Saturday, December 16, 2023

Sweet Rivalry byTerri Gillespie

About the Book

Book: Sweet Rivalry

Author: Terri Gillespie

Genre: Women’s Contemporary/ Christian Romance/Family Life Fiction

Release Date: October 27, 2021

Just an ordinary morning for Sarah Sweeting—watching her favorite baking show, Cupcake Rivalry, getting ready for work at her Granny’s small-town bakery. All that changes when Sarah spots a contestant who looks like her, sounds like her, moves like her.

Was this her twin sister? The twin her mother ran away with twenty years ago? Were hers and Granny’s prayers finally being answered?

When Granny confirms Sarah’s shocking discovery, Granny suffers a heart attack.

Raven Souwer’s morning began at a frenzied pace—incessantly ringing phones and a Beverly Hills’ bakery full of customers. All because everyone wants to catch a glimpse of the Cupcake Rivalry contestants—Raven and her best friend, Will Durning.

But a phone call from an excited woman who claims to be Raven’s long-lost sister—a sister Raven has no memory of—informs Raven that a grandmother she never knew was in the hospital.

The call changes the course of Raven’s life and brings up the pain she thought she’d overcome.

Will Sarah and Raven finally be united, or will other rivalries—like competing in a baking show—separate them again?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

I enjoyed this book; it flowed quite well most of the time. Most of the characters were well-developed except Drew. I didn't feel he was as well developed as he should have been and his interactions with other characters weren't as well done as the rest of the book.

This is a Christian book and Jesus was mentioned often. The way to become a Christian was shown but could have been more fully shown. The main characters were well-developed for the most part. There were enough twists and turns to keep me interested to the end. In fact, I felt more could have been added to the epilogue and even to the main story, especially concerning the father.

I give this book a 3 out of 5-star rating, not because of the storyline which I really enjoyed, but because of the editing. There were too many times that a word was missing or the wrong tense or even an added word. When this would happen I would need to re-read the sentence and I find this annoying. Since I got the book through CelebrateLit, maybe there will be more editing done, I hope so.

I did receive a free copy of this book through CelebrateLit. I am not required to leave a positive review and all thoughts are my own.

About the Author

Award-winning author, YouTube personality, and speaker, Terri Gillespie writes stories of faith and redemption. She has won best contemporary with the Lyra Awards, Rattler Contest, Golden Scroll, and placed in the Angel Book Awards.

Life is a journey. Terri lived in fear most of her life. Stories helped her see life through the lens of adventure and God’s abiding love. Those stories changed her life. They empowered her to be brave. She hopes hers will do the same for you.

She is the author of critically-acclaimed Making Eye Contact with God (now in its 15th year), She Does Good Hair, CUT IT OUT!, Really Bad Hair Day, and Sweet Rivalry.

More from Terri

Where do stories come from? Oh, so many places. Sweet Rivalry began over ten years ago with an idea called the “cupcake sisters.” Two sisters who worked in a small hometown bakery trying to be true to family recipes and not get overrun by the food chains. Not much more than that. Boring, right?

The other day, I ran across my notes written years ago with other ideas for the sisters. No plot could carry an interesting enough story to get the creative juices going.

A dear friend—and amazing author—gave me a life-sized cupcake candle. The vibrant colors and glittery icing were meant to inspire me to develop the idea and write the book. It sat on my inspiration shelf for years.

At first every time I looked at it, I would smile.

But, as the years went by the sun faded the candle, as did my hope of finding the right story for the cupcake sisters.

Then, during COVID I got hooked on those reality shows about long-lost families being reunited after decades of separation. Some of the families had no idea the other family member existed.

Each episode meant a fist of soppy tissues. Yet, even with the dramatic music, professional editing, and big build-up, some families’ smiles didn’t quite reach their eyes.

I wondered, what happens to these people after the camera crews leave? After the emotional reunions, the drama and excitement subsides and reality settles into their respective homes? How do these people from very different histories become a family? Do they even try? Do they want to face the secrets that separated them?

