​Queens of Georgian Britain offers a chance to step back in time and meet the women who ruled alongside the Georgian monarchs, not forgetting Sophia Dorothea of Celle, the passionate princess who never made it as far as the throne. From lonely childhoods to glittering palaces, via family feuds, smallpox, strapping soldiers and plenty of scheming, these are the queens who shaped an era.

​Queens of Georgian Britain by Catherine Curzon is a book that history enthusiasts will love. Those who do not wholeheartedly embrace history should also enjoy this book, in part because of the writing style and the format of the book itself.
 
I’m a Medievalist at heart, but Georgian Britain is an era I enjoy studying, and it’s difficult to find books on this subject at bookstores in the US! As a result, I was thrilled when presented with the opportunity to read Queens of Georgian Britain.
 
I have never read any of her previous works and found Ms. Curzon’s writing engrossing even though it is more informal than most non-fiction books I’ve read. This is no boring history textbook! Instead, it’s an easy to read book that focuses on the four wives of King Georges II, III, and IV of Great Britain.
 
However, I do suggest that if you are not familiar with the historical figures present in the book, you have Wikipedia page available because the book covers over a century of history and some of the names are similar. It can be difficult to follow who belongs to which country and which child belongs to which set of parents, as the sections aren’t completely in chronological order.
 
The political machinations that take place in each queen’s life—some as a direct result of interference from more powerful family—is a fascinating insight into the schemes that shaped Great Britain and some of Europe over this time period. It’s amazing what people with power will do to keep it! Though I can’t empathize with a lot of it—as I am neither royalty or nobility and will definitely not have an arranged marriage—I can understand the feelings of hope, disappointment, and anger these women feel as their lives move in directions they didn’t always anticipate.
 
I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to those interested in learning more about Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Caroline of Ansbach, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Caroline of Brunswick, their Georges, and Georgian Britain.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Pen and Sword Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

Catherine Curzon is better known as the titular author of the popular website devoted to the long eighteenth century, A Covent Garden Gilflurt's Guide to Life. She is devoted to spreading accessible, irreverent tales of the glorious Georgian world and indulges herself by writing historical fiction set deep in the underbelly of Georgian London. When not dodging the furies of the guillotine, Catherine holds a Master’s Degree in Film, specializing in representations of women in cinema. To find out more, visit www.madamegilflurt.com.

Click here to purchase your copy!

​Jealous of her quiet success as she learns the dye business, he’s especially befuddled by what he considers to be Lydia’s obsession with the Jewish religion. ​When their father dies, Cassius inherits the family’s home; Lydia inherits the business, and unbeknownst to her brother, a small villa in the city of Philippi.
 
Lydia flees with her mother and daughter to Philippi where she sets up shop. At the mercy of a patriarchal society, Lydia needs a man to serve as the public face for her business. She discovers the right person in the handsome face of Greek man she’d hired — an employee with whom she develops a close friendship. The plot thickens as Lydia meets a strange man named Paul the apostle who is stirring up crowds in town. When Lydia’s brother shows up in Philippi, determined to force her to sell the business, he discovers plenty of fuel to accomplish his goals.

​Lydia, Woman of Philippi, is the first book I’ve read by Diana Wallis Taylor. I'm happy I got a chance to read it, as Ms. Wallis Taylor has written an excellent book. In fact, I hardly stopped to take notes for this review because I was so engrossed in the story!
 
The book is well-written and the description of the environment enables the reader to completely immerse themselves. It is not overwhelming and the descriptions never become boring. On a side note, as a historian I appreciated that the characters had difficulty getting information to and from people in other cities. This is accurate to the time but rarely mentioned in fiction!
 
Lydia is calm but not a doormat, though she is a more submissive at the beginning of the book. She becomes stronger as the story unfolds and watching her journey as she becomes the woman God meant her to be is one of the best parts of this book.
 
Nikolas is more mysterious and less developed as the story is told from Lydia’s point of view, but he is a kind, dependable, and emotionally strong man. For me, it is easy to see how Lydia could fall for him and how he could fall for her in return.
 
With one point of view it is often difficult to make the secondary characters seem like real people. Yet I understood their emotions, feelings, and thoughts through the writing. A single point of view can also make romances unbelievable but Ms. Wallis Taylor does an excellent job here with Lydia and Nikolas. 
 
The story itself moves slowly, though there are a few time jumps. The story begins with Lydia as a fourteen-year-old and ends when she’s in her thirties. The transition between younger Lydia and twenty-four-year-old Lydia as the second act of the story begins felt rushed. I wanted more information about those ten years and was disappointed the story skipped over them.
 
