Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish by Bethany Turner

May 12, 2020May 12, 2020 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish

Author: Bethany Turner

Publisher: Revell

Released: May 2020

Genre: Romcom

Celebrity chef Maxwell Cavanaugh is known for many things: his multiple Michelin stars, his top-rated Culinary Channel show To the Max, and most of all his horrible temper. Hadley Beckett, host of the Culinary Channel’s other top-rated show, At Home with Hadley, is beloved for her Southern charm and for making her viewers feel like family.

When Max experiences a very public temper tantrum, he’s sent packing to get his life in order. When he returns, career in shambles, his only chance to get back on TV and in the public’s good graces is to work alongside Hadley.

As these polar-opposite celeb chefs begin to peel away the layers of public persona and reputation, they will not only discover the key ingredients for getting along, but also learn the secret recipe for unexpected forgiveness . . . and maybe even love. In the meantime, hide the knives.

Fan-favorite Bethany Turner serves up a heaping helping of humor and romance with this thoroughly modern story centered on cooking, enemies, and second chances.

My Review

Looking for some great laughs, a good, clean romance, with tension and twists right up to the end? Look no further. Bethany Turner’s Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish is a great read. Hadley Beckett is a sweet, country, Southern gal who has her own homey-type cooking show. We meet her as she faces off against infamous bad-boy chef Max Cavanaugh in a taped cooking contest.
This novel is both comic relief and one to make you introspective. As the point of view switches between Hadley in first person and Max in third, we get to see both characters struggle against themselves and each other. Can Max the terrible re-invent himself into a lovable, likable person? Can Hadley trust that love doesn’t have to end badly? And, of course, can they prove to their Renowned tv audience that two chefs are not too many for one kitchen?

Hadley Beckett's Next Dish 1
Ms. Turner has penned a book I couldn’t put down, with twists in just the right places. Bethany Turner likes to challenge the reader to think about things differently. This time one of the topics is alcoholism.
Not everyone who crashes and burns due to alcohol is an alcoholic. This is a message that Max strives to give out.
Hadley mentions a few Biblical characters, and Max mentions wanting to find out what causes her to be different. Beyond that, Turner chooses not to elaborate. I was disappointed, as I love to carry away a few spiritual nuggets of wisdom. All in all, a very fun, clean book, just without the raisôn d’être I hoped for.

Hadley Beckett's Next Dish 2
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Revell through RevellReads via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.

My Rating

5 Stars- Superior – Hits My Reading Sweet Spot

About the Author

Bethany Turner is the award-winning author of The Secret Life of Sarah 7214754 Hollenbeck and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey and the director of administration for Rock Springs Church in Southwest Colorado. A former bank executive and a three-time cancer survivor (all before she turned 35), Bethany knows that when God has plans for your life, it doesn’t matter what anyone else has to say. Because of that, she’s chosen to follow his call to write. She lives with her husband and their two sons in Colorado, where she writes for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the thorny issues of life with humor and insight. Learn more at seebethanywrite.com.

Bethany House, BLOG, NetGalley

The Bridge to Belle Island by Julie Klassen

May 6, 2020May 6, 2020 Babbling Becky L

43887304

About the Book

Title: The Bridge to Belle Island

Author: Julie Klassen

Publisher: Bethany House

Released: December 2019

Genre: Christian Regency Mystery

After a humiliating mistake, lawyer Benjamin Booker resolves to never again trust a beautiful woman. When an old friend is killed, the senior partner isn’t satisfied with Bow Street’s efforts and asks Benjamin to investigate. Eager to leave London for a while, Benjamin agrees. Evidence takes him to a remote island on the Thames, a world unto itself, shrouded in mist and mystery. Soon he finds himself falling for the main suspect—a woman who claims not to have left the island in ten years. But should he trust her?

On Belle Island, Isabelle feels safe and leads a productive life, but fear keeps her trapped there. When Mr. Booker arrives with news of her trustee’s murder in London, Isabelle is stunned. She has not left the island, yet she has a recurring dream about the man’s death. Or is it a memory? She had been furious with him, but she never intended…this.

When a second person dies, and evidence shockingly points to her, Isabelle doesn’t know who to trust: the attractive lawyer or the admirer and friends who assemble on the island, each with grudges against the victim. Can she even trust her own mind? While they search for the truth, secrets come to light, and danger comes calling.

My Review

Julie Klassen presents quite the Regency mystery in Bridge to Belle Island, set in 1819. There are so many levels in which one can relate Klassen’s characters. We start with the hero, Benjamin Booker, a young attorney at a prestigious law firm. Booker is young and eager, but failing, afraid, and angry at his demanding father, who chooses to honor Ben’s brother over Ben. Booker has “adopted” his boss and mentor, Mr. Robert Hardy, one of the firm’s founders, as a “surrogate” father figure. Who can’t relate to failure or the fear of failure? How many of us, whether we had good parents or not, could not also point to at least one other adult who made significant contributions to our lives? Ben will need to decide about two loves… that of a certain lady, and whether his father should ever be given a chance to regain his trust and love again.

