Emme is tasked with getting rid of the king, but kings are not an easy target, and this one is bent on purging his lands of pirates. As Emme’s job becomes increasingly dangerous, she learns to survive the pirate way—cunning and merciless—while consoling herself with one fact: she’s just doing what it takes to get home.
But when Emme mistakenly takes out the wrong man, not even the protective pirate captain can save her from the consequences. In a string of betrayals, one thing is certain. You can never trust a pirate.
Silver Bounty by Victoria McCombs is a Young Adult Pirate Adventure. Continuing the story of Emme, Am along with their friends along with some new characters. This book picks up after Oathbound, the first book in the series. If you have not read it, I definitely recommend reading it first.
The author connects pieces from the first book and expends on them and builds connections. Some twists and turns along with some betrayals build a book that ounce adults should enjoy.
So check out this book for yourself. Or give it to a young adult in your life.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Victoria McCombs is the author of The Storyteller’s Series, and The Royal Rose Chronicles, with hopefully many more to come. She survives on hazelnut coffee, 20-minute naps, and a healthy fear of her deadlines, all while raising three wildlings with her husband in Omaha, Nebraska.
More from Victoria
Pirates are more civilized than I gave them credit for. Did you know the captain didn’t have complete authority over the ship? While researching for the book, I discovered they used a voting system, and the captain followed what the crew wanted. Usually pirate stories depict a strong captain that makes all the decisions, so it was a fun twist to include more of the democracy style of the early pirates into my story. With that, came the fun power struggles as different crew members wanted different things, and they all try to sway the command of the ship. Smaller crew alliances form, friendships are tested, trust broken, and the future of the Royal Rose comes into question as, at times, the greatest threat to them lies within their own crew.
Genre: New Adult Christian Fantasy / Fairytale Retelling
Release date: December 21, 2022
Can hope be found for four shattered souls?
Princess Nordica Icerri’s crown will be purchased with blood—her blood. Now the sole heir to the throne, she is determined to be the queen the Snowlands deserve, but that comes with a price: a numbed heart and soul. Only when she meets kidnapped physician Loren Alocer does Nordica allow herself to hope she can become queen without completely losing herself. But not everyone wants what’s best for the Snowlands, and Nordica’s upcoming rule is compromised at every turn. Can the criminal physician—and his faith—thaw Nordica’s heart, or is she destined to be the heartless queen she is being forced to become?
War shattered not only Breac Finson’s heart, but his faith as well. Tired of fighting, Breac only wants to be left alone, but his efforts are for naught when a friend calls in a favor. He soon finds himself in an unexpected alliance with Layree Alocer, a woman determined to find her wrongfully-kidnapped brother at all costs. Can a broken soldier help right a wrong—and find his faith again in the process?
Sides must be chosen and loyalties will be tested as a new war approaches. Can broken lives be mended in time to help save the Snowlands, or is evil already too deeply embedded?
Madisyn Carlin is a Christian, homeschool graduate, blogger, voracious bookdragon, and author. When not spending time with her family or trekking through the mountains, she weaves tales of redemption, faith, and action.
What comes to your mind when you think about fairytale retellings? Is it Disney’s 1950 retelling of Cinderella? Glittery swirls of magic? Talking animals? Pretty gowns? Or, perhaps, frying pans or a sassy dragon?
My interest regarding fairytales was first piqued when I was young. Though I was only three, I distinctly remember riding in the car and flipping through the three-story fairytale collection my mom just purchased for me. I couldn’t read, but the bright colors and abundance of animals entranced me. Now I not only read fairytales, I write retellings of them.
Why, though? Aren’t fairytales just fun stories that sometimes impart a lesson?
No. Fairytales are much more than that. The majority of fairytales contain deep, important lessons the authors or culture of that time wanted their readers and listeners to learn from. Fairytales offer encouragement, hope, and include gentle reminders about doing the right thing even when we don’t want to.
Take, for instance, The Snow Queen, which is the fairytale I modeled Shattered Reflection after. In The Snow Queen, the forefront themes are loyalty and perseverance. No matter what trials the female protagonist endures, she pushes on with the mindset that rescuing her best friend is worth the effort and pain.
Aside from being rich in wry humor, breathtaking scenic descriptions and worldbuilding, and interesting characters, The Snow Queen contains faith and reminds readers that our ultimate source of strength is God—not ourselves.
This is what I wanted to emulate in Shattered Reflection. This story—with its broken characters, tattered kingdoms, and insidious antagonists—contains plenty of faith amidst pain, questions, and wounded hearts. I wanted to illustrate that, no matter what we’re going through, God is in control and nothing and no one ever slips from His grasp.
What is Shattered Reflection?
