ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, New-to-Me Author, PB, Purchase, Revell

The Ark and the Dove by Jill Eileen Smith Review

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: The Ark and the Dove: The Story of Noah’s Wife

Author: Jill Eileen Smith

Publisher: Revell

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Released: February 2024

Zara and Noah have walked together with the Creator for their entire lives, and they have done their best in an increasingly wicked and defiant world to raise their three sons to follow in their footsteps. It has been a challenge–and it’s about to get much, much harder.

When the Creator tells her husband to build an ark to escape the coming wrath against the sins of humankind, Zara steps out with him in faith. But the derision and sabotage directed their way from both friends and extended family are difficult to bear, as is knowing that everyone she interacts with beyond her husband, her sons, and their wives is doomed to destruction. And when the ark is finally finished and the animals have been shut up inside, Zara and her family embark on an adventure that will test their patience and their faith as they await deliverance and dry ground.

Experience the story of Noah and the flood like you never have before. With bestselling and award-winning author Jill Eileen Smith as your guide, you’ll never look at a rainbow the same way again.

About the Author:

Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of the biblical fiction series The Wives of King David, Wives of the Patriarchs, and Daughters of the Promised Land, as well as The Heart of a King, Star of Persia: Esther’s Story, Miriam’s Song, The Prince and the Prodigal, and Daughter of Eden. She is also the author of the nonfiction books When Life Doesn’t Match Your Dreams and She Walked Before Us. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan. Learn more at http://www.jilleileensmith.com.

My Impressions

“What should I do, Adonai? Did God care about their personal spats with one another? He’d saved them to repopulate a world where evil ran rampant. But they could not run from the sin in their own hearts.”

Jill Eileen Smith. A name of long associated with Biblical fiction, yet The Ark and the Dove is the first book I’ve been privileged to read by Smith.

First, I suggest bringing your waders. While obviously this is the story of Genesis 6, the flood of Noah’s day, it is so much more. While it is an engrossing read, it is not a quick read, compared to many books. You will be immersed in the deep waters of the Nephilim, the Watchers, the ever-encroaching evil, and the intense oppression of Noah’s family as they build the ark and preach about the coming judgment.

Somehow, as a mother of adult children, this novel hits especially hard, emotionally, but even young adults can relate to the sibling issues. It seems we see the stresses on the family as seen mostly through the eyes of Zara, Noah’s faithful wife. She has to place her faith in Noah to lead her family spiritually, but it is hard for all of them to follow God’s few personal directives given only directly to Noah. It is also hard for each son to maintain his marriage and close relationships with the other two brothers as doubts and fears assail. I ached along with Zara as she is heartbroken when her the families of her daughters-in-law turn against them and join in the persecution and rejection. No matter how hard she tries, one of the wives seems bent on trouble-making. Do we know these things for gospel fact? No, we only know what the Bible gives us, which Smith quotes or rephrases multiple times. She even includes references to Romans 1. The rest is author’s license, as long as it does not contradict Scripture. That is what Biblical fiction is.

I will be thinking on this book for a while to come! I was glad I had previous teaching under my belt about the Nephilim and the Watchers. Otherwise, I might have wanted them explained a little more. The Ark and the Dove caused a good discussion between myself and my husband, and I believe it would be a great book for a church book club.

I received a copy of the book from Revell Reads through Netgalley. I also bought a paperback copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Abba said that God did not want to judge us. His heart was broken by our rebellion. I never thought of the Creator as having a heart that could break like ours does.”

“We are made in His image, so perhaps that’s one way that we are like Him. We feel because He feels. Perhaps that is the greatest kind of love.”

“If someone wants to worship something other than the Creator, they will use anything to replace Him in their hearts. It does not have to be a creation of wood or stone. An idol can be anything we place above Him as the most important thing in our lives.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I ruminated for a while before rating this book. But not all precious gems are easily mined, and some may not be easily recognized at first sight. I believe this novel to be one of those very precious gems.

BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Love Inspired Suspense, NetGalley, Purchase

Tracking the Truth by Dana Mentink Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Tracking the Truth

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: March 26, 2023

To expose a suspect, he needs evidence…

and a K-9’s instincts.

After Emery Duncan is abducted and dumped in a lake, private investigator Roman Wolfe and his bloodhound partner rescue her from an icy death. Someone doesn’t want Emery to find out what really happened the night her father confessed to attempted murder. To keep Emery and her baby nephew safe, they must uncover the connection between her father’s confession and the attack…or they’ll be silenced for good.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and a Holt Medallion winner. She is a national and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Poisoned Pen Press.

