This year I will not give them away all at once, but by category while I am reading the books nominated in that category.
To enter to win any/all of these books, please do the following:
1. Post a comment indicating which book/books you would like to be entered for.
2. Answer this question: What color is your mood today and why?
My mood is pink...I am excited for some friends to visit (like red) but tired from being up a lot with thunder storms, so pink instead...
2. Enter by the date indicated. For this category, please enter by JULY 30 winners announced on July 31.
3. Respond within 10 days should you receive an email indicating you have won a particular book.
4. Come back soon for the next category giveaway!
These are books nominated in the "Contemporary Series, Sequels, Novellas" category.
The books nominated in this category are:
Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth
Description:
The abrupt disappearance of young Daisy Chance haunts the small town of Defiance, Texas. Fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper searches for answers in this gritty and compelling story of love and sorrow, revealing God's hand of redemption in impossible situations.
My Thoughts:
I thought the writing style was powerful and poetic, but the overall storyline is quite depressing in the stark reality of human depravity. I felt horribly sad for Jed who seemed to have so little to bring light to his life. But the hardness of his life did serve to amplify the few people who sought to uplift him and bring hope in his life. I look forward to the other books in the series to find out the secrets that are hinted at in this book.
Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson
Description:
Gabby Fairbanks's husband locks her out and disappears with her sons, leaving her homeless and stunned. With her frail mother and a mutt named Dandy, Gabby must take refuge at the women's shelter where she works, trying to salvage the shattered pieces of her life. There, her new friends-including Lucy the bag lady and sisters from the Yada Yada Prayer Group-prop her up.
But a midnight intruder brings unwanted media attention to the shelter and threatens to undermine Gabby's chances of getting her sons back. Still hoping to put her family together again, Gabby puzzles over what to do with the warm attentions of a sympathetic lawyer who rebuilds her confidence and soothes her wounded spirit.
My Thoughts:
Whenever I read Neta Jackson's books, I end up praying more. Her characters are always praying for each other, and that always rubs off on me when I read her books! I enjoyed this book and the quirky characters that make up Gabby's world.
The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall
Raised in foster care and now the widowed mother of a little girl, Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and Lori out of New York City toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers and a fresh start. She discovers that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, and it's no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God-"Be me to her"- despite how it threatens his way of life.
Completely opposite of the hard, untrusting Cara, Ephraim's sister Deborah also finds her dreams crumbling when the man she has pledged to build a life with begins withdrawing from Deborah and his community, including his mother, Ada Stolzfus. Can the run-down house that Ada envisions transforming unite them toward a common purpose-or push Mahlon away forever? While Ephraim is trying to do what he believes is right, will he be shunned and lose everything-including the guarded single mother who simply longs for a better life?
My Thoughts:
I loved the juxtoposition of the two main females in this book. The lessons they learn from each other. I also enjoyed the complexity of Ephraim and his journey to do what he believes is God's call to him, even when it's hard.
