Author: cvegnad

October 16, 2018

The Christmas Star Book Review

In The Christmas Star, Donna VanLiere delivers yet another sweet, joyous story that is sure to capture readers’ hearts.

About The Christmas Star

Thirty-two-year-old Amy Denison volunteers at Glory’s Place, an after school program where she meets seven-year-old Maddie, a precocious young girl who has spent her childhood in foster care. Unbeknownst to Amy, Maddie is a mini-matchmaker, with her eye on just the right man for Amy at Grandon Elementary School, where she is a student. Amy is hesitant – she’s been hurt before, and isn’t sure she’s ready to lose her heart again – but an unexpected surprise makes her reconsider her lonely lifestyle.

As Christmas nears and the town is blanketed in snow and beautiful decorations, Maddie and the charming staff at Glory’s Place help Amy to see that romance can be more than heartache and broken promises.

My Thoughts

The Christmas Star is a special holiday story of forgiveness, second changes and finding your forever home.

Maddie is the most adorable young child that you will ever meet. She is kind, full of joy and love. She is also quite clever and mischievous! She has big plans for the two important people in her life, that she feels are lonely and need love – Amy and Mr. G. Maddie becomes the star of the story as she brings together two individuals and creates her own future.

Maddie, with childhood innocence, could never have known the history behind Amy and Mr. G – and neither of them could have ever imagined meeting again. While awkward and painful at times, Maddie in her own way, begins to help heal the hearts of these two adults. Allowing them to forgive, to heal and to move forward. With several turns, you are never quite sure where the story will end but you keep hoping that the two can make it together.

The Christmas Star was a sweet story of second chances, forgiveness and hope. While Maddie does tend to steal the show, we have two very important characters in Amy and Mr. G, whom we are rooting for throughout the story. We also have several characters who will crack you up with some excellent comic relief.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Donna VanLiere is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author and gifted conference speaker. She has published ten titles including The Christmas Shoes and The Christmas Blessing, both of which were adapted into movies (starring Rob Lowe, Kimberly Williams-Perry and Neil Patrick Harris) and garnered big ratings for CBS television. LifetimeTelevision adapted The Christmas Hope (starring Madeline Stowe) and premiered it December 2009 to stellar ratings as well. Donna’s non-seasonal novel, The Angels of Morgan Hill, has captured the same warmth as her Christmas books and continues to please loyal and new fans alike.

Donna is the recipient of a Retailer’s Choice Award for Fiction, a Dove Award, a Silver Angel Award, an Audie Award for best inspirational fiction, a nominee for a Gold Medallion Book of the Year and was recently inducted into the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence joining such luminaries as Coretta Scott King, Hugh Downs, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and Senator John Glenn. Donna is an in-demand conference speaker having appeared at countless women’s and family events, including select Women of Faith and Extraordinary Women conferences.

Donna lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband, Troy, and their children, Grace, Kate and David.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 16, 2018

Dear Santa: A Novel Book Review

Dear Santa is a heartwarming Christmas story about finding your passion for life and love.

About Dear Santa: A Novel

Angela Carson wants nothing more than to be the third-generation to run her family’s holiday store, Heart of Christmas, successfully. They’ve weathered over sixty tourist seasons, major hurricanes, and urban sprawl, in their old decommissioned lighthouse. But the national chain that set up shop in their small North Carolina town of Pleasant Sands may be more than Heart of Christmas can survive.

Encouraged by her niece to ask Santa for help through the Dear Santa app, Angela gives in and lets the words fly in a way that, if Santa were real, would no doubt land her on the naughty list. What’s the harm when it’s just a computer-generated response?

Geoff Paisley has been at his mother’s side running the mega-chain Christmas Galore for the last ten years. When his mother falls ill, Geoff promises to answer the Dear Santa letters in her stead. Soon he realizes the woman he’s been corresponding with on Dear Santa is Angela. How could the woman that grates his every last nerve in person have intrigued him so deeply through those letters?

My Thoughts

Dear Santa is a heart warming, holiday romance that will make you laugh, smile and tear up. Angela has inherited the family business, Heart of Christmas, which sells unique, high quality, handmade Christmas decorations, ornaments and more. It is more than just a business, it is her life – it is full of memories, dreams and where her heart lies. But in this modern age, where cheap can be king – how can it survive? Especially when the chain store, Christmas Galore, moves in.

Angela is forced to face reality as sales that were already down, plummet. She just can not compete with the cheap, mass-produced products of the chain store. She faces anger, resentment and even hatred towards the store and the owner, Geoff Paisley – who before she realizes is the owner, she feels a great deal of attraction to!

