Wednesday, November 16, 2016

The Things We knew


The Things we Knew is the latest christian fiction novel by Catherine West. The Carlisles and the Coopers have been next door neighbors for years. Their kids grew up together and are best friends. Will a family secret tear their families apart, or bring them closer together?

If there ever was a disfunctional family, the Carlisle family fits the bill. The dad, Drake, once a raging drunk, has finally gotten his life together only to lose his memories to alheizmers. He has some moments of being lucid, but mostly he's lost in the memories of his mind. Back when his children were younger and his wife was still alive.

Lynette Carlisle is the baby of the family, although in truth she may be the strongest. She's left alone to care for her dad after her brothers and sister moved away. She's tried to hold it together, causally dropping hints that the family home is in disrepair and that their father may need more help than she can give him. But they're all off living their own life and have no time to go back home.

Liz, who can command the courtroom with one look is in an abusive relationship. Gray has all the fame and fortune a guy could want, but he's haunted by his drinking and drug addiction. Ryan is off saving the world serving as a missionary in Africa while David's marriage is falling apart. The only way this disfunctional family will come together is to sell the family home.

Nick Cooper was once part of the Carlisle family, but after a falling out with Gray five years ago he's been left on the outside. He's suprised when Lynette comes to see him at the bank asking for suggestions on what to do with Wyldewood, her family home. Nick would love nothing more than to help Lynette by giving her the money needed to fix up the place, but with his father, the owner of the bank, breathing down his neck his hands are tied as to what he can do.

Slowly but surely Nick and Lynette begin to relcaim their friendship and maybe a little something more. When her siblings arrive with the hopes of railroading her into selling Wyldewood they may have a something to say about this new romance. Tempers flare and secrets come to light and both the Carlisles and the Coopers learn that nothing is more important than family.

*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

You can grab a copy here: The Things We Knew

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Raining Fools

About the Book

Bekka Winters hung up the phone. Ethan, her brother, needed her help with his new music production studio. She stared at her already packed bags. Why not? She’d just graduated from college and didn’t exactly have a job to go to. Besides, a music video might look good on her resume when she looked for real work.
Stephen Gaines couldn’t believe Ethan had called him after their last blow up. They’d been music partners once. Stephen had ruined that. It was his expertise to wreck relationships especially those he had with women. Fortunately, Ethan didn’t know about him and Bekka. She was the one woman that had broken through to the deep parts of his heart. If only… how many times had he said that in the past? A fresh start is just what he needed.
 Bekka’s mind bubbled with ideas for Ethan’s studio. Not to mention she couldn’t wait to see Ethan and Haley, the woman who’d captured her brother’s heart. But when she pulled into the drive and saw the familiar fancy car that Stephen drove, her heart dropped. There was no way she’d let him back into her life.
My Thoughts: I truly enjoyed Jackie Castle's writing style. I love how she managed to bring the characters to life and make them relatable. I also loved how she was able to draw me into the world she created. It was truly an enjoyable experice to read this book and I'm looking forward to going back and read the first book in this series. 
* I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

About the Author

Jackie Castle looks for the extraordinary in every ordinary day that she experiences. She is the author of The White Road Chronicles a fantasy series, The Sentinel Archives for school-age readers, and newly released Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast romance series. She has also published articles and short stories in numerous magazines. She’s enjoyed many crazy adventures from working as a hairstylist, to her bravest quest: teaching children in daycare and elementary schools. Eventually, she settled down to a somewhat safer pursuit of being a Story-weaver.

Now she lives in her comfortable Texas home where she spins entertaining tales and enjoys relaxing in the evenings with her husband Bob, their children and grandchild. Her favorite pastime, besides reading, is traipsing through her imaginary worlds in search of another story. Find out more about her shenanigans over at Jackie Castle’s Story World: www.jackiecastle.com. There you can also sign up for her monthly newsletter.

