Posted Sunday, 12 July, 2015 by jorielov Beverly Jenkins, Blessings series, For Your Love, HarperCollins Publishers, William Morrow 6 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I was selected to be a tour stop on the “For Your Love” virtual book tour through TLC Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the book direct from the publisher William Morrow (an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers), in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
On the delay of this review:
Originally this review was delayed whilst I took ill in June (for a fortnight overall) and was further delayed by a severe batch of lightning storms over the 4th of July. Those storms were so wickedly intense they caused a bit of damage (electrically) and thus, kicked me offline for a good six days solid! Following shortly thereafter were a few more lightning storms, despite the weathermen saying otherwise; I’m a book blogger who reads and blogs about books in tandem, which is difficult to do whilst your facing electrical malfunctions, hissing outlets, power surge aftereffects, unstablised internet connections, and power outage threats. I regret my review was delayed this long but my joy of reading FOR YOUR LOVE is reflected below. I hope the publisher and author will accept my apologies and know how wicked happy I was to be a member of this blog tour!
For Your Love
by Beverly Jenkins
Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours
Narrator: Myra Lucretia Taylor
Return to Henry Adams, Kansas—an unforgettable place anyone would want to call home. . . .
Mayor Trent July and his wife, Lily, are enjoying life as newlyweds and embracing the challenges and joys that come with being adoptive parents to two wonderful boys. But fatherhood has inevitably forced Trent to think about his own birth mother.
Raised by his grandmother Tamar—and, in many ways, the good people of Henry Adams—Trent was blessed with a childhood full of love. But he can't help wondering what happened to the scared teenage girl who gave birth to him. And questions that he's never voiced are now begging to be answered: Who was she? Is she still alive? Why didn't she want him?
Trent has always believed that no good comes from dwelling on the past, especially when you have a loving family, a strong community, and folks who depend on you. But when the past comes to Henry Adams, Trent has no choice but to face it—and the woman who left him behind. The truth will shake his very being and everything he thought he knew about life, love, and the bonds that hold families together . . . but can also tear them apart.
Genres: Heartland Fiction, Women's Fiction Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Series: Blessings
Published by William Morrow
on 28th April, 2015
Format: Paperback ARC
Length: 8 hours, 40 minutes
Pages: 304
the Blessings series:
No.1: Bring on the Blessings (Book Synopsis on Riffle)
No.2: A Second Helping (Book Synopsis on Riffle)
No.3: Something Old, Something New (Book Synopsis on Riffle)
No.4: A Wish and a Prayer (Book Synopsis on Riffle)
No.5: Heart of Gold (Book Synopsis on Riffle)
Published By: William Morrow (@WmMorrowBks),
an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (@HarperCollins)
Available Formats: Trade Paperback, Audiobook and Ebook
Converse via: #BlessingsSeries + #BeverlyJenkins
About Beverly Jenkins
Beverly Jenkins is the author of thirty historical and contemporary novels, including five previous books in her beloved Blessings series. She has been featured in many national publications, including the Wall Street Journal, People, the Dallas Morning News, Vibe, and many other publications.
Website | Facebook | Goodreads | LibraryThing | Wikipedia | FantasticFiction
On listening to a small excerpt from the audiobook of For Your Love:
Normally excerpts follow the way in which the story evolves on the page, however, this particular sample skipped the opening bits completely (i.e. they overlooked the Prologue!) and jumped straight into Chapter 1! I had to pause the sample whilst I read the Prologue and then, continued! What I did appreciate about the ARC is the inclusion of the map of Henry Adams; it gave me a nice overview of the towne, and a bit of a precursory curiosity about what I might find as I read the story!
The reading of a will is a time of surprises for most families because there is a measure of assurance knowing that not everything you felt was in order; truly is. Lawyers have the unfortunate pleasure of being on the receiving end of denial stemming out of emotional heartache and anguish, whilst attempting to adhere to whichever news befell the relation at the very end of their time with a loved one and at the start of their grieving. In some ways, funeral homes, solicitors for wills, and medical examiners walk a fine line towards helping all of us deal with what happens after a person passes on whilst attempting to keep the process out of our hands and in their capable ones. A very curious beginning,.. very curious!
I found myself wondering if I might have the chance to get to know Ms Ida in the years prior to her passing in the successive chapters of this series prior to this release? I can see the writing on the wall — I will be ILL’ing the rest of the Blessings series!
Definitely appreciated the cadence of how Myra Lucretia Taylor’s voice etches your mind to alight inside the home of the July’s; she changes her voice to suit each individual character although not just by age but by personality; giving you a strong impression on who they are and how they are interacting. It would be a wicked sweet experience to one day listen to her voice whilst reading this for the second time as I do rather fancy listening whilst reading print books nowadays!
Read More
Posted Sunday, 12 July, 2015 by jorielov in 21st Century, Adoption, African-American History, African-American Literature, ARC | Galley Copy, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Bookish Discussions, Brothers and Sisters, Child out of Wedlock, Clever Turns of Phrase, Coming-Of Age, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Equality In Literature, Family Drama, Family Life, Fathers and Daughters, Foster Care, Humour & Satire in Fiction / Non Fiction, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Life Shift, Modern Day, Modern Day, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Mother-Son Relationships, Motherhood | Parenthood, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Orphans & Guardians, Realistic Fiction, School Life & Situations, Scribd, Siblings, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA, Social Services, Stories of Adoption, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, TLC Book Tours, Twin Siblings, Vulgarity in Literature, Women's Fiction
Posted Tuesday, 30 June, 2015 by jorielov Kamy Wicoff, She Writes Press, Spark Points Studio LLC, Wishful Thinking 0 Comments
I quite happily am spending Summer soaking through the lovely discoveries I am making through the annual BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge! This particular Summer challenge has become quite dear to me due to how wicked lovely my local library has been in giving me an added layer of joy whilst BookSparks has coordinated the blog tours attached to the reading challenge in such a way to continue to *surprise!* me by finding books arriving by Post I was not even sure would be posted! (full story revealed on this post)
This marks my second review out of ten, and although I was originally meant to post my ruminations on Monday, the 29th of June, I needed the extra hours to fully immerse myself into Wishful Thinking! Partially due to a slow-shift back into reading after my illness and partially due to a *major!* upgrade my blog undertook over the weekend yielding to a few wonky tech issues that left me unable to blog.
My next review for #SRC2015 was meant to appear on Thursday, however, I believe it will be closer to Saturday, as I equally need more time to fully embrace my next summer read! I am hoping after I post #SRC2015 No.3, I’ll be back on track with my pre-booked schedule!
It was such a joy to snuggle into this novel – it nearly felt autobiographical, too! Wicoff is definitely an author I want to keep my eyes on and continue to see where her bookish endeavours take us!
Acquired Book By: I originally found BookSparks PR last Spring, when I came upon the Summer Reading Challenge a bit too late in the game. I hadn’t forgotten about it, and was going to re-contact them this Spring to see if I could join the challenge this year instead. Coincidentally, before I sorted this out, I was contacted by one of their publicists about Linda Lafferty’s Renaissance historical novel, “The Sheperdess of Siena”.
At the time when I was confirmed to be a part of the #SRC2015 official blog tour schedule, we were not able to get confirmation on which books we selected to review on our respective blogs would be sent to us by the publishers and/or publicist at BookSparks, thereby I submitted purchase requests at my local library for all *10!* books I selected to read and review.
