Abraham Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

My Thoughts

Author Jennifer Beckstrand has written Book Two in The Petersheim Brothers series.  Abraham is Christian Amish fiction with romance, humor, faith and even recipes.  It is a wonderful escape from everyday life to visit Amish friends.

I loved this book for so many reasons.  Faith is never hidden.  It is seamlessly woven throughout the story teaching lessons as it goes.  I find that beautiful in any novel.

Emma Wengerd is an Amish girl living at home that loves exotic chickens.  Abraham is the shy Petersheim brother.  He is tall, considerate, tender, quiet, but lacks confidence.  Alfie and Benji are the rambunctious eight year old twins determined to see their older brothers married.  When that is accomplished, the twins will be able to have a bedroom of their own instead of sleeping in the cellar.

All of the characters shine and come alive through the delightful writing of author Beckstrand.  Her style is captivating and grabs my attention immediately.  I was unable to put down this book until the end, which included recipes from the tale.  This is a well planned, organized, researched, and wonderfully written book.

When I read a novel, I love learning from it.  This book did not disappoint.  I learned some tidbits about the Amish.  There were details about the youth gatherings that I did not know.  Exotic chickens were new to me.  It was very interesting reading about the different types of chickens and their characteristics.

This book has everything to keep a reader’s attention and put a smile on a face.  There is humor from the boys’ antics and animals to enjoy with cats, a dog, cows, and chicken Many life lessons on family relations, manners, faith, gossip, forgiveness, truth, and obeying parents make this a book that encourages and inspires.  The recipes finishing this  book sound yummy and easy to make.

I highly recommend this book.  Even if you aren’t a fan of Amish, you will be able to enjoy this.  There is so much to learn in it.  It would make a perfect reading group choice.  I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my own, honest words.

About the Book

Book:  Abraham

Author: Jennifer Beckstrand

Genre: Inspirational Amish Romance

Release Date: November 26, 2019

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

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

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

About the Author

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

 

More from Jennifer

Alfie and Benji Petersheim will do just about anything to get their brother Abraham to fall in love with Emma Wengerd, even adopt a stray dog. But to catch that dog, they’re going to need Aunt Bitsy’ help. Alfie and Benji are about to get in a lot of trouble.

 

I hope you enjoy this excerpt from Abraham.

 

Benji pushed his coffee cake around his plate with his finger. “Maybe we could keep that stray dog.”

Maybe they could keep the dog. Alfie’s heart started pounding. A dog could find them if they ever got lost in the woods. A dog could fetch sticks and bring Dat his slippers. A dog would eat crumbs off the floor. Mamm would never have to mop again.

Bitsy shrugged. “That’s up to your mamm.”

Alfie’s heart sank to his toes. “Mamm would never let us have a dog. She won’t even let me have a goldfish.”

“I have a pet spider,” Benji said.

Alfie popped a small bite of coffee cake into his mouth. “He’s not your pet. He just lives in the corner of the cellar and kills other spiders.”

“You tried to spray him,” Benji said, “and I saved his life. He’s my pet now.”

Bitsy nodded. “Spiders are gute pets. They feed themselves and don’t poop on the carpet.”

Benji sat very still before wrinkling his forehead like he did when he was upset. “We need to help that dog.”

Alfie wanted a dog as much as anybody, but they had to be sensible. They’d been asking Mamm for a dog ever since they could talk. “Mamm won’t let us.”

Benji started crying. “But he’s going to get gassed.”

Bitsy reached over and patted Benji’s arm. “He might not get gassed. The pound might find a nice family that wants to adopt him. People like chocolate labs. I’m told they’re cute.”

Benji caught his breath and suddenly stopped crying, as if someone had turned off a faucet. “Do girls like chocolate lamps?”

“Chocolate labs?” Bitsy folded her arms. “Well, I’m a girl and I don’t think he’s cute, but most girls love dogs. Do you remember Vernon Schmucker? Poor fellow had a face like a potato, and the girls ignored him. One night he brought a puppy to the gathering, and he was surrounded by girls all night. That’s how he met his wife.”

Benji jumped from his chair and threw his arms around Alfie, making Alfie spill milk down his new shirt. “Hey. Watch it.”

“Alfie, girls like dogs!”

Benji was a good partner, but sometimes he made no sense. “So?”

“If Emma Wengerd saw us walking our chocolate lamp down the street, she’d run out of her house to pet him.”

Alfie’s heart started pounding. Benji was the best bruder in the world. “We could bring Abraham with us.”

Benji got more and more excited with each word. “And they could talk about dogs and chickens and maybe start kissing.”

Alfie set his milk on the table. “We’ve got to catch that dog.”

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, December 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 28

She Lives to Read, December 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 29

Older & Smarter?, December 30

Through the Fire Blogs, December 30

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 31

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 31

For the Love of Literature, January 1

SPLASHES of Joy, January 1

Book of Ruth Ann, January 2

Mary Hake, January 2

janicesbookreviews, January 3

Vicky Sluiter, January 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 4

Pause for Tales, January 4

Quiet Quilter, January 5

Southern Gal Loves to Read, January 5

The Avid Reader, January 6

Christian Bookaholic, January 6

Inklings and notions, January 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 7

Blossoms and Blessings, January 8

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 8

Reading Is My SuperPower, January 9

For Him and My Family, January 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 10

Batya’s Bits, January 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving a $10 Amazon gift card to three winners!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/f383/abraham-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wings Like a Dove Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

My Thoughts

Wings Like a Dove by author Camille Eide is a Christian Historical Romance set in 1930’s America.  It is a story of hope, resilience, prejudice, redemption, and love.  This captivating story grabbed my attention immediately and refused to relinquish its hold until the very end.

Author Eide is new to me.  This is the first thing I have read by her.  I was impressed with her lovely writing style.  Words flowed easily into a well planned story. Her subject matter was deep and haunting.  It hurts my heart to read how cruel people were to those of different races and religions.  Unfortunately the same holds true today.

From Poland Anna along with her mother and siblings now live in America.  Their father came earlier but is nowhere to be found.  Anna decides to search for him after having some trouble of her own.

The fictional town of Corbin, Indiana was not an ideal,  Mayberry type town.  It had residents filled with prejudice, hatred, bigotry, and lives that needed Jesus.  My heart broke for the destruction and pain caused to so many.

