Character Spotlight: Haley Hampton!!

 

Hello! And welcome to Day Two of the “Out of the Dark” blog tour!!

Were you all able to read the kick-off post for the “Out of the Dark” blog tour yesterday? It’s a fun post, and if you missed it, be sure to check that out HERE.

In that post we shared a spotlight of the lovely and strong character, Avery Hampton. Today we are now sharing another spotlight and second main character, Haley Hampton, who is a character just as lovely and strong as her sister.

 

 

 

If you’ve tried visiting the second stop on this blog tour (“The Chloe Blog”), we’re sorry for the current absence of the author interview – there’s been some technical difficulties with that post at present, but we’re hopeful they will be sorted before the day is out, God-willing! In the mean time, please enjoy this special treat of getting to know another character!!!

 

Enter…Haley Hampton:

 

Welcome back, Haley! Another returning character we see is Haley, who is now twenty-four years old. She’s just graduated from the police academy and ready to start work at her hometown department. She’s tenacious and bold…and maybe a bit too impulsive. (As we noticed in “Not Abandoned”) She’s passionate about her job and fighting for the freedom and justice of those affected by human trafficking. And take note: don’t ever stand between her and her sister! She’s protective of Avery and affectionately shares in this book that she looks at Avery as “her baby”. In the pages of this book we see Haley bravely sticking her nose where it’s not supposed to be in order to seek justice, but we also see a more broken side of her. She’s struggling with guilt and trying too hard to control everything so that she can fix what’s wrong. But the tighter she holds, she more things fall apart. And, like Avery, her emotional scars place her in a dark hole, feeling hopeless and alone. But in her heart, God is calling to her, reminding her that she doesn’t have to do everything on her own. And if only she’ll listen and give Him control…then will she realize that she’s unstoppable.

 

 

Keep scrolling to see the cover and blurb again, and enter that lovely giveaway!!! Also, at the end of this post will be the blog tour schedule, so have fun joining along in our excitement!!

 

 

 

It’s not over yet…

    It’s been three years since Haley Hampton rescued her sister, Avery, from a human trafficking ring. They are still struggling through the aftermath as both women desperately long for healing to come. But the emotional wounds are not easily forgotten. And the past is quickly catching up to them. A string of death threats leaves Haley on the hunt for a potential killer. As tensions run high, a single mistake could jeopardize Avery’s life.

Then Haley encounters Elaine, a young teen trapped by human trafficking. Could she be their missing link in the case? Is there anyone they can trust? Haley must rely on God now more than ever if they intend to make it out alive. Will they find a way out of the darkness closing in? Because evil is lurking closer…and determined to win this time.

 

PURCHASE HERE

 

!!Giveaway!!:

 Are you excited to read “Out of the Dark”, book two in MacKenzie Morganthal’s Mission for Freedom series?! Well here’s your chance to win a copy for FREE! This giveaway will begin on October 27th, and end at midnight on November 2nd. The winner will be announced on November 3rd, in the wrap-up post on http://www.godspeculiartreasurerae.wordpress.com. One winner will receive a PDF book version of “Out of the Dark” right to their email! How do you enter? Follow the link below and complete the options!

Rafflecopter Giveaway//ENTER HERE!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Out of the Dark blog tour schedule:

 

October 27th:

• Release day/ kick-off post & Character Spotlight at God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae

October 28th:

• God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae// Character Spotlight: Haley Hampton
• Chloe Hale/ The Chloe Blog // Author interview

October 29th:

• Riley Aline/ Blog // Guest post

October 30th:

• Livy Jarmusch/ Livy Lynn Blog // Author interview and PDF giveaway

October 31st:

• Bethany Smith/ Girl on Fire // Author interview

November 1st:

• Rae/ God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae// “Out of the Dark” book review

November 2nd:

• Isabella Morganthal/ Worth it All Blog // Guest post

November 3rd:

• Faith Blum/  Blog // “Out of the Dark” book review
• Wrap-up post/ God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae// Character Spotlight & Giveaway winner announcement

“Out of the Dark” by MacKenzie Morganthal Blog Tour!

