About the Book

Book: Bandana Acres: Hootin Goes Outside

Author: Kathy J. Perry

Genre: Early Reader Chapter Book

Release date: November 1, 2018

How long will you be gone?

 

The barn owlets are hungry! Their mom, Hootin, must find a way to get more food. Can she trust her bandana buddies to take care of her babies during the storm?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

 

About the Author

After My Parents Passed,

I re-evaluated what I was doing with my life and my contribution to others. A former classroom teacher and homeschool mom, I’ve always had a heart for educating kids.

In 2016 my daughter and I attended a local arts and crafts fair where I stumbled upon some cute children’s art and thought, “That’s what I can do! Write children’s books.”

I set my mission and started my own publishing company, Chickadee Words, LLC. I would do my best to affect our youth through wonderful stories full of timeless character struggles.

 

More from Kathy

Have you every known someone who thinks they’re the only ones that can do the job right? They’re the people who may be very good at what they do, but make poor managers because they don’t delegate or allow others to contribute.

 

This story is about a barn owl who has two owlets she must care for but her partner is lost for some unknown reason. She burdens herself with care and responsibility until her bandana buddies offer to help and show her she can be flexible.

 

Here’s one question in the “What If” part at the end of the book:

 

When you’re at school, are you sometimes afraid or embarrassed to ask a question when you don’t understand something and need help?

 

 

Special things about this book (and series) include:

1. Proven easy-to-read font for early readers (Sassoon Primary)
2. In full-color with original watercolor artwork.
3. Leveled by Lexile and Fountas & Pinnell (F&P) for dialing in to your child’s reading level.
4. Blue words are the character’s inside thoughts (rather than italics, which I thought would be harder to read). Kids enjoy the color. In fact, struggling readers love to read just the colored parts to start – and then want to continue reading! (Each book has its own color for this.)
5. A glossary of newer words with definitions.
6. A “What If” section for discussion with five questions about the story, and five questions of how the theme plays out in real life. (Parents and teachers love these books!)
7. Hootin Goes Outside! is available in hardcover and softcover.

 

Help your kids learn to read with this fun story and cute watercolor illustrations. This early reader chapter book is perfect for ages 5-8 and can usually be read alone by 2nd or 3rd grades.

MY REVIEW 

This series is a great collection for young children to enjoy. I like how the stories each feature an animal. The author does a good job of describing the animal featured and helps children learn more about them. The illustrations  are very eye catching and adds to the ambiance of the story. 

This time we meet Hootin who is caring for her little owlets. The little ones begin to screech looking for their Papa. Where is he and why has he not returned with food?Hootin knows she needs to go out and look for food but is worried about leaving the little ones alone. 

I like how characters from the series are in each book and feel like I know them. They represent friendship and are always there to help each other out. Hootin learns  a great lesson about letting her friends help her. I think some of us are like Hootin. We want to do things on our own, but sometimes we need to let go of pride and allow others to help us out. This is a good book to help children understand about helping others and learning about trust.

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 13

Texas Book-aholic, November 14

Blogging with Carol, November 14

Inklings and notions, November 15

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 16

For Him and My Family, November 16

deb’s Book Review, November 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 18

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 19

Vicky Sluiter, November 19

Older & Smarter?, November 20

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 20

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 21

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 22

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 23

Cats in the Cradle Blog, November 24

Mary Hake, November 24

Lights in a Dark World, November 25

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, November 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away the grand prize package of $25 Amazon gift card, a softcover copy of the book, digital artwork with motivational phrase, and a custom Hoo-Rag covered with artwork from the Bandana Acres series!!

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/133b0/bandana-acres-hootin-goes-outside-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Road to Freedom

Author: Cheri Swalwell

Genre: Christian Woman’s Contemporary Fiction

Release date: October 5, 2021

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.

Wynn and her best friend Addie have been inseparable since kindergarten. Growing up together in the same community, they shared activities, friends, and even the same job. But behind closed doors, their lives couldn’t be more different.

Zane has loved Wynn for four years. Yet Wynn is adamant she doesn’t need a boyfriend. After all, she will never get married. Ever. In an effort to uncover the why behind her ‘no,’ Zane discovers more than he expected.

When Wynn unlatches the door and allows Holly in as a mentor, will she learn trust is just like riding a bike and find the healing she so desperately needs?

