Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Steadfast Mercy (Amish Mercies #3) by Ruth Reid


She’d told herself she’d never go back home. But that was before the accident—before life changed forever.
After the tragic death of her parents, Jonica Muller must return to the Amish community she left in shame. Tasked with settling her father’s estate, she plans to keep her visit as brief as possible so she can return to start a life with Ephraim, a widower who has offered her and her five-year-old son the stability of a family.
But Jonica’s childhood home in Posen, Michigan, won’t let her go so quickly. Her father’s sister, Aenti Edna, is showing signs of a slipping mind. To Jonica’s alarm, Edna’s begun entertaining a mysterious redheaded Englischer who has unclear intentions toward the aging woman and the Mullers’ property.
Caleb is a young farmer working Edna’s land, trying to hide his own secret shame from his family and his girlfriend, Darleen. But when Jonica asks him to come to Edna’s aid, she unwittingly sets events in motion that change everyone’s ability to live in the shadows of their lives.
Steadfast Mercy is a tender love story at the intersection of heartbreak, forgiveness, and grace.

Amazon


About The Author


I grew up in Northern Michigan an introverted child who observed more than participated. I was the type of kid who if a sign read wet paint, I had to touch it to see if it was wet.
I spent many school hours daydreaming, mostly about horses. Coaxed by my teacher to submit a short story to the Young Authors Writing Contest, I wrote, A Dream to Remember, about a girl who daydreamed about wild horses. That contest opened my eyes to daydream with a purpose. After that, my endless imagination was limited only by how fast I could write, and sometimes I stayed up late at night writing by flashlight to finish a story.
Although the desire to write had been planted years ago, it lay dormant while I gained life experiences. I attended Ferris State University School of Pharmacy, in Big Rapids, Michigan where I met my husband, Dan, who was a native Floridian. We married, moved to a small town in Florida, and had three children. (Lexie, Danny, and Sarah).



My Review


This is the third book in this series, but you won't be lost to read just this one, but the others are so good!
A young Amish woman, having just lost her parents, returns to her previous home after being gone five years, but she is not staying. She is at her Aunts, and her darling aunt is having memory problems and there seems to be a man hanging around that causes our Jonica to question his motives.
Enter an Amish man who is recalling from the unexpected death of his brother, whom he blames himself for, Caleb seems to be a blessing in all their lives.
Jonica has a young, delightful son, whom you will grow to love, and he is the catalyst to some of the questions you will be having.
I wished I could go on in the lives of these individuals, what a great read, and visit!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

A Springtime Heart (The Promise Glen #2) by Marta Perry






A second chance at love blooms in the quaint Amish community of Promise Glen, from national bestselling author Marta Perry.

Dorcas Beiler's reckless teenage years are far behind her. She's serious and responsible now, and the good people of Promise Glen trust her with the education of their children. But when her first love returns after years of exile from the community, her past comes rushing back. Thomas is the only one who knows her secret, and despite his careless charm and teasing manner, she refuses to let her guard down.

Thomas Fisher has plans. Plans to start a construction company and prove himself a success to all those who doubted him, and plans to find the woman he left behind. His chance comes when he lands the opportunity to rebuild the stable and shed at the community school. He won't be paid for his time, but he'll be able to showcase his abilities...and spend time with Dorcas.

Scenting love in the air, Dorcas's young pupils make excuses to bring them together. As old feelings stir, Dorcas and Thomas wonder whether their first love might also be their last.


Amazon


About The Author






Marta Perry is a Pennsylvania-based author of over 35 novels, many of them inspirational romances. She uses her rural Pennsylvania life and her Pennsylvania Dutch heritage in writing her books, especially in her Pleasant Valley Amish series for Berkley Books and her new Amish-set suspense series for HQN Books.

Marta and her husband live in a centuries-old farmhouse in a quiet central Pennsylvania valley. They have three grown children and six beautiful grandchildren, and when she's not busy writing her next book, she's usually trying to keep up with her gardening, baking for church events, or visiting those beautiful grandkids.


Website


My Review





Welcome back to Promise Glen and a new story that you will soon be page turning to find answers. This book can be read alone, but I was happy to read about past characters and be updated on their lives.
Can we overcome the sins of our past, that is what school teacher Dorcas Beiler must have been thinking when Thomas Fisher returns to town after years away. They had know each other as children, and now we find answers as to why he was away.
We see how one woman's gossip can hurt many, and judging when we don't know all the facts also hurts.
There is a sweet romance blooming here, and chuckles with some of the antics of the children.
As sweet read to get lost in!
I received this book through the Edelweiss and the Publisher Berkley, and was not required to give a positive review.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Promises of Tomorrow (Walnut Creek #4.5) by Shelley Shepard Gray






From the New York Times bestselling author of The Patient One and the “skilled storyteller who reminds the reader through her characters that faith can help us survive the ups and downs in life” (RT Book Reviews) comes a warm-hearted and charming enovella.

Two years after her older brother Andy’s death, Ella and her parents are still struggling. When a couple of Andy’s childhood friends realize that Ella spent the previous Christmas alone, they decide to make this year’s holiday better. They start stopping by Ella’s home, bringing with them stories about Andy and their love for him. Meanwhile, Ella finds herself spending more and more time with one of the friend’s siblings, who just happens to be waiting for his own Christmas miracle.

With Shelley Shepard Gray’s signature “thought-provoking, emotional” (Patricia Davids, USA TODAY bestselling author) prose, Promises of Tomorrow is an evocative and moving story of love, friendship, and faith.


Amazon 


About The Author





I grew up in Houston, Texas, went to Colorado for college, and after living in Arizona, Dallas, and Denver, we moved to southern Ohio about ten years ago.

I’ve always thought of myself as a very hard worker, but not ‘great’ at anything. I’ve obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree…but I never was a gifted student. I took years of ballet and dance, but I never was anywhere near the star of any recital. I love to cook, but I’m certainly not close to being gourmet…and finally I love to write books, but I’ve certainly read far better authors.
Maybe you are a little bit like me. I’ve been married for almost twenty years and have raised two kids. I try to exercise but really should put on my tennis shoes a whole lot more. I’m not a great housekeeper, I hate to drive in the snow, and I don’t think I’ve ever won a Monopoly game. However, I am the best wife and mother I know how to be.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that in God’s eyes that is okay? That from His point of view, we are all exceptional? I treasure that knowledge and am always so thankful for my faith. His faith in me makes me stand a little straighter, smile a little bit more, and be so very grateful for every gift He’s given me.
I started writing about the Amish because their way of life appealed to me. I wanted to write stories about regular. likeable people in extraordinary situations-and who just happened to be Amish.
Getting the opportunity to write Inspirational novels is truly gratifying. With every book, I feel my faith grows stronger. And that makes me feel very special indeed.

Website


My Review



A sweet Christmas Novella and we are back with the eight. Although, this is a short read, this story packs a lot into it, and it filled with love and compassion, who wouldn't want to be friends with group.
At the top of each chapter there is a small blip of a side story, but then we are gifted by this author of a read that resonates of the true meaning of Christmas, and when the last page is turned, I wanted more!
Can't wait for future stories of this wonderful group!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Gallery Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

Sunday, July 5, 2020

These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker



Before Dan opened his door to find a wounded woman who had escaped from the tormentors in the mountain, his life had become rather quiet. He and the eight other people in the mostly abandoned town had become friends. They spent peaceful evenings around the campfire and even made vague plans to journey east one day and leave the ominous mountain behind.

But the woman's arrival changes everything.
Who is she? How does she know so much about Dan's brother, who is still held captive in the mountain? Why are long-forgotten memories rising to the surface? And why does Dan feel so compelled to keep her presence in his house a secret?

Visionary writer Shawn Smucker is back with an unsettling story that invites us to consider two challenging questions: To what lengths will we go to assuage our own guilt? and Is there a limit to the things we will do for the people we love?

Amazon


About The Author







I think everyone’s looking for a place in the world – not a physical location as much as an emotional one. Just a tiny bit of space to set up shop, to exist.
Life hinted at where that space would be for me when I was a small boy and books picked me up and carried me away. If you came looking for me in the mid-80s you would have found me sitting on a large porch attached to a ramshackle farmhouse, reading about Narnia or the Shire, brushing away the flies, constantly saying, “Okay, mom, just one more chapter.”
But then, normal life, with all of its misleading promises and plastic desires, got in the way. I wandered. Geographically, I went to a hot city in Florida, an old village in England, and then back to Virginia. Emotionally, I traveled even further. Finally, after ten years of searching, I found stories again. Or maybe they found me.
Now I live in that place I was always trying to find. I wake up beside my beautiful wife, Maile. I make breakfast for my six children. I spend the rest of the day capturing stories, doing what Steinbeck called the impossible: trying to explain the inexplicable. Trying to transplant stories from my mind to yours.

Website


My Review






Wow! What a deep book to be lost in, and I'll admit that it took me a bit to get into this read, but keep reading you will be glad you did.
Be sure to read the author's note at the end of this read, and maybe before you start reading! It really helped me, and then the light bulb went on and I sped through this book.
A book as a Christian really makes you think, and the consequences of sin, well, we don't like to think of our own sins, and a sin is a sin.
While this is Dan's story, I did love Adam, and the deepness of this read, we are given the feeling that we left the mountain. There is also a lot of love, forgiveness, and beautiful friendship.
This is a page turning read, and I found myself up late reading for answers. Kept going out to the next tree!

I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.



Friday, July 3, 2020

Celebrate Lit Presents: Flowers from Afghanistan by Suzy Parish

Flowers from Afghanistan

About the Book

Book:  Flowers from Afghanistan
Author: Suzy Parish
Genre: Christian War Fiction
Release Date: August 10, 2018
FlowersFromAfghanistan_h12364_750Weighed down by guilt following the death of his two-year-old son, Mac McCann accepts a year-long position training police officers in Afghanistan. Leaving his wife Sophie to grieve alone, he hopes the life-or-death distractions of his self-imposed exile will build a wall between him and his pain.
As camaraderie builds between Mac and the men on base—including a local barber and his precocious little boy—Mac’s heart becomes invested in stories beyond his own tragedy and he learns he is not the only one running from loss. But when the hour of attack arrives, will he be able to see past his guilt to believe there’s still something—and someone—worth living for? With touching details based on true events, Flowers from Afghanistan is a redemptive journey of healing, a chronicle of hope in crisis, and a testament to the faithfulness of God through it all.

Click here to get your copy!



About the Author

Suzy Parish AuthorSuzy Parish wrote as a Community Columnist for the Huntsville Times. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Suzy discovered her love of books as a child in Richmond, Virginia when she took refuge from the summer heat in the local Bookmobile. She believes the power of literacy can change lives and stewards a Little Free Library in a local park. She currently resides in Huntsville, Alabama with her husband, a retired Investigator from the Huntsville Police Department. Their tennis-ball addicted dog, Charlie, is her writing companion.



More from Suzy

Have you or a family member served in the military or as first responders? I had you on my heart when I wrote Flowers from Afghanistan. You might say this novel is my “Thank you” to families all over who sacrifice their time and sometimes even their lives to help make the world a safer place.
It’s also my hand, reaching out through my keyboard to beautiful children like the character Bashir. These children want the same things as any child the world over, shelter, food, and to know they are loved. And finally, this book is a love letter from myself to Jesus Christ. He is the reason I write.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 4 (Author Interview)
Genesis 5020, July 6
Artistic Nobody, July 10 (Author Interview)
Quiet Quilter, July 13
For the Love of Literature, July 14 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, July 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Suzy is giving away the grand prize of 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.


Thursday, July 2, 2020

Celebrate Lit Presents: Dead Silence by Robin Caroll


About the Book

Book:  Dead Silence
Author: Robin Caroll
Genre: Christian Suspense
Release Date: June 2020



Political games can be deadly…
Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.


Click here to get your copy!




About the Author


“I love boxing. I love Hallmark movies. I love fishing. I love scrapbooking. Nope, I’ve never fit into the boxes people have wanted to put me in.” Robin Caroll is definitely a contradiction, but one that beckons you to get to know her better. Robin’s passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others and come alongside them on their faith journey—aspects Robin weaves into each of her twenty-five-plus published novels. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends quality time with her husband of nearly three decades, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home. Robin gives back to the writing community by serving as executive director/conference director for ACFW. Her books have been recognized in such contests as the Carol Award, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, Bookseller’s Best, and Book of the Year. You can find out more about Robin by visiting www.robincaroll.com.


More from Robin

Hi, there. . .Robin here. I’m getting so excited for the release of my thirty-fourth novel, DEAD SILENCE. I have to say, I love this book. The heroine is strong, yet flawed. Her love for her son—willing to do anything to protect him is a mother’s instinct I relate to so well, having three daughters and two grandsons. The love of a mother for her child is so ingrained in me that I wanted to share that in a story.

I’ve been asked why I opted for a heroine who is an ASL translator and who has a deaf son. Many years ago, I became friends with someone who is deaf. She shared with me some of her frustrations, but also how her way of life is in comparison to mine. It got me to thinking that being deaf could be thought of as a disability but could also be used as an advantage…it was all in how you looked at it. My friend shared many stories of how she “eavesdropped” by reading lips and learned much about people and how they reacted to issues, enough that it led her into her career field today—a counselor, specializing in providing therapy for the hearing impaired as they live in a hearing world. I hope that I portrayed my characters in this positive light.

While I’m a Louisiana girl at heart, I reside in Little Rock, the capitol city for Arkansas. Since Bill and Hilary Clinton lived here and claimed it home before Bill was President, we have many political plans and posturing here. I saw it as a perfect backdrop for this particular story with the political undercurrents running rampant throughout the story.

I hope that you enjoy reading DEAD SILENCE as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Blog Stops

Emily Yager, June 20
Rebecca Tews, June 21
By The Book, June 22
Genesis 5020, June 22
KarenSueHadley, June 23
Betti Mace, June 24
Remembrancy, June 24
Splashes of Joy, June 26
HookMeInABook, June 26
Mary Hake, June 27
Simple Harvest Reads, June 28 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
amandainpa, June 28
Worthy2Read, June 29
Pause for Tales, June 29
Hallie Reads, June 30
Quiet Quilter, July 2

Giveaway

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


My Review





We take so much for granted, and when the author gives us a woman whose son is deaf, and she now works as a sign language interpreter, and she reads lips. A gift? Well, yes, but her seven year old does and thus watch TV cartoons, wonderful! Then, she accidentally reads the lips of a man that becomes very personal, but life intervenes before she is able to act on it.
This story quickly became a page turner for me, looking for answers, the family is dealing with grief, then being tormented, and why?
I had my suspect from the very beginning, and yes, I was right, but there are many side stories, and life happenings that just kept this a great read.
You will end up with your heart in your throat, and not know whom to trust, and in the end one person has so little regard for human life, and is full of greed.
I received this book through the Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.


Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Still Knife Painting (A Paint & Shine Mystery) by Cheryl Hollon


Still Knife Painting (A Paint & Shine Mystery)
by Cheryl Hollon

About Still Life Painting 


Still Knife Painting (A Paint & Shine Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Kensington (June 30, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-10: 1496725247
ISBN-13: 978-1496725240
Digital ASIN: B07W8VL149
Miranda Trent has set up a sweet life in a scenic corner of Appalachia—until she stumbles across the trail of a killer . . .

After inheriting her uncle’s Red River Gorge homestead in Eastern Kentucky—smack dab in the middle of the Daniel Boone National Forest—Miranda comes up with a perfect business plan for summer tourists: pairing outdoor painting classes with sips of local moonshine, followed by a mouthwatering sampler of the best in southern cooking.

To Miranda’s delight, Paint & Shine is a total success—until someone kills the cook. As the town’s outsider, suspicion naturally falls on Miranda. Murdering the best biscuit baker of Red River Gorge is a high crime in these parts. Miranda will have to prove her innocence before she’s moved from farmhouse to jail cell faster than she can say “white lightning” . . .

About Cheryl Hollon


Cheryl Hollon now writes full-time after she left an engineering career of designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind her house in St. Petersburg, Florida, Cheryl and her husband design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass, and painted glass artworks. Visit her online at http://cherylhollon.com, on Facebook or on Twitter @CherylHollon.
Purchase Links:
Amazon B&N   Kobo


TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 29 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 29 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 30 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
June 30 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW  
July 1 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
July 1 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
July 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
July 2 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
July 2 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
July 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 3 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT
July 3 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
July 4 – OFF
July 5 – Cozy Up with Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 6 – Diary of a Book Fiend – REVIEW
July 6 – Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 7 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 7 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST
July 8 – Thoughts in Progress – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
July 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 9 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 10 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
July 10 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 11 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 11 – Here’s How It Happened – GUEST POST
July 12 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW, GUEST POST  
July 12 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 13 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
July 13 – La libreria di Beppe – SPOTLIGHT

Celebrate Lit Presents: Metamorphosis Author: Kayla E. Green

  About the Book Boo k: Metamorphosis Author: Kayla E. Green Genre: Poetry (religious/inspirational) Release Date: May, 202...