They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2021 finalists are books published in 2020. You might have read them already, you might not. I'll include links to reviews of the books I've read, but I have a lot of catching up to do so there will be gaps.
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2021 -- Historical Category you would like to receive if your name is drawn. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you're entering that way) and if you win, that's the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy. Here are the three finalists:
Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green, Bethany House (Baker) Publishing, Editors: Dave Horton and Rochelle Gloege
Headstrong Johanna Berglund, a linguistic student at the University of Minnesota, has very definite plans for her future...plans that do not include returning to her hometown and the secrets and heartaches she left behind there. But the US Army wants her to work as a translator at a nearby camp for German POWs.
Johanna arrives to find the once-sleepy town exploding with hositlity. Most patriotic citizens want nothing to do with German soldiers laboring in their fields, and they're not afraid to criticize those who work at the camp as well. When Johanna describes the trouble to her friend Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers, he encourages her to give the town that rejected her a second chance.
As Johanna interacts with the men of the camp and censors their letters home, she begins to see the prisoners in a more sympathetic light. But advocating for better treatment makes her enemies in the community, especially when charismatic German spokesman Stefan Werner begins to show interest in Johanna and her work. The longer Johanna wages her home-front battle, the more the lines between compassion and treason become blurred -- and it's no longer clear whom she can trust.
Link to my review: https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2020/12/things-we-didnt-say.html
While the rest of the world has been roaring through the 1920s, times are hardscrabble in rural South Georgia. Widow Maggie Parker is barely surviving while raising her young son alone. Then as banks begin to fail, her father-in-law threatens to take her son and sell off her livelihood -- the grocery store her husband left her. Can five Southern women band together, using their wisdom and wiles to stop him and survive the Great Depression?
Thirteen-year-old Loyal Raines is supposed to stay close to home on a hot summer day in 1934. When he slips away for a quick swim in the river and finds a dead body, he wishes he'd obeyed his mother. The ripples caused by his discovery will impact the town of Beverly, West Virginia, in ways no one could have imagined.
The first person those ripples disturb is Loyal's absentee father. When Creed Raines realized his infant son was deaf, he headed for the hills, returning only to help meet his family's basic needs. But when Loyal, now a young teen, stumbles upon a murder it's his father he runs to tell -- shaping the words with his hands. As Creed is pulled into the investigation he discovers that what sets his son apart isn't his inability to hear but rather his courage. Longing to reclaim the life he abandoned, Creed will have to do more than help solve a murder if he wants to win his family's heart again.
Link to my review: https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-right-kind-of-fool.html
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
This giveaway is a paperback or ebook copy of the title you choose
If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the 2021 Historical Carol Awards finalists, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 17 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!
Things We Didn't Say !!!
ReplyDeleteKathleen ~ Lane Hill House
kathleen[dot]e[dot]belongia[at]gmail[dot]com
That one is fantastic!!! Good luck, Kathleen!
DeleteGoodness, Kav, I want to read all of these! But if I have to choose, I'll say The Right Kind of Fool. Thanks so much for doing these Carol Award giveaways. Such a great idea!
ReplyDeleteckbarker at gmail dot com
You're welcome, Cheryl. It's fun to see which titles are the most popular as far as wanna reads go. The Right Kind of Fool is an amazing story. Good luck!
DeleteIn High Cotton by Ane Mulligan
ReplyDeletethese books sound wonderful. thanks for the chance to read a new to me author.
quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
I'm intrigued by that one too. I've never seen it before. Good luck, Lori!
DeleteThings We Didn’t Say would’ve been top of my list, but I already have that one😅 The other two are SO hard to choose between! I’m thinking I’m leaning towards In High Cotton😉
ReplyDeleteGlad you loved Things We Didn't Say too. I don't know how I missed In High Cotton. It was completely off my radar. Good luck, Elly!
DeleteThings We Didn’t Say sound like a book I would love to read.
ReplyDeletemauback55 at gmail dot com
It's fabulous! Good luck, Melanie!
DeleteOh, how wonderful. In High Cotton. Thanks. Blessings. teshawATsbcglobalDOTnet
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Tammie!
DeleteThings We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green!! That was a great book. :)
ReplyDeleteeclitton at gmail dot com
Definitely one for the keeper shelf. Good luck, Elizabeth!
DeleteThings We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green!
ReplyDeletepsalm103and138atgmaildotcom
This one is mighty popular today. Good luck, Caryl!
DeleteI would like to enter to win In High Cotton, sounds like a great story, thanks! lclee59(at)centurylink(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI need to read this one too. Good luck, Connie!
DeleteThese all sound very good, but I really like the sometimes nearly enchanting quality and depth of Sarah Loudin Thomas' writing. And the title is not typical - The Right Kind of Fool! Really piques the interest. Thanks
ReplyDeleteEnchanting is the perfect way to describe Sarah Loudin Thomas' writing. So lovely and lyrical. Stories with deep meaning that grab your heart. Good luck, CC!
DeleteI love you guys!
DeleteEeeep! :-)
DeleteI'd love to win the "Things We Didn't Say" by Amy Lynn Green rrwalter34atGMAILDOTCom
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Becky!
DeleteIn High Cotton. I've read and loved the other two! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeletewhthomas13 at yahoo dot com
Just like me -- this one slipped me by. Good luck, Winnie!
DeleteI read & reviewed "In High Cotton" almost a year ago & really, really loved it! It was a great look back at depression times & how the characters lived through it. I especially enjoyed Maggie's character, she survived hard times & had a steel backbone. I think everyone needs to read it :-)
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I'd love to read "Things We Didn't Say" by Amy Lynn Green. The story line sounds so fascinating! Anything to do with letter writing always gets my attention :-)
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
I love depression era books and they are so hard to find so I'm really surprised that I missed even noticing this one. Now you make me want to read it even more. Good luck, Trixi!
DeleteThe Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas has such a powerful cover, so pretty!
ReplyDeletereadreviewrejoiceATgmailDOTcom
It's a powerful story. Good luck, Kaylee!
Deletethe right kind of fool. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Kim!
DeleteIf I were fortunate enough to be selected, I would LOVE a copy of "The Right Kind of Fool". Your review, back when you wroteit, left me know that this is a book I must read - sooner or later. Winning would make it sooner and me one happy camper.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Definitely a good choice, Kay, but then, I don't think you could wrong with this selection. Good luck!
DeleteThe Right Kind of Fool please. Thanks for the opportunity and for the great giveaway!
ReplyDeletemindyhoung at msn dot com
You're welcome, Mindy. Good luck!
DeleteI'd like to win In High Cotton. It must be really good since it's competing against The Right Kind of Fool and Things We Didn't Say which are both terrific.
ReplyDeletepmkellogg56(at)gmail(dot)com
I don't know how they come up with the finalists -- so many great books being released all the time. Good luck, Pam!
DeleteThe Right Kind of Fool was amazing. Hard to choose between the others but I’ll say Things We Didn’t Say. Thank you my book twin. leliamae54(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Lucy! This is definitely a book worthy of a twin dance. :-)
DeleteThanks for your reviews on all the books.I'm very excited for all these authors. It's a wonderful bunch of book. I'd like to put my name in for Things I didn't say. norafindinghope at yahoo
ReplyDeleteGreat choice. Good luck, Nora!
DeleteThe Right Kind of Fool...I'm drawn to it! 😉
ReplyDeletedmandres5 at gmail dot com
It's an amazing book!!!! So many rich layers. Good luck, Melissa!
DeleteThe Right Kind of Fool sounds like my kind of book. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletembaaij77 at gmail dot com
You're welcome, Marian. Good luck!
DeleteThe Right Kind of Fool has a really good storyline and I always enjoy a good mystery. Thanks for the opportunity to read it.
ReplyDeletecenyatowathotmaildotcom
It's an excellent read. Good luck, Marjorie.
DeleteI've read The Right Kind of Fool and really enjoyed it! Haven't read the other two. Would love either of them, but would choose In High Cotton.
ReplyDeletepattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
Yay another Right Kind of Fool fan! Good luck, Patty!
DeleteThings We Didn't Say looks like a book I would enjoy! Thanks!
ReplyDeletepbclark(at)netins(dot)net
You're welcome, rubynreba. Good luck!
DeleteI read The Things We Didn't Say and enjoyed it. It's such a toss up between the other two, since they've both been on my radar and they're Depression era stories. I'm going with Ane Mulligan's. Her book needs more reader love.
ReplyDeleteIn High Cotton by Ane Mulligan
tlhcoupon(at)hotmail(dot)com
I don't think I've even heard of Ane Mulligan before! This one looks right up my alley though. Good luck, Terrill!
Delete