Our other main character is the very capable, middle-aged spinster, Miss Isabelle Wilder. With her trustee dead, can she finally control her own life, as well as that of her niece, whom she helped raise? Will the old family curse visit Isabelle or will fear of it defeat her? With a bevy of possible suitors, who will she choose?
And, of course, the mystery itself. I love it. We start out with the death of Mr. Norris, Isabelle’s and Rose’s trustee, early on. It will take us a journey through the whole book, with many stops and multiple suspects, to finally discover the true mastermind behind Norris’s death. The novel carries a sense of Edgar Allen Poe, the Clue game, and Charles Dickens all rolled into one. What fun, except for a few times when things were so bleak I wanted to cry. About three-fourths the way through, the narrative lagged, but picked up and surged forward again.

The faith message includes reminders of Philippians 4:6,7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Faith in God, discernment of whom to trust, and forgiveness are themes in this novel full of twists.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley.
This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.

My Rating

4 Stars – Excellent- I Would Gladly Recommend It!

About the Author

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her books, The Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Midwest Book Award, the Minnesota Book Award, and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award, and been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards and ACFW’s Carol Awards. She blogs at http://www.inspiredbylifeandfiction.com.
Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Barbour, BLOG, Favorite, NetGalley

The Chisholm Trail Bride, #12, The Daughters of the Mayflower by Kathleen Y’Barbo

May 4, 2020 Babbling Becky L

49617575

About the Book

Title: The Chisholm Trail Bride

Series: #12 The Daughters of the Mayflower

Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Publisher: Barbour

Released: March 2020

Stubborn Hearts Clash on a Cattle Drive

Eliza Gentry’s pursuit of marriage to the son of her family’s sworn enemy has cost her greatly. Furious at his daughter’s choices, her father sends her off with the cattle drive heading toward Fort Worth and the Barnhart ranch, but under the watchful eye of Wyatt Creed, a Pinkerton man he has hired to see to her safety. With danger at every turn—not the least of which to his heart—can Wyatt Creed keep his focus with Eliza Gentry around? Is the Chisholm Trail a place for falling in love or a place to die at the hands of cattle thieves?

(Babbling Becky L’s insert here: I don’t know who read the book to prepare this blurb, or if the author had a loose idea of what the storyline would be, but the above is way off. 😦 )

Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo

More in the Daughters of the Mayflower series:
The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018)
The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018)
The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (June 2018)
The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018)
The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018)
The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018)
The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1836 Texas (February 2019)
The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1849 San Francisco (April 2019)
The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1860 Utah (July 2019)The Rebel Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1863 Tennessee (December 2019)
The Blizzard Bride by Susanne Dietze – set 1888 Nebraska

My Review

Kathleen Y’Barbo has produced one of the best installments of The Daughters of the Mayflower. I loved almost everything about #12, The Chisholm Trail Bride. We first meet Eliza Gentry on a trail ride with her beloved father, William, and brothers. At fourteen, Eliza should be at finishing school, but she is much more interested in things of the Texas ranch, including the yearly cattle drive. When a trail skirmish ends in disaster, Eliza loses more than she can imagine.
Nine years later, in 1889, Eliza is still bucking her parents’ ideas of what is best for her. Will she marry Ben Barnhart, rich, ambitious, and headed for the presidency? Or will her father’s security guard protect her heart from ruin?

The Chisholm Bride 1
Any romance reader that has ever laid on the grass at night and located different star constellations or watched meteor showers is sure to enjoy this book. Especially as Y’Barbo’s Eliza is both so strong-headed and yet loves her father so fiercely. I love this quote that explains much of the two main tensions of the book:
‘“Eliza, you are me in female form, and that confounds the daylights out of me…
But there is one thing we do that is sometimes our downfall.” “What is that, Papa?” she asked. “We love too easily and too hard.”

The Chisholm Bride 2
William Gentry seems very unbending at times, yet at others, is wound around his daughter’s little finger. Even when it seems like he has drawn a definite line for her behavior, he makes provision for how he knows his daughter will act.
This, in turn, reminds me of the Heavenly Father. He knows what is best for us but ultimately allows us to make our own choice, just as Gentry does for Eliza. And, the Father also makes a provision for the choices we may make.
Another element of the novel I loved was the ability Y’Barbo has to make me identify with the characters. I felt every emotion Eliza and Wyatt felt, and I sure hated a few characters!
As a reader, I was happy to be engrossed by action that continued until the end of the novel. I liked some of the “little” odd twists that turned out to be important.
Definitely a book I recommend if you like westerns.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.

