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Book Review + Giveaway: Land of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling and Kiersti Giron

About the book

Book: Land of Dreams (Home to Green Creek Series Book One)

Authors: Lauraine Snelling with Kiersti Giron

Genre: FICTION / Christian / Historical

Release date: April 1, 2025

Book Blurb

From Norway to America, they must strive for resilience amid unpromising new beginnings.

On the ship to America, Norwegian immigrant Amalia Gunderson makes a solemn promise to a dying mother, vowing to watch over her five-year-old daughter, Ruth. Together, Amalia and Ruth trek to Iowa to claim the farm and former boardinghouse that Ruth has inherited, despite opposition from a difficult cousin. Struggling with an empty house and scarce resources, Amalia resolves to return the boardinghouse to its former purpose, aided by the kindness of strangers and the resilient spirit of her young charge.

As Amalia and Ruth fight for their new home, a trail of orphans shows up on their doorstep, and Amalia makes a promising friend in Absalom Karlsson, the magistrate’s son. With each challenge they face, Amalia and Ruth find hope in believing that faith and determination can overcome even the most daunting of trials.

purchaseMy Review

This was a sweet book about finding and understanding the purpose God has for you and your life.

Amalia is a kind, understanding young woman who is always willing to help others. I love how willing she is to take the needy under her wing and give of what the Lord has provided her with. She is resourceful and has an admirable sense of character.

Absalom has a strong sense of duty and loves helping those less fortunate than he is. I love watching how he tries to support Amalia and pays attention to everyone around him. He has a wonderful character arc.

I LOVE the kids in this book!!!!!!! They are so sweet. Is it too much to hope that each of them gets their own book?

My biggest complaint with this book is that it didn’t italicize the Norwegian words, which would’ve made things a bit easier to read.

Overall, this was a cute, light historical fiction read. If you enjoy Christian historical fiction, you would enjoy this book!

About the Author

Lauraine Snelling is the award-winning author of more than one hundred books, fiction and nonfiction, for adults and young adults. Her books have sold more than five million copies. She makes her home in Tehachapi, California.

More from the Author

Different stories come about different ways.  One of the things I’ve learned through these years of writing is the value of slowly waking up and paying attention to what was going on in my mind. I saw a young woman standing at the railing of a ship tossing on rough seas. A gray day. And I heard the splash as her father’s body sank into the waves. I sniffed, mopped my eyes and settled back, hopefully to sleep awhile longer. But the dream, if that was what it was, continued. A little girl named Rut, or Ruthie, joined Amalia at the rail, slipped her hand into the young woman’s and asked if she could please come, her mother wanted to see her. And my internal game of what if continued for these people on a cholera attacked ship from Norway to Amerika.

I knew a new story had begun but had no idea where it was going. As I said, I treasure that time between sleeping and waking when I can part the curtains to my subconscious mind and see what it has been playing with. What a gift God has created in us.

Around about the same time, something brought a story that one of my aunts on my father’s side told me when I asked her what she remembered of her growing up years. Auntie Harriet chuckled and asked, “Have you heard of the rutabaga years?” I shook my head and settled in to listen. They were a family of eleven children, my dad being the eldest, they lived in a big two story house with a huge garden, a flock of chickens and bad weather. Late spring freeze, early fall freeze and much of the produce killed off. All but the root crops, and rows of rutabagas. Many were dug and stored in the cellar, lots left in the ground, to be dug up later. Rutabagas can be fried, boiled, mashed, grated, turned into soup and stew, mixed with other vegetables, added to pancakes, even turned into pie. Ah, yes, the rutabaga years, Auntie Harriet said she didn’t particularly care for rutabagas for a long time after that. But in the mean time, they became part of Amalia and Ruthie’s new life at a big house Ruthie inherited in Green Creek. North and West of Decorah Iowa in 1819. Come join a delightful cast of characters in Land of Dreams.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 12

Devoted To Hope, April 12

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 13

Texas Book-aholic, April 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 15

lakesidelivingsite, April 15

The Avid Reader, April 16

Girls in White Dresses, April 16

Pens Pages & Pulses, April 17

Bizwings Book Blog, April 18

Leslie’s Library Escape, April 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 19

Stories By Gina, April 20 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 20

Betti Mace, April 21

Books You Can Feel Good About, April 21

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 23

For Him and My Family, April 23

Cover Lover Book Review, April 24

Holly’s Book Corner, April 25

Jeanette’s Thoughts, April 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lauraine is giving away the grand prize of a $25 gift card to the Baker Book House website and paperback copy of the book!!

