The Romney Family Table

Book Details
Author: Ann Romney
Release Date: October 2013
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Genre: Cookbook

This book is more than just a cookbook!
It is about gathering families together...around the table :)

This book gives us insight into the Mitt and Ann Romney family and how they have gathered around the table on special days, Sundays, and holidays.

Ann talks about her family including stories about being around the kitchen counter with her mom, how it was to raise five boys, and making it a priority to spend time as a family.

My favorite story in this section is the day she had come home to find that her baby had had a heyday in the Fluff jar...there is a really fun picture of Fluff all over this child's face, hands, and clothes.

She also talks about the traditions they have as a family such as keeping her Welsh heritage alive, birthday celebrations, and summer vacations. 

One of the stories you will read in this section is about the year Mitt's dad, George Romney, traveled to the home of each of his grandchildren on their birthday and cooked their favorite meal for them...and he was in his eighties...wow!

And we get to read about their holiday traditions of Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. 

Ann shares with us her love of the Fourth of July, from the family picnic, to the fireworks, to the parade held in Wolfeboro with its lawn-chair brigade...fun story!

And did you notice the picture on the front of the cover with the children eating the watermelon...this is just one of the activities the Romney family does in their summer "Romney Olympics" tradition.

Filled with almost 100 pictures of the family...including parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren.

And well over 100 recipes...

This book is truly a wonderful gift from the Romney family table to your family table.

About the Author

Ann Romney places primary importance on her role as a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. As First Lady of Massachusetts, she worked to focus attention on the challenges facing at-risk youth and served as the Governor’s Liaison to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998, she has volunteered much of her time to raise awareness of the disease. She and her husband, Mitt, celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary this year. They have five sons, five daughters-in-law, and twenty-one grandchildren.

Here are some of my favorite recipes from the book~
Credit goes to my wonderful husband who baked all of this so I could truly review the recipes in this amazing book :)

Mitt's Meat Loaf Cakes

Barbecue Beef

Beef Tenderloin

Sauteed Fillet of Sole

Lasagna Noodle Bake

Parmesan Chicken

Boiled New Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

Zucchini Casserole

Mimi's Buttermilk Pancakes

S'more Rice Krispies Treats

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

Crickets in the Pockets w/ FREE eBook Offer

Book Details
Author: Yuval Harpaz
Release Date: September 2013
Genre: Children's Picture

FREE DOWNLOAD OFFER OCT 7TH - 8TH

This is ANOTHER GREAT book by author Yuval Harpaz

His books are fun to read...AND...they teach great values!

Jimmy and Tommy are the best of friends!

They do everything together!

That is until the day Jimmy starts playing basketball with Willy.

Tommy doesn't understand!

What happened to his friendship with Jimmy?

Tommy feels angry, embarrassed, disappointed and ashamed.

Did he do something wrong?

He promises that the next time he sees Jimmy he is just going to ignore him!

Then he meets a magical, talking cricket who takes him to Great Grandfather Cricket.

Great Grandfather Cricket gives Tommy some amazing advise for developing friendship skills.

A GREAT BOOK!

WONDERFUL ILLUSTRATIONS!

FANTASTIC ADVISE!

Kids will simply enjoy this book...
Parents "will have the exclusive privilege for a FREE Parents' Guide!"

About the Author

Yuval Harpaz is a married father of 3, likes jogging, writing, photography and personal development. He has rich imagination and sometimes is even caught doodling comics on napkins.

Yuval's stories are built to establish the love for books and reading in children. He accompanies his stories with intense and colorful illustrations. 

His stories are meant to make a difference and to also allow your child to develop and master a new level of reading.

Read my review of his other book...The Murky Shadow and the Special Gift.

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

The Lord Who Sneered and Other Tales

Book Details
Author: Heidi Ashworth
Release Date: October 2013
Publisher: Dunhaven Place Publishing
Genre: Regency Holiday Romance

An incredibly delightful regency romance anthology for the upcoming holidays!

This is a short book to be fit in with all the hustle and bustle this time of year brings.

It is also an amazing book to put you in the holiday spirit!

You start off with a ghost story where a grieving widow and a handsome stranger are given the task to find out if the ghost in the graveyard is true or not...fun, fun tale as they draw out the finding to be together longer.

Then you have a Christmas story of a prize winning rose...and the true owner of said rose...and the Christmas spirit of giving and good will towards men that comes into play. A very sweet tale of a proud woman who humbly gives credit where credit is due.

