Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Vestige of Hope by Sara Blackard

About the Book

Book:  Vestige of Hope
Author: Sara Blackard
Genre:  Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: December, 2019

Does his future lie in the past?

Thrown out of his element into a time not his own, he must overcome his doubts to save the life he never knew he wanted.

Soldier, Hunter Bennet, is always in control…

…control of his missions.

…control of his life.

…control of his emotions.

Until he hesitates on an important mission, leaving a child orphaned. Chased by the demons of failure, he finds himself thrown back in time. Why has God called him here?

Viola Thomas’s idyllic life in the new state of Colorado is shattered when her father fails to return from his winter trapping trip in the Rocky Mountains and a man tumbles into her life from the future. Threats from an unwanted suitor who has pestered her for years jeopardize all she holds dear. Now she must trust a man from a world far from her own.

Hunter must reach through the shadows of doubt to save his future but in doing so will he fail in the most important mission of all?

Click here for your copy!

My Thoughts:

I enjoy out of the box stories and what I really liked about Vestige of Hope, was that the author made time travel seem so plausible. What happens when a soldier, a US Army Delta Force one, takes a hike on a mountain? Well I will leave his journey to your reading, but Hunter ends up back in time to the year 1877. 

Hunter is injured and meets two sisters, Viola and Beatrice, who are awaiting their father and brother to return home. I really enjoyed the realization of both parties, that Hunter was not in the right time.  The terrors that he clearly felt and the marvelous things he told the sisters about the future and that they saw on his phone. The way it was written was so good that even I was believing the story Hunter concocted in his head, that he really could not be in the past.

There are bad guys (creepy evil ones), strong faith, overwelming sadness, and exhilarating romance in this delightful time travel romp. I also found out there is a novella prequel to this series that I am anxious to get my hands on now. And I look forward to reading the next and learning more about this family.

I received 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

I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember being able to hold a pencil. In elementary school, I had journals full of short stories and poetry. While it’s always been a passion of mine, I didn’t think I could write for a living until I told my kids their only limit is the limit they put upon themselves. With that little piece of encouragement, I had to obviously show them I was right. Now I’m enjoying the adventure of writing and diving into the publishing world. I love to write romantic stories full of adventure and weaved with God’s message of love.

Between school and my launch into authorship, I’ve been busy having and homeschooling five children, moving to the wilderness of Tok, Alaska, serving in different ministries, building a house ourselves, and purchasing multiple businesses.

More from Sara

I’ve always had a fascination with speculating on how I would react if I suddenly ended up in another time. Growing up, I’d daydream about finding myself in a field of heather in medieval Scotland, waking in the back of a wagon traveling across the prairie, or walking through the wilderness with the colonials. I loved reading and wanted desperately to jump into the scenes I experienced while turning the page of a cherished novel. Of course, there’s no real way a person can time travel, so my dreaming was just that, dreaming … or was it?

A few years ago, I was doing a Kid’s Club Bible lesson at the local school about Philip and the Ethiopian and had my mind blown. In that event, God transported Philip to a town about twenty miles away. It was like Scotty beaming Kirk up and placing him where he was needed. I’d read that story before, but for some reason skipped right over that little nugget of information. Now here’s the part that got my mind spinning, if God could move someone in the blink of an eye across miles, why couldn’t He move someone through time? Time travel was now not only feasible, but God revealed a greater depth of Himself to me.

My mind started exploding with a story of a family in the middle of Colorado at the cusp of its statehood. What would cause God to throw a person in the middle of the wilderness? What would it reveal about the journey each person had to take to find their identities in who God created them to be? Hours, months, and years passed as the characters and story grew until they spilled upon the computer screen in a river of words.

