Jul 312013
 

the-reluctant-blogger-ryan-rapier-978-1-4621-1254-8_coverThe Reluctant Blogger

Author: Ryan Rapier

Publisher: Cedar Fort/Bonneville

Publish Date: August 13, 2013

ISBN13: 9781462112548

Paperback: 432 pages

FTC FYI: Received a PDF and a paperback copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

Dr. Schenk, I don’t know if what I’ve written amounts to a breakthrough or not, but I hope you know how difficult this was for me. I also hope this proves how serious I am.

Todd knows he is in a bad place. That’s why he went to a therapist in the first place, and that alone took a lot of doing. So when Dr. Schenk threatens to stop their sessions unless Todd puts in more effort, he grasps at the last available straw: a personal blog that will force Todd to confront his demons.

Ever since he lost his wife, Todd has not been the same. He’s been forced to Single Adult activities at church, and everyone seems to expect him to just forget Marci and get married again—especially when he meets Emily, who makes him smile and starts to bring him out of his depression. But dating again is hard when Todd has three kids of his own, not to mention an overbearing father and friends with their own problems.

This beautifully woven and emotional tale is both heartbreaking and humorous. Championing friendship, love, and family, Ryan Rapier deals adeptly with the everyday struggles we face as well as the strongest ties that keep us together. You’re sure to fall in love with this magnificent tale of redemption, forgiveness, and new beginnings.

My Review

5 out of 5 stars.  I found this book very moving and enjoyable.  I took my time reading this because I didn’t want it to end.  I grew to love Todd, his kids, Emily, Todd’s mother and father, and especially Dr. Schenk.  Ryan does an incredible job of character development and telling a great story.  I liked how he was able to work in “flashback” scenes, while still keeping my attention on the present.  When we first meet Todd, he is struggling with the loss of his wife.  He is seeing Dr. Schenk, and the good doctor is very frustrated with Todd.  He suggests to Todd that he start writing a blog to try to help him express his feelings.  I thought this was very clever.  Life throws some lemons at Todd and I enjoyed how he made his lemonade.  There are some very funny moments and moments that you will need a tissue.

Author Links

Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Publisher

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

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Jul 242013
 

9781462110353_p0_v2_s260x420Guardians

Author: Heather Frost

Published: July 9th, 2013

Publisher: Sweetwater Books

ISBN: 978-1-4621-1035-3

Hardcover: 384 pages

FTC FYI: Received a hardcover from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Backcover

Kate Bennett has escaped captivity, but she has not escaped the hunt.  The Demon Lord has one million dollars on Kate’s head, and every bounty hunter around is just waiting for the chance to break through her Guardian force.  Kate’s only shot at staying alive and protecting her loved ones is to lead the Seers on a mission to the past and kill the Demon Lord before he comes to power.

But Patrick, Kate’s immortal Guardian and the love of her life, knows what happens when she travels back in time:  he has seen her die in his arms.  With Patrick keeping a protective watch over her, Kate knows she can never accomplish this mission, but she cannot wait around to be captured by Demons again, either.

The final installment of the Seer trilogy bring Kate Bennett’s tale to a surprising and exciting conclusion filled with love and heartache, danger and triumph, loss and redemption.

My Review

Wow!  What can I say.  This book was the perfect ending to a series that just got better and better with each book.  So many thrilling and exciting things happen is this book.  One thing in particular that I thought was done brilliantly by the author.  (But I can’t tell you what it was)  What I loved most about his series was it was clean with exceptionally writing.  I grew to love Kate and Patrick.  And there will always be a special place in my heart for Tony, too.  I can’t summarize anything that happens because it will give too much away, but be warned.  Once you stop reading, clear your schedule.  You won’t be able to stop until the last page is turned.  Another aspect I thought the author handled well was the beginning.  *Possible Spoiler*  At the end of Demons you are left hanging as to what happens to Kate, but I liked how Heather gradually brought that in, making you hungry for more.

5 out of 5 stars.  I loved how the everything wrapped up at the end.  There were smiles and tears.  Guardians is Book 3 of this series, so start with Seers and then Demons.  

Author Links

Goodreads / Facebook / Website

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

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Jul 222013
 

thehouseatrosecreekThe House at Rose Creek

Author: Jenny Proctor

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: July 2013

Softcover: 251 pages

Genre: Contemporary LDS Romance

ISBN# 978-1-60861-894-1

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Kate Sinclair wasn’t planning on inheriting her family’s 100-year-old farmhouse. She wasn’t even planning on going back to Rose Creek. But when her aunt unexpectedly passes away, leaving her the house, she finds herself forced to confront her past, including the family she hasn’t spoken to in years.

