Friday, May 31, 2013

Captives Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to those who participated in the giveaway! I wish I could give a copy to each of you (I really do!), but there can only be one winner this time. I still recommend the book even if you didn't win!
 
Captives The Safe Lands
 
Since I'm an old-fashioned type of girl, I had my sister pull the name of the winner out of a hat. So the hat-picked winner of Captives by Jill Williamson is...


Courtney Renee
 
Congratulations, Courtney Renee! :D
 
I will email you today for your info so that the
paperback copy of Captives can be mailed to you.
Enjoy!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Novel Teen Blog Tour and *Book Giveaway*: Captives by Jill Williamson

 
Captives The Safe Lands
 
In the village of Glenrock, during the year 2088, life is fairly simple, almost old-fashioned. But the lives of three brothers and their family and friends are about to change. The eldest, Levi, is handsome and a natural leader who is about to be married to his one, true love, Jemma. The middle child, Mason, is practical, smart, and dreams of being a doctor, much to his father's chagrin. And the youngest, Omar, is an artistic, rebellious soul who is restless under his father's constant disapproval, which leads him to make a heart-breaking choice. When those in Glenrock are taken captive and brought to the Safe Lands--a modern, futuristic society enclosed by formidable walls and security--the brothers are torn apart, but their individual journeys just might make it possible to bring those who survived back together again.
 
With so many dystopian stories flooding the fiction scene, Captives by Jill Williamson stands out with its fresh take on the ancient tale of the Israelites taken captive by the Babylonians. The first part of the book rolled along steadily with character and world building taking the forefront. And what a world! It was colorful, compelling, and jumped straight off the page. The second half though is when I felt the story really pick up speed as the action grew more intense. I was flipping pages to see what would happen next until I suddenly realized I was at the end. 
 
Captives explores delicate subject matter through the characters facing tough situations and makes one contemplate seriously about the future of our society. Even though the topics are serious, there are still moments in the book that make me smile, especially the Princess Bride quotes interspersed throughout. Which leads me to end this review with a quote--just for fun--from the Princess Bride that I feel will compliment Captives very nicely (though the giant and monsters bit depends on your point of view ;) ).
 
The Grandson: A book?...Has it got any sports in it?
Grandpa: Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants
monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles...
The Grandson: Doesn't sound too bad. I'll try to stay awake.
Grandpa: Oh, well, thank you very much, very nice of you.
Your vote of confidence is overwhelming.

 
Genre: Dystopian/YA
Ages: 15 and up
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 2013
 
*I would like to thank the author and publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
 
BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!
 
To win a free paperback copy of Captives by Jill Williamson,
just put your email address in the comment section below to
enter yourself into the drawing.
The winner will be announced on Friday, May 31st, 2013.
 
*Giveaway is only valid in the USA.
 
Book Trailer
 
 

 
Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about Captives by Jill Williamson by clicking on the links below, and click here for more information about Team Novel Teen.
 

 

Monday, March 11, 2013

Novel Teen Blog Tour: Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker

 
Our family seemed so cracked lately. And I was the only glue keeping us together. Juli was defiant; Grandpop Barley was erratic; Cliff was well, Cliff; and Mama and Dad seemed dangerously close to breaking.
I was nowhere near being ready to fly.

Most families have their troubles and quirks, but Scarlett Blaine's family seems to be overloaded with them. From her parents financial struggles and sister Juli's eccentric hippie lifestyle, to Grandpop Barley's obsession with peanut butter and her little brother Cliff's collection of random Spanish trivia he casually drops into conversation, Scarlett often feels overwhelmed and under-appreciated. But during the summer of 1969 when her family seems to be unraveling at the seams, one promise she makes to Cliff--to build a rocket to Jupiter--will serve as a turning point that will change all of their lives forever.

