Book Review Turning Pages by Tristi Pinkston

BOOK REVIEW:  Turning Pages by Tristi Pinkston

What the book has to say for itself:

With his pride and her prejudice, what could possibly go wrong?

When the arrogant Blake Hansen steals Addie Preston's promotion at the library, he pretty much rubs her nose in it. But Addie, who dreams of being a full-fledged librarian, decides to stick it out. She loves surrounding herself with books and keeping her father's memory alive in the building where they spent so much time together.

Soon, Addie learns that her beloved library will be torn down to make room for a larger facility, and she has to make a choice. Fight, or let go?

To complicate things, she finds herself attracted to Blake, who is engaged to someone else. Will Blake and Addie ever resolve their differences?

What I have to say about it:

What a cute story. This was a fun retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  Addie has had a pretty rough couple months in this story. Her dad died in a car accident and the families financial situation gets pretty rough, she doesn’t get the promotion she’d been expecting at the library that was basically promised her earlier, and the guy who did get it seems to be a pretty arrogant boss type guy. Her attempts to change the citiy leaders minds about tearing down the building don’t work. She has problems with her best friends brother who she’s been crushing on for years, and then her best friend even gives her some stress. But through it all, Addie is a character you can really love and get behind. She has some down moments, but it’s so refreshing to read about a girl who has values, morals, and goals and will stick to them no matter what. Her upbeat personality shines through and you find yourself rooting for her.  It’s a very quit and easy read. A clean romance just like the Jane Austen version.

 

Check it out on Amazon HERE

Check it out on Barnes and Noble HERE

The Serpent in the Glass by D. M. Andrews

The Serpent in the Glass.

What the book has to say about itself.

On his eleventh birthday Thomas Farrell is informed that the deceased father he never knew has provided for his education at Darkledun Manor, a school for gifted children. Thomas, however, feels he's just an ordinary boy, but Darkledun Manor proves to be anything but an ordinary school...

In this work of fiction the reader is transported into a world of myth as the young protagonist, Thomas Farrell, seeks to understand who his mysterious father was, and why he left him a strange glass orb containing a serpent. As the story progresses, Thomas and his friends become increasing caught up in a world they never knew existed - a world beyond the standing stones.

 

What I have to say about it.

This was a very fun and pretty quick read. But it very much reminded me of Harry Potter. Almost to the point where lots of things seemed a bit of a knock off. The further I got into the story, the more original it became but that knock off feeling is the reason I didn't give it 5 stars.

Thomas is an orphan, raised by some uptight "English" parents. They do have a daughter Jessica that loves Thomas as if he were her real brother and they have a fun and kind relationship. When Thomas gets enrolled in Darkledun Manor he makes sure Jessica can come with. Thomas was given a glass marble type thing with a serpent that looks like a dragon suspended in it. This turns out to be a magical object that gives Thomas powers that belong to him as the heir to something special. (Trying not to give spoilers here)

I did enjoy this. I think it would be a great read for those who loved the Harry Potter series. I think young boys and girls too would like this book.

 

Check it out on AMAZON HERE

 

Check it out on Barnes and Noble HERE

 

Book review. THE ALIAS by Mandi Tucker Slack

 Book Review:  THE ALIAS by Mandi Tucker Slack




What the book says about itself:

Jacey Grayson is an average, young, divorced mother struggling to build a new life for her son, Blaze. But when the FBI discloses some disturbing information about her ex-husband, Jacey's life becomes anything but average. At the risk of losing her identity, her future, and her heart, Jacey and Blaze flee to Utah, hoping to hide and start over once again. But no matter how far she runs or who she pretends to be, her past is always lurking nearby, bringing old fears with it. Thrilling action and a suspenseful plot make this novel an edge-of-your-seat-read. 



What I have to say about it:

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed. The story seemed to flow very well without making me feel like there were things happening just to move the story forward. I loved how though Jacey was going under a different name, I never got confused when they used the other name. The romance in this was just perfect for me. Nothing blushworthy ever, and it developed in a way I could accept without making it feel like it was forced. But it was still very sweet and romantic and I couldn't help rooting for the couple.
Jacey stayed in an abusive relationship for many years and when she eventually got out of it, she works hard at making a new life for herself. I loved how the author made us aware of how women from abusive relationships are all different, but may have similar reasons for sticking with it. But I also loved how Jacey changed and made a person for herself that wasn't going to ever allow herself to be abused again.
The only problem I had with this story was Jacey's ex, John. Of course he was a creep, and I did get his motivations for why he did what he did, but there were a couple places where when he was talking to his partner in crime he sounded a little too "tough guy". Besides that one little thing that's hardly worth mentioning, I really loved this book. It was a fast read and I never once wanted to put it down and go look for something else to do.




