Book Review ~ "Spirit of the Knight" by Debbie Peterson

Spirit of the Knight by Debbie Peterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Purchased
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Book Description:  She fell deeply in love with him in the early days of her childhood. And in return, she captured his heart the moment he first cast gaze his gaze upon her...
Renowned artist Mariah Jennings, hired to paint a thirteenth century Scottish castle, gets the shock of her life when she encounters the handsome knight who has dominated a lifetime of portraits and sketchbooks. But Sir Cailen Braithnoch is no ordinary ghost, nor did he suffer an ordinary death. Magic of the blackest kind cast a pall over the knights centuries ago. As the ghost and his lady seek to unravel the paradox surrounding his death, black arts, otherworldly forces, and a jealous rival conspire against them.

Will fate keep them apart, or is their love destined to last through the ages?


My thoughts: When you read a lot of books it easy to get a preconceived notion about the plot, characters, etc. This book surprised me on a few levels. ( I love it when that happens!)

The book does take place in a castle in Scotland. The book does have several interesting Knights and an assortment of ghosts. The book does have a romance, some things are predictable, but it has it's own spin on a medieval/contemporary romantic ghost story.

Mariah visits a castle in Scotland to paint it and preserve it in memory. This is for an art exhibit. She has been hired  to paint several castles.  She expects there to be ghosts. She does not expect one to be the Knight she has painted and drawn since she was a little girl. It would appear that fate brought her to this particular time and place.

Along with Sir Cailen are an assortment of Knights who all have a great love of fun, loyalty, and wonderful personalities. You can't help but love them all and wish that you knew them in person, instead of just in the pages of a book.

This is a  romance between a mortal and a ghost. Their love and attraction has chemistry. There is successful kissing between the two, who would have thought that possible? There are a few exceptions to the mortal/ghost realm in this book that is an intrinsic part of the plot. Debbie Peterson explains it and makes it seem plausible, if you believe in ghosts. :)

This book is clean! There is a little bit of violence, witchcraft, and kissing.

Purchase a copy at:

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Book Review ~ "My Fairly Dangerous Godmother" by Janette Rallison

My Fairly Dangerous Godmother by Janette Rallison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received from the author to review
Genre: YA Fairy Tale

Book Description:  Some people bomb auditions. Sadie Ramirez throws up during her tryouts on TV show America's Top Talent. Her performance is so bad, it earns her a fairy godmother through the Magical Alliance's Pitiful Damsel Outreach Program. Enter Chrysanthemum Everstar: a gum-chewing, cell phone-carrying, high heel wearing fairy godmother in training. She misinterprets Sadie's wishes and sends her back in time to be a part of The Little Mermaid story and then makes her one of the twelve dancing princesses. Wishes are permanent, and if Sadie wants to get back to her home, she'll have to strike a magical bargain--one that involves stealing a goblet from a powerful fairy queen.



My thoughts: This is the first book that I have read in this series. (I own the first two....just haven't read them yet.)

This book was very cute. I enjoyed the characters. Sadie can't seem to catch a break. She struggles through life with normal teenage afflictions. Unfortunately, her struggles are exaggerated mostly due to jealous bullies.

Her misfortune leads her to be noticed by a near fairy godmother. Crissy has not been to fairy godmother school and does not qualify as a full fairy godmother. Crissy's arrogance lead to some very humorous situations for Sadie. They wouldn't be funny to anyone living them, but humorous to the reader.

In this story we get to visit the Little Mermaid and the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Sadie finds herself in the middle of fairy tales not having her wishes fulfilled as she would like them to be. The moral would be to never make a wish with a fairy, they are good at twisting things to their desires.

Fortunately, the wishes turn out far better for her in the end, and sometimes it takes a little detour to find what is important. The main line that sticks with me from this book is that "love is a choice".

The book has a great message and it is a fun journey with Sadie to figure out what is important to her. Now, I just need to read the first two books. My daughter tells me that they are really good.

Purchase a copy! 

  Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

Book Review ~ "California Dreaming" by several wonderful authors

A Timeless Romance Anthology: California Dreamin' Collection by Heather B. Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Clean Romance Anthology

Book Description:  
In the sweet novella TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE by Heather B. Moore, Gwen uses her wedding photography business to keep her life simple and focus on something other than her own broken heart. When Jack, a guy too handsome for his own good, helps her clean up after a photoshoot, then asks her out, she doesn’t know if she can handle dating again. But Jack’s charm wins her over, and she agrees to meet him for dinner. The more she gets to know Jack, the more she likes him, but everything about him seems too good to be true. 

GONE FISHING, a charming novella by Kaylee Baldwin, follows Claire as she tries to convince her dad to leave his start-up company as a boat guide and come back home to Colorado. He’s the only one who can defend Claire against her domineering mother. But when she arrives at the San Diego harbor, she’s met with more than one surprise. First, that her dad is truly living his dream and has never been happier, and second, she’s unexpectedly attracted to his business partner, Miguel.

In THE PIER CHANGES EVERYTHING, an enchanting novella by Annette Lyon, Alexandria has one last task to perform for her late husband, who died much too young: scatter his ashes in the Pacific Ocean. She goes to the Santa Monica Pier to do just that, but her plans get sidetracked after meeting Michael and feeling an immediate connection to him. They grab lunch, and the more time they spend together, the more they discover that they have in common—including past romantic hardships. As the day wears on, Alexandria begins learn that her heart just might be able to find love again.

In Jennifer Moore’s captivating novella A HERO’S SONG, AnneMarie’s career as a romance novelist is skyrocketing and her agent books her on a late night talk show. The host gets her to admit that she was in love once, with a guitar player. Moments after her segment, Lance Holden appears on the same stage, to perform his newest song. Is it a terrible coincidence? AnneMarie hasn’t seen Lance ever since he broke her heart ten years ago, and she has refused to think about him again. Their lives are worlds apart, but as Lance tries to reconcile with AnneMarie, she finds herself taking a second chance. 

In STAY WITH ME, an endearing novella by Shannon Guymon, Jolie moves to L.A. to take on a nanny position for the summer, since apparently having a degree in art doesn’t translate to getting a job as a graphic designer. When Fitz, the family’s chauffeur, picks her up at the airport, she wonders if every man in LA is model-gorgeous. When Jolie meets her two charges, she finds them adorable and needy. But it’s harder to hold onto her job than she thought with a hostile Mrs. James and her spoiled brother. Fitz becomes both the silver lining of her job and the man who just might convince her to stay in L.A.

In the delightful novella, A PLACE TO CALL HOME, by Sarah M. Eden, Ada is the best realtor around. The best. She prides herself in matching each client with the house that will fit all of their needs. She hasn’t failed yet. So when Craig hires her to find him the perfect condo for him and his son, Ada is up for the challenge. What she may not be prepared for is her unforeseen attraction to Craig, her immediate attachment to his nine-year-old son, and her heart telling her that it’s okay to take another chance.


My thoughts; I loved every story in this anthology. My only complaint is that they were all novella length. I would have loved to have a more in depth story on all of them.

The characters are all lovable and likable. I am always amazed at how the author's are able to decide on a certain setting and come up with very unique and different stories. Each of the author's in this anthology are talented and have proven their ability to write well.

You can't go wrong to pick up any of the "A Timeless Romance" anthologies. They are perfect for poolside, snuggling up next to a fire, or wherever you want to relax and enjoy time getting lost in a story.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Blog Tour ~ "Kisses in the Rain" by Krista Lynne Jensen + tour giveaway

Kisses in the Rain by Krista Lynne Jensen
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher to review
Genre: Contemporary Romance with LDS references

Book Description:  Georgie Tate is a survivor. She's survived an abusive relationship. She's survived the car accident that took the life of her controlling fiance. Now she just needs to survive the memories that haunt her. Escaping to her aunts' cozy home on a tiny island outside of Seattle, Georgie finds just the change of pace she needs to pick up the pieces of her life. Taking a job at a local seafood restaurant is the first step in reclaiming her sense of self, but she is completely unprepared for the battle that awaits her there. 

Jace Lowe has loved and lost, and he's determined that it will never happen again. Hardened by heartbreak, he stays focused on his work as sous chef at one of the island's top seafood restaurants. When beautiful Georgie takes her place on the restaurant staff, Jace is resolved to keep her at arm's length, and his downright rudeness her first week goes a long way in achieving that goal. Georgie, on the other hand, doesn't want anything to do with Jace anyway and prickles against his abrasive behavior. As the combative pair comes together on a joint project for the restaurant, they find their distaste for one another dwindling. the connection is undeniable--and it terrifies them both. Can two people jaded by the past be softened by the promise od once-in-a-lifetime love, or is this just another recipe for disaster?


My thoughts: Georgie Tate leaves her home and family to re-discover herself after a life altering accident. Her fiancee was killed and she was severely injured. Now she just wants to remember the accident, make peace with the past, and find happiness and contentment in her life. Her best course of action is to visit her Aunts in Washington State.

Jace has his own issues that leave him a little broken. It doesn't help that his girlfriend just became engaged to another man WHILE they were dating. His father is controlling and left issues for Jace to face and come to terms with.

Two broken people find themselves working together and helping each other on a project to create new recipes for work. It becomes more as time progresses. Not only did they find a great friend to help them, they found a little bit more. The problem is overcoming the past and finding a new future with someone special.

The fun relationship that Jace and Georgie have in this book is very humorous. They are so cute together and the banter makes for a fun book to read. There are underlying issues of hurt or neglect, but the way they build each other up is entertaining. The issues are not discarded, they are real, but dealt with in a very sensitive manner.

This book is clean with kissing. There is religious references, but they are not the main factor in the book. The book looks at healthy relationships and two people trying to find one.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Deseret Book

About the Author:  Nearly every one of Krista Lynne Jensen’s elementary school teachers noted on her report card that she was a “day-dreamer”. It was not a compliment. So, when Krista grew up, she put those daydreams down on paper for others to enjoy. When she’s not writing she enjoys reading, hiking, her family, and sunshine. But not laundry. She never day-dreams about laundry.

Krista writes LDS romance, and fantasy. She is the author of OF GRACE AND CHOCOLATE (2012 Whitney Award Finalist) and THE ORCHARD (2013), through Covenant Communications. She is a member of ANWA, Author’s Incognito, and LDStorymakers. Visit her blog at kristalynnejensen.blogspot.com.

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*June 15th: http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/, http://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/

*June 16th: http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/, http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

*June 17th: http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/, http://mybookaday.blogspot.com, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/

*June 18th: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/, http://www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com/

*June 19th: http://littlelightdesigncollective.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/

#Eternity:An LDS Guide to Dating and Marriage for Young Adults by Terry Baker ~ Blog Tour

#Eternity by Terry Baker
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: LDS Non-fiction (Religion)
Source: Received from Publisher to Review

Book Description:  Trying to find true love in a troubled world? With ten sacred principles as essential guides to dating and relationships, you will become truly able and eligible to wisely seek out and nurture lasting love. Perfect for teens, young adults, and newlyweds, this book will teach you to find and keep perfect love for eternity!


My thoughts:  In today's world it is easy to discount the importance of  marriage.  Society views marriage as a discard-able option.

I liked how this book was put in an organized and easy to read format.  Terry Baker takes issues found in the world and backs up the importance and possibility of marriage using scriptures and words of General Authorities from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

He writes to marriage partners as well as to those seeking to find a companion.  He uses the same principals and applies it to all people.  I like that format.  I like that this book can be read and appreciated by different groups at the same time.

