Category: Singing Librarian Book Tours

Author Mini-view, Review, and Giveaway: Lisa Orchard and "The Starlight Chronicles"

2/16/2016

Genre: contemporary, young adult
Publisher: esKape Press
Publication Date: September 30, 2015
Number of pages: 289

Lark Singer is seventeen years old and already on the way to a brilliant music career. But as she and her band, Starlight, gear up for a competition, life seems to be throwing her a few curve balls. The mysteries of her past seem to be unraveling, and she’s no longer certain she wants to know those answers or how knowing about her past will affect her difficult relationship with her mother. And when her best friend, Bean, changes things between them, all her plans for a musical future are placed in jeopardy. How can she balance her complicated personal life to keep her musical goals on track?

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Guys, I had great plans to finish this collection this weekend, but life got in the way, so I will be reviewing the first book of the collection today. I'll update this post after I finish it with a review of the whole series.

The Starlight Chronicles is told through the eyes of Lark Singer, a teenager whose greatest dream is to become a star and get out of her small town for good. Talented, scrappy, and guarded, it's almost impossible not to empathize with her and grow to like her. Yo-yoing between a volatile relationship with her mother, who refuses to give her the information she desires, and attending a school where everyone knows her secret, Lark's one joy is music; playing with her band and preparing for a music competition that could change everything.

"Gideon Lee", the first book in the collection, is a good set up for the series. It definitely leaves you wanting to read the next one. While it can get slightly repetitive at times, Lark's story is compelling and told with real emotions and feelings slashed across the page. Her struggle with not knowing who her father is and dealing with the secrets of others, mainly her mother and her best friend, is difficult for her and makes it easy to empathize with her.

This is a contemporary YA book and there is mild language in this book but nothing that seemed to take away from the story.

I give this book 4 stars.

FTC Disclosure ex.: A review copy of this book was provided via SLB Tours.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your writing. (How did you get started? How many books have you written? Where are you on your writing journey?)

I’ve known I wanted to be a writer since fifth grade, but it wasn’t until I made the decision to stay home with my children that I was able to pursue my dream.
I started out with the Super Spies series. There are three books in the series, so far, and I’ve just come up with an idea for the fourth book. They’re mysteries/thrillers and I’ve received rave reviews on them.

My next series is The Starlight Chronicles. There are also three books in this series. This series is the coming of age story of Lark Singer and her quest to become a musician. It chronicles her journey through the twists and turns of her quest.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

What have you read lately that you would recommend?

I finished a great book a couple of months ago. It is titled “Untwine,” and it’s written by Edwidge Dantecicat. It’s a Young Adult Novel about dealing with loss.

What book are you featuring today?

I’m featuring the Starlight Chronicles Boxed Set today. All three books in the series are on sale for $.99! The ebook version.

If you could tell people who are going to read/have read your books one thing, what would it be?

Keep me on your radar. I’ve become a writing fiend and I’ve got more books on the way!

Lisa Orchard grew up loving books. She was hooked on books by the fifth grade and even wrote a few of her own. She knew she wanted to be a writer even then. Her first published works are the “Super Spies Series.” These stories revolve around a group of friends who form their own detective squad and the cases they solve. “The Starlight Chronicles,” is the next series that Lisa created with musical misfit, Lark Singer as her main character.

Lisa resides in Michigan with her husband, Steve, and two wonderful boys. Currently, she’s working on the next book in the Starlight Chronicles Series along with a few new ideas that may turn into stand-alone novels. When she’s not writing she enjoys spending time with her family, running, hiking, and reading.

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February 15--Katie's Clean Book Collection | Mel's Shelves
February 16--Anna Weaver Hurtt, Inspirational Author
February 17--Singing Librarian Books
February 18--Toni Shiloh Prayerfully-Lifted Romance
February 19--Reading Is My SuperPower
February 20--Just Commonly

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Author Mini-view, Review, and Giveaway: Camille Eide and "The Memoir of Johnny Devine"

2/9/2016

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Hello, blog friends! I'm participating in a blog tour with Singing Librarian Book Tours today and I'm featuring the lovely Camille Eide and her awesome book "The Memoir of Johnny Devine."