Check out her website HERE
Find it on AMAZON HERE
Find it on Barnes and Noble HERE

Book Review The Time Hunters by Carl Ashmore

The Time Hunters.

Here is what the book has to say about itself. 

Becky is a typical thirteen year old girl. She likes Facebook, gossiping and plenty of sleep. So when she and her brother, Joe, are invited to stay with their 'loony' Uncle Percy at his stately home, she thinks it’ll be the worst summer ever. What she doesn't realise is that Bowen Hall is also home to a baby Triceratops, two Sabre-tooth tigers and the mythic hero, Will Scarlet...

'The Time Hunters' is a thrilling adventure that takes Becky, Joe, Uncle Percy and Will on a quest through time to find the legendary Golden Fleece.

The Clock is ticking....

 

Here's what I have to say about it.

This was fun. It was a time travel book, and I don't usually read those, but I'm glad I did this one. The two kids, a brother and sister reminded me a bit of the relationship that the siblings in Fablehaven have. Loving, but still a little combative at times. The great uncle they go to live with during the summer seems a bit odd and eccentric, and the kids aren't all that excited about going to stay with him, but when they get there, they have a good time and discover he's got a couple time machines and they get to go with him on a couple trips.

Bad guys chase them through time while they are looking for the legendary "Golden Fleece", there are twists to common history where we find out the "REAL" story of things including Jason and the Argonauts, and Hercules. It's a fun interpretation of history. (though that's just a fun side story) Lots of quirky things and very fun.

The story is very British, and it took me a bit to understand their lingo and some of the phrases they used, but pretty soon I was totally into their world.

 

Check it out on AMAZON HERE

Book Review. Fair Maiden by Cheri Schmidt

Fair Maiden by Cheri Schmidt

 

This was a fun read. Magical and seemingly paranormal, but with a twist I didn't expect. The characters were well developed. I loved them. Christian Sparks, an Earl moves into an old Castle. When his presence wakes up the "ghost" who's been trapped for centuries in a hidden room. She can't remember who she is, or where she came from, or how she died. He can see her but no one else can, unless she chooses for them to. She's transparent though so she can't be passed as anything but a ghost. 

Christian can't get his inheritance from his father to maintain this castle and grounds until he gets married. (Silly parents) but he doesn't have any prospects for marriage and he's of course fallen for this ghost. 

The ghost (who we eventually learn her name is Tessa) knows she can't have him, but is still connected to him. She can't leave the castle grounds because of the spell around it, but when Christian goes to a ball to meet some ladies his mother is insisting he pick a bride from, Tessa calls his name and is transported there. And that makes things fun because sometimes she flits back and forth from being ghost like to being flesh and blood. But no one knows when it's gonna happen. Through the workings of a spell and with the help of a witch, they figure things out and learn who Tessa really is, but that's just the beginning of what they need to do. They've got to end the spell that's on her, and save her from the threat that caused her to be under that spell in the first place. 

This book was fast paced, engaging, romantic without getting blushworthy, and like I mentioned, not what I expected when I first started it. Nice twist. The only thing I didn't like was the epilogue where I'm not sure if they were leaving things open for a sequel or if it was just a tease for me to think of what happens next on my own.

 

Check it out on AMAZON HERE.

 

Check it out on Barnes and Noble HERE

 

 

Book Review. BROKEN by C.K. Bryant

Here's what the book say's about itself: 
With Kira injured and dying, Octavion's last hope is to plead with the king of Panthera for a cure. But King Ramla's magic isn't free. The price he asks Octavion to pay goes against everything he's fought so hard to protect and could destroy his bond with Kira. Will Octavion trade his crown and swear allegiance to a kingdom feared by all, or will he sacrifice the woman he loves to remain faithful to his father and Xantara? Find out when BROKEN takes you on a journey into the savage and unpredictable world of Ophira.               

Here's what I have to say about it.

Book 2 is awesome. If you liked Twilight, you'll love this. If you didn't like Twilight, I think you'll still like this. Though Kira is a human in love with a man who craves her blood *spoiler alert if you haven't read book 1 yet*(he's part wild cat from a different planet). Kira is a much stronger character and has lots of spunk. You see how she won't let Octavian control her. I still think he gets too angry, but I guess that happens when you are in his position. The only thing I found annoying about their relationship is that she kept doubting herself too much and doubting his feelings for her. The characters were totally in love, but the romantic scenes never went above a PG rating in my mind. They maintained decent interactions with each other, but I still felt the heat and steam. You don't need to have sex in a book to make it romantic and Mrs. Bryant knew how to make it romance without the smut.
I loved how Mrs. Bryant told the story from his and her viewpoints.
The characters were well developed. The trials and conflict of a new world were there and I loved being able to see this new world through Kira's eyes. The story kept me very engaged, but I almost felt like the main threat never materialized. I know it will come up in book 3 but it was sure forefront in my mind, and when it didn't deliver at the end I was only okay with it because of the way it did end. I seriously can't wait to get my hands on book 3.

C.K Bryant is a great story teller and I've really enjoyed reading these.


For a short time, Book 1 BOUND is free on Amazon. Check it out here

I loved this book and hope you will too. Go check it out on her blog HERE.

Order it from Barnes and Noble HERE

Smashwords HERE

or Amazon HERE

Book Review. Million Dollar Diva

Million Dollar Diva. The Smart Woman's Guide to Getting Rich Safely by Tristi Pinkston, Brett Kitchen, and Ethan Kap

This book is a fast and easy read with great information. Tristi is a writer friend of mine and when she asked for people willing to review her book, I jumped at the chance. Free book right? What could be better than that? Well, the information in the book is so valuable I really encourage you to check it out. If you do it quickly, you can get the book for free until June 15, 2012, just pay the small shipping fee.

So let me tell you about the book and why it would be a great read.

Tristi and her husband actually put their real figures and their real debts out there for you to see. You can get the specific advice that Brett and Ethan (both financial advisers) give to her. I've heard these get out of debt principals before, but seeing it in the works for a real person helps. See their website here to learn more about Brett and Ethan

First off, start putting money into savings and plan for retirement. With that money out of the way and not thought of as yours, but as your retirement age self, you'll never miss it.

 Pay off your smallest debt first as you continue to pay the minimum payments on all other debts. When first debt it paid off, then apply the money you had going to first debt to the other and soon you'll have things paid off completely.  Sound advice. Easy right? As long as you remember to keep paying that to the other bills instead of using that "freed up cash" for something else. I've seen it before, but actually seeing the charts in the book showing Tristi's examples and seeing how soon she could have things payed off helped to solidify it for me.

They also talk about how to adjust your spending, looking for ways to cut out unnecessary things. In Tristi's case, they didn't have a whole lot of wiggle room for cutting anything more. They'd already cut plenty. But when they brainstormed and discovered they could adjust their Tax withholdings to free up money to pay off debt instead of giving Uncle Sam an interest free loan they could take control.  Also coming up with ideas to use what they have, or getting lower interest credit cards just by asking the bank to help. Also how to think of ways to bring in extra income by doing things you know how to do.

One thing I really liked about the book is they tell you that becoming a Million Dollar Diva happens in 3 steps.
 1. Taking ownership.
 2. Living the proven wealth process.
 3. Having a "Dream Scene" to keep you on track.
You don't have to give up everything. You don't have to live so frugally that your pennies scream cause you hold them so tight. You just need to plan for your expenses. If you want nice clothes, plan for them. Save for them. Don't go into debt to buy them.

As I finished the book, I determined to make some small changes in my spending. We are pretty fortunate and don't have a lot of debt besides the house and the car we are paying off, but I do have a tendency to let the credit card build up. After paying it off completely recently, I vowed to never let it get out of hand again.  Just as said I wouldn't buy anything I didn't have cash in hand for, my dishwasher died.  So holding true to my promise, I haven't bought a new dishwasher yet. We washed by hand for a couple weeks, but a friend of mine who had just upgraded their dishwasher let me have the old one for free.
We also got the kids on board. They've been saving up their money to buy their Wii game they've been begging for. We also let them know why we don't just buy what we want when we want it. We've explained how the whole money thing works at our house and why paying bills and putting money into savings is so important. So I can say it's possible to be frugal with your money. You just have to make the effort.

A few times as I read the suggestions the financial guys gave, I thought: I'm already doing that. Or That makes total sense, I should do that. Or That will never work for me. Or I don't agree with that. Or the thing I have in effect now works great for me. Nice thing about this book is they give you ideas, brainstorm with a real person and then you get to go to the website and see as Tristi posts updates to show how things are working.




