Dancing from the Shadows D'Ann Renner

Tori, haunted by the verse “From those to whom much is given, much is required,” turns her back on a successful career so she and her husband Phillip can adopt two “normal” third world children.

Her 5 year old daughter Lydia is sugar-coated dynamite. Her son Gabriel is adorable, but quirky – there’s something not quite normal about him. Tori is horrified to find God has given her beloved son special needs – the one thing she told Him she couldn’t handle.

Gabe’s autism leaves Tori depressed, obsessed with helping her son and angry with God. As she struggles with Gabe’s disability, Tori’s world begins to unravel. Her church rejects them, her daughter Lydia’s resentment of her brother escalates and the school system starts playing mind games.

Will God intervene before combat-level stress, the murder/suicide of a friend and a sultry executive’s pursuit of Phillip destroy Tori’s life?

Goodreads Summary

The St. John family adopted two children from Bulgaria; a boy and girl.  Upon learning that
Gabe, the boy, is autistic, the family’s life changes forever.  Anyone who interacts with special needs kids
should read this book.  Each time I reread a section or skim a chapter, I capture more.
I did not expect Dancing from the Shadows to be such an accurate portrayal of life with children
who have special needs.  Every character is lifelike and relatable; I hope to be more like Tori, the mom.
Tori is fierce, smart, and an excellent mother, overall.  D’Ann Renner’s novel is excellent and I am certain I will pick up more of her books!

5 out of 5 stars

"Reviewed by Kristin"

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The Golden Age of Death by Amber Benson

My name is Calliope Reaper-Jones (Callie to my friends). I’m Death’s Daughter and—as of very recently—the (reluctant) head of my father’s company, Death, Inc.

I was gradually learning how to be a businesswoman. Had the power suits and shoes down, though the day to day was slow going. Then I was blindsided by Enemies Unknown and sent off to I-don’t-know-where. Not a good thing.

Now not only must my friends and family be frantic, but without a CEO, Death, Inc., can’t function. With the newly deceased left free to roam the Earth, it’s the zombie apocalypse come true.

I’ve got to get back—for my sake and the sake of, oh, all humanity…

Goodreads Summary

Amber Benson’s novel, The Golden Age of Death, is a whirlwind of plot twists and humor.  Callie
is death, literally.   She is the President and CEO of Death Inc.  Although Callie did not want the job, she is becoming quite skilled in her position when she suddenly disappears, taken by an unknown enemy. 
Without death, what is the world to do?  Turn into zombies, of course!
I liked Benson’s take on death and style of writing.  The point of view moves from character to
character, keeping the plot fresh and memorable.  I did not read the other novels in the series, but was
able to understand most of the book.  Readers new to the series will not struggle to understand the
events of the Calliope Reaper-Jones series.  Anyone who enjoys humor and adventure will love The
Golden Age of Death.

4 stars

"Reviewed by Kristin"

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The Ghosting of Gods by Cricket Baker

Jesse is an apprentice exorcist who defies his priests when he learns his sister is in danger even though she’s dead. When he’s exiled to a haunted world, Jesse must unravel the mystery of ghosts if he is to save her. He plunges into a deadly game of hide-and-seek. The players include denizens draped in monkish robes, ghosts with matted eyes, the dead who tunnel underground in terror, and...Elspeth.

A coven scientist, Elspeth is both respected and feared for her abnormal spiritual powers. Jesse needs--craves--the knowledge of ghosts which she possesses. But is Elspeth a spiritual prodigy, or dangerously insane? The coven scientist begs him to trust her. He doesn’t. But he wants to.

Caught in a world on the brink of spiritual evolution, Jesse struggles to understand Elspeth even as frightening contacts from his sister force him to face the secret, shattering meaning of a verse he knows well: Blessed are the poor in ghost.

Goodreads Summary

I admit that I was quite confused when I first began reading.  Jesse is a young exorcist with a
heavy conscious; Jesse believes that he is responsible for his sister’s death.  Although she is dead, Jesse is not sure that his sister is safe.  With the help of his friends, Jesse takes an epic journey into a haunting world full of mystery.
Cricket Baker’s novel had me guessing and questioning from beginning to end.  Baker’s writing
style is unlike that of many writers of today.  Less obvious and more subtle, but with great detail.
 The plot is full of questions and twists and turns that the reader will not anticipate.  Larger, more important questions are imbedded in the book, too.  Quickly, the reader will realize that they will learn as much as Jesse on his quest.  Baker wrote some great quotes that will stay with the reader long after they have read The Ghosting of Gods.

3.5 stars

"Reviewed by Kristin"

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Waiting in Wonder by Catherine Claire Larson

A devotional journal inviting women to embrace the spiritual journey that awaits as they prepare for the high and holy calling of motherhood.

Expecting a baby is a time of unfolding wonders--from the jolt of first heartbeat, to the buds of tiny fingers, to the flutter of little kicks. During pregnancy, a mother's body nourishes this quiet miracle's development. But through the trials of morning sickness, the anticipation of labor, and the questions of whether she'll be a good mother, she'll need her own nourishment--both physical as well as spiritual. She'll want to nurture her own heart so that she may one day strengthen the spiritual life of this child entrusted to her.

"Waiting in Wonder "guides readers through the weeks of pregnancy with devotions designed to encourage, strengthen, and inspire. Each devotion includes Scripture and journaling space for writing personal thoughts, prayers, dreams, even love letters to the growing baby. And when baby is born, mother will hold a lifelong keepsake for rereading and reliving a truly wonder-filled time of physical change and spiritual growth.

Goodreads Summary

I have yet to experience pregnancy, but when I am pregnant, I know the lessons in this book will
help me.  Waiting in Wonder is a physical and spiritual guide that will support and teach women through the weeks of their pregnancies.  There is room for reflection, thoughts, hopes, and dreams to be jotted down and shared with the child after they have grown.
Waiting in Wonder would be a great gift from any expecting woman.  I am so happy to have a
copy to save for when I do become pregnant and am glad to have read it now.  My mother read Waiting in Wonder, too.  She sighed after finishing, saying she wished that it had been around when she was pregnant with my sister and me!  Anyone will grow spiritually after reading this book.  Waiting in Wonder is a blessing!

5 stars

"Reviewed by Kristin"

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Eliza's Forever Trees by Stephanie Lisa Tara

Suddenly Mother jumped to her feet and ran to one of the trees, a three-hundred-foot-tall redwood. "Forever tree! Forever tree!" she cried, smiling. She swept the skinny girl up into her arms. The child's pale skin shimmered in the golden forest light. "Forever trees, forever trees," they sang, spinning in circles. The memory melted into the fog, and Eliza felt very tired. The question came again to her. It appeared out of the gray, out of the damp, out of the cold corners of this new house. The question whispered it always did the kind of whisper that sounded very loud indeed: Where had Mother gone? Shadows appeared and disappeared in Eliza's mind. Still, she couldn't remember. She simply could not remember anything after that last story in the forest. For some reason, she wasn't terribly worried. She was a little worried, for sure, but not terribly worried, because a strange calm held the shadows and the question. It held Eliza, too. Because love is forever.

Goodreads Summary

This novel is a poetic wonder that is impossible to put down.  Eliza’s mother has vanished and
Eliza does not know where she has gone.  Trying to understand where her mother is, Eliza takes a
journey through the Red Wood forest to Great Mother Redwood Tree.  On her journey, Eliza connects with numerous animals, from bears to slugs, and learns about the ecosystem. 
Children will adore Eliza’s Forever Trees.  Poetic and filled with beautiful illustrations, even the
most stubborn child will read and reread Tara’s novel.  This book is entertaining and educational, sure to be a favorite of parents who try to instill a love of learning in their children.  After finishing the novel, the reader will have a better understanding of many animals, the environment, and life and death.  The child may even have a greater appreciation for books! 

5 stars

"Reviewed by Kristin"

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Awakening by Karen Sandler

Once a GEN (genetically engineered nonhuman) girl terrified of her first Assignment, Kayla is now a member of the Kinship, a secret organization of GENs, lowborns, and trueborns. Kayla travels on Kinship business, collecting information to further the cause of GEN freedom.

Despite Kayla’s relative freedom, she is still a slave to the trueborn ruling class. She rarely sees trueborn Devak, and any relationship between them is still strictly forbidden.

Kayla longs to be truly free, but other priorities have gotten in the way. A paradoxically deadly new virus has swept through GEN sectors—a disease only GENs catch. And GEN warrens and warehouses are being bombed, with only a scrawled clue: F.H.E. Freedom, Humanity, Equality.

With the virus and the bombings decimating the GEN community, freedom and love are put on the back burner as Kayla and her friends find a way to stop the killing . . . before it’s too late.

Goodreads Summary

I loved the diversity of Awakening, but was confused for most of my reading.  It is in the reader’s
best interest to read Tankborn, before picking up Awakening.  A lot happened in the earlier book that I wish I had been aware of before I read Awakening.  Other than that confusion, I really liked Awakening. 
Sandler has a great variety of characters and tells a good story.  Kayla is a Kinship spy, a
dangerous endeavor, and a horrible virus is on the loose.  Also, Kayla is unsure if Kinship is as good as it seems.  Kayla grows enormously as a character during Awakening and it was great to see!  Also
impressive is Sandler’s ability to weave together all the plots and intrigue taking place.  This book is
complicated, but Sandler kept all the plots moving together at a good pace.
My only complaint about the plot (besides my initial confusion) is that there was practically no
romance.  YA needs romance.  That being said, this is definitely young adult territory, although adult
readers could definitely enjoy Sandler’s work, too.  I am excited to read the next book; I expect things  will heat up between Kayla and the love interest!

4 out of 5 stars

"Reviewed by Kristin"

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Guest Post by Holly Webb

 

 

Fantasy Cast List

Rose – Chloe Moretz

This is so difficult! Rose needs to be brave, determined, but quite matter-of-fact. She’s horrified by her magic at first, as she wants to be a maid – she’s amazed that she’s been lucky enough to get a job, and she thinks the magic will spoil everything. So whoever played her would need to be able to get that determination across, but be overtaken by the excitement of the magic growing inside her.

At first I thought of Kirsten Dunst, as she was amazing as a child vampire in Interview With the Vampire, but of course that was years and years ago. Actually, if I could have any child actress from whenever, I think I would go for Mara Wilson, who played Matilda in the film. She seemed quite as I imagine Rose – pretty, but not beautiful, very sensible, but with a sly sense of humour lurking underneath. I wonder if Chloe Moretz (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Hugo) would be able to look young enough to play Rose? In the book Rose thinks she’s ten, but she’s not quite sure, and the hard life at the orphanage, and having to be grown-up very quickly, would make her look older.

Mr Fountain – Colin Firth

But only if he could grow a large, curly moustache.

Miss Sparrow – Emma Watson

Miss Sparrow needs to be very beautiful, possibly too beautiful – not to spoil the plot, but her looks are magically enhanced. I’d love to see Emma Watson play another magical character, but this time, an evil one. (Thinking about it, Emma Watson would also have been wonderful as Rose!)

Bill (Or Freddie! )– Asa Butterfield

Bill is another of the servants at Mr Fountain’s house. He’s an orphan too, and he loves being a little bit older and more used to working than Rose. But he’s actually very kind, although he does his best to hide it. He needs to sound like a Londoner, which I think is probably easier for a British actor. But then I can see Asa Butterfield as Freddie, the snotty, conceited magician’s apprentice, too! He has a magical look to him. Can I have him twice with different-coloured hair, please?!

Gus (voice) – Alan Rickman

Because he has a lovely voice!

Gus is Mr Fountain’s spoilt white cat, and one of the first magical things to happen to Rose is that she realises she can hear him talking. He’s proud, lazy and obsessed with fishpaste sandwiches.

I first saw Alan Rickman in Truly, Madly, Deeply a long time ago but he can also be fabulously nasty (as the sheriff of Nottingham and of course as Snape in the Harry Potter films).  He’s great at sounding grumpy, which is very important for Gus!

Guest Post by author Patty Blount!

Inspiration for TMI Characters

By Patty Blount

When my Sourcebooks editor agreed to publish my first novel, SEND, she asked me if I had any other internet issues stories. I had a few, but none were written. When I told her about TMI, she loved it!

The ideas for both SEND and TMI came from the news. SEND was inspired by a boy put on the sex offender’s list for forwarding a sext message. And TMI was inspired by the story about a young girl who committed suicide after she discovered the boy she’d met online wasn’t real; he was a hoax created by her best friend’s mother, to get back at her for some insult. I started trying to imagine what kind of personality would take an online breakup so seriously and eventually decided it could be someone almost starved for love. The personality I originally envisioned would later become Bailey in TMI. 

In my original vision for TMI, my best friend main characters were living almost identical lives but were so similar, we thought readers might have a hard time distinguishing between them. So I deliberately wrote Meg and Bailey as almost polar opposites. Meg is practical while Bailey is playful. Meg hates fashion while for Bailey, it’s her life’s blood. Meg is a very diligent student while Bailey performs only the barest minimum of work in order to pass.

But these are all surface differences. Underneath all that, my girls are still very much on the same path – starved for and looking for love. It’s the subtle ways they both respond to that starvation that form the story. Bailey’s actions are overt and sometimes, kind of desperate. She reinvents herself for every guy she dates but it isn’t until she ‘meets’ Ryder that she figures out who she really wants to be. Meg’s actions are covert – even she isn’t entirely aware of what she’s doing. She clings to Bailey because she believes best-friend-love is safe and won’t interfere with her plan. But yet she twists herself into a pretzel trying to be what she thinks Bailey needs her to be instead of listening to what Bailey wants. The more distance that forms between the girls, the closer Meg grows to Chase.

Chase, ooo – he’s a fun character, my favorite in the story. He started off as just the boy next door – a sort of walk-on character I’d planned to keep in the background until the electricity he has with Meg sizzled off the pages. That wasn’t planned on my part; it sort of grew organically from the story. In fact, it almost took over and I debated writing the whole book from only Chase’s point of view, as he observes the implosion of the girls’ friendship. As Chase demanded more and more stage time, I knew it wouldn’t be enough to draw him as merely Meg’s ‘opposite.’ He had to become her missing piece. He has as a large, noisy, interfering family because Meg doesn’t. But more importantly, he needs to escape that family to see what he can become by himself – a variation on Meg’s “Plan” and a link they share. Similarly, Bailey’s need to find her father is an extension of Chase’s Escape and Meg’s Plan – she has to know where and who she came from in order to figure out who she’s going to be. The story is about the things that hold us back as well as those that compel us forward to do just that.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to explain some of the story’s subtleties to readers.

Win Counting by 7s!

In the tradition of Out of My Mind, Wonder, and Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family. 

Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now.

Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

Goodreads Summary



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Give Yourself a Raise by Gordon Bennett Bleil

Give Yourself A RAISE is a complete how-to guide for finding more money to reduce the stress in your life and lead you to financial freedom. Suitable for beginners and professionals alike, it will lead you to more contentment about money! Unique to this book are: The Financial Freedom Risk Assessment Quiz-take it and evaluate your own risk! Goals made easy-the complete foundation for personal money management The Freedom Money Management System -harness the power of electronic banking to organize your personal finances You will also learn how to: Control impulse spending Eliminate family conflict Get out of debt and stay out Practice spending strategies to stretch your income. Stop wasting money

Goodreads Summary

When I was newly married, my husband found a magazine in his office. The whole point of the magazine was "pay yourself first." We were young...we read it, and it made sense to us. We tried to folow some of the advice. Now that we are older, some of the advice probably helped us to be in a better financial position.
Bleil's book could do this for young people today too. On page 4, you will find the basic precepts that will help you to become financially more secure. "1) Pay yourself first. 2) Live within your means. 3) Stay out of debt." Unlike the magazine we read so many years ago, Bleil goes into more detail, which is helpful. On the other hand, some subjects-such as health care insurance, emergency preparedness, and government help-only get a quick overview. That's to be expected sine the subjects are so complicated, but it might make reading the book a little daunting for readers who aren't too interested in financial matters My age is showing when it comes to one of Bleil's biggest pieces of advice. He advocates using online banking as much as possible-both for control and dollar savings. I'm not too comfortable with  that, just because of security issues. On that subject, I'm sure Bleil is right; he calls it your "new best friend"-"the invisible banker". This book could help your plan your way to a more secure financial future. The worksheets that are available for planning and for figuring out where you stand now are easy to use.
Try it!

Four stars

*Reviewed by Colleen*

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Q & A and GIVEAWAY with Caprice Crane: Confessions of a Hater

Q & A with the awesome Caprice Crane!

1. I admit to being a hater, at times.  Are you a hater of anything specific?  How did you come up with the awesome title?

I try not to hate as a general rule. If I have to pick one thing though it's easy: cruelty to animals. I literally get a stomach ache when I see anything about abused or suffering animals. I can't take it. And anyone who willingly contributes to that is not someone I want to know. But for the rest of humanity, I don't encourage hating. That's why the title changed. It was originally named after Noel's (Hailey's older sister) manual in the book which is "How to be a Hater." But that sounds like a handy guide to hating and I didn't want there to be a negative slant to the book because it's not about that at all. And there are always consequences to everything we do. So I approached the title from the perspective of Hailey at the end of the book, rather than Hailey when she first finds her sister's diary. 

2. Are there any characters you relate to more than others?

As a whole, I definitely relate to the Invisibles in the book more than the "popular" people but these aren't all one-dimensional people and everyone is who they are because of their past experiences so there's probably at lest one thing I could pick from every character in the book that I relate to. 

3. Did any of the characters give you trouble when you were creating them?

Not really. I loved them all for their flaws and their virtues. 

4. If you could change the ending, how would you change it (take two)?

I wouldn't! I ended it exactly how and where I wanted to, but I also like that it ends with some questions still. What's going to happen next? How are these people going to move forward now that all this stuff has happened? 

5. Are there plans for more books coming soon?

I purposely left it slightly open-ended so we'd have that option. We'll see if enough people buy the book and there's a demand for it. I sure hope there is! Tell everyone to go get it! :)

***GIVEAWAY: USA/CAN Thanks to the awesome MacMillan!

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Working It Out Book Blast!

Working It Out A chance encounter . . . Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.  

Amazon * Amazon Kindle

 

Author Rachael Renee Anderson Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

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Book Blast Special Price Drop!

Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!

    BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/6/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway   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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Trust In Me Cover Reveal and Awesome Giveaway!

Summary:

It’s Wait for You as you’ve never seen it. Trust in Me lets you in on Cam’s side of the #1 New York Times Bestselling story.

Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head.

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery's life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever? a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to enter a Rafflecopter properly - Great tips; please read!

Once again it was so fun to put together the 150+ book giveaway! I've emailed the winners and they have 48 hours to respond.

While I was picking winners from the Rafflecopters I noticed people didn't submit the right links and didn't answer questions efficiently. There were multiple moments when the winner obviously entered everyday, but his/her links were going to a "This page does not exist!" link and I had to pick another winner. This stinks for people who are dying to win! That being said, lemme go through some tips and tricks for you.

1. The more entries you have, the better chance you'll win. I've had over 10 people that won at least 2/3 books each. Why? Because they entered everyday, which earned them many more points. Tweeting was 3 points extra, so the people that would re-enter time and time again earned over 100 points more than others. They won.

2. Rafflecopter is RANDOM, but that doesn't mean I can't pick other people. If the link you submitted is not working or your profile is set to "private" and I can't see your post, then I pick someone else. I need proof of your effort.

3. People check entries. Out of all 61 Rafflecopters, I looked at the winners to see if the links work or if you really did tweet/share everyday. Sometimes people put in the SAME link over and over again. I had to re-picked the winner if that was the case. Whenever you need to enter more information (like "what color is the authors background") don't leave it blank because we will see that the field is empty and it won't count as an entry.

Examples of twitter links I get:

a) http://twitter.com/usernamehere

Seriously. People just gave me the name of their account as an entry. If I can't see the tweet for that day then it doesn't count.

b) https://twitter.com/intent/tweetoriginal_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafflecopter.com%2Fembed%2Frafl%2Fcptr.html%3Fxdm_e%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Flivetoread-krystal.blogspot.com%26xdm_c%3Ddefault8690%26xdm_p%3D1&related=rafflecopter&text=%23Win%20Shadow%20of%20the%20Mark%20by%20%40Leigh_Fallon%20at%20the%20Live%20to%20Reads%20150%2B%20giveaway!&tw_p=tweetbutton&url=http%3A%2F%2Flivetoread-krystal.blogspot.com%2F

WHAT IS THIS? Triple check to see if the link you enter is correct and can be seeable to people who click on the link.

c) they copy and paste the actual tweet into the "Paste in the tweet URL".

"URL" means the web address of a website. So if someone says "Give me the URL of that awesome search site you were talking about" you don't say "Oh, it's Google." you say "It's www.google.com". Does that make a little more sense?

4. Put effort into winning. I put in "free entry" for everyone because I thought it would be awesome if everyone has a chance no matter what. That doesn't mean you can't do other entries on the rafflecopter. Even if it's commenting on the post (which will take 15 seconds) that would be awesome, and it would be great if you could help out the author as best you can! Maybe this one is just me and others won't care, but it's just something I've noticed.

In short: people who handle rafflecopters check entries, so if you leave anything blank or gives us the wrong link - even if you come back everyday - you don't win.

---

I'm not posting this to be mean, I promise! It's just good to know so you'll have a better chance at winning future giveaways. I hope this helps!

- Rachel

PersunMall Giveaway!

For a chance to win, register at PersunMall, and like this page: https://www.facebook.com/PersunMall, then leave a comment with your name and email address that you used to register! You have the chance to win a $100 giftcard to Persun and choose something fun for the end of the summer!  If you share this giveaway on twitter/facebook/google+/etc..please include a link in your comment (earns you extra chances to win!).

Memory's Door by James L Rubart

With a victory against the Evil One under their belts, the four of the Prophecy have managed to bring even greater adversity their way.
In Soul’s Gate, Reece, Dana, Brandon, and Marcus—the four of the Prophecy—were set free from some of their deepest wounds.
Now the four must stand against the Enemy’s continues assaults—and try to determine how to prevail against the dark manifestation of The Wolf mentioned in the Prophecy.
But the Enemy isn’t going to make that easy. Circumstances in each of their personal lives affect their unity and commitment to the group. Three enigmatic men appear and none of the four can get a true sense of whether these men are intimate allies . . . or diabolical enemies. And if that’s not enough, the Enemy has begun torturing them with visions of what their lives would be like if they could reverse their greatest regrets—if they’d made the right choices.
These four have seen amazing things in the spiritual realm. But faith can become even more difficult when it’s influenced by sight.

Goodreads Summary

Looking for a book to interest a male reader?  Memory's Door is great for the young Christian reader.  I did enjoy the fantasy theme.  This is the second in the series; I warn those easily confused (like myself) to pick up the first for another read prior to starting this one.  I liked the main characters; I really felt like they were people I could root for unconditionally.  The Enemy is a true enemy; he felt un-redemptive and truly evil.  I liked the thought of alternate realities and how there always seems to be a decision that can affect everything down the line.  

Overall, this book reminded me a little of The Hobbit (when it came to overarching themes and the issues the main characters face internally).  I liked the mysterious tone the author managed to carry throughout the story and how the ending was mildly expected...but not quite.  Overall, this is a great read for young boys.

3 1/2 Stars


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Beginning of Everything-Inspirational Quotes!

Cover of Darkness: Spotlight and Giveaway!

Summary:

A high profile murder of a Wall Street executive in Westchester pits three people against the criminal underbelly of Manhattan nightlife. The key players are two ex-cops turned private investigators—Kevin Whitehouse, whose sharpest tool is his keen analytical mind, and David Allerton, a former Special Forces operative—and Margaret Alexander, Kevin’s lover. In their search for a killer, they are forced to travel to the edge of sanity and morality, while stumbling onto their own confusing secrets as well. The Cover of Darkness is a gritty noir saga that untangles a web of deceit in the course of tracking down a brutal murderer.

Excerpt:

The pool area was wide and reflected the sun on this hot summer day. It was edged with white marble so polished that it looked like pearl. Deck chairs lined the sides of the long pool, which was two lengths more than Olympic-sized. Outside the deck area was the carpeted lawn of the vast backyard, dappled with sun.

Hugh Osterman walked along the side of the pool wearing a heavy terry cloth robe and sandals. In his right hand, he held a martini glass. He ran his left hand through his sandy sun-streaked hair as he looked over his shoulder at the man following him.

“What’s going on? I don’t get it,” Osterman said, stopping at the end of the pool where the flotation chairs were kept.

“They said no,” the man replied. Considering the backdrop, he was incongruously dressed in a dark suit and tie.

“They said no . . . just like that?”

Osterman sat his drink down on the marble surface, and pushed a flotation chair into the deep end of the pool, sending it out and away. Then he peeled off the robe and dove smoothly into the water, emerging next to the floating chair.

“You go back and tell them that we aren’t pleased,” Osterman said sternly, pulling himself up and into the seat of the chair. “You tell them that Hugh Osterman wants to know what’s holding things up—what the problem is.”

The suit just stood at the edge of the pool, opening his jacket against the heat of the day. Osterman paddled to the side, and reached out and retrieved his martini glass. “I take it you have nothing to say about this?” he persisted, despite the other man’s silence.

The suit shook his head.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Osterman said as he tipped the glass up to his lips. Suddenly, the bottom of the stem shattered. Osterman gurgled as he dropped the glass, blood bubbling from his mouth, an open tear in his neck. He jolted upright in the chair as the suit closed the distance between them, his Colt .38 Super still trained on its victim, its silencer smoldering.

Osterman slowly sat back as the suit pumped more rounds into Osterman’s bare, well-defined chest—the hot shells of his pistol ejecting out and striking the surface of the water, settling to the bottom. His life ended as his body tumbled from the floating chair, his blood a widening crimson slick roughly in the area where his body slipped through.

The suit popped his clip, slipped in a new one, and headed for the sprawling house.

Author Links:

Gregory Delaurentis spent his adult life roaming from job to job, working for Lockheed in California, various law firms in New York, and financial firms on Wall Street. Throughout this period of time, he was writing—unceasingly—finally producing a large body of work, albeit unrecognized and unpublished . . . until now. Cover of Darkness is the first in a series of upcoming books that include Edge of Darkness, Pale of Darkness and Cries of Darkness. These novels follow the lives of three individuals who do battle bringing criminals to justice, while they struggle to understand the complex relationships that exist among themselves. This intriguing trio has absorbed the attention of Mr. Delaurentis for the past year and a half, so much so he decided to self-publish their stories to bring them to a wider audience. [AUTHOR’S DISCLAIMER: These are works of fiction. Name, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.]

LINKS

Vendor links

1) AMAZON  http://www.amazon.com/Cover-Darkness-1-Gregory-Delaurentis/dp/0989185702/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365639244&sr=1-1&keywords=cover+of+darkness+gregory+delaurentis
2) KOBO  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Cover-of-Darkness/book-SydhWnuMdEGT2jO97s6rDA/page1.html?s=znZMkhZzw0yjFAMp-WIkpQ&r=1
3) BARNES & NOBLE http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cover-of-darkness-gregory-delaurentis/1115107265?ean=9780989185707
4) SONY READER STORE https://ebookstore.sony.com/search?keyword=Gregory+Delaurentis
5) SMASHWORDS  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/304457

General links

1)  http://www.darknessnovels.com/

2) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cover-of-Darkness/435819953132527

3) https://twitter.com/cupgrease

4) http://gregorydelaurentis.blogspot.com/




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