Saturday, December 31, 2022

Book List 2022

January:

"An Open Window" by Sara Whitley

"Harmony on the Horizon" by Kathleen Denly

"Reclaiming Hope" by Carolyn Miller

"Buried Cold Case Secrets" by Sami A. Abrams

"Queen of the Rockies" by Angela Breidenbach

"Searching for Home" by Jill Weatherhold

"Beneath the Forsaken City" by Carla Lauerano

February:

"The Sword and the Song" by Carla Lauerano

"Snowbound Amish Survival" by Mary Alford

"High-Wire Heartbreak" by Anna Schmidt

"Sunrise" by Susan May Warren

"Life Flight" by Lynette Eason

"Silencing the Siren" by Denise L. Barela

"To Treasure an Heiress" by Roseanna M. White

"Avenue of Betrayal" by Sandra Merville Hart

"Finding a Memory" by Chautona Havig

"Song of the Rockies" by Angela Breidenbach

"In Search of a Prince" by Toni Shiloh -

March:
"America of We the People" by Terry Overton

"Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War" by Mary Davis

"The Lady of Galway Manor" by Jennifer Deibel -

"Until Leaves Fall in Paris" by Sarah Sundin -

"Slashed Canvas" by Liz Tolsma

"Where Wild Roses Bloom" by Angela K Crouch

"Blended Lives" by Melissa Wardwell

"Legacy of Lies" by Christy Barritt

"Heart of the Rockies" by Angela Breidenbach

April:

"Counterfeit Love" by Crystal Caudill -

"Labor of Love" by Marguerite Martin Gray

"Touch of Innocence" by Robin Patchen -

"Knit or Dye Trying" by Allie Pleiter

"Love's Fortress" by Jennifer Uhlarik

"Death Valley Double Cross" by Dana Mentink

"Peace in the Mountain Haven" by Misty M. Beller

"Dial E for Endearment" by Heidi Gray McGill

"Sweet Rivals" by Kari Trumbo

"The Marquis's Pursuit" by Lorri Duddley

"Flower of the Rockies" by Angela Breidenbach

May:

"Death Valley Hideout" by Dana Mentink

"A Rose for the Resistance" by Angela K. Crouch

"The Master Craftsman" by Kelli Stuart

"Boulevard of Confusion" by Sandra Merville Hart

"Bride of the Rockies" by Angela Breidenbach

"A Sprinkle in Time" by Dana Mentink

"Shadowed Loyalty" by Roseanna M. White

June:

"Stranded on Sparrow" by Rachel Skatvold

"A Promise Engraved" by Liz Tolsma

"Ensnared" by Jody Hedlund
"Midnight's Budding Morrow" by Carolyn Miller

"Undercover Assignment" by Dana Mentink

"Stars in the Night" by Cara Putman

"Season of My Enemy" by Naomi Musch

"Finding Love in San Antonio" by Miralee Ferrell and Kimberly Rose Johnson

"Flame of the Rockies" by Angela Breidenbach

"To Love a Viking" by Heather Day Gilbert and Jen Cudmore

July:

"From Shore to Shore" by Tabitha Bouldin

"Critical Alliance" by Elizabeth Goddard

"Songs That Could Have Been" by Amanda Wen

"Impending Strike" by Sami A. Abrams

"Lineage of Corruption" by Robin Patchen

"Rebuilding Hearts" by Carolyn Miller

August:

"Byway to Danger" by Sandra Merville Hart

"Heart of the Mountain" by Pepper Basham

"Matters of the Heart" by Heidi Gray McGill

"Out of the Night" by Susan May Warren

"I Will Find You" by Susan May Warren

"No Matter the Cost" by Susan May Warren

"Enflamed" by Jody Hedlund

September:

"Laura's Shadow" by Allison Pittman

"Cold Dead Night" by Lisa Phillips

"Entrusted" by Jody Hedlund

"Calm in the Mountain Storm" by Misty M. Beller

"Worthy of Legend" by Roseanna M. White

October:

"Delicious Devotion" by Mellissa Wardwell

"Defending Honor" by Kelly Underwood

"The Bride of Blackfrairs Lane" by Michelle Griep

"Escape from Amsterdam" by Lauralee Bliss

"Anything But Plain" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

"Blessings in the Bargain" by Kari Trumbo

"Falling for the Cowgirl" by Jody Hedlund

"Driving Force" by Kate Angelo

"It Came Upon a Midnight Shear" by Allie Pleiter

"The Call of the Sea" by Sian Ann Bessey

November:

"Wreathed in Disgrace" by Robin Patchen

"The Bookshop of Secrets" by Molly Rushmeyer

"A Not So Convenient Marriage" by Sandra Merville Hart

"The Lost Melody" by Joanna Davidson Politano

"Never Leave Me" by Jody Hedlund

"Returning to Breakers" by Rachel Skatvold

"Under the Hibiscus" by Chautona Havig

December:

"Stay With Me" by Jody Hedlund

"Her Christmas Redemption" by Toni Shiloh

"Hours We Regret" by Chelsea Michelle

"Passages of Hope" by Terri J. Haynes

"A Daughter's Courage" by Misty M. Beller

"Christmas Crime Cover-Up" by Dana Mentink

"Her Christmas Redemption" by Toni Shiloh

About the Book

Can she find a second chance…
on a town’s holiday wish list?

Organizing her church’s Christmas Wishes program is the perfect start to Vivian Dupre’s new life—one without the shame of her recent mistakes. But as she grows closer to co-coordinator Michael Wood, she’s even more determined to keep her past hidden. Together they can give joy to their small town. But when Michael discovers her secret, will he be willing to grant Vivian’s holiday wish—forgiveness?

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book and found it to be well written. There is a nice biblical faith thread through the book. The only thing I didn't like was that Michael claims he has been a believer since birth and that he didn't really have a conversion story since he's just always believed. This is not how salvation works and even if someone doesn't have a dramatic change from their "before Christ" life, it still needs to happen. I've never felt like Toni Shiloh's other books were doctrinally wrong before, so it might have just been a phrase the character used, but it bothered me. I did like the growth and change the characters went through. This story was a nice reminder that in Christ, we are new creations and our lives should reflect that. I look forward to reading more books by Toni Shiloh.

About the Author

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and an award-winning Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novel, In Search of a Prince, won the first ever, Christy Amplify award. Her novels, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist, Risking Love a 2020 Selah Award finalist, The Truth About Fame a 2021 Holt Medallion finalist, and The Price of Dreams a 2021 Maggie Award finalist.

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to help readers find authors. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. You can learn more about her writing at http://tonishiloh.com.

"Her Christmas Redemption" is available in paperback:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Love Inspired; Original edition (November 29, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1335585400
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1335585400
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 0.64 x 6.52 inches

and in Kindle edition:

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09WRLJ4CW
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Love Inspired (November 29, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 29, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1761 KB

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

"Stay With Me" by Jody Hedlund

About the Book

Sacrificing and dying to oneself is costly.

But doing so brings new purpose and joy.

As a private investigator, Sybil Huxham has seen her fair share of strange occurrences. But nothing in her career has been more perplexing than the miracles she’s witnessed as a result of people drinking ancient holy water. When she discovers more of the rare holy water, she experiences strange overlaps with a nobleman in the Middle Ages who is languishing in a dungeon, accused of treason and condemned to die. To save his life, she finally crosses to the past completely.

Nicholas Worth has never met a woman quite like Sybil, and as the two run for their lives into the Weald, they find refuge among a community of outlaws. With both their reputations on the line, they have little choice but to marry. As they get to know each other, an undeniable attraction develops. But danger and disease chase after them, drawing ever closer. Will they be able to escape the threats? And will Sybil choose to stay with Nicholas in the past, or will she be ripped apart from him forever?

My Thoughts

I was surprised at first to find out this book was about Sophia since she always seemed sort of sceptical about the Holy Water in the other books in the series. It was fun to experience the medieval period with her and see the chemistry between her and Nicholas. I liked Nicholas from the previous book, but I didn't want him to end up with Ellen because she belonged with Harrison, so it was nice to see him find his own romance. I found the book to be well written and had a nice flow. I think this was my favorite of the series so far. There were things I didn't expect and I can't wait to find out some answers to questions that came up. I look forward to reading more books in this series as well as others by Jody Hedlund.

About the Author

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over forty sweet historical romances and is the winner of numerous awards. She lives in central Michigan with her husband and is the mother of five wonderful children and five spoiled cats. When she's not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

"Stay With Me" is available in paperback:

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BL5QXFNT
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Northern Lights Press (December 5, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 362 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8985264944
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.01 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.91 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B5GLT211
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Northern Lights Press (December 6, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 6, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4303 KB

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Monday, December 26, 2022

"Waiting on the Tides" by Tabitha Bouldin

About the Book

Book: Waiting on the Tides

Author: Tabitha Bouldin

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: November 29, 2022

People are more than the sum of their mistakes.

After a life lived in her older brother’s shadow, Abby Solomon is ready to take on the world—or at least a teaching position that puts her face to face with the one guy who thinks she’s nothing more than an immature nuisance.

When his daughter’s mother abandoned them, Christian Johnson swore off women and the trouble they bring. No wife—no drama. Just how he likes it. But as Christian struggles to juggle his job as a cop with raising his daughter and tracking down a runaway teen, he’s forced to ask the one woman who reminds him of his wife for help.

Abby is thrilled with the opportunity to show Christian that there’s more to her than what he thinks. But just as Christian begins to trust Abby, she makes a colossal mistake that threatens to ruin everything.

She just wanted to be accepted.

He wanted to be left alone.

It’ll take a runaway teen to show them that love is not measured by a single mistake.

This Breakers Head novel is Tabitha Bouldin’s final book in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

My Thoughts

I found this book to be well written and easy to read. It has characters from previous books and it took me a little bit to remember who they were. Since each author's books in the series are spaced so far apart, I should have made a chart to keep track of who was in each author's books to make it easier on myself. It wouldn't have been as hard if the books were closer together. I liked watching Christian open up and Abby shine. I look forward to reading more books by Tabitha Bouldin.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Tabitha Bouldin is a student at Southern New Hampshire University, where she is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she works with critique groups and provides endorsements for other authors. Tabitha’s genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart. Tabitha spent ten years working as a Medical Assistant before God opened the door which allowed her to become a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom and author.

More from Tabitha

I knew by the second story I wrote for the Independence Islands series that Christian needed his own book. I put him off until the end because we had a lot to unpack with his character. He’s a single dad who will do anything to keep his daughter from feeling the sting of abandonment. He’s also determined not to allow another woman into his life out of fear that she’ll leave them and break his daughter’s heart. He’s not worried about his own, since he considers himself too calloused to care.

I needed a heroine who was strong and fearless, and a little bit of sunshine to his grump. She also needed to push against the constraints Christian made in a way that by the time he figured out he cared it was too late to go back. Nothing could ever be the same for him.

Enter Abby.

Some of you may remember her from book one, Mishaps off the Mainland. Zeke’s little sister is fresh out of college with all of the world before her, and all she wants is to make a difference for the children she teaches. When the child most in need of her attention happens to be Christian’s daughter, sparks fly.

Writing Abby and Christian’s story was equal parts humor and angst, but I love the message running under the romance. Expectation is not reality. What you think you know about someone because of their age or the way they look is not truth. Truth lingers in the details, in the actions and the small, everyday things that are often overlooked.

Christian had to learn to look deeper, and in the writing of his character, so did I.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 13

lakesidelivingsite, December 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 14

By the Book, December 15

Texas Book-aholic, December 16

Sylvan Musings, December 16

She Lives To Read, December 17

Inklings and notions, December 18

Holly’s Book Corner, December 18

deb’s Book Review, December 19

Sodbuster Living, December 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 20

Aryn the Libraryan, December 21

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 22

Blogging With Carol, December 22

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 24

Simple Harvest Reads, December 24 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, December 25

Blossoms and Blessings, December 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tabitha is giving away the grand prize package a $25 Amazon gift card and a 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/2305a/waiting-on-the-tides-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

"Calor" by J.J. Fischer

About the Book

Book: Calor

Author: J.J. Fischer

Genre: Fantasy

Release date: December 6, 2022

What if you could edit memories with a single touch?

The world-that-was is gone, lost to everything except living memory . . . but remembering comes at a terrible price. Sixty-two years after the apocalypse, a new society has emerged from the ashes of the old world where highly valued memories are traded and nostalgia is worth dying—and even killing—for.

Enslaved by a cruel master, Sephone Winter is forced to use her rare ability to manipulate memories to numb the darkest secrets of the ruling aristocracy.

Then Lord Adamo appears, speaking of a powerful relic capable of permanently erasing memories and recovering Sephone’s own lost childhood. But not everything about the young lord is as it seems, and soon Sephone must choose between helping Lord Adamo forget his past or journeying deep into the land of Lethe, where the truth about who she really is might finally be revealed . . . and a long desired future restored.

Author Interview

Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?
A bit of both, really. Writers often distinguish between plotters and pantsers,
and to be honest, I’m a plantser. I can’t write without knowing a bit about
the world and characters and plot, but if I plan too much, I tend to stifle my
creativity and I procrastinate more. I like to write to discover, and that’s
when I surprise the characters (and usually myself, too) with what happens
in the story. My best-written and most favorite book was the result of that
approach, and I finished that book in six weeks…a record for me considering
the first book took twelve and a half years to write!

What, according to you, is the hardest thing about writing?
Writing. I say that cheekily, but truly, it is. It’s the hardest thing an author
can do, facing down that blank page and daring to inscribe words on it. All
that empty space is terrifying, like facing down a charging bull. But the more
you write, the more you learn it’s not so scary, and your words don’t have to
be perfect or even very good, and your courage builds with time.

What would you say is the easiest aspect of writing?
Writing. Once again, I’m being sassy, but it’s true. There are times when
words just flow out of you, when stories come together so seamlessly, and
an adventure drops into your lap out of nowhere and all you have to do is let
your fingers fly across the keyboard to record what’s happening. I’m over-
simplifying the process, of course. But writing can truly be very easy, once
you forget what you’re doing. Editing, publishing, marketing, deciding on
covers—that’s the hard part! Writing the book is the fun/easy part.

Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
Absolutely, but please don’t tell them that.
In truth, I tend to put more of myself into my characters than I do of other
people. But before you go thinking I’m homicidally inclined or Machiavellian
or narcissistic like some of my characters (particularly villains) are, know
that there’s a limit to the process. I don’t want every hero or heroine to be a
mirror image of me—that would be boring. But sometimes I do give them
aspects of my personality to lend them authenticity and explore their
characters in greater depth. Writing is marvelous therapy in that way! I can
solve their problems and mine at the same time.

Do you need to be in a specific place or room to write, or you can just sit in
the middle of a café full of people and write?
I definitely can’t be around other people. That sounds a little anti-social, but
it’s like trying to read a book when everyone else around you is watching a
movie. Humans have their own stories that are fascinating to observe, but
also they are inevitably curious, and thus will try and read your manuscript
over your shoulder. (Usually out loud, just to irritate you…can you see the
chip on my shoulder?) I’ve tried writing outside, but the same thing
happens—nature is just so lovely that I get distracted. So the only place I
can really write is in my own study at my own desk, with no noise
whatsoever, even music. I envy those café writers! Especially when they
have people bringing them hot beverages…

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

J.J. Fischer’s writing dream began with the anthology of zoo animals she painstakingly wrote and illustrated at age five, to rather limited acclaim. Jasmine began writing her first proper novel at age fourteen, which eventually became her debut fantasy series, The Darcentaria Duology, which was published in 2021. She is a clinically-trained psychologist but no, she cannot read your mind. When she isn’t killing defenseless house plants, Jasmine enjoys devouring books, dabbling in floristry, playing the piano, and wishing it rained more often. Jasmine is married to David, and together they make their home a couple of hours north of Sydney, Australia.

More from J.J. Fischer

Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you could selectively edit your memories with a single touch? What would you choose to erase, if anything? What memories would you spotlight?

What if you could transplant someone else’s memories into your own mind (and yours into someone else’s)? What would you choose to take? What would you choose to give away?

Influencing and transplanting memories is the gift of the female main character of Calor, Sephone Winter. Her gift was inspired by my own career as a clinically-trained psychologist, working with people who frequently have pasts they wish they could forget and who so often struggle to recall the good in their lives amongst all the bad. In neuropsychology we say that our minds stick like Velcro to the negative, but are like Teflon with the positive. And I think that’s very true—it’s hard to be grateful, joyful, positive, and gracious when we live in a fallen world where there’s so much sin, pain, and darkness.

Calor is a fantasy transformation of Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved 1843 tale The Nightingale (with echoes of the myths of Hades and Persephone). If you’ve never read The Nightingale, it’s worth diving into and it’s not a long story—it’s the tale of a nightingale who sings beautifully for the Emperor of China and is admired by all, only to be replaced with a mechanical, bejeweled substitute. Later on, when the substitute breaks and the Emperor lies dying, the flesh-and-blood bird returns and sings so beautifully that Death decides to spare the Emperor, and his kingdom is restored. The Emperor realizes what a great treasure he has possessed.