One small sentence tucked within the middle of Acts opened my heart to a new dimension of God’s magnitude and released the dream of writing I had buried within me. I love how God does that, opens the well deep in us, nurturing the desires hidden there to reveal bit by bit who we are in Him. With Him nudging me along, my childhood fantasy of becoming a writer and transporting people to another time and place has become a reality with my debut novel Vestige of Hope, the first book in the three-book series Vestige in Time. My prayer is that my writing shows the traces of hope God leaves in my reader’s own hearts and lives. I pray God will ignite passions as He reveals himself one small sentence at a time through His word.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, February 26

For the Love of Literature, February 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 28

Betti Mace, February 29

Artistic Nobody, March 1 (Author Interview)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 2

Inklings and notions, March 3

For Him and My Family, March 4

Vicky Sluiter, March 5 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, March 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 6

Pause for Tales , March 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 8

My Devotional Thoughts, March 9 (Author Interview)

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour. Sara is giving away the grand prize package of a $30 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of Vestige of Hope & Vestige of Legacy!!

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/f5d2/vestige-of-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: From Sky to Sky by Amanda G. Stevens

About the Book

Book:  From Sky to Sky
Author: Amanda G. Stevens
Genre:  Christian Suspense/ Fantasy
Release Date: February, 2020

Zac Wilson can’t die.

Daredevil Zac Wilson isn’t the first celebrity to keep a secret from the world, but his might be the most marvelous in history: Zac doesn’t age and injuries can’t kill him. What’s more, he’s part of a close-knit group of others just like him.

Holed up in Harbor Vale, Michigan, Zac meets two more of his kind who claim others in their circle have died. Are their lifetimes finally ending naturally, or is someone targeting them—a predator who knows what they are?

The answers Zac unearths present impossible dilemmas: whom to protect, how to seek justice, how to bring peace to turmoil. His next action could fracture forever the family he longs to unite. Now might be the time to ask for help. . .from God Himself. But Zac’s greatest fear is facing the God he has run from for more than a century.

Click here to get your copy.


My Thoughts:

Is immortality a curse or a blessing? Here in this second edition of author Stevens novels about people who cannot die, we are given Zac's story. Zac is the fun loving, handsome, dare devil guy- that everybody loves. But what is he hiding? The hurts and the truths that he has not been able to share?

This is a continuing of the story we started in No Less Days and we go deeper into the mythology of what makes these humans different- they don't die. Though they can be hurt and scarred, physically and emotionally as well as spiritually.

Another theme was family and what constitutes as family. What happens when family betrays you? Is family more than blood? Where David was more of a loner passing his life contentedly alone, Zac needs and craves some semblance of family.

And how about faith? What would that look like when you have been running from God all of your very long, long life? Zac must grapple with his eternal condition as well as his immortal one. 

This is a bit of a different read. A little mysterious, a little supernatural, but it is a read that makes you think about faith, family, and our own mortality.

I received 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

As a child, Amanda G. Stevens disparaged Mary Poppins and Stuart Little because they could never happen. Now she writes speculative fiction. She is the author of the Haven Seekers series, and her debut Seek and Hide was a 2015 INSPY Award finalist. She lives in Michigan and loves trade paperbacks, folk music, the Golden Era of Hollywood, and white cheddar popcorn.

More from Amanda

For years, the theme of immortality has intrigued me. I love the Elves of Middle-Earth, the “happiest and saddest” of the peoples Tolkien created as they watch the ages pass. I love the exploration of aged sorrow in Tuck Everlasting. I’ve stuck with TV shows which shall remain nameless (but, ahem, a few feature vampires) because I’m always wondering how did this writer tackle immortality? Anything new? Are the characters convincingly old and young at the same time?

The thing is, while some of these fiction works satisfy me more than others, I’m always left with a tug of incompletion. Eventually I figured out this tug was a story in my own head and heart wanting to come out, a contemporary story that included the gospel. What might God’s plan be for those whose earthly days seem unnumbered? How would their age affect their interactions with humanity and with faith? These questions were the springboard for the No Less Days series, and of course the answers vary with the individual. Ultimately this is why I write: to explore people, their inner selves, their relationships. My goal is always to create characters that breathe from the page.

