Takeover Tuesday with Camille Eide

Camille has agreed to give away an electronic copy of this book to one lucky blog reader. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends January 14, 2020. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.) 

The story behind the story...

The idea for Anna’s story came on the heels of my previous novel, The Memoir of Johnny Devine. I wanted to try my hand again at setting a story during an era with a prominent social issue that could trickle down into the individual lives of the characters. Wings Like a Dove was birthed by a much different process than my other novels. The idea for Johnny Devine came from a dream—one simple, heart-wrenching scene—and an entire novel sprang from that. Wings came from a “What If” brainstorm. What if an unmarried immigrant found herself pregnant, in a time in America that would make her predicament more of a challenge?

After the central story took shape, the characters took on lives and stories of their own, as often happens in fiction writing. Most of the supporting characters inherited traits from real life, personal experience, and from people I’ve known. Thomas speaks reverently of the man who raised him. This man, Gabriel Johansen, is fashioned after my late father in law. And in small part, so were most of the orphan boys, who are the same age my father in law would have been in 1933. Some of details in this story come from stories of his boyhood.

I didn’t intend for the story to be a difficult read; I wanted to tell a heart-warming story of redemption. And I hope I have.  But as I researched the era, the discovery of the Women’s Ku Klux Klan and their agenda to “cleanse” their communities of certain people, including Jews, meant that I had no choice but to include it. The presence of the Klan in middle America fit all too well with the string of challenges that Anna would face in 1933. And as a side note, when I was plotting this story several years ago, before delays kept interfering with its completion, I had no idea what the future held, what conversations about immigration, racism, and unity would be taking place now, as the story is released. I can only wonder if God had a plan for this story, for such a time as this.

Excerpt...

He stopped and faced her, his eyes alight with something cautious, yet hopeful. “Maybe we can help each other.”

Anna studied him, the sincerity of his expression, the patient way he waited, the strong, pleasing angles of his face. “How?”

“You can help me work on being more connected, and…I can help you search for what you’ve lost.” He was no longer jovial, but suddenly very attentive, the hope in his eyes entreating, tender. Tempting. It was not difficult to see herself spending time with Thomas. It was quite easy. So easy, in fact, that she suddenly saw the two of them, in her mind’s eye, making a home, working together and sharing a life, loving these boys, loving…

A small gasp escaped her.

“Anna?” His voice was breathless with wonder. He dipped his head closer and peered into her eyes, studying her carefully.

As clearly as if in a waking dream, she saw herself married to Thomas, saw herself loving him with all of her heart and soul. Which, of course, was impossible. Painfully so.

Quickly, she dropped her gaze, blocking his scrutiny. Surely her eyes would give away both her foolish feelings and her dirtiness.

He reached up with his fingertips and gently tilted her chin upward, forcing her to look him in the eye. “Forgive me, but … I need to see if that was just my imagination.”

She swallowed hard. Look away, Anna ...

My review...

Eide’s latest rivets the reader and has a little bit of something for just about everyone: romance, history (Great Depression), and real-world challenges (such as discrimination). (Sadly, some issues addressed in this book are still alive in today’s society, as well.) It’s a beautifully written powerful tale that will likely stick with the reader long after the final page. Grace, love, healing, and forgiveness are key takeaways. It was one of my favorite books from 2019. Wings Like A Dove is historical fiction at its finest.

Anna finds herself on her own and pregnant in a world that is intolerant of Jews. Yet through it all, she is courageous and perseveres, overcoming obstacles no one should have to face. Along the way, she encounters a group of orphans, and together they’ll each learn from each other things they’d never considered before. They will all discover that God is always in control.

Aside from Anna, Thomas and Samuel steal the show … and the readers’ hearts. This is the first book I’ve read by Eide, but it won’t be my last!

Some of my favorite quotes:

“What if we choose instead to be blind to people’s flaws and shortcomings and the differences we do not understand?”

“Will we not all need mercy at some time in our lives? Mercy we do not deserve? It is a precious gift, and yet it is free. Everyone has the power to give it.”

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

Purchase link


About Camille...

Camille Eide is the award-winning author of inspirational romantic fiction including The Memoir of Johnny Devine. Camille lives near the Oregon Cascades with her husband and is Mom to three, Grammy to five, and enjoys the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She also loves the liberating truth and wisdom of God’s word, and hopes that her stories will stir your heart, strengthen your faith, and encourage you on your journey.

Other titles include: Savanna’s Gift (Christmas), Like There’s No Tomorrow, Like a Love Song, The Memoir of Johnny Devine, and The Healer (exclusive to newsletter subscribers).

Where you can find her online...

Website:             www.camilleeide.com

Book bub            https://www.bookbub.com/authors/camille-eide

Goodreads          https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5356695.Camille_Eide

Amazon               https://www.amazon.com/Camille-Eide/e/B006GHY1JM/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

FB Author page https://www.facebook.com/CamilleEide.Author/

Twitter                 https://twitter.com/CamilleEide

Instagram                           https://www.instagram.com/camille.eide/

Along the Banks-BLOG: https://camilleeide.wordpress.com/

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"First Cut" by Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell

Summary...

Wife and husband duo Dr. Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell first enthralled the book world with their runaway bestselling memoir Working Stiff—a fearless account of a young forensic pathologist’s “rookie season” as a NYC medical examiner. This winter, Dr. Melinek, now a prominent forensic pathologist in the Bay Area, once again joins forces with writer T.J. Mitchell to take their first stab at fiction.

The result: FIRST CUT (Hanover Square Press; Hardcover; January 7, 2020; $26.99)—a gritty and compelling crime debut about a hard-nosed San Francisco medical examiner who uncovers a dangerous conspiracy connecting the seedy underbelly of the city’s nefarious opioid traffickers and its ever-shifting terrain of tech startups.

Dr. Jessie Teska has made a chilling discovery. A suspected overdose case contains hints of something more sinister: a drug lord’s attempt at a murderous cover up. As more bodies land on her autopsy table, Jessie uncovers a constellation of deaths that point to an elaborate network of powerful criminals—on both sides of the law—that will do anything to keep things buried. But autopsy means “see for yourself,” and Jessie Teska won’t stop until she’s seen it all—even if it means the next corpse on the slab could be her own.

My review...

I’ve never read anything by this author, but the book blurb sounded like something I’d enjoy. I liked the medical facts throughout, as well as the fact that things were written in a manner that the average person could understand. I love TV shows that deal with forensics, and this book reminded me of them.

Dr. Jessie Teska is a new medical examiner in San Francisco. She's smart and sassy. The author's inside knowledge of the field adds to the realism and enjoyment of the story. The character development is solid and the mystery interesting to watch unfold. There were a few unexpected twists, that I enjoyed. The end did seem a bit abrupt, but perhaps it's a set-up for a sequel.

Fans of crime stories, mysteries, and police procedurals will enjoy the book.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

BUY LINKS:

Harlequin

Indiebound

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Target

Walmart

Google

iBooks

Kobo

Judy Melinek was an assistant medical examiner in San Francisco for nine years, and today works as a forensic pathologist in Oakland and as CEO of PathologyExpert Inc. She and T.J. Mitchell met as undergraduates at Harvard, after which she studied medicine and practiced pathology at UCLA. Her training in forensics at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner is the subject of their first book, the memoir Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner. T.J. Mitchell is a writer with an English degree from Harvard, and worked in the film industry before becoming a full-time stay-at-home dad. He is the New York Times bestselling co-author of Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner with his wife, Judy Melinek.

Where you can find them online...

TWITTER:

·        Judy: @drjudymelinek

·        TJ: @TJMitchellWS

FB: @DrWorkingStiff

Insta:

·        Judy: @drjudymelinek

Goodreads

·        Judy: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7382113.Judy_Melinek

·        TJ: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1899585.T_J_Mitchell

"Guarded" by Sara Davison COVER REVEAL BLITZ! (JustRead Tours)

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for Guarded, the second book of The Night Guardians series by Sara Davison, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT GUARDED

Series: The Night Guardians, Book 2 

Author: Sara Davison 

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.  

Here's the Cover:

PURCHASE LINK*: Amazon

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Sara Davison is the author of the romantic suspense novels The Watcher and The Seven Trilogy. She has been a finalist for eight national writing awards, including the Word Award for Best New Canadian Christian author, a Carol, and two Daphne du Maurier Awards, and is a Word and Cascade Award winner. Sara has a degree in English Literature and 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

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

Sara Davison is offering a $25 Amazon card to the winner - US and Canadian residents

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 January 4, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on January 11, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US/CAN mailing addresses valid. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

 

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

"Rosanna's Gift" by Susan Lantz Simpson ... and a GIVEAWAY!

Susan has agreed to give away a print copy of this book. (US ONLY)You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends January 10, 2020. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.) 

The story behind the story...

            I have always been interested in the Amish and their way of life. I remember going to the local Amish farmers’ market with my mother when I was very small. I was totally fascinated even then.

            Over the years my interest increased, and I did a lot of reading and research. When delving into my own family history, I discovered that, way back, my ancestors might very well have been Plain. Maybe my interest was something innate!

            I’ve written stories ever since I could hold a pencil, and I remember talking to my mother about writing an Amish story before any such books were ever on the market. Those ideas must have been germinating over the years.

            My work in community health sometimes involves children in foster care. Some of our local Mennonites serve as foster families; hence, the idea of having a Plain young woman take on the care of an infant was born.

            I have read many Amish stories but never came across any set in Southern Maryland where we have Amish and Mennonite communities. I wanted to set my novels (six previous books in addition to Rosanna’s Gift) here in this very different, rural location.

            My goal in all my writing is to entertain and to encourage. I want readers to enjoy my stories, maybe pick up some new information, and take away a message of hope along with the knowledge of God’s love. I pray I have accomplished these goals.

My review...

I’ve read and enjoyed books by this author in the past, and this one was no exception. The cover is welcoming, and it’s a great match for the story.

Rosanna is a strong heroine, and I found the secondary characters to be well-developed, as well. Emma was enjoyable. She’s Rosanna’s best friend, and she does what everyone needs from a friend: provides honest insight, along with some laughter. Rosanna’s family, particularly her brothers and sisters, had realistic interactions. The author has a way with words that makes the reader feel a true part of the story. Through her characters, she also demonstrates that people are the same in many ways, whether Amish or Englisch. And it was hard not to love Mollie!

The prose is beautiful, and the pace is mostly steady throughout. There were a few lulls in the story, but things balanced out overall. Relationships develop at a realistic pace. A key theme is trusting that God knows best, even when His timing is different than our own.

“ The Lord Gott’s plan might be totally different from ours, but you can be sure He has a plan for you.”

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

Amazon purchase link

About Susan...

Susan Lantz Simpson has been writing stories and poetry ever since she penned her first poem at the age of six. She has always loved the magic of words and how they can entertain and enlighten others. Her love of words and books led her to earn a degree in English/Education. She has taught students from Prekindergarten to high school and has also worked as an editor for the federal government. She also holds a degree in nursing and has worked in hospitals and in community health. She writes inspirational stories of love and faith and has published a middle-grade novel (Ginger and the Bully) in addition to her inspirational romances. She was a finalist in the OCW Cascade fiction contest. She lives in Maryland and is the mother of two wonderful daughters. She is a member of ACFW and Maryland Christian Writers Group. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, walking, and doing needlework.

Where to find Susan online...

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

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Monday Motivation

"For last year's words belong to last year's language, and next year's words await another voice."

— T.S. Eliot

Have a wonderful week!

"She Laughs: Choosing Faith Over Fear" by Carolanne Miljavac

My review...

I have never read anything by this author, but that will certainly change in the future! This book is so relatable (and funny!) that I had a hard time setting it aside.

The author is very open in sharing her personal stories and experiences, from serious to cringe-inducing. It almost felt like sitting at lunch with a close friend. Miljavac is upfront about her struggles. She’s honest and raw, which is why I’ll recommend this book to many of my friends, particularly those who are looking for some encouragement and struggling with fear. This is one book I’m likely to read again.

There were so many quotes that struck a chord with me. Here are just a few:

• “Once a stronghold of insecurity gets into your head, it is really tough to overcome.”
• “The hardest times in your life set you up for the deepest impact.”
• “Nothing changes if nothing changes.”
• “Fear isn’t going anywhere. But whether it controls you is up to you.”
• “Your ability to laugh is precious. Fight for it.”
• “Living according to other people’s expectations will weaken the purpose for which you’ve been created.”

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, but I wasn’t required to leave a review.

Amazon purchase link

First Line Friday

Happy Friday! It's time for First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books.

It's time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. Today on First Line Friday, I'm featuring a book from one of my many TBR piles, A Cup of Dust by Susie Finkbeiner. I had the pleasure of meeting her at a conference a few months ago. This book is about the Dust Bowl. I've only read one other book about this topic, so I'm looking forward to reading this book.

And the first line is ...

As soon as I was off the porch and out of Mama's sight, I pushed the scuffed-up, hole-in-the-soles Mary Janes off my feet.

About the book...

Ten-year-old Pearl doesn't understand a lot of things--why her sister's brain doesn't work right, why the preacher yells so much, why Jesus and the president seem to have forgotten all about Oklahoma. But she does know who she is: Pearl Spence, daughter of the esteemed town sheriff. Generous and always ready to help in a crisis, the Spences bring hope to this desolate town, and Pearl is proud of her family. She knows who she is, she knows she is loved, and even in unrelenting hardship, life feels secure. Not even the dust that sweeps incessantly across Red River can quench her hopes and dreams.

But someone else seems to know who she is, too, and he makes Pearl uneasy. From the moment the mysterious hobo steps off the train and stares at her with his cold blue eyes, Pearl's secure world begins to unravel. How does Eddie know her name? Why does he seem to hover everywhere she turns? And why does he act like he knows something about her family that she doesn't? Pearl is determined to avoid him, but Eddie is bent on forcing his way into her life and disrupting her family's shaky tranquility. The more he badgers Pearl, the greater her confusion, until the storm within her rivals the swirling of dust and dirt without.

Let me know the first line of the book closest to you and then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating.

My Top 19 Books of 2019 ... and a GIVEAWAY!

I read a LOT of books in 2019 (around 300, according to Goodreads). It was hard to narrow down my list of favorites for the year, but here goes. My list includes inspirational and mainstream releases. If you've read any of them, leave me a comment and let me know which book and what you thought of it.

Then, after you've looked over my list, enter to win a mystery prize pack! It will contain four (4) 2019 inspirational fiction books. It's a mix of genres, including YA (young adult), historical fiction, and mystery/suspense. There will be one winner of all four books. (Print copies - US ONLY)You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends December 27, 2019. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.) 

So, in no particular order, here are my Top 19 books of 2019:

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Bonus book...

This was one of my favorite books of 2019, but I won't be featuring it until January 7th as a "Takeover Tuesday." I hope you stop by on that date to check out my review of this wonderful 2019 release:

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