Monday, May 18, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: A Life Renewed by Olivia Rae

Book: A Life Renewed
Author: Olivia Rae
Genre: Christian Historical
Release Date: April 2, 2020

In 1554, Lady Jane Grey, “The Nine Days’ Queen” was executed for high treason.

But what if, instead of feeling the blade on her neck she secretly survived?

Escaping execution, Lady Jane hides as a peasant girl in a principality in Germany. She loves the simple life and never wants to return to England. But her benefactor, a power-hungry German prince, wants to march on London and place her on the English throne again, thereby increasing his dominance in Europe. If she doesn’t agree to his plan, her beloved childhood nurse will be put to death. Desperate for help, Jane must put her trust in the mysterious spy Asher Hayes.

Asher Hayes is done rounding up Protestants for “Bloody Mary” and wants nothing more than to live a quiet life as a farmer and expunge the blood of many from his hands. Except Queen Mary isn’t done with him yet. She throws his father, mother, and sister into prison on false charges in order to force him to accept one last mission – find and kill Lady Jane Grey. But when Asher discovers Lady Jane isn’t a threat to the throne as he believed her to be, he faces a devastating decision – does he sacrifice his family for the woman who reigns in his heart?

Click here for your copy!

I enjoy reading Historical Fiction and this one has a twist to it, as it is based on a real "character" from History. Lady Jane Grey was not someone I learned about in History class, but she is an interesting Historical Lady. She was Queen of England for 9 days in the 1500's.

The book begins and it takes me a couple of chapters to really get interested in the book. Lady Jane Grey is in Germany and loves living the "simple life" and doesn't want to return to her homeland of England, as she fears execution. In order to continue to escape execution she puts begins to befriend in spy Asher Hayes. Asher Hayes is trying to coax her back to England, but then he realizes she isn't as bad as others have made him think. He begins falling for her and gains a romantic interest in Lady Jane Grey. Will Asher betray his family so he can pursue a relationship with Lady Jane Grey? Is there a romance on the horizon??

I wasn't so sure about the book in the beginning, but the Author, Olivia Rae, did bring the characters and the story line together very well. I actually enjoyed this book very much and I look forward to reading the next books in this new Series. FANTASTIC Book!

Olivia Rae is an award-winning author who spent her school days dreaming of knights, princesses and far away kingdoms; it made those long, boring days in the classroom go by much faster. Nobody was more shocked than her when she decided to become a teacher. Besides getting her Master’s degree, marrying her own prince, and raising a couple of kids, Olivia decided to breathe a little more life into her childhood stories by adding in what she’s learned as an adult living in a small town next to a big city. When not writing, she loves to travel, dragging her family to old castles and forts all across the world.

More from Olivia

The Challenge in Writing About a Real Historical Person
I like creating a story out of a kernel of information. The idea of my new book, A Life Renewed came when I took a trip to England and learned about the tragic life of Lady Jane Grey. Her life was so disastrous, I just wanted to give her a second chance at happiness. So that’s exactly what I did when she escaped her execution instead of dying as she did in real life.
My greatest challenge in writing this book was picking a heroine that actually lived. I had to do a lot of research in Lady Jane Grey’s life and her family. It was very interesting. Lady Jane was what we would call a progressive protestant. The conflicts between the Catholics and Protestants (The beginning of The Church of England) was very real and very deadly at that time. What many people don’t know is that Henry VIII was actually against many other Protestant religions (Calvinists, Lutherans, etc.). He feared their religious influence as much as he did the Catholic’s. His son Edward was more progressive, like Jane. If he would have lived, Jane’s outcome would have been totally different. After Jane’s death, Queen Mary went on a mission to turn England back to Catholicism. In her reign she killed over 300 Protestants. Hence later in history she was known as “Bloody Mary.”

Texas Book-aholic, May 6

My Devotional Thoughts, May 7

April Hayman, Author , May 7

Book of Ruth Ann, May 8

For Him and My Family, May 9

Better than Rubies, May 9

For the Love of Literature, May 10

Books, Life, and Christ, May 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 11

Betti Mace, May 12

Inklings and notions, May 13

A Brighter Destiny, May 13

Genesis 5020, May 14

Bigreadersite, May 15

Mary Hake, May 15

deb’s Book Review, May 16

Emily Yager, May 17

Read Review Rejoice, May 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 18

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, May 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 19

Books I’ve Read, May 19

To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away the grand prize packaged of an autographed copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift certificate!!

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/f9f2/a-life-renewed-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Sunday, May 17, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Taking Chances by Melody Carlson

Book: Taking Chances
Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Middle Grade
Release Date: April 15, 2020

Zoey knows her days are numbered. At least when it comes to remaining in Cedarville. So when Louisa coaxes her to be part of a garage band, Zoey tosses her insecurities aside to make music with her friends. And she even goes out for the basketball team. But what will happen when her mom shows up and pulls the plug on everything?

Click here for your copy!

I really enjoying reading books by Melody Carlson, she is one of my favorite Christian Fiction Authors. I had never read her books for Middle School ages, and I figured it would be a good change.

