Review & Giveaway: Blue Skies by Anne Bustard

 

BLUE SKIES

by

Anne Bustard

Middle Grade / Historical Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Date of Publication: March 17, 2020

Number of Pages: 224

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Ten-year-old Glory Bea Bennett believes in miracles. After all, her grandmother—the best matchmaker in the whole county—is responsible for thirty-nine of them so far.

Now, Glory Bea wants a miracle of her own—her daddy’s return.

The war ended three years ago, but Glory Bea’s father never returned from the front in France. She believes Daddy is still out there.

When reports that the Texas boxcar from the Merci Train—a train filled with gifts of gratitude from the people of France—will be stopping in Gladiola, Glory Bea just knows Daddy will be its surprise cargo.

But miracles, like people, are always changing, until at last they find their way home.

PRAISE FOR BLUE SKIES:

“I loved Blue Skies so much I couldn’t bear for it to end.” –Patricia Reilly Giff, Newbery Honor author of Lily’s Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods

“A heart-warming (and occasionally heart-wrenching) delight of a book . . .” –Joy Preble, Brazos Bookstore

“A tender story of grief and the gentle comfort of loved ones.” — Kirkus Reviews

CLICK TO ORDER ON:
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Acting out of character, I had read the synopsis of Blue Skies by Anne Bustard before deciding to read the book. The bit about a boxcar caught my eye because there are a few stories that I have read involving boxcars that I hold very dear in my heart. There were no orphans living or being transported to a new life in this boxcar, but I think that it served as a representation of hope much like those other stories.

The cover of Blue Skies is lovely to look at. The blue is the exact shade of what you think of on a perfect day, with fluffy white clouds and white birds flying across the cover. A young girl in a pretty dress looks hopeful as she faces the same direction that the birds are flying to with eyes closed and hands clasped in front of her. Now that I have read the book, the choice of cover has the same flavor of those used for the Anne of Green Gables series. They are beautiful covers but they don’t hint at the firecracker of a girl contained within their pages.

Glory Bea Bennett takes her place among my favorite heroines with big hearts and spirit: Laura Ingalls, Anne Shirley, Jo March, etc. Much like Jo, Glory Bea is “hopelessly flawed,” but that’s what makes you love her even more. She is fiercely loyal to the ones she loves to the point that she might miss the cues that something other than the plans she has for them might be best in the end. Aren’t we all like that at one time or another? Ten-year-old and adult readers alike can use a reminder here or there that we can help the people we love up to a point, and then we are only there to support them in the end.

Bustard has created a wonderful community around such a vibrant character. I have always had a soft spot for the small town where everyone not only knows your name but they know all about your business. I was tickled by the moments when eavesdroppers would get caught listening in on the party line. And with all the cynicism in our world today, it was relaxing to read a story where the conflict arises from inner turmoil rather than a place of evil intentions.

To be completely honest, girls will probably gravitate to this book much like they do to Little House, Green Gables, and Little Women, but boys would also get something out of it if they’re willing to try. While the male characters are secondary, they are strong and not afraid of strong women. I could see this book being used in the classroom when discussing the aftermath of war or perhaps as an introduction to the French language. I wish I had read this book before my trip to Austin so that I could have seen the real life inspiration in person. I have put that on my list of things to do, along with reading other books by Anne Bustard.

Anne Bustard is the former co-owner of Toad Hall Children’s Bookstore in Austin, Texas, and an MFA graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of the middle grade novel, Anywhere But Paradise, as well as two picture books, RAD! and Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly, which was an IRA Children’s Book Award Notable and a Bank Street Book of the Year. Hawaii-born, she divides her time between Texas and Canada.

