22 days until Christmas
Josi began her first novel in 1998 and hasn’t stopped. Her novel, Sheep’s Clothing won the Whitney Award 2007 for Mystery/Suspense and was the Best In State winner for fiction in 2012. Book eleven in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series, Fortune Cookie, will be released in February 2014. Josi currently lives in Willard Utah with her family.
Please take a minute to visit Josi at one of the links below:
WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | PINTEREST
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LDSWBR: What is your favorite Christmas song/hymn? Does it have special meaning to you?
JOSI: O Holy Night is my favorite Christmas song, it just captures what I want Christmas to be but which I struggle to truly hold on to. I love it, though.
LDSWBR: Do you get together with friends/family to play board games on Christmas or New Year’s? What games do you like to play? Do you have a favorite game from your childhood?
JOSI: I’m not a big game player, other than the mind games I play to try and get my kids to clean their rooms :-) Our family does enjoy Settlers of Catan and Apples to Apples, or I should say those are the ones I like. I’d rather watch movies when it comes right down to it.
LDSWBR: If you could recommend only one book from those you read this year, what would it be and why?
JOSI: “Three Little Words” by Ashley Rhodes-Courter. It’s an autobiography of a girl who got lost in the foster care system of Florida in the 80’s. My husband and I read it as part of our training to become Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for children involved in DCFS cases. The book is a symbol of this new opportunity my husband and I are embarking upon but was both shocking, informative, and inspiring. It’s the most powerful thing I read this year.
LDSWBR: Thank you, Josi!
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Rocky Road (Sadie Hoffmiller #10)
AMAZON | KINDLE | BARNES & NOBLE | NOOK | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK
THE ST. GEORGE SPECTRUM
Dr. Trenton Hendricks was last seen Friday, April 8, when he set out alone on a backpacking trip. Hendricks’s Jeep Grand Cherokee was located Tuesday at the Chuckwalla Trailhead, but after six days and thousands of man-hours, the official search has been called off. He is presumed to be deceased.
It was supposed to be a girls’ weekend in scenic St. George, Utah, that would included shopping, trying out the local cuisine, and participating in a breast cancer fund-raiser. The fact that one of the organizers of the fund-raising event, a local doctor, had disappeared two months before was not supposed to be Sadie’s problem.
When Sadie learns that her friend Caro and Caro’s cousin, Tess, have started a grassroots investigation into Dr. Hendrick’s disappearance, Sadie graciously refuses to be a part of it. With her wedding to plan and her most recent case still fresh in her mind, Sadie is determined to leave this case to the police—until she meets the ex-wife of the missing man.
How could she not ask a few questions … that lead to more questions … that lead to a small town and even more questions? When the local police ask her to be their eyes and ears, Sadie can’t help but jump in with both feet. Before she knows it, she is on the rocky road of another investigation, following a convoluted trail of good intentions, hidden motivations, and philanthropy turned big business.
Shannon’s Hope (The Newport Ladies Book Club)
AMAZON | KINDLE | NOOK | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK
When Shannon’s step-daughter moves in following another failed stint in rehab, Shannon puts everything she has into helping Keisha any way she can. Her attempts to help soon turn into covering up Keisha’s failures, and Shannon finds herself risking everything good in her life. Through the love and guidance of her Aunt Ruby, and growing connections to some of the women at the Newport Ladies Book Club, Shannon begins to identify the missing pieces of her own life that she’s tried to fill the wrong way.
Have you played Apples to Apples? Or is Settlers more your style?
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**To enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Christmas 2013, leave a thoughtful comment below.**
Because this is a raffle-style drawing, commenting on each Countdown to Christmas 2013 post will give you more chances to win. Please click through to the website as only comments submitted directly on this post will be accepted.
Prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and the author-donated books listed below. This is raffle-style drawing where all entries throughout the contest period are entered into the same “hat” for all prizes. US only. 18 years and older please. See all contest rules and restrictions below.
