Finding Sheba

Book Details
Author: Heather B. Moore
Release Date: August 2013
Publisher: StoneHouse Ink
Genre: Suspense

I had an opportunity to review this book when it first came out...

But as I have promised you, my readers, that the books I post are squeaky clean, I turned it down because of the swearing.

I even had a lengthy discussion with Heather about this. She was very kind and gave me a lot to think about.

I have once again been asked to review this book as it is a Whitney Awards finalist.

After MUCH PONDERING I decided to read it.

To be perfectly honest it is the best suspense novel I have read in a long time.

The story line is incredible!

I LOVED the back-and-forth between what was happening today and what was happening in ancient times.

The swearing is minimal (still wish it wasn't there at all...the story would have been even better than incredible in my opinion :)

But with that said...it was...

Very suspenseful!
Very well written!
A story worth reading!

Book Description
"An ancient legend is reborn . . . One that might prove the Bible false.

For centuries, historians have theorized the Queen of Sheba as only a seductive legend, and scholars have debated over the legitimacy of King David or King Solomon. When undercover Israeli agent, Omar Zagouri, stumbles onto a tomb in Northern Jerusalem he unknowingly finds the final clue that threatens to overthrow government claim to the Holy Land, pits wealthy collectors against one another, and sends ruthless archaeologists scrambling to find the queen’s secret burial place. An assassination attempt on the Coptic Pope, His Holiness, Patriarch Stephanus II, is only the first in the chain of lethal crimes. Omar must find a way to prevent the greatest discovery of the century from becoming the most deadly."

Amazon * GoodReads

About the Author

Heather B. Moore is the USA Today bestseller and award-winning author of more than a dozen historical novels which are set in Ancient Arabia and Mesoamerica. She is not old and doesn’t remember the time period, so Google has become a great friend. Although she has spent several years living in the Middle East, she prefers to forget the smells. Heather writes her historicals and thrillers under the pen name H.B. Moore. She also writes women’s fiction, romance, and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore, including The Newport Ladies Book Club, the Amazon bestselling anthology series A Timeless Romance Anthology, the Aliso Creek series, and the USA Today bestsellerHeart of the Ocean.

Heather graduated from Brigham Young University with a major in Fashion Merchandising and minor in Business Management–which has absolutely nothing to do with writing novels. But at least she can balance a mean checkbook and color-coordinate her kids’ school clothes.

Website: www.hbmoore.com
Blog: http://mywriterslair.blogspot.com
If you’re an aspiring writer, she also manages the editing company: www.precisioneditinggroup.com

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Luminescence w/ $25 Amazon or PayPal Giveaway

Book Details
Author: Braden Bell
Release Date: March 2014
Publisher: Sweetwater Books
Genre: Middle Fantasy

You watched them Kindle in The Kindling!

You saw them develop their powers and protect their school in Penumbras!

Now join Conner, Lexa, Melanie, and Pilaf as they join their magic...

AND their friendships...

As they come to the aid of their teacher, Dr. Timberi,

who is being tormented by Lady Nightwing and The Darkhands.

They will have to face their fears~

They will learn the importance of obeying their parents~

They will have to put everything on the line...even their powers to help each other~

And they will have to rely on the "Luminescence"~

But will it be enough?

And can they get there in time?

An AMAZING journey!
SO. SO. SO. GOOD!
You don't want to miss out on this one!

TOUR GIVEAWAY

$25 Amazon or PayPal Giveaway :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

During his middle school years, Braden Bell was the least-stable, lowest-achieving student in the history of the world. He shocked every former teacher by graduating from high school and college, and then going on to earn both a Master’s degree as well as a Ph.D. A teacher by day and a parent by night, he is around teenagers 24/7. He teaches music and directs plays at a private school, much like Marion Academy in The Middle School Magic series. Whether he fights evil after hours is something he cannot disclose.

Braden Bell holds degrees in theatre from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. from NYU. A committed educator, he has been directing plays and teaching school now for over twenty years. Braden lives with his family on a quiet, tree-lined lot outside of Nashville, TN, where he teaches theatre and choir at a middle school. The author of The Road Show, The Kindling, and Penumbras.

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Mike and Pinky Find a Home

Book Details
Author: Uncle Amos
Release Date: September 2013
Genre: Children's Picture

I am LOVING books by Uncle Amos!
I HIGHLY recommend them!
CUTE! SWEET! FUN!

