Black 'n' Gold Girl's Book Spot

Happy Halloween, lovies!  It's been a few years, I'm not going to say how many since I don't want to give away my age, but trick or treating was always one of my favorite things about fall. Really though, was there anything more fun than dressing up as whatever you could imagine or costume your parents could find in the store last minute, getting together with friends, all so you could amass loads of candy that you would never finish eating? I can't think of anything that came close to that experience when I was a kid besides maybe Christmas.

Oh. Em. Gee. We finally get a premiere date after waiting 550,000 years! Mark your calendars for January 19, 2014 @10pm -- Sherlock , Series 3 premieres on PBS. Can you tell I'm freakin' excited. My Day = MADE and I hope yours is too! :-D

Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley Copyright 2013 Thomas Nelson Pubishers: ISBN: 9781595549723 The Story: In a case that could change her career, Miranda uncovers a love that will change her life.  When Miranda Hunt sees the classified ad for an heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch, she knows assuming the identity of Annie Beckman is the perfect cover. As one of the finest agents for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Miranda has been tasked with apprehending the Phantom—an elusive and notorious train robber thought to be hiding on the sprawling ranch. But she isn’t the only one at the ranch with something to hide. Wells Fargo detective Jeremy Taggart is working undercover as well. Their true identities may be a secret, but it is impossible for Jeremy and Miranda to hide the sparks flaring between them. Neither is about to let romance interfere with such a huge case. Besides, Miranda hasn’t removed Jeremy from her list of suspects yet. The closer they get to uncoverin

Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren Copyright 2013 David C. Cook Publishers ISBN: 9781434764287 The Story: Lisa T. Bergren's popular Grand Tour series concludes as Cora Kensington journeys farther into Italy, wrestles with a terrible ultimatum from her father, and comes to terms with the Father who will never fail her. America's newest heiress must decide if her potential fortune is rationale enough to give up her freedom and all that God is leading her toward. And when her newly-discovered siblings are threatened with ruin, her quandary deepens. Then as Cora nears Rome, more journalists are tracking the news story of the decade---"Copper Cora," the rags-to-riches girl---and want to know more about her family and the men vying for her attention. Meanwhile, a charming Italian countess decides that if Cora isn't going to claim Will's heart, she might just try . . . My Thoughts: This story has me divided, on one hand I love the setting (who doe

As you probably already know, I'm a huge fan of all things Masterpiece , especially the "Classic" dramas. Earlier this month, The Paradise , a drama set in a 19th century shop of the same name run by the enigmatic Mr. John Moray, began on Masterpiece . I have to say what I've seen so far has been excellent.

A Reluctant Courtship by Laurie Alice Eakes Copyright 2013 Revell Books ISBN: 9780800734688 The Story: A woman without a prospect. A man without a homeland. Can love give them a future? Honore Bainbridge has been courted by two men, one of whom turned out to be a traitor, the other a murderer. Banished to her family's country estate, where she will hopefully stay out of trouble, she finally meets the man she is sure is exactly right for her: Lord Ashmoor. Tall, dark, and handsome--what more could a girl ask for? But he too is under suspicion because of his American upbringing and accusations that he has helped French prisoners escape from Dartmoor Prison. If he's to keep out of a British prison himself and secure his place in British society, Lord Ashmoor needs a wife beyond reproach--something the vexingly beautiful Honore certainly is not. Though they find themselves drawn to each other, family obligations may conspire to keep them apart forever. For the sake o

Save the Day -- November 23, 2013!

Benedict Cumberbatch at the international TIME magazine photoshoot.  

Howdy! First off, let me apologize for the dust. I'm currently in the process of updating and redesigning the look of my blog. I'm SO picky about getting just the right look so the process may take a few days. The current look is not final. I changed the template at least 5 times yesterday, so please bear with me. If you have any hints and tips for using HTML or finding a terrific template, please share them with me in the comment section. Thanks to tips I've already received from fellow bloggers (here's looking at you Rissi !) I think this blog will eventually look even better than it did!

The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser Copyright 2013 Summerside Press ISBN: 9780824934279 The Story: A pampered socialite embarks on a journey to the Wild West where her life is changed forever. A setting populated by hundreds of laborers, outlaws, and Indians is hardly the place for a wealthy general's daughter from the nation's capital. But Josephine Cain is determined to visit her father, who supervises the day-to-day work involved in the grandest ambition of post-Civil War America: the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Life with the railroad is far from the proper life Josephine is used to, and she faces deadly gunfights, harsh weather, and vigilante uprisings. She is torn between the West and the East; between her privileged upbringing and the challenges of a new frontier; between the pull of the suitable beau her parents approve of and an attraction to a rough but charming Irish railroad worker. But if Josephine is willing, and courageous, she

I've read a bunch of rumors in the past few years of missing Doctor Who stories being recovered in strange or unusual places only to be disappointed that there wasn't any truth in them. The last few days I've been reading that hundreds of lost episodes have been found in Nigeria and told myself not to get too excited. Thankfully it was partially true and two classic Who stories, "The Enemy of the World" and "The Web of Fear", have been rediscovered and have been remastered and will be available for purchase on iTunes on October 11th! Have I mentioned how excited I am?! SQUEE! I have really enjoyed all the classic stories that I have seen so far and have faith that I will love these two new ones as well! I've posted a trailer and clip from the BBC below, to read more about the discovery, visit the BBC America site HERE .

Under a Blackberry Moon by Serena B. Miller Copyright 2013 Revell Books ISBN: 9780800721183 The Story: Which wilderness is more treacherous--the one she must cross to find her home . . . or the one she must traverse to find love? Just a few days after she gave birth alone in the northwoods, a recently widowed young Chippewa woman stumbled into a nearby lumber camp in search of refuge from the winter snows. Come summer, it is clear that Moon Song cannot stay among the rough-and-tumble world of white lumbermen, and so the camp owner sends Skypilot, his most trusted friend, to accompany her on the long and treacherous journey back to her people. But when tragedy strikes off the shore of Lake Superior, Moon Song and Skypilot must depend on each other for survival. With every step they take into the forbidding woods, they are drawn closer together, until it seems the unanswerable questions must be asked. Can she leave her culture to enter his? Can he leave his world to enter he

Starting October 15, 2013, you'll be able to pick up Christian romance writer, Carrie Turansky's latest novel, The Governess of Highland Hall ! To celebrate the release, Carrie and her publisher, WaterBrook Multnomah are hosting a fabulous giveaway of not one or two but three great Edwardian themed prize packages RIGHT NOW! For all the details on how to be entered to win one of the prizes, visit Carrie's website here:  http://carrieturansky.com/index.php/governesslaunch/  but first check out my review of The Governess of Highland Hall below.

The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson Copyright 2013 Summerside Press ISBN: 9780824934262 The Story: An unlikely spy discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution. As the British and Continental armies wage war in 1781, the daughter of a wealthy Virginia plantation owner feels conflict raging in her own heart. Lydia Caswell comes from a family of staunch Loyalists, but she cares only about peace. Her friend Sarah Hammond, however, longs to join the fight. Both women's families have already been divided by a costly war that sets father against son and neighbor against neighbor; a war that makes it impossible to guess who can be trusted. One snowy night Lydia discovers a wounded man on the riverbank near Caswell Hall, and her decision to save him will change her life. Nathan introduces her to a secret network of spies, couriers, disguises, and coded messages -- a network that may be the Patriots' only hope for winning the war. When British

If you're not from Pittsburgh you might be wondering just what the heck BUCtober is, well, it's playoff time in the city! We're celebrating the end of the too long drought (over 20 years of losing seasons!) with a winning season courtesy of "Cutch", Byrd, Liriano, skipper Clint Hurdle and the rest of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization! Hopefully, last night's Wild Card win against the Cincinnati Reds is the beginning of a successful October for the Buccos.

Stranded by Dani Pettrey Copyright 2013 Bethany House Publishers ISBN: 9780764209840 The Story: When Her Friend Goes Missing, Every Minute Counts  Darcy St. James returns to Alaska to join a journalist friend undercover on the trail of a big story. But when Darcy arrives, she finds her friend has disappeared. Troubled by the cruise ship's vague explanation, Darcy uses her cover as a travel reporter to investigate further. The last person Gage McKenna expects to see during his summer aboard a cruise ship leading adventure excursions is Darcy. And in typical Darcy fashion, she's digging up more trouble. He'd love to just forget her--but something won't let him. And he can't help but worry about her as they are heading into more remote regions of Alaska and eventually into foreign waters. Something sinister is going on, and the deeper they push, the more Gage fears they've only discovered the tip of the iceberg.