The Heart of Adventure Sweepstakes GIVEAWAY from Dani Pettrey and Bethany House

As sad as I am to see Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series come to an end, I'm super excited about FINALLY getting a chance to read Reef's story. Dani is celebrating the end of this series with a huge sweepstakes giveaway. You do NOT want to miss out on these awesome prizes ...

The Book

In SABOTAGED, the fifth and final book of author Dani Pettrey’s award-winning Alaskan Courage series, Kirra Jacobs and Reef McKenna experience the high stakes of Iditarod search-and-rescue when Kirra’s uncle, a musher in the race, goes missing.

Kirra and Reef put aside their differences to search for him, but what they discover is harrowing: Frank’s daughter Meg has been kidnapped, and Frank must do the kidnapper’s bidding or Meg will die.

Soon Kirra, Reef, and the entire McKenna family are thrown into a race to stop a shadowy villain who is not only threatening a girl’s life, but appears willing to unleash one of the largest disasters Alaska has ever seen.

To celebrate their epic race, Dani and Bethany House Publishers are pleased to present the HEART OF ADVENTURE SWEEPSTAKES, and your chance to win one of three marvelous prizes, all closely connected to the story.

The Prizes

Grand Prize: Luxurious Lodge Getaway

During their cross-country hunt for answers, Kirra and Reef stop to rest at a gorgeous mountain lodge in Denali that holds special memories for Reef. This prize offers you a chance to build your own special memories, with a luxurious lodge getaway for two.

Our Grand Prize winner will receive: A $250 gift certificate to Hotels.com, good for reservations at lodges and hotels across the Continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, and numerous International locations.

Second Prize: Pals with Paws Donation

In the Alaskan Courage series, Kirra is the proud owner of Nanook Haven, a rescue shelter for sled dogs. In real life, animals need rescue as well, and this prize will allow you to give a special gift to support an organization like Kirra’s.

Our Second Prize winner will receive: A $150 donation in your name, to the animal rescue, shelter, or veterinarian of your choice.

Third Prize: Sweetheart Survival Sled

In SABOTAGED, Kirra and Reef take shelter in a snow cave while hiding from a man determined to put them on ice– permanently! Luckily, Kirra has a survival kit, to help them make it through the sub-zero temperatures.
 

If you prefer a little more romance and a little less suspense in your survival kit, this is the prize for you.

Our Third Prize winner will receive: A $100 value sweetheart survival pack. This gift basket includes double chocolate raspberry cake, smoked salmon, brie cheese and crackers, and a wide variety of gourmet snacks.

The Details

This giveaway starts February 2, 2015 and ends February 22, 2015 @ 11:59 pm (PST).
Entry is open to US residents only, age 18 and over. Winners will be selected Monday, February 23, 2015, and announced at DaniPettrey.com.

Go to Dani's website and complete the entry box, anytime between February 2 – 22, 2015.

The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer (Review + Blog Tour + Giveaway)

The Dandelion Field
by Kathryn Springer
Christian Fiction / Contemporary / Romance
Available January 2015
Zondervan
352 pages

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About the Book

This handsome firefighter makes a living coming to the rescue, but Gin doesn't need a man to fight her battles.

After Raine’s dad walked out, Ginevieve Lightly  never lived in one place too long, a rambling lifestyle that defined her daughter’s youth. When their car dies in Banister Falls, Wisconsin, Gin promises Raine they can stay until she finishes her senior year of high school. Gin will do anything to make sure her daughter has a bright future . . . a future that’s compromised when Raine reveals she’s pregnant.

Dan Moretti has only ever called Banister Falls home. After losing his best friend in a tragic accident, Dan devoted himself to responding to fires, rescuing the helpless, and guiding Cody Bennett, his best friend's son, through life. With Cody being the epitome of the good kid, it was an easy job. Until he says four little words: “The baby is mine.”

Knowing gossip of Raine's pregnancy will erupt sooner or later in the small town, Gin's reflex is to grab the suitcase and escape to a new city, a new life. But with each passing day, Gin's feet stay rooted in Banister Falls, and she falls a little more for this local firefighter who shows her not all men abandon women at the first sign of smoke.

