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Join HOLLOW TOURS for Before You Go By: Ella James! Feb12-18th!

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Sign Up with The Hollow Tours Feb 1-29 for our Book Tour of Creature Kid!

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Join HOLLOW TOURS for Stained By: Ella James! Feb19-25th!

Incarnate

Incarnate On Sale Jan 31, 2012 By Jodi Meadows Join us at HOLLOW TOURS for this Book Tour! Running Jan 1-29th with a Giveaway on the 30th!

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Join HOLLOW READERS March 1st as we post a Massive Review and giveaway for this amazing upcoming book by Jessica Shirvington

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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Book Prize Pack Giveaway ~ 5 Winners!

Kristen James has generously offered to sponsor this amazing giveaway!!!

You can find Kristen James 

There will be 5 WINNERS in this Book Prize Pack Giveaway!!  The winners will win a variety of print books to e-books. Here are the books up for grabs:

Monday, August 29, 2011

God Gave Us You Review

Recently I received God Gave Us You board book by Lisa Tawn Begren from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing.

Little Cub is curious about where she came from. Mama Bear responds by telling Little Cub about how God gave her to them. The book traces the steps of Little Cub growing in Mama Bear's tummy and the time the parents spent praying and preparing to welcome Little Cub into their world.

All through the book, Mama Bear keeps repeating the sweet words "God gave us you!". This is a great book for the small toddler to read as they become more aware of family and the world around them.

I love the simple drawing style of the pictures. This is the board book version of the book which makes it more durable for young hands.

This is the first book in the series of Little Cub Books. I have been able to read several of the other over the past 2 years.


You can rate my review here. It only takes about 2 minutes and allows me to keep getting more free books. Be watching for a great giveaway coming soon that all book lovers are going to love! If you rate the review today, you will already be one step ahead for this cool book giveaway!

About the Author
Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 30 books, with more than 1.5 million copies sold. She just finished writing a Colorado historical trilogy (the first book, Breathe, Sing and Claim), and has begun a teen series called River of Time (Waterfall, book 1, released in February 2011).

You can order God Gave Us You from Amazon or request it in your local library.

Click here to see a full list of Lisa's books - including the God Gave Us You Series.

This is a beautiful book to add to a Baby shower gift or read with the young child in your life.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Winners of The Eden Prescription

First I would like to say thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and enter the giveaway. All your support is very appreciated. Now on to the winners. There were 5 winners of the Ebooks of The Eden Prescription and they were all chosen using Random.org. I big congratulations goes to:

Ann C.

Julie S.

Heather C.

Jodi D.

Samantha S.

Again thank you everyone for entering! Be on the lookout for future giveaways and reviews.
Alison

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Rabbits in the Garden Review








Rabbits in the Garden
By Jessica McHugh   

About the book:

Friday, August 19, 2011

Weekend Gathering Hops

 Welcome to our Weekend Gathering Hops! This hop is hosted by Adventures of Frugalmom, Beauty Brite, Bee's Knees Reviews, mumwrites, and Nifty Mom to help socialize with fellow bloggers, gain traffic, new followers, make new friends, and more!

This week's Guest Co-Hosts are About BloggingTime! and Acadiana's Thrifty Mom.

While you are here, be sure to check out my giveaways
The Eden Prescription - 5 winners - Ends 8/26
Lockdown: Escape from Furnace 1 - US/CAN - Ends 8/31


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Lockdown: Escape from Furnace 1 Book Giveaway







Lockdown: Escape from Furnace 1
By Alexander Gordon Smith

About the book


Review: The Eden Prescription Plus Giveaway

About the Book:


The Eden Prescription: The war on cancer is not what you think... 

