15 WINTER READS--Book Blast & Giveaway

Sit back, relax in your favorite reading chair and enjoy 15 Winter Reads from 15 bestselling YA authors. There is something to delight every reader in this box set – paranormal romance, futuristic sci-fi, historical, time travel, and contemporary. Many of the Indelibles have given you access to both the first and second books in their series – you’ll be reading well into the New Year!

LIMITED TIME BOX SET - from 15 bestselling YA authors ON SALE 12/29 - 1/11 for just $1.99

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

15 Winter Reads includes:

 

The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn

Escaping an experimental prison, Thalia tries to hide her past and her gifts, from her friends. But her past isn’t always easy to escape, especially when it hunts you down.

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Website

 

Tremble (Celestra Series) by Addison Moore

Sixteen year-old, Skyla Messenger is a dead girl walking. When her newly remarried mother moves the family to Paragon Island, to a house that is rumored to be haunted, Skyla finds refuge in Logan Oliver, a boy who shares her unique ability to read minds.

Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

 

Exiled by RaShelle Workman

Venus wakes to find herself no longer on her home planet of Kelari, but on Earth with a week to get back or she'll die.

Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Goodreads * Wattpad

Dragonfly by Leigh Talbert Moore

Gossip Girl meets VC Andrews in this contemporary family saga. Love, lies, and betrayal become the new normal when Anna enters the world of Jack and Lucy Kyser.

Amazon  * Facebook  * Twitter  * Goodreads  * Pinterest

 

Open Minds and Closed Hearts by Susan Kaye Quinn

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

 Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Wattpad * Goodreads

 

Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

When Grace's forest ranger dad disappears on patrol, she fights town authorities, tribal officials, & nature to prove he’s alive. Torn between a new hot boy and cute ex, she heads into the wilderness to find her dad. Soon, she is caught in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder.

 Twitter * Facebook * Blog  * Goodreads

 

How to Date an Alien and How to Break Up With an Alien by Magan Vernon

Alex Bianchi takes an internship at an alien operations center to pad her college applications but doesn't plan on falling in love with one of its residents. But as Alex’s senior year progresses, everything changes and she can’t figure out if it is interstellar or if it is just time to break up with an alien.

 Twitter * Facebook * Website * Goodreads

 

Flutter of Luv by L.M. Preston

Dawn, the neighborhood tomboy, is happy to be her best friend’s shadow. Acceptance comes from playing football after school with the guys on the block while hiding safely behind her glasses, braces, and boyish ways. But Tony moves in, becomes the star Running Back on her school’s football team, and changes her world and her view of herself forever.

Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Goodreads

 

Watched by Cindy M. Hogan

It takes more than a school trip to change Christy's life. It takes murder.

 Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

   

Clockwise and ClockwiseR by Elle Strauss

A follow up to Clockwise, Casey and Nate travel back in time and race against the clock to rescue Casey's rebellious brother Tim from frontline battle in America's civil war.

 Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Wattpad * Goodreads

   

Glimpse (Zellie Wells #1) and Glimmer (Zellie Wells #2) by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

While working together to figure out what their shared vision means, Zellie discovers that Benjamin is a worthy friend and mentor. If only he could keep his hands off of her - if only she wanted him to...

 Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

 

A Spy Like Me by Laura Pauling

After dodging bullets on a first date, Savvy must decide how far she'll go to protect the ones she loves.

 Blog * Twitter * Goodreads

 

Grasping At Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper

An eternal soul mate, a supernatural family who has known her for centuries, and lifetimes of erased memories: this is Maryah Woodsen’s life. She just doesn’t know it yet.

 Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Goodreads

 

Lacrimosa by Christine Fonseca

In the world of angels and demons, one thing is clear - some sacrifices should never be made. Even for love.

 Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Google + * Goodreads * Pinterest

 

The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle

The town of Spruce Knoll hides many secrets—and many dangers, among them are that the untimely death of Eren’s parents was no accident and that she is far more than she realizes.

 Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Wattpad * Goodreads

Giveaway Details
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends
1/11/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. We did, although this week was harder than I expected again.

Christmas Eve Day, Tigger and I went to pick out a nativity for him when on the way home he said he missed someone. As the conversation continued, it came out that he missed Lion. All I could say was that I missed Lion too. How do you respond to that? It broke my heart. That’s something I still need to figure out how to deal with.

As the new year approaches, this is the time of year we all think about resolutions. I happened upon my goals for this year and accomplished more than I thought I would. But one thing I did learn was that you have to be flexible with your goals. You can plan for everything life throws at you and you have to realize that life can change your goals. Don’t be so set in your ways that you can’t change course.

This is something I’m still really working on, but I think it’s a good reminder to all of us. So enjoy the time with your family, and Happy New Year! :)

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM Part 2

So, I left you with the question, how would you answer if someone asked you if you were going to have more kids?

I never thought too much about this question. Well, that's not entirely true. When Hubby and I were first married, that question came up. I just shrugged whenever it came up. I honestly didn't know. We were married for four years almost five before Tigger came along. I'm sure there were people who "judged" us for not having kids right away, but at the same time people need to be careful about making that judgement (me included. I find myself wondering about others.). We don't know if someone can't have kids or if they're having issues or what's going on. Whenever people have kids is up to them.

Anyway, after Tigger came along I didn't think too much about "the question." I thought we were done. When the question came, I adamantly said we were done. Then the more I saw Tigger and his personality I realized he needed a sibling. I swallowed those words and Lion came along. Obviously, things didn't go as planned. That's when "the question" became very sensitive.

Now, you need to know that I know every time someone asked me that question I knew it was with the best of intentions. That didn't change how it hurt just a little bit though. I know some women who have been in similar situations who have been counseled to get pregnant again right away. I know women who have gotten pregnant right away. I have heard women say that if something like that every happened they would get pregnant right away. I respect each persons decision with all my heart, but that was not me in any way shape or form. I couldn't even think about another child. It felt almost like I was denying the fact that Lion was with us.

In fact, there was one week when I had five different people ask me if we were going to have more kids. I hadn't even put all of Lion's things away yet. It had only been about a month or two. I answered very nicely, but the grass hadn't even grown over my son's grave and I'm supposed to think about another child? I struggled with that.

Needless to say, I've had a harder time with "the question" this last year. Even though we were told that having a trisomy 13 baby is an anomaly. They don't know why it happens and the chance of having another trisomy baby is like being hit by lightening twice. We were told that everybody who has a baby has a 3% risk of having a birth defect. Now, we have and added percent to that. Then as I get older that percentage gets higher. (Our real risk is of having a trisomy 21 baby, also known as Downs.) So number wise, the risk doesn't seem high. But . . . there's still that chance, slight as it might be, that we could have this experience again.

Now, with that knowledge, when someone asks me that question I kind of give them a shorter version of that with my standard, "I don't know" answer and leave it with, "It's the burden of the risk" right now. We know what are risks are and basically do we want to take a chance with it again.

Please, don't take this post the wrong way. If you've happened to ask me this question, please don't take offense or feel like you need to apologize. It's not necessary. It's one of those things and everyone looks at things differently. Just know that it can be a very sensitive subject to people. As curious as I've been with some of my friends (because I know they'll make great parents and such cute kids!), I will not ask them because I know what happens in my mind when I get asked "the question."

So, this holiday season, enjoy your loved ones. Remember that Christ is the reason we celebrate this holiday. Know that you are loved, you are special, and this is a wonderful time of year. :) Merry Christmas!

Confessions Of A Mom

It's amazing how fast time goes. Here it is, late Friday night and it just dawns on me that it's Friday. Too much going on. You know what I'm talking about . . . Trying to keep up with the house as well as get ready for Christmas and everything the season entails. Needless to say, I'm not going to have my post completely ready until Saturday. But I'll leave you with this, how would you respond if someone ask you if you were going to have more kids?

THE OFFERING by Kimberly Derting--book blast

The Offering by Kimberly Derting True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy. Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks. When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom. But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.


Praise for The Offering "This was a truly epic ending to the series." --Crystal Perkins, Goodreads Review "The final book in Kimberly Derting’s Pledge trilogy is a thrilling conclusion. I was immediately swept up into it and powered right through. It was pretty much what I wanted with a few surprises along the way." --Krys at Bibliopunkk Reads

Author Kimberly Derting Kimberly Derting is the author of the BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE trilogy, and THE TAKING (coming April 2014 from HarperTeen). She lives in the Seattle area, with her husband and three children, who often find the outrageous things they say either in the pages of her books or posted on Twitter or Facebook for the entire world to see.  


   

 

Tour Schedule

BookBlast $50 Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/18/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

KIRBY PUCKERNUT AND THE CHRISTMAS SURPRISE--2 Giveaways/Blog Tour

Kirby Puckernut and the Christmas Surprise Kirby Puckernut is Santa’s cleverest little elf. While dreaming up marvelous toys for good girls and boys, Kirby has his best idea yet – a real elf in every home, all through the holidays, spreading Christmas Magic Santa finds the perfect family and allows Kirby to serve as the test elf for the first momentous visit. Fun and adventure are at every turn, but not everything goes as planned… Will Kirby’s idea be a success. 

