Book Review – Game On

September 16, 2016 By authorjjb Leave a Comment

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book

Politics is no game when a stalker nears and there’s nowhere to hide.

A run for the senate is just a step on the road to the White House for Congressman Lucas McMann. But his public profile has put him in the middle of a crazed gunman’s twisted game of stalking. If he wants to win the election and reclaim his life, he’ll need the help of the one person who’d rather leave their past behind them.

Private Investigator Nikki Kent knows how to dig up secrets and discover those who exist in the shadows. She should. She’s good at hiding secrets of her own. Can she risk her own discovery for someone so desperate for her help? For the first man who broke her heart?

With new-found faith, she’ll help Lucas search for the answers. But with the truth comes a danger they must face together.

About the Author

Lillian Duncan…Stories of faith mingled… with murder & mayhem.

Lillian is a multi-published author who lives in Ohio Amish country with her husband. After being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors and Neurofibromatosis Type 2 in 2012, Lillian retired as a school speech pathologist after more than thirty years.. She believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.

Lillian writes the types of books she loves to read—fast-paced suspense and mystery with a touch of romance that demonstrates God’s love for all of us. To learn more about Lillian, you may visit her at www.lillianduncan.net or www.lillian-duncan.com. She also has a devotional blog at www.PowerUpWithGod.com.

My Review

Game On is an intriguing, well-written and thoroughly engaging read! An absolute 5 stars!! I genuinely enjoyed this carefully crafted Christian romantic thriller from Lillian Duncan.

This story contains excellent character development and has such a plausible premise! Well-chosen verses are interwoven with a consistent yet not overwhelming faith message strategically built into the tale. Lovers of this genre will certainly want more from this author!

Be sure to pick up your own copy – you will be delighted (and intrigued)! Thank you, Lillian, for sharing this memorable volume with us!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

Guest Post from Lillian Duncan

Everyone’s heard the saying: just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean someone isn’t out to get you! That’s the premise of my new political thriller, GAME ON.

AMAZON LINK

PELICAN BOOKS LINK

Congressman, Lucas McMann wants to throw his hat into the political arena once again, this time for the U.S. Senate. It’s the next step on his journey to the White House, but he believes he’s the victim of an elaborate stalking game.

The problem is no one else believes him.

He can’t move forward until he stops the game. He can’t stop the game until he discovers who’s behind it. To do that he needs someone who will believe in him enough to help him get the proof he so desperately wants.

And he knows just the person.

If only she’s put their past behind her.

Private Investigator, Nikki Kent makes a living finding out other people’s secrets, but she has one of her own. When Lucas shows up asking for her help, she refuses. She can’t take the chance of her secret coming to light. But her new-found faith won’t let her turn her back on someone who is desperate for her help—even if he was the first man to break her heart

Game On is filled with enough twists and turns that will keep you turning those pages late into the night. I really had fun writing it and hope readers will have fun reading it. My publisher outdid herself with the book trailer for GAME ON so I hope you’ll check it out at: https://youtu.be/t6MK2UGB1P0.

Blog Stops

September 6: Quiet Quilter

September 7: A Baker’s Perspective

September 8: A Reader’s Brain

September 9: Bigreadersite

September 10: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

September 10: Mary Hake

September 11: Blogging With Carol

September 12: The Power of Words

September 13: Simple Harvest Reads

September 14: Artistic Nobody

September 15: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

September 16: Carpe Diem

September 17: Bibliophile Reviews

September 18: Christian Bookaholic

September 19: Bukwurmzzz

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of GAME ON, Lilian is giving away a virtual basket of goodies. One lucky winner will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and their choice of an e-copy, Nook, or Kindle copy of one of my previously published books—sorry not GAME On. Five other people will be given a $5 Amazon Gift Card. And finally five more winners will get their choice of an e-copy of one of my previously published books.

That’s LOTS of winners!

All you have to do is leave a comment under one of the GAME ON posts at www.lillian-duncan.com , and you’ll be entered. Contest will end on October 1! Winners will be announced on October 2. Be sure to check back to see if you’re a winner! Thanks.

Book Review – Hope in My Heart

September 13, 2016 By authorjjb 1 Comment

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book

Hope in My Heart is a collection of short, heartwarming stories with characters in need of hope.

In “Love Unexpected,” a car crash brings commitment-wary Sebastian and career woman Chandra together. Neither is looking for romance, but those around them see the potential, and Sebastian and Chandra discover that sometimes love shows up unexpectedly.

Christmastime is the setting for the middle story, “The Best Gift.” Christina desires to lose ten pounds so she can fit into her dress for her sister’s wedding. Jordan wishes her mom would stop trying to marry her off. And Joshua hopes to be reunited with his ex-girlfriend but eventually learns that the best gift this Christmas will be the restoration of his relationship with God.

In “Peace and Love,” three characters living in a metropolitan area are desperately searching. Elle, a starving artist, aspires to become a paid professional. Eric, a divorce attorney, wants to resolve his issues concerning his parents’ divorce. Kristine anticipates finding her birth mom before she marries Derek. All characters pray their searches will conclude this holiday season and fill their hearts with peace and love.

About the Author

Alexis A. Goring is a writer at heart and a journalist by profession. She loves the art of storytelling and is especially delighted to have released her first book, an inspirational romance novella called Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories, in Sept. 2013. When Alexis is not working on her next book or chasing down the next big story for the newspaper where she works as a freelance reporter, she can be found listening to songs by her most admired musicians, enjoying the food in cafes/restaurants, shopping at her favorite malls and spending quality time with loved ones (family and friends).

My Review

A collection of three short, faith-filled stories of friendship, love, family relationships and newfound hope through a relationship with the one true God.

The characters are diverse, the settings varied and each story carries its own unique but clear faith message. Although each story is neatly wrapped up by the end, it is not inconceivable that sequels could develop from each. It would be interesting to see how these characters carry on in their lives with their renewed faith and hope.

Thank you, Alexis A. Goring, for sharing these lovely tales with us.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

Guest Post from Alexis Goring

It’s an honor to have my first published book, Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories, going on a blog tour with Celebrate Lit!

I met Sandra, founder of Celebrate Lit, through Facebook when she asked me to be one of the book reviewers for her company. At the moment, I was in grad school pursuing my MFA in Creative Writing so I didn’t have time to write a review. But I enjoyed reading my fellow bloggers’ reviews of the books featured by a blog tour hosted by Celebrate Lit. Imagine how delighted I was to be afforded the opportunity to participate in one of these tours not as a blogger but as a featured author!

I’m guessing that you’d like to know a little bit about me as an author. So, here’s my (real-life) story: I’m an East Coast girl with a love for writing, photography, good food and music that inspires hope in my heart. Most people think that I’m either from New York, California or an “exotic island”. They are right about the island heritage, because my dad is from the Caribbean. I love making connections with people and learning from their life stories. I believe in finding the good in everything and showing God’s love to the world. I have a heart for the hurting and hungry. I want to help people discover their true worth and realize their true identity—they are loved and belong to the Creator of the Universe. I believe that I achieve that goal to an extent, through my Christian lifestyle blog, “God is Love.”

As an author, my goal is to warm the hearts of my readers, bring a smile to their face and point them to the One who loves them with all of His Heart. I am talking about God. He’s amazing! I’m so grateful to Him for giving me the gift of writing and showing me ways to share my writing and His love with the world! I love that He made a way for me to publish my first book and is making a way for me to publish my next ones.

Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories was originally published by Crossbooks (former imprint of B&H Publishing Group) in Sept. 2013. However, after Crossbooks closed, my book was re-branded by WestBow Press (a division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan) and re-released in Nov. 2015. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.com and a few other book retailer sites online. Initially, it was on the shelves at Barnes & Noble (my favorite bookstore) but since being re-branded, it’s only available online.