When she finds a journal belonging to a distant ancestor in the attic of the old house, she begins a journey that reconnects her with her faith, her family, and herself.

But trouble looms. Kate’s new love interest, Andrew, has a past full of secrets. And the state department of transportation wants to bulldoze the old farmhouse for a highway project. Will Kate be able to see through Andrew’s past? Most importantly, will she find a way to save her house and hold onto the fragile threads that tie her to her family?

Review

The House at Rose Creek is a well-written debut novel with a deeper, more layered story than I expected. While it was definitely a love story, the romance was not always front and center. There was a rediscovering of love of home and family as well as a developing love and respect for those who came before. In a way, there was also a retelling of romance past as the main character reads about Ian and Jennie in his journal.

I didn’t really care for Kate at first but she quickly grew on me. I could feel the connection between her and Andrew right away. Andrew was really great, but I’m glad he had a bit of a history to keep things real. The secondary characters had dimension and personality, even if I didn’t like how they reacted some of the time, but that’s what made them more realistic. The situation with Kate’s family was relatable, tense at times and not quickly or easily resolved, but efforts and progress were still made even if everything wasn’t tied up in a pretty bow at the end. There was only one part, the sudden appearance of a former love interest, that felt a bit contrived to me.

I liked how the journal of her ancestor tied into Kate’s story and inspired her, not just in her investigation into the Church but in learning more about her family history. I, too, felt inspired to delve back into my family history. I enjoyed learning about Ian and looked forward to reading each of his journal entries throughout the story.

Readers who like a story with history and a nice romance will enjoy The House at Rose Creek. The writing is clean and easy to read, effectively evoking the emotion of the scene. I hope Jenny is hard at work on her next book because I look forward to reading more from her.

**There is a Goodreads giveaway for The House at Rose Creek open until July 31, 2013!!**

Visit Jenny:

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Find The House at Rose Creek:

AMAZON | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK | GOODREADS

Jul 182013
 

 

 

 Product Description

  • Title: Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away
  • Author: Diony George
  • Paperback: 112 pages
  • Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (July 9, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1462111890
  • FTC, FYI: I was given a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

 
Book Description
Before we came to earth, we lived in heavenly realms. We knew our Heavenly Father. We walked and talked with Him. We heard His voice. We felt His love. In Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away, beloved author Diony George teaches us how to reestablish that relationship with Him here on earth. 

With the help of this book you will…
• Learn that nothing is too small or unimportant to discuss with Heavenly Father
• Find peace and contentment through daily communication with God
• Gain a better understanding of why some prayers seem to go unanswered
• Develop a greater knowledge of the power of prayer
 
The inspirational and enlightening experiences found within these pages will change your life forever by strengthening your relationship with God and filling your life with peace, teaching us that heaven really is just a prayer away.

Excerpt:

Repeatedly through prayer I’ve received wisdom to handle situations in my life I wasn’t dealing well with on my own, especially in my role as a Mother.

 

My bedroom was quiet, and warm from the afternoon sun, but I didn’t find it comforting as I shut the door behind me. I was exhausted, filled with so much frustration I wanted to scream. I started to cry instead.

 

My son had lied to me again.

 

I had tried to do everything I knew how to get him to stop. Nothing worked. Not losing friends, video games or television. Not writing sentences, or doing dishes for a week. And none of the many talks or family home evening lessons we’d had about honesty. My discouragement ran deep and I had run out of ideas. How could I get him to understand the immense value of this principle? How could I believe anything he told me?

 

I’d prayed about it many times, at least I thought I had, in a general way, but the problem persisted and my discouragement and feelings of helplessness to change it increased.

 

I knelt down by my bed. The filtered rays of sunshine coming through the bedroom window warmed my back and I started another prayer. I felt tired, sad, and at a loss of where to go next. “Father in Heaven, I don’t know what to do. Please help me…”

 

I told him all of my concerns until my knees were sore. When I finished, I opened my eyes and grabbed a Kleenex to wipe the tears off my face. I got up and sat on the edge of my bed. Releasing the emotions helped lighten my heavy heart, but I still didn’t know what to do.

 

It wasn’t long before a thought entered my mind.

 

Really, Heavenly Father, I questioned. You want me to do that? How can that possibly work? What about the next time and the next time he tells me something?

 

I was to tell my son I was not going to look back anymore at the times he’d been dishonest, the times he’d covered the truth with excuses or denials. That was over and done with. From then on, I would believe he was telling me the truth. I was going to trust him.

 

I called my son to my bedroom so we could talk and I told him right then I was drawing a line, separating the past from the future. I watched his eyes grow bigger as he listened. With parted lips, he searched my face.

 

 “Unless you do or say something to break my trust, I am now giving it to you completely.” Heavenly Father are you sure, I questioned again, feeling afraid.

 

His answer was a warm feeling of peace.

 

My son’s eyes watered and he hugged me. “Thanks Mom, I love you.” He turned and left the room.

 

My tears fell again.

 

 Over the next several months I saw my son change. The first few times I asked if he was sure he was being honest or telling the truth, there was hesitation. Occasionally he changed his answers. As time passed the hesitations disappeared and his responses were strong and firm.

 

I would never have thought to handle that situation the way I did, on my own. That inspiration and guidance came directly from Heavenly Father as an answer to my prayers.

 

 

 

My Review

 

 

This is one of the most beautiful books I have read about prayer. I loved reading the simple stories of Diony’s life showing how prayer can bring peace to our lives.

I loved this message from the book…

Modern day leaders of the Church have also taught us to pray always.
        
      ‘Carry…the spirit of prayer throughout every duty that we have to perform in life.’

We can pray when we are seeking safety or facing temptation, when we need guidance and inspiration-anytime we need help with anything.”

This really brings so much comfort to our souls knowing that we can pray in any situation. Some of the chapters in the book are entitled:

  • Pray Always
  • Pleadings for Peace
  • How He Answers
  • His Timing, Not Ours
  • Draw Near Unto Him
  • Prayer Changes Things

 These are only a few of the thirteen chapters included in this uplifting book about prayer. If you want any questions answered about prayer, you will find those answers in this book. If you want to improve your quality of prayers that you give, you will find scriptures giving you answers of how to make your prayers more meaningful. Regardless of where you are spiritually right now in your life, Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away will give you strength and encouragement, and help you draw closer to Father in Heaven by remembering to pray several times a day. He is there and listening waiting for you to call out to him. Thank you Diony for writing another book that will influence many people for the good.


Meet Author Diony George   
Diony George is a wife, full-time mom of seven, grandmother of three, and a published author of uplifting women’s fiction and inspiring nonfiction. She is also a regular contributing writer for Deseret Connect and FamilyHow. Originally from Alaska, she currently lives in Salt Lake City with her family. Besides writing she loves to read, especially romantic suspense, bake, sew and craft.
Her current fiction WIP, Inside the Heart, is based around the kidnapping and disappearance of four-year-old Emma. Her newest nonfiction book, Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away was just released by Cedar Fort, Inc.

 

 

Jul 122013
 

 


Product Description

  •  Title:Ashes Ashes (Hostage Negotiation Team series #2)
  • Author: Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Paperback: 218 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 7, 2013)
  • Genre: Romantic Thriller
  • ISBN-10: 1484886402
  • FTC FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

Book Description
Are you ever really innocent until proven guilty?

Sophia Naziri is wanted for questioning in the murder of a U.S. senator. She’s worried the police will show up on her doorstep any moment, but when Detective Colby Black appears, it’s to help her put out a kitchen fire, not take her in. Yet. His easy smile and persistence in getting to know her pushes all her troubles to the back of her mind, until a hit man tracks her down. Getting arrested becomes the least of her worries and the handsome detective could be her only way out—if she tells him the truth.

Colby Black’s sniper skills have been a blessing and a curse to him. As a member of a Hostage Negotiation Team, he can use them to save people, but sometimes he can’t protect the innocent despite his best efforts. When a hostage situation goes bad, he tries to put it behind him by helping out his mysterious next-door neighbor, Sophia Naziri. But she pulls Colby into a web of lies and conspiracy that will force him to use every skill he has in order to survive. Faced with the moment of truth, can he trust anyone around him—including the woman at the center of it all?

 Excerpt from Chapter One…

“The suspect isn’t making demands, he’s not talking, and he’s already shot four people today.  He’s a convicted felon and isn’t going to come quietly.  Negotiation isn’t an option, so we’re going with the entry team.  Colby, if you get the shot, take it because he won’t hesitate to take our guys down and kill the hostages.”

 

Adrenaline ran through Colby at his captain’s words.  No matter how long he’d been in the business, he never liked hearing that.  But if it could save an innocent life, he would do what he could.  He got ready and he didn’t have to wait long.  The man was holding out his arm, pointing the gun at the woman.  “Suspect is holding gun on hostage, he looks ready to shoot.”

 

He heard the flash bang at the back of the house.  Colby knew it was coming and he drew in a deep breath, then expelled it in increments until his lungs were nearly empty.  With the wife still held in front of him, the only shot Colby could take would be a head shot and that was always risky, but he didn’t have a choice.  He could hear the yelling as the entry team came in and, as expected, the hostage-taker opened fire on them. “I have the shot,” he said with his last breath.  He held his empty lungs and everything stopped.  There was no sound, nothing to take away his focus, until he felt the trigger on the rifle release.

 

In the half a second it took to squeeze the trigger, the suspect moved his head forward and Colby knew instinctively that he hadn’t killed the man, only wounded him.  “Suspect is wounded but not down.”

 

His words seemed drowned out by the gunshots from inside the house.  One resonated with Colby.  It’d come from a semi-automatic .40 caliber handgun¾he would bet his life on it. Another one followed soon after, but then all he could hear was the team yelling for him to put it down.  Closing his eyes for a millisecond, he steeled himself for what he would see when he opened them and looked through the scope.

 

 

 

My Review
 This is the second book in the Hostage Negotiation Team series. I reviewed the first book, All Fall Down, and loved it! Here’s what I said about that book, All Fall Down is packed with fast-paced action, tense moments that will raise your blood pressure, and a little bit of sweet romance.”

You always wonder, can the next book even compare with the first in the series? I’m happy to say Yes! Ashes Ashes does it’s job and creates a fast paced thriller that is hard to put down. I took my kids to see a movie, but I brought along my ipad. Yes, I was sitting there, before the movie started, reading as much as I could before the lights went down.It was so tempting to pull out the ipad during the movie because I really,really wanted to see what was happening in the story. 

Colby Black is the hero in this story.He is a man I would like to take home.Colby cleans, bakes, is loyal, brave and kind. Sophia, who is on the run from the bad guys, is lucky to end up with him on her side. The attraction between the two characters is there from the start. But Julie knows how to perfectly blend the action, mystery and romance. Everything happens at a good pace and never feels forced. Once again there is a heart stopping finish. This happens every time I read one of Julie Bellon’s books. The action and suspense is so intense I can’t read fast enough to make sure things end like I want them to. I’m literally shaking when I think things have ended and everything is OK, then something/someone else pops up. Yipes!!

With a great plot, wonderful characters, (the good and the bad guys) explosive action,and just the right touch of romance, Ashes Ashes will leave you wanting to read more from this talented author. 

Purchase here: 

Ashes Ashes
Ashes Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon (Paperback – May 7, 2013)
$13.99 $12.22 Prime
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Also $6.99 on Kindle
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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Julie Coulter Bellon loves to write international romantic suspense novels because she gets to travel to distant lands to research and add an authentic feel to all of her books. Her favorite cities so far are Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She taught journalism at BYU for fourteen years and that kept her on the cutting edge of current events and world news—which is where she gets her story ideas.

Julie offers writing and publishing tips, as well as her take on life on her blog http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com You can also find out about all her upcoming projects at her website www.juliebellon.com or you can follow her on Twitter @juliebellon   

  Giveaway Details 
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/24/13
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Jul 112013
 

11988046-1Pivot Point

Author: Kasie West

Publisher: Harper Teen

Published: February 12, 2013

ISBN13: 978-0-06-211737-3

Hardcover: 343 pages

FTC FYI: Checked out a copy from my local library and bought the ebook copy.

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary 

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

My Review

I really enjoyed Pivot Point.  I don’t really want to summarize anymore of it, because a lot happens and I don’t want to give anything away.  I thought the characters were well written and I really enjoyed the alternating chapters of her Search of staying with her mom or leaving with her dad.  I also liked how the two related to each other at times, too.  I thought the world the author created was unique and clever, and those living at the Compound had very cool abilities.  I was surprised throughout and the ending had me reading hungrily until I was finished.  I was very pleased that this was a clean read that I could pass to my daughters without hesitation and recommend to anyone looking for a fun read that will leave you satisfied at the end, while also leaving you wanting more.  That is what a good book does.

4 out of 5 stars.  I am looking forward to Book 2, which is titled Split Secondand it will be released February 2014.  Kasie also has another book out called The Distance Between Us, it was released July 2nd, 2013.  The ebook copy of Pivot Point is only $1.99 on Kindle, Nook and iBooks.

Author Links

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Blog

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble