Aboard Providence by Keely Brooke Keith w/a giveaway

I really enjoyed this story. I loved Marian and Jonah. It would be hard to leave a country to go to a place you are not familiar with. Both Jonah and Marian need to learn what is going to make them happy. I received this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion.About the Book 
Aboard Providence – Cover

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In November 1860, Jonah Ashton boarded the Providence with a plan to escort his family to their new settlement in South America and then return to medical school in Pennsylvania before rumors of Southern rebellion erupt into all-out war. What he didn’t count on was getting lost at sea and falling in love. When they finally reach land, Jonah makes a startling discovery that changes everything, but will it change his heart?
About the Author
Keely Brooke KeithKeely Brooke Keith is the author of the Uncharted series (Edenbrooke Press) and Aboard Providence (CrossRiver Media). Her novels are known for blending genres in unconventional ways. When she isn’t writing stories, Keely enjoys playing bass guitar, preparing homeschool lessons, and collecting antique textbooks. Originally from St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely resides with her husband and their daughter on a hilltop south of Nashville where she dreams up stories, hoping to encourage, comfort, and inspire readers. She is a member of ACFW.
Guest Post from Keely Brooke Keith
The Uncharted series has a past…
The Uncharted storyline begins in the 21st Century in a hidden land that was settled in the 1860s by Americans. Throughout the Uncharted books, the characters refer to their founders’ history. Soon after the release of The Land Uncharted, readers expressed their desire for more. Why did the founders leave America in 1860? How did they plan the group migration? Where did they believe they were going? How did they establish what is now a fascinating culture?
I too was drawn by the founders’ story. When I set out to write it, I enjoyed fleshing out the mystery of how the founders arrived in the Land and what it was like for them, not only for the characters who wanted that adventure, but also those who didn’t. I became swept away on a journey of faith, sacrifice, and God’s unfailing provision.
The result is Aboard Providence (CrossRiver Media, 2016).
Join the founders as they embark on their voyage to an uncharted land.
Blog stops
October 20: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner
October 21: 1994
October 21: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses
October 22: A Greater Yes
October 22: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberation
October 23: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
October 24: cherylbbookblog
October 24: Through the Open Window
October 25: History, Mystery & Faith
October 26: I Hope You Dance
October 26: Mary Hake
October 27: Genesis 5020
October 27: Blossoms and Blessings
October 28: A Readers Brain
October 29: Singing Librarian Books
October 29: Bigreadersite
October 30: Christian Chick’s Thoughts
October 31: Bibliophile Reviews
November 1: Pause for Tales
November 1: Karen’s Krayons
November 2: Proverbial Reads
November 2: Seasons of Opportunities
Giveaway
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In honor of her tour, Keely is giving away The Uncharted Series ebooks! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a60d

The Devoted by Suzanne Woods Fisher with a giveaway

Ruthie must decide whether she wants to remain with the Amish or leave and get more education. During this time she is trying to decide whether she wants to remain Luke Schrock’s girlfriend. He is doing many things she does not like but she thinks she still is in love with him. Then in comes Patrick who wants to become Amish and is a gentleman. This book makes you laugh and cry. I love the characters. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion.

About the Book
the-devoted

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Restless and adventurous, Ruthie Stoltzfus is right on the cusp of leaving her Amish home. Secretly, she’s earned her GED, saved her money—but she can’t quite set her journey into motion. Just as everything falls into place, along comes Patrick Kelly.
Patrick is a young man on a journey of his own. He’s come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to “everything Plain.” Time is of the essence and every moment is to be cherished—especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.
Ruthie’s next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back—and Patrick Kelly is in his way.
Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Stoney Ridge for a story of dreams deferred—and the promise of hopes fulfilled.
About the Author
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Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author whose most recent novels include Anna’s Crossing and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at http://www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.
Blog Stops
October 18: cherylbbookblog
October 18: Blogging With Carol
October 18: Mary Hake
October 19: Reading Is My SuperPower
October 19: Simple Harvest Reads
October 20: Singing Librarian Books
October 20: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
October 21: Seasons of Opportunities
October 21: Daysong Reflections
October 22: Back Porch Reads
October 22: Southern Gal Loves to Read
October 23: Lighthouse Academy
October 23: The Power of Words
October 24: Bigreadersite
October 24: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner
October 24: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
October 25: Artistic Nobody
October 25: Donna’s BookShelf
October 26: Pause for Tales
October 26: Christian Chick’s Thoughts
October 26: Bukwurmzzz
October 27: Splashes of Joy
October 27: Bibliophile Reviews
October 28: ASC Book Reviews
October 28: Vic’s Media Room
October 28: inklings and notions
October 29: Jeanette’s Thoughts
October 29: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses
October 30: A Baker’s Perspective
October 30: Book by Book
October 30: Quiet Quilter
October 31: Two Girls and a Book
October 31: Blossoms and Blessings
Giveaway
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To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a copy of The Devoted and an iPad Mini 2 16GB! Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a60b

