Friday, January 10, 2025

Book Spotlight: The New Loneliness by Cindi McMenamin

The New Loneliness JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The New Loneliness by Cindi McMenamin hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book


The New Loneliness
Title: The New Loneliness 
Author: Cindi McMenamin 
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers 
Release Date: January 7, 2025 
Genre: Christian Personal Growth 

You Can Overcome Your Feelings of Aloneness. 

In our age of increased social isolation and growing reliance on technology, genuine connection can feel more difficult than ever. But what if community and closeness are nearer than you thought? 

The New Loneliness is about experiencing the authentic relationships God created you for by identifying and overcoming today’s biggest relational obstacles. Cindi McMenamin explores how our current cultural environment and dependence on electronic devices have hindered our ability to connect, and she offers uplifting guidance, biblical insights, and encouraging action steps to help you
  • release feelings of inadequacy and shame by realigning with how the Lord sees you and understanding His purpose for you
  • take confident steps toward nourishing healthy, in-person relationships by learning to slow down and operate from a secure attachment to God
  • thrive within new friendships and community with practical guidance for making life more meaningful and preferring faces over screens
God did not create us to live in isolation. Journey with the Lord from aloneness to abundance, and flourish as you deepen your relationships with God and others.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & NobleChristianbook | Bookshop


Excerpt

WHAT IS YOUR LONELINESS FACTOR?

Loneliness can rear its ugly head through any number of circumstances, or through unresolved wounds that lie festering in our hearts. It can blow in during a season of being overwhelmed and feeling we have no one to support us, or during a season of fruitlessness when we feel we’re too old, or too worn out, or too inept to do what we used to. It can pull us down when we feel we’re at the top of the world with everything we want in life, but we have no one to share it with. It can taunt us in the late hours of the evening when we feel, even if just for a while, that no one cares about us, or understands what we’re dealing with. And it can slam us when we least expect it through a sudden betrayal, a sense of abandonment, or a deep wound that we fear might never heal.

Loneliness also has a way of creeping up on us unnoticed, as it did in my own life, through a series of subconscious and tech-enabled habits that lead us to one day look around and think, Where have all my friends gone? Why am I suddenly more of a loner than I ever set out to be? How did this happen?

Whether your loneliness is caused by your work or living circumstances, a misunderstanding or falling out with someone, unresolved conflict with family or friends, or feeling inadequate, unprepared, unsupported, or overwhelmed, we were never designed to live this way. In addition to a myriad of reasons we can feel increasingly lonely today, the ever-changing, continually isolating culture we live in isn’t helping. It’s making our loneliness worse.

Excerpted from: The New Loneliness. Copyright © 2024 Cindi McMenamin. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97408. www.harvesthousepublishers.com

About the Author

Cindi McMenamin

Cindi McMenamin is an award-winning writer and national speaker who has ministered to women for nearly 40 years. She is the author of 17 books, including When Women Walk Alone (more than 160,000 copies sold) and When a Woman Overcomes Life’s Hurts. As a Bible teacher, her passion is to help women strengthen their walk with God and their relationships.

Connect with Cindi by visiting StrengthForTheSoul.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a copy of The New Loneliness, Beholding and Becoming by Ruth Chou Simons, Well Lived by Sally Clarkson, and a $50 Amazon gift card!

The New Loneliness JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight January 8, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on January 15, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

December 2024 Reading Recap & January 2025 TBR

 My December 2024 Reads: 


  1. The Roads We Follow by Nicole Deese - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - One of my favorite books by this author!

  2. One Prayer Away: Healing Words to Speak Over Your Day by Lauren Fortenberry - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This book of thoughts and prayers has been my companion for most of this year. Read my review.

  3. Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini - ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ - A dual timeline novel that was part fictional biography and part literary tribute to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

  4. A Confirmed Rake by Martha Keyes - ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ - Fun, delightful, classic Martha Keyes. A sweet (not Christian) romance.

  5. The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham - ⭐⭐⭐ - Okay to read once, but wouldn't read it again. Grace was a unique, but sometimes annoying, female lead.

  6. Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White - ⭐⭐⭐ - My local book club's December selection that we used as the theme for our annual Christmas party. - Read my review.

  7. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva - ⭐⭐⭐ - A well-written Christmas story, but I couldn't get past my dislike of Dickens' attitude and emotional unfaithfulness.

  8. The Warmth of Snow by Heidi Eljarbo - ⭐⭐ 



Expected January 2025 Reads:
  1. The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar - My local book club's January selection. Read my review from earlier this year.
  2.  
  3. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. - Currently reading. This is a LONG book!

  4. Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart by Lysa TerKeurst & the Proverbs 31 Ministries Team - Currently reading, but to meet my deadline, I've published this review based on what I've read so far.

  5. A Noble Scheme by Roseanna M. White - Currently reading!

  6. Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith by Jennifer L. Holberg - Currently reading.



What will you read this month? 

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Favorite Nonfiction of 2024

Heart. Soul. Mind. Strength. by Andrew T. Le Peau & Linda Doll




The history of evangelicalism cannot be understood apart from the authors and books that shaped it. Over the past century, leading figures such as pastor-scholar John Stott, apologist James W. Sire, evangelist Rebecca Manley Pippert and spiritual formation writer Eugene Peterson helped generations of readers to think more biblically and engage the world around them. For many who take their Christianity seriously, books that equip them for a life of faith have frequently come from one influential publisher: InterVarsity Press. Read my review.


One Prayer Away by Lauren Fortenberry




One Prayer Away invites you to begin in the brokenness and finish with more faith. Whether you are struggling or seeking, flying or failing—God is with you. You can trust Him to hold you through it all. He is right there, closer than you know, ready to hear from your heart. Read my review.


Think This, Not That by Dr. Josh Axe




Unlock your potential by cultivating self-awareness and curating a fulfilling life full of self-improvement, emotional intelligence, and a growth mindset. Leadership expert and entrepreneur Dr. Josh Axe teaches 12 revolutionary mindshift transformations to beat the grind and reach the life you've always wanted. Redefine success and replace the limiting beliefs of yourself with the healthy mental toughness to think this, not that. Read my review.


Monday, December 30, 2024

Book Spotlight: The Matter of the Secret Bride by Darcie Wilde

About the Book:


Jane Austen meets Fleabag in Regency London, as a resourceful young woman with a talent for helping ladies of the ton with their most delicate and pressing predicaments finds herself facing a task of royal proportions. Literally.


King George IV is petitioning Parliament for a divorce from his queen on the grounds of her adultery. But rumor has it that the king secretly married Maria Fitzherbert—long before he married the queen. Now Mrs. Fitzherbert has been robbed—and she’s frantically calling on Rosalind for help.

Because what those thieves took is proof that she and King George did really marry. That single piece of paper could destroy Mrs. Fitzherbert and her family—or it could prove the king guilty of bigamy.

Rosalind races to investigate. With her is ex-Bow Street officer, Adam Harkness, with whom Rosalind shares a complex and rapidly intensifying bond. But a case of theft soon turns to murder.

Josiah Poole, a disreputable attorney specializing in helping debtors—and who was seen entering Mrs. Fitzherbert’s house—is found brutally murdered. Mrs. Fitzherbert has debts. Could she have staged the theft, and employed Mr. Poole to sell the marriage certificate? Or is the truth even more complicated? Mrs. Fitzherbert’s daughters have secrets of their own. And Poole himself had no shortage of enemies.

With suspicious coincidences mounting, and more danger encroaching, Rosalind and Adam must move quickly to unravel a history-making mystery that might just lead them straight to the palace itself . . .


About the Author:



Darcie Wilde
is the award-winning author of stylishly adventurous historical mysteries and romances, including the Rosalind Thorne Mysteries, a Regency-set series inspired by the novels of Jane Austen, as well as the Regency Makeover Trilogy. She has also written, under the name Sarah Zettel, Locus and Philip K. Dick Award-winning novels, including Fool's War, a New York Times Notable Books of the Year selection. She lives in Michigan and can be found online at DarcieWildeRomance.com.

Connect with Darcie on Instagram.




Sunday, December 29, 2024

Book Review: One Prayer Away by Lauren Fortenberry

About the Book:



Find hope when you need it the most with reminders that God can bring you past your broken beginnings, through the messy middles, and into a faith-filled future.

This beautiful and inspiring 90-day devotional will show you that one prayer can change everything.


When you're at the edge of what your heart can handle. When you can't see the road ahead. When you wonder if the hurt is beyond healing. You need the kind hope and renewal that only God can give. Mercifully, it is only one prayer away.

