Review: The Swan Gondola

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079482-the-swan-gondola" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Swan Gondola" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1387171955m/18079482.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079482-the-swan-gondola">The Swan Gondola</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/131724.Timothy_Schaffert">Timothy Schaffert</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/765710846">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A lush and thrilling romantic fable about two lovers set against the scandalous burlesques, midnight séances, and aerial ballets of the 1898 Omaha World’s Fair. <br><br> On the eve of the 1898 Omaha World’s Fair, Ferret Skerritt, ventriloquist by trade, con man by birth, isn’t quite sure how it will change him or his city. Omaha still has the marks of a filthy Wild West town, even as it attempts to achieve the grandeur and respectability of nearby Chicago. But when he crosses paths with the beautiful and enigmatic Cecily, his whole purpose shifts and the fair becomes the backdrop to their love affair.<br><br> One of a traveling troupe of actors that has descended on the city, Cecily works in the Midway’s Chamber of Horrors, where she loses her head hourly on a guillotine playing Marie Antoinette. And after closing, she rushes off, clinging protectively to a mysterious carpetbag, never giving Ferret a second glance. But a moonlit ride on the swan gondola, a boat on the lagoon of the New White City, changes everything, and the fair’s magic begins to take its effect.<br><br> From the critically acclaimed author of The Coffins of Little Hope, The Swan Gondola is a transporting read, reminiscent of Water for Elephants or The Night Circus.<br><br>-- My thoughts:<br><br>I loved EVERY minute of this book. I stopped and reread sentences and lines, eager for each word, savoring it because it ended way too fast. I loved Ferret. He was a good guy, a little down on his luck. But that seemed like it changed when he met Cecily. I just think everyone should read this book. It is that amazing! I will think about this wonderful read for years to come!<br><br>You start out with Ferret landing at the sister's home, and then we go back, way back to find out why. Why was in he that balloon? I loved the bit of mystery, lots of love, friendship and more in this fabulous book! Read it NOW! You won't be sorry!<br><br>I received this book from Goodreads first read program in exchange for my honest opinion!
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Review: Footprints in the Sand

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818256-footprints-in-the-sand" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Footprints in the Sand (Wedding Cake Mystery, #3)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1349905097m/15818256.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818256-footprints-in-the-sand">Footprints in the Sand</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/40517.Mary_Jane_Clark">Mary Jane Clark</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/768097618">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Plans for a romantic beach wedding are threatened when a bridesmaid goes missing and it falls to Piper Donovan to save the day in the third installment of Mary Jane Clark's enthralling Wedding Cake Mystery series<br><br>"Mary Jane Clark is a master at whipping up delicious nightmares for mystery fans…"-Associated Press<br><br>It's the dead of winter and struggling actress and wedding cake decorator Piper Donovan is thrilled to be in warm and romantic Sarasota, Florida, enjoying the powdery white beaches, soothing seas, and golden sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico. She and her family are there to celebrate her beloved cousin's wedding. Not only is Piper creating the sugar sand dollar-festooned wedding cake, she's also the maid of honor.<br><br>But a cloud seems to hover over the whole affair. Shortly after a bridesmaid mysteriously disappears, a kindly neighbor's car is run off the road and a prospective witness, an innocent Amish teenager, is threatened to keep silent. Then a body is found on the wedding beach. With the nuptials threatened, it falls to Piper to unmask a killer. Could it be the wedding planner with something to hide? A doctor and his wife who collect unusual Japanese figurines? The best man, an ex-drug dealer with lecherous eyes and roving hands? What about her cousin's future stepfather-or even the bridegroom himself?<br><br>As Piper gets close to figuring out who's been covering his guilty footprints in the sand, the cunning killer has already set his sights on Piper as his next victim.<br><br>-- My thoughts on this book varied. I really really loved the storyline. It moved fast, but sometimes maybe too fast. I had a hard time keeping up who was who and the mystery just seemed a bit much. I enjoyed Piper, I thought she was a fun character, easy to like and get along with. A bit of a love story in there, I just thought it lacked the extra something to really make me fall in love. Overall, a wonderful beach read....<br><br>I received a copy of this book from Goodreads first read program in exchange for my honest opinion.
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Wishing On Buttercups Blog Tour and GIVEAWAY!!!