Title: Shattered Reflection Series: The Shattered Lands | Book One Genre: NA Christian Fantasy Subgenre: Fairytale retelling (The Snow Queen) POVS: 5 Ages: Appropriate for ages 15+ due to non-graphic violence Core Themes: Salvation, Loyalty, and Forgiveness
Shattered Reflection is a Christian fairytale retelling which incorporates heavy faith elements, numerous action scenes, clean romance, and plenty of evil villains.
Content Warning: SR1 contains heavy topics, although none are described in a gratuitous and gory manner. There is also a lot of violence, so I do not recommend this book for anyone younger than fifteen. If you are older than fifteen and are easily bothered by such content, then this probably is not the book for you.
Shattered Reflection by Madisyn Carlin combines Christian fantasy and fairytale retelling. It tells the story of Princess Nordica Icerri, who is about to become Queen of the Snowlands. But she faces evil in order to reach that position. Her aunt and uncle desire her to be rid of her feelings and her faith.
Meanwhile, Layree Alocer searches for her brother Loren Alocer who has been taken captive. Breac Finson finds himself shattered by war, but finds himself unable to avoid helping Layree.
Initially, I found myself struggling to keep reading this book because it started off rather slow for me. But as I kept reading I found myself wanting to keep reading.
There are some very dark and evil portions of this book. So I definitely recommend this book only for adults. Based on the fairytale, The Snow Queen, I felt overall the author did a fairly good job with this book. So check it out for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
In the world of the wealthy, things are never quite as they appear.
Ellie Hastings is tired of playing social gatekeeper—and poor-relation companion—to her Gibson Girl of a cousin. But her aunt insists Ellie lift her nose out of her detective novel long enough to help gauge the eligibility of bachelors during the winter social season at Florida’s Hotel Belleview. She finds plenty that’s mysterious about the suave, aloof Philadelphia inventor, Lewis Thornton. Why does he keep sneaking around the hotel? Does he have a secret sweetheart? And what is his connection to the evasive Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball?
Ellie’s comical sleuthing ought to put Lewis out, but the diffident way her family treats her smashes a hole in his normal reserve. When Florence Hastings’s diamond necklace goes missing, Ellie’s keen mind threatens to uncover not only Lewis’s secrets, but give him back hope for love.
A Winter at the White Queen by Denise Weimer is a work of Christian historical fiction. Taking place in Florida, the author shares a story filled with family, secrets, relationships, and sweet romance. As an orphan, Ellie Hastings is taken in by her aunt and uncle. As an adult she finds herself serving as a bit of a chaperone to her Gibson Girl cousin Ada at the Hotel Bellview. Charged with finding out about the suitability of possible suitors for her cousin, Ellie finds herself introduced to Lewis Thorton, a Philadelphia inventor.
As the story progresses, Lewis finds himself captivated by Ellie. Meanwhile, Ellie’s aunt schemes to capture Lewis for her daughter Ada. But Ada has her heart set on another. Lewis sneaks around the hotel keeping secrets. Some of those secrets include a niece who is his ward, a connection to the magician Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball, and his friendship with Lewis.
The author does an excellent job of developing the characters, including pieces of history, and a plot line that kept me reading. Moreover, this book begins an excellent series, Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts. So check out this book for yourself. I definitely recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
North Georgia native Denise Weimer has authored a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. Having served three years as managing editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas’ two historical imprints, as well as a freelance editor, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.
More from Denise
Enter the Age of Wonder …
I like to think of the time period between the Gilded Age and WWI as the Age of Wonder. New ideas and inventions swept society in waves while those who wanted to preserve the old ways tried in vain to hold back the tide. Opportunity and advancement flowed as railroads and communications linked America’s coasts, motorcars allowed individual freedom of travel, and companies flourished following Reconstruction.
My goal was to capture this excitement and promise in A Winter at the White Queen. You follow my heroine, Ellie, and her uncle and his family for their fashionable winter 1910 season at the Hotel Belleview in Clearwater, Florida. Ellie is more than “the poor relation companion” to her younger cousin Ava. She’s also a trusted friend, and like the heroines in her female detective novels, a budding sleuth—sniffing out promising matrimonial candidates for Ava at the bequest of Aunt Florence. Little does she expect to stumble into her own romance—and a mystery surrounding a certain intriguing entrepreneur.
Ellie Hastings is tired of playing social gatekeeper—and poor-relation companion—to her Gibson Girl of a cousin. But her aunt insists Ellie lift her nose out of her detective novel long enough to help gauge the eligibility of bachelors during the winter social season at Florida’s Hotel Belleview. She finds plenty that’s mysterious about the suave, aloof Philadelphia inventor, Lewis Thornton. Why does he keep sneaking around the hotel? Does he have a secret sweetheart? And what is his connection to the evasive Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball?
Ellie’s comical sleuthing ought to put Lewis out, but the diffident way her family treats her smashes a hole in his normal reserve. But when Florence Hastings’ diamond necklace goes missing, Ellie’s keen mind threatens to uncover not only Lewis’s secrets, but give him back hope for love.
Lewis’s work allowed me to sprinkle White Queen with clever inventions that spark Ellie’s curious nature. Among them are:
Temperature-compensated balance wheels, which Lewis invented as a teen. The backstory of how he sold his invention to the railroad, allowing them to synchronize all their watches, provides an unexpected link to uncover between Lewis and Ellie.
The cinématographe, patterned after Thomas Edison’s kinetoscope but intended by the Lumière brothers to show films to a wider audience. Used in the show at Washington’s Birthday Ball to end the season, the cinématographe aids in the culmination of the mystery of Florence’s missing diamond necklace.
The magical orange tree, which not only blossomed but appeared to grow actual oranges, was a real mechanical invention featured at Ava’s birthday party by The Great Gaspachi.
The Hydro-Vacu. I couldn’t resist including this titter-worthy, real-life machine, used, of course, by the appearance-conscious Aunt Florence. After applying a bleaching cold cream or “tissue food” to ensure plump cheeks, the massaging “Depurator” was rotated slowly over the face. How long until that idea makes a comeback?
As fun and whimsical as A Winter at the White Queen may be, our characters have some real growth to do … if they can get past the social expectations and masks, the suspicions and past hurts. I hope you’ll brighten your winter days by joining them at the White Queen.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.
Besides the God-fearing, decent folks seeking new beginnings, adventurers, miners, risk-takers, fugitives, perverts, and runaways alike—even royals—comprise a few of the characters in book one of the ‘New Beginnings Family Saga’ titled WAGONS WEST. The two-thousand-mile journey is wrought with danger, trials, troubles and tragedies, deprivations, and of course, romance, but the lure of gold and a fresh start urges the sojourners on to the Promised Land!
Blaire Beechy, a widow with two almost grown daughters, Adeline and Beatrice, and a twelve-year-old son Tucker sells everything to go for the gold only to discover the rules of wagon master Ambrose Lee forbids them to join his wagon train, but the widow is determined. Though the disgruntled and handsome widow turns his head, the man deals with troubles of his own. His train isn’t full, he has yet to hire a scout, and his integrity thrusts him into saving a troubled young woman called Birdie. The journey is an arduous undertaking, but he’s done it before and is up to the task. Wagon Ho!
This story was first published in episodes at Kindle Vella, Season One, by the same name. Season two SETTLERS & TOFFS continues the story and episodes are now being published and are available at Kindle Vella.
Wagons West by Caryl McAdoo explores one family’s journey along with the other members of the wagon train as they head west. This book is part of the New Beginnings series. Any time I start reading a book by Caryl McAdoo, I know I am going to enjoy it. With rich characters, historical aspects, and more, I found myself unable to put this book down.
Blaire Beechy, a widow with two almost grown daughters, Adeline and Beatrice, and a twelve-year-old son Tucker sell everything and attempt to join a wagon train going west. But Ambrose Lee, the wagon train master, has rules that forbid them from joining unless one of them gets married.
With several different storylines, including one about a young woman, who joins the wagon train to escape her abusive father and suffers from a mental illness, two Englishmen who carry their own secrets, and more, this book will keep you reading.
Filled with faith, family, marriage, losses, and more, I loved how the author developed the characters as well as the plot. Furthermore, the author writes in a way that makes the reader feel like you are actually part of the wagon train. You feel every emotion, movement, and experience the members of the wagon train are feeling.
As the first book in this new series, I definitely plan on reading the rest of this series to see where Caryl McAdoo takes us. So check out this book for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling stories—over sixty published now—delight readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her; you may listen to a few on YouTube. Sharing four children and twenty-four grandsugars (six are greats), Caryl and her high-school-sweetheart-husband of fifty-four years Ron live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.
More from Caryl
What a fun, new adventure writing WAGONS WEST! Ron and I stepped up to try a new program Amazon offered authors called Kindle Vella where we’d write episodes rather than chapters. In a year’s time, WAGONS WEST had thirty-five episodes and was over one hundred thousand words, about four hundred pages.
We continue to write Season Two of the “New Beginnings Family Saga” SETTLERS & TOFFS, with the same characters going into the following year, 1850, scattering into three settings: those from Season One’s wagon train who decide to settle Auburn, California, those just starting the sojourn west with Emmerson Pierce, scout in Season One, now wagon master, and we sail the Atlantic to England when the son of the Earl of Farnsworth receives word of his older brother’s death.
The characters in WAGONS WEST made it so special for me, and I believe you’re sure to love them as well. Robert E. Lee’s older brother Ambrose is our wagon master and the story’s main hero. As all my heroes (thanks to Ron’s part of our collaboration) he is strong but flawed.
