Monday, August 24, 2015

Book Review ~ "With No Regrets" by Julie N Ford

With No RegretsWith No Regrets by Julie N. Ford
My rating : 3 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Description:  Finley isn’t exactly sure when her life began to feel unfamiliar. She suspects the transformation started long before she caught her husband and fellow garden club member doing the white-trash-two-step on her new Bernhardt sofa. Now free from the shackles of a loveless marriage, and with her children off to college, she’s finally able to go searching for the missing pieces of her heart.

Finley’s best friend, Cathyanne, is already working hard to ensure that Finley finds true love this time around. But when Finley is unwittingly tossed into the arms of two men—their sexy trainer and her neighbor, a popular country star—Cathyanne fears finding the right guy will be more complicated than she ever could have imagined.

For Finley, building a new life feels as impossible as flying a paper airplane to the moon. But maybe, just maybe, with the right help, she will find her whole heart—even if it’s in the very last place she thinks to look.

My thoughts: Finny is a conservative Southern Woman. She spends her time at her garden club and doing the things society thinks acceptable. Her social standing takes a nose dive after she divorces her cheating husband and lets loose on some closely guarded secrets.

The book didn't feel like a romance but rather a coming into oneself book. Finny has lost track of who she is, her goals, and what she wants to be. Her best friend is wonderful at directing events to lead Finny into painful decisions. In fact, at times it seems more of a manipulation, but the motivation was love.

At 40, Finny has a total of three love prospects. Each has their place in her life and are an important part of her growing process. I liked that every one of the men were flawed. They all had things that needed to be set straight in their lives. Finny saw the flaws and appreciated each one individually.

Change is always hard, Finny's change didn't come overnight and it's amazing that the men were still around while she figured things out.

The book has quite a bit of kissing, innuendo, and mild cussing.



Posted by Bookworm Lisa at 4:30 AM 0 comments

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Get a Copy of "Daring Hearts" a boxed set!

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DON'T MISS THIS SALE! On Sunday it's gone. **More than 2000 adventurous and romantic pages. CLEAN ROMANCE AT ITS FINEST- Let's propel it to the NY Times Bestseller list. To see clean make it to the top would be Awesome.
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From gorgeous heroes that make us swoon to the super sleuths and feisty heroines that make us cheer, this exclusive collection has something for everyone. Nine clean, sassy and BRAND NEW novels--a delicious mixture of fun, addictively romantic, action-adventure stories -- each handpicked by an award-winning gathering of some of today's most popular YA/NA authors. PLUS five bonus books from Elana Johnson, Leigh Talbert Moore, Rachel Morgan, Katrina Abbott, and C.L. Stone!
Over 98% off retail for the individual books sold separately (a thirty dollar savings!) Hurry! Only available until September (so get your copy today).
REBECCA ETHINGTON ~ Monsters are real... Through Glass RASHELLE WORKMAN ~ Alice is half demon and totally kick ass! Blood and Snow 10.1 ~ The Dark Moth Society CINDY M. HOGAN ~ Some secrets are better left dead and buried. Kate Unmasked ELLE STRAUSS ~ Time traveling is wonky enough... and this time it's worse than ever. Counter Clockwise CHRISTINE KERSEY ~ College is murder... Witness JULI ALEXANDER ~ Solving mysteries is in her blood, but it might just get her killed. Paxton Private Investigations AMBER ARGYLE ~ A storm is raging and not everyone will survive. Of Ice And Snow WENDY KNIGHT ~ Her army of lost souls stand between us. The Soul's Agent LILA FELIX ~ Fasta is an artist, not by choice, but by force. Sketchy Love
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C.L. STONE ~ Meet Kota, Victor, Silas, Nathan, Gabriel, Luke and North in a story about differences and loyalty, truth and mystery, friendships and heart-throbbing intimacy. The Academy, ever vigilant. Introductions
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LEIGH TALBERT MOORE ~ She did not expect to be kidnapped walking to work. And she never expected to be a hero. Behind the Stars RACHEL MORGAN ~ Stolen magical object? Check. Villainous faerie bad guys? Check. Complicated feelings for super hot, pain-in-the-ass assignment partner? Check. Not winding up dead? Working on that one. The Faerie Prince KATRINA ABBOTT ~ Brooklyn's new celebutante boarding school is missing one thing: boys! Taking the Reins
IF YOU BLINK TOO LONG, IT WILL BE GONE. GET YOUR COPY NOW.
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Posted by Bookworm Lisa at 5:03 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Book Review ~ "Saving Grace" by Michele Paige Holmes

Saving Grace by Michele Paige Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Purchased kindle edition
Genre: Regency Romance

Book Description:  After the death of her grandfather, the Duke of Salisbury, Grace Thatcher wants nothing more than to live quietly in the country with her younger siblings. Her father’s debts thwart those plans, and to protect her sister, Helen, Grace must marry a man of her father’s choosing. 

As each suitor proves less than desirable, Grace comes up with clever schemes, causing each to reject her. While staying at the mysterious Sutherland Hall, a middle-of-the-night mishap sends Grace into the arms of a stranger, Nicholas Sutherland—and provides inspiration for her grandest plan yet—one that will leave her reputation in tatters yet free both her and Helen from all possibility of marriage. 

Too late Grace regrets her rash actions when her father’s last choice, Mr. Samuel Preston, proves to be a gentleman and a friend. But Samuel is the sworn enemy of Nicholas Sutherland, the man responsible for her “ruin.” Now instead of being free, Grace is caught between two men—each with his own agenda.
My thoughts: Saving Grace was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting to like the characters as much as I did. Grace is an enterprising young woman. She is in a difficult position. She has a money grasping/drunk/gambler for a father. His financial problems become hers when he pushes her to marry to get him financial gain. She must protect her younger brother and sister from her father and secure them a quiet life in the country.

I loved the way she found an escape from all of the men her father sent her wanted her to marry. She was on the "rounds" going from one suitor to another within days of each other. She used her intellect and quick whit to get her out of some tight situations. She is very daring. A proper woman of the regency era wouldn't put on breeches and join a hunt!

The romance in the book is gradual. Grace and Nicholas do not have a great beginning. In fact you could classify it as terrifying. It does give her another great idea to escape yet another suitor. She didn't expect that the suitor would be a gentleman that she liked spending time with.

This book has many missed opportunities. It has characters who have many flaws. Grace has a presence that helps those around her see room for improvement. She is genuine. She doesn't change her personality to fit her surroundings, she shows the other characters that there is room for different ideas and traditions.

This book is clean.





About the Author: (Taken from Goodreads)  Michele Paige Holmes spent her childhood and youth in Arizona and northern California, often curled up with a good book instead of out enjoying the sunshine. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Elementary Education, and found it an excellent major in which to indulge her love of children’s literature. 
Her first novel, Counting Stars (Covenant Communications 2007), won the 2007 Whitney Award for best romance. Her companion novel, a romantic suspense titled, All the Stars in Heaven (Covenant 2009), was a Whitney finalist, as was her first historical romance, Captive Heart (Covenant 2011). My Lucky Stars (Covenant 2012) completed the Stars series. 
After having a novella published in A Timeless Romance Anthology European Collection (Mirror Press, 2013), Michele decided to focus on historical romance and began Hearthfire Historicals, with the debut novel Saving Grace. A companion novella, Loving Helen will be released February 2015.
Michele has been a member of the same critique group for over fourteen years and feels privileged to meet with fellow authors Annette Lyon, Heather B. Moore, LuAnn Staheli, Sarah M. Eden, J. Scott Savage, and Robison Wells. She has been a member of RWA and URWA, LDStorymakers, and The League of Utah Writers. Michele enjoys both attending and teaching at conferences. 
When not reading or writing romance, Michele is busy with her full time job as a wife and mother. She and her husband live in Utah with their five high maintenance children and a Shitzu that resembles a teddy bear, in a house with a wonderful view of the mountains. You can find Michele on the web at michelepaigeholmes.com and on Facebook and twitter . 

Posted by Bookworm Lisa at 4:00 AM 0 comments

Monday, August 17, 2015

Blog Tour Spotlight ~ "Jack Teplar and the Lord of the Demons" by Jeff Gunhus + giveaway!