Go to the website here to get your free copy until June 15. You only pay the shipping fee. I think it's totally worth it.

If you happen to read this after June 15 you can go to Amazon HERE to find the book.

Book Review Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow

I eagerly awaited this book since I sort of have a writers crush on the author. Nathan Bransford was a literary agent with an amazing blog that taught me tons about the whole publishing world. He is no longer an agent, but his blog still has all kinds of helpful information. See his blog HERE

I was able to get the local library to get a copy of this book and was so excited to read it. When I did, I enjoyed it, but not as much as I had hoped to. I don't know what it was that felt lacking for me, but as I thought about it, I wondered if it was because it is a middle grade novel instead of Young Adult (the category I've found myself reading most frequently of late)
It is still an enjoyable read, and I think it's worth looking into.

Here's what the book has to say about itself:

Space travel is all fun and games until someone breaks the universe.

Jacob Wonderbar has been the bane of every substitute teacher at Magellan Middle School ever since his dad moved away from home. He never would have survived without his best friend Dexter, even if he is a little timid, and his cute-but-tough friend Sarah Daisy, who is chronically overscheduled.

But when the trio meets a mysterious man in silver they trade a corn dog for his sassy spaceship and blast off into the great unknown. That is, until they break the universe in a giant space kapow and a nefarious space buccaneer named Mick Cracken maroons Jacob and Dexter on a tiny planet that smells like burp breath. The friends have to work together to make it back to their little street where the houses look the same, even as Earth seems farther and farther away.

Here's what I have to say about it.

I liked the characters in it. I did giggle in places. The planets they visit are wildly imaginative. A planet with 30 second days, and 30 second nights. A planet entirely populated by scientist, a planet of substitute teachers. The planet where the King of the Universe lives sounds nice and too perfect. The space ships are fun and I'd love to be able to trade a corn dog for one myself.

Jacob, and his friends Dexter and Sarah have a great friendship, but find it tested as they go through some of the experiences in outer space. There are parental issues brought up. There are friendship problems brought to light and how to deal with making choices you are willing to live with, but done in a way that isn't too preachy.

I know that Bransford is a fan of the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, and a few places in the book reminded me a lot of that series.

Some places in the book confused me and I believe or hope they'll be cleared up in some of his follow up stories. I believe there are 3 planned for it.

Overall, it's a fun book and I'm sure the middle grade audience it was written for will love it. I enjoyed it, but at times found myself analyzing it as an adult instead of just letting myself really get into it.

Check it out for Amazon HERE

Check out Barns and Noble HERE

Check out his website again HERE

It's been a long time, but it hasn't been wasted.

I haven't posted in almost a month, and I didn't realize it was so long ago. I've been doing some reading, and writing, and parenting, and living, and so on. I probably have had time to do a post, but I haven't done it so now I'm setting a goal to do at least once a week. I did plan to post a couple times a week, and do some book reviews as I've completed books, but it just hasn't happened yet.

So I'm going to do a book review once a month, and do a post about writing once a week. Beyond that, we'll see what happens. Like I mentioned before, I am a mother. I have 5 kids that are more important than the extra things I'd like to do. Don't get me wrong, I'm not completely selfless. I will still do many things that make me happy. Some of that involves my kids and husband. Some of that will be writing related.

Writing does make me happy. The prospect of trying to get an agent, or have a publishing house makes me nervous. Putting my work out there for others to see isn't what gets me. It's the fact that the publishing industry is so subjective. My work might not be what they are looking for at the time, though that doesn't mean my story is bad, it just means it isn't for them.
That's okay. I still like it. And I'll keep writing more and more. Who knows, maybe someday, the whole world can read my thoughts.

Laura

A Book Review: Two Souls are Better than One by Karen E. Hoover

This was a fun read.

It's quick and easy and entertaining. It's geared to younger teens and I think they'd love it. Those who like Harry Potter, the Percy Jackson stories, Fable Haven series and the Far World or 13th Realities would probably like this too.

Here's what the book says about itself:

Barely thirteen, Jeremy James Johansen has had more than his share of trouble. His father disappeared without a trace and the police believe he murdered his lab assistant, though his son knows it isn’t true. His dad can’t even handle a knife, let alone a bow and arrow.
A year later Jeremy stumbles across a portal to another world and gets pulled through—but not as himself. Somehow he swaps bodies with the man on the other side before the portal disappears.
Captured by a dragon and a man in black who insists on calling him father, he tries to escape, only to plummet to his death. He awakens in his own bed, believing it was all a bad dream. The problem is there are holes in his memory he can’t fill.
In time, he discovers that the portal holds the answers not only to his forgotten memories, but most importantly, points him down the path to finding his father.

