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Monday, December 13, 2021

Book Review and Giveway - Armor of God Author: Allen Brokken On Tour With Celebrate Lit

 

About the Book

Book: Armor of God

Author: Allen Brokken

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Release date: November 19, 2021


In a battle to possess the armor of God, Lauren, Aiden and Ethan stand against their father as he fights for the enemy.

The Dark One has a foothold in the Iron Mountains, and his steel warriors have corrupted the giants. With a formidable army behind him, he fights to secure power over the heathlands. Darkness pervades Zoura’s frontier.

Reunited with Mother and Uncle, twelve-year-old Lauren and her younger brothers, Aiden and Ethan, must light the Tower of Light in Blooming Glen to save Zoura. But the enemy stands in their way. They need the lost Armor of God to overcome the forces of darkness.

As the children search for the armor, the enemy raises a new champion—their father. Knowing the power of the armor and the children’s plans, their father dispatches the Steele Brothers to retrieve the armor for the Dark One.

Zoura’s last chance for salvation will be lost, if darkness corrupts the armor before the children can take it back. Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan have prevailed against the forces of darkness before, but do they have the faith to stand firm against their father as he fights for the enemy?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author


Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband and father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. He began writing the Towers of Light series for his own children to help him illustrate the deep truths of the Bible in an engaging and age appropriate way.  He’s dedicated 15 years of his life to volunteer roles in children’s ministry and youth development.  Now that his own children are off to college he’s telling stories and sharing clean humor on social media @allenbrokkenauthor, and through his blog https://www.allenbrokkenauthor.com

 

More from Allen

Armor of God is the fourth book in the series, and it takes a significant departure from the others in that the children’s mother has joined them in their journey.  After rescuing her from the Iron Mountain in Fear No Evil, she is ready to take charge of the group to save Father.  However, things are a lot more complicated than they appear, and her children have grown used to making important decisions independently.

 

This book challenged my writing skills.  On the one hand, middle grade so often sends the parents away to give the kids agency to be the heroes of the story.  But what happens when the parents are active participants?  Most middle grade goes one of two directions. The parents are incompetent fools who the wise all knowing children must save, or the parents become wicked antagonists working against the children’s best interests.

 

As a parent, I cringe when those stereotypes come up in a read-aloud.  The parents I know are not bumbling fools and generally work hard to provide the best for their children.  So stories that emphasize something else tweaks something in my mind as I’m reading. After talking to a lot of parents, they feel the same way.

 

So I worked hard to give Mother a very specific objective, save Father. At the same time, the children have concerns that could take them off that path.  With the help of my editor and critique partners, I was able to cast Mother in a good light.  Armor of God provides readers a realistic portrayal of the family working through conflicts in a positive way, which makes the surprise ending all the more powerful.

 

So if you are looking for a middle-grade story to read to your kids where the parents aren’t bumbling fools or wicked abusers, you should check out Armor of God.

My Thoughts

Armor of God is written by Allen Brokken. This is book four in the Towers of Light series. I believe this is the first book that I have read by this author. I have not read the other books in the series. I would recommend reading them in order, but we were able to peace together what was going on.  I feel earlier books you will get a real sense of who the characters are and how they got to where they are in book 4. I read this book with my 10 year old son, who loves to read fantasy books. This is a Middle Grade Fantasy book. 

This book focuses on a mission to save father. The main characters are having to fight the darkness in order to save him. The author also put a brilliant Biblical Message of the Armor of God into the story - and the characters needed to learn this lesson to focus on their mission. 

The characters are unique. The storyline is engaging. My 10 year old loves fantasy books -and he really enjoyed this one. We may go and get the other books in the series to grasp the full potential of the series. 

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit Blogging Program, all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 4

Sodbusterliving, December 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 5

Texas Book-aholic, December 6

Inklings and notions, December 7

For Him and My Family, December 8

deb’s Book Review, December 9

Spoken from the Heart, December 10

For the Love of Literature, December 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 11

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 12

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 13

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 14 (Spotlight)

Mary Hake, December 14

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 16

Lights in a Dark World, December 17

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Allen 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/14198/armor-of-god-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Book Review and Giveaway - Twas the Night Before Jesus Author: Donna Wyland ON Tour with Celebrate Lit

 


About the Book

Book: ‘Twas the Night Before Jesus

Author: Donna Wyland

Genre: Picture Book

Release date: Fall 2021


‘Twas the Night Before Jesus is a beautifully illustrated picture book that introduces children to the life of Jesus and God’s promise of an eternal home in heaven. As the melodic rhyme carries children through Jesus’s birth, death and resurrection, they come to understand the true meaning of Christmas.

