"The Linen God" by Jim O'Shea (JustRead blog tour)

Welcome to The Linen God blog & review tour and GIVEAWAY, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Linen God  
Author: Jim O’Shea  
Publisher: Ambassador International  
Release Date: March 31, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Suspense/Thriller  

The Shroud of Turin is the most studied and controversial religious relic in human history.

The ancient linen cloth bears the image of a man, alleged to be that of Jesus of Nazareth. What if it were real? What if it contained a secret powerful enough to alter the course of human history? And what if it fell into the wrong hands?

Manny Lusum is convinced the Shroud is the genuine article and obsessed with proving it scientifically. Grace Barden is not only Manny’s best friend, but also secretly in love with the physics student and soon-to-be Catholic priest. Across the globe, three grisly murders and the theft of a secret manuscript thrust Grace and Manny into a generations-old conspiracy of biblical proportions. From New York to Rome to the inner sanctum of the Vatican, they struggle to untangle a bizarre mystery surrounding the controversial artifact.

In a dramatic confrontation between faith and the ultimate evil on the world stage, Grace and Manny are pushed to the edge of an abyss, balanced on the brink between heaven and hell.

This suspenseful and captivating thriller is perfect for fans of Dan Brown, John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, and David Baldacci. Order your copy today and experience a unique blend of history, science, conscience, religion and a battle of good versus evil that will keep you reading into the early morning hours!

“ . . . a wonderfully engaging, page-turning thriller.” —Doug Peterson, Award Winning Author of The Vanishing Woman and The Puzzle People

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Ambassador | Book Depository

My review...

If you enjoy books like The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, then you may want to check out O’Shea’s book. It’s a nice blend of mystery, drama, and suspense. There are three murders, the mystery surrounding the Shroud of Turin, and prophecies that keep the reader engaged and guessing, trying to sleuth things out with the characters.

Manny Lusum is fascinated with the Shroud of Turin, to the point that his thesis is about proving that the Shroud is genuine. He jumps at the chance to see it in person. He is surprised by what he discovers, and he soon finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy, along with his friend Grace and her mother. Everything seems to be linked to murders in Rome.

For the most part, the pace is active throughout, though it did stall on occasion. Grace and Manny are likeable, so it is easy to stay engaged. There are some unexpected twists along the way … for the characters and reader. It felt like there were some scenes or details missing, or just not explained as well as they could have been. However, things balance out in the end, and the end may leave the reader pondering the mysteries referenced in the story.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy as part of the JustRead blogger program. I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jim is a long-time resident of Chesterfield, Missouri…“The City of Sculptures”. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri in Columbia and now spends his time crafting novels of suspense that tackle the complex relationship between science and religion, stories designed to take the reader places he or she may not have previously considered.  

CONNECT: website | Facebook | Ambassador International

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GIVEAWAY

Ambassador International is giving away:

5 winners will receive an ebook copy of The Linen God (open internationally, except where prohibited by law)

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight July 2, 2018 and last through 11:59pm July 9, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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See FULL SCHEDULE at JustRead landing page

"Callum's Compass" by Sara L. Foust ... and a GIVEAWAY!

Sara L. Foust has graciously offered to give away an electronic copy of this new release. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends November 3, 2017. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you and pass on your information.) 

The story behind the story...

Callum's Compass came from an idea I originally had in high school. What if I could prove that mountain lions had returned to East Tennessee? The plot line has changed a lot since then, but when you read it, you will find that mountain lion element still makes an appearance. The treasure hunt that Kat Williams goes on was inspired by my uncle Jim. He was a clever man. Growing up, he left clues to 'treasure hunts' for my cousins to find in between chores. And, when we went on family vacations, he created real treasure hunts with gold coins (or chocolate doughnuts) as the prize. The first clue Kat finds is one Uncle Jim created and left for us on a trip to Outer Banks, North Carolina. He had us stumped all day, and we even had to call his son, who was unable to make the trip, for help. We eventually solved all the clues and used a metal detector to find buried gold on the beach. These are some of the BEST memories I have, and I still miss him every day. I started my own scavenger hunt on Facebook for the rest of October, I would love for your readers to check it out! Here is the blog link for the rules and instructions https://saralfoust.com/2017/10/16/scavenger-hunt/

Blurb...

KAT WILLIAMS’S brother died in a gruesome accident in the mountains of East Tennessee. She blames herself.

RYAN JENKINS’S fiancée was murdered. He couldn’t protect her.

With the death of her brother, Kat believes she is unworthy of love from anyone—even God. When a good friend elicits a promise that she will stop living in the past and then leaves her clues to a real-life treasure hunt, Kat embarks on an adventure chock-full of danger. To find the treasure, Kat will have to survive wild animals—and even wilder men. Can she rely on Ryan, the handsome wildlife officer assigned to protect her . . . without falling in love?

Ryan swore off love when his fiancée was murdered, but feelings long-buried rise to the surface around Kat. He volunteers to help with her treasure hunt, vowing to keep her safe. Together they venture deep into caves and tunnels . . . and even deeper into the depths of their unplumbed hearts.

Purchase link...

About Sara...

Sara writes Inspirational Romantic Suspense from a mini-farm in East Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and their five homeschooled children. She earned her bachelor's degree in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Tennessee Mountain Writers. Her debut novel Collum's Compass won second place in Deep River Books' 2017 Writers Contest. She also has a story, "Leap of Faith," appearing in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Sara finds inspiration in her faith, her family, and the beauty of nature. When she isn't writing, you can find her reading, camping, and spending time outdoors with her family. To learn more about her and her work or to become a part of her email friend's group, please visit www.saralfoust.com

Where to find Sara online...

Website: www.saralfoust.com

Email: sfoust25@hotmail.com

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/SaraLFoust/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Sfoust25

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sfoust25/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SaraFoustSaraLFoust

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Takeover Thursday with Carol Kinsey ... and a GIVEAWAY!

I want to extend a warm welcome to Carol Kinsey. She's here to talk about her writing journey. Carol is giving away a hard copy of  her book, Greater Love. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends July 20, 2017. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you and pass on your information.) Now, here's Carol...

            Teenagers can be life changers. Never underestimate the power of sixteen year olds.

            I was leading a high school girl’s Bible study. Every week, eight girls gathered together to learn more about their relationship with Jesus. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and learning. One afternoon, a couple of the girls started discussing an exciting new novel they’d read. As I listened, I grew weary. This “exciting new novel” went against everything I’d been teaching them from the Word of God. In their quest for entertainment, these young ladies were filling their minds with smut, worldly thinking, and trash talk.

            We looked at Philippians 4:8:  ^“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (NASB). I asked them, “How does this ‘exciting new novel’ hold up to Philippians 4:8?”

            They were smart enough to know the answer. “It doesn’t. But what else can we read?”

            I explained that there was a whole world of Christian literature out there, but I could see I’d hit a brick wall. This book was cool. It was fascinating. Everyone was reading it…

            It really started there. I remember it clearly. I’d always had stories in my head. I loved writing. I’d studied journalism in college and had a far greater love for words than numbers. So, I sat down at my archaic laptop and wrote a novel for those girls.

            My husband encouraged me through the all-nighters I pulled in order to crank out that first book. I printed it out—typos and all, and put it in a three ring binder.

            It was a Christ-centered, teen, suspense novel that held to Philippians 4:8. I’m not sure who was more surprised that they loved it. Them or me. They devoured it. After that, they wanted more. So I wrote more. And for the next two years with that group of girls, I realized I loved writing novels. I loved creating stories that showed God at work in the lives of people—stories that showed struggles, faith, purity, the power of prayer, godly relationships, and pointed to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

            From there, my writing continued. When my husband took a job as a youth pastor a few of the teens found out that I wrote and once again, I was given the opportunity to point people to Christ through writing. But these teens wanted more. They wanted to be able to share my books with their friends. They wanted my books out there in the world. They encouraged me to take my books one step further and get published.

            Every one of my novels has been touched in some way by one of the teens in the youth group. Whether it’s through cover design, proofreading, social media, or encouragement, God has used those teens in my life just as I pray He is using me in theirs.

            Each step of the journey has been exciting. It’s still continuing. Through my writing curriculum and homeschool conferences, I’ve been able to encourage other young writers to use their pen to the glory of God with Philippians 4:8 as their filter.

            I’m excited about the release of my newest novel, Witness Protection, which is scheduled to come out this summer. It’s an action suspense with a powerful Christ-centered message. There’s nothing in it that I wouldn’t feel comfortable with one of my high school youth group teens reading.

            I love writing and I’m thankful that God has given me the opportunity to use writing to honor Him.

                       

- Carol Kinsey

Amazon link for purchase

Blurb for Greater Love...

Trey Netherland is an FBI agent on a mission. Working undercover at a Christian university, Trey tries to win the heart of Rainey Meadows, the woman who can help him solve this case. What Trey didn’t expect was for her to steal his heart. Deceived by the man she thought she loved, Rainey wants answers. Trey wants the bad guy. Together, Rainey and Trey find themselves in the heart of Columbia searching for different things. As Rainey struggles to learn who she is, Trey is torn between the lies he’s told her and the Truth that is fighting to reach his heart. Tangled in a dangerous plot, can Rainey trust the man whose lies put her heart in turmoil? Will Trey finally cry out to the only One who can truly set him free? There is only one Truth and it’s in Him they find Greater Love.

About Carol...

Carol Kinsey lives with her husband and their two daughters on a farm in rural Ohio. She and her husband have been involved in youth ministry for over twenty years and currently serve at a small country church, which inspired her first published novel, Under the Shadow of a Steeple. She has also published Greater Love, Until Proven Innocent, and a writing curriculum, Creative Writing Through Literature, which launched in 2016. Her next novel, Witness Protection, will be out in 2017. It is an action, suspense novel with a strong Christian message. Carol is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and co-founded The Writing Family with authors, Amy C. Blake and Colleen Scott. Together with Amy and Colleen, Carol speaks on developing the writer in yourself and your child at various homeschool conventions, libraries, and author events. Along with her fiction, Carol is also published in several nonfiction venues. She has a passion for writing exciting, Christ-centered fiction that uplifts, encourages, and gives glory to God. 

Where to find Carol online...

·         www.carolkinsey.net (Professional author website)

·         www.creativewritingthroughliterature.com curriculum website which is tied into my personal website.

·         https://www.facebook.com/carolkinsey.net/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf Facebook Author

·         https://www.instagram.com/carolkinsey.author/ Instagram

·         Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Carol-Kinsey/e/B00O537WFO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1477494871&sr=8-2

·         Goodreads Author Page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7149066.Carol_Kinsey

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