Monday, August 27, 2018

Ties that Blind by Chautona Havig


About the Book

Title: Ties that Blind
Author: Chautona Havig
Release date: August, 2018
Genre: Suspense

He may not be the only person in the Rockland area to wake up without a memory, but he might be the only killer… Simon Prescott, the latest victim of spontaneous amnesia in Rockland, is under suspicion of murder. The evidence, though weak and circumstantial, points only to him. He’s confident he didn’t do it, but there’s no way to prove it. Grieving for a wife he doesn’t remember, Simon refuses to allow his family in, refuses to cooperate with police, and is heading straight for the pokey if he doesn’t figure out something and fast. Enter: Ella Weeks and Vikki Jeffries. The previous two victims are determined to help him, and with jail time looming, Simon capitulates. But what Vikki and Ella find as they work through Simon’s life reveals astounding and rather chilling evidence of a bigger scheme than any of them could have imagined. They’re on the verge of total discovery, but the closer they get, the less confident they are that they want to know.


Click HERE to purchase your copy!





My Review

Chautona really packs a punch with the final installment in this series! From book one, I found the series to be intriguing, soul-searching, and mind-bending, and this final book really brought the conflict of our protagonist to a boiling point. I learned so much about being aware of my own internal struggles, but also to be aware of those who are reaching out for help no matter if we understand how they feel completely or not. I was reminded of the Lord’s redemption, love, and faithfulness through the most trying of circumstances. In regards to plot, my mind was totally bent with the characters trying to find the source of all this, and I really felt their raw emotion on almost every page. The characters were really very personal and real to me, and I really was intrigued by their journey. I believe any fiction reader could enjoy this entire series, and especially if you enjoy something out of the ordinary that is truly inspiring! 

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


About the Author



The author of dozens of books in a variety of genres, Chautona Havig lives and writes in California’s Mojave Desert where she uses story to nudge her readers to the feet of the Master Storyteller.







Guest Post from Chautona

What Does It All Mean, Anyway?

“So why is this series called ‘Sight Unseen’ if it’s about people who lose their memories? Why the vision references?” I can’t pretend I wanted to answer her question. She isn’t the first to ask, and I doubt she’ll be the last. I tried to explain. Look, it’s a valid question. Originally, the first book was called From the Cinders, and if it had remained a stand-alone book, it still would be. But when I finished with another person waking up to no memories and a hint that something sinister might be behind it all, I had to change it to fit two books—no, three! Recall. Rewind. Refresh. I liked those titles. But that still didn’t give me the name of a series. I kept studying. Tried again. I read what would become None So Blind three times in a row, if I recall correctly. And as I read it, a theme emerged. Ella Weeks hadn’t been blind to her faults even before her memory loss. Even her husband hadn’t been, despite his obvious love for her. But those around her had been blind to her awareness of those faults—to her silent cries for help in overcoming them.

Will Not See emerged with a similar theme.

Vikki had a past that she hid from and refused to acknowledge. And even as those around her drew closer to provide support, she still managed to block out all that she found frightening—even physically shutting down and shutting out life. So, when it came time to plan the final book in the series, the one that would now tie together everything that had happened, I knew I wanted something that also fit with the other titles. And one night it came to me. Ties That Blind. So often our ties to people blind us to their faults—to the destructive influences they have in our lives. And Simon Prescott will learn that lesson in a rather lonely, horrible way.

The Sight Unseen series reminds us of what Paul said in Corinthians.

Now we see through dark glasses… we can’t really make it all out. But with the Lord, when we’re truly with Him in eternity, we’ll see things as clearly as we do when we are face to face. And that’s what faith is all about, right? It’s the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When we “buy in” to the Lord Jesus, we’re taking it all in faith. We’re trusting in Him, “Sight Unseen,” just as the characters in this series do with every element of their lives. I hope their journeys bless you as they have me as I wrote them.


Blog Stops

Live. Love. Read. , August 18
Fiction Aficionado, August 20
Among the Reads, August 20
Lots of Helpers, August 22
Cordially Barbara, August 23
All-of-a-kind Mom, August 23
Multifarious, August 24
Texas Book-aholic, August 26
A Reader’s Brain, August 27
Carpe Diem, August 28
Bigreadersite, August 30
Mary Hake, August 30
Pause for Tales, August 31


Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away a grand prize of the entire Sight Unseen series in paperback!!
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/d295/ties-that-blind-celebration-tour-giveaway

Out of North Korea by Alana Terry


About the Book



Book Title: Out of North Korea  
Author: Alana Terry  
Genre: Christian Thriller/Suspense  
Release date: June 25, 2018

A single photograph could cost his life …
Ian McAllister has searched the world over, hunting for that all-elusive perfect photograph.
He finds it on a tourist trip to North Korea when he stumbles upon a young street kid foraging for roots.
Unaware that this single act will brand him a spy and cost his freedom, Ian takes the shot.
Now he must pay the penalty.
A true-to-life novel about an American imprisoned behind North Korea’s closed borders.
A gripping tale of courage, faith, and hope from award-winning Christian novelist Alana Terry.
 

Click HERE to purchase your copy!


My Review

If it’s a developing complex character you are looking for, Out of North Korea has it for you. We are introduced with Ian, an agnostic/atheist who take a photo that changes his world almost in an instant. Especially with all the news we read every day, we are more aware of North Korea and the oppression of the people who live there. Ian ends up a prisoner in this place that I am sure we are all too scared to even think about for ourselves. The inner monologue of our protagonist ensues, and we get a glimpse of his sweet grandma whom he loves but totally disagrees with on the concept of God. He makes a friend from an unexpected source who also pushes him to think the idea of God may be one worth investigating. I was reminded to pray and be involved with the widows, orphans, brothers and sisters who can not freely worship and are punished for their love of Christ, even murdered. One verse that hit home was that to whom much is given, much is required. This inspired me as someone who has had the opportunity to experience a lot and grow up in a nurturing environment to challenge myself to give more to others in any way the Lord calls me to. This book really will make you think, and while it is quite a lot of monologue, it gives us the story of a man who realizes who God is in the midst of a crisis we all tremble to think of. I feel like any fiction reader should give this one a go just to open themselves to a reality that may make them uncomfortable, but one they need to be aware of.

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


About the Author



Alana is a pastor’s wife, homeschooling mom, self-diagnosed chicken lady, and Christian suspense author. Her novels have won awards from Women of Faith, Book Club Network, Grace Awards, Readers’ Favorite, and more. Alana’s passion for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom shines through her writing, and her books are known for raising tough questions without preaching. She and her family live in rural Alaska where the northern lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer make hauling water, surviving the annual mosquito apocalypse, and cleaning goat stalls in negative forty degrees worth every second.


Guest Post from Alana Terry

Have you seen in the news that the leaders of North and South Korea have both publicly stated their willingness to promote peace on the Korean peninsula? It was certainly a historic moment, and this part of the world has earned its place in global headlines.

My interest in North Korea, however, goes back over a decade, when as a young mother I received a prayer burden for the people of North Korea. Fast-forward to five years ago when my debut novel was released. The Beloved Daughter follows the life of a young girl who is sent to prison camp because of her father’s Christian faith. In addition to winning several awards, The Beloved Daughter gave an expression to my prayer burden to see North Korea free to worship the one true God.
Out of North Korea is unique among my other titles because it’s the first story that focuses on an American in North Korea. Ian McAllister is captured and held in a Pyongyang prison because of a photograph he took of a young homeless boy. I hope the message leaves you as inspired and encouraged as I was when I was writing it.


Blog Stops

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Alana is giving away a grand prize of a $30 Amazon gift card!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/d06d/out-of-north-korea-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, August 13, 2018

A Promise Forged by Cara Putman


About the Book



Book Title: A Promise Forged  
Author: Cara Putman  
Genre: World War 2 Romance  
Release date: Originally released in 2010, Re-released in 2017

Kat transformed in front of him. Her chin came up, her fingers stopped twitching with the fabric of her gown, and a real sparkle bubbled in her eyes. It was like watching Snow White come to life when the prince kissed her.

A heartwarming WWII historical from award-winning author Cara Putman: Kat Miller has dreamed of playing baseball her entire life. When she earns a spot on a team in the All-American Girls Professional Softball League, she finds that things aren’t as glamorous as she imagined. She struggles with long road trips, grueling practices, and older teammates who are jealous of her success. And to top it all off, an irritating reporter is constantly getting under Kat’s skin.

