Monday, October 12, 2020

About the Book

Book: Texas Troubles

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 2, 2020

Brothers are for conflict; and he who finds a wife has found a good thing.

Through the first battle to the end of the Civil war, partners Aaron Van Zandt and Rich Worley fought on opposite sides. The women who loved them lived in prayer and learned to trust God even more to maintain sanity. While their men battled each other, best friends Josie Jo Worley and Cass Andrews struggle with jealousy, worry, and regret. Experience the war as one left behind in this epic romance. See how they cope . . . and if you’re able to stop turning the pages.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling stories—over fifty published—delight Christian readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her; you may listen at YouTube. Sharing four children and nineteen grandsugars with Ron, her high-school-sweetheart-husband of over fifty years, she lives in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

The families in the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga have embedded themselves into my heart. This story takes them through the Civil War, and not everyone comes home to Texas. Josie Jo, born in book one of the series is ready to confess her love because he’s leaving . . . and she may never see him again.

Her best friend Cassandra shouts her love for the same man and her brother loves her friend! I love to see how God untangles our messes! He walks with them through every trial, all their pain, and the waiting, waiting, waiting for the end of the war, news of their beaus, and to be married.

The title TEXAS TROUBLES came from an incident that occurred in North Texas just prior to the Days of Aggression. In the scorching July heat, reported one hundred and ten degrees on that fateful day, three downtowns—Dallas, Denton a little to the north, and Pilot Point, more of a hamlet—went up in flames.

Immediately word spread that slaves and pro-union abolitionists were responsible, and justice came swiftly at the hands of the vigilante committee. Three slaves, one a preacher, hanged the following day on the banks of the Trinity River which then was nearest the land now known as Dealy Plaza, made famous by President Kennedy’s assignation there.

Though it proved to be an extraordinarily hot summer—water wells dried up and crops withered in the fields as the hundred-degree days went on and on. On the 8th of July, 1860, many residents of Dallas sought refuge at Wallace Peak’s downtown drugstore; that’s where the fire started.

Flames spread quickly from one business to another, blown by the hot winds from one to the next. By the time the fire was extinguished half of Dallas’ business district was gone. Now, phosphorous matches are said to be the culprit through spontaneous combustion for the fires as they all started in establishments carrying the highly flammable fire-lighting sticks.

Many say the incident called the Texas Troubles precipitated the Southern States’ cessation and even the Civil War itself. Mainly because of the FAKE NEWS spread by a young editor at the Dallas Herald. He sent letters to newspapers in Houston, Austin, and others across the state blaming a slave up rise for the fires and warning that the slaves were rising up.

Guess we aren’t the first Americans to deal with fake new! Before it was all over, at least a hundred men had hanged, slaves and their white abolitionist advocates. The panic never truly abated because too soon, the war between the states that pit brothers against brothers began.

This is where TEXAS TROUBLES, book five in the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga begins. One brother went the way of the vigilantes, the other traveled north to join the Federalists. I think you’ll love this story of love and the most terrible times our country has ever experienced.

MY REVIEW

Oh my goodness what a wonderful journey the author takes us on. I was intrigued about the Civil War and how it divided families. The opening of the book is very tranquil and festive as we are introduced to four characters. Oh how fun it would be to dance and laugh with no cares in the world. Cass and JoJo are best friends who have their eye on a certain someone. The jealousy that came up was written so well. Two young ladies wanting the attention of the same young man leads to hurt feelings. Will they be able to swallow their pride and forgive each other?

Aaron and Rich are captivating young men who find themselves on opposite sides of the war. It must have been so hard on Cass and JoJo knowing the men they love were essentially enemies. The conflict of the war is emotional and I loved reading how it affected the men. They want to do the right thing and take a stand, but will their women stand by them?

I especially liked the letters between the two couples. It was easier to share their feelings on paper. As the two women are left behind they pray for the safety of all. I especially liked how JoJo had enough faith to believe that God would bring both men home safely. We do get a glimpse of what it was like on the battlefield. There were many lives lost yet in the midst of it all, God was there to encourage those who stood in battle.

