Blog Tours

Protecting the Poor: My Latest Favorite Medieval Fantasy!

August 29, 2019 // Esther Filbrun 3 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m here again today to share a new book from one of my favorite self-published authors, Amanda Tero. I’ve been reading her books for years now, and have enjoyed every single one! I really enjoyed reading The Secret Slipper two years ago when that released, and I’ve been eagerly anticipating the time when Protecting the Poor would be coming out—and here it is now!

(Some links in this blog post are affiliate links—your purchases through these links help support this blog at no extra expense to you. Thank you! Also, Amanda Tero generously sent me a free ecopy of this book.)

Although I haven’t enjoyed all fantasy books I’ve read, I have really enjoyed the Tales of Faith series. I need to re-read the first two, because it’s been a while, but I believe this book is probably my favorite of the lot. Perhaps it’s because Robin Hood’s story has always intrigued me; perhaps it’s because of the faith woven into the story in a way I really appreciated, I don’t know. But if you like reading medieval stories with a good faith base, I’d recommend this. It’s fun, but also really good.

Guest Post from Amanda:

It is always interesting to see the theme of a story unfold. When I started Protecting the Poor, I wasn’t fully sure where Noel’s and Dumphey’s journeys would take them. They are two very different characters—and one thing that I find unique is they both have strengths that the other person envies. Noel is the shy, quiet type, but he is grounded firmly in what he believes is right and wrong Biblically. Dumphey tends to be more headstrong, leaning on his own understanding, but one of the first to take action when he feels it’s needed. In Protecting the Poor, they both have to learn to do something that God is leading them to do, but they are scared to do it. Have you been there before? What helped you to follow God regardless of your fears?

About the Book

Sheriff Feroci is now lord over the province, and Abtshire has become a pit of injustice. Being forced into the lord’s service does not give Dumphey as many opportunities to help the poor as he desires. When attempts on his life drive him into the forest, this freedom opens a world of possibilities for helping others. But how can he do so when he is running for his life? And does God want him to do more than simply feed the poor?

Noel has always hidden behind the shadow of his older brother, Dumphey. When life forces him to stand on his own, will he still follow God in the corrupt world in which he lives? Would God really call him to do something that is beyond his power to do?

As Lord Feroci’s sinister plot comes to light, each lad has a choice to make. A choice that could cost them their lives.

Find on Amazon | Add to Goodreads

Giveaway!

There’s a giveaway going! One U.S. Winner will receive the complete paperback Tales of Faith series, and one International Winner will receive the complete eBook series. Enter here, or click the picture above.

Order Paperbacks

Do you want to get a signed copy of Protecting the Poor? Order here!

About the Series:

Read my review of Befriending the Beast here | Find it on Amazon | Add on Goodreads

Read my review of The Secret Slipper here | Find it on Amazon | Add on Goodreads

About the Author

Amanda Tero began her love for words at a young age—reading anything she could get her hands on and penning short stories as young as age eight. Since graduation, she has honed her writing skills by dedicated practice and study of the writing craft. She began her journey of publication with a few short stories that she had written for her sisters and continues to add to her collection with other short stories, novellas, and novels. It is her utmost desire to write that which not only pleases her Lord and Savior, but also draws the reader into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Connect with Amanda:

Blog Tour

Here are links to all the other bloggers who are participating in the release of Protecting the Poor!

Monday – August 26, 2019
With a Joyful Noise – Protecting the Poor Release Post
Life of Heritage Corner – Interview, Review, Giveaway
Great Books for God’s Girls – Interview, Review
Peculiar Miss Darcy – Interview
Honey Rock Hills – Review
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations – Spotlight, Review, Guest Post

Tuesday – August 27, 2019
We’ve Got Pockets – Review
Maidens for Modesty – Giveaway, Guest Post
A Brighter Destiny – Spotlight

Wednesday – August 28, 2019
Soldier Girl Stories – Interview
Purposeful Learning – Spotlight, Guest Post

Thursday – August 29, 2019
Rachel Rossano’s Works – Spotlight, Guest Post
In My Bookcase – Review, Giveaway

Friday – August 30, 2019
Losing the Busyness – Spotlight, Review, Giveaway
Resting Life – Guest Post

Saturday – August 31, 2019
Blossoms and Blessings – Spotlight, Review, Guest Post
Verbosity Reviews – Spotlight, Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae – Review
Reading on the Edge – Spotlight

Monday – September 2, 2019
With a Joyful Noise – Giveaway Winner Announced

Do you want to be involved in Amanda’s next release? (I want to be; I’m quite excited about this one!)

Wedding Score is open for reviewers, bloggers, and influencers. Sign up here.

What was your recent favorite fantasy read?

Kees and Colliers: Series Spotlight!

August 8, 2019 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

Today, I have something special to share with you—a spotlight of a series by an indie author I’ve had the privilege of getting to know a little through the medium of her stories!

Whenever I can, I try to help different authors (especially self-published authors) with their publicity work. It’s incredibly difficult to do marketing these days—I struggle with it myself!—and one way we as readers can help authors is to share their books with our own people, which in this case is you!

First, let me introduce Kellyn Roth to you:

Kellyn Roth is a Christian & historical author from North-Eastern Oregon. Kell is a ranch girl, homeschool graduate, proud sister of four, proud auntie of five, and owner of two goofy border collies, two presumptuous cats, and a very active betta fish. Check out her website, kellynrothauthor.com, for more info.

Author Website: http://kellynrothauthor.com/
Blog: http://kellynroth.blog/
Reveries Co: http://reveriescompany.com/
Coach Kell: http://coachkell.com/
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest: @ReveriesofRuby

(Some links in this blog post are affiliate links—your purchases through these links help support this blog at no extra expense to you. Thank you! Also, Kellyn generously sent me free ecopies of all these books.)

Over the past month or two, I’ve taken time to read all the books in this series, except Goldfish Secrets, a short story.

Here are my quick thoughts on the books, in the order I read them:

(And by the way, I wouldn’t recommend reading them in this order…you’ll hear why in a bit.)

I enjoyed The Lady of the Vineyard, book 1. It’s not a heavily detailed plot, by any means, but I enjoyed the lessons it had in it. The editing could perhaps be a bit better, but overall it was a good story. I loved the redemption significance shared in here. A sweet, fairly short story with a delightful little girl in it!

Though there would be a toss-up for me between the first book and the second, I think Flowers in Her Heart is probably my most favorite of the series. Lady is good, but this one somehow touched a bit more of a chord with me and I really loved the story. It’s simple, and sad, and sweet…just the elements I like, with a character or two that really need a good shaking up and heart change. Somewhat of a short book, but I did enjoy it.

From Now ’Til Forever, book 3, unfortunately, did not really do a whole lot for me. It’s a good story, in and of itself, but I struggled with one doctrinal point shared here (nothing against the author personally, of course; I know lots of people who believe what is expressed or inferred here). Since that was a main element of the story, that made it harder. I did enjoy seeing the family grow up a bit more, and the thread of forgiveness that really started to show in the second book was still here in the third one. This is a very short story; I’d hardly call it a novella. If you want a good wrap-up to the series, this would be good to read.

And the last, which I should have read first but didn’t, is Souls Astray, book 0 (or prequel 1). If I had read it first, I have a feeling I would have enjoyed it a bit more; as it was, I had to consciously choose to pick it up, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have finished it. The reason why it was harder for me to read, I think, was because I felt like I already knew the story. Enough detail was needed in the main books of the series that I already knew about all the major events; this just fleshed them out a bit more. I thought the writing style could have been improved somewhat, and I would have liked a better ending, but in the end, that’s all the author’s choice. This was also the longest book of the lot. If you like backstory, you would love this book.

In all, I really enjoyed getting to hear Kellyn’s “voice” through the stories. She has taken some intriguing ideas and set them in a time and place where they work. My favorite parts were definitely the thread of forgiveness through the stories and the family life as it developed throughout the series. They were quite a fun, fairly easy read, but definitely sweet, too, in places. I didn’t understand why certain things were put in there quite as frequently as they were (I believe marital relations were mentioned in every book, and I didn’t think that was needed in some cases), but I was thankful that though things like loose living are mentioned, they aren’t described too much.

If you’re looking for something slightly different on the reading market or a redemption story, you might just enjoy this series. It wasn’t deep, nor was it super fluffy—just somewhere in the middle.

Thank you, Kellyn, for sharing your stories with us! I was thankful for the chance to find out what your books are like, and also thankful for the chance to help out a little!

Giveaway!

Kellyn has a lovely giveaway going. The first prize includes The Lady of the Vineyard and Flowers in Her Heart in paperback and a flower necklace (which goes perfectly with the theme of the books)!

And the second prize is The Lady of the Vineyard in paperback and Flowers in Her Heart and From Now ‘Til Forever in ebook!

Enter the giveaway here.

What World War I or II fiction have you read lately?

Hadassah: Queen Esther of Persia—Book Review and Giveaway!

July 11, 2019 // Esther Filbrun 1 Comment

I’m always curious when I see books about my namesake, Esther, Queen of Persia. I was given one years ago—an abridged version of the original, to be sure, but without the original’s awful scenes—and loved the picture it painted of Esther. A young girl, stripped of the life and dreams that she had, placed in a position where the King had absolute power over her life—and he was the one who would decide whether she would languish, alone, in a world not her own, or live as the wife of the most powerful man in the land. What odds! And, when God’s hand is in the works, what a job!

So when I saw a new book by Diana Wallis Taylor come up for review, Hadassah: Queen Esther of Persia, I knew I wanted to try it out. In stories like this, you generally either strike out, sorta-like it, or find a story that fits the original pretty well. Thankfully, this one was the latter!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this reader’s bookworm habits! Also, I requested a free review copy of this book from CelebrateLit, and this is my honest opinion of it.

About This Book…

Book: Hadassah
Author: Diana Wallis Taylor
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Release date: July 2, 2019

One of the great heroines of the Old Testament, Hadassah was a beautiful, graceful young woman who put her faith in God and her guardian, her cousin Mordecai.

She dreams of marrying Shamir, a tall, handsome, studious young man who is the rabbi’s son. Her heart beats faster when she hears the sound of his deep voice as he reads the Torah. And she hopes that he will visit Mordecai soon to present a betrothal request.

Then, an upheaval in King Xerxes’ palace changes everything. Queen Vashti has been banished and an edict goes out for all qualified young virgins throughout the empire to be taken to the palace as he searches for a new queen.

Fear strikes in the hearts of many, including Mordecai, as he realizes Hadassah will be taken. To hide her identity as a Jew, he tells her to go by the name of Esther. Since he works as a record-keeper at the king’s gates, he can keep tabs on how she is doing.

Hadassah: Queen Esther of Persia imagines what life was like for the woman who saved her people—and perhaps found love in the process.

What I Thought…

I’ve been pretty familiar with Esther’s story for years, so it was interesting to read through an authors interpretation of her story. I was also highly impressed—I only remember noticing one or two small mentions of things that made me ask, “is this really the way it happened in the Bible?” —But even of those, I’m pretty sure at least one thing doesn’t get a mention in the Bible, so it would be up to the author’s guess as to where it would fit.

What I loved, though, and what was one of my favorite aspects of this book, was how the history was brought into it. I remember hearing something about the correlation between Xerxes’ feast and his failed campaign that included the famous Battle of Salamis (thank you for that unforgettable picture, history books!), but I’d never studied up on that particular history behind the history in the Bible before. I loved seeing how all of that played out in here, as a result.

I feel like Hadassah was a good retelling of the Biblical story. I believe the author did a great job weaving in history, honoring the cultural customs of the Jews at the time, and telling Esther’s story in a way that was memorable. There was at least one time that the history actually caught me off-guard—Esther was telling Jonah’s story, and I had no idea that it actually happened 300(ish) years before Esther’s time! With what she had, Diana Taylor did a great job. The writing did feel somewhat stilted at times, but it did get somewhat better as the story went on—it never went all that quickly, but it kept up a good rhythm. If you’re looking for an interesting, but factual, retelling of the Biblical story, you might just enjoy this book.

About the Author…

Diana Wallis Taylor was first published at the age of twelve, when she sold a poem to a church newsletter. After receiving her B.A. in Elementary Education at San Diego State University, she was an elementary school teacher for twenty-two years. Diana has also sold real estate, opened two coffeehouse/used book stores, and was a conference director for a private Christian college.

She has an extensive portfolio of published works, including a collection of poetry; an Easter cantata, written with a musical collaborator; contributions to various magazines and compilations; and several books, including Lydia, Woman of Philippi; Mary, Chosen of God; Ruth, Mother of Kings; and Halloween: Harmless Fun or Risky Business?

Learn more at www.dianawallistaylor.com.

The Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Diana is giving away a grand prize of a $20 Starbucks card and a surprise book!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops (below) for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Go here to enter (or click the image above).

Next Blog Stops…

Aryn the Libraryan, July 10
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, July 10
Through the Fire Blogs, July 10
Lights in a Dark World, July 11
Mary Hake, July 11
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 11
Splashes of Joy, July 12
Simple Harvest Reads, July 12 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 12
Bigreadersite, July 13
Pause for Tales, July 13
Texas Book-aholic, July 13
Creating Romance, July 14
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, July 14
janicesbookreviews, July 14
Older & Smarter?, July 15
She Lives To Read, July 15
A Reader’s Brain, July 15
For the Love of Literature, July 16
Just the Write Escape, July 16
Inklings and notions, July 16
Henry Happens, July 17
Hebrews 12 Endurance, July 17
Little Homeschool on the Prairie, July 17
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 17

What was your most favorite recent Biblical fiction read?

Shelter of the Most High: Blog Tour and Giveaway!

December 4, 2018 // Esther Filbrun 2 Comments

After years of reading very few Biblical fiction stories, I think I’ve come across an author I’m going to love. Cossette writes in such a way that you are drawn into the story, and held captive there until you reach the thrilling conclusion. And one major bonus point in her direction is that while her stories have a lot of romance (something I struggle with at times!), the rest of the story outweighs it so much that I still have to give it a high rating even though I might not have otherwise! She’s an expert at the craft, and I’m thankful. (She’s also Biblically accurate, as far as I can tell, which is another huge bonus point!)

Today, I have the privilege of sharing the second book in the Cities of Refuge series with you. As I mention in my review, I loved the first book in the series as well (hopefully that review will go up on the website sometime within the next couple months), and this is a great continuation. I do recommend reading the first one before this second, because of spoilers.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this reader’s bookworm habits!

About This Book…

Book: Shelter of the Most High
Author: Connilyn Cossette
Genre: Christian Biblical Fiction
Release Date: October, 2018

The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.

Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a city of refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood, yet chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.

As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Can they uncover the betrayal in time to save their lives and the lives of those they love?

Click here to purchase your copy!

What I Thought…

Shelter of the Most High is a delightful story! Having read A Light on the Hill earlier this year, and loving it, I couldn’t wait until this one came out! And as soon as I saw it was available for review, I requested a copy.

What a story! And what a setting! I’ve come to love Ms. Cossette’s idea of Ancient Israel—I haven’t found anything so far (that stands out to me, anyway) that is unbiblical, so that makes the story worth even more to me.

As far as the story itself, it was very well-formed.

There were quite a few times I was completely at a loss as to what would likely happen next. With two different concurrent storylines, there was a lot going on, and fairly often the tension got to a place where I had to make time to read a few chapters to get past whatever was happening then.

One thing I appreciated about this book were the different spiritual journeys. One I especially enjoyed was a character dealing with intense grief; though I felt like it might not have been quite as intense as it is in real life, I liked the place the character came to in seeing even terrible incidents as guidance from the Lord and Him using those circumstances to draw them to Himself.

In all, I enjoyed this story—in some ways, it wasn’t quite as good as the last book in the series (at least, I didn’t feel quite as sucked into it as with the other one, but it might be my season of reading right now), but all together, it was another excellent story. Some people who struggle with romance in books may find this a little much for them, but otherwise, I recommend it!

I requested a review copy of this book from CelebrateLit, and this is my honest opinion of it.

About the Author…

Connilyn Cossette is the CBA bestselling author of the Out From Egypt series. Her debut novel, Counted with the Stars, was a finalist for the Christy Award, the INSPY Award, and the Christian Retailing’s Best Award. She lives in North Carolina with her husband of twenty years and a son and a daughter who fill her days with joy, inspiration, and laughter. Connect with her at www.ConnilynCossette.com.

Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Connilyn is giving away…

Grand Prize: All five of Conni’s novels, including Shelter of the Most High, plus AHAVA Dead Sea Bath Salts

Three other winners will receive a copy of Shelter of the Most High!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Go here to enter.

See the other stops on the blog tour here.

Let’s discuss: What was the last historical Biblical fiction you’ve enjoyed reading? Who is your favorite author in the genre?

Homespun: Book Review and Blog Tour

September 4, 2018 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

If I had to tally all the most common questions I have been asked over my time here in New Zealand, probably one of the highest-scoring ones would be the question of whether I’m Amish or Mennonite. Unfortunately, I’m neither, so that leaves people rather stumped. However, I love the ex-Amish and Mennonites that I’ve been blessed to know over the years, and really appreciate the cultures they come from. So when I saw Homespun come up for review recently, I thought it would be a great read. And I ended up loving it!

Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. They help support my reading habits, at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

About the Book:

Straight from the pens of Amish and Mennonite women . . .

Ever wish you could visit with a group of Amish or Mennonite women over a cup of coffee? In the pages of Homespun, Amish and Plain Mennonite women swap stories and spin yarns while we listen in. Lorilee Craker, bestselling author of Money Secrets of the Amish, collects these personal writings about hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God. Hear from one woman who struggles with feeling inferior to her sister, from another about her longing for a baby, and from a third who accidentally bought stretchy material to sew her husband’s pants. Each woman’s story is a testament to the grace of God and the blessings of community.

Behind Amish romance novels and tourist spots and television shows stand real people, with longings and loves just like the rest of us. Every Amish and Mennonite woman has a story. In Homespun, you get to hear some of them.

My Thoughts:

I don’t read many non-fiction books, and when I do, they’re usually biographies or autobiographies. I struggle with anything not story-related. So I wasn’t sure what I’d think when I saw Homespun come across my review opportunities email. The synopsis was intriguing, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get into it enough to do it justice. Wow, I was wrong!

While this book has been a slow read for me, I feel like I’ve learned a lot. Each woman is a gifted writer, and I feel like I’m visiting across the kitchen table with them as I read their thoughts. The topics vary as much as those around many tables—from humorous short stories of cherished memories, to more in-depth ones of family’s sorrow and learning to trust again.

When I found out I had read the last article in this book this afternoon, I felt pretty disappointed. This was the kind of book—a mix of physical and spiritual encouragement—that I love reading. There’s something about it that I find truly filling, a reflection of Jesus in other people’s lives. Even if I didn’t have time to do much reading at any one time, I knew I would find something to chew on for a while anyway. This book has been a rich reading experience for me the last couple weeks, and I’m thankful to have had the chance to read it. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get a print version of this book next time I have a chance!

I requested a review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

About the Editor:

Editor Lorilee Craker is the author of thirteen books, including Money Secrets of the Amish; Anne of Green Gables, My Daughter, and Me; My Journey to Heaven with Marv Besteman; and the New York Times bestseller Through the Story with Lynne Spears. Connect with her at LorileeCraker.com.

Let’s discuss: What was the last book about Amish or Mennonites that you read? What did you learn from it?

Choose Your Own Story // Book Release Event!

August 25, 2018 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

Today, I’m thrilled to have the privilege to invite Sarah Holman to join me on this blog! She recently released Escape and Endurance, the fifth book in her Tales of Taelis series. This is a Christian medieval fantasy series that she has been writing for several years now, and although I haven’t read the last two yet, I’m hoping to very soon—I enjoyed the first three!

Some links in this post are affiliate links. They don’t cost you any extra, but help keep this reader supplied with new books—thank you!

To celebrate the release of Escape and Endurance, Sarah has decided to do a “choose your own adventure” event, similar to those books we all enjoyed as children (hey, I still like going through our “day in the life of an otter” book, and trying to avoid the death traps!). I’ll let her carry this away.

In this event, you get to pick the outcome of the story by making choices. A lot of different things can happen. What are you waiting for? Start your adventure by clicking the image below!

Andrew swallowed when he saw the king enter. It was one thing to talk about how the king’s daughter was difficult with the captain of the retainers, but he certainly didn’t want the king to overhear him.

“Your Majesty, I…”

The king held up his hand. “Please, there is no need to explain. I know what Gail is like. I know that she deserves to be taught a lesson. However, I’m asking you to go after her.”

Andrew nodded. “I live to serve you.” Without any further delay, he mounted his horse and…

Are you interested in reading about a knight, a tower, a princess, and a servant? Pick up your own copy of Escape and Endurance! Haven’t read the other books in the Tales of Taelis series? Don’t worry. Each book can stand alone. 🙂

About Sarah:

Sarah Holman is a not-so-typical girl, a homeschool graduate, sister to six awesome siblings, and lives in the great state of Texas. If there’s anything adventuresome about her life, it’s because she serves a God with a destiny greater than anything she could have imagined. You can find out more about her at her website.

You can join the Adventurers (her newsletter) by going here: http://eepurl.com/bitBIf

Thanks for stopping by today, Sarah!

What was your favorite “choose-your-own-adventure” story as a child?