Child of Prophecy

How far would you go to fit in? Another world?
Fifteen-year-old Nova Hawthorne has a unique trait that sets her apart, yet she wants nothing more than to be normal and fit in.
She soon finds out that there’s a very real reason why she feels so out of place in this world—she’s from another one. And prophecy says she is destined to destroy them both.
Armed only with a magic she does not yet understand and the synesthesia no one else does, she must race to figure out how to stop prophecy from unfolding, find a father she’s never met and discover who she really is. Is it truly our differences that make us who we are? How can you be strong when you’re broken? And what happens when your actions bring about the very destruction you’ve been fighting to prevent?

My thoughts: 15 year old Nova sees color when people talk to her, giving her a glimpse of the complex emotions that those speaking are experiencing. When a new boy moves to her school, his voice doesn't spark any colors for her. I love the synesthesia side of this story, since I find it fascinating! The story is a fun fantasy one, with a young woman at the center of a prophecy from another world. I thought that Bradford did an excellent job of writing complex characters. The story has plenty of twists and turns. I look forward to seeing where this series goes!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Tracy is a writer, singer-songwriter, cancer survivor and proud wife and mother. Her speculative fiction stories have featured in publications such as Deep Magic, including the Best of Deep Magic collection. Her Divide Series books, a Teen Fantasy series debuted in 2018 with Child of Prophecy – Book One. Child of Destiny – Book Two is set to release in November 2019. Her short-story Written in the Stars, a Kindled Legends story, was a number one new release and International Best Seller.
Born and raised in Central New York, Tracy will tell you her parents gave her the two best tools in her arsenal by reading to her as a child and raising her in a Christian household. In spite of the long CNY winters she continues to live there with the husband God created especially for her, and the son who is her forever best story.
“I believe true magic can be found in the things we see and do every day. Life is hard enough. Stories should transport us to another time and place. A magical place, where we can stretch out a hand and touch the wonder of God’s universe.” –T.E. Bradford

More from Tracy
You’ll find music woven into nearly all my stories. This is especially true in the Divide Series books, as our heroine Nova has something called Synesthesia – a condition where your senses may overlap or cross. In Nova’s case, she can see sounds. Cool, right? On her journeys, she’ll encounter plenty of musical elements, but perhaps none as special as…

THE SONG OF THE HIGH KING
There is a King on a great golden throne
His beauty and magic so great none can know
He waits and He watches His children below
Waiting to see them all come safely home.

Travel high! Travel low! Travel through that great light
In the vastness between, where His city shines bright
Travel with Him and you’ll travel no more
Rest on the sands of His celestial shore.

Drink from the fountain that never runs dry
Eat from His table’s bountiful supply
Look in His face, trace the lines of His scars
They never were His wounds… they always were ours.

Travel high! Travel low! Travel through that great light
In the vastness between, where His city shines bright
Travel with Him and you’ll travel no more
Rest on the sands of His celestial shore.
Rest on the sands of His celestial shore.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway! To celebrate her tour, Tracy is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, as well as the prequel and a couple of other surprise goodies (think musical)!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Jesus Promised Victory

Are you frustrated with trying to live the Christian life?
Do your struggles with sin discourage you?
Have you been taught you can’t ever win the battle . . . that as long as you are living, you will fall short?
Jesus told people to sin no more. Rather than tell them the struggle with sin and Satan would be difficult, He said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus doesn’t ask us to do the impossible.
Ken Gould rejected distorted teachings about God and was an atheist for twenty years, until God revealed His existence to him. Afterward, he recognized Christianity wasn’t something to be taken lightly. His highest priority became to know God and understand His counsel.
Gould says, “It is possible to live a godly life in victory. What we believe about God affects our ability to live a victorious life.”
In this guidebook on living in God’s victory, learn:
How to cooperate with God to attain the victory He has for you.
How our definition of sin can remove frustration and allow us to live a godly life.
How believing lies about God keeps us from escaping our rebellious, sinful attitudes.
The interaction between natural laws and sin.
“God’s truth sets us free from Satan’s slavery and it’s lies about God that keep us trapped.”

My thoughts: While I didn't agree with everything that is in this book (it made sense when I found out that the author draws from the Seventh Day Adventist), it did have some good points. I like how Ken points out that even though some of the most horrible crimes through history have been done in the name of religion, those people did not understand Christ and the message of the cross. This book made me really think about what I believe about God and the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross. I feel like, while I agree that we serve a God of mercy, that mercy cannot rob justice. That He is also a just God and that those who spend eternity in Hell will be there because they have made that choice.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Ken Gould has a bachelor’s in chemical engineering from the University of Washington, and a master’s in business administration from the University of Houston, as well as a professional engineering license. His career has included shift supervision, management, technical support,
process development, and projects. He and his wife Kaneeta live near the confluence of the great rivers in the heartland of America where he enjoys being out in nature and sailing.

More from Ken
What’s Taught in Church Doesn’t Work.