Our matriarchal heroine Blaire Beechy, recently widowed, has sold everything and uprooted her three children—two almost grown daughters Adeline and Beatrice and their twelve-year-old brother Tucker—only to discover Captain Lee’s idiotic rules forbid an unmarried woman from traveling in his wagon train. Why must there be a man at the head of each family?
WAGONS WEST offers readers adventures with a colorful cast of characters who support, cause trouble, act a bit crazy, and play ball to make the story one you just can’t put down. All along the way, God is questioned, given praise, denied, and surrendered to, saving sojourners again and again—not only in the spiritual realm.
It’s a story I’ve certainly enjoyed writing, and I’m hoping you’ll enjoy reading WAGONS WEST as much!
As always, I’m ‘Praying my story gives God glory!’ Hallelujah! There is no one like Him! He alone is the Great King over all the earth! Not a man that He could lie, but worthy to receive all glory and all praise!
Will love solve everything — or immerse them in even worse peril?
Restless and ready for a change, Grace Stratton gladly accepts the opportunity to leave her remote parsonage home to serve as a wealthy spinster’s companion in the idyllic country town of Lindenfell. Its warm atmosphere and friendly inhabitants sooth Grace’s lonely heart. But when a mysterious stranger arrives, she soon discovers things aren’t always what they seem.
Convinced chloroform will revolutionise the medical world, Dr. David Carbury frequently administers it to his London patients — until one of them dies. Facing a grave trial to prove his innocence and defend a drug most people view as poisonous, he makes hasty plans to buy time to bolster his case. But he wasn’t expecting to face an even deadlier challenge.
As attraction sparks not long after they meet, Grace soon suspects he’s hiding something, and David knows he can’t run from the truth forever.
But neither of them could imagine the sinister threat lurking just around the corner…
Immersed in faith and intrigue, this Christian Victorian romance from award-winning author Edwina Kiernan will encourage and delight you long after you turn the last page.
The Letter by Edwina Kiernan is a work of Christian historical fiction.This book is the first book in the Victorian Virtues series. combines aspects of medicine and the judicial system. Grace, Stratton, a preacher’s daughter, takes a position as a lady’s companion in Lindenfell.
Meanwhile, Dr. David Carbury, frequently uses chloroform for his patients in London. But when a patient dies, David flees to Lndenfell pretending to be someone else.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing how the storyline developed. Filled with faith and intrigue. I definitely look forward to reading more books in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Edwina Kiernan is the Christian author of the award-winning novel, Ruby’s Redemption.
An enthusiast of classic novels and history, Edwina combines her faith, imagination and research to create hope-infused tales set in times past.
A lifelong word admirer, with Welsh and Irish heritage, she started writing stories early in childhood.
She is a committed follower of Jesus (the Living Word), and endeavours to use her pen to point others to Him.
More from Edwina
Have you ever wished you could travel back in time to a place where quaint buildings are bathed with a golden glow in the afternoon light, where the people are polite and respectful, and where the pace of living allows your soul to breathe and just… be?
In that case…
Welcome to Lindenfell!
The Letter introduces us to Grace Stratton (daughter of the hero & heroine from my award-winning novel, Ruby’s Redemption), who accepts a position as a lady’s companion in a place she’s never been before, but where she’ll soon discover a whole new world.
“The air in Lindenfell had a scent of its own — one of warmth and peace. Of hope.”
Lord-willing, the Victorian Virtues series will have nine books, each based on an aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit, and each exploring the historical events and everyday realities that change and challenge eighteen main characters and nine blossoming romances.
Friends and foes, tragedies and triumphs, hopes and heartaches — the best and worst of life, all in one fictional market town in Victorian England.
It is my deepest hope that, as you travel to Lindenfell in each book of the series, you’ll find the truth and hope you need to navigate your own trials and triumphs, and discover that the refreshment your soul longs for is already available to you, wherever you may be.
What’ll it take for the prodigal daughter to share her deepest secrets… and her heart?
Josephine Green returns to the islands in an attempt to reconcile with her family, but with a cloud over the family business, and little in the way of gardening skills, Josie’s painful past and flaky ways prove less than endearing for Greener Gardens’ hardworking crew.
Stuck without any other options, Josie is forced to accept her sister’s offer of a job that takes her to Breakers Head where she encounters Aussie teacher, Lachlan Jones.
A long-lost relative might’ve brought Lachie to a tiny music recording studio on the Independence Islands, but it’s also brought questions about how to care for someone he barely knows, especially considering he’s the last family she has. Questions regarding his future soon pale when he encounters the vibrant-haired Josie, whose sass and attitude takes some getting used to.
Neither imagined more until they began to bond over music and environmental causes. Both discover that first impressions need not be lasting ones.
