Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Sweet Tea and Southern Charm--"Vixen's Diner" by Penny McIntosh—Review

My review:

"Vixen's Diner" by Penny McIntosh is “full of sweet tea, Southern charm and romance” (Goodreads). I could not have said it better myself. Ms. McIntosh writes a contemporary romance with some magical realism. The story takes place in a small Southern town. I love the premise. In the beginning, we meet Granny, who previously owned the family diner. She wants Emmy to live the life Granny wanted for her and to not repeat the same mistakes of her ancestors. She desires for Emmy to be strong and brave. The only problem is Granny is dead and does not know how to contact Emmy.

Throughout the story we watch as Emmy navigates life without her grandmother and is trying to run the family diner on her own. We follow Emmy as she grows, makes choices and figures out who she is and what she wants in life. Also, if you are into “book boyfriends,” I think you will really like Nick.

Emmy learns some lessons along the way about not letting the past control her and that she has a choice in how she lives her life. Be sure to read the special edition if you are sensitive to content. There are some more serious themes in "Vixen's Diner,” especially surrounding a past boyfriend who is abusive and displays stalker-like behavior. It is unsettling to read about his thoughts at times. Overall, I really enjoyed this charming, nostalgic read! I would recommend "Vixen's Diner" to anyone who enjoys Southern stories, romance, and contemporary women’s fiction.

Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Be sure to read the special edition if you are sensitive to content. Some examples of the content are: a woman is in an abusive relationship; women get pregnant and have children out of wedlock; the words “hell,” “sh*t,” “a**hole,” “b*tch,” and “da*n” are used; a woman is raped, but the book doesn’t go into detail; there is mention of losing one’s virginity; a man has an affair; sexual innuendos; the Lord’s name is taken in vain; characters drink alcohol and get drunk; there is a scene with a little foreplay.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars!

I bought this book with my own money. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Penny McIntosh is a stay at wife, and mom of three. She has a degrees in Religious Studies and Teaching, and has always been drawn to the mystical and the unknown (something she tries to incorporate into all her books). She is an avid reader, and finds that the silence of the twilight hours offers the most inspiration for writing.

To purchase the book click here (make sure to get the special edition if you are sensitive to content)
To visit the author's website click here

Friday, November 20, 2020

An Ode to the Motherhood Journey--"Reflection of Me" by Penny McIntosh—Review

My review:

"Reflection of Me" by Penny McIntosh is a contemporary novel sprinkled with magical realism. From the exciting opening, Ms. McIntosh instantly drew me into her novel. The main character, Callie, is a wife and mother who is feeling unappreciated and struggling with her role in life and with her marriage. She is given the chance to see her future and what she will become if she does not change her ways. It’s fascinating to see how things play out. I love the touches of magical realism and there are definitely some surprises along the way! Ms. McIntosh masterfully portrays the emotions that many stay-at-home moms feel.

You don’t have to be a mom to relate to Callie’s life and struggles. Part of the story is about her journey as a mom and a wife. Callie must learn to find peace and joy from within. She has shut people out and kept them from helping her. Can she learn to let people back in before it is too late? Or is she destined to become the person the mirror portrays? What if you were shown the future? Do you think you would be able to fix things and change the outcome? Find out what happens to Callie! This book kept me turning the pages to find out what became of Callie and in the end it encouraged me to not take my husband for granted, to seek peace and joy within and make sure I am present in each moment of each day.

Make sure to get the special edition that has all the “F” words removed if you are sensitive to language.

Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: a woman commits suicide; the Lord’s name is taken in vain; words “as*,” “bi*ch,” “sh*t,” “hell,” and “da*n” are used; a character drinks alcohol; a quick fade to black scene of a married couple

Rating: I give this book 5 stars!

I bought this book with my own money. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

"Dust" by Kara Swanson Blog Tour (Review) & GIVEAWAY!

About the Book

Title: Dust

Authors: Kara Swanson

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Release Date: July 21, 2020

The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real—since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire’s desperate search points to London…and a boy who shouldn’t exist. Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins. The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan—and herself.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Can I just say this book is truly magical?! “Dust” by Kara Swanson is a “Peter Pan” retelling that takes place after the events of the original story, so it is also a sequel. This story has many of the whimsical, magical elements that one expects from a “Peter Pan” retelling, but it also has a darker, more gritty side to it as well.

“Dust” is truly a masterpiece. The way Ms. Swanson writes is lyrical and witty. I especially love how she portrays Peter Pan and how she writes his voice in the story. She seems to capture the Pan we all know and love—cocky, mischievous, loveable. But he is also flawed and selfish and needs to grow up. Claire, our heroine, deals with mental health issues, a rough past and not fitting in. Peter helps Claire learn that she can fly and to not let the hard stuff drag her down. Through this relationship and story, faith is explored and the need to believe in who we are and do what we were born to do. One must find the light in their shadows and always hold on to hope. These are such amazing lessons expertly woven into a gripping story that I could not put down. “Dust” kept me reading and wanting to find out what went wrong in Neverland, where Claire’s brother is and many other questions. My only complaint (if you can call it that) is the cliffhanger. I need book two; NOW! Take a step into this magical story, you will not regret it.

Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: a person curses, but the words aren’t actually written; a girl tries to commit suicide; talk of bullies and violent parents; reference to a drunk parent; reference to the devil; a girl has a past of cutting herself.

Rating: I give this book 5 magical stars.

I want to thank Celebrate Lit, Kara Swanson and Enclave Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About the Author

As the daughter of missionaries, Kara Swanson spent her childhood running barefoot through the lush jungles of Papua New Guinea. Able to relate with characters dropped into a unique new world, she quickly fell in love with the fantasy genre. The award-winning author of The Girl Who Could See, Kara is passionate about crafting stories of light shattering darkness, connecting with readers, and becoming best friends with a mermaid—though not necessarily in that order. Kara chats about coffee, fairy tales and bookish things online (@karaswansonauthor) and at karaswanson.com

More from Kara

I wrote Dust not just for those who grew up loving the original Peter Pan story — but especially for the children who were left behind. Those of us who never escaped through a window to a magical world, whose childhoods oftentimes felt a little shadowed.

Dust follows Peter Pan when he is cast out of Neverland, grounded in London. For the first time, this Peter has to start thinking about someone other than himself—and become a beacon to remind any Lost ones that there is still magic to be found.

Dust also follows a young woman named Claire who can create pixie dust, but is desperately afraid of herself because when her fears and insecurities leak out, her dust starts to burn. Claire has seen too many shadows to believe in fairytales anymore and is doing everything she can just to lock away the strange dust dripping from her fingertips. But when she meets Peter, he challenges everything she thought she knew.

I wrote Claire for those of us who may feel too weighted to even remember what it feels like to have hope lift your soul. Who can look at ourselves and all we see are our own shadows and shortcomings.

Throughout the course of the novel, Peter has to teach Claire how to see the spark of light inside herself that is far brighter than the darkness. As he helps this girl learn how to fly, Peter rediscovers what it is that truly makes him Peter Pan: the unquenchable childlike belief that there are weightless thoughts in all of us that can lift us out of the shadows.

This story is a love letter to anyone who has ever needed that reminder. We have value simply because we exist. We do not have to be weighed down by our shadows. There is still light that can lift our hearts if we have faith, trust…and a dash of the impossible.

Blog Stops

Andrea Christenson, July 31

Rebecca Tews, July 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 1

Texas Book-aholic, August 1

For the Love of Literature, August 2

deb’s Book Review, August 2

Emily Yager, August 2

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 3

Blessed & Bookish, August 3

Through the Fire Blogs, August 4

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 4

Worthy2Read, August 5

Losing the Busyness, August 5

Adventures of A Travelers Wife, August 5

Remembrancy, August 6

Wishful Endings, August 6

Inklings and notions, August 7

April Hayman, Author, August 7

For Him and My Family, August 8

Musings of A Sassy Bookish Mama, August 8

Inside the Wong Mind, August 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 9

