Thursday, March 20, 2025

Miss Wylde in the White City by Grace Hitchcock (Heiresses of Adventure Book 2)

About the Book

Book: Miss Wylde in the White City (The Heiresses of Adventure Book Two)

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance True Crime

Release date: November 11, 2023

While attending the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Winnifred Wylde believes she witnessed a woman being kidnapped. She tries to convince her father, an inspector with the Chicago police, to look into reports of mysterious disappearances around the White City. Inspector Wylde tries to dismiss her claims as exaggeration of an overactive imagination, but he eventually concedes to letting her go undercover as secretary to the man in question—if she takes her pistol for protection and Jude Thorpe, a policeman, for bodyguard.

Will she be able to expose H. H. Holmes’s illicit activity, or will Winnifred become his next victim?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

H. H. Holmes; he's famous and not for what you'd hope for. He's the first known serial killer, and folks, he was something else. This man had a hotel and people just disappeared. Poof! So what will happen when Winnie gets tangled up with this? Yes, she's a detective's daughter, but that doesn't make her untouchable.

This story has so much faith, and drama, some romance, mystery, and so much history put into it. There was a prior version of this book, this version is the one I recommend. This is a five-star read.

Thanks to Celebrate Lit for my digital copy of this book. This review is my own, a positive review is never required.

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, Best Laid Plans, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives on the Northshore of New Orleans, with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a cottage that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, or chasing babies, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.

More from Grace

Q&A with Grace Hitchcock:

Q: Your historical novel Miss Wylde in the White City is a historical romance set against the true crime events at the Chicago World’s Fair. How difficult was it to create a “romance” novel that includes such horrific historical details?

Grace: It was challenging, but I wrote Winnifred’s story with the thought in mind of how I would have wanted to experience it as a reader. Many of the books I’ve read about Holmes are quite dark and rightly so; however, I decided that I didn’t want my story to show the gory details and chose to focus on the romance to offer the reader a much-needed break in the dark story matter.

Q: What research did you have to do to get the details right?

Grace: I read and listened to non-fiction works on H. H. Holmes, read countless articles online, researched the different newspaper articles of the time, mostly The Chicago Tribune,

and found the newspapers’ sketches of Holmes’ “Murder Castle” along with their statements. I also read non-fiction works on the Chicago world’s fair with many, many pictures and took walk-through tours of the fair online, which gave me a unique perspective of what the white city was like.

Q: Tell us about the characters you injected into the historical events. What about them made you want to tell their story?

Grace: I’ve always loved Jane Austen’s heroine from her satire of Gothic novels, Northanger Abbey, and with Catherine Morland in mind, I created Winnifred Wylde. My heroine’s love of books often gets her into trouble, but being the daughter of a police inspector, Winnie also has picked up a few things in listening to her father’s adventures and her natural sense of curiosity was just what I needed in a heroine to uncover Holmes’ sordid crimes.

I wanted Jude Thorpe to be a protector with a heart for justice, so the role of detective fit right into the story.

Percival Valentine was one of the characters who surprised me. Originally, I just had Percy as her favorite author, but then I thought, why not let her meet him and see what happens? He is one of my favorite characters and I hope to one day give him a story of his own.

Q: Fact vs Fiction – what (if any) historical details did you have to fiddle with to make the story work?

Grace: Oddly enough, the newspapers at the time did not get the same layouts of the “Murder Castle” in their sketches, so I based the layout of Holmes’ castle mostly from The Chicago Tribune and got a little creative. The layout is mostly correct, but I took the liberty of adding a second trap door at a convenient location for the burning trunk scene. While Holmes did bring trunks up and down from attic to the basement, he never burned a trunk on the third floor because it would have left behind far too much evidence for a man who, up to this point, was experienced in covering his tracks.

Q: How does your faith impact how you approach writing fiction?

Grace: My heroines generally learn what I am learning at the time of writing the story. If I am holding on to a verse for something I am going through personally, I give it to my heroine and we walk through it together even in different situations (because obviously I’m not trapped in a burning building haha but the principle applies).

I see writing Christian fiction as an opportunity to show God’s light even in dark, difficult situations. No matter how subtle my theme or short the verses, my stories will always point the reader to the Lord.

Thank you for joining the fun for the Celebrate Lit tour! If you are a part of a book club, I have discussion questions here! Happy Reading, friends!

Blog Stops

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 13

Pens Pages & Pulses, March 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 14

Allyson Jamison, March 14

Texas Book-aholic, March 15

lakesidelivingsite, March 16

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 17

Devoted To Hope, March 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 18

Betti Mace, March 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 19

Bizwings Book Blog, March 20

Blogging With Carol, March 20

Lily’s Corner, March 21

Connie’s History Classroom, March 21

For Him and My Family, March 22

Mary Hake, March 22

Inspired by fiction, March 23

Holly’s Book Corner, March 23

Pause for Tales, March 24

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 24

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 25

Cover Lover Book Review, March 25

Jodie Wolfe , March 26

Lights in a Dark World, March 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize of a $20 gift card with FREE SHIPPING to Grace’s Autographed Bookshop!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54172

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Truth Cursed by Angie Dickinson

About the Book

Book: Truth Cursed

Author: Angie Dickinson

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release date: February 18, 2025

Speaking the truth can be a dangerous thing.

