by Crystal Caudill | Feb 1, 2025 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
It’s another month of our challenge: Tackle Your TBR Pile. So go dig through that stack taller than you of books you’ve been meaning to read and start reading away. Since this year is based on your TBR pile, I will not have a recommendations page, but I’m leaving the link here so it’s easier for me to set up NEXT year’s blog posts.
Find recommendations at Reading Challenge Recommendations, Crystal Caudill’s Reading Friends Facebook group, Avid Readers of Christian Fiction, or Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.
Don’t forget to comment at the bottom of the post for your chance to win a book off my prize shelf. *The list of prizes from my shelf can be found here.*
Reading Challenge 2025: Tackle the TBR Pile
If you’re anything like me, you have a TBR pile that is bigger than you can hope to read in a lifetime. This is the year we’re going to try an tackle at least twelve of those books. Head to your shelves and find books that fit each month’s challenge.
This Month: January – Newest book on your TBR pile
Next Month: February – Author of a different generation
The Misadventures of Miss Adelaide
by Maggie Dallen
Review by: Crystal Caudill
As my brain recovered from a massive writing deadline, my attention was caught by a Facebook ad for a set of clean Regency reads from Maggie Dallen. Since they were clean, the price was right, and my brain was not ready for anything more advanced than a simple, light-hearted plot; this fit the bill. I read a set of Christmas novellas from her before this one, but I think those technically still fell in 2024. So far, of what I’ve read of Maggie Dallen, this story has been my favorite. I love the mix of mystery, adventure, romance, and danger. The characters were fun, Addie’s loyalty to saving her brother admirable, and the earl a silent brooding type of hero, but definitely a hero. I find that all of her characters seem to fall in love too quickly or simply, but that is honestly the nature of these types of reads, so I can’t fault the story for that. It was a quick read at 176 pages, and I might read it again one day, but probably not.
Genre: Regency Romance
Plot Overview:
Three unlucky women find love in the unlikeliest places in this sweet regency romance series…
Miss Adelaide is down on her luck and on the run when she finally collapses at Evercliff Manor. Perhaps it’s exhaustion that has her spilling her secrets to the kind doctor tending to her–or maybe it’s his warm, compelling eyes. Then again, maybe it’s just another case of sheer bad luck.
It turns out the kindly doctor who now knows her deepest, darkest secrets is not really a doctor at all. He’s an earl. Worse, he’s her employer. And he’s decided that Adelaide will be his next project. With his assistance, and the help of her newfound friends at the Lovelace School of Charm, Miss Adelaide might just land on her feet. If only she doesn’t lose her heart…
Purchase Links:
Amazon
Giveaway
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget. *Giveaway Policies can be found here.
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What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?
by Crystal Caudill | Jan 28, 2025 | Author Interviews
I love introducing new books and authors to people. I’ve had the blessing of having Laura on here before, but she’s back to talk about her newest release A Hundred Magical Reasons. She is graciously providing a print copy (US Residents only) or e-book (anywhere) of either of her books, A Hundred Magical Reasons or All That is Hidden. Be sure to read all the way to the end to learn the details and enter. Now before we dive in, allow me to introduce you properly.
Laura DeNooyer thrives on creativity and encouraging it in others. A Calvin College graduate, she is a teacher, wife, parent of four adult children, and an award-winning author of heart-warming historical and contemporary fiction. Her novels are perfect for fans of Patti Callahan Henry, Erin Bartels, or Heidi Chiavaroli. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip.
You can connect with her through: Website | Newsletter | Facebook | GoodReads | BookBub
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Laura with rapid-fire.
CC: Rain or snow?
LD: Snow–but only if I don’t have to drive in it!
CC: Makeup or no makeup?
LD: None whatsoever!
CC: Personal maid or personal chef?
LD: Maid–I don’t need fancy meals but I’d love to have someone clean my house!
CC: Arrive early, just on time, or late?
LD: Fashionably late–but not on purpose.
CC: Food fight or water balloon fight?