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3/17/20	Notable Quotable	The Clueless Gent
3/17/20	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
3/18/20	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
3/19/20	Playlist	All the Ups and Downs
3/20/20	Author Interview	Chapter Break Book Blog
3/21/20	Review	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
3/22/20	Guest Post	StoreyBook Reviews
3/23/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
3/24/20	Review	The Page Unbound
3/25/20	Top Ten List	Rebecca R. Cahill, Author
3/26/20	Review	That’s What She’s Reading

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Review & Giveaway: Out of the Embers by Amanda Cabot

 

OUT OF THE EMBERS

MESQUITE SPRINGS, BOOK ONE

by

Amanda Cabot

Historical Fiction / Christian Romance
Publisher: Revell
Date of Publication: March 3, 2020

Number of Pages: 336

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Ten years after her parents were killed, Evelyn Radcliffe is once more homeless. The orphanage that was her refuge and later her workplace has burned to the ground, and only she and a young orphan girl have escaped. Convinced this must be related to her parents’ murders, Evelyn flees with the girl to Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country and finds refuge in the home of Wyatt Clark, a talented horse rancher whose plans don’t include a family of his own.

At first, Evelyn is a distraction. But when it becomes clear that trouble has followed her to Mesquite Springs, she becomes a full-blown disruption. Can Wyatt keep her safe from the man who wants her dead? And will his own plans become collateral damage?

Suspenseful and sweetly romantic, Out of the Embers is the first in a new series that invites you to the Texas Hill Country in the 1850s, when the West was wild, the men were noble, and the women were strong.

PRAISE FOR OUT OF THE EMBERS:

“Out of the Embers is part prairie romance, part romantic suspense. I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a book more. Amanda Cabot has written an intriguing, chilling mystery and she winds it through the pages of a sweet romance in a way that made me keep turning the pages fast to see what was going to happen next. An absolutely excellent read. And now I’m hungry for oatmeal pecan pie!” 

— Mary Connealy, author of Aiming for Love, book #1 in the Brides of Hope Mountain series

CLICK TO ORDER ON:
Baker Book House  ┃  Amazon  ┃  Barnes & Noble 
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Let me begin by saying that I adore Amanda Cabot books and was so excited to receive this copy of Out of the Embers. When I got my first glance at the cover, I sighed in deep appreciation of the soothing colors, the lovely girl, and the beautiful expanse of bluebonnets on either side of a wagon-worn road. The picturesque cover promised me a happy ending to the bleak beginning of a young woman and small girl’s escape from a devastating fire.

On the surface, Cabot’s writing can sometimes seem formulaic like many romance novelists. The man doesn’t want to settle down, the woman is happy to be free of the chains of marriage, and then there is competition for someone’s heart. But much like Nicholas Sparks’ ability to write so many different stories of star-crossed lovers, Cabot is able to paint the portraits of reluctant lovers with varying brushes and strokes that transport you to a town that feels familiar but new at the same time. While her affinity towards portraying non-competitive female friendships forms another bridge between this series and the Cimarron Creek Trilogy, Cabot treats us to heartfelt relationships and individuals who are unique in the best possible ways. And to be quite honest, it is a relief to read about women who support each other rather than to tear each other down.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the men in this book. And now that I think of it, I do believe that the men in Cimarron Creek also got quite competitive when trying to win the heart of a particular fair lady. At times, I found the alpha competition to be a bit overwhelming, but Cabot would sprinkle tidbits here and there to connect the dots. And it’s by those connections that the reader is able to care about even the most seemingly despicable characters.

My favorite aspect of this book is the level of suspense that Cabot created. There were mysteries to be solved in Cimarron Creek, but the sense of foreboding in Mesquite Springs was on a whole other level. I made my predictions and was proved wrong time and time again. Cabot’s books are never terribly violent but there was a particular scene that made me gasp. There was definitely more of an edge in this book than the other series. Couple that with the teaser for the next romantic pairing, and I am fully committed to finishing the rest of this series. If you’re impatient like me, go pick up the Cimarron Creek Trilogy to keep you company until book 2 of Mesquite Springs comes out!

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of the Cimarron Creek trilogy, as well as the Texas Crossroads series, the Texas Dreams series, the Westward Winds series, and Christmas Roses. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming.

