Stars Collide ~ Review

Back of the Book:

Kat Jennings and Scott Murphy don't just play two people who are secretly in love on a television sitcom-- they are actually head over heels for each other in real life. When the lines between reality and TV land blur, they hope they can keep their relationship under wraps. But when Kat's grandmother, an eccentric star from Hollywood's golden age, mistakes their on-screen wedding proposal for the real deal, things begin to spiral out of control. Will their secret be front-page new in the tabloids? And can their budding romance survive the onslaught of paparazzi, wedding preparations, and misinformed family members?

From the soundstage to a Beverly Hills mansion to the gleaming Pacific Ocean, Stars Collide takes you on a roller-coaster tour of Hollywood, packing both comedic punch and tender emotion.


About the Author:

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson affords an inside look at TV land. drawing on her experiences as a screenwriter.She is the author of the Weddings by Bella series and lives in Texas.

My Review:

Want a feel good book? One that, while reading it, you find yourself smiling page after page? This is that book!! Stars Collide shares a fun, uplifting story and a sweet love between Kat and Scott. You will fall in love with the quirky and oh so adorable grandma, Lenora. You will see a man who is strong in his Faith (Scott) and how he encourages others around him to see that as well! I loved this story, loved being in Hollywood yet how down to earth is was ~ thanks impart due to Lenora :) Love that!

HeartofaBookWorm definitely gives Stars Collide a BIG ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I am soo delighted to have found this author and look forward to reading her other books and look forward to the next book in this series!

Thank you Donna and Revell ~ A division of Baker Publsihing Group for this complimentary issue in exchange for this honest review!

Rhythm Of Secrets ~ Review

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Rhythm of Secrets Kregel Publications (December 22, 2010) by Patti Lacy





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Patti Lacy, Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw. She has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal, Illinois, an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. For more information, visit Patti's website at www.pattilacy.com, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites.







ABOUT THE BOOK

Sheila Franklin has masqueraded as the precocious daughter of avant-garde parents in colorful 1940s New Orleans, a teen desperate for love and acceptance, and an unwed mother sent North with her shame.



After marrying Edward, Sheila artfully masks her secrets, allowing Edward to gain prominence as a conservative pastor. When one phone call from a disillusioned Vietnam veteran destroys her cover, Sheila faces an impossible choice: save her son and his beloved…or imperil Edward’s ambitions.



Inspired by a true story, The Rhythm of Secrets intermingles jazz, classical, and sacred music in a symphony trumpeting God’s grace.



Endorsements:

“A vibrant journey across time in search of the greatest truth of all: grace.”—Tosca Lee, author of Havah: The Story of Eve and Demon: A Memoir

“No longer a ‘well-kept secret,’ Patti Lacy is a master storyteller who speaks to the soul with a powerful and unique rhythm, weaving a tale so emotionally rich that story and reader become one.”—Julie Lessman, author of The Daughters of Boston series and A Hope Undaunted

“Patti Lacy pens another beautifully written story in The Rhythm of Secrets. I couldn’t put it down!”—Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of The Black Cloister

“The Rhythm of Secrets is a stirring story of faith and endurance that will keep readers turning the page until every last secret is revealed.”—Tina Ann Forkner, author of Ruby Among Us and Rose House



If you would like to read an excerpt of Rhythm of Secrets, go HERE.


My Review:

Patti Lacy has done a wonderful job sharing this story. The ups and downs of living a life of Secrets and the fear of them being known. Sheila Franklin is married to her Envangelist Husband and their Ministry is thriving! But one phone call could change everything! Sheila is forced to decide if she will face her past and the Son who calls after all these years or continue living the lie.

If your enjoy Historical Fiction you will be swept away to the Vietnam Era and travel with Patti from New Orleans to Mississippi and Chicago too. The depths of our choices, especially back in this era, prove to be difficult to "make right". It is true though, that no matter how difficult, no matter how harsh situations and people can be, God is HIS Infinite Grace can change everything.


HeartofaBookWorm gives Rhythm of Secrets ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 1/2.

Fatal Judgement ~ Review

New Series from Bestselling and Award-Winning Author Irene Hannon.


Fatal Judgment is the first novel in the new romantic suspense series “Guardians of Justice” by acclaimed author Irene Hannon, who has been recognized with accolades including RITA and Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice awards.
Author Dee Henderson has praised Hannon’s latest book, saying, “Fatal Judgment is Irene Hannon’s storytelling at its best. I enjoyed every minute.”
In Fatal Judgment, U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward the coldhearted workaholic haven't warmed in the five years since she drove her husband--and Jake's best friend--to despair . . . and possible suicide.
As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, he's forced to revise his opinion of her. And when it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life--and his heart--are in danger.
Full of suspense and romance, Fatal Judgment is a thrilling story that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.


