Saturday, July 17, 2010

Review/Giveaway: Touching the Clouds

Touching the Clouds: A Novel (Alaskan Skies)A WINNING READINGS GIVEAWAY!

Title: Touching the Clouds
Author: Bonnie Leon
Genre: Christian historical romance
How to enter: Leave a comment on THIS post right here! If you're a subscriber or a follower, leave a second comment for a second entry.
Entry deadline: August 10, 2010
Restrictions: Open internationally!

That's right, enter right here for this giveaway.  This is my review copy, so it has been gently read.

And there's a great Take Flight Contest going on at the author's website!  Winner will be selected on Monday, July 26th, so hurry on over to win:
  • A 40 minute flight lesson with a FAA Certified Instructor
  • A 25 page eBook covering all the details of your flight
  • A training video to prepare you for your flight experience
  • 2 Ground School lessons credited toward your pilot's license
  • A pilot's log book to keep record of your flight time
  • A certificate of accomplishment for flight completion
  • A 6 month subscription to a leading flight training magazine
  • A CD copy of The Airplane Flying Handbook
  • A CD copy of The Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
---------------
Publisher: Revell
Physical Description: 368-page paperback
List Price: $14.99
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3359-9
For More Info:  http://www.bonnieleon.com/

Synopsis:

She went looking for adventure . . . and found more than she bargained for.
Kate Evans is an adventurous and independent young woman with a pioneering spirit. When she leaves her home in Washington State to follow her dream of being an Alaskan bush pilot, she knows it will be an uphill battle. But she never expected it to be quite like this. As the lone woman in a man's world, she finds that contending with people's expectations is almost as treacherous as navigating the wild arctic storms.
When she crosses paths with a mysterious man living alone in the forbidding wilderness, she faces a new challenge. Can Kate break through the walls he has put up around his heart? And will fear keep her from realizing her dreams?

Book 1 in the Alaskan Skies series, Touching the Clouds will draw you in with raw emotion and suspense, all against the stunning backdrop of the Alaskan wilds.
About the Author:
Bonnie Leon is the bestselling author of more than ten historical fiction novels. She stays busy teaching women's Bible studies and speaking at writing seminars and conventions. She and her husband, Greg, live in Oregon.
Just wanted to add here that I suspect not many others on this blog tour know exactly where Bonnie's rural Oregon hometown is and drive through it a dozen times a week!  Here's waving at you from within jogging distance in Idleyld Park...

What I Liked:

Relax...  Take a deep breath and enjoy the outdoorsy smells and panoramic view!  This was a refreshing change of pace from the intrigue and suspense books (which I love, too) I've been reading lately...

Alaska is the only state I have NOT been to, but I almost feel like I can check it off my list after books like these.  Though they also make me want to visit IRL even more... 

(All those elipses?  I think that's a sign of my relaxed state...)

Anyways, the author did a great job of transporting the reader back in time to a gorgeous setting - and I can think of no better way to explore Alaska's vast expanses than by air.  I appreciated the well-researched aviation and Alaskan history detail.  The suspense of the plot moved just fast enough to keep me awake and page-turning while enveloping me in the scenery.  And the main characters, with all their personal traumas and struggles, are well developed and admirable.

I do feel a little sad for the two men who landed up in the relationship dump yard in this story, and am sort of hoping they make their appearance again with the loose ends tied up...  I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the books in this series!

What I Didn't Like:  Nothing!  I will say there were a few lines that would leave my "homemaker" bloggy friends a little aghast that a Christian young woman would not be content with settling down, marrying, and figuring out how to cook.  Kate is clearly a Daddy's girl, though - I can see my own daughter turning out a little like this - and I love her spunk.
 
Follow your dreams, young girls, and when you do find an unfathomable, unexplainable love, bring that spunk and determination into your marriage with you...  Don't settle!
Thanks to Baker Publishing Group for the review copy of this book, which is available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Posted by Jane from Mozi Esmé

81 comments:

Bluerose said...

Please enter me. Thanks! :)
bluerose_shelnut(aT)yahoo(dot)com

Bluerose said...

I'm a follower.
bluerose_shelnut(at)yahoo(dot)com

Merry said...

I'd love a chance to win Touch the Clouds, it sounds like a way to experience Alaska a little bit.
worthy2bpraised[at]gmail[dot]com

Merry said...

I'm a follower.
worthy2bpraised[at]gmail[dot]com

Sandy Jay said...

Please enter me in the giveaway. Thanks.

forwhlz at gmail dot com

Sandy Jay said...

I'm a follower.

forwhlz at gmail dot com

Michelle said...

Looks like a great book.
Please enter me. Thanks!!

Michelle said...

I am a follower.
My email is on my profile

Mystica said...

I would appreciate if you could enter me for this giveaway.

mystica123athotmaildotcom

Mystica said...

I follow on GFC

mystica123athotmaildotcom

Bonnie Leon said...

Hi Jane.

Your review left me smiling, not just because you liked my book, but I like your spunk--it shows in your writing.

You sound like just the kind of person who should stop by my website and sign up for my "Take Flight" contest. You'll love it!

Thank you for posting the review.

And thanks to your followers who want to read it.

Grace and peace to you,

Bonnie

www.bonnieleon.com

Anonymous said...

sounds like a good book, I love this genre of fiction!

frogz60@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

sounds like a good book, I love this genre of fiction!

frogz60@hotmail.com

Linda Kish said...

I would love to read this book.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Benita said...

Please count me in.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

Email subscriber.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Bonnie Leon said...

I love enthusiastic readers. Hope you all manage to get a copy and that you enjoy the story.

Lovely to meet you all.

Bonnie

Bakersdozen said...

I want to read this. vidomich(at)yahoo(dot)com

Simply Stacie said...

Please count me in.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

Simply Stacie said...

follower

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

Naasom André said...

I follow on GFC

letrassantas [at] hotmail.com

Naasom André said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Naasom André said...

Please count me in.

letrassantas [at] hotmail.com

karenk said...

please count me in...thanks :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

karenk said...

email subscriber :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Cindy W. said...

Great review! I have wanted to read this book from the first review I read. The cover art is beautiful too! Thank you so much for the chance to win a copy.

Many blessings,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Anonymous said...

HORTON111@AOL.COM

GOOD READING

Jennifer Wilson said...

This looks really good! Please enter me!

jenndiggy at gmail dot com

Jennifer Wilson said...

I follow google connect.

jenndiggy at gmail dot com

Tammy said...

I love to hear about Alaska
tjfirth@yahoo.com

mindy said...

another great read thanks for the giveaway minsthins at optonline dot net

Nancye said...

Sounds like an interesting book.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Follower

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

wmmahaney said...

This sounds like a great read.
wmmahaney(at)att(doT)net

wmmahaney said...

I follow in Google Reader.
wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net

Jlefkovenj said...

Please enter me.

Unknown said...

I'm a follower and would like to be entered in this giveaway. Thanks for this opportunity. Sounds like an exciting story.

Grace & Joy in Christ,
Barb Shelton
barbjan10(at)tx(dot)rr(dot)com

Unknown said...

Please enter me in this great giveaway. I'm a subscriber and this is my first time here. I look forward to being here a lot. Thanks.

Blessed Be in Christ,
Barb Shelton
barbjan10(at)tx(dot)rr(dot)com

Jenn S. said...

Sounds like something I'd like to read. Thanks for the chance.

jas8929 at gmail dot com

Jenn S. said...

follower. :)

idahomom said...

We are doing a lot of camping which means I get to do a lot of reading. Thanks for the chance at what looks like a good read.

Pink Panther said...

Hm.. Sounds lovely! Thanks so much for making this international! :) You can reach me at luvpinkpanther@gmail.com

Pink Panther said...

I am a follower and you can reach me at luvpinkpanther@gmail.com

rah267 said...

higgs.rachel at gmail.com
I GFC follow you
I would love to win

Anonymous said...

would love to win this


sonflower277(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I'm a follower and subscribed.

This story sounds very inviting. I've never been to Alaska or Hawaii...would like to see both.

Grace & Joy in Christ,
Barb Shelton
barbjan10 at tx dot rr dot com

Unknown said...

Please add me to the giveaway list for this great book. Thanks for the opportunity and the review.

Blessings,
Barb Shelton
barbjan10 at tx dot rr dot com

Misusedinnocence said...

I would love to read this.

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Misusedinnocence said...

I follow on gfc.

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I've lived in Alaska before, so would be nice to be transported back..in a sense!
shawnac68@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

I follow you by RSS Feed Reader
I would use the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop in my kitchen and hall.

lunaticlounging@aol.com

Unknown said...

This sounds like a great read!! thanks

loni broesch said...

I would love to read this!

trippyjanet at hotmail dot com

Nickolay said...

What a awesome book. Thanks for the chance

jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com

Nickolay said...

Follower

Nickolay

jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a book I couldn't put down till the end
Diane Baum
esldiane@gmail.com

Becky said...

Sounds like a great book, would love to win it!

beckyspoolstra at gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love a good book

jim.coyne2@verizon.net

Sunnyvale said...

sounds interesting

Renee G said...

I would enjoy reading this.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com

K Wray said...

I subscribe!
blackbird0615@yahoo.com

K Wray said...

I'm an avid reader so I would love to win this!
blackbird0615@yahoo.com

Allison said...

Thanks for this giveaway!

allisonsbj3(at)gmail(dot)com

Allison said...

I'm a follower

allisonsbj3(at)gmail(dot)com

degood said...

This sounds good! Please enter me!

kerrie@mayansfamily.com

degood said...

I follow your blog as degood with google friend connect.

kerrie@mayansfamily.com

Unknown said...

I would like to read this book.
Jesskaufman at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

Blog Follower
Jesskaufman at hotmail dot com

George Ferris said...

This sounds like a must-read book.
George Ferris
k1n2@sweeps.ws

susansmoaks said...

i would love to read this book

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sdianen said...

This is a book I would like to read.


sdnwdn@cox.net

sdianen said...

This is a book I would like to read.


sdnwdn@cox.net

Rhonda said...

I love that this book takes place in Alaska. I am a huge suspense fan and would like to read this

rhondastruthers atyahoo.ca

Rhonda said...

I love that this book takes place in Alaska. I am a huge suspense fan and would like to read this

rhondastruthers atyahoo.ca

Rhonda said...

I subscribe to winning reading

rhondastruthers at yahoo.ca

Nancy S. said...

Sounds like a good book.
ncschools at yahoo dot com

Nancy S. said...

I follow with GFC.

Terry Mac said...

Thank you for your review. Touching the Clouds sounds like a book that I would also enjoy reading.

terrymac1a at hotmail dot com

Terry Mac said...

I am a GFC follower.

Thank you for posting this review and hosting this giveaway.

terrymac1a at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

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