Some of the “long-lost” family members were children of affairs. Most were children given up through adoption. Others abandoned. One man found his birth mother, only to learn he was the result of a rape. How do they navigate the choppy and complex psychological waters?

These interesting stories became delicious ingredients for the Sweet Rivalry novel. Twin sisters separated as toddlers by a troubled mother with addictions.

One sister, Sarah was raised by her loving, Christian grandmother who owned the local Sweet’s Bakery.

The other sister, Raven was raised by her using mother, in crack houses. Still, Raven manages to become a celebrated pastry chef.

How do twins with completely different childhoods become a family? How does the sister raised in a loving, stable, Christian environment form a relationship with the sister who has seen the worst of society and had to pull herself from a terrible background all on her own? Who now blames God for the horrific things that happened to her?

And a grandmother that hides a terrible secret?

Now, throw into the mix three handsome men vying for the twins’ affections, then bake with the emotional investments into the lives of these women, and you’ve got quite a recipe for a delectable story.

With humor, passion and delicious recipes, Sweet Rivalry will satisfy the hungry reader looking for a unique story of hope.

You know, Sweet Rivalry’s journey proved to me once again, that creativity can’t be forced, and GOD’s timing is always the best—even if it is a ten-year wait.

How about a recipe?

Raven’s Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cupcakes with Fritos Frosting

The Recipe That Almost Won the Cupcake Rivalry competition for Raven and Will.

Raven’s cupcake recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup unsalted butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar packed

2 eggs room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup Dr Pepper

½ cup buttermilk

Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting

4 cup powdered sugar

½ cup unsalted butter softened

6 oz cream cheese softened

4 T Dr Pepper to taste

Original, Regular flavor Fritos (up to 1 cup)—Don’t use the scoop type

Instructions:

Raven’s Chocolate Dr Pepper Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350o F. Prepare 2-12 count muffin tins with cupcake cup liners (22-24 total).
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer and large bowl), add in butter, granulated and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on low until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Keeping mixer speed on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix in the Dr Pepper.
Add the other half of the dry ingredients as well as the buttermilk. Mix until just combined—do not overmix. Batter should be thick and fluffy.
Pour cupcake batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups 2/3 full. Tap the tin on the counter a few times to level the batter.
Bake cupcakes one batch at a time for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Place muffin tin on a wire cooling rack to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove cupcakes and allow to finish cooling on wire rack.
Wait until cupcakes are completely cooled before applying the frosting.

Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting

Use a clean stand mixer (or a hand-mixer & large bowl) on high speed beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, roughly 2 minutes.
Drop speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. May be clumpy at this stage—don’t worry.
Keeping speed on low, slowly beat in softened cream cheese. Will recommends cutting the cream cheese into 4-5 pieces and mixing in one piece at a time.
Finally, add in the Dr. Pepper. Now if you want more Dr. Pepper flavor, you can add more, and you can add up to a cup more of powdered sugar, but after that, you lose the great cream cheese flavor.
Finely ground ½ cup of Fritos. Almost as fine as coffee grounds. Fold in by hand into frosting.
Frost the cupcakes.
Remaining Fritos you can either roughly ground and sprinkled on top, or Will likes to leave one Frito curl nestled on top, right before serving.
Eat immediately—I mean, who would wait?

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 16

Artistic Nobody, December 17 (Author Interview)

Books I’ve Read, December 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 18

Texas Book-aholic, December 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 20

Cover Lover Book Review, December 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 23

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, December 24 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, December 25

Beauty in the Binding, December 26 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, December 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 28 (Author Interview)

Exploring the Written Word, December 28

Lily’s Corner, December 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terri is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a signed copy of Sweet Rivalry, Cupcake Stickers, Sweet Rivalry bookmark, and a Hand-poured Cupcake Candle!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/293d5/sweet-rivalry-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Capturing Hope by Angela K Couch

About the Book

Book: Capturing Hope

Author: Angela K Couch

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release Date: November, 2023

One step ahead of the Nazi’s. . .leaves Nadia little room for hope.