And you end with the story of a man who has a mouth that turns down on one side and turns up on the other side making him look like he has a continual sneer...an enjoyable tale of a woman torn between loving this man and/or believing the incredible legend told by society about this man because of his expression and the character of his cousin.

A WONDERFULLY GREAT BOOK!

About the Author
Wife, mother, novelist, gardener, bloggist, lover of good books, roses and vintage charm; passionate about her family, words, roses, vintage home decor, found treasures and the color pink.

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

Chasing Hope w/ $25 Amazon or PayPal Giveaway

Tour Schedule

Book Details
Author: Kathryn Cushman
Release Date: September 2013
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Drama

This is one of those astoundingly inspiring books that is not only a good story, but a phenomenal story that changes your life.

Entertaining, bold, and full of hope.
This story enraptures your heart and gives you the desire to be a better person...

To push forward...with faith.
A very uplifting tale!

Sabrina used to love running. It was her dream. It was her calling.

She was planning on the Olympics.

That is until the day her body deceived her an quit running on her...diagnosis...rheumatoid arthritis.

She had to give up her scholarship and make new plans for her future.

Then Brandy came into her life. Brandy had all the makings of a good runner except discipline.

Brandy was headed for juvenile hall unless someone could help her find some direction in her life.

Sabrina was the answer...

Together they began training Brandy to accomplish what Sabrina was never able to finish.

Maybe running was still in Sabrina's life after all...just in a different way than first planned.

SO AMAZINGLY GOOD!
COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!
A DEFINITE MUST READ!

Tour Giveaway

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About the Author
Kathryn “Katie” Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy.

She is the author of five novels, including Leaving Yesterday and A Promise to Remember, which were both finalists for the Carol Award in Women’s Fiction.

She is also the co-author of Angel Song with Sheila Walsh.

Kathryn and her family currently live in Santa Barbara, California.

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

MissionHome.com ~ A GREAT NEW Resouce for Missionaries and their Families

MissionHome.com 

~providing new resources for missionaries and their families~

Where you serve is not as important as how you serve.

Salt Lake City, UT (September 17, 2013) – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints currently operates over 400 missions with more than 75,000 missionaries serving throughout the world. When the missionary age change was announced in the October 2012 general conference, a new wave of prospective missionaries began preparing for the moment they would receive their call.

After receiving the call, missionaries and families often begin their search for specific information on that mission. Until now, there has not been a centralized site to learn about the culture and people of each mission area.

On October 1st, 2013 Deseret Book Company launched an online missionary website, MissionHome.com... a site that specifically focuses on each phase of missionary service—

prepare, serve and return.

It includes helpful hints to prospective missionaries:
How to pack efficiently
How to prepare to leave
Inspiring and authentic experiences from former missionaries. 

It also has a complete mission directory, created by missionaries who themselves have served in that area, which provides information about local customs, food, transportation, safety, and many other insights.

MissionHome.com is easy to use and provides a library of information for prospective and returning missionaries as well as help to families of those currently serving (a section for senior couples will be coming soon).

Familiar LDS authors as well as recently returned missionaries and past mission presidents will be regular contributors to the site.

In addition to great free content and resources, families will be able to send care packages directly to their missionaries with 

guaranteed delivery from Deseret Book. 

Service is available to most missions.

You can select a pre-made package...

OR create your own...

you get to choose from a great collection of music, snacks, health/personal care, totes, jewelry, ties, books, and candy :)

For more information visit www.missionhome.com.

Blog This w/ $25 Amazon and Signed Copies of Cami's Books Giveaway

Tour Schedule

Book Details
Author: Cami Checketts
Release Date: September 2013
Publisher: Birch River Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Cami Checketts is not only and AMAZING author...She is also an AMAZING person!

And this book is SO. SO. SO. GOOD!

Suspense, action, mystery, romance, and a momma who will do anything to protect her kids...it's all in here!

Blogging is a great way to tell others what you believe in...and Natasha's blog is getting a lot of attention!

She is trying to protect children from the dangers of violent video games produced by Matthew Chrysler.

She believes that his games are turning these children into killers because that is exactly what it did to her own brother.

Now Chrysler has sent a hit man to take down her blog...and ultimately kill her.

"Natasha is forced to fake her own death to protect herself and her children."

