Book Blogger Hop (July 29 - August 1)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-For-Books.com. Every week there is a different prompt. This week's prompt is...

“Highlight one book you have received this week (for review, from the library, purchased at the store, etc.) that you can’t wait to dig into!”

Here's mine:

I took out 'A Memory Between Us' by Sarah Sundin from the library and hope to start reading it tonight. This is the second book in the 'Wings of Glory' series. I really enjoyed reading the first 'A Distant Melody' and hope this book is just as good!

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

Can they overcome the past to find a brighter future together?

Major Jack Novak has never failed to meet a challenge--until he meets army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. When Jack lands in the army hospital after a plane crash, he makes winning Ruth's heart a top-priority mission. But he has his work cut out for him. Not only is Ruth focused on her work in order to support her orphaned siblings back home, she also is determined not to give her heart to any man.

As the danger and tension of World War II rise to a fever pitch, Jack and Ruth will need each other more than ever. Can Jack break down her defenses? Or are they destined to go their separate ways?

From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

Friday Firsts: 'A Distant Melody' by Sarah Sundin

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?
• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.

  
  

Here is my Friday Firsts:

One whole delicious week together. Allie Miller clung to her best friend's promise and to the train ticket that would deliver it.

A Distant Melody

by

Sarah Sundin

I'm really enjoying this book! The first sentence drew me in right away and I can't wait to get back to reading it

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com): 

Will a chance meeting in a time of war change her life forever?

Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval--even marry a man she doesn't love. While Allie has nearly resigned herself to that fate, Lt. Walter Novak--fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women--takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas.

Walt and Allie meet and begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

Book 1 in the Wings of Glory series, A Distant Melody is an exciting and tender story of love, courage, and sacrifice during World War II.

"Sarah Sundin is an extraordinarily gifted storyteller who puts the reader in the cockpit of B-17 bombers as easily as she crafts an achingly emotional World War II romance. This is not only the best World War II love story I've ever read, but it may be the best book I've ever read."--Cheryl Bolen, Holt Medallion Winner, Best Historical

Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Francisco. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. This is her debut novel.

Twitter Hop Thursday! July 28, 2011

Welcome to Twitter Hop Thursday, hosted by The King’s Court IV, Little Yaya’s, and Kelly’s Lucky You.

Would you like more Twitter followers and be introduced to more neat blogs and businesses out there? Come and join us!!

1. Add your Twitter to the MckLinky (you only have to add it to one and it will appear on all).

2. Click on the Twitter for the three hostesses and follow each of them on Twitter. We will follow you back.

3. Follow as many people on Twitter as you like, but make sure to leave comments with links so they’ll know where to follow you!

Spread the word and add this MckLinky to your blog!Write your own post or copy and paste this one. Below the MckLinky box, you’ll see “Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? Click here for instructions and code”. Have fun Twitter-Hopping along!

We have selected a Twitterer of the Week from last week’s entries and the lucky winner is TBA ! They will be in the #4 spot! We will choose next week’s winner from everyone who participated today.

Please only add your Twitter url. All other entries will be deleted. Thank you!

Theme Thursdays (Any Action)

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event, hosted by readingbetweenpages.wordpress.com, that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)

Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week's theme is:

ANY ACTION (go, walk, close, clap etc)

Here is mine:


"I pulled to the curb and ran over to Heather's bike. But when my hand touched it, I was instantly transported to a place not of this earth." 
From page 15 of When Lightning Strikes: One Man's Journey to Heaven and Back: A True Story of Hope and Grief
 by
 Kay & Bobby Brunson

Synopsis:

If you are afraid of dying, wonder about Heaven, or can't visualize your loved one with Jesus, then this is the book for you to read. 

My husband, Bobby Brunson, was struck by lightning and died for 28 recorded minutes, only to return with a stunning, life-altering glimpse of the hereafter. Here, he recounts his journey to our Heavenly home and lends his perspective on death. Bobby shares his story with people in churches, hospitals, civic meetings, and any occasion that may present itself. Thousands have seen the expression of joy on his face when he talks about Jesus. His love in sharing his trip to Heaven with others is contagious, and his trust in God in the realities of everyday living is real. 

