Tag Archives: #ebooks

Reader’s Log 074: Amazon Prime Ebook Deals

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Amazon Prime Day is running for four days this year, starting June 23 to 26. This special deal is for Amazon Prime members. Already there are many deals that have started and this post is about the ebooks I have already downloaded. I was able to acquire five ebooks that are on my wish-list. Next week, I will be purchasing a few physical copies of novels, and perhaps more ebooks. My Birthday is this weekend. I can’t wait!

The List of ebooks:

  1. The Mountains We Call Home by Kim Michele Richardson
  2. Where the Sea Lavendar Grows by Kitty Johnson
  3. To Love a Lady by Gabrielle Meyer
  4. To Dance with a Duke by Gabrielle Meyer
  5. Pre-ordered: To Educate an Earl Gabrielle Meyer

I was auto approved to read and review “Where the Sea Lavendar Grows” by Kitty Johnson, published by Lake Union Publishing, but my review stack was full for May. I am delighted to get an ebook copy at such a great price. That said, not all my books come from publishers to review. What books I choose to review from publishers depend on several factors.

The Gabrielle Meyer books are part of her Dollar Princess Sereis. I’ve read two of her books from another series so far, and her story telling is so good. I recommend checking out her books.

“The Mountains We Call Home” by Kim Michele Richardson is the third installment in her series “The Book Women of Troublesome Creek.” This series has been on my to-read list for some time and I’m starting with the third book? I’m not sure yet. It depends on if I can get the first two at a good price.

I love the books covers of all these books!

Stephanie

The Mountains We Call Home by Kim Michele Richardson

Published April 21, 2026 by Sourcebooks Landmark

When Cussy Lovett, a Packhorse Librarian famed for bringing books to the people of Appalachia, is unjustly incarcerated, she finds a new calling as a prison librarian, bringing hope to downtrodden women and voiceless city residents alike, finding a home even while separated from those she loves. A vivid portrait of mid-century Kentucky, from the hills and hollers of Appalachia to a vibrant city neighborhood on the cusp of urban renewal, The Mountains We Call Home explores the effects of criminalization and incarceration on the poor and powerless, while tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds.

Where the Sea Lavendar Grows by Kitty Johnson

Published May 1, 2026 by Lake Union Publishing

Elise, an artist grieving the loss of her son and a fracturing marriage, is in North Norfolk to restore Marsh House to its former glory, its walls adorned with the fading murals and paintings of its long-ago owner, Lilias Carter-Brown. Elise makes an immediate connection to the house, to Sam—a carpenter and a comfort—and to history itself when an old photograph draws Elise into Lilias’s heartbreaking past.

In 1939, with war threatening, Lilias and her sister turn Marsh House into a sanctuary for London evacuees—a young boy and his mother. But it’s the boy’s father, Harry, an enlistee soon to report for duty, with whom Lilias forms an unexpected and intimate bond. When Harry suddenly vanishes without a trace, it changes the course of Lilias’s life forever.

Now, as Elise and Sam work to solve the mystery of the disappearance, the restoration of Marsh House is bringing Elise back to life as well—to love again, to put her and Lilias’s past to rest, and to finally move on.

To Love a Lady by Gabrielle Meyer

Dollar Princess #1

Published  January 6, 2026

For fans of My Fair Lady and The Gilded Age

New York City, 1883. Keira O’Day has spent her life scraping by in the tenements, haunted by the mystery of her parents’ abandonment. When wealthy widow and social climber, Maude Hill, offers her a daring proposition—to be adopted, polished, and presented as a society bride for an English lord—Keira sees an opportunity she can’t pass up.

Maude’s nephew, Alexander Paxton-Hill, is skeptical from the start. Tasked with teaching Keira the art of charm and flirtation, he soon finds himself captivated by her honesty and warmth as she challenges everything he thought he knew about love—and about himself.

