Thursday, October 5, 2017

The Grand Central Market Cookbook


Founded in 1917, Grand Central Market is a legendary food hall in Downtown Los Angeles that brings together the many traditions and flavors of the city. Now, GCM’s first cookbook puts the spotlight on unique recipes from its diverse vendors, bringing their authentic tastes to your home kitchen. From Horse Thief BBQ’s Nashville-Style Hot Fried Chicken Sando to Madcapra’s Sumac Beet Soda to Golden Road’s Crunchy Avocado Tacos, here are over 85 distinctive recipes, plus spectacular photography that shows off the food, the people, and the daily bustle and buzz. Stories about the Market’s vibrant history and interviews with its prominent customers and vendors dot the pages as well. Whether you’ve visited and want to make your favorite dishes at home, or are simply looking for a cookbook that provides a plethora of multi-national cuisine, The Grand Central Market Cookbook is sure to make your kitchen just a little bit cooler.

My thoughts: For years, my family had a booth at a local farmers market, so I have a bit of a soft spot for them.;) I love the variety of products, color, and people that you can find at a farmers market. This cookbook makes me excited to once again visit a
market and enjoy the culture and food. This book is a great one to pick up to get one excited about markets and CSA's! I highly recommend the flavorful recipes and lovely photography!
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Deadly Proof review and Giveaway


 


Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book



 



Book title: Deadly Proof

 

Author: Rachel Dylan

 

Release date: September 5, 2017

 

Genre: Legal Romantic Suspense



Tapped as lead counsel in a corporate cover-up lawsuit against Mason Pharmaceutical, Kate Sullivan knows this case could make her career. What really drives her, though, is getting justice for the victims whose lives were ruined by the company’s dangerous new drug. But when a whistleblower turns up dead, it paints a target on the back of everyone involved.

Former Army Ranger turned private investigator Landon James steps in to handle security for Kate. He’s still haunted by mistakes in his past and is determined never to let something like that happen again. But it soon appears someone is willing to do anything–even commit murder–to keep the case from going to trial.

As danger closes in, Landon can’t help but admire Kate’s courage and resolve–but will her determination not to back down become too great of a risk?

My Review: This is an excellent, intense story about one woman's bold case to help those who have lost loved ones to a big Pharm drug that had no business being on the market. I love that the story is told from a variety of viewpoints, and how it seems like an impossible case. I'm not big into legalese, but I did enjoy this story! I look forward to reading more in the series!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author




Rachel Dylan was a litigator in one of the nation’s most elite law firms for over eight years and now works as an attorney at one of the Big Three automobile manufacturers. She is the author of four Love Inspired Suspense novels and lives in Michigan with her husband. She is active on social media, and you can visit her website at www.racheldylan.com.


Q & A with Rachel Dylan

  1. The Atlanta Justice series is centered around strong, female lawyers who take on high-stakes cases. What made you want to write their stories?I’d have to say it’s personal! Having been an attorney for eleven years now, I love being able to pour parts of myself into the books. My everyday life as a lawyer isn’t that exciting and is definitely not as dangerous! But I’m able to draw on what I’ve lived through to bring life and authenticity to these characters.
  1. What type of research did you do for Deadly Proof?One of the great things about writing books related to my career is that I know lawyers who practice all different types of law. Deadly Proof focuses on Kate Sullivan, who is a plaintiff’s attorney taking on a big pharmaceutical company. I don’t do this specific type of plaintiff’s work, but I know lawyers who do, and I was able to talk with them. Also, I was able to relate to my characters on the defense side because I’ve done that work for years. It was really fun to write the perspectives of characters on both sides of the case.
  1. Is there a reason you chose Atlanta for this series?Yes! I’m from Georgia and lived in Atlanta, practicing law at a large law firm, for eight years. I wanted to pick a setting I was intimately familiar with to give readers an authentic Atlanta experience—sweet tea and all.
  1. Where do you think Kate’s passion for her work comes from?Kate truly believes that her life’s work is to help those who have been wronged. I believe a lot of her passion stems from her strong faith that has developed over the years. She’s not a lawyer to make big bucks but to change people’s lives for the better.
  1. What is the next book in the Atlanta Justice series about?Book two is about Kate’s friend Sophie Dawson, who we meet in Deadly Proof. Sophie is an Atlanta prosecutor. This story is exciting because it involves a completely different type of legal case than Deadly Proof. But I promise things get just as dangerous!

