Eighty-eight Keys by Catherine Lavender
Leah is a young woman who is trying to break free from a strict religious background and pursue her dream as a pianist in the world of show business. While trying to find her independence her heart is held captive by Jason Rowe, a local basketball star who established an organization to help troubled youth. When Jason is found murdered in his home, Leah is determined to get answers from a closed investigation. During her state of emotional turmoil, Leah finds comfort not only in the melody of her music, but in the arms of a married man named Calvin. With her dreams at her fingertips, Leah is tangled in a web of lies and deceit. Despite the fear of learning the truth, Leah has to realize that only the truth can set her free.
A dead lover, with a trail of broken hearts…
A married man, with a double-life…
A dream chaser, with a killer at her heels…
A piano, with eighty-eight keys…
~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~
The terrible thing about the labels we tag onto books is that according to those succinct little words we form opinions and preconceived notions about the book’s content. Such was the case for me with Eighty-eight Keys by Catherine Lavender. The label said suspense and that’s what I expected. But as far as suspense novels go, Eighty-eight Keys was disappointing. However, if you were to disregard the labels and sit down expecting a book about complex relationships between well-developed yet flawed characters, then Eighty-eight Keys is the book for you.
I loved the play between the characters, the relationships and entanglements both beneficial and unhealthy. And honesty I wish there had been more–more of what had happened between Jason and Leah, more between Calvin and Marla, even more between Mrs. Jacobi and Leah.
But all in all, Eighty-eight Keys is a homerun. This won’t be the last book I read from Catherine Lavender.
And now, a little more from Catherine Lavender:
Staying Positive
Have you ever met a person who just seemed to radiate positive energy regardless of what situation they were going through? Even when facing serious life challenges, they were still happy and smiling. This is an example of a person who has learned that having a positive attitude towards life will help overcome any fear and anxiety.
Everyone faces challenges, heartaches, disappointments, and shattered dreams at different points in life. Some people dwell on negative situations and cannot seem to find any peace during these difficult times. They become stressed out, sad, and burden down by negative energy.
Other people adopt a more optimistic perspective when challenges arise. They refuse to allow situations and people to dictate their moods and outlook. They do not allow negative thoughts to control their lives and they surround themselves with positive people. They may also invest in their own spiritual growth by listening to positive people and reading inspiring and motivational literature.
Catherine Pulsifer once said, “Your attitude can take you forward or your attitude can take you down. The choice is always yours!” She understood that our attitude is something that we can learn to have control over regardless of the situation.
Most people who have an optimistic perspective on life believe that valuable lessons can be learned from the obstacles that we face in life. For example, I know a woman who got laid off from a mental health position and instead of complaining and stressing about it; she took the opportunity to begin her own business as a Life Coach. She could have surrounded herself with negativity and complained about how life was unfair but she chose to turn a negative situation into a positive outcome.
If you struggle with negativity, you should try re-training your thought process by observing your thoughts. When a negative thought comes, immediately change it to a positive thought. If the thought, “I’m nothing but a failure” comes, simply change it to, “I’m successful in many areas”. Using positive affirmations daily will help you filter away negative thoughts within time. Remember having a positive attitude will make a huge difference in your life and can help you achieve incredible things.
~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~
Catherine Lavender is from Baltimore, Maryland but now resides in Tampa, Florida with her miniature schnauzer name Ripken. She is an animal activist, as well as a supporter of the organization First Book which helps supply literature for underprivileged children. In her spare time, Catherine enjoys reading classic literature and playing the acoustic guitar.
~*~*~*~ Connect with Catherine ~*~*~*~
https://twitter.com/Lavenderpages
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Catherine-Lavender/186543831472093
~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~ Catherine on Tour ~*~*~*~
http://www.clpblogtours.com/2013/02/eighty-eight-keys-by-catherine-lavender.html
Torn Together by Emlyn Chand
Why does growing up have to be so difficult?
Kashi proves he cares too much about Daly to let her fade into the background of her own life. After a series of false starts, their quirky romance carries them to India, where Daly must win the approval of Kashi’s family in order to seal their “forever.”