Raechel here for a moment – I will be passing off the “mic” here to MacKenzie in just a second, but first I  wanted to say how excited I am for this book!! “Out of the Dark” has been an eagerly anticipated novel, and it’s finally here! So thrilling. And inspiring – I’ve watched as this author has poured out her heart in this novel, sometimes struggling when the words didn’t come. But God has brought it to completion, as He promises, and how utterly glorious that is! If you haven’t read the first book in this series, I definitely encourage you to do so. You can find “Not Abandoned” here. Anyway, now I will let our lovely author take the stage, and share more about “Out of the Dark”!! Don’t forget to check out the giveaway, and character spotlight too!!

 

 

Welcome to the “Out of the Dark” blog tour! I’m so thankful Rae is letting me share her blog to share with all of you about my new book release. “Out of the Dark” is book two in my Mission for Freedom series and is a continuation of my debut novel “Not Abandoned”. This new story took two long years to complete and a lot of prayer. If I didn’t have God, you wouldn’t be reading about this new release right now. I faced mountains of opposition during the writing of this book, and have even felt attacks from the enemy right up to release day. But I believe God is going to do great things through this story, and my prayer is that He will use it to touch each of your lives. But enough of my rambling! On to the fun stuff! ;) Read on to see the full description of “Out of the Dark”, view the cover photo (*squeals* Isn’t it lovely?!?!) and find out how YOU can win a FREE copy of my new release! And make sure you check out my purchase links a little further down the post so that “Out of the Dark” can be yours, as well as my social media links so that we can stay in touch and you can keep up to date on the latest happenings with my writing. And of course you’ll wanna check out the blog tour schedule so you don’t miss even one post! There will be all sorts of fun, from author interviews to book reviews, and even a couple guest posts by me! I’d like to say another BIG thank you to Rae for sharing her blog with me this week, and thank YOU for stopping by! Don’t forget to enter the PDF book giveaway, and enjoy the rest of the “Out of the Dark” blog tour! ☺

 

 

The Book:

 

 

 

 

It’s not over yet…

    It’s been three years since Haley Hampton rescued her sister, Avery, from a human trafficking ring. They are still struggling through the aftermath as both women desperately long for healing to come. But the emotional wounds are not easily forgotten. And the past is quickly catching up to them. A string of death threats leaves Haley on the hunt for a potential killer. As tensions run high, a single mistake could jeopardize Avery’s life.

    Then Haley encounters Elaine, a young teen trapped by human trafficking. Could she be their missing link in the case? Is there anyone they can trust? Haley must rely on God now more than ever if they intend to make it out alive. Will they find a way out of the darkness closing in? Because evil is lurking closer…and determined to win this time.

 

 

PURCHASE HERE

 

 

 

Character Spotlight:

 

Avery Hampton

Avery is back in “Out of the Dark” as a twenty year old survivor of human trafficking. But she’s been through terrible pain and her heart is covered with emotional scars. In “Out of the Dark” we see Avery as a strong young woman who doesn’t feel very strong inside. She’s allowed God to use her to begin a ministry for other human trafficking victims, and she’s very proud of the safehouse she built, Redemption House. Her heart desires to save other victims, but she thinks she’s not as brave or confident as her older sister, Haley, is. (Psst, between you and me, I think Avery is one of the bravest characters I’ve met!) She tries to appear confident and whole, but inside she’s still struggling and has broken pieces. Part of her thinks she’s beyond repair, but the other part of her is still reaching out in hope that God can fulfill His promises to her and heal her and pull her out of the darkness she finds herself in. Avery is a fighter. But she’s getting tired and worried she’ll never make it out of the shadow of her past. But God will never give up on our Avery. And I believe in her. What about you?

 

*There will also be a spotlight of Haley Hampton in the wrap-up post so be sure to return and read that then!

The Author:

 

MacKenzie Morganthal is the author of the Mission for Freedom series. Book one, “Not Abandoned”, was her debut novel. She lives in Pennsylvania where she is a monthly e-magazine columnist, Creative Artist, and musician. She loves Jesus most, sweet tea, singing along to the radio, and spending too much time at Starbucks.

 

 

   

 

*The book will be up on Goodreads very soon!

 

 

!!Giveaway!!:

 

 Are you excited to read “Out of the Dark”, book two in MacKenzie Morganthal’s Mission for Freedom series?! Well here’s your chance to win a copy for FREE! This giveaway will begin on October 27th, and end at midnight on November 2nd. The winner will be announced on November 3rd, in the wrap-up post on http://www.godspeculiartreasurerae.wordpress.com. One winner will receive a PDF book version of “Out of the Dark” right to their email! How do you enter? Follow the link below and complete the options!

