Eternal Starling Book Blast!

This promises to be a good one!!

A love so strong, even eternity can’t separate them. Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang.

All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men. For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soulmate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she s not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn't understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren't the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.

You can purchase Eternal Starling at the following Retailers:
    

About Angela Corbett
Website
  

As a child, Angela Corbett’s most prized possession was a set of read-along books. She used to follow along with the narrator on the stereo and dream of when she would be able to read by herself. Her childhood reading habit led her to consider her future career. However, after consulting with her parents, she realized she had already exceeded hobbit height and since fairies and dragonslayers were tricky jobs to get, she decided she wanted to create worlds of her own. She started writing poetry in elementary school and worked as a journalist in high school and college, but could never leave her love for writing fiction behind.

She is a graduate of Westminster College where she double majored in communication and sociology. She has worked as a journalist, freelance writer, and director of communications and marketing. She loves classic cars, traveling, and escaping in a good book. She lives in Utah with her incredibly supportive husband and their five-pound Pomeranian, Pippin, whose following of fangirls could rival Justin Bieber’s.

Eternal Starling is her debut novel and the first book in the Emblem of Eternity trilogy.
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NOW, get ready for a SWEET giveaway!!

7 Winners will receive an E-Book Copy of Eternal Starling.
2 Winners will receive a Signed Copy+Swag of Eternal Starling.
Must be 13+ to EnterInternational Giveaway

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Deliberate Motherhood

Deliberate Motherhood: 12 Powers of Peace, Purpose, Order, and Joy
Collaborative Effort from the blog Power of Moms
Media Links: 

http://powerofmoms.com/deliberate-motherhood/

https://www.facebook.com/powerofmoms

https://twitter.com/powerofmoms

http://pinterest.com/powerofmoms/

Goodreads Summary: 

The outstanding authors of Deliberate Motherhood have let the trials and hardships of motherhood mold them into better people. Whether the change includes learning patience when the two-year-old “paints” your walls with the black permanent marker or forgiving a teenager who screams “I hate you,” or loving more when that naughty child doesn’t really deserve it, it’s a change that refines us—or as the dictionary describes it, “removes impurities, makes something more effective or become more elegant.” That is powerful!

You may think that everything has been said about motherhood, but the delightful thing about Deliberate Motherhood is that every mother/author is one-of-a-kind. They each come from different backgrounds, have different parents, are married (or not) to different people, and certainly have “different” children.

I recieved a copy of this book from PowerofMoms.com in exchange for my honest review. Buy it in paperback from Amazon for $10.77 today!  (9/22/13)

My Thoughts:
I admit, I was nervous to start reading this book. I was completely expecting Chicken Soup for the Soul-esque book for moms, and while this book does contain this vibe, it is so much more than that.

Each chapter in the book focuses on a different 'power' of motherhood, which Power of Moms believes are fundamental to happy motherhood. Each power, than, is written by a different mother. So essentially we are reading 12 different insider perspectives on the secrets of successful mothering. It isn't a how-to-book, but rather meaningful looks at how to be a deliberate mother. Co-directors April Perry and Saren Eyre Loosli describe deliberate motherhood in the introduction as

...you really think about what you do as a mom. You really care about your family and want the best for them. Plus you want to learn and grow and develop yourself as a person through the experience of motherhood. You live life purposefully. You embrace what you uniquely bring to your family.

That hooked me! But if that hadn't the first chapter, "The Power of Acceptance: Bend With It", had me hook, line and sinker. If there was ever anything in life that was preventing me from being a good mom, it would probably be myself. Learning to accept that motherhood is hard, and moving forwards. Blogger Allyson Reynolds says it perfectly:

...motherhood demands a lot from us. That truth isn't going to change anytime soon, so we may as well own it. Acceptance is the point at which motherhood becomes easier--accepting that it isn't getting any easier.

After reading her encouraging words, at the end of the chapter I found a section of insight and input from several other mothers on the topic as well. In each chapter, these beautiful words from other mothers are either integrated into the chapter itself or included at the end. This adds such an underlying depth to the topics. It is not just one mom who thinks acceptance, etc, is important: it is a whole host of moms! It made me sit up and pay attention more.

Using blogging moms to write this book was a fantastic idea. These blogging powerhouses already know how to write! The words were uplifting and encouraging and not made to bring the reader down. Because the women are familiar with how to engage the reader on their blogs, each chapter was easily relatable and felt very comfortable. Lengthier than a blog post, each chapter was still clear and concise.

The majority of mothers who contributed had at least four children, in fact all but two of the moms had four plus children at the time of publication! Uff-da! That is a lot of kids! I trust these women to know what they are talking about just looking at that statistic. But it also makes this book easier to read. Each chapter is broken up beautifully into different sections or different blurbs from other moms. And because each chapter is about a different power, this book is perfect for the busy mom who needs to pick up, put down, put off, and pick it up again.

Being a practical gal, I would have loved a lot more practical tips or ideas on how to work on a particular power. Stories are great and motivating, but I just need the next steps. I think perhaps because of this lack of practicalness, it did sometimes take on a feeling of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Not a horrible thing by any means, but perhaps not what I was looking for. Still, I give this book a solid 4 Stars and encourage all you lovely mothers who want to be an active participant in their own journey of mothering to pick this book ASAP.

Special Giveaway:

For anyone who purchases the book in September and sends their receipt (or an email acknowledging purchase) todm@powerofmoms.com, they’ll receive complimentary access to the Deliberate Mothering Podcast series (valued at $20). Also, on October 4^th, 10 Grand Prize Winners will be selected to receive the Power of Moms Premium Package (valued at $224)! See the POM Store for all the fabulous programs in the Premium Package: http://powerofmoms.com/store/?tag=thpoofmo0fb-20. For all the information on this special giveaway, visit http://powerofmoms.com/deliberate-motherhood/.

A Home for My Heart Review

A Home for My Heart by Anne Mateer
View Author's website HERE
Goodreads Summary: 

Sadie Sillsby works as the assistant to the matron at the Raystown Home for Orphan and Friendless Children and dreams of the day she’ll marry her beau, Blaine. But when the matron surprises everyone by announcing her own engagement, Sadie is suddenly next in line for the job. For a young woman who was once an orphan herself, a shot at such an esteemed position is a wish come true.
But the matron of the Home cannot be married. Is Sadie willing to give up her dreams of a life with Blaine and a family of her own? Is she prepared to forego daily involvement with the children as she manages the finances and logistics of the ministry? And when it’s revealed that the Home is spending a lot more money than it’s taking in, can Sadie turn things around before the place is forced to close forever?

 I recieved this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The Kindle edition is being offered for $10.09 (9/17/13).

My Thoughts:
 I am excited to share with you a new work from Anne Mateer: A Home for My Heart. I stumbled across At Every Turn and really enjoyed its originality and MC Alyce. I jumped at the chance to review this one for Mateer's launch.

A Home for My Heart is labeled as historical Christian romance, but I didn't experience as much romance as one might expect from that genre. Sadie, our MC, is with Blaine from page one, a misunderstanding breaks them up, we then spend the rest of the novel wondering if they will get back together, or if slick newcomer Earl will take Blaine's place in Sadie's heart.

The characters are well written and interesting, but not memorable. I feel that Mateer focuses all her time on Sadie and we never truly get to know the host of other characters. Not well enough to root for. However, secondary character Miranda, Sadie's assistant, intrigued me. I wanted to know more about her backstory and to throttle Sadie for being so obtuse!

Most exciting for me was the plot. Because of some of the actions of the characters (intentionally vague here to avoid any spoilers..), the reader begins to think perhaps they are linked and XYZ will happen. I was pleasantly surprised it turned out otherwise. Because Mateer didn't go down the 'obvious' plot path, I felt it was much more original than other historical/Christian romances (HCR).

I really enjoyed the foster home setting and Sadie's position as Matron. It would be really exciting if Mateer stayed on this path, perhaps continuing the story through Miranda's eyes next time. Maybe I am in the mood for a family series, and maybe its because I enjoy Mateer's writing style, but I would really love it if she wrote a connected series.

Mateer is still a new-er author (this is her third novel), but I'm already excited for her next work! Add this one to your Goodreads TBR pile right now! Also, I highly recommend At Every Turn as well. The scores tallied for a solid 3.5 stars, but it would still be the book I run to in the HCR genre!

My Life Next Door Review

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Visit the author's website.
Goodreads Excerpt:

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

I bought this book from Barnes and Noble. Check it out on Amazon in paperback for $8.48 or ebook for $7.99 (9/13/13).

My Thoughts:
If you haven't read this one yet, PLEASE do it now! Make it your last summer read before delving into fall reads.

The pacing of this book is sluggish. Perhaps it is not a thrilling adventure or wild, steamy romance but this story is mad on it's characters.

Let's introduce Sam, our MC. Sam has grown up under a controlling, single mother and her rebellious, sexually active older sister. She, on the other hand, has no backbone and no direction of her own. Her fave way to relax and escape her mother's pressure is to watch the lives of her next door neighbor's unfold.

The Garretts are loud, noisy, and completely unruly. They are the complete opposite of everything Sam's mother strives for. Thus, Sam is forbidden to talk or interact with them.

Next let's take a long, long look at Jace Garrett........yup. Jace is handsome, young, and sensitive. He has dreams and ambitions to rise above his current lot in life. Sadly, I am not sure how completely realistic Jace is.  The thing I love about him the most was that he stuck with Sam through completely difficult Things, and never once questioned it. Super hot and awesome, but I don't know any guys inRL who would do that. Still, you will drool over him. Damp book pages.

Lastly, I will mention Georgie, Jace's younger brother. Maybe summed up in this quote from the book:

“Is Jase already gonna marry you?”

I start coughing again. “Uh, No. No, George. I’m only seventeen.” As if that’s the only reason we’re not engaged.

“I’m this many.” George holds up four, slightly grubby fingers. “But Jase is seventeen and a half. You could. Then you could live in here with him. And have a big family.”

Jase strides back into the room, of course, midway through this proposition. “George. Beat it. Discovery Channel is on.”

George backs out of the room but not before saying, “His bed’s really comfortable. And he never pees in it.” 

George is the comic relief and the glue that makes you truly fall for the Garretts.

But there is a host of loveable characters: Tim, struggling with addiction, his sister Nan who has her own problems, slippery Clay, and the loving, caring Mrs. Garrett.

Also, make sure you have your tissue box, in case of FEELS!!

I rated this book as 4.5 Stars. I recommend My Life Next Door as last summer read and to book lovers who adore great characters in a contemporary read.

Fall Reading Bucket List

Here we are again, lovely friends! Today I am talking about my fall reading bucket list. I can't promise I will get any or all of these read, but I really hope to challenge myself. I am listing books that I would read for fun and not exactly for review. 

1. Either Rebecca or Little Women

  

2.Something Geeky. This'll do:

3. Something for adults...

4.Something indie and sci-fi...

5.Something real..

6. A second in a trilogy..

7. An element of fantasy..

8. Some Non-Fic..

9. Something I am scared will disappoint me...

10. Something we are all dying to read...

Whew! A little scared to get this written down, more serious this way. And now that all you wonderful people have read it, I hope you keep be accountable. If, when, I read these books, I will check them off right here!!

Can't wait to read your fall reading lists!! Make sure to link up with TTT this week :))