License to Date by Susan Hatler

(Better Date than Never series, Book #6)

After discovering her fiancé cheated on her, Kaitlin is focused on two things: remodeling her new home and avoiding men at all costs. But her friends insist she get back in the driver’s seat and date again. They strike a hard bargain and agree to paint her house if she goes on five dates.

Anxious to get the paint job started, Kaitlin schedules five dates in five days, but her plan falls to pieces when a sexy bartender at her venue-of-choice makes her swoon. Even though he observes each of the dates from afar, she can’t help but want him to come a little closer.

The last person she should fall for is a mysterious bartender with a sinful smile, but Paul makes her want to take risks again. Will the charming man with electric blue eyes break her heart or will he prove to her that a license to date is what makes life worth the drive?

How amazingly fun would it be to unexpectedly, out of nowhere, get an email saying that you had just been gifted a new book by one of your favorite (super cool and so sweet) authors?  Do you think you would smile?  Squee a little?  Do a happy dance?  Act as if you just won the lottery?  Hum. . .  I think that's exactly what I did yesterday.  Susan, you are so awesome.  I love being author/blogger friends with you.  You really are counted among my favorite.  :)  Thank you for the book and for allowing me to read and review for you.

So, the book.  How cute is that cover?  It fits the book perfectly.  It is flirty and fun and there is a story behind that dress.  ;)

This is a short story, I read it in an evening (at work, which made work the best night ever!).  This is part of the Better Date than Never series.  If you haven't had a chance to read any of these, you really should.  Especially if you love romance.  Susan knows how to write a romance.

I think this book is my favorite so far in the series.  It seems almost wrong to pick favorites, but there it is.  Paul is, . . . oh oi.  Mmmmm.  <sigh> (so yummy you only get noises and sigh's from me.  I think I fell in love with him from the beginning moment right along with Kaitlin (Even though she denied it.  I'm not.  I'm not denying it).  He's dreamy.  This book was like the perfect romantic escape complete with swoon worthy kisses and light mist and swelling music playing.  Oh, maybe some of that was just in my head.  haha.

Bottom line is that I really loved reading Kaitlin's story.  It was sweet and clean and romantic and I enjoyed the time I spent reading it.  

You can find License to Date at Amazon.

Witch Rising by Amber Argyle + Release Day for Witch Fall

A ship burns, sinking into the dark sea. There is only one survivor—a child hunted for the power of her song. Hidden away on an isolated island, Lilette buries her power deep, convinced it caused the deaths of those she loves.

But she can’t run from who she is. And when her secret is revealed, the only thing that can save her is her song. It’s time to rise up and become what she was always meant to be: the most powerful witch ever born.

This is a short book- I read through it super fast and I was actually a bit disappointed when it ended.  I'm ready to read Witch Fall which is being released today!

Witch Rising is a prequel to Witch Fall.  Witch Fall is the third book in this Witch Song series.

The author, Amber Argyle has a real gift for writing.  Her stories come alive off the pages and into my mind.  They are haunting and mystical.  Kind of like the cover of this book looks to me.  I really enjoyed this little snippet into Lilette's world- her beginning and her heartache.  In just a few short chapters I was once again sucked into the Witch world.  So, so good.

You can find Witch Rising HERE.

You can find Witch Fall HERE.

Warrior's Moon $50 Book Blast!

Warrior's Moon Medieval Historical Romance by Jaclyn M. Hawkes   Never in all the kingdom has there been a more brave and protective champion. Nor such a loyal and capable maiden. And they loved each other desperately. But is their love strong enough to withstand all their dark age holds—danger, feudalism, disease, and unfair oppression? Yes, they truly loved each other desperately. They loved their kingdom more.  

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Praise for Warrior's Moon

"This book has adventure, memorable characters, and tons of action. There is even romance! I absolutely loved it!!!" ~Laura (Goodreads)

"I loved this book! Great characters, I love a strong female lead. I really enjoy all of Jaclyn Hawkes books, but I must say this in one of my favorites!" ~ KMon (Amazon)

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Author Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4 brothers and any number of pets. (It was never boring!) She got 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 out of doors, 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.

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  BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/10/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Does This Insecurity Make Me Look Fat? by Michelle Wilson

• Why do clothing stores hang fun-house mirrors in their dressing rooms?

• The laundry doesn’t cry when it’s not folded, so why should I?

• Can I be confident even if an elevator calls me fat?

Michelle Wilson’s humorous yet poignant insights help women examine the limitations we place on ourselves out of insecurity and self-doubt. We have faith in God, but do we know that He has faith in us?

