January 30, 2018
Should’ve Been You Book Review
Childhood neighbors get a chance at love in Should’ve Been You, an achingly romantic novella in Nicole McLaughlin’s Man Enough series!
About Should’ve Been You
National Guardsman Jase Beckford wants to live a quiet life raising cattle and taking care of his mother. His childhood friend and neighbor Hannah is still his best friend, but when he walks into the Walters house one morning and sees her twin sister Becca for the first time in five years, he wonders if he missed out on something special.
Becca Walters has nursed a secret crush on Jase since childhood, but he always preferred Hannah, so she buried her feelings assuming her sister and Jase would one day turn their flirtation into a real relationship. And this Christmas, she is anticipating a proposal of her own, so Jase’s reappearance in her life doesn’t mean anything. Much. Okay, maybe more than Becca would like to admit.
However, when Becca’s sister gets engaged to someone who’s not Jase, Becca and Jase find themselves spending more together. And when secrets are revealed, suddenly those dormant feelings come back to life; but is the possibility of something between them worth risking the happiness of everyone they love?
My Thoughts
Should’ve Been You is a sweet, fun and sexy romance between two people who would never have thought they would have a relationship.
Becca and Jase have known each other their whole lives but never really knew the other well enough despite Jase being so close to Becca’s sister Hannah. We find out the reason for this being that Hannah had jealously told them both lies in order to prevent the two from ever becoming too close. While you want to be mad at her, you almost can’t blame her for wanting to keep Jase close! He is everything you could want in a man – kind, thoughtful, sexy and more. He had a difficult past that has forever changed the way he views relationships and sometimes even himself.
When the two are re-united again without the pressure of Hannah possibly being in the picture, sparks fly and boy do they fly! You can see how perfect these two would be for each other if they would just get over their shyness and lack of trust. They also have Hannah looming over their relationship – she controls Jase and can sometimes possibly without meaning to manipulate his feelings.
This was a sweet, fun, romantic read that I enjoyed from start to finish. It was well written and the characters were developed nicely. It had a great story of putting yourself out there and trusting in yourself and someone else, regardless of what has happened in your past.
You can purchase a copy of Should’ve Been You on Amazon.
Rating: 4/5
About the Author
Nicole loves to read, bake, make lists, and binge watch an entire television show season in one day. She lives with her husband and three boys in a small town outside of Kansas City. You can find out more at www.nicolemclaughlinbooks.com.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 29, 2018
Toddler Tootsies Take on the Day! Spotlight
Welcome to the wonderful world of Matt and Mattie, where every day is a learning adventure in Toddler Tootsies Take on the Day!
About Toddler Tootsies Take on the Day!
Welcome to the wonderful world of Matt and Mattie, where every day is a learning adventure! Just as our ten toes help our bodies balance, Matt and Mattie’s ten daily habits help toddlers learn balanced behaviors that will guide them in leading happy, healthy childhoods.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
About the Author
Marsha K. Nowakowski is a loving wife, dedicated mother to three children, and a “grammie” to her grandchildren.
This is Marsha’s debut book for toddlers. She has spent forty years in the healthcare industry, primarily as a cardiac nurse. Her inspiration for writing Matt and Mattie’s Adventures developed from her own observations that patients who recovered more quickly exhibited healthy habits and good attitudes toward life. As a mother and grammie, Marsha recognized the need for books teaching healthy habits to help young ones develop into successful people who always do their best.
Matt and Mattie’s Adventures makes everyday habits fun, balanced, and adventuresome for toddlers. Marsha’s own adventures include travel, horseback riding, and reading. She also enjoys golf, baseball games, and sailing with her husband. According to Marsha, every day is an adventure!
You can connect with her on her website and Facebook.
The Giveaway!
Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 18, 2018
Frostbitten Audiobook Review
In Frostbitten, great beauty hides dark secrets.
About Frostbitten
Seventeen-year-old Anastasia Lockhart has never led an easy life, but when she starts getting into serious trouble, she’s sent to live with her grandparents in Cedar Falls. The small, picturesque town hasn’t changed since she visited four years ago, with one exception – the presence of a handsome, mysterious boy named Frost.
Despite warnings from her grandparents and friends to stay away from Frost, Anastasia can’t deny their attraction, and the more time they spend together, the deeper in love they fall. Unfortunately, Frost has a secret that is beyond Anastasia’s wildest imagination, and she soon finds herself in the midst of a supernatural legend that has haunted Cedar Falls for years.
My Thoughts
Frostbitten is a fun, paranormal romance based in Cedar Falls in Northern Ontario (woohoo thought this was pretty cool hearing Toronto and Ontario in an audiobook as this never happens). The story will be a huge hit for fans of youth paranormal novels like Twilight and Vampire Diaries (although in this case a werewolf takes centre stage, which I actually enjoyed reading about as I think we have had enough of vampires).
Cedar Falls is a remote, beautiful, isolated town that holds a dark secret – a history of attacks and wolves. This is where Anastasia finds herself after getting in trouble at her previous school, her Mother’s home with her Grandparents. She is a very typical teenager – unsure, wanting to fit in and conflicted about her emotions.
Anastasia does not find life any easier in Cedar Falls – the youth in her school are mean and untrusting. Something I am sure many teens can relate to (I know I could have), they torment her with their lies and gossip. She falls hard for Frost a young man with his own troubled past (most that is not his own fault). Their relationship seems doomed from the start – her Grandfather despises the young man and it doesn’t help her social life at school. He also has a very huge secret that could destroy their friendship.
The story really picks up here as we dive into the town’s history and the legends of the werewolves. Their relationship is starting to build and when werewolf hunters come to the town – they are forced to make a huge decision.
This was a well written, fun and interesting audiobook, Heather has done a great job with this story. It has a great plot line that paranormal fans will love. The narrator in the audiobook is excellent and kept me engaged and interested throughout the novel. There is some mild language throughout the book so depending on your comfort level with this it may be better geared for older youth. A great read and/or listen overall!
You can purchase a copy of Frostbitten on Amazon.
Rating: 4/5
About the Author
Heather received an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree from university where she specialized in English and studied an array of disciplines. Currently, she is working on the Frostbitten series and has two anthologies slated for publication. As a screenwriter, Heather has multiple television shows and movies in development. Her short films include: Young Eyes, The Rarity, Too Sensible For Love, Circular, and the forthcoming Witch’s Brew.
Besides writing, Heather’s greatest passion is the outdoors. She is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Her hobbies include swimming, playing badminton and volunteering with non-profit organizations.
Disclosure: I received an audiobook of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 18, 2018
The Melody of the Soul Book Review
In The Melody of the Soul, Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost everything, including her career as a concert violinist and almost her entire family – will she lose the music of her heart as well?
About The Melody of the Soul
By 1943, Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost everything, including her career as a concert violinist and almost her entire family. The only person she has left is her beloved grandmother, and she’s determined to keep her safe. But protecting Grandmother won’t be easy–not with a Nazi officer billeted below them.
Anna must keep a low profile. There’s one thing she refuses to give up, though. Despite instruments being declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to practice her violin. She has to believe that the war will end someday and her career will be waiting. Fortunately for Anna, the officer, Horst Engel, enjoys her soothing music. It distracts him from his dissatisfaction with Nazi ideology and reminds him that beauty still exists in an increasingly ugly world.
When his neighbors face deportation, Horst is moved to risk everything to hide them. Anna finds herself falling in love with the handsome officer and his brave heart. But what he reveals to her might break her trust and stop the music forever.
My Thoughts
This novel is set in the backdrop of World War II. We have Anna who is a Jewish Christian who has watched her friends be taken away. She is struggling with her family but they are together. This all changes the day that her family are called to report – everyone except her Grandmother and herself. She is devastated and can not imagine leaving her family. She begs to be able to go with them regardless of where they ended up. She just wants to keep her family together. Instead her Father tasks her with the job of caring for her Grandmother.
The two live in constant fear of being called next, they don’t leave the house and Anna who has already lost so much is forced to give up her music in fear of being heard. When a German soldier moves in to her building, this ups the risk for the two.
The soldier that moves in is not like most soldiers in the German army. He is conflicted morally and religiously with what his country is doing. He sees the humanity in all and can not bear to do the harm that is expected of him. In the eyes of his Father and his army, he is a failure and is weak but in his own eyes he can’t bear going through with the actions. He becomes security for Anna – although she finds it hard to trust, understand and forgive him. She becomes his saviour and forgiveness in the eyes of God.
This is an extremely powerful novel. I cried in so many parts of the novel for the cruelty and unfairness. I cried for the trust and forgiveness these two are trying to build. In all of the cruelty, there is hope and faith. Hope that this will soon end and that freedom, peace, respect and love will come again. This is the type of novel you will not put down – I read it in one sitting as it was just too powerful. I had to know what was happening to Anna. The ending was just perfect and suited their story. This is a definite must read novel.
You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Best-selling novelist Liz Tolsma is the author of several World War II novels and prairie romance novellas. She also works as a freelance editor. She lives in a semirural area of Wisconsin with her husband and two daughters. Her son serves with the US Marines. All of their children came to them through international adoption. Her other passions include walking, gardening, camping, and reading.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 17, 2018
The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Facebook Live
Travel back in time to 1943 and meet Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian and concert violinist whose career is ended because of Nazi occupation in Prague. Don’t miss the new historical novel, The Melody of the Soul, by Liz Tolsma. Though musical instruments have been declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to play the violin. But Officer Horst Engel, quartered in Anna’s flat and dissatisfied with German ideology, enjoys her soothing music. When Anna and her grandmother face deportation, Horst risks everything to protect them.
Join Liz Tolsma and other bookworms for a Facebook Live event on February 6, plus enter to win Liz’s prize pack giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- One copy of The Melody of the Soul
- A garnet bracelet
- A box of Czech Republic chocolate
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 6. The winner will be announced at Liz’s Facebook Live Party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Liz and other readers, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!
RSVP today and spread the word-tell your friends about the giveaway and Facebook Live party via social media and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.