Thursday, April 30, 2020

The House at the End of the Moor review and giveaway!

About the Book

Book: House at the End of the Moor Author: Michelle Griep Genre: Christian Historical Release Date: April 2020
An Opulent London Opera Star Escapes to the Rugged Landscape of the English Moors Opera star Maggie Lee escapes her opulent lifestyle when threatened by a powerful politician who aims to ruin her life. She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house. Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession—the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver’s name and hopefully maintaining Maggie’s anonymity. Click here for your copy!

About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More from Michelle

What comes to mind when you hear the word moor? For some, images of Jane Eyre spring to life. For others, The Hound of the Baskervilles starts barking. But for most, it’s a big fat goose egg. The fact is that most Americans don’t have a clue what a moor is, but never fear, my friend…after you read the next few paragraphs, you’ll never again go blank-minded when you hear the word moor.
Last summer I skipped across the pond and tromped around Dartmoor with my daughter and husband. What an awesome experience. I learned first-hand just how windy this vast stretch of land can be, for that’s really what a moor is at heart: a vast stretch of land. Webster’s defines it as an expanse of open rolling infertile land. Sounds rather desolate, eh? Yeah. Kind of. But it’s oh so much more. In spring and summer, green does abound. Gorse bushes. Scrubby grasses. Lambs and sheep and goats. All these animals roam free so there are trails worn into the dirt that you can hike along. But I hear you…where could you possibly go if there’s nothing besides some farm animals roaming around the place? You could hike to a tor, which is a “high, craggy hill.” Some of them can be a little treacherous to climb, but sweet mercy, what a view! The earth stretches out like a green and brown quilt. As I hiked that day last spring, whispers in the wind inspired me to wonder a lot of what-ifs, and those what-ifs came together in a story of intrigue and betrayal. What would you do if you found a half-dead man bleeding in the middle of nowhere? Find out what heroine Maggie Lee does in The House at the End of the Moor.

Blog Stops

http://www.celebratelit.com/the-house-at-the-end-of-the-moor-celebration-tour/

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a free 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f8e2/the-house-at-the-end-of-the-moor-celebration-tour-giveaway

This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it! I thought it was adventurous, unique, and exciting. The story really sweeps you away to another place and time. I also appreciated the fact that it is a clean and inspirational read.

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel

About the Book


Book:  The Joy of Falling
Author: Lindsay Harrel
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Release Date: April 14, 2020

Eva and Angela must learn to live again. One step at a time.

It has been fifteen months since Eva and Angela lost their thrill-seeking husbands in a scuba diving accident. Both women are trying to navigate their way through the grief, but neither one is making much progress. Angela is barely making ends meet, angry at her husband for leaving her to raise three children on her own. Meanwhile, Eva is stuck, unable to move forward after losing the love of her life and her source of inspiration.

But then Eva gets a life-changing phone call. Before Brent and Wes died, they had signed up for a race of a lifetime—an ultra-marathon in beautiful New Zealand. Eva begs Angela to run the race with her in their husbands’ place, and Angela finally agrees, hoping to finally understand her husband’s choices.

Training is exhausting, and the race is even more demanding. Their journey grows more complicated by the presence of two men—Marc is Brent’s best friend who is running the race with Eva and Angela, and Simon King is a writer who is covering their inspiring story. With every step, Eva and Angela must ask themselves questions that they haven’t had the courage to ask before. As the women literally put one foot in front of the other, they wonder: Is it possible to find their way forward in hope?



Click here to get your copy!

About the Author


Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd who lives in Arizona with her young family and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. She’s held a variety of writing and editing jobs over the years and now juggles stay-at-home mommyhood with writing novels. When she’s not writing or chasing after her children, Lindsay enjoys making a fool of herself at Zumba, curling up with anything by Jane Austen, and savoring sour candy one piece at a time. Connect with her at LindsayHarrel.com.

Read an Excerpt

Click https://aerbook.com/books/The_Joy_of_Falling-250053.html?utm_source=pubpage to read the first four chapters.

Blog Stops

https://wp.me/P7A0o5-23a
The Joy of Falling tackles the subject of grief head on. Lindsay Harrel has written a hopeful story for all of those who have ever dealt with a tragic loss in their life. She shows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and hope is right around the corner.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Like Flames in the Night by Connilyn Cossette

Connilyn Cossette finishes up the Cities of Refuge series with a showstopper in Like Flames in the Night. Darek and Moriyah's story comes full circle as we hear the epic journey of their youngest daughter, Tirzah. Tirzah is a tomboy with a determined and feisty spirit. When she convinces her brother to employ her as a spy in the city of Shechem, she embraces her duty with courage and fearlessness. This job quickly turns dangerous and a connection from the past, Liyam, is sent to deliver Tirzah out of Shechem. Liyam has no choice but to be a spy as well, as he and Tirzah team up to protect their people from the evil Arameans. Tirzah and Liyam will have to learn a lot about love and forgiveness and fully trust the Lord in order to survive the dangers in their path.

Once again, Connilyn Cossette has delivered Biblical fiction gold. The research that she puts into her books is impeccable. She fully focuses on giving her readers the basis of Biblical truths while using her unique imagination to help us read between the lines. This was the perfect ending to the journey I have loved being on in this memorable series. The lessons of forgiveness, mercy, and grace are ones that we can all learn from. I can't wait to see what story Connilyn Cossette has in store for her readers next! Thank you so much for the chance to read and review this wonderful book!


Saturday, April 25, 2020

Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel

Do you often find yourself overthinking about every single little thing? I know I do! I'm the world's worst overthinker so I was excited to read this book by Anne Bogel and get some tips for calming down and enjoying life. This book is such a relaxing read and definitely does have some great ideas for increasing the joy in your life. One of the chapters I enjoyed most was Chapter 9: Get Someone Else to Do It. I am so bad about trying to do everything myself and never asking for help so I really needed this chapter. I also liked Chapter 12: Let's Splurge. This chapter talks about being spontaneous and creating memories which I think is so important in life. If you ever struggle with making decisions and constantly second guessing yourself, you should give this book a try. I think it is an uplifting read that will make you feel better about life in general and daily choices you make. Thank you so much to Anne Bogel and BakerBooks for the chance to read and review this book!

Sunday, April 19, 2020

If For Any Reason Review and Giveaway!

About the Book


Book:  If For Any Reason
Author: Courtney Walsh
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 3, 2020

Emily Ackerman has traveled the world, her constant compass and companion a book of letters her mother left for her when she died. With no father in the picture, her mom’s advice has been her only true north. But when professional failure leads Emily back to Nantucket to renovate and sell the family cottage she inherited, she wonders if her mom left advice to cover this . . . especially when her grandmother arrives to “supervise.” And especially when her heart becomes entangled with Hollis McGuire, the boy next door–turned–baseball star who’s back on the island after a career-ending injury.

As sparks fly between her and Hollis, Emily is drawn to island life, even as she uncovers shocking secrets about the tragic accident that led to her mother’s death. With her world turned upside down, Emily must choose between allowing the voices from her past to guide her future or forging her own path forward.



Click here for your copy!
https://amzn.to/2Q5qdOz

About the Author


Courtney Walsh is the author of ten inspirational novels. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, was a New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller. Courtney lives with her husband and three children in Illinois, where she is also an artist, theater director, and playwright.

More from Courtney

3 Bits of Wisdom Every Mother Hopes Her Daughter Cherishes
By Courtney Walsh
There are so many types of mother-daughter relationships, and I’ve discovered that in most of my novels, these relationships are explored in one way or another. My most recent book, If For Any Reason, delves a little deeper into this universal relationship, as the main character’s only connection to her late mother is a book of letters she left behind for daughter when she died.
It was interesting to think through the advice and wisdom I would want to be sure to share with my own daughter, if for any reason I wasn’t here to share it in person. There’s so much I would want to say, so many lessons I would want to share, but if I had to boil it down to three bits of wisdom, I think it would be these:
Ask for help when you need it.
I’m not sure why it’s so difficult to admit we need help sometimes, but in the past year and a half, my family has faced some pretty significant medical challenges, and I learned that it’s necessary to let other people help you. One of the quickest ways to burn out and get overwhelmed is to try to do everything on your own. Now, I’m not talking about laziness. I’m not talking about figuring out ways to get other people to do things for you that you don’t want to do, but genuine help in this journey of life—spiritually, mentally, physically—all the ways that you need to be strong and healthy. You were never meant to figure everything out on your own. And it’s less lonely when you let people in.
Mistakes are good . . . as long as you learn from them.
Okay, it’s inevitable. You’re going to mess up. You’re going to make a million mistakes and sometimes you’re going to really, really regret them. It’s okay. It’s okay to make the wrong choice now and then . . . but only if you learn from it. Because even though there’s a lot of grace for your mistakes, there are still consequences, and if you’re not willing to learn what you did wrong, you’re just going to keep making a mess of things. Don’t do that. Don’t be stubborn and unmoving. There are opportunities to learn something new every single day, and there are people all around you who can help teach you—but only if you humble yourself, realize you don’t know everything, and are willing to learn. Remaining teachable is one of the greatest things you can do. Learn this lesson early, and you’ll go far.
Be yourself.
This is one of the most important and most challenging lessons any of us could learn. It’s a platitude, isn’t it? Advice you’d find on the outside of a coffee mug or embroidered on a throw pillow. But it’s more than that, this whole idea of being who you are, who God created you to be. Here’s the tricky part—how do you know who that is? The only way I can tell is to spend time with yourself. And to not be afraid to sit in the quiet with your thoughts. Learn what God says about you so that if those ideas are challenged or someone else tries to put a label on you that you don’t want, you’re armed with the truth. This will serve you well as you work to discover who you are.
The truth is, as a mother, I’m constantly learning. As a person, I’m constantly learning. And while these are just three bits of wisdom I hope my daughter carries with her, there are so many other lessons I hope she learns, lessons I hope I can teach her so she doesn’t need to learn the hard way.
What about you? What’s one bit of wisdom you want to be sure to pass along to the next generation?