Blog Stops

September 1: Bibliophile Reviews

September 2: Faithfully Bookish

September 3: Bukwurmzzz

September 3: The Power of Words

September 4: Mary Hake

September 5: cherylbbookblog

September 6: History, Mystery & Faith

September 7: A Baker’s Perspective

September 8: Southern Chelle

September 9: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

September 10: Karen’s Krayons

September 11: Through the Open Window

September 11: Singing Librarian Books

September 12: His Grace is Sufficient

September 13: Carpe Diem

September 14: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Alexis is giving away seven eBook copies of her book Hope in My Heart! Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a2fc

Book Review – A Memory Worth Dying For

September 5, 2016 By authorjjb 3 Comments

To purchase your copy, click here.

About the Book

“Do Not Return To Texas!” Marti Rushing gets the message, loud and clear. If she returns to Texas, her life is in danger. If she stays in Tennessee, she’s safe. But when she receives a letter telling her that Daniel, her ex-husband and the love of her life, is dying, she knows she has to defy the stalker and return to Texas to see him. Three years ago, Daniel accused her of things she couldn’t remember doing. Without waiting for an explanation and after four wonderful years of marriage, Daniel kicks her off of his family’s Quarter Horse ranch. Now, three years after their separation, he walks into her art reception in Tennessee and acts like he doesn’t remember her. Does the memory loss have anything to do with the letter she received, or is Daniel pretending? Is he the one stalking her, or is it someone with a deadly, sinister motive? Ignoring the deadly warnings, she leaves for Texas, but on the way there, the attempts on her life begin. Will she be able to evade her pursuer’s attacks? Or will Daniel’s face be the last one she sees?

About the Author

Joanie has a strong passion for reading, and her love for books with nail-biting suspense, inspires her to write contemporary suspense books. Thankful that God has given her the ability to write from her home in the country, she strives to use that opportunity to honor Him in all of her writing. Joanie and her husband, Ben, live in a country home near Madison, Georgia, right in the middle of a pasture full of beef cows. There they raised and homeschooled their three children. She enjoys cooking, taking long walks, painting oil portraits, and caring for their home in the country.

My Review

Lots of drama, suspense and intrigue. . .with just the right amount of spiritual wisdom and sincerity.

A Memory Worth Dying For is truly a compelling story – you’re drawn in from start and just when you think the tension might lessen. . .it ramps up again and grabs you = a genuine page-turner!

VERY detailed, the descriptions enable the reader to feel as though they are in the story – excellent writing. The characters well developed and the reader is granted a clear picture of their emotional history and development, too.

Excellent work, Joanie Bruce! I thoroughly enjoy your writing. . .a definite 5+ of 5 stars!!! I SO look forward to reading many more of your books!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

Guest Post from Joanie Bruce

Hello everyone. My name is Joanie Bruce, and I’m happy to visit with you today and tell you a little about myself and my book, “A Memory Worth Dying For.”

The idea for this book actually started from a simple memory. Years ago, I watched a movie about a woman whose father-in-law ruined her marriage. That thought raised a question in my mind: What would happen if a married woman was kicked out of her home by her father-in-law, and her husband never stood up for her against his father?

Many questions and solutions emerged from that one idea, and the brainstorming began… One answer lead to another problem, and the answer to that problem produced another question. When all was done, the plot for this book emerged.

After adding suspense, mystery, love, and a growing spiritual aspect to that one idea, I was able to combine them to form an interesting plot. Finally, after several months of work, “A Memory Worth Dying For” was born.

I love this story because it shows forgiveness at its highest peak. Marti and Daniel have a wonderful marriage, but because of greed, selfishness, and a colossal misunderstanding, that marriage is dissolved. Even though they are separated, the love they feel for each other never wanes. Marti’s love for Daniel throws her into a dangerous situation, but that same love also gives her the perseverance and determination to stay in Texas and fight for the happiness of the man she loves even though her life is threatened if she does. I’m sure you’ve all read the Bible verse Joel 2:25a. “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” That verse is the one Marti clings to throughout the story.

As I do my writing each day, I pray that God will teach me something. Writing this book taught me so many lessons. Not only did I fall in love with the characters, but with the idea of practicing forgiveness in my own life. It also reinforced the knowledge that I should never jump to conclusions and get the facts before I make decisions. In this book, Daniel jumped to a conclusion and listened to gossip which caused the break-up of his marriage and unnecessary stress in his life.

Years ago, one of my Sunday School students gave me a book for Christmas called “In His Steps.” If you remember, that book started the campaign that encouraged you to ask “what would Jesus do?” before every action. I was convicted while reading that book because I knew I wasn’t doing things in my life for the Lord’s glory. So the next Sunday in church, I dedicated my life back to the Lord, and I began praying He would use me in whatever way He chose.

After those sincere prayers, the Lord began showing me how I could use my life and the talents He gave me for Him. It was shortly after that prayer I found out I had the ability to paint portraits, and not long after starting my art career, my first attempt at writing was accepted for a publishing contract. I realized then that following the Lord’s leading in my life and an attitude of gratefulness and obedience all worked together so the Lord would bless my efforts.

If you take anything away from this post, I hope it will be that the Lord can use anyone who is willing to be used. If you surrender your talents to him, no matter what your age or limitations, God can still use you for His glory.

Thank you for listening to my ramblings. I hope and pray that God blesses each of you in all of your accomplishments.

Blog Stops

August 30: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

August 30: Cassandra M’s Place

August 31: Petra’s Hope

September 1: A Reader’s Brain

September 2: Quiet Quilter

September 2: Splashes of Joy

September 3: History, Mystery & Faith

September 4: Ashley’s Bookshelf

September 5: Carpe Diem

September 6: Pause for Tales

September 7: Blogging with Carol

September 8: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

September 9: A Baker’s Perspective

September 10: bigreadersite

September 11: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses

September 11: Daysong Reflections

September 12: just the write escape

September 12: Mary Hake

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Joanie is giving away a Kindle Fire and her books! Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a29f

Book Review – Evil Forebodings

August 5, 2016 By authorjjb 2 Comments

Purchase your copy of Evil Forebodings here.

About the Book

Evil Forebodings: Tiffany Rodgers is the kind of danger that she never dreamed could happen to her in the quiet little town of Newville. She is being stalked and having strange visions. The animals even seem different of late, somehow affected by the changes in the air. Officer Allen Lawrence is drawn to Tiffany, but he has reservations. Is she losing her mind, playing games, or are the things that she is seeing more than just evil forebodings?

My Review

In this creative paranormalesque story, Carol Keen uses an uncomplicated writing style with systematic character introduction and increasing tension- building.

Human, inhuman and animal characters interact throughout the tale in an interesting way to carry the story along. You will want to keep reading to find out the who, what, and why of the progressively strange happenings in the small town of Newville.

When Christian belief is challenged by spiritual forces of darkness in a small town. . .who will ultimately triumph? You’ll need to read Evil Forebodings to discover for the answer for yourself.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

About the Author

Carol E. Keen currently resides in Alabama with her husband and family. She spends her time writing, reading, working on photography, and working with her much loved critters. She started creating stories to share with others at the age of two years old. She was published for several years in FAMA magazine (Freshwater And Marine Aquarium) as a contributing editor. She published her first book on CD, called Simply Seahorses. She is overjoyed to be publishing her fiction to share with you now. Carol currently has more books in the “works”. Please feel free to follow her for updates.

On a personal note: Carol really enjoys coffee and a good book!

