Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Legion Celebration Tour!

About the Book

Book: Legion
Author: Shadia Hrichi
Genre: Bible Study
Release Date: Oct 8, 2019

How far will Jesus go to rescue one lost soul?

Tormented, chained, and living in a graveyard, the man known only by the name of the demons that tormented him had no one to help him–no one to intercede for him. No one but Jesus. Climb into the boat with Jesus as He heads into enemy territory. Witness Jesus’s power and passion as He battles violent storms and armies of demons in order to rescue . . . one . . . lost . . . soul.

Through this six-week, action-packed Bible study, you will experience God’s relentless love as you celebrate the impassioned Savior Who moved heaven and earth to rescue you.

My Thoughts: If you are searching for a good Bible study, this is it. Written by the author of Hagar the first study in the series Rediscovering the God Who Rescued Me; Shadia Hrichi. This author has an enjoyable way of teaching the Bible. It's informative, and exciting to dig into the Bible with Shadia. The readers will learn so much and enjoy as they learn.

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to review this study. It's an easy 6-week study that can be extended into 12 weeks if so desired. If you are looking for a Bible study I urge you to give this one a try.

Click here for your copy!

About the Author

“SHADIA HRICHI is a passionate Bible teacher, author, and speaker who has a heart for seeing lives transformed by the power of God’s Word. She has received a master’s in biblical and theological studies from Western Seminary as well as master’s in criminal justice from the State University of New York. In addition to LEGION, Shadia is the author of several Bible studies, including HAGAR and Worthy of Love. Shadia is often invited to speak at churches, conferences, and other events. Her insightful, witty, yet vulnerable teaching style reveals a compassion for the hurting, love for Jesus, and uncompromising commitment to the truth of God’s Word. Visit shadiahrichi.com.

More from Shadia

If there is one universal truth, it is that every human heart longs for paradise. A perfect world without death, pain, or sorrow. A world at peace, where each of us is secure, treasured, and loved. But the reality is that the world as we know it will never deliver; it cannot. Scripture tells us that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). As a result, you and I live in a broken world. A world that has been drifting off course ever since that slippery serpent enticed our first parents to reject God’s authority in that garden paradise so long ago. In that moment, they unwittingly handed over dominion of the earth to Satan on a silver platter. But this then begs the question. Why was God willing to risk rebellion in the Garden? And why would God allow His perfect creation to fall victim to the enemy’s schemes? And if God is good, why does He allow evil to exist? Through this six-week study, you and I will explore the answers to these questions and more as we step into the fascinating story of the man known only by the name of the demons that tormented him. To be honest, I don’t know why I am attracted to the hard stories in the Bible. The messy stories. I suspect it stems, in part, from my own broken past. I can relate much easier to the broken people. The ones who experienced times when they felt unseen, or unloved, or unwanted. At the same time, their stories captivate my heart because when God reveals what He is doing behind the seen, His power and glory are displayed in ways that make my spirit soar! So I invite you to come with me as we climb into the boat with Jesus and head into enemy territory. We will witness Jesus’s power and passion as He battles violent storms and armies of demons in order to rescue . . . one . . . lost . . . soul. Tormented, chained, and living in a graveyard, the man had no one to help him. No one to intercede for him. No one but Jesus. As a result:

A demoniac becomes a disciple.
A house of demons becomes a dwelling for the Living God.
The chained becomes a champion of good news.

You and I live in a world crying out for rescue. And just as Jesus was willing to cross the sea and rescue one man from the enemy’s chains, He crossed the heavens to rescue you and me from a fate even worse: eternal chains. But praise God that through His sacrifice for sin, Jesus conquered all the forces of evil and opened up the gates of paradise to all who embrace His mercy. So come with me. Let’s rediscover the God Who Rescues Me! “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” —Colossians 1:13 NASB

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, January 21

Robin’s Nest, January 21

Genesis 5020, January 22

Older & Smarter?, January 23

For the Love of Books, January 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 24

Texas Book-aholic, January 25

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 26

janicesbookreviews, January 27

Quiet Workings, January 27

Inklings and notions, January 28

Aryn the Libraryan 📚, January 29

Godly Book Reviews, January 29

Through the Lens of Scripture, January 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 31

Lights in a Dark World, February 1

D’S QUILTS AND BOOKS, February 1

Pause for Tales, February 2

Emily Yager, February 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Shadia is giving away the grand prize package of 1 book of Legion, 1 book of Hagar and a $50 gift certificate to two winners each!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

Click Here to Enter!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Saturday, January 25, 2020

The Gray Chamber Celebration Tour!

