Breath of Life: September 2013

Guest Post: Finding Our Way, Figuring it Out by Deb DeArmond

Friday, September 27, 2013

Hello to everyone today. I have the opportunity today to bring to you all a wonderful Guest Post from Deb DeArmond on the topic pertaining to National Daughter-n-Law Day. Did not realize that it was actually yesterday, but I thought it would still be nice to post today. Don't know about you all but I have some sweet gals that are part of my family. And I love them all.

So here we go with our sweet guest post, enjoy and leave some love for Deb.

Finding Our Way, Figuring it Out

By Deb DeArmond

September 26 is National Daughter-in-Law Day. I’m blessed with three wonderful DILs. I’ve also authored a book on relationships between Daughters-in-Law and Mothers-in-Law. Related By Chance, Family By Choice, releasing November 1. This article is written as a reminder to mother-in-laws to honor those sometimes considered “the other woman.”

“You know what I love about you?” asked my daughter-in-law Sarah as we sat in our favorite coffeehouse. “You don’t have an opinion about everything we do.”

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Title: THE SIX
Author: K.B. Hoyle
Category: YA/Fantasy
Pub. Date: 04/04/2012
Publisher: The Writers Coffee Shop
Format: Kindle
Pages: 230
ISBN#: 1612130526
Series: The Gateway Chronicles #1

Synopsis:
Darcy Pennington hates her life. She is an insufferably average teenager with no real friends, crushing social anxiety, and an indescribable sense of being out of place in the world around her. when Darcy is forced to attend Cedar Cove Family Camp for an entire week, she once again finds herself on the outside of an already existent social circle of friends. It is only when she unwittingly stumbles upon a gateway to a new world that Darcy begins to realize that there might be a higher purpose for her life. She suddenly finds herself the leader of the small group of teens in the world called Alitheia, and in the end, their lives, and hte lives of countless others, will hinge on the decisions she makes. Will Darcy have what it takes to fulfill her mysterious purpose? Or will she fall prey to a deadly foe?

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Today I would like to welcome author Dave Gutknecht. We asked him to tell us Why he wrote his book The Word By Steps.

So please welcome him to Breath of life and lets see what his answer is.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Title: The Camilla Randall Mysteries Set
Author: Anne R. Allen
Category: Mysteries
Pub. Date: 03/20/2012
Publisher: Mark Williams International Digital Pub.
Format: Kindle
Pages: 827
ISBN#: B007N6GJNQ

Synopsis:
The Camilla Randall Mysteries…
If this is your first time with author Anne R. Allen then there can be no better way to hit the ground running than with this delightful Camilla box-set.
The Best Revenge is actually a prequel to the highly acclaimed Ghostwriters In The Sky, and takes us back to Camilla Randall’s early years, when she first met Plantagenet Smith.
Ghostwriters In The Sky fasts forward to a more mature Camilla Randall, hoping to have an easy ride at a writers’ conference in California. Needless to say fate has other ideas.
In Sherwood Ltd. Anne R. Allen conveys Camilla to the merry England of Robin Hood legend, where of course Camilla once again ends up in the most improbable, but always believable, circumstances.
Together, these three novels make up the Camilla Randall Mysteries. So far. But Anne will be bringing us more Camilla in the future, fear not.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Title: Everlast
Author: ANDRIA BUCHANAN
Category: Fantasy/Fairy Tale
Pub. Date: 08/27/2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format: Kindle
Pages: 320
ISBN#:B00BQMLIPM
Series: The Chronicles of Nerissette #1

Synopsis:
Allie Munroe has only ever wanted to belong, maybe even be well liked. But even though she’s nice and smart and has a couple of friends, she’s still pretty much the invisible girl at school. So when the chance to work with her friends and some of the popular kids on an English project comes up, Allie jumps at the chance to be noticed.

And her plan would have worked out just fine…if they hadn’t been sucked into a magical realm through a dusty old book of fairy tales in the middle of the library.

Now, Allie and her classmates are stuck in Nerissette, a world where karma rules and your social status is determined by what you deserve. Which makes a misfit like Allie the Crown Princess, and her archrival the scullery maid. And the only way out is for Allie to rally and lead the people of Nerissette against the evil forces that threaten their very existence.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Title: IN BETWEEN SEASONS
Author: Cassandra Giovanni
Category: YA, Romance, Post-Apocalyptic
Pub. Date: 05/05/2012
Publisher: Self pub
Format: e-book
Pages: 290
ISBN#: 1230000037859

Synopsis:
At eighteen there is one thing Kate Ericson is certain of—the world is at war and has been since she was two years old. That was when her father pulled her family and a group of close friends to a God forsaken place in the middle of nowhere. For Kate there is no escape from the sea of lies she is drowning in until her world collides with Hunter Marks—the son of her father's biggest opponent. An opponent that Kate didn't even know existed. What Hunter kidnaps Kate for, and what her family will try to kill her to keep secret, is a knowledge that she doesn't have. Now Kate’s innocence seems to becoming undone at the seams of reality. Hunter then finds himself fighting the hopelessness that is creeping into the edges of her heart as she learns more about the corruption that has devoured their lives. As Hunter and Kate forge a strong and unique relationship it becomes clear that their love is something that the bureaucracy never expected, and that Hunter's father will do whatever he can to destroy it. Hunter believes he must sacrifice love in order to teach Kate that the world's deadliest weapon is her. Hunter and Kate will have to find the strength to rise above a deception that is so great, even the ones who created it don't realize its depth.

In Between Seasons is a new kind of post-apocalyptic novel, one that focuses on the characters and uses the lack of understanding of a corrupt world as the backdrop to shape them into who they are as people.

Title: Twice Loved
Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter
Category: Holiday/Christmas
Pub. Date: 08/15/2013
Publisher: Barbour Book
Format: Kindle
Pages: 146
ISBN# 1624162673

Synopsis:
Bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter brings you a touching story of a single mother widowed after World War II. Bev Winters’s new job is an answer to prayer and just in time for Christmas—until her boss’s kindness awakens an old longing. Will her pride allow love after loss? Also enjoy a collection of 1940s recipes and handcrafts along with stories and trivia about Christmas 1946.

Title: ETERNAL DARK
Author: ALEXANDRA LANC
Category: Paranormal/Fantasy
Pub. Date: 06/12/2013
Publisher: Alexandra Lanc Publisher
Format: kindle
Pages: 150
ISBN#: B00DDx9P20
Series: Knight Blood 0.5

Synopsis:
Zarrod Kingsbury has lived at least twelve human lifetimes, and has seen the world pass through the centuries. But how did he come to be the enigmatic vampire he is now, head of the Kingsbury line? The truth is about to be unveiled...
Journey into the past with Zarrod as he recounts, in his own words, the tale of how his life changed. Intrigue, heartbreak, and betrayal abound as the mystery unfolds, and what once was is swallowed forever in flames.
A prequel to Midnight, Eternal Dark uncovers the secrets behind one of the most intriguing vampires in existence.

Title: MIDNIGHT
Author: Alexandra Lanc
Category: Paranormal/Vampire
Pub. Date: 03/25/2013
Publisher: Alexandra Lanc Publisher
Format: Kindle
Pages: 224
ISBN#: B00C108JTC
Series: Knight Blood #1

Synopsis:
Life has always seemed impossible for IxBryn Rowan, and it's about to get even more complicated.
IxBryn is a Knight Blood, an immortal human rendered by science to bring about harmony between the two races of Earth, the humans and the vampires -- at least, that was the plan. A terrible tragedy occurred, and IxBryn is now the only surviving Knight, hunted for the potency of her blood, which will render any Immortal nearly unstoppable for a time.
With nowhere left to turn, IxBryn makes her way to Variance, the most prestigious and important City on Earth, to stay with her cousin Bristol, the only person alive who truly understands her, and in turn stumbles upon a secret war breeding within the shadows -- a struggle in which she soon becomes the prize.
With danger at every turn, IxBryn may have to learn to rely on those who appear untrustworthy -- even the labeled sociopath Zarrod Kingsbury, an Ancient vampire, and one of the Elite, who has interests of his own.
The first novella in the Knight Blood series, a new Urban Fantasy with a splash of Dystopia, Midnight introduces readers to a parallel Earth, where vampires roam free, fate is never concrete, and where home can be found in the strangest of places.
Please note: This novella series contains violence and some suggestive material, and may not be suitable for all readers.

On My Wishlist is a Meme created by Book Chick City.

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme that allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. If you are anything like me then your wishlist is getting longer by the day! If you would like to take part and have your own 'On My Wishlist' post then you can more info here. (This post was inspired by the fab In My Mailbox by Kristi at The Story Siren)

Friday, September 13, 2013

Title: Absolution
Author: Jennifer Laurens
Category: Paranormal/Fantasy
Pub. Date: 10/10/2011
Publisher: Grove Creek Publisher
Format: e-book
Pages: 220
ISBN#: B00466100G
Series: Heavenly #3

Synopsis:
Zoe's secret is out. And the powers of Hell are ravenous to claim her soul. Her brother, Luke, knows her secret: that she sees both good and evil spirits. Her boyfriend knows. At least Matthias is her guardian angel again. But now Hell's most ruthless leader will stop at nothing to have her soul.
Albert, Matthias' father, is relentless in his hunger for Zoe. He wants to destroy Matthias and will use Zoe to do so.
The battle between Heaven and Hell tests everything Zoe has. As she witnesses everyone important in her life suffering, she's brought to the ultimate choice: will she sacrifice her soul to save the ones she loves?

Title: PENITENCE
Author: JENNIFER LAURENS
Category: Paranormal/Fantasy
Pub. Date: 11/10/2010
Publisher: Grove Creek Publisher
Format: Kindle
Pages: 320
ISBN#: 1933963832
Series: Heavenly #2

Synopsis:
Seeing good and evil spirits is a gift Zoe guards with her life.
Despite her guardian angel’s disappearance, Zoe forces herself to accept that she still has a purpose—but how does she carry the weight of her brother’s drug abuse, the hardship of living with an autistic sister, and a best friend who’s obsessed with a guy who only wants Zoe?
She’s never felt more alone.
When a mysterious spirit appears, Zoe thinks she has a new guardian angel. Instead, her brother’s addiction worsens, her parents are on the brink of separation, and her best friend tries to kill her. The spirit she thinks is her new guardian isn’t there to protect her: he’s out to destroy her family and seize Zoe’s soul. . . for Hell.
Will Matthias’ return mean that he is Zoe’s guardian angel again? Or is their love the reason the jaws of Hell now gape open?

Title: Heavenly

Author: Jennifer Laurens

Category: Paranormal/Fantasy

Pub. Date: 08/15/2009

Publisher: Grove Creek Publisher

Format: Kindle

Pages: 294

ISBN#: B003WEAJ8E

Series: Heavenly #1

Synopsis:
I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. Zoë's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoë lost in her broken life. Zoë escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoë's autistic sister. After Zoë is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.

Title: Wife 22
Author: Melanie Gideon
Category: Women's Fiction/Chick Lit
Pub. Date: 02/12/2013
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 416
ISBN#: 0345527968

Synopsis:
For fans of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary and Allison Pearson’s I Don’t Know How She Does It comes an irresistible novel of a woman losing herself . . . and finding herself again . . . in the middle of her life.
Maybe it was those extra five pounds I’d gained. Maybe it was because I was about to turn the same age my mother was when I lost her. Maybe it was because after almost twenty years of marriage my husband and I seemed to be running out of things to say to each other.
But when the anonymous online study called “Marriage in the 21st Century” showed up in my inbox, I had no idea how profoundly it would change my life. It wasn’t long before I was assigned both a pseudonym (Wife 22) and a caseworker (Researcher 101).
And, just like that, I found myself answering questions.
7. Sometimes I tell him he’s snoring when he’s not snoring so he’ll sleep in the guest room and I can have the bed all to myself.
61. Chet Baker on the tape player. He was cutting peppers for the salad. I looked at those hands and thought, I am going to have this man’s children.
67. To not want what you don’t have. What you can’t have. What you shouldn’t have.
32. That if we weren’t careful, it was possible to forget one another.
Before the study, my life was an endless blur of school lunches and doctor’s appointments, family dinners, budgets, and trying to discern the fastest-moving line at the grocery store. I was Alice Buckle: spouse of William and mother to Zoe and Peter, drama teacher and Facebook chatter, downloader of memories and Googler of solutions.
But these days, I’m also Wife 22. And somehow, my anonymous correspondence with Researcher 101 has taken an unexpectedly personal turn. Soon, I’ll have to make a decision—one that will affect my family, my marriage, my whole life. But at the moment, I’m too busy answering questions.
As it turns out, confession can be a very powerful aphrodisiac.
From the Hardcover edition.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Title: THE WORD BY STEPS
Author: DAVID M. GUTKNECHT
Category: Spiritual Growth
Pub. Date: 11/23/2012
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Format: Paperback
Pages: 246
ISBN#: 147871834X

Synopsis:
Can you think of a better goal than to develop and grow your spiritual life? When confronted with the challenge of reading the Bible, many Christians balk at the huge undertaking of the task. Where should you start? How do you tackle the dense material of the Old Testament? What was the historical and cultural context of the text? Whether you are new to the faith or a seasoned veteran, The Word by Steps is designed to introduce God's Word to your life in a way that is meaningful, practical, and life changing. A clear and simple commentary for each week gives you an introduction to the Biblical text you're reading. Paired with a simple and manageable reading plan, this guide not only makes the Word of God part of your daily spiritual path, but can also stimulate growth in your Bible studies, small groups, and friendships. No longer does the Bible have to be a daunting challenge. Dive into the depth and mystery of God's Word today -- and see life around you transformed.

Title: The SECRET KEEPER
Author: SANDRA BYRD
Category: Historical Fiction
Pub. Date: 06/05/2012
Publisher: Howard Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 331
ISBN#: 1139183147
Series: Ladies in Waiting #2

Synopsis:
The author of To Die For returns to the court of Henry VIII, as a young woman is caught between love and honor.
What she sees in secret, she may not tell.
Mistress Juliana St. John is the lovely, forthright daughter of a prosperous knight’s family. Though all expect her to marry the son of her late father’s business partner, time and chance interrupt, sending her to the sumptuous but deceptive court of Henry VIII.
Sir Thomas Seymour, brother of the late Queen Jane, returns to Wiltshire to conclude his affairs with Juliana’s father’s estate and chances upon her reading as lector in the local church. He sees instantly that she would fit into the household of the woman he loves and wants most to please, Kateryn Parr. Juliana’s mother agrees to have her placed with Parr for a season and Juliana goes, though reluctantly.
For she keeps a secret.
As Juliana accompanies Kateryn Parr to court, Henry’s devout sixth queen raises the stakes for all reformers. Support of firebrand Anne Askew puts the queen and her ladies in life-threatening jeopardy, as does the queen’s desire to influence her husband’s—and the realm’s—direction and beliefs. Later, without Henry’s strong arm, the court devolves to competition, duplicity, and betrayal. The risks could not be higher as Juliana must choose between love and honor, personal fulfillment and sacrifice. Ultimately, her course is driven by a final kept secret, one that undoes everything she thought she knew.

Title: Surrender the Wind
Author: Rita Gerlach
Category: Historical Fiction
Pub. Date: 08/01/2009
Publisher: Abington Press
Format: Paperback
Pages: 382
ISBN#: 1426700725

Synopsis:
Surrender the Wind is the story of Seth Braxton, a patriot of the American Revolution, who unexpectedly inherits his loyalist grandfather s estate in England. Seth is torn between the land he fought for and the prospect of reuniting with his sister Caroline, who was a motherless child taken to England at the onset of the war.

With no intention of staying permanently, Seth arrives to find his sister grieving over the death of her young son. In the midst of such tragedy, Seth meets Juleah, the daughter of an eccentric landed gentleman. Her independent spirit and gentle soul steal Seth s heart. After a brief courtship, they marry and she takes her place as the lady of Ten Width Manor, enraging the man who once sought her hand and schemed to make Ten Width his own.

From the Virginia wilderness to the dark halls of an isolated English estate, Seth and his beloved Juleah inherit more than an ancestral home. They uncover a sinister plot that leads to murder, abduction, and betrayal--an ominous threat to their new life, love, and faith.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Title: Eventide
Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Category: Christian/Fiction
Pub. Date: 09/02/2013
Publisher: Avon Inspire
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
ISBN# 0062204440
Series: The Days of Redemption #3

Synopsis:
Eventide is the riveting conclusion to The Days of Redemption trilogy by Shelley Shepard Gray, celebrated author of tender Christian romance novels set in Amish country.
Honest and faithful Elsie Keim falls for her new neighbor, Landon, but she can’t bear to tell him the truth: She’s going blind.
Landon is enamored with Elsie. When Elsie’s brother Roman steps in and shares the truth of Elsie’s disease, Landon is floored. His job is demanding and takes him away from home, sometimes for days at a time. He wonders how he’d be able to keep up with his responsibilities and take care of Elsie.
In Eventide, three generations of the Keim family come together to make their dreams come true.
Shelley Shepard Gray, bestselling author of the Sisters of the Heart books, draws her Days of Redemption trilogy to a heart-warming finish.

Five winners will receive:

Daybreak, Ray of Light and Eventide by Shelley Shepard Gray

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 21st. All winners will be announced September 23rd at my blog .

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit my blog on the 23rd to see if you won one of the book sets!

Also:

My Review of this amazing book and author coming next.

So check back for my Breath of Life Rating of:

EVENTIDE by author Shelley Shepard Gray!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Title: SWORD by KINGS
Author: MATTHEW IDEN
Category: Fantasy
Pub. Date: 02/01/2012
Publisher: Self
Format: Kindle
Pages: 17
ISBN#: B007583RAY

Synopsis:
“My sword is dying.”
King Andreas was confident, bold, courageous…until his sword–the living symbol of his power–began to crumble in his hands.With his brother Jon by his side, Andreas has little time to find out why the sword, passed down through a hundred generations, is failing now.The answer he finds may save his kingdom, but at a terrible price.
Sword of Kings is a 4,100 word short story of high fantasy. Included in this volume is a Story Notes essay detailing the thought process and background behind the writing of the work.

Title: Assassin
Author: MATTHEW IDEN
Category: Fantasy
Pub. Date: 03/11/2012
Publisher: Self
Format: Kindle
Pages: 17
ISBN#: B00JJSMTQ

Synopsis:
For almost twenty years, war has raged between the mountain kingdom of Thrace and the sea-faring land of Andal, exhausting both nations. Prince Lowan, the educated and debonair second son of the King of Thrace, has arrived to make peace with his father’s enemies. But the price Andal requires for peace is high–too high–and Lowan knows there are many ways to influence a nation at war.

Assassin is an original fantasy short story of 4,200 word, or about 17 paperback pages. It includes a Story Notes section, outlining the background and thought process behind the writing as well as an excerpt from Matthew Iden’s fantasy short story Sword of Kings.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB 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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teas.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Title: The Boy Who Walked A Way
Author: Nancy James
Category: Fantasy
Pub. Date: 03/03/2013
Publisher: Createspace
Format: Paperback
Pages: 240
ISBN#: 1479139076

Synopsis:
In the year 2162, a young boy named Jal Valhyn is caught in a maelstrom of violence and conflict. His country is at war and the world government based on humanistic principles that had fulfilled its promise of a halcyon peace for over a century has fallen. Alone and helpless, he has an encounter with an invisible being that leads to a seven-day journey. With his two appointed companions he sets out for a safe haven far from the world of danger and turmoil. Each day's trek brings the gift of new friendships and a growing awareness that life has dimensions grounded in more than the material. He intuitively understands the faith that sustains the inhabitants of an enduring peaceable..

Title: COLUMBUS AVENUE BOYS
Author: David Carraturo
Category: Mystery Crime
Pub. Date: 04/17/2012
Publisher: IUniverse
Format: Paperback
Pages: 258
ISBN#: 1469778289

Synopsis:
Hollywood Book Festival Honorable Mention (2012). Highly Recommended by Midwest Reviews. Recommended review from Kirkus Reviews. Designated "Editors Choice" by iUniverse Review Board. iUniverse "Hollywood Coverage" recommendation to consider the story for screenplay adaption.

Salvatore Esposito, Anthony Albanese, and Christopher Cameron—the Columbus Avenue Boys—are somewhat related, as they share lineage back to before the turn of century. Having grown up together in a small community north of New York City, each became successful in his own right. Chris moved to Dallas to be a portfolio manager with a financial firm while Sal and Tony earn their living the hard way—by being enforcers and major earners for the mob.

Tony’s grandfather, Pops Scala, tells them a horrific secret from the Scalamarri Family past: twelve members of their family were massacred at the hands of Bugsy Siegel and his ruthless gang from Murder Inc. in 1935. Pops was the sole witness and lone survivor, and he was more than happy to pull the trigger and end Bugsy’s murderous life.

Now fifty years later, Pops convinces the Columbus Avenue Boys they must leave the underworld life for good. Since one cannot just give two weeks’ notice to the Gambino crime family, the three blood brothers devise a plan to infiltrate the inner workings of the Mafia in the 1990s to avenge the massacre in their family tree.

Columbus Avenue Boys chronicles the Scalamarri family tree throughout the twentieth century and presents a historical perspective of the life and struggles of an Italian immigrant family as well as that of America’s organized crime.

iUniverse Hollywood Coverage comments...David Carraturo’s Columbus Avenue Boys is an authentic-feeling and compelling gangster drama told from the perspective of its musclemen soldiers, opposed to its cunning bosses. With the novel’s juxtaposed storylines of immigrants and their sons, much of the plot harkens The Godfather Part II; likewise, its portrayal of soldiers and FBI informants is reminiscent of more contemporary gangster films such as Donnie Brasco and Goodfellas. Carraturo writes this world with authority, making dynamic characters that have often been relegated to filmic clichés, while at the same time offering a proud and historic sense of Italian immigration and community.

Title: IN THE GARDEN OF BEAST
Author: Erik Larson
Category: Historical/Non-Fiction
Pub. Date: 01/01/2011
Publisher: Crown
Format: Kindle
Pages: 368
ISBN#: 0807952428

Synopsis:
Erik Larson has been widely acclaimed as a master of narrative non-fiction, and in his new book, the bestselling author of Devil in the White City turns his hand to a remarkable story set during Hitler’s rise to power.
The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history.
A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition.
Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror.

Title: Beautiful DISASTER
Author: JAMIE McGuire
Category: Romance
Pub. Date: 05/26/2011
Publisher: Shelf Pub.
Format: Kindle
Pages: 319
ISBN#: B0052VUNHC
Series: Beautiful #1

Synopsis:
INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.
Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.
Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

On My Wishlist is a Meme created by Book Chick City.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Title: Almost Amish
Author: Kathryn Cushman
Category: Amish/Fiction
Pub. Date: 07/01/2012
Publisher: Bethany House Publisher
Format: Kindle
Pages: 336
ISBN#: B0073UN96W

Synopsis:
Cushman crafts strong characters that are easy to connect with." --Romantic Times

Julie Charlton is at the breaking point. She's overwhelmed and burned out, and in today's unrelenting society, her kids are, too. When her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series promoting simple living, and needs another family to join her, it seems like the perfect opportunity.
The location is an idyllic farm outside an Amish community in Tennessee. Julie, with her two children, joins Susan and her teenage daughter for a summer adventure. Susan needs to succeed in order to become self-sufficient after an ugly divorce, Julie needs to slow down long enough to remember what her priorities are and regain a sense of purpose and meaning. It becomes clear from the start that "living simple" is no simple matter. With the camera watching every move, Susan's drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. With each new challenge, their season of "going Amish" gets more and more complicated, as each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family.

Title: BEYOND HOPE'S VALLEY
Author: TRICIA GOYER
Category: Amish/Fiction
Pub. Date: 04/01/2012
Publisher: B & H Books
Format: Kindle
Pages: 304
ISBN#: 143366870x
Series: The Big Sky #3

Synopsis:
After an extended stay in Montana, where Amish traditions are different than in her home state, Marianna Sommer returns to Indiana for two reasons, first to help her brother and his girlfriend prepare for a baby and their wedding. Second, to plan her own wedding to Aaron Zook -- a marriage she’s been dreaming about ever since childhood. And yet, although she had missed the idyllic farms and families of her upbringing, Marianna is surprised that Indiana is somehow making her long now for Montana.

As months pass, secrets that were hidden in winter’s frozen grasp thaw and take on a life of their own. The truths about a child, about a past relationship, and about God’s plans are being revealed. Walking through a valley of questions, Marianna must hold on to hope as she decides where and with whom her heart truly belongs.

September 6 marks the one year anniversary of the release of Sydney Logan's debut novel, Lessons Learned. To celebrate, Sydney is offering a fant astic giveaway!

The Blurb: A young girl needs to spread her wings, but a young woman needs roots. English teacher Sarah Bray never thought she’d return to Sycamore Falls, but a traumatic event at her inner - city school leaves her desperate for the sanctuary of home. By returning to her roots, an older and wiser Sarah hopes to deal with the demons of her present and confront the ghosts of her past. She discovers a kindred spirit in Lucas Miller, a teacher from New York with demons of his own. As the newest faculty members at Sycamore High School, they quickly become friends – bonding th rough Lucas’s culture shock and their mutual desire to build new lives. When they open their wounded hearts to each other, their friendship effortlessly evolves into romance. Their love is put to the test when Matt, the quarterback of the football team, shares his deepest secret with Sarah. When the conservative community finds out, Sarah and Lucas – along with the town of Sycamore Falls – are schooled in the lessons of acceptance, tolerance, and love.

Pages