The author did an exceptional job crafting her characters.  They were realistic and relatable.  I enjoyed the small town, rural setting.  There were children that gave the story a sweet touch.  Throughout the book Anna makes Challah bread, described in mouthwatering detail.  Readers are rewarded with a recipe at the end.

Author Eide has penned a novel filled with mystery, misunderstandings, religious and racial prejudice, forgiveness, encouragement, faith, hope, love, and redemption.  Scripture and faith are woven into it beautifully.  It is a deep story that stayed with me.  I hated for it to end because I became so attached to the characters.

I highly recommend this book.  Early teen readers are too young for much of the subject matter.  It has discussion questions so this is the perfect selection for a reading group or small group.  My rating for this is 5 out of 5 stars.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.

 

About the Book

Book:  Wings Like A Dove

Author: Camille Eide

Genre: Historical fiction/romance

Release Date: December 1, 2019

Wings like a Dove coverCan the invisible walls that separate people ever come down?

In 1933, Anna Leibowicz is convinced that the American dream that brought her Jewish family here from Poland is nothing but an illusion. Her father has vanished. Her dreams of college can’t make it past the sweat-shop door. And when she discovers to her shame and horror that she’s with child, her mother gives her little choice but to leave her family. Deciding her best course of action is to try to find her father, she strikes out…hoping against hope to somehow redeem them both.

When Anna stumbles upon a house full of orphan boys in rural Indiana who are in desperate need of a tutor, she agrees to postpone her journey. But she knows from the moment she meets their contemplative, deep-hearted caretaker, Thomas Chandler, that she doesn’t dare risk staying too long. She can’t afford to open her heart to them, to him. She can’t risk letting her secrets out.

All too soon, the townspeople realize she’s not like them and treat her with the same disdain they give the Sisters of Mercy—the nuns who help Thomas and the boys—and Samuel, the quiet colored boy Thomas has taken in. With the Klan presence in the town growing ever stronger and the danger to this family increasing the longer she stays, Anna is torn between fleeing to keep them safe…and staying to fight beside them.

Oh, that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest

 


 

 

About the Author

Camille EideCamille writes poignant, inspirational love stories some call “more than a romance.” She lives in Oregon with her husband and is a mom, grandma, office admin, lead foot, cinnamon roll baker, and a bass guitarist. She’s a fan of muscle cars, tender romance, and Peanut M&Ms.

 

More from Camille

If Only I Could Fly Away…

“Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” -Psalm 55:6-8

What do you think of when you read this passage from Psalms? Does the idea of escape tempt you? Have you ever cried out for relief from life’s storms?

In Wings Like a Dove, Anna faces growing difficulties in her life. Psalm 55:6 is brought to her attention and she ponders it more than once, especially as the difficulties in her life steadily increase.

As Polish Jews in the early 1900s, Anna’s family lived in constant upheaval, so fleeing danger is nothing new to her. The problem is that Anna craves connection and community. While she was often uprooted, at least Anna enjoyed the security of family—until now. As the story begins, she is turned out of her home and must journey across the country alone, a heartache that only intensifies the persecution she faces as a Jew, an immigrant, and an unwed woman with child.

But her journey is temporarily delayed out of necessity, and she quickly falls in love with those who have taken her in. The idea of leaving them is as painful a prospect as leaving her own family, but because of the troubles that follow her, it seems she has no choice.

Psalm 55:6 isn’t tempting Anna to leave her surroundings; it tempts her to escape the negativity that robs her joy.

For Anna, and for the rest of us, we can’t flee trouble any more than we can grow wings and fly. The desire for relief is understandable. But what if there is a purpose in the difficult situations we face? What if we are called to more than simply outlast life’s storms? What if our weakest moment is exactly what God wants to use to show his power, love, mercy, and grace?

What if God is waiting for us to stop fluttering our wings and find joy in knowing that we are in the very place we need to be, for a purpose, for such a time as this?

Quote from Anna:

“If these past months have taught me nothing else, they have taught me that though I am only a seed blowing in the wind, I must still be fruitful wherever I land. I have learned that wherever we find ourselves, we must have the courage to stretch out roots and produce something useful, even in times of difficulty. We must bloom boldly in whatever field our seed has fallen.”

 May you find the sweet spot of joy and purpose in the midst of your storm!

 

-Camille

Blog Stops

KarenSueHadley, December 17

My Devotional Thoughts, December 17

Reflections From My Bookshelves, December 18

Mia Reads, December 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 19

Genesis 5020, December 19

Emily Yager, December 20

mypreciousbitsandmusings, December 20

Betti Mace, December 21

To Everything A Season, December 21

Christian Bookaholic, December 22

April Hayman, Author, December 22

For the Love of Literature, December 23

For The Love of Books, December 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 24

Bloggin’ ’bout Books, December 24

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 25

For Him and My Family, December 25

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, December 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 27

Deanne’s Book Thoughts, December 27

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 28

janicesbookreviews, December 28

Pause for Tales, December 29

Texas Book-aholic, December 29

A Reader’s Brain, December 30

Inklings and notions, December 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Camille is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon card & a signed 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/f2ec/wings-like-a-dove-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Wedding Dress Christmas Book Tour and Giveaway by Celebrate Lit

My Thoughts

During December I love reading Christmas books.  They set the tone for celebrating our Savior’s birth with family and friends.  Author Rachel Hauck has penned a mesmerizing novella with The Wedding Dress Christmas.

Rachel Hauck has an inspirational writing style.  She includes God and what He does in her characters’ lives to subtly help readers in their walk.  I love and appreciate that. Her story was well thought and written in such a way that I was drawn in immediately.   High School friends, Christmastime in Tennessee, a country music star, and a vintage 1912 special wedding dress all blend together for a page turning  read. Maybe a Hallmark Christmas movie, too?  We can only hope.

JoJo and Buck are main characters with issues, but they are so likable.  All of the “people” in this book are well-defined and relatable.  The excellent writing took me away to the quaint town of Heart’s Bend and introduced me to new friends.  I did not want the book to end so soon, but novellas have a tendency to be quick reads.

This is a lovely book filled with grace, hope, and trust.  It will put a smile on your face and a little joy in your heart.  Take a couple of hours and read this.  You will be so glad you did.

