Sunday, August 26, 2018

About the Book

Title: Ties that Blind

Author: Chautona Havig TiesThatBlind-sm

Release date: August, 2018

Genre: Suspense

He may not be the only person in the Rockland area to wake up without a memory, but he might be the only killer…

Simon Prescott, the latest victim of spontaneous amnesia in Rockland, is under suspicion of murder. The evidence, though weak and circumstantial, points only to him. He’s confident he didn’t do it, but there’s no way to prove it. Grieving for a wife he doesn’t remember, Simon refuses to allow his family in, refuses to cooperate with police, and is heading straight for the pokey if he doesn’t figure out something and fast.

Enter: Ella Weeks and Vikki Jeffries. The previous two victims are determined to help him, and with jail time looming, Simon capitulates. But what Vikki and Ella find as they work through Simon’s life reveals astounding and rather chilling evidence of a bigger scheme than any of them could have imagined.

They’re on the verge of total discovery, but the closer they get, the less confident they are that they want to know.

About the Author

The author of dozens of books in a variety of genres, Chautona Havig lives and writes in California’s Mojave Desert where she uses story to nudge her readers to the feet of the Master Storyteller.

Guest Post from Chautona

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN, ANYWAY?

“So why is this series called ‘Sight Unseen’ if it’s about people who lose their memories? Why the vision references?”

I can’t pretend I wanted to answer her question. She isn’t the first to ask, and I doubt she’ll be the last. I tried to explain.

Look, it’s a valid question. Originally, the first book was called From the Cinders, and if it had remained a stand-alone book, it still would be. But when I finished with another person waking up to no memories and a hint that something sinister might be behind it all, I had to change it to fit two books—no, three!

Recall. Rewind. Refresh. I liked those titles. But that still didn’t give me the name of a series. I kept studying. Tried again.

I read what would become None So Blind three times in a row, if I recall correctly. And as I read it, a theme emerged. Ella Weeks hadn’t been blind to her faults even before her memory loss. Even her husband hadn’t been, despite his obvious love for her. But those around her had been blind to her awareness of those faults—to her silent cries for help in overcoming them.

WILL NOT SEE EMERGED WITH A SIMILAR THEME.

Vikki had a past that she hid from and refused to acknowledge. And even as those around her drew closer to provide support, she still managed to block out all that she found frightening—even physically shutting down and shutting out life.

So, when it came time to plan the final book in the series, the one that would now tie together everything that had happened, I knew I wanted something that also fit with the other titles. And one night it came to me. Ties That Blind.So often our ties to people blind us to their faults—to the destructive influences they have in our lives. And Simon Prescott will learn that lesson in a rather lonely, horrible way.

THE SIGHT UNSEEN SERIES REMINDS US OF WHAT PAUL SAID IN CORINTHIANS.

Now we see through dark glasses… we can’t really make it all out. But with the Lord, when we’re truly with Him in eternity, we’ll see things as clearly as we do when we are face to face.

And that’s what faith is all about, right? It’s the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When we “buy in” to the Lord Jesus, we’re taking it all in faith. We’re trusting in Him, “Sight Unseen,” just as the characters in this series do with every element of their lives.

I hope their journeys bless you as they have me as I wrote them.

If you are looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a must read. When a book grabs my attention right away, I know I am in for an exciting reading adventure. The author writes a very intense story that sent chills up and down my arms. How many of us have wished we could forget something from our past? Would you take a chance on a procedure that could free you from painful memories not knowing if there are any side effects?

Simon is the main focus in this story. I thought he was serious at times and had a very dry sense of humor. I loved the beginning of the story when Simon realizes he doesn't know who he is. The sudden knowledge that he has no clue where he is or who he is one of the best plots I have ever read. The author makes the story real with details that draw you in. I rooted for Simon as he discovers he is a suspect in his wive's death. I can't imagine waking up not knowing who you are. I would be scared, anxious and not knowing who I could trust.

As I read the book, I kept thinking about all the trials I have been through. I have even been asked if I could change the things I went through, would I. My answer has always been no. I believe everything I have gone through was to make me stronger and an example of God's grace and unconditional love.

