The Peacock Throne by Lisa Karon Richardson

 When Miss Lydia Garrett's guardian is murdered, and the authorities refuse to investigate the odd circumstances, she vows to catch the culprit. The same night the Earl of Danbury is murdered in his bed. Against all odds it appears that the murders are related - and Anthony Douglas, the new Lord Danbury, is bent on revenge. The clues point to the former Earl's first naval command. In 1758 the Earl spirited away and hid the magnificent Peacock Throne at the behest of the Indian royal family. To draw out the murderer, Anthony and Lydia agree that they must locate the throne. However, they are not the only ones interested in the Peacock Throne. Marcus Wiltshire, agent of His Majesty's intelligence services, has received hints that Bonaparte intends to return the throne to India and leverage its mystical significance to foment rebellion and cut England off from her most important trading partner. When the amateur sleuths join forces with the professional agent, the quest for the throne leads them around the globe on an adventure steeped in danger, treachery, and romance.

 Amazon 

About The Author

Influenced by books like The Secret Garden and The Little Princess, Lisa Karon Richardson’s early stories were heavy on boarding schools and creepy houses. Now, even though she’s (mostly) grown-up she still loves a healthy dash of adventure in any story she creates, even her real-life story. She’s been a missionary to the Seychelles and Gabon and now that she and her husband are back in America, they are tackling a new adventure, starting a daughter-work church in a new city while raising a family. She has published several novels and novellas. The most recent, Curtain Call, which was co-authored with Jennifer AlLee, released in March, 2014. 

My Review

Murders that happened on different sides of London end up connecting two people whom are unknown to one another at the time, end up forming a team to find the murderer.
This is how Lydia Garrett and The Earl of Danbury end up meeting; the third to join the team is Marcus Harting, an agent of His Majesty’s intelligence services. Marcus does not trust Anthony, The Earl of Danbury, and enlists Lydia to bring him information. Now while I didn’t like that he was making her spy on someone whom was kind to her, I did love how he treated her. I could just imagine the gown that he had made for her, for the party that they went to in India.
Yes we do a bit of traveling in this book, and there are more murders, and we find ourselves on a ship under cannon fire. Now this story takes place in the early 1800’s and Napoleon is leading the French, and we meet this head on. We also get a glimpse of a throne of incredible worth and beauty, and it is described so wonderfully, you feel like you can tough it.
There is so much action in this book, and Ms. Lydia is one awesome young woman, never a dull moment in this ladies life, whether she is climbing through windows, or cutting the lines of grappling hooks, or writing notes with clues hidden in them.
Don’t miss this intriguing read; you won’t want to put it down.
I received this book through Kregel Publishing Book Bloggers, and was not required to give a positive review. 

 

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer Presents: Crossroads Book Blast

 



Crossroads by Mary Ting Can two worlds collide in dreams? Protecting her from the fallen was his duty. Falling in love was never part of his plan. Loving her was forbidden. Being with her was all that mattered, even if it meant he would be exiled for all eternity. Claudia Emerson's life is about to change when her good friend, who coincidentally shares the same first and last name, dies in a tragic accident. Distraught at the loss of her friend, Claudia's dreams become tumultuous, and through them she mysteriously travels to another world called Crossroads. There, she unexpectedly meets Michael, a nephilim--half angel, half human. Now that she's been there, fallen and demons are after her, suspecting she must be special, and it is up to Michael and the other nephilim to protect her. Her dream becomes a nightmare as more secrets are revealed about who she really is, and the true identities of the people she loves most.  


 Praise for Crossroads “Crossroads by Mary Ting has it all: danger, romance, suspense, incredible characters and an original plot that is sure to thrill. The action never stops as good and evil battle to the death. This well written and fascinating love story will keep readers entranced.” ~ReadersFavorite.com “Love is in question. Trust is debatable. No one is safe. Between by Mary Ting is an enchanting, nail-biter that will leave you breathless from the exquisite cover to the thrilling end.” ~Gabby, Nashville Young Adult Fiction Examiner/What’s Beyond Forks “Crossroads is an exciting debut book with a rich paranormal mythology, unique angel-lore, forbidden romance, action, suspense and plot twists. With her detailed writing and a plot that flow wells, Mary created a world I enjoyed visiting, and a story that was hard to put down.” ~Katie with Mundie Moms “Beyond is an extraordinary story with unforgettable characters, passionately written by an author who clearly understands the true identity of love. Compelling and exciting; this is a must-read for all hardcore fans of the paranormal romance genre.” ~Angie Edwards @ Books4Tomorrow “Reading the Crossroads Saga has always put me in a very ethereal place while turning its pages. In BEYOND, Mary Ting takes it to another level and I embrace the new darkness with open wings just like Michael would with his heart-shaped wings” ~Yara, Once Upon A Twilight

Crossroads will be FREE from on Amazon from January 21st to 25th

   


Author Mary Ting





Bestselling/award-winning author Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.



  





 BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/31/16 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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A Husband for Mari (The Amish Matchmaker #2) by Emma Miller

Back to Amish Country 

Struggling single mother Mari Troyer decides to move—temporarily—to the Amish community of Seven Poplars. With a place to stay and a good job, Mari soon fits right in with the warm, welcoming Delaware residents. But when her son asks a matchmaker to find Mari a husband, Mari worries that the handsome builder who's become the boy's father figure can never be her intended. James Hostetler requires a wife as committed to the Amish life as he is. Need brought Mari to Seven Poplars, but maybe love and renewed faith will make her stay forever.


About The Author

Emma Miller is a wife, mother and a grandmother who lives a quiet life in Delaware. She's the author of the Hannah's Daughter's series and is at work on her next Amish romance novel.















My Review

Mari has had a rather rough life so far, and she is destitute with nothing left, except the joy of her life her nine-year-old son Zachary, she has no job, shelter, food, etc. and help arrives from her friend Sara Yoder.
Sara is a friend she met while she was in Wisconsin, and Mari know she is a matchmaker, but she also helps people, which she does as she opens her home to Mari and Zachary.
Your going to love the reaction Zachary has to leaving the English world and entering the Amish. He gives his Mom a hard time, but guidance and patience comes in the form of Amish carpenter James Hostetler, whom just happens to be working on Sara’s home.
This is a very fast read, and you won’t want to put it down once you open the cover, I had to keep reading, and only life got in the way. I can’t wait for the next book in this series; so far I have read two winners!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Love Inspired, and was not required to give a positive review.

Hannah's Choice (Journey to Pleasant Prairie, #1)

Hannah Yoder loves her quiet life on the banks of the Conestoga Creek. In 1842, this corner of Lancaster County is settled and peaceful--yet problems lurk beneath the placid faade. Hannah's father worries about the spread of liberal ideas from their Mennonite and Brethren neighbors. And Hannah blames herself for a tragedy that struck their home nine years ago. She strives to be the one person who can bind the threads of her family together in spite of her mother's ongoing depression and her sister's rejection of their family. But her world is threatening to unravel.

When two young men seek her hand in marriage--one offering the home she craves and the other promising the adventure of following God's call west--Hannah must make a choice. Faithfully perform her duties to her family? Or defy her father and abandon her community?

Amazon


About The Author

Jan Drexler brings a unique understanding of Amish traditions and beliefs to her writing. Her ancestors were among the first Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren immigrants to Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Their experiences are the basis for her stories. Jan lives in South Dakota with her husband, their four adult children, two active dogs, and a cat. When she isn't writing, she enjoys hiking the Black Hills and the Badlands. She is the author of the Love Inspired novels The Prodigal Son Returns, A Mother for His Children, and A Home for His Family.

My Review

The title of the book Hannah’s Choice complements the theme of this story, and who will win her hand and heart.
This book takes place in the Lancaster PA area before the Civil War, and with slave hunters coming through the area looking for escaped slaves. We find at the end of this book that the author is related to former Amish, or Brethren who left the area and went to Indiana.
Hannah lives with her family on a farm that has been in her family for generations. It is situated on the banks of the Conestoga River, and we get to journey around on this beautiful land. How wonderful to live with so much family history surrounding them. Some is heart breaking especially with the death of three of her siblings.
When a couple of fellow Amish stop at the farm and offer up an opportunity to move to new land at low prices, Christian, Hannah’s Dad, thinks this will be a good solution to go to where there are more Amish, and to get away from the grief that has surrounded his wife and family. He is also worried about his children going worldly and marrying outside of their religion.
I was quickly consumed by this book and was turning the pages to find the answers, and I struggled, as did Hannah, as to whom she should choose to marry. If she chooses her neighbor and childhood friend Adam, she risks looking her family to the bann, but she can continue to live where she loves, and if she chooses the Josef will she be marrying for love, but she follows her religion.
This is a wonderful read about the Amish in Pennsylvania before it was a major settlement, and life in the 1840’s in America.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell and was not required to give a positive review. 

I Hope You Dance by Beth Moran

Ruth Henderson has moved back in with her parents--something she swore she would never do, especially not at the age of thirty-three. But in the face of the mountain of debt left by her late partner, and the fact that her teenage daughter, Maggie, is expressing her grief through acts of delinquency, there was really only one option.

Returning to a house Ruth swore never to set foot in again is bad enough. Add to this an estranged father, whirlwind mother, and David--the boy next door who broke her heart--and it is little wonder Ruth can barely make it out of bed.

But then, reunited with her old friend Lois, Ruth is persuaded to go along to a monthly girls' night. Here she meets a bunch of incredible women and for the first time since leaving home at eighteen, Ruth begins to make some genuine friends.

She also has her first ever date--with the charming Dr. Carl Barker. However, after a disastrous dinner, and an upset Maggie still struggling with her father's death, Ruth promises her daughter she won't go out with any other men. A promise she quickly regrets when David, the boy next door, asks her to dance.

Amazon

http://www.bethmoran.org/

About The Author

Beth Moran has a background as a research scientist and adult educator. She now concentrates on church work and is part of the national leadership team of the UK women's network Free Range Chicks. She is married with three children and lives in Nottingham, England.


My Review

We open this book with Ruth Henderson returning back home, hat in hand, with her daughter Maggie, her fourteen year old. She is basically out in the street and not very many options but to swallow her pride and return back to her parents.
This story has so many examples of how we tend to judge people especially in our youth, and meeting again as an adult they are entirely different. A lot of surprises abound in returning to her roots for Ruth, some chuckles and some heart breaking news that you didn’t know at the time.
Come and enjoy Ruth wallowing in her pain, yes enjoy as her parents have her laying in bed or in her jamies all day long, and as she goes about getting a job or jobs to help get herself out of debt. I also enjoyed the spunk her daughter Maggie showed, and how some elderly woman put them both in their place.
There is also some violence in this story in the form of a person you would never expect, especially when we first meet. This person becomes a stalker, and makes some very scary moves and actions.
Through out it all you hope for relationships to hold steady and find love in them. You will also cheer on the sweet neighbor, and Ruth’s first love, David.
I received this book through the Publisher Lion, and was not required to give a positive review.

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop -$10 Amazon Gift Card

I'm always dreaming of my next book to get lost in, and I'll bet you are too. I am giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card to help you choose yours. Just be sure to fill out the Raffflecopter form, and make sure I have away to contact you.


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A Timeless Romance Anthology: Sarah M. Eden British Isles Collection by Sarah M. Eden

The SARAH M. EDEN BRITISH ISLES COLLECTION contains two brand new historical romance novellas A FRIEND INDEED and A HAPPY BEGINNING, as well as four hand-picked readers’ and reviewers’ favorites of Sarah’s popular Timeless Romance Anthology novellas. Readers will love this selection of six historical romance novellas set in the British Isles.

I love Sarah Eden’s stories and writing style, so I was very excited to read this book. And since it is a collections of novellas, it fit well into my busy schedule. These stories took place in various parts of the British Isles—England (of course), Scotland, and Ireland. I had kind of hoped for a story set in Wales as well, but am okay that there was not, since she has a tale set in Wales in the All Hallows Eve Collection. I also liked that the stories had stories about commoners as well as nobles and rich folk. Some of the stories in this book I had read before, but others were new—and all were excellent.

Amazon


About The Author

Sarah M. Eden is an award-winning author of multiple historical romances, including AML's "2013 Novel of the Year" and Foreword Review's 2013 "IndieFab Book of the Year" gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, and the Whitney Award's "2014 Novel of the Year," Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.


My Review 

Six novellas that you can quickly read in one setting and enjoy, but it will be hard not to keep going right on to the next one, they are that good. Which of course I did, and then I went to the next, they kept me page turning with the enjoyment.
I loved some of the chuckles here, and surprise with some of the answers. Then ending of one is surprising just Old Tom, and we enjoy a lot to get to that point. As with all of these stories they are set in the British Isles, and we get to enjoy the scenery as well as these stories.
I found myself wanting more with each of these stories, and they all seem to have life lessons attached. You will agree though you can’t read just one and will end up reading another really quick.
I received this book through I Am A Reader Not A Writer Blog Tours and was not required to give a positive review.