Made for Brave by Alyssa Galios

About the Book

Book:  Made for Brave

Author: Alyssa Galios

Genre: Christian Memoir, Widowhood, Cancer

Release Date: November, 2019


From the testimony viewed over 100 million times on the internet:



“I am so sorry I have to deliver such awful news.” Shaking his head, the doctor muttered, “You are both so young.”



A young woman in her twenties with a future and a plan for her life comes up against a tragic nightmare when her handsome and otherwise healthy husband is suddenly diagnosed with a rare inoperable cancer. As her husband’s beliefs grow stronger, Alyssa’s dreams evaporate, and her faith slips away when the worst happens.



Experience soul-searing pain and miraculous moments of joy in this poignant true-life account. Journey with Alyssa as she grapples with life and death, faith and unbelief, disappointment and hope in a search for answers that takes her beyond grief to peace and a surprising new love.



Along the way, you’ll find answers to the questions you may be asking in your own life:

• Where is God when it hurts?
• Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?
• Can God make something good come out of bad?
• Does true love ever strike twice?

Made for Brave is a striking example of how God can create overwhelming good from even the worst of life when we choose to partner with Him.

Choices by Jacquelyn Lynn--- GIVEAWAY!!!

About the Book

Book: Choices

Author: Jacquelyn Lynn

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Release Date: April, 2019

In a horrifying moment of inattention on a dark morning, lives change forever.

When college student Samantha Lawrence takes her eyes off the road for just a few seconds to send a text, she swerves out of her lane and hits Kevin Wyland as he rides his bicycle. In a panic, she drives away.

After the crash, Samantha tries to find out who the rider is and the status of his injuries. She is shocked to discover that she knows him. Not only does she shop at the pet supply store he and his wife own, they are both regular customers of Joyful Cup, a popular neighborhood coffee shop, and friends with the owner, Joy Shepherd.

Consumed with overwhelming guilt and fear of criminal charges, Samantha decides to do whatever it takes to avoid being identified as the hit-and-run driver. Kevin struggles with anger, bitterness, and a crisis of faith as he embarks on the slow process of recovering from his serious injuries.

As their lives intertwine with increasing frequency, Samantha and Kevin both turn to Joy for advice and guidance. Can she help them find the forgiveness and peace they need?

This is a heartwarming story with a powerful message of forgiveness that will make you smile even as it brings tears to your eyes.

A promise to break by Kathryn Spurgeon

 About the Book

Book: A Promise to Break

Author: Kathryn Spurgeon

Genre: Christian Historical

Release Date: July 11, 2016

SIBYL TRIMBLE, the daughter of a wealthy banking family during the Great Depression in Shawnee, Oklahoma, promises her father to be part of a political movement to change the world. By 1932, the timing to fulfill that promise seems right. Her life consists of fashionable clothes, cruising in a Model T, and dancing every weekend at the local speakeasy.

 FREMONT POPE is a handsome, blue-eyed, down-on-his-luck hobo, and Sibyl’s life turns

upside down when she meets him. Her love for him and his Christian family opens her eyes to a different way of life than she has ever known.

 Based on a true story, this historical novel follows Sibyl through some difficult choices. She must dig deep within herself to find strength to face her father and determine which, if any, of her past beliefs can be salvaged. What is more important, love or duty?

As the Light Fades by Catherine West--blog tour and GIVEAWAY

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for As the Light
Fades by Catherine West, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

Title: As the Light Fades 

Author: Catherine West

Release Date: September 10, 2019

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Sometimes we’re placed in the strangest of circumstances for the most important reasons.



After her carefully constructed life crumbles, Liz Carlisle finds h
erself back on Nantucket, picking up the
pieces. With the family estate under renovations, the solitude she craves seems out of reach.



Matthew Stone intends to steer clear of his new tenant. She’s carrying a load of baggage, but as long as
she
pays the rent, he’ll let her be. He’s got enough to deal with caring for his wayward niece, Mia.



Liz doesn’t have time for teenagers and her track record with men is abysmal, but an unlikely friendship
forms between the three.



When her former boyfriend is charged with assault, Liz is called to testify against him. But he knows the
darkest secrets of her life
—
secrets she’d hoped to keep buried forever, and he’s ready to reveal them.
Telling the truth is the right thing to do, but
it may cost her everything she’s worked so hard for, and all
she’s come to love.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon

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Here is what I thought......

I love this author's books so much and this one did not disappoint.  While this book is technically not classified as Christian fiction it is still a clean read with a powerful story that is sure to please.  I don't know how the author does it but she had amazing story telling ability and I'd always able to evoke strong emotions in me when I read her books.  I would highly recommend this book and any of her previous novels. I recieved this book from the author for free.  A positive review was not required.  All opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catherine West is an award-winning author of contemporary women’s fiction. When she’s not
at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or
reading books by her favorite authors. She and her husband reside in Bermuda, and have two adult
children and two beautiful granddaughters. Catherine is the winner of the 2015 Grace Award (Bridge
of Faith) and a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s
Choice Award (The Things We Knew, 2017 and Where Hope Begins, 2019, and a Carol
Award Finalist for Where Hope Begins. Her latest novel, As the Light Fades, releases
September 2019.



Catherine loves to connect with her readers and can be reached at Catherine@catherinejwest.com




CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $75 Amazon gift
card from the author!

Be sure to chec
k out each stop on these tours for more chances to win. Full tour schedule on this tour
shown below. Giveaway begins at midnight September 11, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on

September 18, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close o
f the giveaway and given 48
hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of
stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Meet the Misfits and Odd Girl Out by Melody Carlson---On tour With Celebrate Lit GIVEAWAY!!!!

About the Book

Book: Zoey:  Meet the Misfits & Zoey: Odd Girl Out

Author: Melody Carlson

Genre: Middle grade fiction for girls

Release Date: April 15/ August 15, 2019

Zoey’s pretty sure her life is over when her wannaba-rockstar mother uproots her from from their home in Seattle and deposits her in Nowheresville, Oregon to live with her whackadoodle grandparents. Things start to look up, though, when she reconnects with Louisa, the girl from across the street. Maybe, just maybe, Louisa won’t mind that Zoey’s always been a bit of a misfit. Louisa’s ex-BFF, however, doesn’t seem too happy to welcome Zoey to the neighborhood. And when they all end up at church camp together, it’s not just a matter of whether or not Zoey can fit in…it becomes a firsthand lesson in what it really means to “love your enemy.”

When the school year begins, Zoey’s terrified to go without Louisa—who’s out with a nasty flu. The same enemies she made over the summer are there to haunt her, but she and another new girl stick together…and even seem to find a place among the in-crowd. But is this who Zoey wants to be? Are they really her friends? Who’s going to stick beside her when cyber bullying leaves her as the odd girl out?

Mindful Mondays--Encouragement in Your Bible Study Time

I am a little late in posting this. I was struggling to decide what I wanted to talk about for this first day. I came across a YouTube video on Bible study that I thought I'd talk about and share with you today. 

Elyssa Nalani has a great YouTube video on what to do when you are having trouble studying your Bible and spending time in God's Word.  I am actually following her Club 119 Scripture writing plan and I love it. It is writing each stanza in Psalm 119. 

Her video discusses ways we can help ourselves to be in God's word everyday. I really feel like this is one of those things that once you make it a habit you will want more and more. I myself have gone through several seasons of lags in my Bible study. Most times when this is happening to me, I really don't have a "good" reason for not studying as in a major life event or issue that has turned me off to studying. I think my bigger problem is just being lazy and getting out of the habit. So I'm gonna list some ideas for keeping up your Bible study each day.