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

giveaway!

This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of my links, I will receive a percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you! Essentially, you can buy a book, and support my blog at the same time!!!

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

related posts

Book Review: The Heart’s Honor by Madisyn Carlin

I NEED MADI TO WRITE MORE HISTORICAL FICTION. Because this. Was. Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Book blurb

She seeks refuge. He seeks solace. Can two broken hearts learn to trust again?

Beryl Badger is used to being the forgotten one, the lonely soul lurking in the shadows. That’s why she knows no one will come to her rescue when she’s shipped off to marry a man of her father’s choosing. Nor does she expect to be rescued when kidnapped by a gang intent on exacting revenge on her soon-to-be husband.

Former circuit judge Adam Clarkes is struggling to settle into the life of ranching after a devastating injury ruined his judging career and leaves him with permanent scars. His intent to hide from society is ruined when a timid woman is brought to him for protection. Adam is willing to offer her the refuge she seeks, and as time passes, it becomes evident that Miss Beryl Badger is dangerously close to breaching the walls he’s built around his heart.

The gang wasn’t the only nefarious force hunting Beryl, though as new danger emerges and sabotage and assassination attempts threaten everyone Beryl is coming to hold dear. She and Adam find themselves not only navigating chaos and destruction, but the unanticipated refuge they find in each other.

My review

Beryl is a fairly quiet protagonist. She just wants to be out from under her father’s control. She longs for freedom. Beryl would have every reason to be bitter and mean, but she is so sweet and kind and compassionate to everyone she interacts with!!!

Adam hates feeling broken. He wants to be strong and able to protect those under his care. He is a good man with a strong moral compass and conviction to ensure justice. He’s so sweet and protective towards Beryl, which makes him SO LOVABLE!!!!!!

And then there’s the little boy (whose name I’m currently blanking on). I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!!!! HE’S SOOOOOOO PRECIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Madisyn wrote some BEAUTIFUL themes into this book. I loved how she showed that our worth is precious in His eyes, and He will always watch over us.

This book can be read as a standalone, but it’s best enjoyed if you’ve already read Madi’s Heart of Strength. I LOVED getting to visit some of my favorite characters from Heart of Strength again!!!!!! And I CANNOT WAIT for David to get his book!!!!!!! (Hint, hint)

This book was SIMPLY INCREDIBLE!!!!!! If you enjoy fast-paced Christian romances READ THIS BOOK. RIGHT NOW!!!!!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

Blog shout out!

Look what Lucy from Lulu’s Library said about my blog and several of my other favorite blogs!!!!!!

Bookish Blogs Galore!

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Book Review + Giveaway: When the Sky Burned by Liz Tolsma

About the book

Book: When the Sky Burned (A Day to Remember Book 6)

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: March 1, 2025

A Tornado of Fire and Embezzlement Sweep through a Community  

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.

Promising painter Mariah Randolph longs to have her canvases displayed in the world’s best museums, and Hollis Stanford, the heir of a railroad tycoon, is her ticket to success. The railroad’s bookkeeper, Jay Franklin, discovers discrepancies and is convinced that Hollis is stealing from the company. But any proof of his dirty dealings go up in smoke when fire utterly destroys the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, October 8, 1871.

The fire leaves Mariah blind, but Jay befriends her and even helps her to start painting again. But a trip to Chicago to return Hollis’s daughter to him could put both Mariah and Jay in more danger than even the fire that devastated the town and their lives.

purchase

This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of my links, I will receive a percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you! Essentially, you can buy a book, and support my blog at the same time!!!

