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Thursday, February 9, 2023
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
"What I Would Tell You" by Liz Tolsma
About the Book
Book:What I Would Tell You
Author: Liz Tolsma
Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction
Release date: January 1, 2023
DNA Test Unlocks a Family Mystery
Sephardic Jew Mathilda Nissim watches in horror as the Germans invade her beloved city of Salonika, Greece. What angers her most is the lack of resistance her people put up to their captors. In secret and at great risk to her life, she continues to publish her newspaper, calling her people to action. She doesn’t trust God to help them. When she and her husband find out they are expecting a child, Mathilda may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.
Three generations later, college student Tessa Payton and her cousin take a popular DNA test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test shows Tessa is a Sephardic Jew from Greece. This revelation shakes Tessa’s tenuous faith and sends her on a journey to discover what happened to her great-grandmother and how all this relates to her faith and her life today.
My Thoughts
This book was very moving. It is a dual timeline so you follow not only Tessa, but also Mathilda Nissim who is a Jew during the Nazi invasion of Greece. The characters are realistic and you feel a connection to them. I felt the book was well written (other than when it said Tessa and Lily shared a room and then later said they had separate rooms). I am intrigued by history and this book is full of history. I had figured out a big part of the story before it was revealed but it was not a problem. There was a nice biblical faith thread in the book. I look forward to reading more books by Liz Tolsma.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.
More from Liz
Take a Trip to Greece with Me
I was privileged to travel to Greece last year to research my upcoming WWII novel, What I Would Tell You. God orchestrated it so beautifully. Because of Covid, we weren’t sure my daughter would be able to travel there for the summer internship she had applied for. Eight weeks before her scheduled departure, Greece reopened to foreign visitors. Around that same time, I sold What I Would Tell You, which is set in Thessaloniki, Greece, to Barbour Publishing. I had to go and visit!
Greece is a beautiful country. The pictures you see don’t do it justice. And to someone like me, the history is one of the best parts. My daughter and I explored the old city wall, built in the 1400s, many churches that predated the Ottoman Empire, and many excavated Roman ruins that have been dug up in the city’s process of putting in a subway system.
Because this is a WWII book, we also spent a great deal of time learning about the history of the Jews in the city. The Kapani Market, just down the street from our apartment, was a vibrant mix of colorful fruits, fragrant spices, and a cacophony of languages. I could well imagine what this old Jewish market was like prior to the war with people hawking olives, fish, and oregano.
We wasted no time in visiting the Jewish museum. I was shocked by the heavy security presence with armed guards outside of the building. Once inside, we had to show our IDs and were required to turn in our phones. Antisemitism is alive and well in Greece. But what a place. There were displays after displays tracing the history of the Jewish people in Thessaloniki from 1492 until WWII. The most breathtaking was the room with stone-covered walls, the names of all 48,000 Salonikan Jews killed in the Holocaust carved into the marble. There’s an entire scene in the book that deals with this room.
What saddened me most was what we saw when we visited the trainyard where the Jews were herded into cattle cars and shipped to Auschwitz. Before we got to where the station once stood, there was a wall on which someone had pained a mural covered with black-and-white figures in their striped uniforms, their eyes and mouths wide in horror. As if that weren’t difficult enough to view, what sickened me was the blue swastikas someone had painted over them.
We also trekked to the other side of the city to visit what had once been the Jewish cemetery, now the grounds of Aristotle University. All that remains to testify that half a million people were once buried here is a small, ill-kept memorial. There were two dead Christmas wreaths placed there. We visited in August.
In addition to a moving and thought-provoking story, I hope to also introduce you to the amazing city of Thessaloniki and give you a peek into the people and the culture of this amazing place. If you ever find yourself in Greece, plan some time in Thessaloniki. Many Americans miss this gem, but it’s packed with charm and history.
Blog Stops
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 28
Texas Book-aholic, January 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 29
Blogging With Carol, January 29
Genesis 5020, January 30
Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 30
Where Faith and Books Meet, January 30
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 31
For Him and My Family, January 31
Cover Lover Book Review, February 1
Lily’s Book Reviews, February 1
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 2
deb’s Book Review, February 2
Betti Mace, February 3
Connie’s History Classroom, February 3
Paula’s Pad of Inspriation, February 4
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 4
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 5
Books You Can Feel Good About, February 5
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 6
Holly’s Book Corner, February 6
Bigreadersite, February 7
Blossoms and Blessings, February 7
Mary Hake, February 7
Labor Not in Vain, February 8
Pause for Tales, February 9
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, February 9
Little Homeschool on the Prairie, February 10
Southern Gal Loves to Read, February 10
Lights in a Dark World, February 10
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and 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/23ccb/what-i-would-tell-you-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.
