Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Soul's Cry by Cara Luecht (Portraits of Grace Book 3)

soul's cry FB banner copy

About the Book

91MN4px29kL(1)
Title: Soul’s Cry
Author: Cara Luecht
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: June 15, 2017
Ione has everything she’d wanted with her busy shop filled to the brim with sumptuous fabrics, gossiping debutants, and a neatly increasing profit margin. Not to mention the unexpected attention of a man who doesn’t know her past.
And then the letter dropped from the mail slot onto to lush carpet. He was back. And the abuse, the shame, rushes in, reminding her of how unworthy she really is.
Miriam also has everything she’d wanted—and with a baby on the way, for the first time in her life, she has everything to lose. When she’d been alone, the future had held promise, but now with her life full, it also holds fear.
Unwilling to risk a vision of loss, Miriam stops painting what will be…right before Ione needs it most.
Click here to purchase your copy

My Review:

Soul Painter was the first book in this series. You can see my review of that book here. The second book is Soul's Prisoner, and you can see that review here. This is the third book in the series. It doesn't wane in its story. Miriam has come through so much. Now it's all ratchet it up with realistic regrets and un-healed past issues, util it comes to a fitting conclusion to the series. Miriam's haunting past is tangable in this book, but she's not without hope and thankfully not without God's love and grace. I'm not sorry I read this entire series. While it can be darker in places, that's what makes it real to me. Real life is sometimes very dark, but also real is the Light that brings us life.

4 stars

About the Author
140223_132100ph(2)Award winning author, Cara Luecht, lives in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin with her husband, David, and their children. In addition to freelance writing and marketing, Cara works as an English Instructor for a local college. Cara graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Currently, Cara is studying for a Masters of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Guest post from Cara Luecht

The moment you realize how subtle racism can be.
As someone of Northern European ancestry, I approach this topic with caution and with the knowledge that I can never fully understand racism in America from a personal perspective. That being said, part of me knows that unless white America owns up to the problems that still exist, they will never go away, or if they do, they will not go away because of what I have done. I don’t want to be on the right side of history as a spectator.
Writing Soul’s Cry was daunting, because the main character in this part of the trilogy is African American. I’ll tackle the challenges with that in another blog. For now, I want to talk about one simple example of ongoing racism.
A few months ago, my publisher contacted me looking for inspiration pictures for the cover. The picture I had pinned to my desktop for Ione was from the 1800s, and heaven-only-knows how I would find permission to use it. Besides, it was in black-and-white, and we needed something that would go well with the other covers in the trilogy.
Ione’s Inspiration Picture
I went to the popular sites that cover designers use to look for modern pictures of women, in Victorian Era clothes, who had the smart, determined expression I’d imagined for Ione.
I found a bunch of models–problem is, they were all white.
I then typed in “African American Victorian Woman.” One picture. And she was dressed as a burlesque dancer. Nice. I tried “Black woman in 1890,” a bit miffed that I had to use the term “Black” rather than “African American”—nothing. I got desperate, rolled my eyes, and even attempted the archaic “Negro woman in 1890” in hopes of getting something…nothing.
I tried other sites. I found the same problem.
I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised—when you think of a high-society Victorian woman, does an African American face come to mind?
This doesn’t match up with the truth, though. In the late Victorian era, there was a thriving, influential, African American community in Chicago as well as many other major cities. While there were indeed crowded ghetto areas, the “Black Elite” prospered in the medical and legal professions.
Unfortunately, we rarely hear of these remarkable people who moved beyond the place society had deemed was theirs, who built on the humble foundation of literacy, who pushed innovation forward, who served on boards and cultural societies, and who worked to pull their families out of the devastation of slavery and the Civil War.
It is uncomfortable to admit, but the picture that comes to mind when thinking of an African American in the late 1800s has more in common with slaves than with a prosperous, thriving community.
And since poor African Americans outnumbered wealthy ones, I suppose one could make the argument that this reflected how a majority of African Americans lived. And that would be true…
…but it would also be true for whites. One of my grandfathers was born in an Iowa coal town. Another, into the dustbowl conditions of North Dakota. In fact, if I look back in my own history, almost every one of my ancestors lived in poverty.
So why is it that when I think about a Victorian Era woman, the picture that comes to mind looks like someone from the set of Meet Me In St. Louis.
And here’s the twist…because the picture of the woman in my mind looks a bit like me (in that we are both white), her poise, the no-nonsense posture and expression…it makes me feel a bit of pride—even though I have no real connection with her. The fact is, I can look at these old pictures and see in her the determination I hope to have. I want to live up to this woman’s expectations. As crazy as it sounds, when I look at these pictures, I feel pride in a heritage I do not own. My family was in poverty, but because of these pictures, I can identify with affluence. Prosperity does not feel like a foreign concept.
Now imagine that every picture of a white woman I saw as representative of my past looked haggard, tired, and hopeless.
I’ll leave the implications for you to puzzle out.

