Real Santa Blog Tour

Blog Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour for Real Santa by William Hazelgrove!

 
George Kronenfeldt is an unemployed engineer with one shot to keep his daughters belief in Santa intact. When Megan tells him the only way she will believe in Santa is if she can videotape him and then tells her fourth grade class she will prove the existence of Santa Claus by posting her video to YouTube, George realizes he must become the Real Santa. He devises a plan to land nine reindeer on his roof and go down his chimmney, hiring a broken down movie director who eventually has him funding a full scale production that bankrupts him and and threatens his marriage. When George goes to find the Real Santa to help him, the line between what is real and magic is crossed. Real Santa is a funny heartwarming story of parenthood gone wrong and illuminates what lengths parents will go to keep their children happy.

Amazon

  

Author William Hazelgrove

William Elliott Hazelgrove is the best-selling author of eight novels, Ripples, Tobacco Sticks, Mica Highways, Rocket Man, The Pitcher, Real Santa and the forthcoming Jackpine and The Pitcher 2. His books have received starred reviews in Publisher Weekly,Kirkus and have been selected as Book of the Month Selections, Junior Library Guild Selections, ALA Editors Choice Awards and optioned for the movies. He was the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence where he wrote in the attic of Ernest Hemingway's birthplace. He has written articles and reviews for USA Today and other publications. He has been the subject of interviews in NPR's All Things Considered along with features in The New York Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Richmond Times Dispatch, USA Today, People, Channel 11, NBC, WBEZ, WGN. His most recent novel, The Pitcher is a Junior Library Guild Selection and was chosen Book of the Year by Books and Authors. net. His next book Jackpine will be out Spring 2014 with Koehler Books. A follow up novel Real Santa will be out fall of 2014. He runs a political cultural blog, The View From Hemingway's Attic.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Review

George is not having the best holiday season. He just got fired, and he found out that his daughter Meagan's teacher has her questioning the reality of Santa Claus. Not wanting Meagan to lose some of the magic that goes along with Santa Claus, George starts cooking up a crazy scheme. No, a really insane scheme. It involved marching 9 reindeer onto his roof, scaling the chimney, and allowing Meagan to capture all this for posterity. Surely no one would ever go through with this, right? George soon discovers that he's willing to do just about anything to keep the magic alive for his daughter. It may just destroy everything else in his life though.

This story went places I was not expecting. George would literally do anything to try and not mess up with his daughter like he had his other children. I found this a very interesting juxtaposition. Was George really going through all this just for him daughter? Or was it because he felt extremely guilty for what he had done to his first two children? George deals with all this and more throughout the story. He inspires some people and annoys a lot more. I was kind of on both sides of that fence really. I admired his tenacity and love for his daughter, but I seriously wondered why he wouldn't just step back and realize what a kooky plan this was.

I really enjoyed the ending. I mean, at first it was like watching a train wreck. I couldn't turn away. Then as things progressed it turned out to be even more interesting then I could have imagined. George had to face up to a lot of different things in the end, but I think it made him a better person for it. And of course a book about Santa Clause couldn't end without a little Christmas magic. I found this book to be both funny and endearing, which can be a fine line to walk. This is definitely a book for adults, but it will make you remember what's important about your holiday. If you want a little humor and a book that's different from your usual sappy holiday fare, check this one out.

Book provided for review.

 

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/29/14

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  

Real Santa Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Real Santa by William Hazelgrove!

 

George Kronenfeldt is an unemployed engineer with one shot to keep his daughters belief in Santa intact. When Megan tells him the only way she will believe in Santa is if she can videotape him and then tells her fourth grade class she will prove the existence of Santa Claus by posting her video to YouTube, George realizes he must become the Real Santa. He devises a plan to land nine reindeer on his roof and go down his chimmney, hiring a broken down movie director who eventually has him funding a full scale production that bankrupts him and and threatens his marriage. When George goes to find the Real Santa to help him, the line between what is real and magic is crossed. Real Santa is a funny heartwarming story of parenthood gone wrong and illuminates what lengths parents will go to keep their children happy.

