Wednesday, April 30, 2014

THIN SPACE BY JODY CASELLA -" RANDOM READ" REVIEW

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Pic and Description taken from GoodReads

Description:
Ever since the car accident that killed his twin brother, Marshall Windsor has been consumed with guilt and crippled by secrets of that fateful night. He has only one chance to make amends, to right his wrongs and set things right. He must find a Thin Space—a mythical point where the barrier between this world and the next is thin enough for a person to step through to the other side. 

But, when a new girl moves into the house next door, the same house Marsh is sure holds a thin space, she may be the key—or the unraveling of all his secrets.

As they get closer to finding a thin space—and closer to each other—Marsh must decide once and for all how far he’s willing to go to right the wrongs of the living…and the dead.

My Review / Thoughts:

First off let me explain the "Random Read".  I follow this blog called Feed Your Fiction Addiction which led me to this:

Random Reads

So "I'm Loving Books" hosts this, but I found it through "Feed Your Fiction Addiction".  I don't think I am "officially" signed up for it, but it sounded fun, and I have sooooo many books on my TBR list I figured it couldn't hurt.

What you do is go to Random.org and put how ever many books you have on your Goodreads list in, and let it pick a number for you.  That is your "random read" for the month.  I wish I would have had time to do more, but this month was a little wacko.

My book was number 75 on my TBR list and obviously it's called THIN SPACE.

I don't even know where to start with this one.  I have to admit it kind of was slow at the beginning, but still interesting, so I kept with it.  But, man oh man, I was NOT expecting what happen to happen.  So it ended up being a great book.  Although I am wondering if there is going to be more.  There just has to be.  It cannot end like it did.  Okay, it CAN, (obviously), but I hope that there will be more.

Any how I digress....about this book :)

Marsh is obsessed with finding a "Thin Space" that his neighbor had told him about.  A thin space is when a soul enters the world and leaves the world in the same place.  It allows you to enter the "space" between here and the after life.  Marsh's neighbor tells him she will open a "thin space" for him while she is laying on her death bed.  It is an interesting concept.

Marsh, is one messed up dude.  I don't blame him for one minute though.  He is a twin and one night they were out, and got in an accident.  His twin didn't make it.  Marsh was devastated, and it sent him into a spiral of depression.

Then comes Maddie.  She moved into the house of the neighbor who was suppose to open a so called "thin space" for him so he could visit his brother.  Maddie turns out to be his lifesaver.

This book is so interesting.  Could you imagine being able to travel between here and the after life?  I don't know if I would. Marsh and Maddie are both damaged people and come to depend and trust each other.  It is such a sweet friendship.

I cannot imagine what it would be like to feel responsible for your brother/sisters (any one for that matter) death.  I think it would mess with my head also.  There is a MAJOR plot twist and when I read it I was like "MIND. BLOWN."  My daughter was sitting on the couch watching a movie and I just piped up "WHAT".

Oh, I cannot even tell you how much I love it when a book does that to me.  I was NOT expecting that to happen, and my mind is still spinning a little trying to figure out if there were any signs.  There probably were, but I am a little slow to catch on to clues usually any way...hehe.

I don't even know how long this book has been on my TBR list, but it's been a while.  I probably would have stumbled upon it sooner or later, since I plan on reading every book on my list...(insert a roll of my eyes here, because really, is it even possible?)....hehe

There is a struggle in this book for Marsh that I cannot even comprehend.  When he finally meets someone who sees him as "him" and not his twin, his life begins to change.  I have always wanted to be a twin.  No, really.  BUT, I think I can honestly say after reading this book, I am glad that I am not.  I know that the twins I do know really do have a different connection to each other than "normal" siblings.  I cannot imagine losing half of myself.  That is what it feel like in this book.  My heart aches the whole time as I read the struggle that Marsh goes through.  It's heart breaking.

There are some other great characters in this book as well, but for me Maddie and Marsh are all who really matter :).

I don't even know what to say about the book because I am sure I will accidentally spill something if I haven't already.  It was just a great read.  I am glad I decided to let random.org pick a book for me.

Next Months Random Read is #68 (because my previous choice isn't available (lame) - and it's called ERASING TIME (I have been dying to read this series).  It has been on my TBR Shelf since October 15, 2013.  Lets see if I can get it done before May 31st.  

