See You Monday by Kristen Terrette

  

About the Book

Book:  See You Monday

Author: Kristen Terrette

Genre: Young Adult

Release date: April 30, 2021

Senior year. The homestretch.

Honor student, Grace Warner, had it easy. Popularity, friends, attention from her crush, even a soccer scholarship offer—if only she can figure out her senior project to graduate on time. Getting approval to write about someone’s life-changing event, Grace recruits her sassy grandma as her mentor who can’t wait to tell the crazy story from her childhood.

Events in the early sixties are words in history books to Grace, but her grandma lived them. She witnessed the civil rights movement in full swing, desegregation becoming a reality in her southern town, Martin Luther King, Jr. moving the country with his iconic speech, and the country coming to a halt when President Kennedy was assassinated.

Grace loves finding out her family history but didn’t know the project would have her noticing hardships and prejudices at her school she hadn’t before. When the homecoming court is announced and new kid, Jacob Horton, is nominated as a colossal prank, it brings Grace to a choice, much like her grandmother years before her. God is about to use her in a miracle if she chooses correctly. If she fails, a life could be lost.

 My Thoughts:

This author has a real talent for telling a story.  It is written for YA but I completely enjoyed it and think most anyone would as well.  Grace is supposed to be doing a project about a life-changing event.  That is where the great part starts.  We are transported back to the 1960's and her Mimi's life.

There is just so much in here that is great.  The author touches on subjects that were real back then (and still truly are) and does it with skill.  History is truly brought to life and characters are so realistic.  You will feel what they feel and live in that moment.  All good life lessons and you can apply them to life today quite easily.

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

Kristen’s passionate about storytelling and helping people take their next steps in their
relationship with Jesus. She lives forty-five minutes outside of Atlanta, GA. where she served as a Children’s Ministry Director for many years. With the support of her husband and two children, she now stays home writing fiction and non-fiction. She also serves on the women’s leadership team at her local church and writes for Crosswalk and Wholly Loved Ministries. You can check out her articles and novels at www.kristenterrette.com.

More from Kristen

In most novels, a touch of the writer’s life scatters itself throughout the words—a phrase, the personality of a character, the circumstances of a heartache or joy. These serve as tiny acknowledgements to those who motivated them. But sometimes it’s something much, much more.

 

See You Monday is inspired by a family, my family, and a little girl, my mother, who went through a captivating, life-shaping course of events during 1963 and 1964. It’s a story of how God awakened her to Him and how, when we follow Jesus—doing what He asks—our choices cause miraculous ripple effects which spread for generations.

 

Have you ever thought about that? How one choice can change everything? How the course of someone’s life can be altered for good or bad by someone’s decision?

 

At one point in my novel, my grandmother (her character’s name is Johnnie) makes a choice when my mom (“Sandy” in the story) was a child. Many years later, we find out this choice had lasting effects, reaching as far as a grown man, from my generation, who lived across town—not even in their neighborhood. And this happens all the time. God is always using us in miracles, we simply have to be attuned to Him and willing say yes.

 

And since this story brings real people to life in the time-lapse back to the early 60s in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I’d thought I share pictures of the actual Lewis/Baron clan.

 

These photos, taken between 1958-1961, show four generations who lived under one roof. The cutie pie kids are my mother (the oldest/blonde), my aunt (the adorable redhead who steals every scene in the book), and my uncle (the baby). Also, check out the car in the driveway! I wish we still had it.

 

What’s your story? What ripple effects have your relatives left behind when they said yes to being used by God? What choice have you made that changed yours or a loved one’s course? Maybe something you didn’t realize until years later?

 

I hope you’ll think through your own family line and the legacy they leave. And be sure to get a copy of my Young Adult novel, See You Monday, to find out how my own family inspired its timely message in the life of Grace, a seventeen-year-old senior in high school.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 29

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 30

Texas Book-aholic, July 1

Inklings and notions, July 2

For Him and My Family, July 3

Mary Hake, July 3

Reflections From My Bookshelves, July 4

deb’s Book Review, July 5

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 6

Rebecca Tews, July 7

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 8

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 9

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 10

Cats in the Cradle Blog, July 11

Nancy E Wood, July 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kristen is giving away the grand prize package of signed paperback copy of See You Monday, Chattanooga-based “Clumpies” signature ice cream pint pack, Chattanooga-based “The Hot Chocolatier” large box of assorted chocolates, and a $25 Dunkin’ Donuts gift card!!

Disclaimer: Some items contain milk, gluten, nuts, soy, and egg products.

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/10e0a/see-you-monday-celebration-tour-giveaway

Going South by Marsha Moston

  

About the Book

Book:  Going South

Author: Marsha Moston

Genre: Christian nonfiction—humorous, inspirational, Christian-living memoir

Release date: January 2021

When Bob and Marcia Moston told their friends they were moving south, they meant it as a
geographical move. They didn’t expect their plans to go south too.

Trusting his wife’s previously sound judgment, Bob agrees to have Marcia go ahead of him and pick out a house—an efficient, low-maintenance one. It was a good plan. If only Marcia had stuck to it.