Road to Freedom, Book 4 in The Redemption of Green Pines series continues to disclose the messiness of real life. Join Wynn and her friends as they discover how an encounter with God can bring freedom from fear, healing from pain, and the joy of belonging when we choose to let others into our lives, even, or especially, the messy parts.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Cheri Swalwell is a Christ follower who thoroughly enjoys her calling to be a wife, mother, writer and speaker, in that order. Cheri loves to encourage people through her fiction series and many nonfiction books including devotionals, Bible studies, and compilation books. For a full list of books visit www.cheriswalwell.com. If you want to sign up to her newsletter to stay updated on all the latest news, you will also receive a free gift as her way of saying thanks for joining! To read one of her many articles on life from a Christian perspective, visit her blog at www.cheriswalwell.com. She loves to interact with her readers, so send her an email at clSwalwell99@gmail.com. You can “like” her on Facebook as well here or join Heart Speaks with Cheri Swalwell, a private Facebook group where we encourage each other and share life together.

 

More from Cheri

The Redemption of Green Pines is a series about community. We first meet Wynn and her friends in Journey Back Home when they attended youth group. While Pastor Jace and Holly remain a constant presence throughout all six books, Road to Freedom takes us deeper into the lives of four friends – Wynn, Addie, Zane and Owen, who graduated from youth group and began working for Holly’s catering business. They also babysit the Cooper kids from time to time and have become part of the family.

Since the beginning when we were introduced to Wynn, she carried around a secret she wouldn’t share with anyone, not even her best friend. Road to Freedom is Wynn’s journey of truly discovering who she is as a Daughter of the King, and learning how good it feels to live in freedom instead of burdened by other’s choices.

I hope you enjoy getting to know Wynn and her friends as much as I have!

MY REVIEW 

This book may be hard  for some to read due to the topics in the book. There is talk about emotional abuse, suicide and other sensitive subjects which may not be suitable for everyone to read. The author does a good  job of writing this story with much grace. It  hit  home for me due to my upbringing. I am a preacher’s kid and my parents were very strict and abusive. When we went to church we sat on the front row with fake smiles while my dad preached . We pretended that we had a great family life, but that was so far from the truth. I now know how dysfunctional my family was and it sounds like Wynn’s is as well. 

It was easy for me to relate to Wynn. She goes to a church where there doesn’t seem to be any joy and the rules were so bad, I wanted her to run out of the church. When she visits her friend’s church, she experiences freedom, the Holy Spirit, fellowship and God’s presence. You can tell she is confused and has many questions. I enjoyed Holly taking time to guide her through the many questions she had. Wynn has this idea that God is waiting to throw people under the bus. Oh how I understand the condemnation she lived under. You expect your parents to guide you and you trust them, but that doesn’t always happen.

Just thinking about Wynn’s father makes me angry. He is so mean and his words hurt every time  he lashes out at Wynn. For some  reason he favors his other children more. He never encourages Wynn and this broke my heart. The author writes such a compelling story that I had to stop several times. The disgusting way he talks about his other daughter is borderline well I won’t say. This man has secrets that would shock the church and others.  

Zane is such a good friend to Wynn. His concern for her is genuine and I like how he goes to someone who gives him wise counsel  about the situation. The more time they are able to open up to each other, the more Wynn is able to understand how much God loves her. Zane shares his faith in a way that is not preachy but filled with grace. 

The story is a realistic look at church and how we can be deceived if we are not following His Word. The author gives wisdom throughout the story and leads readers to the Truth. Watching Wynn slowly change was nice and I loved how she found a Godly woman to counsel her. One of the hardest things  we deal with is forgiveness. This story illustrates how important it is to forgive so you can be free. I am glad the author is writing another book in this series. 

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 12

Texas Book-aholic, November 13

Inklings and notions, November 14

CarpeDiem, November 15

For Him and My Family, November 15

deb’s Book Review, November 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 17

Pause for Tales, November 18

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 18

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 19

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 20

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 21

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Cheri is giving away the grand prize of a $20 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/1339d/road-to-freedom-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Hooper Safe Haven

Author: Rachel Skatvold

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: October 26, 2021

Harbors should be safe havens, but what if you’re harboring secrets?

When Alicia Roberts accepts a job with mobile veterinarian, Kendall Mulligan, she hopes the Independence Islands will give her a safe place to start over. And as much as she appreciates the Mulligan girls’ offer to stay with them while she gets settled, Alicia knows she needs her own place. ASAP.

Hooper Ear Cove Apartments on Hooper Island offers a beautiful ocean view as well as one of the landlord’s hunky son—all at an affordable price. Just what she needs to start a new life. Isn’t it?

When life knocked Jace Young in the head with a literal curveball that ruined his major league chances, he was forced to return to Hooper Island and a job as the maintenance guy at his father’s apartment complex. On the side, he leads the contemporary song service at church as his heart heals.

When Alicia moves to Hooper Island, Jace is drawn in by her sweet personality. However, something hides deep beneath the surface, and Alicia resists any discussion of God. What will it take to convince her to anchor her heart to God and to confide the secrets she harbors?

Hooper Safe Haven continues the Hooper Island stories of the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

 

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 inspirational romance and encouraging blogs. Rachel completed her first series, the Riley Family Legacy Novellas in 2014 and is now working on 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, Brides of Pelican Rapids and Independence Island 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.

 

Read an Excerpt

Alicia Roberts leaned against the railing, watching the seagulls hovering above the ferry as it prepared to dock at the Merriweather slip. They were always waiting for something—tiny fish in the surf or tiny scraps the passengers left behind. In a way, she knew how they felt. Until now, she’d been waiting, too—although it was for something entirely different. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the wind whipping through her long brown hair. In deciding to work on the Independence Islands, had she finally found what she was waiting for? A new purpose? There was no turning back now. After graduating and moving out of her college dorm she had nowhere else to go.

The sound of the apron dropping to allow the cars and people off the ferry drew Alicia out of her ponderings. She approached her blue compact car, packed to the gills with all the belongings she owned and slipped into the driver’s seat as quickly as possible to avoid holding up the other passengers parked behind her. Within a few minutes, she drove up Captains Walk, spying a large RV parked in one of the lots. Kendall Mulligan greeted her the moment she parked and stepped out.

“Welcome back!” her auburn-haired friend exclaimed, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I’m so glad you decided to take the job.”

Alicia pulled back and offered a shy smile. “Me too. How could I turn down such a great opportunity right out of vet school?”

Kendall took her hand, pulling her along. “Here, come inside. There are breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and coffee from Granny’s inside. If we hurry, we’ll have a few minutes to enjoy them before patients start arriving.”

Her stomach rumbled as she followed Kendall up the steps to the mobile clinic. “That sounds wonderful. I forgot to eat this morning.”

“Now you sound like Carly. I always have to remind her to eat breakfast. She calls me a nag, but she’s hypoglycemic, so if I don’t keep on her, she can’t function very well in the morning.”

Alicia chuckled. “No one usually has to remind me. I can’t function without a bowl of oatmeal or some kind of protein first thing in the morning. I think my routine is just off with this new job and all, but I’ll adjust soon enough.” She paused, remembering something. “Speaking of Carly, I heard about her engagement to that billionaire. When’s the big day?”

Kendall shook her head with a slight roll of her blue eyes. “Next month, believe it or not.”

“Well, that was quick!”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Her redheaded friend shrugged with a sigh. “I suppose when money is no object, a wedding can be whipped up pretty quickly, though. I never thought my little sister would get married before me. She’s always been so opposed to that kind of thing, but I guess when you meet the right one, why wait? I’m happy for them.”

“Me too. So, is that why she’s gone today? Wedding planning stuff?”

“Yeah, it’s going to be pretty crazy around here for the next month. She’ll be in and out of here a lot, but after the wedding she’s going to launch her new mobile art business with Luc. That’s why I’m so glad you could come and work with us.”

MY REVIEW 

The series is so well written I am in awe of how each author incorporates characters from the other books into their individual stories.  Of course I think you should read every book in the series so you get to know the community and people who live on the islands. Now let’s examine the latest book that has kept me emotionally involved to the point that I feel like we are family. 

This story has a feel of depth and emotional struggles that showcases the author’s ability to make her characters seem real. Instead of reading the book, I felt like I was part of everything going on. I love how these characters have flaws that are not always visible. It is hard to see the emotional struggle when you are good at hiding your feelings. 

Alicia grabbed my attention right away. She seemed like such a lost person with nowhere to go. It is easy to tell she is hiding something but she does a good job of deflecting curious questions from the people she has gotten to know. She doesn’t want to get too close to anyone and is determined to find her own place to live. Working with the veterinarian keeps her busy and she is settling down a little but she always has her guard up. I couldn’t wait to find out what her secret was. 

Jace is my favorite character because he is a testimony to how God is always there even in the midst of illness. I was upset when I read what happened to him and the physical limitations he deals with. What I really liked about him was how he never felt sorry for himself and was always there to help others. I like how the relationship between Alicia and Jace slowly grew over time . The author does a good job of having Jace reach out to Alicia in a way that let her feel that  she could share her past and not be afraid of what he would think of her. 

I was shocked at what Alicia had  gone through and how deeply she has been hurt and feeling abandoned. With a big event coming up for Jace, he tells Alicia that he is not afraid. “God has given me peace about it.” Right there at that moment you can feel his words helping Alicia to trust God with her problems. If I was facing what Jace is about to go through, I don’t know if I would be as calm as he is. 

The story has a few surprises that made me love the characters more. With tears streaming down my face, I saw Alicia finally find her safe haven which was peace in her heart. I loved the ending and especially how one person whose name I won’t divulge, finally let their past and find a new relationship with God. This has been an especially good story where the author writes with such grace that each character became important to me. I didn’t want the story to end but am so happy for how the author left us with hope , peace and new beginnings. 