Amazon

Author William Hazelgrove

William Elliott Hazelgrove is the best-selling author of eight novels, Ripples, Tobacco Sticks, Mica Highways, Rocket Man, The Pitcher, Real Santa and the forthcoming Jackpine and The Pitcher 2. His books have received starred reviews in Publisher Weekly,Kirkus and have been selected as Book of the Month Selections, Junior Library Guild Selections, ALA Editors Choice Awards and optioned for the movies. He was the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence where he wrote in the attic of Ernest Hemingway's birthplace. He has written articles and reviews for USA Today and other publications. He has been the subject of interviews in NPR's All Things Considered along with features in The New York Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Richmond Times Dispatch, USA Today, People, Channel 11, NBC, WBEZ, WGN. His most recent novel, The Pitcher is a Junior Library Guild Selection and was chosen Book of the Year by Books and Authors. net. His next book Jackpine will be out Spring 2014 with Koehler Books. A follow up novel Real Santa will be out fall of 2014. He runs a political cultural blog, The View From Hemingway's Attic.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

 

Blog Tour Schedule

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/22/14

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

Thirty-two Going on Spinster Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to the tour for Thirty-Two Going On Spinster by Beck Monson!

 

Julia Dorning is a spinster, or at least on the road to becoming one. She has no social life, hates her job, and lives in her parent’s basement with her cat, Charlie.

With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia’s mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie.

But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?

Purchase your copy for just $2.99!!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes * Kobo

Author Becky Monson

By day, Becky Monson is a mother of three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. In her debut novel, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful time will last... But it probably won't. Becky runs a large book club on Facebook called "This Chick Reads".  

Facebook * Website * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads * Blog

Review

Julia has a pretty boring life. She's been working at a company doing something that she doesn't really like for a decade while living in her parents basement. As for her love life? Well, she doesn't even want to talk about that. Her true passion is baking, but her aversion to change keeps her nose to the grindstone. When a handsome new hire comes, things begin to change though. However, Julia is forced to change things even faster than she wanted. Julia's going to have to learn to embrace the change or get swept away by it.

This was an interesting book for me. At the beginning I didn't find Julia all that interesting. I mean, she was 32 not 82. She acted like her life was over because she didn't have a male around. I did feel for her being stuck in a rut though. I just thought she was a little sad-sack. As Julia was slowly forced to change though, these things began to also change so that I found that I liked her more. By the end of the book I thought she was a great character. So I was glad I stuck with Julia through thick and thin. Julia's friend Brown was hilarious, and you can see why those two would be good friends. I wanted to gossip with them. 

I knew there was something up with some other members of the cast, but I wasn't completely sure what was going on, so that part of the plot was very interesting to me. This was a book the grew on me in the end, much like Julia. Once she found things that made her happy, the whole tone of the book began to change and became much more entertaining to me. Julia is forced to learn some hard truths, and it is super fun to get to read about it. The ending made me feel happy, and I love when books can do that. 

Book provided for review.

 Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 10/12/14
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

Time Out Classics Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for a few Time Out Classics!

This tour is unique in that it covers 3 small books that are wonderful and inspiring words that can be read quickly. This allows for quick encouragement and teaching, and it also gives us a chance to read them over again and again. Trust me, you'll want to check these books out!

These books are written by various presenters from the Time Out for Women events series. For over 10 years this series has been inviting women to step away from their daily routine and make space for themselves and their spiritual lives. For more information, visit TOFW.com.

Habits of Happiness – Wendy Ulrich

When happiness doesn’t enter our days automatically, and when life isn’t going as planned, sometimes we are quick to equivocally gauge our overall happiness in life. In this book, filled with scientific research, practical advice and engaging anecdotes, Dr. Wendy Ulrich invites readers to look at happiness in a new way.

