Thursday, October 29, 2020

The Anxiety Diaries By Dana Muwwakkil

 

What will everybody think? Two thousand nineteen was the worst year of my life, and I can’t believe I’m sharing this devastating journey with the world. There are moments in life that can make or break us, and that year was mine, shaping me into who I am, for better and worse. I came close to giving up, I made a near-fatal mistake, and I spent too many moments terrified of my own thoughts. When I started this experiment, to write every day, I simply thought I would be recording the mundane life of a mother, wife, and struggling writer. And, yes, I considered the fact that my family and friends and anybody else who read this diary—my diary—would have access to my most intimate fears, hopes, thoughts, and maybe even an embarrassing moment or two. But I never predicted that I would be providing a detailed account of my struggle with my mental health. I had no idea the anxiety that only ever played a minor role in my life would make its debut as the staring antagonist. Or the obsessive thoughts and irrational fears that were always real to me would be given new life on its pages. But as nightmarish as that ordeal was, allowing readers to have a piece of my soul is even more frightening. Publishing my diary may be the bravest thing I’ve ever done. This is my story. I have no regrets.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Diaries-1-Dana-Muwwakkil/dp/0578729326/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FGYSAL7YWNHK&dchild=1&keywords=the+anxiety+diaries+dana&qid=1603981017&sprefix=The+Anxiety+Diaries%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-1

HELLO!
Allow me to introduce myself,
My name is Dana Muwwakkil, and I am a writer.
Writing is a natural instinct that was inherited to me from my mama.

It is also a therapeutic way for me to process whatever is inside of me that I cannot express any other way.

Writing is my first love.

My identity does not end there. I am

a wife and mother.

an introvert.

a proud black woman.

a lover of dark chocolate and coffee

a poet

a humanitarian

a plant mama

a movie reviewer

a feminist

I am also an adult living with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). When I was given this diagnosis in 2016, I didn't understand the weight of it. This mental illness has been silently sitting on my shoulder for over ten years but it's become a major part of my life since the diagnosis, specifically after the birth of my youngest daughter who is almost two.

I spent a lot of time hiding this mental illness from family and friends, but it was such a burden for me. To be honest, I was ashamed of what I was going through. It wasn't until a friend I went to high school with posted on Facebook about her struggles with postpartum depression, did it occur to me that my peers could and were facing mental health battles of their own. Seeing my friend bravely tell her story inspired me to share mine. Little by little I have been opening up, not only to my family and friends but to the world online, where I've been found so much support.

In my book The Anxiety Diaries, I am letting readers into my life as a mother and wife and struggling writer, and my anxiety demands to be dealt with as well, which causes so much stress of my marriage, my self worth and affects my everyday life.

Thank you, for visiting my site and if you are an anxiety sufferer as well, know that you are not alone. If you ever want to chat, drop me a line sometime.

Take care tribe!

Peace &Love

Dana Muwwakkil

Your friendly neighborhood scribe


My Thoughts...
A year into someone else life. A book about someone who is not perfect.  How do you write a review about someone's life?
What if you connect with that person though the pages of their heartfelt story.
Even if you don't suffer from anxiety you need to read this 4 star book and share it with others.
I can't wait for Volume Two.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Hiss By Amaya Ash


 "The true power of magic is not to send random objects careening off across the room. The true power of magic is to make ordinary people bow." In Arilloa, the royal family uses their magic to win the respect of the ordinary populace. But Leonie, a princess and second in line to the throne, has a terrible secret: she's barely magic at all. The only person to ever find out her secret is Armand, a boy training to become a Knifecloak, one of the elite castle guards. Leonie's younger brother Hiss, on the other hand, is a child prodigy with greater powers than anyone else in the family, capable of creating monsters out of thin air. One day Hiss goes missing and resurfaces at the head of a rebellion, using his powers to strike against the country and the crown. Monsters against soldiers, magic against normality. Leonie and Armand must find Hiss and stop him while the monster-driven war rages around them.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Hiss-Book-Unmagic-Trilogy-Arilloan/dp/B08KPVGHJC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1603500136&sr=1-1


I've wanted to be an author for as far back as I can remember. As a little kid, before I even knew how to write, I drew picture books. When I was eight years old my books became novellas. When I was twelve they became novels. As an adult I sold my first book to a traditional publishing house under a different name. Now I'm self-publishing for the first time.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