About the Book

Book:  The Gray Chamber
Author: Grace Hitchcock
Genre:  Christian Historical / Suspense
Release Date: January, 2020

Will Edyth prove her sanity before it is too late?

Step into True Colors—a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime

On Blackwell’s Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving.

With her late parents’ fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. And Edyth fears she will never be found.

At the asylum, she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self?

My Thoughts: This book certainly holds the readers' attention. Well written with many twists in the plot it is hard to put down. Grace Hitchcock writes stories based on true facts. This novel will educate the reader what it was like back in 1887 when women could be "disposed" of by putting them away in an asylum. The treatment of the women in hair raising and will shock the reader. The author has done an excellent job with the characters in this story, all of them very believable and easy to relate to. Honestly, this book had me on pins and needles until the very end, I felt empathy for Edyth and the plight that she had to go through. I was cheering her on throughout the story. If you love history you will like this novel based on true facts. This is a novel about a strong young woman who fully puts her faith in God. It's a story that shows even though people can turn on you or be untrustworthy, you can always rely on God. This is a book that comes highly recommended and I look forward to the next book in the series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

IfAbout the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the author of three novellas in The Second Chance Brides, The Southern Belle Brides, and the Thimbles and Threads collections with Barbour Publishing. The White City is her debut novel and releases March 2019 with Barbour Publishing. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in southern Louisiana with her husband, Dakota, and son. Visit Grace online at GraceHitchcock.com.

More from Grace

I am thrilled to share with you my second novel in the True Colors series, The Gray Chamber, which is set in New York City in 1887. I loved writing about Edyth Foster, our cat-rescuing, spunky heroine who spends her days painting, fencing with her dreamy instructor, and avoiding society at all costs, which as you can imagine, comes back to haunt her before the end. I’ve never written about a character who despised reading, so that was a new one for me. Edyth just doesn’t like to sit still long enough to finish a book, but you’ll find out why later. I am pretty certain the librarians at my local branch are wondering what in the world my hobbies are, judging from the stacks of fencing books for beginners, histories of New York crime in the 19^th century, and Nellie Bly’s Ten Days in a Mad-House, and more that I have continuously checked out since moving back to Louisiana. The inspiration for this book came from Nellie Bly’s scandalous exposé for Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper, The World. In reading Nellie’s articles, I was shocked at the grounds by which the asylum would commit women and that’s when I discovered a tiny mention about an heiress with family members who had her tucked away so they could have her fortune. . .and Edyth Foster was born. I hope you will enjoy reading about our eccentric leading lady and her fencing master hero, Raoul “Bane” Banebridge. If you are interested in seeing pictures of the asylum and to see what I pictured the characters looking like, check out my Pinterest board here. Thank you for joining the fun for the Celebrate Lit tour! Join my author newsletter for more bookish news and to find out what is coming next! Just enter your e-mail address and name here. Happy Reading! “With beautiful description and shiver-worthy scenes, Grace Hitchcock has penned an incredible fiction story based on true history. The Gray Chamber was a fascinating and chilling read. Edyth’s story had me glued to the pages. But as I journeyed with the heiress and her eccentricities, the greed of her family which saw her locked up in an asylum against her will made me grateful for the freedoms I have today. And made me pray that my voice would never be silenced. The nightmare was brought to life so vividly that I found myself holding my breath and then cheering on Bane as he never gave up on Edyth. This is a story that will stick with me for a long time…” ~Kimberley Woodhouse – Carol-Award winning and Best-Selling Author of more than twenty books, including: MissTaken Identity, The Express Bride, The Golden Bride, The Patriot Bride, and The Mayflower Bride.

