Translate

Friday, September 27, 2013

Review: Room Recipes: A Creative and Stylish Guide to Interior Design

room recipes blog header
Here is a brief description of the book:
From exciting entryways to DIY dining rooms, professional interior designer Tonya Olsen has just the right recipes to make every room in your home a showstopper. Room Recipes: A Creative and Stylish Guide to Interior Design is the ultimate resource for homeowners looking to spice things up or decorate a space from scratch. Inside this guide you’ll find:
  • eye-catching examples of beautiful, budget-friendly designs
  • step-by-step instructions to recreate even the most elaborate rooms
  • palettes that break each room into individual patterns, colors, and textures
Create a kitchen or whip up a washroom with these no-fail design formulas and transform your house into your dream home, one room at a time.
Meet the Author:
Tonya Olsen has always had a passion for designing charming, budget-friendly rooms and projects. She loves to combine traditional interior design principles with personal, do-it-yourself flair. Tonya shares ownership of LIV Showroom, a full-service interior design firm and retail showroom, and holds a master’s degree in interior design. She is also the lead interior designer for Utah homebuilder, Rainey Homes. Tonya has over 20 years of professional design experience, bargain shopping fortitude, and do-it-yourself gumption. She spends her spare time gleaning inspiration from interior design books, magazines, blogs, and websites. Tonya and her husband have three boys and live in their recently renovated home in Bountiful, Utah.

MY THOUGHTS:
This is a visually stunning book. The pictures are professional quality and are a joy to look at. It is full of ideas for each room in your home, along with step by step directions on how to achieve the look. I found none of the rooms to be over-the-top Martha Stewart type ideas, but rather each is inspiring and stylish, with a look that is attainable for everyone. 

The author, Tanya, takes us to homes and shares different decorating  styles. Tanya teaches us how to achieve the look, along with educating the reader on how to re-purposing common everyday items into sparkling gems! That is not to say the book was too simple, quite the contrary. The book is a gem. A must have.

Each idea is laid out cleverly like a recipe. There is the Palette which sets up the patterns and colors for the space. Then there are the Ingredients, that lists the main items you will need for the room to achieve the look. Next is the Room Recipe, which are the step by step directions to making the room happen. And finally there is the Garnish, which offers simple how-to projects and decorating suggestion to top off the masterpiece.

Room Recipes: A Creative and Stylish Guide to Interior Design is a book for people of ALL levels of decorating skills and tastes. It is a must have for your library.


Where to purchase (Click on the words):
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Learn more about Tanya on her Blog


Enter to win a copy!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Review: Rising

My thoughts:


First of all: LOVE the cover! It is pretty darn cool. I've never read a mermaid story before, and was curious about how the whole "Hide the tail" thingie would go. Holly did a clever job with this. I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters, and the romance that ensued, and the tension.
I love Sara's determination NOT to be a victim. She is a fighter, and independent, despite her disability. Xanthus is the yummy male lead in the story. He is the perfect mix of strong and caring. I wasn't too sure about him in the beginning, considering his mission! But Holly wrote him masterfully. He was the right amount of Alpha male without being over the top control freak! (BTW: My only peeve about his book was this guy's name! I hate names that are difficult to pronounce...grrr!)
I enjoyed the fact that was written in both MC's POV. I feel in 1st person POV this is important for a well-rounded story. This is a clean novel although there is plenty of hot kisses to make everyone happy!
I hope there is a sequel, or at least another mermaid adventure from holly! Thank you for allowing me to read and review this story!


RISING by Holly Kelly
(New Adult- Paranormal Romance)
Release Date: September 6, 2013
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing 
**************************************



In a war between the humans and the inhabitants of the sea—humans will  lose. Xanthus Dimitriou—the most lethal Dagonian to rise from the ocean—is on a mission to save mankind from annihilation. But first there’s one small thing he needs to do… kill a beautiful young woman in a wheelchair.

Killing her doesn’t start out as part of his plan. He entrenches himself deep in the human world. Aligning himself with his enemies, he prepares to send them to Triton to face their punishment. Then Sara Taylor rolls onto the scene. Xanthus knows at once she’s a criminal. And her crime? Being born. She’s a human/Dagonian half-breed, an abomination. Killing her should be an easy job. All he has to do is break into her apartment, slit her throat, and feed her body to the sharks. Simple, right? Wrong. If only she weren’t so beautiful, so innocent, so sweet...