I found the story to be very intriguing and there are places in the story where the brilliance of a gifted author shines through with subtle hints of what is to come. Simon knows deep down that he would never kill his wife. So the looming question is, who did it and why? Readers as you find yourself deeper in the story, be prepared for twists that will shock you and question who is able to be trusted. Trust is a big glaring word that a lot of us have trouble with. It was refreshing to see that characters turned to their faith and spent time talking to God. I was surprised at how much deceit went on with people who presented themselves as good people. The bottom line is "the love of money is the root of all evil." That verse is very prevalent in this story and it will be the undoing for some.

Thank you for writing a story with a medical plot much like you would find from authors like Robin Cook or Michael Palmer. In my opinion the author has surpassed these authors in plot lines, character development and medical knowledge. It is apparent that the author has done intense research about medical procedures which makes the story more realistic . As other reviewers have mentioned, I highly recommend reading the other books in the series to become familiar with the characters. If you have not read one of the author's books before, what are you waiting for?

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

Blog Stops

Live. Love. Read. , August 18

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 18

Inklings and notions, August 19

Blossoms and Blessings, August 19

Fiction Aficionado, August 20

Among the Reads, August 20

Kaylee’s Kind Of Writes, August 21

Blogging With Carol, August 21

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, August 22

Lots of Helpers, August 22

Cordially Barbara, August 23

All-of-a-kind Mom, August 23

Multifarious, August 24

Christian Bookaholic, August 24

proud to be an autism mom, August 25

Bibliophile Reviews, August 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 25

Texas Book-aholic, August 26

Janices book reviews, August 26

A Reader’s Brain, August 27

Jeanette’s Thoughts, August 27

Maureen’s Musings, August 28

Carpe Diem, August 28

Margaret Kazmierczak, August 29

A Baker’s Perspective, August 29

Bigreadersite, August 30

Mary Hake, August 30

Pause for Tales, August 31

Readers cozy corner, August 31

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away a grand prize of the entire Sight Unseen series in paperback!!

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/d295/ties-that-blind-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book Title: Out of North Korea

Author: Alana Terry

Genre: Christian Thriller/Suspense

Release date: June 25, 2018

A single photograph could cost his life …

Ian McAllister has searched the world over, hunting for that all-elusive perfect photograph.

He finds it on a tourist trip to North Korea when he stumbles upon a young street kid foraging for roots.

Unaware that this single act will brand him a spy and cost his freedom, Ian takes the shot.

Now he must pay the penalty.

A true-to-life novel about an American imprisoned behind North Korea’s closed borders.

A gripping tale of courage, faith, and hope from award-winning Christian novelist Alana Terry.

About the Author

Alana is a pastor’s wife, homeschooling mom, self-diagnosed chicken lady, and Christian suspense author. Her novels have won awards from Women of Faith, Book Club Network, Grace Awards, Readers’ Favorite, and more. Alana’s passion for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom shines through her writing, and her books are known for raising tough questions without preaching. She and her family live in rural Alaska where the northern lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer make hauling water, surviving the annual mosquito apocalypse, and cleaning goat stalls in negative forty degrees worth every second.

Guest Post from Alana Terry

Have you seen in the news that the leaders of North and South Korea have both publicly stated their willingness to promote peace on the Korean peninsula? It was certainly a historic moment, and this part of the world has earned its place in global headlines.

My interest in North Korea, however, goes back over a decade, when as a young mother I received a prayer burden for the people of North Korea. Fast-forward to five years ago when my debut novel was released. The Beloved Daughter follows the life of a young girl who is sent to prison camp because of her father’s Christian faith. In addition to winning several awards, The Beloved Daughter gave an expression to my prayer burden to see North Korea free to worship the one true God.

Out of North Korea is unique among my other titles because it’s the first story that focuses on an American in North Korea. Ian McAllister is captured and held in a Pyongyang prison because of a photograph he took of a young homeless boy. I hope the message leaves you as inspired and encouraged as I was when I was writing it.

What I like most about this author is her ability to take subjects that are difficult to talk about and put them in a story that is intriguing and realistic. She has never been one to hold back and always writes with confidence. Her stories are gripping and powerful. This story started off with an image we see in movies and I gasped as the drama played out. I always walk away from her books with a better understanding of how much God loves us.

Ian is in way over his head and I'm not sure he will be able to talk his way out of this mess he is in. How intimidating would it be if you were in a foreign country being questioned by people who want the truth ? You can feel your life hanging by a thread and any hope of some special force team rushing in to save you is just a dream. Ian is not having a good day when he is locked up in a North Korean prison. Day after day, he is starved, uncomfortable and asked repeatedly to write down the reason he is in their country. I could feel the frustration as each time he writes, they reject his confession. Ian at some point will have to find strength in order to survive.

I loved reading how Ian found a sense of humor during his captivity. When he decides to write a confession he is sure his captors will think is a joke , the real terror begins. He has made a huge miscalculation and his time is about to get down right uncomfortable. One picture taken to capture the true essence of how the people are treated there will forever haunt him. It made me think of all the homeless people we have right here in our own country. We walk around them as they beg for help. We turn the other way, when we should be reaching out to help them. Ian talks about the injustice we Americans are guilty of in our own backyard. I can see why some people may be turned off by Christianity. We have a bible that tells us how to be the hands and feet of Jesus, but are we following His example? The author really speaks truth through Ian as the story reflects how Christians are judgmental and at times unforgiving.

Ian being a prisoner in North Korea has really opened his eyes to the injustice of the world. We condemn a country for mistreatment of people, yet we do the same thing in our own country. Ian is really a reflection of many of us. As he sits as a prisoner, he sees how little he has done for others. The time Ian spends in prison is heartbreaking. His time there is everything I imagined of a place that is surrounded by torture and death. The story brought tears to my eyes as Ian tries to hang on to hope that someday he will be released. I have to say that this story will stay with me forever. It is a story that reaches deep into your soul and pulls the ugliness out. I wish I has a grandma Lucy praying for me. She is the example of someone that never gives up praying. Will her steadfast faith keep Ian's hope alive? Can he find a way to endure his plight and find his way to Jesus? If you have doubts about your faith, struggling with circumstances, then this book is written just for you.

" I see hope where before there was only despair."

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 16

All of a kind Mom, August 16

Multifarious, August 17

Mary Hake, August 17

Bibliophile Reviews, August 18

Just the Write Escape, August 19

Genesis 5020, August 20

Purposeful Learning, August 20

Margaret Kazmierczak, August 21

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, August 21

Inklings and notions, August 22

Blogging With Carol, August 22

Maureen’s Musings, August 23

proud to be an autism mom, August 23

Carpe Diem, August 24

A Baker’s Perspective, August 25

Texas Book-aholic, August 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

A Reader’s Brain, August 27

Janices book reviews, August 28

Jeanette’s Thoughts, August 28

Henry Happens, August 29

Bigreadersite, August 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Alana is giving away a grand prize of a $30 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/d06d/out-of-north-korea-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book Title: The Hope Jar (The Prayer Jars, Book 1)

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Genre: Amish Fiction

Release date: August 7, 2018

A Brand-New Series from New York Times Best Selling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter.

What happens when making an elderly Amish couple very happy means going along with a lie that gets bigger by the day?

Michelle Taylor is not who her new family in Lancaster County believes her to be. The Lapps were looking for their long-lost granddaughter when they met Michelle and she assumed the identity of Sara Murray. Once homeless and hopeless, Michelle has come to love her new Amish friends and even considers the idea of romance among them.

Finding an old blue jar in the barn that is filled with slips of paper containing thoughts, quotes, and prayers by an unknown author becomes a boost to Michelle’s budding faith— but also convicting. How can she tell the truth without hurting the ones she has truly come to love?

About the Author

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda’s stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.

Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Make your own Prayer Jar!

Want to make your own prayer jar to pass along to future generations? CLICK HERE to download a printable template you can use to write your sentiments on. Simply cut out each strip of paper when you’re finished and put them in the jar of your choice.

http://deana0326.blogspot.com/2018/08/hope-jar-by-wanda-e.html

Blog Stops

Janices book reviews, August 14

Among the Reads, August 14

The Avid Reader, August 14

Reflections From My Bookshelves, August 15

Just Commonly, August 15

Genesis 5020, August 16

Mary Hake, August 16

Bigreadersite, August 16

Lighthouse Academy, August 17

Seasons of Opportunities, August 17

Christian Bookaholic, August 18

Luv’N Lambert Life, August 18

Random Thoughts From a Bookworm, August 19

Blossoms and Blessings, August 19

Splashes of Joy, August 20

SusanLovesBooks, August 20

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 21

Because I said so — adventures in parenting, August 21

Two Points of Interest, August 22

Southern Gal Loves to Read, August 22

Cafinated Reads, August 23

Quiet quilter, August 23

Have A Wonderful Day, August 24

Carpe Diem, August 24

A Baker’s Perspective, August 25

Bibliophile Reviews, August 25

proud to be an autism mom, August 26

Texas Book-aholic, August 26

Reader’s Cozy Corner, August 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

Jeanette’s Thoughts, August 27

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Wanda is giving away a grand prize that includes a $25 Amazon Gift Card, jar-shaped notepad, and a copy of The Hope Jar (with an autographed book plate inside).

