Transhuman: Will We Obey God or Play God? CelebrateLit Tour and Giveaway

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Transhuman: Will We Obey God or Play God? is Book 2 in author Rena Groot’s Christian futuristic, apocalyptic The Narrow Path Trilogy. Transhuman begins where Manhunt ended, but there is enough backstory and flashbacks to allow readers to follow along even without reading the first book.

This is an end times novel that will grab your attention and refuse to release it. I was immediately captivated in this story taken from Revelation Chapters 5-9. This is the halfway point in the Tribulation.

Author Groot does a fabulous job with her take on End Times. Her novel is gripping, exciting, and a total page-turner. More than once, I was on the edge of my seat while reading this riveting tale.

Characters are believable and multilayered. If you read book one, you will recognize Rachel and Josh. I was immediately invested in them. The story flows smoothly even though there is a lot of action. Scripture is heavenly woven throughout this amazing story.

I highly recommend this book and series. It gives readers a different perspective on the last days while staying true to scripture. This would make an interesting television series or movie. It gets a five star rating from me. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my own, honest words.

About the Book

Book: Transhuman – Will We Obey God or Play God?

Author: Rena Groot

Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction

Release date: 2021

This work of apocalyptic fiction is based on reality to come. The lines have been purposely blurred between pure fact and pure fiction. It is a warning based on God’s Word. He has told us a time of unprecedented terror is about to come upon the earth. His wrath will be poured out on sinful and unrepentant humanity in a series of judgements. The intensity and severity of these judgements will be unparalleled in human history. The judgements will be on a global scale that will take place over a seven-year period.

The judgements are reserved for those who have chosen to reject Christ. Even in wrath God is displaying mercy. He wants the lost to be found. All who have rebelled against Him are given a chance to find Him. This is His last and final call to the sons and daughters of Adam. Sadly, many will harden their hearts and turn away from the most beautiful invitation ever to have been extended in all of human history. They will curse God and stay entrenched in their rebellious ways.

God does not hide this awful reality from us. He wants us to be wise and flee from the wrath to come. If we are already His He wants us to warn others—to point them to the narrow path that leads to life. TRANSHUMAN is based on my thoughts of what the world may look like at the halfway point in the Tribulation. The Rapture has already taken place. All who have been invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are seated. Time will soon be no more. The curtains are opening on the world stage.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Hi. My name is Rena Groot. I have a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and a Masters of Religious Education from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary in Cochrane, Alberta. I have been a teacher in Canada and China, have published eight books, I have designed a digital course called Broken to Beautiful-Transformed By God’s Power, I have been a tour manager from the Rockies to the Pacific, have been a missionary to the ends of the Earth, a mom of four—and the most important part—I am a child of God.

More from Rena

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 2

Artistic Nobody, June 3 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, June 4

Guild Master, June 5 (Author Interview)

Scott’s Book Reviews, June 5

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 6

Beauty in the Binding, June 7 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 8

Simple Harvest Reads, June 9 (Author Interview)

annette_reads_daily, June 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 10

A Reader’s Brain, June 11 (Author Interview)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 12

For the Love of Literature, June 13 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rena is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 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/263ea/transhuman-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Smells of Summer Celebrate Lit Tour and Giveaway

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

The Smells of Summer by author Mary A. Hake is book two in her brilliant Children’s Series, Smells of the Seasons. In this series, the author shows readers how a blind girl is able to experience the seasons using her other senses. This one focuses on Summer and its smells.

Using an array of vivid pictures and easy to understand prose, this book is certain to be a favorite of children. It has a beautiful message of acceptance and gives children a glimpse into the world of someone with visual impairments.

I highly recommend this enlightening book. It would be wonderful for a classroom, home, or library. Give it for any occasion. I rate it 5 stars. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but these are my honest words.

About the Book

Book: The Smell of Summer

Author: Mary Ann Hake

Genre: Picture Book

Release date: May 15, 2023

Explore the smells of summer with April, a blind girl, and her menagerie of pets.

