Category: March-2020

Throwback Thursday - March 12th, 2020

3/12/2020

All that matters for Cadi Forbes is finding the one man who can set her free from the sin that plagues her, the sin that has stolen her mother's love from her and made her wish she could flee life and its terrible injustice. But Cadi doesn't know that the “sin eater” is seeking as well. Before their journeys are over, Cadi and the sin eater must face themselves, each other, and the One who will demand everything from them in exchange for the answers they seek. A captivating tale of suffering, seeking, and redemption. 1999 Gold Medallion Award winner!

ISBN-13: 9781868524235

My Thoughts

The Last Sin Eater is another old favorite. This is one of the few, and magic, books that each time I've read it God has brought a different aspect of the story to my attention. There is a lot in this story, much more than I could ever mention in a few sentences. The Last Sin Eater is moving, poignant, sad, but is also filled with hope, faith, and love. It's a story of loss and pain but it is ultimately a story of redemption. Seriously, if you have never read this book I can't recommend it highly enough. If I were to make a list of all-time favorite books this is one would certainly be on it. It's wonderful!

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - The Vault Between Spaces by Chawna Schroeder + Review & Guest Post & Giveaway

3/11/2020

5 Comments

Every legend must start somewhere…

No prisoner who enters the gates of HopeWell ever leaves. But from the moment Oriel sets foot inside Anatroshka’s most formidable prison camp, she unsettles both commandant and prisoner alike with eyes that see beyond the surface and music that trails her everywhere.

Petite and delicate though she appears, Oriel bows before neither threat nor punishment. Moreover, she makes no attempt to hide her intention: Oriel plans to escape the inescapable HopeWell.

But when facades are stripped away and myth becomes clothed in flesh, what begins as a prison break becomes a mission to stop the invasion of evil itself.

Genre: Young adult Christian Fantasy
Release Date: February 11, 2020

Click here to get your copy.

My Review

The legends are true...

I have to say right at the start that physically, this is a beautiful book! Rarely do covers enchant me without my already having read the book's blurb, but this one surely did. And it's even more lovely in person! The entire book is truly artistic, in writing and in design.

While I had a little trouble at first, it seemed like I was supposed to understand some things already and didn't, it didn't take me long to be completely immersed in the world of Terrestrial and Echoing.

The Vault Between Spaces actually reminded me a bit of the TV movie Tin Man. It felt historical, futuristic, and fantasy all in one. Like that movie, guns and cars, magic and fantastical creatures, were side by side, dwelling cohesively within a story for all ages. There were touches of Tolkein, L'Engle, and I think even a little Lewis, but there is no doubt that the voice is Chawna Schroeder's own. It was like meeting friends who are familiar, and yet completely new.

There is no debate as to whether this is a Christian fantasy novel. It is, quite obviously. But it is presented in such a way that one feels entertained rather than preached at. I'm a great believer in reading to your kids, start when they are tiny things and keep going as long as they'll listen. Though this book is aimed at a YA audience it can be enjoyed by adults, like myself, or would make good family reading. I have fond memories of my dad reading aloud to us and I know that I would have greatly enjoyed hearing this story. I sure enjoyed reading it!

I sincerely liked The Vault Between Spaces and I'm glad that Chawna Schroeder left the possibility open for more stories featuring these characters. Which reminds me, I really appreciated the author's note at the end of the story, you'll definitely want to read it when you read the book. What are you waiting for?

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Vault Between Spaces by Chawna Schroeder a 4.5 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

More from Chawna

Beyond Reality

Life can seem so drab and dreary, clouds of monotony graying the days and the chill of trouble piercing the night. It is not the world we would choose to live in, yet it is the world we often find ourselves trapped within, imprisoned by circumstances beyond our control.

Perhaps that is why myths and fairy tales carry such strong appeal. They promise what we see is not all there is. They infuse the world with possibility. They dare us to believe that now isn’t forever. They offer us hope.

Yet many myths and fairy tales are so far removed from our normal world, we end up dismissing them as irrelevant, the stuff of children and starry-eyed idealists. For no sensible person would believe in seven-headed dragons or wing-footed messengers, in fairy godmothers and cursed spinning wheels. Yet the magnetism of such stories remains.

