011, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indianawon Best Novel of Indiana in 2010. Melanie lives with her husband Jon and two daughters near Portland, Oregon.

Find Melanie online: website, Twitter, Facebook

My Opinion:
What a fabulous book!!!!!!!  I absolutely LOVE Melanie and she is fast becoming my favorite author!  Her stories always grab me and refuse to let me go.  I find myself trying to finish other tasks, but continuing to wonder what will happen to the characters next!!!!!!!  I don't want to put her books down and Shadows of Ladenbrooke is no exception!  First off I was surprised because by the book description I thought I would get two full stories, instead Melanie blesses readers with three full stories filled with many interesting characters!  I really enjoy the way Melanie writes in style and format.  She breaks the story into parts and begins each part with a look back from main characters which I found really adds to the tale in a unique way.  I don't want to give too much away in my review which makes is sort of difficult because I want to share everything! LOL!  I LOVE the characters and the twists.  Everything is shadowed in mystery and with both the past and the present playing out at the same time you know some of the outcomes, but it's very entertaining and interesting finding out what led up to them.  There are also more and more questions popping up as you get to know these characters.  I LOVE them, from Libby to Heather and everyone in between, and I find myself drawn deeper and deeper into their stories!  Once again I found myself pleasantly surprised by the characters being different than what I expected from the book description!  Melanie's books always seem to have way more than is implied and gives the readers many little nuggets of goodness to discover as they read! ;)  Three love stories {at least ;) } are within and secrets await to be revealed!  TO BE CONTINUED!!!!

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

~ASC

*I requested and received this book as a member of Litfuse for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Shadows of Ladenbrooke. ~ASC

http://litfusegroup.com/author/mdobson

To Capture Her Heart Review!!!!

To Capture Her Heart by Rebecca DeMarino

Book Description:

It is 1653 and Heather Flower, a princess of the Montauk tribe, is enjoying her wedding feast when her groom is killed and she is kidnapped by a rival tribe and held for ransom. Though her ransom is paid by an Englishman, she is nonetheless left to die in a Connecticut forest--until she finds herself rescued by handsome Dutch Lieutenant Dirk Van Buren. Torn between her affection for Dirk and her long friendship with family friend Benjamin Horton, Heather Flower must make a difficult choice--stay true to her friend or follow her heart.

Exploring a unique slice of history, Rebecca DeMarino transports readers to the wild land that would eventually become Long Island, New York. Her attention to detail and her captivating storytelling bring the New World to vivid life.

My Opinion:
I'm torn with this one.  I wanted to read To Capture Her Heart because I read A Place in His Heart and wanted to see how Rebecca continued the series.  I really LOVE the historical detail Rebecca puts in her stories and I especially love the descriptions of how people made things back then.  In the last book it was linen and in this one it's bayberry candles among other things!  I found that I enjoyed reading about Mary and Barnabas again.  Where I'm torn is I feel like the pace is a bit sluggish and only captures my attention for short periods of time.  Bouncing from season to season it's very interesting what day to day life held for people in this time in history, but I find myself not really drawn to Heather Flower like I was with Mary.  Heather Flower is an interesting character but I think I felt closer to Mary and more emotionally connected to the outcome.  A love triangle is at the heart of this tale and Rebecca is very crafty in not letting on who Heather Flower will choose in the end!  I found that there are times it's hard for me to read and then there will be a scene that I just devour!  The end is exciting and it has left me wondering what will happen next since it really doesn't have an ending.  Overall I'm finding it hard to finish this one, but it has made me want to see what the next one might hold.  Yup I'm torn :/
Songs to come:
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

~ASC

*I requested and received this book from Revell for the purpose of reviewing it.  This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about To Capture Her Heart. ~ASC

To Capture Her Heart Giveaway!!!!!!!

Win $75.00 or $25.00 Gift card 

and signed copies of 

To Capture Her Heart 

& A Place in His Heart

Click the link below to enter!!!!!!!

To Capture Her Heart Book Launch