My first tip is your time. Make time for it. I know a lot of people say they just don't have tie for this. I would encourage you to set a specific time to study each day and if it really looks like your day is all filled up, keep track of how much tv or netflix you are watching or how often you are scrolling through your phone (this is a big one for me!) Take 5 minutes of that time and try reading a few verses and praying. I think you will be surprised how much you enjoy it and how much more time you will end up spending in your quiet time. If it really is a crazy day and sitting in the bible is really difficult, I would suggest podcasts. There are several fantastic apps that are spiritually encouraging and rejuvenating. I will leave links to my favorites at the bottom of this post.

My second tip is to make sure you have a good guideline to get started. Whether it's a new study or just a reading plan you follow, have something you can follow to help you stay on track and give you guidance. I highly recommend any study by Jen Wilkin. Having something as a guide is a great way to stay on track.

My last tip for today is to stick with it. Even in the days when it seems hard, get in God's word any way you can. Any time is good.  5 minutes or an hour, any time you spend with the Lord is a good thing. Try not to let yourself get discouraged. Find a friend to study with and help keep you accountable. 

Bonus tip* Pray, Pray, Pray! This really should be in the main tips but don't forget this core step. Ask the Lord to help you study His word and give you guidance. This is something that is the hardest for me. I feel very inadequate when it comes to prayer. So if prayer time feels awkward know you are not alone. Just keep at it.

Thank y'all so much for reading the post today and feel free to message me or comment below if you have any questions about Bible study or prayer. I will be happy to answer any questions you have and if I can't answer y myself, I will do my best to find the answer for you. I hope next week to have even more advice and great content for our next 

Mindful Monday

Here are the links to the things I mentioned today:

Jen Wilkin click on resources and downloads and you will find several free Bible studies you can print off and the audio lessons to listen to.

Community Bible Church is an excellent church to listen to/watch for great Bible teaching on the go. 

Check out Podbean or other podcast apps and search for Community Bible church in San Antonio to be able to listen on the go.

Thankful Homemaker I highly recommend this podcast for any mom/ woman out there. Marci is such a sweet spirit with lots of practical advice for the Christian woman. Also check out her blog for lots of great info.

Last but not least for today the Homemaking Foundations this podcast is also fabulous for spiritual advice for women. She does have a lot of episodes on mothering but she also has several on all aspects of life. Highly recommend.

Internet FINALLY!! and New Plans for the Blog

I have been very absent on here over the last month, mainly because of my lack of internet service in my area. Adding content to a blog/ website is a definite feat when doing it on a cell phone, haha. 

   I have recently been able to get high speed internet, Hallelujah!! So I am revamping the blog to get it up and going strong again and I am hoping to add lots of new content. I am going to give you all some info about the ideas I have for some new content on the blog. Also what you can expect from the new content or what I hope to accomplish. 

PODCASTS: I have been doing a lot of podcast listening this summer. Side note I LOVE PODCASTS!!! They are amazing!! I have so many on my app that I'm following  I'll never be able to watch them all. If you've never listened to podcasts, I highly recommend it. You can find Podcasts on absolutely anything. One of the new things I'll be doing each week (hopefully) is to plug one of my favorites for y'all to check out.

TALKS OF THE SPIRITUAL AND INSPIRATIONAL: Based on some of the podcasts I've been listening to and my daily Bible reading and books I have been reading, I have just had a lot of stuff on my heart that I'd love to share with y'all. Not always scripture or overtly religious, just different thoughts I've got for the day. 

THANKFULNESS: I have recently come across a new book coming out about a complaint free year. Now that sounds absolutely insane, but I have noticed in my own life so many times I am complaining without even realizing it. So I have decided to add this to the blog schedule each week to remind us all to be thankful and grateful for the things we have and how much we have been blessed and hopefully not complain so much.


REVIEWS AND BOOKS: This is still a blog about books and reading. There are so many books I've been reading and have still to read so there will be plenty of bookish content to go along with these new additions. I am super excited to get this back up and running strong, so stay tuned. 

HERE IS THE NEW SCHEDULE (tentatively):

Monday-- Mindful Mondays
Tuesday-- book reviews and other content
Wednesday-Podcast reviews and discussions
Thursday-- Thankful Thursdays
Friday-- Book reviews and other content

Saturdays and Sundays will only have posts if there are blog tours I have scheduled for those days. 
There may also be book reviews on other days of the week than the ones listed this is just a rough overview.

Thank Y'all so much for continuing to follow me and the blog. I have so much I want to do and I am so excited. 


                                      

LuLu's Cafe Celebrate Lit Tour & GIVEAWAY!!!!

About the Book

Book: LuLu’s Cafe

Author: T.I. Lowe

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: June 4, 2019

When a damaged young woman is given a chance to reclaim her life in a small South Carolina town, she must reckon with the dark secrets she left behind in order to accept the love she deserves.

On the run from a violent past, Leah Allen arrived in tiny Rivertown, South Carolina, battered and broken, but ready to reinvent herself. By a stroke of fate, Leah is drawn to the Southern hospitality of a small café, looking for a warm meal but finding so much more. Lulu, the owner, offers her a job, a place to stay and a new lease on life. Through Lulu’s tenacious warmth and generosity, Leah quickly finds herself embraced by the quaint community as she tries to put herself back together. Given she’s accustomed to cruelty, the kindness is overwhelming.

Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. A lawyer and friend of Lulu’s, Crowley is wary of Leah’s sudden, mysterious arrival. Despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can’t be denied. But after all she’s been through, can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run?

Exploring the resiliency of both the heart and the spirit, Lulu’s Café gorgeously illustrates how old scars can finally heal no matter how deep they seem.

The Very Best Hands-On Kinda Dangerous Family Devotions by Tim Shoemaker

Regular family devotions are important. Unfortunately, they're often . . . boring. But what if devotions looked less like sitting still and listening to someone read and more like, say, electrocuting a pickle? Or converting a leaf blower into a toilet paper launcher? Or lighting toothpaste on fire? 

These hands-on, kinda dangerous, totally unforgettable object lessons (along with nearly fifty others) are not only more fun than other family devotions--they actually deliver the spiritual impact you desire for your kids. So put away the flannelgraph, get out the safety goggles, and start bringing the truths of Scripture to vivid life in your household. Just remember to change out of your Sunday clothes first

The Women Who Met Jesus by Dorothy Valcarcel

Though they seem worlds apart from us, the women of New Testament times had similar heartaches and desires. They too experienced ambition, worry, brokenness, loneliness, and insecurity. They may have wondered how some unusual man from Galilee could possibly understand their needs. And then they met him. 

Rather than trivializing their problems or ignoring women, Jesus responded to their deepest needs. He reminded them of their value and transformed their past, present, and future. This engaging book recounts eighteen of their powerful true stories and shows that when a woman encounters Jesus, she cannot help but be changed forever. 

The Medallion--Celebrate Lit Tour & GIVEAWAY!!!!

About the Book

Book: The Medallion

Author: Cathy Gohlke

Genre: Historical Fiction (World War II)

Release date: June 4, 2019

For fans of bestselling World War II fiction like Sarah’s Key and The Nightingale comes an illuminating tale of courage, sacrifice, and survival, about two couples whose lives are ravaged by Hitler’s mad war yet eventually redeemed through the fate of one little girl.

Seemingly overnight, the German blitzkrieg of Warsaw in 1939 turns its streets to a war zone and shatters the life of each citizen—Polish, Jewish, or otherwise. Sophie Kumiega, a British bride working in the city’s library, awaits news of her husband, Janek, recently deployed with the Polish Air Force. Though Sophie is determined that she and the baby in her womb will stay safe, the days ahead will draw her into the plight of those around her, compelling her to help, whatever the danger.

Rosa and Itzhak Dunovich never imagined they would welcome their longed-for first child in the Jewish ghetto, or that they would let anything tear their family apart. But as daily atrocities intensify, Rosa soon faces a terrifying reality: to save their daughter’s life, she must send her into hiding. Her only hope of finding her after the war—if any of them survive—is a medallion she cuts in half and places around her neck.

Inspired by true events of Poland’s darkest days and brightest heroes, The Medallion paints a stunning portrait of war and its aftermath, daring us to believe that when all seems lost, God can make a way forward.

The Pink Bonnet Celebrate Lit Tour & GIVEAWAY!!!!

About the Book

Book: The Pink Bonnet

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Historical, Suspense

Release date: June, 2019

A Desperate Mother Searches for Her Child
Step into True Colors—a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime

Widowed in Memphis during 1932, Cecile Dowd is struggling to provide for her three-year-old daughter. Unwittingly trusting a neighbor puts little Millie Mae into the clutches of Georgia Tann, corrupt Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society director suspected of the disappearance of hundreds of children. With the help of a sympathetic lawyer, the search for Millie uncovers a deep level of corruption that threatens their very lives.

How far will a mother go to find out what happened to her child?

The Number of Love Blog Tour-- with book Excerpt and GIVEAWAY!!A

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White with JustRead Publicity Tours! Follow along with the tour for a special inside peek at how The Number of Love is connected to the author's previous book from another series, A Song Unheard.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Number of Love


Series: Codebreakers #1


Author: Roseanna M. White


Publisher: Bethany House


Release Date: June 4, 2019


Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue



Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.



Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy that just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the too-intelligent Margot, but how to convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?



Amidst biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them, but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save them all from the very secrets that brought them together.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | ChristianBook

Excerpt

Duty done, Margot spun away.

And nearly collided with Lieutenant Elton, who was, inexplicably, right behind her rather than where he’d been a moment before, two steps to the left. She sucked in a breath and sidestepped him. “Excuse me.”

He slid in front of her again. “Belgian?”

She lifted her brows. Her accent was scarcely noticeable anymore, she’d thought. Not nearly so pronounced as Lukas’s or Maman’s. Her English was as fluent as her French had ever been. She even dreamed in it, most of the time.

And what business was it of his? “Antarctican.” She prepared herself to stalk away . . . but there was something about the grin he gave her. Something that said he appreciated her answer.

Margot sighed. She’d always been drawn to anyone who actually enjoyed her sense of humor. She supposed she could stand to be friendly. For a minute, before her exhaustion fully caught up with her.

He held out a hand. “I’m Drake Elton. Have you a name?”

She blinked. It was a question stupid enough that it should have made her itchy. But he’d smiled at her Antarctica quip, so she’d keep playing along. “No, my parents forgot to give me one. It’s a great tragedy. I’ve been answering to ‘you, girl’ all my life.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself.

Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books...to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.



CONNECT WITH ROSEANNA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

Grand Prize: Shadows Over England series, The Number of Love, and the Decrypto board game, plus "Mi Alma" necklace (Necklace is 24" chain with a 1" pendant that says "Mi Alma" Spanish for "My Soul". A term of endearment used throughout the book. Handmade by Bookworm Mama)

(3) additional winners of The Number of Love.

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 3, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm June 17, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

A Song Unheard Spotlight-- The Number of Love Blog tour and giveaway

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White with JustRead Publicity Tours! Follow along with the tour for a special inside peek at how The Number of Love is connected to the author's previous book A Song Unheard.

Title:

A Song Unheard

Series: Shadows Over England #2 

Author: Roseanna M. White


Publisher: Bethany House


Release Date: January 2, 2018


Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue



Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which make her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I—to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.



Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won—until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is in meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.



But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't—that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | ChristianBook

The Pages of Her Life by James L. Rubart-- giveaway!!

About the Book

Book: The Pages of Her Life

Author: James L. Rubart

Genre: Christian fiction – suspense

Release Date: May 21, 2019

Award-winning and bestselling author James L. Rubart explores the way our memories shape us . . . and how they affect our beliefs.

