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Saturday, January 11, 2025


About the Book

Book: What I Left for You (Echoes of the Past Book Three)

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: December 1, 2024

A Family’s Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939

1939
Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend’s infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God’s intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.

2023
Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she’s been working with is murdered. It’s all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family’s past like she’s always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.


More from Liz

I stared at my computer screen in front of me. For years, I had been searching for my great-grandmother, Anna. I got no good information. Census records in the US weren’t helpful. Some listed her birthplace as Czechoslovakia, while others had it as Austria. I had heard before that she might have been born in Czechoslovakia before, but never Austria. There were no records that I had come across that listed the city or town where she was born.

Until that one day. While searching for my great-grandmother, I ran across a passport application recorded in Warsaw, Poland, for an Anna with the same last name, though spelled differently. Her birthday was listed as 1903, which matched the birth year I knew for my great-grandmother’s niece. As I read through the application, my heart was pounding. This Anna was born in the United States but went to Dubne, Poland, with her family in 1906. It was now 1923, and she wanted to return to the US, and she would be living with…

I started to cry when I saw who her sponsor was. My great-grandfather. The name and address were correct. There could be no doubt about it. It had taken me years, but I finally made the jump to Europe and discovered that my great-grandmother was not born in Czechoslovakia but in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is now Poland.

Of course, good little researcher that I am, I had to find out all I could about Dubne, the town they were from. That’s when I first came across the term Lemko. What on earth was that?

Lemkos are a Slavic people that settled in the Carpathian Mountains of Southern Poland, Northern Slovakia, and Western Ukraine. They are also known as Lemko Rusyns, Rusyns (especially those born in Slovakia, like my great-grandfather), and Carptho-Rusyns. The mountains kept the world at bay, and they developed their own language, customs, and form of Christianity. For the most part, they were very poor, many of them eking out a living from the rocky ground.

They lived in “black houses,” called that because the poorest people couldn’t afford to have a chimney built. The smoke from the cooking and heating fires stayed inside the house and covered the walls with black tar. If you look at the cemetery records from Dubne, you would be old if you lived into your fifties. Conditions were brutal.

The most the average Lemko could afford was one sheep or one pig. Since this was their most prized possession, they couldn’t take the chance of a wild animal or a neighbor taking it away, so it lived in the house with them.

With all of them. Up to eleven people would live in a two-room house. When I mentioned that in What I Left for You, my editor questioned if I had made a mistake. No, I didn’t. I have no idea how they fit all those people in there, but they did. As I was tracking one branch of our family tree, I kept coming up with people living in house 43. Over and over and over. They stuffed that house full. Grandparents, parents, and children all lived together. They may not have had much, but that forged the Lemkos into strong and resilient people.

I’m proud to be Lemko-Rusyn, and I’m thrilled to share this story with you. I infused Helena, the historical heroine, with as much of the Lemko spunk and spirit as I could. Last October, my daughter and I had the privilege to travel to Poland and Slovakia and see the Lemko homeland for ourselves. It helped me to write a better, richer story because I now understand where they came from and who they were. Enjoy Helena’s story and her journey during WWII and beyond. I hope you come to understand and appreciate the Lemko people as much as I have.

MY REVIEW

This book has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. I absolutely love a dual timeline story. I have read many books about the war that took so many lives where the focus was mainly on Jewish people. What a nice surprise to see this book’s journey with Polish heritage. As I read the dual timeline I witnessed the cruelty that  these people suffered. 

We travel back in time to 1939 where we meet Helena. What an exceptional character she is. Her bravery to save a friend’s baby is nothing  short of heroic. I loved how she kept her promise to her friend whose wish was for Helena to raise the baby as her own. Being unmarried she wasn’t sure how she would explain the baby but God always has a way even when we aren’t quite sure what to do. 

Being introduced to the term Lemko intrigued me. I have never heard this term but the author does an amazing job of giving us historical facts which definitely helped the story become  realistic. During this time period they  were very  poor but their strength to survive was evident. After finishing this book I did do a little research of my own to understand these people more. 