I highly recommend this book.  It is a perfect holiday escape.  I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.   A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.

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About the Book

Book:  The Wedding Dress Christmas

Author: Rachel Hauck

Genre: Romance, Christmas

Release Date: October 22, 2019

The Wedding Dress Christmas CoverDecember covers quaint Heart’s Bend, Tennessee with a blanket of white and the glitter of Christmas lights.

For JoJo Castle there’s no place like home. It’s her safe place. Her one-time love of adventure ended when life in the big city shattered her hopes and dreams. Now that she’s returned to Hearts Bend, she never wants to leave again.

Buck Mathews, the biggest country singing sensation in decades, has the world on a string – his guitar strings, to be exact. However, when news of his mother’s illness sends him back to Hearts Bend for the holiday season, he remembers how good it can be to live among family and friends.

Working with her cousin Haley in The Wedding Shop, JoJo has no aspirations of love. Leaving home, surrendering her heart again, is just too risky.

When she runs into her friend and high school crush Buck Mathews, she discovers Love might have other plans for her[BV1] .

Buck’s career is on the verge of an momentous leap. But seeing JoJo awakens feelings he’d buried long ago. Falling in love is easy, but winning her heart will take more than one of his melodic tunes and clever lyrics.

JoJo and Buck want opposite things for their lives, leaving no room for compromise. Can love, especially the kind that touches hearts at Christmastime, overcome her fears and his quest for greatness?

When a very special gown – the wedding dress – begins to make its presence known, JoJo and Buck’s hearts bend in a way neither ever thought possible.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

About the Author

rachel-hauck-HR-5Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award Winner.

Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie.

Rachel has been awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A member of the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.

At home, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.

A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

More From Rachel

Hello Royal Rockstar Readers!

I’m thrilled to share The Wedding Dress Christmas with you. I’ve heard from so many how much The Wedding Dress has touched them, and as I noodled over new story ideas, my thoughts drifted toward the wedding dress and Christmas. What’s more romantic than a Christmas wedding?

This novella is set in Hearts Bend, Tennessee, the fictional town ofThe Wedding Chapel and The Wedding Shop. Even if you’ve never read one of books inThe Wedding Collection, you’ll enjoy this story, the mystery of the dress, and the women whose lives it changed.

I love weddings. They remind us of the purity and the hope of love, the power of commitment. Something powerful is released when two people pledge to spend their lives together, loving and serving one another in both good and bad times. Every wedding I attend reminds me of the vows I made to my husband and I sign up all over again.

Stories are a powerful reflection of life. Yes, fictional stories are often told with wild hyperbole, but that’s what makes them fun to read.

I also love wedding stories because they remind us of God’s love for us, and that one day there will be the grandest wedding of them all. Isn’t it wonderful that God planned a wedding before He created the earth?

In The Wedding Dress Christmas, JoJo and Buck have their issues, but love proves strong enough to conquer them all.

Thanks for going on this little tour with me and The Wedding Dress Christmas.

Yours,

Rachel

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, December 18

Through the Fire Blogs, December 18

Livin’ Lit, December 18

Robin’s Nest, December 18

Reading Is My SuperPower, December 19

By The Book, December 19

Wishful Endings, December 19

All-of-a-kind Mom, December 19

Among the Reads, December 20

Genesis 5020, December 20

Life as Lanhams, December 20

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 21

Daysong Reflections, December 21

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, December 21

Bigreadersite, December 21

Simple Harvest Reads, December 22 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Remembrancy, December 22

Britt Reads Fiction, December 22

She Lives to Read, December 23

Empowermoms, December 23

Inside the Wong Mind, December 23

Mia Reads Blog, December 23

Splashes of Joy, December 24

Christian Bookaholic, December 24

Hallie Reads, December 24

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 25

Where Faith and Books Meet, December 25

Blogging With Carol, December 25

For Him and My Family, December 26

Hebrews 12 Endurance, December 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 26

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

My Devotional Thoughts, December 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 27

Mamma Loves Books, December 27

Betti Mace, December 28

Batya’s Bits, December 28

The Christian Fiction Girl, December 28

Quiet Quilter, December 29

mypreciousbitsandmusings, December 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 29

janicesbookreviews, December 29

A Reader’s Brain, December 30

Inklings and notions, December 30

Texas Book-aholic, December 30

Carla Loves to Read, December 30

Back Porch Reads, December 31

CarpeDiem, December 31

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, December 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a print copy of the book and a Visa gift card for $25. Swag!!

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/f1fe/the-wedding-dress-christmas-celebration-tour-giveaway

Crown 30 Wife-Changing Lessons Celebrate Lit Tour & $50 Card Giveaway.

6BF9E402-A121-4CEB-BA3E-E56AFBB7929B
My Rating

My Thoughts

Author Nancy Kaser has written a Christian book for wives, all wives.  Whether you are a new blushing bride or a seasoned golden one, you will enjoy and glean things from this encouraging book.  Her title, Crown, and book are “Based on Proverbs 12:4, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” Crown includes concrete, scriptural truths and real-life examples that will equip you to be the excellent wife God created you to be.”

There are thirty lessons in this biblically based book divided into six chapters.  Topics are  so relevant to marriage that they seem simple.  Her chapters are on yield, help, smile (yes, really), order, gift, and increase.  Each lesson includes discussion and application questions. For those wanting to dig even deeper, additional materials are available on the author’s website.

There is so much I loved about this book.  The author has an inviting style of writing.  It is open, sincere, humorous, and inspirational.  There were times I felt like I was chatting with a Christian friend about our marriages.

I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to many.  This would make a lovely wives’ small group study.  It is going on my “keep” shelf because I know I will need to refer to it at times.

This gets a solid 5 out of 5 stars from me.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my own, honest words.

 

About the Book

Book:  Crown

Author: Nancy Kaser

Genre: Christian Non-Fiction, Biblical Marriage

Release Date: August 20, 2019

crown coverWhether you’re in the honeymoon stage or celebrating your fiftieth anniversary, you have never before been in this season of your marriage. Your family dynamics, finances, health, emotional state, location, ministry, employment status—all the factors of your life—are in a perpetual state of transition. As a married woman, you are continually wife-changing. The Scriptures never change, but they can always be freshly applied to every season of marriage.

