Sunday, April 30, 2023

About the Book

Book: A Troll Falls

Author: Marji Laine

Genre: ChristianHistorical Mystery, Fairytale retelling

Release date: March 7, 2023

Murder. Even the word sounds ugly. Almost as ugly as the corpse on the shore.

Dallas, Texas, 1948

Opal Stedman enjoys caring for old Mrs. Farnesworth. But keeping her sister Ruby out of trouble, well that is another issue entirely. Especially now that Ruby has stepped into high society with her new beau. A dubious man. Maybe even duplicitous.

Even the handsome security guard warns her sister about him. When a body is dragged onto the shore of the lake that borders their home, rumors and worries over the new man become assurances. But why has he involved her household in these gruesome shenanigans?

And why are Opal’s loved ones suddenly having “accidents”?

Loosely based on the little-known fairy tale of “Snow White and Rose Red” this mystery twists its way all along the banks of White Rock Lake during its heyday.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Marji Laine is a graduated home-schooling mom of four with two college students staying in the nest for a little longer. She and her hubby of 34 years also share their North Texas home with a rescue pup named Rosie. When Marji isn’t editing or publishing the books for her authors at Write Integrity Press, she indulges in penning her own mystery, suspense, and romance novels. She loves acting in musical comedy, has directed many stage productions, leads a high school Bible study and sings in her church choir. She prefers mountains to beaches, dogs to cats, NASCAR to football, Magnolia pie, white roses, green, and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. You can find her at her website: MarjiLaine.com

More from Marji

A Troll Falls is set in my hometown of Dallas, Texas around the time that my grandfather served as one of the fire captains in the area. I have pictures of my mom and my aunt posing near the spillway of White Rock Lake.

Yep, White Rock Lake is a real place less than ten miles from the central district of Dallas. I remember doing a Walk-a-Thon around the lake and playing softball on Saturday mornings at Winfrey Point, overlooking the lake with a view all the way to downtown. Swimming in the lake was never an option in my lifetime, but my mom remembered swimming there. Because the lake was a major reservoir for Dallas, they had to close it to swimming in the early 1950s due to a drought. By the mid-1950s, boating had made the lake dirty and crowded, so the city of Dallas closed it to motor boats that traveled faster than ten miles per hour. Aside from little fishing boats here and there, White Rock Lake is primarily a sail-boat lake now, and a beautiful sight on a clear day with a light breeze.

The Bonnie Barge is a real thing as well. The double-decker party and dance boat sailed around White Rock Lake from 1945-1956. Fraternities, church groups, reunions, and all types used the Bonnie Barge. Even such famous people as Gypsy Rose Lee and Billy Graham are rumored to have sailed on it, though not at the same time! Johnny Williams, Jr. grew up on the barge that his father built, often steering it even though he was underage. The young man who has the “find” in the Prologue is fashioned after him. Johnny actually did find a body once when he was sixteen, in a similar manner to what I described, except the deceased was a woman who had fallen into the lake and drowned after a night of drinking. The Bonnie Barge was a mainstay on White Rock Lake, but it relied on speed boats to come help in case of trouble. When the speed boats were ousted in 1956, the Bonnie Barge floated her last party as well. You can learn more about the Bonnie Barge here: https://lakewood.advocatemag.com/a-boat-named-bonnie/

On the shores of that lake lies the Dallas Arboretum, a beautiful collection of gardens that I visited often, field trips for my homeschooled kids. The focal point of the Arboretum is the DeGolyer House. Built in the 1930s, the house is fashioned after a Spanish Hacienda. I heard rumors about the house and the rare book collection that Mr. DeGolyer kept locked away in his library, and it became the inspiration for the Halling Estate in my book. You can learn more about the Dallas Arboretum (well worth the visit!) and the DeGolyer House here: https://www.dallasarboretum.org/

My fictional Halling Estate is situated on the lake about where the DeGolyer House still stands, but my imaginary house is a two-story hacienda instead of a single story. I also created a covered drive (called a dog-trot) that separates the kitchen from the garage and the servant apartments above the garage.

While I took some liberties with my 1948 Dallas, the Adolphus Hotel is the real deal. (I shared about it in my first book, A GIANT MURDER, too.) They really did have ice skating shows in their Century Ballroom in the 1940s and 50s. And the dance floor really did glide back over the ice for dancing after the shows were over. You can learn more about it here: https://flashbackdallas.com/2014/10/26/century-room/

I’ve always loved writing mysteries. I love the unexpected twists, and I usually have an idea of who the murderer will be before I start the story. Adding the element of history to the mix has been sheer pleasure. I love setting my stories in and around real places, events, and people. I hope you enjoy A TROLL FALLS as well!

MY REVIEW

This is a nice clean mystery set in the 1940s. I enjoyed Opal and Ruby and how they looked out for each other. As sisters they were very close and loved to spend time together. I really loved Mrs. Farnesworth and for me was the star of the book. She was very wise and had a big heart for those she loved. I am not familiar with the fairy tale that this story is loosely based. I did have to look it up and now see how the author cleverly tied the two stories together.

The mystery is good and I liked how we are introduced to characters that are not what they seem to be. I could tell that there were quite a few secrets in the story which somehow got our two sisters facing danger. Those who love a good mystery will find this book intriguing with a bit of faith added in just the right places. Be prepared for some twists in the story as well as characters that are fun to get to know.

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 27

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 28

Denise L. Barela, April 29 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 29

Texas Book-aholic, April 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 1

For the Love of Literature, May 2 (Author Interview)

Lily’s Book Reviews, May 3

Connie’s History Classroom, May 4

Guild Master, May 5 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 6

Blogging With Carol, May 7

Through the Fire Blogs, May 8 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marji is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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/25ade/a-troll-falls-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, April 27, 2023

About the Book

Book: When Tomorrow Came

Author: Hannah Linder

Genre:Christian Fiction / Historical / Romance

Release date: April, 2023

They Waited Their Whole Lives for Their Papa to Return

Nan and Heath Duncan, siblings abandoned by their papa and abused by their guardian, have no choice but to survive on the London streets. When a kind gentleman rescues Nan from such a life, the siblings are separated and raised in two vastly different social worlds. Just when both are beginning to flourish and years have healed some of their wounds, their long-awaited papa returns and reunites them—bringing demands with him. Nan is expected to marry a rich suitor she’s never liked, and Heath is expected to forsake his gentle spirit and become the hardened man his father always was.

Dangers unfold, secret love develops, fights ensue, and murder upsets the worlds Heath and Nan have built for themselves.

They’ve waited their whole lives for their papa to return, for tomorrow to come—but now that it has, will they be able to see through to the truth and end this whirlwind of a nightmare before it costs one of their lives?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and International bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and a self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, and ukulele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

More from Hannah

Love interests me. Not just in the romantic sense, but in every sense, because love is the driving emotion behind so much of what we do. It’s the heartbeat of everything. What do we have but love? Yet isn’t it the very essence of our greatest pain?

Sometimes it doesn’t make sense. Sometimes love has no reason. Like a tumultuous wind or a wet branch that sways in different directions, love is often petulant and aimless and powerful. But sometimes it’s soft, like a flower lifting dewy petals to the sunshine. The epitome of everything good, sweet, and true.

What makes love change? What makes two friends who have always been fraternal one day confess romantic affection? How much wrong, how much affliction, does it take for sweet love to sizzle into hatred? Even then, is it really hatred? Or merely the charred crust of the adoration still throbbing beneath? And how strong are the cords of new love? Will they break at every pull and tug, or are they more unfaltering than anyone might think?

Maybe those are silly questions. Maybe, like snowflakes, every heart knows a different answer. But if I explored anything in When Tomorrow Came, it was this. I glided through the story and felt love shift from brotherly to intimate, from hopeful to disappointed, from untested to proven, from safe to betrayed.

Just as love is the heartbeat of life, it is also the heartbeat of this story. I hope you will find yourself falling in love with the characters and their journey as much as I did.

MY REVIEW

What an emotional journey the author has taken readers on in this book. I was immediately drawn to Heath and his sister Nan. Abandoned on the streets by their father they had to beg and steal for food. Their shelter was nothing more than a place to try to keep warm. I loved how faithful they were and held on to the promise their father told them before he left. He told them not to leave from their spot because he was coming back to get them. After a long time their dreams vanished and knew in their heart he was not coming anytime soon.

