Book Review: Run Run Run by Lee Strauss

Run Run Run by Lee Strauss
96p, 2014, Nursery Rhyme Suspense
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the author for an honest review



FRINGE meets CASTLE in this New Adult Sci-fi Mystery Suspense.

College girl meets boy online.
A killer targets girls like her.
She's next on the list.
The boy wants to save her.
She thinks it's him.

It's worse than they both think.

RUN RUN RUN is the first part of a three part episode - Gingerbread Man - in the romantic suspense series, A Nursery Rhyme Suspense by Amazon best-selling author Lee Strauss.

Episode release dates:

Run Run Run - December 31
As Fast As You Can - January 7
You Can't Catch Me - January 14

Gingerbread Man (ep 1-3) complete - January 28

Teagan and Sage have been best friends since the 5th grade and they are now college roommates at Detroit University. Teagan is an artist who meets a guy online, Marlow, a self-proclaimed geek. Sage gets her to hang out with some friends one night and she meets a good-looking guy from one of her classes, Jake Wentworth. Pretty soon a rapist is loose on campus and Marlow starts saying things that make Teagan start to suspect him of being the rapist. Is he or is something else going on?

The story is told from four points of view: Teagan, Sage, Marlow and the predator. It drew me in right away and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what was going to happen next. I think I know what's happening but Lee Strauss is great at twisting her stories so that I don't see the ending coming.

I haven't watched FRINGE or CASTLE but I loved this suspenseful episode of Lee Strauss's new series! The bad news for me is that I need to wait a few more weeks to read more. The good news is that I only need to wait a few more weeks to read more so, even though it ends in a cliffhanger, I will soon be able to read the second installment! 

Content: Since this is a novel about a predator/killer, there are rape and assault scenes, but they're not graphic. 

Amazon

Lee Strauss writes romantic mixed genres set in the past, present and future for YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff as Elle Strauss. She divides her time between BC, Canada and Dresden, Germany, and enjoys drinking coffee and eating chocolate in both places. Find out more at www.ellestraussbooks.com.

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Blog Tour/Review: The Ready Resource for Relief Society by Trina Boice

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The Ready Resource for Relief Society: Teachings of Presidents of the Church--Ezra Taft Benson, by Trina Boice
2014, 160p, LDS Non-Fiction
My Rating=4 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review



Preparing for Relief Society has never been easier with this invaluable book. For each week, you’ll find a lesson summary, quotes from General Authorities, hymns that match the topic, and a beautiful handout you can copy for each sister. With all the prep work done, you can focus on personalizing your lessons to fit the needs of your dear sisters.

This is a great resource if you teach Relief Society! For each lesson, there's a summary, hymn suggestions, object lessons, Gospel Art picture suggestions, quotes from General Authorities, video links, church magazine articles, a handout and a challenge. There's a lot of information packed into each chapter so there is more than enough to use in each lesson. 

I don't teach Relief Society but I think this would also be handy to read along with the lesson each week as a supplement, especially for anyone that can't regularly attend Relief Society. The information looks wonderful and I'm excited to dig into it throughout the year!

One note: I reviewed a pdf copy so I'm not sure what the print copy looks like but if you're a teacher and want to make handouts, you definitely want to get the print copy.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Cedar Fort

About the author:

Trina Boice grew up in California, but currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. She worked as a Legislative Assistant for a Congressman in Washington D.C., and was given the “Points of Light” Award and Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her domestic and international community service. She wrote a column called “The Boice Box” for a newspaper in Georgia, where she lived for 15 years. She taught Spanish at a private high school and ran an appraisal business with her husband for 20 years. She currently writes for several web sites and is the Entertainment News Editor for Bella Online. Trina was selected by KPBS in San Diego to be a political correspondent during the last presidential election.

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Blog Tour/Review: I Know My Savior Lives by Kimiko Christensen Hammari

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I Know My Savior Lives, by Kimiko Christensen Hammari
2014, 160p, LDS Non-Fiction, FHE Resource
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review



Make Mondays the best night of the week! With a full year of easy family nights that correlate directly with the 2015 Primary theme, this book is the perfect solution for busy families everywhere. For each week you’ll find a complete lesson written for you, plus songs, scriptures, ideas for treats, and activity options for younger and older children.

