June McCrary Jacobs's Blog: ~ Author June McCrary Jacobs ~, page 80

~ VALENTINE'S DAY $.99 E-BOOK SALE ~

~ BLOG BLITZ LOOKS LIKE LOVE ~

~ BLOG BLITZ ~ --  'LOOKS LIKE LOVE'  -- AUTHOR BRANDY BRUCE~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight,Excerpt & Author Bio~
Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Looks Like Love by Brandy Bruce, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title:  Looks Like Love
Author: Brandy Bruce
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Re-release Date: November 13, 2019

After a devastating break-up, Kasey Addison needs to rediscover life and love. She starts by taking a whirlwind trip to London to visit her best friend. When she returns, she’s given a new assignment at the advertising firm where she works. The cosmetics company they represent is releasing a special fragrance called Love. Kasey is tasked with finding out exactly what love looks like and how to sell it.

EXCERPT:
I stopped for a second and turned back to look at the huge stones. I silently told myself that I was really in England. I’d flown over the ocean. I was spending time with Amanda. I was standing at Stonehenge, absorbing the mysteries of history.

Lincoln’s words from the night before ran through my mind again. And as the cold wind blew over me, I started to believe those words. I believed that God was near to me. And for all the years I’d believed in God and held fast to my faith, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d truly felt close to Him.

My eyes watered from the wind, or maybe it was the cold—or maybe from my emotion. Whatever it was, the realization that I’d missed feeling close to God welled up in me. Along with a renewed hope that just maybe there was more in store for my life, too.

I had a strong suspicion that I was, at that very minute, having a significant moment in my life. A tiny corner of my heart whispered to me that if Riley hadn’t broken my heart, I wouldn’t have been experiencing any of this. Of course, if I’d had to choose between new life experiences and Riley—I would have chosen Riley.

But fate hadn’t given me a choice when it came to Riley.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brandy Bruce is a writer, a book editor, a mom, a wife, and someone who really loves dessert! She’s the author of the award-winning novel The Last Summer, Looks Like Love, After the Rain, and The Romano Family Collection. Brandy, her husband, and their children make their home in Virginia.

CONNECT WITH BRANDY: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Visit the landing post at JustRead Tours!*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

~ NEW SEWING PATTERN BOOK RELEASE ~

              

~ REVELL READS REVIEW TWO STEPS FORWARD ~

~ REVELL READS AMISHFICTION FEATURE ~ --  TWO STEPS FORWARD  --AUTHOR SUZANNE WOODS FISHER


ABOUT THE BOOK:
Back and broke in Stoney Ridge, Jimmy Fisher has coasted as long as he could through life on charm, good looks, and deep-set dimples. They always worked just fine for him--until they didn't. His smile has no effect on the violet-eyed beauty he met at the Bent N' Dent, the one with that stunning horse. She's offered him a job, but nothing else.

The last thing Sylvie Schrock King needs around Rising Star Farm is a grown boy working for her, especially her neighbor Edith's son. The woman holds a serious grudge against Sylvie and her son, and hiring Jimmy Fisher will only fan the flames of Edith's rancor. But Sylvie is desperate for help on the farm, and Jimmy understands horses like no one else.

While Jimmy's lazy smile and teasing ways steal Sylvie's heart, Edith is working on a way to claim her land. Has Sylvie made another terrible mistake? Or is it too late to outfox the fox? More importantly . . . just who is the fox?

Writing with both wit and warmth, Fisher delivers a supremely satisfying conclusion to the popular Deacon's Family series.
EXCERPT -- FOLLOW THIS LINK TO READ AN EXCERPT, COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER

BUY THE BOOK:
Baker Book House Amazon Barnes & Noble
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including On a Summer Tide, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop's Family, The Deacon's Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. 
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:   
Learn more at:
www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.
MY THOUGHTS:I read and reviewed the first book in this series, Mending Fences, as part of the Revell Reads Blogger program in 2019. Click on this link to read my review of Mending Fences. Two Steps Forward can be read as a standalone, but I recommend you read the previous books in the series so you can enjoy the entire trilogy!
I have read many of this author's works. I enjoy her Amish fiction and her contemporary fiction. This book has the depth and emotion I have come to expect and enjoy in this author's work. The threads of family, faith, perseverance, forgiveness, and love resonant throughout this story.
One of the main things I appreciated about this particular book was the way in which several of the characters experienced a spiritual transformation from being harsh, bitter, vindictive, and unkind into becoming a more humble person trying to following God's path for their lives. 
In some of the younger characters I enjoyed seeing their personal and spiritual growth from being immature and irresponsible to becoming more serious about God's plan for their lives and developing into making good life choices more in following with their faith.
On the back cover of the paperback I read there was a quote from Interviews and Reviews about this book:  ". . . She {the author} has a way of evoking all of your emotions." I could not agree more with this reviewer's observation. I look forward to reading many more books written by the talented Suzanne Woods Fisher.
Highly-recommended to fans of Amish/Christian fiction, clean fiction, historical fiction, Amish/Christian romance, clean romance, and historical romance.