Blog Stops

Blogging With Carol, January 24
allofakindmom, January 25
Pursuing StacieJanuary 26
A Reader’s Brain, January 27
BigreadersiteJanuary 28
Bibliophile Reviews, January 29
A Greater YesJanuary 30
margaret kazmierczak, January 30 (Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, January 31
Janices book reviewsFebruary 2
Carpe Diem, February 4

Giveaway

40cacfe6-b5ff-4156-aba4-bd4cc7c1783c
To celebrate her tour, Cara is giving away a grand prize of signed copies of the entire series!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c729

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Probing (Harbingers) by Bill Myers, Frank Peretti, Angela Hunt, and Alton Gansky (Cycle 3 of the Harbinger Series)




My Review:

Book three of this series, and I'm even more fond of it than I was before. Seldom am I willing to re-read books, but this would be a series I wouldn't mind re-reading later. It's that good. Peretti, it's so good to have super stuff to read from him again. Hunt, she's working to top herself with this series. Myers, staying strong, and Gansky has the mystery maxed out. I can't say enough good things about this series. The premise and suspense are fantastic! I'd tell you more, but I can't stand to give away any spoilers at all. 

I can't wait to read the fourth book. 

5 AMAZING stars! (My copy came via Net Galley and Bethany House reviewers. My thoughts and opinons are my own, this review is left of my own free will.) 

About

The stakes are higher than ever as Bill Myers, Frank Peretti, Angela Hunt, and Alton Gansky return again to the universe of Harbingers for four more stories set in a world on the brink of destruction.


As Evil Lurks Around Every Corner, This Misfit Team Must Work Together If Anyone Wants to Make It Out Alive. This is Harbingers.

In Bill Myers's "Leviathan," the team heads to Hollywood for a taping of a new television pilot, Live or Die: The Ultimate Reality. When violence and chaos erupt, they must fight an insidious and multiplying madness before it spreads across the globe.

Frank Peretti's "The Mind Pirates" centers on an earring with mysterious powers that just might hold the key to solving a murder. When two members of the team are kidnapped by seventeenth-century pirates, the team must overcome the ruthless scheming of an evil, hidden nemesis.

In "Hybrids" from Angela Hunt, the arrival of two mysterious black-eyed children and a baby's disappearance are no coincidence. Instead of finding the rest they need, the four friends must stay on their guard as they search for answers--and for a missing child. 

In "The Village" from Alton Gansky, a visit to a guarded and secretive North Carolina town becomes the most challenging mystery the team has ever faced as they must jump between universes to solve a problem they barely understand before the window between worlds closes forever.

Reviews:
"Probing takes fans on a wild ride through the supernatural and science fiction. Each story draws readers in and gives a new perspective, creating a well-rounded series of events that fans will love. The characters are unique, each of them having their own quirks that endear them to each other and to readers, and the banter is lively. From high-tech mind reading to the walking dead, Probing is like The X-Files of Christian fiction."

THE AUTHORS

  1. Bill Myers

  1. BILL MYERS IS A YOUTH WORKER, CREATIVE WRITER, AND FILM DIRECTOR WHO CO-CREATED THE "MCGEE AND ME!" BOOK AND VIDEO SERIES; HIS WORK HAS RECEIVED OVER FORTY NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS. HIS MANY BOOKS INCLUDE HOT TOPICS, TOUGH QUESTIONS,...

  2. Frank Peretti










Frank E. Peretti is one of American Christianity's best-known authors. His novels, including This Present Darkness, have sold more than 10 million copies. He makes his home in Idaho. 


  1. Angela Hunt


The author of more than 100 published books and with nearly 5 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the New York Times bestselling author of The Note, The Nativity Story, and Esther: Royal Beauty. Romantic Times...

