REVIEW: HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE BEES by Amanda Cox

 Hey everyone! This review is for He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox. If you haven't seen my reviews for her other two books, you'll know that every time I read one of hers, I go "now this is my favorite book by Cox." Well. 

This is my favorite book by Cox. 

Although I'm hearing rumors of a 2024 release that will probably gain the same praise. Stay tuned.

Before I start gushing any more, check out some info on the book below:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Beekeeper Beckett Walsh is living her dream, working alongside her father in their apiary, until his untimely death sends her world into a tailspin. She suddenly finds she must deal with a new part owner of the family business--one who is looking to sell the property. Beck cannot fathom why her father would put her into the position to lose everything they built together.

When Callie Peterson is named in the trust of a man she's never heard of, she's not sure what to do. Her fledgling business has just taken wing and her mother has reentered her life asking for help getting into rehab for her lifelong substance abuse issues, making Callie's financial situation rather . . . precarious. She's sure she has no right to someone else's farm, but the money from the sale could solve her problems and give her the stability she's always craved.

As these two women navigate their present conundrum, they will discover a complex and entangled past full of secrets--and the potential for a brighter future for both of them.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | BAKER BOOK HOUSE

THE AUTHOR

Amanda Cox is a blogger and a curriculum developer for a national nonprofit youth leadership organization, but her first love is communicating through story. She holds a bachelor's degree in Bible and theology and a master's degree in professional counseling. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers.

WEBSITE

MY REVIEW

For a long time, I was Beckett. I hated going away from home and struggled with severe anxiety over doing so. I've overcome that by God's grace, but reading Cox's character really reminded me of that and how awful it was. She does an excellent job of treating such struggles with grace while still being realistic. This book is one that keeps you reading simply because you're never quite sure how the story will turn out, and you just really want to see both MCs succeed. Her parallels with the bees and the two MCs are impeccable, and this book is something that's worth rereading simply to soak in the depth of the themes. A lot of forgiveness and healing elements in this story too, which are two themes I love to read. She incorporates faith elements, characters that you absolutely love, some faint romantic subplots (which are THE. BEST.) and again, a lot of hard-hitting, deep themes. I tried to keep notes of my favorite quotes and just gave up because there are too many. I could gush forever about this book, but then I'd spoil it. I just loved it SO much, and if you're a fan of contemporary books, pick this one up. Even if you don't enjoy contemporaries...this one might convert ya. 

REVIEW: A BOND OF BRIARS by Erin Phillips

 Hey everyone! Today I have a review for A Bond of Briars by Erin Phillips, a retelling of the biblical story of Ruth. I'll save my fangirling for later, so check out the blurb first before I get too unhinged. Snag your preorder soon--it releases October 24th!

ABOUT THE BOOK

She is bonded to a spirit who demands her blood.
She follows a mother-in-law who resents her power.
She meets a man who challenges everything she’s ever believed.

After a fatal illness takes newlywed Caitrin’s husband, she finds herself obligated by duty and oath to care for her mother-in-law, Meara, at any cost…even if it means traveling to Croìthe, where magic of any kind is outlawed. Burdened by Meara’s bitter grief and weighty demands, Caitrin struggles to keep all of her secrets hidden and make a new life in the foreign land.

However, when the charming and charitable Callen Lockhart, a wealthy lord who is at odds with the town, welcomes her to Croìthe without judging her past, Caitrin worries that his generosity will come at a cost she is unwilling to pay.

Bonded to a spirit who empowers her to create spells and curses, Caitrin must either become the powerful cairline her mother had always wanted her to be or suffer the consequences of breaking free.

A Bond of Briars is a YA dark fantasy retelling of the Biblical story of Ruth, with fresh twists based on the original context and respun into a spooky cottagecore romance that is filled with dark magic and mysterious curses, sacrificial love and redemption.

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

THE AUTHOR

Erin Phillips has always been a storyteller at heart and wrote her debut novel, The Keeper, during the 2013 NaNoWriMo event. Besides novels, Erin also writes and publishes Christian musicals with her husband at The Faithful Troubadour Publications. She has a B.F.A. in Costume Design & Technology from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and lives in North Carolina with her husband, Jeremy, and their happy corgis, Parker and Fable.

MY REVIEW

Oh. My. Word. 

So I loved Phillips' A CROWN OF CHAINS, and was excited for A BOND OF BRIARS to release. I knew it would be good, but WOW. 

