Minor Adjustments by Rachael Renee Anderson – Countdown to Christmas 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 162011
 

9 days until Christmas

 

About Rachael: I love to read, write, and do most anything outdoors, with the exception of rock climbing and sky diving. (I have serious height phobias.) If there’s something I can do within five feet of solid ground, count me in!

Connect with Rachael: BLOG | Twitter | Facebook

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LDSWBR: What Christmas-related activity would you like to do this year that you have never done before?

RACHAEL: Burn a Yule log. That’s always sounded like such a cool tradition but sadly, we have a gas fireplace. I guess I could think of our fake logs as an eternal Yule log, but somehow it’s not the same.

LDSWBR: If you could find one book under the tree this year, what would it be?

RACHAEL: Mmmmm . . . that’s a tough one. Maybe Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins? I’ve been wanting to read that for awhile now. (Yeah, so lame I haven’t yet.)

LDSWBR: What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?

RACHAEL: That would have to be the year my brother wanted this really cool remote control hovercraft. Since I had to have everything he did (we sort of had this “I’m better than you are” competition thing going on), I asked for one, too. But when Christmas morning came, he ended up with the cool hovercraft and I ended up with a lame beefy tired truck. Or so I thought until we took them outside to try them out. Turned out the hovercraft didn’t like the snow so much, whereas my suddenly cool truck raced everywhere. The best part? The next day he exchanged the hovercraft for a truck like mine. Yeah, I LOVED that Christmas. :)

LDSWBR: That is too funny. Thank you, Rachael. Merry Christmas!

* * * * *

Buy Minor Adjustments by Rachael Renee Anderson

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | DESERET BOOK

Read Mindy’s review of Minor Adjustments.

Have you ever burned a Yule log?

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To enter the Countdown to Christmas 2011 contest, complete the following and then tell us what you did:

  • **Required entry (+1) – Leave a thoughtful comment on this post. (More than just “Great contest!” please.) You must leave a comment on this post for your other entries to count. If you are reading this post through email or an RSS reader, please click through to leave a comment.
  • Bonus entry (+1) – I’m not very familiar with the Yule log tradition, so today’s bonus entry is to send an email to ldswbr(at)gmail(dot)com with either your explanation of what a Yule log is, or a link to a good, concise explanation of the Yule log tradition, thus freeing me from my ignorance. :)
  • Additional entries (one time +1 entry each) – 1) Subscribe to LDSWBR through email 2) Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter 3) Like LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook (all found at the the top of the right sidebar on the LDSWBR blog). NOTE: If you already subscribe through email, follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook you must tell us in a comment for the extra entries to count.
  • By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2011, you agree to the contest information found here.

 

***If you haven’t read the contest rules and info, read them here.***

 

Book prizes donated by their authors:

  • Winners choice of  Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, or Minor Adjustments by Rachael Renee Anderson (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Winner’s choice of Secret Sisters, Dearly Departed, or Hang ’em High by Tristi Pinkston (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Montana Summer by Jeanette Miller
  • Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
  • Cinder & Ella by Melissa Lemon (ebook)
  • Pride & Popularity by Jenni James
  • The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice
  • Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black (paperback or Kindle)
  • The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry
  • Winner’s choice of one of the books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series by Josi S. Kilpack (including Banana Split which will be released in February 2012)
  • Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
  • Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson
  • Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little
  • Indelible by Lani Woodland and a swag bag!
  • Identity by Betsy Love
  • The Hainan Incident by D.M. Coffman (autographed copy)
  • Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
  • Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
  • The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp
  • Seers by Heather Frost
Don’t forget to comment! Merry Christmas and happy reading!

Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett – Countdown to Christmas 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 152011
 

10 days until Christmas

10 days!

 

Cindy lives in Utah with her high school sweetheart turned hubby of 25 years and two of her four kids. (The other two are still around, they just no longer live at home) She is the author of the new release from Sweetwater, Geek Girl, a contemporary young adult novel, as well as Heart on a Chain and Immortal Mine. When not at her keyboard–which is rare–she can be found either reading, resting, or riding her Harley. Those are her “three R’s”. She feels very blessed and grateful for the opportunities life has afforded her so far.

