Book Review: The Counselor by Curtis Taylor

Book Description:

Travis Call, a financial counselor and a counselor in a bishopric, faces life in prison when his wife’s body is found in a shallow grave. He pleads his innocence, but many don’t believe him. With his best friend, Ross Keller, he begins the search for the real killer, only to find that true evil may be closer than he suspects. The Counselor establishes a new series in Latter-Day Saint fiction.

Andrea's Review:

It's been awhile since I've read a mystery, and I welcomed the change in genre. This is my first book by Curtis Taylor (that I know of), and it was an enjoyable read. The length was a little daunting, but it didn't take long to get sucked into the story. 

I really liked the main character. He was quite vulnerable, and not just because he was a suspect in his wife's murder. A single father trying to raise three-year-old twins definitely has his hands full (even with lots of help and support from the live in nanny). He also suffered from a debilitating illness that caused him many issues. But, with all his ups and downs the reader was shown over and over again that Travis Call had a good heart, and wanted to see justice done.

I was kept guessing for quite a bit of the story-I really do enjoy when a mystery keeps me guessing. I would gladly read the second book in this series.

Rorie's Review:

This story doesn't gradually ease into the heavy stuff, it throws it at you right at the very beginning. There are still a ton of questions, most of which aren't answered until the climax at the end of the book, but the author definitely keeps you guessing throughout. I did actually figure out who did it probably about halfway through the story, but with every new revelation, I would doubt my choice for awhile. 

I could have done without the very visual description given each time Travis puked though. That was a visual a really didn't need in my head. 

This story is kind of long, coming in right at 400 pages, but because it was so captivating, I was able to finish it in just a few days. This is my first time reading something from this author, but it won't be my last.

More About Aspen Books: 

Over its illustrious history, Aspen Books and its sister company, Gold Leaf Press, have published over 100 authors, including Pulitzer-prize winner Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, and New York Times best-selling authors Orson Scott Card and Betty J. Eadie. It has sold millions of copies in nearly 40 languages. Now, after a decade of dormancy, the celebrated publisher of such well-known bestsellers as “Embraced by the Light,” “The Burning Within,” and “The Touch of the Master’s Hand,” has been reconstituted and is publishing new works.

Aspen Books is being relaunched by Curtis Taylor, one of the original founders. The imprint is committed to publishing works from new and well-known authors for the general market as well as titles specifically for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since its relaunch, Aspen Books has published three new works: “The Counselor” and “A Grand Conspiracy” both by #1 New York Times best-selling author, Curtis Taylor, and the popular family game, Missionary: Impossible.

Title: The Counselor

Author: Curtis Tyalor

Publisher: Aspen Books

Published: October 2020

ISBN: 1952669014

Source: We received copies from the publisher. All opinions expressed are our own.  

Purchase: Amazon (aff)

Blog Tour: Trek DVD

Reviews * Giveaway

 

Trek: The Movie

Andrea's Review:

I had the opportunity to take my 14-year-old to see Trek in theaters earlier this year, and it was such a fun experience. It's not unheard of for the acting in films like this to leave much to be desired, but I was pleasantly surprised by the good acting. The cinematography was also excellent. It seems a little cliche, but I laughed and I cried. It really was the "feel good movie of the summer" for me.

Once the DVD was released I brought my family together to watch it. There is a lot of humor, but there are also touching, tender moments throughout the film. My daughter was going on Trek and I thought it'd be fun for my son to get a general idea of what the kids do when they go.

Being a show about LDS youth going on a church field-trip of sorts, I was bothered by the inclusion of a swearword (or possibly two-I only noticed one, but one of my kids said there was another one). It was mild as far as swearing goes, but I'm never a fan. And, honestly, we saw a pre-screening when we went to the theater, so I was hopeful that it wouldn't make the DVD. Keep that in mind if you are planning on showing your younger children. Also, there's a scene with an injury that might make some uncomfortable, and some kissing (although those scenes were typically humorous).

I would happily invite my 14-year-old and 11-year-old to watch this with me again.

Tarah's Review:

LDS movies are kind of hit and miss for me. They seem to be either really good, or really bad in a cheesy I really can't watch this anymore way. So I wasn't really sure what to expect with Trek. I was mostly intrigued because I've never been on a Trek. They started doing them in my home ward after I was out of Young Women's. I've always wanted to do one, and so I was super curious about the movie.

Because it was an LDS movie I assumed that I could watch with my whole family. I didn't worry about my 5 year old watching it with me. My other kids were in and out the whole movie, except my 7 year old. She watched the whole thing, and I'm pretty sure she liked it. She was crying and trying to surreptitiously wipe her tears, and I had to laugh because I was doing the same thing right next to her! I will say, however, that I was super disappointed with the swear word I heard in the movie. Why? What was the point? What did it add? I got me thinking that maybe I shouldn't be letting all my kids watch this, and that made me sad. I wanted it to be a family movie. When I watch a church movie I don't want to have to worry about the content.