Cressida Hoth is alone in the world. Orphaned and unwanted, she is inflicted with a peculiar curse by her mischievous aunts and banished to a finishing school in the secluded kingdom of Dernmont. Students train in every accomplishment suitable for young ladies: music, dancing, etiquette…and strangely, poison-making, fencing, and lock- picking.

The school is a front for a rebel spy ring, and when her training is complete, Cressida is selected to join a mission to infiltrate the kingdom’s royal court. She has been thrown unceremoniously into a world of ball gowns and espionage, but she is still under a curse, and it threatens to expose them all.

Defending her teammates and her secret, Cressida discovers that the kingdom’s buried history and the truth behind her curse run far deeper than she imagined.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

Just the name; Truth Cursed, got my full attention. This story is outstandingly good and full of powerful truths, action, adventure, and suspense. I loved the characters, especially when they are speaking or searching for the truth. This book is from Credessia's perspective, but she has quite an outlook on things. I loved watching her grow. Truth Cursed is a YA, but it's also an everyone should read this book. Social anxiety is very real, and as one of the deep topics in this book, I felt it was well handled and will help many people.

5 Stars

About the Author

Angie Dickinson is a lifelong lover of magical stories that point to truth, hope, and redemption. She received a B.A. in English Literature and is now a fantasy writer, living in the woods of Michigan with her husband and four children. Angie is saved by grace alone and is in awe of her Savior’s unrestrained love. She is blessed by her big, boisterous family and is fond of Earl Grey tea, reading too late at night, and taking every opportunity to share her passion for fantasy and fairy tales.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 4

cecereadsandsings, March 4

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 5

Allyson Jamison, March 5

Texas Book-aholic, March 6

By the Book, March 7

Lily’s Corner, March 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 9

The Lofty Pages, March 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 11

Inspired by Fiction, March 12

Hannahbandanarama, March 12

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 13

Faery Tales Are Real, March 13

Holly’s Book Corner, March 14

Blogging With Carol, March 15

For Him and My Family, March 16

Labor Not in Vain, March 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54166

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Sabotage at Cedar Creek by Janice Thompson (The Little Red Truck Mysteries Book Two)

About the Book

Book: Sabotage at Cedar Creek (The Little Red Truck Mysteries Book Two)

Author: Janice Thompson

Genre: Mystery/Christian Fiction

Release date: February, 2025

Who Would Sabotage the New B&B?

Breathe in the nostalgia of everything old red truck in book two of a new cozy mystery series.

It’s summertime in Mabank, Texas, and the Hadley family’s new antique business is open and running well with Tilly, the red antique truck, as its mascot. Raelynn Hadley enjoys driving Grandpa’s truck around as she seeks out antiques for her family’s store.

Raelynn is excited that her best friend, Tasha, will soon open a new vacation rental to accommodate the area’s growing tourism, but an unexpected act of sabotage threatens to spoil all that Tasha has worked for.

Raelynn immediately gets to work sleuthing out who could be behind the crime. Could it be the bitter neighbor, intent on spoiling Tasha’s plans? Perhaps it’s a nearby resort owner, worried about the potential loss of revenue. Maybe it’s the former owner’s daughter who was left out of the will and believes the home should be hers. Or maybe it’s the squatter who had taken up residence in the home before renovations. Raelynn is determined to solve the mystery for her friend in time for opening day.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

This is another wonderful story! I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated the humor in places. It's a cozy and it's got a bit of romance. There's plenty of faith in this story, as we follow with Tasha and Raelynn to solve the mystery in time before Tasha's grand opening is a grand closing. It's a fun read with a few twists and left me wanting another book in this series.

5 Stars

About the Author

Janice Thompson hails from south Texas. She is a Christian author and mother of four grown daughters. Janice has written over forty books.

More from Janice

Travel with me to East Texas to celebrate the 4th of July. Let’s meet at Cedar Creek Lake, a vast expanse of water tucked in and around some of the sweetest little Texas towns you’ve ever seen: Gun Barrel City, Mabank, Payne Springs, Eustace, and Seven Points, just to name a few.

Along the edge of the lake you’ll find 320 miles of idyllic shoreline, dotted with homes, campsites, and cabins for rent. And right there, on the prettiest patch of land imaginable, you’ll discover a newly renovated vacation home, recently purchased by a local gal named Tasha. Her quaint fixer-upper is just about ready for its first guests and she’s giddy with excitement.

Also thrilled is Tasha’s BFF, RaeLyn Hadley! RaeLyn has grown up near the lake and loves this place. She can hardly wait to see her bestie’s dream come true.

