Posted Tuesday, 23 December, 2014 by jorielov Cedar Fort Inc, Lezlie Anderson, Snow Angels, Sweetwater Books 0 Comments
Snow Angels by Lezlie Anderson
Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse on Twitter via: #SnowAngels & #Christmas #ShortStory
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 “Snow Angels” 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.
Inspired to Read:
Short stories have truly inspired me each time I snuggle inside them as by being a book blogger I developed a keen awareness of their joyfulness of being read! Prior to book blogging, I must confess the short story eluded me, but as you will find throughout my Story Vault, there are quite a few short story collections of anthologies as much as individual short stories or novellas that have sparked a genuine interest in my literary heart to consume!
This particular short appealed to me as I grew up giving back to those in need as much as I was raised to be aware of others in my neighbourhood and community. This was a grounding of humility as much as it was an awareness of the greater good can be directly impacted by small acts of charity, kindness, and the joy of giving not being dependent on gratitude or a return of a reward. Kindness is sparked out of the beauty of joyfulness and a giving heart whose only return should be the warmth of how it feels to give without expecting anything given back to the giver.
I believe this is why at the core of who I am as a knitter, is a charity knitter who loves to accept donated yarn in order to spin new patterns of fiber sequences which will uplift the receiver of my finished projects. I like to knit in joy as I stitch whilst laying thought to prayer especially when I am knitting prayer shawls but also with other small projects which once given I hope will carry with them a small fraction of the joy I had in stitching the pattern together, one stitch at a time. Outside of knitting, I have had such a wonderful warmth of spirit overtake me when I have given to someone in need or have acted in a way that gave an unexpected joy to someone who never felt they’d receive an unexpected gift from someone they knew or didn’t know personally.
Christmas and Thanksgiving are two of the best holidays as they seek to establish a way of slowing down and highlighting the bounty of blessings we receive each year in all the small ways people affect our lives. We each have the capacity of giving joy and happiness to another person, and the gifts we give do not even have to be contained in an item of what can be seen but can be as rewarding as a simple smile given out of a moment of grace or a spontaneous conversation knitted out of a common thread of interest. We uplift each other in numerous ways, but also through our contributions of service where we are helping someone in a way that they might not even expect a need was needing to be fulfilled.
In this way, and numerous others I am not highlighting a story about a family who was inspired to contribute to their neighbourhood in a way their neighbours would not expect truly gave me a wink of a smile and a mirth of joy in finding it!
Snow Angels
by Lezlie Anderson
At Christmastime, a little charity can be contagious. . .
Tired of their kids grumbling through family night, one Mom and Dad decide to take action - by giving them ski masks! Donning their masks, the family goes out to shovel snow anonymously for a few neighbours. But with a little Christmas magic, these 'snow angels' end up changing their whole neighbourhood.
Share the joy of service with your friends and family. This sweet story is the perfect size to give to everyone on your list and makes a great reminder of the reason reason for the season.
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Reader's Note: This short story is considered to be a 'booklet' rather than a novella or a short story. It is printed and bound just like a print copy of a book, with a beautiful front cover and back jacket! The author's biography is the last page of the booklet and the story pages are surrounded by snowflakes! On the publisher's (Sweetwater Books) site, this story is related to being happily read by readers of two other holiday stories I've recently reviewed:
I whole-heartedly agree with the publisher, as each of these stories brings you such an uplift of joy! The publisher went on to express readers might be appreciate reading two other titles I have not yet heard of myself which is why I am sharing them with you! I believe these are two short stories or booklets similar to the ones I have already read and reviewed!
- Jenny's Christmas Gift by John Pontius
- A Christmas Thief by Carol Lynn Pearson
Genres: Christmas Story &/or Christmas Romance, Short Story or Novella Places to find the book:
Published by Sweetwater Books
on 7th October, 2014
Format: Paperback
Pages: 12
About Lezlie Anderson
Lezlie Anderson has loved books since she learned to read at age four. She and her sisters used their wild imaginations playing in their backyard as princesses to being attacked by giant grasshoppers. The first books she remembers loving are “My Father’s Dragon” and “The Trouble with Miss Switch.”
Lezlie is married to a wonderful man, Steve, and they have three great children, 3 crazy cats, one tortoise, and a fish that has survived more hazards than should be possible. She loves chocolate, Dr. Pepper, and anything that her husband BBQ’s.
Blog | Goodreads
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Posted Tuesday, 23 December, 2014 by jorielov in 21st Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Coming-Of Age, Debut Author, Family Drama, Family Life, Father-Daughter Relationships, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Literature for Boys, Modern Day, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Mother-Son Relationships, School Life & Situations, Short Stories or Essays, Siblings, Small Towne USA
Posted Monday, 22 December, 2014 by jorielov An Uncommon Blue, Cedar Fort Inc, Colourblind series, R.C. Hancock, Sweetwater Books 2 Comments
An Uncommon Blue by R.C. Hancock
Published By: Bonneville Books (@BonnevilleBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse on Twitter via: #AnUncommonBlue
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 “An Uncommon Blue” 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.
Interested in Reading:
Initially when I saw An Uncommon Blue come available for book bloggers to host on it’s blog tour, I had a few thoughts on the subject float through my mind. As this isn’t my first dance at the rodeo so to speak for either YA or Adult Dystopian Lit — the more infamous attempt I made to dig inside Dystopian worlds is when I took on a Seventh Star Press debut novelist in 2013 whilst reading The Boxcar Baby. In both Sci Fi November 2013 + 2014 I included a Dystopian category of literary focus, and both years I unfortunately was not able to read the titles I had selected.
They included the following:
- All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
- Across the Universe by Beth Revis
There were other selections made, but these were my top three choices I wanted to focus on for a second year in a row; and technically speaking, I am still posting the remaining contributions I have for SFN 2014 between the end of December and the early bits of January, before shifting fully into my showcases for Sci Fi Experience 2015! I am not a stranger to science fiction but I am a bit of a conservative reader when it comes to attempting to read Dystopian Lit, as this is what I had to express when I joined the blog tour for An Uncommon Blue:
This one is a step outside my comfort zone as although I love reading YA Fantasy, this one has a plot and a story thread that I generally have not read exclusively. I am always attempting to sort out stand-alones and series that dip in/out of Dystopian narratives as well as the elements found inside this story. I am not even sure the proper thematic to mention, but what convinced me was not only the enthused note by the author but the information I found about this novel on his website. I like to read novels that challenge me and this one at its core has a strong message I think warrants being read.
I pitched a curious idea to Asti (a wicked awesome host of this year’s SFN!), where I told her as I start to read more science fiction over the course of the next year leading up into the 2015 Sci Fi November month of lovelies, I’m going to hold back the reviews I feel would best be shared with the collective of who has become the foundation of the event’s month long sci-fi fest! Therefore, I am not sure if as I read the three books I mentioned I will blog about them in January (as a cross-post between SFN + SFE) or if I will hold off until revealing my thoughts until November 2015!
One thing is for certain, I do share one common thread with Mr. Hancock (as I read his new website and portions of his old blog before he received his contract to publish this novel) which is simply to say, I am seeking out wicked quality stories fit for children and teens. I have the tendency to avoid most of the hyper popular novels (including a few I saw he had blogged about or referenced himself) as they do not align with my own reading tendencies and habits, but the fact that we both have an eye on Children’s Lit with the intention to bring out the best of the pack, in this, I can relate to him directly! This is one reason my Children’s Lit page will start to carry with it a lot more selections from 2015 – forward! I’ve only just begun so to speak, as I’m currently a 2nd Year Book Blogger whose found her wings! Read More
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Posted Monday, 22 December, 2014 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bullies and the Bullied, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Coming-Of Age, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Dystopian, Good vs. Evil, Indie Author, Mother-Son Relationships, Prejudicial Bullying & Non-Tolerance, School Life & Situations, Sci-Fi November, Science Fiction, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, The Sci-Fi Experience, Trauma | Abuse & Recovery, Young Adult Fiction
Posted Sunday, 21 December, 2014 by jorielov Bonneville Books, Cedar Fort Inc, Laura L. Walker, Pierced by Love 5 Comments
Pierced by Love by Laura L. Walker
Published By: Bonneville Books (@BonnevilleBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse on Twitter via: #PiercedByLove
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 “Pierced by Love” direct from the publisher Bonneville Books (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 & a Conversation with the author:
Being a book reviewer for Cedar Fort Publishing & Media is a true joy of mine, as I know what to expect when I select the stories I am reading from them as I haven’t been shocked, startled, or curiously surprised by what I have found in each of the books I have read by them; there were only two I can think of which I wouldn’t necessarily consider my absolute favourite of reads, but nonetheless I have not yet been properly disappointed either! Considering how many books I have started to read per year as a book blogger compared to as a regular reader without a blog, even I am a bit surprised which publishers I find more appealing to read on a regular basis and which ones irk my ire a bit.
On the Indie side of the ledger, my top three favourite publishers are: Seventh Star Press, ChocLitUK, and Cedar Fort Publishing & Media (and their imprints therein). I appreciate each of them equally for different reasons but the consistency of what they publish is at the top of my list of appreciation on their behalf. The interesting part of this blog tour started before the tour knitted together on the schedule, as I had the opportunity to converse with the author, Ms. Walker prior to setting a date for my review. This goes back to August, long before December was even a wink of a breath in sight!
We started to have an open exchange on the differences of our walk in faith (as she is LDS – Morman; I am Protestant; yet we each share a root of faith on similar grounds), what inspired me the most is how she wanted to help me understand the LDS side of the novel, yet in return I wanted to assure her I have read a considerable amount of stories by Cedar Fort since Spring 2014; of them, at least one or two have had LDS story-lines inside them but what I appreciated by the passages of those novels is how they lead the inspirational bits of the story through sharing the walk of faith of the characters by (internal) thoughts or through the actions they took inside their lifepaths therein. I always appreciated inspirational stories which are rooted in faith-driven story-lines to be soft spoken and light when it comes to including religious undertones; even though I do occasional find myself drawn into traditional INSPY which gives a firmer rooting of the origin, background, and faith life of the characters.
I find Cedar Fort to publish stories which uplift the spirit, enliven the mind, and are gentle enough to incur a wanting of reading their stories without fear of strong language or any images of graphic violence that might prove a bit too unsettling to take in all at once. If your a regular visitor or reader to my blog, you know where I stand on language and violence; therefore, each time I pick up a Cedar Fort novel, I instantly know I’m either in for a thrilling adventure, a mind-numbing suspense, or a sweet romance or romantic drama which is going to engage my heart as much as my mind!
The main reason I wanted to share this today, is because although my religious background is not LDS, I have felt nothing but a peacefulness to reading the stories published through Cedar Fort. They are as inspiring to me as Heartsong Presents (novellas in print editions – from Contemporary to Historical) or any other published INSPY Romance or Historical fiction novel. The reason I applaud the fact they offer suspense, science fiction and fantasy — is because they are an open-minded publisher in regards to the breath of choices they encourage of their authors — the stories themselves are not strictly centered around LDS backgrounds (as I have read Icelandic, Native American, Japanese, Protestant, etc faith-driven story-lines) but in each of the novels, there is a central thread of core: honest and real characters facing life situations and circumstances any person of any walk of life can relate too, with a realistic premise and at times an emotional connection that does not soon leave your memory. Read More
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Posted Sunday, 21 December, 2014 by jorielov in 21st Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookmark slipped inside a Review Book, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Coming-Of Age, Contemporary Romance, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Deception Before Matrimony, Divorce & Martial Strife, Family Drama, Family Life, Father-Daughter Relationships, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Modern Day, Mormonism, Mother-Son Relationships, Romance Fiction, Second Chance Love, Siblings, Singletons & Commitment, Sisters & the Bond Between Them, Sociological Behavior, Sweet Romance, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Wisdom of Life Threaded in Devotions
Posted Monday, 15 December, 2014 by jorielov Cedar Fort Inc, Christi Silbaugh, Front Table Books, Gourmet Cooking for Two 3 Comments
Gourmet Cooking for Two by Christi Silbaugh
I previously hosted her for Front Table Books on the Gluten-Free Made Easy blog tour!
Published By: Front Table Books (@FrontTableBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse on Twitter via: #GourmetCookingForTwo & #ChristiSilbaugh
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 “Gourmet Cooking for Two” direct from the publisher Front Table Books (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:
Ever since I was properly introduced to the budget friendly, wicked delish and beyond brilliant recipes within Silbaugh’s Gluten-Free Made Easy I have become a dedicated appreciator of her cookbooks! Everyone has a budget but what I appreciate with Silbaugh’s approach is that she matches my own family’s belief that wicked quality food doesn’t have to break your wallet! You can eat healthy yet keep mindful of using less ingredients or supplementing what you need with what you have on hand already and create a dish to savour! I love this the most about her cookbooks because I think at some point everyone is going to be touched by an economic crisis of one shape or another due to the changing environment of the economy (not just limited to those of us stateside!). Why not become a champion of the cookbook writers who are giving us tips, tricks, and wicked sweet insights on how to create smashingly delish recipes without the worriment over never having ‘enough ingredients’ to pull off a delightful meal?
Gourmet Cooking for Two
by Christi Silbaugh
Source: Direct from Publisher
Making gourmet meals for two is the perfect way to grow closer to your sweetheart, whether you are a new couple, empty nesters, or somewhere in between. With romantic tips to help you spice up your love life, and over 100 delicious, high quality recipes such as Brazilian Red Snapper and Tuscan Potato Soup, you’ll never want to go out to dinner again.
Genres: Cookery Places to find the book:
Also by this author: Gluten-Free Made Easy, NOURISH: The Beginner's Guide to eating healthy and staying fit
Published by Front Table Books
on 31st August, 2014
Format: Paperback
Pages: 240
About Christi Silbaugh
Christi Silbaugh started cooking gluten-free in 2009 when her daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease. Since then, she has created and posted over one thousand gluten-free recipes. Her cooking obsession and love for her family has turned a hobby into a full-time career of blogging and writing. She is the self-educated chef and author of three cooking blogs, including Mom, What’s For Dinner; Gourmet Cooking For Two; and Zero Calorie Life. She writes for foodie media giants Glam Media and Federated Media and works for Fast Forward Events, covering food and wine events in San Diego.
Be sure to check the author out on YouTube!
Website | Facebook
A cookbook for every singleton who is a romantic at heart:
An insightful clue how I’m a Romantic at my core is the fact one of my favourite genres to devour are within the “Romance” section of any bookshoppe or literary realm of delightful joy! If you have dropped by on Twitter during one of my #ChocLitSaturdays chats OR have seen how many ChocLit books I’ve read in 2014, you might have gained a bit of a clue too! However, what truly perked my ears to read this particular cookbook is the fact it specifically encourages you to create wicked awesome gourmet meals for two foodies who want to dine well but keep within their food budgets! Ms. Silbaugh was inspired to create this one as an empty-nester but I found inspiration as a singleton who is optimistic about her future (read my thoughts on my review of The Language of Hoofbeats). I love discovering new recipes with full-on flavour profiles intermixed with ingredients which are easy to locate locally and do not require living in a specific geographic location! Sometimes what irks me about professional cooks (i.e. I am referring to celebrity chefs on the telly!) is they have the tendency to forget half of us who are home cooks do not live in an urban metropolis where every unique ingredient known to man is obtainable. Therefore, even though I love to cook Indian dishes alongside Italian, or intermix the two completely (hey! sometimes you have to work with what you have in your cupboards, fridge, and pantry!), I have a passionate preference for finding ways to cook gourmet with everyday resources which can inspire a savoury meal experience!
Interlocked with every recipe inside this tome of knowledge for herbivores, omnivores, and the dedicated carnivore (I should mention Pescetarians would be happy too!) you will find notes on how to spice up your Romance by giving key examples of how you can ignite a bit of passion and love into your dining. If that is not inspiring enough, you have a feast for the eyes with the larger than life photographs which showcase (and whet your palette!) the dishes themselves! Whomever does the photography for the Front Table Books line of cooking and baking books is rock solid on delivery! I am never disappointed as they have clarity of focus with the joy of feeling as though you could lift the food off the page itself! Yum, yum, yum!
Jorie is not always the best time planner : therefore this is a list of must cook specialties!
If you hadn’t noticed, I truly have the best of intentions, but my delivery is not always on par with my plans, as I simply had time whittle away from me! I wasn’t able to grab the ingredients I did not have on hand in time to prepare any of the lovelies which inspired me to write a list of ‘must cook specalities’ found inside Gourmet Cooking for Two! Alas, this simply means a lot of future blog posts sprinkled throughout 2015! If you hadn’t previously clicked over to my Story Vault, scrolling until you see the category “Cookery: Savoury & Baking (with a healthy bent of focus)” you’ll be plumb excited about the possibilities once you do! Per each review, I give a list of what I am planning on cooking and featuring on Jorie Loves A Story! If you start to follow me on Twitter (be sure to comment in the threads below or tweet me when you do!) you’ll start to notice the cookery & foodie tweets flying around like mad crazy! Laughs. Read More
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Posted Monday, 15 December, 2014 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Cookbook, Cookery, Indie Author, Non-Fiction, The Bookish Foodie
Posted Sunday, 14 December, 2014 by jorielov Baking with Natural Yeast series, Beyond Basics with Natural Yeast: Recipes for Whole Grain Health, Cedar Fort Inc, Front Table Books, Melissa Richardson 2 Comments
Beyond Basics with Natural Yeast : Recipes for Whole Grain Health
by Melissa Richardson
Published By: Front Table Books (@FrontTableBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse on Twitter via: #TheBreadGeek, #Baking, #naturalyeast & #Bread
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 “Beyond Basics with Natural Yeast” direct from the publisher Front Table Books (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:
My inspiration to read and grow in my knowledge about yeast is twofold: I developed a fascinating addiction to bread from a very young age (I take after my Mum!) combining with the stories of my Uncle who was taught how to knead bread in order to reduce his stress levels (therein a curiosity to make homemade bread germinated in my mind) and through my research (in step with my Mum’s) into healthy living, eating, and the way in which foods affect us on a physiological level (and beyond) I have known for awhile there is a staunch different between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ yeast.
I wasn’t as sure if I had the resources I need to take on this particular project of mine, but I wanted to gain knowledge, as knowledge is the first step towards doing anything in our lives; including bettering ourselves in the kitchen! Therefore what surprised me (as you will soon see revealed) wasn’t a lack of an ingredient or a repertoire of baking items to use, no rather it was a more precise ‘issue’ I have no control over and thus, had to abandon my idea of creating my own natural yeast at this point in time. Meanwhile, the joy I had when I saw this book go on tour remains because I truly believe one way to change our lives is to effectively find better ways to nourish ourselves and broker an independence off what is quick and fast, for something that is more dynamically beneficial to our bodies, minds, and spirits.
As foresaid on my previous two blog tours for Front Table Books, my own journey towards living a healthier lifestyle is in a very unique stage at the moment — you can read my thoughts on where I am on either my review of Gluten-Free Made Easy OR The Secrets of Gluten-Free Baking wherein I speak openly and honestly about my quest for a healthier future. Part of my long-term goals are to provide more photo journals on my blog for each Front Table cookbook I am receiving from Cedar Fort. You will find my first foray into merging my joy of photography with my foodie heart’s quest to being a more well-rounded cook on my showcase for Gluten-Free Made Easy; if you are on Twitter you can easily favour or re-tweet the specific points of that post to your followers. It was the first time I hosted a live-as-you-bake sequence of photo journals on Twitter.
Beyond Basics with Natural Yeast
Subtitle: Recipes for Whole Grain Health
With allergies to commercial yeast on the rise, natural yeast is the easy and healthy solution to baking all the foods you love. Brush up on your techniques with Melissa Richardson’s newest book, Beyond Basics with Natural Yeast, with mouthwatering recipes like Soft Pretzel Rolls, Honey Whole Wheat Bread, and Lemon Chiffon Cake. Say goodbye to commercial yeast, and hello to a healthier body!
Read the Book Synopsis for The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast, the companion to this release and the first of the series. I decided to name the series myself as it felt as though it was implied but I am unsure if there will be more in sequence past these two books thus released.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Published by Front Table Books
on 31st September, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 200
About Melissa Richardson
Melissa Richardson is a mother of three who is addicted to researching, studying, and baking bread. As a college student Melissa taught herself to bake as a way to pinch pennies from the food budget and unleashed a passion that transformed her into The Bread Geek she is today. At any given time of day, flour can be found somewhere on her shoes, clothes, hands, or children. When not baking or writing, she enjoys collecting hobbies and spending time outdoors with her family.
Be sure to check out "The Bread Geek" on YouTube!
Website | Facebook
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Posted Sunday, 14 December, 2014 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bread Making, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Cookbook, Cookery, Indie Author, Locavore, Non-Fiction, Social Change, Sustainability Practices inside the Publishing Industry, The Bookish Foodie, Vignettes of Real Life
