Carrie's Best of 2012

Favorites of the Year

Veil of Pearls 
by MaryLu Tyndall

July 2012

Barbour Publishing

Must be made into a movie--simply stunning, like the cover!!!

Paperback and kindle
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The Maid of Fairbourne Hall
by Julie Klassen

January 2012

Bethany House

Fascinating!

I listened to audiobook. Available in multiple formats.

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A Love Surrendered 

by Julie Lessman

October 2012 

Revell

Fabulous!

I read on Kindle, is available in paperback and on CD.

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Short-Straw Bride 

by Karen Witemeyer

June 2012 

Bethany House


I listened to this on audiobook and it is available in multiple formats.

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Prize of My Heart 

by Lisa Norato

March 2012 

Bethany House

Memorable!

Kindle/paperback read for me.

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SPECIAL CATEGORY/AUDIOBOOKs

Author I have "discovered" and devoured her audiobooks like a fiend:

Tamera Alexander

I listened to six books and have downloaded three more!!!  And I have loved them all!

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Audiobook/Novella

A Marriage of the Heart

by Kelly Long

November 2012

Thomas Nelson

Amazing! Worth the wait to listen to this newest novella in the compilation by one of my favorite authors!!!


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Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series

by Vannetta Chapman

Fabulous series with a very satisfying third installment with "Material Witness."

audiobooks

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Not technically 2012 BUT 

Cascade went to audio in 2012 as did

Torrent 

by Lisa T. Bergren

David C. Cook/Oasis Audio

Exemplary audiobooks although more violent that I would normally listen to. But Lisa T. Bergren is so talented, she can get away with it.

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Novellas

A Wreath of Snow 

by Liz Curtis Higgs

December 2012 

Waterbrook Press

Wow!
Hardcover
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A Light in the Window 

by Julie Lessman

November 2012

Sigh-worthy prequel novella!!!

Ebook only

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Carving A Future

book 1 in Colonial Courtships

by Carla Olson Gade

October 2012

Barbour Publishing
Paperback and Ebook.

Beautiful!
(I did not make it through the other novellas in this collection--yet.)

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Highland Crossings
2012
Barbour Publishing


Jennifer Hudson Taylor, Gina Welborn and Pamela Griffin and Laurie Alice Eakes all have lovely novellas in this four novella collection.

Audiobooks: Carrie Fancett Pagels' Picks Summer Listens

Most of mine are not new summer releases.  It takes a tad longer to get them on audiobook, my preferred mode of reading.



Tamera Alexander's "Within My Heart" was amazing and my top audiobook listen this spring.  I highly recommend it if you have not already read this book.  Am going to try another of hers,  "A Lasting Impression."


Jill Marie Landis's Irish Angels (reconstructionist Louisiana) orphans series, Zondervan.  I finished the third book, am listening to the first now, "Heart of Glass" and plan to download the middle book, "Heart of Lies" in June. Excellent series so far!


Just finished Dan Walsh's first two audiobooks. Great listens!


Karen Witemeyer's upcoming release "Short Straw Bride."  I finished the last, "To Win Her Heart", which was super.


Vannetta Chapman's "A Perfect Square." If this ends up like the first audiobook, it will be one with "sticking" power.


Kim Vogel Sawyer's "Courting Miss Amsel" was great - just finished it.  So I downloaded "Song of My Heart" for this summer.  It released on audiobook in late February, 2012.


Robin Lee Hatcher's "Belonging" is one I downloaded recently through audible.com. She has an awesome testimony.  Can't wait to hear what her books sound like.


Are you listening to any audiobooks this summer?  What do you have planned?  

Giveaway:  We have one more drawing to go - for a copy of MaryLu Tyndall's Veil of Pearls.  Leave a comment for a chance to win.  

Top 10 Spring Break Reading Picks 2012

Our TOP PICK from new releases (since October): Julie Klassen's The Maid of Fairbourne Manor  (January, 2012)

Our favorites, in no particular order:

Song of  My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer (February, 2012)

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson  (November, 2011)

Brandilyn Collins – Gone to Ground (March, 2012)

The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden (January, 2012)

Ann H. Gabhart – Words Spoken True (February, 2012)

Novellas:

Laurie Alice Eakes, Pamela Griffin, Gina Welborn, and Jennifer Hudson Taylor - Highland Crossings (February, 2012)

Audio release:

Vannetta Chapman's Falling to Pieces, A Quilt Shop Mystery (October, 2011)


Our two top picks If you haven't read yet, from before October:

 Julie Lessman's series, most recent book - A Heart Revealed (September, 2011) 

Laura Frantz's The Colonel's Lady (August, 2011), or her previous books (Frontiersman's Daughter and Courting Morrow Little)

FIRST GIVEAWAY:  We are giving away a copy of The Colonel's Lady, paperback, to a lucky reader today!  
What are your favorites from October, 2011, till now?  What about from June, 2011 till now?


Second and Third GIVEAWAYS by Tired Old Mommy: By Saturday we will have ALSO given away a copy of a book by Julie Klassman (OOPS!!! I mean Julie Klassen) and one by Julie Lessman.  I am so glad these two are forgiving (and like a laugh!)  Sorry, Julie!