My Rating

5 Stars- Superior- Hits My Reading Sweet Spot

About the Author

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Bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than eighty novels with almost two million copies in print in the US and abroad.

A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine.

To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour

Home on Huckleberry Hill, #9 The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand

April 29, 2020April 29, 2020 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Home on Huckleberry Hill

Series: #9, The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill

Author: Jennifer Beckstrand

Publisher: Zebra Press

Released: June 2018

Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin’s irrepressible eighty-something matchmakers Anna and Felty Helmuth are at it again. And this time they’re willing to rough it to get the job done . . .

Mary Anne Neuenschwander knows she should be content with what Gotte has given her. She has a comfortable house, a fruitful farm, and a good, steady husband. But after nearly six years of marriage, she still longs for a baby. Yet her husband, Jethro, seems to care more about fishing than about his wife. Unable to bear Jethro’s indifference, Mary Anne moves into a tent in the woods where he won’t have to be bothered. But when her mammi and dawdi find out what she’s done, they’ll stop at nothing—including a little camping trip of their own—to help save their granddaughter’s marriage . . .

Jethro’s greatest blessing is his beloved wife, Mary Anne. Nothing else in his life has turned out anywhere near the way he expected. Rather than burden Mary Anne with his disappointment, he shields her by spending less and less time at home and more time on the river. But when he finds that she’s moved out, he’s shocked. What will people think? What is Mary Anne thinking? And what clever plans are her grandparents hatching?…

Get your copy here.

My Review

One good Jennifer Beckstrand deserves another. Or 10, as this series, The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill proves. While Home on Huckleberry Hill is my first Huckleberry Hill book, the book stood alone great. Home on Huckleberry Hill, #9 in the series, is a hilarious look at a serious problem. One that a good Amish couple would never, ever have.
Starting with Mary Anne’s octogenarian grandparents, you will be doubling over in laughter by the first page. Ah, the dirty secrets of the Amish.
Mary Anne certainly has one. After a miscarriage four years ago, she has grown so estranged from her husband, Jethro, that she wants a divorce. But, of course, there is no such thing in the Amish church.
Mary Anne creatively finds a way to escape Jethro’s overbearing ways.
If only she could keep her decision between her and Jethro. No such luck. “Gossip traveled faster than a runaway horse in Amish country, but it seemingly traveled like lightning in an Amish grocery store.”As I read this book, it was easy to reflect on the early years of my marriage, and even selfish moments since. Who gives in? Who declares themselves wrong? Who steps up to the plate and magnanimously, truly, forgives and moves forward?

Home on Huckleberry Hill 2

I loved Mary Anne’s mammi and dawdi, but after a while, I did want to tell them to stop insulting Jethro by name-calling. I was half-afraid that, though Jethro had indeed ignored his wife, the whole burden of the failed marriage would land solely on him. Ack! Jethro’s family! Especially his mamm and his brother, Willie Jay.
“Willie Jay had no idea how entertaining he was from a distance.” But up close he’s a terror of a sermon. As the bishop put it so well (and I hope we see more of him in the other books), “I can’t make anybody do anything, and I wouldn’t want to. Gotte will force no man to heaven.” But will Jethro use the Scriptures to force Mary Anne back to him? Or will he finally look at himself and say, “Is it I” causing the problems? Will Mary Anne hold out forever or will she tear down some walls and forgive?

Homeon Huckelberry Hill
If you haven’t read Beckstrand before, you’re in for a treat. Her sense of humor is hilarious and inventive. And you will feel like you’ve grown with the characters along the way.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. This does not affect my opinions, which are solely my own.

My Rating

4 Stars- Excellent

About the Author

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 always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people and loves writing about the antics of Anna and Felty Helmuth, the Honeybee sisters’ aendi Bitsy, and Alfie and Benji Petersheim. Jennifer has written twenty-two Amish romances, a historical Western, and the nonfiction book, Big Ideas. Jennifer is represented by Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour Agency. She and her husband have been married for thirty-five years, and she has six children and eight adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.

Connect with Jennifer on social media.

Website: http://www.jenniferbeckstrand.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbeckstrandfans

Twitter: @JenniferBeckst1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jennifergbeckst/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Beckstrand/e/B0073GHCOG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1488910908&sr=8-2-ent

Instagram: j.beckstrand

Bookbub: @JenniferBeckstrand https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-beckstrand

Jennifer

Barbour, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, NetGalley, PB

The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep- Celebrate Lit Tour & Giveaway

April 29, 2020April 28, 2020 Babbling Becky L

What do you do when you’ve already blogged about a favorite author’s book, but you signed up to blog about it later with a professional group? Why, you excitedly reblog, of course!! Besides, did I mention this one has a great giveaway?!

