Welcome to my Book Review Blog. My goal is to connect readers with the wonderful and amazing books I am blessed to reveiw. And to introduce you to the talented and wonderful authors responsible for writing these books. May my love for books show through my reviews on this site.
With a target on her back, she’s determined to find answers. But can she escape the deadly backlash?
CIA analyst Layla Karam is thrust into a dangerous DEA field operation against a cartel, and after one of her team members is murdered because of fallout from the op, Layla is left scrambling to find safety.
At the same time, the CIA opens an internal investigation against her. Out of options, Layla turns to ex-boyfriend and private investigator Hunter McCoy for help finding out who might want to ruin her career.
Layla and Hunter soon discover that a mole inside the DEA has sold out the team’s identity to the cartel. She needs to clear her name with the Agency in order to protect herself and her teammates from cartel retaliation. With threats on all sides, Layla must put her trust in Hunter–the man who broke her heart–and hope they both come out of it alive.
For those who are content sensitive: this book contains non-graphic scenes and descriptions of physical and sexual assault.
Oh Wow! I love this nail biting thriller! And I didn’t get to read book one, and though I am going to read it later, I had no problems keeping up with the characters. The author does a fantastic job of giving enough details to fill readers in. I love these close knit characters and enjoyed getting to know them as the story unfolds. Layla, Vivian and Bailey are longtime friends after meeting in college and now all three work in some form of law enforcement. Which is exciting!! But someone is out to get Layla, and it seems they will go to any length to succeed.
Back Lash is one of those stay up all night and read books, and it’s exactly what I did. I couldn’t put this book down. There was too much going on and things were happening too fast to stop reading! After ending up in the hospital, a private investigator was brought in to help keep Layla safe. But because they had a past, Layla was not happy to have Hunter around. But she really has no choice.
Being a lawyer, author Rachel Dylan is full of knowledge about writing a legal thriller. This is why I love her books so much! She is spot on with the info. And the cast of characters she creates for Back Lash are so realistic I feel like I’m reading the news. And yet I also feel like I’m living the story with them. They seem like good friends to me now, and I love feeling this with characters. There were so many twists and turns, just when you think you have the bad man, another twist pops up and you are back where you started. Keeping us guessing. But in the end, Ms. Dylan weaves everything together into a wonderful ending. I also love that this author weaves faith and the Christian life into the lives of her characters. And it’s done in a subtle way not to offend anyone.
And oh, I can’t forget. I read the authors note and find it very interesting that the author writes a bit if herself in one of the characters, which I thought interesting and intriguing. Theres a lot to love about this book! If you enjoy a good clean thriller, this is your book!! This one deserves more than Five Stars, but that’s all I can give.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About The Author
Rachel Dylan is an award-winning and bestselling author of legal thrillers and romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for over a decade including being a litigator at one of the nation’s top law firms. The Atlanta Justice Series features strong, female attorneys in Atlanta. Deadly Proof, the first book in the Atlanta Justice series, is a CBA bestseller, an FHL Reader’s Choice Award winner, a Daphne du Maurier Finalist, and a Holt Medallion Finalist. Lone Witness is the winner of a Holt Medallion, the Maggie Award, and is a Selah Finalist. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids–two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. You can find Rachel at http://www.racheldylan.com.
I love this cute little bear story. Mama bear is making spaghetti in the kitchen and baby bear is playing roughly, which his mama tells him not to. But as most kids he keeps on playing and then gets in trouble. Bet he wishes he would have listened to his mom!
I love how the author teaches valuable lessons in this little book. And I love the colors throughout. The illustrator does an amazing job of creating pictures that little one will love. And I can see children picking this book off the shelves before any other. If you have small children, I highly recommend this book for your child’s library. This would also be wonderful for an elementary library or preschool, Kindergarten or 1st grade class.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
TEASERS
Back in the Stone Age, well maybe not that far back…
When Linda Karimo was very young, she learned to read at the knee of
her Irish immigrant grandmother. Nannie, as she was known to the family,
was just learning English herself.
They read all the classic children’s stories together. There was one
in particular that became the inspiration for Linda’s current series of
children’s books.
Moving forward, Linda was always a ravenous reader. She would often
read all the books by a given author and then go onto yet another great
fiction author. Espionage, legal, medical, suspense, and some “who done
it” were her game.
Her day job as a Copywriter paid the bills while she dreamed of writing an extraordinary series of children’s books.
So, what childhood story prompted Linda to write a series about those characters?
It was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Linda’s nickname was always Goldilocks.
She transports her readers into the world of bears whose lives are not much different than humans, just bear style.
She has a conversational style of writing and wants her readers to
feel a part of the action taking place, not just looking through the
window watching it all going by.
Welcome to the Blog Blitz & Giveaway for One Woman Falling by Melanie Campbell, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: One Woman Falling
Author: Melanie Campbell
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Release Date: August 1, 2019
Genre: Inspirational Women’s Fiction
Cassie Peterson lives in an invisible prison of fear, chained by self-doubt and guarded by a relentless warden—her husband. Derrick’s verbal and physical abuse as well as his alcoholism have left Cassie alienated from her family, without friends, and certain she can’t survive on her own.
After an unexpected police visit, Cassie realizes the survival of her four-year-old daughter, Renee, depends on Cassie’s courage to leave. What she doesn’t plan on is Derrick’s vengeful custody fight.
While walking through the treacherous world of divorce, Cassie is encouraged by her spunky new friend, Missy Langdon, to pursue her love of waterfalls. Cassie finds solace in the waterfalls on the agonizing weekends she’s forced to hand Renee over to Derrick. Meanwhile, unexpected help comes in the form of Brian Sutton, an attorney at the firm where Cassie works—but what price will she ultimately pay for his assistance?
As Derrick’s threatening behavior escalates, Cassie questions her choices. How long will her daughter suffer before the custody case is resolved? Why is she drawn to waterfalls during this chaotic time? And who will stand with her when everything comes crashing down?
I nudged Derrick’s arm, and he looked at me quizzically, a small gleam in his beautiful green eyes. I put my head gently on his shoulder, like I used to do, not so long ago—back in the days when he would caress my cheek, or run his fingers through my hair. How long had it been since he had shown me any sign of affection? Nine months? A year? All I wanted was for him to put his arm around me and say, “I love you and I’m sorry.” Those six words could save us.
Derrick pulled back from me, a tight smile on his face, the gleam in his eyes more intense. I waited. Expectant. Hopeful.
“Why don’t you make yourself useful and fetch me another beer?”
I slowly rose to my feet, the weight of a thousand rocks in my stomach. I brought him a fresh beer and set it on the coaster. He kept reading his magazine while I set the empty bottle aside, and carefully picked up the waterfall story. I’d take it away where the water ring could dry. Eventually, the words it blurred might reappear, and it would be whole again. If I was careful and kept it safe.
Because it was important.
Monday evening Derrick would be coming home to an empty house.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melanie Campbell’s debut novel, One Woman Falling, won the 2020 Oregon Christian Writer’s Cascade Award for contemporary fiction and is a finalist for the Selah Award for first novel. One Way Home, the second novel in her Whispers of Grace series, releases on November 1, 2020.
Melanie wrote her first story when she was eight-years-old and has been in love with the power of storytelling ever since. She is also passionate about social issues and holds a degree in Sociology from the University of Oregon, which she obtained during her stint as a single-mom. She’s now married and lives in Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley with her family and several spoiled pets.
When not writing, Melanie enjoys exploring Oregon’s beautiful outdoors by hiking, kayaking, and going for drives in the country. In less-than-favorable weather conditions, you will find her enjoying an intriguing book and a strong cup of coffee.
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of One Woman Falling and a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight October 27, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on November 3, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
A forty-day interactive journey that challenges readers to come face to face with the reality of their life circumstances, identify the internal battles they must personally declare war on and fight through, and become the difference-maker that God created them to be.
About the Book
A forty-day interactive journey that will help you identify and fight your internal battles—so you can take back your life.
Every person has a mission and a God-given potential to impact the world, whether they recognize it or not. But life presents challenges and traps us in a helpless, hopeless loop of anxiety and fear.
In Take Back Your Life, a blend of bestselling books Through the Eyes of a Lion and I Declare War, join Levi Lusko onan interactive journey to take back your life. With biblical truth and perspective, this step-by-step journaling process will help you:
get out of your own way by learning to think right so you can live right,
find purpose by discovering that God will do great things with your imperfect progress, and
learn that your pain is not an obstacle to being used by God but an opportunity to be used like never before.
