Sheila

Cover Reveal for When The Butterflies Came a 2013 middle grade book with Scholastic and a Nine book giveaway in celebration!

 Posted by  News
Jun 022012
 
Here is the cover of Author Kimberley Griffiths Little’s new middle grade book, coming out in 2013.
Isn’t it beautiful? I love Kimberley’s books and I am very excited to read this new book coming out in 2013. 
Kimberley also wants everyone to celebrate this new cover release with her, by giving away 9…NINE  of her books!!!
She has a contest going on for two weeks at her blog.
Here is what you could win.She is giving away…
Three copies of her book: The Healing Spell

 

Critically acclaimed
author Kimberley Griffiths Little brings to life a sweeping and
heartfelt story set against the lush backdrop of the bayou.Twelve-year-old
Livie is living with a secret and it’s crushing her. She knows she is
responsible for her mother’s coma, but she can’t tell anyone. It’s up to
her to find a way to wake her momma up.Stuck in the middle of
three sisters, hiding a forbidden pet alligator, and afraid to
disappoint her daddy, whom she loves more than anyone else, Livie
struggles to find her place within her own family as she learns about
the powers of faith and redemption. Livie’s powerful, emotional, and
sometimes humorous story will stay with readers long after the last line
is read.

 
Three Copies of her book: Circle of Secrets
Critically acclaimed
author Kimberley Griffiths Little weaves a haunting story of friendship
and family and the power of faith, once again set against the lush
backdrop of the Louisiana bayou.After her mother walked out on
Shelby Jayne and her dad, Shelby thought she’d never speak to her mamma
again. But with her dad leaving the country for work, it turns out she
doesn’t have a choice: Shelby has to move back into her mamma’s house,
deep in the heart of the Louisiana bayou.Her new classmates
tease and torment her, so Shelby’s relieved to finally find a friend in
Gwen, a mysterious girl who lives alone on the bayou. But Shelby can’t
help wondering if Gwen has something to do with the puzzling messages
she finds hidden in the blue bottle tree behind her house. The only
person who might be able to explain is her mamma — but Shelby’s not
ready to ask. Not yet. It may take a brush with something from the
beyond to help Shelby see that the power to put her own ghosts to rest
is within her reach.

 

Kimberley Griffiths Little’s haunting and
powerful tale brings one girl’s attempt to grapple with family,
friendship, and forgiveness to beautiful, vivid life.


 
Three ARCs of When the Butterflies Came, to bloggers who post about this cover reveal!!

 

Everybody thinks Tara Doucet has the perfect life. But in reality,
Tara’s life is anything but perfect: Her dear Grammy Claire has just
passed away, her mother is depressed and distant, and she and her sister
Riley can’t seem to agree on anything. But when mysterious and dazzling
butterflies begin to follow her around after Grammy Claire’s funeral,
Tara just knows in her heart that her grandmother has left her one final
mystery to solve.
A strange butler shows up to take Tara and Riley to Grammy Claire’s
house, where Tara finds a stack of keys and detailed letters from Grammy
Claire herself. Note by note, Tara learns unexpected truths about her
grandmother’s life. As the letters grow more ominous and the keys more
difficult to decipher, Tara realizes that the secrets she must uncover
could lead to mortal danger. And when Tara and Riley are swept away to
the beautiful island of Chuuk to hear their grandmother’s will, Tara
discovers the most shocking truth of all — one that will change her life
forever.
From Kimberley Griffiths Little comes a magical, breathtaking mystery full of loss and love, family and faith.

 

Here is the link to her blog! Go and enter now!

Review of Women of Strength by Tristi Pinkston

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
May 252012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Women of Strength
  • Author: Tristi Pinkston
  • Paperback: 142 pages
  • Publisher: Walnut Springs Press. (March 8, 2012)
  • Genre: Non-Fiction LDS
  • ISBN-10: 1599928469
  • ISBN-13: 978-1599928463
  • FTC:FYI: Review copy
  • Reviewed by Sheila

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

The need for courageous, faithful women has never been
greater than it is today. As we draw nearer to the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ, we are faced with temptations on every side. But we can
prevail as we gain true strength from living the gospel.

In Women of Strength, Tristi Pinkston shares inspiring stories, as well as
insightful quotes from Church leaders, to demonstrate the power and
influence of righteous women. This book invites women everywhere to
deepen their relationship with the Savior, rely on the guidance of the
Holy Ghost, and learn what it really means to be strong.

My Review:
 Day to day life struggles can really pull us down.Keeping up with the kids, our jobs, church callings, yard work, laundry, cleaning, etc. make us tired. Being able to review Tristi Pinkston’s new book, Women of Strength, was the breath of fresh air I needed right now. I needed to be reminded of who I am, and how important I really am in this world and in my children’s lives.

