Monday, September 26, 2022

Book Review and Giveaway - Ezekiel’s Song Author: Naomi Craig On Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Ezekiel’s Song

Author: Naomi Craig

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release date: August 16, 2022

A prophet’s heart broken, a woman’s joy gone. What does Yahweh have planned for His people?

On the brink of Jerusalem’s demise, devoted priest, Ezekiel, sees the insincerity of Judah’s worship. Despite his efforts to call the people back to true worship of Yahweh, priests, artisans, valiant warriors, and royals are exiled to Babylon. When God gives him messages of continued judgment for the people in his homeland, his heart breaks. How can he minister to the people from so far away?

The presence of the Lord is tangible when Shiriel sings in the temple, and her voice prepares the hearts of many to worship. When she is exiled to Babylon, her faith is shaken. Does the Lord’s presence extend beyond Jerusalem and His holy temple?

Ezekiel is struck mute and paralyzed as he begins his prophetic ministry, and Shiriel devises a plan to get the Lord’s message back to the unfaithful people of Judah. Shiriel struggles with discontentment as serving the Lord looks nothing like she’d imagined. Can she provide for her family and carry out her husband’s ministry when her joy is gone, and her own dreams are placed on hold?

How will Yahweh save His people from themselves? Find out in Ezekiel’s Song!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Author of Biblical fiction, avid reader, pastor’s wife, Naomi loves reading the Bible and imagining how things were at the time. When she’s not serving in various areas at church, trying to stay on top of mountains of dishes or convincing her rescue dog, Freeway, to be cute on command for Instagram reels, you’ll most likely find her enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee. Naomi co-hosts #BehindTheStory with Naomi and Lisa, an author interview show on YouTube and your podcast platform of choice.

More from Naomi

What do you recall about Ezekiel?

The wheel within the wheel?

The dry bones living.

Ezekiel 4:9 bread?

Did you know the Lord asked him to prepare his food over human dung? Or that he was paralyzed for about 14 months? What about mute for seven years?

There are so many bizarre prophecies and symbolisms in the book of Ezekiel. So many prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled. Raise your hand if you tend to skim through these parts of God’s word.

I do.

But when I read Ezekiel a couple years back, the story really jumped of the page.

What about the people who lived with the prophecies and symbolisms?

Ezekiel saw the Lord, and the message He gave was one of Jerusalem finally meeting their just reward.

Only problem is Ezekiel is already in Babylon.

Oh and there’s the whole paralyzed and mute thing.

How is a man who is physically and geographically bound able to get this message a world away?

What was it like to live on rations of war (contrary to how today’s scientists have discovered the right combination to make nutrient dense, protein packed super bread?) in a land that wasn’t suffering from famine or scarcity.

How did the prophet respond when the people who heard the message in Babylonia and Jerusalem brushed it aside as inconsequential?

Ezekiel’s Song explores the lives of those affected by the prophecies. You’ll meet Ezekiel–in the priestly service, turned prophet, Shiri—the Bible states Ezekiel had a wife, her name and her backstory is my imagination, and Gilead—a fictional valiant warrior from Jerusalem.

Discover the book of Ezekiel like you’ve never seen it before!

My Thoughts

Ezekiel’s Song is a Biblical Fiction book that is written by Naomi Craig. This is the second book in Yahweh's Legacy. I have read the first book - but they can be read as stand alones. I enjoyed seeing this Bible story come to life between the fictional pages. I did go back and reread the book of Ezekiel, and I felt the author did a great job creating her story.

In this story we travel back to Jerusalem. The year is 604BC. We see Ezekiel and his wife, Shiriel. Ezekiel was a strong prophet. His wife, gave up some of her dreams in order to serve with her husband. Ezekiel has some pretty powerful visions and how God used him always has impressed me. Each chapter started off with a bible verse.

The book does contain some graphic violence and a love triangle. It did not bother me, for I know that this was what happened during this time. However, if you are sensitive to these types of situations, this is a word of caution. The author did a great job in bringing this story to life.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this story - all thoughts are my own.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, September 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 18

Inklings and notions, September 19

Holly’s Book Corner, September 19

lakesidelivingsite, September 20

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 21

For Him and My Family, September 22

deb’s Book Review, September 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 24

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 25

Connie’s History Classroom, September 26

Books I’ve Read, September 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 28

She Lives To Read, September 29

Blogging With Carol, September 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Naomi is giving away the grand prize package 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/21815/ezekiel-s-song-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, September 25, 2022

Book Review and Giveaway - Calm in the Mountain Storm Author: Misty M. Beller On Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Calm in the Mountain Storm

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: September 13, 2022

This epic journey will test his strength and ability to protect his children—and they’re all he has left.