The Christian messages, especially about learning to trust in God no matter the circumstance, appears on almost every page. This makes sense as Lydia is a woman who was an early convert to Christianity. If you like your Christian messages and themes a little less prominent, this book may not be your style.
 
Lydia is a calm book in which events happen and the characters remain serene and poised, though there are a few moments where the tension ramps up. At a couple of points in the story I wanted more emotion from the characters, and the lack of it did hamper my enjoyment of this book.
 
I recommend Lydia, Woman of Philippi, to readers who enjoy well-written and well-researched Biblical Fiction with a compelling main character and a sweet romance and give it 4/5 stars. I took away one star for quibbles involving the lack of tension and wanting more emotions from the characters at certain points.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

​A Bakers Perspective, October 3
Carpe Diem, October 3
Moments Dipped in Ink, October 4
Books, Books, and More Books., October 4
By The Book, October 5
A Simply Enchanted Life, October 5
Red Headed Book Lady, October 6
Blogging With Carol, October 6
A Reader’s Brain, October 7
A Greater Yes, October 7
Just the Write Escape, October 8
His Grace is Sufficient, October 8
Aryn the Libraryan, October 9
Cordially Barbara, October 9
Pursuing Stacie, October 9
The Fizzy Pop Collection, October 10
Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 10
Zerina Blossom’s Books, October 11
Mary Hake, October 11
Radiant Light, October 12
Singing Librarian Books, October 12
Lights in a Dark World, October 12
margaretkazmierczak, October 13
Pause for Tales, October 13
Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 14
Cafinated Reads, October 14
To Everything A Season, October 14
Bigreadersite, October 15
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 15
Henry Happens, October 16
For The Love of Books, October 16
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, October 16

​In honor of her tour, Diana is giving away

Grand Prize Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, “Give Thanks” painting on plate by Donna White for The Hearthside Collection, Inc., commemorative Whitaker House/Anchor Distributors coloring book (not in photo).

1st Place Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, abba Jerusalem pillar candle, cassia scented, commemorative Whitaker House/Anchor Distributors coloring book (not in photo).

2nd Place Package: Lydia, Woman of Philippi, abba Jerusalem Spikenard candle tin with lid!
​
Click the link to enter! https://promosimple.com/ps/c173

Click here to purchase your copy. 

​England, 1944
 
With the world at war yet again, Alice Galloway rejects her father’s traditional expectations and offers her piloting expertise to the Air Transport Auxiliary. She may be a woman in a man’s world, but when she overhears key intelligence, she must find the strength to transcend boundaries and her own fears. Or countless people may die.
 
Sometimes the past reaches forward to bring hope to the future.

All of You is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Monzon, and I’m happy to say it won’t be my last. Ms. Monzon has written a good, solid book that I enjoyed, though I did have a few minor quibbles that hampered my reading experience.  
 
Jack Rogers, the heroine, is great. She’s relatable, dependable, and intelligent. She also restores vintage planes, which is a profession I know nothing about! I want Jack to be my friend. She’s struggling with her self-worth and trusting her judgement after an abusive relationship and doesn’t believe she’s capable of being loved or loving someone. Watching her find out otherwise is enormously satisfying and Ms. Monzon pulls it off wonderfully.
 
As a Veteran, I enjoy stories that are focused on military or prior military characters, as the hero, Michael, is. He’s an amputee, and the emotions and thoughts he has during the book as he struggles to find a new path in life rings true. You can tell that Ms. Monzon has carefully researched this, but never in a way that feels boring or as if it’s an info dump of exposition.
 
This is a dual-timeline story, so there is a story that happens simultaneously in 1944 during World War II. Alice is a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary against her father’s wishes, who goes to England and becomes involved in ferrying planes to and from the various places in the European theater of operations. The way her storyline intertwines with that of Jack and Michael is satisfying.
 
Ms. Monzon writes beautifully and the story flows smoothly, though the ending feels abrupt. The detail and scenery descriptions draw you in, and I love the relationships that both Jack and Michael have with their siblings. The siblings all feel like real people and I love that! I’ve had similar interactions with my own siblings. The writing is the best part of the story for me.
 
Both characters are believers and though Michael struggles more with his faith due to the amputation, the religious aspect of this book feels natural and not shoehorned in. I appreciated the themes of learning to trust God again after tragedy and how we can rely on Him to set us on the right path—even if it’s not the one we expected to be on!
 
I have a few minor quibbles. These are personal pet peeves that hampered my enjoyment of this particular book, but not enough that I won’t try anything else by this author!
 
