Mar 31, 2013

Fool For Books Giveaway Blog Hop

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Participating blogs are offering a book related giveaway
and we are all linked up together so you can easily
hop from one giveaway to another.

This hop runs from April 1st - 7th

 - My Giveaway ~
$15 Amazon Gift Card (INT)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

After you have entered my giveaway...
hop to another giveaway from the list below :)


Mar 29, 2013

BlogLovin

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Mar 28, 2013

Prince Tennyson

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I have a cold...so...my eyes and nose are drippy...and all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with a really good book.

But what book?
I have quite a stack...
From Inspiration to Biographies
From Romance to Suspense

What to choose...what to choose.
Then I came across Prince Tennyson by Jenni James.

Not even knowing what it was about I picked it up and started reading.

I was immediately charmed by the grade-school, little-girl dialog.

What a sweet story she was sharing...she is telling about her dad whom she lost on a Wednesday to the war in Iraq...and how ever since then Wednesdays were really bad days for her...

Her dad was a prince...not by royal bloodline...
But by the way he treated his family and everyone around him.

Then one Wednesday something very wonderful happened....

In the end my eyes and nose were drippy...not because of the cold...

But because I was so touched by the story of one little girls dad...known as Prince Tennyson :)

Mar 27, 2013

Hashbrown Winters and the Whiz-tastrophe

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About the Book:
Author: Frank L. Cole
Release Date: April 2013
Publisher: Bonneville Books
Genre: Middle Fiction

Book Description:
Losing to a girl in laser tag is the pits---especially if it's to Melanie "Thumbs" Nottingham. So the Hashbrown gang comes up with a plan that will guarantee their success. But when plans go awry and they're sent to another dimension, it's up to Hashbrown to set everything right. This hilarious installment is sure to keep you laughing to the last page.

My Review:
I was having "one of those days" and I needed something to take me away from it all...

After trying 3 other books...I picked up this one...and it worked!

I was taken away from my troubles and thrown into the adventures of Hashbrown and his friends...this time into a different dimension...yet the same too...

No matter where you go kids are kids, bullies are bullies and everyone wants to be the winner.

This story has some really good twists to it....especially the ending.

Kids of ALL ages will love the Hashbrown Winters series

So forget your troubles for a while and spend a few moments with Hashbrown and his friends...They will bring a smile to your face :)

About the Author:
Frank L. Cole was born into a family of Southern storytellers and wrote his first book as age eight. Sadly he misplaced the manuscript and has since forgotten what he wrote. Highly superstitious and gullible to a fault, Frank will believe any creepy story you tell him, especially ones involving ghosts and Bigfoot. Currently along with his wife and three children, he resides in the shadow of a majestic western mountain range, which is most likely haunted. You can learn more about Frank’s writing at www.franklcole.com.

And don’t forget to check out his other books:
The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter
Hashbrown Winters and the Phantom of Pordunce
Hashbrown Winters and Mashimoto Madness
The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters


(A digital review copy of this title was provided by the author for this review. However, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

I selected this post to be featured on Book Review Blogs. Please visit the site and vote for my blog!

Mar 25, 2013

Choose Higher Ground

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Book Details:
Author: Henry B. Eyring
Release Date: 2013
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: Inspiration

Book Description:

When a young Henry B. Eyring would complain that things were hard, his mother would advise him, “If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill.” To choose the Lord’s way is to choose higher ground.
"The Lord is anxious to lead us to the safety of higher ground," writes President Eyring, "away from the path of physical and spiritual danger. His upward path will require us to climb." In this remarkable book, he explains some of the ways in which we will accomplish that upward journey, including starting from a strong foundation, learning to help others, and finding strength in adversity.
"Let us do whatever is required to qualify for the Holy Ghost as our companion," President Eyring urges, "and then let us go forward fearlessly so that we will be given the powers to do whatever the Lord calls us to do." Filled with a revered leader's clear insights and sound counsel, Choose Higher Ground helps readers gain access to the power promised by the Lord to all His faithful disciples in the latter days.
Book Excerpt:

