30 May 2018

Waiting on Wednesday | Catwoman: Soulstealer

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.
(Similarly, Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings.)

Happy Wednesday!

I spent the past week catching up on Marvel's superhero movies in order to see Avengers: Infinity War. So, even though I know DC is technically different than Marvel, I'm still on a superhero high today, excited for this next DC Icons book.

29 May 2018

Top Ten Tuesday | Books on My Summer TBR

Hosted weekly by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Happy Tuesday!

I'm going rogue this week, sharing my summer TBR instead of discussing bookish worlds (though, I suppose, these are the worlds I intend to live in this summer). I'm just really excited about getting some fun reading done in the next few months. I'm feeling ambitious at the moment, plus I'm planning to see how much of the Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge I can finish, so the list's a bit longer than ten books...

26 May 2018

Loving Grace | Spotlight & Excerpt

Welcome to the Loving Grace blog blitz and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Grace Summer lands herself in a melon load of trouble when she becomes torn between the boy of her dreams and the boy almost next door.

As the newly crowned Watermelon Queen, she is thrust into the spotlight, meets the dreamy Warren Hartley, and continues trying to get over an accident that rocked her world. Mix in working with Beau Baron who Grace happens to fight with just about as much as breathing and the metaphorical sparks fly.

Like most things in life, Grace must learn to take the good with the bad. While the good is the handsome and fun Warren Hartley, the bad is Beau Baron—or at least being around his annoying and rude self way more than she would like. For Beau, Grace is nothing more than aggravating and an irritating reminder from the night of the accident.

Tensions soar as Grace and Beau fight to love themselves and maybe, just maybe, each other.

Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: March 20, 2018


25 May 2018

The Friday 56 & First Line Friday | The Theory of Happily Ever After

The Friday 56 is hosted weekly by Freda's Voice.
First Line Friday is hosted weekly by Hoarding Books.

Happy Friday!

I've been spending time with Dr. Maggie Maguire recently, and I'm really enjoying the fun of this story so far. I'm excited to keep reading this weekend and see what happens next.

23 May 2018

Waiting on Wednesday | More Than Meets the Eye

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.
(Similarly, Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings.)

Happy Wednesday!

This happens every year: I can't not get excited about a new book from Karen Witemeyer. I can't wait to get my hands on this one.

21 May 2018

A Unique Way to Study the Bible | Journible: The 17:18 Series

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Why the 17:18 Series?

In Deuteronomy 17, Moses is leaving final instructions concerning the future of Israel. As a prophet of God, Moses foretells of when Israel will place a king over the nation (v. 14). In verse 18, the king is commanded to not simply acquire a copy of the law (the entire book of Deuteronomy) from the scroll publishing house, but to hand write his own copy of the law. Thirty-four hundred years later, educators are discovering that students that physically write out their notes by hand have a much greater retention rate than simply hearing or visually reading the information. Apparently, God knew this to be true of the kings of Israel also. From such understanding came the conception of this series of books.

How to Use These Books

Each book is organized so that you can write out your very own copy of Scripture. You will be writing the Bible text only on the right hand page of the book. This should make for easier writing and also allows ample space on the left page to write your own notes and comments. From time to time a question or word will be lightly printed on the left page; these questions are to aid in further study, but should not interfere with your own notes and comments.



18 May 2018

The Friday 56 & First Line Friday | As Easy as Riding a Bike

The Friday 56 is hosted weekly by Freda's Voice.
First Line Friday is hosted weekly by Hoarding Books.

Happy Friday!

I've been reading this novella all week, and it's really cute so far. I love quaint, small-town settings and rekindled friendshipsI'm really looking forward to seeing how this story plays out.

17 May 2018

Western Adventure & Romance | The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy

Welcome to the blog tour and giveaway for The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

She’s the only witness to a wagon train attack. Keeping her safe, though, means his world is about to be turned upside down.

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he’s finally carved out a home and started a herd–while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail. He’d hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling–yet enticing.

Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter–but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: April 3, 2018

16 May 2018

Waiting on Wednesday | The Reluctant Warrior

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.
(Similarly, Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings.)

Happy Wednesday!

I've been enjoying The Accidental Guardian this week, so I've been thinking about how excited I am to read Gwen's story, too.

14 May 2018

Bout of Books 22

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 14th and runs through Sunday, May 20th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 22 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books team

I'm so ready for a week full of reading! I don't have any classes right now, plus I won't be working on Friday (though I will be spending the weekend with family), so I should get through plenty of the books I'm hoping to read. Here's my TBR for the week:


-The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy
-Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Jill Mansell
-How to Be a Perfect Christian by The Babylon Bee
-Hurricane Season by Lauren K. Denton
-Last Year's Mistake by Gina Ciocca*
-Luck, Love & Lemon Pie by Amy E. Reichert
-The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
-The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin
-The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West*
-The Theory of Happily Ever After by Kristin Billerbeck

* = started reading before May 14th


And throughout the read-a-thon week, I'll be posting here, on Twitter, and on Litsy (@hes7) with my progress. (Feel free to join the reading fun by signing up over at Bout of Books!)

Happy reading!

11 May 2018

The Friday 56 & First Line Friday | Falling for You

The Friday 56 is hosted weekly by Freda's Voice.
First Line Friday is hosted weekly by Hoarding Books.

Happy Friday!

This book is my plan for weekend readingI'm beyond excited. Finally! I loved the first book in this series, True to You, and ever since reading it, I've been eager to find out more of the story between Willow and Corbin.

Enter a giveaway for Falling for You here.

09 May 2018

Waiting on Wednesday | My Plain Jane

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.
(Similarly, Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings.)

Happy Wednesday!

It's been too many months since I last joined in the Waiting on Wednesday fun, but I'm happy to be back talking about books I'm excited to read!

This book, the companion to My Lady Jane (a book I completely loved!), is one of my most anticipated books of the year, and I can't believe its release is less than a couple months away. I'm so ready for it.

08 May 2018

Top Ten Tuesday | Books With My Favorite Color on the Cover

Hosted weekly by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Happy Tuesday!

Red has long been my favorite color. I love how bright it is, and so many book covers have caught my eye with a splash of red. Here are a few of my favorites.

The Backcountry Brides Collection | Spotlight & Guest Post

Welcome to the blog tour and giveaway for The Backcountry Brides Collection, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Travel into Colonial America where eight women seek love, but they each know a future husband requires the necessary skills to survive in the backcountry. 

Living in areas exposed to nature’s ferocity, prone to Indian attack, and cut off from regular supplies, can hearts overcome the dangers to find lasting love?

Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels: 1754 - Great Wagon Road, into the Shenandoah Valley (Virginia)
As the French-Indian War commences, Magda Sehler wonders if Jacob Owens lost his mind to have abandoned his Philadelphia business and moved to the Shenandoah Valley. Or has he lost his heart?

Heart of Nantahala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor: 1757 - (North Carolina)
Joseph Gregory plans to buy a lumber mill, but Mabel Walker becomes a formidable opponent. When she’s forced to make a painful decision, she must choose between survival and love.

Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas: 1763 - Fort Michilimackinac (Michigan) during Pontiac’s Rebellion
Laurette Pettigrew grew up in the northern frontier. Henry Bedlow arrived against his will. Their chance meeting changes everything. Will a deadly clash of cultures keep them from finding happiness?

A Heart So Tender by Debra E. Marvin: 1764 – (New York)
As thousands of Native warriors converge on Fort Niagara, jaded British Lieutenant Archibald Walsh and idealistic schoolmistress Susannah Kimball learn the greatest risk lies in guarding their hearts.

A Worthy Groom by Angela K. Couch: 1771 - Sapling Grove settlement on the Holston River (Tennessee)
The Cowden temper has been Marcus’s lifelong bane. A trait Lorinda Cowden curses. Now, winning the heart of his bride hinges on fighting a war without raising a fist.

Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer: 1778-1780 – (Georgia)
Fighting Loyalists and Indians, Jenny White settles for strength over love . . .until Scottish scout Caylan McIntosh leads her family on a harrowing exodus out of Georgia’s Revolutionary “Hornet’s Nest.”

The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear: 1781 – (South Carolina)
Tasked with infiltrating an infamous Tory gang, Jed Wheeler has no wish to endanger the leader’s cousin, Lizzy Cunningham. He risks not only his life. . .but his heart.

Love’s Undoing by Gabrielle Meyer: 1792 - Fur Post on the Upper Mississippi River (Minnesota)
When Englishman Henry Kingsley meets Abi McCrea, the daughter of a Scottish fur trader and Indian mother, will their worlds keep them apart, or have they finally found somewhere they truly belong? 

Publisher: Barbour Books  
Release Date: May 1, 2018


07 May 2018

More Than a Promise | Spotlight

Welcome to the More Than a Promise Takeover Tour and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Widower Matt Wilmot is an excavator by trade, but with his three rambunctious young sons making trouble all over town, he may not have what it takes to dig them out on his own.

The boys' antics have earned them a riotous reputation in their small town of Cedar Mills. When Matt's former mother-in-law, a powerful lawyer and judge, threatens to sue for custody, Matt’s sure she means it.

Enter Matt’s new neighbor, Elle Drake. She’s made a successful career for herself as an artist and potter, but after a disastrously public break-up with her millionaire ex-husband, she’s back in Cedar Mills to lick her wounds and set her roughed-up self-image to rights.

After Matt's oldest son causes damage in Elle’s yard, her common-sense approach forces the boy to take responsibility for his actions—and gives Matt the wake-up call he desperately needs.

Initially adversarial, attraction grows between Matt and Elle as they get to know one another. Matt appreciates Elle's effect on his sons, and when he gets cornered into having a Sunday breakfast with Elle and the boys, he has fun for the first time in...well, he can't remember when.

Everything changes when Elle hears the boys’ grandmother berating Matt in public and threatening to take the boys. She defuses the situation by pretending to be Matt's fiancée and the boys' future stepmother. When Matt decides it's a brilliant plan and kisses her to seal the deal, Elle knows he's crazy. But he's also sweet, funny, engaging, sexy and strong, which isn't exactly a bad thing!

The newest Christian romance by Ruth Logan Herne combines heart and humor with a dose of small-town reality.

Publisher: Ruth Logan Herne
Re-Release Date: May 2018


04 May 2018

The Friday 56 & First Line Friday | Beneath the Surface

The Friday 56 is hosted weekly by Freda's Voice.
First Line Friday is hosted weekly by Hoarding Books.

Happy Friday!

I've enjoyed revisiting Lynn H. Blackburn's Beneath the Surface this week to put together a book-inspired playlist. It's an exciting, suspenseful story. Enjoy the peek (and pop over here for a few songs and a giveaway)!

Beneath the Surface | Playlist

ABOUT THE BOOK

After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she'd left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.

Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff's Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killerone with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.

Dive into the depths of fear with an exciting new voice in romantic suspense. Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn grabs readers by the throat and doesn't let go until the final heart-pounding page.

Publisher: Revell
Release Date: March 6, 2018


03 May 2018

Falling for You | Spotlight & Giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK

Famously beautiful model Willow Bradford is taking a temporary break from her hectic schedule to work as the innkeeper at her family's small-town bed-and-breakfast. She was enjoying the peace of her hometown, Merryweather, Washington, right up until she came face-to-face with Corbin Stewart, the man she loves to hate. A thoughtful rule-follower by nature, Willow threw caution to the wind four years ago when she entrusted her heart to Corbinand suffered the consequences when it all fell apart.

Former NFL quarterback Corbin is forceful, charming, and accustomed to getting what he wants . . . except where Willow Bradford is concerned. Unable to forget her, he's never stopped regretting what happened between them. When their paths unexpectedly cross again, he's determined to make her give him a second chance.

When a decades-old missing persons case finds Corbin and Willow working together, they're forced to confront their past and who they've becomeand whether they can risk falling for one another all over again.