Blog Stops

Giveaway

To celebrate the tour, Bethany House is giving away four Suspense Novels and a $25 Starbucks Gift Card!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Christian Scavenger Hunt


About the Author

Author of the Amazon bestselling Aggie and Past Forward Series, Chautona Havig lives and writes in California’s Mojave Desert. With dozens of books to her name, Chautona spends most of her time writing, but when she takes the rare break, she can be found reading, sewing, paper crafting, or sleeping and dreaming of finishing the dozens of books swirling in her overly-active imagination at any given moment.


Guest Post from Chautona Havig

They talked—my favorite Denny’s server and a guy she met. “Shanetta (she can’t get my name right to save her life) writes in booth 14 every night.”

“Writes what?”

Angela gave him a “duh” look. “Books?”

Again, the guy asked, “What genre.”

I’m sure she didn’t know what she was in for when Angela said, “Christian fiction.”

The man’s response? Priceless. “So, what, she makes up lies about Christians?”



As I said in THIS POST, I used to use Christian fiction as a general explanation of what I write but it wasn’t the “simple answer” that I’d expected. So, then I started saying, “Well, this one is…” and I’d fill in the blank. Mystery, romance, suspense, historical, contemporary, youth—you name it, I’ve probably written it. Well, except for erotica. And true sci-fi? Yeah. That probably won’t happen either. Horror? Not my thing.

Once I’ve explained my odd genre choice for this particular book, I tend to point out that most of my fiction follows under the general heading of Christian fiction. Inevitably the question follows, though. “Why Christian?”

It would be easier to answer why not. I could just say, “As a Christian, I find it almost impossible to leave my faith and worldview out of my writing.” It’s true, but I did manage. Once. Even then, if you look deep into the core of that little story, you’ll still find basic Biblical themes and truths. They’re just less overt.

But people never ask why not write something else. They ask why I write Christian fiction. So I tell them. I start with my purpose. “I write stories to point Christians to the Master Storyteller.” I write about Christians for Christians. I don’t write evangelistic fiction, although occasionally someone comes to Jesus in my books. The reason I do this is because I’m writing to encourage the body of Christ. If I wrote to introduce the lost to Jesus, I’d be writing mainstream to whet people’s thirst for the Word and the Lord.

But that’s not my goal. How I achieve my goal is my website’s tagline. “Christian fiction without apology or pretense—lived, not preached.”

In the books featured in this blog tour, you won’t find people, as a general rule, spouting sermons disguised as prayers. I show a faith-filled life lived… or not, as the story requires. I show you why Christians believe things that I may not even agree with. And I hope, that with each word, I create a desire for just one more minute in the Word.

Each of the bloggers involved in the tour were given different books to read and review, the book I was given is None So Blind.

Dani and Ella Weeks–two women who share one thing in common–the same life, the same family, and the same body.

When Dani wakes with no knowledge of who or where she is–no memories of her life at all–David and Dani Weeks discover that “til death do us part” takes on an entirely unexpected meaning. Practically speaking, Dani died. But she didn’t.

In a desperate attempt to separate the old life from the new, Dani insists on a new name–Ella.

Ella’s doctors can’t explain what happened. Her children can’t understand why she doesn’t know them, and her husband finds himself torn between admiration for the “new” version of his wife and missing the woman he’s known for over fifteen years.

Will Ella ever regain her memory? Why does their pastor suspect it’s one great hoax?

My thoughts: Chautona is an excellent writer who brings this unique story to life. I can only imagine what it would be like for a loved one to go through something like this, forgetting who they are and their relationship to you. This is a wonderful story about identity! I look forward to reading the other books in the series.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway!

For a complete list of the blog stops, please go here

Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together


New book from bestselling author Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth!

Known for her wisdom, warmth, and knowledge of Scripture, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth has encouraged millions through her books, radio programs, and conferences. Now she’s back with a legacy work on Titus 2 and its powerful vision for women.

From Nancy:

"Cross-generational community between women is the biblical antidote for being chronically, hopelessly overwhelmed, as so many of us are.

When older women come out of their protective cocoons to invest themselves in the lives of younger women, whole families and churches feel the blessing. When young moms and singles widen their peer groups to include women who have already braved the same rapids and lived to tell about it, both sides of the relationship are strengthened and grow. We all, in different ways and in different seasons, need to be on both the giving and receiving end of this life-to-life process.

So I invite you to join me as we look to God’s Word for His perspective on the character, commitments, and attitudes of godly women—and His prescribed process for helping us live out these virtues not only today, but from generation to generation."

My thoughts: This is such a wonderful book to pick up, since it brings to light the mentoring relationship of the Titus 2 woman. I love that it digs deep and brings up so many thought provoking things, like the importance of finding a mentor, since someone will influence us, so it's important to choose who rather than letting main stream media or your peers decide for you. I think this book would be an excellent one to study as a group, though it was also wonderful to read alone.
I received this book from Moody in exchange for my honest review.

Fiercehearted


A fiercehearted woman looks life in the face and says, "You can't beat me." She knows love is a risk but reaches out anyway. She chases Jesus with a tender, world-changing wildness. She never gives in, never gives up, and never lets go. Best of all, the potential to be a fiercehearted woman is inside each and every woman on earth.

In her most powerful book yet, beloved bestselling author Holley Gerth inspires her readers to become the stronger, braver, truer women they long to be by sharing personal stories of her own struggles and victories. As readers join Holley on this journey, they'll discover a freedom they never imagined could be theirs: the freedom to experience life, love, and faith to the fullest because fear can no longer hold them back.

For the woman who is restless or longing for more, Fiercehearted is an invitation to the life God has always meant for her to embrace.

My thoughts: I love that this is not a how to, but an encouraging book where Holley opens up and shares that she has been and is in the same places. I love the call to fight for our families in the spiritual world. Not to become something we weren't created to be, but to magnify what we were created to be. This is a wonderful, encouraging book!
I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Bringing Maggie Home


Decades of Loss, an Unsolved Mystery,
and a Rift Spanning Three Generations

Hazel DeFord is a woman haunted by her past. While berry picking in a blackberry thicket in 1943, ten-year old Hazel momentarily turns her back on her three-year old sister Maggie and the young girl disappears.

Almost seventy years later, the mystery remains unsolved and the secret guilt Hazel carries has alienated her from her daughter Diane, who can’t understand her mother’s overprotectiveness and near paranoia. While Diane resents her mother’s inexplicable eccentricities, her daughter Meghan—a cold case agent—cherishes her grandmother’s lavish attention and affection.

When a traffic accident forces Meghan to take a six-week leave-of-absence to recover, all three generations of DeFord women find themselves unexpectedly under the same roof. Meghan knows she will have to act as a mediator between the two headstrong and contentious women. But when they uncover Hazel’s painful secret, will Meghan also be able to use her investigative prowess to solve the family mystery and help both women recover all that’s been lost?

My thoughts: This book was so hard to put down! It's a wonderfully written, suspenseful story that spans three generations. I loved getting to know the three main characters, as they learned how the choices of the previous generation affected their response to mother/daughter relationships. I will warn you, this one is hard to put down, since it is well written and has a lot going on. I can't even imagine having to deal with the aftermath of losing a child.
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

The Action Story Bible

The Action Storybook Bibleinvites families with children ages 8 and under explore God’s redemptive story together.
From the sleek and amazing creatures God created at the beginning of the world to the powerful kings who reigned over ancient Israel to Jesus’s gift of eternal life for you and your family—God has a beautiful and exciting plan for the world. Where do you fit into that plan? How are the truths found in God’s Word reflected in your life?
This Bible storybook features 15 episodes highlighting key milestones in God’s story, packed with dozens of scenes—combining stories from God’s Word with brand-new captivating illustrations from Brazilian master-artist Sergio Cariello, illustrator of the bestselling The Action Bible. Discover your family’s place in God’s redemptive story and together put your faith into action!
Interactive features include:
—Fifteen episodes loaded with over 350 brand-new illustrations from master-artist Sergio Cariello.
—Short and easy reading for all ages. Take turns telling God’s redemptive story!
—The Life, Faith, Action! feature wraps up each episode and helps your family recognize how God is moving through each story, discover how that relates to your daily lives, and feel inspired to put your faith into action.
—Heroes Hall of Fame index, where you can look up your favorite Bible characters and discover their stories!

My thoughts: While my children are both young, I felt like this was a wonderful Bibl to introduce them to a wider variety of the stories of the Bible then most books geared toward their ages do. We enjoyed the illustrations and how engaging this Bible and s. It's great for all ages!
I received a copy of this book from litfuse in exchange for my honest review.