Posted Tuesday, 17 October, 2017 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Evonne Wareham, What Happens at Christmas 2 Comments
If your a regular reader or frequent visitor of Jorie Loves A Story, you know I’ve been smitten with the novelists who publish their relationship-based Romances with ChocLitUK for a good two years now! I love being on the cusp of learning about a ‘new release’ whilst I remain patient to see if the Digital First new ChocLit novel will make it to a print release further down the road of it’s lifetime. I don’t mind the gaps between the ebooks and the print editions – as it’s always given me the pleasure of balancing my ‘next ChocLit reads’ to include both Front List and Back List offerings. Thus, I am enjoying being a member of the Reveal Team at ChocLit whilst it gives me a chance to introduce my readers to a variety of sub-genres within Romance I appreciate picking up to read!
In July, I was happy to share a new Cover and story by Ms Wareham, whilst today I am equally as excited to share with you the NEWS of her new Christmas story which is a different kind of story from the traditional set-up! I believe, this is partially what whet a thirst of curiosity for me to want to read it – as I typically settle into a pattern of reading Christmastide Roms or holiday dramas set round the holiday season I love so dearly much – finding myself wicked off through time and space – hobnobbing into different eras of time and travelling into different areas of the world, where the traditions change as readily as the scenery!
It isn’t oft I find myself cheering on a ‘Suspense’ set during Christmas – as I have the tendency of liking to see a happy resolution after a holiday reading — but this one! Ooh, my! The set-up alone is an intriguing one – but it’s also how it’s rounded to be a classic in the making by how people who attempt to cause change in their lives might end up with more than they expect in the end! I also liked the ‘elsewhere’ bits – where you find the lead stranded in a place he doesn’t know well and hasn’t a clue when he is going to re-enter his regular life.
When I was helping select the art for the cover, one thing I felt was important was the desolation and the ‘stranded’ concept of being quite a far distance away from people or places. The reason I liked this cover best is because it preludes to where you can be ‘placed’ against your will, with the closest person near you being the person who ‘trapped’ you without anything else to give you the hope your trying to hold onto of being ‘found’ and thereby set free.
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Posted Tuesday, 17 October, 2017 by jorielov in 21st Century, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover Reveal, Book Spotlight, ChocLitUK, Indie Author, Modern Day, Romance Fiction
Posted Monday, 16 October, 2017 by jorielov Chris Ledbetter, Month9Books, The Sky Throne 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I have been aware of the publisher Month9Books for quite a few years now, as I used to host their Reveals & other special tours – even interviewing a lovely batch of their authors as books released I felt I would appreciate reading. However, in truth – I have only read two releases by them (as of yet) and this one marked an interest as it is a gateway into Greek Mythology. I received a complimentary copy of “The Sky Throne” direct from the author Chris Ledbetter in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Ahead of my review, I asked a topic of interest for Mr Ledbetter:
How did you conceive of the ‘the Sky Throne’ and how did you best want to endeavour to describe the power of the Gods previously only generally known through Myth and Legends? How did you want your story to stand separate and together from the legacy of what has already been written?
Since I primarily write for the young adult audience, I ultimately wanted to tell an “origin” story that re-imagined the deities of ancient Hellas as teenagers. From that genesis point, I had to decide which myth to begin with. One of the most well known myths is that of Kronos eating his children to prevent a prophecy from coming true. This is a huge cornerstone of the Hellenic gods’ creation myth as told in Hesiod’s Theogony.
From there, I had to choose which deity I’d focus on as the main character. Even though the number of myths containing each deity varies widely, from a source material perspective, I love each of the Olympians. But I’ve always been drawn to Zeus strictly from the lightning and thunder aspect of things. And because he’s the king of the Gods. I realize the myths paint him as a bit of a sordid character… and I’m not excusing his colorful behavior in the myths, but I sought to create a more sympathetic version, while still remaining generally true to his essence. He is indeed one of the most dynamic figures in myths.
After I’d conceived the story concept, I tried to describe their otherworldly powers and abilities as if they were super heroes and heroines. In many ways, the Gods of pantheons past were our first super heroes and villains.
In the marketplace, there was a plethora of young adult titles in which the main character was a half blood, demigod child of an ancient god. I wanted to go to the source and tell the story of the deities themselves. That’s what separates The Sky Throne from its peers.
Notation on Cover Art: I personally love the image of Zeus which is not only gracing the cover but it is inclusive to every ‘chapter’ page within the novel! There is simply something quite striking about this representation of Zeus and it stays with you as you read the story!
The Sky Throne
Source: Author via iRead Book Tours
Duality dwells at every turn, and an adolescent Zeus will learn that all too well when Hyperion attacks his family on Crete.
When the dust settles, his mother is unconscious and his best friend left for dead.
Stacking epic insult upon fatal injury, Zeus discovers the woman who raised him is not his biological mother. But to ensure her safety while she recovers, a heavy-hearted Zeus leaves her behind to seek answers at Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia.
Zeus embarks on a quest to discover who ordered the attack on his home, avenge the death of his friend, and find his birth mother. When some of his new schoolmates vanish, Zeus's quest is turned upside down, and the only way to make things right is to access the power of The Sky Throne, confront a most dangerous enemy, and take his life back.
On his way to becoming king of the Greek gods, Zeus will learn to seize power, neutralize his enemies, and fall in love.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781945107870
on 18th April, 2017
Pages: 311
Published by: Month9Books (@Month9Books)
Converse via: #Zeus, #GreekMythos + #CleanReads + #YALit
About Chris Ledbetter
Chris Ledbetter is an award-winning author of short fiction and novels for young adults. “Jason’s Quest,” a short story retelling of the Jason and Medea Greek myth was published in the anthology, Greek Myths Revisited. His first full-length novel, Drawn earned him two awards, Library of Clean Reads Best YA 2015 and Evernight Publishing Readers’ Choice Award Best YA 2015, as well as a USA
TODAY “Must Read” recommendation. His second novel, Inked, concludes that duology. The Sky Throne is his newest young adult novel. The second book in the series is set to release in 2018.
He's a proud member of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and a strong supporter of the Need for Diverse Books. He now writes and lives in Wilmington, NC with his family, including three cats.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest
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Posted Monday, 16 October, 2017 by jorielov in After the Canon, Alternative History, Ancient Civilisation, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Brothers and Sisters, Coming-Of Age, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Content Note, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Equality In Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Folklore and Mythology, Gods & Goddesses, Good vs. Evil, Greece, Greek Mythology, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Heroic Fantasy, Indie Author, Inspired by Stories, iRead Book Tours, Literature for Boys, Mother-Son Relationships, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Mythological Societies, Parapsychological Gifts, Quantum | Mechanics Physics Theory, Re-Told Tales, School Life & Situations, Science, Science Fiction, Shapeshifters, Siblings, Speculative Fiction, Superhero Adventure, Superhero Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Teacher & Student Relationships, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, Transfer Student at School, Upper YA Fiction, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction
Posted Sunday, 15 October, 2017 by jorielov 31 Men of the Bible, BH Publishing Group, Holman Bible Staff 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: This marks my entrance into the B&H Publishing Blogger programme which I had attempted to start participating in last Autumn, shortly ahead of November. I was enthused by their support of book bloggers and the choices we had of books to review – as similar to the format for Blogging for Books, you can pick and choose the frequency of your participation as well as the types of stories you want to receive. They mostly feature works of Non-Fiction – from Religious Studies to Self-Help or Reflection. This review marks my ‘return’ as a blogger for B&H Publishing and begins my path seeking out the collective works they are publishing. I received a complimentary copy of the “31 Men of the Bible” direct from the publisher B&H Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why this particular title was of interest to read:
On Thursday, the 12th of October, I shared my first review by B&H Publishing: ‘Dancing Through Life’ by Candace Cameron Bure which was requested ahead of the Bloggers Program being active through this publisher. Last year, I requested my first book to review as a new blogger attached to the program ‘31 Men of the Bible’ as a continual reading queue of getting to know the ‘people’ of the Bible through collective works of hearing their stories – either in Narrative Non-Fiction, Biblical Historical Fiction or Topical Subjects in Christian Non-Fiction wherein I would learn more about these individuals who lived an epoch ago.
I’ve been focusing on the ‘women’ moreso than the men, as you will read my murmurings of those readings thus far afield on my ruminations of ‘Successful Women of the Bible’ (by Hachette Books) and ‘Scripture Princesses’ (by Cedar Fort Publishing). I also have a follow-up to the title by Hachette Books called: ‘Successful Leaders of the Bible’ which I will be sharing lateron this month. What inspired me to read this collection of ‘stories’ is how this text felt comparatively researched – where the knowledge of who the men were and their relevancy to today’s audience would be rightly justified. I think one of the hardest bridges to cross in our world of faith is understanding how these people lived and what they experienced as the time between ‘their reality’ and ours is as wide as the Grand Canyon temporally speaking!
I reached out to B&H Publishing ahead of publishing this review, to update them on my status of the two books I had from them and to explain the girth of time which had elapsed since I contacted them. The past year has been a unique one as you dear hearts kindly are aware of – but to put into a concise explanation and explain why I couldn’t fully finish these books sooner than now took a bit of time to work through. I wasn’t even sure if I could say in the Blogger Program and was most relieved when I received their reply – they said simply to start ‘anew’ if I paraphrase their fuller response, which was overwhelming kind of them! Therefore, after I posted this review, I hopped back into their Blogger Portal to see what I could find – as my second choice as one of their bloggers! Here’s to new beginnings!
31 Men of the Bible
Subtitle: Who They Were and What We Can Learn from Them Today
Source: Direct from Publisher
31 Men of the Bible features 31 profiles of important men in the Bible. Each profile includes the related scripture reference, character summary, and application questions to help the reader discover who these men were and what we can learn from them today.
Featuring a full-color interior with illustrations on every page and a unique concise format, this book can be used for daily study or carried in a briefcase or backpack for reading on the go. Features Include: 31 profiles of important men in the Bible with life application questions.
Full-color interior with illustrations on every page. Ideal for daily study or reading on the go. Concise format that is easy to carry and fits well in a brief case or backpack. Study tool that provides a greater understanding of important men in the Bible.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781433644450
on 1st October, 2016
Pages: 144
Published By: B&H Publishing Group (@BHpub)
Available Formats: Hardback, Ebook and Audiobook (Digital & CD)
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Posted Sunday, 15 October, 2017 by jorielov in Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Brothers and Sisters, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Lessons from Scripture, Memoir, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Motherhood | Parenthood, Non-Fiction, Siblings, Vignettes of Real Life
Posted Friday, 13 October, 2017 by jorielov FaithWords, Hachette Book Group Inc., Karen Valentin, The Mother God Made Me To Be 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am a reviewer for Hachette Books and their imprints, where I started reading titles by FaithWords which is their INSPY (Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction) imprint of releases focusing on uplifting and spiritual stories which are a delight to read whilst engaging your mind in life affirming and heart-centered stories. I found Hachette via Edelweiss at the conclusion of [2015] and have been wicked happy I can review for their imprints Grand Central Publishing, FaithWords & Center Street.
I received a complimentary copy of “The Mother God Made Me To Be” direct from the publisher FaithWords (an imprint of Hachette Book Group Inc.) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why I have been purposely seeking out titles like this one:
As you might have noticed, every so often I focus on stories of motherhood & mumhood – which can be seen on the reading schedule I have for #20BooksOfAutumn (previously known as #20BooksOfSummer) as well as the stories you’ll find in my Story Vault. I take an active glance at emerging Fiction & Non-Fiction for stories of motherhood as I’m a Prospective Adoptive Mum (which I talked a bit about whilst reviewing ‘Red Thread Sisters’). I enjoy finding wicked good real and fictional stories which focus positively on Adoption &/or Foster Care whilst appreciating motherhood from more traditional angles as well.
When I first read the synopsis for this memoir, I felt led to read it because something about this woman’s story felt it was meant for me to read it. You might know what I’m talking about – readers have a built in sixth sense about the stories they feel motivated to read. This is one of those for me – in truth, every story I’ve blogged about these past four years I felt were ones I should be reading at one point in time or another – as being a book blogger is a walk of faith in of itself. Yet, on a personal note – I felt inspired by the small bits of this mother’s journey I knew about ahead of reading her fuller story and I wanted to be fully engrossed inside the rest of it. This is why I requested this for review – because I felt inspired even before I opened the book to the first page!
The Mother God Made Me To Be
Subtitle: My journey from newlywed, to mother of two, to single mom - trying to heal - and become the mother God made me to be.
Karen lived an adventurous single life but longed for a family of her own. After years of maintaining her vow of purity and waiting for a man who shared her Christian faith, she fell in love with her best friend and co-worker. They married. She bore two sons. They divorced.
With humor, honesty and raw emotion, Valentin tells her story of wrestling between God's will and her own, with visions of happily ever after. In the midst of her weakness and grief, she experiences God's strength and restoration like never before. Through her family and friends, mission workers, the pastor of Graffiti Church, and her two beautiful boys, God turns her ashes to beauty and her sorrow into joy.
THE MOTHER GOD MADE ME TO BE contains a discussion guide for book clubs and church groups.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781455539871
on 5th September, 2017
Pages: 192
Published by: FaithWords (@FaithWords)
an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc. (@HachetteBooks) via Hachette Nashville
Formats Available: Trade Paperback, Hardback & Ebook
Converse via: #NonFiction, #INSPY, #Christian
About Karen Valentin
KAREN VALENTIN is an American born writer who is proud of her Puerto Rican heritage. Her books--ranging from narrative, to YA fiction and children's--have been published by Doubleday Religious, Judson, Harlequin and JustUs/Kensington. She is a graduate of Fordham University and taught English as a second language in France. An avid traveler who speaks English, Spanish and French, she resides in New York City with her two little boys.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Posted Friday, 13 October, 2017 by jorielov in Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Review (non-blog tour), Cliffhanger Ending, Equality In Literature, FaithWords, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Fly in the Ointment, Journal, Life Shift, Memoir, Mental Health, Midwife | Midwifery, Mother-Son Relationships, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Non-Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Siblings, Sociological Behavior, Vignettes of Real Life
Posted Thursday, 12 October, 2017 by jorielov (with) Erin Davis, BH Publishing Group, Candace Cameron Bure, Dancing Through Life: Steps of Courage and Conviction 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: It’s an interesting story, as I crossed paths with B&H Publishing Marketing Director Jesse Wisnewski via Twitter wherein we had this conversation about Ms Bure. I coordinated with Brandon Taylor their Events Specialist on requesting a copy of “Dancing Through Life” Ms Bure’s latest memoir which picks up her life’s story after being featured on “Dancing with the Stars”; a chapter of her life I happily watched with other viewers as the episodes aired. I received a complimentary copy of the “Dancing Through Life” direct from the publisher B&H Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
I, too, grew up watching Ms Bure on television:
Full House was one of the sitcoms I watched as a child of the 80s/90s who arrived in the latter half of the 70s – it was an honest and feel-good series becoming a part of my weekly line-up to watch. After the conclusion of the series, I kept my eye on Candace Cameron, as I appreciated the roles she took as she started to transition into her adult acting years. Including, a few realistic tv movies where she took on courageous roles showing a dramatic side rather than a comic one; in particular, it was her role in She Cried No opposite Mark Paul Gosselaar and Jenna von Oÿ which re-defined her acting style, as all three actors I grew up watching in different tv serials.
When she started to make appearances on the Hallmark Channel, I was smiling to myself as I knew it was a good place for her to sprout her wings into different Romantic comedies and possibly other roles where I knew she would shine; including the Christmas movies of which my family adores re-watching each holiday season! Especially as Hallmark Channel is one of the few channels who still offer wholesome and family oriented new films each Christmas season (Lifetime does too, but not as much as they did in previous years). I remember the night I watched Aurora Teagarden, realising how much I would miss seeing her regularly as at the time I didn’t have access to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries – it was a turn of change for me to realise Hallmark would not air their new mysteries on their main channel; as I have fond memories of prior mysteries series: Mystery Woman, McBride, and Jane Doe respectively. I hadn’t foreseen a Summer of lightning storms which would cripple my ability to blog and tweet would lead to a change in ISP providers which would lend an option to gain a few channels on cable I never had previously! Hence how two years ago in the Autumn, I was able to ‘catch-up’ on Aurora Teagarden and all the other lovelies I had missed!
I love when you could see her bubbly personality shining through the characters, and even if she was being more ‘serious’ in one role or another, you still have the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries which I think fits her quite well, as Aurora has a quiet innocence about her mixed with intelligent dexterity; just like Ms Bure.
However, I’m getting away from what I wanted to say — like most watchers of #DWTS (Dancing with the Stars) you develop a bit of a love/hate relationship with the show. It’s not the contestants fault, it’s the way in which the commentary reflects on behalf of the judges that taints the show for me, which is why I have skipped installments of the show and picked/chosen which episodes per cast I have watched. When Ms Bure took her journey, it was a season I opted to watch irregardless of my past feelings about the show as a whole. In part, due to the fact Ms Bure was on the show and partially due to the fact, at heart I love the show for pushing people to try something radically different and step into a confidence they never knew they could excel at showing to the public.
I love the challenge of #DWTS and I love the choreography of the professional dancers who teach the celebrities! They combine modern Top Forty favourites with classic choices of the musical past, combining artistry with movement in such beautiful displays of art and creativity that I’m left mesmerised by what I have witnessed on camera. Seeing Ms Bure’s journey evolve over the course of her time on the show, I saw a story emerging out of everything she was facing and achieving. Part of me wondered if I might one day learn the ‘hidden story’ behind the show itself and the truer impact of her time dancing live for the public eye she grew up on so very long ago.
Imagine my happy delight in realising Dancing Through Life is the story I knowingly knew existed but hadn’t yet knew was a published memoir! It was with great joy to find her publisher willing to send a copy to an inquisitive book blogger who wanted to read this installment of her life for review.
View a collage of Ms Bure and Mark Ballas via their DWTS photos uploaded to Twitter via this link, as it’s a lovely complied journalling of their journey seen through photographs of their time on the show. Since their season aired, there are more photos on this streamed search option but you can still find the pictures of their time on DWTS.
A beautiful photograph of the memoir shared via Twitter:
Dancing Through Life
Subtitle: Steps of Courage and Conviction
by Candace Cameron Bure
Source: Direct from Publisher
Candace Cameron Bure has grown up before our eyes and we've watched as she's balanced life in Hollywood with her Christian faith. But the spotlight became even brighter when she competed on Dancing with the Stars . It was a dream come true, and with that dream came the opportunity to display her personal convictions in front of millions of people on live television and to learn lessons crucial for everyone - on stage and off.
Join Candace as she reflects on the self-discovery that came through leaping out of her comfort zone. Go behind the scenes and experience the highs and lows, the roadblocks, and the personal victories. Hear straight from her heart on tough lessons she learned about grace, rejection, perfectionism, disappointment, accountability, dealing with criticism, and more. See how Candace stayed true to herself and publicly lived her faith in Christ all the way to the finale.
How do you stand with conviction in your world? Where does your courage come from when faced with difficulties? Your stage probably isn't in Hollywood or on live television, but they are no less challenging. Come along with Candace as she shares how she found the courage to stand with conviction on one of the largest platforms of her life.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781433686948
Series: Bure Memoirs
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 224
Published By: B&H Publishing Group (@BHpub)
Available Formats: Trade Paperback, Ebook and Audiobook (Digital & CD)
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Posted Thursday, 12 October, 2017 by jorielov in Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Brothers and Sisters, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Lessons from Scripture, Memoir, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Motherhood | Parenthood, Non-Fiction, Siblings, Vignettes of Real Life
