Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Sinner in Mississippi FB Banner

About the Book

Book:  The Sinner in Mississippi
Author: D.L. Lane
Genre: Historical Fiction, Inspirational Romance
Release Date: May 1, 2020
The Sinner in Mississippi CoverNot expecting me to live, the midwife cleaned me up, wrapped me in an old tea towel, and placed me in a knitting basket beside the wood-burning stove. According to Mama, the storm raged until morning, but I never made one sound. So, hours later, when they peeked in at me, they were surprised to see me sucking my thumb, staring up at them with eyes the color of bluebells.
Mama told me, that’s when she cried.
See, she hadn’t shed a single tear during the harsh pain of giving birth or out of fear of the horrible storm taking the house and her with it, but she sobbed when she saw me. To her, it would have been better for all of us if I’d passed on in the night, carried off on the wings of angels, never to suffer the evils of this world. And sometimes, I wondered if she hadn’t been right.
Mississippi Singleton


Click here to get your copy!
MY REVIEW 
 This book is now in my list as one of my favorites for the year. The emotional journey the author takes us on is one I will not forget. A little baby born into a family that didn’t want her was where we start our ride. Mississippi was raised in a home where violence and abuse was her everyday life. Her father didn’t want her and made her life horrible everyday. I could feel the pain as Mississippi thought she was no better than trash in a garbage can. I loved her unwavering faith and hope that someday her life would be better.
 Thayer was the person who Mississippi needed to rescue her from a life that  was filled with pain and sorrow. His kindness was overwhelming and I loved how he stood up for  her when people said ugly things about her. The relationship that develops between them is slow as Mississippi learns to trust. Her past has made some people call her names that hurt but Thayer saw a woman who had value. The author delivers a story that is deep with raw emotions as we experience the unthinkable violence Mississippi endures. It was hard to read but it shows how Thayer never gave up on Mississippi. His unconditional love for her overflows as he protects her and gives her a place to stay. 
I liked how the author took us from the beginning of Mississippi’s life and gives us a glimpse of God’s plan for her life. The relationship she had with her father was hard but at some point she knows she has to forgive him. I think the part in the story where Mississippi goes to her mon’s grave and cries out to God is one of my favorite scenes in the book. Her need to forgive and find peace was something she desired in order to be free. The other scene I found very emotional is when Mississippi goes to her father after many years apart. The moment she walks into her old home and sees her daddy made me cry. 
The story had moments where it was hard to read but the author does a great job of allowing us to see that what the enemy meant for bad, God used for good. God was there when Mississippi felt abandoned, abused and hopeless. He gave her strength to hold  her head up and follow her destiny. The story spans over many years as we see the path that Mississippi takes to help others. 
“When we do something from the heart and follow God’s plan , He makes our tasks less of a challenge.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

About the Author

D.L. LaneD.L. Lane is a wife, musician, a graduate of Liberty University, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. In 2010 she walked away from the day job and started a writing career using a pen name. As far as the world was concerned, she was very successful writing romances, however, success aside, she knew she wasn’t on the right path but stubbornly kept on going for nine years. Although a Christian and raised in a religious home, D.L went her own way, leaving God out of her choices until He said, “Enough.”
Weary and seeking guidance, she finally listened and left the course she was on as an established novelist to take a new path—putting God first in her life where He always should have been.


More from D.L.

I love writing, and I love to challenge myself as an author, and so I thought, why not write a fictional historical piece. This was a test for me since there are many things to research when writing during a different era, especially when I wasn’t around at that time. But I prayed about it, grabbed my laptop, and started writing about a poor, uneducated girl who grew up in Louisiana during the Great Depression in a motherless home with a group of reprobate males.
Not unlike the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis, a boy despised by his brothers who plotted against him, later rose from the depths to become one of the most powerful men in Egypt, facing the very men who had been responsible for the atrocities he’d suffered. Joseph had a choice. Let them die or help the ones who never helped him? This story weaves some of that same treachery with truth, teaching not only the heroine but the hero the ultimate meaning of love.

