Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Giveaway Hop! Enter to win Love Without End by Robin Lee Hatcher

http://www.iamareader.com/ 
Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop
Featuring Young Adult & Clean Adult Romance
 
Happy Valentine's Day! Enter for a chance to win Love Without End by Robin Lee Hatcher, then check out the other blogs in the giveaway hop for more chances to win!




Monday, February 2, 2015

E-book sale: 99 cents for The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron


http://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Violin-Hidden-Masterpiece-Novel-ebook/dp/B00I5QX61Q/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422924130&sr=8-1&keywords=kristy+cambron

Download The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron for only 99 cents!
I've heard this is an amazing book. It has so many 5 star reviews on Goodreads and a personal recommendation from my cousin Marisa who has excellent taste :)

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

A Mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz--and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl--a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover--the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul--who may be the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting's subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy of 1942, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: the grim camps of Auschwitz and the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

Enter the Heart of Adventure Sweepstakes!


Celebrate the release of Dani Pettrey's newest book Sabotaged by entering the Heart of Adventure Sweepstakes!

Enter the HEART OF ADVENTURE Sweepstakes from Author Dani Pettrey

About the Sweepstakes


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.

Timeframe & Notifications:
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.


About the Prizes
Heart of Adventure Sweepstakes Grand PrizeGRAND 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

Heart of Adventure Sweepstakes Second PrizeSECOND 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

Heart of Adventure Sweepstakes Third PrizeTHIRD 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


How to Enter:
Go to http://www.danipettrey.com/heart-of-adventure-sweepstakes/ and complete the entry box, anytime between February 2 – 22, 2015.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Review: The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen


 The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Abigail Foster fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms and the one man she thought might marry her--a longtime friend--has fallen for her younger, prettier sister. 

When financial problems force her family to sell their London home, a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . .

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem to know something about the manor's past, the only information they offer Abigail is a warning: Beware trespassers who may be drawn by rumors that Pembrooke contains a secret room filled with treasure.

Hoping to improve her family's financial situation, Abigail surreptitiously searches for the hidden room, but the arrival of anonymous letters addressed to her, with clues about the room and the past, bring discoveries even more startling. As secrets come to light, will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?


My Review

LOVED IT! I envisioned Abigail as a slightly younger Anne Elliot from Austen's Persuasion, an intelligent daughter dealing with diminished finances, just old enough to be on the brink of spinsterhood yet lovely in her own right, and less impressed with society than her family members.

The adventure of moving into the long uninhabited and mysterious manor kept the pace of the book moving quickly, with bits and pieces of the history of Pembrooke Park are revealed throughout the novel. I enjoyed the friendship that developed between Abigail and the caretaker's warm-hearted family, especially with the youngest daughter who always loved to visit to play with the manor's replica dollhouse.

Even though there is attraction from the start, Abigail and William's strong friendship creates a foundation of trust and loyalty that is tested by the interest of Abigail's beautiful younger sister, her childhood crush, and a distant cousin. I loved how William would often catch Abigail off-guard with a flirtatious comment or adventurous twinkle in his eye. The chemistry between them grows steadily and their special moments are oh-so-romantic!

The author weaves in themes of guilt, forgiveness, family bonds, children dealing with the sins of a father, and choosing earthly treasure or treasures in heaven. This is definitely going to be a book I re-read several times in the future :)

(Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Extra Feature: Book Trailer