CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOG LAYOUTS, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Abraham by Jennifer Beckstrand






Book:  Abraham
Author: Jennifer Beckstrand
Genre: Inspirational Amish Romance
Release Date: November 26, 2019

Things at the Petersheim house are getting too crowded for eight-year-old twins Alfie and Benji. As if things weren’t bad enough with three older brothers hogging all the bacon at breakfast and using more than their fair share of toilet paper, Mammi and Dawdi Petersheim have to move in because of Dawdi’s stroke. If Alfie and Benji have any hope of getting their own bedrooms, they have to get rid of their annoying brothers, and the only way to convince their brothers to move out is to make each of them fall in love. What could be so hard about that?

Abraham Petersheim is known as a man of few words. He’s painfully shy and doesn’t see the need to prattle on like other boys in the community do. That’s why he can’t understand his unexpected attraction to Emma Wengerd. For sure and certain she’s pretty, but she also has five or six boys buzzing around her all the time, and she seems to be constantly annoyed with Abraham and his little brothers. Emma would never be interested in someone as boring as Abraham, and he could never set his sights on someone as wunderbarr as Emma.


Click here to get your copy.  


I LOVE reading books in the Amish Fiction Genre and Jennifer Beckstrand has become a new Favorite Amish Fiction Author. I discovered her about a year ago and her books are just AMAZING! 

Abraham is book 2 in The Petersheim Brothers series. I read the first book earlier this year and I was excited to read Book 2. Book 2 is just as AMAZING as Book 1. I started reading the book and before I knew it 3hrs had passed. 

Abraham is the second oldest of the Petersheim Brothers and he is single. His 9yr old twin brothers, Alfie and Benji are the youngest of the Brothers. Abraham in very much an introvert and has remained single, though he has an interest in Emma, a neighbor a few doors down from the family. Alfie and Benji are pranksters and are sneaky. Their bedroom is currently in the basement with the spiders, as the bedrooms on the main level are full. They desperately want to move to the main level, but the only way to do that is to get Abraham's bedroom if he were to ever move out.  The twins decide to play matchmaker and get Abraham and Emma interested in each other. Will the twins succeed in their matchmaking? Will Abraham overcome his shyness and begin a relationship with Emma? Grab a copy of the book and you will LOVE IT!! 

Abraham is a GREAT book that will bring lots of Belly laughs and smiles! It will also warm your heart to see relationships taking off. I am looking forward to more books from Jennifer Beckstrand! 





Jennifer Beckstrand is the two-time RITA-nominated, #1 Amazon bestselling Amish romance author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series, The Honeybee Sisters series, and The Petersheim Brothers series for Kensington Books. Huckleberry Summer and Home on Huckleberry Hill were both nominated for the coveted RITA® Award from Romance Writers of America. Jennifer has written twenty-one Amish romances, a historical Western, and the nonfiction book, Big Ideas. She and her husband have been married for thirty-five years, and she has six children and eight adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.
 