This is a message of hope for the terminally ill, a message of peace for those whose loved ones have passed on, and a book filled with his anticipation of seeing our Lord again. Bobby's message is simple:

"God loves us all the same, don't sweat the small stuff, and live life in a way to make Heaven your ultimate home." 

The story of Bobby walking on golden streets, talking with his deceased father, and holding the hand of Jesus make it a must read for those looking for assurance and a way to deal with death and dying. I have watched as Bobby has talked with people and witnessed their enthusiasm to talk with a man who talked with Jesus. His story never fails to touch them, and it won't fail to touch you. 

- Kay Brunson 

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Deeply Devoted, Blue Willow Brides Series (Book 1)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at breakingthespine.blogspot.com, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Deeply Devoted: A Novel 

by Maggie Brendan

Publication Date: September 1, 2011

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

When Catharine Olsen leaves Holland for America as a mail-order bride, she brings along some extra baggage: two sisters, her mother's set of Blue Willow china, and a tragic past. When she arrives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, she promptly marries Peter Andersen and dreams of starting life over in this rugged land. Peter is kind and patient with Catharine and accommodating to her sisters. His mother, however, is not. When she begins a campaign to sabotage Peter's marriage, Catharine is distraught, worried that her secret past will be discovered. Will her life end up as nothing but broken pieces? Or will these trials make her stronger?

Readers will love negotiating the clash of cultures and class as a highborn European and a Western wheat farmer learn to love one another and trust God with both the past and the future.

Product Details:
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800734629
ISBN-13: 978-0800734626

• 
  
• Author's Website: www.MaggieBrendan.com
• Publisher's Website: www.RevellBooks.com
• 
  

Giveaways!

GIVEAWAY 1) Katy from "Legacy of a Writer" is giving away a copy of 'Love by the Book' by Cara Lynn James! To enter this wonderful giveaway go here - Interview & Giveaway - Cara Lynn James!

GIVEAWAY 2) Melanie from "Christian Bookshelf Reviews" is giving away all three books of the Karen Kingsbury 9/11 series! To enter this fantastic giveaway go here - Karen Kingsbury's 9/11 Series Book Giveaway

GIVEAWAY 3) Charity U from "Austenitis" is giving away a digital copy of 'Kaydie' by Penny Zeller! Go here to enter - Interview and Giveaway with Penny Zeller!

GIVEAWAY 4) Want your pet to have fresh breath? One Mommy’s Memorandum Reader will WIN a box of EvoraPet! Enter this giveaway here -  EvoraPet

Giveaways!

Terra from 'Heck Of A Bunch' is having three great giveaways! 


GIVEAWAY 1) One lucky person will win a quart of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil! To enter this giveaway go here - Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil Review and Giveaway


GIVEAWAY 2) One person will win RIO on DVD! To enter this giveaway go here -  RIO - DVD Review and Giveaway.


GIVEAWAY 3) One person will win a Movie Night Prize Package that includes: 

Waiting For Superman DVD

Morning Glory DVD

Box of Sour Patch Kids candy

$25 DonorsChoose.org gift card

Ten coupons for free Redbox movie rentals

To enter this giveaway go here -  Make It A Movie Night - Giveaway

& 


Debbie's Book Bag has so many great book giveaways
to enter any of them click on the title!


GIVEAWAY 1) Bring it Close by Helen Hollick


GIVEAWAY 2) Skirting the Grave (Vintage Magic - Book 4) by Annette Blair


GIVEAWAY 3)  Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate


GIVEAWAY 4) The King's Witch by Cecelia Holland


GIVEAWAY 5) A Weekend with Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly


GIVEAWAY 6) Books Can Be Deceiving(Library Lover's Mysteries - Book 1) by Jenn McKinlay


GIVEAWAY 7) Let's Play Dead (Museum Mystery - Book 2) by Sheila Connolly


GIVEAWAY 8) The Square Root of Murder(Sophie Knowles - Book 1) by Ava Madison


GIVEAWAY 9) Grace Interrupted (Manor House Mystery - Book 2) by Julie Hyzy


and more!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 25)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme, hosted by Sheila over at bookjourney.wordpress.com, where you post about what you read this past week, what you hope to read this week...and anything in between. This is a great way to find new books to add to your TBR list.

What I read last week:

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck: A Novel 

by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Unlikely romance is sometimes just an inconvenient marriage away

Charlotte Beck may be entering adulthood, but she can’t seem to keep to her stubborn, independent spirit from bucking social protocol. Fed up with her behavior, Charlotte’s father Daniel pressures her to settle into a nice marriage despite knowing she is set on going to college. Then Daniel sees Charlotte with the handsome but annoying English astronomer Alex Hambly, and everything changes.

Though Alex and Charlotte can barely stand one another, Daniel offers them a deal they can’t refuse: if they agree to marry, he will save Alex’s family from financial ruin and grant Charlotte the freedom to go to college. Reluctantly the couple agrees, but in private they plot to annul the marriage as soon as possible.

But when Alex’s feelings change and he refuses to dissolve their contract, will Charlotte find a way out of her vows? Or will she discover that maybe this marriage isn’t so inconvenient after all?

What I am currently reading:

Inside Threat 

by Jason Elam & Steve Yohn

After taking two football seasons off, Riley Covington is attempting to make a comeback in the league while trying to forget Khadi Faroughi, now on security detail for a prominent senator.
But a new attack turns both of their lives upside down yet again. During a state funeral, terrorists overrun the National Cathedral and take senators, congressmen, and their entourages hostage, including Khadi. This new generation of The Cause is made up of homegrown terrorists—an inside threat to the security of the nation. They release most of the hostages, but not all. Several, including Khadi, are kept behind as significant bargaining chips.
The Cause pledges to behead one member of Congress each day throughout the month of Ramadan as a punishment for their own country’s rejection of Islam. Despite the protests of Counter-Terrorism Division director Scott Ross, Riley races to CTD armed with a plan and a fierce determination to rescue Khadi at all costs.

What I want to read this week:

The Seraph Seal 

by Leonard Sweet & Lori Wagner

An epic tale of good and evil based on the four horsemen of the Apocalypse found in the book of Revelation.

Using the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to symbolize the four Gospels, four transcendentals, and four forces of the universe (air, water, earth, and fire), Sweet and Wagner weave a fast-paced, end-times tale of good vs. evil and the promise of a new dawn for humanity.

Set in 2048, when planet Earth is suffering from the damaging effects of years of misuse and abuse, cultural history professor Paul Binder receives a mysterious letter that leads him to examine a lost 2nd-century Diatessaron manuscript. Ancient prophecies, cryptic letters, and strange events set him on a course to uncover the missing clues that could lead humanity into a new age. Each character embodies elements of the four horsemen in a race to save the world from total destruction. Layered with forgotten symbolism from the ancient, Jewish, and Christian traditions, the novel is a type of engaged fiction in which the main character's lost journal serves as a guide to the reader in interpreting clues and understanding the novel's conclusion.

Monday Mingle (July 25)

Monday Mingle is a fun blog hop hosted by Tough Cookie Mommy. This blog hop is great to find other blogs and to get new followers. Thank you for visiting, please leave a comment and I'll be sure to stop by your blog.

Some More Great Giveaways!

Here are some more great giveaways that I found!

GIVEAWAY 1) Melanie from "Christian Bookshelf Reviews" is giving away all three books from Karen Kingsbury's 9/11 series! To enter this giveaway go here - Karen Kingsbury's 9/11 series - 3 books to one lucky winner!

GIVEAWAY 2) Want to shield your patio from pesky mosquitoes?  Mommy's Memorandum is giving away a ThermaCELL Patio Lantern!  To enter this giveaway go here - ThermaCELL Patio Lantern Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY 3) Shonda from "The Knowlton Nest" is giving away a copy of 'Summer Dream' by Martha Rogers! To enter this giveaway go here -  Summer Dream by Martha Rogers

Two Great Giveaways!

Here are two great giveaways that I found today!

1) Win a $25 Visa gift card from The Night Owl Mama! To enter go here - Frito Lay Variety Packs & Choose Your Own Adventure Stories $25 Visa Gift Card #Giveaway 

2) Win a Ceramcor Xtrema 10" Open Skillet with Silicone Pot Holder from Life is a Sand Castle! To enter go here - Ceramcor Xtrema Cookware Review & Giveaway

Friday Firsts: Inside Threat (Riley Covington, book 4) by Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?
• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.

  
  

Here is my Friday Firsts:

The September sun soaked into Scott Ross's face so deeply that he could almost feel his skin browning. Yeah, baby, brush a little butter on me, and you'll cook up a nice golden, flaky crust.

Inside Threat 

by 

Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

After taking two football seasons off, Riley Covington is attempting to make a comeback in the league while trying to forget Khadi Faroughi, now on security detail for a prominent senator.
But a new attack turns both of their lives upside down yet again. During a state funeral, terrorists overrun the National Cathedral and take senators, congressmen, and their entourages hostage, including Khadi. This new generation of The Cause is made up of homegrown terrorists—an inside threat to the security of the nation. They release most of the hostages, but not all. Several, including Khadi, are kept behind as significant bargaining chips.
The Cause pledges to behead one member of Congress each day throughout the month of Ramadan as a punishment for their own country’s rejection of Islam. Despite the protests of Counter-Terrorism Division director Scott Ross, Riley races to CTD armed with a plan and a fierce determination to rescue Khadi at all costs.

I am not very far in this one yet, but I am really enjoying it! I hope it will be at least as good as the first three in the series, which were amazing!

GIVEAWAYS!

Mizz Review Lady is having two giveaways!
Giveaway #1 - She is giving away a dainty sterling silver charm bracelet from Charm Factory. To enter this giveaway go here - Charm Bracelet Giveaway!!!


Giveaway #2 - She is giving away to Two lucky winners a Picnic Table Condiment Set.  Each set is a $17.99 Value!

Friendly Friday! (July 22)

Welcome to Friendly Friday!
Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog, too! Just get the InLinkz code and copy it directly into your post. The code is different every week, so be sure to get the new code when hosting Friendly Friday on your blog. Hosting the list is a great way to get even more traffic to your blog and make Friendly Friday more beneficial for everyone.

Thanks for joining the Friendly Friday celebration hosted by Xenia at Thanks, Mail Carrier, Christi at Frugal Novice and Charla at Healthy Home Blog! We invite you to join us every Friday to make more friends in blogville, get more blog followers and follow other great blogs out there.

To join in the Friendly Friday celebration, include your family-friendly link in our list, follow the hostesses in the first 3 spots and then start blog hopping! Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love. Then take a minute to follow them through Google Friend Connect - this is a good way to keep up with other blogs, but also lets us show support to each other! Please DO NOT list your giveaways here, links must be to either your homepage or your Friday posting with your blog title. All others will be deleted.

When people comment on your blog and let you know they're a part of Friendly Friday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers out of participating, and it's a win-win situation. We would love for you to also grab our Friendly Friday button and post it on your blog and/or in a post - the more bloggers that find out about Friendly Friday and participate, the better!

Wickham's Diary by Amanda Grange

11 July 1784
Why should I be beneath Fitzwilliam? I am just as handsome as he is; I am just as intelligent, even though he works harder at his books; and I am just as amusing; in fact I dare say I am a great deal more amusing, for Fitzwilliam is so proud he will not take the trouble to entertain other people.
      Yet although he is no better than me, when he grows up he will inherit Pemberley, and I will inherit nothing...

JANE AUSTEN'S ULTIMATE BAD BOY finally gets his say. Faced with an uncertain future - while his friend Fitzwilliam Darcy is set for life - dastardly George Wickham plots and cavorts in this rollicking prequel to Pride and Prejudice. Bestselling author Amanda Grange daringly explores the inner turmoil and secret motivations of the character every Austen fan loves to hate...

I GIVE THIS BOOK: 5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS

Wow! I found this book very enjoyable. It sheds a new light on Wickham, a man almost everyone hates. It shows how and why he became the way he did and it made me feel a little bit sorry for him. It shows him to have a heart, which of course we know he later does not have.