About the Book

Book: House at the End of the Moor

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Christian Historical 9781643523422-197x300

Release Date: April 2020

An Opulent London Opera Star Escapes to the Rugged Landscape of the English Moors

Opera star Maggie Lee escapes her opulent lifestyle when threatened by a powerful politician who aims to ruin her life. She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house. Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession—the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver’s name and hopefully maintaining Maggie’s anonymity.

Click here for your copy!

My Review

“Books are light and air.” This one was sweet ambrosia to my soul. It was midnight. I was just finishing Michelle Griep’s The House at the End of the Moor. All I could do was sit in my chair and grin hugely. The House at the End of the Moor was everything and more (pardon the pun) I could hope for from Griep. Firstly, the two Regency protagonists, Maggie and Oliver, are three-dimensional. They are both wonderful and flawed. And, yes, it is easy to fall in love with them as we learn more about their broken backgrounds. Griep writes with great imagery, humor, and skill. “Words stagger around on my tongue like little drunkards.” “…’Every soul has value.’” “’Even Barrow’s?’” “…That stung. Of course, Barrow was one of God’s creatures–but so was a rat.” (BTW, this “value” theme carries over from her last book, but yet The House at the Edge of the Moor is also a great stand-alone.)

House End Moor 1

The enemies are dark, dangerous, and even described as demons. How I loved that. But how I loved, even more, the subtle thread of one very lost, dark soul beginning to hear God’s call on his life. How far is too far for forgiveness? With people? With God? The faith element is present at appropriate times. Strong, but fitting. If you can’t have faith when approaching death, when can you? Does this same faith carry over into life? Greed, need of a loving father, trust, backward prejudice, judgment, and justice are all themes woven into this deliciously rich book that went down like honey into my reader’s soul.

House End Moor 2

“True justice starts with repentance. How can we ask God to show justice in the world while willfully nursing our own hidden prejudices, selfishness, lusts, greed…our own broken relationships?” By the end of the novel, I had completed a romance, filled my head with beautiful words, received words of faith to consider, and enjoyed more twists than I could have imagined. Yet every twist actually was credible. Thus, I closed the book, extremely happy. If only it weren’t over. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author as well as from NetGalley. This in no way influences my opinions, which are solely my own.

My Rating

5 Stars- Hits My Reading Sweet Spot ( And Won’t Let Go!)

About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at http://www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More from Michelle

What comes to mind when you hear the word moor? For some, images of Jane Eyre spring to life. For others, The Hound of the Baskervilles starts barking. But for most, it’s a big fat goose egg. The fact is that most Americans don’t have a clue what a moor is, but never fear, my friend…after you read the next few paragraphs, you’ll never again go blank-minded when you hear the word moor.

Last summer I skipped across the pond and tromped around Dartmoor with my daughter and husband. What an awesome experience. I learned first-hand just how windy this vast stretch of land can be, for that’s really what a moor is at heart: a vast stretch of land. Webster’s defines it as an expanse of open rolling infertile land. Sounds rather desolate, eh? Yeah. Kind of. But it’s oh so much more.

In spring and summer, green does abound. Gorse bushes. Scrubby grasses. Lambs and sheep and goats. All these animals roam free so there are trails worn into the dirt that you can hike along. But I hear you…where could you possibly go if there’s nothing besides some farm animals roaming around the place?

You could hike to a tor, which is a “high, craggy hill.” Some of them can be a little treacherous to climb, but sweet mercy, what a view! The earth stretches out like a green and brown quilt. As I hiked that day last spring, whispers in the wind inspired me to wonder a lot of what-ifs, and those what-ifs came together in a story of intrigue and betrayal.

What would you do if you found a half-dead man bleeding in the middle of nowhere? Find out what heroine Maggie Lee does in The House at the End of the Moor.

Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, April 18

The Avid Reader, April 18

Life of Literature, April 18

The Power of Words, April 18

For Him and My Family, April 19

Texas Book-aholic, April 19

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, April 19

Among the Reads, April 20

My Devotional Thoughts, April 20

As He Leads is Joy, April 20

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 20

Just the Write Escape, April 21

Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 21

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, April 21

Where Faith and Books Meet, April 22

deb’s Book Review, April 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 22

Inklings and notions, April 22

Remembrancy, April 23

Hookmeinabook, April 23

Christian Bookaholic, April 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 24

Britt Reads Fiction, April 24

Emily Yager, April 24

Betti Mace, April 25

Stories By Gina, April 25

Adventures of a Traveling Wife, April 25

Blossoms and Blessings, April 25

Splashes of Joy, April 26

Simple Harvest Reads, April 26 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Vicky Sluiter, April 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 26

