Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Blood Moon Redemption by Judy Ducharme

About the Book

Book: Blood Moon Redemption

Author: Judy DuCharme

Genre: Christian suspense

Release date: October, 2018

An ancient relic, a puzzling prophecy, and a young woman tied together through the ages . . .

It was just a relic, and hers, just a name. Who knew what time it really was?

The blood moons were always surrounded by great persecution and great provision, great trial and great triumph.

When the Jews were expelled from Spain and traveled with Columbus, only a tassel from a prayer shawl remained with them to signify their faith. That tassel, handed down, stolen, and hidden, became a marker of God’s protection and now is the focus of a terrorist scheme and a young woman’s destiny.

Blood Moon Redemption is an end-times thriller that will keep you riveted until the very last moonrise.

My Thoughts:

This was an interesting book. It is a dual timeline end of the world type book written from a Jewish perspective. I have to admit that I only 'knew about' some of the history that was brought up in this book and hadn't really thought about it in detail. You can tell the author did her research and knows what she is talking about.

I had my ups and downs with the characters but there really was good character development. The story keeps you intrigued and wanting to know more. Sometimes it felt a bit rushed in certain aspects but sometimes that is life. I liked the different timelines and how it was all connected. I just really liked the book.

4/5

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

Judy DuCharme grew up with Lake Huron next to her back yard and has always loved the
water. She, her husband, daughter, and son moved to Door County in 1984. After teaching 5th Grade at Gibraltar School for 22 years, Judy followed the calling that tugged at her all her life to write. Blood Moon Redemption is her 6th or 8 published books and she is the recipient of numerous awards. She also writes for Guideposts Magazine. If you visit Door County, you may find her hiking in the woods, jet skiing on the bay, worshipping at her church, teaching a Bible study, cheering for the Green Bay Packers, playing with her amazing grandson, or sitting outside enjoying the beauty around her.

More from Judy

My brother, a lawyer, is a voracious reader and likes to write reviews. When he wrote of Blood Moon Redemption, he stated: ‘Most novels have pacing that gives you natural places to stop for the night but this one runs right through the stop signs.’ Current, Historical, and Prophetic, Blood Moon Redemption is a riveting novel following the suspenseful and gripping journeys the characters must travel to find their true destinies. My hope is that you are intrigued enough by all the prophecies, history, and stories here-in, that you will further explore the amazing truths that Tassie, her friends and family discovered.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 23

CarpeDiem, June 23

Texas Book-aholic, June 24

Inklings and notions, June 25

cats in the cradle blog, June 25

For Him and My Family, June 26

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 27

Blogging with Carol, June 27

deb’s Book Review, June 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 29

Aryn The Libraryan 📚, June 30

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 30

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 1

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 2

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 3

Mary Hake, July 3

Rebecca Tews, July 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 5

Pause for Tales, July 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Judy is giving away the grand prize package of a copy of the book 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/10e01/blood-moon-redemption-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Valley of Shadows by Candace West

About the Book

Book: Valley of Shadows

Author: Candace West

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: March 2020

A shattered heart. A wounded spirit. A community in crisis.

Lorena Steen gave up on love years ago. She forgave her long-time estranged husband, but when circumstances bring her to the Ozark town of Valley Creek, she discovers forgiving is far from forgetting.

Haunted by his past acts of betrayal, Earl Steen struggles to grow his reclaimed faith and reinstate himself as an upstanding member of Valley Creek. He soon learns that while God’s grace is amazing, that of the small-town gossips is not.

When disaster strikes, the only logical solution is for Earl and Lorena to combine their musical talents in an effort to save the community. But even if they’re willing to work together, are they able to? Or will the shadows that descend upon Valley Creek reduce it to a ghost town.

My Thoughts:

This book is the second in a series but can easily be read as a stand alone. It tells the story of Earl and Lorena, Lane's parents from the first book in this series so I do think it is better to read them in order as they share characters but not necessary. The author does a fabulous job with these characters.

Earl has a horrible past and Lorena has had to deal with a lot. There are ups and downs and this is a wonderful book to show God's forgiveness and redemption. I like how realistic the story was even if it wasn't easy on the characters. That is real life and things people have to go through after they've wronged others. It was a really great read.

5/5

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

Candace West was born in the Mississippi delta to a young minister and his wife. She grew up
in small-town Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. At twelve years old, she wrote her first story, “Following Prairie River.” In 2018, she published her debut novel Lane Steen. By weaving entertaining, hope-filled stories, Candace shares the Gospel and encourages her readers. She currently lives in Arkansas with her husband and their son along with two dogs and three bossy cats.

