Book Review - Uncomplicate It by Hosanna Wong

My Review

Uncomplicate It is a book about breaking down barriers that keep believers from growing close to God.  I love the line in the book synopsis:  "A real relationship with God is not one-size-fits-all."  Yes!  That is a perfect tagline for this book.

I wanted to read this book because it sounded so inspiring.  I had never read Hosanna Wong before and was interested in her writing.

Uncomplicate It is divided into four parts:

1. This Is Your Permission Slip
2. Roadblocks
3. Shortcuts
4. The Great Uncomplicating

I love how down to earth Hosanna Wong's writing is, with stories and examples involving real people.  For example:

"I had no idea how important beauty could be to some people's walks with God until I heard from one specific group of friends - painters, writers, photographers - all bonded by their love for art. ... My new friend who is a watercolor artist talked about the beauty of a specific flower.  A friend who is a graphic designer talked about the beauty of certain paintings he'd seen that week.  And a jewelry maker shared some of the most poetic prose about a small pond surrounded by flowers that she's passed - how it reminded her of certain scriptures and pointed her toward God" (p. 138).

This is a great book to read, to re-read, and to share.  I intend to recommend it to several friends!

Book Synopsis

What if enjoying life with God is simpler than you’ve heard? What if your personality, the way you learn, the things you enjoy, your season of life, and your many roles aren’t roadblocks to overcome but instead shortcuts to real connection with your Creator? International speaker Hosanna Wong offers you a permission slip to uncomplicate your relationship with God and enjoy Him in your own unique way.

She will help you:

• break free from unrealistic expectations that do not come from God;
• overcome 6 roadblocks that keep you from enjoying your life and relationship with God;
• unlock 6 shortcuts to enjoying God in your current season;
• learn from interviews with over one thousand believers about their unique ways of encountering God; and
• drop the guilt, shame, and comparison that comes from the lie that your relationship with Jesus must look one certain way, or else.

A real relationship with God is not one-size-fits all. Your relationship with God does not have to look like anyone else’s. And it doesn’t have to look the same way it did years ago. You can uncomplicate it. This is your permission slip to embrace the unique way God has made you, in this specific stage of life you’re in, so that you can fully receive all the good that God has for you right now.

Author Bio

Hosanna Wong is an international speaker, bestselling author, and spoken-word artist helping everyday people experience God for real. Widely known for her spoken word piece, “I Have a New Name,” Hosanna shares in churches, conferences, prisons, and other events around the world, reaching across various denominations, backgrounds, and cultures.

Born and raised in an urban ministry on the streets of San Francisco, Hosanna later packed her life into suitcases and traveled to churches and other ministries throughout the United States to share about Jesus through spoken-word poetry. During those years without a permanent home, she began speaking and creating resources to serve the local and global church.

Hosanna currently travels and speaks year-round and serves on teaching teams at churches throughout the United States. She and her husband, Guy, serve together in various ministries equipping people to experience and share God’s love in their real lives.

Hosanna is the bestselling author of How (Not) to Save the World and You Are More Than You’ve Been Told.

Book Review and Giveaway - Teddy Bears and Ghostly Lairs: A Jules Keene Glamping Mystery by Heather Weidner

My Review

Teddy Bears and Ghostly Lairs features Jules Keene as the owner of a glamping campground with vintage trailers, tiny houses, and traditional campsites.  Her little town in the Blue Ridge Mountains is buzzing with excitement about a Teddy Bear and Toy Extravaganza, with a street fair and many vintage booths.  The campground is booked, including a group of paranormal investigators.  When Jules and Jake go out with the group to an abandoned (and supposedly haunted) motel, they find a body.  

I wanted to read this book because of the vintage campers and glamping aspect of the story.  It turned out to be even more suited to me than anticipated:  vintage campers, tiny houses, glamping themes involving classic children's books, mentions of vintage toys (including Steiff bears and even a mention of Dawn Dolls!), and a lovable Jack Russell Terrier named Bijou.  Seriously, I am the target audience for this book!

The mystery aspect of this story worked well, with just the right amount of twists.  I really like Jules as an amateur detective too.

I would recommend Teddy Bears and Ghostly Lairs for cozy mystery readers who have an interesting in glamping.  It's a really fun read!

Book Synopsis

The town of Fern Valley, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has overdosed on cuteness for its first teddy bear and toy festival. Adorable bears have taken over every inch of the town, and Jules Keene can barely keep up with all the guest check-ins at her glamping resort. To add to the fun, a team of paranormal investigators set their sights on her vintage trailers and the new treehouse as they investigate the local haunts.

It quickly becomes evident that things aren’t all sweet and cuddly when someone absconds with collectible toys. Then, to make matters worse, Jules and her friends trip over something not so other-worldly at an abandoned motel during a paranormal investigation. The very real corpse is the prickly vendor who raised a ruckus about his stolen merchandise and the weird things that were afoot in the cozy, one-stop light town.

Jules has to calm frayed nerves and solve the mystery before there are any other thefts or grisly murders.

Author Bio

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.

Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, Murder by the Glass, First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder, and Crime in the Old Dominion, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime: National, Central Virginia, Chessie, Guppies, and Grand Canyon Writers, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers, and she blogs regularly with the Writers Who Kill.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a crazy Mini Aussie Shepherd named Cooper.

Author Links

• Website and Blog: http://www.heatherweidner.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherWeidnerAuthor
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heather_mystery_writer/
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@heather_mystery_writer
• BlueSky: Heather Weidner (@heatherweidner.bsky.social) — Bluesky
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heather_weidner_author
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8121854.Heather_Weidner
• Amazon Authors: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HOYR0MQ
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HeatherBWeidner/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-weidner-0064b233?trk=hp-identity-name
• BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heather-weidner-d6430278-c5c9-4b10-b911-340828fc7003
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyBjyB0zz-M1DaM-rU1bXGA?view_as=subscriber
• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/HeatherWeidner1
• Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org  

Giveaway 

Book Review and Giveaway - Critters and Crimes: Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club by Elizabeth Pantley

My Review

Paige Erickson lives at the Snapdragon Inn in Colorado with her cat Frank.  They belong to a mystery book club, and the club is a magical one that can travel into a cozy mystery together ... but can't return until they solve the book's mystery.

I had not read the earlier books in this series but quickly caught up with characters.  Critters and Crimes makes a good standalone mystery.

I wanted to read this book because the animals featured in the cover and description were appealing - and I liked the magical element.  It was such a fun and utterly unique read!  I loved the importance of animals in the story (Frank, of course, being my favorite).

I recommend Critters and Crimes for other cozy mystery fans - especially for animal lovers and for anyone who enjoys a light magical story.

Book Synopsis

A quaint riverside town holds many secrets … and the only ones who’ve seen it all are the critters.

This book club dives (literally!) into the pages of a cozy mystery. The quirky group must solve the mystery to get out of the book. It’s so much fun – you’ll wish you had a book club like this!

In this journey, they choose a book set in a lovely riverside town. They land in a charming neighborhood and find they are part of a local book club. They are having a great time – and then a dead body shows up. (Of course it does!)

The clues to what happened come to them in a unique way – via the critters in the house.

As usual, the club finds plenty of time to enjoy the unique setting of their journey, as they solve the mystery – one critter at a time.

Author Bio

Elizabeth writes well-loved cozy mysteries in two series: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest and Arizona, two very different places. Both are rich, gorgeous, natural places, and inspire the settings in many of her  books.

Author Links

Website – https://elizabethpantleyauthor.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/destinyfallsmystery/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/series/345907-magical-mystery-book-club

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-pantley

Purchase Link: Amazon

Giveaway

 

Book Review and Giveaway - Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle: Mysteries of a Heart Series by Celeste Fenton

My Review

Gabby Heart and her best friend Abe travel to a Scottish castle to work on a new book series.  They find themselves in danger when they are taken hostage.  There is a second mystery on Dost Island, where young people are going missing.  

I wanted to read this book because I love mysteries.  The castle in Scotland was an intriguing setting.

The author does a very good job at describing the setting in a vivid "you are there" manner.  I found the Scottish castle very immersive.

Gabby is a courageous and likable protagonist.  I also liked Abe.  I have not read the first book in the series, and had a hard time keeping up with the many secondary characters in this book, so I suspect it would work best if the books were read in order.

This is a leisurely paced book, which I think adds to the immersive quality.

I enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book and the way it slowly unfolded.

Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy Captive Heart at Branmar Castle, and it will be especially of interest for readers who also like the Scotland and castle setting.

Book Synopsis

Gabby Heart travels to a remote Scottish castle with her best friend, Abe—a bestselling children’s author—expecting misty views, historic charm, and quiet time to plan their next book series. But Brantmar Castle holds more than ghosts of the past. When the women are taken hostage, Gabby must rely on her instincts, her resilience, and the help of men who may not deserve her trust to survive.
Meanwhile, on Dost Island, young residents are vanishing without a trace. As those left behind scramble for answers, unsettling clues emerge—leading to a dark motive no one could have predicted.
From the storm-swept highlands of Scotland to the rocky shores of New England, Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle blends mystery, emotional grit, simmering romance, and humor, in a story where secrets run deep… and time is running out.

Two mysteries. One fight for survival. And danger closing in from both sides of the sea.

A slow-burn romantic suspense with an edgy cozy mystery twist peppered with humor, Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle is perfect for fans of strong women over 40, amateur sleuths, brooding men with buried secrets, and adventure in small seaside towns and exotic locales hiding deadly truths.

Author Bio

My writing is fueled by a lifelong love of mystery and a fascination with the complexities of the human heart. As a widow, mother of adult twin sons, proud grandmother, dog lover, and semi-retired educator, I believe I have enough real-world experience to weave imagination with insight to create stories rich with emotion and suspense.

When I’m not writing, reading, or plotting another plot twist, I like to explore small towns across America—setting out solo for month-long adventures much to the awe (and occasional alarm) of family and friends. My latest obsessions include escape rooms, mastering the perfect miter cut for a DIY bathroom remodel, training my cavalier spaniel to do a high five, and making the impossible decision of where to travel next.

Author Links

Website   https://celestefenton.com

Amazon Author Page   https://www.amazon.com/stores/CELESTE-FENTON/author/B0F5HTW7RK

YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/@CelesteFentonWrites

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575815274859

Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/celestefentonwrites

TikTok  https://www.tiktok.com/@celestefenton?lang=en

LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/celeste-fenton-33811a357/

X  https://x.com/CFentonWrites

Pinterest  https://www.pinterest.com/celeste_fenton/

BookBub  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/1923908781

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N

Giveaway

Book Review - All Wrapped Up in a Mystery (An Orchard Grove Mystery Series) by Penni Justice

My Review

In the small town of Orchard Grove, Piper Landry is busy.  Christmas is coming, her new shop/home is still being renovated, and she is helping organize a charity auction, which includes volunteers dressed as elves who show up all over town.  Then a mysterious older man shows up in town looking for his son, and giving residents the creeps as he shows up unexpectedly at town events.

I wanted to read All Wrapped Up in a Mystery because I enjoy cozy mysteries and loved the first book in the Orchard Grove Mystery Series. 

This book is set during the holiday season.  The author, Penni Justice, does a wonderful job with descriptions and setting the scene:

"Snowflakes drifted lazily through the crisp December air, dusting rooftops and turning Orchard Grove's sidewalks into a frosted quilt.  The little tourist town, nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, looked as if it had stepped straight out of a holiday movie set.  Each shop front had joined in the town's promise to honor the playhouse's upcoming production of White Christmas.  The windows glittered with frosted garlands and velvet bows.  Tiny speakers hidden in doorways piped out the soft strains of The Christmas Song and I'll Be Home for Christmas, their notes mingling with the crunch of boots on fresh snow" (pg. 3).

I loved the details of the holiday fundraiser, with volunteer elves helping out throughout town!  It was fun, too, seeing Piper make this all come together.

Piper is a smart, kind, empathetic character (she volunteers her new store space as a shelter during a snow storm).  I also like her friends and loved ones:  Aunt Violet, Piper's boyfriend Mike, her best friend Lucy, her Great Pyrenees Maddie, and a new pet addition, Ginger the cat.

Penni does a great job at interweaving several storylines in this book:  the renovation of Piper's new store, the holiday auction, some mountain land that is for sale, and the mystery.

The mystery is subtly done and does not overtake the holiday spirit of the book.  The mysterious older man who shows up randomly, and a surprising murder, worry Piper and she sets out to be especially observant and help solve the mystery.

All Wrapped Up in a Mystery is a great entry into this new mystery series.  I enjoyed it and recommend it to other cozy mystery fans - especially to other readers who enjoy a charming, small town holiday settings.  

Book Synopsis

As snow falls and secrets surface, Piper's Christmas plans are about to be wrapped in mystery.

Christmas is just around the corner in Orchard Grove, and Piper Landry is knee-deep in holiday cheer—and drywall. With her bookstore café still under renovation, she volunteers to help organize the town’s annual elf-themed charity auction, hoping to enjoy a quiet season of cocoa and community spirit.

But when a well-loved volunteer turns up dead in the middle of the festivities, the holiday magic takes a chilling turn. With the sheriff short on answers and a mysterious newcomer stirring up trouble, Piper can’t help but get involved.

As snow falls and tensions rise, she teams up once again with Aunt Violet and her best friend, Lucy, to unwrap a mystery that might be darker than a mountain winter night.

Author Bio 

Penni Justice McDaniel is a lifelong book lover and storyteller at heart. An Atlanta native, she now lives in the scenic North Georgia mountains with her husband in a certified wildlife sanctuary. Surrounded by nature and inspired by the charm of a nearby tourist town, Penni crafted her debut cozy mystery, Blueprint for Murder. The beauty of mountain living, along with cherished memories of traveling across the country and hearing true-life stories from family and friends, often sparks ideas for her writing.

Her love of books began early, nurtured by frequent trips to libraries in Atlanta, Decatur, and Tucker, Georgia, where her mother introduced her to the magic of reading. She fell in love with fiction after discovering Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. As the church librarian, her mother also provided a treasure trove of young adult fiction and mysteries that further fueled Penni’s passion.

An avid reader, Penni devours around 70 fiction books each year, favoring cozy mysteries, historical fiction, and spy thrillers. In May 2023, she earned her second college degree, graduating with honors from Southern New Hampshire University with a B.A. in Creative Writing and English, concentrating in fiction writing. Her coursework included numerous fiction workshops that helped her hone her narrative style and voice.

For the past 24 years, Penni has owned and operated a music entertainment agency, specializing in public relations, writing, ghostwriting, and marketing. In addition to her fiction, she is working on a historical novel set in South Georgia during the 1940s and overseas during World War II.

Penni and her husband are the proud parents of three grown children, a son-in-law, and a daughter-in-law—each inspiring her with their humor, intelligence, and love. They are, in her words, “the absolute joys of my life.”

Links

Penni Justice - official website

All Wrapped Up in a Mystery at Amazon