Saving the world may have to wait. It appears Xanthus has a woman to save. But protecting her may cost him his own life.


A Little Bit of Inspiration

(Top Ten List)

Most of Rising is set in Oahu, Hawaii. You may not know this, but Holly Kelly lived on Oahu while attending college. Here are her top ten favorite spots on the island—and possibly the planet.

# 10—Aloha Flee Market- This is the biggest flea market I’ve ever been to—I’ve haven’t been to many. There is so much to buy here muumuus, lava lavas, beach towels, swim suits, pearl necklaces, carved figures... and everything is negotiable.

#9—Waimea Bay- This beach has great surfing and beautiful sandy beaches. But be careful. You have to time your entrance into the water just right or you’ll find yourself knocked down and tossed by the waves. I think I took a bucket full of sand back to my apartment--don't ask me where I kept it.

#8—USS Arizona memorial- This is the resting place of the Arizona. It was sunk in Pearl Harbor during World War II. Many soldiers are still buried within its hull. It’s a sacred solemn place.

#7—Waimea Falls- What tropical island would be complete without a waterfall, and Oahu has Waimea Falls. To get there you take an easy hike through a tropical forest. At the end of that hike, there is a breathtaking waterfall and swimming pond—so worth the trip through the jungle.

#6—Shark’s Cove- How can you not like something called Shark’s Cove? Well, that’s easy for me to say, I absolutely LOVE sharks. Sharks cove has amazing snorkeling. It’s more private than Hanauma Bay (big time snorkeling place) and it’s free. I saw some of the most amazing and unique sea life there, including an eel, a ray, and a puffer fish.  

#5—The Toilet Bowl- this can be found near Hanauma Bay. It’s a tidal pool that fills and empties like a toilet—thus the name. It’s fun to jump in and ride it up and down. Just don’t get near the place where the water comes in or you might get flushed out to sea. I’ve heard some sad rumors that it’s off limits now.

#4—Hanauma Bay- This is a huge bay with awesome snorkeling. You can swim through amazing reefs while colorful fish swim around you. On my dives, I got to see many, many fish, including a trumpet fish, parrot fish, and hundreds of sea urchins.

#3—Chief Luau’s Sea Life Park- Here you can get up close and personal with sea animals, including dolphins and sea lions. And, like the name implies, there are Luau’s held there with roasted pig and many other delicious Hawaiian foods. The best thing I saw from there was actually not in the park. I saw a humpback whale off shore from the park-very cool.

#2—Polynesian Cultural Center PCC- The PCC has the most incredible shows with lots of dancing, food, and fun—featuring many different cultures all over Polynesia. If you are looking to see an authentic hula dance, this is your place. You can also see shirtless native men cracking coconuts open with their heads and climbing giant coconut trees—quite a sight. My roommate was lucky enough to work there. I only got to visit once—for an entrance fee.

#1—Hukilau Beach- I love this place best of all, because it was a half a mile from my apartment. I got to go there all the time. I would just sit and watch the waves, dreaming about what might lurk beneath the surface. Hukilau Beach is so beautiful! It has white, sandy beaches and tiny rocky islands offshore. The waves there are spectacular. On a hill top above the beach are some beautiful homes—this is the inspiration for Nicole’s home. There is also a grove of trees nearby with picnic tables where one can enjoy lunch while sitting under the trees, watching the ocean. I totally love Hukilau Beach.



About Holly Kelly

Holly Kelly is a mom who writes books in her spare time: translation--She hides in the bathroom with her laptop and locks the door while the kids destroy the house and smear peanut butter on the walls.

Holly was born in Utah but lived in Salina, Kansas until she was 13 and in Garland, Texas until she was 18. She's now back in Utah--"happy valley". Holly is married to her wonderful husband, James, and the two of them are currently raising 6 rambunctious children. Her interests are reading, writing (or course), martial arts, visual arts, and spending time with family.

Holly Kelly's first published book is: Rising. Rising was published by Clean Teen Publishing on September 6, 2013.

Follow Holly Kelly



More from Clean Teen Publishing:

   

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Awakening by Christy Dorrity




Join the ALL DAY Facebook event here!

About the Book

. . . because some Celtic stories won’t be contained in myth.

A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery's family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a psychic for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn't think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She recently moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has a best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital—and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.



When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities. After Aunt Avril comes to Star Valley in pursuit of a supernatural killer, people begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened.

When the janitor reveals that an ancient curse, known as a geis, has awakened deadly powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy. A thrilling debut novel based in Celtic mythology, Awakening is a gripping young adult fantasy rife with magic, romance, and mystery.


Awakening (The Geis, #1)

Praise for Awakening

"AWAKENING is a wonder and a delight. Christy Dorrity is a talent to watch."
~David Farland, New York Times bestselling author of Nightingale


"I thoroughly enjoyed AWAKENING, a captivating and unique debut novel that creatively integrates Irish dance."
~ CHRIS NAISH, Riverdance member and Creative Director of Fusion Fighters Irish dancers.
About the Author

Christy Dorrity lives in the mountains with her husband, five children, and a cocker spaniel. She grew up on a trout ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming, and is the author of The Geis series for young adults, and The Book Blogger’s Cookbooks. Christy is a champion Irish dancer and when she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.

Purchase Awakening by Christy Dorrity:

Purchase Kindle Book Purchase Nook Book 





Saturday, September 21, 2013

My Own Mr. Darcy

My Own Tour



My Own Mr. Darcy
After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough.
Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.
karey
Author Karey White
Karey White grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist.
She loves to travel, read, bake treats, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four great children. She teaches summer creative writing courses to young people and is currently working on her next book.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

  Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/8/13



Monday, September 16, 2013

250 Great Movies Guide

I first heard about Jonathan Decker from his web page The Mormon Movie Guy. When I learned he was putting out this awesome movie guide there was no way I could say no to a review!

My thoughts:

Good uplifting movies are hard to come by. Enter Mormon Movie Guy Jonathan Decker whose written the book 250 Great Movies for Latter-day Families. What a wonderful useful tool for families, heck, for everyone! Although it is specifically written for the LDS family, people of any religion will find this a valuable tool in their search for clean entertainment via the silver screen.

My favorite part of the book? You can select a movie by Genres, Gospel Topics (Great for FHE!) and Ratings via the priceless index guide in the back. 

With each movie comes a letter grade and a content review for such things as sex, violence, and harsh language use. He also has a Message to Discuss where Jonathan includes scripture references! Like I said, great FHE resource!

I believe 250 Great Movies for Latter-day Families is a priceless resource and a must have for every LDS and non-LDS family concerned with the movies their family watch.

Jonathan also has a web site which includes reviews of movies not in this book




I was going to include a Bio on Jonathan but you HAVE to go to his blog and check it out! Amazing: (I may have seen him at ComicCon with that same light saber?)

Jonathan's FB Page:







Jonathan with his family

 Buy his awesome book on Amazon here:
Barnes and Noble here:

Thanks for letting me review your book, Jonathan!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Clean Teen Publishing

Clean teen publishing is sponsoring a:


$100 Giveaway- Help Stop Bullying (Clean Teen Publishing's Bullying Awareness Month Giveaway)


This is an awesome cause that needs to be not only  spotlighted, but we need to take action. Reach out, help someone!

Click here to enter...but please do more than enter to win. HELP someone!  That is the real reason behind Bully awareness month (October)


Saturday, September 14, 2013

When A Thank You Isn't Enough

I snagged...borrowed...stole :} this from Cindy C Bennett's blog because she said it so well! Thank you bloggers!


When A Thank You Isn't Enough

I've long maintained that without bloggers, we authors would have a mighty hard time selling a single copy of our books. It's by the kindness, grace, and giving of their time for reviews, and sharing blog space with book spotlights, that we're able to spread word of our books.

From Sept. 2 - 13, me and my two co-authors, Sherry Gammon and Jeffery Moore took our new release, The Experiment on tour. From all of the USA, to Sweden, to the UK we were able to tour (ah, to really be able to go to those places . . .). Below are all of the kind bloggers who helped us out, with links to their posts so you can read reviews, enter contests, read guest posts one (or sometimes all) of us wrote, or to read interviews given to us by the blogger.

