When your life’s work revolves around repairing other people’s marriages, what happens when your own marriage begins to fall apart? Find out what happens to Josiah Chamberlain in Cynthia Ruchti’s new book, A Fragile Hope. Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love. Love seems to have failed him. Will what’s left of his faith fail him, too? Or will it be the one thing that holds him together and sears through the impenetrable wall that separates them?
Celebrate the release of A Fragile Hope by entering to win Cynthia’s Sign of Hope Giveaway!
In Middle South, Layla is on a journey from the Southeast to the Middle East and back where she finds out a little more about herself and what she is looking for in life and in love.
About Middle South
Layla has recently moved out of her parents’ home in the Atlanta suburbs and into an apartment in the city to assert her independence. Between her job as a feature writer for a small newspaper and her social life, Layla has little time to think about marriage and children, much to the dismay of her Lebanese parents.
On a hilarious journey that takes Layla from the Southeast to the Middle East and back, she finds out a little more about herself and what she is looking for in life and in love.
Maya Nessouli Abboushi is a Lebanese American born and raised in the United States. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children. This is her first novel. You can connect with her on her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Giveaway!
Enter to win an ebook copy of Middle South, this giveaway is open Internationally – good luck!
We are huge hockey fans in our house. This love for hockey was instilled in me by my Mom, we would spend many evenings (especially Saturday nights) watching the Toronto Maple Leafs together as a family and it was an evening full of laughs and snacks. She would take us down as often as possible to Maple Leaf Gardens for pre-season skills competitions (I believe that’s what they were called back then but I could be wrong it has been so many years!) where we could watch the current team take to the ice and show off. She also took us to several meet and greets at Canada’s Wonderland with the Maple Leafs. I still have my autographed Leaf’s book signed by Doug Gilmour and Felix Potvin, although my boys have now taken that over and proudly display the book and postcards in their room.
Parents and their children make for the best cheering combination when it comes to their favourite sports team. As a family, we buy matching jerseys, hats and t-shirts, some of them are our lucky shirts that are reserved solely for playoffs and others are for every day wear. How can you not help fall in love with children decked out supporting their hometown team, especially babies? It just melts my heart!
This is so very true with the Toronto Maple Leafs – we love our hometown team and watch with anticipation (and a bit of anxiety) every year as we get closer and closer to playoff time. This year we made it – YAY! To show support and encourage our team along (being in the playoffs was a bonus), Carter’s Oshkosh is giving away limited Edition 6 month Maple Leafs Lil’ Bodysuits. If you are in the GTA or have family in the GTA that can pick it up for you, have them register online at Carter’s Oshkosh in order to receive a certificate to redeem in store. The deadline to redeem is April 30th which is coming up fast so if you haven’t had a chance to register, head over now.
Not in the GTA? No worries! Carter’s OshKosh and I are giving you a chance to win your own Lil’ Leafs Prize Pack. My Canadian residents can enter to win a Lil’ Leafs Prize Pack containing three Lil’ bodysuits, one Toronto Maple Leafs hat and one $15 Carter’s Oshkosh gift card via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
Assata Shakur: A 20th Century Escaped Slave is the story of Assata Shakur, before she became a fugitive and since.
About Assata Shakur: A 20th Century Escaped Slave
In May 1973, Assata Olugbala Shakur was involved in a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in which she was accused of killing New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster and assaulting Trooper James Harper. This resulted in her indictment of first-degree murder of Foerster and seven other felonies related to the shootout. A member of the Black Panther Party, she became a prime target of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Counterintelligence Program. When she joined the Black Liberation Army and went into hiding, between 1973 and 1977, she was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted List for three bank robberies, the kidnapping and murder of two drug dealers, and the attempted murder of two New Jersey police officers.
March 1977 Assata Shakur was convicted of murdering state trooper Werner Forrester and was imprisoned. Two years later she broke out of the maximum-security wing of Clinton Correctional Facility in New Jersey, pistol in hand, as she and three cohorts sped out of the prison grounds. In 1984 she was granted political asylum in Cuba where she has lived ever since. On May 2, 2013, the FBI added her to the Most Wanted Terrorist List, the first woman to be listed. Assata Shakur: A 20th Century Escaped Slave is the story of Assata Shakur, before she became a fugitive and since.