 

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THREE WINNERS

One Grand Prize Winner: 

Copy of Out of the Embers + Special Hill Country Sweets Cookbook

+$25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card 

Next Two Winners:

Copy of Out of the Embers + Special Hill Country Sweets Cookbook 

+ $10 Starbucks Card

March 10-March 20, 2020

(US ONLY)

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3/10/20	Notable Quotable	Forgotten Winds
3/10/20	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
3/11/20	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
3/11/20	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
3/12/20	Excerpt, Part 1	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
3/12/20	Author Interview	All the Ups and Downs
3/13/20	Character Spotlight	The Clueless Gent
3/13/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
3/14/20	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
3/15/20	Author Interview	Carpe Diem Chronicles
3/16/20	Excerpt, Part 2	That’s What She’s Reading
3/16/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
3/17/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
3/18/20	Excerpt, Part 3	Max Knight
3/19/20	Review	Momma on the Rocks
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Review & Giveaway: Chasing the White Lion by James R. Hannibal

 

CHASING THE WHITE LION

(Talia Inger, Book Two)

by

JAMES R. HANNIBAL

  
Genre: Contemporary Christian / Thriller / Suspense
Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: March 3, 2020

Number of Pages: 384

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Young CIA officer Talia Inger has reconciled with the man who assassinated her father, but that doesn’t mean she wants him hovering over her every move and unearthing the painful past she’s trying to put behind her. Still, she’ll need him–and the help of his star grifter, Valkyrie–if she hopes to infiltrate the Jungle, the first ever crowdsourced crime syndicate, to rescue a group of kidnapped refugee children.

But as Talia and her elite team of thieves con their way into the heart of the Jungle, inching ever closer to syndicate boss the White Lion, she’ll run right up against the ragged edge of her family’s dark past. In this game of cat and mouse, it’s win . . . or die. And in times like that, it’s always good to have someone watching your back.

Former tactical deception officer and stealth pilot James Hannibal takes you deep undercover into the criminal underworld where everyone has an angle, and no one escapes unscathed.

WANT TO BE A REAL HERO?

Want to be a real hero? Compassion International, a real organization fighting child poverty, stars in Chasing the White Lion. By giving hope and a sense of identity to these kids, they’re helping families slam the door on human traffickers. A portion of every book sold will go to support Compassion’s work. You can join the fight simply by buying a copy of Chasing the White Lion.

CLICK TO PURCHASE

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Additional Retailers   

I don’t like to read the synopsis or blurb before I review a book because I don’t want them to color my opinions at all. So when I picked up this copy of Chasing the White Lion by James R. Hannibal I immediately thought, “Ah, a thriller.” What tipped me off? The first thing was the font choice with distress on the stark white letters. The second thing was the city backdrop with glowing red lights that takes up the bottom third of the cover. And lastly, the lion emblem that is sort of cloaked in a smoky black and red backdrop across the top. It is a gorgeous cover that doesn’t even begin to hint at the exciting story that it contains.

 

Within the first few paragraphs, I already knew that Talia Inger was someone that I wanted to be like when I grow up. She’s cool, collected, and brilliant for starters; a certified badass when the bullets start flying. But it’s her interactions with her ragtag Oceans 11-esque team that really did something for me. It takes a heck of a person to not only forgive the man who killed your father, and quite another to be friends with said person and trust them with your life. While Talia is the central character and thus fleshed out more completely than the others, the reader is still able to explore the depths of the book’s secondary characters; specifically Tyler, Finn, and Valkyrie.

 

With the book starting off in Russia, I was surprised when the story jumped over to Thailand in chapter three. Following two small children as they chase a butterfly through the foliage is the calm before the storm – men in military garb are not usually a good sign when you’re in the third world. Particularly, if these men are militias not soldiers. As their storyline progressed via alternating chapters of Talia’s journey, it dawned on me that this book was heading into human trafficking territory and it made my stomach hurt.

Hannibal does a wonderful job of storytelling without gratuitous details. To be honest, I thought I needed it when it came to the action sequences. But as I read on, I realized that I got more from the planning sessions and the need for improvisation when a plan goes awry than my need to know how far the blood sprayed across the room. Perhaps the lack of gore had more to do with the Contemporary Christian label than anything else. At any rate, it gave me a deeper appreciation for the technical aspect of a good thriller book.