Nearly everyone when asked readily admits, that what churches teach doesn’t work. People know this from personal experience and observation. Many are aware behavioral scientists find church members are just as likely to abuse their spouses as the unchurched. Spouse abuse isn’t the only bad behavior that is just as prevalent among church members as the unchurched, other bad behaviors include pornography and child abuse.
In John 8:31 and 32 the Apostle John records Jesus telling the Jews that believed in Him if they hold to His word or His teaching depending on the translation. They are truly His disciples, they will know the truth and it will set them free. Verses 34 to 36 make it clear, Jesus is talking about sin’s slavery. Is it fair to say Church members engaging in these bad behaviors are slaves to sin? Of course. Then these church members aren’t holding to Jesus teachings, aren’t His disciples and haven’t been set free. Put another way the teachings of the church aren’t any more likely to make disciples than the teachings of the world.
This isn’t the only scripture expressing the idea that Jesus came to set us free from slavery or captivity. Luke 4:18 and 19 also expresses the same idea. I like to refer to it as Jesus mission statement. Luke records Jesus selecting it to read when handed the book of Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18, 19 NIV)
After reading it Jesus told them “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Let’s focus on proclaiming freedom for the prisoners and setting the oppressed free. What prisoners did Jesus set free and who did He set free from oppression? Did Jesus set John the Baptist free from Herod’s prison? No. Did Jesus set the Jews free from Roman oppression? No. So what prisons and oppression did Jesus set people free from? Satan’s prisons where people are enslaved and oppressed by sin.
Where are Satan’s prisons or strongholds and what are they made of? The Apostle Paul tells us about Satan’s strongholds or prisons in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.” Here the Apostle Paul tells us Satan’s strongholds or prisons keep the enslaved from knowing God. Can we say Satan’s strongholds and prisons are lies about God?
Since Satan’s prisons and strongholds are lies about God, where do lies get their power? Lies get their power from people who believe them. So we empower Satan’s prisons and strongholds by believing his lies about God. Where are Satan’s prisons and strongholds they located? In our minds.
The character assassin, Satan, imprisons and enslaves us on the road to destruction with lies about God. Truth about God destroys Satan’s lies, freeing us from enslavement in his prisons and strongholds, putting us on the road to life.
How important was the truth about God to Jesus? Jesus tells us in His prayer just before they crucified Him, recorded in John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Jesus tells us the knowledge of God or the truth about God and Himself is the key to eternal life. How often is this important truth taught in church?
What do the churches teach is the key to eternal life? Don’t churches teach the key to eternal life is forgiveness? Jesus told us He separates people, into two groups, like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats when He returns. Most of us are familiar with it, it’s found in Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus also tells the difference between the two groups, the saved and the lost. What does Jesus tell us is the difference between the two groups? Are the two groups the forgiven and the unforgiven? No. The difference between the groups is how they treated the less fortunate, or their actions.
Is Jesus telling us it’s our actions or works that determine our destination? Didn’t Martin Luther discover we are saved by faith not by works? Yes he did. The Apostle John tells us we are judged by our works in Revelation 20:12 and 13. How can we be judged by our works and not saved by them? Our works reveal our character. The Christlike are kind to the less fortunate. The Satanic are mean, hateful, and cruel to God’s children. Our works reveal the condition of our heart.
In church there is much talk about a conversion experience, and often the focal point is the sinner’s prayer. Many times those promoting the sinner’s prayer stress asking for and accepting forgiveness. People often remember when they said the sinner’s prayer and point to it as when they were saved. However, if after praying the sinner’s prayer, we don’t seek God and His ways, our motives, attitudes, or desires won’t change. It is when we come to admire and desire Christ’s motives, attitudes, and desires, that we experience conversion and the process of character transformation begins.
Jesus Promised Victory: Why Does It Seem so Elusive? explains what works, what doesn’t, and why.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate his tour, Ken is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Anna's Secret

Anna Clarke has faced loneliness for years, caring for a sick and distant husband. Recently widowed, with all that brought meaning to her life gone, the consummate good girl falls from grace in a moment of weakness and passion.

Horrified to find she is pregnant, she is surprised when those closest to her assume the baby is her late husband’s. Guilt and pride allow the lie to live until her deceit hits a wall when the biological father, Dr. Matthew Carmichael, comes calling.
Shocked at how one lie bled so easily into another, Anna realizes her reputation of devout Christian living is about to disappear like a leaf caught in a windstorm. She hears the whisper of her loving Heavenly Father, who longs to restore her soul, but does she have the courage to face the scandal and the truth of her feelings toward the handsome Dr. Carmichael?

My thoughts: What would you do if you could hide your greatest sin? When Anna finds herself pregnant after a moment of weakness after losing her husband to cancer, she is more than happy (but not really) to let people assume that the baby belongs to her husband. But, secrets have a way of eating at us, and Anna discovers that she must do the uncomfortable and be honest.
This book was a little more steamy than I like, but I still appreciated the message! I really liked how Anna responding the Spirit's prompting to come clean and be genuine about her situation helps multiple people feel like they can open up and be real.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Blossom Turner is a free-lance writer published in Chicken Soup and Kernels of Hope anthologies, former newspaper columnist on health and fitness, an avid blogger, and published novelist. Her authentic understanding of the power of forgiveness through life experience has inspired this compelling novel, Anna’s Secret, where failure, God’s love, and romance collide. She and her husband, David, have two grown children and live in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. Read more at blossomturner.com.

More from Blossom
MORE ABOUT WHY I WROTE ANNA’S SECRET
I am a hopeless romantic, it has been at the core of my being from a child up. I dreamed of a love that would whisk me far from the pain of my childhood upbringing.
When I first started to write Anna’s Secret, I had not yet learned all I needed to know about forgiveness. I was half-way through the book when sorrow and betrayal hit my marriage. (See “About Me” at https://blossomturner.com) I stopped writing for years.
However, as God healed the broken and restored my soul, words of love once again danced within my being. God directed that I finish this book weaving in all I learned from the crucible of suffering in my own life. Through understanding the restorative power of God’s forgiveness when humanity fails, I wrote Anna’s Secret with a strong thread of hope woven into its fabric.
Readers have expressed to me that the authenticity of this book has brought them to tears and given them a love story that entertained. However, the part I love the most … Anna’s Secret has inspired some readers to ask God for the help to forgive themselves, or for the power to offer the gift of forgiveness to another.
My prayer is that you will find Anna’s Secret an entertaining romance, inspiration to your soul, and that you will enjoy the happy ending … always a happy ending. After all, God is the God of happily ever after, and heaven is the home in which all His children will find the greatest love of all.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Blossom is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of Anna’s Secret and a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Ishmael Covenant

His marriage in tatters and his career ruined by lies, Diplomatic Security Service agent Brian Mullaney is at the end of his rope. Banished to Israel as punishment by his agency, he's assigned to guard a US ambassador and an insignificant box. Little does he know that this new job will propel him straight into a crisis of global proportions.
Inside the box is a messianic prophecy about the fate of the world. And a dark enemy known as The Turk and the forces of evil at his command are determined to destroy the box, the prophecy, and the Middle East as we know it. When Ambassador Cleveland gets in the way, his life and his daughter's life are threatened--and Mullaney must act fast.
Now agents of three ancient empires have launched covert operations to secure nuclear weapons, in direct defiance of the startling peace treaty Israel and its Arab neighbors have signed. And a traitor in the US State Department is leaking critical information to a foreign power. It's up to Mullaney--still struggling with his own broken future--to protect the embassy staff, thwart the clandestine conspiracies, and unmask a traitor--before the desert is turned into a radioactive wasteland.
Fans of Joel C. Rosenberg, Steven James, and Ted Dekker will relish the deadly whirlpool of international intrigue and end-times prophecy in Ishmael Covenant--and will eagerly await the rest of this new trilogy.

My thoughts: This story pulls you in from the beginning and is hard to put down! I love that the story starts with some of the history of the box, sharing a bit of how the insignificant box has more to it than meets the eye. Fans of End Times fiction will enjoy this story, with it's twists and turns. I know I look forward to seeing where the series goes next!
I received this book from the publisher through Audra PR. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here!