Sunday, February 5, 2023
"Rescuing Rose" by Susan Pope Sloan
About the Book
Book: Rescuing Rose
Author: Susan Pope Sloan
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: January 24, 2023
His army destroyed her livelihood. She represents the people he scorns. How can they reconcile their differences when the whole country is at war?
When the Union Army marches into Roswell, Georgia, and burns down the cotton mill where Rose Carrigan worked, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s also taken prisoner and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely kindness of one of her guards makes the trip bearable.
Union Captain Noah Griffin hates the part of his job that requires him to destroy the lives of innocent civilians, but at least he’s able to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Louisville, Kentucky. Especially the one whose quick wit and kindness draw him.
While they’re forced to wait in Marietta, two fugitives arrive to complicate matters between Rose and Noah. As Rose heads north and Noah returns to the battlefront, they each face fears and prejudices. With survival so tenuous, only faith can help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed reading this book. I like the Civil War period and it was nice to be back in the era. There was a nice biblical faith thread and the characters sought to follow God. I liked the characters and their interactions with each other. There were some adventures I didn't expect. Noah and Rose's relationship was quick, but it didn't feel rushed. I look forward to reading more books by Susan Pope Sloan.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Born into a family of storytellers, Susan Pope Sloan published her first articles in high school and continued writing sporadically for decades. Retirement provided the time to focus on writing and indulge her avid interest in history. Her Civil War series begins (and ultimately ends) in her home state of Georgia with references to lesser-known events of that period. She and husband Ricky live near Columbus where she participates in Word Weavers, ACFW, and Toastmasters.
More from Susan
Rescuing Rose is the first book in the Rescued Hearts of the Civil War series. Years ago, I worked with a gentleman who was a Civil War reenactor. We had many conversations about the war and my writing aspirations. He told me two stories that stuck with me, one of which was the Roswell mill workers.
The bare-bones story is this: The Union army entered Roswell, Georgia, in July 1864. They ordered the workers out and burned the mills. Then they arrested the workers, who were mostly uneducated women, sent them to Marietta, and then put them on trains headed north.
Note that they were uneducated, unable to read or write, unskilled except in mill work. How were they to survive without means of supporting themselves and their families? If their husbands, sons, and fathers were away with one or the other army, how would they ever bring the women home again?
Since my hometown has several cotton mills and my grandparents worked in those, I felt a connection to those women. Their story should be told! My research led me to a wonderful scholarly book, The Women Will Howl, which was published thirty years ago and contained ample information to get me started. It became my primary resource, but I also had the advantage of a robust Internet to find other sources.
To provide a main character who was educated, I came up with two daughters of a minister with poor health. The family moved from Dalton, Georgia in 1863 so the daughters could work in the mill and take care of their father. After the mills are destroyed, Rose and her sister (Celeste) decide to teach some of the children how to read and write so they can help their folks and be better prepared for the future. When they reach Louisville, she leads the effort in finding jobs so they can provide for those who’ve fallen ill. In this way, Rose “rescues” the families in her group.
The male protagonist is a Union officer who aids Rose and Celeste when they are accosted by a band of hostile soldiers. Noah assists them again and takes on the role of self-appointed guardian. Though he and Rose often rile each other, he is smitten and does whatever he can to help their group adjust to their new reality. Circumstances tear them apart, however, and both must face hidden fears and prejudices before the relationship can be restored. How will that be possible when the war has pushed them hundreds of miles apart?
What I learned from research and writing this book.
- There were people loyal to the Union scattered all over the South, even in Georgia.
- Soldiers endured miserable conditions, often pushed to cover many miles before they reached the next engagement, in all kinds of conditions.
- Leadership was fractured on both sides, with personalities clashing within the ranks.
- Lee’s surrender at Appomattox did not end the war. It was months before that happened.
- Mill workers thought tobacco use would ward off “brown lung” from breathing cotton fibers and losing a finger or two in machinery was almost a rite of passage.
Blog Stops
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 25
Bizwings Blog, January 26
Holly’s Book Corner, January 26
Texas Book-aholic, January 27
deb’s Book Review, January 28
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 29
Cover Lover Book Review, January 30
Betti Mace, January 30
Connie’s History Classroom, January 31
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 1
Lily’s Book Reviews, February 1
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 2
For Him and My Family, February 3
Pause for Tales, February 4
Blossoms and Blessings, February 5
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 6
To Everything There Is A Season, February 7
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away the 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/23cc5/rescuing-rose-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.
Saturday, February 4, 2023
"Stormy Encounters" by BJ Howe
ABOUT THE BOOK
Book: Stormy Encounters
Author: BJ Howe
Genre: Teen/YA Action Adventure
Release date: March 14, 2023
When the biggest bully in town has you in his crosshairs, you can run, or you
can dig deep inside and discover who you really are. Steven Carlson finds
himself saddled with an unexpected debt he cannot afford, changing his plans
for a summer of fun to one that forces him to places he never wanted to go.
There are storms on the horizon and equally daunting storms of the heart.
With a father he doesn’t understand and a mother he can’t remember, Steven’s
sixteenth year launches him on a journey that will forever alter his world.
In one unforgettable season, Steven Carlson is pushed to the edge of disaster
and forced to confront his prison of self-doubt.
Book: Stormy Encounters
Author: BJ Howe
Genre: Teen/YA Action Adventure
Release date: March 14, 2023
When the biggest bully in town has you in his crosshairs, you can run, or you
can dig deep inside and discover who you really are. Steven Carlson finds
himself saddled with an unexpected debt he cannot afford, changing his plans
for a summer of fun to one that forces him to places he never wanted to go.
There are storms on the horizon and equally daunting storms of the heart.
With a father he doesn’t understand and a mother he can’t remember, Steven’s
sixteenth year launches him on a journey that will forever alter his world.
In one unforgettable season, Steven Carlson is pushed to the edge of disaster
and forced to confront his prison of self-doubt.
BOOK EXCERPT
Stormy Encounters Excerpt 3
“So, neither of you has a license and you’re driving someone else’s car.” The cop pursed her lips. “You both have the same last name as the vehicle’s owner. Are you related?”
Jackson’s face lit up. He shook his head hard enough to send his straight black hair dancing over his dark brown eyes. “Steven and I are cousins. Our dads are brothers. This is his dad’s car. My name’s Jack Carlson but my friends call me Jackson for short.”
Steven glared at Jackson. “I don’t think she needs to know all that.” Jackson has trouble figuring out when to talk and when to be quiet.
“Wait here. And don’t move.” said the cop. She walked back to the squad.
“Rats!” Steven dropped his forehead to the steering wheel of the silver sports car. “Dad’s gonna kill me when he finds out. He hasn’t stopped talking about a z4 since I was a kid.” He dragged his long, thin fingers through his cropped, blond hair.
“Nothing quite compares to getting behind the wheel of a z4 Roadster,” Jackson said, mimicking Uncle Bob’s voice. “Why do people put those yard signs so close to the street anyway? That cop never would’ve stopped us if it didn’t knock out the headlight.”
MISSED ANY EXCERPTS, GO HERE:
Links to All Excerpts:
Excerpt Two: https://janemouttet.
Excerpt Four: https://moments-of-
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Barb (B J) Howe has enjoyed entertaining others with stories since she was a
child. As an adult, she used storytelling techniques to communicate in various
workplace settings before exploring the art of memoir writing and fiction.
Stormy Encounters is her first significant work of fiction. Writing about
teenage boys and lightning fast cars was inspired by her grandson, who at age
four attempted to drive her car, and at age ten reminded her that he was a mere
five years away from a driving permit. He is now entering his teen years.
Howe resides in Chanhassen MN with husband, Dave Howe, author of Live
Pure and Free: The 90-Day Game Changer. She is on staff with Christian
Grandparenting Network, and has contributed to several publications
including: Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse Jr. Magazine and Guideposts. Her
desire in writing this book is to encourage young adults to mature in their
integrity and pursue a personal relationship with Christ.
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
"A Winter at the White Queen" by Denise Weimer
About the Book
Book: A Winter at the White Queen
Author: Denise Weimer
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: January 3, 2023
In the world of the wealthy, things are never quite as they appear.
Ellie Hastings is tired of playing social gatekeeper—and poor-relation companion—to her Gibson Girl of a cousin. But her aunt insists Ellie lift her nose out of her detective novel long enough to help gauge the eligibility of bachelors during the winter social season at Florida’s Hotel Belleview. She finds plenty that’s mysterious about the suave, aloof Philadelphia inventor, Lewis Thornton. Why does he keep sneaking around the hotel? Does he have a secret sweetheart? And what is his connection to the evasive Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball?
Ellie’s comical sleuthing ought to put Lewis out, but the diffident way her family treats her smashes a hole in his normal reserve. When Florence Hastings’s diamond necklace goes missing, Ellie’s keen mind threatens to uncover not only Lewis’s secrets, but give him back hope for love.
My Thoughts
This was a fun, quick book. It was well written and had a nice biblical faith thread. There was nice character growth as well. I was intrigued by the era and the elegance of the Belleview Hotel. I wish I could have been in the audience for The Great Gaspachi's performance. I am excited to learn that this is the first book in a new series. I look forward to reading more books from the series as well as by Denise Wiemer.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
North Georgia native Denise Weimer has authored a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. Having served three years as managing editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas’ two historical imprints, as well as a freelance editor, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.
More from Denise
Enter the Age of Wonder …
I like to think of the time period between the Gilded Age and WWI as the Age of Wonder. New ideas and inventions swept society in waves while those who wanted to preserve the old ways tried in vain to hold back the tide. Opportunity and advancement flowed as railroads and communications linked America’s coasts, motorcars allowed individual freedom of travel, and companies flourished following Reconstruction.
My goal was to capture this excitement and promise in A Winter at the White Queen. You follow my heroine, Ellie, and her uncle and his family for their fashionable winter 1910 season at the Hotel Belleview in Clearwater, Florida. Ellie is more than “the poor relation companion” to her younger cousin Ava. She’s also a trusted friend, and like the heroines in her female detective novels, a budding sleuth—sniffing out promising matrimonial candidates for Ava at the bequest of Aunt Florence. Little does she expect to stumble into her own romance—and a mystery surrounding a certain intriguing entrepreneur.
Ellie Hastings is tired of playing social gatekeeper—and poor-relation companion—to her Gibson Girl of a cousin. But her aunt insists Ellie lift her nose out of her detective novel long enough to help gauge the eligibility of bachelors during the winter social season at Florida’s Hotel Belleview. She finds plenty that’s mysterious about the suave, aloof Philadelphia inventor, Lewis Thornton. Why does he keep sneaking around the hotel? Does he have a secret sweetheart? And what is his connection to the evasive Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball?
Ellie’s comical sleuthing ought to put Lewis out, but the diffident way her family treats her smashes a hole in his normal reserve. But when Florence Hastings’ diamond necklace goes missing, Ellie’s keen mind threatens to uncover not only Lewis’s secrets, but give him back hope for love.
Lewis’s work allowed me to sprinkle White Queen with clever inventions that spark Ellie’s curious nature. Among them are
Temperature-compensated balance wheels, which Lewis invented as a teen. The backstory of how he sold his invention to the railroad, allowing them to synchronize all their watches, provides an unexpected link to uncover between Lewis and Ellie.
The cinématographe, patterned after Thomas Edison’s kinetoscope but intended by the Lumière brothers to show films to a wider audience. Used in the show at Washington’s Birthday Ball to end the season, the cinématographe aids in the culmination of the mystery of Florence’s missing diamond necklace.
The magical orange tree, which not only blossomed but appeared to grow actual oranges, was a real mechanical invention featured at Ava’s birthday party by The Great Gaspachi.
The Hydro-Vacu. I couldn’t resist including this titter-worthy, real-life machine, used, of course, by the appearance-conscious Aunt Florence. After applying a bleaching cold cream or “tissue food” to ensure plump cheeks, the massaging “Depurator” was rotated slowly over the face. How long until that idea makes a comeback?
As fun and whimsical as A Winter at the White Queen may be, our characters have some real growth to do … if they can get past the social expectations and masks, the suspicions and past hurts. I hope you’ll brighten your winter days by joining them at the White Queen.
Blog Stops
Book Looks by Lisa, January 20
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 20
An Author’s Take, January 21
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 21
deb’s Book Review, January 22
Christina’s Corner, January 22
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 23
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 23
Connie’s History Classroom, January 24
Betti Mace, January 25
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 25
Texas Book-aholic, January 26
Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, January 26
Bigreadersite, January 27
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 27
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, January 28 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, January 28
Cover Lover Book Review, January 29
Holly’s Book Corner, January 29
Rebecca Tews, January 30
Blogging With Carol, January 30
Back Porch Reads, January 31
Simple Harvest Reads, January 31 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
For Him and My Family, February 1
Blossoms and Blessings, February 1
Pause for Tales, February 2
To Everything There Is A Season, February 2
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away the 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/23bc4/a-winter-at-the-white-queen-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.
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