 Barnes & Noble * Book Depository  * Amazon

About the Author:  Terry R. Baker was born in Ontario, Oregon, and completed degrees at the University of Utah and Brigham Young University. After teaching LDS seminary classes for three years he joined the Army and served as an LDS Army chaplain. He was deployed to Vietnam and while there became interested in why so many soldiers’ marriages ended in divorce. In hopes of finding answers to this question, he returned from the war and completed a PhD in Family Studies and Marriage and Family Counseling at BYU. He then taught LDS Institute classes in California, Texas and Utah. In 1995 he was assigned by the Church Educational System to re-write the curricula for the dating, courtship and marriage classes taught in institute classes world-wide. He finished this assignment in 2000, returned to teaching at the Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of Utah and retired in 2010. This book presents lessons learned from over 40 years of research, teaching and counseling LDS youth and adults and soldiers about dating, courtship and marriage principles. It also represents many of the curricula ideas that could not be included in the current LDS institute manuals because of space limitations.

Terry met Parry Robinson in 1962 at the University of Utah where he had a scholarship to play football and basketball and Patty was a cheerleader. After a mission to Southern Australia Terry married Patty in 1965. They have eight children and an expanding posterity of 23 grandchildren as of 2014.

Cookbook ~ "The Healthy Family Slow Cooker" by Christina Dymock

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Feed your family the foods they love—with a healthy twist.

Everyone knows slow cookers are a busy mom’s best friend, but it can be a struggle to find healthy Crock Pot recipes your kids will actually eat. Not anymore.

These delicious family-sized meals are perfect for parents and kids alike.

• Chicken and Artichoke Fettucini
• Teriyaki Pulled Pork
• Cajun Rice with Shrimp
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Chicken Quesadillas

You’ll even find some tasty ideas for sugar-free desserts, like the Blueberry Pudding Cake. And every single recipe can be made in the morning and ready to eat by dinnertime. With a little prep and planning, you’ll soon be enjoying nutritious, healthy, home-cooked meals every night of the week!

My thoughts:  The first thing I noticed about this book is the beautiful cover.  The food looks really good and it is presented well.  One of the great things about this cookbook is that pictures like that are found throughout the book.  Sometimes it helps me to have an idea what the food should approximately look like when it is done.  My meals never turn out this pretty though.

Christina Dymock goes over the basic care of a crock pot and options that work for family size.   She covers how to help your families healthy eating habits and reasons that a crock pot can become a friend.

I received a copy of this cookbook just a few days before my review date.  I  tried the Marinated Drumsticks tonight for dinner (pg 26) and it was great!  One of my picky eaters took seconds. There are many recipes that I am looking forward to trying.

I love using my crock pot.  That way I am not scrambling at the end of the day to get dinner ready for my family.   It's a great way not to heat up my house in the summer!  

I am struggling to find recipes that my kids will eat that are HEALTHY!  That's one of the reasons that I love this cookbook.  There is even a recipe for a healthier version of chocolate cake (yup, I will be trying it out).

I look forward to spending more time using this book. I am grateful to Cedar Fort for providing me with a copy.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

About the Author:  Christina Dymock is a graduate of the University of Utah. She has had careers as an editor at an advertising agency, an adjunct instructor at Salt Lake Community College, and author.

An avid cook, Christina divides her time between the kitchen, her computer, and books and her family of six. (Naturally, the family gets the biggest share.) Because she reads everything, she also feels compelled to write in several genres. Her latest book, Blue Christmas, reached the Amazon top seller list in 7 categories as part of the Christmas anthology, Christmas in Snow Valley.

Christina attends multiple writer’s conferences each year, is a part of several critique groups, and enjoys learning about writing. She has been featured during the cooking segment of several local morning shows, published in Woman’s World Magazine and the Deseret News, quoted in Womans’ World Magazine and Parents’ Magazine, published in seven Chicken Soup books, and has published clean romantic fiction under the name Lucy McConnell.

Visit her WEBPAGE!

12 Days of Summer Reads ~ "Such a Secret Place" by Cortney Pearson

 Raids splatter across the news--Arcaian soldiers are stealing magic left and right, using it against the people they steal it from.

When sixteen-year-old Ambry Csille's brother gets taken in one of these raids, her utter fear and panic should be enough to invoke tears in any normal world. But for Ambry, tears are a thing of the past.

Because of a spell, people can no longer feel emotion; not enough to cry, and definitely not enough to defend themselves against the tyrannical soldiers stealing her people’s magic. A rare vial of enchanted tears chooses Ambry to reverse the spell, and soon she finds herself the target not only of the Arcaians, but of battle-scarred Talon Haraway, who wants the tears for his own reasons.

