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Showing posts with label Tamera Alexander. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tamera Alexander. Show all posts

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Review: Remembered, Fountain Creek Chronicles #3

Remembered (Fountain Creek Chronicles, book #3) Remembered by Tamera Alexander

A touching historical romance set in Colorado of a woman searching for her father and finding love on the journey. Fountain Creek Chronicles, Book 3.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was the best of the trilogy. Really in this series, each book was better and better. A companion whose only thing she has ever lacked was a father goes in a forced search to find him when it seems all else is lost to her. She finds everything that she was meant to find, even when she did not realize that is what she was looking for. This story tells of patience, learning God's will and His timing, love, loss, friendship, fears, and the gift of giving. It is all around a great read.

View all my reviews >>


Review: Revealed, Fountain Creek Chronicles #2

Revealed (Fountain Creek Chronicles, book #2) Revealed by Tamera Alexander

Annabelle Grayson has been given a second chance at life, but she can't claim it with the cloud of her past hanging over her in Willow Springs. After her husband dies, she advertises for a trail guide to accompany her to land waiting for her in Idaho-and a most unlikely candidate applies for the job. Matthew Taylor is a man on the run, with consequences of past mistakes pursuing him at every turn. Meeting Annabelle Grayson the first time was unpleasant enough, but when she crosses his path again, her presence in his life-and what she reveals-is devastating. If given a single wish, Matthew would turn back time and right a grievous wrong. If given a second wish, he would make Annabelle Grayson pay.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is completely about forgiveness. It is a sequel, but is about a completely different character and could stand on it's own. Everyone has a past, but more importantly everyone has a future. Here the author has made two very different people come to an understanding of each and it is beautiful to see God working in people's hearts and souls. I strongly recommend this book to anyone in particular, but especially to someone who is holding a grudge that they just cannot let go of, either to someone else, or more importantly to themselves. I know I can find a way to relate. I'm sure you can too.

View all my reviews >>

RITA Award 2007 Best Inspirational Romance


Review: Rekindled, Fountain Creek Chronicles #1

Rekindled (Fountain Creek Chronicles, Book #1) Rekindled by Tamera Alexander

Left for dead, Larson Jennings returns home badly burned. His obviously pregnant wife Kathryn is losing their ranch. Disfigured beyond recognition to most-Larson is determined to save his family. Fountain Creek Chronicles book 1.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars (review written in 2007)
I read this all in one day in two sittings. Well to be honest, it's now 5:22am... so just over one day. :) If you liked Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love or Tracie Peterson's Yukon Quest then you are sure to love this little novel. Heartbreaking struggle from both ends of a marriage to make things work in the best of times and worst of times with a second chance is just fabulous. A great read!

View all my reviews >>


Friday, April 10, 2009

Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander: a review

Beyond This Moment (Timber Ridge Reflections, Book 2) Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander

When Dr. Molly Whitcomb, Professor of Romance Languages, steps off the train in Colorado Territory, she makes a choice--one that goes against everything she stands for. Yet it's the only choice that offers her a chance to regain a fraction of all she's lost.

Sheriff James McPherson's instincts about people rarely miss the mark. He knows Professor Whitcomb is hiding something. He just doesn't know what. When James learns Molly's secret, his own reputation is undermined. But when Molly Whitcomb's reinvented life begins to unravel, it threatens his job, the stability of Timber Ridge, and what he always knew to be true about himself.


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
Reading the back cover blurb for the book a reader knows that the main character Molly Whitcomb has a secret that is reputation-ruin worthy. After reading the first chapter a reader knows what that secret is. I am quite certain there will be some readers who will give up right there on this book, but oh how I wish you would not.



This is not a story about making mistakes and moving on with life. This is a story about being a fallible human and living with it. There are times in life where your insides are screaming to just let this moment be gone, or just to be "beyond the moment". Yet, our heavenly Father knows what is best for us.



This novel is a sequel, but is quite a stand alone. It is powerful and edgy and really pushes the limits of your conscience and what-if scenarios. I highly recommend this read as one to deepen your heart and convictions and see the inside of some people you might have just ignored in different circumstances. Think hard about casting those stones.



Read this book and grow and learn from the experience.


View all my reviews.