Jack Templar 5 Jack Templar and the Lord of the Demons (The Templar Chronicles #5) by Jeff Gunhus With two of the Jerusalem Stones in hand, Jack and his friends must race the clock to find the remaining Stones as Ren Lucre's Creach forces gather strength. With two of their group now with Creach blood flowing in their veins, the team will be tested as never before. They must unite together if they have any hope of surviving their journey to the Underworld and their battle with the vicious Lord of the Demons. The fate of the entire world hangs in the balance.
Grab Your Copy Now!
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Read an Excerpt
*********************

Just then, Eva stepped out from the brush directly into the forest path, straddling it with her feet set wide apart like a gunslinger in an old Western. For the life of me, I don’t know how she got that close without me seeing her, but she did.
“Hey,” she called out. “Wolfboy. Where do you think you’re going?”
Even as a vampire, Eva retained her English accent. Usually that took the edge off what she said, but she managed to deliver the challenge to Daniel with so much condescension and mockery that I thought he might charge at her.
Daniel spun around, lips curled back, every tooth showing. What I thought was a snarl before was no more than a tiny growl compared to the vicious sound that now came from his mouth. The skin on my arms and across the back of my neck turned to gooseflesh. I was, after all, a monster hunter. That snarl activated every instinct I had to pull my sword and fight. But I held steady, knowing that if they attacked each other, it was going to be up to me to pull them apart.
“I’m right here,” Eva hissed, barring her teeth to show her vampire fangs. “Come and get me, you dog.”
The words were barely out of her mouth before Daniel launched himself toward her. She crouched low where she was, her face twisting into a terrible mask of hate, her fangs extending out of her mouth past her lower lip, her hands held in front of her like claws.
Daniel took three enormous steps, landing the third immediately beneath the rabbit still desperately kicking to free itself. The second Daniel’s paws touched the ground, the forest floor gave way and he fell out of sight.
The cloth covering the hole we’d dug fell into the trap with him, dragging a layer of dirt and leaves in with it.



***********************
jeffAuthor Jeff Gunhus Jeff Gunhus is the author of the Amazon bestselling supernatural thriller, Night Chill, and the Middle Grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book of the series, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His book Reaching Your Reluctant Reader has helped hundreds of parents create avid readers. Killer Within is his second novel for adults. As a father of five, he and his wife Nicole spend most of their time chasing kids and taking advantage of living in the great state of Maryland. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel. If you see him there, sit down and have a cup of coffee with him. You just might end up in his next novel.



Jack Templar awards
$25 Blog Tour giveaway
Jack Coins  
  $25 Blog Tour Giveaway + 3 Templar Coins $25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash (Open Internationally) 3 Templar Coins (US only) Ends 8/31/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card 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 author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by Bookworm Lisa at 9:35 AM 0 comments

Blog Tour ~ "Guardians of the Heart" by Loree Lough + Tour Giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Guardians of the Heart
(Secrets on Sterling Street, #2)
by Loree Lough
Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 272 pages
August 3rd 2015 by Whitaker House

Book Description:  Nell Holstrom wanted no part of her grandfather's barren gold mine that had taken the lives of her mother, father, and younger brother; even if there may still be hidden wealth inside. Instead, she went to Denver and took a job as housekeeper at the old Stone Hill Inn.

Asa Stone was barely more than a boy when his father dragged him and his brothers to fight with Colonel John Chivington. But Asa refused to participate in the raid on the peaceful Cheyenne and Arapahoe; and when the smoke cleared, his father and brother lay among the slaughtered. Besieged by guilt, Asa wandered the West for years before returning to Denver to rebuild the old inn he'd inherited. 

Together, Nell and Asa work hard to restore Stone Hill. But when disaster hits the inn, Asa retreats into despair and Nell is forced to return to her family's mine. Asa faces the hard fact: He'll never be the man Nell deserves. Can he overcome the dark secrets of his past? And will Nell still love him when she learns the truth?

My thoughts: Nell is a wonderful character.  Life has thrown her some hard curves, somehow she manages to pull herself together and make the best of every situation.  Her determination and loving heart not only brighten her life, but the lives of everyone around her.

Asa keeps to himself.  He has a past that he isn't proud of.  Some of the things that bring him shame, I think are noble characteristics.  He took a stand when he felt like situations were wrong, but they weren't decisions expected of him.  He has a noble heart and is a strong and trustworthy man.  His secrets hold him back and keep him from having the life he desires to live.

Loree Lough has written this story in an easy to read voice.  The pacing is excellent.  She kept my attention and I really came to like the characters.

I haven't read the first book and didn't feel lost in the story at all.  In fact, I didn't realize this was a second book until I started this post.  You can read this book as a stand alone.  The stories are separate, but set in the same place.



The First Book in the Series

Currency of the Heart
(Secrets on Sterling Street, #1)
by Loree Lough
Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 256 pages
January 1st 2015 by Whitaker House

Young widow Shaina Sterling hates living a lie. Desperate to keep bill collectors from the door, she secretly sells valuable possessions piece by piece, and hopes Denver’s elite never discover that his lavish lifestyle left her a near pauper.

She’s unaware that as her husband lay dying, successful rancher Sloan Remington made him a promise. And Sloan guards her secrets as carefully as he looks after her safety.

When fire devours Sterling Hall, leaving her homeless and penniless, he brings her to Remington Ranch to manage his household. His kindness makes Shaina beholden to him … and threatens to expose the secret that could destroy him.

Will trials and tragedies bring Sloan and Shaina together?
Or will secrets—and the cost of exposing them—drive them apart forever?


With 105 books (5,000,000+ copies in circulation!), best-selling author Loree Lough's stories have been compared to those by Nicholas Sparks, and she has been dubbed by readers and reviewers as “a gifted writer whose stories touch hearts and change lives.”

With a long list of industry awards, it isn't likely this prolific author will ever retire...not even to her cozy li'l cabin in the Allegheny Mountains. She loves to hear from her readers and personally answers every letter sent tohttp://www.loreelough.com/.

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card
Print copy of Guardians of the Heart
Kindle copy of Guardians of the Heart (to be gifted through Amazon)
Open internationally
Ends August 29th
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Posted by Bookworm Lisa at 4:40 AM 0 comments

Friday, August 14, 2015

LDS Movie Review ~ Freetown + giveaway!



Caught in the middle of a brutal civil war, six Liberian missionaries in Monrovia flee the widespread violence in their native country. Their destination: Freetown, Sierra Leone. With the help of local church member Phillip Abubakar (Henry Adofo), the missionaries make the difficult journey, only to have their troubles compounded by a rebel fighter bent on killing one of their own. Based on incredible true events, FREETOWN is a thrilling and inspiring story of faith, hope and survival.
My thoughts:  I loved the inspirational message of this movie.  The people who lived the events behind this movie faced ordeals that tested them physically, mentally, and spiritually.  I don't think you can watch this movie without it touching you.

 The scenes were set beautifully.  I loved the imagery.  The only thing that I found difficult was following the heavy accents.  I turned on the captioning to follow the story better.  That worked for me.

 The movie deals with a civil war, there is violence.  It is not graphic, but the nature of it is disturbing.  I think that was one of the points of the movie.



The giveaway is for entrants with a US address.  See terms and conditions to the right.  There will be two copies given away by Deseret Book.  I will forward winners information to them and they are responsible for sending out the DVD.  Two copies will be given away, that means two winners.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by Bookworm Lisa at 4:40 AM 0 comments

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Young Adult Giveaway Hop - International

Thanks Mary from BookHounds for getting this hop together.

Today I am going to offer one of the Young Adult Books that I really enjoyed reading.


Book Description:  For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the mountain. When Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she realises that the trolls are relying on her to break the curse.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind: escape. But the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time…

But the more time she spends with the trolls, the more she understands their plight. There is a rebellion brewing. And she just might be the one the trolls were looking for... 
There will be one winner who will win one book.

This book has a sequel.  If you have read and loved "Stolen Songbird" and haven't had the chance to read "Hidden Huntress" you may pick that book instead.

The book will be shipped from the Book Depository.

