Book Reviews

FOR EDEN’S SAKE, Published, Endorsed, and Positively Received!

/ tmgaouette / Leave a comment

My newest release, For Eden Sake was recently released on September 5th—the feast day of St. Theresa of Calcutta. It has received such great reviews. You can find links to them on the title’s page, along with the book trailer and a link to the first chapter. And it also received an endorsement from Evangelist Alveda C. King! I’m not kidding. I printed her sweet words on the front cover for all to see. I feel so blessed.

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die
so that you may live as you wish.”
(Saint Teresa of Calcutta)

I’m so excited about this novel. It’s been on my back-burner for many years. But it began nagging at me. A push from the Lord? Quite possibly. Because the story moved along pretty quickly toward completion.

For Eden’s Sake is a pro-life story with a primarily male POV, Isaac, and it’s directed at older teens. My hope is that readers of this demographic will finish the story with not just a newfound understanding of the value of life—from the moment of conception to that of natural death—but also that teens realize the significance of a chaste life.  That they come to recognize that intimacy is a gift from God reserved for married people, out of which the miracle of life comes.

While a story close to my heart, For Eden’s Sake has an important mission. It has a bigger responsibility than my other novels, going beyond the intention of saving souls. It’s task is to save souls and  lives.

Pray with me that it succeeds in this endeavor!

Advertisement

My Review of Corinna Turner’s “The Siege of Reginald Hill”

/ tmgaouette / 1 Comment

The Siege of Reginald Hill

by Corinna Turner

An odd surge filled my heart as I looked at him, sitting there in that chair: so old; so evil; so broken; so… alone. A warmth. A caring. A… love. I loved him. Just another poor sinner who need my care…

SAFETY IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF DANGER, BUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

Fr Kyle Verrall is living a quiet life as a parish priest in Africa when he’s snatched from his church one night by armed assailants. He’s in big trouble—his sister’s worst enemy is hell-bent on taking revenge on the famous Margaret Verrall by killing her brother, just as slowly and horribly as he can.

What could possibly save him? The humble young priest is defenseless—or so Reginald Hill believes.

But Kyle has a powerful weapon Hill knows nothing about. And he’s not afraid to use it.

Is Reginald Hill really the hunter?
Or is he the hunted?

MY REVIEW

In this new I Am Margaret installment, Margaret’s brother, Kyle, is a priest in Africa. But after being kidnapped by the notorious—and heartless—Reginald Hill, he’s pushed to his limit. Will he betray God in the midst of his suffering?
It’s not often that a story remains in my mind. There are a few that I’ll never forget even though it’s been years since I read them. Henry James’ “The Beast in the Jungle” and C. S. Lewis’ “The Great Divorce,” and now Corinna Turner’s The Siege of Reginald Hill. An extremely powerful example of what it really means to love our enemies, this novel provokes a whirlwind of emotions. Turner is an amazing storyteller who really delves into the souls of her characters and then relays their every emotion so that we too can connect with them and empathize with their plight.
Sharing God’s love and amazing forgiveness, Turner reminds all Catholics about the depths we must all go to sacrifice in order to really love. I highly recommend this story to young adults!

Check it out below: Buy Now, Blog Tour Schedule, About the Author, and find Corinna Turner on the the web and social media.

Buy Now

As a paperback or eBook

​Blog Tour Schedule

Dec 1 – Stop 1 – Corinna Turner – Author of the I Am Margaret series including new release The Siege of Reginald Hill – www.IAmMargaret.com

Dec 3 – Stop 2 – Steven R. McEvoy – Blogger and Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer Steven R. McEvoy on “Book Reviews & More” – www.bookreviewsandmore.ca

Dec 4 – Stop 3 – Erin McCole Cupp – Blogger, Contributor to Catholic Mom and Author (Jane E. Friendless Orphan series, etc.) – http://catholicmom.com/

Dec 5 – Stop 4 – Regina Doman – Award-winning Catholic teen fiction Author (The Fairy Tale novels, The Angel in the Waters, etc.) – http://reginadoman.blogspot.com/

Dec 6 – Stop 5 – Theresa Linden – Award-winning Catholic teen fiction Author (Liberty series, West Brothers series, etc.) – www.theresalinden.com/