As Gin and Dan do the best they can to guide the two teenagers through their early entry into adulthood, they discover together that romance can bloom in the rockiest of situations. And God can turn the pieces of a broken past into a beautiful new beginning.

Buy a copy  |  Find out what others think

My Thoughts

I think it's safe to say that The Dandelion Field is unlike any other book I've read recently, maybe ever. There are essentially two main stories running concurrently. One focuses on Raine and Cody and their unintended teenage pregnancy. The other focuses on Gin and Dan as adults who care about these teenagers in trouble, struggling with their own baggage, and possibly falling in love. There's a lot packed into these 350 pages, but Kathryn Springer pulls it off easily.

The characters are fascinating. With four main characters and a decent-sized supporting cast, it would be easy to assume that they would be fairly simple or one-dimensional. Fortunately for us, the author does a phenomenal job of creating a full cast of characters that are real. They each have traits that made me love them, as well as flaws that made them human and baggage that made the story more interesting.

From the very first page until well after I finished the book, I could not stop thinking about this story. It's beautiful, and I loved that the author faced some really difficult topics head on. Additionally, faith is central to the story and is a perfect complement to every aspect of the book.

The Dandelion Field is a compelling story that tackles tough issues with humor, romance, and faith. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. In my opinion, it's a must read! [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother's typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books – which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin.

Giveaway
Get ready for Valentine's Day with a new story of romance and falling in love in Kathryn Springer's The Dandelion Field. The handsome firefighter makes a living “coming to the rescue,” but Gin is used to fighting her own battles. Can a woman who doesn't believe in happy endings take a chance on a new beginning? 

Celebrate a second chance at love and family with Kathryn by entering her Kindle Fire giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• The Dandelion Field

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 15th. Winner will be announced February 16th on the Litfuse blog.

  {NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

Book Trailer Thursday ... on Wednesday | Counter Culture

I've run across a few really awesome book trailers and video interviews recently. I thought I'd feature them from time to time when I see one that I just have to share. Of course, I couldn't wait even one more day to share it on Thursday, so without further ado ... here's the first installment of Book Trailer Thursday ... on Wednesday. ;)

David Platt's new book, Counter Culture, released yesterday! To say I've been waiting a while for this one is an understatement! I love this trailer and the passion it conveys for the subject matter. This certainly won't be a quick read, but I know it will be well worth my time.

Counter Culture Book from Radical on Vimeo.

About the Book

Too often Christians pick and choose which social causes they are willing to engage in based on what our culture deems “fashionable” while remaining silent on others out of discomfort or fear of personal persecution. But the Bible makes it abundantly clear that is not what Christ’s followers are called to do.

In Counter Culture, New York Times bestselling author David Platt redefines social justice from a biblical standpoint and makes a compelling case for why Christians are called to fully and actively surrender themselves to every cause—regardless of personal cost or consequence.

Drawing heavily on Scripture and compelling personal accounts from around the world, Platt presents a pointed yet winsome call for readers to faithfully follow Christ in countercultural ways—ways that will prove both costly and rewarding for the contemporary church. 

For more information about the book, visit CounterCultureBook.com.

Ten Classics I Can't Believe I Haven't Read

To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday or see a list of future topics click here!

Today's topic is about books in a particular genre or category that you haven't read. It took me a while to decide which genre to focus on, but there are a ton of classics that I somehow have skipped or altogether missed out on ... If it was an "assigned reading" book in school, I can pretty much guarantee that I skimmed or simply read the Cliff Notes. (How terrible is that?!) But these are 10 that, I can't believe I still haven't read ... whether assigned or not!

Ten Classics I Can't Believe I Haven't Read (What?!)

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and every other book by Jane Austen

Little Men and Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott (Considering Little Women is my favorite book of all time, this is especially atrocious!)

Paradise Lost by John Milton

Are there books that you feel like surely you should have read by now—either classics or some other genre? What is your favorite classic? I'm obviously needing to expand my horizons a bit!