Blog Stops

A Reader’s Brain, January 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 20

Texas Book-aholic, January 20

Emily Yager, January 21

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 21

Older & Smarter?, January 21

Bigreadersite, January 22

Inklings and notions, January 22

For Him and My Family, January 22

Genesis 5020, January 23

deb’s Book Review, January 23

Blogging with Carol, January 23

Christian Bookaholic, January 24

KarenSueHadley , January 24

Mary Hake, January 24

For the Love of Literature, January 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 25

Godly Book Reviews, January 26

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, January 26

The Becca Files, January 26

Through the Fire Blogs, January 27

Daysong Reflections, January 27

Back Porch Reads, January 28

Robin’s Nest, January 28

Connie’s History Classroom, January 28

Betti Mace, January 29

Rebecca Tews, January 29

Vicky Sluiter, January 29

By The Book, January 30

Hallie Reads, January 30

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, January 30

Blossoms and Blessings, January 31

A Baker’s Perspective, January 31

Remembrancy, February 1

To Everything There Is A Season, February 1

With a Joyful Noise, February 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 2

Pause for Tales , February 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a free copy of The Gray Chamber!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

Click Here to Enter!

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Seeking Him Experiencing the Joy of Personal Revival

Revival isn’t just an emotional experience. It’s a complete transformation. It can happen in your heart, in your home, in your church, and in your world. Restore your first love. Develop a heartfelt desire for God’s Word. Resolve conflicts. Repair relationships. Remove bitterness, fear, and worry. Refresh your spirit. Renew your mind. Reenergize your life. You can’t get back your passion and zeal for the Lord. Begin by Seeking Him!

My Thoughts: If you are looking for a Bible study this should be one that you consider. Written by leading author Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, it will certainly bring you closer to God. This study will certainly "revive" the reader into a closer walk with God. It is a 12-week study, broken down into daily exercises to be done throughout the week, which makes it easier to study and to keep up with Bible reading. It begins by discussing who needs revival, dealing with topics such as humility, honesty, and repentance just to name a couple. The format is wonderful, it has a faith builder story, making it personal and truth encounters. A great study!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Above the Fold Celebration Tour

About the Book

Book: Above the Fold
Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: December 3, 2019

Confined behind a secretarial desk at her father’s struggling newspaper, Elissa Tillman longs for her father and the world to take her seriously—not just as a suffragette, but also as a full-fledged journalist.

Cole Parker regrets the day he’d abandoned Pittsburgh to chase a high-profile journalism job in New York, but now he’s returned to the steel city to amend his mistakes and win back the woman he once spurned.

The murder of a millionaire offers the perfect chance for Elissa to nab the headline and prove her skills. But there’s a catch. To get her story above the fold, she must compete for it. Her rival is none other than Cole Parker, the very man who shattered her heart.

My Thoughts: A lovely story about a young woman trying to find her way in a field that overlooked women. The United States is in the midst of prohibition and women are trying to make their mark in the world fighting for equality. All Elissa wanted was to have a news story in her name. This is a wonderful story of forgiveness, trust all mixed in around a mystery. Readers will be able to relate to and enjoy the characters in this novel. It is a book that the reader will not want to put down. The author captures the readers attention and keeps it with the twists and turns in the plot. I will certainly be looking for more books by Rachel Scott McDaniel.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

Rachel Scott McDaniel is an award-winning author of historical romance. Winner of the ACFW Genesis Award and the RWA Touched By Love award, Rachel infuses faith and heart into each story. She currently enjoys life in Ohio with her husband and two kids. Rachel can be found online at www.RachelScottMcDaniel.com and on all social media platforms.

More from Rachel

What does the classic movie His Girl Friday, famous mystery writer Agatha Christie, and my husband’s grandfather all have in common? They were all used as inspiration for my debut novel Above the Fold. His Girl Friday is one of my favorite stories. This movie captures the thrill of the newspaper world—that drive within the reporter’s heart to get the scoop, that hum of activity from the newsroom to the firing of the presses, and that inescapable pursuit to beat out the opposing paper. But what I loved most about this movie was the chemistry between the two main characters. They share a romantic history. In turn, there is major tension, but man oh man is there spark! So this triggered my creative mind. What would happen if I switched the roles and had the heroine be the one that gets jilted? What if I set this story in the 1920s when the profession of journalism was male-dominated? What if I add some more mystery? Cue Agatha Christie. this person the villain instead of that one? The idea that came to me had nothing to do with the story we’d been watching, but one thing that’d been said flickered a light in me. I love it when that happens! And I also love it when I can incorporate pieces of my personal life into the book. This brings me to the biggest inspiration of the story—my husband’s grandpa. Grandpa Jay Lewis had two loves in his life—his wife and the newspaper press. He’d started working for the local newspaper during his early teens and made his way up the ranks until he became the press foreman. Here’s a picture of Jay when he was in his early 20s. The hat shown was made of folded newsprint paper and worn to keep the ink from dripping on his head. But the expression in this picture says it all—the press was his happy place. He’d worked with the presses for over five decades, until he no longer had the strength. In 2004, he passed away, but his legacy lives on in the hearts of many. So in tribute to Jay and his great passion for the newspaper world, I included him in the cast of characters. I only hope I was able to capture his zeal. So there you have it. Inspiration came to me in a myriad of ways, but they all worked together to bring you a story that I pray delights your heart.