But when she veers from the plan, the couple find themselves overwhelmed with the consequences of a seemingly bad decision. Marcia looks for encouragement in the story of Jacob—the patriarchal bad boy, remembered more for the predicaments he got himself into than for his commendable deeds—and the God who is not deterred by our plots, plans, stratagems, and side trips.

Written with heart, humor, and biblical insight, Going South—with the God of Jacob’s and My Mistakes offers hope and encouragement to those who find their lives upturned by a geographical move, a chaotic economy, a backfired dream, or just a plain bad choice.

 My Thoughts:

I think this is a book that lots of people would enjoy.  It isn't a very long book so its a quick, enjoyable read.  This author does a wonderful job mixing the elements of this book into a wonderful thing that I greatly enjoyed.  The story of Jacob is woven in to her own crazy mistakes and God guided life.  

I have to admit that I laughed quite a bit and at the same time felt a lot of connection with the book.  Going South was supposed to be a physical move, but it was so much more.  I love the personal stories and how completely honest and open they are.  For me, the whole thing just worked wonderfully and I really enjoyed 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

Marcia Moston, the award-winning author of Call of a Coward—the God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife, has contributed to several magazines, anthologies, and newspaper columns. She loves to write about the possibilities of life in the hands of a very real God. Marcia teaches workshops in narrative nonfiction and makes home in South Carolina with her Bob.

 

More from Marcia

We were no superstar, sledgehammer-wielding, Fixer Upper Chip and Joanna Gaines. But I was confident my husband and I could handle the repairs that the house I had bought needed. After all, we were handy—solid do-it-yourselfers, excited about starting a new phase of life in a part of the country we’d never lived.

 

Armed with enthusiasm, experience, and degrees, we didn’t anticipate any problems finding jobs or making friends. And I certainly didn’t anticipate I’d be hanging telephone directories on doorknobs or stuffing vending machines to make ends meet. But our ravenous little fixer-upper had a bigger appetite than we expected and was devouring our funds in record time.

 

Before long we began to realize we’d left life as we knew it somewhere north of the Mason-Dixon Line. I wondered if, instead of running strong to the finish line of our lives, we would be crawling across it, covered in sheetrock dust and regrets.

 

It’s one thing to suffer for a noble cause, but quite another when you find yourself in messes and muddles of your own making time and time again. Like Jacob, some of us have to wrestle an angel of the Lord all night before we get to the end of ourselves and trust that the Lord can and will orchestrate all he’s appointed for us.

 

I wrote about our southern saga foibles in Going South with the God of Jacob’s and My Mistakes as an entertaining reminder for all of us trying to find our way home, that even when we make bad decisions and big mistakes, the Carpenter of Nazareth can fashion something beautiful from the dust and debris we trail behind.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, June 29

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

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 1

Texas Book-aholic, July 2

Mary Hake, July 2

Inklings and notions, July 3

Cats in the Cradle Blog, July 4

For Him and My Family, July 5

deb’s Book Review, July 6

HappyWhenReading, July 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 7

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 8

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marcia is giving away the grand prize package of an All-Things-South gift box!!

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/10e09/going-south-celebration-tour-giveaway

Beneath the Forsaken City by Carla Laureano

  

About the Book

Book:  Beneath the Forsaken City

Author: Carla Laureano

Genre: Fantasy

Release date: June 8, 2021

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 second book in the series does an amazing job of continuing the story.  I really do recommend reading them in order so you see the whole picture and don't feel lost (I think you would honestly).  I think the author does a great job making a good Christian fantasy.  

Conor and Aine are still good characters that are learning to lean on Comdiu.  This book has plenty of action and adventure.  You won't want to put it down at all.  The supporting characters are great as well.  There is love, betrayal, action, and a lot more.  I like the world this author has created and can't wait to see how all this ends.

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

Carla Laureano is the two-time RITA® Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational
romance and Celtic fantasy.A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales andmarketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind towrite 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.

More from Carla

Fictional Magic… and Why It Matters to Us

The first book in the Song of Seare series introduced the culture, religion, and characters of my fictional universe, but it’s this second book, Beneath the Forsaken City, that really delves into the magic of the world, both light and dark.

The light magic in the series comes directly from Comdiu (their version of the Christian God), given as gifts to his people to be used in His service. I approached the creation of this magic much as the real-world church views spiritual gifts: everyone might have a different gift, some people may have more than one, but all of them are meant to be used within the context of God’s commands and promises. They come from a purely good source, but when used for our own glory or for selfish ends or even just without full understanding, they have the potential to be twisted into something that’s harmful or ineffective. In Beneath the Forsaken City, Aine learns how carefully she must wield her powers in order not to sow discord in those around her; Conor must come to grips with the limits and the boundaries of his own abilities, battling the ever-present temptation of pride.

The dark magic, on the other hand, comes from the Adversary either in the form of sorcery or in the powers of the sidhe, the spirits who haunt the isle of Seare and beyond. For this, I delved both into the Celtic myths and fairie tales as well as neo-pagan rituals, particularly for details on scrying. I approached the topic thinking it was a somewhat harmless, if ineffective, practice and left with a deep sense of spiritual unease—this is the type of thing the Bible warns against when it forbids divination and witchcraft. Consequently, when Conor is approached with the opportunity to scry for an answer he desperately needs, he battles the temptation of his own desires against his very clear understanding that it’s dark, forbidden magic.