More from Dana

Bloodhounds everywhere! I was thrilled to be offered a contract to write a WHOLE SIX BOOK SERIES with these amazing creatures and their private eye humans! Bloodhounds have been described as “noses with dog’s attached.” Isn’t that quaint? I hope you will enjoy reading about Wally. He’s a young dog who did not receive the proper training and he’s a tad…well…naughty. Good thing he’s got a handler who’s equally as stubborn. It’s a battle of wills between Wally and Roman and there’s plenty of room for fun along with the suspense. Bloodhounds, take it away!

My Impressions

“It’s not a question of can he find the trail, it’s a question of does he want to…He tends to decide which scents he’s interested in following.”

“Wally, the disobedient bloodhound…” the blurb read. I double-checked the genre for Tracking the Truth. Romantic Suspense. How is author Dana Mentink going to present a romantic suspense book with a search and rescue dog, Wally, who has a mind of his own? Not only is Wally the main K-9 representative from Security Hounds Investigation in this novel, but he provides much of the humor relief I so appreciate in a romantic suspense book.

The human main characters are Emery Duncan and Roman Wolfe. Having been close years before, Emery’s father’s confession of attempted murder sharply separates them. Roman’s bitterness towards Emery’s father almost keeps Emery from letting the Wolfes’ Security Hounds Investigation team take her case. Roman’s past threatens to capsize his future.

With her sister comatose, and her father in jail for attempted murder, Emery is forced to return to her father’s cabin with her sister’s baby. Instead of a place to call home, Emery finds someone is out the kill her, and the townspeople hold her father’s crime against her.

As someone else had said, Wally is my fave character. He’s a hoot, but can he get the job done when the chips are down?

I find Emery’s strength of character and determination to keep going amazing. When she thinks she can’t go on, she revisits her father’s words: “If there’s too much, Ree Ree, pick the top three things you have to do for that day. Three is easy, right?” Sometimes, we can find life so overwhelming, we have to focus on just doing the next, most important thing. I love that Emery doesn’t give up on her dad, despite his confession. “This might rock your world but I’d love him just as much if he was guilty…

“Love doesn’t turn on and off like that. It doesn’t with God and it shouldn’t with us.” Wow, words to chew on!!

I tried to solve the case. Let’s just say I would have arrested the wrong person(s). Great job, Ms. Mentink!!

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via Netgalley. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“You have to look in the mirror and decide you’re worth loving because God said so and He’s the only one that’s going to do it perfectly. No man, or woman, can deliver.”

“Patience wins over force.”

“Home is the people who chose you.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 28

Madi’s Musings, March 28

Bigreadersite, March 29

Texas Book-aholic, March 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 30

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 31

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 1

EmpowerMoms, April 1

She Lives to Read, April 2

Blogging With Carol, April 2

Simple Harvest Reads, April 3 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, April 4

Splashes of Joy, April 4

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 5

Devote To Hope, April 5

Blossoms and Blessing, April 6

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 6

Labor Not in Vain, April 7

Betti Mace, April 8

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, April 8

Wishful Endings, April 9

Holly’s Book Corner, April 9

Pause for Tales, April 10

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, April 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of the book and a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2aa74/tracking-the-truth-celebration-tour-giveaway

Barbour, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, New Author, Purchase

When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: When the Flames Ravaged

Author: Rhonda Dragomir

Genre: Christian / Historical / Romance

Release Date: March, 2024

Will Faith Perish in the Big Top’s Flames?

Introducing a new series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.

Evelyn Benson’s husband perished in the Bataan Death March but not her faith. The World War II Gold Star widow is taken in by her brother and soothed by the love of his wife and children. Evelyn refuses to cower to grief. She may not understand God’s mysterious ways, but she has never questioned Him—until the circus fire.

The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus train chugs into Hartford, Connecticut, on a sweltering day one month after the Allies invaded Normandy. Among the roustabouts is a reluctant clown, Hank Webb. He may hide from his murky past behind grease paint as Fraidy Freddie, but God wants to offer Hank a chance to be found. Though first, what little Hank believes about God will endure a fiery trial.

On Thursday, July 6, 1944, a devasting blaze of unknown origins consumes the circus tent along with Evelyn’s hopes and Hank’s anonymity.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Rhonda Dragomir is a multimedia creative who treasures her fairy tale life in Central Kentucky, insisting her home is her castle even if her prince refuses to dig a moat. She has multiple published works in anthologies and periodicals, along with numerous Bible studies studied weekly by more than 10,000 women around the world. Rhonda has garnered numerous writing awards for both fiction and nonfiction, including her selection as 2019 Writer of the Year by Serious Writer, Inc. In 2020 she was also a finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest for her first novel, a 16th century historical romance.

More from Rhonda

The heroine’s last living family members are struck down in a tragic fire. Will she crumble? Will she tumble into bitterness? Will she forsake her faith? We view life through her eyes and wonder, “What would I do?”