  1. Alton Gansky



ALTON GANSKY IS THE AUTHOR OF TWENTY-FOUR NOVELS AND EIGHT NONFICTION BOOKS. HE IS A CAROL AWARD WINNER AND AN ANGEL AWARD WINNER, AND HAS BEEN A CHRISTY AWARD FINALIST. HE HOLDS A BA AND AN MA IN BIBLICAL STUDIES AND HAS BEEN AWARDED A DOCTOR OF LITERATURE...


Friday, January 12, 2018

A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White (Shadows over England #2)

a song unheard fb banner copy

About the Book

SongUnheard
Title: A Song Unheard
Author: Roseanna M. White
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Release Date: January 2, 2018
Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I—to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.
Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he’s won—until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father’s work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.
But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn’t—that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.
Click here to purchase your copy!

My Review:

Music is a part of my soul, so when I find books like this, where the author includes that, I'm interested. Since this is the second book in the series, and I've read the first, I was doubly interested. This book is even stronger than the first book in the series. It can stand alone as well. While I rather "burned out" on novels set in war eras, this is a fantastic exception. I wasn't aggravated by the settings in the least. Willa being both a musician and having other major talents and conflicts was so well written, and the romance level was perfect for this novel. It really outdid the first book in the series, and it's filled with a symphony of emotions and truths. 

5 stars 

About the Author

Roseanna White 2017Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

Guest post from Roseanna White

I started playing the piano when I was 7. I didn’t discover any long-dormant genius or anything, but I liked it. When my sister quit, I kept playing. In middle school, I switched teachers, and moving from the lady at my church that I knew so well to someone who was just my piano teacher made a difference in how I applied myself. It deepened my love of music.
We all know how some random moments stand out forever in our memory. One such for me happened on the school bus. I was sitting with my best friend, talking about the new piano piece I was learning. “Via Delorosa” means Road of Sorrow, and it’s a song that tells musically about Jesus’ journey to Golgotha—ending with the faint chime of the nails being driven into his palms. As my beloved Mrs. Peto went through this song with me the night before, I remember her circling a D♯ that I’d missed and saying how important that note was. That it made the whole line weep.
That it would make the hearers weep. An epiphany so huge I had to share it with my friend. A well placed sharp could make music weep! Who knew?
That was but one lesson Mrs. Peto taught me in how music could evoke things words never could. A woman of strong faith, she also taught me how a song could preach the Gospel. Music can be medicine. It can be hope. It can be tears. It can be truth. Music can be Jesus to a hurting heart that turns its back on words.
This is a lesson I never forgot, and I had it always in mind as I was writing A Song Unheard. In this story, both my hero and heroine are musicians—violinists. But Willa (who is SO STUBBORN) wouldn’t listen to words of faith from any of the people in her life “suddenly spouting such nonsense.”
But then, in her darkest hour, she hears a slip of melody. And she realizes it’s the Lord.
I pray as readers move through the story of Willa Forsythe—violin prodigy and top-notch thief—that their spirits’ ears hear more than words, more than just a story. I pray they hear the Lord whispering that ultimate song. The one that says, “I love you.”
Want to hear the song Willa eventually wrote in the book? You can! The violin music in this trailer is officially dubbed “Willa’s Song” and written specifically for this book. I hope you enjoy it! http://bit.ly/ASongUnheardTrailer

Blog Stops

Fiction Aficionado, January 11
Genesis 5020, January 11
Bookworm Mama, January 11
Blogging With Carol, January 12
Multifarious, January 12
Faithfully BookishJanuary 13
Karen Sue Hadley, January 13
Mary Hake, January 13
A Greater YesJanuary 13
Remembrancy, January 14
Texas Book-aholic, January 14
A Reader’s Brain, January 15
Cordially Barbara, January 15
Pursuing StacieJanuary 15
Bigreadersite, January 16
Mommynificent, January 17
Baker Kella, January 17
allofakindmom, January 18
Pause for Tales, January 19
Just Commonly, January 19
Janices book reviewsJanuary 19
Radiant LightJanuary 20
Book by Book, January 20
CAC Devourer, January 20
Splashes of JoyJanuary 21
Neverending Stories, January 21
The PhD Mamma, January 22
Cafinated Reads, January 22
Daysong Reflections, January 22
Purposeful Learning, January 23
Carpe Diem, January 23
Henry Happens, January 24
Joy of Reading, January 24

Giveaway

81aff2f9-c69d-4f15-a1a1-d701278cf344
To celebrate her tour, Roseanna is giving away a Grand Prize Package of a signed copy of the book as well as a lovely album of soothing songs based on the Scriptures called Hidden in My Heart (winner’s choice of CD or digital download)!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c72a