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Hearts Set Free

Join me on a journey from the darkness of doubt to triumphant faith and from the ache of loneliness to everlasting love…
“Bold and forthright writing that would set any heart on fire.”–Christian blogger Miranda A. Uyeh
“Readers of inspirational fiction will love this moving story that affirms the power of God’s mercy.”
–Publisher’s Weekly
In 1930, the rag-tag riffraff of a railway stop called Las Vegas need a fighting man to shepherd their tiny church after their pastor is murdered. Might David Gold, a washed-up boxer and Bible-school dropout who fights as the Pummelin’ Preacher, be the answer to their prayers?
At the same time, Luke, a native Alaskan boy, is on a quest to find his father, who has abandoned his family for a beautiful woman his warrior mother vows to kill. The journey of mother and son will lead them to the Nevada desert, and to truths–and terrors–of which they’d never dreamed.
In 2011, Science Cable T.V. producer Tim Faber is determined to prove that mankind has no need of God, while his lover, Joan Reed, strives to regain the faith of her youth. They’re bound for Las Vegas to meet with a 99-year-old man who holds the key to a mystery they must solve–and answers that will forever change their lives.
Their stories will come together at a little house of worship known as the Church of the Heart Set Free.
“I was mesmerized by the characters and how everything unfolded and linked together…”
–Just One More Paragraph (Musings of a Christian Wife)

My thoughts: This is the perfect story for those who enjoy George MacDonald's writings, since the style reminded me a lot of his. Sometimes it can be a bit hard to keep up with the what is going on, since there is a lot to keep track of, and the different nuances of the story. That said, I thought it was a delightful one that doesn't follow the formula of a lot of fiction. This is a thought provoking story that spans over 100 years, touching at a lot of history.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
After I graduated with a degree in music from Columbia University, a lust for expensive pianos drew me into an unexpected career in finance. It turned out that I had a knack for business; I gained much that the world had to offer and became a hedonist, a gambler who haunted the poker rooms of Las Vegas, and an arrogant atheist. I’ve written fiction for most of my life, and at one point I quit work to devote myself to writing a novel. During that time, my late first wife, Teri, and I lived in Paris, down the street from where Hemingway once lived, and later in the mountains of Idaho. But the novel was never published, for I was a man whose soul had not yet awakened, who did not yet have anything important to say. So I went back to the business world.
One day, when we were living in Dallas, Teri heard a radio interview with Francis Collins, an eminent scientist who wrote The Language of God, which tells the story of his journey from atheism to becoming a disciple of Christ. Collins’ book led us to the writings of C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald*, who became the midwives of our rebirth from above.
There’s no hiding from the Hound of Heaven, once He’s on your trail!
Several years later, Teri was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and we left Dallas and the business world behind and moved to a small town in Alaska. There we looked out on the glory of God’s creation and read to our heart’s content during the last two years of her life. Faced with tragedy, we learned to trust utterly in Him, and He blessed us with the peace that surpasses all understanding.
It was after Teri’s death, while I was still living in the far north, that the idea for Hearts Set Free—which opens in the Alaska Territory in 1925—was born. People who know that the novel contains autobiographical elements (and several historical characters) sometimes ask me, “How much of the story is true?’ And I answer, “Perhaps twenty percent—and the rest is even more true!” What drives my writing is the desire to convey truths that transform lives. Truths of the heart.
In 2013, I met a wonderful woman—my current wife, Ling—and soon we began talking about having children. “Impossible!” said our doctors. “According to your test results, there’s no chance at all, even using the latest techniques.” Of course, within two months of that pronouncement, Ling was pregnant with little David, who just turned three, and we subsequently adopted Daniel, who’s now twelve.
After David’s birth, we moved to southwest Washington. I’m currently at work on a novel set in Las Vegas in 1955, and, when I’m not writing or chasing my sons around, can usually be found at the piano playing Chopin nocturnes for Ling.

More from Jess
I first conceived of Hearts Set Free in the far frozen north, not long after my first wife, Teri, passed away. She had been diagnosed with ALS, an invariably fatal disease, when we were living in Dallas, and within a month we decided that I’d quit my job so we could move to a small town in Alaska. We bought a small house based on the view out of the living room windows; there we’d be able to spend the time she had left in peace, and gaze out at the glory of God’s creation.
Teri—a woman who untiringly searched for truth—was the inspiration for Joan Reed, one of the main characters in the book, and Alaska—the Last Frontier!—entered into the story as well. We were living not far from the headquarters of the Iditarod, the iconic thousand-mile dog sled race that takes place each year. The Iditarod was modeled after an amazing race against time which occurred in the icy darkness of an Alaskan winter in 1925, when dogsled was the only way to get diphtheria serum to the remote town of Nome and save ten thousand lives. Hearts Set Free begins with that dramatic event.
I put a lot of myself—the bad along with the good!—into other characters in Hearts Set Free. Up until I became a Christian, I had all of the arrogant narcissism of atheist Tim Faber, a T.V. producer intent on proving that mankind has no need of God. I also have the questioning spirit of David Gold, a Bible-school dropout turned boxer who is led by the Lord to become a heroic pastor, and of young Luke Noongwook, a native Alaskan who goes on a quest to find his missing father. Their need to understand difficult aspects of Scripture are based on a passionate desire to love God with all their heart and strength and soul and mind. As is mine!
As a young man, I’d been greatly impressed by E.L. Doctorow’s novel Ragtime, which blended fictional and historical characters, and I decided to use the same approach in Hearts Set Free. Parts of the novel are set in the early and mid-1900s (especially the 1930s), and Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion of the world, and Georges Lemaitre, who was both a physicist and a priest—a man who corrected Albert Einstein, and is probably the greatest scientist of whom most people have never heard!—play important roles.
Finally, the novel is tribute to the beauty of Scripture and features many quotes from the Psalms. If you love compelling tales that combine mystery, adventure, and romance, and enjoy thinking deeply about your faith, I think you’ll find it’s just the book for you!

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate his tour, Jess is giving away the grand prize package of an autographed copy of Hearts Set Free plus a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Fateful Fall

Private Investigator Ava Worthington and her partners head to the mountains to solve the death of a farmer’s son who was discovered murdered in an outhouse on the property. Without local cowboy Cory’s protection, Ava won’t get the chance to follow leads as the killer tries to stop her investigation. But Ava’s falling for Cory against her better judgment. She should be working and not pining after a cowboy. And Cory doesn’t want a relationship. His successful career was destroyed by a woman he trusted, and he won’t make the same mistake twice.
One suspect after another is cleared from Ava’s list until she’s sure she has the real killer targeted in her sights, but he’s hunting her, too. How will Ava and Cory find the killer and admit their love before they are buried under a mountain of secrets?

My thoughts: This series is excellent! I have enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and read the mysteries that they are embroiled in! I like how this book is set in the mountains and that the story takes off with a bang as soon as the Private Investigators start looking into the mystery surrounding a murdered farmer's son. The book could of had a bit more suspense, but I still enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded between Ava and Cory as they raced against the clock to find the killer before the murdered had them in their sights.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Erin Unger was raised in the hills of Virginia, exploring abandoned houses and reading the scariest books she could find. After marrying so young it would make a great romance novel, she has enjoyed an exciting life with her hubby. But her fast-paced life sometimes rivals the suspense in her books thanks to all her mostly grown children and a couple grandkids.