The author is one of the best historical writers around. It is evident in the story how much research was done to make it authentic to the time period. The faith element is good and weaves throughout the story in a graceful way. Once again I have grown closer to God after reading one of the author’s books. The lesson I learned is to never give up hope and trust God in everything.

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

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 3

Inklings and notions, October 4

Betti Mace, October 5

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 6

Splashes of Joy, October 7

Pause for Tales, October 7

For Him and My Family, October 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 9

Connie’s History Classroom, October 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 11

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 11

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 12

Texas Book-aholic, October 13

lakesidelivingsite, October 14

Artistic Nobody, October 14 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

deb’s Book Review, October 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/101a1/texas-troubles-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Sand & Mistletoe

Author: Chautona Havig

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance (Holiday)

Release Date: November 24, 2018

Sand & Mistletoe What’s Christmas without family drama, an accident, and mistletoe?

If you ask Portia Spears, it’s a horror movie—especially since she’s never the one caught under that mistletoe. And who thought it was a good idea to spend the last Christmas as a family unit away from their family home?

Her bossy older sisters, that’s who.

Christmas at his parents’ house with his son—just the way Reese Whitaker likes it. But a chance encounter on the beach might just change everything. How often do you meet someone who loves kids and knows American Sign Language?

Not often. Trust him.

However, with just two weeks to get to know each other and two families that couldn’t be more different vying for their time, will they even have a chance to test out that mistletoe they found?

Find out today in Sand & Mistletoe.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

I can read Christmas stories all year round and still not get tired of them. Being around Portia and her family would absolutely drive me crazy. So much bickering, anger and jealousy made me want to scream. The plan was to have a memorable loving Christmas as a big happy family. No attitude was allowed but it came anyway. Get ready for an adventure like no other in this holiday story.

Portia is not pleased to be at a place where it is hot for Christmas surrounded by family that is opinionated about everything and everyone. Portia irritated me at times with her sour attitude and then I noticed that I was relating to her more than I realized. Part of her family is determined to have the best family Christmas ever, while the others just want it to be over. I didn’t mean to laugh when Portia’s dad ended up in the hospital but everything else was going wrong why not have poor dad have an accident. Then why don’t we fight over his care and who stays with him. Oh my this family kept me intrigued wondering if they would ever celebrate the holidays.

I can’t forget about Reese and his adorable son Duncan. They are perfect for Portia but I’m not sure she sees that yet. I liked how the author implemented a deaf child into the story and showed how much they want to be a part of everything. It worried me that Duncan took to Portia so fast. I don’t want his little innocent heart broken when Portia goes back home. The story is filled with emotion, faith and a look at family dynamics. I liked the romance in the story that wasn’t over the top but slow and tasteful. Portia and Reese do have times where their communication between each other is not exactly perfect. I loved this quote from the book, “I think when we hide stuff from our ‘other half...‘that’s when we start listening to the lies of the world.” That statement should remind us to always be open and honest with our other half . Secrets always come out and sometimes hurt others. The big question I wanted answered in the story is, “Will Reese and Portia become a couple?” I’m not telling. You must read the story and fall in love like I did with the characters that are realistic and draw you into their lives. Well done Chautona. Once again I have spent my time immersed in a story filled with hope, faith, family and a heart full of joy.

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

About the Author

Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

More from Chautona

What Happens When an Author Rewrites History

To be fair, almost none of us wanted to be there.

And really, that wasn’t fair. Two of our daughters planned as a “destination Christmas” bash for the whole family—just a nice getaway in San Diego for the “last” Christmas we’d probably all be in the same place on the same days. The kids were getting older, getting married, and even moving out of state. It was a beautiful thing for them to try to do for us.

But Havigs are homebodies who like their traditions, and most of us left in Ridgecrest weren’t too thrilled being “dragged” four hours south to celebrate Christmas in a beautiful house on a cliff overlooking the San Diego countryside. It had everything, game room, lots of space, yards, hiking trails, an infinity pool, a hot tub…

Yeah. That hot tub kicked off the weekend with a splash all right. With no lighting around it, and no railing either, my husband stepped out of it and right off the ledge—down a hill (at least fifteen feet), bouncing off boulders and thankfully, stopped by a fence. Otherwise, he’d have rolled for a LONG way.

Get this. He broke nothing. Don’t even ask me how (because we all know Who took care of that, right?).

Still, I spent my Christmas Eve sitting in an ER waiting for someone to tell us the damage (superficial scrapes and deep bruising). The whole time I thought, “This has got to be a book.”

Two years later, it was.

I say this at the end of the book, but I need to say it again.

People who know our family will recognize some of my kids (I left four of them out of the story). They will also say, “Wait, she’s not like that!”

And that’s the point. I put just enough of real people in it to really capture the feel of the personalities, meshed some quirks (including the ones that got left out), and then set them in a stressful situation and really way over-exaggerated actual responses. I want to say this here again. None of us acted just like I portrayed us in Sand & Mistletoe (although, frankly, I wouldn’t have blamed a couple of them if they’d wanted to). Unlike A Bird Died, I didn’t even try to stick to facts.

Instead of San Diego hill country, I put us at my favorite beach—Ventura. I stuck our rented beach house where the Pierpont Inn is/used to be (don’t even know if it exists anymore). Reese’s parents live in the house I lived in when I was nine—right there on Pierpont just a block from the beach. And where they went to get mistletoe… one of my favorite places in the world.

So, here’s my version of the tale—the one I wrote instead of told. Just like Francie Nolan learned from her teacher in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. When I tell the story, I tell it exactly how it happened. However… I wrote what should (not) have happened! (this is much more interesting than the real story).

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, October 12

Emily Yager, October 12

The Book Chic Blog, October 12

Inklings and notions, October 13

Get Cozy Book Nook, October 13

For Him and My Family, October 14

Blogging With Carol, October 14

deb’s Book Review, October 15

lakesidelivingsite, October 15

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 16

Splashes of Joy, October 16

Labor Not in Vain, October 16

She Lives To Read, October 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 18

Mary Hake, October 18

Livin’ Lit, October 19

Artistic Nobody, October 19 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 20

Spoken from the Heart, October 20

Lots of Helpers, October 21

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 22

Batya’s Bits, October 22

As He Leads is joy, October 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 23

Simple Harvest Reads, October 24 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

SusanLovesBooks, October 24

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, October 25

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 25

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the prize package including a signed paperback & a handmade ornament!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/101f6/sand-mistletoe-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, October 11, 2020

About the Book

Book: Jesus is Coming Soon

Author: Guillermo Maldonado

Genre: Christian Theology/Eschatology

Release Date: August 14, 2020

Shakings, Signs, and the Return of Christ

You are mentioned in biblical prophecy. You may not be mentioned by name, but you are included there. End-times prophecies speak of faithful followers of Jesus—called the “remnant”—who are ready for the last days and His return, but they also speak of those who are unprepared or fall away before His appearing.

Which prophecy will you fulfill?

Jesus Is Coming Soon: Discern the End-Time Signs and Prepare for His Return will help you be certain you are part of God’s remnant. The signs of the end of the age and Jesus’s appearing are evident in the physical and spiritual worlds. But most people, including Christians, have not recognized them. What signs has God given to announce the culmination of His purposes for the world? How can we discern them? How can we prepare? This book will unfold:

The reason for the unprecedented natural and spiritual shakings in our world
What the signs tell us, including unusual signs such as blood moons
How God works according to seasons, eras, and the fullness of time
How Jewish feasts point to the ages of man, accurately showing us God’s time clock
Which imminent biblical signs and promises have yet to be fulfilled
The judgments God is bringing to the earth

God has given prophecies concerning Israel, the church, and the world. And His Spirit is disclosing His last-days purposes right now. We need to know how to receive the vital revelation and prophetic knowledge He wants to share with His people. When we have this foreknowledge, we can understand the times and prepare for His final plans for the earth.