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

After her father is murdered by Nazis and her mother flees to her native Germany, hope is something of which Nadia Roenne feels little—even if it is the meaning of her name. It isn’t until an American photographer sacrifices his escape from Poland to save a Jewish family, that she finds a purpose. David Reid is very familiar with failure, but when he is charged with getting Nadia safely out of Poland, he is determined to succeed—even if she works against him at every turn, putting other’s lives ahead of her own. While they race against the daily shower of bombs over Warsaw and the ever-nearing German army, Nadia grows used to risking her life. . .but dare she risk her heart?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review: I read an ARC of this book and really enjoyed it. I like reading historical fiction. This story captured my attention for the first page. I hated to put it down. The characters were quite well-developed. The story flowed well and the editing was well done.

What I did not like was the use of Polish words and not knowing what they were. That is my biggest complaint.

The history in the story was quite accurate and sad to read. I was thankful that the story had an epilogue to wrap it up. It still left one issue unresolved in my mind, but I do not want to reveal what it is and ruin the story.

I give this book a 4 out of 5-star review. I was given a copy of this book through CelebrateLit and this review is totally my own. I am not required to leave a positive review.

About the Author

To keep from freezing in the great white north, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the 2016 International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and toasty warm) by chasing after five munchkins.

More from Angela

When I first decided to set a story during the invasion of Poland, I was woefully unprepared for the pain and horror I found there. I wasn’t new to World War II and had just finished writing A Rose for the Resistance, which is set in France during the war and deals with the resistance and the Normandy invasion. The atrocities and genocide in Poland cut so much deeper.

In the early hours of September 1, 1939, the small town of Wielun, Poland, woke to a shower of bombs on their community. They did not house an army or warehouses, only homes and civilian businesses. Wielun was not the only town or village targeted—demonstrating the Nazi goal to spread fear and death. Six months earlier, Hitler had promised that if Poland did not bow to his wishes, he would wipe them off the map. Over the next month, and more so in the following six years, he came very close to succeeding.

For the full month of September 1939, while German armies rolled across the country, the city of Warsaw endured daily bombardment. Homes, workplaces, churches on Sunday morning, the Warsaw maternity hospital— nowhere was safe. On the tenth of September, someone recorded seventeen separate air raids over the city. I was moved to tears while viewing photographs of women and children who had been shot in the streets and fields by the bombers after they had dropped their payloads over the city.

No one came to their rescue.

Poland was abandoned by its allies to the Nazis.

So how do you write about all that and more while still trying to keep hope alive in the story and in the characters who have to live through such a frightening and demoralizing history?

I invite you to read Capturing Hope to find out.

Blog Stops

An Author’s Take, November 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 30

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 1

Lily’s Corner, December 1

Texas Book-aholic, December 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 3

For him and My Family, December 3

Betti Mace, December 4

Books You Can Feel Good About, December 4

Life on Chickadee Lane, December 5

Cover Lover Book Review, December 5

Alena Mentink, December 6

lakesidelivingsite, December 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 7

Blossoms and Blessings, December 7

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, December 8 (Author Interview)

Devoted to Hope, December 8

Bizwings Book Blog, December 9

Exploring the Written Word, December 9

Holly’s Book Corner, December 10

Pause for Tales, December 10

Connie’s History Classroom, December 11

Labor Not in Vain, December 11

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, December 12

Lights in a Dark World, December 12

Joy Suzanne Hunt, December 13

Books I’ve Read, December 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon eGift card and copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2909b/capturing-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Calling on the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund

I won this book on LibraryThing and I am not required to leave a review. This review is my honest opinion and is freely given.

I truly enjoyed this book, it was quite unique. The characters were mostly believable but not totally. They kept my interest throughout. The story flowed well and was very well written. The editing was very well done.