Source:  I bought this book for myself from Amazon.  I am not affiliated with Amazon, and was not compensated for my review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

My Rating:



Where To Buy:

About the Author:

Jody Casella
Pic and Bio taken from "On The Verge" (Jody Casella's web page)

Jody Casella is a former high school English teacher with a degree in Creative Writing from Rhodes College and a Masters in English from the University of Memphis. Her first novel Thin Space, a paranormal YA mystery published by Beyond Words/Simon & Schuster, received a starred review from Kirkus. She lives with her husband and two teenagers in Columbus, Ohio. 


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Scents and Senses Book Blast

  scents

Scents and Senses: Supernatural Friends. What the fairy tales didn’t tell you Playing the role of a knight in shining armor is more complicated than it seems in the storybooks, as sixteen-year-old Joy discovers when she repeatedly comes to the rescue of a fifteen-year-old human. But when she meddles in the girl’s social life, Starra sends her packing. Starra is determined to completely dissociate herself from the subterranean creature that has manipulated her life and cast her into the limelight. However, her resolve is soon tested when she becomes involved in a critical situation where supernatural assistance can enable her to carry out a daring plot. Eventually, Starra’s involvement with her new other-wordly friends extracts a heavy price when she is beset by challenges that range from the down- to-earth struggles of a typical teenage student, to the realm of the fantastic. Nothing prepares her, however, for the ultimate challenge.  


Excerpt
Joy 
Ever since I’ve been old enough to kick off on a condor with my own two chicken feet, I’ve been drilled to mind my own business.

  Mind your own business, the first of the American Ten Commandments.

 It’s not one I subscribe to, even though in our community, not minding my own business means more than social suicide; it’s a crime when we ascend above ground.

 For thousands of years we deeems have kept away from the creatures running over our heads with their five-toed feet. So if anyone in my community gets wind of the risky job I’m on these days, I’m practically a goner. But that doesn’t stop me from shadowing a certain teenage fivetoe.

 There’s also a totally different occupational hazard involved in this position I’ve created for myself, one I’m suffering from right now: this job occasionally makes school seem relatively stimulating. Yawn. I’ve played too many Angry Condor games to count since Starra got involved in some fantasy book a couple of hours ago and lost contact with the real world. Even if I knew how to become visible to the fivetoe eye and suddenly revealed myself, I bet she wouldn’t notice me, the cute teen perched on her windowsill.

 Time simply refuses to advance, and I have to resort to counting the spider eggs cocooned in their nest on a nearby tree branch. A sudden sigh interrupts my lame occupation. There’s a starry look in the big eyes, and I notice the novel is slipping out of Starra’s dreamy grip. This is my window of opportunity! I finger the starchy edge of the book jacket and coax the book forward.

  Thud.
 The book falls to the floor, and the movement seems to bring Starra back to her senses. At last she grabs a hoodie and sets out, probably for one of her night excursions on the Vista Del Mar Path. Are we running or biking tonight?

 Running it is. I jog behind her, finding the excursion by the shoreline an improvement to watching her read. At least we are moving.

 She runs for half an hour, at a speed faster than the sea turtle pace usual for fivetoes. Then she slows to a stop at a jagged rock, half-submerged in the ocean. I groan quietly and contemplate leaving. From experience, I know she’ll climb to the top of her rock and dream away. I start backing off, but when I’m some fifty feet away, I look back. Starra makes a pretty picture there, her silhouette perched high on the rock. Her long legs are tucked under her, and her head hangs back as she keeps her gaze on the stars above. If only she would let loose the heavy dark mane of hair she always twists up at the back of her neck, she would truly look like a mermaid risen from the sea.

 Something pulls me back to her. I can’t explain it, but I have a feeling trouble is lurking nearby, waiting to snatch her in its net.

 My chicken feet make an about face and follow Starra home as she takes the shorter route through town.


Scents and Scenses Blog Tour


Author Loren Secretts 
Loren Secretts was raised in a book-filled home, in a sleepy east coast suburb of the US. These factors are undoubtedly responsible for her early design of a number of exciting imaginary worlds that she could escape to from time to time during her childhood. In her teen years, between schoolwork and lending an ear to her friends, Loren had less opportunity to go AWOL. Instead, her experience as a confidant to others inspired her to major in psychology in college and earn her M.A. in the field on the west coast. As an adult, Loren has found fulfillment in her work with children and families for more than a decade. Her passion for writing was revived when she discovered that she enjoyed delving into the human psyche to write psychological reports. But clients' reports are safe with Loren, who guards secrets fastidiously. Indeed, one of her aspirations is to work as a psychotherapist for the CIA, but since she now lives with her family in Canada, that dream will have to await its turn…


  book blast button       
  Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/27/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Thursday, April 24, 2014

