Review of Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan

About the Book ~

In a most improbable friendship, she found love. In a world where women were silenced, she found her voice.

From New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan comes an exquisite novel of Joy Davidman the woman C. S. Lews called "my whole world." When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis - known as Jack - she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn't holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn't destroy.

In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren't meant to have a voice - and yet her love for jack gave them both voice they didn't know they had.

At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer's life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story - a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.

For more information about Patti Callahan and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

While The Chronicles of Narnia is a beloved series to me, I didn't know a lot about the personal life of C. S. Lewis (Jack), and I knew virtually nothing about Joy Davidman, so I was really excited to read this fictional account of their love story!

Yeah, I'm a nerd.

Patti Callahan's writing style transports you into this fictional account of history! The sensory details were so vivid that I could almost feel the damp dirt by the lake, taste the fresh (or dirty, depending on the location!) air, and smell the tobacco and books in Jack's office. Becoming Mrs. Lewis has a wealth of information, literature, and history tucked between its pages, making it a grand place for history geeks!

While I didn't know the tragic turn the story would take, I appreciated the "warts and all" approach to the picture painted of C. S. Lewis and Joy Davidman. So often beloved figures like this are imagined as perfect, so I liked that the author choose to show us struggles, temptations, and failures in a very realistic way. Joy Davidman's spiritual journey was empowering as she fully embraces God as her True Love in every way.

Three Stars ~ Becoming Mrs. Lewis is romantic blend of true love, literature, and England. However, if abuse, physical affairs, emotional affairs, or breast cancer are painful subjects for you, then I would advise caution, dear reader. Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a standalone, but Patti Callahan has quite the backlist of titles for readers to peruse!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Review of Swing by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess

About the Book ~

When America is not so beautiful, or right, or just, it can be hard to know what to do. Best friends Walt and Noah decide to use their voices to grow more good in the world, but first they’ve got to find cool.

Walt is convinced junior year is their year, and he has a plan to help them woo the girls of their dreams and become amazing athletes. Never mind that he and Noah failed to make the high school baseball team yet again, and Noah’s love interest since third grade, Sam, has him firmly in the friend zone. Noah soon finds himself navigating the worlds of jazz, batting cages, the strange advice of Walt’s Dairy Queen-employed cousin, as well as Walt’s own perceptions of what is actually cool. Status quo seems inevitable until Noah stumbles on a stash of old love letters. Each page contains the words he’s always wanted to say to Sam, and he begins secretly creating artwork using the lines that speak his heart. But when his private artwork becomes public, Noah has a decision to make: continue his life in the dugout and possibly lose the girl forever, or take a swing and make his voice heard?

At the same time, numerous American flags are being left around town. While some think it’s a harmless prank and others see it as a form of peaceful protest, Noah can’t shake the feeling something bigger is happening to his community. Especially after he witnesses events that hint divides and prejudices run deeper than he realized.

As the personal and social tensions increase around them, Noah and Walt must decide what is really true when it comes to love, friendship, sacrifice, and fate.

New York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess (Solo) tell a lyrical story about hope, courage, and love that will speak to anyone who’s struggled to find their voice.

For more information about Kwame Alexander and his books, check out his website here!

For more information about Mary Rand Hess and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

I fell in love with the lyrical, poetic writing style of this dynamic duo, Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess, in Solo...

And Swing did NOT disappoint! In fact, I think the authors raised their awesome bar to a whole new awesome level!

Swing follows the journey of best friends Walt and Noah from Noah's viewpoint. Their mission? Find their cool! Who among us hasn't tried to find their cool? I know I have! One of my favorite features was getting to see and study the artwork that Noah creates! Those details really pulled me into the story in a way that so few stories have. I also loved the jazz references. Whether you're a jazz novice or the Chairman of the Board to seventeen different jazz clubs, readers will find these references to be fun, inspiring, and profound! Walt and Noah's hilarious, awkward, and vulnerable moments will result in a ripple effect, encouraging all who read their journey to embrace a "hug life" philosophy!

The underlying message of Swing tackles some of the most painful social issues of the day. Race, prejudice, and division build until...until the reader closes the back cover with tears in their eyes. Swing took a painful subject and gave it a face and a name, hopes and dreams. And how can anyone not break when that is shattered? If only we could look at everyone like that...

Four Stars ~ Swing's powerfully poetic narrative will tug on heartstrings and hopefully inspire conversations. Swing is general-market fiction, but there are powerful faith/God messages mixed into the story. Swing is (to my knowledge) a standalone novel, but if Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess write another book, I'll read it. Period.

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I was offered a eBook copy of this book from the author/publisher. I also purchased my own hardback copy from Amazon. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Things Left Unsaid by Courtney Walsh Release Day Feature!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Things Left Unsaid

Author: Courtney Walsh

Publisher: Waterfall Press

Release Date: October 30, 2018 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Links*: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | BAM! | Christian Book | Barnes & Noble

An emotional novel of family, friendship and forgiveness from Courtney Walsh, the New York Times bestselling author of Hometown Girl.

Lyndie St. James is thrilled that her best friend, Elle, is getting married but unprepared for the emotional storm of the wedding week and returning to her childhood summer home of Sweethaven. The idyllic cottage community harbors some of her best—and worst—memories. It’s not only the tragic death of her childhood friend Cassie that has haunted her for ten years, it’s the other secrets she’s buried that have kept her from moving on.

But Lyndie isn’t the only one with secrets.

Cassie’s mother, father and brother, still struggling with the loss, have been drifting further and further apart. And Elle herself, the last to see Cassie alive, carries an impossible burden of guilt. Now reunited, each of them has a choice: to reveal the truths of that night or continue to live in its shadow. That means embarking on a personal journey of the heart—to escape the darkness and all its regrets and to finally come to terms with the past and, especially, with each other.

TO PURCHASE A COPY*

Amazon | Book Depository | Books-a-Million! | Christian Book | Barnes & Noble

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Courtney Walsh is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist as well as an artist, theater director and playwright. She is the author of the Sweethaven series—including A Sweethaven Summer, which was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category—as well as the small-town romances Paper Hearts, Change of Heart, Just Look Up and the forthcoming Just Let Go. Things Left Unsaid is her ninth novel. She lives in Illinois, where she and her husband own a performing-arts studio and youth theater. They have three children.

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:

  Website | Facebook | Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Goodreads

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Review of Enchanting Nicholette by Dawn Crandall!

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Enchanting Nicholette by Dawn Crandall, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Enchanting Nicholette  
Series: The Everstone Chronicles #5  
Author: Dawn Crandall  
Publisher: Whitaker House  
Release Date: October 9, 2018  
Genre: Historical Romance

In this captivating novella by Dawn Crandall, Nicholette Everstone is already a widow at the age of twenty-two: her husband was murdered on their wedding day. She has just returned to Boston after two years of mourning in Europe. Although her husband was loving, the marriage was an arranged one, and Nicholette would like to wed again–this time for love...and to someone safe.

As she acclimates to life in Back Bay again, Nicholette meets someone she can͛t help but fall for. But when she learns of the danger and sacrifices Cal Hawthorne takes on for the safety of others, will her heart be strong enough to keep her fears of  "what if" at bay?

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | BAM! | Christian Book

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dawn Crandall's debut Gilded Age Victorian romance, ͞The Hesitant Heiress, was a 2015 ACFW Carol award finalist in the debut category and received the 2015 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2015 Write Touch Reader͛s Choice Award and the 2015 Romancing the Novel Reader͛s Choice Award. Her follow-up novel, ͞The Bound Heart, received the 2016 Laurel Award from Clash of the Titles. Dawn earned a BA in Christian Education from Taylor University. She͛s been balancing books and babies lately as her two sons were both born as the four books of her Everstone Chronicles series were being released from Whitaker House from 2014 to 2016. Dawn lives with her husband and two young sons on a hobby farm in her hometown in northeast Indiana.