Guest Post from Jackie Castle

I’m best known for my fantasy series, The White Road Chronicles, and I love the make-believe world of Alburnium. But as these stories have traveled towards the ending, I’ve decided to venture into a more modern world. I enjoy a good, clean romance as much as anyone else, and I love writing stories about communities where people band together for the greater good.
So, I came up with Madison Creek, a small town on the verge of dying out. But the people there aren’t ready to give up. They decide that if they band together, maybe they can revive their little lakeside town and make it thrive.
My husband is from Michigan. I’m from California. We met in the middle: Texas. He’s adapted quite well to the south, loving the hot summers, hot food, and well, he simply likes being warm. Though I miss my moderate California, I’ve also grown to love Texas. Whenever we travel up north to visit his family, we lament over to lack of flavorful food and the ability to stay warm. (Even in the summer we’ve had to wear winter coats!!)
We are often teased by his family for how we put two syllables into words such as fire, dead and y’all. (Yes, he’s been in Texas long enough now to have developed a bit of a twang). I don’t know how many times we’ve talked about moving up north to open a BBQ joint so there’d be somewhere good to eat. Except, we both hate the cold and I’m sure I’d never survive a Michigan winter. I spent two weeks up there once in December, and swore I’d never do that again. I mean, 4 feet of snow in one night? Good Lord have mercy!
Basically, that’s how I came up with Haley Madison, the blond Texas gal who inherited her grandpop’s farmland in Madison Creek, Michigan. Her life has been one big mess after another and she’s determined to take this opportunity to set things right. She’s lived on ranches for over half her life and loves to cook a lot of food for folks. (My family was always big on cooking lots of food at holiday gatherings, so it just seems natural.)
Haley ends up meeting Ethan Winters, who she calls the handsome Yankee that plays a violin. The first book, Snow Belle is about how they meet. The second book, Raining Fools, continues Ethan and Haley’s story in the background. But in Raining Fools, you’ll meet Ethan’s sister Bekka and his best friend, Stephen Gaines who have a history with each other that neither cares to remember, except those old feelings they had for each other refuse to go away. Bekka, though strong in her faith, is uncertain about what God wants her to do with her life. Stephen, a playboy with a troubled past, appreciates his friend’s strong faith, but believes God doesn’t care about the ‘little people.’ At least, not until a series of mishaps has him taking a second look at the Winters’ beliefs.
What I hope people take away from my story beside an entertaining tale, is that God loves them. That they belong to a kingdom that’s bigger than themselves. That we are stronger together than apart. These are themes that readers can find in my stories.
I have several more ideas for novels and novellas that will continue Haley and Ethan’s story while we meet various people who visit the B&B when they come to Madison Creek hoping to start a new life. My hope is that readers will come to enjoy visiting this quirky little town as much as I do when I write the stories. Texas might have its spicy food and natural ruggedness, but I do love Michigan’s wild beauty and kindhearted folks. I just love it more in the summertime.

Blog Stops

November 3: Quiet Quilter
November 4: Bibliophile Reviews
November 5: Daysong Reflections
November 8: Janet Pecorella
November 8: The Power of Words (Spotlight)
November 9: Moments Dipped in Ink
November 10: A Greater Yes
November 11: Blogging With Carol
November 12: inklings and notions
November 13: Carpe Diem
November 14: Mom Is Forever

Giveaway

In honor of her tour, Jackie is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a81d

Friday, November 11, 2016

The Cherished Quilt


The Cherished Quilt is the third book in Amy Clipston's Amish Heirloom series. I've had the priviledge of reading all three books, but each one could stand alone. I know I always say this but I think this one may be my favorite of the series.

Emily Fisher is nothing but kind and considerate. She can't stand to see someone hurting or in need. She loves to help and it brings her great joy. Lately, however, she's been struggling with jealousy and she hates herself for it. She's happy Veronica and Rachel have found the loves of their lives, but when will it be her turn? Does she even deserve love? Maybe it's just her lot in life to be alone and help her parents as they get older, not that she would mind. She just would love to have what her sisters have.

Christopher Hochstetler is battling deamons. He's wracked with guilt over his brothers death. He didn't kill Gabriel with his hands, but he might as well have. His dad hates him and blames him, almost daily, for Gabriel's death. He's always been a disappointment, but now, life at home is just too much to bear. He decides to go to Bird-In-Hand Pennsylvania to stay with his Uncle Hank and Aunt Tillie.

Christopher thinks going to Bird-In-Hand will solve his problems. Little does he know they just multiply. The last thing he expects is to meet the girl of his dreams only to be forbidden to date her. It's as simple as joining the church, but Chris feels unworthy of God's love. He's nothing but a disappointment and a failure, his dad has spent his whole life driving that point home.

Emily knows Chris needs a friend and she vows to be that friend. Somewhere along the way though, she loses her heart to him. How can she help him see past the pain and hurt to know that he is valuable and loved.

I fell completely in love with this book and its message. We are all sinners unworthy of God's love yet he loves us anyway. Chris has had a rough upbringing, with a stern and stirict father that is quick with criticism and slow with compliments. It's no wonder Chris finds it hard to believe a soverign God could love him when his own earthly father seems to hate him so.

I hope you will give The Cherished Quilt a chance. If you do I believe you will love it as much as I do.