 Events in Jack Raymond’s career have left him cynical and distanced from God. He never wanted to write at a small paper, and he certainly didn’t want to be assigned to something as inconsequential as a women’s softball team. Then Kat walks into his life. The fiery, young softball player somehow climbs the walls around his heart and makes him want to hope again. When lies fly and the league appears to fail, will Kat and Jack’s new love survive?


Click HERE to purchase your copy!



My Review

What an unexpected, really fun, historical book! I adored Kat's character- her spunkiness yet timidity, her tomboyishness and yet attractiveness, and her tenacious spirit. I can only imagine during the 1940's what it would've been like to be more of a tomboy when women were still largely expected to just be pretty and work on getting a husband. The "League of Their Own" vibe really made me smile, especially when the women were expected to play good softball and yet still be charming and feminine while doing so. The complexity of our characters and the relationship between Jack and Kat kept a good plot going. I was inspired by Kat's faithfulness to the Lord, and how it affected those around her. I found this read to be delightfully historical, and just a cozy read that made me feel good. I would recommend this book to any fiction reader without hesitation, but especially if you like history, strong heroine stories, or love baseball! :) 

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

About the Author



Since the time she could read Nancy Drew, Cara has wanted to write mysteries. In 2005 she attended a book signing at her local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, was history. There she met a fellow Indiana writer Colleen Coble. With prompting from her husband, Cara shared her dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, Cara’s been writing award-winning books. She is currently working on book 30 and 31. Cara Putman is an active member of ACFW, and currently serves on its Executive Board. She has also been the Indiana ACFW chapter president and served as the Area Coordinator for Indiana. Cara is also an attorney, lecturer at a Big Ten university, active in women’s ministry, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, her husband and her kids that is. She graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!) and George Mason Law School, and Krannert School of Management. You can learn more about Cara at www.caraputman.com <http://www.caraputman.com/>.


Guest Post from Cara

Each of my books starts with a hook that engages my interest, and then as I play with it, I think it will engage readers. A Promise Forged was no different. For this book I was writing a series of three World War II novels for Barbour. I already had two historical hooks that fascinated me: children evacuated from London to Ohio, a top secret project to break Engima in Dayton, but I needed one more. I knew the lead characters were going to be siblings, but I wasn’t sure what to do with the kid sister. Then I remembered the All-American Girls Professional Softball/Baseball League. And I started thinking. What would it have been like to desperately want a chance to play a sport you loved professionally? And to be part of the nascent league when no one was sure whether it was a good or bad idea?

I decided that was the perfect place for Kat. She was the kid sister with fire and passion. She wanted a chance to prove herself, and this would be the perfect place. Then she needed a hero worthy of her. One who could go toe-to-toe with her and still see who she could be. He came in the form of Jack, a cynical reporter who is disappointed to be assigned to cover girls’ baseball. But then he gets to know Kat and some of the others. And he sees something in her that she doesn’t see in herself. It’s the beginning of fireworks that he doesn’t think can go anywhere because she has to go home to her senior year of high school.

As I began researching the history of the league, I learned that the AAGPS/BL archives were kept at a small museum in South Bend, a couple hours from where I live. I spent a day there talking with the curator and exploring all the records. Because the league wasn’t expected to last there weren’t many records from the first year. That meant I had to guess about some things like schedules based on what happened in the years after. A Promise Forged became a book I loved writing. Kat was feisty, Jack was cynical, and baseball provided a great setting. I can’t believe this football loving woman can admit that!