But can she keep quiet?

Can she stop blogging about how bad these games really are?

Will protecting other children cost her the lives of her children and herself?

GREAT TWISTS in the plot keep you reading to find out who the bad guy really is and how much Natasha is willing to say...or not say...before her time runs out.

I. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. THIS. BOOK!

Tour Giveaway

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About the Author

Cami Checketts is married and the proud mother of four future WWF champions. Sometimes between being a human horse, cleaning up magic potions, and driving boys to lacrosse practice, she gets the chance to write fiction.

Cami graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Exercise Science. She is a pro bono fitness trainer and shares health and fitness articles at http://fitnessformom.blogspot.com.

Cami and her family live in the beautiful Cache Valley of Northern Utah. During the two months of the year it isn't snowing, she enjoys swimming, hiking, biking, running, and water-skiing.
A portion of the proceeds from Cami's books will be donated to The Child & Family Support Center. For more information on this worthy cause, please go to www.cachecfsc.org

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

The Saratov Approach (Movie Review)

In 1998 Elder Andrew Propst and Elder Travis Tuttle were loving life and serving as Mormon missionary companions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Russia.

They were doing what all missionaries do...

They were sharing the word of God.

That is until one day in March when they knocked on a door of a person who had set up an appointment with them.

After entering the apartment they were beaten, kidnapped, and held for ransom for 5 days...

This movie is their story...

I was able to attend a pre-screening of this movie :)

So well done!
A very touching movie!
A faith-building story!

Don't miss out on this one!

"The incredible true story of two missionaries who were abducted, ransomed, and delivered in Saratov, Russia nearly 15 years ago."

National Day of Pasta Celebration~Creation w/ Book Giveaway

Benvenuti!

National Day of Pasta is Thursday, Oct 17th.

Do you have a pasta creation everyone raves about and is always requested?

In honor and celebration of this fun passage Shannon Smurthwaite
is looking for an original pasta recipe you enjoy sharing with your family and friends.

The winning recipe submission will be announced on the National Day of Pasta, will receive a copy of Mormon Mama Italian Cookbook and be featured on her website.

Rules: 

You must be 18 years of age and older to participate. You cannot be a professional chef, food editor or cookbook author. Recipe must be original or a family tradition.

Recipes must be received by midnight, Saturday, October 12th, 2013.

To enter:  

Go to www.myitalianmama.com
Click on the tab Oodles of Noodles.
Scroll to the bottom of the page.
Click on Replies.
Type in your complete recipe (be thorough) in the box provided
Click post comment when you are finished.
Please include your name, and home town.
(Recipe will not appear immediately).

Grazie!  

Little Red Writing w/ Book, Poster, AND Pencil Giveaway

LITTLE RED WRITING

This book may seem a little familiar to some of you...as I posted a review a couple of weeks ago...and I am participating in the BOOK BLAST :)

This book is CLEVER and CUTE and AMAZING and FUN and oh so very ENTERTAINING!

It can be read simply for fun or it can be used as a teaching tool. 

To read my full review click HERE

I LOVE this book so much that I asked the author if she would do a BOOK GIVEAWAY and an INTERVIEW for MY readers...and she agreed :)

Interview with Author Joan Holub

Please tell us a little bit about yourself?

I write books for children full time now. But I got a BFA in college and started out as a graphic designer, then became a book designer, then an illustrator, then an author-illustrator. And now I love coming up with ideas and turning them into children’s books!

What do you do when you are not writing?
DIY home decorating, play poker (badly, but enthusiastically), dance, hang out, read, try to think of ways I might be able to visit to NYC and Seattle!

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
I started seriously trying to write books in the mid 1990's. One of the first children’s books I illustrated was The 100th Day of School, a Scholastic early reader by Angela Shelf Medearis. The first two books I author-illustrated were Boo Who? A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book, also for Scholastic and Pen Pals (Grosset & Dunlap, OP).

How did you choose the genre you write in?
When I get an idea, it sort of tells me what genre it will be rather than the other way around. I write mostly fiction, but also nonfiction-fiction crossovers (Zero the Hero) and biographies (Who Was Babe Ruth?). I write board books, picture books, early readers, chapter books, and middle grade. Currently I write two series with Suzanne Williams- Heroes in Training chapter books and Goddess Girls middle grade/tween.

Where do you get your ideas?
Pretty much the same way you do. I listen to friends and random strangers and I watch people around me. I read, brainstorm, travel, and daydream to get ideas. Ideas are the easy part of writing. Developing an idea into a book with a beginning, a middle, and a satisfying end can be hard. You just never know if an idea will make a good book until you try it.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Not really. It helps to have several books going at once. If one stumps me, I can move to another for a while.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?
I outline chapter books and Middle Grade series. But I storyboard and dummy younger works such as picture books, board books, and early readers. Outlines and dummies help me with pacing and working out kinks in the plots.

What project are you working on now?
Little Red Writing just released a few days ago (yay!), so I’m off on a blog tour. And Suzanne and I are writing more in the Heroes in Training and Goddess Girls series for Aladdin/Simon&Schuster. Plus I’ve got some board books and picture books in the works with some amazing illustrators!

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Butt-in-chair is important to get work done, but also get out and experience the world to get re-energized and spark new ideas. And if one door in the publishing world shuts, learn what you can from whatever feedback you got, and then try another door.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you, for reading my books and sharing them with kids!

THANK YOU JOAN~ IT IS SO FUN TO GET TO KNOW THE AUTHORS OF THE BOOKS WE SO LOVE!

And now for the GIVEAWAY :)

(US Address only please)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Goddess Girls series, Aladdin, ages 8-12, by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams:

• Athena the Brain • Persephone the Phony • Aphrodite the Beauty • Artemis the Brave • Athena the Wise • Aphrodite the Diva • Artemis the Loyal • Medusa the Mean • The Girl Games (Super Special) • Pandora the Curious • Pheme the Gossip • Persephone the Daring

Heroes-in-Training series, Aladdin, ages 6-10, by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams:

• Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom • Poseidon and the Sea of Fury • Hyperion and the Great Balls of Fire

Zero the Hero Henry Holt, picture book, 2012

Little Red Writing Chronicle Books, picture book, Oct 2013

http://www.joanholub.com | readertotz.blogspot.com | joanholub.blogspot.com

Just Ella Book Blast w/ $50 Amazon or PayPal Giveaway

Just Ella 
by Annette K. Larsen

Book Summary:
A Proper Romance Ariella was only looking for a distraction, something to break up the monotony of palace life. What she found was a young man willing to overlook her title and show her a new and vibrant way of life. But when her growing feelings for Gavin spiral out of control and clash with the expectations of her station, she will discover that the consequences of her curiosity are far more severe than she’d imagined. I watched in helpless horror as two guards hauled Gavin to his feet and dragged him from the room. My voice was frozen, unable to protest as another guard took hold of my arm, leading me upstairs. From the confines of my room, I stared into the darkness beyond my window, hoping to catch one more glimpse of Gavin. He was gone, and I wondered if he would have been better off if he had never met me. I write clean romance. Why? Because that’s what I love to read, but over the years I’ve discovered it’s quite a challenge to find good clean romance. I believe it’s a genre that many people are looking for and too few authors are writing. My first novel, Just Ella, took me many years to write because I wanted it to be more than just a cutesy love story. I wanted it to have depth, to feel genuine. Hopefully I succeeded, but you’ll have to be the judge.

Amazon Paperback * Amazon Kindle

Praise for Just Ella "I fell in love with this book. Treat yourself to something wonderful. You can't go wrong with Just Ella!" ~Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer "By far one of the best romance novels I've ever read. Pulls you in with great, likable characters and keeps you going with a sweet and exciting love story--plus a good plot to give it even more substance. Full of those tender moments you want to go back and read again, plus exciting moments, clever humor, and some suspense as well." ~Jana Miller "Annette Larsen writes a love story that takes time, is complicated, and yet still sweeps you up in the romance (without the cheese, thank you). It's compelling and emotional and sweet and you will love every page." ~Kimi  

Book Blast/Blog Tour Special

Grab your copy of Just Ella for just $3.99!

 Excerpt “Now, wait just a minute. You can’t just plunge into a pool of water.” “Why not?” I should have said something cleverer, but I felt a bit scatterbrained, all thoughts having fled when Gavin’s arm went around me. He made a noise of exasperation. “Why not, she asks. Because, Princess, what’s going to happen when you show up for your lessons completely drenched? Or, what happens when we both show up on the palace grounds completely drenched? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to explain that to anybody.” Unfortunately, he had a point. “Don’t call me Princess.” He had been so relaxed today, so willing to be himself and let me be myself. I hated that he felt the need to remind me of my rank. I was tempted to be angry and walk away but I also wanted to see how long he would keep his arms around me. Simply out of curiosity, of course.

Author Annette K. Larsen
I was born in Utah, but grew up in Flagstaff Arizona and St. Louis Missouri, the fifth of seven children. I attended college at Southern Virginia University and Brigham Young University where I studied English and Theater. I now live in Idaho with my husband and four children. I have Charlotte Bronte to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to sacrifice what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but it the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it. I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.  

Website * Twitter * Facebook

   

BookBlast Giveaway 

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

Ends 10/31/13   

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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Sweetheart w/ eBook Giveaway

Book Details
Author: Shannon Guymon
Release Date: September 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance

OH. I. DO. LOVE. THIS. SERIES.
LOVE and DESSERT...can it get any better?

These books are fun and fantastic!
They are also sweet and romantic!
They are just a pure delight to read!

This is Jane's story...
Jane is the youngest sister and she has watched Layla find love, marry and Layla is now expecting.

Jane has also watched Kit choose her true love and Kit is now planning her wedding.

Life at the bakery won't be the same without her sisters living there...Yes they will still work together, but it will be different.

Jane is feeling a little lonely.

And then there is office Tate...

Jane loves him so much, yet Tate has made it very clear that he doesn't want to be with her.

But what about all the flirting Tate does...
Jane's heart just can't take it any longer..
She tells Tate to never come back to the bakery again!

She tries to Fall Out of Love with Tate by dating Rob.
She even seeks out a Find a Friend website.

But her heart is set...especially when she sees Tate strip off his shirt and do the Haka with his fellow Rugby players.

Family conflict, love triangles, old boyfriends, kidnapping, and a wedding reception never to be forgotten makes this a book to be read and loved and shared with a friend!

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book!
Read my review of the other books in this series:
You Belong With Me
I Belong With You

Shannon has graciously offered to do an

eBOOK GIVEAWAY for MY readers :)

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About the Author

Shannon is the author of thirteen books - so far.
She enjoys the outdoors, reading and being with her children. She is a HUGE believer in happy endings. Scarlett really should have been happy with Rhett, and it's a shame Leo and Kate didn't float safely into New York on the Titanic.

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

Cruise to Murder w/ eBook Giveaway

Book Details
Authors: Zoey & Claire Kane
Release Date: June 2013
Publisher: Breezy Reads
Genre: Mystery

The Kane duo is at is again...SO FUN!

Now that the mystery of the Hillgate manor has been solved mother and daughter have set sail for a get-away cruise.

While strolling along the beach on their first island, Zoey's ankle gets caught with some seaweed.

But when Claire looks to help her she sees a "hand and wrist emerge out from the water"....

Suddenly they find themselves entangled in murders, voodoo, and international conspiracy.

Can Zoey and Claire find out what is going on before it is too late?

Such a GREAT SERIES!
A little laughter.
A little mystery.
A little suspense.
A little romance.
A whole lot of FUN, FUN READING!

Zoey and Claire have graciously agreed to do an

eBOOK GIVEAWAY for MY readers :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Authors
Claire has a Masters in Journalism, was Editor for Eye Witness Magazine and can't make Irish Rum Cookies to save her life.

Claire Kane (Molly Snow)

Zoey has dabbled in modeling, is a licensed real-estate agent, seeks for treasures (great and small), and is often underestimated.

Together, Zoey and Claire are a mother-daughter mystery solving duo. During their downtime, they dream of island men whisking them away.

(Zoey and *Claire are also fictional, and their authors are a real life mother and daughter who use their names as pseudonyms. Don't tell them that, though.)

*Award-winning author, Molly Snow, writes under Claire Kane. To see her paranormal romantic comedies, visit mollysnowfiction.blogspot.com

The following is from Claire Kane (Molly Snow)~There are bits of each character that are true to life, when it comes to us. My mom is glamorous and has led a more wild life than me, for instance. I'm very business-minded like Claire. By the time my mom and I finish one of our adventures, we feel like we really just went through it together. It's a fun experience for the two of us. We also decided to use the characters' names as our pen names, so that explains that little anomaly. Anywho, check these stories out--they're plenty fun.

Other books in this series

Click on picture to see my review

Click on picture to see my review

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