My Thoughts
This book is a detailed look at the life of Assata Shakur. This was my first time hearing about this important woman and I enjoyed learning about her life, her struggles, her fight against the law and then later her political asylum in Cuba. I was shocked to find out that she was the first woman to be added to the Most Wanted Terrorist List!
It is a detailed look at each of the events leading up to her political asylum and the information is given to us with just the facts – no judgement given to her nor the police, just the facts as they were laid out for all during that time. Barbara keeps that neutral fact sharing throughout the whole book which readers will appreciate.
The book does not give a detailed look into her personal life but more of her life as a political protestor and then prisoner. We are given the history of that time period, the facts that surround her accusations, her escape and later her time spent in Cuba. The only thing I found a bit difficult to follow was at times I felt like the book jumped back and forth between time frames. I found myself going back to re-read chapters to ensure I understood what was happening, I am not sure if this was because I wasn’t familiar enough with her history or because of the way the book was written.
This is a great book that gives you a detailed (but quick) look at the life of Assata, her struggles, her accusations and then her life in Cuba after being granted political asylum. It will definitely spark interest in her life and make you want more.
Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her previous nonfiction true crime work, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant for independent publishers and writers, and president of the Barbara Casey Agency, established in 1995, representing authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Fitz, a miniature dachshund; and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts. You can connect with her on her website.
Truths Not Spoken is the debut novel by promising new author Pamela T. Starr. It is a must-read for every woman who balances her dreams of love with a man with the needs of her child. Truths Not Spoken shows readers that yes, dreams can come true.
About Truths Not Spoken
Single mother Laura Walters had her life under control. She had a jewelry business, a generous best friend and a careful watch on her nine-year-old daughter, Emily. Then, Emily is seen on national television with Vic, the man who could tear their world apart. With one thirty second news clip, Laurel’s life turns into a tailspin. The paparazzi chase her. Two men from her past want her: Vic is a former lover. Kyle a former friend. They both know her secret, and either one could ruin the careful life Laurel built for herself and Emily.
Faced with no other option, Laurel turns to Kyle to protect her and her life with Emily. But just as Laurel and Kyle are beginning to trust each other, they learn of shocking betrayals they each have been hiding. Some secrets are made to be broken. Some secrets never should be. But how does Laurel learn which ones are which? Truths Not Spoken is the debut novel by promising new author Pamela T. Starr. It is a must-read for every woman who balances her dreams of love with a man with the needs of her child. Truths Not Spoken shows readers that yes, dreams can come true.
My Thoughts
A fantastic novel of strength, love, hope, hidden strength but also lies and betrayal. We have Laurel who gave birth to her daughter and her birth was masked in secrecy. Emily doesn’t know who her Father is, Laurel has never asked for help and never will. She doesn’t need nor want it. All she wants is to provide for her daughter and watch her grow – something we can all relate to.
Suddenly, both of the men who were there before her pregnancy are back in her life. She is faced with anger, mistrust and fear of losing her daughter. She is thrust into the limelight but not by her own choice and she fears for her own security not to mention her daughters. Kyle was always the one she went to, to protect her from Vic (her ex) and she begins to trust him again. I loved watching their friendship grow again but it all comes tumbling down when the layers of lies begin to be unravelled and it was definitely not something I was expecting when I was reading the book! Both Laurel and Kyle have hidden so much from each other out of fear and it makes you worry that it is too late for the two of them and their friendship.
A beautiful novel of hope, building trust and relationships after betrayal and love lost and found. I could not put this beautiful novel down. I had to know what happened to Laurel, Kyle, Vic and Emily. You feel anger (mostly at Vic but sometimes at Kyle), you feel hurt for Laurel but also hope that she has the strength and courage to move forward in her life. A definite must read and I can’t wait to see what comes next from Pamela!
Pamela T. Starr has been recognized as an outstanding new author with a promising future. Truths Not Spoken is the first in her Shifting Sands series, all set in her home state of Florida.
An accomplished trainer and public speaker, Pamela has motivated more than 60,000 people at live presentations and workshops. She has also logged more than 30 hours of live national television appearances.
Pamela is inspired by the two men in her life. The one she mothers is still young enough to be excited by life and the many opportunities he discovers. The one who is her life-long partner is old enough to know that life is an adventure and he embraces it every day.
Win a grand prize A Year of Novels” A collection of twelve novels by best selling writers, plus a signed copy of Truths Not Spoken by Pamela T. Starr (1 winner, USA only)
Win a Kindle copy of Truths Not Spoken (5 winners, USA only)
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