Friday, June 30, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Call Her Janie by S.R. Fabrico

 


 

Book Details:
Book Title:  Call Her Janie: A scintillating romantic suspense with a shocking twist by S.R. Fabrico
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  350 pages
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher:  S.R. Fabrico
Release date:  June 27, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13+M. A few curse words. There are some intimate scenes, mostly left up to the reader's imagination.


Book Description:

Are you ready for a heart-pumping, page-turning journey of love, loss, and suspense? Look no further than S.R. Fabrico’s latest masterpiece, filled with gripping twists and turns that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
 
Meet Lizzie Levine, the unstoppable female executive at a top NYC marketing firm. Driven by the tragic loss of her parents, Lizzie refuses to let anything stand in her way – until a handsome, enigmatic billionaire named Gray Stone enters the picture. But when Lizzie discovers she’s pregnant with Gray’s child, she learns there’s more to him than meets the eye.
 
Desperate for a fresh start, Lizzie escapes to the serene coastal town of Southport, NC. There, she meets Josh, a charming local determined to help her heal and move on from her troubled past. But as Lizzie begins to rebuild her life, she soon realizes that her past is not so easily left behind. Someone with a sinister agenda lurks in the shadows, and Lizzie’s life is in grave danger.
 
With a writing style, that’s both eloquent and engaging, S.R. Fabrico takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions as you journey with Lizzie through the twists and turns of her life. Whether you’re a fan of suspenseful thrillers or heartwarming love stories, this book is a must-read. Don’t miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in a world of passion, intrigue, and danger.

 

Buy the Book:
Signed Copy
Amazon
add to goodreads





Meet the Author:

S.R. Fabrico is a 16-time award-winning author. Her debut novel The Secrets We Conceal was published in March 2022. She has also written a series of sports journals for athletes, including the Amazon best-selling My Dance Journal.

A 25-plus-year professional in the business, marketing, and sports world has taken her to numerous places throughout the course of her life and provided countless life experiences. She is a World Champion Dance Coach, coach of the year recipient, and speaker and various conferences across the United States.

S.R. Fabrico works and writes from her home in Knoxville, TN, where she lives with her husband and two children. She appreciates the beauty of the mountains, but her favorite place to visit is the beach. She is a lifelong math nerd and enjoys good puns. When she isn’t writing, she likes to read books, wife hard, and mom hard.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

 

Enter the Giveaway:



CALL HER JANIE Book Tour Giveaway


My Thoughts:

Call Her Janie is a suspense about a young career woman who fell into a trap with a man she had no business being with. She, unfortunately, believed his lies because she believed he really loved her. What happens in the aftermath of that relationship causes Lizzie to run to the small town where her brother and sister-in-law lives and to take up a part time job at a unique bookstore. Here is where she begins to tell her story of what happened to her.

This is a compelling read. The author does pull the reader into Lizzie's life and her mistakes and her trauma and loss. Lizzie is a very lost person, so much so that her family does not even know half of what happened to her. Lizzie very much needs guidance and direction in her life to especially not make those same mistakes. There are some shocking revelations that take place as well, as all is not as it seems, and I did not see that twist coming.

Please be aware that there are intimate scenes, and some language was used that I am not comfortable with. So, this title does need a mature label on it. There is the trauma and loss that poor Lizzie goes through that may be too much for a sensitive reader.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Cover Reveal for Crack the Stone by Emily Golus

Cover Reveal Time

Ok readears, are you ready for the second cover reveal in A Classic Retold series coming later this year? Well here it is:

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About:

I am Valshara, the black stone born of fire. Break me, and my edges turn into knives.

Condemned to a slave camp for her crimes, goblin convict Valshara Sh’a makes a death-defying escape to freedom. But navigating Vindor’s treacherous cavern system is only the beginning of her troubles. An encounter with a rogue king turns her world upside down, and a bargain with fairy tricksters leaves her with a human child she doesn’t know how to care for.

As she tries to smuggle the boy through the walls of a barricaded city, Valshara can’t let down her guard. Because somewhere in the darkness behind her, a bounty hunter rises—relentless as nightfall and merciless as death itself.

Emily Golus re-imagines Victor Hugo’s beloved Les Misérables as an epic fantasy adventure about suffering, redemption, and the extraordinary power of love.