This is a great resource to help make Family Home Evening easy to prepare! The lessons supplement the Primary theme for 2015. Each lesson starts with a Resource section, which lists scriptures, Primary songs, hymns, and pictures from the Gospel Art Book. Then there's a lesson, activity and challenge. 

The lesson can be pretty short which is ideal for young children and there's a scripture passage to read and review which can lengthen it for older children. Some of the activity sections are separated into ideas for younger and older children and others are activities for all ages. The challenges are a great way to reinforce the lessons and help everyone live the concepts that are taught. A CD-ROM is included which makes it easy to print out a challenge card for each family member. She refers to these as challenge cards for the kids but as I read through them, I realized that they are things I need to be doing as well so I plan to join in! 

I haven't started using this yet but I definitely will. I love that the lessons are laid out for the entire year and my children are old enough to help prepare lessons and activities. There are also simple dessert recipes included at the end which children can help make. This is a wonderful aid to strengthen homes and families and I'm excited to get started!

Amazon  * Barnes & Noble 

About the Author

Kimiko Christensen Hammari graduated from BYU with a degree in English. She grew up in California and Utah, and served an LDS mission to Winnipeg, Canada. She enjoys writing literature for children and has been the editor of an educational children’s publication. She currently works as a writer and editor for a publishing company in Utah.

Book Blast: Lexi's Pathetic Fictional Love Life by Jo Noelle

Lexi’s Pathetic Fictional Love Life

Lexi Middleton has been socially invisible to her classmates, but starting her junior year, that’s going to change. First, she’s determined to hook a boyfriend, ensuring dates with flowers and possible kisses on the doorstep. Second, she wants to be a writer for the school paper, even though it freaks her out to think of everyone judging her by her punctuation and metaphors.

High school is difficult enough—keeping up her grades, dealing with increasing sibling rivalry, and trying to stay out of the way of her personal nemesis, Amberlee—but when Lexi catches the eye of her long-time crush, she also becomes the focus of mean-girl tactics.

Caught between who she was and who she wants to be, Lexi must decide how to confront a bully, and choose who to let into her heart.

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Author Jo Noelle

Jo Noelle grew up in Colorado and Utah but also spent time in Idaho and California. She has two adult children and three small kids. She teaches teachers and students about reading and writing, grows freakishly large tomatoes, enjoys cooking especially for desserts, builds furniture, sews beautiful dresses, and likes to go hiking in the nearby mountains. Oh, and by the way, she’s two people—
Canda Mortensen and Deanna Henderson, a mother/daughter writing team.

They began writing separately several years ago but found the process much more fun when they started collaborating. They are debut authors, with Lexi’s Pathetic Fictional Love Life as their first completed work. Other titles include Newbie and Damnation.

Deanna attended college before marrying and starting her family.

Canda received a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a Reading Specialist endorsement, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Her day job focuses on teaching teachers and children about literacy.

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Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/18/15

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 author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blog Tour/Review: Pierced by Love by Laura L. Walker

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Pierced by Love, by Laura L. Walker
2014, 224p, LDS Clean YA Contemporary Romance
My Rating=3.5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review



Noelle Jensen doesn’t want to like Pierce Logan. After her boyfriend breaks up with her for her sister, Noelle is done with love. Plus Pierce Logan has commitment issues because of his parents’ divorce and a strained relationship with his dad. But as Pierce and Noelle inadvertently help each other to open up their hearts, they also rediscover the importance of family and love.

Noelle Jensen is blindsided when her boyfriend, Chase and her sister, Melody, announce their engagement to her when she thought he was getting ready to propose to her. She is understandably upset and swears off men. Pierce Logan has known Noelle for a couple of years and can't stand to see her hurting so becomes her friend. He dates a lot of different girls and isn't the kind of guy to become serious so he feels safe to her. They're able to help each other through some difficult times and just might end up falling for each other.

I loved both Noelle and Pierce and was glad when they became friends. They got along well and were able to help each other with their tough family situations. Noelle was somewhat fragile at first and I liked watching her growth. Pierce's reputation as a "player" seemed ridiculous to me. I saw nothing wrong with him dating lots of girls and thought it was great that he wasn't leading any of them on. He had his own family drama to deal with and he grew a lot throughout the story as well.

