Monday, April 8, 2019

"This Daring Journey" by Misty M. Beller -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway


About the Book

This Daring Journey
Book: This Daring Journey
Author: Misty M. Beller
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: March 26, 2019
As a half-Indian raised among her Peigan tribe, Moriah Clark knows better than to trust white people. The tragedy that resulted in her birth is proof enough. But when her trusted grandfather marries her to a white man, she has no choice to but to obey and hope this new life isn’t her downfall. Her white husband turns out to be a decent sort, but his unexpected death left her to birth a newborn baby among hostile mountain men. She wants nothing more than to retreat to the safe haven of her tribal upbringing. When a mysterious frontiersman arrives on her doorstep seeking her deceased husband, his offer to escort her and the babe to her people seems like the opportunity she’s been praying to find. But can she trust him?
Samuel Grant has been sent to retrieve Henry Clark for his sister’s wedding, but the sight that greets him at the little cabin in the woods is not what he expected. Not only has the man died, but Henry’s wife is fighting off an aggressive gang of men at gunpoint—while trying to conceal a newborn. He can’t leave the pair unattended, so helping her travel into the mountain country to reach her family seems like the only option. If he can win her trust, that is.

Such a grueling journey with a three-week-old baby will be risky, but the challenges that arise test them far more than either expected. When a devastating surprise increases the danger ten-fold, Moriah focuses all her efforts on keeping her newborn daughter alive. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t realize how much of her heart belongs to the mountain man—until it’s too late.

My Thoughts
"This Daring Journey" is the 6th book in the Heart of the Mountains series. Several of the characters from the other books make appearance near the end of the book, but I think it would be beneficial to at least read the book that takes place right before this one ("This Homeward Journey") as you meet Samuel in that one and Seth and Rachel from that book play a bigger part in this one than the other past characters. I enjoyed reading the book and felt that if flowed nicely. I appreciated that Misty M. Beller has original difficulties for the characters to face and that it isn't always the same thing from book to book. Having experienced the difficulty that Moriah faces on the journey, I could relate to how painful it is. I really liked Samuel and how he interacted with Cherry. I look forward to reading more books by Misty M. Beller.

About the Author

MistyMisty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters

More from Misty

How did I get started writing?
I’ve always loved to read, but several years ago I was putting together my bucket list, and realized that I really did want to write a novel. So, “Write a novel that’s published” made it near the top!
I decided, it’s now or never, and made the commitment to do it. So, I had a general idea that I wanted it to be a Christian historical western romance. But where to start? I finally decided I needed to find a good book to help me plan. I stumbled upon (a.k.a. God led me to) the best possible book to help me get started with a great plan: Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. For all you writers out there, I can’t recommend it highly enough!
From there, I’ve soaked in every bit of writing instruction I can from some amazing groups and individuals. And I’ve spent countless hours sitting with my laptop pouring out words onto the screen. Writing is in my blood. It’s my passion. A true gift from my Heavenly Father, and I pray daily that he uses the words for His purpose.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, April 4
Simple Harvest Reads, April 4 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Pause for Tales, April 6
Splashes of Joy, April 7
Mary Hake, April 8
Wishful Endings, April 11
Vicky Sluiter, April 12
The Becca Files, April 12
Carpe Diem, April 13
Bigreadersite, April 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away a grand prize of a $50 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/de81/this-daring-journey-celebration-tour-giveaway




"This Daring Journey" is available in paperback:
  • Series: Heart of the Mountains (Book 6)
  • Paperback: 260 pages
  • Publisher: Misty M. Beller Books (March 15, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0999701282
  • ISBN-13: 978-0999701287
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches


and in Kindle edition:
  • File Size: 5393 KB
  • Print Length: 262 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0999701282
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: Misty M. Beller Books, Inc.; 1 edition (March 26, 2019)
  • Publication Date: March 26, 2019
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B07M627WSK


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.
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Monday, April 1, 2019

'Sand Castle Dreams" by Taylor Bennett -- Book Review


About the Book

Sometimes we have to face our greatest fears in order to become whole again. 