She bores her heart out into the sweetest app, Dear Santa (which you get to read several of the letters to Santa which will make your heart melt!) not realizing the creators of the app are Christmas Galore!

Angela and Geoff face off with each other in a background of family emergencies, changing market landscapes and are forced to look deeply in order to reinvent themselves in order to survive. It was a beautiful story that made me laugh and served as a reminder that change, while at first is scary, can actually be great and lead to even better things.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author NANCY NAIGLE whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. Her books include Christmas Joy, Dear Santa, and Hope at Christmas. A native of Virginia Beach, she currently calls North Carolina home.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 8, 2018

Murder by Perfection Book Review

In Murder by Perfection, perfection can be a fatal endeavor.

About Murder by Perfection

Frustrated with their busy schedules, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday attempt to find togetherness by scheduling a weekly date night. The last thing Jessica Faraday expected for her date night was to take a couple’s gourmet cooking course at the Stepford Kitchen Studio, owned by Chef Natalie Stepford―the model of perfection in looks, home, and business.

When Natalie ends up dead and Murphy goes missing, the Thorny Rose detectives must peel back the layers of Natalie Stepford’s life to discover that the pursuit of perfection can be deadly.

My Thoughts

Lauren is an extremely talented writer, who has the ability to draw you into a story, invest in the characters and never want to put the book down. I have loved all of her work but this story is by far one of her best.

This was a very intense, suspenseful novel with a plot line that I could never have dreamed of. There were multiple layers to the original murder and I never saw each turn coming. What starts off with a murder leads them to on the outside a perfect woman – Natalie. She has been molded into the “Barbie” image of a woman by at first glance her own choice but throughout the novel you begin to wonder when you learn more about her secret life, her seemingly perfect husband and job. She turns out to be one of the keys to this intense plot! Then you tie in a family that also looks perfect on the outside with drugs, mental health and marital problems and voila – an ending you could not have dreamed of happening.

This was a well written, though out novel. The characters have grown and developed so much throughout the series but the best part is you could read this novel on its own without struggling to follow along. This is a definite must read novel for all fans of her writing and those who love a good murder mystery with some humour.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Book Trailer

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 1, 2018

Who Do I Want to Become Book Review

Who Do I Want To Become? is for anyone, of any age, who has been stumped by the question of what they’re going to be when they grow up.

About Who Do I Want to Become

A class project is due, and Dylan is struggling with the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Ultimately, he realizes that it’s who are you that matters the most.

Who Do I Want To Become? is a refreshing new take on a question asked time and time again. One that invites us to discover something wonderful about ourselves that has nothing to do with what you want to be and everything to do with who you are and who you want to be

My Thoughts

This is one of the hardest and most common question you will ever be asked – WHAT do you want to be when you are older. I know my boys throw this question around a lot right now between themselves (soccer players is the current aspiration) and still ask both my husband and I what we want to be when we grow up (happy that they realize we can always re-invent ourselves!). For myself, as a child I wanted to be a pediatric doctor, a surgeon, a chiropractor, a fitness instructor and the dreams kept evolving.

As I became older, I realized it wasn’t so much about the title but who I wanted to help and how I could accomplish this and more about who I was. I love students, learning and education but HOW could I help others realize their educational potential without being in an educator role. This has guided my current career path and found me in my current role where I can help graduate students accomplish their masters.

I love how this book addresses the many faces of careers we can embrace, free of gender and age restrictions but also the most important piece – WHO do we want to become. Do we want to be good people who help others? Save the environment? Nurture and love children? The who is just as important (if not more important) as the what. It is the who that guides us in the direction in the what we want to be. I have always told my children it is their actions that define them, not their titles that will leave a legacy.

This is a beautiful book for children and adults of all ages, who want to start the topic of how we can accomplish becoming the person of our dreams.

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

About the Author

DR. RUMEET BILLAN is an award-winning, internationally recognized entrepreneur, learning architect and humanitarian. Her mission is to raise potential by designing experiences that build resilience. At the age of 25, and again three years later, Rumeet was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network. She has been profiled as a ‘Generation Entrepreneur’ by Forbes, and her work has been featured in The Globe and Mail, The Financial Post and Professionally Speaking.

Rumeet is the President of Viewpoint Leadership and Jobs in Education. She completed her PhD at the University of Toronto alongside a collaborative degree in the Dynamics of Global Change with the Munk School of Global Affairs. Rumeet has designed and facilitated programs, courses, and training sessions across industries and sectors. She has delivered TEDx talks as well as a convocation address for graduating students at the University of Toronto. Her talk on The Future of Education at TEDx in Halifax, Nova Scotia was highly lauded and later adapted into a workshop for Ontario students, titled: Who do you want to be when you grow up?TM.

Since 2004, Rumeet has contributed to social impact initiatives that improve access to and the quality of education in North America, South America and Africa.

Question and Answer with Dr. Rumeet Billan

Tell us about your inspiration for Who Do I Want To Become?

During my time as a volunteer at orphanages in Kenya, I would often ask children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When they shared their responses, I realized that they were sharing with me who they wanted to be. This made me reflect on the fact that it’s not about what you want to be, but about who you are and who you want to be—that’s what matters the most. These children taught me what real self- actualization really is.

Much of my work has always been and continues to be grounded in psychological capital and emotional resilience. When I married my experiences abroad with my work and delivered my TEDx talk, it finally all made sense. I turned my TEDx talk into a workshop for intermediate and high school students and eventually realized that there was something missing for K-6. That inspired me to write Who Do I Want to Become?, which is for children and adults alike.

What do you hope readers—of all ages—take from the book?

Simply, that life is not about a position title or career; it’s about who they are and who they want to be that matters. Most importantly, it’s that these qualities already exist inside them.

Why is it important for children and parents to focus on positive character traits rather than a job description?

Dell Technologies recently reported that 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 have not yet been invented. How do we prepare our children and our students for jobs that don’t yet exist? How do we make them future-ready? We focus on the who versus the what! If they have a clear grasp on who they want to be, they can be flexible with the ‘what’, which will help them adapt and increase their stress tolerance.

How does this message help to transform perceptions around gender-specific work?

This book intentionally challenges gender stereotypes by introducing characters with careers not typical for their sex. For example, male teachers in elementary schools are scarce. It was important for me to include Mr. Janzen as a male person of colour who is teaching in an elementary school. Dylan’s mom was given a job in STEM and I wanted Dylan’s sister, Angela, also interested in STEM. I want young girls to be encouraged to explore an area that is mainly male-dominated and to know that there are great role models they can turn to.

Further, we included a gender-neutral character, cousin Jamie, who imagines all sorts of possibilities for their future. Dylan’s younger sister wants to be a superhero. Since so many of the superheroes children see on the big screen are male, it was important for me to show young girls that they can dream to be whatever they want to be.

Is there a wider message for people who aren’t parents? Could this apply to adults, too?

Absolutely! This message is for everyone, everywhere. I find many people I connect with struggling with where they find purpose and meaning and also what they want to do next. Those conversations typically lead to who do you want to be and what do you want to be known for. This message is for anyone struggling to figure out what they want to do with their lives and what legacy they want to leave behind.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 1, 2018

The Christmas Wishing Tree Book Review

Sometimes life’s most magical journeys bring you back to where it all began. From bestselling author Emily March comes The Christmas Wishing Tree, celebrating the magic and miracle of Christmas.

About The Christmas Wishing Tree

A man who loves adventure and the open sea, Devin Murphy returns for a short Christmas trip to his small hometown of Eternity Springs. Immersed in the joy and magic of the holiday season all around him, he doesn’t hesitate to play along when a young boy phones Santa to ask for a very special wish. Devin never guesses that a wrong number has the potential to make everything in his life so right.

Jenna Stockton adopted Reilly when he needed a mother and she intends to keep him safe. A small town across the country called Eternity Springs seems like a good place to hide from their past without any complications ―until sexy Santa himself discovers her secrets. When Devin proposes a daring plan to face down the danger together and defeat it once and for all, she is tempted. Maybe Devin really is capable of making wishes come true? Perhaps in a Christmas wish they’ll both find the miracle they’ve been looking for all along.

My Thoughts

A beautiful story of hope and finding love where you least expect it, least of all in a wrong call from a young child!

Devin has always been a wild child, loving the water and freedom. He is kind and good-hearted but never lets himself become too close to anyone. His family would love to see him settled down but also respect his free nature and need to roam. Jenna on the outside seems to be the complete opposite. She is a doctor who has dedicated her life to children. Her world revolves around her adopted child, Reilly, and when someone threatens their lives she picks up everything to keep him safe. This is how she finds herself in the beautiful town of Eternity Springs.

Despite their differences, they are very attracted to each other in many ways. Jenna loves the way he makes her laugh and hope again and Devin loves everything about her and her child. Jenna, despite her feelings, is worried to trust him – especially with the danger she faces. But when she finally opens up it is Devin who would do anything to protect her.

This is a beautiful novel from start to finish of trust, hope and finding love where we least expect it. I loved every moment of their beautiful story and would love to see a part two.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a “master of delightful banter,” and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.