Visit the county fair, the seashore, Grandpa’s farm, and the zoo, and camp with April’s family in the woods—each place has its unique fragrances.

“As summer thoughts stir in my mind,

I wonder what new smells I’ll find.”

The back of the book contains activities using the sense of smell.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Mary Ann Hake, author of the Smells of the Seasons picture book series, has loved learning, reading, and writing for as long as she can remember. She has scribbled stories and poems since she first learned to write and has published hundreds of stories, articles, poems, puzzles, devotions, and more for both children and adults plus written hundreds of book reviews. She loved working in a bookstore and as a librarian and enjoyed reading to children at story times and conducting summer reading programs. She has also taught writing to children and at writers’ conferences. In addition to writing, she continues to work as a freelance editor. Visit her website, http://www.maryannhake.com, and sign up to receive monthly activities for children and updates on future books.

More from Mary Ann

My mother introduced me to books at a very young age. Mom read to me nearly every day—beginning with picture books then adding longer stories and poetry. I loved books and soon memorized the text of favorites so I could turn the pages and “read” them myself. (My own daughters did the same.) I could hardly wait until I went to school and learned to read so I could devour books on my own. In honor of my mom, The Smell of Summer’s release date is her birthday, May 15. I am her firstborn and her only summer baby. She always encouraged my writing.

My four-book Smells of the Seasons series are told in rhyme because that appeals to children. The Smell of Summer shares summer scenes from the life of April, a blind girl who uses her sense of smell to help her experience her world. The story includes elements that offer a fun companion text for connection to science including the senses, nature settings, animals, flowers, vegetable gardening, and other food. This is the second book in the series with April and her menagerie of pets.

Most people love summertime. This delightful picture book will stir up memories of summer experiences and offer some you may wish to enjoy this year. As the final page says:

I love the many summer smells.

So many stories each one tells.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 2

Sylvan Musings, June 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 4

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 6

Lots of Helpers, June 7

Lily’s Book Reviews, June 8

Vicky Sluiter, June 9 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, June 10

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 11

Artistic Nobody, June 12 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, June 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 13

Guild Master, June 14 (Author Interview)

Walking Fruitfully, June 14

Blossoms and Blessings, June 15 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary Ann is giving away the grand prize package of a signed hardcover copy of The Smell of Summer and a $25 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/263ec/the-smell-of-summer-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wanda Brunstetter’s Amish Friends One-Pan Wonder Cookbook

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

I love cookbooks and will read them like a novel. Going through the sections and looking at pictures of the dishes is exciting as I imagine serving something to family and friends. This newest cookbook offering from beloved Amish author Wanda Brunstetter is fast becoming one of my favorites. There is so much in this beautiful, helpful book.

Throughout the book are over 200 recipes, inspirational quotes, advice, and vivid pictures. There are several indexes with recipe contributors, recipes by each section, and the extremely helpful index of main ingredients. This book is well organized and inviting. It has a spiral binding that allows it to open and lay flat for easy reading.

One of the many things that I love about this useful cookbook is that the ingredients used are ones most cooks have on hand. Some of the recipes will spark a memory of something that was made years ago by a family member. Those are ones that I am eager to try.

I highly recommend this lovely Amish cookbook. I gave two for Mother’s Day gifts and the recipients were delighted. These make great gifts for showers, birthdays, Christmas, or “just because”. If you are a cookbook collector, you will not want to miss having this one. It has many “must try” recipes. This wonderful cookbook gets a 5 star rating from me.

Guess How Much God Loves You, CelebrateLit Tour

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Guess How Much God Loves You by author Karen Ferguson is a lovely Christian Children’s Book with pictures. I thought this was a very nice book. Children will be drawn to the colorful images and learn from the easy to understand text.

This is the story of inquisitive first grader, Lucy Lu, and her grandfather, Papa Joe. Lucy has questions about God, and her grandfather brilliantly answers them using the Bible. The story is interesting and will easily engage children. It is written simply so that children may easily understand. The author has included creativity to allow further interest in her book.