When we see ourselves with God’s eternal perspective, we can feel confident and whole—even in our imperfection. Just think what we might accomplish if we truly believe that we are more important than we know, stronger than we realize, and extraordinary in every way.

Sometimes you read a book that leaves a permanent mark on your brain and your soul.  This was that kind of book for me.  This is a non-fiction book, religious in nature, full of inspiration, good advice and the pep talk that can get you through life's challenges.  This book is geared mostly to the LDS audience, but I do believe that anyone of any faith would be better for reading this book.

This was the perfect book to start out the new year.  I'm not a resolution maker but I do believe in constantly trying to be better and do better.  I just loved this book.  I loved the messages, the delivery and I loved how it made me feel.  This should be mandatory reading for every LDS woman.

I'm going to try to point to a few things that especially stood out to me.  First is a quote that I actually sent to my son who is serving a mission in England right now.  It suited him so perfectly.  I know it applies to me as well.  It was my first big underlining moment in the book.  (yes, I did underline it.  With a green pen.)

"When we being to catch glimpses of who we really are, we can then begin to see the miracles that God can perform through us.  There are people who need to be loved, to be served, to be taught, to be mended, to be healed.  We are His hands here on earth, and our greatest joy is to be found when we are actively engaged in a good cause and furthering His work and purposes." (pg. 17)

The next part I really loved was in the chapter "I'm Right Here".  It talks about God having faith in us.  It says, "He has faith in me.  He knows I can overcome.  He expects nothing less, because He knows I can do it. . . If God tells me I can do it, then I must accept that.  God is perfect- He cannot lie.  Therefore, I must be able to do anything He asks me to do."

I loved the call to action.  We cannot be lukewarm, we must get up and do something, be something.  We must do it in the right way.

I feel like I'm giving you the whole book here but I honestly loved it.  I'm going to go back and read it more carefully- looking up scriptures and spending time pondering for my own enlightenment.  This book inspired me to change some things.  It inspired me to do better and to be better.  Thank you Michelle Wilson for sharing this with me. 

Michelle Wilson is a stay-at-home mom, blogger, speaker, and writer. Through serving a full-time mission, teaching seminary and Sunday School classes, and speaking at firesides and conferences, Michelle has developed a love of the gospel and its simplicity. She is a lover of God, family, laughter, and chocolate (pretty much in that order). Michelle lives with her husband, Jerey, and their three children in Washington State.

Come Alive by Mercy River (a music review) and a $25 Giveaway

On the heels of their hit album Higher, Mercy River is back with mesmerizing harmonies and upbeat vocal arrangements. Their new album features inspirational favorites and original songs that highlight the talents of this singing sisterhood. Sing It Out, Speak Life, How Deep the Father's Love For Us, Walk You Through the Night, Who I Am, Holy Ground, Restless Reason, For the World, Walking On Sunshine.

I love music.  Books and music have always been a central part of my life and who I am.  I'm a believer that music has power.  It can bring emotion and memories, inspire, energize, and even comfort.  I am always looking for music that makes me feel good and has a good energy to it.  This is a religious music CD.

There is no doubt that these ladies of Mercy River are talented.  The songs I liked the best were the songs with more harmony.  For some reason I had thought that their songs had more 3 part harmony but it's mostly more like one of them singing lead and the others doing a back up of sorts.  Which is totally fine, I just liked when they did more harmony.  :)

My favorite songs were Sing It Out, Who I Am and Holy Ground.  Sing It Out is upbeat and happy.  It got my fingers tapping (I was driving...).  Who I Am has a fantastic message for all women, young and old about who we really are- God's daughters with purpose and divinity.  Holy Ground has more of that harmony I was looking for.  The sound of that song just speaks to my soul.  It's the song I've listened to the most.

All these songs are lovely.  Some are upbeat and lively and some are slow and rich but all are good and uplifting with meaningful messages.  I enjoyed listening to it and I'm looking forward to making it a permanent part of my memory.  :)

About Mercy River With 13 children between them, it’s amazing that Whitney Permann, Brooke Stone, and Soni Muller have time for anything other than runny noses, sock hunts, and prying suckers off the van floor. But music has been a part of each of their lives since childhood, and is now a strong presence in their homes. The three friends met while singing in the Jenny Phillips Choir and there found a common love for tight harmonies and sharing the gospel through song. Over the past five years, Mercy River has traveled all over the United States and Canada as a highly sought after ensemble, performing for thousands of people while testifying of the Savior. Each member of the group brings several years of experience performing, writing, and directing hundreds of firesides and concerts—as well as recording on dozens of inspirational albums. Their self-titled debut album was released in May 2008. “Beautiful Dawn,” was released in March of 2010. Their third album, “Higher” was released with rave reviews in February 2012. Mercy River is back with mesmerizing harmonies and upbeat vocal arrangements in “Come Alive”.

