No Hope for Gomez (guest post)

"No Hope for Gomez!" Birthday Party. Win kindles, iPods, and get free books!

“It's the age-old tale: Boy meets girl. Boy stalks girl. Girl already has a stalker. Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.”

It's hard to believe, but it's been a year since I handed in the final proofs for my weird little book ‘No Hope for Gomez!’ To celebrate this, and the fact that it just became a finalist in 2010's Best Book Awards, I decided to throw an international party. As I’ve had a debilitating fear of throwing parties and no-one showing up since early childhood, I’d be more than delighted if you’d come!


Of course, with every cool, international party comes a gift bag. Here's just some of the stuff attendants will get:

• Exclusive short story collection


• No Hope for Gomez: The Lost Chapters


• Making of Gomez: behind the scenes eBook


• Signed hi-res poster + bookplate

(These are all exclusive items and will not be available again)


Additionally, several lucky attendants will win a Kindle or an iPod!


Oh yeah, you can bring as many friends as you like, just don't bring your crazy uncle who drinks too much and then tries to get me to go to the attic with him to see something wonderful. I've fallen for that before and I don't mind telling you, I came away very disappointed!


Find out how to attend HERE.

The Floating Isalands

Title: The Floating Islands

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Publisher: Random House

ISBN: 9780375947059

Available: February 2011

Trei can not believe his eyes when he first sees The Floating Islands on the ship he has taken from his now destroyed country. The other thing he sees is the kajuraihi and Trei becomes sky mad. His cousin, a girl, shouldn't know how he feels, but she does and has her own madness. Can the two of them together, yet apart, save their world?

This book started out a little slow for me but it wasn't long until I was drawn into another world where men can fly and dragons still roam the land. The main characters were both strong young people, but knew that they had a lot to learn from their elders. Just like many teens, they still didn't know how to trust the adults in their lives, but everyone must make their own decisions and bear the consequences. The imagery of the islands above the earth with it's delicate bridges was fantastic. I could see the boys as they took their first steps to the unknown. The suspense built until the very last pages of the book and I was left feeling good about the book, but yet something is still nagging at me...not sure what it is (actually I do know, but I hate spoilers), but maybe a sequel? I would love that!

This is classified as young adult, as far as language..very clean, relationships...even cleaner, vocabulary and word building....challenging. A middle school youth may have trouble with some of the names and vocabulary, but hey I'm all for dictionaries in every room!

The author has written several other sci fi books (adult). She loves dogs, gardening and cooking and actually two of those three are very much entwined in this book. For more info on Ms. Neumeier you can check out her webpage.

I give it 6 out of 7 thumbs up... If you like science fiction books, you'll want to definitely pick up a copy, not a good book if you are looking for romance and love.

Thank you to Star Book Tours for allowing my to join the arc tour of this book. No compensation was given to me for the review of this book and all ideas expressed are all mine (typo's included).

Gratitude Giveaway winner...

I have been having so much fun watching other blog posts about their winners that I finally realized I probably should announce my winner!! I have won one gratitude giveaway!



Yeah...you really just want me to like announce the winner already I'm sure!!



First off...thank you for following me...I hope you continue and keep commenting and there will be more giveaways in the future...hoping to add some author interviews and author giveaways in the near future. I can't believe I'm at 70 followers already...(getting ready to do a 100 follower giveaway so watch for that too)



And now...

The winner is...Michelle (Rlaw) first part of email. I will send an email and she has 48 hours to respond, or I'll choose another winner. Her comment on Christmas? Tiny reindeer prints!

Again..Thank you all for participating, I wish I had a prize for everyone! Psst...If you were one of the 70 followers as of now, you get an extra entry in the Midwinters' Blog Hop Giveaway!

In My Mailbox

A very good week for my mailbox! In My Mailbox, a weekly meme to see what 's new and exciting in other people's mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. Check out her blog and connect with all the 100's of others also sharing what's in their mailbox!