You can grab a copy here: The Cherished Quilt

*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Say & Pray Devotions


Say and Pray Devotions are the perfect thing to get your little one excited about God's word.

Diane Stortz has put a lot of effort to make this devotional not only useful, but fun. It's divided into catagories, for example God's love, God's world, God'd gifts. Each picture of the devotional also has first words that you child can point to and name. They relate to the subject matter and make it fun for the child to learn. Each devotion also has a short scripture for you to read to your child and if they are old enough, they can read it themselves or even memorize it.

In my opinion this book is great for younger children or preschoolers. It would also be great for any church's younger Sunday school classes and/or nursery.

*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

The Blue Ribbon Brides Collection



About the Book

Meet nine men and women whose competitive goals take them to state and county fairs between 1889 and 1930. From baking pie to polishing pigs, from sculpting butter to stitching quilts, everyone has something to prove to themselves and their communities. But in going for the blue ribbon, will nine women miss the greatest prize of all—the devoted heart of a godly man?






About the Authors

Jennifer AlLee believes the most important thing a woman can do is discover her identity in God—a theme that carries throughout her stories. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and RWA’s Faith, Hope and Love Chapter. When she’s not spinning tales, she enjoys board games with friends, movies, and breaking into song for no particular reason. Jennifer lives with her family in the grace-filled city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Please visit her at www.jenniferallee.com.

Angela Breidenbach is a bestselling author, host of Grace Under Pressure Radio, and the Christian Author Network’s president. And yes, she’s half of the fun fe-lion comedy duo, Muse and Writer, on social media.
Note from Angela: “I love hearing from readers and enjoy book club chats. To drop me a note or set up a book club chat, contact me at angie.breidenbach@gmail.com. Let me know if you’d like me to post a quote from your review of this story. If you send me the link and your social media handle, I’ll post it to my social media with a word of gratitude including your name and/or social media handle, too!”
For more about Angela’s books (especially more Montana-inspired romances) and podcast, or to set up a book club chat, please visit her website: http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com
Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram: @AngBreidenbach
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/AngelaBreidenbachInspirationalSpeakerAuthor

Bestselling author Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family, and continues her interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written over fifty books and more than 250 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Texas to Vermont. You can find Darlene online at www.darlenefranklinwrites.com

Cynthia Hickey grew up in a family of storytellers and moved around the country a lot as an army brat. Her desire is to write about real, but flawed characters in a wholesome way that her seven children and five grandchildren can all be proud of. She and her husband live in Arizona where Cynthia is a full-time writer.
Carrie Fancett Pagels is a multi-published award-winning author of Christian historical romance. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn’t “cure” her overactive imagination! She resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia, which is perfect for her love of history. Carrie loves to read, bake, bead, and travel – but not all at the same time!
 TIFFANY AMBER STOCKTON has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood. Today she is an award-winning author, speaker, social media consultant, and a freelance website designer who lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have a daughter and a son and a vivacious Flat-coated retriever named Roxie. Her writing career began as a columnist for her high school and college newspapers. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Historical Romance Writers. Three of her novels have won annual reader’s choice awards, and in 2009, she was voted #1 favorite new author for the Heartsong Presents book club. You can read more about her at her website.
Niki Turner is a novelist, journalist, and blogger. Her first completed manuscript earned second place in the Touched By Love 2009 contemporary category romance contest. She writes for local newspapers and won second place for best agriculture story at the 2013 Colo­rado Press Association annual convention. She is a coblogger at www.inkwellinspirations.com. Niki is the president of the Western Slope chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers. Connect with Niki on Facebook or Twitter, and visit her website for information on her other books: www.nikiturner.net.
 
ECPA- bestselling author Gina Welborn worked for a news radio station until she fell in love with writing romances. She serves on the American Christian Fiction Writers Foundation Board. Sharing her husband’s love for the premier American sportscar, she is a founding member of the Southwest Oklahoma Corvette Club and a lifetime member of the National Corvette Museum. Gina lives with her husband, three of their five Okie-Hokie children, two rabbits, two guinea pigs, and a dog that doesn’t realize rabbits and pigs are edible. Find her online at www.ginawelborn.com!
Becca Whitham (WIT-um) is a multi-published author who has always loved reading and writing stories. After raising two children, she and her husband faced the empty nest years by following their dreams: he joined the army as a chaplain, and she began her journey toward publication. Becca loves to tell stories marrying real historical events with modern-day applications to inspire readers to live Christ-reflecting lives. She’s traveled to almost every state in the U.S. for speaking and singing engagements and has lived in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Alaska.  She can be reached through her website at www.beccawhitham.com

