The Most Important Catch Blog Tour

The Most Important Catch
by Jaclyn M. Hawkes
Published March 2012
by Spirit Publishing
Paperback 291 pages
Rating: 4 stars


Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Run or die!

She knew too much, and she’d seen too much. And the police refused to help. Knowing that she was to be the next scheduled death, Kelly Campbell hid under head to toe black leather and a tinted motorcycle helmet and ran for her life.

When the weather turned cold, she turned south. She ended up in North Carolina, home to one of the most famed and eligible NFL football stars in the whole league; only she didn’t know that. She thought he was a businessman. Not being a huge fan, all she knew was that he was incredibly attractive, kind, generous, and that she was safe with him.

Or was she?

His brand of fame proved to be all but deadly, but his fame wasn’t nearly as lethal as his attraction. He kept her safe and protected. All except for her heart.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure at first, when I read the synopsis. Not being a huge football fan,  I worried that football would take over the story, but it was really just a tiny portion of this great, clean romance.


Following the promptings of the spirit, a quick thinking Kelly was able to sneak away, when her life was in peril. She had discovered that the man she was dating, a doctor at the hospital where she worked, was not only selling prescription drugs illegally, but that he was also pushing through clinical trials too quickly, which had resulted in the deaths of several patients.

Not knowing where she was headed, or what she would do when she got there, Kelly road for days. She ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere, where she ran into Robby, a nice man who ended up hiring her to be a caretaker for his new home. Little did Kelly know, Robby was actually a famous NFL player who had women constantly vying for his attention.

A steady friendship grew between Robby and Kelly, and soon that friendship became more, but each was hiding secrets from the other, and those secrets might just be what keeps them apart in the end.

The sweet love story between Robby and Kelly was very enjoyable, and the added conflict of Kelly's attempts to stay hidden from her former boyfriend really kept me reading throughout the day. I didn't want to put the book down, but alas, my kids called me away at times, thank goodness for bedtime when I have a good book calling.

If you are looking for a sweet, clean LDS romance, grab a copy of The Most Important Catch by Jaclyn M. Hawkes. If you want to read more reviews of the fabulous book, check out the rest of the blog tour by clicking on the image below:

About the Author

Author bio: Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4 brothers and any number of pets. (It was never boring!) She received a Bachelor’s degree, had a career, and traveled extensively before settling down to her life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging children. She loves shellfish, the outdoors, the youth, and hearing her children laugh. She and her fine husband, their family, and their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe.



Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in order to write the review. My opinion was not influenced by the free copy, I shared only my own, personal opinion.

Caller ID by Rachelle J. Christensen Blog Tour Stop

Caller ID
by Rachelle J. Christensen
 Published March 13, 2012
by Sweetwater Books
Paperback, 272 pages
ISBN 1599559900
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5 stars

Summary
When twenty-three-year-old Courtney Beckham is abducted near her home, the search turns up more than just a kidnapping crime. FBI agent Jason Edwards investigates the ten-million-dollar ransom and stumbles upon something he wasn't meant to find. When Courtney catches a glimpse of the caller ID in her kidnapper's home, what she sees turns her world upside down.

My Thoughts
I really liked Caller ID. Having read Christensen's previous book, Wrong Number , I hoped to see more of FBI agent Jason Edwards, and Caller ID gives me more! Courtney Beckham is the daughter of a wealthy developer, who has been given almost everything she wants. She has struggled with men, and just can't seem to find the right kind of guy. When off riding to clear her mind, she unwittingly stumbles on a marijuana crop and the men tending the illegal plants. She is kidnapped and taken to a cabin in the nearby mountains. While there she makes a discovery that sends her world spinning. Agent Jason Edwards is called in to help find the kidnapped Beckham and the two end up on an adventure that neither will ever forget.

The story line has multiple twists and turns. It seems that just when you have everything figured out, something changes and you have to re-think your theories.

If you are looking for an adventure, mystery and romance all mixed into one book, then Caller ID is a great choice!

About the Author

Rachelle was raised in a small farming town in Idaho, where she would often daydream and write stories in her head while working in the fields. She graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Minor in Music. Caller ID is her 2nd work of fiction (she has also written and non-fiction book entitled Lost Children: Coping With Miscarriage for Latter-Day Saints .) Learn more about Rachelle by visiting her website.

Contest
To celebrate the release of CALLER ID, Rachelle is hosting a contest for a new Ultra Flip Video Camcorder (4GB memory, Records 120 minutes Value $149.99) and other great prizes. You can enter to win between now and April 14, 2012. Winners will be announced and notified April 16, 2012.

 For how to enter, click here.

This review has been a part of a Cedar Fort blog tour to celebrate the release of this title. To read more reviews and visit the other stops along the tour, click the image below!

(Book cover image and Synopsis from Goodreads, author photo from author's website)

Lightning Tree by Sarah Dunster Book Blog Tour

Lightning Tree
by Sarah Dunster
Expected Publication- April 10, 2012
by Bonneville
Paperback, 384 pages
ISBN 1599559595
Source: ecopy from publisher
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Synopsis (from publisher)
After surviving the tragic deaths of her parents and baby sister and a harrowing trek across the plains to Utah, it’s no surprise that Maggie’s nights are plagued by nightmares.


 But after years of harsh treatment by her foster mother and sisters, and memories that seem to hint at an unthinkable crime, Maggie is forced to strike out on her own. To separate the truth from the dreams, Maggie faces a painful ordeal and learns that she’ll need to put her trust in those around her to survive. 

My Thoughts

I found this to be a very interesting book. Maggie is such a likeable heroine. She tries hard to do what is right; has realistic faults; makes mistakes and tries to learn from them.   I felt connected with Maggie and ached for her as she made painful discoveries about her past. The story progressed well and while it did not have the ending I expected, it ended well. There were many interesting twists to this story; events did not always progress as you would have expected, so it keeps the reader on their toes a bit. I really liked this aspect of the book and felt it helped to draw me into the story further.

Another interesting aspect of this story was its historical setting. We often find stories written of pioneers crossing the plains, but this story takes place in the early days of the Utah settlement, during the furor and backlash from the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Tension definitely runs deep throughout this tale, with fingers pointing in many directions and everybody talking, and yet not really talking about what truly happened.

If you would like to learn more, visit the book website found here.  You can also learn more about Sarah Dunster by visiting her website or blog.

This post has been a part of a blog tour organized by the publisher, Cedar Fort. Visit them online via their blog, facebook or twitter. Click the image below to find the rest of the blog stops along the tour!

Disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this book in order to participate in this blog tour. The opinion above is 100% my own.

On Little Wings by Regina Sirois Blog Tour Stop

On Little Wings
by Regina Sirois
Published January 4th 2012 by Regina Sirois
ISBN B006MITQRC
Source: author
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
This is a story of the countless ways we get love wrong. And why, despite every disappointment, we keep fighting to get it right.

Jennifer must do the impossible – bring her mother home. When a family is torn apart by death, two sisters take violently divergent paths and the story of their family appears to end terribly and abruptly. Two decades later Jennifer never dreams that the photo she finds stuck between the pages of a neglected book will tear open a gaping wound to her mother’s secret past. Abandoning her comfortable life with her parents and best friend in the wheat fields of Nebraska, Jennifer’s quest for a hidden aunt leads her to the untamed coast of Maine where she struggles to understand why her mother lied to her for sixteen years.

Across the grey, rocky cove she meets Nathan Moore, the young, reluctant genius surrounded by women who need him to be brother, father, friend, provider, protector and now, first love. The stories, varied, hilarious, and heartbreaking, unfold to paint a striking mural of the shattered past. As Jennifer seeks to piece together her mother’s story, she inadvertently writes one for herself

 My take:


Honestly, I loved this book.  It had so much to it: great characters, beautiful language, scenery that makes you want to hop a flight to Maine right now, and a great story of love, not always conquering all but hope that it might. Sirois uses beautiful imagery to describe both the scenery and the emotions of her characters. But, beautiful language alone does not a good book make. The story of sisters, separated by fear, hate and misunderstanding drew me in. I wanted to see them come back together, but the years apart and the hatred that had been nursed in hearts seemed too much to overcome.

Jennifer is another story, she is discovering the joy and pain that comes with first love. When you don't know what the other person is thinking; do they care as much as you do? Sirois gives us a great understanding of how this really feels. It brought me back to my days in high school when I fought that same battle.

On a personal note, this book touched home. I grew up hearing of the beauty of Maine. I did visit once, when I was 18 months old, so all I have of that vacation are photos; no memories. My grandfather was born and raised in Maine. While somewhat faded, his Maine accent is one of the things I remember most about him. The reference in On Little Wings to the Maine accent brought memories of my late grandfather rushing to my mind. 

If you are looking for a book that will make you smile, laugh and maybe even shed a tear or two, this is a great one.

About the Author (from the Author's website, visit to find out more)

Regina Sirois is 90% reader and 10% writer, and as such, her loyalty lies with readers. She believes a book should do more than mildly entertain- it should change us. She graduated summa cum laude from Missouri State's Department of History and English and settled in the golden wheat fields of Kansas with her High School love. She is currently doing laundry (probably) and raising her two daughters. She fell in love the day she learned to read and cried the first time she did a word problem in math ("But it's not a problem..." sob, sob. "It's a story!"). In her debut novel, "On Little Wings," Regina Sirois holds nothing back as she dares to make us believe.


This post is a stop in a blog tour for this title. Learn more about this and other tours by clicking on the image below:

Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale Blog Tour

Welcome to my little stop on the Persuasion Blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review of this fun book!

 
Persuasion: A Latter-day Tale
by Rebecca H. Jamison
Paperback 240 pages
Expected publication: February 14th, 2012
by Cedar Fort, Inc
ISBN 1599559471
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Publisher, ecopy


When Anne broke off her engagement seven years ago, she thought she'd never see Neil Wentworth again. But when Neil's brother buys the house she grew up in, it seems fate has other plans in store, and Anne is woefully unprepared for the roller coaster of emotions that accompanies Neil's return. Fans of Persuasion will love this fast-paced, modern retelling of Jane Austen's most romantic novel.

It's no secret that I am a Jane Austen fan. I love the way she makes fun of society in her own way and her romantic tales are just so heart warming. Honestly, who doesn't fall for Captain Wentworth or Mr Darcy when they are reading a Jane Austen? I also enjoy a good Austen spin-off, and this was a fun one. Set in modern day, this LDS centered retelling does a good job of modernizing this Regency Era tale.

Taking on Persuasion is a difficult task. Where Pride and Prejudice seems to easily translate into the modern day, it seems to me that Persuasion is very Regency based and a bit more difficult to translate. So much of the original story focuses on the cousin Mr Elliot and the fact that he inherits the Elliot home and title (and the fact that he is their cousin, yet wants to marry Anne...something that is not much done today). I wondered how Jamison would be able to take this Regency steeped tale and make it work for the modern day, and she did fabulously. A great deal of the story followed the original fairly closely, but it also took a few turns here and there to fit in with a modern-day LDS life.

If you like Jane Austen and modern retellings of her stories, definitely grab a copy of this title! You won't regret it.

You can watch the book trailer below:


About the Author

Rebecca Jamison enjoys running, dancing, making jewelry, reading, and watching chick flicks. Rebecca grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a BA and MA in English. In between college and grad school, she served a mission to Portugal and the Cape Verde islands. Rebecca now lives with her husband and children in Utah. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccahjamison.com.




Stop by the rest of the blogs on the tour by clicking the image below

Time Gangsters Blog Tour

Welcome to the last stop in the Time Gangsters Blog Tour!

Time Gangsters
by Berin L Stephens
Paperback, 296 pages
Expected Publication- February 8, 2012
by Cedar Fort, Inc
ISBN-1599559668
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 stars


When Billy discovers a hidden cache of ancient coins, it isn't long before a gang of thugs swipes them right from under Billy. Plotting to use the magical properties of the coins to seize power in the past, these power-hungry gangsters will do anything to reach their goal. Their future threatened, Billy and Danny must race through time to steal back the coins---before history is changed forever!

This time traveling adventure takes a pair of cousins (Billy and Danny-who's name is actually Danielle) and Billy's friend Wheezy (a nick-name given to him because of his constant Asthma related wheezing) on an adventure between modern day Colorado and 1927 New York. Egyptian medallions that give the bearer magical powers are being sought by a prohibition era mobster for his bid to take over the country.

While the story is cute, with fun characters that the intended audience (middle grade readers) will enjoy, I struggle a bit with time travel based books. There are so many issues that arise when you are dealing with time travel, and my much too logical brain struggles with the loose ends that are usually left at the conclusion of a time travel story.

Having said that, the story has a good pace, and is well written. I enjoyed the almost brother/sister relationship between cousins Billy and Danny. All in all this is a cute book that I would recommend to others!



You can visit the rest of the stops along the blog tour by clicking the link below:

 You can learn more about the book by visiting the book website timegangstersbook.com. You can also connect with the author on facebook or via his blog.

(I received a free e-copy of this book in order to participate in this blog tour)

Choose the Right: A Year of Family Night Lessons to Help Your Children Choose the Right by Kimiko Christensen Hammari Blog Tour

Choose the Right: A Year of Family Night Lessons to Help Your Children Choose the Right
by Kimiko Christensen Hammari
Paperback, 160 Pages
Published November 1, 2011
by Cedar Fort, Incorporated
ISBN 1599559412
Source: Publisher
Rating:4 stars


Here is a synopsis from the publisher:
Crazy days mean no time to plan family nights. With Choose the Right, all of your Family Home Evening lessons are done for a whole year, complete with activities, games, scriptures, songs, challenges, and a CD-Rom with printable handouts! Not only are the lessons fantastic but they correlate with the 2012 Primary topics and lessons. Spend quality time with your children as you make family night the best night!


If you struggle with Family Home Evening because you aren't sure what to teach each night, this book is for you! Filled with lessons for each week of the year (A couple months have you extend one lesson over two weeks) that follow the 2012 Primary theme, you can be certain to have a simple lesson ready to go each week. The lessons are simple to prepare and teach. The CD that comes with the book contains printable image files for each of the lessons, including activities.

One of my favorite features of this book is the resources list at the beginning of each lesson. You do not need to read through the entire lesson, scanning for the items you will need. You can look at this quick summary and easily grab the books or images that you will need to successfully prepare each lesson.

This little book that retails for only $14.99 is certain to be a big help this year as you prepare your Family Home Evening lessons!

See more of the Cedar Fort blog tour for this book by clicking on the image below:

Texting Through Time: Trek With Brigham Young by Christy Monson Blog Tour

Texting Through Time: A Trek with Brigham Young
by Christy Monson
Paperback 128 pages
Published: November 8, 2011
by Cedar Fort, Inc
My rating: 3.75 stars


I am thrilled to be a part of the Cedar Fort Book Tour for the fun new Middle Grade book: Texting Through Time: A Trek With Brigham Young. Here is a synopsis for you (from the publisher):

When 12-year-old Micah “borrows” his father’s experimental time-travel phone, his hopes for seeing the future are dashed as he and his sister, Alicia, end up trapped in the past at Brigham Young’s boyhood home. This book is a fun way to discover Church history and learn that no matter what time period you are in, God is still aware of you.


The concept of this book is definitely a fun one for Middle Grade readers. Micah and Alicia are playing with their dad's un-tested time-travel phone and wind up an the past, arriving on Brigham Young's 11th birthday. This begins an adventure for both Micah and Alicia, as they try to make their way back to the present. They learn much from the life of Brigham Young, popping in to his life at different times.

Through this all they learn that they really have it pretty easy, and they grow to rely on the Lord through their trials. In order to progress through time, they have to text their experience, thoughts, and feelings to their own phones. When they finally return home, they find their texted journals and can revisit what they learned along the way.

This book would be great for younger readers. I will definitely be passing it on to my daughter to read (she turns 12 in February). I like how it puts a fun spin on the technology that kids know today while teaching them about the past.

To see more of this blog tour click the image below for the schedule and link to the blogs participating in the tour:

Disclosure: I received an ebook copy of Texting Through Time in order to write this honest review. No further compensation was received. Cover image from Goodreads.

Bitter Blessings Book Blog Tour

Bitter Blessings 

by Christine Mehring

I am excited to be a part of the blog tour for Bitter Blessings by Christine Mehring. Below you will find the synopsis (from Goodreads):

Megan has the perfect life, but when her mother dies in an accident, everything spins out of control. With the rest of her family falling apart, Megan must confront her past to uncover the truths that will keep everyone together. Thought-provoking and heartfelt, this book shows that even in times of trial, you can often find blessings.

My Thoughts:

This was a wonderful story. Megan deals with so many different challenges throughout her story. As the oldest of three sisters, the struggles experienced by her family are a heavy weight on her shoulder. I don't want to spill the beans on all of the twists and turns this book takes (No spoilers here :) ) but some of the things Megan learns will definitely surprise you. Luckily she has some good friends to help her along the way. Megan soon finds the blessings hiding in her trials.

My Rating: 4 Stars

More book information: 

Published July 8, 2011

by Cedar Fort, Inc

Paperback, 192 pages

ISBN: 1599555239

Website: www.bitterblessings.com

Purchase here

I received and ebook copy of this book in order to provide this review.

Big World Network

Many of the books we know as classics today were written as a weekly series, published in a newspaper. Readers would anxiously await the weekly installment of their favorite story. BigWorldNetwork.com is bringing back the serial story, but bringing it to a modern world. You will be able to read stories in small, weekly installments (approximately 4-7 pages each) either online, downloaded, or via audio file. Each story has a day on which it is released each week, so just like your favorite TV series, you will know when to expect the next installment of your favorite story.

One of my FAVORITE aspects of BigWorldNetwork.com is the rating system. For years I have said that books really needed a rating system like movies, TV and video games. I have been so frustrated in the past when I have started a book that came very highly recommended only to find that it was filled with content that made me uncomfortable. If only it contained a rating, I could have made a more informed decision on whether to read the book. Each of the series on BigWorldNetwork.com have a clearly labeled rating! FINALLY, now if only this idea will catch on to the rest of the publishing world I would be thrilled.

I got a sneak peek at the website earlier this week before it went live this morning, and I read the first episode of Taking Out the Trash by Tristi Pinkston. I am already hooked; it is a cozy mystery (the genre that I have recently come to love) and starts out with a fun twist. I highly recommend checking it out, episode one is already available to read, then come back weekly on Tuesdays for future episodes!

I am very excited to explore the other series' available from Big World Network and I hope that you will take a look! Oh by the way, did I say that these stories are available FREE? Yep, FREE!

I received no compensation for this post. I did get a preview of the site before it launched but no financial or material compensation for sharing my honest thoughts about the site.

Key of Kilenya by Andrea Pearson book blog tour

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. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:
Fantasy is a tough genre. I enjoy a great fantasy, but they require so much more to feel real. This story is enjoyable and I like the concept, but I struggled a little to immerse myself in the world of Kilenya. New ideas were presented so quickly that I did not have a chance to accept them as true before another new word or idea was there begging to be understood. This definitely improved as the story progressed, and the characters became more real and likable as I continued to read.

Jacob seems like a typical 14 year old boy struggling to figure out his place in life. He feels awkward and inferior to his older brother, Matt. When he arrives in Kilenya his thoughts are awkward, like he is, but they seem to mature and develop along his journey. There is a hint of romance (a must for me in a truly enjoyable book) that enters the book about half way through, but we may need to read further books in the series to see what happens there.

All in all, the story is a cute one. It is a good fit for younger readers and I plan to read the future installments in the series.

My rating: 3 Stars

Content: some violence, but not graphic

Buy it
You can visit smashwords and get a free e-book copy of this book to enjoy for yourself. You can also purchase a paperback copy via Amazon for $11.99 if you prefer a physical book.

Disclosure: I received a free ebook copy in order to provide this review. The opinion expressed above is 100% my own.