LD: Water balloons–it’s easier to clean up afterward!
I miss the days when I didn’t have to take clean up into consideration. LOL! But I’m with you on the water balloon fights. So let’s go ahead and dive in.
What kind of stories are your favorite to write?
LD: I love writing the kind of stories I like to read—complex and character-driven with complicated relationships and messy family dynamics. I like delving into the gray, murky areas of life, into false appearances and misjudgments. My stories serve food for thought as well as hope and second chances—tales that “redeem the years the locusts ate.”
CC: I love that, and yes! Writing the kind of stories I like to read is so important. Especially since we have to read them over and over and over and over during the writing and editing processes.
Do you read fiction while you are writing your own stories?
LD: I’m constantly reading, both Christian fiction and general market, plus non-fiction. My favorite genres are historical fiction and contemporary women’s fiction, but I read a variety which includes suspense, mystery, some romance, and occasional YA and fantasy.
Reading fiction keeps me tapped into the book world and also functions as a way to learn from other authors doing their craft. It’s nearly impossible to read a story for mere enjoyment without analyzing and dissecting it as a storyteller. How is the writer drawing me in? How does she raise the stakes? Why am I relating to this character and not that one? Where is she dropping hints that foreshadow? How is this story resonating with me and why?
While I was writing A Hundred Magical Reasons, I needed to be familiar with L. Frank Baum’s stories. He wrote over 70 books, most of them for children, including 14 Oz novels. I read all fourteen, plus several others, and all of his newspaper editorials. Besides the biographies I read, the editorials gave me much insight into his thinking. Then I was better equipped to write him as a character.
CC: I love how that also gives us a peek into your research process.
What is your favorite part about writing?
LD: I have a love/hate relationship with the editing process, especially if the manuscript has become long and unwieldy. I’ve definitely learned how to “slash and burn” my words on the page to cut the manuscript down to more manageable and effective proportions. It’s both painful and rewarding.
CC: There is something satisfying about making the story cleaner and better.
Do you have a general writing process you follow or does it change all the time?
LD: I used to be very organized and showed up with a plan. Nowadays, I only know the direction the story is headed, but am not sure how it will get there. Ideas start percolating when I’m actually sitting down writing a scene. I see connections to other characters and situations that will increase the stakes and further the plot.
I start asking, “What if . . .?” But I also brainstorm, considering which juxtapositions of characters and situations would cause the most tension.
For example, in A Hundred Magical Reasons, I had to consider what could make a good contrast or foil for L. Frank Baum. Enter eight-year-old Janie whose rigid parents have no use for fiction, fantasy, or fairy tales. But the inimitable L. Frank Baum knows how to draw out her imagination. This is a major tension throughout the story.
From there I planned out some basic scenes based on his own family and career timeline and worked the story around those. The details and dialog came as I wrote the scenes.
I do a lot of revising—first expanding, then cutting and/or rearranging. It’s accurate to say that I have revised this particular novel at least fifteen times! Revised not just edited.
CC: It’s definitely a process. I don’t know that I can actually put a number to my revisions. I’m constantly revising as I write.
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
LD: Be teachable. Join a writers group that both stretches and encourages you. Improvement comes from getting feedback, then revising. Multiple times.
Read, read, read! Read books in and out of your genre. Read like a writer, not just a reader.
If you’re drawn to writing like bees to nectar, then persevere. If God has given you that desire and some raw talent, cultivate the gift. He’s the ultimate Creator and Storyteller, and He made us in His image. He delights in our creativity.
Meanwhile, keep reminding yourself that the joy is in the journey! It’s not just about the end product but about what we learn and who we meet along the way.
Now I’m excited to talk about A Hundred Magical Reasons.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Scrivenings
CC: What will fans of A Hundred Magical Reasons love about your story and characters?
LD: Whether readers are Oz fans or not, I think they will enjoy getting to know L. Frank Baum. Besides just getting the facts straight about his life, I wanted to create his essence on the page so that readers would experience what it was like to sit on the Baums’ Macatawa porch with him, whether running a printing press or drinking lemonade.