I wanted to give readers a book demonstrating the fact God will never leave us, even if we have left him for a time. That a personal relationship with Christ is our ultimate source of strength, and with His help, we can be pulled out of the depths of great sorrow, rising to heights we never imagined possible.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 22
Genesis 5020, August 24
Godly Book Reviews, August 29
Labor Not in Vain, August 30
Pause for Tales, September 1
Betti Mace, September 2
Rebecca Tews, September 2
Daysong Reflections, September 3
Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, D.L. is giving away the grand prize package of a $10 Amazon eGift Card and a free Audiobook of The Sinner in Mississippi!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Friday, August 21, 2020

About the Book

Book:  Blush
Author: Danielle Ripley-Burgess
Genre:  Nonfiction
Release Date: September 15, 2020
NOBODY SAID growing up is easy. For Danielle, the safe suburbs of Kansas City always felt warm. Inviting. But one day, everything changed. Not only did she hate what puberty was doing to her body, she had spotted a few scary specks of blood after going number two. Gross. As an insecure tween who blushed during “the talk,” one who refused to buy toilet paper at the store, nobody could know her little secret. So she hid it from everyone—Mom, Dad, her brother, and her friends. This went on … for years.
Busted. Eventually, her secret came out. Danielle was rushed to the doctor and into a colonoscopy. Shock took over when she was diagnosed with a rare colon cancer (something the internet called an “old man’s disease”) just a few weeks after her seventeenth birthday. Seriously!?
High school mornings in classrooms morphed into nightmare days in cancer-center waiting rooms. Yet Danielle stayed hopeful, even grateful, for her illness. The way she saw it, fighting cancer spiced up her otherwise-boring testimony. And it brought her true love. Not until she heard the dreaded “It’s cancer” again at age twenty-five did she start to resent so much suffering and question her faith. Yet Danielle wasn’t about to stop. From Times Square to the White House, she became an outspoken survivor by starting a blog, as well as a young wife and a mom. Eventually, she found the self-acceptance she’d been looking for—it was guided by a still, small voice that had been with her all along.
In this soul-baring memoir, Blush: How I Barely Survived 17, Danielle reminds us that growing up is never easy, and she shows us how to go head to head with God. With out-of-body wisdom beyond its years, Blush beautifully inspires us to accept our imperfections and embrace every season of life.

Click here to get your copy!
 MY REVIEW
I am overwhelmed with the honesty, courage and fighting spirit the author has. At seventeen all I was thinking about was graduating from high school and being on my own. Danielle dreamed of that as well, however her life was about to change forever. I loved how transparent she is as she tells her journey. It is quite rare for a seventeen year old to be diagnosed with colon cancer. Most of us think of that type of cancer to be for older people. One day she was a carefree teen excited about her future; the next day she is told she has Stage 3 colon cancer.
My tears flowed as I read her story filled with doctors invasive and uncomfortable tests and operations. I appreciate how she described her many trips to doctors and how frustrated she was at times. In the midst of her fight to live, God was always there to hold her up. Her faith helped her in her darkest moments as she faced chemo and radiation treatments. We all question why things happen and little did Danielle know at seventeen that God was going to use her in her twenties to comfort others and share her story to give hope to those facing cancer.
I found her story to be very encouraging and appreciate how honest she was about being angry with God at one point. It must have been so devastating to hear a doctor tell her that she had a rare case of cancer that teens don’t usually get. There were moments she felt alone but God surrounded her with friends who listened, prayed and laughed with her. On a personal note, I know all too well about colon cancer. My brother was diagnosed last year with Stage 4 colon cancer. He passed away three months later. This book has helped me find a little peace knowing that there are survivors. I pray that this book will bring hope to others and that the author will continue to spread her story of healing to everyone. 
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.  

About the  Author

Danielle Ripley-Burgess is a two-time colon cancer survivor first diagnosed at age seventeen and an award-winning communications professional. She writes and speaks to encourage those facing trials, under a motto of “faith that survives.” She’s the author of Blush: How I Barely Survived 17 (Redemption Press, 2020), The Holiday Girls (Little Lights Studio, 2018), and Unexpected: 25 Advent Devotionals. Her story has been told around the world through outlets like The Today Show, BBC’s World Have Your Say, Sirius Radio’s Doctor Radio, the Chicago Tribune, the Huffington Post, among others. Home is in Kansas City with her husband, Mike, and daughter, Mae. When she’s not writing, she can be found baking her favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s a good one. Follow her blog at DanielleRipleyBurgess.com or connect on social media at @DanielleisB.