Now a rant about Noelle's family: I thought her parents started out handling the situation pretty well, but within a couple of weeks were basically telling her it was time to get over it, be happy for her sister and not tear their family apart. What?!? Melody was basically telling her the same thing. First of all, Melody's betrayal tore the sisters apart so she's the one they should have been talking to. Also, as a parent, I would not be comfortable with a son-in-law who behaved the way he did. My conversations would have been with Chase and Melody. Chase and Melody could have handled things so much differently where it still would have hurt but not so much. With how quickly the wedding was planned, Noelle's family should have let her decide how much she would be able to participate. There was tons of pressure on her to put on a happy face for everyone else. I certainly believe in forgiveness, but I also believe that people need time to process their feelings and sometimes time and distance are needed to heal from certain situations. Oh, my, I felt so sorry for Noelle. End of rant.

It was obvious that Noelle was better off without Chase as he continued to talk down to her and act like he knew what was best for her. There were so many characters that bothered me in this book that I'm glad I really liked Noelle and Pierce. I really did enjoy their story and am glad they were able to find a happy ending!

One thing I liked about this college-age LDS novel is that the setting was Northern Arizona University rather than BYU. That was refreshing. There are specific LDS references throughout this book but it will still appeal to anyone that enjoys clean contemporary romance.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books & Things  

About the author:

Laura Walker grew up in southern Arizona. She met her husband, Rob, at Northern Arizona University where she earned her bachelor degree in Elementary Education. She and Rob are raising their six children. Her hobbies include water aerobics and sewing. At the end of the day, Laura loves to curl up with a good book or write one of her own. Pierced by Love is her first published novel.

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Book Review: Temporary Bridesmaid by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli

Temporary Bridesmaid, by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli
2014, 242p, Clean Contemporary Romance
My Rating=3.5 Stars
Source: Received a copy for an honest review



Jenny Grant has given up on men, and therefore her dream of ever getting married. But when James Cox comes to work in her building as a temp, she has to convince herself to stay true to her new conviction. All around her, everything is falling apart in her life. She’s been asked to be the Maid of Honor for her best friend’s wedding—leaving Jenny the last single in her group—her mother’s forgetfulness has progressed to a level that might prove dangerous, and the raise and promotion Jenny longs for may not be within her reach. When a man who looks like James steals her wallet her distrust of men rests on his shoulders.

James Cox has no idea why he has given up his position as a California CEO to move to Salt Lake City, but he’s certain it isn’t to find a bride. When the call comes for a temp position at a computer programming company, he figures this must be why. But his co-workers are not always easy to get along with, especially the fiery-tempered woman named Jenny Grant. If he didn’t find her so beautiful and interesting, it might not matter. Except that it does.

Jenny Grant is frustrated. She's 39 and still single. Her last single friend is getting married and has asked her to be her Maid of Honor. Jenny has given up on marriage, is worried about her mother and is trying to get a raise and a promotion. She hears about the new temp at work, James Cox, from her co-worker, Tiara, who wants to set them up. She's not interested and when they do meet, they don't leave a good impression on each other.

We also learn about her friend, Stephie, who got married and moved back east. Her marriage isn't going well at all and she's feeling lonely and stuck. I liked Stephie and felt bad for the situation she was in and hoped she would have the courage to leave. I didn't really see how her story fit in with Jenny's since they didn't have any interaction throughout the book but it was an interesting side story.

Jenny was apparently going through a difficult time and wasn't too likable throughout the book. I found myself wondering what James saw in her that kept him interested. He was told she wasn't acting like herself so maybe he decided to wait until she started behaving better. James was a nice guy and I liked him right away. There were some funny scenes between them that seemed over the top to me at times. The ending felt rushed to me and I didn't feel the romantic connection between them so the ending didn't leave me completely satisfied.

Even though I didn't feel a strong connection with the characters, I was entertained and interested in knowing how it would all end. This is the first book I've read by this author. I did enjoy her writing style and am interested in reading other books she's written.

Amazon

Lu Ann Brobst Staheli got her start as a celebrity paparazzi-stalker-chick, which led to her award-winning career as a ghostwriter for celebrity memoirs. A masochist at heart, she taught junior high school English for 33 years, and once spent two weeks of summer vacation backpacking through Europe with 15 of her students. She has won three Utah Best of State Medals—two for writing and one for teaching—but refuses to wear them all at the same time because she’d hate to be known as a show-off. She is the true bibliophile, with something in excess of 1,000 books in her personal home library. After having donated the nearly 1,000 books in her classroom library to the other English teachers in her department, Lu Ann moves this year to a new position as the school librarian, where she can be surrounded by books and share her passion for reading with the entire group of students and faculty. Her published works include A Note Worth Taking, a MG/YA novel; When Hearts Conjoin, the story of the conjoined Herrin twins; Psychic Madman about mentalist Jim Karol; One Day at a Time: Teaching Secondary Language Arts; Books, Books, and More Books: A Parent and Teacher's Guide to Adolescent Literature, as well as numerous newspaper and magazine articles. Lu Ann is a Senior Editor with Precision Editing Group, where she works with clients on both fiction and non-fiction manuscripts.

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Book Review: Ring on Her Finger by Lisa Swinton

Ring on Her Finger, by Lisa Swinton
2014, 316p, Clean Contemporary Romance
My Rating=4 Stars
Source: Received a copy for an honest review



What happened in Vegas should stay there, not follow Amanda home wedded to the man who broke her heart.

After celebrating college graduation with her friends in Las Vegas, Amanda St. Claire wakes up with a terrible hangover and a ring on her finger. Her day gets worse when she finds out she's married to rich playboy Blake Worthington - the guy she has loathed the past four years. Amanda convinces Blake to legally terminate the marriage and they both return home like nothing ever happened. That is, until Blake shows up on her doorstep and Amanda has to come clean with her family.

Together for better or worse while the legalities are cleared, Amanda reluctantly plays along, but then the unthinkable happens - she finds herself falling in love with Blake. Can they overcome the past? Or will it end their future before it even starts?

This sounded like an entertaining, drama-filled read from the summary, and it was! Amanda wakes up in Las Vegas after a night of drinking with a hangover and learns she has married Blake Worthington, a rich playboy she dated briefly four years earlier. She is appalled and immediately asks for an annulment. He agrees but when he gets home, things become complicated and it's going to be a while before he can keep his agreement. He goes to Amanda's house and things get more complicated since she hasn't told her parents she's married! 

Amanda was hard to like. She doesn't like Blake and can't seem to forgive him for something he did four years earlier. She's not willing to take any sort of chance and isn't going to allow him to interfere with her life plans. I liked her a little more as the story progressed, but didn't end up being a big fan of hers. Blake is likable from the beginning. He doesn't act like a playboy but it's really more of a reputation he has at this point. He tries to make amends with Amanda over and over and over. I did enjoy their scenes together because there was lots of drama but really didn't understand why he was chasing her so hard. 

I loved Amanda's family. They were understanding and took Blake in and treated him well. Blake's family has some issues that they're working through and he feels a difference when he's with Amanda's family.

There were parts of this that I didn't find completely believable but I was entertained the entire time and kept reading to see what would happen next. I loved the ending--it was so romantic! This is the first book I've read by this author and I am interested in reading more of her work!

Amazon  * Barnes & Noble

Lisa Swinton caught the romance bug early by way of fairy tales and hasn’t been able to cure it since. Instead, she feeds her addiction with romance novels and films. In between being a doctor’s wife and mother of two, she occasionally puts her B.A. in Musical Theater to good use via community theater and church choir. In her elusive spare time she enjoys researching her family tree and baking (especially with chocolate). She loves to travel, Jane Austen, and all things Italian. In her next life, she plans to be a professional organizer. 

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Blog Tour/Spotlight: If You Believe by Mya O'Malley

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If You Believe by Mya O’Malley

Sometimes love only comes once in a lifetime. For some lucky people, it is possible to love again.

Melody and Jack had shared an unforgettable love story that abruptly came to an end. Melody, left picking up the pieces, finds herself alone years later, with no hope or desire to date again. With the holiday season approaching, Melody finds it particularly difficult to get Jack out of her thoughts.

