Sunday, July 31, 2016

Review: What Matters Most by Kellie Coates Gilbert

What Matters Most

In Kellie Coates Gilbert’s newest novel, What Matters Most, we are introduced to a young brilliant woman, Leta, who has sacrificed her education and career to care for her mother who has dementia.  She is working two part time jobs, one as a florist and the other as a waitress just to keep her mother in her current nursing facility.  Barely able to make ends meet, she begins to look for a better job so that her mother will not have to end up in a state facility.  She lands her dream job, or so she thinks with a publicity firm that is paying her a six figure salary.  Throughout all of this she has been quietly falling in love with a senator who is now considering running for the governor of Texas.  However, as the back cover states, “but when things seem too good to be true, they often are” proves to be a very humbling experience.

I really enjoyed this book and the author gives us a glimpse of how underhanded politics and political opposition groups can be.  Especially during the election season we are now in, that was very enlightening.  This story also emphasized that you need to do the right thing no matter how hard, and as Leta’s mother said God will do the rest.  Expect to be carried away in a political race for Texas governor with a Cinderella like romance.  I received a copy of the book for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own.  

Friday, July 29, 2016

Review: Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall




Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall is the best vivid fantasy YA book of the year." --Entrada Publishing

On a distant world of forests floating on an ocean around a star,
a blight threatens to plunge all life into darkness.
But three friends seek the light.
Together, they will Fall and be lost.
And at the very Root of darkness, they will find themselves.
But will it be enough to help them find their way home?

The world of Cerulean


Light and water flow from the ocean into the roots of the Great Trees, up through the boughs, and out over the lush canopy. But the once vibrant treescape has grown dim over generations of arboreal life, and the creatures of the forest have forgotten the light.

Barra, a young, willful Listlespur, finds her late father's hidden journal, and reads about the old world and the mysterious plague her father believed destroyed it. He wrote that he warned the Elders. He urged them to take action. Those were his last words.

Together with her two best friends, Barra will explore every bark, wood, and leaf of the Great Forest to relight her world and complete her father's story, even if she has to travel beneath the Fall.

Buy the book:   Amazon ~ Author Website

My Review:


Sunborn Rising Beneath the Fall is a fantasy novel about a world called Cerulean.  This world is becoming dark due to a plague and a young girl like creature named Barra is trying to find out what her late father knew through reading his writings.  This world is described as “great trees floating on an ocean surrounding a star” and is a story of friendship, love, and some creepy bad guys. 

I have been reading this one out loud to my boys of various ages and I will tell you that this particular fantasy novel stands out due to its incredible and beautiful artwork.  This makes the story much more interactive for my kids, especially the younger ones who can’t wait to see the next picture.  In a world with so much technology around us, this book actually catches the eye and the kids think it is cool.  Fantasy, for myself, is hit or miss, especially as I try to imagine a world that is so different from the one I live in, so this novel works for me too.  This story also continues at www.sunbornrising.com.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review through iRead Book Tours.  The opinions are my own.



Author's Bio:


Aaron Safronoff is author of the Discovery Award winning science fiction novel, Spire. Since his debut, he's published a sequel, Fallen Spire, and a novella of literary fiction, Evening Breezes.
Safronoff's diverse background includes the formal study of computer science, bio-chemistry, and culinary arts. However, most of his career has been in the videogame industry in quality, production, and design.

Today, Safronoff is the co-founder and Chief Storyteller of Neoglyphic Entertainment, and is busy writing his fifth novel, the second installment of the Sunborn Rising series.

​Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook



Book Trailer:


You can also find more videos here:



Sunborn Rising Wins Art Award!


