Sunday, February 6, 2022

"High-Wire Heartbreak" by Anna Schmidt -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: High-Wire Heartbreak

Author: Anna Schmidt

Genre: Christian/Romance/History

Release date: January 1, 2022

In 1936–A party at the Ringling mansion Ca d’Zan in Sarasota, Florida, leads to a robbery–and possibly death.

A successful historical mystery writer, Chloe Whitfield comes to Ca’ d’Zan to research her next novel. Chloe’s fascination with the circus is rooted in family stories of her great-grandmother Lucinda Conroy, who reportedly was a trapeze artist of some renown. She’s heard hints of scandal—and perhaps larceny, but no details.

Chloe’s grandmother—rumored to be Lucinda’s only offspring—was raised in an orphanage and never knew her mother. Intrigued as she is, Chloe has no intent of writing about Lucinda until she sees a poster featuring Lucinda as the star performer for a 70th birthday gala for John Ringling in May of 1936. From there the trail goes cold.

Who was Lucinda and what happened to her?

My Thoughts

This is another new to me author that I read because I have enjoyed the other books in the Doors to the Past series. I will be reading more books by Anna Schmidt after discovering her with this book. I enjoyed both storylines in the book--Lucy's and Chloe's. There really wasn't a biblical faith thread, which I would have liked to have had, but it was a clean story. We were about 7/8 through the mystery of Grandma Alice's past when it suddenly dawned on me what had happened. I found the book to be well written and with a nice flow. I look forward to reading more books by Anna Schmidt.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Anna Schmidt is the author of over twenty works of fiction. Among her many honors, Anna is the recipient of Romantic Times’ Reviewer’s Choice Award and a finalist for the RITA award for romantic fiction. She enjoys gardening and collecting seashells at her winter home in Florida.

More from Anna

It’s hard to split time living between Wisconsin and Sarasota Florida and NOT get caught up in the circus world! The Ringlings are icons in Sarasota where a LOT of things are named for them! But the five circus brothers got their start right here in Wisconsin. So, when the opportunity to create a story for DOORS TO THE PAST came my way, it was pretty much a no-brainer that I would go with John and Mable Ringling’s incredible home, Ca ‘d Zan as the setting. Then somehow, I stumbled on this picture:

and I knew she was my character of Lucinda, the trapeze artist whose story would drive my novel. I hope you fall in love with her—and Chloe—as I did, and most of all I hope you’ll be in touch to let me know what you thought at http://booksbyanna.com.

HAPPY READING and all best wishes, Anna

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 25

Remembrancy, January 25

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, January 25 (Author Interview)

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 26

For the Love of Literature, January 26

Where Faith and Books Meet, January 26

Genesis 5020, January 27

Texas Book-aholic, January 27

Inklings and notions, January 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 28

Rachael’s Inkwell, January 28

Austen’s Angle: Jane Austen’s Influence in Modern America, January 29

For Him and My Family, January 29

Rebecca Tews, January 29

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 30

deb’s Book Review, January 30

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 31

Wishful Endings, January 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 31

Bizwings Blog, February 1

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 1

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, February 1

Older & Smarter?, February 2

Connie’s History Classroom, February 2

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 3 (Spotlight)

Bigreadersite, February 3

Blogging with Carol, February 3

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, February 4

Life of Literature, February 4

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 5

Joannabair, February 5

Blossoms and Blessings, February 6

Pause for Tales, February 6

Labor Not in Vain, February 6

Splashes of Joy, February 7

Through the Fire Blogs, February 7

Giveaway

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.

Friday, February 4, 2022

"Snowbound Amish Survival" by Mary Alford -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

Snowbound Amish Survival JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Snowbound Amish Survival by Mary Alford, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Snowbound Amish Survival
Author: Mary Alford
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: Jan 25, 2022
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Christian

She’s caught in a snowstorm…

with a target on her back.

When armed men burst into her patient’s house looking for her, Amish midwife Hope Christner barely escapes with her pregnant friend. Now running through a snowy forest with enemies in pursuit and a blizzard raging, Hope has no choice but to turn to the closest neighbor, her ex-fiancé, Hunter Shetler. But facing the heartbreak of their past is just as frightening as the attackers on her trail…

ALSO AVAILABLE

Amish Country Murder by Mary Alford

MY THOUGHTS

I read the other books by Mary Alford set in West Kootenai about Hunter's brothers. One thing about this type of series is that while it's nice to see familiar characters, it does seem a little less than realistic that all of the four brothers would be involved in some sort of life and death situation that brought them to their "happily ever after". The book was a quick read and had a lot of action and suspense. Them fleeing through a blizzard was a unique story plot idea. I did wonder why the Amish people kept driving the cars once they had "Englischer" people (especially when the car belonged to said Englischer.) There was character growth and a faith thread.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Alford is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than fifty novels. Her books have been finalists in the Selah Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award, and the HOLT Medallion Contest. As a writer, Mary is an avid reader. She loves to cook and can’t face the day with-out coffee. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two very spoiled cats and one adorable rescue dog. Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook and Twitter or any social platforms listed at www.maryalford.net.

CONNECT WITH MARY: Website | Facebook | Twitter

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift card and a print copy of Snowbound Amish Survival!

(2) winners will receive a print copy of Snowbound Amish Survival!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 1, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on February 8, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

TOUR SCHEDULE

Snowbound Amish Survival JustRead Blog Tour

Launch Post @JustReadTours

February 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys

Hallie Reads

February 2

I luv the books

Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic

February 3

Lisa's Reading

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting

Remembrancy

February 4

Blossoms and Blessings

Blooming With Books

February 5

Reading Excursions

Reading Is My SuperPower

JustRead Publicity Tours

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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, February 2, 2022

"The Sword and the Song" by Carla Laureano -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Sword and the Song

Author: Carla Laureano

Genre: Fantasy (Celtic Fantasy – adult)

Release date: January 11, 2022

THE SHADOW OF WAR

Seare is at war. The Red Druid has continued to gain strength and power, and the people of Seare suffer beneath the ravages of the isle’s unbound spirits. The Fíréin are all that stand between the land and certain disaster. But there is strife within the Brotherhood as well: Eoghan still refuses to claim his rightful throne, leaving the responsibilities of rule to Conor and creating an uncomfortable distance between the sworn brothers.

When Conor leaves Ard Dhaimin to find the key to defeating the Red Druid, he delves into a world of shadows and danger which will bring him to the brink of madness and back. All the while Eoghan and Aine are left to pursue their own mission to defeat their adversary through her magical gifts.

But as the final battle looms ever closer, they realize that the cost of defeating the Red Druid may be greater than they’re willing to pay… and that nothing—and no one—is as it seems.

My Thoughts

I have eagerly awaited the final book in the Song of Seare series. The book was well written and flowed well. It had adventure and danger and intrigue and I never knew exactly what was going to happen. There were parts that were hard to read and things I didn't expect. I loved this series and look forward to reading more books by Carla Laureano in the future.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Carla Laureano is the two-time RITA® award-winning author of over a dozen books, spanning the genres of contemporary romance and Celtic fantasy. A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked in sales and marketing for more than a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write full-time. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, two sons, and an opinionated tortoiseshell cat named Willow.

More from Carla

Why We Should Read About Difficult Things

I’m not going to lie—a lot of my past reading has fallen into the feel-good category. Don’t get me wrong—I like my stories to have some depth, but there’s generally enough turmoil in everyday life that I often feel the need stories with predictably happy endings and not a lot of angst.

But I don’t necessarily think that’s the best approach in times of trouble. Which is why ever since the pandemic hit, I find myself gravitating toward messy, intense reads. Stories where everything goes wrong and it seems like nothing is going to ever work out in the end… until it does. I think it’s a way to work through my own feelings about the state of the world while still being assured that justice will be done, that hope is within reach, that the dawn will still come.

The Sword and the Song is that kind of book. As the third and final volume in the Song of Seare trilogy, things have come to a dangerous tipping point: the rightful High King has been revealed, tensions within the Brotherhood have reached their boiling point, and the Red Druid is slowly but surely moving toward his deadly endgame. Meanwhile, Conor finds his good heart and gentle nature becoming strained by the demands of leadership and the memory of the things that he’s seen and done to survive. It seems that even if victory is still possible—however distantly—it may come at a high personal cost for everyone involved.

There is no doubt that this is the darkest, most dangerous, and most exciting book of the Song of Seare trilogy: on every page, alliances are tested, friendships are shattered, and resolve is stretched to the breaking point. But I would argue that this is the kind of book we need right now. We may finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but there’s no arguing that we’ve emerged from it changed in unexpected ways. Some of us may not yet see the light through the darkness. That’s why we find catharsis in reading about difficult things and take hope in their final resolution.

In both this book and in real life, we can be assured that hard times are all part of a bigger plan in the hands of our Creator…and while we may still need to walk through them, there is always One who stays by our side to the very end.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 28

Worthy2Read, January 29

By the Book, January 29

A Reader’s Brain, January 30

Inklings and notions, January 31

Texas Book-aholic, February 1

deb’s Book Review, February 2

Blossoms and Blessings, February 2

For Him and My Family, February 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 4

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 5

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 6

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 7 (Spotlight)

Blogging With Carol, February 7

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, February 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 9

Simple Harvest Reads, February 10 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carla is giving away the grand prize package of a hardcover set of the series (Oath of the Brotherhood, Beneath the Forsaken City, The Sword and the Song) and a $25 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/193c8/the-sword-and-the-song-celebration-tour-giveaway

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.

