Thursday, July 9, 2020

About the Book

Book: Love Riot

Author: Sara Barratt

Genre: Christian non-fiction

Release Date: May 5, 2020

Have you ever thought about walking away from the church? Have you already left it in your heart? Does it seem like it’s not relevant to your life?

It’s time for a revolution. A holy uprising. A love riot.

Not content with safe religion that demands nothing of us, Sara Barratt is calling you to stop giving in to the status quo and devote yourself fully to Christ, following Him no matter what your friends do or the culture around you promotes. Sara challenges you to hand everything over–your comfort zones, your time, your loyalty, your pride–and invites you to embark on a radical journey of passionate love for Christ. Because once you experience His love, it will transform your life.

Love Riot is a battle cry from one teen to another to embrace a life of wholehearted commitment and relentless abandon for Christ . . . no matter the cost.

“Sara Barratt wants to start a riot. An uproar. A disturbance for Jesus. Unlike some teenagers who want to disrupt and destroy, she wants to bravely build.”–Kyle Idleman, author of Not a Fan and Don’t Give Up and senior pastor of Southeast Christian Church

“God is at work among my generation. There’s no denying that, especially after reading Love Riot. This book will challenge you, encourage you, and ignite your pursuit of Christ. I highly recommend it!”–Jaquelle Crowe Ferris, author of This Changes Everything

“Love Riot will challenge your idea of what it means to be a teen who truly follows Christ. Sara Barratt raises the bar and calls her peers to a higher standard. This book has the power to change lives!”–Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal, authors of Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl’s Heart and cofounders of GirlDefined Ministries

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

I love when a teen is fired up about God. They want to share the good news with others and are not ashamed to say they are a Christian. I loved the author’s sold out to Jesus attitude. She admits that there are things she needs to work on, but she is teachable and willing to share her knowledge with others. She wants her generation to succeed and follow Jesus on their journey to becoming an adult.

The author is very grounded and I enjoyed reading how passionate she is about her generation changing the world in a positive way. She gives great examples of how to overcome obstacles and the book is very encouraging. I love her biblical examples and personal ones as well to illustrate how God can change your life. Her enthusiasm is contagious and I would recommend every youth pastor to read this book. It would be an excellent bible study for a group setting. I don’t want to overlook the fact that I learned a lot from this book and it made me realize how comfortable I have become in my faith. I don’t have that fire like I use to. After reading the book, I could feel myself getting excited about Jesus again.

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

About the Author

Sara Barratt is an author, speaker, avid reader, chocolate lover, and lead editor for TheRebelution.com. Her passion is challenging and encouraging teens to live sold out and set apart for Jesus. Come hang out with her on Facebook, Instagram, and at her website, sarabarratt.com.

More from Sara

Why are teens leaving the church?

Why are my friends drifting away from God?

What does it look like to be a teen who wholeheartedly follows Jesus?

In my early teens, I began wrestling with these questions. God was working on my own heart, shaking me out of my complacency, and leading me to a deeper walk with Him. Yet I knew I wasn’t the only teen battling apathy and the low expectations of our culture.

Everywhere I looked, I saw the evidence.

Friends drifting away from God. Compromise slipping in. Peer pressure strengthening.

It broke my heart to see these teens struggling. Because I’d walked in their struggles as well.

Teens like eighteen-year-old Brayden who said, “I’ve never pursued a passionate relationship with Christ, because I’ve never had anyone to share it with. No one else I know takes God seriously.”

Or like sixteen-year-old Trevor who realized something was missing. “I know God is real. I’ve seen Him work in other people’s lives, but I can’t find the strength to change, so I’ve just put God on the back burner.”

These are the words from real teens, battling in the trenches of an apathetic, post-truth, anti-Christian culture. We’re wrestling through questions and doubts about God and Christianity as our peers, the media, and the culture around us feed us a myriad of messages, trying to influence our hearts. Some stand strong. Most give in.

Something needs to change.

Is it possible for teens to reject apathy and live sold out for Jesus? Is it possible to turn our backs to the culture and choose to follow Christ? Is it possible, that instead of a generation leaving the church, we could become a generation building the church, living for the glory of God?

My journey of writing Love Riot began with these questions, but ended with this answer.

Yes.

God has not given up on this generation. On the contrary, I believe He has more in store for us than we can imagine. The power which rose Jesus Christ from the dead can raise up the spiritually dying remains of this generation and spark a passion in teenager’s souls for His name.

The world, and even the church, doesn’t automatically think of teenagers as passionate followers of Christ—but I’m out to change that.

In this new generation arising, it’s my heart-cry to see a remnant living out the message of the gospel, embracing our commission to go out and make disciples.