The best fiction sails the vast sea of human experiences and explores how we survive when storms roil the waters. Triumph, tragedy, victories, valleys—though we have not lived through the exact events as the characters, we feel the same elation on the crests and despair in the troughs of the waves.

This is why I love to write historical fiction, especially romance. I interweave my own thoughts and feelings with those of my characters. My words become theirs, and their responses mirror my own as I fight to keep my head above water.

I spent dozens of hours researching When the Flames Ravaged, the story of a horrific circus fire in Hartford, Connecticut on July 6, 1944. I gasped, I wept, and I marveled at the courage of rescuers who sacrificed their own lives to save others. True, live-or-die battles fueled my imagination, and composite characters leaped to life.

At one point, my hero dives into dark water, grasping with frail human understanding to comprehend the scope of the disaster. He decides good and evil are locked in an everlasting struggle, and humans are mere pawns stuck in the middle. Then he asks, “What is the use of serving God if He won’t protect you?”

Who has never asked the same thing when tragedy strikes? Pat answers and platitudes won’t suffice. Only a personal quest to discover an acceptable answer to this age-old question will help us find peace in the midst of the churning sea of doubt.

I hope my novel will toss a live preserver to everyone treading water.

My Impressions

“Was God with her? Faith chimed, Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. But doubt quoted Jesus in His darkest hour. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

This second book in the Barbour series, A Day to Remember, brings us the horrific story of When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir. Each book in the series highlights a lesser-known American tragedy. As with the first, this was a difficult read because of the intense emotions stirred by the recounting of the Hartford, Connecticut circus tragedy. I had to be careful to recognize why I was in a very despondent mood as I occasionally came up for air as I read.

Both Evelyn, whose close relatives attend the circus that fateful day in 1944, and Hank “Fraidy Freddy,” have some big questions for God after the fire. “How could a loving God…” reiterated over and over as two young people who were once believers in His care, consider that they may not need a God Who wouldn’t prevent such an atrocity. No easy answers are given, but Scripture and wise words are combined at precisely the right time to stir thoughts in a seeking soul.

Slowly, painstakingly so, we follow Evelyn and Hank as they search for Evelyn’s missing family. While the tragedy brings them close, the two teeter between more than friends and persona non-gratis as secrets, guilt, and efforts to be independent take center stage.

I loved so many secondary characters. Bill, Evelyn’s brother. Mrs. Riegle, with her gentle ways, yet determined to be a help to Evelyn. The Preacher. “I’m not really a preacher. I’m simply a man who wants to tell others about how God helps us through our troubles.” Connecticut State Police Sergeant Amato. As one of my favorite people often says, he is the kind of person “who makes your problem, his problem.”

I can’t believe this is Dragomir’s debut novel. It is so well-written. I loved the inclusion of Emmett Kelly (excuse me while I go off to research him a little more, I used to collect clown figurines based on his art). I also had to research the Bataan Death March a bit. I learned so much from this book!

I also loved some twists and the humor. Unfortunately, the tragedy was so severe, there was no humor at that point in the book. But that is real life. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and will also be looking forward to reading more from Rhonda Dragomir.

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via Netgalley. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“the costume also hid a man wanted for murder. His parents would be spared the shame of watching their son die in the electric chair.”

“A blood moon was expected tonight, and the superstitious circus folk had grumbled all day about the alleged ‘omen of death.’”

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

“The deadliest enemy at this moment wasn’t the fire, still too far away to be a threat. But panic could kill.”

“The speed with which tragedy stripped a person bare was nothing less than terrifying.”

“It was his fault. Murder. By neglect. Almost two hundred times over.”

“I hope someday you’ll see yourself as God does.”

“We accept blessings from God’s hands every day, but when bad things happen, we blame Him.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! There won’t be a dry eye as you learn about this horrific fire and one lady’s efforts to find her surviving family.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 30

Pause for Tales, March 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 2

Texas Book-aholic, April 3

Simple Harvest Reads, April 3 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 4

Betti Mace, April 5

For HIm and My Family, April 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 6

Blossoms and Blessings, April 7

The Lofty Pages, April 7

Connie’s History Clasroom, April 8

Labor Not in Vain, April 9

Holly’s Book Corner, April 9

Cover Lover Book Review, April 10

Inkwell Inspirations, April 10

To Everything There Is A Season , April 11

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 12 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rhonda is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card & 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/2aa75/when-the-flames-ravaged-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, Barbour, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep Review

Babbling Becky L

(Graphic from Michelle Griep)

About the Book

Title: The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane

Series: Blackfriars Lane (#3)

Author: Michelle Griep

Publisher: Barbour

Released: April 1, 2024

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Wife. Mother. Homemaker. Detective. Kit Forge wears many hats, and if that’s not enough, she’s partnered with her father to open a new detective agency. It’s hard to be all things to all people, but Kit never shies away from the impossible. Despite her hard work and good intentions, some things fall through the cracks.
 