Guest Post 

MAX, ELLA, AND THE STATE FAIR
By Jennifer AlLee
Have you ever done something for a really good reason, but when you looked back, you realized that may have been when your problems began? That’s pretty much what happens to Max and Ella, the main characters of “Better with Butter!” Ella dreamed of creating images in clay, stone, marble. Instead, she’s making butter sculptures all because of one crazy, well-intentioned idea to garner publicity for the family dairy. Max grew up on a farm, and after years of working at the dairy, he wanted out. So he left to work for the Joy Margarine Company. Trouble is, he didn’t just leave the dairy, he left Ella, a move he’s regretted ever since. When Max and Ella find themselves both pushing their products at the Nevada State Fair, sparks fly, in more ways than one. The attraction between them is definitely still there, but it’s buried under layers of hurt and mistrust. The decisions they make at the State Fair will be a lot bigger than winning a blue 4ibbon. They’ll change Max and Ella’s lives.

Giveaway


To celebrate their tour, The Blue Ribbon Brides authors are giving away an award winning themed basket that included a quilt and an Amazon Kindle Fire!
Be sure to comment on this blog post below. If we have ten commentors (not including the authors), I will be picking one person to win a book!

Blog Stops

November 1: Simple Harvest Reads
November 2: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
November 3: Bibliophile Reviews
November 3: Smiling Book Reviews
November 5: A Greater Yes
November 6: Artistic nobody
November 7: cherylbbookblog
November 8: Jeanette’s Thoughts
November 9: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner (Spotlight)
November 9: inklings and notions
November 10: Lighthouse Academy
November 11: The Scribbler
November 12: Karen’s Krayons
November 13: Daysong Reflections
November 14: Splashes of Joy
November 14: Blogging With Carol

Monday, November 7, 2016

Where Hope Prevails



Where Hope Prevails is the third book in the Return to the Canadian West series by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan. It's a compainion of sorts to the Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart. If you haven't read the other books in the series or haven't seen all the esisodes on tv, don't worry you can still follow along just fine and enjoy the book.

After spending the summer with her family Elizabeth Thatcher is looking forward to coming home to Coal Valley. She enjoyed her time, but she really missed her friends, who are like a second family, and her students. She's looking forward to coming home and getting back into a routine. What she finds upon arrival though, disturbes her more than she thought. Her town is expanding and nothing seems to be as it was when she left. There are stumps everywhere from where they have cut down trees to expand the town. She hates those stumps, she views them as ugly scars instead of seeing them as a blessing of expansion.

Not only are there ugly stumps, but Coal Valley has hired a second teacher to help with all the new students moving into town due to the expansion. Elizabeth is worried how some of her students will relate to a stranger. After all, she's spent years building relationships with these children and their families. She knows their strengths and weaknesses, their insecurities and their home life. Besides she doesn't really think Coal Valley needs a new teacher, she was doing just fine on her own, thank you very much.

Elizabeth struggles to come to terms with all the changes life brings her way. Will she and Jack marry? If they do, where will they live? What about Coal Valley? Will they still need her when the new teacher arrives? Where exactly does she fit into this new Coal Valley? Will they ever remove those ugly stumps?

I truly enjoyed Where Hope Prevails. I feel like we are all a little like Elizabeth. I for one hate change. I like things to stay the same and I really enjoy staying inside my comfort zone. Just like Elizabeth, when change is hard or uncomfortable I find it ugly. I find it unnecessary and I want it gone as soon as possible. Can you relate?

God doesn't call us to the comfortable. He is constantly challenging us to look beyond ourselves to see something more. To give others a chance and show them the love of Jesus. Sure, it may not be easy, life never really is, but when you trust Him you can be assured it will lead to a greater good. Life is hardly ever what we expect it to be but with God we can manage all the ugly stumps life throws our way.

You can grab a copy here: Where Hope Prevails

* I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Friday, November 4, 2016

Buying Love




About the Book


Will money ruin everything?
 Nina Warrenton is ready for the next step in her life plan—marriage, but no one has
proposed. Taking matters into her hand, she places an ad in the newspaper hoping to entice a willing stranger. But when she begins to fall for the small-town chef, she realizes how much she wants him to love her and not her money.Dwight Williams needs fast cash to save the family restaurant. When he sees Nina’s monetary offer for a husband, he goes for it. He’s determined to save the legacy his dad left him, but can he let it go to prove his love for her? Can Nina and Dwight find true love, once money has entered the equation?



My Thoughts: Money can't buy love but it can sure complicate things. I felt for Nina, being raised in a group home and  never having a family she longed for. That has to be a tough pill to swallow. Her circumstances have given her a skewed vision of God, sure he's the King of King and Lord of Lord's but does he really care about her desire to have a family of her own? Toni Shiloh makes the characters and their sturggles so real that you feel for them. I found myself crying as Nina told her story to Dwight, I felt her anguish and her struggle to be so vulnerable to a man she barely knows.
Dwight has his own family issues, he wasn't abandoned or anything like that but he is trying desperately to save the family business. As a man, he feels it's his duty to protect his mom and sister and to provide for the family. He's not sure how to do this until he cames across Nina's ad. I loved Dwight. He is a strong man with strong moral values. He's not chauvinistic, he genuinely loves and wants to care for the women in his life. I love how he prayed through every situation, even while being stuck in traffic. The world needs more men like Dwight. 
 I truly enjoyed Buying Love and I hope that you will grab a copy and give it a chance. 

*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own

About the Author

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys. When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, making jewelry, and spending time with her family. Toni is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) as well as the ACFW Virginia Chapter.





Guest Post From Toni Shiloh


Hi, Reader Friends!! I’m so excited to be here at Celebrate Lit for the kick off of my new release, Buying Love. I wrote this book last year for National November Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). In one month, I managed to write a little over 50,000 words. However, that’s not why this book holds a special place in my heart. No, it’s the message in the story.
 Nina Warrenton has struggled with being alone in life. Thus, she decides to take matters into her own hand and places an ad for a husband, complete with a monetary offer. What seemed like an intelligent and simplistic way to get a husband, soon proves to have a multitude of complications. Not only that, but Nina has to discover who God is in her life and the body of Christ fits into that.
 Y’all have you ever felt alone in a room full of people? Or felt isolated? Or maybe you’re an orphan…whatever your background, I hope that this book shows you that God loves you. He loves you so much, He’s adopted you into the body of Christ. So if you’re a believer, we’re family. As a person who always wanted a friend and lots of family, that’s music to my soul. It’s what I wanted Nina to discover and what I hope the readers discover.
 Ephesians 1:4-6, “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved” (KJV).

Blog Stops


October 27: Bibliophile Reviews
October 29: Moments Dipped in Ink
October 30: Artistic Nobody
November 1: blogging it out
November 3: autism mom
November 3: Simple Harvest Reads (Spotlight)
November 5: inklings and notions
November 6: just the write escape
November 7: Carpe Diem
November 8: Quiet Quilter
November 9: Bukwurmzzz
November 9: The Power of Words

Giveaway

 In honor of her tour, Toni is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a650

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

A Baxter Family Christmas




A Baxter Family Christmas is Karen Kingsbury's latest instalment in the Baxter Family saga. If you haven't read the other 23 Baxter books, don't worry! You can start right here and join the Baxter's for Christmas. I have no doubt however, after you read this one, you will be hooked and want to go back and read the others.

Losing a loved one is never easy. Although the grief passes, you still feel a void even after years have past, especially around the holidays. What if, they were an organ donor and you had the opportunity to meet the recipient? To hear their heart beat one more time. Who wouldn't want that chance?

John Baxter loves his family, but losing a daughter is hard. You're not supposed to outlive your childen it just isn't right. He's trying to come to grips with it, it's been a few years, but he just can't make peace. So, he reaches out to Kendra, the lady who received Erin's heart. He feels like meeting her and letting her meet the family might provide the healing they need for all of them to move on. He's kept in touch with Kendra and decides to invite her to the family's Christmas Eve celebration. He feels it's the right thing to do.

Not everyone agrees with him. Some accuse him of being selfish while others respect and understand what he's trying to do. The Baxters have never spent a Christmas Eve apart, afterall Christmas is a time to celebrate the Savior's birth and for families to be together. Will this year be the exception?

Maddie West is carrying a huge load of guilt over a pool accident that happened years ago. She has made a promise to herself that if Hayley can't have a "normal" life then she won't either. She never pauses to consider that God may have other plans in store for her, one of them being Connor Flanigan. She is committed to the promise she made and pushes away his attempts at friendship.

I love Karen Kingsbury books and the way she makes the characters come to life and jump off the page and into your heart. This one is no different. I felt for John, how hard it must be to lose a child and simply desire to hold them one last time and say all the things you never got to say. And sweet little Amy, the only one to survive the family's wreck, desperately wanting to see her mom one last time. It's hard trying to hold onto the past while moving into the future. Sometimes the best you can do is put one foot in front of the the other, trusting God to take care of the rest.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

You can grab a copy here:A Baxter Family Christmas

* I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.