Okay...
From Paperbackswap (either swap or games)
Monica Ferris Sins and Needles

Paige Shelton Farm Fresh Murder

Kathyrn Cushman A Promise To Remember

Love Finds you in Treasure Island, Florida (Debbie Mayne)

Won in giveaway
From BookChicClub both these books are going to my daughter for Christmas ..they are autographed even!
Shiver
As You Wish

From BlackSheepDances
Three Seconds by Roslund and Hellstrom

For Review:
The Floating Islands
The Art of Intuition

Free book:
Tortured For Christ

And...the one I'm most excited about...already started and love it so far.. is:
Daniel Carter Unwanted (book 1) PDF copy

All links will take you to the books' goodreads page!
That's it for me this week....what's in your mailbox?

Jungle Warfare

Title: Jungle Warfare

Author: Christopher A. Cunnigham

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Available: Now
ISBN: 9781595551474
Source: Publisher

This book is a 22 day devotion aimed at Christians in the sales field. Although I am not in sales as a career choice, I do think that we sell ourselves daily. The author inherited a basic field guide in jungle warfare from his grandfather who served during WW2. The idea is for 22 days take a chapter that includes the field manual battle plan, a verse pertaining to the idea and then a short devotion including a space for your thoughts and prayer. The second section, the field support is like a first aid kit. It answers those questions that many people, not only those in sales, worry about.

The author suggested taking the complete 22 days to read this book. I did not in order to get this review done, but I will be starting over after I finish my current devotion book. It is very simply written in words almost anyone can understand. I didn't find anything earth shattering new to me, but we can always be reminded of the areas in which we fall short and areas to work on. I really like the spaces available for your own thoughts and especially prayer requests. I also liked the 'first aid kit', because it is always good to be reminded of God's message in the times of trouble or need. It was also neat to read the battle plans from the early-mid 1900's.

I think this book would be great for those new in Christ or even those who are looking for a different type of devotion book. Even if you are not in sales there is something there to learn. If you are in sales, then I highly recommend this book to learn how to work without overworking, how to handle the stress and deadlines and other barriers to becoming a successful salesperson. Would also be good for military and history enthusiasts. If you are looking for a guide on increasing yours sales or how to be a top salesperson, this isn't the guide you are looking for.
The author is a lay minister and speaks to sales teams and Christian groups about 'Believing Impossible Beliefs'.

This book gets a 5 out of 7 thumbs up.

I received this book from BookSneeze for review. No other compensation was made and the views expressed are solely mine.

Family Freebie Giveaway

Okay, my husband, the ultra cool fireman, says our fire load is too high in the house. In layman's terms...he means, I have too many books. So, as long as I can afford the postage, my loss is your gain! For every book that comes into my house one or more have to go out. The books I pick to go out will have only been read once (usually because I did a review on them) so they can be ARCS or just recently published.

The first book to be given will be

A Simple Amish Christmas

Vannetta Chapman

Oct. 2010

Read my review here:

Sign up with comments:

The Rules:

USA only (sorry)

One comment per entry method

Include email w/ comment (first comment to tell me you want the book)

Additional entries:

Blog or tweet or facebook contest. (one entry per method)

Find me a cute slogan for this feature

Find me a cute picture for this feature

Tell me what kinds of books you would like to see me review!

Giveaway winner announced on: December 7, 2010

Have fun!

A Simple Amish Christmas

Title: A Simple Amish Christmas


Author: Vannetta Chapman

Publisher: Abingdon Press

ISBN: 9781426710667

Available: now





Annie had left home and became a nurse even though it was against everything her faith believed in. She wasn't happy and wanted to return home but didn't know how she would be received. When the call came that her dad was hurt, she rushed home even though she knew she may never be able to practice again. After meeting Samuel, things became even more confusing because he was nothing like she remember him. Will things turn out so she can have the simple Amish Christmas she had been longing for?

