Recruit of Talionis by C.J. Milacci - Spotlight and Excerpt! (With a giveaway!!!)

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Recruit of Talionis by C.J. Milacci, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Recruit of Talionis
Series: Talionis Series #1
Author: C.J. Milacci
Publisher: Fayette Press
Release Date: November 3, 2022
Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi Dystopian

"Forget where you came from. Forget the life you knew. You are now recruits of Talionis!"

A teen with a dark past. A secret military force that kidnaps new soldiers. Can she survive as a Recruit of Talionis?

America has fallen.

Seventeen-year-old Bria Averton grew up in a small town of survivors near the ruins of Portland, Maine. It’s all she’s ever known — until she’s kidnapped along with hundreds of other teens and brought to the city of Talionis. A city no one knew existed.

The soldiers tell them the intense trainings are for the good of the survivors, and Bria resists being forced into a new life as a recruited soldier. But she soon finds the dangers in the city are greater than she imagined.

Escape is impossible, and Bria fears drowning in the evil of the city… and the guilt from her own past. But can she find hope, even here?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | BookBub

Excerpt:

A shock zips through me, and I bolt upright, gasping for breath.
“She’s alert, sir,” a woman kneeling on the floor next to me says.
The empty syringe in her hand causes me to try to move away from her, but my bound
hands and feet make it almost impossible. With a rush, everything comes back to me.
Waking up in the forest.
The soldiers.
The other teens.
Golden Eyes.
The man comes into view as though he could read my thoughts. “Good. We’re two mics
out. Prepare for landing.”
“Yes, sir.” The woman puts the needle in a box, seals it, and then stands.
My muddled brain struggles to process everything. I look down and immediately wish I
hadn’t. My stomach roils. I’m suspended in the air, the tops of trees passing by in a blur beneath
me.
“Where am I? What’s going on?” The questions burst from my mouth, coated with fear.
The soldiers ignore me, and I open my mouth to ask again, desperation pushing aside any
sane thought.
“Girl, I would stay quiet if I were you.” The words are a whisper, but they catch my
attention.

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About the Author

CJ Milacci has found creating to be therapeutic in the chaos of life. Writing is her favorite way to create, and she seeks to take her readers on a grand adventure that begins with a single word. As a referee, she is always relearning the hard lesson that it’s impossible to make everyone happy, and she’s discovered that stories can be found anywhere, even on a lacrosse field. She is passionate about crafting stories of good overcoming evil, finding hope in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances, and true acceptance. Always willing to get real about hard issues, C.J. also enjoys the cheesiest of puns. She loves deep conversations, yo-yos, roller-blading, and finding reasons to throw a dance party. She chats about writing, her faith and the hope found in Jesus, bubble tea, and other fun adventures online (@cjmilacci) and at cjmilacci.com.

Connect with CJ by visiting cjmilacci.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a print copy of Recruit of Talionis with swag and a $15 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 27 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 3, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Moms Raising Sons to be Men by Rhonda Stoppe (with a GIVEAWAY!!) and Review

 

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Moms Raising Sons to Be Men by Rhonda Stoppe, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Moms Raising Sons to Be Men
Author: Rhonda Stoppe
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Release Date: March 7, 2023
Genre: Religion / Christian Living / Women's Interests/ Parenting

Bringing up boys isn’t for the faint of heart, but bestselling author Rhonda Stoppe has been there before—and she’s here to help! Drawing on insights from fellow boy-moms and from Scripture, Rhonda reveals why walking with Christ is every mom’s key to parenting well.

You’ll discover how motherhood gives you unique opportunities to grow in faith as you draw nearer to God through prayer, Bible study, and mentorship from godly women. You’ll also find practical advice for shaping your son in character and faith as you encourage his passions, teach him biblical masculinity, and protect his spirit without smothering his individuality.

Your success as a mother doesn’t depend on what your son does with his life, but on how you obey God’s guidance on this mission of motherhood. Moms Raising Sons to Be Men provides the biblical hope, wisdom, and encouragement you need to help your son live a life without regrets!

“You will be encouraged, enlightened, and empowered to become the mom you’ve always wanted to be—and to guide your son into becoming the man God intended.”

—Cindi McMenamin, national speaker and author of When Women Walk Alone

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Christianbook | BookBub

My Review

As a mom a 15-year-old son, this book was everything to me. I also think any parent can and should read this, though those who have boys would greatly benefit from this. I loved that there were thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter. It gave me a chance to slow down and really think about what it was that I just read.

I've been trying to read more scripture and pray on it lately and the fact that Mom's Raising Sons to Be Men interwoven Biblical principles really helped the book's points to really speak to and resonate with me. Rhonda's own experiences helped me to realize that I'm really not alone in these motherhood tasks and challenges.

Since reading this book, I'm slowing down and taking more time to not just talk to my son but to listen to him. I want to not only hear him and offer my advice, but just let him talk to me, and offer my attention and nothing more sometimes. I think I will reread this one again very soon and will definitely let all of my mom friends know about it!

Now scroll down for a lovely giveaway!!

Also Available

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About the Author

Rhonda Stoppe is a transparent, humorous, and biblically sound speaker and podcast host of: "Old Ladies Know Stuff". She is the bestselling author of 7 books and a frequent guest on Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk. Her boy-mom interviews on Focus on the Family were named in their 'Best of 2021' episodes. Rhonda has been joyfully married to her pastor-husband, Steve, for 41 years. Their 4 happily married children have blessed them with 15 grandchildren.

Connect with Rhonda by visiting NoRegretsWoman.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

(1) additional winner will receive a copy of Real Life Romance!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 8, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on March 15, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Beyond the Gray Mountains by Tricia Goyer (with surprise giveaway!!)

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Beyond the Gray Mountains by Tricia Goyer, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book
Title: Beyond the Gray Mountains
Series: Big Sky Amish #1
Author: Tricia Goyer
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: February 28, 2023
Genre: Christian Contemporary Amish Romance

Marianna Sommer always dreamed of a simple Amish wedding, but there’s nothing simple about marrying rock star Ben Stone. She loves him—but what about her traditions? Worse, suddenly Ben has questions—the kind that have him putting their wedding on hold.

Ben loves Marianna, but he has regrets—and fears—that are suddenly getting in the way of his happy ending. He doubts he’s going to “hear from God” in the high mountains like Marianna’s father suggests. But sure, he’ll go…

But he might not return. Because high on the continental divide, trouble finds them. Now, it’ll take a miracle for Ben, Abe, and Abe’s brother, Ike, to make it down alive. Maybe Ben will hear from God after all…but if he does, can he become the man he needs to be to save them…and keep Marianna’s heart?

When a runaway horse with a bloody saddle shows up, not only is the media alerted, but Marianna fears she’ll lose them all—her uncle, her father, and her beloved Ben. Suddenly she doesn’t care what the wedding looks like…as long as Ben makes it home.

But is there more to Ben than she knows? And when she discovers his secrets, what sacrifices will she make to save…and marry…the man she loves?

Fall in love with the first book in the cherished Big Sky Amish Collection.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound

Other Books In Series

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Excerpt

Ben couldn’t help himself. He’d been gone for weeks and missed Marianna like crazy. He stood on the dirt road outside her family’s house. It was a new moon, which wasn’t visible in the night sky. Instead, the stars sparkled like fistfuls of diamonds tossed on a black velvet fabric.

Shifting from side to side and kicking up dirt and gravel from the road, Ben contemplated if he should sneak to her window just to see her beautiful face, even for ten minutes. The house looked quiet, and he guessed that the rest of her family had already fallen asleep. But didn’t she say she often stayed up to read or write in her journal? Seeing the joy on her face was worth the risk when she realized he’d come home a day early.

He slowly walked toward the house by the light from his cell phone, realizing for the first time how loud walking on pine cones could be. Ben strained to see if there was any sign of lantern or candlelight—evidence that she was awake. Hopefully, Trapper wouldn’t hear him and bark, waking everyone up.

Step by step, he made his way to the side of the house toward her downstairs bedroom window. He felt like a teenager again, parking his truck down the road to sneak into his girlfriend’s house. Yet this wasn’t just a girlfriend. This was his fiancée, soon to be his wife.

His smile widened even as he hunched down under the window. He was about to reach his hand to tap on the window, but his cell phone chimed its familiar tune. Ben jumped and stood erect. He’d forgotten to put his phone on silent, and at the moment, the chiming sounded as loud as a shotgun going off in the night. Ben quickly shut off the ringing and stood as still as possible.

“Marianna.” His voice was just louder than a whisper, but even through the closed curtains he could see no light was on. She must be fast asleep. Trapper too. He tapped the window as softly as he could. No response. He considered tapping louder, but Ben knew that would wake Trapper. He’d just have to content himself with seeing Marianna’s beautiful face tonight in his dreams instead of in person.

About the Author

Tricia Goyer writes out of her passion for God and her love for family and others. The author of more than 70 books, she writes both historical fiction and nonfiction related to family and parenting.

This USA Today best-selling author has won a two Carol Awards and a Retailer’s Best Award. She was also an ECPA Gold-Medallion Nominee and a Christy Award Nominee and won Writer of the Year from the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference.

Tricia’s contemporary and historical novels feature strong women overcoming great challenges. She is a beloved author of Amish fiction, having written the Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series.

Whether for fiction or nonfiction, Tricia’s writing style is vivid and heartwarming, allowing readers to take home more than engaging stories, but also messages that inspire faith and hope. Her goal is to write stories that matter.

Connect with Tricia by visiting triciagoyer.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Beyond the Gray Mountains and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 27, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 6, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!