Shadows at Dusk ~ Review

Shadows at Dusk

Missing in Alaska #2

By Elizabeth Goddard

Shadows at Dusk is the second book in the Missing in Alaska series, and I just have to say danger seems intent on calling Alaska home. That's not to say it doesn't lurk elsewhere but goodness the dangerous doings are rather frightening, makes me think couch travel through videos is the way to go. Not really. the descriptive detail of the scenery actually makes me want to travel there despite the on-page that exists.

This time, we get to know Carrie James, thanks to Police Chief Autumn Long directing Detective Trevor West to her. Trevor calls Montana home, but a year his sister went missing there, and a newly discovered clue has drawn him to Alaska in search of answers. And Alaska, being Alaska, travel by water plane is the only way to get to some of the remote locations he needs to see.

This book is most definitely high on the Suspense factor, with a liberal pinch of romance blended in. But when danger and tragedy hit close to home, Carrie needs Trevor to help her bring a murderer to justice. Could they be searching for answers that will open a whole new pile of problems? Or will they be able to put the past and its dark secrets firmly where they belong,  in the past?

Once again, Elizabeth Goddard has created a world that intrigues and delights the senses. The characters have dimensional depth, which helps draw one more fully into the book. This is a page-turning, late-night read fest waiting to happen as soon as the book is opened. This is sure to be a book club win!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Montana Detective Trevor West is desperate to learn what happened to his sister, who went missing in Alaska over a year ago, leaving nothing but a few photographs as clues to her whereabouts. At the advice of Police Chief Autumn Long, Trevor enlists the help of an experienced bush pilot. If Carrie James can't help him find the places in the photographs, no one can.

But Carrie has her own agenda. Grieving the death of her closest friend and the only person she could trust, Carrie will help Trevor find his sister on one condition--that he help her track down her friend's killer.

As the two close in on the answers they crave, they'll face dangers and connections they could not have imagined. They'll have to learn to trust one another--and face the dark secrets of the past--if they are ever to discover the truth and bring a killer to justice.

Better Watch Out ~ Review

Better Watch Out

Defensemen Romantic Holiday Adventure #1

By Natalie Walters

Frankie Frost, such a good name for someone visiting New York City at Christmas time, has just had her heart broken by her now ex.  And her big brother is more than urging her to leave NYC behind and visit family in D.C., so not Frannie's plan. But concerned brother Ryan knows best!

When Ryan Frost reaches out to Andrew Bishop, a whole series of events is set into motion, including an incident with pepper spray. Let's just say it was painful. 

Despite Frannie's objections that she can handle herself, Andrew finds himself in protection mode. Not easy, but he's up for some challenges, if only he didn't have a protection detail to get to, like immediately. And it is obvious that Frannie has no idea what dangers walk the streets of New York, but he does.

This reads like a Hallmark movie, the only this missing is some fun Christmas music playing in the background. Can a broken heart find a potential new love, one that is true amid the hustle and bustle of NYC during Christmas? Well, you'll need to read the book and find out. You won't be sorry. This is a cute read with some fun moments. And with a cast of supporting characters, one can only hope for more Defensemen Holiday Romances.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

An accidental meet-cute, a case of mistaken identity, and a bucket-list of Christmas activities befitting a Hallmark movie make this holiday romantic adventure the perfect Christmas read.

Leave the candy canes, take the pepper spray!

Nothing screams Christmas like a week spent ice skating, visiting Santa, and sharing a kiss or two under the mistletoe. Frannie Frost has crafted the perfect bucket list of romantic activities to surprise her boyfriend in the most magical place at Christmas time—New York City. When he unexpectedly becomes her ex, her plans are derailed leaving her with a choice. Wallow in self-pity at Christmas time or take matters into her own hands.

Former NHL defenseman turned personal protection agent, Andrew Bishop, loves his job—when things go as planned—but Frannie Frost is definitely not part of the plan. Still, when her brother, the man who saved Andrew’s life last year, asks him to deliver his sister safely to the airport, he can’t say no.

The only problem? Frannie isn’t leaving. She’s determined to make the most of her trip by checking off a bucket list of cliché Christmas actives that would make even Santa’s elves jealous. Andrew’s content to let her go until he learns that Frannie’s been mistaken for his client and thrust into the midst of danger.

Better Watch Out is a sweet romantic holiday adventure that gives you all of laughs of a rom-com while adding a touch of suspense. Tropes you’re sure to love include the new girl in the city vibe, stranded at Christmas, under the mistletoe, forced proximity, and a touch of enemies to lovers. Enjoy this romantic adventure that’s sure to make your holidays merry and bright.