Rafflecopter Giveaway//ENTER HERE!!!!

 

 

 

 

Out of the Dark blog tour schedule:

 

October 27th:

• Release day/ kick-off post & Character Spotlight at God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae

October 28th:

• Chloe Hale/ The Chloe Blog // Author interview  **This post is currently not up yet, but hopefully will be soon. Check back later to see the interview. Thanks!

October 29th:

• Riley Aline/ Blog // Guest post

October 30th:

• Livy Jarmusch/ Livy Lynn Blog // Author interview and PDF giveaway

October 31st:

• Bethany Smith/ Girl on Fire // Author interview

November 1st:

• Rae/ God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae// “Out of the Dark” book review

November 2nd:

• Isabella Morganthal/ Worth it All Blog // Guest post

November 3rd:

• Faith Blum/  Blog // “Out of the Dark” book review
• Wrap-up post/ God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae// Character Spotlight & Giveaway winner announcement 

 

Blog Tour//Character Spotlight “October” by J. Grace Pennington

Today we begin a countdown. To what? The release of J. Grace Pennington’s new book, October. Yes, the name of the book is the same as the month in which she releases this new novel! Check out the great giveaway, and the other posts in this countdown! I think this book sounds so intruiging, and I can’t wait to read it! (I shall be sharing a review of it in a few weeks, God-willing!) I love the name, too. October is one of my most favourite months. :)

 

About the Book

For Emily Baxter, life is simple. Her world is made up completely of school, church, and the community in the small farming town she calls home. All that changes one fateful Sunday, when a new girl shows up at Pleasanton Baptist—a girl unlike anyone Emily has ever seen. A girl with long red hair, crystal green eyes, and style and posture like royalty.

A girl named October.

 

The months that follow are filled with magic—the magic of ordinary things, of finding pictures in the stars, of imagination and a new sense of beauty. But as time goes by, Emily begins to sense that her enchanting new friend may have secrets that could break the spell. Is October really all she seems to be?

 

Purchase this book: Amazon

 

About the Author

Grace Pennington has been telling stories since she could talk and writing them down since age five. Now she lives in the great state of Texas, where she writes as much as adult life permits. When she’s not writing she enjoys reading good books, having adventures with her husband, and looking up at the stars.

Character Spotlight:

 

Emily Baxter

 

Despite not being the title or central character, Emily is the protagonist of “October.”  She is the narrator, the one through whose eyes we see the story—and October herself.

 

So who is Emily?

 

Emily is a small-town, seventeen-year-old girl who lives with her parents and her younger brother.  She goes to school and does her homework.  She goes to church every Sunday.  She goes to the mall with her friends.  She hangs out with her cousin, Jax, who lives just down the road from her.

 

She’s a good girl.  Sheltered.  Respectful.  She loves reading, particularly books about dragons.  She loves the color teal.  She loves poetry.  She loves spring, when the leaves come back to cover the nakedness of the trees.  She loves her parents, but finds them difficult to talk to, especially her mother.  Like many girls, she feels much more affection for her father.  She loves her little brother, but mostly writes him off as a somewhat annoying little kid.

 

She’s very close with her cousin, and somewhat close with her best friend, but still doesn’t feel quite like there’s anyone who can really relate with her on a deeper level.  Especially now—in that awkward period on the brink of adulthood but not seeming able to quite break into it.  She knows who she is, but she doesn’t seem to have that undefinable something that brings someone out of the innocence of childhood and into the grown-up world.

 

Enter October Blake.  A beautiful, somewhat mysterious, slightly older girl who shows up unannounced in Emily’s hometown and immediately captures her heart.  Could October be the friend she’s always hoped for?

 

Giveaway

Grace has generously offered a paperback book of her new book as her giveaway prize. You can enter at this link.

Tour Schedule

October 25, 2017
Bookish Orchestrations – Introductory post
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae – Character Spotlight
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Character Spotlight
Lisa Swinton – Queen of Random – Book Spotlight
Audrey Rich – Book Spotlight

October 26, 2017
Frances Hoelsema – Excerpt
Jaye L. Knight – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
Morgan Elizabeth Huneke – Review

October 27, 2017
Liv K. Fisher – Author Interview and Excerpt
Opinions, Thoughts, and General Rambling – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
Leila’s Bookshelf – Book Spotlight
Britbear’s Book Reviews – Guest Post

October 28, 2017
Rebekah Lyn Books – Excerpt
In the Bookcase – Review
Roxbury Books – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
Grace Pennington – Special author’s post

October 29, 2017
Bookish Orchestrations – Giveaway Winner

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Book Review: “Whither Shall I Go?” by Gina Holder

“Whither Shall I Go?” by Gina Holder

Review copy from the author

 

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

“I miss him too, Bitty, but God knows best. Someday you’ll see.” If only I could believe that…
In 1911, Ellie Williams struggles to see God’s hand in her life when she loses both parents and is sent to live with her wealthy, estranged aunt, who transforms her from awkward country bumpkin to socialite heiress. Six years later, she meets a young preacher and finds hope as they serve the Lord together.
Robert Hampton is deeply devoted to God and desires to take the gospel to the unreached natives of Brazil. He didn’t expect to fall in love. When he is drafted, Robert is torn between his duty as a soldier and his budding affections for Ellie. Will Robert survive the trenches? Will he lose the only woman he’s ever loved?
Ellie’s journey takes her from her home in Cades Cove, Tennessee, to the concrete jungle of New York City, and finally to the harsh unforgiving world of the Amazon River Basin, where she meets Paul, a doctor who’s lost his way, and Jack, a soldier with amnesia. Encountering anacondas, jaguars, and an antagonistic shaman, will Ellie give in to the fears that threaten to overwhelm her?
Or can she depend on God’s grace to bring about His will for her life?
Whither Shall I Go? combines compelling characters, sweet romance, vivid setting, and historical details in this emotionally-charged story of one woman’s struggle to surrender to God’s plan and allow His grace to work in her life. Can life take her anywhere that his hand does not lead and his presence cannot be found?

 

 

My Thoughts:

I loved how this book started out with a Bible passage before the prologue. And how so many verses were sprinkled throughout the story – I very much appreciated that and enjoyed that aspect! To me, you can never get enough Jesus. His Word, His truths, they’re amazing and should be used more often in fiction.

Another thing I really liked about “Whither Shall I Go?” was the emphasis on waiting and following God’s will – that His will for our lives is so much more important than following anything else. If God leads us to do something, we must forsake all else to follow Him.

This is a book that follows the main characters through their lives. Ellie is the majority of the book’s main character, but we also follow along with Robert and his journey, and Paul and his family’s journey too, till they all meet up in a satisfying ending.

This book was a little slow at times, and didn’t have a huge build-up – it was really more of a journey – but it was still good, and I enjoyed reading it. It was really neat to see how God’s plan for the characters lives was orchestrated completely, and glory given to His name for it.

There were some instances of behaviour by the characters that I couldn’t relate to – things would happen and the characters wouldn’t react to it – they wouldn’t do anything about it, and were…passive. Which seemed weird to me. I’d explain more but I don’t want to give any spoilers.

I didn’t agree with all of the character’s behaviours (like the parents of Paul sometimes), but they were realistically portrayed.

I did enjoy how a fair part of this book was missions-related, as missions are close to my heart.

“Whither Shall I Go?” is a unique story, filled with Biblical truths, and the real factors of life.

“Just keep your trust in the Lord. He knows every thought and intent of the heart. Remember, the will of God won’t lead you where the grace of God can’t keep you.”

“We can’t let heartache keep us from loving. We can’t let the bad memories cover the good ones.  Just think of all the good times. Would you give them up just to be rid of the pain you feel now?”

“But I do know that God is always leading us, even when we don’t understand. Even if it feels like we’ve done made our bed in hell; the Bible says, ‘when I awake I am still with Thee.’ …God knows the horror we lived through, but He brought us through it. And He’s going to bring you through this too.”

 

Book Review: “Lady Layne Disappears” by Joanna Davidson Politano

 

“Lady Jayne Disappears” by Joanna Davidson Politano

 

Review copy from publishers through the author’s Launch Team

My rating: 5 out of 5  Stars

 

 

 

About the Book:

When Aurelie Harcourt’s father dies in debtor’s prison, he leaves her just two things: his wealthy family, whom she has never met, and his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll. Her new family greets her with apathy and even resentment. Only the quiet houseguest, Silas Rotherham, welcomes her company.

