MY WIP: BLURB + TITLE REVEAL!

 

Hey everyone! Today's a special post -- well, plus tomorrow's is one you won't want to miss either -- because I'm announcing the official blurb for one of my WIPs! Check it out below and let me know what you think. 

I'm not me anymore. 

Bridget Owens spends her days working and her nights trying to escape the nightmare she was born into. One year after leaving her old life, she still sees ghosts, hears threats, feels nails digging into her flesh, and can't sleep unless she wants to wake up sobbing. Her memories become a graveyard of who she once was, and she nurtures it daily until she reaches her breaking point. 

When Nick, a childhood friend, suggests help at the last moment, she finds it hard to sit across from a counselor who says he cares. She finds it impossible to trust anything, even herself. She's broken, and she isn't sure how to put the pieces back together. What if they never fit right anymore?

A story of redemption, calling, healing, and recovery. 

Back To Me: A Contemporary Christian Novel, releasing October 25, 2022. 

So...what do you think? I'm going to be covering a lot of deep, difficult stuff in this one, which I'll be talking about later (once I figure out exactly how to convey it), but my main purpose for this book is just that: redemption, calling, healing, and recovery. It's a battle cry to everyone who thinks the upside-down parts of their life is just how it has to be. A call to arms against the lies that we believe. An encouragement to get out of whatever awful situation you might find yourself in -- and then to seek God's healing, because that's the only real way out. 

REVIEW: FLED FOR REFUGE by Kristina Hall!

 Hey everyone! Today's review is for Fled For Refuge by Kristina Hall! As soon as I started reading, I knew this one would hit eerily close to what we'll soon be experiencing in the US -- already being seen in other countries -- and Hall definitely didn't disappoint. This is one of the "lighter" dystopians I've read in a way -- so if you want to read dystopian but avoid a lot of really frightening or dark themes (while still coming away with a LOT to think about and see in the world around you, because she covers quite a serious topic), this would be a great one to read. Anyway, onto the blurb and review!

BLURB

Tony Dorence works security for a little country church mostly untouched by America’s downward spiral. Untouched, that is, until a car smashes through First Baptist’s front doors and the driver threatens the congregation. Though Tony thwarts the driver’s intentions, this seemingly random event sets off a chain reaction that endangers his sister, Merri, and everyone involved with First Baptist.

Merri Dorence, though not a believer, supports much of what First Baptist stands for. As Tony’s world is shaken, she too is dragged into the turmoil.

As everything falls apart around them, will Tony and Merri crumble beneath the pressure or flee to the only One Who can provide them refuge?

AMAZON | GOODREADS

MY REVIEW
Hall dives right into the dystopian genre with a very, very realistic plot and pretty compelling characters. She grabs very hot-button topics of today - moral and ethical - and shows readers the kind of world some people are actually pushing for in real life today. I've seen it and heard news articles about it. While I won't talk about those issues in this review for the sake of spoilers, suffice it to say that I really came to believe the "a few years in the future" disclaimer at the beginning of the book. I would have liked to see a bit more worldbuilding, how the characters move around and deal with society as outcasts, but that might still be coming in subsequent books. I was also impressed by the plot -- you know when you scream at a character not to do something you know will hurt them, and they actually don't and you settle in thinking that everything's good, but then they end up getting hurt anyway? Yup.
While I think digging a bit deeper into Merri's character and why she struggles with belief would have made her redemptive arc much more impactful, it was great and the subsequent struggles she faces converting in an ideology-war-torn nation is well-represented. Overall, this isn't the grittiest dystopian I've ever read (so it's good if you want to dip your toes into the genre but don't like a lot of gore etc) but it's got something different going for it: the fact that you can set the book down and look out your window, and wonder how soon eerily similar events will start taking place there, because you've watched the news. That touch of reality makes this a read that will stick with you after you're done. 

What's your favorite dystopian? Have you picked up a copy of Fled For Refuge yet? 

BLOG TAG: Romance In My WIP!

 I was tagged by H.S. Kylian to do this sweet blog tag -- perfect timing, too, with Valentine's Day! I'm a few days late to the party, but I had to take some time to think about my WIP, codename BTM. It will have a sequel (it'll be a duology) which I already have bits and pieces of written, so BTM itself won't have too much romance in it, but the sequel (coming 2023, God willing) will definitely be romance-centered. So without further ado, you get to meet my next set of characters, Bridget and Nick. 