There were two things I did not care for, one, it was a bit steamy for a Christian genre. Not overtly but a little too suggestive for my taste. The second is there were a few things that were not wrapped up at the end of the book.

Overall, I'd give this a solid 4.5 out of 5-star review.

Sunday, November 12, 2023

The Amish Matchmakers by Beth Wiseman

I enjoyed listening to this book. It is a light-hearted story. It isn't a deep or thought-provoking story but fun. The narration was well done.

This is a Christian genre but not at all preachy. The story flowed well and kept my interest. I to this on a road trip to visit my mother-in-law and it kept the boredom at bay.

I would recommend this to anyone wanting an easy read/listen story. It is clean and well written even if not totally believable.

I give this a solid 3.5 out of 5-star review.

Monday, November 6, 2023

Her Secret Hope by Shelley Shepard Gray

This book is the third and last book in a series. It isn't essential that you read the first two books, but it helps you understand some of the minor characters. I liked this book, but I enjoyed the first book the most.

The characters are fairly well-developed, and you get a fairly good feel for their personalities. The story flowed well and kept my interest throughout. The story was mostly a love story but did have a slight bit of drama thrown in.

The editing was very well done and did not distract from my reading.

Overall, I give this a 3.5-star review. I would recommend it to my friends.

I received this book through the Revell Reads program. an e-book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barrett

I just finished reading this book and have to say, it was a hard read. Hard partially because of the graphic content and partially because of the parts where the characters remembered things already described making the book longer than necessary.

The content was very interesting and probably historically correct. was very indepth on the horror in those days in Warsaw. The story was split between the 2 sisters telling their stories of the war days. When they are actually doing things/interacting with people, it is very interesting. When they are remembering it gets monotonous.

This is listed as Christian genre, but there is very little to say it is. The editing was very well done.

I requested and received this book through the Revell Reads blogger program. I am not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts are my own and freely given. I give this a 3 out of 5-stars. I would hesitantly recommend this book.

This review is posted on several other book sites.

Monday, October 23, 2023

The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham

I listened to this audiobook on a trip to Alabama. It made for an easier trip. I enjoyed the story and the reading was very well done.
The story was unique with a bit of a love-story and mystery wrapped into one. I have enjoyed other books by Rachel Fordham, so when this became available on NetGalley, I requested to read and review and am very happy for that opportunity.
Since this was an audiobook I cannot comment on the editing but the reading was very well done and the story flowed very well.. The characters were well developed and believable and the story was believable also. This was set in the early 1920s and that was evident also. This is a Christian genre book and it fits that genre very well without being preachy in any form.
I would recommend this book to anyone and give it a hearty 4.5 stars.

To Spark A Match by Jen Turano

I received a copy of this book through Librarything giveaway. I am not required to leave a review and I am not required to leave a positive review.
I requested this book because I truly enjoy reading books by Jen Turano. This book did not disappoint. Her stories are truly unique and fun. The characters are not supposed to be true to life but are interesting and fun.
The story flowed well and kept my interest throughout. There were a few scenes that were laugh-out-loud funny.
The editing was mostly well done though I did spot a few errors. The genre is Christian though it is more like a clean read, not exactly Christian but good nonetheless.
I give this a solid 4 out of 5-star rating, 4.5 if they had that. I recommend this book if you're looking for a clean and entertaining read.

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Abigails Secret by Marilyn Turk

About the Book

Book: Abigail’s Secret

Author: Marilyn Turk

Genre: Dual Time

Release Date: August 15, 2020

Newly widowed mother Abby Baker goes home to Hope Harbor to help her ailing mother and restart her life. Weighed down by grief and fear of failure, she wishes she had the strength of her grandmother, who raised a young child alone while taking on the role of lighthouse keeper after her husband drowned. What was the secret of Granny Abigail’s strength?