Calor is set in a futuristic fantasy society where people trade in memories of the world-that-was (essentially, nostalgia) because they can no longer experience it for themselves. They’re either living in the past, craving the “glory days” and immersing themselves in various pleasures, or selectively numbing bad memories, erasing everything which would take them away from the here-and-now, but at the price of their own humanity and self-awareness. You can see the obvious links to Andersen’s The Nightingale—this is a world which has embraced the imitation at the cost of the real. And though this story is fictitious, Calor really holds a mirror up to us as a society because, increasingly, I think that’s what we’re doing in the West. Our pasts are deeply painful and the future is terrifyingly uncertain, so we inhabit the space between—a space devoted to the pursuit of pleasure.

As you read Calor, I want to challenge you to think of all the times in your life when you embrace the imitation or the simulation over the real. No, I’m not talking about using fresh turmeric instead of powdered turmeric in your cooking, or throwing away your camera and basking in the mountain scenery out from behind a lens, but you get the idea. How do you rely on the world to fulfill God-shaped needs and longings? Are you dwelling among echoes of the truth rather than seeking the truth itself? To where (or to whom) does your pain drive you, and how can you let it drive you into the arms of your Creator instead?

Whoever you are, wherever you are, it is my dearest hope that this story entertains you and blesses you and encourages you, and speaks to your soul in the same way that Andersen’s tale first spoke to me.

Cherish the Real,

Jasmine

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, December 15

Wishful Endings, December 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 16

Through the Fire Blogs, December 17 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 18

Inklings and notions, December 19

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 20

Blossoms and Blessings, December 21 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, December 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 23

Blogging With Carol, December 24

Rebecca Tews, December 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 26

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 27

For Him and My Family, December 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, J.J. is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, a copy of the book, a signed bookplate, and four character art cards commissioned especially for the book release!!

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/23237/calor-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, December 16, 2022

"Christmas Crime Cover-Up" by Dana Mentink

About the Book

Book: Christmas Crime Cover-Up

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre:Inspy Suspense

Release date: November 29, 2022

From USA TODAY bestselling author Dana Mentink…

A violent attack

Isn’t the homecoming she expected.

When an ATV tries to run her down in Death Valley, animal rescuer Nora Duke knows it’s a sign she never should have returned. Now she’s stuck on Seth Castillo’s ranch until Christmas with a pregnant donkey—and a criminal desperate to silence her. Facing her past is as terrifying as uncovering a killer’s twisted plan. But can Seth convince her to stay…if they live through the holidays?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Desert Justice

Book 1: Framed in Death Valley
Book 2: Missing in the Desert
Book 3: Death Valley Double Cross
Book 4: Death Valley Hideout
Book 5: Christmas Crime Cover-Up
Book 6: Targeted in the Desert

My Thoughts

I enjoyed getting to read Seth's story. He is such a gentle soul and I liked getting to know him better. It was also nice to see the rest of the Duke clan that I've gotten to know in the other books of this series. I found the book to be easy to read and with a nice biblical faith thread. I recognized one of the clues, but I didn't know how it fit into the story. It was nice to see the growth and change in the characters. I look forward to reading more books by Dana Mentink.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion. She’s written over fifty titles in the suspense, lighthearted romance and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Poisoned Pen Press. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.) Her monthly newsletter features plenty of goodies, gab and giveaways. https://www.subscribepage.com/b8q0y5

More from Dana

Well here we go! Book five in the Desert Justice series features Nora (Chief Jude’s estranged sister), a wild donkey who needs rescuing, and a crime from the past that intrudes into the present. Twisty, right? I was inspired to write this story after visiting Death Valley and learning about the feral donkeys which inhabit the region. They’re cute, visitors love them, but the burros can encounter health problems and cause environmental damage if they aren’t settled into a safe area. It’s amazing to me that wild donkeys are adept at detecting underground water sources. They dig “wells” which can benefit many thirsty animals. Fascinating, right? Hope you’ll enjoy meeting Bubbles the donkey and the helpful humans who rescue her in this novel. God bless and thanks for reading!