Winning Art Work



Thursday, July 28, 2016

Review: Missing by Lisa Harris

Missing
The Nikki Boyd Files series by Lisa Harris just keeps getting better and better.  In Missing we have Nikki and her partner Jack called in for a couple of homicides at a home.  Questioning why they are there, they find out that the owners of the home are missing and these were the goons sent to finish them off.  This story just becomes more intense as Nikki’s love interest, widower Tyler, is found standing over a dead body on his boat.  Nikki and her team know that the first 48 hours are the most crucial; they race against time to find this couple.  However, there are some powerful and rich people behind a scandal of monstrous proportions that don’t mind keeping the body count up to finish off anyone who stands in their way. And that includes Nikki and Tyler.

This is an adrenaline rush of a read that is further complicated with Nikki’s newly discovered love for Tyler and wondering if she should tell him.  Not only dealing with that, but Nikki who is still haunted by her sister’s disappearance 10 years ago receives some unsettling news concerning that unsolved crime.  After THAT ending and after THAT excerpt of the next in the series, I can hardly wait for Pursued to be published.   Keep on writing Lisa.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own.


Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Review: Honor Redeemed by Christine Johnson

Honor Redeemed

I have been really looking forward to Honor Redeemed by author Christine Johnson since I had read the excerpt in Love’s Rescue.  Honor is the second book in the Keys of Promise series and is a story that really wrenched my heart.  This tells the tale of two young people who are desperately in love with each other and make promises to wait for one another until the time is right for marriage.  Unfortunately, two years have passed and some really painful, though maybe unwise decisions have been made.  Hearts are broken, dreams are dashed, and lives are caught up in painful tentacles of lies.  I was rooting for the characters, feeling for them, and wondered how the author was going to resolve some painful circumstances.  We are also caught up with characters from the first in the series, though this story reads quite well as a standalone.  Now that I have read the excerpt of the third in this series, I must now go back to patiently waiting again.  I have really enjoyed this series.  My thanks go to Revell Publishing from providing me with a copy for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Review: Maggie Bright by Tracy Groot

Maggie Bright

Maggie Bright by new to me author Tracy Groot is a story that I won’t soon forget.  This is a fictional account of the Miracle of Dunkirk before America joined the British during World War 2.  This powerful novel gives us a glimpse of some of the horrors that were being done to innocents who were thought less human due to their handicaps.  This story tells us of how one day the King of Britain called for his country to a day of prayer as their soldiers were getting slaughtered across the shore.  This is the tale of the Miracle of Dunkirk when ordinary civilians risked life, limb, and property to bring those soldiers home on any sea worthy vehicle they could find. 

There was such a powerful message through this book as Paradise Lost was oftentimes quoted (now I would like to pick that up to read), as we witness the power of prayers, and wonder what is really going on in the heavenly realms that is creating such havoc on earth.  I look forward to more stories by Tracy Groot.

I was provided with a copy of this book for an honest review through The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: The King's Wish by L.K. Reyes Illustrated by Hannah Van de Water

The King's Wish
The King’s Wish by L.K. Reyes is a whimsical children’s fairy tale that is written in a way that young children can understand.  The story is about a king who both he and his kingdom have suffered some severe losses.  When the king was happy, so was his kingdom, so now that the king was sad, so was his kingdom.  This is a motivational tale that teaches children not to dwell on what was lost, but remember the blessings you still have.  The artwork looks to be hand drawn and is very bright, lively, and colorful that helps the story come to life.


I received a copy of this book from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: An Elegant Facade by Kristi Ann Hunter

An Elegant Facade

In preparation for reading and reviewing An Elegant Façade I went back and reread a good portion of A Noble Masquerade because the author said that she started off this book before the first was finished.  And boy did she.  I had thought that this book would start off in the middle of the climax of the last book, but no, this book starts off with the events that were happening about halfway into the first and you do not come to events that are originally this story’s until you are halfway done with this book.  I found it was interesting going back and reading Georgina’s and Colin’s perspective in this story, but at some times I just wished the book would get on to their story already and stop restating Miranda and Ryland’s.

This book is about Georgina Hawthorne, Miranda’s supposed spoiled younger sister; however, everything everyone else believes about Georgina is a lie.  A façade you might say…  She is actually caring, smart, and undeniably clever; but she hides all these attributes under the pretense of a spoiled snob who only cares for herself in order to protect her deepest secret.  A secret that could potentially ruin her if it came to light.  Georgina believes it to be only a matter of time before the rest of the ton realizes her secret, and so she is on the quest to find herself a husband with a reputation strong enough to protect hers if worst comes to worst.  That man is certainly not Colin McCrae, a man from Scotland with no title and only business connections to the ton.

I found Colin to be a very easy going likeable character who is just as amusing in this book as he was in the first.  I enjoyed Georgina’s point of view and found her surprisingly likeable despite the façade she hid behind, because I could sympathize with her (I always seem to with the younger sisters, what with me being a younger sister myself).  The one disappointment I had with this book was that after rereading the action filled climax of the last book I was most excited to see what kind of climax this book would have, only to realize that this book’s climax was actually more of an emotional climax than an active one.  However, I still found the book to have a fast pace, and there are some things that take place midway through the book that will keep you turning the pages…

I received a copy of this book for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers and the opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Nicki

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Review: The Midwife's Tale by Delia Parr

The Midwife's Tale
The Midwife’s Tale by Delia Parr is the start to the series At Home in Trinity, and is about Widow Martha Cade who’s profession is a midwife.  I found all the details of midwifery very interesting: for instance that the husbands stayed with their wives and held them on a birthing stool, how midwives usually ran in the family, and all the other details of how a midwife assisted deliveries.   While all of the history was fascinating, I also enjoyed the Widow Cade herself.  She had been widowed for 10 years with two children and lived with her brother and sister-in-law who ran a tavern.  She was also a very brave and strong woman.

In this character driven story we watch how Martha relies on God and even when she receives devastating news, she does not shirk her responsibilities and does not let those who depend on her down.  We have a whole cast of secondary characters that move the story forward and we have hints of a romance that has been sparked again even after so many years have passed.  In this first book of the series, Martha has to now deal with a young new doctor who considers her ways archaic, a new ‘academy’ of orphan boys, and a whole town dealing with a mystery of robberies.  I have always enjoyed author Delia Parr's stories and I look forward to continuing this series.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: The Peaceful Wife by April Cassidy

The Peaceful Wife
The Peaceful Wife by April Cassidy is a heartfelt book written with love for guidance on how we as Christian wives should love and submit to our husbands.  Submission is such a taboo word in our society, but the author explains the roles God had for us wives since creation.  Men and women are made differently so we as wives act very differently from our husbands.  The author also points out that respect is very important to our men.  There is a lot of wisdom and useful information throughout this book as well as the author’s personal story and other women’s examples.  This book would make a great gift for brides to be, marriage counselors, and all women who are married who want to be a peaceful wife and the best helpmate she can be to her husband.  This is one that I will refer back to often and give to my daughters to read.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: The Fight of Your Life by Tim Clinton & Mark Laaser

The Fight of Your Life
The Fight of Your Life is a very important message and wakeup call done in the spirit of love that I believe many should read.  Besides men, I believe wives and mothers should read this as well.  We are in the age of anything goes and sex and pornography have been running rampant.  If only people would understand that sex, in the area of marriage, is and always was a gift from the Creator God.  Instead most have sold their bodies and souls for a lie and a deception in place of the truly awesome and holy gift it was meant to be.  Don’t be fooled, this very important subject affects our whole society and can either put us in bondage or set us free.  My thanks go to the authors for writing on such a difficult and taboo subject.  I was given a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own. 

Review: Heaven's Symphony by Steve Swanson

Heaven's Symphony
Heaven’s Symphony by Steve Swanson is his personal story of how music has affected his relationship with God.  Right from the start the author states that he experiences God through sounds.  I really found that statement interesting as I had never thought about that before.  Not just with music, but artists with color, author’s with words, etc. 