This is a very sweet and simple love story. I really loved how the characters all interacted with one another. There were enough side stories weaved in that rounded out the book. There was even a bit of teasing and that we don't always see in these books. The Pennsylvania Dutch that was used in the book was nicely done and although there is a glossary for the words you may not know, I found that I could figure most of them out myself. I felt myself drawn into the Amish faith and the simplicity of their ways not only through the descriptions of their houses and decorations but also through the simple way of Ms. Chapman's writing.

This is not a meat and potatoes type of book, if you are looking for depth, it's not here. If you want a simple love story that will warm those winter nights, stop here.

There is a discussion guide in the back of the book that will be a great help for book clubs.

There were a few unanswered questions in the book that were never neatly wrapped up by the end. Maybe a sequel(s)? This would make a good book for family reading night.

This is a debut novel for Ms. Chapman and even though I have a big nagging question at the end of the book, I'll be on the watch for another of her books!

This books gets 5 out of 7 thumbs up. I wouldn't run out and buy the book, but check it out from the library or get it from a friend for those cold winter nights.

Provided to me by NetGalley, I was not otherwise compensated for my views on this book.

Katie Woo

Title: Katie W0o (Katie Saves Thanksgiving)

Author: Fran Manushkin

Illustrator: Tammie Lyon

Publisher: Capstone

ISBN: 9781404763675

Publication Date: Available

Age Group: 5-8

Source: Bloomington Public Library

Katie Woo is a cute 6 year old in the first grade. She has a ton of adventures and in this book, she just so happens to help save Thanksgiving. As in our area, snow is often possible during the season and a power outage isn't out of the question. Katie learns to help others and saves Thanksgiving in the process.

I love these Capstone books. This one is so age appropriate and could be read by a beginning reader with a little help. This is especially great for the young reader who has older siblings and are reading series, they can now have their own series to collect. Like the other Capstone books I have reviewed, this one has discussion questions, a glossary, a recipe and a website to go and meet Katie and her friends online. Katie is a very cute Asian/American and I can't wait to have my daughter read more of these great books! The Thanksgiving book even teaches a bit about the first Thanksgiving before diving into the adventure.

The author lives in New York and writes with the help of her two cats and Katie is a more mischievous version of her great-niece, Katie Woo.

Another 7 out of 7... rush out and get this to share with your little reader for Thanksgiving!

I was given nothing in return for this review. Book provided from local library.

Big Bouffant

Title: Big Bouffant

Author: Kate Hosford

Illustrator: Holly Clifton-Brown

Publisher: Lerner

ISBN: 97800761354093

Source: NetGalley

Released: 4/1/11

When Annabelle starts school all she sees is ponytails and braids and she wants to be different! She sees a picture of her grandma with a bouffant and that starts a wild ride into an interesting hair tour.

This is a very cute book that will leave you chanting "A bouffant is all I want" and making it rhyme. Okay, so that's all the girls and I could do for days after reading! A word of warning, the scene where Annabelle tries to make her own bouffant could lead many mothers in search of the shampoo, but everything works out. While this won't take the place of your favorite mom and daughter book, it does have a place as a book of laughs. I can't see any boys wanting to read this, although yes even the boys have bouffants! The pictures of bouffants could lead many grandparents and great grandparents in search of their favorite family relative with the amazing bouffant. What a great way to teach your girls a little family history.

There is an underlying moral story here...don't follow the crowd, which many little girls need to learn early so they can develop their own person and not be a copycat!

Just don't get mad at me when your daughter wants to give your son a mullet after reading this book!

This book gets 6 out of 7...the messy scene kind of scared me!

I received this from NetGalley to review for Lerner at no cost for an honest review. All thoughts are mine and I received no other compensation.

In My Mailbox (2)

I love looking what every0ne gets every week! Of course, my reading list seems to grow and grow... This weekly meme is hosted by The Story Siren...check it out! But onto to my list..

Bought:

My daughter and I both loved Evermore...so onto books 2 and 3 of the series! I really wanted Hush Hush or Beautiful Creatures....but she talked me into these! Really twisted my arm too!

