Must-Have February Releases

It’s time for another month of new releases! I’m super excited, because this month has some great reads that I just can’t wait for! Besides that, I just love it every time we start a new month, because that means I can start a whole new set of goals! But that’s next week. So, for today, check out these new releases!

My Bookshelf: A Moonbow Night + A Linkup

In an uncertain time, she faces a choice that will change her life forever.

After fleeing Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River. It’s a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke—men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew, looking for an experienced guide.

Though he balks when Tempe is appointed to lead his team through the wilderness, it isn’t long before Sion must admit that her abilities may outmatch his own. But can the tenuous tie they are forming survive the dangers waiting just around the bend?

My Bookshelf: An Uncommon Courtship + A Linkup

Lord Trent Hawthorne couldn’t be happier he is not the duke in the family. Free to manage his small estate and take his time discovering the life he wants to lead, he has grand plans of wooing and falling in love with the woman of his choice. When he finds himself honor bound to marry a woman he doesn’t know, his dream of a marriage like his parents’ seems lost forever.

Life for Lady Adelaide Bell was easier when she hid in her older sister’s shadow—which worked until her sister got married. But even with her socially ambitious mother’s focus entirely on her, the last thing she expected was a marriage of convenience before she’s been introduced to society.

With nothing going as expected, can Trent and Adelaide’s marriage of obligation survive their own missteps and the pressures of London society to grow into a true meeting of hearts and minds?

December Numbers and January Goals + A Linkup

It’s 2017!!! I don’t know how that’s possible, considering it was just 2015, but somehow it is, and that means it’s time for another year of resolutions! But this year, since I’m a little older and hopefully a little wiser, I’ve decided to cut the resolutions for a change. I never really follow through with them, and I always get disappointed when I fail, so I decided it would be a good idea to do something a little bit more achievable this year. Therefore, I’m going to continue to write these numbers and goals posts in the hope that I can get better at accomplishing them, and I’m going to attempt for the first time ever—which is weird since I’m a writer—to write a journal entry every day this year. Let’s see if I can keep these resolutions!

No Linkup

Happy New Year!

I am so excited that a new year is upon us, and I can't wait to see what it holds! For this second day of the year, my sister and I decided it would be better to wait one more week before bringing back the Grace + Lace Linkup, since we have been so crazy busy because of the holidays. So, next week, we promise we will be back and ready to see all you have been up to over the last few weeks! 

I hope your first week of 2017 is fantastic!

Must-Have January Releases

Happy almost-January! Here is my list of the books that release in the coming month that I am most excited for!

My Bookshelf: A Beauty So Rare + A Linkup

Pink is not what Eleanor Braddock ordered, but maybe it would soften the tempered steel of a woman who came through a war—and still had one to fight.

Eleanor Braddock—plain, practical, no stunning Southern beauty—knows she will never marry. But with a dying soldier’s last whisper, she believes her life can still have meaning and determines to find his widow. Impoverished and struggling to care for her ailing father, Eleanor arrives at Belmont Mansion, home of her aunt, Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America—and possibly the most demanding, as well. Adelicia insists on finding her niece a husband, but a simple act of kindness leads Eleanor down a far different path—building a home for destitute widows and fatherless children from the Civil War. While Eleanor knows her own heart, she also knows her aunt will never approve of this endeavor.

Archduke Marcus Gottfried has come to Nashville from Austria in search of a life he determines, instead of one determined for him. Hiding his royal heritage, Marcus longs to combine his passion for nature with his expertise in architecture, but his plans to incorporate natural beauty into the design of the widows’ and children’s home run contrary to Eleanor’s wishes. As work on the home draws them closer together, Marcus and Eleanor find common ground—and a love neither of them expects.

But Marcus is not the man Adelicia has chosen for Eleanor, and even if he were, someone who knows his secrets is about to reveal them all.

My Bookshelf: Finding Margo + A Linkup

Off the charts and on the run.

International pop star Margo Harman could use a night off. A grueling tour and overbearing entourage have sent her over the edge. It’s time for this diva to disappear. And who would think to look for the superstar in a small Dutch town in Ohio?

Sheriff’s deputy Brock Moore is undercover as well. He knows Margo isn’t who she appears to be, but her uncanny resemblance to a local Amish woman is raising all sorts of questions…the kind that make her a target for a killer.

Both are determined to find answers, but their mutual attraction stands in the way of either of them doing it alone.

Is finding Margo the solution to Brock’s problems or just the beginning…?

November Numbers & December Goals + A Linkup

How is it already December? I know, I know, I say that every single month, but I really feel like this whole semester has just flown by at warp speed. However, I don’t exactly think that is a bad thing, because I’m super excited to finally be on winter break, after this week is over that is. As has been the case the last couple of years, November has been a really unproductive month for me as far as blogging is concerned, so I’m excited to hopefully finally have some time to devote to blogging! Anyway, here’s what I’ve been up to this last month!

6 Books Read

Honestly, I am pretty disappointed by this, but I am not surprised. I only read six books last month, and I was hoping to read at least one more this month, but since I had finals to prepare for and a youth retreat to chaperone, I had a feeling that wouldn’t happen. So while I wish I had read more books, I’m not super surprised or disappointed that I didn’t. Besides, the books I did read—The Lady and the Lionheart, Trust My Heart, Always Watching, The Silent Songbird, Finding Margo, and A Lasting Impression—were all really enjoyable novels (and can you see how behind I am on posting my reviews? 😭).

6 Books Purchased

Now this I am super happy about! I only thought I would end up purchasing two books this month, so that was my goal, but then Cyber Monday happened, and I ended up getting four more! I’m super pumped about that, as the six extra books will help me to get closer to owning all of the books in a couple of series that I love, so I’d say I had a pretty successful month in this regard. Anyway, I bought two new books that I read—The Silent Songbird and Finding Margo—and I also found four slightly used novels (and only spent $10, for all of them combined 😂) that I really wanted to get. So, not only did I add those two new books to my shelf, I also added The Fiddler, A Reluctant Courtship, A Necessary Deception, and The Dandelion Field, which means now I finally own all the books in those three series!

0 Workouts Completed

Well, are you really surprised? My goal was only to complete 4 lousy workouts, and yet somehow I managed to keep from doing a single one. However, this doesn’t surprise me either, as working out isn’t exactly my favorite thing.

16 Blog Posts Published

Unfortunately, this didn’t meet my goal either, but at least it was still a decent number, and not only eight or ten as I’ve previously fallen down to at this time of year. I still managed to get a decent number of posts out there, and since I enjoyed writing them, I’m pretty happy about that. I just hope this month will be better since I will be on break by Friday.

Now on to my goals for this month!

Read 7 Books

Hopefully I will get the chance to read much, much more than this since I will be on break, but I’m going to aim low so that I will be more likely to actually reach this goal!! Besides, I’m always excited when I’m able to read more than I thought I would be able to, so I’m hopeful that by having a more manageable goal, I’ll be more likely to enjoy the number I’ve read at the end of the month.

Purchase 2 Books

Again, this is a low number, but since I’m not going to count any books that I get for Christmas, but rather only ones that I purchase, I think that it’s probably smart to keep this number small. I know of two books that are coming out that I really want to get, and I’ll be happy with just those two. Besides, most of my extra spending money—that I don’t responsibly save—will be going towards Christmas presents rather than things for myself. So, I think this is actually a pretty decent goal.

Publish 18 Blog Posts

This just seems to be my go-to number every month, so I figured why not aim for this many again, and see if I could actually post all of the posts I’m planning on posting. Every once and a while there is just a book I don’t end up wanting to read, or a Top Ten Tuesday theme I don’t really relate to, and I end up skipping one of my planned posts from my calendar. However, I think 18 is a really decent number to go with, so I’m hopeful it will work out this month.

Workout 1 Time a Week

I know that this still isn’t very much of a goal, but considering how terrible of a job I did last month when it came to working out, this is actually probably shooting pretty high. However, since I don’t have school after this week, I’m hoping that maybe I will actually be able to meet this goal for once. We’ll see!

Well, that’s what I’ve been up to this past month and my goals for the days to come!

Now on to the linkup!

FEATURES

First, I'm featuring Michele from Living Our Days and her fabulous review of a book about parenting.

Second, I'm featuring Rachel from Garay Treasures and her post about what makes her happy.

RULES

 -Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows and Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This linkup has no theme so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have the right to delete your link if it isn't appropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

To see where I’m linking up, check out my Where I Party page.

Must-Have December Releases + A Linkup

It’s almost December! And you know what that means: Christmas is right around the corner! I for one cannot wait for the holiday, and I’m looking forward to celebrating with all my family and friends. Plus, I have just a couple more weeks before I’m done with another semester of school, and I couldn’t be more excited about that. Unfortunately for me, as far as this post is concerned, there aren’t very many books releasing this month. However, I am really excited for the few that are! So, let me tell you all about them!