Returning to Maui after one of the most challenging summers of her life, sixteen-year-old Olive Galloway is ready for things to return to normal—or, at least, a new normal. But even though she and her sister are back on the island they love, nothing is the same since they left for Boston a few months ago. Olive’s friend Jazz is hiding a secret—possibly something even worse than the cancer diagnosis she received earlier in the year. Can Olive ever stop running from memories of all they’ve lost?

When their friend Brander suggests Jazz attends the church’s teen support group, Olive thinks it’s a great idea—until Jazz insists that Olive join her. While the group is the perfect place for Olive to share her struggles, she wants nothing to do with it. Instead, grief threatens to roll over her like the ocean waves, and tiny fibs turn into looming secrets. When a scruffy puppy and one viral video send another storm rolling into Olive’s life, she ends up face-to-face with her biggest fear. And the only way to make it out of the tempest is to go straight through.


My Thoughts


"Sand Castle Dreams" is the second Tradewinds Series book and starts shortly after the first book "Porch Swing Girl". I think it would be best to read the books in order, but "Sand Castle Dreams" does fill you in on the major points of the first book. I found the book to be well written and I liked the pace and the characters. I could feel Olive's frustrations and hurts and how she tries to shield herself from more heartache but wants to help her friends. This book is good for showing that the Christian life is not all a bed of roses, nor an easy road, but that God is with you through it all. The characters all have things that they need to deal with and grow through. There were things that made me cry and things that made me laugh. I look forward to reading more books by Taylor Bennett.


About the Author

Taylor Bennett is the seventeen-year-old author of contemporary YA fiction. Homeschooled since kindergarten, she is a proud homebody who suffers from the rare–yet always severe–case of wanderlust. 

Although she dreams of traveling to many different places, her favorite destination thus far (aside from her charming hometown in Oregon) is Lahaina, Hawaii. Taylor was so enamored with this tropical town that she became determined to write about it, hence her debut novel, Porch Swing Girl, the first in a series of books set in Hawaii.

A lover of literature since birth, Taylor found her love of writing fueled under the instruction of Andrew Pudewa and the other teachers at the Institute for Excellence in Writing, where she now works as an editor for their magazine.

When she isn’t writing, Taylor enjoys cooking, drawing, and taking long walks in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest



"Sand Castle Dreams" is available in paperback:
  • Series: Tradewind (Book 2)
  • Paperback: 273 pages
  • Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink (March 13, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1943959587
  • ISBN-13: 978-1943959587
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:
  • File Size: 2905 KB
  • Print Length: 237 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink (April 1, 2019)
  • Publication Date: April 1, 2019
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B07NXMQQ54

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.

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Sunday, March 31, 2019

Month in Review -- March

  • Wrote words
  • Sculpted  babies
  • Tatted  crosses
  • Sewed  sock monkeys  
  • Knit  hats
  • Exercised  days
  • Read in the Bible  days
  • Wrote up  backlogged book reviews 
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    Saturday, March 30, 2019

    "Finally Accepted" by Toni Shiloh --Book Review, Promo Blast

    About the Book

    There’s only one thing Chloe Smith has ever wanted: family. Yet the DNA results she’s received have thrown her life into a tailspin. Her utmost desire has ended up being the catalyst for shaking her faith. She doesn’t even know who she is anymore, and she’s certainly too messed up for her longtime crush to give her more than a second glance.
    Darryl Jones is struggling between his past and the grace God so freely offers. His sins feel too big for him to handle, let alone expect the woman of his dreams to accept. Chloe is the only woman he’s ever wanted and the one he doesn’t deserve.
    As they form a tentative relationship and examine their faith, Chloe and Darryl ache to know they are finally accepted and fully loved.

    My Thoughts


    Having met Chloe and Darryl in the previous books in the series, it was nice to finally get their story. Both Chloe and Darryl have issues from their past and are struggling with similar family drama, yet slightly unique, too. I found the way that Toni Shiloh dealt with these issues of abandonment, abuse, and addiction in a very careful way. The struggles that Chloe and Darryl experience made me feel for them and want to keep reading to see if would get resolved. I found the book to be well written and look forward to reading more books by Toni Shiloh.


    About the Author


    Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian contemporary romance author. Once she understood the powerful saving grace, thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.
    She spends her days hanging out with her husband and their two boys. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and president of the Virginia Chapter.
    You can find her on her website at http://tonishiloh.wordpress.com.

    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authortonishiloh
    Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tonishilohwrite
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/tonishiloh
    Instagram: www.instagram.com/tonishiloh
    Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/tonishiloh
    BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/toni-shiloh
    Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cmNFKD
    Blogs I’m part of:
     http://puttingonthenew.com; http://heartwingsblog.com; http://diversitybetweenthepages.wordpress.com



    "Finally Accepted" is available in paperback:
    • Series: Freedom Lake (Book 3)
    • Paperback: 305 pages
    • Publisher: Independently published (September 7, 2018)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 1718180322
    • ISBN-13: 978-1718180321
    • Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.8 x 8 inches

    and in Kindle edition:
    • File Size: 1127 KB
    • Print Length: 249 pages
    • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
    • Publication Date: August 16, 2018
    • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
    • Language: English
    • ASIN: B07GKKG1L5

    Other Buy links
    Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GKKG1L5
    B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finally-accepted-toni-shiloh/1129309883
    Book2Read: https://www.books2read.com/u/meAqYZ
    Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/finally-accepted
    iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1427627571
    Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=zhppDwAAQBAJ

    Short Buy links
    –
    Amazon: https://amzn.to/2wblC2C
    B&N: https://bit.ly/2PgZKeT
    Kobo: https://bit.ly/2MsahVP
    iTunes: https://apple.co/2MPyHpq
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41150978-finally-accepted

    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.

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    Monday, March 25, 2019

    "A Very Austen Valentine" by Robin Helm, Laura Hile, Wendi Sotis, Barbara Cornthwaite, Mandy H. Cook, & Susan Kaye-- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveway

    About the Book

    A Very Austen Valentine Book CoverBook: A Very Austen Valentine
    Author: Robin Helm
    Genre: Historical Romance (Regency), Religious and Inspirational
    Release Date: December 29, 2018
    Six beloved authors deliver romantic Valentine novellas set in Jane Austen’s Regency world. Robin Helm, Laura Hile, Wendi Sotis, and Barbara Cornthwaite, together with Susan Kaye and Mandy Cook, share variations of Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility, featuring your favorite characters in sequels, adaptations, and spinoffs of Austen’s adored novels.
    Experience uplifting romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and poignant regret as these authors deftly tug on your heartstrings this Valentine’s Day.
    I Dream of You by Robin Helm
    Newly-married Elizabeth Darcy has a plan: to charm her too-busy husband into desiring her company as much as he did when he was courting her. A series of romantic dreams gives her just the push she needs to put that plan into action.
    Sir Walter Takes a Wife by Laura Hile
    Faced with a lonely future and finding himself strapped for cash, Persuasion’s Sir Walter Elliot manfully decides to marry again. But his careful plans go sadly awry! A lighthearted Valentine mash-up featuring two of Jane Austen’s worst snobs.
    My Forever Valentine by Wendi Sotis
    Jane and Charles Bingley have married, even though Miss Elizabeth Bennet remains certain Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy gave his best effort to keep them apart. After Mr. Darcy refused to stand up with Bingley and did not attend the wedding, she despises the gentleman more than ever and finds his company intolerable. How will she endure her visit to Kent if Mr. Darcy turns up everywhere she goes?
    Pretence and Prejudice by Barbara Cornthwaite
    A chance encounter with a handsome stranger forces Elizabeth to resort to subterfuge in order to discover his true intentions.
    My Valentine by Mandy H. Cook
    Little Charlotte was always determined and independent, traits which served her well as she battled a serious childhood illness and later as she took on Polite Society. Will those traits now deprive her of true love? Or would her lifelong Valentine win her heart?
    The Lovers’ Ruse by Susan Kaye
    In this Persuasion alteration, Anne is so altered by Wentworth’s love in the summer of 1806, she refuses to give him up when both her godmother and father try to persuade her. “The Lovers’ Ruse” follows Frederick and Anne through their whirlwind courtship and their secret engagement. When Wentworth returns for his Annie girl, the cat comes out of the bag.


