Posts Tagged: cedar fort books

A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom by June McCrary Jacobs Blog Tour and Review

25 Oct, 2013 by in review Leave a comment

A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom
by June McCrary Jacobs
Hardcover, 144 pages
Published October 8th 2013 
by Cedar Fort Publishing & Media
ISBN 1462113524
Christian 
Adult Fiction
Book Source: Publisher
3 stars

When her student, six-year-old Mary Noel, survives a car accident over Thanksgiving break, Amber and her new friend, Paul, are determined to cheer her up during the holidays. But Mary Noel’s most painful injury is the loss of her dog. The more withdrawn Mary Noel becomes, the more Amber and Paul need a miracle—a miracle that requires the entire community’s help.

Review: The first thing I love about this book is the cover…romantic and Christmasy. The characters are Christian and sweet, though at time they seemed older than pictured–maybe late 40’s-50’s and not in true with their modern day setting. I admit this was a bit hard for me to get into because I couldn’t connect with the story line. The author does a wonderful job explaining the detail of the decorations and preparations for a Christmas Festival in honor of a little girl in the hospital, but not enough time was put into helping the reader know Mary Noel or her parents. I wanted to really feel their plight and sympathize with the dire circumstances they are in. I wanted to smell the goodies for sale at the festival, feel the snow on my cheeks and get a warmth in my heart from the miracle of it all.

A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom is a short and sweet read for adults with an example of what true love could look like in a perfect Christian courtship. This author has a lot of potential if she can tap her characters in to the present day and really make everything come alive. I look forward to seeing what she does in the future, as this is her debut novel and she has a great start.

Thanks so much to Cedar Fort for giving us a free copy in exchange for our honest review and inviting us to be a part of the blog tour.

About this author: June’s holiday novella was chosen as the winner of Cedar Fort Inc.’s 2013 Holiday Tale Contest. ‘A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom’ was be released on October 8th, 2013.

Although this is June’s debut novel, it is not her first published work. Nearly one hundred of June’s original sewing, quilting, and stitchery projects and articles have been published in recent years in sewing books and sewing and crafting magazines distributed nationally and internationally. Two of her sewing designs for children will appear in the upcoming ‘101 One-Yard Little Wonders’ book published by Storey Publishing.

A Californian since age six, June enjoys reading, writing, visiting historic homes and museums, cooking, designing, sewing, quilting, sewing for charity, and hand-embroidery.

Follow June’s writing, sewing, and reading adventures on her ‘Writing and Sewing’ blog found at: http://www.junemccraryjacobs.com.

Her weekly posts (updated each Wednesday) include book reviews, sewing tips, sewing projects with complimentary instructions, and journaling of the author’s visits to museum exhibits, textile and art shows, and more.

Learn More: EmailWebsite & Blog/ Facebook/ Amazon Author Page

Read more reviews and purchase:

Blog Tour and Breview- Mormon Origami by Todd Huisken

16 Oct, 2013 by in Mormon Origami, Todd Huisken Leave a comment

Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the Mormon Origami Blog Tour hosted by Cedar Fort Books.

Mormon Origami 
by Todd Huisken
Paperback, 96 pages
Published October 8th 2013
by Cedar Fort
ISBN 1462113397′
Book Source: Publisher
4 stars

There are more things to make from Sunday meeting programs than airplanes and fortune tellers; now your kids can fold CTR shields, pioneer handcarts, or the Salt Lake Temple!

Mormon Origami provides 25 simple to intermediate origami designs from the Book of Mormon and Church history. These designs can be used by teachers and parents as lesson handouts or activities to help children be reverent. This unique skill will entertain and help illustrate principles as you include these gospel-oriented designs in your lessons, activities, and everyday fun!

Breview: My son has been a big fan of origami, paper art, since reading the Darth Paper series, so when we saw this book I immediately handed it over to him and he loved it. In his own words “it’s awesome!” He easily followed the easy step by step instructions to fold a temple. Mormon Origami is great fun. My only wish was that it had some color illustrations or link to a step by step video online, to go with it. But overall, he truly enjoyed using this instructional book!

                               

Meet the Author: Todd Huisken is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Counseling Manager at LDS Family Services in Fountain Valley, CA. He attended Brigham Young University and The University of San Diego and has a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Todd has served as the Assistant Director of Disaster Mental Health Services for the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross. He has worked with victims from the San Diego Fires, Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, and he spent two weeks in Haiti after the devastating earthquake in 2010. He was an early morning seminary teacher for six years. He is the author of The Dating Directory and the founder of Process and Content, a graduate program newsletter at the University of San Diego. The most important thing about Todd is that he has been married to his beautiful wife for 21 years and they have three daughters and a son and they try to make Disneyland their second home.

Find out more at Cedar Fort/ Goodreads

Purchase: 

Author Interview and Giveaway with Tonya Olsen- {Room Recipes} Blog Tour

07 Oct, 2013 by in author interview, giveaway, plain sight, Room Recipes, Tonya Olsen 5 comments

Fire and Ice is pleased to have author Tonya Olsen on the site today as part of the Cedar Fort Blog Tour for

Room Recipes: A Creative and Stylish Guide to Interior Design
by Tonya Olsen
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published September 24th 2013
by Plain Sight
ISBN 1462112560

From exciting entryways to DIY dining rooms, professional interior designer Tonya Olsen has just the right recipes to make every room in your home a showstopper. Room Recipes: A Creative and Stylish Guide to Interior Design is the ultimate resource for homeowners looking to spice things up or decorate a space from scratch. Inside this guide you’ll find: eye-catching examples of beautiful, budget-friendly designs, step-by-step instructions to recreate even the most elaborate rooms, palettes that break each room into individual patterns, colors, and textures


Create a kitchen or whip up a washroom with these no-fail design formulas and transform your house into your dream home, one room at a time.

We have Tonya here on site to answer a few questions in our exclusive interview…

Tell us about the process that led you to decorating and being an author.

I have always, always enjoyed interior design. On my blog, myroomrecipes.com, I talk about my first design project, my bedroom, when I was 8. My parents always let me decorate my bedroom and eventually relied on my direction for decorating the whole house. I had second thoughts about interior design when I was in college because I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make a living at it. So, I got my undergraduate degree in public relations and got a “safe” 9-5 office job with a steady paycheck, benefits and a 401K. I was miserable! After getting married, I was able to go back to school and get my Master’s degree in Interior Design, and I have never looked back. It’s interesting how life works out because my degree in public relations, which requires a large amount of writing, came to benefit me when I was approached by my publisher, Cedar Fort, to write a book.


Do you draw inspiration from any other cultures or influences?

I draw inspiration from everything! People, places, things. My mind is constantly processing what I see, feel, and hear which eventually becomes part of my design. I grew up in the midwest (Minnesota and Oklahoma), so my style is a little bit different than most in Utah. My friends in Oklahoma are pretty eclectic and incorporate a lot of unique finds into their interiors. That’s why I wanted to include some spaces from my home state.

Ten must read books
( I LOVE to read, so bare with me… these are in no particular order)

Design Books:
1. Design Sponge at Home by Grace Bonney
2. Domino the Book of Decorating
3. The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka (and all books in her collection)
4. Young House Love by Sherry and John Petersik
5. Decorate by Becker and Copestick
6. Life’s Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets by Lisa Quinn
7. Better Homes and Gardens New Decorating Book
8. Good Bones, Great Pieces by Suzanne and Lauren McGrath
9. Pottery Barn series of books
10. Handbuilt Home by Ana White

Books in General:
1. I Knew Their Hearts by Jeff Olsen (my husband)
2. The Gift of Change by Marianne Williamson
3. The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani
4. The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman
5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
6. Heaven is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy by Stephanie Nielson
7. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
8. Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
9. Room by Emma Donoghue
10. These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner

Have any events, signing or store open houses coming up?

Yes! Next Thursday, Oct. 10 from 6-8 pm, Main Street in Bountiful is hosting an event called Shop Local, Save the Girls. It’s a fundraiser event for breast cancer awareness. Our store, LIV Showroom, will specifically be holding my Room Recipes book launch and signing, a huge floor model sale, and, drumroll please, the Waffle Love truck will be in front of our store from 5-9 pm!

What’s your favorite season and why?

Summer is my favorite season. I love the sun, heat and warmth! It’s a non-fussy time of year to decorate. Life is more laid-back. My home always feels open and clean. Guests casually come and go. Fall and Winter feel so suffocating. It’s cold. There’s pressure to decorate for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don’t like dragging temporary decor out and then having to clean it all up and put it away.

So far, what has been the most rewarding part of being an author?

Technically I’ve only been an author for a few weeks since my book has only been available since then! I’ve gotten some really nice comments and feedback via email and other book reviews, so that’s always nice. I’m glad people are able to find inspiration from my book.

What recommendations would you give a first time home decorator?

Use what you have, recycle, DIY and don’t get stressed out about it. Decorating should be fun and your space should reflect your personality. When I was in college, I decorated every apartment I lived in with hand-me-downs and DIY projects. I was creative with my limited budget. Design doesn’t have to be expensive and high-end.

How do you balance writing, working and family life?

Ugh! Good question! I’m still sorting that out. I’m very, very busy. We had the pleasure of hosting two teenage girls from England for three months while I wrote my book. They were able to assist with my boys, my house and even with projects in the book. My boys are a little older, so it’s a bit easier. My husband is super supportive of everything I do. Plus, I wake up at 5 am to get started on my day!

Favorite recipe?

My husband makes the most awesome chili. He actually named it Jeff’s Famous Chili. Anyone who has ever used it in a chili cook off has won! It’s so good! Let me know if you’re interested 😉

Meet the Author: Tonya Olsen has always had a passion for designing charming, budget-friendly rooms and projects. She loves to combine traditional interior design principles with personal, do-it-yourself flair. Tonya shares ownership of LIV Showroom, a full-service interior design firm and retail showroom, and holds a master’s degree in interior design. She is also the lead interior designer for Utah homebuilder, Rainey Homes. Tonya has over 20 years of professional design experience, bargain shopping fortitude, and do-it-yourself gumption. She spends her spare time gleaning inspiration from interior design books, magazines, blogs, and websites. Tonya and her husband have three boys and live in their recently renovated home in Bountiful, Utah.

Find Tonya on twitter/ instagram/ pinterest/ facebook/ website

Purchase Room Recipes


The Giveaway: One e copy of Room Recipes. To enter fill our the rafflecopter form below.

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Heaven’s Just A Prayer Away by Diony George- Blog Tour and Giveaway

24 Jul, 2013 by in giveaway 1 comment

Fire and Ice is pleased to have a chance to give away Diony George’s newest book as part of the official blog tour today! 

Heaven's Just a Prayer AwayHeaven’s Just A Prayer Away 
by Diony George
Paperback, 89 pages
Published July 9, 213
by Cedar Fort
ISBN 1462111890 

Sometimes we wonder how, with so many people on earth, we matter to God. Like birdsongs in a city of sounds, answers to our prayers are easy to miss—unless we’re listening. Through inspiring personal stories, scripture, and prose, Heaven’s Just A Prayer Away answers many questions about communicating with and drawing closer to Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven.

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let they heart be full of thanks unto God.” –Alma 37:37

Before we came to earth, we lived in heavenly realms. We knew our Heavenly Father. We walked and talked with Him. We heard His voice. We felt His love. In Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away, beloved author Diony George teaches us how to reestablish that relationship with Him here on earth.

With the help of this book you will:
• Learn that nothing is too small or unimportant to discuss with Heavenly Father
• Find peace and contentment through daily communication with God
• Gain a better understanding of why some prayers seem to go unanswered
• Develop a greater knowledge of the power of prayer
The inspirational and enlightening experiences found within these pages will change your life forever by strengthening your relationship with God and filling your life with peace, teaching us that heaven really is just a prayer away.

Praise for Heaven’s Just A Prayer Away:

Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away is a sweet, heartfelt book with author Diony George’s personal experiences intermixed with compelling stories about how prayer can shape our lives. I found myself either smiling or teary-eyed as I immersed myself in the stories, reminded that prayer is healing and sanctifying, prayer can bring inspiration, prayer can ease burdens, and prayer lets us feel the love of God for ourselves and those around us.
Heather B. Moore, author of Christ’s Gifts to Women


“In Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away, Diony provides a comprehensive discussion on prayer through inspiring stories, basic principles, and heartfelt testimony. Her personal approach makes answers to prayer and divine blessings seem more within reach.”

—John McConkie, stake president

184479_10200378155639170_1271385062_n.jpgMeet the Author:Diony George is a wife, stay-at-home mom of seven, grandmother of three, motivational speaker, and the author of four books. Through her writing and public speaking she loves helping others draw closer to God. An avid reader whose favorite genre is romantic suspense, Diony also loves to travel, sew, and bake—especially pies and homemade bread. Born and raised in Alaska, she currently resides in Salt Lake City with her husband and family. Mrs. George can be reached through her personal website at http://www.dionygeorge.com

Purchase at: This is the Place LDS Superstore AmazonBarnes and Noble

As part of the blog tour we are giving away on paperback copy to one lucky reader! Fill out the rafflecopter form below to be entered.

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Blog Tour and Author Guest Post By Lisa Rumsey Harris- The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume

22 Apr, 2013 by in Author Guest Post, The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume Leave a comment


Fire and Ice is pleased to be today’s official blog tour stop for Lisa Rumsey Harris’ book The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Bloom. We have Lisa with us today to share an exclusive post and recipe with our readers!




Confessions from an Unfoodie:
By Lisa Rumsey Harris, author of The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume
I have a confession. I am not a foodie. I eat to live. I don’t live to eat. I don’t spend hours browsing cookbooks, nor do I show up at clandestine parking lots in the wee hours of the morning to nab quality produce.  And although I wish it was different, cooking, for me, is a job, not a joy.
So when I was writing The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume, and discovered that the love interest, Dennis Cameron, was an ex-chef who was now working in a school cafeteria, I was in totally new territory. Short of watching Top Chef, I didn’t have any experience with gourmet grub.  I had to learn a new vocabulary for all his dialogue.  Dennis thought and spoke in food metaphors. I did not. And so, like any good author, I started doing research. I lurked on foodie blogs, googling terms I’d only heard in passing: ragout, sous chef, risotto, and yes, even Turducken.
For Dennis, food is love. It’s his way of creating art, and expressing his emotions. So while I wasn’t a foodie, I suddenly found myself fascinated with food. Foodlore and recipes expose so much about how people live and love. That’s what I wanted to come through in Dennis.
Dennis’s dishes revealed his character. The simplicity and quality of ingredients make him happy. That’s why he had such issues with the cafeteria food ( Side-bar: I wrote this before Michelle Obama launched her lunch-room reform campaign. Dennis would have been a fan. My children, used to chicken nuggets and cinnamon rolls in the lunchroom, are not. ) Dennis describes Treasure as spinach (a flattering comparison, in his estimation) and pictures beautiful bouquets of broccoli when he gets stressed out.  And when he falls in love with Treasure Blume, he makes butternut squash boats that he calls “a love sonnet in a pot.”
“Tasty? said Dennis. “That’s all you can come up with?” He took a bite off the same spoon. “The cinnamon is home and holidays and warmth, and the chili powder is heat and passion and adventure. I’ve given you a love sonnet in a pot and all you can come up with is tasty?”
“Really tasty?” she said” (217).
This may be my favorite food bit in the book. I dug deep into my childhood to base these squash boats on a real family recipe. Unfoodie that I am, I do have foodie roots. Like Grammy Blume, I come from pioneer stock. My family recipes, handed down from generations of farmers and ranchers, feature simple ingredients and yield enough to feed the threshers.  One recipe starts out “Kill and clean six stewing hens . . .” no joke!   And so for Dennis’s love sonnet, I decided to use the recipe that meant love to me as a child.

This recipe has Dennis’s epicurean chef spin, but the heart of it is my grandmother’s hubbard squash pie recipe. We eat it at Thanksgiving while the rest of the world is eating pumpkin pie. In it, I replaced hubbard with butternut, because it’s so much more friendly and easier to use than hubbard. The skin is so thick and tough on a hubbard that the recipe begins with my grandmother’s admonition to split the squash with an axe.  With butternut, you can skip the ax. Then you need to peel the rind, and clean the squash (if you’re my grandma, you save the seeds for the next year’s planting). Cut and cube, then boil until soft. Next, mill the squash (which is pushing the squash through a tough strainer with a big paddle).  

Once you have your stewed and strained squash, the recipe for Dennis’s Love Sonnet Squash pie is easy:
2 cups stewed and strained squash
2 cups cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon allspice
1 cup brown or granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Mix squash with milk, sugar, beaten eggs, salt and spices. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour into pie tin lined with pastry, (or in the book, Dennis uses hollowed out squash shells). Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then at 350 for 30 minutes.  And in the end, you’ll have a creamy, custardy, earthy delicious piece of my family history, and Dennis’s love for Treasure Blume.

Book Summary: With her love of sweaters, goofy hair, and awkward manners—not to mention her family curse—Treasure Blume knows love is not in her future. That is, until she matches wits with Dennis Cameron, a divorced chef with a six-year-old daughter. Full of mischief, mayhem, and laugh-out-loud humor, this is an unlikely love story you’ll want to read over and over again!



About the author: Lisa Rumsey Harris is from Downey, Idaho, where she grew up writing stories and riding horses. She graduated magna cum laude from BYU with a degree in English and a minor in Humanities.She honed her writing skills while working at BYU Development Communications, where she wrote brochures, letters, and conducting notes for President Merrill J. Bateman. She received her Master’s Degree in English in August 2003.

Sparked by the experiences of her own grandmother, Lisa’s thesis explored the dissonance between real ranch women and the representations of ranch women in literature. She presented her findings at the Hawaiian International Conference on the Arts and Humanities.

Lisa’s passion for the American West is rivaled only by her passions for teaching and writing. She began teaching Honors Writing courses in Fall 2003. Her teaching inspiration is her own mother, who as Lisa’s high school Spanish teacher, taught her the importance of finding innovative approaches to encourage active learning.
As a writer, Lisa has won numerous awards for her short stories, essays, and cowboy poetry, including a Sunstone award in the Brookie and D.K Brown Memorial Fiction Contest. Lisa lives in Orem, Utah, with her multi-talented husband, her adorable sunshine daughters, and her ancient Siamese cat.

Learn more on Goodreads/ author website

Huber Hill and the Brotherhoo​d of Coronado Blog Tour

18 Sep, 2012 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the virtual blog tour for Huber Hill and the Brotherhoo​d of Coronado which means we have a special author guest post from B.K. Bostick and a giveaway everyone can win!

Guest Post: The Definition of a Successful Book

I vividly remember this same time last year I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. My first book, Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure was just about to release. I was a nervous wreck! How would it be received? Would the reviews prove me a genuine author or failure? I was planning a huge book launch, planning school assemblies, and preparing for a new baby. This year I’m planning a huge book launch, getting ready for assemblies, and preparing for another new baby. What’s different this time around? Me. And specifically, my definition of success.

With the launch of my first book, I didn’t know what to expect. It’s safe to say that my expectations were a bit unrealistic. I was envisioning NY Times Best Sellers’ lists, Newberry Awards, and lots of royalties. It was fun to dream, but after slogging it out last year, I realized that for every NY Times Best Seller, there are about ten thousand non NY Times Best Sellers. Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure ended up being my publisher’s best selling middle grade novel, but it didn’t meet my out of this world, unrealistic expectations. I’m looking forward much more to my second book launch because I’m no loner putting that kind of pressure on myself. I had a young man facebook me last night who said my book inspired him to read! Is that success? Absolutely!

My advice to new authors when they get a contract is this- dare to dream, work your guts out, but keep your expectations realistic and decide for yourself what success truly means.

Synopsis: The Dead Man’s Treasure has been stolen! When Huber receives a revelatory message from a girl in Spain regarding the treasure’s location, the gang hatches a plan. Convincing their parents they are part of a study abroad program, Huber, Scott, and Hannah travel to Salamanca, Spain- an old city full of secrets.

While in pursuit of their goal, the group becomes dangerously entwined with a secret society called the Brotherhood of Coronado- a ruthless organization led by three self proclaimed kings, bent on reacquiring the lost fortunes of the Spanish empire for nefarious purposes.

Their only hope of finding the stolen treasure and escaping the city with their lives requires trust in new found friends and in a cloaked figure who reveals clues leading to the Brotherhood’s hiding place. But in a city of strangers, who can you trust?

With a plot that will keep you guessing, Huber Hill and the Brotherhood of Coronado is a study abroad adventure you’ll want to be a part of!

Bio: B.K. Bostick, author of Huber Hill and the Brotherhood of Coronado and the best selling book, Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure, resides among the magnificent Rocky Mountains. In addition to writing, he has spent his career in education. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Utah and his Masters in Psychology from Utah State University. He has worked as a teacher, after school program coordinator, teacher mentor, and currently as a counselor for the Open High School of Utah. He loves spending time with his lovely wife, son and two dogs. In his spare time, he enjoys eating cheetos and watching old episodes of the Twilight Zone.
Giveaway: For your readers who ‘like’ my facebook or follow me on twitter, I will mail them a special memento for the book launch (U.S. only). After they’ve liked the page or followed on twitter, they can email me at bkbostickauthor@gmail.com.and let me know along with their physical mailing address.

Blog Tour – Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand

10 Sep, 2012 by in regency romance Leave a comment

Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the official blog tour for…
Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand
by Carla Kelly
Paperback, 368 pages
Expected Publication Date: September 11, 2012
by Cedar Fort Inc
ISBN: 1462110606
Book Source: Publisher
5 Stars
Book Summary from Goodreads: After her husband’s death, Roxanna Drew is faced with the daunting task of providing for her two small girls on her own. Pursued by her lecherous brother-in-law, Roxanna knows her only hope is to escape his grasp by moving into a derelict cottage, owned by Lord Winn—a man known to his tenants only by his checkered reputation.

But when fate brings Lord Winn to her door in the middle of a snowstorm, Roxanna’s not sure which to fear more: letting him into her home or into her heart.

A strong-willed heroine, perfectly paced plot, and plenty of humorous moments make this one of bestselling author Carla Kelly’s most beloved Regency romances. Discover the magic of a love story you’ll want to read again and again.

Cathy’s Review: It’s been 6 months since Roxanna Drew’s beloved husband Anthony died. Her life with her two daughters Helen and Felicity has gone on much as it went while he was sick in bed, but things are changing quickly. Roxanna’s brother-in-law, Lord Whitcomb has already requested that she and her girls move in with him…and well he intends for her to be his mistress. She knows that that will not be an option for her, but she must come up with a new situation for herself and quickly! One day, as she’s walking across Moreland, a neighboring estate, she comes upon a small cottage. It’s in disrepair, it needs a new roof, floors, wall coverings, pretty much everything, but Roxanna knows that it would be a perfect place for her and her two girls. She asks the bailiff of the estate if she could rent it, and without having to spell the situation out for him, he understands why she needs a new place, and he quickly becomes her champion. Now all that’s left is for her to meet her landlord, Lord Winn, Roxie really knows nothing about him, just the usual neighborhood gossip, that she’s never listened to. So when he shows up on her doorstep in the middle of the night, she takes him in. It’s amazing how quickly he works his way into her heart and also the hearts of Helen and Felicity, but will she be able to move on from the loss of her beloved husband?

I really enjoyed this book! Carla Kelly is one of my very favorite romance writers. Her books are clean and full of sweet romance. This book was no exception. I enjoyed the character of Roxie Drew, I felt as though I “know” her and that she would be someone that I could count as a friend. I loved what a strong character she is in this book, she’s willing to do pretty much whatever she has to do to protect her two young daughters. I think that’s an admirable trait. The plot moved right along, making it hard for me to want to put this book down, I finished it quite quickly! 

Content: Some drinking, talk about sex

About the author: Award-winning author Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America.       

Recently, she’s been writing Regency romances (think Pride and Prejudice) set in the Royal Navy’s Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. She comes by her love of the ocean from her childhood as a Navy brat.                                                                          

Carla’s history background makes her no stranger to footnote work, either. During her National Park Service days at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Carla edited Friedrich Kurz’s fur trade journal. She recently completed a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881.
Following the “dumb luck” principle that has guided their lives, the Kellys recently moved to Wellington, Utah, from North Dakota and couldn’t be happier in their new location. In her spare time, Carla volunteers at the Railroad and Mining Museum in Helper, Utah. She likes to visit her five children, who live here and there around the United States. Her favorite place in Utah is Manti, located after a drive on the scenic byway through Huntington Canyon.
And why is she so happy these days? Carla is enjoying writing for an LDS audience now, where she feels most at home.
Find out more about author Carla Kelly: Goodreads/ Website/ Blog

YA Content Review- Unearthed

24 Aug, 2012 by in YA ficiton 1 comment

Unearthed 
by Lara Stauffer
Paperback, 288 pages
Published: July 10th 2012
by Cedar Fort Books
ISBN13: 9780882909813
Book source: Netgalley
4 1/2 stars
Book Summary from unearthedthebook.com: The pilot’s voice came over the loudspeaker. “Sorry folks, it’s a bit choppy this last part. We’re slightly ahead of schedule, and the current time is 5:13 p.m. Temperature is a balmy 89 degrees, and there’s a nice wind from the east at about eight miles per hour. In other words, a perfect day for lying on a beach.”
Except I won’t be lying on a beach, Matt thought irritably. I’m going to go stare into some big crack in the ground and pretend I’m enjoying myself.

Matt’s never understood how his father could be more interested in piles of ancient rocks than his own son. While Matt was playing his way through championships and earning a basketball scholarship to Duke, his dad was always gone—too busy digging up dust to notice anything going on in the current century.

But now that he’s agreed to spend an entire month at one of his father’s digs, Matt’s about to discover a whole lot more than he bargained for in the wonders of a mysterious city that’s been lost for centuries.

This thrilling adventure is bursting with action, laugh out loud humor, and maybe even a little romance. A guaranteed page-turner from cover to cover!

Cathy’s review: Matt has never really been interested in his father’s job as an archaeologist. In fact, it’s driven a huge wedge between them to the point that Matt has no interest in anything his father is doing, including anything in Church. His dad is getting ready to head to Mexico for a big dig and his mom would love for him to go before he heads to Duke for his basketball scholarship. As his dad gets ready to leave for the dig, there’s a big earthquake in Mexico, causing a fissure to open at the dig site and exposing…something. No one really knows, what they do know is that it’s time to get down there. Matt’s dad puts getting things together to go into high gear, meanwhile Taryn, a girl that Matt has known forever and has never really liked or gotten along with because she seems a little awkward, bribes Matt into going to Mexico to see just what his dad does for a living by telling him she will tutor him with any class that he needs help with for an entire year. Matt goes, unwillingly, but little does he know that his life is about to change forever. With the help of Taryn he’s able to see that what his dad does has value, and may be a little bit interesting and that he’s been selfish and vain, and he’s able to make an astonishing find.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the way that Matt grew from a self-absorbed party boy at the beginning of the book to a really nice guy by the end. I thought that the story was fun and engaging. I have never been on an archaeological dig and will probably never go on one, but through the eyes of Matt, I kind of understand the excitement of finding something really old that no one else has seen in a really long time. I enjoyed the way the story related to the scriptures, and I really enjoyed when the two time periods were represented side by side. The scriptures came more alive for me, especially the part filled with Gadianton robbers, which will also help teenagers, definitely a good thing! 

Content: talks about teenage drinking and making out, but you don’t really “see” any of it

About the author: A lifelong member of the LDS Church, Lara Stauffer grew up wanting to write. A voracious reader, she loved the escape a good read would always provide. Her writing has been shaped by a deep love of the things of the past, and Unearthed is the result of her fascination with history and the people of the Book of Mormon. Lara is the author of the blogs Ramblings of a Suburban Soccer Mom and The Potted Pen, and she can be found on Facebook and Twitter. She currently lives with her husband and four children (and a maltipoo named Maggie) in North Carolina.            
Find out more about Lara Stauffer: Goodreads/ Website

Content Review- The Lost Curse

17 Aug, 2012 by in T Lynn Adams, YA ficiton Leave a comment

The Lost Curse
by T Lynn Adams
Paperback, 304 pages
Published: July 10, 2012
by Cedar Fort, Inc
ISBN: 1599559552
Book source: Netgalley
4 stars
Book Summary from Goodreads: Easing his pace, Jonathon advanced only inches at a time. Instinct heightened beneath unseen eyes and he knew he moved in the presence of a creature that could kill him. As he progressed forward, his light caught a presence to his left… a human presence. The dark image startled him and Jonathon whirled to face the threat, the beam of his headlamp cutting into the darkness.

Jonathon’s had more than enough adventure for one lifetime. That’s why he’s planning to spend this summer camping in quiet central Utah with his Peruvian friend, Severino. But when the two of them accidentally discover an ancient artifact, they wind up in more danger than ever! 

Now Jonathon, Severino, and their new friend, Tallie, will have to choose between protecting a secret that’s been hidden for centuries or saving their own lives!

A perfect combination of action, thrills, suspense, and a hint of romance, this is a cover-to-cover adventure that you simply can’t miss. Join forces with this dynamic trio of teens as they delve deep into the mysteries of the past. An entertaining read that’s sure to keep you guessing!

Cathy’s review: After picking Severino up from the airport, Jonathon is excited to get to the plans he has had for his Peruvian friend. He plans to show Severino a whole new life in America, so hopefully Severino will see that there is more to life than the terrorist Shining Path group that he belongs to in Peru. They want to go camping in the desert canyons surrounding Kanosh and spend some time with Jonathon’s friend Tallie there. What they don’t plan on finding is an ancient artifact that was left by the Spaniards and may lead to a gold mine, and people that want the artifact and the gold mine and it’s contents for themselves. This puts the three of them in tons of danger that they hadn’t been planning on. What will they be willing to do in order to keep the others, especially Tally safe?

I enjoyed this book. I was glad to see a second story about Severino and Jonathon, I really enjoyed Tombs of Terror, set in Peru, and was glad to see this one set in Utah. I thought that the character development was good, I cared about what happened to the characters and that’s a big thing for me. There was plenty of action and bad guys in this book which makes the plot move right along. I enjoyed the story, and I wonder how many artifacts there really are like the books talk about in the deserts of Utah. I like that a book’s story can make me wonder things like that, it makes the book seem a little more real to me.

Contents: Clean, but tense situations

About the author: Confession time: I’m terrified of spiders, can’t fry eggs, and my inability to bake a chocolate chip cookie has become family legend. But blessings come from weaknesses. None of my children have a pet tarantula. My husband volunteers to fry the eggs for breakfast. And all of my sons and daughters are expert cookie bakers. Life if like that–it compensates for our weaknesses by sending others into our lives. Isn’t that wonderful? Writing books and reading them is another wonderful way we can strengthen ourselves and others. I believe it is a writer’s duty to craft words that lift people and help them feel better about their personal lives and those around them, to see the good in life. That is a responsibility I take very seriously.
Find out more about T Lynn Adams: Goodreads/ Blog

A Sisterhood of Strength Blog Tour and Giveaway

13 Aug, 2012 by in Uncategorized 2 comments

Fire and Ice is pleased to be today’s stop on the official Cedar Fort blog tour for

A Sisterhood of Strength
by Diony George
Paperback, 128 pages
Expected Publication Date: August 14, 2012
by Cedar Fort
ISBN: 1462110762
Book Source: Author
5 stars
Book summary from goodreadsExperience for yourself the pure love that inspires ordinary women to serve and accept service in a truly extraordinary manner. This inspiring collection of true stories from the lives of women just like you is told with heartwarming sincerity. Perfect for sharing, this remarkable book is sure to uplift, encourage, and cheer any woman, whether it’s her turn to serve or be served.

Cathy’s review: I was excited to read this book, because I’ve enjoyed reading the new book about the organization of the Relief Society, I thought this would be similar and I wasn’t disappointed! This book contains many stories from real women of ways that they have either served and been blessed by it or been served and blessed by another sister. I loved how there was a story and then a short quote or poem. There were a lot of quotes by Prophets, Apostles, and General Relief Society presidents. This book made me want to be a better visiting teacher and even just a better friend. I highly recommend this one!
Content: Clean
Author Bio: I’m a wife, mother of seven, and grandmother of two originally from Alaska, but currently live in Utah with my family and now consider myself a true city girl at heart. I will readily admit I don’t miss the giant mosquitoes or the cold and long, dark winters way up North, but I absolutely miss the fresh seafood. Fish and chips made with fresh-caught halibut is my favorite!
My beginning as a writer started in elementary school when a poem I had written for a contest was chosen as a winner, set to music, and sung by the whole school at an assembly. I wrote my first picture book, 11 pages long in fifth grade as an assignment,  bound it myself and have read it to my children several times. The next book I wrote, I was in eighth grade, 48 pages long with photograph’s and was a memoir.
The first edition of my first published novel, Torn Apart was released in July 2008, when I was 42 years old, the second edition under a new publisher was released nationally in February of 2009. So…never give up on your dream of writing. I’m currently working on my third novel.
When I’m not imagining a new plot-line or typing frantically away at my computer, I love to spend time with my family, read (my favorite genre is romantic suspense) travel, cook or bake something delicious, sew, scrap-book, or work on crafts.
Find out more about author Diony George: Goodreads/ Blog
Fire and Ice is giving away one paperback copy of Sisterhood of Strength courtesy of Diony George and Cedar Fort Books. To enter to win fill out the rafflecopter form below. Good Luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway