Review: The Last Letter by Kathleen Shoop #BeckValleyBooks

A Father’s Deceit
A Husband’s Betrayal
A Loved One’s Death
A Mother’s Choice
A Daughter’s Resentment
A Time to Forgive

For every daughter who thinks she knows her mother’s story…

Katherine wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t found the last letter…

Katherine Arthur’s dying mother arrives on her doorstep, forcing her to relive a past she wanted to forget. When Katherine was young, the Arthur family had been affluent city dwellers until shame sent them running for the prairie, into the unknown. Taking her family, including young Katherine, to live off the land was the last thing Jeanie Arthur had wanted, but she would do her best to make a go of it. For Jeanie’s husband Frank it had been a world of opportunity. Dreaming, lazy Frank. But, it was a society of uncertainty — a domain of natural disasters, temptation, hatred, even death.

Ten-year-old Katherine had loved her mother fiercely, put her trust in her completely, but when there was no other choice, and Jeanie resorted to extreme measures on the prairie to save her family, she tore Katherine’s world apart. Now, seventeen years later, Katherine has found the truth — she has discovered the last letter. After years of anger, can Katherine find it in her heart to understand why her mother made the decisions that changed them all? Can she forgive and finally begin to heal before it’s too late?

Buy the book from.......

Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.com    Barnes and Noble

Guest Book Review from ACaffeine Addict's Books

I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review - beautiful cover isn't it?

I'm having a bit of an issue deciding whether I loved the book or hated it. Or both. The characters were excellently written with depth and likability, however both mother and daughter suffered so incredibly much it was almost TOO much. They didn't seem to enjoy any part of their life, especially Jeanie. It was heartbreaking! Yet on another plus side, the characters were likable as well as believable.

The plot was also wonderfully devised and yet I completely hated the ending! Gah! Now this is what has me stuck in circles, wondering 'do I like this book or hate it?' The story was inspired by Kathleen Shoop's own great-great grandparents letters and the incredibly accurate portrayal of the time period by tons of research (and it shows) made this story great. Now if only the ending.... *sigh*

I'm not sure here. However, I could not put the book down and it was excellently done, except that I felt that there could have been one or two more happy moments somewhere for them before the book just "wham - ending!"

However, because of how well written, devised, and believable this book was - plus it actually made me cry - I'm giving it 4 stars. If you love historical fiction, I do recommend this book! Just be prepared to want to toss the book or ereader across the room.


About the Author
A Language Arts Coach with a Ph.D. in Reading Education, Kathleen lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

Kathleen's debut novel, The Last Letter was garnered multiple awards in 2011.  Her second novel, After the Fog (Silver IPPY), was a category finalist in the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. Her third novel, Love and Other Subjects, earned a Silver medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention from the San Francisco Book Festival. Recently, Kathleen has released the her first romance novella, Home Again (Book One). Book Two, a novel-length work in the Endless Love series called Return to Love, will be released in May, 2014. Books Two and Three in the historical fiction series that started with The Last Letter are nearly complete and should be released by fall, 2014.

Kathleen has been featured in USA Today and the Writer’s Guide to 2013. Her work has appeared in The Tribune-Review, four Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and Pittsburgh Parent magazine. She lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

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This post was rec'd through Beck Valley Books Book Tours.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!

THREE Lucky Winners will each receive a $15 Amazon Giftcard,

courtesy of author of The Last Letter, Kathleen Shoop

Ending on Sunday 3rd August at 11.59pm EST

Open Worldwide

Enter  Below & Good Luck !!

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On Tour - Perfection Challenged by Jade Kerrion

SERIES: To Be or Not To Be (and when to stop being)

If Amazon (the company) were a river and all the books in its vast online repository were drops of water, you wouldn't be able to skim a pebble across its surface without hitting a book that is a part of a series.

Series are popular--they work in movies, on TV, and in books--and for good reason. No one ever likes saying goodbye to the people they've fallen in love with. We like to see our heroes and heroines overcome adversity, and then do it again, and again.

Novel series come in at least three different flavors.

  1. Standalone books within a series with a rotating focus on various protagonists. Each novel within the series focuses on, and resolves, one major storyline, but the protagonist (usually a side character in one of the other novels) will claim the spotlight for one book within the series instead of all of them. Romance novels tend to lean this way (after all, happily ever after usually happens only once per couple.) Nora Roberts has written many trilogies of families and friends, with each book focusing on a particular person finding his or her happy ending. Sherrilyn Kenyon does this with her (apparently unending) Dark Hunter series as well.

  2. Standalone books within a series focus on one or two key protagonists. Each novel within the series tackles one major problem and resolves the problem by the end of the book. Many detective and mystery novels adopt this flavor. As a teenager, I enjoyed Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. These days, I read P.L. Blair's Portals series that features human detective, Kat Morales, and her elven partner, Tevis.

  3. Non-standalone books within a series focus on one or two key protagonists, and story is typically best enjoyed in order from the first novel to the last. Fantasy and science fiction novels, with their sweeping storylines and their tendency to put entire worlds and civilizations at risk of extinction (hey, high stakes, right?) tend to lean in this direction. Each book should resolve a major crisis, but some threads are clearly left trailing as feeders into the next book. Some of my favorite authors fall into this category, including David Eddings who wrote the Belgariad and Mallorean series, and Neil Gaiman, author of the Sandman.

Just about all of my favorite authors are series writers. In hindsight, itÕs no surprise that I would, as an author, lean toward writing a series. My Double Helix series is a series of four novels. When I finished writing the fourth book, I finally tackled the issue IÕd been avoiding since November 2010, when I first started writing Double Helix series.

  When do you stop?

 Sometimes, the answer is easy: "when you save the world."

But what if the answer isn't as obvious? What if the world careens from crisis to crisis (sounds like our world, doesn't it?) What if the world always needs saving?

 I wrote the Double Helix series as a blend between a type 3 series (non-standalone) and a type 2 series (standalone.) The fourth book, Perfection Challenged, was actually the transition book between a non-standalone and standalone series. In theory, I could have gone on forever, coming up with yet another crisis for Danyael Sabre, the alpha empath, to handle. Challenges would always abound in a society transformed by the Genetic Revolution. Danyael would likely encounter most of them, but did he have to be the protagonist?

 Let's segue briefly into another series - Jacqueline Carey's KushielÕs Legacy series. Occasionally a storyline or plot transcends each book and unifies the series. In Kushiel's Legacy, it is the rocky path to love and happiness between the heroine, Phedre, and her protector, Joscelin. That storyline is the single thread that runs through the series, and for the series to end, the thread needs to be neatly knotted by the final book.

My readers love Danyael. It was hard to make the decision to move him to the sidelines, yet in practice, I knew that DanyaelÕs story was done, and for one primary reason. His story had come a full circle. He dealt with different challenges and antagonists over each of the four books, but the storyline that unified the seriesÑhis apparently unrequited love for the assassin Zara ItaniÑreached its conclusion in the fourth book. It was my gift to Danyael, the ending he deserved.

"But," dismayed readers howl, "you haven't yet done this, or that, or another. You haven't finished telling all the stories..." I've moved the spotlight off Danyael, but that doesn't mean he won't appear in a smaller role in another novel. Spin-offs are popular among series writers. Some side characters in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series show up as focal characters in her Dream Hunter series.

 And so it will be for my Double Helix series. I've already written a young adult spin-off. I have others planned, including a standalone series of romantic thrillers featuring mercenaries from Zara's agency, a novel about Xin, the Machiavellian clone of Fu Hao, a 1,200 BC general, priestess, and queen (busy woman indeed...), and a novel about Galahad, the genetically engineered perfect human being. Inevitably though, those novels and series will someday end. Quoting one of my favorite characters, Death from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series: "It always ends. That's what gives it value."

"The best of the four books... the perfect ending to an amazing series."

Perfection Challenged, the thrilling conclusion to the multiple award-winning, bestselling DOUBLE HELIX series, is finally here. Grab your copy today. If you've never picked up the DOUBLE HELIX series, keep reading for a special offer on the six-time award-winning novel, Perfection Unleashed.

PERFECTION CHALLENGED

An alpha empath, Danyael Sabre has survived abominations and super soldiers, terrorists and assassins, but he cannot survive his failing body. He wants only to live out his final days in peace, but life and the woman he loves, the assassin Zara Itani, have other plans for him. Galahad, the perfect human being created by Pioneer Labs, is branded an international threat, and Danyael is appointed his jury, judge, and executioner. Danyael alone believes that Galahad can be the salvation that the world needs, but is the empath blinded by the fact that Galahad shares his genes, and the hope that there is something of him in Galahad? In a desperate race against time and his own dying body, Danyael struggles to find fragments of good in the perfect human being, and comes to the wrenching realization that his greatest battle will be a battle for the heart of the man who hates him.

 E-books available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Apple iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Smashwords

Paperbacks available at Amazon / Amazon UK

PERFECTION UNLEASHED  

"Higher octane than Heroes. More heart than X-Men." Recipient of six literary awards, including First place in Science Fiction, Reader Views Literary Awards 2012 and Gold medal winner, Science Fiction, Readers Favorites 2013. 

FOR A LIMITED TIME, E-BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR JUST $0.99 (Discounted from $2.99) 

E-books available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Apple / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Smashwords

Paperbacks available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

  Connect with Jade Kerrion: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Top Ten Cats in Lit by Anne Elisabeth Stengl on the Dragonwitch Tour

 

  Tour Schedule  

Dragonwitch 

A New Tale Is Added to this Christy Award-Winning Fantasy Saga! Submissive to her father's will, Lady Leta of Aiven travels far to meet a prospective husband she neither knows nor loves--Lord Alistair, future king of the North Country. But within the walls of Gaheris Castle, all is not right. Vicious night terrors plague Lord Alistair to the brink of insanity. Whispers rise from the family crypt. The reclusive castle Chronicler, Leta's tutor and friend, possesses a secret so dangerous it could cost his life and topple the North Country into civil war. And far away in a hidden kingdom, a fire burns atop the Temple of the Sacred Flame. Acolytes and priestesses serve their goddess to the limits of their lives and deaths. No one is safe while the Dragonwitch searches for the sword that slew her twice...and for the one person who can wield it.  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 

Author Anne Elisabeth Stengl 

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of HEARTLESS, VEILED ROSE, MOONBLOOD, STARFLOWER and DRAGONWITCH. HEARTLESS and VEILED ROSE have each been honored with a Christy Award.

Facebook * Twitter * Website * Goodreads

I thoroughly enjoy Anne Elisabeth and her amazing creativity...  her love for cats, rescuing wild cats and writing such an interesting cat-fey into her story led to this great Top Ten...  

Top Ten Cats in Lit

By: Anne Elisabeth Stengl

1. Tom Kitten – I grew up loving Beatrix Potter, and The Tale of Tom Kitten was always a favorite!

2. Cat – She was just a little tabby cat whom everyone called Cat in a lovely picture book by Rumer Godden, A Kindle of Kittens. And I adored her.

3. Sebastian – The long-suffering parish cat in The Church Mice series of picture books by Graham Oakley. These books are among the best children’s picture books of all time, with clever stories and illustrations that will entertain adults as well as children.

4. Stew Cat, Blue Cat, and Clue Cat – Possibly all the same cat, but who’s to say for certain? Nothing is certain in The Thief of Always, an odd and slightly creepy novel by Clive Barker.

5. Sid – He likes to have his six dinners from his six different houses. He’s a clever and creative cat, is this star from another fantastic children’s book, Six Dinner Sid, by Inga Moore.

6. Cheshire Cat – What list of literary cats would be complete without Lewis Carroll’s wonderful creation? I recently read Alice in Wonderland out loud to my husband while on a long, cross-country drive, and we were both cracking up with laughter! Such a great story.

7. Llyan – The enormous, enchanted cat from The Castle of Llyr, by Lloyd Alexander. I always loved her. I mean, if a cat is great, doesn’t that mean an ENORMOUS cat is that much better?

8. Gareth – Another cat hero invented by Lloyd Alexander in his debut novel, Time Cat. Gareth is a no-nonsense sort of cat, but he takes care of his human, Jason, as they go traveling through time together.

9. Maurice – Sir Terry Pratchett is one of my all-time favorite writers, and I particularly enjoyed his The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents.

10. Throgmorton – Because that’s just an awesome cat name! Also, this cat was invented for The Lives of Christopher Chant by the wonderful Queen of Fantasy, Diana Wynne Jones, another all-time favorite of mine.

Tour Giveaway 

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 8/13/13 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Tour with Novel Publicity! - Along the Watchtower and There Comes a Prophet going on TOUR!! Lots of prizes...

Hey, blogger friends! 

I've got a chance for you to receive two free eBooks and to compete for over $800 in prizes, and it's easy to participate. Read on for more...

Novel Publicity is currently recruiting for one of their gigantic whirlwind tours. This time, they're touring two books by David Litwack. The first, Along the Watchtower, is a work of contemporary fiction with a fantasy bent.

The second, There Comes a Prophet, is a YA dystopian that follows in the proud tradition of such classics as 1984, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451.

Review one, both, or neither.

That’s right, you don’t even have to read the books to participate–although that's definitely an option. Novel Publicity will provide your choice of a pre-formatted excerpt, interview, or guest post to make participation easy.


The Scoop:

Tour Dates: July 22 to 26, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, YA Dystopian
Page Counts: 225, 266
The Prizes: * $100 Best/ most creative entry (2 prizes) * $100 Random commenter prize * $50 Rafflecopter (2 prizes) * $50 Random blogger award * $50 GoodReads party prize * $50 Facebook sharing contest * $100 in the special author contest * Kindle Fire in the special author contest

  CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP!

Book Info:

Along the Watchtower

A Tragic Warrior Lost in Two Worlds… The war in Iraq ended for Lieutenant Freddie Williams when an IED explosion left his mind and body shattered. Once he was a skilled gamer and expert in virtual warfare. Now he’s a broken warrior, emerging from a medically induced coma to discover he’s inhabiting two separate realities. The first is his waking world of pain, family trials, and remorse—and slow rehabilitation through the tender care of Becky, his physical therapist. The second is a dark fantasy realm of quests, demons, and magic that Freddie enters when he sleeps. In his dreams he is Frederick, Prince of Stormwind, who must make sense of his horrific visions in order to save his embattled kingdom from the monstrous Horde. His only solace awaits him in the royal gardens, where the gentle words of the beautiful gardener, Rebecca, calm the storms in his soul. While in the conscious world, the severely wounded vet faces a strangely similar and equally perilous mission—a journey along a dark road haunted by demons of guilt and memory—and letting patient, loving Becky into his damaged and shuttered heart may be his only way back from Hell.  

There Comes a Prophet

But what are we without dreams? A thousand years ago the Darkness came—a terrible time of violence, fear, and social collapse when technology ran rampant. But the vicars of the Temple of Light brought peace, ushering in an era of blessed simplicity. For ten centuries they have kept the madness at bay with “temple magic” and by eliminating forever the rush of progress that nearly caused the destruction of everything. A restless dreamer, Nathaniel has always lived in the tiny village of Little Pond, longing for something more but unwilling to challenge the unbending status quo. When his friend Thomas returns from the Temple after his “teaching”—the secret coming-of-age ritual that binds young men and women eternally to the Light—Nathaniel can barely recognize the broken and brooding young man the boy has become. And when the beautiful Orah is summoned as well, Nathaniel knows he must somehow save her. But in the prisons of Temple City he discovers a terrible secret that launches the three of them on a journey to find the forbidden keep, placing their lives in dire jeopardy. For a truth awaits them there that threatens the foundation of the Temple. But if they reveal that truth, the words of the book of light might come to pass: “If there comes among you a prophet saying ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.”

Review Tour Highlight and Giveaway - The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrill

The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet
by Stephanie Morrill

Ellie Sweet is a lot of things—good girl, novelist, silent adorer of the new boy at school, Palmer. But when “outcast” gets added to the list, she decides it’s time to take reality into her own hands … and tweak it as needed.

In the pages of her book, she’s Lady Gabrielle, favorite of the medieval Italian court. Her once-friends are reduced to catty ladies-in-waiting, and the too-charming Palmer—who in real life never spares her a second word—gets to be nothing more than a rake wracked by unrequited love for her. She even has a perfect real-life villain in the brooding Chase, who hails from the wrong side of town.

But just when she’s getting along great in her fictional world, the real one throws her a few curves. With Chase pursuing her, Palmer wanting to date her—but in secret—and the details of her manuscript going public, Ellie suddenly receives more attention than she ever really wanted. And when her former-friends discover what she’s been writing, they’re determined to teach Ellie a lesson about the severe consequences of using her pen as her sword.

Amazon

Stephanie Morrill lives in Overland Park, Kansas with her husband and two kids. Her only talents are reading, writing, and drinking coffee, so career options were somewhat limited. Fortunately she discovered a passion for young adult novels and has been writing them ever since.

Stephanie is the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series and The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog, www.GoTeenWriters.com. To connect with Stephanie and read samples of her books, check out her website:

stephaniemorrill.com * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook * Pinterest

Review Tour Today!!

Blooming with Books • Colorimetry • Gillian Adams • Jill Williamson • The Life of a Teenage Writer • Once Upon an Inkling • Pages from My Journal • Rachelle Rea • The Ramblings of a Young Author • Shadow Writer World • Who YA Reading? • The Writings of Rosie • Worthy2Read




Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrioll by clicking on the links above, and click here for more information about Team Novel Teen.

Giveaway:

One eCopy of The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet available!! See my giveaway rules under the About tab - must be 13 to enter, able to download winnings, etc.

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Letters from your Future by Brett L Bowden tour stop and giveaway

 

Our lives are changing.  Indeed they are always changing that is because we are always growing and in this respect the words growth and change are synonymous.  However something is happening now in which we are changing in a different way, another way.  We are changing energetically.  The planet we live on is changing energetically. And because of these energetic shifts new avenues of growth and awareness are now being given to us.

This book will help you to understand what is happening as we make our way through this energetic growth period.  Growth is not always easy and sometimes it comes in the form of illuminating circumstances and sometimes it comes in the form of tragic events that touch our lives.  Both offer benefits to the soul for expansion. 

Inside this book are instructional letters for Humanity, whispered into my consciousness. The Letters explain why certain events happen in our lives and on our planet. The book goes on to explain why some are here on earth at this time, but some of our loved ones may have moved on and are now gone. The Letters describe how life really works from their perspective in the spiritual realm and how one can use these instructions to rebuild their lives and their planet. The book talks of a unending love from our Creator and a unparalleled unity created out of love for one another. The Letters beautifully describe how to create our Heaven on Earth. 

Letters from your Future on Facebook          Twitter          Website

About the author


Brett L. Bowden is a metaphysician and spiritual channel for Divine wisdom. He works primarily through his guide Jaipur.  He was contacted in 2007 by his Spirit Guides and given valuable information to pass onto  the larger portion of Humanity.  The information given pertain to a rebuilding of the planet through the rebuilding of the person.





Buy the book from....

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes and Noble 

  
printed book                ebook

NOW FOR THE SIGNED BOOK GIVEAWAY !!!

6 Lucky winners will each receive a
Signed Book by the author, Brett L Bowden !!!

Open Worldwide
Ending on Sunday 5th May at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!  

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Lovin' Rachel Coker and Team Novel Teen!!

Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker

Highlighting a great author on a great tour!!

Chasing Jupiter

by Rachel Coker

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published December 26th 2012 by Zondervan

Premise:

Scarlett Blaine’s life in 1960s Georgia isn’t always easy, especially given her parents’ financial struggles and the fights surrounding her sister Juli’s hippie lifestyle. Then there’s her brother, Cliff. While Scarlett loves him more than anything, there’s no denying his unique behavior leaves Cliff misunderstood and left out. So when he wishes for a rocket to Jupiter, Scarlett agrees to make it happen, no matter how crazy the idea might be. Raising the rocket money means baking pies, and the farmer’s son, Frank, agrees to provide the peaches if Scarlett will help him talk to Juli. The problem is, Scarlett really enjoys her time with Frank, and finds herself wondering if, someday, they could be more than friends. Just as she thinks everything might be going her way, Cliff suffers an accident that not only affects the rocket plans, but shakes Scarlett’s view of God. As the summer comes to an end, Scarlett must find a way to regain what she’s lost, but also fulfill a promise to launch her brother’s dream.

Q & A with Rachel

Meet Rachel:

About the Author:

Rachel Coker resides in Virginia with her parents and two sisters. She has a passion for great books, and has been surrounded by them all her life. Her gift for writing became apparent at the age of eleven, at which time her parents signed her up for a year of lessons with a professional writing coach. 

Rachel also has a deep love for classical music and old black-and-white movies. When she is not writing or playing the piano, Rachel enjoys spending time with her family and friends and serving her Lord and Savior.

Find & Follow:

Blog

Goodreads

YouTube

Get your copy:

The Book Depository

Amazon

Reviews on Tour!

ADD Librarian • Becoming More Like You • Book Nook 4 You • Blooming with Books • Bookworm Reading  • Christian Book Review Blog • CTF Devourer • Gillian Adams • Jill Williamson • Labor Not in Vain • My Story Shelf • Rachelle Rea • The Ramblings of a Young Author • A Slightly Nerdy Bookworm • Shadow Writer World • Surrendering All of Me • Worthy2Read

Tour Stop & Giveaway - Dark Waltz by AM Hargrove

On Tour with CBB Book Promotions

Click to see the entire TOUR!!

Hi Colorimetry readers!!!  This tour stop requires a WARNING - there is steamy adult content contained in this post that is shocking. You can tell by the blog tour banner that this is an adult romance book... my (toned down) post contains an excerpt and a guest post by AM Hargrove that makes me blush and sets off my mamma-language-bleeper. I give you permission to role your eyes skip along your innocent way without "reading more" here today. As for me... I get a little extra chocolate for stepping out of my comfort zone.

This is, of course, a paranormal dystopian romance. Just the "adult" passion & language is not my usual. Ok... I'll hush now. If you dare, please welcome AM Hargrove...

50 GC Bookblast - All I Want by 3 awesome authors!

ALL I WANT

THREE STORIES. THREE COUPLES. ONE HOLIDAY.

Pretty Near Perfect
by Jolene Perry

The last thing Norah needs is to be attracted to anyone – especially in her deceased fiancé's parents' home. Collin’s starting a new career, and has no business getting involved – especially while staying with his roommate’s family, who very kindly offered to take him in for the holidays. Unfortunately, you just don’t always pick the most convenient time and place to fall for someone.


Six Days of Christmas

by Kaylee Baldwin

When Natalie goes home with her best friend for Christmas, she expects plenty of quiet time to work on a winning ad so she can turn her dream internship into her dream job. Instead, she gets time-consuming Christmas festivities, a house full of children, and Jimmy, her best friend’s brother - someone who makes her question everything she’s always thought she wanted.


Twist of Fate
by Rachael Anderson

When a postcard meant for Kenzie winds up in Ty's mailbox, Ty's faced with a decision. Should he tell her that her fiancé is breaking up with her and let it ruin her favorite holiday, or should he do what he’s wanted to do since he met her - make a move and hope that he can win her over before she discovers there won’t be a wedding after all.

Prism Blog Tours... and Chattiness

Today I created Prism Blog Tours.

I should've been writing my book for NaNoWriMo... or posting some cool posts:  a review maybe?  Seeds of War? Bloodlines? *sigh* Faerytale Fridays?! Nope. I researched other Blog Tours to set out some details. There's plenty of wonderful Tour blogs out there... I enjoy posting with more than a few, myself!  So, what makes me think there's room for me? Am I am ready for this?!

*snort*

As if I ever wait to be ready. You never can be totally ready for anything.

I'm going to gather -n- share all the delicious details I love to add in my own posts. I'm going to roll out the red carpet for my tour blogs. It's going to be fun in a chatty-community sort of way plus we'll meet so many fun authors and books together. I can't wait!!

I'm chatty sometimes. Anyone who's ever emailed me might have noticed that. *ahem* Twitter is a bit of a stretch for me... limiting myself to a hundred odd letters. Such an itty-bitty space!

But this? This is gonna be totally AWESOME!  If you're reading this and you are already IN-LIKE-FLINN you can shoot me an email (be prepared to be chatty) & you'll zip to the tippy top of my notification list for great books to tour with.

I suppose "blog tour" implies bloggers, hey? But there's room for reviewers on Goodreads, too. No worries. I'm nothin' if not creative.

Tour Stop - Review and Giveaway! The Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie

On Tour with Bookshelf Confessions...

The Forgiven Duke
by Jamie Carie
Paperback, 320 pages
Published July 1st 2012 by B&H Publishing Group

Premise:

Tethered by her impulsive promise to marry Lord John Lemon - the path of least resistance - Alexandria Featherstone sets off toward Iceland in search of her parents with a leaden heart. A glimpse of her guardian, the Duke of St. Easton - the path less traveled by - on Dublin’s shore still haunts her.

Will he come after her? Will he drag her back to London, quelling her mission to rescue her treasure-seeking parents, or might he decide to throw caution to the wind and choose Foy Pour Devoir: “Faith for Duty,” the St. Easton motto. The Featherstone motto Valens et Volens: “Willing and Able,” beats in her heart and thrums through her veins. She will find her parents and find their love, no matter the cost.

The powerful yet wing-clipped Duke of St. Easton has never known the challenge that has become his life since hearing his ward’s name. Alexandria Featherstone will be the life or the death of him. Only time and God’s plan will reveal just how much this man can endure for the prize of love.

My Review:

*sigh*

This book is even better than The Guardian Duke.

There is all the adventure of traveling fearlessly through Iceland on horseback, being kidnapped and incarcerated by the Spanish Inquisition with all the political pomp and circumstance of the early 1800’s. I love the royal fight over the missing manuscript coated thickly with pretentious good manners. I love how Gabriel knows the game and plays along, biding his time for his own ends. And I love how Alex manages obliviously on her goodwill.

There are too many gorgeous outfits. There's the fur-lined robes and coats for traveling through the cold, dark winter of the far north. Alex’s wardrobe in London is so beautiful, so fun. The setting is all very intricate including the horrible ships and the seasickness that Gabriel survives by chewing on ginger root.

The author continues flitting through danger and adventure and love like a butterfly, barely dippin’ our delicate toes in grit. Serious subjects, even, are mentioned and endured, tears shed, and then life flits onward with so much hope and forgiveness that I shake my head and laugh.

Not that I didn’t cry. Last night caught me under my covers reading by low Nook light tears dampening my pillow and making my eyes all puffy this morning. The romantic tension between the characters… between Alex and John and then Alex and Gabriel (in something that could never be called a Love Triangle) is absolutely exquisite. It is butterfly-innocent and so well developed that I didn’t doubt the motives or actions of any of the players. I especially appreciated how Alex’s choices led to costly consequences. Just because she is innocent and well-meaning, doesn’t mean she has a get-out-of-jail free card. 

Alex grows into a woman. I am watching with great concern on the sidelines because she is so alone. Her innocence has endeared her to everyone around her, but it’s also a volcano brewing, ready to cause all kinds of irreparable damage.

Gabriel changes, too. He grows more accustomed to his “affliction” and is a better person for it, by a lot. Then he suffers more, too… first with his circumstances and then with his own soul. I could have throttled him for being so stubborn. Alex, however, appreciates the same characteristic in him.  He still reminds me of Mr. Rochester… like maybe years after the ending of Jane Eyre when the two figured out how to work together and took on challenges together, or something. Does Alex remind me of Jane?!  Yes… and no.   The two would agree on their morals, at least.

There is a lot of praying and Scripture in this book, more than in the first. I loved it. The prayers are so close to what I would say. The questions they ask God are so perfect, down to “Why?!”

I was pulled out of the book when Gabriel repeated a verse to himself in the King James – not that it wasn’t appropriate, but it was hard to pronounce all the “Th’s” even in my head. Lol.  There were some phrases that pulled me out, too, as in “the ton”. It's correct for the time period, but uncomfortable to read very often.

As for the pace, it started slowly for me, as the two were drawn apart impossibly far and then further, yet. The adventures just hopped from one to another in a happy, endless sort of way that made me feel sleepy. Lol. That was before the tension kicked in and I couldn’t put it down!

My Rating: 4 - Good book!!  I cannot wait to read the third in this trilogy coming out in the fall. I am completely absorbed in Gabriel & Alex's life!!

