Monday, December 31, 2018

In the Shadow of Croft Towers by Abigail Wilson


About the Book



Book: In the Shadow of Croft Towers  
Author: Abigail Wilson  
Genre: Historical fiction, romantic suspense  
Release Date: January 15, 2019

From debut author Abigail Wilson comes a mysterious Regency tale of secrets and spies, love and treachery.

Orphaned Sybil Delafield jumps at the opportunity for a position at the mysterious Croft Towers. She believes she was hired to act as a companion to a dying woman, but a highway robbery and a hostile welcome from the Chalcroft family cause her to wonder if she was actually hired to help someone spy for France.

An unsolved murder adds intrigue to this already secretive family, and Sybil recognizes Mrs. Chalcroft’s handsome grandson as one of the infamous highwaymen who robbed her. Sybil must determine if this man’s charming smile and earnest eyes speak the truth or if he is simply using her like others in the house.

Everyone seems to have something to hide, and Sybil must decide who to trust while also coming to terms with the truth about her own past.


Click HERE to purchase your copy!









My Review



Like the author, I consider myself a regency era die-hard fan, so I was quite excited to find that is the time period in which our story takes place. As a new to me author, Ms. Wilson packs a punch within the first few pages that instantly got my attention. I easily finished this in one sitting because I had to find out what happened! All the characters became real to me, and I felt truly part of the plot that unfolded. Sybil was such a character in personality, background, gutsy, and more that made her a truly worthy heroine. Furthermore, this book combined perfect parts of history, romance, adventure, and suspense to truly make this a well-rounded read. Since this is only our author's debut novel, I can't wait to get my hands on more from her pen! If you enjoy history, romance, adventure, or suspense novels, this one is for you!







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















About the Author









Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A Registered Nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the National Parks, attending her daughter’s gymnastic meets, and curling up with a great book. In 2017, Abigail won WisRWA’s Fab Five contest and ACFW’s First Impressions contest as well as placing as a finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children. Connect with Abigail at www.acwilsonbooks.com











Excerpt from the Book

1813 THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE



I often wonder what my life would have been like if I had never learned the truth. I wouldn’t have set off as I did for Croft Towers. I never would have met him. It’s strange what I remember about the day I left London. The mail coach was late; the weather wretched. The clock had struck midnight long before two strangers and I ducked beneath the postmaster’s outstretched umbrella to board the Royal Mail and rumble across the North Downs. That difficult journey east marked the beginning of an unseasonably cold autumn. Frigid rain pelted the coach windows. The undercarriage squealed beneath the seats as a metallic scent wound its way between the drafty boards. I gripped the windowsill, wondering if the coachman intended to hit every bump in the road. “Far to go, miss?” The woman’s voice startled me. Dressed head to toe in red satin, she’d endured the last few darkened hours with a handful of smelling salts and a tongue hot for complaints, but she hadn’t spoken to me until now. Not until the first hint of rain-soaked daylight peeked over the horizon. I lowered my gaze and fiddled with my bonnet ribbons. “Yes, ma’am . . . well, not too much farther, I hope.”



Taken from “In the Shadow of Croft Towers” by Abigail Wilson. Copyright © 2018 by Abigail Wilson. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/.







Blog Stops





Just the Write Escape, December 20



Faery Tales Are Real, December 20



The Avid Reader, December 20





Mary Hake, December 22



Carpe Diem, December 22



Inklings and notions, December 23



Blogging With Carol, December 23




Stories By Gina, December 24



Remembrancy, December 24



Madeline Clark, December 25






Janices book reviews, December 26



Back Porch Reads, December 27



Book by Book, December 27



Daysong Reflections, December 28



All-of-a-kind Mom, December 28




Godly Book Reviews, December 29




Bigreadersite, December 29




A Rup Life, December 30



Bibliophile Reviews, December 30



A Reader’s Brain, December 31



Texas Book-aholic, December 31




Bookworld Reviews, January 1



Pause for Tales, January 1















Giveaway















To celebrate her tour, Abigail is giving away a grand prize of one finished 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/d777/in-the-shadow-of-croft-towers-celebration-tour-giveaway













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Saturday, December 15, 2018













Sabotaged Christmas by Carole Brown












About the Book



Toni DeLuca, the Italian owner of DeLuca Construction, finds herself confronted with doubts about her father and his possible deceptions—all because of the mysterious pink notes she's been receiving. Relations with Perrin Douglas who has a troubling history—but the first man in years who's interested her—is building to a peak. Yet Perrin's own personal problems and his doubts about women and God, keep getting in the way. Gossip, a Spanish proposal, an inheritance, and a sabotaged construction business may ruin Christmas for Toni's employees as well as her own happiness. Will a mysterious person succeed in pulling off the biggest scam Appleton, West Virginia has ever seen? And will this culprit destroy Toni's last chance at happiness with the man of her dreams? 











Buy your copy HERE



















My Review



I truly enjoyed another visit to the cozy town of Appleton, WV for another truly cozy mystery. I feel that our author has the genre cozy, romantic mystery defined in this book. Toni is a sweet, endearing character who has run into a lot of questions and a perplexing mystery. Along for the ride is the Perrin, an equally endearing and lost character looking toward the future. The sweet romance found within gave me that fuzzy feeling. The town and its' description will make you wish you could visit and join in all the festivities. The mystery will keep you guessing, and yet not make your stomach lurch like your typical suspenseful book, hence the word "cozy."  Regardless of the coziness of it, the story has a lot of depth, complex characters, and a truly engaging plot. If you are looking for a cozy Christmas mystery with a sweet romance, look no further! If you enjoy Christmas books, sweet romance, or light mystery and suspense, give Sabotaged Christmas a read!







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











About The Author



Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?



Check out the author's FB page HERE

































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Wednesday, December 12, 2018













Mind Games by Nancy Mehl




















About the Book





Book: Mind Games  

Author: Nancy Mehl  

Genre: Suspense   

Release Date: December, 2018   

Publisher: Bethany House 



FBI Behavioral Analyst Kaely Quinn’s methods may be highly unorthodox, but her talent is undeniable. She’s done her best to establish a new life for herself after being demoted and transferred to St. Louis when a reporter revealed she’s the daughter of an infamous serial killer. But when that same reporter claims to have received an anonymous poem predicting a string of murders, ending with Kaely’s, it seems her old life has followed her. When a body is found that fits the poem’s morbid predictions, Kaely and her new partner, Special Agent Noah Hunter, are forced to move past his skepticism of her approach and work together to unravel the deadly riddle. With a brazen serial killer who breaks all the normal patterns on the loose, Noah and Kaely are tested to their limits to catch the murderer before anyone else, including Kaely, is killed.








Click HERE to purchase your copy!











My Review



Can I just say- from page one this book grabs you, pulls you in, and doesn't let go until you finish! Kaely Quinn- what a heroine! I myself tend to be rather quirky so I clicked with this character instantly. Not to mention, I love shows like Criminal Minds, and fancy myself an amateur reading books and watching shows trying to figure out the guilty party before they reveal it. The games the villain plays with our heroine's mind is surely deadly and cruel, and each page makes you hold your breath hoping they catch the villain soon. Packed with suspense, an endearing & quirky heroine, and heart-pounding action, Mind Games truly delivers a punch. If you like action, suspense, or thrillers, you need to read this book. Can't wait for a return to Kaely Quinn for her next adventure!







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











About the Author









Nancy Mehl (www.nancymehl.com) is the author of more than thirty books, including the Road to Kingdom, Finding Sanctuary, and Defenders of Justice series. She received the ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award in 2009. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their Puggle, Watson. She is part of The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.











Guest Post from Nancy

Writing Mind Games is a dream come true. I’ve been interested in FBI profiling for years. I’ve read about it, studied it, and watched every TV special I could find on the subject. So when the chance finally came to write the book I’ve always wanted to write, I jumped at it. Thankfully, through the help of another writer, I was hooked up with a retired FBI profiler. I was so excited.



Until I found out I had almost everything wrong. Yes, I had some understanding about profiling, but I knew nothing about the FBI and how it works. First of all, the FBI doesn’t call the men and women who profile criminals, profilers. They’re called Behavioral Analysts. The plot for Mind Games had my analyst running around the country solving crimes while she was stationed in St. Louis. Uh, no. Behavioral analysts do travel, but they all work out of Quantico in Virginia. So…I rewrote. There were ways around my conundrum, but one solution led to more and more problems. We finally worked through them.



Then I spent the next few months learning acronyms. CIRG, CJIS, NCAVC, HRT, UNSUB, CNU, THU, ViCap, CODIS, SWAT, ERTU, OPU, THRU, ERT… Well, the list goes on and on. The FBI is made up of many specialized units. And a plethora of acronyms, it seems. I rewrote Mind Games three times before my source said we were good to go. If you assume I’m out of the woods now, you’d be wrong. I haven’t had the nerve to open up the manuscript I sent her for book two in my Kaely Quinn Profiler series. I figured I had Fire Storm right but… Well, I can tell from her email comments I’ll be doing more rewriting. Sigh.



So is it worth it? A resounding yes! I love learning, and as long as my analyst friend hangs in with me (she has the patience of Job), I’ll keep at it. I hope you enjoy Mind Games. It’s edgy but fun. Kaely Quinn is a quirky character. She was thrown out of Quantico because her version of profiling is… Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out!











Blog Stops











The Lit Addict, December 11



amandainpa, December 11



A Reader’s Brain, December 12



Daysong Reflections, December 12



Livin’ Lit, December 12




By The Book, December 13



Lighthouse Academy, December 13



Multifarious, December 14




Splashes of Joy, December 14



Back Porch Reads, December 15




Robin is Bookish, December 15



Janices book reviews, December 15



C Jane Read, December 16



Ashley’s Bookshelf, December 16



The Becca Files, December 16



Bigreadersite, December 16



Quiet Quilter, December 17



Margaret Kazmierczak, December 17



Godly Book Reviews, December 17



All-of-a-kind Mom, December 18



Just the Write Escape, December 18



D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, December 18



Simple Harvest Reads, December 19 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)



Mary Hake, December 19





Remembrancy, December 20



Inklings and notions, December 20



Carpe Diem, December 20




Locks, Hooks and Books, December 21



Pause for Tales, December 21




Have A Wonderful Day, December 22



Book by Book, December 22




Bibliophile Reviews, December 23





Cafinated Reads, December 24



Texas Book-aholic, December 24




















Giveaway















To celebrate her tour, Nancy is giving away a grand prize of a copy of Mind Games and the three books in Nancy’s Defenders of Justice series, plus a $20 Starbucks gift card!



Two additional winners will also receive a copy of Mind Games!



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/d73b/mind-games-celebration-tour-giveaway













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After You by Sunshine Rodgers






















About the Book





Book: After You  

Author: Sunshine Rodgers  

Genre: Christian fiction, thriller, suspense (PG-13 Dark Fiction)   

Release Date: April 27, 2018 



Oh, that’s right, we talk about your love life. We sit with you in class. We know all about that thing you did last night. How do we know? We watch you. We go to those dance clubs with you. We scheme hideous outcomes for you. We know exactly what it is that will get you to our side. We create those wrong friendships you wished you never had. We invite you into those relationships that break your heart. We give you the life you never wanted, but it came at such a sweet price. We promised you the world and you took it like a kid wanting candy. All. Too. Easy. All I can say is, please, don’t let me get in the way of the worst ending of your life. I’m right behind you. I’ll open that door to frustration, nonsense, and destruction.





***A Modern day twist on the classic Novel, “The Screwtape Letters” By C.S. Lewis***










 




















Purchase your copy HERE!































My Review

Wow- a book that is written from the perspective of a demon and all of his hellish comrades . . . what an unpleasant and frightening thought. I haven't read a book this artfully written about the spiritual world since Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness. The way the demon worked, how he attached himself to our character, how he responded to help from Heaven, was all so artfully written and really made us a part of the action making the invisible warfare visible. It was truly an intriguing read that kept me on the edge of my seat, and I could not put it down until I finished. Our author truly gives us the view and mission of a demon- to ensure a soul's destiny to hell. To isolate the soul from those that would give them hope, to capitalize on every disappointment, to keep them distracted, to even drive them to an early death to secure their spot in hell. However, the hope we find in Jesus, every prayer for someone else, every prayer against Satan and his demons in someone's life- how that effects hell into terror and even more persecution of the soul. Spiritual warfare is real, and we need to have an arsenal of Scripture being ready to speak into our lives and others to rebuke Satan and his demons. We already have the victory in Christ- we just need to claim it. Thank you, Lord, for your presence, your protection, access to your throne, your love! As a Christian, I think any Christian should pick this up to remind them of the reality of warfare that is invisible to the eye but is a constant struggle, and one we can claim victory in for our lives and the lives of others.


