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Saturday, June 27, 2020

About the Book

Book:  Texas Twin Abduction
Author: Virginia Vaughan
Genre:  Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Texas Twin Abduction CoverThis twin’s past is a blank…
And she might not have a future.
Waking up in a bullet-ridden car with a bag of cash and a deputy insisting she’s his ex-fiancée, Ashlee Taylor has no memory of what happened—or of Lawson Avery. But with her twin missing and someone hunting her down, she must trust him with her life. Can Lawson save her and her sister—even as Ashlee’s forgotten secrets become an inescapable trap?


Click here to get your copy!
 MY REVIEW 
The first installment in this new series is action packed and lacks nothing for suspense fans. I was intrigued by the title because I have always thought twins were fascinating. Bree and Ashlee are identical twins but one wanders off into the world where danger awaits. The opening pages set the stage for a story filled  with drug dealers, secrets and a bit of romance. 
I wasn’t sure at first if I would like the storyline of one of the twins having amnesia but the author plots the story in a way that captures mystery and questions that kept me reading. It is a fast read but don’t be fooled by that. It is packed with characters that I wanted to know more about. I can’t say much about the story because I can’t give anything away. The author threw in a few twists that I didn’t see coming. I’m pretty good at guessing plots, but this one took me by surprise.
Lawson adds an element of knight in shining armor as he lays  aside the past. The faith element is just enough that it is not preachy but definitely shows how someone can change when they give their life to Jesus. Lawson is determined to find out what is going on and why his ex fiancée is involved. I loved , loved, loved the way the author shows us through a character that God is a God of second chances. I hope the author is hard at work on the next book in this exciting series.

 I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit.

About the Author

virginia-vaughan-HR-2Virginia Vaughan is a multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger.



More from Virginia

Thanks for joining me for a brand new adventure. TEXAS TWIN ABDUCTION is the first book in my new Cowboy Lawmen series and it’s a departure from what I normally write. I love writing about cops and serial killers so when my editor first suggested the cowboy/western theme, I was hesitant. I’m a city girl at heart so this was so far out of my comfort zone! But I couldn’t resist for long. After all, who doesn’t love a cowboy? Thankfully, I found a way to merge what I loved—law enforcement, FBI, US Marshals—with the cowboy/family themed books my editor wanted to see by making my group of hero brothers a family of law enforcement types with ties to the family ranch. The best of both words. Score!
Book one in this new series, TEXAS TWIN ABDUCTION, begins with my hero, little brother Lawson Avery, in a quandary. All he ever wanted out of life was to run his family’s Texas ranch, but his ex-fiancée Ashlee’s final words to him as she skipped out on their wedding was that his desire for the simple life made him unambitious and unworthy of her love. Her words broke him, sending him searching for something more meaningful to do with his life, eventually winding up as a deputy in the sheriff’s office. But, despite law enforcement being in his blood, Lawson finally realized that life wasn’t for him and made plans to return to the ranch. However, his plans are sidetracked when he finds Ashlee unconscious on the side of the road in a bullet-ridden car with no memory of him or their past together. When it becomes clear that someone wants her dead, Lawson steps in to act as her protector. But will digging into the mysteries of her past cost him the future he still longs to have with her?
I hope you enjoy this book and this brand new series! Look for the next book—older brother US Marshal Miles Avery’s story—coming in TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT this October.

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, June 24
Bigreadersite, June 24
Simple Harvest Reads, June 28 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Betti Mace, June 29
Genesis 5020, June 29
Emily Yager, July 3
Hookmeinabook, July 4
EmpowerMoms, July 5
Mary Hake, July 5
Hallie Reads, July 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Virginia is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card and a copy of Texas Twin Abduction!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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About the Book

Book:  The Green Dress
Author: Liz Tolsma
Genre: Christian Historical Suspense
Release Date: June 2020
Death Seems to Follow Harriet’s New Friend
Book 6 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History
When Harriet Peters came to Boston in 1882, the Robinson family took her in like one of their own, and Harriet became closer to Lizzie Robinson than her own siblings. Now, four years later, Lizzie is deathly sick, failing quickly just like several others in her family have done over the past few years. How can so many in one family die from the same mysterious illness? Harriet doesn’t have answers, but she is determined to help the family, bringing in a new-to-the-neighborhood doctor, Michael Wheaton.
As Harriet and Michael close in on the answer, putting their own lives at risk, can the cause be found before anyone else dies?


Click here to get your copy!
MY REVIEW 

I am enjoying this series that lets readers into a world of crime and what it might have been like to be there when it happened. This story was particularly interesting to me because of the weapon of choice to murder. It is a slow and painful way to die.

Harriet is overwhelmed when she learns her dear friend becomes very ill. It was unnerving to learn other members of the family had died much the same way. Every time I read that someone had become ill I knew what was about to happen. The author does an amazing job of detailing the deaths and leaving a trail of suspects. The historical period was very vivid and I felt myself travel make in time to stand beside Harriet.

It was eerie to read that Mrs. Robinson continues to sew on a green dress. I had to find out what the significance the dress was to the story. I needed to know why Mrs. Robinson had premonitions about the deaths. It was a little weird that she thought her dead husband had something to do with the mystery. The story gave me chills as I continued to read. The author keeps her readers interested with subtle hints of the mystery and what the green dress had to do with everything. The ending is a shocker and be prepared to say “I didn’t see that coming.”

"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing  and Celebrate Lit. I  was under no obligation to post a review."