It’s not an easy journey. It requires risk. Sacrifice. Surrender. But as Jesus said, the life of a follower isn’t safe. It’s not just a call to pray a prayer and be saved. It’s a call to lay down your life and be transformed. Luke 9:23 counts the cost, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

For every teen, for every adult, for everyone who desires to follow Jesus, it’s time to pick up our cross, and in the words of Elisabeth Elliot, “live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all [our] energy and strength into it.”

It’s time for a love riot.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 3

Artistic Nobody, July 4 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 5

Remembrancy, July 6

Simple Harvest Reads, July 7 (Author Interview)

Emily Yager, July 8

Inklings and notions, July 9

Texas Book-aholic, July 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 11

For Him and My Family, July 12

Mary Hake, July 13

SODBUSTERLIVING, July 14

Through the Fire Blogs, July 15 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, July 15

Just the Write Escape, July 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sara is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of the book and 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fd91/love-riot-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

About the Book

Book: Jane Doe

Author: Lillian Duncan

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 26, 2020

A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What If She Wasn’t The Last Victim? Jane Doe

Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. She wants to put the past behind her, but nightmarish memories won’t let her. . .At first because she doesn’t have them, and then because she does.

Even though her fractured memory can’t recall every detail, she’s haunted by one thought: What if she wasn’t the last victim? Her search for answers leads her to the highest politicians in the land. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

I don’t know why, but I kept thinking about this saying I have heard as I read this book. “Sometimes less is more.” It can mean that having less is more important than having more power, materialistic things or more recognition. I bring this up because the beginning of the book is not only hard to read, but goes into graphic details which could be triggers for some. I find that the author needed to give more details to understand the sheer torture and fear that Raven endured. I found myself seeing her as she crawled on the floor with chains securing her. She was at the point that only death would give her peace. The idea of being kidnapped is hard to even think about. Raven not only was kidnapped but spent months in the hands of a monster who enjoyed inflicting pain on her.

When she was finally found far away from where she had been held, I think her nightmare began again. The mind does funny things but one thing it does that amazes me is the ability it has to protect us from traumatic and emotional abuse. It blocks out memories and only comes back as God begins to heal that person from the inside out. We have heard that , “God will not give you more than you can handle.” Raven needed God to help her find her way back to Him. He needed to guide her to trust again and open up to people. As her memory started to return she kept secrets from family and friends. It is sad to think that she was afraid of what people would say about her, so she hid her memory coming back until it became more than she could bare. The faith element is good and I enjoyed reading how others were there to help Raven find out how strong she is.

I did like Hunter and thought he was good for Raven. I didn’t really like how they met because it was a bit obvious where the author was going with their introduction to each other. I’m glad that the story stayed focused on Raven and not if a relationship would develop between the two. There are hints of attraction but Raven was not ready for anything but healing and finding out who kidnapped her.

The story has some definite twists that will keep readers on their toes. There is no time to get comfortable as the book is fast paced and intriguing. I understand why Raven felt she needed to do a little investigating on her own, but it was not very smart thinking on her part. After going through what she did, she needed to be able to control her life again and go back to her roots as an investigative reporter.

The ending is well written and even though the author lets us know who the guilty person is halfway through the story, it was more of what the person represented that had a lasting effect on many. Power does something to some that causes them to resort to crimes in order to succeed at their ultimate goal. The author portrays the kidnapper or “monster ” as Raven calls the person as a calculating, uncaring and deceitful person . The character is one that will not soon be forgotten. It was like reading a scene from a well known crime show. In the end the author succeeds in showing readers how God never leaves us and when we trust Him, He never fails us.

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

About the Author

Lillian Duncan… turning faith into fiction.

Lillian lives in a small town in Ohio with her husband. She writes the types of books she loves to read. Even though her books cross genres, they have one thing in common, faith-based stories that demonstrate God’s love—and lots of action. OK, that’s two things.

She was a school speech pathologist for over 30 years but retired in 2012 after being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors due to Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disease.

Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word. To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit:www.lillian –duncan.com .

More from Lillian

JANE DOE is my latest novel and it’s a doozy!

What’s the genre you ask? It’s suspense with lots of drama and action…but it also a political thriller…but it also has a lot of mystery components…but there’s the romance element as well… and let’s not forget the spiritual message! No matter what genre you classify it as, it’s one I think you’ll enjoy!

So how did JANE DOE come about?

I’d finished all my edits on a current book and was feeling very uninspired. I had no idea for my next story, so I went on FB and asked people to send me an idea for my next suspense novel. An old high school friend sent me the suggestion to write a story where the main character struggled with memory loss.

Mmmm… but the old amnesia plot has been done and it’s a big no-no that writing experts warn against. I took the challenge and wrote JANE DOE. It’s definitely not your typical amnesia plot, but the main character is haunted by her memories.

First, because she doesn’t have them and then because she does!

Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. Even though she can’t remember the details of her kidnapping, she’s haunted by the thought that someone else is being victimized by the kidnapper she can’t remember.

Her journey to discover the truth leads her to the highest politicians in the state and then the country. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.

I’m not going to give away the plot, but there’s plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading late into the night!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 1

Ashley’s Bookshelf, July 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 2

Just the Write Escape, July 3

By The Book, July 4 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, July 4

Inklings and notions, July 5

Betti Mace, July 6

Andrea Christenson, July 7 (Author Interview)

Hebrews 12 Endurance, July 7

For Him and My Family, July 8

Texas Book-aholic, July 9

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 11

For the Love of Literature, July 12 (Author Interview)

Bigreadersite, July 12

Artistic Nobody, July 13 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

deb’s Book Review, July 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lillian 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fd8f/jane-doe-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Something I am Not

Author: Cher Gatto

Genre: YA Fiction

Release Date: January 25, 2019

A father who never loved him…
A woman who stole his worth…
And a brother he couldn’t protect.

Where does someone run in the face of his deepest shame?

Billy McQueen works hard to keep his life together … and concealed. At seventeen, he dreams of an escape from the barroom, his father’s manipulation, and the advances of his father’s girlfriend. However, on his eighteenth birthday, Billy is introduced to a younger brother he never knew he had. An eight-year-old who is barely capable of navigating the corrupt world of his father’s boxing club.

Now, in order to secure his freedom, Billy must fight for it. But to save his little brother who is next in line for the slave trade … he must die for it.

SOMETHING I AM NOT, formerly titled Billy, won the ACFW Genesis Award for the Contemporary category. It was published by Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

This is not an easy feel good kind of book. In fact it is one of the hardest stories I have ever read. It drips with raw emotions and sends readers to a place where evil lurks. There has been news reports and documentaries about human trafficking, but this book goes deeper. It goes to the under belly of darkness and exposes the truth that no one is immune from pain, desperation and a loss of hope.

Billy is a character that I wanted to rescue myself. I wanted to barge in the room, knock Max to the ground and tell Billy he was safe. The author lets us see inside a world where power controls people and their love of money devours their soul. Billy has been beaten all his life but his loyalty to Max is honorable. He knows God but I think he wondered where he was at times. The abuse is constant and savage yet Billy continues to draw strength from inside.

The scenes are graphic at times but is necessary to understand the emotional and physical abuse a person goes through. I have no good words to say about Max. He is an abusive, power hungry person who sees Billy as a way out of situations. I can’t even fathom how a “parent” could sell their child knowing the atmosphere they were placing them in. Max oozes with darkness and has no remorse for the torture he endures Billy to.

I admired Billy and his determination to survive. He is someone who knows that the truth will set him free. His journey is heartbreaking yet I feel it helped him grow closer to God. I don’t want to go into much detail about the story because readers need to experience it for themselves. Billy makes difficult decisions which define his future. There are a few surprises in the story which helped explained the ending. I admire the author for writing a story that not only exposes evil, but shows us that there is hope.

“But nothing-not wicked men or even demons that haunt you-can take you out of God’s hands.”

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

About the Author

Cher Gatto is a native to NJ and lives with her husband (pastor) and five teenagers. Their family spent 10 years in Mexico developing a horse ranch for kids (see more about the ranch below) and founded an addictions ministry (R-HUB) back in the states. Cher has a Master’s in Psychology and serves as president of the ACFW NY/NJ chapter. Cher’s debut novel won the Genesis Award in 2016 and the Christian Indie Award for Best YA in 2020. Her new novel, Regent, is scheduled to release this fall, and she has begun a sequel to Something I Am Not.

More from Cher

I never meant to be a writer. It’s something that happened to me when I wasn’t looking. Our family (my husband and I and our five children) lived in Mexico developing a horse ranch for kids, at-risk youth, and broken families in impoverished villages surrounding the ranch. Our co-workers ran a women’s shelter in the city, and we used the horses to love on the girls there. I say “women’s” shelter, but most were children (13, 14, 15 years old) trying to raise babies of their own. Many of the babies a result of abuse, rape, or incest. Some had been drawn out of trafficking. Their stories tragic and incomprehensible.

About a year after we got on the field, the shelter closed down for a dangerous breach in security. All the girls were sent back to where they came from. We could do nothing. Nothing at all, but watch them go. A few months later, I saw one of the girls at church escorted by her “father.” When our eyes met, the vacancy in hers shattered my heart. I will never forget it. And one day, while I was cleaning a horse corral, I had Billy’s story. Not the whole thing, but a piece of it.

I hid myself away whenever I could for months and wrote furiously. I had no idea how the story would unfold, or even what themes would develop. But three hundred and fifty pages later, I was done. I guess it was all in there, needing to come out. I thought I was writing a fiction novel, but Billy’s journey gave me the key to process and heal from things I saw around me but couldn’t change. Things that broke my heart.

I needed a different ending—a redemption. Billy’s story became an allegory on life. He lives under the wrong “father,” as an orphan, believing the fear and shame that those lies wield. But in finding the right Father, he finds where he truly belong. Billy’s story is about coming home. It’s his story, and it’s ours.

Something I Am Not was published by Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. It won the 2016 Genesis Award for the contemporary category and 2020 Christian Indie Award for best Young Adult fiction.

Blog Stops

By The Book, July 4 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 5

Book of Ruth Ann, July 6

Artistic Nobody, July 7 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, July 8

Wishful Endings, July 9 (Author Interview)

Rebecca Tews, July 9

Inklings and notions, July 10

For Him and My Family, July 11

For the Love of Literature, July 12 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, July 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 15 (Author Interview)

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, July 16

Just the Write Escape, July 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Cher 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fd98/something-i-am-not-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, July 5, 2020

About the Book

Book: Flowers from Afghanistan

Author: Suzy Parish

Genre: Christian War Fiction

Release Date: August 10, 2018

Weighed down by guilt following the death of his two-year-old son, Mac McCann accepts a year-long position training police officers in Afghanistan. Leaving his wife Sophie to grieve alone, he hopes the life-or-death distractions of his self-imposed exile will build a wall between him and his pain.

As camaraderie builds between Mac and the men on base—including a local barber and his precocious little boy—Mac’s heart becomes invested in stories beyond his own tragedy and he learns he is not the only one running from loss. But when the hour of attack arrives, will he be able to see past his guilt to believe there’s still something—and someone—worth living for? With touching details based on true events, Flowers from Afghanistan is a redemptive journey of healing, a chronicle of hope in crisis, and a testament to the faithfulness of God through it all.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

This story is a look at a marriage that faces one of the hardest tragedies I can think of. I cried when their son died and could feel the turmoil inside them. Mac is one of those people who internalizes things. He keeps them suppressed deep down where nothing can touch it. His wife is struggling as well, but she soon will find out that her husband has checked out.

Mac not only abandons his wife but he takes on a new career in Afghanistan. I know I tend to run from things as well. I keep things hidden from everybody expecting to ignore my heart breaking in half. I enjoyed reading Mac’s journey and how he became close to several men while stationed overseas. We get a glimpse into a world where danger lurks nearby and we understand the desperation of those who cry out for freedom. God had a plan for Mac and in the midst of war, Mac must face his anger towards God. His marriage is going through a change and I think his wife was very understanding. She never once turned her back on Mac.

I liked how Sophie discovered herself and realized with God’s help she could heal. Her love of baking becomes a focus for her and I think it gave her confidence she never had before. The story examines how important it is to communicate in a marriage. That is something Mac failed at. He is so wrapped up in guilt and anger that he forgot to lean on his wife and God.

The story reflects not only marriage but the undeniable need to trust God. Mac faces danger several times but each time God was there to cover him and keep him safe. Sometimes we have to go through trials for God to get our attention. I loved how well the author was able to communicate through words the emotions that each character goes through. She lets us see what life is like in Afghanistan and the hardship they encounter each day.

I finished the book as tears ran down my cheeks with hope that others will experience God’s love and His forgiving spirit. Nothing is impossible with God. We need to be open to receive Him like Mac experiences and be able to forgive ourselves.

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

About the Author

Suzy Parish wrote as a Community Columnist for the Huntsville Times. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Suzy discovered her love of books as a child in Richmond, Virginia when she took refuge from the summer heat in the local Bookmobile. She believes the power of literacy can change lives and stewards a Little Free Library in a local park. She currently resides in Huntsville, Alabama with her husband, a retired Investigator from the Huntsville Police Department. Their tennis-ball addicted dog, Charlie, is her writing companion.

More from Suzy

Have you or a family member served in the military or as first responders? I had you on my heart when I wrote Flowers from Afghanistan. You might say this novel is my “Thank you” to families all over who sacrifice their time and sometimes even their lives to help make the world a safer place.

It’s also my hand, reaching out through my keyboard to beautiful children like the character Bashir. These children want the same things as any child the world over, shelter, food, and to know they are loved. And finally, this book is a love letter from myself to Jesus Christ. He is the reason I write.