 CONNECT WITH DAWN CRANDALL: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) Winner will win:

• A print copy of Enchanting Nicholette
• A library card zipper bag
• Two pairs of Jane Austen socks
• Two hand poured candles
• A historically accurate soap from Austen͛s time
• A Jane Austen set of playing cards
• A set of Jane Austen notecards
• 6 magnets with Jane Austen quotes

(US Mailing Addresses Only)  

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight October 29, 2018 and lasts through 11:59pm November 12, 2018. Void where prohibited by law. US addresses only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead for a full list of stops!

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REVIEW

My Thoughts ~ 

I have been wanting to get my hands on one of Dawn Crandall's books for a long time, so I jumped (virtually speaking...and maybe literally...) at the chance to review Enchanting Nicholette!

I was not disappointed!!!

Despite the fact that this is a novella, it read like a full-length novel. The characters and the plot were so wonderfully done, and the pacing didn't feel rushed. I loved how it was told through Nicholette's first-person narrative. Honestly, I actually kept wishing there were more pages simply because I wanted more of this beautiful story!

The story starts with one of my favorite meet-cutes EVER! Guys, it's set in a bookstore. A BOOKSTORE!!! So I don't know if you can insta-love a book based on a meet-cute, but well, I think it happened for me with this one!

The attraction between Nicholette and Cal was ELECTRIC, but their relationship was based on a lot more than that! In addition to their mutual love for God, they could relate to and understand each other on a deeper level that many around them could not comprehend. Cal's heart for helping and protecting others really opened Nicholette's eyes, helping her become someone who cared more about the person than any potential "scandal." And while a mystery unfolds around her, Nicholette battles the fear that has held her captive since her world fell apart. I loved the spiritual journey that she took as she opens up her heart again to those around her - including God.

Four Stars ~ Enchanting Nicholette is a enchantingly romantic tale! Enchanting Nicholette is the fifth book in The Everstone Chronicles by Dawn Crandall. I had no confusion reading it as a standalone, but I am eager to read the rest of the series - I need more of these characters!!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Review of A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson

About the Book ~ 

Uncovering the past can lead to an unexpected future . . .

Millie Sullivan plays a 1920s-era guest during tours of a palatial estate on the shore of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where her great-grandmother was a real guest ninety years ago. When Millie learns of a lost diary that may contain the location of a hidden treasure on the estate and reveal the identity of her great-grandfather, she sets out to find the truth of her heritage -- and the fortune she desperately needs. But it won't be easy.

When security guard Ben Thornton discovers her snooping in the estate's private library, he threatens to have her fired. Still, her story seems too ludicrous to be fiction, and her offer to split the treasure is too tempting to pass up.

Get ready for a romantic escapade through dark halls and dusty corners that will have you holding your breath and sighing with delight.

For more information about Liz Johnson and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~ 

I'm going to confess something...

I decided to read A Sparkle of Silver because of the first line of the summary... "Millie Sullivan plays a 1920s-era guest - " And that's all it took for me to want to read the book! I'm a sucker for anything relating to the 1920's!

But what I found when I started reading A Sparkle of Silver surprised and delighted me! This story is actually more of a big, beautiful diamond than a simple sparkle of silver!

Multiple facets make up Millie and Ben's story. Humor. Romance. History. Suspense. Mystery. The author expertly wrote each of these different threads so that they shined not only by themselves but also as they worked together. One moment we (and by "we," I obviously mean the characters) would be running for our (the characters) lives, and the next moment we (ummm...still the characters?) would be laughing (okay...that was definitely me...) before we (me...and Millie!) swooned!!! I was thoroughly swept into this tale that hinted at times gone by in the middle of a contemporary treasure hunt!

Ben and Millie's romantic journey will require a hand-fan, and I don't mean one of those paper ones. Invest in a beautifully embroidered cloth hand-fan. You will be putting it to good use. While their relationship starts with them both feeling kind of "eh..." about each other, lots of emotional vulnerability and dusty alcoves while they hunt for forgotten treasure make for a prime setting for some swooning!

But the spiritual journey is the greatest treasure found in this novel! In their own ways, Ben and Millie had to see that money could not be their true Provider and that God would not betray them. Ben and Millie show us that true love is someone who walks with you through all the junk life throws at you, who forgives you when you screw up, and who sees you as more than past mistakes - their relationship so beautifully illustrates how God sees each one of us!

Five Stars - A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson delighted me in so many ways! A Sparkle of Silver is the first book in Liz Johnson's new Georgia Coast Romance Series with Revell! I'm really looking forward to the next book!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Lady of a Thousand Treasures Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Review!

Welcome to  Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd Scavenger Blog Hunt with an awesome giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!  On each stop, there will be:

• special content by the blogger, plus
• a clue
• then head back to the launch post on JustRead or straight to the main crossword puzzle to fill in the words and get the special phrase to enter the  giveaway!

Before we begin, there's a bit about Lady of a Thousand Treasures. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Lady of a Thousand Treasures
Series: Victorian Ladies, Book 1
Author: Sandra Byrd
Publisher: Tyndale House
Release Date: October 9, 2018
Genre: Historical/Gothic Romance
Links: Goodreads

Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.

TO PURCHASE A COPY*

Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Christian Book | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published fifty books.

Sandra's delighted to kick off her new historical romance series with Tyndale House Publishers, Victorian Ladies, with Lady of a Thousand Treasures. The three-book Victorian Ladies series follows her historically sound Gothic romances, Daughters of Hampshire, launched with the bestselling Mist of Midnight, which earned a coveted Editor's Choice award from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. The third in the series, A Lady in Disguise, was published in 2017. Check out her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, which was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2011, and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012.

Sandra has published dozens of books for kids, tweens, and teens, including the bestselling The One Year Be-Tween You and God Devotions for Girls. She continued her work as a devotionalist, with The One Year Home and Garden Devotions, and The One Year Experiencing God's Love Devotional.

Please visit www.sandrabyrd.com to learn more or to invite Sandra to your book club via Skype.

CONTACT: website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

SCAVENGER HUNT CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Instructions: Head to every stop on the tour to collect a word to finish the crossword puzzle. Hint: You might want to print out the crossword puzzle (link below) and enter it everyday to make it easier.

Crossword Board: https://crosswordlabs.com/view/lady-of-a-thousand-treasures-scavenger-hunt

Not a crossword puzzle fan? Just compile the clue words from each stop and enter it on the Rafflecopter entry.

This stop's CLUE is:   yourself.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive:

• a copy of Lady of a Thousand Treasures (print to US addresses OR ebook to international)
• Cork coaster set of the British Isles (US Only)
• "To The Lighthouse" diffuser made by Seawitch Candles in Cornwall, England. (US Only)
• $10 Amazon gift card (open international)

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Entry form will be live on the 19th once all clues are revealed. Clues for giveaway will begin at midnight October 15, 2018. Entries are opened at midnight on October 19, 2018 and lasts through 11:59pm October 22, 2018. Void where prohibited by law. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to stop on every stop on the Tour Schedule for all the clues to enter!

TOUR SCHEDULE

For the full tour schedule, click on either of the launch pages below.
(All stops expected to post by 12:00 NOON EST)

Launch Page at JustRead

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

REVIEW

My Thoughts ~

Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd is truly a treasure!

And I'm sorry if that sounds like a cliche, but it's true! This tale is pure gold! ;-)

Each time I cracked the spine (Well, I didn't actually crack the spine. I'm not a monster.), I was immediately swept into this beautiful tale! The details painted such vivid imagery that just had me lost in the story! Not lost as in the details were threatening to devour me with their pointy detail-ness. No, I mean lost as in I fell into some sort of bookish time-space continuum that delivered me into the midst of this gorgeous story in the best possible way!

