Saturday, April 9, 2022

Peace in the Mountain Haven

About the Book

Book: Peace in the Mountain Haven

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian historical romance

Release date: March 15, 2022

Peace in the Mountain Haven Cover This epic journey is her best chance to find the family she and her daughter long for.

Watkuese is desperate to return across the Rocky Mountains before winter sets in. Time is running out for her to get her adopted daughter back to the familiar surroundings of the Shoshone village before the grief of her parents’ death causes irreparable damage.

Hugh Charpentier has spent his life watching over his siblings, which meant also ensuring his brother’s widow and babe are settled well into their new life. Now he’s asked to help shepherd a woman and child he barely knows across the mountains. As hard as it is to keep up with a six-year-old in the treacherous Rockies, it’s not nearly as dangerous as risking his heart to a woman and child who may not ever be his.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.

Click here to get your copy! $3, $15, $30

About the Author

Misty Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

What do you love most about this genre?

I tend to be a bit of a sentimentalist, so Historical Romance is perfect for me! My favorite period is between 1800 – 1880, when the west was still an extreme frontier. I love the simpler life, where there’s no rat race. Just hard work, plenty of alone time (can you tell I’m an introvert?), and a strong family unit.

Are readers always promised a “happily ever after” in your novels? Why or why not?

Absolutely! I read as an escape, so that happily ever after is important to me. I know my characters will face challenges after the story ends, but I want to finish the book knowing they’ve grown through the story and will be able to meet future struggles with God’s strength and the support of each other—as well as family and friends!

How can readers connect with you?

I love to connect with readers! One of my favorite ways is through my newsletter, and readers can get a free copy of my book, A Pony Express Romance, when they sign up for the newsletter. Here’s the link for that: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook

MY REVIEW

This author is one of the best at taking a reader into the story where you feel a part of it. I was transported back in time to 1831 where people were trying to survive the dangers of the terrain, weather and possible enemies. I can’t describe how powerful the story was but without a doubt it captivated my inner desire to survive anything that came my way. The characters are very strong, determined but also have a vulnerable side to each of them. For some reason I kept hearing this song in my head “I will survive,” as the journey became one of instinct, trust and faith.

Watkuese has a big responsibility taking over the care of a six year old named Pop-Pank. The little girl misses her parents and Watkuese is trying to get her back to her own tribe before winter comes. How do you help a little girl who is grieving? It is a hard road ahead for everyone as danger and challenges await them.

Hugh oh how I am glad we get to know you better. You are such a hero in your own way by accepting the responsibility of escorting a young woman and child back to their tribe. I liked the almost stoic attitude he had at times. I think he was perhaps guarding his heart from getting hurt by a certain someone. Poor Hugh just can’t seem to say the right words around Watkuese and the distance between them grow.

Louis is the kindest and most understanding character in the story. He loves his brother Hugh, but knows he carries a heavy burden. I liked how he assured Hugh that he was nothing their Pa and encouraged him to open up to others more so they could see that he was an honest and caring person.

The story gets really good the closer they get to the village. A surprise appearance by White Owl stirred up a few emotions for Watkuese as well as Hugh. White Owl’s presence is innocent enough when he comes to bring his niece home but I think he has his heart set on making Watkuese his wife. The author brings emotions to the surface as Watkuese must face her feelings for Hugh. In the midst of this, danger surrounds them when a group of men attack the group. Oh my was this a well written scene as chaos breaks out. This scene is particularly important because it reinforces the feelings that two people have for each other and the heroic efforts taken to save our main characters from harm.

The ending is so good and I love how Hugh finally comes to accept how he is worthy and that he did make a difference in his brother’s life. I really liked White Owl and admired how he fought with strength to protect those who he was with. There is something about White Owl that intrigued me and I’m happy to know that the next book in this series features him.

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

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 8

Miriam Jacob, April 8

Texas Book-aholic, April 9

Inklings and notions, April 10

Mary Hake, April 10

For Him and My Family, April 11

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 12

deb’s Book Review, April 12

Betti Mace, April 13

Bizwings Blog, April 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 14

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 15

Connie’s History Classroom, April 16

For the Love of Literature, April 16

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 17

Splashes of Joy, April 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 18

Blossoms and Blessings, April 19

Pause for Tales, April 20

Jeanette’s Thoughts, April 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize of a $50 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/1c94c/peace-in-the-mountain-haven-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Beanth a Star-lit Sky

About the Book

Book: Beneath A Star-Lit Sky

Author: JL Crosswhite

Genre: Christian romantic suspense

Release date: February 21, 2022

Beneath a Star Lit Sky Small town girl looking to mend her broken heart…

…Small town boy needing to repair his reputation.

Who knew those simple goals could unearth life-threatening danger?

Holcomb Springs has a wild past, and the wilderness outside its borders hides a treacherous present.

Teacher Ella Sommer is ready to forget about her broken engagement and escape from running into her ex. An overnight hiking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail offers what she needs to clear her head and breathe out under the stars.

Ex-military Reese Vega left Holcomb Springs with a bad boy rep, but has returned wiser, longing for a fresh start in his hometown. His hiking tour business offers that opportunity, especially when he can get into the great outdoors and let his past evaporate into the mountain air.

When Reese and Ella are thrown together on the overnighter, what starts as a simple trek ends up being filled with danger when they stumble across something they weren’t supposed to see.

Can they put aside their history and use their wits to get out of this situation?

Or will it be too late?

You’ll love Beneath a Star-Lit Sky because while the wilderness can’t be tamed, the human heart can.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jen Headshot 032119 JL’s favorite thing is discovering how much there is to love about America the Beautiful and the great outdoors. She’s a mom to two, navigating the young adult years while battling her daughter’s juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, exploring the delights of her son’s autism, and keeping gluten free. A California native who’s spent significant time in the Midwest, she’s thrilled to be back in the Golden State. Follow her on social media to see all her adventures and how she gets inspired for her books!

More from JL Crosswhite

What does writing a book have in common with…

Compost?

I’ve got a new series with the first book releasing this month. The series is called Holcomb Springs Small Town Romantic Suspense, and the first book is Beneath a Star-Lit Sky. I like how this series and this book show how long the creative process can end up being for me.

Before when I’ve talked about where I get my book ideas, I mention that I call it the compost pile. Any of you gardeners know about the magic of compost. You take a bunch of unrelated kitchen scraps—coffee grounds, carrot tops, egg shells, lettuce that went bad, rotten oranges—and throw them in your compost pile. With the magic of decomposition, in about a year you have something wonderful for your plants.

The creative process is a lot like that for me. I get bits and pieces of ideas from all over the place—things I’ve experienced, places I’ve visited, a news story that stuck with me—and I toss them in my mental compost pile. When something has come together enough to actually be a story idea, it gets its own file.

The germination of Beneath a Star-Lit Sky began at least ten years ago. I remember being on a long drive and talking to my dad on the phone and somehow getting on the topic of criminals in the wilderness, particularly the Sidney Poitier movie, Shoot to Kill. A lot of things can go wrong in the wilderness, and having a bad guy after you just makes it worse.

As I was writing and finishing up the previous series, In the Shadow, I had been wanting to write a series set in a small town. I liked the idea of all the characters continuing to run into each other and being a part of one another’s lives, for good or for ill.

My previous books had been based in the Southern California beach town of Laguna Vista (which also exists only in my imagination). But if you’ve read any of the In the Shadow books, you might have noticed that they made frequent visits to the Southern California San Bernardino mountains.

Since I grew up at the base of these mountains and spent a lot of time up there, I wondered if I might figure out how to create a small town in the mountains. There are some up there, but I like creating my own so I can take liberty with things and not feel like I’m insulting any real town.

There was an old gold mining town—Belleville—that used to exist in an area called Holcomb Valley. I imagined what would have happened if that boomtown had continued on to become a resort town similar to Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead. I liked the idea of having a small town on the edge of the wilderness with all of the problems and possibilities it can bring. And it was within driving distance of Laguna Vista, so all of our old friends could come up and visit.

So the compost pile came together to truly cause my story idea to flourish and blossom into a full-fledged book! Toss in a few previous characters, and I had a ton of fun thinking about all the possibilities while keeping in touch with old characters who have become like friends. I hope you enjoy what’s to come. It’s going to be an adventure!

My REVIEW

This is the perfect story for those who love suspense, danger, twists and faith. The action is non stop where you are on the edge of your seat waiting for the next twist to appear. I loved learning about hiking and felt a little winded after following Reese and Ella on their journey. It was definitely an adventure with a mountain lion making an appearance and bullets flying at them.

Ella is a good character who I was able to relate to right away. Working in a library for many years myself I understood why some people thought Ella was boring. Oh everyone liked her but they wanted her to go have fun every once in a while. Okay I laughed when she decided to do the hiking trip. She was no where near ready for the treacherous journey but she wanted to prove to herself that she could take risks.

Reese oh how I liked this character so much. He has been through a lot and carries the guilt of a tragedy that he can’t get past. When he comes back to town to help his brother out he still feels like an outsider. Most of the people were nice to him but there is always that one person who wants to make you feel miserable. I thought Reese handled himself well when unkind remarks were made towards him. It was easy to figure out that Ella and Reese were going to encounter danger but I still don’t know for sure who is behind everything. I have my guesses but the author does a good job of throwing a few surprises in to keep me on my toes.

The time that Ella and Reese spend in the mountains allowed them to learn to trust again and share their struggles. I love a good story where the male is vulnerable and Reese really allows himself to let go of his insecurities while opening up to Ella. Ella is drawn to Reese and seeing how good he is at survival strategies calms her nerves as they try to stay one step ahead of danger. The author has left us with a cliffhanger so I’m excited to read the next book.

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 5

Texas Book-aholic, April 6

For Him and My Family, April 7

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 8 (Author Interview)

The Sacred Line, April 8

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 9

deb’s Book Review, April 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 12

Inklings and notions, April 13

Guild Master, April 14 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, April 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 15

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, April 16 (Author Interview)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, J.L. 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/1c575/beneath-a-star-lit-sky-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, April 4, 2022

Madness of Wonderland

About the Book

Book: Madness in Wonderland

Author: Tabitha Bouldin

Genre: Fantasy, Steampunk, Christian

Release date: March 8, 2022

Madness in Wonderland Cover Wonderland is in trouble.

Under the rule of the Red Queen, Wonderland is under constant threat. In fear for her throne, children are taken into the queen’s army and only the strongest survive.

Alice is nothing but a pirate, but with the help of Hatter, they hatch a plan to sneak into the Red Queen’s palace to free Hatter’s sister. After all, Alice has always wanted to fly an airship.

Dr. Frank N. Stein has created an army of automatons to serve their queen. Of particular note: a prototype soldier. Part man. Part machine. The best of both worlds.

Doc’s monster is a threat to everything they know, but Alice sees something in the man that begs she look beyond what he’s done and search out the heart of the beast for the better of the realm.

He’s their only hope of survival, but how can a monster learn to love when all he’s known is hate?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Tabitha Tabitha Bouldin has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has been writing since 2015. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, you’ll find her curled up with a book. Tabitha’s genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart.

More from Tabitha

Madness in Wonderland is a story of found family, good versus evil, rambunctious heroines and strong heroes who are not afraid to leap across airships for their people.

Trust me when I say I’ve tested their loyalty.

I put the Wonder’s crew through so much I started feeling sorry for them. Then I had another airship shoot at them with their cannons. That’s when I knew this story was not only a source of entertainment for me, but it was also challenging me. Madness forced me to become a better writer. Each page demanded my full attention if I wanted to have any hope of catching the true vibes of the story and bringing them to the page.

When I first started writing Madness, I had a rough idea of what I wanted. Evil Queen. Check. Alice as a tough but loving heroine. Check. Frankenstein’s monster. Check. (What’s Wonderland without a little havoc?)

Then the characters took over the story.

Frankenstein’s monster didn’t want to be a monster.

Hatter wanted to be more than a mad side character.

Alice wanted everyone to get along without losing another crew member.

Meeting their demands was a challenge and the story shifted from a whimsical fairy tale to something more. It dove deeper than I planned and showed me that I can do hard things too.

MY REVIEW

The imagination and creativity of this author shines in this tale with a twist. Alice In Wonderland meets steampunk where nothing is what you thought you knew of the fairy tale. I have always loved Alice in Wonderland and even played her in high school. Her character is unique and quirky in a way that attracts the curious to her. I loved how determined she was to not only save Hatter’s sister but to save the monster that everyone mistrusted. Beneath the surface, Alice saw more than evil.

The nod to space is evident in the transportation used in the story. I could easily picture the airship with all its gears flying around commanding power and recognition. With chaos aboard it is a fight to see who will win in their quest for victory. As the characters decide who will be win one statement stood out to me. Chess makes it clear that “If the Maker can forgive one like me, He can forgive anyone.” What a shock this was to the Hatter. Do we think that some people don’t deserve to be forgiven? It is an argument that travels around the airship as the characters debate who should have a clean slate.

Among all the action going on, the author gives us lessons we may have overlooked in our lives. I have never heard of an unbirthday gift. But oh my does it resonate within me. Have you ever received a gift from someone just because ? Maybe they wanted you to know how much they care or were thinking of you. That readers, is an unbirthday gift. Those are the ones we hold dear because it was given with compassion and no expectations.

Greed, jealousy and power overtake characters in this story that has its share of danger and adventure. I loved how the author creates a theme of feeling rejected and slowly heal from the wounds of feeling worthless. The story is not with a few surprises which had me focused on what was to happen next. With madness happening in front of Alice will she be able to save herself? Can she depend on others to discover the truth and set her free? Grab a copy of this book to discover what happens to Alice and experience the battle of free will.

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