Blog Stops

Among the Reads, August 4
C Jane Read, August 5
Genesis 5020, August 6
Carpe Diem, August 7
Mary Hake, August 8
By The Book, August 9
Simple Harvest Reads, August 9 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)
Lighthouse Academy, August 10
Remembrancy, August 10
100 Pages per Hour, August 11
Bigreadersite, August 11
Godly Book Reviews, August 12
Cafinated Reads, August 12
A Reader’s Brain, August 13
Book by Book, August 13
All-of-a-kind Mom, August 14
amandainpa, August 15
Pause for Tales, August 17

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Cara is giving away a grand prize that includes the movie League of Their Own, a box of cracker jacks, M&Ms and a $20 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d2ac/a-promise-forged-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, August 6, 2018

Kingdom of Ruins by D.C. Marino


About the Book



Title: Kingdom of Ruins  
Author: D.C. Marino  
Genre: Fantasy  
Release Date: July 27, 2018

In the Lands Within, history does not rest. Each archaeological layer communicates with the living generation, choosing its friends and enemies—and its kings. But an alliance has been struck no one could have anticipated, and an ancient evil is soaking into the soil. History is being erased, purchased and re-written at a terrible price. And a kingdom that shouldn’t have been forgotten is fading from memory.

In the Lands Without, archaeologist Lori Brickland has found a pottery shard with a heartbeat. The pulse might be a trick of the mind, or it might be the first sign of life in a world of ruin. An exiled traveler will say she shouldn’t search for the truth, a calculating ruler will say she’s the one he’s looking for. And the kingdom? The kingdom will need her before the end. It’s time to accept what she’s always known…

This isn’t archaeology.

This is war.

Click HERE to purchase your copy!


My Review

Fantasy meets reality in a historic way through the eyes of an archeologist that has a fear of ruins. If that sentence seems to twist your head a little bit, get ready for a fun fantasy ride in Kingdom of Ruins. Our author uses great artistry creating "The Lands Within." While it took me a minute to comprehend what was going on, I think our character was in the same frame of mind and we figured it out together. I always enjoy a good fantasy, and it certainly took artisitic skill to craft this one, and the plot we find within. While this read is a lengthy one, and I wish that maybe the action was a bit more fast paced, there is plenty to be in awe of. I connected to Lori because I too tend to be fearful, but the Lord has a way of pushing me way out of comfort zone as Lori finds herself. I felt like the characters were very relatable as well which isn't always easy to do with characters contained within a fantasy world. Overall, great artistry here. If you like adventure, fantasy, or just a fun read that will keep you guessing until the end, Kingdom of Ruins is for you!

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


About the Author



D.C. Marino is a dedicated reader of history books and fantasy novels, both of which occupy an equal amount of space on her bookshelves. But it wasn’t until she realized how one breathed life into the other that she became addicted to finding the intersections of the real world and the fairy story. Still more: what those intersections about us as a creative, curious people. Kingdom of Ruins is her debut novel.

Guest Post from D.C. Marino

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share Kingdom of Ruins with you! This story has been on my heart and mind for over ten years now, so this feels a bit surreal. I’d love to tell you a bit about why I wrote this book. But in order to do that, I need to tell you why I almost didn’t. Fantasy. It isn’t real. Why should I spend time writing a story that doesn’t grapple with the actual issues of the day? Why not speak plainly, instead of inventing another world to explore the real one? These were the questions I asked myself every night before I fell asleep. I adored fiction that transported me to factual events, or introduced me to historical figures, but every time I picked up a pen, the fantastical wiggled out of it. I was afraid I was writing the wrong story.

This story oddly (or not so oddly) enough began with Lori, an atephobic archaeologist. Meaning she had a passion for archaeology, but a phobic fear of ruins. Why would she shrink back from the work she loved? Because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make whole the broken. Life ends in dust, and that’s all there is to it. I felt the same way. Not only was I writing something I wasn’t sure would be relevant, but could it mend anything? Make a difference? Or was it futile, like trying to resurrect the past?

What I found was exactly what Lori begins to find in Kingdom of Ruins. That even though things seem unfixable, it isn’t the end. The world Lori enters is full of darkness and peril, but it also holds a chance for her to heal from more than just her fear. While I wrote, and especially as I neared the last chapter, I realized she and I had both overcome a great challenge. I won’t tell you her conclusion, but
I will tell you mine:

I wrote the right story.

I hope you enjoy every bit of the journey as I did, dear reader. D.C. Marino


Blog Stops

Carpe Diem, July 31
Remembrancy, July 31
Multifarious, August 3
Bigreadersite, August 4
Simple Harvest Reads, August 9 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Texas Book-aholic, August 11


Giveaway



To celebrate the tour, Celebrate Lit Publishing is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ced0/kingdom-of-ruins-celebration-tour-giveaway