I elected to read “Wishful Thinking” via the complimentary copy I received by BookSparks as the library copy arrived just after this lovely book arrived by postal mail. By participating in the #SRC2015 challenge I am reading the novels in exchange for my honest reviews; whether I am receiving a complimentary copy or borrowing them through my local library. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Wishful Thinking
by Kamy Wicoff
Source: Direct from Publicist
Genres: Women's Fiction, Motherhood | Parenthood, Magical Realism, Time Travel Fiction, Quantum Physics Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Published by She Writes Press
on 21st April, 2015
Format: Paperback Edition
Pages: 384
written by Kamy Wicoff | Site | @kwicoff | Facebook | Instagram
Published By:She Writes Press (@shewritespress)
originated from She Writes (@shewritesdotcom)
an imprint of Spark Points Studio LLCGoSparkPoint (@GoSparkPoint)
& BookSparks(@BookSparks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #WishfulThinking & #SRC2015 Read More
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Posted Tuesday, 30 June, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, #SRC2015 | BookSparks, 20th Century, Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Cover | Notation on Design, Book Cover | Original Illustration & Design, Bookish Films, BookSparks, Cats and Kittens, Clever Turns of Phrase, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Disillusionment in Marriage, Divorce & Martial Strife, Equality In Literature, Family Drama, Family Life, Fathers and Daughters, Genre-bender, Humour & Satire in Fiction / Non Fiction, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, Inspiring Video Related to Content, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, LGBTTQPlus Fiction | Non-Fiction, Library Love, Life of Thirty-Somethings, Life Shift, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Magical Realism, Modern Day, Mother-Son Relationships, Motherhood | Parenthood, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, New York City, Passionate Researcher, Public Service | Community Officers, Quantum | Mechanics Physics Theory, Realistic Fiction, Science Fantasy, Scribd, Second Chance Love, Single Mothers, Sisterhood friendships, Story in Diary-Style Format, Terminal Illness &/or Cancer, Time Shift, Time Travel, Time Travel Adventure, Time Travel Romance, Vulgarity in Literature, Women's Fiction
Posted Monday, 25 May, 2015 by jorielov Alyson Peterson, Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress, Cedar Fort Inc, Ian Quicksilver, Ian Quicksilver series, Ian Quicksilver: The Warrior's Return, Katy Haye, Leland Dragon series, Lost in Thought, Sweetwater Books, The Last Gatekeeper, Trinity Stones, Uncovering Cobbogoth 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “Ian Quicksilver: The Warrior’s Return” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
My connection to the author: Underneath my review, I talk about what I appreciated about the tone of “Ian Quicksilver” wherein I disclosed I had a conversation with the author whilst I was writing this post. The only part of the novel I spoke about was about appreciating the tone, as we talked about our mutual compassion for foster children and other things that two like-minded souls can talk about when conversing together. I didn’t feel the convo was a conflict of interest even though I was still writing up my review. If anything, it felt quite lovely to have the chance to talk to the author about unrelated subjects and finding that we had a bit in common. In other words, the conversation did not influence nor affect this review.
Interested in Reading:
On one level I wanted to read this novel because I’m a Prospective Adoptive Mum (who wants to adopt a sibling group of boys) and thereby, I am quite curious how foster children will be represented in fiction and as a whole how their inclusion will be handled throughout the novel itself. Equal to that curiosity, I happen to love YA Fantasy! No more apparent than if you read my Serial Overview of the Leland Dragons series by Jackie Gamber (or caught my 100s of tweets recommending it to everyone on Twitter!) Let’s face it, some series endeavour themselves into your soul, and Leland Dragons for me is one of those series!
I have taken up a small residence inside Children’s Lit for several moons now, as I do blog about my re-entrance back into Children’s Lit each chance I get. It is my hope after my relocation I can spend more time on devouring the Middle Grade and Young Adult authors I’ve been selecting as my own personal batches of choice for ‘next reads and must reads’ alike! Some of them I want to sample to see if I can fit inside part of the realm of where YA & MG readers regularly hang out OR if I truly am a bird of my own feather who likes to dig inside MG & YA by stories that might go overlooked by the masses. I tend to yield to thinking I’m the latter — let’s face it, I’ve never read what was popular, I’ve held myself to seeking what felt favourable to me to want to experience rather than opting for a book everyone else was already jonsing to flirt over. (in other words, I’m not a ‘fangirl‘)
I decided to take a chance on Ian Quicksilver (as I previously took a chance on An Uncommon Blue) because I keep trying to find more Literature for Boys, as it would be nice to know some books to tell my future sons about which books they might enjoy reading. I’ve found a few, but I know I’ve only just begun to uncover what they might gravitate towards!
I admit, I haven’t read the Percy Jackson series, mostly as I was considering reading it, the films came out and the trailers alone scared me silly! lol
One series I am eager to introduce to one of my nephews (as he’s Middle Grade age) includes “The Dragon in the Sock Drawer” and “The Dragon in the Driveway”, which are part of an inventive dragon series by Kate Klimo. I also read the first book in the time travel museum series that starts with “The Sixty-Eight Rooms” by Marianne Malone. I love reading Children’s Lit, and dedicated a page to it on my blog, where I highlight books I read during my own childhood as much as books I am discovering now.
