Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Hidden Rebel by Michelle Janene


About the Book


Book: Hidden Rebel
Author: Michelle Janene
Genre: Christian medieval fantasy
Release Date: August 17, 2017

A disguised warrior on a mission to save a dying kingdom,
but God has more planned. Aria has left home with one goal. Find the weapon used to defeat the horde of the Black Knight and save what remains of her kingdom.

But things are not going as planned.

Disguised as a male knight, she saves the young prince of the neighboring kingdom, and tales of her fighting prowess spread like a raging fire. Now, within the castle walls of a foreign kingdom, a young girl masquerading as her page serves as her only confidant. But the widower king and his enemies are taking notice of her. The legendary weapon, however, is nowhere to be found.

What is God doing?

Aria needs to save her home without losing her heart.



Click HERE to get your copy!





My Review

I found Hidden Rebel to be a surprisingly down to earth fantasy. Many times with fantasy I get so lost in the names, places, and language, it takes me reading the same passage multiple times to understand what's going on. While all those fantasy elements were present, the characters were really relatable, and the language was very understandable. The romance within was really nice as well, and I enjoyed the slow bloom. I appreciated the language of old, and really felt transported in time and space. I felt the characters were developed, I just felt that the action was a bit slow for such a lengthy read that made it hard to continue reading. I suggest reading in parts, as it is rather lengthy. I think even the struggles of being a single dad that's a king is really relatable for today, so props to the author for making all those contemporary connections. I did feel there were nice twists, turns, and adventure with some violence that wasn't overly horrifying. Overall, this is an intriguing fantasy read, or if you're looking for a medieval vibe.


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





About the Author


Michelle Janene lives and works in Northern California, though most days she blissfully exists in the medieval creations of her mind. She is a devoted teacher, a dysfunctional housekeeper, and a dedicated writer. She released her first novella Mission: Mistaken Identity in the fall of 2015, God’s Rebel in 2016, Rebel’s Son in 2017, and has been published in several anthologies. She leads two critique groups and is the founder of Strong Tower Press—Indie solutions for indie authors.


More from Michelle

The main character of Hidden Rebel is a princess who is also a warrior. She needed to move between court and the battlefield with minimal issues. Aria also took the verse that women should not dress as men seriously. I wrote about a fighting skirt for her. It appeared to be a pleated skirt with several long panels. Those panels weren’t sewn together other than at her hips. When Aria moved it was clear the skirt panels where over tight trousers and tall boots. I thought about the skirt so much I created my own. I have worn it to local Renaissance Faires.









Blog Stops



Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a $15 Amazon gift card and the entire trilogy on eBook!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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Reclaimed by Stephanie Broersma


About the Book


Book: Reclaimed
Author: Stephanie Broersma
Genre: RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Counseling & Recovery
Release Date: August 21, 2019  

Stephanie Broersma lived a charmed life . . . until the day she discovered a deleted online conversation between her husband and another woman. When confronted, he confessed to a ten-year addiction to pornography and multiple affairs. Yet even as her world crumbled, Stephanie refused to allow Satan to turn her marriage into another dismal statistic. 

Reclaimed: Finding Your Identity after Marital Betrayal is Stephanie’s story—from revelation to reconciliation and all the pain and confusion in between. But it’s also a guide for those whose lives have turned upside down—a raw and honest look at the emotions, decisions, and difficulties women face in marital betrayal. It’s a collection of stories shared by real women, a journal with leading questions to help put words to feelings, and an encouraging compilation of Scripture verses to give strength to the weary. 

Stephanie’s goal in sharing her story is that you will realize that you are not alone. That you are not without hope despite the chaos and pain around you. That you will find healing from the shame, anger, and brokenness that overwhelms you. That you will gain confidence as you rebuild trust and self-worth. And that you will walk out of this fire with your head held high, giving God the glory for the amazing, reclaimed story of your life. 



Click HERE to get your copy.  





My Review

What a painful, and yet needed book! This book has got to be the best resource I've ever seen as a healing self- help book that is honest, practical, and full of Biblical truth. This book comes from the author and her husband's own experiences as well. The book's chapters were not long, and would be great I feel too for counselors/family therapists to use with their clients. The reality is that porn addictions are rampant, and affairs a lot of times result from that, and the Christian community is not exempt from this temptation. This book really focuses more around relationships that are attempting to stay together through the betrayal, so it would be best for those looking to repair their marriage. I felt the book was very compassionate, and just really answered the questions to give you some real Biblical and practical truth to use to navigate such a hurtful, emotional experience. The book also doesn't put all the responsibility on just the woman to make peace, which I feel in the past many resources have seemed to lean toward. I can't say I agree with everything, but then again, I have not experienced this so I don't come from a place of experience. This book really is a great spiritual/self-help resource to check out.


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




About the Author


Stephanie Broersma is a living example of how God brings beauty from ashes in the lives of His children. Married since 2002, she and her husband, Tim, have walked through the valley of marital betrayal and come out the other side stronger, more in love, and fully devoted to Christ. She now heads Reclaimed Ministry, an organization that seeks to help other broken brides recover from the pain and devastation of marital infidelity. For more information or to find help, visit reclaimedministry.com.   


More from Stephanie

FUN FACTS about the book and Stephanie:
– In keeping identities private, Stephanie had to come up with a system to replace names when sharing stories from other women. She replaced the names with cast members from her favorite TV series, The Office.
– Stephanie has walked in two Susan G. Women 3 Day breast cancer walks and has ran in races with distances from 5k-50k.
– Her goal is to run a race in every state by the age of 50. She’s welcome to invitations and races with causes.
“Reclaimed is here to walk you through your season of brokenness. To support you with authentic tools and scripture based guidance that supports you and meets you exactly where you are. My name is Stephanie and I also have come from a place of dark despair. I created these materials to guide you on the path to wholeness and living a redeemed identity.
If your husband has had an affair… if pornography or sexual addiction has hurt your marriage… if you have discovered an emotional affair… then this message is for you.
Here’s why…
The problem is most women don’t know where to go for help when they discover an affair. Many will get counseling. Some will talk to close friends and family. Many will hide and pretend everything is fine. But none of that brings about the healing we need.
  • We need to connect with a community that understands what we are going through.
  • We need to discover the healing available through Jesus Christ.
  • We need a life that doesn’t feel out of control.
What happens if you don’t find healing? If you just keep doing what you have been doing? You remain stuck in brokenness and shame and may even continue enabling the same patterns of abuse.
My heart is for you to
  • Find your true identity
  • Develop confidence
  • Learn to love again”



Blog Stops

CarpeDiem, November 19
Book Love, November 21 (Spotlight)
Artistic Nobody, November 22
A Baker’s Perspective, November 24 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, November 25
janicesbookreviews, November 26
SusanK. Beatty, Author, November 27 (Author Interview)
A Reader’s Brain, November 28
Inklings and notions, November 29
Andrea Christenson, November 30 (Author Interview)
Quiet Quilter, December 1
Simple Harvest Reads, December 2 (Author Interview)




Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Stephanie is giving away a $250 Amazon gift card and a signed 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.
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Marisol Spanish Rose by Elva Cobb Martin


About the Book


Book: Marisol Spanish Rose
Author: Elva Cobb Martin
Genre:  Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: November 8, 2019

Escaping to the New World is her only option…Rescuing her will wrap the chains of the Inquisition around his neck.

Marisol Valentin flees Spain after murdering the nobleman who molested her. She ends up for sale on the indentured servants’ block at Charles Town harbor—dirty, angry, and with child. Her hopes are shattered, but she must find a refuge for herself and the child she carries. Can this new land offer her the grace, love, and security she craves? Or must she escape again to her only living relative in Cartagena?

Captain Ethan Becket, once a Charles Town minister, now sails the seas as a privateer, grieving his deceased wife. But when he takes captive a ship full of indentured servants, he’s intrigued by the woman whose manners seem much more refined than the average Spanish serving girl. Perfect to become governess for his young son. But when he sets out on a quest to find his captured sister, said to be in Cartagena, little does he expect his new Spanish governess to stow away on his ship with her six-month-old son. Yet her offer of help to free his sister is too tempting to pass up. And her beauty, both inside and out, is too attractive for his heart to protect itself against—until he learns she is a wanted murderess.

As their paths intertwine on a journey filled with danger, intrigue, and romance, only love and the grace of God can overcome the past and ignite a new beginning for Marisol and Ethan.



Click HERE to get your copy!  




My Review

I loved Marisol as a person so much! She immediately grabbed me from page one. I really enjoyed the historical depth our author gave us and I really want to visit Spain now! I enjoyed the slow bloom of romance and faith that we get to watch unfold, and I enjoyed seeing Marisol and Ethan emerge from their own grief. I found the book to be quite adventurous as well, and I know for sure sea travel on an old-fashioned ship would certainly not be my cup of tea. I found the story to seem a nice pace, though maybe choppy at points? I feel the author really immersed us into the time, place, and plot so I found it easy to read in one sitting. Looking for historical romance? Check it out!

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





About the Author



Elva Cobb Martin is a wife, mother, and grandmother who lives in South Carolina with her husband and a mini-dachshund. A life-long student of history, her favorite city, Charleston, inspires her stories of romance and adventure. Her love of writing grew out of a desire to share exciting stories of courageous characters and communicate truths of the Christian faith to bring hope and encouragement. Connect with her on her web site at http://www.elvamartin.com.  