Crown is a resource that combines solid Bible teaching, humorous and humbling tales from the author’s own marriage journey, and dozens of compelling stories from real women just like you. Based on Proverbs 12:4, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” Crown includes concrete Scriptural truths and real-life examples that will equip you to be the excellent wife God created you to be. Complex issues such as biblical roles within marriage, physical intimacy, communication, forgiveness, and home management are all addressed with candid honesty, encouragement, and biblical substance. In thirty wife-changing lessons, you will be instructed, challenged, and motivated to walk in obedience to God’s beautiful design for marriage.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

About the Author

Nancy Kaser Bio PicNancy Kaser is a passionate pastor’s wife and veteran missionary. For over twenty-five years, she has taught women’s Bible studies, provided biblical counseling, and been a dynamic women’s conference speaker. Based in Southern California, Nancy teaches literature and history classes at The Writtenburg Door. She and her visionary husband also lead short-term mission trips with the Calvary Chapel movement and run a child-sponsorship organization.

 

More from Nancy

Closing the church door after my seventh counseling appointment that week, I was overcome with the realization that every appointment had been relatively indistinguishable. The women I counseled our congregation were generally unsatisfied, disappointed, and disillusioned with their marriages, and some were downright rebellious in their role as wives. The same anxieties, the same troubles, (and the same sins creating the anxieties and troubles) came up in almost every meeting. Though these church ladies may have been well-versed in the scriptures, no one had taught them how to live out biblical principals in their everyday lives.

As a pastor’s wife, I wished I could meet with every married lady in my church and offer practical discipleship with this hope: that a glorious, fulfilling, and God-honoring marriage—to the same guy she is married to right now! —is absolutely possible through obedience to God’s word.  

Crown – 30 Wife-Changing Lessons is a resource that combines solid Bible teaching, humorous and humbling tales from my own marriage journey, and dozens of compelling stories from real women just like you. Based on Proverbs 12:4, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” Crown includes concrete, scriptural truths and real-life examples that will equip you to be the excellent wife God created you to be. Complex issues such as biblical roles within marriage, physical intimacy, communication, forgiveness, and home management are all addressed with candid honesty, encouragement and biblical substance.

Whether you’re in the honeymoon stage or celebrating your fiftieth anniversary, you have never before been in this season of your marriage. Your family dynamics, finances, health, emotional state, location, ministry, employment status— all the factors of your life—are in a perpetual state of transition. As a married woman, you are continually wife-changing. The scriptures never change, but they can always be freshly applied to every season of marriage. In thirty wife-changing lessons, you will be instructed, challenged, and motivated to walk in obedience to God’s beautiful design for marriage.

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 13

Mary Hake, December 13

Inklings and notions, December 14

Artistic Nobody, December 15

All-Of-kind Mom, December 16

Just the Write Escape, December 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 18

Texas Book-aholic, December 19

janicesbookreviews, December 20

Simple Harvest Reads, December 21

For Him and My Family, December 21

A Reader’s Brain, December 22

As He Leads is Joy, December 23

Lots of Helpers, December 24

Quiet Workings, December 25

Godly Book Reviews, December 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Nancy is giving away the grand prize package of 2 copies of Crown and a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/f23e/crown-celebration-tour-giveaway

Darling Hedgehog Goes Down a Foxhole Celebrate Lit Tour

My Thoughts

Darling Hedgehog Goes Down a Foxhole by author Auralee Arkinsly is a whimsical Children’s book for ages about four to eight.  Hedgehogs seem to be popular so children will be excited about reading a book about the adventures of one.
The writing in this chapter book is nice.  Kids will learn about hedgehogs while being entertained.  Older children should be able to follow along as you read to them or possibly read it to you.
I loved that the little hedgehog was named Darling. The lesson taught of being friendly to other people while being aware of potential danger is timeless.  Today especially we need to guard our little ones.
The only problem with this book is that it might scare some of the younger ones.  I was unsettled with some of the tale.  It could be frightening to children.  I expected this to be a Christian book but there was no sign of that.
With some editing this could could be a really good story.  The way it is written, I am hesitant to recommend it.  Celebrate Lit provided a copy but these are my own true words.

About the Book

Book: Darling Hedgehog Goes Down A Foxhole

Author: Auralee Arkinsly

Genre: Early reader chapter book

Release Date: September 13, 2019

Darling HedgehogDarling Hedgehog learns about the animal nature of things in high humor and carefree, cute, and winning episodes. This childhood story reads a bit like Aesop’s Fables or a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, for children 4-8 or preschool and kindergarten, as a read-to-me picture book, and first grade and second grade as a chapter book.
Pictures similar to the Mercy Watson series are characterized and painted in full-color, though the pages are set up like a chapter book.
This book helps to train children in natural wisdom, analysis, and discernment. It helps to balance the teachings of acceptance of everyone and friendliness to all. There may be good purposes for everyone to exist under heaven, yet all purposes may not be good for a child. So, beware, be discrete, and flee from crafty foxes especially when they are holding your parents in the pantry.

 

Click here to purchase your copy.

 

About the Author

Auralee ArkinslyAuralee Arkinsly writes in good humor about serious subjects because kids of all ages can learn a lot from laughing. She is a strong believer in right and wrong but knows that getting onto the right path can mean falling down a slippery slope. She reckons if she can save some from the bumps and bruises, then she has done her job

 