Jack isn’t sure if he’s an angel or a ghost, but his mind is set on one thing only, finding a new love for Melody by Christmas Eve at midnight. Easier said than done, with many obstacles to tackle, Jack underestimates how difficult the task is. With conflicting emotions, Jack takes it upon himself to find a man for a woman he still loves.

With the clock ticking as the holidays approach, this charming story of finding love the second time around will have you laughing and crying, but ultimately, it will have you believing in true love.

 Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Excerpt:

He stood, watching her, feeling every ounce of her pain, her anguish. He was probably the only one who understood what it was like to lose the person you loved, the person who was everything in the world to you.

If only he could just touch her, reach out to her, make her feel happy again. But that was just selfish on his part, wasn’t it? It wouldn’t be fair to Melody. Anybody could see that even three years later, she was still struggling. Hadn’t he always told her that if something happened to him, he would want her to fall in love again? It saddened him to think that if she continued down this cold and lonely path, she would be alone forever.

Melody had wanted it all, a home filled with children, a loving marriage. Thinking back to how happy they had once been, it broke his heart to see her this way, and it was always saddest to see her like this around the holidays, which were quickly approaching.

Jack’s mind was whirling with ideas, if only...He wished that he could talk to her just one more time, but alas, that was against the rules. If only there was some way, if only he could help her see the light. The corners of Jack’s mouth crept up as his mind took hold of an impossible thought. Would he be able to pull this off? If he did, could he ever be the same again?

Author Mya O’Malley

Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.

Mya currently has two new releases: At First Sight, a contemporary romance about dating in the modern world, published by Astraea Press, and Where There is Love, a contemporary romance in which a woman struggles with past obstacles, ultimately faced with whether or not she will open her heart to love. Where There is Love is published with Solstice Publishing. Mya is excited to say that Astraea Press will be releasing her contemporary holiday paranormal romance titled If You Believe on November 25, 2014. Due to be released late January is The Calm After the Storm, published by TouchPoint Press. This novel is a contemporary romance taking place in the setting of Hurricane Sandy. The story revolves around the idea of a utility worker from Georgia falling in love with a woman in New York.

Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her sixth novel.

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$25 Blog Tour Giveaway

Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/4/15

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 readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Book Blast: A City Full of Santas by Pooja Sardana

A City Full of Santas

Ranked as #1 BestSeller on Amazon India

This Christmas is special; really special for Santa. Read this lovely Christmas tale that would re-define the meaning of Christmas.

A must read for everyone.

Just like Pooja’s other books, this book brings love, warmth, and a special message.

A story that parents would love to read to their children.

Just .99 cents on Amazon.com

Author Pooja Sardana

Pooja Sardana, is a mother, a teacher, an illustrator, an author, a visionary and the co-founder of PictureBookTree.
Her books and her initiative – PictureBookTree have been widely covered in Indian media and abroad. Titled as one of the Unsung Hero in ‘Saga of the Unsung Heroes of India” , she continues to touch lives of many through her books and her work.

Her picture books for children can be availed free of cost by NGOs or individuals working with Under-privileged children. If you work with under-privileged children, you can drop an email at Picturebooktree (AT) GMAIL (DOT) COM to receive your free copy.

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Praise for the Book

“Such a lovely story that brings back the meaning of Christmas, one that many will want to read.”

“Parents/teachers will enjoy reading this story to their children. The children will be full of questions and want to discuss Santa’s surprise.”

“Artwork “pops” off the pages pleasantly and storyline has a great message. A fine addition to any Christmas collection and it is a children’s book that I would recommend!”

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/4/15

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 author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blog Tour/Review: Rough Around the Edges Meets Refined by Rachael Anderson

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Rough Around the Edges Meets Refined, by Rachael Anderson
2014, 245p, Clean Contemporary Romance
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the tour host for an honest review



For Noah Mackie, life is finally back on track. He has a great support system, a promised promotion is on its way, and he’s finally getting the hang of this single father thing. But when the job falls through and his neighbor’s matchmaking efforts become more aggressive, Noah is in for yet another unwanted detour. With his career and two spirited daughters to worry about, he doesn’t have time for dating—especially not someone like Cassie Ellis, his girls’ beautiful and sophisticated dance instructor, who is about as open and approachable as a brick wall.