Dec 7 – Stop 6 – Sarah de Nordwall – The Catholic Bard! – http://sarahdenordwall.blogspot.com/

Dec 8 – Stop 7 – T.M. Gaouette – Writer, Blogger, and Author of Catholic Fiction (Faith and Kung Fu series) – https://tmgaouette.com/

Dec 10 – Stop 8 – Carolyn Astfalk – Author of coming-of-age romance Rightfully Ours, etc. – www.carolynastfalk.com/

Dec 11 – Stop 9 – Leslea Wahl – Award-winning Catholic teen fiction Author (The Perfect Blindside, An Unexpected Role, etc.) – http://lesleawahl.com/

Dec 12 – Stop 10 – Elizabeth Amy Hajek – Blogger and Author of The Mermaid and the Unicorn – https://elenatintil.blogspot.com

About the Author

CORINNA TURNER has been writing since she was fourteen and likes strong protagonists with plenty of integrity. She has an MA in English from Oxford University, but has foolishly gone on to work with both children and animals! Juggling work with the disabled and being a midwife to sheep, she spends as much time as she can in a little hut at the bottom of the garden, writing.

​She is a Catholic Christian with roots in the Methodist and Anglican churches. A keen cinema-goer, she lives in the UK with her classic campervan ‘Toby’ (short for Tobias!), her larger and more expensive substitute for her lovely Giant African Land Snail, Peter, who sadly passed away in October 2016.

Social Media

Connect with Corinna Turner:

​website: www.iammargaret.co.uk

​Facebook author page

​Twitter: @CorinnaTAuthor

“Where You Lead” by Leslea Wahl: A Great Addition to Your Home-School History Curriculum

/ tmgaouette / Leave a comment

Sixteen-year-old Eve Donahue’s lonely existence changes in an instant when visions of a mysterious stranger haunt her. Certain God is calling her for a mission, she bravely says yes and begins her quest to meet this young man.

Thousands of miles away, Nick Hammond has been dealing with his own unusual experience, an unwavering certainness to convince his father to run for political office.

When these two unlikely teens finally meet, their belief that God has called them to work together sets them on a journey of faith to untangle a web of deception involving international trade agreements, lost confederate gold, and a blossoming romance. As they follow century old clues, they realize God can call us all in big and small ways. We just need to listen and say “Yes Lord, I will go where You lead.”

MY REVIEW:

Leslea Wahl’s newest release Where You Lead is a fun adventure that takes the reader on an exciting journey through American history. With colorful characters, witty dialogue, and a search for lost treasure, Wahl knows how to keep the reader on the edge of his seat. My favorite character was the grumpy elderly neighbor, and the interaction between her and the main character Eve was very entertaining.

A suspenseful mystery with tons of twists and turns and a dollop of romance, Where You Lead is a wonderful reminder that God has a plan, and if you follow His will, He will lead you to where you are needed most. What a great addition this book would be to a home-school history curriculum.

WHERE YOU LEAD for HOME-SCHOOL HISTORY

Where You Lead is a fun, adventurous YA novel filled with mystery, Christian values, and could be a great book to add to lesson plans about American history. The story is set in Washington DC and is full of ideas for students to explore. Here are a few to consider.

1 – In the book, the main characters set out on a treasure hunt for lost confederate gold. Students could investigate the different aspects of the civil war.

2 – Eve and Nick become involved with someone who lives in one of the embassies along Embassy Row. Students could explore the rich history of these grand manors in Washington DC and how they became embassies. They could even choose a country to research.

3 – One of the prominent buildings in the story is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Students could study President Kennedy and even why this theater was dedicated to his memory.

4 – There are many locations that Nick and Eve visit that are named after famous people from our past. Students could choose one to research: The Washington Monument, The Lincoln Memorial, The Francis Scott Key Bridge, Roosevelt Island, Jefferson Memorial, and the Smithsonian Museum.

Giveaway

Where You Lead treasure hunt
Buy Now

On Kindle or in paperback on Amazon

Book Trailer

About the Author

Leslea Wahl
I’m Leslea Wahl. For as long as I can remember I have been a creator of stories with ideas swirling through my head. I am thrilled now to be able to share some of them with others. For many years I have been driven by a belief that our purpose in life is to use our gifts to glorify God and lead others to Him. I am blessed to have found a way to intertwine my two passions by creating adventurous stories with positive Christian messages for today’s youth. Not only do I hope to entertain with my writing, but also to inspire others to find their gifts as well.