Namely, her husband.
 
But Jackson barely notices. He’s too busy putting out his own fires. As the new chief inspector of a busy London station, he must salvage the disaster left behind by the former police chief—an obstacle made all the harder when the superintendent breathes an ultimatum down his neck.


 
Against her father’s advice, Kit takes on a case involving a missing child, one in which she and Jackson become a little too emotionally involved. . .and end up endangering their own little girl in the process.
 
Can Kit and Jackson learn that just because they can say yes doesn’t mean they should?

About the Author

I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.

My Impressions

“What a fine bucket of fish guts this was turning out to be. She’d hoped for an intriguing first case to solve— Not an impossible one.”

Ah, this story by Michelle Griep!! First, because it is a Griep, buy now, ask later. Seriously, my motto for her books. However, I must say you will want to have read The Thief of Blackfriars Lane and The Bride of Blackfriars Lane, so you feel like Jackson and Kit are close friends you respect, even if it’s impossible to predict their actions. Common themes to Griep are forgiveness and trust, teamwork, and judging others. Beautifully depicted.

Kit has so much spunk and impetuosity, plus a great nose for mystery solving that she has connived to get her father to open a detective agency with her. All is well and good if Kit stays where she belongs, according to her father and Jack, safe in the background, in the office. As if!

Kit finds that motherhood has changed her in so many ways. She yearns for her child, yet leaves her daily with her good friend, Martha. Can she put aside her mothering instincts long enough to be an unprejudiced part of the detective team? Can she remember she is a mother enough to be sure she avoids danger? Can we say Kate is very conflicted?!

Jackson has his own issues. He’d might not miss Kate’s shenanigans so much if he didn’t have a precinct to run, with multiple officers needing attention of various degrees, and a supervisor ready to shut the whole office down. Plus a nuisance vagabond hanging around. Oh, vey!

Jackson is fortunate to have a loyal friend in Charles Bagette, an officer who entered training when Jack did. But Bagette has two strikes against him. He’s charged with keeping Kit safe. And, he’s falling for Martha, a baker and soup kitchen cook. Martha just happens to be Bella’s ( Kit’s daughter)babysitter, in addition to Frankie’s mother. The same Frankie who either has a future as a thug or a detective, under Kit’s tutelage.

One thing I always love about a Griep novel is the multiple storylines woven in and out around each other. We have all the above, plus the very complicated mystery that Kit takes on against her father’s consent. So now we also have that relationship thread to follow.

Danger. Action. Twist. Repeat. Biblical truth. Short contemplation how that should affect the character’s action. Swift, short, cry-outs to God. Then start at the beginning of this paragraph with danger and repeat the scenario. My heart barely survived the action, but surviving the emotional tugs was worse!

I cannot do justice to this book. But it will be on the very short list for my fave book of the year!!

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via Netgalley, plus I bought my own ecopy and 2 paperbacks. This is a book to be shared! No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“…it always comes back to trusting in God’s plan. Rest assured that no matter what you do or don’t do, you will not thwart whatever our mighty Creator is up to.The best we can accomplish is to hold tight to our faith and keep walking towards eternity a step at a time.”

“ …love covers a multitude of sins. So, pursue that. Pursue love instead of dwelling in past failure. That path can only lead to a denial of the present and a forfeiture of the future.”

“But it’s God who brings beauty from ashes. Don’t push away that gift. It is never prudent or wise to stiff-arm God.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! I foresee a rare re-read in my future!!

BLOG

Cracklin’ Rosie by Jennifer Lynn Cary Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Cracklin’ Rosie

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Release Date: November 20, 2023

She’s a strong-willed chiropractor…

…He’s an old-fashioned MD.

Sparks fly—but will they burn them or make them sizzle?

When Rose Crackinbush D.C. sets up her modern (for the 1970s) practice in a new town, heaven help anyone who thinks chiropractors aren’t legitimate doctors.  Those naysayers will eat their words. Or she might make them cookies—she can be nice.

And if she can keep her temper about the town’s Jokester MD, she might win some new patients.

But this MD isn’t just a jokester. A dedicated family doctor, Brett Shoffner uses humor to help heal his patients. Only it seems newly-arrived lady chiropractors aren’t ready for his quips — no matter how pretty and smart they are. This specific lady chiropractor, not the quips.

Life would be so much easier for these two if they could avoid each other. But fate keeps throwing them together. Can they see beyond the symptoms and diagnose the real reasons behind their push-pull attraction?

And if so, will they choose the best cure?

Welcome back to 1972 Kokomo, Indiana in Cracklin’ Rosie, the fourth installment of the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series, where the Great Physician can adjust callings and purposes in ways never imagined.