This is a wonderful way to introduce and reinforce God’s love and Creation for all children.  At the very end of the book is a page about Jesus. Material on Who He is and how He wants to be your friend will help children understand Him even more. Discussion questions are included.

I highly recommend this delightful adventurous picture book. It has quaint illustrations and an important message. Children will discover that God loves them unconditionally and made each one of them for a special purpose. This is a book for home, church, and gift-giving. It gets a 5 star rating from this reader. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but these are my honest thoughts.

About the Book

Book: Guess How Much God Loves You

Author: Karen Ferguson

Genre: Children’s book (picture book)

Release date: July 19, 2022

Take a journey through the Bible with Lucy Lu, a colorful, creatively curious first grader who is starting to have serious questions about God.

Questions like: How old is He? Does He sleep? What does He do all day? And the biggest one of all – does God reallylove me?

After one very hard day, feeling like she doesn’t matter, Lucy sits with her Papa Joe who has promised to answer these questions and more, launching them onto an exciting journey to discover God’s never changing, never failing, never ending love.

What follows in this book series is a wild adventure through the Bible, where Lucy and her Papa find themselves in the middle of it all, on each page of the powerful story of God’s love and faithfulness for all people, throughout all history.

This first book is all about God’s Creation 🌎

Guess How Much God Loves You is a vibrant, fun, and biblically based book that is sure to captivate young readers as it teaches them important Bible truths that will help them build a firm foundation in God and His Good Character – all through the lens of His unconditional love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Karen Ferguson is a freelance writer and small business owner with a background in K-8 education. A grateful wife, mom, and grandmom she loves words and the Word of God and is passionate about writing stories that grab and hold young readers’ attention, teaching them all about God’s unchangeable truths, and His unchanging love for them.

Her first children’s book, Guess How Much God Loves You, was released in July 2022 through Ambassador International and is available wherever books are sold.

More from Karen

Are you looking for God honoring books that will captivate your child’s imagination, teach them faith-building biblical concepts, and help them grow in their reading skills?

Then I have the perfect book for your young reader…Guess How Much God Loves You

This beautifully illustrated book introduces young readers to the Creation Account, through the eyes of seven year old Lucy Lu, a creatively curious first grader who is starting to have serious questions about God.

Questions like…

How old is He? Does He sleep? What does He do all day? And the biggest one of all – does God really love me?

After one very hard day, feeling like she doesn’t matter, Lucy sits with her Papa Joe who has promised to answer these questions and more, launching them onto an exciting journey through the Bible to discover God’s never changing, never failing, never ending love.

I wrote this book because I want every child to know their life matters. To know that the God of all things created them in His image, on purpose and for a good purpose.

Guess How Much God Loves You will have seven books in the series with each one covering an important Bible account critical to building an understanding of God’s character and His love for all people, including your reader!

This first book is about the Creation Account as recorded in the Bible. Future books will cover the Garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, the Exodus and more.

I want children to understand these are not just stories about fictional characters, but historical accounts about real people they can relate to. People who experienced God’s power, love, and faithfulness.

My greatest desire is to see this next generation trust the Bible and enjoy reading it. More than ever, young readers need to hear the message that they are valuable, loved unconditionally by the One who created them and gave them the best gift of all, His Son Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 18

Lots of Helpers, May 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 19 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 19

Cover Lover Book Review, May 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 21

Texas Book-aholic, May 22

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, May 22

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 23

Pause for Tales, May 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 25

Bliss, Books & Jewels, May 25

Vicky Sluiter, May 26

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 28

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, May 29

Mary Hake, May 29

Labor Not in Vain, May 30

For Him and My Family, May 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package of a $30 Amazon gift card, one signed hardcover, one eBook, and one digital activity workbook that will help to reinforce the learning concepts in a fun way!!

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/26071/guess-how-much-god-loves-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

Heart of Gold Celebrate Lit Book Tour & Giveaway

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

My Review:

Heart of Gold by author Lacy Williams is a Christian Historical Romance novel. It is part of the Wild Wyoming Hearts Series. I enjoyed it and found it to be a quick read.