I was expecting the focus to be more on the actual trek, but it was more of a personal redemption story. I liked that. A little sad that the actual trek part was kind of glossed over, but what can you do? Yes, it was a little cheesy. Yes, some of the characters were over the top. But all in all it was a cute movie with a good message.

Trailer:


Message from Alan Peterson, Director of TREK The Movie:

It’s exciting to anticipate the DVD/BluRay release of TREK, the movie. Being with audiences in theaters is the fulfillment of any director’s dream.  But, the reality of independent film is that you can’t get a movie into enough theaters so that everyone who wants to, can see it.  July 3rd is a day that lots of TREK fans have been waiting for.  Now, everyone can enjoy the laughs and lessons of TREK whenever they want.  One of our goals in producing the movie was to create a story that would honor the wonderful tradition of this hands-on experience unique to our faith.  Trek provides a critical chance to connect with our past. Why is this important?  I’ll let Elder Russell M. Ballard explain:

"I have a deep conviction that if we lose our ties to those who have gone before us, including our pioneer forefathers and mothers, we will lose a very precious treasure. I have spoken about “Faith in Every Footstep” in the past and will continue in the future because I know that rising generations must have the same kind of faith that the early Saints had in the Lord Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.” (General Conference, October 2017, The Trek Continues!)

It is too easy to forget what our pioneer ancestors sacrificed for their faith and for our good. I hope families can sit down together and share the movie and talk about how grateful we should be for the men, women and children who marched into the unknown following a prophet of God so long ago. And, I hope they will talk about the challenges they face today as members of the church as we march forward into the unknown.  Do you feel like Tom and wonder where God is?  How do we connect with Him? What do we do when we feel weak and alone? Hopefully, TREK helps us know that our Heavenly Father is there and that He cares.

Giveaway:

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Purchase:

  Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Pretty Much Perfect by Sally Johnson

Reviews * Giveaway

Pretty Much Perfect by Sally Johnson

Book Description:

Camille Weston, a recently returned missionary, anticipates returning to college for her degree and perhaps to meet a nice guy. A sensible young woman with her future mapped out, Camille would never do something dangerous—like pick up a stranger on the side of the road. And yet, inexplicably, she does just that. This is one split-second decision that changes everything.

Determined to lend assistance, Camille gets more than she bargains for when she is roped into helping Liam, a handsome British man, with more than just a ride. As they are thrown together over the coming days and their mutual attraction grows, they realize they just . . . click. That is, until she makes a shocking discovery: the mysterious stranger is William Liam Jones, lead singer of the popular band Gear. Camille has never been one to swoon over a celebrity, and she knows her and Liam's lifestyles could never be compatible. But how can she convince her heart to listen to logic?

Rorie's Review:

"You realize you don't have any pants on?" I asked as I rolled the window down.

How could you NOT like a book that starts out this way? It had me laughing quite a lot with little quips like this throughout the story. I liked Camille and Liam right off the bat. Their characters were so...real. Camille's parents were a hoot too. Imagine your parents letting some complete stranger basically move in because he's stranded.

The relationship between Camille and Liam developed in a quirky but fun way, although I really wanted to shake Camille a few times to get her to start trusting a little bit more. I can completely understand her hesitation with getting involved in a relationship with Liam though, based on their very different lifestyles. I really appreciate how she was able to stick with her values, even when "no one would know." But it still made me roll my eyes that she was so quick to accuse him of wrong doing, instead of trusting him.

One complaint I had with this story was the way the police were portrayed. Camille has three interactions with them throughout the book, and every single one of them made the officer out to be the big, scary bad guy. That bugs me. Police aren't the bad guys. They're there to protect us from the bad guys.

Anyway, aside from that complaint, I LOVED this story. It made me laugh, it made me cry, there was humor and some really heartfelt moments. Definitely one that I will be reading again.

Andrea's Review:

My sister started reading Pretty Much Perfect before I did, and she texted '"For a guy I'd picked up off the side of the road in his underwear, he sure could come off as a pretty normal, very likeable guy." If the rest of the book is this funny, I'm hooked! 😁'. That quote from the book and her reaction definitely had me intrigued.

With expectations super high (and the fear of potentially being let down that comes with that), I was happy that I was pulled right into the story. I liked the interactions between Camille and Liam from the get-go. Their meeting was random and pretty funny. I really liked that Camille was oblivious to who Liam was for quite awhile (they both needed that in order to really get to know each other).

Once the truth came out the mood of the story changed quite a bit, and honestly I missed the humor that was replaced with angst. I think Camille's feelings were realistic given the situation, but the yo-yo of feelings wasn't as fun to read about. Don't get me wrong, it didn't ruin the story, but I just didn't devour the second half like I did the first half.

I like the cover. It would catch my attention in a bookstore. Although, I don't recall the story saying that Liam played guitar (did it? Sometimes in my rush to read an awesome story I skip over little details) and Camille didn't play either, so I was a little distracted as I read wondering when the guitar was going to come into play.

Pretty Much Perfect is a clean read. Overall, I enjoyed the story and I can see myself reading it again. I would also read more by this author.

Tarah's Review:

I was hooked the moment I picked this book up! I was laughing and shaking my head at the absurdity of picking up some random stranger in his underwear. I loved the old man jeans and the funny clothes. Sadly, I had to put the book down to finish some other things, and even more sadly when I picked the book up again the humorous portion was over. I was really in the mood for a funny novel, so I was slightly disappointed by that. You know that feeling where you want a book for a certain mood? Anyway, the first bit totally hit the nail on the head, and then because of my mood the rest of the story was slightly a let down. Not because of the writing or anything, it was totally a mood thing. Plus, had I been thinking about this authors previous book that I read The Skeleton in my Closet Wears a Wedding Dress I would have been prepared for the emotions in this novel. Honestly, I'm surprised Liam lasted as long as he did and was as patient as he was. The back and forth was a little hard on my emotions.

All that being said, I loved the ending. I think too often in our search for happily ever after we jump too fast into things, and I loved how this story ended. It was exactly right, and it made me happily sigh as I closed the book.

I will definitely recommend this to my book reading friends who like contemporary LDS romance, and I will be reading more from this author as well.
 
Tour Schedule:

*July 9^th: http://thoroughlyhere.blogspot.com/, http://mybookaday.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/

*July 10^th: https://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://www.iamareader.com/

*July 11^th: http://fireandicereads.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

*July 12^th: https://brightlystreet.com/category/book-reviews/, https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/,https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/adults, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/

*July 13^th: http://lifeiswhatitscalled.blogspot.com/, http://brooklynberrydesigns.com/category/book-shelf/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/

Tour Giveaway:

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  Title: Pretty Much Perfect
Author: Sally Johnson
Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc.
Published: July 2018
ISBN: 152440392X
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Conviction by Robbin J. Peterson

Reviews * Giveaway

Conviction by Robbin J. Peterson

Book Description:

After a rocky start as a missionary in Ukraine, Elder Neal Christensen is struggling to learn the Russian language and embrace an unfamiliar life away from his small Northern California town. And in an instant, a peculiar encounter with the wrong people changes everything. Dragged from his apartment in the dead of night, Neal is taken to prison and charged with the theft of a priceless museum piece. As days turn into weeks, he is thrown into a world of uncertainty where he must rely on the only person he can trust—the Savior. And as his Russian slowly improves within the prison walls, he begins preaching the gospel in the last place he imagined proselytizing. But when civil unrest erupts in Ukraine, the now-familiar routine of imprisonment is over. Neal is trapped in the chaos, and with his life on the line, his only hope of survival is escape. Yet he learns too late that there is as much danger awaiting him outside the prison walls as within. Someone has gone to great lengths to incriminate the young missionary, and they will stop at nothing to silence him forever.

Andrea's Review:

I hadn't heard of author Robbin J. Peterson before I was given the opportunity to review Conviction, so I wasn't sure what to expect. In my mind, the author was a former missionary who served in Ukraine and wrote a novel based loosely on some of his experiences. It wasn't until I finished the book that I realized the author was a woman. That speaks highly of Peterson's writing. There are some books where the author doesn't do well writing from the view of the opposite sex (although honestly I mostly find that when a man is writing in a woman's point of view).

Part of the reason I wanted to read Conviction was because my husband served a mission in Russia, and portions of the intriguing description sounded like his mission (of course, his experiences weren't nearly so dramatic).

Conviction is well-written and kept me interested throughout the story. I loved that I was kept on my toes. I didn't realize who the bad guy was until the reveal, which made for a great ride.

Sometimes religious books don't flow well as they intertwine religion with everything else, but that wasn't the case with Conviction. Perhaps that's because I was expecting lots of religion since the story was about a missionary, but whatever the case, Peterson did a great job with it.

We are all sinners in need of our Savior's Atonement, and Neal's repentance process was touching. The change of hearts mixed with the mystery and suspense of the stolen ring made for a good read. I would read more from this author.

Rorie's Review:

I typically read a lot of Regency romance books these days, so every time I read something different, it takes my brain a little bit to adjust to things. This story drew me in right away though, so no adjustment period was needed. Right from the beginning, the reader gets to know so much about Elder Christensen, including his massive feelings of guilt.





My brother-in-law served his mission in Russia, and I am really curious if he experienced any of the same things that these elders did in Ukraine. (I'm especially curious to find out what it was about the meat that had them avoiding it.)


I can't even begin to imagine how frightening it would be to be imprisoned in a country where you barely know the language and have very little hope of being released. Neal was amazing at how he clung to his faith - not only for himself, but he also shared it with others that he was imprisoned with. Obviously, since the book is about a Mormon missionary there was a lot of gospel talk throughout, but the author wove it into the story in a non-preachy kind of way. I was impressed that Neal lived the best he could, even with the horrible circumstances that he was in.

The climax of the story was a bit confusing and I was afraid that I would end the story with more questions than I started with. Thankfully, all of my questions were answered in a satisfactory way by the end.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other stories from this author. 


Tour Schedule:

*June 18^th: https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

*June 20^th: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/

*June 21^st: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/

*June 22^nd: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/

Tour Giveaway:

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Title: Conviction
Author: Robbin J. Peterson
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: June 2018
ISBN: 1524403288
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: The Song of Copper Creek by Kristen McKendry

Reviews * Giveaway

The Song of Copper Creek by Kristen McKendry

Book Description:

It's been more than a year since she lost her family - a tragedy that has left Grace Whitaker a shadow of her former self. Unable to move on surrounded by so many memories, she makes the desperate decision to return to her childhood home in Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. There she hopes to salvage the broken pieces of her life - but what she finds is the promise of peace and healing in an unlikely place.

Copper Creek Farm is part of a Canadian historical museum, offering glimpses into 19th-century pioneer life. Yet the farm offers much more than that - it is a place of second chances. For Grace, the opportunity to work the land alongside the loving Whelan family is the first step toward healing. But she isn't the only broken soul seeking hope on the farm. Grace is joined by a young man in trouble with the law, as well as the Whelans' son and grandchildren, who are struggling through their own heartbreak. Together, these survivors discover the strength that can be found in friendship. But when faced with the uncertainty of the future, will they have the courage to move beyond the past to forge new lives for themselves?

Andrea's Review:

The Song of Copper Creek is a good, albeit slow, story about healing and moving on after tragedy. It was the type of book I could put down and come back a day or so later to pick up where I left off.

I thought it was a sweet story. Grace had been through a big loss (although it takes quite awhile to get to the details in the book), and has left her home and everything behind to try to heal for the summer. She ends up at a working farm near Port Dover, Ontario, Canada, where she hopes to learn some new skills in exchange for room and board. She quickly bonds with Laura, Martin, their grandchildren, and their neighbor, Toby. I really liked Toby. His personality was just what Grace needed to start opening up and be a shoulder to cry on when she was ready.

Not a lot happens in the story, but a lot happens inside Grace being able to move forward with her life. The story showed the importance of family (even adopted family) in order to move on in life.

I don’t see myself reading this again, but I don’t regret reading it. It was clean.

Rorie's Review:

I'm torn on how to review this book. It had all the makings of a good story, but it was just missing the plot. This was more like someone's memoirs rather than a novel. There was a lot of description about the farm life and the different things they grew and the work they did, which was interesting in a way, but I don't think we needed that much detail for a novel.

It was interesting learning the backstory of each of the characters...Grace, Mason, Toby and Matt, but even with all of these different stories going on, the book moved really slowly. 

Tarah's Review:

I really need to stop expecting different things when I read Kristen McKendry. I keep expecting her books to be like her Garden Plot, which was funny and quick. The Song of Copper Creek was poignant and healing, but it was also slow and something that I could put down for days before I picked it up again. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. The characters were extremely well written and the process that Grace went through was touching. I suppose I just kept expecting something to happen. Some form of climax, and instead it was just a nice sweet story.

Tour Schedule:

*July 10th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, http://www.wishfulendings.com/ 

*July 11th: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/ 

*July 12th: http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/

*July 13th: https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://rockinbookreviews.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

*July 14th: http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://thethingsilovemost.com/, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/ 

Tour Giveaway:

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Title: The Song of Copper Creek
Author: Kristen McKendry
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: June 2017
ISBN: 1524403024
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Kindle | Deseret Book
 

Blog Tour: Mormon Girl: Incognito by Kari Iroz

Book Description:

Hilarious heroine Jacklyn Wyatt is back—this time in a dicey Vegas adventure! Jacklyn “Jack” Wyatt is just your average Mormon girl—other than her brief stint with the FBI, her subsequent brush with death, and her dreamy boyfriend, Special Agent Damon Wade. But in the eight months since she helped save a kidnapping victim, Jack’s life has returned to its mostly stagnant state. She’s still trapped in a dead-end job, and even her relationship seems to be stuck in a rut. These days, adventures are few and far between. So when Damon heads to Las Vegas on assignment, Jack sees the perfect opportunity to surprise her boyfriend and rekindle the spark in their relationship. But the surprise is on her: she has just landed herself in the middle of a high-stakes operation involving Russian criminals. Unwittingly drawn undercover once more, Jack is all too aware that the survival of Damon and his associates depends on the success of her charade. In the unfamiliar world of luxurious limos, exclusive nightclubs, and gambling, Jack must convince the high-rolling hustlers that she is a terrifying international arms dealer. If only she knew anything about poker. Or guns . . .

Andrea's Review:

I absolutely loved Kari Iroz's book, A Date with Danger, so I jumped at the opportunity to review her new book, Mormon Girl: Incognito. It's a sequel to A Date with Danger, but I think you could probably enjoy it on its own (but, really, A Date with Danger is so hilarious that you should definitely read it if you haven't).

Jack (short for Jacklyn-her name bugged me in the first book, but eventually I got over the girl going by a guy's name) seems to be a bit lost. She's taking her time with school and works in retail. She has dreams of a future with her boyfriend, but he doesn't seem like he's ready for the next step. She steps out of her comfort zone to surprise him, and it really backfires on her when she steps in the middle of an op. But, her true colors really come out when she's willing to help even though her life could be at risk.

There is  a lot of humor in this book, and while I wasn't laughing out loud nearly as often in this book as I did with A Date with Danger, I still thought it made for an entertaining story. It kept the serious aspects from being too heavy.

I liked the characters and the overall story. The romance was clean and felt realistic. This is a fun story that I can see myself reading again. I'm also looking forward to reading A Date within Danger again.

Tarah's Review:

There is just something about these books that just pulls me in right away. Both A Date with Danger and this one I wasn't even going to start reading yet, but I opened to the first page to skim and didn't end up putting it down until I was finished. Which is awesome for a book, but not so awesome for my house and my children :)

My one complaint with this book was Damon's use of "Babe." Now I don't really mind the use of this word as a term of endearment. I occasionally use "babe" myself, but his use of it was completely over the top. It wasn't a once or twice thing, it was ALL THE TIME and it made me want to gag.

If you are looking for a clean suspense/funny novel, then I would recommend Mormon Girl: Incognito. That being said, I think you probably need to read A Date with Danger first to really understand the dynamic between Damon and Jack. There are lots of references to the first book. It actually made me want to go back and reread that one, which I did.

This is an LDS specific novel (if you couldn't tell from the title :) ) Content wise the setting is in Vegas (which the author had a whole different view of that city than I do) and there is alcohol, gun dealers, hit men, kissing and mild violence. It looks like a lot, but it is woven into the storyline as Jack goes undercover to stop these bad people and I would still consider it clean.

Another winner for Kari Iroz! Can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Rorie's Review:

I absolutely loved the first book with Jack and Damon when I reviewed it. Kari's tongue-in-cheek humor made me laugh out loud over and over again. This book was no exception. 

Before I get to the good though, let me get a few petty annoyances out of the way. 1) Damon's use of the word "babe." It didn't fit his personality from the first book, and it kind of grated on me every time he used it. 2) The description of how long it took to get from the airport to the casino. I lived in Vegas for five years, and while I avoided the Strip whenever possible, I do know that you don't have to drive through the ghetto part of the Strip to get from the airport to the Bellagio, and it's not that far from the airport to that part of the Strip anyway. If Jack really did take that long of a drive to get there, her cab driver was seriously scamming her. 

All that aside, I really enjoyed the story. Jack has quite a knack at getting herself into crazy trouble. And I loved her inner dialogue. While I liked Damon's character in the first book better, I liked seeing a more vulnerable side of him in this story. And I was happy to get to "meet" his mom and sister for the first time too. They were such likeable people, I hope they show up in future stories (I'm hoping there are future stories with Jack and Damon. There really should be.)

I like how the author intertwines spiritual things, such as praying, in the story - not making a big production out of it, but just having it be an important part of Jack's life. Kind of a good lesson for all of us, I think. 

Like I said above, I love Kari's style of writing, and can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Tour Schedule:

*June 19th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/

*June 20th: http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/

*June 21st: http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/, http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/, http://rockinbookreviews.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

*June 22nd: https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://sweetlymadejustforyou.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://www.wishfulendings.com/

*June 23rd: http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/, http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/

Tour Giveaway:

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CD Review: Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Friends

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

CD Description:

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has collaborated with some of the most legendary vocalists and performers over the years. For this album, the Choir has assembled an unprecedented collection of recordings taken from standout performances over the past 15 years. Most of these performances were recorded live at the 20,000+ seat Conference Center in Salt Lake City. In addition, some real gems were uncovered or created specifically for this album, including a performance recorded live before millions of viewers at the start of the 2002 Winter Olympics (Sting & Yo-Yo Ma performing "Fragile") and new recordings such as Amy Grant's "Thy Word," The King's Singers' "I'm Running On," and Santino Fontana's "He Lives in You."

Album includes 11 tracks:

• Fragile, feat. Sting & Yo-Yo Ma
• The Prayer (from Quest for Camelot, feat. David Foster
• Thy Word, feat. Amy Grant
• That Lonesome Road, feat. James Taylor
• He Lives in You (from The Lion King), feat. Santino Fontana
• How Can I Keep from Singing?, feat. Renee Fleming
• Through Heaven's Eyes (from The Prince of Egypt), feat. Brian Stokes Mitchell
• Vitae Lux, feat. Sissel
• Homeward Bound, feat. Bryn Terfel
• Beauty and the Beast (from Beauty and the Beast), feat. Angela Lansbury
• I'm Runnin' On, feat. The King's Singers

Review:

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Friends CD is a great collection that has something for everyone. Each track is a powerful performance, and I enjoyed having it play on repeat while I worked on the computer.

My favorite song is "Through Heaven's Eyes" featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell, followed closely by "That Lonesome Road" featuring James Taylor. While I didn't love every song, I really liked most of them, and I listened to the CD over and over. I'm happy to add this to my collection.

About the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:

The 360 members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir represent men and women from many different backgrounds and professions and range in age from 25 to 60. They reflect a medley of unique lives and experiences and are brought together by their love for singing and their faith. Their incomparable voices are the common chord that unites to form the choral group known all over the world as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir originated in the mid-19th century in Salt Lake City. As the Latter-day Saints moved west, Church President Brigham Young included musicians among members of the advance parties. Consequently, a small choir first sang for a conference of the Church in the Salt Lake Valley on August 22, 1847, just 29 days after the first group arrived. The origins of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir may be found in the desire and commitment of early converts to include appropriate music in both sacred and secular events.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has appeared at 13 world's fairs and expositions, performed at the inaugurations of five U.S. presidents, and sung for numerous worldwide telecasts and special events. Five of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's recordings have achieved "gold record" and two have achieved "platinum record" status. The most popular was the Grammy-Award-winning 1959 release of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" with the Philadelphia Orchestra. 

Blog Tour: Love on Pointe by Tiffany Odekrik

Reviews * Giveaway

Love on Pointe by Tiffany Odekirk

Book Description:

Rhys Solario has a secret—one he plans to keep: he's a non-Mormon attending Brigham Young University. With only two semesters left before graduation, he just wants to keep flying under the radar. Then he meets Emmy in a Book of Mormon class, and for the first time, the idea of keeping to himself doesn't sound so appealing.

Emmy Jennings feels confident only when she's dancing ballet. With every plié and chassé, all her worries fade away. But when she fails to earn a coveted solo, her confidence on the dance floor disintegrates, and the future she's worked so hard to earn stands in jeopardy.

Assigned to be study partners, both Rhys and Emmy face initial anxieties regarding who they really are. But slowly, their tentative friendship evolves into something more. Yet even as love deepens, the pair is faced with a disheartening truth: Rhys can't take Emmy to the temple, and the promise of eternity is not something Emmy's willing to give up. With everything on the line, the couple must decide if they're prepared to reshape their hearts—and their lives—for the promise of forever. 

Andrea's Review:

Love on Pointe was an unexpected hit for me. This was the first I've heard about Tiffany Odekirk, and I have to say that she's an author to watch for. The story was really, really good! I started it late one afternoon, and only put it down when I had to. I stayed up way too late, and finished around 2 AM.

I really liked the main characters, Rhys and Emmy. Between the two of them, they dealt with some difficult issues that pulled me in. I couldn't help but get emotionally involved in their happiness and success. Their alternating points of view added a lot to the story, and the definitions/pronunciations at the beginning of each chapter were also a great addition.

The description made me think that Rhys was at the school with no one knowing he wasn't a member of the LDS Church, but it wasn't that the school admitted him not knowing (it doesn't work that way). He was just keeping it from his fellow students because he'd been burned a few times when the information came out. That was one of several things that endeared him to me. He was just trying to get through without pain-not trying to be dishonest.

I was a little bothered by the cheaper tuition reason given for Rhys choosing BYU (tuition is based on member or non-member, comparable to other universities that offer resident and non-resident tuition rates), but it was just a little detail that probably wouldn't stand out to most readers.

I will definitely read this again, and I highly recommend Love on Pointe.

Rorie's Review:

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I know nothing about ballet, other than it takes way more flexibility and balance than I will ever have. The description of the book kind of had me scratching my head. Why would Rhys feel the need to hide the fact that he's not LDS? But that question was answered pretty quickly. 
Let's talk about Rhys' name...I'm very glad the author put in the correct pronunciation, because I want to pronounce it "Reese." Even still, I stumbled over his name through must of the story. It went from "Reese" to "rice." My brain seemed incapable of remembering "rise."

Aside from difficult name pronunciation, I was drawn into this story right away. Both Rhys and Emmy were such likeable characters. I was rooting for them from the get-go, but, like Emmy, I was torn. Giving up eternity, even when you really love someone, is a hard pill to swallow. I was really wondering how the author would resolve that issue, and I was really hoping it would be done in a non-cheesy sort of way. Without going into any detail, I was really happy with the ending.:-)

Supe was probably my favorite supporting character of them all (but really, they were all good.) He reminded me of Fred from Big Hero 6 for some reason.

Definitely a story I would recommend.:-)

Tarah's Review:

Get ready for a book that will keep you reading once you've started it, and remember to keep those tissues handy. Sigh, I love a good book. Really, there isn't much better. Not only do we start the book with a beautiful cover, but we then we get fun little definition thingies for each chapter. I loved the switching points of view. It wasn't distracting at all, partly because it was expected. I think it switches back and forth every chapter.  It isn't one of those that just when you get to the good part does it switch and you have to wait, and then you forget where you were...nope, it really worked for this book. I love getting to know my characters this way.

Rhys (besides me wanting to call him Reece, not Rise...totally threw me to whole book) was awesome. He is the kind of guy you hope your daughter will bring home. Emmy I was able to connect with, and I just understood her. I loved her thought processes, and well, just her. Oh, and the secondary characters? Check. They only add awesomeness to the story.

Did I mention this book is about dance too? Oh, I love that. Not that I have any talent in that area, but it speaks to me and brings back memories of times I thought I had talent :)

I will definitely be looking for more books from this author, and I will be rereading this one again really soon.

About the Author:

Tiffany Odekirk believes cooking should take less than thirty minutes, frosting is better than ice cream, and all books should end with happily ever after. After graduating from Brigham Young University with a degree in Marriage, Family, and Human Development, Tiffany completed an internship with LDS Family Services in adoption and then went on to work with homeless women and children in the non-profit sector. Married to a Broadway star, Tiffany’s days are filled with music, and her nights are spent writing the types of characters she hopes her children will one day marry.

Website | Goodreads

Tour Schedule:

*June 12th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, http://wishfulendings.com/

*June 13th: http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/

*June 14th: http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/, http://rockinbookreviews.com/

*June 15th: http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/

*June 16th: http://fireandicereads.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/

Tour Giveaway:

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Title: Love on Pointe
Author: Tiffany Odekirk
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: June 2017
ISBN: 1524402001
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Kindle | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Wrong for You by Jenny Proctor

Reviews * Giveaway

Wrong for You by Jenny Proctor

Book Description:

Lane Bishop is a hardworking, intelligent, young woman. With her recent move to Chapel Hill, she is determined to leave behind the drama and effort of keeping up with the dating scene. Even so, Lane somehow manages to get dragged out by a gaggle of girls to go watch boys play soccer. Just watching is not Lane’s forte, so she joins in the fun and leads her team to victory.

Rather than feeling intimidated by the vivacious beauty on the opposing team, Jamie Hamilton is intrigued. Risking his “untouchable” dating status, he decides to pursue Lane—with a little help from his older brother Simon. With Simon’s behind-the- scenes assistance, Jamie proves irresistible, even to a disillusioned dater like Lane. But as she gets to know both brothers, Lane can’t help but wonder—beneath the grand gestures and romantic words, is she falling for the wrong guy?

Andrea's Review:

I really enjoyed Wrong for You! It was the kind of book that I didn't want to put down once I started, and with the great characters and fun story line, I will definitely read it again.

Wrong for You was more mind candy than deep thoughts (just the type of book I'm usually in the mood for), but it did have times where the characters really struggle, and although it was somewhat predictable, it was an enjoyable ride seeing how everything turned out.

Lane made for a wonderful main character. Perhaps part of her draw was that she was more mature than some of the other women around her, but her competitive nature added a very entertaining aspect to the story. I loved that she jumped right in to the soccer game (that wasn't a pickup game looking for more players). When she was turned down she didn't give up and sit down, she went to the other side. The scene demonstrated right off that Lane wasn't a quitter. She also had a lot of passion for her job, even though she was thrown some pretty big curve balls right off.

Jamie was an interesting character. He was likable in some ways, but I preferred Simon. It bothered me a bit that Simon was feeding Jamie information on what Lane liked, but I also appreciated that Simon noticed those things. And, I liked the relationship the Hamilton brothers had. The group texts between them added a fun aspect to the story.

I'll admit that I don't love the cover. It does fit with the story, but it's not a style that would catch my eye at a bookstore. However, if you feel the same way, ignore that feeling and get right to reading. It really was a great book. 

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Tarah's Review:

How is it that I had no idea that Jenny Proctor has written four books? I thought Wrong for You was her second book. This both excites and depresses me. It's depressing because I'm not sure my library has these books, and it's exciting because I really appreciate Proctors stories. She is able to write great characters, a compelling storyline, and good clean entertainment.

I love the cover. I think it's super cute and clever. I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of the white background, but every time I picture it with a different color it doesn't work, so I guess the white is the best choice. Don't the little stick figures make you smile though?

I will say I was a little hesitant to read this because it sounded like a love triangle, and I really hate love triangles. However, that's not what it was at all, which was a relief to me. I was worried how everything was going to turn out because part of what made this book awesome was the relationship with the Hamilton brothers.  And I wanted everyone to have a happy ending. I like happy endings. I know that's not how it always in in real life, but if I'm reading fiction then happy endings are sort of mandatory for me.

I can't wait to recommend this to my friends. I've already gone back and reread my favorite parts.

Rorie's Review:

This is my kind of book. Engaging right from the get-go. The characters had a lot of depth to them and I really felt like I got to know them all pretty well. I absolutely loved how Lane didn't let Jamie intimidate her at the soccer game, and instead, totally showed him up on the field.

Every part of this book was enjoyable. I loved reading about Lane's new job, her friends, her family (sending missionaries to look her up after they're released? Hilarious!) Little things like that helped make the story flow so well. Simon? Well, I really liked Simon. He is more of the quiet, reserved type. Not as impetuous as Jamie, and better at thinking things through.

This book teaches the reader that honesty and communication can go a really long way in a relationship. I had no idea how they were going to successfully pull off the Thanksgiving weekend charade. It was definitely entertaining though, that's for sure.

Jenny Proctor is now one of my favorite authors. I can't wait for her next book to come out. :)

Tour Schedule:

May15th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://rockinbookreviews.com/, http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/, http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/

May 16th: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, https://joyinthemoments.wordpress.com/, http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, http://www.kindleandme.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

May 17th: http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/, http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/, http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/

May 18th: http://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://sweetlymadejustforyou.com/, http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/

May 19th: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://thethingsilovemost.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://www.iamareader.com/, http://fireandicereads.com/  

Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Title: Wrong for You
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: May 2017
ISBN: 1524403067
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Kindle | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Sense & Second Chances by Brittany Larsen

Reviews * Giveaway

Sense & Second Chances by Brittany Larsen

Book Description:

Emily Carter is on the fast track to success when the unthinkable happens: a tragic accident claims the lives of her parents. Now Emily must set aside her dreams and raise her two younger siblings, Annie and Bryce. Emily and Annie are sisters, but that doesn’t mean they are anything alike. Whereas Emily reacts to the tragedy with her characteristic stoic calm, passionate Annie spirals into depression. Just when things seem like they can’t get any more difficult, Emily’s older half-brother and his fiancée arrive not to help, but to claim the family home he’s inherited from their parents. Without a place to call their own, Emily must take action—and fast. 

When an exciting employment opportunity arises in Utah, the displaced Carters decide to build a new life in a new home. But it soon becomes clear that their future prospects will go far beyond professional, as each sister is faced with an unexpected romance. Yet love is never simple, and in matters of the heart, one sister must proceed with caution while the other needs to take a leap of faith . . .

Tarah's Review:

Well, this was a book that I couldn't put down. I picked it up and just devoured it in hours. I loved Larsen's first book Pride and Politics (oooo, I should go reread that....) and I loved this one too.

Larsen writes the characters in a way that really makes you feel for them, cheer them on, want to thump some sense in them, and just melt when the timing is right.

If you read her first book, then you know Larsen is writing LDS fiction. The Mormon church is referenced and talked about and integrated into the story as well as the Jewish religion and culture. I loved the messages that came from having these two religions in the story, and the message of loving each other and suspending judgement. Isn't that something we all need to hear?

There is more substance to this novel than my typical fluff novels, but it's still super entertaining. It brings up difficult topics, questions, and situations. I can't wait to recommend this to my book reading friends. This is a book I can see myself rereading.

Andrea's Review:

Sense & Second Chances was an enjoyable read. I will admit I was a little thrown when the main characters were suddenly dating. It seemed like that was mentioned before they'd really gone out. I felt like I'd skipped a page or something between where they met and talked to being an item. But, other than that I enjoyed reading about them.

It was interesting seeing how Emily hurt so much by sticking to standards, but then seeing it turn out really well in the end. That was important. Sometimes we may think that it's not worth it, but this was a good demonstration that although we might not be immediately blessed for staying strong, in the long wrong it will be good.

Seeing Annie have a moment of weakness where she let her standards slip really had some devastating results. It was also important to see how judging played into the story. We all do it, but sometimes we really judge unrighteously. It isn't up to us to determine someone's intentions. Of course we need to be careful, but "casting the first stone" is important to keep in mind. I know I often fail at that.

This was a clean and entertaining read.

Rorie's Review:

I always get a kick out of reading a book and having it mention my hometown (or, near my hometown in this case.) I'm still trying to figure out how they drove through Heber to get to Park City when they flew there from California though...because the airport's in Salt Lake...unless they flew into the small airport in Heber, then that would work. See, all I have to do to solve my questions is just type them out. :)

Aside from that silliness above, I really enjoyed this book. I can't even imagine how tough it would be to lose your parents and then suddenly be thrust into the role of guardian. Not only are you grieving your loss, but you've got to be responsible for two younger siblings, one of whom is going through some rough mental health issues.

When Emily was trying to figure out where to move her family to, my first thought was "How could you not jump at the chance to move to the ranch and get out of LA?" Full disclosure. I am a country girl. I abhor city life. I did it for 5 years and that was 5 years too many for me. Now, before people start coming for me with torches and pitchforks, I realize there are some people who thrive living in the city. Emily seemed to be one of them. I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I was happy when they picked the ranch though. :)

I also really liked Joel. Emily and Joel hit it off almost immediately, but I could understand her reasons for not wanting to get too close to him. Differences in beliefs can cause so many problems in a relationship. I appreciated that she was more concerned with how Joel converting to the LDS faith would affect his whole life and relationship with his family than she was about her own feelings. I really liked that it was made clear in this book that someone needs to search out the truth for themselves, they can't just do it for someone else.

The author did a great job of helping us get to know all of the characters in the book. The difference between a good book and a so-so one (for me) is if I can get lost in the story, or if it just feels like I'm reading words on a page. I definitely got lost in this story. Two thumbs up from me. :)

Tour Schedule:

*May 8th: http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/

*May 9th: http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/

*May 10th: http://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/, http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

*May 11th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/ 

* May 12th: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://www.kindleandme.com/

Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Title: Sense & Second Chances
Author: Brittany Larsen
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: May 2017
ISBN: 1524401617
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase:  Amazon | Kindle | Deseret Book