My husband and I love Christie’s Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple series. Did you know that she wrote over 74 books? That’s staggering to me. My mind reels at how intricate and varied all her plots are. My husband and I would try to guess who the murderer was at the beginning of a story and more often than not, we were wrong! On one particular night we were watching a PBS version of Miss Marple and an idea struck me. What if I changed my story to go this route? What if I made

Blog Stops

April Hayman, Author , January 14

Robin’s Nest, January 14

Godly Book Reviews, January 15

Where Faith and Books Meet, January 15

Just the Write Escape, January 16

Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections, January 16

Through the Fire Blogs, January 17

mypreciousbitsandmusings, January 17

Betti Mace, January 18

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 18

Texas Book-aholic, January 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 19

janicesbookreviews, January 20

Emily Yager, January 20

She Lives to Read, January 21

For the Love of Literature, January 21

Inklings and notions, January 22

Life of Literature, January 22

Daysong Reflections, January 23

For Him and My Family, January 23

Stories By Gina, January 24

Jacquelyn Lynn, January 24

Hallie Reads, January 25

Beauty in the Binding, January 25

Back Porch Reads, January 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 27

Batya’s Bits, January 27

Giveaway

To celebrate her giveaway, Rachel is giving away the grand prize package of an Autographed Paperback copy of Above the Fold, A Custom Newspaper-Themed Book Cozy, An Above the Fold vintage-style bookmark!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

Click Here to Enter!

Friday, January 10, 2020

Priceless Celebration Tour!

About the Book

Book: Priceless
Author: Vickie Burns
Genre: Devotional/Cookbook
Release Date: November, 2019

Priceless: A Devotional Cookbook Based on Proverbs 31 is a Bible study and cookbook combined. The author, Vickie Burns, takes the reader verse by verse through Proverbs 31, showing them how precious and loved they are. At the end of each day’s study, meal suggestions and recipes are provided to fill their homes with tantalizing aromas and great food. Even young children can help with meal preparation so they learn that dinner doesn’t just magically appear on the table.

For women who’ve read Proverbs 31 and felt inadequate, like they could not possibly live up to God’s description of the perfect woman, Priceless reveals that they have more in common with her than they ever imagined.

“Today’s busy mom rarely finds time to steal a few moments of peace and quiet to spend with the Lord each day,” Vickie says. “On top of that, she most likely does not take the time to flip through endless sections of cookbooks to plan a unique evening meal. Priceless encourages women to view their tasks as God’s call to an abundant life, empowers them by providing a daily word from Proverbs 31, and eases their minds by providing a full menu for the evening meal each day.”

My Thoughts: This is such a unique idea, a devotional and a cookbook all in one. This is a book that helps us learn and to become more like the virtuous woman... just like the woman of Proverbs 31. This is the Godly, industrious woman that is devoted to her family. This book will give the reader many insights into this woman, and encourage the reader. This book also gives the reader a full menu for the evening meal. A wonderful idea, and great encouragement to the women who read it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

Vickie Burns is passionate about showing women how to love and live the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers. Through Bible study, public speaking, and writing inspirational cookbooks, Vickie inspires women to love the Lord with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength; to see and love themselves as Christ does—PRICELESS; and to love others through genuine hospitality. She lives in Texas with the love of her life, Todd Burns, and they have two daughters.

More from Vickie

This book, Priceless, is not my story but it was birthed from it. I was raised in a single-parent Christian home after my parents divorced. I watched my mom handle everything: cooking, cleaning, bills, homework, a full-time job, etc. I had no idea until I became a wife and mother all that she must have been through while raising three children on her own. I do know that she had a strong relationship with the Lord and that she had friends and family support. Today, I look back at my childhood with renewed respect for my mom. My husband, Todd and I did our best to raise our two girls to honor the Lord while we went to school for our master’s degrees and tried to keep our household running smoothly. I had the help of a husband and was still overwhelmed while working as a teacher, trainer, coach and administrator in public education. On top of that I was still a wife, mother, friend, sister, chef, chauffer, nurse and more. Over the years, as I have gotten to know other women, I realize that I am not alone. We all long for ways to balance work and family, cooking and cleaning, physical busyness and spiritual warfare. As my heart broke for the busy women in my life (to whom I totally relate) I longed to try and make life a little easier for all of us. I began to study God’s Word for answers. As I studied, I learned that God created us for relationship with Himself and with others. I learned that sharing our burdens with one another is His design. I found out that love should drive every word and action as we relate to others. I discovered that the crazy life that we are trying to balance is actually our ministry to our families and communities. I also realized that hospitality isn’t just something that was dreamed up by Martha Stewart. God ordained hospitality from the beginning when He created Adam and Eve in His image and placed them in the garden of Eden. God touches the heart of mankind with a piece of His own. There are examples of this throughout scripture. The biggest deposit of God’s heart within us is the gift of His Spirit. This gift is what makes genuine hospitality possible today. When we touch another person’s heart with a piece of our own, we are showing hospitality, sharing the love of Christ, and making connections that impact our world. This revelation was the birth of my ministry. I call it The Heart of Hospitality. Through my writing and speaking engagements, I share with women how to see the tasks and responsibilities of our daily lives as a calling from God. Beyond that, I help women understand that viewing their lives in this way is what Jesus meant when He said He came to give us “abundant life”. My prayer for you, as you read this book is:

that you will be touched with a piece of God’s heart.
that hospitality will come to mean something new to you.
that each devotion in this book exposes your pricelessness in Christ.
that you will know beyond the shadow of any doubt that you are rare, unique and have significant meaning to your Creator.

May God richly bless you and your household. When people hear about my Job-like experience with the modern-day Cinderella story ending, I often hear remarks like “WOW, that should be a movie!” It has been six and a half years of full-on redemption and restoration and, honestly, I still pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming this! After 12 years of spiritual abuse that left me a shell of a person, devastated and distraught, I began a breathtaking journey of healing for all the loss I’d endured. The loss of my 18 year marriage, destroyed relationships with my adult children, the death of my well known publishing company and destruction of my career, along with the fatality of my credit score as I lost my home, my income, and all material things that meant anything to me. Those 12 years of deception cost me big time, but we serve a Romans 8:28 God who uses all things, even that, for good. I’m on the other side now, healed and restored, proclaiming the faithfulness of a God who used what the enemy meant for evil … for good! I love the creativity He uses in the redemption process … to think He would allow me to be a pastor’s wife now … hand-picked by my pastor-hubby’s late wife of 49 years … with restored relationships with my adult children and grandchildren … to be a radio show host interviewing authors whose stories ring of the faithfulness of God … to steward well another publishing endeavor called Redemption Press … so many full circles where God’s sovereignly connects the dots and brings insight that mends my soul. I’m excited to share my story with you, to be authentic and transparent, and to reflect the glory of God. I pray that you’re encouraged by all that God has done, and that you’re left with a healthy dose of hope in His faithfulness and His ability to bring good out of bad, every time. And now, I’ll leave you with an inviting peek into some trivia about my life… My Uncle Skeeter is a famous actor, James B. Sikking. Known for his part as Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues and Doogie Howser’s Dad. When I was 14 years old, I owned 7 horses and showed most of them in horse shows across the country, with my last official show being Madison Square Gardens. I absolutely LOVE Vizslas…also known as Hungarian Pointers…I’ve had 2 of them over the last 14 years and am addicted. They are THE COOLEST dogs! I used to work for Helen Reddy, as an administrative assistant to her manager/husband, and before that, for the manager of Rufus & Chaka Khan when they recorded their first hit, Tell Me Somethin’ Good. My Grandma’s house overlooked the Santa Monica beach and originally belonged to the silent movie star, Mary Pickford. When I was five years old, my grandma, Dr. Sue Sikking, was the honored guest on the popular TV show “This is Your Life” with host Ralph Edwards. I was part of the cast when our family surprised her with our attendance, and fervently tugged on Mr. Edwards suit jacket to try to get his attention!