When Elise Lane and her brother set out as missionaries to the native tribes in the Rocky Mountains, she knew the work would be challenging. But nothing fully prepared her for the hardships, nor the joys of getting to know the people. And even more so when some of them decide to accept God’s grace. When they discover the entire village where they’ve been working has been massacred, the mysterious brave standing at the edge of the devastation appears to be part of the danger. Especially when Elise realizes he’s holding a baby she recognizes as the daughter of one of the women who now lies dead.

Gone far too long on a mission to return his son who’d been taken by an enemy war party, Goes Ahead is relieved to return home with the boy. Until they reach their village, and the death they find there ignites his fury. His wife has been killed, along with all their friends and neighbors. No one is left alive—except their infant daughter. It can’t be coincidence that both his children have survived such evils. Now he must keep them alive and cross the mountains to return to his family, people who can help protect his family from further danger.

Traveling with an infant not yet four moons old—and no mother to feed her—is more than even Goes Ahead can overcome. Allowing the white strangers to accompany him seems the only choice since one in their party is already nursing a babe of her own. As winter closes in and the mountains prove treacherous beyond anything Goes Ahead can control, only a strength and love greater than his own can save his children—and the woman he’s come to love.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

Early Missionaries to the Rocky Mountain Native American Tribes

One of the things I love about writing stories set in the 1830s Rocky Mountains is that Eastern civilization hadn’t yet touched the frontier. The only people who lived in or visited the Rockies during that were Native Americans and mountain men (usually trappers, but sometimes just explorers).

From that limited experience with white people, two of the native tribes realized they wanted to learn more about the white man’s God and his “Book of Heaven” (the Bible). In 1831, a delegation of four Native Americans—two Nez Perce and two Flathead—showed up in St. Louis, Missouri, asking for someone to come and teach their people about God.

Over the next several years, a number of people went west as missionaries, and this was the real-life inspiration for the heroine in Calm in the Mountain Storm. Though the characters in this story are fictional, the events certainly could have happened!

When Elise Lane heard that the Indians actually wanted to learn about God and simply needed someone to come tell them, she knew she had to answer that call. Of course, her brother Benjamin couldn’t let her go into that danger alone, so together, they set out on an expedition they knew would likely change them forever. Elise doesn’t have any idea exactly how much!

I pray you enjoy reading the story of Elise and Goes Ahead, the brave she meets who’s desperate for help getting his young children across the mountains. As with our hero and heroine in the story, I pray your faith is inspired!

Blessings!

Misty

My Thoughts

Calm in the Mountain Storm is written by Misty M. Beller. This is book 9 in the Call of the Rockies series. I have been able to read the whole series, but you can read them as stand alone. The author gives a quick back story in recurring characters. This might be my favorite book in the series yet. I just loved the characters, the stories and the whole thing.

Elise is a missionary with her brother, Ben. They have been moving throughout different Tribes in the Rocky Mountains sharing the love of God. They have been joined with Ben's sister (this was in book 8, her story is good also) Lola, her husband White Owl and their daughter, Anna. They had gone on a short trip and returned back to the village they had been visiting to find it completely decimated. There is one small survivor, a infant named Pretty Shield. They also find Pretty Shield's father who has just returned and found his village murdered. He also has his oldest child, Walking Bird.

He has a hard time trusting Elise and the rest of the missionaries. He is not sure if they are friend or foe at first. However he knows that he needs a way to feed his young daughter. Lola is able to assist with feeding both of the babies. I enjoyed seeing Goes Ahead start to trust the team. Elise spoke the love of God over Goes Ahead and the children. Her caring and compassionate nature slowly melts Goes Ahead's fear.

I just loved this story. I love how historically accurate the author has made this. I have really learned so much during this series. I believe there is one more story in the series and I cannot wait to read it. The characters are well developed. The storyline is intriguing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this story. All thoughts are my own.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 16

Texas Book-aholic, September 17

Holly’s Book Corner, September 17

Inklings and notions, September 18

Pause for Tales, September 19

Betti Mace, September 19

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 20

For Him and My Family, September 21

Blossoms and Blessings, September 22

deb’s Book Review, September 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 24

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 24

Connie’s History Classroom, September 25

For the Love of Literature, September 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 27

Mary Hake, September 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty 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/21812/calm-in-the-mountain-storm-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Book Review and Giveaway - As Silent as the Night Author: Danielle Grandinetti On Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: As Silent as the Night

Author: Danielle Grandinetti

Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense

Release date: September 13, 2022

He can procure anything, except his heart’s deepest wish. She might hold the key, if she’s not discovered first.

Chicago, 1933―Lucia Critelli will do anything for her ailing grandfather, including stand in a breadline to have enough food to make him a St. Nicholas Day meal. When she catches the eye of a goon who threatens her grandfather, she discovers the end of Prohibition doesn’t mean the end of the mafia’s criminal activity.