Guest Post from Carol E. Keen

Well, I know it isn’t lady like or proper to squeak or go “Eeeeeee!” with excitement, but it’s so hard not to do so. I’m past excited to be on this tour with Celebrate Lit! First I have to say, these are wonderful folks who I’m so very blessed to get to work with!

Now, today I’m doing happy dances over your being here for the kick off for my book, Evil Forebodings. It’s my second published book, and my first full-length fiction novel. This book took eight, yes that is 8, long years to complete. What on Earth could take me that long to write one book?

It started with my first event called, NanoWriteMo. In my case, it was NanoWrite-less! Who had the “brilliant” idea to have a huge writing contest smack over Thanksgiving and two major birthdays in our family? It was a disaster. It was as bad as saying a night person like myself has to function at 8:00am and be good at it. I was alone in my endeavor and didn’t get far at all.

A few years later, I went back to working on this book. This time I had a huge emotional backset from an incident that was just traumatic. I was told, in essence, that I wasn’t good enough to write for a career, and that my focus was on all the wrong things in my life. This came from a published author, who really didn’t know me. I was weighed and judged unfairly, and it was devastating. I learned a great deal though, and pretty much gave up on doing things the way I had been.

Forging ahead anyway, my first book, Beauty For Ashes, was published. Then I got to work on Evil Forebodings. This story and its characters have never left me, and I knew I had to finish this book. I’m really pleased with how it turned out, and I hope that you will enjoy it. While I believe all authors put some of themselves into their work, this book had a heavy dose of my heart infused into it in several places.

Thank you so much for joining me on this adventure, and please feel free to ask questions!

Blessings, Carol 🙂

Blog Stops

July 26: Daysong Reflections

July 27: Our Perfectly Imperfect Life!

July 28: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

July 29: inklings and notions

July 30: A Reader’s Brain

July 31: Mary Hake

July 31: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

August 1: Through the Open Window

August 1: Cassandra M’s Place

August 2: Bukwurmzzz

August 3: Karen’s Krayons

August 4: Petra’s Hope

August 5: Carpe Diem

August 6: Singing Librarian Books

August 7: For the Love of Books

August 8: Books! Books! Books!

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away three copies of her new book with a bookmark. Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/9f31

Book Review – She Who Knows

August 2, 2016 By authorjjb 2 Comments

Purchase your copy of She Who Knows here.

About the Book

One girl’s journey from loneliness to love.

Isolated on a Maui mountaintop, Cassandra has only her imagination to keep her company. Shut in due to her heart condition and shut out emotionally by her father, she meets the Menehune in a dream. Their “Gift” enables her to take the first step away from her loneliness. Along the way she finds an amazing woman in the grandmother she never knew and experiences true friendship with a new classmate. Eventually she learns that to love another she must open her heart, even if it means it may break.

About the Author

In 2015, Barbara Bras left her career to pursue her dream of serving God. She believed that her first step would be to share the amazing ways God had blessed her. As she wrote of her son’s miraculous adoption and the challenging years that followed, it led to the rediscovery of her entire life, including the history of her grandparents’ remarkable survival in Armenia and her search for purpose and love. Her memoir led to her first novel, which she hopes readers will find engaging and memorable.

My Review

A well written and very intriguing storyline.

Barbara Bras has crafted a moving tale of a young girl’s triumph over childhood illness, loneliness and unexplored faith. In a clever mix of reality, fantasy and faith, Cassandra’s story will capture reader’s hearts and bring them along with her as she grows into a young woman of earnest self-realization, spiritual depth who ultimately discovers true family and real love.

All in all, I highly recommend this enthralling read = a 5 of 5 stars! Thank you, Barbara Bras for creating this touching and thought-provoking story!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

Guest Post from Barbara Bras

An interviewer asked what inspired me to write and publish two books within a year. It’s a long story. Unlike many authors, I didn’t always write, nor did I yearn to write. In fact, the opposite was true for me; fear of judgement discouraged me from writing. Judgement from my mother, an English teacher and a strict perfectionist who demanded excellence in everything, especially writing.

