They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Debut Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.
Steal Fire From the Godsby Clint Hall – Enclave Publishing – Editor: Lisa Laube – Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook – The Human Alliance knew the war was over when the machines started using magic to cast fire, shake the ground, conjure storms, and part the seas.
We fought back anyway.
22-year-old soldier Gunnar Graves lost his faith and his family when a platoon of AI-driven war machines—led by an android fire mage—destroyed his unit. Forced to live in a machine-controlled village and hiding a dark secret, he spends his days trying to learn elemental power so he can take his revenge. After years of failure, his ability ignites when he least expects it.
On the run and hunted by the war machines, Gunnar discovers that an ancient, life-based strength has awakened to help humanity fight back. Joined by the other life mages, Gunnar is thrust into a mad world of android overlords, cyborg clans, and evil forces bent on his destruction.
To protect his newfound family, Gunnar must discover the truth behind a power he doesn’t understand and wage a war he doesn’t believe they can win.
Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer – Tyndale House – Editor: Kathy Olson – Winner’s choice of paperback or ebook – After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the final paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?
Henry Hobbes isn’t exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he’d do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes–short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.
By the time Henry realizes his mistake–that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town–their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure date rapidly approaching, and Henry’s roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.
Show Me Betrayalby Ellen E. Withers – Scrivenings Press – Editors: Susan Page Davis and Elena Hill – Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook – Two deaths occur decades apart. Is it possible these deaths are related? What motivates a killer, who got away with murder sixty years ago, to kill again? Was it uncontrollable rage or the hope of silencing someone who fit all the puzzle pieces together and deduced who committed the crime?
Set in the picturesque town of Mexico, Missouri, Show Me Betrayal takes flight in words and emotions of rich characters woven together into a story you won’t want to put down.
Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 24 2024. REMEMBER TO CHECK GIVEAWAY EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH TITLE!
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Short Novel Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.
Short Novel Finalists
Their Holiday Secretby Betsy St. Amant — Love Inspired — Editor: Emily Rodmell and Caroline Timmings — Winner’s Choice of Paperback or ebook
Can their pretend relationship
Turn into a true Christmas gift?
Preston Green will do anything for a fake girlfriend—even bid on one at a charity auction. Sweet and quirky baker Lulu Boyd is the perfect choice to stop his mother’s constant matchmaking. And it’s just for one holiday family dinner—until his father’s failing health makes ending their ruse impossible. Soon it feels all too real…but another secret might make this their last Christmas together.
Together for the Twinsby Laurel Blount — Love Inspired — Editor: Dina Davis — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook.
He opened his home to twin boys
Will he open his heart to their nanny?
Self-made man Ryder Montgomery is the guy with all the answers…until he inherits custody of his out-of-control twin nephews. Nanny Elise Cooper is a lifesaver and even agrees to give him parenting lessons. Soon they’re starting to feel like a real family. But with an end-of-summer expiration date, is it even possible to build a future together?
The Cowboy Bargain by Tina Radcliffe –– Love Inspired — Editor: Katie Gowrie — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook
A little competition…
Brings a change of heart.
Sam Morgan never thought he’d see his ex-fiancée again after she skipped town days before their wedding. He certainly didn’t expect to find her opening a restaurant on his property—in the building he’d intended to sell his crafts from. This time Olivia’s sticking around, forcing Sam to strike a deal: work together and see whose products sell best. Could their business venture lead to a surprising reunion?
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Romance Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.
Romance Finalists
The Words We Lostby Nicole Reese — Bethany House — Editors: Sarah Long and Jessica Sharpe — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook (also audible in Canada)
Three friends. Two broken promises. One missing manuscript.
As a senior acquisitions editor for Fog Harbor Books in San Francisco, Ingrid Erikson has rejected many a manuscript for lack of defined conflict and dramatic irony—two elements her current life possesses in spades. In the months following the death of her childhood best friend and international bestselling author Cecelia Campbell, Ingrid has not only lost her ability to escape into fiction due to a rare trauma response, but she’s also desperate to find the closure she’s convinced will come with Cecelia’s missing final manuscript.
After Ingrid jeopardizes her career, she fears her future will remain irrevocably broken. But then Joel Campbell—the man who shattered her belief in happily-ever-afters—offers her a sealed envelope from his late cousin, Cecelia, asking Joel and Ingrid to put their differences aside and retrieve a mysterious package in their coastal Washington hometown.
Honoring Cecelia’s last request will challenge their convictions and test their loyalties, but through it all, will Ingrid and Joel be brave enough to uncover a twice-in-a-lifetime love?
Wedding at Seaby Melissa Tagg — Indie — Editor: Charlene Patterson — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook
Lilian doesn’t remember anything about her life before the day Maggie Muir found her on her front porch—a toddler, abandoned and alone. And maybe that’s okay. She has a beautiful life at Muir Farm, including an adopted family she adores and a successful career as a lawyer. But she also has a secret . . . one that raises just as many questions about her future as it does her unknown past.
And, of course, it would be private investigator Wilder Monroe, her brother’s best friend and the bane of her existence, who sniffs out her secret before anyone else.
Wilder has spent the past three years trying to close the one case his father couldn’t—the mystery of Maggie Muir’s long-lost granddaughter. But the decades-long search has become more tangled than ever. It’s become more personal, too. Not only are the Muirs the closest thing to family he has left, but if he can solve this mystery, maybe he’ll keep himself from drowning in the one he can’t . . . the truth about his father’s death.
In the midst of secrets and swirling questions, Maggie asks a favor of both Lilian and put aside their bickering and work together to plan her summer wedding. It’s a big ask, made all the more difficult when danger comes calling at Muir Farm. But if the two enemies can stand each other long enough to pull off the event of the year, they just might solve a mystery in the process.
And the biggest discovery of all? That sometimes the one your heart longs for is the last person you ever would’ve expected.
Memory Lane by Becky Wade — Indie — Editor: Charlene Patterson –winner’s choice of paperback or ebook (or audible in Canada)
After surviving a trauma several years back, Remy Reed relocated to a cottage on one of Maine’s most remote islands. She’s arranged her life just the way she wants it, spending her time working on her wood sculptures and soaking in the beauty of nature. It’s quiet and solitary—until the day she spots something bobbing in the ocean.
Her binoculars reveal the “something” to be a man, and he’s struggling to keep his head above water. She races out to save him and brings him into her home. He’s injured, which doesn’t detract from his handsomeness nor make him any easier to bear. He acts like a duke who’s misplaced his dukedom…expensive tastes, lazy charm, bossy ideas.
Remy would love nothing more than to return him to his people, but he has no recollection of his life prior to the moment she rescued him. Though she’s not interested in relationships other than the safe ones she’s already established, she begins to realize that he’s coming to depend on her.
Who is he? What happened that landed him in the Atlantic Ocean? And why is she drawn to him more and more as time goes by?
There’s no way to discover those answers except to walk beside him down memory lane.
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Novella Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.
Novella Finalists
Christmas Snowstorm Standoff by Sami A. Abrams (in the Christmas in the Crosshairs Collection) — Sunrise Publishing — Editors: Lynette Eason and Susan May Warren — Giveaway will be for the collection Christmas in the Crosshairs — ebook copy
It’s finally time for bodyguard Lizzie Tremaine to tie the knot with the man she’s loved for years—fellow bodyguard Charlie Lee.
But maybe fate is still against them, because on the eve of their big day, a snowstorm hits. And, while it’s kept the guests away, it’s brought trouble in the form of a woman from Charlie’s past. More, she’s on the run from a killer…
A man who will stop at nothing to make sure Charlie and Lizzie never make it to the altar.
Now Lizzie and Charlie must battle the storm, stop the killer, and defeat the doubts that suddenly have them wondering if they are truly meant to be.
Honor’s Mountain Promiseby Misty M. Beller — Indie — Editors: Robin Patchen and Jalayne Setzer — winner’s choice of paperback or ebook (also audible in Canada)
They both want a new start, but nothing prepared them for this treacherous journey.
Finally on the right side of the law, Aaron Long expected his life to take an upward turn. Instead, he ends up with a bum leg and driving a freight wagon through the wild Rocky Mountains. At least he has the joy of his newfound faith in God. The last thing he expects in the middle of an urgent delivery to Settler’s Fort is to discover a woman begging him to take her the opposite direction. She’s heavy with child, so he can’t leave her, but neither can he take her where she wants to go.
Katie Barlowe has never had control of her life. Especially not when her parents married her off to a successful businessman who was determined to start a ranch in the faraway Montana Territory. Now she’s a widow left on her own in these breathtaking but treacherous mountains. She’s determined to forge a better future for herself and the new life growing inside her. To do so, she needs to get back to civilization before the babe is born. When she finally finds a freighter to take her the first leg of the journey east, all seems to be falling into place. Then the driver is killed and she’s left with a stranger who’s unwilling to take her farther than a tiny mining town, far from Fort Benton and the steamship she’d hoped would carry her home.
When Aaron and Katie set out through the mountain winter, the journey ahead will change their lives more than they could have known.
Return of the Monarchs by Beth Wiseman — Indie — Editors: Janet Murphy and Audrey Wick — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook
Janelle Herron isn’t interested in having a boyfriend. She wears black clothes, dark makeup, and sees herself metaphorically as a caterpillar who hopes to transform into a butterfly someday. She hopes that she will grow into a vision of herself that she can live with, and she has her reasons—reasons that only her parents are aware of—but that doesn’t include having a romantic relationship. But when she sees a handsome Amish man being harassed by bullies, she gets involved and becomes friends with Thomas Schrock. He’s safe. They can never be together romantically because he’s Amish.
Thomas Schrock is intrigued—and a little embarrassed—when a Goth-looking young English woman intervenes in a one-sided fight Thomas is about to be lured into by three bullies. Janelle is spunky, brave, and might even be pretty behind all the dark makeup she wears. She is easy to talk to, fun to be around, and as they spend more time together, he begins to understand some of the reasons she dresses the way she does. But as Janelle and Thomas’s feelings begin to lean toward romance, Janelle holds tightly to a secret she has no plans to share. Her plan is to stay on course and leave for college at the end of the summer.
But will a magical meadow filled with monarchs and a little divine intervention turn things around for Janelle? Will she finally share her secret with Thomas and become the butterfly she’s always wanted to be?
Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 13 2024. REMEMBER TO CHECK GIVEAWAY EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH TITLE!
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Finalists
What Happens Nextby Christina Suzann Nelson — Bethany House — Editors: Rochelle Gloege and Jennifer Veilleux — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook (or audible for Canada)
“Everyone has a story, and maybe everyone needs a little help toward healing.”
Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy–but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own. All of that changes when she’s asked to spotlight her childhood best friend’s missing person case on her podcast.
Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter disappeared. But when her husband leaves her and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter’s belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case.
As the long-abandoned investigation moves forward, old wounds and long-buried secrets are exposed. Will these two women, whose lives have never been the same, finally get the answers they need to reconcile the past and the future?
Show Me Betrayal by Ellen E. Withers –– Scrivenings Press — Editors: Elena Hill and Susan Page Davis — ebook giveaway
Two deaths occur decades apart. Is it possible these deaths are related? What motivates a killer, who got away with murder sixty years ago, to kill again? Was it uncontrollable rage or the hope of silencing someone who fit all the puzzle pieces together and deduced who committed the crime? Set in the picturesque town of Mexico, Missouri, Show Me Betrayal takes flight in words and emotions of rich characters woven together into a story you won’t want to put down.
26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse –– Kregel Publications — Editor: Janyre Tromp — Winner’s choice of paperback or ebook (or audible in Canada)
In her new role as Emergency Operations Center director for Fairbanks, Alaska, Darcie Phillips prevents disasters. But none of her training can prepare her for the terror that’s coming.
As a cybersecurity specialist, Jason Myers is determined to ferret out any threats to the town he now calls home–and that includes his reckless brother and his ecoterrorist friends.
When an old woman’s wild prediction–widespread destruction as soon as the Fairbanks temperature falls to 26 below–hits national headlines, neither Darcie nor Jason sees a real risk to anything but tourism.
Then the bodies start dropping.
Darcie is relying on her experience and intelligence to stop a killer; Jason is relying on God to guide the way. They’ll have to work together to find the truth and prevent their Alaskan town from becoming a city of nightmares. The first in a thrilling new suspense series from best-selling author Kimberley Woodhouse, 26 Below will delight fans of Lynnette Eason, Irene Hannon, and Lynn Blackburn.
Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 22 2024. REMEMBER TO CHECK GIVEAWAY EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH TITLE!
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Historical Romance Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.
Historical Romance Category
Garden of the Midnightsby Hannah Linder –– Barbour Publishing – Editor: Becky Fish — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook (or audible in Canada)
The accidents are not a matter of chance. They are deliberate. As English gentleman William Kensley becomes aware of the danger at Rosenleigh Manor, he pleads for the truth of his past from the only man he can trust—until that man is murdered.
As the secrets unfold into scandal, William’s world is tipped into destitution, leaving him penniless and alone. His only comfort is in the constant friendship and love of Isabella Gresham. If he does not have their nonsense at the seashore, their laughter, their reckless adventures, has he anything at all?
He should have known that would be ripped from him too. When a hidden foe arises from their acquaintances and imperils Isabella’s life, William may be the only one willing to risk his life to rescue her. But even if he frees Isabella from her captors, will he still have to forsake her heart?
Some sacrifice everything for love. Others sacrifice love for everything else. In this haunting tale of rigid social prejudices and heart-aching regrets, the greatest decision of their life will be determined in the garden of the midnights.
The Sound of Lightby Sarah Sundin –– Revell — Editors: Kristin Kornoelje, Vicki Crumpton, and Rachel McRae — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook (or audible for Canada)
When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden.
American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research–her life’s dream. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement’s legendary Havmand–the merman–and wonders if the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide.
When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence. Bestselling author of more than a dozen WWII novels, Sarah Sundin offers pens another story of ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances with faith, fortitude, and hope for a brighter future.
The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky — Bethany House — Editors: Jessica Sharpe and Jennifer Veilleux — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook (or audible in Canada)
In 2012, art historian Gwen Monroe travels to England’s Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she becomes acquainted with David Bradley–the owner’s handsome grandson–who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by turning it into a bed-and-breakfast. When Gwen stumbles upon a one-hundred-year-old journal and an intricately carved shepherd’s staff similar to one in a photo of her parents, she uncovers a connection to the father she never knew.
In 1912, after her father’s death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte’s grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and bitter regrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust in love again.
Two women a century apart are taken on a journey to healing, faith, and forgiveness in this heartfelt dual-time Edwardian romance from bestselling author Carrie Turansky.
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Historical Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.
Historical Finalists
The Warsaw Sistersby Amanda Barratt — Revell — Editors: Rachel McRae and Robin Turici — winner’s choice of paperback or ebook (or audible for Canada)
On a golden August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.
