Friday, July 31, 2020

Second Helpings by Linda Wood Rondeau

About the Book

Book: Second Helpings

Author: Linda Wood Rondeau
Genre: Short, humorous contemporary women’s fiction
Release Date: April 19, 2020

Today is Jocelyn Johnson’s 45^th birthday. Unhappy with her marriage of 22 years, the parenting talk show host has planned a noonday tryst with her cohost. A phone call from her college daughter, a peek into her teenaged son’s journal, a sick preschooler, a Goth daughter’s identity crisis, a middle-school son’s prank, and her husband’s inflamed suspicions, not only interfere with her hopeful birthday plans but throw her family into more chaos than a circus on steroids.

In desperate need of counsel, Jocelyn invites a Christian to dinner, her guest from her morning talk show segment. However, the evening holds little promise of calm. In the midst of bedlam, a forgotten faith rekindles causing Jocelyn to rethink her life and her marriage.

You will laugh and you will cry from the first page to the last as you journey through the day’s events and Jocelyn’s search for Second Helpings.

My Thoughts:
I know this is supposed to be humorous and maybe it is just where I am in life but it didn't strike me as funny. That being said it is a fairly good read. It's about a completely dysfunctional family and their issues. Each person in the family has their issues. It almost stressed me out to read it because there was so much going on and so many issues.
Jocelyn's marriage has gone stale and she has an almost affair. Her husband is too focused on his career and doesn't acknowledge issues at home. Unexpected pregnancy. There was just so much going on and maybe later in life I can read this and truly enjoy the book, but it wasn't for me at all. The author wrote it well but the story just wasn't for me.
It was a 3/5 for me.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

A veteran social worker, Linda Wood Rondeau is also a wife, mother, and grandmother. She is no stranger to family bedlam. Her stories of encouragement and hope come from the heart. She resides in Hagerstown, Maryland with her husband of over forty-years. When not writing, the author enjoys the occasional round of golf. She also enjoys theater and is actively involved with her local church. Find more encouraging words in her blog, Snark and Sensibility, found on her website, www.lindarondeau.com. Visit her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

More from Linda

When I first set out to write Second Helpings, I envisioned writing a story about a harried housewife with a passel of kids. I thought of my mother who went around the house with her hands outstretched toward heaven saying, “Lord, give me strength.” Words she uttered each time we kids did something wrong, which was quite often.
And so I envisioned my own version of, Please Don’t Eat the Daises.
The movie came out in 1960 and starred Doris Day and David Niven, a comedy about a university professor who leaves his job to become a theater critic, creating problems with his family and friends. There’s an iconic scene where the harried housewife rescues her toddler who tries to climb out of the barred NYC windows. One wonders, can this marriage be saved?
As the story developed in my own addled brain, I saw a larger picture than a madcap comedy. I asked myself, what would happen if a woman who ran a radio show about parenting found herself in a marriage about to fall apart and anticipates an affair? Since the woman, at the outset of the story is not a Christian, what might cause the affair not to happen? What driving force might be greater than her unhappiness? And why was she so unhappy in her marriage in the first place?
The answer came. However unhappy she might be, she was first and foremost a mother. Though married to a psychiatrist, she was the fixer in the family. What problems might her children face to make Jocelyn think twice about an affair? Which of her children’s crises would be the first signal to abort her affair? The answer came.
When Jocelyn receives a phone call from her college-aged daughter, plans for a tryst suddenly change. Lisette announces she is coming home tonight. Jocelyn’s worst fears for her daughter are confirmed. Not only is Lisette pregnant, she wants to get married next month. History seems to be repeating itself. And Jocelyn does not want her daughter to make the same mistake she thought she made by marrying her baby’s father. Jocelyn sets out on an immediate campaign to convince her daughter she has other options than a hurried marriage. Jocelyn’s tryst will have to wait.
Lisette’s pregnancy revelation has set the stage for twelve hours of bedlam … all on Jocelyn’s 45^th birthday. These serious situations create a comedy of misunderstanding against the backdrop of a failing marriage and begs the question, “Can her marriage be saved?”

