#bookadayaz #bookspotlights

I was asked to do a spotlight on this anthology, just in time for Halloween. If you love to be a little on the scared side, this one's for you. Be sure to take a look at what other people think with the links below!

Did you know that around eleven percent of the U.S. population is afraid of the dark? That’s according to clinical psychological John Mayer, Ph.D, author of Family Fit: Find Your Balance in Life, fear of the dark is “very common” among adults. 

If you’ve somehow managed not to fear that dark unknown, then perhaps after reading the Collective Darkness anthology, you’ll start to fear it again. 

Collective Darkness has twelve Utah authors, detailing how darkness scares them. Some authors are influenced by H.P. Lovecraft, while others Stephen King. These stories will make you wish you hadn’t turned off the lights while you slept, but don’t worry, if you need to crawl under the covers, we won’t blame you. Everyone gets a little jumpy sometimes. 

And now for a limited time, for everyone who likes or subscribes on our social media channel will receive a FREE companion copy to Collective Darkness called Little Darkness with some of the same writers from Collective Darkness!

Not only that, if you share this post, tag two of your friends, and tag Collective Darkness, you’ll be thrown in a raffle for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/524521748478980/

Or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collectivedarkness/

Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/CollectiveDark1

Follow the tour! 

September 5 - https://www.ericarobynreads.com/review-archive/

September 7 - http://mybookaday.com/2020/09/collective-darkness-spotlight/  

  

September 8  - https://feedreader.com/observe/bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com

September 9 - http://communitybookstop.blogspot.com/

September 10 -  https://www.wishfulendings.com/

September 11 - https://lindasbookbag.com/

September 14 - https://biblioleviosa.home.blog/

September 15 - https://www.editingmee.com/blog

September 16 - https://linktr.ee/crossroadreview

September 17 - http://taffyscandy.blogspot.com/

September 18 -  http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/

September 19 -  https://utahgrafffamily.blogspot.com/

#bookadayaz

 So I'm learning in this new adventure and will continue to try to figure out what works best. Getting on my blog every day was harder than I thought with my littles pulling me away, thinking I'm playing on my phone/computer and wanting to play too, and me falling asleep when I sit down. So, I will try every few days to post more about the books I post on Instagram. If you have any suggestions, let me know!

This book was written by a really good friend of mine who is Christlike inside and out. I can't wait to read this one.

No books, blogs, or studies can prepare you for the complexities of womanhood. The joys and challenges that come with being a woman can often feel like a roller coaster of highs and lows, especially when sweet moments are tempered by feelings of inadequacy. If your journey through life too often feels like an unforgiving magnification of your weaknesses and shortcomings or you find yourself feeling alone, it is time to turn to the healing balm of the Savior's love.

In this mix of memoir, insights, and inspiration, Leaning on Jesus takes readers through the ups and downs of womanhood, gives practical tools for a better life, and highlights the importance of cultivating a relationship with the Savior to find power, purpose, and peace. You'll laugh and cry in equal measure as author Michelle Wilson describes her own experiences, delving into the common fears women of all ages and stages face and exploring each topic from motherhood to menopause with humor and heart. Find strength in this sweet reminder of your invaluable role as a woman, and catch a glimpse of your true magnificence in the Lord's eyes.

My kids love this book. They love the interaction and it's just an adorable picture book. If you haven't read it, take the time. You'll be hooked on Tom Fletcher.

OH LOOK! The cutest baby dragon has hatched inside your book! Get ready for another lively, interactive read-aloud in the There's a... In Your Book series! Now available in a sturdy board book edition!

First, you'll see there's an egg in your book. Then, a darling little dragon hatches from it! But whatever you do, don't tickle its nose, because you don't want it to sneeze. ACHOO! UH-OH!

Very sweet, very uplighting, very cute read. It makes your heart feel good that there are good people out there. Highly recommend this one.

Captain Robert Wilkins has never aspired to grandeur. So when the returned war hero unexpectedly inherits the vast estate of Cattersley from his great-aunt, he feels woefully inadequate in his new role. Out of place in his lavish surroundings, his first glimmer of hope comes when he happens upon a lovely trespasser in his gardens.

Words have never come easily for Abigail Rutherford, and she prefers the solitude of exploring the gardens at the neighboring country estate to engaging in uncomfortable conversation. But when she unexpectedly encounters Captain Robert Wilkins in her place of solace, she is surprised at the immediate ease she feels in his presence. Soon her brightest moments are those spent with the captain. But even as their friendship grows into something more, outside forces have other plans for the two. Mr. Mead, the handsome vicar, has also taken a liking to the quiet and timid Abigail and he will stop at nothing to ensure she becomes his wife.