Of course, with who this book is about, there are a couple of scenes that show his low morals, but they are well done! They make it clear what he is about to do or what he already did, but they are not in detail - which I was very happy about! I hate when books get too descriptive about that type of thing - less is more.

The story begins when Wickham and Darcy are young boys. Wickham is a very nice and friendly boy who genuinely is friends with Darcy, but he has a small bit of resentment about how Darcy will one day be master of Pemberley and he will at most be the steward of Pemberley. I felt that this resentment could have been overcome had it not been for Wickham's mother.

Wickham's mother - oh, what can I say about her? The story is written in such a way that I felt that had she been a less conniving and manipulative person, Wickham would have turned out quite differently. She was always encouraging Wickham to do the wrong thing, to befriend people only to advance his owns goals. She was such a horrible person, never content with what she had - always wanting more.

Overall 'Wickham's Diary' was so much better than I expected it to be. I will never think about Wickham in the same way again!

This was the first book by Amanda Grange that I have read, but it will not be my last. I highly recommend this book, it adds so much detail to Wickham's character.

If you found this review to be helpful, would you say so on Barnes & Noble HERE. Thanks.

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE


www.AmandaGrange.com

Twitter Hop Thursday! - July 21, 2011

Welcome to Twitter Hop Thursday, hosted by The King’s Court IV, Little Yaya’s, and Kelly’s Lucky You.

Would you like more Twitter followers and be introduced to more neat blogs and businesses out there? Come and join us!!

1. Add your Twitter to the MckLinky (you only have to add it to one and it will appear on all).

2. Click on the Twitter for the three hostesses and follow each of them on Twitter. We will follow you back.

3. Follow as many people on Twitter as you like, but make sure to leave comments with links so they’ll know where to follow you!

Spread the word and add this MckLinky to your blog! Write your own post or copy and paste this one. Below the MckLinky box, you’ll see “Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? Click here for instructions and code”. Have fun Twitter-Hopping along!

We have selected a Twitterer of the Week from last week’s entries and the lucky winner is@Smile7891 ! They will be in the #4 spot! We will choose next week’s winner from everyone who participated today.

Please only add your Twitter url. All other entries will be deleted. Thank you!

Theme Thursdays (July 21)

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event, hosted by readingbetweenpages.wordpress.com, that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)

Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week's theme is:

SMILE (Laugh, Grin, Giggle, Guffaw, etc)

Here is mine:

Then Gooey's face broke into a wide grin. "Aughhhh, I got you! What a bunch of suckers, making it that easy! Go on, pay up!" (page 95)

Inside Threat
by Jason Elam & Steve Yohn

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

After taking two football seasons off, Riley Covington is attempting to make a comeback in the league while trying to forget Khadi Faroughi, now on security detail for a prominent senator. 

But a new attack turns both of their lives upside down yet again. During a state funeral, terrorists overrun the National Cathedral and take senators, congressmen, and their entourages hostage, including Khadi. This new generation of The Cause is made up of homegrown terrorists—an inside threat to the security of the nation. They release most of the hostages, but not all. Several, including Khadi, are kept behind as significant bargaining chips.

The Cause pledges to behead one member of Congress each day throughout the month of Ramadan as a punishment for their own country’s rejection of Islam. Despite the protests of Counter-Terrorism Division director Scott Ross, Riley races to CTD armed with a plan and a fierce determination to rescue Khadi at all costs.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at breakingthespine.blogspot.com, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Blue Skies Tomorrow: A Novel

 by Sarah Sundin

Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit, but at least his stateside job training B-17 pilots allows him the luxury of a personal life. As he courts Helen Carlisle, a young war widow and mother who conceals her pain under a frenzy of volunteer work, the sparks of their romance set a fire that flings them both into peril. After Ray leaves to fly a combat mission at the peak of the air war over Europe, Helen takes a job in a dangerous munitions yard and confronts an even graver menace in her own home. Will they find the courage to face their challenges? And can their young love survive until blue skies return?

Filled with daring and romance, Blue Skies Tomorrow will capture readers' hearts.


Number of Pages: 432
Vendor: Revell
Publication Date: August 1, 2011
ISBN: 0800734238
ISBN-13: 9780800734237