Rachel Coker (Interrupted: Life Beyond Words) has a gift of creating not just one or two but a whole cast of three-dimensional characters. Each character is written in a realistic and touching manner that makes you care about each and everyone. From the high moments to when tragedy strikes, Chasing Jupiter tugs at the heartstrings and makes you long for a happy ending when all seems lost. I like how Coker dealt with various circumstances in a realistic way and showed how when viewing things through God's eyes, peace will come.

*I'd like to thank the author and publisher for providing me with a free copy of the novel in exchange for my honest review.

Genre: YA/Historical Fiction/Coming of Age
Ages: 12 and up
Pages: 216
Publication: January 2013

Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker by clicking on the links below, and check out www.NovelTeen.com for more information about Team Novel Teen.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Book Review: Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz

Courting Morrow Little
 
Forgiveness was one thing. Falling in love was another.
 
Morrow Little's return home to the Kentucky wilderness after two years in Boston society is fraught with old worries and fears. When she was a young child, her mother and baby sister were killed in an Shawnee raid, and her brother, Jess, was captured. It's been just her and her father for years, and now that he's ill, her future is a bit uncertain. It's assumed she will marry, but her prospects range from farmers who want a marriage of convenience to an officer who's just a bit controlling and obsessed--to say the least. And then there's her confusing emotions of hatred and fascination toward a half-blood Shawnee whom her father has befriended. As tensions between the Americans and the Indians come to a head, Morrow has to make a decision whether to hold onto her fear and prejudice or allow herself to move forward with her life.

Laura Frantz 's style reminds me of Francine Rivers, where everything in the story is gritty, real, poetic, and achingly felt. One of my favorite parts of Courting Morrow Little was the heroine. She was weak physically and emotionally, whereas many heroines I've read about are already strong, spunky, and able. To me, Morrow was realistic, and I enjoyed reading about her journey to maturity and strength. My favorite character though was Red Shirt. I loved his chivalry and subtle wildness. Totally swoon-worthy. ;-)

Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz is a beautiful historical novel thick with romance, suspense, and twists that had me holding my breath. It's very rare I find myself tearing up when I read a book, but there were a couple scenes that I found my vision mysteriously blurry. I also had several cheesy grins when I read some really sweet scenes. This story is filled to the brim with emotion that carries the reader through an incredible journey of a young woman who learns what it means to truly live in courage and forgiveness.

Genre: Historical/Romance/Christian
Ages: 16 and up
Pages: 362
Publication Date: July 2010





Sunday, January 13, 2013

Words

Words have weight.
 
It's so important to understand what we're saying to people.
 
What we read.
 
What we write.
 
Words can truly "start a fire in your heart."
 
My greatest hope is that my words are the words God speaks through me that reveal His true character.
 
Words have weight.
 
 

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy New Year!

Happy 2013!
 
I hope everyone had a wonderful 2012 and hope you have a very beautiful 2013! For those of you joining me from my old blog page (mystoryshelf.blogspot.com) and those who are new, thank you for coming! Parts of my new site are still under construction, but my blog is up and running and will churn out new reviews, updates, and special posts.
 
2012 was a crazy and big year for me--graduating from college, self-publishing a children's book, and a myriad of other things!--and I have a feeling 2013 is going to be pretty amazing too. I mentioned a few months ago that a YA novel of mine is getting published, and I couldn't be more thrilled! *happy dance* :D It's tentative title is Shattered. More details and fun extras will be released in the coming months. Also, under my "Books" tab, I posted the summary and cover of a children's book I wrote last year. It was a fun project, and you just need to click on the cover for more purchase info.
 
Ugh! I'm so eager and excited to share every detail of my new story with everyone, but I have to force myself to be patient and tease you with tantalizing tidbits like every good author does! Haha! ;-)
 
In the meantime, keep an eye out for more updates, book reviews of stories that have really touched my heart, and some random blog posts just to keep things interesting! To end this post, I want to share a video with you. It's called The Inheritance by Graham Cooke, only seven minutes long, and it never fails to give me chills and completely bless me because it's so amazingly, mind-blowingly true! So be blessed and Happy New Year!