Genre: LDS

Love on Pointe Blog Tour and Giveaway

16 Jun, 2017 by in blog tour, covenant Leave a comment

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Love on Pointe

by Tiffany Odekirk
Published by Covenant on June 1, 2017
Genres: Adult, Clean Romance, LDS
Pages: 328
Format: Paperback
four-stars
Buy the BookGoodreads
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.

Love on Pointe Banner
Love on Pointe will be a blast of Provo and BYU culture for anyone who attended the University. Filled with rich details of culture, acronyms, student hang outs and scenarios, it’s a fun read for alumni of Brigham Young University. The cover is beautiful, and characters realistic. A clean read for new adults and college students, it addresses inter racial and inter religious love. I enjoyed the progression and pacing, but did struggle to understand how the topic of church attendance and religion was not heavily explored by the main characters until halfway into the book. Overall, a light, enjoyable LDS romance.

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/

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Wrong for You Blog Tour and Giveaway

19 May, 2017 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Wrong for You Blog Tour and Giveaway

Wrong for You

by Jenny Proctor
Published by Covenant on May 1, 2017
Genres: Clean Romance, LDS
Pages: 256
Format: Paperback
Source: Covenant
Buy the BookGoodreads
Lane Bishop is a hardworking, intelligent, beautiful young woman. And 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?

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What a good book! I was nervous about a love triangle between brothers, especially brothers as tightly knit as the Hamiltons. Things could get messy and ugly, but I loved the way the author explored family loyalty, friendship and honesty. Wrong For You is set in North Carolina at a bed and breakfast with beautiful grounds and childhood memories. Lane is returning there after college to work as an events planner. She’s feisty, competitive and sick of the single’s scene. One Saturday pick up soccer game later, she’s met her match. Or has she?

The character were well fleshed out and the plot perfect. This is one I would read again and highly recommend to readers of clean romance. My only wish is that the author would have shown more of the feelings toward one man in particular instead of telling readers how Lane was feeling. Overall, a feel good, pick me up story with a great ending!

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Story Tellers: An Evening with Colorful Characters

21 Apr, 2017 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Story Tellers: An Evening with Colorful Characters

Story Tellers: An Evening with Colorful Characters

by Covenant Communications
Published by Covenant on March 28, 2017
Genres: LDS
Pages: 67 minutes
Source: Covenant
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On cold night in the Utah Territory, three opinionated men seemingly by chance find themselves sharing a campfire as they tell tales, swap insults, and expound on their personal beliefs and philosophies. However, one of the men is not there by mere coincidence. Join Porter Rockwell, Mark Twain, and J. Golden Kimball for an entertaining and intriguing evening with three of the most colorful characters of the Old West.

Storytellers is a campfire meeting between well-known Mormon legends Porter Rockwell, J. Golden Kimball and American author Mark Twain. Right away we learn these three had strong personalities. The setting remains the same through out the whole movie. Three men sitting around swapping stories. I enjoyed learning little known facts in their histories as well as tales from their homes. We see that life in the desert was much more rugged than it is today.

We put this DVD in as a family home evening and soon realized its probably not one you sit down to watch all together with children.  There are tales with nudity, alcohol and the plot is slow moving enough it won’t hold the attention of younger family members. Recommended for adults. Thanks so much for the chance to view and review this little known interaction in Mormon history.

Actors: Jason Wade, Joshua Michael French, Cameron Asay
Directors: John Lyde

About the Author

Covenant Communications is an independent publisher of novels, nonfiction, music and spoken audio.

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Sweet is the Work Blog Tour and $25 Giveaway

30 Mar, 2017 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

I received this book for free from Covenant in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Sweet is the Work Blog Tour and $25 Giveaway

Sweet is the Work: Lessons from the First Sister Missionaries

by Breanna Olaveson
Published by Covenant on March 1, 2017
Genres: LDS, Non- Fiction
Pages: 272
Format: Paperback
four-stars
Source: Covenant
Buy the BookGoodreads
Young women serving as missionaries today are carrying on a noble legacy of faith and dedication that extends back to the early days of the Church. But who were the brave women who paved the way for modern-day sister missionaries? In Sweet Is the Work, author Breanna Olaveson delves into a previously unexplored history that demonstrates the unique ability of women to carry out the errand of angels. Discover the powerful experiences of twelve of the earliest sister missionaries, from the first single proselytizing women in 1898 to some of the well known sisters in Church history who were themselves pioneering missionaries. The women highlighted in this volume demonstrate the valiant and noble history of sister missionaries in an account that is sure to inspire readers to boldly go forth to share the truths of the gospel.
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With short chapters which tell the stories of the first LDS women missionaries, Sweet is the Work is a wonderful historical primer. Where pictures were available, they were used to introduce readers to the names and faces of women who bravely told the Savior’s story and shared their voices throughout the world. Each of the 12 accounts was unique, with some sisters being formally set apart to do the work, and others serving alongside their husbands in a foreign land.

Olaveson uses a bit of a feminist touch which I didn’t care for, but overall, the tone was one of the pioneering spirit of those who roll up their sleeves and get to work. Interesting history recommended for all ages!

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Love, Jane Blog Tour and Giveaway

13 Mar, 2017 by in jane, lds contemp, ranee s clark Leave a comment

Love, Jane Blog Tour and Giveaway

Love, Jane

by Ranee S. Clark
Published by Covenant on March 1, 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LDS
Pages: 272
Format: Paperback
Source: Covenant
Buy the BookGoodreads
Jane Reeves and Sean O'Callaghan seem to be a match made in heaven—but the timing is all wrong. Jane has her heart set on serving a mission, and she can't delay telling Sean the news any longer: not only has she quietly submitted her mission papers, but she's also leaving in a month ... for Alaska. Shocked and devastated, Sean struggles to come to terms with Jane's decision. Unable to deny the depth of their feelings for one another, Sean makes a promise to wait for her.

Life unfolds for both Jane and Sean, with communications limited to weekly e-mails. But with just a few months left in Jane's mission, Sean's messages stop. When she receives the dreaded "Dear Jane" breakup along with the news that she has been replaced by Sean's former flame, Jane knows the future she envisioned now belongs to another woman. But upon her return home, Jane quickly realizes some things are worth fighting for—perhaps, most of all, a shot at true love.

Giveaway

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Faith and A Life Jacket Blog Tour

14 Nov, 2016 by in lds, non-fiction, young adult Leave a comment

I received this book for free from Cedar Fort in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Faith and a Life Jacket: 7 Truths for Your Eternal Mission

by Ben Bernards
Published by Cedar Fort on September 13, 2016
Genres: Inspirational, LDS
Pages: 128
Format: Paperback
five-stars
Source: Cedar Fort
Buy the Book
Don't just be prepared--be prepared well. Ben Bernards, popular youth speaker, presents this adventurous book of seven guiding rules and lessons to help train a new generation of missionaries. These invaluable lessons, from God's measure of success to unexpected difficulties in the field, will apply to any missionary's call, readying them for the great and challenging experiences of the Lord's work.

This is an absolute must read for any youth thinking of going on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ben Bernards uses story telling to show that miracles still exist and happen in the mission field today. His experiences while serving in Fiji are incredible reminders that a mission wil be hard, and opposition is real, but if you are prepared you shall not fear. I found myself zipping along quickly waiting to hear what happens next.

Each chapter teaches one of seven eternal truths in a way that teens can relate. I came away reminded of the every day miracles I saw as a missionary and inspired to be better in today’s world. This author is a seasoned youth speaker. His eloquence with a down to eath nature comes across in his wiritng. Definitely a must read!

About the Author

Ben Bernards grew up in a big Mormon family in a small farming town in the heart of Utah Country where he and his 8 brothers and sisters were raised on a steady diet of Nintendo, Transformers, Dungeons&Dragons, and Star Wars. He geeks out on all that plus everything marching band, Marvel, and Tolkien (his autographed edition of Lord of the Rings is pretty much the coolest.

He loves teaching youth the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whether it be in Seminary, Sunday School, at youth conferences or EFY. He served a mission on the Fiji Islands where he survived cyclones, rampaging natives, and swarms of giant bats while living in a hit in the jungle. (He still hasn’t convinced his wife to go back and visit.)

Website

“Faith and a Life Jacket” blog tour schedule:
November 1: LDS & Lovin’ It
November 2: Christy Monson Books
November 3: Read for Your Future
November 4: My Book a Day
November 5: Brooklyn Jolley | The Things I Love Most
November 6: Pixx Digital Media
November 7: Laura Walker
November 8: Not Your Relief Society Book Club
November 9: The Power of One Girl
November 10: I Am a Reader | Mel’s Shelves
November 11: Bookworm Lisa | Brookie Cowles
November 12: Katie’s Clean Book Collection | Singing Librarian Books
November 13: Rockin’ Book Reviews | Reidhead Random-ness
November 14: My Little Sunshines | Fire and Ice

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You’ve Got This Blog Tour

08 Nov, 2016 by in Uncategorized 1 comment

I received this book for free from Cedar Fort in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

You've Got This: How to Look Up When Life Has You Down, For Teens

by Elise Hahl
Published by Cedar Fort on October 11, 2016
Genres: LDS, Young Adult
Pages: 128
Format: Paperback
five-stars
Source: Cedar Fort
Buy the BookGoodreads
Life is tough, but so are you! Learn how to work through life’s trials with advice from popular youth speakers, including Hank Smith and Al Carraway, who have endured a few challenges of their own. This encouraging book will help you see trials as essential stepping-stones to becoming who you’re destined to be.

This small compilation of inspirational messages for teens is the perfect pick me up. You’ve Got This features two chapters about the Wilcox family moving to Chile when Brad Wilcox was a mission president and his daughter Whitney was in seventh grade. Her descriptions of the people, the food and the culture were fun to read since I served my mission in Santiago, Chile. Her message and her father’s is that you can adapt to change, you can grow and change.

Chad Hymas shares his experience of becoming paralyzed and overcoming obstacles line upon line, one little step at a time. His chapter reminds teens that there will be trials, we will feel disappointed, but we can excel. I highly recommend this book as a gift to teens and adults. It takes a few minutes to read each story and you will walk away feeling a lift. “You’ve got this!”

About the Authors

After serving as a missionary to the Brazil Manaus mission, Elise Babbel Hahl completed her studies in English at Stanford University, married her mission pen pal, and went on to earn a master’s degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her work has been published in Choosing Motherhood, Whereabouts: Stepping Out of Place, Education Next magazine, Do NOT Attempt in Heels, and recorded on “The World in Words” podcast. She lives with her husband and four children in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.

Hank Smith has been a full-time religious educator for the Church for 12 years, teaching seminary and in the Religion Department at BYU. Hank is a favorite speaker with Especially for Youth, BYU Education Week, and Time Out for Women. With his trademark sense of humor and his captivating stories and examples, Hank makes it fun to learn gospel principles and strengthen personal testimonies.

Al Fox Carraway has been a popular blogger, YouTuber, and public speaker for the past several years and is most well known for the blog post, “The Tattooed Mormon.” She has been on the cover of LDS Living Magazine and has done countless radio interviews, TV interviews, and everything in between. Al won the Community Speaker award in 2014, presented by the Dean of BYU. She has traveled countryside for years speaking with well-known speakers like John Bytheway, Brad Wilcox, and General Young Women’s President, Bonnie Oscarson. Just recently she spoke to over 24,000 people with Elder Neil L. Anderson at RootsTech.

Blog Tour Schedule

 

November 1: Write, Writing, Written
November 2: LDS & Lovin’ It
November 3: Debra’s Book Cafe | Reidhead Random-ness
November 4: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books
November 5:  Rockin’ Book Reviews
November 6: Brooklyn Jolley
November 7: Kensie Kate || The Power of One Girl
November 8: A Year of FHE | Fire and Ice
November 9: Singing Librarian Books | My Book a Day | Rachel Writes
November 10: Bookworm Lisa | My Little Sunshines
November 11: I Love to Read and Review Books | Brooklyn Berry
November 12: Not Your Relief Society Book Club
November 13: Pixx Digital Media
November 14: Jorie Loves a Story | Mel’s Shelves | Sweetly Made

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The Unsaid by Aaron Blaylock~ Spotlight

07 Nov, 2016 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

The Unsaid

by Aaron Blaylock
on October 1, 2016
Genres: Adult, LDS
Pages: 208
Format: Paperback
Goodreads
Maggie’s job at the Department of Thoughts and Records in heaven is pretty simple. She is a spirit curator—an observer of human life who sorts and categorizes every unsaid thought. When Eric, her beholden, shows interest in the new girl at work, Maggie can’t help ignoring the rules to understand the wonders of mortality and love. But meddling in mortal affairs has consequences that Maggie couldn’t have ever imagined . . .

Goodreads * Amazon

About the Author

Born and raised in Arizona, Aaron is proud to call the desert home. He came of age in the suburbs of Sacramento, California and as a missionary in Jamaica, where he fell in love with the people and their culture, but he has always been drawn back to the valley of the sun.

He married his childhood crush, and the girl of his dreams, in 2001. Together they are raising four beautiful and rambunctious children. He worked as a freelance sports reporter for The Arizona Republic for nearly ten years, combining his love of writing and sports. In his storytelling he draws heavily on his love of history, adventure, his faith, and his own life experiences.

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Southern Charmed Blog Tour and $25 Giveaway

16 Sep, 2016 by in Uncategorized 1 comment

Southern Charmed

by Melanie Jacobson
Published by Covenant on September 1, 2016
Genres: Adult, LDS, Romance
Pages: 232
Format: Paperback
Source: Covenant
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Lila Mae Guidry is a Southern girl through and through. As a fourth-generation Latter-day Saint in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she's proud of her heritage as both a Southerner and a Saint—and she doesn't take kindly to people who disparage either. Ten years ago, Max Archer was just that kind of jerk. As the mission president's son, Max spent his entire three years mocking the South . . . and teenage Lila. After Max's family moved away, Lila forgot about her sworn enemy. Almost.

When a new job brings a grown-up Max back to Baton Rouge, Lila is less than thrilled with his reappearance, especially since everyone seems intent on throwing her together with this old adversary. Yet fight as she may, Lila soon realizes resistance is futile—their connection is undeniable. Max embodies everything she wants in a man—except perhaps the most important thing her life is rooted in the city she loves, but his dreams are bigger than Baton Rouge. With such mismatched visions of the future, Max and Lila are faced with a life-altering decision: jeopardize their aspirations or risk losing love.

 

Southern Charmed will take you right into the bayou with its home cooked food, barefoot walks by the dock, Cajun restaurants and society pages. Melanie Jacobson does a wonderful job of pulling the readers into a world where debutantes have been raised to answer “yes ma’am and sir, where family roots run deep. Lila Mae is beginning to get pressure from her mom to get married and raise grandbabies. Already established in a teaching career at a high school with low income teens, Lila lives at home. Her love for Louisiana runs in her veins, as does her desire to take care of her mother, who is recovering from the loss of her husband. Along comes Max, Lila’s childhood crush to mix things up.

There is a side plot with a student Kiana who has a rough home life. She’s got talent, but with a mom on drugs in and out of the home, she lacks the resources to go to college or make a better life for herself. One girl who wants to launch but may not be able to and her teacher who has opportunity to leave, but wants to stay rooted. I absolutely loved the first half of the book, the world building and the banter between Max and Lila. The drag for me was the inner conflict within Lila. It felt a bit drawn out. I saw hints things would work out on their own, but one character was forced to compromise. This book is reminiscent of Melanie’s other works with strong lead women characters, and some non-profit and political undertones. My favorite element of her writing is the clean romance.

You will want to visit the South after reading this book just to sample the food!

About the AuthorMelanie Jacobson

Melanie Bennett Jacobson is an avid reader, amateur cook, and champion shopper. She lives in Southern California with her husband and children and a series of doomed houseplants, and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in writing for children and young adults.

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Dear Jane by Rachel Turner Ward- Review

02 Sep, 2016 by in Uncategorized 1 comment

I received this book for free from Cedar Fort in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Dear Jane

by Rachel Turner Ward
Published by Cedar Fort Genres: Adult, LDS
Pages: 256
Format: Paperback
four-stars
Source: Cedar Fort
Buy the Book
The plan was to serve a mission, marry her boyfriend, and live happily ever after. But all of that changed when Quinn got a Dear Jane email. Now she's stuck at home with no boyfriend, no job, no major, and absolutely no social life. Will Quinn ever find the path that leads to her eternal happiness?


Quinn, an LDS missionary receives the dreaded letter, a Dear Jane from her boyfriend. She’s home, without a life plan, a job or an apartment. Life is not at all what she planned. With family problems and running into the elder who bothered her the most, life has dealt some unexpected blows.

A story with trigger issues, this one is recommended for adults. There are religious, LDS themes embedded in the story. I was able to read it in two days, as the author does a great job of holding reader’s interest. Be aware that it’s got some not so light and fluffy parts.  My one reservation was that it seemed like a too many tragic life events in a short amount of time. But, overall, I give it high mark for keeping me up late at night reading!

Content (highlight to reveal) – Suicide, drug use, premarital pregnancy, mild violence

About the Author

Rachel Turner Ward graduated from Hillcrest High School after spending two years writing for the yearbook and the creative writing magazine. She then studied English at Brigham Young University­–Idaho, graduating with an emphasis in Literary Studies. She has contributed to several online publications, including Mormon Mommy Blogs and SheSteals. She has written a personal blog since 2009, Trapped Between a Scream and a Hug.

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