A big virtual hug to the following:

Getting Your Read On (review and our top 10 places to visit)
Reading, Eating, and Dreaming
Author Kimberly Patterson (Society Building in Fantasy by Jeff)
Author Cindy C Bennett
Author Juli Caldwell
Author Cami Checketts
Literary Wonders
Wrathqueen's Books (99 Have You Evers by me and Sherry)
My Book Addiction and More (giveaway - closed)
Author Tracker
Author Camelia Miron Skiba
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (Pet Peeves by all of us)
Books Complete Me (giveaway - closed)
Bookworm Brandee (Collaborating on a Novel by me)
Why Not? Because I Said So (The Process of Writing This Book by Jeff)
Author Stacy Lynn Carroll (review and interview)
Author Jamie Canosa (Playlist for the Book by all of us)
Fic Talk
Pretty in Fiction (excerpt)
Who's Reviews (review and Jeff's Top 10 Favorite Books)
Author Sherry Gammon
Jeanz Book Read N Review (interview of us all)
Vamp Chix Bite Club (Creating Unique Elements of Fantasy by Jeff, and a giveaway open until 9/17)
Wicca Witch 4 Book Club (review)
Taffy's Writings (interview with us all)
Bianca 2B
All In One Place (review and excerpt)
Lexie Laser (Books We'd Like to See Become Movies, and what we think of the fate of bookstores by all)
Books, Reviews, Etc. (review)
Books R Us (giveaway, ends 9/18)

Read an excerpt of the book here, then grab your copy today at any of these retailers:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Smashwords CreateSpace Kobo


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Wendy Knight's Feudlings in Flames!!


I just bought this book last night!! Can't wait to read it.
 Ari thought being in love with her prophesied nemesis sucked. But being responsible for her best friend's kidnapping? It sucks worse.

Ari and Shane thought they’d beaten Fate and ended the three-hundred year war plaguing their people. They thought love had won. But they were so, so wrong.

Instead of graduating high school like the normals, they’re in a battle to save Charity – Shane’s cousin, Ari's best friend, and the seer who might hold the key to ending the war for good. To do that, they’re forced to accept help from a boy they aren’t even sure they can trust. He’s powerful and knows spells even Ari’s never heard of, but he’s also secretive and has a past he’s determined to keep hidden . Add to that the fact that he has his sights set on Ari, and Shane would rather do without his help.

Ari has bigger problems than mysterious boys and their strange powers. The powerful Edren Family is hunting her brother, and she can't very well save him or Charity while they’re constantly being attacked by her own people. To stop the raids, she has to take the fight to them. But if she starts hunting the family that raised her, what kind of monster will she be?

Fate still waits for the death of one by the hand of the other.

Excerpt:  
          "No no, Hunter, it curves this way." Ari stood back, watching with a frown, and then jumped back in. "Imagine in your mind what you want the spell to do. Tie your emotions to your spells."

          Shane watched her guide Hunter and tried again on his own. "Close, Shane, but like this," Ari reached out, holding his hand as she led him through the motion. He felt the flames racing through his blood react to her touch and sparks flew from his fingers, igniting the spell. It hung, burning, in the air, a bright blue curlicue thing. "Perfect," she whispered, still holding on to his hand.
            "Maybe, but does it work?" Tristan's voice was flat and uninterested, but Shane could hear the animosity running under the words.
          "We don't have any targets set out. He can't test it." Ari shook her head, and still holding Shane's hand, made a quick swiping motion through the spell, dissipating it.         "Try again." She let go of his hand and stepped back, watching expectantly.
          Shane tried, once, twice, and three times. He couldn't get it quite right, but neither could Hunter, which made him feel better, and Tristan wasn't even trying.
          "It's okay if you can't do it, Shane. There are a lot of other powerful spells she uses that will be much easier for you to master," Will said.
          Ari vehemently shook her head. "No. He can do it. Just give him a minute!"
Shane kept his attention focused on the spell in front of him, but he couldn't stop his grin.
          Ari believed in him.
          He burned the spell into the air again, trying to replicate the one Ari had drawn, but it fizzled into a mass of smoke. The spell had to ignite to actually do anything. He groaned in frustration, tipping his head sideways to look at Ari. "What am I doing wrong?"
          She bit her lip, studying him for several seconds. "When you did it the first time, what were you thinking?"

          Shane paused, dropping his hand that was still poised in the air. "Umm… I was thinking we were gonna die and I had seen you throw that spell so I knew it was possible. It just happened."




Author Bio
Wendy Knight was born and raised in Utah by a wonderful family who spoiled her rotten because she was the baby. Now she spends her time driving her husband crazy with her many eccentricities (no water after five, terror when faced with a live phone call, etcetera, etcetera). She also enjoys chasing her three adorable kids, playing tennis, watching football, reading, and hiking. Camping is also big: her family is slowly working toward a goal of seeing all the National Parks in the U.S.
You can usually find her with at least one Pepsi nearby, wearing ridiculously high heels for whatever the occasion may be. And if everything works out just right, she will also be writing.

Links:
Twitter: @wjk8099
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorWendyKnight
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7009940.Wendy_Knight

Buy Links:

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Experiment, by Cindy C Bennett, Sherry Gammon and Jeffery Moore




The Experiment, a new novel from the imaginations of Cindy C Bennett, Sherry Gammon, and Jeffery Moore!

Time is running out for the Collaborative's oppressive rule of the remote world Senca One. The government attempts to suppress the escalating riots, even while seeking to further their experiments. When their parents are taken, triplets Juliet, Cilla, and Emiah Tripp set out to locate them, and soon discover they are at the center of a hunt to capture them.

Evading the Collaborative across Senca One’s harsh terrain, they’re confronted with the trials of survival. They also discover something that changes the very core of their reality: they’re morphs. Struggling to adapt to the strange new ability, they question what they really are . . . and why. Are the rumors of experiments done on children true? Did their scientist parents have anything to do with it?

Their quest brings them to the capitol city of Brighton, which is on the verge of revolt. While searching for information about their parents, the Tripps align themselves with the very people fueling the rebellion. They unwittingly spark the revolution they want no part of and discover something more dangerous than they suspected.
Excerpt: 

Juliet
I worked my way over to the bluff and stood staring out over the moon bathed expanse. It was breathtaking. And it fed my desire to fly again.
I spread my arms, lifted up onto my toes, and smiled when a slight tingling feeling tickled my chest. I breathed deeply and concentrated on the feeling, willing it to grow and spread across my skin. The pressure beneath my ribs was something inside me wanting to break free, but I just couldn’t manage to push it to the surface. I was so close. I just needed that tiny element of danger. I jumped. I got maybe six inches off the ground before I was tackled onto my back. The impact popped the air from my lungs and I struggled for my next breath.
“Are you out of your freakin’ mind, Juliet? You could have died.” Brax straddled my stomach, pinning my arms to the ground.
“Get off me, you anorexic brazzle bear.” I bucked and kicked, finally wrapping my legs around his torso and flipping him onto his back.
“Not bad for a girl, Blondie.” He stood and brushed off the jungle’s undergrowth and mud from his clothes. He didn’t bother helping me up.
I jumped to my feet and headed back to the bluff. No stupid guy was going to tell Juliet Tripp what to do. Two feet from the edge, his arm snaked about my belly, jerking me to a stop.
“Juliet, don’t be so arrogant,” he whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. 



Read the Prologue and first 3 chapters here.

Read More on The Experiment Blog or on The Experiment Facebook Page

Available Now at These Retailers:
Amazon Barnes & Noble Smashwords CreateSpace Kobo

About the Authors


Jeffery Moore
Moore was born in Germany. As a military brat, much of his childhood was spent abroad, growing up in Germany on military installations. He subsequently enlisted in the military and served for ten years as an army pilot. While in the military, he lived in Italy and South Korea and deployed to many European countries. He has traveled to Australia, Japan, Singapore and most European countries. His experiences and contact with many different cultures helps form some of the elements in his stories. He currently works for a global IT company and lives in Massachusetts.


Find more about Jeffery and his work at www.jefferyemoore.com


Sherry Gammon
Unlovable was Gammon's debut novel and quickly rose to many top seller lists on Amazon. She is pleased to announce that Unlovable is currently being made into a movie. She has added two more novels to her body of work. Not so Easy, book one of the Souls in Peril series, is the poignant story of Max Sanchez who is on a journey to help the struggling JD Miller survive high school, and Pete & Tink, a fun, light-hearted novella of a manga-loving geek and a five-and-a-half inch fairy. Gammon and her husband, along with their children and a couple of crazy dogs, call Upstate New York home. It is where she spends her nights writing instead of sleeping.


Find more about Sherry and her work at www.wordpaintingsunlimited.com


Cindy C Bennett
Bennett is the YA author of several books, including Geek GirlRapunzel Untangled, Enchanted Fairytales, and Heart on a Chain. She lives in Utah and has six kids (two of which are daughters in-law). She loves gooey cookies, dark chocolate, and cheese popcorn. She hates housework and cooking, and has no plans to become a domestic goddess. She occasionally co-hosts a geek podcast with her son, called Geek Revolution Radio. Her favorite pastime is riding her Harley.


Find more about Cindy and her work at www.cindycbennett.com


Visit the other blogs on the tour by clicking here.