The 140 pages of Women of Strength are powerfully packed with messages that will make you think, make you thankful, and encouraged. Some of my favorite chapter titles(Out of the 14 chapters) were:

-Divine Identity

-Womanhood

-Strength in Parenting

-Strength in Keeping the Commandments

-Strengths in Talents

-Becoming Strong 
There is one passage I wanted to quote to you from the chapter entitled, “Strength in Our Divine Identity”. It brought tears to my eyes and filled me with a sense of peace and understanding.

“Sometimes we look around at all of the creations of His hands, and wonder if we really do matter…Surely we must get lost in the crowd and our feature become a blur. That’s what we think, but in reality, we are as precious to our Father as if He only had one child…He not only knows our names, but He knows our thoughts and fears, our strengths and weaknesses, our talents and capabilities,and He knows what we can become, often when we don’t have any idea.
 If I could grant wishes, if I were some kind of good fairy and could sprinkle sparkly dust and give you anything, I would most want to give you the knowledge that you are a daughter of God. When you really understand that, you will find miracles in your life. Your inner peace will be unbounded. Your confidence will burst out of you. Your real beauty will shine forth. A woman who knows who she is? Incredible. Amazing.”…pages 37-38 Women of Strength
Tristi’s writing is so personal in this book, as if she is my best friend helping me feel better about myself. If I had read nothing else in the book, just reading these pages increased my confidence and love for myself. I am grateful for writers like Tristi, who so beautifully express what is hiding there in my heart. Women of Strength will become a guide for many women like me, who need a boost, and reminders of their potential. 


About the Author:

 
Tristi Pinkston is the author of eleven published books –
“Nothing to Regret,” “Strength to Endure,” “Season of Sacrifice,” “Agent
in Old Lace,” “Secret Sisters,” “Dearly Departed,” “Bless Your Heart,”
“Hang ‘Em High,” “Targets in Ties,” “Women of Strength,” and “Million
Dollar Diva.” She also works as a freelance editor and online writing
instructor. When she’s not writing, editing, or homeschooling her children,she enjoys reading, watching good movies, and taking really long naps. You can reach Tristi at her blog here 
You can purchase Women of Strength here at:
Amazon.com and


***I received a review copy of Women of Strength. In no way did this influence the honest review that was given.***









Blog Tour Review of The Most Important Catch by Jaclyn M. Hawkes

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
May 172012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: The Most Important Catch
  • Author: Jaclyn M. Hawkes
  • Paperback: 318 pages
  • Publisher: Spirit Dance Books (March 16, 2012)
  • Genre: Romantic Fiction
  • ISBN-10: 0985164808
  • ISBN-13: 978-0985164805
  • FTC:FYI: I received a review copy of
  • this book.

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

Run or die! She knew too much, and she’d seen too much.
And the police refused to help. Knowing that she was to be the next
scheduled death, Kelly Campbell hid under head to toe black leather and a
tinted motorcycle helmet and ran for her life. When the weather turned
cold, she turned south. She ended up in North Carolina, home to one of
the most famed and eligible NFL football stars in the whole league; only
she didn’t know that. She thought he was a businessman. Not being a
huge fan, all she knew was that he was incredibly attractive, kind,
generous, and that she was safe with him. Or
was she? His brand of fame proved to be all but deadly, but his fame
wasn’t nearly as lethal as his attraction. He kept her safe and
protected. All except for her heart.

 

 

 

 

My Blog Tour Review:

This is the third book of Jaclyn’s that I have reviewed. This book also happens to be just as good as her previous books. The story of Kelly and Robby grabbed me from the start. At the beginning of the book, we meet Robby, whose life as an NFL football player isn’t as wonderful as you would think, especially as he is constantly being stalked by female admirers. Then we read about Kelly, and discover the reason why Kelly has to go on the run in order to save her own life. 

 

Robby and Kelly happen upon each other on a lonely, country road. They immediately keep secrets, about themselves, from each other,and they soon grow close to one another. It was fun to see how their relationship developed. I loved how it showed a relationship developing slowly, from friends to eventual boyfriend/girlfriend. It was a nice change of pace for me. So many times in fiction the man and women are thrown together and fall in love instantly. You have to be patient in this book, but it is such a sweet thing to see how and why this relationship develops. Always in the background you know that Kelly is still in danger and that the bad guys are still looking for her. I only wish that there would have been a little more action in the middle of the story.


