Seven Threads: A Book of Short Stories

Book Details:

Book Title:  Seven Threads: A Book of Short Stories
Author:  Jason Atkinson
​Category:  Adult Fiction,  151 pages
Genre:   Thriller and Suspense
Publisher:  Mascot Books
Release date: July 4 , 2017
Tour dates:  July 10 to 28, 2017
Content Rating:  PG

Book Description:

In this collection of seven short stories from Jason Atkinson, follow a man accused of murder, a runaway girl on a train, a scientist at the heart of a government conspiracy, and more! Full of twists and turns, Seven Threads offers a selection of fast-paced stories full of heart and excitement.
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Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Books-a -Million

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Meet the Author:

​Jason Atkinson lives in the Midwest with his wife and son. With a love of writing, this is his 3rd book, but first book in the fiction category. Short stories are easy to digest, and yet, this book still provides all the joys for the long haul reader. Jason write for everyone in mind when creating this piece and hopes you will enjoy it as much as he did when writing it.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Facebook  

A Spoonful of Grace: Mealtime Blessings in Bite-sized Pieces ​by Annette Hubbell

Book Details:

Book Title:  A Spoonful of Grace: Mealtime Blessings in Bite-sized Pieces
​Category:   Christian Living; 444 pages
​Genre:  Family devotional, Children's devotional 
Publisher:  Credo House Publishers
Release date:  Feb 2017
Tour dates:  Aug 7 to 25, 2017
Content Rating:  G​

Book Description:

Just 2 minutes each day can change your family meal time for a lifetime.

A Spoonful of Grace is a collection of 366 evening meal graces taken from all 66 books of the Bible and designed to provide meaningful exposure to prayer and the Bible at a most opportune time: the family evening meal. ​

The Scripture/grace devotions are inviting, can be grasped at several levels, and are brief enough (about two minutes) to hold the attention of hungry kids. Here's why:

• Each day has an application section called Grace Notes: ideas and quotes to further illustrate the message and stimulate conversation.
  
• Sundays are for Story Graces. These 52 devotions are a bit longer to afford the suspenseful, engrossing reading of stories such as David and Goliath, Daniel in the lions’ den, and Jonah and the big fish.
  
• Special Graces are celebrations such as  Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays.
  
• Each grace:
  • Supports discussions of God’s attributes and of faith-based values, offering moral examples like forgiveness, friendship, honesty, trust, even table manners.
    
  • Creates curiosity about the Bible and ways in which Scripture can be applied to today’s issues.
    
  • Demonstrates how the act of praying together lifts one’s own spirit; fosters praise; and increases mutual feelings of appreciation, gratefulness, and accountability.
    
  • Teaches without overt instruction, similar to hiding extra veggies in the spaghetti sauce.
    
  • Remind us that our food, as well as God’s countless other daily blessings, is a gift.

Endorsements for "A Spoonful of Grace": 

“The dining room table is a key place to connect with your children.  It's time to put down the phones and pick up this book instead.” --Arlene Pellicane, speaker and author of “31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom”

"...beautiful, winsome and creative...will spark meaningful discussion and thoughtful reflection. This book will nourish both heart and mind.”--Dr. Mark L. Strauss, Vice-Chair, The NIV Committee on Bible Translation and University Professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary

"Annette Hubbell has made this powerful family life rhythm and tradition SO MUCH EASIER!  Give your family the gift that will last for generations to come—‘A Spoonful of Grace!’” --Pam Farrel, author of 45 books including best-selling “Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti,” “10 Best Decisions a Parent Can Make”, and “A Couple’s Journey with God.”

"Wonderfully composed and chock-full of wit and wisdom. I wish I’d had this book when my husband and I were raising our four children.” --Susan Meissner, Award-winning author of “Secrets of a Charmed Life”


Watch the book trailer:

Meet the Author:

Annette Hubbell earned her undergraduate degree in Marketing from San Diego State University, her M.B.A. from Cal State University in San Marcos, and a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University.  She has been featured in over 160 performances, and starred in the DVD, “Witness to Gettysburg” edited by 33-time Emmy Award winner, Robert Gardner. She was awarded Presenter of the Year twice at the Civil War Round Table of San Diego, and is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Hubbell lives in San Diego, California with her husband of 33 years, Monte. They have a daughter, Amy. She and her husband Scott live in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit www.AnnetteHubbell.com or www.SpoonfulOfGrace.com.

Connect with the Author: Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Youtube

Thank You for Arguing

A master class in the art of persuasion, as taught by professors ranging from Bart Simpson to Winston Churchill, newly revised and updated. 
The time-tested secrets taught in this book include Cicero's three-step strategy for moving an audience to action, and Honest Abe's Shameless Trick for lowering an audience's expectations. And it's also replete with contemporary techniques such as politicians' use of code language to appeal to specfic groups and an eye-opening assortment of persuasive tricks, including the Eddie Haskell Ploy, the Belushi Paradigm, Stalin's Timing Secret, and the Yoda Technique.    

Whether you're an inveterate lover of language books or just want to win a lot more anger-free arguments on the page, at the podium, or over a beer, Thank You for Arguing is for you. Warm, witty, erudite, and truly enlightening, it not only teaches you how to recognize a paralipsis when you hear it, but also how to wield the weapons of persuasion the next time you really, really, want to get your own way.

My Review

This was an interesting book to read as it focused on the psychology of arguing in order to argue and win. I liked how it did not just focus on simple arguments, but instead focused on techniques used to win. The writing style was well chosen and made it very easy to understand the topic and become interested in it. This is a must have must read for anyone looking to argue or persuade to win!

An Interesting Read of: The Physics of Everday Things

I personally found this book to be a very interesting read as it offered explanations about physics in relation to everyday situation. This made it a lot easy to understand as I was able to get examples that actually made sense. The author clearly had a good understanding of the topic

NIV Kids' Visual Study Bible, Hardcover, Full Color Interior Explore the Story of the Bible—People, Places, and History By Zondervan

Book Description

The NIV Kids’ Visual Study Bible, for ages 8–12, brings the Bible to life in four-color illustrated splendor. This study Bible includes a spectacular full-color interior featuring over 700 illustrations, photos, infographics, and maps on every page that visually represent key Bible information. Each page also features important facts located near the relevant verse. Intriguing facts; colorful, engaging maps; photographs; and illustrations make this a Bible they’ll want to explore.

Features:

Over 700 four-color photographs, illustrations, infographics, and maps throughout
Full-color design
Book introductions, including important facts and an image to orient the reader
One-column format with side bar study notes for ease of reading
Presentation page
The complete text of the New International Version (NIV) translation of the Bible
Beautiful cover featuring gloss

My Review

I have recently begun to explore and review the different options available
in children’s bibles. I have seen bibles for little kids, toddles, pre-teens,
and young adults. This bible would fall into the pre-teen category in my
opinion because it has illustrations to keep the child interested, yet the
bible stories are much more realistic then the toddler bibles. The word choice
is also more geared towards someone who knows how to read. That is not to say
that someone who could not read could not understand it just that an adult
would need to read it and maybe explain a few words here and there.

Infinity by Tabitha Lord

Book Details: Book Title:  Infinity by Tabitha Lord Category:  Adult Fiction, 304 pages Genre:  Science Fiction, Space Opera Publisher:   Wise Ink Creative Publishing Release date:  June 6, 2017 Format available for review:  print & ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF) & NetGalley download Will ship print books to:  Internationally Tour dates: May 22 to July 14, 2017 Content Rating: PG-13 + M (violence, non-explicit sex, language) Book Description: ​In the second installment of the award-winning Horizon series, Dr. Caeli Crys returns to her war-torn world to fight for those she left behind. Almagest, Caeli’s home, stands on the brink of revolution. Long hidden from the rest of the galaxy, the once-peaceful planet suffers under a regime that grows more violent and oppressive by the day. Marcus, Almagest’s dictator, is building an arsenal of alien weaponry by selling empathic children into slavery. A resistance has risen, but they are outmanned, outgunned, and in hiding. Joined by Commander Derek Markham and his elite squadron of operatives, Caeli embarks on a dangerous mission to find the Resistance, rescue her captive people, and save her civilization from destruction. ​ Buy the Book: ​Amazon Add to Goodreads  Meet the Author: Tabitha currently lives in Rhode Island. She is married, has four great kids, two spoiled cats, and lovable lab mix. Her degree is in Classics from College of the Holy Cross and she taught Latin for years at an independent Waldorf school, where she now serves on the Board of Trustees. ​ Tabitha’s debut novel, Horizon, won the Writer’s Digest Grand Prize for Self-Published Fiction in 2016, and was named finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and National Indie Excellence Awards. Infinity, the second book in the Horizon series, will be released in June 2017. Her short story “Homecoming” appears in the anthology Sirens, edited by Rhonda Parrish and published by World Weaver Press, and was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is also a senior editor for www.BookClubBabble.com. Visit her blog at www.tabithalordauthor.com where she discusses favorite topics including parenting, teaching, and her writing journey. ​Connect with Tabitha: Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest  ~ Instagram My Review Infinity by Tabitha Lord took place after the events of Horizon by Tabitha Lord. This follow up was just as well-written as the book that preceded it. I really loved how the author stayed tru to the characters and plot that had been created in the first book. Caeli Crys' empathic nature easily kept her as my favorite character. However the fact that she was now on a mission to find and save her people really brought out her inner strength and resolve. I enjoyed getting to see her be the hero. Though I have to say that I found Commander Derek Markham to be a very close second favorite. I liked the way that he was further developed in this book and how he played a strong supportive role to Caeli. I have to say that I loved this one even more than the first one!

God Bless My School By Hannah C. Hall

God Bless My School By Hannah C. Hall

Book Description

God Bless My School, the next book in the bestselling God Bless line (with more than 450,000 books sold), introduces young children to all the exciting things that school will bring. Perfect for starting daycare, preschool, and kindergarten, this padded board book helps children view school as a fun, cool place to go.

My Review

God Bless My School By Hannah C. Hall was a very cute children's book with very cute pictures. This is the perfect book for a young child who is in school and learning to read. I loved the animal characters as it made the book so much better for children than human characters would have.

Boardwalk Summer

 

Inside the Book

Title: BOARDWALK SUMMER
Author: Kimberly Fisk
Publisher: Berkley/Penguin
Pages: 352
Genre: Contemporary Romance

In the town of Tranquility Bay, summer is the season of second chances…
Single mother Hope Thompson has built a happy life for herself and her twins in beautiful Tranquility Bay, Washington. She doesn’t dwell on her painful past—especially not on the man who broke her heart all those years ago. But when Hope’s beloved son needs help, she takes a desperate chance and reaches out to her children’s father.
Nick Fortune lives life in the spotlight as a champion race car driver. He’s shocked to hear from Hope and even more surprised to learn that he’s a father. He immediately heads to the Pacific Northwest to confront the past—and the woman he once loved.
There, on the quiet lakeshore, Nick and Hope must work together to save their son—even if it means facing their complicated past—for a second chance as a family.

PRAISE FOR BOARDWALK SUMMER

“It was late. I only meant to take a peek but ended up reading BOARDWALK SUMMER in one delicious gulp, and I’m still thinking about the characters. A terrific read. Page turning and deeply emotional. You’ll fall in love with these characters who have so much at stake. Highly recommended.”
Susan Elizabeth Phillips

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author

A past recipient of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart Award, Kimberly Fisk is the bestselling author of Lake Magic. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, and too many four-legged critters to count.

Her latest book is the contemporary romance, Boardwalk Summer.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK

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My Review

Boardwalk Summer by Kimberly Fisk was the book I chose to take with my on my Key West vacation. I figured it would be something of an easy read that I could easily walk away from. I have never been more happy to be proven wrong the book may have been an easy read, but it was a real struggle to put it down. I felt like I could have easily spent half of my vacation in the pages of this book.

The characters had such a realistic feel to them and the romance had an authentic feel. There was none of that Disney love at first sight love. Instead this was the story of a couple who reconnected due to a mother's love for her child. I had nothing, but the deepest respect for Hope Thompson when she made the choice to reach out to Nick Fortune. I really felt for her as she was a single Mom looking to save the life of her child. The fact that she got a second chance to rekindle a wonderful relationship made me so happy for her.

When I finished the book I was left wondering a bit about the grandmother's relationship with her daughter. The book showed that the two did not get along at all, but after I was left wanting to know more about her as a character especially at the end of the book. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I really hope Kimberly Fisk decides to write a sequel!  

Horizon by Tabitha Lord

Book Details: Book Title:  Horizon by Tabitha Lord Category:  Adult Fiction,   314 pages Genre:  Science Fiction, Space Opera Publisher:   Wise Ink Creative Publishing Release date:  December 2015 Format available for review:  print & ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF) & NetGalley download Will ship print books to:  Internationally Tour dates: May 22 to July 14, 2017 Content Rating: PG-13 + M (There are a few, moderately explicit sex scenes, genocide, rape, and moderate language.) Book Description: ​Caeli Crys isn’t living—she’s surviving. On the run after the genocide of her empathic people, she witnesses a spaceship crash near her hidden camp. When she feels the injured pilot suffering from miles away, she can’t help but risk discovery to save his life. Commander Derek Markham awakens stranded on an uncharted planet. His co-pilot is dead, his ship is in ruins, and he’s only alive because a beautiful young woman is healing him with her mind. As Derek recovers, Caeli shares the horror of her past and her fear for the future. When Derek’s command ship, Horizon, sends rescue, Derek convinces Caeli to leave with him. But his world is as treacherous as hers—full of spies, interplanetary terrorist plots, and political intrigue. Soon the Horizon team is racing to defend an outlying planet from a deadly enemy, and Caeli’s unique skills may just give them the edge they need to save it. ​ Buy the Book: ​Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble Add on Goodreads  Meet the Author: Tabitha currently lives in Rhode Island. She is married, has four great kids, two spoiled cats, and lovable lab mix. Her degree is in Classics from College of the Holy Cross and she taught Latin for years at an independent Waldorf school, where she now serves on the Board of Trustees. ​ Tabitha’s debut novel, Horizon, won the Writer’s Digest Grand Prize for Self-Published Fiction in 2016, and was named finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and National Indie Excellence Awards. Infinity, the second book in the Horizon series, will be released in June 2017. Her short story “Homecoming” appears in the anthology Sirens, edited by Rhonda Parrish and published by World Weaver Press, and was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is also a senior editor for www.BookClubBabble.com. Visit her blog at www.tabithalordauthor.com where she discusses favorite topics including parenting, teaching, and her writing journey. ​Connect with Tabitha: Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest  ~ Instagram My Review Horizon by Tabitha Lord was a well-written adult fiction novel that really appealed to me. I liked the science fiction aspects of the book and I liked that the romantic elements were well balance and did not take over the plot line. The characters were all well-developed over the course of the book.  Caeli Crys' empathic nature quickly made her my favorite character. I liked how even though she had been through horrible ordeals she was still able to retain her will to help others. The fact that she risked her own life and freedom to save a suffering pilot who was stranded spoke of her strength of character. The stranded pilot, Commander Derek Markham, was my second favorite character. I liked the fact he was willing to risk himself to help the woman who helped save him and help him. I can't wait to begin reading the sequel!

Colored Pencil Portraits

Colored pencil painter Alyona Nickelsen reveals how to use the medium to push the limits of realistic portraiture.

Colored Pencil Painting Portraits provides straightforward solutions to the problems that artists face in creating lifelike images, and will prime readers on the intricacies of color, texture, shadow, and light as they interplay with the human form. In this truly comprehensive guide packed with step-by-step demonstrations, Nickelsen considers working from photo references versus live models; provides guidance on posing and lighting, as well as planning and composing a work; discusses tools, materials, and revolutionary layering techniques; and offers lessons on capturing gesture and expression and on rendering facial and body features of people of all age groups and skin tones.

Colored Pencil Portraits was an interesting book to read, I am by no means an expert at drawing, but I found the book interesting as it showed me how the experts truly make such works of art with just color pencils. I personally did not have much luck with getting my art to look anything like the pictures, but that is more of an indicator of my skill level than the directions provided.