About the author:

Jamie Carie writes novels about fierce, passionate women; their dreams; their fears; their triumphs. Her deepest desire is to see her readers find that same passion as they follow their destiny and discover deeper intimacy with Jesus.

She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and three sons.

The Guardian Duke – February 2012 See the making of the cover and trailer  here!

The Forgiven Duke – Book 2 in The Forgotten Castles series - July 2012

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Tour Stop - Failstate by John W Otte

Failstate
by John W Otte
Paperback, 416 pages
Published April 1st 2012 by Marcher Lord Press

Premise:

Why did Robin Laughlin (aka. Failstate) think being a superhero on a reality show would be a good idea again? 

Things seemed so simple: win the show, become an official, licensed hero. 

But with his brother, Ben (aka. Gauntlet) stealing America's heart and his own powers proving too unwieldy even for the monitored studio challenges, Robin begins to wonder if his calling isn't to save the world after all. 

Until one of his competitors is murdered. 

Vowing to find the killer, Robin sets out on a very real quest to unmask the hidden villain. Can Robin find justice? Or will his lunk of a big brother ruin everything?

Publishers Weekly Starred Review:

“Otte nails the concept . . . He balances fantasy with teen hormones in a clever and page-turning debut . . . The amusing noirish atmosphere of the setting draws older readers . . . A TV show full of sequel possibilities.”

My Progress:

I am just over 1/4 way through Failstate, which is hardly enough for a full review. Obviously. But I am never short on OPINION!!  I have lots already.

Like, what's up with this cover? I expected to find comic book drawings when I opened the book. I didn't, but I haven't been disappointed, either. I mean, with a cover like that, I expected action, and I've gotten bucket-fulls right off the gate.


I did not expect to enjoy the character of Failstate (or Robin) so darn much. (The character in the middle. He doesn't look exciting, does he?!) That has taken me by surprise. He is withdrawn for obvious reasons, when he is in his "super-hero" state, he is ugly enough to make people sick, literally pukey-sick. It's hard for Robin to feel amazing when he has to hide behind a mask. But this guy's troubles are only getting started. He's also got this strong super-power that is nearly impossible to control, and yet not "cool", either. He's got the quite-alive hormones of a young guy, but not the looks (as a hero or not) to attract girls' attention. Worse, his relationship with his mom is estranged and I'm getting some hints to deep reasons, but I don't know why, yet.  All of that would be manageable, though, if his brother wasn't the complete opposite. Yep. It's no wonder I'm feeling sympathetic for this great guy.

I also did not expect to fall in love with this world so quickly. In this reality, some people have powers, some are useful, some not-so-much. A few figure out how to "save the day", like stop a robbery in a rough part of town. There's even a few idolized Heroes that have been recognized as "great".  I love the way Robin has his own favorites. I love the way everyone is so darn real, gritty, faulty, REAL, even when they're so unbelievably loaded with superpowers. Too fun.

There are a few other things that stand out. One is how Robin and his family attend church and pray to God. It's delivered in that same, this-is-life sort of attitude that is fun. Another is how the writing style would be a fast read for my middle-grader kids, but I don't feel too old to read it, either. It's pretty cool to find a book with enough challenges and foreboding to capture my interest, but enough action that I'm bettin' my boys would love it, too. You know? And then there's the Game Show setting. I watch way too many reality shows, and I'm getting a kick out of being behind the scenes of one. It's early enough in the season that no one's a celebrity, yet, but lots of people know a little about all of them. Perfect.

Today I was supposed to post my review with the rest of the Team Novel Teen Tour... everyone else's review links are below. So, yea, I'm totally LAME since I haven't finished the book, yet. (I'm tired of complaining about my computer problems... you can review past posts to catch my drama.) So, I shot an email off to John W Otte with some interview questions and I'm hoping he'll get back to me by the time I finish my review on a future post. Hey... maybe I'll even get a book to give away!!  :-D  I think life should be good or even better... so I'm going to take advantage of my personal issues and highlight this fun book twice instead of once. So... STAY TUNED for more of Failstate. I'm not finished with it, yet!!!   

Woop!




About the Author:

John W Otte I'm a severe Type B personality wrapped up in an introverted package, and yet I like to write. What can I say? Married, one son, a pastor in the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod.

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