This is more than a book; it’s an intimate self-analysis tool that will help you recognize what’s weighing you down or holding you back, and equip you to embrace it head-on as you become the best version of yourself. Start thinking right, so you can live right.
Take Back Your Life is a 40 day devotional journey. It helps change your way of thinking so you can live right, according to the way God want us to live. This is the most unique Devotional I believe I have ever seen. Each devotion is about different things that will help you in growing your faith. Each chapter ends with a prayer section and a Breath Grow and Think Section. In this section it reviews what you have learned, ask questions to help you better understand what you are studying.
This is not only a great Devotional, it can be an awesome Bible Study. Each has a scripture to read or memorize, the devotions are short, just a few pages, and with the Breathe, Think and Live questions it makes a perfect discussion chapter for study. If you are a Sunday school teacher, or a small group leader I highly recommend that you check out Take Back Your Life. And I really think young adults or teens would appreciate this Devotional. Whether it be for Bible study or devotions.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Product Details
ISBN: 9780785232773
ISBN 10: 078523277X
Imprint: Thomas Nelson
On Sale: 2020-08-04
Pages: 320
List Price: $16.99
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: 2020-08-04
Category 1 :RELIGION / Christian Life / Personal Growth
Category 2 :RELIGION / Christian Life / Prayer
About the Author
Levi Lusko
Biography
Levi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church located in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Utah. He is the bestselling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, and I Declare War. Levi also travels the world speaking about Jesus. He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.
Book Title: The Moon Is Missing by Jenni Ogden Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 388 pages Genre: Book Club, Literary, Women’s Fiction, Domestic Suspense Publisher: Sea Dragon Press Release date: April 2020 Content Rating: PG-13 + M: No violence, mild non-explicit sex scenes, appropriate and minimal use of f— words and a few mild cusses etc, adultery as a secret from past generations, but not between current-day characters.
“Jenni Ogden is a beautiful writer. In her newest, a tale of domestic suspense, Ogden tells the story of a neurosurgeon bedeviled by her own sophisticated brain and the memories of a long-ago tragedy that still has the power to destroy her and her family. Pick up The Moon is Missing. You won’t put it down.”
— Jacquelyn Mitchard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean & My Only
“With gripping scenes set during Hurricane Katrina and on a remote New Zealand island, this tightly-woven family drama—fueled by long-buried secrets and a daughter’s desperate need to answer the question, ‘Who am I?’ —is ripe for book club discussion.” –Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of ‘A Perfect Son’ & ‘The Promise Between Us’
“…Beautifully written … characters were immensely believable…Ogden did not shy away from the harsh realities of what can happen when someone in a family is experiencing panic attacks and trauma from the past. Katrina was a tragedy and I feel the novel really paid homage to the medical staff who worked tirelessly to make sure people were evacuated….a must-read for anyone who is a fan of women’s fiction, especially harkening back to the old greats such as Fern Michaels.”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5 star review.
Book Description:
A daughter who cries “Who am I?”
A mother who can’t tell her…
A hurricane called Katrina…
A family secret exposed…
An island at the bottom of the world.
From Jenni Ogden, author of multiple-award-winning A DROP IN THE OCEAN, comes a page-turning tale of family secrets and mother–daughter conflict set in London, New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, and on a remote and spectacular island off the coast of New Zealand.
Georgia Grayson has perfected the art of being two people: a neurosurgeon on track to becoming the first female Director of
Neurosurgery at a large London hospital, and a wife and mother. Home is her haven where, with husband Adam’s support, she copes with her occasional anxiety attacks. That is until her daughter, 15-year-old Lara, demands to know more about Danny, her mysterious biological father from New Orleans who died before she was born. “Who was he? Why did he die? WHO AM I?” Trouble is, Georgia can’t tell her. As escalating panic attacks prevent her from operating, and therapy fails to bring back the memories she has repressed, fractures rip through her once happy family. Georgia sees only one way forward; to return to New Orleans where Danny first sang his way into her heart, and then to the rugged island where he fell to his death. Somehow she must uncover the truth Lara deserves, whatever the cost.
Jenni Ogden and her husband live off-grid on spectacular Great
Barrier Island, 100 kms off the coast of New Zealand, a perfect place to
write and for grandchildren to spend their holidays. Winters are spent
near a beach in Far North Tropical Queensland. Jenni’s debut novel, ‘A
Drop in the Ocean’, won multiple awards and has sold over 80,000 copies.
As a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist, she is well-known for
her books featuring her patients’ moving stories:’Fractured Minds: A
Case-Study Approach to Clinical Neuropsychology’, and ‘Trouble In Mind:
Stories from a Neuropsychologist’s Casebook’. Please visit her author
website, sign up for her e-newsletter, and friend and follow her
everywhere!
Join us for this tour from Oct 26 to Nov 13, 2020!
Book Details:
Book Title: The Way to Remember by Martha Reynolds Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 341 pages Genre: Women’s fiction, general fiction Publisher: Independent Release date: June, 2020 Content Rating: PG-13 +M. There are a few swear words, and sex is more suggested than explicit, but there are one or two moments that are provocative.
Book Description:
Set
in New England at the time of the American Bicentennial, The Way to Remember is the poignant story of a displaced young woman struggling to figure out who she is within the context of her hometown and the carefully masked dysfunction of her family. “Everything can be fixed by writing a check.” Words to live by for Robin Fortune’s wealthy father, until he can’t buy her way back into college after she’s expelled for dealing pot. Now he chooses not to speak to her anymore, but that’s just one of the out-of-whack situations Robin’s facing. At nineteen, she feels rudderless, working in a diner by day and sleeping with a buddy from high school by night – all so strange for her because she was always the one with the plan. While her college friends plotted how to ensnare husbands, she plotted a novel, which she scratched out into a series of spiral-bound notebooks she hides in the closet. But now, there’s nothing. No vision, no future, no point. In fact, the only thing she feels she has to look forward to is that her favorite author, Maryana Capture, is paying a visit to the local Thousand Words bookstore. Robin surmises that if she can convince Maryana to help her get her novel published, she’ll finally get herself back on track. Except that life never takes a straight path in this intensely satisfying coming-of-age novel.
I didn’t read this book when it was published under a different name, but I am so glad for the opportunity to read this one, The Way We Remember. Arthur Martha Roger’s creates characters that are realistic and believable, and each scene in the book was told so smoothly and expertly it seems like a real life story. The author deals with real life issues, things happening in colleges at that time in history. And even though Robin’s family had money, her dad didn’t cut her any slack for her getting in trouble in college. Which taught her valuable lessons. Another lesson here is having money doesn’t keep a family from problems, in fact they have more problems here because of it. Writing a check doesn’t solve all of your problems. I appreciate the way the author weaves this throughout the story in several different ways. This is a story well worth your time.
I really enjoyed this story. The author was good at keeping my attention, I could hardly put it down until I found out the ending. This is the first book I have read of Ms. Roger’s and I am looking forward to more from her in the future. I give this one Five Stars. Anyone wanting a good historical read will love this one. Check it out today!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
And now here is a fascinating GUEST POST from author Martha Rogers!!
Stuck on an Island with Only Five Books!
What a dilemma! If you can imagine, there was actually a time before cellphones and the internet. I’m old enough to remember, because I lived through it! But even for me, it’s difficult sometimes to realize how dependent we’ve all become on technology.
So, this topic had me thinking. I’m on a deserted island with only five books to keep me company. Naturally, I have food, water, and plenty of shade (haha!), but for entertainment, all I have are five books. So, what do I choose?
How often do I reread a novel, even a great one? Not often. Hardly ever. But I’m stuck on this island, and I can use a book to escape to another place, so I’m going to bring A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. It’s a novel from 1908 set in England and Italy, about a young woman who fights the constraints of the time in which she’s living.
I’m so accustomed to looking everything up online that I can hardly remember how I used to learn things. Okay, I’m exaggerating a little, but you know how easy it is to just Google what you need to know that instant? I can’t do that on the island, so I’ll bring along Britannica’s 250th Anniversary Collector’s Edition. Growing up, we had a 25-volume set of encyclopedias in our house. This one volume will cover 1768-2018, so it’ll keep me busy!
I know I’ll need help on the island – I don’t even know how to catch a fish. So How to Survive on a Tropical Deserted Island needs to go in my bag. Yes, this is actually a book.
Another must-have book is 300 Days of Grilled Fish. Yes, I’ll become a pescatarian by necessity.
Finally, for introspection, I will choose The Essential Rumi. Rumi was a 13th-century poet and mystic whose writings are timeless. Here’s just one: “Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking. Live in silence.” Well, I imagine I’ll be living in silence all the time, so perhaps Rumi will help me embrace it.
This is a great exercise! I encourage others to think about it. And you’ll notice I didn’t bring along any of the nine novels I’ve written – not that I don’t think they’re good, but I know all of them so well, I think they live inside my head!
Martha Reynolds
MEET THE AUTHOR: Martha Reynolds was raised in Rhode Island, spent a year of college in Switzerland, and is always planning a return visit. She completed an accomplished career as a fraud investigator and decided it was time to do something she really liked.
She now writes full-time and has set a personal goal of releasing a book a year until she dies. Her writing has appeared in Magnificat magazine and her very short poem was read by journalist Connie Schultz during NPR’s Tell Me More poetry challenge.
Her novel VILLA DEL SOL won the 2018 Book Award in Literary Fiction by the Independent Publishers of New England.
After her mother’s untimely death, Emma Monroe’s dreams to become a teacher are dashed. She takes a job as maid and cook at the local Stratton Ranch, where she endures humiliation and hardship in order to provide for her ailing father and younger brother. Only Riley Stratton, her childhood friend and heir to the Stratton fortune, sees her heart. When she’s asked to care for Skye, the young half-Indian girl most family members refuse to claim, Emma finally finds the purpose she craves.
Riley Stratton has it all, or so it seems. Growing up as the youngest son of the rich and powerful John Stratton, Riley stands to inherit a legacy of greatness in the Stratton Ranch. On the surface, his family looks like they have it all, but manipulation, deceit, and an ever-present quest for power leave him desperate for change. Yet his father has made it clear: do things the Stratton way, or face alienation and disinheritance. As Riley and Emma choose between honor, dreams, and expectations—not to mention the love they can no longer deny—their first steps prove how quickly the situation can spin into danger. When their best efforts threaten the lives and hopes of those closest to them, it becomes clear the decisions they make will change the course of their lives forever.
Legacy of Honor is a really good historical read that I enjoyed very much. I love Emma and my heart went out to her for the things that she had to endure. But her longtime friend Riley makes it possible. I love this young man! But Skye is my favorite character by far. She was such a sweet soul and watching the emotions with she and Emma is worth the read. There,s a lot to learn here. Money and power is not all there is. It’s not so hard to figure out the ending, or so it wasn’t for me, but I so much enjoyed the journey through the book. This is a five star read for me for sure. I can’t wait for more in this wonderful series.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Renae Brumbaugh Green is an ECPA Bestselling Author, award-winning humor columnist, and wannabe superhero. She lives in Texas with her handsome, country-boy husband, four nearly-perfect children and one nearly-perfect son-in-law, and far too many animals. When she’s not writing, Renae teaches online classes and tries to be rugged without chipping her nail polish.
More from Renae
I’ve been writing this book for more than a decade!
In 2008, my dear friend and writing mentor, Chip Ricks, shared a book idea with me. Loosely based on her own family history, she wanted to write a story about two brothers—one who chose to live for Christ, the other who didn’t. She wanted to follow that family through the generations, to show the impact of that one choice, on the people who came behind.
She just had one problem. Chip was a brilliant writer, but she wasn’t a fiction writer. “Will you help me write this book?”
Now, Chip was in her 80s at the time. She was a mother, a grandmother, to me in the faith. If she’d asked me to paint the moon pink, I’d have given it my best shot. For several years, Chip and I worked together on several versions of the book. We only ever got through the first few chapters, and we’d change our minds about the characters or the situations. Finally, one day she smiled at me. She said, “You know, Renae. This is your book. I know I whispered the idea to you, but I always wanted you to be the one to write it. I’m getting too old to work on this . . . please take it. It’s your story.”
Soon after, she moved across the country to live with her daughter. We stayed connected via phone calls and Facebook, until eventually, she stopped responding. We lost touch. I continued to write the book—Chip’s book. Now my book. I’d work on it a while, then put it away for several months, even a few years at one point. In 2017, I finished what would become the first final draft. I fiddled with it more, here and there, but I hung onto it until I met Misty Beller, my publisher at Wild Heart.
I submitted the book to her, and she accepted it, right away! Then the editor got hold of it. God bless Erin Taylor Young! She was brutal, in the best possible way. I spent weeks (months?) making the suggested changes, and each one made the book so much better. The day I turned in those final edits to my publisher, I opened up Facebook. There, on Chip’s FB page, was a note to all her friends.
From one of her children.
She’d gone to see her Heavenly Father.
I sat there, frozen, looking at my screen, big fat tears tracking my cheeks. How was it possible that on the day the book was complete, I learned of her death? She was so instrumental in my walk of faith, and in my path as a writer. It was almost like the Holy Spirit wanted me to know . . . this particular journey was now complete.
I hope you enjoy this book, book one in a trilogy, for it is very close to my heart. And I hope you learn from the actions of two brothers, so many years ago, that our choices have an impact on our own lives, and on the lives of those who follow us.
Book Title: The Goose on the Roof by Sarah Sommer Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 40 pages Genre: Picture Book Publisher: Sarah Sommer Release date: January 2020 Content Rating: G. Children’s picture book with no adult topics or language
Book Description:
When one little girl trie6s to solve a big problem involving a goose on her roof, she enlists the help of her animal friends. Despite her best efforts, things don’t go as planned, and she ends up with additional challenges to navigate as well. The Goose on the Roof features rhymes, animal characters, and a theme of problem-solving. The order of the characters can serve as a memory game as the story builds up and unwinds. Children may also be encouraged to come up with their own ideas for how to solve the issue of the honking goose on the roof and the predicaments created by the other animals. Winner (1st place) of the 2020 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards in the animals/pets category (ebook), this children’s story highlights animals in a wholesome and engaging way.
The Goose On the Roof is such a cute story. The Goose is honking and honking on the roof and as you can imagine it gets annoying. And friends are not much help. I can see this book being really good for discussions in a classroom, or library. The story one each page has a different friend to help and there can be lots if things to talk about. The author does an amazing job writing this sweet story and I know children will love it.
The cute friends that stop by to help are so adorable looking. That’s because of the adorable illustrations by Martina Terzi. The covers are bright and vibrant, making each page pop out when the pages are turned. Even a small child who can not read can make up their own stories from the illustrations. I love to hear little ones do that. The hardcover book is pretty good size, so this gives you a really nice addition to your child’s library. And I think every elementary school should have this in their library. I highly encourage you to pick up this precious book and check it out.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Meet the Author:
Sarah Sommer enjoys working with words in a way that makes the story feel musical and rhythmical, which is a reflection of her first career in music as a professional clarinetist. She is passionate about animals and enjoys nature, the arts, and dark chocolate.
Join us for this tour from Oct 19 to Nov 13, 2020!
Book Details:
Book Title: Animals at the Office by Sarah Sommer Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 40 pages Genre: Picture Book Publisher: Sarah Sommer Release date: October 2020 Content Rating: G. Children’s picture book with no adult topics or language
Book Description:
It’s Gator’s first day at his new office job, and he is surrounded by quirky personalities like the slow slug, the obedient dog, the aggressive hawk, and the chatty chicken. He is eager to fit in with his new co-workers, so he tries to be like them. But acting like everyone else doesn’t work out for him, and he learns a valuable lesson about himself instead. Featuring hand-drawn illustrations, vibrant colors, and rhymes, Animals at the Office sparks dialogue regarding first-day jitters, fitting in with new crowds, and embracing one’s own special traits despite being surrounded by others who are different. Adults may relate to the featured characters based on their own experiences at an office and can use the book to talk more with children about their own job and what going to work means for them.
Are you overwhelmed, in despair, heartsick, or in danger? Not sure which way to turn? Whom to trust? Once upon a time . . . the raging dragon . . . a damsel in distress. It worked out well in our fairy tales, but what about real life?
In this highly creative approach to problems all women face today and in varying degrees throughout their lives, Wilbee identifies six choices women have when beleaguered by conflict and challenge. She partners six biblical women with characters from The Wizard of Oz, naming choices for Innocent, Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, and Wizard. She then skillfully weaves in characters from other stories and tales, accounts of women from history and today, and experiences from her own life to illustrate how these choices empower women in difficult times, moving them from want to abundance—for themselves and others.
Beginning with Eve the Innocent, Wilbee asserts that while some of us might want to go back to the garden of Eden, where innocence dwells, no one can. It’s only by making choices to tame our dragons—and by walking the metaphorical yellow brick road of our inner journeys—that we can, and do, find the happily ever after of our fairy tales and the abundant life Jesus promises us all.
Each chapter concludes with a motivational section that includes journaling pages, “Something to Ponder,” and prayers for courage and hope.
Taming the Dragons is a really good book for when we face times of feeling so overwhelmed because life has us down as far as we can go. I thought it was interesting that she uses the Wizard of Oz characters with Biblical women to work through each issue. Using stories of others who have walked through these life problems as well as her own stories was intriguing for me as well as giving me the inspiration I need.
I took this book can be for every woman because we all have faced some of these issues. And if you haven’t, stand your guard because sooner or later you will find your self so overwhelmed you will need Taming your Dragons. The motivation section at the end was good for me because it encouraged me to not let life get me down. I love the scripture throughout this entire book. There are so many that I needed to hear. I plan to go through this beek at a slower pace.
If you are going through the most difficult problems that are more than overwhelming, check this book out. I think it will help you. I also think this would be a great book for your Sunday school Class or a small group study. Or even a book club where you can discuss each chapter. I am giving this one five Stars!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Brenda Wilbee is passionate about helping women in their everyday lives. The author of over 10 books with more than 700,000 copies sold, Brenda is a long-time contributor to Guidepost’s Daily Devotionals. Her work appears in Zondervan’s Women’s Devotional Bible, Inside Religious Publishing, and Guidepost’s Best Loved Stories. She holds an MA in professional writing, with an emphasis on myth, fairy tale, and folklore. She divides her time between the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the Canadian Yukon.
More from Brenda
Author Brenda Wilbee wrote Taming the Dragons to help Christian women understand that they have choices when up against conflict and challenge. In this highly creative approach, she partners six biblical women with the characters from Wizard of Oz, naming choices for Innocent, Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, and Wizard. She then skillfully weaves in characters from other fairy tales and stories, accounts of women from history and today, and experiences from her own life to illustrate how choice empowers women to tame the many dragons they face. She contends that by walking the metaphorical yellow brick road of learning choice, women find inner healing and restoration.
She begins with Eve the Innocent, asserting that even though we might like to go back to a garden of Eden, where innocence dwells, we can’t. But by making choices to tame the dragons we encounter as either Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, or Wizard, we can, and we do, return to the happily ever after of our fairy tales and the abundant life Jesus, in John 10:10, tells us is ours.
Each chapter begins and ends with narrative to first explain a choice and to then offer the caveat. An Orphan asks for help, but by doing so she learns self-reliance. A Warrior fights to save herself and those she loves but has to be careful lest she become like her enemy. Each chapter concludes with journaling pages for personal thought, a study guide with Scripture to consider, and questions to ponder.
New from the Winner of ECPA’s Fiction Book of the Year
Seventeen-year-old Molly Fisk does not go outside. She’s ruled by anxiety and only feels safe in the tiny tourist-town museum she and her mother run and call home. Yearning to live free but unable to overcome deep wounds from her past, she stays hidden away. Then the chance arrival of a woman Molly knew six years ago changes everything.
Six years ago, newly single Claire Rodriguez was an empty shell. Only in the unique friendship she strikes up with a young girl–a silent girl who’ll only talk to Claire–does she see the possibility of healing. But one day the girl and her mother vanish, their house abandoned. What happened that drove them away? And how can Claire now offer Molly the same chance at finding a life anew?
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
The only inner action Molly Fisk has with the outside world is through the tiny museum window she and her mother call their home. This seems so strange and many dark moments in the story. Things changes for Molly when Claire Rodriguez, a lady she knew years ago came to town. And things changed for Molly. And Claire was happy to finally find Molly and her mom as well.
There were a host of characters that were difficult for me to keep up with. A lot of things going on in the story. Where I like the story line, it just wasn’t for me. I couldn’t seem to stay focused enough to keep reading. But this is not to say someone else may like the story. So as always, I encourage you to check this book out. At the time of this review, it is free to read if you have a Kindle unlimited account.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
THE AUTHOR
Christa Parrish
A winner of Associated Press awards for her journalism, Christa Parrish now teaches literature and writing to high school students, is a homeschool mom, and lives near Saratoga Springs, New York. She is the author of Home Another Way, finalist for the…
A woman struggles with a messy home situation, brokenness, rejection, and shame.
Know a woman like this?
Are you a woman like this?
Hannah, a powerful biblical example, was just such a woman. Through her life women can glean answers for their own life problems. Hannah didn’t stay in her grief and pain. She came to the end of her own striving and poured out her heart to the Lord—who answered her prayer.
Experience God’s love and healing in your own “messy” situations as you explore Hannah’s heartbreak and struggles in a Bible study just for women who don’t have it all together. This interactive six-week daily Bible study will help you pray transparently, praise wholeheartedly, and break off the shackles of spiritual barrenness, the need for approval, and perfectionism.
Hannah’s story will empower you to rise from your ashes, leave your messes in God’s hands, and live in service to the King of kings.
Wounds you thought would never heal will become scars that no longer hurt but remind you of the journey from broken to beautiful. As you wait, healing will come. Your soul will find rest even when the situation doesn’t change.
Glorious Mess is a really nice Bible Study that last for six weeks. Our you can do it at your own pace and take as long as you like. You can also do this study alone or you can do it with a group. It would be really good for a Sunday school class. I have gone through many studies like this in Sunday School.
There is a study for each day of the week, except the seventh day. This day is to reflect over the weeks studies of what you have learned, and it is also a day to just relax. I really like that the studies help you to grow your walk with thenl Lord. Each one has sections to help you understand more. MAKE IT PERSONAL helps you to see how that certain scripture verse relates to your life for that day. PRAYING section will help you understand how to draw closer to God through talking to Him. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS gives you questions about the certain days lesson to help you dig deeper, to think deeper thoughts about the lesson.
Overall, I really like this study. It hits on some every day issues, and there is always something for me in each days study. I hope to be able to go through this one with a group. I think I would learn a lot more. If you are looking for a good Bible study for your small group or Sunday School Class, I highly recommend this one. And I give it five stars all the way!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Mary McCullough worked as an elementary school teacher for twenty-three years and is now an assistant elementary principal and building administrator. The co-founder of God First Friends, a ministry that helps women flourish as disciples of Christ, she is a longtime Bible study and Sunday school teacher for children and adults. She and her husband have been married for thirty-two years and have four adult children and three grandchildren. They live in Decatur, Indiana. Glorious Mess is her debut book.
More from Mary
Glorious Mess is the Biblical study of Hannah. As a perfectionist and control-freak, I had a neat and tidy life. That is until everything fell apart, and I found myself crying out to God for healing when life got out of control in so many areas. The more my world spun out of control, the more I identified with Hannah. She taught me about authenticity, grace, and perseverance. Her rival, Peninnah, taught me how to handle mean-spirited people and brought my own flaws to the surface so God could deal with them.
Year after year, I cried out for the healing I so desperately wanted at the foot of the cross. Mistreatment from others, the pain of watching others hurt, and my own weaknesses led me back to Hannah’s story time and again. It was Hannah’s journey from broken to bold and beautiful that kept me going. I wanted her confidence in the Lord. I wanted to stand up from my pain and never look back again on the pain but to know the God she knew. Some may think pain is in vain, but the Lord never wastes anything if we allow him to use it. I have learned of his kindness, faithfulness, and goodness beyond understanding. I’ve learned what it is like to be broken, and now I know what it means to be whole.
It is my prayer that each individual who goes through this study will be changed for eternal glory!
I’ve learned that your messes don’t define you, but they will refine you if you will lay them at the foot of the cross.
Katrina White’s garage explodes and she fears someone is out to get her.
Not long after Katrina overhears two people talking about robbing the bank where she works, her attached garage explodes. With the help of her neighbor, Frank Davis, she escapes the burning home after a storage shelf falls over, trapping her beneath it.
The co-owner of Protection Inc. has one thing on his mind for the week of Christmas—rest and relaxation, but when his favorite neighbor needs his help he calls in his team. Unable to turn their backs on someone Frank clearly has feelings for, the co-owners agree to help out Katrina.
When things escalate, Frank is certain of two things—he cares a lot for Katrina and he can’t let anything happen to her.
Join the team of Protection Inc. this Christmas where love is in the air even in the midst of danger.
Certain Threat quite literally starts out with a bang and it doesn’t come up for breath for a while. It seems like all these characters are doing in running, but from who? It from what? Did they really know?
I enjoyed this fast pace thriller so much that I couldn’t put it down until the end. I love the characters, and though I haven’t read the first two books in the series, the author did a good job of filling in the information so you dont miss a thing.
There were a lot of theories flying around in this story. But nothing made sense to anyone, even me and I was just reading the book! Well I should say it didn’t make sense until I read the ending. But you will have to read the book on this one! And there is just enough Romance to enjoy the story even more. And there was a surprising twist at the end that is just awesome!! If you enjoy a good quick thriller, this is your pick! I give this one 5 stars all the way!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.
Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
More from Kimberly
Certain Threat was one of my favorite books to write. There are three point of view characters. Two have been in the series from book one and the third is a new addition in this book.
I adore Frank, the hero of this book. The man is tough, honest, and always does his best to do the right thing. He’s a good example for his younger business partners who like to do things their own way, especially Carissa.
For me the most fun part about writing this book was getting inside Frank’s head. He comes across as tough and sometime gruff, but he is a marshmallow on the inside when it comes to Katrina, his neighbor. Katrina brings out a side in Frank we haven’t yet witnessed and it was a blast to write—no pun intended. LOL you’ll understand when you read the book.
I look forward to writing future books in this series and going deeper with the rest of the Protection Inc. team and their friends.
THE GLASS BOTTOM BOAT: A Christian romantic suspense novel.
BACK PAGE BLURB:
Surrounded by the romantic paradise of her sister’s destination wedding in Jamaica, Madison Grey realizes she must overcome her paralyzing fear of the ocean—and her broken heart— to start living again. Luke Alexander, the groom’s brother, is a missionary who has come to terms with a life of singleness—until he meets Madison. During the wedding, their personal connection intensifies when a stalker stirs up haunting memories of her gold-digging ex-fiancé. After Madison mysteriously disappears and the newlyweds receive a ransom note, Luke dives into action to find her. Will he save Madison in time or will she be forced to suffer her worst nightmare… in the depths of a glass bottom boat?
I’m delighted to share a little background on The Glass Bottom Boat, the first book in my Christian romantic suspense “Flight to Freedom” series.
Many writers concur that it is indeed a long and winding road to publication. But when a message is on a writer’s heart—be it fact or fiction—it simply cannot be ignored! Thus begins the dance of determination…
The initial idea for The Glass Bottom Boat was sparked on a family vacation to Jamaica. Even though I have a thoroughly irrational fear of drowning, I looked forward to going out on the resort glass bottom boat—which we planned for our very last day. Unfortunately, the last day dawned along with a huge windstorm which prevented any boats to go out on the ocean. I was bitterly disappointed! And then my imagination was set alight as I considered what could happen on such a boat, and exactly how petrifying it would be for someone afraid of drowning.
The story began. And so did the dance.
I waited SIX LONG YEARS for this particular novel to be published. It was a waltz between agent, publishing houses, and me. Sometimes I was twirled around the dance floor clothed in a gown of optimism, and other times I could be found slumped on the sidelines, waiting to be picked like the proverbial wallflower.
This stretched my paper-thin patience to the limit. Rejected too many times to mention, it certainly wasn’t the literary journey I would have chosen—but it was God’s journey for me and my book. I happen to believe His timing is always perfect. Sometimes we see that in hindsight and sometimes we simply have to trust.
But like Madison—the protagonist in this story—I’ve learned much in the process. Perseverance, patience, and always holding on to hope. For Madison, the timing for love had to be right, and for me, the timing for my books has to be right, too.
And now there are 3 books in the Flight to Freedom series to enjoy:
The Glass Bottom Boat, The Lighthouse Baby, and The Orphan Beach.
All 3 novels were published by Anaiah Press within the space of one crazy, busy year. It seems God is teaching me His timing is always best in the slow, slow, quick-quick, slow.
And I’m more than happy to let Him lead me in the dance!
AUTHOR BIO A published Christian author, Laura writes heartwarming encouragement for your soul. She has three Christian romantic suspense novels published as well as a Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, and middle-grade novel. She is published in several anthology books and writes devotionals, articles, and stories in magazines and online. She also shares musings on her blog and is represented by literary agent, Cyle Young. Laura is a chocoholic mom of three, married to her high school sweetheart. Originally from the UK, they live in Kelowna, British Columbia as audacious empty-nesters. Find her books, blog, and bio at www.laurathomasauthor.com
It is the third and final book in the Jordan of Algoran Christian Science-Fantasy series. I started work on the series in 2015 with a basic premise: God is not limited to Earth. He reigns over the whole universe. So, He is able to reach Jordan, even when she and her mother are abducted and taken to another world. I decided to carry this idea throughout the series and to its conclusion.
The Observance Torch was the same as any other torch, but it was adorned with red jula crystals, reinforced with twine, and its top was dipped in animal fat and dusted with crushed dry jikpal leaves which made the flames take on a violet shade. When the Observance Torch was lit, it told the villagers passing by her hut not to enter, since the Chieftess was seeking wisdom and guidance from the Father of Spirits whom she called God.
Part of Jordan’s Deliverance is set on Earth in the early 2070s. Before I wrote those scenes, I had to ask myself a few important questions:
1. How much could Earth change in fifty years?
2. What kind of technological advances might occur in that time?
3. Would Jordan even recognize her (fictional) hometown of Chase Creek, Colorado?
4. Would people speak any differently or use different jargon? . . .
“You are taking a big risk acting this way,” Commander Imbador warned. “Getting that pardon will take even longer.”
“I am the only one who has the information you need. I think that justifies the risk,” Zeetra countered, her frown transforming to a smile. She put her hands behind her head, locking her fingers as she leaned back against the bed confidently. “And right now, I have nothing but time.”
How did you dream up this world and all its details?
I had to start from scratch. Originally, I was imagining this as purely a fantasy tale. But it soon became clear that this was going to mostly take place on an alien world called Algoran. I tried to envision another world, as diverse in land, sea, and people as any other world. I made it clear from the beginning that this was an Earth-like world or else the main character, Jordan, and her mother would not have been able to survive, much less thrive.
In keeping with the fantasy concept, however, I did not want a lot of advanced technology. I wanted this world to be a contrast to Earth, to picture life without our modern conveniences while depicting the beauty and dangers of nature. Growing up in a major Texas city, it was an enjoyable challenge to flesh out a world the complete opposite of what I knew. I had to do a lot of research to understand different regions and climates.
“Whew, what a way to begin a series! Jordan pulled me in from the beginning and made me so curious about her as a person and how Allen Steadham would mold her as a character. . . . The plot was also really good and hooked me from the first page . . . I totally enjoyed this story and definitely recommend it if you are willing to take a leap into a world not quite our own. 5 out of 5 stars for the great character build up, faith interwoven themes, and for leaving me wanting more.” – Jordan’s World
Jordan hadn’t felt the rush of the vortex in decades. It had grabbed her like a thing alive and thrashed her about in its clutches, shifting violently in a torrent of motion as lights flashed all around her. When it finally released her, she was barely coherent enough to land on her feet and run to a stop. Then she heard something approaching. Whatever it was, it was big and so close, it was almost on top of her.
This is a very intriguing story. There is a lot of mystery and adventure throughout. It’s an interesting new world for Jordan and it’s impressive how well she adjusted to her new surroundings. . . . The characters are awesome. They are all well-developed and it is easy to feel their emotions. – Jordan’s World
It was fun to continue to follow Jordan and her old and new friends. There is so much adventure in this story. You get to meet new tribes of people on their planet of Algoran. . . . The story flows well from chapter to chapter and is easy to follow along.” – Jordan’s Arrow
A great continuation of Jordan on Algoran. Watching Jordan and her family grow and strengthen is a great treat. So many new and wonderful characters that you get to know . . . I think this is a great story and recommend it to teen to adult readers. – Jordan’s Deliverance
The main character, Jordan. There are many enjoyable characters in the series, but it’s centered around Jordan for a reason: we follow her life, the ups and downs, joys and losses. We get to see her grow as a woman. She’s not perfect, she makes some big mistakes along the way, but she has a good heart. She’s the most relatable character, in my opinion.
I make no secret that I’m a Star Trek fan, going all the way back to The Original Series. I watched it in syndication in the 1970s as a child. From 2005 to 2015, I only read Star Trek novels. So here are my top ten influences from the TV, movies, and books. . .
Instead, she took in a deep breath and was grateful something had actually happened. She grabbed the sapphire-hued javelin with both hands, pulling it close to her chest. A new fire burned in her gaze.
“I am the granddaughter of Snow and Fire! I will protect you and look after your needs,” she declared. “Give me your trust and I shall not disappoint you. I will also consult with my torkomm and the village elders. All will be well.”
“. . . this story is about growing and becoming. Jordan has difficult decisions and knows that there is a deity who watches over her, even though she is far away from home. She learns for herself where her home is and whom she can believe in.
I am intrigued at what future endeavors and adventures await Jordan and her friends.” – Jordan’s World
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post…
Jordan’s Deliverance(Jordan of Algoran #3)By Allen Steadham
Christian Science Fiction, Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 330 Pages
October 13, 2020 by Ambassador International
The Onchei are back.And trouble looms…
The Onchei want to learn what happened to their brethren on Algoran from the only survivor, Zeetra. Yet they learn instead she has broken the Onchei’s highest law: never intermarry or have children with another race. For this, she now faces execution.
Jordan SnowFire fears the Onchei will blame the Mokta and seek retribution soon. Only an ancient heirloom, which contains the ultimate Onchei knowledge, can save the Mokta…except it’s on Earth, a world she hasn’t seen in decades.
Jordan sends her son, Arrow, and her friend’s daughter, Maska, to rescue Zeetra while she travels back to Earth to seek the Onchei artifact. What tie is there between a thousand-year-old object and Jordan’s ancestors? Could this explain why she and her mother were originally abducted and brought to Algoran?
In the skies of Algoran, a final confrontation looms between the Onchei and the Mokta. And on Earth, Jordan finds more than she could have possibly imagined…
Allen Steadham created comic books and webcomics before he started writing novels. He has been married to his wife, Angel, since 1995 and they have two sons and a daughter. When not writing stories, Allen and his wife are singers, songwriters, and musicians. They have been in a Christian band together since 1997. They live in Central Texas.
– One winner will receive signed print copies of the entire Jordan of Algoran series (US only)
– One winner will receive ebook copies of the entire Jordan of Algoran series (open internationally)
– Ends October 29, 2020
Broadview is attired for Christmas. Oklahoma heiress, Adelaide Fitzgerald, is hosting two young girls who have chosen to celebrate Christmas with Auntie Addie rather than their family in Colorado.
Adelaide must give these girls a Christmas like no other. Has she thought of everything? What would top off this holiday in an extraordinary way?
The answer lies just the other side of Rock Creek. But what will it take for her to realize it is the Christmas topper she’s been seeking?
It’s 1912, and Adelaide Fitzgerald’s view of Christmas is about to emerge as a tale for a lifetime.
It has been a long time since I read Little Women but remembering how much I loved the book I really wanted to read this one. I grew to love the cast of characters here, and I love that this is a Christmas story set in 1912. I always love reading books in this era because it’s fun for me to think about what my grandparents were doing during this time in their young lives. And what kind if Christmas they had the Christmas of 1912!
Addie was a special character for me. With her wanting to help a family in need during this Christmas shows the tender heart she has toward others. And I appreciate the way author Linda Brooks Davis shows the real spirit of Christmas in the character of Addie and shows the Love Jesus has for each of us. This one gets 5 Stars from me! If you are looking for good books to read during Christmas time, this is a great one to add to your collection!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
🎃
About the Author
Linda Brooks Davis is a lifelong Texan who devoted 40 years to special education as a therapist, teacher, and administrator. She retired in 2008 and now writes full time.
Linda’s debut novel, Amazon best-selling The Calling of Ella McFarland,Book One in the Women of Rock Creek series, is set in 1905 Indian Territory prior to Oklahoma statehood. It won Jerry Jenkins Operation First Novel in 2014 and subsequently, ACFW’s Carol award for debut novel 2016. The sequel novella, A Christmas to Remember, is set in 1908 Oklahoma. A second novella, A Christmas Measure of Love, is set in 1910 and is the prequel to Linda’s second full-length novel, which is set in 1914, Amazon best-selling The Mending of Lillian Cathleen, Book Two. The third novella, A Christmas Tale for Little Women, releases in 2020 and is set in 1912. It is a prequel to Book 3 in The Women of Rock Creek series, The Awakening of Miss Adelaide, which is set in 1918.
Linda and her beloved husband Al worship and minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio and dote on six grandchildren. Readers may contact Linda through her website, www.lindabrooksdavis.com.
More from Linda
Everyone worked at my home on a South Texas farm near the U.S. border with Mexico.
My playmates were children of Hispanic laborers. Language never hindered playing la casa, making mud pies, or rocking los bebés. Frijoles and tamales served from stewpots over open fires tasted delicioso in either language. I learned outside their homes a broom works great on hardened soil.
Daddy paid workers on Saturdays, some by the hour, others by production. Lining up, they extended their hands, and he laid cash across their open palms. They checked the figures they had scribbled on paper scraps, trusting el patrón to correct discrepancies. Humble, grateful people, they showed respect.
My father verified immigration paperwork for those whom he housed. Others lived in the shadows, arriving around sunup and disappearing before sundown. Each evening a car or truck would rattle alongside the field, and the shadow worker would slip inside. Then the vehicle would clatter toward the horizon. And returned another day.
Occasionally, however, an alarm shouted in Spanish would sound across the field. Dropping his cotton sack, a worker would dash toward the cotton trailer in the turn row. Like hounds burrowing under a house, he and a compadre would leap over the trailer’s sides and dig a hole in the freshly picked cotton. The first crawled in, and the other covered him.
The immigration officer making his rounds would walk into the field and occasionally stomp around inside the trailer, searching for man-sized lumps. I never witnessed the discovery of a shadow worker, but I heard about them on other farms. Worst of all, I heard about tragedies. With very little oxygen between tightly packed fluffs of cotton, a man could suffocate and occasionally would. I wondered what would lead a man to take such chances and how my law-abiding, God-loving father justified his complicity. So, I asked, and he answered, “Desperation, sugar. All they want is work. A man wants to provide for his family wherever or however he can. I can’t turn them away.”
Sounded like work was a gift. Huh? my ten-year-old brain asked itself.
Years later, I understood this principle. The second chapter of Genesis shows us that God created man not to laze around all day, but to work.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15
Therefore, not only in “the beginning,” but on our farm in 1956, a man’s strength to work was God’s gift. The opportunity to work was Daddy’s gift to the men. The fruit of each man’s labor was the gift he sent home each week and the fulfillment of his need to provide for his family.
At Christmas we enjoyed preparing bushel baskets of meats, fruits and vegetables, candy and nuts, and toys for each family. I wondered about those who stayed around for a single day. Would their children find fruits, nuts, or even a piece of candy on Christmas morning?
Answers evaded me then—-as they do now—-but as a writer in my eighth decade of life, one truth I hold onto is that the strength for each day of writing and less pain in my arthritic hands and back are gifts from God. Each opportunity to write is an opportunity not only to entertain but to inspire readers to seek God in their everyday lives. Each word, unique turn of a phrase, or plot idea . . . is my gift to Him.
Protecting our safety is a far more complicated endeavor in 2020 than it was in 1956. Threats arise like none presented five decades ago, but work is still a gift. God wired it into our DNA. Come to think of it, the ideas for A Christmas Tale for Little Women and the subsequent novel—one set in the southern tip of Texas, a story about a loving, destitute man who wants only to provide for his family—are gifts.
Those diligent workers of 1956 and other years deserve a story that honors them. My gift to them and to Him is A Christmas Tale for Little Women.
To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize package of all 6 eBooks in the The Women of Rock Creek Series!! (The Calling of Ella McFarland, A Christmas to Remember, A Christmas Measure of Love, The Mending of Lillian Cathleen, A Christmas Tale for Little Women, and The Awakening of Miss Adelaide)
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Paula was broken, traumatized, and bound by many addictions, but today she is free. And that is God’s desire for you, too!
Paula Jauch’s life was controlled by trauma and addiction. Born into neglect and addiction, she inherited self-destructive patterns and emotional prisons she could not escape. She experimented with crack at age thirteen, became pregnant at fifteen, was initiated into a Hispanic gang, and bore her second child by the time she was eighteen. Starved for acceptance and worth, she began cutting her body, and developed a near-fatal disorder for twenty years.
Cross Addicted follows Paula’s raw, stumbling journey toward freedom. You will find renewed hope and practical steps of recovery.
Recognize that there is nothing wrong with you.
Learn how to forgive yourself and others.
Understand addiction and trauma and the healing process through recovery.
Find freedom by understanding what Jesus did on the cross.
In “Cross Addicted” author Paula Jauch shares her journey through addition, with the most raw emotions. Not growing up and having dealt with these issues, I cannot say I know how she feels because I don’t. But I can praise this brave author for telling her story. I believe stories like Paula’s is essential today because there are so many who face these same issues and addictions. And I think it is awesome to have books such as this one for those facing addictions.
“Cross Addition” is a book I will refer to, and it is a book I plan to keep on hand in case I need one to give to someone dealing with these issues. The main reason I like and appreciate this one is because it will show the person how to find the freedom that can only be found in Jesus and His death on the cross for us.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Paula Jauch’s life experience enables her speaking and writing to empower people from all walks of life. She shares her inspirational story all around the world through speaking and radio. Her goal is to carry this message to the forefront. She loves encouraging and motivating her audiences to live a life of freedom in Christ. She is a happily married mother of four and a proud Nana. In her spare time, you might find her at a favorite Mexican restaurant. Paula lives in West Michigan.
Paula’s work experience led her to realize she needed healing from childhood trauma after growing up in abuse and addiction. After she graduated from an alternative education high school and had two children by age eighteen, her heart was drawn to jobs to help children like herself. She worked seven years at the Juvenile Court Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, and five years at the Clark County Department of Family Services, as a juvenile service assistant, working with troubled teens. In 2004 she relocated to Terre Haute, Indiana, where she worked for two years at Gibault Inc., as a youth specialist, working with teen boy sex offenders. After leaving the Gibault home, she worked a few months at the Vigo County Courthouse as a bailiff, but decided to leave her job when it became uncomfortable, because her family name was well known in the court system.
What she learned through all of her work experience is that if these kids didn’t get the proper help they needed, they would get involved in a gang, addicted to drugs or alcohol, land in prison, or even face death. Paula knew she was being called to take a step of faith and action and get the help she needed so she could help others who experienced similar childhoods.
Even though Paula’s story and passion centers around youth, men and women of all ages will be inspired by her story of restoration. Connect with Paula www.paulajauch.com or follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @paulajauch.
More from Paula
Why did you write the book?
After graduating from an alternative education high school and having two children by the age eighteen, my heart was drawn to jobs to help children like myself. I started out by working seven years at a Juvenile Court Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, and five years at the Clark County Department of Family Services, as a juvenile service assistant, working with troubled teens. In 2004, I relocated to Terre Haute, Indiana, where I worked for two years at Gibault Inc., as a youth specialist, working with teen boy sex offenders. After leaving the Gibault home, I worked a few months at the Vigo County Courthouse as a bailiff. However, I eventually decided to leave my job within a few months because it became uncomfortable since my family name was well-known in the court system. My work experiences led me to start asking questions and made me realize I needed my own healing from childhood trauma after growing up inabuse and addiction.
What I learned through all of my work experiences and my own life struggles is that if kids don’t get the proper help they need, they will either get involved in a gang, become addicted to drugs or alcohol, end up in prison, or even death. I knew God was calling me to take a step of faith and action to get the help I needed, so I could help others who experienced similar childhoods.
Trauma may be the greatest mission field of the 21st century, and the most misunderstood issue of our day.
My healing journey began when I could no longer pretend everything was okay. After being stuck in my trauma and my own addictions for years, I knew I needed to write a book and let others know there is a way out. My book was birthed out of my healing process. Cross Addicted: Breaking Free from Family Trauma and Addiction offers a hopeful path to recovery for those who are hurting and traumatized.
One in four U.S. students will witness or experience a traumatic event before the age four, and more than two-thirds by age sixteen.
Jordan’s Deliverance(Jordan of Algoran #3)By Allen Steadham Christian Science Fiction, Fantasy Paperback & ebook, 330 Pages October 13, 2020 by Ambassador International
The Onchei are back.And trouble looms…
The Onchei want to learn what happened to their brethren on Algoran from the only survivor, Zeetra. Yet they learn instead she has broken the Onchei’s highest law: never intermarry or have children with another race. For this, she now faces execution.
Jordan SnowFire fears the Onchei will blame the Mokta and seek retribution soon. Only an ancient heirloom, which contains the ultimate Onchei knowledge, can save the Mokta…except it’s on Earth, a world she hasn’t seen in decades.
Jordan sends her son, Arrow, and her friend’s daughter, Maska, to rescue Zeetra while she travels back to Earth to seek the Onchei artifact. What tie is there between a thousand-year-old object and Jordan’s ancestors? Could this explain why she and her mother were originally abducted and brought to Algoran?
In the skies of Algoran, a final confrontation looms between the Onchei and the Mokta. And on Earth, Jordan finds more than she could have possibly imagined…
“Everyone, gather and listen! I have something to tell you,” she boomed.
It took a few minutes, but the tribe did as she commanded. There was a silent dread among the villagers, a fear that Jasta might be about to announce her gemta’s demise. The unspoken question of why she was dressed as Chieftess loomed in the air. She stood by silently as her people approached.
“You all know me. I am Jasta SnowFire, daughter of Jorr-Don SnowFire. Since the Qui Tol have returned, taking our dear Zeetra with them, my gemta devised a plan. First, she sent my brother, Arrow, and Maska to bring Zeetra back to us!”
She saw more than a few smiles and could sense the hope growing among the people as well as some relief from this news. She could also detect concern for Arrow and Maska’s safety on such a mission. Fear of the Qui Tol had resurged with their recent return.
“My gemta has also used the Qui Tol machine to go to Errrth. I cannot say why but it is vitally important. And she will return within fourteen moonturns,” Jasta continued. Then she took off her necklace and held up its SnowFire gem pendant for all to see. “As you can see, she has made me Chieftess in her absence!”
Jasta could tell that no one would speak against her, but she saw apprehension in their eyes. Her gemta, Jordan SnowFire, had been their leader for over forty cycles and done many wondrous feats on behalf of the Mountain Mokta. She knew that some feared her gemta might not return from Earth and resume her leadership.
Her torkomm started to speak but she lifted a hand to stop him. As she attempted to find the right words to address the villagers’ concerns, she felt a growing tenseness within her chest. That feeling expanded, taking over her and suddenly she could sense not only the SnowFire gem within her necklace but all the nearby gems as well. She felt a connection to them, like they were hers to command. Instinctively, she stretched out her fingers. From the mountain itself, dozens of small SnowFire gems flew towards her from above. Before reaching her palm, the jewels converged into a javelin and began to glow. She tried not to show her own astonishment.
Instead, she took in a deep breath and was grateful something had actually happened. She grabbed the sapphire-hued javelin with both hands, pulling it close to her chest. A new fire burned in her gaze.
“I am the granddaughter of Snow and Fire! I will protect you and look after your needs,” she declared. “Give me your trust and I shall not disappoint you. I will also consult with my torkomm and the village elders. All will be well.”
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Other Books in the Series
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About the Author
Allen Steadham created comic books and webcomics before he started writing novels. He has been married to his wife, Angel, since 1995 and they have two sons and a daughter. When not writing stories, Allen and his wife are singers, songwriters, and musicians. They have been in a Christian band together since 1997. They live in Central Texas.
Check out the Bookstagram Tour here, which has its own giveaway!
Tour Giveaway
– One winner will receive signed print copies of the entire Jordan of Algoran series (US only) – One winner will receive ebook copies of the entire Jordan of Algoran series (open internationally) – Ends October 29, 2020
Roping Christmas(Rodeo Romance #8)By Shanna Hatfield Contemporary Romance, Western, Holiday, Clean and Wholesome ebook, 335 Pages October 22, 2020 by Wholesome Hearts Publishing
A focused cowboy, a distracted executive, and a hilarious quest make for an unforgettable holiday . . .
Wyatt Nash is a professional tie-down roper, a good ranch hand, and not too shabby when it comes to attracting women. But according to his five-year-old niece, he needs to work on both his roping skills and his dating game. His sister thinks he needs to settle down. And don’t get him started on the advice he gets from well-meaning friends. When his rodeo sponsor, billionaire Jon Sinclair, asks for his assistance in tutoring a clueless city girl about Sinclair Industries, Wyatt doesn’t feel like he can say no. Then he discovers he’ll be teaching none other than the one woman on the planet who wants nothing to do with him.
Ashley Jarrett would do almost anything to turn her small publicity firm into a huge success. When Jon Sinclair expresses interest in working with her, she readily agrees to his crazy idea to have her learn about his company through hands-on projects. Not only is she forced far outside her comfort zone, but the man documenting every bumbling misstep she takes is an infuriating cowboy she’s determined to ignore.
Packed with small-town charm and the wonder of falling in love, Roping Christmas is a sweet holiday romance sure to bring laughter and infuse hearts Christmas cheer.
Chase settled his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side in a brotherly hug. “You know we love to have you anytime you can visit.”
“I do know that and am grateful for the standing welcome.” Ashley smiled up at her cousin while a tiny tornado swept into the kitchen.
Corkscrew curls the color of straw bounced in every direction as the little girl launched herself at Wyatt. He swung her into his arms and kissed her rosy cheek. The little one looked like a miniature replica of Sarah.
“Hi!” the child greeted with a broad smile that showed off a missing space in her front teeth.
“Hi, Livy.” Jessie smiled at the little girl. “Are you keeping your Uncle Wyatt busy while he’s here?”
“Yep! We watched a movie last night about the bear ’cessities. It was awesome! But Uncle Wyatt said he’s missing some of the ’cessities. I told him he needs a wife and babies.” Livy wiggled against Wyatt, so he set her on her feet.
She rushed over to Ashley and took her hand in hers. “Hi! I’m Livy. Wyatt’s my uncle, and that’s my mama, Sarah. My daddy is washing up, then we can eat. I’m starving to death! You’re pretty and smell nice, too.”
The little imp turned toward Wyatt. “Did you smell her, Uncle Wyatt? She smells good. Maybe she’d be your wife, and you could have babies, Uncle Wyatt.”
Other Books in the Series
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About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.
Angela Grimalke appears more blonde bombshell than the gremlin she is. But there is no denying her supernatural truth after her clumsiness gets her fired from her modeling career. Forced to work for her family’s upscale airline, she spends her days slinging luggage and wishing her parents would get off her back about finding a nice gremlin guy to settle down with.
Relationships were the last thing on her mind, not that her family would accept that.
For Dave Ford his frequent business travel made it next to impossible for him to find a woman who could tolerate his chaotic schedule. Which is why he appreciates Angela. Neither of them are looking for love, but Dave feeds Angela’s addiction for chocolate while she provides him with the chaos to keep him on his toes.
However, as Angela’s parents bombard her with a parade of “eligible” gremlin men at their weekly family dinners, she finds herself torn between who she longs to be and her family’s expectations. Will she give in and live the life of magic they want for her? Or risk it all by to confessing to Dave that she isn’t human?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
Focusing on the sparks of energy skittering along her fingers, she sent her magic into the printer. Angela might look like the cover model she’d once been but no one would guess that Windsor’s check-in counter was currently staffed by a pair of gremlins. Dave’s day—or rather night and morning—were about to become a little more exciting than he’d imagined. Dave would have a nice, relaxing flight to London while his garment bag went to Cleveland.
She tamped down the tendrils of guilt rising in her gut. It needed to be done. It was this bag or some mishap not of her choosing. Besides, who in their right mind would check a Louis Vuitton garment bag? First class contained specially built closets in which to hang them. She searched Dave’s thoughts again.
Where have I seen her before?
Angela snapped right back out and jerked her head down. She attached the claim sticker to his boarding pass and handed it to Dave, keeping her focus on the counter. Hopefully, her smile hid the panic now whirring in her chest like the engines that would take Dave across the Atlantic. “Enjoy your flight, Mr. Ford.”
“Always do.” With a small salute, Dave headed toward the security queue. What were the chances he’d be so cheerful in the morning?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I liked the cute grimlins in this story, it was different in the fact that it is about a family of grimlins and their business that has made them very rich. Dave is a nice kind of guy, but Angela, she got on my nerves because she was so annoying.
This was just an ok kind of story for me. I had problems at times following the plot, there is a lot going on. A lot to keep up with. There is a lot of humor in the book so lots of laughs. If you are into the fantasy genre, you will enjoy this read. So why not check this one out. And if you like those little grimlins running around, you will love reading about these characters. This one is a 3 stars for me.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Catherine “C.S.” Hale has been writing fantasy since she could hold a pencil. When not holed up in a comfortable corner writing all her books out by longhand, she can be found somewhere by the sea, enjoying tea and pastries.
hiding on a lawman’s family ranch is her last hope.
After her mother is killed, Melissa Morgan’s shocked to learn she’s spent her life in witness protection. Now it’s US Marshal Miles Avery’s job to keep her and her little boy safe. And with a mole in his agency, the only way to evade the killer is to hide Melissa on Miles’s family ranch…and pretend she’s his wife for the holidays.
Melissa Morgan wants to survive and protect her child. But that’s turning out to be more than she bargained for. But with the help of US Marshal Miles Avery in her case to protector she and her son, she just might be able to see the end of this horrific time in her life.
I couldn’t put this little books down. It may be a small Love Inspired book but it sure has a lot going on. Miles was sure he had found a safe place for Melissa and her son, but not for long. There has to be a mole inside the department. How else were they found so quickly. But while is it. I enjoyed Melissa and Miles, and the ranch is a nice peaceful place anyone would love to spend their life. I was intrigued by the plot and how quickly it seemed to zoom by as the story unfolded. And I had an idea who the mole was, but not definitely!
Full of action packed drama, you don’t want to miss the second book in A Cowboy Lawman Romances Series. Everything you want in a fast paced thriller you will not be disappointed.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Virginia Vaughan is a multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger.
More from Virginia
What if one day you discovered you were in the Witness Protection Program and didn’t know it?
This is the premise for my October book, TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT, which releases this month. My heroine, Melissa Morgan, learns she and her mother entered the program when Melissa was a child. Her mother never told her and, when Melissa witnesses her mother being murdered, she becomes the assassin’s next target. US Marshal Miles Avery steps in to protect the single mom and her son from a killer, but a leak in WITSEC leaves him with little options except to take his witnesses to his family’s ranch…and pretend she’s his wife for the holidays.
So, in celebration of TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT releasing this month, here are 10 things about the Witness Protection Security Program (or WITSEC) I learned during my research for this book.
The program is voluntary. No one can be forced to enter.
You can leave the program at any time—although it is not recommended.
No person in the program, who follows the rules, has ever been killed.
People entering WITSEC sometimes keep their same first name and/or initials so that if they mess up and start to sign their name, they have time to correct.
Since WITSEC is a federal program, many states have their own programs to protect witnesses of gang or street-level crimes.
If you get married while in WITSEC, you must lie to your new spouse to protect your true identity in the event the relationship doesn’t last.
Protected witnesses are mostly criminals. Only about 5% are innocents despite the popular trope in movies and fiction.
Local law enforcement may or may not be notified when a protected witness is relocated to their jurisdiction.
Divorced, non-custodial parents have had their children hidden from them and now must agree to allow their children to enter the program.
WITSEC protected witnesses are expected to eventually become self-sufficient. They do not get to live off the government for the rest of their lives.
Did any of these facts about WITSEC surprise you? I’d love to hear which ones. I had a lot of fun researching WITSEC for TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT. I hope you enjoy Miles and Melissa’s story! Look out for the next book in the series—middle brother Navy SEAL Paul Avery’s story—coming in TEXAS TARGET STANDOFF in March of 2021.
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