This story takes the biblical account of Ruth and honors it while simultaneously creating SUCH an immersive fantasy. It's just lovely. It will send chills up your spine. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It makes your skin crawl and makes you want to hug the characters. Selfless, sacrificial love: check. Deep, hard-hitting themes: check. Characters you will absolutely adore: check. The SWEETEST romance: check, check, CHECK. I'm in awe of Phillips' masterful ability to take a biblical retelling and completely immerse it into a gritty fantasy world that portrays darkness as dark and light as all-conquering, something that hits the ground running and never gives up even when the darkness closes in. 

I love this book so much, and if you enjoy gritty, dark fantasy, check this one out ASAP. 

COVER REVEAL: LEVIATHAN by Brian McBride

 Hey everyone! Today I have a cover reveal for the next installment of Brian McBride's Mammoth series, Leviathan! The cover is absolutely sick, so stay tuned for that! But first, some info and preorder links!

BLURB:

The Jailbirds are reeling after a devastating standoff with Orion in Peru, but the mystery that began with Tommy at Hollow Hill isn’t over. More determined than ever to finish what Tommy’s father started, Mars recruits a new source to help him uncover Orion’s true motives while Maya pulls at an old thread – one that just might unravel the secrets and lies that have plagued their lives. Both haunted by the sins of their fathers, Jude wrestles with a decision about his future while Reid struggles to come to grips with his past. Meanwhile, in South America, Immy works to fulfill a promise made to her parents when the arrival of familiar faces thrusts her into danger and leads to a fifteen-year-old unsolved murder.

A world of secrets will be exposed. Family ties will unravel. Deadly betrayals will come to light. With Orion hot on their tail, the Jailbirds follow a new trail of clues across the country to the small, New England town of Mariner’s Cove, Maine. Daring escapes, hidden messages, and stolen fossils all converge as the Jailbirds face their most desperate challenge yet: the fight for family.

Add on Goodreads | Preorder Now

Release day is October 17th! 

And now for the cover!

COVER REVEAL: A DANCE OF REBELS

 Hey everyone! I'm super excited to share the cover reveal for A Dance of Rebels, which is my upcoming book releasing September 12th. If you love the Nutcracker, stories of light overcoming darkness, long-lost friends turned lovers, wit, brother bonds, and more, you'll want to check out this book. It began as a Nutcracker retelling and then spun into its own little thing--you'll see a few nods to the original story as well as a bit of lore that surround nutcrackers in real life, but that's about it.

BLURB 

Your attendance to the Dance of Fates is mandated.

Hide and you will be found.

Resist and you shall die.

It’s no surprise when Verity Kühn receives an invitation to the annual Dance of Fates from Allemagne’s Grand Captain. But a new mandate requires all paupers to perform this year: the best saved for an elite Troupe, and the rest sold worldwide to settle their debts to the kingdom. Verity has already lost one brother to the Grand Captain, and the mandate confirms her worst fear: her attempts to hide her little brother have failed. Obeying the mandate means abandoning the only family she has left, but rebellion could cost both their lives.

When Verity learns that her other brother may still be alive, she becomes a stowaway on the Grand Captain’s own merchant ship, determined to bring him home. But in the meantime, she discovers a mysterious rebel soldier with world-tipping news. Not only does he know her brother’s whereabouts, but he is involved with a rival kingdom’s plan to invade Allemagne and topple its twisted regime, once and for all…and he wants Verity to join his quest for justice. But it’s a dangerous dance filled with traitors and deception, and their lives hang in the balance.

Trapped between generations of evil and an unknown future, the pair set out to discover the sacrifices it will take to conquer darkness, rescue those they love, and bring light to a broken kingdom.

Genres: Light fantasy, historical fantasy, romantic fantasy, Christian fiction, nonmagical fantasy.

So now, are you ready for the reveal?! 

Preorders are NOW OPEN for Kindle at a special preorder price of $0.99. This book will be available in paperback AND hardcover! 

Click HERE for Kindle preorders

Click HERE for signed book preorders (paperback & hardcover) 

Shelf on Goodreads HERE!

So what do you think?! Let me know in the comments!

JUSTREAD REVIEW: EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY by Janice Thompson!

 Hey everyone! So today I have a review for Every Dog Has His Day by Janice Thompson, one of my favorite contemporary authors of the fun, fluffy and meaningful Christian fiction. ALSO, JustRead Tours is hosting a giveaway featuring this book and an Amazon gift card, so you'll want to head over to Instagram if you want to participate!

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Large Reward Is Offered for a Missing Dog
 
Kick back with your faithful companion and relax with a small-town mystery in book 5 of the Gone to the Dogs series.
 