IT'S A GIVEAWAY for HUSH AND WHISPER by Stacey R. Campbell

This is something very near and dear to my heart.  A while back I read a book by Stacey R. Campbell (HUSH) and at the end of the book there was an interview where Stacey admits she is Dyslexic.  Why is this near and dear to my heart?  My son has Dyslexia.  I know how hard it is for him to put thoughts onto paper, and even more, how hard it is for him to read.  He has been seeing an awesome tutor who is helping him overcome and learn in a way that his brain can process.  It has been a long process, and will be for a while, but he is finally able to read for "fun" (although reading will probably never really be fun for him).  He can read to learn instead of learning to read.  That probably doesn't make much sense, but it is my life.  I was deeply touched that Campbell was willing to put it out in the world that she is Dyslexic.  It inspires me.  It helps show my son that he can be and do whatever he wants to in life.  I can tell him that, but it is sometimes hard for him to believe when learning is so difficult for him.  Showing him people who have Dyslexia, who are accomplishing great things, is such a wonderful thing for me and for him.


So I am sending a GIANT thanks to Stacey R. Campbell for sending me the books so we can have a give away.  She mailed me two books, and some book marks, and some pins for me to give away.  I am sorry that it has to be US only.  I cannot thank Stacey R. Campbell enough for allowing me to host this giveaway on my blog.  You are an amazing author, and I hope to read more of your books in the future!  You are an inspiration.

So what is in the give away???  Like I said above, a autographed copy of HUSH and WHISPER, a signed book mark, and signed note cards, and two pins that say "I Know Who You Are" and "Are You a Princess"(...read the books and you will know what they mean:).

You can find my review for HUSH here16488672



 and my review for WHISPER here.18948957

You can add the books to your GoodReads by clicking the picture.  Hopefully I set it up right and it should take you right to the GoodReads page :).



About the Author:

Stacey R. Campbell
Stacey R. Campbell lives in the Pacific North West with her husband, three daughters, three dogs, and a pet turtle named Todd. She is a graduate of the University of Washington. At an early age she was told that she would never be the writer because of her dyslexia, but finally found that she could not look her children in the eyes and tell them that they could be what ever they wanted if she did not do the same. Now Stacey can't stop writing and loves to help children pursue their own dreams. Hush is the first book in the Lakeview Novel series.


Author Links




Pictures of the Giveaway Items :)

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Monday, April 21, 2014

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Tops Two Billboard Music Charts


Mormon Tabernacle Choir Tops Two Billboard Music Charts

The latest album by the celebrated Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square hit #1 in two categories on the Billboard Top 100 Charts this week. He Is Risen topped the Classical Traditional and Current Classical Total charts.

The album, which released April 1, is the most recent from the Choir and Orchestra and features heartwarming and uplifting hymns like “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” “In The Garden” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”

He Is Risen is available in both digital and CD formats in Deseret Book stores, on iTunes and desertbook.com and in other retailers. 

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is comprised of 360 volunteer voices and serves as a musical ambassador for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Orchestra at Temple Square is a 150-member, all-volunteer symphony orchestra organized in 1999 as a companion ensemble.   The Choir’s work has garnered a Grammy award, 2 Emmy awards plus 5 gold and 2 platinum albums.  Its music transcends cultural and generational boundaries to unite people through music around the world.  Follow the Choir on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

The Billboard charts are the American music industry standard popularity charts issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play, streaming online, and sales; new charts are compiled and officially released to the public by Billboard on Thursday.

PAN'S CONQUEST - BLOG TOUR / REVIEW


Welcome to my tour stop for Pan's Conquest by Aubrie Dionne. This is a clean adult romance.  This tour 
will consist of reviews only and run April 21st-25th.  Check out the tour page for the full list of tour stops.

PansConquestPan's Conquest by Aubrie Dionne
Published: Feb 24th, 2014 by Entangled Covet
Page Count: 119
Book Description:
Syrinx pulled a fast one on Pan to escape his raging lust. The God of Chastity wasn't about to break her vows and succumb to his temptations. Transported to the twenty-first century, she runs a florist shop - fulfilling her fake, mortal life. Until the breathtaking Parker Thomas hires her to decorate his grand estate for a gala. Five hundred roses? Easy enough. Except Parker makes her feel things she can't ignore...

As the God of Fertility, Pan is used to maidens flocking in droves to his pastures. So when Syrinx denies him, he's determined to win the one that got away. He poses as a mortal to get close to her, but he doesn't count on falling hard for his conquest - hard enough to make a life and stay.

But Syrinx is falling in love with a man that doesn't exist. Can Pan hide his identity forever, or will the truth tear them apart?


My Review / Thoughts:
Syrinx is the goddess of chastity and she is being pursued by Pan the god of fertility.  She is determined to stay away from him, and her plan was to join the modern world to escape him.  Living without her magic, and being part of the human world.

Syrinx finds her joy in a owning a Florist shop in the modern world.  She has a dear friend and co-worker Kaye who she has hidden her identity from this whole time.  She is torn between telling her who she really is and staying in hiding so that Pan will be unable to find her.  In the mean time she meets wealthy Parker Thomas who wants her to decorate for his gala.

I like the fact that the gods are hiding in the modern world.  How many times have I wished I could just think something up and have it appear.  I like the relationship between Sylvia and Parker.  Syrinx doesn't realize what an influence she has on Pan, and neither did he.  I like how the relationship grows, and that Pan finds out there is more to a person than just getting them into bed.

The story seemed to move a little fast for me at times, but it was an enjoyable read.  I like how Syrinx and Pan found out more about themselves, and what they truly wanted out of life.  I didn't like how Syrinx was the goddess of chastity and that her sister told her that wasn't "who" she was.  She could choose different.  I love the love story, but I think the goddess should have been of something else.  I don't like the fact that she just gave it up for a night of pleasure.  I guess that is something all couples have to struggle with, so it was a little realistic, but my thought was that they were Gods she should have been able to resist.  Who knows.  Just a thought.

Having said that, I really did enjoy reading it.  It was a quick and fun read.  It's a sweet love story.

Source:  I received this book as part of a blog tour in return for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way for this review, and these are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

My Rating:


Aubrie Dionne About the Author:
 
Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Revie
ws. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Publishing, Inkspell Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

Giveaway:

A gorgeous necklace from Francesca's
http://www.francescas.com
US only
2014-02-07 20.39.29
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APRIL SHOWERS BOOK TOUR LAUNCH FOR - THE WEATHER GIRL


We're launching the April Showers Book Tour for
The Weather Girl


The Weather Girl
The Weather Girl
by Amy Vastine
Clean Adult Contemporary Romance
January 1st 2014 by Harlequin


Turbulence is in their forecast

Summer Raines knows when it's going to rain. She can feel it. That's why the local weather girl's so good at her job. Too bad she couldn't have foreseen the tumultuous arrival of Travis Lockwood, everybody's favorite star NFL quarterback. Make that former star NFL quarterback. Sidelined back to Texas after an injury, the golden boy is trying to steal her precious on-air time. Summer is reduced to reporting from…football games. It's enough to make her quit and become a storm-chaser like her parents. She's stuck with a career that's going nowhere and a man who delights in her refusal to be charmed. Falling in love isn't nearly as easy as predicting the weather.



More about The Weather Girl and Amy Vastine

What is your motivation behind this series? Why did you want to write it?
Well, I wrote this story for Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write contest back in 2012. I wanted to get some feedback from an editor in the romance business and the contest seemed like a low risk way of asking for some. I figured it was a big enough thing that my feelings wouldn't get hurt if I didn't win or get any response. I didn't win. I did however get some feedback, which was awesome and exactly what I wanted. I never expected them to like the story enough to want to publish it!

The story itself was written to reflect my love of sweet romance. I like a little angst now and again, but sweet love stories makes me smile. I like to sprinkle in some humor and create characters people can root for.

What do you hope readers take with them when they read your book?
I hope people walk away with the idea that love doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice who you are for someone else. When you follow your heart and your dreams, everything else will fall into place.

Do you have a favorite scene?
Oh that's tough because one of the rules I heard about writing is don't get too attached to scenes because those are usually the ones your editor will want you to cut! I do love a couple scenes, though. One is when Travis has lunch at Summer's grandparents' house and they are trying to get him to realize he knows exactly what he wants out of life but he is completely clueless. Mimi's frustration with him is priceless. The other one is the very end of the book, but I won't say what happens because that gives it all away!

Share something about you that is unique - maybe about how/where you write... or favorite snack foods?
Well, I am a school social worker by day, so I write at night and on the weekends. I'm not sure how interesting that is! I love monkeys? I mean, I love monkeys. I have a collection of them at work (thankfully I work in a middle school so it's not THAT weird!) It's like a jungle! I have stuffed monkeys, figurines, candles, pictures, cups, stickers. It's quite a collection. My students give me monkey gifts, so it grows every year! This is what happens when you tell someone you like something!

Amy VastineAmy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read.

In September of 2012, she saw a tweet about Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write contest. She entered, hoping for nothing more than a little feedback from some people in the business. Amazingly, The Weather Girl made it into the semi-finals, thanks to the many wonderful voters out there! The manuscript didn't make it to the finals, but the editors over Harlequin were still interested. A few revisions later and The Weather Girl was contacted for publication with Harlequin Heartwarming - a dream come true!

Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet but mischievous puppy dog.

Tour-Wide Giveaway


- Grand Prize: $25 Amazon gift card, red umbrella, signed copy of THE WEATHER GIRL, umbrella bookmark, and decorative box (US Only)
- 5 ebooks of The Weather Girl (INT)
- April 21 - May 11

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Friday, April 18, 2014

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND - REVIEW

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Pic and Description taken from GoodReads

Description:
William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger, and a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find. But William had read about windmills in a book called Using Energy, and he dreamed of building one that would bring electricity and water to his village and change his life and the lives of those around him. His neighbors may have mocked him and called him misala—crazy—but William was determined to show them what a little grit and ingenuity could do.

Enchanted by the workings of electricity as a boy, William had a goal to study science in Malawi's top boarding schools. But in 2002, his country was stricken with a famine that left his family's farm devastated and his parents destitute. Unable to pay the eighty-dollar-a-year tuition for his education, William was forced to drop out and help his family forage for food as thousands across the country starved and died.

Yet William refused to let go of his dreams. With nothing more than a fistful of cornmeal in his stomach, a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks, and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to bring his family a set of luxuries that only two percent of Malawians could afford and what the West considers a necessity—electricity and running water. Using scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves, William forged a crude yet operable windmill, an unlikely contraption and small miracle that eventually powered four lights, complete with homemade switches and a circuit breaker made from nails and wire. A second machine turned a water pump that could battle the drought and famine that loomed with every season.

Soon, news of William's magetsi a mphepo—his "electric wind"—spread beyond the borders of his home, and the boy who was once called crazy became an inspiration to those around the world.

Here is the remarkable story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him.

My Review / Thoughts:

This was a very interesting read.  I didn't know what to think about it at the beginning.  I know I have said this before, but I don't usually read book like this.  I read to escape reality, not read about it.  This was so interesting though.  

While reading this book, I thought to myself over and over "how spoiled am I?".  This young man was poor, and wanted to go to school so bad, but had to give it up because his family couldn't pay for it.  Again, I thought, "man how lucky!  I HATED school".  Well, after reading this book, I am ever so grateful for the opportunity that I had to attend school.  

William was an amazing young man.  He worked hard, and did things he had to to make things better for himself and his family.  He studied books in the library that he was interested in, and learned things on his own.  Sometimes by trial and error, but isn't that how we all learn things?  

This reference may offend some, but this young man made me think a lot about some people in the scriptures.  He built something, and all the while people made fun of him.  It wasn't until they saw the result of his windmill, that people started to respect the work William was doing.  It made me think of Noah, and Nephi.  Why is it so hard for people to accept that others may have more inspiration than others?  Anyway, just a thought.

I love the story in this book about how his parents met.  It is so sweet and so innocent.  Then when William meets his wife it's kind of the same thing.  It's sweet, and super cute. 

This young man was such a great example of not giving up.  He wanted to learn, he wanted to build, and he wanted to make things better for his people.

To me it doesn't seem like all that long ago that this book took place.  So, I was just a little blown away, at how different Williams life was compared to mine.  While his country was in a famine I was comfortably sitting in my house with plenty of food to eat, and water to drink.  It really made me reflect on all the blessing I have.  

While William, was building his windmill and having so many problems with it, all I could think is "man, this young man should see Palm Springs, CA".  Well, in the book he gets invited to Palm Springs, to see the windmill farms.  While he was struggling to build ONE, we in America had thousands.  It was so eye opening to me on so many levels.