One Prayer Away by Lauren Fortenberry is for every moment in the messy middle of your life and will gently guide you along even when you don't know where to start or what to pray. Each day invites you to begin with your brokenness. To speak to God about what keeps you up at night. To know that in every single thing you carry today, you do not need to carry it alone. One Prayer Away includes:
  • 90 meditations offering you hope and encouragement in Lauren's signature poetic style
  • Prayers to receive for yourself or to pray for others
  • Bible verses relevant to your needs each day, like hope, mercy, and surrender
  • Inspirational quotes and soothing photography to create a place where your soul can rest
This beautiful devotional is a thoughtful gift for:
  • A friend who needs encouragement in times of uncertainty, anxiety, loneliness, and loss
  • Women's prayer groups or Bible studies
  • Mother's Day, birthdays, or simply to say "I'm thinking of you"
  • Any woman who desires to grow spiritually
One Prayer Away invites you to begin in the brokenness and finish with more faith. Whether you are struggling or seeking, flying or failing—God is with you. You can trust Him to hold you through it all. He is right there, closer than you know, ready to hear from your heart.


My Thoughts:

One Prayer Away: Healing Words to Speak Over Your Day by Lauren Fortenberry has been a faithful companion to me over the past six months. I read the daily entries as a positive way to start off my day with comfort and encouragement. When I finished Day 90, I restarted the book, and it was well worth the second read.

The 90 daily readings in One Prayer Away were short. Each entry had a primary statement with encouragement and spiritual truths that supported the main idea. This was followed by a Scripture verse and a prayer. I found comfort in reading these thoughts and praying the provided prayer. Often, the book spoke to my situation with the encouragement I needed. Topics included: anxiety, overwhelm, strength, direction, healing, peace, and more.

 


Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Book Spotlight: A Journey to Unshakable Faith by Sydney Witbeck

A Journey to Unshakable Faith JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Journey to Unshakable Faith by Sydney Witbeck, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book


A Journey to Unshakable Faith

Title: A Journey to Unshakable Faith
Series:
Journeys of Faith #1
Author:
Sydney Witbeck
Publisher:
Independently Published
Release Date:
July 2021
Genre:
Christian Medieval Action/Adventure Fantasy

Left with no other option, fourteen-year-old Esther is forced to leave the castle for her own safety, not knowing if she will ever see her mother and father again. With only a pack of food and her faithful horse Onyx, Esther sets off on an adventure to find her mother’s people. But the enemy is never far behind, closing in on the princess who eludes them. Will she be able to make it to safety? And will she ever see her parents again? 

When all hope seems lost, Esther soon finds that God never leaves His children on their own. At every turn, Esther meets friendly faces willing to help her as she strives to find a way to get back to her parents. With only her faith in God as her weapon, Esther turns back to home, determined to have the victory once and for all. But will that be enough? It seems that Esther will never see her parents in this world again. And all hope seems lost when Esther is finally captured and hidden away. It’s time for the villagers to take up arms and fight for their freedom. Will they prevail? Or will evil finally win? The true victory lies in finding a faith that is unshakable.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Buy Directly From the Author


More Books in This Series


Excerpt


From Chapter 1 of A Journey to Unshakable Faith

Indoors in a well-furnished room in the left wing of the castle, a young girl stood gazing out of the glass-paned, crystal-clear window. Who would have thought the siege would last so long? Only last week, her head had been full of the kind of things every ordinary fourteen-year-old girl dreams of. Then, like an icy blast of wind freezing anything standing in its path, an enemy from the North had come, and nothing was the same.

A castle under siege. Turmoil within and an enemy without. These things used to seem far off, the kinds of circumstances she read about in books that vanished when she closed the cover. Now, they were just as real as the invading army, surrounding and slowly closing in—old, ruthless, and terrible.

A tear slowly slid down her cheek. She hastily brushed it away. More followed. Did no one know of their plight? Doubts and fears whirled through her mind. Did God not hear them? How could He allow this to happen? She began to pace back and forth as she mentally rebuked herself.

Now, Esther, you know that’s not true. Of course, God hears us. But why is this happening to us? Why doesn't anyone come to our aid?

About the Author

Sydney Witbeck

Sydney Witbeck is a Christian self-published author. She has a strong love for the Lord, her family, church, and friends. She has been blessed with supportive parents and two sisters and often helps out at the family business, Learning Cycle Homeschool Store. An avid bookworm, Sydney is happiest curled up with a good book. She has always enjoyed reading and rereading her favorite stories – a passion that soon transferred to writing books of her own. Her writing journey began when she heard how many moms were looking for fiction novels for girls that were both clean and Christian. In her free time, she likes drawing, spending time with her dog, and caring for her miniature horse and her three goats.

Connect with Sydney by visiting storiesoffaithfulness.com.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and signed paperback copies of A Journey to Unshakable Faith and the sequel, A Journey to Abiding Forgiveness.

A Journey to Unshakable Faith JustRead Tours blog giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight December 17, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on December 24, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours