The Enemy Book Blast

 

Welcome to the book blast for The Enemy!

A red-hot political thriller from a blue state author. Buried among the thousands of financial transactions he reviews each day, analyst Randy Duncan finds a secret web of laundered money financing the assassination of the President, which, in turn, will lead the country into war. Can Randy and his law-student daughter Clare follow the money and stop the enemy in time? In a political thriller worthy of Dan Brown, Richard Condon, and Allen Drury, award-winning novelist Larry Bograd charts a political thriller sure to keep you reading and leave you sleepless wondering and worried about who really controls America.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Goodreads

 Author Larry Bograd

Larry Bograd has published more than two dozen books, primary for children and young adults--and now his first eBook original, "The Enemy." He is also a playwright, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He is president of Roundtable Media Group, which produces documentary films, Web shows, and events.  

Website * Twitter

Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/31/13 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 participat author/publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $100 US.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pastors' Wives Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Pastors' Wives by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen!

What's it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors' Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen's debut novel Pastors' Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith---in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf's "First Lady," a force of nature who'll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace's son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen's reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors' Wivesis a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors' wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/klK8c

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was a longtime staff writer for TIME magazine. She now develops TV pilots for production companies and recently sold her first pilot for "The Ordained" to CBS. Born in Japan, Cullen lives in New Jersey with family.

Find out more about Lisa at http://lisacullen.com. 

Review:

Ruthie is in for a big surprise one day when her husband feels he's been "called" to join the ministry. She always knew he was religious, and she decides to throw caution to the wind and follow him from New York to Georgia. They find themselves in a whole new world of a mega church led by the famous couple Aaron and Candace Green. Candace, the "First Lady" of Greenleaf , is fiercely protective of her family and her church. She oversees everything and knows all. Her daughter-in-law Ginger is struggling to fit in while dealing with her past. All three ladies will finds themselves at crossroads, and they will all have to discover how to live their lives beyond just being pastors' wives.

Oh wow, there was a lot to take in when reading this book. I loved Ruthie from the start. I loved that she loved her husband so much she was willing to take a chance and follow him to make a life together. Her ability to ask hard questions was really important both to her character and the story. Candace was someone I'm not sure I liked, but boy did I respect her. I actually really loved her practical approach to everything. This is a woman who knows how to take charge and get things done. She also has great faith though, and this permeates through all she does. Ginger took me longer to like. I just wanted her to be a bit more assertive in her life, but I could also understand why she did what she did to some extent.

Overall, I felt this book took an amazing approach to the story. I know next to nothing about those mega churches, and this was a very interesting look into that world. It pointed out flaws and strengths of this system. I appreciated the open approach. I could easily see the appeal of someone like Aaron Green. Incredibly open-minded and charismatic, he still managed to be humble in his life. This book shows the authors ability to take a critical yet loving look at an amazing world. The book completely drew me in and entertained while still making me think. That's a lot for one book, but this book managed to accomplish all that. I highly recommend it!

Book provided for review.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is celebrating the release of her debut novel, Pastors' Wives, with an iPad Mini Giveaway and connecting with readers on Facebook on May 23rd!

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 22nd. Winner will be announced at the "Pastors' Wives" Author Chat Party on May 23rd. Connect with Lisa for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Lisa will also be giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Pastors' Wives and join Lisa on the evening of May 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

It Happened at the Fair Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist!

A transporting historical novel about a promising young inventor, his struggle with loss, and the attractive teacher who changes his life, all set against the razzle-dazzle of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

Gambling everything, including the family farm, Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the Fair's Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris Wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/komrd

Deeanne Gist---known to her family, friends, and fans as Dee---has rocketed up bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her very fun, very original historicals. She has received numerous RITA nominations, two consecutive Christy Awards, and rave reviews. Deeanne has a background in education and journalism and a degree from Texas A&M. She has written for People, Parents, and Parenting. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and has four grown children. She has a very active online community on her website atIWantHerBook.com and at Facebook.com/DeesFriends. 

Review:

Cullen McNamara has been presented with an exciting opportunity, one that he's not sure he wants to take. After his mother died tragically in a fire, Cullen invented an automatic sprinkler system that he thinks can save many lives. His dad submitted it to the World's Fair, and they accepted. Now Cullen has been committed to 6 months of exhibiting and trying to sell his creation. The Exhibition Hall though turns out to be extremely noisy, and this noise compounds the hearing loss that Cullen is developing. At someone's suggestion, Cullen goes to some young ladies at the Fair teaching lip reading to deaf children. There he enlists the help of Della, who promises to teach him to lip read if he acts as her tour to the Fair. Together they embark on an amazing adventure.

This book had some really fascinating things in it. For one, it's clear the author did tons of research, and she has a very thorough listing of what was accurate and where she took liberties. This is definitely represented in the book. You get a real feel for what it was like at the World's Fair. It must have been absolutely amazing. I felt like I was there with Cullen and Della exploring the various wonders of the Fair. I also thought that the subject of how deaf people were treated (and even just people who were losing their hearing) pretty fascinating. In particular I was intrigued by the debate of lip reading verses signing. This idea of mainstreaming vs. individualized education is still something that is debated in the special needs community, so this book helped to show that this is something that has been discussed for a long time. Hopefully we are meeting the needs of that community much better now though.

The characters were great, and I really wanted to cheer them on their way. I liked the slow way the relationship grew and the mutual respect shown by Cullen and Della. I'm not sure there is a better combination than romance and history, and this book had that all wrapped up in one fantastic story. It was a well thought-out and planned book, and that made it a joy to read. 

Book provided for review.

Deeanne Gist is celebrating the release of It Happened at the Fair with an iPad Mini Giveaway and a Live Author Chat Webcast event {5/22}!

  One "fair" winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 21st. Winner will be announced at the "It Happened at the Fair" Live Webcast Event on May 22nd. Connect with Deeanne for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deeanne will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of It Happened at the Fair and join Deeanne and friends on the evening of May 22nd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 22nd!

Family Ever After Blog Tour

 

Blog Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour Family Ever After by Michelle Packard!

Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard. Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family. Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.” Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary. Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:

• How happiness in marriage and family life requires a more educated, real-world perspective
• How proper prioritization and defining what’s important in marriage and family is key to success;
• Why conflict is part of an ordinary family experience and how to peacefully resolve it;
• How to cultivate a sense of humor;
• How to develop a thoughtful and sincere habit of complimenting each member of your family;
• How to improve family relationships with extended family members; and
• Learning how to love a family member in the way they understand and accept that love

More than another how-to-have-a-perfect-family book, Family Ever After helps you gain the understanding and the practical skills of what makes ordinary families successful. Family Ever After is an essential and beautiful resource for all women who want to put more happiness in theirs and their family’s life.  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Michelle Packard

 Michelle Packard is a mother to her four very human and totally fabulous kids. Her oldest, Ella is always in charge and leads the pack with creativity and curiosity, Daniel follows with loyalty and loves tenderly, Julia is a doll and always buzzing over something beautiful, and Jackson could hunt down the last sharpie on earth to create art on your bathroom wall. She has been married ten years and is quite taken with her guy. Date night is her favorite and she dreams of weekend getaways with her man. She loves creating beauty through floral design, but apparently has no gift with living flowers (They end of upside down and pressed in books). She finds parties alluring. They beckon her to invite people over, spend way too much time preparing food for murder mystery dinners, and totally enjoy friends and family. Michelle holds a bachelors degree in Home and Family Science from Brigham Young University. She has spent a great deal of time working with children and young adults and finds her greatest joy is happy families.

Blog

Review:

Marriage and family can be difficult, and most people can agree on that. It rarely turns out to be the fairy tale many of us imagine it to be. This book offers helpful and practical ways to make your home life peaceful and generally happy. Life can more closely resemble those things we most desire.

I thought this was a really good book. The advice is well thought out and very practical for almost everyone. Sometimes I would find myself wondering why I wasn't doing some of these things already. They just made so much sense. Each chapter begins with an active way to improve things, and then the chapter goes on to explain what this means and how to go about it. There are a lot of real-life examples, and these really help to make you see how these things can apply to many different lives and circumstances.

Much of the advice comes down to prioritizing the things you want in live and learning to truly love your family. It sounds fairly simple when written like this, but I think we all know that it is much more complex. I thought the book made a brilliant point in that any kind of life can be difficult. If we want something to be different, we should remember that in fact life wouldn't be any easier. There will always be things we have to work through, so we really need to learn to love our life as it is while recognizing that there are always things to improve and work on. I was inspired by this book to really focus on the big picture of my family and not get so hung up on the details. This is a book that will help people to refocus on the important parts of their family and ultimately have a much better life.

Book provided for review.

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/19/13

  a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Alexander Drake Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour for the Alexander Drake series by Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows!

 

Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit

Meet Alexander Drake, a curious young man living in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father. He spent his days playing alone. In the back of his mind he wondered what happened to his mother, and why his father was tight-lipped about the past; but secrets have a way of getting out. It all started with a stay at his grandmother’s cottage. Alexander found strange clues tucked away in his father’s old bedroom. With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack he set off on an innocent search for answers about his family. When he discovered a secret passageway the search took a dramatic turn. He suddenly worried about what was searching for him. Alexander was being hunted by a sorcerer from his father’s past. Answers lead to more questions and the journey of his life. Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware—something evil lurks in the shadows.  

Amazon

   

The Return of General Drake

When Alexander arrived in Verhonia, something went terribly wrong. A dark spell delivered from the mountains of Acadia sent him on a dangerous journey in the middle of the night. As he marched into the mountains, the great city of Verhonia was ambushed and burned to the ground by Roman's army of vicious giant murks. With the safety of the realm in jeopardy, General John William Drake was asked to come back to Azra's Pith. He swore he would never return. But after discovering his son was under a spell and in the grips of a dark sorcerer, he had no choice. Things take a wild turn in the mountains, with runaways, a hungry wolf and a mysterious, young empyrean wizard thrown into the adventure. A tight race against time and evil is in full swing. With faith and a little magic, they just might come out on top.  

Publisher

   

Author Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows

Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave me a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat. Over the years I learned that the insecurities I carried around were a waste of time. I still prefer a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into my writing providing a sense of joy and a true purpose.  

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Review for Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit:

Alexander Drake has an interesting life to say the least. He lives in a giant house with a father who's never around. He spends a lot of time with his grandparents as his mother passed away. All that's about to change. While staying in his Dad's old room he finds some strange things that soon lead him into an even stranger world. Talking frogs and dirt pips are the least of his worries. Something is out to get him, something bad. Alexander is determined to make it to Verhonia and get some answers though. He just has to live long enough to do it.

Alexander Drake was a fun kid. You really felt bad for him as he longed to be closer to his father, but he never got it. Alexander certainly has a taste for adventure though. It's no surprise that Alexander has close ties to this new world he's found, much closer than he could have ever imagined. I liked Ferdinand and felt he was a great sidekick. He's someone I'd like to have around if I was wandering in a strange new world. 

I did feel a little dropped into the story, and it seemed a bit skippy at first. It all smoothed out though, and this made it much more enjoyable for me. The dirt pips were a fantastic set of creatures too, and I wanted to learn more about them. Overall this is a book that i think a lot of kids and adults can enjoy. It's a fast read, and it's written in a way that I think will keep kids interested and ready to read more. I know I certainly am!

Book provided for review.

Review for The Return of General Drake:

Alexander Drake is back, but he's in a bit of a pickle. Imperius is still determined to capture Alexander, and he uses a spell to draw Alexander away from his home. Meanwhile, Imperius sends his servant Roman to take over Verhonia. With things falling apart around him, Alexander's grandfather calls for Alexander's father to come help. Alexander's father was a great general at one time, but he's hesitant to return to that life. Alexander and his father must both come to terms with what must be done if they are to survive.

This story starts immediately with the action, and it doesn't slow down until the end. I enjoyed the pace of the book. It managed to be fast without being too frenzied. Alexander's new friends were pretty awesome! I wanted to be running around with them. I was especially interested in Sarah and her abilities. She had a lot of interesting things going on, and I wanted to know more.

The storyline of Alexander's father was also intriguing and a bit sad. You can see he is really struggling to find a life that suits him and that he can live on his terms. This book has a fairly solid ending, but it still leaves some mysteries to be solved. Once again, it's a quick read that makes it a great choice for young readers. There is action and adventure and magic, and it all makes for a super fun read.

Book provided for review.

   

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/13

  a Rafflecopter giveaway  

The Tale of Mally Biddle Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for The Tale of Mally Biddle by M. L. LeGette!

When Mally Biddle agreed to spy upon the King of Lenzar and his overbearing knights she knew she was heading into danger. She didn't know she'd find a family unlike any other. Posing as a servant in Bosc Castle, Mally serves tea and tends fires for the most dangerous men in the kingdom. Her goal is to learn the truth of what happened sixteen years ago, when the infant princess met her death ... a death that is surrounded by more questions than answers. Along her search for the truth, Mally meets the energized Lita Stump, the strict and matriarchal Meriyal Boyd, and the opinionated Archibald Diggleby. Then of course there are the knights: Leon Gibbs who is slicker than a greased hog, Adrian Bayard, hot tempered and violent, and the worst of the lot: Sir Illius Molick, Captain of the Knights. And then there is Maud, a mysterious woman who just might know everything...

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Amazon Kindle

Author Melissa LeGette Melissa LeGette lives in Georgia where she helps run a family farm, so her nails are a fright. The Tale of Mally Biddle is her second novel.

Blog * Facebook

Pinterest * Twitter

 

Tour Schedule

Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/2/13

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop

Welcome to another Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop! This is my chance to get some of my ARC's and other things that I'm not using out to you (so I can have room for more!). I have 3 things this giveaway, and I'll have a separate Rafflecopter for each thing, so be sure to keep scrolling to see everything.