Come in, come in! The Literary Lodge is warm and cozy, full of books, hot drinks, and good food.
It certainly got cold! I wasn’t expecting it to get this cold so soon. But at least we have plenty of blankets if you want to venture outside to read. I’m sure there will be plenty of people around the bonfires today and not as many out in the boats since the wind is making the lake rather rough. If you’re dressed warmly you might venture out on one of the bikes but be careful. We really don’t want any accidents this year. Hiking? Yes, that might be a bit safer with the wind, and we have a few empty backpacks. I found some more in the attic. Those benches are probably covered with leaves now as they’ve been coming down in showers this morning. If you can make it out to the barns, you will probably find it a cozy place to read though there might be a few bushels of apples sitting around that didn’t make it to the kitchen yesterday. If you empty one, or find one that is empty, feel free to claim it for your books. You look are little loaded with new reading material. And don’t forget, we still have two more days after this!
Just a quick mention, there is hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and apple cider in the kitchen. And I think I’m smelling apple pie. But besides that, down below are the buttons for the other rooms, and the giveaway. Don’t forget to enter! We reached 75 people! Help us get 100 people entered and we’ll add a 3rd place winner!
Christian Contemporary
When Kate and I first picked this genre, I thought it would be easy. Ha! While I’ve read a lot of “good” Christian Contemporary, there aren’t many that I would say I really liked well enough to say they were my Top 5. But after thinking and searching, I managed to find enough. I’m sure this list will change.
Bound by Victoria Lynn
I could have fit this story under the Pro-Life category as it’s about two children who end up in foster care, but I’d already filled those places. Besides, this was a modern story. It was one I really enjoyed. I need to read it again. (This book is included in the giveaway basket this year.)
Finding Christmas Joy by Amanda Tero
Yes, I know, this is a Christmas book. And I did read it in July. But I enjoyed this short story of someone searching for the real joy of Christmas, and I plan to read it again in December.
There was Always Laughter in Our House by Sarah Holman
This isn’t fiction, this is the real story of author Sarah Holman. I loved getting to learn about her life growing up, her siblings, the crazy things they’ve done together, the hardships and struggles, the times joy and laughter. (This is also included in the giveaway this year.)
The Mercie Collection by Sharon Srock
I could easily have slipped the first book in this collection in the Pro-Life section, but I decided to include the entire collection since it is also published as one book. 🙂 While dealing with a pregnancy caused by rape, there is no description of the event, and it’s the young woman’s struggle to keep her baby, keep her grades up, and provide a home for her baby girl. The 3rd story has more romance in it, but nothing that made me cringe. It was all sweet. Now I need to go read these again.
Finding Hope by Melanie D. Snitker
This is the 2nd book in the “Love’s Compass” series and, while I don’t like all the books that well, I did really enjoy this one. Yes, there is some romance, but it wasn’t the focus of the story. The focus was on a woman with cancer. It was just a really encouraging and hopeful book.
You made it to the buttons! Now you can start your hunt for the Books room to get your free story! Don’t forget to leave comments on the blogs. Have fun!
Grand Prize Giveaway!
- Gift from the Storm by Rebekah Morris
- Kiera by Kate Willis
- There Was Always Laughter in Our House by Sarah Holman
- Love Needs No Words by Faith Potts
- Bound by Victoria Lynn
- A Five Fall Favorites mug
And there might be an Amazon Gift Card in there too. 😉
This giveaway is open to everyone. International as well as US. However, if we have an International winner, they will get kindle copies of all these books, and an amazon gift card. (Sorry, we just can’t mail this internationally.)
If we get more than 75 different people entered into the giveaway, we will add a 2nd place winner, so be sure to tell you family and friends!
Please be honest in your entries because they will be checked.
This has to be updated manually, and I can only do that every 3 hours, so if you enter and don’t see any progress, don’t despair, I will update it. 🙂
My review for today: “Wood Folk at School” by William J. Long.
4.5 stars. William J long is one of my favorite authors. I loved each of his books that I have read so far. I have read this one many times and still love it. Long describes the setting beautifully; he describes to you his animal friends humorously and beautifully. He does not over-anthropologize them, but he does give them a hint of personality. His books bring me back to the woods of long ago—beautiful, wild, relaxing, teaching. I removed .5 stars for mentions of evolution/Mother Nature.
