Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Sword in the Stars by Wayne Thomas Batson


About the Book



Book Title: Sword in the Stars  
Author: Wayne Thomas Batson  
Genre: Epic Fantasy  
Release date: August 16, 2017

The difference in their uncanny eyes could not be easily discerned. In the rays of the setting sun, both Aravel’s and Morlan’s eyes appeared gold. In the pale moonlight…yellow. Seemingly the same. Such inscrutable likeness is the way of things with identical twins. But all who knew the two brothers well noted unmistakable differences, peculiarities more experienced than seen. Those who stood before King Aravel’s gaze felt the glad firelight of a cozy inn. But those who fell under Morlan’s stare felt the gleam of winter moonlight on the cold, white stone monuments in a boneyard.


FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE DOOR WITHIN TRILOGY comes an epic tale of two powerful kings whose rivalry threatens to tear the world of Myriad apart. Into this chaos of treachery and war, strides ex-assassin Alastair Coldhollow whose quest for redemption leads him to the one foe he cannot defeat with a thrust of his sword. Everything may hinge on an age-old prophecy, but after thousands of years, will the Sword appear in the Stars at last?

With the aid of Abbagael Rivynfleur, a not-so-naive girl from the forest villages, Alastair will tread forgotten roads, face legendary creatures, and meet mysterious new races of people, all in an effort to find Myriad’s Halfainin. So begins the sweeping seven-volume Myridian Constellation. Read on to discover what happens when the Sword is in the Stars, and the moon is blood red…

Click HERE to purchase your copy!


My Review

When I first became an avid reader at about 10 years old, Chronicles of Narnia was one of the first series I reached for. Needless to say, that experience solidified my love of a good read in a fantasy world complete with all the fantasy creatures. Sword in the Stars truly is an EPIC fantasy, and honestly was so full of action, new worlds, mystical characters, and the hero and heroine with a truly strong persona that it screamed the word EPIC. Complete with a reference guide and map to the new world we were delving into as well as a guide to all the characters and creatures and their lineage, we jump right into the action with Alastair and Abbagael. What a ride it is! It took me a minute to get oriented to the world, the places, and people/creatures found within, but once I did, I was hooked. The author painted the world and the action so clearly that I had the story in movie scenes playing out in my mind. I also enjoyed the themes of faith found within. Looking forward to more in this truly EPIC fantasy series!

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


About the Author


 
Wayne Thomas Batson is the Bestselling author of seventeen adventure novels including the fan favorite: Door Within Trilogy, the pirate trilogy: The Isle Chronicles, the 7-book fantasy epic: Myridian Constellation, and a supernatural thriller series for adults: GHOST: The John Spector Missions. Batson credits God for every concept, story, word, and phrase (“Except the mistakes,” Batson says. “Those are all me.”) Happily married for 25 years, Batson and his wife have four adult children and make their home in Carroll County, Maryland.


A middle school Reading and English teacher for 27 years, Batson loves to challenge—and be challenged by—his students. So, when he began writing stories to supplement the school district’s curriculum, it was his students who taught their teacher a lesson. Batson’s students were so taken by one of the stories that, over a thirteen-year span, they pushed him to make it into a full-length novel. That story became The Door Within. Since then, Batson’s students continue to be his frontline editors. Says Batson, “Two things you can count on from middle school students: Intelligence and Honesty. Kids are so much more perceptive than a lot of us ‘Big Folk’ give them credit for. And when something’s not right in the story, they’ll tell you about in very clear terms.” With over half a million books in print, Batson believes his books appeal to so many kids and adults because, at a deep level, we all long to do something that matters, and we all dream of another world.


Guest Post from Wayne

Wayne Thomas Batson here. If you’re wondering why I always use my middle name, no, it’s not because I want to sound all stodgy or literary. Thomas is my father’s name. I’ve always wanted to honor him by using the name in my author name, esp. now because he passed away in 2015. If you’ve been reading my books for a while, you probably think The Door Within is my first book. Technically, however, it is not. The concept for Sword in the Stars actually popped into my head before The Door Within. The book actually appeared in two parts: Alastair’s story and Ariana’s story (from Errant King). At first I just didn’t realize they were both in the same HUGE story. In the meantime, Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins published The Door Within Trilogy, and I kept getting contracts, keeping me from Sword in the Stars until 2012. But God was pretty insistent about the story because I kept getting flooded with ideas for what will eventually become the 7-Book Myridian Constellation series. Seriously, you should see the looks I get at church when I sit down during worship to scrawl story ideas on the back of a church bulletin!



Blog Stops

The Lit Addict, October 27
Bibliophile Reviews, October 28
Book by Book, October 29
Aryn the Libraryan, October 30
A Reader’s Brain, October 31
Ashley’s Bookshelf, November 1
Multifarious, November 2
Blogging With Carol, November 3
Bigreadersite, November 3
Inklings and Notions , November 4
Artistic Nobody, November 5
Texas Book-aholic, November 6
Carpe Diem, November 9



Giveaway



To celebrate his tour, Wayne is giving away a grand prize of The Official Bat Book Box O’ Mystery (including some one of a kind, early handwritten drafts of my published books)!!
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/d4ec/sword-in-the-stars-celebration-tour-giveaway
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Wednesday, October 24, 2018

The Mending of Lillian Cathleen by Linda Brooks Davis


About the Book



Book Title: The Mending of Lillian Cathleen  
Author: Linda Brooks Davis  
Genre: Historical  
Release date: October, 2018

It’s 1914. American women are demanding the vote.

And the first flames of the Great War are igniting Europe.

But a battle of a different sort rages in Oklahoma.

The thermometer registers one hundred six degrees, an out-of-the-ordinary occurrence even for the twenty-eighth day of July.

But this is no ordinary day. The jury has reached a verdict. Lily fidgets in the old church pew. Her name has clotted into a by-word.

Her blood is tainted. Can she right the wrongs? Or will her past forever define her? She eyes the judge.

And the courtroom holds its breath.

Click HERE to purchase your copy!



My Review

What a beautiful & yet heartbreaking story our author has written for us! Can I just take a minute to appreciate the cover, and how beautiful that is? The treasure found within the pages is one that is truly emotional, eye-opening, and heartfelt. The weaving of the Lord within the circumstances our characters face reminds us of the hope we have in the Lord at all times and in all places. The author so clearly depicts the good vs. evil, and really makes us cringe at the villains found within. The conflicts the characters find themselves in are truly heart-pounding, emotional, and sometimes just simply heartbreaking. While I found the plot to be a little too wordy at points which was a bit confusing, the plot certainly was one that kept me glued to the page until I finished the story in one sitting.  Our heroine is truly that in every way, and yet a totally relatable and down to earth character. The history contained within was also artfully portrayed. I feel that any fiction reader should give this masterful story a read!

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


About the Author



 Linda Brooks Davis was born and reared on a farm in Raymondville, a small Rio Grande Valley community in the southernmost tip of Texas. Linda earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Pathology from Abilene Christian University and a Master’s Degree from Houston Baptist University. She retired in 2008 after forty years as a special educator and administrator. Linda and her beloved husband Al worship and minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio and dote on six grandchildren, three of whom are triplets.

Readers may contact Linda through her website, www.lindabrooksdavis.com. Linda’s debut novel, The Calling of Ella McFarland, is set in 1905 Indian Territory prior to Oklahoma statehood. It won the 2014 Jerry Jenkins Operation First Novel Award. It was released in 2015 and won the 2016 American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award. The sequel novella, A Christmas to Remember, is set in 1908 Oklahoma and released in December, 2016. A second novella, A Christmas Measure of Love, released in 2017. It is set in 1910 and is a prequel to Linda’s second full-length novel, this one set in 1914, The Mending of Lily Cathleen, which releases in 2018.


