Blog Tour: Lisa Loeb's Songs for Movin' and Shakin'

The air band song
 and other 
toe-tapping tunes

This spectacularly fun songbook will get kids off the sofa—guaranteed!

Singer Lisa Loeb will have kids movin' and groovin' with her sparkling second collection of songs and activities—plus a CD with five all-time children's favorites and another five original tunes. It's sure to stir up some fun, as budding musicians discover the joys of playing in an air band (“Turn it Down”); see how to face down scary creatures (“Monster Stomp”); and practice relaxing yoga poses (“Hello, Today”). Ryan O'Rourke's whimsical illustrations light up Lisa's lyrics—and will delight young readers, movers, and shakers.

Songs include:
Turn it Down (The Air Band Song)* •  Father Abraham  •  Miss Mary Mack • Monster Stomp*  • Going Away* •  Do Your Ears Hang Low? •  Everybody Wake Up* • Hello, Today* •  Peanut Butter and Jelly  •  Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.
(*original song)

(Goodreads.com)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Review

This book and CD have plenty of "toe-tapping tunes", some I was familiar with and some were new to me. All of them get you moving! The book has the lyrics and whimsical, colorful illustrations to go with each song. They can be enjoyed together or apart. My five year-old granddaughter recognized some songs from preschool and sang along. My one year-old grandson loved to dance to all of them and their little cousins joined in too! 

Doesn't it look like fun? This is enjoyable for all ages and will get everyone moving! We look forward to reading and dancing to these for years to come. We'll also be looking for more from this artist. Join the party and get this set for your family!

Excerpt - Monster Stomp

Lisa Loeb

Author

Illustrator

Publisher

Purchase from Barnes & Noble

Release date: 4/2/13

Publisher: Sterling Children's Books

Pages: 24 (hardcover)

Type: Children (ages 4-7)

Mailbox Monday (late)

Mailbox Monday (started at The Printed Page and now a traveling meme) is at chaotic compendiums this month and is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here I go complaining again but I can't get rid of this damn snowy mailbox. It's snowing right now! It sure is great reading weather though. 

Last week was all about children's books and we are loving them already. There's nothing better than snuggling with the little ones and enjoying a story or two - or three! I hope you have some great reads and warm weather at your house!

*(I was having internet issues yesterday and couldn't post this so I'm doing it today.)

Lisa Loeb's Songs for Movin' & Shakin' by Lisa Loeb
For review and tour from Sterling Publishing

The Big Bad Wolf Goes on Vacation by Delphine Perret
For review from Sterling Publishing

Nighty-Night, Sleep Tight by Jennifer Berne
For review from Sterling Publishing

Itch by Simon Mayo
For review from Sterling Publishing (arc)

Twerp by Mark Goldblatt
For review from NetGalley (ebook)

Blog Tour - Horten's Incredible Illusions

Sterling Publishing is doing a blog tour of Lissa Evans second book in her Stuart Horten series. I was thrilled to participate since I loved these books!

My review Horten's Incredible Illusions (book #2)
My review Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms (book #1)




The characters are so much fun! Horten is a ten year-old boy who moves to a new town. He discovers his next door neighbors are ten year-old triplets who are junior reporters for their own newspaper and appear very odd. Before long, April becomes a good friend and a loyal and valuable sidekick. Her sister also become assets in Horten's adventures to discover the secrets of his great uncle's (Teeny Tiny Tony Horten) illusions.

Triplets -

Blog Tour: White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner

Summary

When her black sheep brother disappears, Amanda Janvier eagerly takes in her sixteen year-old niece Tally. The girl is practically an orphan: motherless, and living with a father who raises Tally wherever he lands– in a Buick, a pizza joint, a horse farm–and regularly takes off on wild schemes. Amanda envisions that she, her husband Neil, and their two teenagers can offer the girl stability and a shot at a “normal” life, even though their own storybook lives are about to crumble.
Seventeen-year-old Chase Janvier hasn’t seen his cousin in years, and other than a vague curiosity about her strange life, he doesn’t expect her arrival will affect him much–or interfere with his growing, disturbing interest in a long-ago house fire that plagues his dreams unbeknownst to anyone else.
Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won’t make them go away.
Will Tally’s presence blow apart their carefully-constructed world, knocking down the illusion of the white picket fence and reveal a hidden past that could destroy them all–or can she help them find the truth without losing each other?