Genre: Historical
Publisher: Ashberry Lane Publishing
Publication Date: December 1, 2015
Number of pages: 279
Awards/Honors: RT Book Reviews (rare) 5 goldstar Top Pick, a Reviewers' Choice Award Nominee (of 5), and the December 2015 Seal of Excellence winner, which makes it a Book of the Year Nominee (1 of 12 out of thousands reviewed)

The Memoir of Johnny Devine (RT Book Reviews 4.5 GOLD Star Top Pick): In 1953, desperation forces young war widow Eliza Saunderson to take a job writing the memoir of ex-Hollywood heartthrob Johnny Devine. Rumor has it Johnny can seduce anything in a skirt quicker than he can hail a cab. But now the notorious womanizer claims he’s been born again. Eliza soon finds herself falling for the humble, grace-filled man John has become—a man who shows no sign of returning her feelings. No sign, that is, until she discovers something John never meant for her to see.

When Eliza’s articles on minority oppression land her on McCarthy’s Communist hit list, John and Eliza become entangled in an investigation that threatens both his book and her future. To clear her name, Eliza must solve a family mystery. Plus, she needs to convince John that real love—not the Hollywood illusion—can forgive a sordid past. Just when the hope of love becomes reality, a troubling discovery confirms Eliza’s worst fears. Like the happy façade many Americans cling to, had it all been empty lies? Is there a love she can truly believe in?
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I picked up this book on the recommendation of a friend and I am so very glad that I did. This is a beautiful, emotionally-charged story that grabs your attention from the very beginning. The author writes some beautiful turns of phrase and descriptions that are delightful and enjoyable. It moves at a steady pace with several well-placed conflicting events that keep the book from dragging along like some romances tend to do. The sympathetic characters, sweet romance, and intriguing mysteries make it an absolute delight to read.

“The Memoir of Johnny Devine” is a historical romance novel set in Hollywood in the 1950s. I can’t remember the last time I read something set in this time period, but I found the history and culture of the time to be fascinating. The story is told from the viewpoint of Eliza Saunderson, a talented but unknown writer who barely makes enough to survive and stay in her tiny, one-bedroom apartment, but who is spunky, likeable, and sympathetic from the very beginning. The other leading character is John Vincent, also known as Johnny Devine, a reformed heartthrob/ladies’ man/movie star with regrets and wounds much deeper than the shrapnel that crippled his leg during the war. While we don’t get to hear much from his point of view, the reader can’t help falling for the wounded, noble hero that we see through Eliza’s eyes. When hired to assist in writing his memoir, Eliza has no idea that her life (and his) will never be the same.

This book definitely falls under the inspirational/Christian fiction category because it is full of instances of redemption, grace, and forgiveness that were well-written without being too “preachy.” I really enjoyed it and I recommend it to anyone with a love of Christian fiction and/or historical romance. 5 stars!

FTC Disclosure ex.: A review copy of this book was provided via SLB Tours.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your writing. (How did you get started? How many books have you written? Where are you on your writing journey?)
I’ve been writing “stuff” all my life (plays, skits, short stories) but decided to get serious about writing a novel for publication in 2007 when a friend and I were discussing how the real-life, cross-continental romance between her sister and my brother would make a great novel. She twisted my arm, actually, and Like There’s No Tomorrow was conceived. From then on (or from 100 pages in when I discovered I had NO clue what I was doing), I dove headfirst into studying the craft of fiction and found that I possessed an inherent disease passion for it.

I’ve completed and published one Christmas novella (Savanna’s Gift - White Rose) and three full-length romantic dramas (Like There’s No Tomorrow, Like a Love Song, and The Memoir of Johnny Devine - Ashberry Lane). I am currently at work on my fourth novel while trying to catch up on the many highly recommended reads this year! I am always learning, a perpetual student of Story, and at peace with the reality that a good writer never truly “arrives.”

What is your favorite Bible verse?
As one who writes at length and in depth about Love, whether it be romantic, relational, or the love of God, it’s no surprise that Ephesians 3:16-19 resonates deeply with me:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

I think you’ll find this theme at the root of pretty much everything I write.

