Review: Celebration

My Synopsis:

Celebration by Fern Michaels

(Audio book from the Library)

In this novel about love, hate and betrayal, we are introduced to Kristine Kelly, whose husband of 20 years, Logan disappears without a trace. Kristine and her family must face the fact that Logan skipped out on them with 8 million dollars of Kristine's inheritance money.

Kristine soon learns that her family life wasn't exactly what she thought it was as her children desert her as well, after revealing how their father treated them and blaming her for allowing it. Kristine takes a downward spiral as a drunk who doesn't care what happens to her, but with the help of an old friend she begins to rebuild her life. Will Kristine's children forgive her? Will she find love after all this time? Have they seen the last of Logan Kelly? Where is he and what has he been up to?

My Thoughts:

I have to be honest. It took me quite awhile to get through this audio book. Some of that was my fault because I have such a demanding schedule of reviews it's hard for me to focus on books I am only reading for pleasure. This book was my first experience with Fern Michaels, who I had heard was a very good romance writer. I reserve judgement on an author until I have read at least 2 or 3 books. It's a good thing in this case because I just didn't like it.

The premise was good. Army wife is betrayed by her conniving husband and must rebuild her life from the ground up. Restoring her family business, the confidence of her children and finding a lasting love. However, where it fell short was character development. Kristine was not a character I felt like I respected until close to the end of the book. Her decisions in the beginning were not only thoughtless, but not in the best interest of her children. I am a family person. My children mean the world to me and I just couldn't understand the character being that blind. I was disappointed in her.

Logan's character was not only conniving but just plain mean spirited. I was happy that he was thwarted in the end and that he ended up paying for his mistakes where it hurt the most, his pocketbook. But, I just felt completely disconnected from the characters and the book kind of fell flat for me. I'm not usually one for writing reviews that unflattering because I really enjoy reading no matter what the subject matter is, but this one was difficult for me.

Unfortunately, I have to give this one 3 out of 5 apples from my book bag! I would almost go to a 2, but there were some redeeming parts near the end.

Giveaway Reminder

I would like to remind everyone that I have two giveaways that will end at midnight tomorrow night.

The first giveaway is for one copy of Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze, an excellent book.

The second is the comment giveaway for April where one winner will win a book of there choice up to $25.

While you are here remember to enter The Bridegrooms giveaway for one copy of this book.

If you have won a book from one of my giveaways recently, please be patient, the transmission is out on my truck and transportation is iffy at best right now. I will get those out to you as soon as possible.

Come by today and sign up for any of these wonderful giveaways and new ones will be posted soon! Thank-YOU!

Review: How Do You Tuck in a Superhero?

My Synopsis:

How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci

(For review from Revell)

Rachel Balducci is the mother of five, Yes, I said, FIVE growing boys! In her book, How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? she chronicles the adventures of her five children and their life as boys. She mentions everything from throwing things out the second story windows, to chasing your brother through the lawn and garden center with a pitch fork. It's never a dull moment in the Balducci household!

Mothers worldwide will marvel as Rachel gives her take on taking five boys out to fine dining establishment, the hygiene wars, how to care and feed your own basketball team and the essence what makes boys, boys... Legos and Chuck Norris! How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? is filled with stories and antidotes about every day life in the world of boys. Balducci uses wit and wisdom to celebrate not only the wild side of little boys, but the sweet and tender side as well.

My Thoughts:

Rachel Balducci is quite a woman. I'm not sure I would survive with five children, let alone five boys... LOL! In today's society I believe parents have somehow lost sight of the fact that we are raising the next generation of men and women. We will nurture and help to train our future leaders. We as parents need to look at raising out children as our greatest joy and our greatest responsibility.

My philosophy of parenting is somewhat like the author of this book. Sometimes you can't sweat the small stuff, like whether or not you buy Hot Pockets or Whole Wheat Pasta. You have to pick your battles with kids and try to turn even a ride in the car in to a teachable moment. One thing I strive toward is letting my children know that the rules I make and the things I ask them to do, are to make them better people, to teach them how to treat others and how to take care of themselves. Rachel Balducci does a wonderful job of letting parents know that raising boys may not be easy, but it is very fulfilling.

I believe that not only parents of young boys will enjoy this book but parents of girls and even people who don't have children will truly find this book enlightening as well as enjoyable. Parenting can be the toughest job on the planet and getting a little in sight into the male mind is always a plus!

Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I give this one a definite 5 out of 5 and recommend it to anyone who is a parent, boys or girls!

