The Bethany House Grand World Tour…and Giveaway!

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Wouldn’t you love to travel? To see the bright colors of India, stare at the ancient architecture of Egypt, or eat Gretel cakes in a cozy little restaurant by the sea? Oh wait. That’s right—we’re all quarantined.

I for one haven’t left my house in twenty days—yes, you read that right, twenty—and I’m getting a little stir crazy. Am I the only one? I doubt it. In light of this, Bethany House brings you a Grand World Tour, compliments of our talented authors! (And if you’re interested enough to complete your journey, the covers are all linked to Baker Book House, running a 30% off and free shipping special for online orders!)

Our first stop is A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy, which takes on a journey from Ithaca, New York to India and back again. The author draws on her own experience in that beautiful country to bring the setting alive. She makes it easy to wonder at the lush forests, colorful insects (don’t let that scare you), and strong Indian flavors right along with Nora, the main character.

Here is a sample of the exotic beauty found in A Mosaic of Wings:

“The oxen’s rumps swayed as they pulled the two-wheeled cart, which the driver had called a mattu vandi when he met them at the guest house in Madras. Above his head, Nora watched the dirt road wind into a copse of pine trees. All around them the hills dipped and lifted, disappearing into the hazy blue horizon toward the Nilgiri Mountains in the distance.

Nora raised off the floor a little. She could just spot the large lake thickly fringed by trees. Like jewels strung across a bangle, red-roofed houses crisscrossed the roads leading to and through the Kodaikanal hill station.”

A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy

Setting: Kodaikanal, India, July 1885

 

Next we have the West Indies in 1776, brought to you by Lisa Bergren. In her novel, Selah, the Caribbean comes bursting into full color and warmth, which is especially refreshing on these cool spring days. Who wouldn’t want to journey to this paradise? Although, as you will see if you read it, Selah is in for her own bit of world-changing drama.

Take a short excursion to Selah’s Caribbean home:

“Vervet monkeys chattered at them from the sprawling branches of a purple-flowered jacaranda tree, seeming to complain about the horses’ sudden appearance in their midst. A bird swooped overhead, crying out with his particular singsong call as if to make sure they admired his green, red, and gold breast. The wind rushed in gusts through the ferns and palms on either side of them. Selah closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, taking comfort in the sounds and sights of the island that had become her home.”

Selah by Lisa Bergren

Setting: West Indies island of Nevis, 1776

 

Leaving the lush greenery behind, we travel to Egypt, where Leif Metcalfe is trying to unscramble the mystery of his past. Not only does Kings Falling take us to the sand of Egypt, it is a world tour in itself, stopping in Africa, China, Taiwan, Afghanistan, The Netherlands, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Maryland, and Virginia.

But for our tour, we will only stop in Egypt:

“Crouched atop the mountain peak, he stared out over the rugged terrain. And that was putting it mildly. The ridges in this section of the Sahara Desert were serrated and forbidding. If you fell, you fell to your death. To his three were the glittering waters of the Red Sea. He shook his head. If he and his team had headed east, they’d have found water. Civilization. But they’d chosen the mountains for protection from the sun, heading south, then west.”

Kings Falling by Ronie Kendi

Setting: Jabal Shaib al-Banat, Egypt, present day

 

Heading back to the United States and a cooler climate, we come to Alaska. In Under the Midnight Sun, we see the proud face of mount Denali and all the flora and fauna surrounding him through the eyes of one of the first women naturalists, Taylor Hale.

Here is our sample of Alaskan beauty:

“Denali stood tall and fierce in the distance. Covered year-round in snow, today was a rare day when the High One allowed people to see him in his glory. A thin halo of clouds wrapped around his crown. The contrast of the massive mountain against the brilliant blue of the sky was glorious.

The air was still as everyone took in the grandeur before them. Lush valleys lay below them, covered in grasses of varying shades of green, the deep, almost black color of the spruce, and a riot of colorful wild flowers. Rivers snaked their way through the landscape like pathways leading to the great mountain. Thomas spotted the area where the Kahiltna Glacier cut its way down the mountain. Was there anywhere on earth that could compare to this? Was this what heaven would be like?”

Under the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

Setting: Curry, Alaska, 1929

 

Remember those Gretel cakes I mentioned in the beginning? Well, we have finally come to the cozy little town by the sea where you can eat them to your heart’s content! Or at least read about eating them. The little town, weathered by the ocean and filled with lobstermen and history, has captured many hearts.

Here is your first taste of this idyllic town:

“And there it is. Down the green hill, the harbor curves in a smile. White houses dot the coast, where all is quiet, save the steady lap of waves. Offshore, a scattering of islands trail into the sea, right up to where the two peninsulas come together in a near-embrace around the protected cove. This is what makes this place a haven. Sailors seek it out as a “hurricane hole,” a place to anchor until fierce storms pass, protected as it is.”

Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes

Setting: Ansel-by-the-Sea, Maine, present day

That concludes our Grand World Tour. We hope you enjoyed it and will continue to discover the beauty of far-off places from the safety of your home!

We know that there are so many books we could have included on this list, but we’ll leave that to you! To win one of the books included on this list (your choice), comment with another book with a setting you’d love to visit. I’ll choose three winners on April 16th.

92 thoughts on “The Bethany House Grand World Tour…and Giveaway!”

  1. I would love to visit Ireland and Melody Carlson’s An Irish Christmas is a great story set there. Thanks for the giveaway!!

    • I lived in Ireland for 3 years, and after I moved back to the States I read Christy Cambron’s series ‘Castle on the Rise.” One of the novels is set in Ireland, and I’d driven past the castle featured in that novel! It took me right back, in heart and imagination! I had never been so happy to read a story set in Ireland.

    • I just finished reading Mary Connealy’s Wild at Heart series set in post-Civil War Idaho territory. It just sounds beautiful. The Rocky Mountains 🏔 set up against land available for ranching. Nearest neighbor is miles away. Sounds like a good place to be right now if you’re supposed to be social distancing.

  7. I would love to visit Costa Rica, Where the Jurassic Park book is set. Without any Dinosaurs of course. Since finally the nice warm weather is making its return, I would love to go to an exotic destination. Thanks for the giveaway! I wish you all good luck.

  11. I think it would be loads of fun to visit Julie Klassen’s Ivy Hill. It seems like such n idyllic little village, perfect for a peaceful getaway.

  14. I’d love to visit Prince Edward Island from Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery and also Montana from Susan May Warren’s Montana Marshall’s series as they both offer serenity among stunning God created beauty.

  15. Dani Pettrey wrote The Alaskan Courage series and I’ve always wanted to visit there.
    Thanks for this giveaway.
    Connie
    cps1950ATgmailDOTcom

  18. I just finished Sweet Violet by Catherine Palmer. India is the setting and it’s a place I’ve least wanted to visit. Then they head to England and that’s one of my favorite places to visit, even though I’ve only been once. I love traveling through books!

  19. Northanger Abbey! I love reading about Cstherine traveling around d the English countryside and Bathn to see Roman ruins and ruins of old abbey’s. Also Around the World in 80 Days, because that takes place in settings around the world, of course! I love reading how Phinead Fogg would have traveled in that bygone century.

  21. If I would ever make it out of Heathrow (having spent a couple lay-overs there), I’d want to see Cornwall, like in The Tutor’s Daughter by Julie Klassen!

  23. Hmmm, truly I would travel most anywhere. But recently the idea of Hawaii has been something I really want to do. A book that comes to mind is Bamboo & Lace by Lori Wick.

  24. I would love to visit New Zealand and The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit’s Settings, as in Close to You from Kara Isaac!! ❤️ I’m a Tolkien fan!

  27. I’d want to visit every spot I read about lol. I just finished Julie Klassen’s The Bridge to Belle Island. I would love to see it and the and the little town across the bridge.

  28. It is nice to visit other places when stuck inside 🙂 I’ve found that I most enjoy books where the setting is somewhat familiar, as then I can really picture the places the characters interact. But I still like to read books about places I’ve never been. Right now I’m reading some set in ancient Jerusalem and Rome by Roseanna White.

  29. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society gave me a longing to visit Guernsey Island in the English Channel. Likewise, Five Days in Skye for the Isle of Skye.

  30. I just finished reading Freedom’s Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli and would love to visit Boston sometime, as well as other places back east that are so rich in our nation’s earliest history. (I live in KS and have never been to any of those places.)

  31. I would enjoy a visit to old Italy, as portrayed in Lisa T. Bergren’s River of Time series. Those books captured my heart and imagination when they first came out and I’d still love to visit.

  34. I just finished The Emerald Isle by Angela Elwell Hunt set in Ballyshannon, Ireland. Beautiful settings. I also read Amanda Dyke’s novella Up from the Sea. Her descriptions drew me right into the story.

  37. I’d like to visit France, and Paris in particular, to view the many memorials to those who so valiantly fought against tyranny in WW2. Like in Kate Breslin’s Far Side of the Sea.

  39. I am looking forward to going to Washington, DC, during the Gilded Age in Elizabeth Camden’s A Gilded Lady. As well as, Chicago in Jen Turano’s, Storing Up Trouble!!!

  41. I love any book set in Alaska and have it on my bucket list. I would love to read Under the Midnight Sun.

  43. I loved Forever Hidden by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse – makes me want to visit the wilds of Nome, Alaska!

  45. I would love to visit the locations in Provence that Patricia Sands writes about in her Love in Provence series.

  46. I would love to visit London like in The Number of Love by Roseanna White. Or Chautona Havig’s Rockland, specifically from her Medellin Madeline series.

  49. I’d love to visit Skye, Scotland — I’ve wanted to since I read Carla Laureano’s Five Days in Skye!

  51. How to choose! I’d love to visit the Cartibean, so Selah sounds amazing. However, I love the adventure through Ronie Kendig’s novels, too! So many amazing places to visit, but Kara Isaac stole my heart with England, Australia and New Zealand! Ireland is next on my list with how much I love Jenny B Jones’ picture perfect portrayal of it. I am so thankful for traveling through books and the amazing messages so many great CF authors have to share!

  53. I would love to visit Scotland, Ireland and England. Three different countries, three differnt people but some of them are probably my family. I would love to find out!

  54. It’s a little unconventional, but I’d love to visit Rosie, Willa, and Barclay’s home in Roseanna White’s series Shadows Over England. (They’re not always together, but you get the idea.) The personalities of those three and then their younger kids made me smile throughout, along with the rambunctiousness of them all! Plus, they’re all skilled in very…interesting ways. (I could probably learn some things from them.) I would love to visit England to spend a day or two with their family! Oh, double points if Peter and Lucas are there too. 😍
    Thank you for the giveaway!

  55. I always love books set in Lancaster PA! I have wonderful memories of visiting with my family. I grew up in PA and it has always been a favorite place of mine .

  58. Oh, how to choose! Two places I would like to visit are Ireland, the setting of Melody Carlson’s ‘An Irish Christmas’, and the Caribbean, as in ‘Selah’ by Lisa T. Bergren. Thank you for this fun giveaway!

  60. I would love to visit the Scottish highlands described in Liz Curtis Higgs’s series that begins with Whence Came a Prince. Love all those books and gorgeous scenery. Thank you for the chance at the giveaway!

  63. Would really enjoy reading a print copy of all of these books! They all sound wonderful! Thanks for the opportunity to enter a giveaway! Lual Krautter Email: krautter12ATbresnanDOTnet

  65. I’d love to vicariously visit Australia and New Zealand, like maybe the upcoming Start With Me by Kara Isaac. My best friend lives in Australia and I’d love to see her beautiful country!

  69. I have never visited Denver, and I just read A Sensible Arrangement by Tracie Peterson, which made me want to visit! I often wish I could take a peek into a city in its past.

  72. I would love to visit The Belmont mansion ! Tamera Alexander’s A Lasting Impression is a story centered on this stunning manor.

  78. I would love to visit the North Carolina coast, which was the setting of Dani Pettrey’s The Killing Tide. Thanks for the chance!

  81. @bookstagrambyalissamorgan here! I would love to visit the setting of Julie Klassen’s book The Tutor’s Daughter. The English coastline always seems so romantic in period dramas and in her book!

  82. I think it would be fascinating to be on Hope Mountain with the Nordegren sisters and see Ilsa run in the treetops. Woman of Sunlight by Mary Connealy.
    But the plantations from Tamera Alexander would be awesome.

  85. Definitely Prince Edward Island from L.M. Montgomery’s books, particularly the descriptions in Anne of Green Gables!

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