Throwback Thursday: Twisted Lies

Happy Thursday!

I hope you’re well and safe and reading all the books! Today I’m sharing a Throwback Thursday read by Robin Patchen: Twisted Lies. Have you read it? It came out in 2017 and recently got a new cover (which I adore). Plus, this whole series is a great read so check it out if you haven’t.

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About the Book

She thought they’d never find her. And then her daughter vanished.

Marisa Vega’s life as an adoptive mom in a tiny Mexican village isn’t what she’d dreamed while growing up in New York, but as the target of a man who’s convinced she stole millions of dollars from his financial firm, Marisa believes hiding is her only way to stay alive. When her daughter is snatched and held for ransom, Marisa must discover who really stole the money in order to rescue her.

Months after being kidnapped, tortured, and left with PTSD, Nate Boyle is ready to live a quiet life in rural New Hampshire. When the source of his breakout newspaper article—and the woman who haunts his dreams—begs for help, he gets pulled into a riddle that’s proved unsolvable for nearly a decade.

Can Nate and Marisa unravel the years-old mystery and bring her daughter home?

Twisted Lies is Book 2 in the Hidden Truth series.

Amazon | Goodreads

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About the Author

Aside from her family and her Savior, Robin Patchen has two loves—writing and traveling. If she could combine them, she’d spend a lot of time sitting in front of her laptop at sidewalk cafes and ski lodges and beachside burger joints. She’d visit every place in the entire world—twice, if possible—and craft stories and tell people about her Savior. Alas, time is too short and money is too scarce for Robin to traipse all over the globe, even if her husband and kids wanted to go with her. So she stays in Oklahoma, shares the Good News when she can, and writes to illustrate the unending grace of God through the power and magic of story.

Download a free copy of Convenient Lies, book 1 in the Hidden Truth series, when you visit Robin’s website, robinpatchen.com.

Facebook | Twitter | BookBub | Goodreads | Amazon

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Post by contributor Toni Shiloh.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Diverse Books I Wish I’d Read As A Child

Happy Tuesday, friends! Today’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is ‘books I wish I’d read as a child’. The books I’ve included on today’s list may be books I’ve read as an adult (but wish I could have read when I was a kid) or books I still haven’t read yet.

BOOKS I’VE READ AS AN ADULT & LOVED

 

 

BOOKS I STILL NEED TO READ

 

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What about you? What are some books you wish you’d read as a child?

First Line Friday: Hope in the Mountain River

It’s time for First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books. Grab the book nearest to you and share the first line! The book we’re featuring on Diversity Between the Pages is Hope in the Mountain River (Call of the Rockies book 2) by Misty M. Beller!

and the first line is….

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“Is he friend or enemy?” Elan’s blood pounded through her veins as it did when the warriors from her tribe struck their targets with tomahawks—blow upon blow, louder and louder with each passing moment.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

This epic journey is not at all what she expected.

Joel Vargas can’t believe he’s lost his older brother in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains after surviving their harrowing voyage across the Atlantic. And he can’t shake the feeling that Adam—his only living relative—is in dire trouble. No matter what the cost, he and his band of friends won’t stop until Adam is found. He’s not sure if two Indian women they meet on the way will be a help or hindrance.

After the devastating loss of her daughter and husband to a sickness that swept through their Nez Perce camp, Elan is desperate to find an escape from her grief. As she and her friend journey through the mountains toward the great river, a band of white men is the last thing she expects to find, especially as winter blows in full force.

When the dangers increase, accomplishing Joel’s mission becomes the only hope for all their survival. If the elements don’t consume them, Elan has a feeling life will never be the same for any of them.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and intense adventure.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

Let me know the first line of the book closest to you & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!

POST CREATED BY BETH ERIN

Throwback Thursday — More Than Conquerors by Kathi Macias

I read More Than Conquerors by Kathi Macias years ago, but it is one of those books that really stuck with me. It opened my eyes to the real life struggles of those living and ministering in Mexico. This book is a highly recommended read! It is also only $1.99 on Kindle right now — what a deal!

True love ignites their passionate pursuit of His call. With violent crime on the rise and the political climate changing throughout certain parts of Mexico, the opportunity for open Christian witness, particularly in some areas of Chiapas State, is rapidly decreasing. Hector Rodriguez pastors a small church in the tourist-popular border town of Tijuana. He also routinely carries Bibles deeper into the hostile areas of Mexico, where he ministers despite increasing difficulty and persecution. Hectors mother accompanied him on one of those trips and felt God called her to stay in the little village of San Juan Chamula, where she uses the Scriptures to teach reading to the families who are open to it.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer and radio show host who has authored 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley.

You can find Kathi online at www.kathimacias.com and at her blog http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com

 

My Thoughts:

Conquistadores — conquerors — this word still inspires hatred and fear in the hearts of the descendants of the once flourishing culture of the Mayans. The Mayans were a people with a very advanced civilization. They had a written language, a developed religious and governmental system, and arts, architecture and literature. A once great society they were finally conquered by the Spanish. However, their language and traditions continue to exist in many central American countries as well as Mexico. Kathi Macias’ newest book, More Than Conquerors, introduces the reader to the modern Mayan, one who still clings to traditions, superstitions, and suspicions of those they term outsiders.

Macias sets her novel in two locations in Mexico — San Juan Chamula in Chiapas State and Tijuana just south of San Diego. San Juan Chamula is a remote  Mayan village in the rain forest. Tijuana is separated from San Juan Chamula not only by distance and bad roads, but by a lifestyle termed primitive even by those living in the poverty stricken border town. But both towns share one thing in common — the grip of evil on their populations. The evil is palpable in the confused psuedo-christian/Mayan worship in San Juan Chamula and in the gang violence of Tijuana.

The scripture that inspires the title of this novel, Romans 8:37, states that children of God are more than conquerors of the things that seek to keep them from the will of God — fear, death, persecution, ridicule, evil forces, and evil men. The verse is illustrated in the characters Macias brings to life on the pages of her book.  Like Macias’ first book in the Extreme Devotion series (No Greater Love), More Than Conquerors is not an easy read. The characters are faced with real life struggles and obstacles. Gang violence, open opposition to the gospel, family and societal pressures are just a few of the things she writes about. The christian life is not presented as a happily-ever-after fairy tale, but as gritty, ugly and tear-filled, yet possessing the peace and joy that only God can give to those He loves.

This book is for those who want to live what they say they believe. Highly Recommended.

(Thank you to Pump Up Your Book and Kathi Macias for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Diverse Book Titles That Would Make Great Band Names

Happy Tuesday, friends! Today’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is ‘book titles that would make great band names’ so I went hunting in my diverse fiction TBR for some ideas!

 

Long Walk Home – folk band
Soul’s Cry – dystopian rock band

 

Collision of Lies – alternative grunge band
Sushi for One – new wave pop band

  

The Switch – boy band
Firethorn – speed metal band

 

Relentless Heart – soft rock band
Salty Bitter Sweet – acapella cover band

 

Lost Down Deep – post grunge band
A Long Time Comin’ – Nashville sound country band

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What do you think?
What are some other diverse fiction titles that would make great band names?
Have you read any of these books yet?

Book Review: Safe Harbor

Happy Monday!

Today, I’m pleased to bring a book review for Safe Harbor by Christy Barritt, book 2 in the Lantern Beach Blackout series. But don’t worry if you haven’t read book 1 yet (though you really should because it’s good!) – this book works ok as a stand alone too.

NOTE: Lantern Beach is not only the setting of this Blackout series but several other of Barritt’s series as well. You can find a mostly complete list here, and since these books are all set in the same universe, readers get the chance to catch up with beloved characters from previous series in subsequent books as well. Each series can be read as a stand alone series, however, and for the most part the books can be read as stand alones too. And while each book in the Blackout series has its own plot that ties up at the end, there is also an overarching plot that carries over through each book, not to be fully resolved until the last book of the series. So, as I said, you can read Safe Harbor as a standalone but I would recommend reading Dark Water first.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A JOB AS EASY AS SUNDAY MORNING

Guilt over past mistakes haunt former Navy SEAL Dez Rodriguez. When he’s asked to guard a pop star during a music festival on Lantern Beach, he’s all set for what he hopes is a breezy assignment.

UNTIL HE MEETS BREE JORDAN

Bree hasn’t found fame to be nearly as fulfilling as she dreamed. Instead, she’s more like a carefully crafted character living out a pre-scripted story. When a stalker’s threats become deadly, her life—and career—are turned upside down.

DANGER RISES UP THE CHARTS

From the start, Bree sees her temporary bodyguard as a player, and Dez sees Bree as a spoiled rich girl. But when they’re thrown together in a fight for survival, both must learn to trust. Can Dez protect Bree—and his carefully guarded heart? Or will their safe harbor ultimately become their death trap?

GOODREADS | AMAZON

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MY THOUGHTS

Dez Rodriguez, former Navy SEAL & current member of an elite security team called Blackout (made up of his fellow SEAL teammates and headquartered on the island of Lantern Beach, NC), is a man with “muscles that could be seen for miles, and a smile that could be seen even farther.” I’ll give you a moment to swoon appropriately at that description …  He’s protective, sometimes broody, prone to long-held feelings of guilt & a sense of duty, but also bighearted and a loyal friend. His reputation as a player may be exaggerated but he’s definitely good at flirting when it counts.

Bree Jordan is a pop star whose career has skyrocketed, though she disagrees with many of her manager’s decisions. She wants to sing her own songs – songs with depth, not the ‘bubble gum’ fluff that is responsible for her rise to fame. Her reputation as a spoiled, rich starlet may also be exaggerated, but she definitely knows how to throw her wealth around when it counts. She lives under a lot of pressure to keep up a certain image but really just wants to be herself.

The tension between these two vivid characters keeps sparks flying throughout this quick-read story. Between their definite romantic attraction to each other and the high-stakes suspense that has them – and readers – on their toes from start to finish, the electricity crackles like a summer storm off the ocean.  And buckle up for that ending – wow!

I loved getting to know Dez more – my interest in him had been piqued in Dark Water and I was curious about his backstory. It was nice to see a couple of peeks into the Cuban culture that gave him part of his heritage, and I also enjoyed seeing him directly in that role of protector that he makes so swoony. Bree became a favorite character, and her character growth throughout the novel was done really well.

Bottom Line: A great read from beginning to end, with a yummy hero & an engaging heroine, a charming island with a host of characters and intriguing backstories , a team of former SEALs with an unsolved mystery between them, and a message of finding your own worth and staying true to who you were created to be. Definitely recommended for romantic suspense fans!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today has called Christy Barritt’s books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”

Christy, a Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author, writes both mystery and romantic suspense novels that are clean with underlying messages of faith. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery, have been twice nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, and have finaled for both a Carol Award and Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year.

She’s married to her prince charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious–but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado.

Christy currently splits her time between the Virginia suburbs and Hatteras Island, North Carolina. She has more than seventy books published with nearly two million copies sold.

website | facebook | twitter | pinterest | instagram

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What about you? What makes you want to read Safe Harbor?

First Line Friday: Salty, Bitter, Sweet

Again, in case all the days are blending together for you like they are me …. it’s FRIDAY!!

And since it’s Friday, that means it’s time for First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books.

Grab the book nearest to you and share the first line!

The book I’m featuring here today is Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevas – and I’m in love with the cover!

and the first line is….