But with the future of Gardens Gardens looking shaky, and Josie’s faith and self-worth just as tenuous, can deepening a friendship into something more ever work? And what happens when Lachlan’s work means he has to return to Australia after Christmas? What’ll it take for two hearts to heal and make a future possible?
This Breakers Head novel is Carolyn Miller’s final book in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.
As part of the Independence Islands series, Refining Josie provides an in-depth look into Josie Green. She returns to the islands to attempt to reconcile with her family, but secrets from her past make that difficult. With her family’s business in danger, that complicates things more. As a prodigal daughter, she has to find her way to God.
Lachlan Jones comes from Australia to the islands to help the widow of a distant family member. As a Christian, he feels he needs to pray for Josie. I loved seeing how the two interacted with each other.
I must say I am sad that this is the final book in the series. I definitely recommend this book and the entire season. You will definitely benefit from reading theses books in order to enjoy them the most.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher. She loves reading, music, films, gardens, art, travel and international food, and really enjoy creating worlds where flawed people can grow in faith, hope and love. A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.
Her novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, Winning Miss Winthrop, Miss Serena’s Secret, The Making of Mrs. Hale, A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh, and Underestimating Miss Cecilia, all available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Koorong, etc
More from Carolyn
Wow! Well, here we are celebrating the release of Refining Josie, my final book and THE final book in the Independence Islands series. It’s been a journey, hasn’t it? Six authors, five islands, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
As a long-time lover of gardens, plants, flowers and trees, it’s been so fun showcasing various parts of what life could be like as someone working in the gardening industry on these islands. I’m married to a horticulturalist, who once upon a time worked at Lyme Park, which was showcased in the 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice. He has also worked at Kew Gardens in England, and it was fun to use some of his experience in these books. (You can see some of my pics on Instagram and on my website)
For Refining Josie I was glad to finally round out some of the family challenges Samantha Green and her family’s ‘Greener Gardens’ business have had to deal with along the way, and to give Josie Green her own voice. This is a story about a prodigal daughter, and some of the ‘why’ behind the behavior, factors I think readers will relate and respond to well.
As an Aussie, I was also happy to include an Aussie hero, someone with some challenges of his own, so I hope you enjoy getting a tiny taste of a Hugh Jackman-esque hero.
Come visit the Independence Islands once more, and enjoy Refining Josie, a story of heart, hope, humor and a dash of Christmas romance.
Take a peek into the eyes of our future…and be encouraged.
The Me I See in You is a testament of the commitment, dedicated educators and caring communities have in changing the trajectory of young lives. In it, you’ll meet graduates with incredible stories and extraordinary outcomes, thanks to the academic, emotional, and social resources provided by EYM and a caring core base of teachers, mentors, family, friends, funders, and the EYM board of directors.
“When asked what I see on the horizon for our youth, I see in my youth the essence of what it is “to be human,” to dream, do the work, to love, and forgive with grace. Through tears, triumphs, disappointments, successes, failures, inequities, biases and racism, I see a world full of hope because our youth with guidance and support will not waiver. They will continue to strive to be and share their best selves with unlimited potential. I think not only of these former students but each child that has come across my path and the me I see in each of them!” –Angeles Echols
Yvette, a little chocolate beauty who was once teased, but now with an MD and Master’s degree, is a role model for young Black women and girls. LaShia, who rolled her neck and eyes at me and adamantly told us what she was and was not going to do at EYM… I smiled and asked her mom to leave the room. (What was said in that room, we will never tell) Todd, who sat at my desk and reviewed EYM’s online programming, discovered flaws, said “Don’t cry, Ms. Echols, I can fix this,” and built EYM’s online interactive platform, Access/No Excuse (ANE). Adam, who built the teacher, student online tutorial component of (ANE) while attending Cal Tech and teaching at EYM part-time. Ashley,who gave me a hug and said, “Take my credit card and get what you need for EYM. I will bring my team and design the landscape for EYM.” Shot during a drive-by, she’s forgiving and, refuses to be bitter. Rob, seeking that street credit as a teen, now a film producer and director, reminds me frequently that EYM saved his life. I then remind him that he saved himself, with God’s grace and the support of his family and village! Themba, reminds me that the potential of an EYM graduate is without boundaries. Never giving up or giving in, he passed the California State Bar and continued to reach back to help others, producing the first EYM golf tournament! Suha, a gentle soft spoken EYM graduate, now in Medical School, who became a tutor at EYM and quietly showered me with love and encouragement as an adult.
When you look upon a child whose eyes have already begun to dim due to deferred hope don’t speculate on how long it will take before the light is completely extinguished—find a way to set it ablaze.
As the mother of four and a former teacher, I looked forward to reading The Me I See in You by Angeles Echols. Filled with stories of children who are now adults, this collection illustrates the powerful and lasting impact educators, families, and communities have on young people.
I loved reading the accounts of the powerful impact EYM had on the families. Being unfamiliar with Educating Young Minds, I found myself researching the organization and it’s mission.
As a former teacher who frequently taught students who often struggled with school, I found this book to be inspirational. This Coffee Table Inspirational collection will draw you in and keep you reading. So check out this book for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Angeles LaRose Patricia Echols was born in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Cornell University, where she earned her B.A. in psychology, with an emphasis in child development and human behavior. While attending Cornell, Angeles discovered a love for the arts and teaching. In Ithaca’s downtown community centers and in the local Baptist church. After much prayer and soul searching, the path was chosen for her. She would become an advocate for children: an educator and mentor, empowering children, parents, and families.
Angeles founded Educating Young Minds Tutorial Program, reaching at-risk children and their families, channeling their energies toward achieving excellence. She accomplished this by linking high expectations with socio-academic improvement, proven teaching and learning strategies and activities for students with varied needs, skills and abilities.
The truest testament to Angeles’ work is the young men and women who graduate from EYM, succeed at college, and then return to their communities as role models and as leaders.
Her new book, “The Me I See In You” highlights some of the students that have graduated from EYM, accomplished many of their academic and professional goals and have come back to support EYM in various ways. You will be encouraged by their stories.
This is not Angeles Echols’ first foray into writing. She is the author of interactive bio- Ray Charles, The Man. The Music, The Legacy (commissioned by the Ray Charles Foundation).
Angeles lives in California with her husband. When she is not running her business or writing, Angeles travels with her husband.
More from Angeles
As an educator, there are days filled with profound rewards. To see the light go on in a student’s eyes when they grasp a concept or make a connection from one end of a logical stream of thoughts to another. Learning.
The hard work of making sure each student receives the right type of stimuli, attention, and motivation is rewarded in many different ways. Sometimes the reward comes in the form of the discovery of a new approach or technique. Other times it comes in seeing the student advance in such a way that the indelible mark they make on society or the world is a reason for celebration.
“The Me I See in You” is a celebration of some of the students that have attended Educating Young Minds, Inc. (EYM), a learning center that utilizes the holistic approach to educating and serving their students and the families of those students.
Now in their adulthood, these former students are teachers, attorneys, doctors, film producers, computer specialists, and social workers, just to name a few, and they are sharing stories on the impact EYM has had on their lives. Each of the twenty-one students also leaves the reader with a few notes of encouragement and advice.
Since this is a coffee table book in its paperback and hardback form, there is a great amount of attention given to the pictures on the covers as well as those placed in the interior.
I believe this is an exceptionally beautiful way to share encouragement and inspiration. I am proud that I was able to celebrate these students in a creative way that draws those that will read everything from cover to cover and those that just wish to scan the writing and look at the attention-grabbing pictures.
He controls the answers to her past and future, but she threatens his inheritance and his heart.
Maggie Prescott may not know her real name, the circumstances of her birth, or her father’s identity, but based on a song her shipwrecked birthmother taught her before she died, Maggie’s certain the answers lie on the island of Antigua. Unbeknownst to her beloved adopted family, she sends her maid to finishing school in her stead and convinces her uncle, Captain Anthony Middleton, to sail her to the Leeward Islands. Time is of the essence to discover her heritage before the next family gathering exposes her duplicity.
Lord Samuel Fredrick Harcourt Granville was groomed to inherit the Cardon title and lands, but the possession of his father’s temper has put Samuel’s future in jeopardy. After discovering his fiancée cavorting with his so-called friend, the ensuing altercation lands Samuel in court before of the House of Lords. As an example, for all aristocratic sons to quell their hedonistic living, the House of Lords banishes Samuel to the island of Antigua until he can prove he’s worthy of his privileged birth.
On the island, Samuel works to rein in his temper and revive a dying sugar plantation. Still, his return to England and all his efforts are threatened when a mysterious woman breaks into his island home, claiming to be the true heiress of the sugar plantation. Guilt, resentment, and fresh yearnings sizzle under the island sun as Maggie’s search uncovers a much greater treasure than either of them expected.
The Heir’s Predicament by Lorri Dudley concludes the Leeward Islands series. Introduced in The Captain’s Quest. After being shipwrecked on the island as a girl, Maggie Prescott becomes rather feral until she finds herself adopted. Years later, she convinces her maid to go to the bearing school in her place so she can go to the island to discover her true heritage.
Lord Samuel Fredrick Harcourt Granville finds himself exiled to the islands after his temper jeopardizes his future after catching his fiance cavorting with his so-called friend. The House of Lords sends him to the island where he attempts to revive a dying sugar plantation and to learn to control his temper.
I loved seeing the interactions between Maggie Prescott and Lord Samuel Fredrick Harcourt Granville. The author did an excellent job developing these characters and the storyline. While you can elect to read this book on its own, I definitely recommend reading the books in order to get the full enjoyment out of this book.
So if you enjoy Christian historical fiction check out this book and the entire series for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.
More from Lorri
Maggie first appeared in The Captain’s Quest as the feral child shipwrecked on a deserted island. Readers fell in love with her character and emailed me, hoping to learn more of her story. It didn’t take much coaxing for my imagination to delve into how a child, who’d lived outdoors and struggled with daily survival, would adapt to Regency England’s intricate social conventions of the le bon ton as a grown woman.
Like Maggie, my grandfather and mother-in-law were both adopted. Each felt a disconnection from their roots and a natural yearning to fill a void by learning their origins. The thriving industry of Ancestry.com and 23-and-Me exists due to this pervasive desire to understand one’s background. Understandably, Maggie longs for answers, but the guilt of being disloyal to the family who accepted her into their loving home temps her to fabricate a lie and cover up her journey to the island of Antigua.
Another driving force for Maggie is that in Regency England, questionable heritage could hinder an adopted child from marrying within the upper social ranks. Unknown lineage could taint noble bloodlines, and many aristocrats wouldn’t dare align their families with someone of uncertain origins. Maggie’s marriage prospects would have been limited unless she uncovered her past. She’d have been considered too risky to wed among the gentry but raised too highborn to marry within the lower classes.
The Heir’s Predicament is the last installment of the Leeward Island series, and I will miss immersing myself in the rich cultural history of the Caribbean. I loved exploring different isles and island-hopping with readers through various settings. The island of Antigua, where The Heir’s Predicament is set, boasts of ninety-five miles of scalloped coastlines, white and pink sand beaches, a tropical but arid climate, windmills and plantations, and a sugar and spice history complete with Caribs and pirates. Island tensions create a lively setting and weave their way into the characters’ stories, for instance, the push and pull between the island’s calming beauty and battering storms, water abounding but not much of it drinkable, a laid-back culture of hearty survivors, and a legacy of slavery versus colonization.
The journey, however, isn’t over, my next series will take place in the rolling hills and quaint towns of England’s Cotswold, but there’s hope of a Windward Island series in the future.
In 2007, fourteen-month-old Ava was diagnosed with Morquio Syndrome, a rare, progressive, genetic disorder for which there was no treatment. The jarring news left her mother Tammy reeling and wondering what the future held for her daughter. As the days following the diagnosis blurred together, Tammy saw two paths before her—fall apart or fall into the arms of the Lord. For a time, she did both, struggling with her emotions one moment, feeling God’s peace the next, all while continuing to care for her young family. Slowly, through near-constant prayer and Bible study, her burgeoning faith grew stronger than her fear and distress, leading her to a path she hadn’t seen—one that would test her even more and offer help for Ava. In She is My Child, Tammy Coulter shares her spiritual journey, alongside Ava’s physical one, from diagnosis to surgeries to a long-anticipated Morquio clinical trial that had them flying to Chicago every week for more than two years. She reveals the most difficult moments and the greatest victories, as well as the humorous situations she and her daughter so often encountered, while highlighting God’s provision and what He taught her along the way.
She Is My Child by Tammy Coulter provides insights about a family’s journey with their daughter and a very rare medical condition. At fourteen months of age, Tammy Coulter’s daughter Ava receives a diagnosis that changes their lives. Tammy and her husband along with their oldest child Grant along with their daughter Ava navigate the path of Morquio Syndrome, a rare, progressive, genetic disorder for which there was no treatment. Through medical appointments, surgeries, a medical trial, and more, this memoir will keep you reading.
Tammy finds her faith tested through this journey. I loved reading about their airplane flights, airport adventures, shopping excursions, hair appointments, and more. I found myself unable to put this book down. I found myself laughing, tearing up, shaking my head, and more. I loved reading about the interactions of the family, the other patients they met, the medical staff, their church family, and other individuals they encountered along their journey.
I also appreciated how the author included her struggle with God in this book. Perhaps watching my sister-in-law and her family navigate their own journey through a medical diagnosis that had no real treatment made me appreciate this book more. I definitely recommend you check it out for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Tammy Coulter graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville with a communication arts degree and a certificate in technical communication. She was a technical editor until the birth of her son, when she became a stay-at-home mom. After the birth of her daughter, her role expanded to include researcher, student of the Psalms, and full-time prayer warrior. In addition to writing, she enjoys quilting, reading cozy mysteries, and studying Bible prophecy and current events. Tammy lives in Madison, Alabama, with her husband, two children, and their Jack Russell terrier.