Will these friendships be enough to turn around Daly’s directionless life? Will she move past the hurt and learn to trust again? Or will her mother, once again, ruin everything she’s worked so hard to achieve?
Emlyn Chand emerged from the womb with a fountain pen clutched in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm Novel Publicity. Best known for her Young Adult novels, she is also developing a small, but devoted, following to her children’s book series and is beginning to dabble in other genres as well. Emlyn enjoys connecting with readers and is available via almost every social media site in existence. Visit EmlynChand.com for more info, or connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or GoodReads. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!
~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~
Get Torn Together on Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, or iTunes.
***It hasn’t yet posted to iTunes despite having released in August. We hope it will be there soon!***
Learn more about Torn Together or read the entire first chapter at
http://www.emlynchand.com/books/other/
~*~*~*~ Emlyn Chand on Tour ~*~*~*~
http://www.clpblogtours.com/2013/01/torn-together-by-emlyn-chand.html
The Green Ticket by Samantha March
College junior Alex Abrams scores her dream job at the ripe age of twenty – manager to a successful salon and spa. Thrilled to finally have a real adult job, Alex enthusiastically jumps into the world of schedules, conference calls, and getting a massage when interviewing prospective employees. What she doesn’t expect are the very grown-up issues that comes with a demanding boss. Kevin Dohlman quickly becomes Alex’s worse nightmare – covering up his affairs, dealing with his enormous ego, and trying to protect her female staff from him becomes a full-time job in its own right. Alex has also befriended Kevin’s wife and co-owner, Dani, and is trying to keep Kevin’s secrets hidden from her. The situation only worsens when Kevin starts paying Alex off to make sure she keeps her insider knowledge to herself.
While struggling to keep her wits and stay happy with her new grown-up job, Alex is juggling college courses, a new love interest, and keeping up with her close group of girlfriends. When her roommate and best friend Lila gets offered an opportunity to move to Los Angeles and sign with an agent, Alex realizes her life truly is changing, and everyone around her – including herself – is is growing up. Knowing she is faced with some hard decisions ahead, Alex struggles with keeping her job at Blissful. But does she really want to throw away what she dreamed of as a career – or will the secret-keeping for Kevin become too much to handle? The Green Ticket is a story about morals versus money, and how one young woman navigates the shaky line between the two.
~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~
Samantha has done it again! Okay, so it’s no secret that I adore Samantha March on many levels, but here it is again: a fabulous novel for young adults about real people, with real problems, in real situations. Samantha expertly takes her sympathetic characters and puts them in situations which are challenging and true to their age and experience yet not so gritty that I feel like I should wash my hands after reading a chapter.
Alex is a college junior who falls into the dream job that may just be the answer to her “what do I want to be when I grow up?” Except…it doesn’t come without costs. Will it be possible to keep up with the demands of her job and school morphs into moral issues concerning the couple who owns the business.
I love how Samantha takes these fabulous young women in her books and puts them in situations that pulls and challenges them to the point that (although they don’t always make the right decisions) they learn and grow as do the others around them.
The market for young “grown-ups is difficult water to navigate…Samantha March has it down to an art!
~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~
Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and her debut novel Destined to Fail. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers.
~*~*~*~ Connect with Samantha ~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~
Barnes and Noble: eBook
Kobo: eBook
Marching Ink: Print
http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/11/the-green-ticket-by-samantha-march.html
The Bloody Mary Club by Debbie Dyke
A Fiscal Thriller Set in Historic Old Town Alexandria, Virginia Stock market meltdown. United States housing bubble. Global financial crisis. Chief executives cooking the books. Who can you trust for financial advice? Gina Van Story, a savvy 40ish investment advisor to the rescue. She can spot a trend on the market and jump on it like a cat. She dreams of grabbing the bull by the horns and is on the hunt for one final big score. Gina and her three best friends from the Bloody Mary Investment Club and come face-to-face with corruption in a David and Goliath struggle when their stock portfolio turns deadly…literally. Over made-to-order Bloody Mary cocktails at historic Gadsby’s Tavern, Gina takes her friends under her wing and teaches them the ins and outs of the stock market. Trouble begins when, following Gina’s bullish advice, they become majority owners in the local bank and then stubbornly turn down a lucrative buyout offer. Not only will money and greed challenge their friendship, they will have to get smart fast and figure out how to turn the tables on the charmingly seductive, yet evil, banker who wants control of their stock by any means necessary – including murder!
Author Debbie Dyke has a fun and unique voice and a definite head for figures. The Bloody Mary Club is a fun read all financial references aside. See, I don’t have a tendency toward investments and hire someone like Gina (her main character) to take care of those things for me. I have to admit that I got a little lost somewhere between the stocks and the bonds, but all in all, I loved this book. The references to her belly dancing, the passion that her instructor has and triangle between her, Johnny and Andrew is fabulous. And the Bloody Mary Club? Well, I think we all should have friends like that. Women who will stick by you (And share a drink) even when things gets tough. So add this one to you TBR pile, it’s a “beach read” with murder and the stock market–who could ask for more?
Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell
♥♥♥♥♥ You Gotta Read This Book ♥♥♥♥♥
Waking up with a strange man is scary. Realizing you lost fifteen years of your life overnight? That’s terrifying. With her memories from seventeen to thirty-two gone, Kate has no idea who she is and where she belongs. As she begins to fall for the man who found her, she wonders if she forgot those years for a reason. Should she keep trying to retrieve her original self, or start a new life?
Once again I am astounded by the talent that lurks in the self-published industry. Once upon a time, it was only for those writers who couldn’t make it anywhere else. Now, it’s filled with authors who are just looking for alternatives to the norm. And what I’ve found is writing of the same. Blank Slate Kate is a fabulous book, filled with unexpected turns, not in a shocking over the top Hollywood way, but in an “oh my” that could really happen sort of way that leaves the reader wondering, “How would I feel if I woke up and didn’t remember?”
Kate wakes up unable to remember her name and anything past March of her seventeenth year. With the help of Jake, her rescuer who has ghosts of his own, Kate tries to peice together the fifteen years that are missing from her life. Bit by bit as her life unfolds, Kate starts to wonder if she wants to remember at all, and if the people she has to rely on have her best interests in mind.
Blank Slate Kate is a novel of discovery, heartbreak, and second chances. And definitely has a place on my list of You Gotta Read This Book.
I’m so proud to be inclused in Heather’s tour with Blank Slate Kate. For the duration of the toiur, her novel SEVEN EXES ARE EIGHT TOO MANY is a free read (ebook), so be sure to pop over to Amazon and snag your copy of this book before time runs out.
http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/blank-slate-kate-by-heather-wardell.html
Author Bio:
Growing up, I was an avid (rabid?) reader. I am a natural speed reader, regularly clocked at about 1200 wpm (I read Harry Potter 5 in just under three hours).
After careers as a software developer and elementary school computer science teacher, in 2005 I took up the National Novel Writing Month challenge and attempted to write a novel in a month. I succeeded, and the first draft of my first novel “Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo” was the result. I realized I love writing. I left teaching, and I haven’t looked back since!
Buy the Book!
- Smashwords.com (variety of formats)
- Amazon.com (Kindle)
- Kobo (ePub format)
- Barnes and Noble (for their nook reader)
- Apple’s iBook store on your iPad or iPhone/iPod Touch
“Blank Slate Kate” is also available in paperback at:
Connect with Heather!
http://www.heatherwardell.com/contact.shtml
http://www.twitter.com/heatherwardell
http://www.facebook.com/heather.wardell.author
http://www.goodreads.com/heatherwardell
As always, thanks for stopping by!
Lot’s of <3–Amie
Breaking The Rules by Cat Lavoie
When twenty-seven year old Roxy Rule’s best friend and roommate accepts a glamorous new job overseas, she expects their relationship to continue as it’s always been—carefree and easy—until they share a heart-stopping kiss moments before his departure. Overcome with mixed emotions, she fights the urge to over analyze the situation and resumes back to her normal life in New York City, working for an intolerable boss at a dead end job, creeping further and further away from her own dreams of becoming a professional chef.While things become more complicated between her and Ollie, Roxy is sure that nothing can come between two lifelong best friends—not even mild jealousy over a thriving career or a silly little kiss that meant nothing. In fact, it was such a meaningless and forgettable kiss that she convinces herself that it’s not even worth mentioning to her fiancé, although it is all she can think about.Roxy’s already topsy-turvy life only gets more complicated when her sisters Steffi and Izzie suddenly become her roommates. Steffi is six months into a pregnancy she refuses to discuss and Izzie is in the throes of a premature midlife crisis. Roxy tries to take control of her career, her love life and her sisters – but can she really handle it all? And can the Rule family keep it together – or break under the pressure?
Cat Lavoie was born in the small town of Jonquière in Québec, Canada. At the age of nineteen, she packed up her things (mostly books) and moved to the big city of Montreal where she currently lives with her tempestuous cat Abbie—who is both adorable and quite possibly evil.
An incurable Anglophile since her university days where she studied English Literature, she can often be found daydreaming about her next trip to London. Since she’s an expert at the art of procrastination, Cat is easily distracted by cooking and home improvement shows—even though she’s not particularly good at either.
Cat grew up watching soap operas and legal dramas and—had she not decided to be a claims analyst by day and write chick lit by night—she would have probably become a designer suit-wearing lawyer. Or a character on All My Children (which is what she really wanted to be when she was twelve).
Cat is not sure whether she’s a geek or a nerd—and is afraid she might be both. Breaking the Rules is her first novel.
Cat blogs about the writing life and posts adorable pictures of Abbie over at the Catenabi Chronicles. Come say hello at: www.CatLavoie.com and follow @Catenabi on Twitter.
~*~*~*~*~ Connect with Cat ~*~*~*~*~
http://www.facebook.com/CatLavoieAuthor?ref=stream
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6440914.Cat_Lavoie
~*~*~*~*~Buy Links ~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~ Cat On Tour ~*~*~*~*~
http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/07/breaking-rules-by-cat-lavo
Rum Punch Regrets by Anne Kemp ~ A Review
♥♥♥♥♥ You Gotta Read This Book! ♥♥♥♥♥
In just a few short weeks, thirty something Abby George has endured the death of her mother, was dumped by her fiancé, and got laid off from her job.
Stunned and seeking a shoulder to cry on, she turns to her perfect older sister, Leigh. But instead of comfort, Abby receives a surprise: Leigh needs her in the Caribbean to help with some mysterious personal business.
While assisting in the sale and repair of a bed-and-breakfast, Abby uncovers a few huge family secrets as she juggles an unexpected roommate, quirky locals, and nasty centipedes.
Abby’s world is further complicated when two potential suitors enter her life. Can Abby get beyond her own psycho drama long enough to open her heart to someone new? Or will she neurotically make her romantic life worse?
Packing nothing but her suitcases and a sense of humor, Abby George travels down an unfamiliar road, but it’s all she can do to hang on for the ride…
~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~
There are a few things about a book that (to me) make it worthwhile. I have to be able to smile, even laugh out loud from time to time. There has to be likable characters, even secondary characters, that I can identify with or recognize as being part of my life (if only for a time), and the ability to understand the story. And by that I mean, the story means something, it has a purpose, there is something happening that makes me want to find out what happens next. Rum Punch Regrets has all this and more. And more? You say. Yep–a beach, one of my favorite things in the world.
Abby George is real, she’s likable and easy to sympathize with, but (envy) she gets to hang out in the Caribbean. I have walked the beaches there, met up with characters like Abby encounters, and dealt with a few of the same issues. For those who have never spent time in the Caribbean, Anne’s description of St Kitts is spot on for most of the islands. It takes some getting used to, but it happens. However Abby has a little more on her plate than how to survive on island time. She’s got a host of family and personal issues that are enough to drive a lesser woman out of her mind. But Abby manages to pull it all together for the best of everyone involved.
Can’t take a vacation this year? Pick up Rum Punch Regrets. It’s the next best thing to a Caribbean vacation!
~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~
Anne Kemp is the author behind the Abby George Series, which includes her debut novella, All Fruits Ripe, and first novel, Rum Punch Regrets, which is available in print and as an eBook. She is also the columnist behind “Anne In Progress,” which appears monthly in the Frederick News-Post, a newspaper in the DC-Metro area. As a blogger, she was nominated for a 2012 Bloggers Choice Award for Best Humor Blog, and is known for penning “The Ultimate Late Bloomer.”
Follow her on Twitter, @MissAnneKemp, or join her fans on Facebook for fun contests and giveaways. You can always find her at her website: www.annekemp.com.
A portion of Anne’s proceeds are donated to Lupus LA.
~*~*~*~ Anne On Tour ~*~*~*~
**Everyone who leaves a comment at http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/07/rum-punch-regrets-by-anne-kemp.html
will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Rum Punch Regrets before September 3 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**
Viewer Discretion Advised by Cindy Roesel
♥♥♥♥♥ You Gotta Read This! ♥♥♥♥♥
LIVE FROM MIAMI! The sensationalism shown on television can only be topped by the drama that happens behind the camera! After being fired from her job in Los Angeles, Charlene “Charley” Thomas moves to sizzling Miami and begins working as news director at a local television station. While getting used to her new gig, Charley wakes up to the fact that her station manager, Jonathan Lefton, is the boss from hell who will do anything for a story no matter who gets hurt in the process. When nude pictures of noon anchor, Miranda Andrews, are discovered in the men’s room of a Key West bar, all hell breaks loose. They end up on Lefton’s desk and he promotes her over the main anchor, sparking off a firestorm. Miranda’s quickly thrown into the mix and assigned special reports. Charley finds herself overseeing an investigation that could shine light on the guilt of a dirty cop. Real life begins to mimic the drama of broadcast news when station personalities face life and death all for rating and Emmys! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is a modern day “Sex and the City” meets “Broadcast News.”
~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~
I never know what’s in store for me when I crack open some of novels I’m asked to review. It’s good for me to read outside my chosen genre of romance, and it feels fine to stretch my legs and test other waters. Next in line is chicklit (You know, books that are written by and targeted toward women). When I think of chicklit, I think of books like Bridget Jones Diary and other light-hearted and fun reads. But we all know that chicklit is more than that. It accounts for novels that cover more serious issues and problems with today’s world. Well, Viewer Discretion Advised fits right in the middle. It’s fun and upbeat, but it’s more than that. Cindy Roesel takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of what it’s like behind the scenes in a newsroom. Fast-paced, smart and savvy, yet it deals with issues in the lives of the people who work at WCAR–drinking problems, low self-esteem, cheating husbands, fragile egos, and the problems that result with long distance relationships.
How Cindy managed to pack all that in under 300 pages is a mystery to me, but it’s all there. The reader can’t help but root for Charley. There’s something inherently likable about her. Everyone around her can sense it as well. This also means that we love the people she loves by way of association. The reader wants her to end up with Oz, needs Rori to get help, and Charley to succeed in the cut-throat world she has landed in. But Charley knows her stuff (As does Cindy) and with odds like that she has to succeed. And the same goes for Cindy Roesel and Viewer Discretion Advised as well.
And one thing is certain: I’ll never look at the news the same way again.
~*~*~*~ Author Bio~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~ The Interview ~*~*~*~
Amie: Where did the story idea come from/how did it come about?
Cindy: It’s often said, “write what you know.” Well. I’ve wanted to write a novel since I was a little girl and the majority of my first career has been as a TV news anchor and reporter and that includes writing, so it makes sense that my first book should be about a broadcast journalist. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is a suspenseful, romantic thriller set in Miami, Florida, which features news director, Charlize “Charley” Thomas. It’s a mix of the new HBO hit show “The Newsroom” meets “Sex and the City.”
Amie: One thing you want the reader to walk away with after reading this book.
Cindy: It’s important that readers walk away knowing that if you work hard you can accomplish anything. That may sound hokey, but I believe in the dream. I was the first one in my family to graduate from college, go into a profession and I won an Emmy Award for my hard work in Broadcasting. Charley comes up against quite a few obstacles, but she doesn’t give up and she never looks for the easy way to get something done. It’s really important young women on their career path find a mentor they believe in that they can trust. It’s important to me that readers of VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED see Charley as a positive professional woman.
Amie: Why did you choose your genre?
Cindy: I always knew my first attempt at writing would be fiction. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED evolved into a suspenseful, romantic, thriller as I wrote it. I really didn’t plan it that way. Actually, I thought it was going to be a chick-lit romance, but then the story and the characters took over. There comes a point when the writer, in this case, me, stops resisting and follows their lead so the project is organic.
Amie: Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?
Cindy: There are many challenges for a writer, especially one who wants to write well. Writers have to not only write, but they must read, and that includes reading everything, not only what they enjoy. It’s important to surround yourself with other writers in real life and on the Internet. I write book reviews for a blog called Chick Lit Central and I’ve made a lot of friends over the web, some of whom I’ve met in person. We read one another’s work, and help proof each other. I’m constantly taking classes and going to author readings at my local bookstores. The bottom line is you must always be working at your craft.
Another challenge is getting my butt in the chair to actually write, but once I’m there, you practically have to peel me out. There are so many other things vying for my attention, and I’m easily distracted. Let’s face it, once we’re on the computer there’s Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, ChickLitPlus, your Blog, mine, Chick Lit Central…. all screaming our name…. so I guess what the big challenge comes down to for me is to FOCUS!
Amie: What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
Cindy: The first thing I’d tell writers who are just starting out is, “Congratulations! You’ve entered a very special club. What you’re going to do is honorable work and the people you’re going to surround yourself with are unique, life as you know it has changed. Number one rule: There are no rules, except this one. Don’t fall in love with your first drafts. The final project never looks like what you first put down on paper. Remember, writing is rewriting. Have fun!”
Amie: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?
Cindy: No, I don’t believe in writer’s block. When I have to write something or I have a deadline, I do it. It may not be my best work, but I fulfill my obligations.
Amie: What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Cindy: A comfy writing environment, a dictionary, thesaurus, EB White’s, “The Elements of Style,” a full pot of coffee and lots of writer and non-writer friends! I also happen to love having plenty of plain M&Ms on hand…. yummy!
Thank you so much Amie for inviting me and VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED to visit you and your wonderful blog and Facebook site.
Thanks for coming, Cindy. Readers, you’re all invited to contact Cindy anytime if you have questions or comments about anything here or in her novel.
And…**Everyone who leaves a comment at http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/05/viewer-discretion-advised-by-cindy.html will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Viewer Discretion Advised before August 20 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.** Whoop!
~*~*~*~ Connect with Cindy ~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~ Cindy On Tour ~*~*~*~
The Way by Kristen Wolf ~ A Review
♥♥♥♥♥An Astounding Read ♥♥♥♥♥
Anna is a fiery tomboy living in ancient Palestine whose androgynous appearance provokes ridicule from the people around her and doubt within her own heart. When tragedy strikes her family, and Anna’s father—disguising her as a boy—sells her to a band of shepherds, she is captured by a mystical and secret society of women hiding in the desert. At first Anna is tempted to escape, but she soon finds that the sisterhood’s teachings and healing abilities, wrapped in an ancient philosophy they call “The Way,” have unleashed an unexpected power within her.
When danger befalls the caves in which the sisters have made their home, Anna embarks on a hazardous mission to preserve the wisdom of her mentors by proclaiming it among ordinary people. Her daring quest and newfound destiny reveal, at last, the full truth of her identity—a shocking revelation that will spark as much controversy as it does celebration.
Anna’s story is one of transformation, betrayal, love, loss, deception, and above all, redemption. Readers will cheer for this unforgettable protagonist—and for debut novelist Kristen Wolf, whose beautifully written book both provokes and inspires. A compelling mix of history, myth, and fantasy, The Way is a fascinating exploration of the foundations and possibilities of human spirituality.
~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~
I pride myself on being able to find some fine and good quality about each book I read, but it’s not often that I’m blow away. This was one of those rare times. Kristen Wolf takes a story that most of us knows by heart and puts a new spin on it–the story of Jesus. In the same vein as The Last Temptation of Christ and The DaVinci Code, Kristen weaves an amazing tale of what might have been. I say The Last Temptation because her book gives us a different look into the familiar stories and shows us a possibility that borders on speculative fiction. I mention The Da Vinci Code because there is much historical and Biblical fact woven throughout.
