Saturday, November 25, 2017

21 Days of Christmas by Kathy Ide

About the Book

Name of book: 21 Days of Christmas: A Fiction Lover’s Devotional
Author: Kathy Ide
Genre: Christian Fiction Devotional
Release Date: September 1, 2015

Christmas is more than just a holiday. It is a time to recapture the joy and wonder of God’s greatest gift: His Son, Jesus. 21 Days of Christmas will warm your heart with stories about giving, loving, and family. These engaging tales celebrate the hope and joy that make this blessed season unique. At the end of each story you’ll find an insightful message that will help you discover anew the true meaning of this special time of year. So grab a cup of hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick, curl up in your favorite chair beside a picture window overlooking a serene spot, and savor the true meaning of Christmas through these inspirational and encouraging stories.

Click HERE to purchase your copy.

My Review

What could be better than combining the beautiful Gospel story of Jesus Christ with heartwarming, unique, and festive stories from an abundance of gifted authors? Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year, and this book gave me the urge to sing Christmas carols, watch It's A Wonderful Life, and drink some hot chocolate :) But much more than that, I was reminded of the origin of our hope and joy at Christmas. Not the presents, not Santa Claus, or even the fun traditions- but rather the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ who came to save us from our sin. When you're reminded of that, no matter what your situation looks like at Christmas- perhaps you are lonely, have to work, or are going through difficult circumstances, you can have true hope and joy! The stories were short but full of heart and unique to each author. I was reminded to slow down and remember not to get all tangled up in the parties, duties, and baking of the season. I was reminded that the Lord can truly fill our voids that so many feel at the Christmas Season, and that sometimes that includes me reaching out to a complete stranger! I was reminded the God works in His own time and way for His glory and our good, and that He is ever present, even in our darkest days. This devotional is the fiction lover's dream because not only do you get a well written story, you get a thought provoking story that includes practical application from Scripture to use in your daily life to come to know and grow in the Lord. Easy to read and oh so enjoyable- 21 Days of Christmas would be the perfect gift for you or your fiction loving friends! Don't miss out on enjoying this unique approach to telling the true Hope of the Season- our Savior Jesus Christ!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own.

More About Kathy Ide

Kathy is the editor/compiler of the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series (www.FictionDevo.com) and author of “Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors” (http://secretsofbestsellingauthors.com). She has also written numerous articles, short stories, devotionals, play scripts, and Sunday school curriculum. She has ghostwritten ten nonfiction books and a five-book novel series. She is also a full-time freelance editor, working with aspiring, new, and experienced authors as well as publishers. Kathy speaks at writers’ conferences across the country. She is the founder and coordinator of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network (www.TheChristianPEN.com) and the Christian Editor Connection (www.ChristianEditor.com). For more about Kathy, visit www.KathyIde.com.

Guest Post from Kathy Ide

Looking for a great Christmas gift for friends and family who love fiction … or devotionals? You can give them both in one book! 21 Days of Christmas: Stories that Celebrate God’s Greatest Gift is book two in the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series. It’s a collection of 21 fiction stories, each written by a different author—including well-known novelists such as Lena Nelson Dooley, Joanne Bischof, Jan Cline, and Lynn Kinnaman. Some stories are about the first Christmas, when Mary and Joseph brought God’s Son into the world. Others are about how we celebrate that history-changing event today. Each story is followed by a brief Life Application written by the author of that story. The first chapter starts out with an amusing tale of a modern-day couple in the front seat of a car, on Christmas Eve, traveling to see relatives for the holiday. They’re griping about the hassles of the season, and hollering at the the kids, who are playing with the foil on Mom’s Jell-O salad in the backseat. Then we break from that to a scene of Mary and Joseph entering Bethlehem, about to bring God’s Son into the world. It contrasts the modern-day wife, not wanting to go into a sleazy diner because it’s the only place open on Christmas Eve, with Mary hesitating to go into a smelly barnyard to give birth. When the modern-day couple decide to tell their children the Christmas story—complete with snow and a little drummer boy—the contrasts become both highly funny and very poignant. I wrote one of the chapters in the book. It’s about the first Christmas, from the perspective of Joseph. What he must have thought and felt when Mary was giving birth to Jesus, knowing that he had been personally given the divine responsibility to teach God’s Son about God. Based on the Old Testament teachings he’d been raised with, what did Joseph think Jesus would be like when He was born, and how did reality clash with those expectations? This book makes a great gift for family and friends, with its beautiful debossed hardback cover, full-color interior, and a ribbon page marker. With stories about the Nativity as well as tales of modern-day people celebrating that event, almost anyone would enjoy receiving a copy and reading it—even those who don’t believe in Christ as their Savior. It’s small enough to be a stocking stuffer (or tucked into the pocket of a Christmas-themed pot holder!) and inexpensive enough to be a practical gift for those people you’re not sure will reciprocate, or who may feel uncomfortable if they didn’t get you anything. This devotional would also be ideal to incorporate into an individual’s or a family’s advent celebration, reading one chapter a day during the three weeks leading up to Christmas. Each chapter takes only about ten minutes to read, which makes it ideal for the hectic holiday season. And since each chapter stands alone, it doesn’t matter whether you read one or two stories, half the book, or the whole thing. Other books in the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series are: 21 Days of Grace: Stories that Celebrate God’s Unconditional Love 21 Days of Love: Stories that Celebrate Treasured Relationships 21 Days of Joy: Stories that Celebrate Motherhood