Here's what I have to say about it.

Jeremy was a fun and believable character. He has hopes and dreams, but lots of flaws and problems too. When he ends up going to the other world and swaps bodies with a magician there, the description of a boy's soul or consciousness inside an old man's body really made sense. He couldn't run like he used to 'cause things hurt. Karen really did a good job making me believe Jeremy was really experiencing something completely foreign to him but possible nonetheless.
Then since he plummets to his death in that old body he returns to his own, but the soul of the magician (who was in Jeremy's body) has no place to return so he stays with Jeremy's body. I loved how Karen had the two struggle to come to terms with this yet it didn't ever get over the top or strange.

I loved the magic in this story. Magic in the other world is completely normal, and science is top order in our/Jeremy's world, but Jeremy begins to use magic in our world since the magician sharing his consciousness teaches him about the possibilities out there. It was fun to have two worlds to go back and forth between and Karen did a good job keeping me guessing on what was going on while still giving me enough information I could piece things together to understand what would come next. Besides dragons, there were shapeshifters, Pegasus, and other mythical creatures.

I'm looking forward to the next in the series since she left it off in such a way that Jeremy is still in some trouble, but I have hopes things will work out well for him.


Karen's website is HERE

Amazon link HERE

Barns and Noble link HERE

Book Review I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

Holy smokes this book was WOW.

I hadn't really heard a lot of this book other than it was really good. So I was listening to the podcasts Writing Excuses (you should totally go listen to them if you are interested in writing at all, great stuff) and Dan Wells is one of the authors involved on that podcast. I had to make a run to the library and I decided to see if this book was available. Miracle of miracles, it was (Though I had to get on the waiting list for the next 2 books)

I started reading it right there in the library while my kids browsed their section and played with the toys in the children's area. It started out so gripping, I didn't want to pack up my kids to go home. I would have stayed right there in the library reading it if my kids hadn't started to get a little bit noisy.

Here's a brief summary of it. John Wayne Cleaver lives in a small town in a small apartment above the towns mortuary. His mother and her twin sister are morticians and John has an obsession with dead bodies. He's also what you'd call a sociopath. He doesn't connect with living people at all, and is very aware of his faults and strangeness. He has another obsession with Serial killers, knowing the details of many cases throughout history. He worries he might become one so he sets up rigid rules for himself to avoid it. He studies people in order to try to blend in, but the way Dan Wells creates this kid and gets him involved in the strange murders that happen in his town make you at once disturbed and delighted in his evolution.

I don't want to give any spoilers, but I have to say that I was relieved when something about the bad guy made him less evil in a way and I even found myself caring for him. It's a gripping read and I'm not one to like horror novels. I stay away from things I worry will give me nightmares, but this book worked for me.

Pick it up today.

Dan Wells website HERE

Amazon HERE

Barnes and Noble HERE

or find it at your local bookstore

Book Review The Healing Crystal "Heir to Power"

This book was huge, but I loved every page.

When it first arrived in the mail, my mom was visiting and picked it up. She scanned the back, asked me about it and when I told her I got it to read and do a blog review of it she nodded her head and put it down. Then she picked it back up and started reading. I haven't seen my mom read a book before. Sure magazines, kids books to me when I was little, medical journals. (She's a nurse recently retired) and maybe it's because I haven't really been home to see her reading, but she started one night at my house, stayed up late reading it and was about 1/4 the way through by the time she had to head back home. She asked if she could borrow the book and bring it back since she'd be coming back for Thanksgiving.

I was pretty busy with NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)so I told her, "Sure. Take it home, but make sure you bring it back because I have to read it for the blog book tour." SHE LOVED IT! I kept asking her about it and she said things like it's interesting, it's good, it's fascinating. She never told me what happened, letting me discover it for myself but the fact she read it and didn't put it down after she began told me it was something good. She's even checked out the second book in the series on Amazon.

Now to tell you what I thought of it. It was great. It starts out interesting from the very beginning. The story is about a sixteen-year-old girl who is the next in line to lead a small colony called the Survinees. She will be the one to hold an ancient religious artifact called the Healing Crystal. She is also destined to marry a handsome guy who has been training to be the support he needs to be to her leadership. But... She starts to have feelings for someone else.
This book has so much going on in it that you'd almost be confused if I told you all about it, but as you read it, it is so clear and easy to follow. But let me try to sum it up.