You will enjoy Cracklin’ Rosie, a sweet, clean romcom inspired by Neil Diamond’s 1960’s song of the same title, because everyone knows that the plans we make don’t always end up as we thought they would.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Cracklin’ Rosie is the fourth book of her spin-off series The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue.

More from Jennifer

I’ve long been a fan of 60s music—since the 1960s! Neil Diamond has been a favorite performer since that time. I must have been in fourth grade with “Thank the Lord for the Nighttime” was released. I had no idea of any deeper meaning, just loved the song—it would’ve gotten full 98 score from me for having “a great beat and fun to dance to” if I’d been a judge on American Bandstand with Dick Clark.

Fast-forward a good fifty plus years, and I’m researching 60s music where the song title has a girl’s name in it for my Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series and I run across “Cracklin’ Rosie.” That was one song I sang with gusto. So fun. But I never was sure of the meaning. What or who was Cracklin’ Rosie? Then I got an inspiration that made me laugh out loud. I even contacted friends to share—tickled me to no end. What if Rosie was a chiropractor? That was the genesis for this story.

Of course, it needed to be funny. And who better to add humor and conflict than a medical doctor who fancied himself as an amateur comedian? The idea stuck and the brainstorming began. I have to tell you my critique partner, Diana Brandmeyer, understands humor. It was a blast coming up with ways to make it funny.

I hope you will agree, and that there will be moments when you snort or chuckle. Or even laugh out loud and have someone look over at you, so you tell them, “You gotta read this book.” Anyway, whether anyone watches you read, I hope you’ll enjoy this latest addition to the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venueseries, Cracklin’ Rosie.

My Impressions

Quite a trip, this book, Cracklin’ Rosie by Jennifer Lynn Cary! I actually lived through this time as a young child and loved all the references to the time period as they continued into the next decade, as well. So accurate, the attitudes of strong women’s liberation and young women trying to figure out how to support that and yet fulfill dreams of home and a family. Men realizing that women’s dreams and needs were changing.

I had to look up the lyrics and even the possible meaning behind Neil Diamond’s song. So many songs of that time seemed to hold a hidden meaning. Love it when a book causes me to dig a little deeper.

Very interesting that both Rosie and Brett are strong Christians, yet as products of their times and culture, have to figure out how best to live out their faith without losing their identity. I must say, Rodie is a main character I found it hard to like through most of the book, for the huge chip she carried on her shoulder.

I received a copy of the book through Celebrate Lit and also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Only know you can discuss anything with me. I won’t judge, and I promise not to try to fix. I’m just a sounding board who is on your side.”

“Was he a man of integrity only when it was convenient or even when it was hard?”

“But I’m choosing to forgive because the alternatives offer no healing.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 30

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 31

Texas Book-aholic, April 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 2

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, April 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 4

Blogging With Carol, April 5

For Him and My Family, April 6

Cover Lover Book Review, April 7

Splashes of Joy, April 8

Exploring the Written Word, April 9

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 10 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 10

Pause for Tales, April 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon card and an eBook 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/2ac72/cracklin-rosie-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, Bethany House, Biblical Fiction, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, New-to-Me Author, Purchase

Up from Dust by Heather Kaufman Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Up from Dust: Martha’s Story

Author: Heather Kaufman

Genre: Biblical fiction

Release Date: January 23, 2024

Martha of Bethany is no stranger to adversity. After her mother’s untimely death, Martha shoulders the responsibility of raising her siblings–quiet and studious Lazarus, and wild and rambunctious Mary. She finds solace in friendship and the beginnings of first love, but just as Martha begins to imagine a new future, hardship strikes again and her dreams crumble into dust.

Ten years later, Martha’s friend pleads for the new teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, to come and heal her husband. When Martha discovers that the carpenter-rabbi is connected to her past, she’s not sure she can trust him with her future. But as he continues to perform miracles, the invitation to believe becomes harder to resist, renewing Martha’s hardened heart, even as she faces an unknown future.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Heather Kaufman is the author of multiple books and devotions, praised by Kirkus Review for writing “a charming and well-crafted tale.” She delights in highlighting the goodness of God through storytelling. When not reading, writing, or accumulating mounds of books, Heather can be found exploring new parks with her husband and three children near their home in St. Louis, Missouri.

More from Heather

Up from Dust: Martha’s Story is the first of three books in my new series, “Women of the Way.” Each book focuses on a female follower of Christ, diving deep into her history before touching upon the events we know from Scripture. Book one is on Martha of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Mary.

Let me ask you a question: What comes to your mind when you think of Martha?

Busy? Angry? Worried?

How about: Teachable? Trusting? Strong?

I’m afraid we’ve distilled poor Martha down into a personality type, turning her into a cautionary tale for Christian women. When Scripture as a whole presents a much different picture.