About the Author

Liz Tolsma is a popular speaker and an editor and the owner of the Write Direction Editing. An almost-native Wisconsinite, she resides in a quiet corner of the state with her husband and is the mother of three. Her son proudly serves as a U.S. Marine. They adopted all of their children internationally, and one has special needs. When she gets a few spare minutes, she enjoys reading, relaxing on the front porch, walking, working in her large perennial garden, and camping with her family.




More from Liz

We’ve all been there—started a letter or an email or even a list, didn’t like what we had, crossed it out or hit the delete button, and tried again. Now imagine that happening when you’re writing a novel.

That’s what occurred with The Green Dress. Finding the perfect place to start a novel can be tricky, but when you’re trying to balance fact with fiction, it’s even harder. I needed the fictional heroine, Harriet Peters, to have a good reason to come into contact with and become close to the factual Robinson family. And I needed for the hero, Michael Wheaton, to meet Harriet early on. So I dove into the story. Five chapters later, the hero and heroine hadn’t yet met. The book wasn’t working.

I scrapped those chapters and started at a different point. At first, it seemed to be going better. I was happy. Until I got to the fifth chapter, when I realized again that the book wasn’t working. Frankly, it was boring. So those ended up in the virtual trash bin. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking on my deadline. I was desperate to find the right starting point, at a place with high tension. Finally, I had an “aha” moment, and the story flowed from there. That’s how the first five chapters (and the rest of The Green Dress) came to be.

—Liz Tolsma

Blog Stops

Rebecca Tews, June 27
Genesis 5020, June 29
Emily Yager, June 29
Robin’s Nest, June 30
Bigreadersite, July 1
Betti Mace, July 3
Remembrancy, July 4
Vicky Sluiter, July 5
amandainpa, July 6
Hallie Reads, July 8
Artistic Nobody, July 9 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz 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.
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Friday, June 26, 2020

About the Book

Book:  I AM
Author: Diane Stortz
Genre:  Juvenile nonfiction, Bible stories
Release Date: 2016
Creator, Comforter, Healer, Friend. God’s names tell us who He is, what He is like, and what He does. This beautiful book covers 40 of the Bible’s many names and descriptive titles for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, including Jehovah Jireh, The Lord My Shepherd, Immanuel, Rabbi, and I AM.
Through Bible stories, short devotions, and prayers, children discover the meaning of each name and how it relates to their lives. As they develop understanding of God’s character and His love for them, children will grow to know, love, and trust the great I AM more and more.
“Those who know your name put their trust in you.” –Psalm 9:10



Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW 
I must comment on the cover of this children’s book. It will catch the eye of children  with the glitter that pops out and the beautiful and vivid colors that are used on the front cover. The illustrations  go perfectly with each Bible story in the book. This book could be read together as a family or for an older child that is able to read on their own. I think it would make a wonderful gift and I plan on giving it to my first grandchild who was born a few days ago. Her parents will enjoy sharing these easy to understand stories as she gets older. 
I liked how the author tells the stories in a simple way they will understand. I appreciate the ribbon book mark that you can use to hold your place without having to search where you left off. The book is sturdy and will last a very long time. Wouldn’t it be nice to pass this lovely book down through generations? 
I did notice that there were little changes in wordings of stories that unsettled me. I first noticed when it said, “God said let us make people in our image. In the Bible it clearly states, “ God formed a man from dust.” He never said let’s make people. The next is when Eve eats from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” In this book it says, “God says you can eat from any tree except from the good and knowing tree .” I read each chapter and there were minor word changes. Some of the stories probably should be read by older children and I think it is important to do the little exercise and prayer at the end of each chapter. 
Overall I think the book is written closely to what the Bible says. As you read with your child notice anything that may not follow your own Bible. It is important for children to  know what the Bible says. I understand that authors writing for younger children want to simplify words. I have no problem with that as long as it does not take away the meaning from the Bible. 
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. 

About the Author

Diane Stortz is a multipublished author who writes to make God’s wonders known to the next generation. Her children’s releases include the best-selling Say & Pray Bible and I AM: 40 Reasons to Trust God, both from Tommy Nelson. Diane’s books for women, A Woman’s Guide to Reading the Bible in a Yearand Encountering God’s Heart for You, both from Bethany House, encourage women to get to know God through His Word, the Bible. Diane and her husband have two married daughters and five grandchildren—all boys! Visit her at www.DianeStortz.com.


More from Diane

You can often guess someone’s age by considering their name. Diane, for example, was popular in the 1950s, so . . . that tells you something about me.
But God’s personal name? Well, it’s ageless. Just like Him.
When Moses met God at the burning bush and received the task of leading the Israelites out of Egypt, he wasn’t exactly thrilled at first. He peppered God with questions, including, “When I tell the people that I met you here and you gave me this assignment, they’re going to want to know your name. What should I tell them?”
The Israelites had just about forgotten who the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was.
But God hadn’t forgotten them. Not at all. God told Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. . . . Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).
I AM WHO I AM. I always have been. I will always be. I will never change.
Choosing a book title is rarely easy, and choosing a title for this book about the names of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit took a long time. I couldn’t be more grateful to the Tommy Nelson publishing team who developed and settled on the title I AM: 40 Reasons to Trust God.
My prayer for every child who reads this book and every family that goes through the book together, and for myself: May we all grow mightily in our understanding of who God is and our relationship with Him! As Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know your name put their trust in you.”

Blog Stops

Splashes of Joy, June 29
Artistic Nobody, July 1 (Guest Review from Donna Cine)
amandainpa, July 5
Simple Harvest Reads, July 5 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Diane is giving away  the grand prize package of signed copies of all three I AM books!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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