The Keeper’s Calling by Kelly Nelson

 Posted by  Book Reviews
Feb 022015
 

KeepersCallingCover.inddThe Keeper’s Calling

Author: Kelly Nelson

Publisher: Walnut Springs

Published: February 2012

ISBN13: 978-1-59992-844-9

Paperback – 312 pages

FTC FYI: I was gifted an audio copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

Chase Harper’s to-do list for senior year never included “fall in love” and “fight for your life,” but things rarely go as planned. Tarnished gold and resembling a pocket watch, the counter he finds in a cave during the summer of 2011 will forever change the course of his life, leading him to the beautiful Ellie Williams and unlocking a power beyond his wildest imagination. In 1863, Ellie Williams completes school in Boston and returns to the Utah Territory only to discover that her grandfather and his counter, a treasured family heirloom, are missing. When Ellie is abducted and told she must produce the counter or die, an unexpected rescuer comes to her aid.

My Review

This book has been on my to-read list for a while, so when I was approached by the author to review an audio copy, I was thrilled.  This is the first book I have listened to, and I really enjoyed the change.  I listed while I drove around town running errands, and I was taken on an enjoyable ride.

I have a soft spot for books that have Utah settings. The Keeper’s Calling starts off in Zions.  Chase goes out on his bike, and finds an old relic similar to a pocket watch in a cave.  What happens next is an exciting ride that leads him to Ellie.  Together they start a journey that doesn’t end where they started.  The author does a great job of writing a teenage boy.  Chase is immediately likable and I found myself cheering for him.  Ellie is also a doll, and is fun to watch as she tries to adjust to a different life.  This book is very fun and I enjoyed Chase’s journey as he figures out how to adjust his life to be a keeper.  I was happy with the result of him not staying in the Old West in the beginning and how Chase and Ellie had to adjust to their new circumstances.  I also loved what a caring, thoughtful guy Chase was.  I also enjoyed how their relationship wasn’t instant, it developed in a more realistic way.  I thought the jumps into different time periods were very exciting too!

4 out of 5 stars.  I am excited to read the rest of the books in the series.  Book 4, The Keeper’s Council, was just released in January!

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble 

 

 

 

Eruption by Adrienne Quintana — Blog Tour

 Posted by  Book Reviews
Jan 302015
 

22616883Eruption

Author: Adrienne Quintana

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Published: January 13th, 2015

ISBN13: 9781462115365

Paperback: 288 pages

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

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

Jace Vega has finally landed her dream job—working for Omnibus, an up-and-coming tech firm. But a mysterious message from her future self sets Jace and her old friend Corey racing to piece together clues before Omnibus destroys their future—and their past. This fast-paced thriller will keep you guessing till the very last page.

My Review

Excuse me while I catch my breath…  Great story with excitement around every page.  In the beginning, I was screaming at Jace, she frustrated me at first, but what an awesome character she turned out to be.  I realized that I would probably be just like her, not knowing who to trust and being too trusting, all at the same time.   I think that that is what made her most relatable.  So many choices and decisions for her and so many things she had to face, all while trying to chose between Corey and Damien and the turns her life could take her with any choice.  The storyline with the tablet was so cool, all that was found in it and all the secrets that were hidden.  All of Jace’s quirks and breathing techniques were for a good reason, which is slowly revealed through the book.  The last fourth of the book is, WOW, make sure you aren’t needed for awhile, because you will want to find out what happens.  Great ending, too!

4 out of 5 stars.  I can’t wait for more from this author.

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Deseret Book

About the Author

Adrienne Quintana is the second of nine children born to professional oil artist, John Horejs, and his wife and business partner, Elaine. She spent her early years playing on the banks of the Snake River in southern Idaho while her father built a geodesic dome house. When the family wasn’t traveling around the country to art shows, Adrienne spent many happy hours reading in her unfinished, tent-like bedroom. Love of reading soon blossomed into a desire to write. If the family’s antiquated computer could be resurrected, a collection of short stories involving local characters and their epic battles with fire-breathing dragons would be sure to entertain.

After completing high school via correspondence, Adrienne studied Music Education at Mesa Community College. She took an 18 month break to serve a church mission in Montreal, Canada, where she gained invaluable life experiences and a few pounds from the local delicacies. After the completion of her mission and a month abroad in Europe, Adrienne moved to Utah with the intention of continuing her education at Brigham Young University, but these plans were short-lived when she met her husband-to-be while working at an investment company. Soon after their marriage, the Quintanas packed up and moved to Minnesota, where Adrienne worked while her husband earned a Law degree.