Price: $13.99
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0390-9
ISBN-10: 0-7642-0390-8
Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.375
Number of pages: 400
Carton Quantity: 32
Publication Date: Apr. 09
Formats: Paperback

Beyond This Moment EXCERPT
Beyond This Moment PRESS RELEASE
Beyond This Moment Q&A



Thursday, April 9, 2009

From A Distance by Tamera Alexander: a review

From a Distance (Timber Ridge Reflections, Book #1) From a Distance by Tamera Alexander

What happens when the realization of a dream isn't what you imagined... and the secret you've spent a lifetime guarding is finally laid bare?

Determined to become one of the country's premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett, a former Confederate sharpshooter, is a man shackled by his past, and he'll do anything to protect his land, and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He's a man of his word, but repaying that debt could bring secrets from his past to light.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth's lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met . . . from a distance.

My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is more than a novel, a journey into two peoples lives that brings you to the edge of their experiences and beliefs and makes you focus on your own as well. I had a hard time through the first part of the novel, because I was unsure if I really liked the personality of the main character Elizabeth Westbrook. Yet as the story continued, and I was able to really look more on who she was and who she might be becoming I found that I really did like her.



The humor through out the entire book is true to life. Included with the hardships of live during and after war, as well as life in the West is a love and growth between individuals. It is something that you can read about, and then feel it within your heart and not just turn a blind eye.



Each character within this story has their flaws and they are these bits and pieces that make them so much more realistic and provide a reader the ability to relate. Every page brings something unexpected, and be fully prepared to shed some tears on the last page.



Tammy has done it again with this novel, so far every single one is a complete hit to my mind and I cannot finish typing this review fast enough to pick up the second book in this Timber Ridge Reflections Series, Beyond This Moment.


View all my reviews.


Price: $13.99
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0389-3
ISBN-10: 0-7642-0389-4
Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.38
Number of pages: 384
Carton Quantity: 36
Publication Date: Jun. 08
Formats: Paperback

From a Distance EXCERPT
From a Distance PRESS RELEASE
From a Distance READING GROUP GUIDE

Monday, July 14, 2008

Christy Winners and Finalists Announced!!!

Here are the Christy winners and Finalists!!!

I plan to read them all, but for now, you can see my comments on those that I have be blessed to read. - MJ


CONTEMPORARY (Stand Alone)

Winner:
Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin (Thomas Nelson)

Finalists:

In High Places by Tom Morrisey (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson (Thomas Nelson) [I just won a copy the other day, I cannot wait to read it!]



CONTEMPORARY (Series, Sequels and Novellas)

Winner:
Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon (Viking Penguin)

Finalists:

A Time to Mend by Sally John and Gary Smalley (Thomas Nelson)

What Lies Within by Karen Ball (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group) [I have only read part of this one so far, but enjoyed that part. I really liked the first two of this series as well. Karen is very talented, but then I think that is a known fact in the writing word of Christian Fiction.]



HISTORICAL

Winner:
A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Finalists:

Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group) [This is one that I'm dying to get my hands on...]

A Tendering in the Storm by Jane Kirkpatrick (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)



LITS (tie)

Winner:
Hallie's Heart by Shelly Beach (Kregel Publications)

Finalists:

Doesn't She Look Natural by Angela Hunt (Tyndale House Publishers)

Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Trophy Wives Club by Kristin Billerbeck (Avon Inspire, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)



ROMANCE

Winner:
Remembered by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group) [This entire series by Tammy was beyond wonderful! Read my review of Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered here.]

Finalists:

Lightning and Lace by DiAnn Mills (Barbour Publishing) [Looking forward to reading this one.]

Remember to Forget by Deborah Raney (Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster) [Looking forward to reading this one.]



SUSPENSE

Winner:
The Cure by Athol Dickson (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Finalists:

My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay (Moody Publishers)

The Pawn by Steven James (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)



VISIONARY

Winner:
Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead (Thomas Nelson) [Hood and Scarlet are probably two of my favorite books now, they were really wonderful. Also, I'd suggest Elsa Watson's Maid Marian to read along with them. To read my review of Hood and Scarlet click here. To read my review of Maid Marian click here.]

Finalists:

Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group) [Started this one, was bored with it slightly, but I plan to go back once the TBR pile shrinks...]

The Restorer by Sharon Hinck (NavPress Publishing Group) [Absolutely loved it, read my review here. I cannot wait to read The Restorer's Son and The Restorer's Journey.]



FIRST NOVEL

Winner:
The Stones Cry Out by Sibella Giorello (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Finalists:

Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee (NavPress Publishing Group) [I really cannot wait to read this one.]



YOUNG ADULT

Winner:
Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson (NavPress Publishing Group) [Absolutely fabulous, no doubt about it. I just loved HN and Finding Hollywood Nobody and Romancing Hollywood Nobody. Read my review of HN, then FHN, and then RHN. I cannot wait for Goodbye Hollywood Nobody!]

Finalists:

Maggie Come Lately by Michelle Buckman (NavPress Publishing Group)

In Between by Jenny B. Jones (NavPress Publishing Group)

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

From A Distance by Tamera Alexander



This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing


From A Distance

(Bethany House June 1, 2008)

by

Tamera Alexander


Book was detained, I will read this and write a review and I cannot wait. Oh, and btw Tamera is a fellow GACS persona!

MJ

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tamera Alexander is a bestselling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots and poignant prose resonate with readers. Tamera is a finalist for the 2008 Christy Award Remembered, and has been awarded the coveted RITA® from Romance Writers of America Revealed, along with Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction of 2006 Rekindled. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in the quaint town of historic Franklin, Tennessee, where they enjoy life with their two college-age children and a precious—and precocious—silky terrier named Jack.

A Note from Tamera:

Stories are journeys, and each story I write is a journey for me.

Rekindled began with a dream—the image of a man returning home on horseback. He came upon a freshly dug grave and when he knelt to read the name carved into the roughhewn wooden cross, he discovered the name was…his own. The inspiration for Revealed grew from two characters in Rekindled whose stories needed to be told. But even more, whose stories I needed to tell. Writing Revealed was a very personal journey for me, and a healing one. For Remembered, I met that story’s heroine (figuratively, of course) while strolling the ancient cobblestoned pathways of a three hundred-year-old cemetery in northern Paris, France. And From A Distance came from a question I was struggling with in my own life at the time, “What happens when the dream you asked God for isn’t what you thought it would be?”

For me, the greatest thrill of these writing journeys is when Christ reveals Himself in some new way, and I take a step closer to Him. And my deepest desire is that readers of my books will do that as well—take steps closer to Him as they read. After all, it’s all about Him.

In the Potter’s Hand,

Tamera


ABOUT THE BOOK

What happens when dreams aren’t what you imagined,

And secrets you’ve spent a lifetime guarding are finally laid bare?

Determined to become one of the country’s premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett, a former Confederate sharpshooter, is a man shackled by his past, and he’ll do anything to protect his land and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He’s a man of his word, but repaying that debt will bring secrets from his past to light.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth’s lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met . . . from a distance.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

“…a rich historical romance by possibly the best new writer in this subgenre.”
--Library Journal

“…a most amazing story. The characters are more than words on the page; they become real people.”
--Romantic Times

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Tamera Alexander's Rekindled, Revealed & Remembered

I just finished reading Tamera Alexander's current Trilogy. It was thoroughly enjoyable, it was better with every new twist and turn.

Rekindled/Revealed/Remembered (Fountain Creek Chronicles 1-3)

by Tamera Alexander
1517935-m-1184602518
published 2007 by Bethany House Publishers
binding Paperback
isbn 0764283464 (isbn13: 9780764283468)
pages 1024
description This popular three-book series features a different romance in each novel. In the late 1860s, Colorado Territory is a wild and untamed land. Nestled ...more






bookshelves: read, christianfiction

About Book One Rekindled.
I read this all in one day in two sittings. Well to be honest, it's now 5:22am... so just over one day. :) If you liked Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love or Tracie Peterson's Yukon Quest then you are sure to love this little novel. Heartbreaking struggle from both ends of a marriage to make things work in the best of times and worst of times with a second chance is just fabulous. A great read!
About Book Two Revealed.
This book is completely about forgiveness. It is a sequel, but is about a completely different character and could stand on it's own. Everyone has a past, but more importantly everyone has a future. Here the author has made two very different people come to an understanding of each and it is beautiful to see God working in people's hearts and souls. I strongly recommend this book to anyone in particular, but especially to someone who is holding a grudge that they just cannot let go of, either to someone else, or more importantly to themselves. I know I can find a way to relate. I'm sure you can too.
About Book Three Remembered.
This book was the best of the trilogy. Really in this series, each book was better and better. A companion whose only thing she has ever lacked was a father goes in a forced search to find him when it seems all else is lost to her. She finds everything that she was meant to find, even when she did not realize that is what she was looking for. This story tells of patience, learning God's will and His timing, love, loss, friendship, fears, and the gift of giving. It is all around a great read.