Spiced Latte Killer by Summer Prescott

This is my first chance to read a book in this series and I hope to read many more. I loved the characters and was able to keep up with any old story lines. I hope I have a chance to read some of these other books in the series. These are wonderful characters. I received a copy of the ebook from Summer Prescott for a fair and honest opinion.
Sweet new beginnings and heart-wrenching endings abound in this thrilling new installment of the INNcredibly Sweet Series. Chas finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation, and one of the main suspects is Grayson’s mother, Petaluma, which throws a huge wrench in the wedding plans. A wide web of intrigue forms as clues pile up, but bring no clarity to the case. Meanwhile, Spencer sets out to answer a dangerous distress call that may end in tragedy for one of the gang, and Izzy comes to terms with her feelings for the Marine. This suspense-filled mystery will take the reader on a roller-coaster ride filled with sadness and joy.

After September by Stephanie Smith with a giveaway

This is a very enjoyable romance. I laughed and cried in this story. Patrick and Rose are wonderful characters. I felt good for Rose when she decided to stay in St. Croix for a while after seeing her ex-husband and his new wife. She wanted a clean break to get her feelings back together. Patrick is learning to get over the death of his family. I really enjoyed this whole story. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion.After September Banner

To purchase your copy, click here.
About the Book
AfterSeptemberCoverArt

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From the outside, Rose Davis had the perfect life: a long marriage to a successful politician, two grown children away at college, and respect within her community. When she suddenly finds herself divorced, she turns her back on God.
In an effort to reclaim her life and pride, she spends the summer in the Caribbean. Her plan does not include meeting Patrick, the charismatic local doctor with a tragic past who ignites a passion both unexpected and thrilling.
As she begins to open up to love, doubt and fear creep in. Once again she finds herself broken hearted, left on her own to pick up the pieces. It’s only when she experiences the unmistakable love and grace from the very One she turned away from that Rose realizes what she needed most was there waiting for her all along.
About the Author
Stephanie SmithStephanie’s love of the written word began long before she could read. As a child she would hold a newspaper in hand and move her fingers along the page, pretending to read along.
By the time she was a teenager, she dreamed of writing stories that would touch people’s lives, much like hers had been by so many authors.
She lives in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys listening to Christian rock music while she writes, spending time with her family, watching British television, or reading YA fantasy novels.
Guest Post from Stephanie Smith
I’m so excited to work with Sandra and Celebrate Lit to launch my debut novel AFTER SEPTEMBER which I’ve come to see as a labor of love and trust in the Lord.
You see, becoming a published author has always been my dream, but every time I’d try to write a novel, the inner critic would kick in and stop me in my tracks. I’d write a few paragraphs before giving up, unhappy with all my written imperfections. So, I continued my day job and the idea of writing a novel, let alone publishing it, became less and less realistic. For some reason I never lost that kernel of hope that it might happen one day. God was speaking to me then, I just didn’t realize it.
In 2010 I was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. After six months of intensive chemotherapy, I was in remission and had the strongest desire to write a novel. At first, the idea was to write a fictional story based on my experience. As I started to write, it just didn’t feel right. I then switched to writing a memoir, but that too fell flat. Frustrated, I gave up on writing once again.
Fast forward to 2013 and the idea of AFTER SEPTEMBER came to me. The premise was about a woman who goes through a divorce, spends a summer in the Caribbean and has a summer fling. The idea was so strong I began to write. I couldn’t help but write. As the story spoke to me, I kept this mantra in my head: “Just write. Just write.” I was finally able to quell my inner critic and nine months later, completed the first draft. Boy did I feel accomplished! Well, the feeling didn’t last very long. After getting feedback from a few beta readers, I re-wrote the entire story in a different point of view.
When I finished I realized I had to put this story in a box. A genre box. Was it women’s fiction? A romance? Christian or secular? After reading more about these genres I realized I’d made a big mistake. I hadn’t identified my brand from the get-go and the story didn’t really fit in any genre. Too secular for the Christian market; too Christian for the secular. It makes sense to me now why the first round of agent queries were declined.
I began to pray in earnest, seeking God’s will for this story. I felt He’d led me to write Rose’s story and realized my agenda had gotten in the way. Why would God have me write a story with pre-marital sex? The answer is He wouldn’t. Once my heart was satisfied I knew the direction He wanted me to go, I was back to the drawing board. Once again, I re-wrote AFTER SEPTEMBER. This time I kept my Christian viewpoint in mind and after the third re-write the final version was born.
Well, life has a funny way of stopping you in your tracks. I’d begun querying agents for the second version, and in June 2014 my cancer came back. You’ve got to be kidding me!
Okay, Lord. I trust you. I put my faith in You.
Another six months of intensive chemo put me back in remission. PRAISE GOD! I resumed my agent query and again met with rejection after rejection. This didn’t stop me. By this point I was bound and determined AFTER SEPTEMBER would be released. My hopes were raised when a small publisher I’d have given anything to work with wanted to read the entire manuscript. With baited breath I waited. When the disappointed rejection came, I nearly gave up. But God had other plans. See, when I placed my trust in Him, I had to accept His will, not mine. His time, not mine.
The last on my list to query before going the self-pub route was Desert Breeze Publishing. I submitted my story with the expectation of another rejection. Around January 1st of 2016 I received THE e-mail I’d dreamed about: an offer for a contract. I was in shock. THANK YOU LORD!! Nine months later, AFTER SEPTEMBER has been published. I want to pinch myself. I feel it’s all a dream and I’ll wake up.
A dream that began in my early teens took until my mid-forties to come to fruition. What I’ve realized is writing isn’t a dream but a calling. God knew this and remained patient with me as I finally figured that out. A calling to give women hope while reading a romance novel. Such became my tagline: “stories of life…love..hope”
What I’ve learned from this is to never give up on your dreams. Never stop believing God has something in store for your life, even when it seems like you are living one struggle after another. He is faithful to His promises!
Blog Stops
October 13: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
October 14: Simple Harvest Reads
October 15: Back Yard Reads
October 16: Bibliophile Reviews
October 17: Daysong Reflections
October 18: A Greater Yes
October 19: Pause for Tales
October 20: Quiet Quilter
October 21: For the Love of Books
October 22: Bigreadersite
October 23: Reviewing Novels Online
October 23: Carpe Diem
October 24: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner
October 25: Christian Bookaholic
October 26: Through the Open Window
October 26: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
Giveaway
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To celebrate her tour, Stephanie is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card!Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a611

Wrapped in God’s Grace by Barbara Bras with a giveaway

This is a well written and enjoyable memoir. Each person in this memoir learns how to keep God in their lives even during adversity. I enjoyed each section that was really about different people. I received this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion.Wrapped in God’s Grace Banner  

To purchase your copy, click here.
About the Book
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The crushing pain of seven years of unanswered prayer for a child. A miraculous adoption story, followed by unforeseen challenges and heartbreak.
Barbara Bras begins her memoir by sharing God’s answer to her prayers and the difficult times that followed. Although God does not provide an easy fix, the intricacies of God’s plans reveal themselves to her, and she relives her life in a new light.
Bras then recounts the stories of her grandfather Arshag and her grandmother Gulle, survivors of the atrocities of Armenia in 1915. Arshag, sent to South America for his protection, returns as a soldier of the Armenian Legion to fight for his country. Gulle is the only member of her family to survive the death march into the desert. Through God’s grace they find each other, marry and move to America in 1921. Bras is their first grandchild.
The final section of the memoir follows Bras as she marries and moves to Hawaii, only to return as a single mother to teach school in a small town. It is there she finally realizes that God has provided her with protection and direction. Bras discovers that once we truly surrender our will to God, His plan always produces blessings beyond our wildest dreams!
About the Author
In 2015, Barbara Bras left her career to pursue her dream of serving God. She believed that her first step would be to share the amazing ways God had blessed her. As she wrote of her son’s miraculous adoption and the challenging years that followed, it led to the rediscovery of her entire life, including the history of her grandparents’ remarkable survival in Armenia and her search for purpose and love. Her memoir led to her first novel, which she hopes readers will find engaging and memorable.
 
Guest Post from Barbara Bras
An Unanswered Prayer
I struggled for many years with one unanswered prayer. It was my “go to” request every time I came before the Lord.
Convinced that with God nothing is impossible, I also knew that the Lord may say “Not now” many times, even before he says no. I acknowledged that the Lord probably had a much bigger and better plan in mind for me, but none of that offered any comfort. As I struggled year after year with my unanswered prayer I found more questions than answers.
Was I fooling myself and ignoring God’s “No”? Could my lack of faith be the reason I couldn’t hear the Lord? And if not now, then when dear Lord?
Then I discovered that the Lord said “Not now.” because he had a miracle waiting for me, more amazing than I could have ever imagined. Like Hannah, God finally answered my prayer for a child. And through that miracle I learned that surrendering my will to God allows Him to bless me beyond my human understanding.
To my further surprise, I discovered that the miracle didn’t mean the end of the story. Experiencing a miraculous adoption didn’t come with a guarantee or a promise that the rest of my life would be free of heartache.
After all of those years of unanswered prayer, I found myself back on my knees with a new daily prayer request. The Lord had something else to teach me through this new struggle, a lesson that took me another fifteen years to learn.
Not only did those fifteen years lead me right back to where I started, surrendering my human will to His and trusting in His greater plan, but it convinced me that the Lord wanted me to share my story.
Wrapped in God’s Grace, a Life Rediscovered begins with my unanswered prayer for a child, but as I wrote it, God’s plan for me became clear. The second section of the book recreates the events surrounding the survival of my grandparents through the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Their immigration to America in 1921 led to my existence. The book closes with the Lord blessing me with a loving husband in spite of the many missteps I made directing my own life. A reviewer found this nonlinear sequence of events unusual, and I am fine with that, since that’s how the book unfolded before me.
Captured by St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, I now view my writing as a tribute first to the God who comforts and strengthens all of us in hardships and trials, and second as my mission to encourage others.
A photo gallery for Wrapped in God’s Grace, a Life Rediscovered can be found on my website AuthorB.Bras.com. Click here to view the Photo Gallery
Blog Stops
October 11: Bibliophile Reviews
October 12: Rockin’ My Mom Jeans
October 13: Eat, Read Teach, Blog
October 14: Book Love
October 15: A Greater Yes
October 15: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
October 16: Carpe Diem
October 17: A Baker’s Perspective
October 18: Pause for Tales
October 19: A Reader’s Brain
October 20: Bigreadersite
October 21: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses
October 22: Mary Hake
October 22: Simple Harvest Reads (Spotlight)
October 23: Christian Bookaholic
October 24: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
Giveaway
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To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away a $100 Amazon gift card! Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a561

A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay

I loved this romantic Christmas story. I loved Willow but didn’t really like David at the beginning since he was so wimpy with his mother. I am glad he grew up in the story. I look forward to the next book in this series. I received a copy of this from Grand Central publishing for a fair and honest opinion.

When Willow Petersen loses her job, her boyfriend and her self-confidence, she has no choice but to move back home to Liberty Falls where her mom soon points out, Willow needs a job. ASAP. David Lydon has withdrawn from the world since his wife Shelly’s death in a boating accident, leaving his mother to raise his five-year-old daughter and no one to run failing Magnolia Hill Manor. Shelly was Willow’s friend growing up, so Willow takes the job to fulfill Shelly’s dream of restoring the old chapel and hosting weddings there. Having Willow around is a painful reminder of the wife he’s lost but as the chapel books its first wedding on Christmas Eve, she helps David see that it’s time to deal with his grief and begin living life again to save the manor and his family.

Cowabunga Christmas by Anna Celeste Burke

This is a fun cozy mystery. The two characters are a lot of fun. They had a very interesting honeymoon. I hope to read more of these books in this series. I received an ebook copy from the author for a fair and honest opinion.

It’s a Cowabunga Christmas in Corsario Cove for newlyweds, Kim and Brien. Surf’s up at the exclusive resort they’ve chosen as their honeymoon destination. The Sanctuary Resort and Spa at Corsario Cove has everything: a spectacular location with scenic views of the Pacific Ocean, luxurious accommodations, 5-star cuisine, spa services, and a staff that aims to anticipate and meet your every need. A romantic midnight swim in the Club Level terrace pool changes everything when an unexpected guest drops in wearing a Santa Suit with a couple bullet holes in it! Who killed Santa? Kim and Brien are soon swept up in murder and mayhem trying to unravel the mystery.