Allison Moore has no idea why she got out of her car on that rainy March afternoon and picked up the soaked journal laying on the side of the road. Brought it home. But she did. It was empty. Except for two lines scrawled in the front, too washed out to read. And a Jesus emblem inside the back cover. Something about the journal compels her to start writing in it, capturing thoughts about her newly acquired job that she thought would be heaven, but has turned into hell. Then one day, she finds words in the center of the journal. Words she didn’t write: Mene mene tekel upharsin. After her heart stops hammering, Allison Googles the phrase, and reads the story of Belshazzar’s Feast, where a hand from God writes on the wall, and the king is slain. Fear grips her, certain God is coming after her for what she did twelve years back. What she’s done wrong her whole life. She vows to make things right. Then she discovers more phrases appearing underneath each of her journal entries. Those phrases take her on an emotional roller coaster that forces her to look at everything she believes about her past in a new light, and opens her eyes to a supernatural realm of staggering consequence.

On A Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher--GIVEAWAY!!

About the Book

Book: On a Summer Tide

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Christian Fiction Romance

Release Date: April 30, 2019

Sometimes love hurts—and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.

Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. “Moving on” is Cam’s mantra. But there’s a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on . . . and one who keeps moving.

Cam’s full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island—a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam’s surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, along with the locals—and one in particular. Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher harbors more than a few surprises.

With On a Summer Tide, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher begins a brand-new contemporary romance series that is sure to delight her fans and draw new ones.

Velvalee Dickinson The "Doll Woman" Spy by Barbara Casey--GIVEAWAY!

4/8/2019

2 Comments

 

Book Description:

Velvalee Dickinson was born in Sacramento, California, graduated from Stanford University, married three times, and then in the early 1930s moved to New York City where she eventually opened her own exclusive doll shop on the prestigious Madison Avenue. It was there that she built her reputation as an expert in rare, antique, and foreign dolls. She traveled extensively around the country lecturing and exhibiting her dolls while building a wealthy clientele that included Hollywood stars, members of high society, politicians, and other collectors.

​When medical bills started to accumulate because of her husband’s poor health and business started to fail with the onset of World War II, she accepted the role as a spy for the Imperial Japanese Government. By hiding coded messages in her correspondence about dolls, she was able to pass on to her Japanese contacts critical military information about the US warships. After surveilling Velvalee for over a year, the FBI arrested her and charged her with espionage and violation of censorship laws. She became the first American woman to face the death penalty on charges of spying for a wartime enemy.

Velvalee Dickinson: The “Doll Woman” Spy is a carefully researched glimpse into the “Doll Woman’s” life as a collector of dolls, and as the highest paid American woman who spied for the Imperial Japanese Government during World War II.
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The Printed Letter Book Shop by Katherine Reay

The Printed Letter Bookshop Kick-Off Package

About the Book

Book: The Printed Letter Bookshop

Author: Katherine Reay

Genre: Women’s fiction, romance

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Amid literature and lattes, three women come together and find that sharing one’s journey with best friends makes life richer.

When attorney Madeline Carter inherits her aunt’s bookstore in a small town north of Chicago, she plans to sell it and add the proceeds to her nonexistent “investment portfolio.” But plans change when Madeline discovers the store isn’t making money and she gets passed over for promotion at her firm. She quits in protest, takes the train north, and decides to work at the store to prep it for sale. Madeline soon finds herself at odds with employees Jessica and Courtney; when she also finds herself attracted to an affianced man, it only confuses the entire situation.

After blowing up her marriage two years earlier, Jessica has found solace working at the bookstore and a kindred spirit within its owner, Maddie Cullen. But when Maddie dies and her niece, Madeline, barges in like a bulldozer, Jessica pushes at the new owner in every way-until she trips over common ground. Soon the women are delving into online dating and fashion makeovers, and Jessica feels the pull to rediscover her art, a love she thought long behind her.

