BLOGWORDS – Wednesday 27 October 2021 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-WEDNESDAY – BOOK REVIEW – TROUBLE BREWING by HEATHER DAY GILBERT

TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-WEDNESDAY – BOOK REVIEW – TROUBLE BREWING by HEATHER DAY GILBERT

 

 

THE BLURB

Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.

Convinced that the elderly lady in her care didn’t die of natural causes, Macy’s friend Della determines to look into the broken relationships surrounding the woman. She books a Halloween-themed getaway at a local inn and talks Macy into coming along with her to spy on her prime suspect.
As they join a ghost tour of the candlelit town, Macy and Della feel their guide is a little too fanatical as he shares his spooky tales. He tells the story of the Greenbrier ghost, a newlywed who supposedly came back from the grave to tell her family that her husband murdered her.
When a disturbing apparition makes its presence known, guests at the inn become apprehensive…and for good reason, because soon after, a young bride turns up dead. Although everything points to a copycat killer replicating the historical Greenbrier murder, Macy has her doubts. She’s discovered that the inn harbors secrets of its own, and when she pokes into one darkened corner too many, she might not stand a ghost of a chance.

Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.

The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade
Book 4: Spilled Milk
Book 5: Trouble Brewing
Book 6: Cold Drip (coming in May 2022)

THE AUTHOR

Award-winning novelist Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing mysteries and Viking historicals. She brings authentic family relationships to the page, and she particularly delights in heroines who take a stand to protect those they love. Avid readers say Heather’s realistic characters–no matter what century–feel like best friends. When she’s not plotting stories, this native West Virginia gal can often be found hanging out with her husband and four children, playing video games, or reading Agatha Christie novels.

Find all her books and her newsletter signup at heatherdaygilbert.com

 

MY REVIEW

Cozy and mystery are two words that just don’t seem to fit together. And yet, as a genre, it totally works. And Heather Day Gilbert does it well. (Watch out, Agatha Christie!)

Macy Hatfield is such a loveable character. I know I can always count on an adventure when I visit Barks and Beans Café. Macy has such an inquisitive mind and observant eye. She’d make a great detective—oh wait! She is. Sorta, kinda. A detective aid, maybe? She sure plays a major role in solving murders in their vicinity.

And Bo. Totally swoon worthy. Strong and silent swoon worthy. Macy’s rock and anchor.

Ms. Gilbert lays out her clues—and more than one red herring—in her stories, leading Macy to the murderer, albeit down a somewhat crooked and indirect path.

And the twists the author creates! Murder is twisted enough to begin with and Ms. Gilbert always seems to put a new spin on it.

Gotta give a shout out to Coal! Can’t leave a review in this series without it! He may be huge but he so loveable and adorable.

#lovemesomeCoal

 

ROBIN’S FEATHERS

ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

 

 

This book was given to me as a gift. The opinions expressed in my review are my own honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

 

 

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Wednesday, #TRD, Book Review, Trouble Brewing, Heather Day Gilbert, Barks and Beans Cozy Mystery

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BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 26 October 2021 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNCHARTED COURAGE by KEELY BROOKE KEITH

TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNCHARTED COURAGE by KEELY BROOKE KEITH

THE BLURB

With the survival of the Land at stake and her heart on the line, Bailey must find the courage to love.

When Bailey accepts John Colburn’s offer for her to visit Good Springs, she leaves the Inn at Falls Creek expecting to spend the autumn relaxing in her favorite seaside village. Upon her arrival, Connor asks her to cover a shift of guard duty on the equinox, and her quiet vacation takes a shocking turn.
Revel Roberts works hard to keep his life commitment-free, making it easy to leave community decisions to men like Connor and John. But when the Land is threatened, Revel sees his chance to prove he is a man worthy of Bailey’s love. Amid the chaos in Good Springs, his unrequited feelings for her preoccupy him. One wrong choice could ruin everything.
As Bailey’s new life in the Land unravels and threats from the outside world loom, a yearning she can’t define surges within her. It distracts her from defending the hidden world she loves, and a tragedy reinforces her need for independence.
With the survival of the Land at stake and their hearts on the line, Bailey and Revel will need more courage than fighting ever required. They will need to find the courage to love.

Uncharted Courage weaves past and future in a faith-filled story of life in a hidden land. You’ll love this Christian historical romance with a futuristic twist, full of mystery and suspense. Perfect for fans of dual timeline stories and time travel romance! If you enjoy the rural setting and wholesomeness of frontier romance and Amish fiction, you’ll adore Uncharted Courage.

THE AUTHOR

Keely Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a futuristic twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist).

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely was a tree-climbing, baseball-loving 80s kid. She grew up in a family who moved often, which fueled her dreams of faraway lands. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys teaching home school lessons and playing bass guitar. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.

