The Silent Blade Blog Tour

Today I am participating in Jesseca's blog tour for her book The Silent Blade that came out today! This is my first blog tour, so I'm super excited.

Today I will be doing a book spotlight!

Synopsis

Dromiskin, Ireland. 925 A.D.

Eira has no greater desire than to see her life returned to what it once was—before her older brother Kevin's sudden disappearance four years earlier. But the simple life she hoped for seems unattainable; on the contrary, her life is about to get all the more complicated.
When she suddenly finds herself and Willem, her twin brother, taken captive by someone who claims to be Kevin’s enemy, things go from bad to worse. It soon becomes clear that she and Willem are to become bait in a trap set for Kevin, and Eira knows she must try to warn him. But how, when she herself is a captive?
As mysteries of the past are unveiled, and loyalties are revealed, Eira realizes how precious her friends truly are. And when mortal danger threatens those nearest to her, will she be able to trust God with the lives of her friends and family?

About the Author

Jesseca is an 18-year old daughter, sister, and a child of God. Her days are spent reading, cooking, spending time with siblings, or playing piano.  And writing, of course! At an early age words fascinated her, and her love for the printed page has only grown. She lives with her parents and seven siblings in the sunny state of Kansas, and she’s convinced there’s no place like home. 

Visit Jesseca's blog, Whimsical Writings. 

Here is a list of all of the other bloggers participating in this fun tour!

Wednesday, July 20th

Mikayla H.at The Bubblegum Ballerina --Review

Blessings Counter at Counting your Blessings One by One --Author Interview

Ivy Rose at  Lakeside Publications --Review, Spotlight

Mallory Beth at Renewed by Grace --Review

Thursday, July 21st

Lydia Dyslin at Through the Wardrobe --Review

Rebekah Eddy at Rebekah’s Remarks --Review, Interview

Abigayle Allison at The Left-Handed Typist --Review, Spotlight

Friday, July 22nd (Publication Day!!)

Blessings Counter at Counting your Blessings One by One --Review

Rebekah Ashleigh at Rebekah Ashleigh --Spotlight

Amanda Tero at  With a Joyful Noise --Review, Interview, Spotlight

Deborah O’Carroll at The Road of a Writer –Review, Spotlight

Kaitlyn K. at Prairie Gal Cookin’ --Review, Spotlight

Bethany R. at A Great God and Good Cocoa --Review, Spotlight

Deborah C. at Reading in June --Spotlight, Review

Emily at A Purpose and a Promise --Spotlight, Review

Saturday, July 23rd

Kellyn Roth at Reveries--Review, Interview

Jason McIntire at Elisha Press--Interview

Natasha H. at Looking Through my Lens --Review

Faith P. at Stories by Firefly --Review, Interview

Monday, July 25th

Jesseca Wheaton at Whimsical Writings --Blog Tour wrap-up post

Also go here to enter a giveaway! :)

By The Book Tag

Faith from Stories by Firefly tagged me for this fun book tag. Thanks, Faith, it was a lot of fun! :)

1. What book is on your nightstand now?

I don’t actually have any books on my nightstand right now, but the books I’m currently reading are Deny by Tricia Mingerink, Laura's Victory by Veda Boyd Jones, and Family Secrets by Catherine Marshall.

2. What was the last truly great book you read? 

I really don't know. I recently read The Quieting by Suzanne Woods Fisher and it was better than I thought it would be.

3. If you could meet any writer - dead or alive - who would it be? And what would you want to know? 

If I could meet any author I would want to meet Beverly Lewis. I’m not exactly sure what I would ask her, but I do know that I would love to get some of my books by her signed. 

4. What books might we be surprised to find on your shelves? 

Umm...I don't know. Maybe the American Girl Minute Mysteries.

5. How do you organize your personal library? 

Well, on my bookshelf in my room I don't really organize it any certain way, except that my A Life of Faith and Circle C books are on the top shelf because they're my favorites. ;)
The rest of my books are downstairs on the family shelf. Those books are in alphabetical order.

 6. What book have you always meant to read and haven’t gotten around yet? 

Several years ago I did a summer reading program at a local bookstore and for finishing, I got to choose a book. They didn't give me a very big selection to choose from, but I ended up choosing The Silent Stranger. I still haven't read it, but I'm sure I will one day. ;)

7. Anything you feel embarrassed never to have read? 

I don’t really feel embarrassed not to have read any certain book, but I can’t believe that I’ve never read all of the Little House books. When I was younger my mom read Little House in the Big Woods to me and I just re-read it, but I haven’t read the rest in the series. Although I do plan to.