More from Jennifer

Alfie and Benji Petersheim will do just about anything to get their brother Abraham to fall in love with Emma Wengerd, even adopt a stray dog. But to catch that dog, they’re going to need Aunt Bitsy’ help. Alfie and Benji are about to get in a lot of trouble.   I hope you enjoy this excerpt from Abraham.   Benji pushed his coffee cake around his plate with his finger. “Maybe we could keep that stray dog.” Maybe they could keep the dog. Alfie’s heart started pounding. A dog could find them if they ever got lost in the woods. A dog could fetch sticks and bring Dat his slippers. A dog would eat crumbs off the floor. Mamm would never have to mop again. Bitsy shrugged. “That’s up to your mamm.” Alfie’s heart sank to his toes. “Mamm would never let us have a dog. She won’t even let me have a goldfish.” “I have a pet spider,” Benji said. Alfie popped a small bite of coffee cake into his mouth. “He’s not your pet. He just lives in the corner of the cellar and kills other spiders.” “You tried to spray him,” Benji said, “and I saved his life. He’s my pet now.” Bitsy nodded. “Spiders are gute pets. They feed themselves and don’t poop on the carpet.” Benji sat very still before wrinkling his forehead like he did when he was upset. “We need to help that dog.” Alfie wanted a dog as much as anybody, but they had to be sensible. They’d been asking Mamm for a dog ever since they could talk. “Mamm won’t let us.” Benji started crying. “But he’s going to get gassed.” Bitsy reached over and patted Benji’s arm. “He might not get gassed. The pound might find a nice family that wants to adopt him. People like chocolate labs. I’m told they’re cute.” Benji caught his breath and suddenly stopped crying, as if someone had turned off a faucet. “Do girls like chocolate lamps?” “Chocolate labs?” Bitsy folded her arms. “Well, I’m a girl and I don’t think he’s cute, but most girls love dogs. Do you remember Vernon Schmucker? Poor fellow had a face like a potato, and the girls ignored him. One night he brought a puppy to the gathering, and he was surrounded by girls all night. That’s how he met his wife.” Benji jumped from his chair and threw his arms around Alfie, making Alfie spill milk down his new shirt. “Hey. Watch it.” “Alfie, girls like dogs!” Benji was a good partner, but sometimes he made no sense. “So?” “If Emma Wengerd saw us walking our chocolate lamp down the street, she’d run out of her house to pet him.” Alfie’s heart started pounding. Benji was the best bruder in the world. “We could bring Abraham with us.” Benji got more and more excited with each word. “And they could talk about dogs and chickens and maybe start kissing.” Alfie set his milk on the table. “We’ve got to catch that dog.”



Texas Book-aholic, December 28
She Lives to Read, December 29
Older & Smarter?, December 30
Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 31
SPLASHES of Joy, January 1
Book of Ruth Ann, January 2
Mary Hake, January 2
janicesbookreviews, January 3
Vicky Sluiter, January 3
Pause for Tales, January 4
Quiet Quilter, January 5
The Avid Reader, January 6
Batya’s Bits, January 10




To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving a $10 Amazon gift card to three winners!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Share/Bookmark Pin It Print Friendly and PDF

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Heart of a Royal by Hannah Currie





Book: Heart Of A Royal
Author: Hannah Currie
Genre:  Young Adult/Royalty

Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner. But not everyone at the palace wants her gone. When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?  




Click here to get your copy!


WOW, this book is just amazing! The Book Cover stands out as it is so beautiful and entices you to pick up the book and read the synopsis. 

I dove right into the book and couldn't put it down until I finished it about 4hrs later. The thing that intrigued me the most is the main character, Mackenna Sparrow, is actually a commoner who lived as a princess for most of her life. Now that her friend is engaged, her life may change as she may no longer be allowed to stay at the Royal Palace. Mackenna has fallen in love with the Prince and now that she may have to leave, she is trying to figure things out for her future. What will her future hold, will it still be at the Palace? Will she become more involved with the Prince? Grab a copy of this book and you will uncover the GREATness of this book! 

Heart of A Royal is the first book in the new series Daughters of Peverell #1 by Hannah Currie. Hannah Currie is a new to me author, but I am very excited to read more of her books and most definitely the future books in this series! GREAT BOOK!  


 

 



Aussie author, Hannah Currie, loves God, family, people (in small numbers, let’s not go crazy here!) and writing. She and her husband live with their three adorable kids in sunny Queensland, where it really is beautiful one day and perfect the next. Except, maybe, during heatwaves. They’re not so fun. She loves to connect with readers at www.hannahcurrie.com.  

More from Hannah

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by royalty. Real ones like Queen Elizabeth II, who is such an incredible woman and a total hero of mine (not to mention, as a proud Australian and member of the Commonwealth, my monarch) but also the not-so-real ones. Those found in fairytales. Romances. Narnia. I’m one of those people who blocks out an entire day to watch a royal wedding, sighs like a hopeless romantic through cheesy princess movies, reads just about any novel I find with a crown on the front and loves a full-spread photo souvenir magazine. I may have even written a short story starring a princess for an English assignment at school. More than once. [Side note, if you’re going to write a story about a princess who is totally adorable but can’t spell, don’t use a misspelled word as the title. It takes a lot of explaining to make sure the teacher knows you did it on purpose and doesn’t mark you down for it… sorry Ninth Grade English teacher!]. The glamor draws me in, the beautiful clothes, the history and romance of it all, but it’s the expectations they have on them which hold me there. Every title comes with a million expectations, whether or not they’re realistic. We expect royals, both real and fictional, to behave in a certain way. To be honourable (assuming they’re the good guys). To care for their people and put them first. To always be there. Yes, even to be beautiful. But what happens when they’re not? When they’re shy? Fight anxiety? Hate the spotlight? Are blemished in some way? What happens when what’s best for the people isn’t what’s best for them? Or when they make a mistake? Something which, for anyone else, would be easily fixed or glossed over but for a royal, gets written into the history books forever. Purely because of their title. Kenna, the main character in Heart of a Royal, never meant to be a princess. She wasn’t born into royalty, neither did she choose it. And yet, due to circumstances far beyond her control, there she is. Living in a palace. Part of that life. Very few of us are royalty but I think we all know how heavy expectations can be and the pain of being thrust into situations beyond our control. And yet, even in those moments and seasons, just like Kenna, we have choices. They might seem small, maybe even insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but they’re there. Who we put our trust in. What we do with the circumstances we’ve been given. Where we go from there. Heart of a Royal is as much my story as it is Kenna’s. No, I’m not a princess (thankfully!) but I have struggled through finding hope and purpose when life flies out of control and the expectations prove too much. And here’s what I’ve found – God is good. There is hope and God is good. I hope, through Kenna’s story, you are reminded of that too.


CarpeDiem, November 28
Hebrews 12 Endurance, November 28
Hallie Reads, November 28
Emily Yager, November 29
Back Porch Reads, November 30
Mia Reads Blog, December 1
Bigreadersite , December 1
Kathleen Denly, December 2
Genesis 5020, December 2
She Lives To Read, December 2
Texas Book-aholic, December 2
Livin’ Lit, December 3
The Becca Files, December 4
Becka Jiménez , December 4
HookMeInABook, December 4
janicesbookreviews, December 4
Avid Reader Nurse, December 6
A Reader’s Brain, December 6
Moments, December 7
Remembrancy, December 8
Pause for Tales , December 8
All-of-a-kind Mom, December 10
Batya’s Bits, December 11

               


To celebrate her tour Hannah is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a 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/f1a8/heart-of-a-royal-celebration-tour-giveaway





Share/Bookmark Pin It Print Friendly and PDF

Friday, November 29, 2019

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: The Melody of the Mulberries by Tonya Jewel Blessing





Book: The Melody of the Mulberries
Author: Tonya Jewel Blessing
Genre:  Historic Southern Romance
Release Date: September 16, 2019

This sequel is set in the late 1920s Appalachia, where granny witches and spiritualism often show the path for wanderers to take, especially in matters of the heart.
Coral sat in contemplation under a mulberry tree. It was spring, and the fragrant female blossoms promised the mid-summer arrival of first white, then pink, then crimson, and finally deep purple berries. The white berries were hard and tart and enjoyed by the quail, wild turkeys, mocking birds, and blue jays. The blackish purple berries were soft and sweet – perfect for pies and jams.
When the berries turned white, Coral would thank the good Lord for providing food for the birds, and when the berries ripened she would thank the good Lord for the sweetness savored in her mouth and curse the birds for wanting more than their share.

Where Emerald Ashby’s story leaves us in the last pages of The Whispering of the Willows, pure and innocent sixteen-year-old Coral Ashby’s story begins. Like the changing mulberries, Appalachian siblings Coral and Ernest Ashby, navigate their lives and loves through the Spanish Flu epidemic, poverty, and various as sundry prejudices. Coral is determined to visit the family nemesis, Charlie, who now stews in prison.When Ernest’s previous love interest, Mercy, returns to the holler of Big Creek, she discovers that Ernest has a new romantic attraction. He is singing a melody for Charlotte, the older Ashby brother’s widow. No matter, Mercy has brought along her own spiritual tools to circumvent the inconvenience and a special friend who guides her way.

Accompanied by friends and foes, matters of the heart complicate life for Coral and Ernest. Relationships must be journeyed carefully.

Click here to get your copy!


I really enjoy books that are set in Towns or Attractions that are familiar or historical. The Melody of the Mulberries is set in the Appalachian Mountains. Mountain settings are calm and serene and I LOVE that setting and the Appalachian Mountains are very familiar with many! 

The Melody of the Mulberries is book 2 in the Big Creek Series. I have not read Book 1 yet, The Whispering of the Willows, but I plan to do sosoon. I think book 2 can be a stand alone book. I dove right into reading the book and it caught my attention from the beginning. 

The Melody of the Mulberries is such a great book and tells a great story. The author touches on some topics are real life: Prisoners, UnWed Mothers, Grief. The author does a really good job at describing life in the Appalachian Mountains in the early 1900's. The book has lots of twists and turns in the relationship between Mercy and Ernest. Ernest is a strong character in this book and he is very involved in many of the twists that are throughout the book. I love when a book has Characters that are throughout the book, it is almost like following their life. Will Mercy and Ernest ignite a relationship or will it burn out? Grab a copy of the book and ENJOY!! 

The Melody of the Mulberries is a WONDERFUL read for those who like Christian Fiction and love a book that has many twists and turns that it grabs your attention to the end and then wanting more! 



More about Tonya Jewel Blessing: Growing up Tonya spent numerous vacations and holidays in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. Most of her adult life has been spent in full time ministry with a focus on helping women. She has traveled nationally and internationally as a conference speaker. For a number of years, Tonya and her husband operated a retreat facility in Colorado for pastors and missionaries. She and her husband currently live in South Africa. They are the founders and directors of Strong Cross Ministries, a non-profit organization that assists local churches, pastors, cross-cultural workers, and others in Christian leadership in providing spiritual reconciliation and humanitarian relief to the poorest in the world. Tonya writes monthly devotionals for women in ministry. She is the award-winning novelist of The Whispering of the Willows, which is Book 1 of the Big Creek Series. She is the co-author of Soothing Rain, a discussion starter handbook/devotional that provides women with important tools for sharing biblical truth.

More from Tonya

Greetings From Author Tonya Jewel Blessing
The Melody of the Mulberries is book two in the Big Creek Series. Both books are set during the late 1920s in the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia. The Appalachian Mountains were untamed in the 1920s and remain so in part today. The wonder of the hills is breathtaking, magnificent, and glorious. The term “wild wonderful West Virginia” was used as early as 1969 before being adapted in the 1970s as the state slogan. In 1937, my mother, Virginia Ashby, was born in the rural hills of West Virginia. She spent several of her formative years in an area known as Big Creek. I have borrowed my mother’s maiden name, several names from her past, and the name Big Creek. The morning mist hanging in the lowlands, the dew on the ground, along with the green of spring and the deep red, sparkling gold, and brilliant oranges of fall draw me visually, emotionally, and on some level spiritually to its feral fascination. John Denver recorded in his tribute to West Virginia, “Take me home country roads to the place I belong…” Certainly, there are seasons in my life where I long for the steep, curvy country roads of my youth. This is one deeply satisfying reason for writing about hope with connections to West Virginia, a life held close to my heart. It is a pleasure and an honor to share this story with the Celebrate Lit family. My southern story is an authentically derived historical romance for young adults and for women of all ages who love Appalachian lore and West Virginia history. It contains some depictions of spiritualism and traditional Christianity during the 1920s in West Virginia. It continues with the inter-racial dealings between two communities, where, some are friends and some are foes. If anyone would enjoy a free sample of the first audiobook, The Whispering of the Willows, please go to the link and click “play sample”.  This amazing voice actress, Courtney Patterson, will start reading you my story so that you will feel like you are eavesdropping on the Ashby family. Enjoy! Enjoy an excerpt from Tonya’s first book in the series, The Whispering of the Willows, here.




For Him and My Family, November 28
Christian Bookshelf Reviews, November 29 (Author Interview)
Older & Smarter?, November 30
Pause for Tales , December 4
Texas Book-aholic, December 6
janicesbookreviews, December 7
Betti Mace, December 8
A Reader’s Brain, December 9
Inklings and notions, December 10


To celebrate her tour, Tonya is giving away the grand prize package of a special pillow and reader’s choice of an eBook or Audiobook of The Whispering of the Willows!!
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/f19f/the-melody-of-the-mulberries-celebration-tour-giveaway





Share/Bookmark Pin It Print Friendly and PDF
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...