MY REVIEW

I always enjoy a visit to the Land Uncharted, and Uncharted Courage is no exception. (I could use some of that gray leaf, too!)

Ms. Keith takes her reader on a journey that feels like a trip back in time, but with the all the tension of the 21^st century. Outside the Land, a world war rages, But within the mysterious atmospheric shield, the Land is as peaceful as ever. Not without its difficulties or strife, of course, as any society will bear. Or matters of the heart.

Coming from the outside world, Bailey never felt inclined to romance, and has kept her heart tightly secured against it.

Revel Roberts, too, has secured his heart against romance. Like all else in his life, nothing is permanent, nor does it ever work out to his best interest. Better to stick to his solitary life; it’s what’s familiar and comfortable.

But when hearts connect, it’s not so easy to quell that pull. That longing.

There is more at stake, though, than runaway hearts. Evidence that another outsider—an enemy, potentially hostile—has come into the land, and fear runs high.

Ms. Keith takes her characters—and her readers—on a roller-coaster journey. Mystery and suspense on every page hold the reader’s full attention through to the end. She gives her characters real and raw emotions, and having read [almost] all the books in the series, I have come to feel like I have friends in the Land.

ROBIN’S FEATHERS

ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

This book was given to me as a gift. The opinions expressed in my review are my own honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

 

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Uncharted Courage, Keely Brooke Keith, Uncharted Series

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BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 5 October 2021 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNDERCURRENT OF SECRETS by RACHEL SCOTT McDANIEL

TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNDERCURRENT OF SECRETS by RACHEL SCOTT McDANIEL

ABOUT THE BOOK

Book:  Undercurrent of Secrets

Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel

Genre: Christian Romance

Release date: September 2021

THE BLURB

Two women, a century apart, are bound by a haunting secret aboard a legendary steamboat.

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

As wedding coordinator for the 100-year-old steamboat The Belle of Louisville, Devyn Asbury takes pride in seeing others’ dreams come true, even though her engagement had sunk like a diamond ring to the bottom of the Ohio River. When the Belle becomes a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, Devyn endeavors to secure the prestigious title with hopes to reclaim some of her professional dreams. What she hadn’t planned on was Chase Jones showing up with a mysterious photo from the 1920s.

A century earlier, Hattie Louis is as untamable as the rivers that raised her. As the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain, her duties range from the entertainment to cook. When strange incidents occur aboard the boat, Hattie’s determined to discover the truth. Even if that means getting under First Mate Jack Marshall’s handsome skin.

Click here to get your copy!

THE AUTHOR

Rachel Scott McDaniel is an award-winning author of historical romance. Winner of the ACFW Genesis Award and the RWA Touched By Love award, Rachel infuses faith and heart into each story. Rachel can be found online at http://www.RachelScottMcDaniel.com and on all social media platforms. Her work is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency. Rachel resides in Ohio with her husband and two children.

MORE FROM RACHEL

In 1914, America hadn’t joined WWI yet. Airplanes, or flying machines as they were called, were still a phenomenon. Radios weren’t a thing. Hawaii and Alaska weren’t part of the United States. The world as a whole looked different than the one we walk today. But one thing remains true as it had 100 years ago—The Belle of Louisville graced the waters. In fact, the century-old steamboat is like a floating time capsule.

First named the Idlewild, this boat was built in Pittsburgh, PA and was launched in October 1914. It began its days as a packet boat, hauling freight and ferrying passengers. During the ‘Roaring 20s’ there wasn’t much documentation for her travels. But it’s believed the Idlewild spent the decade tramping—a steamboat term for going up and down the river, stopping at various towns and taking passengers for excursions. Which worked perfectly for Undercurrent of Secrets.

The boat was then sold to New Orleans where it continued to ferry passengers. In 1931, The Idlewild spent a season in Louisville running trips to Rose Island and Fontaine Ferry amusement parks. It then spent the next several years coursing the waterways from Canada to New Orleans, living upon the Mississippi and Ohio river systems until WWII. The second world war brought a lot of action to the Idlewild which was then outfitted with special equipment to push oil barges along the river. She also served as a floating USO nightclub for troops stationed at military bases along the Mississippi River.

In 1947, she was sold and renamed the Avalon. For the next two decades the legendary lady spent her days along the rivers, hosting excursions, bringing adventure to the hearts of many Americans. But all those years and miles eventually caught up to her and she fell in disrepair. In 1962, she was put up for auction in Cincinnati where she was purchased by Jefferson County Judge Executive Marlow Cook for $34,000. She then received her third name, The Belle of Louisville.

The restoration of the boat was supervised by marine architect Alan L. Bates (later Captain Bates). Capt. Bates’ books, Str. Belle of Louisville, and Moonlight at 8:30, were a huge help to me while researching the history of the boat and the crews who worked on her. The reno crew worked tirelessly rebuilding the Belle and on April 30^th, she tested the waters again by racing against the Delta Queen in the first Great Steamboat Race. The Belle has been wharfed in Louisville ever since. This century-old steamboat has stood the test of time, surviving decades, sinkings, storms, weathering all the trials with grit and grace. If you ever find yourself in Louisville, you could book a cruise on the Belle and experience history.

MY REVIEW

I do love a story with dual timeline. And a good twist, too! And this story is both! With two strong female characters, both of them go-getters, the verbal sparring—and the sparks that flew—with their male counterparts was both entertaining and charming. Well, annoying at times, too.

Hattie didn’t let her status in life keep her from excelling at life; she took a task and turned it into a skill. And the extreme double-twist [SPOILER] at the end—oh my!

Devyn, on the other hand, faced the task before her as a failure. And the swoony Chase Jones as a hindrance.

Ms. McDaniel takes both her female leads, indeed all her characters, through some paces and brings them to new [SPOILER.]

Ms. McDaniel’s writing is smooth sailing (pun intended) and keeps the reader’s attention. She draws the reader eagerly to the unexpected and satisfying end.

ROBIN’S FEATHERS

FOUR FEATHERS

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/11b61/undercurrent-of-secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG STOPS

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 25

Rachael’s Inkwell, September 25

Texas Book-aholic, September 26

Christian Bookaholic, September 26

Where Faith and Books Meet, September 27

Inklings and notions, September 27

Genesis 5020, September 27

For Him and My Family, September 28

Life of Literature, September 28

deb’s Book Review, September 29

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 29

Remembrancy, September 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 30

She Lives to Read, October 1

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 1

Older & Smarter?, October 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 2

Mary Hake, October 2

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 3

Simple Harvest Reads, October 3 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Bizwings Blog, October 3

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 4

For the Love of Literature, October 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 5

Through the fire blogs, October 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 6

Pause for Tales, October 6

Artistic Nobody, October 7 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Just Your Average reviews, October 7

Splashes of Joy, October 8

Labor Not in Vain, October 8

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Undercurrent of Secrets, Rachel Scott McDaniel, Celebrate Lit Publicity

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BLOGWORDS – Monday 4 October 2021 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-MONDAY – BOOK REVIEW – BLESSED by LISA T. BERGREN

TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-MONDAY – BOOK REVIEW – BLESSED by LISA T. BERGREN

THE BLURB

Their coming was foretold for centuries…and their gathering threatens to change everything.
A portion of an ancient, beautifully illuminated letter—a letter believed to have been written by Saint Paul—has surfaced. The letter speaks of men and women with profound spiritual gifts and the illuminations bear a striking resemblance to those drawing together in medieval Italy.
Their gathering will strike fear in the heart of a Church dedicated to maintaining their considerable power. But there is another enemy on the hunt for them and he is darker still…

THE AUTHOR

Lisa T. Bergren is Tim’s wife, Olivia, Emma and Jack’s mom, and an explorer of people, places and stories in many genres. She’s written over 60 books and sold over 3 million of them, with the help of some good publishing people and readers like you. You can find more about her at http://www.LisaTawnBergren.com.

MY REVIEW

This story, indeed the whole trilogy, is as rich and detailed and telling as the tapestries that hung on castle walls.

Once again, Ms. Bergren has grasped the reality and depth of things not seen, the Truth of who we are in Christ, His hands and feet in the earth. His agents in battle against the enemy. His messengers of love and light and life. The spiritual battle that is going on around us and within us all the time.

The layers and twisted threads pull the reader deeper into the journey with Lady Daria and her entourage. The Begotten, the Blessed, the Chosen. The Gifted.

Ms. Bergren sheds light—the Light of Christ—on the wily, subtle ways of the enemy. Just as with Adam and Eve, he slithers in, into our subconscious, and tells his lies like so many eggs waiting to hatch.

Oh! the temptation, oh! the pull as the enemy targets us in our weakness. Lady Daria craved what her enemy offered. She nearly yielded to the evil one. [SPOILER]

This story moves through miracles and loss as the Gifted seek to vanquish and conquer their enemy once and for all. They are cut down, tormented—both in spirit and in the flesh—delayed, betrayed.

The ending is magnificent, and perfect to the journey, this trilogy. Ms. Bergren truly is gifted herself, both in the telling of the story, and in her knowledge of the spiritual world.

ROBIN’S FEATHERS

ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Monday, #TRD, Book Review, Blessed, Lisa T. Bergren, The Gifted Series, Begotten, Betrayed, JustRead Publicity

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