For review:

Jungle Warfare

From Swaps:

Isn't this the cutest picture?

Won (BookTrib)

and from NetGalley:

Big Bouffant

Kylie Jean Blueberry Queen

The Iron Queen

That's it for this week....here's hopin' your mailbox is full of fantastic books!

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair

photo © 2008 Monterey Public Library more info (via: Wylio)













Title: The Betrayal of Maggie Blair


Author: Elizabeth Laird


Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt


ISBN: 9780547341262


Available: April 8, 2011


Source: Net Galley

Maggie Blair is accused of being a witch. If it was the 21st century all would be fine in the world, but in 17th century Scotland that accusation can bring imprisonment and most often death. Even if she does escape, her family and their Presbyterian faith will lead her to the same fate. Maggie faces many tough decisions in the course of these pages and none of the choices can lead to good....or can they?

Words can't explain how I felt about this book. This book is well....awe inspiring. With all of the paranormal books available for teens out there, I thought this would be another vampire/undead sort of book. I was wrong! This is the history they don't normally teach about in school or in church. Although it was a little slow at first, it really picked up around page 30 and I couldn't put it down. A word of warning for tender hearted, there is a little blood, not so detailed but I could definitely imagine what was seen, heard and smelled. This book has so many realistic scenes that it came to no surprise that the author, Ms. Laird, actually has a real link with the characters in her genealogy. As with many well written suspenseful books, this one kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering just how we got to this point and how were we going to get out.

Ms. Laird who is actually an author from the U.K. has many young adult books on her wall of fame. I, unfortunately, have never read any. That will soon be remedied! She loves to travel and has traveled quite extensively throughout her life and those travels figure quite widely into her books (she was even once chased by a rhino). She has a website and a blog so you can find out even more about this very talented author.

This book gets a 7 out of 7 thumbs up from me, but a word of warning for those who squirm at the thoughts of injustice done to those who deserve far better, there is a bit of blood and gore.

This book was provided to me free of charge from NetGalley. I received no other compensation for this review and all thoughts contained within are all my own!

Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington

Title: Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington
Authors: Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss
Publisher: Summerside Press
ISBN: 9781609360009
Publication Date: Available
Source: Purchased


When Rosalie's fiancee failed to return from WW2, she was sad, but also relieved. She wasn't sure she loved him enough to commit. In a strange twist of coincidences she meets one man that turns her stomach because of his profession, a reporter by the name of Kenny Davenport. Not trusting the true side of Kenny, Rosalie is sure to avoid becoming Rosie the Riveter at all costs. But will it cost her true love as well and can she get over the grief of knowing she never told Vic the truth?

This is definitely historical romance at its best! This particular series (the postcard, Love Finds You) started last year and has current and historical stories. This one is by far my favorite. This era of our history seemed to come alive under the penmanship of Ms. Goyer and Ms. Fleiss. Even if you have no idea what our women went through in the states during that era, this book will teach you. The research that must have went on in this book is amazing.

The authors do have a contest on their website that I stumbled across. Visit Tricia Goyer's site and enter to win Rosie stuff and to meet one of the authors.

I would let my 10 year old read it (well, if she liked those mushy love stories).

A very high 7 thumbs up out of 7.

I did not recieve any compensation for this review.

A Night in Santa's Great Big Bag

Children's Book Review

Title: A Night in Santa's Great Big Bag

Author: Kristin Kladstrup

Publisher: Viking

ISBN: 9780670011650

Available: Now

Source: Library

This is a very cute secular Christmas story on the happenings in Santa's bag. Lamb, who belongs to Louis, unexpectedly hitches a ride in Santa's bag. While traveling all over the world, he befriends the other toys and tries to help them make the transition to his world better! The dilemma is how will Lamb get back to Louis? I'd tell you...but really....you should read the book!

I really like this book. Lamb is a lovable character who all kids will fall in love with and maybe just pull out their beloved stuffed animal. I highly recommend this book to fill those cold winter nights while getting ready for Christmas. It would also make a cute Christmas Eve story while getting out the stockings.

7 thumbs out of 7

All thoughts and views are entirely my own. No compensation given.

Gratitude Giveaways

MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!

What a better way to snuggle under the covers during this cold weather than to read your own free copy of..

This book is two heartwarming tales of two couples (past and present) finding romance under the mistletoe. Both authors are very accomplished writers and have many credits to their names!

NOW THE RULES!
Contest begins today, Wednesday the 17th and will continue until Sunday the 28th.

Mandatory Entry

Because this is a follower contest you must be a follower to enter. If you would like to include a favorite childhood holiday story, please do so! Make sure you add your email address in the comment box along with your name and story. If I can't reach you....you can't win!

One extra entry is available if you tweet, blog or post to facebook this contest! In the comments, please leave me the site (tweet) that you posted.

US only please

The following linky list is all of the other over 180 participants in this giveaway! Plenty of reading material for the upcoming holidays! Thank you so much to I am a Reader, Not a Writer for getting this all together.

Who Is Jesus.....Really

Title: Who is Jesus....Really

Authors: Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett

Publisher: Moody

Pub. Date: 1/1/2011

ISBN: 9780802487674

Source: NetGalley

This is a non-fiction book aimed for the college level person. It is a series of books (small) that are primarily set in a coffee house and have a dialogue pertaining to the title. In this volume, they are debating the historicity of Jesus. Was he a real man? Does history back up his life? There are several 'characters' in various stages of belief. From the strong believer to the atheist and they get together to debate the issues as they see them.

This wasn't exactly what I thought it would be when I started. I actually found myself cheering when the believers were able to bring a point across to the non believers that made them stand up and take notice. There is a lot of historical examples found in this book and it would make for a great go to guide when coming across to skeptics who want to know how Jesus fits into history. It is written simply enough that I believe it would be a great book for even a Jr. High youth group to dive into and learn how to defend their faith without giving up or getting angry. If you are looking for a more in depth analysis of who Jesus is, I would suggest "The Case for Christ", but for a beginning look at dialogue this is an excellent start.

As of this review, there are 2 other books in this series and "Is the Bible True...Really" is actually the first book. The other book is "Did the Resurrection Happen....Really". I am looking forward to January so I can share these books with my daughter's youth group. I hope they will open up a dialogue and dive deeper in their beliefs.

Josh McDowell himself was once a non believer and has since become a well respected author and speaker on the truth behind Jesus and looks to teach youth the the truth.

Dave Sterrett speaks for Probe Ministries and teaches Christ centered living at conferences, schools and churches.

6.5 thumbs up out of 7....pretty close, but I wish there would have been a dictionary for those 'big' words that not all college graduates may even know.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley for an honest review. This review is my own words and thoughts. No other compensation was given.

Gratitude Giveaway

Stay tuned...

Tomorrow will be Gratitude Giveaway hosted by I am a Reader! I will be having a giveaway for ...well...something booky! Check out I am a Reader, Not a Writer for more than 180 other giveaways!

In My Mailbox 1

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. I wasn't going to do a meme, but I have so much fun looking through other blogs and adding to my TBR list, that I thought I'd try this for awhile. So...for this week, here's my IMM!

I bought:

I won in a giveaway (giveawaygal)

From the library:

And from Netgalley:

Vespertime

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair

thx for dropping by!

Title: Merryll Manning: The Health Farm Murders
author: John Howard Reid
publisher: Lulu Press, Inc.
isbn: 978-0-557-01006-6
genre: Fiction, Mystery
Source: Author

Going on vacation to the world down under is a dream for most of us, but Merryll Manning not only gets to travel to Australia but to a health farm to learn about healthy living. A dream come true?
Miami is the home of police sergeant, Merryll Manning who finds himself in his mother's homeland of Australia on a week long vacation to a health farm. He is first seen on a train with various other colorful characters also attending the farm. Each person brings his own fears and idiosyncrasies to the Blue Mountains. However, Merryll Manning soon finds himself in the middle of several murders and in the cross hair of the local Sergeant, George Lambert. The colorful characters all seem to be hiding something and it looks like it is up to Sergeant Manning to solve the crime. A local, who had an affair with Sergeant Lambert's wife seems to be the most likely suspect, but is he just the scapegoat for the affair? Can Sergeant Manning solve this crime before he loses his own life?
This book was first published in Australia and England and had a great following and finally a decade later it is being released in the United States. The story travels through roads that I have yet to tread and this author makes me want to visit with his vivid descriptions of the land. He even makes the desolate areas sound intriguing. I was a bit confused at the start of the story because of all of the people involved in the story so I really appreciated the cast of characters at the beginning of the book to keep them straight. This is a book you have to follow through to the final word. You never know when one character will reach out and just surprise you with something they did or had done to them. After I started to figure out who was who, the story flew and kept me interested until the very last page. I did find my vocabulary was greatly enhanced by the time I finished the book. It was an enjoyable read and I'd recommend this for anyone who is up for a challenge of who done it.
I hope Mr. Reid gets to share some other adventures of Merryll Manning with the folks here in the U.S.

5 family thumbs up out of 7

This book was provided to me through the author for reveiw. The opinions expressed are solely mine and I received no other compensation for this review.

The View from Brindley Mountain

Title: The View from Brindley Mountain

author: C. Eugene Scruggs

publisher: BookSurge Publishing

ISBN: 9781439261316

genre: Nonfiction, Memoir

Received: From Author

Imagine taking a trip to a far away land where soda is a nickel and candy is a penny. This book will take you on that trip and teach you so much more.

The narrative starts with the dreams of a young boy when he finds an arrowhead left behind by native Americans in the area. It then goes into detail about how this forested land in Alabama became a town. It spans two decades, the 40's and the 50's and encompasses a world war and the immigration of many displaced German foreigners. It is a story of simpler times but in some ways harder and the growth of a small town and a small boy.

Grab a lemonade and your rocking chair and let Mr. Scruggs take you on a journey to yesteryear. A place where things were slower and people didn't lock their doors. When I first got the book I was a little daunted at the size (over 500 pages), but once I started reading, it was really hard to put down. A good feature of this book was the chapters were chronological for the most part, but you could pretty much just open the book anywhere and find a story. If you grew up in that era, you will find yourself either laughing or be in agony over the memories. If you didn't grow up in that era, like myself, it is still very enjoyable to find out what your parents and grandparents and perhaps even great-grandparents went through in their day to day lives. I did find a few of the chapters repeating a previous thought or scene. However, if you like to just pick up a book and read a chapter or want a book to share with others, the repeating within the chapters actually help. I also loved the addition of different lines of poetry by various authors, including the author himself. It gave yet another picture of the scene that was being set.

If you are in the mood to take a step back, I highly recommend this book. This book is a pretty simple read that even a young child could enjoy a chapter or two and know that things weren't quite the same as they are now.

This book gets 5 thumbs up out of 7

This book was given to me by the author and all opinions in this review are solely mine. I recieved no other comensation.

Ten on the Sled

(Yep, more children's books!)

Title: Ten on the Sled

Author: Kim Norman

Illustrator: Liza Woodruff

Publisher: Sterling

ISBN: 978-1-4027-7076-0

Received from: The Library

Synopsis:

A cute backwards counting book that entails a moose, a squirrel, a fox and all sorts of other animals. Along to the tune of "Ten on the Bed", the animals find themselves going on a thrilling sled ride and one by one they all fall off until..... (well, you'll just have to read the book)

What made me smile:

I'll start by mentioning the illustrations. They are adorable! Each animal has it's own personality as they fall off the sled. The story itself, with all of the rhymes is really neat. It goes very quickly and all too soon you are at the end of the book! My favorite line is: "Great Thunder! Duck Under!" A very imaginative take on "Ten on the Bed".

What I didn't like:

Well, except for the fact that the song is now rolling around in my head I found nothing I didn't like!

In Summary:

I would highly recommend this book for some cold weather reading! A great book to snuggle up to and watch the snow outside and just imagine what the animals in your backyard might be doing!

The Author:

Not only is Kim Norman a talented writer, she is also an artist and a storyteller. Her website is full of pictures of her talented self as well as a cute get to know the author by the kids who love her books!

This book gets 7 thumbs up out of 7

All views expressed in here are entirely my own.

Kylie Jean Rodeo Queen

When the monkey appears on my blog...it will only mean one thing. It's time for a children's book review. Reviewed by myself and one or more of my monkeys.

Title: Kylie Jean Rodeo Queen

Author: Marci Peschke

Publisher: Capstone

ISBN: 978-1-4048-6616-4

Publication date: 1.1.11

Age Group: 6-9 yr old

Format: Paperback early chapter book

Synopsis:

Kylie Jean is a second grader who wants to be the queen of all, and in the process learns a few things. Rodeo Queen is Kylie Jean's journey to become the queen of the rodeo by learning rodeo tricks. She has to figure out where her talents lie and how hard it is to work to try and succeed.

My Review

What made me smile:

The instant I saw the cover I got a smile on my face. She is an adorable eight year old. The book was written simply enough for a new chapter reader to read but had a few challenge words that makes an older reader keep interest. Kylie Jean kept the suspense through the whole book as she stumbled from one problem to the next. Not only did she learn to deal with let downs and the bright side, the book teaches kids good etiquette. Ms. Peschke is a children's librarian and I thought the whole book was made just for a little girl to pick up and love. She has really put a lot of thought about keeping a child's interest while reading into this book. The illustrations by Tuesday Mourning were fabulous. They really captured the storyline well. I also loved the fact that there was a glossary at the end of the book for words that everyone might not know. It also features a book talk page to talk about the book with parents after the child is done. Best of all? The recipe included!

What didn't work for me:

The only thing negative was ......Nothing! I loved this book. Well other than the fact that I can't buy them for my daughter until after Christmas.

In Summary:

If you have a young girl who is learning to read, pick up this book. If your young reader liked "Fancy Nancy" or "Pinkalicous" she's sure to love Kylie Jean who loves everything pink! I can't wait to pick up this or any of the other Kylie books that are due out in January.

Author Information:

I couldn't find out much about the author other than she is a elementary librarian and loves to write. If anyone knows of a website, please let me know.

This book gets an impressive 7 family thumbs up out of 7

The reviews expressed in this review are entirely my own. This book was shared with me by Capstone through NetGalley and I received no compensation for this review.

Sierra's review is coming (I read faster than she does)

"Legacy of Lies" Book Review

Title: Legacy of Lies
Author: Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Publisher: Harlequin
IBSN: 978-0373444083
Received: Winner from GiveawayGal



This book starts with an argument with a daughter and her grandma about changing their store for the current market. Little did they know that within the day the old and new would soon become entwined in more than one way. A murdered body found in the rose garden soon has the whole town of Ellington up in arms and accusing a very trustworthy family. The hero and heroine, a cop and a widow of a cop must come to terms with their relationship and the fact that the truth might have unhappy consequences throughout the story. Rich and Nicole must wade through all the untruths that have kept a town in the dark all those years and find a way for everyone to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

My Review:

What made me smile:
I loved the storyline. The kidnapping angle isn't widely done in the Inspirational categories and this was very well done. I really liked the fact that it incorporated the old with the new. I have never read anything by Ms. Nelson before and was glued to the page late at night with the descriptive prose she uses. The story flowed from one scene to another in a logical sequence and nothing seemed forced. While I did figure out who done it pretty quickly, the twists and turns on the reasoning behind the scenes kept me going for more. The romance story added for a sweet emotional impact to the storyline.

