Heroes of Faith Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Heroes of Faith by Marlene Bateman Sullivan!

Our fast-paced society loves adventure and it loves a hero—but what about Latter-day Saint heroes?  Are there any?  There are plenty!

Heroes of Faith, True Stories of Faith and Courage, is a collection of twenty-four riveting stories about people who rose above difficulties and impossible odds to emerge triumphant. You’ll read about stalwart men and women who stood firm and valiant in the gospel in spite of dangerous mobs, flying bullets, physical handicaps, extreme hardships, and dictatorial regimes.

It's fascinating to read about the exploits of real heroes and when that hero is acting in accordance with the principles of the gospel, the adventure is not only thrilling, but inspiring as well. In these days of increasing trials and tribulation, we can all use some worthy role models, especially those that strengthen our faith and increase our testimonies.

About the Author:

Marlene Bateman Sullivan was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.  She graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She is married to Kelly R. Sullivan and they are the parents of seven children.  

Her hobbies are gardening, camping, and reading.  Marlene has been published extensively in magazines and newspapers and has written a number of non-fiction books, including:  Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines, And There Were Angels Among Them, Visit’s From Beyond the Veil, By the Ministering of Angels, and Brigham’s Boys. Marlene also wrote the best-selling novel, Light on Fire Island.

A busy writer, Marlene is set to have three books published this year. Gaze Into Heaven, a fascinating collection of over 50 documented near-death experiences in early church history, was published earlier this year. Next came Motive for Murder, the first in a mystery series featuring the quirky private eye, Erica Coleman. Then, Heroes of Faith, a collection of stories about people who acted heroically in the face of grave trials and handicaps was released by Cedar Fort Inc.

Learn more about the author at her website. 

Purchase the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books & Things.

Review:

We are always looking for "heroes." People to inspire us and make us want to be better. This book offers up numerous heroes to help us do just this. Some stories are miraculous, while some just show the simple guidance that we often receive. All of them though serve as an example of people who tried their hardest and made the best out of many different sets of difficult circumstances. 

This book is great! It's full of people, some familiar, some unfamiliar, who did miraculous things. While many seem to be from the earlier parts of LDS church history, there are some that fall closer to current times as well. At any rate they are all great examples. One thing I loved about this book is that everything is in smaller-sized chapters. This makes it easy to read, and it would be easy to adapt these for lessons or FHE. It also would be easier for younger people to read, and I think the stories would really entertain and impress them. This book does a great job of showing a variety of people under some very differing circumstances, but they all have one thing in common. They were able to do great things in their lives because of their faith. We would all do well to try and follow their examples in our own lives.

Book provided for review.

Emma: A Latter-Day Tale Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Emma: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca Jamison!

NOT Looking for Love: Single woman (23) seeks best friend to chat on the phone, shop the clearance racks, watch chick flicks, try out messy cooking projects, and eat Dove dark chocolates.

Emma isn’t so good at the whole life-coaching thing. Her first client ended up with a broken heart and is threatening to relapse in her bad habits. Now Emma has problems of her own to deal with, and all those problems start with one name: Justin.

Justin is her best friend, so it’s hard for Emma not to feel betrayed when she suspects he is falling for her childhood rival. And she knows she’s losing him despite her best efforts. No matter how much she tries, she keeps running up against obstacles. How is she supposed to help other people when she’s drowning in her own failures?

Fans of Jane Austen’s Emma will love this modern retelling of the classic romance novel. Fall in love with Emma’s latter-day tale of redemption, forgiveness, and the quest for true love.

Title: Emma: A Latter-day Tale

Author: Rebecca H. Jamison

ISBN: 978-1-4621-1260-9

Price: $16.99/$19.99

256 pages

About the Author:

Looking for love? Rebecca H. Jamison would love to set you up with that special someone, but you’re better off reading her books. She has a terrible track record as a matchmaker.

Rebecca grew up in Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, where she earned a BA and MA in English with an emphasis in creative writing. In between college and graduate school, she served a mission to Portugal and Cape Verde.

Rebecca enjoys running, dancing, reading, and watching detective shows. She and her husband have six children. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccahjamison.com.

Review:

Emma has everything planned out. She's going to become a life coach and help everyone with her fab advice. She just needs someone to help. Emma finds that person in the new girl in their ward, Harri. Soon Emma has taken Harri under her wing and is ready to find Harri someone to love. Emma's best friend (and her sister's brother-in-law) Justin doesn't think this is a great idea though. Emma will struggle some though when she discovers her help has been less than helpful. If that's not enough to deal with, Emma gets caught up in some other awkward situations. Emma's going to have to work very carefully to keep all her hard work from unraveling around her.

I love Jane Austen's Emma and the movie Clueless (also based on Emma), so I was excited to read this book. It definitely lived up to my expectations. Now clearly if you are familiar with the original, there are no huge surprises in this book. However, it manages to capture the charm and wit of the original as well, so it makes it a super enjoyable book to read. In this instance Emma wants to be a life coach, and she feels that she really has lots of great ideas. The problem with her ideas is that instead of leading someone to reach their goals, she wants to take over their lives for them. This clearly causes issues. The biggest problem lies within Emma herself though. To truly help people, she has to figure her own life out first. As always that is easier said than done.

This book is so enjoyable. The author has such a friendly way of writing that just draws you in immediately. I had planned to read this book spread out of a couple of days between other tasks I had to do. Yeah, that didn't happen. I basically devoured it all in one sitting. The familiarity of the story just wrapped around me like a comfy blanket, and I didn't want it to stop. If you love the original, you'll love this version as well. 

Book provided for review.

Come to Zion Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for the Come to Zion series by Dean Hughes! I have two reviews for the first two books in the series, so read on!

Book 1- The Wind and the Waves

Will Lewis is stuck. the class system in England in the 1840s seems destined to keep him in his place as a poor tenant farmer who cannot improve his lot and will never be able to marry the woman he loves. But the "new religion" that is sweeping through congregations of the United Brethren, Will's church, may hold the key to the better life he longs for. As he listens to the preaching of Wilford Woodruff, he almost dares to hope for the Zion the young Apostle describes.

Will's struggles to believe and to face the rigors of immigrating to an unknown land are paralleled by the modern-day story of Jeff and Abby, a young married couple facing challenges of their own. When Jeff begins digging into his family history, he finds himself particularly drawn to "Grandpa Lewis," an ancestor whose life was more like his than he would have imagined.

The skillful interweaving of these two stories brings Church history to life while demonstrating how much we can learn from those who went before us. Anyone who has ever faced the winds and the waves, in some form, will love this novel.

Book 2- Through Cloud and Sunshine

Nauvoo was supposed to be the kingdom of God on earth, but Will and Liz Lewis are learning that it takes more than dreaming of Zion to make it a reality. Sickness, poverty, and just plain human nature add to the struggles for the Lord's people, but every now and then a glimpse of heaven shines through. Just when things are starting to get settled, though, the old problems start rearing their heads, leaving Will and others wondering if they will be there to reap the harvest they have so carefully sown.

Meanwhile, Jeff and Abby—in modern-day Nauvoo—are dealing with challenges of their own. As their newborn baby fights for his life, they must come to grips with their personal faith. Can they, like their ancestors, continue to trust in God when there seems to be no trace o Him in their trials?

Beloved novelist Dean Hughes skillfully interweaves the stories of two couples separated by five generations and 150 years, providing a unique perspective on Church history and showing how much we can learn from those who went before us.

About the Author:

Dean Hughes has published books for readers of all ages, including the bestselling historical fiction series Children of the Promise. Through Cloud and Sunshine is his one-hundredth published book. Dean holds a bachelor’s degree from Weber State University and master’s and PhD degrees from the University of Washington. He has taught English at Central Missouri State University and Brigham Young University. Dean and his wife, Kathleen Hurst Hughes, served a mission to Nauvoo, Illinois. The parents of three children and grandparents of nine, they live in Midway, Utah.

For more information visit Dean Hughes’ fan page on Facebook.

Review for The Wind and the Waves:

Will Lewis was in search of something more in his life. The son of a tenant farmer in England, Will is enthralled with the talk of factory jobs and getting away from the farm. Life in the big city doesn't turn out as planned though, but Will feels something drawing him back home. He does manage to actually better himself, but by then Will and his new wife Liz are involved with a new religious movement. His new church promises a Zion in America- the city of Nauvoo to be exact. Will and Liz are excited to go, but they will discover that the journey to Zion may be the hardest part. Meanwhile in the current time, Jeff and Abby are dealing with problems of their own. They also end up in Nauvoo, but in a completely different manner. They too will deal with struggles with faith and finding their place in this world.

I found this book a little hard to get into initially. I sort of felt thrown into the story. Once I got it all figured out though, I didn't want to put the book down. The two stories were very interesting indeed. Most of the book revolved around Will and Liz, but their story neatly ties in with Jeff and Liz's story. Although they live many years apart, they have some similar issues to deal with. Both couples deal with struggles with trying to make the best lives that they can for each other and dealing with their faith. These are complicated issues, but you can feel for the characters as they go through them. 

The passage over from England to Nauvoo was horrific, and you feel for Will and Liz (and everyone else). I can't imagine giving up everything and traveling to a new country in that manner. It takes a great deal of faith and dedication which Will and Liz clearly had. Jeff and Abby show these same traits as they move to Nauvoo as well. This book really drew me in, and I felt connected to the story and characters. It brought a new light (and some interesting information) to LDS church history. I was sad when it ended, so I'm glad I have the second one to read already. The ending leaves things hanging a bit, but it was still a good ending. If you like historical novels with realistic characters, check this book out!

Book provided for review.

Review of Through Cloud and Sunshine:

Nauvoo is supposed to be Zion, but it's proving to be slightly less than perfect for Jeff and Abby. Similarly, their ancestors Will and Liz found Nauvoo to be an unforgiving place. Death, sickness, and poverty were among the top of their worries. Survival was not going to be easy. However, Will and Liz are able to see past that at times to what Nauvoo could be like under the right circumstances. There will be many more struggles than good times though, and Will and Liz will have their faith tested to the max. Likewise, Jeff and Abby will have to work hard to find the good in their situation. Maybe with a lot of work Nauvoo can become the place it was meant to be for all four people.

This is a sequel to The Wind and the Waves, but there is a very good summary in the beginning, so you don't feel like you've missed anything. It was exciting to read because these characters are familiar and feel like old friends if you've read the first book. Once again, the main story is with Will and Liz, while Jeff and Abby prove to be a small side story that shows remarkable connection to Will and Liz. There are a lot of struggles here, particularly for Will and Liz. As they struggle through things with the other early LDS members, you get a real feel for the hardships they faced. While Nauvoo was supposed to be Zion, the reality was much different.

What I really enjoy about these books is the author's choice to take on the negative aspects in church history head-on. There were a lot of bad things that happened (and bad people to go along with them), and none of them are glossed over or ignored. It really shows how hard it can be to keep with faith when flawed people are involved. Will and Liz really struggle with their decision to come to Nauvoo still, and I can't say that I blame them. I really appreciate the struggle that they went through. Jeff and Abby have some equally heart wrenching moments. This book kept me interested to the end, and I can't wait to read more!

Book provided for review. 

Rising Sun, Falling Star Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour for Rising Sun, Falling Star by Vickie Hall!

Different eyes and skin 
Mock me from the mirror’s light 
Enemy am I. 

Dec 7, 1941 
Today my life changed forever . . .I am no longer considered American, but by shear heritage I am now the hated enemy . . . 

The lives of Kenji and Aiko Onishi and their American-born children are about to unravel when the United States is thrust into war with Japan. Confronted by insurmountable prejudice and fear, the family is ripped from their California home without just cause by the American government and sent to an assembly center “for their own protection.” Forced to live in deplorable circumstances, every aspect of their lives regulated and controlled, the Onishi’s freedoms are stripped from their grasp as they struggle to survive behind barbed wire. It isn’t long before the mind-numbing confinement and feelings of helplessness begin to pit the family against one another. When sent to a relocation camp in the center of the Utah desert, they’re beset by ever increasing emotional and physical challenges, and Aiko is faced with her greatest yet: to mend the broken spirits of her family, or risk losing them forever. Based on true and tragic events that transpired during World War II, Rising Sun, Falling Star is a heart-rending story of one family’s struggle to survive uncalculated loss and emotional destruction.

Amazon

 

Author Vickie Hall

Vickie is a native of Utah, but growing up, lived in the states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Nebraska. When she’s not writing, she’s composing music, or shopping with her sister. She loves animals of all kinds and camping with her family. Her favorite pastime is watching old movies on TCM, and unashamedly has a crush on Cary Grant.

Links:

Blog * Website Facebook * Goodreads

Review:

December 7, 1941 is a day many American remember as the day that Japanese forces attacked US military bases in Hawaii. For hundreds of thousands of Japanese and people of Japanese descent living in the US, this was the beginning of a horrible nightmare. Soon rounded up like cattle, they were forced to leave almost all of their possessions behind and live in "relocation centers," a polite name for what really amounted to a prison. Through the dark times, the Onishi family will have to depend upon each other in ways they never imagined. 

This story was hard to read. I had heard about the relocation and detention of Japanese citizens and US citizens of Japanese ancestry, but I didn't know a lot of the details. The fact that this happened at all is horrific. I can't imagine what it would have been like to live like this. The book follows the Onishi family. Father Kenji owns a music store in San Francisco. He is truly living the American dream. His hard work has allowed him to buy a home and have a beautiful family. All that changes with the bombing of Pearl Harbor though. Suddenly the Onishis are the enemy merely based on how they look physically. Initially they go along with things to prove their allegiance to the US, but things quickly get out of hand when they realize this isn't the American experience they signed up for.

I found the writing to be a bit jumpy for my liking, but that doesn't take away from the story one bit. In this instance the story was so intriguing. I wanted to keep reading, but I was almost afraid to see how much worse things could be. If you are unfamiliar with the situation for Japanese (and people of Japanese descent) during those war years this is a must read. I can't imagine being forced from everything I know like that. Ultimately they find strength with each other though. The book manages to end on a rising note, and I wanted more just so I could see if the Onishis got the happy ending that I really felt they deserved. This book will make you think and will make you sad that something like this ever had to happen. It's not necessarily an enjoyable read, but it's a great book. 

Book provided for review.

Blog Tour Giveaway 

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

Ends 8/11/13

  a Rafflecopter giveaway    

Guardians Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Guardians by Heather Frost!

Kate Bennett has escaped captivity, but she has not escaped the hunt. The Demon Lord has one million dollars on Kate’s head, and every bounty hunter around is just waiting for the chance to break through her guardian force. Kate’s only shot at staying alive and protecting her loved ones is to lead the seers on a mission to the past and kill the Demon Lord before he comes to power.

But Patrick, Kate’s immortal guardian and the love of her life, knows what happens when she travels back in time: he has seen her die in his arms. With Patrick keeping a protective watch over her, Kate knows she can never lead her mission, but she cannot wait around to be captured by demons again, either.

This final installment of the Seers trilogy brings Kate Bennett’s tale to a surprising and exciting conclusion filled with love and heartache, danger and triumph, loss and redemption.

Meet the Author:

Heather Frost was born in Sandy, Utah, and raised in a small Northern Utah town. She is the second oldest of ten children, and she has always been an avid reader and writer. She’s a graduate of Snow College, and, more recently, Utah State University. She enjoys playing the flute, listening to all types of music, and watching a wide variety of movies. Ever since she wrote her first short story—at the age of four—she has dreamed of one day becoming an author. Guardians is her third published novel; her second book, Demons, is a Whitney Award Finalist. To learn more about Heather and the Seers Trilogy, or to send her a message, visitwww.HeatherFrost.com.

Review:

After escaping the Demon Lord, Kate Bennett wants to try and live a normal life. That doesn't seem likely though. The Demon Lord wants Kate. He wants her bad enough to put out a bounty on her head. Kate's not ready to share this news with the world though. Meanwhile, Kate's boyfriend and Guardian Patrick is harboring some secrets of his own. When all these things collide, things seem even more dire than they did. Kate and Patrick will learn that playing with the past and future can have unexpected consequences, and their love will be put to the ultimate test.

I was excited to read this book, especially after the ending of Demons. Things looked pretty dark, and they don't really pick up that much in Guardians. I guess it's hard to be cheery when the Demon Lord is after you. Kate and Patrick do their bests. It's hard to write a review like this without getting into spoiler territory, and I definitely want to avoid that. There were some things that I kind of saw coming (one major point in particular), but there were several things that surprised me quite a bit. Kate managed to be so strong in times that I thought she would have fallen apart. It was nice to see how much she has grown through the series. Patrick had changed some as well, so it was interesting to reflect on this. Lee and Toni are very much the same two loyal sidekicks they have been, but even they manage to switch things up in the end. 

The did a great job of keeping the tension going without things getting too intense. The ending was not quite what I expected, but it entertained me for sure. While this book is readable as a stand-alone, it will make much more sense (and probably have more impact) if you've read the first two books. If you haven't read them, why not? Go check them out, then get ready for this one. It will get you excited and scared (but not too much so), and you won't want to put it down until you get to the end.

Book provided for review.

Luckily for you all, I have an e-book to giveaway! Isn't that awesome? There are 3 ways to enter:

1. Easy entry for reading this post

2. Like the Seers Official Fan Page on Facebook

3. Follow my blog in some manner

Easy as can be! This giveaway is open internationally, so if you can read an e-book, come enter. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour, and thanks for stopping by!

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Lifestyles of the Great and Spacious Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Lifestyles of the Great and Spacious by John Bytheway!

With every passing day, the unforgettable imagery in Lehi’s dream becomes more real and more relevant. In our modern world, we can literally hear the taunts and see the pointing fingers of people like those in the great and spacious building. We find ourselves clinging with greater energy to the rod of iron as we work through the massive mists of darkness toward the tree of life. In Lifestyles of the Great and Spacious, John Bytheway looks at Lehi’s dream, and with his characteristic humor, comments from Church leaders, scholarly insights, and personal experiences, he expands our understanding of these precious verses of scripture.

About the Author:

John Bytheway is a bestselling author, favorite speaker, and part-time instructor at Brigham Young University. His many titles include Heroes: Lessons from the Book of Mormon; Standards Night Live; Isaiah for Airheads; A Crash Course in Teenage Survival; Behind Every Good Man and his most recent book, Of Pigs, Pearls & Prodigals. He has also created numerous talks on CD, many of which are combined in The John Bytheway Collection, Vols. 1 and 2.

John served a mission to the Philippines and holds a master’s degree in Religious Education. He and his wife, Kimberly, have six children.

Review:

Lehi's dream in the Book of Mormon is a well-known parable for LDS members. This book works to further our understanding of this passage. By dissecting the scripture, John Bytheway is able to really provide interesting insights and thoughts into each little part. This book will provide fascinating information about Lehi's dream along with helpful and meaningful ways to apply it to your life.

