Saturday, July 30, 2022

Book Review and Giveaway -Mistletoe Village Author: Kathleen J. Robison On Tour with Celebrate Lit

 


About the Book

Book: Mistletoe Village

Author: Kathleen J. Robison

Genre: Holiday Romance

Release date: November 30, 2021


Two broken women, two defeated children. Can Grace offer what they’re looking for? When the big city holds nothing but painful memories for sisters Rence and Sandy, they pack it up and head out for Grace and the promises it holds.

Promises of a new start. A new job at Grace General for Rence and a place to begin healing. But most of all, a promise to each of the sisters’ hurting children that a real Christmas awaits them in Grace, complete with snow on giant evergreens and lots of Mistletoe Magic.

But despite its Christmas card atmosphere, Grace, Oregon seems to hold a lot of secrets. Who is that giant of a man they encounter in the woods? Why won’t anyone talk about him? What is the hold the past seems to have over the town? Will they be able to break it before history tragically repeats itself? And will Grace be the place where love and forgiveness finally meet?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author


Kathleen J. Robison is an Okinawan-American, born in Okinawa, and raised in California, Florida, Mississippi, and Singapore. Her travels and her family are the sources of her inspiration for her books. Kathleen and her Pastor husband have eight adult children. Seven are married, blessing them with eighteen grandchildren and counting. Her ethnically diverse background extends to her family of currently thirty-five personalities which provide many opportunities to share God’s amazing love amidst the challenges of real life.

 

More from Kathleen

I love Christmas stories, and since becoming an author, I’ve wanted to write one. Mistletoe Village started out as Mistletoe Hermit, but then it wasn’t going in quite the happy direction that I wanted. So Mistletoe Village was born. I wrote this sweet, cozy, slightly suspenseful romance with all the elements that make Christmas … Christmas! But most importantly, it’s always about the faith element, Christ.

The main character Rence Paladin is dear to my heart. She was created with someone extraordinary in mind, and I had that person read the book to see what she thought. When she finished, she turned bright red and answered, even if you hadn’t told me … I knew it was me! However, it’s not her story, but it encompasses her delightful personality, some of her sweet memories of a single-mom, and how she strives to keep her focus on Christ while always serving others.

So let’s go. Let me take you to Mistletoe Village. You’ll find a little of everything that oozes Christmas in the tiny town of Grace. Holiday spirit, decorations, a children’s church pageant, and a Christmas festival. Oh, and I’ll introduce you to little Gus, the feisty family cock-a-poo. But most of all, I hope you, like Rence and Carl, rediscover the joy of Christmas at Mistletoe Village.

My Thoughts

Mistletoe Village is a Holiday Romance that is written by  Kathleen J. Robison. I love that this book is a read during one of our hottest months of the year in SE Alabama. First and foremost, this author is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Her stories feature broken realistic characters. They are not cookie cutter Christians. They have hurt, pain, and baggage. Secondly, I love this cover. As it's VERY hot here, it was nice to take a trip to Christmas time. 


This is the story of two sisters. They left the big city behind and settle in the tiny town of Grace. Both of the sisters have children that are struggling. My heart went out to the sisters. I can understand. Rence is coming off a bad divorce and her sister, Sandy think it's the best idea to go together to the unfamiliar town. I loved seeing how they evolved from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. We also see Carl. He was a great character. He mainly stays to myself. He seemed to care for his mother without complaining. 


This is a beautiful story of forgiveness, love, faith, and finding yourself in a new place. I moved away from home 6 years ago to start over and it was the best decision that I could have ever done. 


This is a clean holiday romance. It's well written and has realistic characters. I could vividly see everything unfolding around me. Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 19

Texas Book-aholic, July 20

Genesis 5020, July 21

By the Book, July 22

For Him and My Family, July 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 24

lakesidelivingsite, July 25

Inklings and notions, July 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 27

deb’s Book Review, July 28

Splashes of Joy, July 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 29

An Author’s Take, July 30

Bizwings Blog, July 30

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 31

Miriam Jacob, August 1

Spoken from the Heart, August 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f7f5/mistletoe-village-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Review and Giveaway -Overtaken By Grace Author: Debbie Milam On Tour with Celebrate Lit

 


About the Book

Book: Overtaken By Grace

Author: Debbie Milam

Genre: Christian Living, Inspirational

Release date: May 15, 2017

Are you weary, wounded, or worried? Does grief weigh heavy? Do burdens feel too great to bear? Then you are perfectly positioned for a miraculous move of God. Overtaken by Grace is a transparent read, grounded in scripture and alive with hope. It depicts how God epically shows up and shows off and gives you the tools to experience His hope, healing, and miracles. Join Author Debbie Milam as she guides you on an adventure, diving deep into the bible to see what it says about:

  • God’s Presence in Our Lives
  • God’s Love in Our Relationships
  • God’s Peace in Our Emotions
  • God’s Power in His Word
  • God’s Joy in Our Gratitude
  • God’s Hand in the Miraculous

Haven’t you struggled long enough. God is waiting with open arms for you to let go and be overtaken by His grace. He is inviting you on the undertaking of a lifetime.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author


Debbie Milam is an award-winning occupational therapist, author and past syndicated columnist for United Press International’s Religion and Spirituality Division.

She is the author of Miracles in the Middle, Overtaken by Grace, And God Said and Lord Show Me You Are Here.

Debbie’s ground-breaking work has been featured in First for Women, the Miami Herald, Elle, and Ladies Home Journal, and on the Hallmark Channel, PBS, and WebMD.

Through her 501(c)3 Grace Love Well Foundation, her mission is to inspire people to the beauty, love, power, and presence of God. As an organization we have donated thousands of books to churches, missions work, prisons, pastoral counselors and prayer teams.

For more resources to deepen your intimacy with God and find peace in His presence, visit us online at gracelovewell.org or YouTube/Debbie Milam

 

More from Debbie

Through the profound joy and sorrow life brings and by His grace I have seen signs and wonders, experienced miraculous healings and came to know how alive the Lord is. Our gracious God supernaturally healed me from a 10 year life altering brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder, comforted me from the deep grief after the loss of more loved ones than I can count, and blessed me in more ways than I can imagine.  The same God who did this for me is right there for you too.  The full story of these miracles is detailed in my book Overtaken by Grace. I would love to share the hope of Christ with your readers.

My Thoughts

Overtaken By Grace is written by  Debbie Milam. I enjoyed going through this book. It was a great way to remember of the miracles that we see every day. The author did a great job with balancing personal experience with Biblical scriptures. I have read this author before and have enjoyed her writing. I love how she breaks her chapters down and it all flows so nicely together. 

God knows that sometimes he has to tell me things several times in order to get my attention. When reviewing this book what I was reading was aligning with another devotional I was looking at along with scripture that my Pastor had used. I knew then God was giving me a message that I needed to listen to. 

This would make a great women's bible study book. It would be great to take it week by week, chapter by chapter and share what God was revealing. 


Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book, all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 23

Texas Book-aholic, July 24

Inklings and notions, July 25

For Him and My Family, July 26

deb’s Book Review, July 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 28

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 29

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 1

Beauty in the Binding, August 2 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 2

Cats in the Cradle Blog, August 3

Splashes of Joy, August 4 (Author Interview)

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, August 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Debbie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f7f9/overtaken-by-grace-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, July 29, 2022

Book Review and Giveaway --- The Crystal Beads: Lalka's Journey Written By: Pat Black - Gould --Hosted by Children’s Book Review

 Book Review and Giveaway --- The Crystal Beads: Lalka's Journey

Written By: Pat Black - Gould 

Blog Tour The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey!

by Pat Black-Gould Ph.D. 
Blog Tour The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey!

























About the Book 



A Star of David necklace or a rosary?

In 1939 Poland, a young girl is asked to give up one of these and accept the other without understanding why. However, what she must part with happens to be her most prized possession--a precious gift given to her by her father before he died.
The child’s mother then teaches the girl a "game" to prepare her for what is to come. As the Nazis invade the country, the mother is forced to make a heartbreaking sacrifice.

This beautifully illustrated picture book is loosely based on a true story. Although told through the eyes of a young girl, the book is written for readers of all ages. It also contains two study guides. One is for children, parents, and teachers. The other is for adults who may gather in places of worship, book clubs, and small groups. Discussion topics include themes of compassion, empathy, and diversity.


About the Author




Pat Black-Gould, PhD , is a clinical psychologist, author, and playwright. Her short stories have appeared in several literary journals and anthologies. 

Many years ago, Pat heard a powerful story that haunted her until she committed it to paper. The Crystal Beads was first published in Jewish Fiction. net in 2020. The short story then won first-place honors in two writing competitions conducted by the National League of American Pen Women, Inc., Washington, D.C. The first was an award by the Pen Women Florida State Association. Pat then received the Flannery O’Connor Short Story Award as part of the National Biennial Letters Competition. 

Pat felt it was important to bring the story to a younger audience. At that point, she rewrote it as a children’s book. She hopes that The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey will do justice to the story she once heard and carry its message to younger generations. 

Pat’s writing explores topics such as compassion, tolerance, and diversity. She continues to examine these themes in her upcoming novel, Limbo of the Moon, written with her co-writer, Steve Hardiman. 

In addition, Pat (under the name of Patricia Black) has published a book chapter and journal articles on Deafness and Mental Heath with co-author, Neal Glickman, PhD.



Find the Author: WebsiteFacebookGoodreadsAmazonInstagram 
Format: Hardcover 
Buy on Amazon 
Goodreads 

My Thoughts 

What a powerful book to read. This is a different Holocaust Story then I’ve ever read. I would recommend this for children 7 and up. I read this with my 9 and 11 year old sons. This was a great way for kids to learn about the Holocaust. This is a story about a mothers love and the heartbreaking decisions that had to be made in this dark part of history.  I had no idea the lengths Catholics went to help Jewish families. The kindness of the sister really makes a difference in the child’s life. The Sister is one of many that went above and beyond to help the Jewish Children. 

The book is well illustrated. The pictures match the story flawlessly. 

Thank you the author and Children’s Book Review for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own. 





To learn more, follow along on the virtual book tour and enter the giveaway below for the chance to win a copy of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey!


The Crystal Beads

Virtual Book Tour Dates

Monday, July 11, 2022
The Children’s Book Review
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Life Is What It’s Called
An interview with author Pat Black-Gould
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
The Momma Spot

A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Friday, July 15, 2022
Writer with Wanderlust

A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Monday, July 18, 2022
Me Two Books
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
icefairy’s Treasure Chest
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Barbara Ann Mojica
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Thursday, July 21, 2022
The Twirling Book Princess
An article by author Pat Black-Gould
Friday, July 22, 2022
The Fairview Review
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Monday, July 25, 2022
Lisa’s Reading
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Shooting Stars Mag
An article by author Pat Black-Gould
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
J.R.s Book Reviews
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Crafty Moms Share
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
Friday, July 29, 2022
Because I Said So
A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey

The Crystal Beads - Book Giveaway

ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE BOOK!

ENTER: HERE