Guest Post from Linda

Certain ancestors and their experiences appear in my stories. There’s bit of my grandmother and a strong dash of my mother in one character. My father’s sterling qualities appear in another. And there’s a low-down family reprobate in another. Don’t forget cotton planting, hoeing, and harvest time. The glorious aroma of fresh-picked cotton and the nothing-in-the-world-like-it odor from the pig pen. A sewing machine whirring. The clink of a milk pail. A cow hollering to be milked. Summer’s sun on my face, the hearty South Texas wind in my hair, and the comfort of backing up to a wall heater on a cold winter morning. All find their way into the plot lines.

In my family’s history, my own life, and the kaleidoscope of lives in my stories, Jesus appears as the golden thread linking the past to the present and beyond. He turns an ordinary morning into a hint of the “Sweet By & By.” He adds the delicate aroma of the Rose of Sharon to the sultry stillness before a summer storm. And He wraps the bitterness of grief and failure in the richness of His incomparable grace.

The Mending of Lillian Cathleen is one of those tales that reach beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary because of Jesus. Lily’s story captures some of the heartache of domestic abuse, but it packs a powerfully joyous punch at the end. I thought I’d add a strong dash of sweet to this post with a recipe that appears in The Calling of Ella McFarland (which is re-releasing in October 2018). Mama’s (or Papa’s) Nectar of Heaven was a treat my mother enjoyed as a child. She set the same yummy delicacy before her kids, and I, of course, have done the same. Here ’tis, ya’ll, from Texas with sweet, sweet love.




Blog Stops

Inklings and Notions, October 18
Multifarious, October 19
The Becca Files, October 19
The Lit Addict, October 20
Luv’N Lambert Life, October 20
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, October 21
Christian Bookaholic, October 22
God’s Little Bookworm , October 23
Godly Book Reviews, October 23
A Reader’s Brain, October 24
Maureen’s Musings, October 25
Baker Kella, October 25
Just the Write Escape, October 26
Mary Hake, October 26
Janice’s Book Reviews , October 27
Bibliophile Reviews, October 28
Texas Book-aholic, October 29
Bigreadersite , October 30
Carpe Diem, October 31
Lis Loves Reading, October 31


Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d56e/the-mending-of-lillian-cathleen-celebration-tour-giveaway
at 1 comment:

Thursday, October 11, 2018

Renewed by Leigh Powers


About the Book



Book Title: Renewed  
Author: Leigh Powers  
Genre: Devotional  
Release date: November, 2017

Ministry is a privilege, but it can also be a painful experience. Unrealistic expectations, church conflict, forced resignations, and our own struggles with burnout, loneliness, and insecurity can make church feel more like a place of wounding than a place of healing. How can wounded leaders find the courage to reject bitterness and keep loving the church? Renewed is a forty-day devotional for women in ministry, ministry wives, and lay leaders who have been wounded by their congregations. You are not alone. God sees your pain. He knows your hurts. And he is waiting to bind up your broken heart. This forty-day journey into the healing love of Jesus will help you find the courage to stop hiding and start loving the church again.

Click HERE to purchase your copy!


My Review

To all my sisters in ministry roles of any type (pastor's wives, women's ministry directors, children's directors, etc.): if you are tired, burned out, or just dealing with a lot of emotion that is not Christ-like toward the church members you serve, you NEED to read and meditate on the Word with our author in this devotional. This book was set up in a raw, core of the issue way dealing with acknowledging your pain, asking God to help you navigate it, and finding your love for the church again regardless of circumstances. You will have to forgive a lot of people that never ask for forgiveness, keep silent when you would rather scream and shout, do your best for some people who will never see that as enough. Ministry is a privilege, an honor, and a calling & those of you in ministry know that, but you have also been hurt- that's what happens whenever people are involved. Bitterness, fear, indiferrence, depression, anger, and so many things can set in that alienate us from God & from fellowship with believers, and that is exactly where satan wants us- isolated away from God & our brethren because we are ineffective & we just continue to fall into the pit of sin we are already in. 
I would never excuse people's actions towards those in ministry who mistreat & only look for fault. However, as we submit to the Lord, we look to Jesus as our example who returned only blessing for cursing knowing this glorified the Father.

In conclusion, please check out this devotional! Each day is very down to earth & relatable, and each one contains Scripture & questions for further contemplation. It takes us through a cycle of how to take our hurt & fear to the Lord & allow Him to work in us and through us in the midst of it. It reminds us that the calling is of the Lord, and we are living for the audience of the One, Jesus Christ. It reminds us who we are in Christ, and that He is our Living Hope! Blessings to you sweet sisters, and thank you for being faithful to the One who called you! Let the Word of Christ & the wisdom of a fellow sister in ministry (the author), guide you through healing to obtain renewal in Christ!!

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


**Side note to pastors & pastor's wives: My husband & I were able to be blessed by a wonderful ministry known as Shepherd's Haven of Rest or SHOR. They provide cost free retreats for those who are called to ministry in a pastoral role & maybe are in between churches, or in a current role that need renewal specifically. The leaders are the most genuine people I know serving in that role themselves for several years. Here is their website if you would like to check out more! http://www.shorministries.com/




About the Author



Leigh Powers is passionate about helping women find hope and healing in God’s Word. A pastor’s wife and mother of three with fifteen years of full-time ministry experience, she is a freelance writer, Bible study and devotional author, and a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She blogs regularly at www.leighpowers.com. You can usually find her with either a book or knitting needles in her hand—and sometimes both.



Guest Post from Leigh

I love ministry life. Several years ago, a young woman from Southeast Asia came to my English as a Second Language class for a year. Her English wasn’t very good, and I had to tug to get a word out of her. She came every week, but I wondered how much she was getting from the Bible stories we did during each class. At the end of the semester, I asked our class to share what they wanted to tell their friends and family when they went home. She looked up at me with big brown eyes. “I want to tell people about Jesus.” Those are the ministry moments that thrill us. It is a privilege to help people find freedom in Christ, teach God’s word, worship with the congregation, and walk alongside people in their moments of joy or sorrow. On those days I can’t imagine choosing another life.

Then there are days that make me want to hang it all up and go work at Wal-Mart. Days when anonymous letters get slipped under the office door. Days when you’re the brunt of gossip, when loneliness is like an ache in your bones, or when you start sending out resumes for new positions because you aren’t sure how much longer you’ll have the one you’ve got. Ministry can be tough. Over the years I’ve met many women who have experienced the painful side of ministry. Church conflicts, forced resignations, depression, loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, and our own struggles with faith can take a toll. That painful side of ministry can make us start looking for an escape hatch.

 I wrote Renewed in the middle of a difficult ministry season. It was a hard season, but it was also a season where Jesus showed up for me in an almost tangible way. At the same time, I was also hearing stories from other ministry wives and women in ministry that sounded all too familiar. I started putting words on the page, hoping that somehow God would use them to bring healing to other women in the same way he had brought healing to me. That outpouring of hurt, healing, and hope eventually became Renewed. Some of you reading this are nodding along right now because you’ve been there too. You love the church, but you’ve seen how ugly it can be when we get it wrong. You’ve got wounds of your own, and sometimes you wonder if you can ever risk your heart again. If that’s you, I want you to know that there is hope. God has not abandoned you. God sees your hurt, he knows your pain, and he is waiting to bind up your broken spirit. He’s waiting. Turn to him, and may you find your spirit renewed.



Blog Stops

amandainpa, October 7
The Becca Files, October 8
Mary Hake, October 8
Genesis 5020, October 10
A Reader’s Brain, October 11
More Of Him, October 12
Godly Book Reviews, October 13
Carpe Diem, October 14
Kelly Harrel, October 15
Texas Book-aholic, October 16
Bigreadersite, October 17


Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Leigh is giving away a 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. https://promosimple.com/ps/d4ee/renewed-celebration-tour-giveaway
at No comments:

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Indivisible by Travis Thrasher


About the Book




Book: Indivisible  
Author: Travis Thrasher  
Genre: General fiction, drama  
Release Date: October 23, 2018  

A novelization of the film Indivisible, this is a story of love and marriage and finding each other all over again. When Darren deploys to Iraq during the surge of 2007, he leaves behind his loving and supportive wife, Heather, and their three small children. Their marriage is the envy of the base, both believing strongly in the calling to serve in the military.

Darren knows he’s there to support the troops in their darkest moments as their chaplain, but what he doesn’t realize is that he will face his own dark moments, which will have lasting effects on his marriage.

Meanwhile, Heather is creating a community among the other wives and families left behind. She rallies support back home, realizing the dangers the men and women serving overseas are facing, but she also begins to notice a change in Darren during their brief conversations.


When he returns, he is no longer the man who left-the man Heather married. His greatest fear is letting her down, but instead of opening up to her, he shuts her out. Their marriage was so strong before. But how can they get back to where they were . . . or find a new way forward? Indivisible is a story of sacrifice, marriage, and faith that will leave audiences full of hope even amid their most challenging times.

Click HERE to purchase your copy!





We are excited to announce that this book is going to be a major motion picture!













































































































My Review



What an emotional, eye-opening, inspirational novel our author presents to us in Indivisible. My mind and heart were opened to the realities of PTSD, and also the realities of warfare. Having soldiers in my family in the past, but not actually experiencing a family member being deployed, I thought the author did a great job of helping us understand and feel the reality of the soldier and the family he has to leave behind. I certainly gained more respect for the challenges they face, especially how the Lord carried them through with the support of others in the same situation. I was reminded how every experience effects each one of us and changes us in different ways that sometimes cause issues in the family dynamic. I learned how without the Lord & brothers/sisters in Christ, we wouldn't make it through trials. I learned how even though we may not understand why things happen, the Lord has a perfect plan for it all. I felt like I truly delved into a new world with an emotional, fast-moving plot, truly relatable characters, and a reminder of the hope we have in Christ. I feel like any fiction reader could find some truth and enjoyment in Indivisible. 







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











About the Author











Bestselling author Travis Thrasher has written over 50 books and worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years. He has written fiction in a variety of genres, from love stories and supernatural thrillers to young adult series. His inspirational stories have included collaborations with filmmakers, musicians, athletes and pastors. He’s also co-written memoirs and self-help books. His novelizations include Do You Believe? and God’s Not Dead 2. Upcoming releases in 2018 include The Black Auxiliary about the lives of the other 17 American black athletes who competed with Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Travis lives with his wife and three daughters in Grand Rapids, Michigan.





More about Indivisible

This book is based on a true story, so we’d love for readers and moviegoers to meet the real Darren and Heather Turner:



Darren and Heather Turner both grew up in Georgia, and met in 1999 when Darren was working in campus ministry at the University of Georgia. (Darren is still a Bulldog at heart.) Heather was working as a recruiter for an organization that sends English teachers overseas, and Darren had just returned from a year teaching English in Mongolia when they met. Married that same year, they served another six years together in campus ministry and added three children to their family. Through the husband of a friend of Heather’s, Darren learned that opportunities existed for service as a military chaplain. In 2006, Darren completed seminary, was commissioned in the Army, and deployed almost immediately.



Their family’s experiences from this timeframe are the basis of the new movie INDIVISIBLE. Darren, who is on active duty, and Heather are passionate about serving military families, marriage counseling, and leading marriage retreats. The Turners currently live in North Carolina with their children Elie, Samuel, and Meribeth. Learn more about the Turners!



















Blog Stops





Carpe Diem, October 4



The Becca Files, October 4




Robin is Bookish, October 5



The Power of Words, October 6




Splashes of Joy, October 7



Mary Hake, October 7







Simple Harvest Reads, October 9 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)



A Reader’s Brain, October 10




Book by Book, October 10






All-of-a-kind Mom, October 12



Bibliophile Reviews, October 13



Pause for Tales, October 13




Texas Book-aholic, October 14




Cafinated Reads, October 15






Maureen’s Musings, October 17



A Diva’s Heart, October 17



Bigreadersite, October 17













Giveaway



















To celebrate his tour, Travis is giving away a grand prize that includes the Indivisible novel along with a devotional!!



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/d627/indivisible-celebration-tour-giveaway













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1 comment: