Review: Ravens Hill by Garth Pettersen

Ravens Hill by Garth Pettersen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blurb: 

In 1030 C.E. — When Harald, the second son of King Cnute, returns from fighting the king's enemies in Northern Wales, he expects his life to return to normal. He's surprised when he's granted a large landholding—an idyllic life, far from the power-mongering of King Cnute's court, farming in the Midlands, evening walks with his beloved Selia. It’s a gift they cannot refuse, but the king has other plans for Harald and his wife.

On arriving at their new holding, Ravens Hill, Harald and Selia receive a tepid welcome from tenants—belligerent housecarls; a conniving steward; an uncompromising abbess, bitter at not adding their estate to her abbey lands; a priest with roaming hands; and a grieving daughter of the previous landholder who has entered the nunnery.

Harald and Selia wish to improve the lot of their tenant farmers, but they face obstacles at every turn, and Harald’s generosity is seen as weakness.

Trouble brews when they learn the lands come with an unexpected millstone—an unsolved murder.

My Review: 

I have loved reading Garth Pettersen's The Atheling Chronicles series and was honored to have the chance to read the fifth installment, Ravens Hill. Harald and Selia's story was one of action, adventure, and danger. The author's historical details made me feel as though I was transported back in time seeing this tale unfold in real time. I thought this was a fabulous read.


I am going to give Ravens Hill a very well deserved five plus stars. I would give it one hundred if I could. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read historical fiction, particularly set during the Anglo Saxon era. I am hoping that there are more to come from The Atheling Chronicles series in the future.


I received a digital copy of Garth Pettersen's Ravens Hill from the author, but was not required to write a review, nor a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

View all my reviews

Book Blast and Giveaway: Being Broken by Geoffrey R Jonas

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Geoffrey R. Jonas will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A young woman dies alone in a hotel room, her fentanyl-poisoned cocaine still on the desk. She had been missing for nearly 2 weeks. Social Services had been trying to find a place for her to live with her 3-year-old son, whom she had left with her parents. Six months later her father fights for his life in intensive care, but succumbs to his illness because of a lifelong use of alcohol and tobacco. A month after his death her mother is assessed by doctors to be unable to care for herself because of her Alzheimer's and mental health issues brought on by benzodiazepine and alcohol addiction.

The son, brother, stepson is the only one left to pick up the pieces. He begins a journey of the self and finds out the truth of his family. After going over letters, notes, emails, videos, and text messages, he uncovers a disturbing picture of the abuse his sister suffered at the hands of their parents. He also begins to better understand his own struggles with mental health and substance addiction because of the trauma and abuse he also suffered from their parents.

Follow the son as he looks through his family history to discover the generational abuse that trickled down through the years. Learn about how parents who suffer from narcissistic personality disorder emotionally abuse and manipulate their children. See how the abuse and trauma becomes mental illness in the abused, and how they fall into vicious traps of addiction, eating disorders, self-harm, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Witness the transformational change of the son as he works on the recovery of his inner child and tries to become the man he was meant to be.

Read an Excerpt

Part 1 - In the beginning…
What Came Before... – Part 1 Maternal Family History

My mother had a difficult upbringing. My mother’s mother was continually pregnant for 16 years, producing 4 boys (Robert, Edward, Charles, Shane) and 3 girls (R – my mother, Lorraine, Claire)2. She would later die of cancer while the children were young. My mother’s father led a jazz orchestra, resembling the ones in movies from the early 20th century that didn’t fit neatly into the category of a symphony or a standard band. He had even played for the queen.

However, the Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) of my grandfather became overwhelming, and the authorities of that time deemed him unfit to care for the children. They split the children up and put them into foster care. The foster care system back then did not have the safety systems we have in place to protect the children today, and I would not be surprised if some of the children were further emotionally or physically abused in foster care.

About the Author: Geoffrey is a first-time author. He lives peacefully by a lake, spending his time writing, painting, gardening, and woodworking. His recovery is ongoing, and he enjoys his privacy and seclusion.

Website: https://geoffreyrjonas.ca
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55118142.Geoffrey_R_Jonas
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/livingwithcptsd.bsky.social
Amazon: https://a.co/d/eJTO4wq

Review and Giveaway: Minno's Laugh and Grow Bible Easter Special

 

This Easter, Minno is making their Laugh and Grow Bible Easter 

Special available to watch FREE for everyone, everywhere!