More from Tammy
When my daughter Ava was diagnosed with Morquio Syndrome, I was crushed and very frightened. Morquio is a progressive disorder and there was no treatment for it. How was my mother’s heart supposed to handle that? I’ll tell you how. By immersing myself in God’s Word. Only then did I begin to calm down and grow stronger in my faith, leaning on Him in ways I never had before. As I look back, I am still amazed at everything we went through and how God was present in all of it.
When we embarked on this trial, everything was new. The name of her disorder was new, seemingly constant doctor visits were new, and then, after four years of prayer for a treatment, a clinical trial for a new drug to treat Morquio was new. And so was the location. Chicago. That meant getting on a plane every week, also new, and flying there from Alabama, just me and my daughter who had just started kindergarten. It surely felt like God was doing a lot in such a short time. And He was. He took all the newness and turned it into both a testament to His provision and lasting memories for both of us. Not all of those memories are pleasant (the cab incident for one, though we joke about it now), but they remain as evidence of God taking care of us, bringing a sweetness to each remembrance. But, oh, so many of them are, and while we were going through something quite serious, the Lord, in His goodness, allowed us adventures, fun, laughter, and new friendships. Best of all, I had the most wonderful traveling companion who, at her tender age, taught me a thing or two along the way!
Just the other day, at a routine checkup, a specialist Ava sees said, “You just never cease to amaze me at how well you do.” I added that comment to so many other comments and experiences that have paved the path of my learning to turn to God first instead of immediately jumping into the quicksand of fear that will quickly suck me in if I let it. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
Ava is now sixteen and the shy little girl I so worried over years ago currently wants to be a theater teacher.
I wrote this memoir to share how God provided for our family during a stressful period in our lives. It may make you cry some. I hope it makes you laugh a lot (let me tell you, Ava is a hoot). But the thing that would bring me the greatest joy is someone being encouraged in their own circumstances and life trials.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Genre: Christian / Historical Fiction / Romance / Intrigue
Release date: January, 2023
Ginny Mathis was finished with nursing school and had no intention of staying rooted in the Outer Banks—then war broke out. With her father away, she feels duty-bound to stay and help her mother and younger sister. While working as a clerk for the Oregon Inlet ferry, naval officers ask Ginny and others to be watchful for German U-boats reportedly spotted in the area. So to help occupy her teenage sister, Ginny enlists the Girl Scout troop she leads to help watch for suspicious activity along the coast.
Timothy Elliott is no stranger to death. As a British reporter working with the M-6, he’s numb to the losses of war after two years of fighting the Germans. Maybe that’s why he volunteered for this mission—to connect with an ex-German naval officer who stole the Furor’s battle plan for the Atlantic war. When the boat giving him passage to New York is bombed near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Tim is thrown from the boat and wakes up in the care of a group of young girls.
Ginny follows her sneaky sister on a clandestine mission and discovers the shipwreck victim. Ginny knows she must take charge, but is this man the enemy, or does he hold secrets that could turn the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic in the allies’ favor?
On My Honor by Patty Smith Hall, a work of Christian historical fiction drew me into the stories. I found myself unable to put the book down. Ginny Mathis leaves nursing school and returns to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to look after her mother and sister. I loved reading about the interactions between Ginny and her younger sister. I also loved how Ginny’s sister and her friends pray often, and rely on their faith.
Timothy Elliot, a British reporter, works with M-6, and finds himself stranded on the Outer Banks after the ship he was traveling on was destroyed. After Ginny’s younger sister and the rest of the Girl Scout troop discover Timothy, they all work together to thwart the destructive plans of two Germans.
I learned some interesting facts about World War II and it’s effects on North Carolina, facts about the Girl Scouts/Girl Guides, and more. If you enjoy Christian historical fiction with a dash of romance added in, check out this book for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Multi-published author Patty Smith Hall lives near the North Georgia Mountains with her husband, Danny. When she’s not writing on her back porch, she’s spending time with her family or working in her vegetable garden.
More from Patty
Did you know that the Girl Scouts (or Girl Guides) serviced as spies on HIs Majesty’s Secret Service during World War One? I didn’t either until I picked up a book on female spies at my local Barnes and Noble. There were only two paragraphs about how the girls worked with the MI5 for the duration of the war. It was enough to get my heart pumping!
Being a former Girl Scout myself, I was amazed at what these young girls did to help our country during the war. What activities did the Girl Scouts/Girl Guides do in World War II? Anything asked of them. They organized drives for anything from fat (to make bullets) to paper, stepped into positions left vacant by men serving on the front and worked Victory gardens to provide food for their community. They did so many things, I can’t begin to name them all here. By March 1944, the Girl Scouts had provided over 15 million volunteer hours toward the war effort.
Isn’t that amazing? No wonder I had to write a book about them!
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy 
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