SIGNED BOOK SALE!

 

Hey everyone!  It's been awhile since I've chatted up my own books, and have some leftover inventory that I'd really like to get into the hands of readers rather than the shelf drawer, so...what better way to do that than a SALE?  All of these books will be signed, too, so it's a pretty cool opportunity if you ask me.  Please fill out THIS form if you'd like to order anything, and feel free to comment below if you have any questions!

Here's what I have available.  Price includes media-rate shipping via USPS!  Sadly, I can only ship within the U.S. right now.  I can accept payment via PayPal.    

3 copies of The Lady of Lanaria for $8.00 each

1 copy of Welcome Home for $7.00 
2 copies of Guide Me Home for $9.00 each

2 copies of Everything I Never Said for $6.00 each
4 copies of Everything And Nothing for $6.00 each

2 copies of Something New for $9.00 each
2 copies of Keeping Cassie for $9.00 each

PLUS, you might just get a bookish treat or two in your package...just saying.  This sale will end Monday, April 19th, so make sure to get your orders in soon!  

GOLGOTHA RELEASE DAY: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANGELA R WATTS!

Hey everyone!  Today I'm super excited...and do you know why?  
It's release day for Golgotha by Angela R. Watts!    
I've been waiting SO LONG to hold a copy of this in my hands, and TODAY'S THE DAY!   

I had the privilege of interviewing Watts about her book, which you can check out below!  AND you'll want to stick around to enter the giveaway...

 BLURB

Four unlikely companions must band together to escape the Realm of Bones and save their kingdom from a reign of darkness.

Prince Moray will lead his empire to glory, even if it means dabbling with forbidden black magic. But when their parents are murdered, Moray and his brother, Finnigan, are cast into Golgotha—a realm where hope is dead. Finnigan fiercely believes his god, Elohai, will rescue them, but Moray will never trust again.

Princess Ama, promised in marriage to Moray to ensure her clan’s safety from rival tribes, arrives just before a coup and becomes trapped in Golgotha with the smart-mouthed mercenary, Gunnar. Surrounded by strange monsters and ravenous demons, Ama must fight to hold on to her faith—or lose everything.

Despite Ama’s Gift of prophetic dreams, Finnigan’s Gift of energy, Moray’s magic, and Gunnar’s blades, nothing can rescue them from themselves. If they fail to escape, darkness will devour the entire kingdom.

Shadow and Bone meets Mark of the Raven in this epic for fans of faith-based young adult fantasy.

Amazon | Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela is the bestselling author of The Infidel Books. She lives at Step By Step Sanctuary, Tennessee, where she raises horses, dogs, cats, and snails. She’s been writing stories since she was little, and when she's not writing, she's probably drawing or working with her amazing clients.

Website: angelarwatts.com

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelarwattsauthor/

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/v7y6r0

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeculiarAngela

INTERVIEW WITH ANGELA 

1) What is your favorite theme in Golgotha and why?

The theme of good vs. evil. We see it a lot in fiction... and real life. But sometimes, it is glossed over or even made into some cheesy theme. It isn't. Good is real. Evil is real. And it is up to us to fight the good fight. So Golgotha follows this theme and asks a ton of questions about it.

2) Which character was your favorite to write? 

Gunnar. Violent. Sarcastic. Annoying. He's my favorite!

3) Which theme (or character, you pick lol) presented the most challenges in writing? 

Moray's arc was difficult but the theme of good vs. evil was also difficult. As I mentioned, it is vital, and I didn't want to ruin it, ha! I didn't want to make it preachy or boring. I think I succeeded, ha, but that was after a lot of prayer, studying in God's Word, studying research books, and my epic family and publisher helping me get the finer details down.

4) What's your favorite thing about writing gritty clean fantasies like Golgotha? 

I have the ability to be creative and honor God while reaching readers. I pray over every book I publish that God allows it to touch each person that picks it up. Golgotha is full of tough topics and deep questions, with underlying themes that a reader has to focus on to notice. It was fun to write this sort of story! I love books with deeper meanings or with themes that can apply to your life, even if you don't live in a fantasy world, haha.

