Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Black Midnight by Kathleen Y'Barbo

About the Book

Book: The Black Midnight
Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo
Genre: Christian Historical Suspense
Release Date: August, 2020

Death Seems to Follow Harriet’s New Friend

Book 7 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

Three years before Jack the Ripper began his murderous spree on the streets of London, women were dying in their beds as The Midnight Assassin terrorized the citizens of Austin, Texas. Now, with suspicion falling on Her Majesty’s family and Scotland Yard at a loss as to who the Ripper might be, Queen Victoria summons her great-granddaughter, Alice Anne von Wettin, a former Pinkerton agent who worked the unsolved Austin case, and orders her to discreetly form a team to look into the London matter.

The prospect of a second chance to work with Annie just might entice Isaiah Joplin out of his comfortable life as an Austin lawyer. If his theories are right, they’ll find the The Midnight Assassin and, by default, the Ripper. If they’re wrong, he and Annie are in a bigger mess than the one the feisty female left behind when she departed Austin under cover of darkness three years ago.

Can the unlikely pair find the truth of who is behind the murders before they are drawn into the killer’s deadly game? From Texas to London, the story navigates the fine line between truth and fiction as Annie and Isaiah ultimately find the hunters have become the hunted.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than sixty novels with almost two million copies of her books in print in the US and abroad.

More from Kathleen Y’Barbo

I am a tenth generation Texan, but London has held a place in my heart for over ten years. You see, I have a son who has lived there for more than a decade. Thanks to him and his family of three—my granddaughter was born there on New Year’s Eve 2019—the city will always be special to me. There is absolutely nothing like walking those streets with a thousand years of history close enough to touch.
It was on a walk with my son through this great city that the stories of nineteenth century London came alive. With fog shrouding the rooftops of buildings that were hundreds of years old and our footsteps echoing on the cobblestones, I could imagine a time when lack of electricity and CCTV would make this place less than charming on a dark night. What reminded me of my favorite childhood movie, Mary Poppins, quickly became more reminiscent of Jack the Ripper. And then a story was born.
Only I just had half the story.
The other half came to me several years later when I stumbled across an article in Texas Monthly magazine about a serial killer who rampaged through Austin, Texas in 1884 and 1885 and was never caught. Some surmised this madman, called “The Midnight Assassin” by some, might have been Jack the Ripper honing his skills before he crossed the Atlantic to begin his famous crime spree in Great Britain.
But Austin? Ironically, my other two sons lived in Austin. So while part of my heart was in London, two more parts of that same heart resided in the Texas capital. I thought I knew Austin inside out. Between one of my sons getting not one but two degrees from the University of Texas (this Aggie grad is still proud of him in spite of what I jokingly call his burnt orange rebellion) and my other son living there and managing a restaurant at the time (and who just graduated from Texas A&M Galveston last month!), I had spent many years in the city. And yet I had never heard of the Midnight Assassin.
Research turned up a tale that sounds so close to fiction I had to write about it. Discovering the theory that the Austin killer might also be the Ripper just added to my interest—neither had been caught. And I like to write about Pinkerton detectives.
From there the story unfolded. If you’ve read any of my historical romances, you know that I love incorporating actual history into my stories. As you’ll see when you read The Black Midnight, this book is no exception. While I will continue writing the historical romances I love to bring to you, I will confess that writing this book has me itching to research another one like it.
What’s next in my foray into true crime novels? Maybe Houston. You see, I have a daughter who lives there…
In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy reading The Black Midnight as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 27

Genesis 5020, August 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

Inklings and notions, August 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 28