Trust in God, Then Go and Do

The needs of Latter-day Saints across the world are great and varied. Each of you is a unique child of God. God knows you individually. He sends messages of encouragement, correction, and direction fitted to you and to your needs.
One day, as I was pondering and praying about how I might help meet these needs, I received an answer to my prayer as I read the words of Alma, a great servant of the Lord in the Book of Mormon:
“O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
“Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
“But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me” (Alma 29:1–3).
And then I found in Alma’s reflection the direction for which I had been praying: “For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true” (Alma 29:8).
God sends messages and authorized messengers to His children. We need to develop enough trust in God and His servants that we will go out and obey His counsel. He wants that because He loves us and wants our happiness. And He knows how a lack of trust in Him brings sadness.
That lack of trust has brought sorrow to Heavenly Father’s children from before the world was created. We know through the revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith that many of our brothers and sisters in the premortal world rejected the plan for our mortal life presented by our Heavenly Father and His eldest Son, Jehovah (see Doctrine and Covenants 29:36–37; Abraham 3:27–28).
We don’t know all the reasons for Lucifer’s terrible success in inciting that rebellion. However, one reason is clear. Those who lost the blessing of coming into mortality lacked sufficient trust in God to avoid eternal misery.
The sad pattern of lack of trust in God has persisted since the Creation. I will be careful in giving examples from the lives of God’s children since I do not know all the reasons for their lack of faith enough to trust Him. Many of you have studied the moments of crisis in their lives.
Jonah, for instance, not only rejected the message from the Lord to go to Nineveh but went the other way. Naaman could not trust the direction of the Lord’s prophet to bathe in a river to allow the Lord to heal his leprosy, feeling the simple task was beneath his dignity.
The Savior invited Peter to leave the safety of a boat to walk to Him across water. We ache for him and see our own need for greater trust in God as we hear the account:
“And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
“And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
“But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
“And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
“And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:25–31).
We can take courage from the fact that Peter came to trust the Lord enough to stay faithful in His service all the way to his martyrdom.
The young Nephi in the Book of Mormon stirs in us a desire to develop trust in the Lord to obey His commandments, however hard they appear to us. Nephi faced danger and possible death when he said these words of trust that we can and must feel steadily in our hearts: “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7).
That trust comes from knowing God. More than any other people on earth, we have, through the glorious events of the Restoration of the gospel, felt the peace that the Lord offered His people with the words “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). My heart is filled with gratitude for what God has revealed about Himself that we might trust Him.
For me it began in 1820 with a young boy in a grove of trees on a farm in the state of New York. The boy, Joseph Smith Jr., walked among the trees to a secluded spot. He knelt to pray with complete trust that God would answer his pleading to know what he should do to be cleansed and saved through the Atonement of Jesus Christ (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith 2007, 28).
Each time I read his account, my trust in God and His servants expands:
“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
“It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith–History 1:16–17).
The Father revealed to us that He lives, that Jesus Christ is His Beloved Son, and that He loved us enough to send that Son to save us, who are His children. And because I have a testimony that He called that unlettered boy as an apostle and prophet, I trust His apostles and prophets today and those they call to serve God.
That trust has blessed my life and the lives of my family. Years ago I heard President Ezra Taft Benson counsel us to do all we could to get out of debt and stay out. He mentioned mortgages on houses. He said that it might not be possible, but it would be best if we could pay off all our mortgage debt (see, for example, “Prepare for the Days of Tribulation,” Ensign, November 1980, 33).
