Remember the Sistine Chapel?

Remember the Sistine Chapel? 

(No, I am not making this up.) 

The Sistine Chapel, God? 

Yes. 

My brows furrowed as I tried to excavate every fact I know about the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo painted it. And he painted it well. 

Imagine that for a moment. 

So I did. I imagined Michelangelo. Caressing the ceiling with a tiny brush. Making broad swipes across the expanse. Rubbing the crick in his neck and the ache in his back as he let go and let loose one of the pieces of art that causes people to ceiling-stare, wonder, pray.

To read more of my first post as a team writer for More to Be, please click here.

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer ~ A Book Review

When a dressmaker who values beauty tangles with a liveryman who condemns vanity, the sparks begin to fly! 

Summary

Jericho "J.T." Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas's new dressmaker. He's all too familiar with her kind--shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected. 

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man? 

When Hannah decides to help Jericho's sister catch a beau--leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town--will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?

What I Loved

I started reading A Tailor-Made Bride immediately after I finished Head in the Clouds. Though nothing could send Head in the Clouds toppling from it's place at the top of my favorites list, A Tailor-Made Bride certainly catapulted onto that list, as well. 

Just as hysterically funny and well-researched as the other, A Tailor-Made Bride is an engaging read that will leave you thinking about the characters long after you've turned the last page--which in my estimation makes it the best kind of book.

Hannah loves to exercise. She's energetic and I really liked that about her. She's also devoted to her dream, which easily made her a heroine to cheer for! 

Jericho isn't as easy to decipher, but he's male, so I understood that. Witemeyer did an expert job at pulling me inside his point-of-view, though, and making the process tons of fun. 

The love story unfolds like a rose at times and other times whirls like a waterfall. The clashes between the characters made me smile and laugh (I've discovered that the author's witty style has a way of coaxing those reactions from me). Also, the bit of intrigue woven in, though it ended somewhat anticlimactically, certainly added a dash of adventure.

Why I Recommend This Book

I heartily recommend this book to those looking for a light summer read, as well as those who like a snippet of suspense stirred in. The Christian undertones to this book are thought-provoking...I loved how both Jericho and Hannah worked through their prejudices. 

Also, the romance? The book ended too soon, but with a happily-ever-after worthy of a western fairy-tale.

About the Author

Two-time RITA® Finalist and winner of the coveted HOLT Medallion, CBA bestselling author, Karen Witemeyer, writes historical romance fiction for Bethany House, believing that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children. 

Extras

Learn more about Karen and her books by visiting her website.

Read my review of Head in the Clouds.

The Embittered Ruby by Nicole O'Dell ~ A Book Review

 Summary

"There's no place like home..."

"There's no place like home..."

"There's no place like home."

But then reality sets in, and Carmen concludes that ruby slippers are mere fiction. Constant prayers that her parents will patch things up remain unanswered...and her hurtful world becomes too much for her to bear. Trapped by resentment and anger, Carmen lashes out the only way she knows how and soon finds herself at a crossroads. 

Will Carmen find the path to ultimate peace and contentment that her heart longs for? Or will her troubled soul remain forever embittered?

What I Loved

As soon as I finished The Wishing Pearl I knew I wanted to read The Embittered Ruby. 

Nicole O'Dell has a real talent for opening up the heart of a troubled teen girl with serious issues...and helping the reader sympathize with her.

Sometimes I got so mad at Carmen! I just wanted to shake her by the shoulders and tell her to trust God, confide in her parents, and stop acting like she was...but I learned a lot through reading this book, too. 

Like shaking someone by the shoulders is not the best way to drive a truth home.

The things that Carmen goes through aren't often easy to swallow. A few times I put down the book because my heart was breaking for her (and those girls out there who are going through similar experiences). 

But this is a fabulous book of redemption. God's unfailing love, which Carmen eventually comes to know, is a central theme all the way through and that makes this book worth reading. 

Why I Recommend This Book

Carmen's journey is a very raw and real one that will tug at your heartstrings and even bring a few tears. The ending is almost wistful. I wish the book were a bit longer. I would have loved to travel more with Carmen after she accepts God's love for her...but somehow I know she is going to be okay and that is enough.

I look forward to reading the third book in the Diamond Estates Series, The Shadowed Onyx.

About the Author

Nicole O'Dell, founder of Choose NOW Ministries is a youth culture expert, who writes and speaks to preteens, teenagers, and parents about how to prepare for life's tough choices. She is the author of a bunch of YA books, including the popular Scenarios for Girls interactive fiction series and the upcoming Diamond Estates Series, the first of which is The Wishing Pearl. Her non-fiction for teens includes Girl Talk, which she wrote with her two daughters based on their popular blog column by the same name.

The host of Teen Talk Radio where "It's all about choices!", Nicole dives in on topics like peer pressure, dating, purity, drugs, alcohol, modesty, popularity, decisions about the future, and many other things that might come up along the way. Over the years, Nicole has worked as a youth director, a Bible study leader for women and teens, and a counselor at a crisis pregnancy center. She lives in Illinois with her husband, Wil and her six wonderful kids--including a set of toddler triplets.

A sincere thank you to the author for sending me the book to review!

Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland ~ A Book Review

Summary

Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success will help you choose the right type of outline for you, guide you in brainstorming plot ideas, aid you in discovering your characters, show you how to structure your scenes, explain how to format your finished outline, instruct you in how to use your outline when writing the first draft, reveal the benefits of outlining, and dispel the misconceptions.

