Ignite Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Ignite

Author: Kara Swanson

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: August 20, 2024

Can Mara survive in a world where the fire in her veins is worth killing for?

In a frozen wasteland suffocating beneath a dying sun, Mara is a young phoenix raised by her father to explode at his command. He’s the only one who can help her control her fire, and Mara desperately follows his orders to protect their phoenix family from relentless human hunters.

Her sheltered existence is shattered when her family mysteriously vanishes, thrusting Mara into a perilous quest to find them. Along the way, she unravels a devastating truth: her people may not be the innocent victims she’s been taught to believe.

When she comes face-to-face with the kindhearted Eli, she begins to wonder if the humans aren’t the monsters she’s always feared. What if the greatest danger doesn’t lie in the icy world outside—but in the truth of who Mara really is?

Fire and ice collide in this thrilling tale of a phoenix girl born with the power of a dying sun.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Mindy

“No matter what happens, we’re all just ash in the end… Living is the hard part.”
This eagerly anticipated book was so worth the wait. If you fell in love with Heirs of Neverland, Kara Swanson will wow you again with this incredible tale of a young woman finding herself and her purpose in a frozen world where phoenixes and humans coexist. If you’ve never read a Kara Swanson book, you definitely need to read this one.
Told mostly in Mara’s first person perspective, the plot moves briskly to paint a desolate and dying world where Mara is tasked with protecting her people but learns more than she bargained for when she ventures out into the world. Mara is full of loyalty, grit, and compassion but also suffocating under grief, loss, and anger. She is easy to love and root for as she navigates truth versus lies in her existence. And Eli is the perfect hero. His actions and words attest to a humble, loyal, compassionate, and tender man who wants to do good no matter the sacrifice. I loved the weaving of faith thread into this fantasy world and am (again) eagerly anticipating the follow up book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Enclave Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Kara Swanson writes stories about fairy tales and fiery souls. She spent her childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired her award-winning Peter Pan retellings, Dust and Shadow.

She is also the cofounder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where she has the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.

You’ll find Kara with her toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with her delightfully nerdy husband, or chatting about magic and mayhem on Instagram.

 

More from Kara

This story is one that has lived a hundred lives, a little like the phoenix it’s about —dozens of iterations and nearly eight years discovering Mara’s story. In this icy world beneath a dying sun, I was able to craft a story of a young phoenix girl who was more terrified of her own fire than the dangers of the frozen wasteland outside her underground hideaway. Who has been convinced by the father she loves that her flame is only capable of pain and damage — until suddenly, he disappears. And for the first time, she ventures out of her hideaway to discover that the frozen world outside is actually dying for her flame. And that the parts of herself that she has feared and run from…that there may be beauty, even there. That she can choose to rise from the ash of a world that doesn’t understand her, and use the fire in her veins to bring warmth and healing.

I hope you enjoy the adventure!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 27

By the Book , September 27

Texas Book-aholic, September 28

Live.Love.Read., September 29

Inspired by Fiction, September 30

The Lofty Pages, September 30

Hannahbandanarama, October 1

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 1

Faery Tales Are Real, October 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 3

Min Reads and Reviews, October 3

Wishful Endings, October 4

Book Zone Reviews, October 5

Simple Harvest Reads, October 5 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 6

Where Faith and Books Meet, October 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 8

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 8

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, October 9

Blogging With Carol, October 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kara is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5450/

Immortal Abyss Interview and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Immortal Abyss (Duology Book 2)

Author: Katherine Briggs

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release date: September 17, 2024

Seize the throne. Seek the legend and conquer the Abyss.

Nations rise and fall in the aftermath of war over the Eternity Gate. The corrupted desert throne stands empty, and the Immortal Abyss awakens. Drought ravages the continent, and people long for the rebirth of a starpalm, who will rise from among mortals and end their judgment.

Orphaned at birth, Tol grew up hiding in the farthest corners of the desert, training under powerful rebel fire wielders. She now dedicates her life to the Rebellion’s cause to seize the throne and Abyss from the surviving dynasty and deliver both to the coming deity.

Chosen as the Rebellion’s messenger, she travels to reach sympathizers capable of identifying the starpalm. Familiar figures haunt her dreams, and her path twists with every step she takes. Can Tol fulfill her purpose and summon a legend? Or will her country perish under the judgment of the twin gates?

 

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Donna

What I think you should know:

Immortal Abyss is a Young Adult Fantasy  by Katherine Briggs. It is the second book in the Threshold Duology series.  I highly recommend that you read the first book in the series prior to this book, but if you had to you can read just this book.  This story is set in a fantasy world of Briggs creation, some in the world have the ability to wield fire.

 

What I think about this book:

I will admit that I did not read the first book in the series( but I will be going back to do so) so it took me a few chapters to figure out what was going on.  Once I worked that out I quickly became engrossed in the story and fascinated.  Briggs did an exceptional job of developing her characters and world .  I love how Tol was conflicted with many of the twists that confronted her, but she demonstrated  steadfastness and  loyalty that is inspiring.  I recommend this book to fantasy fans, not just Young Adults. My 16 year old son also gives it 5 stars and has requested I buy him the first book in the series.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Katherine Briggs crafted her first monster story at age three. Since graduating from crayons to laptop, she continues to devour and weave fantasy tales while enjoying chai tea. She, her coadventurer husband, and rescue dog reside outside Houston, where she classically educates amazing middle school students, teaches ESL to adults, and enjoys studying other languages.

 

 

 

 

More from Katherine

Hello friend!

Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t overcome something difficult in your life? Maybe it was a bad habit you wanted to outgrow, a closed door you wished to open, or a choice you needed to make.

Within God’s will, Jesus in Matthew 19:26 says, “With God, all things are possible.” (ESV)

This is why I wrote The Immortal Abyss. Like you, I have felt stuck in my limitations and circumstances. My protagonist Tol, an orphan, strives to carve a new life for herself by joining a rebellion and bringing reform to her corrupted country. But how can she serve her cause if she can’t overcome her weakness in her fire gifting?