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Happiness, like love, arrives through the kitchen.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

A slow-burn romance in a cutthroat kitchen! There’s more to becoming a top chef for 17-year-old Isabella Fields than just not getting chopped … especially when the chances of things heating up with an intriguing boy and becoming a food star in the kitchen are both on the chopping block.  

Aspiring chef Isa’s family life has fallen apart after the death of her Cuban abuela and the divorce of her parents. She moves in with her dad and her new stepmom, Margo, in Lyon, France, where Isa feels like an outsider in her father’s new life. Isa balances her time between avoiding the awkward, “why-did-you-cheat-on-Mom” conversation with figuring out how a perpetually single woman can at least be a perpetually single chef.

The upside of Isa’s world being turned upside-down?

Her father’s house is located only 30 minutes away from the restaurant of world-famous Chef Pascal Grattard, who runs a prestigiously competitive international kitchen apprenticeship. The prize job at Chef Grattard’s renowned restaurant also represents a transformative opportunity for Isa who is desperate to get her life back in order—and desperate to prove she has what it takes to work in an haute kitchen. But Isa’s stress and repressed grief begin to unravel when the attractive, enigmatic Diego shows up unannounced with his albino dog.

How can Isa expect to hold it together when she’s at the bottom of her class at the apprenticeship, her new stepmom is pregnant, she misses her abuela dearly, and things with the mysterious Diego reach a boiling point?

GOODREADS | AMAZON

Let me know the first line of the book closest to you & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!

Throwback Thursday: Returning Home

Happy Thursday!

I’m sharing a Throwback Thursday post of Returning Home by yours truly. Today’s the last day for the eBook sale (99¢) so be sure to download your copy today!

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About the Book

Jo Ellen Baker is shocked to find out that the boy who teased her mercilessly throughout high school, has returned to their hometown of Freedom Lake, and he’s missing a leg. When his mother asks her to renovate their carriage house to give him a place to gain his independence back, she wants to say no. But one look at him brings a rush of forgotten feelings.

Evan Carter can’t believe he has to return home and live with his parents. Every hope and dream he ever had dissipated in a car crash that cost him his leg. Stuck in a wheelchair, he’s forced to reexamine his relationship with God and the local carpenter, Jo Ellen Baker.

Will renovating his home open the door for a mended relationship, or are some wounds too deep to heal from?

Amazon | Goodreads

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About the Author

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring her Savior glory and to learn more about His grace.

Her novel, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist and Risking Love is a 2020 Selah Award finalist. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to help readers find authors. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. When she’s not spending time in imagination land, you’ll either find her with a book or an Xbox One controller to avoid the housework that never seems to end.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub

Spring Break

The ladies at Diversity Between the Pages are on spring break! We will be back next week.

Have a wonderful Easter and stay safe!

First Line Friday: Second Chance Sweethearts

In case anyone else has lost track of what day it is…. it’s FRIDAY!! Which isn’t nearly as exciting as it used to be when we could actually weekend. But, such is life right now, and we hope you are staying healthy at home and practicing social distancing.

Do you know where we don’t have to practice social distancing? RIGHT HERE on the interwebs. And since it’s Friday, that means it’s time for First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books.

Grab the book nearest to you and share the first line!

The book I’m featuring here today is Second Chance Sweethearts, a Christian contemporary romance title from Liwen Y. Ho!

and the first line is….

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One line… one line. Please, let it be one line.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Two former high school sweethearts and one growing secret … will they choose to love above all else?

Missy Clark left small town life and her first love when she went away to college. Five years later, she returns to Sun Valley with a secret that’s sure to tarnish her reputation.

Nate Dawson never stopped loving Missy when she left home. Answered prayers have brought her back into his life, but the consequences she bears may destroy their second chance at love.

Can these sweethearts regain the innocence of the past and find hope and healing in the Lord for their future?

This book was previously published as part of the First Street Church Kindle World under the title of Love’s Choice. It is now available as a standalone story for your reading pleasure.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

Let me know the first line of the book closest to you & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!