More from Elva

A couple of things inspired me to write Marisol ~ Spanish Rose, in addition to my love of historical romance fiction set in the colonial/pirate era of Charles Town and the Spanish Main. I ran across a teaching of how people often let the one terrible moment of their lives define them and their future. Know anyone like this?



I envisioned a heroine in the 1700’s who let her “terrible moment”—being molested and accidentally killing the Spanish nobleman who attacks her—define her and her future destiny. My premise for this idea and novel is: Love, forgiveness, and determination can overcome the most horrifying experiences and poor choices when we invite God into the equation. Loving horses, particularly the white Lipizzaners, I named my heroine Marisol and set the attack on her father’s Andalusian Stud Farm in Cadiz, Spain in 1740. Andalusians are the Spanish horses in the ancestry of the Lipizzaners. And they can be trained to do dancing steps with a dancing maiden called the Flamenco, which my heroine can do well. Click here for a video of a flamenco dancer. https://youtu.be/lSQWQl0u_Ow Marisol’s exciting Flamenco plays a pivotal part in the novel. All this story idea needed now was an exciting, handsome Charles Town privateer—sometimes pirate—who will cross paths with my heroine when she flees Spain after killing the Spanish nobleman who molested her. Captain Ethan Becket, backslidden former Charles Town minister, has returned to the sea, grieving the loss of his wife and child.



By the time these two get together at the indentured block in Charles Town, Marisol has discovered she is with child. Thanks for stopping by! May you have an exciting, romantic adventure on the high seas with Captain Ethan and Marisol.



Blog Stops

Bigreadersite , November 15
Emily Yager, November 15
Connect in Fiction, November 16
Rebecca Tews , November 16
Moments, November 17
For Him and My Family, November 17
Genesis 5020, November 18
Betti Mace, November 20
mpbooks, November 20
Back Porch Reads, November 21
Maureen’s Musings, November 21
Pause for Tales , November 23
Batya’s Bits, November 23
Godly Book Reviews, November 25
janicesbookreviews, November 26
Texas Book-aholic, November 27
A Reader’s Brain, November 28




Giveaway


 
To celebrate her tour, Elva is giving away a vintage nautical writing journal and a $20 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Posted by at 8 comments:

Dreaming of the Majors by Dick "Lefty" O'Neal


About the Book


Book: Dreaming of the Majors
Author: Dick “Lefty” O’Neal
Genre: SPORTS & RECREATION / Baseball / History
Release Date: April 4, 2014

By all counts, Dick “Lefty” O’Neal didn’t have a chance of playing professional baseball. However, today he holds the distinction of being the only white baseball player to pitch for two teams in the Negro Leagues that flourished throughout the twentieth century. “Dreaming of the Majors” is his account of the dream he nurtured from the age of five to play Major League baseball, the people God brought into his life who shaped the dream, and the amazing and unexpected twists and turns Dick experienced along the journey toward fulfilling the dream.



Click HERE to get your copy.  




My Review

I found this memoir type book to be unexpected and interesting about God's will for a sportsman's life and how we can always bloom where we are planted no matter our profession or background. While I am not personally that interested in baseball, a lot of baseball history was included in this story and would be great for the baseball fan, maybe even your upper grade school/middle school kid who enjoys baseball. This book shows the reality of trying to make it big in sports, and finding God's will in the midst of all of it. It's not overly long, and could be read in multiple settings making it great for even the non-reader. This one would also be a great gift for the baseball fan/player in your life! I found it to be easy to read, and really helped me experience a world I had never really considered before. Check it out!

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




About the Author


Lefty is currently an Adjunct Professor in Speech, Motivational Speaker, and MLB Scout. He is also a consultant for a possible movie, “Dreaming of the Majors,” which would be based on Dreaming of the Majors – Living in the Bush. He has two grown children, Amy and Adam. He and his wife Harriett have been married forty-plus years and live in Universal City, Texas.”  


More from Lefty

 “I wrote my story in order to pass on to my son and daughter what their father experienced in his walk through life as a Christian. I wanted them to understand that  if you have the right purpose, surrounded by the right people, you can make a difference if you listen to His guidance. Using a sports platform was perfect for me to share that whatever your dream is as you are growing as a ballplayer and a Christian helps you stand as an example for all who dreamed of playing a sport.
I had no idea the book would relate so well to anyone who dreams their dreams,  but more importantly, if it doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would they realize it was God’s plan to put them where they are. People have found that blooming  where they you are planted is right where God wants you to make a difference.

