Thursday, March 6, 2014

Blog Tour ~ "One Little Match" by Thomas S. Monson

One Little MatchOne Little Match by Thomas S Monson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Children's Picture Book

Book Description: Thomas S. Monson loved spending summers at his family's cabin in Utah's Vivian Park. One summer day, he and his best friend, Danny, decided to clear a field so they could gather with their friends and have a campfire that night. The tall, stubborn weeds would not pull out easily. So Tommy had the idea to burn them up instead.
He knew he shouldn't use matches without permission from his parents. But he ignored the feeling that warned him of the danger and raided the matchbox in the cabin. Back in the field, he lit one little match and prepared to set the parched June grass abaze...
Readers of all ages will resonate with this wonderful true story that demonstrates the blessings of obedience and "the dangers that can come from something as small as one little match."


My thoughts: Tommy and his best friend, Danny, loved spending the summer together. They had many adventures and a great love for the outdoors.

This book discusses how they made one little decision that ended up becoming a disaster. It discusses how when you disobey, bad things can happen. There are always consequences to a decision.

The illustrations are beautiful. They are a perfect compliment to the story.

One of my favorite things in the story is that it really happened.  This is a story where you can see the thought process of children and how they come up with their ideas. It gives a parent the perfect opportunity to discuss making good decisions.





About the author: Thomas S. Monson was set apart as the sixteenth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. He was called to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1963 and served for twenty-two years in the First Presidency. His ministry has been characterized by his compassion for the needs of individuals and his gift for one-on-one service.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Book Review ~ "Til Death" by Kate Evangelista

Til Death (Fractured Souls #1)Til Death by Kate Evangelista
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Paranormal YA

Book Description: Sixteen-year old Selena Fallon is a dreamer. Not a day-dreamer, but an I-see-the-future kind of dreamer. Normally this is not a problem as she has gotten pretty good at keeping her weird card hidden from everyone in her small town. Except from her best friend Kyle and her grandparents, of course. But when Selena dreams of her own rather bloody death, things get a little too freaky even for her.

Enter Dillan Sloan. Selena has seen the new guy in a different dream, and he is even more droolworthy in person. Beyond the piercing blue eyes and tousled dark hair, there is something else that draws her to him. Something…electric. Unfortunately, Dillan makes it more than clear that he does not feel the same. They just met, so why would he act like he hates her?

When Dillan and Selena are forced together one weekend to work on a school project, Selena prepares to be ignored as usual. But when she stumbles across a few undead in the backyard, Dillan comes to her rescue and reveals a whole lot more. Not only is he part of a society that hunts otherworldly creatures…she is too. And she is being targeted by a force bigger and darker than anything she ever imagined. Despite her death dream, Selena is not going to give up easy, especially when she discovers that Dillan might not actually hate her after all.


My thoughts: Selena believes she has a typical life. She has a couple of best friends who have her back and are always there for her. She goes to school and has loving Grandparents who are raising her. She has a possessive ex-boyfriend. She can foresee the future, but that is just a weird fluke.

Her world is turned upside down when Dillan moves into town. He pulls her to him. His touch is electric and he is very good looking. Pretty soon she is part of a strange world that she knew nothing of before, but she has always been a part of.

Til Death is an adventure. The book flows along at a quick pace and is great at keeping the readers attention. The plot line is typical, but it is still fun to read. The paranormal aspect is new. I have not come across this particular breed before. Kate introduced them well, she gave information at the right time to understand the plot and story.

The book has quite a bit of swearing. It made me flinch.


Book Spotlight ~ Cragbridge Hall: The Avatar Battle by Chad Morris



The adventure continues when Abby and Derick begin their second semester at Cragbridge Hall, the most prestigious secondary school in the world. But when Grandpa Cragbridge admits them to the Council of Keys—a secret group of people who have keys to travel back in time—strange things begin to happen. One by one, members are found unconscious and unable to wake, their keys stolen. Now Abby and Derick must scramble to figure out who is behind the attacks before they become the next victims, which would give their enemy the
power to change the past forever.

A page-turning, time-travel adventure that teaches powerful lessons about choice and consequence, believing you can do hard things, and valuing history.





About the Author: Chad Morris grew up wanting to become a professional basketball player or a rock star. Neither of those plans quite panned out. While going to college, he wrote and performed sketch comedy and eventually became a teacher and a curriculum writer. He lives in Utah with his wife and five kids.