All Ambry wants is to rescue her brother, but when her tears get stolen, Ambry determines to work with Talon to get them back. Any day the Arcaians could drink her tears. Any day they’ll succeed at draining her people's magic completely, and all hope will be gone—not only for her brother, but for her world.

Amazon

Cortney is a book nerd who studied literature at BYU-Idaho, a music nerd who plays clarinet in her local community orchestra, and a writing nerd who creates stories for young adults. She lives with her husband and three sons in a small Idaho farm town.

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http://www.cortneypearson.com/

 “Who are you, Talon?” I ask, trying our argument once more. “Please, tell me.”

“You’ll know more about me when I’m ready for you to,” he says softly in his peculiar accent and that velvet voice.

“And you’re not ready for me to know more.”

He stares at the flames and stokes the fire with a nearby stick. The silent answer is enough. For now.

Every inch of me senses his skin, his leg kneeling near mine. My heart frolics under my ribs. I don’t get what’s going on. Why he’s suddenly changed so much—toward me, anyway. He’s not any different than he was before, but I like it. And that scares me.

He sinks back onto his foot and rests an arm on his knee. Muscles strain the lines of his brown shirt, roping down his arm.

I’m growing more agitated with him the longer I sit here, and yet I just want to reach out and touch his skin. Nothing’s making sense. I don’t get these rickety moods of his. One minute he’s angry, the next he makes a comment refuting every other remark.

“Can you at least tell me what our immediate plans are?” I ask. We’ve been heading toward the tears, but that can’t be all there is to this whacked-out journey we’re on.

“That’s in your hands, actually,” he says, sliding me a husky look.

“Mine? Why?”

The tears pang at my back, reminding me of their direction. Right. I’m leading him to them.

Talon sighs and frowns into the heat of the fire. “There’s also someone I need to find. I want to know who shed those tears, and I think he has a way of determining that.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. “And you think it’s important, to know whose they are?”

His fire-gleamed eyes hold me still. “Very.”

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Blog tour ~ "The Charity Chip" by Brock Booher

The Charity Chip by Brock Booher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received electronic copy to review
Genre: Suspense

Book Description: Humanitarians unite to teach street kids like Julio how to manage their money and become self-sufficient—all through a chip implanted in their hands. But after he’s accepted into the program, Julio discovers its sinister objective has nothing to do with charity. To save his friends from a terrible fate, Julio must stop the program at all costs, even if it means his own death.


My thoughts: Life isn't easy living on the streets of Lima, Peru. Julio promised his mother before she died that he would take care of his identical twin brother, Raul.  The promise is hard to keep for a young man.

Julio is a street performer, it has become harder to live because people no longer use money. The citizens of Peru have become chipped. They use an electronic device in their hand to pay for goods and services. Unless you have a chip, it is nearly impossible to get food, clothes, etc.

Julio becomes part of a program that gives street kids a chance at education and food. He can't pass up the opportunity, in part to take care of his bother and also to put food in his belly.

This book is very interesting. It really makes you think about ineffective government programs and the extreme measures people will take to have the basic necessities to live. I would say more about the program in this book, but I don't want to give away any part of the plot.

This book has a little bit of romance and a lot of suspense. Julio is on a short time line to make a difference. The things he learns in this book will help others and bring an end to some of the corruption.  I liked the interaction between characters and the plot twists that I didn't expect.  A good book for YA readers and older.

Amazon  * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

About the Author: (taken from Goodreads)  Brock Booher grew up on a farm in rural Kentucky, the fourth of ten children, where he learned to work hard, use his imagination, and believe in himself. He left the farm to pursue the friendly skies as a pilot, and currently flies for a major US carrier. A dedicated husband and father of six children, he began writing out of sheer arrogance, but the writing craft quickly humbled him. During that process, he discovered that he enjoyed writing because it is an endeavor that can never quite be mastered. He still gladly struggles everyday to improve his writing and storytelling skills.

Visit his WEBPAGE.