When Antonina’s beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw’s Jewish population, Antonina turns her worry into action and becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland’s secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation. But the secrets both are forced to keep threaten to tear the sisters apart–and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.
Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties.
Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem – Tyndale – Editor: Kathy Olson — Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook (or audible for Canada)
“What I am looking for–what I desperately need, Mrs. Weiss–is a spy.”
Adolf Hitler is still a distant rumble on the horizon, but a Jewish spymaster and his courageous spies uncover a storm of Nazi terror in their own backyard.
In the summer of 1933, a man named Adolf Hitler is the new and powerful anti-Semitic chancellor of Germany. But in Los Angeles, no-nonsense secretary Liesl Weiss has concerns much closer to home. The Great Depression is tightening its grip and Liesl is the sole supporter of two children, an opinionated mother, and a troubled brother.
Leon Lewis is a Jewish lawyer who has watched Adolf Hitler’s rise to power–and the increase in anti-Semitism in America–with growing alarm. He believes Nazi agents are working to seize control of Hollywood, the greatest propaganda machine the world has ever known. The trouble is, authorities scoff at his dire warnings.
When Liesl loses her job at MGM, her only choice is to work with Leon Lewis and the mysterious Agent Thirteen to spy on her friends and neighbors in her German American community. What Leon Lewis and his spies find is more chilling–and more dangerous–than any of them suspected.
Code Name Edelweiss is based on a true story, unknown until recent years: How a lone Jewish lawyer and a handful of amateur spies discovered and foiled Adolf Hitler’s plan to take over Hollywood.
Emmaleen Kimball is fourteen when she becomes convinced she was born to traveling acrobats and left on her parents’ doorstep. Why else would there be a thirteen-year age gap between her and her closest sibling? When her family won’t tell her the truth about her origins, she’s determined to solve the mystery herself.
Bernadette Kimball is twenty-seven and living back at home to help with a family crisis, but she can’t wait to get back to her career in the city. She doesn’t fit in with her family. Not that she cares. Who needs a family? Families are just one big mess of secrets and lies.
April Kimball-Madden carries the burden of a secret she promised never to reveal. She wishes she could tell Emmaleen the truth. But she’s convinced that if her husband Joey ever finds out who Emmaleen’s biological parents are, her marriage won’t survive.
As a world war wages across the globe, the Kimball family faces a different kind of conflict at home. Will their personal battles drag them down and tear their family apart? Or can the faith they’ve been taught, and the mercy they’re shown, lead them to victory?
Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 8 2024. REMEMBER TO CHECK EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH BOOK.
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Contemporary Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.
Contemporary Finalists:
A Million Little Choices by Tamera Alexander – Tyndale House – Editor: Jerry Jenkins — winner’s choice of paperback or ebook (or audible for Canada) —
Sometimes secrets just won’t stay hidden . . .Claire Powell’s life is turned upside down when her beloved husband admits to a “near affair.” But when Stephen accepts a partnership with an Atlanta law firm without consulting her and buys a historic Southern home sight-unseen—it pushes their already-fractured marriage to the breaking point. Claire’s world spirals, and she soon finds herself in a marriage she no longer wants, in a house she never asked for.
In 1863, Charlotte Thursmann, pregnant and trapped in a marriage to an abusive husband, struggles to protect her unborn child and the enslaved members of her household. Desperate, she’s determined to right the evils her husband and others like him commit. But how can one woman put an end to such injustice? Especially if her husband makes good on his threat to kill her?
Both Claire and Charlotte discover truths about themselves they never realized, along with secrets long hidden that hold the power to bring God’s restoration—if only they choose to let it.
He Should Have Told the Beesby Amanda Cox –– Revell — Editors: Kelsey Bowen and Robin Turici — winner’s choice of paperback or ebook (or audible for Canada) —
Beekeeper Beckett Walsh is living her dream, working alongside her father in their apiary, until his untimely death sends her world into a tailspin. She suddenly finds she must deal with a new part owner of the family business–one who is looking to sell the property. Beck cannot fathom why her father would put her into the position to lose everything they built together.
When Callie Peterson is named in the trust of a man she’s never heard of, she’s not sure what to do. Her fledgling business has just taken wing and her mother has reentered her life asking for help getting into rehab for her lifelong substance abuse issues, making Callie’s financial situation rather . . . precarious. She’s sure she has no right to someone else’s farm, but the money from the sale could solve her problems and give her the stability she’s always craved.
As these two women navigate their present conundrum, they will discover a complex and entangled past full of secrets–and the potential for a brighter future for both of them.
The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner –– Bethany House — Editor: Rochelle Gloege — winner’s choice of paperback or ebook (or audible for Canada) —
After years of drifting, fifty-year-old Pete Ryman has settled down with his potbellied pig, Pearl, in the small town of Sleeping Grass–a place he never expected to see again. It’s not the life he dreamed of, but there aren’t many prospects for a high school dropout like him.
Elderly widow Wilma Jacobsen carries a burden of guilt over her part in events that led to Pete leaving Sleeping Grass decades ago. Now that he’s back, she’s been praying for the chance to make things right, but she never expected God’s answer to leave her flat on her face–literally–and up to her ears in meddling.
When the younger sister Pete was separated from as a child shows up in Sleeping Grass with her eleven-year-old son, Pete is forced to face a past he buried long ago, and Wilma discovers her long-awaited chance at redemption may come at a higher cost than she’s willing to pay.
Set in northern Montana along the rugged and remote Hi-Line, Katie Powner’s latest interweaves poignancy and humor to present a story of friendship, forgiveness, and moving forward.
Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 1 2024. REMEMBER TO CHECK EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH BOOK.
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2023 finalists are books published in 2022. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
How does this giveaway work?
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2023 — Debut Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
Of Note: In past years, ACFW has announced the three finalists of each category in June and then the winners during their annual Writer’s Conference in late August/early September. This year they’ve switched it up and have announced seven semi-finalists in each category which will be whittled down to three finalists the first day of the conference at the end of August and then the winners in each category will be announced on the final day of the conference. So., with only two days in between the finalist announcements and the winner announcements, we’re going to have to go with wading through the seven semi-finalists so these weekly giveaways are going to be lengthy. Sorry about that. And now here are the Debut Semi-Finalists.
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kipby Sara Brunsvold; Revell (Baker Publishing Group — paperback or ebook giveaway — Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she’s been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who’s just entered hospice care. But there’s more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she’s not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it’s a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that’s just what Mrs. Kip will give her—but she’s going to have to work for it.
Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill; Kregel Pulishing — paperback or ebook copy —
Theresa Plane owes it to her beloved grandfather to save the family name–that means clearing their debt before she marries the wealthy and dashing Edward Greystone. But when a creditor’s threats lead her to stumble across a midnight meeting, Theresa discovers that Grandfather is hiding far more than the money he owes. And the secrets he kept now have Theresa trapped in a life-threatening fight for her home . . . and the truth.
After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée, Theresa, is connected. He won’t believe the woman he loved is a willing participant. Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career, but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.
Broderick and Theresa must form a partnership, but there’s no question they’re both keeping secrets. That lack of trust in one another, when there are dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, their very survival.
The Girl With Stars in Her Eyes by Dawn Ford; Expanse Books — ebook giveaway —
Eighteen-year-old servant girl Tambrynn is haunted by more than her unusual silver hair and the star-shaped pupils in her eyes. Her uncontrollable ability to call objects leads the wolves who savagely murdered her mother right to her door.
When she’s fired and outcast during a snowstorm, her carriage wrecks and she’s forced to find refuge in an abandoned cottage. There, her life is upended when the magpie who’s stalked her for eight years transforms into a man, Lucas. He’s her Watcher and they’re from a different kingdom. His job is to keep her safe from her father, an evil mage, who wants to steal her abilities, turn her into one of his undead beasts, and become immortal himself.
Can they make it to the magical passageway and get to their home kingdom in time for Tambrynn to thwart her father’s malicious plans? Or will Tambrynn’s unique magic doom them all?
Not By Sight : a Novel of the Patriarchs by Elizabeth Jacobson; WordCrafts Press — ebook giveaway —
Beloved. Betrayed. Despised. Exalted.
What could make a man turn to God when every event in his life screams that God has turned his back on him?
Joseph, the eleventh son of the patriarch Jacob, had his father’s favor, and that was his downfall. Sold into Egypt by his enraged and jealous brothers, Joseph is left with nothing to cling to except the stories of his father’s God, a seemingly remote and unreachable figure. Faith may prove futile, but Joseph is desperate – for the very hate that enslaved his brothers has begun to overtake him.
The Star That Always Staysby Anna Rose Johnson; Holiday House — ebook giveaway —
When bright and spirited Norvia moves from the country to the city, she has to live by one new Never let anyone know you’re Ojibwe.
Growing up on Beaver Island, Grand-père told Norvia stories—stories about her ancestor Migizi, about Biboonke-o-nini the Wintermaker, about the Crane Clan and the Reindeer Clan. He sang her songs in the old language, and her grandmothers taught her to make story quilts and maple candy. On the island, Norvia was proud of her Ojibwe heritage.
Things are different in the city. Here, Norvia’s mother forces her to pretend she’s not Native at all—even to Mr. Ward, Ma’s new husband, and to Vernon, Norvia’s irritating new stepbrother. In fact, there are a lot of changes in the ten-cent movies, gleaming soda shops, speedy automobiles, ninth grade. It’s dizzying for a girl who grew up on the forested shores of Lake Michigan.
Despite the move, the upheaval, and the looming threat of world war, Norvia and her siblings—all five of them—are determined to make 1914 their best year ever. Norvia is certain that her future depends upon it… and upon her discretion.
But how can she have the best year ever if she has to hide who she truly is?
Porch Music by Kathy Maresca; Touchpoint Faith — paperback or ebook giveaway —
All sixteen-year-old Rose has is what she carries: a pillowcase of clothes, her boyfriend’s unborn child, and a heart full of shame. In the face of 1952’s strict moral code, Seminole matriarch Ma-Ki Ebbing embraces Rose. Ma-Ki, on the fringe of society, clings to her Native American traditions and secrets surrounding her husband’s murder while her adult children unravel from social injustice.
When Ma-Ki’s children were young, Burl Ebbing approached a wealthy, powerful man who had sexually abused his children. The villain shot Burl’s heart right out of him. Twenty years later, Ma-Ki fears that her children will avenge their father’s death and refuses to disclose the criminal’s identity. The Ebbing women band together, marching through a chorus of grit and grind to unite a family once rendered powerless by a people who invaded their land. Will the tragic death of one of her daughters cause Ma-Ki to identify the villain and embrace Rose’s newfound faith?
Pieces of Dark, Pieces of Lightby Linda W. Rooks; Elk Lake Publishing — ebook giveaway —
In 2052, weapons of mass destruction are relics of the past until an unlikely discovery in Tajikistan thrusts their danger into the present. To keep terrorists away from the weapons, US leaders call on American diplomat Janssen LaMarche, whose diplomatic skills, family connections, and charismatic personality make him uniquely qualified to avert a world crisis. But before LaMarche begins his mission, doctors identify a health problem as terminal. Now forced to wage a life and death battle for himself, he must first travel back in time where an unknown fate awaits him, and family secrets on two continents come to light.
As a world crisis moves the plot through suspenseful twists and surprises, at the heart of the story is the personal saga of a man on a mission and the women who fear for his life.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
Please pay attention to the book formats available for this giveaway noted after the publication info for each individual title. Ebook wins are available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com kindle account. Paperbacks are available to readers in US and Canada.
If you would like a chance to win a copy ofone of these Carol Awards semi-finalists, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 26, 2023. Good luck!
They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2023 finalists are books published in 2022. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.
How does this giveaway work?
We’re doubling up today since we’re pressed for time before the winners are announced on August 24th. So, this time ’round we have 14 titles for you to choose from…either a book from the Speculative Category OR a book from the YA Category. Decisions…decisions.
You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2023 — Speculative OR Youn Adult Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.
Of Note: In past years, ACFW has announced the three finalists of each category in June and then the winners during their annual Writer’s Conference in late August/early September. This year they’ve switched it up and have announced seven semi-finalists in each category which will be whittled down to three finalists the first day of the conference at the end of August and then the winners in each category will be announced on the final day of the conference. So., with only two days in between the finalist announcements and the winner announcements, we’re going to have to go with wading through the seven semi-finalists so these weekly giveaways are going to be lengthy. Sorry about that. And now here are the Speculative Semi-Finalists.
The Girl With Stars in Her Eyesby Dawn Ford; Expanse Books — ebook giveaway — Eighteen-year-old servant girl Tambrynn is haunted by more than her unusual silver hair and the star-shaped pupils in her eyes. Her uncontrollable ability to call objects leads the wolves who savagely murdered her mother right to her door. When she’s fired and outcast during a snowstorm, her carriage wrecks and she’s forced to find refuge in an abandoned cottage. There, her life is upended when the magpie who’s stalked her for eight years transforms into a man, Lucas. He’s her Watcher and they’re from a different kingdom. His job is to keep her safe from her father, an evil mage, who wants to steal her abilities, turn her into one of his undead beasts, and become immortal himself. Can they make it to the magical passageway and get to their home kingdom in time for Tambrynn to thwart her father’s malicious plans? Or will Tambrynn’s unique magic doom them all?
Never Leave Me (Waters of Time ; 2) by Jody Hedlund; Revell (Baker Publishing Group) — paperback or ebook copy — In the last stages of a genetic disease, Ellen Creighton has decided to live out her remaining days at the estate of her longtime friend Harrison Burlington. Harrison cares deeply for Ellen, but as a wheelchair-bound paraplegic, he’s never allowed himself to get serious in a relationship. However, he’s desperately trying to save her by finding the holy water that is believed to heal any disease. When he locates two flasks, Ellen refuses to drink one of them because she believes the holy water killed her sister and father. In an effort to convince her to take it, Harrison ingests the contents first, and when Ellen witnesses the effects, she can no longer deny the power of the substance in the bottles. Dangerous criminals are also seeking the holy water, and Ellen soon learns they will go to any lengths to get the powerful drug-including sending her back into the past to find it for them. Bestselling and award-winning author Jody Hedlund plunges you into the swiftly flowing river of history in a race against the clock in this breathtaking, emotional second Waters of Time story.
Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Timeby Tracey Higley; Stonewater Books LLC – paperback or ebook giveaway —
What if you stumbled into a timeless party, in a secret garden only you could see?
Kelsey Willoughby doesn’t have time to pursue her writing dreams. Imagination doesn’t pay the bills, and she’s busy saving her beautiful city bookshop from online competition, hotel developers, and the sneaking suspicion that nobody reads anymore.
Not to mention all those voices telling her she doesn’t have talent.
But then the vacant lot of weeds next door starts to shimmer.
When Kelsey stumbles into a luminous nighttime garden party, larger than the vacant lot that holds it and filled with enigmatic guests, she suspects they hold the key to saving the bookshop, and perhaps even to her own mysterious origins.
But answers aren’t forthcoming, not until Kelsey is willing to confront her past, step into her potential, and push deeper into the unknown edges of the garden, where an unexpected journey takes her into a world of dangerous revelation.
Dream of Kingsby Sharon Hinck; Enclave Publishing — paperback or ebook giveaway —
In the glacial nation of Norgard, Jolan the Dream Teller serves every seeker, whether peasant or high lord. Though she loves using her gift, she struggles to navigate the corrupt and dangerous court and the jealousies of the Guildagard.
When an old man’s nightmare imparts a dire warning, Jolan realizes her entire nation is in danger. But before she can sound the alarm, she is betrayed by the guilds and sold into slavery in a rival kingdom far to the south. As a slave in a foreign land, at first Jolan can’t see beyond her singular focus: return home to warn Norgard of the coming calamity. After facing new dangers, making new friends, and forgiving old wrongs, she must fulfill the purposes the Provider has set before her.
Only then can she face a decision that could cost her the man she loves, her calling, and her freedom—all to save a people who abandoned her.
Shadow of Honor (Droseran Saga ; 3) by Ronie Kendig; Enclave Publishing — ebook giveaway —
Held captive, tortured by monsters of a nightmarish alien race, Marco Dusan clings to a final goal: keep these beasts from the Quadrants, even if it means orchestrating his own death. But his dreams betray that singular design. In them his bonded calls to him across lightyears. Does he leave her to fight Symmachia alone, or risk bringing an unwinnable war to every planet in the Quadrants?
On board the alien dreadnought, Eija Zacdari flounders, torn amidst military machinations, prophecies, and an inexplicable bond with one of the fearsome creatures who have imprisoned her friends. Only by uncovering the truth about an ancient conflict now shrouded in deception will she find her place.
Faced with her true identity, Eija sees her purpose snap into focus, and she realizes the war Marco fears may be the very one he has been called to start.
Aberration (Children of the Consortium ; 2) by Cathy McCrumb; Enclave Publishing — paperback or ebook giveaway —
Freedom Awaits, but the Consortium is Watching
When rogue drones threaten citizens and the ship’s crew falls ill, the Recorder answers their call for help, once again drawing scrutiny from the Consortium.
With no other option and under an Elder’s overbearing watch, she returns to Pallas Station where she nearly lost her life in the hope of finding something—anything—to save her friends and countless others. Her friends are determined to keep her safe, but for the Recorder, saving others comes first, no matter the cost.
Drawn in Ashby John Otte; Indie— ebook giveaway —
The Dynasty claims to be a veritable paradise where a multitude of races live in peace and harmony. Everys knows better. The Dynasty has been broken since it was founded, with the human nobility oppressing many of the peoples they’ve brutally conquered, including her own. As an illegal mage, for Everys to stand up to the injustice would mean risking her life, so she hides in a rundown corner of the capital city, content to live in obscurity. But then she is brought to the palace and forced to marry Kind Narius, the descendant of the tyrant who destroyed her people’s homeland. Maybe this is the chance she’s been waiting for to make things right.
Due to sacred law, Narius has to be married for his reign to be legitimate. He can’t marry the woman he actually loves, so he has to settle for another. Unfortunately, the young woman he chose seems determined to cause him nothing but trouble.
Thrown together by circumstances they can’t control, Everys and Narius must set aside old grudges and painful legacies to forge an uneasy partnership before the Dynasty’s enemies destroy everything they hold dear.
YOUNG ADULT SEMI-FINALISTS:
Wishtressby Nadine Brandes; Thomas Nelson — hardcover or ebook giveaway ––
Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. But when a granted wish goes wrong, she is cursed: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She must travel to the Well to break the curse before it claims her life—and before the king’s militairen find her. To survive the journey, Myrthe must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.
He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.
Bastiaan’s powerful—and rare—Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. He gains Myrthe’s trust by promising to take her to the Well, but once he gets what he needs, he’ll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don’t compromise him.
Their quest can end only one way: with her death.
Everyone seems to need a wish—the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one wish, Myrthe would pay with her life. And if she tells them about the curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.
Addy of the Door Islands by Judy Ducharme; Emerald House Group — ebook giveaway —
When Addy and her sister Molly step off the Orphan Train Steamer in Ephraim, Wisconsin, no one waits for them. Hopes for a family that would treat them kindly while they worked for them are gone. Addy determines to find a job and care for her sister, but that presents problems she can’t quite handle. Even though Mr. Captain offers to help the girls find a home, Addy is convinced no one will ever want them. She’s just too much trouble and too impetuous. Besides, those pesky feelings of abandonment stalk her heart. As Addy and Molly get to know the kind and strong people of Door County and its isolated islands, perhaps they will actually find a place to call home. But will they ever learn about the family they lost? And what of the others from the Orphan Train? Who will love these children? Join Addy in her quest to grow into the heritage of the islanders by becoming a strong survivor and helping others do the same. Her attitude and actions will delight you and drive you crazy.
In Addy of the Door Islands, Judy DuCharme continues the saga of the fascinating people of the Door Islands at the tip of Door County, Wisconsin. Set in the late-1800s, Addy of the Door Islandsshares the story of two amazing orphan girls who just want to be loved. Through their story, learn more about the islands and the children who were part of the history of the Orphan Train. And catch up with the people you loved in Lainey of the Door Islands.
The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella; Enclave Escape — ebook giveaway —
All Alice Liddell wants is to escape her Normal life in Oxford and find the parents who abandoned her ten years ago. But she gets more than she bargained for when her older sister Charlotte is arrested for having the infamous Wonder Gene—the key to unlocking the curious Wonderland Reality.
Soon, Alice receives a rather cryptic invitation to play for Team Heart in this year’s annual—and often deadly—Wonderland Trials. Now she has less than twenty-four hours to find her way into Wonderland where nothing is impossible . . . or what it seems.
The stakes are raised when she discovers players go missing during the Trials each year. Will she and her team solve the clues and find the missing players? Or will betrayal and distrust win, leaving Alice alone in a world of her own? Follow the White Rabbit into this topsy-turvy fantasy where players become prey, a sip of the wrong tea might as well be poison, and a queen’s ways do not always lead one where they ought to go.
The Star That Always Staysby Anna Rose Johnson; Holiday House — ebook giveaway —
When bright and spirited Norvia moves from the country to the city, she has to live by one new Never let anyone know you’re Ojibwe.
Growing up on Beaver Island, Grand-père told Norvia stories—stories about her ancestor Migizi, about Biboonke-o-nini the Wintermaker, about the Crane Clan and the Reindeer Clan. He sang her songs in the old language, and her grandmothers taught her to make story quilts and maple candy. On the island, Norvia was proud of her Ojibwe heritage.
Zip Zilch by Paul H. Maitland ; Little Roni Publisher — paperback or ebook giveaway —
If you don’t want to be noticed, you certainly will be. Just ask Zip. A finalist in the 2019 AFCW Genesis contest, Zip Zilch: Nobody’s a Nothin’ Book One, is a fast-paced, hilarious new entry into the middle school (and beyond) genre. Corey “Zip” Zilch didn’t want all this attention, but it came, ready or not, starting when the Scuds pushed him into Weasel Creek. Oh, and they tossed his books in with him for good measure.
That’s when everything let loose. His mom’s reaction was to treat him like a baby His water-soaked schoolbooks wouldn’t open in class The principal pelted him with dictionary words He was forced to step between the Scuds and Sarah (that takes guts!) And with all of this, his dad didn’t have a clue. About anything. But, hey, life wasn’t all bad. Seventh grade gave him a new start. Sarah and her friend Hu became his best buds, he discovered cross country running (and he was good!), he found a coach who treated him like a man, he became part of a team, and he (amazingly) survived the uber health-conscious school lunches.
So far, he hadn’t discovered the identity of the prankster mucking stuff up for the team, nor realized the bully danger in the boys’ room, or how to talk to girls, or how hard it would be to win at least one race.
Zip didn’t have it all figured out, but why should he? That’s what middle school is for.
Reaching Into Silence by Linda Sammaritan; Winged Publications — paperback or ebook giveaway —
The rubella epidemic of 1964-65. The Vietnam War.
Both converge on twelve-year-old Debbie when her sister is born with disabilities and her father may be flying into danger.
Labeled as a “rubella baby,” Debbie’s sister Krista is born blind in one eye and with a hole in her heart. Although she survives risky open-heart surgery, months pass, and she doesn’t babble or crawl like most babies do. Doctors decide Krista is cognitively challenged—she’ll never be able to learn—and they advise her parents to put her in an institution. Just forget about her and raise their three “normal” kids.
Not on Debbie’s watch . She’s sure Krista is deaf, but no one will believe a kid.
Along with all the medical drama, Debbie must deal with problems at school—best friends who move away, mean girls who don’t, bullies, and boyfriends. Refusing to give in to self-pity, she soldiers on as Krista’s champion.
However, Debbie’s optimism falters when her father’s next orders will send him to the war in Vietnam. Can she hang tough for her mother, keep helping Krista, and prepare for life without Dad, possibly forever?
Inside the Ten-Foot Lineby Lori Z. Scott; End Game Press — ebook giveaway ––
Sophomore high school student Lorali Mathews has one goal: win a scholarship to play volleyball at a Division One school.
The only thing standing in her way?
A losing streak.
A toxic teammate.
A murderous man.
A distracting boy.
Yucky kale chips ….
oh yeah, and about four inches in height.
And it doesn’t help that her aunt ― who inspired her love for volleyball ― passed away in an unfortunate accident.
What good will Lorali do to her aunt’s legacy if she doesn’t take her dreams all the way to college?
But with a teammate harboring a dangerous secret, one that could endanger that teammate’s life.
Lorali may have to learn to put aside her dreams for now to help her get to safety. And with a murderous man on the loose, the two of them may lose far more than a chance at a scholarship, or even, a second chance at life.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
Please pay attention to the book formats available for this giveaway noted after the publication info for each individual title. Ebook wins are available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com kindle account. Paperbacks are available to readers in US and Canada.
If you would like a chance to win a copy ofone of these Carol Awards semi-finalists, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 19, 2023. Good luck!
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