In From Sky to Sky, we get a look into the head and heart of Zac Wilson, who has been on the run from God longer than any of us could imagine: a full century playing the prodigal. I always try to be honest about how much life can hurt, “even” for the Christian; if we had triple the number of years to accumulate hurt in this broken world, we’d have a lot of it. That’s true of all my ageless characters, including Zac. To scratch the surface, this man fought in two world wars and has outlived all his children.

But the sum of Zac is much more than his collected wounds. He is a deep-feeling, fun-loving, generous guy. He enjoys music and physical activity. He has an insatiable sweet tooth and a need for open spaces. He’s not afraid to laugh at his own expense, and he has a boundless love for people and the stories of their lives.

My hope is that readers will grow to love this young old guy as they journey with him through some dark times toward redemption and light.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 22

Texas Book-aholic, February 22

Inklings and notions, February 23

Inside the Wong Mind, February 23

Through the Fire Blogs, February 24

For the Love of Literature, February 25

deb’s Book Review, February 25

For Him and My Family, February 26

Mary Hake, February 26

Older & Smarter?, February 27

Blogging With Carol, February 28

Life love writing, February 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 29

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 29

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, March 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 2

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, March 2

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, March 3

Hallie Reads, March 3

Simple Harvest Reads, March 4 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Pause for Tales, March 5

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 5

Remembrancy, March 6

Bigreadersite, March 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Amanda is giving away the grand prize package of a a $25 Amazon gift card and a free copy of From Sky to Sky!!

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/f5cf/from-sky-to-sky-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Child of Prophesy by T.E. Bradford

About the Book

Book:  Child of Prophecy
Author: T.E. Bradford
Genre:  YA Fantasy
Release Date: August 31, 2018

How far would you go to fit in? Another world?

Fifteen-year-old Nova Hawthorne has a unique trait that sets her apart, yet she wants nothing more than to be normal and fit in.

She soon finds out that there’s a very real reason why she feels so out of place in this world—she’s from another one. And prophecy says she is destined to destroy them both.

Armed only with a magic she does not yet understand and the synesthesia no one else does, she must race to figure out how to stop prophecy from unfolding, find a father she’s never met and discover who she really is. Is it truly our differences that make us who we are? How can you be strong when you’re broken? And what happens when your actions bring about the very destruction you’ve been fighting to prevent?

Click here to get your copy.

My Thoughts:

I am always looking for good, clean, compelling, and fun adventurous reads for my teens. And they are hard to find. However, I have found just that kind of story in Child of Prophesy.

This is a fantasy adventure with magic and creatures that takes place in our world and in another. There is friendship, teamwork, familial love, and finding out that sometimes people are hiding their true selves. I also found that the condition the heroine had, synesthesia, and the way it was described interesting and thought in a way that would be kind of neat to experience just for a day.

This is a read for any age, not just teens, it has compelling lessons within and even though I usually don't read a lot of fantasy, this was a story I enjoyed and had a hard time putting down. I really don't want to say much more about the plot, as I find stories like this much more fun to read and experience for yourself.

I am passing this on to my teens and will be looking forward to adding the rest of the series to their library.

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

Tracy is a writer, singer-songwriter, cancer survivor and proud wife and mother. Her speculative fiction stories have featured in publications such as Deep Magic, including the Best of Deep Magic collection. Her Divide Series books, a Teen Fantasy series debuted in 2018 with Child of Prophecy – Book One. Child of Destiny – Book Two is set to release in November 2019. Her short-story Written in the Stars, a Kindled Legends story, was a number one new release and International Best Seller.

Born and raised in Central New York, Tracy will tell you her parents gave her the two best tools in her arsenal by reading to her as a child and raising her in a Christian household. In spite of the long CNY winters she continues to live there with the husband God created especially for her, and the son who is her forever best story.

“I believe true magic can be found in the things we see and do every day. Life is hard enough. Stories should transport us to another time and place. A magical place, where we can stretch out a hand and touch the wonder of God’s universe.” –T.E. Bradford

 More from Tracy

You’ll find music woven into nearly all my stories. This is especially true in the Divide Series books, as our heroine Nova has something called Synesthesia – a condition where your senses may overlap or cross. In Nova’s case, she can see sounds. Cool, right? On her journeys, she’ll encounter plenty of musical elements, but perhaps none as special as…

THE SONG OF THE HIGH KING

There is a King on a great golden throne
His beauty and magic so great none can know
He waits and He watches His children below
Waiting to see them all come safely home.

Travel high! Travel low! Travel through that great light
In the vastness between, where His city shines bright
Travel with Him and you’ll travel no more
Rest on the sands of His celestial shore.

Drink from the fountain that never runs dry
Eat from His table’s bountiful supply
Look in His face, trace the lines of His scars
They never were His wounds… they always were ours.

Travel high! Travel low! Travel through that great light
In the vastness between, where His city shines bright
Travel with Him and you’ll travel no more
Rest on the sands of His celestial shore.
Rest on the sands of His celestial shore.

Blog Stops

Rebecca Tews, February 21

Through the Fire Blogs, February 22

For the Love of Literature, February 23

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 25

Artistic Nobody, February 26 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, February 26

Texas Book-aholic, February 27

Inklings and notions, February 28

For Him and My Family, February 29

Wishful Endings, March 1 (Author Interview)

April Hayman, Author, March 1

Blogging With Carol, March 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 3

Pause for Tales, March 4

Blossoms and Blessings, March 5 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tracy is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, as well as the prequel and a couple of other surprise goodies (think musical)!!

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/f5cd/child-of-prophecy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review: Like Flames in the Night by Connilyn Cossette

To Purchase

About:

Strong-willed Tirzah wants to join her people in driving the enemy from the land of Israel and undergoes training for a secret mission inside the stronghold of Shechem. But soon after she has infiltrated the ruthless Aramean commander's kitchen, she makes a reckless decision that puts her and her allies in grave danger.

Fresh off the battlefield, Liyam returns home to discover his beloved daughter is dead. After his vow to hunt down her killer leads to months of fruitless pursuit, his last hope is in a family connection that comes with strings attached. Strings that force him to pose as a mercenary and rescue an infuriating woman who refuses to leave her mission uncompleted.

When an opportunity to pave a path to a Hebrew victory arises, can Tirzah convince Liyam to fight alongside her in the refuge city of her birth? Or will Liyam's thirst for vengeance outweigh his duty to his people, his God, and the woman he's come to love?

My Thoughts:

I never cease to be surprised, entertained, and educated when I read an author Cossette book. This story takes place between the verses of Judges 3:7-10a and 3:10b-11. Taking fictional characters and placing them in such a fixed historical time period really brought the struggles, disobedience, and repentance of Israel in their Promised Land to light.

I have enjoyed every story by author Cossette, but my absolute favorite one is Wings of the Wind. So imagine my surprise and elation when we get to visit these characters again. I was quite happy. 

As we begin this story, our main characters, Tirzah and Liyam have already faced challenges and sorrow in their lives; from loss of home, battles, and the death of loved ones. When they meet they have each already experienced much and are very mature characters. The author continues to draw on the reason and purpose for the cities of refuge that have been set up by the law of the land. However, this time the land has been taken over by the Arameans and the Israelites once again are being bound and enslaved.

Not only is the historical setting rich in details but so is the cultural differences that exist in Israel due to the invasion and disobedience.  And we mustn't forget the breathtaking romance that finds Tirzah and Liyam. Also, if you would like to read about what spying might have looked like in ancient times- you won't be disappointed.

I enjoyed continuing with this family saga and epic Biblical fiction and can't wait for the new series.

I received 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.

Review and Giveaway: The Prince and the Wedding Planner by Jennifer Faye

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Prince and the Wedding Planner
(The Bartolini Legacy #1)

By Jennifer Faye

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 256 Pages

March 1st 2020 by Harlequin Romance

When different worlds collide…

…sparks fly!

With her family name on the line, wedding planner Bianca Bartolini needs this royal wedding to go perfectly—she can’t afford distractions. Too bad the bride’s dashing brother has other plans! Duty-bound Crown Prince Leo has mere weeks to announce his own engagement, but none of the candidates measure up to Bianca. They’re the most unlikely match, but might that just make them perfect for one another?

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | iBooks | Kobo | PRINT

My Thoughts:

Can a commoner and a royal make a love match? In a small country we have a prince, Leo, who is in need of a wife and soon. He needs to take the throne and to do that he must marry.  As he is also trying to keep the peace in the palace between his sister and his mother, he has hired Bianca Bartolini as his sister's wedding planner.

After some tragic circumstances and devastating news that affects Bianca and her brother and sister, she must now prove she can make it as a wedding planner and to open her home's Italian vineyard up for a wedding venue. Planning Prince Leo's sister's wedding is just the break that could make her business skyrocket.

This was a sweet romance that took you out of everyday life and into a life of royalty. Which certainly is no picnic at times but there is definately some advantages. Leo and Bianca instantly hit it off and of course there is an immediate attraction. What follows is should they or shouldn't they follow their hearts desire and go against expectations or after his sister's wedding go their own separate ways.

I received 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.

Go to Jennifer's Contact Page HERE and order your bookmark(s)!

About the Author

Award-winning author, Jennifer Faye pens fun, heartwarming contemporary romances with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. Internationally published with books translated into nine languages. She is a two-time winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, named a TOP PICK author, and been nominated for numerous other awards.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube | BookBub | Newsletter

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

- One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and one of Jennifer's backlisted titles, winner's choice of print (US only) or ebook (if outside the US)

- Three winners will each receive one of Jennifer's backlisted titles, winner's choice of print (US only) or ebook (if outside the US)

Ends March 11, 2020

ENTER HERE

Review: Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green

To Purchase

About:

Meg and Sylvie Townsend manage the family bookshop and care for their father, Stephen, a veteran still suffering in mind and spirit from his time as a POW during the Civil War. But when the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago's business district, they lose much more than just their store.

The sisters become separated from their father and make a harrowing escape from the flames with the help of Chicago Tribune reporter Nate Pierce. Once the smoke clears away, they reunite with Stephen, only to learn soon after that their family friend was murdered on the night of the fire. Even more shocking, Stephen is charged with the crime and committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum.

Though homeless and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life, but prove her father's innocence before the asylum truly drives him mad.

My Thoughts:

This is the first book that I have read about the Great Chicago fire and what an atmospheric read it is. Taking place not too long after the Civil War, sisters Meg and Sylvie are trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives along with carrying for their father who is having PTSD issues from being a prisoner of war. They support themselves by running a bookstore and Meg is a talented painter that helps supplement their household.

Devastatingly, a fire sparks that brings total destruction to Chicago, and Meg and Sylvie barely make it out alive. They lose everything. Even their plot of land during the aftermath is in jeopardy. But more than the loss of their property, their father Stephen is taken away to an asylum and accused of murdering his dear friend. With no visitation and no way to get their father a fair trial, Meg and Sylvie must rely on their own wits along with newfound friend Nate, who is a reporter and Jasper who was a bit of a mystery to me.

I have read many books about asylums and at times this story evoked great pity and anger and anguish in regards to the unfair treatment that Stephen received. Granted this was before the awareness of PTSD, but the asylum's were evil places and inhumane in their treatment of the patients. 

I enjoyed stepping back into a historical moment and time and witnessing through the eyes of these characters the horror that could only be overcome by their faith and love for each other. There is a thread of romance along with the mystery of who the real murderer is. I had my suspicions, but the twists and turns prevented me from being absolutely positive.

This is the first of the series for this family and I am looking forward to continuing reading about their journeys. 

I received 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.