Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Laura's Shadow

 


Family Secrets Spill One Conversation at a Time

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

De Smet, South Dakota—1890
Young women growing up in DeSmet live by two rules: don’t go out in a snowstorm and don’t give your heart to Cap Garland. Young Mariah Patterson only managed to obey one. Orphaned and having devoted her youth to scrapping out a life with her brother Charles, Mariah finds herself with no interesting suitors or means of support. Throwing caution to the wind, she seizes an opportunity to lay her feelings at Cap’s feet, even though she knows Cap sees the world through the torch he carries for Laura Ingalls. Mariah is certain her love for Cap will be strong enough to break both bonds, and she’s willing to risk everything to prove it.

De Smet, South Dakota—1974
Trixie Gowan is the fourth generation of living Gowan women residing in the sprawling farmhouse on the outskirts of De Smet. Well, former resident. She’s recently moved to Minneapolis, where she writes ads for a neighborhood paper edited by Ron Tumble. She might live and work in the city, but her co-workers still call her Prairie Girl. Thus the inspiration for her comic strip—“Lost Laura”—in which a bespectacled girl in a calico dress tries to make her way in the city. The name is a quiet rebellion having grown up in a household where she’d been forbidden to mention the name, Laura Ingalls. But when her great-grandmother Mariah’s declining health brings Trixie home for a visit, two things might just keep her there: the bedside manner of Dr. Campbell Carter and the family secret that seems to be spilling from GG’s lips one conversation at a time.

 My thoughts: I thought that this book did a wonderful job of capturing two different times, the difficulty of making it on the South Dakota prairie in the late 1800's and then the dream big side of the 1970's. I love how Trixie has been able to pursue her dream of doing art for a smaller paper, and has the chance for her comic strip to become something big. I could picture the whimsical comic in my mind so perfectly! I also appreciated that, while some of the not so great aspects of the 1970's were alluded to, for the most part, they didn't really have a place in this story. 
As for Mariah's story, well.... the Little House books were some of the first that I read and I can't say that I really loved how Laura and Chip are presented in this story. It's interesting and unique, but not my favorite. 
That said, the history is well done and this is still an enjoyable read.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

 

About the Author

Allison Pittman is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed novels and a four-time Christy finalist—twice for her Sister Wife series, once for All for a Story from her take on the Roaring Twenties and most recently for the critically acclaimed The Seamstress which takes a cameo character from the Dickens’ classic A Tale of Two Cities and flourishes her to life amidst the French Revolution. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, blissfully sharing an empty nest with her husband, Mike. Connect with her on Facebook (Allison Pittman Author), Twitter (@allisonkpittman) or her website, allisonkpittman.com.

 

More from Allison

I can credit Laura Ingalls Wilder for just about every aspect of my identity. I’m a reader because I read her books over and over and over again, checking them out from my little elementary school library. I can still see them—last bookcase, bottom shelf. During the summer, I checked them out from the Bookmobile, and one magical Christmas, I received my own set. The well-worn, yellow paperbacks have a place of honor in my office: top shelf, center stage. It was amazing to my eight-year-old self that I could pick up Little House in the Big Woods, skip the dull parts, and jump straight to These Happy Golden Years in a single afternoon.

Looking at Laura’s writing now (as I often do), I realize I spent my childhood absorbing the art of telling a story. Her books masterfully string meaningful vignettes within an over-arching conflict. She creates stories-within-a-story-within-a-story whenever Pa launches into a tall tale, and minor characters come to life no matter how brief their appearance. (Aunt Docia, anyone?)

When I first came up with the concept of writing a story set in the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder, I knew I couldn’t bring Laura herself in as a character. There’s a sacredness to her story, and I wouldn’t dream of inserting myself into the cannon of her pages. But—I thought—surely she had peers who grew up alongside her, classmates who also hated Miss Wilder, young men who might have set their own cap for her, townsfolk who remembered the vibrant young woman with the button-brown eyes and dark curls. And then I pondered further: maybe there was another side to Laura—a side that she kept from the romanticized ideal skipping through the pages of her books. My first thought was to create a fictional De Smet town girl, but then…

In researching and reading Pioneer Girl, The Annotated Autobiography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, I came across a bit of information that brought the story to life for me. In These Happy Golden Years, Laura teaches her first class: five students, two families. And while the “Brewster” children are documented in other sources, the Harrison children are not. There are no census records, land deeds, or any official documents to support the identity of Charles and Martha as they are depicted in the novel. And so, it clicked. If Laura could fictionalize these people, well, then, so could I. Thus Martha Harrison was lifted from those pages, renamed Mariah, and given a new life and a new story in mine.

Writing Laura’s Shadow allowed me to indulge in a few favorite directions. First, I’m fascinated with the idea of extreme longevity (showcased in my novel All for a Song), and creating a character whose lifespan stretches from homesteading to disco was delightful. My Mariah chafes at the romanticized depiction of pioneer life, telling us in her old age that it was really more of a daily struggle for survival. I also enjoyed exploring the family dynamic of four generations of women and how each generation faced the  same battles and fought them so, so differently. Finally—and this is what truly speaks to my fourth-grade self…

You know that Elton John song, “Your Song” with the lyrics, “I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words…” Well, I got to put down in words my lifelong crush on Cap Garland. Sure, Almonzo is great and everything, but I always thought Cap was more exciting. More fun. More…more. Bringing him to life in this book set my old heart racing. My research for this novel took me to De Smet, and to his gravesite, where I spoke this story to his stone. I like to think he’d approve, and I hope all of the Laura fans will join me in this tale and let their imaginations run wild.

Blog Stops

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 30

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , August 31

Texas Book-aholic, August 31

Genesis 5020, September 1

Inklings and notions, September 1

The Avid Reader, September 2

For Him and My Family, September 2

deb’s Book Review, September 3

Simple Harvest Reads, September 3 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 4

Blogging With Carol, September 4

Betti Mace, September 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 5

Blossoms and Blessings, September 6

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 6

lakesidelivingsite, September 7

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 7

Connie’s History Classroom, September 8

Mary Hake, September 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 9

Through the Fire Blogs, September 9

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 10

Bigreadersite, September 11

Pause for Tales, September 11

For the Love of Literature, September 12

Labor Not in Vain, September 12

Remembrancy, September 13

To Everything There Is A Season, September 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Allison is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon E-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/210cb/laura-s-shadow-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, August 29, 2022

Twin Murder Mix-Up

 


A case of mistaken identity…

has lethal results

After capturing a murder on her camera, photographer Amy Baker becomes the next target—but her identical twin is killed instead. Now on the run with her sister’s newborn, Amy has only one person to turn to—Detective Keith Young, her childhood crush. But when they discover Keith is the baby’s father, can he regain Amy’s trust to keep them safe…before the killer strikes again?

 My thoughts: While I don't have a twin, I do have a sister that looks a lot like me, so I can only imagine how awful it would be to be in Amy's position where someone mistakes her sister for her and leaves Amy taking care of her sister's little boy. When Amy reconnects with her old friend, Keith, things get even stickier. As they try to figure out who is after Amy and why they want the pictures so badly, she must learn to let some things go if she can ever move forward. Overall, I enjoyed this story and the mystery. The suspense was fast paced and I loved that the makes readers really work to figure out what is going on. This is a wonderful mystery to pick up and enjoy!

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

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

 

About the Author

Sami A. Abrams lives in Northern California, but she’ll always be a Kansas girl at heart. She loves to travel and watch sports. However, most evenings, you’ll find her engrossed in a romantic suspense novel. She thinks a crime plus a little romance is the recipe for a great story.

 

More from Sami

#Authorproblems   That’s what the excitement around Keith Young was…a problem—Kinda. Lol!

When I started to hear request for his story, I panicked. Authors don’t want to disappoint their readers. And being new to the published scene…Well, you get the picture. 😊

After the release of Buried Cold Case Secrets, many readers told me they wanted Keith’s story. In fact, the overwhelming response puzzled me. What had I done to create such a buzz about Jason’s partner? And of course, I had to ask why?

The general answer I received…Keith’s a nice guy and the perfect partner.

I have to admit, I got a little nervous since I had already written his story. And I worried if I’d done his character justice?

However, after writing Buried Cold Case Secrets, I knew Keith had to have his own story. He’s such a great guy and needed his happily ever after. So, I dove in and asked, what would happen if he made a huge mistake? Not just a physical one, but a heart one.