More from Auralee

I’m so excited to launch my children’s book, Darling Hedgehog Goes Down a Foxhole with the Celebrate Lit crew!  You are a river of hope for a new author.
So, here’s the story behind the story.
My friend and fellow author, Kathy Joy, left me a small hedgehog in a tutu as a going away gift on her guest bed after she had been visiting. I put it on the windowsill in my bedroom, and every morning, I would see it when I awoke.
I don’t know if you can relate to this experience, but I often wake up from a good night’s sleep with the gift of a problem being solved.  Sometimes, I wake up with a creative idea.  Well, one day, I awoke to find that I had the beginnings of a child’s story about where the hedgehog found her tutu.
Initially, it was a simple story about Darling Hedgehog finding a foxy friend who helps Darling find her calling.
I wrote out the story and then asked a talented neighborhood girl if she would like to draw the pictures for the tall tale. Having seen a lot of Julia’s sketches as she grew up, I thought that she might like to know what it felt like to earn money from her talents and at the same time, learn about the process of creating a book with an author to propose to a publishing company.
She agreed. Julia was in ninth grade. She was at the age where she was beginning to think about high school jobs and even to make plans for college and a career.
The same day we wrote out our contract, Julia sent me her first image of what she imagined Darling to look like. It clearly was not a mistake to hire this young artist!
When I awoke another morning, I believed God had given me another bit of advice. I needed to do better research on the nature of hedgehogs and foxes, their habitats and characteristics. The outcome caused the story to take a turn towards intrigue.  It became a fable. It became an action-adventure animal story. It became better.
A librarian encouraged us to continue with it no longer as a picture book for very small children but as an early reader chapter book for second graders learning about similes.
I hope that we can teach children to notice facts and objective truth as they are being trained for life. So, I’ve accepted that my child’s fantasy had to grow some legs of gravity and wisdom.  I’ve trusted my editors and beta readers that this is true, but I’m not above being told off.

Blog Stops

A Baker’s Perspective, December 11

A Diva’s Heart, December 11

Girls in White Dresses, December 11

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 12

For Him and My Family, December 12

Older & Smarter?, December 13

Emily Yager, December 13

For the Love of Literature, December 13

Just the Write Escape, December 14

Blogging With Carol, December 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 15

Bigreadersite, December 15

janicesbookreviews, December 15

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 16

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 16

Blossoms and Blessings, December 17

Southern Gal Loves to Read, December 17

A Reader’s Brain, December 17

Aryn The Libraryan 📚 , December 18

Lights in a Dark World, December 18

Remembrancy, December 19

Inklings and notions, December 19

Lighthouse Academy, December 19 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 20

Live.Love.Read., December 20

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, December 21

Sara Jane Jacobs, December 21

The Christian Fiction Girl, December 22

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, December 22

Maureen’s Musings, December 23

With a Joyful Noise, December 23

Texas Book-aholic, December 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Auralee is giving away the grand prize of a set of Darling Hedgehog greeting cards!!

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/f33e/darling-hedgehog-goes-down-a-foxhole-celebration-tour-giveaway

An Amish Christmas Bakery Celebrate Lit Tour

Merry Christmas!  Welcome to my stop on Celebrate Lit’s tour for An Amish Christmas Bakery.  I hope you enjoy reading about this lovely book which includes four delightful stories.  They are all fantastic.

My Thoughts

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love celebrating the birth of Jesus, my Savior.  Everyone seems to get into a holiday mood and becomes a bit nicer.  The sights, sounds, and smells of the season are exhilarating.

Reading Christian romance books about Christmas is the best in December.  Add the Amish genre, Christmas baking, sprinkle on some inspiration and you have a captivating winter book.  That is what I found in An Amish Christmas Bakery.

Four Amish novella, each standing on its own and unrelated, are penned by well-known Amish authors.  The stories are sweet, engaging, and entertaining.  All were  page turners and easy in which to become invested.  Characters were simple Amish folk with distinct characteristics.  Each one had good points as well as flaws which made them relatable and believable.

Each tale was well written.  The authors all have smooth writing styles that are easy to read.  Descriptive prose took me to Amish Country where I could almost smell the sweet treats my imagination envisioned.  This book made me want to take a trip to see the shops myself.  I really enjoyed it.

I highly recommend this book.  It is a nice way to sample each authors work.  This would be a nice gift for that reader in your circle.  I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.  Pour a cup of your choice hot beverage, sit by the fire, and grab this collection of four novella.  Everything will be cozy and right for a while in your world.  It was in mine!

A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest thoughts.

 

About the Book

Book:  An Amish Christmas Bakery

Author: Various Authors

Genre: Amish Fiction, Romance

Release Date: October 2, 2019

Amish Christmas BakeryFrom bestselling authors in the Amish genre come four delicious novellas perfect for celebrating love, joy, and the holiday season.

Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston
As Christmas draws near, Alyssa Byler dreams of a window display for the bakery where she works. When she decides to design and build a sugar cookie nativity scene, all she needs is the right cookie cutters-and handsome blacksmith Kyle Smoker is the one she asks for help. Using Kyle’s handmade cutters, Alyssa creates a striking display that brings more tourists to the bakery than she can handle.
And when shoppers request handmade cookie cutters of their own, Kyle finds himself overwhelmed by the demand. As Christmas approaches, Alyssa realizes she’s been too caught up in work to focus on the true meaning of Christmas-and too distracted to explore the feelings she has for Kyle. Together, they put aside the holiday rush and spend their time celebrating the season that has brought them together.

Loaves of Love by Beth Wiseman
As the only girl in a family of eight, Katie Swartzentruber has been left in charge of her family’s bakery while her mother recuperates from surgery. At first, Katie doesn’t think tending to the bakery alone will be difficult. She’s worked alongside her mother for years. But Christmas is coming, and with the holiday comes a flood of patrons, both regulars and tourists. When Katie becomes overwhelmed with the orders she is receiving, she is tempted to move her Old Order family into the modern world by purchasing propane ovens to help with the workload. She finds help from an unexpected source-childhood friend Henry Hershberger, who has harbored a secret crush on Katie for years. He’s been afraid to tell her how he feels, but he’s sure that this Christmas is his moment. As the demands of the bakery only get more intense, both Katie and Henry have to decide what really matters . . . and find the courage within themselves to go after it.

Melting Hearts by Kathleen Fuller
Mattie Shetler is an expert baker, so when her aunt Carolyn begs for help during the busy Christmas rush, Mattie eagerly packs her bags and heads to Birch Creek. What she doesn’t know is that her uncle has also asked for help with the bakery’s new expansion, and he’s asked none other than Peter Kaufman, Mattie’s sworn enemy. As the two work side by side, though, Mattie discovers not all is as it seems. With Christmas just around the corner, Mattie and Peter open their hearts for the greatest gifts of the season: forgiveness and maybe even love.