“Fatal Judgment is Irene Hannon’s storytelling at its best.
I enjoyed every minute.” 
– Dee Henderson

Irene Hannon is the author of more than 25 novels, including the CBA bestsellers Against All Odds, An Eye for an Eye, and In Harm's Way. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier award, and the Reviewer's Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine. She lives in Missouri.
www.irenehannon.com.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.  They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.
Fatal Judgment
by Irene Hannon
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3456-5
Available January; $14.99


My Review:

WOW! I truly can't say enough good about "Fatal Judgement" by Irene Hannon!! If you enjoy Suspense, Romance, and Mystery then Fatal Judgement is for you!

Jake Taylor is a U.S. Marshall assigned to protect Liz Micheals, a Federal Judge. Jake loves his job but when he receives the assingment to protect Liz he is not pleased at all. Liz was married to Doug, his best friend from college, and his view of Liz is less than favorable! But was Doug honest or did he completely mislead Jake all along?

Liz Michaels is a strong woman. But everyone has their breaking point!! Losing her husband was hard enough and now someone is after her? To top it off her protector, Jake Taylor, does his job well but clearly would rather be anywhere but near her. Why?

Fatal Judgement is a book that kept me on the edge of my seat! A book that I didn't mind losing sleep over because I simply could NOT put it down! Irene Hannon is phenomenal and the story of Fatal Judgement is excellent! I definitely give this book ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ This was my first book from Irene Hannon and I CANNOT wait to read other novels from her! In searching for her other books I found that the first book "Against All Odds" in her Heroes of Quantico series is available for a free download on your Kindle right now!!


“Available January 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”


Thank you Donna and Revell Publishing for allowing me this complimentary copy in exchange for this honest review!

Someone to Blame ~ Review

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Someone To Blame Zondervan (September 21, 2010) by C. S. Lakin



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

C. S. Lakin is a novelist and professional copyeditor and writing coach. She is currently working on her eleventh novel, a contemporary family saga drawn from the biblical story of Jacob. Someone to Blame(Zondervan), an intense relational drama and winner of the 2009 First Novel contest, released in October 2010, and she is also the author of the allegorical adult fantasy series The Gates of Heaven, featuring The Wolf of Tebron and the upcoming release The Map Across Time (March 2011). She is currently completing her tenth novel and developing a dog memoir of epic proportion.





ABOUT THE BOOK

In the wake of heartrending family tragedies, Matt and Irene Moore move with their fourteen-year-old daughter, Casey, to a small town. Their goal is to get far away from the daily reminders that leave each of them raw and guilt-ridden. Their hope is to find redemption, repair, and renewal. Instead, the threads that hold them together unravel even more.



Breakers, a small community perched on the rocky coast of the Pacific Northwest, is draped with cold isolation that seems to mirror the hearts. As they settle into their new life, old grief settles with them. Matt is always on edge and easily angered, Irene is sad and pensive, and Casey is confused and defiant. They've once more set the stage for calamity. Into this mix comes Billy Thurber, a young drifter with his own conflicts, whose life unexpectedly entangles with the Moores'.



His arrival in Breakers parallels a rash of hateful and senseless crimes, and soon the whole town -- eager for someone to blame -- goes after Thurber with murderous intent. Out of this dangerous chaos, however, the Moores find unexpected grace and healing in a most unlikely way.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Someone To Blame, go HERE.


My Review:

Someone to Blame is a story of loss and devastation for the Moore family. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to go through the pain they did. They make the decision to move and start over, but clearly, this story proves that even though you change your "scenery" the pain goes with you. Add to that a young man who arrives in town who is dealing with his own issues. Will he add to their pain or is he someone who will help the Moores see things in a new light? Someone to Blame is a great read and one that I would rate a 4 out of 5 ♥'s


Happy Reading :)

God Gave Us the World ~ Review

There aren't too many things better than having little ones in your lap and reading a story to them...when it is your grandchild well that is the ultimate!! :) Rylee and I enjoyed reading God Gave Us the World Over and Over! What a wonderful book this is! I HIGHLY recommend this to any and all! It is one that will forever be in my library!!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Lisa Tawn Bergren

and the illustrator:

Laura J. Bryant

and the book:

God Gave Us The World

WaterBrook Press (January 11, 2011)

***Special thanks to Staci Carmichael, Marketing and Publicity Coordinator, Doubleday Religion / Waterbrook Multnomah / Divisions of Random House, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Love follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She makes her home in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.