I am thrilled to be participating in the blog tour for Wishing on Buttercups. Each tour stop will be giving away one print copy of Wishing on Buttercups, U.S. residents only, so be sure and visit each stop to increase your chances of winning! Giveaway details are given at the bottom of the post.

February 10th – A Book Lover’s Retreat

February 11th – Shelley’s Book Case

February 12th – For the Love of Literature

February 13th - The Book Bag

February 15th - HomeSchooling4boyz

February 17th – Buzzing about Books

February 18th – Stuck on Books

February 19th – The power of words..

February 20th – My Recent Favorite Books

February 22nd – Melina’s Book Blog

February 24th – The Front Porch

February 26th – My Devotional Thoughts

February 28th – Diana’s Tea Time Reviews

February 28th – Create with Joy

Synopsis:

Can Love Survive When Secrets Collide?

She’d kept her secrets safely hidden—those from her past, and those in the present. Some things, Beth Roberts knows, a lady simply doesn’t share, even in the 1880’s West. The townspeople would never understand. No one ever has.

Jeffery Tucker, a handsome young writer, has kept his own secrets. He doesn’t have a right to pry into Beth’s affairs but finds himself strangely drawn to her and intrigued by the whiff of mystery surrounding her.

Beth knows that one day someone will unravel the threads of her past. And when two men from her past arrive, the truth might just hurt . . . Beth’s future and her heart.

As shadowy memories surface, Beth sketches the scenes she sees and is shocked by what—and who—her illustrations reveal. Dare she risk her heart again?

Thoughts:

I couldn't wait to delve into Beth's story, and we go most of the book with bits and pieces of the puzzle. Much like life. We have 2 different main stories, that come together so beautifully at the end. I couldn't get enough!

Each book stands alone, but together it is more enjoyable! You won't want to miss part 2 of some amazing stories of how God can heal places that long have scarred so deeply that you think you can't recover. Miralee really blends in a beautiful storyline with a fantastic message, all of them different and so beautifully written.

Please don't miss out!


Biography:

Miralee Ferrell- headshotMiralee Ferrell is a speaker, accredited counselor, and former ACFW chapter president who has published multiple contemporary and historical romance novels since starting to write in 2005. She enjoys horseback riding, gardening, and family gatherings around their eleven-acre property in Washington State’s beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Miralee has had eight books release, both in women’s contemporary fiction and historical fiction, with another 5 under contract. She’s an award-winning author of Western fiction, and her newest novel, Wishing on Buttercups released February 1, and is the second in a series set in Baker City, Oregon, 1880s.

Interact with Miralee:

Website: www.miraleeferrell.com

Facebook Author page: www.facebook.com/miraleeferrell

Twitter: www.twitter.com/miraleeferrell



Giveaway:

To be entered to win a print copy of Wishing on Buttercups, please ask Miralee a question in the comments below. Be sure to include your email address! Miralee would love to answer questions concerning her books, writing, publishing career, pets, or her hobbies. She will stop by throughout the day to answer questions, so drop in again to read her replies! I will choose a winner on Feb 25th. Good luck to everyone and happy reading!

Review: Shadows of the Past

Shadows of the Past by Patricia Bradley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Psychology professor and criminal profiler Taylor Martin prides herself on being able to solve any crime, except the one she wants most desperately to solve--the disappearance of her father twenty years ago. When she finally has a lead on his whereabouts, Taylor returns home to Logan Point, Mississippi, to investigate. But as she is stalking the truth about the past, someone is stalking her.

Nick Sinclair pens mystery novels for a living, but the biggest mystery to him is how he can ever get over the death of his wife--a tragedy he believes he could have prevented. With his estranged brother the only family he has left, Nick sets out to find him. But when he crosses paths with Taylor, all he seems to find is trouble.

-- Thrilling from the very beginning, I loved each character from this book and I couldn't figure it out until about three fourths of the way through, so that is a good mystery. But there were a few twists and turns in there that every reader should love!

There is mystery, thrilling scenes, a bit of a love connection, mother/daughter/father relationships, friendships... in other words this book has everything a reader could want and more! I really wanted to get to know Taylor better though, I felt like we were always in a whirlwind.

I see potential for another book, as some things have been left a bit undone!!! And that is exciting for this reader! I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Review: You're Going to Be Okay

You're Going to Be Okay: Encouraging Truth Your Heart Needs to Hear, Especially on the Hard Days by Holley Gerth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes it feels like life's falling apart at the seams. Sometimes you're completely worn out by stresses that never seem to end. For every woman who has been disappointed, who has watched a dream die, whose life isn't what she imagined it would be, bestselling author Holley Gerth has a heartfelt message of hope--you really "are" going to be okay. And it "is" possible to live with joy, resilience, and strength in both the good times and the bad. In fact, she says, that's what God desires for us.
With her trademark positive encouragement and probing questions for self-reflection, Holley encourages women to spend less of their lives regretting and more of their lives truly living. She shows them how to guard their hearts against despair and look to the future with confidence, remembering that they are part of a greater plan and "nothing "can stop God's purposes for them.

-- Is it even possible to live with joy, resilience, and strength in this broken world? -- it is what God desires for you! -- Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." -- John 16:33

Gerth goes on with biblical references to encourage the daughters of the Great I Am, with biblical truths our hearts need to hear. She has exercises to fill out, pray about and do. I underlined three fourths of this book, and will buy a few copies to hand out, so I think I highly recommend this book!

So much of this book is good, I can't list it all in this review. But I think my favorite part is the go deeper study at the end. What a blessing Holley is and I hope you will find this book a blessing as well!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Love Water Memory

Love Water Memory by Jennie Shortridge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Almost like 50 First Dates. I so know how the other person feels, my mom has a brain an. and she doesn't remember anything past 5 minutes.

This story is told in 2 different view points, from Lucie, who was found knee deep in the Bay and her boyfriend Grady. Such a good book, made me want to read more and more. Their story is so heartwarming and Grady stuck with it!

Lucie doesn't know who she is/was and is trying to figure it out. What she hears she doesn't necessarily like though. Seems like she wasn't that nice to her neighbors and others. Wouldn't we all like to forget sometimes those things? And get a fresh start?

Shortridge always writes and seems to know what readers want. I recommend this book for anyone. Such an enjoyable read. I didn't expect anything bad, but this was so much better than expected as well!!!

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Review: Perfect Ending

Perfect Ending: Why Christ's Imminent Return Matters to You by Robert Jeffress
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What Does Christ's Return Have To Do With Your Life Today?
Do you consider yourself a "panmillenialist"? When it comes to the end times, do you believe everything will just pan out in the end? It's easy to slip into apathy when it comes to Christ's return, especially since many people in recent years have falsely predicted the end of the world. The danger of false predictions is that they discourage us from preparing for the actual event-an event that will happen and matter right now.

As popular Bible teacher Dr. Robert Jeffress shows in Perfect Ending, we may not know when Christ will return, but the Bible offers many details about what the end times look like. Understanding these biblical prophecies not only gives us greater peace about the future, it draws us to God in the present. Strengthen your biblical knowledge and your spiritual life through this powerful look at the future God promises for every follower of Christ.


-- I wasn't expecting to learn so much. The end times, don't most of us even really understand? Mr Jeffress has broken everything down for us, in simple terms that really make a lot of sense, without making you feel stupid. I really learned a lot from this book!

Why Bible prophecy is important:
1. Bible prophecy is a major theme of the Bible.
2. An understanding of prophecy helps us to interpret and apply the Bible accurately.
3. An understanding of Bible prophecy motivates us toward godly living.

The chart that shows the sequences on page 52 is such a help for someone like myself that is a visual learner!

Everything in this book really was a blessing to me. I will definitely keep this on my shelf.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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