Battle for the Land of Sweets ~ Review

Battle for the Land of Sweets

The Christmas Realm Chronicles

By Kaitlyn King

The Battle for the Land of Sweets is a new take on the Nutcracker Suite. But it is set in a contemporary setting that finds cousins and siblings trying to survive or enjoy Christmas based on their individual perspectives. Nadine, the youngest, is overjoyed to find herself participating in the ballet. Her brother Oliver is not so happy - dad is gone, they are living with their Scrooge-like uncle, a busy aunt, and an overworked mom. Yeah, not a happy mix, in Oliver's opinion, and Christmas - bleah. Felicity is trying her best to help her younger cousins be as happy as possible, and that starts with Christmas. But it is hard when the only one who seems to respond to her attempts is Nadine. And her older brother Ethan is becoming more like dad - money-driven. But when the only seasonal job open for Ethan is at Drosselmeyer’s Christmas Emporium, everything is about to change.

In Drosselmeyer’s there is a back workroom that Ethan can't enter, it is always locked and his boss says he isn't yet ready for the key to that lock. I know, intriguing. What's behind the locked door? Even more intriguing is that it is an old intricate-looking lock. But when mice enter the shop through that door, the excitement and adventure are just beginning. 

Yes, I can hear your thoughts, "Mice??" Yes, MICE, not the sometimes cute mice that one can find running around. Nope, these are BIG mice, mice the size of a full-grown human. YIKES!! Call in someone because these mice not only entered the shop through the mysterious back door, they return through it, taking a most unwilling Drosselmeyer with them.

Ethan, Felicity, and Oliver, who both just happen to be shopping in the store at that particular moment, pursue them and get trapped in a strange wintery world. A world in which they need to escape and return home. But there are some who are determined to stop them as they could upend their nefarious plans.

This is an adventure-packed retelling that is wholly new and unique. Perfect for middle-grade readers and up. If you like Christmas, Nutcrackers, or adventures that ring true to classics, this is one story you don't want to miss. And this is a land I wouldn't mind revisiting in further adventures. This book caught my attention and kept me wondering what would happen next. This truly is an adventure worthy of Narnian comparisons. I highly recommend it and would even suggest it would be a perfect chapter-a-day family reading. It is that good, though the two boys could be a bit tiresome with their attitudes at the beginning, though one can understand why.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Hidden in the back of an old nutcracker and sweets shop is a door…behind it is a magical land full of chocolate rivers, sugar flowers, and candy cane trees.

Christmas used to be the Tannon family’s favorite holiday, but thirteen-year-old Oliver can’t imagine celebrating after his dad deserted their family. Peace on Earth? Yeah right! Oliver doesn’t believe it exists.

His younger sister Nadine is hopeful that this Christmas can still be a happy one now that she has been given a part in the famous Nutcracker ballet.

Fifteen-year-old Felicity will do anything to give her cousins the Merry Christmas they deserve. If only her older brother, Ethan, would get on board with her plans.

Ethan knows the true meaning of Christmas: money, money, money. He’s determined to get a job for winter break, but when he wanders into Drosselmeyer’s Christmas Emporium, he worries that his new boss has watched Nadine’s ballet one too many times.

When masked figures kidnap the eccentric shop owner, the Tannon teenagers follow them through a mysterious back door into a land where fantasy becomes reality. Nutcracker soldiers, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and even Mother Ginger are there to help them on their journey. But where there are heroes, there are also villains. The mice aren’t just a part of the fairytale; they’re real, and they’re tired of losing!

Can these adventurers save the land of sweets and make it back home before Christmas?

To Defy the Dream ~ Review

To Defy the Dream

A Sleeping Beauty Retelling

By Mary Mecham

To save her kingdom, her people she must willing enter the Eternal Slumber, a plague that has slowly decimated her kingdom and stolen her brother, the rightful heir to the throne. Her fairy godmother has given her this one chance to enter the nightmare realm controlled by a djinni. 

Aurelia has the means to return with one other person trapped within the nightmare. But she never expected to have to choose who she'd free - her brother Waylon or Everett, the man who broke her heart. Hoping to find a way to break the djinni's power, Aurelia must do all she can to defeat it. But how do you defeat a powerful being who draws strength from those it holds in this nightmare world? 