Blessed & Bookish, April 27

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 27

Pause for Tales, April 27

Through the Fire Blogs, April 28

Hallie Reads, April 28

Faery Tales Are Real, April 28

To Everything There Is A Season, April 28

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 29

Bigreadersite, April 29

Older & Smarter?, April 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 29

Genesis 5020, April 30

Read Review Rejoice, April 30

By The Book, April 30

For the Love of Literature, April 30

All-of-a-kind Mom, May 1

Bookishly Beverly, May 1

Daysong Reflections, May 1

Artistic Nobody, May 1 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a free 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/f8e2/the-house-at-the-end-of-the-moor-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour

Terror in the Skies, #1 Turbulent Skies by Alana Terry

April 24, 2020April 24, 2020 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Terror in the Skies

Author: Alana Terry

Genre: Christian Thriller Suspense

Release Date: November 12, 2019

A hijacked airplane. A fatal disaster. A desperate soul in need of salvation …

Willow’s spirited, carefree, and far too young to die. Trapped on a hijacked airplane with no promise of survival, Willow’s forced to confront her darkest fear as well as her soul’s deepest need.

Terror in the Skies is the first novella in the Turbulent Skies Christian Thriller series, an unforgettable collection of interconnected novellas about strangers traveling together aboard a doomed flight. Find out why Christian fiction readers can’t stop raving about this heart-stopping, fast-paced series you can devour in a single sitting.

If you like harrowing stories of faith and redemption, spine-tingling adrenaline surges, and heart-pounding Christian suspense, you’ll love these edge-of-your-seat novellas by USA Today bestselling author, Alana Terry.

Dive into the breathtaking Turbulent Skies series today. Just be careful … you may not be able to read just one!

Click here for your copy.

My Review

Terror in the Skies by Alana Terry was a different kind of read for me. I wasn’t ready for the first-person narration, almost stream-of-consciousness thought. Willow Winters, who starts to tell us the story of her and her roommate’s plane hijacking, goes down several rabbit trails on the way.

Willow pontificates on everything from human trafficking to illicit drug use to environmental protection then climbs on a soapbox about Flint, Michigan’s water issue. I wish this book had been presented as a social ills book, instead of suspense. Even the suspense part (not a major part of the novel that I was hoping for) becomes secondary to the social gospel and the True Gospel. We all need to think seriously about eternity, but for me, this story has too many side journeys and barely delivers as a suspense novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. This in no way affects my opinions, for which I am solely responsible.

My Rating

2 Stars – Not So Good – I Would Not Recommend This Book

(Please note that many other Celebrate Lit reviewers and others have liked or loved this book. Please choose for yourself, not just based on my recommendation.)

About the Author

Alana is a pastor’s wife, homeschooling mom, self-diagnosed chicken lady, and Christian suspense author. Her novels have won awards from Women of Faith, Book Club Network, Grace Awards, Readers’ Favorite, and more. Alana’s passion for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom shines through her writing, and her books are known for raising tough questions without preaching. She and her family live in rural Alaska where the northern lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer make hauling water, surviving the annual mosquito apocalypse, and cleaning goat stalls in negative forty degrees worth every second.

More from Alana

I’m excited to share my new Turbulent Skies Christian Thriller novella series with all of you! The inspiration behind this series came when I was taking a flight a few years ago … and indulging in one of my favorite past times – people watching! As I looked at the various passengers around me, I started to wonder about their lives … and it was from that line of thinking this novella series was born!

I first wrote a book about a terrifying experience on board an airplane years earlier, (Turbulence, Book #5 in the Kennedy Stern series) and because many members of my amazing Readers’ Club had been asking me to write a book featuring Willow, one of their favorite characters from the Kennedy Stern series, it seemed fitting that Willow gets to be the star in the first of these novellas.

Terror in the Skies is Willow’s story. She’s a chic Alaskan college student, a free spirit who finds herself sharing a dorm room with a conservative Christian missionary kid. Willow first makes her appearance in the Kennedy Stern Christian suspense series, meaning that over a hundred thousand readers have met her!

I can’t tell you too much about this life-of-the-party aspiring actress (mostly because I don’t want to spoil anything for you if you happen to still be making your way through the Kennedy Stern books). But I can tell you she is the first main character in this six-book novella series that helps answer the question: “Who are you really sitting next to hundreds of feet up in the air?”