I turned to my wife after the meeting and asked, “Do you think there is any way we could do that?” At first we couldn’t. And then by evening I thought of a property we had acquired in another state. For years we had tried to sell it without success.
But because we trusted God and a few words from the midst of His servant’s message, we placed a phone call Monday morning to the man in San Francisco who had our property listed to sell. I had called him a few weeks before, and he had said then, “We haven’t had anyone show interest in your property for years.”
But on the Monday after conference, I heard an answer that to this day strengthens my trust in God and His servants.
The man on the phone said, “I am surprised by your call. A man came in today inquiring whether he could buy your property.” In amazement I asked, “How much did he offer to pay?” It was a few dollars more than the amount of our mortgage.
A person might say that was only a coincidence. But our mortgage was paid off. And our family still listens for any word in a prophet’s message that might be sent to tell what we should do to find the security and peace God wants for us.
Such trust in God can bless communities as well as families. I grew up in a small town in New Jersey. Our branch of the Church had fewer than twenty members who regularly attended.
Among them was a woman—an older, very humble convert to the Church. She was an immigrant who spoke with a heavy Norwegian accent. She was the only member of the Church in her family and the only member of the Church in the city in which she lived.
Through my father, who was the branch president, the Lord called her as the president of the branch Relief Society. She had no handbook to tell her what to do. No other member of the Church lived near her. She only knew that the Lord cared for those in need and the few words in the motto of the Relief Society: “Charity never faileth.”
It was in the depths of what we now call the Great Depression. Thousands were out of work and homeless. So, feeling she had her errand from the Lord, she asked her neighbors for old clothes. She washed the clothes, pressed them, and put them in cardboard boxes on her back porch. When men without money needed clothes and asked her neighbors for help, they would say, “Go to the house down the street. There is a Mormon lady living there who will give you what you need.”
The Lord did not run the city, but He changed a part of it for the better. He called one tiny woman—alone—who trusted Him enough to find out what He wanted her to do and then did it. Because of her trust in the Lord, she was able to help in that city hundreds of Heavenly Father’s children in need.
That same trust in God can bless nations. I have come to know that we can trust God to fulfill the promise of Alma that “behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have” (Alma 29:8).
God does not rule in nations, but He is mindful of them. He can and does place people in positions of influence who want what is best for the people and who trust in the Lord (see 2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–3; Isaiah 45:1, 13).
I have seen it in my travels across the world. In a city of more than ten million people, I spoke to the Latter-day Saints gathered by the thousands in conference. It was held in a large sports arena.
Before the meeting began, I noticed a handsome young man sitting on the front row. He was surrounded by others who, like him, were better dressed than most of those around them. I asked the General Authority of the Church near me who the men were. He whispered that it was the mayor of the city and his staff.
As I walked to my car after the meeting, I was surprised to see the mayor waiting to greet me, flanked by his staff. He stepped forward, extended his hand to me, and said, “I thank you for coming to our city and to our country. We are grateful for what you do to build up your people. With such people and such families, we could create the harmony and the prosperity we want for our people.”
I saw in that moment that he was one of the honest in heart placed by God in power among His children. We are a tiny minority among the citizens of that great city and nation. The mayor knew little of our doctrine and few of our people. Yet God had sent him the message that Latter-day Saints, under covenant to trust God and His authorized servants, would become a light to his people.
I know that the servants of God whom we sustain as prophets, seers, and revelators are called of God to give messages to His children. The Lord has said of them: “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38).
You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks. If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song, and prayer you hear in your Church meetings, you will find it. And if you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that He has come to trust you.