What if the ultimate treatment for cancer was closer than most of us realize? A silent revolution has been unfolding recently in the science of natural medicine, bringing us so close to the answer-far too close, for some. Chromogen employee Annika Guthrie understands this more than most. She's watched her terminally ill father add years to his life with natural supplements, and makes it her mission to turn this alternative medicine into what the medical community calls "real" science. It's why she joins forces with the maverick but genius cancer researcher Dr. Elliott Lindell, even though he works with Mitogenica-Chromogen's fiercest competitor. Together, they formulate a cocktail of natural supplements which Annika secretly gives to patients in Chromogen's latest drug trial. The cocktail works so well, it threatens to undermine Chromogen's next billion dollar chemo drug, and Annika's world quickly falls apart. Her wards start curiously dying from everything but their cancer, and Dr. Lindell disappears on the eve of his most critical experiment. Annika soon finds she is the only one left who can recover what remains of Dr. Lindell's work-and that she is racing against someone far larger and more deadly than her worst fears.

Paperback, 326 pages
Published October 15th 2010 by BookSurge Publishing

ISBN 1439276552 (ISBN13: 9781439276556)
primary language English
My Review

Wow where do I start! I loved this book. There was plenty of action and suspense throughout that kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot was very believable and I actually kept having to remind myself that this was fiction and not real. I enjoyed the whole conspiracy behind the drug companies and being controlled by something much more powerful. There was plenty good verses evil, guns, explosions, and near death experiences. I had suspicions about everyone and kept wondering whose side they were on. A couple of times I was proven wrong. The ending was a surprise to me but I loved that I couldn't predict it.
Cancer can be such a sensitive subject for a lot of people and we are all hoping for a cure some day. The author truly incorporates those emotions and strong wants into his writing. Mr. Evers put a lot of thought and research into writing this novel and it shows. I could see this being made into a movie someday and I would be first in line to purchase a ticket :)
The Eden prescription can be purchased through Amazon and Barnes and Noble 

You can also learn more about Author Ethan Evers at http://www.edenprescription.com/

The Author Ethan Evers has generously offered up 5 Kindle Ebook copies of his book to 5 winners. You heard right there will be 5 winners. Even if you don't have a Kindle you can read this Ebook on your computer using the free Kindle for PC app available on Amazon's website. The giveaway will be open to entries through 8/26 and the winners will be announced on 8/27. Thank you and Good Luck!

I received a copy of this book at no cost from the author in return for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way



Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The False Princess Review


The False Princess – Eilis O’Neal

Upon her 16th birthday, the princess Nalia learns that she is not who she was raised to be. A prophecy and a magic spell to change appearances has led to the real princess Nalia having been hidden away in infancy and the orphan Sinda having been raised in her place. Sent to live with her aunt, her only remaining relative, Sinda stumbles across her inner magic that had been suppressed by the spell upon her appearance. Making her way back to the city, Sinda learns of a secret plot that could destroy the nation she loves, and also realizes the importance of friendship and love, no matter one’s station.

I heard of this novel through a friend of the author, whose blog I’ve followed for years. From experience, I know that just about anything Amanda Gannon recommended was bound to be good. It had fallen to the wayside of my consciousness, though, until a blog post mentioned that the author, Eilis O’Neal, was running a contest to win a personalized copy of The False Princess, and a handmade rendering of the map mentioned in the book, made by Ms. Gannon. I was one of two lucky people to win, and I fell to the book, ravenous for some good reading!

The story reads like a fairy tale, but on the inverse. Instead of finding out she is a princess, this is a girl finding out that she is not the princess. The story is full of fun details, clean plot lines, and a mysterious secret that keeps you guessing as to who Sinda can trust. My favorite character was Kiernan, Sinda’s best friend from childhood who refused to write her off when she was sent away after learning she wasn’t royalty. He is such a sweetheart, and he is true to himself.

The False Princess is a good fantasy story for all ages, and I hope it becomes a staple for fairy tale fantasy lovers everywhere.


Interview with Eilis:

Othella: Where did The False Princess come from? What was your writing process with this novel? Was there a particular inspiration that started you on Sinda's story?

