Monday, October 28, 2024

MY THOUGHTS - A Hope Unburied (Treasures of the Earth Book Three) Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

About the Book

Book: A Hope Unburied (Treasures of the Earth Book Three)

Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: September 24, 2024

Beyond the perilous landscape lies a love that defies extinction. . . .

In the bustling world of paleontology in 1916, Eliza Mills defies societal expectations to pursue her passion. Having published her early groundbreaking papers under a false name, she has finally earned her place at the Carnegie Museum and seizes the opportunity to work at Dinosaur National Monument with a renowned paleontologist. But things in Jensen, Utah, aren’t what they appear. When Eliza gets the chance to dig up bones at a ranch with a dark history, it sparks a chain of events that will rock the very fabric of her carefully constructed world.

Devin Schmitt, Eliza’s closest friend since childhood, harbors unspoken feelings for her but knows he will never be able to win her heart. Just as he vows to give her up for good, Eliza begs him to visit her in Utah for another grand adventure. He reluctantly agrees, and within a few days of his arrival, he and Eliza find themselves entangled in a web of danger where the stakes are much higher than they ever anticipated. Together, Devin and Eliza must hold on to God as their hope as they navigate a treacherous terrain of betrayal to unbury the truth and save Eliza from those who wish to see her fail.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than forty fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of thirty-plus years live in Colorado, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandkids, and research all the history around them.

More from Kimberley

A couple of years ago, I asked readers on my Facebook page what they were interested in reading in Christian fiction. When one reader and friend suggested I write about the Bone Wars, I was intrigued and instantly excited. I had no idea how much of a blessing writing the Treasures of the Earth series would be.

I traveled all over western Colorado, eastern Utah and southern Wyoming, looking at the incredible displays of bones of magnificent creatures of our past. Stopping at every tiny museum along the way, and even driving miles and miles into the middle of nowhere to find just the right setting for The Secrets Beneath. But it was going to Dinosaur National Monument in Jensen, Utah that truly helped these three books come to life.

The monument was established in October 1915 by President Woodrow Wilson. The 80 acres encompassed the Carnegie Quarry, where paleontologist Earl Douglass was digging, trying to find intact dinosaur skeletons to send back to Carnegie’s museum in Pittsburgh. Eventually, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the park to encompass more than 200,000 acres.

But this monument wouldn’t exist without the determination of one man: Earl Douglass. I had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with Diane Douglass Iverson, his granddaughter, during one of my research trips. She was generous with her time and memories as she shared her grandfather’s journals and memories with me. The longer we talked, the more the idea for what would be the third book of this series took shape. Though Earl is not a primary character in Eliza’s story, his presence and impact on the science of paleontology is felt through the pages.

In fact, each chapter of all three books has a quote from the book his son created out of his journal entries, titled Speak to the Earth and It Will Teach You. I am grateful to Diane for the opportunity to share his struggles, hopes, and dreams with my readers.

With this last book, I hope you enjoy Eliza’s joyful spirit, as well as her struggles to find her place in this world. She’s a spirited young woman with a passion for fossils and how God has created this incredible planet. You’ll get to visit Dinosaur National Monument with her, seeing the founding of this great national treasure through her eyes. I hope you love visiting there in your imagination and that you get the opportunity to visit on your own someday. But even more than that, I pray that, like Eliza, you find joy and confidence where God has placed you in His story.

My Thoughts

A Hope Unburied is book three in the Treasures of the Earth Book Three. The series is written by Kimberley Woodhouse. While this is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. One of my most favorite things about this author is that fact that she does such careful research and transports readers back in time. She always chooses such amazing settings, where you feel like you are learning something while reading.

It's 1916 and women still have limited rights. Eliza has a passion for paleontology and has published work under a pseudo name. She gets the opportunity to go on a dinosaur bone dig she asks her child hood friend, Devin to come with her. This is when she arrives she suddenly finds herself in danger. People are not too keen on a female on scene.

Devin keeps his feelings at bay. He will give up part of himself to keep her safe and to accompany her on her adventure. She comes from a family of weatlth and prestige. She defies the social standards of the norm.

Devin and Eliza are likable characters. The storyline is engaging right from the start. The story is well written. Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 21

Bigreadersite, October 21

lakesidelivingsite, October 22

Where Faith and Books Meet, October 23

Lighthouse Academy, October 23

Daylong Reflections, October 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 25

For Him and My Family, October 25

Texas Book-aholic, October 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 27

Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 28

Connie’s History Classroom, October 29

Mary Hake, October 29

Holly’s Book Corner, October 30

Cover Lover Book Review, October 31

Pause for Tales, October 31

Book Looks by Lisa, November 1

Lily’s Corner, November 2

Live.Love.Read., November 2

Labor Not in Vain, November 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kimberley is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card and a paperback set of the Treasures of the Earth series: The Secrets Beneath, Set in Stone, and A Hope Unburied!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5473/

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

My Thoughts - River of Peril Author: Sandra Merville Hart

About the Book

Book: River of Peril

Author: Sandra Merville Hart

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: October 15, 2024

Amnesia stole his memory, and now he’s fighting for the wrong side.

Orphaned and alone at sixteen, Felicity has found solace in serving others as a volunteer nurse. When she discovers her Confederate soldier beau, Luke Shea, among the wounded in her ward, her worst nightmares come true. Luke’s shrapnel wound has stolen his memory, leaving him with no recollection of their love or his past. As Felicity struggles with the loss of the man she once knew, she turns her attention to the service of her broken country. But the more she learns about the brutal war, the more she realizes she can no longer stay silent. She becomes a Union spy, plunging herself into danger.

When Luke Shae awakes in a hospital with no memory of the last five years, he’s shocked to learn he’s been fighting against the Union he once so strongly supported. And when he learns of his past courtship with his nurse, Felicity, he struggles to understand the man he was and what happened in those missing years. Determined to atone for his Confederate past, Luke also joins the Union cause as a spy.

As danger lurks at every turn, only a Divine hand can not only protect their lives, but give them a second chance for love and the future they both crave.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. She is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher.

More from Sandra

“History will never know how indebted it is to folks like you in ending the war.” ~ River of Peril

People spied on their government, their soldiers, and their neighbors during the Civil War. Union spies in the South lived dangerously. Everyday citizens, including enslaved and free black spies, became heroes to speed the war’s end.

Secret messages were sewn into hems, vests, and coats. Cyphered messages were hidden in bodices, hoop skirts, trees, hats, styled hair, books, custard dishes, hollowed-out eggs, and even in vaults with a dead body. Raised/lowered shades and clothes hanging on a line might also be clues for spies.

Some spies were already actors. Others disguised themselves to deliver secrets and to protect their identity. There were female spies who disguised themselves as men. If they could manage to remain anonymous, it saved them from their neighbors’ retaliation during and after the war. This was especially true in the South because the North emerged as victorious.

Many spies were caught during the Civil War and often imprisoned for days or weeks, up to a year. Confederate spies could sign an Oath of Allegiance to the United States to be released from Union prisons. Both sides executed spies.

For reasons already discussed, history doesn’t record most of Mississippi’s spies. Two Mississippi spies, Robbie Woodruff and Philip Henson, didn’t slip into obscurity.

Robbie Woodruff was a courageous farm girl who fetched Confederate messages from town and hid them in a hollow stump for couriers. Philip Henson, one of the Union army’s greatest spies living in the South, was captured and imprisoned for several months.

Key characters are spies for the Union in River of Peril, Book 5 in my Spies of the Civil War Series. The spies in my Vicksburg portion of the series (Books 4 – 6) are fictional. The stories show the type of challenges faced by historical spies.

My research for this novel began with a trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi. I was greatly inspired by the battlefield, the museums, and the people in the historic city. That inspiration—and a whole lot of research!—led to the writing of Streams of Courage, Book 4, River of Peril, Book 5, and Tides of Healing, Book 6.

Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1, is set in the Union capital of Washington City (Washington DC) in 1861, where a surprising number of Confederate sympathizers and spies lived. Boulevard of Confusion and Byway to Danger are set in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. Actual historical spies touch the lives of our fictional family. The heroines in Books 1 – 3 are two sisters and their cousins. Another set of characters begin with Book 4, and three friends are the heroines in Books 4 -6.

Through both real and fictional characters, this series highlights activities spies were involved in and some of the motives behind their decisions.

I invite you to read the whole Spies of the Civil War Series!

My Thoughts

River of Peril is book five in the Civil War Spies series that is Sandra Merville Hart. I have loved this series. The author does such an amazing job in transporting readers back into history. She has done careful research to bring history to life.

Felicity was orphaned. She’s now finding purpose with assisting at the hospital as a volunteer nurse. She’s shocked to see her boyfriend, Luke wounded in the hospital. There’s a problem. He doesn’t remember anything. The last five years are lost.

Felicity is torn. She feels that the country is so broken. She pours her life out to God. The war is so brutal. She wants to make a difference so she becomes a spy for the Union. She understands that it’s dangerous.

Luke is shocked to find out that he’s been fighting for the Confederate Army. He needs to recover his memories. He doesn’t think it’s fair to Felicity if he can’t remember their courtship. He decides to also assist the Union Army by passing information.

The author has written in a beautiful faith filled piece. She reminds us that God is always there when we’re backed into the corner. How the Lord will protect us.

The book is well written. The characters are realistic. I’ve just loved this series. Thank You to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 18

Devoted To Hope, October 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 19

Texas Book-aholic, October 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 21

CONNIE’S HISTORY CLASSROOM, October 22

Betti Mace, October 23

For Him and My Family, October 24

Holly’s Book Corner, October 25

Pause for Tales, October 26

Cover Lover Book Review, October 27

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 28

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sandra is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5469

Friday, October 18, 2024

The Telegram: Completely gripping and emotional WW2 historical fiction written by: Debbie Rix

ABOUT THE BOOK

One message will change everything…

1915, London: Shaking, she opens the faded red front door and her heart races as the young boy on the steps holds out the telegram. The words swim before her. They can’t be true; this can’t be happening. Nothing will ever be the same again.

1943, London: Elizabeth Carmichael rushes out down the steps of her town house in her smart army uniform, daydreaming of her handsome fiancé posted miles away in the RAF, and determined to play her part in the war effort. Not looking where she’s going, Elizabeth collides with a tall man in the middle of the street. She instantly recognises him from a faded photograph from before the war. This chance meeting will change everything Elizabeth thought she knew about herself.

1960, London: Violet Carmichael wipes the dust from an antique writing desk, not expecting to find a hidden compartment, or the old diaries nestled inside. Peeling apart the yellowing pages, a story unfolds of a family devastated by two world wars and a man who risked his life for freedom and for love. It leads her to discover a telegram that will finally unlock a decades-old family secret…

Inspired by a true story, this is a heart-wrenching, page-turning and unforgettable story of the importance of family and the power of love and forgiveness. Fans of Kathryn Hughes, Kate Quinn and Kate Morton will be utterly gripped by this incredible historical fiction novel spanning WW1 and WW2.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie Rix has had a long career in journalism, including working as a presenter for the BBC. Her first novel, The Girl with Emerald Eyes was set around the building of the tower of Pisa and she has since released Daughters of the Silk Road and The Silk Weaver’s Wife. Debbie writes heartbreaking historical novels about love, tragedy and secrets.

https://www.debbierix.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DebbieRixAuthor/

https://www.instagram.com/debbierix/

https://twitter.com/debbierix

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DD4DY8PXsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

MY THOUGHTS

The Telegram is written by Debbie Rix. This is the first book that I have read by this author, and it will not be my last. I love how she transported us back to three different eras. The story is well written and will draw you in within the first few pages. The characters are releatable and the author has written such descriptive scenes you will feel like you are watching everything unfold around you.

While this story spans across various eras, the author weaves them together seamlessly. We see a story of a telegram sent in 1915 to a family realizing that Bruv was missing and presumed dead. I cannot even imagine getting a telegram where a loved one that was fighting in a war was missing.

We move forward to 1943. Elizabeth has never known her father. Her mother has told her that she is better off without her. However, one day she sees him on a street and he is as shocked as she is to see her. He is a man of secrets. There is so much that he has kept hidden. He is married to someone knew, who only knew he had a previous marriage. She has no idea there was a child as a result of that marriage.

In 1959, Charles dies. His wife, Violet starts to go through his things and discovers a hidden compartment in his desk. Suddenly all of his buried secrets start to come to life. She starts to piece together Charles' life.

Thank you to the author and Bookouture for allowing me to read a copy of this book, all thoughts are my own.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

MY THOUGHTS - Her Own War (Book 3 iChâteau de Verzat) written by: Debra Borchert

About the Book

Imprisoned for the crime of impersonating a man, Geneviève LaGarde fears giving birth in an asylum could be certain death for her and her unborn child. Desperate for her release, her husband, Louis, trades his freedom for hers and must join Bonaparte's army in Egypt.

As Geneviève wages her own war against the tyrannical general, she not only risks her own life but also those of her children and the four hundred families who depend on the Château de Verzat estate. Knowing her desperate actions could cause the government to confiscate the entire vineyard, she sacrifices everything to save her husband and protect the people who become her family. A captivating tale of the power of love, hope, and courage, and the strength of community.

About the Author

Debra Borchert has had many careers. She debuted, at the age of five, as a model at a local country club where her crinoline petticoat dropped to her ankles in the middle of the runway.

Since then, she’s been a clothing designer, actress (starring in her first television commercial with Jeff Daniels for S.O.S. Soap Pads), TV show host, spokesperson for high-tech companies, marketing and public relations professional, and technical writer for Fortune 100 companies.

Her work has appeared in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Writer, among others. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and independently.

A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she weaves her knowledge of textiles and clothing design throughout her historical French fiction. She brings her passions for France, wine, and cooking to all her work. The proud owner of ten crockpots, she is renowned for her annual Soup Parties at which she serves soups from different cultures. She offers her soup recipes on her website.