My Review:

This book is filled with hope and encouragement...
Yes, the path is uphill...but you are not alone in walking it.

The sections in the book are:
A Strong Foundation
Personal Growth Through Helping Others
Strength in Adversity
Power to Live a Consecrated Life
Help for the Last Days

Wonderful stories to help you understand what is needed in this life for you to be happy, and encouragement to help you know you can do it!

About the Author:

Henry B. Eyring was called in 2008 as First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has served as a General Authority since 1985, when he was called to serve in the Presiding Bishopric; he was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1995 and as Second Counselor in the First Presidency in 2007.
President Eyring holds a bacherlor’s degree from the University of Utah and master’s and PhD degrees from Harvard University. He worked as an associate professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and was president of Ricks College from 1971 to 1977. He also served as commissioner of Church Education. He and his wife, Kathleen Johnson Eyring, are the parents of six children and grandparents of twenty-eight.

(A review copy of this title was provided by the publisher for this review. However, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Fairy Tale Giveaway Hop

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This hop is in conjunction with the 3rd annual Fairy Tale Fortnight.
Fairy Tale Giveaway Hop
Hosted by

This hop runs from March 26th to April 2nd

My giveaway Details:
1- copy of Rapunzel Untangled
(please make sure The Book Depository delivers to your country)
Told that she must be indoors at all times, Rapunzel feels trapped in the huge mansion where she lives. But when school demands allow her access to the Internet, she discovers Facebook and becomes friends with Fane, a local teenager who changes her whole world. This story will have you entangled from beginning to end. Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won't want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.
After you have entered my giveaway...
hop to another giveaway from the list below :)



Mar 22, 2013

What Would a Holy Woman Do?

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Another great Time Out Classics

What started out as an experiment with 6 friends turned into so much more as minds were changed, energy was increased and hearts were softened.

For just 3 days women were asked to take the "holy woman challenge."

They were to choose just ONE activity a day and ask "what would a holy woman do?"

After three days each woman reported her surprising findings...

And at the end of the book there are a couple of journal pages to report your 3 days of being a holy woman.

So how would a holy woman:
start her day
read to a child
exercise
talk
shop
eat
pray
do laundry
clean the house
handle conflict
serve a neighbor
respond to criticism
etc.

Take the challenge :)




Mar 21, 2013

Second Chances

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Book Details:
Author: Melanie Jacobson
Release Date: 2013
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary Romance

This book was a very FUN read!

Melanie Jacobson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors...Her books never disappoint me!

Light-hearted fun, tender feelings, romance-in-the-air...
It's all there!

This book has a very fun storyline...

A "Mormon" version of The Bachelor...aired as a web-series...in hopes of getting more advertising for Louisa's new firm...

But also to "reform the Huntington Beach dating scene."

Mormon men seem to be afraid to date.
This show sent one Mormon man on a "date" with 21 wonderful Mormon women to show that dating is:
still in...
still fun...
still wanted...

Just like the show The Bachelor...these couples will be followed with a camera and given the "how's it going" interviews.

But when the shows "star" gets into a relationship BEFORE the show airs, Louisa has to turn to her ex-boyfriend Nick to be the bachelor...fun twist!

And as you know... in the end there will be only one rose... who will the lucky girl be?

If you love contemporary romance you will love Second Chances!

About the Author:
Melanie Bennett Jacobson is an avid reader, amateur cook, and champion shopper. She consumes astonishing amounts of chocolate, chick flicks, and books. After meeting her own husband on the Internet, she is now living happily married in Southern California with her growing family and a series of doomed potted herbs.



Mar 20, 2013

The Book of Jer3miah: Premonition

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This was a very fun book!

The storyline keeps you going as you try to figure out what is happening, why it is happening, and what is going to happen next.

You have suspense, action, mystery, ancient world artifacts, kidnapping, murder, conspiracy, destiny, and of course a little romance.

Jeremiah has been charged to be the protector of a very mysterious box.

The events that unfold take him to his very depths and beyond.

Can he do what is asked of him?

Throughout the book you are hanging on every event on every page until the very end....

And then there had better be a next book...because it leaves you hanging even more.

This book is also a web-series...
Watch at Jer3miah.com
or purchase the DVD at Deseret Book or Amazon

40 Days With the Savior

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About the Book:
Release Date: February 2013
Genre: Spiritual Inspiration

Book Description:
Do you desire a more Christ-centered Easter?