8. Disappointing, overrated, just not good: what book did you feel you are supposed to like but didn’t? 

When I was in 6th grade one of my reading books had a small part from the book Understood Betsy by Dorthy Canfield Fisher in it. That story was so fun, so when I found out that it was only a part out of a book I started looking for the book. They library didn’t have it so I didn’t read it until a couple years later when I came across the book and bought it, but it actually ended up not being all that fun. I was a little disappointed.

9. Do you remember the last book you put down without finishing? 

The last book I put down was The Stout-hearted Seven: Orphaned on the Oregon Trail by Neta Lohnes Frazier. It wasn’t my most favorite book and at the end there was an Indian massacre and it got to be a little too much for me at the time.

10. What kind of stories are you drawn to? Any you stay clear of? 

I am drawn to Amish fiction. I really enjoy a good Amish book.

I mostly stay clear of fantasy. I prefer more “real life” stories. 

11. If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be? 

The Bible.

12. What do you plan to read next?

I would like to read Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin.

I tag:

Blessing Counter

Jesseca Dawn

Jonathan

Hannah E.

James

An Exotic Bird....Or Not

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful Friday! :D

Okay, first off, does anybody know what type of bird this is?

If you said a heron that is correct! If you weren’t exactly sure, no worries because I didn’t either. ;) 

I alway thought I knew what a heron was, but several weeks ago I found out that I obviously didn’t. I had never actually seen one. Little did I know that I was the only one in my family who hadn’t.

We have a small pond in our front yard with some fish in it and our fish population wasn’t what it had been before. I heard my family talking about that they’d seen a heron around lately and that it was stealing fish from our pond. So when it would come by someone would run out to chase it away. Like I said before, I hadn’t seen this heron that my family kept talking about, but I was pretty sure I knew what it looked like.

Well, back in late April (the 28th to be exact) I was standing in the kitchen by the window talking with my mom. I happened to look out the window and there, in our yard, I saw this huge bird. It was quite tall with a very long neck and a long beak. I was so shocked. My mom on the other hand, was not mesmerized by this bird like myself. She looked out the window too and seeing that this strange bird was a heron ran outside to chase it away. I was still standing in the kitchen shocked! I had never seen a bird like that before. It seriously looked like a strange, exotic, bird from a tropical island or maybe even some bird that flew over from Hawai’i! But I soon found out that that was the bird that had been eating our fish and that it was the heron. Not some exotic bird.

It came back a few days later and I tried to get a good picture of it, but it didn’t stand still that long so I couldn’t get the greatest picture and that’s why the above picture is a tad blurry.

Well, I hope you enjoyed hearing about my bird adventure. Even though it was’t anything special, it sure does make for an interesting story! 

A Woman Named Damaris

From the Back Cover:

She was almost fifteen on the night she dared for the first time to think of what life might be like away from the home. Pa again had come home drunk and mean; the trauma of the subsequent scene had been repeated as long as Damaris could remember. The idea that she no longer needs to tolerate this, that maybe she's old enough to manage on her own, is planted in her mind and begins to grow. She must plan her escape carefully, but she must get away from him.

When the opportunity comes, Damaris carries with her the strength of her mother's love. Two treasures hidden for years from her father--her grandmother's lacy golden brooch and her grandfather's lovely watch--are Damaris's only legacy from her past. That and her name. Her mother said it came from the Bible and had a special meaning that she can't remember anymore. What difference might it make?

But Damaris can't escape the "aloneness" that haunts her life of the bitterness she feels when she sees others suffering, particularly children. Ultimately, she must come to terms with her past, learn to live in her present circumstances, and trust her future to another Father.

"A Woman Named Damaris" is really good! This is one of my favorite Janette Oke books, although I haven't come across one yet that I haven't liked. ;) I read this book with a good friend of mine, which made it even more fun! If you haven't read anything by Janette Oke, then I encourage you to! Her stories are always very good and enjoyable with a good Christian message. :)

I give this book 9 out of 10 R's

June Highlights

Hi everyone! I can’t believe how fast June went by and that we are already three days into July! 

This has been another busy, but fun month for me.

--The beginning of this month my mom and I sold some books at a used curriculum sale. I sold about half of my books, which was pretty exciting. I also found a couple books too. ;)

--In the middle of June two of my brothers, two friends, and I went to a carnival that our town puts on each year. We had a lot of fun riding all of the rides. :) We rode the rides from 1:00 in the afternoon until 10:00 in the evening. We did take about an hour break to come home and eat dinner, but then we went right back. When we did go back it was actually raining so all of the carnival rides were wet, but we still kept on riding. By the time we got home we were all cold, but it was a super fun day! :)

--My brothers and I have been swimming in our pool quite a bit lately.

--Last week I went whitewater rafting with two of my friends. I was super nervous, but after I survived the rapids it was really fun! :)

--Last week my cousin came to visit for the weekended. We all had a fun time visiting and catching up with her. :)

This past month I read 9 books. They were:

June Bug Chris Fabry 

The Bridge to Cutter Gap Catherine Marshall

Silent Superstitions Catherine Marshall

The Angry Intruder Catherine Marshall

Sierra Jensen volume 1 by Robin Jones Gunn 

Midnight Rescue Catherine Marshall

The Proposal Catherine Marshall

The Mystery of the Midnight Trespasser by Hosanna Emily

Christy’s Choice Catherine Marshall

All of the books were really good. Well, except for June Bug. It was actually pretty good and I was enjoying it and it definitely kept my interest, but it did not end the way I wanted it to. Everything was going great until about the last chapter and some things happened that made me not like it so much anymore. There has been a couple of books before that I have almost cried through, but I actually did cry at the end of June Bug. 

But the rest of the books I read in June were great! :)

How was your June? Have you read any of these books? 

I’m looking forward to more fun summer days in July! :)

Book Recommendations~Series

I'm back today to share with you all some of my favorite series! :)

A Life of Faith: Millie Keith by Martha Finley (adapted by Kersten Hamilton) 

Millie Keith is a bright, energetic, and happy twelve-year-old living in the charming town of Lansdale, Ohio, in 1833. Her world is about to be turned upside down when her Pappa announces that he is moving the family west to an undeveloped town on the Indiana frontier. The eldest daughter of eight lively children, Millie must shoulder responsibility for her mischievous brothers and sisters on the perilous journey and learn to trust God for her uncertain future. Will her Christian faith sustain her as she leaves behind friendships and everything she has ever known? 

Circle C Adventures by Susan K. Marlow

Living on the Circle C ranch in 1880s California provides 12 year old Andi Carter with more than her fair share of adventures. Whether nearly trampling her schoolmaster with her palomino horse, Taffy, or outwitting an escaped convict, Andi's life is never boring. Her hair-raising escapades always end up teaching her valuable lessons about family, faith, and friends. 

Stoney Ridge Seasons by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Keeper

When her fiancé postpones their wedding a second time, Julia Lapp is determined to change his mind. But when traveling beekeeper Roman Troyer comes to Windmill Farm, all of Julia's plans are challenged. Can she secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

The Haven

On a warm spring day, Sadie Lapp returns home to her quiet, unassuming life in Stoney Ridge after spending the winter in Ohio. But she brings with her a secret that could change the Lapp family forever. It seems like the only person who's willing to give her the benefit of the doubt is a handsome young Englisher with a secret of his own . . . 

The Lesson

Mary Kate Lapp yearns for adventure, but all she seems to find is trouble. When an unexplained death coincides with the arrival of a mysterious young man, M.K. is determined to take matters into her own hands and get to the bottom of it. Will she find more than she bargained for?

The Rose Trilogy by Beverly Lewis

Rose Kauffman, a spirited young woman, has a close friendship with the bishop's foster son. Nick dresses Plain and works hard but stirs up plenty of trouble too. Rose's sister cautions her against becoming too involved, but Rose is being courted by a good, Amish fellow, so dismisses the warnings. Meanwhile, Rose keeps house for an English widower but is startled when he forbids her to ever go upstairs. What is the man hiding? 

Rose's older sister, Hen, knows more than she should about falling for the wrong man. Unable to abandon her Amish ways, Hen is soon separated from her very modern husband. Mattie, their young daughter, must visit her father regularly, but Hen demands she wear Amish attire--and speak Pennsylvania Dutch, despite her husband's wishes. Will Hen be able to reestablish her place among the People she abandoned? And will she be able to convince Rose to steer clear of rogue neighbor Nick?

Homeward on the Oregon Trail by Melody Carlson

Kentucky, 1854—Elizabeth Martin has mourned her husband’s death for three years, but now she feels ready to fulfill the dream they had shared—to take their two children west. The dream becomes reality when her middle-aged parents and bachelor brother surprise her with the news that they want to go as well.