Debra’s debut novel, Her Own Legacy, is the first in a series that follows headstrong and independent women and the four-hundred loyal families who protect a Loire Valley château and vineyard, and its legacy of producing the finest wines in France during the French Revolution. Her Own Revolution is the second book in the Château de Verzat series.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and standard poodle who is named after a fine French Champagne.

Please follow the author on her social media platforms:

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/debraborchertauthor/

FaceBook Page

https://www.facebook.com/DebraBorchertAuthor/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-borchert-10b8305/

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127906994-her-own-revolution

Here are some nice Articles to read at your leisure if you have any interest in learning more about Debra Borchert and her books:

The Good Life France

https://thegoodlifefrance.com/researching-hidden-history-in-france/

France Today

https://francetoday.com/learn/books/the-devil-is-in-the-details-fashion-in-fiction/

A Taste of France

https://tasteoffrancemag.com/recipes/carrot-orange-and-ginger-soup/

My Thoughts

Her Own War is book three in the Château de Verzat series that is written by Debra Borchert. I love reading her work. She has the ability to transport readers back in time with her careful research and brings history to life through her stories. I have read one of the books in the series, but not all of them. I did not have any issues following along.

The setting is post-monarchy France. At this time the Royalists and Republicans were sworn, brutal enemies. post-monarchy France when the Royalists and Republicans were sworn, brutal enemies. Geneviève LaGarde fears giving birth in an asylum could be certain death for her and her unborn child. Desperate for her release, her husband, Louis, trades his freedom for hers and must join Bonaparte’s army in Egypt. You can feel her pain flow off the pages.

Genevieve is brave enough to stand up against Napoleon, but has to do it in a way that will not lead to her execution. Most are having to deal with Napoleon’s harsh policies. The author captures what lives may have been like for those living through this time.

I have enjoyed this author's work. She always crafts such beautiful stories. The characters are well developed. The research is careful and accurate. I felt like I had been transported in time. Thank you to the author, publisher and Books and Wine Book tours for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

My Thoughts - When the Mountain Crumbled (A Day to Remember Book 4) Author: Angela K Couch

About the Book

Book: When the Mountain Crumbled (A Day to Remember Book 4)

Author: Angela K Couch

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release date: September, 2024

Though Mountains Crumble, Hope Is Not Buried

Enjoy a series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.

Discipline and rules are the foundation on which Samantha Ingles has built her life—the life of a spinster schoolteacher in a small mining town in the Canadian Rockies. All that crumbles from her grasp when part of a mountain crashes down on their community.

Constable David Harty has little patience for the strict schoolmarm but has no choice but to leave his three young nieces in her care while he tries to discover the fate of his brother. Already, the girls have lost their mother and brothers to the landslide and require comfort and love while they await the fate of their father, possibly buried in the coal mine.

With the mountain looming over their heads threatening more lives, and the town scrambling to save who they can from the rubble, can hearts find healing—both for their own sakes and the children in their care?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

To keep from freezing in the great white north, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the 2016 International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and toasty warm) by chasing after five munchkins.

More from Angela

Around 4:10 am on April 29th, 1903, approximately 110 million metric tonnes of limestone broke from the side of Turtle Mountain and crashed down into the Crowsnest Valley, burying ranches, camps, an active coal mine, and a part of the town of Frank. What has come to be known as “Frank Slide” was the deadliest landslide in North American recorded history, claiming the lives of more than seventy people.

I first visited Frank Slide as a child, as it is located only an hour’s drive from my home. All I remember from that experience was the heaps of rocks and boulders, and the story of the mine-horse named Charlie. When driving through the Crowsnest Pass as an adult, I began to appreciate the terror of that night and the horrible loss of life. Not until expanding my research while writing this story, did the miracles of Frank shine through everything horrible that happened. That became the focus of my story, When the Mountain Crumbled.

I find our own lives follow a similar pattern. Tragedy, hardship, sickness and disappointment… but do we see the miracles?

My Thoughts

When the Mountain CrumbledIs written by Angela K. Couch. This is book four in the A day to remember series that is written by multiple authors but focus on real life events. I’ve enjoyed this series so much. This story is set in April of 1903. It focuses on a rockslide that crashes down on a mining community.

The author did a wonderful job in writing a story to showcase this small mining town that dealt with a devastating loss. Samantha is a spinster school teacher. She’s built her life and it all comes crashing down (literally).

Constable David Harty is desperate to find his brother. He’s not a fan of Samantha but he does not have a choice when he needs someone to look after his nieces. Their world has fallen apart yet they see the power of faith. I loved the author reminder that even when things are bleak, God’s love is there.

The story is well written. You can feel the characters emotions coming off the pages. I love when authors bring historical events to life. I’ve not heard of this rock slide.

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