RELEASE DAY: BETWEEN US by yours truly!

 Hey everyone! Today's the dayyyy....

While the paperback has been out for awhile, the Kindle edition of Between Us, the finale for the Bridge Duology, is now available! You can snag it and Back To Me for $0.99 each on Kindle! My heart for this story is the difficult side of holidays, when we've lost or been abandoned by people who matter to us, and the people who come alongside us instead, and of course where God is working amidst all of this. So it's a contemporary novella featuring one of the biggest towns for Christmas celebrations, Victorian carolers, and a sweet December wedding. If any of those things appeal to you, make sure to pick up a copy!

Amazon | Goodreads

REVIEW: ALL THE LOST PLACES by Amanda Dykes!

 Hey everyone! I had the opportunity to review All The Lost Places by Amanda Dykes, which releases TOMORROW, December 13th! Check out my review below. 

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When all of Venice is unmasked, one man's identity remains a mystery . . .

1807

When a baby is discovered floating in a basket along the quiet canals of Venice, a guild of artisans takes him in and raises him as a son, skilled in each of their trades. Although the boy, Sebastien Trovato, has wrestled with questions of his origins, it isn't until a woman washes ashore on his lagoon island that answers begin to emerge. In hunting down his story, Sebastien must make a choice that could alter not just his own future, but also that of the beloved floating city.

1904

Daniel Goodman is given a fresh start in life as the century turns. Hoping to redeem a past laden with regrets, he is sent on an assignment from California to Venice to procure and translate a rare book. There, he discovers a city of colliding hope and decay, much like his own life, and a mystery wrapped in the pages of that filigree-covered volume. With the help of Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, Daniel finds himself in a web of shadows, secrets, and discoveries carefully kept within the stones and canals of the ancient city . . . and in the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastien Trovato.

Amazon | Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Dykes' lyrical prose and troubled character, Daniel, absolutely hit the ground running in this book. There are some pretty big themes, some pretty wonderful and thought-provoking ideas in this novel, and a few that I need to sit and ponder over for awhile because they hit close to home. Set in a dual timeline, we switch back and forth between Daniel's POV and a historical account of a long-lost book without an ending, and as to why the book had no ending...you'll have to read it yourself and see. Overall, it's a phenomenal book. The only thing keeping me from giving it a full five stars -- the mystique involved in this story felt like it kept me at arm's length for certain swathes of the book, which made it difficult at times for me to maintain interest -- but then I'd get drawn back in all the same. I didn't totally grasp a couple things until I read Dykes' note at the end, and now I feel like a re-read is in order. It's a book that deserves, and perhaps requires, savoring and re-reading in order to be fully enveloped by the reader. If you love a challenge, dual timelines, gorgeous prose, and a book that is a deep well to draw from, you'll love this one. 

REVIEW: TARGETED by Natalie Walters, Lynette Eason, Lynn Blackburn!

Hey everyone! Recently, I had the opportunity to review Targeted, a novella collection featuring three fantastic suspense authors: Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn,  and Natalie Walters. It pulled me out of my suspense-reads-slump, and I absolutely loved this collection. Have you read it yet? Check out my review below!

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In this novella collection, an FBI computer hacker, the vice president's son, and a CIA officer each find themselves in the clutches of merciless criminals. These thrilling stories offer excitement, intrigue, and romance--and hit the bullseye every time. 

Amazon | Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW! I've been hitting a wall lately with suspense reads, but I knew I enjoyed reading two of the three authors in this collection, and with Daria's story in Eason's (one I've been waiting for) and Natalie Walters in another, I decided to give this one a try, and WOW. I ended up reading Eason's story in one sitting -- about an hour and a half -- and loved it. A very powerful intro to the collection, and as soon as I read the opening lines of Blackburn's, I couldn't wait to keep reading. This is the first work I've read by Blackburn, but it won't be the last. (Natalie Walters has become an insta-buy author for me, so I already knew I'd love hers!) Each author had such a compelling storyline, impactful themes, an excellent balance between the romance and suspense, quick-witted characters, just enough humor, edge-of-your-seats action scenes, and overall a fantastic blend of stories for this novella collection. If you've read at least one of these authors, pick up a copy of TARGETED! You won't be disappointed. If you've never read any of these authors...what are you waiting for?! 

REVIEW: TITAN by Brian McBride!

 Hey everyone! I had the privilege of reviewing Brian McBride's latest release, Titan, which releases today. Check out my review below and make sure to snag your copy soon! 

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The stunning sequel to Mammoth, Titan calls back to classic adventure tales like Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider as it launches its heroes on a desperate quest for a lost legend and a costly truth.