My Thoughts

The first thing I noticed about this book was the cover with it’s seemingly idyllic picket fence that has a bit of peeling paint and a spider’s web. It’s not so perfect after all. And that’s how the author intended it. The Janviers appear to have the idyllic life with their beautiful home, wonderful children and great jobs but that proverbial white picket fence that surrounds it all and protects them also hides their secrets.

I was intrigued by this family right away. When their niece comes into their home it unintentionally upsets the delicate balance that they have maintained. There are several subplots that develop throughout the book as the different characters are introduced and their stories are told. Secrets and memories that have been dormant are brought to the surface and must now be dealt with. The individual stories eventually weave together and characters work to heal old wounds and make better choices. I enjoyed this story and think every reader can find something or someone to identify with. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

About the Author

(excerpts from her blog) I was born and raised in San Diego, California, and am the second of three daughters. I didn't do a lot of writing in the years my husband was on active duty in the Air Force, when we were living overseas, or when we were raising our four children. When we moved to rural Minnesota in 1993 after seven years in the Air Force — five of them spent in Europe — I became aware of a gnawing desire to write a novel.

In 1995, I was offered a job as a part-time reporter for my county newspaper. In 1998, I was named editor of the Mountain Lake/Butterfield Observer Advocate. I was honored to win several awards over the years, but the best part of my four years as editor was having my paper named the Best Weekly Newspaper in Minnesota by the Minnesota Newspaper Association in 2002.

My beloved paternal grandfather died in July 2002 — my Papa — and his passing had a profound effect on me. I suddenly had an incredible urge to write a book; a novel. I knew I didn't want to come to the end of my life having only dreamed of writing one. I resigned as editor of the newspaper, which was a very hard decision to make, and set out to write Why the Sky is Blue. It took four months to write and ten months to be accepted by a publisher and I’ve been writing novels ever since. My favorite genre is contemporary fiction with a historical thread running through it.

Currently, my husband is an associate pastor at a church in San Diego, and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves. When I'm not working on a new novel, I am directing the small groups ministries at The Church at Rancho Bernardo. I also enjoy teaching workshops on writing and dream-following, as well as spending time with my family, listening to or making music, reading great books, and traveling.

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for a review copy of this book.

Author’s website

How to purchase

Blog Tour: What Matters Most by Melody Carlson

Summary
Maya’s Green Tip for the Day: Recycled fashion is one of the most fun ways to go green. A pair of jeans could be transformed into a denim skirt. A sweater into a vest. A bunch of old ties into a dress. A blanket into a poncho. Accessorize it in new way–with beads, buttons, appliqués, buckles, stencils, or ribbons…your imagination is only the limit. (65 words)

Sixteen-year-old Maya Stark has a lot to sort through. She could graduate from high school early if she wants to. She’s considering it, especially when popular cheerleader Vanessa Hartman decides to make her life miserable–and Maya’s ex-boyfriend Dominic gets the wrong idea about everything. To complicate matters even more, Maya’s mother will be released from prison soon, and she’ll want Maya to live with her again. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. And when Maya plays her dad’s old acoustic guitar in front of an audience, she discovers talents and opportunities she never expected. Faced with new options, Maya must choose between a “normal” life and a glamorous one. Ultimately, she has to figure out what matters most.

My Thoughts
This was the last book in a series. While I did enjoy it I probably would have gotten more out of it if I had read the other books first. Maya is an interesting and sometimes complex character, especially for a teenager. She has to deal with typical high school angst which can be hard enough but then to add her mother's situation and her own desire to be a musician she definitely had a full plate. She is determined to make her dreams come true. I did like the format of her story and how it was told in journal entries. I also thought Maya's Green Tip For The Day was a great addition to the end of each chapter. After reading this book I would be interested in reading more from the series.


Author
Melody Carlson has published over ninety books for adults, children, and teens, with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards, including the Gold Medallion and the RITA Award.


Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for a review copy of this book. This was part of a blog tour for last week but because of my computer problems I'm late getting this posted. So sorry for the delay!

How to purchase
Author's website

Blog Tour: Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh

Summary
Piper Wick left her hometown of Pickwick, North Carolina, twelve years ago, shook the dust off her feet, ditched her drawl and her family name, and made a new life for herself as a high-powered public relations consultant in LA. She’s even “engaged to be engaged” to the picture-perfect U.S. Congressman Grant Spangler. Now all of Piper’s hard-won happiness is threatened by a reclusive uncle’s bout of conscience. In the wake of a health scare, Uncle Obadiah Pickwick has decided to change his will, leaving money to make amends for four generations’ worth of family misdeeds. But that will reveal all the Pickwicks’ secrets, including Piper’s. Though Piper arrives in Pickwick primed for battle, she is unprepared for Uncle Obe’s rugged, blue-eyed gardener. So just who is Axel Smith? Why does he think making amends is more than just making restitution? And why, oh why, can’t she stay on task? With the Lord’s help, Piper is about to discover that although good PR might smooth things over, only the truth will set her free.

My Thoughts
This was an interesting story about family dynamics and dysfunctions. While I sympathized with Piper's situation and what her family had put her through I didn't always sympathize with her. She was sometimes hard to relate to. I could understand why she made the decisions she did. Everyone has some family issues to deal with throughout their life. I do appreciate the theme of forgiveness and how it's never too late to try to make things right. Romance and faith are also part of Piper's hope for a new life.
This book is the first in a new series.


Author
Tamara Leigh has been writing since 1994. Leigh’s first novel, Warrior Bride, was followed by six more best-selling, award-winning romances in the general market. Her inspirational Chick-Lit debut, Stealing Adda, was published in 2006 to great critical acclaim. Her twelve novels include Faking Grace; Splitting Harriet, an American Christian Fiction Writers "Book of the Year" winner and RITA Award finalist; and Perfecting Kate. She holds a master’s degree in speech and language pathology, is a stay at home mom, and lives near Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and sons.

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for a review copy of this book. This was part of a blog tour for last week but because of my computer problems I'm late getting this posted. So sorry for the delay!

How to purchase
Author's website

Blog Tour: Limelight by Melody Carlson

Summary:
Claudette Fioré used to turn heads and break hearts. She relished the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle because she had what it takes: money, youth, fame, and above all, beauty. But age has withered that beauty, and a crooked accountant has taken her wealth, leaving the proud widow penniless and alone. Armed with stubbornness and sarcasm, Claudette returns to her shabby little hometown and her estranged sister. Slowly, she makes friends. She begins to see her old life in a new light. For the first time, Claudette Fioré questions her own values and finds herself wondering if it’s too late to change.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed the nostalgia of this story. While Claudette is bemoaning her life now she reflects on the life she once led in Hollywood. Beauty and status once meant everything to her but was it real? This is a classic tale of finding out what's really important in life. It may have taken her 80 years and a tragic turn of events but Claudette has a revelation that maybe her life wasn't quite as perfect as she thought it was. While she may be stubborn she is also humorous and that makes her story even more interesting. Her snooty attitude is part of what got her through the tough times at home and in the hospital. While it provides a form of self preservation, she needs to look within herself to try to repair her relationship with her sister, renew her faith and get a fresh start in life.

These characters were quirky and often shallow but they are transforming and adapting to their changes. Their interactions are strained but evolving. The theme teaching a valuable lesson that it's never to late to try to make changes and find happiness. Taking control of your own life can be very empowering at any age.


Author:
Melody Carlson has published over ninety books for adults, children, and teens, with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards, including the Gold Medallion and the RITA Award.

"Chris, my husband of 29 years, and I live in a cabin in the woods near the beautiful Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. Our two sons are grown and we're the proud grandparents of a beautiful granddaughter.

Both boys live nearby and we see a lot of them. We've converted their old 'bunkhouse' into a writing studio for me and a guest area/billiards room for friends and family who are always welcome. We recently gave my writing studio (still suffering from its past as a teenage boy's bedroom with carpeting the color of mud) a facelift. Now it's all mine and quite divine, which is great since I spend a lot of time up here."

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for a review copy of this book.

How to purchase
Author's website

Blog Tour and Review: Ginger High by Melissa Burmester

Summary
The novel begins in 1901 where a series of murders take place. All of the victims have bite marks on their necks. Could it be vampires? The story jumps forward to modern days and focuses on teen Daisy Fisher. After her school is burnt down, Daisy is sent to a new school in New York. Ginger High is a private school for students with extraordinary powers and abilities. She befriends some of the students who can teleport, heal others, and create fire. She soon finds out that people came to Earth from a parallel world called the Kingdom of Animists. A murder occurs at Ginger High, bringing the supernatural beings Amanta, Matthias, and Taeru from the parallel world. While they investigate the death, Daisy struggles with her supernatural powers, and with her mysterious new friend, Fredrick. Amanta must deal with a long time, buried family secret. What are powers? And what is with this crazy school?

