Deal of the Day!

Hi everyone and Happy Halloween!

Today's deal was provided by a fan on our Facebook page, and I wanted to make sure that everyone got a chance to see it!

It is called Knowing God by EDOJA SANA (Author) and ARMSTRONG SHARI (Editor). It is a book that will be a source of encouragement and enlightenment to those seeking God. I will not post a plot synopsis on this one because it is pretty self explanatory.

AND its FREE! Here is a link to the Kindle edition:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HYHJMW

Thank you for sharing this with us Sana from Facebook! I look forward to reading it!

Happy Reading!

The Hurricane

Book Title: The Hurricane
Author: Hugh Howey
4.75 out of 5 Stars

Plot Background:

Daniel Stillman is a teenager living in the digital era of today. He doesn't have many friends on Facebook, his cell phone (a basic older model) is never buzzing with constant text messages, and everyone around him is extremely plugged-in to their many devices. As a category 5 storm comes and silences the constantly buzzing world around him, Daniel is left to discover a great silence, a girl down the street, and the people that have been in his life the whole time.

My Thoughts:

Wow. That's my first reaction to this book. I literally could not put it down. It was fantastic. There were so many amazing things about it, and if the author of the book is reading this, I just want to say GREAT JOB! There was only one thing I didn't love about it, but I will get to that in a moment.

The first thing I really loved about the book is just the atmosphere. When I read this, the first part, during the party and up to the storm, I felt such a strong feeling of anticipation and nervousness. I felt like everything was, for lack of better words, buzzing-- it was like waiting for a rubber band that is being pulled and pulled to just snap. This was not only because of the impending storm coming, but just the state of unrest everyone was constantly in by being so hooked in to technology. His classmates are always walking around with their faces glued to various screens- from cell phones to Ipads. His brother, Hunter,  is always playing a video game while his sister, Zola, is constantly texting. His mother is always on her Blackberry working and his step-father, Carlton, is constantly using his Ipad. When Daniel was spending "family time" eating dinner around the TV, I could feel the strained setting and the author really painted such a clear picture of what happens in so many homes today-- everyone is so "connected" to everyone else (the people in their phones or computers) that they don't build the most important bonds with the people who are actually IN the room. In general, this all added to this anticipation feeling, and the author really did a fantastic job putting you IN the room as an uncomfortable observer.

Along the same lines, I absolutely loved the shift in atmosphere as the hurricane passed through, and the shift in all of the characters. I felt like I was in the bathroom hunkering down with the family. As I read, I could hear the creaking and shifting of the house. The author really put you right in the action, and his words painted a fantastic picture. Perhaps it is because I live in Florida and have been through my fair share of hurricanes, but I felt that strange wonder of not knowing what the outside world is going to look like once the storm passes.

Aside from the feeling of being in the storm, I was in love with the juxtaposition between the calm occurring INSIDE the storm and the chaos that preceded the hurricane. Daniel's life was in such turmoil before Hurricane Anna, where the calm usually comes before the storm, his calm occurred during the eye of the storm. The shift in all of the characters was also very well written as well during this time of waiting. Each character began to develop, the family unit grew closer and it in turn further developed the story. It almost seemed like a commentary on our current state of living in the modern American family.

I also really enjoyed Daniel's character. He reminded me so much of another Daniel I recently read ( from Catcher, Caught), perhaps its just the name. He was so, normal. Had he been born even five years earlier, he might have had a better shake at life, but being someone disinterested in trying to change himself for others and disinterested in spending all his time with technology, he really had a rough time. I won't give away what happens at the party before the storm, but it made me so mad at those mean kids and it made me truly glad that I graduated high school before the digital age really kicked into high gear. I also loved the character of Anna. She was so much like Daniel, it was perfect. She wasn't perfect-- it wasn't unbelievable that he would get a girl like her but she was perfect for him. She too was not a technology addict, and I just loved how clever she was and how imperfect her life was. She was really well written, especially for a character that wasn't introduced until halfway through the book.

The only one thing I can say I didn't enjoy about the book, was how quickly it ended. It almost felt like you are in this storm with them, you are an observer but you are part of it, and then suddenly the story almost zooms out and you are taken from living every minute with them to skipping ahead a few days. It felt like, were it a movie, someone zoomed out and hit fast forward. However, I do think the ending was a good one since the characters had come so incredibly far from where they started.

I will stop my raving about this book and let you all see for yourself. I highly recommend this for anyone. This author is amazing, the story flows so well and the characters are amazing. If you are looking for a "cant-put-it -down-just-one-more-paragraph-okay-just-one-more-well-might-as-well-finish-the-page,-well-almost-done-with-the-book-lets-just-finish-it-now-since-I-cant-stop" book this is one for you.

Here is a link to the Kindle edition of the book-- and its only $0.99!:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Hurricane-ebook/dp/B0052VU9G2/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1351445284&sr=1-2&keywords=hurricane

Happy Reading!!!

Stuck In the Middle (Sister-to-Sister Book 1)

Book Title: Stuck in the Middle (Sister-to-Sister Book 1)
Author: Virginia Smith
3.5 out of 5 Stars

Plot Background:

Joan Sanderson is stuck in a rutt. The middle child of three sisters, she feels her life is at a stand-still as her older sister Allie is starting a family and her younger sister Tori is starting a career. Joan lives at home with her mother and grandmother and has no prospects in her love life. Everything begins to change however as a handsome young doctor and his dog move in next door to her. Suddenly, she feels her life shifting and tilting on its axis- everything she thought she had moved past begins bubbling to the surface. Faced with a bit of rivalry from her younger sister Tori, Joan  must learn who she is and who God is in order to get to know Ken(the hunky doctor).

My Thoughts:

This book was a really funny one to me. I love books about sisters (big surprise, I have sisters myself), and this book drew me in because I too am a middle child.

I'll start with the things I loved about the book. Joan is such an honest and relatable character. I feel like I know her, and I felt like I have experienced so many of the things that she is going through in the novel. It was funny because as I was reading this book, I felt like the author must have written it about my life. It struck me how similar our situations were growing up, how much our relationships with our sisters compared, and how much our relationships with God have been. A huge part of the novel was Joan, who was raised in church but who had struggled to keep her faith, trying to get back to a place of trusting and believing God, even when her earthly father had let her down so much. It really spoke to me in a way that I needed to hear, and I very much enjoyed spending time inside Joan's head.

Another strength in the book was just the humor  It wasn't all melancholy and praise and worship songs, the novel had some really funny elements. I wont give anything away, but certain parts made me chuckle. The whole book had a lightness to it, which is something I needed greatly after coming off of a string of serious and dark novels.

There were a few flaws I saw in the book. The first major flaw I found was pacing. I felt like the book took a while to really get going, and then once it got going there were parts where it seemed like the steam was starting to run out, and then suddenly it was ending. A lot of the slower parts were parts with quiet reflection, which may have been the intent of the author, but there were quite a few parts that just felt like walking through sand.

Another flaw I found was Ken. He was just too, perfect? I am not sure that's the right word, but I kept trying to find flaws in him where there were none, which made him seem unhuman and therefore unrelatable. Aside from the fact that he almost doesn't like Joan because she isn't religious enough, he has nothing wrong with him-- he has abs and he jogs and he has a great dog and he is a doctor and he volunteers in third world countries. I have never in my life met someone as perfect as Ken, and the idea that this perfect person would randomly move in next door and fall in love with you was hard to wrap my head around.

Aside from that though, this was an enjoyable book. It was light and fun. If you are not a fan of religion this may not be the novel for you, but if you are okay reading about someone's spiritual journey with Christ and reading a little romance mixed with sister bonding, then you will love it.

Here is a link to the book on Kindle, best of all it is FREE!:

http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Middle-Sister---Sister-ebook/dp/B001GMANO4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351199889&sr=8-1&keywords=stuck+in+the+middle

Happy Reading!

Deal of the Day!

Hello all!
Today's deal of the day is another Jodi Picoult novel. It is called The Pact, and it is now only $4.74! This is another Picoult novel I would get while you can, she is a NY Times best selling author, and her books do not  typically come, or stay cheap.

The Pact is one of my favorite books, I will most likely post a review on it again soon once I re-read it for the umpteenth time. Here is the plot: Two families, the Hartes and the Golds have been neighbors and friends for years. It came as no surprise when children of the two families, Chris and Emily fall in love during their teen years. The happy facade suddenly fades away, however, when Emily is shot and killed, and the gun is in Chris's hand-- part of a suicide pact. As the truth begins to come out about both teens, the parents are forced to not only face the reality that they never really knew their children at all, but are also faced with a very big battle in court. Picoult brings in her usual cast of character, like the ever witty Jordan McAffe, attorney at law.

I highly reccommend this book. Something about it has always stuck with me, and its not just because I am a big fan of Picoult's novels.

Here is a link to the Kindle edition (GET IT WHILE ITS CHEAP!):

http://www.amazon.com/The-Pact-ebook/dp/B001KDQ4KQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1350998052&sr=8-3&keywords=the+pact

Happy Reading!!!

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Deal of the Day!

Hello all!

Today's deal of the day is by one of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult. The book is titled Keeping Faith, and it is only $2.99 for the month of October.

Here is a little plot:
When the marriage of Mariah White and her cheating husband, Colin, turns ugly and disintegrates, their seven-year-old daughter, Faith, is there to witness it all. In the aftermath of a rapid divorce, Mariah falls into a deep depression -- and suddenly Faith, a child with no religious background whatsoever, hears divine voices, starts reciting biblical passages, and develops stigmata. And when the miraculous healings begin, mother and daughter are thrust into the volatile center of controversy and into the heat of a custody battle -- trapped in a mad media circus that threatens what little stability the family has left.

Jodi Picoult is a New York Times best selling author, so it is always good to get her books when they're on sale when you can!

Here is a link to the Kindle edition of the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Faith-ebook/dp/B001FA0U3G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1350686753&sr=8-3&keywords=keeping+the+faith

Enjoy!

Deal(s) of the Day!

Hello everyone!
I send my sincerest apologies for not posting in a few weeks, I have been taking care of some things that have kept me away from the computer. I also wanted to say a special thank you to those of you who emailed me with your concerns, you all are the reason I do this blog and your words of encouragement have been amazing.

Having said that, I wanted to post a few extra deals today in addition to the review/deal of The Summer Son. A few authors have posted these to our Facebook page, and I wanted to make sure to share them with you!

The first deal today is titled  Crazy in Paradise by Deborah Brown. It is only $2.99! Here's a little plot (taken directly from Amazon.com):

 Dying in the middle of the summer in the Florida Keys is sweaty business.Welcome to Tarpon Cove. Madison Westin has inherited her aunt's beachfront motel in the Florida Keys. Trouble is she's also inherited a slew of colorful tenant's - drunks, ex-cons, and fugitives.
Only one problem: First, she has to wrestle control from a conniving lawyer and shady motel manager. With the help of her new best friend, whose motto is never leave home without your Glock, they dive into a world of blackmail, murder, and drugs.
Kindle Edition: http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-in-Paradise-ebook/dp/B0059AJ8V8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349484496&sr=8-1&keywords=crazy+in+paradise

The next deal today is called Spiritus, a Paranormal Romance by Dana Michelle Burnett. It is only 99 cents! Here's the plot (taken directly from Amazon.com):

"As I watched him vanish into a soft mist that faded away, I knew that he was no ordinary spirit...I knew that he was a dangerous entity that could be in some corner of another realm planning his revenge, but I also knew that I was hopelessly in love with him."
When Becca moves into her ancestral home in Corydon, Indiana, her life takes a puzzling and thrilling turn when she meets the ghost haunting the halls. As the seductive spirit lures her closer and closer, she learns about her own past and starts to understand that some mistakes are meant to last.
Kindle Edition: http://www.amazon.com/Spiritus-Paranormal-Romance-Series-ebook/dp/B005V02FD4/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_t_1

Enjoy, and look for reviews on these coming soon!

The Summer Son

Book Title: The Summer Son
Author: Craig Lancaster
3.75 out of 5 Stars

Plot Background:

Mitch Quillen is a middle aged man with a very big chip on his shoulder. His marriage is failing, his career has fizzled out; his mother has passed away, and his father is really the only connection to his past and his family that he has left. Following a series of mysterious phone calls from his usually silent father, Mitch decides (with a little push from his wife) to go to Montana to find out what is wrong and to settle the debt he feels his father owes him. When he gets there, he discovers that the problems and miscommunications begin to build up, and what he discovers will change him forever.

My thoughts:

I had mixed feelings on this story. I was torn between 3.5 and 4 stars, so I went with 3.75. I will start with the good elements of this book.

One thing that I loved about the book, is how simply beautifully the book is written. Lancaster has a real talent with words, and the way he constructed his sentences and the words that he used flowed together perfectly. I didn't feel that he dumbed anything down for the reader, and that is something that I respect greatly in him as an author. He didn't over explain things, but he didn't leave the reader wanting more explanations either. I would love to read more of his work, not for the story or plot but just because of how the words seems to have flowed out of him like water into something that was beautiful.

I also liked the character of Mitch. He was like so many people, lost. He felt he wasn't responsible for his happiness-- it was always someone else's fault. His wife's fault for infidelity, his fathers fault for messing up his childhood, his brother's fault for his mothers sorrow. He, like so many others, did not fully take ownership of his life until near the end. I also enjoyed the transformation that his character underwent during the novel. He was merely a dopple-ganger of his former self by the end.

Another thing I liked was that the author didn't overload the book with minor characters. The people that were met or mentioned, were all part of the bigger picture. For the most part, there weren't a lot of minor fluff characters to beef up the story, it was just a raw, simple yet complex story line.

This brings me to my next point, things that made this book not a 4 or 5 star book for me. The plot, while interesting, was a little slow at some points. I kept waiting for something big and terrible to happen to cause such anger and such a rift between Mitch and his father Jim. I thought maybe Mitch was abused, physically or sexually or otherwise, but the only major thing that happened was his father getting drunk and fighting with his ex-wife. Perhaps it is a sad commentary on our society that a drunk argumentative father does not phase me, but I kept waiting for the other shoe to fall so to speak. It was not until the end-- which I will NOT give away here, that I felt truly shocked, and even then it wasn't something Mitch even knew about growing up, so it wasn't something that would have been included in the reason for their rift. I just felt that Mitch was being, well, for lack of better words a whiny baby. I thought to myself "Everyone's parents have had fights, if I didn't talk to my dad just because  my parent's fought I'd never have a conversation with him. Mitch needs to grow up and get over it already!" Jim had plenty of reasons to be so broody and distant, but Mitch, well Mitch just seemed annoyingly selfish.

Overall this novel was worth reading. It was serious and dark in the end, but along the way it was a little bit dry and slow, no matter how beautiful and smart the author's words. I would recommend it to anyone who has had issues with their parents in their lives, or if you are looking for a deeper book to read.

Here is a link to the Kindle edition of the book, best of all its only $2.99! And paper copy is only $3.99! You can use the Amazon searchbox for a paper copy on the side of the screen.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Summer-Son-ebook/dp/B003S9WBLG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1350353962&sr=8-2&keywords=the+summer+son

Happy Reading!!!

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