Like Tol, we can’t rise above challenges alone. So, what do we do?

  • Ask God for help and thank Him for promising to never abandon us.
  • Seek friends who will reciprocate spurring one another on to persevere.
  • Remain focused on our purpose.

If you’re looking for an adventure fantasy that will encourage you to never give up on what is good, please enjoy The Immortal Abyss, sequel to The Eternity Gate and conclusion to The Threshold Duology.

Cheers to journeying across forbidden lands, meeting new friends, taming dragons, and overcoming the impossible!

~ Katherine Briggs

P.S. If this encouraged you, please join my story newsletter by visiting my website. As a welcome gift, you also will receive my science fiction and fantasy short story collection, Experiments and Enchantment.

Blog Stops

The Lofty Pages, September 28

Artistic Nobody, September 29 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 30

Inspired by Fiction, October 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 2

A Reader’s Brain, October 3 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, October 4 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 6 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, October 7 (Author Interview)

Min Reads and Reviews, October 7

Inklings and notions, October 8

Fiction Book Lover, October 9 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, October 10 (Author Interview)

Denise L. Barela, October 11 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Katherine is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a hardcover copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5451/

The End Begins Spotlight and Giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: The End Begins (Rerelease)

Author: Sara Davison

Genre: Dystopian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: July 15, 2024

Which of them is the prisoner and which one is free?

Bookstore owner Meryn O’Reilly and Army Captain Jesse Christensen are on opposite sides of a battle. After a series of terrorist attacks in 2053, martial law has been declared in Canada and the military has taken over. When a radical Christian group claims responsibility, Jesse and his platoon are sent to Meryn’s city to keep an eye on the Christians and ensure they are not stepping outside the confines of the law.

Fiery and quick-tempered, Meryn chafes under the curfew and other restrictions to her freedom. Jesse is equally amused, intrigued, and terrified by her spirit, knowing she could end up in prison if she shows defiance to the wrong soldier, namely Lieutenant Gallagher.

Jesse watches out for Meryn when possible, although she wants nothing to do with him. His worst fears are realized when she commits a crime he cannot protect her from. Now they both face an uncertain future and the very real threat of losing everything, including their lives.

With time running out, Jesse works feverishly to convince the authorities to show leniency—and to convince Meryn that love can overcome any barrier that lies between them.

 

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sara Davison is the author of The Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo, two sparrows for a penny, and In the Shadows series, as well as the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, including the Christy Award, Davison is a Cascade, Word, and two-time Carol Award winner for romantic suspense. She lives in Ontario with her husband, Michael. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason.

 

 

More from Sara

Most, if not all, great fiction begins with the question, “What if?” This is likely truer for The Day Draws Near Series (formerly The Seven Trilogy) than for any of my other stories.

The seeds for this series were planted as I worked my way through a study on Revelation at our church. Each of those seeds represented a what if question.

What if the Bible was outlawed and taken away from believers? What if restrictions such as a curfew or being forced to wear an identity bracelet were placed on Christians? What if the consequences for not following those restrictions became serious, even deadly? What if publicly declaring that you were a follower of Jesus Christ made it harder to buy or sell items? What if the churches were closed and believers forced to meet underground? What if teaching your children from the Bible meant you risked having them taken away from you? What if all this happened in Canada and the US in the very near future?

And the big question the entire series asks is: What if we are not ready?

Those seeds grew into the characters and storylines that make up the dystopian romantic suspense books The End Begins, The Darkness Deepens, and The Morning Star Rises.

The Day Draws Near Series is a revised and updated-with-new-content version of The Seven Trilogy, originally released in 2015 and 2016. While I don’t for a moment claim these books are prophetic, between their original release and now, many of the things that happen in the series, including a global pandemic, have since come to pass.

My hope and prayer for each book in this series is that readers will be left with a deeper awareness that time is short and that we are living in a society increasingly hostile to Christianity and in a world of darkness that hates the light. However that hostility and hatred plays out, life will become more difficult for Christians in the future, as the Bible clearly claims.

However, the tone of the book and what I pray readers will take with them is one of peace and hope. The most powerful message these stories convey is that there is no need to be afraid. God’s ultimate plan of redemption and reconciliation is playing out in front of our eyes. Nothing can thwart that plan. Nothing can happen that God does not allow.

Above all, every believer can know with absolute certainty that, whatever happens in the future, we will never face it alone. God will be with us, watching over us and giving us the strength and the courage to endure to the end.

Blog Stops

The Lofty Pages, September 19

For the Love of Literature, September 20 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 22

Through the Fire Blogs, September 23 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 23

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 24

Betti Mace, September 25

Artistic Nobody, September 26 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 27

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, September 28 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, September 29 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Beauty in the Binding, September 30 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 1

For Him and My Family, October 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sara is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a paperback copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5445

Redeeming the Rake Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Redeeming the Rake

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 20, 2024

He’s bent on destroying everything she values, stealing her heart in the process.

As a vicar’s daughter, Emily Thompson has always put her family’s reputation first, even when it meant setting aside her aspirations of joining the Royal Art Academy. But when a notorious London rake is accosted in her sleepy Costwold village and her quick thinking saves the libertine’s blackened soul, that reputation she’s so carefully guarded is left vulnerable to vicious gossip.

Agent Lord Jacob Edward Warren’s silver tongue can’t save him when he’s staring down the barrel of a vengeful husband’s gun. but an enchanting damsel’s skill with a bow and arrow offers him the hope of tomorrow. Intrigued by Miss Thompson’s quiet charm, he commissions the budding artist to paint his portrait, but his intensions change when he discovers this beguiling beauty holds not only his chance at redemption but also the intelligence he’s been assigned to gather.