My Thoughts
I am so impressed with this talented, young author! She writes this debut novel very well using good grammar and sentence structure. Her story is clever and imaginative with many details about this world and the parallel universe she created. I loved the cover too and thought it was a great choice for this book. While the characters were interesting, it would be helpful to me if they were a bit more developed. I was often confused with the quick changes back and forth between each world and the many different people and had a hard time making those transitions. I appreciated the detailed back story but there were times I couldn't quite connect all the dots to follow along. But I have to stress again how impressed I am with this teenagers efforts. I can't even imagine accomplishing so much at this age! I look forward to reading more from Melissa and expect her to have a long career in writing. She is currently at work on the next book in this series.

About The Author
Melissa Burmester is presently living in East Moriches, NY with her twin brother George, her parents and their cat Cosmo. Melissa has been writing about vampires and the supernatural since the age of twelve. She has written a few short stories, but “Ginger High” is her first novel. She is presently attending Westhampton Beach High School, and is planning a career as a writer and a teacher.

Thank you to Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours for a review copy of this book.

www.gingerhigh.com
www.melissa-gingerhigh.blogspot.com
www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

Publisher: Infinity Publishing
Release date: 5/09
Pages: 229
Price/format: $14.95/trade paperback
Type: YA paranormal

Blog Tour: The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall

Summary:
Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store, and serving as contact of sorts between Amish craftsmen and Englischers who want to sell the Plain people’s wares. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart everyday as she still wears the dark garb, indicating mourning of her fiancé. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work–including Lizzy’s dry goods store. But she doesn’t know if her bishop will approve of the gorgeous carving or deem it idolatry. Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after Lizzy hunts down Jonah, the artist, she is all the more determined that Beth meets this man with the hands that create healing art. But it’s not that simple–will Lizzy’s elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love–or just more heartbreak?

My thoughts:
This is the second book I've read by Cindy Woodsmall and I like her better every time! She writes so well about the Amish lifestyle. It may be a simpler way but it's not always less complicated. This story is short but packed with emotions and heartache. The main characters have endured their own hardships that have changed who they are. Their family and friends have recognized the differences but don't know how to help them. When a simple exchange of letters lights that spark in their eyes again they begin to realize that life may not be so bleak after all. Now they have to decide what they want out of life and how far they will go to get it. This story will touch your heart with the charming characters and the hopeful theme.

Author Bio:
Cindy Woodsmall is the author of When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and The New York Times Best-Seller When the Soul Mends. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. A mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty-one years.

Author's website
Publisher
Giveaway at Merry Weather
Giveaway at Enroute to Life

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for a copy of this book to review and inviting me to participate in this tour.

Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Release date: 10/6/09
Pages: 208
Price/type: $14.00/hardcover
Type: Christian fiction

Blog Tour: Stray Affections by Charlene Ann Baumbich

So joyous...
so magical...

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The last thing that Cassandra Higgins expects out of her Sunday is to be mesmerized at a collectors’ convention by a snowglobe. She’s enjoying some mommy time, with husband Ken at home tending their brood of four young boys, when she’s utterly charmed by the one-of-a kind globe containing figures of three dogs and a little girl with hair the color of her own. She can’t resist taking the unique globe home– even if means wrestling another shopper for it!

The beautiful snowglobe sparks long-dormant memories for Cassie, of her beloved Grandpa Wonky, the stray she rescued as a child, and the painful roots of her combative relationship with her mother, “Bad Betty” Kamrowski. Life in Wanonishaw, Minnesota is never dull, though, and Cassie keeps the recollections at bay, busy balancing her boys, her home daycare operation, and being a good friend to best pal Margret. But after a strange–flurrious, as Cassie deems it–moment happens with the remarkable snowglobe, Cassie and the people she loves are swirled into a tumultuous, yet grace-filled, and life-changing journey.

With the quirky, close-knit Midwestern small-town feel that made Charlene Ann Baumbich’s acclaimed Dearest Dorothy novels so popular, Stray Affections invites you to experience the laughter and the healing of second chances.