There are so many things that worked for me in this novel, such as the strong character development, and the humor and banter between the main characters. You have a man and a woman who are so “perfect” in their looks, but they both have emotional and personality flaws. It made both characters likable and approachable. They are members of the LDS church and share a little about their beliefs, but nothing what I would call preachy. It just made them more well-rounded and wholesome. I truly liked how this was shown throughout the course of the story.

 

The Most Important Catch will be a great beginning to your “Summer To-Read” list. It will make you laugh and believe in love again. Make this novel your most important catch to read this Summer. 




Author bio:
Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4
brothers and any number of pets.  (It was
never boring!)  She received a Bachelor’s
degree, had a career, and traveled extensively before settling down to her
life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging
children.  She loves shellfish, the outdoors, the youth, and hearing her children laugh.  She and her fine husband, their family, and
their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern
Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe.


Social Networking Links

Purchase Links



Blog Tour Review of Espionage:A World War II Novel by A.L. Sowards

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Apr 282012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Espionage:A World War II Novel
  •  Author: A.L. Sowards
  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc; 1st edition (February 29, 2012)
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
  • ISBN-10: 1608611485
  • ISBN-13: 978-1608611485
  • FTC: FYI I was given a review copy of this book.

Book Description:

France, 1944: Nobody expects Peter Eddy to survive his
first commando mission, to retrieve a code book stolen by the Nazis, so
his success is rewarded with an even more daunting assignment. Partnered
with fellow soldier Jacques Olivier, Eddy must identify which of the
three Allied contacts in Calais is a double agent and use the traitor to
help implement a strategic Allied diversion that might win the war.
Eddy and Olivier secretly cross the English Channel to confront their
suspects one at a time, but what appears to be a clean assignment soon
turns disastrous, and a shocking betrayal leaves Eddy in the grip of the
Gestapo. With the courageous aid of Olivier and his sister, Genevieve,
Eddy evades his captors in a highspeed chase through the streets of
Calais. But as the Allied invasion approaches, treachery in the least
likely places leads to fresh graves in the bloodied European soil, and
only the power of loyalty and love can transform tragic endings into new
beginnings.
 
 
My Review:
You start by noticing what an awesome and haunting cover Espionage has. It shows you what is to come. World War II is at the center of this book. This is not a light, easy read at all. This is a book with a great storyline, but it is about war. If you can’t stomach some scenes of bloodshed and torture, you might not like this. If you are a history buff and like to read a well written story, that centers around an American soldier turned spy, you will love this story.

Main character, Peter Eddy, is young, LDS, and angry. His older brother was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He enlists,to somehow exact some revenge for his brother’s death. Little does he know that this isn’t exactly a good reason to go to war. He is almost killed in his first mission, a set-up, where he is basically betrayed. This happens at the beginning and throws me for a loop. From there, he recovers from his injuries and then is off onto another mission where he teams up with a French Resistance Leader named Jacques. Along the way there is deception taking place, a little romance and some healing for our main character. This is the author’s first book and she does an outstanding job of telling a good story, while educating the reader about the horrors and sacrifices of war. My gratitude for our brave soldiers is always renewed after reading a book like this. 

There is a sequel that has been written by A.L. Sowards and submitted to her editor. I will for sure want to read more about these same characters.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A.-L.-Sowards/e/B007FGYQJS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/espionage-amanda-sowards/1108540406?ean=9781608611485&itm=1&usri=espionage&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-TnL5HPStwNw-_-10:1

Deseret Book: http://deseretbook.com/auth/22014/A_L_Sowards

Seagull Book: http://www.seagullbook.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SEARCH&q=espionage&search.x=0&search.y=0#/?filter.author=A.l.%20Sowards&page=1


Author Bio:

  • Sowards is a
    graduate of Moses Lake High School and Brigham Young University. She swam
    competitively for sixteen years, including while she was in college. She found
    it more entertaining to think of plot ideas while following the black line up
    and down the bottom of the pool than having a song in her head that restarted
    with every flip-turn. Sowards currently lives along the Wasatch front with her
    amazing husband and her adorable twin toddlers. She loves hearing from readers
    and can be found on ALSowards.com, Facebook, or Goodreads.
Social Networking Links:

 

To read other reviews in the blog tour go here

Blog Tour review of Caller ID by Rachelle J. Christensen

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Apr 062012
 

Product Details:

  • Title:Caller ID
  • Author: Rachelle J. Christensen
  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (March 13, 2012)
  • Genre: mystery/suspense
  • ISBN-10: 1599559900
  • ISBN-13: 978-1599559902
  • Reviewed by: Sheila
  • FTC FYI: Review copy from the publisher

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

Publication Date: March 13, 2012
When twenty-three-year-old Courtney Beckham is abducted near her home, the search turns up more than just a kidnapping crime. FBI agent Jason Edwards investigates the ten-million-dollar ransom and stumbles upon something he wasn’t meant to find. When Courtney catches a glimpse of the caller ID in her kidnapper’s home, what she sees turns her world upside down.
My Review:
Caller ID has a great storyline with a strong female protagonist. Also, one of my favorite characters from Rachelle’s book, Wrong Number, is back in this book, FBI agent Jason Edwards. This book will keep you reading and gripping the cover. There are also some wicked twists and turns that will leave you shaking your head. Rachelle is a talented writer and has a great handle on the craft of writing a good mystery/suspense novel. There is also a little bit of romance included that is always nice!
I interviewed Author Rachelle Christensen. I hope that you will enjoy reading it.
1.What do you love about writing suspense?
I like to look at things from a different angle, to find that twist that will make the story interesting. While brainstorming for Caller ID, I gathered some ideas from a few different news stories I saw. I kept thinking about the story and wondered, What if?
I also like learning new things and that requires research. This doesn’t just happen in suspense, pretty much all novels require research. I did quite a bit, from interviewing police officers, FBI agents, and undercover drug task force members to studying into how to produce certain drugs.
2.How are Wrong Number, your 1st book and Caller ID related?
Caller ID is a spin-off from my first book, taking FBI Agent Jason Edwards and continuing his story. They can be read as a stand-alone because only one character is the same, but I will say that he was a favorite from Wrong Number that people wanted to know more about.
3.How long did it take you to write Caller ID?
About two months, but I got the idea for the story almost a year before and let it percolate. After the first draft, I went on to torture myself with revisions for the next eight months.
4.What are you working on next?
I just finished writing/editing book one of a new “Wedding Planner Mystery” series. I had so much fun writing this novel and getting to know the characters. The title is Diamond Rings are Deadly Things and it’s set in Sun Valley, Idaho near where I grew up. I’m excited for people to meet my new character.
5.What is your favorite Easter candy?
I love those Reese’s pieces bags that look like a carrot, and I wouldn’t turn down lovely pastel peanut M&M’s either.
Thanks for the fun interview, Sheila!
6.Where are the best places on the internet to learn about you?
My website, www.rachellechristensen.com and my blog www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com
Author Rachelle’s FB Page http://www.facebook.com/rachellechristensenauthor
Book Trailerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8ZjvmatwGo&feature=email

www.rachellechristensen.com

Blog Tour Review of, Protected (Watched Series Book 2), By Cindy Hogan

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Mar 302012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Protected (Watched Series Book 2)
  • Author: Cindy M. Hogan
  • Paperback: 341 pages
  • Publisher: Brigham Distributing (March 24, 2012)
  • Genre:YA, mystery/suspense, romance,
  • ISBN-10: 0985131802
  • ISBN-13: 978-0985131807

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

She has the guy. The terrorists have been taken care of and she is on
the brink of being popular. Life is GREAT! Until they find her. Now she
must run and leave behind everything she knows, including herself.


My Review:

Protected is the second book in the Watched series. (Read my review for the first book, Watched, here.) I think this was an excellent second book in a series! It picked up right where the first book left off. I have to say that Christy is one of my favorite YA female characters. The reason why, is that she is smart, cute, and most of all is she portrayed as a “real” teen. Even though she is in this horrendous situation, she still is a 16 year old girl and she thinks like one. Sometimes YA female protagonists sound and act like the women who write them; not so in this case. Cindy Hogan writes a realistic character and how a 16 year old would talk and think. 
Another thing I loved about Protected is how Christy is in the Witness Protection Program. There is so much that happens to her as she is “trained” in how to live her new life. I was fascinated by how many things she had to learn in able to protect herself from the terrorists. Many of these things/techniques come in handle throughout the book. There are many exciting things that occur, but there is also much character development happening at the same time. In Protected, Christy also learns about relationships and is able to look back at how she has treated others. This whole series is one that I would feel very good about letting my teen read. Christy has high moral standards, and they are tested in this book, but she always stays true to herself. What better message can we send our teens than this?

I also want to applaud Cindy on such great writing. When I read her books I don’t want to quit reading until I am done with the book. The suspense is high in Protected throughout the book. If you haven’t read this series yet you need to. This series is a great combination of YA romance, mystery/suspense and action. 

To get your own copies of Watched and Protected go to Amazon.com. The e-book copies are only $2.99. 
To visit other blogs on the Protected tour go to Cindy’s blog to check out the list. 

About the Author:

Cindy Hogan enjoys spending time with and writing about unpredictable
teenagers. If she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her with her own
teen daughters or her fun husband. She graduated with a BA in secondary
education.
***I received a review e-copy of Protected. In no
way did this influence the honest review that was
given.***
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