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

"Beneath the Forsaken City" by Carla Laureano -- Book Review

About the Book

With a storm on the horizon, who will stand against the darkness?

Conor and Aine have barely escaped Seare with their lives. Conor knows he must return to find the harp that could end the Red Druid’s reign of terror, but he must first see Aine safely to her family home on the isle of Amanta. When an unnatural storm tears them apart, they find themselves in even more danger than that which they fled.

Because magic is not the only thing to fear in Aine's homeland, where the Sofarende invaders harry the coasts and shifting clan alliances make it impossible to know who to trust. Conor and Aine must cling to the whispers of Comdiu’s plans for them and their enduring love for one another, even when the future looks darkest.

But with betrayal at every turn, will they give into fear? Or will they learn to depend on Comdiu completely ... before all hope is lost?

My Thoughts

This is the second book in the Song of Seare series and you need to read them in order to get the full story. There is a lot of things going on in the book and I was pulled into the story world. I found the book to be well written and easy to read (aside from knowing how to pronounce the words!) There were some twists that completely surprised me. I look forward to reading the last book in this series and other books by Carla Laureano.

About the Author

Carla Laureano is the RITA Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

Connect with Carla online at her website (www.carlalaureano.com) or on any of these social media platforms:

Facebook.com/CarlaLaureanoAuthor

Twitter.com/carlalaureano

Instagram.com/carlalaureanoauthor

Pinterest.com/laureano_carla

"Beneath the Forsaken City" is available in paperback:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Enclave Publishing (March 8, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1621841723
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1621841722
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.11 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches

and in Kindle edition:

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08WYR9T78
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Enclave Publishing (June 8, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 8, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2937 KB
Print length ‏ : ‎ 415 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1612916317

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.

"Overcoming Familiar Spirits" by Kynan Bridges -- Spotlight, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

I did not read this book, sharing a spotlight for the tour only

About the Book

Book: Overcoming Familiar Spirits

Author: Kynan Bridges

Genre: RELIGION / Christian Living/Spiritual Warfare

Release date: January 25, 2022

Have You Invited Demonic Enemies into Your Life?

Familiar spirits hinder believers’ lives in numerous ways, diminishing their spiritual vision and seeking to prevent them from fulfilling their destinies. They may block people’s ability to overcome negative patterns, attain lasting success, and even marry and conceive children.

Without realizing it, we can invite such unseen enemies into our lives. We may have left open a door to their influence due to personal trauma, unforgiveness, bitterness, or false thinking. Then, we become trapped in a type of spiritual debt. We are restricted from being fully free in Christ so that we constantly live with frustration, worry, anger, or a feeling of hopelessness.

Overcoming Familiar Spirits by pastor and teacher Dr. Kynan Bridges powerfully exposes Satan’s demonic agenda so you can be set free. You will learn to detect familiar spirits like the spirits of sabotage, calamity, premature death, delay, and perversion. You will gain a fresh revelation of who you are in Christ and your authority as a believer and be equipped with the tools to enjoy lasting freedom.

Through his books, preaching, and counseling, Dr. Bridges has shown thousands of believers how to address hindrances in their lives. Discover how to eradicate unseen familiar spirits and be released from spiritual bondage and debt!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kynan-Bridges-4 Dr. Kynan T. Bridges is the senior pastor of Grace & Peace Global Fellowship in Tampa, Florida. With a profound revelation of the Word of God and a dynamic teaching ministry, Dr. Bridges has revolutionized the lives of many in the body of Christ. Through his practical approach to applying the deep truths of the Word of God, he reveals the authority and identity of the new covenant believer. A highly sought speaker and published author of several books, including Unlocking the Code of the Supernatural, School of the Miraculous, The Power of Prophetic Prayer, Invading the Heavens, Unmasking the Accuser, and Kingdom Authority, Dr. Bridges is also a committed husband to Gloria and father of five beautiful children: Ella, Naomi, Isaac, Israel, and Anna.

More from Kynan

Many Christians are being tormented by unseen demonic powers called “familiar spirits” that operate inconspicuously within the fabric of people’s thoughts, emotions, and mindsets—working so secretly that they usually remain undetected. Familiar spirits hinder believers’ lives in numerous ways, diminishing their spiritual vision, blocking their success in life, and seeking to prevent them from fulfilling their destiny. Overcoming Familiar Spirits by Dr. Kynan Bridges powerfully exposes Satan’s demonic agenda. You will gain a fresh revelation of who you are in Christ and your authority as a believer and be equipped with the tools to enjoy lasting freedom.