This is a passage of scripture I think every LDS member is very familiar with. I know I've heard it tons of times. What I really likes about this book was it's ability to get past what I already know and add some new things in. It's really a great way to study this passage. There are quotes from Church leaders, connections to other scripture, and loads of interesting things to learn. Each chapter also has way to apply these things in your own life. Of course, it's all done in an entertaining and sometimes humorous manner that John Bytheway is known for. This book is a quick read just reading through, but I think you could also spend some time with your scriptures and dissect things even further on your own. It's also something that I think could entertain youth while helping them get a really good grasp on the scripture itself. Definitely check this book out to get a good perspective on Lehi's dream.

Book provided for review.

Ashes, Ashes Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Ashes, Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon!

Are you ever really innocent until proven guilty? Sophia Naziri is wanted for questioning in the murder of a U.S. senator. She’s worried the police will show up on her doorstep any moment, but when Detective Colby Black appears, it’s to help her put out a kitchen fire, not take her in. Yet. His easy smile and persistence in getting to know her pushes all her troubles to the back of her mind, until a hit man tracks her down. Getting arrested becomes the least of her worries and the handsome detective could be her only way out---if she tells him the truth. Colby Black’s sniper skills have been a blessing and a curse to him. As a member of a Hostage Negotiation Team, he can use them to save people, but sometimes he can’t protect the innocent despite his best efforts. When a hostage situation goes bad, he tries to put it behind him by helping out his mysterious next-door neighbor, Sophia Naziri. But she pulls Colby into a web of lies and conspiracy that will force him to use every skill he has in order to survive. Faced with the moment of truth, can he trust anyone around him---including the woman at the center of it all?  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Julie Coulter Bellon

Julie is the author of seven international suspense novels: Through Love's Trials, On the Edge,Time Will Tell, All's Fair, Dangerous Connections,Ribbon of Darkness and All Fall Down. She loves her work partly because she gets to travel to distant lands to research and add an authentic feel to all of her books. Her favorite cities so far are Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She taught journalism at BYU for fourteen years and that kept her on the cutting edge of current events and world news---which is where she gets her story ideas. She also has one non-fiction title: Be Prepared: A Parent's Guide to the Duty to God and Eagle Scout Awards---What You Should Know and is part of two compilations, How Will Christmas Find Us and Life Lessons From Mothers of Faith. She is the mother of eight children and when she's not busy being a mom or a writer, you will find her browsing through bookstores to add to her book collection, at the library borrowing books, or reading the treasures she's found.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Excerpt:

Colby grabbed Rafe’s backpack and pulled out two flash bang grenades.  Rafe was calling in reinforcements, but Colby knew they might not make it in time to help.

“You guys head for the garage, I’ll meet you there,” Rafe said, ending his call.

Colby took Sophia’s hand.  The fire seemed to be coming at them from every angle.  “Keep down,” he told her.  She just nodded and he was glad she was agreeing, since she looked more than panicked.  He opened the side door leading to the garage and peeked around the corner. 

“We can’t leave Rafe behind, but the motorcycle won’t take three of us.”  She was talking so low Colby could hardly hear her.

“We’re not leaving Rafe.  He’s going to take care of the three in the back and we’re going to open the garage and take care of the ones out front.”  He pulled her toward the corner behind a large barrier in the garage. Colby was always amazed with what the safe houses were equipped with.  Who else would need a concrete barrier in a garage?

“Stay here, and keep this safe.”  He handed her the backpack with the laptop and flash drive in it.

She did as she was told, clutching the bag to her.  Colby didn’t linger, but got ready to throw out the flash bang.  He pulled open the side garage door, just far enough so he could see two of the men standing guard, waiting for them to be smoked out.  He threw the grenade and shut the door, but as soon as he heard the explosion, he pushed it open and darted out. 

 Giveaway Details 

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

Ends 7/24/13

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