Always On My Mind by Susan May Warren (Review)

Always On My Mind
by Susan May Warren
Christiansen Family series, Book 4
Christian Fiction / Contemporary / Romance
Available December 2014
Tyndale House
400 pages

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About the Book

After a failed dig in Honduras, aspiring archaeologist Casper Christiansen heads home to Minnesota to face his unresolved feelings for Raina Beaumont, the woman of his dreams. But when he arrives unannounced on her doorstep, he receives the shock of a lifetime: Raina is pregnant with someone else’s baby.

Heartbroken, especially when he discovers the identity of the baby’s father, Casper tables his dreams and determines to be dependable for once, helping his older brother, Darek, prepare the family resort for its grand reopening. Casper longs to be the hero of at least one family story, but a never-ending Deep Haven winter and costly repairs threaten their efforts—and the future of the resort.

Worse, one of Casper’s new jobs constantly brings him into contact with Raina, whom he can’t seem to forget. A tentative friendship begins to heal fresh wounds, but can they possibly overcome past mistakes and current choices to discover a future together?

Buy a copy  |  Read an excerpt  |  Find out what others think

My Thoughts

As I've come to expect from Susan May Warren, Always On My Mind is equal parts romantic, poignant, and can't-put-this-down. The Christiansens are one of my favorite families right now in Christian fiction, so I was excited to dive into another story that would allow me to catch up with them again—especially after the cliff-hanger nature of the ending for the sibling stories of When I Fall in Love (the third book in the series).

Casper and Raina were both featured as secondary characters in When I Fall in Love. Casper was so sweet and an all-around good guy. I was really rooting for him and sad at how things seemed to be working out for him with all the conflict between him and his brother. Raina, too, was a girl I instantly liked. Sure, she had a ton of issues and a history of making bad choices, but there was something about her that still made her likeable. To see them get their own story was a treat!

Casper and Raina have both faced challenges since we've seen them. Casper seems to be falling apart a bit, but his return home greets him with one huge, unfortunate surprise as well as support from his family. It was nice to see how he worked so hard to prove himself as trustworthy and not just an adventure-seeker.

Raina is determined to face her new life independently of everyone else, which drove me crazy. So many people wanted to help her and she just wasn't having it. But I sort of understood why she wanted to make it on her own. Her biggest issue was that she didn't believe she deserved anything good. Of course, Casper is determined to show her otherwise!

As far as secondary stories go, Dare is featured in the book. He's starting to fold under the stress of trying to reopen the resort. I think this is one thing that I both like and dislike about this series. It's more realistic to see that characters aren't just left to lead perfect lives once they fall in love, but I hate seeing bad things happen to characters I've come to love! I felt like this story arc added depth and richness to the story, so for all my angst over Dare and Ivy, it was worth it. :)

So many issues are addressed in this book, and I loved the focus on valuing every life. Raina's difficult decision about whether to raise her baby or find an adoptive family is gut-wrenching, but I loved that this was part of the story. I felt like this theme played out with just about every character—our identity and worth is in Christ alone.

Overall, this was a wonderful book. I highly recommend Always On My Mind for readers who enjoy emotional romance stories. Just a suggestion, though, start at the beginning of the series. It will definitely be worth it to catch up! [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Susan May Warren is the bestselling, RITA Award–winning author of more than forty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA's Inspirational Reader's Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Five of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women's events about God's amazing grace in our lives. She also runs a writing community for authors. Visit MyBookTherapy.com to learn more. For exciting updates on her new releases, previous books, and more, visit her website at www.susanmaywarren.com

Susan May Warren Online

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Month in Review | January 2015

I've been less than faithful in blogging over the past few months. There's been a lot going on (and I wouldn't have it any other way), but my blogging has suffered. I'm trying to figure out what I can do to help maintain a little more consistency. I certainly don't have all the answers, but I'm starting today with my monthly recap. I love doing these posts, so they're coming back in 2015! Let's get to it ...

The Stats ...
I read 20 books this month. Of those 20 books ...

• 19 were fiction, and 1 was non-fiction.
• 17 were contemporary, 2 were historical, and 1 was set in the future.
• 7 were physical books, 12 were e-books, and 1 was an audio book.
• 6 were from new-to-me authors.
• 4 earned a 5-star rating. Another 4 earned a 4.5-star rating and 8 earned a 4-star rating.
• Total page count was 4840 pages and 8:52 hours of listening.
• I'm super excited that 6 were from my own shelves (whether physical or virtual) and 2 were from the library. Reading for fun is ... well ... fun!

The Favorites ...
Of all the books I read this month, two were clear favorites. Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay (my review) and The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer (review to come later this week).

If you're looking for a great memoir with practical applications, I highly recommend A New Season by Al & Lisa Robertson (review to come). While it was the only non-fiction book I read this month, I can't imagine another book would take the top spot. :)

The Reviews ...
One of my goals this year is to write a review for every book I read ... even if it's only 2 sentences. I still have a few books to catch up on, but I'll be finished with January this week. If you don't see a review here on i blog 4 books and want to know what I think, be sure to check out my Goodreads shelves.

On a Personal Note ...
This month has been a good mix of resting in order to recover from all the craziness of the holidays and enjoying fun things to keep from going crazy with all this cold weather! Hubs and I have spent lots of time with family, even going to visit my grandparents over the MLK holiday weekend. I finished several huge projects at work, which is a nice relief. We have also started going to a new small group at church; it's nice to have the opportunity to meet new friends. Despite a couple of weeks of both of us battling sickness, it's been a good month and a great start to a new year!

What's Next ?
I'm pleased to say that I have several posts already written and scheduled for the next month. I have at least two reviews per week on the docket and am looking forward to reading at least two books this month for pleasure. Now to decide which two will make the cut!

That's it for me. What have you been reading? What interesting or new things did you do on a personal level? What are you most looking forward to in February?

A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck (Review)

A Brush with Love
by Rachel Hauck
A Year of Weddings 2 series, Book 2
Christian Fiction / Romance
Available January 2015
Zondervan
150 pages

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About the Book

Ginger Winters is a gifted hairstylist with scars no one can see. The last thing she expects from the New Year is a new chance at love.

Overcoming a childhood tragedy, Ginger emerges from the pain and trauma with a gift for bringing out the beauty in others. From the top big city salons to traveling the world as personal stylist to a country music sensation, success was almost enough to make Ginger forget she would never be one of the beautiful people.

Almost. Now that she’s back home in Rosebud, Alabama and running her own salon, the truth remains: Ginger is still that girl, forever on the outside looking in. But she needs her confidence this weekend. She’s the acclaimed “beauty-maker” for the Alabama society wedding of the decade.

When high-school crush Tom Wells Jr. also returns to town and shows up at her shop looking for a haircut, Ginger’s thinly veiled insecurities threaten to keep her locked away from love, Despite Tom’s best efforts, Ginger can’t forget how he disappeared on her twelve years ago and broke her heart. Can she ever trust him again?

When Tom challenges her to see her own beauty, Ginger must decide if she will remained chained to the past or move freely into a new, exciting future.

Buy a copy  |  Read an excerpt  |  Find out what others think

My Thoughts

I'm a huge fan of Rachel Hauck, and she pulled off a great novella with A Brush with Love. It's hard to truly develop a full story with interesting characters in so few pages, but Hauck manages to do just that. I truly enjoyed every aspect of this story and was sad to see it end.

How many romance stories have you read where the girl isn't the most beautiful girl in the world? Not many. Well, in this story, Ginger is beautiful, but because of a past tragedy which has left her covered with scars, she believes she is ugly. I loved this aspect of the book. The way Tom befriended her and helped her learn to see herself the same way he does. Beautiful.

If you're looking for a romantic story with a little more depth and a sweet end, A Brush with Love is just the story for you. [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, best selling author of critically acclaimed novels such as RITA nominated "The Wedding Dress" and RITA nominated "Love Starts with Elle," part of the Lowcountry series, the Nashvegas series and the Songbird Novels penned with multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans. Their novel "Softly and Tenderly,' was one of Booklists 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals. A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, she worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in an uncomfortable chair to write full time in 2004. Rachel serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and leads worship at their annual conference. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker. Rachel writes from her two-story tower in an exceedingly more comfy chair. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.

  Rachel Hauck Online

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