You’ll experience a more fulfilling Easter season with this collection of inspirational thoughts on trying to become more like the Savior. For forty days, enjoy a daily scripture and personal insight on a character trait of Jesus Christ. Learn more of who He was and what He taught.

As you read these daily devotionals, you’ll feel a joyful connection to the character of Jesus Christ, understand how much He is involved in your life, and discover how knowing Him better makes your life better, too.


$25 TOUR GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Review:
I REALLY love books like this...
I LOVE the daily dose of scriptural pondering!
I am THANKFUL for the insight the author brings to the scriptures.
At the end of each page there is also a daily question to help you become more like the Savior...truly WONDERFUL!
This book is AMAZING in helping prepare your mind, heart, and soul for the Easter Season.

About the Author:
Connie Sokol is a mother of seven, a national and local presenter, and a regular speaker at Education Week. She is a monthly contributor on KSL TV “Studio 5,” and regular blogger for KSL "Motherhood Matters." She is a former TV and radio host for Bonneville Communications, and columnist for Deseret News and Utah Valley Magazine. Mrs. Sokol is the author of several books including the award-nominated romance Caribbean Crossroads, the 8-week Challenge program of Faithful, Fit & Fabulous, Life is Too Short for One Hair Color Series, as well as talk CDs and podcasts. Mrs. Sokol marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats.

(A digital review copy of this title was provided by the author for this review. However, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Mar 19, 2013

The Faith Experiment

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I LOVE these little Time Out Classics books.

They are short, sweet, and powerful!

They can quickly give you a boost of endurance to take just one more step towards the goal.

So many wonderful messages are given at Time Out for Women....and now these messages are captured in some wonderful books to be read, pondered, and prayed about.

Laurel Christensen is an AMAZING woman!
This book is her story of losing weight, running a half marathon and in the process learning to have faith....

She in turn teaches us  how to:
Pray with Faith
Think with Faith
Live with Faith

I LOVED LOVED LOVED her thought:
"Don't be the ONE THING standing in YOUR way!"

"Are you ready to try your own faith experiment?"

Tug of War

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I LOVE Mary Ellen Edmunds (MEE)

I love hearing her speak!
I love reading her books!

This book is actually taken from one of her presentations at Time Out For Women.

Here on earth we really only have 2 choices...
Babylon OR Zion
It is that simple...not easy...but simple.

Filled with great stories this book helps us remember that it all comes down to our "agency" and the "desires of our hearts."

Perfect little book for anyone.


Mar 18, 2013

The Infinite Atonement Illustrated Edition

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The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister is one of the most referenced books about the atonement.

It tells the how, what, and why of the atonement along with the blessings that come from the atonement.

The atonement is far more reaching than most people understand, not only is it a way for the sinner to repent, but it is a power for the lonely, the depressed, the abused, the one seeking solace.

Through "that suffering endured, that power displayed, and that love manifested by the Savior" we can be exalted to be like your Father in Heaven...without it we are nothing.

Now you can read the the Illustrated Edition ~ James C. Christensen, Simon Dewey, Greg Olsen, Walter Rane, and many others — have created beautiful full-page illustrations to add "visual beauty to spiritual inspiration."

This book is definitely one you will want in your library.


Mar 16, 2013

The Continuous Conversion

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Book Details:
Author: Brad Wilcox
Release Date: March 2013
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: Inspiration

Book Description:
Brad Wilcox states:
I wrote this book because I know too many people who are giving up! One discouraged friend said, "I can't do this Mormon thing. I've tried, and the expectations are just way too high." … I know returned missionaries who spent their entire missions teaching about the Atonement, but now they have made some mistakes and feel like the Atonement won't work for them. I know people who have gone to the temple to be sealed and then never returned. I know others who are feeling burned out in their callings. Too many Latter-day Saints feel like they will never measure up. I wanted to write something that will provide hope and motivation next time we or those we love are tempted to toss in the towel. I wanted to write something that would remind people why we do what we do and that it's worth it--not because of all we are earning, but because of all we are learning. Instead of just going through the motions, I wanted people to read this book and once again feel the emotions of discipleship. That's what they are missing. Whether the challenge is getting more out of the temple endowment or dealing with callings or juggling the many aspects of our lives and feeling like we are dropping too many balls, I wanted to provide a shot in the arm.

"I can't do this Mormon thing," a friend told Brad Wilcox. "I've tried, and the expectations are just way too high." And she's not alone in her thinking. Many people, as they feel themselves falling short of perfection, are tempted to quit trying. But are there only two options? Think of it this way: When a person is learning to play the piano, are the only two options performing at Carnegie Hall or quitting? Similarly, in mortality, are the only two choices being perfect or giving up? "No," writes Brad Wilcox. "Growth and development take time. Learning takes practice. Discipleship is a journey, and true conversion is a continuous process." In this hope-filled book, Brad shares his keen understanding and testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ as it relates to our own conversion. Conversion occurs, he says, "when we stop trying to earn heaven and start trying to learn it. . . As we take each little step to show faith, repent, make and live covenants, seek the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end, we are not paying our way into heaven. We are practicing for it."

My Review:
This is one of those books that needs to be read and then re-read over and over again.

Packed with so much information and guidance it will help someone seeking to truly convert to the gospel of Jesus Christ...not only to the gospel, but convert to Jesus Christ.

I love all the examples and stories within these pages.
I also love the way Brother Wilcox teaches and the little phrases he uses; for example:

"Heaven is not a prize for the perfect, but the future home of all who are willing to be perfected."

"We send missionaries to the Missionary Training Center, God has sent us to the Exaltation Training Center"

"True conversion is not instantaneous, it is continuous."

"Some Latter-day Saints go through all the right motions without feeling any of the emotions. They settle for rule following instead of religion, for obedience and sacrifice instead of consecration, for testimony instead of conversion, and for cultural Mormonism instead of the soul-transforming fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is time for a little zeal with our knowledge."

My very favorite section is where Brother Wilcox writes about "I'm afraid that when all the lessons on simplifying, prioritizing, and balancing are over I am left with only one option--juggling."

And as we juggle all we have been asked to do, if we go about doing God's work, and continue on the path to conversion, He will let us know which balls to keep in the air and which balls to let drop to the ground.

"The journey of conversion can seem daunting unless we remember that we are not alone."

About the Author:
Brad Wilcox is an associate professor in the department of Teacher Education at Brigham Young University, where he also works with programs such as Especially for Youth and Campus Education Week. As a young man, he served his mission in Chile, and he was later called back to that country to preside over the Chile Santiago East Mission from 2003 to 2003. He currently serves as a member of the Sunday School general board.

Brad is the author of the bestselling book The Continuous Atonement and the BYU devotional “His Grace Is Sufficient.” He and his wife, Debi, are the parents of four children and grandparents of three.

Mar 15, 2013

The Power of Staring Something Stupid

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Book Details:
Author: Richie Norton
Release Date: March 2013
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Genre: Self-Help

Book Description:
What if the smartest people in the world understand something that the rest of us don't? (They do.)
What if they know that in order to achieve success, they will sometimes have to do things that others may initially perceive as stupid? The fact of the matter is that the smartest people in the world don't run from stupid, they lean into it (in a smart way).In The Power of Starting Something Stupid, Richie Norton redefines stupid as we know it, demonstrating that life-changing ideas are often tragically mislabeled stupid. What if the key to success, creativity, and fulfillment in your life lies in the potential of those stupid ideas? This deeply inspiring book will teach you:
  • How to crush fear, make dreams happen, and live without regret.
  • How to overcome obstacles such as lack of time, lack of education, or lack of money.
  • The 5 actions of the New Smart to achieve authentic success.

No more excuses. Learn how to start something stupid—the smartest thing you can do. Drawing on years of research, including hundreds of face-to-face interviews and some of the world's greatest success stories past and present, Richie shows you how stupid is the New Smart—the common denominator for success, creativity, and innovation in business and life.

Video Clip:



My Review:
I was immediately intrigued with the title~ The Power of Starting Something Stupid. Power and Stupid in the same title...I had to read this book!

Then the subtitle caught my attention~ How to crush fear, make dreams happen and live without regret. Now I REALLY had to read this book!

We all know people who started something that everyone said just couldn't be done...and they succeeded...think the telephone, the car, radio, Walt Disney, Apple, Twitter, Amazon, etc.

But do we realize that ALL of us have that power within us?

Richie Norton shares his knowledge and gives step-by-step examples on how to implement that knowledge into our own lives.

My favorite phrase in the book is: "Live to Start ~ Start to Live."

So go ahead...start something stupid...whatever it takes :)

About the Author:
Richie Norton is the author of the #1 Amazon download, Résumés Are Dead and What to Do About It as well as the popular blog, Start Stuff. Pacific Business News recognized Richie as one of the top Forty Under 40 “best and brightest young businessmen” in Hawaii. He is an entrepreneur, a sought-after speaker, and an international business development consultant. Richie is happily married to Natalie, and they have four sons.


(A review copy of this title was provided by the publisher for this review. However, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Mar 14, 2013

Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop

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3rd Annual
Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop


This hop runs from March 15th - 22nd

Participating blogs are offering a book related giveaway
and we are all linked up together so you can easily
hop from one giveaway to another.
  
My Giveaway Details:
1- $15 Amazon.com Gift Card
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
After you have entered my giveaway...
hop to another giveaway from the list below :)

 

Mar 13, 2013

Hashbrown Winters and the Phantom of Pordunce

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About the Book:
Author: Frank L. Cole
Release Date: November 2010
Publisher: Bonneville Books
Genre: Middle Fiction

Book Details:
Life at Pordunce is back to normal – well, as normal as ever in the three-ring circus that passes for Hashbrown’s elementary school. But everything changes when a ghostly presence starts roaming the halls. And even worse, Hashbrown’s club may be about to lose one of its founding members.

My Review:
This series continues to be AMAZING!
The humor and adventures of this fun group of kids is wonderful!
I LOVE the discussions Questions at the back of each book....

One of the questions is:
Nathanial "Nugget" Nottingham was a character created by a real elementary school student named Kaitlyn Larkin. If you could create a character for the Hashbrown adventures, what would your character's name be and what would he or she look like? (You can leave a comment below of your character :)

Here is a fun clip of the Hashbrown books written so far....:)




About the Author:
Frank L. Cole was born into a family of Southern storytellers and wrote his first book as age eight. Sadly he misplaced the manuscript and has since forgotten what he wrote. Highly superstitious and gullible to a fault, Frank will believe any creepy story you tell him, especially ones involving ghosts and Bigfoot. Currently along with his wife and three children, he resides in the shadow of a majestic western mountain range, which is most likely haunted. You can learn more about Frank’s writing at www.franklcole.com.

Frank’s next book in the Hasbrown Winters series, Hashbrown Winters and the Whiztastrophe, will debut April 9th 2013.

And don’t forget to check out his other books:
The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter
Hashbrown Winters and Mashimoto Madness
The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters

Mar 12, 2013

The Savior's Symbols

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Book Details:
Release Date: February 2013
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Genre: Spiritual
 
Book Description:
Often we are taught familiar stories from the life of the Master without fully exploring the profoundly beneficial insights of his symbolic imagery. It was Heavenly Father who directed his Son to teach us his chosen symbols with an invitation to ponder their significance.

The Saviors Symbols examines how and when the Lord introduced his chosen symbols. It frames each teaching opportunity, the various people and motivations involved, and suggests to whom his symbolic message was directed. Although each circumstance and symbol varies, Christ’s focus is ever the same; claiming his Father’s children and blessing all through his service and sacrifice.
The Savior’s Symbols invites you to ponder anew the life, ministry, and sacred mission of Jesus Christ.

All royalties from this publication are donated to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or The Perpetual Missionary Foundation for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Visit the Foundation website to find out more.
 
My Review:
Seven Affirmations from the Life of the Master~~What a beautiful book to read right before the coming of Easter!
I loved in the preface how the author wrote:
 
"This work invites you to think expansively and to feel differently about Christ.
His symbols inspire feelings and insights as you study his words.
While you ponder the circumstances and messages of each symbol, you will,
if you choose, come to know Him better."
 
Each chapter is a different symbol: Wine, Water, Bread, Stone, Oil, The Shepherd and the Lamb, Alpha and Omega;

Scriptural stories, and hymn text are sprinkled throughout to illustrate each symbolism.

I also loved this thought that "our lives can also become symbols of the Savior as we desire, seek, receive, act, and radiate the Light and Love of Christ daily in our lives."

Give yourself a gift this Easter to study from the pages of this beautiful book :)

Included in the book are beautiful paintings by Jeffrey Hein, Michael Malm, and Nathan Pinnock
 
About the Author:
Mark A. Amacher was raised in a military family, moving frequently from one duty station to another. His family eventually settled in Bountiful, Utah, during the Vietnam War. After serving as a Mormon missionary, Mark married Patti Allen in Salt Lake City while completing his university education. During a successful business career with General Electric, American International Group and QBE of Australia, Mark and Patti moved and traveled frequently. During these years, Mark Amacher was either starting or managing businesses from Asia to the Middle East. Mark served in the Greensboro, North Carolina, Stake Presidency from 1996–2010, where he watched his three sons leave to serve missions in Oregon, California, and Louisiana.

Mark retired in 2011 but still advises and invests in different businesses. The Amachers currently serve as Church Service Missionaries and Temple workers and reside in North Carolina. They just welcomed their first Grandchild, Audrey, to the family. To learn more about the author, visit Mark’s website here: thesaviorssymbols.com.
 

Mar 10, 2013

Deep Cover

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Traci Hunter Abramson has given us another fantastic romantic suspense!

I LOVE this author!

She gives her stories lots of suspense and action with a hint of romance...

Twist and turns keep you turning the pages and a wonderful outcome is always waiting at the end of the book!

In this story Kelsey has just come home from a deep-undercover assignment.

What she finds is a next-door neighbor who has been involved in her family since she has been gone.

Not only that, but he is an FBI agent and Kelsey can't tell him she is CIA.

But when their two separate assignments collide together she finds she has a lot to explain...

Can their budding friendship take the truth?
Will Kelsey have to go back under deep cover to get the results desired by her superiors?

SO GOOD!
DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS ONE!
A DEFINITE MUST READ!

Mar 8, 2013

March Kindle Fire Giveaway

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Kindle Fire HD Giveaway!

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)


Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)


Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)


Sponsoring Authors

The Stone Guardian by Theresa McClinton
 

Blood Oath (Gabby Girls Adventure, #2)Return of the Dragon Riders: Book Two of the Dragon Stone Saga (Dragon Stone Saga, #2)Hidden HeartA Tale of the Other Kind (Therian, #1)AuraPrison NationFamily Magic (Hayle Coven, #1)The Conduit (Gryphon, #1)Shifting PrideFire Within (Guardian Witch #2)Fall of Sky CityReflectionThe Light of Asteria: Kailmeyra's Last Hope (Kailmeyra, #1)Kiss Me, I'm Irish (Time For Love #1)Grace DollThe Stone GuardianLegend UnleashedInnovera Yakov: The Journey of A Thousand EyesThe GiftedFor What It's WorthForbidden Temptation of a VampireOwlet (Society of Feathers, #1)Cascade Brides: The Complete SeriesTwenty-Five Years Ago TodayAlexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit


Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends: 3/31/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

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