In the wake of Apocalypse Island, the Jailbirds find themselves reeling from their loss as winter storms buffet the coast of Mammoth. A failed attempt to expose Orion Clark as the villain he is goes awry, and the Jailbirds are left defeated and desperate once more.

When news breaks of their father’s untimely death, Lydia inherits a mysterious family heirloom while Orion lets Reid in on the family business. A hidden letter from Tommy’s dead father turns up in the Highland home, and the Jailbirds embark on their most dangerous adventure yet. Sailing across the stormy Pacific with Reid and Orion in hot pursuit, they set a course for Peru where deadly revelations and rumors of an ancient curse await them. As a web of secrets that span centuries begins to unravel, everything the Jailbirds thought they knew about themselves is called into question.

A city plagued by a decades long war between the rich and the poor… A rainforest that harbors family secrets and deadly curses… A quest for a legend that just may be more fact than fiction… Adventure comes at a cost, and everyone will pay the price.

With a compelling, diverse cast of characters and a vividly immersive story world, Titan explores what it means to find our place in the world, and the secret, hidden places in our lives that drive and shape us. 

Amazon | Goodreads

MY REVIEW

So first of all, TITAN had some enormous shoes to fill after the immense ending that was Mammoth. I was nervous to go into it with big expectations, because I've read a lot of sequels that don't match up to the first book (I'm talking major films, even). But this one DEFINITELY did not disappoint. There are fantastic action scenes, heartbreaking personal choices that the characters face, amazing humor, and deeply impactful themes. I don't know how McBride balances the heartbreaking and lighthearted sometimes in the same page, but he blends it flawlessly, and that lends to such a realistic feel. If I loved the characters in Mammoth, I fell in love with them even more in this book -- and for the last half of the book or so, was left on the edge of my seat almost every chapter, rooting for them, holding my breath for them... and maybe yelling a couple of times... The character arcs are fantastic, and I can't wait to see more of the new character introduced in this book. Not to mention, the cliffhangers. The cliffhangers, man. 

 If you love found family, Indiana Jones, baddies slowly waking up to the depravity they're in, characters you can relate to, and an overall thrill of an adventure, pick up a copy of this book. You won't regret it.

ARC SIGNUPS: TELL ME YOU LOVE ME ANTHOLOGY!

Hey everyone! Super announcement coming your way -- ARC copies of the anthology I'm in, Tell Me You Love Me, hosted by Grace A. Johnson & Issabelle Perry, will be available soon! That means: if you want a free e-ARC of sweet romance stories to read, make sure to sign up! Signups will be open until December 15, 2022, so make sure to get your application in ASAP! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Grace A. Johnson. 

Click HERE to sign up!

REVIEW: THE MAN WHO HATED CHRISTMAS by Tyler Scott Hess!

Hey everyone! Today I have a review for Tyler Scott Hess' newest book, The Man Who Hated Christmas, just in time for the Christmas reading season! Check it out and order it soon -- it's available now!

 

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He was the man who hated Christmas.

She was desperate for a fresh start.

Together they must do what it takes to save North Bethlehem from disaster.

Natalia Novak knew she needed to make a change. But when she takes a risk in leaving the big city of Anakim in search of a new life, she finds there is more for her to do than just survive in North Bethlehem—Natalia must help save their Christmas from falling apart.

Kasper Runo had everything a person could want in North Bethlehem. The shops were his, the buildings were his, and just about everyone was under his employ. But Christmas was coming, and everyone knew that was the time of year he hated most.

It was no secret that North Bethlehem’s Christmas market drove the town’s economy. When it appears it will all fall apart if someone doesn’t step in, Natalia must help Kasper take over the Christmas market to save the town, and themselves, from imminent calamity upon them all.

Amazon | Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I absolutely loved this story. It's a quick read, with deeply impactful themes of healing, faith, and just a little bit of mystery sprinkled in as well. By "quick read," I mean you won't want to put it down because, first of all, the Christmas vibes will suck you in and wrap you up in a fuzzy blanket with candy canes and cocoa, and second of all, you REALLY want to root for the characters. There's just enough humor sprinkled throughout, and it's easy to become attached to the main characters -- plus that butler!! If you've read any of Hess' other works, especially Christmas in Pineville (which has become one of my all-time favorite Christmas reads), you'll love this book. If you enjoy Hallmark, the Christmas season, and books tinted with mystery that have a happy ending, you'll want to read it.

This is a great, clean story for just about anyone, with everything you love about Christmas stories, but you'll also leave the story having learned something.

(Plus, that cover!!!! It's so pretty!!!)