After converting three of their best wagons to prairie schooners and thoroughly outfitting them, the little party travels from Kentucky to Kansas City, where they join a substantial wagon train. Elizabeth soon finds herself being drawn to the group’s handsome guide, Eli Kincade.

The long journey and deepening relationships challenge the travelers to their core, and Eli’s mysterious past leaves Elizabeth with more questions than answers. She knows there’s no turning back, but she wonders, What have I gotten myself into?

The Christy Series by Catherine Marshall (adapted by C. Archer)

Christy Huddleston's dream was to teach the poor mountain children. But she never imagined that the treacherous journey into the heart of the Smoky Mountains would bring danger into the lives of one mountain family.

Join Christy as she crosses the bridge from the familiar world of parties and pretty things into the strange, new world of Cutter Gap. There she meets the country doctor, Neil MacNeill, who needs her help to save a man's life. And the handsome young minister, David Grantland, rescues Christy when her own life is in danger, and helps her face the challenges of teaching, and loving, the proud mountain people.

--This is the first of twelve books in the Christy series, based off of Catherine Marshall's original book "Christy". --

Have you read any of these series?

Book Recommendations~Stand Alones

Today I just thought that I'd share a few of my favorite books with you. These are all stand alone books. Tomorrow I will do another recommendation post, but with some of my favorite series. :)

Melissa James has a picture-perfect existence--or so it seems. In reality, she has been looking over her shoulder her entire life. Just as her secrets are about to catch up with her, she seeks a haven in Pennsylvania Amish Country. Will her stay bring her peace, or will it bring danger to the Plain community?

Flight instructor Jack Livingston has been raising his eight-year-old adopted niece, Natalie, since the accident that took her parents' lives. When he travels, Natalie is tenderly cared for by her Amish nanny, Laura Mast, who loves the little girl as her own.

Eight excruciating years ago, Kelly Maines's baby was kidnapped. Determined to find her child, Kelly has tirelessly pursued every lead to its bitter end. And now, with the clock ticking, one last clue from a private investigator ignites a tiny flame of hope: Just a few miles away lives a young girl who matches her profile.

Can this be, at long last, Kelly's beloved daughter? 

 Ariana loves her life, her parents, her little town, her job as the town's schoolteacher, her students. But one evening after classes are done and she prepares to hurry home before a blizzard hits, her whole life changes in an instant.

The two rough-looking men who abduct her and take her far from home and family make no response to her frantic questions- "Why me? What are you going to do? Where are you taking me?" Held hostage in a camp of bandits, Ariana's emotions swing between terror and boredom as days stretch into weeks.

And then the boss's son appears in the doorway of her cabin. Does this mean she will never see her mother and father again, the two who so lovingly adopted her as an infant and raised her as their own? Will she ever wear the wedding dress so carefully saved for her, her one link with her birth parents, now long dead?

Kathleen O'Malley stood on the deck of the Barreth Lily and watched the land she'd called home for more than a dozen years slip from her view. She had thought she would be glad to see the last of it, but she was not. Emotions in turmoil, her whole being yearned to slip from the ship and return to what she knew. Even though Kathleen had not been happy with her situation, it was all she had ever known. As the shoreline faded into the morning mist, her only certainty was that she was bound for America to marry a man whose name she did not even know and whose face she had never seen. On the other side of the Atlantic, Donnigan Harrison anxiously awaits Kathleen's arrival on a prairie farm far from her port of arrival in Boston. He has known the wonder of a dream fulfilled--a snug frame cabin, the sturdy log barn and outbuildings, a fine herd of livestock, and crops in the field that made his eyes sparkle. Yet Donnigan felt a loneliness on the western frontier that pierced his very soul. With so limited opportunities for finding a wife, the notion of ordering a wife that once seemed unthinkable had come to make some sense. Now that the time has come, Donnigan feels like a small boy waiting for Christmas. But Donnigan's anticipation is overshadowed with terrifying uncertainties--What have I done?

After Jimmy is blinded in an accident with a firecracker, he has to relearn all the things he used to know - how to get dressed, how to find his way around the house, even how to eat. With the help of a determined therapist, he learns to read Braille and use a cane. Then he's given the chance to have a guide dog. Learning to work with Leader is not easy, but Jimmy tries harder than he ever has before. Can Leader really give him the ability and the confidence he needs?

--I read this when I was in late elementary school, but it is still a favorite of mine.--

Have you read any of these?

What is your favorite book?