Cakes and Kisses by Kelly Irvin
Martha Ropp works hard at her family’s bakery, making cakes and pies in preparation not only for Christmas but the many community weddings, including her sister’s. To help during this busy season, Martha’s mother hires Ambrose Hershberger to make deliveries. Martha remembers Ambrose as a gentle giant from her school days, but soon discovers that still waters run deep. The more they work together, the more they want to spend time together outside of the bakery, but both Martha and Ambrose are too timid to make the first move. That’s when the town matchmakers step in.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

Read an Excerpt

Read an excerpt of An Amish Christmas Bakery here.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, December 7

The Avid Reader, December 7

Chas Ray’ Book Nerd Corner, December 7

Inklings and notions, December 8

Books, Life, and Christ, December 8

preciousbitsandmusings, December 8

Quiet Quilter, December 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 9

Life as Lanhams, December 10

Britt Reads Fiction, December 10

D’S QUILTS &BOOKS, December 10

Emily Yager, December 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 11

Texas Book-aholic, December 11

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 12

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

Older & Smarter?, December 13

Miss Tinas Amish Book Review, December 13

janicesbookreviews, December 13

Bigreadersite, December 14

Batya’s Bits, December 14

For Him and My Family, December 14

Splashes of Joy, December 15

Lighthouse Academy, December 15

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 15

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 16

Nighttime Reading Center, December 16

EmpowerMoms, December 16

My Devotional Thoughts, December 17

Blossoms and Blessings, December 17

Hallie Reads, December 18

Inspiration Clothesline, December 18

Mary Hake, December 18

Southern Gal Loves to Read, December 19

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, December 19

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 19

A Reader’s Brain, December 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 20

Breath of Joy! Winter Whispers Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

My Thoughts

Breath of Joy!  Winter Whispers by author Kathy Joy is a book celebrating winter, hope, and God through prose, thoughts, and pictures.  It is a simple yet deep book.  Even those that do not like winter will glean something from this small book.

Do not expect a story beginning on page one and continuing until the end of the book.  Each page and picture are combined to make their own beautiful, poignant statement.  The author writes that this is “to her growing tribe of widows” so I felt a sense of loss and yet comfort in this book.

It would make a nice winter coffee table book.  The pictures are beautiful and the writing  permeates my heart.  For someone grieving this would be a comforting easy to read book.  I would give it as a gift.

I recommend this book.  It receives a 4 out of 5 stars from me.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but this is my honest opinion.

About the Book

Book: Breath of Joy! Winter Whispers

Author: Kathy Joy

Genre: Non-fiction, Gift Book, Picture Book

Release Date: October 1, 2019

Winter whispersThe final book in the series, Breath of Joy, Winter Whispers speaks of the deep quiet earth movements that echo human proving grounds and transitions during rest. Photo Art and Prose. Three everyday celebrations on every page spread are not commercially Christmas but rather interrelational and spiritually poised. This is simply, because in Winter when the earth’s axis is the farthest away from the sun, people warm themselves and grow in the wonder of darkness, where God still sees us, breathing life.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

About the Author

Kathy Joy's Publicity Photo E (Winter)Kathy Joy enjoyed being a popular Christian radio D.J. in Colorado for many years. When her husband wanted to move to Pennsylvania to take over the family farm, Kathy Joy accompanied him with their two young daughters. Four years later, Kathy Joy found herself a widow raising two teenagers. To stave off despair, she began writing three every day celebrations in a journal. Friends on Facebook began prompting her to write a book, and so the beginning of the Breath of Joy series began. Kathy Joy now works in human services, speaking wonder on the weekends to grief therapy groups, motivational corporate meetings, and women’s retreats. Some of her topics include Vision Board workshops, Being a Harbor Pilot, Mirroring the Savior, The Fifth Season, and A Christmas Tea.

 

More from Kathy

I’m so excited to join Celebrate Lit for this first real blog tour of my Breath of Joy series!
 
As a collector of celebrations, curating pithy delights and sharing them with my readers, I do hope you enjoy the visual experience and personal comfort offered in my Winter Whispers book.
 
Wintertime, especially Christmas and Valentine’s day, can be some of the toughest times of the year for people who have experienced trauma, or significant loss and grief. I’m one of those people.  Collecting three everyday celebrations for me was a means of refocusing on common joys in my life. They were a means of turning my despair into faith. Now, by publishing four books in less than two years, I have encountered another ladder of faith and I continue to face fear in order to live the adventure that God has for me.
 
Don’t you know, the Lord gives us many different kinds of gifts, and some of those gifts we would rather return to Him?  However, my seasonal “Breath of Joy!” books helped me not only to be thankful for the phase of life in which I found myself, but writing these books also built depth into my relationship with my real self, not my public persona, and specifically with the real God of the Bible.
 
It brings joy to my heart to collect snapshots of life and give my readers an opportunity to experience simple blessings in fresh, new ways. My books were borne out of sudden loss and grief when my husband of 23 years died of a massive heart attack. Gathering up my will to go forward, I remembered he always encouraged me to collect “beautiful moments” and write them down.
 

Now, when people connect with me, they say things like, “I couldn’t sleep, and so I picked up your book, and it gave me a new perspective that has helped me go on. If you can do it, so can I.” / “I went to one of Kathy Joy’s vision board making workshops. When I posted my board on the refrigerator, I had no idea how much I would rely on it to get me through the next year.  I am writing this to thank you for helping me stay out of the hospital for a full year.” /

“Just downloaded your file/book. Absolutely beautiful. I thought you wrote prose/poetry. Forgive me for putting you off. I loved perusing the pages. I went through it too fast. I need to sip it. I will peruse it again tomorrow. Totally different from what I thought it’d be. Hmmm. It’s more than a coffee table book. Gift book. Calming book. Nice, very nice.  Let me sit with it and ponder it. Lovely creation.
These kinds of receptions make my day. They let me know that God still has adventures for me to take and purposes for me to speak wonder into other people’s lives.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away the grand prize of a copy of the book in reader’s choice of format!!

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/f1fc/breath-of-joy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Heart of a Royal Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

My Thoughts

Heart of a Royal by author Hannah Currie is a delightful Young Adult Romance Christian novel.  It is not the typical Princess book, and for that reason it captured my attention and held it.  I have not read anything by this author before and was pleasantly surprised.

Author Currie has a very nice style of writing.  Her story flowed smoothly like hot fudge over ice cream.  The characters were relatable and lifelike.  I even enjoyed their flaws and wanted to give them advice.  They felt like young friends.