This book is available September 15th and is the first of three books from the set, A Snowglobes Connections.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
is a popular author and speaker and an award-winning journalist. In addition to her Dearest Dorothy series of novels, she has written seven nonfiction books of humor and inspiration. A bungee-jumping, once motorcycle-owning grandma and unabashed dog lover, Charlene lives with her husband and rescued dog Kornflake in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. She loves telling stories, laughing whenever possible, and considers herself a Wild Child of God.

Links:
Video of Charlene introducing her book.
To purchase
Author website

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for the invitation to be in this tour!
Blog Tour September 7-11
National Dog Week September 20-26

I'm still reading, and enjoying, this book. My review is coming soon!

Blog Tour: Rose House by Tina Ann Forkner

A vivid story of a private grief,
a secret painting,
and one woman's search for hope.

Summary

Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to the Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms.

She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet.

What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day.

A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life.

Author
Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary fiction that challenges and inspires. She is the author of Ruby Among Us and also Rose House, which recently released from Waterbrook Press/Random House and is a freelance writer for the popular gospel music publication, Homecoming magazine. She grew up in Oklahoma and graduated with honors from CSU Sacramento before settling in Wyoming. She lives with her husband, their three bright children and their dog. Tina stays busy serving on the Laramie County Library Foundation Board of Directors and enjoys speaking to women’s groups and book clubs about themes related to her novels.

To purchase from RandomHouse.com
Author's website

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The Back-to-School Blog Tour
Three books from Waterbrook Multnomah
August 24-28

Thank you so much to Waterbrook Multnomah for letting me participate in this book tour!

Blog Tour: The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love by Beth Pattillo

Knit one, purl two,
read more, and love greatly.

Summary
Once a month, the six women of the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society gather to discuss books and share their knitting projects. Inspired by her recently-wedded bliss, group leader Eugenie chooses “Great Love Stories in Literature” as the theme for the year’s reading list–a risky selection for a group whose members span the spectrum of age and relationship status.
As the Knit Lit ladies read and discuss classic romances like Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice, each member is confronted with her own perception about love. Camille’s unexpected reunion with an old crush forces her to confront conflicting desires. Newly widowed Esther finds her role in Sweetgum changing and is surprised by two unlikely friends. Hannah isn’t sure she’s ready for the trials of first love. Newcomer Maria finds her life turned upside-down by increasing family obligations and a handsome, arrogant lawyer, and Eugenie and Merry are both asked to make sacrifices for their husbands that challenge their principles.
Even in a sleepy, southern town like Sweetgum, Tennesee, love isn’t easy. The Knit Lit ladies learn they can find strength and guidance in the novels they read, the love of their family, their community–and especially in each other.

Author
Beth Pattillo learned to knit in the second grade. She is the author of the book, Heavens to Betsy, the recipient of the Romance Writers of America Best Inspirational Romance Novel in 2006, and its sequel, Earth to Betsy. Beth lives with her husband and children in Tennessee.


To purchase from RandomHouse.com
Author's website

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The Back-to-School Blog Tour
Three books from Waterbrook Multnomah
August 24-28

Blog Tour: The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper by Kathleen Y'Barbo

This Wild West adventure
just might be the life she
was meant to live.

Summary
The future is clearly mapped out for New York socialite Eugenia “Gennie” Cooper, but she secretly longs to slip into the boots of her favorite dime-novel heroine and experience just one adventure before settling down. When the opportunity arises, Gennie jumps at the chance to experience the Wild West, but her plans go awry when she is drawn into the lives of silver baron Daniel Beck and his daughter and finds herself caring for them more than is prudent–especially as she’s supposed to go back to New York and marry another man.

As Gennie adapts to the rough-and-tumble world of 1880s Colorado, she must decide whether her future lies with the enigmatic Daniel Beck or back home with the life planned for her since birth. The question is whether Daniel’s past–and disgruntled miners bent on revenge–will take that choice away from her.

Author
Kathleen Y’Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than thirty novels, novellas, and young adult books, with more than a half-million in print. A graduate of Texas A&M University, she is currently a publicist with Books & Such literary agency.



To purchase from RandomHouse.com
Author's website

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The Back-to-School Blog Tour
Three books from Waterbrook Multnomah
August 24-28

Book 1 - In The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper, Gilded Age romance collides with Wild West danger when an 1880s socialite stumbles into dangerous adventures, just like her favorite dime-novel heroine.