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

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 12

Texas Book-aholic, November 12

Inklings and notions, November 13

lakesidelivingsite, November 14

She Lives To Read, November 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 15

Connect in Fiction, November 15

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 16

Blossoms and Blessings, November 16

Aryn the Libraryan, November 17

Daysong Reflections, November 17

For Him and My Family, November 18

Blogging With Carol, November 18

deb’s Book Review, November 19

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, November 19 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 20

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, November 20

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 21

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 22

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 23

Kayem Reads, November 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 24

Splashes of Joy, November 24

Simple Harvest Reads, November 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away the grand prize of a $50 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/133ba/hooper-safe-haven-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Shut the Front Door

Author: L.M. Karen

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: July 15, 2021

The zany story of an alpha male pursuing a headstrong woman and the hilarious entanglements that follow.

Maddy’s dating profile couldn’t be more together. Maddy, however, feels utterly not together when Derek is in the room. She thought living next to her best friend Brittany, (who happens to be married to her brother, Matt) would be the best move of her life; not realizing it came with the complication of Brittany’s older brother Derek. Their undeniable chemistry and passionate personalities make it hard for Maddy to continue ignoring his determined pursuit. This is a feel good romantic comedy with a hint of excitement.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

LM Karen writes contemporary Christian fiction romance. As a longtime lover of words, she can generally be found behind her laptop or with a book in her hand. A graduate of Toccoa Falls College, her heart is in the mountains. She eventually made use of the voices in her head by putting them on the page.

 

More from LM Karen

I like writing characters who are flawed but are loved anyway. Who have maybe made a mess of things, or are consumed by fear, or have some growing to do, because isn’t that all of us? All of my characters get happy endings because as Christians we all get the happy ending. We are flawed, we are human, we are sinful, but we are loved. We are forgiven.

One of my favorite things about Maddy in Shut the Front Door is that she is fearless. She is bold and unapologetic about who she is. But even Maddy with all her confidence still has insecurities about being accepted, and just wants to be loved at the end of the day. She just wants to know that she will be received for all she is by the one person she loves the most. I think that’s a very relatable desire and what we all really want. One of my favorite things about Christian fiction is that we are reminded within the fun and sweeping nature of romance that we are always and eternally loved by God.

MY REVIEW 

I have to get this out of the way first. The book to me at times bordered on language that some may find offensive. Oh some can say they aren’t really bad but I want to let readers know that there are a few words I didn’t care for . Now let’s  get on with what I thought about the book. 

The characters are good but I think Maddy was so determined to prove that she didn’t really like Derek that her focus wasn’t on the important things. She has been hurt in the past but right now she is falling hard for Derek. I couldn’t understand why she was so over the moon about him after one date. There has to be more that I am missing. The author has captured my full attention and I wanted to see if conflict would arise between these two. Maddy is very head strong and goes full throttle when going after something. I was worried that she was  heading  straight for a broken heart.

Derek seems to have been awol for awhile but I know his presence is very much appreciated as he gets to know his nephew better. When he is around Grady he is fun and easy going. There is something in his past that caused him to stumble but he has said he now  has rededicated himself to God. It was nice to see these two grow in their relationship. At times there was mention of tension between them that hinted at being intimate. I would have liked for the author to not focus on their physical chemistry so much.  

As you read the story you will understand why the title of the book is perfect. Maddy is always late and sometimes doesn’t think about her safety. The author puts in a little drama that makes Maddy realize that she has been too lenient in the  area of her safety. This part of the story also shows how much Derek does to try to keep her safe. Maybe he went a little over the boundaries with her privacy but after all, he wanted he to be safe in her home. He will have some explaining to do when Maddy discovers all he has done to secure her home. 

There are some lighthearted moments as they both find their way to trusting each other. The faith element is light and  I would like to have read more about Derek’s  path back to God. I did like that the author gives us characters that aren’t perfect and explores areas they need to improve on. One thing I noticed was that Maddy has issues with letting others do things for her. Sometimes we can let our pride get in the way that causes friction with people. Derek is a little controlling and certainly needs to trust God more and let go of things he can’t control. Overall a good book with a nice ending. I am looking forward to reading the last book in tge series. 

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 10

CarpeDiem, November 10

Texas Book-aholic, November 11

Genesis 5020, November 11

Inklings and notions, November 12

Living’ Lit, November 13

For Him and My Family, November 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 14

deb’s Book Review, November 15

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, November 15

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 16

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 17

Kayem Reads, November 17

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 18

Wishful Endings, November 18

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 19

By The Book, November 19

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 21

Remembrancy, November 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 22

Simple Harvest Reads , November 23 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, November 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, LM is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed 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/13399/shut-the-front-door-celebration-tour-giveaway