Which is where The Vault Between Spaces comes in. We begin with a recognizable world. Chain-link fences and cars, umbrellas and guns—these are things we know. More than that, the world feels familiar: drab, monotonous, inescapable, hopeless.

Then one lone girl steps into that world—our world—and changes everything, challenging us to question all that we thought we knew. Could there be more truth to those childhood tales than we ever dared believe?

Chawna Schroeder

Chawna Schroeder is Minnesotan writer who enjoys snow, chai tea, and playing “what if?”—even if that game occasionally gets her into trouble. She also loves stretching both her imagination and her faith to their limits and helping others to do the same. As a result, her writing explores the vastness of God, His multifaceted nature, and the potential of a life lived with Him. This means both learning the boundaries He created for our protection as well as demolishing the human boxes that restrict both God and people.
When she isn’t reading or writing, a variety of other activities fill her “free” time: practicing piano for church, preparing Sunday school lessons, studying the biblical languages, or working on one of her handwork projects while
enjoying a movie.

Chawna’s other books include Beast, a coming-of-age fairytale for teens and adults, and the Bearing the Sword curriculum, which teaches the basics of discernment to teens through in-depth Bible study and media analysis.
You can connect with Chawna through her website (www.chawnaschroeder.com),
blog (www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/ChawnaSchroederAuthor/).

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Chawna is giving away a themed basket including autographed
copy of the book, $10 iTunes gift card (since music plays a dominate role in
the book), embroidered bookmark, and embroidered denim book bag!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://promosimple.com/ps/f616/the-vault-between-spaces-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, February 28
Texas Book-aholic, February 29
For the Love of Literature, March 1
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 2
Rebecca Tews, March 3
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 4
Inklings and notions, March 5
For Him and My Family, March 6
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, March 7
deb’s Book Review, March 7
Emily Yager, March 8
Blogging With Carol, March 9
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 10
The Artist Librarian, March 10
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 11
Pause for Tales, March 12
Mia Reads, March 12

5 Comments

Audiobook Review - Practicing Murder by Erin Unger

3/10/2020

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Genre:
Romantic Suspense

Practicing Murder
by Erin Unger

-From Goodreads-

Graduate student Maddie Clare is never talking to her ex-boyfriend Joze Evans or God again. Still broken from Joze's betrayal, Mattie has to go home for her Aunt Lonna's funeral. But after a run-in with a stalker who insists Maddie knows the secret that had Aunt Lonna investigating him, Mattie is afraid for her life and must accept Joze's protection.

As the stalker draws closer, Maddie and Joze have to face the past and a love that never died. Maddie sees she needs God's help to end her fears and to get through the new danger.

Can Maddie stay out of the stalker's grip long enough to figure out who he is and what secret he possesses? And how will Joze keep Mattie from being buried with the stalker's true identity?

ASIN: B0843CTXX2

The past, present, & future all come to a head...

Well, I didn't see that one coming! I had some ideas about the stalker's identity, but boy, was I in for some surprises. Which, is a good thing as it keeps a book from being boring and just like every other one out there.

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

Erin Unger

Author Website

Erin Unger is a new author for me as Practicing Murder was the first book of hers that I've either read or listened to. Though, the story started off a bit slow for me and it took awhile to get into it, when it got going, it got going! I was listening to the audiobook and found it hard to put my phone down through the second half of the book. I did wish that one character's finding their own faith wasn't quite so convenient for the romance between the two. But, oh well. It's a pretty common thread in Christian fiction these days anyway.

The quality of the audio production was good for Practicing Murder and I did like the male narrator's as he brought Erin Unger's characters and story to life. As an audiobook I thought it was well done and it was easy to listen to.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Practicing Murder by Erin Unger a 4 Bark rating.

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Book Review - One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn

3/9/2020

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Genre:
Romantic Suspense

One Final Breath
Dive Team Investigations book 3
by Lynn H. Blackburn

-From Goodreads-

Investigator Gabe Chavez and Dive Team Captain Anissa Bell have a complicated history. But when Anissa's fractured past collides with Gabe's investigation of a shooting, they must work together to catch the murderer before someone else dies.

ISBN-13: 9780800729301

Past and present may destroy their future...