More from Erin
Come join us for the best Fall Apple Festival at Stoneridge Lodge and Farm! We’re waiting to welcome you to our delightful event. Take in the scent of hot apple cider and apple butter simmering over a warm fire. Check out the best hay maze this side of the mountain. And catch an act or two amongst the trees and river, where country dancers will kick up their heels and entertain you all day. And jump aboard our hayride, which trails through the prettiest parts of the Blue Ridge mountains this side of Virginia.
And don’t forget the delectable homemade meals ready for purchase. You’ll get the best funnel cakes and fried cookies you ever had, too.
But please do forgive the murder or two happening in the background. We have Ava Worthington and her investigation team on the books to take care of it. You’re probably not in danger…really. It’s just a family issue. You’re not related to the owners, are you? Because you should be fine if you’re not… Anyway, don’t let a little thing like murder keep you from making our annual fall festival a family tradition.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Erin is giving away the grand prize of a $45 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

From Sky to Sky

Zac Wilson can’t die.
Daredevil Zac Wilson isn’t the first celebrity to keep a secret from the world, but his might be the most marvelous in history: Zac doesn’t age and injuries can’t kill him. What’s more, he’s part of a close-knit group of others just like him.
Holed up in Harbor Vale, Michigan, Zac meets two more of his kind who claim others in their circle have died. Are their lifetimes finally ending naturally, or is someone targeting them—a predator who knows what they are?
The answers Zac unearths present impossible dilemmas: whom to protect, how to seek justice, how to bring peace to turmoil. His next action could fracture forever the family he longs to unite. Now might be the time to ask for help. . .from God Himself. But Zac’s greatest fear is facing the God he has run from for more than a century.

My thoughts: Word of advise from the get go, be sure to read the first book in this series, since it will help make the story easier to understand. No Less Days sets the stage for this story, by telling how David finds a group of friends who are just like him, ageless and unable to die. I love the premise of this story and the questions that it brings up. I can imagine it would be hard to live for over a century and lose those you love. I also thought it was interesting to explore the outcome of what happens when someone who lives that long to be a criminal, since the previous story starts those stories.
Over all, a fascinating series!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
As a child, Amanda G. Stevens disparaged Mary Poppins and Stuart Little because they could never happen. Now she writes speculative fiction. She is the author of the Haven Seekers series, and her debut Seek and Hide was a 2015 INSPY Award finalist. She lives in Michigan and loves trade paperbacks, folk music, the Golden Era of Hollywood, and white cheddar popcorn.

More from Amanda
For years, the theme of immortality has intrigued me. I love the Elves of Middle-Earth, the “happiest and saddest” of the peoples Tolkien created as they watch the ages pass. I love the exploration of aged sorrow in Tuck Everlasting. I’ve stuck with TV shows which shall remain nameless (but, ahem, a few feature vampires) because I’m always wondering how did this writer tackle immortality? Anything new? Are the characters convincingly old and young at the same time?
The thing is, while some of these fiction works satisfy me more than others, I’m always left with a tug of incompletion. Eventually I figured out this tug was a story in my own head and heart wanting to come out, a contemporary story that included the gospel. What might God’s plan be for those whose earthly days seem unnumbered? How would their age affect their interactions with humanity and with faith? These questions were the springboard for the No Less Days series, and of course the answers vary with the individual. Ultimately this is why I write: to explore people, their inner selves, their relationships. My goal is always to create characters that breathe from the page.
In From Sky to Sky, we get a look into the head and heart of Zac Wilson, who has been on the run from God longer than any of us could imagine: a full century playing the prodigal. I always try to be honest about how much life can hurt, “even” for the Christian; if we had triple the number of years to accumulate hurt in this broken world, we’d have a lot of it. That’s true of all my ageless characters, including Zac. To scratch the surface, this man fought in two world wars and has outlived all his children.
But the sum of Zac is much more than his collected wounds. He is a deep-feeling, fun-loving, generous guy. He enjoys music and physical activity. He has an insatiable sweet tooth and a need for open spaces. He’s not afraid to laugh at his own expense, and he has a boundless love for people and the stories of their lives.
My hope is that readers will grow to love this young old guy as they journey with him through some dark times toward redemption and light.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Amanda is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a free copy of From Sky to Sky!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Grandparenting with a Purpose

Culture tends to shape our grandchildren by what it presents as normal, which is very different from the normal in which we grew up. But through prayer and godly counsel, grandparents who love the Lord can stand in the gap and help their grandchildren and their parents navigate their world and cultural influences.
Being a grandparent is a blessing—the grandchildren are so sweet, and we love the hugs and pictures. But these days, many grandparents have the added responsibility of raising their grandchildren, while others are restrained from seeing their grandkids. Grandparenting: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren will share some insight into these difficult issues. And no matter your situation, God gives grandparents a sacred trust—an opportunity to imprint another generation with the message of His faithfulness.
From cell phones to photo prayer journals, you’ll find tools and Scriptures to pray intentionally for your grandchildren and their parents. Regardless of how far they live from you, your prayers can bridge the distance between you and leave your grandchildren with an inheritance more precious than gold.

My thoughts: This book is excellent! I love that it has so many ideas for grandparenting children of all ages. I love the ideas on instilling faith and a love for God! My children are very blessed to have both sets of grandparents living near by, so I would love to give both of them a copy of this book, since I appreciate what they do for the kids and think that this book will give them even more ideas.
I highly recommend this book for grandparents of all ages!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Author:
Lillian Ann Penner is an author, speaker, and grandmother residing with her husband, John, in Portland, Oregon. They have been married for more than fifty years and have three married sons and nine grandchildren.
Penner is the national prayer coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network (CGN), and she writes about her passion of intentional praying grandparents for CGN’s website. She is involved in leadership in the women’s Bible study, the fifty-five plus group in her church, and leads a Grandparents@Prayer group.
She has been active in church ministry for over fifty years, led an outreach ministry for young mothers, a mentoring ministry for women, and various other church ministries. She has participated in short term missions in Ukraine and volunteered with several Christian ministries.
She and her husband enjoy traveling, but most of all, enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.