#bookadayaz #neverforget

 

Never Forget

When Captain Jay Jonas of the Fire Department of New York hears an emergency radio message about the World Trade Center, he has no idea of the terrible conditions he and his team will face. Arriving at the burning building, the firefighters must summon all their courage. On the same morning, just outside Washington, D.C., a jetliner piloted by terrorists slams into the Pentagon. Can Colonel Philip McNair save lives inside the flaming building?

From the World Trade Center and the Pentagon to a hijacked plane above Pennsylvania, these ten stories of true American heroes on the day that changed America -- September 11, 2001.

#bookadayaz

 

I learned more from this book than I have in a really long time. It's fascinating to learn about money and how to use it in a different way. Highly recommend it.

Many of our global economic problems started in 1971...when President Richard Nixon took the U.S. off the gold standard. Throughout history, when a government went off the gold standard, an age of turbulence began.

In 1997, Robert's book Rich Dad Poor Dad stunned readers stating, "Your house is not an asset." As howls of protest went up around the world, the book went on to become an international bestseller and the #1 personal finance book of all time.

Rich Dad Poor Dad is not a book on real estate. It is a book about the importance of financial education. Rich Dad Poor Dad was written to prepare you and your loved ones for the financial turbulence Robert's rich dad saw coming.

In 2007, as homes declined in value or were lost to foreclosure, millions of homeowners painfully discovered the wisdom of words of Robert's rich dad. Today we are all aware that a home can be a liability. Today we know a home can go up or down in value. Today, we all know a person can lose money investing in the stock market. Today we all know our money can go down in value and that even savers can be losers.

This is why financial intelligence is more important today than ever before. In a world of financial turbulence, your best asset is financial IQ.

#bookadayaz

 

This was a fun read, but it began to feel like I had already read something similar to it. It's a clean read with adventure, mystery, and romance. 

Andalin is accustomed to her father's frequent travels—and to being left behind. So when he returns home and instructs her to pack her belongings, she is bewildered—but there is no time for questions as she is whisked away on a mysterious journey under the cover of night. When their tense flight leads them into the forbidding Black Forest, the pair quickly finds themselves in great peril. With little hope of escape, father and daughter are spared when rescue appears in the form of the mysterious Dark Rider, a notorious deadly highwayman feared by all he meets. But his assistance does not come without a price: he is taking Andalin with him. Now her fate rests in the hands of the enigmatic masked man whose secrets are inescapably tied to the beautiful young woman now in his charge.

#bookadayaz

 

This was a fascinating read. The inclusion of Norse mythology was fun, since I don't know much about it. I loved the characters, but there were some small scenes that I didn't think were necessary. They took away from the story rather than added to it. There were some description of some sexual things that I thought were inappropriate, especially for a book that won a Whitney Award. 

Bayr of Saylok, bastard son of a powerful and jealous chieftain, is haunted by the curse once leveled by his dying mother. Bartered, abandoned, and rarely loved, she plagued the land with her words: From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok.

Raised among the Keepers at Temple Hill, Bayr is gifted with inhuman strength. But he’s also blessed with an all-too-human heart that beats with one purpose: to protect Alba, the first girl child born in nearly two decades and the salvation for a country at risk.

Now the fate of Saylok lies with Alba and Bayr, whose bond grows deeper with every whisper of coming chaos. Charged with battling the enemies of their people, both within and without, Bayr is fueled further by the love of a girl who has defied the scourge of Saylok.

What Bayr and Alba don’t know is that they each threaten the king, a greedy man who built his throne on lies, murder, and betrayal. There is only one way to defend their land from the corruption that has overtaken it. By breaking the curse, they could defeat the king…but they could also destroy themselves.

#bookadayaz

 

So cute! My kids thought it was hilarious. My two-year-old wants me to keep reading it. What a wonderful, funny way to start out the school year. #

It's the first day of school for Penelope Rex, and she can't wait to meet her classmates. But it's hard to make human friends when they're so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all. . . .

#bookadayaz

 

This was a great spiritual read. Nothing earth shattering but many good reminders of things to keep us closer to God and bring us peace.

Making covenants with God calls forth the divine within us. Keeping our covenants with God allows Him to pour His divine power into us.” — Wendy Watson Nelson

In Covenant Keepers, Wendy Watson Nelson uses the scriptures, and examples of those who have taken the Lord at His word and put His doctrine to the test, to offer us invigorating insights into the baptismal, sacramental, and temple covenants.

As you read this insightful book, you’ll learn . . .

• Why your covenants help make meaning out of the anguishing experiences of your mortal life
• Why your covenants can help relieve the loneliness, boredom, and despair you may feel from time to time
• Why, as a covenant keeper, you have the right to ask for angels to be dispatched to help you and your loved ones
• About the 21-day challenge that changed stressed-out, young mothers lives for the better

“There has never been a more important time to understand the power to which we have access because of our covenants than right now!” - Wendy Watson Nelson

#bookadayaz

 

My son asked me to read this after he checked it out from the library. It had a surprisingly good storyline which left you on a bit of a cliffhanger, almost literally. It's a very fast read, even for younger readers but fun. I look forward to reading this story with or after my son does.

Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi creates a world of terrible, man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a talking fox, a giant robot---and two ordinary children on a mission.

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.
Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.

#bookadayaz

 

This was a really fun read. Not only did I learn more about formula 1 race cars and racing, but it takes you into the world of design as well. It's clean. It has some romance, some suspense, and action. I enjoyed it.

For up-and-coming Formula One engineer Jack Pressley-Coombes, there is nothing better than the smell of rubber and the roar of a race car engine. When he witnesses a crash at the first international Grand Prix of the season, Jack makes a shocking discovery: his design is on a competitor’s car.

To keep Davis Racing Ltd., his British Formula One employer, from closing its doors, Jack goes undercover for MI6 to ferret out the company saboteur. When the investigation interferes with his and Gillian Buchanan’s blossoming romance, Jack can’t extricate himself from the web of deceit. But he’s not the only one with something to hide; Gillian also carries secrets. With time running out, the evil that walks the corporate halls of Davis Racing turns in Jack’s direction and threatens all that he holds dear.

MIRACLE CREEK CHRISTMAS by Krista Jensen

MIRACLE CREEK CHRISTMAS by Krista Jensen. What a great way to start out the Christmas season. I loved Mark and Riley. I loved how we see the side of those heroes who not only live, but are wounded. It is not a side that is written about very often, and it was refreshing to have it shown so well in Miracle Creek. Everyone has some type of scars, whether on the inside or the outside. This is a wonderful story of healing, persistence, love, and changing our view point. I would highly recommend it to everyone.

:) :) :) :) :)

Riley Madigan escapes to the sleepy mountain town of Miracle Creek after her relationship with an A-list actor ends badly. At least for a time, she hopes her new job as a high school art teacher will bring her the peace and quiet she is looking for. The last thing on her mind is love.

Mark Rivers was a firefighter until he got trapped in a wildfire and suffered third-degree burns on his face and body. After a year of recovering, Mark is trying to piece his life back together but struggles both emotionally and psychologically. He's been a recluse until he forces himself to attend his niece's school play and sees Riley, the school's art teacher. Immediately, Mark feels a connection to her. Maybe it's the kind way she greets his niece or the way the art she created for the school play is reminiscent of his late mom's artwork. Either way, Mark feels driven to get to know her, but first he'll need to build up the courage to talk to her.

When Mark asks Riley to work on a special nativity, he finds himself falling for her, particularly because Riley doesn't seem bothered by his scars. Is her affection for him real or is she simply overcompensating, pretending he's not different. One thing's for certain, in a small town that views Mark as a fragile hero, it's hard to pursue a relationship without everyone in his business. And although Riley has sincere feelings for Mark, is she really ready to risk her heart?

Broken hearts and lives are mended as the town of Miracle Creek comes together to celebrate a Christmas to remember.

#bookadayaz

 

I thought the storyline of this book was really cute. It shows how focused we can be on our phones. It shows how self-esteem can be driven by that. The plot twists were cleverly done. What I was disappointed about was the language. It didn't begin that way, but about a quarter of the way in, curse words appeared. Nothing  past what you hear on the street, but I was saddened by the use of those words, especially since this book won a Whitney Award this year. It was my understanding that the books which won that award were clean. I consider clean not only to be content, but language as well.

Mommy blogs are great . . . unless the blog happens to belong to your mom.

Twin sisters Claire & Poppy are accidental social media stars thanks to Mom going viral when they were babies. Now, as teens, they're expected to contribute by building their own brand. Attending a NY fashion week and receiving fan mail is a blast. Fending off internet trolls and would-be kidnappers? Not so much. Poppy embraces it. Claire hates it. Will anybody accept her as "just Claire"? And what should Claire do about Mom's old journals? The handwritten entries definitely don't sound like Mom's perfect blog persona. Worse, one of them divulges a secret that leaves Claire wondering what else in her life might be nothing but a sham . . .

#bookadayaz

 

So I've been wanting to do something different with the books I post. I'm not the cutesy person that creates beautiful scenes with books. It's not me. My stack of books doesn't seem to work on my end, so I'm attempting a "book a day" type thing with my info on the book here. All the books will be ones I've read or on my TBR pile or books my kids love. So wish me luck! If you have suggestions, let me know. 😊