Must Read Monday: Gone to Texas

Posted on September 17, 2018September 17, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

About the Book

Book Title: Gone to Texas

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Historical Romance CBE995B0-9CE3-469C-A5B0-700939423E6C

Release date: September 6, 2018

Can beauty truly come from ashes?

Deception drives seventeen souls to hard choices. Either stay on the land they thought they’d bought or heed the lure of free land in the faraway wilderness of a new Republic. Rife with peril and hardship, three families knit together by blood and friendship head out with a widowed man, daughter, and his slave, gambling everything they own on the prospect of land ownership and working it together. Does friendship pave a way to marriage? Can puppy-love survive through a harrowing journey to blossom into a forever lover? With duress at every turn, can the clan stay together all the way to Texas and accomplish their goals?

Click here to purchase your copy.

My Review

Gone to Texas is Book One in the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection, a part of Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga. The Christian historical novel is written by master wordsmith author Caryl Macadoo. She does not disappoint with this one. It is another God glorifying, inspirational, entertaining book. Even the cover is just beautiful.

Set pre-Civil War, this is the tale of families leaving Tennessee and journeying to Texas. The characters are plentiful and at times hard to remember because of the large number. Once I got to know them, I had everyone straight. They are well described, lovable, flawed, and realistic. The story centers around the O’Neal, Worley, and Van Zandt clan, as they venture together to Texas. After a few pages I was all into this tale. I did not want to put it down until I had finished it.

Have you ever wanted to go on a wagon trip? As we can imagine the wagon expedition is not an easy one. Author Macadoo brings it to life with her vivid descriptions and verbiage. Wildlife, river crossings, ailments, rebelous teenagers and disappointments were all company on this trip. Author Macadoo’s writing took me right into the midst of it all! The trials encountered, both physical and emotional, were easy to understand and emphasize. The triumphs were equally felt and celebrated with these families. These families dealt with things we do today, tragedy, envy, unfaithfulness, wavering faith, jealousy, weariness, compassion, forgiveness, compassion, and redemption. The encouragement and Christian messages are abundant which are things I crave in Christian fiction.

This is a very well organized, well planned, and well researched book. Caryl McAdoo’s novels always teach me something. That is important to me as a reader. The conversation between characters was plentiful and flowed smoothly. Her use of colloquialisms makes her stories a true joy. I loved them! She has a down to earth style of writing that makes reading her books so enjoyable. There will always be some laughter tucked into her story to brighten a reader’s day. She includes scripture and things to deepen readers’ walk with God. It is easy to find things to ponder and think about long after finishing this book.

I would definitely recommend this one. It has great characters in which I immediately became invested. I want more of them! Alisha and Liberty became like old friends. This is a sweet historical romance with adventure that you don’t want to miss. My rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book from CelebrateLit. However, I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own, honest ones.

About the Author

Top priority is God’s glory, and that’s exactly what Caryl McAdoo prays her stories will bring. To entertain and draw readers into a closer walk with Him is next. A quick check of stars and reviews attest to the success of this award-winning, best-selling author—all by the Father’s faithfulness. Besides writing, she loves singing praises, including the new songs He gives her! Visit her YouTube channel. Ron, her high school sweetheart husband won her heart fifty-two years ago, and they share four children and seventeen grandsugars. Ron and Caryl live on thirty-four acres ‘The Peaceable’ in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas and wait expectantly for God to open the next door.

Guest Post from Caryl

As much as I hated leaving the Buckmeyers, Baylors, and Nightingales and the Red River Valley, I loved starting this fresh Family Saga series with all new characters! GONE TO TEXAS is Book One of the Cross Timber Romances and features three families—the O’Neals, Van Zandts, and Worleys—joined by blood and friendship through Liberty O’Neal. Laud Worley is her little brother and Mallory Van Zandt, her best friend since school days.

Together, they’d traveled south to settle in Tennessee and were about to harvest their first cotton crop that fall in 1840 when they discovered the deed to their land—the land they’d spent all their pooled savings on—was forged and no-good.

The legal owner graciously allows them to stay through harvest, taking his portion of their labor and cottonseed. At the gin, Seve Van Zandt hears rumors of Texas, a new Republic out west, offering free land to pioneers willing to tame its wildlands. This first story—book one—is all about their journey to the new country filled with hope and dreams.

A hired widower who with his daughter and slave helped harvest the clan’s cotton asked to join them on their journey, and so, on that fateful September morn, seventeen souls set out after they hung a hand-painted sign on one of the cabins they left behind. “Gone to Texas”!

Another very special thing about this novel, one hundred twelve thousand words—about three hundred fifty pages, is that it is also book one in a brand new collection! The Thanksgiving Books and Blessings Collection that includes stories from eight other authors besides me: Lena Nelson Dooly, Heather Blanton, Kristin Holt, Kit Morgan, Suzette Williams, Pauline Creeden, George McVey, and Lynette Sowell!

All nine books will have Thanksgiving Dinner with family around the table, giving thanks to God for all his blessings. I’ve noticed many series launched in December, but Thanksgiving is my favorite. I love giving thanks to the Lord!

And as always, I pray my story gives God glory, and that its readers will be drawn closer to Him through it. He blesses and highly favors me daily. I cannot thank or praise Him enough!

Thank you, too, for reading my stories, reviewing my stories, and participating in the most AWESOME CELEBRATE LIT‘s Blog Tour!!

Blog Stops

A Baker’s Perspective, September 11

Captive Dreams Window, September 12

proud to be an autism mom, September 12

Inklings and notions, September 13

Luv’N Lambert Life, September 13

cherylbbookblog, September 14

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, September 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 15

Janices book reviews, September 16

Abba’s prayer warrior princess, September 17

Carpe Diem, September 17

Creating Romance, September 18

Madeline Clark, September 18

Margaret Kazmierczak, September 19

The Mimosa Blossom, September 20

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 20

Back Porch Reads, September 21

Bibliophile Reviews, September 22

Texas Book-aholic, September 23

Godly Book Reviews, September 24

Bigreadersite, September 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away

GRAND PRIZE: $50 Amazon Gift Card

1st Prize: THREE Choice-of-Caryl’s Titles (print–US only or eBook)

2nd-4th: ebook of JOHN DAVID’S CALLING

5th-7th: print copy VOW UNBROKEN

8th-10th: $5 Amazon gift cards!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops to earn nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d1a6/gone-to-texas-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Shadow Sister by Katherine Scott Jones

Posted on September 10, 2018September 10, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Shadow Sister is the first novel by author Katherine Scott Jones that I have had the pleasure of reading. It was a haunting story that has stayed with me long after finishing it. Filled with family, suspense, secrets, love, hope, grace, and redemption. It is beautifully written and unlike anything I have read. Shadow Sister is a 365 page Christian Fiction packed with intrigue, sadness, and grief, but there is the element of forgiveness and reassurance of God’s love and the importance of family.

Author Jones alternates between past and present, tenses, and people in the telling of this inspiring story. It took me a few chapters to become invested, but then I was all in. The characters were described so well that they came to life on the pages. I have never been to Bolivia but feel like I have now. The author has a descriptive writing style that is engaging.

This is the tale of two close sisters, Jenna and Sarah Lanning. Misunderstandings drove them apart. The emotions transferred from the characters to me, and I was saddened. The mystery that kept me reading was what could do this to sisters. Unfortunately family disagreements and grudges go back to Bible times.

Jenna was part of a Christian organization that helps people in third-world countries get clean, water, something Americans take for granted. In Bolivia she encounters superstitions, harsh conditions, injustice, and creepy crawlers. After some tragic news Sarah goes to Bolivia.

I really liked the Christian element and inspiration in this book. If a book is classified as Christian I don’t want it lightly sprinkling it. Give me a heavy handed dose. This book did. Encouraging me to draw closer to God and help others was a result of reading this. Valuing family even more and realizing the preciousness of time spent together stuck with me.

Yes, I would definitely recommend this book. The subject matter and descriptions seem to me better suited for older teens and adults. Parts of the book were hard for me to read, realistic as they might be. I rated it 4 out of 5 stars and will definitely be reading more from this author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The review and opinions are my own honest ones.

About the Book

Working on her father’s vineyard allows Sarah Lanning to bury memories of a lost love and a career that might have been. But then her fractured family receives word that her estranged sister, Jenna, is dead, leaving behind an unexpected request: that Sarah travel to Bolivia to scatter her ashes. Accompanied by pilot Chase Maddox, Sarah embarks on an Andean journey that tests her devotion to home and exposes Jenna’s secret life. Each staggering discovery creates new mysteries—until the last, which leaves Sarah questioning everything she understood about family loyalty. At a crossroads, she must decide whether truth is worth the cost of forgiveness—and whether she can lay claim to a future of happiness without it.