More from Lillian
Finding Joy in Praying for my Grandchildren
What a joy it is to have that precious little grandchild come running into your arm with hugs and kisses. The six-year-old calling to tell you she lost her first tooth or your seven-year-old grandson excited about making his first goal in his soccer game.
In addition to senior discounts, grandchildren are one of the rewards of growing older. Mary H. Waldrip says it well, “Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us for growing old.”
I now have nine grandchildren, ages ranging from sixteen years to thirty-eight years, four are married, and we have five great-granddaughters. As a long-distance grandmother for many years, I was not fully aware of my grandchildren’s immediate needs. I prayed that God would bless them, give them good health and protection. Ultimately, I became frustrated and felt something was lacking with my vague and general prayers. I asked God to show me how to become more deliberate in praying for them.
After reading books about grandparenting and prayer full of practical advice, I was encouraged to use specific Scriptures in praying for my grandchildren. The books motivated me to pray regularly for their emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Best of all, praying God’s Word has enabled me to pray with His power, direction, and wisdom. As their grandparent, I can have a significant role in influencing their lives by praying for them during these turbulent years has given me fulfillment and satisfaction in praying for them.
The faith of our children is weakened in the classrooms; young adults raised in our hostile environment are walking away from God in record numbers. Hopelessness is prevalent, and our society is reeling from the opioid crisis, mass shootings, fatherlessness, divorce, and so much more.
Recognizing the urgent need for my grandchildren’s spiritual needs God gave me a passion of praying Scripture for my grandchildren. I felt God wanted me to share my passion with other grandparents so I wrote the book Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren about ten years ago. It has blessed and encouraged many grandparents. This past year I felt God wanted me to revise and expand the book, so I added the following chapters with a study guide for each chapter.

I have found there are many hurting estranged grandparents today with heavy hearts, so I am addressing that issue in a chapter. Is your grandparenting Painful or a blessing?
I include a section looking at a view of the culture our grandchildren and their parents are navigating today.
God’s Design for grandparenting plus several additional chapters and Scriptures to Pray for Teens and Scriptures for Grandparents to pray for themselves.
The book retails for $14.99. However, it is available for a discounted price of $15.00, including shipping and handling costs in the U. S. for a limited time. A bonus of a Scriptural Prayer resource will be included with your purchase. The book is available in EBook format for $3.99 for those who would prefer the EBook format or live outside the U. S. to save on shipping costs.
This book will challenge you and give you resources for the spiritual battle with the enemy. It will show you how to be an intentional disciple-maker and prayer warrior to impact the next generation.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Lillian is giving away the grand prize of a signed copy of her book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Blessings on the Run

Danger she can’t escape.
Temptation she can’t ignore.
And the secret that could destroy everything …
Blessing’s worked hard as a single mom. Caring for her son, struggling to pay the bills, and straightening out her life after years on the street … It’s the hardest job she’s ever loved.
Until her ex-boyfriend reappears with a secret that could cost her freedom, her family, even her very life.
Blessing promised herself never to return to the hell she escaped from. But that was before she had a child to worry about.
A child who will die if Blessing makes the wrong choice …
Or the right one.

My thoughts: This book is hard to put down, though it deals with some tough subjects like rape, prostitution, and drugs. Alana does a wonderful job of weaving a story of redemption through this suspenseful read! Even though Blessing has had a tough life, things are finally starting to look up with another baby on the way and a boyfriend who wants to marry her. When her ex re-enters her life, he threatens all she holds dear.
You will not be able to put this book down! It's heartbreaking what Blessing has gone through, but stick with the story, since it's well worth the heartache.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

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About the Author:
Alana is a pastor’s wife, homeschooling mom, self-diagnosed chicken lady, and Christian suspense author. Her novels have won awards from Women of Faith, Book Club Network, Grace Awards, Readers’ Favorite, and more. Alana’s passion for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom shines through her writing, and her books are known for raising tough questions without preaching. She and her family live in rural Alaska where the northern lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer make hauling water, surviving the annual mosquito apocalypse, and cleaning goat stalls in negative forty degrees worth every second.

More from Alana
Are you afraid of anything? Maybe you have a phobia, like a fear of spiders, heights, or (if you’re weird like me) fish. (That’s a story for another day!)
When I was pregnant with our first son, I had some weird nightmares which fueled my fears. One night I woke up my husband in a panic to tell him to pray for our baby because we were being chased by a demonic cheese grater (yes, you read that right – a demonic kitchen appliance!). Regularly in my nightmares, I dream that someone or something is after my kids (and they’re usually not possessed cooking utensils, by the way).
One way I work through my fears as a mom is to turn them into stories. And even though I haven’t found a way to work a demonic cheese grater into my novels, you can read about a mother’s worst nightmare in this novel, Blessing on the Run.
Blessing has worked hard to turn her life around after a rough life on the streets, but in this exciting suspense novel, her past it about to catch up to her.
Join Blessing and her parents (if you’re a fan of the Kennedy series you already know who they are!) for an adrenaline-packed thrill ride you won’t soon forget.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Alana is giving away the grand prize of a $30 Amazon Gift Card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Star Rising

Star Youngblood has always been a fighter–a necessity after her mother married a monster of a man. Now, she’s finally on the path to the stable life she’s always wanted. Her employer, Priscilla Kelly, is a sweet woman ravaged by rheumatoid arthritis, and Star will do anything to help her. Even if that means going toe to toe with Mrs. Kelly’s neglectful son.

After being betrayed on the mission field and devastated by the tragic death of his father, Paul Kelly gave up on God. He lives life on his own terms, biding his time as a corporate pilot until he can save enough money to begin his own flight school closer to home. His mother is all he has left, and he wants to be near her. He just didn’t expect her health to decline so quickly. When he discovers his mother has taken in a stray—a woman he’s not at all sure can be trusted—his protective instincts kick into high gear. Paul’s handled a lot of turbulence, but he’s never gone up against a force like Star.

As Paul and Star strive to protect his mother in their own ways, they soon find their own hearts are at the greatest risk.

My thoughts: I have enjoyed each of Janet's stories that I have read, though this one has a special place in my heart since she writes about Ireland with this story, a place that stole my heart last year. I loved getting to know Star better, a character who showed up in The Art of Rivers. Even though Paul has dubbed her as a stray, she is flourishing after finding hope in Jesus Christ. I love the adventure she goes on, and think that Janet had a little too much fun writing about some of the mishaps that happen along the way. This story has some hilarious moments, as well as a beautiful deeper message.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Just Read Tours. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here (You won't regret it!):

This story can be read as a stand alone, though I recommend reading the whole series!




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Hope for New Beginnings

Hope for New Beginnings: Devotions for the Adventure – Stepping into any new beginning not knowing what is ahead, is exciting and unsettling at the same time. Our Hope, as Christ-followers, rests in knowing that we do not move forward in our own strength, but in the strength of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. We pray these devotions will help prepare your heart to learn from the Lord as He affirms His steadfast love that gives the strength and hope needed to walk boldly into whatever new beginning the Lord has in store for you. These devotions will guide your thoughts toward the biblical truths presented in the background and focal Scripture passages. Each devotional has exercises (you will choose at least one to do each day) that lead you to interact with the biblical truths presented and gain a deeper understanding of the truths in each devotion. Biblical Counselors, when you are ready to dismiss a counselee, this makes a great assignment for the next thirty-one days, then have the counselee come back for a final check-up.

MY thoughts: This is an excellent devotional that right away starts asking you to come out of your comfort zone and see how God wants us to live more fully. I love this book focuses on beginning anew in Christ, some thing I feel like I have lost a bit of my appreciation for. I loved the encouraging message of the devotions. This is an excellent on to pick up and read start (or finish!) your day with.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Authors:
Dr. Howard A. Eyrich’s career has spanned more than sixty years. He has filled various roles including seminary professor and president, Pastor and church planter. He retired as the Director of Counseling Ministries at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama;
He has served on the boards of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, Birmingham Theological Seminary, Trinity Seminary, the Biblical Counseling Coalition, and The Owen Center, as well as various Presbytery and Presbyterian Church in America denominational committees to name some of major roles.
His publishing efforts include two books as solo author, three books with a co-author, and numerous chapters in significant volumes in the biblical counseling field, as well as articles for The Journal of Biblical Counseling and several other magazines.
Dr. Eyrich and his wife Pamela have two grown children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Retirement for him is a time for ministry. He writes, teaches, preaches, and travels for the Kingdom. He also enjoys the hobbies of model railroading, hunting, and shooting.
Dr. Eyrich is available to speak in conferences, fill pulpits, and for intensive marriage interventions, especially with ministries couples.

Shirley Crowder was born in a mission guest house under the shade of a mango tree in Nigeria, West Africa, where her parents served as missionaries. She and co-author Harriet E. Michael grew up together on the mission field and have been life-long friends. Shirley is passionate about disciple-making, which is manifested in and through a myriad of ministry opportunities including: biblical counseling, teaching Bible studies, writing, and music.
She is a biblical counselor and is commissioned by and serves on the national Advisory Team for The Addiction Connection. Several of her articles have appeared in “Paper Pulpit” in the Faith section of The Gadsden Times, and in a David C. Cook publication. She also writes articles for Life Bible Study, Woman’s Missionary Union, InspiredPrompt.com and TheAddictionConnection.org. She has authored, co-authored, or contributed to six published books, and she has a four-book devotional series she co-wrote that is scheduled for publication over the next couple of years.
Shirley has spiritual children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren serving the Lord in various ministry and secular positions throughout the world.

More from Shirley
New beginnings are a regular part of life. Sometimes they are well planned, and we eagerly anticipate the future. At other times, we are reticent to move forward into the new beginning. As we think about new beginnings it is appropriate for us to look at the beginning of God’s Word—the Bible.
In Genesis 1:1 ESV, we read, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Here God is the subject, as He is the subject of the entire Bible. From this verse we learn something very important about God—He existed before the universe was created. God has always been, is now, and will always be, present.
Next, we learn that from nothing God created the universe and everything within it. He is the holy, sovereign, majestic, powerful, all-knowing God.
Every time I read these first few verses of the Bible, I am amazed that with just four little words, Let there be light (verse 3), the Creator God spoke into existence light that drove away the darkness. What astounding power! From these verses, we learn that God is the Author of light. Other places in Scripture tell us that God is light itself (1 John 1:5), and James calls Him the Father of lights (James 1:17).
Think about it: here we are today, many years since God spoke those four little words, Let there be light, and as John tells us, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5). The Light—God—brings clarity, order, and understanding, while darkness is seen as evil, void, and chaotic.
I watched the coverage of a solar eclipse on several websites. It was so interesting to listen as a myriad of scientists and others explained the wonders of the universe, and while the science behind it all was quite interesting to me, the coverage fell flat. Why? Because it was totally devoid of any mention of Creator God. Only one man explained the solar eclipse through the lens of God’s Word. As he explained the science behind the solar eclipse, he also explained that THE God of the Universe who created everything that we see, holds the entire universe in His hands, and controls everything that happens, including a solar eclipse.
In the midst of a new beginning or anything else going on in your life, the truths in these passages are wonderful reminders that we can step confidently into any new beginning as we trust in the God who was here in the beginning, is here with us now, and who will be with us always. And what a comfort it is to remember that the light of God dispels the darkness and chaos of sin.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate their tour, Shirley and Howard are giving away the grand prize package of a print copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Leaving Texas

I know the plans I have for you, plans for good, not evil.
Cruel is the illusion of love. Robbed of her true love by his mean-spirited mother, Charity is given no choice but to leave Texas and follow her Prince Charming to the Golden State. Instantly attracted to her, Morgan agrees to help the young beauty on her journey, but where all other ladies paled after first blush, his initial fascination only deepens with every turn of the wagon’s wheels. Though obvious to all those around the two—how perfect Morgan and Charity were for each other—will the hard-headed, strong-willed daughter of Liberty O’Neal Harrell ever realize it?

My thoughts: Another wonderful book in the Cross Timbers Family saga! I enjoyed getting to know Charity, as she grabs hold of her dreams and pursues them by joining a wagon train to follow her fiancé to California. When I can imagine that it would be hard to have a long distant relationship in those days, since it took so long to travel between the states and mail often didn't make it to it's destination. Charity is brave and idealistic as she sets out on the dangerous journey.
I loved the historical details in this story, since it really brought to life how hard it was to cross through the wild west. I also fell in love with the characters and their friendships!
This is another wonderful story by Caryl!

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Praying her story gives God glory, award-winning author Caryl McAdoo continues prolificity with her new Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga series. Readers around the world enjoy her best-selling novels and shower them with 5-Star ratings galore. With forty-eight titles—and counting—her love for writing is obvious; the lady loves singing the new songs the Lord gives her as well! (Check out YouTube). Caryl gave Ron four children and the couple shares eighteen grandsugars. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville, the seat of Red River County, in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl
As my second family saga series—Cross Timbers Romance—grows, and the children of Book One GONE TO TEXAS come into adulthood, I fall more in love with these characters. This story—Book Four in the series, LEAVIN’ TEXAS, takes readers on another wagon train that historically left right about the same time of year as its early spring setting from Red River County, heading for California in 1850.
LEAVIN’ TEXAS is Charity O’Neal’s story wherein she determines to follow her Prince Charming, Eberhart ‘Hart’ de Vecchi, to California to start her new life with him there—no matter the naysayers or rough trails ahead. But as so often is the case, our plans and those God has in place for us don’t always correlate.

Many times, we’ve prayed about it—what we want Him to do, how we expect everything to turn out—and feel certain we are in His will. I personally thank God for praying mothers, friends, and grandmothers who perhaps see us heading in a wrong direction and beseech Him to guide us in His way, not our own.
My life has benefitted from such praying women.
So does Charity O’Neal’s.
I imagine yours has as well!
I love the well-known verse in Jeremiah! “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 Especially the ‘expected end’ part. I find great comfort in knowing His thoughts—or plans—are of peace and not evil, and that He intends to give us an expected end!
I hope you enjoy LEAVING TEXAS and will take time to review it!
BLESSINGS!

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Cold Case Connection

Convinced his sister’s death wasn’t an accident, private investigator Sergio Ross is determined to catch her killer. But with all the clues hinting at a connection to another unsolved murder, he has to join forces with Helen Pike—a woman linked to both deaths—to find the truth. Can they follow the cold evidence trail to get justice…before they become the next victims?

My thoughts: One death years ago when a group of friends go into a tunnel and only four of the five make it out alive, then the more recent death of one of those four remaining friends leaves Helen and Sergio wondering what or if there is a connection between the two. I love the suspense of this story! There are so many twists and turns, making it hart to put down. The characters are wonderful as well. This is a delightful mystery to pick up and enjoy!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Author:
Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and a Holt Medallion winner. She is a national bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Harvest House. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with Papa Bear, teen bear cubs affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo, Junie, the nutty terrier, and a chubby box turtle. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.)

More from Dana
Cold Case Connection was really fun to write because it’s Helen’s story. She’s an intelligent, sensitive woman who is the sister to the men living on the Roughwater Ranch. Liam is her biological brother, but she’s just as close to Chad and Mitch who might as well be blood relatives. In this novel, Helen has to relive the worst moment of her teenage life, the night when a mysterious murder occurred during a teen prank. Helen is going to have to face the past in order to preserve her future. Cowboys, a case gone cold, a coastal ranch and a whole lot of danger…I hope you will enjoy the ride!

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize of a Mentink giveaway bundle, including a bag, a copy of the book, and an Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Unwanted No More

I can still feel the emptiness in my heart. So many memories of ugly…
As a preteen shattered by a sexually abusive father and an absent mother, B. J. Garrett is left unprotected, unloved, and unwanted by the people who should have loved her most. Instead, BJ finds herself wanted by the wrong people for the worst reasons.
Her search for self-worth leads to sexual promiscuity and unplanned pregnancies, which only further warps her view of love, leaving a trail of broken relationships. It’s not until losing everything to the blaze of a house fire that the course of BJ’s life takes a turn toward a God whose love is pure. With the shadow of shame lifted by her newfound faith, BJ makes a startling discovery—she’s been wanted all along, and her new love-filled life comes with a call to ministry.
Written with soul-searching vulnerability, this story shows that regardless of what you’ve done or what’s been done to you, there is hope and redemption in a relationship with Jesus. Unwanted No More reminds you that no matter how ugly your past, you can experience unconditional, beautiful love and a life of purpose.

My thoughts: What a memoir! I appreciate how open and honest BJ is about her story and the heartache that she went through. My heart just broke as she shares about the abuse she suffered at the hands of those who should of protected her innocence. While it broke my heart to read this book, I appreciate that it has a message of hope for those who have gone through similar situations. This is a wonderful book to have in your church library and for church leaders to read, as well as those who have gone through being sexually abused. I highly recommend this book!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Author:
B. J. Garrett serves as the executive director for Christ-Centered Abortion Recovery & Education. She holds an associate of divinity degree from Baptist Missionary Theological Seminary, and she has served in church ministries as a youth director, singles director, missions director, and women’s ministry team leader. She and her husband, Jay, live in Texas and enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.

More from B.J.
All my life I have battled with feelings of being unwanted and unloved. Somewhere between the insanity of the Jerry Springer show and the emotional outcry of the Oprah show, the unbelievable redemption details of my life are unfolded onto the pages of this book.
Spunky. silly, and sassy are the three words that best describe my personality. I believe the Lord gave me a love for hamburgers to make sure I never return to a life of selling my body to make ends meet. Spending time with my grand kids who are basically perfect is my favorite pastime. I love being Jay’s wife and serving beside him on the mission field. By God’s amazing grace, I have come full circle, receiving complete forgiveness and healing from a childhood full of abuse, teen pregnancy, sexual promiscuity, abortion, and working in the sex industry. If the Lord can use a story like mine, rest assured He will use a story like yours!
If like me, you have ugly in your past, I want to encourage you that no matter what you have done, no matter what has been done to you, there is hope and healing through Jesus Christ.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, B.J. is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Childhood

Katie lived a lonely childhood, her after school time filled with responsibilities to her father and special needs brother. Her chores prevented her from experiencing the carefree life her peers, including Joey, her neighbor and secret crush, lived. She began running to impress Joey, then discovered track as a possible way out of the small town of Nortonville, Tennessee. But as the promise of a college scholarship drew her closer to the escape she had dreamed about since childhood, she wondered why she didn’t feel better. What was missing?
Childhood is the novelette prequel to Fatherhood, a full-length novel about abortion from the father’s point of view

My thoughts: Keep in mind that this is a prequel and what the story is leading up to. I was a little surprised at some of the language in this book. Over all though, it is an interesting story that sets the stage for Fatherhood and should be read with the intention of reading both books. I thought that the book sets up for a unique viewpoint, with it being about abortion from the father's point of view.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Author:
Greg Schaffer has written several novels, beginning with Forgiveness (2014). Each conveys the message that hope is always available, even in the darkest of times. His other works of fiction include horse-humor and poetry anthologies. A northerner by birth and a southerner by choice, Greg resides with his wife and rescue dogs in Franklin, Tennessee.

More from Greg
My last novel Leaving Darkness was difficult to write. I felt called to showcase depression and how the trusting environment of Christian small groups can lead those lost in the darkness to the light of the life they are meant to live. The novel was a direct response to a God-calling to apply my skills as an author and my experience leading similar type groups to create a story that may serve to help some who feel hopelessly lost.
For the next novel, I waited for a similar calling. And waited. And waited. I tend to be impatient like most. I wanted to get back to the creative process.
I wound up waiting several months. God’s time, not mine.
Then it happened, through an article I read on the Internet about a man suing a clinic for aborting his child without his knowledge. The article delved into the father’s rights in the abortion decision.
Abortion from the father’s point of view. That was the calling.
Very early into the project, though, I realized I had unintentionally created a problem. If I told the story completely from the father’s point of view, the mother’s would be diminished, reduced to a two-dimensional interpretation as seen through the father’s eyes. I could solve that by including both points of view in the novel, but that wouldn’t work well for two reasons: first, there are plot elements that the mother knows that are best kept from the readers as part of establishing tension. Second, as noted before, the project calling is from the father’s point of view. I had to stay within that.
But how to deal with the problem?
That’s when Childhood was born (no pun intended). Childhood is a novelette from the mother’s point of view, following her growth as a person from fourth grade to her first year of college. Through Childhood, readers have the opportunity to understand the character as a protagonist who would then become the antagonist in the novel Fatherhood.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate his tour, Greg is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

A Gift to Cherish

When Daisy Riley arrives in Refuge, Wyoming to live with her brother and his family, she intends to stay forever. A victim of violence in Los Angeles, Daisy craves stability, peace of mind, and safety. Her hope comes true when she lands a job as a personal assistant to Miss Joan Prescott, the owner of Cottonwood Acres, a historic ranch that once served as the set for a famous TV show. A retired college professor, Miss Joan has secrets and stories of her own, including a very unusual project that requires Daisy’s skills.

Rafe Donovan, a cop from Cincinnati, is haunted by a recurring nightmare about the death of his high school sweetheart and his failure to save her. Because of the nightmares, Rafe takes leave from the police department and seeks psychological help. He finds shelter in Refuge, where he pounds nails for his brother’s construction business. But he has no desire to stay in Wyoming and plans to return to Ohio as soon as possible.

When he finds Daisy Riley stranded late at night with a flat tire, Rafe is impressed by her courage. Daisy is equally impressed by him. Together they navigate the road to love—one complicated by the arrival of Daisy’s troubled best friend, online dating, and the impossible obstacle of 1,600 miles between her home and his.

AUTHOR NOTE: This story is about our current dating culture, including the risks of online dating. It also looks at the social mores of 1970s and how those values impact us today.

My thoughts: I have read several of Victoria's books over the years and feel like they are just getting better and better! Even though this one deals with some sensitive subjects, like rape, assault, and cheating spouses, I felt like it was handled well. I also really liked how the story flashed back to tell some of Miss Joan's story, showing how the woman's lib movement have, in some ways, made women more vulnerable.
This can be read as a stand alone story, since it references a lot of the major evens from When He Found Me, though I would personally recommend reading them in order, since they are both wonderful stories and then you get the full redemption story of Shane and Daisy. This is a wonderful book to pick up!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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Looks Like Love Blitz!

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Looks Like Love by Brandy Bruce, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Looks Like Love

Author: Brandy Bruce

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Re-release Date: November 13, 2019



After a devastating break-up, Kasey Addison needs to rediscover life and love. She starts by taking a whirlwind trip to London to visit her best friend. When she returns, she’s given a new assignment at the advertising firm where she works. The cosmetics company they represent is releasing a special fragrance called Love. Kasey is tasked with finding out exactly what love looks like and how to sell it.



PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brandy Bruce is a writer, a book editor, a mom, a wife, and someone who really loves dessert! She’s the author of the award-winning novel The Last Summer, Looks Like Love, After the Rain, and The Romano Family Collection. Brandy, her husband, and their children make their home in Virginia.



CONNECT WITH BRANDY: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Visit the landing post at JustRead Tours!

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Lost in the Storm

Will war bring them love or will they be Lost in the Storm!
Lavena, a journalist during the Civil War, wants to become a war correspondent. She finally gets her chance, but there’s a catch. She has to get an interview from a war hero who has refused to tell his story to every other journalist, and she has to accomplish this impossible task in a month or she’ll lose her job.
Captain Cage, the war hero, has a secret that will destroy his military career and reputation. Now, a new journalist is trying to get him to tell what he’s been hiding. He wants to ignore her, but from the moment she came into camp, he can’t get her out of his mind.
Leading up to the turbulent Battles for the city of Chattanooga, will Lavena and Cage find the courage to love and forgive, or will they be swept away by their past mistakes that don’t want to stay buried?
Meet the Ladies of Oberlin, the causes they’re willing to fight for, and the men who capture their hearts.

My thoughts: This is an excellent story to pick up and enjoy! I love the historical aspect of it, how the main character is a female reporter in a time when jobs for women were very limited. I like Lavena's tenacity when it comes to trying to write news that won't harm those it is about and in getting her interviews even when the door seems to be shut. I also like that this story has more than just Lavena's story in it. There us plenty going on, which made the story easy to devour!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Author:
Award winning author Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because there are so many stories in American history. There are strong elements of faith, romance, suspense and adventure in her stories. Alice’s Notions, Red Sky Over America, Lost in the Storm, Resurrection of Hope, and Soldier’s Heart are among her published works.
Tamera been married for 40 years to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and three grandchildren. She has been a children’s pastor for over 20 years. She is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire for Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist and has written children’s church curriculum. She is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.

More from Tamera
History is my Passion
I love to read all genres of Christian fiction, but when I go to write, it always ends up being a Christian historical. The reason for that is I have a passion for history. I love to read about historical events, and frequently, I begin wondering what it would be like to live through those chaotic events in history. Out of that thought process, my characters and my stories take on a life of their own.
For instance, my series, Ladies of Oberlin, came out of reading about the great Christian women who advance social and spiritual movements in the late 1800s. I found over and over that the common denominator of these women was they all had a connection with Oberlin College, the first college that allow women and black to receive degrees alongside white men before the Civil War. I gained a treasure trove of research from a college only an hour away from where I lived.
As I researched Oberlin, I found out it was in the middle of every social and spiritual movement of the time. Charles Finney, the fiery Second Great Awakening evangelist, was the president of the college. Ninety percent of missionaries sent overseas between 1860 and 1900 were graduates of the college. Many of the women’s suffrage leaders, women’s educational leaders, women doctors and scholars, abolitionists, and prohibitionist leaders were from Oberlin College. At that point, I knew I wanted to tell their stories in my novels. I decided to write three stories covering three college roommates.
My first novel in the series set shortly before the Civil War was Red Sky Over America, the story of America Leighton, a woman abolitionist who was studying to become a missionary in China. She decided she couldn’t make a stand for the Gospel in China until she confronted her father to free his slaves. To make things more interesting, her love interest has plans of his own in Kentucky. The results were explosive as you can imagine.
The second in the series, released August first, is Lost in the Storm set during the Civil War. Lavena Falcon is determined to be an independent woman who advances the causes she believes in by being a journalist. Her greatest desire is to travel to where the heroic Ohio Seventh Regiment is fighting and report about these brave men. The problem is if she doesn’t get an interview with an illusive captain who doesn’t want to talk to reporters, she’ll lose her job. It doesn’t help that she’s attracted to him.
The third novel, due to release late next year, is set shortly after the Civil War in Northeast Ohio. Betsy Teagan’s husband is back from the war, but things aren’t going according to plan. He is haunted by the war and finds solace in the local saloon drinking himself into oblivion. She tries everything to help him including protesting in front of the bar.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Tamera is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 gift certificate and 3 paperbacks: Red Sky Over America, Lost in the Storm, and Forks in the Road!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.