GOING FOR BROKE: HOW TO SUFFER WELL

Inside the Book

Title: GOING FOR BROKE: HOW TO SUFFER WELL
Author: Shannon Medisky
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 61
Genre: Christian Nonfiction/Devotional

BOOK BLURB:

Hardship hurts and suffering sucks.

But there’s very important work—and rewards—we need to be occupied with in the middle of it all.

Suffering has a way of stretching us beyond ourselves. It prompts us to stretch outside of our current comfort zones. But no matter how we feel, we don’t have to be buried by our challenges and circumstances. Instead, we can recognize that God has planted us right where we are for a reason: It’s time to get growing.

Here’s how.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon / B&N

Watch the Trailer!

https://youtu.be/xamaFhWtAho

______________________

Meet the Author

“Shannon’s writing is infused with an abiding passion, a marked sensitivity to the needs of her readers and a tangible wisdom gleaned from real life experience,” Danielle D.

Shannon Medisky is a leading expert in struggling with stress, screwing up and seeking God in the midst of it all. Sometimes funny but always real, Shannon’s writing is infused with practical ideas designed to help others create positive, real change in their daily lives. In short, Shannon writes about how to intentional move from simply “going on” to growing on—by God’s grace.

Shannon’s articles, insights and ideas have been featured in Exceptional Parents, Adoptive Families, Hybrid Mom, Mothering and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family. For the past nine years, Shannon’s also worked as contributing writer and curriculum designer for OneHope, a global nonprofit ministry devoted to sharing the life-changing message of the Gospel with youth and children worldwide. To learn more, visit GraceToGrowOn.com.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

__________________________________________________

My Review

As a psychology graduate I found this book interesting as it was both religious and practical. I feel like reading this book has helped me to better understand how hardships can actually help one to grow as a person and they do not have to be all bad. 

QUARRELSOME QUARTZ (Book 7)

Title: QUARRELSOME QUARTZ (Book 7)
Author: Mildred Abbott
Publisher: Wings of Ink Publications LLC
Pages: 340
Genre: Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

A New Age conference comes to Estes Park, Colorado, bringing a cacophony of tie-dye, crystals, and murder…

As summer draws to a close, the Spirit, Health, and Heart Conference arrives, just in time for Winifred’s sisters to open their store next to the Cozy Corgi Bookshop. To Fred’s surprise, Chakras turns out to be a beautiful addition to the delightful mountain town. The shop even has a room so pleasing in its crystal tranquility that Fred’s corgi, Watson, approves—and hardly anything impresses him.

But not everyone is charmed by the crystals, tarot readings, and messages of personal enlightenment. When a famous spiritualist is found dead, Chakras and the entire town is plunged into a conflict that touches the lives of those closest to Fred.

Although she is hesitant to become involved, it is simply not in the cards for Fred to sit out the investigation. As she and Watson embark on a journey that forces them to take a look into the darker shadows of Estes Park, Fred soon finds herself digging into the secrets of those she loves… 

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Meet the Author

Reading the Cozy Corgi series is pretty much all you need to know about Mildred. In real life, she’s obsessed with everything she writes about: Corgis, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods.  She’s not obsessed with murder, however. At least not at her own hands (nor paid for… no contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in her personality.  Having Fred and Watson stroll into her mind was a touch of kismet.

Website Address: http://www.mildredabbott.com

Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/MAcozymystery

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/MildredAbbottAuthor/

Facebook Secret Club Address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Mildredabbottscozymysteryclub/

Instagram address: https://www.instagram.com/mildredabbott/

Audible Address for audiobooks: https://www.audible.com/author/Mildred-Abbott/B077XMB42Y?ref=a_search_c3_lAuthor_1_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=JXVP9RK55YFX52PC7V3D&

My Review

QUARRELSOME QUARTZ (Book 7) was an awesome book that brought crystals, tarot readings, and messages of personal enlightenment into the series. I loved seeing these elements as it added an almost magical feel to the book, yet murder was not far away and stuck a a famous spiritualist dead. The conflict that came from this truly made the book a fast pace read that I could not put down!

LOVE, LOSS AND LAGNIAPPE

Inside the Book

Title: LOVE, LOSS AND LAGNIAPPE
Author: Richard Robbins
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
Pages: 186
Genre: Literary Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

Life is good for Dr. Drew Coleman, a successful young eye surgeon living in Uptown New Orleans, and he knows it. Having met and married his beautiful medical school classmate, Kate, the two settle happily into the routine of raising their two young daughters.

Drew’s charmed life is soon shattered by devastating news, causing him to go on a ten-year transcontinental journey of self-discovery, during which he explores the nature of God and Man, the divine inspiration for many of New York’s landmarks and artistic treasures, and the relationship between the found and the lost souls passing on the street. He meets a number of memorable characters, including the young blue-haired runaway, Blue, who renounced her given name when forced to leave her Minnesota home with her girlfriend, Anna.

In time, he discovers and explains the scientific basis for the meaning of life, and is finally found, or finds himself, setting the stage for a bittersweet and memorable ending.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

______________________

Meet the Author

Richard Robbins has always liked telling good stories, but it was not until his youngest child left for college that he was able to find the time to put them into print.  His first novel, Love, Loss, and Lagniappe was inspired by actual events in his life, and utilizes Richard’s Medical and Business School background to explore the journey of self-discovery after heartbreaking loss, while revealing the scientific basis for the meaning of life (You’ll have to read it to find out!).

Richard is currently working on his second novel, Panicles, a multi-generational story of the intersecting fate of two families and the price of fame versus the simpler pleasures of a grounded life.

Richard lives in New York City with his love and inspiration, Lisa, his wife of thirty years (and counting), near their beloved grown children.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK

My Review

 LOVE, LOSS AND LAGNIAPPE was a though provoking book that made me thing about my own life and what I value in my life. I do wish the pace of the book had been a bit faster, but overall it was a worthwhile read that really got me thinking.

CHAOTIC CORGIS (Book 6)

Title: CHAOTIC CORGIS (Book 6)
Author: Mildred Abbott
Publisher: Wings of Ink Publications LLC
Pages: 213
Genre: Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

At the height of the summer season, Estes Park explodes with people, wildlife, fireworks, and… murder.

The Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery is buzzing with tourists, and Winifred Page and her quirky corgi, Watson, celebrate the Fourth of July picnicking with family and friends—of the human and four-legged variety. As summer blooms with romance for Fred and Sergeant Branson Wexler, murder lurks around the corner.

With a friend’s life in danger, Fred and Watson doggedly pursue the investigation, even as Fred finds herself once again at odds with the police department. But caring for two chaotic corgis while navigating emotions from the past in the midst of solving a mystery might be too much, and Fred hits a roadblock.

As relationships are tested and secrets exposed, Fred might lose more than one person she loves…

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Meet the Author

Reading the Cozy Corgi series is pretty much all you need to know about Mildred. In real life, she’s obsessed with everything she writes about: Corgis, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods.  She’s not obsessed with murder, however. At least not at her own hands (nor paid for… no contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in her personality.  Having Fred and Watson stroll into her mind was a touch of kismet.

Website Address: http://www.mildredabbott.com

Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/MAcozymystery

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/MildredAbbottAuthor/

Facebook Secret Club Address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Mildredabbottscozymysteryclub/

Instagram address: https://www.instagram.com/mildredabbott/

Audible Address for audiobooks: https://www.audible.com/author/Mildred-Abbott/B077XMB42Y?ref=a_search_c3_lAuthor_1_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=JXVP9RK55YFX52PC7V3D&

My Review

While I have enjoyed all of the books I have read so far in the series this one is my new favorite! Why? Because it has more corgis and I loved the additional cuteness factor that this brought to the book as it made me smile and the dogs. This author clearly knows about how corgis can behave and is spot on in writing them. I only wish I could adopt one straight from this book!

SCORNFUL SCONES (Book 5)

Title: SCORNFUL SCONES (Book 5)
Author: Mildred Abbott
Publisher: Wings of Ink Publications LLC
Pages: 302
Genre: Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

With summer approaching, Estes Park is abuzz with flowers, baking, tourists, and… murder.

