Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Spotlight: No Greater Love

Today we celebrate a lot of book birthdays, Instagram has been blowing up all day with posts about it. Yet there's one specific book I'm going to spotlight on the blog today because this author holds a special place in my heart.

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No Greater Love by Gina Holder released into the wild today! *clapping and screaming*




ABOUT THE BOOK


One Book Changed Her Life…and Her Eternity

He said he’d never risk leaving a widow.
She said she’d never love a man in uniform.

Paige McDonald collects antique literature and works at the largest bookstore in Portland, Oregon. When her grandfather, a firefighter, was killed, Paige vowed never to fall in love with a first responder. But an old Bible leads to an unexpected discovery and disrupts everything she knows about herself, her family, and God. Her desire to know the truth sends her to the town of Whitman directly into the radar of Patrol Officer Hamilton Bryant.

After the loss of his best friend and fellow officer, Hamilton vowed never to marry. He won’t risk leaving a widow. Instead, he reserves his passion for serving his family and the town he’s sworn to protect. When a series of robberies and threats against the mayor correspond with Paige’s sudden appearance in Whitman, their paths intersect.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR



Gina Holder completed the Long Ridge Writer’s Group “Breaking into Print” course and graduated from Faith Bible Institute. In August 2017, she published her first novel, Whither Shall I Go. She is active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads. Her Website and Blog is found athttp://storiesbygina.wordpress.com.

She lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter. When she’s not working on her next novel, she enjoys reading, watching movies, cooking, singing, and playing the piano and organ.

CONNECT WITH GINA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | 

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The book is available on Amazon now in ebook, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited. 

Grab up your copy here!! 

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HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY GINA!! 💛💛💛💛

Review: 18 Days of Christmas

18 Days of Christmas

"She was ready for another predictable holiday season. He was praying for an actual merry Christmas for his daughter.

Beckett Caden has one wish this year: that his daughter’s Christmas would be as magical as children's holidays were supposed to be. 
After two bittersweet December twenty-fifths without his wife, Beckett knows he needs to do something different this year, for his daughter. Listening to his parents’ advice, he takes a break from his executive position at their family-run bookstore chain and books a trip for Holly and himself. Beckett hopes that a few weeks in a charming lodge, with a laundry list of fun activities, will help to restore the smile that used to light up his little girl's eyes.
Through snowman building, city sightseeing, and a constant theme of Christ through the season, Beck begins to think this was the right decision. The only downside? The sarcastic and irritating elf of a woman with hair as boisterous as Santa Claus, himself.
When an unexpected snowstorm traps them all inside, it’s either work alongside The Elf or watch chaos overtake the understaffed inn. Surviving with the aid of caffeine and prayer, Beckett has a feeling this Christmas will turn out to be one of the most memorable he's had.


Elise McKenzie needs a social life. At least, that's been the constant mantra from her family for the past, oh, all her adult years.
With her freelancing graphic design work and the volunteering she does at her grandparents’ lodge, Elise seems to be the only one happy with her life. Even if the male she most frequently has deep conversations with is her cat.

For Elise, this holiday season brings a flurry of unsanctioned blind dates, questions about the future, and a snowfall that will keep her toe-to-toe with the single father whose dimples remind her of the infuriating enjoyment he receives from pushing her buttons.
Elise’s Christmas wish? Survive this season and try not to bonk the obnoxious guest over the head with a gingerbread house."


Author: Audrey Bodine
Length: 231 pages
Series: A Caden Christmas (book 1)


So it's okay to read Christmas books in April if its still snowing, right?

Okay so technically I read it while it was 70 degrees outside, but it's still totally acceptable to read Christmas books all year round in my book! In fact, its highly encouraged. 

This book y'all! This book was SOOOO good! It had everything I wanted from a book. 
It had sass. It had humor. It had character. It had cheese. It had love. It had God.
It had it all!

Each character was beautifully written, from the main to the side they all came off the page and had personalities and chemistry. The characters all blended well with each other, even when they weren't supposed to. 😉
Our main characters were so fun. (Love a good battle of the wits) They were both so lovable and I wanted to stay in the pages of this story forever. Before I knew it I was in love with a new town and new people. 

Fun fact about me...I can't read with lots of noise, I get distracted really fast. 
I actually read this book in an airport. Have you ever been to an airport? There's A LOT going on. 
I was so drawn into this book, and so invested in this story, that I was able to tune out every noise in the airport and just read. 
There were points in the book were I wish I hadn't been in a public place because I wanted to laugh out loud soooo bad. (the kind of laugh you can't do when you're alone because people will think you're CRAZY)

I loved the family dynamics shown throughout the story. There was the big intermediate family, the small intermediate family, and the big extended family. Each one was different, but they all shared one thing...they were close-knit. Everyone was in everyone's business, they laughed together, they cried together, they got on each other's nerves. It was all very authentic. They also all had a strong connection to God, each family was fully rooted and walking with God.

Audrey did an amazing job keeping things light and fun, while still handling topics like death and grief with a gentle hand.  

It was a well rounded book and I personally CANNOT wait to read the next book in the series, and everything else this author puts out! 
I rated it a 5/5 stars!

I would also like to point out this book is FREE in ebook form! So everyone should go download it. You truly will not be sorry!

*I received this book from the author for my honest review**All opinions are my own*

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Guest Post: June Jacobs (PLUS GIVEAWAY)



Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for RES-Q Tyler Stop by June McCrary Jacobs with JustRead Publicity Tours!


ABOUT THE BOOK


Title: RES-Q Tyler Stop

Series: Tyler Stop, Book 1

Author: June McCrary Jacobs

Publisher: JMJ Story Stitcher Books

Release Date: April 22, 2019

Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction


It's the summer of 1968 in Sonoma County, California, and eleven-year-old Weston Gregg and his nine-year-old sister, Wendy, are looking for fun things to do during their summer break from school. When they discover some abandoned rabbits, they hatch an idea to make a positive difference for animals and people in their small town of Tyler Stop.

They decide to form 'Rescue Each Species-Quickly', or RES-Q Tyler Stop.

There are challenges to face as they move forward into their new venture, including standing up to someone who is targeting Weston's friends for being different and a painfully bad decision.

Will Weston have to handle these issues on his own or will he learn to accept the advice and wisdom shared by some important people in his life? Join Weston and his family and friends as they share some adventures and learn and grow together in RES-Q Tyler Stop.


PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

"Adventure has no end in this tale, where a heart for animals inspires and surprises await around every bend. . . . The characters and the situations they face come across realistic, and the scenes develop naturally. Not only does the author keep a nice paced plot rolling along but adds interesting and practical information about animals and ways to handle certain situations along the way. It makes for a fun mix of fiction and fact.


This appears to be the first book in the series, and I’m eager to see where the RES-Q Tyler Stop adventures will head to next." ~ Tonja Drecker, Author of Music Boxes


PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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GUEST POST
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Thank you for hosting me on your blog today, Alysha. I appreciate your offer to share some of my favorite memories from the library.

Libraries are one of my favorite places to spend time. It's been that way since I was a young child. I thought it was really neat to be able to visit the library, choose books I wanted to read, promise the librarian I would take really good care of 'her' books and that I would return them on time, and then take them home to read.

I had a few books of my own at home, but the vast majority of the thousands of books I have read throughout my lifetime have been borrowed from a library. To this day, I read dozens of books and magazines from the local public libraries. I have a lot of books on my book shelves at home, but I would go broke—and fast—if I had to buy every book I read!

Two fond library memories came to mind when I saw this topic for my guest post of your blog. First was the memory of the thrill and excitement I felt when the main branch of the public library in the city where I was raised opened a little satellite branch in an old storefront less than half a mile from my house. I think it was in the summer before I entered fifth grade. There were no busy streets to cross, so this meant I was allowed to ride my bike to the library on my own. Freedom!

I would go to summer school in the morning. Back then summer school was designed for enrichment classes, so I always took literature, art, music, etc. I would ride my bike home for lunch. Then take off again to go to this new branch library. I was allowed to check out two books at a time as long as I turned in the ones I had finished reading. After doing my chores at home and playing outside and practicing my flute, I would go into my bedroom and read up a storm. If my memory serves me correctly, I would finish one book in the afternoon and read the other after dinner. I liked to watch certain television shows, but since they showed reruns during the summer, reading was my priority!

My second fond library memory is of the time I spent volunteering in a rural branch of our county's public library system. I enjoyed this particular branch because of the kind librarian and library assistants. When I told them I wanted to volunteer one afternoon a week they welcomed me with open arms. I shelved books, weeded the collection as instructed, straightened and shifted books in the collection, and helped library patrons locate books on the shelves. It was fun to learn about the behind-the-scenes operations of a library, and I felt as if I was contributing to the literacy and education of the community by helping in this way.

Earlier this month the American Library Association, the ALA, celebrated National Library Week. Their motto this year was "Libraries = Strong Communities". From my perspective as a lifelong reader, author, and former teacher I could not agree more!

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Thank you so much for being on the blog today June. We love the library around here. 💙

If you're interested in winning a copy of June Jacobs book keep reading. 😉



ABOUT THE AUTHOR




'RES-Q Tyler Stop' is June McCrary Jacobs's first middle-grade book. June is a retired elementary school teacher and literacy mentor who is fond of California history and children's literature. She especially loves to write, read, and blog about middle-grade fiction and non-fiction on her 'Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic' blog.

In addition to writing inspirational romance books and stories for adults {A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom, 2013; Robin's Reward, 2015; Handmade Hearts, 2019}, June's original sewing, quilting, and stitchery designs have been published in over one hundred books, magazines, and on sewing industry blogs in the past decade.

