Unplanned, and at the last minute, I hopped over to my local Walmart. For some odd reason I glanced at the fitness section and there staring back at me was Billy Blanks. Not the real one. LOL. He was on the front cover of what I thought was the new DVD, which actually it was a cardboard box containing the new Taebo Power DVD and a pair of adjustable weighted gloves. I had to laugh and inspected the box as I had just ordered a pair of Everlast weighted gloves from an Ebay seller the night before. I glanced at the price and it was under $17 which wasn't bad considering that one exercise DVD cost at least $9, but this had the gloves. I was already aware that Tae Bo Power was being released, along with Cardio Explosion, on December 6. I'm not for sure if Walmart released this DVD early, or if the DVD/Glove set came out recently. It doesn't matter as I now have a new workout.

The Wonder of Your Love
BY: Beth Wiseman
PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Nelson
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59554-886-3
Pages: 294
Reviewed by Billy Burgess


Set in the small Amish community of Canaan, Colorado, a recent widow Katie Ann Stoltzfus struggles to raise her baby, Jonas. Prior to her husband, Ivan, death, Ivan had left Katie for an English woman, Lucy Turner. Katie receives a letter from Lucy, just before Katie meets Eli Detweiler at a wedding. Eli is also a widower, has been several years. He’s come to Colorado for a long, much-needed vacation. All of his children are now grown, and a few even have children of their own. Eli is enjoying the simple life, but that changes when he meets Katie. There is an instant attraction between the two. Katie is still grieving over her husbands affair, and now has a wonderful baby to raise, while Eli is done with raising a family. As their friendship gets closer, they both wonder if God has other plans for them.

The Wonder of Your Love is a fast, clean-cut, romantic tale. I was instantly emotionally connect to Katie Anne by the end of the first chapter. Amish people live in a small religious community, but they have problems just like everyone else. In this case, Katie’s husband was having affair with an English woman and eventually left Katie for Lucy.  I’m a fan of Amish fiction and I was surprised by this little twist, but the plot kept me flipping through the pages. I recommend the book to all readers.

*I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for sending me a copy to review.

The Night Circus
BY: Erin Morgenstern
PUBLISHED BY: Doubleday
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-385-53463-5
Pages: 387
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Over the past few months there has been a lot a buzz over the debut novel of Erin Morgenstern. I was delighted and honored to receive a review copy from Doubleday. When I removed the book from the packaging, the enchanting cover dazzled me. After I finished reading another book, I picked up The Night Circus and entered into a new magical world that I have never seen before. As I began reading, I couldn’t help but think of the book Something Wicked This Way Come by Ray Bradbury, where a mysterious night circus suddenly appears. Obviously the author is heavily influenced on old fairy tales. The descriptions are written in such detail that I could imagine being right there in circus tent, even breathing in the air.

Despite all the hype, I think the book was somewhat flat in places, especially at the beginning, where there was too much telling and not enough showing. The second  half of the book is written better and is more intriguing to read. The love story between the two illusionists is realistically written, but there was just something missing from the characters - not enough depth to them. However, I did enjoy the Burgess sisters. The Night Circus does have originality to it, but it is not flawless as critics have observed. It is a decent debut novel, full of magical descriptions and a refreshing plot. I look forward to Erin Morgenstern’s next novel.

*I would like to thank Doubleday for sending me a copy to review.

The Betrayal
BY: Jerry B. Jenkins
PUBLISHED BY: Tyndale
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4143-0908-8
Pages: 290
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

I’m a fan of Jerry B. Jenkins novels, but I didn’t like his pervious precinct novel, so I hesitated before signing up to review an ARC copy of The Betrayal. I’m glad that I did, as The Betrayal is major improvement over his last novel.  This time around Detective Boone Drake is recovering from bringing down the biggest street gangs in Chicago history. After a near-fatal attempt on a witness, Detective Boone must unravel the mystery. Someone inside the Chicago Police Department has leaked information to the shooter. Detective Boone doesn’t know who to trust as he tries to protect the witness.

The Betrayal is an intense, fast read from the very first page until the very ending, but that’s not to say there aren’t a few problems. Midway through the novel, the plot does get a little predictable. Despite this, I was still able to enjoy the book. A must read for mystery lovers.

* I would like to thank Tyndale for sending me a copy to review.

Vigilante
BY: Robin Parrish
PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0608-5
Pages: 363
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

In a world where the economy has collapsed and violence has increased on the streets, an ex-elite solider, Nolan Gray, decides to clean up the streets himself as The Hand. He gets help from his former military commander, Arjay - whose talent is engineering, and Alice. Soon Nolan has an archenemy - crime boss Yuri Vasko.

Vigilante is full of cliché’s and unsuccessfully rips off the comic genre, like Batman and The Punisher. There are a few well written action scenes throughout the novel. Nolan Gray is an interesting character, but I felt there was just something missing. I like the plot premise, but it would have been better executed as a graphic novel or comic book instead of a Christian novel. Vigilante is written for male readers who love action novels, crime novels, and the occasional comic book. Overall, it was fun read, but the plot is not original and has been done to death.