Pre-order:

https://www.aclassicretold.com/books/crack-the-stone

or

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9JK781Y

My Thoughts on Soso and the Kako Leaf by Bella Disu and Illustrated by Awele Emili

 


 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Soso and The Kako Leaf by Bella Disu
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 6-12),  78 pages
Genre:  Children's Book
Publisher:  The Good Work Company
Release date:   June 19, 2022
Content Rating:  G. Children's Book.
Book Description:

Follow the life of young Soso as she encounters mysteries and unearths traditions that have existed long before she was born.Be part of her adventures as she gains confidence, self-esteem, and an understanding of her deep cultural heritage.
Buy the Book
Amazon 
add to goodreads

This book is available for special purchases in bulk by organizations and institutions, not for resale, at special discounts. Please email all inquiries to The Good Work Company.
My Thoughts:
My love for stories started with fairy tales, so whenever I hear about one, I have not read before, I am instantly interested. Soso and the Kako Leaf is a story about a nine-year-old girl on her birthday, which is already pretty magical as birthdays go as the date of her birthday is the ninth. So, she is turning nine on the ninth and her family is planning a very special birthday party for her. Everything is turning out wonderfully, except for the fact that the birthmark on her leg is getting bigger not smaller as she had hoped. And she also has to go to her brother's soccer practice.
Well, Soso makes the best of the day anyway and heads out exploring when she falls into an enchanted world where she is the princess Asabi and she must rid her kingdom of the evil ruler that wants to keep being queen. Well, through this adventure Soso gains confidence and courage in who she is no matter the birthmark others may make fun of. She learns to be kind to herself.
This was a fun enchanting tale with beautiful, and I mean beautiful artwork throughout. This is a bigger book than usual which was a bonus and a tale worth telling of being yourself. There is a glossary in the back for pronunciation to help the readers as well.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.


Meet the Author:

​Bella Disu is a mother of two wonderful children. She is an enthusiastic lover of art as well as an avid reader. From a young age, she has been enamoured with rich cultural folktales. Now, she channels her love for art and her passion for reading into writing stories. Her stories use new forms to pass on the tales she heard growing up to the next generation.

Bella is also a renowned business leader who is committed to corporate governance and business innovation. In December 2019, she became the youngest ever recipient of the French National Honor - Chevalier dans L'ordre des Arts et des Lettres in recognition of her efforts at promoting French culture in Nigeria.

She is married and lives in Lagos, Nigeria, with her family.

connect with the author: website twitter instagram




My Thoughts and More on The Pursuit of Miss Parish by Grace Hitchcock

 



About the Book


Book: The Pursuit of Miss Parish

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: May 31, 2023

Love’s gentle promise becomes nothing more than a withered dream.

With dreams of love and a hope for belonging, shy Belle Parish leaves her position as a maid in Charleston to travel to New Mexico with her best friend to become mail-order brides. Colt Lawson’s letters hold great promise and while his devilishly handsome face matches his picture, something does not add up. Discovering his lie only moments before they wed, Belle flees the church and straight into the Castañeda Hotel Harvey House. Giving up the prospect on ever marrying, she dons her nun-like uniform and focuses on her role as a Harvey Girl waitress until a strong, former Texas Ranger rides into her life.

Colt Lawson didn’t want to send that letter to Belle Parish in the first place, but her first response had all but captured his heart. When he is left standing at the altar alone, he is left with two choices—either release his dream of a love marriage, or attempt to win her heart. Wooing her would be a lot easier if that Texas Ranger wasn’t back in town. Who wants a dusty rancher with a past when she could have a shining knight in a Stetson?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

What a read this one was as the second installment of the series Aprons and Veils. It started off one way and then it changed direction, and when it did it was quite a change. Here we have Belle Parish, once the lady's maid of Miss Fairfield, of whom the first book is about. Now Belle is traveling with another friend to New Mexico as a mail order bride to get away from a very controlling and cruel family. What she doesn't expect is a train robbery before she even gets to her new home. Belle is already terrified and second guessing her decision to marry enough as it is.

However, things go from bad to worse after a dinner at the local Harvey restaurant and after listening to others about her intended groom, Colt Lawson, Belle runs away from him at the alter and to the Harvey hotel to be a Harvey girl. Belle figures that once she pays Colt for the train price they will be even. Not so for Colt as he already fell in love with Belle through her letters, no matter how that all started.

Colt is trying to change his life now for the better. Marrying Belle would have made his happily ever after come true. Now she will barely give him the time of day to explain what really happened. Forced to deal with other jealous women, a gang of train robbers, and a Texas Ranger who won't stop flirting with Belle, Colt decides she is worth the price and continues in his pursuit of her.

Then everything changes as danger does its own pursuit of not only Colt but Belle as well. As secrets are uncovered, will Colt and Belle have a second chance of love at all? I could not put this romantic adventure story down and stayed up way too late reading it.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author


Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in the New Orleans area with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.

 

More from Grace

Questions from READERS for Grace Hitchcock

Q: As a mom, how/when do you find time to write?

Grace Hitchcock: I used to walk around the block to my favorite coffee shop in New Orleans, writing with a delicious latte and scone beside me, headphones in with the perfect soundtrack playing waiting for the muse. . . and now days, I write during Sofia the First episodes blaring in the background for my toddler while the baby sleeps and my Kindergartner is in half-day school.

On the days when I can’t get the word count down during those tiny moments, my husband takes the babies for an hour in the evenings and tells me to go write! When I’m on tight deadline with days left to go, the house usually isn’t the cleanest and Laundry Mountain, in all its splendor, may just fall on top of us. Sometimes while on deadline, I get the urge to pause and clean, but if I ignore the impulse long enough, the feeling generally passes. Once the book is in to my editor, it’s time to clean.

Q: What is your favorite source of inspiration for creating the characters in your stories?

Grace Hitchcock: For main characters, I use Names Through the Ages to figure out their names based on their background and once I know a character’s name, it’s as if the heroine/hero stroll into my writing room and I get to know their personality, the story closely following.

For the supporting characters, I have a need/plot point that they need to fill and I build their personality around that need. Not quite as exciting haha but they serve a purpose. But, I always remind myself to try to fill them out because they do not know they are not the main characters.

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Grace Hitchcock: One of my earliest memories is writing stories in my little diary in my closet. (Remember the diaries with the locks on them that were super easy to pick, but still dreamy to have a book with a lock on it.)

I started taking my desire to write seriously when I was a senior in high school. I was homeschooled and my mom let me write a novel for my senior English project to test that theory if I wanted to write. It was so fun to write, I knew that’s what I wanted to do, so I got my Masters in Creative Writing and I’ve been typing away ever since 

Q: What is your writing process like?

Grace Hitchcock: I usually begin with a spark of an idea that I at once research to see if it would work with the eras I enjoy writing (Gilded Age and Regency England). From there, I do a deep dive into writing out a chapter by chapter plot, which generally takes about a week to ten days.

Once I have my plot down, I do about a week or two more of basic research and begin the first very, very rough draft that I usually finish at 50,000 words after 3 months of writing.

 

Then, I research any spots that needed improving in the first draft and go full editing mode, pausing throughout the book to research spots that need more description and historical accuracy, which is about two months and then, I do a third round of edits and research while doing a line edit, which takes a month.

 

By the time I get to the 6-month mark, I am more than ready to have a break haha and I send my 75,000/80,000 word novel off to my publisher/editor who does a content edit, sends it back to me for three weeks, another editor does a line edit, sends it back to me for three weeks, then another editor does a copy edit and sends it to galleys (where they format the book) and send it back to me to proof one last time for two weeks! Then, it goes to press at usually 75,000-100,000 depending on the novel. So long story short, 6 months to write and about 2 months to edit!

Q: Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

Grace Hitchcock: In this business, just about every author gets a rejection from a publisher . . . even by publishers who later accept them!

When I began sending out one of my first manuscripts, I thought it was pristine, but after about 15 rejections, I put it on the shelf and focused on a new manuscript with fresh eyes and new goals based on some of the industry professionals’ suggestions. Six months after I shelved that first manuscript, I went back and looked over it . . . the professionals were right. It wasn’t ready and it would require a lot more love (aka bleeding edits) before I attempted to send it out again. Sometimes, time is what you need to get a fresh perspective.

But it is also important to remember that when you get a rejection letter, they are not rejecting you. They are rejecting the work. And as much as you see it as a work of art, the publishers see it as a product. They are there to sell a product and if the product isn’t ready, it won’t sell well, so take heart and “hone your craft” and focus on any feedback you received that has merit.

That critique was very hard for me to hear haha but it helped push me to keep learning, attending writer conferences, and following my dreams. Over the years, I have had novels rejected by Barbour, Bethany, and Kregel, but I tried again and again and eventually signed with each publishing house! So keep it up! You can do it!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , June 16

Vicky Sluiter, June 16

Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 17

She Lives To Read, June 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 18

Texas Book-aholic, June 19

Alena Mentink, June 19

All-of-a-kind Mom, June 20

Bigreadersite, June 20

Connie’s History Classroom, June 21

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 21

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 22

Betti Mace, June 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 24

Karen Baney Reviews, June 24

Blogging With Carol, June 25

For Him and My Family, June 25

Labor Not in Vain, June 26

Mary Hake, June 26

Cover Lover Book Review, June 27

Holly’s Book Corner, June 27

Splashes of Joy, June 28

Pause for Tales, June 28

Jodie Wolfe -Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 29

Lights in a Dark World, June 29

 

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize package of an autographed copy of The Finding of Miss Fairfield AND The Pursuit of Miss Parish with bookmarks and book magnets, and 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/2658d/the-pursuit-of-miss-parish-celebration-tour-giveaway


Tuesday, June 27, 2023

My Thoughts and More on A Not So Peaceful Journey by Sandra Merville Hart

 



About the Book


Book: A Not So Peaceful Journey

Author: Sandra Merville Hart

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 13, 2023

Dreams of adventure send him across the country. She prefers to keep her feet firmly planted in Ohio.

Rennie Hill has no illusions about the hardships in life, which is why it’s so important her beau, John Welch, keeps his secure job with the newspaper. Though he hopes to write fiction, the unsteady pay would mean an end to their plans, wouldn’t it?

John Welch dreams of adventure worthy of storybooks, like Mark Twain, and when two of his short stories are published, he sees it as a sign of future success. But while he’s dreaming big with his head in the clouds, his girl has her feet firmly planted, and he can’t help wondering if she really believes in him.

When Rennie must escort a little girl to her parents’ home in San Francisco, John is forced to alter his plans to travel across the country with them. But the journey proves far more adventurous than either of them expect.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

What do you do when the love of your life has a different dream than you do? Do you force one and let the other die? Or do you go your separate ways? This is the problem that has aroused in Rennie and John's relationship. Rennie wants to settle down in their hometown and raise a family while John has a stable job, completely understandable. Only John wants to be an author and travel out West to get ideas before he settles down, also understandable. As I read this novel and the previous ones, I was really hoping that John and Rennie's relationship would survive.

What happens is an opportunity for Rennie to escort a little girl from Ohio to California, where her sick mother is, and John, since he is heading that way is the best guy for the position of protection. So along with Rennie's younger sister, Veronica as a chaperone, these four set off on a train journey through the West that will test them in many ways. And through it all, Rennie and John will realize what matters to them most.

I was very happy to read John's story as he has grown into a young man and the big decisions he needs to make. Taking inspiration from his younger years and from his birth family, he is doing the best he can. I also liked the growth of Rennie and the reining in of some of her overbearing ways. A nice journey across the USA in 1884.

I was provided a copy of this novel by the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author


Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. She is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher. Connect with Sandra on her blog, https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com/.

 

More from Sandra

It was fun to invite readers on this book’s journey!

 

To those who lived in the 1880s, venturing into this newly-settled and largely-unsettled West had become much safer—though not without danger—with the system of railroads already in place. I enjoyed taking readers to Chicago, Omaha, Oakland, Ogden, and Sacramento, as well as frontier towns along the journey such as Cheyenne.

 

Our heroine is a telegraph operator. She temporarily leaves her job to escort a little girl to her ailing mother in San Francisco.

My research about telegraph jobs taught me quite a bit of terminology.

 

For example, a clatter arises when another operator “calls.” The call begins with something like “B m—X n”, which means the B m is the station receiving the call and X n is the caller.

 

B m must signal a reply that she’s ready to receive the call.

 

The Sounder receives sounds of the alphabet in dots and dashes. Some operators sent messages too rapidly to understand. When this occurs, the receiving operating asks for it again with a Break (she opens her “key” to break the circuit) and interrupts with “Please repeat.”

 

“G.A. the—” means “Go ahead” and “the” was the last word she understood.

 

Operators end every message with his/her own private “call” as well as the office’s call and “O.K.” at the end of each message.

Wired Love, which was written by telegraph operator Ella Cheever Thayer in 1879, provided many insights about the job’s daily tasks.

 

One of them was the lack of privacy on the lines. She can hear the messages sent to other wires but only offices on the same wire. In Wired Love, operators heard messages sent to and from twenty offices.

 

By the way, the public grew so fascinated with the role of women in telegraphy that it became the topic of romance novels and short stories, creating a new genre called “telegraphic romance” in the latter 1800s. That’s a little-known fun fact for you!

 

I enjoyed writing this series. I invite you to read the whole “Second Chances” series beginning with A Not So Convenient Marriage, Book 1, A Not So Persistent Suitor, Book 2, and A Not So Peaceful Journey, Book 3.

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, June 14

Alena Mentink, June 14

Betti Mace, June 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 16

Texas Book-aholic, June 17

Karen Baney Reviews, June 17

Connie’s History Classroom, June 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 19

For Him and My Family, June 20

Lily’s Book Reviews, June 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 21

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , June 22

Mary Hake, June 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 23

Blogging With Carol, June 24

Blossoms and Blessings, June 24

Simple Harvest Reads, June 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Cover Lover Book Review, June 26

Pause for Tales, June 27

Holly’s Book Corner, June 27

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Sandra 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/2658b/a-not-so-peaceful-journey-celebration-tour-giveaway


Monday, June 26, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Ava by Caryl McAdoo

 



About the Book


Book: Ava

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Release date: May 3, 2023

And a child will lead them.

Even if she’s a seventeen-year-old, raven-haired bear slayer though? Ava May, head strong, fetching, and true of soul grew up wise in the ways of swamp living while so naive concerning the outside world. Gold for her ma to pay off her dead father’s debts and the promise of great adventure transport her from her backwoods Louisiana cabin to Montana’s big sky county to marry a stranger. However, love threatens to thwart all the plans made for the mail-order bride before the wagon train’s wheels stop rolling. Enjoy your journey with Ava and the other brides under Miss Lottie’s care on the Oregon Trail, living though temptations, dangers, and the harrowing trek.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Ava already thought her world had changed enough with the death of her beloved father. Now a year later, her mother is asking her to go out west and be a bride to a rich man. How could her mother do this to her? How can Ava leave the home her father built?

Out of sense of duty for her mother, Ava goes and winds up in a group of woman whose previous professions they would like to keep to themselves. These former soiled doves are also seeking new lives out west. On the wagon train west all of these people get to know one another more. Some are ready for a change others will take a bit more time.

Ava is bound and determined to remain strong and marry only for love and she meets a man by the name of Noble on her way west. This is a man she can and may have already fallen for. Except she is unable to marry him do to one reason. Can they get over these odds and have their happily ever after? There were many surprises in this story and the characters were in for quite an adventure along the way and even later when family secrets are uncovered. This story showed that life is an adventure with many surprises and forgiveness and love can make the road a little smoother.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Award-winning, Christian author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory. Of her best-selling novels, readers love her historical Christian romance family sagas most, but also enjoy their contemporary cousins, Caryl’s Biblical fiction, her historical mystery series, and tales for young adults, mid-grade booklovers, and pre-K through 2nd grade picture books.

The majority of reviewers award her stories five-stars and praise Caryl’s writing style, citing her extensive research and the depth of her characters.

The prolific writer loves singing the new songs God gives her almost as much as penning new novels—hear a few at YouTube! She’s been married to Ron fifty-five years, and they share four children and twenty-five grandsugars. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

 

More from Caryl

2023 is the fifth annual Prairie Roses Collection, and I’m so excited to add AVA to my contributions for this multi-author, covered-wagon-stories project! The sojourners of these grueling treks fascinate me, willingly suffering such hardships and walking two thousand miles for a fresh start.

In fact, Ava May Harley never wanted to leave her home, a log cabin her father built in Skeeter Bottoms. She was born there, but with her Pap gone, for her family’s sake . . . The Word says if we don’t take care of our own, we are worse than an infidel, right?

 

What have you sacrificed for the sake of your family?

What immediately comes to my mind is the time we gave up our “golden years” and put off our empty-nest for fourteen years to take in four precious grandsugar-sons when we were fifty-two. They were six, four, three, and three-days-old.

 

Had we not, CPS was going to remove them from our family and spread the brothers out among strangers. Ron and I couldn’t let that happen and asked them to leave the boys with us. Of course, we thought it would only be for a few months.

 

We assumed their parents would attend the required classes and ‘get clean’ Figured we could do anything for a couple of months, right? The short months turned into years. Each boy left when the graduated high school, except the baby. When the third brother left, he asked to go with him to the other grandmother’s. He was fourteen then.

When people asked how we did it, there was an easy answer. 😊 “Only by the mercy and grace of God.” The boys are grown now. The oldest is a fire fighter, and the youngest is a Marine. Ron and I have enjoyed our empty nest since 2017 (at 67 years of age), but we miss our fellers!

In AVA, my sweet heroine was only seventeen when a cousin dangled gold coins in front of her broke and bereft mother. Ma could buy a proper gravestone for her dead husband and pay off his debts if she would only send her firstborn off to marry a stranger in Montana.

 

My brave and independent character made her own decision to make the journey for the betterment of her family and count it a great adventure. As the miles piled on top one another, taking her farther and farther from her life in the Louisiana swamps, the only home she’d ever known, she doubted her decision more than once.

Her strong faith in God worked with her naivety and kept her on the Oregon Trail, moving ever toward her future. When a person knows God has a plan, and believes they are on that very path, there’s no reason to be afraid or worry. She knew God would never leave her or forsake her.

She knew how completely trustworthy He is.

I fell in love with this precious character, and I hope you will, too. I hope you will enjoy going along with AVA on the harrowing journey!
How involved have you gotten with a book character in the past? Share the character’s name and the book’s title if you will in your comments below! 😊

 

BLESSINGS!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 15

Connie’s History Classroom, June 16

For the Love of Literature, June 17 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, June 18

For Him and My Family, June 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 20

Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 21 (Author Interview)

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 22

Splashes of Joy , June 23

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, June 24 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, June 25

Pause for Tales, June 26

Splashes of Joy, June 27 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, June 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 28

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and 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/2658c/ava-celebration-tour-giveaway


Friday, June 23, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Secrets of the Wild by Olivia Kent Illustrated by Srimalie Bassani

 


 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Secrets of the Wild by Olivia Kent
Category:  Children's Fiction (ages 3 to 7), 38 pages
Genre:  Children's Book
Publisher:  Mascot Books
Release date:  March 2021
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for everyone.
Book Description:

There is nothing more exciting than what happens deep in the woods. Aside from human eyes, the hustle and bustle of the wild will shock, awe, and captivate you deep into their world of the unknown. But be careful, because the creatures of the Earth are onto us, and they know much more about us than we know about them...
Buy the Book:
Mascot

Amazon ~ B&N 
My Thoughts:

What happens when humans are not looking at animals? What do they do? Well, they have fun of course and go about their lives and they have secrets that they keep from us. This is a cute and imaginative read for children with bright colors and vivid illustrations to stir their imaginations and have them thinking up their own wild stories.

From parties to rodeos, animals are out there having fun. Silly fun is shown in the pictures and the story itself has a rhyming quality. It reminds me of stories of what the toys do when the children are not around. It seemed to me the story ended abruptly, and I think I would have liked a better connection to people, other than that this was cute and goofy read.

I was provided a copy of this storybook from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.




Meet the Author:

Olivia Kent’s vibrant personality shines through in her very first children’s book, Secrets of the Wild. Her creativity and true love for her characters developed into a funny and heartwarming story, reflecting her inner love for animals. Her passion for Earth’s creatures is being taken one step further as she continues her studies.

Enter the Giveaway:

SECRETS OF THE WILD Book Tour Giveaway




Thursday, June 22, 2023

My Thoughts and More on A Daughter's Journey by Myra Lee Glass

 

 


Book Details:

Book Title:  A Daughter's Journey by Myra Lee Glass
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17),  132 pages
GenreYA Historical Fiction / Adventure
PublisherColeche Press
Release date:   Feb 2023
Content RatingG: Written for a high school school project :) by a highschooler
Book Description:

The year is 1938 and a family in the small South Carolina town of Beaufort faces serious adversity. After the birth of her long-awaited son, Mary Banks dives into a dark postpartum period, throwing her into a deep depression. Thinking that her sister, Rose, is offering her a helping hand, Mary leaves her family and goes to Boston in search of a medical cure, not to be heard from again.

​Where is Mary Banks? What has Rose done with the much-loved mother and wife of the Banks family? Finally, Mary’s 15-year-old daughter, Estelle can wait no longer. She gathers her wits and her courage and without a word, runs off to heroically rescue her beloved mother in faraway Boston. This is where the adventure begins……
Buy the Book:
Amazon 
add to goodreads
My Thoughts:
Estelle is a young fifteen-year-old girl living in the year 1938 with her father and expectant mother. As the birth of her younger sibling approaches, her parents are tired but happy. Her mother then gives birth to Jerry, a healthy baby boy. But then things change.
The care of Jerry falls on Estelle and her father as her mother barely even gets out of bed. Neither of them knows what to do or how to help her. Then her mother states that she is leaving to go and be with her sister in Boston and get help from the doctors there. However, when her mother quits writing, Estelle decides to take it upon herself to go and find her mother. Leaving all she holds familiar and traveling to an unknown city is going to take more bravery than Estelle has ever known. But is Estelle prepared for what she finds out?
This is an interesting story that touches on post partem depression and the rather primitive ways it used to be treated. This is a story that shows a daughter's love for her mother and family and will not give up until she finds her. Filled with unexpected friends and ruthless enemies, Estelle has quite a journey. The only thing missing was an epilogue.
I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
Meet the Author:

Myra Lee Glass is a young adult author of A Daughter's Journey. She lives in Texas with her parents and sister.











Enter the Giveaway:

A DAUGHTER'S JOURNEY by Myra Lee Glass Book Tour Giveaway



Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Exciting Cover Reveal for Break the Beast by Allison Tebo

I am very excited to share this cover reveal which is the first one in the upcoming series A Classic Retold. There are six series that I am excited about this year, and this is one of them. Feast your eyes on this first of nine classics retold in fantasy!


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Who is to say who is the real beast?

Grendel haunts the land of Frisia in a restless need for vengeance on the human world that has rejected her. With a fiendish master urging her on, she attacks without fear of repercussion.

But the arrival of a foreign prince causes Grendel to doubt her invulnerability. Beowulf is renowned for killing monsters, and he can have only one purpose in visiting Frisia: to break her hellish reign.

When the inevitable confrontation occurs, the battle between man and beast will change both their lives forever as they find themselves thrust into a quest for truth neither could have anticipated.

Allison Tebo re-imagines the ancient legend of Beowulf in an epic story of redemption and grace in a high-stakes fantasy adventure.

Coming September 15th


GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81067534-break-the-beast

AUTHOR WEBSITE: www.allisonteboauthor.com 

About the Author:

Allison Tebo is a writer committed to creating magical stories full of larger-than-life characters. She is one of the contributors to A Villain’s Ever After with her book The Goblin and the Dancer—which went on to become a Realm Makers Readers’ Choice Finalist. She is also the author of The Tales of Ambia, a series of romantic comedy fairy tales. Her flash fiction has been featured in magazines such as Splickety; Spark; and Saddlebag Dispatches, and her short fiction has been published in anthologies by Inklings Press; Rogue Blades Entertainment; Pole to Pole Publishing; Dragon Soul Publishing; Ye Olde Dragon Books; and Editing Mee. She helps run the speculative fiction magazine Worlds of Adventure. Allison graduated from London Art College after studying cartooning and children's illustration, but she ended up working in sales before pursuing writing full-time. When not creating new worlds with words or paint, she enjoys reading, baking, and making lists. 


My Thoughts and More on The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar

  Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Queen’s Cook by Tessa Afshar hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours ! About the Book Titl...