When she's not writing, reading, blogging, or sewing, June enjoys cooking, walking, visiting art and history museums, and touring historic homes and gardens.

One of her most memorable and thrilling childhood adventures was her ride in the Goodyear blimp as it floated over Long Beach, California. She can still remember the people on the beach waving to her as she zoomed past them.


LOOK FOR MORE TYLER STOP BOOKS COMING SOON!


CONNECT WITH JUNE: Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Goodreads Blog | Amazon





TOUR GIVEAWAY


(1) winner will win:
  • $20 Amazon gift card (US/International)
  • Signed Paperback Copy of RES-Q Tyler Stop (US only) or Digital Copy (International)

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight April 22, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm April 29, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.




Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!


Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Review: True

True

"Traded away as a young girl by her father, True relies on no one but herself. She knows the enemy army is coming—General Kohl repeats it each night, after he puts the money on her bedside table. 

When two foreigners show up at her door, True hides the men from the soldiers who arrive with a presidential search warrant. Colonel Holoke vows her life will be spared, along with any family members who are inside her house, when his army returns. The rest of the city will be annihilated. 

True must reconcile with her father’s disastrous choice and convince the family who turned a blind eye to save their lives. But as drones arrive and circle the city, True’s trust in Holoke’s God is tested as the walls to her city tumble down."


Author: S.E. Clancy
Length: 106 pages


Wow. For such a short book this was a powerful story.

In less than 100 pages the author gets the story of redemption and forgiveness through the pages.
The story was raw, it had emotion. The author has a nice writing style which did make it easy to fly through the book.

The story of Rahab is a very popular story to retell, and it can be a hard one to pull off. However this author did a good job.

I could DEFINITELY see the actual Bible story coming off the pages, but to be honest I don't know if that will make this book stand out in the market or if it will get lost among the other stories.
I make this a point because it is a marketed as a "contemporary retelling" and I had a hard time finding what was contemporary about the book since I just saw the actual Bible story. It felt like it followed very closely to the biblical story and wasn't so much a retelling. 

Rahab was such a strong biblical character, and True definitely stayed authentic to that.

Because it was a short book there honestly wasn't that much world building or character building, and I think that might hinder its growth in the market. And I honestly felt that the book was missing a complete ending.

There was also a lot of language that was hinted at, and though the character who did the cussing was not saved, it did start to bother me. Though the words weren't spoken aloud, I personally don't enjoy when characters swear constantly.

This author has potential and I'm excited to see where God takes her next. 

Though not my favorite retelling of Rahab, it might be a story that touches someone. 
I rated it a 3/5 stars.

*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*

Monday, April 1, 2019

Spotlight: The Baggage Handler

Banner_TheBaggageHandler_SpecialBlog 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings with JustRead Publicity Tours!


ABOUT THE BOOK


9780785224938Title: The Baggage Handler
Author: David Rawlings
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Magical Realism / Christian Allegory Fiction 
Release Date: March 5, 2019


In a similar vein to The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews or Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory, The Baggage Handler is a contemporary story that explores one question: What baggage are you carrying?


When three people take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, their lives change forever.

A hothead businessman coming to the city for a showdown meeting to save his job.

A mother of three hoping to survive the days at her sister's house before her niece’s wedding.

And a young artist pursuing his father’s dream so he can keep his own alive.

When David, Gillian, and Michael each take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, the airline directs them to retrieve their bags at a mysterious facility in a deserted part of the city. There they meet the enigmatic Baggage Handler, who shows them there is more in their baggage than what they have packed, and carrying it with them is slowing them down in ways they can’t imagine. And they must deal with it before they can leave.

In this modern-day parable about the burdens that weigh us down, David Rawlings issues an inspiring invitation to lighten the load.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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David Rawlings is an Australian author, and a sports-mad father of three who loves humor and a clever turn of phrase. Over a 25-year career he has put words on the page to put food on the table, developing from sports journalism and copywriting to corporate communication. Now in fiction, he entices readers to look deeper into life with stories that combine the everyday with a sense of the speculative, addressing the fundamental questions we all face.


CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR: website | facebook | instagram




Giveaway_TBH_Blog

TOUR GIVEAWAY

We're collecting all the Baggage Passport Stamps to get rid of! Collect them all and enter the giveaway below. Each stop will have a unique stamp. Just enter the word(s) you'll find on each stamp for more chances to win!

(1) winner will win:
  • a hardcover copy of The Baggage Handler,
  • a book tote from the publisher, Thomas Nelson
  • and a $15 Amazon Gift Card!

Be sure to check out each stop on this tour for more chances to win. Giveaway begins at midnight April 1, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 8, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US mailing addresses valid. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.



The stamp you're collecting from this stop is:




Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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