Sunday, May 31, 2020

Shattered by Death

WHEN POLICE CHIEF JO OLIVER’S soon-to-be-ex-husband had an affair with another woman, she could have murdered them. When someone does, Josie is the prime suspect and the only one who can solve the case. Teaming up with old flame and FBI agent Nick Vitarello to hunt a serial killer who is framing her for murder, Jo’s fledgling faith in God is severely tested. The situation escalates when Nick declares his love for her—but his loyalty comes under fire. As the manhunt heats up, the only thing she’s sure of is that her time is running out.

My thoughts: I like a good suspenseful read, so I was eager to pick this book up. It wound up not really being my cup of tea, since it was a little more violent than I like, The murderer is very disturbed and just a little too creative for my liking. I wouldn't say it's graphic, just that I am a wimp.

This book is suspenseful and has a lot going on, so I would recommend it if you aren't as squeamish as myself.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here. This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Catherine Finger loves to dream, write, and tell stories. Recently retired from a wonderful career in public education, she celebrates the ability to choose how to spend her time in a new way during the second half of life. So far, she chooses to write books, ride horses, serve others, and generally find her way into and out of trouble both on the road and at home. She lives in the Midwest with a warm and wonderful combination of family and friends.

Capsized by Death, the fourth novel in her Jo Oliver Thriller series, will be released by Elk Lake Publishing in November 2019. Anchored by Death, the third of her Jo Oliver novels, was a Bronze Medal winner at the 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards; a 2018 Selah Awards finalist; and a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Awards. Her second Jo Oliver Thriller, Shattered by Death, was a finalist in the International Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards. Catherine and her novels have been featured on radio stations, blogs, and in numerous articles—all posted at www.CatherineFinger.com.

Catherine loves to interact with her readers at www.CatherineFinger.com Follow her on Facebook at Catherine Finger, Author, and on Twitter at CatherineFinger@BeJoOliver.

More from Catherine

“If you could kill someone and get away with it, what would you do? How would you do it?”

Having posed this question over dessert during a really good first date several years ago—to my surprise and delight my date proceeded to share a story about an international cosmetic gone badly awry. I was so taken with this story, that I couldn’t wait to get home and start writing. And I did. That night I sat down to write a scene between two powerful women, intending one to toy with the other by playing with a jar of deadly moisturizer as they interacted.

As I wrote that night, an unexpected scene involving spiritual warfare popped into my head and onto the screen. The edgy, scary, lock-your-doors-before reading story I called Shattered by Death was born.

While the moisturizer scene didn’t ultimately stay in the book, the idea of powerful women pitted against each other did. I strive to create antagonists that are as strong—or stronger—than Jo Oliver. When I feel the tension of wondering whether or not Josie is going to make it out alive—that’s when I know I’m in the middle of a great story.

I hope you think so too.

Enjoy the read!

Catherine

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 26

My Devotional Thoughts, May 26

deb’s Book Review, May 27

Blogging With Carol, May 27

Texas Book-aholic, May 28

Betti Mace, May 29

Emily Yager, May 29

Older & Smarter?, May 30

Bigreadersite, May 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 31

Inklings and notions, June 1

Rebecca Tews, June 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 2

Soulfully Romantic, June 2

For Him and My Family, June 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 4

Daysong Reflections, June 4

For the Love of Literature, June 5

Pause for Tales, June 5

Through the Fire Blogs, June 6

April Hayman, Author, June 6

Christian Bookaholic, June 7

Splashes of Joy, June 7

amandainpa, June 8

Genesis 5020, June 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Catherine 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 below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fb4f/shattered-by-death-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, May 30, 2020

Hope for Tomorrow

A young man leaves his career and agrees to board the teacher who offers him a priceless gift.

When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm and chooses to stay. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school.

Karen Millerson arrives from Chicago and accepts the role of country school teacher. Eager to put her family’s ugly past behind her, Karen makes a fresh start in her new surroundings as a way to replace the trust she lost in her father.

Can Karen learn to trust again? Will Logan lay aside his grief in exchange for God’s purpose for his life?