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Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/26/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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The Colony $50 Book Blast!

The Colony by Cami Checketts To protect her sons from the mistakes of her past, Brinlee Trapper escapes to a secluded mountain home. But there are dangers lurking in the mountains she has never encountered. The little family is saved from injury by Jed, a mysterious hunter. Brinlee is drawn to him, but she worries about his involvement with a peaceful commune hidden deep in the mountains behind her property. Lance, Brinlee’s attentive neighbor, has his own troubled history. Between his obvious attraction to Brinlee and his developing love for her children, Brinlee finds it more than difficult to guard her heart against this tender intrusion. While Jed offers a life of excitement and freedom, Lance holds the key to the family Brinlee always wanted. When it comes time to choose, she learns that both men have secrets that could shatter her fledgling trust in men and the wrong decision could leave more than her heart exposed to danger.
 

Praise "Cami Checketts is a genius! She writes about topics that aren't widely discussed, in and out of books, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards." ~Myra, Reviewer, Pieces of Whimsy

Grab your copy for just $2.99!

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Download a FREE copy of The Broken Path by Cami Checketts!

From January 7th to 11th The Broken Path is available for FREE on Amazon.

Download your FREE Kindle copy of The Broken Path today!

Author Cami Checketts Cami Checketts is married and the proud mother of four future WWF champions. Sometimes between being a human horse, cleaning up magic potions, and reading Bernstein Bears, she gets the chance to write fiction. Cami graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Exercise Science. Cami teaches strength training classes at her local rec and shares healthy living tips on her fitness blog: http://fitnessformom.blogspot.com. Cami and her family live in the beautiful Cache Valley of Northern Utah. During the two months of the year it isn’t snowing, she enjoys swimming, biking, running, and water-skiing.  

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Fitness Blog

 

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/31/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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The Guardian: To Run With the Swift by Gerald Lund

From the bombed-out ruins of Munich, Germany, in the last days of World War II to a lavish present-day castle in Switzerland, this sequel to The Guardian (published in Fall 2013), weaves a vivid, heart-stopping tale of resilience, resolve, and revenge as Danni McAllister and her family discover the real reason they have been targeted by international terrorists. The astonishing secrets and unexpected powers of the pouch, dating back nearly two hundred years, take center stage in a plot filled with surprising twists and turns as Danni finds herself locked in an extraordinary battle of courage and fortitude that will determine the fate of her family and her role as the Keeper of the Pouch—or risk losing both forever.

I have seen this series sitting on the shelves at the bookstore but I haven't had a chance to read it until now.  This is the second book in this series and it is a big,thick book- 587 pages to be exact!  That's a lot of book, right?  The first book is just as big.  My thanks right up front to Deseret Book/Shadow Mountain for providing the books for this review.

If you have ever read anything by Gerald Lund, you know he knows his craft.  He's been writing for so many years, successfully.  His research is obvious and he can paint real vibrant mental pictures through his words.  This series is a bit different than anything he has ever done.  At least for me.

Lund takes his time weaving a story of intrigue and mystery with a bit of the magical.  This story moves slowly but allows you a chance to really get to know the characters and the history.  My favorite parts were the jumps back in time and history.  The back story, if you will.  

This book kind of reminded me of those old radio programs that used to come on in episodes each week.  (wait, I don't actually KNOW how those were but I've heard about them. haha)  This story would be exactly right for a family gathering around the radio on a Sunday night.  The author mentions how this started out as a bedtime story he used to tell his kids.  (lucky kids!)  I think it would be a fun book to read aloud as a family.

Danni is a fiesty girl.  She struggles with typical teenage insecurities and drama but generally comes off much older than she actually is.  Her family has been through a lot in this book (and the first book).  There are so many bad guys!    Danni is really quite resourceful and brave.  She is loyal to her family and friends.  She really wants to live up to expectations placed before her but she is human and young and she makes mistakes.  As a reader, I see real growth in Danni.  When she has those moments when she just gets it, I feel a sense of victory with her.

Overall this series has been a good one.  It's clean, family friendly reading.  It's not an action packed, in your face sort of read that propels you forward.  It's movement is more sedate- ebbing and flowing.  Still good, just a different style of good.

You can find The Guardian series at Amazon or Deseret Book.