Purchase your copy here: Amazon: Shadow Sister * Christian Book Distributor: Shadow Sister

Giveaway:

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To celebrate her tour, Katherine is giving away a grand prize that includes a personalized signed print copy of the book, a Shadow Sister bookmark, a Frame-able print, Book-lover’s tea, 6 Handcrafted notecards, and a set of vineyard-themed playing cards!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d25f/shadow-sister-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Author

Katherine Scott Jones grew up in cities on every U.S. coast and overseas as her family moved with her father’s Navy career. Seattle became home when she married her husband twenty-eight years ago. After graduating Whitworth University with a degree in communications, she established herself as a freelance writer before turning her hand to fiction. She blogs about books that celebrate beauty at www.katherinescottjones.com. Katherine and her husband have two teenage children. Shadow Sister is her second novel.

Connect with Katherine here: Website

Guest Post from Katherine Scott Jones

Shadow Sister: Outtake Reel

By Katherine Scott Jones

Much as I love a good movie, my favorite part often comes at the end when the director includes outtakes—those false starts and bits from the making of the movie that wind up on the cutting room floor.

In a similar vein, I’m going to let you in on some of what went into the creation of my novel, Shadow Sister, but did not make the final cut.

Shadow Sister is a work of inspirational women’s fiction with a global accent—written for women with a heart for complex relational issues as well as a passion for biblical justice. It is the story of a vintner’s daughter who travels to Bolivia to scatter her estranged sister’s ashes. There, she unravels secrets that test her devotion to home and make her question whether truth is worth the cost of forgiveness. Shadow Sister explores the mysteries of the human heart and the bond of unquenchable love.

Now that you know a bit about what it is, come along as I pull back the curtain and share an exclusive peek at what Shadow Sister is not.

Working Titles

It took me a while to finally land on the right title. Early contenders:

– The Sweetness of Light

– Variations on Shadows and Light.

Characters

It also took a bit of experimenting before I found the right combination of people and places:

– Sarah, the main character, was originally a marine biologist. I first imagined the story set in Seattle before moving it to the fertile plains of Eastern Washington wine country.

– Sarah was originally engaged; and Chase and Rachael were involved.

– The gender of Matilde’s baby changed from what I first plotted. That simple switch got me unstuck from a perplexing snag of writer’s block.

– Names:

o Nicole, Stasi, Rees, and Stephen were all main-character names I considered and rejected.

o Little sister Sarah and big sister Jenna began as litter sister Jenna and big sister Kate. Then Jenna became Somer and finally Sarah, while Kate became Jenna.

o Sassy Britches is named after an actual racehorse by the same name.

Unused research

Of course, story exploration turned up far more tidbits of interesting info than I could possibly fit into the pages of a novel! Some of what I wished I could have used…

– Bolivian fun facts

o Customs.

Bolivians tend to eat outdoors when it is not raining. Many men do not feel comfortable eating in front of strangers, so they will often face a wall or sit hunched over their food when they are eating in public.
Cha’lla is a ritual blessing drawn from Catholic tradition, indigenous religious ceremony, or—typically—a combination of both. Performed by a yatiri (spiritual leader) or Catholic priest, a cha’lla ceremony is performed whenever a new building is finished to ensure future peace in that building.
Many Bolivians believe in karisirus, or night phantoms. These harmful spirits catch people out after dark or when they’re sleeping. Legend says that they split their victim’s stomach and extract some of the fat.

o Drinks. While the traditional Bolivian beverages api and mate de coca are featured in Shadow Sister, several others are not:

refresco (fruit juice with a dried peach at the bottom of the glass)
tostada (a mixture of barley, honey, cloves in water)
chicha (homemade corn beer)
singani (made from grapes, a cross between wine and whiskey)

o Language. Spanish, Aymara, and Quechua are Bolivia’s three national languages, and they differ from each other greatly. For example, the number one in Spanish = uno, Aymara = ma, Quechua = hoq.

– Quotes:

o On wine: “Wine is sunlight held together by water.” ~ Galileo

o On art: “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” ~ Thomas Merton

I hope this glimpse into what didn’t make it onto the pages of Shadow Sister piques your interest for discovering what finally did!