Finding wicked quality stories who are fused with characters both the child and the Mum can rally behind is a bit of a quirky balancing act, but this future Mum and present day Auntie is attempting the impossible because her parents instilled such a catapult of readerly joy in her own childhood, she wants to give her own (future) children the same benefit of bookish explorations she was given herself.
Ian Quicksilver: The Warrior's Return
by Alyson Peterson
Source: Direct from Publisher
Skinny nerdy foster kid Ian Quicksilver from Puckerbrush, Nevada, has just discovered an unsettling truth - he is the last warrior prince of Bankhir. And the fate of his home planet - and the entire galaxy - depends on him. Well, him and Arianna Hernfeld, the hottest girl in school. He needs her help and her magic to stop a sociopathic magician bent on galactic domination.
The problem is, Arianna doesn't remember anything about their past, and all of this galaxy-saving, spell-breaking stuff has to happen by Ian's sixteenth birthday. Which is only five days away.
Get ready for an action-packed, laugh-out-loud book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Witty and perfectly paced, this is one adventure story you'll have to read to believe.
Genres: Action & Adventure Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Sci-Fantasy, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Also by this author: The Cursed Dagger, Author Interview (The Cursed Dagger)
Series: Ian Quicksilver
Also in this series: The Cursed Dagger
Published by Sweetwater Books
on 12th May, 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #IanQuicksilver
About Alyson Peterson
Alyson Peterson lives in a mountainside gully –of all places– in northern Utah with her neurotic, shed-tastic dog, two ninja kids, and superhero husband. She spends her time painting, breaking bones at her Martial Arts class (mostly her own) and reading as many books as she can get her hands on.
Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | LibraryThing
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Posted Monday, 25 May, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Bullies and the Bullied, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Childhood Friendship, Children's Literature, Clever Turns of Phrase, Coming-Of Age, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Equality In Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Foster Care, Humour & Satire in Fiction / Non Fiction, Indie Author, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Life Shift, Literature for Boys, Methodology of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy, Modern Day, Orphans & Guardians, Prejudicial Bullying & Non-Tolerance, School Life & Situations, Science Fantasy, Small Towne USA, Supernatural Fiction, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, Trauma | Abuse & Recovery, Writing Style & Voice, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction
Posted Sunday, 10 May, 2015 by jorielov Cedar Fort Inc, Julie K. Nelson, Keep it Real and Grab a Plunger, Plain Sight Publishing 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “Keep It Real & Grab a Plunger” direct from the publisher Plain Sight Publishing (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Inspired to Read:
I’ve been a bit vocal over the past year as I’ve explored topical fiction and non-fiction which open the door of insight into motherhood and adoption about my own path I’m walking towards becoming a Mum through foster care adoption. I’m a Prospective Adoptive Mum as I’m gathering resources that will be beneficial to myself to read ahead of proceeding into the journey to become a mother as much as I am happily finding inspiring fiction to introduce to my future children. Not only on the merits of giving them healthy choices for adoptive literature but for Children’s Literature as a whole, as that is why I maintain an active and evolving Children’s Literature page on my bookish blog. Most of the titles originate inside my Story Vault and are then archived inside this secondary page.
I am planning to adopt multiples, as I feel led to adopt a sibling group of boys – siblings here is a bit loose and broad, as it can infer a biological connection between the boys or a friendship developed into a close-knit bond all brothers share as sometimes un-related boys grow close due to being placed in the same foster home or group home. To me, siblings is a general term and can apply both ways, especially in unconventional families where family is stitched together by heart and faith, moreso than traditionally being placed and raised in the home in which you were bourne.
What intrigued me about this particular book is how the author herself has raised five children, and I felt this might be a wicked good book to read as a future Mum of siblings!
Keep it Real and Grab a Plunger: 25 Tips for Surviving Parenthood
by Julie K. Nelson
Source: Direct from Publisher
You might suspect that a college professor, frequent parenting guest expert on tv and radio, and popular blogger like Julie K. Nelson would be immune to the realities of actual parenting. But in fact, she's been there -- through all the late nights, huge messes, and tough moments.
Now she combines her expertise with her own experiences to reach you how to
* overcome any manipulative and authoritarian parenting tendencies
* foster your child's self-discipline, respect, and emotional maturity
* and get through the sticky stuff with grace
Humourous, insightful, and authentic, this is an entertaining and pragmatic book all parents will enjoy.
Genres: Motherhood | Parenthood, Non-Fiction Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Published by Plain Sight Publishing
on 10th March, 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 176
Published By: Plain Sight Publishing (@PlainSightBooks), an imprint of Cedar Fort Inc.
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #KeepItRealAndGrabAPlunger
About Julie K. Nelson
Popular radio personality, university professor, author, and TV expert Julie K. Nelson combines her professional expertise with her personal experience as a mom of five in this book. Humorous, insightful, and authentic, this must-read will help you enforce rules without manipulation or coercion and addresses a wide variety of essential parenting topics.
Website
Read More
Posted Sunday, 10 May, 2015 by jorielov in Adoption, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Chronicles of a Prospective Adoptive Mum, Content Note, Education & Learning, Fly in the Ointment, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Journal, Memoir, Mother-Son Relationships, Motherhood | Parenthood, Non-Fiction, Siblings, Sociology, Vignettes of Real Life, Wisdom of Life Threaded in Devotions
Posted Saturday, 25 April, 2015 by jorielov Bethany Zohner Herbert, Cedar Fort Inc, Sweetwater Books, The Perfect Fool 0 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “The Perfect Fool” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Curious to Read:
Aside from being a Court Jester once upon a moon, I have oft felt I need to dip back into the breadth of Renaissance stories, as I only visit the Medieval era on the lark of finding a title that interests me. You can be assured this is a limited affair, and the interesting bit to it is that I love the world of Kings, Queens, Lords, and the whole ‘scene’ of court life. There is a hankering to dig into the Renaissance to understand the origins of fine art as much as the incredible freedoms that came out of the period of great change and societal tolerance for differences in faith. It was a riveting time to say the least!
I have the tendency to opt for a drama over a comedy, satire, or folly filled story — in part, because my reading life is a good reflection of my tv serial and motion picture viewing preferences wheren I find it’s hard to find the sophisticated comedy (i.e. this reads ‘clean humour’) I find delightful when most releases are quite askewed to the gutter. I like to laugh but I don’t want my mind to be taken down a line of dialogue that deflects rather than uplifts.
Dramas are a bit more of a stable choice for me, but on occasion I find myself a bit curious about reading a fluffier story if only to take a proper hiatus from war dramas, historical biographical fiction, and my tendency to read heart wrenching women’s fiction and contemporary romance. Thus The Perfect Fool felt it might fit a void I’ve carved into my reading queue without realising I was missing a portion of literature on the softer and lighter side. Even if I were to be frank, most of the plays of Shakespeare which are my ‘go to’ mentions are the tragedies; except for one, Much Ado About Nothing and I have Emma Thompson to credit for that, as it was her adaptation in motion picture which convinced me of it’s charm.
The Perfect Fool
by Bethany Zohner Herbert
Source: Direct from Publisher
Plucked from the streets to become a court jester, Farrago's life is simple and carefree. No one demands much of him, and that's exactly how he likes it. But everything changes when Farrago begins flirting with a scullery maid named Thea. And when Farrago learns the truth about Thea's identity, he must decide just how far he's willing to go for the chance to follow his heart.
This quirky medieval tale is a fun and romantic read - a charming balance of humour and suspense. With a plot that's full of twists, it's guaranteed to keep you guessing.
Genres: Historical Fiction Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Published by Sweetwater Books
on 14th April, 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #ThePerfectFool or #PerfectFool *methinks it should be #PerfectFoolBook as the tags on Twitter are routing quite ‘unique’ references to both!
About Bethany Zohner Herbert
Bethany Zohner Herbert was born in Salt Lake City, and aside from a short amount of time living in England and the South, she is back in her native Idaho where she grew up. She has been a fan of books since before she could write.
She earned her Bachelor’s in creative writing from BYU-Idaho and her Master’s in literature and writing from Utah State University.
When not coming up with weird stories, she likes participating in and teaching Zumba, making crafts (silly ones like puppets) reading, and dating her husband.
Website | Blog | Facebook
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Saturday, 25 April, 2015 by jorielov in 16th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Castles & Estates, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Childhood Friendship, Creative Arts, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Literature for Boys, Orphans & Guardians, Teacher & Student Relationships, the Renaissance (14th-17th Centuries)