More from Danielle

I walked into the classroom, hung my backpack on a designated hook and glanced at the chalkboard as I took my seat. Sigh. It was spelling bee day. I’d dreaded it for weeks.
Most people probably didn’t realize I loathed the spelling bee, especially my teacher. As a book-loving student who aced nearly all English exams, anyone could have rightly assumed I would be jazzed about the competition. I was a great candidate to represent our class. But there was one little problem: it sounded like a nightmare. I wanted nothing to do with it. The idea of the whole school looking at me on stage—the chance of people noticing the zits on my face, seeing a bra underneath my shirt, or calling me a nerd because I was a strong speller—sounded awful. No thanks.
“Riiinnngggg”
A buzzer echoing throughout the hallways kicked off our school day. My teacher, dressed in a popular floral dress from the 1990s, walked to the chalkboard to take control of our classroom. The pledge of allegiance, math worksheets and recess distracted me from the schedule until the dreaded hour came.
“Everyone please stand up, push in your chairs and join the circle,” my teacher insisted as she waved her hands to gather us. It was time.
Fortunately, I had a plan: I was going to cheat.
If my spelling test grades were any indicator, I had a good chance of making the spelling bee. So, I decided to purposely spell my word wrong. I would use a wrong vowel toward the end of the word and pause to hear, “I’m sorry but that’s incorrect.”
Let’s just say my plan worked like a charm. Relief flooded my chest when I was asked to sit down and join the others who were knocked out of the competition. A few weeks later during the school-wide spelling bee, I deeply exhaled and smiled widely as I watched my classmates compete on stage from the gymnasium floor. I was so glad it was them and not me.
Today, 25 years later, this memory is both a victory and a tragedy. I can’t help but see my younger self, a tween girl who felt embarrassed about her body, and feel proud of her for identifying what she did and didn’t want. That moment in fifth grade helped her find her voice. Yet her empowerment came at a high cost.
Convinced that hiding her true self—her body, her smarts and her opinions—was the only way, this thinking led to her nearly losing her life. If I could go back and chat with her today, I’d affirm her fears yet encourage her to see God gave her the smarts—being a strong speller and a good writer is a gift and not a bad thing. I’d challenge her to accept herself and say that dominating the school-wide spelling bee could actually be a great thing.
Blush is a memoir that tells many other stories like my fifth grade spelling bee. The book is dedicated to my daughter, who is just now becoming a tween. As I’ve relived my life by writing this book, I’ve not only found nuggets of truth to pass on to her as she navigates adolescence, but also confidence and redemption in my story.
Many of us have believed the lie that to be accepted, we must hide. I wrote Blushnot only for my daughter, but for anyone looking for inspiration and hope. It’s a book especially for those who are ready to finally face their insecurities and consider how to stop sitting it out and instead take the stage.

Danielle Ripley-Burgess is a two-time colon cancer survivor first diagnosed at age 17, an award-winning communications professional and author of Blush: How I barely survived 17. Follow her blog at DanielleRipleyBurgess.com or connect on social media at @Danielleis

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 21
Simple Harvest Reads, August 23 (Author Interview)
Spoken from the Heart, August 27 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, August 28 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Get Cozy Book Nook, August 29
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, September 1 (Author Interview)
Emily Yager, September 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Danielle is giving away the grand prize package of Danielle’s favorite local coffee, Betty’s Recipe from the Roasterie in Kansas City & a signed copy of the book!! (here’s a link to the coffee: https://theroasterie.com/product/bettys-recipe/)
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Lady Airell's Choice FB Banner

About the Book

Book:  Lady Airell’s Choice
Author: Rachel Skatvold
Genre:  Christian Medieval Romance
Release Date: January, 2019
LadyAirell'sChoice coverWill one choice save her kingdom from destruction?
During a time of peace and prosperity, Princess Airell of Daireann is given the rare privilege of choosing her own suitor. As eligible rulers from all over Ardena vie for her hand, a betrothal to Prince Tristan of Órlaith seems to be the clear choice. Yet, in the midst of Lady Airell’s happiness, the winds of change are coming.
When an evil usurper from the north rises to power and his forces attack the southern kingdoms, peace in Ardena is shattered. With Daireann under siege, the princess must find the courage to protect her people. Will Lady Airell choose to sacrifice her own happiness in order to save her kingdom?
Get swept up in an epic adventure while reading this Christian medieval romance filled with themes of faith, redemption and forgiveness.

Click here to get your copy!
 MY REVIEW 
This has been such an enchanting story that I wanted it to keep going forever. I love the time period and reading about castles. You are swept away to a land where Kings rule and danger surrounds you. I have really started to like this genre and love how the author makes the story come alive. It was easy to realize who was going to be evil in the story as the author unveils the character of a powerful person in the kingdom. 
I admired Lady Airell’s  sacrifice to save her family and the people of the kingdom. Her heart is pure and willing to put others before her own happiness. It was a rough ride as she sailed to her new home with her husband. Tiernay  seemed withdrawn and not trustworthy once he married Airell. The author slowly develops his character and I enjoyed getting to know his true heart. There is definitely  a faith element in the story which made me love the story even more. 
I can’t forget about Airell’s brother and sister -in-law. They really were two people I admired and always wanted to do what was best for the kingdom. There is deceit, secrets and trust issues that  flow throughout the story. One thing stands out to me. Love is powerful in this story as well as sacrifice. God sacrificed His Son for us because He loved us. In this story several characters make sacrifices that show their love for others. 
I will leave the review with these thoughts. The author gives us a great story filled with adventure, heartache, danger and sacrifice. Each character plays a part that shows how greed can make a person turn on others. We all make choices everyday. Could we make a choice like Airell did? Would we sacrifice all  to save our family?
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. 

About the Author

Rachel Bio PicRachel Skatvold is a Christian author and stay-at-home mom from the Midwest. She enjoys writing inspirational romance and encouraging blogs. Rachel completed her first series, the Riley Family Legacy Novellas in 2014 and is now working on the Hart Ranch Series, set in the Montana wilderness and the Ladies of Ardena Series, set in medieval times. She is also a contributing author in the Whispers in Wyoming, Brides of Pelican Rapids and Independence Island Series. Other than writing, some of her hobbies include singing, reading and camping in the great outdoors with her husband and two young sons. You can find more information about Rachel and her books on her website: www.rachelskatvold.com.


More from Rachel

The Ladies of Ardena Series has been by far my favorite series to write because the stories are adventurous fast-paced tales with themes of faith, hope and redemption. While I am more well-known for my contemporary western and small-town romance series, I have always been interested in history and fascinated with the medieval time period. Although Ardena is a fictional land, it is inspired by Irish and Scottish culture, in honor of my ancestors. Each book is also inspired by one of my six nieces and is dedicated to them. For that reason, these stories have a special place in my heart.
Lady Airell’s Choice follows the eldest daughter in the Daireann royal family who has come of age. Since it is a time of peace in the land, her father allows Airell to choose her own suitor. She is excited to start a new chapter in her life, but her dreams for the future are shattered when a usurper from the north kills her father and wages war against Daireann. Princess Airell is forced to choose between her own happiness and the survival of her kingdom.
Lady Airell’s story is inspired by Psalms 23 1-3 NLT which says: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” This verse is relevant during Airell’s time and in our lives today as well. We may not face the same perilous circumstances with evil kings and perilous voyages across the sea. Our battles are a little different these days, but God is still the same. He can help us through any trials and lead us down the correct path if we put our faith in Him.
Thank you for following this Celebration Tour for Lady Airell’s choice. To learn more about this book and the others in the series, please read the summary below and visit the series page on Amazon. Also, don’t’ forget to sign up for the giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Blessings.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 20
Novels Corner, August 24
Older & Smarter?, August 26
Connect in Fiction, August 27
Labor Not in Vain, August 27
Pause for Tales, August 31
Emily Yager, September 1
Artistic Nobody, September 2 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel 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.