More from Candace

Why I Wrote Valley of Shadows

Can a villain become a hero? When I ended my debut novel Lane Steen, I knew someday I had to discover if a kidnapper and alcoholic was worth saving. Could that same person save a town after tragedy strikes while wrestling with his own demons?

Earl Steen had a dark valley to cross.

With a destroyed reputation, Earl must prove in Valley of Shadows that God has not wasted His efforts on him. Also, Lorena, his estranged wife, has her own score to settle. How can she when the villain no longer exists?

Nothing tugs at my heart more than lost, unrequited love. My second book focuses on their lost relationship. Earl and Lorena had haunted one another long enough. Could God mend what Earl had shattered?

Sitting down to write, I returned to Valley Creek and uncovered places within Earl’s heart that I never knew existed. Lorena’s struggles became mine as she grappled with understanding and forgiving. The dark places of their past somehow had to merge with the light of a hopeful future.

Getting Earl and Lorena to rediscover their love was a journey fraught with tension, grief, frustration, and hope. Was it worth every rewrite, every long hour staring at my computer screen waiting for my characters’ next move?

You bet!

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, June 22

Inklings and notions, June 23

Mary Hake, June 23

deb’s Book Review, June 24

Connie’s History Classroom, June 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 27

For Him and My Family, June 28

Artistic Nobody, June 29 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 29

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 30

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 1

Writing from the Heart Land, July 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 3

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Candace is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, a paperback copy of Lane Steen and Valley of Shadows!!

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/10dba/valley-of-shadows-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, June 28, 2021

Faces of Courage by Susan K. Beatty

About the Book

Book: Faces of Courage

Author: Susan K. Beatty

Genre: Christian Woman’s Fiction

Release date: May 11, 2021

Fear strangles even the faithful sometimes.

Despite every attempt to be brave, fear has defined Olivia Stanford’s life: with each new foster home, when her adopted parents died leaving her all alone again, trusting and marrying her husband, Frank, and coping with his football injuries and career loss.

Without faith, fear only grows in the face of adversity.

When Frank becomes abusive, Olivia enters a terror-filled life in her upscale Southern California home. Common sense demands she dig deep for the courage to confront him–to demand change. Fear and confusion push back.

And just as courage finally blooms within her comes the terrifying diagnosis: breast cancer.

Some say courage is found at the intersection of faith and grit. How will Olivia manage to summon either in the midst of this new battle?

My Thoughts:

I'm going to start this review with a warning, there are some things that will trigger people who have been through certain situations. Now I believe the author did a wonderful job with these topics and handled them amazingly but I just want anyone reading my review to know that they are there. The book centers on Olivia and the many trials she goes through.

I think the author wove a realistic and touching story with this character. I felt so bad for Olivia and everything she went through, but I loved watching her faith. She turned to God when many would have become bitter. Really it is a good story and I'm very glad that I read it.

4/5

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

81Xx4TgUViL._US230_ “Courage: The intersection of faith and Grit”

Susan K. Beatty is passionate about finding courage through faith and grit, particularly through the trials of breast cancer. Her daughter is a metastatic breast cancer “thriver” and has been an inspiration for her writing. Susan retired from a full-time job in 2017 and is now pursuing a novel-writing career. Her first novel, “Faces of Courage,” is in revision. Susan is the author of “An Introduction to Home Education” (AKA “California Homeschool Manual”), was the assistant director of the SoCal Christian Writers’ Conference and is the president of her local ACFW-OC Chapter. She is a professional writer/journalist. Susan is proof you can begin a fiction writing career after age seventy.

More from Susan

The words “You have breast cancer” can drop you to your knees. What’s worse is when those words are spoken to your thirty-one-year-old daughter. And worse yet when they are spoken to her more than once. My daughter Melanie has had three bouts with breast cancer, the second time classified her with stage IV metastatic breast cancer of which there is no cure. Over an eleven-year period, Melanie has undergone twelve surgeries, one removing two-thirds of her sternum to be replaced by a donor bone with titanium clamps.

Melanie’s courage during these battles inspired me to write about courage at the intersection of faith and grit. True-to-life stories follow characters through cancer and other issues confronting women today.

In Faces of Courage, I wanted to tell a story like Melanie’s but not exactly Melanie’s, a story nevertheless filled with growing courage. Melanie’s journey doesn’t include an abusive husband (Praise God!), but our terrorized heroine Olivia suffers from her husband’s mistreatment, confused by her misunderstanding of how God views her, and challenged by her lack of strong faith. Just as her courage matures and strengthen through these problems, she’s thrown by those knee-buckling words, “You have breast cancer.”