This is the story of Ida. She comes from a large, loving family. It is also the tale of Tom Seymour, whose family is just the opposite. They meet during hazardous circumstances, but are drawn to each other.

The author has written a sweet, inviting story with characters that come to life on the pages. The children were an especially bright part of the story with their honesty and innocence. I felt like I was watching a movie or television show play out in my mind. The underlying themes of God’s love, guidance, and redemption shone brightly.

I highly recommend this sweet book. It is a nice, engaging read that will whisk you away to a big family Christmas from years past. It gets a 4 star rating from me. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but these are my honest words.

About the Book

Book: Heart of Gold

Author: Lacy Williams

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: May 11, 2023

They survived a harrowing near-death experience. Can a poignant family Christmas bring them together?

Ida needs a quiet Christmas at home to rest and find her footing again. But her boisterous family is anything but quiet and things only get worse when her U.S. Marshal brother brings home a prisoner for the holiday—the same outlaw that saved her life.

Tom Seymour discombobulates her. He’s arrogant and unrepentant. But when she’s forced to nurse his injuries, she realizes that his persona is all a facade. The man underneath is wounded and kind and in need of redemption.

But Tom must make a choice between his old life and the chance to make a new one with Ida. Can she trust the man he is becoming or will he betray her?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lacy Williams wishes her writing career was more like what you see in Hallmark movies: dreamy brainstorming from a French chateau or a few minutes at the computer in a million-dollar New York City penthouse. In reality, she’s up before the sun, putting words on the page before her kids wake up for the day. Those early-morning and late-night writing sessions add up, and Lacy has published sixty books in a decade, first with a big five publisher and then as an indie author. When she needs to refill the well, you can find Lacy birdwatching, gardening, biking with the kiddos, or walking the dog. Find tons of bonus scenes and reader extras by becoming a VIP reader at http://www.lacywilliams.net/vip .

More from Lacy

Do you like “stranded together” stories as much as I do? Being stuck in an airport, a snowstorm, a wedding weekend… Yes, please, to all of the above.

But has it ever happened to you in real life?

Twenty-plus years ago, when I was a freshman in college and before I started dating my handsome hubby, I dated this other guy.

We met at a mixer during the first few days of the semester and hit it off pretty quickly. Classes started, we saw each other a few times socially.

He was pledging a fraternity and invited me to go with him to a co-ed overnight trip.

And then when we got there, he sort of just… disappeared. For hours. I finally found him and then followed him around… until I finally got the hint. Sometime in the days between when he’d invited me to the float trip, and when we arrived, his feelings changed.

It was SOOO awkward for the rest of the night and then the next day. Not the place and time I wanted to be ghosted. And it was worse because I’d ridden down with a mutual friend and had no way to get the two-plus hours home until the next day.

It wasn’t a romantic or fun time. More like a disaster.

A disaster is exactly what my heroine Ida thinks about being stuck with ex-bad guy Tom for Christmas. They get snowed in with her family (and her deputy older brother) and at first it is awkward.

And then… it’s not awkward anymore.

By the time the snow melts, Ida has caught feelings for Tom.

You can read this story free in KU or win a copy through this giveaway! Ida and Tom’s love story is called Heart of Gold.

-Lacy

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 16

Alena Mentink, May 16

Texas Book-aholic, May 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 19

Connie’s History Classroom, May 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 21

Christina’s Corner, May 21

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 22

For Him and My Family, May 23

Pause for Tales, May 24

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, May 25 (Author Interview)

Kristina Hall, May 25

Cover Lover Book Review, May 26

Vicky Sluiter, May 27

Splashes of Joy, May 28

Sheila’s Reading Corner, May 29

Mary Hake, May 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lacy is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a paperback 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/2606e/heart-of-gold-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wait for Me, Waters of Time Series by Jody Hedlund

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Wait for Me is Book 4 in author extraordinaire Jody Hedlund’s Waters of Time Christian Time-Travel Series. This series is nothing short of captivating. If it is not made into a television or movie series, it will be a grave injustice. This may be read as a stand alone, but trust me, you will want to read the entire series. It is so fabulous. You might as well read them in order.

With her skillful pen, author Hedlund has presented a plausible solution to the time travel conundrum. It is the best I have heard yet and a Christian related one. The book is set in contemporary times and Middle Ages. Obviously a lot of research has been done to include so many details about the time period. I gleaned so much just from reading this series.

The characters are relatable and believable as well as expertly crafted. They were not perfect and had issues, just like we all do. Dawson was a perfect hero. He smoldered yet showed restraint and was a gentleman. Tall, strong, and handsome with morals. Very swoon worthy.

Conversations sounded realistic and were some of my favorite parts of the book. The romance was clean yet so heartfelt but seemed a little rushed due to the storyline. Both characters had immediate chemistry, and sparks flew off of the pages as I read.

I adore the beautiful way that the author writes. Her prose completely whisks me away to another time and place where I become absorbed in the story. Life and Christian messages are always included. Her books, especially this one, are such page-turners that I devour each in one sitting.

I highly recommend this as well as the entire series. It is nothing short of exceptional. I am hoping there will be more to this series. Everyone will enjoy this page turning, intriguing, masterpiece. I give it a 5 star review. A copy was provided but these are my honest words.

The Swindler’s Daughter by Stephenia H. McGee

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

The Swindler’s Daughter by author Stephenia H. McGee is a Christian historical romance fiction by Revell Publishing. It is a hefty 348 page paperback with a cover that is both endearing and interesting. Set in the early 1900s, the story takes place in rural Georgia.

This is the story of Lillian. She learns that what she has been told about her father was not true. While she was always told he had died, she just receives word of his death and her inheritance. Lillian must leave the city and her city ways and travel to rural Georgia.

Characters are well developed. They are realistic and relatable. I was able to engage with them and become invested early in the book. The Swindler’s Daughter is a tale of secrets, trust, family, and romance. There is a Christian message and strong faith in God. Life lessons of forgiveness, trust, and hope are also demonstrated. I learned a few things while reading this, too.

There are a few twists as well as some predictable moments. I enjoyed the author’s style of writing. She told an interesting story in words that held my attention. I was able to easily picture scenes. The dialogue sounded authentic. After the story concludes, there are some pages from a book by the author, historical note, acknowledgments, biography, and advertisements. 

I highly recommend this book. Anyone interested in historical fiction will love it. It gets a 5 star rating from me. A copy was provided by the publisher, but these are my honest words.

About the Author

Stephenia H. McGee is a multi-published author of stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. She lives in Mississippi, where she is a mom of two rambunctious boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler. Her novel The Cedar Key was a 2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice award winner. A member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), she loves all things books and history. Stephenia also loves connecting with readers and can often be found having fun with her Faithful Readers Team on Facebook. For more on books and upcoming events and to connect with Stephenia, visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com.

A Brighter Dawn Celebrate Lit Book Tour with Recipe

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

A Brighter Dawn by extremely gifted storyteller, Leslie Gould, is book one in her Amish Memories Series. This is a Christian time-slip novel. It is a hefty 432 pages in paperback form and has an endearing cover.

Set in 2014, this is the tale of Ivy Zimmerman, a young Mennonite girl, and her family in Oregon. The historical side is from 1930s and is the story of Clare Simmons. Clare is a relative who visited Germany years ago, and stayed with a family of three sisters.

This tale is filled with poignant scenes, history, family drama, faith, romance, and mystery. It has quite a few surprises, too.

The beginning was slow for me. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book, which is a rarity with me for any offering from author Gould. After a few pages, the author wove her magic and I was hooked. It is evident that much research went into this thought-provoking, amazing novel.

There is so much included in this book. I gleaned a lot of historical information. This is a beautiful story. Characters are believable and the Christian message is uplifting. I highly recommend it. It gets a 4 star rating from me. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my own words.

Celebrate Lit Team

About the Book

Book: A Brighter Dawn

Author: Leslie Gould

Genre: Amish Romance

Release date: March 28, 2023

Ivy Zimmerman is successfully navigating her life as a young Mennonite woman, one generation removed from her parents’ Old Order Amish upbringing. But when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, Ivy’s way of life is upended. As she deals with her grief, her younger sisters’ needs, the relationship with her boyfriend, and her Dawdi and Mammi’s strict rules, Ivy finds solace in both an upcoming trip to Germany for an international Mennonite youth gathering and in her great-great-aunt’s story about Clare Simons, another young woman who visited Germany in the late 1930s.

As Ivy grows suspicious that her parents’ deaths weren’t, in fact, an accident, she gains courage from what she learns of Clare’s time in pre-World War II Germany. With the encouragement and inspiration of the women who have gone before her, Ivy seeks justice for her parents, her sisters, and herself.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Leslie Gould (www.lesliegould.com) is a Christy Award-winning and #1 bestselling author of over 35 novels, including four Lancaster County Amish series. She holds an MFA in creative writing and enjoys studying church history, research trips, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband live in Portland, Oregon, and are the parents of four adult children.

More from Leslie

The historical thread of my dual-time novel A Brighter Dawn is set in Nazi Germany from 1937 to 1939. During that period of time, Germany incorporated Austria, mandatory registration of all Jewish property began, and concentration camps opened. Then came the Night of Broken Glass—the anti-Jewish pogrom in Germany, Austria, and the Sudetenland. Soon following was the German occupation of Czechoslovakia before the Nazis invaded Poland in September 1939.

My main character, Clare Simons, is a Mennonite young woman from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, who is staying with her uncle and cousins in Frankfurt, Germany. She doesn’t follow current events much and struggles to balance the Nazi propaganda her uncle and oldest cousin believe with the events unfolding around her. Slowly, she begins to see the truth behind the Nazi lies.

One thing that broke up the narrative of the heavy events I researched and wrote about? The food.

When I traveled in Germany with my husband (who had lived there during his Army service years ago), I marveled over the scenery, became engrossed in the history, and definitely enjoyed the food. My background is Swiss, so it wasn’t that the food was unfamiliar. It was just at a level I hadn’t experienced before!

As I researched what Clare would fix for meals, I pored through cookbooks. For added inspiration, hubby and I ate at German restaurants. Jägerschnitzel (seared pork with gravy). Rinderbraten (paprika and caraway spiced beef roasted in red wine gravy). Wienerschnitzel (breaded and fried pork loin with warm potato salad and a vegetable remoulade.)

I noted food in research books, documentaries, and films. The entrees became focal points in the stories, including rabbit stew, a Christmas goose, and Sauerbraten with Spätzle and red cabbage. So did the desserts, including trifle and Black Forest cake.

When I visited Germany with my hubby, one of the things I really loved was stopping in a café for Apfelkuchen (apple cake) and coffee in the afternoon. In one scene in A Brighter Dawn, when Clare and her cousin Lena stop for coffee, they order apple cake too. Then, in another scene, Clare bakes an apple cake for the family of the nearby Jewish grocer who will soon lose their property.

Below is a recipe for a simple and dense German apple cake (which may have originated in Poland and been influenced by a Jewish apple cake recipe).

The food in A Brighter Dawn doesn’t take away from the narrative, but it is a reminder that a nurturing soul, such as my character Clare, can stand against the lies of an evil regime.

German Apple Cake 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ to 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 5 cups apples—peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (to soften apple slices before baking, place in a microwavable dish with a lid and microwave them with a Tablespoon of water for 3–4 minutes)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 cake pan.
  2. Beat butter and eggs with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla; beat well.
  3. Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to egg mixture; mix until combined. The batter will be very thick. Fold in apples and walnuts by hand using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
  4. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45–50 minutes. After 30 minutes, put a sheet of foil over the top of the cake to keep it from burning. Cool cake on a wire rack.