Rough around the Edges Meets Refined is about two people who think they know exactly what they want but who have no idea what they really need. It’s about learning that people aren’t always what they seem and that sometimes life’s detours take you exactly where you need to go.

The first book in this series is about Emma and Kevin. Noah is Emma's brother and we met him and his girls in the first book. Noah and Cassie are both widowed. Noah and his wife had a good marriage and he still misses her. Cassie recently lost her husband but he didn't treat her well once they were married so she's not looking to get into a relationship again any time soon. 

Noah's neighbor Becky gets them to meet each other and they both realize they're being set up and neither one is interested. Becky makes Noah promise he'll ask Cassie a certain question before he gives up and it sounds easy, so he agrees. Little does he know how much work it will take to answer that one question! Noah and Cassie are quite different and I loved how Noah's daughters helped bring them together.

I laughed when I heard how Noah put his girls' hair in ponytails--with a vacuum. I couldn't quite picture it but there are videos which explain how to do it (apparently this method is used way more than I realized). I would personally never do it because I see what goes into my vacuum and wouldn't let the hose touch my daughter's clean hair but it does seem to work:



I loved Noah and Cassie and had fun getting to know them! I enjoyed their conversations and the natural flow of their relationship. It wasn't smooth sailing for them but there were lots of people cheering them on and helping them out. It was also fun to see how Emma and Kevin are doing and what's happening with them. This book can be read as a stand alone but it's fun to have the background of Emma and Kevin's story first.

I love Rachael Anderson's writing because I know I'm going to be entertained. I will become invested in the characters, laugh and wonder how things will work out. And in the end, I will definitely feel satisfied. This is a fun series! I have enjoyed the first two books and am looking forward to the third book which will be about Becky's daughter, Sam!

Excerpt:

Carpet samples were way too small. How was Cassie supposed to know what an entire room would look like from a small little swatch? There were too many choices. Nylon or polyester? Plush, frieze, textured, or cut? Not to mention all the color options. And then there was the tile for the bathroom and the complicated dance flooring, with its subfloor and all of its choices.

She felt a headache coming on.

“How will I ever make up my mind?” Cassie whispered to Noah.

“It’s called trusting your instincts.”

“Instincts? I’m supposed to have an instinct about carpet samples?”

“Doesn’t everyone?” Noah grinned. “Isn’t one calling out to you? Telling you that it’s the one you’ll be able to coexist with for the next ten to fifteen years?”

Ten to fifteen years? Noah wasn’t helping at all. Cassie frowned at the samples, willing one to shake or glow or whatever carpet samples did to call out to a person.

“Which one would you choose?” she finally said.

“Uh-uh. This is your house, your carpet, your choice. I’m just here as a friend, remember?”

A friend who was sitting way too close for comfort, Cassie thought as the touch of his shoulder sent a bunch of tingles down her arm. “Friends are allowed to give opinions.”

“No. Only dates are allowed to do that,” said Noah. “If you really want my opinion, you know what you have to do.”

Despite her distress about all the decisions facing her, Cassie couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, fine. It’s a date. Now if you were me, what would you choose?”

Noah blinked as he shook his head. “Wow, that was easy. I should have gone for more. Like a kiss or boyfriend status or—”

She nudged him. “Stop it. I need you to help me, not tease me.”

“I wasn’t teasing,” he murmured, pulling the samples toward him.


Purchase Your Copy from Amazon.com

Author Rachael Anderson

USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

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$25 Blog Tour Giveaway

Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/19/15

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 readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blog Tour/Review: Demon's Heart by Emily H. Bates

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Demon's Heart, by Emily H. Bates
2014, 272p, YA Fantasy
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review



Young ruffian Rustav is determined to escape his abusive uncle and hated homeland, even if it means braving the demon-infested forest. His escape is halted, however, when a race of legendary beings reveal him to be the country’s fabled heir. As the people rally around him, Rustav teeters precariously between raising his people from the dust—or destroying them from the inside.

I enjoyed this book from the beginning! Rustav escapes his abusive uncle and meets Dantzel. There's an old man in Dantzel's village named Anton and when he meets Rustav, he seems to know something about him. Anton tries to befriend Rustav and he's pretty resistant at first but Rustav was injured his first day in the village and needs to heal so he decides to stay with Anton for a while. Just as he's getting comfortable, everything changes and he heads into the forest, where it's rumored demons live, and Dantzel follows him. 

I loved Rustav and Dantzel! They became good friends and I was hopeful that there was a budding romance but things change drastically overnight when Rustav had to take off and Dantzel went with him. They learn the truth about who really lives in the forest when they meet Ayre. Rustav also meets Pak, who raises doubts about Ayre and Rustav needs to decide who to trust. There are lots of great characters throughout this book and I enjoyed getting to know them all.  

I wasn't sure what direction the story was going to go and was surprised by what happened. I loved the world I was introduced to. I have questions, though, and am ready to learn more about it! There were twists, turns, revelations, action, adventure, betrayal, deceit, fantasy creatures, and a little romance. I loved it and am looking forward to reading more!!

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About the author:

Emily H. Bates grew up in Northern California, where she spent much of her young life happily closeted away with a book. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in German Linguistics, married a dashing young man from her study abroad in Germany, and now writes novels in English. She currently resides in Washington with her husband and her very busy daughter.

Book Blast: Beenie's Search by J.J. Schousboe

About the Book

Title: Beenie's Search | Author: J.J. Schousboe | Publication Date: March 20, 2014 | Publisher: Friesen Press | Pages: 48 | Recommended Ages: 3 to 8

Book Description: Join Beenie, the friendly bear, as he searches for his family after hibernating for the long winter. Spring arrives and Beenie discovers that he is all alone. In search of food, friends and his family, Beenie gets side tracked and lost. When he remembers what he was taught by his parents, he overcomes his fears and sets off in the right direction. Beenie's Search teaches young readers the importance of listening and following directions as they join Beenie in his adventure.

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About the Author: J.J. Schousboe

JJ Schousboe migrated from the lovely island of Trinidad, in the Caribbean. She has been writing poems as a teenager and began writing stories for her children. A preschool teacher since 2007, JJ currently lives in Largo, Florida.

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* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash (winner's choice)

Contest closes: January 2, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open to: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, J.J. Schousboe and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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Blog Tour/Review: Snow Angels by Lezlie Anderson

Tour Schedule

Snow Angels, by Lezlie Anderson
2014, 15p, Christmas
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review



A winter storm, a family, and an idea for a service project all add up to a delightful Christmas surprise! When Mom and Dad suggest serving their neighbors for the holiday, their kids can’t stop grumbling. But as they secretly shovel snow, their attitudes change, and soon the parents can’t get the kids to stop serving. Share the joys of serving others in this wonderful Christmas pamphlet.

I love short, heartwarming stories like these that show the joy of service. It starts out gathering the family together for Family Home Evening and the kids start complaining (how I can relate to that). Mom presents a lesson on service and then dad announces that they are going to go out right then to actually perform service--shoveling snow! The kids aren't happy about it at first and their parents warned them what the consequence would be for anyone that chose not to participate. It was fun to see how their attitudes changed and it turned into a wonderful experience for them and their entire neighborhood. Their service didn't end that night and they got to see others respond to what they started. This is a feel good story that will get you in the mood to serve others!

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About the author:

Lezlie Anderson has loved books since she learned to read at age four. She and her sisters used their wild imaginations playing in their backyard as princesses to being attacked by giant grasshoppers. The first books she remembers loving are “My Father’s Dragon” and “The Trouble with Miss Switch.”

Lezlie is married to a wonderful man, Steve, and they have three great children, 3 crazy cats, one tortoise, and a fish that has survived more hazards than should be possible. She loves chocolate, Dr. Pepper, and anything that her husband BBQ’s.

Book Blast: The Heroes of the Himalayas by Lars Guignard

BOOK SALE: You can grab a copy of Book 1, "Ghost Leopard" for 99 cents from Amazon starting December 18, 2014 for a limited time. PURCHASE NOW!

About the Books

Move over Percy Jackson. Find out what everybody is talking about!