When Aurelie decides to complete her father’s unfinished serial novel, writing the family into the story as unflattering characters, she must keep her identity as Nathaniel Droll hidden while searching for the truth about her mother’s disappearance–and perhaps even her father’s death.

Author Joanna Davidson Politano’s stunning debut set in Victorian England will delight readers with its highly original plot, lush setting, vibrant characters, and reluctant romance.

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

This is one of the most beautifully crafted novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a very long time. It was such a masterpiece of writing.

A story within a story, with twists and turns, and curiosities that leave you wondering but keep you oh-so absorbed in its pages.

Upon closing the final page, I had to sit back in a bit of awe. The author has a way with words, just as the main character Aurelie has. May I also say how much I love that name – Aurelie. So beautiful.

The characters were marvelous. I love real feeling characters, and these definitely filled that.  Aurelie: a most beautiful and unique heroine, Silas Rotherham: the perfect hero. And each of the side characters were brilliantly crafted as well.

Every scene was depicted so well, with so much feeling – you were definitely present in the novel. And the bit of mystery – goodness! I was entirely surprised by the culprit behind the murder. What murder you ask? Well, you’ll just have to read the book yourself to find out!

Truly, this was a lovely novel. The faith aspect was beautiful and poignant. The struggles felt by the characters were most real and relatable.

I wish I could give a review that would justly describe this book, but I am afraid I’m at a bit of a loss for words. I thoroughly enjoyed “Lady Jayne Disappears” and was very reluctant to leave its pages!

This stunning tale just sweeps you away with its beauty and richness. I definitely recommend, especially for fans of Charles Dickens (think Little Dorrit and Bleak House), Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre) and just excellent English/Gothic fiction that is inspiring and full of faith.

Below are graphics I made for this lovely book:

Book review: “Justice Buried” by Patricia Bradley

“Justice Buried” by Patricia Bradley

A Memphis Cold Case Novel

Review copy from the publishers through the Revell Reads Program

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

In an effort to get her security consulting business off the ground, Kelsey Allen has been spending a lot of time up in the air, rappelling down buildings and climbing through windows to show business owners their vulnerabilities to thieves. When she is hired to pose as a conservator at the Pink Palace Museum in order to test their security weaknesses after some artifacts go missing, she’s ecstatic. But when her investigative focus turns from theft to murder, Kelsey knows she’s out of her league–and possibly in the cross hairs. When blast-from-the-past Detective Brad Hollister is called in to investigate, Kelsey may find that he’s the biggest security threat yet . . . to her heart.

Crackling with romantic tension and laced with intrigue, this suspenseful story from award-winning author Patricia Bradley will keep readers guessing–and looking over their shoulders.

My Thoughts:

 

“Justice Buried” is apparently the second book in a series, but I found that it was pretty easy to read as a stand-alone. There were a couple instances where you knew they were referring to the first book, but not in a way that was confusing or made you think you had to read the first one first. :) I’m sure it’s probably best enjoyed to be read that way, but since I didn’t know, I don’t feel like I was unable to still enjoy the story as it was.

Full of mystery and suspense, you were wondering who the murderer was right till the end.

It was an enjoyable book, and kept me interested to find out what happened to the characters. I like Kelsey and Brad, but I think their relationship development could’ve been strengthened a bit, and the ending seemed a tiny bit rushed. But this book does fit in with its genre of Romantic Suspense, and yet it was quite clean which I appreciated a great deal.

That being said, this book I would classify more as a clean book than a Christian book. There were a couple mentions of characters attending church and a random verse thrown out once, but that was it, and the whole thread of faith was not present – very buried if it was there. That disappointed me, but I do still appreciate that it was at least clean.

I received a copy of this book from the publishers. All thoughts presented in this review are my own.

Litfuse Book Review: “The Pretender” by Ta’Mara Hanscom

The Pretender: A Blackguard in Disguise  by Ta’Mara Hanscom

Caselli Family Series Book One

Review copy from the publishers through Litfuse Publicity group for review purposes. All thoughts stated in my review are purely my own.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

 

 

 

About the book:

Set in South Dakota in 1975, where eighteen-year-olds could order 3.2 beer in a bar, and loaded guns were kept under the counter.

Frankie Valli sang “My Eyes Adored You,” and American soldiers returning from Vietnam struggled with their new reality.

It’s within this tumultuous season of American history that Tillie Caselli meets Noah Hansen, and they are never the same again. Their lives were mysteriously intertwined-and had been for many years-yet they had no idea. 

From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart—and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

 

 

My Thoughts:

Hmmm, I don’t know where to start with this review. You see, this book has me a little torn. More than a little, I suppose.

I liked it, but I didn’t. Somehow, I got extremely emotionally invested into it, but the ending wasn’t what I was hoping for, and it was a cliffhanger on top of that.

The focus of the book confused me. The first half of the book was so focused on a story plot, that it seemed to only have been concluded in the expected way, but then the latter half was totally different, and almost as if that first half never happened. It was weird. I was fully rooting for the first half to be brought to a satisfying conclusion, but it wasn’t to be so. If it had, I think this could’ve become a favourite book. The cover is beautiful too. But instead, it left me…discontent for the story.

I loved Noah, pretty much from the beginning. His parts of the story were my favourite, and seeing his redemption play out was good, though maybe a little fast. I liked Tillie a lot too. But I questioned her character towards the second half, and how she reacted to a certain occurence.

 I admire Noah’s choice for one of his decisions, and reluctantly came to terms with that. He was a great character, but the book wasn’t what the reader hopes for, and therefore you find yourself feeling disappointed. At least that is how it was for me.

So, like I said, it’s almost as if the first half never happened in regards to how the second half continued.

And I know that life doesn’t always end “happily ever after” but this ending, I felt, was kind of uncalled for as far as unhappy endings go.

Another thing that was a pretty big caution to me was how the parents were sure to say that nothing can thwart God’s will (and that’s only true when we fully submit to His will since we can definitely thwart His will when we let our own will get in the way), but then later on at the end, and in the description for the second book, it was a contradiction –  the parents clearly regret their decision, as if admitting that they indeed sought their own will, not God’s And yes, we can certainly mess up and not follow God’s will mistakenly, but the fact that they were so adamant that this decision was God’s will and then later said perhaps they were wrong as if to say God’s will was wrong, when in actuality they just didn’t seek or heed His true will – this  just didn’t sit well with me.

So  yes, very conflicted. The story definitely grabs your attention – and emotions – but there were several things that I just wasn’t too happy with.

 

 

 

About the author:

Born and raised in South Dakota, Ta`Mara loves to write about the Great Plains and the beauty and people of Italia. While her husband and children manage their two pizza ristoranti, Ta`Mara works full time on The Caselli Family Series, and ministers to women. It is Ta`Mara s prayer that as the readers explore the truths in these volumes, they will come away with a new perspective on love, forgiveness, obedience, and God’s plan for marriage

Find out more about Ta’Mara at https://www.tamarahanscombooks.com.

 

 

 

Despite just meeting each other, Tillie and Noah’s lives have been mysteriously intertwined for many years in Ta’Mara Hanscom’s The Pretender. From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart-and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

Join Ta’Mara in celebrating the release of the second printing and new covers by entering to win her $75 prize basket giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of The Pretender
• A $75 Amazon gift card
• A decorative box containing measuring cups, ten recipes from the book, a potholder, a kitchen towel, pepper and salt grinders, kitchen utensils, and an olive oil dispenser

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on October 11. The winner will be announced October 12 on the Litfuse blog.

 

September 2017

Hello :)

Such an un-clever post title, I know. I’m not really feeling super creative at the moment though, so it’ll have to do. ;)

This post is going to be kinda full, and while you don’t have to read it all (I really don’t care if you don’t want to. Do what you want. XD), I DO recommend at least scrolling to the bottom where I am posting some exciting news!! Please do at least read that. :)

 

I hope everyone had a nice September! I love Fall so much. We had a week or two of really hot weather, but for the most part September was lovely weather, and October is proving to be thusly too. :)

We did some canning during the month, I continued to attend physical therapy for my ankle and it is doing very well. Almost back to normal. :) I still have to wear a brace, but I am successfully walking without crutches now!! Praise God. And I can go up and down stairs fairly well too, which is so nice. I’m just very thankful for how it’s progressing, and each week I get a bit better. :)