The Babel Conspiracy by Sylvia Bambola

This was a good dystopian romantic thriller. I really liked Trisha but wasn’t too thrilled with Audra. These women are trying to create a new type of engine to fly airplanes. The world is going crazy with oil being very expensive and many bad things going on with terrorists. How will the world keep going through all of this. How can the United States keep going? The world is going crazy. This was an interesting story. I received this book from bookcrash.com for a fair and honest opinion.

The Babel Conspiracy is a tale of intrigue and love. Two women engineers struggle to develop the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft amid ever intensifying global terrorism and muddled personal lives. Trisha Callahan has an abiding faith in God, and “those roots of middy blouses and pleated skirts, prayer books and incense-filled churches went deep.” This faith is tested when she finds herself in love with a married man. Audra Shields sees herself as a modern Lady Chatterley, “liberated but not forsaking breeding, intellect, or femininity.” When she becomes involved with a dangerous stranger, she begins to question her lifestyle.
Both women try sorting out their personal problems while racing the clock to finish a project fraught with sabotage and murder. And who’s behind it all? When the Department of Homeland Security and the Mossad finally figure it out, the answer surprises everyone.

Mary, Chosen of God by Diana Wallis Taylor with a giveaway

This was a fantastic take on Mary’s view of what happened to her, Joseph and Jesus. This made Mary real to me. What would you do as a 14 year old girl when you are told that you will have a child that will be God’s son. I don’t believe that I would handle it well at all. This takes us from before the birth of Christ to the death and resurrection of Jesus. Well done. I received this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion.

About the Book
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“Blessed are you, Mary, chosen of God.”
Mary is ordinary girl from Nazareth. She helps her mother with household chores, she daydreams about a handsome carpenter’s son named Joseph, and at night she lies on the roof and contemplates the stars.
But one evening, a heavenly visitor comes with unexpected news—and her life is changed forever.
Experience the life of the Messiah from the perspective of his mother, who must place her trust and obedience in Adonai, the Most High, as he fulfills centuries of prophecy in the middle of her daily life. Walk with Mary as she witnesses Yeshua grow, mature, minister, and even be crucified—and then raised again, to the kindling of her new faith.
About the Author
DianaWTaylor_HSRedDiana Wallis Taylor has written eight biblical novels, including Mary, Chosen of God, Martha, Journey to the Well, Mary Magdalene, Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate, and Ruth, Mother of Kings. Well-known in the Christian book industry for her biblical fiction, her most recent five books have received over 3,000 ratings on Goodreads. Taylor is a former San Diego Christian Writer’s Guild’s “Writer of the Year” and her biblical novels have earned her a variety of awards. Diana lives in San Diego with her husband, Frank. They have six grown children and ten grandchildren.
Blog Stops
October 4: Simple Harvest Reads (spotlight)
October 5: Proverbial Reads
October 5: I Hope You Dance
October 6: Book by Book
October 7: History, Mystery & Faith
October 8: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses
October 9: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner
October 10: A Greater Yes
October 10: Back Porch Reads
October 11: The Power of Words
October 12: Book Babble
October 13: For the Love of Books
October 13: Mary Hake
October 14: Splashes of Joy
October 14: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
October 15: Bigreadersite
October 16: Henry Happens
October 17: His Grace is Sufficient
Giveaway
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To celebrate her tour, Diana is giving away a gift basket that includes Mary, Ruth, Whitaker House’s study Bible, and The Lord is my Shepherd candle from Abba Anointing Oil! Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a5b3

First Heist by H. B. Moore

This would be the way to learn about Omar and Mia. This is a novella about how Omar and Mia first met and had their first job together. This was a good story. I always look forward to the next book in the series. I received this book from I Am a Reader for a fair and honest opinion.

Mia Golding, an undercover agent is about to make a handoff to co-agent, Omar Zagouri. But before she can complete her assignment, her cover is blown, and she finds herself escaping with Omar. The only problem is, her boss warned her about Omar and his sketchy history of landing himself in the middle of danger. After losing her mother in an attack planned for Mia, pulling off any heist with a man like Omar is the last thing she needs for her career . . . or her life.