Carson Stevens is a lighthouse enthusiast who has bought the deteriorating Hope Island lighthouse to restore it and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. When he meets Abby, he wants the attractive granddaughter of the former keepers to be part of the restoration.

As Abby and Carson work together, they uncover clues to a family secret that threatens to change Abby’s life forever. But someone is trying to sabotage their efforts at restoration.

Renovating the old lighthouse is Abby and Carson’s goal, but as they grow closer, they discover that what they’ve really needed is a renovation of their hearts.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review: This book is Christian genre and it fits fairly well. I enjoyed the book for the most part. I liked Abigail and Carson. They interact well together. Their characters are fairly well-developed and they interact well together. The story flowed very well and kept my interest throughout. The scenery was described well but could have been better.

What I did not like was the use of a dash when a comma should have been used. It made me wonder what the words were at times and disrupted my reading. There were also a couple of wrong words used. One was when grandfather was used instead of father. Both of these things threw off my reading. I hope the editing gets reviewed.

I received this book through Celebrate Lit and I am not required to leave a positive review. These thoughts are my own and freely given. I was given an ebook to read and review.

About the Author

Award-winning author Marilyn Turk writes historical and contemporary fiction flavored with suspense and romance. Marilyn also writes devotions for Daily Guideposts, Walking in Grace, and contributes to other Guideposts publications. She and her husband are lighthouse enthusiasts, have visited over 100 lighthouses and also served as volunteer lighthouse caretakers at Little River Light off the coast of Maine.

When not writing or visiting lighthouses, Marilyn enjoys reading, walking, boating, fishing, gardening, tennis, and playing with her golden retriever. She also sings in the choir at her church and leads a women’s Bible study group. Marilyn and her husband have a combined family of four sons, one daughter, and four grandsons. She’s still hoping for a granddaughter someday.

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Word Weavers International, and the United States Lighthouse Society.

Marilyn is also the director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference.

More from Marilyn

When I fell in love with lighthouses, I wanted to read all about them and see as many

in person as I could. Lighthouse Digest magazine was an answer to prayer. I inhaled every story in the magazine and used the information to write my lighthouse blog. https://pathwayheart.com/lighthouse/.

One blog post I wrote was about an opportunity to be a volunteer lighthouse keeper at a lighthouse, such as the Little River Lighthouse in Cutler, Maine. When my brother read my blog post he suggested that my husband and I do it. It had never occurred to me that I could be one of those people I wrote about! My husband jumped on board the idea, so we filled out the application, along with character references and proof we could drive a boat, and we were selected! The next summer, we arrived in the tiny town of Cutler, Maine, for our 10-day stay, and were met by the couple who arranged the lighthouse stays, who just happened to be the editors of Lighthouse Digest! I was awestruck.

They loaded us up in a boat in the harbor and took us out to the small island. We were charmed, and as a history buff, I was in heaven. The lighthouse and keepers’ house had been completely restored by a local non-profit organization which included a former Coast Guardsman who was once stationed there when the Coast Guard managed the property, as well as descendants of the last keeper family and the magazine editors. Beforehand, the keepers’ house had been abandoned for years, and it took months of work to tear out the old and restore it to livable again. Notebooks with before and after pictures showed the extensive work they’d done.

Obviously, I could talk a long time about our experience on the island, but I’ll spare you. The point is, the story of Abigal’s Secret had its origin there, and I knew what Carson and Abby went through to restore the lighthouse property in the book.

My husband and I fell in love with Maine while we were there, so the story had to be set there among the many islands and lighthouses. Maine has the second most lighthouses in the United States (over 50). We also stayed in Bar Harbor a few days before we went to Cutler, so the town in the book is loosely based on Bar Harbor. (Cutler isn’t that big.)

And of course, being the historian that I am, I knew Abby had to be connected to the lighthouse and that she would discover how her own life was similar to her grandmother’s, who just happened to be the lighthouse keeper during World War II, another era in history that fascinates me.