Maybe, like me, after reading this series, you’ll never look at your fellow passengers the same way!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 20

My Devotional Thoughts, April 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 21

Read Review Rejoice, April 21

Texas Book-aholic, April 22

Just Your Average reviews, April 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 23

deb’s Book Review, April 23

Inklings and notions, April 24

Blogging With Carol, April 24

For the Love of Literature, April 25

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 25

Ashley’s Bookshelf, April 26

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, April 26

Betti Mace, April 27

janicesbookreviews, April 27

Emily Yager, April 28

Genesis 5020, April 28

For Him and My Family, April 29

Hookmeinabook, April 29

She Lives to Read, April 30

Mary Hake, April 30

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 1

Maureen’s Musings, May 1

Splashes of Joy, May 2

Book of Ruth Ann, May 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 3

Bookishly Beverly, May 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Alana is giving away the grand prize of a $30 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/f8f2/terror-in-the-skies-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Favorite, PB, Revell

Silent Shadows, #3 Harbored Secrets by Natalie Walters

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

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Title: Silent Shadows

Series: #3 Harbored Secrets

Author: Natalie Walters

Publisher: Revell

Released: March 2020

Pecca Gallegos moved to the tiny town of Walton, Georgia, to protect her son and escape the dangerous lifestyle that once defined her. When a series of strange circumstances evolve into threats, Pecca finds herself confiding in an unlikely ally–her stubborn patient.

Army veteran Colton Crawford is desperate to recover from the undiagnosed disorder that is ruining his life, and his instincts are on high alert when threats against his nurse and her son force him to take action. But Colton’s involvement only ramps up the danger when he uncovers a family secret revealing that whoever is after Pecca is closer–and more deadly–than they realized.

With this suspenseful new story, Natalie Walters welcomes you once more to Walton, Georgia, where everyone knows your name–but no one knows your secret.

My Review

“Pecca Gallegos never thought she’d be turning down a marriage proposal…much less four of them.” So starts Silent Shadows, romantic suspense by Natalie Walters. #3 in the Harbored Secrets series, Silent Shadows is a stand-alone that I expect to see in my Top Books for 2020 at year’s end.
What did I love so much about this book? It seems realistic. I enjoyed Nurse Pecca, who is a physical therapist, working at a home for injured veterans. She seems like an every-day, down-to-earth person, with an unfortunate background.
Rising out of that past may be one of the strongest parts of the novel, supporting character Maceo, Pecca’s 7 year- old son, who has a leg prosthetic. Of course, Captain Colton Crawford is a swoony, but broken part of this equation. When he develops a relationship with Maceo, Pecca can’t help but like the Captain, even with his disability. But will he ever stop seeing the future as discarded dreams and instead see unexpected opportunities?

Silent Shadows1

There are many secondary threads or characters that strengthen this narrative beautifully. We start with the romance, a possible love triangle, and unknown danger. Now add the secondary storyline of Maceo, plus thickening threads. The danger thread builds nicely. Where is it coming from? Great twists. Another thread is Charlie and Lacy and the coming baby. I love Shirley with her loving, nurturing ways and all the other vets with their love and friendly service competition.

Silent Shadows 2

One last thread that appealed to me was the realism of the seizures. Not fun. But I could see them in my mind. Good research there. These different story strands tighten the weave of the book until it is a multi-faceted, taut romantic suspense.
All in all, I reckon I just loved this book!
Quotes:

“If you want to win the game, you’ve got to know who you’re playing.”

“He had no idea what he did to deserve this or why he was being punished- only if this was his life sentence, he would’ve chosen the alternative.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Revell.
All opinions are my own, for which I am solely responsible.

My Rating

5 Stars- Superior- Hits My Reading Sweet Spot

About the Author

18471823 My world revolves around GIJOE and our three adult (or almost adult) children who keep my life anything but predictable. Our boots hit the ground wherever the Army sends us but home is when we’re all together no matter the zipcode. My passion is writing stories where adventure meets love and share my belief that life rooted in purpose is a story worth telling.

BLOG

Desert Willow by Patricia Beal with Kindle Giveaway

April 18, 2020April 17, 2020 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Desert Willow

Author: Patricia Beal

Genre: Romance

Release Date: February 12, 2020

Desert_Willow_frontcover_final-200x300

After a failed engagement, Captain Andrew Lee James has focused on building a career in the Army he loves. That commitment includes helping a feisty, out-of-work ballerina whose devotion to her grandmother’s dying wish immediately grabs his heart. She’s the one, but will he be able to win the heart of a woman who has vowed to never be involved with a soldier?

College graduate Clara Malone swore to never love anyone in the military again but when her dying grandmother asks her to deliver a love letter to the general who broke her heart decades ago, she agrees and finds herself escorted by a handsome Army captain whose kindness challenges her beliefs. Surrounded by desert willows that shower her path with pretty pink flowers and sing with the buzzing of hummingbirds, Clara enjoys the wild beauty of El Paso—and her time with Andrew—more than expected.

Can she deliver her grandmother’s last love letter without losing her heart to a man who represents everything she fears?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Patricia Beal brings the desert heat and beauty to those of us trapped at home. I could feel the heat waves and see the desert willow trees with their delicate visitors.
Desert Willow is both a story of beauty and ugliness. We see young, first loves, a beautiful ballet dancer, and military men. We feel the striking allure of the desert and hearts that waltz closer and closer to love.
But before the final chord is played, dissonance rears its ugly head. Jealousy, hatred, unforgiveness, immaturity, selfishness, and judgment all rise to the surface.
Will the baser natures win, or will Christ and His love be allowed to shine forth and dissipate the darkness?