Some of this may seem academic to the modern Christian reader—most of us aren’t going to be tempted by dark magic or pagan rituals. But I meant it to reflect a warning and a lesson in our larger walk with Christ. Things that come from darkness can never be used for light, even when our intentions are good—God has forbidden them for a reason, because of their danger to ourselves, others, or the integrity of our own souls. Even the gifts and abilities that have been God-given for the use of His kingdom can be corrupted by sin if we’re not anchored to the heart and purpose of Christ.

That’s why my deepest wish is that readers of Beneath the Forsaken City will look beyond the fantasy elements of Seare to the real-world lessons beneath—and be both warned and encouraged in their own spiritual walks.

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 27

Worthy2Read, June 27

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, June 28

Inklings and notions, June 29

Texas Book-aholic, June 30

For Him and My Family, July 1

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, July 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 3

deb’s Book Review, July 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 6

Blogging With Carol, July 7

Labor Not in Vain, July 8

Mia Reads, July 8

A Baker’s Perspective, July 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carla is giving away the grand prize package of a limited-edition hardcover of Beneath the Forsaken City and a sterling silver Celtic pendant!!

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/10e08/beneath-the-forsaken-city-celebration-tour-giveaway

Island Charm by Audrey Wick

  

About the Book

Book:  Island Charm

Author: Audrey Wick

Genre: Christian Contemporary Beach Read

Release date: May 14, 2021

An imposter in paradise.

When Anna Worthington’s twin sister gets jilted by her fiancé, Anna steps in with a plan for a girls’ Key West getaway instead of a honeymoon trip. Yet when her twin has her own crisis of commitment and doesn’t board the plane, Anna finds herself on a romantic getaway that she’s forced to navigate alone.

A vacation romance with an expiration date.

Gunnar Lockhart, whose specialty is island tourism, is the perfect match for helping Anna complete her vacation bucket list, but time together forges a connection more personal than either anticipate. As they make island memories, Anna has to untangle her mixed emotions. Are her feelings toward Gunnar real? Or like her sister’s wedding day, has this connection been doomed from the start?

 My Thoughts:

This is a wonderful vacation read.  It has its funny moments, it has it's 'dramatic' moments, and so much more.  I really enjoyed the whole set up.  It was completely predictable but that didn't diminish how much I enjoyed the story.  Anna was a great character and so was Gunnar.

The descriptions make me need a beach vacation in the worst way.  I loved Gunnar's helping his older friend.  I liked watching the two main characters get close and there is some self reflection here.  Overall, it really was just a sweet romance with a bit more added in and I enjoyed it immensely.

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

Audrey Wick is a full-time English professor at Blinn College and author of women’s
fiction/romance. Her writing has also appeared in college textbooks, and she is a guest blog columnist with Writer’s Digest. Wick believes the secret to happiness includes lifelong learning and good stories. But travel and coffee help. She has journeyed to over twenty countries—and sipped coffee at every one. See photos on her website audreywick.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @WickWrites.

 

More from Audrey

 “The Importance of Setting in Fiction Writing”

My favorite element in writing a novel is setting. Making places come alive through storytelling brings special joy, and I’m fortunate to be able to do that in the pages of Island Charm.

Island Charm is my first beach-read, a standalone contemporary novel set in Key West. Key West is a small island in the Florida Keys, an archipelago that stretches west from the southern peninsula of Florida. The Keys dangle into the Gulf of Mexico like a string of island pearls. Key West is the last on the strand.

I first experienced Key West in the summer, but years later, I traveled back in winter. Whether its July or January, Key West is beautiful anytime of year. What I like best about the island is its walkability. It’s roughly four miles long and one mile across, making it easy to explore on foot. The boardwalk, docks, piers, and public beaches means there is plenty to experience. Fantastic views stretch in all directions.

Additionally, the island has an impressive literary history. Authors including Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Elizabeth Bishop, Shel Silverstein, Philip Burton, Judy Blume, and Meg Cabot have all called the island their home at one time or another. It’s easy to see why my heroine, Anna, is so taken with the scenery, just like these writers. I hope readers will be as well!

Follow Anna as she explores Key West in Island Charm. Thanks for traveling with me through the pages, and I hope readers enjoy their time on the island.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, June 19

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 20

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, June 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 21

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 22

Reflections From My Bookshelves, June 22

The Write Escape, June 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 24

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, June 24

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, June 25

Inklings and notions, June 26

Blogging With Carol, June 26

For Him and My Family, June 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 28

Simple Harvest Reads, June 28 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

deb’s Book Review, June 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 30

Kayem Reads , June 30

CarpeDiem, July 1

Genesis 5020, July 1

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Audrey is giving away the grand prize package of a CD that includes a digital copy of Island Charm as well as multiple full-length novels also published by Pelican Book Group!!

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/10db6/island-charm-celebration-tour-giveaway