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 21

CarpeDiem, July 21

Texas Book-aholic, July 22

Inklings and notions, July 23

deb’s Book Review, July 24

For Him and My Family, July 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 26

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, July 27 (Author Interview)

As He Leads is Joy, July 27

Artistic Nobody, July 28 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, July 29

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 30

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 31 (Author Interview)

Fiction Full of Faith, July 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 1

Godly Book Reviews, August 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize of a Kindle Fire 7!!

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/fe2d/second-helpings-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, July 20, 2020

6 Hidden Behaviors that Destroy Families by Dr. Magdalena Battles

[Insert Tour Banner Here]

About the Book

Book: 6 Hidden Behaviors that Destroy Families
Author: Dr. Magdalena Battles

Genre: RELIGION / Christian Living/Family & Relationships
Release Date: June 9, 2020

Families are complicated.

There is no such thing as a perfect family…or an easy family. We all make mistakes that hurt or disappoint our family members, and we’ve all been hurt or disappointed by those we love.
Within our human makeup is a deep and basic need for healthy family relationships. Family was designed to provide us with love, a feeling of belonging, a shared history, traditions, comfort, affection, quality time, feedback, learning, and a safety net. When our family fails to provide for these needs, we feel a deep sense of loss.

6 Hidden Behaviors That Destroy Families by Dr. Magdalena Battles addresses the top conflicts in extended families that cause relationships to become strained, disjointed, or broken. These hidden behaviors are: criticism, gossip, lack of inclusion, deception, refusing to accept differences, and a failure to apologize and forgive. Dr. Battles provides practical tips and solutions based on research, biblical principles, and her own observations of what has worked in families.

Most families have some dysfunction, causing pain, damage, and division. While every family has problems, what really matters is how we deal with those issues. Are we working in a way that heals and resolves problems, or are we allowing them to fester, divide, and explode, causing tremendous damage to our relationships? Families are always in a state of change, and they are a work in progress. But they can function in a way where love, support, belonging, and kindness are exemplified and practiced.

Doing nothing about our family conflicts often contributes to the problems. The healing in your family can begin with you. To have a family that is loving and supportive, you need to be part of the solutions and healing. You just have to take those first steps! It is a process, but the result will be happier lives and more fulfilling relationships.

My Thoughts:
This book hit home for me on several levels. People are all different and God intended us to live as families. In doing that, we have to accept our differences and realize there will be conflict. There are some very good tips for dealing with multiple situations.
It may be that we are the problem, it may be that we are the only ones trying. Either way there are some tips and healthy ways to deal with the issues. It is heartening to know that it is a problem for more than just my family but at the same time it is really sad. I plan to put some of the tips to good use in my life and recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
It was a 5/5 for me.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dr. Magdalena Battles is a writer and conference speaker whose specialties include parenting, child development, family relationships, domestic violence, and sexual assault. She shares her real-life experiences and professional insights on her website, LivingJoyDaily.com, and on Lifehack.org, where she was named one of their top writers. She is also the author of Let Them Play: The Importance of Play and 100 Child Development Activities (September 2019). Dr. Battles earned a bachelor’s degree in child psychology and a master’s degree in professional counseling, both from Liberty University, and a doctorate in Clinical and Academic Psychology from Walden University. She has also completed post-graduate studies on “Technologies in Education” at Harvard University. While she may seem all business, in her spare time, she enjoys camping with her family, visiting national parks, reading nonfiction, decorating, organizing, shopping, spending time with extended family, and incubating/raising Silkie chickens. She is also an active volunteer in her community and church. Dr. Battles and her husband, Justin, reside in Texas, where they are raising their daughter, Brielle, twin boys, Alex and Charlie, a dog named Max, and a Silkie chicken named Marshmallow.