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If one of our LDSWBR reviews has ever helped you find a book you enjoyed, please consider helping us spread the word about the LDSWBR Countdown to Christmas 2013. A link posted to your friends and family either in email or on your favorite social network would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2013, you agree to the contest rules below:
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; entrants must be 18 years or older; open to residents of continental US only; giveaway begins December 3, 2013 and all entries must be received by 12:00 Midnight December 23, 2013 Mountain Time; to enter, complete the required entry on each post and any additional entries of your choice if listed; LDS Women’s Book Review reserves the right to determine what is considered a thoughtful comment as per each post’s required entry; giveaway prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and a variety of book prizes donated by featured authors; the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning; LDS Women’s Book Review is not liable for technical problems which may affect entry into the giveaway; winner identity will be verified by email address; winner will be selected December 28, 2013 by use of a sequence generator on random.org; winner will have until January 4, 2014 to claim their prize; if any prize winner forfeits or does not claim prize, prize will be re-awarded to next winner in sequence; all prizes will be awarded; limit of two prizes per entrant; this contest/giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other entity unless otherwise specified; by entering the giveaway you give LDS Women’s Book Review the right to publicize your name on the LDS Women’s Book Review blog; winner agrees to release LDS Women’s Book Review from any liability as a result of winning; email comments and questions to LDS Women’s Book Review – ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com; giveaway subject to Utah regulations; VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
**Book Prizes (as of 12/3/13 – more to be added to this list!)**
- Rocky Road by Josi S. Kilpack (personalized copy)
- Shannon’s Hope by Josi S. Kilpack (personalized copy)
44 Responses to “Rocky Road and Shannon’s Hope by Josi S. Kilpack – Countdown to Christmas 2013”
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I have read and LOVED both of these books!
I am not a big game player either.
I have played Apples to Apples only a few times and I have played Settlers only once, but I remember liking Settlers…but I understand Apples to Apples more :)
I’ve never played Settlers, but Apples to Apples can be pretty funny with a big group of people playing!
I love all of Josi Kilpack’s books, but I am behind on them right now and have not read either of these. I would love to win them! Settlers of Catan is my family’s favorite game to play!
Love your books!!! Haven’t read this and I would love too!!
I didn’t love to read until my Sister introduced me to Josi’s culinary series and now I wait for each new book to come out. Rocky Road has been a fun book, I was raised in Southern Utah so I know the areas that are written about in the book. I haven’t read Shannon’s Hope but I think that will be on my list. Love playing games, we had family game night every Sunday night when I was young, a family sized bowl of popcorn and Kool Aid was the highlight of the week. I have played Apples to Apples, fun game.
I love Josi’s books and haven’t read these.
Josi’s books are on my WishList!!!
i love the covers…..soooo delish!!!
thank you for the giveaway!!!
My family loves Apples to Apples. We also play Phase 10 a lot. I love Josi’s books and she’s pretty amazing too. Great interview!
I would love to win!!
Love all the culinary mysteries! Can’t wait for Fortune Cookie. I haven’t read the series that Shannon’s Hope is in, but it looks like an interesting concept.
Forgot to mention, I’m not much of a game player either. We have Apples to Apples, but somebody (who might be the youngest in our family) always ends up crying every time we play it…..
I have not played Settlers. My children tend to get angry at Risk and always end up hurling the board away in disgust. I worry that if we tried Settlers it might be the same. We have played Apples to Apples and for some reason, I just don’t like it, which I realize makes me suspect in many circles.
Not suspect at all. Playing Apples to Apples in mixed company is a sure fire way to invite disaster into your home. Men and women don’t think the same way and this has led me to ban myself from playing this game when it gets brought out at family functions. Everyone just ends happier that way.
I have never played either of those games but I have heard of them. I love her books and would love to read more of them.
I like both games but we usually play Apples to Apples because it can accommodate more players and my kids love it. When there are only 4-5 players, then we can play Settlers (with the expansion set that allows 5-6 players). I personally would choose to play Settlers if offered a choice and if the number of players made it feasible. I like the strategy involved in playing it.
Love your books!! :)
awesome!! I have almost all of her books except the two newest ones which are on my cmas wish list!! :-) We love getting together and playing family games as well. We are more of the “settlers” kind of games… :-) Merry christmas!!
I haven’t played either one of the games talked about, but over the Thanksgiving holiday, we found ourselves playing Dragon dominoes, Lotto, an electronic version of 20 questions, and Scrabble on my Grandmother’s 1948 game board. We were able to make new memories and remember old ones.
Hey, Josi. We have Apples to Apples at our cabin. ;-) Hope I win! I’ve been a slacker and haven’t bought your two newest books yet. Some loyal reader I am, huh?
I just started the culinary mysteries series a couple weeks ago. What I have read so far, I have enjoyed. I couldn’t put Lemon Tart down and had it read in 2 days. Can’t wait to read the rest.
Josi is a very gifted writer as well as an amazing person. I am lucky enough to call her my friend. I love her books, and look forward to each new one. Merry Christmas!
I love Josi S. Kilpacks books. I love her culinary mystery books and love her writing. I really hope I win these books.
I’ve never played Apples to Apples but I love Settlers! We always play that at the holidays.
I love both games…which I prefer at a given time depends on the setting. For smaller groups, I like Settlers; for larger, Apples to Apples.
We’ve played… and played… and played… and played Apples to Apples. Wouldn’t really care if I never played it again. Every Christmas I’m on the lookout for a new game because we love to play games together!
I love to play Apples to Apples with my family — it’s a quick game and lots of fun! I’ve only played Settlers a few times (my older kids enjoy that more).
What is Settlers? We’ve played Apples to Apples a bunch… haven’t for awhile. We do a lot of puzzles though, love the Dowdle ones.
Don’t enter me into the contest. I’ve read both of those books already! :-)
I love Apples to Apples! There have been SOOO many times that my family and I have played that game and laughed till our stomachs hurt. What is Settlers?
Loved this book. Made the Maddox Ranch rolls right away. Delicious but oven too hot. I prefer Apples. Have you tried Wits to Wagers? Great game.
Love Apples to Apples, but I mostly enjoy playing more complex games like Settlers. Ticket to Ride and 7 Wonders are my current favorites.
These culinary Mystery books are great!! I am definitely an Apples to Apples girl though my mindset can be too random at times (for some reason Sean Connery goes with so many things) so it varies as to how successful I am at the game. :-)
I like apples to apples with a big group!
You need a big group for Apples to Apples, but it’s usually pretty funny when we do play. My husband loves Settlers of Catan.
Apples to Apples is my absolute favorite game! I don’t like playing with my family so much because they take it too seriously. You have to be a little silly to have allot of fun with that game.
We LOVE Apples To Apples! We always take it on our summer family camping trips. :)
Our whole family loves settlers. It’s one of the few games that we will sit down as a family to play. We also have apples to apples, but I don’t like it as much
Apples to Apples is one of my very favorites. We play Settlers with my sister and her husband. We like it, but prefer the low-key play and conversation that is inspired by games like Apples to Apples.
Confession: we have played neither one! I know it seems weird to be LDS and not have played Settlers, since it seems like almost everyone has that I know. Perhaps I should purchase it for Christmas or for Valentine’s Day for my husband and I to play. I think our little kiddos are too young, but if we enjoy it we could always teach them as they get older. We do like playing other games though, especially classic Yahtzee!
I’ve played both just once. I recall really enjoying Apples to Apples. Settlers I think I accidentally won. Ha ha.
Yes, I love playing Apples to Apples, but have never played Settlers before, although I’ve heard really great things about it!
We love apples to apples over settlers at our house!
Can’t say I’ve ever played either one. My sisters loves both of them though! :)
We love Apples to Apples…junior style!
I have played apples to apples with some family member s was a fun game. It’s always fun to play games with the extended family. I haven’t heard of the settlers.