  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Peek Inside

Book Trailer

 

About the Author Author Alicia Richardson has created a new Christmas classic with her children’s book, Kirby Puckernut and the Christmas Surprise. Alicia Richardson resides in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and four children. She has always had a flair for storytelling, and has given life to a special little elf named Kirby Puckernut.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

  Giveaway#1

5 winners will each recieve a copy of Kirby Puckernut and the Christmas Suprise + Kirby Elf Open to US Only Ends 12/31/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #2 

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/31/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

IN WISDOM & ORDER by Boyd K Packer--Book Review

IN WISDOM & ORDER by Boyd K Packer. What I find so interesting about these books is that nothing in them is new. We've heard all of these principles before, yet they are presented in a different way and I'm continually learning from them. I love how straight forward and to the point President Packer is. This book has made me see things in a different light. Of course I am in a different place in life and that always helps. I would recommend this book to any and everyone.

:) :) :) :) :)

The timeless counsel King Benjamin lovingly presented to his people includes this simple and thoughtful caution: "See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order" (Mosiah 4:27).

In this new collection of addresses, President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reiterates an ancient prophet's call to do all things "in wisdom and order."

These twenty-eight chapters—selected from President Packer's conference addresses, mission presidents' seminars, and other speeches given over the past five decades—will instruct and inspire parents, youth, teachers, priesthood leaders, indeed, anyone who desires to learn at the feet of an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this book you will find classic discussions on—

• Faith, "the kind of faith that causes things to happen, the kind of faith that moves people and sometimes moves things."
• Self-reliance, with a reminder that "you have great and powerful resources at hand. You, through prayer, can solve your problems without endlessly going to those who are trying so hard to help others."
• Temple covenants, which "become our credentials for admission into His presence. To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality."
• And much, much more.

As you read the words of this faithful disciple-leader, you will recognize anew that the Savior's hand is ever present in our lives and that the gospel plan is one of great "wisdom and order," designed to return us to our heavenly home clothed in glory and righteousness.

*Cover and blurb taken from deseretbook.com. A review copy was provided by the publisher. It didn't effect my review.

THE KEEPER'S DEFIANCE by Kelly Nelson--Giveaway

Welcome to the blog tour for Kelly Nelson's third book in The Keeper's Saga. Read more about The Keeper's Defiance below and enter to win a signed copy!

The scream of a dragon woke me. Wide-eyed, I scrambled to my knees, searching for a place to hide. Then it dawned on me--within the clutches of the enemy, I was perfectly safe from the dragons.--Chase Harper.

When Chase found the gold counter buried in a cave, he went back in time, setting in motion events that would change the course of his life and forever alter the destiny of the new world. After he and a small group of soldiers rescue his girlfriend Ellie from the Shuylians, they are overtaken during their race for the Algonian border. Chase falls into enemy hands, leaving Ellie to fend for herself. As time passes, he is believed dead--forever lost. So when Davy, Perception's Keeper, is charged with seeing to Ellie's safety, will his persuasions turn her heart away from Chase?

The Keeper's Defiance on:

Amazon

Goodreads

Facebook

Kelly Nelson was raised in Utah and now resides in the heart of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She enjoys life on a ten-acre horse property with her husband, four children, and of course lots of horses. Kelly has a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and worked as a CPA for several years before opting to stay home and raise a family. As a young girl she was an avid reader and had a passion for creative writing. Her travels to England, France, Egypt, Israel, West Indies, Mexico and across the United States sparked a love of history, adventure and exotic places. This led to the inspiration behind her debut novel, The Keeper's Calling, Book 1 in The Keeper's Saga.

                              

 The Keeper's Calling (book #1) $2.99 on Amazon     The Keeper's Quest (book #2)

Kelly's Website

Kelly on Twitter

Kelly on Goodreads

Kelly's Amazon Page

The Keeper's Saga Facebook Page

Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below for a chance to win a signed copy of The Keeper's Defiance! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the other blog tour stops:

Monday - Britney Gulbrandsen's Blog and Bonnie Harris' Blog
Tuesday - Laura Johnston's Blog
Wednesday - Kylee Shield's Blog
Thursday - Rebecca Lamoreaux's Blog and Cami Checketts' Blog
Friday - Donna K. Weaver's Blog

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

Anyone ever feel like they just want the holidays done and over with? Then at the same time they wish they could slow down and enjoy them? That’s about where we are this week. Things keep happening and there isn’t down time. You’d think I’d be use to it by now, but I’m not. :) I’m sure I’m the only one that feels that way. Ha, ha. :)

I’ve had many people comment on my ability to “handle things so well.” I find that phrase interesting for some reason. “It has to be harder than you make it look,” is the other thing people have said. The answer is, “Yes, it is hard. And I’m handling things different than maybe others would.”

Everyone grieves differently. For example, I’ve told Hubby I don’t think I’ve ever seen him really cry this past year. He has teared up, but I’m not sure I’ve seen him cry. I’ve come to understand that crying isn’t the way he handles things. He’s a research kind of guy. When something happens, he learns everything there is to learn about it, from the prophets, from the medical world, anything he can get his hands on. That’s not me. I’ve only done my own research on Trisomy 13 in the last few months.

Me, I hide emotions and I do it well. I talked to my mom about this a little while ago and she said I’ve been that way my entire life. I hide emotions, good and bad. An example that comes to mind is a particular break up I had in my dating years. He had the diamond. That’s how serious it was. It didn’t work out, and a few weeks after the breakup I saw the guy’s brother. He asked me how I was handling things so well. He said it looked like the situation hadn’t even effected me. His brother was a mess. My response was, it did effect me, I just didn’t show it in public. There’s a time and a place to show that kind of emotion and I couldn’t let it completely debilitate me.

The same goes for my current situation. Is it hard? Yes. I wouldn’t wish this kind of pain on my worst enemy. I wish no one ever had to bury a child. It’s not fun. But at the same time I can’t let that pain completely consume me. I still have a life to live and there are others, namely Hubby and Tigger, that need me to still function.

Do I have my moments? Absolutely. But they are usually when I am alone in the car or after Hubby is asleep as I cry myself to sleep or as I’m pleading with The Lord to help me carry on. And He has helped me. There’s no way I could do this without Him.

How do I hide my emotions? Why do I hide them? I’m not exactly sure. However, I have noticed that I tear up much more easily than I ever have in my life. Sometimes I wish I wore my emotions on my sleeve. Then everyone that’s new or that I meet might know exactly what we’ve been through, but at the same time I don’t want to deal with the pity that will show on their faces or the awkwardness that will follow that kind of conversation. So in a way, it’s easier to just hide my emotions.

That’s just the way I deal with things though. Everyone is different. Some need time alone, others need people, still others can, do, and should seek professional help. But you should also know that grieving is a good thing. It’s something that you should allow yourself to do.

At Lion’s funeral, a great friend and mentor to Hubby, Elder Wright spoke about mourning and grieving. Now I’m not quoting verbatim—although it was very eloquently stated that I might quote him later—but he said that mourning and grief is a form of love. It’s not selfish in nature, but rather shows that we loved and cared for the person that is no longer with us. Kind of like the true definition of loss. (I covered that here.)

It’s a natural thing and we should let ourselves and others grieve in their own ways. Just because others don’t “handle” things the way you think you would doesn’t mean they aren’t hurting. And I think you’d surprise yourself in how you handle different situations.

I’m not meaning to be a downer during this happy, joyful season. It seems that these kind of things have been thrown more in the forefront than they have in the last little while. Despite all of that though, life is good. We are ready for Christmas to come and all the joy the season brings. Merry Christmas to all! :)

SPELL FIRE by Ariella Moon--Review & Giveaway

SPELL FIRE by Ariella Moon. I enjoyed this book, although I felt like I was trying to figure out what had happened. Honestly, it didn't really catch my interest until the halfway point. From there on, I couldn't put it down. It ended well although I'm really curious what will happen next. I would recommend this book for just about anyone.

:) :) :)

New school. New friends. New reputation. High school sophomore Ainslie Avalon-Bennett works hard to hide her Crazy Girl past. But as long as her best friend's disappearance remains unsolved, she can't shake the depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder that once landed her in a mental ward.   Ainslie's tenuous control over her life shatters when her warring parents ditch her at Christmas. While they take a cruise to "work things out," Ainslie must spend the holiday in Palm Springs with her aunt and uncle, owners of a struggling Mystery School and occult store. Plunged into the world of fire fortunes, dragons, entity eaters, and an ailing spell book, Ainslie is well beyond her comfort zone. Then she meets a boy who spikes her pulse and calms her OCD. But will she lose him once he discovers her past? Or will his deadly secret, hidden in plain view, be their undoing?

Author Ariella Moon Ariella Moon writes about magic, friendship, secrets, and love in her Young Adult novels, Spell Check, Spell Struck, and Spell Fire, Books 1, 2, & 3 in The Teen Wytche Saga. Ariella spent her childhood searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia. Extreme math anxiety, and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred Ariella’s teen years. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. An author and shaman, she now lives a nearly normal life with her extraordinary daughter, shamelessly spoiled dog, and an enormous dragon.  


Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/31/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway   

Tour Schedule

*A review copy was provided, but it did not effect my review.