Best of 2011 – Carrie’s Fiction List 2011 Releases

Laura Frantz’s The Colonel’s Lady, Revell (historical romance, colonial) Laura is a favorite of all four of us who contribute to this blog. Three of us have read TCL. We all wait with bated breath each year for her new release.  So I'll tag this one "To Sigh For"

MaryLu Tyndall’s Surrender the Dawn (historical romance)

and Surrender the Night  (I am counting these two as one). Diana and Marian and I all included MaryLu on our lists - officially a triple threat! Consistent excellence in writing.

Melanie Dickerson,The Merchant’s Daughter, Zondervan (YA, historical romance) I read this through in one day - she just grips your heart and won't let you go till you are done reading!!!

Now for my count! (Yes, I am cheating! I removed the ones that we all voted for already!)  Oh, and I am another Julie Lessman fan but did not get her 2011 release read yet.  

Laurie Alice Eakes' Lady in the Mist (Revell), a lovely historical romantic suspense read.  One of the best heroes of the year. 

CJ Chase, Redeeming the Rogue, Love Inspired Historical (Regency romantic suspense). Amazing!!! 

Roseanna White's Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland, Summerside. Roseanna is on Diana's list, too.

Serena Miller, The Legend of Katie Calloway. Best Heroine and we love Serena and Katie!!! She'd on Teresa's list, too!

The Treasure Trove historical book for me:

Susan Craft’s, The Chamomile, Ingalls (historical, colonial)

Top bibliotherapy pick:
Jennifer Hudson Taylor - Highland Sanctuary, Abingdon  (Scottish historical romance). Wow!  She's also on Teresa's list as is the book.

Available on Audio (My preference!)

In a class all her own – Liz Curtis Higgs’ Mine is the Night, audible.com download (historical)  It would not be fair to even count this audiobook in my top ten because it is in a class all by itself – a fantastic audiobook NARRATED by the author HERSELF!!!!  You cannot beat this for really getting the story, the characterization, and of course that FABULOUS voice of Liz Curtis Higgs!!! 

Julie Klassen’s Girl in the Gatehouse, Bethany (historical romance, Regency). LOVE Julie Klassen's writing.  She has it ALL - unique storylines, amazing characters, fantastic writing, and beautiful voice!  AND it is on audio!!!

Best romance!!!

Kelly Marie Long,  Lilly's Wedding Quilt Thomas Nelson (Amish, romance).  Hunkiest hero and he is Amish!  Great use of bibliotherapy in this book.  Lovely voice and taut storyline.  She is one of my new favorite authors. And on audio and you have me sighing in gratitude!  Thank you Thomas Nelson Publishers for making this wonderful book available in that format!

Released on audio in 2011 - Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist (originally published in pb in 2010 by Bethany House). Also on Teresa's list. 

Vannetta Chapman, Falling to Pieces (Amish suspense murder-mystery).  This is like inviting your BFF over to visit and she is sharing the story.  


Also on Marian Baay's list: Waterfall by Lisa Bergren (YA, speculative, romance) Only one of the trio available in audio at this point in time. This is one of those gripping listens - you pretty much have to stop what you are doing to listen to it.  She reaches many different types of readers.


Happy listening and reading in 2012!!!


GIVEAWAY: A Kindle copy of Melanie Dickerson's new release The Merchant's Daughter and a paperback copy of Julie Klassen's The Girl in the Gatehouse.  Winners announced on Marian's birthday (January 4th) and on my birthday (January 5th) so come back for the parties!

Diana's Corner - Review of A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman

A Simply Amish Christmas 

by Vannetta Chapman 
Abingdon Press (October 2010)

4 stars~ ****
Review by Diana L. Flowers

A Simply Delightful Read!

In A Simply Amish Christmas author Vannetta Chapman invites us on a wonderful holiday to Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, amidst the smell of evergreen boughs, lighted Christmas candles in the windows, and Amish buggy rides in the snow!  Annie Miller leaves her Amish home at the age of sixteen to live with her English aunt, and earns her degree in nursing, which is totally frowned upon by the Amish. After being gone from her community for three years, Annie is summoned home to help take care of her father, who has been injured in an accident, and meets up with his best friend, the "grouchy bear of a man" as Annie dubs him, Samuel Yoder.

Samuel Yoder, a widower who lost his wife and child a few years back, is the Amish community's healer, because of his vast knowledge of herbs for medicinal purposes. When Annie arrives and they begin to work together serving the medical needs of the Amish, she sees Samuel as a rude, arrogant man, and sparks begin to fly! As Annie continues to live and work alongside her friends and family, her heart begins to long for God's quiet Spirit to fill her heart once again, knowing that the things she can accomplish on her own will not bring her the serenity she desperately needs. Will she stay and work in her Amish community or return to the hospital in the city, back to the desperately ill children she has grown to love? Will Samuel ever be able to let go of his deceased wife, and learn to find love and happiness again?

Vannetta Chapman's research into the ways and language of the Amish people was very extensive, even though the rules vary from one community to the next. Although, Ms. Chapman's love and respect for the Amish shines through her writing, she doesn't portray them as a perfect people without flaws, for hot tempers and jealousy arise, and even an unwed Amish pregnant girl is depicted in this novel. This was a quick, relaxing read, perfect for that "sitting by the fireplace" time of year, when Jack Frost is nipping at your nose! 

Very nicely done, Vanetta Chapman!  

Review of Falling to Pieces by Vannetta Chapman

Falling to Pieces A Shipshewanna Amish Mystery Series
by Vannetta Chapman
Zondervan (2011)


Five Stars *****

Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Callie is a young widow who comes to Shippshewanna after her beloved aunt dies. Auntie owned a quilt shop and several Amish women are reliant upon her to sell their quilts. One of the women has a significant need for the funds as she has a child with a rare illness.  Callie is a spunky woman from a big city in Texas suddenly in small town Indiana. A real fish out of water.  But as the story progresses one senses she was a goldfish swimming in the ocean who needed to be in a tank, required the cozy closeness that provided. Lovely job of dropping that into the story over time.  The Amish quilters are lovely women, each with distinct voices that are also unlike most other Amish stories I have heard.

Callie hasn’t gotten over the loss of her husband, in fact doesn’t even share this with her new friends until very late in the book.  She is an endearing character despite her prickly behavior, which furthers the story line, especially when she becomes the prime suspect in a murder. This is not a romance but there are a couple of romantic possibilities. By the end of the story we have a real possibility for a boyfriend in the next book, which I am looking forward to reading/listening to!

This was a great Christmas season listen because it a) has an easy tempo b) has an excellent narrator (amazingly she sounds almost exactly like the real Vannetta Chapman!) c) it’s like having a girlfriend in your room with you telling you the story d) while it is a suspense/mystery it has a cozy feel and is not knuckle whitening – I mean who needs that this time of year? It has a soothing quality to it despite the suspense and the murder mystery. It may be one of the first women’s fiction reads I’ve read in a long time, but Vannetta’s book almost defies genres.

I plan to listen to this book again sometime as I really liked it and it has the qualities of a repeat listen - great voice, characterization, and pleasing story line.

Bibliotherapy: Loneliness, estrangement, grieving, child with a rare disease, and friendships.

Formats: I listened through http://audible.com and it is available in paperback, ebook (e.g., Kindle), and audio.

Giveaway: Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of one of Vannetta’s books this week.

Interview with Vannetta Chapman

Interview by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Vannetta Chapman of Texas is the author of Falling toPieces (Zondervan) and 

A SimpleAmish Christmas (Abingdon Press).

I met Vannetta through ACFW and have enjoyed the time I have spent talking with her at conferences, particularly this year’s meeting in St. Louis, Missouri. Vannetta is represented by Mary Sue Seymour. 

Vannetta, welcome to Overcoming Through Time – With God’s Help!

Would you share either the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help, or the most tragic situation or circumstance one of your character’s has had to get past? 

Callie Harper finds herself completely alone when she inherits her aunt's shop in Shipshewana, Indiana. Like many young women today, Callie is successful professionally, but her circle of friends (and family) has grown smaller each year. So her difficulty lies in her isolation.

I've certainly experienced this isolation before, and it's a hard thing to go through, but God puts people in our lives for just such times. And God puts Callie in Shipshewana where she meets three women—three  AMISH women--who become her friends. They are friends that she is going to need because it won't be long before she becomes the prime suspect in a murder.

What is your favorite bible verse and why?

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you ..."

This verse has always encouraged me. It assures me that no matter how dark or depressing the present looks, no matter how much I've managed to bungle things up, God is in control, and HIS plans for me are good.

Disability friendliness:

Yes, it is in audio format (download) and it will be released in January (I believe) in large print as well.

What has been the most important thing you hope your readers will get from your books and why?

Hope and grace. Life can be difficult and hard at time, and we all need to be reminded of the message of God's hope and his grace for us. You know, this isn't just something the preacher tells us on Sunday and then we go back to struggling on Monday ... it's as real as the bread in the breadbox, and there have been times when I had very little of that. But God's hope for us is unlimited and his grace never ends. It's sufficient.

As you researched your books, did you learn anything that particularly touched your heart?

Yes. I learned that the Amish folk are common, friendly people and that they live out their faith and their belief in Jesus to the best of their ability. It was very encouraging for me.

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation?

There is a handicapped child you will come to know in this story ... and although his disease is somewhat rare, especially in our culture, I think it's the way we deal with disability that is important. The Amish very much embrace disabilities and illness and God's will and not as something to be mourned or questioned. Their faith is quite childlike and I am learning a lot from them.

Thank you Vannetta for agreeing to answer these questions.  Have a blessed day and keep on writing!!

Thank you!

GIVEAWAY:  We have this interview and two reviews up this week and will be doing a giveaway of a book on Saturday. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of one of Vannetta’s books in your choice of format (and an email address so we can reach you!)