The first is that both Michael and Jack’s brothers fall into the “overprotectiveness described as caring” trap regarding Jack’s ex-boyfriend. It’s not caring, it’s treating an adult like they don’t know how to handle their own lives, and I dislike it in every story I’ve read. And it doesn’t belong in a contemporary romance!
 
The second is that Michael mentions the “bro-code” about not dating a friend’s sister while wrestling with his feelings for Jack. This is a concept that needs to die as it, again, treats an adult like they don’t know how to handle their own life. If you are good enough to be the brother’s friend, why can’t you date his sister? That reasoning makes no sense.
 
The third is minor and thankfully, Michael doesn’t hang onto it long. He bemoans that Jack deserves better than him and resolves to get over his developing feelings. Again, this is Michael trying to decide for Jack, who is perfectly capable. Let her make her own decisions!
 
I give this book 4/5 stars for the excellent main characters, writing style, and the relationship between the siblings. I had to take one away for the minor quibbles mentioned above. I recommend this book to people who love excellently researched, well-written, and clean contemporary romance.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** 

​I’m so excited to be here today and getting this opportunity to hang out with y’all in this virtual world. If you are anything like me, you devour books faster than my son drinks orange juice (and he really loves orange juice!). Because of that, it is sometimes hard to come across a book with a unique premise or a message that you haven’t seen incorporated a thousand times before. As a writer, I always try to bring something fresh to the table.

In the first book of the Carrington Family Series, Finders Keepers, neither of my characters were Christians. What? No Christians in a Christian fiction novel? Most Christian fiction books usually have at least one or both main characters a Christians. Don’t worry, they both found their way to Jesus. With All of You, however, I wanted to take yet an even different approach.

I’ve ready lots of books where the main character is angry or upset with God for such-and-such thing that happened in his/her life (I’ve even written a character like that), but I hadn’t really read a story about a character that, no matter what life threw at him/her, he/she was going to trust in God no matter what. As a life-long Christian, this is a message I can identify with. The “If not, He is still good” resonation that is sometimes harder to hold on to in the midst of pain and struggles.

​So, as with all my books, I hope the freshness of the story and the realness of my characters will inspire and uplift you as you travel along with them on their journey.

​God Bless.

​September 12: A Baker’s Perspective
September 12: Quiet Quilter
September 13: Books, Books, and More Books
September 13: Jeanette’s Thoughts
September 14: Cordially Barbara
September 14: Smiling Book Reviews
September 15: Avid Reader Book Reviews
September 15: Carpe Diem
September 16: Inklings and notions
September 16: Christian Bookaholic
September 17: Christian Chick’s Thoughts
September 17: Artistic Nobody
September 18: Bookworm Mama
September 18: Remembrancy
September 19: Back Porch Reads
September 19: Kat’s Corner Books
September 20: Just Jo’Anne
September 20: Margaret Kazmierczak
September 21: The Power of Words
September 21: Mary Hake
September 22: 100 Pages per Hour
September 22: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
September 23: Zerina Blossom’s Books
September 23: Simple Harvest Reads (spotlight)
September 24: Blossoms and Blessings
September 24: Moments Dipped in Ink
September 25: Kathleen Denly
September 25: His Grace is Sufficient

​Cassandra Wayte could not be a more unsuitable match. She isn’t received by polite society, and her notorious dealings with London’s underclass is the talk of nobility from White’s patrons to the most fashionable hostesses. It’s even whispered she murdered her elderly husband. But Edward sees a different side of the tragic lady, and he determines to discover the secrets tormenting her. As he peels away the layers of her resistance, he discovers a malevolent adversary stalking Lady Wayte and exposes a level of depravity that shocks even his war-hardened sensibilities. Can he win her trust and her heart? And at what cost to the dukedom?
​
As Cassandra’s relentless search for her husband’s murderer exposes both her and Edward to unseen dangers, all they can rely on is their love for each other and their faith in God.

​I have not read any of Elaine Manders’ books before The Duke’s Dilemma, and after reading this one, I am willing to try another.
 
The Duke’s Dilemma is a good book. It’s written well, the suspense and mystery is well done, and the romance between Cassandra and Edward is believable, sweet, and realistic.
 
Cassandra is our heroine, and she’s a good one. She’s dedicated to a cause of rescuing women from brothels, and is smart, funny, and likable, but never annoyingly so. Cassandra is also on the edges of high society. Her husband was much older and he died under suspicious circumstances, which Cassandra was blamed for. Cassandra also has a hard time forgiving herself for what happened in her past, and though she comes close she never wallows in it.
 
Edward is the Duke in the title, and he’s a good character, as well, though his character isn’t as developed as Cassandra’s. He cares deeply for his sister, which is how he is first meets Cassandra, who is his neighbor. He’s kind, intelligent, and very protective of Cassandra once he begins falling for her.
 
