Review: Dewi and the Seeds of Doom

Title: Dewi and the Seeds of Doom  *  Author: Maggie Lyons  *  Year Published: 2012  *  Publisher:MuseItUp Publishing * Pages: 70  *  Recommended Age: 6+

Summary: 

When Dewi is clobbered by a falling rat, the nosy Welsh dragon snoops his way into a challenging predicament. Helped by a toad with a passion for chemical wart cures, Dewi discovers that a megalomaniac baron is secretly breeding mutant corn at an unfriendly castle. To thwart the genetically modified-corn baron’s sickening plan, he must use moxie and firepower in a series of catastrophe-skirting capers.

Amazon (Print) | Amazon (Kindle) | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

About the Author:

Maggie Lyons was born in Wales and very properly brought up in England before gravitating to Virginia’s coast. She zigzagged her way through a motley slew of careers from (unofficial) British spy to academic editor. Writing and editing nonfiction for adults brought plenty of satisfaction but nothing like the magic she discovered writing for kids. Her children’s books Vin and the Dorky Duet (for ages 7 through 12) and Dewi and the Seeds of Doom (for ages 6 through 10) are available on order at most book stores including Amazon.

Website  *  Amazon Author Page  *  Facebook

  Author Blog  *  Google+

Goodreads  *  Twitter

Review:

Dewi is just your average young dragon until one day when he gets hit by a fallen rat. Not wanting to leave the at to perish, Dewi takes it upon himself to discover what happened to the poor rat. All of this leads him to a gloomy castle and some very strange happenings. Dewi will have to use everything he has to try and help save the world from this mess.

This is a super cute story. Dewi is a smart dragon, and he's not afraid to find others to help him. He really just wants to help people stay safe and happy. Even people or rats that fall on him from above. Dewi uses this sense of justice to help guide his decisions. Of course, he probably should talk to his dad about more things. Along the way, Dewi manages to get a few jokes in with friends as well. There's fun and action in this book, and many young children will get caught up in the story of Dewi. 

Book provided for review.

Scripture Puzzlers Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Scripture Puzzlers by MaryAlice Wallis and Charlotte Lindstrom!

Master the scriptures and have fun doing it! Find hidden messages, work through puzzles, and unscramble clues as you learn the essential truths found in scripture mastery passages. Perfect for seminary, Sunday School, family night, personal scripture study, or missionary preparation, this book of puzzles is anything but trivial!

About the authors:

MaryAlice Wallis is the co-author of the award winning LDS Puzzle Pals and LDS Puzzle Pals- Prophets and Apostles. She graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. She is a longtime member of the Golden Quill Writers Group and past member and presenter at American Night Writers Association, Northwest Chapter. She freelance writes children’s literature and Young Adult fiction and is currently writing a homeschooling resource book. MaryAlice and her husband David homeschooled their four children and are experiencing life as half-empty nesters. Their family loves traveling to the beach from their home in the Pacific Northwest.

Charolette Lindstrom is the co-author of two other puzzle books; LDS Puzzle Pals and LDS Puzzle Pals- Prophets and Apostles (under the name C G Lindstrom). She has written many puzzles for The Friend magazine and has stories published in The Friend, The New Era and Cricket magazines. She is an original member of the Golden Quill Writers Group in Southwest Washington. She is also a member of the American Night Writers Association (ANWA). A graduate of Utah State University, she currently teaches 2nd grad in Longview, Washington.

Review:

Sometimes studying the scriptures can be a bit of a chore, and they don't always make a lot of sense. This book helps make scripture studying come alive in a very fun way- puzzles. With word searches, word scrambles, crosswords, and other brain teasers, Scripture Puzzlers helps you to learn the content in new and interesting ways. This book keeps things challenging while still helping you see things in fun new ways.

First of all, I love puzzles. I do them for fun, so this book was right up my alley. I am also not a grand scriptorian. I don't have everything memorized or know where every story is. I fell in love with this book. These puzzles are definitely aimed at older kids and adults. Some are fairly simple while some require quite a bit more thought. I didn't have time to do every puzzle, but the ones I did check out were so much fun. The book is divided into puzzles for each set of scriptures (like Old Testament, New Testament, etc). They really were a lot of fun for me. I can see them as a great addition to Seminary or Sunday School classes. It helps you learn things without it feeling boring or repetitive. I aim to do every one of these puzzles. What a great way to have fun while learning all about the scriptures!

Book provided for review.

Devon's Choice Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Devon's Choice by Catherine Bennett!

