Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Review: Tales of Tremora: The Shimmering

In the tradition of The Chronicles of Narnia, The Harry Potter franchise, and the Lord of the Rings, comes the award-winning first book in Tales of Tremora series titled The Shimmering. 

Exactly one year to the date, Michael's father, a forest ranger, went into the forest close to their house and mysteriously disappeared. The authorities did everything they could, but there wasn't any evidence to his disappearance. It was just like he went "Poof" and he was magically gone. 

On his fourteenth birthday, Michael went into the forest, just like his father did, and without realizing it, he steps into another world called Tremora, where he meets a strange individual calling himself Tracker. It seems this person was more than aware that Michael would appear into Tremora. As he is led deeper into the stranger land, he meets other odd characters, such as Wazalops and wizards.

Review - Not Quite Dating



Not Quite Dating
By Catherine Bybee
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Pub. Date: November 13, 2012
ISBN: 978-1612187143
ASIN: B008J2IS0K
Pages: 258

Review: 

Typically, I like my romance reads to be either historical or paranormal, but after I saw that the story was set at Christmastime, I thought I would give it a chance, so I signed up to review Not Quite Dating courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours and Montlake Romance in exchange for my honest review.

Jessie Mann grew up not having much. She works the midnight shift as a waitress, struggling to make a living as she is caring for her son and her younger sister. Her family is the most important thing in her life and she has no time to dwell on a man. That is until Jack Morrison steps into the diner and into her life.

Jack is more than financially stable as he is the heir to the Morrison luxury hotel empire. You would think someone with his money, charms, and good looks would find it easy to find a woman, but he is tired of women wanting him just for his money. Late one night, along with his buddies, Jack goes into the diner and runs into Jessie, whom he is instantly attracted to. Now all that Jessie sees is another Texas with big dreams and she is instantly not attracted to him.

Despite being slightly rejected, Jack befriends Jessie and her family, but he doesn't tell her that his is wealthy. To find out, Jessie really does want to find love, but all the men she meets are never her type. Jack takes it upon himself to help Jessie with her money woes and he eventually plays matchmaker in the hope of finding her the perfect man. But the more time he spends with her, the more he loves everything about her.

Review - Every Perfect Gift

Every Perfect Gift
A Hickory Ridge Romance
By: Dorothy Love
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: December 4, 2012
ISBN: 978-1595549020
ASIN: B008GVYWC2
Pages: 320

Review:

I missed out reading the first book in A Hickory Ridge Romance series, but I did read the second book, Beauty for Ashes, which wasn't my kind of read. Why did I agree to review Every Perfect Gift courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review? Actually, I didn't realize that the book was part of the series. I've been in a Christmas mood and the beautiful cover reminded me of the holidays. That being said, I eagerly signed up to review it.

Set in 1886, Sophie Caldwell returns to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, where she grew up in an orphanage. She never knew who her parents were and her slightly dark complication made her an easy target of bullying from other children at the orphanage. Luckily, she was adopted by a loving couple, Wyatt and Ada Caldwell, and moved to Texas, but she has returned to Hickory Ridge to start a new life and maybe find some resolution to her past.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Review - A Home in Drayton Valley

A Home in Drayton Valley
By Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: October 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0764207884
ASIN: B008B9HLV8
Pages: 352

Review:

I have the majority of Kim Vogel Sawyer's novels, so naturally I was eager to sign up to review her newest book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I'm also a fan of historical novels, so I adored the beautiful cover with the young woman sitting in the grass with the steamboat floating down the river in the background.

Twelve years ago, Tarsie Raines arrived in New York from overseas to start a better life. It is now 1880; the only family she has is her best friend Mary Brubacher and her children. And then there is Mary's good for nothing husband Joss, an alcoholic and gambler. Mary's health is failing and Tarsie helps take care of her and the kids, when she isn't too busy dreaming of moving to Drayton Valley that she read about in James Redpath's Handbook of Kansas.

Joss's gambling debts leads to trouble for them; therefore they must flee the city, along with Tarsie. They travel by wagon, heading to the state of Kansas. Mary's health turns for the worst. Before Mary dies, Tarsie promises to care for her children and help Joss find faith in the Lord.

DVD Review - Safe

Safe
Director: Boaz Yakin
Starring: Jason Statham, Catherine Chan, Robert John Burke, Anson Mount, James Hong
Studio: Lionsgate
DVD Release Date: September 4, 2012
ASIN: B008E70EES
Running Time: 95 minutes
Rated: R


Jason Statham is back as the down on his luck Luke Wright, who happens to cross paths with a young Chinese math prodigy, Mei (played by Catharine Chan). The girl knows the combination of a safe code belonging to the Chinese Organization that she has been forced to work for. The Russian Mafia wants the safe code and they will do anything to get the little girl. To make things worse, there are corrupted NYC cops that also want the code. Mei's only hope is in the hands of Luke Wright.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Review - Whispers in the Wind

Whispers in the Wind
Wild West Wind book 2
By Lauraine Snelling
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: August 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0764204166
ASIN: B0073UPPAK
Pages: 352

Review:

Cassie Lockwood returns in book two of the Wild West Wind series from author Lauraine Snelling. Cassie had traveled in the Wild West show that her father co-owned. With her shooting and riding skills, she became a major attraction for the show. After her father died, ticket sales declined and the show was cancelled. Before the bank investors could repossess her wagon and horse, she discovered a land deed belonging to her father. It seems he owned some land in North Dakota. Cassie packs her belongings and heads to the land of her father's dreams.

Whispers in the Wind continues Cassie's journey to North Dakota, where she finally arrives at the hidden valley, only to discover that someone else has already built a ranch on the land. The family includes Mavis Engstrom and her three children, who may now lose their home because Cassie is the rightful land owner.
Cassie learns a startling discovery that Mavis’s husband had co-owned the land with her father. Now she must try and share the land with these strangers.

Mavis's oldest son, Ransom, doesn't trust Cassie. Her daughter, Gretchen, is more accepting of Cassie as she has always wanted an older sister. The youngest son, Lucas, more than accepts Cassie, as he has fallen madly in love with her.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Christmastime Romances by Lisa Mondello


I love Christmas stories. I’m one of those readers who will stockpile Christmas books and read them one after the other during the holidays. So it only stands to reason that I would enjoy writing them. The problem with writing a Christmas story vs. reading one is time. I can read a book in 4-6 hours. It takes me 4-6 months to write the book!

Since it takes so long to write a Christmas book, that means I’m writing the story out of season. For All I Want for Christmas is You, I actually began plotting the story one hot August day when I was caring for a small kitten who was injured in my yard. I started singing the Mariah Carey Christmas song (I often break into song at odd times!) and little Max the kitten turned into Max the stray St. Bernard. A whole host of other stray characters started crowding my head and the story unfolded.

Stories just come to me as they are and time of the year can become a character in and of itself, adding the drama of the story. Who doesn’t love a Christmas reunion more than any other. Hope, lost loves reunited, family. It’s all good and can add to the drama of the story.