After four children and a move to Arizona, Adrienne completed her Bachelors of Science and Communication at the University of Phoenix. In the throes of housekeeping, potty-training, and carpooling, Adrienne discovered that she could find time to accomplish her goals—often in the quiet hours after the children were in bed. Since her graduation in 2012, those quiet moments have been used to fulfill a life-long dream of becoming a writer.

Eruption-blog-tour

 

 

Hearts Through Time by Marie Higgins – Countdown to Summer 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Summer, Special Features
Jun 122011
 

9 days until summer!

Since Marie Higgins was a little girl playing Barbies with her sister, Stacey, she has loved the adventure of making up romantic stories. Marie was only eighteen years old when she wrote her first skit, which won a Funniest Skit award. A little later in life, after she’d married and had children, Marie wrote Church roadshows that were judged Funniest and Best Written. From there, she branched out to write full-length novels based on her dreams. (Yes, she says, her dreams really are that silly, and she’s like that in real life.)

Marie has been married for twenty-six years to a wonderful man. Together, they have three loving daughters and several beautiful grandchildren. Marie works full time for the state of Utah, where she has lived her entire life. Marie plans to keep writing, because the characters in her head won’t shut up. But her husband smiles and pretends this is normal.

Marie is the author of 3 books: Winning Mr. Wrong (romantic comedy), Heart of a Hero (historical romance), Hearts Through Time (time-travel, mystery, paranormal romance).

Visit Marie on her blog: I Must Be Dreaming… and on Facebook.

LDSWBR: If you had an entire day to read (on the beach, at the lake, by the pool, etc.), what book(s) or genre would you reach for first?

MARIE: Having an entire day to read sounds heavenly right now. Because of my hectic work scheduled (both the crummy day job and my writing career) I’d love to do nothing by lounge by the beach reading a good book. The genre I’d pick would definitely have to be historical. I love Colonials, Regency, Victorian, and the Old West. Probably my favorite would have to be Victorian, though. I love the manners, the way of life, and especially the beautiful, romantic clothes they had back then. Reading historicals like that takes me out of the real world and puts me in a romantic setting… Ahhh…

LDSWBR: What book(s) do you look forward to reading the most this summer?

MARIE: I will always choose historicals of course, but I also enjoy suspense. I must have a little mystery in my romances. So I’ll be looking for my next favorite author who writes what I love to read!

LDSWBR: What is your favorite outdoor cooking recipe? (Can be grill, campfire, Dutch oven, etc.)

MARIE: Dutch Oven potatoes, baby!!! Oh yeah! I love making this recipe, especially when the family gets together in the canyons for a lunch or dinner. Yum! All I do is cut up bacon and onions and cook these until they’re brown. Then I throw in cut up potatoes and cook them until they are almost done. Then I pour sour cream over the top (don’t stir in!) and sprinkle grated Cheddar Cheese on the top until everything melts into the potatoes. Then I serve! My mouth is watering even now…

LDSWBR: Wow, sounds delicious! Thank you, Marie. Oh, and Happy Anniversary!

Hearts Through Time (Walnut Springs Press; March 2011) is available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Deseret Book.

Where do you go to find your next favorite author or book?

***

***Countdown to Summer 2011 Contest***

LDSWBR will hold a drawing on June 25, 2011 for a $50 Amazon gift card, as well as a variety of books being offered by some of the LDS authors featured in the Countdown. This will be a raffle-type drawing, so more entries means more chances to win. There are several ways to enter the Countdown to Summer 2011 contest. See details below.

Book prizes generously donated by the authors:

  • The Upside of Down by Rebecca Talley
  • Gifted by Karey White
  • Bumpy Landings by Donald J. Carey
  • Captive Heart by Michele Paige Holmes
  • The Perfect Fit by  Michele Ashman Bell
  • River Whispers by Kathi Oram Perterson
  • Hazzardous Universe by Julie Wright & Kevin Wasden
  • Hearts Through Time by Marie Higgins
  • Double Deceit by Stephanie Humphreys
  • The List by Melanie Jacobson
  • The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum
  • The Kiss of a Stranger by Sarah M. Eden
  • Blackberry Crumble by Josi S. Kilpack
  • **Bonus Prize** An autographed copy of BLOODBORNE by Gregg Luke (released August 2011)

Do ANY of the following to enter:

  • Post a thoughtful comment on the Countdown to Summer 2011 author posts. Comments can be added on any of the author posts anytime during the contest period (June 1, 2011 through June 24, 2011). Only one comment per person per Countdown to Summer author post will be entered into the drawing. Feel free to comment more than once per post if you’d like, but only one comment will be accepted as an entry.
  • Send LDSWBR an email to ldswbr AT gmail DOT com telling us which of the following you have completed. If you already do these things, email us and let us know. Each item gets you 1 entry.
  1. Follow LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook
  2. Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter
  3. Subscribe to LDSWBR by email (see top right sidebar on website)
  4. Follow LDSWBR with Google Friend Connect (right sidebar beneath “Follow LDSWBR”)
  • On each Countdown to Summer author post, leave a comment telling us which of the following you completed or already do. Each item gets you 1 entry.
  1. Follow the author’s blog (if they have one)
  2. Follow the author on Twitter (if they tweet)
  3. Follow the author on Facebook (if they have a Facebook page)
  • Tweet this message each day. One entry per day. Just copy and paste into your twitter message window to send it (LDSWBR must be able to see the tweet): LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2011 – Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card & great summer reads! http://bit.ly/kZ5jXw @ldswbr
  • Blog about this contest on your blog then send us the link to your specific blog post. You can find the Countdown graphic badge/button to include in your blog post here. (5 entries)
  • Post the following on your Facebook page (3 entries) then send us an email (ldswbr AT gmail DOT com) telling us that you did: LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2011 – Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card & great summer reads! http://bit.ly/kZ5jXw

Here are the rules:

  • Contest ends at 12:00 Midnight MDT on June 24, 2011.
  • Drawing winners will have until 12:00 Midnight MDT on July 2, 2011 to claim their prize. After that time, another name will be drawn to receive the prize.
  • Book prizes can only be shipped within the contiguous United States.
  • LDSWBR reserves the right to decide what determines a “thoughtful” comment.

Let’s keep counting down to summer with some great reads!

The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum – Combined Review

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Combined Reviews
May 202011
 

The Forgotten Locket

Author: Lisa Mangum

Published: May 2011 (release date June 9)

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Hardcover: 368 pages

Genre: YA Fantasy

FTC FYI: LDSWBR received free copies from the author which did not affect our review.

Shanda’s Review

I know this is a review about The Forgotten Locket, but having re-read The Hourglass Door and The Golden Spiral this past week before reading The Forgotten Locket, the story has meshed and blended so well in my mind that I’m not sure I can separate it into individual novels anymore. Instead, I will review the series as a whole.

Two years ago, I bought The Hourglass Door without reading it first. I wasn’t disappointed then, and as I read it again this week I was thrilled to discover I liked it even better this time around. YA fiction tends to be hit-and-miss with me, so I’m always glad to find a book or series that I not only thoroughly enjoy, but have no concern letting my daughter read as well.

Here is a list of things I found refreshing about The Hourglass Door series:

  • No love triangle. Well, a little something comes up later but it is never really an option so I don’t count it.
  • Plenty of kissing with NO graphic description and the subject of sex never comes up in any way. Still, there is plenty to curl your toes about. (Dante knows just how to touch Abby’s face or wrap her in his arms- oh, there go my toes!)
  • I love science and fiction (yes, I am a fan of Star Trek) and I’ve always been fascinated with the concept of space-time and time travel. I can only imagine how much thought went into making the story plausible. When my head started to spin with all the time-talk, I decided to let the author worry about it (which I’m sure she did!) and enjoy the ride. Best thing I could have done.
  • Abby is a thoughtful, caring and LIKEABLE main character. No angry girl here. Don’t think that makes Abby weak, though. Quite the contrary. I love how Abby’s strength, determination, and abilities grow with her understanding and circumstances. Great character arc.
  • Dante is tall, dark, handsome, mysterious and human. No changing into some other-worldly or fantastical creature based on the phase of the moon or whatever else. He’s a talented, young Italian who, due to the betrayal of promises made, is forced into a punishment he does not deserve.
  • A great villain. Zo is manipulative, charismatic, talented and selfish. His big scene near the end of the book is nothing short of intense. In fact, after reading that scene I had to pause and take a breath!

