Monday, October 22, 2018

The Mending of Lillian Cathleen by Linda Brooks Davis + A GIVEAWAY


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

This is an amazing historical women’s fiction book.

The characters were incredibly well developed. Many times my heart broke for what they were having to deal with and go through. I wanted to step into Ella and Abbie’s place and take Lily in and protect her. She had so much thrown at her in her life.

This story was much heavier than most of the books that I read. The depth of evil that was perpetrated against others was appalling. I was completely engrossed by it though.

I loved the fact that so many of the characters we strong christians. They continually prayed about things and tried to encourage others to do the same. I was overjoyed when the need for Jesus Christ in a person’s heart and life was brought forward.

I’m giving this wonderful book a 5 star rating. I’m highly recommending it.


I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

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 NotionsOctober 18
MultifariousOctober 19
The Becca FilesOctober 19
The Lit AddictOctober 20
Luv’N Lambert LifeOctober 20
D’S QUILTS & BOOKSOctober 21
Christian BookaholicOctober 22
God’s Little Bookworm , October 23
Godly Book ReviewsOctober 23
A Reader’s BrainOctober 24
Maureen’s MusingsOctober 25
Baker KellaOctober 25
Just the Write EscapeOctober 26
Mary HakeOctober 26
Janice’s Book Reviews , October 27
Bibliophile ReviewsOctober 28
Texas Book-aholicOctober 29
Bigreadersite , October 30
Carpe DiemOctober 31
Lis Loves ReadingOctober 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. 


Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Friday, October 12, 2018

Hitting the Books (Library Lovers Mystery #9) by Jenn McKinlay













Title: Hitting the Books (Library Lovers Mystery #9)
Author: Jenn McKinlay
Pages: 304
Release Date: September 11, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Berkley Books
Format: eBook (also available in paperback)
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     It’s murder by the book in the latest hit Library Lover’s mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Death in the Stacks.

     When a stack of library materials is found at the scene of a hit and run, library director Lindsey Norris finds herself dragged into the investigation as the police try to link the driver of the stolen car to the person who borrowed the books. Before Lindsey can delve into the library’s records, the victim of the hit and run, Theresa Houston, suffers another “accident” and the investigation shifts from driver negligence to attempted homicide.

     A clue surfaces in the confiscated library materials that could crack open the case and it is up to Lindsey to piece it all together. But things are not as they seem in the sleepy town of Briar Creek and when the driver of the stolen car turns up dead, Lindsey, her staff and her library friends have to hit the books before the murderer gets the last word . . .

My review:

     This is a great cozy mystery.

     There is quite a variety of personalities among the characters in this book. I enjoyed the interactions between Lindsey and the other employees in the library. They all seem to know her really well and her ability to stick her nose into business that she shouldn’t.

     The mystery was wonderful. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. I was surprised by the final reveal of who-done-it and why.

     This book is not within the category of inspirational fiction. I did struggle some with the characters living together without being married. These are my personal feelings and I know that each person makes their own decision about this. If this will bother you then you may want to select a different book to read.

     I have decided to give this book a rating of 4 stars. The mystery itself is well written and for it and the writing style I am recommending it. It was a fun story to try and figure out.


Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Monday, October 8, 2018

Indivisible by Travis Thrasher + A GIVEAWAY


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

This is an incredible look at military deployments.

The openness and honest emotion that pours out in the way that both Darren and Heather share their experiences is marvelous. I felt like I was right there with each. I saw each situation and felt their raw emotion throughout the book. Darren kept a journal while in Iraq and talked about the fact that he didn’t think he would ever share it. I’m very glad that now they have decided that the time is right to share their story.

This wonderful book gave me fantastic insights into what it was like for my son when he deployed to Iraq. He never talked about it much but now I feel that I understand it better.


I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

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 JoyOctober 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. 

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*