As a storyteller, actor, and author, Baum was constantly creating ways to tell new stories and engage children. I wanted to show how he would draw out Janie’s imagination. Which activities would they do together? What was life like around the dinner table at the Baum household? We know a bit about that from biographies, but I wanted to present Baum through the eyes of a fictional character who visits from year to year.
Additionally, I think readers will love the dialogs and growing friendship between twenty-two-year-old Carrie and eighty-eight-year-old Mrs. Gordon—one facing fears about her future, the other living with regrets about her past.
CC: I never actually knew anything about Mr. Baum, so now I’m fascinated to learn more about him and make him one of my fictional friends.
Why did you write A Hundred Magical Reasons?
LD: While reading a biography about L. Frank Baum, I learned that his family summered at the same lake where our family vacations yearly—at the other end of the Lake Macatawa near Holland, Michigan, and a century earlier. That was a fun little connection.
Additionally, as I learned more about his life, I was smitten. Baum was such an innovative, larger-than-life personality—no surprise there, given that he created the Land of Oz. He was also a family man with a keen understanding of children and a high regard for women. (His mother-in-law was a suffragist!) His humor and creativity gave him the capacity to bounce back from failure many times.
Having always wanted to write a novel set in the turn of the century, Baum fit perfectly into my plans.
CC: How fun! I’ve been to Holland, but I’ve never made it to the lake, now I’ll have to visit for sure!
What is the most fascinating piece of research that shaped your story?
LD: Baum’s life, family, and career ups and downs are the main things that shaped the story. I wanted my two protagonists, Janie (in both timelines) and Carrie (1980), to be impacted by his influence. I just had to figure out how. I wanted to spotlight the Baums’ summers at Michigan’s Macatawa Resort (1898-1910) and his friendship with young Janie. Janie takes on challenges inspired by some of Baum’s career choices.
In 1900, Baum turned 44 and published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Decades later, Janie is all grown up as Mrs. Gordon in 1980, sharing her memoirs with twenty-two-year-old Carrie who has problems of her own. Carrie wants to run a literary-themed café against her parents’ wishes. The two women have more in common than they realize.
CC: A literary-themed café sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to see how Mr. Baum influences her decisions and creation of this magical place.
What is a fun fact about this story that readers might not know?
LD: Most people don’t know that Baum should be credited with the earliest documented original film score back in 1908-1914. Before Hollywood became what it is today, Baum dabbled in film and even created the very first scene of Dorothy stepping from black and white into color—thirty years before the MGM Wizard of Oz movie brought us technicolor.
With so many interests and projects claiming his attention, Baum wanted to be done writing Oz books. He wrote six Oz books, then closed off Oz from the rest of the world—supposedly forever. But thousands of children wrote him, clamoring for more Oz stories. He finally relented, and wrote eight more.
CC: Wow! I had no idea there were fourteen Oz books! I’ve not even read one of them, but now my interest is piqued.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
LD: Baum’s stories are all about stirring the child’s imagination, and that’s a key element of my novel. I firmly believe that since we’re all made in the Creator’s image, everybody is creative in his own way. I hope this story inspires readers to use their own imaginations.
Other themes are woven in too, such as learning to be yourself when others try to keep you in a box. A Hundred Magical Reasons would make a great book club book. I hope the story raises questions and encourages pondering.
CC: I am thoroughly entranced by this book. It’s not my typical read, but I’m picking up a copy now.
I always like to end with a fun question so . . .
You are in the back of a police car on your way to jail. What did you do, and is anyone with you?
LD: Due to daydreaming, I accidentally walked out of a store with merchandise without paying first!
CC: Oops! That sounds entirely too plausible! LOL Let’s hope that never becomes the case.
Readers, I hope you’ll check out A Hundred Magical Reasons and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Reader, have you ever read the Oz books or seen the movie? What was your favorite part of it?
Giveaway
Here’s your chance to win a copy of either A Hundred Magical Reasons or All That is Hidden. Comment on the blog and enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 4,2025. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.
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by Crystal Caudill | Jan 21, 2025 | Book Reviews
The Duke’s Diary
by Ashtyn Newbold
Review:
The Duke’s Diary is a book I have been waiting forever to read. When I saw it hit my Kindle, all other books were set aside. It did not disappoint. I love the mix of diary entries, romance in the form of a chivalric hero, and the sweet innocence of Nora as she grows to realize not only her own love for Timothy but his love for her. There were a couple of high-heat kiss scenes, so if you are sensitive to that, just know there are a couple. Nothing crosses the line, and I personally found them to be fine. I can’t wait for book three and plan to preorder it as soon as it is available. I definitely recommend this book for fans of Regency romance, friends to more, stoic but secretly romantic heroes, and quirky heroines. This is a sweet romance genre.
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency
Plot:
She only meant to read one page…until she saw her name.
Rather than being forced to marry the vile man her father intends for her, Nora Rothwell plans to escape. With the help of her brother and his best friend, Timothy, the Duke of Heywood, she finds her way to the Duke’s abandoned hunting lodge, where she will be kept safe and hidden until she comes of age—at which time she will be whisked off to London in the hopes of finding a suitable match who might secure her a place far from her father’s reach.
Secluded from society, Nora enlists Timothy’s help as she prepares for her London debut. Ever serious and unromantic, he teaches her the essential skills of catching a husband, leaving her with no question that he sees her as he always has—a friend, a child—perhaps even a sister.
But when she discovers an old diary in the library, everything she thought she knew is called into question.
It’s Timothy’s diary.
And if its contents are to be believed, he isn’t unromantic in the slightest.
…and he most certainly doesn’t see her as a sister.
Author Website: https://www.ashtynnewbold.com/
Purchase Link: Amazon
What is the most recent book you’ve read? What did you like about it? Who would you recommend it to?
by Crystal Caudill | Jan 14, 2025 | Character Interview
It is my pleasure to introduce to you a character bent on reuniting her family at Christmastime, the time when the hope of miracles seems to be at its highest. Rheann “Ray” Rhodes is a special person and her story filled with the hope of Christmas and reconciliation. Don’t forget to check out the bottom of the blog post your chance to win a copy of Bridges of Hope.
Bridges of Hope by Ruth Douthitt
Country music megastar, Rheann “Ray” Rhodes embarks on one final journey to reunite her estranged family for an unforgettable Christmas in Tennessee. As her family gathers at the ranch in the snow-covered hills, they must face their pasts, heal old wounds, and find a way to reconnect. Through the power of music and the magic of Christmas, Ray and her family rediscover the strength of love, family, and forgiveness.
Purchase Links: Amazon
Now for our interview with Rheann.
CC: I’m so excited to get to introduce you to my readers, Rheann. Would you mind telling them a little bit about yourself?
RAY: Call me Ray. I’ve been in country music since right out of high school. Now that I’m getting ready to retire, I suppose you could say I’m a success. I’ll be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame soon. I’m mostly known for my song “Living With Leaving on My Mind.” This book is my life story.
CC: The life of a country music star must have been intriguing and hard. I’ve seen so many stories of how the life of fame tore families apart. From what I’ve read of the blurb, it sounds like yours is a similar story. So what is the journey you take in this story?
RAY: Fame and fortune took its toll on me. Funny how once you get what you want, you find out it isn’t that great. I divorced my husband because I thought he and the kids held me back in my music career. Now I know the truth. I was holding myself back. Jake Rhodes is the love of my life. I was a fool to let him go. With so little time left, I decided to ask him to help me plan one last Christmas gathering at the ranch in Tennessee. To my surprise, he said yes. The areas of growth I’m facing? Swallowing my pride and seeking forgiveness from Jake and my kids…especially Bucky. And forgiveness from the whole town.
CC: You said you have so little time left. What do you mean?