Retired Marine Scout Giosue “Gio” Vella can find anything, especially if it helps a fellow Italian immigrant, so he has no doubt he can locate his neighbor’s granddaughter, who has gone missing from a local church. Keeping her safe is another matter. Especially when he chooses to hide out with his Marine buddy in Eagle, Wisconsin, the site of a barely-held truce among striking dairy farmers.

Will Christmas bring the miracle they all need or will Gio discover there are some things even he can’t find, particularly when he stumbles upon the most elusive gift of all: love.

As Silent as the Night is the Christmas novella to To Stand in the Breach and A Strike to the Heart.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Danielle Grandinetti is author of A Strike to the Heart and To Stand in the Breach. She is also a book blogger at DaniellesWritingSpot.com. Her short stories have appeared in several publications and her writing has won the University of Northwestern Distinguished Faith in Writing Award. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Danielle especially loves quiet mornings served with the perfect cup of tea.

More from Danielle

I have this memory, from when I was a little girl, of Christmas at my grandma’s house. The table was expanded to hold a dozen people. The little Christmas tree stood on a table before the window, the Nativity beneath it. A gingerbread house sat on the radio cabinet, which played my grandpa’s old Christmas records.

In the kitchen, my Italian grandma, now a widow, had on a ruffled apron as she cooked the Christmas meal. She had short, graying black hair, perfectly curled, and large, round glasses. And, was still taller than me, though she was under 5 foot in height.

Through the haze of childhood memory, I can’t recall everything she cooked that Christmas, I just know it filled the table to overflowing. I can guess who celebrated with us, but I know the large table was completely surrounded by people I loved. And, I’m sure I received gifts, but that’s not what I remember from that day.

What fills my memory is the feeling of family and the love my grandma showed us, through food. My full belly. My contentment. The wonder of the holidays. All through the eyes of my young self.

In As Silent as the Night, I attempt to capture some of this nostalgia, lace it with suspense, and wrap it in romance. I show about some of the traditional holidays celebrated by my characters, from St. Nicholas Day to Christmas Eve. And, while Gio can find anything, love eludes him. However, Lucia may hold the key, but he must first save her.

Silent as the Night concludes my Strike to the Heart series, which began with prequel novella To Stand in the Breach. As sad as it is to say goodbye to the farmers of Eagle, Wisconsin, I have loved sharing the stories of Katy and Joey, Lily and Miles, and Gio and Lucia with you. I hope you’ll enjoy this last installment and I look forward to sharing more stories from other places with you.

Buon Natale.

Merry Christmas.

My Thoughts

As Silent as the Night is written by Danielle Grandinetti. This book is part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone. I have read the entire series, and have enjoyed it very much. The author has a way of bringing the past to life, and touching on real historical events. This book is set in 1933 in Chicago. I felt that the author did a great job staying historically accurate. There is action, suspense, mystery and of course romance. Travel back into time with this story to when mobsters were around and Prohibition ends.

Gio is the neighbor to Lucia. He has a great respect for her grandfather. Gio is one that loves to help out all the neighbors. He delivers food to the food lines where Lucia is waiting one day for her portion. There is a no good mobster, Emberto that has his eye on Lucia. He takes her out of the food line, thankfully Gio helps her escape - but now Emberto will not stop until he finds Lucia, so Gio takes her to Eagle, Wisconsin.

This has been the primary setting for the series. It's about 2 hours from Chicago and we see familiar characters return. Lucia, an Italian-American knows that the Irish and Italians are not civil in Chicago, so when Katy opens her home to Lucia she is leery. Katy, Lily and Lucia were a fun pair to read through the story. They did not know the whole story to why she was brought, but they know that Gio cared enough to bring her. Gio just needs to wait for Emberto to forget about Lucia... or will he?

The book is well written. The characters are well developed. I hate to say goodbye to my friends in Eagle, WI, but I am excited to see what the author has in store next. Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for a copy of this story. All thoughts are my own.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, September 13

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, September 14 (Author Interview)

The Sacred Line, September 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 15

Inklings and notions, September 16

For Him and My Family, September 17

deb’s Book Review, September 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 19

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 20

Inkwell Inspirations, September 20

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 21

Connie’s History Classroom, September 22

Betti Mace, September 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 24

Holly’s Book Corner, September 24

Labor Not in Vain, September 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Danielle is giving away the grand prize package of a Bag of Books Bundle, which includes a signed copy of each book: To Stand in the Breach, A Strike to the Heart, and As Silent as the Night, plus a Donkey Tote to carry the books!! (https://www.etsy.com/listing/1130961309/donkey-canvas-tote-bag-heavy-duty)

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/2159f/as-silent-as-the-night-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, September 19, 2022

Book Review and Giveaway - Texas Wildflowers Author: Caryl McAdoo On Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Texas Wildflowers

