"queen of the waves" by janice thompson

About the book (provided by Litfuse): When pampered Jacqueline Abingdon makes secret plans to elope with the family gardener, she asks another woman to take her place on the much anticipated maiden voyage of the Titanic. Tessa Bowen hails from a poor corner of London but has been granted the opportunity of a lifetime—a ticket to sail to America aboard a famed vessel. But there’s a catch: she must assume Jacqueline’s identity. For the first time in her life, Tessa stays in luxurious quarters, dresses in elegant gowns, and dines with prestigious people. Then a wealthy American man takes an interest in her, and Tessa struggles to keep up the ruse as she begins falling for him. When tragedy strikes, the game is up, and two women’s lives are forever changed.

My take: I've always been very interested in the Titanic because family legend has it that my great-grandmother planned to emigrate from Wales to the United States on the ship ... but the third-class tickets sold out before she could get one. As a third-class passenger, her chances of survival would have been slim—so I am very thankful that she couldn't get a ticket!

This year, the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking, has seen a wealth of Titanic coverage. From novels to miniseries to the re-release of the film Titanic, the Titanic has received the royal treatment. Queen of the Waves is the third novel about the Titanic that I've had the pleasure of reading this year, and it is unquestionably my favorite. Author Janice Thompson does a fantastic job of putting the reader on the Titanic. As I viewed the opulence through the character's eyes, I could truly imagine what it looked like. (Of course, it also helps that I've seen the movie Titanic!)

However, as great as Thompson's descriptions were, what really pulled me in were her characters. I loved Tessa, Nathan (the American who falls for Tessa-as-Jacquie), and Iris (Jacquie's lady's maid); I hurt for Jacquie when things didn't turn out as she'd planned; and I wished for a Roland (Jacquie's fiance) of my own. The only character I didn't fully connect with was Peter, Tessa's brother and Jacquie's boyfriend. But that's a small quibble when compared to the joy I derived from reading this novel!

I also loved that John Harper, an evangelist who died in the Atlantic while still proclaiming the gospel, made an appearance in the book. One of the other Titanic books I read this year was about him, so it was fun to see his name pop up again.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it. 4-1/2 stars!

See what other bloggers are saying.
Buy the book.
See my reviews of the other Titanic books: Tricia Goyer's By the Light of the Silvery Moon and Robert Plant's Titanic: The Ship of Dreams.

About the author: Award-winning author Janice Thompson, who also writes under the name Janice Hanna, has published nearly eighty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books and more.

She formerly served as vice president of the Christian Authors Network and was named the 2008 Mentor of the Year by the American Christian Fiction Writers.

Thompson lives in Spring, Texas, near her four grown daughters and young grandchildren. She leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends and two mischievous dachshunds.

Readers can keep up with Janice Thompson by visiting janiceathompson.com, becoming a fan on Facebook or following her Twitter.

About the giveaway:
Celebrate with Janice by entering to win a Kindle Fire!

 

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson
• Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 17th. Winner will be announced at the American Tapestries Author Chat Facebook Party on 10/18. Connect with authors Janice Thompson and Melanie Dobson for an evening of book chat, trivia and fun! There will also be gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!

So grab your copy of Queen of the Waves and Where the Trail Ends and join Janice Thompson and Melanie Dobson on the evening of the October 18th for a chance to connect with the authors and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the books – don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"titanic: the ship of dreams" by robert plant

About the book: In April 1912, evangelist John Harper and his daughter Nana set sail on the Titanic. A man with a true passion for the lost, Harper took every opportunity to share the gospel with those he encountered on board, even as it became apparent he would go down with the Titanic.

My take: At first, I struggled with this book. I felt like it was taking way to long to get to the main event—the sinking of the Titanic—and I didn't find the dialog to be particularly engaging.

Then I realized my problem—I was reading this book as I read all the other books I review, with my critical adult hat firmly in place. So I stopped about halfway through the book and asked myself if I would have enjoyed this book as a child, and the answer was an unequivocal "yes." I would have loved Nana's adventures exploring the ship with her friends Eva and Charlie. I would have worried about everyone's safety. And I would have cried as John breathed his last, still proclaiming the truth of the gospel. (OK, I cried at that part as an adult!)

While Titanic: The Ship of Dreams is not a book that will interest many older children or adults, I think six- to ten-year-olds will enjoy it quite a bit. At the end of the book, five "Take Five Minutes" discussions and Bible studies are included, which parents should find helpful in discussing the story with their children. 3-1/2 stars.

About the author: Robert Plant is from a Christian Brethren (Gospel Hall) background and works as a Christian Evangelist. He has strong links with John Ritchie Ltd. He conducts about 20 series of children’s meetings each year.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Christian Focus Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"by the light of the silvery moon" by tricia goyer

About the book: Passage on the Titanic offers Amelia Gladstone a chance for a new life in America. Mr. Chapman, a man she has been corresponding with, paid for her ticket, and Amelia hopes that when they finally meet, he will be everything she has been looking for in a man.

Amelia didn't count on meeting Quentin Walpole, though. Quentin, a man who fell from grace to live on the streets, is stunned when Amelia offers him a ticket. He finds himself drawn to her, yet he knows he is unworthy of her love.

When Amelia discovers Quentin's father and brother also sail the Titanic, she wonders if perhaps God led her to Quentin in order to reunite him with his family. Things become complicated, however, when both brothers pursue her. Should she give her heart to one of them, or should she begin a relationship with Mr. Chapman?

My take: By the Light of the Silvery Moon is basically the parable of the prodigal son, set on the Titanic. And that's a good thing! In the past, I have always sympathized with the older brother—because, let's face it, I do have "older brother" tendencies—but when viewed through Tricia Goyer's eyes, I could understand the younger brother much better.

I loved this story. Once I picked up the book, I could barely put it down. The characters jumped off the pages, and the Titanic itself came to life in my mind's eye. So far this year, I've read a lot of books that I've greatly enjoyed, but this has to be one of my favorites. 5 out of 5 stars!

You can buy the book here or see what others are saying about it here.

Video Trailer:



About the author: Tricia Goyer is the award winning author of thirty-two books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas, where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

More info: Living Inspired (http://toginet.com/shows/livinginspired) and www.triciagoyer.com.

About the giveaway: Win an Flip HD Camcorder during @TriciaGoyer's Unsinkable Titanic Giveaway and RSVP for 4/10 Titanic Party!
 
Celebrate the release of By the Light of the Silvery Moon with Tricia by entering her giveaway and RSVPing to her Titanic party.

One "unsinkable" winner will receive:

• Flip HD video Camera (Make your own dramatic saga!)
• Titanic movies from the ages {Titanic (1953) Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), Titanic (1997)}
• Secrets of the Titanic (Get the facts from National Geographic.)
• And the Band Played On (Music Played on the Titanic.)
• By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer (Be swept away in this tale of love and courage.)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 9th. Winner will be announced at "Silvery Moon" Titanic Facebook Party on 4/10. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club). During the live chat Tricia will have a *special guest* join her. More details coming soon!

So grab your copy of By the Light of the Silvery Moon and join Tricia on the evening of the April 10th for a fun chat, trivia contest (How much do you know about the Titanic?) and lots of giveaways. 

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 10th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."