However, there is one thing that bothered me about this relationship: it takes quite a while into the book before Cassandra or Edward trust each other with secrets that have big impacts, and it didn’t fit well with the closeness Ms. Manders had developed between them. It’s a minor quibble, however, and doesn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book.
 
The setting, Regency England, is excellently detailed and comes alive on the page. The mystery of who killed Cassandra’s husband never felt dragged out, and there was a twist at the end that genuinely surprised me! For someone who reads as much as I do, I am always pleased when that happens!
 
Both characters begin the book as Christians, though they struggle with their faith because of what happened to them in the past. I think it’s an accurate portrayal of people who have been deeply wounded and are hesitant to trust in God. I appreciated this aspect of the book.
 
I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to those who enjoy Regency romances, Christian romances, and light suspense.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

​Historical romance became my favorite genre back in the seventies and eighties, and one of my favorite settings was Regency England. A Regency can be a romance in the Jane Austin mode or historical romance set during the Regency period. There is a difference, and The Duke’s Dilemma falls into this latter category. Yes, there is some of usual drawing room intrigue in an Austen novel, but The Duke’s Dilemma contains a serious spiritual theme. The plot fitted perfectly into my new series, The Wolf Deceivers.

I wrote the original manuscript nearly twenty years ago as a light, secular romance, but when I revised it to Christian romance, I was delighted to find the inspirational thread deepened the characters. Instead of merely fighting for her reputation while trying to wrest the duke from another woman, Cassandra, the heroine, must fight for her survival. Instead of being another handsome, sardonic nobleman, Edward, the hero, uses his intelligence and grace to protect Cassandra and win her love.

Even the secondary characters captivated me. Little Sarah’s match-making antics suited the Regency theme and provided some levity during the darker moments of the plot. Lady Ashford, Cassandra’s foil, developed a tenacity I had to admire in spite of all her shortcomings. And Sir Harcrumb became a villain I loved to hate.

Though the characters changed a great deal in the retelling, the plot remained basically the same. The only thing I added was a surprise twist at the end—something that has inadvertently become a part of my brand.

Every story is a learning experience for me, and I’m always grateful for how much I learn from my research and from the Holy Spirit. I’ve become more aware of those who deceive, and how vulnerable people, especially young people, are to Satan’s tactics. Also, I’ve unexpectedly come away with a better understanding of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Although this is a new label, we all know it has affected people throughout history.
​
Yes, The Duke’s Dilemma has taught me much, and I hated to say good-bye to these characters. I love stories that move me during the writing and only ask two things of my books. That they bring enjoyment to my readers and glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus. I hope this one does both.

​August 22: A Baker’s Perspective
August 22: Books, Books, and More Books
August 23: Blogging With Carol
August 24: Genesis 5020
August 25: Avid Reader Book Reviews
August 25: Have A Wonderful Day
August 26: Jami’s Words
August 26: Faery Tales Are Real
August 27: Karen Sue Hadley
August 27: Ashley’s Bookshelf
August 28: Remembrancy
August 29: The Fizzy Pop Collection
August 29: For the Love of Books
August 30: Locks, Hooks and Books
August 30: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
August 31: Blossoms and Blessings
September 1: Pause for Tales
September 1: Caffeinated Reads
September 2: Live. Love. Read.
September 3: Just the Write Escape
September 4: Henry Happens
September 4: History, Mystery & Faith

To celebrate her tour, Elaine is giving away:
Grand prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card
​
1st place: paperback copies of Books 1 and 2 of the Wolf Deceivers series, The Chieftain’s Choice and The Duke’s Dilemma!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/bbab

​Tracie Peterson was one of the first Christian Fiction authors I ever read, and I have enjoyed reading most of her books since. And I must say that with Beloved Hope, the second in her “Heart of the Frontier” series, Ms. Peterson has written another great book.
 
It centers on Hope, a survivor of the Whitman Massacre, who is struggling to overcome what happened to her there when she’s asked to testify against her Indian attackers at their trial. She harbors anger and a desire for revenge toward them for what they did to her and the others. Hope is a great character. She’s determined to put it all behind her but she can’t, not even once the trial is completed. Hope struggles with leaning on God in the wake of this traumatic event and it is something that I deeply empathize with.
 
I also appreciated that none of the secondary characters, especially Hope’s two sisters, felt her feelings were necessarily wrong in and of themselves. They worried about the damage to Hope herself with her inability to move on from the tragedy by keeping a hold on those feelings.
 