Monday, August 17, 2020

Glimpses of God sumer FB Banner

About the Book

Book:  Glimpses of God: A Summer Devotional for Women
Author: Shirley Crowder & Harriet Michael
Genre:  Devotional
Release Date: April 29, 2020
Creator God made the world in which we live. He placed the moon and stars in the sky, the rivers and ocean on the earth. He also created seasons throughout the year. Each season is defined by specific features/attributes that are common although the degree varies depending on where a person lives. In winter we think of cold weather; in spring, blooming flowers; in summer, warm weather; and in the fall, beautifully colored leaves.
As Christ-followers we also experience spiritual seasons. These seasons do not come in order like seasons in nature, which come regularly without fail. Each spiritual season we experience is defined by certain features also. In spiritual winter we think of the coldness of our relationship with God; in spring, new
This devotional is focused on summer—both calendar and spiritual. Our spiritual summer is a time of growth, hard work, and relaxation as we nurture and care for the new things that were planted in our spiritual spring and allow them to ripen or mature.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW 
 I know I say this every time I review Devotionals but I love them. They offer so many nuggets of wisdom, personal insights , scriptures and biblical stories. This one in particular has all this and so much more. I like how the authors collaborate and give their own personal thoughts about the different subjects. The chapters are short but is packed with wonderful inspirations. I love how they talk about not only seasons of the year, but our spiritual season. We each go through different ones at different times. Some of us may be in a season  of rest. God wants us to rest in Him during this time as we refresh and get ready for what God has planned for us next. 
The book is easy to read and provides prayers and scriptures to encourage you. I especially like the Thoughts of the Day. You can read each chapter at your leisure and skip to a chapter you want to read and then go back and read others. It’s organized to be reader friendly and is a nice size book you can take with you when you travel. The authors do a good job of flowing together throughout the book. I am excited to see they have a few more Devotionals coming out soon. 
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. 

About the  Authors

SJC - cu fav blk-pnk
Shirley Crowder was born in a mission guest house under the shade of a mango tree in Nigeria, West Africa, where her parents served as missionaries. She and co-author Harriet E. Michael grew up together on the mission field and have been life-long friends. Shirley is passionate about disciple-making, which is manifested in and through a myriad of ministry opportunities: biblical counseling, teaching Bible studies, writing, and music.
She is a biblical counselor and is commissioned by and serves on the national Advisory Team for The Addiction Connection. She is an award-winning writer who has had several of her articles appear in “Paper Pulpit” in the Faith section of The Gadsden Times, and in a David C. Cook publication. She also writes articles for Life Bible Study, Woman’s Missionary Union, The Addiction Connection and Inspired Prompt. She has authored, co-authored, or contributed to eight books.
Shirley has spiritual children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren serving the Lord in various ministry and secular positions throughout the world.



harriet
Harriet E. Michael was born in Joinkrama, Nigeria, deep in the African jungle in the Niger River delta, where her father served as the only missionary doctor at that station. A few years later, the mission moved the family to a larger hospital in Ogbomoso. Co-author Shirley Crowder and her family lived right across the dirt road. The two children became constant playmates. Today they continue to enjoy their lifelong friendship.
Harriet is a multi-published, award-winning writer and speaker. She has authored or co-authored seven books (six nonfiction and one novel) with several more under contract for future release. She is also a prolific freelance writer, having penned over 200 articles, devotions, and stories. Her work has appeared in publications by Focus on the Family, David C. Cook, Lifeway, Standard Publishing, Chicken Soup for the SoulThe Upper Room, Judson Press, Bethany House, and more. When not writing, she loves speaking to women’s groups and teaching workshops on freelance writing.
She and her husband of more than 40 years have four children and two grandchildren. When not writing, she enjoys substituting at a Christian school near her home, gardening, cooking, and traveling.


More from Shirley

In the same way that nature’s seasons serve a purpose on earth, so do the seasons in our spiritual lives. God provides, cares for, and sustains the earth, and in His faithfulness, He does the same for us. Our responsibility is to be obedient to God’s commands in the Bible and to cling to the truth that God is in control.
Our “Glimpses of God” series consist of:
  • Glimpses of God: a winter devotional for women
  • Glimpses of God: a summer devotional for women
  • Glimpses of God: a spring devotional for women (due out in early 2021)
  • Glimpses of God: an autumn devotional for women (due out in late summer 2021)
We pray that as readers meditate upon the Bible passages and truths in each devotional, they will catch glimpses of God in and through everything around them.
How has He provided for you? How is He protecting you? How is He teaching you?

Blog Stops

Get Cozy Book Nook, August 12
Artistic Nobody, August 13 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Older & Smarter?, August 14
Texas Book-aholic, August 18
Mary Hake, August 19
Lighthouse Academy, August 21
CarpeDiem, August 21
Splashes of Joy, August 24

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Shirley and Harriet are giving away the grand prize package of a print copy of Glimpses of God: A Summer Devotional for Women 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.