My review

Wow! Liz knows how to write emotional stories!!!!!!!!! And I LOVED this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I promise this is related…) I probably was in elementary school when I first heard of the Peshtigo fire. For class, we were reading from one of those Scholastic magazines, and there was an article about the Chicago and Peshtigo fires. It was the article I liked the most from all of those magazines we read at that time. I had forgotten the name of the fire, but my little girl mind was fascinated that two such devastating fires could happen on the same night (and that little girl loved to theorize about the extent to which the two might have been related).

So… given my interest in the topic, I was THRILLED to find a historical fiction novel about this topic nobody else seemed to remember!!!!!!!!!! I was so, so happy!!!!!!!

And this book did not disappoint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liz perfectly captured the emotions of what someone who lived through that horrible experience might have felt. I could feel each of the characters’ desperation and how horribly hard to accept the whole tragedy must have been.

Of course the characters Liz used definitely helped portray the event. Mariah Randolph is a painter who loses just about everything in the fire. I love watching how Mariah learns to handle her grief by turning outward. She is so kind and compassionate and such an amazing example of the type of woman I aspire to be.

And then there’s Jay. AWWWWWWWWWW!!!! I LOVED HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Usually I don’t like quiet, soft-spoken male love interests, but JAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was wonderful!!! I loved how he always wanted what’s best for Mariah and how considerate he is of her needs. His integrity was incredible, and overall he was just such a great man.

I loved how Liz resolved the conflict in this story. Characters still were dealing with some challenges at the end of the book, but she illustrated so beautifully how they were growing because of their trials.

Overall, this book was incredible!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved getting to read about this topic from history that’s been an interest of mine for forever. The characters were incredible, and Liz Tolsma brought this novel to life BEAUTIFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

About the author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

Blog stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 27

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 28

Pens Pages & Pulses, March 28

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 29

Simple Harvest Reads, March 30 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Texas Book-aholic, March 30

Betti Mace, March 31

Lily’s Corner, March 31

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 1

Devoted Steps, April 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 3

Blogging with Carol, April 4

Connie’s History Classroom, April 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 5

For Him and My Family, April 5

Stories By Gina, April 6 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 6

Bizwings Book Blog, April 7

Cover Lover Book Review, April 7

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, April 8

Jodie Wolfe, April 8

Holly’s Book Corner, April 9

Pause for Tales, April 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

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

giveawayrelated posts

Book Review + Giveaway: Spark of the Revolution by Megan Soja

About the book

Book: Spark of the Revolution

Author: Megan Soja

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: March 4, 2025

Book blurb

A spark ignites a flame that could burn down everything they hold dear.

Contrary to her name, Patience Abbott has long felt unsettled and anxious to leave behind her painful memories in England for a fresh start in America. But her new life isn’t quite what she expected, and as tension grows in her new home of Boston, so does the distance between Patience and her estranged father. So when Josiah Wagner walks into her life, it finally feels like she’s not alone. If only his patriotic leanings didn’t put him at odds with her father’s loyalties.

Josiah Wagner has spent his life yearning for a true home and family, something he works toward each day, forging tools as a blacksmith, and each night, forging plans with the Sons of Liberty. But when the destruction of tea in Boston Harbor lights the spark of the Revolution, Josiah finds himself drawn into its tumultuous wake, pulling the woman he loves along with him.

As tensions mount, will their search for belonging lead to each other, or will the obstacles between them be too great to overcome? In a land on the brink of war, can they find the home they seek in the One who calls them His own?

purchase

This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of my links, I will receive a percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you! Essentially, you can buy a book, and support my blog at the same time!!!

My review

Sweet and romantic, Megan Soja’s opener to her Harbor of Spies series, Spark of the Revolution, brings the events precipitating the American Revolution to life in such a beautiful and complex way.

Patience is eager to reconnect with her father and regain the sense of belonging she lost when her mother died. I love how kind and considerate Patience is! It is also interesting how she is open to different viewpoints than her own and can truly see the good in everyone.

Josiah is dedicated to the Sons of Liberty but hopes for a peaceful resolution to the grievances with England. Even though he is a staunch patriot, he realizes that there are moral complexities to the conflict and wants to follow his conscience. I love how Josiah possesses such a wonderful quiet strength. He is willing to show compassion to everyone, including those who have wronged him. I also love how protective he is of Patience!

Megan beautifully illustrated the complexities of living in the colonies at that point in history. She was able to show both sides of the conflict so well. I love learning about this pivotal era in history where our incredible nation was born, and this book just beautifully captured everything I love about the War for Independence.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were easy to learn to love, and I enjoyed getting to learn more about a pivotal time in history. If you enjoy learning about the American Revolution and love a sweet Christian romance, you should read this book!

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

About the author

Megan Soja is a multi-award-winning author who writes stories with strong faith, rich history, and sweet romance. She lives in western NY with her husband and two daughters and loves having adventures, both big and small, with her family. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and playing French Horn.

More from Megan

I have a confession. When I was in school, I didn’t really enjoy history classes. That sounds awful coming from a writer of historical fiction, doesn’t it? But it’s true. The whole concept of memorizing dates and names and places just didn’t excite me.

And yet, I have loved reading historical fiction for as long as I can remember, and have always found living history museums fascinating. I think it’s because those things made history feel real and made me feel like I was part of it. They took me deeper, beyond a list of events and famous names, into the everyday lives of ordinary people who made a lasting impact, whether they realized it or not.

It was the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things that captured my attention when I began researching for Spark of the Revolution.

They were names most of us would never recognize. Ordinary people living ordinary lives, who stepped up one night to take part in something extraordinary. Who joined an event that would go on to impact history in ways few of them likely imagined.

Names like Sarah Bradlee Fulton, who has been credited with the idea of disguising men as Mohawks and helped her husband and brothers do just that. She later rallied women to care for wounded soldiers after the Battle of Bunker Hill and traveled across enemy lines to deliver an urgent message to General George Washington.

Or David Kinnson, a farmer from Maine who journeyed to Boston with the express purpose of destroying the tea. He went on to serve in multiple battles of both the Revolution and the War of 1812, was the father of twenty-two children, and lived to be one hundred and fifteen years old.

Or Samuel Sprague, who was on the way to visit the woman he loved when he saw what was happening at the harbor and decided to join. He climbed onto a rooftop to gather soot as a disguise. Don’t worry, he did later marry his sweetheart – Joannah Thayer – and they went on to have fourteen children together. Both lived to be ninety and are buried at the Central Burying Ground on Boston Common.

I was drawn in by these stories and so many others. They reminded me that each of us are living our own stories too. And while we may often feel ordinary, we are treasured and precious in the sight of God. He has a plan and purpose for every one of us, and whether or not our names are recorded or remembered in history, we are fully known by Him.

I hope you’ll see that message when you read Spark of the Revolution. One of purpose, of meaning in the midst of the ordinary, and of belonging to the God who is unchanging throughout all of time.

Blog stops

Stories By Gina, March 20 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 20

Texas Book-aholic, March 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 22

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 23

Pause for Tales, March 23

Simple Harvest Reads, March 24 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 26

Sylvan Musings, March 27

Pens Pages & Pulses, March 27

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 28

Connie’s History Classroom, March 29

For Him And My Family, March 30

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, March 30

Cover Lover Book Review, March 31

Holly’s Book corner, April 1

Leslie’s Library Escape, April 2

Giveaway

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

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

Giveawayrelated posts

Book Review: Ties of Starlight by Celeste Baxendell

This New Adult fantasy romance had a great storyline, wonderful characters, and a swoon-worthy love story!!!

Book blurb

A heartbroken king. A jilted bride. A star-crossed wedding.

Idonea knows the only thing her human blood is good for is its role in strengthening the Star Elves when the comet returns every two hundred and fifty years. Her whole life has been meant for the moment she marries Olaug and finally gets it right, and not even the king can stop her perfect marriage.

The day Idonea was chosen to be part of the Cometa Couple, King Nyrunn was condemned to watching the love of his life spend the rest of hers in the arms of someone else. And he is powerless to stop it.

But when the fateful wedding day arrives, the chosen groom is nowhere to be found. If they don’t have a Cometa Couple, the kingdom’s magic will weaken and it will be their extinction.

If Nyrunn steps in, he saves his people and marries the love of his life, but what will he do when he discovers he’s not the love of hers?

When her husband is the king she fears and despises, will Idonea be able to give him her scarred heart, or will she spend the rest of their lives longing for a husband she never had?

Book review

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Idonea has been hurt in the past and has learned not to trust anyone, but she’s still excited for her upcoming marriage. When she ends up married to the wrong man, she’s… less than pleased. Idonea is fueled by her sense of duty and wants everything with the ceremony she’s been selected for to run perfectly. I love how she is invested in reading, history, and journaling. And WOW!!! This girl needs ALL THE HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nyrunn is one big sweetheart. He has been in love with Idonea, even though she thinks he hates her. He would do anything to make her happy, including stepping in for her absentee fiancé. He is so adorably protective and I LOVE HIM!!!!!!! He’s such a great love interest!!!!!!!!

*Tries not to give away spoilers* Idonea’s conflict was so unique and creative! I loved how her past has influenced her decisions and how the reader gets to learn more about her as she learns to open up to Nyrunn.

There were so many ADORABLE romantic scenes between Nyrunn and Idonea!!! I was also impressed how Celeste wrote this arranged-marriage/forced proximity book with no allusions to the couple sleeping together!!! Like it was SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!

The one thing I didn’t love was the reincarnation thing in the book. I was relieved that it wasn’t like a… cultural belief, and it was better once I realized what it actually was, but I’m still not a huge fan of reincarnation in fantasy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book!!! It was such a fun read, and I couldn’t put the book down!!!!!!! If you’re looking for a clean romantic fantasy, you will love this book!!!

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

Related posts

Book Review + Giveaway: Forgotten Identity by Penny Zeller

About the book

Book: Forgotten Identity

Author: Penny Zeller

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: January 14, 2024

Book blurb

Who is he really? And why is someone after him?

Mariah Holzman never imagined a whiteout blizzard would sever all communication from the outside world—communication desperately needed for the injured man Mariah finds near her home. Nor did she imagine helping nurse the man back to health would lead to threats and intimidation. As danger escalates and questions rise, Mariah is left to wonder what kind of person she has allowed into her home.

Grant MacGuire never imagined he would wake up one day in a strange cabin, surrounded by strange people, with no memory of who he is or how he was injured. Nor did he imagine his presence would put the lives of those who saved him in danger. As Grant struggles with distorted memories, he wonders if his life is worth the price the Holzman family is paying.

The growing attraction between Mariah and Grant is hindered by Grant’s unknown identity. Is Grant, as the family’s neighbor assumes, a criminal on the run from the law? Or is there more to his identity—and the reason he was attacked—than they realize?

purchase

This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of my links, I will receive a percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you! Essentially, you can buy a book, and support my blog at the same time!!!

My review

I don’t mood read contemporary. I DON’T. But I did mood read this one, and it was SO WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!

In addition to not mood reading contemporary, I don’t read suspense either. Or at least I didn’t. This book was so good, though.

First of all, Mariah. She’s a single mom of two adorable children. She’s level-headed, resourceful, and eager to help those in need — including a nearly-dead man she finds in the snow. She values her family and sacrifices a lot to make sure she prioritizes them. I love that she homeschools her kids!!!! (I want to homeschool mine whenever I’m blessed with children………..) I love how Mariah is able to rely on her faith and those around her when she needs support.

George, aka George Washington (because Mariah’s kids are hilarious), doesn’t have a memory. He just knows he hopes he’s a good person. Grant is so good with small children, even when recovering from an attempt on his life. It’s so cute!!!!!! I love how protective he is and how much he wants to help those around him!

Penny can write a suspense novel. The plot was so intriguing, and I could not put the book down. I love how she wove in little bits of foreshadowing throughout her book. I especially enjoyed how she wrote the action-y scenes!!!! Also, the villains were written perfectly.

Overall, this book was just INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!! I didn’t expect to love it nearly as much as I did. I can’t wait to see more Christian suspense from Penny!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

About the author

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith-filled happily ever afters and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. Her books feature tender romance, steady doses of humor, and memorable characters that stay with you long after the last page.

While she has had a love for writing since childhood, Penny began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics. Today Penny is a multi-published author of over two dozen books and is also a fitness instructor, loves the outdoors, and is a flower gardening addict. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, birdwatching, reading, running, and playing volleyball.

Penny resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers.

More from Penny

Hello, Reader!

Thank you so much for joining us for the Forgotten Identity blog tour. Enjoy the sneak peek into the book below.

Blessings,

Penny

Excerpt

Mariah bit back a sigh as they neared. While grateful Nosy stopped when he did, couldn’t the dog have chosen another place to investigate besides the ravine that could be deadly if someone mis-stepped and fell into it? At least the handful of boulders near its edge warned of the ravine’s proximity.

Nosy’s barking turned to a whine as he pawed at the snow.

No, not just the snow.

The snow covering a shoe protruding from behind a large boulder.

She reached for her son, Jordan, and slowed both of their paces even as her pulse quickened. Maybe the object just looked like a gray tennis shoe. Or maybe it was a shoe, but a discarded shoe Nosy found somewhere, brought home, and forgot about until now.

Still…

“Jordan, stay where you are, please.”

“Aww, Mom.” Despite his protest, Jordan did as she requested.

Mariah advanced. Better be safe than sorry, and on the one percent chance this wasn’t a shoe found, forgotten, and rediscovered by Nosy, Jordan did not need to see whatever, or whomever, was attached to the shoe.

“Mom?”

“Just a minute, Jordan.”

A few seconds later, she saw an image she’d not soon forget.

Partially obstructed by the boulders and surrounding dormant foliage, a man’s body lay face up in the snow, dangerously close to falling over the side of the ravine.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Penny is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!

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

giveawayBlog stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 19

Madi’s Musings, March 19

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 20

Pens Pages & Pulses, March 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 21

Stories By Gina, March 22 (Author Interview)

Mornings at Character Cafe, March 22

The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate, March 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 24

Texas Book-aholic, March 25

Blogging With Carol, March 25

The Sacred Line, March 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 27

For Him and My Family, March 27

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 28

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 29

Mary Hake, March 29

lakesidelivingsite, March 30

Cover Lover Book Review, March 31

Holly’s Book Corner, March 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 1

Pause for Tales, April 1

related posts

Book Review: Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill

I expected to like this book, but I didn’t expect it to be THAT AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Book Blurb

What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her.

With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall’s only lead is Lydia’s fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the “Killer Queen of Romance.” Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself.

As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati’s citizens, but for their own hearts too.

My review

First of all, that introduction was the BEST OPENING SCENE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the PERFECT setup to Lydia and Abraham’s characters and just made their relationship THAT MUCH BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lydia’s character had such incredible depth. Her character journey was so beautifully complex and I loved the themes discussed through her story. She was a writer through-and-through, and I loved her strength, determination, and ingenuity.

Abraham is a police officer. He feels very duty-bound and has a very white-and-black view of morality. At the beginning of the story, he is quite quick to judge Lydia for her hobbies, but I LOVED the added goodness that added to their love story!!!!!!!!!!! I love how he cares about his family and is loyal to a fault. He’s such a sweetheart.

The mystery aspect of the book was written SO WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The suspense was put in perfectly, and there were delightful foreshadowing hints about the villain’s identity. Crystal just constructed the mystery SO UNBELIEVABLY WELL. I still can’t believe how perfectly she wrote it!!!!!!!!

The THEME in this book. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved how it discussed how we shouldn’t focus on the dark parts of life and should leave justice in His hands. It was so intriguing how she wrote that theme through the story of a novelist!

Overall, I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you’re looking for a fast-paced mystery with sweet, clean romance and beautiful themes, READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

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Book Review + Giveaway: Miss Wylde in the White City by Grace Hitchcock

About the book

Book: Miss Wylde in the White City (The Heiresses of Adventure Book Two)

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance True Crime

Release date: November 11, 2023

Book blurb

While attending the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Winnifred Wylde believes she witnessed a woman being kidnapped. She tries to convince her father, an inspector with the Chicago police, to look into reports of mysterious disappearances around the White City. Inspector Wylde tries to dismiss her claims as exaggeration of an overactive imagination, but he eventually concedes to letting her go undercover as secretary to the man in question—if she takes her pistol for protection and Jude Thorpe, a policeman, for bodyguard.

Will she be able to expose H. H. Holmes’s illicit activity, or will Winnifred become his next victim?

purchase

This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of my links, I will receive a percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you! Essentially, you can buy a book, and support my blog at the same time!!!

My review

HOW DOES GRACE WRITE THIS INCREDIBLE OF HISTORICAL ROMANCES??????? And to write this amazing of TRUE CRIME historical romances, too??????? Like I DON’T do true crime. I don’t, but Grace’s books are so good that I had to leap at the opportunity to read this book. AND I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The opening scene with Winnie Wylde was perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Any reader could connect instantly for her desire to avoid dealing with people and instead read a book. I loved how she wasn’t afraid to rush into danger and had such a kind heart. It was fascinating seeing how she valued the safety of others above her own and refused to give up.

Jude Thorpe, the detective, was such a sweetheart. I LOVE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was perfectly protective and always had Winnie’s best interests at heart. I loved his conflict with deciding what was most important to him; it just added the perfect layer of complexity to his character.

The mystery was written beautifully. I was enraptured by the suspense and couldn’t put the book down. Did it keep me up way too late at night? Yes. I have no regrets; this book was WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I started the book, I worried a bit about how the author would handle the topic the book covered, but I shouldn’t have worried. Grace beautifully portrayed the intensity of the situation at hand without making the book too dark or gory. (I’d probably recommend this book for readers 15 and older.)

Overall, this story was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! While it is the second book in the Heiresses of Adventure series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. If you are looking for a fast-paced adventure with romance and sweet faith elements, you will LOVE this book!

Oh, and Grace, if you’re reading this I DEMAND MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

About the author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple his­torical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, Best Laid Plans, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives on the Northshore of New Orleans, with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a cottage that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, or chasing babies, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.­­­­

More from Grace

Q&A with Grace Hitchcock:

Q: Your historical novel Miss Wylde in the White City is a historical romance set against the true crime events at the Chicago World’s Fair. How difficult was it to create a “romance” novel that includes such horrific historical details?

Grace: It was challenging, but I wrote Winnifred’s story with the thought in mind of how I would have wanted to experience it as a reader. Many of the books I’ve read about Holmes are quite dark and rightly so; however, I decided that I didn’t want my story to show the gory details and chose to focus on the romance to offer the reader a much-needed break in the dark story matter.

Q: What research did you have to do to get the details right?

Grace: I read and listened to non-fiction works on H. H. Holmes, read countless articles online, researched the different newspaper articles of the time, mostly The Chicago Tribune,

and found the newspapers’ sketches of Holmes’ “Murder Castle” along with their statements. I also read non-fiction works on the Chicago world’s fair with many, many pictures and took walk-through tours of the fair online, which gave me a unique perspective of what the white city was like.

Q: Tell us about the characters you injected into the historical events. What about them made you want to tell their story?

Grace: I’ve always loved Jane Austen’s heroine from her satire of Gothic novels, Northanger Abbey, and with Catherine Morland in mind, I created Winnifred Wylde. My heroine’s love of books often gets her into trouble, but being the daughter of a police inspector, Winnie also has picked up a few things in listening to her father’s adventures and her natural sense of curiosity was just what I needed in a heroine to uncover Holmes’ sordid crimes.

I wanted Jude Thorpe to be a protector with a heart for justice, so the role of detective fit right into the story.

Percival Valentine was one of the characters who surprised me. Originally, I just had Percy as her favorite author, but then I thought, why not let her meet him and see what happens? He is one of my favorite characters and I hope to one day give him a story of his own.

Q: Fact vs Fiction – what (if any) historical details did you have to fiddle with to make the story work? 

Grace: Oddly enough, the newspapers at the time did not get the same layouts of the “Murder Castle” in their sketches, so I based the layout of Holmes’ castle mostly from The Chicago Tribune and got a little creative. The layout is mostly correct, but I took the liberty of adding a second trap door at a convenient location for the burning trunk scene. While Holmes did bring trunks up and down from attic to the basement, he never burned a trunk on the third floor because it would have left behind far too much evidence for a man who, up to this point, was experienced in covering his tracks.

Q: How does your faith impact how you approach writing fiction?

Grace: My heroines generally learn what I am learning at the time of writing the story. If I am holding on to a verse for something I am going through personally, I give it to my heroine and we walk through it together even in different situations (because obviously I’m not trapped in a burning building haha but the principle applies).

I see writing Christian fiction as an opportunity to show God’s light even in dark, difficult situations. No matter how subtle my theme or short the verses, my stories will always point the reader to the Lord.

Thank you for joining the fun for the Celebrate Lit tour! If you are a part of a book club, I have discussion questions here! Happy Reading, friends!

Blog stops

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 13

Pens Pages & Pulses, March 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 14

Allyson Jamison, March 14

Texas Book-aholic, March 15

lakesidelivingsite, March 16

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 17

Devoted To Hope, March 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 18

Betti Mace, March 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 19

Bizwings Book Blog, March 20

Blogging With Carol, March 20

Lily’s Corner, March 21

Connie’s History Classroom, March 21

For Him and My Family, March 22

Mary Hake, March 22

Inspired by fiction, March 23

Holly’s Book Corner, March 23

Pause for Tales, March 24

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 24

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 25

Cover Lover Book Review, March 25

Jodie Wolfe , March 26

Lights in a Dark World, March 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize of a $20 gift card with FREE SHIPPING to Grace’s Autographed Bookshop!!

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

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Cover Reveals: The Carols of Christmas books 1-3

I’m so excited to reveal the first THREE covers for the upcoming series The Carols of Christmas which will release this fall. And the best part? Mine is one of them!!!!!!!!

Series recap

The Carols of Christmas is a twelve book multi-author series of Christian historical fiction novellas set around Christmastime. Each book is inspired by a different sacred Christmas carol. This series is about the hope and light that the Christmas season brings.

THE COVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you ready to see them???????????? I know I am so ready to show them to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AREN’T THEY SO PRETTY??????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love them!!!! Our cover designer, Mountain Peak Edits & Design, did such an INCREDIBLE JOB ON THESE PRETTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait for you to see the rest of them!!!

And fine, I’ll answer the question I know I’m going to get eventually…

“Courtney, your cover isn’t very Christmassy. WHERE’S THE SNOW?????????????”

Fun fact, I’ve never seen a white Christmas. I highly doubt there was any snow on the first Christmas, and I don’t think snow is necessary for a Christmas story, ESPECIALLY since it isn’t something I’ve ever experienced at Christmastime.

(I could go on a long rant about how much I hate it when Christmas movies are set in the south and they EDIT IN SNOW, but I’ll spare you.)

My cover designer is from up north. They STILL have snow on the ground. IN MARCH. (I already have sprouts coming up in my garden, and she still has snow). When I told her that my Christmas book was going to be set in Texas (I live in Texas), and it wouldn’t have any snow, I probably gave her a heart attack.

Even in spite of my horrifying demand that my cover for my Christmas book not have snow on it, I think that MPED did an incredible job on my cover AND the rest of the covers — snow or no snow.

What do you think? Should all Christmas stories include snow? Do you get white Christmases? Which of these covers is your favorite (no, I won’t be too offended if you don’t say mine)?

preorder the series on amazon

This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of my links, I will receive a percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you! Essentially, you can buy a book, and support my blog at the same time!!!

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