After navigating the glittering, treacherous world of New York society, Keira arrives in England and catches the eye of the elusive Duke of Severton. She’s poised to win everything until a lavish ball, a long-buried secret, and one reckless act of love threaten to unravel it all. Now Keira must the role she’s been prepared to play—or the woman she’s become.

To Dance with a Duke by Gabrielle Meyer

Dollar Princess #2

Published  June 9, 2026

For those who love The Gilded Age and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

In 1884, Ames Welby, the Duke of Severton, is desperate. His ancestral home is falling apart, his tenant farmers are starving, and his family name is tainted by a mysterious scandal that keeps people away. With no fortune and no time, he does the unthinkable—marries for money. But Lily Parker, the American heiress he weds in haste, is no pampered socialite. She’s practical, passionate, and has a plan to restore Pickering Castle—and the reputation of the five reclusive Welby brothers.

Inspired by her love of matchmaking and her longing for connection, Lily invites four eligible young women to a summer house party, hoping to spark romance and rebuild the family’s future. What follows is a whirlwind of mischief, mismatched couples, and unexpected love. But when Lily’s belief in true love clashes with Ames’s fear of family curses and social ruin, their fragile marriage is put to the ultimate test.

To Educate an Earl by Gabrielle Meyer

Dollar Princess #3

Expected Publication  October 6, 2026 by

For those swept away by The Gilded Age and The Sound of Music.

In 1886, when a scheming suitor threatens her family’s fragile reputation, Adeline Ranier is sent to England under a false name to pose as a governess for the Earl of Torrington’s five motherless children. Stripped of her title and fortune, she steps into a world of quiet sorrow and stubborn resistance—and discovers a household aching for joy.

George Stafford, the Earl of Torrington, has buried his heart along with his late wife. His children have driven away every governess, and he has no hope that Miss Ranier will be any different. But Addie’s unconventional charm, fierce loyalty, and refusal to give up begin to awaken something long forgotten in all of them, including George.

As laughter returns to the halls of Torrington Manor, Addie finds herself falling for the children—and for their father. But secrets from her past threaten to unravel everything, especially when George chooses a wealthy heiress to be his bride. Torn between duty and desire, Addie must decide whether to protect her heart or fight for the family she’s come to love.

Reader’s Log 071: New Books on My Shelf  

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Book Highlights

Today, I thought I would share four books I’ve added to my shelf this week. I’ve added several others, but these really stand out to me. I just finished “The Island Bakeshop” by Roseanna M. White and I realize this book is the second book. I decided to go back to NetGalley and see if the first book was still available and sure enough, it was and I downloaded it to my Kindle.  Most likely, it will be a quick read because I flew through the second book.

“The Daughters of Rosebud” by Sonny Buttar sounds so good and I love reading about families, healing broken bonds, forgiveness, second chances.

Everything about “The Restoration Garden” by Sara Blaydes sounds intriguing, and the cover is beautiful!

Discovering, “The Sabbath We Need” by John Starke; Jena Starke is timely because the Sabbath has been on my mind a lot lately. I look forward to going more into that at another time. Perhaps, with my review of this book.

What are some books you’ve added to your shelf recently?

Stephanie

Fiction:

The Island Bookshop by Roseanna M. White

Book 1 of The Island Bookshop

Publish Date: May 13, 2025 by Guideposts

When Kennedy Marshall sets off for a prestigious career in the city, she leaves behind the sunlit shores of North Carolina’s Outer Banks—and runs from a love she believes she can never have. With her sister, Lara, managing their grandmother’s beloved island bookshop, Kennedy feels confident she’s escaped the past. But when Lara is suddenly injured, Kennedy is drawn back into the island’s warm embrace—and bittersweet memories she thought she’d buried forever.

For Wes Armstrong, the Outer Banks is more than home—it’s his anchor. Building a successful family business was supposed to bring stability, but life has been anything but steady since his wife’s passing. Haunted by past regrets and facing a life-changing decision, Wes is determined to make the right choice for his family’s future. Yet Kennedy’s unexpected return stirs up old emotions and mistakes he thought he’d put to rest.

As hidden family secrets surface and long-buried truths come to light, Kennedy and Wes must navigate the delicate tides of forgiveness, second chances, and the unspoken love that still lingers between them. Can they find the courage to rewrite their story and create a new future on the island’s shifting sands?

The Daughters of Rosebud by Sonny Buttar

Expected Publish Date: October 13, 2026 by Lake Union Publishing

Teacher Salma Chaudhry lives a quiet life, avoiding all attachments. But after a call from her estranged father, the protective shell she lives within starts to crack and the trauma she’s buried for eighteen years emerges.

Salma and her older sister Asma were inseparable growing up in small-town Rosebud. While Asma was bold and fearless, Salma tried to keep the peace in their fractured family. But amid their mother’s decline and their parents’ rigid expectations, Asma makes a choice that tears the family apart. The fallout changes everything—and forces Salma to choose between her sister and her parents.

Salma has spent years trying to forget. But as she recollects her past and considers reconciliation with her father, a young student opens a surprising connection to Asma’s past. In finally facing her history, Salma finds the bravery to love and hope again.

The Restoration Garden by Sara Blaydes

Published November 1, 2025 by Lake Union Publishing

A landscape architect unearths the tangled history of a once-celebrated English garden—and all its mysteries—in a captivating novel by the author of The Last Secret of Lily Adams.

Julia Esdaile is hired to restore the historic gardens at Havenworth Manor—the grounds of which are now an abandoned snarl of bramble and weeds—to their original splendor. For the enigmatic lady of the manor, ninety-two-year-old Margaret Clarke, the reason for the restoration is the deeply private story of a promise made a lifetime ago, and a vow to keep it before she dies.

It’s 1940, and Margaret’s older half sister, Irene, an aspiring artist, dreams of an exciting world beyond Havenworth. Her only escapes are James Atherton, a handsome officer in the RAF, and her sketchbook of flower drawings. Bonding over their disdain for war, Irene follows James to London, where, irrevocably in love, she is forced to make a choice she never imagined. With that, Irene vanishes from Margaret’s life forever.

Now, with the help of Margaret’s godson, Andrew, Julia is determined to uncover both the long-buried secrets of the past and the truth behind a heartbreaking mystery that only restoring the gardens of Havenworth can solve.

Nonfiction:

The Sabbath We Need by John Starke; Jena Starke

Finding True Rest in a World of Counterfeits

Expected Publish Date: October 13, 2026 by InterVarsity Press – IVP

Detach from Chaos, attach to Christ, and Break Free from the World’s Demands

Our world offers endless prescriptions for wholeness—a sense of fullness through achievement, a perfect work-life balance, the ideal Instagram feed, or the pursuit of well-being and leisure. Yet these cultural visions of fulfillment often leave us more restless than before.

There is a more satisfying path. God invites us not simply to take a day off, but to be transformed to be like him through the joy, delight, and holiness of sabbath all seven days of the week.

In “The Sabbath We Need”, John and Jena Starke guide you away from the world’s anxious systems and into participation with God in his rest. This is not another book about relaxation or self-care. The biblical emphasis on sabbath rest isn’t necessarily about recovering from the week but to be set apart like the God who rested on the seventh day.

Based on their own practices as a family of six living in Manhattan, the Starkes offer a path for detachment from the world for a deeper attachment to Christ, providing hope for a culture exhausted in its search for rest. True sabbath is formation toward divine holiness and counter formation away from worldliness.

With “The Sabbath We Need”, you will discover the difference between counterfeit fulfillment and the true divine fullness of sabbath keeping;

Practical ways to make the sabbath the center of gravity for your week, reshaping your rhythms of life;

How to practice sabbath in different stages of life and in seasons of pain, success, struggle, and loss; and how to receive the gift of sabbath as God intended and practice it in a way that leads to joy, delight, and interior rest.

Choose the way of holy rest. The Sabbath We Need leads you out of worldliness and into holiness, out of anxious systems and into the heart of rest.