Mike and Pinky are two little turtles who live in a beautiful place!

They have a pond and a field to play in.

That is until the big machines appeared.

Now they must find a new home..

They walked for a very long time.

They try a dog house...

And a bank elevator...

And a mole hole...

But nothing works out.

Where, oh where, can they live.

Find out in this WONDERFUL story.
DARLING illustrations!

About the Author

Uncle Amos was born on 1950.
He has a BA in Economics and an MBA in Business Administration.

When he isn't writing, Amos works as an international real estate
and investments broker.

Uncle Amos started writing children's books at the request of his four grandsons, now aged nine, six, and three(Twins).

His stories, which tackle the problems of growing up with humor and fun, are beloved of his family and hundreds of others.

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Unraveled

Book Details
Author: Julie Daines
Release Date: February 2014
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Genre: Fairy Tale

Who knew a pair of shoes could cause so much trouble?

A beautiful tale of love and learning to appreciate what you have. So wonderfully told!

Knights in shining armor~
Damsels in distress~
Witches and fairies~
Love and deception~
Hope and healing~

Bronwen's legs are not right...

They haven't been since the sickness came.

Then one night a Gwyllion came to visit...

In the morning Bronwyn found a strange pair of shoes.

The shoes beckoned her to put them on.

As she did her legs became whole and she could walk.

And so begins the story of how she found herself "presenting" before the prince and the love story that follows.

BUT...

When Bronwyn takes off the shoes her legs return to their former, deformed state.

Can she keep up the lies and deceit?

SO. SO. SO. GOOD!
A fairy tale worth reading!

| Deseret Book | Amazon | 

About the Author

Julie Daines was born in Boston, Massachusetts, raised in Utah, and educated around the world. As a high school student, she spent her summers hiking the deserts of southern Utah, drawing inspiration from the various plants and animals to write children’s stories and legends.

She studied Zoology and Secondary Education at Brigham Young University, paying her way through college by performing live reptile demonstrations at the university’s life science museum.

She spent eighteen months living in London where she studied and fell in love with English Literature, Sticky Toffee Pudding, and the fellow who ran the kebab store around the corner.

After editing for other authors, she decided to take up writing again--this time in the young adult genre. She feels qualified to write for teens because, as a young adult, she mastered the art of drama. Oh, and she has some skulking around the house.

Julie is a member of SCBWI, the League of Utah Writers, and Utah Children’s Writers. She frequently attends conferences where she has won a few awards for her writing, and is part of a superb writer’s group.

FUN THINGS JULIE HAS DONE~

1. Thrown a frisbee off the top of the Eiffel tower. It was a group effort.

2. Removed my own stitches. The nurse was doing a terrible (aka painful) job, so I demanded the scissors and finished it myself.

3. Killed a rat with my bare hands. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

4. Pulled a snake tooth out of my finger--on my honeymoon. True story. The snake (a Rainbow Boa Constrictor) bit me a few weeks before my wedding. I couldn’t figure out why it was taking so long to heal--until part of the tooth started sticking out. Did I mention it was on my honeymoon?

5. Talked my way out of three speeding tickets. Seriously, it pays to go to the judge and argue your case.

6. Taught myself to play the Irish whistle.

7. Snuck out of the hotel (age 18--three girls--alone) in Moscow to meet some strange (but hot) guys at a local disco. Did we ever find them? No. Did we ever find the disco? No. Did we get lost on the subway system and find ourselves wandering deserted streets late at night in Communist Russia? Yes. Were we stupid to try? Absolutely.

8. Stole a flashing barricade from a road construction site. It’s important to note that they put those barricades up for a reason--to warn sneaky teenagers of the deep and dangerous hole. Picture roadrunner slapping down a black circle-hole. Picture Wile E. Coyote walking along then suddenly disappearing into the aforementioned hole. As a follow up, I’d like to say that, riddled by guilt, we put it back about an hour later.

9. Held a scorpion in my bare hands. A live scorpion.

10. Got car sick on the way home from Disneyland. I was trying to finish my math homework in the very back of a station wagon. To this day, any mathematical work still makes me a little queasy.

11. Been chased by a moose.

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Rover and the Dog Hotel

Book Details
Author: Uncle Amos
Release Date: November 2013
Publisher: Createspace
Genre: Children's Picture

FUN! FUN! FUN!
VERY IMAGINATIVE!

Rover is the BEST dog in the whole world!

He cooks and cleans and takes care of his family.

That is until the Rhone's go on vacation.

Then Rover is sent to THE DOG HOUSE...

It's not as bad as it seems and Rover has a great time.

But what about the family...

Who is taking care of them now?

Read and find out what happens :)

VERY CUTE!
A WONDERFUL STORY!

About the Author

Uncle Amos was born on 1950.
He has a BA in Economics and an MBA in Business Administration.

When he isn't writing, Amos works as an international real estate
and investments broker.

Uncle Amos started writing children's books at the request of his four grandsons, now aged nine, six, and three(Twins).

His stories, which tackle the problems of growing up with humor and fun, are beloved of his family and hundreds of others.

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

A World of YA Fantasy Global Blog Event Hop

http://benjaminmctish.blogspot.com/p/global-blog-event.html

Keep The Magic Alive

a  w o r l d  o f  YA  f a n t a s y

Global Blog Event Hop

March 21st - April 4th 

This is a Meet and Greet, a different version of a blog hop. 

This is about Keeping the Magic Alive. 

A way to meet other Authors, 

and other lovers of YA Fantasy.

So a little different rules apply

There will be no rafflecopter, this event is about people meeting people. 

So leave a comment telling me a little about yourself

(don't forget to leave your email to be contacted with if you win) 

this will gain you an entry to win a YA Fantasy Book. 

~MY INT GIVEAWAY~ 

Sky Raiders (ebook) 

by Brandon Mull

Adventure awaits in the Five Kingdoms—come and claim it in this start to a new series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series.

Cole Randolph was just trying to have a fun time with his friends on Halloween (and maybe get to know Jenna Hunt a little better). But when a spooky haunted house turns out to be a portal to something much creepier, Cole finds himself on an adventure on a whole different level.

After Cole sees his friends whisked away to some mysterious place underneath the haunted house, he dives in after them—and ends up in The Outskirts. The Outskirts are made up of five kingdoms that lie between wakefulness and dreaming, reality and imagination, life and death. It’s an in-between place. Some people are born there. Some find their way there from our world, or from other worlds.

And once you come to the Outskirts, it’s very hard to leave.

With the magic of the Outskirts starting to unravel, it’s up to Cole and an unusual girl named Mira to rescue his friends, set things right in the Outskirts, and hopefully find his way back home…before his existence is forgotten.

Remember to LEAVE A COMMENT

then hop on over to the other blogs listed below :)

Why I Don't Hide My Freckles Anymore

Book Details
Editors: LaNae Valentine and Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen
Release Date: February 2014
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: Inspiration

Do you ever find that in trying to be "virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy"...

Seems to "twist us into self-shaming preoccupation with appearing more virtuous and more lovely than others, envying others' good reports, and feeling unworthy unless we merit the praise of" others?

THIS BOOK WILL HELP WITH THAT!

Amazingly wonderful stories of people who have...

overcome the need to be perfect~
overcome the need to compare~
overcome the need to feel shame about their bodies~

I LOVED Anna Packard's list of gratitude:

"Thank you body for allowing me to experience every day completely. Thank you eyes for the opportunity to see the beauty and majesty of the world around me. Thank you nose for the pleasure of smelling delicious food and the familiar smell of my husband. Thank you lips for tender moments kissing the soft doughy skin of my newborn daughter. Thank you mouth for allowing me to nourish myself with food and to enjoy new tastes...etc."

Can we be GRATEFUL for our bodies? Even the parts we find lacking?

Susan Law Corpany shares:

"Many years ago I was looking forward to a landmark high school reunion. With plenty of time to accomplish my goals, I started my pre-reunion diet. I tracked my progress not only on the scale but by tracking my measurements. When I proudly announced to my teenage son that I had lost a quarter-inch off my ankles--that's a quarter-inch per ankle, mind you--he put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Mom, remember that this is the part they put in the ground when you die.'" 

This book will help you:

* forget about minimizing pores and worry about the poor among us
* worry about sagging spirits and less about sagging body parts
* worry less about crooked teeth and more about having crooked habits
* worry less about thinning hair and more about thinning patience
* worry less about love handles and know that love handles about any situation you are in

"Be generous with your love, and you will never run out of it. Love regenerates itself--it grows by giving. Beauty is the same. Beauty regenerates itself--it grows by being generous with your love."