Making It Through the Middle – Emily Freeman

Life is full of challenges, and it’s easy to feel the end of our trials will never arrive. But is it the end we should be spending so much of our time focusing on? In this book, Emily Freeman shares six lessons, and various personal experiences to assist readers in staying strong when they are right in the middle of a hard time.

Everything I Need to Know I Learned at Home – John Bytheway

Sometimes the smallest phrases we use in everyday language can be eternal principles that get us through our lives. In this book, John Bytheway makes an inspiring and insightful connection between everyday phrases spoken at home and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Habits of Happiness Review:

All of us want to be happy. This often proves harder than we think it should be though. In this book, Wendy Ulrich works to show us some simple ways to work on and maintain our happiness. By asking ourselves some simple question, we can use these steps to make a habit of being happy. As we give ourselves better perspective on things, we can work on thriving rather than just surviving.

This book may be small, but it's loaded with some amazing things. This is one of those books I'll probably need to read repeatedly just so I can truly absorb it all. The ideas are fairly simple, and that is the point. In order to make our lives happier, we must really work to simplify things. By working on very small steps, we can gradually make huge changes in our lives. That's not to say we'll he happy forever and nothing will bother us, but it does help us to keep a better perspective on things. If you want to be able to truly thrive in life, this short book is one to really read and work through.

Book provided for review.

Making It Through the Middle Review:

We all will have times of struggle and trial. However, so many times we hear stories of adversity from other, but they always focus on the end result. What about when we are in the middle of it all? This book gives helpful ideas for perspective and guidance while in the middle of our trials, so that we can focus on what we are dealing with now rather than what we hope is to come.

I loved this book! It really focused on some beautiful things. I agree that too many times we focus on our end rewards, when the fact is we aren't guaranteed things will work out the way we want. This book does a fantastic job of helping us to appreciate all the little parts of our struggle as we are in the middle of our trials. Some helpful hints like focusing on the small yet tender mercies we receive constantly will help us to center ourselves amid the chaos that can surround us. Another one of the things I loved was trying to take time to appreciate how far we have come. Even though things may still be bad, taking time to appreciate how things have improved will help to renew and strengthen us for the journey ahead. This is a great book to help you focus on the journey rather than the destination!

Book provided for review.

Everything I Need to Know I Learned at Home Review:

Home is a learning laboratory, but sometimes many of us feel like our words may not quite be as meaningful as we think. Well guess again. John Bytheway takes the time to go throw some very common lessons he learned in his home growing up and shows how those apply to a much broader context. From the simple to the profound, this book is truly proof that many great things are learned in the home.

I thought this was a great book. I often feel like I do repeat the same things to my son, wondering if anything is getting through to him. This book gives me great encouragement to keep going in the hopes that one day my son will be able to apply all the things I try to teach on a broader level in his life. It also allowed me the chance to reflect upon all the things I have been taught by my own parents, and I can see how these things can be used to help me in my life. I particularly enjoyed the breakdowns of those simple life lessons of cleaning your room and changing your attitude. I'm sure these are all things we heard many times growing up (and may repeat many times to our own children), but I never quite saw them in this way until now. For a good dose of fun, encouragement, and inspiration, this is the book for you.

Book provided for review.

Tale Spins Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour for Tale Spins by Michael Mullin!

A trilogy of alternative fairytales and retellings. Discover the real Snow White story through the eyes of Creepy, the unknown 8th dwarf! Meet a teen princess who hires "The Frog Prince" witch to get revenge on a Mean Girl at school! And learn how the giant, boy thief and magic beans tale truly went down!  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Michael Mullin

Michael Mullin is a native New Englander living in Pasadena. He is the author of TaleSpins, a trilogy of alternative fairy tales and retellings for YA readers. TaleSpins stories (in the 1-book collection) are "8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf"; "The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny"; and "Jack'd". Michael is also the co-author of the successful "Larry Gets Lost" children's book series. His screenplay "Zooing Time" was recognized by the WGA's Written By magazine. Before all this writing, he taught preschool and college, two positions he found disconcertingly similar.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Review: 

Fairy tales are always familiar to almost everyone, but sometimes there's another side to the story. This book contains three respins of old stories. One gives the perspective of the Snow White story through the previously unknown 8th dwarf. TALK ABOUT OTHER 2 HERE.

I previously reviewed 8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf, so I won't talk about that one here. The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny tells the story of Princess Penny, and girl who is mocked and teased by a former friend. Penny takes matters into her own hands by seeking out a witch to cause problems for her bully. A troll under the bridge though may makes things difficult for Penny. This story was cute and had a good message. Penny has real problems, but she tries to deal with them by attempting to get revenge. Also, she learns not to just judge things by how they look. Very fun while still making you think a bit.

Jack'd takes a whole new look at Jack and the Beanstalk. There are lies, misdirections, and backroom deals. This story switches back and forth between perspectives, so you get to see the whole thing two different ways. There's an interesting twist that I didn't see coming, and it gives you a fresh look at a story that most people know very well. All these stories are written in rhyming verse, so they read almost like a children's book. However they are geared for slightly older audiences I think. They are fun ways to get fresh takes on old stories. Check them out!

Book provided for review.

  Tour Giveaways Giveaway #1 - Open to US only

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #2
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/21/14
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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Evertaster Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour for the Evertaster series by Adam Glandon Sidwell!

 

BATTLES. BLUEBERRIES. BOVINES.

TORBJORN AND STORFJELL’S HISTORY UNFOLDS IN AN EPIC EVERTASTER NOVELLA.

Everyone knows the most coveted treasure of the Viking Age was blueberry muffins. Blueberry muffins so succulent that if you sniffed just a whiff, you'd want a whole bite. If you bit a bite, you'd want a batch; if you snatched a batch, you'd stop at nothing short of going to war just to claim them all.

Young Torbjorn Trofastsonn comes from the clan that makes them. He's a Viking through and

through – he's thirteen winters old, larger than most respectable rocks, and most of all, a Buttersmith. That's what he thinks anyway, until a charismatic merchant makes Torbjorn question his place among the muffin-makers. When Torbjorn lets the secret of his clan's muffin recipe slip, he calls doom and destruction down upon his peaceful village and forces his brother Storfjell and his clansmen to do the one thing they are ill-prepared to do: battle for their lives.

Purchase on

Amazon

About The Buttersmiths' Gold:

The Buttersmiths' Gold is a spin off novella in the Evertaster series that tells the story of two Viking brothers and their adventurous past. The Evertaster series (Book #1 released June 14, 2012) is about Guster Johnsonville, who goes searching for a legendary taste rumored to be the most delicious in all of history. Along the way he meets a slew of mysterious characters, including two Viking brothers Torbjorn and Storfjell. The Buttersmiths' Gold is their story.

124 pages.
By Adam Glendon Sidwell.
Published by Future House Publishing.

A legendary taste. Sought after for centuries. Shrouded in secrecy.

When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother’s casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.

 

Purchase on

Amazon

Book Trailer

Author Adam Sidwell
In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.

Website Twitter Facebook

Review for Evertaster:

Guster has a bit of a problem. He can't stand his mom's cooking. As much as he tries, he can't get past the small things like the quality of the ingredients and where they came from. So he just doesn't eat. One day his mom is determined to find something Guster can get down, so they are off to New Orleans. There they find a patisserie with the most amazing smells coming out. Guster goes in for pastry, but he comes out with an egg beater that bears the clues to an epic recipe. One that can offer peace to the world. Now Guster just has to survive long enough to find the ingredients.

This book was so original. I loved it! To have taste so acute must be incredibly awful for Guster, and while he doesn't try to be difficult about it he really can't handle most things given to him to eat. This book was so creative and inventive with the storyline. First and foremost, this is an adventure, and there's tons of action to be had. Guster and his family travel the world looking for clues and ingredients. Poor Guster feels a lot of responsibility for the things happening on his shoulders, but he does the best he can to do what's right. He also shows some amazing self-control in the end. Not sure I could have done the same.

One of the things that excites me most about this book is it's ability to introduce kids to different foods and ideas. I think it's really cool to get kids thinking about how their food is made and where it comes from. I think this book can help to do that while still providing a good time while reading. It's a delicate balance, but this book handles it well. I highly recommend this book. It's an awesome adventure.

Book provided for review.

Review for The Buttersmiths' Gold:

Torbjorn and Storfjell helped Guster in his story, and now they get a tale of their own. Their people are known for their outstanding butter, but one day Torbjorn accidentally gives the secret of their amazing butter away to a stranger. This soon brings war and gloom to his people. Torbjorn must call upon all the bravery he has to do what he needs to do.

This novella continues the humorous and fun tone of the original novel. Taking two of the more memorable characters from the book, it tells a side story full of adventure. I enjoyed getting the background on Torbjorn and Storfjell. They were pretty hilarious in the book. More than anything, they stand up for themselves and each other. This fun story will be sure to entertain and help tide you over until the next book comes out!

Book provided for review.

Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 7/2/13
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 participating author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $25 US.


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Showstoppers/Three Sisters Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Three Sisters and Showstoppers are two novella-length stories in the Emily Castles mystery series. The first full-length novel, Invitation to Die, will be published by Thomas & Mercer in October 2013.

The Emily Castles mystery series is set in present-day London. It features twenty-six-year-old Londoner Emily Castles and her neighbor, eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel Crowther. In Three Sisters, Emily goes to a party in a big house at the end of her street. She's sure she witnesses a murder, but no one will believe her. She teams up with Dr. Muriel to investigate.

In Showstoppers, Emily helps out at a local stage school run by her neighbor, Victoria. Soon she's mixed up in a blackmail plot and two deaths. Emily and Dr. Muriel team up to prevent further a massacre live on stage during the end of term show.

Purchase

Showstoppers * Three Sisters

Author Helen Smith

Helen Smith is a novelist and playwright who lives in London. She's the author of bestselling cult novels Alison Wonderland, Being Light and The Miracle Inspector as well as the Emily Castles Mystery Series.

Amazon * Facebook *  Twitter * Blog

Goodreads* Shelfari * LibraryThing

Review of Showstoppers:

Emily Castles is not having a good day. Her temp job is over, and now she has to deal with misdirected mail. While delivering said mail to her neighbor, Emily gets involved in her neighbor Victoria's bad situation. You see, Victoria is an actress and made a video with her then boyfriend in drama school. No, not that kind of video. The kind that kills...with laughter. Victoria is getting threatening letters, so naturally she enlists Emily to help her discover who is behind it all.

This was a very cute story. It's novella length, so you can easily read it in one sitting. This also means that the story moves along at a very fast clip. I particularly enjoyed Victoria and her crazy student film. That was pretty hilarious. The mystery wasn't too predictable, and I actually enjoyed that no one was ever in any mortal danger or anything. Overall this was just a fun, cute story, and I look forward to reading more.

Book provided for review.

Tour Giveaway
10 winners will each receive a Kindle Ebook copy of Showstoppers & Three Sisiters
Ends 2/28/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Epic Tales of a Misfit Hero Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Epic Tales of a Misfit Hero by Matt Peterson!

From passing the sacrament with his fly down to failing miserably at capture the flag, Andrew knows he’ll never be able to fulfill his duties as a deacon. But when tragedy strikes on his Boy Scout backpacking trip, Andrew’s whole troop must become stronger than they ever imagined. This hilarious coming-of-age story is bound to have you rooting for a “misfit” hero!

Meet the Author:

Matt Peterson has been working with Scouts and young men for over ten years. He has lead adventures into deep canyons, up tall mountains, and through raging rivers. Search and Rescue has only been called once.

Matt lives in Mesa, Arizona, with his wife and four kids. He served a mission in São Paulo, Brazil, where he learned Portuguese, how to love the people, and how to walk really fast. In his spare time, he runs a free neighborhood sports league for kids.

Review:

Andrew has a lot of firsts in his life since he turned 12. The next "first" is going camping with his very young Boy Scout troop. Things start out rather damp, and things only go downhill from there. As their leaders continue their trip, Andrew has to deal with a lot of things he is not so great at. However, when something unexpected happens, Andrew and his fellow Scouts must pull together in ways they never expected. It will take everything they've got (plus a little divine help) to get them out of this all in one piece.

I thought this book was too cute! It had me laughing out loud at several points, but non-LDS readers some of that humor will be missed probably. Not only was it hilarious, but it was pretty on point for a young boy that age. The author did a great job of getting in that mindset. Andrew was fairly typical for a 12 year old boy, but he was also capable of much more than he thought he was. This was great to see and a good message to be sent to people of every age.

Of course, for me it was a super fast read. It is age appropriate, and I would think that it could be enjoyed by both boys and girls. I really loved this book. I will be recommending it to everyone I know. It's fun, smart, sweet, and of course very funny. This book is everything that people of all ages will enjoy reading about.

Book provided for review.

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour. Thanks for stopping by!

Review: There Goes the Bride by Holly McQueen

Title:		There Goes the Bride
Author:		Holly McQueen
Publisher:		Simon & Schuster
Imprint:		Atria
Pub. Date:		6/5/2012
ISBN:		ISBN13: 9781451660937
Pages:		403

And her older sister Bella couldn’t be more excited. Not only will Polly be home after five years in New York, but she’s coming back to marry the most perfect man on the planet, Dev. Dresses, cake, first dance … Bella’s looking forward to getting stuck into the arrangements.

Polly's best friend Grace is just as excited. She’s can’t wait to walk down the aisle behind her childhood ally, especially as the stylish Polly wouldn’t dream of dressing her bridesmaids in anything but the best, which will make a welcome change to the ‘mum-wear’ she’s adopted since her second child was born.

The only person who doesn’t seem to be bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off. And there’s no way she’s going to tell them why. Some secrets are best kept hidden.

But she’s reckoned without Grace and Bella, who are determined to get Polly and Dev back together if it's the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else’s problems has got to be better than dealing with their own …?

(Summary via Goodreads; Cover via Amazon.com)
            **************************************************

Bella and Grace are ready for the upcoming wedding of Polly, Bella's sister and Grace's best friend. When Polly shows up in London declaring the wedding to be off, it throws Bella and Grace into tailspins. They can't understand why it happened. Of course, Bella and Grace have problems of their own. Bella desperately wants a child, but she can't have one of her own. Her slacker boyfriend is less than enthusiastic about the prospect of adoption. Grace meanwhile is stuck in a loveless marriage with an older man. When an attractive billionaire (and her husband's boss) begins to show interest in her, Grace's problems really start. In the end, Bella and Grace will have to solve their own issues before they can even begin to help Polly.


If you're looking for fun, quick reads, this is a great pick. There are some interesting issues at the root of the problems in this book though. Grace is a trapped in a marriage that seemed really great at first and has dropped off since then. Add two rambunctious kids into the mix, and a less than supportive husband seems even less great. Bella on the other hand can barely get a commitment from her flaky boyfriend. Bella is trying to go through the process of adopting a child, but her boyfriends antics aren't helping. When he invites one of his mates to stay with Bella without even asking, things go downhill. Grace and Bella both seemed a bit trapped in their situations. I waffled between feeling horrid for them and just wanting them to take control of their lives and move on. I think that neither one really felt they could do better than the situation they were in.

Polly had the most complex issues of them all, and it was directly tied into what was going on with Grace and Bella. I don't want to spoil anything, so that's about all I can say about that. It was a neat way to tie the two different storylines together. I found myself drawn to Bella more than Grace, which surprised me as I felt she was too hard on herself in the beginning. I think Grace's decisions put me off of her a bit. The great thing was to see growth and change in all the characters by the end. Of course, Grace's inability to fit in the with the other mom's at school was something I really related with. This book was not as escapist as I expected it to be, but I feel that's a good thing. I think a lot of people will be able to see themselves in Grace, Bella, and even Polly. While it's not complete fluff, it's definitely full of fun. There are some really hilarious parts. So if you are looking for a book that is fun while still being something you can relate to, definitely check this book out.

Book provided for review.

More Beauty, Less Beast Blog Tour

With her own offbeat brand of wit and near-wisdom, inspirational humorist Debora Coty addresses heart needs of women struggling to tame that out-of-control inner beast that unexpectedly pounces, roaring and shredding, as it threatens to destroy the divinely beautiful princess hidden within. In More Beauty, Less Beast, women will find simple, practical techniques for embracing the true beauty rightfully theirs as cherished daughters of the King. Whether jaded by emotional wounds, unrealistic standards, or lack of confidence, this laugh-out-loud, girlfriend-to-girlfriend encouragement will help women transform their destructive inner beast into the exquisite beauty they were always meant to be.  

Debora Coty is an occupational therapist, a piano teacher, and a freelance writer. She's also involved in the children's ministry at her church and is an avid tennis player. Debora began writing to fill the void when her last child left for college, and it has since become a passion. Debora has a real knack for getting across sound biblical concepts with a refreshing lightheartedness as attested in her monthly newspaper column entitled "Grace Notes: God's Grace for Everyday Living." 

Visit www.deboracoty.com for more about Debora and her books. 

Buy the book here.

Review:


There are so many expectations for women today. From looks to demeanor, women are supposed to be many different people all wrapped up in one package. How do we balance everything? Debora Coty uses her faith and wisdom to wrap up some timely advice in a humorous package. Using scripture and anecdotes, Debora helps to point out the inner and outer beauty in all of us. She is able to help show how we can become too focused to all the wrong things and ignore the most important things in our lives.

I thought there were a lot of good points in this book. While discussing our outer beauty, Debora was able to help show the balance between taking care of yourself and obsessing over it. She also spends a lot of time emphasizing forging a very personal relationship with God. Taking this time out can also be a way to decompress and de-stress ourselves. There is also a lot of emphasis on helping to build ourselves and each other up, rather than tearing down. It is so easy to focus on the negative in our lives, but the real challenge is to find the blessings instead. Don't think this book is too "preachy" though. Everything is presented in a fun and relatable way. Each chapter also ends with some questions that will make you think and relate the concepts to your life. If you are a Christian woman looking to find balance in her life, this book will help you to see where your focus is and where it should be.

Book provided for review.


Debora Coty also has a great giveaway going on!

Transform Your Inner Ogre with a $150 Visa Cash Card from @DeboraCoty! Using Biblical advice and her trademark humor, Debora Coty urges women to conquer guilt and re-institute hope in More Beauty, Less Beast. Celebrate with Debora by entering to win a $150 Visa Cash Card!

One "beautiful" winner will receive:

• A $150 Visa Cash Card (Treat yourself to a spa day or weekend get-away!)
• A Debora Coty Library (More Beauty, Less Beast, Too Blessed Too Be Stressed and Everyday Hope)
• Chocolate (Every good things begins with chocolate!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/22/12. Winner will be announced at Debora's "Divine Beauty" Facebook Party on  3/22. Debora will be hosting an evening of chat, fun beauty trivia, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Debora via Skype.)


So grab your copy of More Beauty, Less Beast and join Debora and friends on the evening of March 22nd for an evening of fun.

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

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour! 

Review: Fake Me a Match by Lauren Barnholdt

Title:		Fake Me a Match
Author:		Lauren Barnholdt
Publisher:		Simon & Schuster
Imprint:		Aladdin
Pub. Date:		10/04/2011
ISBN:		1442422580 (ISBN13: 9781442422582)
Pages:		288

Avery LaDuke is in the market for a new best friend. Her former BFF, Sophie Burns, dumped her to hang out with the popular crowd at school. But the good news Avery's getting a new sister who's bound to be her new BFF too! Blake is her age and she's from New York. How cool is that? But things don't go quite as smoothly as Avery hoped. And what's with Blake becoming BFFs with Sophie? Huh?? That wasn’t supposed to happen!

When Avery gets put in charge of the eighth grade charity project, an on-line matchmaking service, she thinks she can use this project to get Blake back on her side. She decides to fix the matches so that Blake gets matched with Sam, the most popular boy in school, but when the matches come out something has gone seriously wrong! Not only is Avery matched with Sam, but the class advisor knows that someone tampered with the program. On top of that, Avery discovers that she actually kind of, sort of, likes Sam . . . and he likes her back. Torn between the guy she likes and her sister/best friend, Avery is left wondering: is there any possible way she can keep them both?

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)

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

Avery is very excited to be getting a new step-sister, and she is pulling out all the stops so they will be best friends. Unfortunately, her new step-sister Blake is less than interested. Until she meets Sam, who often hangs at his grandmother's house right around the corner. Now Blake is ready to hang out all the time (provided Sam is near). Things get more complicated though as Sam starts to pay more attention to Avery. Throw in picking out bridesmaid dresses, chairing the student council charity project, and trying to train the new dogs Blake was dying to get, and Avery suddenly has her hands very full. Avery will have to be very careful to get everything done without making an enemy of Blake. Or Sam.

This was a very cute book. I thought Avery was a very fun character. She was a bit of an overachiever, but not in an annoying way. She really seemed like a fun 13 year old. I thought Blake was incredibly annoying at first, but she grew on me as the book went on. I can see how that must have been a hard situation to be in. It was pretty funny as she tried to be so much more worldly than Avery. Avery was more content to progress at her own pace and not try to be more mature too fast. I think Sam would have been my dream guy at 13. He was smart and funny (although a bit more considerate than I've known any boy that age to be). The plot was fairly basic, but it was entertaining. Avery got into quite a few scrapes, some of which were easily solved. In fact some of them were so easily solved I wondered why they even happened. I guess it did add for more wacky fun though.

I think any tween girl will love this book. It has just the right amount of fun and romance. It's all totally age appropriate too. I had a really great time reading it at any rate. Avery was a bit like me at that age, and I was transported back in time for a bit. So overall, this is a very fun book!

Galley provided for review.

Review: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend by Elodia Strain

Title:		My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
Author:		Elodia Strain
Publisher:		Cedar Fort Books
Imprint:		Bonneville
Pub. Date:		08/01/2011
ISBN:		1599559056 (ISBN13: 9781599559056)
Pages:		224

Jesse is looking for the "right guy." When she bumps into Ethan, a despairing writer who she inspires, she thinks she's found him. But only moments later she meets Troy, a successful advertising executive who makes almost every moment romantic. Both seem perfect, but things are not always what they seem. My Girlfriend's Boyfriend is a fun romance that blends warm sincerity with fresh storytelling.

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)

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

Jesse has been unlucky in love, so imagine her surprise when she meets two dream guys in the same day. One is a sweet and sensitive writer. The other is a smart and successful businessman. Now Jesse has to pick which one is for her, but that's proving to be much more difficult than she thought it would be. Can Jesse decide between what her heart and her head want?

I was so in love with this book. Jesse was smart and funny. She was a little kooky, but not so crazy you didn't like her. Her boss was hilarious. Her family was insane (in a good way). I found Troy to be nice, but a little bland perhaps. Ethan was dreamy and everything you look for in an imaginary dream guy. There were interesting plot pieces, especially the parts where Jesse was dealing with her ex-husband. I sped through this book because I was enjoying it so much.

Then I got to the end, and suddenly I was so confused. I had to go back and read a couple times to really figure things out. It wasn't a horrible ending by any means, I just found it to sort of stop the story dead in it's tracks. Once I figured out what was going on, I enjoyed the ending too. I just felt like some of the momentum had been lost for me. Overall though, I still loved this book and enjoyed it greatly. It's a fun, breezy read for when you just want to feel good.

Galley provided for review.