The seed of this story was planted in my heart during an Easter sermon in 2016, when I was startled into a deep admiration for this remarkable woman of faith. “Why haven’t I been encouraged to be more like Martha?” I wondered. Martha . . . a woman who learned from her mistakes and took the living God at His word. A woman who confessed Jesus as the resurrection and the life while her brother was four days dead in a tomb. Her trajectory in Scripture from worry to radical trust is one to emulate and it led me to ask: What happened in this woman’s heart?

In Up from Dust, I linger over Martha, imagining what her life was like before Christ. The story traces all the “many things” that worried and troubled Martha’s heart and the Christ who pinpointed her pain, met her in the midst of it, and lifted her up. We watch Martha come of age as she works through her mother’s death and the heavy responsibility of raising her siblings. We journey with Martha as she experiences first love and learns to shoulder the mantle of womanhood, even while coping with a father who is stuck in his loss. When grief comes to Martha’s own heart, she is presented with a choice. Will she cling to her hurt more than to Adonai, the way her father has done? Or is there a better way forward?

May this story encourage you to remain openhearted even when life feels unbearably hard, to pin your hopes to Jesus, the only One able to lift you up from the ashes of grief.

While you read, consider listening to the Up from Dust playlist! It’s full of inspirational music that ties into the themes from the book. Give it a listen HERE. Happy reading (and listening)!

Surrendering with you to Him,

Heather

My Impressions

“How can I begin to tell of the many things I have found? Or of the One who found me? I see His hand in my story like a weaver’s shuttle through the warp, steady and sure, pulling here, loosening there, doing the work necessary for beauty. How do I tell of His capable hands, the ones that rescued me?”

“Before I can share the many ways I was found, I would have to begin with the day I was lost.”

And so, in the prologue, ( I hope you read prologues!) we have the reason for Heather Kaufman’s imagination of Martha’s life long before she ever met Jesus. As with other great Biblical fiction, Kaufman takes a few verses and passages we know of a Biblical individual. These are not changed from Scripture. But where Scripture is silent, the author suggests possible life events that send Martha, Mary, and Lazarus on their life trajectories until they encounter Jesus. “Maybe she or he reacted this way because…” In the meantime, Kaufman’s Martha becomes so real, so human, you will sympathize, you will judge, you will hold your breath as you hold her secrets, and you will wonder how she survived growing up in her father’s house. You will begin to understand a woman’s plight in Jewish society in the first century. Kaufman presents challenging relationships well. Some romantic, some familial, some friend-based. You will sigh, you will cry, you will ask, “Why?” But hopefully, when all is said and done, you will turn to the Biblical story to check out what truth we do know, and you’ll never view Martha or her siblings as 2- dimensional again!

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher, through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley, plus I bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Yahweh keeps providing beacons of light in your life to guide you when you need it most.”

“None of us is worthy. We are all naked and undone before the holiness of God.”

“Who can stand before this holy God?”

“Those who align themselves with His Son.”

“Sometimes love engulfs us suddenly, like a consuming fire.”“…Other times it comes over us slowly, like a sunrise.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! An excellent Biblical times novel that offers a great look at the political and cultural settings of the times, and how a Jewish woman would fit into them. A Bible-honoring possible solution for how life made Martha who she was.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 27

Texas Book-aholic, March 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 30

For Him and My Family, March 31

The Lofty Pages, March 31

Splashes of Joy, April 1

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 2

She Lives To Read, April 3

Cover Lover Book Review, April 4

Artistic Nobody, April 5 (Spotlight)

Labor Not in Vain, April 6

Mary Hake, April 6

Holly’s Book Corner, April 7

Pause for Tales, April 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Heather is giving away the grand prize package of a $15 gift card to Amazon and a paperback copy of Up from Dust!!

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/2aa71/up-from-dust-martha-s-story-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, Love Inspired, NetGalley, Purchase

Trapped in Yosemite by Dana Mentink Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Trapped in Yosemite

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release Date: February 27, 2024

When a massive earthquake levels the region, secrets and unknown dangers are exposed…

The ground in still-icy Yosemite National Park isn’t stable, and K-9 handler Von Sharpe fears the worst. But his worries are pushed aside when he sees an SUV viciously forced off the road…with his ex-fiancée at the wheel. It’s only when Stella Rivers steps out of the vehicle that the very ground under their feet cracks and breaks with the onslaught of a terrifying earthquake.

When her meeting with a mysterious client is ambushed, Stella witnesses the man being gunned down by a sniper and becomes a target herself. With the threat of aftershocks triggering landslides and floods, the new mom has no choice but to run to save her baby girl—even if it means teaming up with the man who has no idea he fathered her child.

