A Life Set Free by Rena Groot—Blog Tour

About the Book

Book: A Life Set Free

Author: Rena Groot

Genre: Non-Fiction

Release date: 2019

A Life Set Free was carried in my heart for years before I finally had the courage to write it. It was written under a mosquito net in China. The final editing took place at a guest house in Israel. It is filled with stories from God sparing my life to leading me on incredible adventures as an ambassador with “The Department of Eternal Affairs” to so many cool places ~ Haiti, a jungle village in Belize, the Ghetto in NYC, behind the Iron Curtain in Poland and Romania, Israel, China, Thailand, Mexico, Canada, Africa, and Greece. It is a story of God’s love and faithfulness.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is a great testimony of the author’s faith and how God has been faithful and worked in her life and through her. She gives all the glory to God, and you can tell from her own testimony she listens to God’s leading and is obedient to the call. I did struggle a little bit with the format of the book, some of the chapters seem to go back and forth, and it took me a bit to kind of get with the flow of it. However, I think this is a great book, and would definitely recommend it. It will encourage you to seek God’s face and be so in tune with Him that you can hear His calling on your life. He can work through you no matter what life has thrown at you, and He is always with you even in those trials.

**I received this book for review as part of the CelebrateLit blog team. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

My name is Rena Groot and I am honored you have chosen to take a moment of your life to read this. I am an artist, author, have a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and a Masters of Religious Education from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary in Cochrane, Alberta. I have been a teacher in Canada and China, a tour manager from the Rockies to the Pacific, a missionary to the ends of the Earth, a mom of four ~ and best of all, a child of God.

More from Rena

Why did I write this book? Because I had to. I wrote it for me…but God wanted me to share it with the world…with you…so you could be encouraged and know that God loves you…more than you can possibly imagine.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 5

Texas Book-aholic, March 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 7

deb’s Book Review, March 8

An Author’s Take, March 9

Lots of Helpers, March 9

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 10

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, March 11

Cover Lover Book Review, March 12

Lily’s Book Reviews, March 13

For Him and My Family, March 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 15

Lights in a Dark World, March 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 17

Vibrant Wings by Valerie, March 18

Mary Hake, March 18

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rena is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 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/2494c/a-life-set-free-celebration-tour-giveaway

Time-Saving Mom by Crystal Paine—Book Review

Mar2

Back Cover Copy

Time is short. Here’s how to invest it in what matters most.

As a busy mom, pulled in many directions, you’ve felt it: There’s too much to do, and not enough time to do it.

It seems like the only solution is to hustle harder. But there’s a far better way to manage your time so that you can simplify and enjoy your life.

Crystal Paine–mom of six, bestselling author, and entrepreneur–delivers a real-world, no-nonsense guide to keeping you sane and doing the things you love most.

In The Time-Saving Mom, Crystal takes you inside her days to help you:

· Adopt an easy-to-implement four-step system to organize and simplify your life

· Create morning and evening routines that set you up for success

· Learn time-saving hacks to help you find time for pursuing your personal passions, friendships, exercise, and better sleep

· Carve out sacred time for God and your family

You don’t have to be a productivity queen to maximize your time. Instead, you can be a time-saving mom, investing in what matters most.

“The Time-Saving Mom will change your life. . . . The practical tools and advice in this book are game changers.”–ALLI WORTHINGTON, author of Remaining You While Raising Them

My Review

This book was great motivation for me. I loved all the tips to budget your time wisely. I’ve followed the author on Instagram for a while now, and I’ve heard her talk about the time-block schedule she uses, but has never tried it myself. This was probably one of my favorite take-always. I loved using the time-block schedule for my day, and planning the night before really helped me get an idea of what I needed to do the next day. There were many other things I learned from this book too. I highly recommend this one!

**I received this book from the publisher for review. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard—Book Review

Mar1

Back Cover Copy

Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.

Grier is in Alaska for the same reason many others are–to disappear–when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.