Kairma is next in line to lead the colony, but since she had a childhood illness that left her looking like the race of almost albino looking men, the people in her colony almost fear her. She's nervous about what's expected of her, her younger sister Kinter wants to be the one in line for the power. Kairma is supposed to marry Naturi when she comes of age within the year, and he's willing, but then she starts to have feelings for a guy who happens to be her big brothers best friend.

Meanwhile, a traveling archaeologist from the outside world discovers their colony and is almost put to death since no one in the outside world is allowed to know the secret of their colony (The Healing Crystal), but the matriarch (Kairma's grandma) decides not to kill him, but hopes he'll bring his woman back to help increase the numbers of the colony since disease and infertility have wiped out the colony and they don't want to have inbreeding going on.

Some of the people go to the outer civilization and see what they've been missing in the hundreds of years since their colony has hidden themselves while those in the colony discover a hidden vault in the mountain near a monument with four faces carved into the mountain. (Yeah, that place) In this vault are things that you would recognize, but the Survinees don't know what it is and as they try to interpret what they find you begin as a reader to piece together what might have happened.

It's considered a science fiction book, but it reminded me of old west meets lost tribe that has remained unchanged over the centuries. It's science fiction because it takes you to the future but makes it feel like you've gone back in time or to an alternate universe.

Though they try to keep their life the same it has been for so long, the outer world can't be stopped from influencing their colony.

I like the last sentence of the blurb on the back of the book: "A battle is raging between insider and outsider and Kairma holds the power to bring peace, but is she strong enough to save the world she loves?"

Kairma is a great Main Character and I really liked how Michele Poague developed her. The interactions between characters are great. The story line is creative and complicated in just the right amounts. I really can't wait to read the next one in this series.

It's a wonderful read and I highly recommend it.

The link to buy it on Amazon is HERE


Michele Poague's website is HERE

A book review. Faithful Fit, and Fabulous

A book review of Faithful Fit, and Fabulous by Connie E. Sokol

I saw this book on the authors blog a couple months ago and loved the title. I wanted it right away so when I had the chance to get a copy of it to do a review I jumped at the chance.

The thing that surprised me was that instead of it being a fix all right away kind of book, it flat out tells you not to try to do it all at once. I had a little bit of a hard time with that since I want answers, and results right away. (I just had a baby a few months ago and am still waiting for those last stubborn pounds to disappear) I know I know, I need to do the work and exercise to get it off, but I still want immediate results. But after reading this book, I think I have a better chance at success in weight loss, managing my life, fitness, motherhood and so many other things than if I tried to change things immediately.

Connie Sokol basically gives us 8 chapters of ideas to correspond to a particular issue or challenge or even developing particular habits. She recommends you read only one chapter a week so as to not overwhelm yourself by trying to jump right in and then burn out. I of course read the whole thing over the space of a couple days while holding a baby more often than not. The ideas in there are simple, yet sound. I've applied a couple, found I was already doing something similar to what she suggested, or thought my way of doing something worked just fine and that I didn't really need to change it since it worked.

She doesn't promise ridiculous results. She tells you what she did. How it worked for her, (or not) and what she wished she would have done differently. It's like learning how to do something along with someone who has been there, done that, but is willing to let you still do it your way.

I don't normally read self help books, but I really enjoyed this one. I liked the thoughts and quotes she used from respected religious leaders. I liked how she had it broken up into manageable chapters and sections so I can easily go back to the one I want to focus on at any particular time. By doing the things one by one, and adding the next one when I'm ready for it I'll be much better off than just wishing things were different for me.

This would be a good book to check out if you are interested in making some changes in your life. And by the slow and steady adage you will be more likely to find success than all the New Years Resolutions you can remember making over the years.

To find her website go HERE

To order her book go HERE

A Book Review of BOUND

This book is fun! I had a chance to read this book early to give a review of it and here it goes.
BOUND by C.K. Bryant

Here is what the book has to say about itself.
BOUND (#1 in THE CRYSTOR Series)
by C.K. Bryant

YA Paranormal Romance

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive.

BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love.

Here is what I have to say about it.