Have you ever gotten hopelessly lost in a strange land?
Talked to an elephant?
Ridden a magic carpet?
Been jailed by an angry parrot?
And discovered that you have the power to change the world?

Zoe & Zak hadn’t either. But that was before their lives were turned upside down by a mysterious creature called the Ghost Leopard. Now, they find themselves attending a strange school high in the Himalayan foothills, where nothing is what it seems and anything is possible.

The Zoe & Zak Adventures contains the first three full books of the middle grade fantasy adventure series, where two semi-normal kids begin to live absolutely extraordinary lives.

In Book One, The Ghost Leopard, Zoe & Zak take their first trip to India where they learn that they’ve been chosen to protect a mythical creature from a terrible fate.

In Book Two, The Yogi’s Curse, Zoe & Zak are back in India, this time to attend Moonstock Academy, a strange and sometimes frightening boarding school where weird events seem to occur on a regular basis.

And in Book Three, The Tiger Temple, Zoe & Zak take on their second semester at Moonstock and their most terrifying challenge yet.

If you love to laugh out loud, if you like adventure, and if you’re dying to go on the wildest ride on this side of the Himalayas, pick up the Zoe & Zak Adventures today.

Now Available as a Compendium: The three book collection contains the complete text of first three books in the Zoe & Zak series. Together, these books are guaranteed to bring you to a magical world unlike any you’ve experienced before. Find out what everybody is talking about.

Book 1: Zoe and Zak and The Ghost Leopard

The Buzz

Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard BLOG TOUR

"Love Love Love! This book had me from the first chapter. This book overflows with top-notch character development, culture, adventure, and FUN!" ~ Sunshine, Bubbles and Books

"This is adventure with a capital ‘A’ and the kind that middle grade readers will love." ~ Word Magic: All About Books

"Once Zoe and Zak are off on their adventure, the pace never lets up. There are constant dangers lurking all around them and
they are pretty much constantly fighting for their lives. Throw in some really interesting mystical creatures and you have a recipe for a great MG novel!!" ~ Best Kids' Reads

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Book 2: Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse

The Buzz

Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse BLOG TOUR

"Lars Guignard keeps up the pace with this second installment in the Zoe and Zak Adventure series. I recommend this series to tweens and teens who love a great adventure steeped with magic and mysticism. Ages 8+." ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews


"Fantasy, action, adventure, wonderful characters and some fun mysteries has me hooked... 5 Stars!" ~ Brooke Blogs


I loved the faster pace of this second book. Zoe & Zak's adventures kept me turning pages to see what was happening next.
" ~ Carpinello's Writing Pages

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Book 3: Zoe & Zak and the Tiger Temple

The Buzz

Zoe & Zak and the Tiger Temple BLOG TOUR

"Zoe and Zak’s adventure in the Tiger’s Temple nerve-wracking and enjoyable all at the same time! Magic flies high in this story. Guignard continues not only to entertain his young readers but also to educate them on the exotic culture of India. Readers learn about everything from food to mythology. I love all the magic and mystery in his books, and you can’t help but love Zoe and Zak with their self-destructive behavior." ~ Jump Into a Book

"The great thing about this book, besides the fun adventure, is the exposure kids will get to different cultures, mythologies, and ways of life." ~ Nik's Picks

"Lars Guignard’s writing is easy to read and the story flows well and he has a great sense of humor. Zoe & Zak and the Tiger Temple is another must read for readers of all ages. I can’t wait for more books in the Zoe & Zak series! " ~ Bound 4 Escape

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Purchase all Three!

PURCHASE: Amazon (Kindle)

About The Author: Lars Guignard

 

Prior to writing novels, Lars Guignard wrote for film and television. As a teenager he attended boarding school in the Indian Himalayas and his experiences there provided the inspiration for the "Heroes of the Himalayas" series which now include: Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard, Zoe & Zak and the Yogi’s Curse, and Zoe & Zak and the Tiger Temple.

He lives in the Pacific Northwest where he dodges bears and cougars while hiking & skiing the magnificent Coast Mountain Range.

For news about new releases, please join his email list by contacting the author: Zoe&ZakAdventures@gmail.com

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* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash (winner's choice)

Contest closes: January 1, 11:59 pm, 2015

Open to: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Lars Guignard and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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