Lance is the other main character, and he’s also a good character, though his development isn’t quite as noticeable as Hope’s is. He’s a soldier at the beginning of the book, tasked with making sure the Indians on trial for the massacre are kept safe during it. He and Hope develop a friendship that eventually blossoms into love.
 
Lance’s main struggle is trying to forgive the man who engaged in a duel with his brother, and to learn to lean on God. The journeys that Hope and Lance take throughout the book are thought provoking and believable.
 
The secondary characters, especially Hope’s sisters, Mercy and Grace, are excellently drawn. None of them feels as if they are a mere plot point. Grace is the heroine of the first book, and Mercy the heroine of the next one. I am definitely picking up both stories. Though they are a series, each book works perfectly well as a standalone.
 
Ms. Peterson always does an excellent job of setting the scene, and this one is no exception. You can definitely see Oregon City through the eyes of the characters.
 
I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to lovers of Christian Historical Romance who appreciate tough topics being handled deftly.  There is one part of Lance’s forgiveness story that feels contrived, but it doesn’t distract from the overall themes and didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House. All opinions are my own.** 

A magazine ad from a family in Sweden, looking for someone to watch their children, entices Amy’s adventurous spirit, and she soon finds herself looking through a new door in her life, cracked open to an amazing world she never dreamed possible, where people are nice to her and life is good.
​
“An incredible true story of perseverance in adversity, this is one account where truth truly is stranger than fiction.” ~Laurie Penner.

​A Door Cracked Open is Carmina Edward’s first book. This book is difficult for me to review because I wanted to like it but in the end, I just couldn’t connect at all to the characters.
 
A Door Cracked Open is based on a true story, and the entire book feels like a series of vignettes that don’t quite gel together to make a complete story. We jump from scene to scene with Amy, our main character, and for me it just didn’t work.
 
I understand the themes Ms. Edwards was imparting throughout the book, especially about trusting God when we feel confused or unsure about what we are called to do, but I did not connect to Amy’s emotional journey. The story is dialogue heavy with little narrative prose and it makes it difficult to see what Amy is feeling and experiencing.
 
The writing itself is rather simplistic. The simplistic style suited the book when Amy was a child, but as she grew older, I wanted the prose and dialogue to mature along with her! However, it stays the same and makes Amy seem younger than she truly is, which I feel does not suit Amy’s character growth during the book.
 
I did enjoy the story, as Amy lives a fascinating and colorful life, but the writing itself and the feeling of “vignettes” instead of scenes flowing together makes it tough for me to recommend A Door Cracked Open.
 
I give this book 3/5 stars for the “vignette” storytelling and the simplistic writing style. If that form of storytelling works for you, you may enjoy this book more than I did.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

​​Being unemployed the past few years, has led to me becoming homeless. However, I never give up hope. As I try to portray in my books, God has always had His hand on me. Once again, He has stepped in right at the last minute. I now have a new job in Sweden and will be moving back there. Because I feel passionately about helping the homeless, a large percentage of my royalties will go directly to them.

Something about my book.

After many friends, having seen the unusual life I have led up until now, told me that I should write a book, I finally decided to do just that. I am an ordinary person who has not suffered more than many, but have been privileged with many extra-ordinary experiences. I wrote my book in order to share with others, just how God has had His hand on me and brought me through some tough times which seemed impossible to find a way out of. My first book highlights some of this, though it isn’t until the second book, that more becomes clear and the third book will show the extreme mercy and grace He has showered me with. The story is still unfolding. My aim is to show, through my writing, that giving up is never an option. Stay true to God and He does pull us through. Trusting in Him is key and I personally, have seen Him transform some of the dreams He put onto my heart, into reality. I’d love for my books to be of some encouragement to others and have so far received several emails from readers all over the world, telling me how my story so far, has done that. One went so far as to say that she had given up, but read my book purely by chance and has picked herself up and is once again back on the road to reach her goals. The story of a scatty, spontaneous and highly sensitive girl, ridiculed all her life because of her faith and dreams, (she’s born into a completely atheist family). never gives up and some of the situations she gets herself into are pretty scary, but sometimes humorous. Yet God’s protection is seen all the way through.

​August 3: A Baker’s Perspective
August 4: Quiet Quilter
August 5: Carpe Diem
August 6: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
August 7: The Power of Words (Spotlight)
August 8: Christian Bookaholic
August 9: Reading Is My SuperPower (interview)
August 10: Books, Books, and More Books.
August 11: Mary Hake
August 12: Avid Reader Book Reviews
August 13: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
August 14: cherylbbookblog
August 15: Margaret Kazmierczak
August 16: His Grace is Sufficient

​To celebrate her tour, Carmina is giving away:

Grand Prize of a book themed gift basket all the way from Sweden!
And
A 1st – 3rd place prize of an eBook copy of A Door Cracked Open!!
​
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/bd29

With first-person stories of hurt and loss, this book is a wake-up call for any who deny woundedness in the church but is also a redemptive message for any who hurt from church wounds. Leaders and laypeople alike will learn how to grieve over abuse, to leave unhealthy attitudes and patterns that cause pain, and to trust in God’s real, delivering work through churches that build up, not tear down.
​
​Thanks to the grace of God, there is always hope beyond the pain.

