"Fifteen Minutes" by Karen Kingsbury {Blog Tour!}

The Author

Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury

Reviewed by Books for Christian Girls

Fiction Addict Blog Tours

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Howard Books

Pub Date: October 29, 2013

Karen Kingsbury’s new book asks the question: What Would You Sacrifice For Fame? 

(Synopsis from Amazon.com) "Zack Dylan made a promise to God and his college sweetheart as he left his family’s horse farm in Kentucky to compete on the popular reality television show Fifteen Minutes: If he makes it, the fame won’t change him. 

Overnight, Zack is the nation’s most popular contestant, a country singer with the looks and voice of a young Elvis. As his star rises, Zack is asked to compromise and quiet his beliefs, and also something more. Something Zack could never have imagined. Just as America is falling in love with Zack, just as he’s on the verge of winning it all, his choices lead him to the brink of personal disaster. 

At the same time, Reese Weatherly, a therapeutic horse instructor, is no longer sure about her relationship with Zack, or the wedding they had dreamed about. While Zack advances from one round of the competition to the next, an offer comes to Reese—one that will take her to a home halfway around the world. 

Then Chandra Olson—reigning diva pop star and one of the Fifteen Minutes judges—intervenes. Chandra has suffered so much public pain and private agony since her days as a Fifteen Minutes contestant. Now she wants just one thing: meaning. 

Can Chandra’s private losses help Zack find his way, or will his fifteen minutes of fame cause him to lose the life he once loved? Fifteen Minutes is a story of character, compromise, and the cost of having it all. A story that raises the question: Who are the real winners?"

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 Series: As of now, no.

Spiritual Content- Ecclesiastes 2:17, Philippians 4:13; All three main characters pray; Scriptures are quoted.

Negative Content- Kelly’s boyfriend smokes weed; a ‘crap’ said by Chandra.

Sexual Content- Kelly says she used to be “America’s Sexist Sweetheart”; Kelly says “Hey Sexy” to her boyfriend; Zach shares some kisses and then lusts after that girl; A (random) girl tweets Zach saying the spot in her bed is his.

-Zach Dylan

-Reese Weatherly

-Chandra Olson

                                              P.O.V. switches between Zach, Reese, Chandra & Kelly

                                                                       353 pages

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I truly enjoyed this book, but because of the sexual content, I had to lower it. “Fifteen Minutes” by Karen Kingsbury really got me thinking; fame isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.

 Fifteen Minutes is available to purchase from Amazon.com & is in stores now!

 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book as part of the Fifteen Minutes blog tour from Fiction Addict. I received no compensation for this review and only received a copy of the book for review purposes.  Review copy provided by the publisher.

"Fiery Secrets" by Stephanie McCall

About this book:

“When it comes to trial, God either spares you from it totally, asks you to walk through it, or delivers you from it by taking you to Heaven. Dr. Grace Taylor, a driven pediatrician and single mom, needs divine intervention if she's going to heal from the actions of her cheating, abusive ex-husband. But she never thought God would work through Chris Anderson, a tutor at the local learning center whose secrets keep him from opening up to her. Both Grace and Chris have been asked to walk through their trial by fire; they've come out alive, but they still smell like smoke. Despite fears and distrust, love begins to take root in their hearts. But their fiery secrets threaten to keep them apart, and blister their souls.”


 Series: As of now, no.

Spiritual Content- Daniel 3:18 in the front; Grace & Chris both pray & go to church; Scriptures are quoted.

Negative Content- Drugs & Alcohol play a major role in this book; Both main characters deal with their pasts of using one of these; Kyle drinks in his P.O.V.

Sexual Content- 1 hussy; Kyle used to beat Grace & Jacob, and flash backs are not so detailed, but enough; Kisses.

-Dr. Grace Taylor

-Chris Anderson

                                                              P.O.V. switches between Grace, Chris, Kyle & Jacob

                                                                       355 pages

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I liked how both main characters seemed real, they had flaws like all of us. Only thing was, some kisses & flash backs were a bit detailed.

 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher for this review.

"A Bride for Keeps" by Melissa Jagears

 About this book:

“Although Everett Cline can hardly keep up with the demands of his homestead, he won't humiliate himself by looking for a helpmate ever again--not after being jilted by three mail-order brides. When a well-meaning neighbor goes behind his back to bring yet another mail-order bride to town, he has good reason to doubt it will work, especially after getting a glimpse at the woman in question. She's the prettiest woman he's ever seen, and it's just not possible she's there to marry a simple homesteader like him.

Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. Having finally worked up the courage to leave her life in Massachusetts, she's determined to find a place where people will value her for more than her looks. Having run out of all other options, Julia resorts to a mail-order marriage in far-away Kansas.

Everett is skeptical a cultured woman like Julia could be happy in a life on the plains, while Julia, deeply wounded by a past relationship, is skittish at the idea of marriage at all. When, despite their hesitations, they agree to a marriage in name only, neither one is prepared for the feelings that soon arise to complicate their arrangement. Can two people accustomed to keeping their distance let the barricades around their hearts down long enough to fall in love?”


Series: ‘A Bride for Keeps’ #1. Has a Prequel ‘Love by the Letter’)

Spiritual Content- Verses from 1 Samuel; Prayers and Blessings over food are said.

Negative Content- N/A

Sexual Content- Julia’s past includes a man using her; A horrid man assaults Julia; Everett kisses Julia many times, and says he wishes he could cuddle with her, never in detail.

-Julia Lockwood

-Everett Cline

                                                              P.O.V. switches between them

                                                                       331 pages

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Just because of the Sexual Content, I don’t think it would be good for 16 and down. I did get tickled pink at this part:

It reminds me of the ‘Cinderella II: Dreams Come True’ movie, where Cindy in charge of a banquet, a banquet where Cindy wants commoners to be a part of, and there’s a lady named Prudence and when ever Cindy wants to do something different, Prudence always says: “It simply isn’t done.” I was giggling very much at this part in ‘A Bride for Keeps’.

 

 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher for this review.

"The Beloved Daughter" by Alana Terry

 About this book:

“In a small North Korean village, a young girl struggles to survive. But it is her father's faith, not the famine of North Hamyong Province, that most threatens Chung-Cha's well-being. Is Chung-Cha's father right to be such a vocal believer? Or is he a fool to bring danger on the head of his only daughter? Chung-Cha is only a girl of twelve and is too young to answer such questions. Yet she is not too young to face a life of imprisonment and forced labor. Her crime? Being the daughter of a political traitor. The Beloved Daughter follows Chung-Cha into one of the most notorious prison camps of the contemporary free world. Will Chung-Cha survive the horrors of Camp 22? And if she does survive, will her faith remain intact?”


 Series: As of now, no.

Spiritual Content-

Isaiah 42:3, Mark 14:31, Zachariah 13:7, Psalm 79:11(twice), Lamentations 1:2, Psalm 55:12-14, Psalm 107:20, Hosea 14:4, Matthew 10:21, Matthew 14:36, Romans 8:23, Psalm 66:12, Proverbs 4:18, Lamentations 2:13, Psalm 121:1, Matthew 11:30, Nahum 1:3, Ephesians 2:8, John 5:24, Job 42:5-6, Psalm 107:30, Isaiah 55:11, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Isaiah 49:6, Genesis 8:22, Song of Songs 3:5, John 3:29, Psalm 69:8, Psalm 11:1-2, Psalm 31:2, Isaiah 24:16, Psalm 119:116, Matthew 26:35, Luke 6:43-44, Isaiah 53:3, John 8:32, Ezekiel 33:7,Jeremiah 31:8, Psalm 130:7-8, John 21:18, Deuteronomy 33:12, Psalm 22:10, Matthew10:37, Isaiah 53:8, Isaiah 49:23, Revelation 2:10; Every Chapter begins with a Scripture; Chung-Cha is on-and-off with her Faith

Negative Content-

Chung-Cha goes through a lot- sticks up her nails, guards laughing at her; People get killed, some like “…and he was dead” and others more detailed with the blood.

Sexual Content-

3 wh*re, 1 slut; Many girls in the camp sleep with guards to get blankets, food and/or baths, Chung-Cha says she slept with a man, but it is not written; Guards abused Chung-Cha, how it was not written; Another guard asks Chung-Cha if she had sex while being married, she says no and he gives in a pregnancy stick to pee on (his words, not mine.)

-Song Chung-Cha

                                         P.O.V. Chung-Cha, like a diary

                                                 Set in 1998
                                                                                           223 pages

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I want to give this book a higher review, as what she went through, for our Faith. But, I have to consider the Negative & Sexual contents.

 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Author for this review.