It is hard not to talk about Nan without also mentioning Heath. Their bond was powerful and Heath was always there to protect his sister. As you read the story you will see how their lives went separately but they never forgot each other. Nan is such a strong character but she also had this innocence about her. Heath was determined yet would take blame if it would save his sister in a situation. I felt the emotions from these two characters deeply and appreciate how the author shows how different yet the sane their journey took them.

The story does deal with sone sensitive subjects like abuse and alcoholism which may be a trigger for some readers. We see the ugly side of two characters who represent evil as they use others. There is someone that comes into Nan’s life that shows her how a lady should be treated. Gilbert was wise and compassionate as he tried to win Nan over. It is easy to see why Nan is guarded around people when she has heard nothing but cruel words from her father.

I don’t think I can put into words how evil Nan and Heath’s father was. He had no guilt when it came to using his daughter for his own selfish reasons. When she pleads with him I cried with her. Heath comes to the rescue but it may cost him his life or freedom.

At the close of the book, it was a little unsettling at times but we do see how forgiveness can set you free from the things that keep you from happiness. In the end the truth wins out as we see a new beginning for others.

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

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, April 28

To Everything There Is A Season, April 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 29

Connie’s History Classroom, April 30

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, April 30

Lily’s Book Reviews, May 1

Genesis 5020, May 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 2

Betti Mace, May 3

Book Looks by Lisa, May 3

Labor Not in Vain, May 4

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, May 4

Cover Lover Book Review, May 5

Blogging With Carol, May 6

For Him and My Family, May 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 7

Where Faith and Books Meet, May 8

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 8

Holly’s Book Corner, May 9

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 10

Splashes of Joy, May 10

Pause for Tales, May 11

Books I’ve Read, May 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Hannah is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a print copy of the book!!

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/25adf/when-tomorrow-came-celebration-tour-giveaway

HAMMOCKS, HANDGUNS & HEARSAY BY TONYA KAPPES

Grab your hammock and your bug spray, and join Mae and the Laundry Club Ladies on a wild ride through Happy Trails Campground, where the only thing more dangerous than the handguns is the gossip.

When famous bounty hunter Colt Lincoln is found dead in the Smelly Dog Groomer, clutching a sponge curler that belongs to Dottie Swaggert, Mae West and the Laundry Club Ladies know they've got a real doozy of a case on their hands. Despite Colt's catfishing ways and the fact that he'd parked his fifth wheel camper in Happy Trails Campground, owned by Mae and run by Dottie, they know their friend couldn't have done it.

As they start digging, they discover that Colt had been chasing a member of a notorious motorcycle gang member across the country. To complicate matters further, there's a motorcycle convention in town, and the Laundry Club Ladies have to go undercover to find out if any of the gang members are among the convention attendees.

But that's not all - Mae's mama, Mary Elizabeth, is breathing down her neck about finalizing her wedding plans with her fiancé Hank. With a killer on the loose and the campground buzzing with rumors, Mae's got her hands full.

As Mae and her pals weave their way through the hearsay and red herrings, they uncover a web of deceit that threatens to take down more than just Colt. With the killer still on the loose and time running out, Mae must use all her Southern charm and camping know-how to catch the culprit.

Will they catch the killer before it's too late, or will this case be the one that got away?

MY REVIEW

Welcome back to another fun adventure with Mae and The Laundry Club Ladies. This time the murder involves a well know bounty hunter. He has a television show and has found himself in Normal, Kentucky. I loved how the author brings excitement to the story with danger right from the start. Once again one of Mae’s friends is accused of the murder which puts Mae in a fight to solve the mystery. Our ladies are still feisty and full of shenanigans as they wade through the evidence.

Motorcycles, Mobs and Guns oh my does this story have it all. The secrets are many and the truths are hard to find in this fast pace story. I love following Mae as she unravels the clues while finding herself once again in danger. Mae finds herself getting closer to the truth while back at camp, a couple’s bridal shower was being planned. Leave it to the ladies to keep priorities in place.

The ending is very good with suspects coming forward, undercover work being exposed and a killer caught in a web of deceit. I can’t wait for the next in this series to be available. For now I say see you soon Mae and friends. Job well done.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

About the Book

Book: Wheeler’s Design

Author: Rachel Skatvold

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: March 28, 2023

Clay is messy and so is Sabrina’s life sometimes, but will God mold it into a work of art?