Enter using the rafflecopter form below.  Terms and conditions are listed to the right and in the bottom of the form.

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Posted by Bookworm Lisa at 9:48 PM 1 comments

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

"Portrait of Lies" by Clair M. Poulson ~ Blog Tour Review + Giveaway






Portrait of Lies by Clair M. Poulson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Suspense/Mystery

Book Description:  It was a robbery gone bad, or so they said. For Detective Trey Shotwell, the murder of his mother, a prominent artist, was the catalyst for setting aside his own artistic aspirations to pursue a career in law enforcement—despite the opposition of his father, also a famous painter. When he agrees to attend an art auction featuring his father's work, the cruise ship locale provides the relaxation that Trey needs—and when he meets stunning fellow passenger Ariah Stanton, the undeniable chemistry they share is an unexpected bonus.

But the tranquil voyage quickly turns into a nightmare at sea. The Shotwell paintings have disappeared, and amidst the chaotic hunt for the thief, a murderer is free to roam the halls of the ship. Ariah finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and miraculously escapes the murderer—for now. But another victim is not so lucky...

The crime is eerily reminiscent of the death of Trey's mother so many years before. But this time, the young detective has the resources he needs to track the killer. As the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together, they paint the chilling picture of a sinister plot years in the making. In a manhunt that takes him from the high seas of the Pacific to the wilderness of Australia, Trey will stop at nothing to solve the crime and protect the woman he loves. 


My thoughts: As a teen Trey Shotwell vowed that he would find his mother's murderer. Ten years have passed and while on a cruise with his father, a break in the case has finally been found. Murder and mayhem abound on the ship leaving a huge pool of suspects.

I really liked Trey's character. He is an honest and genuine man who makes a living as a police officer. His parents were/are famous painters and he chose his own path instead of the family legacy. He is smart and observant. He has good instincts when it comes to people and he does well when he follows them.

I liked the romance in the book. It is sweet and cute. There are actually two romances occurring at the same time and I liked both of them. There are murders that happen in the course of the book, but they were not graphic, and just described the basics.

The plot was well thought out and presented in a believable manner. The writing style was more of a narrative, it's not my favorite style. I felt as if I was being told the events rather than having them described to me. This didn't distract me too much from the plot and characters. I just didn't get to know them as well as I would have liked.

Overall, this was a good book to read. It is clean with a little bit of violence. It does contain religious elements. Trey's religion (LDS) is referred to frequently as a fundamental part of his character. The book was not preachy and can be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a good suspense/mystery book.





About the Author: Clair M. Poulson was born and raised in Duchesne, Utah. His father was a rancher and farmer, his mother a librarian. Clair has always been an avid reader, having found his love for books as a very young boy.

He has served for forty years in the criminal justice system. Twenty years were spent in law enforcement, ending his police career with eight years as the Duchesne County Sheriff. For the past twenty years Clair has worked as a justice court judge for Duchesne County. Clair is also a veteran of the US Army where he was a military policeman. He has served on various boards and councils during his professional career, including the Justice Court Board of Judges, Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Utah Judicial Council, Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, an FBI advisory board and others.

In addition to his criminal justice work, Clair has farmed and ranched all of his life. He has raised many kinds of animals, but his greatest interest is horses.

Clair has served in many capacities in the LDS church, including fulltime missionary (California Mission) bishop, counselor to bishop, young men president, high councilor, stake mission president, scoutmaster, High Priest group leader, etc. He currently serves as a Sunday School teacher.

Clair is married to Ruth, and together, they have five children, all of whom are married: Alan (Vicena) Poulson, Kelly Ann (Wade) Hatch, Amanda (Ben) Semadeni, Wade (Brooke) Poulson, and Mary (Tyler) Hicken. Between them they have twenty-three children. Clair and Ruth met while both were students at Snow College and were married in the Manti temple.

Clair has always loved telling his children, and later his grandchildren, make-up stories. His vast experience in life and his love of literature has always contributed to both his telling stories to children and his writing of adventure and suspense novels. 

Visit his WEBSITE.


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Posted by Bookworm Lisa at 4:00 AM 0 comments
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