A Favourite Quote: “What [a bear] will do under the […] circumstances [of meeting you] depends largely, not upon himself, but upon you. With one exception, his feelings are probably the reverse of your own. If you are bold, he is timid as a rabbit; if you are panic-stricken, he knows exactly what to do; if you are fearful, he has no fear; if you are inquisitive, he is instantly shy; and, like all other wild creatures, he has an almost uncanny way of understanding your thought.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “Sometimes, at night, as you drift along the shore in your canoe, sifting the night sounds and smells of the wilderness, when all harsher cries are hushed and the silence grows tense and musical, like a great stretched chord over which the wind is thrumming low suggestive melodies, a sudden rush and flapping in the grasses beside you breaks noisily into the gamut of half-heard primary tones and rising, vanishing harmonics. Then, as you listen, and before the silence has again stretched the chords of her Eolian harp tight enough for the wind’s fingers, another sound, a cry, comes floating down from the air—Quoskh? quoskh-quoskh? a wild, questioning call, as if the startled night were asking who you are.”
A Favourite Humourous Quote: “You can never be sure what a moose will do if she finds you near her calf. Generally they run—always, in fact—but sometimes they run your way.”
Great review. 🙂
Bound by Victoria Lynn was really good! I can’t wait for her next book!
Yes, that one is good. 🙂
Aww, the Mercie collection sounds really sweet! What ages would you recommend it for? 🙂
Um, maybe 16 and up just because of what it deals with.
Okay! Thanks! I was thinking about myself when I asked. 🙂
Yep, if you don’t mind mention of a rape (no details given) then you might enjoy it. The focus is on the girl and her baby, and another character not on earlier events.
Yeah, that’s not a problem! 🙂
Ooh, hot chocolate still sounds too hot for the weather where I am. 😀 (Although I thought I was at the literary lodge … strange how these things work) I’ve read Finding Christmas Joy, also in the Summer. 😀 Oh, well. It was a very nice story, nonetheless.
CutePolarBear
Yeah, it’s rather warm here too. I guess we’ll just have to use our imagination. 😉
I don’t normally read Christmas stories in the summer, but this year I read two of them. 😛 But I plan to reread them in December when I can fully enjoy them. Do you plan to reread “Finding Christmas Joy” or are you going to read other Christmas stories instead?
Ah, imagination–now that I have enough of. 😉
No, I don’t really read books based on the season. I never thought of reading Christmas novels/novellas during Christmastime–especially because I’m usually too busy to read much during that time. 😉 But if I do have time to read a book, it’s either for school, or a book that’s on my shelf and I want to read.
At least you have an imagination. 😉
Yes, December can be a very busy time of year and it can be hard to fit in Christmas books. I think my love of reading Christmas stories around that time started with my mom reading Christmas books to us then when we were young. Now that’s pretty much the only thing I read from right after Thanksgiving through Christmas. 🙂
Oh, I really want to read Bound! And, this blog party is so fun!
Third Book review: Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington is another amazing book written by Tricia Goyer! I Love the main character, Rosalie’s spunk and courage, not to mention that she was really sweet! The cover is awesome! This is just a really good historical romance! My star rating is 4 1/2!
-Brooklyne
Delighted to hear you are enjoying the party, Brooklyne! 🙂 I hope you get to read “Bound” very soon. (hint: stick around through Saturday.)
Good review. I’ve heard of these books, but have never read them.
These look like interesting books 🙂
Thanks. I enjoyed them. 🙂
Ooh, these books look cool!
🙂 I hope you find some you want to read.
*screams because Bound was SOOO GOOD*
*grins* At least at the Literary Lodge we don’t have any close neighbors who will call the police if we get too excited over books. 😀
Thanks for the freebie! 😉 “The Christmas She Wanted” by Rebekah A. Morris is one of my favourite contemporary books. 🙂
You’re welcome! And thank you for liking my Christmas story. 🙂
Finding Christmas Joy was a sweet story! I need to read Bound soon. 😀
Yes, you should read it soon. 🙂
These books will be in my future to read.
Marilyn
Great! Glad I could share some new books with you. 🙂
Ooh, I’ve read three of these so far! I’ll have to check out The Mercie Collection and Finding Hope. Thanks for the freebie! 😀
You are welcome! Enjoy it! And I hope you enjoy the other books too.
I haven’t read any of these! “Finding Christmas” sounds good. I always love a good Christmas story! 🙂
Agreed! Christmas stories, good ones, are delightful. 🙂
My Book Review of the day: “The Boxcar Children” by Gertrude Chandler Warner.
The Boxcar Children is a family-friendly, completely clean book that is great for just about any age! The interactions of the siblings are as they should be, supporting loyal siblings who watch out for each other. The mysteries are intriguing and have you forming guesses and theories in no time! This book, and the others in it’s series is what gave me my love for mystery!
Great review, Julia. I might have read the first Boxcar book years ago, but don’t remember a thing about it, so this was helpful.