Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019

Personally, this year has been tough when it comes to finding GOOD books. I have read many and I am having a hard time finding five stars reads. I am hopeful that the many coming out later this year will be worthy of the five star review!
Here are my top ten most anticipated releases coming out the rest of the year! 


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The Bright Unknown


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Sunday, June 16, 2019

Summer by the Tides With Celebrate Lit Tours


Summer by the Tides FB Banner



About the Book

Book: Summer by The Tides
Author: Denise Hunter
Genre: Christian Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 21, 2019
Summer by the Tides 
From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom (now a beloved Hallmark Original movie) comes a heartfelt story of family secrets, forgiveness, and unexpected romance.
Following a painful betrayal, Maddy Monroe’s love life is a wreck, and her restaurant career is in shambles. When her grandmother goes missing, she and her estranged sisters converge at the family beach house in Sea Haven, North Carolina. Being with uptight Nora and free-spirited Emma at the place where their family broke apart is a struggle, and undercurrents of jealousy and resentment threaten to pull the sisters under. In the midst of the storm, sparks begin to fly between Maddy and Gram’s maddening neighbor, Connor Murphy.
As the sisters pack up the family belongings, memories of idyllic, slow-paced summers are resurrected. But long-buried secrets also come to light as Maddy discovers that all was not as it appeared that last summer in Sea Haven—nor today in the seemingly perfect lives of her sisters.
As family tensions rise and Connor causes tumult in Maddy’s heart, the sisters must find a way to accept each other for the women they’ve become before the bitterness of the past destroys their hope for a future.

Click here to purchase your copy.


About the Author

Hunter Denise 
Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 25 books, including A December Bride and The Convenient Groom, which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Carol Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are rapidly approaching an empty nest. To learn more about Denise, visit her website DeniseHunterBooks.com; Facebook: AuthorDeniseHunter; Twitter: @DeniseAHunter; Instagram: deniseahunter.

Read an Excerpt from Summer by the Tides

MADDY MONROE WAS COWERING behind a ficus tree near the hostess station when her cell phone rang. Her hands shook as she silenced the phone before it drew the attention of the staff.
She jabbed the elevator button for the third time. “Come on, come on.” A star could be born in interstellar space, a polar valley carved by a glacier in the time it took the elevator to reach this floor. Stairs were not an option, as she was on the twentieth floor of the Waterford building and sporting heels.
She sniffled. Drat. She seemed to be crying. She swiped a hand under her eyes, heedless of her makeup.
She heard voices, Nick’s boisterous laugh. Maddy shrank deeper into the ficus and finally, finally, the elevator dinged its arrival.
“Maddy?” Noelle’s concerned voice tunneled down the hall. “Maddy, wait.”
“Oh, come on,” she muttered, tapping her fingers against her leg until the gold doors crept open. As soon as she could fit, she squeezed inside and punched the ground-floor button.
She didn’t draw a breath until the doors sealed and the elevator began to drop. She placed a palm over a heart that was threatening to beat its way out of her chest. Her white blouse clung to her back, and her skin prickled beneath her arms.
She closed her eyes, the scene that had just transpired playing out in fast-forward in her mind. And then, as if that montage weren’t painful enough, the image of Nick’s face appeared. The look on his face just before he’d kissed her good-bye last night.
Nick. She clamped her teeth together until her jaw ached.
There had been signs. Many of them, really, she was realizing now. They ranged from whisper-subtle to neon-sign obvious. But like so many other walking clichés before her, she was only seeing them in retrospect.
Maddy opened her eyes to the buttery sunlight streaming through her blinds. She scrambled for her iPhone to check the time. But as she did so, the events of yesterday washed over her like a tsunami. She didn’t have to get up at all, because she didn’t have a job anymore.
Her cell buzzed with an incoming call, and she squinted bleary-eyed at the unfamiliar number on the screen before declining it.
She drooped against her pillow, only now aware of how fat and swollen her eyes felt. Of the persistent achy lump pushing at the back of her throat. Her heartbeat made the bed quake. Her eyes burned with tears. Yesterday’s anger had faded, and something worse had filled its spot.
Yesterday she’d come home, changed into yoga pants, and worked in her little garden until she was too exhausted to do anything but flop on the sofa. She hadn’t fallen asleep until after three o’clock in the morning.
She didn’t want to talk to anyone, didn’t want to see anyone. She didn’t even want to be awake today. She pulled the covers over her head and prayed for oblivion.

Required text: Taken from “Summer by the Tides” by Denise Hunter. Copyright © 2019 by Denise Hunter. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 4
The Power of Words, June 4
Back Porch Reads, June 4
The Morning Chapter, June 5
A Baker’s Perspective, June 5
Worthy2Read, June 5
Carla Loves To Read, June 6
Genesis 5020, June 6
Through the Fire Blogs, June 6
Among the Reads, June 7
Quiet Quilter, June 7
For Him and My Family, June 7
The Christian Fiction Girl, June 8
cultivating us, June 8
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 8
Girls Living For God’s Glory, June 9
Moments, June 9
Inklings and notions, June 9
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 10
Coast and anchor, June 10
amandainpa, June 10
Lighthouse Academy, June 11
EmpowerMoms, June 11
Pause for Tales, June 11
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, June 12
For The Love of Books, June 12
Just the Write Escape, June 12
All-of-a-kind Mom, June 13
Texas Book-aholic, June 13
Hallie Reads, June 13
2014 and Beyond, June 14
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 14
Simple Harvest Reads, June 14
Living Life Free In Christ, June 15
janicesbookreviews, June 15
Vicky Sluiter, June 15
Have A Wonderful Day, June 16
A Reader’s Brain, June 16
To Everything A Season, June 16
Lukewarm Tea, June 17
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 17
Daysong Reflections, June 17

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away a finished copy of Summer by the Tides!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!
Click here to enter.




My Thoughts

I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel, Denise tends to surprise me in some way with her writing. This was a easy breezy summer read. I enjoyed the sisters and their issues because-real life. I thought the romance could have been a little better written maybe not so obvious or predictable but otherwise this was a good read. The story line was fun and the setting made me want to go on vacation. Their is food mentioned in this book as well that made my mouth water. I would be curious to read more about the other sister's from this novel as their lives interested me more so than Maddy who is the main character in this book. If you are looking for a fresh summer read this would be a good book to pick up! 

"Thanks to the publisher for the free copy. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."












 



Monday, June 3, 2019

The King's Mercy-A Great Addition to Historical Fiction


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About the Book

When captured rebel Scotsman Alex MacKinnon is granted the king's mercy--exile to the Colony of North Carolina--he's indentured to Englishman Edmund Carey as a blacksmith. Against his will Alex is drawn into the struggles of Carey's slaves--and those of his stepdaughter, Joanna Carey. A mistress with a servant's heart, Joanna is expected to wed her father's overseer, Phineas Reeves, but finds herself drawn instead to the new blacksmith. As their unlikely relationship deepens, successive tragedies strike the Careys. When blame falls unfairly upon Alex he flees to the distant mountains where he encounters Reverend Pauling, itinerate preacher and friend of the Careys, now a prisoner of the Cherokees. Haunted by his abandoning of Joanna, Alex tries to settle into life with the Cherokees, until circumstances thwart yet another attempt to forge his freedom and he's faced with the choice that's long hounded him: continue down his rebellious path or embrace the faith of a man like Pauling, whose freedom in Christ no man can steal. But the price of such mercy is total surrender, and perhaps Alex's very life. (Goodreads)


My Thoughts

Lori Benton is one of my favorite authors. I love historical fiction and she is such a talented author when it comes to creating characters and settings. This book seemed a bit different compared to her previous novels. The writing style and flow weren't quite what I was expecting. But all that to say it is a wonderful historical fiction read! I loved the setting and I really thought the characters had a lot of depth, especially Alex. There were a lot of difficult issues and uncomfortable situations brought up throughout the book. I think this added to the story making it more realistic. There isn't anything graphic but there are some situations that are unpleasant. I think this story also shows how great God is and how people can change even when we doubt.
 If you enjoy historical fiction this would be a great book for you to pick up. I also highly recommend any of Lori's other books-they are all fantastic. 

Five Stars.

"I received this book from the publisher for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."










 

Sunday, June 2, 2019

May Memories

 

Well May simply went by in a flash I can hardly believe it. Weather wise we had a lot of rain and cooler days, which was fine with me.  Summer heat and I don't get along. I was extremely busy at work and I think that is partly why the month went so fast for me. We went to see Michael Martin Murphey and that was a lot of fun. My man went to see him a second time (it was a free concert) and got to actually meet him and talk about guitars which will be a great memory for him.


 









I also might have bought some more plants- but it is so fun living in a place where things grow! I was invited to join my sister in law and mother in law for a flower shopping day and it was most enjoyable. We were able to plant our garden over Memorial Day weekend. We haven't planted a garden since we moved to our new house so we are experimenting on where we want to put everything. We have some tanks but also planted our squash just right in the ground since it always takes over. I am trying to buy plants that will come back each year so I don't have to keep buying them. Anyway May was all about the plants for me.




We turned off all streaming services for our TV for the summer (with the exception below). We spend more time outside though we do watch movies and such that we already own on rainy days. We did this last year as well and it worked out. Saves us money and less screen time is good. I want to also try and use my phone less as well. It is ridiculous how connected we are to our dang phones. 

https://www.amazon.com/When-Calls-Heart-Season-6/dp/B07LDS288Z

I will say we that we have watched When Calls the Heart Season Six. That is the one thing we do watch every week on Amazon. We have been fans since the second season when we went to meet the cast and so we simply have to watch it. This season has been AMAZING. Even with all of the casting issues they have done a phenomenal job with this season and I actually think it is one of the best seasons yet. If you haven't seen WCTH I highly recommend! It really is good. 

I also worked on my to read pile of books and have gotten it down to only a few. I do need some new recommendations though so if anyone has ideas on good books to read I will take suggestions! 


 I hope everyone had a wonderful May and that June is full of fun adventures for you. 

Thanks for stopping by!