Tag: Amanda Deed

Do you like to read fairytale retellings?

Bookish Question #347 | Do you like to read fairytale retellings?

I haven’t read a lot of fairytale retellings.

I don’t have anything against the genre: it’s just they rarely catch my eye.

There are a couple of exceptions:

I have read Unnoticed by Australian author Amanda Deed, and Unhinged is on my to-read pile. Unhinged is an Australian historical retelling of the Beauty of the Beast, and Unnoticed is a twist on the classic Cinderella story.

I have also read Calor and Lumen by JJ Fischer, and am eagerly awaiting Memoria, which will be released in December 2024. This trilogy is described as a fantasy transformation of The Nightingale by Hans Christian Anderson, with echoes of the myths of Hades and Persephone. I don’t know the story of The Nightingale, so I don’t have any expectations about the story.

That is one of the challenges for authors writing a fairytale retelling: when readers know the original story, the author has to find a way of telling the story in a way that readers recognise as familiar, but with enough of an original twist that it is still interesting.

What about you? Do you like to read fairytale retellings? Do you have any good Christian retellings you can recommend?

It’s Aussie August!

… and a bunch of top Australian authors have teamed together to introduce you to some of the best of Aussie fiction. (And one Kiwi—me.)

So if you’re looking for something to read this winter/spring, click here to check out Aussie August, featuring:

  • Narelle Atkins
  • Liz Chapman
  • Amanda Deed
  • Christine Dillon
  • Jenny Glazebrook
  • Iola Goulton
  • Sheridan Lee
  • Carolyn Miller
  • Jennifer Mistmorgan
  • Meredith Resce
  • Jessica Wakefield

The novels in the promotion include all three finalists in the Adult Fiction category of the 2024 CALEB Awards from Omega Writers, Australia’s network for Christian writers. The finalists are:

  • Where Our Hearts Lie by Jenny Glazebrook
  • Broken Spirit by Sheridan Lee
  • Heart in the Clouds by Jennifer Mistmorgan

The Aussie August lineup also includes several other CALEB winners:

  • The Game by Amanda Deed (2010)
  • Grace in the Shadows by Christine Dillon (2019)
  • In Want of a Wife by Meredith Resce (2022)

I recently read a blog post by Australian book reviewer Jenny Blake where talked about how she prefers promotions that are all Christian stories, rather than a mix of Christian and clean fiction.

While I haven’t read all the novels in the promotion, I have read most of them and can confirm they are Christian fiction, not just fiction written by Christians or “clean reads”.

The two authors I haven’t read are Sheridan Lee and Liz Chapman, and I’m looking forward to reading Broken Spirit and Valerie Rose soon … just as soon as I get the draft of Always in My Heart off to my fellow Trinity Lakes authors to beta read.

Jenny also mentioned how much she’s enjoying her two-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited (aka KU), which is a good time to point out that all the Trinity Lakes novels are in KU …

So if you’re looking for something to read on Kindle, check out Aussie August. And if you prefer paper books, most of the titles are available from Koorong or Amazon.

Bookish Question #331 | What’s the most recent book you’ve bought?

I often preorder ebooks, which means there are two possible answersto this question: the most recent book I’ve ordered, and the most recent book that has landed on my Kindle.

Funnily enough, both are from the same series: Trinity Lakes Romance.

The most recent book I’ve ordered is Blue Skies Dreaming by Amanda Deed, which releases at the end of May. It features Nick Gordon, an Australian skydiving instructor who travels to Trinity Lakes because he’s chasing a girl: online influencer Violet Reynolds.

And the newest release to land on my Kindle is In Truth and Love by Jenny Glazebrook, which brings together responsible pastor’s daughter Jodie and somewhat less responsible Brandon Taylor, son of Luke Mcaffrey, better known as the Junk Man.

Blue Skies Dreaming by Amanda Deed In Truth and Love by Jenny Glazebrook

And the most recent book I’ve downloaded  to review …

Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter, an amnesia story I’m looking forward to reading.

What about you? What’s the most recent book you’ve bought? (Or borrowed. Or downloaded.)

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 139 | Unhinged by Amanda Deed

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m heading back into the to-read pile and sharing from Unhinged by Australian Author Amanda Deed. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

Serena tugged the curtains away from the window for the hundredth time that afternoon and peeked toward the street.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About Unhinged:

Serena Bellingham is faced with an impossible choice. Either leave her struggling family to serve the eccentric genius, Edward King, or stay, only to see the same man imprison her father.

Her decision leads her to Aleron House, a home shrouded in secrecy, strange attitudes and even stranger happenings. Is Edward King all that she has heard, or is the truth something entirely different? Is it possible that the handsome architect might need her even more than her beloved family does?

Unhinged is an Australian retelling of Beauty and the Beast, complete with a mysterious curse and a precious rose.

You can find Unhinged online at:

Amazon| Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

My Favourite Reads for June 2017

Book Recommendations June 2017 (and Giveaway Winners!) 

My Favourite Reads for June 2017. I’m usually a contemporary romance fan, but this month features three historical titles, one of which is pure thriller.

But first, our giveaway winners!

Two weeks ago, I reviewed (raved about) Then There Was You, the new release from Kara Isaac, and offered two giveaways.

The winner of the paperback was Susan.

The winner of the Kindle was Stacy.

Congratulations!

You have both received an email from me asking for your details so I can forward your prize. Please respond by 7 July 2017, or I’ll select another winner. If you haven’t received the email, then contact me through the form on my Contact page.

And now for my book recommendations for June:

Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter

Sweetbriar Cottage is a standalone novel by Denise Hunter, the story of a couple who thought they were divorced but aren’t. When trapped together in a snowstorm, they have to reconsider their preconceptions and decisions. I loved Sweetbriar Cottage for the illustration of the importance of unconditional love … and the challenge in putting that into practice.

Click here to read my review of Sweetbriar Cottage, and click here to find out more about Denise Hunter.

Unnoticed by Amanda Deed

Unnoticed is a Christian Cinderella story set in 1870’s Australia. I loved the unique way the author told the story, especially in the backstory she gave the characters … and the way she showed how we are products of our choices as much as of our environments.

Click here to read my review of Unnoticed, and click here to find out more about Amanda Deed.

Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M Dickson

Grounded Hearts is set in World War II Ireland, a unique setting in terms of time and place (at least, it’s not a setting I’ve come across before in Christian fiction). Ireland was neutral in World War II, so it’s the story of a Canadian RAF pilot downed in Ireland, and the efforts of a local midwife to get him to safety in British Northern Ireland. I loved the historical context, and the irreverent Irish humour.

Click here to read my review of Grounded Hearts, and click here to find out more about Jeanne M Dickson.

Enemy Action by Mike Hollow

Enemy Action is a murder mystery set in London at the height of the Blitz. It’s the third book in The Blitz Detective series, but can easily be read as a standalone novel (I haven’t read the earlier books in the series, but now I want to). It’s a great mystery with lots of twists and turns, and an authentic British voice.

Click here to read my review of Enemy Action, and click here to find out more about Mike Hollow and The Blitz Detective series.

 

What were your favourite reads for June 2017?