Blog Stops

http://www.celebratelit.com/if-for-an/

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Courtney is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Barnes & Nobles gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
I hope you will take the chance to check out this meaningful story by Courtney Walsh! I loved reading about the rekindling of past relationships in a special and touching way. This will be your perfect summer read!

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Two Steps Forward by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Izzy and Luke are back in the third book of The Deacon's Family series by Suzanne Woods Fisher. Luke is settling into his new role as a deacon and doing a great job at it. Likewise, Izzy is also settling into a new role as a mom and is loving every minute of it. While Izzy and Luke are a big part of this story, there are several new characters highlighted as well.

The spotlight is on bachelor Jimmy Fisher as he returns to town. He soon finds himself doing farm work for his neighbor, Sylvie King. Sylvie is a widow who has big dreams to breed Arabian horses. Jimmy shares her love of horses and soon realizes that he wants to share his heart with her as well. However, if meddling family members have anything to say about it, their love story won't make it off the pages.

If Suzanne Woods Fisher writes a book, I will read it. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her way of writing is the perfect blend of humor and hope and I always come away from her reads feeling refreshed and inspired. I enjoyed reading more about the characters I have grown to love throughout this series. It was also great to learn about new characters as well. I have to say that my favorite part of the book was the letters shared between Sylvie and Jimmy. I just thought that was such a sweet sentiment and very romantic. And as always, I appreciate the fact that this is a clean, Christian read. Thank you so much to the publisher and the author for the chance to read and review this book!

The Scribe by Francine Rivers

This short novella is one of five books in the Sons of Encouragement series by Francine Rivers. This book tells of Silas the Scribe. Peter and Paul relied on Silas to record the words they had been given from God and the situations they experienced during Jesus' life on Earth. Without these ancient heroes, we wouldn't have access to God's Word as we know it today. While the stories of these important men are true, Francine Rivers has added dialogue and historical fiction to provide a new outlook on the way things could have been during Biblical times. This story was very interesting to me as I was not quite as familiar with Silas as some of the other Biblical figures. I learned a lot of things I didn't know before and became interested to read the other books in this series. Francine Rivers is one of my favorite authors and I am always eager to read her work. Thanks so much to Tyndale for the chance to read and review this book!

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Sojourner Truth by Barbour staff

In the late 1700s, a baby named Belle, with no choice of her own, was born into slavery. Slavery was all Belle knew and she grew up in appalling conditions. After suffering many hardships including being separated from her family, living in poor conditions, and being beaten and abused, Belle chose to take control of her own life. Though her life was never easy, she used the bad circumstances she had been through and fought to help others find better lives. In her later years, Belle became known as the historical figure, Sojourner Truth. She fought to abolish slavery and spread the Word of God until her dying day. Though Sojourner didn't live to see the end of slavery, she made waves in history that will never be forgotten.

Sojourner Truth is such a remarkable and important woman in history. Her story is an inspiration to all people. While reading this book, I learned so much about Sojourner's life. I thought this biography was well done and covered all of the important details about Sojourner Truth. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.