First Line Friday - A Sparrow in Terezin

Happy Friday! No more sickies in this house! Woohoo! Looking forward to a fun weekend. Celebrating my new job with my best friend, hanging out with other good friends, having a style show (Premier Designs), and chillin' with the family....And reading...ALWAYS reading!

Today's book is one that I JUST finished. Be on the look out for my review coming next week! 

Always Watching - Elite Guardians Book 1 - Lynette Eason

My Rating

★★★★ - You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. (More Info)

About the Book

When it becomes clear that popular psychiatrist and radio personality Wade Savage has a stalker, his father secretly hires Elite Guardians in order to protect his son. But when Wade's bodyguard is attacked and nearly killed, agency owner Olivia Edwards must step in and fill the gap. 

Olivia's skills are about to be tested to the limit as Wade's stalker moves from leaving innocent gifts at his door to threatening those closest to him--including Olivia. But in her mind, even more dangerous than the threats to her life is the hold her handsome client has on her heart. (from Goodreads)

First Line Friday - Across the Blue

Happy Friday! Not gonna lie...It has been quite the week here...New adventures...sick kiddo (and husband)...lots of reading...and crazy weather...Rain, snow, rain, snow, wind. So I am REALLY excited for the weekend...rest and quiet..I hope. Prayers appreciated that myself and kiddo #2 don't get sick...

The Beginning of New Adventures

Recharge

Photo from Pixabay

As most of you know, I recently took a month long break to refresh and refocus my goals. What you MAY not know, is that I also spent 2 weeks in the Caribbean in December. The husband and I went on our first REAL vacation together. A cruise to the Southern Caribbean and WOW! It was incredible!!! One of the highlights was that we made some amazing friends from England! We spent loads of time laughing at the way we say words differently, comparing customs and traditions, and planning our next vacation together (in England of course). 

It just goes to show that you never know who will cross your path and the doors that will be laid out for you. 

(Pictures will be coming as soon as I sort through all 1,500 of them haha!)

New Adventures

I absolutely love reading and reviewing books! However, about a year ago I had to sit down and ask myself, "What do I want to do with this reviewing thing?" And I decided then, and it has become my heart's prayer, that I wanted to be a virtual assistant for authors. I want to build relationship, encourage, serve, learn from, and create more time for the author to actually spend time doing what God has called them to do....Write.

In March 2017 that dream began to take form. I became Pepper D. Basham's Virtual Assistant and have been loving every aspect of the job. We have both been learning the ropes of what it means to be a VA and work together as a team even though we are on opposite sides of the country. A couple months ago I jumped in to help Meghan Gorecki out with her upcoming release Amongst the Roses (coming April 2018). A year ago I never imagined where God would lead me...straight into the position as Roseanna M. White's Virtual Assistant. Yes, you read that right. I am officially employed by THE Roseanna M. White...I am still in shock! I am so honored to have been chosen for this position and I can not wait to begin this new adventure. 

However, due to increasing responsibilities, I will be cutting back a bit on the blog/reviewing so that I can focus on my positions as a VA and my Premier Designs Jewelry Business. Not to mention homeschooling my Kindergartner...

I will NOT stop reading, and as such, I WILL always review the books I read (because my brain might explode if I even attempted to skip writing a review). But this year I am going to focus on the teams I am already on and my review requests are currently turned off...And make some headway on my TBR list that has been increasing in size everyday. 

I can not express how much I love and appreciate my readers! And thank you for the GRACE and the ENCOURAGEMENT! 

-Rachel

The Butterfly and the Violin - Hidden Masterpiece Book 1 - Kristy Cambron

My Rating

★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul. (More Info)

About the Book

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. (From Goodreads)

My Thoughts

Set during one of the most horrific times in human history, be prepared for an emotional and heart wrenching journey to Auschwitz. 

Kristy Cambron has long been a favorite of mine. However, I have only now had the opportunity to read her debut novel. And I was blown away! The depth of emotion, the spiritual journey that all of the characters undergo, the style of writing is all so beautiful. Kristy's voice is unique and stands out among the masses of WWII novels. She brings to life the love, hope, despair, and passion of history on every page. 

It is always hard for me to read stories set in WWII. Especially inside the concentration camps. But while the characters in thus book may not have "actually" lived, they are birthed from true events. I believe these stories are important for us to read. So that we never forget those who lost their lives and so we can see the HOPE and the LOVE that carried the world through one of its darkest times. 

The split timeline is an aspect of this book that gives it a unique and completed feel. We get to see the story come full circle and that is incredible. This is very well done and very easy to follow. 

If you read WWII fiction, you will fall in love with this book. I highly recommend and am off to start A Sparrow in Terezín now. 

I have purchased this book, won a print copy, and for this specific review, I borrowed the audio book from my library. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the Author

KRISTY CAMBRON has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. She is the bestselling author of The Ringmaster’s Wife, named to Publishers Weekly Spring 2016 Religion & Spirituality TOP 10. Her novels have been named to Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books and RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards Best lists for 2014 & 2015, and received a 2015 INSPY Awards nomination for best debut novel. The Illusionist’s Apprentice (HarperCollins, 2017) is her fourth novel. Her first Bible study DVD and study guides, The Verse Mapping series, will release in 2018.

Kristy holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University, and has 15 years experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation. She loves storytelling from the stage and travels to speak about her love for Bible Verse Mapping throughout the year. Kristy lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

The last and most important thing? Jesus Christ is everything — let her tell you about Him sometime. 

Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Website

Books by Kristy Cambron on Bookworm Mama

Many thanks to Canva for providing an AMAZING program for me to design all these beautiful graphics. Book covers, publisher/tour logos, and author pictures not owned by me. All other graphics created by Bookworm Mama with public domain photos on Canva unless stated otherwise. 

Book Spotlight - Love Held Captive - Shelley Shepard Gray

About the Book

After the War Between the States, a Confederate officer longs to heal the heart of a beautiful woman—but first he’ll have to right the wrongs that were done to her.

Major Ethan Kelly has never been able to absolve himself of the guilt he feels for raiding a woman’s home shortly before he was taken prisoner during the Civil War. He is struggling to get through each day until he once again crosses paths with Lizbeth Barclay—the very woman he is trying to forget.

Life after the war is not much different for former Captain Devin Monroe until he meets Julianne VanFleet. He knows she is the woman he’s been waiting for, but he struggles to come to terms with the sacrifices she made to survive the war.

When Ethan and Devin discover that their former colonel, Adam Bushnell, is responsible for both Lizbeth’s and Julianne’s pain, they call on their former fellow soldiers to hunt him down. As the men band together to earn the trust of the women they love, Lizbeth and Julianne seek the justice they deserve in a country longing to heal.

I received a complimentary copy of Love Held Captive from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the Author

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in Loveland, Ohio, where she writes full time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Facebook // Pinterest // Twitter // Website

First Line Fridays - The Saturday Night Supper Club

Are your Christmas decorations still up? Mine are...Mostly because I was gone for 2 weeks in December and didn't get a chance to enjoy them for very long.....OK, ok...and I just don't feel like putting them away yet! Haha! What are you reading this weekend? I am going to be diving into Carla Laureano's upcoming release. Please note this is from the ARC, not the final copy. This book is one of only a select few contemporary books that I have on my review list for this year.

Today’s first line is from...

The Saturday Night Supper Club
by Carla Laureano

GOODREADS | AMAZON

Three hours into Saturday night dinner service and she was already running on fumes.

Love the setting for this book! Can't wait to share my review with you.

Comment below with your first line and head over to Hoarding Books to link up with your own FLF post!

A Song Unheard + GIVEAWAY! - Roseanna M. White - On Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Title: A Song Unheard  

Author: Roseanna M. White  

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction  

Release Date: January 2, 2018

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I—to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales. Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he’s won—until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father’s work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe. But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn’t—that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Review

 "Fiction is truth...in a pretty wrapping." (More Info)

My Thoughts

Roseanna's books continue to completely blow my mind! Filled with so much heart-wrenching, heart-stopping, heart-melting events that it literally takes DAYS to recover. My poor heart can't handle any more at the moment. That being said...YOU NEED TO READ THIS SERIES!!! (Start with Book One, A Name Unknown) Set during the beginning of World War I we see a different side of the war than what we may be used to. The Belgium Orchestra Relief Fund...Based in Wales. So.Much.Music! I LOVE it!!! 

One of the aspects of this story that struck me in the heart, is the fact that God KNOWS us. And He will speak to us in a unique and individual way that will grip our heart and MEAN SOMETHING to us. For me personally, God uses books, songs, art, and dance...pretty much anything in the 'arts'...to speak life and truth into my life. For Willa...well...you will have to wait and see.

Lukas and Willa create the perfect romantic tension and reminds us that no one is beyond saving. I absolutely adore Margot (Lukas's sister) and am so glad that we also get to see this story from her perspective in Brussels. Her brilliant mind and unique gift for "puzzles" adds a whole different layer to the story. It just goes to show, that when God has given us a gift, there are numerous ways that we can use it to help others and glorify Him.

If you love romance, mystery, history, and have a soft spot for music...You will fall in love with Lukas, Margot, and Willa and her "family" in a heartbeat. 

I received a complimentary copy of A Song Unheard from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.  

About the Author

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

Guest post from Roseanna White

I started playing the piano when I was 7. I didn’t discover any long-dormant genius or anything, but I liked it. When my sister quit, I kept playing. In middle school, I switched teachers, and moving from the lady at my church that I knew so well to someone who was just my piano teacher made a difference in how I applied myself. It deepened my love of music. We all know how some random moments stand out forever in our memory. One such for me happened on the school bus. I was sitting with my best friend, talking about the new piano piece I was learning. “Via Delorosa” means Road of Sorrow, and it’s a song that tells musically about Jesus’ journey to Golgotha—ending with the faint chime of the nails being driven into his palms. As my beloved Mrs. Peto went through this song with me the night before, I remember her circling a D♯ that I’d missed and saying how important that note was. That it made the whole line weep. That it would make the hearers weep. An epiphany so huge I had to share it with my friend. A well placed sharp could make music weep! Who knew? That was but one lesson Mrs. Peto taught me in how music could evoke things words never could. A woman of strong faith, she also taught me how a song could preach the Gospel. Music can be medicine. It can be hope. It can be tears. It can be truth. Music can be Jesus to a hurting heart that turns its back on words. This is a lesson I never forgot, and I had it always in mind as I was writing A Song Unheard. In this story, both my hero and heroine are musicians—violinists. But Willa (who is SO STUBBORN) wouldn’t listen to words of faith from any of the people in her life “suddenly spouting such nonsense.” But then, in her darkest hour, she hears a slip of melody. And she realizes it’s the Lord. I pray as readers move through the story of Willa Forsythe—violin prodigy and top-notch thief—that their spirits’ ears hear more than words, more than just a story. I pray they hear the Lord whispering that ultimate song. The one that says, “I love you.” Want to hear the song Willa eventually wrote in the book? You can! The violin music in this trailer is officially dubbed “Willa’s Song” and written specifically for this book. I hope you enjoy it!

A Song Unheard ~ Book Trailer from WhiteFire TV on Vimeo.

Blog Stops

Fiction Aficionado, January 11

History, Mystery & Faith, January 11

Genesis 5020, January 11

Bookworm Mama, January 11

A Simply Enchanted Life, January 11

Avid Reader Book Reviews, January 12

Reflections From My Bookshelves, January 12

Blogging With Carol, January 12

Multifarious, January 12

proud to be an autism mom, January 12

Faithfully Bookish, January 13

Christian Bookaholic, January 13

Karen Sue Hadley, January 13

Mary Hake, January 13

A Greater Yes, January 13

Remembrancy, January 14

Blossoms and Blessings, January 14

Just the Write Escape, January 14

Connie's History Classroom, January 14

Texas Book-aholic, January 14

A Reader's Brain, January 15

Rachel's Back Talk, January 15

Smiling Book Reviews, January 15

Cordially Barbara, January 15

Pursuing Stacie, January 15

The Fizzy Pop Collection, January 16

Kat's Corner Books, January 16

The Artist Librarian, January 16

D'S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 16

Bigreadersite, January 16

Mommynificent, January 17

Seasons of Opportunities, January 17

Moments Dipped in Ink, January 17

Baker Kella, January 17

Black ‘n’ Gold Girl’s Book Spot, January 17

God's Little Bookworm, January 18

allofakindmom, January 18

The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate, January 18

Inklings and notions, January 18

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, January 18

Pause for Tales, January 19

Have A Wonderful Day, January 19

Just Commonly, January 19

Bibliophile Reviews , January 19

Janices book reviews, January 19

Radiant Light, January 20

The Power of Words , January 20

Book by Book, January 20

CAC Devourer, January 20

Jeanette's Thoughts, January 20

Splashes of Joy, January 21

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, January 21

Neverending Stories, January 21

Faery Tales Are Real, January 21

A Baker's Perspective, January 21

margaret kazmierczak, January 22

The PhD Mamma, January 22

Cafinated Reads, January 22

Daysong Reflections, January 22

Romances of the Cross, January 23

Purposeful Learning, January 23

Rachel Scott McDaniel, January 23

Carpe Diem, January 23

Simple Harvest Reads, January 23 (Guest Post from Mindy Houg)

Kaylee's Kind Of Writes, January 24

Henry Happens, January 24

Joy of Reading, January 24

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 24

Raining Butterfly Kisses, January 24

To celebrate her tour, Roseanna is giving away a Grand Prize Package of a signed copy of the book as well as a lovely album of soothing songs based on the Scriptures called Hidden in My Heart (winner’s choice of CD or digital download)!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c72a