By the time I finished, I loved seeing Keith and Amy move past their poor choices and hurt to find acceptance and love. The perfect ending to Keith’s struggles.

All that to say, I hope you love Keith and Amy’s story as much as I do.  #TeamKeith

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 27

Bizwings Blog, August 27

The Avid Reader, August 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 28

Christina’s Corner, August 28

Genesis 5020, August 29

Texas Book-aholic, August 29

Inklings and notions, August 30

Through the Fire Blogs, August 30

EmpowerMoms, August 30

Betti Mace, August 31

deb’s Book Review, August 31

For Him and My Family, September 1

Pause for Tales, September 1

The Sacred Line, September 1

She Lives To Read, September 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 3

Britt Reads Fiction, September 3

For the Love of Literature, September 4

Lights in a Dark World, September 4

Paula’s Persuasion, September 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 5

Book Looks by Lisa, September 5

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 6

Vicarious Living , September 6

Mary Hake, September 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 7

Bigreadersite , September 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 8

Blogging With Carol, September 8

Simple Harvest Reads, September 9 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Labor Not in Vain, September 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sami is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon card and signed copy of Twin Murder Mix-Up (US only) or eBook for outside the US!!

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/210ca/twin-murder-mix-up-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, August 28, 2022

Legends of the Donut Shop

 


At seventeen years of age, Wes Williams is injured in a head-on collision and nearly loses his life. Wes does not know if he will live or die. In a mysterious near-death experience, he travels back in time to his earlier years and the time he spent with his grandfather and his old buddies at the Donut Shop. The humorous gang of old veterans, and one retired sheriff, retell their stories once again. This time, Wes understands the meaning of each story.

This is a book of second chances, life lessons, and forgiveness. Wes’s life is changed forever, and he begins a new chapter in his life.

This book was written for a group of actual Donut Shop friends who gathered weekly with my dad. I often went with him to hear the stories these people told. The men were all veterans. At the suggestion of one particular veteran, I wrote the book so that younger people, middle school age, YA, etc., could experience what these groups of guys are like and to appreciate U.S. history.

My dad had seen the cover of the book and a summary of what I was writing. He and my mom both died of Covid ten days before the book was published. He never got to read it. I was able to pass it out to the men from the local donut shop at Mom and Dad’s funeral on March 30th. I hope to pass these stories on, just like Dad wanted.

Legends of the Donut Shop earned 5 Star Reviews from Reader Views and Readers’ Favorites.

 My thoughts: When Wes is in an accident that puts him in the hospital with severe injuries, he has an out of body experience where he goes back and views his relationship over the years with his grandpa. I love how his grandpa had a group of friends at a donut shop, since my grandpa was one who liked to visit their local donut shop, so some of my memories of him are similar to that of Wes'. This is a wonderful book from middle school age readers on up, since it has such a wonderful message of grace and forgiveness. 

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

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

 

About the Author

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology. Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean. She has two children and six grandchildren. Her writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals. Her book Both Sides of the Border is a Firebird Book Award, Bookfest Winner, America Writing Award, and International Book Award Finalist, for categories of Cross-Genre, Socio-Political Fiction, and Women’s Fiction. Her book, America of We the People was awarded the Firebird Book Award for Socio-Political and Political categories. She and her husband live in the southern tip of Texas where they enjoy semi-tropical weather and spending time with their friends and family.

 

More from Terry

This book was written for a group of actual Donut Shop friends who gathered weekly with my dad. I often went with him to hear the stories these people told. The men were all veterans. At the suggestion of one particular veteran, I wrote the book so that younger people, middle school age, YA, etc., could experience what these groups of guys are like and to appreciate U.S. history.

 

My dad had seen the cover of the book and a summary of what I was writing. He and my mom both died of Covid ten days before the book was published. He never got to read it. I was able to pass it out to the men from the local donut shop at Mom and Dad’s funeral on March 30th. I hope to pass these stories on, just like Dad wanted.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 26

Lights in a Dark World, August 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

Texas Book-aholic, August 28

Inklings and notions, August 29

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 30

For Him and My Family, August 31

Bigreadersite, September 1

Blossoms and Blessings, September 2 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, September 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 3

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 4

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 7

Simple Harvest Reads, September 8 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terry is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 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/210c9/legends-of-the-donut-shop-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Deception

 


After being forced to kill an FBI agent gone rogue in self-defense while working in the violent crimes unit for the Investigative Services Branch, ranger Madison Thorn is comfortable with her move to the fraud and cyber division. At least numbers don't lie. So she's less than thrilled when a white-collar crime investigation in Natchez, Mississippi, turns violent. She could also do without being forced to work with former-childhood-enemy-turned-infuriatingly-handsome park ranger Clayton Bradshaw.

When a woman who looks just like Madison is attacked on the same night Madison's grandfather is shot, it becomes clear that there is something much bigger going on here and that Madison herself is in danger. Madison and Clayton will have to work together--and suppress their growing feelings for one another--if they are to discover the truth before it's too late.

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Patricia Bradley closes out her popular Natchez Trace Park Rangers series with this complex story of family secrets, mixed motives, and learning to trust.

My thoughts: I have enjoyed this whole series, but this one might have been the best yet! I loved getting to know Madison through this fast paced story. Between her adoption to disconnected parents and then having to shoot her partner in self defense years previous, she has a lot of baggage to work through. When people around her start getting shot, and a woman who could be her doppelganger shows up, it's all she can do to try to get to the bottom of what is going on. This is a fast paced, suspenseful read! I loved all the twists and turns!

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

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

Connecting With Christ

 


Self-care is a buzzword often mentioned when people seek to optimize their health. Suggested self-care practices tend to include activities such as exercising, getting a massage, or eating a healthy diet. While all of these actions have their place, none of them are sufficient enough to provide the soul-care we need to maximize our self-care. Self-care without soul-care equates to temporary solutions that leave us searching for the next new thing. However, when Christ becomes the center of our holistic health journey, we not only find fulfillment in Him but also a dependency on and trust in Him to truly live our best lives-emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

 My thoughts: I enjoyed this devotional and how it is written by multiple authors, giving each section a unique voice. This book is great for someone who is feeling like life is going on a different path than expected, something that I have been struggling with lately. I appreciated how the authors open up their hearts to share on some deep topics that really spoke to me. This is a wonderful devotional to pick up and enjoy!

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

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

 

About the Editor

Yolonda Tonette Sanders is the CEO of Yo Productions, LLC and co-founder of the Faith & Fellowship Book Festival. Her writing portfolio includes academic papers, novels, short stories, poems, and other creative works. She is an editor for a national publication, a professor, and serves on several boards and associations. Yolonda holds two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree, and is currently completing her Ph.D. in organizational leadership. She treasures her relationships with family and close friends. Yolonda is blessed to be the wife of David; mother of two adults, Tre and Tia; “Nini” to her grandchildren, Khari and Khia; daughter of Eddie; sister to Milton; and dog mom to Paco.

 

More from Yolonda

Have you ever started a daily devotional but didn’t finish because you found yourself getting behind schedule and frustrated? One missed day turns into two, then the missed days pile on until we often do one of two things: a) have a marathon session to “make-up” the missed days’ readings; or b) abandon the devotional altogether. Neither of these options help with our spiritual growth. When we have marathon sessions to catch up, reading the devotional becomes a checklist item instead of us taking the time to glean the spiritual message or lesson to be learned. When we abandon reading the devotional, we miss everything still. Those great books end up collecting dust until we try again the next year only to repeat the same process.

 

Yep, I’ve been there! Having had such experiences, I sought to create a devotional that people could actually finish. Plus, let’s face it . . . we should read our Bibles every day, but devotionals are optional. Yet, sometimes people replace devotionals with reading the Bible. I didn’t want that either! So, Connecting with Christ is a 52-week devotional with just one reading each week. Not only was this a practical approach, but it was also purposeful. The desire behind this technique is for readers to have time to meditate on Scripture! Connecting with Christ is a devotional that readers can and will complete that will inspire them to dig more into the Word!

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 25

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 26

Mary Hake, August 26

Texas Book-aholic, August 27

Inklings and notions, August 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 29

For Him and My Family, August 30

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 31

deb’s Book Review, September 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 2

Older & Smarter?, September 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 3

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 5

Cats in the Cradle Blog, September 6

Divine Perspective, September 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Yolonda is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon 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/210c8/connecting-with-christ-celebration-tour-giveaway