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 28

Older & Smarter?, August 29

Texas Book-aholic, August 29

Artistic Nobody, August 29 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

For the Love of Literature, August 30

Connie’s History Classroom, August 30

For Him and My Family, August 31

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, August 31

Betti Mace, September 1

Robin’s Nest, September 1

Bigreadersite, September 1

deb’s Book Review, September 2

Splashes of Joy, September 2

Just Your Average reviews, September 2

Rebecca Tews, September 3

Just the Write Escape, September 3

Emily Yager, September 3

Christian Bookaholic, September 4

reviewingbooksplusmore, September 4

KarenSueHadley, September 4

Remembrancy, September 5

Through the Fire Blogs, September 5

21st Century Keeper at Home, September 6

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 6

Blogging With Carol, September 6

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 7

Life of Literature, September 7

Mary Hake, September 7

Godly Book Reviews, September 8

Back Porch Reads, September 8

Daysong Reflections, September 8

Pause for Tales, September 9

Blossoms and Blessings, September 9

Hallie Reads, September 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a 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/ffb7/the-black-midnight-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

Kathleen Y'Barbo has added her talent to the True Colors series, with her The Black Midnight. I have loved the books in this series and this one does not disappoint. I have, also, read her books previous and had no doubt her work would fit in perfectly with the series. I thought it was fun to find a great granddaughter of Queen Victoria becoming a Pinkerton detective. The mystery and suspense left me on the edge of my seat. I could not put the book down until I read the last page. It was so very good.  

I am giving The Black Midnight a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy clean and quick suspense filled stories. It is definitely not one to be missed. 

I received The Black Midnight from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: A Dream for Harper by Teresa Slack

About the Book

Book: A Dream for Harper
Author: Teresa Slack
Genre: Christian Historical Western Fiction
Release Date: June 2

With no prospects for a better life at home in Kentucky, Harper Dixon’s
mother sends her to Willow Wood, Idaho to become a companion to her
cousin Ellie Lundy. Ellie was jilted by a man who everyone believes was
only interested in her for her money. Harper doesn’t know how she can
help Ellie without having been in love herself, and with no prospects.

Harper believes the only way to help Ellie recover from her melancholy
is to find out what happened to Matthew Dunleavy, the man who broke her
heart. She enlists the help of Logan Kinski, the family’s hired man who
knew more about Matthew and his secrets than anyone.
Logan doesn’t trust the cousin from Kentucky. He believes Harper
is here
to take advantage of Ellie and worm her way into the family’s immense
fortune. Harper doesn’t have time or patience to deal with a hard-headed
man who keeps getting between her and the truth.

Danger and suspicions mount as Harper and Logan uncover secrets about
Matthew Dunleavy and his dangerous past. Did he leave town on his own,
or did someone from his past with a score to settle catch up to him?

Can Harper and Logan put their mutual distrust aside in order to protect
Ellie? Will their suspicions prevent their growing attraction from
blossoming into love before the search for the truth destroys them?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Teresa Slack loves reading, writing, and falling in love. Creating clean and wholesome western romances where fearless cowboys still sweep independent heroines off their feet was an easy choice for her. Her first book, Streams of Mercy, won the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association Award for Best First Fiction. The Willow Wood Brides Series is her first series of western historicals, and her third series of Christian fiction novels. She also has two stand-alone contemporary romances and a contemporary suspense, Joy Redefined. She writes from her home in the beautiful southern Ohio hills, which she
shares with her husband and rescue dog and rescue cat. Any errors and typos she blames on the cat randomly running across her keyboard. Learn more about Teresa Slack and her books by visiting her website at
www.teresaslack.com Readers who sign up for her newsletter will receive a free download of A Promise for Josie: A Willow Wood Prequel.

More from Teresa Slack

When people say nothing ever happens in a small town, they’re just not paying attention. I’ve always been intrigued by the real stories behind small town scandals and gossip. That’s why I write the stories I write and create the towns I create.
A Dream for Harper is based on a short story I started about twenty years ago. I never finished it and pretty much forgot it. When I started researching the Old West for the Willow Wood Brides Series and devouring Louis L’Amour and Elmore Leonard stories as research, I remembered that unfinished short story.
I knew it would make a great addition to the series. In the story, Harper leaves the loving arms of her large family in Kentucky to travel to Willow Wood, Idaho to help a cousin she never met. She is thrust into a world completely foreign to her, but she’s determined to help Ellie overcome her crippling depression. I think most of us can relate to Harper’s story. Feeling like a fish out of water and unqualified to fix the mess we’re handed. A little mystery, a lot of romance, and some unexpected twists and turns show Harper that God hasn’t put more on her plate than she can eat. Just like us.

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, August 18

lakesidelivingsite, August 18

Blossoms and Blessings, August 19

Inklings and notions, August 20

deb’s Book Review, August 20

For Him and My Family, August 21

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 22

The Book Chic Blog, August 22

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 23

Older & Smarter, August 24

reviewingbookplusemore, August 24

Texas Book-aholic, August 25

Artistic Nobody, August 26 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Bizwings Blog, August 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 28

Connie’s History Classroom, August 29

Connect in Fiction, August 29

Splashes of Joy, August 30

Pause for Tales, August 30

Simple Harvest Reads, August 31 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Maureen’s Musings, August 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Teresa is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!

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/ff9f/a-dream-for-harper-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

A Dream for Harper is my first experience reading Teresa Slack’s books. It is, also, the third installment from her Willow Wood Brides series. Even though it is part of a series, I feel as though it can be read as a stand alone. I enjoyed this sweet, fun and entertaining story. I loved Harper from the start. There is a little mystery that needs to be solved and I was interested in finding out how it would all end. I had the whole book read in one day. 

I am giving A Dream for Harper four and a half stars. I would love to read the previous books from the Willow Wood Brides series, A Lawman for Lisette and A Love Letter for Jessa, to see what had happened previously. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy to read clean historical fiction. 

I received A Dream for Harper from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Blush by Danielle Ripley-Burgess

About the Book

Book:  Blush
Author: Danielle Ripley-Burgess
Genre:  Nonfiction
Release Date: September 15, 2020

NOBODY SAID growing up is easy. For Danielle, the safe suburbs of Kansas City always felt warm. Inviting. But one day, everything changed. Not only did she hate what puberty was doing to her body, she had spotted a few scary specks of blood after going number two. Gross. As an insecure tween who blushed during “the talk,” one who refused to buy toilet paper at the store, nobody could know her little secret. So she hid it from everyone—Mom, Dad, her brother, and her friends. This went on … for years.

Busted. Eventually, her secret came out. Danielle was rushed to the doctor and into a colonoscopy. Shock took over when she was diagnosed with a rare colon cancer (something the internet called an “old man’s disease”) just a few weeks after her seventeenth birthday. Seriously!?

High school mornings in classrooms morphed into nightmare days in cancer-center waiting rooms. Yet Danielle stayed hopeful, even grateful, for her illness. The way she saw it, fighting cancer spiced up her otherwise-boring testimony. And it brought her true love. Not until she heard the dreaded “It’s cancer” again at age twenty-five did she start to resent so much suffering and question her faith. Yet Danielle wasn’t about to stop. From Times Square to the White House, she became an outspoken survivor by starting a blog, as well as a young wife and a mom. Eventually, she found the self-acceptance she’d been looking for—it was guided by a still, small voice that had been with her all along.

In this soul-baring memoir, Blush: How I Barely Survived 17, Danielle reminds us that growing up is never easy, and she shows us how to go head to head with God. With out-of-body wisdom beyond its years, Blush beautifully inspires us to accept our imperfections and embrace every season of life.

Click here to get your copy!

About the  Author

Danielle Ripley-Burgess is a two-time colon cancer survivor first diagnosed at age seventeen and an award-winning communications professional. She writes and speaks to encourage those facing trials, under a motto of “faith that survives.” She’s the author of Blush: How I Barely Survived 17 (Redemption Press, 2020), The Holiday Girls (Little Lights Studio, 2018), and Unexpected: 25 Advent Devotionals. Her story has been told around the world through outlets like The Today Show, BBC’s World Have Your Say, Sirius Radio’s Doctor Radio, the Chicago Tribune, the Huffington Post, among others. Home is in Kansas City with her husband, Mike, and daughter, Mae. When she’s not writing, she can be found baking her favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s a good one. Follow her blog at DanielleRipleyBurgess.com or connect on social media at @DanielleisB.

More from Danielle

I walked into the classroom, hung my backpack on a designated hook and glanced at the chalkboard as I took my seat. Sigh. It was spelling bee day. I’d dreaded it for weeks.
Most people probably didn’t realize I loathed the spelling bee, especially my teacher. As a book-loving student who aced nearly all English exams, anyone could have rightly assumed I would be jazzed about the competition. I was a great candidate to represent our class. But there was one little problem: it sounded like a nightmare. I wanted nothing to do with it. The idea of the whole school looking at me on stage—the chance of people noticing the zits on my face, seeing a bra underneath my shirt, or calling me a nerd because I was a strong speller—sounded awful. No thanks.
“Riiinnngggg”
A buzzer echoing throughout the hallways kicked off our school day. My teacher, dressed in a popular floral dress from the 1990s, walked to the chalkboard to take control of our classroom. The pledge of allegiance, math worksheets and recess distracted me from the schedule until the dreaded hour came.
“Everyone please stand up, push in your chairs and join the circle,” my teacher insisted as she waved her hands to gather us. It was time.
Fortunately, I had a plan: I was going to cheat.
If my spelling test grades were any indicator, I had a good chance of making the spelling bee. So, I decided to purposely spell my word wrong. I would use a wrong vowel toward the end of the word and pause to hear, “I’m sorry but that’s incorrect.”
Let’s just say my plan worked like a charm. Relief flooded my chest when I was asked to sit down and join the others who were knocked out of the competition. A few weeks later during the school-wide spelling bee, I deeply exhaled and smiled widely as I watched my classmates compete on stage from the gymnasium floor. I was so glad it was them and not me.
Today, 25 years later, this memory is both a victory and a tragedy. I can’t help but see my younger self, a tween girl who felt embarrassed about her body, and feel proud of her for identifying what she did and didn’t want. That moment in fifth grade helped her find her voice. Yet her empowerment came at a high cost.
Convinced that hiding her true self—her body, her smarts and her opinions—was the only way, this thinking led to her nearly losing her life. If I could go back and chat with her today, I’d affirm her fears yet encourage her to see God gave her the smarts—being a strong speller and a good writer is a gift and not a bad thing. I’d challenge her to accept herself and say that dominating the school-wide spelling bee could actually be a great thing.
Blush is a memoir that tells many other stories like my fifth grade spelling bee. The book is dedicated to my daughter, who is just now becoming a tween. As I’ve relived my life by writing this book, I’ve not only found nuggets of truth to pass on to her as she navigates adolescence, but also confidence and redemption in my story.
Many of us have believed the lie that to be accepted, we must hide. I wrote Blush not only for my daughter, but for anyone looking for inspiration and hope. It’s a book especially for those who are ready to finally face their insecurities and consider how to stop sitting it out and instead take the stage.

Danielle Ripley-Burgess is a two-time colon cancer survivor first diagnosed at age 17, an award-winning communications professional and author of Blush: How I barely survived 17. Follow her blog at DanielleRipleyBurgess.com or connect on social media at @Danielleis

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 22

Simple Harvest Reads, August 23 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, August 23

For Him and My Family, August 24

Inklings and notions, August 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 26

Spoken from the Heart, August 27 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, August 28 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Get Cozy Book Nook, August 29

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 30

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 31

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, September 1 (Author Interview)

Emily Yager, September 2

Lights in a Dark World, September 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Danielle is giving away the grand prize package of Danielle’s favorite local coffee, Betty’s Recipe from the Roasterie in Kansas City & a signed copy of the book!! (here’s a link to the coffee: https://theroasterie.com/product/bettys-recipe/)

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/ffa2/blush-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

I found Danielle Ripley-Burgess’s Blush: How I Barely Survived 17 to be quite a great read. I enjoyed reading the author’s life and what she went through as a teen and later on in her life. It was wonderful learning at how she was able to faith and overcome.  Her faith was undeniable and her words were so inspiring. She did not hold back on how she felt during her difficult times. She is such a courageous and brave young woman throughout her journey. I enjoyed taking it with her and learned how she was able to get through. 

I am giving Blush: How I Barely Survived 17 a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy inspiring true stories full of hope and faith. 

I received Blush: How I Barely Survived 17 from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Journey by Debbie Johnson

Join us for this tour from August 10 to August 28, 2020!

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Journey: A Traveling Companion Through the New Testament by Debbie Johnson
Category:  Adult Non-fiction 18 yrs +,  293 pages
Genre:  Memoir, Religious, Inspirational
Publisher:  Convenant Books
Release date:   2019
Content Rating:  G. No obscenity, violence, sexual content

“With the New Testament in one hand and Debbie’s guidebook in the other, you will experience the Christian journey to be an exciting venture–though not one for the fainthearted.”                              
Dr. William W. Klein, Ph.D. Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary         

Book Description:

At a time of unprecedented crisis in our lives comes an inspirational book, THE JOURNEY: A Traveling Companion Through the New Testament by Debbie Johnson, who has spent decades as a mission worker, and is the founder DenverWorks, a nonprofit dedicated to helping the unemployed find work. Whether you are a Christian, religious, or irreligious, Johnson’s contemporary interpretation of The New Testament will inspire all who read her book.

Years ago, Debbie took a glorious six-week backpacking trip to Europe. Now she takes readers on a metaphorical trek through the New Testament, filling her backpack with a year’s worth of inspirational items. For Debbie, her destination is love, plus the sense of “mission accomplished” in her life’s work.

“Maybe this is a time for homebound people (all of us) to read through the NT,” says Debbie who begins her journey as Christ began his, when he met two sets of brothers and said, “Follow me” and eventually there were 12 friends, the 12 apostles. Jesus was no longer by himself,” says Johnson and got to experience the strength of friends. “My best friends and I remind each other that we are never alone, even though some of us live hundreds of miles apart.” Here are some of her many useful and inspiring key insights:

• Love of God versus Love of Money. In Matthew 6:19-34, she quotes Jesus: “you cannot serve both God and money.” Johnson explains that Jesus did not say you can’t be materially wealthy, as some interpret that quote. He just said you can’t serve two masters, so you have to choose which one wins your heart. Johnson explains further that you should be responsible with money. “I never saw a passage that says, “though shalt not make money,” “she says. “It’s all about what we love the most.”
• Neighborliness Matters. Romans 13:8-14 tells us that how we treat our neighbors is essential to living fulfilling Christian lives. Half of the Ten Commandments address being a good neighbor. No killing, committing adultery, stealing, slandering, or coveting. We’re to love our neighbors as ourselves, meaning we need to love ourselves sufficiently enough to love them. If we can love our neighbors, even the unlovable ones, then we’ve fulfilled The Law as Christ commanded.
• What to Wear Today. We’re to put on, says Debbie, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We’re to bear with one another and forgive each other. We’re to put on love. We’re to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.
• We Are People of the Day. We’re people of the day, so we need to act like it, even in this long in-between time. We’re to be sober and faithful and loving and hopeful, encouraging one anther and building each other up. We’re to appreciate our coworkers and leaders. We’re to live in peace.
• The Journey with Our Partners. “My best friends and I remind each other that we’re never alone, even though some of us live hundreds of miles apart. And for all of us who believe God is real and in a relationship with us, we’re never apart from him either. Our beautiful challenge is to understand that fact more and more, experiential. Life takes an enormous amount of personal strength. Jesus spent a lot of time in conversation with God to gain strength. And if Jesus needed that, how much more do we need it! But we can also draw strength, counsel, wisdom, and emotional safety from each other.” (Matthew 4)
• Solid Foundations. Luke 5:12-6:49 is full of rock-solid teaching about building life on a firm foundation. Building a rock-solid life isn’t about sharing his words and then going about our business. It’s about acting on those words. Not intending to act on them, but literally acting on them. The words are powerful and life-altering, but not easy. Nobody ever said building a life on a solid foundation would be easy, just worth it.
• The Gift. Romans 3:23-24 just might be the best gift in the whole wide world, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” In other words, we can lay our burdens down—our guilt, regrets, little sins, big sins. The reason? The gift. The gift of unmerited favor. Some people spend their whole lives striving for approval trying to be good enough, when all along, God has said all we have to do is have faith. All we have to do is ask God for the gift.
• Practical Matters (1 Corinthians 16). Christianity is hard. G.K. Chesterton said, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.” But we can do this. There is a way to follow Christ in good times and bad times, in heavenly matters and practical matters.