    My Thoughts
    I have not read any adaptations or extensions of any of Jane Austen's works before. I found this collection to be delightful. The glimpses as what the lives of some of her characters might possibly be like was fun. I liked how little bits of the original stories were pulled in to tie them together. I thought it was fun when characters from different stories were brought together. Having alternate story lines for existing stories is intriguing. Most of these authors were new to me, which is a good way to get to know more authors and their style of writing.

    About the Author

    robin helmRobin Helm’s books reflect her love of music, as well as her fascination with the paranormal and science fiction.
    Previously published works include The Guardian Trilogy: Guardian, SoulFire, and Legacy (a guardian angel protects a supernaturally gifted girl), the Yours by Design series: Accidentally Yours, Sincerely Yours, and Forever Yours (Fitzwilliam Darcy switches places in time with his descendant, Will Darcy), and Understanding Elizabeth (Regency sweet romance).
    She contributed to A Very Austen Christmas: Austen Anthologies, Book 1, an anthology featuring like-minded authors, in 2017, and A Very Austen Valentine: Austen Anthologies, Book 2 which was released on December 29, 2018.
    New releases for 2019 include More to Love, a standalone historical sweet romance dealing with body image; Lawfully Innocent, a historical U.S. Marshal romance book in the Lawkeepers series; Maestro, a historical sweet romance featuring a brilliant musician and his student; and A Very Austen Romance: Austen Anthologies, Book 3.
    She lives in sunny South Carolina where she teaches piano and adores her one husband, two married daughters, and three grandchildren.

    More from Robin

    Do you love Historical romance, but avoid “those” covers like the plague?
    Would you enjoy an anthology featuring six Valentine-themed novellas set in the Regency period written by Christian authors?
    In A Very Austen Valentine, stories range from a young wife searching for a way to bring her marriage back to the way it was, to a laugh-out-loud courtship between Jane Austen’s worst snobs.
    Misunderstandings, concealed identities, and romance abound.
    There is even a sequel featuring the children of the Darcys and the Brandons.
    Every reader will find something to love in this wonderful collection.

    Blog Stops

    Emily Yager, March 29
    Moments, March 31
    Mary Hake, March 31
    Pause for Tales, April 1
    Creating Romance, April 2
    Book by Book, April 2
    The Becca Files, April 7

    Giveaway

    To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away
    Grand Prize: a $50 Amazon gift card
    1st Place: An autographed paperback of A Very Austen Valentine: Austen Anthologies, Book 1
    2nd Place: An autographed paperback of A Very Austen Christmas: Austen Anthologies, Book 2
    3rd Place: A set of three ebooks – Reader’s Choice of any three of my books and
    4th Place: a $5 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/ddfa/a-very-austen-valentine-celebration-tour-giveaway

    "A Very Austen Valentine" is available in paperback:
    • Series: Austen Anthologies (Book 2)
    • Paperback: 477 pages
    • Publisher: Independently published (December 7, 2018)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 1731382324
    • ISBN-13: 978-1731382320
    • Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches


    and in Kindle edition:
    • File Size: 3780 KB
    • Print Length: 479 pages
    • Publication Date: December 29, 2018
    • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
    • Language: English
    • ASIN: B07L6SR1RJ


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