Pages

Friday, May 31, 2013

Review: Wanted by Kathi Oram Peterson

Title: Wanted

Author: Kathi Oram Peterson

Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.

Published: May 2013

ISBN: 978-1-62108-415-0

FTC FYI: Received an eCopy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book | Seagull Book



Book Description:

Rodeo veterinarian Jo Powers is accustomed to operating under pressure—but nothing could have prepared her for the shocking discovery of the armed and bleeding escaped convict hiding in her truck. Even more disconcerting is the fact that Jo knows the man in the prison jumpsuit. Jo’s split-second decision to use her medical skill to save this man’s life is just the beginning, because now he needs her help to uncover the truth. Seven years ago, Branson Faulkner was accused of a murder he claims he didn’t commit. With the hope of finding new evidence to prove his innocence, he’s risked everything to clear his name and reclaim his life—but he can’t do it alone. Jo agrees to help, even though she isn’t completely sure Faulkner is innocent. Now, as Faulkner and Jo conduct their investigation, they discover an alarming connection between a string of homicides, and one truth is clear: there’s a murderer on the loose who will stop at nothing to cover his tracks.


Review:

I enjoy clean, romantic suspense novels, and found Kathi Oram Peterson's latest novel, Wanted, to be a great fit in that genre with national appeal.

Opening Wanted with an escaped convict on the run, and then having the other main character deep in a tense rodeo setting was a great way to draw a reader in, even for non-rodeo fans. I was also drawn in by the familiar Idaho setting.

I found the point of view switching back and forth between Jo and Faulkner to be an excellent way to get to know the characters, and it was an enjoyable way to discover the missing pieces to the crime.

I thought I knew who the bad guy was very early in the story, but Peterson kept throwing in twists and turns that kept me from being completely sure. My initial guess was right, but there was much more involved than I initially thought.

This is a fast and entertaining read that keeps you cheering for the underdog.

About the Author:

Raised in southeastern Idaho, Kathi Oram Peterson developed a love for the Snake River that winds through much of the region. She spent many happy adventures with family and friends swimming, boating, and fishing on the river. Though she now resides in Salt Lake City, she returns to the Snake River Valley often for vacations. When her children finished school, Kathi finished her English degree at the University of Utah. She worked for several years, writing and editing children's books for a curriculum publisher. Upon leaving the workforce, she turned her attention to writing novels. Setting a romantic-suspense novel in Idaho with the river she loves came naturally.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Book Blast: Above Rubies by Jaclyn M. Hawkes

above rubies tour



above rubiesAbove Rubies

His chivalry was strangling her. He thought he was helping her—and in truth, he was. She was in desperate straits. But as honorable as he was, he was also breaking her heart. Her attraction was drowning him. When World Champion rodeo cowboy Rossen Rockland and his friends rescue a young runaway who has been abused by her foster father and take her home to his parents’ ranch, he expects her to turn out to be a pain in the neck. And sometimes she is. It doesn’t take him long to figure out that she has way more than her allotment of troubles—and far more than her share of gifts. Lovely, talented, and ravingly brilliant, Kit Star is too young, unbelievably humble, and oh, so loveable. Knowing that she needs his protection and time to grow into her potential, Rossen also figures out that what she really is, is a pain in the heart. Watch for more of the Rockland Ranch Series!


Praise for Above Rubies:

I absolutely could not put this book down. It had me laughing, crying, angry and pretty much every other emotion. I can not wait for the next one in the series to come out. Keep them coming!!! ~Addicted to Books This is the second book in the Rockland Ranch Romance Series.  It can be read as a stand alone.

peace river Peace River (Book 1)

The police didn't understand the danger, but she did. Her father had always been abusive, but now, with a ten million dollar Thoroughbred farm on the line, and a powerful bookie leaning on him, her father had become out of control. But how do you get away and take a world famous stallion with you? Carrie was getting desperate when a handsome and honorable but thoroughly cynical rodeo cowboy from Wyoming happened to show up with a horse trailer. He didn't ride a white horse, but he was definitely a knight in shining armor. He'll protect her from the mob, but can she survive falling in love with a bull rider?


Praise for Peace River

"Give me a clean romance, humor and a good looking cowboy and I'm a happy girl. LDS fiction isn't always my favorite but I really enjoyed the characters and adventure in this book." ~Carol - Goodreads

"There was plenty of action, adventure and danger to keep me guessing just how everything was going to turn out. I didn't want to put it down until I finished! Jaclyn Hawkes is one of my favorite LDS romance authors. You really can't go wrong with any of her books that you pick up!" ~Cathy -Goodreads


Author Jaclyn M. Hawkes

jaclynJaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4 brothers and any number of pets. (It was never boring!) She got a bachelor’s degree, had a career and traveled extensively before settling down to her life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging children. She loves shellfish, the out of doors, the youth and hearing her children laugh. She and her fine husband, their family, and their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe.
Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/11/13
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 author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $50 US. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Book Blast: The Trouble with Toads by Danyelle Leafty

trouble with toadsThe Trouble with Toads

Once upon a time a young girl wanted revenge. But first, she wanted to be beautiful. Twelve-year-old Bettony has read enough stories that begin with ‘Once upon a time’ to know what happens to the ugly stepsisters at the end, and she’s determined to escape that fate by any means necessary—even by magic. Unfortunately, when it comes to magic, there is no place for regret, refunds, or exchanges. Even if you accidentally turn your older sister into a toad. If Bettony wants her Happily Ever After to end well, she’s going to have to find a way to turn her sister back into a person before their mother finds out she’s been dabbling with magic and grounds her for life. Tracking down the family magic turns out to be surprisingly easy. Now, if only it came with directions . . . THE TROUBLE WITH TOADS (45,000 words) is the first book in a new upper MG series The Secret Stepsister Society. The second book will be released Summer 2013.


danyelle  Author Danyelle Leafty

Danyelle Leafty writes upper MG and YA fantasy, and is the author of THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA series. Danyelle has always loved fairy tales, and prefers stories where someone gets eaten, or at the very least, transmogrified. Much of her inspiration has come from fairy tales, because as G.K. Chesterton so aptly states, "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." In her spare time, she collects dragons, talking frogs, and fairy godmothers. She also collects books, and one day hopes to make a house out of them. She enjoys learning languages, fiddling with her harp, and perfecting the fine art of mothering. (It's a lot like trying to herd chickens during a lightning storm while a goat stampede is going on.) One of her heroes is Albert Einstein, particularly for the following quote: "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The most important thing is not to stop questioning."


Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/10/13
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 author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $50 US.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Release Event: Love in Darkness by E.M. Tippetts

Happy release day to Love in Darkness by E.M. Tippets! There's a great event giveaway included in this post, along with my review and an excerpt from the book.

About the Book

Title: Love in Darkness (Shattered Castles, #2)

Author: E.M. Tippetts

Release date: May 21, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17202459-love-in-darkness

Alex had everything when he was with Madison. But the darkness within him wouldn't go away. After two years apart, he returns to Pelican Bluffs and to the girl he never wanted to leave.

Madison wants to give their love another chance, but Alex can't fight fate. He is what he is. Ruined. Crazy like his mother. And Madison deserves so much more. When his secrets spill out into their small town, Alex has a choice to make. Hide away in the darkness forever, or let love in.


Review

I read my first E.M. Tippets book (Someone Else's Fairytale) last fall, and I enjoyed it so much I couldn't wait to read more of her work. This Shattered Castles series isn't quite as upbeat as Someone Else's Fairytale, but I found that, especially in Love in Darkness, Tippetts does a very nice job of not making the hard issues included overly depressing and creepy.

Love in Darkness takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride! Alex's situation really pulled at the heart strings. I felt so bad for him in what could have been a hopeless diagnosis and life, but through it all he had friends to stand by him and help him. The romance was touching, especially how amazing Madison is to see beyond Alex's illness, even when he thinks there's no hope.

I also loved seeing some of the characters from Castles on the Sand have a major change of heart. There are characters in books that you just don't like. They don't seem to have an ounce of goodness in them, but having this sequel provided on opportunity to see that people can change.

Excerpt

“We have to break up,” I hear myself tell her. I’m standing on the rocky beach, my back to the crashing surf. In front of me is Madison, gazing up at me with pure pain in those ice blue eyes. Behind her is the rugged rock wall of the cliff face.
 

Her hair is pulled back in a simple ponytail and the breeze stirs the wisps that frame her face. The air is cool, but not cold. “I know myself, all right?” I explain. “The moment you move on, I won’t be able to take it. So I’ve got to let you go.”
 

“Don’t do this.”
 

“I’m sorry.”
 

“Take it back. Please. Alex, I don’t want to break up.” Her eyes are wide, like clear, crystal pools.
 

“And I need you not to write to me,” I say.
 

“Why?” Now she claps both her hands over her nose and mouth as if to hold back pain or tears, or whatever it is shining from her gaze.
 

It takes every ounce of my control not to back down. I have to stop kidding myself and finish this. “Because, I don’t want to know the moment you move on. I just… I need you to give me space.”
 

“You’re going to Japan. That’s not enough space for you?”
 

“I’m sorry, all right.” I back away, stepping carefully on the rocky beach. “But it’s not like we were ever going to last.”
 

“Why not?”
 

That, I should think, is obvious. Because the two of us together makes no sense. She’s beautiful and popular and has guys lining up around the block for a chance to be with her. I’m a high school dropout with a criminal record and no future. She should be embarrassed to be with me. Eventually we’ll both have to grow up. At least I’ll have the memories.
 

As I turn away, I hear her scrabble behind me, then the rapid beat of her boots against the stony ground. “Alex, wait.” Her tone is anguished.
 

I set my jaw against the pain, like I’ve stitched my own heart with a silk thread and am now yanking it hard enough to tear the organ. I keep walking.
 

She grabs my hand, her supple fingers wrapping around my palm. “Stop.”
 

I stop, but I don’t turn.
 

It doesn’t matter because she darts around in front of me and puts one arm around my waist. The other hand she slides up my back to grasp my shoulder. Her soft curves fit against my body. It’s how she always holds me, and I can’t endure it this time. I bow my head and just let the tears fall.
 

“Alex,” she whispers, touching her forehead to mine, that soft breath against my lips. “Don’t, okay? You promised you’d never hurt me.”
 

At that I let out a sob. Forget saving face. She knows me for who I am anyway and now she’s wiping away my tears. “Listen,” she says, “you need me not to distract you from your mission, fine. But I’ll always be here for you, and when you come back, I’ll be waiting.” She strokes my cheek with the backs of her fingers and leans up to press her lips against mine.

I don’t want to kiss back, but at the same time, I can’t resist. She runs her fingers through my hair and the kiss goes on and on until I’ve got both arms wrapped tight around her and I’m drinking in her essence, liquid fire that pools in my core. I have to stop this.
 

But when I do, she doesn’t let me pull back. She leans in and looks me straight in the eye. “I’ll wait for you. I don’t care if you don’t believe me. Let’s not end things with a fight, okay? Let’s end it on a good note for now.”

“Goodbye, Madison.”
 

“Bye, Alex. For now.”
 

“I love you.” I don’t mean to say it, but it slips out, my whisper barely loud enough for me to hear it myself.
 

Madison’s chin snaps up. “What?”
 

I shake my head, willing her not to press me.
 

“Alex-”
 

I start to pull away but she reels me back in, not by force, but with her gaze. Her eyes beg me not to leave. She puts one arm around my waist again and slides her other hand up my back. “It’ll be all right. Everything will be all right,” she says.

About the Author

Emily Mah Tippetts writes romance under the name E.M. Tippetts and science fiction and fantasy under the name Emily Mah. Originally from New Mexico, she now lives in London with her family. Before she was a published author, she was an attorney who specialized in real estate, contracts, and estate planning, especially literary estate planning. 


Purchase the Book


Event Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Cover Reveal: Fallen Angel by Molly Snow


Fallen Angel will be released Saturday, May 18th, through Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.


About:

Teen angel, Persephone, is the only one in all of Heaven who can't sing. In fact, her name literally means "Voice of Destruction." So diving down one of Heaven's portals, straight into singer Taylor Hamilton’s bedroom, seems like a good idea at the time. Maybe, just maybe, he can help. Plus, he is sooo cute!

While it can be fun swooning over a mortal, it can also be frustrating. Angels aren't supposed to fall for mortals. Then there's Taylor's guardian angel, who is ready to sabotage the budding romance at every turn. Will Persephone learn to sing before Heaven calls her back? And, most importantly, can love prevail for an angel who has fallen head-over-wings for a mortal?

Author Bio:

Molly Snow is a Top 10 Idaho Fiction Author, awarded by The Idaho Book Extravaganza. Her works include quirky teen romances BeSwitched and Fallen Angel. Also a speaker on writing, her school assemblies have been featured in The Contra Costa Times and The Brentwood Press. Snow is married to her high school crush, has a set of silly twin boys and a bobtail cat named Meow-Meow.

Author's Blog: http://www.mollysnowfiction.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Blog Tour: 21 Principles by Richard G. Scott

Blog Tour

About the Book

"As you seek spiritual knowledge, search for principles," counsels Elder Richard G. Scott. "Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances."

In this exciting book, Elder Scott offers 21 principles distilled from his life experiences. These "concentrated truths" will help you understand more fully how to be guided by the Spirit. Elder Scott's brief explanations open the way for your own discovery and exploration.

"I bear witness that Jesus Christ knows you personally," Elder Scott writes. "He will provide answers to every difficult problem in your life as you trust Him and do all you can to understand and apply His doctrine and strive to live by the Spirit." 21 Principles will be a valuable tool in that quest.

Review

21 Principles is a great book from the outside in. The cover features a beautiful water color done by the author (readers learn about Elder Scott's artistic background while reading Principle 3). The book is a compact size, ideal for taking on the go. And, at just over 100 pages, divided up by each principle, it's a fast read that can be read a principle at a time or all at once.

After a brief introduction, the 21 principles are all listed. It is nice to have them all up front, so no digging is necessary. The rest of the book focuses on each principle, expounding and personalizing each one.

I really like how Elder Scott included personal examples with each of the 21 principles. It's one thing to share a sentence or two about a truth that can help us live by the Spirit, but showing how that truth has applied in his life really helps bring the points home.

One point that really stood out to me came from principle 6:

"His invitation, 'Ask, and ye shall receive' (3 Nephi 27:29) does not assure that you will get what you want. It does guarantee that, if worthy, you will get what you need, as judged by a Father that loves you perfectly, who wants your eternal happiness even more than you do." (p. 35)

Such an important point to remember!

I also really liked this guidance from principle 10:

"Learn how to live the commandments when there is no pressure on you. Develop the standards and obedience by making correct choices repeatedly and you will develop the character that will sustain you when pressures from Satan come into your life. The principles of the gospel will have become such a part of who you are that they will produce miracles." (p. 51)

Not only is it important when we are raising and teaching our children, but it is important to everyone, at any age.

21 Principles is a great book filled with simple (but divine) truths that can help us through the ups and downs in our daily lives.

About the Author

Elder Richard G. Scott, was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in October 1988. He had served in the First Quorum of the Seventy since 1977 and was a member of the presidency of that quorum for five years. He holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering and completed post-graduate work in nuclear engineering. Prior to his call as a General Authority, he worked on the staff of Admiral Hyman Rickover developing military and private nuclear power reactors. Elder Scott and his wife, Jeanene Watkins Scott (deceased), are the parents of seven children.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Review: A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection

I have really enjoyed the different seasonal collections offered in the Timeless Romance Anthology eBooks. When I saw that Melanie Jacobson, Julie Wright, Rachael Anderson, Annette Lyon, Heather Moore and Sarah M. Eden were all contributing to the Summer Wedding Collection, I was VERY excited to read it. What a talented group of authors!

The Summer Wedding Collection is probably my favorite in the Timeless Romance Anthology so far. The stories are fun and sweet (as usual), with the added bonus of feeling fairly realistic. Although not always possible with novellas, the authors in this collection did a great job of not rushing through their stories.

My favorite story was Romeo and Julie-Ex by Julie Wright. It is such a great romance! It is clean and full of emotion. I loved Jack and Juliet, and thought there were some great one liners.

Other than a couple of swear words in Love Bytes, the stories are clean and quick, entertaining reads.

You can purchase the Summer Wedding Collection eBook on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

*I received a copy of the Summer Wedding Collection in exchange for a review.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Blog Tour: Sweet Mercy by Ann Tatlock

 
Sweet Mercy

Stunning coming-of-age drama set during the Great Depression and Prohibition

When Eve Marryat's father is laid off from the Ford Motor Company in 1931, he is forced to support his family by leaving St. Paul, Minnesota, and moving back to his Ohio roots. Eve's uncle Cyrus has invited the family to live and work at his Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge.

Eve can't wait to leave St. Paul, a notorious haven for gangsters. At seventeen, she considers her family to be "good people," not lawbreakers like so many in her neighborhood. Thrilled to be moving to a "safe haven," Eve soon forms an unlikely friendship with a strange young man named Link, blissfully unaware that her uncle's lodge is anything but what it seems.

When the reality of her situation finally becomes clear, Eve is faced with a dilemma. Does she dare risk everything by exposing the man whose love and generosity is keeping her family from ruin? And when things turn dangerous, can she trust Link in spite of appearances?
 


My Review

Sweet Mercy opens with the main character, Eve, and her grandson, Sean, arriving at the Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge to recover a keepsake of Eve's that had been left in the attic years before. Sean asks Eve to tell him about the summer she came to the lodge, and the reader is taken back 50 years earlier to when Eve and her parents moved to Mercy, Ohio. The pace at the beginning of the story was a bit slow, but after awhile I was sucked in, and I couldn't wait to find out who Eve's heart belonged to.

I found the historical aspects of the story so intriguing. You always hear about crime and corruption in places like Chicago and New York, but my eyes were opened to how widespread crime was during Prohibition. That said, I would have loved to see some notes at the end of the book to separate fact from fiction.

The moral dilemma Eve was faced with was so difficult. I really felt for her and her father. And in some ways I felt for some of the people who broke the law as a way to support their families. There are a few good lessons to be learned in Sweet Mercy, and one that really stood out to me is that there is good in everyone.

I really liked the characters, and was glad that the readers were given a little summary at the end about what had happened to most of the characters after the summer of 1931.

I loved the ending of Sweet Mercy! Eve ended up with just the right man for her, and I was so pleased to catch a glimpse of how happy she still was 50 years later.

Excerpt

Jones pushed his hat back a notch and looked over his shoulder after the two boats. “The Little Miami meets up with the Ohio River not too far from here,” he said. “That’s probably where they’re headed.”

“Funny that they’re taking a bunch of castor oil down the Ohio River.”

Jones turned again to look at me. I couldn’t see his eyes but somehow I sensed they held amusement. My suspicions were confirmed when he shook his head and laughed. “Castor oil, nothing,” he muttered. “They’re hauling moonshine.”

For a moment I was speechless. I frowned and wondered whether I had heard him right. “Moonshine?”

“Sure. People like them are up and down this river all the time.”

It can’t be, I thought. This was Ohio, after all, birthplace of the Temperance Movement. I knew; I had done the research; I had won first place in the essay contest. “Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure.”

“Don’t they know moonshine is illegal?”

Jones laughed again, louder this time. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I’m not kidding, Jones. I can’t believe they’re hauling that stuff right out here in the open. They could be arrested and go to prison. They should be arrested.”

“Yeah? And who’s going to turn them in? You?”

Ann Tatlock

Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy-Award winning novel Promises to Keep. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association "Book of the Year" in fiction for both All the Way Home and I'll Watch the Moon. Her novel Things We Once Held Dear received a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly calls her "one of Christian fiction's better wordsmiths, and her lovely prose reminds readers why it is a joy to savor her stories." Ann lives with her husband and daughter in Asheville, North Carolina.


   

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a copy of 3 of Ann's Books: Sweet Mercy, Travelers Rest and Promises to Keep

Open to US & Canada Only

Ends 5/21/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 9, 2013

May Kindle Fire Giveaway

May Kindle Giveaway
 
This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER SPONSORED GIVEAWAY!
Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway
The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)
  Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)
Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors
  1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
  2. Feed Your Reader
  3. Girls with Books
  4. Just Bookin' Around
  5. The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl
  6. Books, Beauty and Bodacious Deals
  7. Author Emma Michaels
  8. Page Flipperz YA
  9. Lori's Reading Corner
  10. Oh, Chrys!
  11. Author Josh Baker
  12. Author Roxanne Crouse
  13. Eve's Fan Garden
  14. Author Elizabeth Isaacs
  15. Chapter Break
  16. Buku-Buku Didi
  17. Molly & Mel's Obsessions Book Blog
  18. Author Jennifer Laurens
  19. Author MK McClintock
  20. Bookhounds
  21. Step Into Fiction
  22. Author Lena Sledge
  23. Author Taylor Dean
  24. Leisure Reads
  25. Libby's Library
  26. A Bookish Escape
  27. Ramblings of a Diva Book Nerd
  28. Suspense Author Kim Cresswell
  29. Suzy Turner, YA Author
  30. Books Unhinged by StacyHgg
  31. Author Lori Verni-Fogarsi
  32. Fae Books
  33. Word to Dreams
  34. Kid Lit Frenzy
  35. Author Tressa Messenger
  36. Auggie Talk
  37. Phantasmic Reads
  38. Kerry Taylor
  39. Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf
  40. Marissa's Space
Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 5/31/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Blog Tour: One Drop at a Time by M. Russell Ballard


Do you sometimes wonder if your little efforts could possibly make any difference at all? Consider a simple example from nature.

Honey is “one of the foods that includes all the substances— enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and water—necessary to sustain life,” writes Elder M. Russell Ballard. And yet, “Over its short lifetime of just a few weeks to four months, a single honeybee’s contribution of honey to its hive is a mere one-twelfth of one teaspoon. Though seemingly insignificant when compared to the total, each bee’s one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey is vital to the life of the hive.”

Your simple, daily acts of service matter, and this charmingly illustrated little book will lift your heart as it demonstrates the power of many righteous people working together to fill the world, one drop at a time, with the sweet truths of the gospel.


Review

One Drop at a Time is adapted from Elder M. Russell Ballard's talk "Be Anxiously Engaged" given at the October 2012 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I particularly enjoyed that talk, and was excited to see what was done with One Drop at a Time.

The message Elder Ballard shares is one that we all need to take to heart. At times many of us feel that what we are doing doesn't make a difference. But, as explained by the honey bee example, our efforts are vital!

"Your simple, daily acts of service may not seem like much in and of themselves, but when considered collectively they become just like the one-twelfth teaspoon of honey contributed by a single bee to the hive."

Not only does One Drop at a Time have a great message, but the accompanying photos and illustrations make for a beautiful book that would be a perfect gift. 

About the Author

Elder M. Russell Ballard was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in October 1985. Prior to that, he served in the first Quorum of the Seventy and in the presidency of that quorum. A successful businessman, he has engaged in various enterprises, including automotive, real estate, and investments. He has also served as a bishop twice and as president of the Canada Toronto Mission. Elder Ballard and his wife, Barbara Bowen Ballard, are the parents of seven children and grandparents of forty-three.

*I received a copy of One Drop at a Time in exchange for a review.