Thicker Than Blood by C.J. Darlington GIVEAWAY ~ TitleTrakk.com

TitleTrakk.com Blog Tours Presents: Thicker than Blood by C.J. Darlington Published by Tyndale House Winner of the 2008 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel Contest!

Christy Williams finally has her life on track. She’s putting her past behind her and working hard to build a career as an antiquarian book buyer. But things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. With no one to turn to, she yearns for her estranged younger sister, May, whom she abandoned after their parents’ untimely deaths. Soon, Christy’s fleeing from her shattered dreams, her ex-boyfriend, and God. Could May’s Triple Cross Ranch be the safe haven she’s searching for? Will the sisters realize that each possesses what the other desperately needs before it’s too late? My Review

This was an extremely powerful book. I was hooked from the start. Christy starts off this story on a pretty negative note and it doesn't get much better from there. Sure, she wants to do better for herself, but she has such a hard time moving from where she is.

May, Christy's sister, is living at a ranch that is about to be taken away from her by the bank. She hasn't heard from her sister since her parents died and lives with a cloud of doubt hanging over her wondering what she did to make her sister leave.

Both of these sisters need each other but in different ways. Christy needs May to forgive her but is scared that won't happen, and May needs Christy to feel like she's part of a family. So close, yet so far. Will they ever find what they truly need?

I loved that Christy worked at an antique bookstore! I learned about antique books and auctions things I never knew! I loved to frequent these kinds of stores when I lived in WA and even have a few of my own, although I don't know what, if any, their worth is. Sigh...to work at a bookstore like that, what a dream!

Of course, on the opposite side of that is May living my dream of being on a working cattle ranch! Lucky girl. Not easy work by any stretch of the imagination, but hard work never killed anyone.

C.J. outdid herself in this debut novel. She covers a couple of topics that are rarely seen in Christian fiction. She goes out on a limb and finds success! Her writing is as strong as her characters and very penetrating! C.J. doesn't beat the heck out of you with scripture, but it flows neatly through the story. Thicker Than Blood doesn't leave loose ends and for that I am thankful.

With careful attention to detail, emotion, and scene-setting, C.J. Darlington scores with her debut effort. Here is a special writer you won’t want to miss. --Jerry B. Jenkins, New York Times best selling author If you love a good read filled with adventure and ultimately redemption, I encourage you to brew the tea, settle into your favorite chair and pick up the page turner that is C.J. Darlington’s imaginative new novel of a modern day sisterhood that triumphs over separation and the raw challenges of life to find the real endurance of both family ties and God’s amazing grace. --Rebecca St. James, Grammy award winning Christian singer and bestselling author With Thicker than Blood, C.J. Darlington proves she's a novelist for the long-haul, a strong new voice in Christian fiction. This book speaks to the heart, from the heart, about the heart. Readers will not soon forget it. --Sibella Giorello, Christy award-winning author of The Rivers Run Dry & The Clouds Roll Away

About the Author: C. J. began writing the story that would become Thicker than Blood (her first novel) when she was a fifteen-year-old homeschool student. She has been in the antiquarian bookselling business for over a decade, scouting for stores similar to the one described in the novel before cofounding her own online bookstore. Thicker than Blood was the winner of the 2008 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel. C. J. co-founded the Christian entertainment Web site TitleTrakk.com with her sister, Tracy, and has been actively promoting Christian fiction through book reviews and author interviews. She makes her home in Pennsylvania with her family and their menagerie of dogs and cats. Visit her website http://www.cjdarlington.com/ for more info. QUICK LINKS:

• The 1st chapter of Thicker than Blood
• The "Story Behind the Story" of Thicker than Blood
• More endorsements from Jenny B. Jones, James Scott Bell, Susan Meissner, and more!
• Our interview with C.J. at TitleTrakk.com
• Buy Thicker than Blood at Christianbook.com
• Buy Thicker than Blood at Amazon.com
• List of the other 85+ Thicker than Blood blog tour participants!

Win Thicker Than Blood! Leave me a comment letting me know if you're a city slicker or more of the ranch hand type. Me, you can stick me in a barn and leave me there! I enjoy visiting the city, but I'm waaaay happier out in the country. Wish I had some cattle and horses though.

Must be at least 18 yrs old to enter and a US resident. Make sure there's a way to contact you via your email or contact page. No email/contact = No entry! Void where prohibited. Giveaway ends 2/4/10, 10pm CST.

Two other opportunities to win this book:

Cathy Bryant at Word Vessel: http://wordvessel.blogspot.com/

Nora St. Laurent at Finding Hope Through Fiction: Review http://psalm516.blogspot.com/2010/01/thicker-than-blood-title-trakk-blog.html and Giveaway http://psalm516.blogspot.com/2010/01/give-away-nora-interviews-cj-darlington.html