 

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

 

About the Author


Donna Wyland is an Award-winning author, editor, and coach who believes in writing books that entertain, encourage, and inspire. Her bestselling children’s book, Your Home in Heaven, sold thousands of copies and was gifted to more than 4,000 children around the world through churches, schools, and various ministry organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Reprinted in 2020 by Elk Lake Publishing, Inc., Your Home in Heaven has become a classic story that shares the love of God and the hope of heaven with an increasing number of children. If I Could Ask Jesus, Donna’s premier Christian bedtime story is bringing young hearts closer to God, too.

Donna lives in Ohio with her husband and a couple of bunnies that hide under the bushes outside. She loves to read, ski, jump on the trampoline with her grandson, and cross items off of her personal Bucket List.

 

More from Donna

Donna Wyland’s love for God and for Christmas inspired her to write ‘Twas the Night Before Jesus. Only recently did she discover how many websites offer Happy Birthday Jesus items to help families, Sunday schools, and more to celebrate the real reason for the season. Children of all ages have read and reviewed ‘Twas the Night Before Jesus. It received a rousing 5 stars! Glory to God! You can find some fun resources here!

My Thoughts

What a fun and perfect story to read this holiday season! Twas the Night before Jesus is written by Donna Wyland. My 10 and 8 year old sons read this book with me and we all enjoyed it very much. We've all heard "The night before Christmas" - but this book is writtent o remind us why we have Christmas. This book has heavy focus on Jesus, the Son of God. This book tells the story of the birth and resurrection of Jesus in a way that young children can understand. 

This book led to some great questions by my boys. We loved how well the illustrations tied in with the lesson being presented. This is a perfect holiday gift to add to your list. 

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit Blogging Program, all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 4

Blogging With Carol, December 4

Texas Book-aholic, December 5

Author Adventure, December 5

Inklings and notions, December 6

Simple Harvest Reads, December 6 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, December 7

Cats in the Cradle Blog, December 7

deb’s Book Review, December 8

Splashes of Joy, December 8

A Reader’s Brain, December 9

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 9

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 10

Southern Gal Loves to Read, December 10

Older & Smarter?, December 11

An Author’s Take, December 11

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 12

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 13

Mary Hake, December 13

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 14

Spoken from the Heart, December 14

The Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 15

Labor Not in Vain, December 15

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 16 (Spotlight)

Lights in a Dark World, December 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Donna is giving away the grand prize package of a hardcover copy of the book and an online $50 Magnolia Market 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/14195/twas-the-night-before-jesus-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, December 11, 2021

Book Review and Giveaway - The Cowboy's Amish Haven Author: Pamela Desmond Wright Hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours

 Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Cowboy's Amish Haven by Pamela Desmond Wright, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Cowboy's Amish Haven

Title: The Cowboy's Amish Haven
Author: Pamela Desmond Wright
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: August 24, 2021
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance 

Her home and her heart are on the line… 

On the same day Gail Schroder’s faced with losing her Amish family ranch, her old crush Levi Wyse shows up on her doorstep. He doesn’t know that when he left ten years ago he'd taken Gail’s heart with him. Now Levi’s her only hope of keeping a roof over her head. But can this cowboy teach Gail the ropes in time to save her home? 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook | BookBub


EXCERPT

Hardly paying attention to where she was going, she plowed straight into Levi. His straw hat went flying.

“Oh!” Her voice squeaked with surprise and heart slammed against her chest. As she attempted to get out of his way, her heel snagged on a paving stone lining the walkway. Arms pinwheeling, she landed in a heap.

“Are you all right?”

Dazed, Gail pressed a hand to her forehead. What a way to start the day, flat on her backside.

Embarrassment heated her cheeks. She wasn’t sure if she should laugh or cry. Her breath caught in a hitch. “I—I’m fine.”

Levi leaned down, reaching out to her. Slowly, he helped her get to her feet. “I’m such an oaf,” he said by way of an apology. “I should have been watching where I was going.”


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

pamela desmond wright 

Pamela Desmond Wright grew up in a small, dusty Texas town. Like the Amish, Pamela is a fan of the simple life. Her childhood includes memories of the olden days; old-fashioned oil lamps, cooking over an authentic wood-burning stove and making popcorn over a crackling fire at her grandparent’s cabin. She also loves needlepoint and has dozens of projects to work on! Someday, she hopes to move into van life, living on the road as a traveling writer.