What didn't work for me:
Only two things came to mind as I started this review for what I didn't like, one was the fact that Nicole seemed to want to start a relationship too soon after her husband's death. I would have been more comfortable if she would have dealt with her feelings on that subject a little more deeply than just in passing a few times. The other was the lack of faith talk, I really didn't find many places where Nicole and police chief Rich talked about their faith or lack of.

In Summary:
If you like a great simple suspense novel, I suggest you pick up a copy of this book. If you are looking for a great love story, you won't find it in 'Legacy of Lies' but you will find a sweet romance that can leave you with a smile on your face and hope in your heart.

Author information:

Jill Elizabeth Nelson has written several books including 3 other books for the Love Inspired series with Harlequin. As she has written on her website she writes what she likes to read, faith-based tales of adventure seasoned with romance.

I haven't come up with an unique rating system yet. So for now this recieves 6 family thumbs up out of 7!

The reviews expressed are solely mine and have no reflection on the fact that this was a 'won' book sent to me by the author.

Love Finds You In Liberty, Indiana

Title: Love finds you in Liberty, Indiana

Author: Melanie Dobson
Publisher: Sunnyside Press
Pub. Date: June 2009
ISBN:10: 1934770744
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Received: Purchased



Synopsis:
This not your average sweet romance. This is a step into the history books in a way that will teach you something not often taught in school. Liberty, Indiana is a stop on the Underground Railroad. Anna Brent and her father who under the radar, help many runaway slaves traveling toward the freedom in the north. They know they have to be careful, because the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 can cause them serious trouble. Anna, who already had started denouncing slavery under a pen name, comes face to face with an outspoken editor, Daniel Stanton and has to hide her true feelings on the subject of slavery for fear of being found out. The whole town becomes involved in the argument of the day and lines are crossed. Anna needs to trust someone, but who can be trusted in this dangerous era?



What made me smile:

Making me smile actually didn't happen too much in this book. The book was a deep dark look into a very bad part of our history and Ms. Dobson did it justice. Looking toward God and knowing the right path and doing the right thing can sometimes be hard, but Anna took the Lord's promise and laws to heart and followed the best she could. Even if you don't know much about that part of history, this book will fill you in on so many details of the mid 1800's. I learned so much, but was entertained so it never felt like I was in history class. Even though this is a 'romance', I found much more suspense than actual romance. The suspense kept me so interested I finished the book in a day. I had to know what was going on and Ms. Dobson kept throwing surprises in my face left and right.


What I didn't like:
Although I really liked the book it was a little dark for this particular Love Finds You line I thought. The other books I have read in the series have been light hearted stories and this one was so much deeper.


In Summary:
Highly recommend this book, but keep in mind it is a dark, sad romantic tale. I especially encourage those that love history to see this part of our history. Let your teens read this book and learn what our ancestors were made of before the vampire craze came along!

Author Information:

Melanie Dobson is a prolific writer with a number of books on the market and some to come. She's a mom to 2 adopted daughters and has worked with Focus on the Family. She has a degree in journalism and loves to explore back roads and ghost towns. You can find more of Malanie here.

This book gets a 6.5 family thumbs up out of 7!

The reviews expressed are solely mine and I was not paid for a positive endorsement.

THE FAMILY THAT READS TOGETHER

I've decided on my 'voice' for the blog. This will be not only a family friendly blog, but will also include reviews from my kids for YA and children's books as well. Since I have a child that read children's books, one that reads pre-teen, three that read YA and a couple of toddler nieces, I think I'll have enough reviewers! I'll review them along with the kids so parents know what to expect as well! So...now....on to the reviews!

Book Reviewing!

Well,
I'm going to take the plunge and start reviewing and probably doing giveaways of BOOKS on my own! I've been doing it for TCM for some time now, but it's time to branch off onto my own and get books I really want to review! So...stay tuned for more books to read and love and share with others!