​Wounded in the Church is an excellent book that portrays what can happen when Christians feel unwelcomed, neglected, or hurt by the church. Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward have created a book that explores an often unnoticed aspect of the church—that people are not as welcoming, accepting, or loving as they should be.
 
Through true stories, reflection, and anecdotes, Mr. Beeson and Mr. Hayward work through the damage that Christians can inflict through lack of care and compassion. They point out that it can be intentional or unintentional, which I believe to be the case.
 
This book is an unflinching look at how the Christian church is not always helpful or good for people. As someone who has been wounded by a church myself, this book resonated with me deeply. I struggle with my feelings about that church, even though I no longer attend that one. However, it has made it difficult to trust that my new church won’t do the same thing, which Mr. Beeson and Mr. Hayward also touch on.
 
After all, if one church has hurt you, how can you be certain the next one won’t? Feelings of judgment and shame often follow these wounds, and it is hard for humans to get rid of those after we have them. There is no way to entirely sure about how the next church will treat you and that feeling can be difficult to overcome if you were not shown love and care in a place that is meant to show all people both.
 
One of my favorite lines was one in which the authors tell us why we should show love and care toward other people, and I think it’s a perfect reflection of this book and why the church often fails to connect with people:
 
“However, there is great value in opening our hearts to other people with different persuasions. First of all, it can sharpen our own reasoning for taking such a stance. Second, it allows for the possibility that we might be wrong, or that our attitude needs some refining. But probably the greatest value in listening to someone else’s opinion is that we honor them and recognize their worth as a human being by giving them a voice…how many times do we violate this principle within the church by not allowing someone with a differing opinion to share their thoughts?”
 
This book is not all doom and gloom, however. The authors have taken years of ministry experience and worked out which types of churches or people cause wounds and those that don’t. It’s not an easy read but one I am still pondering and plan to come back to again.
 
I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to anyone who needs to understand why church doesn’t always make you happy. If you’ve been hurt by a church, this book is especially insightful and should help you consider your wounds in a new light. If you’ve never been hurt by one, I hope this book offers insight into the way it can happen.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

Ray Beeson is the director of Overcomers Ministries, a teaching ministry with a special emphasis on spiritual warfare and prayer. Ray teaches seminars on spiritual warfare, prayer, and Christlike living and is the author of numerous books including Signed in His Blood (Charisma House, 2014) and The Hidden Price of Greatness (Overcomers, 2000). Ray and his wife, Linda, live in Ventura, CA.
​
Chris Hayward has had over thirty-six years of pastoral ministry and is currently serving as president of Cleansing Stream Ministries, a discipleship ministry that works with the local church around the world. He is also the author of God’s Cleansing Stream (Chosen Books, 2004) and The End of Rejection (Chosen Books, 2007). Chris and his wife, Karen, live in Castaic, CA.

​When we tell people we’ve written a book entitled “Wounded in the Church,” many nod knowingly. Sadly, the pain and heartache that happens in churches is all too common. Collectively, the two of us have spent more than 70 years in ministry. During that time we have seen neglect, tactlessness, and blatant insensitivity fostered by some leaders and congregations resulting in the wounding of others. We realize it is not prolific in every church, but the wounding is significant and it needs to be exposed. That is why we wrote this book – we share real stories of real people who were wounded in church, a place that should be a shelter of God’s love and peace. Sometimes people are abused by leaders or church members. There are also times when leaders are abused by people within the congregation. As you read, perhaps you’ll identify with some of the situations described. If so, be assured you are not alone. If you have been wounded, it is our hope and prayer God uses this book to facilitate healing. Because of Jesus Christ, there is hope beyond the pain.

​July 27: Reading Is My SuperPower
July 27: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
July 28: A Reader’s Brain
July 29: cherylbbookblog
July 29: Mary Hake
July 30: Moments Dipped in Ink
July 31: Remembrancy
August 1: Carpe Diem
August 2: Books, Books, and More Books.
August 3: History, Mystery & Faith
August 4: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
August 4: Just the Write Escape
August 5: The Power of Words
August 6: A Baker’s Perspective
August 7: Just Jo’Anne
August 8: Lots of Helpers
August 8: God’s Little Bookworm

​To celebrate this tour, Whitaker House is giving away:

Grand Prize: Kindle Fire and Wounded in the Church by Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward
First Place Prize: Walking by Faith mug with matching pen OR Bouquet of Blessings mug and Wounded in the Church
Second Place Prize: Walking By Faith pen and Wounded in the Church

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! 
​https://promosimple.com/ps/bb6f

Purchase your copy here. 

Finding Love is Toni Shiloh’s second book in her Maple Run series, following Buying Love. Ms. Shiloh has written another great book which I am delighted to have had a chance to read.
 
Delaney and Luke are wonderful and fully realized characters. I loved Delaney’s perfectly understandable reluctance to get involved with another military man after the death of her first husband on a deployment. She’s raising twin sons mostly on her own (she does have family to help) and the children were believable, which is not always the case with fictional children, who are often written as too young or too old.
 
Luke was great. He is steady, and I appreciated the fact he was a recovering alcoholic, as alcohol is a very common way for soldiers to try to cope with their problems. He has a nice relationship with his grandmother and his father.
 
Both characters are already Christians when the book starts, though they’re not perfect. They struggle with trusting God and giving their lives over to Him, but in my opinion, it’s not a “preachy” book. Readers who appreciate Christianity presented in a straightforward and simple manner will enjoy this aspect.  
 
Setting was great, secondary characters were great, though I wanted more of Luke’s family as we got a lot of Delaney’s since they all live in Maple Run and it felt a little unbalanced. This is a great book and I hope there are more in this series!
 
Though it is the second book in a series, Finding Love works perfectly well as a standalone and so if you haven’t read the first book in the series, don’t be afraid to pick this one up! I recommend reading the first one, Buying Love, simply because it’s a great book that I enjoyed and previously reviewed here.
 
I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary Christian Romance.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

​I’m so excited about this book tour for Finding Love. This book holds a special place in my heart. The pathway to writing Finding Love was not as easy as I thought it would be. For the most part, my brain has an idea or characters share their story, and bam, I’m off and writing at my laptop.

I decided to write Finding Love when I got the contract for Buying Love, the first book in the series. I figured fans would want to read another story in the fictional Maple Run, Virginia. I also figured that Shorty and Nikki’s story would be the second book, but alas, they refuse to talk to me.

The reason I love Finding Love so much is because it’s about what every person is searching for: love. We search for it in families, in friends, and in that romantic ideal of happily ever after. And even greater, it’s a testament of God’s love for us.

Sometimes, love is scary. To let another person in our heart, bare our secrets, and hold our breath waiting for them to accept us…makes a person’s heart quake. With Delaney, she wasn’t even trying to find love, but it rode in on Harley seeking for forgiveness. I loved watching Luke and Delaney fall in love and I pray you do as well.
​
Blessings, reader friends!

​June 29: A Baker’s Perspective
June 29: Remembrancy
June 30: autism mom
June 30: Just the Write Escape
July 1: Fiction Aficionado
July 2: Avid Reader Book Reviews
July 2: Zerina Blossom’s Books
July 3: Faithfully Bookish
July 4: Books, Books, and More Books.
July 5: Carpe Diem
July 6: Christian Bookaholic
July 7: History, Mystery, & Faith
July 8: Christian Chick’s Thoughts
July 9: A Path of Joy
July 10: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
July 10: Reading Is My SuperPower
July 11: Blossoms and Blessings
July 12: His Grace is Sufficient

​To celebrate this tour, Celebrate Lit Publishing is giving away three $15 Amazon gift cards!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ba32

Click here to purchase the book.

​Tristan was Fern’s childhood imaginary hero, saving her from monsters under her bed and outside her walls. As she grew up and his secret world continued to bleed into hers, however, it only caused catastrophe. But, when the city is rocked by the unexplainable, Fern is forced to consider the possibility that this young man is not a hallucination after all—and that the creature who decimated his world may be coming for hers.

​The Girl Who Could See by Kara Swanson is a fast-paced Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy novella that is a quick read. It will mostly likely satisfy readers who enjoy this genre and want the ending neatly tied together.
 
For me, however, this is an “almost” book.
 
It is “almost” in the fact that I liked it, but not well enough to try anything else by this author. It almost hit emotional notes in me and it almost worked as a complete story. But a few niggling thoughts dampened my engagement in this book.
 
The main character, Fern, has almost a complete turnaround on her “imaginary” friend in a scene that is about four sentences long. As a novella, I expected the accelerated pacing, but after ten years of ignoring him and trying to convince herself Tristan wasn’t real, her sudden belief in him and what he was saying about the world destroying danger did not feel earned.
 