RAY: Unfortunately, it’s a terminal diagnosis that caught me off guard. I don’t have as much time as I thought I did. So, I’ve decided to do something I should have done years ago: Reconcile with my family.
CC: It’s amazing how getting a diagnosis like that puts what’s important into perspective. You mentioned Jake being the love of your life. Can you tell us a bit about him?
RAY: Jake Rhodes…I fell in love with him the first time I heard him play guitar. He took a poem I wrote in high school English class and put it to music. I toured with his band and then we got married. He supported me throughout my career, raised the kids, and built us a home in Tennessee. Why on earth did I walk away from him? Pride. Selfishness. Arrogance. All of the above. Now I’m back, hoping he’ll take care of me. Can what was broken be mended? Lord, I hope so.
CC: Speaking of the Lord . . . how is your relationship with God?
RAY: Old friends. I pushed Him away at times. I was convinced I could do things on my own. But He showed me otherwise.
CC: Boy is that a lesson we all tend to learn. Since you were a music star, how do others view you?
RAY: My fans adore me because of my songs. Since the early 1990s, my songs have helped women feel empowered, heal, and cope. They view me as one of those strong feminist types but truth is, I’m vulnerable. I struggle with life just like everybody else does. But I have to come across as a strong woman. It isn’t easy but I try.
CC: Keeping up appearances can be so hard, especially when your world is falling apart. How do you want to be remembered?
RAY: As momma, wife, grandma, advocate, and a country music star who wrote and sang her songs for those with broken hearts that needed mending. I’ve been there. I wrote them for you and for me. Remember me each time you hear them…and smile. I’m in a much better place, y’all.
CC: I love how that order reflects your new priorities in life. If there were one thing you could tell the reader, what would it be:
RAY: When God gives you the chance to ask for forgiveness and reconcile, take it. And when given the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with family, do it! Without hesitation. Do it because you never know. It could be your last chance.
I know we’re a bit past the Christmas season thanks to deadlines throwing my blog schedule off, but this is a read you don’t want to miss. So hop on over to Amazon and check out Bridges of Hope by Ruth Douthitt
About Ruth Douthitt:
Former writing teacher, Ruth Douthitt is an award-winning author multi-published author of books for middle grade readers and adults in fiction and non-fiction. She is the winner of the Moonbeam Children’s Books Award-Bronze Medal for Best Book Series and the Christian Indie Awards first place winner in YA. Ruth is working on romantic suspense novels. She currently works for Grand Canyon University and lives in Phoenix with her husband Scott and their little dog.
Connect with Ruth: Website | Facebook | Instagram | GoodReads | BookBub
GIVEAWAY
Here’s your chance to win a copy of Bridges of Hope. Comment on the blog and enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on January 21,2025. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.
Comment with: Who is one person you wish you could have just one more Christmas with?
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by Crystal Caudill | Jan 12, 2025 | Reading Challenge
Unlocking the Past: Ecclesiastes 3
Just as Ecclesiastes has two opposites in each verse, most months will leave you with two options to choose from.
“For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.”
December Verse: A time for war and a time for peace.
Challenge Theme: A book set at the end of a war
January’s Theme: Newest Book on your TBR Pile
In an effort to just get this post out there to you who are patiently waiting, I’m calling an audible. I failed my own challenge. Between a killer deadline, a family emergency that immediately followed, I got nothing for you. BUT thankfully YOU can still tell me what YOU read for the last month of the 2024 challenge.
This year’s challenge focuses on whittling down your current TBR pile, so grab the book that is either the most recently released or the newest one you’ve added to your pile and get to reading!
Giveaway
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 20th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget.
*Open to all residents of the contiguous USA, legally able to enter, and an e-book format or Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to those outside that range who are legally able to enter.
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What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?
Most fairy tales have happy endings, but is it too late for this one? After all, Mrs. Charlotte Rose Gordon is eighty-eight. This disgruntled town recluse has grown weary of fighting the dragons of her past—including the desire to clear her husband’s name of a 1918 crime. 