I have to start of with a tiny confession. As much as I loved the first two books in the Dive Team Investigations series, it was Gabe and Anissa's story that I was really waiting for. And, wow, One Final Breath is exactly what romantic suspense is made of. It has all of the best elements in the genre, murder, kidnapping, secrets from the past, sabotage, betrayal, revenge, and plenty of romantic sparks between our hero and heroine, blended together by the expert pen of Lynn H. Blackburn into into a single cohesive story.

There is so much I'd like to say about One Final Breath but I don't want to spoil the story for you. How about I just mention a few reasons why I liked this book and am sorry it's the last book in the Dive Team Investigations series. I loved the return to some of the more traditional elements of suspense. It was so much fun to get to dive into the thoughts and emotions of two characters who are tough and strong but surprisingly vulnerable. Lynn H. Blackburn's writing was solid, her characters compelling, and the mystery elements just right.

This Book received a 4.5 Bark rating.

Lynn H. Blackburn

Author Website

Dive Team Investigations has been a great series, one that you should probably read in order for them to make the most sense, and I'm sorry to be saying goodbye to them in One Final Breath. If you love romantic suspense you should definitely check out any of Lynn H. Blackburn's books, and especially this series.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn a 4.5 Bark rating.

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Audiobook Review - Murder On Birchardville Hill by Ruth Buchanan

3/8/2020

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Genre:
Mystery / Holiday

Murder On Birchardville Hill
by Ruth Buchanan

-From Amazon-

Depressed at the prospect of spending another Christmas alone, successful crime podcaster Morgan Scott travels to the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania to research a historic murder. But in the tiny village of Birchardville, past crimes and present dangers collide, placing both Morgan and the local residents in very real peril. This Christmas, there'll be no silent night.

ASIN: B079J4N937

She's seeking peace, but a killer is on her heels...

OK, I'll admit it. I really liked this simple little Christian cozy-style mystery set in smalltown Pennsylvania. I opted for the audiobook version of Ruth Buchanan's holiday mystery, and, at just under three hours it was a fun and easy listen.

I listened to Murder On Burchardville Hill while working on my computer and it made the time spent on the sometimes tedious work pass more pleasantly. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery in all of its complexities, and I did guess some of it correctly, but I was also in for a surprise or two. I liked the cast of quirky, sometimes very quirky, smalltown characters, one teenage boy in particular, and the promise of romance to come was nice as well.

The audio part of the production wasn't bad, though I did notice that the chapter numbers could be a bit abrupt, and I generally liked the choice of narrator.

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

Ruth Buchanan

Author Website

If you like Christian mysteries but don't want to commit eight or more hours of listening Murder On Birchardville Hill from Ruth Buchanan might just be a good option for you.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Murder On Birchardville Road by Ruth Buchanan a 4 Bark rating.

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Book Review - Secret Mountain Hideout by Terri Reed

3/6/2020

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Genre:
Romantic Suspense

Secret Mountain Hideout
Love Inspired Suspense
by Terri Reed

-From Goodreads-

Staying hidden has kept her alive...
But now she's been found.

A remote Colorado mountain town and a fake identity have been Ashley Willis's safe haven since fleeing after she witnessed a murder--but now the killer has found her trail. Desperate and terrified, she's prepared to run again...but Deputy Sheriff Chase Fredrick won't let her. With the lawman by her side, can she face danger head-on...and live long enough to bring a murderer to justice?

ISBN-13: 9781335402561

Her past is about to catch up to them both...

First off, I just have to say that I think this might be one of my favorite Love Inspired Suspense covers. I love the cabin back by tall mountains with that lightning dancing overhead, and OK, the horses are a nice touch, too.

As to the story, Terri Reed is up there on my list of favorite Love Inspired Suspense authors so I knew I was in for some good romantic suspense reading when I picked up Secret Mountain Hideout. I was not disappointed! Lots of danger, romance, and some pretty nice Colorado scenery.

This Book received a 4 Bark rating.

Terri Reed

Author Website

I enjoyed my jaunt back to Bristle Township with Terri Reed's characters and I sincerely hope there will be more adventures in that locale in the future. But for now I'll just appreciate Secret Mountain Hideout and tell you to check it out for yourself.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Secret Mountain Hideout by Terri Reed a 4 Bark rating.

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - From Sky To Sky by Amanda G. Stevens + Review & Guest Post & Giveaway

3/5/2020

1 Comment

Zac Wilson can’t die.

Daredevil Zac Wilson isn’t the first celebrity to keep a secret from the world, but his might be the most marvelous in history: Zac doesn’t age and injuries can’t kill him. What’s more, he’s part of a close-knit group of others just like him.

Holed up in Harbor Vale, Michigan, Zac meets two more of his kind who claim others in their circle have died. Are their lifetimes finally ending naturally, or is someone targeting them—a predator who knows what they are?

The answers Zac unearths present impossible dilemmas: whom to protect, how to seek justice, how to bring peace to turmoil. His next action could fracture forever the family he longs to unite. Now might be the time to ask for help. . .from God Himself. But Zac’s greatest fear is facing the God he has run from for more than a century.

Genre: Christian Suspense/ Fantasy
Release Date: February, 2020

Click here to get your copy.

My Review

Even he can run from God for only so long...

There is no other word to describe this book but 'weird'. It totally fits. But I don't mean it in a bad way. If I hadn't liked the first book, No Less Days, I wouldn't have chosen to read From Sky To Sky. While labeled as Suspense this book, and its predecessor, are definitely in the Speculative fiction realm. It's a genre that I rarely read but enjoy when I find books like this one from Amanda G. Stevens.

From Sky To Sky takes on some interesting questions and themes. What if you couldn't die? How would that change your view of the world around you, of life itself? How would a person handle all the trauma, pain, and loss? Would it drive you to or away from God? Kinda makes the reader wonder how they themselves would handle it, and also think about how we do handle the pain that comes our way, even if we know we won't live indefinitely.

From Sky To Sky was a good read. Entertaining but still gets you to think. I appreciated the suspense element that Amanda G. Stevens wove through the story along with some nice faith threads. The book did end on a bit of a cliffhanger so I'll be awaiting the next book...impatiently waiting, of course.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives From Sky To Sky by Amanda G. Stevens a 4 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

More from Amanda

For years, the theme of immortality has intrigued me. I love the Elves of Middle-Earth, the “happiest and saddest” of the peoples Tolkien created as they watch the ages pass. I love the exploration of aged sorrow in Tuck Everlasting. I’ve stuck with TV shows which shall remain nameless (but, ahem, a few feature vampires) because I’m always wondering how did this writer tackle immortality? Anything new? Are the characters convincingly old and young at the same time?

The thing is, while some of these fiction works satisfy me more than others, I’m always left with a tug of incompletion. Eventually I figured out this tug was a story in my own head and heart wanting to come out, a contemporary story that included the gospel. What might God’s plan be for those whose earthly days seem unnumbered? How would their age affect their interactions with humanity and with faith? These questions were the springboard for the No Less Days series, and of course the answers vary with the individual. Ultimately this is why I write: to explore people, their inner selves, their relationships. My goal is always to create characters that breathe from the page.

In From Sky to Sky, we get a look into the head and heart of Zac Wilson, who has been on the run from God longer than any of us could imagine: a full century playing the prodigal. I always try to be honest about how much life can hurt, “even” for the Christian; if we had triple the number of years to accumulate hurt in this broken world, we’d have a lot of it. That’s true of all my ageless characters, including Zac. To scratch the surface, this man fought in two world wars and has outlived all his children.

But the sum of Zac is much more than his collected wounds. He is a deep-feeling, fun-loving, generous guy. He enjoys music and physical activity. He has an insatiable sweet tooth and a need for open spaces. He’s not afraid to laugh at his own expense, and he has a boundless love for people and the stories of their lives.

My hope is that readers will grow to love this young old guy as they journey with him through some dark times toward redemption and light.

Amanda G. Stevens

As a child, Amanda G. Stevens disparaged Mary Poppins and Stuart Little because they could never happen. Now she writes speculative fiction. She is the author of the Haven Seekers series, and her debut Seek and Hide was a 2015 INSPY Award finalist. She lives in Michigan and loves trade paperbacks, folk music, the Golden Era of Hollywood, and white cheddar popcorn.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Amanda is giving away the grand prize package
of a a $25 Amazon gift card and a free copy of From Sky to Sky!!

https://promosimple.com/ps/f5cf/from-sky-to-sky-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 22
Texas Book-aholic, February 22
Inklings and notions, February 23
Inside the Wong Mind, February 23
Through the Fire Blogs, February 24
For the Love of Literature, February 25
deb’s Book Review, February 25
For Him and My Family, February 26
Mary Hake, February 26
Older & Smarter?, February 27
Blogging With Carol, February 28
Life love writing, February 28
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 29
Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 29
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, March 1
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 2
Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, March 2
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, March 3
Hallie Reads, March 3
Simple Harvest Reads, March 4 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Pause for Tales, March 5
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 5
Remembrancy, March 6
Bigreadersite, March 6

1 Comment

WORD Wednesday - March 4th, 2020

3/4/2020

0 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Blessing On The Run by Alana Terry + Review & Guest Post & Giveaway

3/1/2020

8 Comments

Danger she can’t escape.
Temptation she can’t ignore.
And the secret that could destroy everything …

Blessing’s worked hard as a single mom. Caring for her son, struggling to pay the bills, and straightening out her life after years on the street … It’s the hardest job she’s ever loved.

Until her ex-boyfriend reappears with a secret that could cost her freedom, her family, even her very life.
Blessing promised herself never to return to the hell she escaped from. But that was before she had a child to worry about.

A child who will die if Blessing makes the wrong choice…
Or the right one.

Genre: Christian Suspense
Release Date: December 16, 2018

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Her past just came back to haunt her...

Well, if there's one thing I've learned while reading quite a few of Alana Terry's books, it's to expect the unexpected. I'm really not sure what I WAS expecting when I started Blessing On The Run, maybe some kind of romantic suspense with a cross-country chase. Anyway, whatever I did think, I was wrong. No, it was so much better!

Another thing you can count on with an Alana Terry book is that she will take on some of the toughest issues, those hot button topics, the things that we wade through every day while trying to understand and strengthen our faith in this modern culture of ours. In Blessing On The Run author Alana Terry, without prejudice and without judgment, opens the door on one of America's darkest and best kept secrets. The trafficking of our own fellow Americans, all of it right here in this country.

Blessing On The Run was a good read. Sure, it has some pretty tough stuff in it but there is still hope, the Ultimate Hope. I appreciated the first-person narrative, getting that chance to step inside Blessing’s mind and heart as she desperately tries to save those she loves and keep herself from once again becoming a victim to her troubled past.

So, do you want to have your eyes opened to the dark truth of what really goes on outside of the safety of your home? Care to realize what might be happening to people you know? Read Blessing On The Run from Alana Terry. IF YOU DARE....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Blessing On The Run by Alana Terry a 4 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

More from Alana

Are you afraid of anything? Maybe you have a phobia, like a fear of spiders, heights, or (if you’re weird like me) fish. (That’s a story for another day!)

When I was pregnant with our first son, I had some weird nightmares which fueled my fears. One night I woke up my husband in a panic to tell him to pray for our baby because we were being chased by a demonic cheese grater (yes, you read that right – a demonic kitchen appliance!). Regularly in my nightmares, I dream that someone or something is after my kids (and they’re usually not possessed cooking utensils, by the way).

One way I work through my fears as a mom is to turn them into stories. And even though I haven’t found a way to work a demonic cheese grater into my novels, you can read about a mother’s worst nightmare in this novel, Blessing On The Run.

Blessing has worked hard to turn her life around after a rough life on the streets, but in this exciting suspense novel, her past it about to catch up to her.

Join Blessing and her parents (if you’re a fan of the Kennedy series you already know who they are!) for an adrenaline-packed thrill ride you won’t soon forget.

Alana Terry

Alana is a pastor’s wife, homeschooling mom, self-diagnosed chicken lady, and Christian suspense author. Her novels have won awards from Women of Faith, Book Club Network, Grace Awards, Readers’ Favorite, and more. Alana’s passion for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom shines through her writing, and her books are known for raising tough questions without preaching. She and her family live in rural Alaska where the northern lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer make hauling water, surviving the annual mosquito apocalypse, and cleaning goat stalls in negative forty degrees worth every second.