I also enjoyed how he realized all the sounds of nature as creation gives glory to God, again another interesting perspective.  After doing an extensive Bible study on the book of Revelation, I did come away from that with a new realization of just how important music and song is to the worship of God.  This book helped reinforce that.


I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Inked for Eternity by Roxanne Wermuth with Peter Lundell

Inked for Eternity
Inked for Eternity is Roxanne Wermuth’s personal story of brokenness, abuse, and disease and eventually hope.  Beginning with trying to gain the acceptance as a little girl from an abusive father to trying to work through her jealousy of her husband, Roxanne was trying to achieve what she thought would most make her happy on her own.    However, at the age of 40 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and it affected her career which she believed was most important to her.  Almost dying put Roxanne on the path that she realized everyday was a gift and so was her husband and daughters.   I liked when she asked if her MS was a disability or a new ability.  She allowed a difficult diagnosis change her perspective of life and God and heaven for the better.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc.  and the opinions are my own.

Review: Whose Are You? and God, Please Rewire My MADFATs by James Bars

Whose Are You?

In a society that obsesses with labels and groups and people from all walks of life searching desperately for a place to fit in, Whose Are You? is a novella by author James Bar that makes sense of our identity search.  It is not the question ‘who am I’ and all the labels we tack on to ourselves that identify us.  The question we should be asking ourselves is ‘whose am I?’  And in answering that question we will find our identity, our hope, our home, and the very reason we were created.  So I ask you, whose are you?  As for me, I am a child of the One True King and in Him I find I am loved for who I really am.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.




God, Please Rewire My MADFATs


God, Please Rewire My MADFATS is a workbook that could be used with your Bible study.  It is a 52 week study that helps you to focus on and with God’s help rewire your motives, affections, desires, feelings, actions, and thoughts.  The first half of the book is 11 chapters that explain and give guidance to how to start renewing your mind and becoming the person God wants you to be.  I have read Mr. Bars work before and he has such a nice, simplistic way of explaining ideas where you do not feel overwhelmed.  Again this would be a beneficial exercise that would go along with your daily Bible reading, but should not replace it.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Through Raging Waters by Renee Blare


Purchase your copy here.

About the Book

Click to purchase.

If Mother Nature has her way, Timber Springs will never be the same…

A warm spring and early rainstorms melt the snowpack. Spring runoff compounded by the storm of the century sends Timber Springs into a tailspin.

Tossed into the role of rescuer, local pharmacist Paul Fitzgerald must face his past before the whole world falls apart. While he fights to contain the beast around him, he finds his steadfast control slipping through his fingers. And life…everyone’s life…hangs by a thread…once again.

She isn’t a hero. Melissa Hampton has her own demons to battle. After she learns of her mysterious beginnings amidst her mother’s keepsakes, she faces more than just the river rushing outside her door. Now, she must discern friend from foe…but as waters rise and tension climbs within Timber Springs, she needs to rise to the challenge or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

Can two people find each other through raging waters?

My Review:


Through Raging Waters by Renee Blare is my first read by this new to me author.  This books starts just as nature is about to release a life changing flood on the town of Timber Ridge.  As I started reading this book I felt like I was running with these characters as they tried to save lives, property, and sanity.  There was a lot going on and at first it just seems that the main culprit is nature itself, however as the story progresses there is a whole different flood that is about to be released and that one nature has nothing to do with.

This is a story that follows the Fitzgerald clan and other townspeople.  This is a second in the series and read ok as a standalone, but I think I missed out on some of the deeper relationship ties by not reading the first.  This book has a lot going on from nature, romance, family drama, to mystery and action.  I am intrigued and would like see some more resolutions for the other siblings in this family.  This book reminded me of author Susan May Warren’s stories, especially with the large family dynamics.


I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and the opinions are my own honest ones.

About the Author


Renee Blare’s nose has been buried in a book for as long as she can remember. Raised in Louisiana and Wyoming, she started writing poetry in junior high school and that, as they say, was that. After having her son, a desire to attend pharmacy school sent her small family to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. She’s been counting pills ever since. While writing’s her first love, well, after the Lord and her husband, she also likes to fish and hunt as well as pick away on her classical guitar.

Nestled in the foothills of the Wind River Mountains, she lives in Wyoming with her husband, crazy dogs, and ornery cat. She serves her beautiful small town as a pharmacist while penning her stories about struggling Christians as they travel along the journeys of their lives. She loves to interact with readers and invites you check out her website, blog, and social media.




Guest Post from Renee Blare


I Wrote a Book


Five years ago, I wrote a book…and then I wrote another and another and another. Many said that the words flowed like a river onto the page. Or I painted a picture with letters.  As for me? I simply write what I see so you can see it too. What about you? Do you want to write a book?

If so, there’s one thing I’d like you to know. A book’s like a child. It starts out small or simple with garbled language…often repetitive and indistinguishable. Kind of like when a baby babbles “dada” over and over. And then that moment comes when you rejoice because you hear him say “mama.” That’s the growth every book…writer…reader…yearns for.

Different stories float around inside an author’s mind, flowing in a way much like labor. Some authors plot, others don’t. And still others combine the process in a convoluted method. But like birth, no matter how the words eventually find their way to the page, the development of a book doesn’t stop with its first dawn. It takes time, energy, and growth.

Take my first release, To Soar on Eagle’s Wings. Five years ago, I wrote it, my very first book, in three months. And it was awesome! I couldn’t believe it. God brought the plot together in a phenomenal way. But publication wasn’t the next step. I had a lot to learn before that could happen.
My latest release, Through Raging Waters is the example of a writer’s growth, but also her soul. I learned that I had to leave more than my knowledge and my heart on the page. I needed to leave a piece of my soul. When you read Paul’s struggles, you read mine. Melissa’s fear and confusion? Yes, they’re mine. The anger, the pain . . . the trials, the lessons learned are scriptural but also first-hand, taught by my Father.

Writing is more than a job. It’s more than a hobby. It’s sharing your knowledge, your hope with the world. So if you want to write a book. Do it. Then take that next step, and the next. You’ll get there. Oh, and I can’t wait to read it!

Blog Stops


July 19: Pause for Tales
July 24: A Greater Yes
July 25: bigreadersite
July 26: Splashes of Joy
July 29: Quiet Quilter
July 31: Bukwurmzzz
August 1: Carpe Diem

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Renee is giving away a wonderful package that includes a $20 Cabelas gift card, a set of her series paperbacks (books 1 and 2), and fleece blanket. Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/9f08

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Review: Murder Mezzo Forte by Donn Taylor

About the book:


Murder Mezzo Forte (Lamplighter Mysteries, June 2016)

He is a reclusive history professor with musical hallucinations. . . .

She a headstrong professor of religion, a converted Wiccan. Earlier, they solved a campus murder, but now police say they formed two-thirds of an illicit love triangle with a newly-murdered female colleague and they're probably guilty of her murder. A leak of the alleged scandal to the college administration threatens their jobs.

Their desperate attempt to prove themselves innocent of the triangle and the murder plunges them into a tangle of unsavory corporate relationships among college trustees. And it puts their lives in danger from a mysterious criminal organization that seems to have tentacles everywhere.

Can this ill-matched pair's stumbling efforts succeed against the entrenched forces of the police, the college's incompetent administration, and that powerful but unseen criminal organization? If not, they may end up unemployed, in prison, or suffering a fate much worse.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/295oYHO

My Review:

Professors’ Preston Barclay and Mara Thorn are back to being a crime solving duo, through no choice of their own.  Just a few months after the events in Rhapsody in Red, they both find another fellow professor dead.  No one knows for sure if this death is murder, suicide, or natural.  All anyone can agree on is that it is suspicious. 

Rounding out this story is the various guilty like other professors, questionable trustees of the university, and even the police themselves cannot be truly trusted.  Preston and Mara both have some ups and downs in this story as their careers are in jeopardy, their lives are in danger, and neither will bring up that kiss

Once again I was transported to this university and their ridiculous mindset and rules, I enjoyed and chuckled at Preston’s dry wit, and was amused with his and Mara’s back and forth banter.  I look forward to more in the Preston Barclay Mystery series; I just hope my two favorite professors get some time to relax.


I was provided a copy for review through Litfuse Publicity and the opinions are my own honest ones. 

About the author:  

Donn Taylor led an Infantry rifle platoon in the Korean War, served with Army aviation in Vietnam, and worked with air reconnaissance in Europe and Asia. Afterwards, he earned a PhD in Renaissance literature and taught literature at two liberal arts colleges. His publications include three suspense novels, one historical novel, and a book of poetry. He lives near Houston, TX, where he writes fiction, poetry, and essays on current topics.


What others are saying: http://litfusegroup.com/author/dtaylor

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Aboard Providence by Author Keely Brooke Keith

Book Info:

Title: Aboard Providence
Author: Keely Brooke Keith
Publisher: CrossRiver Media Group
Released Date: October 20, 2016
Pre-order Link: CrossRiver Media

One Sentence Summary:
A voyage aboard Providence changes Jonah’s plans, but can it change his heart?

Description:
In November 1860, Jonah Ashton is determined to finish his studies at Penn’s Medical School before rumors of Southern rebellion erupt into all-out war. When he learns his father has joined a group of Virginia families planning to sail from America to form a new settlement elsewhere, he travels to his family’s estate intent on saying goodbye. However, when an accident leaves his father in need of a physician, Jonah agrees to serve as ship’s doctor, but he resolves to return to medical school as quickly as possible.

While aboard the Providence, Jonah falls in love with former classmate Marian Foster. Despite their love for each other, Marian has no desire to return to America with him.

After an arduous voyage, Providence runs aground on an uncharted land in the South Atlantic Ocean. While the rest of the settlers celebrate finding the land they wanted, Jonah takes off to explore the island and he soon discovers a startling truth that changes everything, but can it change his heart?



Author Info:

Author Bio:
Keely Brooke Keith is the author of the Uncharted series (Edenbrooke Press) and Aboard Providence (CrossRiver Media). Her novels are known for blending genres in surprising ways. When she isn’t writing stories, Keely enjoys playing bass guitar, preparing homeschool lessons, and collecting antique textbooks. Originally from St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely resides with her husband and their daughter on a hilltop south of Nashville where she dreams up stories, hoping to encourage, comfort, and inspire readers. She is a member of ACFW.

Social Media Links:

Find Keely’s books online:

Giveaway Info

Enter here for your chance to win an autographed copy of Aboard Providence.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Review: Unhealthy Anonymous by Dr. Pete Sulack


Unhealthy Anonymous by Dr. Pete Sulack was a very interesting read on how we can get healthy and stay healthy.  He provides a 12-step program to help us to achieve our goals on becoming healthy.  There was some really great information in this book and everything was explained well.  I learned some things I had not known before about stress and I really liked how he stated that our current crisis is because we are trying to fix the symptoms of stress.  Instead we should be trying to focus on making our amazing wonderful bodies work better for us by being healthy: building it up by feeding it actual healthy food, limiting stressors like (and this one surprised me) noise pollution.  Within my own household there is always something on in the background: tv, radio, electronics, you name it. 

To be honest at times when reading this book and similar I feel like it is so much to take in and I become overwhelmed with it all.  However, this book is a great resource and gives basics and guidelines on where to start.  I, like most people, want to lose weight, exercise more, and just feel better and this book was a great resource in helping me see how harmful stress really is and some ways to eliminate or deal with it.

I was provided with a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review and Giveaway: Like A River From Its Course by Kelli Stuart

About the book:


Like a River from Its Course (Kregel, June 2016)

An epic novel exposing the ugliness of war and the beauty of hope.

The city of Kiev was bombed in Hitler's blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union, but the constant siege was only the beginning for her citizens. In this sweeping historical saga, Kelli Stuart takes the reader on a captivating journey into the little-known history of Ukraine's tragedies through the eyes of four compelling characters who experience the same story from different perspectives.

Maria Ivanovna is only fourteen when the bombing begins and not much older when she is forced into work at a German labor camp. She must fight to survive and to make her way back to her beloved Ukraine.

Ivan Kyrilovich is falsely mistaken for a Jew and lined up with 34,000 other men, women, and children who are to be shot at the edge of Babi Yar, the "killing ditch." He survives, but not without devastating consequences.

Luda is sixteen when German soldiers rape her. Now pregnant with the child of the enemy, she is abandoned by her father, alone, and in pain. She must learn to trust family and friends again and find her own strength in order to discover the redemption that awaits.

Frederick Hermann is sure in his knowledge that the Führer's plans for domination
are right and just. He is driven to succeed by a desire to please a demanding father and by his own blind faith in the ideals of Nazism. 
Based on true stories gathered from fifteen years of research and interviews with Ukrainian World War II survivors, Like a River from Its Course is a story of love, war, heartache, forgiveness, and redemption.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/28YOXRu

My Review:

Like a River From Its Course by author Kelli Stuart is a read that is not for the faint of heart.   This is a story of the Nazi occupied Ukraine during World War 2, and it was a harrowing feat for me to finish.  It is told from four different viewpoints: Father and Daughter, Ivan and Maria, Luda, and a Nazi soldier, Frederick Herrmann.  This story starts in 1941 and ends in 1947.  We have front row seats as we walk with each character and their circumstances as this reign of terror pours out in their country.  At times I wanted and did put this book down, only to pick it up again because I wanted so badly to see some hope.  And there is.  Author Stuart did a wonderful job of presenting the gospel message, not in a preachy matter but in a real world scenario. 

I enjoyed the author’s notes in the back of the book; she explains that even though these are fictional characters, the events were not.  As the world today again seems to be succumbing to hatred, I found these quotes relevant and helpful:

Ivan pg. 326, “…the river of our days flowing so calmly in a direction that I thought would last forever.  In a flash, that river was turned, unexpected and quick, dragging us long this unforeseen path.  Like a river from its course, life has swirled away from all I expected or planned.” 

Enjoy the present, for life is unpredictable.  And:

Marie pg. 333, “…I think about the nature of this world.  For all the evil, there is an awful lot of good.  I’m thankful for the sweetness of the good.”

I received a copy of this very relevant read through Litfuse Publicity and the opinions are my own honest ones.

About the author:  

Kelli Stuart is the coauthor of Dare 2B Wise and has written for several brands including Disney, American Girl, and Short Fiction Break. She has served as editor-in-chief for the St. Louis Bloggers Guild and as a board member for the St. Louis Women in Media. In addition to her writing, Kelli has spent twenty years studying Ukranian culture. Kelli lives in Florida.


What others are saying:  http://litfusegroup.com/author/kstuart

Giveaway: Kelli Stuart’s ‘Like a River from Its Course’ Blog Tour and Kindle Prize Pack

Travel back in time in Kelli Stuart's new novel, Like a River from Its Course, as the city of Kiev is bombed in Hitler's blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union. This sweeping historical saga takes the reader on a captivating journey into the little-known history of Ukraine's tragedies through the eyes of four compelling characters who experience the same story from different perspectives. Based on true stories gathered from fifteen years of research and interviews with Ukrainian World War II survivors, Like a River From Its Course is a story of love, war, heartache, forgiveness, and redemption.

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Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on July 18th. The winner will be announced July 19th on Kelli's blog.

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