Here is a quote I like from The Forgotten Locket:

Faced with an impossible situation, my mind ran through the possibilities, looking for a creative, workable solution. It was a discouragingly short list. But there was one thing on the list that I thought I could do. It was crazy and dangerous and there was no guarantee it would even work, but it was something I could do. And right now, that was what I wanted – action. Even if it was the longest shot I could take.

I also love the quote Sheila shares in her review below.

The Forgotten Locket is a gripping conclusion to The Hourglass Door series. It is obvious how much hard work Lisa put into these novels. This series gets a solid 4 stars from me and comes highly recommended.

Sheila’s Review

I have loved The Hourglass Door series from the first book. There was something so special and unique about this story. I think one of the main reasons is because of the wonderful characters.

I fell in love with Dante and Abby and their amazing love story. Fans of this series will not be disappointed in this last installment. The relationship between Dante and Abby only grows stronger in The Forgotten Locket. So if you want a story with a strong love story, you will enjoy this book.

There is also plenty of angst filled moments thanks to the bad guy, Zo. I think that I disliked him even more in this last book. Great job, Lisa!

So many things made me stop and think as I read The Forgotten Locket. One of my favorite scenes in the story is where Abby asks Dante this question, “Tell me, what does forever feel like?” Here is part of his answer that took my breath away:

“I meant that forever feels…untouched. Open all the way to the horizon. But it’s not empty like the bank. Not at all.” His voice, already soft, took on a reverence I hadn’t heard before. “Forever is stuffed full of…possibility. Potential. A blank canvas waiting for me to paint something, or draw something. To make. To change. Forever is where creation happens.” (The Forgotten Locket, page 126-127)

Lisa Mangum writes such beautiful words and dialogue. Her use of imagery, especially when describing the river and the bank, is exceptional. I have really noticed her growth as a writer as she has written this trilogy. I can’t wait to read what she writes next. It will be sad not to read more about Dante and Abby, but I can always go back and re-read the series whenever I want. I loved the feel good ending and I know that fans of this series will love reading The Forgotten Locket.

Mindy’s Review

My LDSWBR gals and I were fortunate to each receive a copy of The Forgotten Locket from Lisa at Storymakers. Thank you, Lisa.

What I love most about Lisa’s writing style is the way she shows me details with her writing. What it means to show in writing is the way a character, scene, object, etc., is described. It truly helps me know her characters, how they are feeling, know exactly what they are doing, and where they are.

The Forgotten Locket picks up right where The Golden Spiral leaves off. Abby goes through the hourglass door determined to fix all the damage that Zo has done to her and everyone she loves, but something is missing- her memory. Zo is such a great antagonist, a guy you love to hate, but want in a scene. His mind games and tricks don’t stop, they only get worse.

Zo is an imposing force that can’t let go of what he wants, and his reasons for doing what he does are pure selfish. He’s very sneaky and manipulates any situation his way. Right away he tricks Abby into giving something away that could destroy the life she’s been trying to get back. Could that mean Dante will be destroyed too?

And, speaking of Dante- I love this guy. He is a kind-hearted, caring person. In my eyes, he is the new Edward. What I love most about him is his heart. Dante’s love for Abby, his brother, and family is something that defines him as a good man. Valerie is back, too, but she is upset with Abby. Upset because of what Zo has put her through, but she points the finger at Abby. Valerie is also trying to come out of her insanity. Can she be healed too?

My favorite character in The Forgotten Locket was Orlando. Another wonderful example of an upstanding man with integrity and love.

Each person that goes to the bank develops a specific strength that helps them exist there. I LOVED what Abby’s gift was, how she learned about it and how she is able to help others. So many surprising things happen that kept me reading until the end, and gasping out loud at times. My husband kept asking me what was wrong, then he’d see I was reading and just laugh at me.

4 1/2 stars. This is a series that I will reread many times. The characters are iconic. It’s so great to read and enjoy a series as a parent that I would let my daughters read too. Great job, Lisa!

Content:

Sexual: kissing and touching of neutral places, ie., face, neck, arms, hands; no sex implied or mentioned

Violence: some violence and fighting (involving a knife) but nothing that felt inappropriate or excessive

Drugs & Alcohol: none