My story is one of hope, persistence, never give up attitude, and it encourages all of us to pursue our dreams regardless of the obstacles that stand in our path. But to remember that our Heavenly Father’s spirit has always been with us throughout the journey, wherever it takes us”.



Blog Stops

Jacquelyn Lynn, November 19
She Lives to Read, November 22
Artistic Nobody, November 24 (Author Interview)
deb’s book review, November 25
Texas Book-aholic, November 27
A Reader’s Brain, November 28
janicesbookreviews, November 29
Inklings and notions, November 30
Simple Harvest Reads, December 1 (Author Interview)




Giveaway


To celebrate his tour, Dick is giving away the grand prize package ofan autographed Dreaming of the Majors book along with two autographed baseball cards and 1 autographed baseball!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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Monday, November 25, 2019

A Precious Loss by Sharon Fox


About the Book


Book: A Precious Loss
Author:Sharon Fox
Genre: RELIGION / Christian Living / Death, Grief, Bereavement
Release Date: July 8, 2016

Losing a child is the worst tragedy a parent can experience. And yet it happens to many from various causes, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), death from illness, stillborn birth, or miscarriage. A Precious Loss offers those who have experienced such a death a window into the grief process. It presents the biblical grief model and the emotions to expect after a loss, and it includes the steps to move forward toward peace and contentment. 

While each parent’s experience is unique, this book is written with deep insight and strong compassion. It provides grieving parents with: 

·         Concrete steps to coping and recovery, including how to care for your health and your relationships and how to cope with emotions and behaviors you can expect to experience 

·         Biblical support for finding comfort and hope in your darkest hours


Recognition of the hard questions you may have, such as these: 
·                     Why me? 
·                     Was this my fault? 
·                     Is someone to blame? 
·                     Is this some sort of punishment for things I did or did not do? 
·                     Is there a purpose for my child’s death? 
·                     Can I trust God? 

If you or a loved one is grappling with the devastating loss of a child, this book will provide hope and encouragement to press on, knowing that God will sustain you through this painful experience. 




Click HERE to get your copy.  





My Review

I felt this book was a short resource for those facing grief- specifically those who have had miscarriages, lost babies to SIDS, or had a stillborn which is among some of the most acute grief for couples and families to navigate. The book was short and practical and Biblical for even the non-reader facing this challenge. The author looks at grief from a Biblical point of view. She looks at different emotions that may be felt and how to work through them together. This book goes through trying to live life beyond infant loss, and includes even grandparents in the grieving process. This book was on a difficult topic, but I feel like a hopeful, practical book is really what is needed for these extremely trying circumstances that so many have been faced with and feel all alone many times with. I recommend this book for anyone facing this circumstance, or someone who has a family member/friend facing this circumstance.


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




About the Author


Sharon Fox is a wife, author, speaker and co-founder of Brave Penny (non-profit). Her heart for those who mourn and struggle with loss has led her to write and teach about God’s model of grieving the death of his son, Jesus.  
 A Precious Loss, was written for families who have experienced miscarriage, SIDS, infant death and stillbirths. (Spanish - Una Perdida Preciosa) 
Sharon published Reframing Adoption, (also in Spanish) and a children’s Christmas book, The Stone Carver’s Son. 
She has led a grief recovery ministry for over twenty years. Sharon is a certified grief facilitator and has been a speaker at the National Conference on Adoption and the Anglicans For Life Summit. 
 


More from Sharon

Precious Loss (Una Perdida Preciosa- Spanish) was written to present a Christian perspective on the survival of families when a miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death (SIDS) have occurred. A miscarriage or infant death is strikingly harsh and so many times unknown by others, which leaves the mother and family without support or understanding.  The statistics tell the story.  One in four conceptions end in miscarriage.  Seventy Five Percent of the marriages end in divorce when a child under three dies.
How do families survive the death of a child, a miscarriage, or tragic illness or accident that is such a sacred, personal and bewildering lossevent?  A Precious Loss is packed with sage advice, coping skills, presentation of God’s Model of Grieving, the Gospel, helpful, authentic recognition of the emotional overload of loss.  The book presents the blueprint from chaos, sadness, upheaval, questioning, new and strong emotions to contentment. It presents the pathway to the reach contentment and live abundantly again.



Blog Stops

Quietworkings, November 16
Artistic Nobody, November 18 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, November 19
Simple Harvest Reads, November 21 (Author Interview)
As He Leads is Joy, November 22
Texas Book-aholic, November 23
For the Love of Literature, November 24 (Author Interview)
janicesbookreviews, November 25
A Reader’s Brain, November 26
My Devotional Thoughts, November 27 (Author Interview)
Inklings and notions, November 28
Just the Write Escape, November 29




Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Sharon is giving away the grand prize of a $100 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Posted by at 7 comments:
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