Blog Tour and Giveaway: Dust by Kara Swanson

About the Book

Title: Dust
Authors: Kara Swanson
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: July 21, 2020

The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real—since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire’s desperate search points to London…and a boy who shouldn’t exist. Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins. The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan—and herself.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

As the daughter of missionaries, Kara Swanson spent her childhood running barefoot through the lush jungles of Papua New Guinea. Able to relate with characters dropped into a unique new world, she quickly fell in love with the fantasy genre. The award-winning author of The Girl Who Could See, Kara is passionate about crafting stories of light shattering darkness, connecting with readers, and becoming best friends with a mermaid—though not necessarily in that order. Kara chats about coffee, fairy tales and bookish things online (@karaswansonauthor) and at karaswanson.com

More from Kara

I wrote Dust not just for those who grew up loving the original Peter Pan story — but especially for the children who were left behind. Those of us who never escaped through a window to a magical world, whose childhoods oftentimes felt a little shadowed.
Dust follows Peter Pan when he is cast out of Neverland, grounded in London. For the first time, this Peter has to start thinking about someone other than himself—and become a beacon to remind any Lost ones that there is still magic to be found.
Dust also follows a young woman named Claire who can create pixie dust, but is desperately afraid of herself because when her fears and insecurities leak out, her dust starts to burn. Claire has seen too many shadows to believe in fairytales anymore and is doing everything she can just to lock away the strange dust dripping from her fingertips. But when she meets Peter, he challenges everything she thought she knew.
I wrote Claire for those of us who may feel too weighted to even remember what it feels like to have hope lift your soul. Who can look at ourselves and all we see are our own shadows and shortcomings.
Throughout the course of the novel, Peter has to teach Claire how to see the spark of light inside herself that is far brighter than the darkness. As he helps this girl learn how to fly, Peter rediscovers what it is that truly makes him Peter Pan: the unquenchable childlike belief that there are weightless thoughts in all of us that can lift us out of the shadows.
This story is a love letter to anyone who has ever needed that reminder. We have value simply because we exist. We do not have to be weighed down by our shadows. There is still light that can lift our hearts if we have faith, trust…and a dash of the impossible.

Blog Stops

Andrea Christenson, July 31

Rebecca Tews, July 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 1

Texas Book-aholic, August 1

For the Love of Literature, August 2

deb’s Book Review, August 2

Emily Yager, August 2

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 3

Blessed & Bookish, August 3

Through the Fire Blogs, August 4

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 4

Worthy2Read, August 5

Losing the Busyness, August 5

Adventures of A Travelers Wife, August 5

Remembrancy, August 6

Wishful Endings, August 6

Inklings and notions, August 7

April Hayman, Author, August 7

For Him and My Family, August 8

Musings of A Sassy Bookish Mama, August 8

Inside the Wong Mind, August 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 9

Nancy E Wood, August 9

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 10

Mia Reads, August 10

Simple Harvest Reads, August 11 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Faery Tales Are Real, August 11

Artistic Nobody, August 12

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 12

Pause for Tales, August 12

Just the Write Escape, August 13

Blossoms and Blessings, August 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kara is giving away the grand prize package of a Dust-themed bundle that includes a signed hardcover, bookmarks, character cards, Peter + Claire art print, and an exclusive Dust pin!!

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/fe3a/dust-celebration-tour



My Review

Dust is the first book I have read by Kara Swanson. I thought it was a great introduction for me. It, also, begins her Heirs of Neverland series. Which is an interesting retelling of Peter Pan. I thought it was a fun and entertaining story. The tale has a lot I like in a book, adventure, action, journey, romance, and important life lessons. There were a few times I was a little lost, but was able to catch on pretty quickly and did not want to put the book down.

I am giving Dust four stars. I can not wait to find out what happens in the next installment from the Heirs of Neverland series, Shadow, to see what happens next. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy clean fairy tales and fantasy.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Dual Power of Convenience by Chautona Havig

About the Book

Book:  Dual Power of Convenience
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre:  Christian Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 28, 2020

When Richard Danforth inherits the family estate on Merriweather Island, he doesn’t have time to deal with it—especially not from halfway across the globe. He’s too busy working to become the world’s newest billionaire and avoiding the women who would detract him from his goals.
Enter Lyla Santana. Fresh out of Oxford University with a degree in antiques and a relationship that nearly killed her to leave, she’s eager for the isolation and treasure trove that is Danforth Hall. Lyla also is determined to avoid men at all costs. Forever.

It was supposed to be a match made on paper. With him halfway across the globe, they’d never have to see each other again.

So, what’s Richard doing on Merriweather just weeks after the wedding? And how will his arrival test Lyla’s faith, not to mention stretch their so-called relationship?

In a twist on billionaire romance and marriage of convenience, this “Merriweather book” kicks off a new series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Island Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her on the web and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

More from Chautona

Did I Really Agree to Write a Romance Series?

When my fledgling little idea for a single book transformed into a series that then transformed into a SERIES, I kind of missed the part where I agreed (and likely suggested, if truth be told), that the books should be contemporary romance.
I mean, beach reads.  Romance.  Duh.
There’s just one problem?  I rarely write a straight-up romance.  And if I do, it’s usually a short novella in a collection—often at Christmas.
Why?
Isn’t it obvious?
Despite nine kids and being married for almost thirty-two years, I am THE most unromantic woman on the planet. No habla amor.  Or something like that.
So there I was, toodling down the 395 (a treacherous bit of road between my house and the publisher’s) when all of what I’d agreed to exploded in my brain.  I’m still scraping brain matter off the windshield and trying to stuff it back in. I need every last one of those “little gray cells,” thank-you-very-much!
Romance.  My heart sank.  Boy meets girl.  They like each other.  They fight.  They get back together.  They live happily ever after.
It’s a thing, folks.  A formula.  And if you deviate, true romance readers get annoyed.  What was I going to do?  I didn’t want to write romance.  Not really. I had ideas.  The prequel book had been all about trying to bring a young woman back to the Lord.  That’s more my speed, okay?

The wheels began churning.

The ones in my head, I mean.  The tires still rolled along the ground. Fortunately, my cranial explosion hadn’t caused an accident or anything.  Just in case you were curious.
I considered making each one loosely related to a fairy tale retelling.  I’d have a Cinderella story, a Beauty and the Beast, a… nope. That made it that far and I just couldn’t.  The minute we got to Sleeping Beauty, I’d have my readers in comas.  No. Thanks.
Next came Rom-com.  We’d make it funny.  All the stuff that happens in beach romances gone wrong.  Why not?  We live once!
I was yawning before the thought finished forming.
Right about then, I think, is when I wondered what kind of tropes I needed to consider.
See, romance tropes are a thing.  I even talk about them on my podcast.  The tingling sensation that comes when a good idea is brewing happened.  A grin formed.
Tropes. I’d play with tropes.  I’d take all those familiar things and twist them somehow.  Why not?  It would be fun.

And it was.

Right about then is probably when I began recording my ideas.  Creosote and sage whizzed past at breakneck speeds (let me dream.  I’m not a speed demon, but c’mon… for the sake of poetic license and all?). And the ideas whizzed faster (no license needed.  They really did).
Book 1.  Marriage of convenience.  I mean, those are always fun, right?  So why on earth would someone need to get married?
Every idea I came up with has been done… and done again.
That’s when I upped the stakes. Authors do that, you know. We come up with a way to torment our characters, and then we say, “Okay, now how can I make this worse?  Nope, I need it even worse.  Oh, and…” Bam!  The story goes from interesting to can’t-put-it-down.  All because we’re not afraid to be cruel to non-existent people. Score!
How’d I do it with this one? I added in another trope. One I personally just can’t “get.”  People love the things, and I’ve got no idea why.  But it answered my first question of why someone might need a marriage of convenience or… as my gal puts it… “a paper marriage.”
My guy became the world’s newest billionaire.
Yep, you read that right. I wrote a “billionaire romance.”  Sort of.  Now, if I could figure out how on earth I’d take two people on opposite sides of the world and get them together.
*insert hands rubbing together in fiendish delight*
Oh, yeah.  I did it.  And even more than that, I love it.  I made my characters do some stupid things. I really did (you know, like how two Christians didn’t even pray about their marriage decision?  Like how they didn’t even ask if the other person was saved?  Why should they?  They’ll never see each other again… they said.  Ha!  The Lord had other ideas.  Sorta.  This is fiction, right?  Oops! I suddenly feel like that crazy Kathy Morningside in Miss Congeniality).

From Adelanto to Kramer Jct., I planned out that first book—Dual Power of Convenience.

(the title gives away that reason for marrying, no?  Also, links may be affiliate links that provide a small commission at no extra expense to you.)
It was almost too easy.
Then I started playing with the next ones, and the series became a reality to me.
– Dual Power of Convenience—when a woman too afraid of men goes to work for a man who is too busy making money to want anything to do with that whole marriage and family thing.
– Bookers on the Rocks— This couple’s marriage is on the rocks (that’s the trope, of course), and neither of them has a clue. They’ve been married for twenty-five years, neither is having an affair, no one wants a divorce, life is good, so why is it on the rocks?  You’ll see…
– Directing Hearts— The Crawforths got tricked into allowing a reality matchmaking show film on their islands. Brooks Crawforth tangles with the director until their verbal battles turn into a different kind—a battle for their hearts (enemies to “lovers”)
– Just a Memory— In this one, Mallory Barrows (who makes appearances in all of the books) comes across an old journal that tells a story she’d never heard. It’s the old Patti Paige song “Go On with the Wedding” but over forty years later!  Mallory knows something that might just create a (here comes the trope) second chance at romance.
-Printed on Her Heart— After being instrumental in so many couples’ relationships, it’s Mallory’s turn in this dual-trope story.  In this one, we get a mashup of friends to more and love at first sight.  Can’t wait to share it.  Squee!

Okay, that’s the deal.  Yes, I really did agree to write a romance series.

And yes, it probably was my idea.
I might deny it to my dying day, but it is also a whole lot of fun… so far.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 5

Inklings and notions, August 6

lakesidelivingsite, August 6

deb’s Book Review, August 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 7

Rebekah Jones, Author, August 7

For Him and My Family, August 7

Artistic Nobody, August 8 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 9

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 9

21st Century Keeper at Home, August 9

She Lives To Read, August 10

Simple Harvest Reads, August 10 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 11

Adventures of a Traverlers wife, August 11

Emily Yager, August 12

Stories By Gina, August 12

CarpeDiem, August 12

cultivating us, August 13

Connect in Fiction, August 13

Livin’ Lit, August 13

Read Review Rejoice, August 14

Quiet Workings, August 14

Blossoms and Blessings, August 14

Just Your Average reviews, August 15

Rebekah Reads, August 15

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 15

Lis Loves Reading, August 16

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, August 16

Splashes of Joy, August 16

Pause for Tales, August 17

Captive Dreams Window, August 17

Spoken from the Heart, August 17

Lots of Helpers, August 18

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 18

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book (winner’s choice of eBook or paperback format)!!

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/ff14/dual-power-of-convenience-celebration-tour-giveaway



My Review

Dual Power of Convenience is Chautona Having’s contribution to the Merriweather Island series, which is a series by variety of authors. What a great way to start the series. I thought it was fun and entertaining and a delight to read. It was, also, a quick, easy, and light read. I had no issue reading the whole book in just a couple of hours.

Dual Power of Convenience gets a five plus stars from me. I look forward to reading the next installment from the Merriweather Island series, Melissa Wardwell’s Scrumptious Independence. I highly recommend this one for readers who enjoy sweet and clean romance with the beautiful element of faith and inspiration. They will not be disappointed. I loved every single page and am so glad I had the chance to read it.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Love's Mountain Quest by Misty M Beller

About the Book

Book:  Love’s Mountain Quest
Author: Misty M Beller
Genre:  Historical romance
Release Date: June 30, 2020

After losing her husband in the Rocky Mountain wilderness, young widow Joanna Watson is struggling to make a new home for her five-year-old son, Samuel, in the little mountain town of Settler’s Fort. When she returns home from work to find Samuel and the woman watching him missing–and the sheriff dead–she enlists a man she prays has enough experience in this rugged country to help.

Isaac Bowen wants nothing more than a quiet, invisible life in these mountains, far away from the bad decisions of his past. But he has a strong suspicion of who’s behind the kidnapping and murder, and if he’s right, he knows all too well the evil they’re chasing.

As they press on against the elements, Joanna fights to hold on to hope, while Isaac knows a reckoning is coming. They find encouragement in the tentative trust that grows between them, but whether it can withstand the danger and coming confrontation is far from certain in this wild, unpredictable land.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

After working for 13 years in the corporate world, Misty M. Beller (mistymbeller.com) is now the author of fourteen independently published Christian historical romance novels. Raised on a farm in South Carolina, she combines her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life by writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters. She lives outside Charlotte, North Carolina, is an active member of ACFW, and teaches regularly at conferences and writing groups on effective book marketing.

More from Misty

The Story Behind the Story: Love’s Mountain Quest

Love’s Mountain Quest was one of the hardest books I’ve ever written, even though I LOVE Isaac and Joanna and their story. What made this book so hard was the fact that I wrote most of the story during my third trimester of pregnancy with our son!

Our little Matthew is our fourth baby (and first boy), so I was VERY heavy with child during the last three months I carried him, and that was the time that I’d scheduled to write Love’s Mountain Quest. Needless to say, the words were not flowing very well. My creativity was as exhausted as the rest of me! I could see Isaac and Joanna’s story in my mind, but showing it for readers using real words was the hard part.
Thankfully, I have an amazing editor at Bethany House (waving at Jen Veilleux!) who helped me massage the first draft, pushing both me and the story to be the very best we could be. Unfortunately for her, the edits for this book were the first bit of writing I did after taking a short maternity leave after the birth, so my brain was still a bit mushy from all the post-partum hormones and lack of sleep a newborn always brings. Jen’s patience through the process was remarkable, yet I so appreciate her determination not to stop until we had the very best book possible.
Our little Matthew just turned one, and Love’s Mountain Quest is finally making its way out into the world. Because of Jen, I’m so excited to share it with you! I can’t wait for you to meet the characters and story I love so much.

Blog Stops

Splashes of Joy, July 30

deb’s Book Review, July 30

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 31

Connect in Fiction, July 31

lakesidelivingsite, July 31

Emily Yager, August 1

Reviewingbooksplusmore, August 1

Simple Harvest Reads, August 1 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Inklings and notions, August 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 2

She Lives To Read, August 3

Genesis 5020, August 3

For Him and My Family, August 3

Texas Book-aholic, August 4

Read Review Rejoice, August 4

April Hayman, Author, August 4

Betti Mace, August 5

Blossoms and Blessings, August 5

Life of Literature, August 5

For the Love of Literature, August 6

Adventures of A Travelers Wife, August 6

Daysong Reflections, August 7

Labor Not in Vain, August 7

Jeanette’s Thoughts, August 7

Older & Smarter?, August 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 8

Mary Hake, August 8

Through the Fire Blogs, August 9

Pause for Tales, August 9

Just Your Average reviews, August 9

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 10

Blessed & Bookish, August 10

Hallie Reads, August 10

Wishful Endings, August 11

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 11

Lighthouse Academy, August 11 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Artistic Nobody, August 12 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Bizwings Blog, August 12

To Everything There Is A Season, August 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize package of Love’s Mountain Quest, Hope’s Highest Mountain, and a bath bomb!!

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/fe39/love-s-mountain-quest-celebration-tour-giveaway



My Review

I adore Misty M Beller’s books and was excited to have the opportunity to read the second installment from her Hearts of Montana series, Love's Mountain Quest. I just loved this faith filled story. Isaac and Joanna are wonderful characters that learn some valuable life lessons that we all could learn from. I enjoyed taking a journey with them and seeing the beautiful setting. There is, also, some unpredictable action that I never knew what was going to happen next. It was great taking the great adventure.

I would give Love’s Mountain Quest one hundred stars if I could. It was that good! I try to be patient waiting for the third book from the Hearts of Montana series. I highly recommend this book for readers who love clean historical romance with a powerful message.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Fierce Wholeness by Robin Meade

About the Book

Book:  Fierce Wholeness
Author: Robin Meade
Genre:  Nonfiction
Release Date: March 5, 2020

When the Bible talks about the third- and fourth-generational curse, that’s so true. If the curse is not broken by you, then who will stop it dead in its tracks? Dealing with forgotten pain, things you stuff down just to survive, is serious business. But that’s what Robin Meade did. Growing up, she was criticized, put down, and stomped on—by her own family. She chose to bury her pain.

Fierce Wholeness: Finding Myself after Childhood Emotional Trauma is Robin’s story—in all of its raw and messy but authentic and beautiful transparency as she unpacks the trajectory of her life from childhood to adulthood and seeks to repair the dam that had been busted, the riverbed that had been washed away, the landscape that had been obliterated by her family of origin.

Readers who grew up in the clutches of the branches of emotional abuse will be empowered by Robin’s story because of the freedom that Jesus gives. Robin’s story is raw and authentic, and readers will be encouraged by how they too can find fierce wholeness in Christ.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Robin Meade grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but now she walks with God in the beautiful suburbs of Chicago. For nearly five years she has led and taught as part of the women’s ministry team at New Life Brookfield Church. She loves her dog and great food, but mostly she loves Jesus, and strives to encourage people to experience God’s restorative healing and for God to be glorified through it.

More from Robin

There’s a level of ‘fierce’ that we all need to reach in our journey with Christ; to be real about the journey.  When you experience abuse as a child, there is a ‘normal’ way of perceiving your surroundings that’s set, and if not corrected, stays with you into adulthood.  My desire for this book is that people who have suffered childhood emotional abuse know they are not alone, that they can experience of healing through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  The Bible talks about being ready to give an account and running the race striving for first place and working out our salvation with fear and trembling – some of that has been lost in our Christian culture.  Jesus isn’t a wimp or a doormat because he is kind and forgiving and neither should we be.  I hope my story will be a blessing to many in their faith walk, to get to their level of ‘fierce’.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 3

My Devotional Thoughts, August 4 (Author Interview)

Genesis 5020, August 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 6

Blossoms and Blessings, August 7 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, August 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 8

For Him and My Family, August 9

Simple Harvest Reads, August 10 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, August 11  (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 12

For the Love of Literature, August 13 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, August 14

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 15

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 16 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize package of a basket with a signed copy of the book, the Fierce Wholeness Companion Journal, and $10 gift cards to Joann’s, Starbucks, Amazon and a stuffed moose!!

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/fe95/fierce-wholeness-celebration-tour-giveaway



My Review

Fierce Wholeness: Finding Myself After Childhood Emotional Trauma was most definitely an empowering read for me. At times, I had to remind myself that I did not write this book and was not my story. But it did reflect a lot of my own. I was inspired by how the author was able to move on away from the pain and able to heal from it. It was wonderful seeing how she made peace with the past and found her faith in God.

I am giving Fierce Wholeness: Finding Myself After Childhood Emotional Trauma a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who lived through being emotional abuse. They will definitely will be able to relate to this book and find some inspiration within the pages. I know I did.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.