Tourist season is about to begin, and the lovely weather has Winifred Page and her corgi sidekick, Watson, leaving the comfort of the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery to reluctantly attend a celebration at the Black Bear Roaster coffee shop. But a chill of uncertainty settles over Fred when a choking death doesn’t seem so accidental—despite the dry, hazardous scones.

As Fred and Police Sergeant Branson Wexler rekindle a possible romance, Fred shares her suspicions. But is she seeing murder at every turn? Learning to trust her gut feelings, Fred risks the ire of the coffee shop owner to investigate not one, but two, deaths.
As suspects and motives abound, old resentments are uncovered, and Fred and Watson build new friendships even as they follow the crumbs to find clues to a killer.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Meet the Author

Reading the Cozy Corgi series is pretty much all you need to know about Mildred. In real life, she’s obsessed with everything she writes about: Corgis, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods.  She’s not obsessed with murder, however. At least not at her own hands (nor paid for… no contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in her personality.  Having Fred and Watson stroll into her mind was a touch of kismet.

Website Address: http://www.mildredabbott.com

Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/MAcozymystery

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/MildredAbbottAuthor/

Facebook Secret Club Address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Mildredabbottscozymysteryclub/

Instagram address: https://www.instagram.com/mildredabbott/

Audible Address for audiobooks: https://www.audible.com/author/Mildred-Abbott/B077XMB42Y?ref=a_search_c3_lAuthor_1_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=JXVP9RK55YFX52PC7V3D&

My Review

SCORNFUL SCONES (Book 5) was another great mystery book that I found myself loving. The author really did a great job in making this book stand out from the others with the addition of new characters and the suspense about whether a death is really murder or an accident.

With the holidays just around the corner there is no better time to shop for books, and gifts for those who read them! I love gifts, both the giving and receiving of them. Stocking stuffers are fun, but wrapping up large gift boxes is something I particularly enjoy doing. The finished present, with wrapping, bow, and card is a great way to present a lovely gift to someone to show them how much you care.
Without further ado, I would like to showcase a few literary themed gifts for the person in your life who always has their nose in a book.
Jack London wrote some of the best known adventure novels of all time. White Fang Tote Bag, is an ode to his classic. It showcases a dog against a snowy background in the night. This book cover tote bag is available as a forest green print with white lettering. Perfect for any Jack London fan, or fans of dogs in general.
Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights is a fantastic story for any adoring romance reader. This Wuthering Heights T-Shirt aims to capture the essence and spooky nature of the novel. It showcases the ghostly figure of a woman alongside a large typeset title and author. In a grey-blue print, this shirt comes in over seven colors to choose from.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad may have been a novella instead of a full length novel, but it is still one of the most widely read pieces of classic literature read today. This faded white scorpion print with dark red writing should get you in the mood to pick up Joseph Conrad's work and read it for yourself.
Thanks so much for reading! I've enjoyed telling you about some of the designs and products in the store. I wish anyone reading this a very happy and safe holiday season!
Written by Melissa Chan, book lover who spent much of her childhood in the library, and is the founder of Literary Book Gifts.

SAVAGE SOURDOUGH (Book 4)

Title: SAVAGE SOURDOUGH (Book 4)
Author: Mildred Abbott
Publisher: Wings of Ink Publications LLC
Pages: 296
Genre: Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

Opening the Cozy Corgi in Estes Park is a dream come true: small-town charm, fresh-baked bread, hours by the fire reading mysteries, and… murder.

For Winifred Page and her devoted corgi, Watson, the puzzle pieces of life are falling into place as they settle into their home in the Colorado mountains. Surrounded by family and friends, Fred begins to relax into the charm and beauty of being the owner of a bookshop and bakery.

The buzz of possible romance—though Fred wasn’t looking for a relationship—has quieted as one of her suitors is no longer a viable option while the other has moved into the friend zone. But all thoughts of romance, wanted or not, fly out the window when Fred finds a dead body in the Cozy Corgi bakery… again.

Things get stickier when Fred’s main suspect turns out to be a family member of one of the local police officers—the one who already despises Fred and her little dog. Determined not to let past grievances cloud her judgment, Fred tips her detective hat and pokes deeper into the murder investigation. But in a mystery that becomes smoke and mirrors, nothing is as it seems.

The revelations Fred unveils threaten not only her picture-perfect world but her very life….

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Meet the Author

Reading the Cozy Corgi series is pretty much all you need to know about Mildred. In real life, she’s obsessed with everything she writes about: Corgis, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods.  She’s not obsessed with murder, however. At least not at her own hands (nor paid for… no contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in her personality.  Having Fred and Watson stroll into her mind was a touch of kismet.

Website Address: http://www.mildredabbott.com

Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/MAcozymystery

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/MildredAbbottAuthor/

Facebook Secret Club Address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Mildredabbottscozymysteryclub/

Instagram address: https://www.instagram.com/mildredabbott/

Audible Address for audiobooks: https://www.audible.com/author/Mildred-Abbott/B077XMB42Y?ref=a_search_c3_lAuthor_1_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=JXVP9RK55YFX52PC7V3D&

My Review

This book took me back to the very roots of the series and book one with how the author had a second dead body found at the bookstore. I kinda wished the body was somewhere else because it felt a bit like the author was copying book one in the beginning, but as the book went on I realized that the was not the case and that it was a vital plot element.

THE WATER IS WIDE

Title: THE WATER IS WIDE
Author: Laura Vosika
Publisher: Gabriel’s Horn Press
Pages: 451
Genre: Time Travel/Historical Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

After his failure to escape back to his own time, Shawn is sent with Niall on the Bruce’s business. They criss-cross Scotland and northern England, working for the Bruce and James Douglas, as they seek ways to get Shawn home to Amy and his own time.

Returning from the Bruce’s business, to Glenmirril, Shawn finally meets the mysterious Christina. Despite his vow to finally be faithful to Amy, his feelings for Christina grow.

In modern Scotland, having already told Angus she’s pregnant, Amy must now tell him Shawn is alive and well—in medieval Scotland. Together, they seek a way to bring him back across time.

They are pursued by Simon Beaumont, esteemed knight in the service of King Edward, has also passed between times. Having learned that Amy’s son will kill him—he seeks to kill the infant James first.

The book concludes with MacDougall’s attack on Glenmirril, Amy and Angus’s race to be there and Shawn’s attempt to reach the mysterious tower through the battling armies.

Watch the Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1z7mHo-OxQ&list=PL1M7umb_F_hIUIeqM5z8oeaX4mGrj1afB&index=3

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

______________________

Meet the Author

Laura Vosika is a writer, poet, and musician. Her time travel series, The Blue Bells Chronicles, set in modern and medieval Scotland, has garnered praise and comparisons to writers as diverse as Diana Gabaldon and Dostoevsky. Her poetry has been published in The Moccasin and The Martin Lake Journal 2017.

She has been featured in newspapers, on radio, and TV, has spoken for regional book events, and hosted the radio program Books and Brews. She currently teaches writing at Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

As a musician, Laura has performed as on trombone, flute, and harp, in orchestras, and big bands. She lives in Brooklyn park with 5 of her 9 children, 3 cats, and an Irish Wolfhound.

Her latest book is the time travel/historical fiction, The Water is Wide.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

__________________________________________________

My Review

THE WATER IS WIDE was a well written book that I could not help, but enjoy. The settings and time periods were filled with enough detail for me to get a clear picture in my head of what everything looked like and I great enjoyed the characters from different time periods!

BICKERING BIRDS (Book 3)

Title: BICKERING BIRDS (Book 3)
Author: Mildred Abbott
Publisher: Wings of Ink Publications LLC
Pages: 280
Genre: Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

Rocky Mountain National Park has it all: rugged peaks, pine-scented forests, enchanting bird-watching locations, and… murder.

The Cozy Corgi bookshop finally opens, and Winifred Page and her headstrong corgi, Watson, are ready to welcome their first patrons. With her new best friend, Katie, creating heavenly pastries in the bakery on the top floor of the store, Fred’s dreams are all coming together in delicious and unexpected ways.

When Katie caters a meeting of the Feathered Friends Brigade and drags Fred along, they expect nothing more than loquacious chatter about birds as they endeavor to build a professional relationship with the owner of the wild bird shop. Fred and Katie are quickly roped into a moonlight snowshoeing hike in hopes of spotting a rare owl. While the endangered bird proves elusive… the murdered man in the snow is hard to miss.

Fred’s growing relationship with Sergeant Wexler hits a snag when he forbids her from donning her sleuth hat yet again. But Fred is a lot like her corgi—she doesn’t like being told what to do, even if it puts an end to a possible romance.

As Fred and Watson delve into the lives of the ornithological club members, the tangled birds’ nest of an investigation makes Fred wonder if she should have left this one to the police. But when feathers begin to fly, Fred has no choice but to flush out a killer…

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Meet the Author

Reading the Cozy Corgi series is pretty much all you need to know about Mildred. In real life, she’s obsessed with everything she writes about: Corgis, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods.  She’s not obsessed with murder, however. At least not at her own hands (nor paid for… no contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in her personality.  Having Fred and Watson stroll into her mind was a touch of kismet.

Website Address: http://www.mildredabbott.com

Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/MAcozymystery

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/MildredAbbottAuthor/

Facebook Secret Club Address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Mildredabbottscozymysteryclub/

Instagram address: https://www.instagram.com/mildredabbott/

Audible Address for audiobooks: https://www.audible.com/author/Mildred-Abbott/B077XMB42Y?ref=a_search_c3_lAuthor_1_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=JXVP9RK55YFX52PC7V3D&

My Review

So out of the books of this series that I have read so far this one ended up being my favorite. I loved the fact that book store opened and that Fred stood up for herself when Sergeant Wexler tried to forbid her from solving the mystery of the dead body that she found in the snow. It showed that Fred was a strong female character who was not going to let someone else force her to be someone she is not.

STEPS TO KNOWING GOD

Book Details:

Book Title:  Steps to Knowing God by Correna R. Barzey
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction,  118 pages
Genre:  Christian Living
Publisher: Westbow Press
Release date:  February 28, 2018
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

For an action-packed revelation on how to live a satisfied life with Christ, every page of this book highlights the truth of God and His desires for us. It is filled with spiritual nutrients and helpful tools that will transform and change lives for the glory of God, thus giving us the ammunition needed to withstand the evil one Gaining a better understanding of God and developing spiritual qualities that will deepen your devotion to Him and will steadily transform you into His likeness.
​

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Christianbook.com
Author's Website
​

Meet the Author:

​Correna R. Barzey is a mother of four, born on the tiny island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. She was brought up in the church from a young age by her grandmother and is a devoted christian who delights in God and His Word. Correna knew she had a passion for writing as she began to write inspirational poems for friends and loved ones, however, looking at this world desperately in need of Christ, she decided to write this book to give others a clearer understanding of Christ.

Connect with the author: Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Miss Management

Inside the Book

Title: MISS MANAGEMENT
Author: Traci Highland
Publisher: Cheshire Lane Press
Pages: 215
Genre: Romantic Comedy

BOOK BLURB:

Mags has gotten herself in a ton of trouble: she’s lost her job, any hope for references, and she’s going to run out of money…. fast.

Yeah, sure, it may be her fault for punching her boss, but the jerk totally had it coming.

Nobody listens to her until she reaches her boiling point, and by then, well, she’ll admit that there’s no stopping Mr. Fist To The Face.

Now her years of hard work as a speech therapist are about to go down the drain unless she can find some way to salvage her career. So when her Aunt Elise calls to say that she has a job for her, it’s not like she can say no, even if the job is up in the wilds of Vermont.

Between stuffed moose, sloppy dogs and sexy men, Vermont proves to be a lot more interesting than she expected. But when she uncovers a scheme that would put her new employers’ livelihood in jeopardy, more than just hydrangea bushes are about to get squashed.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

______________________

Meet the Author

Traci Highland writes funny books for sassy ladies.  She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and has a Master’s from Quinnipiac University.  She uses this education to write books, bake cakes, garden and make homemade jams.  Her children say she’s bossy, her husband says she’s high-maintenance, but the dog thinks she’s perfect.

Her latest book is the romantic comedy, Miss Management.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

__________________________________________________

My Review

Miss Management was a different book because the main character Mags was a speech therapist. I have never read a book before this one that had the main character being a speech therapist so I enjoyed the uniqueness of the character role and the role it played on the story itself. I also really liked Mags as a character.