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Release date: September 3, 2022

Raise up your children in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will will not depart from it.
Getting them old is the key! Maisie Lowell and Rayne St. Laurent, both as beautiful as a wild Texas prairie rose, were born to privilege, reared in the fanciest hotel west of the Mississippi, and used to having their ways. In 1875 Dallas, Texas, the best friends determine to choose their own life paths to peace, love, and joy regardless of what their parents consider right or wrong. Do their choices and what their parents think have to be so different?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling stories—over sixty published—delight Christian readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her; you may listen to a few on YouTube. Sharing four children and twenty-four grandsugars (six are greats), Caryl and her high-school-sweetheart-husband of fifty-three years Ron live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

As I write this, Texas wildflowers adorn hills and pastures and create beautiful ribbons along highways and byways! I love flowers! I love Texas! And I love Texas wildflowers! In my new novel by that name, the dear best friends, Maisie Lowell (Morgan and Charity’s third child and only daughter) and Rayne St. Laurent (daughter of Quincy, and stepdaughter of Priscilla, both of QUINCY & PRISCILLA fame) are growing up and becoming intensely interested in boys—or men as they see it.

It’s so fun when I think of it, because they are seventeen, and Ron and I were sixteen when we met and fell in love. Things are so different today. My oldest grandsugar-daughter married last year at the age of 30, and a grandsugar-son at the age of twenty-six. By then Ron and I had three children and eight years of marriage under our belts!

Isn’t it fun to think that only a hundred years ago, daughters were treasured and when men were ready to find a wife, they came courting, never spending any unchaperoned time alone with the young woman he wanted to get to know. My how things have changed as the Spirit of Anti-Christ is loosed in our world, and love, romance, and families have certainly suffered for it.

This is one reason why I love writing historical Christian Romance, telling tales of sweet and modest young girls with parents who watched and ruled over them until they married. At twenty-four or five, a young lady loomed close to being a spinster! I had so much fun with Maisie and Rayne in TEXAS WILDFLOWERS!

I think you will love them, too! TEXAS WILDFLOWERS is book eight in the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga, and I believe you’ll enjoy books one through seven just as much! In all my books God is highly praised and ways for us to live abundant lives as He promises are included for readers.

My author’s motto is “Praying my story gives God glory!” If that doesn’t happen, I’ve failed my Father, but do I worry about that? I do not! God is on the throne and in control. He’s the one who gives me such wonderful, fun stories to share with you all! Enjoy TEXAS WILDFLOWERS and be blessed!

Anyway, we have been talking about writing this book for years, coming across little clues for the story in Scripture studies now and again over that time. At last, God released us to write THEN JUDGEMENT based on the twenty-seventh verse of Hebrews, nineth chapter: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

I love searching the scriptures and telling a story that strictly adheres to God’s Book, His Living Word, the Holy Bible. I love His stories and so understand that His Word is bread to our souls, feeding us wisdom and knowledge of our Creator and His everlasting, never-ending love for us!

Creating Biblical fiction tales carries a lot of responsibility that I truly enjoy taking on, being a guardian of the Truth. I love to bring characters from those days gone by so long ago to life on the pages of my books! I do feel a bit like John when he said this, writing of our Savior.

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” John 21:27

Biblical fiction could easily become my favorite genre—if it isn’t already. I do write more historical romance stories set in the 1800s (a favorite time period) in Texas (my favorite state)! And as much as I love that research . . . nothing compares to digging into the Word!

I pray you will enjoy living through the three days that Jesus did not spend in the tomb! May my story cause you to dig a little yourself, checking out our theory! I know this to be Truth: “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

Hallelujah! Glory be to His Holy Name! The righteous run into it and are saved! There is no one like unto Him! He alone it the Great King over all the earth! Worthy to receive glory and praise!

As always, I’m ‘Praying my story gives God glory!’

Blessings, y’all!

My Thoughts

Texas Wildflowers is written by Caryl McAdoo. This is a Christian Historical Fiction book that is set in 1876. We see two life long friends, Maisie Lowell and Rayne St. Laurent. Both have come from a life of privilege and are used to getting their ways. Now they have grown up and life is changing. Rayne starts to court, Maisie's brother. Maisie is super excited about this. However she feels a little left out.

Baxter, Maise's brother has a dark and broken past. He had done some not so great things in the past two years, and while he has been forgiven he will have to be upfront and honest with Rayne to ensure there are no secrets in their relationship. I love how this author always writes such a strong faith element into her stories. She reminds us that no matter the sin, we are forgiven in HIM.

The book is well written, the characters are well devloped. I enjoyed this story. This is part of the Thanksgiving Books and Blessing series, along with the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga. However, it can be read as a stand alone. I am a huge fan of this author and her writing and it's always an honor to review a book for her. Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.