To Defy a Dream is a unique twist on Sleeping Beauty. Yes, there is a spindle with a sharp tip. But Princess Aurelia isn't hidden away. She hasn't been cursed at birth knowing sleep was her fate. She is days away from taking the throne. No this is an altogether new take on this fairytale and one well worth reading. This is truly a Shattered Tale. 

If you like ladies in peril who decide to take charge. Second chances at love. Impossible choices. Potential chaos. And daring deeds. Look no further because this book will check off all of these and more.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

What if Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on purpose?

Princess Aurelia’s kingdom is plagued by the Eternal Slumber, a disease progressively ensnaring the minds of her subjects. After Aurelia wishes for the means to revive her brother, her sinister fairy godmother presents an ominous option Aurelia must stab herself with a poisoned spindle.

Accepting this fate plunges Aurelia into a nightmare where victims of the Eternal Slumber are being held hostage by a dark djinni. However, Aurelia’s brother isn’t the only familiar face she finds herself reunited with; Everett, the love of her life who mysteriously disappeared years ago, is there as well. As the djinni’s power grows, Aurelia must decide who to save before the djinni escapes and enters the waking world.

Failing on her quest could trap her in the dream world forever. Will she forgo her chance at a happily ever after and protect her brother, or will she choose to rescue herself and the man she loves?

No matter who she chooses, someone will be doomed to remain in the nightmare that never ends.

To Defy a Dream is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!

Star of Wonder ~ Review

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for 

 Star of Wonder by Angela Hunt 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Star of Wonder 

By Angela Hunt 

Star of Wonder takes the reader into the little-known, forgotten truths of the First Christmas. Spend the days of December taking a new look at what the world Jesus was born into was really like. 

But this is more than just a collection of dry facts broken into 25 readings. No, this is much more. Star of Wonder goes into detail about the various aspects, people, places, and their significance into the whole of what we consider the Nativity story. This story began with the Creation of a Garden and the gift of free will. A gift that was poorly used, as demonstrated by humanity's first decision to sin. This decision, this choice freely given, was the catalyst of a thread throughout history that brought about both Jesus's birth and His death.

This book is broken into four parts so that it can be experienced not only on a daily basis but so one's family can add a weekly touch to the Advent season. The four parts focus on different aspects of the story: Places, Prophecies, People, and Purpose. Altogether, one comes away with a deeper, richer understanding of the story that has run through much of HIStory. A story that will only mean something IF you believe.

* The one issue/concern that could be raised is the author's statement: "Scripture leads me to believe that Jesus was born with the same free will and tendency towards sin that you and I were born with. Which makes His resistance to temptation-not only on one occasion but throughout His life-all the more amazing. If He was born with a sin nature like all people, He never once surrendered to sin, even as a child."

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book

Title: Star of Wonder 

Author: Angela Hunt 

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers 

Release Date: September 26, 2023 

Genre: Advent Devotional 

Come, Rediscover the Wonder and Reality of the Very First Christmas 

We all love the Christmas season, but have we buried the truth of the day? 

Bestselling author Angela Hunt weaves together visceral storytelling with overlooked biblical historical truths to help you rediscover the places, people, prophecies, and purpose of Christmas. Each of the engaging twenty-five devotions includes scriptural insights, historical facts, and personal application, which--along with weekly family activities--will have everyone saying, "I didn't know that!" as the Nativity comes to life anew. 

Explore Bethlehem and Nazareth. Walk with Mary, Joseph, and others. Be amazed by the words of the prophets of old. And be warmed by God's great purpose that culminated in the birth of the Messiah. 

Star of Wonder is perfect as an individual Advent devotional or for family and small group study. You will see Christmas with new eyes, create lasting holiday memories, and shine a light on the wonder of that night so long ago. 

"This Advent devotional is written with passion, showing patterns and prophecies that filled me with renewed hope and wonder."--FRANCINE RIVERS, bestselling author of The Lady's Mine and Redeeming Love

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Christianbook | BookBub

Also Available

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About the Author

Angela Hunt is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 160 books, with nearly 6 million copies sold worldwide. Angela's novels have won or been nominated for the RWA RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the HOLT Medallion. Four of her novels have received ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award, and Angela is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from both the Romantic Times Book Club and ACFW. Angela holds doctorates in biblical studies and theology. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs and chickens.

Connect with Angela by visiting angelahuntbooks.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive one Angela Hunt book released by Bethany House Publishers from the last two years (winner's choice)!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. The full tour schedule is linked below. The giveaway began at midnight on October 11, 2023, and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 18, 2023. The winner will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

The giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Release Day for Raise the Dead

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's release day for Raise the Dead: A Retelling of Jane Eyre by Nina Claire!

This is the 5th book in the A Classic Retold multi-author series, and it’s out today! 

Blurb:

Would you go into hell to rescue the one you love?

After long years of hardship, Jane Rochester is now a young bride settling into a quiet life with the man she loves. But a mysterious stranger at the door resurrects old troubles, unearths buried secrets, and revives a family curse; the past will not leave them in peace.

A malignant force is tearing Jane’s new family apart, and she will have to journey into the very mouth of hell to seek to break it, with no assurance of ever returning home to the living world.

Nina Clare re-imagines Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre in a fantasy quest through the supernatural realms of heaven and hell.

https://www.ninaclarebooks.com/

The Secrets Beneath ~ Review

The Secrets Beneath

Treasures of the Earth #1

By Kimberley Woodhouse

The Secrets Beneath is a historical fiction piece set in 1870s Montana, within the Wyoming Territory. It is a time when everything discovered is truly unique and awe-inspiring. In this world, we are introduced to an intriguing cast of characters who contrast sharply with one another. 

Anna Lakeman has spent years working alongside her father, a paleontologist. Working as the illustrator for his digs, Anna isn't your normal 19th-century young lady. She loves what she does and supports the field of study in the only way she can - through her drawings.  Three years ago, her heart was broken when Joshua Ziegler left. 

When Joshua left to pursue his medical education, he spoke out against Anna's work on her father's digs. Returning home for a short break, Joshua can only hope to make it right with Anna or at least ask for her forgiveness. But when Anna's father falls ill, and Joshua's nephew goes missing, fate seems to be conspiring against them. 

And then there is Julian Walker, considered odd by everyone and the son of Old Walker, the meanest, wealthiest man in the region. One feels for Julian Walker, his background, and the opinions of those who live nearby, well, it all adds up to a sad history. And yet, one can't blame those who know him, though "know" is inadequate when considering his limited interactions with the community.

So, let me say I really enjoyed this book. The setting was beautifully described while not bogging one down in too much detail. And then, one can feel moments of terror as Anna struggles to withstand the force that is trying to destroy her. (Yes, you need to read the book because any more info will ruin the suspense).  The characters drive this story with their varied personalities, full of depths waiting to come to life as one progresses through the book.

If you like your books to be a well-balanced blend of genres, this book will take care of that. Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Inspiration, and History all come together beautifully in this book. I was drawn in from the opening lines. 

This is the first book in the Treasures of the Earth series, and it promises to be a most enlightening and enjoyable reading experience. This book is one I would highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction with a touch of suspense and mystery.  

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

 QUICK FACTS
 Title: The Secrets Beneath
 Series: Treasures of the Earth (Book 1)
 Author: Kimberley Woodhouse
 Genre: Historical Fiction, Western Romance, Inspirational Fiction
 Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 26, 2023)
 Length: (336) pages
 Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audiobook 
 ISBN: 978-0764241680‎
 Tour Dates: October 9 – October 23, 2023

About the Book:

Some secrets can only stay buried for so long. . . .

Anna Lakeman has spent her life working alongside her paleontologist father, drawing intricate sketches at every dig. When they find dinosaur bones near their home in Wyoming Territory, they're given the opportunity of a lifetime and are swiftly caught up in the competitive era of the Bone Wars. But after her father becomes sick and Joshua Ziegler, an old beau, returns for the summer, Anna's world is upended, and the practical, orderly life she has made for herself shatters.

Medical student Joshua Ziegler left his hometown to forget Anna, the one woman he
truly loved and deeply hurt. But when he returns, time hasn't erased the feelings they've always had for each other. After Joshua's nephew goes missing—just like his sister did years ago—and Anna's job is threatened, tensions mount and dangerous secrets are unearthed.

PRAISE FOR THE SECRETS BENEATH

 “…a propulsive launch with plenty of fuel for future adventures.”— Publisher’s
Weekly

 "This book is full of intrigue and adventure, twists and turns…I highly recommend
you pick up a copy and enjoy the journey."— Tracie Peterson, author of
Pictures of the Heart

 “Fans of Kimberley Woodhouse will rejoice in this launch to a unique and
engaging new series."— Jocelyn Green, author of The Metropolitan Affair

Available for Purchase at:

AMAZON | BARNES and NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB |

GOODREADS

About the Author:

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of 30-plus years live in Colorado, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandbaby, and research all the history around them.

Connect with Kimberley Woodhouse online:

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | BOOKBUB |  GOODREADS