BEST READ of the Year SO FAR! Wings of Glass ~ Review

I could not have been anymore excited to learn Gina Holmes had a new book coming out! When it arrived I looked at my schedule to see when I could clear a day to read, because listen,... When reading Gina Holmes, you just CANNOT put her books down!

Wings of Glass touched each and every emotion I have, and at times, I would have given anything to shake Penny and/or do worse than that to her husband, Trent. It is written from a Mothers Heart and I believe that it is why this book is so amazing and able to take such difficult subject matter and turn it into such an incredible story.

Wings of glass is a story of physical and emotional abuse, and the cycles that the abuser and his victim go through, and the grace of God that only HE can give, if only we can accept it, and believe it's freely ours to take. Penny begins her relationship with Trent as a young teen, without any self esteem, and a rather bad example of what love looks like from her parents. Trent is an alcoholic and is very controlling and manipulative, not to mention, no concern about being an adulterer. Sadly, when that is all you have ever known, the idea that things COULD be different don't often enter into your mind, and if they do, fear will typically keep you paralyzed and unable to believe you can do anything differently.

An accident happens and Trent & Penny's life changes dramatically. Penny finds herself in a place she never dreamed, let alone believed, would come. During this time, she also finds the gift of friendship in Callie Mae and Fatima. Together, these women form a bond with one another and Penny's eyes are opened in countless ways. The love and support given to Penny slowly strengthens her but will it be enough to help her finally stand up for herself?

Thank you Gina Holmes, for sharing your gift with all of us.

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingWings of GlassTyndale House Publishers (March 1, 2013)
byGina Holmes



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gina Holmes began her career in 1998, penning articles and short stories. In 2005 she founded the influential literary blog, Novel Journey now called Novel Rocket and she is also the founder of Inspire The Fire.




Her debut, Crossing Oceans, was a Christy and Gold Medallion finalist and winner of the Carol Award, INSPY, and RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice, as well as being a CBA, ECPA, Amazon and PW Religion bestseller. Her sophomore novel, Dry as Rain, was also named a Christy finalist. Her upcoming novel, Wings of Glass will releases this month. She holds degrees in science and nursing and currently resides with her family in southern Virginia. She works too hard, laughs too loud, and longs to see others heal from their past and discover their God-given purpose.









ABOUT THE BOOK

From the bestselling author of Crossing Oceans comes a heart-rending yet uplifting story of friendship and redemption. On the cusp of womanhood, Penny is swept off her feet by a handsome farmhand with a confident swagger. Though Trent Taylor seems like Prince Charming and offers an escape from her one-stop-sign-town, Penny’s happily ever after lasts no longer than their breakneck courtship. Before the ink even dries on their marriage certificate, he hits her for the first time. It isn’t the last, yet the bruises that can’t be seen are the most painful of all.




When Trent is injured in a welding accident and his paycheck stops, he has no choice but to finally allow Penny to take a job cleaning houses. Here she meets two women from very different worlds who will teach her to live and laugh again, and lend her their backbones just long enough for her to grow her own.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Wings of Glass, go HERE.





Happy Reading!

Grave Consequences ~ Review

Book 2 in Lisa T. Bergren's Grand Tour Series...
Cora Kensington faces life-changing challenges when her European tour with her wealthy family takes her through Austria, France, and Italy. As an unseen enemy stalks her, her heart is torn between a dashing Frenchman and a man who's been quietly claiming her affection. Whom will she choose? Will her decision put her loved ones in danger?

My Thoughts:

I have shared many times here on Heart of a Bookworm that Lisa T. Bergren is one of my VERY favorite authors! Having not read book 1 in this series, (Grand Tour) I wondered if I would be lost... honestly, I was very lost!

I've always loved the strong characters and the historical places I travel when reading her books, but in Grave Consequences I just couldn't get there. At times it just went on and on and this a very long book (400+ pgs) so I found myself skimming.

Cora is a strong young woman and is faced with many decisions as the book comes to a conclusion...will I find out the answers? I just don't know but one thing that I do know ~ Lisa T. Bergren remains one of my Favorite authors!!

Thank you so much Litfuse for allowing me this complimentary book in exchange for my honest review!

Celebrate the release of Grave Consequences with Lisa T. Bergren by entering to win an iPad Mini!

One "grand" winner receive:

• A brand new iPad Mini
• Grave Consequences and Glamorous Illusions will be pre-loaded onto the Mini!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 23rd. Winner will be announced on March 25th at Lisa's website.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Shadow Eyes ~ Review

About the Book:

Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.

Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.

As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.

There is an opportunity for some GREAT GIVEAWAYS at the bottom of this post :)

My Thoughts:

Sometimes I am contacted by the author directly asking if I would review their book and that can be a very good thing! In the case of Shadow Eyes, it was an excellent thing! Dusty Crabtree has been a delight to work with and her book is AWESOME! I love reading a book that when, and IF, you MUST put the book down, you realize that time has just slipped by... Shadow Eyes is one of those books! The story is captivating and deals with teens and the many issues they face today...Some, I can even remember dealing with myself!

The mystery of what happened to Iris on her 14th Birthday and caused her to start seeing these "shadows" was so intriguing, and honestly, kept me turning pages well into the night! This tragic event began a journey for Iris that was, at times, soo intense, and the outcome left me sooo shocked! The friendships, the love interests, and family life for Iris is typical for todays' teen but when you add in the spiritual aspect, in this case, the shadows, it takes on a entirely new light. Spiritual warfare is very real and I feel Dusty opened a door to this that I hope in future books she will delve into a little deeper. But most importantly, I hope she shares where the Victory of that warfare lies... in the hands of Christ.

Shadow Eyes is a great read for any age! I look forward to reading more from Dusty! Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your novel in exchange for my honest review!


There is More from this talented Author!


Dusty Crabtree is hosting a giveaway and a few other exciting things through a Rafflecopter! You can enter below - just click on this link:


a Rafflecopter giveaway


To read Dusty's blog you can go Here
To find her on Facebook go here
To follow her on Twitter go here
To PURCHASE Shadow Eyes!! go here


Enjoy the video for Shadow Eyes!
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Strands of Deception

I just received Strands of Deception in the mail today so my review will have to come at a later date! This is one I have been waiting anxiously for!! Robin Carroll is definitely one of my FAVORITE authors for sure!!

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingStrands of DeceptionB&H Books (March 1, 2013)
byRobin Caroll

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Born and raised in Louisiana, Robin Caroll is a southerner through and through. Her passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others. Robin’s mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who instilled in Robin the deep love of family and pride of heritage—two aspects Robin weaves into each of her books.



When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of twenty-plus years, her 3 beautiful daughters, 2 precious grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home—in the South, where else?

ABOUT THE BOOK



When Gina Ford, the daughter of a prominent Tennessee politician, goes missing from the University of Memphis a week after another girl was murdered on the same campus, police call in the FBI. Nick Hagar, married to his job as Special Agent in Charge, is assigned to the case, and when Gina’s body is found, her father demands justice.




Maddie Baxter is the forensic expert running DNA tests from the crime scene. When they come back without a match, Nick asks her to do a familial DNA run that yields a shocking result: the prime suspect is Adam Alexander, the very same guy who broke Maddie’s heart when she was in college.



But do scientific advancements tell the whole story? Strand of Deception offers romance, suspense, and a lively debate about the impact of DNA testing, for better or worse, on the United States justice system.





If you would like to read the first chapter of Strands of Deception, go HERE.

The Return of Cassandra Todd - Review

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingThe Return of Cassandra ToddRealms (February 5, 2013)
byDarrel Nelson



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am a schoolteacher by profession and have taught school for (thir—ahem!) years. I grew up in Raymond, Alberta, and attended the University of Lethbridge after graduating from high school and serving a two-year mission to Japan. During university, I met and married Marsha Smith, and we are the parents of four children, which has grown to include their spouses and our ten grandchildren.



I have always loved to write. I started writing stories before I was old enough to realize I was writing stories. It seemed a natural thing to pick up a pencil and paper and create a world simply by using words—worlds of adventure in steaming jungles (Tarzan was an early influence on me) or realms of adventure in outer space (Buck Rogers). But as I have grown older, I have discovered that the real inspiration for me is exploring the theme of love and how it can make such a difference in the world.



I’ve had an article published in Lethbridge Magazine and have written several dramatic plays, two of which won provincial recognition and were showcased at a drama festival. I won the CJOC radio songwriting contest two years running, and have had one of my songs receive international airplay. I have written four novels intended for the juvenile market. They are unpublished as yet, but I read them annually to my fourth grade students and my students tell me they love them, the darlings.



ABOUT THE BOOK

When the girl he hated in high school suddenly reenters his life, little son in tow, and asks for his help, Turner must put the past behind him if they are to survive.



Turner Caldwell works at a local motel as a handyman while attending college full-time. On his way to class one day, he passes the bus depot just as Cassandra Todd and her young son arrive. He is shocked to see her, remembering how cruel she was to him in high school. She was the popular head cheerleader and he the target of her mean-spirited pranks.
Turner could never have imagined that the outdoor training and survival skills he learned at Camp Kopawanee, a summer youth camp where he worked three years as a leader, would one day become so crucial. But when Cassandra and her son check into the motel where he works and she asks for his help in eluding her abusive husband, Turner finds himself entangled in a situation that will require every skill he has in order to survive.






If you'd like to read the first chapter of The Return of Cassandra Todd, go HERE.




MY THOUGHTS:

Once I requested this book, I could NOT wait to receive it! It just sounded like one of those books that I KNEW I was going to love! I was right! Once I turned the first page, I was lost in the story of Cassandra Todd.

I have to say I am so happy the author Darrel Nelson has retired and is writing now! HE IS GOOD YA'LL!! He tackles some very important issues in this book - bullying, domestic abuse, and coming face to face with your past behavior and judgments and learn they were soooo wrong!

This is not just Cassandra's story but also Turner's as well. Turner was bullied in school by Cassandra and all of her other popular friends, but he thought he had worked through it all and had moved past it, until one day when he saw Cassandra and all the emotions came right back! Seeing Cassandra in town brought back all of those horrible days when he was tormented emotionally, and all he could do was wonder why in the world Cassandra was here!

The Suspense in this book is CRAZY!! You really can't turn the pages quick enough and finding a place that you can put the book down, can, at times, just be impossible! Cassandra and Turner will each face their demons and fight them with all they have. Cassandra faces her younger self and the choices and judgments she made that have affected Turner and as she learns, they were completely wrong! She also faces her abusive husband and stands on her Faith and God to show her what to do! As Turner and Cassandra work together to help Cassandra and her Son escape the abuse and get to a place of safety they learn so much about one another that they never had known all those years ago. But Cassandra's husband is on the hunt and has help. Will they catch them and if they do can Cassandra and Turner survive long enough to ever be totally free?

The Return of Cassandra Todd is an excellent book!! I LOVED it and would recommend it to any and all!

Happy Reading!