Sunday, August 25, 2019

Book Review: Vow of Justice by Lynette Eason

Vow of Justice (Blue Justice Book #4)
About the Book
FBI Special Agent Lincoln St. John is living his own personal nightmare. When the woman he loves, Allison Radcliffe, is killed, he devotes his life to tracking down the killers and making them pay for their crimes. He expected it to be a challenge. What he never expected was to find Allison very much alive shortly after her "murder." As his anger and hurt mix with relief, Linc isn't sure how he's supposed to feel. One thing he does know for sure: he and Allison will have to work together to stop a killer before she dies a second time--this time for good.

Bestselling and award-winning author Lynette Eason closes out her Blue Justice series with a story that will have you tearing through the pages to get to the stunning conclusion.

About the Author

Lynette Eason grew up in Greenville, SC. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a Business Degree she used for a very short time, she moved to Spartanburg, SC to attend Converse College where she obtained her Masters degree in Education. She started her teaching career at the South Carolina School for the deaf and blind. In 1996, she met the man she would marry—the boy next door!

She is married to Jack Eason, who speaks, leads worship, and consults ministries around the country. They have two teenage children.


MY THOUGHTS 
I am very sad to see this series end. I have read all the books in this series and they are all non stop heart pounding. Ths book is action packed. It takes you on so many twists and turns that you will not expect. This book can be read as a standalone - but I suggest reading the entire series. Ms. Eason has crafted original characters, an intriguing, heart pounding storyline and you will be left in awe. I love the way she writes. In this book you will meet FBI Special Agent Linc St. John. Linc is such a likeable character. I have enjoyed getting to know the St. John law enforcement series. This book is probably my favorite out of the whole series. Will he be able to stay out of danger while trying to track down the investigation he's assigned to? You will have to read it to find out. 
I received a copy of this book through Revell Reads blogging program. All thoughts are my own. 

Book Review -- State of Lies Author: Siri Mitchell On Tour with Celebrate Lit

state of lies FB banner

About the Book


Book: State of Lies
Author: Siri Mitchell
Genre: Suspense
Release Date: August 13, 2019
State of lies
Months after her husband, Sean, is killed by a hit-and-run driver, physicist Georgie Brennan discovers he lied to her about where he had been going that day. A cryptic notebook, a missing computer, and strange noises under her house soon have her questioning everything she thought she knew.
With her job hanging by a thread, her son struggling to cope with his father’s death, and her four-star general father up for confirmation as the next Secretary of Defense, Georgie quickly finds herself tangled in a political intrigue that has no clear agenda and dozens of likely villains. Only one thing is clear: someone wants her dead too.
The more she digs for the truth, the fewer people she can trust.
Not her friends.
Not her parents.
Maybe not even herself.

Click here to grab your copy.


About the Author

SIRI-MITCHELL_headshot
Siri Mitchell is the author of 14 novels. She has also written 2 novels under the pseudonym of Iris Anthony. She graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and has worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri is a big fan of the semi-colon but thinks the Oxford comma is irritatingly redundant. Visit her online at sirimitchell.com; Facebook: SiriMitchell; Twitter: @SiriMitchell.

More from Siri

A Sense of Place
I’m so excited about the release of State of Lies! Among the many reasons for my excitement is the fact that I set the story in my own home town: Arlington, VA. Here are some things you might not know about Arlington:

  1. Arlington was originally included within the borders of Washington, DC.
  2. Arlington isn’t actually a city – it’s a county. We’re the smallest self-governing county in the nation.
  3. Arlington regularly takes the top spot as the most educated place in the country.
  4. Arlington LOVES books. I count at least a dozen different little libraries in my neighborhood alone.
  5. Our region often has a hurricane warning or two every hurricane season. Can you guess where I’ve seen the longest lines when people start to make last-minute preparations? It’s not the grocery store; it’s not the hardware store. It’s the library! (Why wouldn’t you stock up on books too?)
  6. We host Arlington National Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Marine Corps War Memorial, and the Pentagon.
  7. We are home to the very first Five Guys hamburger joint location.
  8. We are also home to the headquarters of over a dozen national agencies as well as organizations like Rosetta Stone and Nestlé.
  9. People who attended our high schools include Sandra Bullock, Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, Katie Couric, and Patch Adams.
  10. The thing I love most about Arlington? Its people. Countless government contractors members of the federal workforce live here. I number them among my friends and neighbors. I’ve never met a group more dedicated, more informed, or more determined to put their expertise to good use. And guess what? My heroine, Georgie Brennan, is one of them!