“Elizabeth Goddard has created a novel that immerses the reader in small-town Alaska. From the first page, it’s a race to stay alive and solve a number of ever-spiraling mysteries. I highly recommend this novel.”–Cara Putman, award-winning author of Flight Risk and Lethal Intent

“A simmering romantic suspense with an explosive ending. Once more Goddard proves she is a master storyteller and deserving of her place as one of the best Christian romantic suspense authors of our time.”–Mary Alford, author of Among the Innocent

My Review

I sure do love a good suspense, and this is one didn’t disappoint. Police Chief Autumn Long has run into some problems with her job, and then is thrust into a crime spree that seems to have her and her family as the target. I loved the characters, both Autumn and Grier were intriguing characters, and I really loved them. There were lots of twists and turns in this story, and it kept me guessing until the very end. I wondered what secrets Grier was hiding? Who was trying to get to Autumn? Why were bodies appearing everywhere? I highly recommend this book, and I cannot wait to read the next one in this series!

**I received a copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Secret Society by Terry Overton—Book Tour

Feb27

About the Book

Book: The Underground Book Readers: The Secret Society

Author: Terry Overton

Genre: Upper Middle Grade, Pre-Teen, Teen, YA Christian Fiction Dystopian

Release date: December 15, 2022

In a world without books, schools, churches, and parents, how can teens and pre-teens find each other and work to bring back a world like the world before? Ever watchful, this group of friends meet in an underground cavern in the mountains of Virginia. Rumors of spies, enemy soldiers, and the possibility of finding their parents, keep these friends searching to make a better life for everyone.

In Book 1, The Secret Society, the original four members of the group discover others who, like them, have lost their parents and older siblings. These friends bond together and form a strong new family. Together, they discover new documents, clues, and tools to assist in their adventures. In the hope of someday finding others who can help establish a new settlement, they study, plan, and make discoveries that will propel them forward in their journey. Are others hiding from the World Force Soldiers? They are determined to find the answer.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is an amazing new series! It’s unique in that these kids are on their own trying to survive and see the importance of a world with books. I loved the characters and how they all take care of each other and become a little family of their own. These kids are resourceful, and want to make a difference in their world. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, and I know my kids are going to love this new series.

**I received a copy of this book for review as part of the CelebrateLit blog team. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Terry Overtonobtained her Ph.D. in Psychology and her Ed. D. in special education. She taught in public schools and was a school psychologist and a professor before retiring in 2016. She began her second “career” after retirement writing Christian fiction books and devotionals. She hopes to share the Christian worldview through her writing and touch the lives of her readers. Her novels, middle grade readers, and picture books seek to entertain readers through the travel experiences and characters included in her books. Her books have earned Bookfest Awards, Firebird Award Winner, American Writing Award Gold, International Finalist Book Award, Reader Views Awards, and Reader’s Favorite Awards. She currently resides in Laguna Vista, Texas, near the Texas-Mexico border. She enjoys Biblical history and general Bible studies, writing, and enjoying family and friends. She has seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

More from Terry

This book came from my concern about children and teens not being able to read many of the classic books we cherish. My concern that many children and teens do not value reading, our faith, and our freedoms, is the reason for the book being a dystopian story. In this new world, there are no books, school, or churches.

Here is the intro:

The world was not ready for what happened. And in the mountains and valleys of Virginia, a group of young friends wondered what to do in this different world. Their parents and older siblings were taken away, or “disappeared,” and have not been seen since that fateful day. Schools were destroyed, churches burned, and books banned. There was no fuel or electricity available for the anyone. Cars and other vehicles no longer worked and were found abandoned beside the roads rusting and in disrepair. Only the World Force military had fuel and vehicles.

The discovery of books, documents, tools, clues, and other teens hiding in the countryside, brought hope to group of friends who met daily deep in the cavern. Follow their journey of hope and adventure through the series: The Underground Book Readers.

And what do teens do when their world has changed and there are no parents or other friendly adults? They find each other, find forbidden books such as Huckleberry Finn and the Bible, hide in a cavern, read, study, and plan for a better world.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 14

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, February 14

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 17

Texas Book-aholic, February 18

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 19

deb’s Book Review, February 20

Simple Harvest Reads, February 21 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 21

Aryn The Libraryan , February 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 23

For Him and My Family, February 23

Cover Lover Book Review, February 24

Lily’s Book Reviews, February 25

Mary Hake, February 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 26

Blogging With Carol, February 27

Lights in a Dark World, February 27

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terry is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 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/24515/the-secret-society-celebration-tour-giveaway

Remember Me by Tracie Peterson—Book Review

Feb23

Back Cover Copy

From the Yukon to Seattle, the hope of a new beginning waits just around the corner.

Addie Bryant is haunted by her past of heartbreak and betrayal. After her beau, Isaac Hanson, left the Yukon, she made a vow to wait for him. When she’s sold to a brothel owner after the death of her father, Addie manages to escape with the hope that she can forever hide her past and the belief that she will never have the future she’s always dreamed of.

Years later, Addie has found peace in her new life as a photographer, training Camera Girls to operate and sell the Brownie camera. During the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo in Seattle, Addie is reunited with Isaac, but after the path her life has taken, she’s afraid to expose the ugliness of her former life and to move toward the future they had pledged to each other.

When her past catches up with her, Addie must decide whether to run or to stay and face her wounds in order to embrace her life, her future, and her hope in God.

My Review

Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic! I was so drawn into this story; I was scared for Addie, and dreaded when and if her brothers would find her. The closer they got, I was afraid to read farther, but I also HAD to know what was going to happen next. I loved how the author weaved Biblical principles into the story; for example, how Addie learns to trust God throughout the story, and how she learns how much God really loves her. Overall, this was an excellent book, and I can’t recommend it more! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

**I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin—Book Review

Feb15

Back cover copy

When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden. American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research–her life’s dream–and makes the dangerous decision to print resistance newspapers.

As Else hears rumors of the movement’s legendary Havmand–the merman–she also becomes intrigued by the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse. Henrik makes every effort to conceal his noble upbringing, but he is torn between the façade he must maintain and the woman he is beginning to fall in love with.

When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence.

My Review

I have been loving novels set in the World War 2 era, and this one was another amazing story! Else and Hemming were characters who were easy to love and root for them. The bravery they showed throughout the book working for the resistance in their own respective ways was so very interesting. It made me think about how although Else and Hemming were fictional characters, there were people who worked for the resistance against the Nazis in their countries, and just how dangerous it was for them. The storyline really drew me in and I couldn’t stop reading. Highly recommend this book.

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma—Blog Tour

Feb10

About the Book

Book:What I Would Tell You

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: January 1, 2023

DNA Test Unlocks a Family Mystery

Sephardic Jew Mathilda Nissim watches in horror as the Germans invade her beloved city of Salonika, Greece. What angers her most is the lack of resistance her people put up to their captors. In secret and at great risk to her life, she continues to publish her newspaper, calling her people to action. She doesn’t trust God to help them. When she and her husband find out they are expecting a child, Mathilda may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.

Three generations later, college student Riley Payson and her cousin take a popular DNA test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test shows Riley is a Sephardic Jew from Greece. This revelation shakes Riley’s tenuous faith and sends her on a journey to discover what happened to her great-grandmother and how all this relates to her faith and her life today.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

An amazing dual-time storyline. The characters, Mathilda and Tessa were well written and easy to fall in love with. I enjoyed the way the author brings you into the past as a Jew during WWII, it brought another perspective to the Holocaust, seeing it firsthand through Mathilda’s eyes. I couldn’t wait to see how the storylines would come together and how each would end. It was a book I couldn’t put down, and I can’t wait for the next one! I highly recommend this one!

**I received this book as part of the CelebrateLit blog team. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at http://www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

Take a Trip to Greece with Me

I was privileged to travel to Greece last year to research my upcoming WWII novel, What I Would Tell You. God orchestrated it so beautifully. Because of Covid, we weren’t sure my daughter would be able to travel there for the summer internship she had applied for. Eight weeks before her scheduled departure, Greece reopened to foreign visitors. Around that same time, I sold What I Would Tell You, which is set in Thessaloniki, Greece, to Barbour Publishing. I had to go and visit!

Greece is a beautiful country. The pictures you see don’t do it justice. And to someone like me, the history is one of the best parts. My daughter and I explored the old city wall, built in the 1400s, many churches that predated the Ottoman Empire, and many excavated Roman ruins that have been dug up in the city’s process of putting in a subway system.

Because this is a WWII book, we also spent a great deal of time learning about the history of the Jews in the city. The Kapani Market, just down the street from our apartment, was a vibrant mix of colorful fruits, fragrant spices, and a cacophony of languages. I could well imagine what this old Jewish market was like prior to the war with people hawking olives, fish, and oregano.

We wasted no time in visiting the Jewish museum. I was shocked by the heavy security presence with armed guards outside of the building. Once inside, we had to show our IDs and were required to turn in our phones. Antisemitism is alive and well in Greece. But what a place. There were displays after displays tracing the history of the Jewish people in Thessaloniki from 1492 until WWII. The most breathtaking was the room with stone-covered walls, the names of all 48,000 Salonikan Jews killed in the Holocaust carved into the marble. There’s an entire scene in the book that deals with this room.

What saddened me most was what we saw when we visited the trainyard where the Jews were herded into cattle cars and shipped to Auschwitz. Before we got to where the station once stood, there was a wall on which someone had pained a mural covered with black-and-white figures in their striped uniforms, their eyes and mouths wide in horror. As if that weren’t difficult enough to view, what sickened me was the blue swastikas someone had painted over them.

We also trekked to the other side of the city to visit what had once been the Jewish cemetery, now the grounds of Aristotle University. All that remains to testify that half a million people were once buried here is a small, ill-kept memorial. There were two dead Christmas wreaths placed there. We visited in August.

In addition to a moving and thought-provoking story, I hope to also introduce you to the amazing city of Thessaloniki and give you a peek into the people and the culture of this amazing place. If you ever find yourself in Greece, plan some time in Thessaloniki. Many Americans miss this gem, but it’s packed with charm and history.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 28

Texas Book-aholic, January 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 29

Blogging With Carol, January 29

Genesis 5020, January 30

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 30

Where Faith and Books Meet, January 30

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 31

For Him and My Family, January 31

Cover Lover Book Review, February 1

Lily’s Book Reviews, February 1

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 2

deb’s Book Review, February 2

Betti Mace, February 3

Connie’s History Classroom, February 3

Paula’s Pad of Inspriation, February 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 5

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 6

Holly’s Book Corner, February 6

Bigreadersite, February 7

Blossoms and Blessings, February 7

Mary Hake, February 7

Labor Not in Vain, February 8

Pause for Tales, February 9

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, February 9

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, February 10

Southern Gal Loves to Read, February 10

Lights in a Dark World, February 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and 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/23ccb/what-i-would-tell-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Two-Cent Piece by Dennis Conrad—Blog Tour

Jan30

About the Book

Book: The Two-Cent Piece

Author: Dennis Conrad (Illustrated by Courtney Smith)

Genre: Children’s Picture Book (Fiction)

Release date: September 3, 2022

Anne wonders what secret her three older brothers are hiding. When she finds out they joined to fight with the Union Army and would leave the next day, she gives them each one of her favorite two-cent pieces and says, “I want you to take one of my new two-cent pieces. I learned these coins are the first to have the words ‘In God We Trust.’ I just memorized Psalm 91:2. ‘I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.’”

Out of a heart of love, Anne gives six of her special coins away hoping the message on the two-cent pieces will strengthen each person’s faith.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This was an adorable story about how it’s better to give than to receive. I loved the main character, Anne, and she had amazing faith for a little girl. I love how she chose to give her coins to her brothers as they went off to war. My kids are going to love it! I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to the rest of this new series as well.

**I received this book as part of the CelebrateLit blog team. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

A former coin collector for over fifty years, Denniscombines his love for the Bible, children’s literature, and sharing stories about the history behind coins.

He is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and a Fellow of the National Writing Project.

He retired as a professor of Speech Communications from Barstow Community College. He and his wife served as English and public speaking teachers ten summers overseas.

The Two-Cent Piece is Dennis’s first of seven books in the In God We Trust Series from Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.

More from Dennis

HOMESCHOOLERS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS –

Coin collecting brings together history, art, and the thrill of discovery.

Children who collect coins will LOOK at coins differently. They can…

Look for people. For example, who is on the nickel? (Hint: Thomas Jefferson)

The new quarters featuring women include coins with Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American movie star; Nina Otero-Warren, who advocated for women’s suffrage and was a government official in New Mexico; and Wilma Mankiller, the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Look for places. The state quarter series includes all of the states like California with Yosemite Valley.

Look for dates. Connect coins to historical events. For example, coins minted in 2001 were minted the same year as the World Trade Center was attacked on September 11, 2001.

Look at coins as art. The people who design coins are artists.

Look for and find coins in change. Let the great adventure begin.

Look and learn why some coins are more valuable than other coins. There is a difference between the face value of a coin (a dime is worth ten cents), and its value to collectors.

Are you a homeschooler, a teacher, or a family member who wants to help children start their first coin collection?

Get Free Resources about coin collecting by conveniently subscribing to Dennis Conrad’s newsletter.

You will receive a link to my resource page, where you will find two free resources. One for ages 5-6 year olds, and another for ages 7 and up. Or you can choose both. Let the fun begin! https://dennisconradauthor.com/coincollecting5/

Blog Stops

Lots of Helpers, January 18

Girls in White Dresses, January 18

Library Lady’s kid Lit, January 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 20

For Him and My Family, January 20

Cover Lover Book Review, January 21

A Reader’s Brain, January 22

Mary Hake, January 22

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 23

Texas Book-aholic, January 24

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 25

deb’s Book Review, January 26

Pause for Tales, January 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 27

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 28

Labor Not in Vain, January 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 30

Lights in a Dark World, January 30

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, January 31

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Dennis is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a hardcover copy of The Two-Cent Piece!!

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/23bc2/the-two-cent-piece-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Oasis King by Mark David Pullen—Book Review

Jan22

Back Cover Copy

Dylan, Jack, and Tripp are looking for adventure, but when they find an entryway into a magical land, plagued by the malevolent Stranger, the cost of their new, exciting journey might prove to be too much.

While on vacation at their grandmother’s farm, cousins Dylan, Jack, and Tripp learn of a long kept family secret and the power of wishing on a star. The boys are swept away to the Valley of the Oasis—a strange, primal paradise, where monsters and danger lurk around every turn. They find refuge with a lone hunter and his dogs, who have lost track of time and appear trapped in this magical land.

But the hunter and his dogs cannot rest for long. He is pursued by the Stranger, a strange green-skinned being from another time and place who also seeks to escape the Valley of the Oasis. As they narrowly escape the Stranger’s attacks, the boys worry that they, too, are trapped with no way home. Will the hunter protect the boys and send them home in time, before the Stranger closes in once and for all?

The Oasis King is the first in a series of an action-adventure tales for younger readers who seek new lands, heart-racing challenges, and unexpected twists.

My Review

This book is full of adventure. Your children are going to love this new series. I absolutely loved the storyline. When the kids end up in a strange land with strange prehistoric creatures, they were excited to find a man who would keep them safe until they could get home, but when and how will they get home? I couldn’t put it down, because I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. This would be wonderful for a read-aloud for kids of all ages, but independently I would say about 3rd grade and above. (Be aware that there is a swamp monster and beasts that try to attack the children a few times, so keep that in mind if your child is sensitive to things like that.) I personally can’t wait to read the next book in this series, I know my kids are going to love these books too! I would highly recommend this book!

**I received this book from the publisher for review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Newton Chronicles by Terry Overton—Blog Tour

Jan19

About the Book

Book: The Newton Chronicles: Soldiers, Crystals, and Temples

Author: Terry Overton

Genre: Middle Grade Christian Fiction

Release date: November 22, 2022

Luke Alexander’s father is “missing, presumed dead.” But Luke is confident that his father has set off on an adventure and needs his help. Searching through his father’s office, Luke – along with his friends Nathan, a pastor’s kid, and Lydia, a world traveler who knows several languages – discovers some confusing notes about Isaac Newton and finds a strange watch that once belonged to his grandfather. Knowing his archeologist father was on the hunt for Solomon’s temple, Luke and his friends decide to start a search of their own. Little do they know that their search will take them on the wildest adventures of their lives and make the stories of Solomon’s temple and other biblical events seem more real than they ever thought possible. But will their adventures lead them to Luke’s father, or will they only wind up with more questions than answers? Soldiers, Crystals, and Temples is an excellent book for anyone who loves a good adventure and who wants to find the truth that is found only in God’s Word. This first book in The Newton Chronicles will make history and the Bible come alive for readers both young and old.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Wow! Where to begin? This new series by Terry Overton is sure to be a hit with your kids! I absolutely loved it and I know my oldest is going to love it! In an effort to figure out what happened to his dad, Luke and his friends go on a thrilling adventure of time travel where they see all kinds of amazing events in Biblical history! They see Jesus, Moses, the battle of Jericho, Joseph, and many other things. I had no clue what to expect when I started this book, but once I started I could not put it down. I think it will bring the Bible stories to life for your kids. Highly recommend this book and I’m looking forward to getting the rest of the series for my kids as they come out!

**I received this book for review as part of the CelebrateLit blog team. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Terry Overton obtained her Ph.D. in Psychology and her Ed. D. in special education. She taught in public schools and was a school psychologist and a professor before retiring in 2016. She began her second “career” after retirement and now writes Christian fiction books and devotionals and hopes to share the Christian worldview through her writing. Her novels, middle grade readers, and picture books seek to entertain readers through the travel experiences and characters included in her books. She currently resides in Laguna Vista, Texas, near the Texas-Mexico border. She enjoys Biblical history and general Bible studies, writing, and enjoying family and friends. She has seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

More from Terry

I wanted to write this book as a way to teach middle grade and early teens about Bible history and the importance of Jerusalem in world history and in current history. In order to grab the attention of this age group, the book uses humor and suspense to transport the three main characters, Luke, Nathan, and Lydia, throughout the Bible and ancient and current history.

Here is how it begins:

Chapter 1

The truth is, I wish I had never found it. Or at least, I wish I had found it along with a set of instructions. It started in church. Not that I fancied going every week like my mother. But I go. I am not crazy about talking to the old ladies each week who still want to pinch my cheek and tell my mother how much I have grown. I am not wild about the church windows, the candles, and all of that. There is not much to look at during church except the backs of people’s heads and the preacher. Thankfully, I figured out how to sneak my phone in church by tucking it inside my zippered Bible. Paying attention to a longwinded preacher—even if it is Nathan’s father—is a lot to ask when you are not yet fourteen. So, pretending to listen while looking at my phone was a skill I had mastered. I sit there calmly, pretending to listen while disguising the moves I am making on my phone. And then, I hear the name “Isaac Newton” in the middle of the sermon. That is when it really started. If I had known the length and complexity of what I was about to begin, I might have changed my mind. I guess I could ignore the name Isaac Newton and continue playing Fortnite on my phone. But my curiosity is alive with the name Isaac Newton ringing in my ears.

So, it begins.

***

Luke is referring to a time-travel device that he and his two good friends find and accidentally set off. The problem is they do not know how to control it. They discovered the device as they researched the travels of Luke’s missing archeologist father. Luke believes his father was searching for the original Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem when he disappeared. Now, the three suddenly find themselves in precarious positions and environments and must figure out how to survive, find Luke’s father, and somehow return back to the current time.