The time spent in Lord Warren’s company has Emily wondering if he’s hiding more than charm and wit behind his reputation as a rake. But when she’s drawn into Jacob’s noble cause, the web of danger proves more perilous than either of them are prepared to face.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Donna

What I think you should know:

Redeeming the Rake, a Christian Historical Fiction  by Lorri Dudley is the Third book in the Agents of  Espionage Series.  Set in 1818 this book follows Lord Jacob Warren, an agent for the home office.  This book can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend the previous books in the series.

What you might need to know:

This books cover several sensitive topics including:

Abuse, both physical and mental

Pregnancy out of wedlock

Adoption

What you might need to know

Emily Thompson, a vicar’s daughter has been raised to be a woman of virtue; she is also spunky and a talented artist.  I really enjoyed getting to know her and her passion throughout the book. Jacob was a mystery that was nice to see unfold. It was really nice how there was more than one mystery threaded throughout the book, it kept me engaged in the story and the characters.  I really enjoyed how the author handled sensitive subjects in a way that still kept the book a clean Christian based read.  “Then why are you still trying to climb on the cross and pay for your sins..”  WOW what a powerful reminder to all believers!  I also  love how the author says  “Sin Separates us from God, but Jesus offers us a clean slate.” This was a wonderful read, I look forward to more from this author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Lorri

Before I started writing books, I used to teach art at a local Christian school for first through fifth grade. Having a main character as an artist was a delight. I wrote Emily’s view of vibrant colors, light and shadows, shapes, and perspective from my personal experience and enjoyed putting an artist’s visual viewpoint into words.

A clash of characters—the Neoclassic vs. Romantic method

The early 1800s ushered in a change from the Neoclassical to the Romantic movement. (They had me at romantic.) Neoclassical art focused on traditional subject matter, often contemporary Lord and Ladies, political figures, or Roman mythological characters. The style used prominent horizontal and vertical renderings in a shallow space with sober colors, and brush strokes weren’t to be seen. Romanticism, on the other hand, focused on imagination, an awe of nature, emotion, and individualism. Romanticists painted with a broader brush—literally and figuratively.

Emily and Jacob’s relationship becomes the merging of the two art movements. Although Emily is artistic, she’s traditional and holds herself in check, afraid to make mistakes or act freely due to a fear of people’s perceptions and being a vicar’s daughter. She sees the world in bright colors and displays a touch of Romanticism in her artwork. When not painting, Emily sees herself and her future in plain and sobering colors. She keeps her world small and shallow to protect her family’s reputation, especially her beloved and impressionable younger brother.

Lord Jacob Warren is the born-to-be-wild, laugh in the face of danger, third-born son, who doesn’t care a wit what others think as long as he accomplishes his mission as a spy. However, his individualistic, romantic side is intrigued by the vicar’s daughter who saves his life, and he’s curious about the woman who’d pound on his chest and scream, “You will live, in Jesus’s name!” His emotions stir when Emily notices details about him that others never bothered to learn and becomes charmed by her natural beauty.

Jacob and Emily may paint with different brushstrokes, but their love, when blended, demonstrates a powerful masterpiece, the kind of love that only God could orchestrate.

Enjoy!

Blog Stops

She Lives To Read, September 10

Melissa’s Bookshelf, September 11

Holly’s Book Corner, September 11

lakesidelivingsite, September 12

Betti Mace, September 13

Stories By Gina, September 14 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 17

Texas Book-aholic, September 17

Cover Lover Book Review, September 18

DevotedToHope, September 19

Book Looks by Lisa, September 20

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 21

Pause for Tales, September 21

Simple Harvest Reads, September 22 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, September 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5437

Collision Course Interview and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Collision Course

Author: Millie Norwich Inman

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release date: January 17, 2024

The shocking death of the popular Prince of Wales launches his young heir from innocent childhood into a roiling caldron of jealousy and intrigue. Set in all the glory of eighteenth century England, the young crown prince is urgently prepared for his aged grandfather’s throne.  Under the wing of his godly mentor, the prince staggers through a minefield of hazards.

Parallel to the prince’s journey, is the story of a down-and-out firebrand statesman, considering retirement from the House of Commons because he’s under the king’s extreme disfavor. An alliance between the two ensures the prince’s safe ascension. It also renders his godly mentor and the statesman, the two most powerful men in Great Britain. Then, in the face of escalating war, a shocking twist changes everything.

Collision Course is a slice of real history with real people fleshed out and facing the real challenges of living in a fallen world.  It shatters stereotypes as it treks through England’s finest gardens and dines with kings and statesmen all the while peering into the universal nature of the human soul and the heartbeat of corrupted constitutional government. This is the true, untold story of alliance, ambition, betrayal, war, loss, and recovery that set the world stage for the American Revolution.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Millie Norwich Inman holds a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis. She taught school and raised a family before dabbling in freelance for periodicals.  A fair measure of success added to profound sorrow over the loss of Western Civilization culture and history, launched her into extensive research for this engaging slice of pre-American Revolution history. On two trips to England she read at the British Library and Richmond Records Office, and traipsed through fabulous architecture and scrumptious gardens. At home in Texas, she took advantage of the Trinity University, Rice University, and University of Texas San Antonio Libraries, as well as the amazing Inter-Library Loan System from her hometown Boerne Library. Similar to the research style of NYT bestseller, America’s First Daughter, some of the wittiest dialogue in Collision Course has been lifted and adapted from original letters.

More from Millie

Collision Course is a walk in the park to smell the roses compared to an all-nighter-adrenalin-rush. And the third Earl of Bute is a reluctant hero-protagonist. He’s far more interested in creating calming garden vistas than in jumping into the heart of a rough-housing political fray.

Lord Bute is John Stuart (b. 1713), a descendant of the Stuart kings of Scotland on his father’s side and the powerful Campbell Clan on his mother’s. Branches of the Campbell Clan were still known as the fiercest of highland fighters when Bute was in his twenties. The Highlanders identified as Catholics but knew little of Jesus, and I dare say, never seemed to have heard of the Bible. So, their war-like tendencies really went berserk, after the Bloodless Revolution of 1688. Whenever the banished Catholic heir, the debauched “Bonnie Prince Charlie,” felt sufficiently resentful to sail back from France and contend for the crown, he’d swing by Scotland and enlist belligerent Highlanders. On these occasions, the Campbells would take a respite from murdering the MacDonalds and bludgeoning Lowlander Presbyterians, to gleefully enlist for a bloody tromp into England.

However, by the third “Bonnie Prince” invasion in 1745, Lord Bute’s branch of the Campbell Clan had experienced a come to Jesus. Godly education had become a family priority. Since Lord Bute’s godly father had died when he was nine, his godly mother had tucked him under the wings of her two godly Campbell brothers. Bute’s Campbell uncles were entrenched in the Edinburg intelligentsia. Intellectuals were Christians. Enlightenment academics followed Christians. Bute’s Campbell family branch were Scotland’s civic leaders, innovators in banking, business, jurisprudence, and republican statesmanship in addition to their stellar reputations in science, theology, medicine, and literature.

Lord Bute’s Campbell uncles, along with his Stuart father, were instrumental in the forming the United Kingdom and in installing Protestant royalty, to act in the interest of all their subjects, on the throne of England. The value of the common man was a novel idea. Bute’s uncles ran the elections for nineteen Scottish representatives to Parliament in Westminster. So, it’s really no wonder, that in the third invasion of Prince Charlie tyrants, three contingents of militia from the Campbell Clan fought for British liberty under George II’s favorite son, the Duke of Cumberland. Campbells fought Campbells.

It was in this third invasion that the young protagonist prince’s uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, became feared as “The Butcher.” After Cumberland led the government’s final victory, and as the “Bonnie Prince” slipped away on his ship back to France, the Duke of Cumberland ran a genocide campaign of the most war-like Highlanders (30 something Campbells). That ended the north Britain invasions and turned thoughts to a walk in the park-like gardens. Let Collision Course begin.

Interview with the Author

1) What inspired this book?

The inspiration for Collision Course was awareness that history and classical literature were being scoured from our schools and public institutions. I was writing free-lance for periodicals while grieving the loss of Western Civilization. There’s wisdom that satisfies the soul in classical literature. And people that don’t know history are condemned to repeat its worst miseries.

I decided to research mid-eighteenth century England to find true causes behind the American Revolution. An untold story clarified, populated with amazing characters that might entice my children and grandchildren to thirst for more. I wrote Collision Course lovingly for posterity­­­­­­­­­­­­­— yours and mine, and thoroughly enjoyed it myself. I wanted upcoming generations to find the love of God and personal virtue are the bulwark of our freedom. This book is a clarion call for young and old to taste afresh the sweetness of the British legacy behind America’s founding vision:  the Creator God, His gift of inalienable rights to all men, equal justice, and sweet liberty.

2) Which character did you connect with best in this book?

That would be the 3rd Earl of Bute, John Stuart of Scotland. I may have been born with that same didactic nature. I surly cleaved to the same love for the Lord and desire to please Him, like Lord Bute did. My mom’s dad and my dad’s mom, like Lord Bute’s Stuart father and Campbell uncles, nurtured a fascination for gardening in me. I think my great-grandfather, Johnny Graham from Glasgow helped my identifying with the Scottish earl.  I have a picture of him in his tartan plaid with a prize feather in his cap. He brought his bagpipes to America and taught my Mama the Highland Fling. I know the dance steps but you’ll notice in the book Highland dancing was a celebration exclusive to the men.

Scots have a reputation for starched-stiff seriousness. My German genes aided and abetted what Brits would call “a want of sense of humor.” As a young woman, I recall praying fervently I would stop taking myself so seriously. God answered with an abundant dose of levity. So, you’ll find plenty of amusement in Collision Course. Two players break the tension of politics and intrigue crossing the stage periodically with comic relief like Shakespearian jesters. I also gave Lord Bute several occasions for humorous merriment.

3) What is your favorite vacation spot?

Well, after studying America’s roots in Great Britain, it’s there. I’ve taken great pleasure from sitting in the transepts of Westminster Abbey just drinking in the stunning, enormous leaded- glass rose window over the north entrance. Or being transported to ethereal realms by strains of the all-male (boys and men) choir singing Evensong. Parliament no longer meets in St. Stephens Chapel and the Painted Chamber, but it acts the same. I’ve sat looking over the green leather upholstery in the House of Commons as an MP spoke from the floor punctuated by loud huzzahs or drowned out by obnoxious scoffs and groans from colleagues. I’ve visited the mighty, cavernous red-upholstered House of Lords. I’ve startled at the large size of the iconic wool-sack.  And I’ve recalled it was there to remind the ruling peers of the traditional wellspring of Great Britain’s economy— least anyone dare encumber the wool industry with regulations and taxes.

I’ve sucked in the fragrance of the mighty River Thames from an open boat cruising to Kew and Richmond. I’ve sauntered in public gardens rich with spring flowers. I’ve lingered in the high-walled kitchen garden at Kew where lettuce reclines under foxglove and hollyhocks stand as sentry behind carrots and herbs. I’ve gawked my way over hill and dale on the train to Edinburg. I’ve thrilled to the fragrance of salty air thicker than fog on the ferry ride from the village of Weams to the Isle of Bute in Scotland. I’ve wandered Lord Bute’s garden trails in May through waning crowds of daffodils and dwindling bluebell patches, stood speechless at the base of the solemn oblisque honoring the life of the widowed (dowager) Princess of Wales Augusta. (She’s the young prince’s struggling single mama in Collision Course). I’ve been awestruck by the perfume while walking through banks of yellow azaleas. I’ve lingered beneath towering ancient rhododendrons dressed for some surreal heavenly ball in the finest silks and satins of lavenders and pinks.

Yes. My favorite vacation spot is still the UK. At the mere thought, I envision a stroll beneath the Gothic spires of Oxford. I can already hear Big Ben striking the hour at Westminster. And, do I hear strains of Handel, the court composer for Collision Course, at a free noon concert among the homeless at the colonial style church, St. Martin-in-the Fields? At the mention of the Cotswold, I’m huddled by the stone hearth in a 400-year-old coaching Inn.

 Or I’m tucked away upstairs under a down quilt in a Jacobean mansion with a pleasant green slope dotted with sheep just outside the iron-paned window. Sign me up for England.

4) Which part of Collision Course was most difficult to write?

This is a riveting question. And I need to be brief and nameless for the answer not to be a dreaded “spoiler.” I’ve long since taken note how God created people in three parts: body, soul (psyche: emotions and will), and spirit. The three seem to interact and affect each other. Especially, the spirit and the soul. If the spirit is healthy, usually the soul will be also.

It’s difficult to write about the effects of presumptuous sin which begins with subtle pride— the thing God hates most— and grows into obsession. If there’s no interruption by confession and repentance, pride claims increasing territory in the soul. I know there is grace, but following some heart-hardening secret event, the weakened spirit and corrupted soul seem to latch on to each other in a downward spin toward oblivion. Satanic strongholds deceive sufficiently to take that person down with emotional disorders. Obsession is painful to watch and difficult to write.

5) What is your favorite scripture or life verse?

There are so many favorites, the most favorite favorite changes from time to time. I used to think a lot about Ephesians 2:10 about the purpose for my creation is good works that God had already planned. Awesome! But for the last ten years, I’ve gravitated to the whole of Psalm139. I’ve devoured it in increments. In the first verse, I invite God to be my master and search and know me for accountability. Then, He assures me of His amazing intimate love, His stunning knowledge of me, and His presence wherever I go. Up to heaven, in the grave, across the sea,  His right hand will lay ahold of me. Then I tell Him I sometimes fear this present darkness and He assures me the night is as bright as the day to Him Double awesome! While I’m wrapping my head around that, He assures me He knew me as unformed substance and knit me together in my mother’s womb. More awesome than I can ever fathom.

 And He promises me He wrote in His book how many days He ordained for me before there was one of them. So, I need to take care of my life but not worry about it. The most spectacular kind of awesome!!

I never thought I would need to call on God to slay the wicked like David did. But I sometimes do now as I watch the machinations of wicked politicians with evil intentions. The Psalm ends with submitting to God again for accountability and praying He will lead me on the in the everlasting way.

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 20

Simple Harvest Reads, September 21 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 22

Artistic Nobody, September 23 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 24

Fiction Book Lover, September 25 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, September 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 28

Vicky Sluiter, September 29 (Author Interview)

Betti Mace, September 30

Blossoms and Blessings, October 1 (Author Interview)

Beauty in the Binding, October 2 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, October 3 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Millie is giving away the grand prize of a copy of the book and a $75 gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5446

Legacy of Hope Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Legacy of Hope

Author: Renae Brumbaugh Green

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: September 3, 2024

Ivelisse “Lisa” Garcia has overcome her past growing up in an orphanage and found purpose as a nurse at a local mission hospital. When a mysterious stranger she had a chance encounter with shows up in her ward with no memory of his past, Lisa is determined to help him recover, both mentally and physically. As she aids in his recovery, and a spark kindles between them, she wonders if there might be room for both fulfillment and love in her life.

But Lisa has a secret, and when it gets out, it could ruin any chance she has at love.

Jackson Stratton, desperate to escape his father’s tyranny, embarks on a daring journey to join Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. But a freak accident leaves him wounded and unable to remember his past. As he struggles to piece together the fragments of his former life, he finds himself drawn to the beautiful nurse who has become his lifeline. Will he ever unlock the keys to his past, or will his upbringing remain shrouded in mystery as he tries to start anew?

And should he learn the truth of his past, will it prevent him from embracing the future he truly wants?

 

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Donna

What I think you should know:

Legacy of Hope, a historical Christian fiction by Renae Brumbaugh Green is the third book in The Stratton Legacy. Set in San Antonio in 1898, this story features Jackson “Jack” Stratton, who suffers amnesia and Ivelisse “Lisa” Garcia, an Orphan turn nurse who helps care for Jack as he recovers both physically and mentally. This story can be read as a standalone, but does give spoilers for the previous books in the series.

What you might need to know:

Jack  was raised in a very volatile and abusive home. Jack is injured at the beginning of the book and has amnesia.

Lisa was raised in an orphanage

What I think about this book:

This was a very captivating book, Green takes readers on a heartfelt emotional journey with the characters. I love the quote “Getting to know a person is a marathon, not a sprint.” I love how the author allowed the character to get to know each  other over time and stayed true to the plot.  It makes the story all the sweeter in my opinion.  I love how Lisa was such a pillar of faith in the book, especially how Green had her pray over many things including “Make your request known to God.” As a Christian it is nice to have a reminder that God loves us so much that he doesn’t mind us praying for the desires of our hearts, not just our needs. Jack was also an interesting character, I enjoyed seeing how even though he lost his memory he didn’t lose his integrity.  I highly recommend this book and look forward to more by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Renae Brumbaugh Green is a city-girl-turned-country-diva. She’s married to a handsome country boy named Rick, and she’s mom to four nearly-perfect, nearly-grown children, two rowdy dogs, and some ducks. They live in rural Texas where Renae wears overalls, western boots, and bubblegum pink nail polish. She’s a bestselling author of over 30 books, an award-winning humor columnist, and an online English teacher. In her free time, she can be found leaping tall buildings and rescuing kittens from trees. Or, she’d like to do those things, if she had free time.

 

 

 

More from Renae

To the casual observer, Jackson Stratton probably looks like he has it all. He lives in a beautiful home. He has influential parents and plenty of money. But behind the fancy facade, he exists under the harsh, abusive judgment of his father’s expectations. At the beginning of our story, Jackson leaves to begin a new life.

After an accident takes his memories, he’s truly given a fresh start. What if that could happen for each of us? All the hurt, all the pain, all the shame and neglect and abuse could be wiped away? What if we could truly choose who we want to become?

Lisa, on the other hand, was abandoned as an infant. She struggles with self-worth, even while experiencing God’s visible kindness, love and grace. No matter who we are or what our circumstances, none of us is immune to Satan’s lies, telling us we’ll never measure up.

The truth is, you are already exactly who God created you to be. You are perfectly formed in His image, with His characteristics, His strength and His power. But this world, this life, has a way of distorting that image. Sin—both our own sin and others’ actions toward us—deforms that beautiful spirit. Satan fills our heads with lies about who we are, and it doesn’t take long for us to see that image when we look in the mirror, instead of the God-created one.

So how do we go about finding the truth, when so much of our identity is built on lies? It’s possible. But it’s not easy. Just as we untangle a tight, wadded-up knot gently, one strand at a time, we can address the lies, the guilt, the shame one piece, one prayer at a time. It’s a process… but isn’t that what life is? A process of sloughing off the bad and becoming more and more like our Father?

When Jackson’s memories leave him, God doesn’t. He still hears that still, small voice, speaking truth. And though most of us have our memories intact, we can listen. With discipline and perseverance and faith, we can learn to ignore the lies and hear only God, telling us who we are, who He made us to be. We are strong. We are intelligent. We have great purpose. We are wanted. And we are loved.

I hope you enjoy reading about Jackson and Lisa’s journeys. And I hope, somewhere in there, you find a reminder that you are not your circumstances. You are not your past. You have hope, and you have an amazing future planned by your adoring Father. You are, and always will be, a valued, treasured, beautiful, wanted, loved child of the King.

“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

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, September 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 11

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 12

Madi’s Musings, September 12

Vicky Sluiter, September 13

Sylvan Musings, September 14

Devoted To Hope, September 15

Lighthouse Academy Blog, September 16 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 18

Texas Book-aholic, September 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 19

Connie’s history classroom, September 20

An Author’s Take, September 20

Simple Harvest Reads, September 21 (Guest Review from Donna)

Cover Lover Book Review, September 22

For Him and My Family, September 23

Pause for Tales, September 24

Holly’s Book Corner, September 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour Renae is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5438

The Garden Girls Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Garden Girls

Author: Jessica R. Patch

Genre: Thriller

Release date: April 23, 2024

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past.

FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape.

Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger.

As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…

 

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Mindy

This is psychological thriller at its best. Jessica R Patch definitely knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat! The book is not for the faint of heart; it’s gritty, it’s got a deranged serial killer, it’s got a deranged cult family, and it’s got blood and gore. And yet in the midst of evil, the author’s inclusion of true faith and real hope shines a beacon to bring the good guys home to save the day. It was indeed a breath of fresh air to see Fiona, Asa, Violet, and Owen’s faith take root and influence Tiberius.
Bexley and Tiberius were so much fun together. Despite their gut-wrenching and painful past, their banter was delicious and they made a good team. Tiberius with his impulsive nature, no-filter brain, and wacky sense of humor did not fit my typical hero profile but I still loved getting to know him. His big, tender, loyal, and introspective heart mirrored Bexley’s and I really enjoyed watching them piece the puzzle together to catch the killer. The villain’s third person voice and a victim’s first person voice added surprising layers to the narrative. There were crazy plot twists that left me completely flabbergasted.  The suspense was absolutely intense but the lessons of faith, love and forgiveness were equally intense.
This is book 3 in the series and I highly recommend reading the series in order to get the full flavor of the Strange Crimes Unit team. If you love psychological thrillers, you can’t miss this one. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Love Inspired via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Jessica R. Patch is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her dry wit, signatures twists, and complex characters. She loves reading true crime books, discussing cold cases over chips and salsa with her girlfriends, and hunting down serial killers in her romantic suspense novels and psychological thrillers.

Jessica loves to encourage and inspire people to forward living devotionals through her monthly email newsletter. You’re invited to join the Patched In community at her website: www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller, Nobody Has to Know.

She resides in the Memphis area with her husband and her spoiled tri-color Shetland Sheepdog since becoming empty nesters. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

More from Jessica

Does Dark Subject Matter Belong in Inspirational Thrillers?

Spoil alert! Yes.

I am often asked why I write thrillers with darker subject matter and should I? My answer is easy and it’s biblical.

In the Bible, you’ll find all sorts of twisted, dark subject matter. Simply read the book of Judges. God didn’t sanitize the Bible or the people, which include sexual immorality, murder, gruesome violence against women and even cannibalism and child sacrifice (you won’t find child sacrifice in my books, so rest assured). He didn’t approve of these things nor did He condone them, but He also didn’t edit it out for easy reading pleasure. It was important to reveal the dark human condition and what happens apart from God; many heinous things were perpetrated by God’s people as they edged away from their faith into disobedience.

Reading this darker subject matter is hopeful because it reminds us of who we, too, can become apart from God actively in our lives and that God can still accomplish His redemptive purposes in the midst of that darkness. Light shines and is a beacon of hope. Of salvation.

So I don’t shy away from the underbelly of humanity whether it’s through an unbeliever or a believer who has run off the rails and needs brought to repentance and restoration. Light always shines in my books—God rescues, redeems, reconciles and redirects. I’m willing to go there in my stories because I know that it doesn’t stay dark. It doesn’t stay hopeless because we are never without hope.

In The Garden Girls, I wanted to explore that darkness but not with pointy horns and pitchforks. I think we all run from blatant evil that isn’t hiding or masking itself. But what about when evil masquerades as an angel of light? What about when it’s charming, smells good, offers pleasure, and seems harmless? Like a shiny lure that is attractive but when bitten, hooks and binds the unsuspecting victim. Biblical principles and truths weave through the story and in at the heart, it’s a redemptive story. One that takes hurricane force to bring a man to Truth, and choice to bow his heart and yield to sacrificial love.

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, September 5

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 6

Inspired by Fiction, September 7

Stories By Gina, September 8 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 9

Texas Book-aholic, September 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 13

Simple Harvest Reads, September 14 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Blogging With Carol , September 15

For Him and My Family, September 16

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 16

Holly’s Book Corner, September 17

Just Your Average reviews, September 18

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jessica is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of Her Darkest Secret, a paperback copy of A Cry in the Dark and a $35 Amazon gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5432

Wonderfully, Marvelously, Brown Epic Book Launch

About the Book

Book: Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown

Author: Xochitl (So-Cheel) Dixon

Genre: Children’s picture book, fiction, ages 3-8

Release date: October 1, 2024

Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown, follows a young boy on a joyously affirming adventure that celebrates all shades of brown, from the darkest to the lightest.

From new school desks to freckles and moles, from fresh pastries to cedar canoes, brown is everywhere around us. God created and used brown to color the giant California redwoods, the Grand Canyon walls, busy beavers building dams, great horned owls hoo-hooing, and his image-bearers.

Everywhere that I go
I’m searching to see
something wonderfully, marvelously
brown—just like you and like me!

Illustrated by Pura Belpré Honor Award artist Sara Palacios and written by Xochitl Dixon, Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown takes kids on a tour of the U.S. to seek and find all the brilliant and beautiful shades of brownfrom ivory to ebonythat God created. Readers will be encouraged to love the skin tone God chose for them as they observe how the spectacular shades of brown are reflected in their communities and the world around them.

Author Q&A

  1. A poignant line in the book states that God made many colors, “each a beautiful hue,” and rejoices that He chose brown when He made “me and you.” The verse you shared after this final line is Genesis 1:31, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Would you please share the heart behind these powerful end statements and why you chose to place them together?

When readers realize that God used the same color to create our skin tones, from the darkest to the lightest shades of brown, He can tear down the lies that divide us and help us celebrate every skin color as good, beautiful, and God-given. I pray this scientific and biblical truth will help eradicate the ignorance and insecurity that has caused the divisions, stereotypes, prejudice, colorism, and racism that have led to false senses of superiority and inferiority.

Missed Any Questions, Go Here

Excerpt One: https://coverloverbookreview.blogspot.com/2024/09/wonderfully-marvelously-brown.html
Excerpt Two: https://lakesidelivingsite.wordpress.com/2024/09/08/wonderfully-marvelously-brown-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Three: http://kid-lit.library-lady.blog/epic-book-launch-and-excerpt-wonderfully-marvelously-brown-picture-book/
Excerpt Four: https://www.guildmaster97.com/posts/wonderfully-marvelously-brown-epic-book-launch-excerpt/
Excerpt Five: https://www.amoderndayfairytale.net/2024/09/wonderfully-marvelously-brown-epic-book.html
Excerpt Seven: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/wonderfully-marvelously-brown-epic-book-launch/

About the Author

Xochitl (So-Cheel) Dixon, author of Waiting for God: Trusting Him for the Answers to Your Prayers, is a regular contributor for Our Daily Bread, the bestselling God Hears Her compilations and blog, and Tyndale’s NLT Go Bible for Kids (September 2024). Equipping readers to grow closer to God while nurturing an authentic loving community, she shares biblical encouragement, celebrates ethnic diversity, and advocates for disability awareness with her beautifully diverse family and her service dog, Callie, featured in the 2021 ECPA Christian Book Award Children’s Book Finalist Different Like MeDiferente como yo, What Color is God’s Love? and Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown. She connects with readers on Instagram, Facebook, and at www.xedixon.com.

Conversation Hearts Review and Giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Conversation Hearts

Author: Marguerite Martin Gray

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: July 30, 2024

Will she be able to save her father from the island’s magic before she falls victim to it herself?

When Megan Standish finds out about her father’s new relationship, she storms into the Suamalie Islands to rescue her father and carry him home to New Mexico. He’s firmly planted on Alexandre, however, but she refuses to let the island’s magic cast a spell on her decision. Even when a handsome islander and his daughter knock at her heart.

Jean Girard is a local with a flourishing transportation business taking passengers from island to island. When he encounters Megan’s stormy tirade on his boat, he promises to shelter his daughter and himself from her negative vibes. His concern continues to grow as he watches his daughter get attached to the American.

Either Jean will have to create an even bigger hedge of protection around his daughter and his heart from this pouty, controlling woman, or he will have to trust God to peel back the stubborn, hurting layers of the past and allow the miracle of His love again.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Donna

What I think you should know:

Conversation Hearts  by  Marguerite Martin Gray is the fourteenth book in the Suamalie Islands series . The series is  Contemporary Christian Fiction set on a fictional set of Islands in the Pacific. The series is written by several authors with stories that have the common connection of the Islands. In this book we return to Alexandre Island. I highly recommend that you read Room For Love prior to reading this book as it will help you to understand the context of this story.

 

What you might need to know:

Megan lost her mother two years ago and is still struggling with her grief.  She is not ready for her father to “move on”.

Jean’s wife left him and their daughter, now he has a mistrust of relationships.

 

What I think about this book:

Megan starts this book as such a prickly pear, she has one mission and that is to get her Dad home.  While I didn’t really “love” her character at first, I feel like she is a great representation of many of us when we are presented with the unexpected or unwanted. I even understood her prayer, “ She couldn’t pray about this situation. What if God was on her father’s side?”  How many times as a Christian are we afraid to pray because we are afraid that our will is not in line with God’s will ? It was very interesting to  see Megan’s attitude change and relationships develop slowly over time. I really enjoy how Grey describes the Island, the food, the animals and the residents. She does a great job of transporting the reader and immersing them in the story.  This book had a lot of great nuggets that can apply to life. I love how  Walker prayed “ You know the outcome already, Lord. Help me not mess things up with my actions or words. That may be my  favorite take away from this book. I can’t wait to visit Alexandre again and see where the author takes her characters!

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own

About the Author

Marguerite Martin Gray is the author of Hold Me Close, Surround Me, and Bring Me Near– Revolutionary Faith Books One, Two and Three. Besides researching her historical novels, she enjoys studying history and writing fiction. An avid traveler and reader, she teaches French and has degrees in French, Spanish, and Journalism from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and a MA in English from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Marguerite is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Abilene Writers Guild, Daughters of the American Revolution, South Carolina Historical Society, and Preservation Society of Charleston. She currently lives in North Louisiana with her husband and Cleo, her cat. Her two adult children keep her up to date and young.

 

More from Marguerite

I have enjoyed this series and the relationships forming as the characters find new ways to communicate on the journey. Are you a good communicator? Introvert or extrovert? Conversation is so very important. Think about how we use it every day: directions, warnings, concerns, prayers, instructions, disciplines. Even though I teach online, my words of concern and instruction are needed to spur the students toward success. Somehow, I have the words to communicate well in so many areas of my life.

Then what about the heart? I think of the Valentine’s candy hearts—Conversation Hearts! As relationships develop between characters in Room for Love and Conversation Hearts, the heart becomes more and more a major component with all the characters. Yet, sometimes we fail to really say what we think in order to protect our hearts. There are many lessons to learn about being honest in relationships. Sometimes we avoid the conversation part and miss out on the wonderful relationships.

I embrace the conversation of the heart in my life through love, decisions, marriage, job, God appointments, children, and difficult circumstances. Explore different facets of important conversations with Amy and Walker and their families as you read this installment of Suamalie Islands series.

Happy Reading!

 

 

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 30

Stories By Gina, August 31 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 31

She Lives to Read, September 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 2

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 3

A Reader’s Brain, September 4 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 5

Back Porch Reads, September 6 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 6

Karen Baney Reviews, September 7

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

Artistic Nobody, September 9 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 10

Holly’s Book Corner, September 11

Beauty in the Binding, September 12 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5429

Unseen Danger Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Unseen Danger (Guardians Unleashed Book 3)

Author: Jerusha Agen

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: July 27, 2023

This woman and her K-9 protect others. Now who will protect them?

After a brutal attack, it took Nevaeh Williams six years to rebuild her life. Now a security specialist at the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency, she faces danger nearly every day. But when an old friend is targeted, her fragile stability begins to crumble.

Celebrity bodyguard Branson Aaberg could lose more than his career if he fails to end the mysterious threat against his client. Soon he’s more concerned with rescuing the tough but vulnerable woman who joins his security team.

Nevaeh is there to protect her friend, but what if she needs protection? What if the feeling she’s being watched isn’t the result of her traumatized imagination? If the danger is real, Nevaeh’s only hope for survival may be the God powerful enough to defeat her worst enemy—the one she doesn’t see before it’s too late.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Donna

What I think you should know:
Unseen Danger by Jerusha Agen is a Christian Romantic Suspense. It is the third book in the Guardians Unleashed Series, however it is really the fourth due to a prequel. I would recommend that you read the prior books starting with Rising Danger and it introduces many key members of the series in the Ladies of Phoenix K-9 group. This book features Nevaeh Williams and her Rottweiler mix, Al.

What you might need to know:
Nevaeh struggles with PTSD due to a violent attack, she tries to hide how much it is impacting her life
Branson witnessed a church shooting when he was younger, it guided him to become the man he is today.

What I think about this book:
Agen has created a wonderful world with the ladies of Phoenix K-9, each story is full of twists and turns with danger around every corner, but God’s faithfulness shining throughout. Nevaeh’s story touched me in a profound way. Oftentimes I struggle with why God allows bad things to happen to his followers. Nevaeh’s Pop said “But I learned long ago, I got to trust Him ‘cause there ain’t no stopping Him” what a powerful message. I also appreciate how characters in the book come to realize that in a situation where they thought God had abandoned them, He was really there protecting them! I loved this book and look forward to more of Guardians Unleashed

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes romantic suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats, often while reading or watching movies.

 

 

 

 

More from Jerusha

For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with fear. As a child, fear of bugs, thunderstorms, and being left behind shadowed my otherwise happy days.

Though I’m all grown up now, I still haven’t shed that shadow of fear. My fears are more grown-up, too. Now I fear losing loved ones, physical dangers, and death.

People in our culture love to tell us it’s okay to fear. They say fear is natural and even helpful. But the Bible tells a counter-cultural story. The Bible tells us the truth that fear of anything in this world is sinful.

So the Lord has been taking me on a journey to fearless in recent years. And along that journey’s path, I encountered Nevaeh Williams. The heroine of Unseen Danger, Nevaeh experienced life-threatening, terrifying trauma when she was attacked.

Six years later, she’s still haunted by PTSD and frightening memories. As a security specialist and protection dog handler with the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency, Nevaeh tries to hide her fear. She can function well most of the time, as long as she avoids the trigger of getting close to any large, strong men.

Nevaeh’s story was a powerful one for me to write since she is crippled by fears even worse than my own. Culture would say her fears are “legitimate” and “useful.” Some of Nevaeh’s friends and even her boss encourage her to use her fear as a tool.

But that approach doesn’t help Nevaeh find freedom from fear. Tolerating my own fears doesn’t help me either. Excusing and condoning fear only makes fear worse. Because such fear is a sin which, when allowed to fester, will grow and spread until it takes control of my life.

Nevaeh’s battle against fear is an inspiration to me and anyone else who struggles with worry, anxiety, and any form of fear. Her story shows that defeat of fear is possible. Freedom is possible. Victory is possible. Fearless is possible, only through the power of Jesus Christ.

Do you want to battle your fears alongside me and Nevaeh? Reading Unseen Danger might be a good place to start.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 23

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 25

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 26

Devoted To Hope, August 27

Fiction Book Lover, August 28 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 28

Betti Mace, August 29

Simple Harvest Reads, August 30 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, August 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 1

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, September 1

Stories By Gina, September 2

Holly’s Book Corner, September 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jerusha is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card, a signed paperback of Unseen Danger, an Unseen Danger tote bag, magnet, and keychain, plus more swag!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5420/