Visit the author's website.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:

Laura J. Bryant studied painting, printmaking, and sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. She has illustrated numerous award-winning children’s books, including God Gave Us You, Smudge Bunny, and If You Were My Baby. Laura lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Visit the illustrator's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $10.99
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (January 11, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400074487
ISBN-13: 978-1400074488

Also Available:

God Gave Us You
God Gave Us Two
God Gave Us Christmas
God Gave Us Heaven
God Gave Us Love
God Gave Us So Much – a limited three book treasury


AND NOW...THE FIRST FOUR PAGES...press the pictures to better view them:

The Pirate Queen ~ Review

Back of the Book:
Treasure is Found in the Most Unlikely Places
The envy of all her friends, wife and mother Saphora Warren is the model of southern gentility and accomplishment. She lives in a beautiful Lake Norman home, and has raised three capable adult children. Her husband is a successful plastic surgeon--and a philanderer. It is for that reason that, after hosting a garden party for Southern Living Magazine, Saphora packs her bags to escape the trappings of the picturesque-but-vacant life.
Saphora 's departure is interrupted by her husband Bender's early arrival home, and his words change her life forever. I'm dying.
Against her desires, Saphora agrees to take care of Bender as he fights his illness. They relocate, at his insistance, to their coastal home in Oriental-the same house she had chosen for her private getaway. When her idyllic retreat is overrun by her grown children, grandchildren, townspeople, relatives, and a precocious neighbor child, Saphora's escape to paradise is anything but the life she had imagined. As she gropes for evidence of God's presence amid the turmoil, can she discover the richest treasures come in surprising packages?

My Review:

Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman is one of those books that for me, caused me great frustration, yet then I would turn the page and be filled with compassion, laugh and then grab the kleenex ~ ever read one of those? The marriage of Saphora & Bender Warren is unfortunately a very common one. Saphora leads an envious life. She is married to Dr. Warren Bender. Although it appears she "has it all" sadly that isn't the case at all! Bender has a wondering eye and Saphora knows it. She decides to leave her cheating husband and as she has her bags packed and ready to leave him he comes home early with news that he has brain cancer. For Saphora there wasn't a question of what she would do, no Saphora just took it in stride and handled it with the grace she had been known to do in most situations.
But, as in life, things don't always go the way we think they will nor do they appear to be what they are in our minds either.
The journey with cancer is never an easy one. The journey with infidelity isn't either. The Pirate Queen shares the joys and hardships of both these journeys and so much more.

I am thankful to have read this book and will recommend this one to soooo many. It is a beautiful story of Love, Family, Faith and seeking God in the most wonderful way.

Heartofabookworm gives Pirate Queen ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


Thankyou Waterbrook Multnomah and the Blogging for Books program for allowing me this complimentary copy in exchange for my honest reveiw

Ipad App giveaway for all those who LOVE to cook!

My friend and fellow blogger Mikki @ The Not So Perfect housewife is hosting a giveaway! What is she offering you ask? Well, it is an app for your Iphone or Ipad

I just got an Ipad for Christmas and let me tell you.....I LOVE IT! I downloaded the Kindle app and put all of my books onto my Ipad. WOW. I have to say the Ipad is sooo much nicer because it is in color as well as it puts all my books in alphabetical order! The Screen is bigger as well !!! Seriously, I can't say enough about how much I love it!!

The IPad/ITouch APP Mikki is offering as a giveaway is the How to cook anything It sells for $9.99 on Itunes!

Hop on over and enter :) There is going to be 3 yes THREE winners!!

Free Christian Fiction Downloads for your Kindle

Happy Friday everyone! Wanted to pass along some Freebies. These are free downloads from Amazon for your Kindle and some of these books are available for the Ipad or Nook as well !!


Go here for Justice Game



The Potluck Club! Go here



For Happily Ever After go here


This a an awesome series of books!! I've read every one of them. This is the 1st in the Series and I rate this a definite ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Go here for Danger in the Shadows


Terri Blackstock is awesome isn't she! I look forward to reading this one for sure! Go here


Deeper Water go here



Last but certainly not least: Love on a Dime here




Have a blessed weekend! Happy Reading

What are you reading this week?

A New Year! A new list of books to read....Just makes me giddy thinking about it ~ doesn't it you?



Shelia with bookjourney hosts Mondays what are you reading? Join in and share what's on your list this week :)


This week are all Review books for later this month!

The Pirate Queen ~ started this one yesterday


Cannot wait to get into this one!


This one sounds like it will be awesome too!



There ya go! So what's on your list this week??



Happy Reading everyone!