Nancy E Wood, August 9

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 10

Mia Reads, August 10

Simple Harvest Reads, August 11 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Faery Tales Are Real, August 11

Artistic Nobody, August 12

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 12

Pause for Tales, August 12

Just the Write Escape, August 13

Blossoms and Blessings, August 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kara is giving away the grand prize package of a Dust-themed bundle that includes a signed hardcover, bookmarks, character cards, Peter + Claire art print, and an exclusive Dust pin!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fe3a/dust-celebration-tour

Monday, July 20, 2020

Steal Away Under Scottish Stars--"Under Scottish Stars" by Carla Laureano—Review

My Review

Scotland? Yes please! If you know me, Scotland is my favorite location in the world. So, of course I wanted to read this book. I loved the first two books in the “MacDonald Family Trilogy” and have been eagerly awaiting my next return to Skye in this third installment. It did not disappoint! This book can be read as a standalone.

"Under Scottish Stars" is like a love letter to Skye and Scotland. It transported me to the remote Isle of Skye with its amazing views and wild, rugged beauty. I just want to live in this book. Ms. Laureano masterfully describes this beautiful place, while also weaving in a wonderful love story. Even though this is a contemporary story, it feels a bit like stepping back in time due to the remoteness of the Island.

The characters are very relatable, flawed and loveable. I love following the journey of Serena (our main character) as she travels back to Skye. She has a great character arc. Malcom, the hero, is pretty much a dream guy. It is fun to follow their love story (be prepared for a little more steaminess than the average Christian fiction book, but nothing more than PG-13). I loved being back with the MacDonald Family. Overall, this is a fantastic end to the series!

Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: mention of alcohol and drugs; the word “hellish” is used; mention of people cursing, but the words are not actually written; mention of a woman’s cleavage; a reference to drugs; a reference to making love.

Rating: I give this book 4 stars.

I want to thank Carla Laureano, Tyndale and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About Carla Laureano:

Carla Laureano is the RITA Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

Connect with Carla

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

To purchase the book click here

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Fate, Choices and Soul Mates--"Her Choice" by Penny McIntosh--Review

My Review

“Her Choice” by Penny McIntosh is a novel about fate, choices and soul mates. Ms. McIntosh employs magical realism in this contemporary story, with a good dose of romance as well.

From the first line, Ms. McIntosh hooks the reader into this cleverly crafted story. The writing is amazing. Lucy, the main character, is fun and relatable. She needs to find out who she is and where she belongs. In between deciding between her boyfriend and his best friend, Lucy learns a lot about life and herself in the process. She learns about choices and when we make wrong choices, we can try to make something good from them. Most of all, she learns where she belongs and to live fully in the present.

Fans of romance and contemporary stories (with a little magic on the side) will love this book!

Content: I give this book a strong PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: the words “hell,” “crap,” “sh*t,” “bastard,” “as*,” and “bi**h” are used; the Lord’s name is taken in vain; talk of “getting into a woman’s pants,” sex, and “getting laid”; people drink alcohol; a woman is called a “whore”; there are scenes leading up to sex and then pillow talk afterwards; sex outside of marriage.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars.

About the Author

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

An Homage to Strong Women of Faith--"Castle on the Rise" by Kristy Cambron--Review

Castle on the Rise

By Kristy Cambron
Published by Thomas Nelson

“Castle on the Rise” by Kristy Cambron is the second book in the “Lost Castle” series. It ties in with the first book in the series, ”The Lost Castle,” but can easily be read as a standalone. “Castle on the Rise” takes place mostly in Ireland and involves three separate stories in three different time periods, all centering around one castle. The time periods are the revolutionary late 1700s, the 1916 Easter Rising and present day. Ms. Cambron weaves stories of faith, love, family and women rising amidst hard times into a cohesive tale.

My o my! I barely even took notes for this review because I was so caught up in Ms. Cambron’s beautiful and at times heart-breaking story! She sweeps readers to the streets of Dublin, to the cozy pubs and the windswept shores of a castle’s ruins and an estate in the Wicklow Mountains! She is the queen of setting and now I want to visit Ireland. She also did her research well and I learned a lot about Ireland’s history and its fight for freedom. It’s so amazing how she can connect such different periods in time so well. I admit I was a little confused with the events surrounding the Easter Rising in 1916, just because I really knew nothing about it, but it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.

Ms. Cambron’s stories are so moving and poignant. Each story features families that are broken in some way; by war, prejudice or the past. These families must move from hatred to acceptance and forgiveness. I love especially how the women from each story must pull from a strength they didn’t know they had and rise up amidst very difficult and seemingly impossible situations to establish peace. They can only do this through faith. I must warn you to keep a tissue box handy. This is a story that will resonate with you long after you read it and might even help you in your own story.

Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: a woman is pregnant without being married and has been raped; a man is drunk; mentions of alcohol and pubs.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars.

Genre: Christian fiction; Historical; Romance

I want to thank Kristy Cambron, Thomas Nelson and BookLook Bloggers for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About the Author:

KRISTY CAMBRON is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping series. She's a Women's Ministry Leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, and a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews' Best Books, RT Reviewers' Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation, working with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

To purchase the book click here
To visits the author's website click here

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

"Brunch at the Bittersweet Cafe" by Carla Laureano--Blog Tour (Review) & GIVEAWAY!

About Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe

Hardcover: 432 Pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (February 5, 2019)

SYNOPSIS:

From the RITA Award–winning author of Five Days in Skye comes a sweet, romantic treat that will leave you hungry for more.

Baker and pastry chef Melody Johansson has always believed in finding the positive in every situation, but seven years after she moved to Denver, she can’t deny that she’s stuck in a rut. One relationship after another has ended in disaster, and her classical French training is being wasted on her night job in a mediocre chain bakery. Then the charming and handsome private pilot Justin Keller lands on the doorstep of her workplace in a snowstorm, and Melody feels like it’s a sign that her luck is finally turning around.

Justin is intrigued by the lively bohemian baker, but the last thing he’s looking for is a relationship. His own romantic failures have proven that the demands of his job are incompatible with meaningful connections, and he’s already pledged his life savings to a new business venture across the country?an island air charter in Florida with his sister and brother-in-law.

Against their better judgment, Melody and Justin find themselves drawn together by their unconventional career choices and shared love of adventure. But when an unexpected windfall provides Melody with the chance to open her dream bakery-café in Denver with her best friend, chef Rachel Bishop, she’s faced with an impossible choice: stay and put down roots with the people and place she’s come to call home . . . or give it all up for the man she loves.

Purchase Links

Tyndale | Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

REVIEW:

“Brunch at the Bittersweet Café” by Carla Laureano is the second book in “The Saturday Night Supper Club” series. It can easily be read as a standalone. I read (and loved) the first book and I think readers will have a more enriching reading experience by reading the first book as well, as there are many familiar places and faces that show up in this installment.

Ms. Laureano does not just simply write about a subject, she writes about it! Meaning she goes above and beyond in her research about the subjects at the forefront of her books. In this case, those subjects are baking, aviation and the business side of opening a bakery. Ms. Laureano seems to know all of the ins and outs about each one and invites the reader into the kitchen, the airport and to come along in the process of opening a bakery. I learned so much about each topic. I warn you, reader, that she will make you hungry; many, many times.

I love our main character, Melody, who is very multi-dimensional. She has many quirks; she loves baking, books and vintage objects. She even takes bookstagram photos! She and her love interest also go on a date to a bookstore (yes please!).

This book contains some lessons that can apply to all of us. It talks about appreciating the things God has actually given us and trusting in God and not just His blessings.

Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: people drink wine; the word hell is used; there is mention of a person having an affair; a person curses, but the word isn’t actually written; there is talk of having sex in past relationships outside of marriage.

Rating: I give this book 4 stars!

Genre: Christian fiction; Contemporary; Romance

I want to thank TLC Book Tours, Tyndale Publishers and Carla Laureano for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.