Eilis: I've always been a big reader of fantasy and fairy tales, so I've read (and loved!) tons of stories about girls who have grown up in obscurity only to find out that they're really princesses. One day, I started wondering what would happen if you had to live the reverse, if you had grown up thinking that you were a princess and then learned that you weren't. As soon as that question hit me, a lot of other questions followed on its heels, and I knew I had to write that book.

As for my writing process, The False Princess was typical for me in a lot of ways. I have to write books in order—no jumping around to chapter 6 when I haven't finished chapter 5. I'm not the best outliner in the world, so generally I know the big events/character arcs that will happen, but get to find out along the way how to link them together. What wasn't typical is that, with TFP, I had almost the whole plot there from the beginning—I didn't have to do much juggling to figure out all the mysteries or how to resolve them.

Othella: Since The False Princess reads like a fairy tale, or the inverse of one, I am assuming that fairy tales are something you enjoy. Which tales or stories inspired by fairy tales top your list?

Eilis: I do love fairy tales, and I couldn't have written The False Princess without that interest. In terms of original fairy tales, I like “The Snow Queen,” “The Wild Swans” and “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” best.

Othella: Are you a fairy tale purist, or do you enjoy all the modern retelling we've had in the past few decades? Is there any modern retelling of a tale that you prefer to the original?

Eilis: I love modern retellings. Because they can be so much longer, they often make for a much more intimate reading experience than the originals, which are great but not generally high on character development. I also love seeing the ways that other writers change the originals or add to them, usually in ways I would never have thought of. In terms of modern novels based on fairy tales, my favorites are Robin McKinley's Beauty and Deerskin, Malinda Lo's Ash, Shannon Hale's Book of a Thousand Days, and Edith Pattou's East.

Othella: Many people of all skill levels write for fun. What started you on the path to being a published author, and what advice might you give an aspiring author?

Eilis: I've always loved telling stories—I started doing it before I could even read for myself. Then, as a teenager, I entered my local library's teen writing contest for about six years in a row. One of the things that they do that is awesome is to bring in a famous authors for the awards ceremony and for a talk to the public. I got to hear Katherine Paterson, Cynthia Voigt, Gary Paulson, Walter Dean Myers—all sorts of fantastic authors. They all had lots of advice for aspiring writers, and listening to them made me believe I could be a writer myself. In fact, my advice echoes a lot of advice they gave. First of all, read as much as you can and as widely as you can. Second, actually write. Try to take a time every day to write something, because getting in the habit of writing can be a great help with things like writer's block. And third, persevere. Know that the first, or even the twentieth, thing you write won't be perfect, and be willing to put in the time it takes to revise and improve your work.

Othella: You have a very unique name, Eilis. Is there a story behind it? Do you enjoy being so individual with your name, or would you rather be among the legion of Sarahs or Marys or Amys or Elizabeths?

Eilis: Eilis is the Irish version of Elizabeth, which is a family name. And yes, I love having a name that hardly anyone else has, even if very few people can pronounce it right on the first try. (It's Ay-lish.) Having a unique name always made me feel special as a kid, and I would certainly give any kids of my own uncommon names.

Othella: You create very colorful worlds in your writings. If you could, is there one that you would like to live in?

Eilis: Of my own? There's a story I wrote called “The Wizard's Calico Daughter” that takes place in a very strange house. It's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside, and has rooms like a library with all the books in the world in it. I think I'd like to live in that house.

Othella: Is there something that you're working next? Will you be continuing with novels or do you prefer your short stories, like "The Wizard's Calico Daughter", "Quiz", and "The Wing Collection"?

Eilis: I would say that my heart lies with novels, but I have a lot of fun writing short stories, so I'm hoping to do both in the future. And I am working on a new novel, but I'm going to be coy about it since it's still in the early stages.


Learn more about Eilis and read some of her amazing short stories on her website.

You can get your own copy of The False Princess from:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Egmont USA

*I received a copy of this book as a contest prize. The review is my own honest opinion and was not solicited by the author or any agent on her behalf. The author was kind enough to agree to my request and answer my interview questions to accompany this review.

Brother Number 3 Review







Brother Number 3
By Judy Serrano

About the book:

Sunday, August 14, 2011

A River To Cross - Review


Elizabeth Madison is widow in a strange new world of Texas. Set in the Rio Grande Valley in 1886, she is right in the middle of the rumblings of war between America and Mexico. She has come to Texas to help run a newspaper with her brother Lloyd. When the Mexican rebels come in and kill her brother and kidnap her in order to iniate war with America, there is only one group of men who can save the day - the Texas Rangers.

Texas Ranger Jake Nelson not only rides in to rescue Elizabeth but is also a key player in helping her heart heal from the death of her army husband three years earlier.

This book is a nice light romance with enough battle, war and political unrest to keep it from being a 'boy meets girl, fluffy romance'.

You can order A River to Crossfrom Amazon or request it from your local library.


I received a free advance review copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of this review.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Weekend Gathering Hops

 Welcome to our Weekend Gathering Hops! This hop is hosted by Beauty Brite, Bee's Knees Reviews, and Adventures of Frugalmom to help socialize with fellow bloggers, gain traffic, new followers, make new friends, and more!


Beauty Brite Weekend Gathering Hops

Friday, August 12, 2011

Jane Was Here Review







Jane Was Here
By Sarah Kernochan

About the book:

Upside - Book Review


I recently received a review copy of Upside: Surprising Good News About the State of Our Worldby Bradley RE Wright.

Sometimes I hate to watch the news. It seems like the only things that are reported are the bad things. The more horrible a story, the more coverage it seems to get. Is the world really worse now than it was 20 years ago? Are we really living in the darkest days ever? If we believe all the reports then we are in a horrible state.

This book Upside gives a different perspective. Author Wright suggests that maybe there are aspects of our world that are actually improving. He talks about how many people actually believe their personal life is improving even though the national status may be perceived as worse.

I know that all data and surveys can be skewed to reflect the personal bias of whoever is doing the study. However, I choose to lean more toward the 'glass is half full' rather than 'half empty' concept anyway. So I really appreciate a book like this that helps us realize that life is good and maybe things aren't really as bad as the media wants us to believe.

You can order Upside: Surprising Good News About the State of Our Worldfrom Amazon or request it from your local library.

***I received this book for free because I am a reviewer for Bethany House Publishers.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Courageous - Review & Giveaway


Coming to theaters on September 30, 2011, from the creators of Fireproof is the new movie called Courageous: Honor Begins at Home

This book was written by Randy Alcorn.

Police officers deal with the worst of society on a daily basis. It's a tough job cleaning up the mess of the gangs and the troublemakers. These men and women walk into trouble and become heroes.

But sometimes these men find that the toughest job is what awaits them after their day job is over. Maybe it takes more courage to go home and be the husband or father they need to be than it does to clean up the crime in Albany.

This is a book about becoming a courageous man. The main characters are the men who serve on the police force. and what it takes to be a father.



If you would like to win a copy of this book, just hop over to Real Life Deals to enter a giveway.

Giveaway will end August 14 9 PM ESt.

***I received a free review copy of this book for the purpose of this review from Tyndale Fiction.

Solitary Man Review







Solitary Man
By Carly Phillips

About the book:

Monday, August 8, 2011

Countdown to Love Review








Countdown to Love
By Julie N. Ford

About the book:


Sunday, August 7, 2011

Redheart (Leland Dragon Series #1) by Jackie Gamber

  • Paperback: 294 pages
  • Publisher: Seventh Star Press, LLC (April 19, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0983108676
  • ISBN-13: 978-0983108672







 
Synopsis:  Kallon Redheart is the last of the red dragons and he has closed himself off to everyone. Dragons and humans alike. After his parents deaths he retreated and lived in solitude. In comes Riza and human whose friendship and appearance is both unexpected and needed. Both not realizing they are searching for something. Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon Council Leader after Redheart's death, seeks to subdue humans or wipe them off the face of the land. Humans are frightened and distrustful of dragons. This is the story of love, friendship, hope and reconciliation. 


My Thought: First I want to say that I loved that this is a Fantasy book written by a woman with a believable female character. She was strong and weak and loving and snippy when she needs to be. Riza was such a dynamic but believable character and I love seeing that in a Fantasy book when so many falter when writing female characters. What else did I love about this book? Yes you guessed it, Dragons. They were amazing. I loved being in the dragon's world. The descriptions of the dragons were amazing. They were so descriptive. I literally wanted to reach out and touch their scales and go flying.

Above all this is a story of friendship, love, heartache, loss and finding your way. Kallon and Riza were both lost when they found each other. This book shows how given the right path anyone can change for the better. People (and Dragons)can learn to forgive, love again, trust and find their place in the world. The connection between Riza and Kallon is wonderful. They are both in a place of confusion and mistrust and loss and finding each other when they did set them on the path to healing.

The beauty of this book is not only is it fantasy with fighting and dragons and magic but it has a great story of relationships and characters. All diverse and all with their own tales to tell. Jastin is as dark and mysterious as he lost and alone. He is also a rich complex character. And what is a Dragon Story without a Dragon Hunter.

The climax was both rewarding and beautiful. It was one of those scenes that made tears appear as well as a smile. It was a stunning twist that was just wonderful. There is intrigue, drama, twists and turns and the author did a wonderful job inviting us in to this worlds and showing us it's beauty as well as the ugly parts. I can not wait to continue the tale in the next book.

This book is great for any age if you can read read it. My eleven year old was just as interested in the book as I was. Recommended for any age.


I give it a 4 out of 5.

The author of this book is Jackie Gamber. She has a fascinating blog where she does what she calls book tasting. I was lucky enough to be able to sit in on one of her panels of booktasting and what this entails is while reading a book she finds and matches what she see as the perfect tea that compliments the book. For Redheart she choose Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice to compliment it.  ForFahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury she choose Lapsang Souchang tea which did really smell like burnt paper and tasted very smoky. It was really cool and fastinating to hear her talk about each book and it's compliment tea. 

More Book Tasting can be found on her website.
Jackie Gamber 
More about Redheart and the Leland Dragons.
Leland Dragons  
Publisher 
Seventh Star Press 
Where to buy
Amazon 
Direct from Seventh Star ( This way offers Books, T-Shirts, Buttons and Posters and you can check out their other titles)
Ebook versions 
Facebook  

Saturday, August 6, 2011

The Right Choice Review







The Right Choice
By Carly Phillips

About the book:


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Perfect Partners Review







Perfect Partners
By Carly Phillips

About the book:

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Codename: Dancer (Dani Spevak Mystery #1) by Amanda Brice Review

Codename: Dancer  

(Dani Spevak Mystery #1)

Aspiring ballerina Dani Spevak is thrilled when hit TV show Teen Celebrity Dance Off comes to the campus of her performing arts boarding school. She trades the barre for the ballroom and gets set to cha-cha-cha to stardom with Hollywood wonderboy Nick Galliano.

At first their partnership is awkward, because Dani is in awe of her longtime teen idol crush. But soon their chemistry is heating up the dance floor and the attraction moves into real life.

Her excitement is short-lived, because someone wants her off the show. Bombs, poisoning, arson… Will Dani’s 15 minutes of fame be over before she reaches age 15? Dani and her friends are suddenly at the center of some serious sabotage. And if she doesn’t find out who is behind it, her next pirouette could be her last.

It’s like Nancy Drew in toe shoes in this light-hearted tween mystery, a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® Award for Best Young Adult Romance.
 
Kindle Edition
Published: April 14th 2011
ASIN:  B004WPOK7S
English
 

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