More from Magdalena

While every family has its problems—some minor, some major—what really matters is how we deal with these issues. Are we working to heal and resolve the conflicts, or are we allowing them to fester, divide, and explode, perhaps causing irreparable damage to our relationships? The six hidden behaviors that destroy families are described as “hidden” because we often ignore, deny, or cover up our family issues. The family unit is a living organism, never remaining the same. Sometimes, it is healthy and working well, and other times, it is not as healthy or functional. All it takes is one person to start a trend of love, compassion, and support that can change generations to come.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, July 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 12

Artistic Nobody, July 13 (Spotlight)

Inklings and notions, July 14

For Him and My Family, July 15

A Baker’s Perspective, July 16 (Spotlight)

deb’s Book Review, July 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 18

Simple Harvest Reads, July 19 (Spotlight)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, July 20

Mary Hake, July 21

Through the Fire Blogs, July 22 (Spotlight)

Captive Dreams Window, July 22

Splashes of Joy, July 23

For the Love of Literature, July 24 (Spotlight)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Magdalena is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Starbucks 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/fe58/6-hidden-behaviors-that-destroy-families-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

The Christian Christmas Condition by Scott Rankin

The Christian Christmas Condition: How Does Our Lord Feel About Christmas Today?

Book Description:
What do you want for Christmas? We all hear this question everywhere, but author Scott Rankin invites us all to slow down for a moment and ask a different question... What does God want for Christmas? Our Lord desires that we become more Christ-like every day (1 Corinthians 11:1). To accomplish this goal, He tells us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). But how do the Christmas holidays help accomplish this goal if so much busyness and stress make it hard to focus all our attention on Christ and completely rest in His peace? In an easy-to-read format, "The Christian Christmas Condition" takes a new and refreshing look by asking the question, “How does our Lord feel about Christmas today?” encouraging Christians of all ages to examine Christmas-time traditions from God's perspective. Filled with Bible references, this study will boost your faith, increase your knowledge, and strengthen you to fully honor Jesus in the midst of Christmas, traditions, and busy holiday activities, and reveal the secret of what God says in the Bible about Christmas today! Whether your family participates in Advent, Hanukkah, midnight mass, uses a Christmas tree, or watches for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, this powerful book encourages all Christians to become more Christ-like in our thinking and our actions each, and every day of the year... not just in the winter holidays!

My Thoughts:
Wow. The author does a really good job of calling Christians out for what we have let Christmas become. He didn't do it in a harsh way, but it absolutely made me stop and think. When he says at the start we all think 'Christmas isn't what it used to be'. That's completely true. We need to turn the focus back to God and not material things.
I agree with most everything he says through here. My children never were told that Santa existed, the exact opposite actually. But I never saw any harm in the concept either....until I read this. I believe he is right that we need to put more of the focus on God and what the Bible says, no matter what the world says, labels us, or pushes back. Christmas is literally supposed to be a celebration of Christ's birth. We need to remember that and make sure that is what we are focused on.
It was a 4/5 for me. It truly was thought provoking.

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book via PUYB. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Friday, July 10, 2020

Cleansed by Death by Catherine Finger

About the Book

Book: Cleansed by Death

Author: Catherine Finger

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Mystery

Release Date: June 2016

Haunted by an evil presence she can’t quite grasp, Police Chief Josie Oliver finds herself drawn into the crosshairs of a vicious serial killer. Fighting for her marriage, faith, and fate, Chief Josie is confronted by an Adversary that only God can conquer–if she decides to let Him in.

My Thoughts:

This was an good book. The action and suspense starts at page one and doesn't stop until the last page. There is really something great about the characters being so realistic. They aren't perfect, they are flawed, and have their issues to deal with. They seem like people you could actually go out and meet.

The book kept my attention and the suspense was great. I love the faith aspect that is woven in. Seeing that done well in Christian Fiction always makes me happy. I will definitely look for more from this author.

It was a 4/5 for me.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via CelebrateLit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Catherine Finger loves to dream, write, and tell stories. Recently retired from a wonderful career in public education, she celebrates the ability to choose how to spend her time in a new way during the second half of life. So far, she chooses to write books, ride horses, serve others, and generally find her way into and out of trouble both on the road and at home. She lives in the Midwest with a warm and wonderful combination of family and friends.

