Only A Few More Days Until the Winner is Announced

Don't forget we'll be giving away a copy of Allison Pitman's inspirational novel, With Endless Spirit, the third book in her Crossroads of Grace series at the end of the month.

You can enter here.

February Book Giveaway--Allison Pittman's With Endless Spirit

In February, The Book Connection will once again be participating in National Blog Posting Month. I thought it would be a great idea to start off this month with a book giveaway.



This month we're giving away With Endless Spirit, Book Three from Allison Pittman's Crossroads of Grace series--which we reviewed here.

Crossroads of Grace remains one of my favorite Christion fiction series. The historical detail, the challenges each character faces, and the moral complexity of each situation, comes together to inspire and move the reader.

Here are the rules for this contest:

1) Comment here with your working email address so that we can contact you if you win.

2) Get an additional entry for blogging about this contest. Leave a comment here telling us where you are blogged about it.

Contest ends on February 27, 2009. The winner will be announced at this blog on February 28, 2009.

This contest is open to residents of the United States and Canada only.

Good luck!

With Endless Spirit by Allison Pittman--Book Review

The story of a young girl's determination to stay true to God's plan despite the tragedies and loss she endures is what you'll find in the highly anticipated conclusion to the Crossroads of Grace series by Allison Pittman.

With Endless Spirit introduces the reader to Belinda, a young girl born into privilege. Led to believe her family is going on this great adventure, reality soon strikes while on the journey West. Wounded and suddenly alone, Belinda clings to her faith to help her in this harsh new world.

Forced to spend the winter with the man who stole the life she once knew, Belinda struggles to find the power of forgiveness. Her journey takes her to a mining camp in Wyoming, also home to a red-roofed brothel, where she finds friendship and perhaps love. But is her faith strong enough to let her forgive?

What a satisfying conclusion to the Crossroads of Grace series! Belinda, who fans of the first two books will learn receives a new name once she ends up at Jewell's place at Silver Peak, is an inspiring character whose story was begging to be told. The author pits Belinda against tragedy and loss while the reader is allowed to witness her evolution from a secure but shy girl to a young woman determined to survive and believe in God's hand in her life.

Just as with Pittman's other books in this series, Ten Thousand Charms and Speak through the Wind--which we reviewed here and here--the author's attention to historical detail adds realism and depth to this novel. Just like Speak through the Wind, fans of the series are treated to discovering the story of a secondary character from the first book. And while in Ten Thousand Charms, most of the story unfolds at Jewell's place, a good portion of Belinda's story is told before she even finds herself in the red-roofed brothel.

Christian fiction fans won't want to miss the powerful conclusion to the Crossroads of Grace series. And they'll want to read all three books again as soon as they finish. Allison Pittman is an author whose work touches the heart and lifts you up. I eagerly await Pittman's next project.


Title: With Endless Spirit
Author: Allison Pittman
Publisher: Multnomah Books
ISBN: 978-1-60142-012-1
U.S. Price: $13.99

Speak through the Wind by Allison Pittman--Book Review

A moving and compelling story of the power of God's love and forgiveness is what you'll discover in Allison Pittman's Speak through the Wind, Book 2 in the Crossroads of Grace series.

When a young orphan living in the impoverished Five Points District of Manhattan is gravely injured by a horse and driver, Reverend Joseph nurses her back to health. He also tends to Kassandra's soul, helping her to learn Bible verses and sending her off to school. Now a teenager, Kassandra decides to flee the only real home she's ever known for the promise of a young man's love.

Living a life so far from the one she knew with Reverend Joseph, she fears neither God, nor the Reverend, will ever forgive her. Kassandra heads off to California and is transformed into a woman known as Sadie. Will she ever find her way back home?

Allison Pittman has done it again. She's delivered a powerful, gripping novel that is sure to win the hearts of Christian fiction fans everywhere. Just as with Ten Thousand Charms--which I reviewed here--Pittman's attention to detail, complex characters, and inspiring message blend together to create an amazing reading experience.

Beginning in 1841, we are introduced to Kassandra, who we know as Sadie from Ten Thousand Charms. Sadie is such an interesting character in Ten Thousand Charms, that the reader is granted a wonderful opportunity to discover her full story in Speak through the Wind. It makes her actions in Ten Thousand Charms crystal clear once you know who she was before the mining camp in Wyoming.

But you needn't read Book 1 to enjoy this novel, as it truly stands on it's own. Pittman provides just the right amount of material from Book 1 in Speak through the Wind; and those who have read both books will not feel they are reliving information already known. But instead, they will feel as if they are in familiar territory, but reading it all again for the first time as it revolves around Sadie, and not Gloria--the main character from Book 1.

I said at the end of my review for Ten Thousand Charms that I wasn't sure how Pittman would top such a strong introductory novel, but she has raised the bar with Speak through the Wind, and now I am eager to dive into With Endless Sight, the third and final book of the Crossroads of Grace series.


Title: Speak through the Wind
Author: Allison Pittman
Publisher: Multnomah Books
ISBN: 1-59052-625-2
U.S. Price: $12.99

Ten Thousand Charms by Allison Pittman--Book Review

Ten Thousand Charms by Allison Pittman is an outstanding and powerful novel of love and redemption.

A mining camp certainly isn't the place for someone as young and pretty as Gloria. But when you're a pregnant prostitute trying to decide how to get out of your predicament, a mining camp where you know someone isn't such a bad thing. Taken in by Jewell, the closest thing to a friend she knows, and the owner of the local brothel, Gloria pays her way by taking care of things around the place...that is, until her time comes and then she'll be expected to work like the rest of the girls.

John William McGregan is desperate. His wife died in childbirth and he is forced to seek Gloria's help to nurse his newborn daughter. They enter into an agreement where Gloria will tend to his daughter if he raises her son. No marriage, just taking care of the kids together until Gloria feels it's time to leave--she's not the motherly type.

After moving to the new Oregon Territory things begin to change. John William's faith and the doting of a neighborly widow leave Gloria longing for the love she's never known. But she's not worthy of a man of great faith like John William McGregan and certainly God couldn't want anything to do with her. When tragedy strikes, Gloria turns to the God she's never trusted. Can He save her new found family?

Kudos go out to Pittman for delivering such a powerful and inspiring story right out of the gate. Ten Thousand Charms is Pittman's debut novel and now I am eager to read the next two books in her Crossroads of Grace series.

A story of unanticipated love and redemption, Christian fiction and inspirational romance fans are certain to be moved by Ten Thousand Charms. Pittman has thrust two characters from distinctly different points of views together out of necessity and brings them to the point where they discover God's plan for their lives.

Gloria is at times crass, but her childlike eagerness to learn from John William and Maureen (the neighborly widow) about God endears the reader to her. It is easy to relate to the helplessness that Gloria feels as she wanders through life believing she has no future and doubting that she could ever be worthy in John's or God's eyes. The unfolding love story between John and Gloria is heartwarming and beautifully done, especially when it comes so unexpectedly for both of them.

Pittman's research and attention to detail make this story come to life as much as her realistic and all too human characters do. This story is set in the 1860's--a favorite time period of mine--which is why I wanted to read the book in the first place. And the discussion questions at the end make this the perfect book club selection.

I can't imagine how Pittman will top such a strong introductory novel, but since she sent me books 2 and 3 in this series to review, I eagerly anticipate sitting down with a cup of tea and finding out.


Title: Ten Thousand Charms (Crossroads of Grace series #1)
Author: Allison Pittman
Publisher: Multnomah Books
ISN: 1-59052-575-2
U.S. Price: $12.99