BUT FIRST -- again, thank you so much for tagging me, H.S.!! You can check out the original blog tag post and rules HERE (and make sure to give her a follow too, because her OTPs are to die for). To participate in the blog tag, you need to...
1. Thank the person who tagged you
2. Link back to the original post (again, HERE) 
3. Answer the questions
4. Tag as many people as you want!
I'm tagging Angela, Camille, and Sarah (on YouTube!) to chat about the romance in their WIPs -- and YOU!

QUESTION 1: FAVORITE OTP

Bridget and Nick, hands down. They're the bomb.

QUESTION 2: SECOND FAVORITE OTP
Olivia and her guy. I say "her guy" because I haven't decided on a name for him yet. I have a face and personality, just not a name yet. Go figure. 

QUESTION 3: HOW THEY MET
First OTP: Originally met in school as kids, but re-met through a very nosy matchmaking sister.
Second OTP: She's a realtor and showed him around a few houses for his bachelor pad, and ended up going out on a date a few weeks later. 

QUESTION 4: WHO SAID 'I LOVE YOU' FIRST?
First OTP: Nick! Bridget takes awhile to warm up to the idea.
Second OTP: Olivia for sure, but her guy's pretty quick to return it.

QUESTION 5: FAVORITE DATE SPOT
Bridget and Nick have a bridge near both their places of work which they like to frequent. There's a nice little tree and bench by the mouth of the bridge that suits quite nicely for picnics and big discussions. 
Olivia and her guy enjoy restaurant-hopping -- they don't have a favorite spot, but rather an activity, I guess. Whether it's a food truck or a fancy restaurant, they're up to the challenge of trying new foods (and some old favorites).

QUESTION 6: THE BLANKET HOGGER
OTP 1: Bridget. It makes her feel safe, so Nick just ends up getting another blanket. 
OTP 2: Olivia's guy, who bundles up just because. Possibly to annoy Olivia. 

QUESTION 7: THE BOOKWORM
I don't think Olivia or her guy are very much into books. *side-eyes them* BUT Bridget and Nick both are bookworms, so maybe that makes up for the other OTP not being into them haha. That's another thing their date spot is good for: talking about their current reads. 

QUESTION 8: POLAR OPPOSITE OPINION ON...(TOPIC OF YOUR CHOICE)
Opinion: Star Wars. Yep, the whole fandom. (If you're not in the fandom, you'll know that the fandom is very...um, passionate...about pretty much everything xD) And if you ARE part of the fandom, you'll realize that these opinions actually shed a lot of light on their personalities and interests. It's probably not a topic that will come up in the books (at least not by name, copyright and all, I don't need the Mouse on my case) but it's super revealing and after thinking about it, I think I know a lot more about these characters now.  
Nick would willingly consume any and every movie made for Star Wars, but Bridget tends to reject anything that isn't the original trilogy, and would rather read the novel canon (and is still salty that Disney decided to reject novel canon.) 
Olivia is bored to the depths of her soul by Star Wars, and her guy only watched the sequel trilogy. 

QUESTION 9: MOST LIKELY TO BE ORGANIZED
Definitely Bridget and that's about it. Nick is to a certain extent, but he's not too worried about making sure things are spic and span, or whether or not he can find those Super Important Documents he swore he printed off, not until he absolutely needs them. And Olivia and her guy are both pretty free-spirited, in that...well, Super Important Documents rarely get opened to begin with, and they have to dig through their haphazard mail pile to find them. 

QUESTION 10: MOST LIKELY TO BURST INTO SONG
Definitely Nick and Olivia. Bridget and Olivia's guy would just sit there and hide their faces (while laughing because honestly, you can't give Nick and Olivia the victory of seeing you laugh. It just encourages them.) 

SO -- which OTP do you think is your favorite? And does anyone have any name suggestions for Olivia's guy? xD 

VALENTINE'S WEEKEND SALE

 Hey everyone! Just a quick update that starting today (Feb 11) through Tuesday (Feb 15), you'll be able to pick up all of my romance books on Kindle for free! This includes the newly re-released Faith, Hope, and Love Vol. 1! Check out the link HERE to browse -- and if you've already read them all, you could totally make my day by leaving a review or two on Goodreads and Amazon!