Illuminated by the Message -LOUISA MAY ALCOTT – A Literary Portal to Prayer

June 12, 2016June 11, 2016 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

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My friend Susan Bailey – whom I know through Orchard House – was kind enough to gift me with a copy of her new book: LOUISA MAY ALCOTT Illuminated by the Message, part of the Literary Portals to Prayer series. This selection is one in a series of books from Catholic publishing house ACTA that takes beloved writings by authors such as Dickens, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen and paisr them with similarly themed passages from the Bible.

Using a variety of Louisa’s writings, Ms. Bailey has made connections between some of the most touching passages of Louisa’s children’s books and her journals, linking them to Bible passages of both the Old and the New Testaments. One of my favorite passages links an excerpt about Beth in Little Women as she cares for her broken but beloved dolls to a psalm that cites God as a safe-house for the battered.

This would be a nice volume to keep nearby for daily reflection. It makes me realize how deeply one can interpret Louisa’s work, too.

Thank you, Susan, for my beautiful gift copy!

THE TUMBLING TURNER SISTERS by Juliette Fay

June 11, 2016June 11, 2016 / drbethnolan / 3 Comments

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I had heard about this book a while ago (it publishes on Tuesday the 14th) and I thought I would like it – I was not wrong! Juliette Fay – a new author for me – does a spectacular job of making 1920’s vaudeville come alive through the story of four sisters, and their mother, who create an acrobatic act in order to make money for their family during tough times.

Here’s the overview via Net Galley:

Description

For fans of Orphan Train and Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, a compelling historical novel from “one of the best authors of women’s fiction” (Library Journal). Set against the turbulent backdrop of American Vaudeville, four sisters embark on an unexpected adventure—and a last-ditch effort to save their family.

In 1919, the Turner sisters and their parents are barely scraping by. Their father is a low-paid boot-stitcher in Johnson City, New York, and the family is always one paycheck away from eviction. When their father’s hand is crushed and he can no longer work, their irrepressible mother decides that the vaudeville stage is their best—and only—chance for survival.

Traveling by train from town to town, teenagers Gert, Winnie, and Kit, and recent widow Nell soon find a new kind of freedom in the company of performers who are as diverse as their acts. There is a seamier side to the business, however, and the young women face dangers and turns of fate they never could have anticipated. Heartwarming and surprising, The Tumbling Turner Sisters is ultimately a story of awakening—to unexpected possibilities, to love and heartbreak, and to the dawn of a new American era.

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I absolutely loved this book! Told sometimes through Gert’s point of view, and sometimes through Winnie’s, this was a story of a family, of sisters as they are on the brink of adulthood, with all their trails and tribulations. Gert is headstrong and feisty and definitely the one front and center. She will stop at nothing to protect her family but also to do what she wants to do, even if it involves a forbidden love. Winnie is sensitive and intellectual, falling in love with a young Italian performer and trying to keep her dreams of going to college alive. Kit is only thirteen but is tall, so she passes for older. She just wants a friend. And poor Nell is recovering from the death of her husband in WWI, travelling with her baby boy and trying to reawaken to the world around her.

If you know me at all, you know I love and do theater, so the blend of historical fiction, family, sisters, and vaudeville – along with great writing – was what made this book a five star pick for me!

Publishing on Tuesday, you can pre-order it now!

If you are local, Ms. Fay will be speaking at my favorite bookstore – The Concord Bookshop – on Thursday evening, June 16.

Thank you so much to Ms. Fay’s publicist, Kristin Dwyer, who gifted me an e-ARC through Net Galley!

Find out more about Ms. Fay and her books at http://juliettefay.com/

BAT DAD! A Parody by Blake Wilson

June 4, 2016June 4, 2016 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

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I don’t know if you follow Bat Dad on You Tube but we find him hilarious!

Apparently, Blake Wilson spontaneously purchased a Batman mask one day at Target and was goofing around, talking like Batman — suddenly a star was born!

My kids find the Bat Dad videos hysterical, and I have to say, Blake’s patient wife (Jen!!) and really cute four kids make them fun.