The Pentagon and Washington, DC

My Thoughts

Normally, this author writes riveting historical fiction books. I was thrilled to see a suspense book come from her. It always makes me excited to see an author switch genres. This book is NON STOP action. You will want to make sure that you have a lot of time to read this book - for you will NOT want to put it down. In this book we meet Georgie. She has become a single mother after her husband is killed in a car accident. Now Georgie is a physist, and after some things don't add up after her husband's death - she looks further into his death. Layers of who she thought her husband was, and what happened come peeling back. Can she find out what happened without endangerng herself or her son? You will have to read it to find out. The author has well written characters, an intense intriguing storyline and so much more. 

I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit blogging program. All thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, August 20
CarpeDiem, August 21
Fiction Aficionado, August 22
All-of-a-kind Mom, August 22
Genesis 5020, August 22
Andrea Christenson, August 23
Pause for Tales, August 23
Rebekah Jones, August 26
Betti Mace, August 26
As He Leads is Joy, August 27
Wishful Endings, August 27
Moments, August 28
Mary Hake, August 28
Remembrancy, August 28
Hallie Reads, August 30
Bigreadersite , August 30
Connect in Fiction, August 31
Texas Book-aholic, August 31
janicesbookreviews, September 1
A Reader’s Brain, September 1
Life of Literature, September 2

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Book Review and Giveaway: Standing Together by Carlos and Rosemarie Evans on tour with Read with Audra

Standing Together: The Inspirational Story of a Wounded Warrior and Enduring Love


ABOUT THE BOOK
A true story of hope and courage in the face of astonishing challenges

During his fourth deployment, US Marine Corps Sergeant Carlos Evans stepped on an IED--and the loss of both legs and his left hand was just the beginning of the struggle for his life.

For the next two years, he and his wife, Rosemarie, went through the rehabilitation process together. As a nurse and mother of two young children, Rosemarie was used to caring for people, but the task of taking care of her triple-amputee husband brought new challenges every day. In addition to his limb loss, Carlos faced PTSD and developed an addiction to painkillers. He was sure Rosemarie's life would be better without him--and that it might have been better if he hadn't survived at all.

But unlike the majority of marriages put under similar strain, Carlos and Rosemarie stayed together. With the help of family, friends, and--most importantly—a strong faith, they've built a solid marriage and discovered a ministry they never expected. By the hand of God, their story, which began in devastation, has turned into one that draws in and lifts up more people than either of them would ever have dreamed.

Not only will disabled veterans and their loved ones find help here, Carlos and Rosemarie's captivating journey also speaks to those who long for stronger marriages, care for loved ones with disabilities, or are facing a new normal in their own lives, small or large. It is a powerful resource for leaning on God in the midst of life's great difficulties--and for finding ways that, through faith, profound loss can bring incredible blessing.

An interview with Carlos and Rosemarie Evans,

Authors of Standing Together

Sustaining a military marriage is hard work, especially when deployments keep a family separated for prolonged periods of time. The strain is intensified when the serving spouse is injured in the field. According to the PTSD Foundation of America, an estimated two out of three marriages fail for troops suffering from combat trauma. Carlos R. Evans and Rosemarie Evans are well aware of the difficulties, having experienced them personally. In Standing Together: The Inspirational Story of a Wounded Warrior and Enduring Love (Kregel Publications), they share their inspirational story of facing severe injury, rehabilitation, post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction. Theirs is a true story of hope and courage in the face of astonishing challenges. 

Q: Carlos, first of all, thank you for your service to our country. Can you share a little bit about what led you to enlist and the eight years you served in the US Marine Corps? 

Carlos: Many of my family members served in Vietnam, Korea, and Operation Desert Storm. After 9/11, I felt deeply in my heart that I had to do my part by serving my country, but I also wanted to continue to share the gospel. I was in Bible college at the time and wanted to join as a chaplain. In 2004, I was watching the news and saw Marines in Iraq. I admired what they were doing, and it was in that moment I felt a strong conviction to serve. I went to the recruiting center in Puerto Rico and joined the Marine Corps. That is a decision I will never regret, and I would do it all over again.

During my first four years of service, I did three combat deployments in Iraq. When I re-enlisted, I deployed to Afghanistan. It was during that deployment that I was severely injured. We saw two years of rehabilitation in the hospital, then I was medically retired.

Q: You were on your fourth deployment, this time to Afghanistan, when an incident changed life as you knew it. What happened on May 16, 2010?

Carlos:  I was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps, leading a mission in Helmand Province, when we were getting ready to go back to our operation center. I walked about eight steps when I heard an explosion. I had stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). I felt pain in my body unlike anything I had ever felt or experienced before. My Marines and Navy Corpsman kept me alive. I lost so much blood that my medic had to put his thumb in my femoral artery to keep me alive. They asked me for my wife and daughters’ names and told me they were waiting for me back home. I was flown via medevac to the hospital in Afghanistan, and then to Germany. From Germany, I was transferred to Bethesda Naval Hospital in Washington, DC. 

As a result of my injuries, I lost both of my legs above the knee and part of my left arm. I don’t remember what happened during those first few days because I was intubated and sedated.

Back home in Puerto Rico, Rosemarie and my mother received visits from Marines bringing updates about my situation. The same night I arrived at Bethesda, my wife and parents got to the hospital and waited to take care of me. To this day, I continue to meet people that took care of me in Germany and Afghanistan. 

That day has become the best day of my life, and today we celebrate it as our “Alive Day.”

Q: Were deployments a source of fear in any way? Did you think about how something might happen to you during a deployment? 

Carlos: During that deployment and the three previous ones, I don’t think I ever considered that anything was going to happen to me. I personally knew others who had died and some who were badly wounded, but as a Christian, I figured God was with me and would protect me from every kind of harm. On my various furloughs, I said to friends and family members, “I’m not going to die in Iraq or Afghanistan. God has a bigger purpose for my life.”

But I also remember the day when all my family members and friends came to say goodbye. I made jokes such as, “Something is going to happen to me because this is the first time in all my deploys that everyone came here to celebrate.” Also, before deployment, I forced my wife to watch the movie Taking Chances. In the movie, Kevin Bacon is an officer that went to a house and notified the family member about their loss. I told Rosemarie that if something happened to me in Afghanistan, the Marines would come to the front door to let her know I died in combat. 

Q: Rosemarie, you write about a call that you received on May 15 from Carlos that left you unsettled and worried. Can you tell us more about that day and the days that followed? How long did you have to live in uncertainty about Carlos’ condition?

Rosemarie: That Saturday night I was at my uncle’s wedding. On my way back home, I received Carlos’s call. I was happy to hear from him because he couldn’t call often. But when I answered the phone, I noticed something wasn’t right. Carlos was responding flat and sometimes he was quiet. He told me, “Things here are not the same as in Iraq. You know that I love you, and I love my daughters.” 

When he said those words, I knew he was worried and that they were in some danger. We lost phone connection that night, and I didn’t have the chance to speak to him again. Sunday passed, and I didn’t hear from him. On Monday afternoon, I received a call from the Marine Corps to let me know they would meet me at Carlos’ mother’s house. That’s when they told me Carlos was injured, but they didn’t have all the details. From that Monday until Friday, I waited each day for them to come to the house to deliver updated information about his condition.

Q: You were an experienced nurse and had training in trauma life support, but were you truly prepared to care for Carlos when he arrived home? How did you manage taking care of Carlos and your two young daughters?

Rosemarie: As a nurse, I had the knowledge of what should I expect to see when I met Carlos at the hospital. An intubated patient connected to a mechanical ventilator with drainages and monitors. However, at that point I had a different role. I was the wife of an injured husband. Being a nurse helped me understand procedures and prognosis, but I felt the same uncertainty, desperation, sadness and helplessness any other family member feels when a love one is going through a difficult time. I wasn’t completely prepared because it was an unexpected situation. Before leaving to go to Afghanistan, Carlos and I talked about what should I expect if I saw the Marines at the front door (that he had died in combat), but we never talked about him coming back home seriously injured. We didn’t expect that and weren’t aware of how many service members were injured in the war. When I stepped into Bethesda Hospital, it was eye opening to see how many wounded service members came back and how many families were affected.

When I first went to Bethesda, I traveled without my daughters in order to focus on my husband. Our daughters were four years old and five months old at the time. My mom took care of them in Puerto Rico at first, but as the weeks passed by, I was desperate to see my daughters. I felt conflicted between my two roles as a wife and a mom. I asked two friends in North Carolina (where we were stationed) to take care of my daughters there. That way they could bring my daughters to the hospital, or I could travel from Washington, D.C. to North Carolina to see them. When the doctor told me the recovery process could take two years, we started to make plans for how we could all be together. There were four women who were the key to finding us a place to stay and be able to travel daily to the hospital for treatments. We had to start early, at 5:30 in the morning, to have our older daughter ready for school, the younger for childcare, and Carlos ready for treatments. We started new routines, but we also had family members that stayed with us and helped. However, we wanted to learn how to do it as a family of four. It was hard sometimes, but God helped us through.

Q: How was your faith tested in the months that followed?

Carlos: My faith was tested by trying to understand where God was in the middle of my pain. Where was God when I stepped on the IED? I was continuously asking God, “Why me?” Sometimes people would tell me that maybe God was punishing me. Others would pray with me for a miracle—that my legs or my left hand would grow. Sometimes I prayed I could forget May 17, 2010. Seeing my wife and the people I love suffering, and not being able to do anything about it, tested my faith. 

Job 23:10 (NIV) says, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

Q: Many marriages have crumbled under the weight of trials less life-altering than what the two of you went through, however, you’ve come out the other side stronger. Can you share some of the decisions you made along the way to fight for your marriage?

Rosemarie: There were many difficult decisions made during that period. First, we needed to prioritize roles. There were times a decision left me feeling unsatisfied, but we had to focus on what was needed in the moment. We always tried to make decisions together. It didn’t matter that Carlos was injured, we consulted each other on every decision. Carlos was injured, but he was still the head of the family. We encouraged each other. When Carlos felt ready to give up, I encouraged him. When I was feeling defeated, Carlos encouraged me. Overall, the most important thing was to pray for guidance. In this situation, we understood we were not self-sufficient. We needed God to give us the strength to continue every day.

Q: What were some of the biggest challenges in facing your new normal?

Carlos: I feared not being able to be the husband I promised Rosemarie I would be. I feared not being able to be a father to my daughters. I also feared rejection from other people. I didn’t love my new body. I wasn’t born without legs and one hand. Everything was new to me: Not being able to walk, to drive my car, to do things we take for granted. I was afraid I was no longer able to be independent. Living with constant pain was one of the biggest challenges. 

Q: What advice would you give to someone who may not be seeking help for their depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or even addiction? 

Carlos: Trying to help someone that is not actively seeking help is very challenging. It could be the person has not recognized that he or she has a problem. In my situation, I had people who confronted me, showing me that my actions were hurting me and the people who loved me. My personal advice would be do not push away the people in your life that care about and help you. Also, believe the best days of your life are not behind you, but ahead of you. I would say to somebody in that situation you are not the only person facing PTSD or addiction, so look for a professional or a support group. They can share examples of how they have faced similar situations.  

Q: What were some of the ways you saw God working in your recovery?

Carlos: In the beginning, my questions were, “Where is God? and “Why me?” During my recovery, I understood God has always been there, taking care of me. He was with my Marines when I stepped on the IED. He was with my wife and daughters, giving them strength so they could comfort me. God was with the doctors, nurses, family, friends and many strangers who have become family. I saw God was making me a better father, husband and person. Each time we shared our story with someone, I saw God using my recovery for good.

Q: When did you realize God was preparing you for full-time ministry? What doors started to open for you? 

Carlos: Since I was a little kid, I served in ministry. It was deep inside of my heart. After my injury, we started to share our experience with family and friends. Our scars became our platform—in churches, via TV, at the White House, on Military bases, in schools and correctional facilities, all over the United States, South America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. 

Q: You say, “Standing has nothing to do with having feet.” What do you mean by that? 

Carlos: In my life, standing is living God’s purpose in my life. Also, serving in my community, being a father and husband, and leading by example means standing in my life. 

My daughter, Nairoby, taught me a lesson about standing. She was five years old and playing and running all over the apartment. She told me, “Now you run Papi, you run Papi!” I told her I wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t run right now. I didn’t have the legs to be able to. I went to my room crying, and Rosemarie asked me why. I told her why, and she replied, “Don’t you see that she doesn’t see what you can’t do? She looks at you as Papi.” That’s what it means to stand.

Q: Please share what has become your motto.

Carlos: One day I was trying to put on my prosthetic hand and legs. I was struggling and getting frustrated. I wanted to look like I used to. I believe the Holy Spirit touched my heart, and I received this message: “I am touching more people with one hand then when I had two. Today, I am leaving more footprints than when I had feet because all you need to touch someone is heart.”

Q: Where can people learn more about Touching Lives Leaving Footprints and C.R. Evans Ministries? 


MY THOUGHTS

*Disclaimer - you will need to have a box of tissues handy for when you read this book -- you will laugh, cry and be inspired*

I have my Masters in Military History. This story intrigued me and made me want to read this. You will meet a couple that have been to hell and back. Carlos and Rosemarie. Carlos on his 4th deployment comes across an IED that will forever change their lives. Most marriages crumble at such a life changing event - but not this couple they overcame great obstacles to get where they are. One of the things that I loved about this book - is how they are candid they are about what they have gone through - and the Glory to God. Carlos has come such a long way - and Rosemarie has not left his side. This is a book that is so inspriational and so heartwarming.

I received a copy of this book through the Read with Audra blogging program -- all thoughts are my own.


ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: here

Book Review and Giveaway: The Faith of Mike Pence by Leslie Montgomery On Tour with Celebrate Lit

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About the Book


FaithOfMikePence

Book: The Faith of Mike Pence
Author: Leslie Montgomery
Genre: Biography, religious, political
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Several books have been published about Vice President Mike Pence, but none have touched upon what may be the most fascinating aspect of our nation’s second in command: his deep faith.
The Faith of Mike Pence offers an intimate look at the man who calls himself “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order.”
Author Leslie Montgomery details Pence’s spiritual journey and examines how the vice president’s commitment to Christ has been a key component in his life as a husband, father, and public servant. Montgomery examines Pence’s encounters with politicos and evangelistic leaders such as James Dobson and Charles Lake. She shows the role of Pence’s faith in running for various offices, implementing faith-based initiatives, and responding to 9/11, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the infamous Anthrax scare in Congress that directly affected him.
The Faith of Mike Pence is a powerful account of one of the most conservative vice presidents in American history, with exclusive interviews and insightful commentary from friends, family, and colleagues. It is a serious and moving reflection about one of America’s most admired and respected politicians.

Click here to grab your copy.

About the Author

Leslie Montgomery is the author and ghostwriter of over a dozen books. She is best known for writing the spiritual biography, The Faith of Condoleezza Rice, when Rice was serving our nation as secretary of state in the George W. Bush administration.
Leslie has been a writer for Focus on the Family for more than twenty years and is the former director of publications for the American Association of Christian Counselors.
She is also the founder of Yeshu’a Ministries, with the goal of helping people gain a better and closer relationship with the Lord through her writing, speaking, and teaching ministry. She has traveled to churches and conferences around the world through her evangelical ministry, sharing the Word of God.
Leslie has four children and six grandchildren. She resides in Boise, Idaho

More from Leslie

Leslie Montgomery
In 2006, I wrote and released The Faith of Condoleezza Rice, know-ing it might be years before I published another book. My husband and I were undergoing fertility treatments and vowed that if I got pregnant, I’d take a few years off of working outside the home to raise my children until they were in school full-time. Well, I did get pregnant and we had two children in the span of two-and-a-half years.
In early summer 2017, with two kids getting ready to start school again, I prayed and asked God to send me a new book contract; it was time to get back into the thick of things. Two weeks later, I dreamt that I was to write The Faith of Mike Pence. The truth is, neither he nor his faith were even on my radar. I got out of bed and began doing a little research. I wrote a book proposal for different publishers and began to accumulate a list of people I hoped to interview.
My overall goal with this book is not to set the vice president up as a spiritual hero, but to show the heart of the real man—as a Christian, husband, father, and politician. In doing so, I tried to allow his own words and those of his family, friends, and colleagues tell his story while I served as a conduit to weave it together. My prayer is that it inspires, encourages, and challenges you.    —Leslie Montgomery

My Thoughts

One of my most favorite things to read is biographies/memoirs/etc on how people go to where they are. I read presidential/VP biographies for fun. I was excited to get the chance to review this title - since I minored in religion in undergrad.  This book was a wonderful read focusing on our Nation's Vice-President and his trust in God. One of the things that I love is that it tells how God has guided him throughout his entire childhood, teen years, adulthood and politics. I love how he has stayed true to his faith. One of my favorite things that he has said is: "“I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order.” In a world that has turned their back on God - this book shows that good Godly men still exist. 

Some of his political beliefs are discussed - but not dwelled on. This book is more of a reflection to how God has been a constant in his life. I love that he even admits, that he is far from perfect - and that God's love is perfect. 

This book made my heart happy. 

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program -- all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

CarpeDiem, August 19
Mary Hake, August 20
Genesis 5020, August 21
Vicky Sluiter, August 22
Moments, August 23
A Reader’s Brain, August 24
Texas Book-aholic, August 28
janicesbookreviews, August 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Leslie is giving away a grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card, hardcover copy of The Faith of Mike Pence, and Faith and Freedom Adult Coloring Book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries. Click the link below to enter.