*I would like to thank Bethany House for sending me a copy to review.

Once Upon a Groom
BY: Karen Rose Smith
PUBLISHED BY: Harlequin
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-373-65628-8
Pages: 224
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

  Zack Decker left his family ranch and his first love, Jenny, to go to film school. It’s now fifteen years later, and Zack is a successful Hollywood director determined to never go back to Miners Bluff. Out of the blue, Jenny Farber leaves a message informing him to attend their high school reunion. The reunion doesn’t go as plan as Jenny’s real intentions was to get Zack to talk to his father, Sila. Zack flies back to L.A., only to get another message from Jenny. This time she tells him that his father has collapsed.

There has been undeniable tension between Zack and his father over the years, but Zack returns to the ranch, the Rocky D, where Jenny works. Actually Jenny is more like a daughter to Sila than anything else. She persuades Zack to stay and help run the ranch until Sila is back on his feet, in which Zack agrees. Soon, their past feelings resurface, along with a secret Jenny has been hiding for fifteen years.

Once Upon a Groom is book two in the Reunion Bride series and is an irresistible read from the very first page. The love story between Zack and Jenny is realistically written. As a reader, you’ll easily connect with both characters as they must confront their past emotions. I recommend Once Upon a Groom to all romance readers.


*I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy to review. 

90 Miles to Freedom
BY: K.C. Hilton
PUBLISHED BY: Night Publishing
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1463566494
Pages: 202
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Living just outside of Key West Florida, twenty-four-year-old Collin was enjoying his life by taking tourist fishing on his large boat. He was engaged to the lovely young lady named Morgan. His parents, George and Betty, supported his decision not to go to college, and allowed him to dock his boat almost literally in their backyard. His younger brother, Joey, was going to graduate high school and then go on to college. Despite all future plans, fate steps in and wrecks havoc onto Collin's world. After a freak accident on Joey’s graduation day, George and Betty are killed. Collin and Joey’s world is turned upside down. Collin goes into a deep depression and pushes Morgan away from him. Joey delays going to college and becomes the adult of the household, as Collin begins drinking his problems away.

When Joey is out of the house, Collin sneaks out to his boat to earn money, but he isn’t taking tourist fishing - he never was. He has been keeping a dark secret, one that started before his parent’s death.

90 Miles to Freedom is an emotional journey about a young man who must confront his own actions and explore what is really important to him. The narration switches back and forth throughout the novel, from Collin’s point-of-view to the point-of-view of a doctor trying to escape the horrors of Cuba and his long journey to America. One simple act of humanity can cause a change reaction in many peoples’ lives. I enjoyed reading 90 Miles to Freedom, which is more sentimental and realistic than most of the mainstream novels on the market. I recommend the book to all readers!

*I would like to thank the author for sending me a review to copy and for providing the bookmarks.

About the Author:

K.C. Hilton was born and raised in Aurora, Illinois. She spent her childhood playing street games with the neighborhood kids. When she wasn’t outside, she spent much of her time reading and getting lost in adventurous world and whirlwind courtships. At the age of seventeen, she moved to Kentucky and eventually began to raise a family of her own.

K.C. has always been entranced by stories of magical adventure, and though she had to live in the practical world, running a family business as well as two of her own; she discovered that writing was an entirely new, exciting adventure all on it’s own!

K.C. has a large family and their get-togethers are so much fun! She is a photographer and takes tons of photos! Her family also has a mini dachshund; her name is “Roxy” weighing in at a whopping ten pounds. Roxy is a huge part of their family and she’s is spoiled rotten!

Visit her website at: www.kc-hilton.com

Ghost on Black Mountain
BY: Ann Hite
PUBLISHED BY: Gallery Books
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-45160642-3
Pages: 344
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Ghost on Black Mountain is a haunting tale set in North Carolina during the depression-era, and is told through multiple narrators, all who have been emotionally affected by a hateful-spirited man named Hobbs Pritchard. Nellie Clay’s mother warned her not to marry Hobbs, but she was head-over-heels for him. Shortly after marrying and moving to Black Mountain, Nellie discovered her husband was indeed a horrible person. Nellie befriends a young girl, Shelly Parker, who has a special gift of seeing the lost spirits that roam the mountain. Shelly warns Nellie of bad things to come, but Nellie has faith in her marriage, until Hobbs begins beating her. With only one way out of the marriage, Nellie makes a drastic decision that will not only change her life, but the lives of other women.

I read Ghost on Black Mountain in one sitting, as I was instantly pulled into Nellie’s story. Ann Hite has crafted a character, Hobbs, which every reader will despise. The plot does involve the supernatural, as there are lost spirits that haunt the mountain and can be seen by the young Shelly Parker. Through out the book the narration changes several times and is not told chronologically. Each narrator is a woman whose life has been destroyed or altered by Hobbs. I enjoyed reading the book and I recommend it everyone!

*I would like to thank Gallery Books for sending me a copy to review.

About the Author

Ann Hite has written short stories, personal essays, and book reviews for numerous publications and anthologies. Ghost on Black Mountain, her first novel, is inspired by generations of stories handed down through her family. She lives in Atlanta.