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d40a/the-hope-jar-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

About the Book

Book Title: Chaos: In the Blink of an Eye

Author: Patrick Higgins

Genre: Christian Mystery/Suspense

Release date: September, 2015

It was the weekend before Thanksgiving. More than 100,000 fans were jammed inside Michigan Stadium, on their feet, to witness a heated football rivalry that had spanned more than 100 years. As the football was kicked into the snow-filled sky, they were about to get the shock of their lives, as long-foretold Bible prophecy came to pass before their very eyes, causing many to vanish into thin air without a trace.

But what they soon realized was that it reached far beyond Michigan Stadium. Chaos of unimaginable proportions ensued worldwide. Shock, fear and panic filled each heart and mind. It was just the beginning of things to come, as life as humanity had known it was forever changed in the blink of an eye…

About the Author

Patrick Higgins is the author of The Pelican Trees, Coffee In Manila, the award-winning The Unannounced Christmas Visitor, and the award-winning prophetic end-times series, Chaos In The Blink Of An Eye. While the stories he writes all have different themes and take place in different settings, the one thread that links them all together is his heart for Jesus and his yearning for the lost.

With that in mind, it is his wish that the message his stories convey will greatly impact each reader, by challenging you not only to contemplate life on this side of the grave, but on the other side as well. After all, each of us will spend eternity at one of two places, based solely upon a single decision which must be made this side of the grave. That decision will be made crystal clear to each reader of his books.

Higgins is currently writing many other books, both fiction and non-fiction, including a sequel to Coffee In Manila, which will shine a bright, sobering light on the diabolical human trafficking industry.

Guest Post from Patrick Higgins

What started the Chaos in the Blink of an Eye series for me stems from my deep love of sports, which, I admit has diminished considerably over the years. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy watching and attending sporting events whenever I have the time. But these days I view them from an entirely different perspective than when I wore a younger man’s face and displayed a weaker man’s faith in God.

This slow but gradual shrinking away started soon after the Lord impressed upon my heart that the fastest growing religion in America, and the world for that matter, wasn’t Christianity or Islam, but “sports”. Every day of the week—including Sundays—millions of fans fill stadiums and arenas (or shall I say cathedrals?) worldwide to worship their heroes.

Whatever the sport, fans show up in droves to cheer on mere mortals as if they were gods. When their teams win life is good. When they lose life is miserable.

As a once-guilty participant for many years, I should know.

The passion most fans have for their favorite players and sports teams is the same passion they should have in pursuing the One who saw their unformed bodies from the foundations of the world, the very One who knit them together inside their mothers’ wombs.

Tragically, this is not the case. Hence, the reason for the CHAOS series. The sporting event chosen for this story was the famed Michigan-Ohio State college football rivalry.

Prior to writing the prequel, I traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan to attend the game. I admit I was just as caught up in the mass hysteria as everyone else. It was impossible not to be swept up into the vortex that had completely engulfed the vibrant college town.

The energy was quite palpable. So much so that I had to remind myself more than once that I was there to research and observe everything connected to the game, then put it all into words for my readers. The sporting event itself was secondary.

Though the prequel initially centers on the football game, in no way is this a sports series. This will become quite clear to you when Bible prophecy comes to pass inside Michigan Stadium, and many vanish into thin air, leaving everyone still inside the stadium utterly panic-stricken.

It was just the beginning of things to come, as life as humanity had known it was forever changed in the blink of an eye…

Enjoy reading…

It is a typical time for people as they prepare for the Thanksgiving holidays. There is a lot of hustle and bustle going on. No one is focused on anything but getting ready for the big family get together coming up. They all have agendas and are rushing to get things done. I enjoyed reading and getting to know the characters in the book.

Just below the surface of our existence something is looming. No one knows when it will happen, but as prophesied in the bible, the rapture is coming.. The author prepares us for the beginning of what will become chaotic, scary, and unpredictable. We are not guaranteed one moment on this earth. In a blink of an eye, a second in time everything will change. I liked how the author gets readers engaged enough in the story to want to continue the series. I will be reading the next in this explosive series eagerly awaiting what happens to the characters.

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