Zoey and her BFF, Louisa, have been trying to find an activity for them to enjoy together. Louisa talks Zoey into trying out for a "Garage Band". Zoey wants to enjoy the time left in the town before Zoey and her Mother move back to Seattle. Zoey is enjoying the Garage Band and then an old "enemy" comes around and makes Zoey very uncomfortable. The one thing that Zoey has been really growing in is her faith. She really feels the need to lean on her faith and be gracious to her "enemy" during these times. Will Zoey succeed or will her faith falter to the hurts of "enemy friends"??

I really like the message in this book. Many Middle School aged girls experience so many changes at once and can succumb to the bullying and such. Forgiveness and being a better person then the "enemy' is a GREAT message for Girls and Boys in middle school. A quick read, but a WONDERFUL book! Taking Chances is the final book in this series. It is a good standalone book, but reading the books in order makes for GREAT reading!

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, True Colors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.

More from Melody

Sometimes I feel guilty for ‘torturing’ my teen and tween characters, but I do it for my readers. It’s not easy being an adolescent, and reading about someone who’s facing hard times is comforting. But in the final Zoey book, I really wanted to give her some victories too. So when challenges come her way, she stands up to them. And she even puts her newly found faith to work. The goal is for readers to feel hopeful about their own lives when they see Zoey rise above her tough circumstances.

Texas Book-aholic, May 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 15

For Him and My Family, May 16

Inklings and notions, May 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 17

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 18

deb’s Book Review, May 19

Older & Smarter?, May 20

Vicky Sluiter, May 20

Remembrancy, May 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 22

Splashes of Joy, May 23

Christian Bookaholic, May 24

Blogging With Carol, May 24

Moments, May 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 26

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, May 27

To celebrate her tour, Melody is giving away the grand prize package of the full Being Zoey series!!

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/f9fd/being-zoey-taking-chances-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Marriage Matters by Cheri Swalwell

Book: Marriage Matters
Author: Cheri Swalwell
Genre: Non-fiction/Christian Biblical Marriage
Release Date: November 22, 2019

Marriage joins two imperfect people who pledge to love, honor, and commit to each other for life. Eleven couples graciously chose to share their stories within the pages of this book because they believe in the sanctity of marriage. None of the couples are perfect, but they come alongside you and your spouse with experience and encouragement as you pray about how to live out your own marriage. Some of the couples work in full-time ministry, others have chosen the military as their career. Some couples have faced the issue of infertility while others have had to deal with sickness or death. Some couples have been remarried, others married later in life, and others have dealt with seemingly more than any one couple should have to face in a lifetime. All of the couples have one thing in common – their love for God and their commitment to marriage God’s way.Grab your favorite beverage in a comfy chair and get ready to be encouraged. Buy your own copy today, and one for a friend, because Marriage Matters!

Click here for your copy!

We all have dreams of having a wonderful and "perfect" Marriage. The truth is Marriage is something that takes a lot of work and encouragement to keep it healthy and alive. Many marriages go through small issues throughout their Marriage, others have big struggles with many issues. Regardless of big or small, every marriage has struggles and needs encouragement from others.

Marriage Matters is a compilation of 11 Couples stories of their marriages. The 11 stories are so different, as each Marriage is always unique. Each of the 11 couples interviewed as part of this book, also have similarities. The main similarity in all the stories is how they relied on God to help them throughout their Marriage. They made God the center of the marriage and God helped them overcome the major strife and issues within their marriage. The couples also made sure their communication was open and honest with each other.

I really enjoyed this book. The stories are real and encouraging. The author, Cheir Swalwell, did a great job of writing the couples stories in a God Honoring way. I really feel this would be a GREAT gift for Engaged couples or Newlywed Couples. I really wish I had a book like this when I was engaged. I have been married 21 years and this book made me realize it is not too late to be encouraged by a WONDERFUL book!

Cheri Swalwell is a Christ follower who thoroughly enjoys her calling to be a wife, mother, and writer, in that order. Cheri loves to encourage people through her Spoken from the Heart devotionals, Bible study Caring for the Caregiver and other compilation books dealing with the subjects of miscarriage and cancer. For a full list of books and where they are sold visit www.cheriswalwell.com. If you want to sign up to her newsletter to stay updated on all the latest news, you will also receive a full-length devotional free, as her way of saying thanks for joining!