Buy this book so that you can help Compassion International. (I love that they are real and doing amazing work!) Read this book because you want to immerse yourself in an exciting and complex story. Share this book with people who love movies like the Oceans and Mission Impossible series, or TV shows like Burn Notice.

 

Former stealth pilot James R. Hannibal is a two-time Silver Falchion Award winner for his Section 13 mysteries for kids and a Thriller Award nominee for his Nick Baron covert ops series for adults. James is a rare multi-sense synesthete, meaning all of his senses intersect. He sees and feels sounds and smells and hears flashes of light. He lives in Houston, Texas.

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GRAND PRIZE: Copy of Both Books in the Talia Inger Series
+ Bookstore Candle + $10 Starbucks Gift Card; 
SECOND PRIZE: Copy of Both Books in the Talia Inger Series
+ $20 Barnes and Noble Gift Card;
THIRD PRIZE: Copy of Both Books in the Talia Inger Series  + $10 Starbucks Gift Card
March 3-13, 2020

(U.S. Only)

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3/3/20	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
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3/5/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
3/6/20	Review	The Clueless Gent
3/6/20	Excerpt	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
3/7/20	Character Interview	Max Knight
3/8/20	Excerpt	All the Ups and Downs
3/9/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
3/9/20	Author Interview	StoreyBook Reviews
3/10/20	Review	Momma on the Rocks
3/11/20	Review	Book Fidelity
3/11/20	Excerpt	That’s What She’s Reading
3/12/20	Review	Hall Ways Blog
3/12/20	Notable Quotable	Sybrina’s Book Blog

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Book Blitz: Bayou City Burning by D. B. Borton

BAYOU CITY BURNING

Harry & Dizzy Lark, Book 1

by

D.B. BORTON

Mystery / Detective / Humor / Historical
Publisher: Boomerang Books

Date of Publication: May 30, 2019

Number of Pages: 390

Houston, 1961: comedy meets mystery and history. It’s hard to be hard-boiled when your biggest fan and worst critic is your twelve-year-old daughter, especially when she’s cracking your case for you and defending you from the bad guys, along with sidekicks human and feline.

Houston is still a cowboy backwater, but Texas politicians dream big. P.I. Harry Lark is out to save the city for President Kennedy’s moon mission. Dizzy Lark is out to save Harry.

Jani Brooks of Romance Reviews Today calls Bayou City Burning “a terrific mystery loaded with humor, lots of excitement, and fascinating, well written characters” and rates it “a Perfect 10 book.”

CLICK TO PURCHASE

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Visit D.B. Borton’s website to read the Prologue, Chapter One, and Chapter Two of Bayou City Burning! 

Click to start reading now!

 

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D. B. Borton is the author of two mystery series—the Cat Caliban series (Berkley, Hilliard and Harris) and the Gilda Liberty series (Fawcett)—as well as the recent novels Second Coming, Smoke, and Bayou City Burning (all from Boomerang Books). She is Professor Emeritus of English at Ohio Wesleyan University.A native Texan, Borton became an ardent admirer of Nancy Drew at a young age. At the age of fourteen, she acquired her own blue roadster, trained on the freeways of Houston and the broad stretches of oil-endowed Texas highway, and began her travels. She also began a lifetime of political activism, working only for political candidates who lost. She left Texas at about the time everyone else arrived.

In graduate school, Borton converted a lifetime of passionate reading and late-night movie-watching into a doctorate in English. She discovered that people would pay her to discuss literature and writing, although not much. But because she found young people interesting and entertaining and challenging, she became a college teacher, and survived many generations of college students. Later, during a career crisis, she discovered that people would pay her to tell stories, although even less than they would pay her to discuss stories written by someone else.

Borton has lived in the Southwest and Midwest, and on the West Coast, where she has planted roses and collected three degrees in English without relinquishing her affection for the ways in which actual speakers constantly reinvent the language to meet their needs. In her spare time, she gardens, practices aikido, studies languages other than English, and, of course, watches movies and reads.

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