Connect with Cindy: BLOG | Twitter | Facebook

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LDSWBR: What Christmas-related activity would you like to do this year that you have never done before?

CINDY: This year I would like to stay home and not have to go anywhere for the whole day. I would like to have all of my extended family come to my house where I can feed them, give them gifts, and share in the holiday spirit without the usual hurry and open gifts, grab whatever food you’ve made and run to grandmas, run home to pick up more food, go to the next grandmas, get home and be exhausted from all the running around. I just think it would be relaxing and keep me in the right frame of mind if I weren’t so stressed about getting places on time. I’d like to try it once, anyway.

LDSWBR: If you could find one book under the tree this year, what would it be?

CINDY: Anything antique. I love old antique books that are faded, yellowed, and cracked – especially if it has pictures or drawings in it.

LDSWBR: What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?

CINDY: My favorite memory is every year going to the Christmas tree place to pick out the perfect tree. It had to be full with lots of bushy branches. Then we’d wait while they flocked it, and return home with this amazing, pure white tree that looked like it had been snowed on, where we then decorated it while listening to Christmas music with a fire in the fireplace.

LDSWBR: Thank you, Cindy. Have a great Christmas!

* * * * *

Buy Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

AMAZON | WEBSITE | CEDAR FORT | BARNES & NOBLE

 

Read Mindy’s review of Geek Girl.

 Do you visit family members’ homes on Christmas or do they visit you?

 * * * * *

To enter the Countdown to Christmas 2011 contest, complete the following and then tell us what you did:

  • **Required entry (+1) – Leave a thoughtful comment on this post. (More than just “Great contest!” please.) You must leave a comment on this post for your other entries to count. If you are reading this post through email or an RSS reader, please click through to leave a comment.
  • Bonus entry (+1) – Go read Mindy’s review of Geek Girl and leave a comment. Don’t forget to leave a comment on this post first!
  • Additional entries (one time +1 entry each) – 1) Subscribe to LDSWBR through email 2) Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter 3) Like LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook (all found at the the top of the right sidebar on the LDSWBR blog). NOTE: If you already subscribe through email, follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook you must tell us in a comment for the extra entries to count.
  • By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2011, you agree to the contest information found here.

 

***If you haven’t read the contest rules and info, read them here.***

 

Book prizes donated by their authors:

  • Winners choice of  Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, or Minor Adjustments by Rachael Renee Anderson (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Winner’s choice of Secret Sisters, Dearly Departed, or Hang ’em High by Tristi Pinkston (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Montana Summer by Jeanette Miller
  • Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
  • Cinder & Ella by Melissa Lemon (ebook)
  • Pride & Popularity by Jenni James
  • The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice
  • Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black (paperback or Kindle)
  • The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry
  • Winner’s choice of one of the books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series by Josi S. Kilpack (including Banana Split which will be released in February 2012)
  • Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
  • Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson
  • Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little
  • Indelible by Lani Woodland and a swag bag!
  • Identity by Betsy Love
  • The Hainan Incident by D.M. Coffman (autographed copy)
  • Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
  • Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
  • The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp
  • Seers by Heather Frost
Don’t forget to comment! Merry Christmas and happy reading!

A Question for You – Countdown to Christmas 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 142011
 

11 days until Christmas

 

We are taking a break from author spotlights for today (because I’m too sick to put one together) to ask you, our most amazing and appreciated LDSWBR readers, to answer a question for us.

Comments on this post will count as an entry into the Countdown to Christmas 2011 drawing.

Ready? Here we go.

 

What LDS author/books/series did you enjoy reading the most this year and what do you appreciate most about books written by LDS authors?

 

Thanks, everyone!

Going back to bed now with my box of tissues and humidifier.