Easter can bring up tough questions–like, Why did Jesus have to die? It can be hard
to know how to talk about Jesus’s death in a way my kids can grasp. Minno’s Laugh
and Grow Bible Easter Special is a great guide! It’s an engaging, gentle retelling of the
Biblical Easter story–made JUST for kids!

With the Minno Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids Easter Special available to watch for
FREE, every child can hear the story of Easter and the hope that Jesus offers in a
way that was made just for them.

As Christians, Easter is a really important holiday for us. But as a parent, it’s not
always easy to keep the focus on Jesus when there are so many distractions
offered like egg hunts, the Easter bunny, etc. I’m so thankful for Minno this year
because they make it so easy for me to share the biblical story of Easter with kids
and keep the focus on Jesus!

Minno’s Laugh and Grow Bible Easter special presents the story of Jesus’s death and resurrection in a way that kids can understand, helping parents to lay those oh-so
important building blocks of faith.

Easter is a perfect opportunity to have conversations about faith with your kids!

Even if you’re not a Minno member - you can stream the Easter special for FREE to
day by using my link.

If you like it, we highly recommend you consider becoming a member and getting
their app for access to even more Christian shows for kids.

WATCH Minno's Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids Easter Special FREE at this link: gominno.com/easter

My Review:

It was delight to have a chance to view the Minno's Laugh and Grow Bible Easter Special. I loved seeing the animated version of the events of when Jesus enters Jerusalem up until his resurrection. I found this faith based story to be so special. It shows the importance of Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and God's love in a wonderful way for the youngest of viewers to understand. I loved watching it with my own children. 

I am going to give Minno's Laugh and Grow Bible Easter Special a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for families to watch this, particularly during this Easter season. I believe it would be great to show during a children's service. 

I received a link to view the Laugh and Grow Bible Easter Special from Minno, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Disclosure:

Many thanks to Minno for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Giveaway: 

$10 Amazon Gift Card

Leave a more than a three word completed sentence telling me who you will be watching Laugh and Grow Bible Easter Special with. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. Winner’s name will be drawn on April 18, 2025.

Giveaway Rules:   

Giveaway is limited to US winners only.        

Three or less word comments will be deleted and will not be entered into the giveaway.

Chosen winner/s will be contacted by email to verify information needed to give to the appropriate channels to get the prize to you. 

Winner/s MUST reply to this email within 24 hours. 

If no response, a new winner’s name will be drawn and you forfeit the prize.

Locks, Hooks and Books is NOT responsible for lack of response from the chosen winner. 

Winners from previous Momentum campaigns within 90 days will be disqualified. 

Please note: Locks, Hooks and Books is NOT responsible in sending the prize.

Book Tour and Giveaway: The Reasons I Pray by Deberann Tinson

 Book Details:

Book Title: The Reasons I Pray by Deberann Tinson
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+) , 270 pages
Genre:  Christian Inspirational
Publisher:  Williams & King Publishers
Release date:  November 26, 2017
Content Rating: PG. There are no objectional language, no sexual reference, no reference to political views etc but very young audiences under 16 may need guidance with understanding some of the deeper themes in the book.  

Book Description:

Prayer is more than words—it is a powerful, transformative force that can lead to a life of obedience, faith, and supernatural encounters with God. In The Reasons I Pray, author Deberann Tinson provides an inspirational and instructional roadmap to developing a meaningful and continuous prayer life. This book is designed to help individuals, leaders, and entire ministries unlock the full potential of prayer and witness its divine impact.

Prayer is not just a ritual but a divine calling, and The Reasons I Pray offers practical guidance on how to pray without ceasing and develop a passion for prayer that aligns with God’s will. Readers will learn essential lessons, including:

• Walking in obedience to God’s call to pray
• Developing a deep and consistent passion for prayer
• Maintaining the proper purpose and focus in prayer
• Strengthening faith, perspective, and discernment
• Cultivating a passion for prayer in others
• Understanding how prayer influences shifts at personal, community, and even governmental levels

BUY THE BOOK
Amazon 
WalMart ~ B&N ~ Tinson Enterprises
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Deberann Tinson is a devoted teacher, and author committed to guiding believers in their spiritual walk through prayer. With a heart for intercession and a passion for empowering others, her works serve as a beacon of hope and instruction for individuals seeking a closer relationship with God.   She has a great love for the Word of God as well as the love for His people.  She has a contagious spirit of generosity that flows through every facet of her life.  

Ms. Tinson has been in ministry for more than 30 years, and has been a full-time evangelist for over 25 years.

connect with the author:  website  ~ instagram ~ goodreads 

---

Enter the Giveaway:

My Review: 

I am always on the look out for more devotionals to read with my morning coffee. I found them to be a wonderful way to start off the day. I was excited to have the opportunity to read Deberann Tinson's The Reasons I Pray 30 day Devotional. This devotional is among one of my favorites I have had the pleasure in reading. It is broken down into sixteen chapters. Even though it is marketed as a thirty day devotional, I wanted to stretch each chapter out over several days to give myself more time to read over every Biblical scripture and commentary provided. I felt inspired at how prayer can really change mine, and others', life and continue to be obedient to God. I thought the whole book to be thought provoking and powerful to read.

The Reasons I Pray 30 day Devotional deserves five stars. I highly recommend it for readers who are searching for a new inspiring devotional to add to their daily life. I, also, think it would be a good resource for church leaders to add to their library, as well. I would love to read more like this from Deberann Tinson to see what other ways she inspires her fans. I believe this one should be not missed.

I received a paperback copy of Deberann Tinson's The Reasons I Pray 30 day Devotional from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Our Trustworthy God: How Much God Loves You, Joyfully Engages with You, and Trusts You by Sarah K Howley

About the Book

Book: Our Trustworthy God: How Much God Loves You, Joyfully Engages with You, and Trusts You

Author: Sarah K. Howley

Genre: Bible Study

Release date: March 28, 2025

Have you ever felt like in life’s most challenging moments, trusting God can be a struggle—even impossible? What if you knew that God not only invites you to trust him but is trustworthy himself and trusts you in return? Our Trustworthy God warmly welcomes you into a deeper understanding of the mutual relationship he longs to have with you, one built on love, trust, and active engagement.

With your guide, Sarah K. Howley—founder of InspiritEncourage, author, and speaker—you will walk through those difficult moments when trust feels scary, discovering how God’s faithfulness shines brightest in your darkest times. Through rich, Scripture-based insights, Sarah unpacks why God is always trustworthy and how his boundless love continually works for your good.

Through this study, you’ll find:

• A deeper awareness of God’s active love and trust in your everyday life
• Confidence in God’s unwavering faithfulness, even when challenges arise
• Practical steps to strengthen your relationship with God, built on mutual trust
• Encouragement to openly confront doubts and questions about your faith
• Guidance on how to live as a trustworthy person, reflecting God’s faithfulness in your life

Our Trustworthy God explores the incredible truth that God trusts you, reminding you that your relationship with him is neither one-sided nor blind but vibrant and deeply mutual. You’ll be invited to reflect on what it truly means to live in faithful connection with your loving God despite the pains of life and evils of the world.

Approachable yet deeply rooted in Scripture, this study is perfect for individuals or groups seeking to strengthen their faith and experience the joy of walking in a two-way relationship with the God who loves and trusts you.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Sarah K. Howley is the founder of InspiritEncourage and author of several Bible studies. She is a certified counselor by the Chiesa Apostolica in Italia and holds a master’s degree in education. Sarah often travels the world, usually with espresso in hand. Follow her at inspiritencourage.com to keep in touch.

 

 

 

 

More from Sarah

Our Trustworthy God is the result of years of seeking. I knew I was supposed to trust God… but. I struggled with the buts of trusting God. There are too many to name, and they usually start with “why?” Some examples are when good people have bad things happen to them, why? When someone we love has died too soon, when our best friend gets cancer, when a hurricane strikes and whole towns are lost. For me, it was cancer in the family and even starting my own business. I couldn’t really understand, or “feel” that everything was working out for my good. Trusting God wasn’t exactly an on-command reflex when I thought of these things. It was easier to wonder where God was rather than trust that he IS and will always be here.

But I wanted more than to believe he was here, I wanted to know deeply that God was working for my good, even when all I saw was destruction and evil. So, I spent a year dedicated to digging in and seeking to understand what trusting God really means. I wanted to know how trustworthy God is, all the time. I didn’t want that knowledge to remain in my head, but I wanted it in my heart. I wanted it to be the automatic reflex when bad things happen that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was in that situation and working for my good.

What I found surprised me. Don’t misunderstand, more than ever before, I know God IS with me in every circumstance and he IS working for my well-being. He loves me deeply. What surprised me was that God trusts me as well and his power is unlike anything I could imagine.

A deep discussion of relationship and trusting God is what came out of that search to understand how I could trust the unseen God in an evil world, and I had to share it. Because I know my God is good and he is trustworthy. He is working for your good. He loves you, joyfully engages with you, and he trusts you.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, April 11 (Author Interview)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 11

Texas Book-aholic, April 12

Simple Harvest Reads, April 13 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 14

For the Love of Literature, April 15 (Author Interview)

She Lives To Read, April 16

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 17 (Author Interview)

The Sacred Line, April 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 18

Blossoms and Blessings, April 19 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 20

Artistic Nobody, April 21 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 22

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, April 23 (Author Interview)

EmpowerMoms, April 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54197/

My Review

I found that Our Trustworthy God: How Much God Loves You, Joyfully Engages with You, and Trusts You by Sarah K Howley was a handy and wonderful Bible Study. It is a short one with only six studies to help readers strengthen their own relationship with God. It was easy to fit into my mornings with a cup of coffee before the chaos of daily begins. A good refreshing start of the day.

Our Trustworthy God: How Much God Loves You, Joyfully Engages with You, and Trusts You deserves a five star rating. I highly recommend it for those who are interested in Bible Studies. 

I received a paperback copy of Sarah K Howley's Our Trustworthy God: How Much God Loves You, Joyfully Engages with You, and Trusts You from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Embergold by Rachelle Nelson

About the Book

Book: Embergold

Author: Rachelle Nelson

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release date: March 18, 2025

Fire dreamed of water, but the first sip would be its last.

Gilde has spent her life isolated in the wild marshlands, a place too wet for the dragon to go. She’s safe there, according to her father. So why is he asking her to leave with him now that she has come of age? There is more to Gilde’s family than she knows, and debts need to be paid.

Betrayed and shattered, she wakes in a crumbling mountain castle with the beast of her nightmares. Except this dragon speaks like a man and reads books. His kindness confuses her and opens a forgotten longing in her heart, all while Gilde plans her escape from a mountain full of secrets.

This place can unveil her past and why she was sacrificed to the beast —truths that may put both their lives in danger if they can’t learn to trust each other. But how can Gilde ever trust again? Especially after she discovers what dragons truly are.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Rachelle Nelson grew up reading fantasy novels and getting her clothes muddy in the pine forests of Idaho. These days, she still loves hiking through forests and libraries, though she’s a bit less fond of mud. Her debut novel, Sky of Seven Colors, released through Enclave Publishing, and won both the Carol Award and Christy Award. Rachelle doesn’t write true stories, but she does write about truth. When she’s not doing that, she sings in a band with her husband who makes her happier than should be legal. If you like good food and honest conversations, you’re her favorite kind of person.

 

 

More from Rachelle

For the past decade or so, I have been a volunteer youth leader for teen groups. Some of my favorite memories have come from that position. Camp pranks, hilarious games involving edible mealworms, scavenger hunts, singing together at the top of our lungs, and speaking life into the lives of young women. When a girl sees herself through the eyes of Jesus, everything changes.

Some of my hardest moments have come from being a youth leader, too. There’s a kind of hurt that happens when we watch someone suffer, and we cannot take the suffering away. I have cried tears with teens who have been wounded by betrayal, carelessness, and abandonment. Those wounds go deeper when they come from a parent.

The truth is, God is the only perfect father, and we’re meant to be parented by Him. Learning to trust Him is a process, even if we had a pretty great (if imperfect) example of an earthly dad. But we live in a fatherless generation, when so many have experienced separation and pain in their family from divorce, or addiction, or generational cycles of pain. I’ve seen what that kind of pain can do to a heart, and how trusting others becomes almost impossible.

Almost.

Embergold is a story about betrayal and abandonment. It’s about two young people who never expected to find kindness in a harsh world. It’s about the healing of hearts.

I wrote it for myself, to remember what is possible. I wrote it for the young people I have loved. And for the parents who are still recovering from their childhoods.

Sin and brokenness happen in community. But, the amazing thing is, God designed the healing to happen in community too, among people. We need each other.

Blog Stops

Fiction Book Lover, April 8 (Author Interview)

CeCe Reads and Sings, April 8

Texas Book-aholic, April 9

MinReads and Reviews, April 9

Wishful Endings, April 10

The Lofty Pages, April 11

Blossoms and Blessings, April 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 13

Blogging With Carol, April 14

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 15

Devoted Steps, April 16

Madi’s Musings, April 17

Labor Not in Vain, April 18

Guild Master, April 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 20

Simple Harvest Reads, April 21 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachelle is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card, a hardcover copy of the book, and an envelope of fun goodies, including a signed bookplate and a pewter dragon bookmark!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54195

My Review

I have had the pleasure in reading previous books from Rachelle Nelson and was looking forward to reading her next release, Embergold. I thought it was a good read. It was full of adventure, action, suspense and mystery. It was an honor to spend a few hours with Gilde and finding out how it would all end for her. It was not easy to predict and I never knew what happen would happen from scene to scene.

I am going to give Embergold four and a half stars. It would be worth reading for those who enjoy books from the clean young adult fantasy fiction. I am curious to see what other books that Rachelle Nelson will be releasing in the future.

I received a digital copy of Rachelle Nelson's Embergold from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Review: Fair Haven by Laury A Egan

 

Fair Haven

by Laury A Egan

A picturesque riverside town. A safe, serene, friendly place. And then, one sunny summer afternoon in 1994, Sally Ann Shaffer is electrocuted in her hot tub. Who did it? One of her many lovers? Her husband? A thief? A jealous colleague at her tennis club? Fair Haven is suddenly embroiled in suspicion, interpersonal conflict, blackmail, financial fraud, and murder.

Fair Haven shares sympathies with the British crime drama, Midsomer Murders, because of its small-town setting and its diverse cast, any of whom could be the killer (except Cagney, the beagle, who leavens the plot). The primary characters include Chris Clarke, hired to photograph the crime scene and involved with Kate Morgan, a woman fighting for custody of her son (Kate has a past history with Sally Ann Shaffer); the police chief, Ray Mackie, an experienced cop who must step aside in the investigation in favor of Vincent Rivera (Rivera reports to the Major Crimes Bureau). Other players are Detective Dave DeMarco, who is coordinating the local police effort; Harry Fallon, Kate Morgan’s drunken ex-husband and a long-time lover of Sally Ann; and R.J. Baines, a realtor hiding her lesbianism and her affair with the deceased. The relationships between these characters, as well as with a tennis pro, husband, priest, and a financial fraudster, provide rich opportunities for intrigue and moments of quiet humor.

“The pace never lagged, and I was as invested in the character dramas as I was in the murder mystery itself. Which is great, given how much the story is really about those people and their community and their ties to one another…a delightfully messy tangle of motives and reasonable suspects. Classic murder mystery shenanigans. Fair Haven [is] a very worthy entry in the genre.”—Jennica Dotson, author of “A Reaper’s Folly”

Enigma Books. Pub Date: January 11, 2025 / 6 x 9 inches. Paperback and eBook. Cover design by Laury A. Egan and Andrew May. Cover photograph by Mark Schwartz.

Meet the Author:

Photo by Vicki DeVico

Laury A. Egan is the author of fourteen books of fiction: Jack & I; The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers; The Psychologist’s Shadow; The Firefly; Once, Upon an Island; Wave in D Minor; Doublecrossed; Turnabout; The Swimmer; The Ungodly Hour; A Bittersweet Tale; Fabulous! An Opera Buffa; The Outcast Oracle; and Jenny Kidd, with two titles forthcoming in 2025: Fair Haven and a new story/play collection, Contrary. Her stories have been collected in Fog and Other Stories, and her short fiction and poems have appeared in 85 literary journals and in multiple anthologies. Two full-length poetry volumes, Snow, Shadow, a Stranger and Beneath the Lion’s Paw, were issued in limited edition, as were two chapbooks, Presence & Absence and The Sea & Beyond. Laury is also a fine arts photographer, a former book designer, and a reviewer for The New York Journal of Books. She lives on the northern coast of New Jersey. 

Connect with the Author:

https://www.facebook.com/laury.egan/

https://twitter.com/eganlaury

https://www.instagram.com/laurya.egan/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Laury-A.-Egan/author/B005IDKXRY

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4090464.Laury_A_Egan

My Review: 

I have had the joy of reading Laury A Egan's books in the past. I was honored to have the opportunity to read their newest release, Fair Haven. Oh my goodness. I was far from being disappointed. It was full of so much mystery and suspense. I was left guessing of who done it up until the last few pages. Once I was thinking I had it all figured it out, another twist happens. There was no way I would have been able to predict the ending. 

I am going to give Fair Haven a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read suspense filled mysteries. I believe they will love it as much as me. 

I received a digital copy of Laury A Egan's Fair Haven from the author, but was not required to write a review, nor a positive one. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.