Monthly Archives: March 2012

On My Wish List; 3.31.2012

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On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Cosy Books and runs every Saturday. It’s where we list all the books we desperately want but haven’t actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It’s also an event that you can join in with too – Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own ‘On My Wishlist’ post. If you want to know more click here.

These two books have been on my Wish List for a long time now, and I am SO anxious to get a hold of them and devour them!

Will Annie find treasure in her field of sunflowers?

Annie Jamison is the sister who keeps the peace. So when her mother goes missing, Annie’s the one sent
to retrieve her.

There’s one problem. It seems the town Willa Jamison (willingly) ran off to—Sunflower, Kansas— doesn’t exist. Sure, it’s on the map, but when Annie drives there, she finds herself in the middle of a field. Of sunflowers. In nearby Bonner Springs, Kansas, Annie finds her errant mother…and Joe Kelly, a handsome veterinarian who thinks Annie is part of a team of con artists out to swindle his father. It takes some time, but eventually, Joe’s working with Annie instead of against her to bring their wacky parents to their senses. When this unlikely team turns into an unlikely couple, Annie no longer wants to leave her field of sunflowers. She wants happily-ever-after with Joe Kelly. But when evidence of the con resurfaces, will Joe have enough faith in Annie to recognize the truth

A Plain and Simple Heart, an exciting new Amish-meets-Wild West adventure from bestselling authors Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith, weaves an entertaining and romantic tale for devoted fans and new readers.

1884—Several years earlier, young Rebecca Switzer lost her heart to Jesse Montgomery, a rugged but dissolute cowboy on a dusty cattle trail near the Amish settlement of Apple Grove. Now she is grown up, and when she hears one day that he has been spotted nearby, her desire is plain and simple: She must see him.

Sheriff Colin Maddox is counting the days until he can leave law enforcement and follow his dream of starting a church. When a lovely woman, new to town and looking travel weary and a bit lost, gets caught up in the middle of a temperance riot, she is arrested along with the leaders. He can hardly believe she is what she claims—a Plain and simple woman. Nor can he believe how quickly he loses his heart to her. Can Colin convince her to forget Jesse and give him a chance?

I am an absolute sucker for the Love Finds You series.And I have nearly every book in the series that has been released to date. Plus, Amish has always been a favorite genre of mine so,I am dying to read both of these and am in love with these covers. My wish list, of course, grows longer and longer with each day, when I blog surf :-) . How about you? What’s on your wish list?

Side Door Communications Blog Tour Review: The Last Plea Bargain by Randy Singer + GIVEAWAY!

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The Last Plea Bargain
Randy Singer
Tyndale House Publishers
February 17,2012
432 pages
Amazon|BN
provided by Side Door Communications through NetGalley
RBM’s Disclaimer
5/5 Books

Plea bargains may grease the rails of justice, but for Jamie Brock, prosecuting criminals is not about cutting deals. In her three years as assistant DA, she’s never plea-bargained a case and vows she never will. But when a powerful defense attorney is indicted for murder and devises a way to bring the entire justice system to a screeching halt, Jamie finds herself at a crossroads. One by one, prisoners begin rejecting deals. Prosecutors are overwhelmed, and felons start walking free on technicalities. To break the logjam and convict her nemesis, Jamie must violate every principle that has guided her young career. But she has little choice. To convict the devil, sometimes you have to cut a deal with one of his demons.

Author Randy Singer

About The Author:
Randy Singer is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning author and veteran trial attorney. He was recently a finalist with John Grisham and Michael Connelly for the inaugural Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction sponsored by the University of Alabama School of Law and the ABA Journal. He has authored ten legal thrillers, including the 2003 Christy Award-winning Directed Verdict, Irreparable Harm, Dying Declaration, Self Incrimination, The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney, False Witness, By Reason of Insanity (2009 Christy Nominee), The Justice Game (CBA Bestseller), and Fatal Convictions as well as the novella, The Judge Who Stole Christmas. He has also authored or co-authored three nonfiction titles. Randy runs his own law practice and was recently named to Virginia Business magazine’s select list of “Legal Elite” litigation attorneys. He also serves as a teaching pastor for Trinity Church in Virginia Beach, VA. He calls it is “Jekyll and Hyde thing”—part lawyer, part pastor. He teaches classes in advocacy and civil litigation at Regent Law School Randy and his wife, Rhonda, live in Virginia Beach and have two adult children.

Connect With The Author:
Website | Facebook | Twitter

My Review:
Randy Singer is one of the most talented authors out there in the Christian genre, when it comes to writing about thrilling action and gripping suspense. I love his work. So, I was super excited to have the chance to jump on board this tour for his latest novel, The Last Plea Bargain. I went into the story with an open mind, so that I could completely focus on the story and be swept away into the middle of the book, to the heart of the novel. I was blown away at the amazing ability this author puts forth, once again, into one of his totally captivating, moving, and roller coaster ride novels. Wow! This book was awesome!

From the very first page, Singer incorporates the intense suspense. Caleb Tate, a highly respected criminal attorney, becomes a one and only suspect in his wife’s death. Police question him, he tells the events, but there’s something they believe has happened, and all fingers point to the prominent attorney.

Jamie Brock is the ADA assigned to the case. After her mother was murdered, and her father shot, Jamie vows to see that Antoine Marshall, the person responsible for her mother’s death, gets what he deserves: execution. But, sadly, Jaime’s father is in the hospital, and dying. But, when she realizes that her newest case is Caleb Tate, the man who defended Marshall, she jumps in full force to prove his guilt in his wife’s death.

Caleb Tate causes ultimate chaos when he has everyone in the prison force their cases to go to trial by refusing the plea bargains. It causes whirlwind thrills among the lawyers and courts, and keeps the reader twisting in their seats as each page turn pulls them deeper and deeper into the realm of the legal systems.

I absolutely loved this novel. I couldn’t put it down and had it read in less than two days. The characters are utterly complex and the plot line, intense. The woven messages of faith and trust are hidden perfectly, but speak loudly to the reader. The incredible use of the legal terminology and the way the story came to life, was awesome. This 5 Book worthy novel would make an awesome movie, that’s for sure! I definitely recommend this novel to everyone. It’s mind blowing and so much better than those court room TV dramas. I can’t wait to pick up Mr. Singer’s next novel!


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Tribute Books Blog Tour Review: The Priest And The Peaches by Larry Peterson

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The Priest And The Peaches
Larry Peterson
Tribute Books
December 21, 2011
204 pages
Amazon|BN|Smashwords
RBM’s Disclaimer
5/5 Books

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad’s funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of “grown-up world.” A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Author Larry Peterson

About The Author:
Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.

His first children’s picture book, Slippery Willie’s Stupid, Ugly Shoes was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, The Priest and the Peaches was released and he is presently working on the sequel.

He also has a blog (http://www.slipperywillie.com) where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.

Connect With The Author:
Website |Facebook | Twitter

My Review:
Larry Peterson is a highly talented author in all he does. I had the wonderful pleasure of reviewing his children’s book, Slippery Willy’s Stupid Ugly Shoes some time back, and I knew then that this author had extreme talent. So, I was quite please to partake in another of his blog tours, this time for a YA novel that is highly unique and extremely complex.

The Peaches are a family who’s faith is extremely tested. Dealing with heartache at young ages, they’ve seen death twice, and are about to deal with it again when their father becomes sick. Suddenly, these young children are taking on the world with funerals, and growing up too fast. Not getting to live a life of kids, they are know forced to do what they can to stay together as a family and survive. Along the way they encounter obstacles that will make you smile, and some that will leave you with tears in your eyes.

One person they came across and relied on to the end, was the Priest. Father Sullivan tries to instill in the young children the hope and faith that they need to survive as orphaned children. Dealing with death and unanswered hopes and prayers, the children are extremely reluctant to believe in what the Father is trying to teach them. But, Father Sullivan will not give up.

This is a book that grips you from beginning to end. It’s filled with real-life events, and children that you just want to wrap your arms around, pray for them, and hug them til they smile forever. Most definitely worthy of 5 Books and highly recommended, this book is perfect for young readers, and older readers, alike. The message of always having have faith, even in trying times, stands strong and true in the middle of the plot. I can’t wait for another amazingly written book by this absolutely talented author! Well done, once again, Mr. Peterson!

Click the banner to follow all the stops on the tour.

 

PUYB Tour Guest Post: A Special Delivery’s Kathi Macias + Giveaway!!

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Shining God’s Light on Dark Subjects
by Kathi Macias

One of the questions I frequently hear is: “Why do you write about such dark subjects?”

My answer: Why wouldn’t I?

Truthfully, though, I don’t write about dark subjects. I write about light shining in the darkness—even the darkest places imaginable—because that’s where it is most needed. I’ve done an entire fiction series (“Extreme Devotion”: No Greater Love; More than Conquerors; Red Ink; People of the Book) on the topic of the persecuted church, and yes, some scenes are dark and will most definitely make readers uncomfortable. Good!

God hasn’t called us to comfort, but to courage; He hasn’t equipped us to run from the darkness in fear, but rather to live in a way that lights the path of escape for those who are trapped there. And though the 4 novels in the “Extreme Devotion” series don’t necessarily wrap up with the typical happily-ever-after endings of many novels, they do finish on a triumphant note because the darkness can never overcome God’s Light.

Confronting the Darkness of Human Trafficking

Now I am in the midst of releasing a “Freedom” series trilogy on the topic of human trafficking. The first book of the series, Deliver Me from Evil, released in Fall 2011, while book two, Special Delivery, has just released in March 2012. (Book three, The Deliver, will release in Fall 2012.) It doesn’t get much darker than human trafficking, does it?

But when you consider that an estimated 27 million people worldwide are trapped in modern-day slavery right now, today, in the 21st century, including an estimated 100,000–300,000 minors involved in or at risk of sex trafficking right here in the United States, how can I keep silent?

God has given me a gift, a talent and passion to write. He has also given me His light to shine from within me onto others, and how better to do it than to use my gift of writing to expose the deeds of darkness and to rescue the victims?

When Jesus walked the earth, He declared Himself to be the Light of the world (John 9:5). Now that He has ascended into heaven, He has passed the torch to us, His church, to bring light and hope to a dark and dying world. Dare we ignore that mandate? Can we justify going only where darkness is but a shadow, avoiding the true depths of midnight-darkness and perverted depravity that would destroy the very people who have been stamped with the image of their Creator?

I don’t believe we can avoid it. President Obama declared January 2012 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the US Senate designated January 11 to be a National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness. Secular groups around the world are taking a stand against this horrific atrocity, and I applaud them for it. But it is the Church, those of us who have the Light living inside us, who must lead the way, standing together to dispel the darkness and to set the captives free.

Will you join me? The Light of the world will walk with us, each and every step of the way.


Special Delivery
Kathi Macias
Freedom Series, #1
New Hope Publishers
March 6, 2012
320 pages
Amazon
RBM’s Disclaimer

In book two of the “Freedom” series, readers find Mara fighting against her attraction to Bible college student Jonathan Flannery, even while wrestling with risking her own precarious safety to become involved in the rescue of another girl who is pregnant and desperately wants to escape her captors and save her own life, as well as her child’s.

Halfway around the world in a brothel in Thailand, a young girl named Lawan is rescued with the promise of being reunited with her little sister who was adopted by an interracial couple in the States, friends of Jonathan’s family.
Meanwhile, Jefe—Mara’s uncle, who held her as a sex slave in his brothel in San Diego for years—seeks revenge for Mara’s testimony that put him behind bars for life. Will his underworld connections be successful in kidnapping and killing the girl who believes she has finally won her freedom?

Author Kathi Macias

About the Author: 
Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored more than 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al. Her most recent release is Special Delivery, the second book in her “Freedom” series

Connect With The Author:
Website |Facebook | Twitter

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Full Moon Bites Blog Tour Promo + Giveaway Stop: Earthly Concerns by Xavier Axelson

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Earthly Concerns
Xavier Axelson
Seventh Window Publications
January 9,2012
eBook
Purchase
RBM’s Disclaimer

Between love and loss, there is obligation….

It was a peaceful night when Barrett and his daughter were driving home… then something happened. Something sinister.

Between shadow and light, there is uncertainty….

Now the only person Barrett can turn to for help is Anson, a man gifted with psychic abilities beyond reason. But Anson is also his ex-boyfriend, a man whose heart he’d already broken.

If you can see, you have to help.

As Anson delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding Barrett’s accident, he begins to realize that he’s not only in a race against time, but in a battle against his own broken heart and the terrifying understanding that whatever has taken Barrett’s child is a force of evil beyond anything either man has ever encountered.

And between decision and consequences, there are… Earthly Concerns.

Author Xavier Axelson

About The Author:
Xavier Axelson is a writer and columnist living in Los Angeles. His columns include interviews with counterculture celebrities, artisans, singers, writers, performance artists, politicians, and activists. While his writing has been called, “raw, dirty, and absolutely beautiful,” Xavier hopes to push boundaries of what is expected in the M/M erotic genres.

Connect With The Author:
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Excerpt:

How could I just go over, and if I did, would I just be stumbling back into the pit of snakes I had just narrowly escaped the first time? I thought this and a hundred other dangerous thoughts until I saw him begin to stand up. I waved him down, then went over and sat down.
Apparently, I thought the best course of action was to dive right in, avoid any further uncomfortable thoughts from belching up from the cesspool that I was creating in my skull.
“Tell me everything,” I blurted, trying to avoid looking into his eyes.
“You look good, all hot and cute,” he said, trying to maintain his smile, but the weight of his sadness was too intense. Instead, he managed a pained grimace.
“Thanks.” I wanted to say more, return the compliment, but found I couldn’t; he was a keen listener and would be able to detect any false sentiment I might throw out. I stared down at the menu and tried to ignore my heart, which had once again taken up its incessant thrumming.
“Thanks for coming,” he said.
I didn’t look up, but could feel him staring at me.
When the waitress came over, we ordered. Without the menu to stare at, I looked up and past him.
“Anson.” He said my name like it was some sort of invocation.
Did he believe he was dreaming? I could only imagine the nightmare of not knowing where your child is and if she would ever come back.
“Tell me everything,” I repeated, my voice steady. I lowered my eyes and faced him; and seeing his sadness, I swallowed hard.
“It’s unreal,” he said, this time looking away from me, his eyes glistening. “I’m not sure I know what’s happened.”
The waitress arrived with two small cups of clear broth with some vegetables in them and refilled our waters.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my eyes riveted on him. I couldn’t believe I was sitting across from him in the same place I had met him once before; the day he wanted to return a t-shirt I had left at his place after one of our interludes.
Even now, looking beaten and tormented, the man somehow managed to provoke me in ways other men hadn’t. I saw him as beautiful and felt my stomach lurch. I looked at his brown eyes that I remembered looking gold in the sun, and his oddly handsome face. Not a traditionally good looking face, but handsome in a bookish, learned way. I felt my body begin to respond.

Full Moon Bites Tours

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