The story is told through Eleanor's first person narrative - which I loved! I loved experiencing everything with her, seeing the story unfold through her eyes, and asking the same questions as her - Harry: chivalrous dreamboat or sleazy Victorian playboy? In case you're worried, it's the first one. Chivalry isn't dead! Except this novel is set in the Victorian Era...but you know what I mean! ;-) The romance between Harry and Eleanor stole my heart, leaving me breathless and in need of smelling salts! I also loved learning about antiques - I love antiques! - in a vintage setting, and the Gothic Victorian setting only enhanced the unfolding mystery, angst, and danger.

There was so much that I loved about this novel, but my favorite thing was the underlying theme regarding trials and testing seasons in life, that one doesn't need to fear those tests because it's through those events that we learn who a person - or our own person - really is at the core. Gold or brass. True or false. Loyal or untrustworthy. Lady of a Thousand Treasures skillfully shines a light on weaknesses and strengths through the tests of moral character that Eleanor, Harry, and the others endured.

Four Stars ~ A beautiful and enchanting tale! Lady of a Thousand Treasures is the first book in Sandra Byrd's new Victorian Ladies Series with Tyndale. I can't wait to read the next book, releasing Spring 2020!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Review of Hideous Beauty by Jack Cavanaugh

About the Book ~

This would isn't what you think it is...

Every day invaders slip across our borders to infiltrate our government, our schools, our neighborhoods. Homeland security can't stop them. The armed forces are no threat to them. Powerful and unseen, they cannot be stopped. They have been doing this for millennia.

On what should have been the best day of his life, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Grant Austin learns of a plan to assassinate the president of the United States. Every attempt to sound the alarm is thwarted, and Grant soon finds himself at the center of an even greater battle that predates time as he stands alone against ancient powers and unspeakable evil--evil that can only be described as a hideous beauty.

For more information about Jack Cavanaugh and his books, check out his website here!

My Thoughts ~

Imagine a bookworm with buggy eyes frantically turning the pages who then bursts out laughing.

That was me while reading Hideous Beauty by Jack Cavanaugh. I don't have any pictures, so you'll just have to take my word for it. ;-)

I stayed up until two in the morning to finish reading Hideous Beauty! Then I was wide awake for almost an hour because my mind kept dwelling on the events of this thrilling story! This author stole precious sleep from me, which basically means he did an amazing job!

Grant Austin was an author and a history nerd, so I automatically liked him. Plus, his sarcastic tendencies could rival Lorelai Gilmore. I can't tell you how many times I started to laugh in the middle of a tense scene because Grant couldn't help but toss those comments out like confetti! Grant had lived his life without putting any stock in God, that is until he ticks off a fallen angel, gets attacked by some demons, and then annoys a good angel just by being alive. It amused me how long he continued to fight the idea of God's existence even after all he'd experienced. But when he finally came to God, it was in a way that only Grant Austin could: epic with a touch of sarcasm!

While the supernatural thread is amazing, the political plot works stupendously with it! I found that to be just as fascinating! Intrigue. Murder. Suspense. The all-too-familiar reality that some leaders are not the façade they present to the world. Who doesn't love a good political thriller? But when you throw in the supernatural forces of Heaven, you've got yourself one dozy of a ride!

The author clearly did a lot of research for this story, blending Biblical fact and fiction in such a way that I had to keep reminding myself that this was just book! While Hideous Beauty is utterly enthralling, readers will close the back cover with an air of sobriety as they contemplate the fact that the spiritual realm does operate in unison with everything we see. Truly, Hideous Beauty is a powerful testament that while all sorts of junk may be happening around us, God has already won!

Four Stars ~ A thrilling ride! Hideous Beauty is the first book in Jack Cavanaugh's Kingdom Wars Series! I'm very excited to read the next book, Heavenly Mortal, which releases February 2019!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!
 

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

 

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!