Kira is a normal girl with a best friend who turns out to be something not quite normal in this world. She discovers her friend Lydia is a Royal from another world. Her stepbrother is here with her, and they are trying to fit in and live a normal life away from their older sister who wants them dead. Though they try to fit in, they just can't do it. The brother is a shape-shifter who craves human flesh since he is part animal. He has found himself a cave in the mountains to live in while watching over his sister through magical means. When the older sister sends her scouts to find Lydia things really get going. Kira gets dragged into the fight as Lydia shifts to protect herself and the truth comes out. She gets really involved when the only way to save Lydia's life is to be bound to her through magic. Kira discovers she's able to heal people, and herself with the help of the Crystor. Though the healing causes her pain, and her death is possible, Kira still does it to help her friend. Once she's bound to them, she can't get away from the situation.
Though older brother/bodyguard tries to stay away from Kira to keep her safe, he is still drawn to her. She learns about his secret, and accepts it, but is strong enough to call him on it when he crosses the line.

The fight scenes, the danger, the intrigue, the romance, and the secrets are all placed so perfectly it keeps you turning page after page to find out what happens next.

I really enjoyed it. It was new and refreshing. A clean romance with just the right amount of steam.

I would totally recommend this book to people who like Stephanie Myers Twilight books, and even to those who don't. C.K.Bryant has the talent to take something far fetched like space travel, magic, shapeshifting, healing, and telepathy seem real and believable.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I'm really looking forward to the sequel. Can't wait.


Go HERE to find information about the giveaways on the blog.

A book review of Dark Threats

This is a fun and entertaining book. It's a collection of short stories told from the perspective of a vampire child who lived through them. Scott Bryan has made up a fun history and incorporated different stories, myths and legends as well as some history into his book. Annabelle Foresight is a vampire child who has lived for more than three hundred years. During that time she has fought against witches, other vampires including the brides of Dracula, werewolves, zombies, the Invisible Man, and Mr. Hyde.

You can get it as an ebook, or order a paper copy if you prefer. Both are found on Amazon.

It's a fun story for Halloween, but it isn't just a once a year kind of book. It has lots of fun stuff to it, while hinting at bigger things and other experiences Annabelle and her brother Roland have had. Those stories are found in a full length novel called Dark Birth.

You can find out more about this book, the follow up books, and the author, and his blog HERE.

Book Review. INSIGHT, Beholders book 1

A Book review of

Well, here it is. The book review you've been waiting for.  I've posted a couple of times about this book, one was where it was the prize for my September Blog Hop.  Another was a post for you to have a chance to win a Nook by entering the contest on his blog.  So now I'm going to tell you my thoughts about this book.

First off, the cover...  I have to say when I first saw it, I hated it. I didn't like the expression on the guys face. It looked too unhappy, stressed, irritable, and downright miserable.  Then when I started reading the book and learned of the predicament the young man found himself in, I could totally understand the expression on his face.  Not that he feels that way all the time, but since he is forced to leave his family and his fiancee in order to keep them safe from the threat he becomes to them when his ability to wield the long lost True Sight comes out, the cover now works for me.

The story is about a young man whose family had to leave their home in a rush five years earlier without being able to say goodbye to family or friends for a reason Lon and his twin sister Mellai never knew. It turns out, Lon is a Beholder, or a person who can use the power of True Sight, (a power where he can see the elements and manipulate them)  The Rayders have been searching for a Beholder for centuries because they want to use his power to overthrow the King and the kingdom of Appernysia. The history behind the Rayders is interesting, but brutal. They are a very ruthless society, relying on exact obedience, and will kill without a second thought.

When Lon decides the only way he can learn about this newfound power of his, which is killing him every time it manifests, is to join the Rayders, we get to learn about the Rayders, and the terrible choices Lon will have to make. Should he stay with them and help them with their cause, or return to his fiancee and family?

I liked this book a lot, and enjoyed the world and magic Terron James created. I found myself really liking the characters and rooting for them. Terron did a nice job making me really know the characters enough that I actually felt sad for them, or angry with a particular choice, or happy if they got what they wanted. I did feel there were too many times the background information was just given to us in conversation between Lon and his dad Or Lon and another character. Sometimes those conversations dragged.  Also, there were places where I really wished I could have experienced with the character, instead of having it summarized with the characters conversations.

Terron's style of writing reminded me of the Wheel of Time series by the late Robert Jordan.  There were times when he broke away from one character to go to the others.  This is a series, though I don't know how many books are planned for it, but he ended the story in a good spot, and made me want more right away.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes High Fantasy, or a clean romance, or even just a few hours in a faraway world.