5) If you could pick only one song to showcase Golgotha's vibe, what would it be? 

I have two playlists with over 230 songs total for this trilogy. I can't do this question, haha!

But instrumentals are safe, so here's a song I see as a soundtrack score! "Hrafnaguð" by Adrian Von Ziegler is great.

Thanks so very much for taking the time to do this interview, Angela!  It was an honor! 

 

Anyone else SUPER PUMPED to read this book now?!  (And if you aren't yet, click the song title above and give it a listen.  You'll be heading to Amazon ASAP after that!) 

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive a signed paperback copy of Golgotha, along with character art prints, a bookmark, and a Golgotha map.  Enter below!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/67236cd713/?

REVIEW: SHIELDING THE AMISH WITNESS by Mary Alford!

Hey everyone!  Happy Holy Week!

Today I have a review for an interesting new book from Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line, Shielding the Amish Witness by Mary Alford.  Today just happens to be the release day, too, so I'm excited to share with you!  Here's some info on the book and author: 

 BLURB

Seeking refuge in Amish country puts everyone she loves in danger.

On the run after discovering her brother-in-law was behind her husband’s murder, Faith Cooper can think of only one safe place—her Amish grandmother’s home. But when danger follows Faith to the quiet Amish community, her childhood friend Eli Shetler is her only protection. And their survival depends on outlasting a relentless killer…one who has nothing left to lose.

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Mary Alford

From Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today Bestselling Author, Mary Alford, loves giving her readers the unexpected. Combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in novels the reader doesn't want to put down.

Her titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestselling List, Publisher's Weekly bestselling list, and have finaled in the Daphne Du Maurier award of excellence in mystery, The Beverly, The Maggie, and The Selah Awards.
As a writer, Mary is an avid reader. She loves to cook, can't face the day without coffee, and her three granddaughters are the apple of her eye. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two cats and one dog.

You can learn all about Mary's upcoming releases on BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-alford
Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook: www.facebook.com/maryalfordauthor.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/maryalford13.
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mary-alford,
Or any of the social media platforms listed at www.maryalford.net.

MY REVIEW

I was provided with the opportunity to honestly review this book, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own!  

Shielding the Amish Witness is one of those books that starts off with a bang and keeps going from there.  I was very pleasantly surprised by it!  While there were a few aspects that felt a little unrealistic, the story overall was very enjoyable.  I read the second half of it in just one sitting.  The plot pacing was pretty good, although with a little bit of repetition/information that was repeated often.  The characters are enjoyable to read and believable, and the moral struggle (protecting oneself versus following Amish peacekeeping values) was interesting and well-presented.  Reading this definitely made me want to check out Alford's other works!  I'm giving it a 4.5/5 rating.

Have you read any of Mary Alford's books?  Do you enjoy Amish fiction?  

REVIEW: ALL THE THINGS I SHOULD'VE TOLD YOU by Shayla Raquel!

Hey everyone!  Today I have a review of All the Things I Should've Told You: Poems on Love, Grief & Resilience by Shayla Raquel.  Usually, I post reviews for books that I've requested or that the publisher has requested from me, but today's is a review purely because I wanted to...and have a lot of feelings.  And if I could give this little book a zillion stars, I would.  

BLURB/EXCERPT 

My soul bleeds.
Once punctured,
It trickles down the page
Until it spills, spills, spills.
There is no damming the stream
Of my soul.
The cut is too deep.
It is a surge now.
And I must bleed it all out to heal.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

An expert editor, best-selling author, and book marketer, Shayla Raquel works one-on-one with writers every day. A lifelong lover of books, she has been in the publishing industry for ten years and specializes in self-publishing.

Her award-winning blog teaches new and established authors how to write, publish, and market their books.

She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, "The Rotting" (in Shivers in the Night), The Suicide Tree, and The 10 Commandments of Author Branding. In her not-so-free time, she acts as organizer for the Yukon Writers' Society, volunteers at the Oklahoma County Jail, and obsesses over squirrels. She lives in Oklahoma with her dogs, Chanel, Wednesday, and Baker.

Keep in touch:
Website URL: shaylaraquel.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/shaylaleeraquel
Twitter: Twitter.com/shaylaleeraquel
Medium: Shaylaleeraquel.medium.com
LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/shayla-raquel-9813a582/
TikTok: Tiktok.com/@shaylaleeraquel

MY REVIEW

If you're a fan of poetry, you'll enjoy this book.  It has a great balance of lighter poems about love and hard-hitting poems about loss.  Raquel's poetry is enjoyable to read, with a variety of forms and styles that work perfectly for each poem.  Some of these poems absolutely gutted me.  Reading this was like having all the messed-up parts of my own heart dismantled and stitched back together -- it's so weird.  The emotions presented in this collection are all completely laid out on the table; you get the sense that the author or narrator is sitting down at the table for a difficult heart-to-heart about brokenness and healing.  She presents her themes (love, grief, resilience) remarkably well; sometimes in metaphors, other times with a starkness that's stunning.  I loved it and read it entirely too quickly (in one sitting and in what felt like just a few minutes, but I also lost track of time while reading it so...).  This is definitely one book that I will cherish.  

COVER REVEAL: GOLGOTHA by Angela R. Watts!

 Hey everyone!  Today I'm SUPER excited to share the cover reveal for Angela R. Watts' upcoming novel, Golgotha!  Set to be published by Blade of Truth Publishing on April 10th, it's a Christian YA fantasy, and it's absolutely fantastic.  I'm so excited for the release--and absolutely thrilled to be sharing the cover with you guys!  But first, check out some info about the book!  

BLURB

Four unlikely companions must band together to escape the Realm of Bones and save their kingdom from a reign of darkness.

Prince Moray will lead his empire to glory, even if it means dabbling with forbidden black magic. But when their parents are murdered, Moray and his brother, Finnigan, are cast into Golgotha—a realm where hope is dead. Finnigan fiercely believes his god, Elohai, will rescue them, but Moray will never trust again.

Princess Ama, promised in marriage to Moray to ensure her clan’s safety from rival tribes, arrives just before a coup and becomes trapped in Golgotha with the smart-mouthed mercenary, Gunnar. Surrounded by strange monsters and ravenous demons, Ama must fight to hold on to her faith—or lose everything.

Despite Ama’s Gift of prophetic dreams, Finnigan’s Gift of energy, Moray’s magic, and Gunnar’s blades, nothing can rescue them from themselves. If they fail to escape, darkness will devour the entire kingdom.

Shadow and Bone meets Mark of the Raven in this epic for fans of faith-based young adult fantasy.

Arriving April 10, 2021. 

If you want to stay updated on the release, make sure to follow Angela R. Watts on Instagram HERE, and Blade of Truth Publishing HERE!

And now for the cover reveal....

Hold on to your hats, folks.  It's breathtaking.  

Doesn't that look awesome?  Are you looking forward to reading Golgotha?  

JUSTREADS TOUR: IS IT JUST ME by Grace Valentine!

Hey everyone!  Today I have a post sharing about a wonderful Christian nonfiction novel by Grace Valentine, called Is It Just Me?    

BLURB

Many women joke about having trust issues—laughing at their struggle because it feels common but secretly feeling there is no hope. Grace Valentine was one of them. In her twenties, she realized her trust issues were not humorous because, in reality, hers were trust issues with Jesus, her community, her family, and herself. And they were destroying her faith. Grace told herself she was simply being realistic, but the truth was, she was entangled with doubt and lies.

In Grace’s second book, Is It Just Me?, she offers readers a new perspective by helping them find answers to five deeply felt questions:

Am I the only one who is tired, overwhelmed, doubting, and fearful?
Am I the only one who feels hurt and lonely?
Am I the only one who still is struggling to find my purpose?
Am I the only one struggling to trust that God is there?
Am I the only one confused about how to be an adult?

Grace’s personal story and perceptive insights show other young women that they are not alone and they can trust God in the middle of their hurts, doubts, and fears.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

JUSTREADS GIVEAWAY

Make sure to check out the JustReads Tour Instagram page for more information on the giveaway for this tour -- you have the chance to win a print copy of Is It Just Me? and Am I Enough? by Grace Valentine!  Click HERE.

MY REVIEW

I had the opportunity of reading this book as well, and it's definitely something that young adult ladies will want to check out.  It touches on some very hard questions that we face -- a lot of the norms we face as well -- and challenges them in light of God's Word.  Valentine has a very personal touch to her writing; it almost feels like you're just there having a chat with her.  It's very easy to read, enjoyable, thought-provoking, and keeps your attention the entire way through the book, which is impressive for a nonfiction/instructional book.  It's something that will encourage you to dig into the Bible to find answers for yourself, which is super important.  There are also some great discussion questions/journaling prompts included in each chapter.  Overall, it's a great book to check out; very open, honest, and down-to-earth.  

REVIEW: WROUGHT OF SILVER AND RAVENS by E. J. Kitchens!

Hey everyone!  I had the privilege of reviewing Wrought of Silver and Ravens by E.J. Kitchens, so I'm sharing said review today!  It's part of a series, and is a fantasy retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses.  But before I get into my review, here's some info about the book and its author!

BLURB
With a malevolent prince stealing her kingdom and her magic one dance at a time, Princess Thea must win the loyalty of a mysterious guard to save her kingdom.



Athdar Owain is a hunted wanderer, one determined to keep his secrets and the treasure he carries safe at all costs. When he rescues the Kingdom of Giliosthay's prince from raiders, he's rewarded by being forced into the king's elite Silver Guard. While this gives Athdar a temporary home and some protection from those hunting him, it also makes him responsible for the young prince, who still bears curses from the raiders, and seven enchantress princesses with curses as mysterious and dangerous as their brother's.

Princess Thea of Giliosthay is a Realm Walker. Betrayed by a trusted guard, her rare gift of enchantment is used to curse her brother and trap herself and her six sisters into a nightly dance with dragons in a secret Realm. The Realm's prince has the ability to take and twist her magic for his own purposes, and Thea fears what those might be. For when one dances with a prince, a kingdom might be at stake.

Athdar alone can save them, but to trust enchanters is to risk exposure. And Athdar isn't sure where his loyalties lie.

Wrought of Silver and Ravens is a clean adventure-romance retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" set in The Magic Collectors story world.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

E.J. Kitchens loves tales of romance, adventure, and happily-ever-afters and strives to write such tales herself. When she's not thinking about dashing heroes or how awesome bacteria are--she is a microbiologist after all--she's probably photographing flowers, walking in the woods, or talking about classic books and black-and-white movies. Elizabeth is a member of Realm Makers and blogs at Lands Uncharted. She lives in Alabama.

If you'd like up-to-date news on her writing, visit her website and sign up for her newsletter. http://www.elizabethjanekitchens.com/

MY REVEIW

This book is definitely for folks who enjoy high fantasy/magic and retellings.  The characters were believable; Athdar has to be my favorite out of the group. (Aside from the lion cubs...oh yeah, did I mention LION CUBS?!)   It's apparent that a lot of thought went into the worldbuilding for this book; the vivid settings caught my attention and I truly enjoyed reading about them.  This book is based on the "Twelve Dancing Princesses" fairytale, but at first glance, you wouldn't notice the influence; it's not a 'run of the mill' retelling that just regurgitates the same characters in a different format, so that was interesting!  I did find the beginning a little slow (I'm not sure why; the plot itself wasn't slow, but it didn't immediately catch my attention like most fantasies do) and it's a bit easy to get lost with the large "cast" of characters -- but if you enjoy retellings, high fantasy, and some impactful themes that center around Biblical truth without being too "preachy," this is one you'll want to check out!