 

To enter the Countdown to Christmas 2011 contest, complete the following and then tell us what you did:

  • **Required entry (+1) – Leave a thoughtful comment on this post. (More than just “Great contest!” please.) You must leave a comment on this post for your other entries to count. If you are reading this post through email or an RSS reader, please click through to leave a comment.
  • Bonus entry (+1) – No bonus entry today because my head is too stuffy to think of one.
  • Additional entries (one time +1 entry each) – 1) Subscribe to LDSWBR through email 2) Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter 3) Like LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook (all found at the the top of the right sidebar on the LDSWBR blog). NOTE: If you already subscribe through email, follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook you must tell us in a comment for the extra entries to count.
  • By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2011, you agree to the contest information found here.

 

***If you haven’t read the contest rules and info, read them here.***

 

Book prizes donated by their authors:

  • Montana Summer by Jeanette Miller (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
  • Cinder & Ella by Melissa Lemon (ebook)
  • Pride & Popularity by Jenni James
  • The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice
  • Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black (paperback or Kindle)
  • The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry
  • Winner’s choice of one of the books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series by Josi S. Kilpack (including Banana Split which will be released in February 2012)
  • Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
  • Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson
  • Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little
  • Indelible by Lani Woodland and a swag bag!
  • Identity by Betsy Love
  • The Hainan Incident by D.M. Coffman (autographed copy)
  • Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
  • Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
  • The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp
  • Seers by Heather Frost
Don’t forget to comment! Merry Christmas and happy reading!

Montana Summer by Jeanette Miller – Countdown to Christmas 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 132011
 

12 days until Christmas

 

Jeanette Miller was born in northern California, but spent most of her childhood in Guatemala, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica where her father worked. She cherishes her experiences of living in Latin America. In her teenage years, she dreamed of becoming a teacher and a published author. Jeanette attended Brigham Young University where she earned a degree in Elementary Education. After graduating, she taught third grade for four years in the Spanish Immersion program. There, she enjoyed writing and directing plays for her students.

As a young mother, Jeanette started writing in moments snatched between changing diapers and making peanut butter sandwiches, or whenever her nose wasn’t in a book. She loves all things Jane Austen, and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. When she isn’t reading a novel in this genre, she watches their movie equivalents on DVD. She also loves scrapbooking, designing jewelry, and eating chocolate. She would love to travel all over the world someday. Jeanette and her husband Michael have six children. They live in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Connect with Jeanette: Facebook

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LDSWBR: What Christmas-related activity would you like to do this year that you have never done before?

JEANETTE: I’d like to send out a Christmas card on time–complete with a family portrait and family newsletter. It’ll never happen, but it’s nice to dream!

LDSWBR: If you could find one book under the tree this year, what would it be?

JEANETTE: Only one? That’s tough. But I’ve lost my copy of Jane Eyre and can’t live without it, so I’d have to pick that one. I love that story…

LDSWBR: What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?

JEANETTE: When we were living in Costa Rica, I used my babysitting money and allowance to buy Christmas presents for a poor family in the Ward. I remember going with my dad (who was the Bishop) to deliver my presents along with buckets of rice and beans for this family. They had no furniture. Newspaper covered the walls. There was a hotplate in a corner of the room. Seeing the gratitude in their eyes filled me with the spirit of giving that truly changed my life.

LDSWBR: Jeanette, thank you so much. Merry Christmas!

* * * * *

Buy Montana Summer by Jeanette Miller

AMAZON | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK

Read Shanda’s review of Montana Summer.

Do you and your family send out a holiday newsletter for Christmas?

* * * * *

To enter the Countdown to Christmas 2011 contest, complete the following and then tell us what you did:

  • **Required entry (+1) – Leave a thoughtful comment on this post. (More than just “Great contest!” please.) You must leave a comment on this post for your other entries to count. If you are reading this post through email or an RSS reader, please click through to leave a comment.
  • Bonus entry (+1) – Post the following on Facebook or Twitter then send an email to ldswbr(at)gmail(dot)com telling us that you did: LDSWBR is giving away 19 books & $50 at Amazon. Go enter the @LDSWBR Countdown to Christmas today! www.ldswbr.com.
  • Additional entries (one time +1 entry each) – 1) Subscribe to LDSWBR through email 2) Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter 3) Like LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook (all found at the the top of the right sidebar on the LDSWBR blog). NOTE: If you already subscribe through email, follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook you must tell us in a comment for the extra entries to count.
  • By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2011, you agree to the contest information found here.

 

***If you haven’t read the contest rules and info, read them here.***

 

Book prizes donated by their authors:

  • Montana Summer by Jeanette Miller (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
  • Cinder & Ella by Melissa Lemon (ebook)
  • Pride & Popularity by Jenni James
  • The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice
  • Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black (paperback or Kindle)
  • The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry
  • Winner’s choice of one of the books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series by Josi S. Kilpack (including Banana Split which will be released in February 2012)
  • Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
  • Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson
  • Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little
  • Indelible by Lani Woodland and a swag bag!
  • Identity by Betsy Love
  • The Hainan Incident by D.M. Coffman (autographed copy)
  • Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
  • Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
  • The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp
  • Seers by Heather Frost
Don’t forget to comment! Merry Christmas and happy reading!

Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon – Countdown to Christmas 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 122011
 

13 days until Christmas

 

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’s learning to play the bagpipes and though she has yet to master the instrument, she’s working on it. You can find out more about Julie, her eight kids, and all her writing projects at http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com or www.juliebellon.com

Connect with Julie: WEBSITE | BLOG | Twitter | Facebook (Julie Coulter Bellon Author)

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LDSWBR: What Christmas-related activity would you like to do this year that you have never done before?

JULIE: One thing I would like to do that I’ve never done is to cut down our own Christmas tree. But I think it would end up being like that scene in the movie Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase where the kids are rolling their eyes, and we end up thigh high in snow and forget a chainsaw, so until I can make sure that won’t happen, I’ll just have to stick with my fake tree.

LDSWBR: If you could find one book under the tree this year, what would it be?

JULIE: The book I would like to find under my tree this year is Josi Kilpack’s Pumpkin Roll and/or Sarah Eden’s Seeking Persephone. I can’t wait to read those two!

LDSWBR: What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?

JULIE: My favorite childhood Christmas memory is being with my younger brother. He was my best friend and during our Christmas break we would make a pond out in our back yard, wait for it to freeze and skate on it, and when we were done with that, we would make igloos and go tobogganing, have snowball fights and make snow angels. On Christmas morning we would wake up at 4 a.m. and sit in my room and whisper about what we thought we’d gotten from Santa Claus. Sometimes we would even sneak upstairs to take a peek at the gifts under the tree and then run back to my room and make more guesses based on the size of the boxes. It seemed like it took forever for our parents to get up and it was always hard to wait, but it was fun having someone to share that with.

LDSWBR: Thanks, Julie! Merry Christmas!

* * * * *

Buy Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon

DESERET BOOK | AMAZON

Read Shanda’s review of Ribbon of Darkness.

Do you prefer a real tree or a fake tree?

* * * * *

To enter the Countdown to Christmas 2011 contest, complete the following and then tell us what you did:

  • **Required entry (+1) – Leave a thoughtful comment on this post. (More than just “Great contest!” please.) You must leave a comment on this post for your other entries to count. If you are reading this post through email or an RSS reader, please click through to leave a comment.
  • Bonus entry (+1) – Leave a comment on Julie’s blog then send an email with the link to the post you commented on to ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com. Julie posts often on her blog. One of my favorite features is her First Page Friday. I learn a lot from the editor’s feedback.
  • Additional entries (one time +1 entry each) – 1) Subscribe to LDSWBR through email 2) Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter 3) Like LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook (all found at the the top of the right sidebar on the LDSWBR blog). NOTE: If you already subscribe through email, follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook you must tell us in a comment for the extra entries to count.
  • By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2011, you agree to the contest information found here.

 

***If you haven’t read the contest rules and info, read them here.***

 

Book prizes donated by their authors:

  • Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
  • Cinder & Ella by Melissa Lemon (ebook)
  • Pride & Popularity by Jenni James
  • The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice
  • Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black (paperback or Kindle)
  • The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry
  • Winner’s choice of one of the books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series by Josi S. Kilpack (including Banana Split which will be released in February 2012)
  • Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
  • Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson
  • Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little
  • Indelible by Lani Woodland and a swag bag!
  • Identity by Betsy Love
  • The Hainan Incident by D.M. Coffman (autographed copy)
  • Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
  • Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
  • The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp
  • Seers by Heather Frost
Don’t forget to comment! Merry Christmas and happy reading!

Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson – Countdown to Christmas 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 112011
 

14 days until Christmas

That’s right – only two weeks left to comment and complete the bonus entries on each Countdown to Christmas post. With so many books and $50 at Amazon up for grabs you won’t want to miss any opportunity to enter!

 

Melanie Bennett Jacobson is an avid reader, amateur cook, and champion shopper. She consumes astonishing amounts of chocolate, chick flicks, and romance novels. After meeting her husband online, she is now living happily married in Southern California with her growing family and a series of doomed houseplants. Melanie is a former English teacher and a popular speaker who loves to laugh and make others laugh. In her down time (ha!), she writes romantic comedies for Covenant and maintains her humorous slice-of-life blog.

Connect with Melanie: WEBSITE | BLOG | Twitter | Facebook

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LDSWBR: What Christmas-related activity would you like to do this year that you have never done before?

MELANIE: We have a large regional park near us with a Christmas train. At least that’s the rumor. I haven’t seen it myself, but it’s on my list to take the kids to see it.

LDSWBR: If you could find one book under the tree this year, what would it be?

MELANIE: Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos

LDSWBR: What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?

MELANIE: Back in the olden days when you used to have to rent your videos from a store and not a red box or envelope, on every major holiday my dad would pile us into the car and we’d spend about an hour wandering the aisles and making our selections. My dad always got an MGM musical and my mom always got some kind of shoot-’em-up action or martial arts film with lots of fighting and very little talking. I know, a little bit of role reversal there. Anyway, I asked her about it years later. Why did she always get the action films? My parents were deaf and she said that since they had to watch the movies with closed captioning, the “talking” movies were like reading a book and she did plenty of that already. And here I just thought she was bloodthirsty . . .

LDSWBR: Thanks, Melanie! Have a great Christmas!

* * * * *

Buy Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson

DESERET BOOK | AMAZON | KINDLE

Do you have a movie-related Christmas tradition?

* * * * *

To enter the Countdown to Christmas 2011 contest, complete the following and then tell us what you did:

  • **Required entry (+1) – Leave a thoughtful comment on this post. (More than just “Great contest!” please.) You must leave a comment on this post for your other entries to count. If you are reading this post through email or an RSS reader, please click through to leave a comment.
  • Bonus entry (+1 total) – Follow Melanie on her blog, Twitter, or Facebook (or all three). Melanie’s a lot of fun on Twitter, and her blog posts are thoughtful, insightful and often humorous. Either comment or send an email to ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com telling us how you follow Melanie.
  • Additional entries (one time +1 entry each) – 1) Subscribe to LDSWBR through email 2) Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter 3) Like LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook (all found at the the top of the right sidebar on the LDSWBR blog). NOTE: If you already subscribe through email, follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook you must tell us in a comment for the extra entries to count.
  • By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2011, you agree to the contest information found here.

 

***If you haven’t read the contest rules and info, read them here.***

 

Book prizes donated by their authors:

  • Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
  • Cinder & Ella by Melissa Lemon (ebook)
  • Pride & Popularity by Jenni James
  • The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice
  • Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black (paperback or Kindle)
  • The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry
  • Winner’s choice of one of the books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series by Josi S. Kilpack (including Banana Split which will be released in February 2012)
  • Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
  • Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson
  • Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little
  • Indelible by Lani Woodland and a swag bag!
  • Identity by Betsy Love
  • The Hainan Incident by D.M. Coffman (autographed copy)
  • Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
  • Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
  • The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp
  • Seers by Heather Frost
Don’t forget to comment! Merry Christmas and happy reading!
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