This small book is a compilation of Bat Dad moments, set like a comic book, with a picture and word bubble per page. Many of them seemed familiar to me, so I am guessing they are taken from the Bat Dad videos.

While my middle-schoolers also enjoy Bat Dad, he’s really meant for parents — with humor that at times borders on “adult” and/or is really meant to speak to the average parent who is dealing with all that comes with raising kids and running a household.

Thank you, Blogging for Books and Three Rivers Press, for my review copy!

HFVBTour for PORTRAIT OF A CONSPIRACY by Donna Russo Morin

June 3, 2016May 30, 2016 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

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I am just thrilled to be part of this blog tour for HFVBTours today! Donna Russo Morin’s new novel is a beautifully written and compelling story of Renaissance Florence, encompassing so many things I love in a novel: a sense of place and history, real life characters, mystery and intrigue, passion, strong female characters, and a well-written story line.

Even more exciting – it’s the start of a series!

And there’s a giveaway!

Here’s the overview:

02_The Portrait of Conspiracy

Portrait of Conspiracy: Da Vinci’s Disciples – Book One
by Donna Russo Morin

Publication Date: May 10, 2016
Diversion Books
eBook & Paperback; 290 Pages

Genre: Historical Mystery

One murder ignites the powderkeg that threatens to consume the Medici’s Florence. Amidst the chaos, five women and one legendary artist weave together a plot that could bring peace, or get them all killed. Seeking to wrest power from the Medici family in 15th Century Florence, members of the Pazzi family drew their blades in a church and slew Giuliano. But Lorenzo de Medici survives, and seeks revenge on everyone involved, plunging the city into a murderous chaos that takes dozens of lives. Bodies are dragged through the streets, and no one is safe. Five women steal away to a church to ply their craft in secret. Viviana, Fiammetta, Isabetta, Natasia, and Mattea are painters, not allowed to be public with their skill, but freed from the restrictions in their lives by their art. When a sixth member of their group, Lapaccia, goes missing, and is rumored to have stolen a much sought after painting as she vanished, the women must venture out into the dangerous streets to find their friend and see her safe. They will have help from one of the most renowned painters of their era the peaceful and kind Leonardo Da Vinci. It is under his tutelage that they will flourish as artists, and with his access that they will infiltrate some of the highest, most secretive places in Florence, unraveling one conspiracy as they build another in its place.

Historical fiction at its finest, Donna Russo Morin begins a series of Da Vinci’s disciples with a novel both vibrant and absorbing, perfect for the readers of Sarah Dunant.

“A riveting page-turner unlike any historical novel you’ve read, weaving passion, adventure, artistic rebirth, and consequences of ambition into the first of a trilogy by a masterful writer at the peak of her craft.” -C. W. Gortner, author of The Confessions of Catherine de’ Medici and The Vatican Princess

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

About the Author

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Donna Russo Morin is the award winning of author of historical fiction. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, she lives near the shore with her two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.

Donna enjoys meeting with book groups in person and via Skype chat. Visit her website atwww.donnarussomorin.com; friend her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter@DonnaRussoMorin.

Blog Tour Schedule — Follow along and find a new blog!

Tuesday, May 10
Review at Unshelfish
Review at The Maiden’s Court

Wednesday, May 11
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Thursday, May 12
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, May 13
Review at Let Them Read Books
Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book

Monday, May 16
Review at Just One More Chapter
Interview at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, May 17
Review at Seize the Words

Wednesday, May 18
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book

Thursday, May 19
Review at Worth Getting in Bed For
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Friday, May 20
Guest Post at Layered Pages
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book

Monday, May 23
Review at Broken Teepee

Tuesday, May 24
Review at #redhead.with.book
Interview at Reading the Past

Wednesday, May 25
Review at Book Lovers Paradise

Thursday, May 26
Review at Puddletown Reviews

Friday, May 27
Review at The True Book Addict

Monday, May 30
Review at A Bookish Affair

Tuesday, May 31
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, June 1
Review at The Book Connection

Thursday, June 2
Review at Book Nerd
Review at Bookramblings

Friday, June 3
Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog

But wait – there’s more!

Giveaway!! Last day is TODAY JUNE 3!!

To enter to win an eBook of PORTRAIT OF A CONSPIRACY by Donne Russo Morin please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below. FIVE copies are up for grabs!

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on June 3rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Direct Link: https://gleam.io/n47mU/portrait-of-a-conspiracy

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If you enjoy historical fiction of Florence in its heyday, then run don’t walk to get a copy of this novel! One of Ms. Morin’s gifts is to evoke a sense of place and this novel does this superbly.

Thank you SO MUCH for my review copy and for making me part of the tour!

HFVBTour for EMBER DAYS by Mary F. Burns

June 2, 2016May 30, 2016 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

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Today I’m part of the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour for Mary F. Burns’ EMBER DAYS. I am still in the middle of reading this book (to be honest!) but it is a glimpse into life in California in the late 1950’s.

Here’s the overview from HFVBTours with a You Tube video:

Ember Days
by Mary F. Burns

Publication Date: April 1, 2016
Word by Word Press
eBook & Paperback; 352 Pages

Genre: Literary Fiction

On the edge of the cultural earthquake that would be the 1960s, the tiny coastal village of Mendocino can feel it coming. Beat poetry, jazz, rebellion and art are spilling out of San Francisco onto the the northern coasts of California. World War II is laid to rest, but people feel restless. When a village son, now a priest, comes home to bury his mother, he finds his younger brother gone and a town full of secrets—some of them his own. Ember Days—the ancient prayers that mark the changing of the seasons—reveal the heart’s deep longings and fears in the face of truth and change, life and death.

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So – this overview above sounds a little serious, but the book moves quickly and is almost a bit of a mystery. How did the fires start and why? Where did the brother go? How are these characters going to change and develop and how will their trajectories impact the others?

Of course I love anything taking place in northern California since that’s where I grew up, but even more I love a good character story, and that’s what EMBER DAYS is.

About the Author

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Mary F. Burns is the author of ISAAC AND ISHMAEL, published by Sand Hill Review Press in November 2014. Other historical fiction includes THE SPOILS OF AVALON and PORTRAITS OF AN ARTIST (Sand Hill Review Press, February 2014, 2013), both books featuring the celebrated portrait painter, John Singer Sargent and his best friend, writer Violet Paget (aka Vernon Lee). Mary is a member of and book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society and a former member of the HNS Conference board of directors. Her debut historical novel J-THE WOMAN WHO WROTE THE BIBLE was published in July 2010 by O-Books (John Hunt Publishers, UK). She has been a regular panelist and speaker at the North American Historical Novel Society Conference.

Ms. Burns was born in Chicago, Illinois, grew up in the western suburb of LaGrange, and attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, where she earned both Bachelors and Masters degrees in English; she also holds a law degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Thank you for my review copy and for making me part of the tour!

Litfuse Blog Tour and Giveaway for ANCHOR IN THE STORM by Sarah Sundin

June 2, 2016June 2, 2016 / drbethnolan / 2 Comments

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I really enjoyed Sarah Sundin’s THROUGH WATERS DEEP, so I was thrilled to join soe of the characters again in the next book in this WWII series: ANCHOR IN THE STORM and to take part in this blog tour!

Here’s the description from Litfuse:

Anchor in the Storm (Revell, May 2016)

One plucky female pharmacist + one high-society naval officer = romance—and danger

For plucky Lillian Avery, America’s entry into World War II means a chance to prove herself as a pharmacist in Boston. The challenges of her new job energize her. But society boy Ensign Archer Vandenberg’s attentions only annoy–even if he is her brother’s best friend.

During the darkest days of the war, Arch’s destroyer hunts German U-boats in vain as the submarines sink dozens of merchant ships along the East Coast. Still shaken by battles at sea, Arch notices his men also struggle with their nerves–and with drowsiness. Could there be a link to the large prescriptions for sedatives Lillian has filled? The two work together to answer that question, but can Arch ever earn Lillian’s trust and affection?

Sarah Sundin brings World War II to life, offering readers an intense experience they won’t soon forget.

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I loved this book which was a mystery with suspense, a bit of a romance, a historical novel of WWII experience, and a journey of faith. This book stands alone as a title as well if it is your first book by Sundin.

I love Sundin’s characters who are basically very “human” – and thus flawed – and yet able to forgive themselves and accept themselves for who they are. They learn to put their faith and their trust in God, and in doing so, realize that they don’t need to fight all their battles alone.

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Sarah Sundin is the author of eight historical novels, including “Anchor in the Storm.” Her novel “Through Waters Deep” was named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years,” and her novella “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in “Where Treetops Glisten” was a finalist for the 2015 Carol Award. A mother of three, Sarah lives in California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday school.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy this genre!

Thank you for making me part of the tour and for my review copy!
But wait! There’s more!! A Giveaway!!

Celebrate the release of Sarah’s Anchor in the Storm by entering to win her All Hands on Deck Prize Pack!

One grand prize winner will receive:

A signed copy of Anchor in the Storm
Nautical tote bag lined with anchor fabric
Anchor necklace made from copper reclaimed from the USS Constitution in Boston during restoration
365 Devotions for Hope by Karen Whiting
Shine: Nautical Inspirational Adult Coloring Book
“Hope Anchors the Soul” journal
Set of two nautical tea towels

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on June 8th. The winner will be announced June 9th on Sarah’s blog.

Litfuse Blog Tour and GIVEAWAY for THROUGH THE SHADOWS by Karen Barnett

June 1, 2016June 1, 2016 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

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I’m excited to be part of the Litfuse Publicity blog tour for Karent Barnett’s latest novel in the Golden Gate Chronicles: THROUGH THE SHADOWS. This story continues on with some of the characters we have come to know from the previous books in the series: OUT OF THE ASHES and BEYOND THE RUINS. That said, it can be a stand alone title as well.

Here’s the description of this story from Litfuse:

Through the Shadows (Abingdon, May 2016)

As San Francisco rises from the ashes, an age-old battle looms between corruption and the promise of new beginnings.

The devastating earthquake is just two years past, but the city of San Francisco is still trying to recover. Destruction of this magnitude is not so easy to overcome-and neither are the past regrets shadowing Elizabeth King’s hopeful future.

Hoping to right her wrongs, Elizabeth dedicates herself to helping girls rescued from slavery in Chinatown brothels, even if it means putting her own life at risk to sneak through the gloomy alleys and rooftops where dangers lurk.

Putting her life on the line for a worthy cause is admirable. But opening her heart is even more terrifying. So when Elizabeth meets attorney, Charles McKinley—a man who dreams of reforming San Francisco’s crooked politics—Elizabeth begins to doubt: Can she maintain her pretense and hide her past? Or will her secret jeopardize both their futures?

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If you are reading this series, you know it is Christian historical fiction, and I like how the story line is able to encapsulate faith right alongside the action and romance plot lines. Elizabeth is a likable and strong character, and I will give this book credit for highlighting an issue that personally I have never read about (so I am assuming it is often overlooked or ignored) — the plight of the young Chinese prostitute in turn of the century California.

Barnett’s writing flows smoothly and this is an easy read – perfect for starting off the summer!

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Karen Barnett is the author of “Beyond the Ashes,” “Out of the Ruins,” and “Mistaken.” Named the 2013 Writer of Promise by Oregon Christian Writers, Karen lives in Albany, Oregon, with her husband and two kids. When she’s not writing novels, she loves speaking at women’s events, libraries, and book clubs.
Thank you for my review copy and for making me part of the tour!

But wait! There’s more!!! There’s a book giveaway for this tour — click below for info and entering:

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LINK FOR GIVEAWAY: https://promosimple.com/ps/99f1

Teen Reading: GOLDFISH by Nat Luurtsema

May 29, 2016May 28, 2016 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

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I have come across the perfect summer read for the middle schooler in your life (high schooler, too)!

I started GOLDFISH two days ago, not knowing what to expect.The description on Net Galley was fun but a tad vague:

Description

I am Lou Brown:

Social outcast, precocious failure, 5’10” and still growing.

I was on the fast track to the Olympic superstardom.

Now, I’m training boys too cool to talk to me. In a sport I just made up. In a fish tank.

My life has quickly become very weird.

Nat Luurtsema’s YA debut is side-splittingly funny and painfully true to anyone who’s just trying to figure out how they fit into the world.

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I can’t express how much I loved this book. Lou (Louise) is a character that any reader can’t help but love. She is a bit of a misfit and definitely awkward with the hyper self-consciousness that only comes with adolescence, but SO funny that I laughed until I cried in parts of this book. Seriously!

Poor Lou doesn’t make the cut to go to a special training camp for the Olympics so she must reinvent herself, so to speak. No more swimming and training every day. No more being part of the team. Unfortunately for her, her best friend DOES make it, so she is floundering a bit at high school without her BFF anchor and her swim star identity. One thing leads to another and Lou ends up helping to choreograph a swim routine for a group of boys determined to get on “Britain’s Hidden Talent”. What ensues is hilarious yet serious, ridiculous yet touching.

Love, love, love.

I’m buying my almost 13 year old a copy for her birthday this summer. Can’t wait to share this story with her.

It releases on June 7.

Thank you for my review copy!

Review: SIDNEY CHAMBERS AND THE DANGERS OF TEMPTATION by James Runcie

May 28, 2016May 28, 2016 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

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If you know me, you know I LOVE the Grantchester series on PBS! I love the characters, the humor, the mysteries, and James Norton as Sidney. This book is one in a series following the exploits of never run-of-the-mill minister.

Here’s the description via Net Galley:

The eagerly anticipated fifth installment in the Grantchester mystery series, now a major PBS television series as well.

It’s the summer of love in late 1960s England. Basil D’Oliveira has just been dropped from the English cricket team before for a test series in apartheid South Africa; the war in Biafra dominates the news; and the Apollo 11 astronauts are preparing to land on the moon. In the midst of all this change, Sidney Chambers, now Archdeacon of Ely Cathedral, is still up to his amateur sleuthing investigations.

A bewitching divorcee enlists Sidney’s help in convincing her son to leave a hippie commune; at a soiree on Grantchester Meadows during May Week celebrations, a student is divested of a family heirloom; Amanda’s marriage runs into trouble; Sidney and Hildegard holiday behind the Iron Curtain; Mrs Maguire’s husband returns from the dead and an arson attack in Cambridge leads Sidney to uncover a cruel case of blackmail involving his former curate.

In the rare gaps between church and crime, Sidney struggles with a persistent case of toothache, has his first flutter at the Newmarket races and witnesses the creation of a classic rock song.

Charming, witty, intelligent, and filled with a strong sense of compassion, here are six new stories guaranteed to satisfy and delight this clerical detective’s many fans.

James Runcie is an award-winning filmmaker and the author of eight novels. Sidney Chambers and The Shadow of Death, the first in the Grantchester Mysteries series, was published in 2012, soon followed by Sidney Chambers and The Perils of the Night, Sidney Chambers and The Problem of Evil, and Sidney Chambers and The Forgiveness of Sins. In November 2014, PBS began airing Grantchester, a primetime series starring James Norton as Sidney Chambers. James Runcie lives in London and Edinburgh.

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Well-plotted and paced and always a fun read, this is the perfect way to stay in touch with Sidney, Amanda, and all the gang in between seasons!

Thank you for my review copy!

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge!

May 24, 2016May 24, 2016 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

Woo-hoo!

You all know I LOVE my historical fiction — well, Passages to the Past (my friend Amy from my very first BEA conference!) is hosting a Historical Fiction Reading Challenge!

Here’s the scoop:

Here are the Reading Challenge details:

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

Everyone can participate, even those who don’t have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)

Add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)

Any sub-genre of historical fiction is accepted (Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult, etc.)

During the following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

20th century Reader – 2 books
Victorian Reader – 5 books
Renaissance Reader – 10 books
Medieval – 15 books
Ancient History – 25 books
Prehistoric – 50+ books

I’m totally late to the game on this one, but I’m up and at ’em and hoping to go all Medieval for this one!

Join in!!