Friday's Featured Finds: Love in the City

I'm excited to announce a new weekly post I'll be doing on Fridays called Featured Finds! I'll be curating a list of fun products I find that go with a book I'm reading! You can find them all at my Featured Finds Amazon Idea List or click the product images below.

Right now I'm in the middle of a box set called Love in the City. The stories are romantic comedies and some of my favorite authors are contributors- Jennifer Peel, Becky Monson, Lucy McConnell, and Shari L. Tapscott! It's only 99 cents so don't miss out!

 

With 12 stories this could easily take all weekend to read, but you could also break them up and read one or two between other longer books! I personally like reading something contemporary and fun in between books that are historical or have heavier themes.

My Weekend is All Booked Tee

 

I've found that living and shopping in the city, a tote always comes in handy. I love this classy bookish tote by Kate Spade!

"Stack of Classics" Kate Spade New York Canvas Book Tote with Interior Pocket

Quirky enamel pins are so fun, and perfect for accessorizing your bookish tote ;) I couldn't resist this cat "Purrito". Cats are also the ideal apartment pet!

Pinsanity Cute Cat Purrito Enamel Pin

Office jobs abound in the city, and I've discovered the importance of using a wrist rest for my keyboard and mousepad. I instantly fell in love with this modern floral and bought it to replace my worn out plain black set.

Floral Ergonomic Keyboard and Mouse Pad Wrist Rest Set

Pretty mugs are a must for your hot drink of choice! During the winter I love herbal tea sweetened with a few drops of stevia. My favorite flavors are peppermint, cinnamon, peach, and raspberry.

Rose Gold Porcelain Mug, Set of Two

 

A bookshelf is essential, and I'm loving the weathered gray wood look. This one stood out to me with the black trim, I think it looks chic!

Three Tier Open Shelf Bookcase, French Oak Grey

 

And lastly, a beautiful blanket to snuggle up in while reading! The recliner rocker in my front room is my favorite reading spot, but it's a faded olive green and doesn't really match the rest of the decor. I think the pom poms on this classic black throw bring an element of whimsy and design while camouflaging the chair when not in use.

Fleece Throw Blanket with Pom Pom Fringe

 

I'd love comments with feedback! Do you plan on reading Love in the City? What do you think of today's finds? What types of products would you like to see featured in future posts?

Happy reading! 

Review: The Beloved Hope Chest by Amy Clipston

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

In the final installment of the Amish Heirloom series, the Fisher sisters learn the mystery behind their parents’ marriage—and about the sibling who has never been spoken of.

Mattie Fisher’s three daughters know that she’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they’ve discovered a new clue about their mother’s past.

But there’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her history hidden, and she’s not sure she’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that preceded the last few happy decades?

Mattie’s story is one of grief and learning to love again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it's a story of love and redemption born out of heartache—and it's past time to share it.

My Review

Mattie's mysterious and emotion-filled past has been alluded to in the previous three books, so it was gratifying to learn what her story was and how it helped prepare her to support her daughters with their struggles. Mattie is a happily married young wife, but heartbreaking tragedy strikes not once, but twice. Her childhood friend Leroy offers her his heart and home, and while it seems to solve her problems at first, Mattie's intense grief clouds her judgement and prevents her from turning to him in her time of greatest need. I liked how their foundation of longtime friendship and Leroy's unrequited love keeps him from giving up on Mattie, and the way their other friends and family encourage him and Mattie both. A good conclusion to the Amish Heirloom series.

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

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Of Sword and Shadow by A.L. Sowards

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Of Sword and Shadow by A.L. Sowards, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

Title: Of Sword and Shadow 
Author: A. L. Sowards
Publisher: Covenant Communications 
Release Date: February 2021
Genre: Action Adventure Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

Greece, 1379 

She is known by many names, none of them her own. In truth, she is an unnamed slave, nothing more than a weapon in the hands of her owner in his attempts to provoke political mayhem. When she encounters a handsome young man while on an assignment, she thinks little of him—until he attempts to take what she has stolen. But in her line of work, failure is not an option. 

Gillen is intrigued by the mysterious woman who thwarts his mission. But when his path crosses hers again, his intrigue turns to gratitude as the thief he comes to call Eudocia saves his life. The two form a bond of friendship and join forces to wrest control from a group of ruthless rulers. But as their camaraderie blossoms into something more, Gillen and Eudocia must fight for love even as they wage war for a better future.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

 

EXCERPT

A man lurched from one of the buildings and stumbled to the bushes. Then he vomited.

My nose twitched, and I had every intention of hurrying away. I had no desire to interact with an inebriated Catalan.

“Eudocia?”

I froze. I knew that voice. Gillen.

“I need your help. I’ve been poisoned.”

The night was growing ever darker, but light from a nearby sconce revealed perspiration on Gillen’s forehead and a red flush in his cheeks. His pupils were so dilated that the hazel had nearly disappeared, leaving only black. He limped toward me. Poisoned? That meant he had powerful enemies, and I had enough enemies without gaining new ones by interfering with a murder plot. But I couldn’t walk away, not when he needed help.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A. L. Sowards is the author of multiple historical fiction novels, with settings spanning the globe from the fourteenth to twentieth centuries. Her stories have become Whitney Finalists and won a Whitney Award, reached the number one spot across multiple Amazon categories, received praise from the Historical Novel Society, and been loved by readers from a variety of backgrounds. She has called both Washington State and Utah home, and is now in the process of adding Alaska to the list. She enjoys hiking and swimming, usually manages to keep up with the laundry, and loves it when someone else cooks dinner. She lives with her husband, three children, and an ever-growing library.

CONNECT WITH A. L.: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card and a print copy of Of Sword and Shadow!

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 15, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 22, 2021. 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.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Blog Tour for They Turned the World Upside Down by Charles Martin

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for They Turned the World Upside Down by Charles Martin, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

Title: They Turned the World Upside Down
Author: Charles Martin
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Genre: Christian Life/Spiritual Growth

In the aftermath of Jesus’ resurrection, the testimonies of those who had followed him were so bold and so powerful that they turned the world upside down. What would happen if we lived with that same kind of faith today? 

Walk in the shoes of the disciples, as New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin brings their stories to life with his storyteller’s perspective. 

In the first century, believer didn’t just mean someone who heard and agreed with Jesus; it meant someone who acted on that belief. And when the outside world saw the faith of these new believers, they declared “they turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). 

That’s the kind of believer Charles Martin wants us to be. The kind who understands that the truth of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is so powerful, it reshaped history. The kind of believer who lives with that same world-changing faith today. 

In his second non-fiction work, he uses his talents as a novelist to walk you through the lives of the disciples in the aftermath of the Resurrection and as they spread the message of the Gospel and “turn the world upside down”, leading up to Paul’s ministry in Thessonalica. In his beloved lyrical style, Martin illuminates key moments from Scripture and shares stories from his own life as a disciple. 

With the same depth, sensitivity, and emotion that have made his novels beloved to millions, Martin will helps you engage with your faith in a new and inspiring way.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub

 

EXCERPT

What Exactly Do You Believe?

The word for “belief” is pisteuo. It means to “have faith in.” Or “put trust in.” Like that little boy jumping off the edge into the arms of his father. Pisteuo isn’t simply a decision of your head. It’s an action of your heart. And legs.

Take bungee jumping. Let’s say you and I are standing on a bridge where people are bungee jumping. It’s one thing to stand there, point at the rope and the little apparatus they lock around their ankles, and then watch as the folks take a swan dive off the bridge as we comment casually

from the comfort of the sideline, “I believe that rope will hold me and so will that thing around my ankles.” It’s another thing entirely to walk onto the bridge, strap the rope around your ankles, and take a Peter Pan off the bridge. Positionally, standing there and watching others jump is believing that. Strapping it around your ankles and jumping into nothingness is believing in.

Big difference. The latter is pisteuo.

At the ends of the Gospels, Jesus was rebuking His friends for failing to believe in. For failing to pisteuo.

People who believe that, watch.

People who believe in, jump.

What gets people from the edge of the bridge to sailing through the air? I’m not sure I can answer that except to say that they do something: they respond to the invitation. “Come.” “Follow me.” And all the others. I can articulate difference between the watcher and the jumper in one word: Faith.

Faith acts. And it acts on what Jesus did and said.

 

“Taken from They Turned the World Upside Down by Charles Martin. Copyright ©2020 by Charles Martin.

Used by permission of Nelson Publishing, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com”

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Charles Martin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fifteen novels and two nonfiction books. He and his wife, Christy, live in Jacksonville, Florida.

CONNECT WITH CHARLES: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of They Turned the World Upside Down and What If It's True?!

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 16, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 23, 2021. 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.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Cast the First Stone by David James Warren

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Cast the First Stone by David James Warren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

From the creative pens of USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren, award-winning author James L. Rubart, and new voice, David Curtis Warren, writing collectively as David James Warren.

Title: Cast the First Stone
Series: The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone #1
Author: David James Warren
Publisher: TriStone Media
Release Date: February 8, 2021
Genre: Time Travel Detective Series One case haunts him. One chance to fix the past. One mistake could cost him everything. 

Ex-Minneapolis Police Detective Rembrandt Stone walked away from a career he loved—just the price of being sure he can come home to the wife and daughter he cherishes. But he can’t shake the deep regret over a case left behind. 

When his mentor, the former Chief of Homicide dies and leaves Rembrandt with a box of cold cases and a mysterious watch, he finds himself thrust into a world he recognizes—a world from twenty years ago—the same world he’s woken from in a cold sweat a hundred times. But is it a dream, or some kind of twisted reality? 

If he solves the case that plagues him, and justice is finally served, will it destroy the life he loves? 

Strap in for a mind-bending, time travel thrill ride in Book One of this riveting new series, The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

 

EXCERPT

The door opens, and I’m sized up by an elderly gentlemen, so thin his bones protrude from a lined, saggy face. Fraying white hair, gnarled hands, but his eyes bore through me as if, once up on a time, he was somebody that understood what trouble looked like.

Or maybe that’s just the bars on the door telling his story. Still, my instincts kick in and give me the weirdest sense that I’ve just walked into my destiny.

“Yes?”

I can’t tell if he’s annoyed or intrigued, so I offer my name, adding, “I was sent here by the Vintage Watch shop guy in Uptown.”

He frowns.

“I was hoping…” I pull out the watch.

He stretches out a hand, through the bars, and I hesitate only a moment before dropping it into his grip.

He comes alive as he runs his thumb over the inscription, not unlike I’ve found myself doing. He fiddles with the dial, then with a quickness that startles me, shuts the door.

What—?

“Hey!” I grab the bars, knock on the door, but it’s locked. I lay on the doorbell. “Give

me my watch back!”

I’m debating circling around the back when the door pops open and Grandpa is back, holding my watch, a stethoscope hanging from his ears.

Seriously?

He’s listening to the watch as if it might have a heartbeat. I stand there awkwardly, waiting for the prognosis.

This is stupid.

But when he hands the watch back to me, I’m oddly hopeful. Until, “There’s nothing wrong with the watch.”

Here we go again. “What are you talking about? It doesn’t work, see?” I do a demonstration for him, winding the dial, holding it up so he can see the dead-in-their- tracks hands. “Nothing moves.”

Grandpa has removed his stethoscope, draping it around his neck. He looks at me with a sort of shake of his head. “The watch is working exactly as it is intended. Didn’t anyone show you how to use it?”

I blink at the old man. “No. Actually, I sort of inherited it.”

One untrimmed eyebrow goes up. “Certainly you’ve seen it used.”

This rocks me back. “Of course. It was…well, my boss had it, and he gave it to me when he died. But he wore it for years.”

This has elicited a response, something of understanding because Grandpa is

nodding. “I see.”

“But I don’t!”

“Just use it like you saw him use it, and it will do its job.” “It doesn’t work! It’s job is to tell the freakin’ time!”

“You are not wrong.” And with that Grandpa closes the door.

Leaving me to stand on the steps in hot sun.

Copyright: TriStone Media Group, LLC

BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

CONNECT WITH REMBRANDT STONE: Website | Instagram

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

 

James L. Rubart is 28 years old, but lives trapped inside an older man’s body. He’s the best-selling, Christy Hall of Fame author of ten novels and loves to send readers on mind-bending journeys they’ll remember months after they finish one of his stories. He’s dad to the two most outstanding sons on the planet and lives with his amazing wife on a small lake in eastern Washington. More at http://jameslrubart.com/

CONNECT WITH JAMES: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling, Christy and RITA award–winning author of more than eighty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. The mother of four grown children, and married to her real-life hero for over 30 years, she loves traveling and telling stories about life, adventure and faith. For exciting updates on her new releases, previous books, and more, visit her website at www.susanmaywarren.com. 

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

David Curtis Warren is making his literary debut in these novels, and he’s never been more excited. He looks forward to creating more riveting stories with Susie and Jim, as well as on his own. He’s grateful for his co-writers, family, and faith, buoying him during the pandemic of 2020, and this writing and publishing process.

CONNECT WITH DAVID: Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card and a print copy of Cast the First Stone!

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 9, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 16, 2021. 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.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.