No Linkup for Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Week!!!
Because of the holiday (and a really busy week/weekend) Sarah and I aren't hosting the linkup this week, but we will be right back on schedule for next week!
Can't wait to be back with you next Monday!

My Bookshelf: Trust My Heart + A Linkup

Love is headline news when a small-town reporter teams up with the heir to a local estate.

Grant McAllister arrives in Murphy, North Carolina, with one aim: to sell his inherited property and leave as quickly as possible. The big-city lawyer has no interest in his late, estranged grandparents or the dilapidated mansion he just acquired. After his high-profile divorce, he should be avoiding perky reporters, too. But Jami Carlisle is honest, funny, and undeniably appealing.

After breaking up with her safe-but-smothering boyfriend, Jami is determined to ace her first big assignment. A story about the McAllister estate is too intriguing to ignore—much like its handsome, commitment-phobic heir. Thanks to her digging, the pieces of Grant’s fraught family history are gradually fitting into place, but also upending all his old beliefs.

The two draw closer as they share their dreams, until misread signals and misunderstandings begin to test their trust. But in the unspoiled beauty of the Smoky Mountains, there’s healing and forgiveness to be found. And for Grant, this unplanned detour may be just what’s needed to finally guide him home…

Must-Have November Releases + A Linkup

Somehow it’s already time for another one of my must-have releases posts, but I have to say, I’m kind of glad. First of all, because I really enjoy writing about books I’m looking forward to reading, and secondly, because that means it’s almost November! And that means Thanksgiving, with Christmas right behind it! But for right now, let’s just talk about these books that I can’t wait to read!

A Busy Week + A Linkup

Happy Monday!
This week has been crazy hectic for both me and my co-host, and sister, Sarah, so unfortunately this week's linkup will not be as well put together as it normally is. However, we didn't want to cancel this week's linkup altogether, so don't worry, it's still at the bottom of this post. I just don't really have anything to share with you, as the first time I've had a chance to sit down and blog in days is Sunday night, just minutes before I need to go to bed. Plus, I was going to talk about another outfit I wore this week, and neither of my sisters had a chance to help me take pictures, so I wouldn't have had any visuals to go with my words about my outfit! So I'll save it for another day.
Well, I hope all of you haven't been nearly as busy over the last few days, but I just want you to know my co-host and I are still just as excited to read all of your posts, so be sure to still linkup! Just because we've been a bit remiss in our blogging doesn't mean we don't want to see what you all have been up to! So link away, and I promise I will hopefully be back to regular programming next week!
And now on to the linkup!

RULES

-Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows and Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This linkup has no theme so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have the right to delete your link if it isn't appropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

FEATURES

Unfortunately this week we don't have any specific features, but we have been loving all of the posts that have been linked up, so I'd say this week, all of y'all are featured! Way to go! Check back next week for our regular featured posts.

An InLinkz Link-up

To see where I'm linking up, check out my Where I Party page.

A Little Fashion + A Linkup

Happy Monday! Today I am doing something I have never done before and am talking about fashion! I’ve realized over the past few months that I really enjoy coming up with cute outfit ideas, so I thought I would talk a bit about them here! This is a learning process for me, though, so I probably won’t have a lot of links and similar clothes mentioned or anything like that for a while, but I will tell you about what I’ve worn! Here’s what I wore to church yesterday:

The dress is a new one that I picked up from Altar’d State not too long ago, and it’s one of my favorites to wear right now. It’s so comfortable! The chambray shirt is at least a year old, possibly two, but I wear it ­all the time. Oh, and I got it at Ross. The key necklace is one of my favorite statement pieces, but I actually can’t remember where I got it. It’s old as well. And the nude ballet flats I just got maybe about 6 months ago, and they are my go to shoes for literally every outfit. They’re from Target, but I feel like you can find them absolutely anywhere.

Now let me talk about my nails and make-up—or lack thereof—for a minute. When it comes to make-up, I simply don’t wear any. I’ve struggled with acne for a while now, and I’ve noticed that make-up does ­not help matters at all. So I just keep it simple and go natural. Besides, make-up is just something I’m not good at, and it doesn’t really bother me to go without it. Nails, though, are a different story. I absolutely love creating cute nail art, so my nails are constantly painted. If you can tell from the above picture, my nail polish is dark, way darker than I normally paint them, but that is completely purposeful. Check them out!

Although the blue is a little darker than I wanted it to be, I absolutely had to paint my nails with a design that supported my baseball team, especially since they are currently on their way to the World Series! Okay, so they haven’t exactly finished playing in the ALCS yet, but they are already leading the series 2-0, so I am extremely confident that they will make it to the World Series. Anyway, I knew as soon as we beat the Red Sox in the ALDS that I absolutely had to come up with a design to cheer them through the ALCS! So, I bought some blue nail polish, and created this cute design with the C for the Cleveland Indians! And that’s what I wore this past Sunday!

And now on to the linkup!

FEATURES

First, I’m featuring Casey from Cattails, Rabbit Trails, and Thistlefish with her post about the books on her bookshelf.

Second, I’m featuring Shea from Shea Lennon and her post about her super cute outfit composed of a striped dress and adorable moto jacket.

RULES

 -Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows and Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This linkup has no theme so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have the right to delete your link if it isn't appropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

To see where I’m linking up, check out my Where I Party page.

Photo credits go to my sister, Allie, whose blog you can visit here.

Thoughts from the Weekend + A Linkup

Happy Monday! I struggled for a long time with what I wanted to write about for today’s post, so I ended up deciding on talking about two different things that have been on my mind the last couple of days. First of all, I am sure many of you have heard about Hurricane Matthew and its effects here on the coast of Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina. While I don’t live on the coast, my area was still affected to some degree by the storm. We dealt with rain, strong winds, and power outages here in the Midlands, and just seeing the hurricane’s effects here kept those closer to the storm on my mind all weekend. Although my area of the state was extremely blessed by being saved from the worst part of the storm, many areas near me were not so fortunate, so they are constantly in my prayers.

September Numbers & October Goals + A Linkup

Happy October! I can’t believe September is already over, but I’m almost glad it is because October means fall and more football and birthdays and fall break and getting that much closer to two of my favorite holidays. As I stated last month in my August Numbers and September Goals post, this is a new thing I’m starting to write about every month, and I got my inspiration from Becky @ byBMG. I just thought it was such a cute idea, so I’ve used that inspiration to make an idea of my own! So, here’s what I’ve been up to this past month and what I hope to do in the month to come!

Must-Have October Releases + A Linkup

I can’t believe it’s almost October already! This year just seems to be flying by, and now I find myself counting down the days to my birthday, even though I feel like my last birthday was just days ago! The best part about this month is that there are TONS of fantastic books coming out, and since it’s my birthday month, I deserve to purchase as many of them as I want. I mean, it is my birthday, after all. And these are quite a few books that I just have to have. So, let me tell you all about them! Oh, and as always, if you want to see any of my full reviews of some of the already-released books I mention, just click on the coral colored titles!

Thoughts on Anxiety + A Linkup

This post is a little bit all over the place, but as I didn’t have anything else on the agenda, I thought I would share some of the thoughts I’ve been having this past weekend. I just got back from a week-long trip to the beach Saturday afternoon, and I’ve been absolutely dreading going back to reality. In a way, I’ve already had to since I’ve had homework to do, but I’m really hating the fact that my somewhat hectic schedule picks back up today. Anyway, one of my homework assignments was on a few verses from Philippians 4, including the verse commanding us not to be anxious about anything, and that hit me hard. I am a terrible worrier, and I’m constantly fretting over homework assignments, and my lack of time to get things done, and how my money seems to disappear before I’ve even made it, but that isn’t how God wants me to be.

Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark + A Linkup

What mysteries lie hidden beside the dark water of the Bayou?

Swept away from Louisiana Bayou country as a child, Miranda Miller is a woman without a past. She has a husband and a child of her own and a fulfilling job in a Manhattan museum, but she also has questions—about the tragedy that cut her off from family and caused her to be sent away, and about those first five years that were erased from her memory entirely.

Summoned to the bedside of Willy Pedreaux, the old caretaker of her grandparents’ antebellum estate, Miranda goes back for the first time, hoping to learn the truths of her past and receive her rightful inheritance. But Willy’s premature death plunges Miranda into a nightmare of buried secrets, priceless treasure, and unknown enemies.

Follow one woman’s search through the hidden rooms of a bayou mansion, the enigmatic snares of an ancient myth, and the all-consuming quest for a heart open enough for love—and for God.