Book Review: The Crazy Daze of Motherhood

Author:  Jane Isfeld Still

Publication Date:  August 2010

Authors' Website:  http://www.janeisfeldstill.com

About the Book:

A mother's day is filled with all kinds of emergencies, from bumps and bruises to hospital stays. Find the perfect way to recover from your own family's little emergencies with Jane Isfeld Still's latest book on the hilarious daily challenges of a mother in the fray. You're sure to laugh and cry as you celebrate the joys of motherhood.

About the Author:

Jane is married to Rick Still, who she believes has the distinction of being the only man in history brave enough to give her earwax candles for her birthday. They had six children in eight years, and while her children were growing up, she discovered she had a great sense of humor. At least that was her take. Rick once said to her, "Honey, you know all those real corny things you say all the time? Who ever thought you could make money at it?" Her son Adam once told her, "Mom could you please stop telling jokes to my friends? It's really embarrassing." One of Jane's philosophies is, "You're not doing your job unless your children are worried about being seen in public with you.

My Opinion:

I have ten kids myself, so the stories in The Crazy Days of Motherhood seemed all too familiar.  Jane has a delightful sense of humor as she recounts some of her experiences with motherhood.  Her lighthearted look at the foibles of motherhood made me decide not to take myself so seriously.  Jane's positive attitude about life shines through in every story.  I loved it!  

This book was so much fun to read.  It would be the perfect Mother's Day gift for the women in your life and is sure to put a smile on their faces.

Fun Stuff:

You can win a fun prize from Jane to help celebrate the release of her book.  Just go to her blog at http://www.janeisfeldstill.blogspot.com and become a follower, and then leave her a comment and tell her that you're a new follower.  You could win: 

1. Mother's Daze basket, soap, chocolate, lotion, decorative candles, and recipe cards

2. Box of blank cards with a smattering of Canadian chocolate

3. Chocolate

Book Review: Journey of Honor

Author:  Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Genre:  Historical Romance

Publication Date:  August 2010

Authors' Website:  http://www.jaclynmhawkes.com

About the Book:

Disowned, she came to America anyway. Attacked and left pregnant by a vicious mob, she still pressed on. Finally, in spite of being accused of theft by the vilest of her attackers, Giselle tries to remain as upbeat and uncomplaining as a prairie wildflower as she travels on to Zion.Thoroughly disillusioned with the ugliness and cruelty of slavery in the South, Trace Grayson leaves his young medical career to go west, hoping to leave bigotry and hatred behind. He begins taking goods by teamster train to sell in the territories. However, this fourth time across, in July of 1848, he’s stuck in St. Joseph, Missouri, waiting for enough wagons to join the train so that they can leave.Knowing that if they don’t start west soon, they’ll be caught by snow in the mountains, Trace is thrilled when the final wagon signs on. Then, when the beautiful, young Dutch girl traveling with the last wagon is falsely accused of stealing and is detained, the whole trip is jeopardized. Thrown together by circumstance, Trace and Giselle team up to begin to figure out just how to make this epic journey across a continent a success.With a deep sense of honor and an equally strong sense of humor, together they learn to deal with everything except the one trial that neither of them can overcome.

My opinion:

I love stories about relationships.  It's what I write, and my favorite thing to read.  That being said, historical romance is usually not my favorite genre.  However, Journey of Honor was a delightful read.  I've read a lot of pioneer stories, so I picked this book up expecting it to be heavy.  It's not.  The book follows the story of two young people who are thrown into a situation they probably would not have chosen, but they both make the best of it.

The most delightful thing about this story is its characters.  The main characters are well developed and very likeable.  My favorite supporting character is Mose, Trace's best friend.  I loved how the author showed a secret that he and Giselle shared and the way he kept that secret while still being loyal to both of them.

The book drags a little bit as we read about the daily life on a pioneer trek over and over.  They get up, cook, drive for the day, make dinner, and go to bed.  There is some action interspersed throughout, but also a lot of repetition.  I also feel the book could have benefitted from a good edit.  There were a lot of point of view switches mid-scene and quite a few repetetive words.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Journey of Honor.  The author did a great job showing the building relationship between Giselle and Trace.  I definitely wanted to keep reading to see how their relationship progressed.  It's an interesting story that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

To learn more about the author, please visit her website.  You can purchase Journey of Honor here.

Perfect Just the Way I Am

Well, January is almost over, and my New Year's Resolutions have officially been broken! I started out the new year with grand ideas of what I was going to accomplish this year. They were the usual things--be better, thinner, more organized, and just a wee bit closer to perfect. It didn't take long for me to fall short of these ideals and feel like giving up.

I seriously struggle with perfection. If I can't doing something perfect, or at least better than most, I don't want to do it at all. This causes me a TON of frustration and feelings of inadequacy.

I was discussing this with my critique group, and my friend Nichole asked, "Who are you trying to impress?" I've thought a lot about that question since then. The answer I came up with is that I'm simply trying to feel good about myself. Several childhood experiences caused me to doubt my own worth and so I'm continually trying to prove that I'm worthwhile.

Like another friend told me, I've finally decided to just "Stop it!" I've been reading a lot about personal motivation, happiness, and change. I've discovered that I'm perfect and worthwhile just the way I am. Let me repeat that . . .

I'm perfect and worthwhile just the way I am.

And so are you!!

I think it's time that we all resolve to accept and love ourselves exactly where we are. Without all the improvements that we could doubtless make, without the pressure to be better. Without the voice of our mother, or father, or third grade teacher that we carry in our head. What a concept, to just be at peace with who and what we are right now.

Does this mean that we should remain stagnant or refuse to make changes that would benefit our lives? Not at all! It simply means loving yourself now! As President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "You are doing better than you think you are."

I've decided that 2011 is going to be the year of me. I'm bound and determined to learn to love myself this year. I'll let you know how it goes.

The day will come when the risk it takes to remain tight inside the bud is more painful than the risk it takes to bloom.

Book Review: The Stone Traveler by Kathi Oram Peterson

Author: Kathi Oram Peterson

Genre: LDS Fiction
Publication Date: August 2010

Author's Website: http://www.kathiswritingnook.com/

First Sentence: I watched as Kei tried to outrun my men.

About the book:

Sixteen year old Tag can't believe he's in this much trouble. He's not actually a member of the gang known as the Primes, all he did was spray paint some graffiti that caught their attention. In all honesty, ever since his dad and brother left, Tag just wants to be alone. And it's certainly not his fault that the Primes nearly beat up his goofy cousin, Ethan. But his mom is furious about these gang-related activities and insists that Tag send the whole summer at his grandpa's lakeside cabin, which is not Tag's idea of a good time. So he does what any self-respecting teenager would do: run away. But he doesn't get far before he encounters three strange men carrying an even stranger object, a stone that glows with radiant light as bright as a thousand sparklers.

Tag doesn't steal the stone, not exactly. He feels like he is supposed to take it. But he doesn't expect the stone to transport him through space and time to a place he's never seen before, a place that looks an awful lot like the ancient lands described in the Book of Mormon. And he definitey doesn't expect to join Sabirah, the entrancing daughter of Samuel the Lamanite, on a quest to rescue her father and brother from the evil King Jacob. And he absolutely doesn't expect to be captured by Jacob's minions and prepared as a sacrifice to the evil idol of the city. But just as Tag faces his death, a terrible storm begins to break, and the ground cracks into jagged pieces. And he's not sure which event will impact his life more: his captor's knife coming at his body, the violent tempest sweeping the land... or the men who later appear, glowing even more brightly than the traveler's stone.

My opinion:

I was excited to get the opportunity to read and review Kathi Oram Peterson's new novel, The Stone Traveler.  I have read and enjoyed Kathi's previous books, and this one was the best yet. I was endeared to the characters, but especially Tag (love that name) from the very beginning.  I identified with him right away from Kathi's vivid description:  "She eyed me up and down, taking in my freckled face, formerly red hair now dyed jet black, black eyeliner, black nail polish, black T-shirt, and black baggy jeans with chains dangling from the pockets."  Then we see another side of Tag from his mother's perspective.  "Tag, you might dye your hair and paint your face, but you can't change your blue eyes."  Both of these snippets describe the complex character Peterson has created.  In the book you follow Tag's journey into another time and place, and watch as he discovers who he really is and realizes his own worth.  

Throughout the book, the story is told from two different points of view.  The author switches between the two and has done a fantastic job of giving each character their own voice.  I also enjoyed the Book of Mormon elements of the story.  It brought the ancient characters to life without feeling like it was just another scripture story.  While the intended audience is young adult, I think The Stone Traveler will appeal to adult readers as well.  I know I was enthralled in the story and didn't want to put it down. 

To learn more about Kathi's other books, and to follow her blog tour, please visit her website.  She is holding an AMAZING contest with many fun prizes including a Kindle!!  To read details about the contest, click here.

Book Review: Trapped by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

Author:  Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

Genre:  Paranormal Suspense

Publication Date:  April 2010

Author's Website:  http://www.rondahinrichsen.com/

First Sentence:  Secrets thrive in my family.

About the Book:

Her expression remained somber, but excitement crept into her voice. You are the Firstborn She...You must go to them. You want me to act as bait? Not bait, Emi. A spy. Our Trojanhorse. When Emi Warrin wakes one night to find a thief in her mother's house, she has no idea the intruder has planted a trap - a mysterious letter that will change her life forever.Lured to the Austrian Alps with Daniel, the man she loves, Emi is thrown into a perilous, mafia-like world of feuding families and a devastating curse that spans generations. As the Firstborn She - the only firstborn female in hundreds of years - only Emi can free her family from the cursethat will soon afflict her as well. But for Emi to break the curse, she must delve into evil designs. As Emi struggles to understand her destiny as the Firstborn She, she learns that everything isn't as it seems and that all choices have consequences.Can Emi break the curse before it's too late?

I have been intrigued with the books written by Ronda Hinrichsen ever since I saw the cover of her first novel, Missing, so I was excited to get the opportunity to review Trapped.  Suspense starts on the first page and continues throughout the story.  There were a few places where I had a hard time following what was happening, but the pacing and intrigue held my attention and made it hard to put the book down. 

I also enjoyed the paranormal aspects of the story which took me by surprise.  The romantic element was present, but was not overpowering.  Overall, Trapped was a very engaging read, and I highly recommend it.  I look forward to reading more from this author.

The publisher will be giving away THREE autographed copies!

All you have to do is leave a comment (along with your email address if it isn'ton your blog profile) and answer the following question. Which Austrian city would you most like to visit?

The more blogs you comment on, the more entries you'll receive.  All comments must be left by midnight MST on August 27th to be eligible.

August 9 Heather Gardner
August 10 Jewel Adams

August 11 Mary Greathouse

Teri Rodeman

August 12 Lynn Fowlstone

Christine Bryant

August 13 Valerie Ipson

Sheila Stayley

August 16 Deanne Blackhurst

August 17 Connie Hall

C.S. Bezas

August 18 Kimberly Job

Tristi Pinkston

August 19 Karen Hoover

Nichole Giles

August 20 Alison Palmer

Jessica Williams

August 23 Joyce DiPastena

Laurie Lewis

Book Review: Leaning Into the Curves

Authors:  Nancy Anderson & Carroll Hofeling Morris

Genre:  General Fiction

Publication Date:  April 2010

Authors' Website:  http://www.virtualsisters.net/

First Sentence:  Saturday breakfast on Monday was Molly's first clue that life after her husband's retirement really was going to be different.

About the Book:

Molly is happy with her life the way it is, taking the classes she loves and performing with the Fiddling Finleys. But everything changes when her husband, Hank, retires. She's still trying to adjust to this new phase of her life when he brings home a Honda Gold Wing--even though he knows she hates motorcycles! Things go from bad to worse when he joins the Temple Riders Association, a "Mormon motorcycle gang" that combines road trips with temple work.

Faced with the prospect of being left hebind when Hank rides with his rew friends, Molly starts making some changes of her own.

Leaning into the Curves offers a delightful view of a little-known group of faithful Latter-day Saints. Full of appealing characters and unexpected turns, it gives a new twist to what life can be like after "a certain age"!

My Opinion:

Having read their Company of Good Women series, I was excited to read and review Leaning into the Curves by Nancy Anderson and Carroll Hofeling Morris.   My first impression based on the cover (love it!) was positive and the story inside did not disappoint. 

I love stories about relationships.  It's what I write and my favorite thing to read.  In Leaning into the Curves we follow Molly's and Hank's relationship through a transtionary stage of their lives as Hank retires and upsets Molly's normal busy routine. 

The story presented a very real view of how couples work through issues on which they might not see eye-to-eye.  I think in marriage it is important to support and learn about the things that interest your spouse.  Although difficult for her, Molly overcomes her fear of motorcycles and grows closer to her husband in the process.  I learned much from this story and it gave me a desire to nurture the important relationships in my own life.

I think this book will probably appeal more to people who are in the same stage of life as the characters, but it has life lessons that will benefit anyone who reads it.

To learn more about the authors and read about their recent adventures at the Temple Riders Association motorcylce rally, visit their blog.

Leaning into the curves can be purchased at Deseret Book, DeseretBook.com, and select bookstores throughout the country. 

Book Review: Rebound by Heather Justesen

Genre:  LDS Fiction

Publication Date:  June 2010

Author's Website:  http://www.heatherjustesen.com/

First Sentence(s):  John tuned out the babbling of the other  realtors from outside his office door and focused on the computer screen.  If things went well that evening, he'd have to buy himself a celebratory present.

About the book:

Lily's life is perfect--a perfect lie.

With a successful husband, a gorgeous home, and a growing family, Lily Drake has it all. But when the FBI shows up, she realizes her husband is not the man she thought he was.

Meanwhile, Lily's friend Curtis is about to be drafted by the NBA, but he suddenly feels pulled to find his birth family, and no one is prepared for what he'll discover. With so many obstacles in their way, Lily and Curtis must learn to rely on each other if they're ever going to find peace and learn to love again.

In this heartwarming family drama, Heather Justesen, author of The Ball's in Her Court, weaves a stirring story of hope. Reunite with your favorite characters and discover how determination, love, and faith can overcome even the toughest trials.

My opinion:

Rebound is Heather Justesen's second novel, and it's even better than her first.  Although it's not a sequel to The Ball's in Her Court, it does include some of the same characters. I was riveted from the first page as I traveled along the emotional roller coaster with Lily, the main character.  It's the story of a woman who learns a disturbing secret her husband has been keeping from her.  As the lies continue to add up, she finds herself pregnant and alone.

Through the support of loving family and friends, and sheer determination, Lily is able to find her way to happiness.  Also woven throughout Rebound is the story of  Lily's friend, Curtis.  He feels pulled to find his birth family, and no one is prepared for what he discovers.  Despite all the obstacles in their way, Lily and Curtis learn to rely on each other, and eventually learn to love again.

Heather has a unique voice and always includes clean but touching love scenes and humor throughout her books.  You will go from laughing to crying and back again.  I loved this story, and highly recommend it.

To learn more about the author and her upcoming projects, visit her blog and website.  She is also holding a fun giveaway on her blog with lots of great prizes from June 21-25.  Be sure to check it out!

Rebound can be purchased on Amazon, at Costco, and local bookstores.