Desert Willow 2
I loved Alice and her family and how they treated both Andrew and Clara. I thought Alice was a hero the way she decided to love her dad through thick and thin. I was a little disappointed with the continual emphasis on the battle of the physical attraction- yes, it’s real, but is that what I want to fill my mind with?
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. This in no way affects my opinions, for which I am solely responsible.

Desert Willow 1

My Rating

4 Stars – Excellent

About the Author

Patricia Beal is a 2015 Genesis semi-finalist and First Impressions finalist. A Season to Dance is her debut novel (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, May 2017). Her second novel came out in February of 2020. Patricia graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cincinnati in 1998 with a B.A. in English Literature and has worked for the U.S. Army as a writer and editor for many years. Patricia writes from Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband and two children. You can find more info about Patricia on her website here.

More from Patricia

Desert Willow: A Love Song to the City of El Paso, to Family, and to Prince Harry

I enjoy this story so much! It’s great to finally get to share it with you.

Desert Willow started as a NaNoWriMo project in 2015 and has a lot of my grandma’s history in it—life in the German colonies of the south of Brazil, the beginning of the shoe industry there, and the story of the most influential man her town has ever known, my great-grandfather.

And what does that have to do with El Paso and Prince Harry?

Well, my Prince Harry lookalike, a young Army captain named Andrew Lee James who lives in El Paso, is helping the protagonist deliver her grandmother’s last love letter, a letter she was urged to write all those years ago after what happened in Brazil.

The contemporary story of Clara (protagonist) and Andrew was fun to write too because I’ve been around the Army since the nineties. We moved to Fort Bliss/El Paso in 2012 and lived there for six years. I thought I was going to hate it, but I loved it, so I just had to write an El Paso story.

Now I think that what I enjoyed the most about writing this novel was making all the connections and showing how the actions of a distant past affect and inform the modern story so deeply.

Some of you have journeyed with me for a while and know that my debut, A Season to Dance, was my salvation process. What comes after salvation can be hard. What’s that? Well, looking at past mistakes through God’s eyes and realizing just how wrong we were, for starters.

We know how quickly God forgives us, but can we forgive ourselves and each other as quickly?

Desert Willow deals with all that. And with Prince Harry… 😊

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, April 13

The Power of Words, April 13

For the Love of Literature, April 14

Robin’s Nest, April 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 15

Batya’s Bits, April 15

She Lives to Read, April 16

Older & Smarter?, April 16

Texas Book-aholic, April 17

deb’s Book Review, April 17

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 18

Writer Without a Space, April 18

The Christian Fiction Girl, April 19

Rebecca Tews, April 19

Emily Yager, April 20

Simple Harvest Reads, April 20 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Hallie Reads, April 20

Inklings and notions, April 21

All-of-a-kind Mom, April 21

Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 22

Godly Book Reviews, April 22

For Him and My Family, April 23

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, April 23

As He Leads is Joy, April 24

God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae, April 24

A Reader’s Brain, April 25

janicesbookreviews, April 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 26

Pause for Tales, April 26

April Hayman, Author, April 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Patricia is giving away the grand prize of a Kindle Fire 7 (https://amzn.to/37TEN21)!!

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/f8de/desert-willow-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Hardback, Kiddie Lit, Picture Book, Waterbrook-Multnomah

Mama Kisses, Papa Hugs by Lisa Tawn Bergren, Illus. by Aleksandar Zolotic

April 13, 2020April 13, 2020 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Mama Kisses

Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren

Illustrator: Aleksandar Zolotic

Publisher: Waterbrook-Multnomah

Released: March 2020

Audience: 3-7 yr. olds

From the creator of the best-selling God Gave Us You comes a warm exploration of the ways parents show affection–and how it mirrors God’s affection for his followers.

Parents are always looking out for the perfect bedtime book to create a sense of well-being before a night of rest. Mama Kisses, Papa Hugs explores a child’s curiosity about how love is shown between parent and child, with the reassurance that Mama and Papa will always love their little one. And like Lisa Tawn Bergren’s young protagonist asks his mother, this question is pressing on the minds of many children:

“Mama, how does God kiss us?”

Mama smiled. “He kisses us a hundred times a day; although if you don’t pay attention, you might miss it.”

“At night he kisses us with a shooting star. In the morning, he kisses us with sunlight, crawling across the fields and into our windows. On a hot summer afternoon, he kisses us with a gentle breeze. But most of all, he kisses us through our family. That’s how God made us. That’s why I give you Mama kisses.

