Castle on the Rise by Kristy Cambron Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Title: Castle on the Rise



Author: Kristy Cambron



Genre: Christian Historical Romance




Release date: February 5, 2019




Publisher: HarperCollins





A storied castle. A band of rebels. A nation chasing a centuries-old dream of freedom. And three women who rise above it all . . .

When Laine Forrester travels overseas to attend her best friend’s vineyard wedding, she expects to find the bride on the brink of a fairy tale life. But after a series of unforeseen setbacks, it seems the storybook lives they’d imagined are suddenly ripping apart.

With hopes of resurrecting a happy ending, Laine agrees to accompany the newlyweds to the groom’s home in Ireland—never expecting she’d be the one drawn in by its wide-open moors, backroads bordering the Irish Sea, and a mysterious castle that dares to keep its secrets hidden.

From the storied streets of Dublin to the shores of the Emerald Isle, Laine is drawn in to the land and its rich history. The castle ruins whisper stories of Issy—a photojournalist battling through the 1916 Easter Rising, and Maeve—the castle’s lady of legend, fighting for survival through the 1798 rebellion that started it all.

Spanning more than two centuries, Castle on the Rise unites the legacy of three women who must risk mending the broken places within—for life, love, and the belief that even through the depths of our pain, a masterpiece of a story can emerge.



Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

Kristy Cambron is an award-winning author of Christian fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping Series. She is a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at ministry events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal’s Best Books, RT Reviewers' Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations.

Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

To stay connected, visit www.kristycambron.com.

Kristy’s Research Trip to Ireland

Blog Stops

Back Porch Reads, February 19

Maureen’s Musings, February 19

The Power of Words, February 19

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 19

Reflections From My Bookshelves, February 20

Livin’ Lit, February 20

Texas Book-aholic, February 20

Fiction Aficionado, February 21

Gensis 5020, February 21

Blogging With Carol, February 21

Bigreadersite, February 21

Just the Write Escape, February 22

As He Leads is Joy, February 22

Just Your Average reviews, February 22

Inspired by fiction, February 23

Connect in Fiction, February 23

Carpe Diem, February 23

Bibliophile Reviews, February 24

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, February 24

Lis Loves Reading, February 24

A Baker’s Perspective, February 25

Emily Yager, February 25

Moments, February 25

All-of-a-kind Mom, February 26

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 26

Girls in White Dresses, February 26

Mary Hake, February 26

Simple Harvest Reads, February 27 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

The Christian Fiction Girl, February 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 27

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 28

Remembrancy, February 28

Through the Fire Blogs, February 28

Inklings and Notions, February 28

Redeemed Hope Dweller, March 1

My Devotional Thoughts, March 1

Seasons of Opportunities, March 1

Pause for Tales, March 1

Ashley’s Bookshelf, March 2

The Becca Files, March 2

Book by Book, March 2

Living Life Free in Christ, March 2

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, March 3

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 3

All 4 and About Books, March 3

Southern Gal Loves to Read, March 4

Reader’s Cozy Corner, March 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 4

Janices book reviews, March 4

Giveaway  

To celebrate her tour, Kristy is giving away a grand prize of one finished copy each of The Lost Castle (book 1) and Castle on the Rise (book 2)!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d9d0/castle-on-the-rise-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts:

Having read and loved several of Kristy Cambron's books in the past I was excited to read this one, even more so once I found it was set in Ireland aka one of my very favorite places to read about! I love time-slip novels, but to be honest I was a little nervous at first that I would find it difficult to keep up with the three different time periods, but I needn't have worried! Kristy wove them all together beautifully and there was never any confusion about which timeline I was reading. 

This one gave me all the feels! I was swept away into the world of this book from the first page and hated to leave! I have come to expect a stunning, vivid, heart-touching read from this author and Castle on the Rise was no exception, this book took me on a journey and I loved every second of it! I absolutely loved all three timelines, but I think Issy's POV from 1916 might be my favorite. 

This is definitely one for the keeper shelf, and I anticipate rereading it in the future! Even though it is book two in the series I feel it can absolutely  stand alone, I have not read the first book but had no problem following this one. I most definitely recommend Castle on the Rise, this is one that fans of Christian historical and time-slip novels will not want to miss. 

(4 Stars!)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge by Susan Barnett Braun Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Title: Katie Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge

Author: Susan Barnett Braun

Genre: Children’s Non-Fiction

Release date: July 25, 2013, and updated with chapters on each of William and Kate’s children



Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is known to most of the world as Kate Middleton. She was an ordinary girl on her way to an ordinary life until she met her Prince Charming. Now, she appears on television and in magazines. She wears beautiful, expensive clothing and travels all over the world. One day, she will be Queen of England. But along the way, she was bullied as a schoolgirl and she waited nearly ten years before marrying Prince William. Learn more about Kate’s road to royalty in this book! Written at Lexile level 930 (same as the Little House on the Prairie books), this book will appeal to girls eager to learn more about the most popular royal since Princess Diana. Full-color photos; timeline that places Kate’s life events into context next to world historical events



Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

Susan Barnett Braun earned a BS in retail management from Indiana University and an MA in education from the University of Alabama. She taught for eight years in northeast Indiana, earning a Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Study Scholarship. Susan has had work published in Parents, Children’s Ministry, and The Secret Place. She also writes online for Fort Wayne Visitor’s Bureau and blogs at Girls in White Dresses. She is married with three wonderful young adult daughters. Susan enjoys reading, playing piano and organ, and spending her time with her family and pets (currently three rabbits and a chinchilla). She has loved the British Royal Family since Diana came onto the scene back in the 1980s.

Guest Post from Susan

Back in 1981, as a teenager, I woke early to watch Prince Charles marry Lady Diana Spencer. My fascination with the British royal family began with Diana. As a high school senior, I submitted my senior paper topic: Charles and Diana and the royal romance. My teacher was not amused — but once he read the paper, he did enjoy it and asked to keep a copy.

Over the years, I’ve continued following and enjoying the British royals. When I worked as an elementary teacher, and the next generation of royals came along, I felt that there should be books about Prince William’s wife, Kate. I fondly remembered reading books about Diana when I was younger and felt that today’s girls might be fascinated by Kate in a similar way. I didn’t find many books about Kate, so I decided to write one myself. I learned much while researching Kate (or Catherine, as she prefers to be called). She’s a wonderful role model for girls today in many ways. To name just a few examples: she overcame being bullied by other girls at one of the schools she attended. And, she developed lots of patience during her nine-year courtship with Prince William.

I hope you and the young people in your life will enjoy this biography of the Duchess.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, February 7

Multifarious, February 8

Moments, February 9

Texas Book-aholic, February 10

A Reader’s Brain, February 11

All-of-a-kind Mom, February 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 13

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 14

Janices book reviews , February 15

Bibliophile Reviews, February 16

Carpe Diem, February 17

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 18

Just Your Average reviews, February 18

A Baker’s Perspective, February 19

Bigreadersite, February 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away a grand prize of a paperback copy of the book and a stuffed Beefeater bear!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d9a7/kate-middleton-the-duchess-of-cambridge-celebration-tour-giveaway


My Thoughts

I have long been fascinated by the Royal family, and so when I had the opportunity to read and review this book I jumped at it! This is a delightful little biography! It is very easy to read, and while it is written for children, it can be greatly enjoyed by adults as well. I rarely read biographies, but I loved the writing style of this book, it drew me in immediately and was every bit as engaging to read as a novel is. Being someone who watched Kate and William's wedding on TV, it was very interesting to think like a child who is perhaps not familiar with these events or even Kate herself, and I wholeheartedly believe that this biography will give readers a fantastic picture of Duchess Kate's life. Kate is one amazing woman who never ceases to inspire me! I loved reading this book and I enjoyed learning some things about her and the rest of the Royal family that I didn't previously know. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone who wants to learn more about the Duchess of Cambridge.

(5 Stars!)

I received an ebook copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit team. Which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

Review: Never Let Go by Elizabeth Goddard

3.5 Stars

I've read and really enjoyed a couple of books by this author in the past, and so I was really excited to read her Revell debut. I liked this book, but I was a tad disappointed that I didn't love it as much as I had hoped to. Willow and Austin were very good main characters, they were both very strong and admirable people.

Their individual back stories were very well written, and it was wonderful to see them each move forward learning to trust in God and leave behind the pain of the past. I liked Willow and Austin, but they didn't become favorite characters for me. Charlie, however, did become a favorite, I admired her determination and could totally relate to her deep love for horses! 

There were a lot of very suspenseful scenes in this book (which I loved!) 

During the first third of the book the pages seemed to fly and I couldn't stop reading, but after that the story seemed to get bogged down. It did pick up again about 150 pages from the end which was fabulous, but there was a big chunk in the middle that I struggled to get through, and found myself setting the book down without much desire to pick it up again, for this reason it took me a lot longer to read this book than I expected it would. I am a huge nature lover, and I think my favorite thing about this book was the ruggedly stunning backdrop of Wyoming, the surroundings were wonderfully described and made me feel as if I was there! I also love the cover of this book, and how it brings to life the foreboding feeling of a suspense book and depicts the gorgeous mountains and forests. 

Overall, while I didn't absolutely love this book, I did still enjoy it and will most likely read the next book in the series.

Even though this wasn't a favorite for me, I do recommend it to fans of Christian romantic suspense.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.