This young man went through a lot of hardships in his life, yet he always worked hard, and never gave up.  I love William.  I think he is the kind of man, that I would like my son to become.  He is intelligent, kind, inventive, loving, and a hard worker.  All great qualities.  

I really enjoy reading, and learning from this book.  It was enlightening, and so what I needed to read right now.  I will have to remember this book, and many others I have read, when I start to feel "down" about what I have and what I don't have.  After reading this book, I have absolutely no room to complain.  I am blessed beyond measure.  I am so thankful for all the good things that happen to William because of his hard work.  I am sure even today he is an amazing man.  He is the perfect example of "you can do anything, if you put your mind to it"!

Source:  I purchased this book from Amazon for myself.  I am not affiliated with Amazon, and was not compensated for this review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Where to Buy:


About the Authors:

Pic and Bio taken from GoodReads

William Kamkwambawas born August 5, 1987 in Malawi, and grew up on his family farm in Wimbe, two and half hours northeast of Malawi’s capital city. William was educated at Wimbe Primary School, completing 8th grade and was then accepted to secondary school. Due to severe famine in 2001-2002, his family lacked funds to pay $80 in school fees and William was forced to drop out in his freshman year. For five years he was unable to go to school. Rather than accept his fate, William borrowed books from a small community lending library, including an American textbook Using Energy, which depicted a wind turbine. He decided to build a windmill to power his family’s home. First he built a prototype, then his initial 5-meter windmill out of a broken bicycle, tractor fan blade, old shock absorber, and blue gum trees. He was able to power four light bulbs and two radios, and charge neighbors’ mobile phones. He then added a car battery for storage, as well as homemade light switches and circuit breakers. Subsequent projects have included clean water, malaria prevention, solar power and lighting for his family compound, a deep water well with a solar powered pump, a drip irrigation system, and the outfitting of the village team Wimbe United with uniforms and shoes. In September, 2008, William started as one of 97 inaugural students at the African Leadership Academy, a new pan-African prep school based outside of Johannesburg, South Africa whose mission is to educate the next generation with rigorous academics, ethical leadership training, entrepreneurship and design (africanleadershipacademy.org). William is the subject of the short film Moving Windmills:http://missingpiecesvideo.com/kamkwam.... William is currently finishing his autobiography The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope with co-author Bryan Mealer. Harper Collins will publish the memoir Sept. 29, 2009.


Image of Bryan Mealer
Pic and Bio taken from Amazon.com

Bryan Mealer is the author of Muck City: Winning and Losing in Football's Forgotten Town, and the New York Times bestseller The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, which he wrote with William Kamkwamba. He is also the author of All Things Must Fight to Live, which chronicled his years covering the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a reporter for the Associated Press and Harper's. His work has appeared in the anthology Best American Travel Writing and was chosen for an Overseas Press Club Award Citation. He and his family live in Austin, Texas.


Prescott Lane - Perfectly Broken - Virtual Book Tour







Contemporary Romance

Date Published: March 2014

Even after years of trauma therapy, Peyton still believes she’s broken.  She has little desire to date or show off her natural beauty, content simply to hang out with her best friends and run her pie shop in New Orleans.  But her world turns upside-down when a handsome architect and self-confessed player shows up in her shop and thinks she’s perfect, much more than the usual hook-up.  While Peyton does her best to resist his charms, believing she could never be enough for him, she can’t deny the obvious heat between them.  With Reed determined to have her, Peyton must decide whether to continue to hide behind her apron and baggy clothes or take a chance and share her scars with Reed, a man with a playboy reputation and scars of his own -- a dark past he can’t possibly share with Peyton, not after learning the horrors she’s endured.  But if they can find a way to trust each other, and themselves, they just might be able to heal, to save each other, to live perfectly broken together.












Prescott Lane








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Thursday, April 17, 2014

FORTUNE COOKIE - By Josi Kilpack - Tour / Review

Fortune Cookie Tour


Fortune Cookie
 

Fortune Cookie 

Sadie Hoffmiller has always liked things to be just so. A place for everything and everything in its place. Order over chaos. And of all things Sadie should be able to control, her own wedding is at the top of the list. With the big day just three weeks away, Sadie is busily adding the final touches to her wedding plans but the arrival of a mysterious letter from San Francisco changes everything. The only person Sadie knows in San Francisco is her older sister, Wendy, whom she hasn’t seen since their mother’s funeral nearly fifteen years ago. Sadie has faced off against murderers and criminals in recent years, yet the possibility of reconnecting with her sister is both overwhelming and frightening. Sadie soon discovers, however, that the letter is just the beginning when Wendy’s world turns out to be a place of unanswered questions, twisted truths, and more than one person with a motive for murder. The more Sadie digs into her sister’s past, the more she places her own future at risk.
Culinary Mysteries