In trying times such as these, Debbie Johnson’s THE JOURNEY will brings readers daily inspiration and comfort for themselves and their families.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

 

About the Author

Debbie Johnson is the author of two previous books, A Pocketful of Seeds and Lessons Learned from the Bottom of the Stairs: A Story of Faith and Resilience with Randy Milliken. She graduated from Ouachita Baptist University (BME, MME) and has done graduate work in social work at the University of Denver. In 1995, she founded DenverWorks to equip the unemployed in her community. She led the organization for ten years before engaging in international ministry, first as the vice president of Programs at the Dalit Freedom Network and then as executive director of India Transformed. She grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. Today she and her husband live on a farm in Colorado with two dogs and a bunch of chickens.

Connect with the Author:  website  ~ twitter  ~ facebook  ~  instagram  ~

Tour Schedule:

Aug 10 – Splashes of Joy – book review / guest post / giveaway
Aug 10 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Aug 11 – Over Coffee Conversations – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 12 – My Journey Back – book review / giveaway
Aug 13 – Sefina Hawke's Books - book spotlight
Aug 14 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Aug 17 –Books for Books - book spotlight
Aug 18 – Books and Zebras – book review / giveaway
Aug 19 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 20 – A Mama's Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
Aug 21 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 24 –Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review
Aug 25 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Aug 26 – The Epistles Of Mark Paul – book review / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Review:

The Journey: A Traveling Companion Through the New Testament was an inspiring read. I normally do not read memoirs or traveling type genres. However, just when I needed it most, I was able to find hope within the pages. I instantly found a highlighter and started marking many areas of the book. Especially, the Matthew 8:1-17 Physical Healing section. Just a beautiful reminder of who is in control. I enjoyed taking the journey with Debbie Johnson and I love that she was wanting to share her adventures. She helped me look at life situations in a whole new way. I want to thank her for giving me inspiration, faith and hope in her words.

I love the format of The Journey: A Traveling Companion Through the New Testament. It begins with the New Testament’s Matthew 1 and follows every book all the way to Revelations. Each section is only about a page long and makes for easy reading and allowing busy readers to read when they are able.  

I would give The Journey: A Traveling Companion Through the New Testament one hundred stars if I could. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading biographies and religious books. I know they will not be disappointed. I definitely was not and am so glad I had the opportunity to have it in my hands and read it. 

I received The Journey: A Traveling Companion Through the New Testament from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Copy Boy by Shelley Blanton-Stroud

Join Us For This Tour from August 24 to September 18, 2020

BOOK DETAILS:
Series Title:  COPY BOY by Shelley Blanton-Stroud
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+)
Genre:  Noir, Historical Mystery, Literary
Publisher:  She Writes Press
Release dates:   June 23, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M. The book includes: the F-word 7 times, the word "g--dammit" 4 times, and one violent fight in the beginning.

Book Description:

Jane’s a very brave boy. And a very difficult girl. She’ll become a remarkable woman, an icon of her century, but that’s a long way off. Not my fault, she thinks, dropping a bloody crowbar in the irrigation ditch after Daddy. She steals Momma’s Ford and escapes to Depression-era San Francisco, where she fakes her way into work as a newspaper copy boy. Everything’s looking up. She’s climbing the ladder at the paper, winning validation, skill, and connections with the artists and thinkers of her day. But then Daddy reappears on the paper’s front page, his arm around a girl who’s just been beaten into a coma one block from Jane’s newspaper―hit in the head with a crowbar. Jane’s got to find Daddy before he finds her, and before everyone else finds her out. She’s got to protect her invented identity. This is what she thinks she wants. It’s definitely what her dead brother wants.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Bookshop.org
Audible ~ Libro ~ Kobo
GooglePlay ~ Scribd ~ Chirp
Walmart Audio
Add to Goodreads

 

Meet the Author:

Shelley Blanton-Stroud grew up in California’s Central Valley, the daughter of Dust Bowl immigrants who made good on their ambition to get out of the field. She teaches college writing in Northern California and consults with writers in the energy industry. She co-directs Stories on Stage Sacramento, where actors perform the stories of established and emerging authors, and serves on the advisory board of 916 Ink, an arts-based creative writing nonprofit for children. She has also served on the Writers’ Advisory Board for the Belize Writers’ Conference. Copy Boy is her first novel, and she’s currently working on her second. She also writes and publishes flash fiction and non-fiction, which you can find at such journals as Brevity and Cleaver. She and her husband live in Sacramento with an aging beagle and many photos of their out-of-state sons.

Connect with the author:   website  ~  twitter  ~  facebook  ~ instagram ~ bookbub

Tour Schedule:

Aug 24 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 25 - Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review / giveaway
Aug 25 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 26 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
Aug 27 – I'm Into Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 28 – Reading Authors Network – book review / giveaway
Aug 28 - PuzzlePaws Blog - audiobook review / giveaway
Aug 31 – Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Sep 1 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / giveaway
Sep 2 – T's Stuff – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 2 - Literary Flits – book review / giveaway
Sep 3 – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review / giveaway
Sep 4 –Pick a Good Book - book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 7 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review
Sep 8 – 100 Pages A Day – book review / giveaway
Sep 9 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview
Sep 9 - Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
Sep 10 – Books for Books – audiobook review
Sep 11 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review / giveaway
Sep 14 – Amy's Booket List – audiobook review / giveaway
Sep 15 – Casia's Corner – book review
Sep 16 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway
Sep 17 –Pen Possessed - book review / giveaway
Sep 18 - My Fictional Oasis – book review
Sep 18 - PuzzlePaws Blog - book review / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

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My  Review: 

Copy Boy is the debut of the talents from Shelley Blanton Stroud. I thought it was a good read. It has a little bit of a different writing style. The story and plot were unique, as well. It is not one that I not one I would have been able to predict it at all. It was slow at times, but would quickly pick back up and keep my attention. Jane’s story was entertaining. I was not sure what to think of the character at first but halfway through they were able to grow on me. I liked the historical details of the 1930s era. There was some mystery and suspense that I found to be engaging, especially there at the end of the book. 

I had the pleasure of listening to the audio of Copy Boy. April Doty’s narration of this version of the book was phenomenal. Her performance was fabulous and did a fantastic job brining this story to life. I would love to hear more books that she has narrated in the past. 

I am giving Shelley Blanton Stroud’s Copy Boy three and a half stars. I would be interested in reading more by this author in the future. I recommend it for readers who enjoy early to mid twentieth century American historical fiction with a thrilling twist. It is most definitely not one to miss and worth a read. 

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