Go to his website to order the book.

Book review. The Key of Kilenya

I had the opportunity to receive a free copy of The Key of Kilenya to review for Andrea Pearson on her online book tour. Though the book was free, it did not effect this review.
The following is a summary of what the book is about.

When two vicious wolves chase fourteen-year-old Jacob Clark down a path from our world into another, his life is forever changed. He has no idea they have been sent by the Lorkon—evil, immortal beings who are jealous of powers he doesn’t know he possesses—powers they desire to control.

The inhabitants of the new world desperately need Jacob's help in recovering a magical key that was stolen by the Lorkon and is somehow linked to him. If he helps them, his life will be at risk. But if he chooses not to help them, both our world and theirs will be in danger. The Lorkon will stop at nothing to unleash the power of the key—and Jacob's special abilities.


So here are my thoughts about the book:

I have to admit that I didn't relate to the main character of the book very well, but that's probably because he was a 14 yr old boy, and I'm a 30 something mother, but he was still a likeable kid. He seemed a little too obsessed with the basketball tryouts that he missed when he finds himself transported to another world through some kind of passageway hidden in the forest near his home.  I would have expected him to be too amazed at the idea of being in a new world for him to obsess about things back at home. There were also lots of times when something he said or did, didn't really seem like it would be coming from a 14 yr old, but again, I'm more than twice his age and can't really remember that far back. ;)

The book has lots of action and wonderful magical elements in it. The descriptions are fun and I could totally see what he was experiencing. My favorite part was when he had to travel through a dark tunnel by feel since using any light revealed people trapped in the actual stone of the mountain they had to pass through.

There is a lot of back story to this book that was delivered in a clever way through a journal Jacob had to read, (and I loved how the journal only showed one page at a time and wouldn't reveal more until you'd read the words shown to you first, making it impossible to skip ahead.) I did find myself wanting to read the journal myself and not worry about what Jacob was doing. But then Jacob would get into a predicament and I'd get caught up with his story again.

This is the beginning of a series and so there are many questions brought up that are left unanswered, which irritates and interests me at the same time.  The parents and adults in this story seemed slightly shady to me. They wanted Jacob and his new friend Akeno to do something huge and important, but didn't give them much information. It's like they felt it would be better for them to stumble across things themselves. And a few times, magical things solved a problem that arose without giving me a real sense that it needed to happen other than to get them out of the predicament. Maybe in the following books, we'll learn how the magic works better since Jacob and Akeno didn't know and we were experiencing things with them.

Overall, it was an interesting book, and I would recommend it for kids who could relate to Jacob. My ten yr old and 8 yr old enjoyed the beginning that we've started reading together and we'll see how it goes with them.


To purchase her book go HERE, it's free for a bit.

To learn more about Andrea and her series go HERE

My friend is giving away something cool!

I'm in the process of reading a book called Insight by Terron James.


 It is pretty good. It was the prize I gave away for the September Blog hop and now I'm reading it to be able to review it. However, since Terron is a friend of mine, and I'm following his blog and hoping to help him promote his book, I'm going to tell you about his giveaway on his blog this month.

Go HERE to check it out.

Anyway, he is going to give away a Nook First Edition Wi Fi.  It's pretty simple to enter into the drawing for his giveaway.  Go check it out.

And check back here soon for my review of his book. I think you'll like it.

Well that was fun.

I had a lot of fun participating in the blog hop created by Tristi Pinkston. Check out the link on the side if you want to know more about it.

I also really enjoyed checking out other people's blogs and seeing what others are doing. So many fun things going on.

It got me thinking. I want to do more than just post my random thoughts or even more than just telling you about how things are going with my writing.
I'm going to try some different things to see what works for me and what will stick.
One thing I'm going to do is give book reviews. I've done one or two, but I liked reading other's reviews on their blogs because it gives me a good idea on what would be a good book to read, or what to pass on. So that will be coming.

On a side note, I still want to tell you about how my writing is coming along. I finished my second full manuscript in July just before my baby was born. I've got about 7 friends reading it to give me their feedback on it so I'll know what kinds of things I need to fix before getting it ready to query agents about. In the meantime, I've been doing some prework on a new idea for a new story I have. I must admit it's been a little difficult to let go of the persona of the main character in my just finished work and really get into the mindset of this new character. I think I'm almost there, but it is taking a bit of concentration.

I'll get there eventually. Can't wait to share my characters with you.