My thoughts: I loved the old fashioned, small town feel to this story! Logan is keeping a promise that his family made in boarding the young teacher who comes to town. As he gets to know Karen, they form a friendship as they over come several obstacles. This is a sweet, clean story that will keep you reading until the last page! I loved the town that it was set in. I also enjoyed some of the secondary characters immensely!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Michelle De Bruin lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. She has a bachelor’s degree in Religion with a Christian Ministry emphasis, and in Music. Michelle is the spiritual services provider for an organization that offers services for people with mental and physical disabilities. She has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2015. Michelle writes inspirational historical romance about people who live in rural communities. Characters that bring to life the delights of farm and small-town living, whispers of Dutch heritage, and Christian faith make Michelle’s stories distinct. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always on the lookout for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story. Her first book, Hope for Tomorrow, released in 2018. The sequel, Promise for Tomorrow, released November 2019

More from Michelle

Hope for Tomorrow is a story that explores responses to uncertainty and the grief that comes from sudden losses. The main characters of the story have experienced unexpected changes that press them to grow deeper in their faith. Psalm 30:5 reminds us that weeping may linger through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Logan De Witt, his mother, his sister, and Karen Millerson the new teacher, learn this truth for themselves as the events of the story’s plot unfold.

My hope is that readers will learn the best way to respond to loss and change while also finding pleasure in the ways the Lord introduces joy and unexpected blessings into our lives.

An excerpt

“How far must we travel to reach Bridgewater Springs?” Glad to finally be able to see above the cornfields, Karen scanned the horizon. No buildings indicated the location of another town. Only the silhouettes of silos, hip roof barns, and a few windmills broke up the landscape.

“We ain’t goin’ to Bridgewater Springs.”

“What do you mean?” Karen’s middle stretched tight.

“Didn’t anyone tell ya?” The school board chairman turned to her. Crows’ feet etched deep lines in the sun-browned skin around his eyes.

“I received a letter that said I am to teach English and reading at the Bridgewater Springs High school.”

Mr. Hinkley shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Oh, the sad communication in our school systems these days.” Slapping a horse with the reins, he cleared his throat. “The school in Bridgewater Springs combined subjects. The community got worried about how many students might actually decide to go on to high school. They wanna hold off before hiring too many teachers. Don’t wanna get too carried away with offering a lot of subjects if no one comes to school to take ‘em. You know how that goes.” He transferred both reins to one hand, reached in his front pocket, pulled out a toothpick, and stuck it in a corner of his mouth.

The toothpick wagged a bit before he continued speaking. “At the last minute, the superintendent told me that the girl who taught our school last year got engaged over the summer. So, since you were a teacher without a school, and we were a school without a teacher, he made the decision to send ya here.” He chewed on the toothpick for a moment before looking over at her once again. “Sorry ya have to find out this way. I thought maybe someone already told ya.”

“You mean to tell me, to tell me that I . . .” She gave up in a sigh that collapsed all the air from her lungs.

“Now I know we ain’t the most educated folks you’ll run across, but our kids deserve a chance. Just like any in the big city.”

“But I . . . I still need to . . . to . . .” Karen groaned about the sputtering that betrayed her chaotic mind. She drew in a deep breath and tried again. “I traveled all this way to begin my career.”

“Well, now, I think we can work somethin’ out.” Mr. Hinkley drove on a road that crested a small hill and dipped to a stone bridge spanning a brook.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, May 30

Inklings and notions, May 31

reviewingbooksplusmore, May 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 1

For Him and My Family, June 2

deb’s Book Review, June 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 4

Maureen’s Musings, June 4

Betti Mace, June 5

Older & Smarter?, June 6

For the Love of Literature, June 7

Lighthouse Academy Blog, June 8 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Read Review Rejoice, June 9

Vicky Sluiter, June 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 11

Pause for Tales, June 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fa0c/hope-for-tomorrow-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, May 29, 2020

Say and Pray Bible

Curl up together and experience the Bible in a fresh, new way. Young children will enjoy pointing to and naming objects on each page for early learning. Most important, they’ll discover favorite, age-appropriate Bible stories, with Scripture verses and short prayers that also hide God’s Word in young hearts.

My thoughts: My kids and I are enjoying this board book! I l0ve that it has just a short snippet about the Bible story that is featured and then has different words for one to point out to a young child. I love that it shows different relationships (father and children, etc..) and also that it is colorful and engaging for little ones. My 6 month old is loving the pictures! And, my 6 year old is enjoying reading it to her brother. This is an excellent little book for both their ages.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here. This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Diane Stortz is a multipublished author who writes to make God’s wonders known to the next generation. Her children’s releases include the best-selling Say & Pray Bible and I AM: 40 Reasons to Trust God, both from Tommy Nelson. Diane’s books for women, A Woman’s Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year and Encountering God’s Heart for You, both from Bethany House, encourage women to get to know God through His Word, the Bible. Diane and her husband have two married daughters and five grandchildren—all boys! Visit her at www.DianeStortz.com.