As we move forward to 2023 we get acquainted with McKenna. Her job as a social worker is demanding and emotionally stressful. When she needs a break she along with a friend journey to Poland to research McKenna’s family. Oh my was this fun to read. I felt like I was beside her each step as new information about ancestors came to light. 

What McKenna uncovers bridges the gap between past and present. McKenna was at times not sure she could uncover everything about her past ancestors but it was fun to see how much research was needed . I think at times she may not have been fully invested because of the tragedy she left behind due to her job. 

There are several other characters in the book that add to this wonderful story. I have  decided not to mention them because I want readers to discover them. They are important to the storyline and even show how God protected  them in danger. The tragic events were described in a way that illustrated how survival came at a cost. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 7

lakesidelivingsite, January 7

Lots of Helpers, January 8

Pens Pages & Pulses, January 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 10

Texas Book-aholic, January 11

Connie’s History Classroom , January 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 13

For Him and My Family, January 13

Stories By Gina, January 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 14

Holly’s Book Corner, January 15

Betti Mace, January 16

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 16

Bigreadersite, January 17

Blossoms and Blessings, January 17

Pause for Tales, January 18

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, January 18

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, January 19

Lights in a Dark World, January 19

Cover Lover Book Review, January 20


Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54125


 

 


Thursday, January 9, 2025


About the Book

Book: A Stolen Kiss (The Heart of the Amish Book 7)

Author: Mindy Steele

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release date: December, 2024

Who Kissed Who First?

Full of faith, hope, and romance, the series takes you into the Heart of Amish Country.

LeEtta Miller has never done anything spontaneous before, but when a girl is the last one at everything, sometimes she has to take the reins into her own hands. What harm could come from kissing a stranger she’ll never see again?

Benuel Ropp isn’t sure he can ever forgive his father for giving away his inheritance. Taking work far from home, Ben hopes to earn enough to build his future, but nowhere in his plans did he predict being kissed by a beautiful stranger – or having to marry her. To save both their reputations he has little choice but to accept the elder’s demands. Well. . .if LeEtta thought he’d flinch, letting her boldness ruin the future he had all mapped out, she was mistaken. He has a dream to work for, and if he has to make sacrifices to reach them, so will she.

Who kissed who first? He couldn’t even remember anymore.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Mindy Steele is the award-winning author and bestselling author of over a dozen novels and novellas in Christian fiction. Raised in Kentucky timber country, Steele has been writing since she could hold a crayon on the wall and lives in northeastern Kentucky—where many of her stories are set.


More from Mindy

The Story Behind the Story with Mindy Steele

A Stolen Kiss

I’m always seeking the not-so-ordinary plot for one of my stories. So, when our youngest son and his intended traded a look one evening, something struck a cord in my always moving imagination. Mind you, Blake told me when he was ten, riding a new bus to a new school, that he met the girl that he was going to marry. So cute, yet, they married in May, eleven years later. A Stolen Kiss is not love at first sight. It’s not even love over-the-years, but that one moment birthed a new character. LeEtta Miller. Not all love stories are as beautiful as our son’s, but all love stories are worth telling.

I’m an author of romance, love inspired stories weaving through rural landscapes where characters unveil themselves into realistic people most of us are glad to know. Romantic fiction gives readers what no other genre seems to offer. It’s an escape, a hope. Hope across illness, loss, despair, and uncertainty. Its community, knowledge, a gathering of friends, unity, while representing comfort.

We all want to add more love to our lives. After all, it is the greatest gift God has given us. Gentle or fast moving, we are sucked in to reach those glorious chapters of a first kiss and a promising tomorrow.

But, what if the kiss came sooner? What if love isn’t fast moving, but something earned and quietly obtained through slow familiarity.

LeEtta Miller is quite the rule follower and people pleaser. I’ve shaken my head at her quite often as I got to know her. LeEtta also feels as if life is passing her by. How many times have we’ve been in those pair of shoes? In one bold moment, she’ll through caution to the wind, and act, impulsively. Thus we get introduced to Benuel Ropp, who’s visiting his grandparents, hoping to earn enough money to buy his own land, back in Ohio. As events escalate, from a chance meeting to an binding union, these two young characters are thrown into new roles neither of them intended. I’ve never laughed more writing LeEtta and Ben’s story, and hope it brings joy, hope, and a wiliness to accept that the mistakes we make in life, are only rocky paths leading us to where we belong.

May you never stop making mistakes and following love’s calling,

Mindy

MY REVIEW

This book is filled with so much wisdom for couples that I started writing down in my journals things to remember. It starts with an innocent  kiss that explodes into rumors and life changes. LeEtta is a great character who wants  to be married. She has a bit of insecurity which makes others seem to withdraw from her. I loved her dedication to her father and how she wants to make him proud of her. She does have a suitor that is quite younger than her. LeEtta does try many times to let this young man know she is not interested. Jealousy rears its ugly head when an innocent encounter brings LeEtta shame in the community. 

 Benuel has come to the community to work so he can save for his own farm. He is hurt when his dreams are shattered by something that is interpreted wrong. I did like how he is an honorable man and steps up to save someone’s reputation. Benuel had a hard childhood and hopes to overcome his past. 

LeEtta  and Benuel get some great advice such as “ when something is afraid, it never functions as it should. Fear and doubt are the devil’s best tools.” For  Benuel it’s the fear of not being loved. LeEtta is afraid of failing as a wife. With both having doubts about themselves it is easy for the enemy to sneak in and try to destroy their marriage. Benuel is angry at God and blames him for the life he has now. Have you ever been mad at God? It is easy to blame others but we must remember that sometimes God  has us go through  things to grow us spiritually . 

LeEtta is bold when she tells Benuel that “ she prayed to not be in fear anymore, not be seen as different and feeling alone.”  Her prayers helped her overcome all these things and softened her heart. Benuel needs to stop being bitter about his life and thank God for loving him just the way he is. LeEtta also has things to work on. She has this need to please others. In her mind if she pleases others, they will accept her. Her insecurity does hold her back from sharing her thoughts and feelings. 

The story illustrates how not trusting others can lead to loneliness and bitterness. Forgiveness is important so you can move forward. The author does a great job of showing problems that may occur in a marriage. Faith, trust, forgiveness and communication are the keys to a successful marriage.  I think this story is filled with so much wisdom about marriage that I would recommend couples read it. 

“Those we care for the most are often the ones we are hardest on.” 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, January 9

Texas Book-aholic, January 10

Lighthouse Academy Blog, January 11 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Stories By Gina, January 12 (Author Interview)

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 13

The Avid Reader, January 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 15

Artistic Nobody, January 16 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 18

Vicky Sluiter, January 19 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, January 20

Holly’s Book Corner, January 21

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 22 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mindy is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54127


 



Friday, December 27, 2024


About the Book

Book: Mabel and the Unholy Night (Mysteries of Medicine Spring Book Four)

Author: Susan Kimmel Wright

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Release date: November 5, 2024

Faithful dog Barnacle has run off into a snowstorm, disrupting Mabel’s fun outing at the Christmas tree farm. Things don’t improve much when he reappears…with a human skull.

Since Mabel moved into her late grandma’s house, the sleepy village of Medicine Spring has provided clean air, a close-knit community, and charming small-town shops. To her surprise, it’s also offered up several murders—and romance with a handsome private investigator. Now, Barnacle’s discovery plunges Mabel into the mystery surrounding a decades-old unsolved murder and the disappearance of her friend Nita’s great uncle.

Before Mabel, boyfriend John, and her friends can find answers and bring justice for Nita and her family, more complications develop. Incredibly, a sixty-year-old Christmas card arrives, bearing Mabel’s name and address and containing a plea for help. Are the mysteries related?

While Mabel tries to get to the bottom of these strange events, a second suspicious death casts suspicion on Nita. Can Mabel find the real killer in time? Or will her Christmas season end on an unholy night?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Susan Kimmel Wright began her life of mystery in childhood, with reading. That led to writing kids’ mysteries and eventually to Medicine Spring with Mabel. A longtime member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, Susan’s also a prolific writer of personal experience stories, many for Chicken Soup for the Soul. She shares an 1875 farmhouse in southwestern PA with her husband, several dogs and cats, and an allegedly excessive stockpile of coffee and tea mugs.

More from Susan

Does Christmas make you nostalgic? In Mabel & the Unholy Night, fifty-year-old Mabel is observing her first Christmas in her late grandma’s house. As she sets out each fragile, vintage ornament, she feels that same familiar lump in her throat.

What we treasure may have to do with when we grew up. I love mid-century glass tree ornaments from Woolworth’s, ceramic elves stamped “Made in Japan,” and Gurley candles shaped like carolers, some still bearing 29¢ stickers on the base.

Ever since childhood, I’ve loved the tiny cardboard village under our tree. Houses and churches sparkled with glitter in their landscape of cotton-batting snow and bushes of dried moss. A sheet of glass atop light-blue construction paper made a perfect pond for tiny skaters. As someone once pointed out, accuracy of scale is of no concern in the cardboard village. Reindeer may loom over the houses like the mutant product of scientific experimentation gone wrong in a “B” horror movie.


Cardboard villages, properly called “putz houses,” originated with Moravian immigrants. Once handmade, houses were later imported from Germany and Japan. While nowadays we’re more likely to buy a ceramic village we can light up, I’ll take the primitive charm of a putz village any day.

Maybe best of all, we can build our own putz villages to suit ourselves. A new tradition for child and parent or grandparent might be building a new house each year, to add to the tiny community. While kits are available, you can also find plans online, such as this free resource: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/make-traditional-glitter-houses-2365171

Perhaps our yearning for the things of the past is rooted in a longing for a more carefree time, when beloved faces, now gone, were still around us as we enjoyed the season together. When our slower-paced celebration centered on Christ’s birth, and family closeness. Building a putz house or church with loved ones might let us recapture just a bit of that old-fashioned Christmas spirit.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 20

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 21

A Reader’s Brain, December 22 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, December 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 23

Fiction Book Lover, December 24 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, December 25 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 26

Texas Book-aholic, December 27

Back Porch Reads, December 28 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 29

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 30 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, December 31

Lily’s Corner, January 1

Vicky Sluiter, January 2 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54124



Thursday, December 26, 2024


About the Book

Book: The Way of The Shepherd. From Anxiety to Assurance: Embracing the Timeless Wisdom of Psalm 23

Author: Danny Davis

Genre: Christian Living

Release date: September 24, 2024

Through Psalm 23’s timeless wisdom, we uncover the path to unshakable peace in a chaotic world.

In the grip of anxiety, when hope seems distant, the Shepherd’s Psalm reveals a life-changing journey that leads us from fear into a serene landscape of trust and tranquility, where our lives are filled with peace that surpasses understanding.


Key benefits of reading The Way of The Shepherd:

  • Explore the transformative power of Psalm 23 and how to 
  • apply its wisdom to your life
  • Identify and overcome the roadblocks that have been hindering your peace
  • Learn practical, Scripture-based strategies to surrender to the leading of the Good Shepherd
  • Find refuge from fear, worry, and anxiety through inspiring real-life stories of those who have found peace
  • Don’t let fear and anxiety dictate your life. Unlock the power of Psalm 23 and reclaim your peace today.

     

    Click here to get your copy!

     

    About the Author

    Dr. Danny Davis is an author and global Christian missionary who has devoted his life to empowering individuals and communities. Drawing from over thirty years of ministry experience, he equips leaders and plants churches in 

    East Africa alongside his wife, Sherry. Through his powerful and insightful writing, Davis encourages and motivates readers to strengthen their faith and live purposeful lives.