After a night of bad decisions leaves the store in peril, Courtney arrives and tries to save the day. While she, too, found sanctuary in the little bookstore, she knows it’s under-insured, in the red, and will never survive. When she discovers her teenage daughter has played a part in vandalizing the store, Courtney taps into strength she didn’t know existed-or had long forgotten. The quietest of the three, she steps up and finds a way to save her family, the store, and the precious friendships that have grown within it.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is the story of friends who find each other-and themselves-in a place none of them ever expected.

Daughters of Northern Shores by Joanne Bischof

Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor's child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon--whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.

Having fled the Norgaard orchard after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade, where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he's pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon's cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor's--which is already imperiled due to a grave illness brought to him at the first prick of warfare.

Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she's been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he's fighting for.

The Memory House by Rachel Hauck---GIVEAWAY!!!!

About the Book

Book: The Memory House

Author: Rachel Hauck

Genre: Christian Romance

Release Date: April 2, 2019

Embracing the future means remembering the past . . . When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Meanwhile a mysterious letter arrives informing her she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, and what she discovers there will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a driven sports agent who fondly recalls the connection they shared as teenagers. But Beck doesn’t remember that, either. Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into old high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share. Fifty years separate the women but through the power of love and miracle of faith, they each find healing in a beautiful Victorian known affectionately as The Memory House.

HIIT Your Limit by Dr. Len Kravitz---GIVEAWAY!!!

Get lean, build muscle, and stay healthy in only ten minutes a day! A Fitness Hall of Fame inductee and world-famous exercise scientist explains the #1 new fitness trend and how to get and keep the body you’ve always wanted.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an extraordinarily effective form of training that mixes high- and low-impact activities during periods ranging from seconds to eight minutes. In HIIT Your Limit, Dr. Len Kravitz, who has been inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame and been an internationally-renowned exercise scientist for the past thirty-six years, and sold nearly100,0000 copies of his last fitness book, explains what HIIT is, how it effects your entire body (externally and internally), gives 50 workouts and a guaranteed plan to whip you into shape fast, and presents a wealth of nutritional and other advice to further its impact. 

HIIT was recently rated the #1 new fitness trend by the American College of Sports Medicine and is the key to staying fit for celebrities like David Beckham, Britney Spears, Hugh Jackman, and Scarlett Johansson. In addition to fat loss, it’s been proven to have major health benefits on blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol. Through this groundbreaking volume you’ll learn why, and see how to get fit quick, and have a fun and a truly sustainable exercise program, no expensive personal trainer required.

Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel by James Markert

A once-beloved hotel and a fountain whose water suddenly can restore lost memories. But is it a miracle,

 or are there strings attached?

The Tuscany Hotel was once a haven for young artists. A place full of inspiration and a work of art in and of itself, 

the hotel was built by Robert Gandy for his wife, Magdalena: a woman of beauty beyond description who was orphaned 

as an infant in Florence and grew up without the ability to remember. A tragedy caused the hotel to close its doors, however, 

and it has been years since the fountain in the courtyard ran with water and inspiration.

Vitto Gandy, Robert’s son, returns from the horrors of World War II to a wife who fears him, a son who is too young 

to remember him, and a father whose memory of him is fading. As Vitto faces the memories that torture his heart and mind, 

his father runs off in the night to seek solace in the last place he was happy: the Tuscany Hotel. Instead of finding ruins, 

he discovers that the water in the fountain has begun to run again. And as he drinks it, his memory returns.

Filled with Alzheimer’s patients hoping for restored memories rather than artists longing for inspiration, t

he hotel is once again a source of life and art. But nothing is truly as good as it seems, and the mysterious 

gift of the hotel comes with a price that each must determine they’re willing to pay. Bursting with beauty, art, 

and inspiration, Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel is a story of parent and child, husband and wife, and the joy and pain of 

what it means to be alive.