What have you read lately that you would recommend?
Okay, I have a note from my publisher excusing me on this. Since I released two books this year, which was exciting, my leisure reading has been a bit neglected. Now that my latest book has launched, I'm working my way through a long-neglected TBR pile, so I'm looking forward to a number of great reads I'm hearing raves about. I'm currently reading Lizzy & Jane by Katherine Reay, and Kiss of the Jewel Bird by longtime favorite author, Dale Cramer. I recently read a sassy little mystery novella by Rachel McMillan called A Singular and Whimsical Problem, a feminine Sherlockian type of tale which was fun and engaging.

When refreshing the "ink well," I sometimes revisit past favorites, the kinds of stories that have left me floored, the kind whose characters linger years after meeting them. One of the titles on my re-read list is River Rising by Athol Dickson. He writes sheer beauty. A few authors whose latest works I won’t rest until I’ve read are Becky Wade, Kristin Hannah, Lori Benton, and Susan Meissner.

What book are you featuring today?
The Memoir of Johnny Devine. This novel is a “classic” 1950s romance, a story within a story of a Hollywood bad boy reformed and a good girl needing reform. It’s a powerful tale of love, redemption, intrigue, and the miracle of God’s deliberate grace. One professional reviewer says of this story, “The romantic tension sizzles nearly from the beginning, and readers will often find themselves breathless from the sheer delight of it (Carrie Townsend).” It is a breathless (chaste) romance, but much, much more.

If you could tell people who are going to read/have read your books one thing, what would it be?
Fiction may be “make believe,” but as most storytellers will tell you, fiction and story come from the guts and glory of life and reality. My aim has always been to create very realistic, authentic characters with whom we can all connect in some way, whose stories resonate with our own through the sharing of pains and desires, hopes and dreams, trials and triumphs. The characters in my stories may be invented, but the faithful, awesome God they encounter on their journey is very real.

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Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Lisa Belcastro and "A Shenandoah Family Christmas"

12/21/2015

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Tell us a bit about yourself and your writing. (How did you get started? How many books have you written? Where are you on your writing journey?)

Hi Anna! Thanks so much for hosting me on your blog. I'm a single mom living the good life on Martha's Vineyard. I simply love the Island, and couldn't resist setting my books here. If it's the perfect location for me, than it's got to be the perfect location for my characters - right? I have four full-length fiction books and two novellas out. I have three new releases scheduled for 2016. I'll have the second book in my Possible Dreams trilogy, Audition for Love, in early summer. Then Shenandoah Song, which I mention below, releasing in September. And I'm sitting here today trying to decide which series I'll write a Christmas novella for next year. I'm leaning toward a follow-up story with Ryan, Laurel, and Gracie from A Dream for Love. So much to write, so little time!

What is your favorite Bible verse?

Mine changes as life ebbs and flows. Does yours? My baptism verse is Psalm 119:105 - "Your word is a lamp to my feet. And a light to my path." At the moment, I'm praying Psalm 62:5 - "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him."

What have you read lately that you would recommend?

I just finished re-reading The Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews. I read it at least twice a year. It's fiction, but packs a powerful punch. For a great mystery, I read Sandra Orchard's Desperate Measures, and now I'm starting Geraldine Brooks' The Secret Chord (about the life of King David).

What book are you featuring today?

I am featuring A Shenandoah Family Christmas. This novella is the fifth installment in my Winds of Change series. The series has three full-length novels: Shenandoah Nights, Shenandoah Crossings, and Shenandoah Dreams, and one other novella, A Shenandoah Christmas. I'm outlining the next full-length book in the series: Shenandoah Song.

If you could tell people who are going to read/have read your books one thing, what would it be?

Wherever we are in life, whatever you are going through, don't give up hope! Hang onto the promises of God, and find friends who will hang on with you when you're too tired to hold yourself up. :-)

Lisa Belcastro lives with her family on Martha’s Vineyard. She loves time with her family and friends, running, gardening, outdoor activities, cooking, chocolate, reading, traveling, a healthy dose of adventure, and her cat, Ben, who keeps her company while she creates fictional lives for the numerous characters living inside her head.

Lisa runs as an ambassador for TEAM 413 (www.team413.org), and has completed a marathon (26.2 miles) in all fifty states.