The book is told entirely in first person, a staple of the Young Adult genre and one that generally turns me off from reading in this particular genre. Ms. Swanson handles the first person POV well, but I wanted more insight into both main characters, especially Tristan. His world sounded fascinating and we don’t learn much about it.
 
For a book that deals with heavy subjects, including kidnapping and experiments on children, it lacks depth. The characters, premise, and setting are all very thin and I did not feel as if the characters were real people.
 
Present tense is hard to pull off, and Ms. Swanson doesn’t quite manage it here. There are tense changes that interrupt the flow of the book and jumping back and forth in between the past and present times also interrupted the pace of the story.
 
I can see the foundation for a good book here, and it almost gets there. Unfortunately it doesn’t quite gel into a complete story.
 
I am giving this book 3/5 stars. I can recommend it to fans of the YA genre who like quick, light reads but for readers who are looking for a story with in-depth character moments and an engaging setting, I would skip this one.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

Did you have an imaginary friend growing up? I did. And I think most of us probably understood what it was like to use our childhood imaginations to create friends and take us places.

The Girl Who Could See follows Fern Johnson, a young woman who’s imaginary friend, Tristan, first appeared in her life when she was eight years old—and has never left. Now nineteen, Fern still sees Tristan, only he is no longer her friend. Now he is her curse. The source of her insanity. The reason Fern cannot keep a job and has been passed from one psychologist to another. The reason she is one step away from a psych ward. However, Tristan disagrees. He says that he’s not a figment of Fern’s imagination and is determined to prove it. But, if his existence is real, it has dangerous implications not only for Fern, but for her world. Because the creature that decimated Tristan’s planet is coming for Earth—and only the girl everyone says is crazy can stop it.

I wrote the novella as a way to explore the idea of what would happen if someone had an imaginary friend who never left. What would the psychological and daily implications be? And what if that imaginary friend wasn’t imaginary? The story that grew from those sparks of ideas became an adventure that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I did. 

​June 27: A Baker’s Perspective
June 27: A Simply Enchanted Life
June 27: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
June 28: Kristin’s Book Reviews
June 28: Christian Chick’s Thoughts
June 29: Fiction Aficionado
June 29: Genesis 5020
June 30: Smiling Book Reviews
June 30: The Fizzy Pop Collection
July 1: Blogging With Carol
July 1: remembrancy
July 2: Inklings and notions
July 2: Ashley’s Bookshelf
July 3: Zerina Blossom’s Books
July 3: Margaret Kazmierczak
July 4: Book by Book
July 4: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses
July 5: Dragons Read History
July 5: Through the Open Window
July 6: It’s Storytime with Van Daniker
July 6: Baker Kella
July 7: Pause for Tales
July 7: Edits and Reviews By Leslie
July 8: Books, Books, and More Books.
July 8: Pursuing Stacie
July 8: The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate
July 9: Reader’s cozy corner
July 9: A path of joy
July 10: Neverending Stories
July 10: Henry Happens

​True to You by Becky Wade is the first book I’ve read by this author. And I am absolutely excited to read more of her books. In True to You, Ms. Wade has written an extraordinary story of how we can depend on God even when our lives are thrown into upheaval.
 
I was dropped immediately into the story on the first page. Each scene is detailed and feels distinct from each other. The prose is great, each line serving the story with no unnecessary details. Within the first three pages I felt attached to the main characters.
 
Nora, the heroine, is a great character. Her life was thrown into upheaval unexpectedly and she thinks she’s gotten over it and pieced her life back together. Watching Nora realize that’s not entirely accurate and how she learns to depend on God is a wonderful character arc and I fully believe Nora’s transformation.
 
I related to John Lawson, the hero of the story, even more than Nora. I served in the military and understood him. I won’t spoil the reason he’s searching for his birth parents, but he’s a wounded man with a soft gooey center who often uses humor to escape his emotions before it eventually becomes too much and it all boils over. These are my favorite types of heroes and John is a great example.
 
I rooted for Nora and John the entire time. I fully believe in their romance and that the two of them will be able to overcome any obstacle.
 
I rarely share quotes that I enjoy, but this is one of the best lines I’ve ever read: “’If I was going to make it through, I was going to have to do it on what was left of my true character after all the surface parts of who I thought I was had been stripped away.’” What a great line that really drives home the themes in the book.
 
True to You is the first story in a new series by Ms. Wade and I am eagerly awaiting the next one. I loved this book and give it 5/5 stars. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys sweet contemporary romances with unexpected depth and relatable characters.
 
** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House, the publisher. All opinions are my own.**