At the end of September, so just last weekend, my Mum, sister, and I went up north to visit my grandparents whom we hadn’t seen in quite a while. Poor Dad had to stay home to take care of all our animals, but we weren’t gone too long. And he gets to go up north more than we do. ;)

We had a very nice visit, and it was such a good time. The scenery was gorgeous – so many fall colors! And the weather was splendid. Chilly but nice. I did a ton of walking – and I do mean a ton – but it was good for me and my ankle seemed to handle it very well. I’d only use the crutches in the evening if I had to at all. It was just so nice to spend time up there with my grandparents, and enjoy the trip. Because of my ankle, I couldn’t do ALL the things I would normally do when we go up there (traverse rocky paths, rivers, etc.), but still enjoyed the views, and experiences, and the whole trip. God is good.

 

As for my month of reading….

 

 

            

I LOVED “Daring to Hope” by Katie Davis Majors (you can click on the covers of each book to go to my reviews of them, if applicable), enjoyed “Freedom’s Ring” by Heidi Chiavaroli, started and skimmed “When Dimple Met Rishi” but stopped reading it because Dimple was very disrespective/rebellious, God’s name was taken in vain a lot, and there were other swear words, and so I just didn’t think it was worth my time. I really enjoyed “The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck”, the “My Vinyl Record” notebook is splendid, “The Promise of a Letter” by Kathleen Fuller was an enjoyable read, and “The Pretender” I am still very much torn about. Review to come on the 9th.

 

I acquired numerous books as well, just like usual.  I won some fun books, and wish I had pictures, but I’m still not quite back to picture-taking ability. I’ll share the couple pictures I did take over the month though…

 

This was to feature the journal I received from Blogging for Books, and I just love how it looks. ^.^

And then this next picture…well, I’m aware there might be some snickers out there, but go ahead. Laugh if you’d like. I giggled like crazy upon receiving it, and I am not much of a giggler/fangirl. But this….

 

This is worth being excited about. The Best of Michael Nesmith Songbook. With some of our Monkees trading cards in the background. :)  So, why is this so exciting, you may ask? Well because 1. It’s Michael Nesmith. 2. It’s a songbook of some of his greatest songs. 3. Here’s the big one…it’s SIGNED TO ME!!!! By Mr. Nesmith himself. Wowza, huh? Definitely one of my best purchases ever. Ever.

Am I a little embarrassed by my “fangirling” over this? Maybe so, maybe so. But I’m okay with that. Because everyone’s gotta be allowed a little bit of fangirling. So what if it’s over a group/singer from the 1960’s? That’s okay.  I didn’t do a lot of squealing or fangirling in my teens. Guess it’s just catching up to me now. ;)

But really, the songs this book has…they’re some of my favourites. And having it signed to me feels pretty priceless.

 

Here’s a picture of some of my current review books:

 

 

 

I’ve already read and reviewed “The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck” by Bethany Turner (so cute), and am almost done with “Lady Jayne Disappears” by Joanna Davidson Politano. I took that book up with me on our recent trip north, and got a lovely picture of it:

 

 

 

 

And before I go, I have some very, very exciting news!!!! If you’ve followed this blog long, you might recall the name MacKenzie Morganthal – she’s the author of the amazing book “Not Abandoned”.

 

 

Okay, so the exciting news is….The SEQUEL IS RELEASING SOON!!!!! I am SO thrilled. It’s been in the works for about 2 years, I believe, and it’s just so exciting. I’ve read this upcoming book twice now was I’ve pre-read and edited, but can hardly wait to read it a third time! It’s so good. Would you like to know what it’s called? What the cover looks like? When the release date is? I can share all that info right now!! Whoohoo!!

MacKenzie recently did a facebook-live to announce the news, and watching that was loads of fun. You can check that out on her page HERE, but for now, here is the sequel to “Not Abandoned”…….

 

…..

…..

 

……..

 

!!!!!”Out of the Dark” by MacKenzie Morganthal!!!!!

She has cleverly come up with the Series title, “Mission for Freedom”, which is so fitting and I love. So yes, “Out of the Dark”, book two in the Mission For Freedom” series, by MacKenzie Morganthal. This will be a three-book series, and waiting for the third book is already hard, and “Out of the Dark” hasn’t even released yet!! Oh, that reminds me…you’re probably curious about WHEN “Out of the Dark” releases! Drum roll…..

October 27th, 2017

Soon!! Yay!!

Which brings me to another thing…would any of you like to be apart of the blog tour she is putting together? I know she would really appreciate that, and I would do! Just like with “Not Abandoned”‘s release, my blog here will be hosting MacKenzie Morganthal for this new release too – it promises to be lots of fun. If you would like to be apart of the tour, and receive more information on that, please either comment here and I will pass along your contact info (privately) to her, or you can contact her yourself on her facebook, her website, or even her twitter.

 

You can also find out more about her upcoming book on her facebook. :)

 

I hope everyone has a great October!! And thanks for reading through this long post. ;)

 

Book Review: “The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck” by Bethany Turner

 

“The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck” by Bethany Turner

Releases October 3rd, 2017 (today!!)

Review copy from the author/publishers; launch team copy.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

Becoming a Christian is the best and worst thing that has ever happened to Sarah Hollenbeck. Best because, well, that’s obvious. Worst because, up to this point, she’s made her very comfortable living as a well-known, bestselling author of steamy romance novels that would leave the members of her new church blushing. Now Sarah is trying to reconcile her past with the future she’s chosen. She’s still under contract with her publisher and on the hook with her enormous fan base for the kind of book she’s not sure she can write anymore. She’s beginning to think that the church might frown on her tithing on royalties from a “scandalous” book. And the fact that she’s falling in love with her pastor doesn’t make things any easier.

With a powerful voice, penetrating insight, and plenty of wit, Bethany Turner explodes onto the scene with a debut that isn’t afraid to deal with the thorny realities of living the Christian life

 

My Thoughts:

 

This book was adorable. The writing style was truly so great, and I was just drawn right in by the first chapter. It was so…readable. :) The style felt so unique and yet still so familiar to my own. And the story – oh my goodness, I had so many giggles throughout it. This was a book where I literally laughed out loud. Which then caused my family to question my sanity a tiny bit, but more so they wanted to know what I was laughing at. So yes, I had to read some parts out loud, and they giggled right alongside me! Sarah was hysterical in so many ways. From her crazy “What if??” scenarios, to her panicked reaction to things. And very relatable in those instances. Her character really was a gem to read.
Piper! Oh Piper, I loved her so much. Will she get her own story, Bethany? Please? She was like *the best* friend. So grounded, so joyful, and so loyal. Yep, loved her.
Ben. Um, yeah he was kinda perfect. Not like unrealistically perfect. But Bible-Nerd cute perfect. You can see why she fell for him right away.
The characters were all so well-written, and like-able (except Patrick…and one or two others that are supposed to be unlikeable. :D). This book was just a lot of fun to read.
So, the only “downside” to this book for me, what made this a 4.5 instead of 5 for me was Sarah’s obsession with sex. Yes, I expected a bit of that, seeing the plot of the story. And for the most part, it was handled really well and tastefully (going from a “steamy romance” novelist to a Christian…tricky transition that would be! But like I said, it was handled well!). And there wasn’t the “shame” that often comes when Christians have to deal with anything sex-related. However, that seemed to be Sarah’s driving point – when could she be together sexually with Ben? It couldn’t be soon enough for her, and sometimes that seemed like the only reason she wanted to be with him. No, I know that’s not true – she was in love with him for more reasons than that, but that was definitely a focal point that got stronger towards the end. There was nothing really inappropriate, but it was…edgy? That’s why I would recommend only for mature readers, because well, there’s a fair amount of sex talk. And for me personally, I don’t think it was all totally necessary. No, sex is not a shameful thing, and like I said, I was impressed that the author didn’t make it so, but I also don’t think it needs to be the focal point of a book, if that makes sense. And I know everyone’s preference on this one is different. I’m just stating this for others who feel as I do. :)
But that aside, it was a really adorable book, and I dearly loved it, enjoying it so very much. Author Bethany Turner writes with such wit, you can’t help but smile and laugh along, and it still deals with tougher aspects of life.
Oh, and the cover…!!! I can’t end my review without saying something about that. The cover for “The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck” is superb. Spot on. Brilliant. Amazing. Basically, I’m in love with it. As soon as I received my copy, held it in my hands, I was practically drooling over it. So beautiful! <3

 

(I created the first two – flower pot, and pink background – and the other graphic is from the author herself. :))