In spite of the circumstances, my love of reading led to my first profession, teaching English at the high school level. Teaching laid the foundation for my career, which ultimately resulted in twenty-five plus years in various corporate environments as an Human Resources leader. Naturally, during my career I wrote a great deal, including proposals, papers, and communications of all kinds. But never anything creative, I never even journaled.

Almost two years ago, our Pastor handed out little pieces of paper during his sermon that said, “ENOUGH”. He questioned our inane desire to accumulate things when we already have the one thing that is needful. Just as Mary choose to worship at the feet of Jesus rather than be distracted by the world, so must we choose what is most important. (Luke 10:42) It struck a nerve.

Shortly thereafter, I made the decision to leave my position of ten years. Unsure of my next move, I focused my energy on a burning desire. Ever since the Lord provided a son for us through a miraculous adoption, I believed He wanted me to share it as an encouragement to others. I had tried to write the story many times without success. I signed up for retreat that promised, “Write your book in a weekend!”

The three-day retreat required nonstop writing, first in long hand, then on the pc. Amazingly, at the end of the third day I had not only finally written the story of the miraculous adoption, I had shared the incredible disappointment and heartache of the years that followed, all captured within the context of my life and the life of my ancestors. Wrapped in God’s Grace, a Life Rediscovered had materialized. I felt a great release and I thought that would be the end of my writing.

Over the next few months as I edited the book, I followed the system of editing for 45 minutes, and writing new material for 15. What emerged during those 15 minute segments became Cassandra’s story, or She Who Knows, a Tale of the Heart. The story unfolded in front of me, inspired by the woman who supervised my student teaching in Honolulu back in 1977.

Barbara Robinson was an inspiration to me both as a teacher and as a person. As we worked together that semester, she shared many stories and took me under her wing. She told me the story of how her grandmother, a musician, had come to islands and married her seafaring grandfather. She spent a great deal of her childhood isolated in the mountains on Maui, presumably to recover from an illness. When finally allowed to return to school years later, her years of isolation and her archaic English made for a lonely life. She also believed she that she had an usual gift, which she decided was better left unused.

So what began as an effort to share my story and encourage others has developed into a love of writing and a desire to serve the Lord through my new passion.

Soli Deo Gloria. To God Alone Be the Glory!

Blog Stops

July 21: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberation

July 22: A Reader’s Brain

July 23: Mary Hake

July 24: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner

July 25: Eat, Read, Teach, Blog

July 26: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses

July 27: A Greater Yes

July 27: Reading Is My SuperPower (Spotlight)

July 28: A Bakers Perspective

July 29: Splashes of Joy

July 29: Artistic Nobody (Spotlight)

July 30: Cassandra M’s Place

July 31: Bukwurmzzz

August 1: Simple Harvest Reads

August 2: Carpe Diem

August 3: Pause for Tales

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away a $100 Amazon gift card, copies of She Who Knows, and Wrapped In God’s Grace. Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/9f1e

Book Review – Through Raging Waters

August 1, 2016 By authorjjb 1 Comment

Purchase your copy here.

About the Book

If Mother Nature has her way, Timber Springs will never be the same…

A warm spring and early rainstorms melt the snowpack. Spring runoff compounded by the storm of the century sends Timber Springs into a tailspin.

Tossed into the role of rescuer, local pharmacist Paul Fitzgerald must face his past before the whole world falls apart. While he fights to contain the beast around him, he finds his steadfast control slipping through his fingers. And life…everyone’s life…hangs by a thread…once again.

She isn’t a hero. Melissa Hampton has her own demons to battle. After she learns of her mysterious beginnings amidst her mother’s keepsakes, she faces more than just the river rushing outside her door. Now, she must discern friend from foe…but as waters rise and tension climbs within Timber Springs, she needs to rise to the challenge or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

Can two people find each other through raging waters?

