Monday, May 25, 2020

"Taking Chances" blog tour!


About the Book


Book:  Taking Chances
Author: Melody Carlson
Genre:  Middle Grade
Release Date: April 15, 2020

Zoey knows her days are numbered. At least when it comes to remaining in Cedarville. So when Louisa coaxes her to be part of a garage band, Zoey tosses her insecurities aside to make music with her friends. And she even goes out for the basketball team. But what will happen when her mom shows up and pulls the plug on everything?

My  Review:
First of all, this book is #4 in a series and I highly recommend you start with book 1 and read all 4 in order as they all build upon each other and they are all so good!  Melody Carlson is one of my must read authors and I was thrilled when she began writing this series as my daughter is a preteen and she loves to read and I knew this would be books that I could get for her to read and not have to worry about whether what she was reading was appropriate for her or not.  Honestly, I enjoyed this series as well and it gave us some good talking points as well!  Zoey has had to deal issues at school and with her peers, just like kids have to in real-life; she is a very relatable character.  I love the lessons that are learned throughout the book and the faith that she develops.  This is an excellent book and series and I am sad to see it end, but hoping for more books as my daughter is now hooked on this author as well!

Click here for your copy!

About the Author


Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, True Colors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.

More from Melody

Sometimes I feel guilty for ‘torturing’ my teen and tween characters, but I do it for my readers. It’s not easy being an adolescent, and reading about someone who’s facing hard times is comforting. But in the final Zoey book, I really wanted to give her some victories too. So when challenges come her way, she stands up to them. And she even puts her newly found faith to work. The goal is for readers to feel hopeful about their own lives when they see Zoey rise above her tough circumstances.

Blog Stops

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Melody is giving away the grand prize package of the full Being Zoey series!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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Sunday, May 24, 2020

"Illusions" Blog Tour!

Illusions FB Banner

About the Book

Illusions eBook cover
Book:  Illusions
Author: Jennifer Sienes
Genre:  Christian Contemporary
Release Date: April 28, 2020

Corey Schaffer, pastor’s wife and mother of two teens, has spent her entire marriage subconsciously repenting for one reckless night the week before her wedding.

Upon discovery of Corey’s indiscretion, her 17-year-old daughter, Taylor, is in a car accident resulting in a weeklong coma, traumatic brain injury and memory loss. Corey is riddled with guilt and would like nothing better than to confess all to her husband, Paul. But how can she when his pastoral position is at risk, thanks to their son’s thoughtless act of rebellion the year before—an act Paul has yet to forgive?

Instead, Corey loses herself in the day-to-day work of Taylor’s rehabilitation and prays God will give her the courage to face the past. But when a disgruntled church member sees an opportunity for revenge, Corey must find the faith and strength to put her family first, even if it means walking away.

My Review:
Jennifer Sienes is a new author to me with her novel, "Illusions;" however, this will most definitely not be the last one that I read.  This book was completely engrossing and I was immediately drawn into the characters' lives.  What made this book one that I could not put down was that the things the characters are facing and having to deal with could happen to any of us.  Life can change in an instant, every single choice we make has a consequence, whether it be negative or positive.  Corey has been dealing with a choice she made so many years earlier, no matter that only a few know, it still has a huge impact.  As Corey deals with this and helping her daughter with the rehabilitation she is going through, there are other forces pushing against the family.  God's power, and grace shine throughout this story, as forgiveness and God's love is key.  This is heart-wrenching, beautifully written and sweeping story that will stay with you long after you finish reading.  

Click here for your copy!

About the Author

Jennifer Siennes
Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education, but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing—and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies including several in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

More from Jennifer

Since I was twelve years old, I’ve been writing stories. I even wrote fan-fiction before it was a thing—a Happy Days episode, which I’m sure dates me. I took every creative writing class I could, starting in high school, and even declared journalism as my college major until I realized I like fiction a whole lot more than truth because I can create the characters any way I like.
However, my first attempts at writing emotionally charged novels fell flat; I hadn’t lived enough to truly understand what deep emotion felt like. Then life happened—a series of tragedies that made me feel I was more on par with Job than with Jesus. Someone wise told me that all writers must find the core of why they write—that deep part of us that God instilled in our hearts. What is it we, as writers, want to communicate to our readers? What I came away with was that we all need hope, especially in our darkest days.
Illusions was born out of a near-fatal car accident my daughter was in only weeks after her eighteenth birthday. It was walking through that accident with her that started the what if questions years later. What if an accident is the result of a mother/daughter argument? What if that argument was caused by something the mother did in her past—a deep, dark secret that even she cannot face? And what if that mother is held to a higher standard than most others? Say the wife of a pastor? And what if that pastor already has a black mark against him because of an act their other child (a boy) previously committed?
Would the congregation turn against him? We all know people in church who seek any opportunity to throw a wrench into things—that live with a big ol’ log in their eye, blinding them from the concept of grace.
To add to the tension (because, what’s the point of a story without it?), what if the accident caused a traumatic brain injury and the daughter remembers nothing? It may not be on par with Sophie’s Choice, but now a mother is torn between wanting her daughter to be whole again and hoping the deep, dark secret remains lost somewhere in the recesses of her mind.
Admittedly, the two children of Corey and Paul Schaffer (the main characters) are based loosely on my own children, Nicole and Christopher. It is so much easier to write what I can easily envision in my mind. And many of the challenges Taylor (the accident victim) faces were actually those my own daughter experienced. But that’s where truth and fiction part ways. So, Illusions started with inspiration, but God took it to whole new level. It’s one of the ways He uses the challenges I’ve faced in life to connect with readers and hopefully give them His inspiration and encouragement.

Blog Stops

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & 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.
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Friday, May 15, 2020

"Rocky Mountain Redemption" blog tour!


About the Book


Book:  Rocky Mountain Redemption
Author: Lisa J. Flickinger
Genre:  Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: May 5, 2020

A Rocky Mountain logging camp may be just the place to find herself.

 To escape the devastation caused by the breaking of her wedding engagement, Isabelle Franklin joins her aunt in the Rocky Mountains to feed a camp of lumberjacks cutting on the slopes of Cougar Ridge. If only she could out run the lingering nightmares.

Charles Bailey, camp foreman and Stony Creek’s itinerant pastor, develops a reputation to match his new nickname — Preach.  However, an inner battle ensues when the details of his rough history threaten to overcome the beliefs of his young faith.

Amid the hazards of camp life, the unlikely friendship growing between the two surprises Isabelle. She’s drawn to Preach’s brute strength and gentle nature as he leads the ragtag crew toiling for Pollitt’s Lumber. But when the ghosts from her past return to haunt her, the choices she will make change the course of her life forever—and that of the man she’s come to love.

My Review:
This book is an excellent start to this new series!  Set in the Rocky Mountains, it is a beautiful backdrop to the story and the logging camp adds an additional element to the story as the men all work together, each having their own story and their own past.  Speaking of past, Preach has a past, but he is now a new man and is trying to live his life to reflect his new beliefs.  Isabelle has arrived at the camp to help her aunt, but to really escape from the aftermath of her broken engagement.  These are both individuals with pasts, but trying to move on and learn and grow from their pasts.  
The author does an excellent job with getting these lessons across in the book, as we all need hope for better days and the faith that we are a new creation in Christ and that our past does not defy us.  The characters are easy to relate to and I really enjoyed this story.  
Click here to get your copy.

About the Author


Lisa J. Flickinger lives and writes from the cliff of a river along the majestic Rocky Mountains. When not writing or reading, you will find her scouring antique shops or sipping a maple latte with friends and family. To learn more about her other books, visit www.lisajflickinger.com

More from Lisa

I have a confession to make. I’m a square dancer, a real live square dancer who do-si-dos and allemande-lefts my way around a square every Thursday night. And lest you think it’s a room full of eighty year olds, our youngest dancer is a mere twenty-four.
It was on the dance floor I first met Larry. Logger Larry, the Paul Bunyan like soul who regaled me with tales of chopping trees in the Rocky Mountains. He told stories about grizzlies who hunted men for their next meal, brawls in the bunkhouse only the hardy could survive, and life threatening axe injuries when they had to carry the wounded through the forest for miles.
Larry’s stories provided a great background for a romantic novel and sent me on a mission to research late 1800’s logging camps. It’s at Pollitt’s Lumber, in 1898, where we meet our hero and heroine, Preach and Isabelle, and join their cautious journey toward love. It’s also where we meet a ragtag bunch of lumberjacks whose antics would get on anyone’s last nerve.
I fell in love with the characters of Rocky Mountain Redemption as they tromped onto the pages, and I’m thrilled to introduce them to you in Book One of the Rocky Mountain Revival Series.
Dear reader, enjoy!

Blog Stops

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Posted by at 4 comments:

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

New from Jen Turano!


encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS...Jen Turano is an author who manages to have me laughing out loud and loving her main characters right from the very start!  "Storing Up Trouble" is the third book in her American Heiresses series and I have loved this series as they are filled with quirky characters and a visit to a different time period and how life was for others.  

Beatrix, the main character, is strong, independent and finds herself in the midst of humorous situations and escapades.  First of all, she is on a train that is a part of a heist and she manages to escape along with Norman.  However, that is not the end of Norman's run ins with Beatrix as they meet up when Beatrix begins a new job.
These characters cannot be more different from each other, Norman is pretty oblivious to everything around him, yet he is so smart.  Then there is Beatrix who is a go-getter and not afraid of the consequences for standing up and fighting for what she believes in.  They find themselves both at risk and in the middle of things never imagined they'd be involved in together. 
This book has so many laugh out loud moments and characters that are just so fun to spend time with!  I highly recommend this book and the entire series!

*Thanks to the author for including me on her launch team and for the complimentary copy of this book.*
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New from Author Becky Wade!


Becky Wade is an author I can count on with each and every book she's writes, as there is not one yet that I haven't loved!  "Stay with Me" is the first book in her brand-new Misty River Romance series and this is an excellent start (besides the prequel novella "Take A Chance On Me," that is also available now!).  

Stay with Me (Misty River Romance, A): Wade, Becky: 9780764235603 ...
Genevieve and Sam are the two main characters in this novel; however we are introduced to other characters whom are going to be playing major roles in the upcoming novels in the series.  When Genevieve was a young teen, she and a group of her peers made national news when they were trapped and survived several days following an earthquake.  Genevieve's life has been forever changed following this time.  When she receives a letter that is not quite the same as the other fan mail she receives, she knows she must find out the answers, even when it means going behind her loving, devoted parents' backs.  Sam is living a quiet life, doing what he enjoys and yet he gets drawn into helping Genevieve, partly from guilt and partly because she really does not give him much choice.  These two, among other characters, must face their pasts and issues in order to truly be healed and find closure. 
I really enjoyed this book, the setting, the characters, the intrigue and the flashbacks.  I loved how the time frames and stories switch back and forth with present day, the earthquake event and the story that involves Genevieve's parents from years ago.  This book will leave you wanting to spend time at Sam's home, farm and restaurant and learning from one of many Genevieve's Bible studies.

I highly recommend this sweet story of healing and love!   

*Thanks to the author for including me on her launch team and a complimentary copy of this book.*
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