Trapped in a dangerously unstable wilderness with a killer closing in, Von and Stella are running out of time to get to safety. And every fissure reveals a new secret that will shake them to their foundation…

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion. She’s written over fifty titles in the suspense, lighthearted romance and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Poisoned Pen Press.

More from Dana

I won’t ever forget October 17th, 1989. I was finished with my student teaching duties, chatting with my mother while we watched the World Series. It was an epic matchup of two Bay Area teams. As we watched, the floor lurched and the entire house began to rattle and pitch. We ran outside and watched the street undulate like ocean waves. We’d later come to learn it was a 6.9 earthquake on the Loma Prieta fault. The shaking only lasted 20 seconds but 63 people were killed, 3,757 were reported injured and 12,053 displaced. The damage estimates reached as high as $10 billion, with 18,306 houses leveled. Approximately 2,575 businesses were impacted and 147 were destroyed. The part I will remember most was the collapse of a section of the freeway in Oakland which trapped people in the pancaked structure. I remember watching the close space rescue teams work night and day to find survivors.

Little did I know that memorable event would someday lead to a book! This novel combines the iconic California setting of Yosemite and the big fear buried deep in every California’s mind…the big one, the massive earthquake we know will be coming someday. Of course you know there will be a happy ending in the novel, but I hope you will feel the edge of your seat suspense that keeps you turning pages. God bless you, dear readers!

My Impressions

“Stella Rivers scoured the dense shrubbery like she’d been doing for the past hour as if the branches might somehow reach out and snatch her van off the mountain road. Ridiculous, but the isolation raked her nerves.”

Yikes!! Dana Mentink knows how to build tension in the first sentence, and in Trapped in Yosemite, that tension only gets more and more taut until the last sentence!

Stella Rivers is an arborist with something to prove and a nine-month-old daughter to support on her own. She becomes a human target while going to an appointment near Yosemite. As Stella flees, her vehicle is destroyed, and she is rescued by her former fiancé, Von Sharpe. Von is ex-military and grudgingly leads tours in Yosemite at his brother’s wilderness survival camp.

Stella is keeping a huge secret from Von and has put up a wall around her heart. She vows to stay away from Von and to never make him as important in her life as he once was. “She wouldn’t and couldn’t make him her everything, the source of her happiness and fulfillment.”

Von doesn’t understand how to deal with a young child, but his precious Malinois is like a child to him. Burned once by Stella, Von finds himself protecting her from incredible natural and human disasters. Von doesn’t believe God gives second chances, and he’s not about to give himself or Stella any grace.

I loved the eventual solution to Stella’s mysterious stalker. I didn’t see it coming until just before the reveal.

If you love high-octane romantic suspense with mystery or secret baby trope, you will enjoy Dana Mentink’s Trapped in Yosemite.

Notable Quotables:

“Why hadn’t he told her the truth? Truth and facts were what kept people alive.”

“If you aren’t tied together by God, the world will tear you apart in short order.”

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. I also purchased my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

“‘You weren’t put on this planet to be happy.” ‘Tate’s equanimity only infuriated Von further. ‘Yeah? Then why am I here, oh, wise sage?’ ‘To learn how to love.’”

“‘I try very hard not to dwell in what ifs.’ That would turn into a spiral of intrusive thoughts that would hold her hostage. “

“Love couldn’t be enough without the bedrock of faith.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! My fave Dana Mentink romantic suspense yet!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 21

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 21

Bigreadersite, March 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 22 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 22

Texas Book-aholic, March 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 23

Lakesidelivingsite, March 24

Pause for Tales, March 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 24

Betti Mace, March 25

The Sacred Line, March 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 26

Daysong Reflections, March 26

EmpowerMoms, March 27

Life, Love, Writing, March 27

Cover Lover Book Review, March 28

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 28

Blogging With Carol, March 28

Tell Tale Book reviews, March 29

Simple Harvest Reads, March 29 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, March 30

Splashes of Joy, March 30

Blossoms and Blessings, March 31

To Everything There Is A Season , March 31

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 31

Holly’s Book Corner, April 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 1

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 2

Labor Not in Vain , April 2

Lily’s Corner, April 3

Lights in a Dark World, April 3

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, April 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 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/2a8f5/trapped-in-yosemite-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase

Luck of the Irish: A Cozy Mystery Anthology by Cozy Authors

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Luck of the Irish Cozy Mystery Anthology

Authors:Kate Darroch, Jessica Thompson, Kathleen Kalb, C A Phipps, Amy Grundy, J R Lancaster, Jaclyn Weist, Jessica Brimer, K Rose, and W Jenkins

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Release Date: March 17, 2024

A fabulous collection of Cozy Mysteries from your Favorite Cozy Authors –  published on St Pat’s Day, so they ALL feature The Luck of the Irish. ALL PROCEEDS go to help children living in ghastly conditions in internment camps.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Authors

Living on the picturesque Devon coastline, Kate combines her passion for cozy sleuths and her experiences living in many countries to create compelling Travel Cozies.
Màiri Maguire, a Scots Irish schoolteacher from 1970s Glasgow, the heroine of Kate’s debut novel, Death in Paris, has earned Kate many international book awards, including Incipere’s Best Christian Fiction 2022, consolidating her reputation as a notable author.

Kate hopes her readers will enjoy Màiri’s adventures as much as she enjoys Father Brown, Sherlock Holmes, and that old movie, the Perils of Pauline.
Next, Kate created Huntingdon Hart Investigates. Hunt is a dryly witty, prescient, tongue-in-cheek combo of James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, who’s in endless pursuit of a much older woman.
Kate’s most recent opus is the Christian Second Chance for Lasting Love series, Sweets By the Sea, a depth saga of Recovery and Redemption which her readers insist is even more adorable than her Cozy Mysteries. The first book in the series is Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay, which has been rapturously received by Readers Favorite’s critics.

Jessica Thompson is the award-winning author of the Amazon best-selling mystery novels “A Caterer’s Guide to Holidays and Homicide” and “A Caterer’s Guide to Love and Murder”. Her latest novel, “Shoot Shovel and Shut Up,” is a classic mystery that won second place in the Firebird Awards. Jessica’s “Beyond the Woods: A Supernatural Anthology” is a family-friendly collection of her own campfire stories. Jessica is also Assistant Finance Chair for the Storymakers Guild.

More from Kate

Recipe for Irish Stew and an introduction to the book and why my fellow authors and I created it.

The Luck of the Irish: a Cozy Mystery Anthology from 10 Cozy Authors

Editors:  Kate Darroch and Jessica Thompson

You will love this Cozy Mystery anthology crammed with Cozy Mysteries from 10 Cozy authors

Renowned, like Kathleen Marple Karb, and New, like J R Lancaster

Let’s start our St Pat’s Day Celebrations the right way, with delicious things to eat and drink! Food for the body.

Irish Stew

A Royal Chef cooked this yummy Irish Stew Recipe at Sandringham House

Learn his delicious, although not strictly traditional, Irish stew recipe – and surprise your loved ones with a dish fit for a King!

Darren McGrady    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9HWZe9cSrM

Continuing our St Pat’s Day Celebrations, the right way, with Fascinating Mysteries full of Luck! Food for the mind.

The title says it all! Ten Cozy Mysteries from beloved Cozy Authors to give you food for the mind throughout the celebrations!

And winding up our St Pat’s Day Celebrations the right way, with a thought for those less fortunate… Food for the soul.

Why did 10 Authors get together to give you this super collection of Cozy Mysteries? Because we were aghast at the plight of children in border internment camps. We funded all costs of publication. 100% of all book sales proceeds goes to RAICES

Help these kids in dire need. And have fun reading Cozy Mysteries at the same time.

My Impressions

“Some people might say I’m nosey, but I prefer attentive.”

Luck of the Irish: A Cozy Mystery Anthology is a bit different than what I expected, perhaps. Different writers, yes, there are ten, so there is a variety of style and presentation. All are necessarily short, so each can be read in a quick sitting, which is nice.

All the stories contain an amateur sleuth of some capacity who reluctantly or quite happily tries to solve a crime the police cannot. Often, small towns are involved. What I most found missing was humor, that while not a cozy requirement, is something that I believe adds much to the genre. I also missed any real faith lessons, although none were promised. Some situations bordered on the out-of-bounds for me, and one story I didn’t finish. I felt it was cruder than necessary.

There were some stories I did enjoy. My fave was JR Lancaster’s A Foliage Farewell, where a horticulturist who rarely leaves his house travels to a country manor to discover why the rich man’s prized conservatory plants were dying. This story reminded me of Encyclopedia Brown from my childhood.

I also enjoyed A Tale of Fickle Fortune by Amy Grundy in which a leprechaun statue is thought to bring good luck to its possessor, if returned to giver in alotted time.

I also liked Jessica Brimer’s Clover in Murder, for the reasoning behind murder and a twist at the end of the story.

Yet another story that caught my attention for its surprising twist at the end is Leprechaun Gold by Jaclyn Wrist. The sleuth and the police are friendly to each other. The clue of the stamp and how it plays out amazes me. But more so, it’s the ending that amazes me. I want to rewind that ending or interview the one character, and ask, “Now, just HOW did you know that was the right thing to do again?!”

I also thought CA Phipps had a good story with Luck of Shadows and a woman named Patience who grants people’s last wishes.

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit, plus I bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐

Good. Recommended with caveats.

Blog Stops

I have edited this post. Celebrate Lit is no longer promoting this book.