Lisa’s stories are set on the Vineyard amidst the magnificence of the ocean, the beauty of sandy beaches, rolling hills, and ancient cliffs, as well as the people and events that make the Island so very unique.

When she’s not at her desk, Lisa is living in paradise, volunteering at her daughter’s school, serving in her church community, planting and weeding her numerous gardens, training to run the Walt Disney World Dopey Challenge in January 2016, walking the beach looking for sea glass, or enjoying a great meal while she pens the cuisine column for Vineyard Style Magazine.

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Where is Christmas?
Disease, freezing temperatures, and the Revolutionary War bring bitter reality to the Reed home in December 1777. Captain Benjamin Reed is ordered to sail a supply shipment south to General George Washington. Days before Shenandoah’s scheduled departure, Ben’s first mate succumbs to smallpox.

Rebecca Reed had never feared the dreaded disease until her one-year-old daughter Felicity breaks out in the telltale rash. In the cold, dark days of Advent, Rebecca, Ben, and the Reed family wait in prayerful hope as Felicity fights for her life and they wonder who could be next.

With the rest of the family at risk, they decide to obtain the forbidden cowpox vaccine. Ben's brother Jonah, his uncle Isaiah, and Shenandoah’s cook Adam Greene venture off in search of the outlawed vaccine. A blizzard hits. A tree crashes. Jonah crumbles to the ground. A woman with the face of an angel aids Jonah, but is it too late? And where are Adam and Isaiah?

As the death toll rises throughout the Colonies, the Reed family prays for more than one Christmas miracle.

Available to purchase on Amazon:
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Lisa is generously giving away a copy of this book as part of the Singing Librarian Book Tour! Just click on the banner below to take you to the entry page!

Thanks for participating and Merry Christmas!

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Review and Giveaway: "Isle of Hope" by Julie Lessman

11/2/2015

10 Comments

Book Blurb:

She stole his heart.
He stole her peace.
Can hope steal their pain?

At the age of eighteen, Lacey Carmichael was a wild girl bent on fun, promised to Jack Carmichael, a straight-and-narrow pastor’s kid bent on the seminary. When her father kicks her out of the house, she runs away from Isle of Hope, turning her back on everything she loves. Now, eight years later, she’s back as a woman of faith, hoping to make amends to the father she defied, the boyfriend she deserted, and the best friend she denied. Only the bridges she’s burned are still smoldering, kindled by an adulterous affair by Jack’s pastor father that damaged his son’s faith. But can a turning of tables—and hearts—lead the way back to “hope” for them all?

My Thoughts:

What a sweet, sweet story! I've been a fan of Julie's historical romances for years and wondered whether she could write contemporary romance as well. Isle of Hope, her first foray into contemporary romance, was even better than I could have imagined and I loved every minute of it!

After reading the first chapter, I couldn't imagine how Julie was going to pull a happily-ever-after out of this one, but I was delighted to be proven wrong. :)

Full of the sizzling romance and heart-rending emotional roller coasters that I've come to expect from a Lessman book, Isle of Hope tells a tangled web of a story from several viewpoints.

If I could describe this book in one word, it would be "restoration." There are so many broken relationships in the beginning of this story, but, one by one, each is restored in a beautiful and poignantly refreshing show of God's grace and love.

One of the things that I love about Julie's books is that almost every character gets their say in the story. It's always so fun to see/hear all the different sides of the story.

I loved this sweet, romantic read and give it 5 stars!

(Disclaimer: I received a PDF copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Giveaway Time!

In celebration of her book tour, Julie is giving away a paperback or e-copy of "Isle of Hope" or any of her other books! Click on the banner below to go to the Singing Librarian Books tour page and enter the giveaway!

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Author Mini-view, Review, and Giveaway: Lisa Orchard and "The Starlight Chronicles"

Author Mini-view, Review, and Giveaway: Camille Eide and "The Memoir of Johnny Devine"

Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Lisa Belcastro and "A Shenandoah Family Christmas"

Review and Giveaway: "Isle of Hope" by Julie Lessman

Book Blurb:

My Thoughts:

Giveaway Time!

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