My Review

Written for children 3-7, Mama Kisses and Papa Hugs by Lisa Tawn Bergren gives Mamas and Papas everywhere a chance to reassure their young children of their never-ending, unchanging love. Children this age want to feel grown-up and cut some ties that they actually need reinforced. They need to know that God made them, God made Mamas and Daddies, and gave them appropriate ways of expressing love. Bergren uses humor and the animal kingdom to spotlight this.
Alexander Zolotic brings his amazingly fresh, vivid, full-page illustrations to enhance these wonderful thoughts. Both the fun animal references and the gorgeous illustrations will keep the little ones turning the pages eagerly as they learn about parents’ and God’s love.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook-Multnomah. This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.

My Rating

5 Stars- Superior – Reassuring for Children of Parents’ and God’s Never-ending Love

About the Author

73754 Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 50 books, with more than 3 million copies sold. She is in the middle of writing The Sugar Baron’s Daughters Series (KETURAH, VERITY, and SELAH), and recently finished a teen series called Remnants (SEASON OF WONDER, SEASON OF FIRE, and SEASON OF GLORY). She’s also written the River of Time Series (WATERFALL, CASCADE, TORRENT, BOURNE & TRIBUTARY, DELUGE) and The Grand Tour Series (GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES, GLITTERING PROMISES). She recently released a new time-slip romance duology called River of Time: California (THREE WISHES and FOUR WINDS).

Lisa’s time is split between managing home base, writing, consulting and helping Tim with his business. Her husband Tim is a sculptor of ducks-out-of-fenceposts (RMRustic.com), graphic designer and musician. They have three big kids–Olivia (who just got married), Emma (who just got back from Europe) and Jack (who is about to start high school).

The Bergrens make their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

About the Illustrator

From early childhood, Aleksandar Zolotic used his vivid imagination to create amazing photo-aleksandar_zolotic--square drawings, making everyday moments in his life look special. Years later, he studied at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade, and he’s gone on to win numerous awards for his work.

When not creating interactive worlds or imaginative illustrations, he spends time drinking ice coffee and eating homemade muffins with his wife and reading picture books to his daughter, while preventing his baby son from eating them.

Barbour, BLOG, Favorite, NetGalley

From Sky to Sky, #2 No Less Days by Amanda G. Stevens

April 11, 2020April 11, 2020 Babbling Becky L

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About the Book

Title: From Sky to Sky

Series: No Less Days

Author: Amanda G. Stevens

Publisher: Barbour (Shiloh Run)

Released: February 2020

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Zac Wilson can’t die.

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

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

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

My Review

“To Suspect your Own Mortality is to Know the Beginning of Terror; To Learn Irrefutably that you are mortal is to Know the End of Terror.” (Frank Herbert) Unfortunately, a small group of Amanda Steven’s speculative fiction characters has discovered they are not mortal and are beginning to understand that for a curse. They outlive spouses and children by a century. The few longevites, as they call themselves, cannot die, and life has become burdensome. From Sky to Sky is the story of Zac Wilson, acrobat, stuntman and people person who finds that facades are impossible to keep up. He also has been running from God for a long, long time. He needs help. And he has the strong need to help others. Betrayed in book one (No Less Days) by the person whom he was closest to, can Zac get close again to others?

Sky to Sky 1

While Stevens gives enough backstory, a reader could start with this book, it would be best to read book one first. It sets the tone for this story, plus the reader can understand David and Tiana, whose story was the lion’s share of that novel. I was slow to identify with these characters, but maybe when Zac’s worst weakness shows up, I was hooked. I needed to see if the new characters would be accepted into the original one. Would Zac find God again? David and Tiana exhibit so much patient faith in prayer. I love the way David and Tiana pray so comfortably, succinctly for Zac. When the longevites discover their new friends may have an enemy, by extension, they do, too. How do all these threads fit together?

Sky to Sky 2

Fortunately, Stevens uses imagery and levity well and in just the right places. I enjoyed listening to the waves lap against the shores of Lake Michigan and feeling the sand beneath my feet with Zac and Simon, Rachel and Cady. By the time the story was ended, I felt like I was a part of the longevite family. There was so much growth in Zac, it was incredible. I can’t wait for the next story to see whose life we get to participate in. Marking this a sleeper favorite.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.

My Rating

5 Stars – Hits My Reading Sweet Spot and I can’t wait for more!

About the Author

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As a child, Amanda G. Stevens disparaged Mary Poppins and Stuart Little because they could never happen. Now she writes speculative fiction. She is the author of the No Less Days series and the Haven Seekers series, and her debut Seek and Hide was a 2015 INSPY Award finalist. She lives in Michigan and loves trade paperbacks, folk music, the Golden Era of Hollywood, and white cheddar popcorn.