Showing posts with label Jamie McGillen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jamie McGillen. Show all posts

Thursday, August 19, 2021

TOUR Audio - HISTORICAL FICTION - IN LIGHT OF THE SUMMIT (The Rainier, #2) by Jamie McGillen Narrator Sarah Brands

IN THE LIGHT OF THE SUMMIT
The Rainier Series, #2
by Jamie McGillen
Narrator: Sarah Brands
Length: 5 hours 36 minutes
Released: June 18th 2021
Publisher: Jamie McGillen
Genre: Young Adult; Historical Fiction



  The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . IN LIGHT OF THE SUMMIT (The Rainier, #2) . . . Self-discovery. Defiance. Reflection. Understanding.  Anna did what no one expected of her. Now life for her is so much different than what it could have been if she would have went the proper young lady route. With this second installment to the series we get to see Emily along with Anna. They both face challenges and changes to their lives. They both find a way to deal with it and move forward. Breaking traditions and making a way has consequences each young woman must tackle. Come in and watch their challenges make them better women. 

Sarah Brands lends her voice to a historical piece that was only enhanced by her voice. The audio was clean and clear.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jamie McGillen. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
 
The much-anticipated sequel to In Sight of the Mountain! After Anna Gallagher’s first climb on Mt. Rainier, she faces a new challenge - enduring the ridicule and threats that come with breaking tradition. In 1890, being a young female mountaineer makes polite society uncomfortable, even angry. But despite the threats and inherent risk, she still has plans for another climb, even if it jeopardizes her family bookstore and puts her in more danger than she ever imagined. 

Emily Watson has always been close with the Gallagher family. As a young girl she dreamed of a wealthy husband, a fine house, and a future in Seattle society, and now, she finally has it. Her desires couldn’t be more different than Anna’s, but she’s confronted with her own invisible mountain to climb when she’s suddenly poverty-stricken. She must decide what matters most and whether true love is worth waiting for. 

In Light of the Summit is a captivating story of ambition, heartbreak, and redemption. It’s a tale of two childhood friends navigating womanhood in the late 19th century, with as much grace as they can muster, while still figuring out how to be true to themselves.

 
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Jamie McGillen lives in the shadow of Mount Rainier, and no matter how many times she moves away, it draws her home. Everything about large evergreen trees delights her, except how poky they are, and the sap. Her poems and essays have been published in numerous literary journals, and she teaches English Composition at Highline College. When she's not teaching or cutting strawberries for her starving children, she enjoys writing rhyming poetry, but it's simply not as popular as it used to be. You can find out more about her at www.jamiemcgillen.com.
WebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagram
Narrator Bio 
 
Sarah has had a long love affair with audiobooks. She first fell in love with Little Dragon and Orange Cheeks by Jay O’Callahan at age 5 and has been listening ever since. Back then, of course, they were books on tape. Her dream of becoming an audiobook narrator started to become a reality when she began volunteering at Learning Ally as a reader. Outside of reading and narrating, she enjoys baking (when there’s not a flour shortage due to a pandemic), hiking, and dabbling in writing and drawing. Sarah finds herself interested in many things, reflected by her work history: waitress, retail associate, licensed forklift driver, salesperson, special education teacher, reading therapist, and professional learning facilitator… Currently she daylights in ed tech sales and moonlights in her recording booth. She lives in Virginia, grew up in Oklahoma, and a piece of her heart will always be in Colorado.
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Sunday, May 24, 2020

SPOTLIGHT Audio - YA HISTORICAL - IN SIGHT OF THE MOUNTAIN by Jamie McGillen Narrator Sarah Brands

Audio Blog Tour: In Sight of the Mountain by Jamie McGillen
IN SIGHT OF THE MOUNTAIN
by Jamie McGillen
Narrator Sarah Brands
Length: 9 hours 34 minutes 
Released April 24th 2020
Publisher: The Evergreen Bookshelf
Genre: Young Adult; Historical Fiction