More from Diane

Once upon a time there was a little boy who loved his books. Long before he could talk, he loved turning pages, looking at the pictures, hearing his grandpa name the objects in the pictures, and pointing to those objects.

And once upon a time there was a grandma looking for a truly age-appropriate Bible storybook for that same little boy. And the best ones she found still contained too many words.

And she wondered . . .

Why not write a Bible storybook that could be designed especially for babies, toddlers, and young preschoolers? With the shortest stories you’ve ever seen, and with labeled objects and people in the illustrations that little ones could point to and name?

That’s how my book Say & Pray Bible began.

I wanted a book with age-appropriate, SHORT Bible stories. Babies and toddlers LOVE turning pages. Listening to long stories has to wait until they’re older.

I wanted short Bible verses and prayers to go with the very short stories.

And I wanted the illustrations to have lots of LABELED objects to encourage little ones to point and name.

Some days you might just read the stories. Another day, just the verses. Yet another reading, just the prayers. And some days, you might just talk about the pictures.

Most children begin to say single words with meaning, always nouns, at 12–18 months. This is the stage when children can point to—and eventually name—photos or illustrations of objects in their books.

Around 24 months, children begin to say two-word, noun plus verb sentences, such as “Cat run.” In time, sentences become longer and include adjectives and adverbs, but no function words: “Big cat run fast.” Last to develop is the use of function words (such as the and an) and more complex sound combinations and sentence forms.

Human beings seem to be hardwired to acquire language and learn to speak—evidence that, as the Bible says, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139). But there’s a lot we can do to help little ones develop language skills and expose them to God’s Word at the same time!

Blog Stops

For Him and My Family, May 23

Texas Book-aholic, May 24

Through the Fire Blogs, May 25 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, May 25

Older & Smarter?, May 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 27

A Baker’s Perspective, May 28 (Author Interview)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 29

Inklings and notions, May 30

A Reader’s Brain, May 31

Spoken from the Heart, June 1

Simple Harvest Reads, June 2 (Author Interview)

Southern Gal Loves to Read, June 2

Aryn the Libraryan 📚, June 3

Splashes of Joy, June 4

Artistic Nobody, June 5 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Diane is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of the book, a signed copy of the companion book (Say & Pray Devotions), and a $10 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fa0a/say-pray-bible-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Assessing Your Prophetic Self

The Prophetic Primers are a series of smaller books based on the best-selling The Prophet’s Dictionary and The Prophet’s Handbook that will bring clarity, discovery, and definition to the training of prophetic gifts. In Assessing Your Prophetic Self, Dr. Paula A. Price provides diagnostic tools, as well as language and knowledge, to discern, measure, and encourage the gifts of novice prophets. Readers will receive links for an online prophetic assessment test. Dr. Price also sets specific and measurable objectives, goals, and outcomes for the formation of a prophetic ministry. Also includes an introduction for the seasoned prophet looking to mentor others in the ministry.

My thoughts: This book is a hard one for me to review, since it wound up being different than I expected. While there are questionnaires that she has on her website, I wish that they had been included in the book for easy reference for the reader. I also found that this is not an easy book to pick up and read, since doesn't seem to be written for just anyone to pick up and enjoy, but feels more like a textbook.

I didn't agree with some of her thoughts on educating people to help them become prophets, since I don't believe that is something that we can teach, but rather something that comes from God. I also don't agree with her thoughts on it being okay for prophets to charge for their sessions, but I realize that I am probably in the minority when it comes to my thoughts on ministry being volunteer.

This is a unique book, unlike any other I have read. It will get one to think.

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! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Paula A. Price is quickly becoming the international voice on the subject of apostolic and prophetic ministry. She has founded and established three churches, an apostolic and prophetic Bible institute, a publication company, a consulting firm, and a global collaborative network linking apostles and prophets together for the purpose of kingdom vision and ventures. Although she has written over twenty-five books, manuals, and other course material on the apostolic and prophetic, she is most recognized for her unique 1,600-term The Prophet’s Dictionary, a concise prophetic training manual entitled Church Prophets, and her follow-up, The Prophet’s Handbook, a tool for establishing prophetic ministry in the church. Paula is host of her own program, Let’s Just Talk: Where God Makes Sense. She has a D.Min. and a Ph.D. in Religious Education from Word of Truth Seminary in Alabama. She is also a wife, mother of three daughters, and the grandmother of two. She and her husband Tom presently pastor New Creation Worship Assembly in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

More from Paula

My previous books, THE PROPHET’s DICTIONARY and THE PROPHET’s HANDBOOK have sold extremely well and have offered guidance and wisdom to many. This new book, ASSESSINGG YOUR PROPHETIC SELF is the first of The Prophetic Primer Series that will bring more clarity and discovery to your training in the prophetic.

Blog Stops

Artistic Nobody, May 19 (Spotlight)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 20

Simple Harvest Reads, May 21 (Spotlight)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 22

Book Love, May 23 (Spotlight)

For the Love of Literature, May 24 (Spotlight)

Texas Book-aholic, May 25

Blossoms and Blessings, May 26 (Spotlight)

For Him and My Family, May 27

Vicky Sluiter, May 28 (Spotlight)

Inklings and notions, May 29

Andrea Christenson, May 30 (Spotlight)

deb’s Book Review, May 31

Through the Fire Blogs, June 1 (Spotlight)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Paula is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fa8d/assessing-your-prophetic-self-celebration-tour-giveaway

Standoff

The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It's the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for park ranger Luke Fereday, lately it's being used to move drugs. Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers.

John's daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father's murder, but things are more complicated than they first appear, and Brooke soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her. Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who's going to keep him safe when he realizes he's falling--hard--for the daughter of the man he failed to save?

Award-winning author Patricia Bradley introduces you to a new series set in the sultry South that will have you wiping your brow and looking over your shoulder.

My thoughts: I loved this mystery! I have enjoyed the other books I have read by Patricia, but this one might be my favorite to date, since it has a lot going on and keeps the reader in suspense until the end. The characters are wonderful, and I love that we meet the heroine to the next book in the series in this one (I'm so glad that Emma gets her own book!). Reading about the Trace makes me want to go see the sight now! This is an excellent start to a new series.

I received a copy of this book from Revell. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

I'll Take the Lie

Does the truth really set you free?

Paige Hall doubts it, after her boyfriend Justin tells her he’s over it, leaving her with a broken heart and crushed dreams. When Justin disappears, she can’t help but try to find out what happened to him. But when the more she searches, the more problems arise, she can’t help but wonder if it would be better to just accept the lie…

My thoughts: This book grabs the reader's attention from the get go, with starting off that Paige's ex-boyfriend is missing and it seems like most aren't all that concerned to figure out what happened. As the story unravels, mysteries find answers through the twists and turns. I enjoyed this story and how it was suspenseful! Paige is a unique character who seeks for the truth.

This book is about teens and addresses some of the issues that young people face today, with drinking, drugs, and the like. The author does a good job of handling it though.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Nancy E Wood was born into a missionary family and lived in Hungary until she turned twenty. Her whole childhood, she loved reading and stories, writing some of her own, but never believing she actually had the talent to be an author. Speaking multiple languages, she never thought she would be good enough in any to become a wordsmith.

Her senior year of high school, she was encouraged to write short stories, one of which turned into Perfect, a novel that couldn’t stay short. After sharing it with a few people, she decided to get it published a couple years later. She went to college in Florida, where she studied English and Music. After graduating, she married and moved to California. She published her second standalone book, I’ll Take the Lie, in the summer of 2019 and is currently working on a sequel to Perfect. She also runs a blog for young women, where she writes relatable and motivational posts that point to God. She has also done some speaking in different Christian schools and youth groups, encouraging teens to pursue Christ through some of the most difficult years of their lives.

More from Nancy

What’s truth? Why is it important? Does everyone have their own kind of truth or is there only one?

Those were questions I was dealing with in my college Apologetics class while I wrote I’ll Take the Lie, and I thought that theme would fit so well into the story.

The idea came to me a long time ago. I was really into The Great Gatsby at the time and wanted to write a story from a bystander’s point of view. Originally titled What’s Wrong with Alex?, Paige, the worried sister of Alex, who drastically changed over his first semester of college, wants to find out what happened to him. But the deeper I went into the story, the more Paige’s character shone through, and she soon became the protagonist with her ex boyfriend’s mysterious disappearance. The whole theme tied into what I was studying about apologetics and truth, so the messy pieces all came together into a solid plot.

Paige isn’t a believer, and she doesn’t really care about the idea of truth and spirituality until she gets dragged into it. It’s my hope that this book story helps young adults like me think deeper and question their beliefs. We get so caught up with our own happiness, we don’t always want to accept the hard truth. But, like Paige, we need to think about whether we can keep living pretend lives or if the truth really does set us free.