CONNECT WITH PAMELA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

My Thoughts 


The Cowboy’s Amish Haven is written by Pamela Desmond Wright. This is part of the Love Inspired series. This is the first book that I have read by this author and it will not be my last. This is a story of second chances. This is also a story of forgiveness.


Our main character is Gail. She is left in charge of the family ranch when her parents pass. However, her ex ranch manager has stolen a chunk of change from her. She had not realized this - and now the bank has come to foreclose on the ranch. Normally, the Amish do not like to go through law enforcement, but Gail quickly realizes she may not have a choice.


Enter our other main character, Levi. Gail’s old crush. He shows up on her doorstep with his young son, Seth. Levi had been on the rodeo circuit. Can Gail trust Levi to help her save her ranch?


I loved the chemistry and building of a foundation between these two. I love how much detail that the author put into building them. I also learned a lot about running a ranch and the rodeo circuit. I love books where the author has clearly down her research.


I received a copy of this book through the JustRead Publicity Tours and the author. All thoughts are my own.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

Grand Prize: (1) winner will receive a Kindle eReader 1st runner up: (1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card 2nd runner up: (1) winner will receive a signed print copy of The Cowboy's Amish Haven and King James Version of the Bible

The Cowboy's Amish Haven JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight December 7, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on December 14, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.



Friday, December 10, 2021

Book Review and Giveaway -A Promise of Forgiveness by Jo Ann Brown, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

 Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Promise of Forgiveness by Jo Ann Brown, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK


A Promise of Forgiveness

Title: A Promise of Forgiveness

Series: Secrets of Bliss Valley #2

Author: Jo Ann Brown

Publisher: Love Inspired

Release Date: November 30, 2021

Genre: Christian, Amish, Contemporary Romance

“Jo Ann Brown’s writing is both powerful and charming. She provides a respite from the cares of the day and gives the invitation to join her for a journey of peace that lingers in the heart.”

—Kelly Long, national bestselling author

Every little secret is a chain to the past…

For Amish widow Naomi Ropp, moving back to her parents’ Bliss Valley home—with her boisterous twin toddler boys—is a chance to start over and bury the painful secrets of her marriage forever. But her life is turned upside down once again when she learns she’s not the only one hiding things. The parents she believed were always open and honest have been keeping a secret her whole life. And now her only confidant is her father’s new employee—a handsome Amish man who was once her childhood tormentor.

Samuel King knows more than anyone should about mistakes—and the way he treated Naomi is at the top of his list. But the shock of seeing her pretty face again is quickly overshadowed when they find a slumbering boppli abandoned on his porch. Caring for the sweet newborn together is finally bringing some peace to their troubled pasts. But when a spark leads to growing feelings as they start to look toward the future, Samuel must find a way to convince Naomi to trust the man he's become…and the promise of new love.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Walmart Exclusive | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | BookBub

The trade paperback version of A Promise of Forgiveness is available now exclusively at your local Walmart or Walmart.com. Preorder available everywhere.

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jo Ann Brown

Jo Ann Brown has published over 100 titles under a variety of pen names. A former military officer, she enjoys taking pictures and traveling. She has taught creative writing for more than 20 years and is always excited when one of her students sells a project. She has been married for more than 40 years and has three children and two rambunctious cats. She lives in Amish Country in southeastern Pennsylvania. She enjoys hearing from her readers. Visit her at www.joannbrownbooks.com.

CONNECT WITH JO ANN: Website | Facebook


My Thoughts




A Promise of Forgiveness is written by JoAnn Brown. This is part of the Love Inspired Trade series. This is the second book in the Bliss Valley series. I have read book one. Like all Love Inspired they can be read as a stand alone. In this story we will see Amish widow, Naomi and her twin boys back at her parent's home in Bliss Valley. Oh, how my heart hurt for her. She clearly has some healing to do. The one thing that I love about this author is the fact that she creates real, unique characters. You can feel their emotions as you read. Naomi has a hard time letting go of the past.

We also see Samuel, who did not always treat Naomi the right away. He is shocked to see her back in town, with her children. He knows he needs to make things right, but since she has such a hard time letting go of the past, can he show her the man he has become?

I love the Love Inspired Trade series! It gives you more of a chance to know the characters. You see more of their story. In this one, it is well written, engaging and unique. I received a copy of this book through JustRead and the author, all thoughts are my own.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!


Enter: https://gleam.io/xA3FX/a-promise-of-forgiveness-blog-tour-giveaway


Thursday, December 9, 2021

Book Review and GIveaway - A Convenient Risk Author: Sara R. Turnquist On tour with Celebrate Lit

 


About the Book

Book: A Convenient Risk

Author: Sara R. Turnquist

Genre: Clean Historical Romance

Release date: October 26, 2021


He never imagined her heart would be so hard to reach.

Forced into a marriage of convenience after her husband dies, Amanda Haynes is determined she will never love again. Not that it bothers Brandon Miller. He needs her husband’s cattle. She needs financial stability and long-term support for her son and herself. But she never expected to care so much about the running of the ranch.

Butting heads over the decisions of the ranch, only adds to her frustration. Her wellbeing is soon threatened as their lives become entangled with Billy the Kid and his gang.

What has she gotten herself into? What kind of man has she married? Is there any way out?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author


Sara is a coffee lovin’, word slinging, clean Historical Romance author whose super power is converting caffeine into novels. She loves those odd little tidbits of history that are stranger than fiction. That’s what inspires her. Well, that and a good love story.

But of all the love stories she knows, hers is her favorite. She lives happily with her own Prince Charming and their gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.

Sara is an avid reader and also enjoys reading clean Historical Romance when she’s not traveling. Her books range from the Czech lands to the American Wild West and from ancient Egypt to the early 1900s. Some of her titles include The Lady BornekovaHope in Cripple Creek, The General’s WifeTrail of Fears, and the Convenient Risk Series.

 

More from Sara

Hello, Readers!

 

I am always asked about the inspiration behind my work. These tidbits can be wide and varied from one story to the next. But none is so interesting, in my opinion, as the thing that sparked A Convenient Risk.

 

It just so happens that one of my good friends, best-selling contemporary romance author Hannah R. Conway, is my conference buddy. We go to writing conferences and retreats together, networking with other writers and learning more about the craft of writing.

 

And…at one such conference during some down time, Hannah (who is a fellow lover of history) said, “hey, let’s go to the cemetery.” I wasn’t quite so certain about that particular jaunt, but it was daytime and she raved about the history to be mined there, so I was in.

 

As we walked around, indeed we did look at stones—especially older ones—and thought about the lives of the people based on the era they lived in and whatnot. Just a heyday for our writer brains. We came upon a particular set of stones from the early 1900s. And, according to the little bit information on the stones, we determined that the woman had first married a man who was much older. Then he died. And she married a man closer to her own age. My writer wheels started turning!

 

Did her parents arrange a marriage for some sort of benefit? Maybe she was from a poor family and they needed her to have a better circumstance? At any rate, the man died a few years later. Then she married a man closer to her age…perhaps a man she had previously been in love with and had always wanted to marry?

 

I thought, then, about second marriages after a spouse passes. And how we tend to memorialize loved ones who pass—remember the good times and gloss over the hard, more challenging things. I don’t think this is a conscious thing, more of a way our mind handles grief.

 

So, if a widow must make a marriage of convenience, how does that affect her ability to develop love for the second husband if she is comparing him to this image of her first spouse in a way he wasn’t actually in real life.

 

Now, I don’t know for certain…I’ve only been married once (and thank the Lord my Prince Charming is patient enough to stick it out with this writer). But I wanted to work this scenario out within this fictive bubble…play with this concept…see where it led. After mixing that with a bit of history, throwing in a dash of a famous American outlaw, A Convenient Risk was born.

My Thoughts

A Convenient Risk is a clean historical romance that is written by: Sara R. Turnquist. This is book one in the Convenient Risk series. I was drawn into this book immediately with the author's great descriptions. I love marriage of convenience stories. The two characters she created for this story were perfect. 

Amanda Haynes is a widow who is forced into marriage after her husband's death. Brandon Miller wants her husband's cattle that was left behind. Forced into a marriage that will assist them both. Both of them have baggage that they bring into this new chapter in their lives. They butt heads when it comes to the ranch. I loved watching them overcome these obstacles, put their walls down and try and function. 

This book is well written, has unique characters and an engaging storyline. I hope to read more from this author. 

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit Blogging Program, all thoughts are my own. 



Blog Stops

For Him and My Family, December 1

Boondock Ramblings, December 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 2

Texas Book-aholic, December 3

Inklings and notions, December 4

Britt Reads Fiction, December 4

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 5

deb’s Book Review, December 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 7

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 8

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 9

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 10 (Spotlight)

Cats in the Cradle Blog, December 10

Blossoms and Blessings, December 11

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 13

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sara is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and an eBook copy of A Convenient Risk!!

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/1417f/a-convenient-risk-celebration-tour-giveaway