Possible Toppings

Before baking: 

Crumble: ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup white sugar, ½ cup flour, 4–6 Tablespoons softened butter. Combine ingredients and evenly spread over the top of cake.

Butterscotch: Sprinkle a package of butterscotch chips over the top of the cake.

Almonds: Sprinkle almond slivers over the top of the cake.

After baking:

Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Drizzle with caramel sauce.

Sprinkle with white sparkling sugar.

            Top with whipped cream.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 23

Lakesidelivingsite, April 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 24

Cover Lover Book Review, April 25

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 26

Lighthouse Academy Blog, April 27 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Connie’s History Classroom, April 27

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 28

Vicky Sluiter, April 28

She Lives To Read, April 29

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 30 (Author Interview)

Christina’s Corner, April 30

Texas Book-aholic, May 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 2

Mornings at Character Cafe, May 2

Bigreadersite, May 3

Bliss, Books & Jewels, May 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 4

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, May 5

For Him and My Family, May 5

Splashes of Joy, May 6

Pause for Tales, May 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Leslie is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of A Brighter Dawn and one $15 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/258b9/a-brighter-dawn-celebration-tour-giveaway

Mail-Order Bride Substitute Celebrate Lit Book Tour

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Mail-Order Bride Substitute by author Linda Ford is a Christian historical fiction novel. This 268 page western story is Book Three in the Montana Mail-Order Brides series and her 100th published book! If you haven’t read the first two books, this may be read as a stand alone. However, I think you would benefit reading them first to learn the back story on some of the unique characters.

This is the story of Riley Shannon, eldest of the Shannon brothers. He has been corresponding with Sylvia and offered marriage to this mail-order bride candidate. The problem is that she has found a local man to love so her friend Olivia steps in to take her place. Things do not go as planned. Riley is a stubborn man with bad memories from the past. Olivia has been hurt, too, and equally hardheaded. When these two got together it was a game of cat and mouse with sparks flying.

This is a fun book. I was immediately engaged with the characters and captivating story. The characters are unique and believable. Riley had two married brothers, one single one, as well as some other supporting characters that kept the story running at a page turning pace. I found it difficult to put the book down, so I did not!

The cooking results and lessons that Olivia attempted were humorous. I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the story. The young children brought levity and smiles, too. Christian messages were heavily sprinkled throughout the book. That is one of my favorite things in a Christian book. I love inspirational messages that are upfront and not concealed.

I highly recommend this brilliant book. Readers of Christian historical, western, romance will adore it. This one certainly did. I give it a 5 star rating. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but these are my honest words.

About the Book

Book: Mail-Order Bride Substitute

Author: Linda Ford

Genre: Historical Western Romance

Release date: March 29, 2023

Olivia comes from a rich family, but it hasn’t protected her from malicious rumors. A marriage of convenience as a mail-order bride to Riley Shannon is exactly what she needs for a fresh start. Especially when he makes it clear he wants no romance. Something she is in complete agreement with. She’ll go in place of her friend, Sylvia, who has changed her mind about the arrangement she made with Riley.

Riley has bitter memories of loving a rich woman who doesn’t care to embrace ranch life. He has no intention of repeating that lesson. When Olivia steps from the train, offering to be his substitute bride, his answer is a resounding ‘no thanks.’ But Olivia isn’t about to take no for an answer and makes her way to the ranch, determined to prove she is the answer to his prayers.

What will it take for these two to overcome the barriers to their love?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Linda Ford is a multi-published author who makes her home in rural Alberta, Canada where she is near enough to the Rockies to see them every day. She didn’t always want to be an author. In fact, she dreamed of running an orphanage. In a way, her dream came true. She married a rancher. They had four children then adopted ten, an experience which has given her much fodder for the happy-ever-after stories she writes. Growing up on the prairie and learning to notice the small details it hides has given her an appreciation for watching God at work in His creation. Her upbringing also included being taught to trust God in everything and through everything—a theme that resonates in her stories.

Mail-Order Bride Substitute is her 100th title.

More from Linda

For the most part, I write westerns.  Historical western romances to be exact. Now I’m not a cowgirl. I don’t even ride horseback. (Shh. Don’t tell anyone.) So, you might well ask, what qualifies me to write stories of this era and these kinds of people?

Well, I could list a number of reasons. 1) I had a father who liked to visit museums and tell stories about settling the west. Not only that, but for a few summers when I was very young, my mother and my siblings accompanied him to live in a…well, the best way to describe it is to say it was a cabin on wheels with nothing inside but a few cupboards and rough bunk beds. You could say I experienced pioneer life firsthand albeit it through the eyes of a child 2) As a child, I read anything I could get my hands on, including Zane Grey. I fell in love with his heroes, his heroines and his settings. 3) I dated and married a man who lives to watch westerns. And as a good date and later, a good wife, I spent many hours watching them. 4). I still love those larger-than-life heroes (aka cowboys) and the stubborn but kind heroines.

Mail-Order Bride Substitute is the third in a 5-book (and counting) series of Montana Mail-Order Brides. I like creating families and have done exactly that in this series. There are four brothers—the Shannons–and then their friends who see how successful their marriages are and decide to try this mail-order bride business for themselves.

I tend to create strong families and this series is no exception. Mrs. Shannon was a kind, guiding mother. Mr. Shannon was tough as old leather yet fair. Their sons do their best to honor them. I also prefer settings that include mountains which is why I have set this series in beautiful western Montana.

I love these stories. Or maybe it’s the cowboys and the brides who gather their courage around them to travel west to marry—and yes, tame—these young men.

Incidentally, this is my 100th book to be published.

Blog St0ps

Vicky Sluiter, April 15

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 16 (Author Interview)

Christina’s Corner, April 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 17

Texas Book-aholic, April 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 19

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, April 20

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 20

Connie’s History Classroom, April 21

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 22

Cover Lover Book Review, April 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 24

Mornings at Character Cafe, April 24

For Him and My Family, April 25

Holly’s Book Corner, April 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 26

Pause for Tales, April 27

Labor Not in Vain, April 28

To Everything There Is A Season, April 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize of 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/2566d/mail-order-bride-substitute-celebration-tour-giveaway

Windswept Way by Irene Hannon

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Windswept Way by author Irene Hannon is book nine in her Hope Harbor series. This 353 page paperback is a Christian contemporary romance novel. It is a clean fiction but does use slang words such as heck and dang.

In this book, Jon and Rose were somewhat reclusive as they tried to stay in the shadows while in public. Ashley was outgoing and up-lifting. All three had been hurt deeply by the ones that they had loved. It took me a few chapters to become interested in the characters and the story. After a bit things really started to click and I was really engrossed in it. The town map was a pleasant addition.

The life and spiritual lessons in this book are timeless. They made me ponder many things. The author has a pleasant style of writing. After a slow start things fell into place and I was able to lose myself in the story. The characters are very believable. They have issues that are relatable. The one thing that bothered me is that pronouns when speaking about God were not always capitalized. For me it’s something that should always be done.

Even though this is book nine, it could be read as a stand alone book. After the story is a peak at another series, acknowledgments, as well as the author’s biography. Readers that enjoy contemporary Christian romance or women’s fiction should find this to their taste. Book clubs will find a lot to discuss if they choose this title as a selection. 

I highly recommend this novel. A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher, and this is my honest opinion. It gets a 4 out of 5 star rating from me.

Meet the author

Irene Hannon, who writes both contemporary romance and romantic suspense, is the author of more than 60 novels. Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA awards from Romance Writers of America (the “Oscar” of romance fiction) and she is a member of that organization’s elite Hall of Fame. She has also received a Career Achievement award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work. Other awards for individual books include National Readers’ Choice, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers Choice, Booksellers’ Best, and Reviewers’ Choice from RT Book Reviews. She is also a two-time Christy award finalist.

A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full time. To learn more about Irene and her books, visit www.irenehannon.com.