Capsized by Death, the fourth novel in her Jo Oliver Thriller series, was released by Elk Lake Publishing in December, 2019. Anchored by Death, the third of her Jo Oliver novels, was a Bronze Medal winner at the 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards; a 2018 Selah Awards finalist; and a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Awards. Her second Jo Oliver Thriller, Shattered by Death, was a finalist in the International Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards. Catherine and her novels have been featured on radio stations, blogs, and in numerous articles—all posted at www.CatherineFinger.com.

Catherine loves to interact with her readers at www.CatherineFinger.com Follow her on Facebook at Catherine Finger, Author, and on Twitter at CatherineFinger@BeJoOliver.

More from Catherine

Welcome to our Jo Oliver Thriller series Celebrate Lit Tour!

Cleansed by Death, the first book in the series of four novels, began with an idea to write a book about strong women struggling with life, love, and loss while embedded in traditional male roles. I wanted to show real women dealing with difficult internal and external struggles and create tension for my readers. Playing with the question of whether such challenges make our characters better—or bitter—added depth and twists to my story.

It took a long time to get this story to the point of releasing it into the world. I stopped writing it twice, shelving it for about a year each time. Every summer as I percolated over the story, I read it cover to cover and realized I still loved both the voice and the bones of the story. Adding the faith piece in a way that felt authentic and edgy was the frosting on the cake and it happened as a half vision, half spiritual warfare experience in Jo Oliver’s head and heart. This experience developed her unique brand of conversation with God as she understands Him and added a spiritual dimension to my stories.

My Midwestern roots showed themselves with reckless abandon in this debut—becoming a cornerstone of future installments. As I write this kick-off note to you, I sit in front of my computer facing a wilderness scene that features prominently in this story. Writing in the midst of the corona virus leads me back to some of my favorite places for comfort—the woods and lakes of Wisconsin.

Enjoy the read!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 28

Blogging With Carol, June 28

Texas Book-aholic, June 29

Through the Fire Blogs, June 30

Bigreadersite, June 30

Betti Mace, July 1

Godly Book Reviews, July 1

For the Love of Literature, July 2

Older & Smarter?, July 3

Emily Yager, July 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 4

Daysong Reflections, July 5

deb’s Book Review, July 5

Inklings and notions, July 6

For Him and My Family, July 7

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, July 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 8

Pause for Tales, July 9

Lights in a Dark World, July 10

Ashley’s Bookshelf, July 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Catherine is giving away the grand prize of 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/fcd9/cleansed-by-death-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Dragon School Episodes 16-20 by Sarah K.L. Wilson and Narrated by Jigisha Patel

Dragon School: Episodes 16 - 20 audiobook cover art

Book Description:
Can dragons and humans win against the Ifrit scourge?
From USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson, comes an epic tale of a disabled teen and her beloved dragon. Perfect for lovers of dragon-riding fiction and anyone with a heart for adventure.

This omnibus edition contains episodes 16-20 of the popular novella series:
Dragon School: Dragon Piper Time is running out.
Dragon School: Dust of Death Will Amel arrive in time?
Dragon School: Troubled War War has come.
Dragon School: Starie Night In the black of night, hope shines.
Dragon School: Ascendant Light The end has come.

My Thoughts:
All our favorites are back in this final set. There is literally too much going on to get into. Blood sisters, traitors, evil, good, true love, sacrifice, revenge, ifrits....and so much more. I can't say enough about how the author wrapped up this series. There were some seriously good twists, and some things that I expected. Even the things that I expected didn't happen exactly as I expected them to.
I love the conclusion to several aspects of this that I cannot say. The romance angle was great, the salvation was heartbreakingly wonderful, the usurping amazingly done. There were lots of losses and plenty of heart stopping moments. The end battle was wonderfully horrible and so well described that I could see it playing out in front of my eyes. There isn't anything about this book that I can complain about. My kids and I listened to the whole series, start to finish and when it was over, we were all a little lost and sad.
Absolutely a 5/5.

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this audiobook. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Dragon School: Episodes 11-15 by Sarah K. L. Wilson and Narrated by Jigisha Patel

Publisher's Summary

Counterfeit magic, flights through the dark, a war that can't be avoided.

From USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson, comes an epic tale of a disabled teen and her beloved dragon. Perfect for lovers of dragon-riding fiction and anyone with a heart for adventure.

This omnibus edition contains episodes 11-15 of the popular novella series:

Dragon School: Bright Hopes Only Amel knows the truth.
Dragon School: Mark of Loyalty Who is the true Chosen One?
Dragon School: Dire Quest Can the Dominion find allies?
Dragon School: Ancient Allies Does an ancient artifact hold the key to defeating the Ifrit invasion?
Dragon School: Pipe of Wings Can Amel turn old friends into new allies?

My Thoughts:

Oh my. This series is amazing. My kids and I are still reading through and will finish the last set soon. There is so much going on with Amel, Roc, Huberic, Sevet, Lang....I love them all. We even meet some scary crazy new characters. There are some seriously ingenious things that the author comes up with to save the day at times, but that being said, our hero doesn't always win. There is a ton going on including travel to a different country.

I love the twists the author throws in and some of the new characters are really great. Some of them not so much but it does make things even more interesting to see how Amel is going to get out of certain scrapes. I love how devoted she is to her friends, her cause, and her dragon. I can't believe I haven't mentioned Reyolken (sp?) yet. He is still amazing and really the one who keeps Amel alive more often than not, but she does return the favor occasionally.

It is a solid 5/5 for my family.

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this audiobook. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Jane Doe by Lillian Duncan

About the Book

Book: Jane Doe

Author: Lillian Duncan

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 26, 2020

A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What If She Wasn’t The Last Victim? Jane Doe

Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. She wants to put the past behind her, but nightmarish memories won’t let her. . .At first because she doesn’t have them, and then because she does.

Even though her fractured memory can’t recall every detail, she’s haunted by one thought: What if she wasn’t the last victim? Her search for answers leads her to the highest politicians in the land. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.

My Thoughts:

This was a good read. The start of it was so hard to read but it was a necessity. Raven is such a strong woman and I really enjoyed how the author brought back her memories. It was handled really well and made it believable (and suspenseful!).

I loved how God was brought up and at the forefront of the book. It was a dark book overall but showed God's love shining through. The author did a great job with the suspense, it started on page one, and didn't let up. Once I started the book, there was no putting it down. Overall, it was just truly a good, deep, thought provoking book.

It was a 3/5 for me. I will look for more from this author.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via CelebrateLit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lillian Duncan… turning faith into fiction.

Lillian lives in a small town in Ohio with her husband. She writes the types of books she loves to read. Even though her books cross genres, they have one thing in common, faith-based stories that demonstrate God’s love—and lots of action. OK, that’s two things.

She was a school speech pathologist for over 30 years but retired in 2012 after being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors due to Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disease.

Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word. To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit:www.lillian –duncan.com .

More from Lillian

JANE DOE is my latest novel and it’s a doozy!

What’s the genre you ask? It’s suspense with lots of drama and action…but it also a political thriller…but it also has a lot of mystery components…but there’s the romance element as well… and let’s not forget the spiritual message! No matter what genre you classify it as, it’s one I think you’ll enjoy!

So how did JANE DOE come about?

I’d finished all my edits on a current book and was feeling very uninspired. I had no idea for my next story, so I went on FB and asked people to send me an idea for my next suspense novel. An old high school friend sent me the suggestion to write a story where the main character struggled with memory loss.

Mmmm… but the old amnesia plot has been done and it’s a big no-no that writing experts warn against. I took the challenge and wrote JANE DOE. It’s definitely not your typical amnesia plot, but the main character is haunted by her memories.

First, because she doesn’t have them and then because she does!

Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. Even though she can’t remember the details of her kidnapping, she’s haunted by the thought that someone else is being victimized by the kidnapper she can’t remember.

Her journey to discover the truth leads her to the highest politicians in the state and then the country. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.

I’m not going to give away the plot, but there’s plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading late into the night!