Here is some more information about the author, Rachel Balducci.

Rachel Balducci is married to a dashing immigration attorney slash basketball coach slash amateur front-room wrestler. Together, they have five lively sons. Life is an adventure and Rachel is up for the challenge nearly every single day.

Rachel is a writer and a newspaper columnist. How Do You Tuck In a Superhero? is her first book.

If you (or your loved ones) are enamored with Chuck Norris, competition and digging until your backyard is grass-free, you will feel right at home in her world.

Visit Rachel's blog www.testosterhome.net to read Rachel's blog about her daily life with five boys!

The Balducci's have a recent addition to the family, born April 13th 2010, this is Isabel.

Teaser Tuesday (20)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading! Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the author and the title too, so that other TT participants can add the book too their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser this week comes from, How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci, page 110.

One afternoon, the boys had been shooting their bows and arrows in the backyard; someone missed the target pretty significantly, and for the longest time the side of my house wanted to tell the world. There is now a cute little birdfeeder that hangs lower than it should to house a bird, but does the trick of covering the hole.

Simply Marvelous Monday (20)

Shelia at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books gets all the credit for this one...

On Simply Marvelous Monday's here at Debbie's Book Bag we want to know... What are you reading?

FINISHED LAST WEEK:

The Founding (Moreland Dynasty series - Book 1) by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (For review from Sourcebooks)

In Harm's Way (Heroes of Quantico series - Book 3) by Irene Hannon (For review from Revell)

The Bridegrooms by Allison Pittman (For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

Life as a Sandwich by Eric Peterson (For review from Ollia Media)

Had a good reading week. My personal life may be in a bit or turmoil but reading is still where it's at LOL... I am almost done with Celebration by Fern Michaels, which is an audio book I have been trying to finish for some time, so I hope to add that one to next weeks list and move on to another one that will probably take forever LOL...

READING OR LISTENING TO THIS WEEK:

Celebration by Fern Michaels (Audio book from the Library)

How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci (For review from Revell)

Uncertain Magic by Lisa Kinsale (For review from Sourcebooks)

I'm giving myself a rather light week this week. I have some personal issues to sort out. I have NOT finished Outlander, but I had it checked out from the online Library and had to return it, now I am number 5 on the list so I have to let this one set for a while and I was really liking it too! (Sigh!) Never fear I will pick it back up as soon as I can check it out again.

UP NEXT:

More Than Conquerors (Extreme Devotion Series - Book 2) by Kathi Macias (For review from Pump Up Your Book Promotions)

Winner: An Absence So Great

We have a Winner! This has been a great giveaway with lots of entries, but one of you came out on top and the winner is:

Kaye from Pudgy Penguin Perusals !

Congratulations to Kaye and I want to thank everyone for participating. I will be contacting you later today or tomorrow for your address.

Giveaway: The Bridegrooms

I have one copy of The Bridegrooms by Allison Pittman to giveaway to one winner. The rules are pretty simple.

1.) You must be a follower of this blog!

2.) You must leave a comment on this post.

3.) You must leave your e-mail address with your comment.

4.) The deadline for this giveaway is May 7th at midnight EST.

5.) This giveaway is international!

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1.) +5 for following me on twitter @justpeachy36

2.) +5 for being an old follower

3.) +3 for being a new follower

4.) +5 for commenting on my review here.

5.) +5 for adding the giveaway to your sidebar

6.) +5 for entering any other giveaway I am having, please mention in your comment.

7.) +10 for getting the word out about this giveaway on either, twitter, facebook or a post on your blog!

Please leave ALL of your entries in one comment and leave links to places you have announced the giveaway!

This is a really great book and I'm happy to be able to giveaway a copy!

Giveaway Reminder

Just reminding everyone that this is the last day to enter to win a copy of An Absence So Great by Jane Kirkpatrick. You have until the 30th of April to enter for Forget Me Not and the comment contest! I will also be adding a giveaway for The Bridegrooms later today which will not end until May 7th. So enter today!

Review: The Bridegrooms

My Synopsis:

The Bridegrooms by Allison Pittman

(For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

In the Spring of 1898 the Brooklyn Bridegrooms come to town to play the Cleveland Spiders. Vada Allenhouse has no idea how that one baseball game will change her life. Vada had to grow up overnight when her mother mysteriously vanished over 17 years ago. Vada who lives with her father, Doc Allenhouse was given the charge of helping bring up her three younger sisters.

Doc Allenhouse completely lost himself in his work when his wife disappeared and didn't seem to realize the amount of responsibility he placed on Vada's shoulders. But, now a mysterious patient lands on the Allenhouse doorstep when a line drive during a baseball game hits the spectator and knocks him unconscious. Doc Allenhouse is frustrated with the case but his daughters are giddy with all of the attention they are receiving from the patients visitors. A flashy reporter, a guilt ridden ball player any many other men suddenly appear for the Allenhouse girls to talk to even Vada is lost in the romantic opportunities. Will her passionless beau fall by the wayside? Will Vada finally find a love all her own? What will happen in that fateful week in the Allenhouse home?

My Thoughts:

Allison Pittman does a wonderful job describing Cleveland, Ohio in the late 1890's. She gives the reader a sense of really being there and being able to attend a ball game or go to the orchestra. Pittman's research into the customs of Cleveland during the time period as well as her attention to detail where the baseball of the time was concerned was in depth and concise.

Vada was a character that was easy to relate to. Many people have had to deal the loss of a loved one under whatever circumstances and the responsibilities they leave behind. Vada has been selfless in caring for her younger sisters to the point of not looking to her own needs. Suddenly she has the opportunity to find the romance that is lacking between her and Garrison. It's almost like Vada is waking up from a dream as the reader see's her begin to blossom.

I really enjoyed the angle of the baseball teams and how the figured into the story. I have been a baseball fan for years. I loved the Braves when they lost every game... LOL! So, this was a great idea for historical fiction. Most romances of that time don't involve the nations past time.

Check back tomorrow when I post a new contest for a copy of this book!

I give this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag! Great concept!

You can find out more about The Bridegrooms and purchase the book here.

Want to know more about Allison Pittman? Check this out!

Allison Pittman is the author of Stealing Home, the Crossroads of Grace series, and her nonfiction debut, Saturdays With Stella. A former high-school English teacher, she serves as director of the theater arts group at her church. Allison makes her home in Texas with her husband and their three boys. Learn more about the author at www.allisonpittman.com.

Review: In Harm's Way

My Synopsis:

In Harm's Way (Heroes of Quantico series - Book 3) by Irene Hannon

(For review from Revell)

FBI agent Nick Bradley wasn't prepared when Rachel Sutton entered his life. He believed that people who claimed be psychic or had strange experiences were mostly kooks and he'd seen plenty of them in his career, but this was different. When Rachel came to him with dirty, Raggedy Ann doll in a shopping bag and a story that was more than a little hard to believe, Nick was thrown for a loop. Not only was she not loony, she was beautiful and articulate. When Nick unexpectedly finds a connection between Rachel's feelings of abject terror when she touched the doll and an abducted child, both of their lives take a dramatic turn.

Rachel Sutton isn't given to flights of fancy. She isn't a part of the psychic scene but when she finds a discarded Raggedy Ann doll in the parking lot of a local restaurant she has an experience that she is unable to explain. Looking at the doll gives her a fond warm feeling, but touching it is another matter, she feels terror and has a physical response. She hears a babies frantic cries and Rachel doesn't know what to do. Her friend suggests she take the doll to the FBI and thats where she meets Special Agent Nick Bradley. Handsome, unattached and he believes her, what a combination. Will Rachel and Nick take the next step into a relationship? Will they find out what is causing Rachel's reaction to the doll? What about the baby she hears crying?

My Thoughts:

In Harm's Way is the third book in the Heroes of Quantico series. Irene Hannon has done a wonderful job with this series with strong research into the workings of the FBI and wonderful storytelling. In Harm's Way wraps up the series and does so with style. Mark, Coop and Nick have come a long way from their academy days.

Nick's story delves into some interesting topics, like psychic phenomena, repressed memories and even the ups and downs of a child in the foster child system. Baby Danielle's abduction at the beginning of the book is very riveting. It gets the readers attention. I found it really interesting that the whole thing came from an overheard conversation between two mothers and how easy it would be for this type of thing to actually happen. Very suspenseful and thrilling!

I also liked how the relationship between Nick and Rachel progressed. It wasn't a fast paced and in your face romance. It developed like most real relationships do. Boy meets girl. Boy helps girl with a problem. Boy realizes that girl may be just what he's looking for. Girl realizes he isn't what she expected and maybe he's just what she's looking for.

I felt like the issue of faith was dealt with a very delicate way. It was a part of the story but it didn't beat you over the head. It was subtle and made the reader comfortable with the idea. Lots of people read books who don't attend church or have any ideas about their own faith. This is a book that will let them explore it, but it won't overpower them.

Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller, from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I liked this book a lot and give it 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag.

Here is some more information about the author Irene Hannon.

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut.

Since then, she has written more than 35 romance and romantic suspense novels. Her books have been honored with a coveted RITA award from Romance Writers of America (the “Oscar” of romantic fiction), a HOLT Medallion and a Reviewer’s Choice award fromRT Book Reviews magazine.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full. She is happy to say she has no regrets! As she points out, leaving behind the rush-hour commute, corporate politics and a relentless BlackBerry that never slept was no sacrifice.

In her spare time, Irene enjoys hamming it up in community musical theater productions. A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She also regularly performs with a six-person musical review troupe and is a soloist at her church (where she does NOT ham it up!).

When not otherwise occupied, Irene loves to cook and garden. She and her husband also enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

Review: The Founding

My Synopsis:

The Founding (Moreland Dynasty series - Book 1) by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

(For review from Sourcebooks)

15th century women were often betrothed from childhood or to men they hardly knew. Eleanor Courteney was no different when she was sent to marry a sheep-farmer from the North. Marriages were not based on love but on family alliances and what the new wife would be able to bring to the marriage. Eleanor marry's Robert Moreland, a commoner when her heart truly lies with Richard, the Duke of York.

Eleanor and Robert begin to build a dynasty as they fall into a kind of companionable partnership. Eleanor holds on to her love for the duke and even as her family expands she holds true to her allegiance. With the War of Roses as a backdrop, Moreland family faces many struggles of their own involving betrayal, disease, honor and even death. Will Eleanor be able to lead her family through this chaotic time period? Will her love for the Duke of York, blind her to devotion and love of her husband? Who will be heir to the Moreland dynasty? Who will be chosen the rightful King of England?

My Thoughts:

The Moreland Dynasty series covers expansive periods of history in over 30 volumes. It is one of the largest series I have personally ever heard of and I was really interested to see what made it so popular. The first book in the series, The Founding is over 500 pages and some might consider it a difficult read. However, I think this gave the author the ability to really define the characters of the book. It was very sweeping type of saga, similar to the expanse of a book like The Thornbirds. We are able to see the history as well as the family develop throughout several generations. Eleanor was a very strong woman who didn't always make the right decisions but yet she stood by those decisions and made the best of what happened. She may have seemed heartless at times, but based on the time period she was probably just very tied to the old ways and ran her family accordingly.

Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genre's and I felt that this book really epitomized my feelings about the genre. It is more than just a book set in a particular time period. These characters are a part of that time period. They are moving through it as history moves around them and that in my opinion is what makes Historical Fiction great. The author could just basically give bits and pieces of the history of the 15th century and then go on to tell the story and just leave the reader to take what they can from what they know of that time period, but in The Founding, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles makes the time period almost a character in the story. It was very prominent and very well researched. I loved the book and can't wait to see how the Moreland's fair during the Tudor period.

This one definitely gets 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag. Any reader who enjoy historical fiction or the time period of The War of the Roses will truly enjoy this book.

Here is a little more about the author, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles.

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles was born in Shepherd’s Bush in London. She was educated at Burlington School, a girls' charity school founded in 1699, and at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, where she studied English, history and philosophy.

She wrote her first novel while at university and in 1972 won the Young Writers' Award with THE WAITING GAME.

Afterwards she had a variety of jobs in the commercial world, beginning as sales manager for the Coca Cola Company in Edinburgh, and ending up as pensions officer for the BBC in London, while writing during the evenings and weekends.

The birth of the MORLAND DYNASTY series enabled her to become a full-time writer in 1979. The series was originally intended to comprise twelve volumes, but it has proved so popular that it has now been extended to thirty-four.

In 1993 she won the RNA Novel of the Year Award with EMILY, the third volume of her Kirov Saga, a trilogy set in nineteenth century Russia, and she also writes the internationally acclaimed BILL SLIDER MYSTERIES.

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles still lives in London, has a husband and three children, and apart from writing her passions are music (she plays in several amateur orchestras) horses, wine, architecture and the English countryside.

The Founding is available now from your favorite bookseller.

Teaser Tuesday (19)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and the author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

My Teaser this week comes from, The Founding by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, page, 145.

"You will soon forget your home here. Once you are mistress of your own house, you find everything else fades away."

Review: Life as a Sandwich

My Synopsis:

Life as a Sandwich by Eric Peterson

(For review from Ollie Media)

A sandwich is made up of two slices of bread and the meat in between. In this book Wallace Noe and his wife Hannah are sandwiched in between raising their own children and caring for their elderly parents. This business novel will have readers thinking, "I've been there!", more than once as they read about the people and situations in Wallace's life. Wallace is at his wits end when a tragedy forces him to make some hard decisions.

Wallace puts all of his money into a start up business believing that this will make his future brighter and give him the life he has always wanted. Risking it all, Wallace sets out to life his dreams. Set in San Diego, this novel shows a picturesque view of this thriving California community but also explores it's dark side. Wallace has strong values and a great work ethic but is that enough to survive in the cut throat entrepreneurial world? Will Wallace's gamble pay off? Or will he be an accomplice in the demise of his dreams?

My Thoughts:

This was a very interesting novel based on the world of business. I wasn't really sure what a "business novel" was until I read this book by Eric Peterson. A business novel is set in the world of business but also has a basis in every day life.

There were a lot of things that I really liked including the in depth nature of the characters. Wallace was a man we could see everyday. He was trying to balance work, family and an obligation to his aging parents. Many of us face the same issues right now. He sinks everything he has into a start up company. With the economy being how it is today, that would be a huge risk, but sometimes they pay off and it was worth that all important risk. Wallace's character just wanted a better life, much like all of us. He was very easy to identify with.

My favorite part of this book had to be the humor. Eric Peterson took a subject like the "sandwich" generation and put his own humorous spin on it. Life sometimes can get the best of us but if you look at it through a different lens you can see the humor in it. It was very intelligent humor and made the book a joy to read.

Life as a Sandwich is available now from your favorite bookseller.

Here is some more information about the author, Eric Peterson.

A third-generation Californian, Eric Peterson grew up in Los Gatos, a town some 50 miles south of San Francisco. He began college at the University of California, San Diego and completed his degree at Stanford University, earning a BA in communication in 1979. He lives in Southern California with his wife and two daughters.

Check out the book trailer for Life is a Sandwich.

I give this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Simply Marvelous Monday (19)

Shelia at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books gets all the credit for this one...

On Simply Marvelous Monday at, Debbie's Book Bag, we want to know... What are you reading?

FINISHED LAST WEEK:

Too Close to Home (Women of Justice series - Book 1) by Lynette Eason (For review from Revell)

Forget Me Not (Crossroads Crisis Center series - Book 1) by Vicki Hinze

(For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

I finished the two books that I absolutely had to finish this week. I do have The Founding at least half read. Sometimes life intervenes (one daughter spent a day in ISS (in-school-suspension) and no I don't have terribly behaved children, I was shocked and the other daughter dropped her $300 Ipod in the bathtub) Eke gads!!! It's been one of those weeks LOL!

READING OR LISTENING TO THIS WEEK:

Celebration by Fern Michaels (Audio book from the Library)

Outlander (Outlander series - Book 1) by Diana Gabaldon (E-book from the Library)

The Founding (Moreland Dynasty series - Book1) (For review from Sourcebooks)

In Harms Way (Heroes of Quantico series - Book 3) (For review from Revell)

The Bridegrooms by Allison K. Pittman (For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

How Do You Tuck in a Super Hero? by Rachel Balducci (For review from Revell)

Uncertain Magic by Lisa Kinsale (For review from Sourcebooks)

Another rather industrious list. Eventually I will get caught up LOL... In the meantime, as per usual my library selections take a back seat to the books I plan to review. I am usually reading a print book, an e-book and listening to an audio book each week. Just because I started it this week doesn't mean I'll finish it. But my primary goal is two books a week.

UP NEXT:

More Than Conquerors (Extreme Devotion series - Book 2) by Kathi Macias (For review from Pump Up Your Book Promotions)

I only choose one up next selection a week because I'm never really sure what I'm going to be doing next.

Giveaway: Forget Me Not

I have one copy of Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze to give away. The rules are pretty simple.

1.) You must be a follower of this blog!

2.) You must leave a comment on this post.

3.) You must leave your e-mail address with your comment.

4.) The deadline for this giveaway is April 30th at midnight EST.

5.) This giveaway is international!

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1.) +5 for following me on twitter @justpeachy36

2.) +5 for being an old follower

3.) +3 for being a new follower

4.) +5 for commenting on my review here.

5.) +5 for adding the giveaway to your sidebar

6.) +5 for entering any other giveaway I am having, please mention in your comment.

7.) +10 for getting the word out about this giveaway on either, twitter, facebook or a post on your blog!

Please leave ALL of your entries in one comment and leave links to places you have announced the giveaway!

This is a really great book and I'm happy to be able to giveaway a copy!

Review: Forget Me Not

My Synopsis:

Forget Me Not (Crossroads Crisis Center series - Book 1) by Vicki Hinze

(For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

When a young woman with amnesia shows up at Crossroads Crisis Center Benjamin Brandt, the owner is shocked at the resemblance to his late wife, Susan. It becomes obvious that their must be a connection between this woman and the murders of Benjamin's wife and child, because she carries the necklace Susan was wearing when she was killed. The situation gets worse when it becomes obvious that the car jacking that caused her to lose her memory was not random, someone is trying to kill her.

Benjamin's faith was shattered when he lost his family and seeing the young woman who calls herself, 'Susan' cling to her own faith is difficult. He pledges to protect her and to try to find out her identity. She's lost everything, just like him. They forge a bond from the loneliness they share. Can they trust each other with what's left of their hearts? How is this young woman's amnesia related to not only Ben's wife, but to the most powerful man in town?

My Thoughts:

Vicki Hinze does a wonderful job of creating a sense of suspense. The reader is captivated right from the beginning of the book. Who is this woman and who is trying to kill her? As we begin to find out more about the characters it is obvious that they have both lost a great deal in their lives. Benjamin, his wife and son and the young woman, her identity and who knows what else.

Ben is a very strong character that seems to have lost his way in his faith. He blames himself for not being able to protect his family and he can't seem to come to terms with that. It obvious that he loved his wife very much and her presence is still very much a part of the book though she has passed away before the story begins. The young woman calling herself 'Susan' seems to be made of strong stuff as well. She's lost everything, even her memory and yet she still has faith that God has never left her and never will.

Faith is a theme that runs throughout the book and will make the reader do a lot of thinking about their own faith. I loved the book and think that the author, Vicki Hinze did a wonderful job of weaving faith and suspense through this novel. The reader is on the edge of their seat wondering what is going to happen next. I look forward to the second book in the series with great anticipation.

Here is a direct link to find out more and/or purchase Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze.

There will a giveaway announced later today for one copy of Forget Me Not!

I give this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Review: Too Close To Home

My Synopsis:

Too Close To Home (Women of Justice series - Book 1) by Lynette Eason

(For review from Revell)

Homicide detective Connor Wolfe's latest case has everyone baffled. There are several missing teen girls and now they are starting to turn up dead. Connor and his team are looking for leads that will help them find this serial killer in their small southern town.

FBI agent, Samantha Cash is a computer expert that is called in to help Connor figure out a link that may exist between all the girls. But, she doesn't expect the attraction she begins to feel for her fellow officer. Connor has to worry not only about this case but his troubled relationship with his own teen daughter, Jenna and Samantha has demons of her own involving her sister, Jamie.

Can the two of them put aside their circumstances and find love in the midst of tragedy? Will Connor blame God for all the loses in his life or will he find the peace he has been looking for? Who is "the agent" and what is his motive for kidnapping these girls? Is Jenna safe?

My Thoughts:

This is the first romantic suspense novel I have read from a Christian perspective. I found it very interesting. Not only do the main characters have a mystery to solve, but they have issues in their own lives that need to be sorted out. From Connor's troubled relationship with is daughter, to Samantha's guilt over Jamie's suffering. It's interesting to see how these circumstances bring each of the characters to an understanding that perhaps the peace they need comes from God.

This novel put me in mind a little bit of an episode of SVU or Criminal Intent. It was fun to try to think ahead and solve the mystery and see if you were right or if you were on the right track. It was definitely a page turner. I liked how the author used "police knowledge". The actions of the officers and the FBI characters all seemed natural and I'm sure was researched to make it seem all the more accurate.

The characters were well developed. Connor was the strong dad, who had no idea how to repair his relationship with his daughter. Jenna, was head strong and hurt by Connor's previous actions. Samantha was the determined agent who had a soft heart. I liked Jamie's character a lot and could really identify with her. I loved how she was able to find the courage to move on with her life and look forward to the next book see what happens to her and the other characters from this novel.

I give this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag.

Here is some more information about the author, Lynette Eason.

Lynette Eason is the author of Too Close to Home and three other romantic suspense novels. She is a member of American Fiction Christian Writers and Romance Writers of America. A homeschooling mother of two, she has a master's degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina.

Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Teaser Tuesday (18)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and the author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser this week comes from Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze, page 185.

"Work faster," Gregory said from between clenched teeth. "If she finds out what we're doing at the beach house, we're not just looking at state charges. We'll be lost forever in Leavenworth."

Review: No Greater Love

My Synopsis:

No Greater Love (Extreme Devotion series - Book 1) by Kathi Macias

(For review from Pump Up Your Book Promotions)

Chioma and her brother Masozi were orphaned when their parents were murdered. They were member of the African National Congress (ANC) movement against apartheid in South Africa. Chioma believes strongly in the cause her parents fought for and finds herself in a live and death struggle against her culture and that of the Afrikaner family she now works for.

Tragedy seems to follow Chioma as she flees for her life when her relationship with Andrew, the white son of the Afrikaner family is exposed. Chioma joins a rebel ANC band and believes that she is ready for the violent lifestyle they lead. Chioma finds herself married to the rebel leader and unsure of what her future may hold. She hangs on to the memories of her parents and Andrew as fuel to find revenge for their murders at the hands of apartheid followers.

When Chioma is unexpectedly given a Bible she begins to understand that there is a lot more to the white mans "God" than she could have imagined. She begins to see that maybe she is not as trapped in her life as she may have believed. Will Chioma choose revenge or redemption? Will she find out that there is no greater love than one who lays down their life for you?

My Thoughts:

Kathi Macias has taken a subject that is hard to understand like apartheid and given readers in sight into what followers on both sides were struggling with. How their beliefs were perpetuated and how the minority could have so much control over the majority of South Africa. It is obvious that we sometimes forget that the world is not a safe place. Most of us are lucky enough to live in a country where war is not a constant threat to our everyday existence and it's easy to shove the troubles of others from our minds. The author of this book reminds us of what is happening beyond our front door.

The struggle to end apartheid saw a great loss of life on both sides of the issue and this novel shows that God was still moving in spite of the terrible circumstances in South Africa during this time period. I was very moved by this book. I felt a sense of great of loss in that I was totally unaware of the what was going on in the world at that point in history. I have many friends who today labor on the mission field in many countries around the world and I don't think I realized the commitment that it takes to do that. The possibility of physical harm is a constant threat in some cases and it takes a strong faith to be able to move yourself and your family into harms way.

I am thankful that there are people who follow God's leading into whatever dangers may befall them. Whether it is the battle to see a people restored to their rightful place or whether it is to bring God's word to even one person. This book really showed what it means to have "extreme devotion". I only hope that I in some way show my own devotion to my faith in my daily life.

This book definitely gets 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag! I recommend it to all my readers!

Here is some more information about the author Kathi Macias.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley.

No Greater Love is available from your favorite bookseller NOW!

This is the book trailer for, No Greater Love by Kathi Macias.

Simply Marvelous Monday (18)

Shelia at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books gets all the credit for this one...

On Simply Marvelous Mondays, at Debbie's Book Bag, we want to know...

What are you reading?

FINISHED LAST WEEK:

The Highest Stakes by Emery Lee (For review from Sourcebooks)

No Greater Love (Extreme Devotion series - Book 1) by Kathi Macias (For review from Pump Up Your Book Promotions)

I finished my two books, which is my goal for each week, but it certainly wasn't what I wanted. Sometimes life intervenes and thats basically what happened to me this week. I was really busy with real world stuff and couldn't get into my reading world as I wanted to. Needless to say I hope this week will be better.

READING OR LISTENING TO THIS WEEK:

Outlander (Outlander series - Book 1) by Diana Gabaldon (E-book from the Library)

Celebration by Fern Michaels (Audio book from the Library)

Too Close To Home (Women of Justice series - Book 1) by Lynette Eason (For review from Revell)

Forget Me Not (Crossroads Crisis Center series - Book 1) by Vicki Hinze (For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

The Founding (Moreland Dynasty series - Book 1) by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (For review from Sourcebooks)

In Harms Way (Heroes of Quantico series - Book 3) by Irene Hannon (For review from Revell)

The Bridegrooms by Allison K. Pittman (For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

Most likely will not finish all these, but one can hope LOL... I have a good start on at least three of them. Outlander and Celebration will again be on the back burner, but I'm close to finishing both of them. I have several things for review on the list and specific dates for some of them, so bare with me, I'll get them all in on time, I'm sure. I am usually reading at least one print book, one e-book and listening to one audio book each week. That doesn't mean I'll finish them all, but my goal is at least two books a week.

UP NEXT: Uncertain Magic by Lisa Kinsale (For review from Sourcebooks)

I hesitated to choose an Up Next selection this week because I know I won't finish everything on my list, but still when all those are done, Uncertain Magic is next.

Review: The Highest Stakes

My Synopsis:

The Highest Stakes by Emery Lee

(For review from Sourcebooks)

When Charlotte Wallace was taken in by her aunt and uncle after the death of her parents, she felt more like an outsider than a relative. She found solace in the stables learning about horses, how to ride them, how to train them and how to race them from a kind stable boy, who captured her heart.

Robert Devington loved Charlotte with all his heart but his attempts to persuade her uncle to allow them to marry fell on deaf ears. Charlotte's uncle had plans for his daughter and Charlotte to marry well and afford him privileges and recognition in society. Marrying a stable boy was not a part of his plan.

Robert and Charlotte soon find that fate is against them, when one night changes their lives forever. Charlotte is left alone to fend for herself, while Robert loses everything and must go half way around the world to turn his life around. Will Robert and Charlotte, ever be together? Will Robert get revenge against those who mistreated him and kept him from his love? Is there retribution to be had?

My Thoughts:

When I first found out about this book I was really excited. Being from Kentucky and being raised around horses and racing all my life. I was interested to see how Emery Lee portrayed the origins of horse racing in England and it's beginnings in Virginia. I have to say I was throughly impressed. It's obvious to see how much work and research that went into this novel. Not only is it entertaining, but it's educational as well. I came away from reading, The Highest Stakes feeling as if I had not only read a great romance, but that I had learned a lot about racing and what it takes to breed and race a thoroughbred.

Emery Lee's debut novel has succeeded in producing the kind of story that will make readers take notice and look forward to seeing what she writes next. Her characters are were very well developed and it was easy to relate to them. Charlotte was the outsider, Robert, the poor boy who made good, and Phillip was the jaded soul. These are people we see in our own lives everyday, the setting and time period may have been different but the story is the same.

The Highest Stakes is available now from your favorite bookseller.

I liked this novel a lot and look forward to seeing what's next from Emery Lee. I give this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Review: A Certain Wolfish Charm

My Synopsis:

A Certain Wolfish Charm (The Westfield Wolves series - Book 1) by Lydia Dare

(For review from Sourcebooks)

Lily Rutledge doesn't know what to do when the nephew she cares for starts to become more than a little wild. But, when she when she turns to his guardian for help she gets a lot more than she bargained for. Lily somehow finds herself engaged to a man with a scandalous reputation.

Simon Westfield, the Duke of Blackmoor, has never paid much attention to his responsibilities as guardian to his young cousin, Oliver York until he starts to show signs of a particular family trait. Westfield men tend to get a little antsy during the full moon. Simon and his brothers are werewolves and it takes a lot of practice to keep the family secret and now Oliver must be taught the ways of a werewolf and how to reign in the beast that lives within him.

Simon must try to teach Oliver about his heritage as a werewolf while keeping Lily at bay. She must not find out what he truly is. Simon's soon realizes that he is enchanted by Lily and has fallen madly in love with her, but can they live with such a secret between them? Will Lily discover the Westfield secret? Will Simon claim her as his mate?

My Thoughts:

This is the first book in a trilogy about the Westfield brothers and their adventures as werewolves in Regency England. I have found that I really enjoy novels that have add a paranormal twist to the Regency period and A Certain Wolfish Charm was no exception.

Lydia Dare does a wonderful job of catching the readers attention right from the beginning of the book. She draws the reader in with Lily's plight of how to deal with her suddenly unruly young nephew. She is at her wits end as to what to do with him and is getting no help whatsoever from his guardian. I'm sure that something most of us who are parents can relate to. Lily's character is intelligent and resourceful, when she can't get the Duke of Blackmoor's attention by post she shows up on his doorstep, which is where the adventure really begins.

Simon's character strikes me as someone who is restless and trying to find something to distract him. He isn't exactly comfortable with being a werewolf though he has learned to live with it. He reputation is scandalous because of his constant flirtations with women and gambling. He becomes more sure of himself throughout the book as he decides whether or not to tell Lily the truth about himself. I think many readers will understand his reluctance. He feels like he is protecting her by not telling her about his werewolf side, but nothing good ever comes from lying or leaving out facts and Simon finds this out in the end.

A Certain Wolfish Charm is available at your favorite bookseller now!

I loved the book and can't wait until the next book in the series comes out. I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!