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







About the Author



 




Sunshine Rodgers has been writing professionally for over three years. She is the author of four faith-based book all unique ranging from fiction, nonfiction, and a children’s book. Graduating from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Communications, Sunshine took a more on-screen approach to storytelling by working as a technical director and part of the production crew to television, movies, and the entertainment industry for over ten years. She always had a heart for the written word, and once she decided to share her literary talent, her writing career just took off. She has signed with two different publishers, worked with editors and cover artists and has seen her books in retail stores and online bookstores. She now spends her days traveling, appearing in signings, festivals, and speaking engagements. Sunshine is married to her best friend, Travis, who is also the unofficial editor to her manuscripts.















Guest Post from Sunshine



Hello Everyone! Thank you so much for being a part of the Celebrate Lit’s Blog Tour of my book “After You: A Demon is Always Lurking Nearby.” This book is a modern day twist on the classic novel “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis. My book is a PG-13 novel told from a demon’s point of view on the many temptations and distractions the Enemy of our soul uses to deviate us from God’s plan. The demon in the story is after a girl in high school, so if you can imagine all the playground of resources the demons can play with around an insecure teenager just trying to survive peer pressure, boys and school! I invite you in to explore another realm outside of this one, as this story takes place in Hades and on Earth!









Now, I write Faith-based books and all of them are surrounded by biblical truth and accuracy (as much as I can for Christian fiction!). My other works include: “God the Father, Jesus the Big Brother, Holy Spirit the Best Friend,” “This is My Heaven” and “Last Night, When I Prayed.” In all of my books – even this dark one – I write about God’s pursuit of us, His personal and deep love and His sovereignty that He remains in control no matter what is happening around us!









I pray “After You, A Demon is Always Lurking Nearby” will open your eyes to the spiritual activity taking place around you. I hope you will begin to observe that following God and doing things His way causes the devil to get scared! And anything you do that impacts the Kingdom of God will attract demonic activity. But at the end of the day, God has the final word and we are saved and delivered under His amazing grace!









I would love to hear from you! Connect with me on social media! And I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on my book! Much love! – Sunshine















Blog Stops










Multifarious, December 8




Genesis 5020, December 10



Inklings and notions, December 11



A Reader’s Brain, December 12



Godly Book Reviews, December 13



Bigreadersite, December 14



Texas Book-aholic, December 15




Bibliophile Reviews, December 17



Janices book reviews, December 18



Carpe Diem, December 19




Midnight bookaholic, December 21














Giveaway























To celebrate her tour, Sunshine is giving away a grand prize of a “Last Night, When I Prayed” coffee mug, a bookmark, scripture, little bible pamphlets on the subjects matters such as integrity, finances and miracles, a CD sermon message entitled “God’s Plan for your Life” by Dr. Creflo Dollar and a $10 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/d6d2/after-you-celebration-tour-giveaway













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Monday, December 10, 2018













The Three Faces of Nellie by Robynne Elizabeth Miller




















About the Book





Book: The Three Faces of Nellie  

Author: Robynne Elizabeth Miller  

Genre: Non-fiction, Historical   

Release Date: November, 2016   

Publisher: Practical Pioneer Press



Whether you love her, hate her, or love to hate her, Nellie Oleson is one of the most recognizable literary figures of the 20th century.



But Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series in which Nellie appears, had a secret. . .Nellie wasn’t a real person! Instead, she was a composite character created from three girls Laura knew in childhood: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is one-dimensional: snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant. But what about the real women behind Laura’s creation? They were an intriguing mix of the not-so-nice and the unexpectedly redeemable. In short, they were human.



Discovering the true stories behind Nellie, Genevieve, and Estella has been a fascinating journey. All three ended up on the West Coast at one point. . .true westward movement! One was widowed twice, one ended up divorced, and one died way too young. Two only had one child, and one had three, though she outlived her youngest by a very long time. There’s even some “Nellie-like” drama in there: Embezzlement. Lying on censuses. Shady land deals. But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his young wife died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so.



Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.