Sabrina Wheeler, single mom and business owner, won a scholarship to expand her pottery studio on Luamua Island. Now, she can finally have the career and life she’s been praying for. The scholarship includes a mentor, and Sabrina is anxious to make a good impression.

For Chad Berkley, an impromptu business trip to the Suamalie Islands couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Aside from it triggering his OCD personality, he also has important obligations in Yorkshire, and being absent for a month was not in his plans. The new assignment is an honor, however, and a huge step up in his career. He can’t risk disappointing his boss now.

But then he sees Sabrina. After their brief meeting at the business conference, he hasn’t stopped thinking of her. How had he missed that she is the business owner he’s been sent to mentor? Talk about distractions on his first big assignment. Will he be able to push his personal feelings aside and keep his focus on business?

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Rachel Skatvold is a Christian author and stay-at-home mom from the Midwest. She enjoys writing Christian romance and devotionals. Rachel has published over a dozen novels, including books in 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 and Brides of Pelican Rapids 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

Sabrina Wheeler’s life has not gone quite the way she imagined. As a single mom, waitress, and in-home art studio owner with many responsibilities, she often wonders how her life could have gone if she’d taken a different path. After attending a small business convention and winning a scholarship to launch her mobile art studio, Sabriana sees her path shifting. Could this signal a new beginning for her? Find out in Wheeler’s Design.

Wheeler’s Design is inspired by the verse, Isaiah 64:8. “And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all formed by your hand.”

During hard times we can all feel as though our lives resemble lumps of discarded clay. Yet, the truth is, we are God’s masterpiece in progress. He is still molding and shaping us into what we are meant to be. He will never discard us if we are His children.

During high school, I discovered a love for making pottery. While learning the art, it amazed me clay can be recycled over and over if the project doesn’t turn out right. It only has to be dried out a little and wedged until all the air bubbles are out before it can be molded into something new. As a busy homeschool mom and author I don’t have as much time for art, but it is still something I enjoy and have taught my children how to throw a pot on our pottery wheel at home. This special experience with my kids provided the inspiration for the relationship between Sabrina and her daughter, Hazel, who both share a love for making pottery.

Thank you for following the celebration tour for Wheeler’s Design. Please remember to follow the blog stops this week and don’t forget to enter in the giveaway!

MY REVIEW

This story introduces us to Sabrina and Chad. There are some cameos from other characters from the previous series that add a bit of excitement. I loved how the author brings Chad to the islands where Sabrina lives and helps her see her dream of having her own shop come to life. I was able to really connect with Sabrina as she becomes a vital part of the story. The islands sound so nice and I love how you feel like you are there enjoying the scenery. I did have to go get some pineapple while reading the book though. You will understand why when you enjoy this wonderful adventure.

Let’s talk about Sabrina and her past a little. Her life was changed the minute she decided to let her guard down and go against what she knew was wrong. From that came a blessing of a wonderful child named Hazel. What we discover is how Sabrina was abandoned by the father as well as others and left to raise her daughter on her own. It is evident that Hazel is loved and has turned into a beautiful young girl with values and faith.

I loved how Sabrina is blessed with a scholarship to have a pottery shop on wheels. I enjoyed learning more about pottery and how much work it takes to make something. Sabrina’s knowledge is evident and her enthusiasm is contagious as Chad helps her design her new shop. What I found endearing was how Sabrina felt comfortable around Chad and allowed him to become acquainted with her daughter.

Chad has a lot going on with his mum being ill and now taking on the task of helping Sabrina. Leaving London to take on this new responsibility is challenging for him but I liked how his confidence was reinforced by his boss and Sabrina. Don’t miss the added bonus of seeing who Chad’s boss is and how generous he is to everyone. Chad is charming and easy to like with his positive attitude.

The story does have a few emotional moments that are important to mention. Without giving any details away be looking for a moment where forgiveness is illustrated. Oh how I loved the way the author shared this important scene that made me cry. I will never forget this from the book which says, “Holding on to bitterness is the worst kind of poison. It steals your life away.”

The other scene I will briefly mention is a moment where someone jumps to conclusion about a situation that almost causes a missed opportunity of happiness. We sometimes see a situation in the wrong way and pass judgment. This part in the story is significant because it allows us to see how we need to give grace and trust those we care about. I loved this story and found it to be very well written.

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