About the Author

Renee Blare’s nose has been buried in a book for as long as she can remember. Raised in Louisiana and Wyoming, she started writing poetry in junior high school and that, as they say, was that. After having her son, a desire to attend pharmacy school sent her small family to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. She’s been counting pills ever since. While writing’s her first love, well, after the Lord and her husband, she also likes to fish and hunt as well as pick away on her classical guitar.

Nestled in the foothills of the Wind River Mountains, she lives in Wyoming with her husband, crazy dogs, and ornery cat. She serves her beautiful small town as a pharmacist while penning her stories about struggling Christians as they travel along the journeys of their lives. She loves to interact with readers and invites you check out her website, blog, and social media.

Blog: Renee’s Inspirational Moments

Group Blog: The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction

Website: Renee Blare|Christian Author Website

My Review

Renee Blare’s Through Raging Waters is a tightly-written story filled with tension, drama and highly emotional characters. The literal storms battering the community are mirrored in the emotional and verbal storms raging within and between the characters. I found it comforting that during the story’s several life-or-death moments the main characters consistently return to their core of faith to summon supernatural strength, guidance and peace.

You’ll be caught up in the story but plan to stay tuned in because the characters and their stories are many and varied. Fortunately, the twists and turns are neatly smoothed out by story’s end!

A tense and emotionally charged story, thank you Renee Blare for sharing this family saga and we’ll look forward to their continuing story!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

Guest Post from Renee Blare

I Wrote a Book

Five years ago, I wrote a book…and then I wrote another and another and another. Many said that the words flowed like a river onto the page. Or I painted a picture with letters. As for me? I simply write what I see so you can see it too. What about you? Do you want to write a book?

If so, there’s one thing I’d like you to know. A book’s like a child. It starts out small or simple with garbled language…often repetitive and indistinguishable. Kind of like when a baby babbles “dada” over and over. And then that moment comes when you rejoice because you hear him say “mama.” That’s the growth every book…writer…reader…yearns for.

Different stories float around inside an author’s mind, flowing in a way much like labor. Some authors plot, others don’t. And still others combine the process in a convoluted method. But like birth, no matter how the words eventually find their way to the page, the development of a book doesn’t stop with its first dawn. It takes time, energy, and growth.

Take my first release, To Soar on Eagle’s Wings. Five years ago, I wrote it, my very first book, in three months. And it was awesome! I couldn’t believe it. God brought the plot together in a phenomenal way. But publication wasn’t the next step. I had a lot to learn before that could happen.

My latest release, Through Raging Waters is the example of a writer’s growth, but also her soul. I learned that I had to leave more than my knowledge and my heart on the page. I needed to leave a piece of my soul. When you read Paul’s struggles, you read mine. Melissa’s fear and confusion? Yes, they’re mine. The anger, the pain . . . the trials, the lessons learned are scriptural but also first-hand, taught by my Father.

Writing is more than a job. It’s more than a hobby. It’s sharing your knowledge, your hope with the world. So if you want to write a book. Do it. Then take that next step, and the next. You’ll get there. Oh, and I can’t wait to read it!

Blog Stops

July 19: Pause for Tales

July 20: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

July 21: Captive Dreams Window

July 21: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

July 22: Singing Librarian Books

July 23: A Reader’s Brain

July 24: A Greater Yes

July 24: Eat, Read, Teach, Blog

July 25: bigreadersite

July 25: Cassandra M’s Place

July 26: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

July 26: Splashes of Joy

July 27: Blossoms and Blessings

July 27: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner

July 28: Daysong Reflections

July 29: Quiet Quilter

July 30: Texas Book-aholic

July 30: Lights in a Dark World

July 31: Bukwurmzzz

July 31: Through the Open Window

August 1: Carpe Diem

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Renee is giving away a wonderful package that includes a $20 Cabelas gift card, a set of her series paperbacks (books 1 and 2), and fleece blanket. Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/9f08