Book 2 - Knitting needles, classic works of romance, and six eclectic southern women intersect when the power of love transforms hearts and lives in The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love.

Book 3 - In Rose House, a secret painting on display in present-day Sonoma Valley, California, captures a widow’s grief and sets her on a quest to unravel the mystery that changes her life.

Blog Tour: North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Book #2 in The Wingfeather Saga

Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they’re really the Lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone wants to kill them.

In order to survive, the Igibys must flee to the safety of the Ice Prairies, where the lizardlike Fangs of Dang cannot follow. First, however, they have to escape the monsters of Glipwood Forest(*1), the thieving Stranders of the East Bend(*2), and the dreaded Fork Factory(*3).

But even more dangerous are the jealousies and bitterness that threaten to tear them apart, and Janner and his siblings must learn the hard way that the love of a family is more important than anything else.

*1. All possessing very sharp teeth.
*2. Murderous scoundrels, the lot.
*3. Woe!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from blog)
When not pouring imagery into his songs, singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson focuses on another kind of writing. Waterbrook Press published the author’s first fantasy novel, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, to critical acclaim. Garrison Keillor’s News from Lake Wobegon and The Chronicles of Narnia, along with bedtime tales Peterson spun for his daughter Skye and two sons Aedan and Jesse, inspired the book. In 2007, a richly illustrated children’s book, The Ballad of Matthew’s Begats (Thomas Nelson), became a visual companion to Peterson’s song of the same name. In addition, he’s been lending his diverse talents to the VeggieTales establishment, co-writing three children’s songs with solo artist and friend, Randall Goodgame.

Many would consider the current setting of Peterson’s multi-faceted work somewhat idyllic. In recent years, he relocated his family of five to a charming little house on the side of a hill just south of Nashville. The storybook dwelling offers a respite from the artist’s hectic schedule, while also quenching the boyish side of Peterson, always thirsty for a new adventure.

LINKS
Author website
Waterbrook Press (division of Random House)
To purchase this book
More books by this author

BOOK DETAILS

• Category: Juvenile Fiction, fantasy, action & adventure, Christianity
  
• Format: Trade Paperback, 352 pages
• On Sale: August 18, 2009
• Price: $13.99
• ISBN: 978-1-4000-7387-0 (1-4000-7387-1)
• Available August 18, 2009
  

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah Books for including me in the tour.
I'm still reading this book so my review is coming soon!

Mailbox Monday

Marcia is our lovely host each week for Mailbox Monday. It's always fun to see what others got but can often lead to very long lists for new books. (It always does for me!) Stop by and leave a link to share what you got in your mailbox last week too.







Stray Affections
by Charlene Ann Baumbich

Blog Tour for Waterbrook Multnomah Books September 7-11

A Snowglobe Connections novel

Cassandra Higgens, daycare provider and mother to four boys, finds a a one-of-a-kind snowglobe at a Collectors' Convention. It contains the figures of three dogs and a little girl with hair the color of her own and it sparks memories of her beloved Grandpa, the stray she rescued as a child and the roots of her strained relationship with her mother. When a strange moment happens with the snowglobe, Cassandra and the people she loves are swirled into a tumultuous yet grace-filled journey that provides the laughter and healing of second chances.

Blog tour and giveaway: Dark Hunger by Rita Herron

Book #2 in the Demonborn trilogy series.

HE'S EVERYTHING SHE FEARS... Reporter Annabelle Armstrong will go to any lengths to deliver a story, even track down Quinton Valtrez, a man she believes is a coldhearted assassin. Yet the truth about the darkly sensual Quinton is even more shocking...and the overwhelming desire he ignites is one she vows to resist. SHE'S EVERYTHING HE CRAVES Quinton has fought his demonic powers since he was a child. Now using his gifts for the good of national security, he can't let himself be distracted by the beautiful, determined Annabelle. But his need for her is sudden, fierce--and could soon cost Annabelle her life. For a wicked enemy is out for vengeance, a demon who wants to draw Quinton into a life of pure evil and is willing to use Annabelle as bait. To save her, Quinton must achieve the near impossible: tame the sinister force that is both his inheritance and his curse before it claims him forever.

About Rita
Award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. Although she wanted to be a writer then and actually scrawled her first novel at age twelve, she didn’t think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a kindergarten teacher instead. Ten years ago, she traded her classroom storytelling and puppets for a computer and now writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job.

Having sold over fifty books to date, she enjoys spinning spine-tingling romantic suspense tales filled with murder, mayhem, and spicy romance as well as sexy romantic comedies. Rita Herron currently writes romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and paranormal romantic suspense for Grand Central Publishing.

If you want to know more about Rita or have a question for her about her books, or writing in general, email Rita and she'll be happy to answer your question.

Five Fun Facts

1. I set Dark Hunger in three of my favorite cites, Savannah, Charleston, and New Orleans because they’re all haunted and possess an eerie atmosphere – perfect places for the Death Angel. The B & B with the outdoor garden where Annabelle stays in Savannah is fashioned after a B & B where my husband and I stayed. And Shayla Larue is modeled after a voodoo priestess I met at the RWA conference in New Orleans.

2. Emily Nelson, the social worker in the book, is named after my daughter who’s a dedicated social worker in real life.

3. The idea of the Death Angel taking a vulture’s form came from a brainstorming session with two author friends at a writer’s retreat near Charleston. I’d been flirting with other forms but, when the vulture idea came up, I knew it was perfect—creepy and symbolic of bad luck, evil and death.

4. Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds inspired me as I was writing Dark Hunger. I also envisioned David Gray’s song “One With the Birds” as the soundtrack for the movie.

5. When I was a child, I knew a preacher who inspired me to create Reverend Narius. He was a hellfire and damnation type who yelled and stalked up and down the aisles during his sermon. It was as if he was singling you out to let you know you were going to hell. I was terrified of him!

Hatchette Book Group
Book Blogs - August title
ritaherron.com - Author's website
The Demonborn - learn more about the characters, symbols and the series.
SPECIAL!!! Rita's publisher is offering a special for the month of August: In honor of the release of DARK HUNGER, you can download INSATIABLE DESIRE, the 1st book in the Demonborn series for $1.99! Get your e- book copy at any online bookstores for this special price.

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Giveaway:
Thanks to Anna at Hatchette Books I can give away five copies of this book!

Rules:
- To enter leave a comment and don't forget your email address!
- Contest ends August 22nd at 11:59 p.m. EST
- I'm sorry that this contest is only for the U.S. and Canada, no P.O. boxes.
-Winners will be drawn by Random.org

Extra entries: (You don't need separate posts)
+1 for new followers.
+2 if you are already a follower.
+3 if you promote this contest. Please leave a link.

Good luck!

Mailbox Monday

3Here it is again! That time when we get to list the books we received during the last week. Thanks so much to Marcia, our host every week for Mailbox Monday. Join in and leave a link for your books too!



The Maze Runner
by James Dashner
request from Shelf Awareness and Random House Children's Books

YA ARC book #1 in trilogy

When Thomas wakes up in the lift he has no memory of anything except his first name. When the door opens he finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls. None of them have any memory either and don't know why they are here. Every morning the doors open to the maze that surrounds them and every night the doors close tight. No one wants to be left in the maze after dark. Every thirty days a new boy arrives in the lift. But the day after Thomas arrives a girl is sent. She is the first girl ever and she has a message. The Gladers are convinced that if they can solve the mystery of the maze they can find a way out but the maze seems unsolvable. With the girl's arrival Thomas has the feeling that he might have some of the answers. Now he just needs a way to retrieve them from his own mind.

Dark Hunger
by Ritta Herron
Hatchette Book Group blog tour and giveaway

Book #2 in The Demonborn series, paranormal romance

Reporter Annabelle Armstrong will do anything for a story, even track down Quinton Valtrez who she thinks is an assassin. Quinton had fought his demon powers since he was a child and now uses his gifts for the good of national security. He can't be distracted by the beautiful Annabelle although he desires her and she is drawn to him. A wicked enemy will use this attraction to force Quinton into a life of evil by using Annabelle as bait. Can he tame the sinister force before it claims him forever?

Sworn to Silence
by Linda Castillo
LibraryThing Early Reviewers

Book #1 in series set in Amish Country

Sixteen years ago a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community of Painters Mill, Ohio. One young Amish girl, Kate Burkholder, survived and realized that this community wasn't for her anymore. Now she has been asked to return as the new police chief. Her roots here and her background in big-city law enforcement make her the perfect candidate. She is sure her tragedy has been put behind her until a body is found in the snow. Kate is determined to stop this killer but she will need to betray her family and her Amish past and expose a dark secret.