What I Loved

Intimidated by the thought of plotting out your book or planning a character arc? K.M. Weiland has the answers and they're all neatly compiled in

  Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success. 

This book is chock full of great advice, pithy tips, and expert analysis of what makes outlining work.

One of my favorite additions to this writing how-to book were the author interviews at the end of each chapter. K.M. Weiland asked the same questions of ten different authors. They each gave different answers, proving that the writing road looks different for everyone. What gems of knowledge are found in this book. 

My absolute top favorite part of the book are the checklists found at the end of each chapter. I'm a big fan of to-do lists and having the author provide detailed but doable goals to work toward helped cement in my mind what I'd learned.

Why I Recommend This Book

I recommend this book to all my writing friends. Even those who may not think outlining is for them. Outlining Your Novel is not just about outlining. It's about understanding story structure and character journeys and making sure you've hit all the checkpoints found along the path to a successful novel. I can tell I'll be returning to this book again and again!

About the Author

K.M. Weiland is the author of the historical western A Man Called Outlaw and the medieval epic Behold the Dawn. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her blog Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors, editing services, and her instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration. She lives in western Nebraska.

Extras

Visit the author's site.

The Destiny of A Galaxy by Sarah Holman ~ A Book Review

I have the great honor of writing the summary/back cover copy of Sarah Holman's The Destiny of a Galaxy and now it is time for my stop on the Blog Tour. 


Without further ado, I give you...

The Destiny of a Galaxy

by Sarah Holman

One Girl, One Galaxy, One God…

“I’m just an ordinary girl, thrown into some extraordinary circumstances.”

Time Has Passed…

Three years have come and gone since Maria Morris found the crown jewels and the farmer-boy-prince. The Followers are now going strong. Wyndemere’s empire is cracking at the seams as unrest rises and the Legatee orchestrates the planning of the Rebellion.

Danger Has Not Disappeared...

The overthrow of the tyrannical regime seems imminent, but Maria’s role as the “woman who started it all” is not widely known. So why is she plagued by an ominous foreboding of approaching danger?

Neither Has Hope…

Promise floats in the air, the promise of better lives, of breathing in freedom. Many around her seem to find happiness, even as the tension starts to spiral toward a breaking point. But Maria flounders, feeling unneeded, out of place. She returns to the question: What does Maria Morris want to do with her life? What is her destiny…now?

Rendered Powerless, Maria Must Make A Painful Choice…

One That Will Alter the Future of The Galaxy 
Forever.

When James invites her to headquarters and Maria starts to take seriously her role among The Followers, tragedy strikes and her worst nightmares come true. The enemies she had thought long gone are capable of far more than she imagined. Will she have the courage to stand for what she believes in, no matter the cost to her and those she loves? Will she have the strength to surrender her dreams when all seems lost and she can do nothing at all?

About the Author

Sarah Holman, a homeschool graduate, lives in central Texas. When not pursuing her passion of writing, she can be found taking long walks, reading, sewing or spending time with her family. You can find out more about her at her blog, The Destiny of One. 

How did she begin her writing adventure?

Visit her Amazon author page, where you can find links to each of the books in the Destiny Trilogy.

Connect with Sarah on 

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Extras


Watch the epic trailer!

Read my review of The Destiny of One.

Read my review of The Destiny of a Few and an interview with Sarah!

Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer ~ A Book Review

Summary

Rebekah Hendricks dreams of a life far beyond her family's farm in Oklahoma, and when dashing aviator Arthur Samson promised adventure in the big city, she is quick to believe he's the man she's meant to marry. While she waits for the Great War to end and Arthur to return to her so they can pursue all their plans, her mother's sister falls ill. Rebekah seizes the opportunity to travel to Texas to care for Aunt Adabelle, seeing this chance to be closer to Arthur's training camp as God's approval of her plans.

But the Spanish flue epidemic changes everything. Faced with her aunt's death, Arthur's indecisiveness, and four children who have no one else to care for them, Rebekah is torn between the desire to escape the type of life she's always led and the unexpected love that just might change the dream of her heart.

What I Loved

I'm staring at my copy of the book right now, trying to narrow down exactly what it was that I loved...so many things to choose from! 

I love how Rebekah grows. She seemed to me to be a little shallow at the beginning of the novel, but she travels states to care for the children her aunt was responsible for. 

And she falls in love with the children. I love the children. They were each unique with true-to-childhood voices. I've read books where the children seemed stilted. Wings of a Dream isn't one of them.

I love that Rebekah's story is told in first-person. I've found this is rare in Christian fiction outside of YA, especially historicals. The uniqueness and Rebekah's personality lend itself well to this choice. 

I love how the love story is soft and sweet. This book reminded me of the gentle way of Janette Oke in Love Comes Softly, that quintessential classic romance.

What I Didn't Like As Much

I would have liked to learn a little more about the hero, Frank. But it was enough to see Rebekah falls in love with him without the grand adventuresome fireworks and fanfare she thought she wanted so much. The last line? Oh, I won't spoil it, but it encapsulates her journey just perfectly...

About the Author

 Anne Mateer has loved reading and writing historical fiction since childhood. In 2000, she began studying and working to hone her craft, finally resulting in a publishing contract in May of 2010. Along the way she reached the finals of ACFW's Genesis contest three times and saw her short essay, "Let it Snow", published in A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts.

Anne lives in Texas with her equally history-obsessed husband. They have three children, now in various stages of high school and college, who have spent many a family vacation touring historical sites.

Extras

Visit Anne's blog