EVERY WOMAN NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!
SO MUCH TO OFFER!
IT WILL HELP OUR MINDS AND SPIRITS AND BODIES :)

PURCHASE | ADD TO GOODREADS

About the Editors

LaNae Valentine is the director of Women’s Services and Resources at Brigham Young University. When she’s not working to support, connect, and empower women she enjoys visiting family and friends, cycling through Utah’s back roads and canyons, cooking, reading, and doing yoga.

Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen finished raising seven children and is having a hard time sitting still. A doctoral candidate at Brigham Young University in marriage and family therapy, she is a managing editor of the BYU Women’s Studies Journal, serves on the board of local arts organizations, writes music with her husband, and walks every morning with her BFF.

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

FREE Travel Seminar

GET READY FOR YOUR 

SUMMER VACATION

Last year I traveled with Morris Murdock for the first time
and thoroughly enjoyed it! 

Come find the latest information on travel trends and how to save the most money on your next vacation. Presented by experienced Morris Murdock agents and special guest speaker & tour guide Kay Godfrey. Join us for a relaxing night of travel with new friends!

WHERE: Brigham City Senior Community Center

(24 N. 300 W., Brigham City, UT 84302)

WHEN: March 10, 2014 @ 7pm 

Refreshments will be served

For more information ~ Footsteps of America's Freedom Tour ~ click HERE

For more information information ~ A Prophet Raised Up Tour ~ click HERE

Deseret Book Platinum members get

$100 off the web tour price :)

Discovering Peace w/ Book + $20 Amazon Giveaway

Book Details
Author: Jennifer Ann Holt
Release Date: March 2014
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Genre: Fiction, Adoption

Unwed pregnancy, infertility, and adoption are all emotionally-charged topics.

So many lives are involved...the one pregnant, the one not pregnant, boyfriends, spouses, parents, hopeful parents.

My heart has been deeply touched with this book and I have more empathy for those going through any and/or all of this.

SO WONDERFULLY PORTRAYED!
BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN!
AN AMAZING STORY!

Your heart will be touched as you read about how Ally decided the best thing she can do for her baby... is give her a family.

But her mom is struggling with Ally's decision.

Olivia and Michael are so excited to have adopted their baby and are hoping to adopt more...

Ally chose to give them their little baby girl, but the process of another birth mom choosing whether to keep a baby or not...

and if not, will she choose Olivia and Michael as her baby's parents is a powerful story line.

Can Ally move forward?
Can Olivia and Michael go through another turmoil of adoption?
Can they each discover the peace they are seeking?

A GREAT HEART-TOUCHING STORY!

Jennifer is giving away multiple copies of her BOOK

and a $20 Amazon Gift Card

To enter go to her BLOG and to GOODREADS

| Amazon |

About the Author

My name is Jennifer Ann Holt. I grew up as a farm girl in Enterprise, Utah, so I have lots of experience moving sprinkler pipe and mucking out calf pens. I can hold my own when handling a tractor as well. I have always loved reading and really like the power of the written word to heal, provide comfort and understanding, and uplift.

I graduated Cum Laude from Brigham Young University in December 1998 with a degree in Physical Education / Physical Therapy Emphasis. In March of 1999 I married my wonderful husband and we started our life together.

After a couple years of marriage, and without having had a successful pregnancy, we began pursuing both adoption and increasingly aggressive fertility treatments. We were blessed to be chosen by an amazing birth mom, and we adopted our beautiful daughter as a newborn. Following several failed adoption attempts, and several more years of fertility treatments (including a couple of surgeries) I became pregnant with our youngest son. We were waiting to update our adoption portfolio until after the first trimester to make sure the pregnancy was going to stick, and when I was just about a week shy of that 12-week mark, a wonderful birth mom picked us as the family for her soon-to-be-born baby boy.

She didn't mind that I was pregnant, she felt strongly that her baby boy was to join our family, and he did! We were excited at the prospect of our two boys only being 6 months apart. Then, my pregnancy took a nose dive. I developed severe toxemia almost overnight and had a mini stroke. In addition, we discovered that the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck 3 times. So, in order to save both of our lives, my doctor performed an emergency c-section and delivered our 2 lb. 8 oz. son about 3 months early. I was very blessed to recover with only some slight numbness on the left side of my face. And after spending 8 1/2 weeks in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, and undergoing numerous blood transfusions, a surgery, and many scary moments, our youngest was able to come home and join his big brother and sister.

Today, my husband and I have three wonderfully healthy, happy children (including our two boys who are 3 months apart), and we feel at peace that all of the members of our family are here.

I love to speak about adoption and infertility, particularly about adopting and raising a multi-racial family and also about finding hope and healing through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I must say that my family did not come in the way I always thought it would, but I have had some priceless experiences as my family came in accordance with my Heavenly Father's will, and it is better than I ever imagined!

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Patchwork Reality

Book Details
Author: Pauline Hansen
Release Date: February 2014
Publisher: Plain Sight Publishing
Genre: Biography

WOW! this book is intriguing and captivating and intriguing and wonderful and intriguing!

A TRUE story!
Compelling!
Riveting!
SO WELL TOLD!

Pauline grew up dreaming of the day she would be 'happily married.'

But after her husband's dream~ her dream began to spiral downward.

Curtis dreamed that he was a person of importance and that he was called on to play 'The Game' that would lead them to great wealth.

He must live by certain rules, only talk to certain people, and play by certain numbers and colors.

Their family is greatly affected by 'the game.'

Not knowing what else to do Pauline tries to have faith in Curtis.

She lives 10 years in this dark reality that has become hers.

This is her story and how she lived before she found out her husband has paranoid schizophrenia.

Though her life has been like a "PATCHWORK REALITY" she is now "happily married to a schizophrenic."

I LOVE how Pauline talks about her husband in the book...
YES! there were incredibly HARD times...times she didn't understand...
But in the acknowledgments she states:

To my favorite person in the world--I cherish and adore you, sweetheart! I sure am glad you went to that dance."

This is a story worth reading!
A story of learning, loving, forgiving, and moving forward no matter what!

About the Author
Pauline Hansen grew up in a tiny town where she went everywhere barefoot, played in the ditch, and anticipated the arrival of the bookmobile every two weeks. Her love of reading led her to dream of someday becoming an author. In addition to reading and writing, Pauline enjoys traveling, spring cleaning, cooking, organizing, and spending time with her family. After nearly twenty-five years living in the city, she now resides once again in her tiny hometown in southern Utah with her husband, three of their five children, and two cats.Patchwork Reality is her first publication.

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

A Thousand Perfect Things Book Blast w/ $50 Amazon or PayPal Giveaway

A Thousand 

Perfect Things

Book Blast 

In this epic new work, the award-winning Kenyon, whose work has be compared to Larry Nivens and Stephen R. Donaldson, creates an alternate Earth in the 19th century. This Earth is ruled by two warring factions—scientific Anglica (England) and magical Bharata (India). Tori Harding, a Victorian woman, whose heart aches to claim the legendary powers of the golden lotus, must leave her reasoned world behind and journey to Bharata. In pursuit of the golden lotus, Tori will be forced to brave its magics, intrigues, deadly secrets and haunted places, to claim her destiny and choose between two lovers in two irreconcilable realms. As a great native insurrection sweeps the continent of Bharata—Tori will find the thing she most desires, beautifully flawed and more wonderfully strange than she could have ever dreamed.

Praise for A Thousand Perfect Things
"This has become my favorite of all Kay Kenyon's books. The science-driven men of Anglica have constructed a marvel of engineering-a bridge that crosses the ocean-but they don't understand the mystical forces they're facing in the dangerously seductive country of Bharata. As usual, Kenyon offers flawless world-building and a diverse cast of characters driven by conflicting and wholly believable desires. This is a rich, gorgeous, and marvelously detailed tapestry of a book." -- Sharon Shinn, Author of Troubled Waters and Royal Airs

"Kay Kenyon has once again created a world into which one blissfully disappears, replete with magic and monsters, romance and reigning dynasties, set upon the fragile social scaffolding of mid-nineteenth century England. The story is, literally and figuratively, a bridge between the mystical and the very real, with a young heroine who a delivers a deliciously vicarious ride. Brilliantly told with elegant yet occasionally jarring prose, A Thousand Perfect Things is a masterwork from the mind of one of our best authors of compelling alternate realities." -- Larry Brooks, Author of Story Engineering

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Book Depository

Excerpt from A Thousand Perfect Things 
Tori's stomach clenched as she now saw before her a woman in a green sari facing away. Streaming out from the woman's head, her long hair was writhing in an impossible way, as though alive. The sight both sickened and fascinated her. The woman walked slowly away in a disconcerting gliding motion. Afraid yet intrigued, Tori followed the woman to the garden wall. "Come, beti," the woman whispered, though the whisper was in Tori's ear, not fifteen yards away. Tori approached. The woman's long hair was shot with gray, her face deeply lined. They stood regarding one another. Slowly, and to Tori's relief, the long hair came to rest around the woman's shoulders. It seemed to Tori that the frantic hair warned of discontent, and must put Tori on warning that the apparition could do violence. Suddenly, alarming noises issued from behind the zenana wall--squealing almost at the limits of hearing. Filaments of the woman's hair rose again. Tori backed up. "They cannot hurt you, or even see you, beti." The voice was a breath in Tori's ear, but the woman's lips were not moving. "Why are you trying to scare me?" she managed to say, her voice gone pinched and high. The squealing behind the door grew louder. At that, the woman slammed a fist against the wooden door, all but shattering Tori's resolve to stay. The noise stopped. "They do not wish for me to be long gone." Bits of dust fell off the door. Tori looked down to find that the woman's feet were not actually touching the ground. Merciful God. Tori could not move, nor swallow, nor keep from staring. The whisper again: "Jai will be showing you where to go. You should be trusting only him, beti." The squealing resumed, louder now. The woman placed her hand on the latch of the door, and as she did so, her hair swept in that direction. Tori did not want to see what was on the other side of that door. She looked desperately behind herself for her companions, but she was alone. As she turned back to locate the woman in green, all that remained of her was a shred of forest-colored sari sliding through a crack in the door.  

Tour Schedule

About the Author
Kay Kenyon is the author of eleven science fiction and fantasy novels, including A Thousand Perfect Things. She is the author of the critically acclaimed science fiction quartet, The Entire and The Rose. Bright of the Sky was among PW's top 150 books of 2007. The series has twice been shortlisted for the ALA Reading List awards and three times for the Endeavour Award. Four of her novels have been translated into French, Spanish and Czech. Along with her novels Tropic of Creation and Maximum Ice, two of the works in the quartet received starred reviews from PW.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Pinterest * Goodreads * Google +

Blast Giveaway 

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

Ends 3/31/14 

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

Everybody’s Talking About Sisterhood

WOW! Women On Writing 

is having a group blogging on their syndicated blog,

The Muffin . 

Think of it as one big virtual party~

So put on your party hat, grab some confetti and start talking!

Whether you have a blood sister, or a friend sister...Sisterhood is SO IMPORTANT!

Sisters can see you through so much...from boy problems, to parenting problems, to personal problems, to every-day-life problems, to grieving problems...

Sisters are ALWAYS there for you NO MATTER WHAT!

In The Moon Sisters, her second novel, Therese Walsh wanted to write about one sister’s quest to find will-o’-the-wisp light, which was her mother’s unfulfilled dream. Also called “foolish fires”, these lights are sometimes seen over wetlands and are thought to lead those who follow them to treasure. Despite the promise, they are never captured and sometimes lead to injury or even death for adventurers who follow them. The metaphor of that fire – that some dreams and goals are impossible to reach, and that hope itself may not be innately good – eventually rooted its way into deeper meaning as the Moon sisters tried to come to terms with real-world dreams and hopes, and with each other, in their strange new world.

Olivia and Jazz Moon are polar opposites: one a dreamy synesthete, able to see sounds and smell sights and the other controlling and reality driven. What will happen when they are plunged into 24/7 togetherness and control is not an option? Will they ever be able to see the world through the other’s eyes and confront the things they fear the most? Death. Suicide. The loss of faith and hope. Will they ultimately believe that life is worth living, despite the lack of promise?

The writing of The Moon Sisters was a five year journey and at times author Therese Walsh felt like it was her own “foolish fire”. But remember, some fires are worth the chase!

You can visit Therese Walsh HERE

About the Author

Therese is the co-founder of Writer Unboxed, a site that’s visited daily by thousands of writers interested in the craft and business of fiction.

Before turning to fiction, she was a researcher and writer for Prevention magazine, and then a freelance writer. She’s had hundreds of articles on nutrition and fitness published in consumer magazines and online.

She has a master’s degree in psychology.

Aside from writing, Therese’s favorite things include music, art, crab legs, Whose Line is it Anyway?, dark chocolate, photography, unique movies and novels, people watching, strong Irish tea, and spending time with her husband, two kids and their Jack Russell.

She’s working on her third novel.

ENTER to WIN the book below

then go to The Muffin for even more entries

Winner will be chosen from ALL the finalists

on ALL of the participating blogs

and will be announced on March 18th on The Muffin

To be the finalist from my blog followers enter now...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Michelle Talks with Carole Mikita ~ Part 3

Michelle Wilson, author of

Does this Insecurity 
Make Me Look Fat

continues to talk with Carole Mikita

Listen as she talks about fear and doubt 

and faith, God, and His expectations of us.

And here is a funny true story of knowing 
where to look to find your worth.

Cragbridge Hall: The Avatar Battle w/ Book Giveaway

Book Details
Author: Chad Morris
Release Date: March 2014
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Genre: Middle Sci-Fi

This series is so WONDERFULLY WONDERFUL!

Fast-paced action! Intriguing inventions! Friendships! Courage! It's all in there!

Abby, Derick, Carol, and Rafa are attending the most amazing school in the whole world!

They get to first-hand witness history by traveling back in time.

But this is not just a history lesson...this is a full-out fight to protect history...even if it means bad things must repeat themselves.

There are only a few members of the elite Council of Keys and now someone is attacking them and taking their keys to gain control of 'the bridge' between our time and the past.

Abby and Derick are caught up in the power struggles of adults while trying to maintain their school grades..not an easy feat...

They will be given tests of 'choice and consequence' and will be asked to do hard things.

But Abby and Derick are not ordinary teenagers...they are the grandchildren of the inventor and designer of 'Cragbridge Hall.'

And Derick and Rafa as skilled with the avatars! (Wait until you read how those come into play :)

SO. SO. SO. GOOD!
A GREAT read!
Keeping your interest and leaving you wanting even more!

Shadow Mountain has graciously offered a

BOOK GIVEAWAY for MY followers :)

(US address only please)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

| Deseret Book | Amazon | Book Depository |

About the Author

Chad Morris would love to be able to control animal avatars, see history in 3D, and show everyone how he imagines stories. Since the inventions that would make that possible currently exist only in his imagination, he settles for reading, writing, playing basketball, rappelling down an occasional slot canyon, dating his wife, and hanging out with his five awesome kids.

Chad speaks Portuguese, can play the Phineas and Ferb theme song on the guitar, and does a decent impressions of a velociraptor and Voldemort--but not at the same time. He isn't very good at fixing his car, shopping for anything, cooking, or growing hair.

For those who have been following Chad Morris, you will remember that last year when he should have been celebrating the coming of his first book Chargbridge Hall: The Inventors Secret, he was at the hospital with his nine-year-old daughter who was fighting a brain tumor.

At the time his daughter requested mustache pictures to help her laugh and feel better...pictures poured in and many people came to the aid of Chad and helped push his book forward.

Chad reports that is daughter is doing well...

thanks to everyone involved!

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Be Mine w/ eBook Giveaway

Book Details
Author: Shannon Guymon
Release Date: February 2014
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Shannon has given us another DELICIOUS TREAT in the Love and Trust Trilogy!

Amazingly Wonderful!
Fantastic writing!
Great story line!

Bailey has been hurt and therefore scared to get hurt again.

She plays it safe when it come to love.

When she tells her mom she will bring her boyfriend to the next Sunday family dinner...

...things get really complicated!

Truths will be revealed...
Double love triangles will happen...
Some hearts will get broken...
Some hearts will find the path to healing...
And romance will be available...

"The question is, would Bailey rather be safe or would she rather be loved?"

SO. SO. SO. GOOD!
A book to make you SMILE :)
CANNOT WAIT for book 3!

Shannon has graciously offered an

eBOOK GIVEAWAY for MY followers :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read my review of book 1, Come to Me, HERE.

 Amazon * GoodReads

About the Author
I live in the West with my six children and I'm the author of 24 books - so far. I enjoy the outdoors, reading and being with my children.

I'm a HUGE believer in happy endings. Scarlett really should have been happy with Rhett and it’s a darn shame Leo and Kate didn't float safely into New York on the Titanic. Alas, since I can only control my own imagination, happy endings are found in my Love and Dessert Trilogy and my Love and Trust Trilogy.

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

The Ruby Pendant w/ Giveaways

Book Details
Author: Dorine White
Release Date: February 2014
Publisher: Createspace
Genre: Middle Fantasy

What an AMAZING series!
A fantastic adventure in finding hidden gems!
LOVED IT!

Sara has the Emerald Ring (read about that HERE)

Now in a place, not so far away, Melanie is home for spring break.

Among the excitement of Mardi Gras, jazz band and voodoo, Melanie finds a secret room that holds a secret journal from her late Aunt Florence.

Everyone said that Aunt Flo was crazy, even mad, and the diary might prove that as it contains the story of Flo's necklace that she claims used to belong to Cleopatra.

Aunt Flo goes on to describe how the necklace can help the wearer hear the thoughts of other people, even those who are dead.

Was Aunt Flo really crazy or could she really hear the voices she claims to have heard?

And so the adventure begins and Melanie and her best friend Sybil, follow the clues to find the missing necklace.

Go with them into "crumbling graveyards, busy streets of the French Quarter, and then into murky swamps" as they search not only for the missing necklace but the other gems that used to belong to Cleopatra.

But beware, a dangerous cult is also seeking the gems....

Can Sara, now working with Melanie, find them before they are lost forever?

A FUN fantasy to be enjoyed by the WHOLE family!

Dorine is giving away 3 copies of her book on GoodReads

Enter to win a copy HERE

(offer ends 3/31)

Leave a comment on her BLOG and enter for a 
$10 Amazon Gift Card

 AMAZON | GOODREADS

About the Author

My name is Dorine White. I graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Humanities. I am a member of the SCBWI and the PNWA. I write middle grade and YA fantasy. My first book, The Emerald Ring, was published in May 2013 by Cedar Fort Books. The second book, The Ruby Pendant, is due out April 2014.

My blog focuses on the kidlit publishing world. I write about agents, editors, publishing houses, literary agencies and writing advice. I also host book giveaways and do kidlit book reviews. The purpose of my blog is three fold- 1. I want to help fellow writers who are trying to get published, we can do it together. 2. I want to help promote authors and their works who've already made it past the first step, publishing, and are moving to the second, marketing. 3. I love books. I want to share that love with anyone who cares to listen.

You can follow me on TWITTER @DorineWhite.
"Like" my Facebook Fan Page HERE.
Check out my WEBSITE for a sneakpeek at my writing.
Contact me at dorwh@aol.com

(A review copy was provided, however, all reviews are of my own opinion :)

Chad Morris Talks about Book 2 in the Cragbridge Hall Series

Last year I reviewed Chad Morris' book Cragbridge Hall: The Inventor's Secret

A FUN, CREATIVE story where school work COMES ALIVE 

and a PUZZLE must be SOLVED!

*History class: you "watch" what really happened.
*English: a student sits in a 'chair' and while reading the other students 'see' the story.
*Gym: you get to literally run up a virtual mountain.
*Zoology: you become an avatar of the animal you are studying.

And the challenges Abby and Derrick have to go through to save their parents and grandfather...just wait until you read all about that...SO GOOD!

Now Chad Morris talks about BOOK 2

Cragbridge Hall: The Avatar Battle

Healthy and Nutritional Smoothies for Your Family

Book Details
Author: Vickie Sunnel
Release Date: April 2013
Publisher: Victoria's Publishing
Genre: Cookbook

I LOVE smoothies!

They are an EASY way for me to get enough fruits and vegetables!

I like to drink one every morning with my breakfast....

So I am always interested in learning new smoothing concoctions :)

Some REALLY GREAT recipes in here!

There are:
*BANANA SMOOTHIES
*BERRY SMOOTHIES
*GREEN SMOOTHIES
*YOGURT SMOOTHIES
*NON-DAIRY MILK-BASED SMOOTHIES
*and KIDDIE SMOOTHIES

| Amazon |

About the Author
Vickie Sunnel is the author of healthy recipe cookbooks.

Having a life experience with growing organic fruits and vegetables, and having a small farm, Vickie’s passion is to keep her family healthy and happy.

With cooking at home almost every day, the author collected a lot of good recipes that she shares in her books. 

The value of these homemade recipes is that they are done without any chemical additives in the ingredient lists.