Thursday, March 15, 2018

Grac e Revealed: Finding God's Strength in Any Crisis(Broadstreet Publishing Group, January 2018)

Trust in the unmerited gift of God's grace

You can't escape the inevitable crises that will face you throughout your lifetime. Whether it's health problems, emotional issues, career challenges, gut-wrenching losses, or other failures, these experiences can destroy your morale and lead you into despair. Some crises may be a result of your own choices, while others may be completely out of your control. Whatever the source, there is a lasting solution that comes to you free of charge from above: God's amazing grace.

In Grace Revealed, you will:
-Experience real-life stories of others who discover they are not alone and that relief is within their grasp.
-See how devastating afflictions can be overcome through faith in Jesus and His love, mercy, and grace.
-Learn how God's grace transforms lives and leads you into enduring and rewarding Christian service.
-Be inspired to encourage others who are suffering but cannot seek help on their own.

Read these undeniable, modern-day examples of God's loving grace and its transformative power, and discover that God is always present in your time of need.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT FRED SIEVERT}

Fred Sievert is a speaker, author, and former president of New York Life Insurance Company. Following his early retirement at age fifty-nine, Sievert attended Yale Divinity School and received a master's degree. Sievert remains actively engaged in his greatest passions, which include speaking and writing about his faith, mentoring young executives, and serving as a lay leader of his church and on the boards of several organizations with missions well-aligned with his beliefs and values. Fred and his wife have five grown children, three grandchildren, and reside in East Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Find out more about Fred at https://www.storiesofgodsgrace.com.

At some point in our life we make a poor choice and feel ourselves spiraling out of control. We may be a survivor of abuse or have fought to overcome drug addiction. No matter what we have faced, the grace that God has given us is so powerful we sometimes feel unworthy.The personal stories shared in the book are eyeopening and deeply emotional. I have often asked why would God give me grace after all the things I've done or been through? The answer is simply because "God is love , and that love is unconditional and unbounded."

One of the first stories shared is about sexual abuse. I could very easily relate to this story. The woman in the story carried a secret for years and thought she was being punished by God. I think we all can feel that way at times. It was hard for her to forgive her attacker but through grace she found freedom and grace. What an awesome gift that God gives us . I liked the point the book made about even though we may forgive our abuser, we are not condoning what they did.

There is another story in the book that really touched me. I am a very overprotective mother. I would worry every time one of my sons sneezed. When I had to deal with my youngest son who started having seizure at eighteen months old, I didn't think I would be strong enough to handle what was happening to him. The story shared in the book by Shane and Sandra was very emotional for me. To watch their child experience seizures was overwhelming to them. They felt defeated and became angry with God. I asked the same question they did; Why is this happening? Why are you doing this to me and my family? Their faith was wavering just as mine had done. When I read "God allows crises to surface in people's lives to remind them that He is in control, so they don't need to be." I have learned through my experience to "let go and let God." We need to remember that God is in control and will see us through everything. To be surrounded by His grace is a wonderful feeling . I may sometimes mess up, but I know that God is there to wipe my tears away and love me unconditionally.

The book is filled with stories that remind us of His grace and love. I enjoyed each story and am thankful for their transparency. At the end of each chapter is a section called, "A Time For Personal Reflection." I loved how it asks questions that relate to the stories in the chapter. The book is well written and one I will go back to when I need encouragement and a reminder of God's grace.

I received a copy of this book from Litfuse. The review is my own opinion.

Landing page:

http://litfusegroup.com/author/FSievert

Tour Schedule:

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

About the Book

Book Title: Soul’s Prisoner

Author: Cara Luecht

Genre: Historical fiction with some suspense and romance

Release Date: December 15, 2015

Chicago, Winter, 1891

Rachel is in danger. She’s seen too much.

She creeps along the cement walls through the dank underbelly of the asylum. She’d never planned to leave her quiet farm life, never thought she’d find a place in the city, never imagined she’d be in the kind of danger that would have her cowering in Dunning’s cold, labyrinthine basement.

Jenny has finally found her place. After a childhood of abuse, she has friends, a real job, and her only wish is to give her adopted son the kind of life she never had.