Twitter: LesleaWahl

Catholic Writers Guild Blog Finds ‘The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch’ “A Powerful Story with an Emotional Wallop”

/ tmgaouette / 1 Comment

The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch is featured on the Catholic Writers Guild blog. If you’ve read the book or like my work, please leave a comment and share it with others.

At age ten, Benedict carries massive chips on both shoulders. Having passed from bad foster homes to worse, he dreads the uncertainty of new surroundings and new rules. When he arrives at The Sunshine Ranch, he doubts the sincerity of his new foster parents, David and Martha Credence and withholds his affections lest he be ripped again from friends and security. Benedict sees the other foster children as rivals and doubts that his good fortune will last. Over the next four years, he remains aloof, not daring to trust that he has found a home and family.

When foreclosure threatens The Sunshine Ranch, Benedict’s doubts seem to be confirmed. Although David and Martha ask Benedict and their other foster kids to have faith that God will provide, Benedict refuses to believe. But Micah, Benedict’s roommate, and chief rival, keeps the faith. Eventually, Benedict realizes that The Sunshine Ranch gives him the only happiness that he has ever known, and that his constant worry and fear prevent him from enjoying it.

David and Martha Credence, and their many foster children embody generosity and unquestioning faith. Theirs is an impossible task — they welcome hard-case kids like Benedict and scrape together the resources to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Benedict, on the other hand, provides a counterpoint to everything the Credence family attempts to share. Too wounded by his early life experiences to accept the healing they offer, he’s likely to reject them and run away into the night. Micah, the optimist, has suffered as much as Benedict, but he always sees the bright side and attempts to wear down Benedict’s rough edges. Read more of this review and others at the Catholic Writers Guild blog…

If you loved this, then you’re sure to like…

Catholic Review of Books Finds “The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch” Interesting and Edifying For Young Readers!

Book Review: The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch -”I laughed, and I cried…very well written”

What are people saying about, “The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch”?

The Koala Bear Writer Review: “Gaouette Has a Gift For Characters”

/ tmgaouette / Leave a comment

“The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch reminded me of The Lion Cubs (another novel about foster children) and Cheaper by the Dozen (an autobiography of a large family that I enjoyed as a kid). I enjoyed getting to know each of the children on the ranch, and Gaouette has such a gift for characters that it wasn’t hard to keep Sebastian, Tommy, Eva, Micah, Benedict, Isabella and the younger children straight.”

Read more of this review and others at The Koala Bear Writer

If you loved this, then you’re sure to like…

Book Reviews and More on “Freeing Tanner Rose”: “One of the Best Catholic Fiction Stories for Young Adults I Have Ever Read”

/ tmgaouette / Leave a comment

Freeing Tanner Rose is featured on Book Reviews and More. If you’ve read the book or like my work, please leave a comment and share it with others.

This is the second novel I have read by T.M. Gaouette and I have enjoyed both immensely. However the pace and intensity in this story was gripping. I barely put the book down and read it in two extended settings. When I finished this novel, I was really wishing for more. It was only when I went to do some research for the review that I discovered it is the first in a series called Faith & Kung Fu.
.
This story was a very intense read. From the moment Gabriel met Tanner Rose he was apprehensive and reserved. Gabriel and his mother live in the country, he studies martial arts and is a young man of faith. Tanner Rose is a very young Hollywood starlet who dresses and acts beyond her years. At every Turn Gabriel’s patience and fortitude seems to be tested by this girl his mother has brought home. Gabriel and Tanner’s mother were roommate in university and even though they have chosen very different path’s Miss Ruth took Tanner in to try and help. Both Ruth and Gabriel have strong faith and personal practice. Tanner thinks they are just country hicks, and feels like she is being abandoned, punished, and neglected by her mother for pulling her from her party scene lifestyle. Will Gabriel’s steadfast faith and strength help ground Tanner or will her wild addictive and self-centered traits rub off on him.
.
The characters are wonderfully written. The solid honest ethical life of Gabriel and his mother in contrast to Tanner and her Hollywood shenanigans is a stunning look at faith in the midst of modern life and culture. Read more of this review and others at Book Reviews and More
.
.
If you loved this, then you’re sure to like…

Catholic Review of Books Finds “The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch” Interesting and Edifying For Young Readers!

/ tmgaouette / Leave a comment

Catholic Review of Books

The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch is featured on Catholicreviewof books.com. If you’ve read the book or like my work, please leave a comment and share it with others.

It’s not an easy thing for an author to share her views about the extraordinary gift that Catholic family life is, or, at least, is meant to be. The number one danger for such art is making the good seem uninteresting, to fasten on to superlatives, to turn drama in paean or very poor pastoral. Too many Catholic writers have been able to do little more than this. It seems like there is this kind of thing, or there is Flannery O’Connor. It’s too bad. I am initiating myself into O’Connor and finding myself rather enjoying her darkness, but I can well imagine that she is not for everyone, particularly not for young readers. So what about their needs?

Sunshine Ranch starts off strong. A young man, Benedict, in foster care gets in trouble at school, only to have his foster mother get into trouble soon after. He and the little girl he lives with have to be moved. He ends us at the titular ranch, and the whole thing suddenly starts to feel a bit campy, almost like a Provident Films movie. Perhaps the fault is mine, since I was city-reared and a ‘ranch’ has all the feel to me of sappy Americana. That feeling doesn’t last too long, though, and Gaouette soon finds her stride and fall into a more natural rhythm.

She is a good writer. In her desire to set a scene she sometimes says too much, nevertheless, she generally has a knack for choosing the right word. The characters all seem to have depth and authenticity and they manage to avoid devolving, on the one hand, into caricature, or, on the other, into meanness. Read more of this review and others at Catholic Review of Books…

If you loved this, then you’re sure to like…

Book Review: The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch -”I laughed, and I cried…very well written”

The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch: Chapter 1

What are people saying about, “The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch”?

Book Review & Giveaway: “Freeing Tanner Rose” – Featured on “Our Village is a Little Different”

/ tmgaouette / Leave a comment

ourvillageisalittle different
Freeing Tanner Rose is featured on Ourvillageisalittledifferent.com. If you’ve read the book or like my work, please leave a comment and share it with others.

Tanner Rose is a fourteen year old movie and television star. She enjoys her fame and is deep into the Hollywood party scene. When her behavior gets out of control her mother sends her to stay at the country home of her college friend, Miss Ruth. The plan is for Tanner to rest and regroup so that she will be able to focus when filming for her new upcoming show.

Unfortunately for Tanner her problem is not that she is too stressed – the child is addicted to drinking and smoking and when she is out partying there are drugs and boys who have impure intentions. Her self esteem rests in her fame so she does not appreciate being dropped off in the middle of nowhere and especially not at the home of a boy that is not impressed by her status. She doesn’t know what to make of Miss Ruth’s son, Gabriel.

Gabriel is sixteen and he is a very devout Catholic. He and his friends are all clean cut and fairly innocent. Gabriel is also extremely handsome and in good physical condition. Each day he practices martial arts and is quite accomplished.

As most people who are mired in addiction or other bad behaviors do, Tanner tries to corrupt Gabriel and his friends. Every time that they go out Tanner does something infuriating or embarrassing. Gabriel tries not to let her get under his skin but because of his own issues, she does. Amazingly, he is able to tell her in plain language why her behavior is unacceptable and talk in clear language about how God’s love is better than fame or parties or any of the things Tanner holds dear and confuses for happiness.

The story takes some twists and some turns as we learn more about both of the teens and their issues. It comes to a point where either Gabriel’s faith will attract Tanner and allow her to let her true self shine through or Tanner’s life will tempt Gabriel to do things he never even considered. Read more and enter to win a copy of Freeing Tanner Rose

“Freeing Tanner Rose” Featured on Catholicmom.com

/ tmgaouette / Leave a comment

CatholicMom-logo-2012-color-277.jpgFreeing Tanner Rose is featured on Catholicmom.com. If you’ve read the book or like my work, please leave a comment and share it with others.

“1 Corinthians 10:13 teaches about trials and temptation, and its lesson is the premise for my newest novel, Freeing Tanner Rose. My desire was to relay that message in this novel. It’s a story about restraint in a world of inducement and it introduces two young characters, 14 year old Tanner, a Hollywood starlet, and 16 year old Gabriel, a country boy. Their paths cross when Tanner’s sent to stay with him and his mother after her partying ways start affecting her work.

Gabriel is devoted in his Catholic faith, but Tanner, although born into hers, has never found her spiritual self, has never known God, and as a result, has lost her way in an industry saturated in temptation. Needless to say, sparks fly when these two characters meet. They live in completely opposite worlds, but are forced to reside under the same roof. And this association raises many issues under the temptation premise, from modesty and self-confidence to vanity and addiction. And these subjects then go on to prompt the question of which entity wins ultimately, at least within the constraints of this particular story? Will it be faith or temptation?” Read more at Catholicmom.com

If you loved this, then you’re sure to like…

“Freeing Tanner Rose” Featured on Project Inspired – Check it out!

Freeing Tanner Rose: Chapter 1

What are people saying about, “The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch”?

“Freeing Tanner Rose” Featured on Project Inspired – Check it out!

/ tmgaouette / Leave a comment

Freeing-Tanner-Rose-TM Gaouette

Get the Scoop on Our Blogger T.M.’s NEW Novel
and Enter to Win a Signed Copy!

PI Girls, have you ever wondered what it would be like to be famous? 14-year-old Tanner Rose, the title character in our blogger T.M. Gaouette’s latest novel, Freeing Tanner Rose, didn’t have to wonder…she’d made it big in Hollywood and was the toast of the young “It” crowd. But when her partying and addictions spiral out of control, Tanner suddenly finds herself forced to live in the countryside with only her mom’s college roommate and 16-year-old son, Gabriel, for company.

Right away, Tanner and Gabriel butt heads. To Tanner, Gabriel is just a boring Christian without a life, while Gabriel finds Tanner superficial and rude. Will his faith help her get her life back on track, or will Tanner’s wild lifestyle start to tempt Gabriel down the wrong path?

If you’re looking for a great book about temptation, friendship and God, you’ve got to check out Freeing Tanner Rose. It’s full of beautiful descriptions, intriguing characters and the reminder that loving God is a way of life. We asked T.M. for more details about her book and writing process…read on to learn more!

PI:  What was your inspiration behind Freeing Tanner Rose?

T.M: “Faith & Kung Fu” is not only the name of the book series, but also its motivations. Freeing Tanner Rose itself was inspired by 1 Corinthians 10:13, because so many people struggle with temptation. This story is directed toward teens and young adults. However, since the story of Tanner and Gabriel began in 2009, it’s evolved in so many ways. Certain parts of the story and the direction in which it has gone have been motivated by different circumstances that have arisen as the story’s progressed throughout the years.

PI: What do you hope readers take away from the story once they’ve finished?

T.M.: That we live in a world full of temptation. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and we can’t always avoid it, but if we look to God and keep our focus on Him, we can resist anything that comes our way.

PI:  Modesty is a big theme in Freeing Tanner Rose. Why did you think it an important one to focus on?

T.M.: Modesty is just one of the main elements of the overall theme, which is temptation. And it’s one that both Tanner and Gabriel struggle with, in their own personal ways. But modesty is not just reflected in the way a person dresses, it’s reflected in attitude and character and the way a person lives. And in all these aspects, it represents restraint and self-worth and self-confidence. When Gabriel tells Tanner that she’s the “epitome of all that is tempting to someone who lacks control,” immodesty is just one part of that. So, modesty has a deeper meaning throughout the book. Other elements of temptation within this novel include addiction and purity.

PI: What was the hardest part of writing Freeing Tanner Rose?

T.M.: Letting it go! I always have a hard time letting a story go.

PI: Do you think you’ll ever come back to Tanner Rose and Gabriel in a future book?

T.M.: Freeing Tanner Rose is the first of a four part series, so it’s likely that Tanner and Gabriel will be back.

Visit Project Inspired and find out how you can win a free signed copy! And don’t forget to “Like” my author page for quick book and PI news on Facebook! (“like” box in sidebar:)