What You Said To Me By Olivia Newport

 


A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Present to Past on Family Trees
 
When 15-year-old Tisha Crowder gets caught shoplifting, attorney Nolan Duffy tries to protect her from consequences that could rattle her already troubled life. His daughter, Jillian, feels like she’s the one being punished instead—by having Tisha assigned to work with her on a backlog of genealogy files. Tisha doesn’t seem interested in taking the job seriously, and Jillian’s patience wears thin. Besides, everyone in Canyon Mines knows the Crowder family has experienced generations of brokenness. Then a sliver of hope turns up in long-ago words in plain sight, challenging shrouded assumptions about Tisha’s family. Now Jillian is the one who can walk with Tisha back to 1893 and uncover where everything went wrong in the first place—and save her from the past. 
 

What You Said to Me is the fourth book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/What-You-Said-Tree-Life/dp/1683229975/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2EGO4V6EKSOAD&dchild=1&keywords=what+you+said+to+me+by+olivia+newport&qid=1603501918&sprefix=What+you+said+to+me+By+o%2Cstripbooks%2C179&sr=8-1


Olivia Newport’s novels blend the truths of where we find ourselves now with insights into what carried us in the past. Enjoying life with her husband and nearby grown children, she chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak.

My Thoughts...
I have read the first three book in the Tree of Life series and enjoyed them all. I love DNA and family history so these are fun reads. They can be read as stand alone and you will not be missing out on anything important.
This is book 4 in the series is starts out a bit slow but it does pick up so stick with it you will be glad that you did.
I gave this book 4 stars and I cant for book number 5.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Finding Quiet By Jamie Grace

 

We live in a loud, loud world.

Whether it's the criticism of others, the clamor of injustice, or the voice of anxiety from within, we are constantly being bombarded with noise.

So what does it mean to find peace in the midst of all the noise? Is there a way to acknowledge the struggles we face and learn how to manage the stressors and voices that trigger us while believing in the promises and goodness of God?

Jamie Grace has lived in the middle of noise for most of her life. Many know her as a singer with radio hits who has spent the last decade on stages and in front of the camera, but behind the scenes, she has struggled with Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, and an anxiety disorder for most of her life. But in the middle of both inner and outer noise, Jamie has learned how to manage the negative effects of her diagnoses, make the most of her strengths, and lean into the journey God has led her on.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Quiet-Journey-Peace-Anxious/dp/0764236075/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2I5MKNU12PVEK&dchild=1&keywords=finding+quiet+jamie+grace&qid=1603498396&s=digital-text&sprefix=Finding+qui%2Cdigital-text%2C163&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyNk5EMFlMR1U0SFc3JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjAzODg2M0ZNSDBORERTUEgwWiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjgxMDM1MzFJQklDSFFPOTYwTiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=


Jamie Grace is a two-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and actress. Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, OCD, ADHD, and anxiety at a young age, Jamie actively advocates for joy, wellness, and mental health through the lens of music, film, and faith. An entertainer at heart, she regularly creates fresh content, including new music and weekly videos and episodes of The Jamie Grace Podcast. When she isn't touring, Jamie lives in Southern California with her husband, Aaron, and daughter, Isabella Brave.

My Thoughts...
This was such a refreshing read. I have listened to Jamie Grace and loved her voice and how much her songs have touched me for a while. So to get to read her story was a a great treat for me.
This is a very refreshing , heartfelt, compassionate read.
You will find it is a book that you will want to read it over and over again.
I gave this book 4 stars and i am giving it as a gift this year.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Monday, October 26, 2020

The Safe Place By Anna Downes

 

Welcome to paradise...will you ever be able to leave?

Emily is a mess.

Emily Proudman just lost her acting agent, her job, and her apartment in one miserable day.

Emily is desperate.

Scott Denny, a successful and charismatic CEO, has a problem that neither his business acumen nor vast wealth can fix. Until he meets Emily.

Emily is perfect.

Scott offers Emily a summer job as a housekeeper on his remote, beautiful French estate. Enchanted by his lovely wife Nina, and his eccentric young daughter, Aurelia, Emily falls headlong into this oasis of wine-soaked days by the pool. But soon Emily realizes that Scott and Nina are hiding dangerous secrets, and if she doesn't play along, the consequences could be deadly.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Safe-Place-Novel-Anna-Downes/dp/1250264804?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_dp


Anna Downes grew up in Sheffield, UK. She studied drama
at Manchester University before winning a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and moving to London to pursue an acting career. Her acting credits include EastEndersCasualtyHolby City, and Dalziel and Pascoe, as well as a long-running stage production of The Dresser in London’s West End.

In 2009 she left to go travelling with her Australian partner, a trip that included a stint working as a live-in housekeeper on a remote French estate, where the seeds for The Safe Place were sown.

Anna now lives on the Central Coast of New South Wales with

her husband and two children. In July 2020 The Safe Place is being published simultaneously in Australia, New Zealand, UK, and North America, with several other countries to follow.

My Thoughts...
I can't wait for Downes next book. This was a treat to read.  I was given a copy by another reviewer she said you have got to read this. She was so right. I really did enjoy it and I can tell you enough why you need to read it. So twisted and different but so good. 4 stars from this reviewer.

Friday, October 23, 2020

In the Lion's Den By Barbara Taylor Bradford

 

From New York Times bestselling author Barbara Taylor Bradford comes the highly anticipated second book in the House of Falconer saga.

James Lionel Falconer has risen quickly from a mere shop worker to being the right-hand man of Henry Malvern, head of the most prestigious shipping company in London. With Malvern's daughter Alexis running away to the country after a terrible tragedy and refusing to return, James' ascent to head of the company seems inevitable. But even a charmed life like James' is not without its setbacks.

A terrible fire threatens to end his merchant career before it's had a chance to truly begin. Mrs. Ward, James' former paramour, has a secret that could change his life forever. And his distaste for Alexis Malvern is slowly growing into feelings of quite a different sort. Can James continue to be the master of his own fate, or will all of his charm, intelligence, and wit finally fail him when he has to enter the lion's den?

Spanning the years from 1889 to 1892, In the Lion's Den is Barbara Taylor Bradford at her historical storytelling best.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Lions-Den-House-Falconer-Novel/dp/1250187427/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1602951361&sr=8-1

Barbara Taylor Bradford, OBE is one of the world's best loved storytellers. Her 1979 debut novel, A Woman of Substance, ranks as one of the top-ten bestselling books of all-time, with more than 30 million copies in print. All 31 of her novels to date have been major worldwide bestsellers. Her 32nd book, Secrets Of Cavendon, will be published in hardcover and eBook on November 21 by St. Martin's Press.

Bradford was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire (UK) as the only child of Freda and Winston Taylor. She grew up in the Leeds suburb of Armley and after Town Street Church of England School worked in the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post before going into journalism. By the age of twenty she was the fashion editor of Woman's Own Magazine and an editor and columnist on Fleet Street for the London Evening News.

Bradford's books have sold more than ninety one (91) million copies worldwide in more than ninety (90) countries and forty (40) languages. Ten (10) of her books have been made into miniseries and television movies, making her one of the best-selling authors over the last 30 years.

In April of 2003, Mrs. Bradford was inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame of America alongside Mark Twain, Langston Hughes and Dr. Seuss. She was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list for her contributions to literature. Her original manuscripts are archived at the Brotherton Library at Leeds University, alongside the works of the Bronte sisters. In 2009, Barbara's publishers began a worldwide 30th anniversary celebration of A Woman of Substance. The first annual Woman of Substance Awards took place on September 10th 2009 at the Dorchester Hotel in London. She lives in New York City with her husband, of 51 years, television producer Robert Bradford.

Her official website is: www.barbarataylorbradford.com

My Thoughts...

Reading Bradford's books take me back to a much nicer time in my life, I use to get every book she wrote the day they came out.
Her writing is above and beyond the best to sweep you into the pages of the book so much so that you forget about the world around you.
This second book in The House of Falconer did not disappoint at all.
I was swept away until the very end I can not wait until book three arrives at my door.
Grab this 4 star read and get swept away.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Legend of the Lost Ass By Karen Schwartz


 I think we should take it through Guatemala.A random text from a stranger inspires agoraphobic Colin to leave New York. His first stop is Brownsville, Texas, where he meets the sender, half-Mayan Luci Bolon, her ancient but feisty great-uncle Ernesto, and Miss Mango, a bright-orange Kubota tractor. Ernesto’s dream is that Miss Mango be driven to Belize and given to the family he left behind nearly seventy years ago. Colin agrees to join Luci on the long journey through Central America. In 1949, seventeen-year-old Belizean Ernesto falls painfully in love with Michaela, an American redhead nearly twice his age. Their brief but intense affair changes everything Ernesto has ever known. When she leaves, Ernesto is devastated. Determined to find her, he “borrows” a donkey from his uncle and starts off for Texas. He meets a flamboyant fellow traveler, and the three of them—two young men and the donkey they name Bee—make their way to America.The past and present unfold through two journeys that traverse beautiful landscapes. Painful histories are soothed by new friendships and payments of old debts.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Lost-Karen-Winters-Schwartz/dp/1948051540/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Legend+of+the+lost+ass&qid=1602953564&sr=8-1


Karen Winters Schwartz wrote her first truly good story at age seven. Her second-grade teacher, publicly and falsely accused her of plagiarism. She did not write again for forty years.

Her widely praised novels include WHERE ARE THE COCOA PUFFS?: A Family's Journey Through Bipolar Disorder, 2010; REIS’S PIECES: Love , Loss, and Schizophrenia, 2012; and THE CHOCOLATE DEBACLE, 2014 (Goodman Beck Publishing). Her new novel, LEGEND OF THE LOST ASS, was released by Red Adept Publishing on July 21, 2020.

Educated at The Ohio State University, Karen and her husband moved to the Central New York Finger Lakes region where they raised two daughters and shared a career in optometry. Karen is the past president of NAMI Syracuse (National Alliance on Mental Illness), a strong advocate for mental illness awareness, and a sought-after speaker at health association events and conferences across the country. She now splits her time between Arizona, a small village in Belize, and traveling the earth in search of the many creatures with whom she has the honor of sharing this world. This is her second year as a Rising Star judge.

Author website: http://www.karenwintersschwartz.com/

My Thoughts...
 A little bit slow but once you get into the book is picks up and gets better. I did find it an interesting read. The development of the story plays out in your mind like a picture show. 
I gave this book 4 stars and I hope that you grab a copy.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

From Rome With Love by Kate Lloyd

 

"Christmas in Rome is always a good idea." - Rayanne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author Lucy Goff's new job caring for the quirky daughter of a wealthy Seattle couple comes with an unexpected perk: being whisked off to Rome the week before Christmas. Putting up with fifteen-year-old Tabatha's mood swings, not to mention Lucy's own fear of flying, is worth the opportunity to explore The Eternal City. But Lucy's dreams of a relaxing European vacation are upended almost as soon as they arrive. Tabatha's parents disappear, and Tabatha herself turns out to be more than a handful. The only person Lucy can turn to is Mario, the smooth and handsome Italian who volunteers to be their personal tour guide. Can she trust him? And what about Brad, the old boyfriend who wants to pick up where they left off? When a mysterious painting opens up painful family secrets, it seems as though Lucy's romantic holiday is over for good. Instead, she must confront not only her employers, but also her own feelings about love and loyalty. Is she ready to see that Christmas is just the beginning?

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Rome-Love-Kate-Lloyd/dp/1735241121/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1602950428&sr=8-1



Bestselling author Kate Lloyd is a passionate observer of human relationships. She is excited to present Stage Fright, a delightful story with twists and turns as a woman ventures through England where Kate has often traveled. Next, From Rome with Love, an intriguing Christmas book that will keep you guessing. A native of Baltimore, Kate and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest. Kate spends time with family and friends in Lancaster County, PA, the inspiration for her novels Leaving Lancaster, Pennsylvania Patchwork, and Forever Amish, the third book in the Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy, and also A Letter from Lancaster County and Starting from Scratch. Her Christmas Kindle An Unexpected Christmas Gift just released. Kate studied art, art history, and Italian in college. She loved living in Rome. She's worked a variety of jobs, including restaurateur and car salesman. Kate enjoys travel and walking with her camera in hand.