Of course, not everyone in the Cedar Creek area is happy to see Tasha’s new vacation rental open for business. Behind the scenes, evil lurks. Nefarious plans are already in motion, though RaeLyn and Tasha can’t yet see them.

Days before the house is listed, the beautiful home is vandalized! Clearly, someone wants to stop Tasha in her tracks. But, who would sabotage the inn. . .and why? RaeLyn won’t quit until she’s got answers, but she needs your help.

What role will you play in this tale? Visit the inn. Get to know the gals. Help them figure out the whodunit. Spend time in town with the locals, celebrating the 4th of July. I promise, you’ll have a blast. There are quilt shows, cupcake walks, and more Texas BBQ than you can eat in one visit.

Your belly will never be empty as you set out to help RaeLyn and Tasha solve this crime. Just don’t let all of those handsome Texas fellas distract you from the task at hand. They have a tendency to do that.

Hang on for the ride, folks, because an East Texas tale is one that’s always filled with twists and turns! So, what are you waiting for? Jump into that little red truck and let’s hit the road, headed to Cedar Creek Lake!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 27

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 28

Texas Book-aholic, March 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 3

Pause for Tales, March 3

She Lives To Read, March 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 5

Blogging With Carol, March 6

Labor Not in Vain, March 6

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 7

Stories By Gina, March 8 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 8

For Him and My Family, March 9

Lily’s Corner, March 10

Holly’s Book Corner, March 11

Lights in a Dark World, March 12

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Janice is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54164

Friday, February 28, 2025

The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin (The Rivenlea Sphere Book 1)

About the Book

Book: The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine

Author: Lindsay A. Franklin

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release date: February 4, 2025

A shattered heart, a fate foretold.

The world undone by tales of old.

Emlyn DuLaine just wants to know what happened to her sister, Camille, seven years ago on the fateful day she vanished—literally. Emlyn witnessed Camille unravel and disappear, but no one believes her. Since they think she’s crazy, the least the cops could do is solve Camille’s case. Is a little closure too much to ask?

But Emlyn’s life is upended when she is pulled through a portal into the fantasyland of her childhood imaginings—a magical library holding the storyworlds of every story ever published. And trouble is brewing in the land of Rivenlea. Rogue characters threaten their plot lines, and broken classics are beginning to crumble, but Emlyn only wants to find Camille.

As she searches for her sister, Emlyn begins to learn the reality of Rivenlea and her own origins. A nefarious plot is afoot, and the line between fact and fiction is becoming hopelessly blurred. The truth threatens the storyworlds, Rivenlea, and Earth—the fabric of creation, itself.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

Her sister actually went POOF and she can't give up seeking answers, so what else is Emlyn to do when she is called crazy? Find her sister, find answers, that's what! Emlyn gets sucked into Rivenlea, and it isn't what she expected. The world building is stellar, and the large cast of characters, and a plot that just builds and builds, and when you are sure it will burst, it just keeps building. I was breathless. Character growth and good vs evil, everything is in this story. I didn't want to leave this world. I wanted it on a big screen, and then most of all, I wanted more of this series. It's absolutely amazing.

5 Huge Stars

About the Author

Lindsay A. Franklin is the Carol Award–winning author of The Story Peddler, ECPA best-selling author of Adored, and Managing Editor of Enclave Publishing. She would wear pajama pants all the

time if it were socially acceptable. Lindsay lives happily among therain and evergreens of the Pacific Northwest with her scruffy- looking nerf-herder husband, their three (nearly) grown geeklings, and three demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats).

More from Lindsay

“It’s always been broken.”

Those were the words God put on my heart when I cried out to him in 2020 as I tried to plot The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine. My cry and the fact that I was plotting a novel were not exactly connected at first–though outlining does usually result in some weeping and gnashing of teeth for me. But I released my last novel in 2020 and happened to be working on my new series, The Rivenlea Sphere, when the world was suddenly thrown into chaos.

Being creative in the midst of a global pandemic and significant social unrest is not easy. In fact, I found it impossible. I stared at my unfinished outline, asking myself and God, “Why is everything so messed up? Why is this world so broken?” I know the theological answer to that question, but sometimes, the soul aches. Sometimes, it feels like the whole world is falling apart in a way it never has before.

When God reminded me that this world has, since the fall of man, always been broken, he also reminded me that he’s always been in the business of rescuing us, giving us hope, and pointing us toward a better future–one that is complete and holy. One that is fully redeemed.

Over the next two years, an underlying brokenness that begs for solution wove itself into my storyworld. The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine is intentionally whimsical and fun, filled with references to beloved classics and packed with wry humor. There’s a magical library, a sassy dragon, a fish-out-of-water protagonist determined to dodge every YA trope being thrown her way. But underneath it all is the idea that this world isn’t what it was originally designed to be–and there is hope on the horizon.