More from Cheri

Back in 2007, long before writing was even on my radar, I had a conversation with God about writing a book that would offer hope to those who had lost a child. We had lost our baby the December prior, and I needed to know I would smile again someday. Little did I know that conversation 12 years ago would result in a series of compilation books encouraging others about various topics. The first one, Hope During Heartache was published in 2014, and it’s 13 different men and women’s stories about how they found hope after dealing with the death of a child.
In early 2015, I had another conversation with God and asked Him … “What’s next? Do You have any other compilation books you’d like me to share with others to bring encouragement?” In 2018, Peace During the Pain was published (a book about how to find peace after the diagnosis of cancer) which is 12 different men and women’s stories either about their own personal journey or the journey of a family member.
The goal for 2020 is to publish Joy During the Journey, a compilation of people who have found joy despite living with chronic illness.
During my 2015 conversation, I asked God if He would allow me to write a compilation book about a “happier” topic than death, cancer, and chronic illness. And in His goodness, He said yes! That is when He told me I could write about the topic of marriage, a topic I truly love because being married and having children has always been my heart’s desire. Not only do I get to share encouragement, support, and wisdom from 11 different couples with you in this book, an added bonus is that one of the couples is my parents, another is my youth pastor and his wife, whom I’ve admired for over 25+ years, and yet another is my present pastor and his wife. All three of these couples have significantly modeled biblical marriage for me throughout the years. But that’s not all. There are also military couples, couples who have suffered circumstances no couple should ever have to face, and new friends I’ve met through the writing of this book. I believe you will enjoy as much as I have the encouragement and wisdom from each and every couple who took the time to share a little about their life with you. I’m excited to share the stories between these pages … so sit back, grab your favorite beverage and be prepared to get encouraged!

For Him and My Family, May 2

Texas Book-aholic, May 3

Artistic Nobody, May 4 (Author Interview)

Bigreadersite, May 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 6

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 7

Simple Harvest Reads, May 8 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 8

deb’s Book Review, May 9

Inklings and notions, May 10

Book of Ruth Ann, May 11

Through the Fire Blogs, May 12 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 13

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, May 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 15

To celebrate her tour, Cheri is giving away the grand prize of a $15Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f9ea/marriage-matters-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Rocky Mountain Redemption by Lisa J. Flinkinger

Book: Rocky Mountain Redemption
Author: Lisa J. Flickinger
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: May 5, 2020

A Rocky Mountain logging camp may be just the place to find herself.

To escape the devastation caused by the breaking of her wedding engagement, Isabelle Franklin joins her aunt in the Rocky Mountains to feed a camp of lumberjacks cutting on the slopes of Cougar Ridge. If only she could out run the lingering nightmares.

Charles Bailey, camp foreman and Stony Creek’s itinerant pastor, develops a reputation to match his new nickname — Preach. However, an inner battle ensues when the details of his rough history threaten to overcome the beliefs of his young faith.

Amid the hazards of camp life, the unlikely friendship growing between the two surprises Isabelle. She’s drawn to Preach’s brute strength and gentle nature as he leads the ragtag crew toiling for Pollitt’s Lumber. But when the ghosts from her past return to haunt her, the choices she will make change the course of her life forever—and that of the man she’s come to love.

Click here to get your copy.

I really enjoy Christian Historical Fiction books. I was really hooked only a few pages into the book, like "don't bother me, I am deep into this book" focus!

Isabelle Franklin is one of the main character of the book. She decides to go to be with her Aunt in the Rocky Mountains, after she ends her Engagement to the man she was supposed to marry. She feels she needs new surroundings and new beginnings. Isabelle is settling in as assistant Camp Cook at the Loggers Camp and meets Charles Bailey aka "Preach". Isabelle and "Preach" begin forming a friendship and that soon leads to deeper feelings toward each other. Isabelle's past is revealed and they both wonder if the relationship can continue. How will Isabelle and "Preach" overcome the sensitive past for Isabelle?

I really enjoyed this book. It is Book 1 in a new series, Rocky Mountain Revival, by Lisa J. Flickinger. I really like the authors writing style. The book does contain a "sensitive topic", but it is handled in a wonderful way. The inspirational aspect of Forgiveness and Healing, allowing God to be the center of your life, is encouraging. I really LOVE the Rocky Mountain setting and the History in this story. GREAT BOOK! I highly recommend it!

Lisa J. Flickinger lives and writes from the cliff of a river along the majestic Rocky Mountains. When not writing or reading, you will find her scouring antique shops or sipping a maple latte with friends and family. To learn more about her other books, visit www.lisajflickinger.com

More from Lisa

I have a confession to make. I’m a square dancer, a real live square dancer who do-si-dos and allemande-lefts my way around a square every Thursday night. And lest you think it’s a room full of eighty year olds, our youngest dancer is a mere twenty-four.
It was on the dance floor I first met Larry. Logger Larry, the Paul Bunyan like soul who regaled me with tales of chopping trees in the Rocky Mountains. He told stories about grizzlies who hunted men for their next meal, brawls in the bunkhouse only the hardy could survive, and life threatening axe injuries when they had to carry the wounded through the forest for miles.
Larry’s stories provided a great background for a romantic novel and sent me on a mission to research late 1800’s logging camps. It’s at Pollitt’s Lumber, in 1898, where we meet our hero and heroine, Preach and Isabelle, and join their cautious journey toward love. It’s also where we meet a ragtag bunch of lumberjacks whose antics would get on anyone’s last nerve.
I fell in love with the characters of Rocky Mountain Redemption as they tromped onto the pages, and I’m thrilled to introduce them to you in Book One of the Rocky Mountain Revival Series.
Dear reader, enjoy!