Website: www.katelloyd.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/katelloydbooks
Instagram:@katelloydauthor
Giveaways on her Blog: https://katelloyd.com/feed
Pinterest: @KateLloydAuthor

My Thoughts...
This is not your everyday Christmas read. Its full of twists and turns and a little bit of romance. I have really enjoyed going to Rome. And what about that cover, I love it.
I gave this book 5 stars and HIGHLY recommend it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Monday, October 19, 2020

Undeveloped By K. Leigh

 

Lia Winegar and her aunt have always been thick as thieves, as close as a niece and aunt could be. Now, fresh out of high school, Lia plans to spend her last summer at home before going away to college. But as one chapter of her life closes, another begins. When she stumbles upon one of her Aunt Natalie’s old journals—along with a faded photograph of a man she’s never seen before—Lia realizes her aunt's life isn't the open book she always thought it was. Natalie isn’t the only one with a secret, though. Lia still hasn’t told her family just how far she plans to go; and while she unearths her aunt’s whirlwind story through a firsthand account, she discovers some truths of her own. As the forgotten story of one summer unfolds, how much of each woman's tale will remain undeveloped?

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Undeveloped-Womens-Fiction-Novel-Leigh/dp/B08KH3VLNS/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1602952097&sr=8-1


K Leigh is an author, mom, & wife.
When not reading and writing, she shares inappropriate humor on social media and looks for her keys.

My Thoughts...
Do you like dual timelines?  Leigh has done it again. She just keeps getting better and better. The Characters  and the storyline are such a treat that you can't stop reading. I am always left wanting more. I can't wait for her next book.  Let me know what you all think of Natalie, She was a favorite.
I gave Undeveloped 4 stars and I recommend it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Friday, October 16, 2020

Autumn Skies By Denise Hunter

 

Facing the past is easier if you don’t have to face it alone.

The Bluebell Inn is turning a profit, and it’s time for the Bennett siblings to sell it and move on. Only Grace has plans to stay in the small lake town of Bluebell, North Carolina, where she hopes her growing outfitters business will save her from the loneliness of her siblings’ departure and the persistent sense of unworthiness in her life.

A gunshot wound resurrects the past for Secret Service agent Wyatt Jennings, and a mandatory leave of absence lands him in Bluebell. There he must come to grips with the tragedy that altered his life fourteen years ago.

When Wyatt books a room at the Bluebell Inn, sparks fly between him and Grace. She volunteers to be his mountain guide, and he soon opens up to her, drawn to her strength and sense of humor. But both are reticent to talk about the survivor’s guilt they each carry, and when their pasts finally collide, their budding romance might not survive the truth.

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom and A December Bride (now beloved Hallmark Original movies) comes the third and final novel in the Bluebell Inn series.

Pick up your copy here...

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 35 novels, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 Club and won awards such as The Holt Medallion Award, The Carol Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA
 finalist.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who have real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking good coffee, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest.

You can learn more about Denise through her website www.DeniseHunterBooks.com or by visiting her FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/authordenisehunter

My Thoughts...
Hunter has done it again. I loved Grace and Wyatt's story. I just don't know of anyone else who can write a romance set in North Carolina that takes my breath away like Hunter.  I love that she gave this story a happy ending. 5 stars two times. I HIGHLY recommend this whole series. They can be read as stand alones but I would not do that. You are going to LOVE them all three. The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

To Read or Not to Read A Literary Journal for the Book Lover

Keep track of the books you read, record thoughts on your favorite books, get inspired for your next read, and reflect on your literary spiritual journey with this beautifully designed journal for readers.

The perfect addition to any personal library, To Read or Not to Read encourages readers of all genres to immerse themselves in a classically illustrated reading journal complete with DIY book review pages and inspirational reading lists. To Read or Not to Read allows readers to step into the book critic role and determine which books to recommend, and which ones to skip based on their reflections throughout the journal. It includes a "How Bookish Are You?" quiz and spotlights on authors such as Flannery O'Connor and Frederick Douglass, whose published works have greatly influenced the combined spheres of faith and literature.

With additional fun facts and helpful conversation starters for literary discussions, this journal will become the signature accessory at book clubs, on nightstands, and on every book lover's shelf.

Pick up your copy here...

The Ink & Willow line infuses contemplation and inspiration into the regular spiritual practice of creative-minded Christians, wherever they are in their faith journey. Each thoughtfully curated gift product is based in biblical truth and sparks a reminder of how God reveals beauty in the midst of our ordinary.

Throughout literary history, willow trees have been symbols of growth, balance, learning, healing, and harmony. Since willows often grow near streams or rivers, the name Ink and Willow was inspired by the verse in Psalm 1 about the person who delights in God and therefore is deeply planted and able to thrive, bearing fruit and prospering through every season. The word ink has a dual meaning, first as a nod to the act and art of printing words on paper, and then, in the sense that ink symbolizes life. In combination, Ink & Willow becomes the perfect metaphor for what this thoughtfully curated line of products is designed to do, which is to inspire, nurture, and engage Christians.

www.inkandwillowgifts.com and @inkandwillowgifts on social.

My Thoughts...
Where has this been my whole life?  I have found the perfect Journal for this book lovers heart. The Pages are set up so  perfectly for you to keep track of your reviews and all the books that you read. You have plenty of room to write all your thoughts and there is is even lists in the back of the journal of 100 Inspiring Books and a list of Pulitzer Prize Winners  the list with the BBC: Top 100 reads is great too.
This is must have for any Book lover, it would make a fantastic gift.
I gave this Journal 5 stars and I plan to buy many of them to help me organize my reading and reviews.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

The Sowing Season BY Katie Powner

 

After he's forced to sell the family farm he's labored on his whole life, 63-year-old Gerrit Laninga doesn't know what to do with himself. He sacrificed everything for the land--his time, his health, his family--with nothing to show for it but bitterness, regret, and two grown children who want nothing to do with him.

Fifteen-year-old Rae Walters has growing doubts and fears about The Plan--the detailed blueprint for high school that will help her follow in her lawyer father's footsteps. She's always been committed to The Plan, but now that the pressure to succeed is building, what was supposed to unite her family in purpose, may end up tearing it apart.

When their paths cross just as they each need a friend the most, Gerrit's and Rae's lives begin to change in unexpected ways. Can they discover together what really matters in life and learn it's never too late for a second chance?

Pick up your copy here...


Katie Powner is an award-winning author who lives in Montana, where cows still outnumber people. She loves Jesus, red shoes, and candy. Katie is a mom to the third power (biological, adoptive, and foster) who believes every child deserves a loving place to call home. Visit www.katiepowner.com.

My Thoughts...
Wow, What a debut novel. This was so good. The storyline as well as the characters so easy to like and the ending was such a great ending. What at treat from a new author. this is one to watch out for. I can't wait for Powner's next book.
I gave this book 4 stars and I recommend it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Absolution By Regina Buttner

 

Jeanie thinks she was to blame for the sexual assault she suffered in college―and she’d do anything to keep her old-school Catholic family from finding out about the resulting pregnancy, as well as what she did to conceal it.

Years have passed since the assault, and Jeanie’s husband, Greg, still thinks she’s the seemingly innocent girl he married in a rush to spite his controlling mother. It’s the height of the Seattle dot-com boom, and he’s too busy cashing in his stock options to pay attention to his wife. He isn’t aware of Jeanie’s lingering shame and guilt, or that she married him in the desperate hope that devoting herself to marriage and motherhood would somehow absolve her from the sins in her past.

Their hidden agendas collide when Greg discovers evidence of Jeanie’s long-ago pregnancy. As she confesses the details of that drunken night with her married professor, Greg’s pristine image of her is blown. His shock deepens into violent fury, and Jeanie realizes she needs to leave him―but Greg won’t let her go. He’s up for a big promotion, and he’s not about to let her ruin his reputation by walking out on him. He’ll resort to blackmail if necessary. Or worse.

Pick up your copy here..


Regina is a registered nurse-turned-writer who grew up in upstate New York where she enjoyed hiking with her bouncy golden retriever, Juliet, and exploring the Finger Lakes wine country. She now lives on the coast of southwest Florida and loves to go kayaking among the mangroves surrounding Pine Island, sipping mango smoothies (laced with rum if it's the weekend!) and admiring the tropical sunsets. ABSOLUTION is her first novel. Learn more about her at: www.reginabuttner.com

My Thoughts...
What a heartbreaking read. It was very well written for a debut book. The author really poured her heart out onto the pages. It was gripping and held my attention  until the very end. 
This book can be read in one sitting. It's that good.
I gave this book 4 stars and I cant wait to see what this author has in store for her next book for this avid reader.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.