Disclosure from blogger: I received a paperback copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review to be posted on my blog and on retailer sites and Goodreads. I received no compensation for my review or posts here or on any other site.                                           
# # # # #


   

~ MMGM S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE KID SCIENTISTS ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~
--  'KID SCIENTISTS: TRUE TALES OF
CHILDHOOD FROM SCIENCE SUPERSTARS'  --
AUTHOR DAVID STABLER
ILLUSTRATOR ANOOSHA SYED

  LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS

ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
With the best elements of KID PRESIDENTS, KID ATHLETES, KID ARTISTS, and KID AUTHORS--colorful illustrations, kid-relatable subjects, and real stories of childhood conflict, comedy, and triumph--KID SCIENTISTS tells true tales from the childhoods of a wide range of the world's most brilliant scientists before they were famous. Did you know:
Jane Goodall, who would become the world's foremost expect on chimpanzees, had a stuffed chimpanzee named Jubliee as a child. She loved animals so much that she was constantly bringing them inside--including worms and snails--much to her mother's horror!
Although he would one day become a brilliant theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking hated school as a child, and spent his free time assembling model airplanes, inventing board games, and even building his own computer. 
Neil DeGrasse Tyson, who became a famous astrophysicist, ran a dog-walking business after school to save up money for a telescope, which he used to observe the skies from the roof of his family's apartment building. 
The diverse and inclusive cast ranges from physicists like Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Marie Curie, and Stephen Hawking to inventors like Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Nikola Tesla, and includes astronaut Sally Ride, mathematician Katherine Johnson (of Hidden Figures fame), primatologist Jane Goodall, and many more, making it a perfect addition to libraries, classrooms, and kids' home collections alike.  With Anoosha Syed's whimsical illustrations bringing every caper, scrape, and sticky situation to life, this book is a fun and approachable introduction to the giants of the scientific world.

MY THOUGHTS:
This volume is a collection of short biographies of famous scientists—with a twist! The biographies are focused on how these ground-breaking scientists behaved and learned as children. Readers learn details about the featured individuals' educations, inspirations, gifts, strengths, and weaknesses.

I will admit that I had never heard of many of these individuals, and that is why I loved this book so much. I learned about people who truly made a positive impact on our world through their study of and innovations in science and math.

One thing I noticed as I read through the biographies was that several of the featured individuals were not considered to be ground-shakers as children. Albert Einstein did not speak until he was ready, and his parents feared something was wrong with him because his speech was so delayed. He had a terrible temper and a rebellious streak.

Stephen Hawking did not learn to read until he was eight years old. He hated school, but he always enjoyed learning on his own.

Temple Grandin did not speak until age four, and was eventually diagnosed as being autistic. Her mother spent time with each day reading aloud from The Wizard of Oz. Temple was entranced by the illustrations and soon began reading entire paragraphs independently.

One thing all of the featured scientists had in common was that they had someone special in their lives who nurtured their curiosity and their love of discovery. This encouraging, nurturing, even mentoring caused these individuals to go far.

Another element of this book which I particularly enjoyed was the diversity of the included scientists and mathematicians. Women and men, a variety races and cultures and religions, people from around the world--this book shines a light on the accomplishments of many diverse people with well-deserved respect and admiration.

Highly-recommended to classroom teachers, librarians, parents/grandparents, youth group/science club leaders, and lifelong learners who want to learn something new about these ground-breaking scientists from around the world.

I borrowed this book from the local public library's non-fiction section in the children's collection.

**************

Find the links to read more great Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts from middle-grade authors and bloggers at Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' Blog.

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE THREE LITTLE THINGS ~

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~BLOG TOUR STOP --  'THREE LITTLE THINGS'  -- AUTHOR PATTI STOCKDALE
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Excerpt, Unique AuthorGuest Post & Giveaway~  
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for  Three Little Things by Patti Stockdale, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!


ABOUT THE BOOK Title: Three Little Things
Author: Patti Stockdale
Publisher: Smitten Historical Romance
Release Date: February 4, 2020
Genre: Historical Romance

One forbidden love. Two broken hearts. Three Little Things.

Hattie Waltz should forget the troubled neighbor leaving for boot camp in 1917. He forgot about her ages ago. It had always been the Waltzes verses the Kregers, his family pitted against hers. When she hands him a farewell gift, a chemistry lesson unfolds. The good kind.

Arno Kreger can't leave Iowa or his old man fast enough. He's eager to prove his worth on the battlefield and stop blaming himself for his brother's death. Before entering the train, he bumps into Hattie. He's loved her forever, always from the sidelines, because nobody crosses Hattie's pa.

One innocent letter soon morphs into many. Arno and Hattie share three little secrets in each letter and grow closer together. But he's on his way to war across the ocean, and she's still in her father's house. Their newfound love will need to survive dangers on both fronts.

EXCERPT:

I miss 2,084 things about you. Maybe 2,085. Unfortunately, there’s not enough stationery at my fingertips to record all your positive qualities. Plus, you might turn proud after reading them, how awful for your fellow soldiers. That said, I’ll mention three little things.

I miss how your smile seeps into your voice when you speak words I’ve only dreamed about hearing, especially from you.

I miss dancing together. Every night I close my eyes and remember the box social. To be clear, I fixate on the part when your arms held me tight, not the fight that followed. In my opinion, we moved in concert to our own music, not the notes performed by the band.

I miss your hand holding mine, especially when you rub your thumb across the inside of my wrist.

Write back soon. I’ll wait by the mailbox, not literally, of course. It’s cold outside.

As always,
Hattie

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patti Stockdale loves hope, history, and a good happily ever after. She can’t remember numbers, so she married a statistician. Thanks to him, she’s lived all sorts of places and worked all sorts of jobs. While employed by an NFL team, she once answered the phone by the wrong team name. She doesn’t work there anymore. For 11 years, she directed the programming at a nonprofit senior center and hosted an annual talent show, rocking a Dolly Parton wig, Annie Oakley boots, and a sweet—although snug—Batman costume. She no longer works there either. These days, Patti writes books and occasionally educational assessments and magazine articles.

GUEST POST FROM THE AUTHOR:

Ten Little-Known Facts About This Book:


I named three of the characters after my grandparents: Arno, Hattie, and Lena.


The book, inspired by letters my grandparents exchanged, started as a young adult novel.
I sold the book through FaithPitch and didn’t have an agent at the time.
From start to finish, it took 20 years to write the book and sell it. But the manuscript hid in a box much of that time while I worked at a busy nonprofit.
My paternal grandma, Lena Elliott, lived to the age of 99 and remained sharp until the last couple of years. She mailed me letters full of stories about her youth, terms of the times, and descriptions of clothing, chores, and settings. Her memories and advice helped shape the book.
My ancestry is German-American, which plays a part in the book. Some of my earliest memories include going to my grandparents’ house every afternoon at three o’clock for teatime. The adults spoke German. I wondered what secrets I missed.
The historical museum in my Grandpa’s hometown houses his army uniform and other items from his military days. To write the story, I visited there, his farm, one of his boot camps, and the WW I Museum in Kansas City. I also read approximately twenty-five books, fiction and nonfiction, on the war, epistolary writing, the Spanish flu, anti-German American abuse, and life on the home front.
My favorite chapter of the book is the first one. The week before I submitted it for publication, I rewrote the first paragraph.
I tend to overedit. It’s nearly impossible to stop making changes, take a breath, and push the send key on the computer to whoosh Maybe I’ll write a sequel.
CONNECT WITH PATTI: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


TOUR GIVEAWAY(1) winner will receive a prize package including a signed book with a bookmark, a pair of socks with a proverb tucked inside, a $10 Amazon gift card, and a vintage bookmark!



Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight February 3, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on February 10, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

# # # # #
 

~ BLOG TOUR STOP GUARDED ~

~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~
-- 'GUARDED' --
AUTHOR SARA DAVISON
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway~     

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for Guarded by Sara Davison, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!


ABOUT THE BOOK Title: Guarded
Series: The Night Guardians, Book 2
Author: Sara Davison
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Release Date: February 1, 2020
Genre: Suspense / Thriller

The tip the stranger left sent Nicole a painfully clear message. The past is no longer in the past.

Nicole is fighting to bury the memories. Someone else is fighting to keep them exposed.

Detective Daniel Grey is back in town, and diner owner Nicole Hunter isn’t sure how she feels about that. It’s been almost seven years, and now she doesn’t just have herself to think about but her six-year-old son as well. If she does find the courage to take a chance on love, her heart could be smashed into pieces. Again.

And it’s not only her heart that is in danger. Someone is working hard to disrupt her present with reminders of the past she has worked hard to forget, especially her darkest memory—of the night her husband was gunned down in the street in front of her. As much as she might want to push Daniel away, Nicole needs him closer now than ever before.

 But the one she trusts to keep her and her son safe has a secret that may prove to be the biggest threat of all.

EXCERPT:  

“I thought …” Her voice broke and she dropped her gaze to her hands. “I thought the risk would be lower for you since you’re a detective and not in uniform anymore.”

He measured his words carefully. “It likely is. I’m definitely not in the direct line of fire as often. Today was an exception since Sharleen and I were the only cops in the vicinity when the call came through.”

Daniel reached over and tugged her hands loose, pulling one of them into his grasp. He forced himself to not let the pain that shot through him at the movement show on his face. Her hand was ice cold, and he ran his thumb in circles over the back of it. “Normally, I’m probably not in much more danger than any civilian who walks down the street at night. Anyone can get shot, even sitting in their homes sometimes. Thankfully it doesn’t happen all that often in Canada, but it does happen. There are no guarantees, for any of us.”

“I suppose not.”

“But Nic …” He lifted their hands, pressing his palm to hers and linking their fingers. “If the worst did happen, I’m ready to go. You know that.”

“But I’m not ready to let you.” The words were soft, but woven through with steel and a hint of bitterness that tightened his muscles.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara Davison is the author of the romantic suspense series, The Seven Trilogy and The Night Guardians. She has been a finalist for eight national writing awards, including Best New Canadian Christian author, a Carol Award, and two Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a Word and Cascade Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario, Canada with her husband Michael and their three children, all of whom she (literally) looks up to.

CONNECT WITH SARA: Website | Facebook | Twitter
TOUR GIVEAWAY(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Guarded and a $25 Amazon gift card!



Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight February 1, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on February 8, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

# # # # #

~ MMGM 2ND BLOG BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION ~

~ MMGM HOLIDAY FICTION FEATURE THE ANGEL TREE ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEHOLIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~ --

~ MMGM MY FATHER'S WORDS ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY CONTEMPORARYFICTION FEATURE ~ --  'MY FATHER'S WORDS'  -- AUTHOR PATRICIA MacLACHLAN

LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS   ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
Declan O’Brien always had a gentle word to share, odd phrases he liked to repeat, and songs to sing while he played basketball. His favorite song was "Dona Nobis Pacem"--"Grant Us Peace." His family loved him deeply and always knew they were loved in return.

But a terrible accident one day changes their lives forever, and Fiona and Finn O’Brien are left without a father. Their mother is at a loss. What words are there to guide them through such overwhelming grief?

At the suggestion of their friend Luke, Fiona and Finn volunteer at an animal rescue shelter where they meet two sweet dogs who are in need of comfort, too. Perhaps with time, patience, and their father’s gentle words in their hearts, hope will spark once more. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR {from Goodreads}:Patricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and to this day carries a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she goes to remind her of what she knew first. She is the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lives in western Massachusetts.
LINK TO PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR:https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/43625-q-a-with-patricia-maclachlan.html
MY THOUGHTS:I usually don't reveal my thoughts about a book I'm sharing until the end of the review, but this book is an exception. In fact, this book is exceptional in every way, in my opinion.
I almost did not check this book out of the library when I read that Fiona and Finn's father is killed in an accident and that the story was about grief. I have read so many books about grief in the middle-grade and adult genres during the past few years I wondered if I needed to--or even wanted to--read another.
I'm glad I did not let my negativity stop me from checking out this book and enjoying it as much as I did.
I fell in love with this author's work when I was a student teacher reading Sarah, Plain and Tall to the fourth grade class with whom I was working. I have always loved historical fiction, and this was the first piece of children's historical literature I had read for many years. I'm not sure if I loved it more than the students or if they loved it more, but we all loved the book!
My Father's Words may be the most touching middle-grade story I have ever read. I laughed, I cried, and I cried some more . . .
The author's clean, focused style of writing lends itself to the communication of important life lessons throughout the story. Grief, forgiveness, understanding, personal growth, tolerance and acceptance, friendship, kindness, compassion, caring concern, and love are the threads that weave together this beautiful story.
The scenes of the main characters interacting with a variety of dogs at the animal rescue shelter are delightful! The wisdom the children garner from their interactions with these lovable animals is valuable and essential to the healing process for the people and the canines involved.
The ending to the story is inspiring and realistic. I believe children will love how things are resolved for some of the dogs and all of the humans.
I believe this book would make an excellent read-aloud for classroom teachers, librarians, and families. The story opens up lots of opportunities for discussion and sharing.
Highly-recommended for fans of animal fiction, contemporary fiction, family-oriented fiction, and realistic fiction.
I borrowed this book from the 'New Book' fiction shelf in the children's collection of the local public library.
**************
Find the links to read more great Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts from middle-grade authors and bloggers at Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' Blog.

# # # # #