Thursday, November 7, 2019

Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Heart of Aleppo: A Story of the Syrian Civil War by Ammar Habib

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Heart of Aleppo:
A Story of the Syrian Civil War
By Ammar Habib
YA Contemporary
Paperback & ebook, 252 Pages
July 26th 2018

Winner of the 2019 Independent Press Award
#1 Bestseller in "Coming-Of-Age" Fiction
#1 Bestseller in "Asian-American" Literature

From the ashes of the Syrian Civil War comes this story of hope, love, and courage...

After standing for over 7,000 years, Aleppo's ruin came overnight. Separated from his family during the night the rebels attacked the city, thirteen-year-old Zaid Kadir is lost in the middle of a war zone. Alongside his friends, he is forced to survive the dangers of a civil war he does not even fully understand. Zaid witnesses the destruction of the brutal Syrian Civil War as it grows more deadly by the day and rips his city apart. However, as he braves this destruction, as he desperately tries to survive this catastrophe, he discovers something. Zaid realizes that it is in the darkest hours when humanity's spirit of hope burns brightest.

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Excerpt


Each street we come on to is the same as the previous one: buildings have been turned to ashes, vehicles are blown to bits, wreckage is everywhere, and the innocent have suffered. I do what Salman ordered: look straight ahead and ignore any corpses. Don’t even glance at them. They’re on every street, nearly littering some roads. I see them in my peripheral vision. Sometimes, a fire is reflecting off of them. Other times, it’s just their silhouettes. I try to make avoiding them into a game. But my mind is too aware of the reality to do that. I think Salman purposely goes around as many as he can so that we don’t walk over them.
The foul stench of carnage is strong on nearly every street. The vile odor follows us no matter where we go. If I had any food in my stomach, I would have thrown it up long ago. Every half hour, we see somebody cut through the fog and appear into view. Sometimes it’s a traveling group. Other times, it’s a person sleeping in an alley or sitting with their head in their hands. Hardly any of them give us a glance.
Every step is harder than the last. My feet become weighted stones. I almost can’t feel the uneven and cracked concrete underneath me. It’s as if I’m moving in a trance. I don’t know where I am or where I’m going. I’m simply walking through the abyss and listening to the only sound: my soft footsteps.
The longer we travel and the heavier my sack becomes, the more a fear grips me. The fear that we don’t know if we’re fleeing danger or walking into a den of hungry wolves. The fear that by the time we do reach home, what happened to Jari may have already happened to everyone. 
We keep moving. We stay on the side of the road. Every once in a while, we climb over or go under some debris. Salman and Fatima don’t slow down a bit. I don’t know how long it’s been. However, after a while, I start having a hard time keeping up with them. It must be at least two hours before my feet begin feeling numb. And another half hour before I completely lose sensation in them. They’re so tired now that it hurts just to take another step. But Salman and Fatima don’t stop or complain and neither do I.



About the Author


Ammar Habib is a bestselling and award-winning author who was born in Lake Jackson, Texas in 1993. Ammar enjoys crafting stories that are not only entertaining but will also stay with the reader for a long time. Ammar presently resides in his hometown with his family, all of whom are his biggest fans. He draws his inspiration from his family, imagination, and the world around him.


Tour Schedule


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a signed copy of Habib's national award-winning novel, Memories of My Future (US only). Memories of My Future is an historical/inspirational novel that was published in 2016. It received several accolades after its release, including the Independent Press Award in May 2017.

Ends November 13, 2019

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Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: A Silver Willow by the Shore by Kelli Stuart

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

https://amzn.to/2PYnUxlA Silver Willow by the Shore
By Kelli Stuart
Adult Historical, Contemporary, Time-Slip
Paperback & ebook, 380 Pages
October 15th 2019 by Fine Print Writing Press

How do you face the future if you don’t know your own past?

When an unexpected pregnancy changes her dreams, seventeen-year-old Annie tries to keep it from her mother and her grandmother. But secrets have a way of coming out. In a household of strong women, the arrival of a new life sets off a spiral of truth that reveals a past full of whispers and lies—a past that existed in another world under the heavy hand of Soviet oppression. This history has dictated the circumstances of the present, but hope, redemption, and forgiveness will grow in the rocky places of these generational differences.

A Silver Willow by the Shore is the story of the unshakeable love between mothers and daughters and of the impact that past decisions can have on present day circumstances. This novel weaves together the stories of generations of women, from the gulags of 1930’s Siberia, to the quiet oppression of 1980’s Soviet Moscow, to present day Tennessee. It is an unforgettable narrative of the treachery of secrets, and of the light that unites the heart of a family.

(Affiliate links included.)

Excerpt


Toska. It was an untranslatable word—a word that could hardly be conveyed in the English language. Toska communicated anguish. It was a soul-crushing heartache that couldn’t be quelled. That one word in her native tongue communicated the height of despair. At the time her mother had used it, Nina had neither understood, nor appreciated, the meaning of toska. But that, of course, was before she became a mother.



About the Author


Kelli is a wife, mother, novelist, and the driver of a smoking' hot minivan. When she isn't wrangling her five children, she can be found tapping away at the keyboard. Kelli is the award winning author of Like a River From Its Course, her debut novel which won the ACFW Carol Award for Best Historical and was nominated for two Christy Awards. Kelli is also the co-author of Life Creative: Inspiration for Today's Renaissance Mom with Wendy Speake. You can find more information on her life and writings at www.kellistuart.com.


Tour Schedule


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a Kindle Fire Tablet with Alexa Hands Free + $50 Amazon Gift Card
US only
Ends November 13, 2019

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Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Review & Giveaway: A Different Kind of Strong - Second Edition: Addiction & Adversity Leads To A 30-Day Fast & A Christ-Centered Life by Daniel L. Trotter



https://amzn.to/2NlVtYA

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

On October 14, 2011, Daniel Trotter began a forty-day fast. He was consumed by the question and desperate to know, what do I do? After thirty days in the wilderness, God sent him home with an answer. It was, “Come back to Me.”

For decades, Daniel was held in thrall to alcohol, drugs, porn, and depression. He had friends, but life had lost all meaning.

During a radical thirty-day fast, Daniel encountered God – and great temptation. Afterward, he lost his wife, and his home, but he gained a new perspective – God’s. He went back to school and graduated with honors. God blessed him with a remarriage to someone who understands his heart and shares his faith. He has found peace and purpose.

Daniel found freedom in God’s love and in following God and living according to his precepts. Daniel’s memoir will show you how God can heal every physical, mental and emotional hurt and help you to become whole.


My Review

Occasionally I like to read nonfiction books, and the description of this one appealed to me. It's a memoir of the time the author lived in a campground and fasted from everything but water, but the majority of the telling is flashbacks and memories of the experiences and mistakes in his life up to that point. It's real and gritty (though tastefully non-explicit). The narration of the author is voiced like he is sharing recollections, so I didn't feel connected to the experiences or emotions as if I was in his shoes. The realizations and visions he experiences during his fast lead him to fully embrace God and religion as his saving grace, but other than a brief epilogue, I missed learning about the healing part of his life. This book felt like a prologue to the story I expected. I think it would be especially valuable to those who need hope that no matter how dark their path in life has been, there is always a way forward and a special strength can be found through Jesus and repentance, as told by one who knows.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Review & Giveaway: The Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey



https://amzn.to/2JQL7h6


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://deseretbook.com/p/heart-of-the-rebellion?variant_id=179719-paperbackhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

September 1400

King Richard II of England is dead. And after three years in His Majesty’s service, Rhys ap Tudor and his brother Gwilym are finally free to return to their ancestral home in North Wales. Their long- anticipated homecoming is overshadowed, however, by the harsh changes they encounter in their once peaceful land. The new king, Henry IV, rules with an iron fist, and the country is ripe for rebellion. Instantly thrust into the forefront of the conflict, the proud Tudor brothers enter the fight for their freedom.

Lady Catrin Buckley is alert to the unrest swirling around her. As the daughter of an English father and a Welsh mother, she knows too well the trouble her lineage poses. Her own battle, however, is one of the heart: she is to be married to a man she neither knows nor loves. Then an unexpected encounter with the enigmatic Rhys ap Tudor changes everything. Soon, Catrin finds herself swept into a rebellion that could not only change history but also rewrite her own future.


My Review

Another epic medieval story that pulled me right in! I love this author's subtle writing style that shows rather than tells, and I felt immersed in the setting, the characters, and the emotion. Catrin has torn loyalties with an English father and Welsh mother, but by following her heart she finds the courage to take a stand. I can't imagine living in a time of such harsh circumstances and oppression, but I know there are places in the world today fighting similar battles. This story is full of action and adventure but also explores deeper themes for a truly satisfying read. The romance between Catrin and Rhys is slow-building which brought a lovely sense of anticipation as I read, keeping a hopeful feeling even when the situation was dire. Highly recommend!!! 

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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Monday, November 4, 2019

Spotlight: A Time to Live by Megan Fatheree

Book Three in the For Such a Time series



http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48678225-a-time-to-live

Synopsis

The truth brought to light.

Their destinies uncertain.

When Dominic and Hadassah jump headfirst into their relationship, they think they can make it work. Neither is prepared for the maelstrom of consequences and misunderstandings. Love is far different than what anyone imagined, and Hadassah and Dominic aren't the only ones surprised by love's persistence.

In the darkness, a villain has been lurking. Waiting, waiting for his chance to strike. What started fifteen years ago, suddenly rears its head in the present. When Rage makes his final move on a chessboard of fatal proportions, will anyone be able to stop the storm?

*A Time to Live is the third and final installment in the For Such A Time trilogy. If you wish to read the story from the start, please begin with Dust to Dust.


Book One
https://amzn.to/32cA9sA

Book Two
https://amzn.to/2PFf5sl

Friday, November 1, 2019

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: The Forever Sky by Janalyn Voigt

The Forever Sky JustRead Cover Reveal 
Welcome to the Cover Reveal for The Forever Sky, the fourth book of the Montana Gold series by Janalyn Voigt, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
 

ABOUT THE FOREVER SKY


Series: Montana Gold, Book 4
Author:
Janalyn Voigt
Release Date: December 1, 2019
Genre:
Western/Historical Romance
Can a young widow with no faith in love, hope for a future with the man who broke her heart?

Maisey isn’t about to give Rob another chance to reject her love. Why should she believe that the man who left town without a backward glance three years ago cares about her? Life had taught her all about broken dreams, and she didn’t want to hope again. If only her young daughter would stop adopting Rob as a father, ignoring him—and her own emotions--would be a whole lot easier.

Thoughts of the woman he’d left behind haunted Rob for three long years. It wouldn’t have been fair to ask Maisey to wait while he mined a gold claim. After making his fortune, he’d returned to his family in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. Rob was ready to settle down, and he’d rather do so with Maisey. But after their first encounter, it was clear that he’d lost her forever.

Circumstances force Maisey and Rob into one another’s company. They learn, through hardship and loss, that the only way to one another is to surrender first to God’s love.

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, The Forever Sky explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west.  

Here's the Cover:

The Forever Sky by Janalyn Voigt

PREORDER LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics to her at night. After Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with bedtime stories "written" in her head. Janalyn is a storyteller who writes in multiple genres. The same elements--romance, mystery, adventure, history, and fantasy/whimsy--appear in all her novels. Janalyn Voigt is represented by Wordserve Literary. Learn more about Janalyn, read the first chapters of her books, subscribe to her e-letter, and join her reader clubs at her website.  

CONNECT WITH JANALYN: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | BookBub  

 

TOUR GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive a $20 gift card!

The Forever Sky JustRead Cover Reveal Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 1, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on November 8, 2019. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

 

 
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.