"Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska" Blog Tour

 

 

Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams - a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But Ginny needs advice from the one person who will look out for her best interests-her former fiancé, Brett Miller. She travels to the remote town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, where the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery provide respite from LA's pressures.

 

In Glacier Bay, Ginny discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between Clay, an early missionary to Alaska Territory, and Ellie, the woman who traveled there to be his children's governess. When Ginny is reunited with Brett in Glacier Bay, will she discover-as Ellie did-that healing and love are sometimes found in the most unexpected places?

 

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/gQiNn

 

Meet the Authors:

Tricia Goyer is the award winning author of over thirty books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

Find out more about Tricia at http://triciagoyer.com.

Ocieanna Fleiss is a published author and editor. She lives with her husband and their four children in the Seattle area.

Find out more about Ocieanna at http://ocieanna.com/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Take:

 

The thing that I really liked about the previous Love Finds You book that I read was how the setting almost became a character in the story.

This was definitely true in Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska.

I have always wanted to visit Alaska, and the setting, people, and small-town atmosphere in this novel came alive and made it just that much more enjoyable.

Along with the setting, what I thought was great about this book was the historical story that was told in tandem with the modern-day one through the letters that Ginny read. My favorite genre is historical, so of course I would be sucked in by that story a little more than the contemporary one. Both plotlines were good, and I liked how they both sort of followed the same path, but the historical story of Ellie and Clay was my favorite part.

There were so many areas of emotion that were explored in this novel that it is hard to hit them all. Both Ginny and Ellie grow tremendously throughout their stories. They learn that who they are in Christ is more important than anything else. This novel also explores forgiveness and grace and how important it is to extend those to others. There are many heartbreaking things that are experienced by Ginny and Ellie in this novel, but they are never without hope.

If I had to name something that was not quite to my liking in this book it would be that Brett seemed a bit too perfect. Everyone loved him, he seemed to do everything right – it was a bit over-the-top. Also, while I really liked the setting and how everyone in the small town worked together and looked out for each other, I had to smile and chuckle a little every time Ginny noted how much she liked the small town atmosphere. Maybe it would be comforting for someone who grew up without a true home and had been living in LA for the past several years. But coming from someone (me) who grew up in a small town and now enjoys living in a much larger town where everyone doesn’t always know your business – well, I just thought it was funny. To each her own. J

Overall, this novel is a heartwarming story (actually two stories in one!) that will sweep you away to Glacier Bay.

I will give Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska … 4 BookWorms.

 

 

 

See what other reviewers are saying here.

 

 

 

 

Celebrate with Tricia and Ocieanna by entering their "Glacier Bay" Giveaway and RSVPing for their Facebook Party on Feb. 12th!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A gorgeous handmade “Glacier Bay” bracelet
• A handmade cowl in "Glacier Bay" blues and greens
• A bottle of custom-made "Glacier Bay" sparkle polish in blue
• Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss and their two other “Love Finds You” titles {Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana, and Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington}

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 11th. Winner will be announced at the "Glacier Bay" Author Chat Party on February 12th. Connect with authors Tricia and Ocieanna, get a sneak peek of their new book projects, try your hand at the Alaska trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be great giveaways—gift certificates, books, and more!

So grab your copy of Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska, and join Tricia and Ocieanna on the evening of February 12th for a chance to connect with the authors and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 12th!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Summerside Press through the Litfuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"The Jesus Storybook Bible" Review

The Jesus Storybook Bible by author Sally Lloyd-Jones is a Bible book for children in which every story points to Christ. The Collector’s Edition includes the book plus three audio CDs of narration and a DVD of animated stories. There is also an Italian Duo-Tone leather edition of The Jesus Storybook Bible that is beautiful and would be perfect for a gift.

My husband and I absolutely loved the first book that we read by Sally Lloyd-Jones, Song of the Stars, so we were excited to read this storybook Bible. I had also had many recommendations from friends who told me how much they liked the first edition of this Bible storybook.

So as soon as we received this book, we started reading a story every night to our three-year-old daughter. From the beginning, we were pleased. Everything in the Bible points to Christ as our Savior, and that is exactly what this Bible storybook does. It makes you think so much more about some of the Old Testament accounts because of how clearly each story shows how Christ has been there from the beginning and will continue to be there through the end.

The way this book is written is very lyrical. It is easy to read, but it might be a bit poetical or over-the-top for some. I actually enjoyed that way of looking at things – sometimes humor is even used – which gave a fresh perspective on stories from the Bible that I have heard my whole life. The illustrations are not your typical cartoon-y depictions that are in some Bible storybooks. They have an interesting quality to them that make them unique.

The CDs in this Collector’s Edition give a complete narration of The Jesus Storybook Bible. The narrator has a lovely British accent, and it gives another dimension to the book. Kids can put the CDs in a player and listen along themselves to the entire storybook Bible. I didn’t have a chance to watch all of the stories on the DVD, but the ones I watched were nice. They are basically animated versions of the illustrations along with the narration from the CDs. So, they are not actually animated movies but more of an animated version of the illustrations. My three-year-old liked them.

With every Bible storybook for children, it is, of course, not a replacement for the Bible. This should be used in addition to the Bible in order to put things on a more kid-friendly level. That being said, The Jesus Storybook Bible is a marvelous way to continually point our children to Christ and how they can be a part of His miraculous story, too.

I will give The Jesus Storybook Bible ... 4 ½ BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zonderkidz. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"The Tutor's Daughter" Review

Following the death of her mother, Emma Smallwood has spent the past few years watching her father – and his academy for boys – decline to the point of not being able to recover. When her father receives an opportunity to personally tutor the two younger sons of a baronet in Cornwall, she is surprised to discover that her father is interested – and even more surprised when he asks her to accompany him for the year.

But almost the moment Emma and her father arrive, mysterious things begin happening in the grand manor house. Who plays the pianoforte at night, and is there actually someone who is sneaking in Emma’s room and leaving threatening messages?

The two oldest sons of the baronet, Henry and Phillip, remember Emma from the days when they attended Mr. Smallwood’s academy, but one of them is not prepared to discover that he is still drawn to her.

As the days go by, Emma must try to figure out what is happening in the strange house and who to trust with her heart.

After reading and enjoying Julie Klassen’s The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, I was excited to get this latest book from her for review.

The things that I liked most about this novel were things that felt similar to other books/authors that I like. The suspense – that was sometimes downright chilling – brought to mind the mysteriousness of Jane Eyre, especially relating to all of the strange things that are happening at this old manor house. Another thing was that the mystery and sheer conspiracy that seemed to be going on felt very much like an Agatha Christie novel. Both of these elements made the storyline have so much more depth than your average historical romance.

Something else that added depth to the novel was the setting. The descriptions of Cornwall and the coast where this manor was located were excellent and made me feel as if I was right there with Emma. The historical detail in this novel was very rich, and the writing was excellent, which also lent to my overall enjoyment of the story.

The spiritual aspect to this story, however, was somewhat disappointing to me. There was some mention of God and faith, but it almost seemed to be an afterthought to the rest of the story. Too many times it seemed as if the spiritual discussions missed the element of Christ dying for our sins. More mature and deeper elements of spiritual growth and faith in Christ would have added much more to the story for me.

As for the romance side of things, I enjoyed it from Henry’s point of view as well as the romantic notions of some of the secondary characters. From Emma’s side, I had a harder time believing in her journey to love. This could be because I didn’t really connect with Emma as a main character overall, so her side of the romance was a bit lacking. Emma was so presumptuous of how she thought Henry felt, and I get tired of this happening in romance books, especially from the female perspective.

Even though I didn’t completely connect with Emma as a character, I did enjoy the secondary characters in this book. They were very well done and gave this novel depth and made it more enjoyable overall. While I felt that the novel dragged somewhat towards the middle, the ending of this book was very exciting and satisfactory.

Julie Klassen stays true to the Regency Period of historical fiction and once again delivers an excellent novel to the genre.

I will give The Tutor's Daughter ... 4 BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."



"Cheaper, Better, Faster" Blog Tour

Cheaper, Better, Faster:

Over 2,000 Ways to Save Time & Money Every Day

Syndicated personal finance columnist Mary Hunt shares over 2,000 tips to make just about everything Cheaper, Better, Faster. Hunt has received thousands of tips and tricks from readers of her daily newspaper column, and she has selected the very best ways to save time and money in this ultimate guide to making life easier.

Cheaper, Better, Faster is all the best advice you've ever heard, collected into one handy volume. Every tip is short, to the point, and helps readers make the most of their money and time, making everyday life less hectic and more enjoyable.

Proven tips on everything from removing hairspray baked onto a curling iron to enjoying gourmet coffee without the gourmet price are included. Readers will learn how to keep their cats from eating their houseplants and know how to get stains out of white carpet.

Hunt hopes the useful and oftentimes humorous information in Cheaper, Better, Faster will help readers spend their money wisely and get creative by using everyday items to achieve the results they need – whether that means finding a wedding gift that won’t break the bank or getting a stain out of a new t-shirt.

Mary Hunt is an award-winning and bestselling author, syndicated columnist and sought-after motivational speaker who created a global platform that is making strides to help men and women battle the epidemic impact of consumer debt. She is founder and publisher of the interactive website Debt-Proof Living, which features financial tools, resources and information for her online members. Her books have sold more than a million copies and her daily newspaper column is nationally syndicated through Creators Syndicate and is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Everyday Cheapskate readers. Hunt speaks widely on personal finance and has appeared on shows such as Good Morning America, Oprah, Dr. Phil and Focus on the Family. She and her husband live in California.

My Take: 

Cheaper, Better, Faster is an update of Mary Hunt's previous tip book, Tiptionary.

One thing I really liked about this book that it gave different ways of achieving the same result. For instance, there are several suggestions of ways to remove spots from carpets. It’s nice to have different suggestions so that maybe you won’t have to spend time and money running to the store!

  

And there is more to this book than just cleaning tips. The categories included are:

• ·         Automobiles
• ·         Cleaning
• ·         Clothing & Accessories
• ·         Food & Cooking
• ·         Gifts
• ·         Health & Beauty
• ·         Holidays & Special Occasions
• ·         Home
• ·         Kids & Babies
• ·         Laundry
• ·         Money & Finances
• ·         Outdoors & Garden
• ·         Pets
• ·         Repairs & Maintenance
• ·         Shopping
• ·         Travel & Entertainment

With the advent of Google and Pinterest, books with hints and tips might seem out-of-date, but I think it is still a handy book to have around, as it is from a trusted source. I would have liked for it to have a better index so that you could more easily locate something specific.

Cheaper, Better, Faster is available in January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”