It is necessarily a gritty look at domestic abuse and the realities of dealing with cancer and its various treatments. I wanted to show Olivia’s growth as a wife, how she experienced the cancer, and how, with the help of faith and grit, her courage flourished.

In many ways, this novel is a tribute to women who fight these battles with bravery, even if that valor takes time to develop. I pray the reader, by witnessing another’s journey, is strengthened in her own battles.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 22

Texas Book-aholic, June 23

Inklings and notions, June 24

For Him and My Family, June 25

deb’s Book Review, June 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 27

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, June 28 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 29

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 30

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 1

cats in the cradle blog, July 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 2

Rebecca Tews, July 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away the grand prize package 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/10dbc/faces-of-courage-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, June 27, 2021

The Proposal by Tanya Eavenson

About the Book

Book: The Proposal

Author: Tanya Eavenson

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 15, 2021

Oklahoma 1891

When the sheriff’s daughter goes into hiding from her father’s killer, her
life isn’t the only thing in danger.

Jessica Thomson is fleeing the man who killed her father. But he
stagecoach is robbed, and when the stranger who rescues her declares she
will be his wife, she does the only thing she knows to do—shove her revolver
in his back. Never would she have expected he wore a star on his chest. Too
bad she vowed never to love another lawman.

As sheriff, Blake McKenny prides himself on protecting his town’s people
from danger, but his efforts didn’t include a headstrong woman bent on
putting herself in harm’s way. When outlaws threaten his town and put
Jessica’s life in danger, Blake’s failure to save his late wife haunts him.

Can Jessica and Blake forgive themselves for the past and protect each
other—even if that costs them their hearts in the process?

My Thoughts:

This was a wonderful historical romance with plenty of romance. I absolutely loved Jessica. She had such spunk and fire. She may be in trouble and running for her life, but she's determined to take care of herself. I really enjoyed the way she and Blake met.

Their relationship was really well written and I enjoyed it. The author did a great job with the characters. There was plenty of action and suspense to keep me intrigued start to finish. I just really liked the whole book. It was very entertaining.

4/5

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

Tanya Eavenson is an award-winning Christian romance novelist. She enjoys spending time
with her husband and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. You can find her at her website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/

More from Tanya

Fiction to Reality

Ever had those moments when you’re reading a novel and it’s as if the author wrote the story line, the characters, or included verses just for you? When your world turns from fiction to reality with the flip of a page?

At the beginning of December in 2014, I took a novel from my bookshelf, snuggled on the couch with a blanket, and began to read. The title of the novel is called The Rancher’s Reunion by Tina Radcliffe. The hero in the story is Will, and he has a hereditary disease that caused him to fear, not only his future, but in trusting God. And that’s when God used this story to speak to me.

“I’m scared, Annie.”

“I know, Will. I know.” She blinked back the moisture pricking her eyes.

“No, Annie. I don’t think you do. I’m not just scared. I’m terrified.”

And I understood Will’s fear. Weeks prior to reading this novel, my doctor told me I have cancer. It’s a single word that can change the course of your life, emotionally, physically, but not only yours, others around you. And though I knew God’s presence would be with me no matter what the future held, my desire to write or edit anything had vanished. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to write anymore with my future so uncertain. I wasn’t just scared, but terrified my time with my family would be shortened.

But as I continued to read Will’s story, God’s whispered words, Do not be afraid of things you cannot control, pray, and continue your call to write, took hold and draped around my heart.

I knew at that moment this book was meant to be read at this appointed time. That God was leading me to give Him every single fear, open my laptop, and begin to write again.

During the time I’d stopped writing, I was in the middle of two stories, a contemporary romance, and The Rescue, the first story in the All Roads Lead to Texas series. It took some months before I returned to writing, but I had to give my fears to God the only way I could. Like Will and Annie’s story, day by day. Moment by moment.

In my new novel, The Proposal, the second story in the All Roads Lead to Texas series, Jessica Thompson understands fear and must learn how to give it to God. She has her father’s killer on her trail and the only means for escape is to run, but she never counted on the sheriff of Graham, Texas, to get in her way.

Have you ever had a time in your life where fear caught you so unexpectedly that you didn’t know what to do next? Perhaps you didn’t know where to turn? Maybe couldn’t pray?

I’m here to tell you it’s okay. God knows how you feel, good or bad, it doesn’t change His love for you. Just remember, He’s with you, by your side through it all. He will never leave you.