God intends the church to be a community of hope, revival, and supernatural power in the midst of dark times. There is a spirit of confusion in the world today. People must turn to God for the answers only He can give, and the church needs to be ready to provide those answers.

In these end times, you do not need to be fearful, discouraged, or distracted. Instead, you can know your true position in God before Christ’s appearing. You can be joyfully prepared, watching and waiting in expectation, with your spiritual eyes open. Live in God’s perfect will for your life and participate in His supernatural, last-days purposes!

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

Over the years there have been numerous books about Jesus coming back soon. I don’t think we will ever know for certain the exact time or day when this will happen. Perhaps there are signs that the time is near, but I have heard this for a long time. The author writes a book that has given me a lot of questions. I will say I disagree on many points he makes in the book.

I found the book to be very confusing and scriptures that were misquoted in order to adapt to his point of view. There are churches that don’t accept certain beliefs the author does. My view on this is that if it is in the Bible, then it is true. If the scripture has been rewritten then it doesn’t line up with the Word of God. I did find one thing very intriguing. I didn’t know that the word “rapture” was never used in the Bible. That astonishing fact set me back a bit. I have always heard about the rapture but never realized that word was never used in scriptures.

Losing your salvation is sonething I have to comment on. The author says, “Another dangerous end-time heresy is “super grace.” This is the belief that “once saved, always saved.” Yes we do sin, but that doesn’t mean that we are no longer saved. If we had to ask to be saved every time we sinned, our entire life would be one big circle of asking to be saved over and over. I know this is a subject that some don’t agree on so I want readers to be very diligent while reading this book. There are many examples in the book which cause me to question the author. As readers, I recommend you read this book and study very closely what the Word says.

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

About the Author

Active in ministry for over twenty years, Apostle Guillermo Maldonado is the founder of King Jesus International Ministry—one of the fastest-growing multicultural churches in the United States—which has been recognized for its visible manifestations of God´s supernatural power. He is a spiritual father to 419 churches in 61 countries, which form the Supernatural Global Network, representing 700,000 people. He is also the founder of the University of the Supernatural Ministry (USM). Apostle Maldonado earned a doctorate in Christian counseling and a master’s degree in practical theology. He resides in Miami, Florida, with his wife and partner in ministry, Ana, and their two sons, Bryan and Ronald.

More about Guillermo

Apostle Guillermo Maldonado has written many books concerning the foundations of biblical truth, victorious Christian living, how to manifest the supernatural, and how to be established in the present purposes of God on earth. It is absolutely essential that every Christian read his new book, Jesus Is Coming Soon. All scriptural end-time signs regarding the world, Israel, and the church are coming to a climax. By reading this book, you will discover how to be properly prepared to co-labor with Christ in completing the final things that must be fulfilled for Jesus to return (Acts 3:21). Bless you, Guillermo, for providing such a valuable book for the Holy Spirit to use to prepare the church for Christ’s return.
—Bishop Bill Hamon
Christian International Apostolic-Global Network
Author of numerous books, including The Eternal Church, Prophets and Personal Prophecy, and Prophets and the Prophetic Movement

Are you ready? Are you prepared for what is coming in the last days and at the end of the age? The phrase Maranatha was on the lips of the early disciples as they lived this life in preparation for the next. These electric words should not only be on our lips, too, but they should be a living reality in our hearts and lifestyles. In Jesus Is Coming Soon, Apostle Guillermo Maldonado clearly shows us how to live in light of eternity during these end times. Each of us must make sure we are ready for the final act of the greatest story ever told—the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Even so, come, our dear Lord Jesus Christ!
—Dr. James W. Goll
Founder, God Encounters Ministries
GOLL Ideation LLC