    More from Danny

    From Chaos to Calm: A Shepherd’s Journey Through Modern Storms

    It was a Tuesday morning when my world seemed to collapse. The incessant buzz of notifications, the weight of impending deadlines, and the echoes of global crises all merged into a deafening symphony of anxiety. As a pastor and global missionary, I was expected to be a pillar of peace for others. Yet, I found myself engulfed in a sea of overwhelm, struggling to breathe.

    Sound familiar?

    This scene plays out in countless lives daily in our hyper-connected, always-on world. We’re all searching for an anchor in the storm, a moment of respite from the relentless pace of modern life. It was in my moment of desperation that I rediscovered an ancient wellspring of peace: Psalm 23.

    “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures…”

    These words, penned by David, shepherd-turned-king, thousands of years ago began to work their way into the cracks of my fractured spirit. As I meditated on this psalm day after day, I realized it wasn’t just a poetic artifact—it was a roadmap for navigating the complexities of our 21st-century existence.

    This personal transformation became the seed for “The Way of The Shepherd.” In writing this book, I set out on a quest to unpack how this timeless wisdom speaks directly to our most pressing contemporary challenges:

    1. Finding Peace in a World of Conflict:

    Conflict seems unavoidable, from my experience of stress anxiety to the global tensions that flood our newsfeeds. But through the lens of the Good Shepherd, I discovered a peace that transcends circumstances—a calm place in the eye of the storm.

    1. Discovering Purpose in an Age of Distraction:

    How do we discern our true calling with a thousand voices vying for our attention? The shepherd’s guidance offers a clarity I never thought possible, helping me navigate the noise and stay true to my life’s purpose.

    1. Achieving Wholeness in a Culture of Fragmentation:

    Juggling roles as a pastor, writer, global missionary, and family member often left me feeling scattered. The shepherd’s path led me to a deep sense of wholeness, where every aspect of life finds its proper place.

    1. Embracing Rest in a 24/7 World:

    Proper rest can seem like an unattainable luxury in a society that never sleeps. Yet, as I learned to “lie down in green pastures,” I found a rejuvenation beyond mere physical relaxation.

    1. Seeking Guidance in Uncertain Times:

    When the future seems more unpredictable than ever, where do we turn? The shepherd’s staff became my compass, offering direction when the path ahead was unclear.

    The Way of The Shepherd offers practical solutions to finding peace through personal stories, actionable advice, and deep scriptural contemplation.

    As we journey through The Way of The Shepherd together, you’ll discover:

    • How to cultivate a strong inner peace, regardless of external chaos
    • Practical steps to align your life with God’s purpose, even when the world pulls you in a thousand directions
    • Ways to foster genuine reconciliation in your relationships, healing the divisions that plague our society
    • Techniques to find proper rest and recharge, even in your busiest seasons

    Whether you’re feeling lost in life’s shadows or simply seeking richer pastures, this journey offers more than temporary relief—it provides a proven path to lasting peace and purpose.

    Are you ready to exchange anxiety for assurance, chaos for calm, and confusion for clarity?

    Let’s rediscover The Shepherd’s path to peace together. After all, who wouldn’t benefit from some peace in a world that often feels like a raging storm?

    Welcome to the journey. The still waters await.

    Danny Davis, Ed.D.

    Blog Stops

    Batya’s Bits, December 18

    Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, December 19 (Author Interview)

    Godly Book Reviews, December 20

    Guild Master, December 21 (Author Interview)

    Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 22

    She Lives To Read, December 23

    A Reader’s Brain , December 24 (Author Interview)

    Back Porch Reads, December 25 (Author Interview)

    Texas Book-aholic, December 26

    A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 27 (Author Interview)

    Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 27

    Locks, Hooks and Books, December 28

    Fiction Book Lover, December 29 (Author Interview)

    Mary Hake, December 29

    Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 30

    Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 31

    Giveaway


To celebrate his tour, Danny is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Card and a paperback copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54122