Top 10 List
Jamie McGillen's Top Ten Food Moments of IN SIGHT OF THE MOUNTAIN
  1. Chocolate Crinkles- “Peppermint hot cocoa is finished!” she chimed. “And chocolate crinkles too. I just dusted them with powdered sugar” (153).
Peppermint hot chocolate and my mom’s chocolate crinkle cookies are my favorite foods of Christmas, so I really wanted to include them in my first Christmas scene!
  1. Salmon with Hollandaise- “Not only did the salmon with hollandaise come on the fanciest glass plates Anna had ever seen, it also melted in her mouth” (148).
This meal is shared with Anna’s friend Emily and her husband (with a guest suitor) and it’s quite the treat compared with what she had been eating over the winter.
  1. The Jar of Jam- “I broke a jar of jam, lassie. Go back upstairs—don’t want you stepping on broken glass in the dark” (108).
This is said by Anna’s grandfather Oscar. I can’t say anymore without spoilers!
  1. Blueberries from the Market- “Her mouth watered as she browsed the stands, making her long for better days. Luckily, Ben bought blueberries, which he shared on the walk back” (99).
The Gallaghers have a difficult winter when it comes to food, so anything fresh that they didn’t grow or make themselves is a small luxury.
  1. Halibut from Alaska- “Her grandfather brought a new wine from the cellar, and Greta roasted halibut and potatoes for dinner” (322).
Anna’s brother Levi goes halibut fishing every spring and always brings back a feast for days. My dad used to go halibut fishing in Alaska, and I remember eating deep fried halibut with ketchup when I was little.
  1. All the Apples- “He cleared his throat and nodded before pulling a chair up to the table and grabbing an apple to peel. “Gosh, applesauce simmering on the stove, a pie in the oven, winter pies and sauces coming. I’m a lucky old man” (113).
The Gallaghers have a few apple trees so they attempt to keep as many apples as possible through canning, baking, preserving, etc.
  1. Lussekatts with Saffron- “Have you ever had lussekatts?” Greta asked. “It’s a Swedish pastry in the shape of an ‘S’ with raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg...and saffron!” (165).
I’ve never had the pleasure of trying this pastry, but I kind of want to try and bake it now!
  1. Wild Berries- “By the first week of September, they’d collected twenty buckets of wild blackberries and three buckets of the last of the raspberries. All over the house, berries hung from the ceiling to dry in mosquito nets; they planned to make jam next” (102).
Preserving berries wasn’t something Anna had always done, but Greta taught her how.
  1. Fishing for Salmon with the Duwamish- “Salmon souls never die. It’s important to treat each one with respect, because each year they return in new bodies, to feed us.” Heather peered wistfully upriver. “If we don’t treat them with dignity, they won’t return” (257).
Anna really enjoys learning about Duwamish traditions from her friend Heather!
  1. Belgian Chocolate in the Woods- “To celebrate her success, she and Ben plopped down again against the log. Then, to her surprise, Ben pulled out a chocolate bar. ‘It’s from Belgium, and I’ll only share if you fully appreciate the luxuriousness’” (128).

Luckily, they didn’t have to share with her brother Levi—he hates chocolate… (weirdo)!




"An engaging escapade with a feisty female lead." (Kirkus Reviews) 

"A beautifully written story. A must-read for those who are striving to fulfill their dreams..." (Seattle Book Review) 

"An epic and gripping work of historical fiction... the perfect historical read for fans of pioneering heroes and tales of triumph over discrimination." (Reader's Favorite 5-Star Review) 


In the devastating aftermath of the 1889 Great Seattle Fire, 19-year-old Anna Gallagher faces considerable pressure to marry well and soon. But she has no intention of giving up her freedom to keep house. She wants to be the first woman to summit Mount Rainier. 

Anna's grandfather couldn't disapprove more. And after he discovers that she's befriended a Duwamish woman in the forest, he threatens to disown her completely. 

Still, her resolve to summit doesn't waver until she meets a fisherman who seems to love adventure as much as she does. He's not the kind of high society gentleman who could save their family's finances after the fire, but he adores her and treats her like an equal. 

Mountaineering through glaciers, avalanches, and frozen temperatures might cause Anna's family to disown her forever. It might even ruin any future marriage prospects. But if she succeeds in reaching the icy peak, she could pioneer the way for women mountaineers, and create a new identify for herself, something she's been longing for her whole life. 

Inspired by the trailblazing women of the 19th century who dared to summit Mount Rainier, In Sight of the Mountain is a charming coming-of-age story, but it also casts the reader's gaze upon issues of colonialism, class, and women's far-too-narrow options.
 
Buy on Amazon  
https://youtu.be/xur9X7GtPQs


Jamie McGillen lives in the shadow of Mount Rainier, and no matter how many times she moves away, it draws her home. Everything about large evergreen trees delights her, except how poky they are, and the sap. Her poems and essays have been published in numerous literary journals, and she teaches English Composition at Highline College. When she's not teaching or cutting strawberries for her starving children, she enjoys writing rhyming poetry, but it's simply not as popular as it used to be. You can find out more about her at www.jamiemcgillen.com.
WebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagramPinterest


Narrator Bio  
 Sarah has had a long love affair with audiobooks. She first fell in love with Little Dragon and Orange Cheeks by Jay O’Callahan at age 5 and has been listening ever since. Back then, of course, they were books on tape. Her dream of becoming an audiobook narrator started to become a reality when she began volunteering at Learning Ally as a reader. Outside of reading and narrating, she enjoys baking (when there’s not a flour shortage due to a pandemic), hiking, and dabbling in writing and drawing. Sarah finds herself interested in many things, reflected by her work history: waitress, retail associate, licensed forklift driver, salesperson, special education teacher, reading therapist, and professional learning facilitator… Currently she daylights in ed tech sales and moonlights in her recording booth. She lives in Virginia, grew up in Oklahoma, and a piece of her heart will always be in Colorado.
WebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagram
Audio Blog Tour: In Sight of the Mountain by Jamie McGillen
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Tuesday, November 26, 2019

SPOTLIGHT - HISTORICAL FICTION - In Sight of the Mountain by Jamie McGillen

In Sight of the Mountain
by Jamie McGillen
Publication Date: September 4th 2019
The Evergreen Bookshelf
eBook & Paperback; 356 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
~ Inspired by the trailblazing women of the 19th Century who dared to summit Mount Rainier ~ 

BLURB
In the devastating aftermath of the 1889 Great Seattle Fire, nineteen-year-old Anna Gallagher faces considerable pressure to marry well and soon. 

She has two serious suitors: a well-meaning but condescending doctor, and an evasive fisherman who challenges her mind. But Anna has no intention of giving up her freedom to keep house; she has a dream to reach the summit of Mount Rainier. 

Despite her family’s disapproval and her own self-doubt, she secretly trains, raises money for supplies, and buys a train ticket to the base of the mountain. If she succeeds in reaching its icy peak, she could pioneer the way for women mountaineers; but it’s a tall task and there’s much at risk—including the heart of a man who just might love her as an equal. 

On the journey, Anna will face glaciers, avalanches, and frozen temperatures, all without knowing if she even has a family or a future to return to. 

In Sight of the Mountain is a charming coming-of-age story, but it also casts the reader’s gaze upon issues of colonialism, class, and women’s far-too-narrow options.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Praise
"Focusing on themes of the liberation of women, the American class system and effects of colonialism, this intelligent and heart-warming novel introduces us to Anna Gallagher at the tender age of nineteen... In an epic and gripping work of historical fiction with modern sensibilities, author Jamie McGillen gives you everything you could possibly hope for in this inspiring and dramatic tale... Overall, In Sight of the Mountain is the perfect historical read for fans of pioneering heroes and tales of triumph over discrimination." --K.C. Finn, Reader's Favorite (5 Star Review) 

 "As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, I found it entertaining to try to picture Seattle as a frontier town and see Mount Rainier without its modern trappings. The story begins with the 1889 Seattle fire (a true event) and I was immediately hooked... In all, In Sight of the Mountain is a really great read--compelling, educational, containing complex characters and a well-crafted plot. Recommended for all readers YA and up who enjoy historical fiction. I'd give it more than 5 stars if I could." --Donna Gielow McFarland, Reader's Favorite (5 Star Review)







Author Info
Jamie McGillen lives in the shadow of Mount Rainier, and no matter how many times she moves away, it draws her home. Everything about large evergreen trees delights her, except how poky they are, and the sap. Her poems and essays have been published in numerous literary journals, and she teaches English Composition at Highline College. When she's not teaching or cutting strawberries for her starving children, she enjoys writing rhyming poetry, but it's simply not as popular as it used to be. You can find out more about her at www.jamiemcgillen.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Giveaway
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback back copy of In Sight of the Mountain! To enter, please use the Gleam form below. 


Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on December 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Paperback giveaway is open to the US only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.


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Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, November 18 Review at The Green Mockingbird 
Tuesday, November 19 Review at Bookish Rantings 
Thursday, November 21 Interview at Let Them Read Books 
Friday, November 22 Feature at What Is That Book About 
Monday, November 25 Review at 100 Pages a Day 
Tuesday, November 26 Feature at The Book Junkie Reads 
Wednesday, November 27 Review at Gwendalyn's Books 
Friday, November 29 Guest Post at Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen 
Monday, December 2 Interview at Passages to the Past 
Thursday, December 5 Feature at View from the Birdhouse 
Friday, December 6 Review at Passages to the Past