The setting was in a place that seemed part Contemporary and part Fairy Tale.  The palace was well described and easy to imagine.  A lot of young ladies most assuredly dream of living life in a palace.  They will love getting lost in this book.  It provides some surprises to make the story interesting.

inspiration and faith are woven in expertly.  Love is a beautiful theme especially for a YA book.  Mackenna and Thoraben made a cute pair and sparks flew off of the pages.  This was a sweet romance.

I definitely recommend this book.  It would make a well received Christmas gift.  I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest thoughts.

About the Book

Book: Heart Of A Royal

Author: Hannah Currie

Genre:  Young Adult/Royalty

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

 


 

 

About the Author

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

 

More from Hannah

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by royalty. Real ones like Queen Elizabeth II, who is such an incredible woman and a total hero of mine (not to mention, as a proud Australian and member of the Commonwealth, my monarch) but also the not-so-real ones. Those found in fairytales. Romances. Narnia.

I’m one of those people who blocks out an entire day to watch a royal wedding, sighs like a hopeless romantic through cheesy princess movies, reads just about any novel I find with a crown on the front and loves a full-spread photo souvenir magazine. I may have even written a short story starring a princess for an English assignment at school. More than once. [Side note, if you’re going to write a story about a princess who is totally adorable but can’t spell, don’t use a misspelled word as the title. It takes a lot of explaining to make sure the teacher knows you did it on purpose and doesn’t mark you down for it… sorry Ninth Grade English teacher!].

The glamor draws me in, the beautiful clothes, the history and romance of it all, but it’s the expectations they have on them which hold me there. Every title comes with a million expectations, whether or not they’re realistic. We expect royals, both real and fictional, to behave in a certain way. To be honourable (assuming they’re the good guys). To care for their people and put them first. To always be there. Yes, even to be beautiful.

But what happens when they’re not? When they’re shy? Fight anxiety? Hate the spotlight? Are blemished in some way? What happens when what’s best for the people isn’t what’s best for them? Or when they make a mistake? Something which, for anyone else, would be easily fixed or glossed over but for a royal, gets written into the history books forever. Purely because of their title.

Kenna, the main character in Heart of a Royal, never meant to be a princess. She wasn’t born into royalty, neither did she choose it. And yet, due to circumstances far beyond her control, there she is. Living in a palace. Part of that life.

Very few of us are royalty but I think we all know how heavy expectations can be and the pain of being thrust into situations beyond our control. And yet, even in those moments and seasons, just like Kenna, we have choices. They might seem small, maybe even insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but they’re there. Who we put our trust in. What we do with the circumstances we’ve been given. Where we go from there.

Heart of a Royal is as much my story as it is Kenna’s. No, I’m not a princess (thankfully!) but I have struggled through finding hope and purpose when life flies out of control and the expectations prove too much. And here’s what I’ve found – God is good. There is hope and God is good. I hope, through Kenna’s story, you are reminded of that too.

Blog Stops

Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 28

CarpeDiem, November 28

Hebrews 12 Endurance, November 28

Hallie Reads, November 28

Emily Yager, November 29

For the Love of Literature, November 29

Through the Fire Blogs, November 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 30

Back Porch Reads, November 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 30

To Everything There Is A Season, November 30

Books, Life, and Christ, December 1

Mia Reads Blog, December 1

Bigreadersite , December 1

Kathleen Denly, December 2

Genesis 5020, December 2

She Lives To Read, December 2

Texas Book-aholic, December 2

A Baker’s Perspective, December 3

Livin’ Lit, December 3

Kat’s Corner Books, December 3

The Becca Files, December 4

Becka Jiménez , December 4

HookMeInABook, December 4

janicesbookreviews, December 4

Blossoms and Blessings, December 5

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, December 5

Just the Write Escape, December 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 5

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 6

Avid Reader Nurse, December 6

For Him and My Family, December 6

A Reader’s Brain, December 6

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 7

Moments, December 7

Simple Harvest Reads, December 7

Remembrancy, December 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 8

Pause for Tales , December 8

Inklings and notions, December 8

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 9

Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 9

For The Love of Books, December 9

All-of-a-kind Mom, December 10

Just Your Average reviews, December 10

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, December 10

Living Life Free in Christ, December 11

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, December 11

Batya’s Bits, December 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour Hannah is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/f1a8/heart-of-a-royal-celebration-tour-giveaway

Letter from Paul Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

My Thoughts

Letter from Paul to the Church in Galatia and Us! by author Mary Weins is a Bible Study on the Book of Galatians.  This devotional workbook is meant to help readers, whether individually or in a group, delve more deeply into those scriptures and develop a closer walk with God.  It is a thorough study going through the chapters.

Beginning the study is a story which relates to the subject in each chapter.  The stories were interesting.  Next is the learning section.   At the end are questions and insights for personal growth.  This study’s length determines on how much time the student wants to put into it.  Some chapters were more interesting than others.  Topics of interest for me were false prophets and what does a Christian look like.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style.  It was pleasant, easy to read, and flowed well.  Mrs. Weins had done her research.  The book is well planned and organized.  It is an interactive and helpful tool in learning more about Galatians.

I recommend this book.  It would be nice both both individual and small group study.  It gets a 4 out of 5 stars from me.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.

 

About the Book

Book: Letter from Paul

Author: Mary Weins

Genre:  Christian Non-Fiction, Bible study

Release Date: April 5, 2019

Letters from PaulA devotional workbook on Galatians that gives enough substance for the interactive part of the workbook. It is worthwhile for small groups or individuals.” Dr. Dennis Beatty

Draw closer to God. Revel in the knowledge that you are saved by grace, not works. Discover how Paul addressed the Galatian people when they veered from the truth back into bondage to the rules and customs of their time.

This Bible study takes you verse by verse through the book of Galatians, with insights into what occurred so many years ago yet is still relevant today. Bringing home the truth that we don’t have to perform a certain way to be accepted as heirs to Christ, Letter from Paul offers relief to those who feel pressured to live by the world’s standards.

You will be refreshed and renewed as you lean into the fact that God loves you just as you are. Yes, He has given us the commandments, but He doesn’t pile additional rules on us that we can’t possibly follow. Instead, He gives us grace. And mercy. And love.

“Galatians is about the difference between salvation by works and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not about obeying all the rules versus having a good time. It is about a personal relationship with our Creator and Savior.” – Mary Weins

 

 

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Author Mary WeinAs a Pastor’s kid, Mary has been involved in the church most of her life. She has led many Bible study groups in homes, in the church environment, and in jails; Mary has worked in various women’s ministries, and is a writer, speaker and Bible Teacher.
Currently, Mary and her husband are retired and live in Northern California. They have 3 sons, and 5 grandchildren who live nearby. When not writing, speaking, leading Bible study groups, or studying God’s Word on her own, Mary enjoys entertaining friends, cooking, and playing with her grandchildren…not necessarily in that order.

 

More from Mary

Letter from Paul: to the Church in Galatia…and Us!

As a preacher’s kid, I was brought up in a strict, structured home environment. This upbringing created a harsh view of Christianity and an overwhelming fear of hell, fire, and damnation for me.

It was not until years later that I found a church emphasizing God’s love. I read the Word and prayed daily and began to develop a close, personal relationship with God. But fear kept haunting me until I really got into Galatians and broke it down, verse by verse. The book of Galatians is a crucial book of the Bible for me because it emphasizes God’s love and forgiveness and provides assurance that, even though I mess up at times, God still loves me!

It is my hope and prayer that you, too, can embrace the beautiful message of love and acceptance contained in Galatians and apply it to your life. When we fully submit and trust God for our lives, an overwhelming peace envelops us. We no longer need to fear Him. He is a loving God who provides all our needs and protects, encourages, comforts, and directs us. He is our heavenly Father, our constant companion, and a friend who really does have all the right answers.

Living in a right relationship with God dramatically changes the way we view ourselves and the world. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17 KJV).

Written in a down-to-earth, easy-to-read approach, the Bible studies contained in Letter from Paul highlight the main points covered in each chapter of Galatians.

It is my hope and prayer that this book will erase the doubts and fears of Christians who question their salvation or fear that they are not good enough to maintain it and to point the way for the unsaved to realize how easy it is to become a child of God.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 30

The Power of Words, December 1

Older & Smarter?, December 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 3

All-of-a-kind Mom, December 3

The Becca Files, December 4

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess , December 5

Maureen’s Musings, December 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 7

Texas Book-aholic, December 8

Mary Hake, December 8

janicesbookreviews, December 9

My Devotional Thoughts, December 10

Aryn The Libraryan ? , December 11

A Reader’s Brain, December 12

Godly Book Reviews, December 12

Inklings and notions , December 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card & Paperback of “Letter from Paul”!!

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/ed7b/letter-from-paul-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Melody of the Mulberries Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

My Thoughts

The Melody of the Mulberries by author Tonya Jewel Blessing is a Christian Historical Southern Romance.  It is the second book in author Blessing’s Big Creek Series.  The story continues in Appalachia in the 1920’s.

Having not read the first book, I was a bit lost.  It felt like I was walking into a movie at a halfway point.  I really enjoyed the setting, characters, and author’s style of writing.  All of those drew me in and kept me reading.  In fact I am going to get the first book now.

The author has done a wonderful job making realistic, well rounded characters.  Her tale is well thought and very well written.  It deals with topics of grief, unwed mothers, family, love, consequences, and prison.  All are relevant today.

I was surprised at times.  The author included twists and turns to keep readers on their toes.  Her story is whimsical and draws readers into the West Virginia world of that time.  The folklore and beliefs she wove into her story made it very interesting.  Many I had heard but I learned some new ones.

Sprinkled with faith, humor, inspiration, and drama is a story that will tug on your heartstrings.  It stayed with me long after I finished reading about Coral, Ernest, Charlotte, Mercy, and others.  I would recommend this book but please read the first one.  It receives a 4 out of 5 star rating from me.  Celebrate Lit provided a copy but these are my own, honest words.

 

About the Book

Book: The Melody of the Mulberries

Author: Tonya Jewel Blessing

Genre:  Historic Southern Romance

Release Date: September 16, 2019

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

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

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

 

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

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

More from Tonya

Greetings From Author Tonya Jewel Blessing

The Melody of the Mulberries is book two in the Big Creek Series. Both books are set during the late 1920s in the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia. The Appalachian Mountains were untamed in the 1920s and remain so in part today. The wonder of the hills is breathtaking, magnificent, and glorious.

The term “wild wonderful West Virginia” was used as early as 1969 before being adapted in the 1970s as the state slogan.

In 1937, my mother, Virginia Ashby, was born in the rural hills of West Virginia. She spent several of her formative years in an area known as Big Creek. I have borrowed my mother’s maiden name, several names from her past, and the name Big Creek.

The morning mist hanging in the lowlands, the dew on the ground, along with the green of spring and the deep red, sparkling gold, and brilliant oranges of fall draw me visually, emotionally, and on some level spiritually to its feral fascination. John Denver recorded in his tribute to West Virginia, “Take me home country roads to the place I belong…” Certainly, there are seasons in my life where I long for the steep, curvy country roads of my youth. This is one deeply satisfying reason for writing about hope with connections to West Virginia, a life held close to my heart.

It is a pleasure and an honor to share this story with the Celebrate Lit family. My southern story is an authentically derived historical romance for young adults and for women of all ages who love Appalachian lore and West Virginia history. It contains some depictions of spiritualism and traditional Christianity during the 1920s in West Virginia. It continues with the inter-racial dealings between two communities, where, some are friends and some are foes.

If anyone would enjoy a free sample of the first audiobook, The Whispering of the Willows, please go to the link and click “play sample”.  This amazing voice actress, Courtney Patterson, will start reading you my story so that you will feel like you are eavesdropping on the Ashby family. Enjoy!

Enjoy an excerpt from Tonya’s first book in the series, The Whispering of the Willows, here.

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 27

For Him and My Family, November 28

Christian Bookshelf Reviews, November 29 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 29

Older & Smarter?, November 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 1

For the Love of Literature, December 2

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 3

Pause for Tales , December 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 5

Texas Book-aholic, December 6

janicesbookreviews, December 7

Betti Mace, December 8

A Reader’s Brain, December 9

Inklings and notions, December 10

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/f19f/the-melody-of-the-mulberries-celebration-tour-giveaway