This book is effortless and easy to read despite the heavy content. The descriptions are near poetry and play out like a movie unfolding in the mind’s eye. The Way will suck you in and not let you go until the last page. Ever read a book, then hate when you get to the end, knowing it’s over? This is that book.
However, I’m sure this book will spur controversy to those who are steeped in the tales as told in the Good Book. I like to think that I’m opened minded for a Christian. Did the story of Jesus happen like in Kristen’s tale? I don’t know. Do I believe it happened this way? Uhum…not sure about that either. But what The Way will do is make you stop and think. And I believe that just what Kristen wants for us.
So I applaud her for the fabulous book and the success of making us stop and examine the truth as we know it. Hats off to you, Kristen Wolf.
~*~*~*~ Meet Kristen ~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~ Connect with Kristen ~*~*~*~
A Year to Remember by Shelly Bell
♥♥♥♥♥ You Gotta Read This Book! ♥♥♥♥♥
When her younger brother marries on her twenty-ninth birthday, food addict Sara Friedman drunkenly vows to three hundred wedding guests to find and marry her soul mate within the year. After her humiliating toast becomes a YouTube sensation, she permits a national morning show to chronicle her search. With the help of best friend, Missy, she plunges head first into the shallow end of the dating pool. Her journey leads her to question the true meaning of soul mates, as she decides between fulfilling her vow to marry before her thirtieth birthday and following her heart’s desire. But before she can make the biggest decision of her life, Sara must begin to take her first steps toward recovery from her addiction to food.
~*~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~*~
This is a really long post, so I’ll keep my review short and sweet. READ THIS BOOK. But seriously, A Year to Remember is laugh out loud funny, and I was sad to see it end. The kind of book that you want to thumb back through even though you just read the last page. The kind of book with characters you wish you could be friends with. Even better, the ending is *good*, and Sara ends up with the right man for her. You can’t always say that about chicklit. And y’all know I’m a sucker for a happy ending. Okay, I demand it on a regular basis. There’s no one more deserving of a happy ending than Sara. She’s funny, a good friend, and an all around decent person. That’s not to say that she’s perfect, but isn’t it our imperfections that make us funny, I mean, human. And for Sara, the year is about more than just finding the perfect man. It’s a year of hard self discoveries. As painful as that may be, I wish us all to have A Year to Remember!
~*~*~*~*~ An Excerpt From A Year To Remember ~*~*~*~*~
“Today, I turned twenty-nine and I wonder if I’ll ever meet my own beshert. Did we already meet and fail to recognize we belonged together? Did I lose my chance already?”
I stopped and pondered my own profound musings for a moment, before remembering I still held the microphone. Oh dear, what was I saying? I decided I better wrap it up, since the room started spinning.
“I’m jealous of my brother.” Crap, did that really just come out of my mouth?
“I mean, I’m not jealous just because my younger brother got married before me and I’m twenty-nine with no possible prospects in sight,” I stammered.
The audience giggled, and I wondered if they believed me, because I sure didn’t.
“I’m happy for my brother, because if he can find his beshert, it gives me hope that someday, I will, too.”
Before I could stop myself, the words I would live to regret flew out of my mouth. “Even without a significant man in my life at the moment, I promise you by the time I turn thirty, I will be married.”
Oh my God, did I really just say that? “With that, I’ll end by saying Mazel Tov, Seth and Emily. L’chayim!” I held up my empty glass of champagne.
Everyone clapped as I returned to my table. I hoped the videographer could edit my speech out of the wedding video, or ’I’d never live it down. My brother would play it at every holiday just to torture me.
Missy gave me a sympathetic smile. “That was a great speech until you blew it by admitting you were jealous and swore to marry by your thirtieth birthday.”
I groaned and put my head in my hands, terrified to think the night just started.
~*~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~*~
Shelly Bell started reading at three years old. In elementary school, the librarian gave her books to test out for the school library. As a teenager, she spent her allowance each week on romance novels, enjoying both young adult and adult romance.
Married to Jason in 2003, they have two children and reside in the metro-Detroit area, where she reads on her Kindle each night when her family falls asleep.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and writes both women’s fiction and paranormal romance.
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http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/04/year-to-remember-by-shelly-bell.html
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