Lone Star groomer, Triniti Nelson, adopts a feisty rescued dachshund, and the two are inseparable. . .until Texans quarterback, Corey Wallis, announces a large reward for his missing female dachshund. Suddenly all of Houston are on the lookout for the MIA pooch that bares a strong resemblance to Triniti’s new pup. Triniti contacts Corey, but soon Ginger goes missing and Triniti is convinced Corey and his agent took her for a publicity stunt. Then there is a reporter who could be trying to manufacture a great story or a cameraman seeking the big reward. Can there be a happy ending for Ginger?

AMAZON | GOODREADS

MEET THE AUTHOR

Welcome to the wacky, wonderful world of inspirational author Janice Hanna Thompson, where romantic comedy rules the day! I hope you love to laugh, because I make it my goal to tickle your funny bone at every turn in my light-hearted tales.

Whether you’re looking for inspirational romance, quirky cozy mysteries, light-hearted historicals or fun books for younger readers, you will find it between the pages of my novels and non-fiction books.

Why do I focus on the light-hearted stuff? Because life is hard! My readers lead busy, chaotic lives and need those special “Calgon, Take Me Away!” moments! Providing “Love, Laughter and Happily Ever Afters” brings me great delight. Lest you think it’s all fluff, think again!

Woven between the lines of each cheerful tale you will find the ultimate love story, one guaranteed to stir your soul and get your heart fluttering. Talk about a real happily ever after! There’s something for everyone in my stories, so settle back in your chair, grab a cup of hot tea, and get ready to discover a light-hearted approach to life!

MY REVIEW

4/5 stars! This book started off a little slower than I expected, but it was still a fun read and I ended up binge-reading the second half. True to style, Thompson incorporates a goofy, lighthearted cast of characters, loveable main characters, and a light romance you can root for. As an owner of a Dachshund cross, the book had me chuckling from the first page on because of the relatable weenie-dog lines. Thompson weaves a fun story (and hailing from PA, it was fun to see the Steelers referenced! I'm not a football fan like our main character in this book here, but it was still cool to see!!) I've read a couple books in the Gone to the Dogs series and plan to snag the others -- this series is one you can pick up at any point and it will draw you in! Definitely read this if you're a fan of lighthearted, fun, and sweet stories. 

COVER REVEAL REMINDERS!

 Hey everyone! Don't forget about the cover reveal signups for two of my upcoming books -- I appreciate any and all help! 

A DANCE OF REBELS SIGNUPS for fans of fantasy, clean fiction, and epic tropes like friends to lovers, "who did this to you?", light overcoming darkness, and female MCs that learn they can be gentle and strong at the same time. Reveal Date: July 21, 2023 | Publishing Date: September 12, 2023.

BACK TO HIM DEVOTIONAL SIGNUPS for my nonfic peeps who are looking for an impactful devotional on giving up control and our grip on old hurts, instead giving in to reliance on God. (If you enjoyed Back To Me, you'll like this devotional.) Reveal Date: August 7, 2023 | Publishing Date: October 17, 2023.


Thank you x a million!

TITLE & BLURB REVEAL: BACK TO HIM DEVOTIONAL

 Hey everyone! 

So one of my upcoming releases for the year is my first nonfiction release, a devotional. Back To Him: A Thirty Day Devotional on Giving Up Old Hurts and Relying on God will be coming October 17, 2023! If you've read Back To Me and everything i became, this is the nonfiction counterpart and something that I'm excited to share. So check out the blurb below!

Everyone encounters suffering throughout their lifetime.

What you do with it involves a series of choices.

In this devotional, we'll learn...

• To pursue forgiveness, not bitterness

• To reconcile the past and rely on God for strength

• The importance of moving forward

• How Satan uses hurt to distract us from God, and how to fight against his schemes

• Why we need to submit ourselves to God in continual obedience

With daily readings, Bible verses, a starter prayer, and questions to contemplate with God, this devotional shares a personal journey of healing while presenting the case for giving up control back to God, throwing off the bondage of sin and shame we've held onto for too long.

Check it out on GOODREADS!

So the cover reveal will be August 7th! Check out the info HERE and sign up while you're there! Thank you!

BOOK LAUNCH PARTY! See you there?!

 

Hey everyone!

Hopping on quickly to let you know about this awesome author party that will be going on JULY 10 & 11TH, both nights starting at 5PM through 10PM EST, all on Facebook! It's all in celebration of the new novel The City of Stone and Sorrow by S.D. Howard, and there will be a lot of fantastic authors hosting the event! Yours truly will be hopping on there too! Click HERE to join us -- see ya there!