Seriously, watching the video is fun.  My son who is 10 watched it over my shoulder and then asked me to go and get the books!  One of the reason that I started blogging was to find good books for my kids to read.  It looks like this one is a winner.

If you haven't checked out the first book in the series, you can find it at these links!


Amazon * Deseret Book * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

Book Spotlight ~ "Fairy Texas" by Margo Bond Collins

Fairy, Texas. A small town like any other.

Laney Harris didn't want to live there. When her mother remarried and moved them to a town where a date meant hanging out at the Sonic, Laney figured that "boring" would have a whole new meaning. A new stepsister who despised her and a high school where she was the only topic of gossip were bad enough. But when she met the school counselor (and his terminal bad breath), she grew suspicious. Especially since he had wings that only she could see. And then there were Josh and Mason, two gorgeous glimmering-eyed classmates whose interest in her might not be for the reasons she hoped. Not to mention that dead guy she nearly tripped over in gym class.

She was right. Boring took on an entirely new dimension in Fairy, Texas.


Read an Excerpt:
********************

I was partnered with Mason Collier, the infamous football-playing, cute, but possibly black-magicky friend-of-Bartlef I’d heard about at lunch. I looked around and saw a guy waving at me from across the room. He was looking at me kind of like he was hungry and maybe I was breakfast. It worried me.
Still, at least I hadn’t been paired up with Kayla. It could have been much worse.
“Okay,” Carlson said. “Go ahead and meet with your partner and plan your strategy.”
Mason and I stood up at the same time and walked toward each other. I was so busy making sure I didn’t trip over any desks that I didn’t see Kayla headed toward me until she was right in front of me. And then she leaned in close to my face and hissed at me. “Don’t get too cozy. He’s way out of your league.”
I rolled my eyes and moved around her without responding. Three days. Three days I’d been in Fairy, and already I had an enemy. And I lived in her house. My life kept getting better and better.
Mason and I met in the middle of the room. Kayla and her friends huddled nearby, watching us.
“Hey,” Mason said.
“Hey.” Nice, neutral word, hey. Can mean almost anything. Or nothing.
“So,” he said, “where do you want to start?”
He was asking me? Where I wanted to start was away from here, where there weren’t any dead boys to trip over.

So much for that option.

********************


About Margo:  Margo Bond Collins is the author of a number of novels, including Waking Up Dead, Fairy, Texas, and Legally Undead (forthcoming in 2014). She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Book Spotlight ~ "The Ruby Pendant" by Dorine White



 Welcome to New Orleans- home of Mardi Gras, jazz music and voodoo. Eighth grader Melanie Belaforte is home for Spring break and itching for excitement. Late one night she discovers a hidden chamber and a secret journal in her deceased Aunt Florence’s bedroom.
            The diary contains the writings of a mad woman, along with vague clues to the whereabouts of a ruby necklace that once belonged to Cleopatra. The ruby bestows upon the wearer the power to hear other people’s thoughts- even the thoughts of the dead!
    And so the hunt begins. Melanie, her best friend Sybil, and a haunting specter unravel clues that take them from crumbling graveyards, to the busy streets of the French Quarter, and then into murky swamps, all to find the prize. But they need to watch out, because a murderous cult is matching them step for step, and they won’t give up, ever.


The Ruby Pendant is part of a giveaway at Goodreads.
Click on the icon badge above and enter. :)



About the Author: My name is Dorine White. I am a children's author and a book reviewer. I grew up back East in Maryland and attended BYU in Utah. I have a BA in Humanities with an interest in Art History and French. Currently I live in the beautiful, yet rainy Northwest with my husband and 6 children.
 My first book in The Cleopatra's Legacy series, The Emerald Ring, was published on May 14, 2013. It is a middle grade fantasy novel that involves Ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, and a magic emerald ring. The Ruby Pendant (Cleopatra's Legacy 2) is due out March 2014 and takes place in the vibrant New Orleans.


I had the opportunity to read the first book. You can see my review on Goodreads.


Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository



Praise for The Ruby Pendant!

"Rich with atmosphere, and full of delightful shivers, The Ruby Pendant pulled me right in. Part mystery, part ghost story, it is completely enjoyable."
 
- BRADEN BELL, author of the Middle School Magic series
 
“The Ruby Pendant is a non-stop thrill ride through the heart of New Orleans and beyond. A great read for adventurers of all ages.”
 
- JENNIFER SHAW WOLF, author of Breaking Beautiful and Dead Girls Don’t Lie
 
“Secret rooms! A missing necklace! Ghosts! The Ruby Pendant is a thrill-ride through New Orleans, a creative blend of suspense, mystery, and historical tidbits sure to tantalize readers of all ages. A worthy sequel.”
- LAURISA REYES, Editor-in-Chief of Middle Shelf Magazine

Release Day ~ "The Moon Sisters" by Therese Walsh + giveaway

Happy Release Day!!

On tour with Prism Book Tours...

Now Available!!

A beautiful coming-of-age novel about two sisters on a journey to forgive their troubled mother, with a sheen of almost-magical realism that overlays a story about the love of a family, and especially between sisters...


The Moon SistersThe Moon Sisters
by Therese Walsh
336 pages
Coming March 4th, 2014
Mature Coming of Age
Family Drama


Therese Walsh's poignant and mesmerizing novel is a moving tale of family, love, and the power of stories. After their mother's probable suicide, sisters Olivia and Jazz are figuring out how to move on with their lives. Jazz, logical and forward-thinking, decides to get a new job, but spirited, strong-willed Olivia, who can see sounds, taste words, and smell sights, is determined to travel to the remote setting of their mother's unfinished novel to say her final goodbyes and lay their mother's spirit to rest.

Though they see things very differently, Jazz is forced by her sense of duty to help Olivia reach her goal. Bitter and frustrated by the attention heaped on her sunny sister whose world is so unique, Jazz is even more upset when they run into trouble along the way and Olivia latches to a worldly train-hopper. Though Hobbs warns Olivia that he's a thief who shouldn't be trusted, he agrees to help with their journey. As they near their destination, the tension builds between the two sisters, each hiding something from the other, and they will finally be forced to face everything between them and decide what is really important.


Head on over to the Therese's website to talk about "What does hope taste like?" and enter an amazing contest!

Appearances & News from Therese Walsh
Check out the tour launching TODAY at TLC Tours

You already know your Train Name?  Now you're ready to take...

The Personality Quiz!
Count your stars, suns and moons as you answer...


What readers are saying about The Moon Sisters:

Walsh’s luminous second novel (after The Last Will of Moira Leahy) examines the disparate emotional and physical journeys undertaken by two sisters from the town of Tramp, W.Va., after their mother’s death. Because Olivia Moon is cursed (or, arguably, blessed) with synesthesia, a condition that causes her to taste sounds and see smells, her mother, Beth, decides to homeschool her. Beth is a dreamer who writes letters to her estranged father that she never mails and works on a fantasy story that she is afraid to finish. Olivia’s no-nonsense older sister, Jazz, is adamant about not following in their mother’s footsteps. When Beth dies from inhaling gas from a stove—whether she does so accidentally or willfully is not known—Olivia sets out on the daylong trip that her mother had planned on making, to a cranberry bog where Beth hoped to see “ghost lights” and be inspired to finish her book. Jazz secretly follows her sister and they end up joining a small group of “train hoppers” who spend their lives riding the rails. Walsh explores how the sisters’ experience of the outside world transforms their views of each other and themselves, in a book packed with invention and rich characterizations.
-Publishers Weekly

Emotionally taut and intricately woven, The Moon Sisters takes us on a dreamlike journey that is at once literal and literary. A story of family ties stretched to their limits and the underlying wound that both binds and breaks them. Therese Walsh has created a compelling read I couldn’t put down and a world of authentic travelers who linger long beyond the final pages. A tale of true sisterhood.”
-Brunonia Barry, New York Times and International bestselling author of The Lace Reader and The Map of True Places

The Moon Sisters by Therese Walsh shimmers on the precipice where the grief-stricken teeter between loss and recovery, a place that often resembles madness. Sisters Olivia and Jazz battle as they hold each other tight in this touching coming of age tale that weighs family loyalty against distinctive truths. Walsh leavens magic realism with humor, balances enchantment and pragmatic truth, and stirs them into a poignant family story.”
-Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Murderer’s Daughters

They say opposites attract — unless those opposites are sisters. In that case, the electricity between them can make them crackle and spark so hard they may fly apart forever. Olivia and Jazz are as different as sisters can be and still come from the same family. In lyrical prose, Therese Walsh crafts an enchanting, mesmerizing tale of two women whose fight to go their separate ways during a time of loss may be the only thing that can hold them together.
-Liz Michalski, author of Evenfall



Therese Walsh's debut novel, The Last Will of Moira Leahy, was published in 2009 by Shaye Areheart books (Random House). Her second novel, The Moon Sisters, will be published by Crown (Penguin Random House) in March 2014.

Therese is the co-founder of Writer Unboxed, a blog for writers about the craft and business of fiction. Before turning to novels, 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 bouncy Jack Russell


Prism Book Tours Blitz:  Feb 18 * Feb 25 * March 4
Receive an additional entry on the Rafflecopter for posting each!  Email Tressa at TressasWishfulEndings@outlook.com to receive the html code for Blogger or Wordpress

Enter to WIN The Moon Sisters or $100... or both!

Giveaway #1

Feb 18 - March 11
WIN $100 Gift Card - International
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Giveaway #2 

Feb 18 - March 11
WIN print copy of The Moon Sisters - US/Canada only
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Monday, March 3, 2014

Blog Tour ~ "Hope Springs" by Sarah M. Eden




Hope Springs (Longing for Home, #2)Hope Springs by Sarah M. Eden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Historical Romance

Book Description: In this much-anticipated sequel, Kate Macauley finds herself drawn even deeper into the explosive feud between the American farmers and the Irish immigrants in the small Wyoming town of Hope Springs. As Kate struggles with her decision to stay and make a home for herself, two men compete for her heart. But when the violence escalates into a full-scale war, Kate wonders if any of them will be able to survive the winter.

Hope Springs is the story of one woman’s determination to make a life for herself against all odds, and her struggle to untangle the conflicting feelings of her heart.


My thoughts: Sarah Eden has written a sequel that, in my opinion, is better than the first! I loved revisiting the town of Hope Springs. Katie is one of my favorite characters. She is strong and vulnerable at the same time. She has a heart of gold and tries her best to help out her neighbor, or anyone else she sees in need. She has sacrificed so much of herself, her time, and her talents to enrich the lives of others.

The book holds a love triangle. At the end of the first book I thought that it had been resolved only to discover that it has grown more complex. I had a strong opinion of who I thought should be the hero to claim Katie's heart. Sarah was able to make me waver in my resolve and see that the reader is not always right.

The book continues the war between the Irish and everyone else. The town is divided. The settlers are vehement in their hatred and fear that the Irish have come to take away their jobs and threaten their peace and security. The Irish only want a place to call home. They want to work to take care of their families and have peace and prosperity. I found it ironic that the name of the town is Hope Springs, many of the residents are low on hope.

The book is beautifully written and will tug on your heart strings in one way or another. I would highly recommend that the first book, "Longing For Home" is read before this one. This book is clean, there is some violence and a little bit of kissing.





About Sarah: Sarah M. Eden is the author of several well-received historical romances, including Whitney Award finalists Seeking Persephone (2008) and Courting Miss Lancaster (2010). Combining her obsession with history and an affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances. She happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library.




If you want to read the first book, here is the picture and links!


 My review on Goodreads

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Deseret Book

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Time to enter for a Kindle Fire!

March 2014 Kindle Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".
The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
  Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)
  March Kindle Fire Sponsors I Am A Reader, Not A Writer Feed Your Reader The Ripple Effect Romance Series Bound 4 Escape Fae Books Author Mary Ting Giddy Over YA The Loopy Librarian Bea's Book Nook Laurie Here Bella Street's Weird Romance Bonnie Blythe's Pure Romance Immortal Ink Publishing Owl Always Be Reading Author Alecia Stone Author Heather Gray Author Camelia Miron Skiba Author Kimber Leigh Wheaton The Reporter and The Girl Author Rae Z. Ryans The Storybook Kingdom Loren Secretts Elizabeth Woodrum Paige Ryan Lori's Reading Corner Author Melissa McClone Author M.A. George Author Inger Iversen Lena Sledge Author David Pandolfe Andrea R. Cooper, Author Emily Hemmer, Author Author Jennifer Faye SA Larsen, KidLit Author More Than a Review The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something year Old Girl My Story That I Like Best Meredith & Jennifer's Musings Ally Shields Author Carol Davis Luce Author Steven Brown Author Danielle Annett The Girl Raised by Books The Stubby Pencil The YA Buzz Author Ednah Walters Author DiDi Hendley Barbara Silkstone Addicted Readers Reviews from a Bookworm Amid Summer Night Dreams Hallowed Ink Press Jennifer Allis Provost Author Rosanne Rivers Author MK McClintock Elizabeth Parkinson Bellows DE Division of Energy & Climate Awesome Romance Novels   Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Fire Giveaway: http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups   Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7". 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 and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway