Posts Tagged: cedar fort books

Book Review- The Icing On The Cake

28 Jul, 2010 by in The icing on the cake 5 comments

published January 1st 2007 by Cedar Fort
details Paperback, 301 pages
isbn 1599550113
5 stars

It started with a cake. A rather innocent-looking cake, too, but that cake would open the door to opportunity – and disaster – for sweet-toothed, bargain-savvy Annabelle Pleasanton. In fact, between a promotion at work, her best friend’s engagement, and her discovery of handsome photographer Isaac Matthews, that little cake has managed to turn Annabelle’s world upside down. Things go from complicated to downright crazy as Annabelle discovers that handling her new writing assignment and plotting her friend’s surprise bridal shower isn’t going as easy as she’d hoped. Okay, okay – and appearing as a graceful, charming woman in the presence of Isaac is turning out to be, well, more than just a bit of a catastrophe. Not that Rona, a gorgeous boyfriend-snatching flirt, is helping things in the slightest. And just when things couldn’t get any worse, smarmy womanizer Patrique worms his way into her life. Managing her life with the two of them in the picture may be more than she can handle. Then, when a misunderstanding threatens to destroy her job, her most cherished friendship, and her relationship with Isaac, Annabelle’s courage and integrity are put to the test. Will she give in to pressure and do what is easy or will she do what she knows is right? In this hilarious yet inspiring novel, The Icing on the Cake offers comical predicaments, surprising twists, and tender moments that will delight readers of all ages.

This is hands down THE funniest book I have ever read. I found my self laughing out lout so many times my husband finally asked me to go in the other room. I had tears in my eyes. This gem is full of humor and funny scenes that will brighten up your outlook on life. I picked it up at our local thrift store browsing titles and it will make it to the top ten ever read list. The first pages drew me in because they are set in the San Joaquin Valley where I graduated from High School. The rest takes place in Monterey/ Carmel area of California which I adore. The setting is beautiful in real life and in fiction. Elodia Strain pulls off a witty, funny tale of love and chaos. Just when you think things couldn’t get more interesting they always do! There were a few times when she gives the reader a few more hints than necessary… but really, I have not read something so hilarious in the LDS fiction genre. The main heroine Annabelle takes journal entries or “pink notes” through out the book which teach seeking the best in others and is reminiscent of The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy. Overall theme is to do the very best you can then leave things in the Lord’s hands. Things will work out for good. Never did I feel the book was preachy or strained. The characters are lovable, the story line fast moving and it’s a page flipper. The Icing on the Cake is good clean fun which I will gladly recommend to anyone and everyone! 5 stars to one of my favorite books read thus far. To learn more about the author and enter to win her books visit http://www.elodiastrain.com/ *I’m off to order her next title…

City of Angels by Sheralyn Pratt

07 Jul, 2010 by in rhea jensen, sheralyn pratt, utah authors 25 comments

book data: City of Angels (The Rhea Jensen Series, #1)
published: June 8th 2010 by Bonneville
details: Paperback, 224 pages
url: http://www.sheralynpratt.com/
isbn: 1599554046
4.5 stars
Rhea Jensen is your typical twenty-something single girl if by typical you mean a private investigator who studies ways to escape from handcuffs while waiting to take down another serial sleaze. But when a seemingly open-and-closed embezzlement case goes awry, her on-again-off-again boyfriend starts fooling around behind her back, and some Mormon missionaries stop her on the street during a stakeout, Rhea realizes her life is anything but typical even by her standards. This exciting first installment of the Rhea Jensen series by Sheralyn Pratt boasts a fair bit of suspense, just enough romance, and a whole lot of heart. City of Angels is a great read for the amateur detective in all of us

I picked up this book by sheer luck at the Eclipse movie premier Party on the Plaza hosted by Twilight MOMS and Events by Alice. Sheralyn was there signing books and I was there taking pictures. When I stopped by her booth she generously offered two signed copies of her book for our site. Must say that once I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down. (No matter that I was already in the middle of another read) The first chapter sucks you right in with snarky and sassy detective Rhea Jensen. We meet her on the scene of a bust in her every day job as a Private Investigator. Rhea is a force to be reckoned with…brain and brawn meet a fun sense of humor. Reading her life story from start to finish will be easy for anyone. Sheralyn Pratt’s writing is brilliant and funny. The characters are well developed and even thought they have flaws like the rest of us; you will fall in love! Ben, Rhea’s main interest is one worm his way deep into your heart.
The plot is full of twists and turns as our heroine meets a set of Mormon Missionaries on one of her stake outs. Her path towards religion is a believable one. Readers of all walks of life will be able to relate. When I read the end of the book I thanked my lucky stars it is a series, because I want more! Book two “Welcome to Stalk Lake City” comes out in August.
Meanwhile, we have one signed copy of City of Angels to give away! Simply comment below to enter to win. Contest ends August 7, 2010.
Thanks so much to Cedar Fort Books and Sheralyn Pratt for introducing us to the Rhea Jensen series. This is one amazing author to watch! Check out her website for an excerpt from the first chapter and to hear Rhea’s music playlist. http://sheralynpratt.blogspot.com/p/playlists.html

In My Mailbox

02 Apr, 2010 by in marilyn bunderson, mark, Sweep 2 comments

Sweep #4- Dark Magick bought and read Cate Tiernan
Shadow of the Sun– in the mail, ARC to review by Laura Kreitzer
Camp Club Girls and the Mystery at Discovery Lake– in the mail, ARC to review
The Mark- autographed ARC in the mail for review by Marilyn Bunderson
Wonderland Revisited-in the mail to review by Keith Sheppard
Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass-in the mail to giveaway by Bookish Kind Etsy shop
If you are interested in joining the ARC tour and reviewing any of these as well let me know!

Review and Blog Tour-Sharp Edge of a Knife

30 Mar, 2010 by in Nichole Giles, utah authors 1 comment

Product Details
Paperback: 142 pages
Publisher: Golden Wings Enterprises (January 20, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979434025

Product Description from Amazon
Most people would have panicked, sitting bound and gagged on a boulder in the middle of the desert as I was, but for some reason, I didn’t. A strange kind of reassurance washed over me from somewhere deep within. Whether it was peace that I’d go quickly, or comfort that I was being protected, I wasn’t sure. When Mel Petersen leaves for work on the morning of February 7, he has no idea what awaits him. A few miles from his house, Mel picks up a pair of young men who appear to be college students, hoping to prevent them from having to walk in the cold. What Mel doesn’t know is that the men are actually convicts on the run from the law who are desperate to get away by any means necessary. When one of his passengers holds a knife to Mel’s throat, he has no choice but to submit to the demands of the criminals. Mel hopes he has what it takes to talk his captors into letting him live so he can return to his wife and children, but fears they will kill him before he has the chance. Based on a true story, The Sharp Edge of a Knife follows Mel and his captors on an unforgettable ride that will have you questioning the depth of your faith and sitting on the edge of your seat as it grabs your attention from the first sentence and keeps you riveted until the very end.

About the Author
Nichole Petersen Giles is the daughter of Joseph Petersen, Mel and Jeneal’s second child and firstborn son. She was born in Nevada, and moved with her parents to a number of cities in and around the Midwest, mostly staying in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and snatches of time in Texas. Her future aspirations include adding a tropical island to her growing list of locations. For now, she plans to travel to as many tropical locations as possible, scouting for her future home in paradise. Her early career plans included becoming a megastar actress or a rock star, but she decided instead to have a family and then become a writer, in that order. Writing is her passion, but she also loves to spend time with her family, travel, drive in the rain with the convertible top down, and play music at full volume so she can sing along. Her first book Mormon Mishaps and Mischief, an anthology of humorous anecdotes, was released in December 2009 by Cedar Fort Inc. and can be found online and wherever LDS books are sold. Some of her other work has been published in Highlights for Children, The Friend, and Boys’ Quest, and she blogs regularly at http://www.nicholegiles.blogspot.com/. For more information about Nichole or her work, contact her at writenichole@gmail.com.

I was sent this book by Utah author Nichole Giles after meeting her at Utah Authorpalooza. The story really hits home for me. My grandfather’s brother was killed by a hitchhiker he picked up in Utah back when he was a young father. And, my great Uncle left behind a young wife and family. ” The Sharp edge of a Knife” is a story filled with faith and prayers. It is a wonderful tale of how one person’s belief can influence the life of even the most hardened criminal. I especially loved Nichole’s historical information and newspaper clippings in the the back of the book. She is an awesome person and this book is based on the story of her own grandfather. Pick it up, it’s a good read!

Utah Author Interview- Aubrey Mace

19 Feb, 2010 by in my fairy grandmother, utah authors 23 comments

Photo by Heather Zahn Gardner

Today’s Utah Author Spotlight is Aubrey Mace, published author x 3
What are your favorite all-time books?- The Angel’s Game, The Shadow of the Wind, Bel Canto, Cold Flat Junction, Persuasion, Gilead, Atlas Shrugged, Anna Karenina, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and The Sun Also Rises.

When did you start writing your book and how long did it take to get it published? I started writing my first book, Spare Change, in 2006. (It was actually my second book, but my first one is still in a drawer.) I submitted to five or so publishers before it was picked up by Cedar Fort after completing their requested edits. It was on the shelf in April 2008.

Who is your hero/ mentor?- I think I would have to say Jane Austen, for helping to pave the way for other women who wanted to write.
What suggestions would you give young writers? 1) Grow a thick skin. The submission process can be brutal, and getting published doesn’t happen overnight, so learn to put those rejections behind you and KEEP SUBMITTING! 2) Read as much as you can. Time spent reading is never wasted– it only makes you a better writer.
Where did the inspiration for your books come from?- I get my best ideas when I’m doing mundane, repetitive tasks like weeding the yard or shoveling snow. And I seem to get a lot of ideas in the shower for some reason.

Are you working on any books right now? I’m working on two novels right now: my NaNoWriMo novel from this year is almost finished– it’s about pudding (of all things), and a novel about heaven that’s about halfway done.

Who is your favorite author? That’s the hardest question! I could never narrow it down to just one, but I love Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Martha Grimes, Jane Austen, Raymond Chandler, Ann Patchett, Helen Fielding, Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, Marilynne Robinson, Sarah Eden, and Diane Setterfield.

What was your road to being published like? The story of my road to being published was a lot shorter than some I’ve heard, but it seemed long to me! I still have two finished novels in drawer that I haven’t been able to find a publisher for. the more I talk to other writers, the more I find that to be the case.

Aubrey was super generous and donated three signed books for us to giveaway! Two of them you can win here, the third, “My Fairy Grandmother” we are giving away to one lucky participant of our author chat with her on Wednesday February 24th, 2010 at 7:30 PM MST. Come chat with Aubrey and win her third, most recent book!

To win “Spare Change” and “Santa Maybe” author signed set:

Leave us your name and email address
+2 visit her blog at http://www.aubreymace.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment
+2 become a fan of Aubrey Mace on Goodreads
+2 follow her on twitter @aubreymace
+3 tweet this contest
+5 add this contest to your blog
+3 Follow our blog

Giveaway ends March 18th and is open to International Participants. Good luck!

My Fairy Grandmother by Aubrey Mace

19 Feb, 2010 by in book review, utah authors, YA ficiton 1 comment

Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 270 pages
Publisher: Bonneville Books; 1 edition (March 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599552175

Product Description from Amazon
Descended from fairies? It sounds unbelievable, but according to Kaitlin’s grandmother Viola, it s true. In spite of her initial reluctance to visit Viola, Kaitlin finds herself being drawn into Viola s stories of elegant castles, evil counts, and exciting escapades. But as Kaitlin learns more about her family, Kaitlin s mother becomes increasingly concerned about Viola s mental health. Good thing Kaitlin knows better! From the author of Spare Change, this enchanting tale shows how a good story can bring a whole family together.

quote from the book…”Everyone comes to this earth and lives their life. It might be a long life or it might be short, but most of the basic details are uninteresting. We go about our daily chores, we might marry, we might have children, and we die … Each of us has one story worth telling, one moment of glory and triumph or pain and despair; something that defines us. It might be one second, or it could extend over several years, but for better or worse, it is the most interesting part of who we are.”

I bought this book at the Utah Atuthorpalooza because I love fairies and the cover was even glitttery! Cheesy, but oh so true for me…I judge a book my it’s cover! I got to page 66 and almost put it away because the main villain of the book Count Diavolo is just so evil. I asked Aubrey about him and how she came up with his character, she responded “Count Diavolo was a really fun character to write. I don’t get a chance to write the really evil characters in chick lit, so it was a refreshing change for me. I can’t say that he was really based on any one character in fiction– just bits and pieces of the scariest guy I could imagine!” that pretty much sums him up!

Plowing through all of this evil ways I came to really enjoy the story and wanted to find out what happened! The tale is spun into t a little fishing net that pulls you in and makes you have to keep reading!

Set in the modern day, the books is mainly written as told by a grandmother to her 10 year old granddaughter about her heritage. Much like a fairytale, there are heroes, morals and a little bit of magic. It is a message of courage and hope in the midst of absolute loss. The end leaves me wondering if there will be a sequel? Who is the other fairy?

But, I guess I will have to ask Aubrey at our upcoming online author chat next Wednesday. We are giving away a signed My Fairy Gradnmother” to one lucky participant of our author chat with her on Wednesday February 24th, 2010 at 7:30 PM MST. Come chat with Aubrey and win her third, most recent book!