A life of stability, without the risk and uncertainty of a father.

But when Jeremy, Rachel’s brother, stumbles into their warehouse, asking for help to find his missing sister, Jenny’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble.

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Award winning author, Cara Luecht, lives in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin with her husband, David, and their children. Cara graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Currently, Cara is studying for a Masters of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Guest Post from Cara Luecht

The Setting for Soul’s Prisoner: Dunning Asylum for the Insane

Dunning Asylum for the Insane was built in the 1850s and housed psychiatric patients until the early 1900s. It has since been demolished, and a small park currently stands as the only remaining testament to the people who lived and died on the grounds.

The original plot of land also included a poor farm and a cemetery. A railroad used to connect the grounds to Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee. It was nicknamed the “Crazy Train”—a phrase that still survives in our language today. Those buried in the cemetery include Civil War Veterans, victims of the Chicago fire of 1871, orphans, paupers, and the residents of the asylum for the insane. Most estimates agree that nearly forty thousand people were buried on the grounds.

There is no doubt that mental illness is hard on families, but in the 1800s, having a family member who struggled with mental illness was an embarrassment. With little understanding of mental health in general, and even less compassion for those who suffered, examples of this tragic response to the threat of mental illness can be seen in the numerous inmates who were there simply due to addiction or depression. There are even cases where women were committed because their families were humiliated by their giving birth outside the bonds of marriage. Often times, challenges with mental health were synonymous with the notion of moral failure or vice. Because of this, even many charities looked the other way when corruption or abuse was exposed. Reporters sometimes wrote about the horrors of the institutions, but once the sensational story was out, and the initial outrage worn away, few worried about the people who suffered on a daily basis. And because of the moral implication of mental illness, families commonly turned over their suffering members to the county, and later simply explained to friends that the person had died.

And that is exactly what the mentally ill would do in the institution. Live there until they died, forgotten.

And that’s how the story played out at Dunning, until late in the 1900s when developers began to dig the roads and foundations for a new neighborhood on the grounds of what was once the Asylum. At that time, Dunning, and the people who had resided there, were still within living memory, so when bones were unearthed, it was no mystery how they ended up on that patch of land. What had slipped from memory was the magnitude of the collective stories of suffering and hardship.

For this novel, the people and events are fictitious. However, when examining old news stories from an institution known for corruption, it is not hard to imagine situations like the ones in the novel. The details that are true are the nearly one thousand inmates, no hot water, little to no heat in the winter, bad food, and the general feeling of living ghosts, intentionally forgotten, and doomed to never leave the grounds.

When I started this book the words, eerie, dangerous and evil came to mind. The author captures a time and place that the faint of heart would not survive. As Rachel went down to the basement, I could feel a chill creep down my spine. Her eyes told the story of unspoken evil lurking in air. The writing is superior and takes you right where the story is happening. I can't imagine being in a place where you had to look over your should every few seconds.

I screamed as Rachel's freedom was suddenly taken away from her. How can such evil happen with no one to question the outcome? Have you been locked in a room unexpectedly with no way out? You find yourself panicking as tears stream down your face. Rachel seems to lose hope as each day passes . Will someone realize that she is missing? In the late 1850s asylums were like torture chambers. The evil that went on was unspeakable. Rachel is treated with little dignity. I was mesmerized by the details that the author wrote about the evils of asylums that existed long ago. It reminds me of the saying, "If walls could talk."

Jeremy is a character I found to be very intuitive. He was determined to find out what had happened to his sister. Wouldn't it be unnerving to have a family member suddenly disappear without a trace? There were times in the book, I wasn't sure I could continue reading. It wasn't because the story was bad, but because the story was so masterfully written that it seemed almost real.

Jenny is a very complicated character. Wanting to have a better life for herself and her son seems right in the grasp of her hands. Jenny is haunted by her past and the author gives us pieces of her tormented life with words that reach deep into the soul where darkness is at times. Her story is one that she feels ashamed of and my heart broke for her.

The story is very intense and weaves a tale of mind games that only the strongest can survive. Will Rachel be rescued before it's to late? What does she know that would cause people to want to hide her? I thought through the entire book how desperate Rachel felt as she saw her freedom slowly slip into oblivion. The ending is one that will have you on the edge of your seat and your heart pounding so loud you can here each beat.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

A Baker’s Perspective, March 8

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, March 8

Multifarious, March 9

Remembrancy, March 9

Connie’s History Classroom, March 10

History, Mystery & Faith, March 11

Reading is My Superpower, March 11

amandainpa, March 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 12

Texas Book-aholic, March 13

Carpe Diem, March 14

Maureen’s Musings, March 15

Blogging With Carol, March 16

Two Points of Interest, March 16

proud to be an autism mom, March 17

A Greater Yes, March 17

Bibliophile Reviews, March 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 18

Janices book reviews, March 19

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 19

Simple Harvest Reads, March 20 (Guest Post from Mindy)

Pursuing Stacie, March 20

For The Love of Books, March 21

Bigreadersite, March 21

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Cara is giving away a grand prize of a signed copy of Soul’s Prisoner and sketching art supplies!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/cb74

Monday, March 12, 2018

Six Feet Under (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
by Tonya Kappes

The plot lines this time are full of goodies, fraudulent handicapped parking passes, a pop-up botox clinic, the antics of Kenni and her mama checking out the other recipe contestant (be prepared to laugh out loud), and the murder of chef Frank Von Lee. Tonya Kappes twists it all together to make one heck of a story.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

There are some very funny moments in this mystery along with plenty of down-home charm.
~Teresa Trent, Author

This is one of those books that there are a few characters that could be the killer and is in your hands to discover the truth.
~Varietats

About the Book

Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Kentucky
Henery Press (March 13, 2018)
Paperback: 268 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635113082

Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. And let me tell you, this broth is in trouble. Get ready for a Southern showdown.

The residents of Cottonwood, Kentucky are sent into a tizzy when the Culinary Channel comes to town to film an episode of Southern Home Cookin’ with celebrity chef Frank Von Lee.

Especially Sheriff Kenni Lowry.

Her mama’s award-winning chicken pot pie is what brought Frank to town, and they don’t make hair in the South bigger than her mama’s ego after the news.

When Frank Von Lee is found dead from food poisoning and the most likely culprit is Mama’s chicken pot pie, Kenni’s poppa, the former sheriff, comes back from the Great Beyond to assist in the investigation.

But nothing’s prepared Kenni for such a personal tie to a case, and she finds herself pushing the limits of the laws she’s sworn to protect.

This book’s so delicious it’ll make your mouth water and leave you hankerin’ for more.

About the Author

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been publishing numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plot lines and quirky characters but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.
Sign up for her newsletter on her website at Tonyakappes.com .

Visit Tonya:
Facebook at Author Tonya Kappes,
https://www.facebook.com/authortonyakappes

Kappes Krew Street Team
https://www.facebook.com/groups/208579765929709/

Website
tonyakappes.com

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4423580.Tonya_Kappes

Twitter
https://twitter.com/tonyakappes11

Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/tonyakappes/

Purchase Links:

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Its another great book from an author who uses southern charm to entice readers to her wonderful characters. I jut love her writing style and how the characters remind me of a cozy little town that blossoms with hospitality. They have little shops where the people in the community come to gossip and eat delicious foods. The big news in the town is that someone very important is coming to Cottonwood, Kentucky. I'm a huge fan of cooking shows and loved how the author introduced us to a celebrity chef that causes the town to go crazy. Everyone in the town wants to impress Chef Frank Von Lee and maybe get on television.

Sheriff Kenni Lowry is a character you like right away. She is charming and fair. Kenni loves her town and takes her job serious. Her mama is a handful though. Kenni's mama is all gaga over the chance to have her famous chicken pot pie featured in a well known cooking show. As the author described the dish, I started smelling the aroma of a chicken pot pie baking in the oven as I anxiously waited for it to be finished. When I was younger, I remember having chicken pot pie at least once a week. They were not home made, but very cheap to buy. I thought it was such a treat to have my own little pie filled with vegetables, chicken and a golden brown crust.

I cheered for Kenni's mama's as she prepared her dish expecting it to turn out perfect. I did laugh at her need to look perfect for the camera and the lengths she went to achieve perfection. The odds were stacked against her as she succumbed to a botch job of Botox. Her bad luck continues when Chef Von Lee is found dead with remnants of chicken pot pie around him. What do you think killed him? Well there is one hint I can give you,which is it wasn't a natural death. The suspects start liming up, well maybe just one suspect is on the radar.Poor Kenni has her hands full investigating the chef's death while trying to keep her poor mama out of jail. I adored poppa and his help during the investigation. Wouldn't it be cool to have someone like him around? Kenni takes his advice and he sure knows how to keep the story interesting.

I loved the fast pace story and the suspects that started to come out of the woodwork. The author sure knows how to weave a tale of mystery that entices readers to stay glued to the book. It was fun to read about Kenni and Finn. Their relationship can be a bit tricky but they seem to make it work. He sure is sweet on Kenni and patience almost to a fault. So who killed the chef and why? The answer is somewhere in this delightful story that oozes with excitement, and a mystery that is sure to keep you guessing til the end. If you haven't read any of the author's books, what are you waiting for? Her books are filled with southern hospitality charm with quirky characters that you can't help but love. Grab a copy of this book, get some sweet iced tea and settle down for an adventure that is sure to give you laughs and a whodunit that brings the town together to help one of their own.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. The review is my own opinion.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 6 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

March 7 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

March 7 – Queen of All She Reads – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY (Missed Post)

March 8 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

March 8 – Dee-Scoveries – SPOTLIGHT

March 9 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 9 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

March 10 – Christa Reads and Writes – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 10 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

March 11 – Varietats – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

March 12 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

March 12 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

March 13 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

March 13 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 14 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 14 – Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! – REVIEW

March 15 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

March 15 – The Montana Bookaholic – SPOTLIGHT

March 16 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 16 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW

March 17 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

March 18 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

March 18 – La libreria di Beppe – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

March 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW, GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

March 19 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Sunday, March 11, 2018

About the Book

Book Title: Someplace Familiar

Author: Teresa Tysinger

Release date: May, 2017

Artist Livy Johnson needs a fresh start. That’s what a broken heart and forgotten dreams can do to a person. On little more than a whim, she reclaims her grandmother’s old home in quaint Laurel Cove, North Carolina and vows to restore its original charm. When she literally collides with childhood friend, Jack Bowdon, Livy wonders if she’s back for an entirely different reason.

Jack can’t believe his childhood crush is back. As the owner of Bowdon’s Supplies, and once again the town’s most eligible bachelor, he offers to help Livy with repairs. Together they embark on the project – and an undeniable whirlwind romance.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Can they survive the destructive pain of their pasts and discover God’s grace waiting to renovate their hearts?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Teresa Tysinger is a wife and mother transplanted from North Carolina to North Texas. When not working as the Director of Communications for a large downtown church, she writes charming southern romances inspired by grace. Her debut novel, Someplace Familiar, released this summer. She also is a contributing writer for the Fort Worth Moms Blog (part of the national City Moms Blog Network). A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Religious Communicators’ Council, and the Association for Women in Communications, Teresa has spent over a decade committed to telling stories of faith through written word. She loves coffee, caramel, and stories with happy endings.

Guest Post from Teresa Tysinger

Someplace Familiar began way back in 2014 when I participated in National Novel Writer’s Month, a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. It was an exhilarating, albeit exhausting, experience! Since then, the book was workshopped with a critique group, had large portions rewritten countless times, pitched at workshops, edited by two editors, and even renamed (original title was Good Graces). After a lot of prayer, I decided that self-publishing would give me the greatest flexibility and control while being able to maintain my responsibilities as a wife, mother, and full-time communications director. It’s been a wonderful ride!

About the Inspiration for Someplace Familiar One thing I’ve learned about myself through writing Someplace Familiar is how much I am personally drawn to setting and place. The idea for the book was born out of my desire to introduce readers to the charming small-town life found in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where I went to college. Laurel Cove, the fictional town where the story is set, is directly based on my best friend’s hometown of Burnsville, NC. The other source of inspiration comes from my great-grandmother’s tiny bungalow home in West Palm Beach, Florida. Long weekends and summer vacations spent there were full of imagination, adventure, and sweet memories. The scents of her garden, feel of the damp earth beneath my feet, slow pace matching gauzy curtains dancing in the breeze—it all is mirrored in the cottage home of Livy’s Gram in the book. The rest of the story formed around my desire to capture my childhood memories of this home that was so magical and safe for me.

About My Writing Style Here are a few ways I would describe my writing style: Sensory—I aim to provide readers with an experience that enlivens all of their senses. Relatable—It’s my hope that readers see themselves in realistic, flawed characters trying to make their way to discovering grace in a less than perfect world. Charming—Like any good southern fiction, there’s a good dose of charm in these pages.

My prayer is that Someplace Familiar will touch readers with an awareness of God’s grace even during circumstances and within relationships that feel hopeless. Restoration is possible!

What a breath of fresh air this story is. Livy is a wonderful character who decides to fix her grandmother's cottage up. It's time for a new start for Livy after a relationship that was unhealthy for her ends. When the author described the cottage and all the repairs needed, it made me remember this little shack my husband and I built . We had some land and decided to build a one room cabin . It was hard work, but as it started to come together, I feel in love with the place.

Reading about Livy bringing life back to her grandmothers place was a sweet way to honor someone she loved. I liked how she came back to the little town and seemed to fit in right away. What I really liked abut this story was the vulnerability that Livy exhibited and how she needed to get past hurtful words her ex-boyfriend had said to her. It's hard to believe in yourself when you continuously are belittled.

Jack is a welcome addition to this story that brings hope for happiness in his and Livy's life. Jack has been deeply hurt by his ex-wife and has had a hard time trusting anyone. I liked how Jack and Livy seemed to hit it off and become comfortable with each other. The story brings up a great subject about forgiveness. Can Jack forgive his ex-wife? Will Livy be able to allow God to show her how special she is? The story is very well written and brings two people face to face with hindrances that have kept them from letting go of the past. I loved the part in the story when Owen tells Jack,"Unresolved anger and resentment can eat away at your spirit without you even knowing it. Then it becomes a big problem."

Jack and Livy each will face what has hurt them and make a decision that could set them free from bitterness, rejection and anger. Can they let go and allow God to show them grace and experience what forgiveness is? The ending is very emotional and I felt tears steam down my face. The story allows readers to feel the emotions of freedom when you allow God to embrace you with open arms. Thank you for a story that is filled with a love that sets us free from our past mistakes.

I received a cop of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

All-of-a-kind Mom, March 1

Just Commonly, March 1

Pursuing Stacie, March 1

Among the Reads, March 2

Faithfully Bookish, March 2

Bigreadersite, March 2

Quiet quilter, March 3

Blogging With Carol, March 3

C Jane Read, March 4

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, March 4

Remembrancy, March 5

Inklings and notions, March 5

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, March 6

100 Pages per Hour, March 6

Book by Book, March 7

Red Headed Book Lady, March 7

Ashley’s Bookshelf, March 8

Ladybug Chronicles, March 8

Two Points of Interest, March 9

proud to be an autism mom, March 9

Bibliophile Reviews, March 10

A Greater Yes, March 10

Texas Book-aholic, March 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 11

Reflections From My Bookshelves, March 12

Janices book reviews, March 12

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 13

Carpe Diem, March 13

A Baker’s Perspective, March 14

Simple Harvest Reads, March 14 (Guest post from Mindy)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Teresa is giving away a grand prize of a gift basket that includes a signed copy of the book, an Original Painting by Author’s Sister (artist Cyndi Browning), and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca5b

Search This Blog

Thursday, March 15, 2018

{MORE ABOUT FRED SIEVERT}

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

About the Book

About the Author

Guest Post from Cara Luecht

Blog Stops

Giveaway

Monday, March 12, 2018

Six Feet Under (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)by Tonya Kappes

About the Book

About the Author

Sunday, March 11, 2018

About the Book

About the Author

Guest Post from Teresa Tysinger

Blog Stops

Giveaway

Six Feet Under (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
by Tonya Kappes