My Review / Thoughts:

When this book came up for review, I had to grab it.  Who doesn't love a mystery, and then a mystery involving food.  Yes, Please..hehe.   I didn't realize this was a series, until I started reading more about it.  I don't think I would consider it a true "series" because it can be read as a stand alone.  I wasn't lost or confused by anything happening.  I was pleasantly surprised by the book and especially about how clean it is for a mystery.  It's fantastic.  Now, onto my thoughts.

I really enjoyed reading this book.  I think that at the beginning it moved a little slow, but it was interesting enough I wanted to know what happened.  When Sadie and Pete travel to San Francisco to go through the boxes that were Saides estranged sisters life, the book got really interesting.  I love mystery books.  I love trying to figure out who the bad guy is before it is revealed.  I cannot say I did that in this one.  Which, means (to me) that the author did a great job of hiding the "criminals".  It was fantastic.

When Sadies sister Wendy ends up dead things are a little sketchy.  I thought the story between Sadie and her sister was so sad.  Wendy was messed up.  Really messed up.  Sadie was the sister with her head on her shoulders.  When Sadie is forced to go through Wendy's things at the request of Wendy's son Ji, the story really begins to come to life.

There are a lot of twits and turns in this book, which made it exciting for me to read.  We learn that Ji suffered horribly at the hands of his neglectful mother.  He was a little bitter when Sadie showed up, and I don't blame him.  His life had sucked living with an emotionally unstable mother for way too long.  He was bitter at the fact that Sadie and his grandparents didn't do more to help him.  It really turns out to be a fascinating story.  When it all comes together I was like "how did I not see that coming"?  Having said that I don't think I would have seen the ending.  It still is surprising to me.  Which is awesome.

Sadie and Pete have such a sweet, complicated relationship.  Pete is such a great character.  You cannot help but love him, and feel sorry for him.  Sadie is also a great character.  She is a strong, complicated woman.  She is torn between finding the truth behind her sisters death, and dealing with the feelings Pete is having for his dead wife.

This is a great mystery/love story.  If you like that kind of thing, pick this book up, and hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did.  The book has a few recipes in it and I think I am going to have  to try.  Although I think they are over my head..hehehe.  I am not a good cook, but the things they had in the book made my tummy growl a few times just thinking about them.  A book, and food.  What an awesome combination. 

In San Francisco we are introduced to more characters, and each one comes with a story.  I love how it all comes together.  I love it when there are a lot of characters in a book and the process of connecting them becomes just as interesting as the story.  Or, when the connections come to light and you have that "AH HA" moment.  I love that.  This was such a fun read.

Source:  I was given this book as part of a blog tour in return for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way for the review, and these are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

My Rating:




Josi


Author Josi S. Kilpack 

Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and accredits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and never stopped. Her novel, Sheep’s Clothing won the Whitney Award 2007 for Mystery/Suspense. Lemon Tart, the first book in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series was a finalist in 2009. Josi currently lives in Willard Utah with her husband, children and super-cute cat.


Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/30/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

COVER REVEAL FOR DIAMOND RINGS AND DEADLY THINGS


ABOUT 
DIAMOND RINGS ARE DEADLY THINGS:

Adrielle Pyper knows how to plan a wedding, and she is especially good at pleasing bridezillas. But when her biggest client and best friend is murdered just three days before the wedding, Adri’s world falls apart. She moves to the resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho, and starts from scratch. Thanks to Adri’s impeccable taste and unique style, she lands two celebrity clients, and her business seems headed for success--that is, until someone vandalizes the specialty wedding dresses she imported from overseas. The race is on to uncover a secret hidden within the yards of satin and lace before Adri becomes the next victim. With a delightful blend of mystery, toe-curling kisses, humor, and spine-tingling thrills, Diamond Rings are Deadly Things is a romantic suspense novel that will keep you turning pages long into the night.

WHERE TO BUY:





About Rachelle J. Christensen: 

Rachelle was born and raised in a small farming town in Idaho not far from the setting of her mystery Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology.  She enjoys singing and songwriting, playing the piano, running, motivational speaking, and of course reading., Rachelle has an amazing husband and five cute kids. 


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