Blog Stops

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, November 21

Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 21

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 22

Reader’s Cozy Corner, November 22

Blossoms and Blessings, November 23

Carpe Diem, November 23

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, November 24

Multifarious, November 25

A Reader’s Brain, November 25

A Greater Yes, November 26

Lane Hill House, November 26

Texas Book -aholic, November 27

Jeanette’s Thoughts, November 27

Karen Sue Hadley, November 28

By The Book, November 29

Seasons of Opportunities, November 29

Mary Hake, November 30

Have A Wonderful Day, December 1

Remebrancy, December 2

God’s Little Bookworm, December 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away a grand prize of a set of 21 days devotional books!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c3c2

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Out of The Ordinary by Jen Turano

About the Book

Name of book: Out of the Ordinary
Author: Jen Turano
Genre: Christian historical
Release Date: November 7, 2017

”With all the charm of a Regency romance, the humor of a drawing room farce, and the swoonworthy delight of a fairy tale, Turano’s first Apart from the Crowd historical absolutely sparkles.”–Publishers Weekly on Behind the Scenes Working as a paid companion may be quite commonplace, but Miss Gertrude Cadwalader’s eccentric employer makes her job unpredictable, to say the least. She finds herself carrying out an array of highly unusual tasks, including wearing peculiar outfits and returning items the woman pilfered. But when the wealthy Mrs. Sinclair catches Gertrude sneaking around the Sinclair yacht with some of the missing items in her possession, she immediately jumps to the wrong conclusion. Shipping magnate Harrison Sinclair is caught in the middle of a misunderstanding between his mother and Gertrude, but he can’t help coming to his friend’s defense. Even as he hopes their friendship might become something more, Harrison is unprepared for the outlandish escapades that seem to follow the lovely, anything-but-ordinary Gertrude at every turn. “The second installment of Turano’s Apart from the Crowd series is laugh-out-loud enjoyable. The foibles of the characters, balanced out with a light-hearted yet meaningful love story, is a true treat. . . . All of the threads are tied together in the end, even the small mysteries and side stories. It makes for a very satisfying read when the last page is turned.”–RT Book Reviews

Click HERE to purchase your copy!

My Review

Jen Turano does it again! I was so looking forward to this second installment of the "Apart from the Crowd" series, and Out of the Ordinary was equal to if not more enjoyable to me than the first! Full of those quirky and lovable names our author uses, we meet Gertrude Cadwalader a wallflower in her own respect, but in reality full of humility, graciousness, a giving heart, and a lot of spunk. While attending to Mrs. Davenport, her employer that seems to have a knack for mischief, Gertrude gets caught up in a bit of a scandal. In the midst of it all, Mr. Sinclair has risen to fame, being woefully targeted by ladies of the "high society" as a fine catch. Mr. Sinclair has none of it, and instead considers the beautiful, unique Gertrude who he hopes to woo, but doesn't wish to push away either as a friend. The plot of this story will keep you turning page after page, and I must say, I laughed quite a lot as well. I have to say I related with Gertrude so much because I tend to be the giving background person who truly cares for others and gets dragged along in their escapades when I want to help :) I loved how the gowns and designs of the time were described, and history came to life before my eyes-especially since this is one of my favorite historical periods. While the plot was complex, it flowed seamlessly and kept me engaged until the last page. The sweet and genuine romance that blooms was the type that just makes you smile on the inside. Any Christian fiction enthusiast would thoroughly enjoy this- don't miss out! And make sure you read the first installment of the series as well- Behind the Scenes about another equally enjoyable character which makes an appearance in this story as well- Ms. Permilia Griswold. :)

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own.

About the Author

Jen Turano, author of nine books and two novellas, is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in clothing and textiles. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Visit her website at www.jenturano.com.

Q & A with Jen Turano

What Readers Want to Know from Jen

Hey Everyone! Thank you so much for stopping by today. Because I’m in the midst of a first draft, and in case you don’t know, I don’t actually care for first drafts – all those pesky blank pages, but…I’m getting off track…where was I? Oh yes, why I brought up first drafts in the first place. You see, I’m a little scattered when I’m doing a draft, and because of that, and because my mind is a scary place to visit while filling up those already-mentioned blank pages, I was having a tough time coming up with a post for Celebrate Lit. That’s why I reached out to my fabulous readers, and…here are some of the questions their inquiring minds wanted to know about me or my books. I hope you enjoy them!

Why write in the Gilded Age? When I started writing historical romance after experimenting with other genres, I didn’t write Gilded age but Regency pieces. However, when I ran across the book “The Court of Mrs. Astor in Gilded Age New York” by Greg King, I was intrigued, and a little baffled about how it came to be that I was so unfamiliar with that riveting time in history. It’s an era where unprecedented fortunes were made at a remarkable rate, those fortunes responsible for so many scandals that I’ll have enough fodder for stories to last me for years. The antics of the members of high society are vastly intriguing, as are the fashions of the day, which is exactly why I’ve never had second thoughts about choosing to write Gilded Age romances.

How do you come up with such unusual names for your characters? I get asked this a lot. And, contrary to popular belief, I don’t make up the names of my characters. I search through obituaries from the 1800’s, peruse books on the New York Four-Hundred (those were members of high society – chosen by Mr. Ward McAllister, the social arbiter of the day,) and I also scour old census records. I do occasionally pair a first name with a different surname so that my main characters aren’t real historic figures because that can get tricky. Not long ago, while reading through Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: Person and Genealogical, Volume 1, I found a bit on my great-grandfather, which was cool – not that I’ll be using him, but I might have a character modeled after him at some point in time. Another interesting tidbit about choosing names is this – names only work for me if the characters decide they like the names I select for them. If they don’t like the name, they simply stop cooperating. I can’t write their stories until I choose another name. An example – I was recently going to name a heroine Georgianna – but it was like trying to write through mud. As soon as I changed her name to Myrtle, I was back in business.

What is the most ordinary thing you enjoy doing? I love to shovel snow.

Who is responsible for your book covers? Do you choose the model/setting? Bethany House’s design team does all of my covers, and occasionally they hire out the job to other design houses. The only input I give is when I send in a character/setting sheet, describing my heroine and listing a few scenes that I feel might be good for the background. In “Out of the Ordinary,” I suggested having Gertrude on or near a boat, and the design team then hired a model who resembled my character sketch and put her on a boat.

Which character has been the most difficult to write? All of my characters give me trouble at some point in time, but recently, Mrs. Davenport was the character who was being incredibly difficult. For the first three edits of “Out of the Ordinary,” she was too complicated and a bit on the dark side, but after I changed her backstory, and remembered she was supposed to be eccentric, not deranged, she turned into a delightful lady, one I enjoyed writing.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever Googled while doing research for a book? I don’t know if this is crazy, more on the lines of idiotic, but I once googled Gentleman’s Clubs when I was looking for an all-male club my hero would want to join. That was a definite mistake, especially since I didn’t include a very important word – historic. Well, the next thing you know, all sorts of naughty sites were flashing in front of my eyes, and to this day, I still get advertisements for singles looking for a good time and all sorts of other interesting…offers.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? Nope, it never entered my head to pursue a career in writing, nor was I ever a person to even keep a diary or a journal. I’m pretty sure I wanted to be a movie star when I was younger, but when that didn’t pan out, I majored in fashion and spent quite a few years working for department stores. It wasn’t until my son was in third grade and we wrote a book together just for fun that I began entertaining the thought of trying to see my stories in print.

How long did it take you to break into the publishing world, and how many books did you write before that happened? What everyone needs to understand is that publishing is a cut-throat business. I had no idea when I decided to try and get published what the competition was like, and if I had, well, I might have nipped the whole idea of getting a book into print right in the bud. But, because I knew I only wanted to go the traditional route, it soon became clear, what with all the suggestions I was getting about the work I was sending out to agents, that I needed to up my game…a lot. I experimented with quite a few different genres – middle grade, YA, contemporary women’s fiction, Regency romance, and then Gilded Age, getting really proficient with query letters in the process. It wasn’t until I started writing historical romance, though, that I really began getting requests for full manuscript. After I’d been writing for about three years, I finally signed with an agent. She never sold the book she signed on to represent, but after I wrote “A Change of Fortune,” she sold that within two months. Long story short – it took me about seven years to get published from the time I wrote my first book, and…I have seven manuscripts that will never see the light of day because they’re awful.

Is there a reason you include so many animals in your stories? I’ve always been an animal lover, and as such, I really enjoy writing different animals into my scenes. Dogs are my favorites, followed by pigs, and most of the characteristics my animals have are traits I’ve seen in real life. Matilda, the pig in “A Match of Wits,” was inspired by a pig I used to see in New York. She was so quirky, as well as intelligent, that I knew I would have to write a pig in at least one of my stories. This current series does not have as many animals because I do want to keep my stories fresh. But, having said that, my next series finds my heroine visiting a farm, and well, I don’t know many farms that don’t have animals, especially adorable cows by the name of Buttercup that may or may not have the odd tendency of moseying into the house to eat pie whenever the urge strikes.

Last question – Have any of the crazy antics in your books been inspired by real-life events??? I seem to be a magnet for weird things happening, so…yes, quite a few of those antics were inspired by real life events. I’ll share just one since I do need to get back to that first draft. I live near Denver, and when my son was little, we used to visit the Denver Zoo. That zoo just happens to have a very large flock of peacocks – peacocks that took one look at me one day – and I must add that I wasn’t doing anything except pulling my son in a wagon, and the next thing I knew, I was being chased through the zoo by what seemed to me to be the entire flock of peacocks – all seemingly intent on trying to murder me. Funny how fast a mom can run while pulling a wagon when in fear for her life. My son thought it was fabulous fun, and bless those members of the staff who came to my rescue. They were almost successful in not laughing, and…I received a free lunch after the dastardly peacocks were chased away. That event is what inspired me to write a mad flock of peacocks in “In Good Company.” Thank you so much for visiting me today. Hope I answered a few questions you may have about me! All the best, ~ Jen ~

Blog Stops

Vicky sluiter, November 11

Bookworm Mama, November 11

cherylbbookblog, November 11

Book by Book, November 11

Lane Hill House, November 12

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 12

C Jane Read, November 12

The Power of Words, November 12

Smiling Book Reviews, November 13

Moments Dipped in Ink, November 13

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, November 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 14

Faithfully Bookish, November 14

Bigreadersite, November 14

Mommynificent, November 14

All 4 and About Books, November 14

Just the Write Escape, November 15

allofakindmom, November 15

Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 15

Pause for Tales, November 16

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, November 16

A Baker’s Perspective, November 16

To Everything A Season, November 16

Neverending Stories, November 17

Have A Wonderful Day, November 17

Christian Bookaholic, November 17

A Reader’s Brain, November 18

Karen Sue Hadley, November 18

The April Journal, November 18

Cafinated Reads, November 18

Bibliophile Reviews, November 19

Blogging With Carol, November 19

Mary Hake, November 19

Southern Gal Loves to Read, November 19

Baker Kella, November 20

Rachel’s Back Talk, November 20

Texas Book-aholic, November 20

Joy of Reading, November 21

Blossoms and Blessings, November 21

Remembrancy, November 21

The Fizzy Pop Collection, November 22

Splashes of Joy, November 22

The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate, November 22

amandainpa, November 22

Inspiration Clothesline, November 23

Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 23

A Greater Yes, November 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 23

Radiant Light, November 24

Fiction, Faith, and Fun, November 24

Raining Butterfy Kisses, November 24

Giveaway

To celebrate the tour, Bethany House is giving away a grand prize of Two Jen Turano Novels and a $20 Starbucks Gift Card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4664b04914/

Friday, November 17, 2017

Into A Silent World by Carmina Edwards

About the Book

Title: Into a Silent World
Author: Carmina Edwards
Genre: Biography, Memoir
Release Date: August 15, 2016

Following Amy’s adventures in A Door Cracked Open, she heads into a world which will test her faith and perseverance to the limit. Instead of settling into a simple, safe and unchanging life like she imagined, Amy is strongly drawn to a vocation with even higher requirements, prompting her to plan some seemingly impossible missions in order to reach her goal.

Click HERE to purchase your copy.

My Review

have to say this was an eye opener for me. My only exposure to the life of the nun is the Hollywood version presented in Sound of Music (which don't get me wrong is an epic classic- but still, probably not too realistic lol). Since I am also not Catholic, I did learn a lot about all the different procedures and terms used within that realm. I have to say this book helped me see a personal side of nuns, and a great determination in our heroine to serve the Lord in the way she thought best. I learned that advice comes from those that want to see us fulfill the Lord's plan for us, and not what we think may be the best course, no matter how determined we may be to do it. I know in my own life, the Lord's plan is unexpected and so much more fulfilling than my mere plans as a human. I have to say that it was a little hard for me to follow because I am not Catholic so it was hard for me to fully comprehend or engage with. However, the characters were personal and endearing, like a good friend. It gave a personal humanity to the face of a nun in a very realistic authentic way that I can imagine any young girl would struggle and strive in to be the best for the Lord they can be were they seeking the life of a nun. Amy is so spunky, full of life, and determined, yet timid too. I believe that Into a Silent World really does open a door to a new setting and new background that can be personal and a very enjoyable, well plotted read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own.

About the Author

I am a mother of two wonderful grown up children and currently living in the UK, after living in Sweden for three years where I wrote my first book, “A Door Cracked Open.” I was blessed to be able to spend six months in USA before returning to the UK, my home country, to work with my editor in California on the edits of this book and visit friends. I am an avid reader and linguist, having also spent some years living in France and have been fortunate enough to have taught Swedish and French over twenty-five years and translate for businesses and manuscripts in both languages. Being unemployed the past few years, has led to me becoming homeless. However, I never give up hope. As I try to portray in my books, God has always had His hand on me. Once again, He has stepped in right at the last minute. I now have a new job in Sweden and will be moving back there. Because I feel passionately about helping the homeless, a large percentage of my royalties will go directly to them.

Guest Post from Carmina Edwards

“Into a Silent World” follows on from Amy’s story in “A Door Cracked Open.” With a new beginning ahead of her, a long standing dream about to be realized, she was unprepared for the events which were about to unfold over the next two years. Why would God send her to this place of “absolute conviction” and allow her to remain there for that long, if He never meant for her to be there? Amy struggles to understand and seeks His will, but determined that it was His plan, she persevered in order for her dream to be fulfilled.

Blog Stops

Just Jo’Anne, November 7

Mary Hake, November 8

Kristin’s Book Reviews, November 9

Janices book review, November 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 11

History, Mystery & Faith, November 12

Reading Is My SuperPower, November 13 (Interview)

The Power of Words, November 14 (Interview)

margaret kazmierczak, November 15

Splashes of Joy, November 16

A Reader’s Brain, November 17

Multifarious, November 18

Artistic Nobody, November 19 (Karin Perry guest post)

Texas Book-aholic, November 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carmina is giving away

Grand Prize:

Paperback copies of A Door Cracked Open & Into a Silent World

1st – 3rd place:

Ebook copy of A Door Cracked Open!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c3c4

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Your Dream. God's Plan by Tiffany Smiling wiht Margot Starbuck

Purchase your copy HERE

I have to say as soon as I finished this book, I was ready to spring into action in my own little corner of the world sharing Jesus more with others. Written in a memoir fashion intertwined with practical and Biblical principles, I found a lot of inspiration based on our author’s testimony and humility. I was reminded that so many things may be “good” things, but not the right things God has for His will for our individual lives. Not comparing your testimony or call to someone else’s is so important because it liberates you to be full of the Holy Spirit and Him alone. No matter what He calls us to do He will accomplish it and we have the blessing of being a part of the advancing of the Lord’s kingdom. What a freedom it is to follow the Lord’s plan for our life and find our fulfillment in Him! A wonderful reminder that comforts and financial security is not God’s goals for us, but to be full of Him and be used of Him to show others His love. Full of inspiration, truth, and the fact that with God nothing and no one is impossible!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from a Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS!

Though she was given just three months to live as a child, today Tiffany Smiling—writer, speaker, and entrepreneur—is changing the kingdom of God around the globe. She’s a cancer survivor, an injustice fighter and, above all else, she is a devoted follower of Christ.

With a heart to rescue the unreached children around the world, twenty-eight year old Tiffany has opened orphan homes in Uganda, Guatemala, Brazil and Haiti. She founded the With All My Heart Foundation, an organization dedicated to building the global church and caring for vulnerable children around the world. In 2016, she also founded With All Her Heart, an organization equipping woman to fulfill the calling that God has ahead of them.

Tiffany has a passion to see every woman discover and fully live the greater purpose that God designed for her life. She is calling her generation to offer God the longings of their hearts in exchange for his greater blessing.

Margot is a graduate of Westmont College and Princeton Theological Seminary. She's the author of a bunch of books and enjoys working as a collaborator helping other folks tell their amazing stories.

Margot's first book, The Girl in the Orange Dress: Searching for a Father Who Does Not Fail, was awarded Best Nonfiction Book of the Year, 2011, from the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. And Not Who I Imagined was a finalist in the 2015 Selah Awards.

Margot and her 3 fabulous teens, by birth and adoption, live in Durham, NC, in the North Street Neighborhood, a community built around their friends with disabilities. Learn more at www.MargotStarbuck.com.

Friday, November 10, 2017

The Bachelor Missions by Jes Drew

About the Book:

Name of book: The Bachelor Missions
Author: Jes Drew
Genre: Christian speculative spy fiction
Release Date: February 18, 2017

The good-guys, the bad-guys, and the wild card- it’s the ultimate game of cloak and dagger…

Kristian Clark, private eye, thought his days as a special agent were behind him, but when he’s drafted into action, he finds himself reunited with his old team- and painful memories of why they broke up in the first place. But as he plunges into mission after mission- from a ‘holy heist’ to babysitting a young hacker to going undercover in a cult- Kristian find that everything he tried to leave behind is coming back to haunt him with a vengeance, and then some. First there’s the mysterious woman who knows more about Kristian- and his past- than makes sense while using science fiction weapons that don’t make sense period. Then there are the shady powers-that-be who are responsible for drafting him back into this world to satisfy their own nefarious agendas. It’s all Kristian can do to keep from being pulled into their games as he tries to figure out who to trust and what to fight for, even as the trap put in place to destroy him is set with a ticking clock.

When did espionage get so complicated?

Click HERE to purchase your copy!

My Review:

In a genre new to me, The Bachelor Missions held many surprises with endless twists and turns. I have read spy/suspense books before, but there's a personal aspect to this one that makes it unique. Not to mention the numerous gadgets used by our characters- those blew my mind! I think what really drew me in on this one was that I have come out of this age bracket not long ago, and the personal and spiritual struggles our agent faces brought a lot of connection to my mind and my heart. I am always impressed when such an intriguing and multifaceted work can have a beautiful Gospel presentation intertwined. The plot was mind-bending and endless in action. The author does a great job of drawing us into the thought world and confusing us as much as our agent who to trust and who not to trust. I was excited and scared at the same time to turn the page and that's what makes a great spy fiction! But at the same time, our spy had normal every day struggles and feelings trying to find his place in the world. Totally suspenseful and totally personal all at the same time- you don't want to miss The Bachelor Missions!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own.

About the Author:

Jes Drew lives with her mom, dad, younger sister (the illustrious Nicki Chapelway), four younger brothers (yes, four), and two dogs. She is the author of both the Ninja and Hunter trilogy and the Howling Twenty trilogy. Besides writing, she enjoys reading, daydreaming, and her day job. There is also a possibility that she may or may not be a secret agent, but that’s classified. Still, you can contact her at http://pausefortales.blogspot.com/

Guest Post from Jes Drew

I began writing at a very young age. I don’t think I even started school yet when I came out with my first children’s titles. The Swan Princess and Flamingo Queen was followed by a sequel The Duck Prince and Unicorn King (because I thought it was unfair that only the mom and sister had to go through transformations), and Julian and Juliette had many reprints- all carefully printed and illustrated by myself before moving to their final destination: safekeeping in my mom’s possession.

Years later, I resumed my writing craft near the end of elementary school with two series of chapter books I wrote and then read aloud to my family. However, it was not until I watched Marvel’s Avengers that I found my true muse (Captain America, obviously). The story was so enthralling, I could do nothing but pick up the pen and compose my first published trilogy: The Ninja and Hunter Series published when I was sixteen. This was followed by the tree books of The Howling Twenties two years later.

But, no longer a ‘young adult’ I’ve moved on beyond that genre to the next age group: New Adult. That genre infamously known for its many vices and sins. However, we as Christians are called to “Take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b), and a genre targeted toward twenty-somethings should be no exception.

So this is my first release in the New Adult genre. Kristian Clark might be a secret-agent-turned-private-investigator-turned-secret-agent again, but he still deals with the same problems all twenty-somethings face: adapting to a career, longing for a soul mate, and searching for deeper meaning in all the noise. With a little intrigue and cool gadgets on the side because, well, he is a secret-agent-turned-private-investigator-turned-secret-agent after all.