 


Click HERE to purchase your copy!























My Review



Oh Nellie Oleson - not a more notorious antagonist in my mind than this rich, snooty, spoiled girl. I can see her in my mind now from the hit series- curls, dresses from Boston, china dolls, and an unhealthy dose of ego and conniving. When I saw this book was up for review, I was shocked to find that the Nellie from the classic book was not one, but 3 very different women who were truly individuals that just happened to come into Laura's life and make a (mostly negative) lasting impression. To add to the enjoyment, I am a history buff so all the research our author did to bring us the story behind each of the "Nellies" was truly intriguing. The truth behind how Laura gave the "Nellies" a harsh persona because they rubbed her the wrong way (sometimes in part to Laura's retaliation and instigation) made me laugh. Laura truly was the mischievous happy little country girl I always hoped she would be if I had ever been able to meet her in person. If you like intriguing history, this book is full to the brim with facts (and sources for those facts) that really make the real Nellie come to life. If you just love LHOP, you should read this book to understand more about the talent of Laura Ingalls Wilder in her storytelling, and the real-life events behind much of her books' premises. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to the know the real "Nellies."







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





















About the Author









Robynne Elizabeth Miller is a speaker, writing coach, and author of multiple books, articles, and essays. Her larger projects include From the Mouth of Ma, Pioneer Mixology, The Three Faces of Nellie, and Nonfiction, Memoir, or Fiction? Dissecting the Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Robynne speaks nationally at writing and historical venues and teaches at writer’s workshops and conferences. She also serves as the Board President of Inspire Christian Writers, as well as their Director of Leadership, and leads two Northern California critique groups. She holds an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Westmont College and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction from Ashland University. She lives with her wonderful British husband and the youngest of their four cheeky children in the snowy woods of the Sierra Nevada mountains. When not writing, Robynne loves singing, felling trees, and making bacon from scratch.







Guest Post from Robynne

Nasty Nellie Oleson. One of the most iconic literary characters in literature. Whether you loved her … or hated her … or loved to hate her, she probably left a lasting impression on you. At least if you were a fan of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder like I was growing up! As a young girl, I loved Wilder’s tales of wagons, prairies, and grand westward adventures. Strangely, growing up didn’t change my love for all things Little House one tiny bit. But I did become deeply curious about the real life people behind some of the more fascinating Little House characters. Namely, Nellie Oleson.



As I began to research Nellie, I learned a ton of interesting things. She wasn’t one person, for example. Laura Ingalls Wilder wove three girls she knew in childhood into one composite character for her books. One of the first “Nellie’s,” Nellie Owens, did have a brother named Willy, but did you know that he went blind from two separate incidents, one in childhood and one in adulthood? And did you know that all three of the “Nellies” ended up on the west coast at one point? Talk about true westward movement! One married a man who eventually went to prison for embezzlement, one did some shady land deals, and one shouldn’t have been a “Nellie” at all. I suppose I was hoping for a good, old-fashioned redemption story. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if the mean girl in Wilder’s stories grew up to work with orphans or rescue unwanted animals? Alas, that’s not exactly what happened. But the stories of these three women were fascinating all the same.



I hope you have as much fun discovering the real stories behind the famous Nellie Oleson as I did!















Blog Stops






Blogging With Carol, December 6



multifarious, December 7



Carpe Diem, December 7



Bibliophile Reviews, December 8



The Morning Chapter, December 8





A Reader’s Brain, December 10




Maureen’s Musings, December 11





Artistic Nobody, December 13




Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 14




Pause for Tales, December 15




Texas Book-aholic, December 16





Janices book reviews, December 18



margaret kazmierczak, December 18



Lots of Helpers, December 19



Bigreadersite, December 19













Giveaway











To celebrate her tour, Robynne is giving away a grand prize of a Little House Treasures basket that includes an authenticated piece of the original Loftus Store is De Smet, authenticated sand from Laura’s Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, a Loftus Store slate and slate pencil, chokecherry preserves from De Smet, a Christmas Tree ornament from De Smet, a corn-cob doll kit, a tin cup, maple syrup, a set of pioneer recipe books, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s actual gingerbread recipes, and other treasures from various Little House sites!!





Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries in to the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d774/the-three-faces-of-nellie-olson-celebration-tour-giveaway













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