Life holds no surprises for Devon Murphy. Her life consists of keeping tabs on her aging Irish father, working part time at a coffee shop, and building her online graphics design business. Devon’s only tricky situation is a shallow relationship with the pampered and affluent Michael Turner, who sees her as just another woman to conquer. Following his father’s death, Brandon’s only goal is to expand the family business and live life on his own terms. That is, until he walks into the coffee shop one snowy evening and meets the enchanting, red-haired barista behind the counter. But can Devon and Brandon’s attraction for each other be strong enough to help erase their deepest disappointments and renew their faith in God?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

 

Author Catherine Bennett

I grew up in Ohio where I currently live with my husband and our two rescue Labradors. Some of my favorite things include reading, shopping, pepperoni pizza, Hershey bars and hanging out with my two grown sons. I also love dogs; so going to the dog park is cheap entertainment for my husband and I! Growing up an only child, I had many imaginary friends. I believe this - and a love of books - fueled my desire to write. It was many years later that my dream of becoming a published author came true. I’m grateful to God for always keeping a story in my heart and hope you are blessed and entertained by my book.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Blog Tour Schedule

 

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/15/15

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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fearless Fabulous You Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Fearless Fabulous You! by Melanie Young!

Stay Fearless and Fabulous at every age and stage of your life with inspirational insights, motivational quotes and helpful checklists to face challenges with grace and make the changes in life that are right for you.

Make yourself your Number One priority and project your Amazing Authenticity and Brilliance. Motivational muse, wellness advocate, business woman and breast cancer survivor Melanie Young, author of International Book Award- winning, Getting Things Off My Chest, shares her tips on how to:

• Recharge your mental batteries and revalue your self worth
• Release negative energy and embrace positive change
• Reconnect with your amazing talents and turn road blocks into building blocks
• Reframe the vision of who you want to be and how you want to project yourself
• Reclaim the person you are destined to be and the life you want to live

If you feel stuck in a rut and need a re-energizing mental boost, keep this book by your bed to remind yourself every day that You can choose to be Fearless & Fabulous.

Author Melanie Young has made a career of turning challenges into opportunities as a wine and food marketing and communications specialist. When breast cancer took her on an unexpected detour in 2009-2010 she seized the opportunity to make positive lifestyle changes to stay healthy, manage stress, eliminate fear of recurrence and rethink how she wanted to live her life with renewed purpose. Writing was her therapy and voice to help inspire others to face life’s challenges with grit, grace and wit. Her first book, Getting Things Off My Chest, helps newly diagnosed women navigate their breast cancer journey with confidence. In Fearless Fabulous You! Melanie’s message is: “Be CEO- chief empowerment officer- of your life. Find your passion and purpose; be your own wellness advocate and believe in your self-worth.”

• Follow Melanie on Twitter @mightymelanie
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FearlessFabulousMelanieYoung
• Blog: www.melanieyoung.com
• Email: melanie@melanieyoung.com

Review:

Everyone needs to reevaluate things from time to time. This book shows some ways that you can take charge of your life. It gives helpful quotes, ideas, and tasks to help you take charge of your life. Some of the things in this book are very broad and inspiring ideas, while some are so simple that you begin to wonder why you hadn't already done this. However, all of them focus on helping you be come the best you that you can be.

I appreciate many of the things in this book. There were so many things that I read and though, "Wow, I totally need to work on that." One of the main ideas in here is that you cannot be helpful to others without first taking care of yourself. I liked that this book really helped me to see that sometimes it is OK to focus just on myself. I also liked the discussions on supporting other women and just loving others and ourselves more. Those are things that I am always trying to work on, and this book motivated me to keep trying. I think every person can find something in this book that will inspire and help them to become even better than they already are. It is a fun and helpful book!

Book provided for review.

Lexi's Pathetic Fictional Love Life Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour for Lexi's Pathetic Fictional Love Life by Jo Noelle!

 

Lexi Middleton has been socially invisible to her classmates, but starting her junior year, that’s going to change. First, she’s determined to hook a boyfriend, ensuring dates with flowers and possible kisses on the doorstep. Second, she wants to be a writer for the school paper, even though it freaks her out to think of everyone judging her by her punctuation and metaphors. High school is difficult enough—keeping up her grades, dealing with increasing sibling rivalry, and trying to stay out of the way of her personal nemesis, Amberlee—but when Lexi catches the eye of her long-time crush, she also becomes the focus of mean-girl tactics. Caught between who she was and who she wants to be, Lexi must decide how to confront a bully, and choose who to let into her heart.

Purchase from

AMAZON * Barnes & Noble

Author Jo Noelle

Jo Noelle grew up in Colorado and Utah but also spent time in Idaho and California. She has two adult children and three small kids. She teaches teachers and students about reading and writing, grows freakishly large tomatoes, enjoys cooking especially for desserts, builds furniture, sews beautiful dresses, and likes to go hiking in the nearby mountains. Oh, and by the way, she’s two people— Canda Mortensen and Deanna Henderson, a mother/daughter writing team. They began writing separately several years ago but found the process much more fun when they started collaborating. They are debut authors, with Lexi’s Pathetic Fictional Love Life as their first completed work. Other titles include Newbie and Damnation. Deanna attended college before marrying and starting her family. Canda received a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a Reading Specialist endorsement, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Her day job focuses on teaching teachers and children about literacy.

Website * Twitter

Review:

Lexi Middleton has a very wonderful life...in her mind. In real life she feels like an outcast, especially compared to her perfect sister. Lexi retreats to the world where she writes characters that live out the fantasies she imagines. When reality and her creations start to collide though, Lexi finds out that sometimes things don't always work out the way you thought they would. Sometimes the boy of your dreams is is not what he seemed, and the boy next is something more. Lexi will have to navigate it all if she's going to survive high school.

Lexi is a fun gal. Someone I'd probably be friends with. She has a tight group of friends who have been there for her through thick and thin. Included in this group is her very best friend Gabe. Gabe and Lexi just get each other even though they are so different. Things have been a little weird lately though. They rest of their group and been acting strange and asking weird questions to Lexi and Gabe. Lexi may not have gotten what was going on, but I sure did. It was still super fun to watch Lexi slowly work through what she really wants. Lexi was interesting in that she was able to show remarkable cluelessness and maturity almost simultaneously. She's very into a boy in her classes, but she processes everything that goes on with him rather well for the most part.

One major plot point deals with Lexi and her sister Tifani. They are almost complete opposites. Lexi sees Tifani as always trying to take what she has, and in some ways that seems to be true. However, I wish Lexi had taken more ownership for her own behavior towards her sister as well. I mean, she wasn't exactly blameless. Overall Lexi had a problem with communication. I feel like she did learn and grow some through the book though. Once I got into this story I didn't want to stop. In some ways it's almost two books in one- the story about Lexi and the story written by Lexi. If you want a fun yet sweet read, check this one out.

Book provided for review.

 

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/29/15

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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Discovering Sophie by Cindy Roland Anderson

Title:		Discovering Sophie
Author:		Cindy Roland Anderson
Publisher:		Winsome Press Publishing
Pub. Date:		11/20/2013
ASIN:		B00GSC9KM8
Pages:		279

Sophie Kendrick’s father has gone missing in the jungles of Costa Rica. Desperate for answers to his whereabouts, she decides to search for him herself. She hires Jack Mathison to guide her through the jungle, but the two of them seem to be at odds from the moment they meet. Sophie finds Jack conceited, sarcastic, and worse, very good-looking. He is totally not her type, so how could she possibly be attracted to him? Likewise, Jack can’t wait to be rid of Sophie and her optimistic outlook. Seriously, how could someone be that nice? Jack isn’t looking for a relationship, and finds the electrifying chemistry between the two of them completely annoying. His job is to lead Sophie to a remote village deep inside the rainforest- her fathers last known location. Still, the jungle is a dangerous place and Jack does everything in his power to protect Sophie, but who will protect his heart?

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)

             **************************************************

Sophie has a pretty amazing life. She's a doctor with a fabulous lawyer boyfriend, but there's something missing. Sophie's dad. He's gone missing in Costa Rica, and Sophie is determined to find out what happened to him. She hires a friend's friend, Jack, to be her guide in Costa Rica. Sophie and Jack have an immediate attraction, but the wild world they are in may make it difficult for them to ever find time to figure things out. Can the manage to stay alive long enough to work through their feelings?

This was a great mix of action and romance. Sophie is a take-charge kind of girl, and nothing is going to change that. While she has a great boyfriend, she just doesn't feel the kind of love that she wants. So she tries to break up with him, but he doesn't seem to accept that. Sophie is determined to move on with her life though. Her number one priority is to find her father who went missing in Costa Rica. She hires the mysterious Jack to help guide her, but Jack also comes with some issues. He's been burned by too many women and doesn't want to have a lot to do with Sophie. Of course, Sophie convinces him to help her out. It probably helps that they have instant attraction.

Both Jack and Sophie make some mistakes, but for the most part I felt like they handled things in a mature and respectful way. They both had things that were causing them to doubt things, and they both needed to work through those issues. I enjoyed their ability to work with each other as well. They made a great pair. There's also some moments of tense action, and this helped to keep the story from getting bogged down in the romance. This was a fun, quick read that left me satisfied.

Book provided for review.