A Simply Enchanted Life

This is a giveaway by Amy Clipston and is not being given away on this blog. Please click the picture to the left or click here.

TWO WINNERS will receive the following:

• An Amish Cradle;
•   ARC of Miles From Nowhere;
• Amish 2015 calendar;a luggage tag;
• a grocery bag;
• a pen; and bookmarks.
• a potholder purchased in Bird-in-Hand, PA;
  
  
  
  
  

Fire up the romance this holiday with Robin Lee Hatcher's latest offering in the King's Meadow Romance series, Love Without End. For two single parents with bruised hearts, it’ll take more than a little courage to get back on the horse when it comes to love.





Celebrate love rising from the ashes of tragedy with Robin by entering her Kindle Fire giveaway.

 One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Love Without End and the rest of the King's Meadow Romance series from Robin Lee Hatcher

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 14th. Winner will be announced December 15th on Robin's blog.



{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

Leslie Gould is back with the latest book, Becoming Bea, in her Shakespeare-inspired series, The Courtships of Lancaster County. Don't miss the other books in the series, Courting Cate (retelling of The Taming of the Shrew), Adoring Addie (inspired by Romeo and Juliet), and Minding Molly (inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream).



Leslie is celebrating the series with a Kindle giveaway and a Facebook party on November 11th.

• A Kindle Fire
• One copy each of the entire The Courtships of Lancaster County series: Courting Cate, Adoring Addie, Minding Molly, and Becoming Bea.

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 11/11. Winner will be announced at Leslie's 11/11 Becoming Bea Facebook author chat party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Leslie and Amish fiction fans, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!

{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 11th!

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
★: Didn't Like it
★★: It was Ok
★★★: Liked it
★★★★: Really liked it
★★★★★: It was amazing

Suggested Age:14+ Genre:Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

Holy moly! This series just keeps getting better! I literally sat up until 4:30 a.m. just to see how this concluded and then I walked around like a zombie all day—it was well worth it! This author has a way with words that just pulls me into the story. I just can’t get enough of these characters!

There’s a bit of edge to these stories but of course, so tastefully done that no one could complain. In full disclosure, there’s mention of an affair that resulted in a child as well as a one of the ladies lamenting that she had given herself to someone before marriage. It is not explicit and thus, it is of my opinion that this is safe for teens. As a lot of parents follow my blogs to find appropriate literature for their teens—I felt the need to have a full disclosure there.

All in all, I love this book. I love this genre and I absolutely love this author’s writing. I really hope there is another installment in this series.

Award-winning author Sarah E. Ladd examines how to escape the clutches of a tainted past in the final installment of her Whispers on the Moor series. A Regency-era novel, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall cleverly shows that even though our pasts may be shameful or painful, God can take the darkest personal histories and turn them into the brightest futures.

Celebrate with Sarah by entering her Kindle HDX giveaway!



One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 2nd. Winner will be announced November 3rd here.

Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. In Before Amen, best-selling author Max Lucado joins readers on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer, offering hope for doubts, and confidence even for prayer wimps. Let the conversation begin.



Be sure to enter the Before Amen iPad Mini giveaway. AND if you pre-order a copy of Before Amen by 9/29, you'll receive a FREE ebook copy of Max’s best-selling Second Chances: More Stories of Grace.

Gift of the Phoenix by Donna Cook

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this book. Why? Well, I am in a Guild Wars guild and our emblem is the Phoenix—so, it’s natural that I’d love to read a book about a phoenix and sort of delve into some cool fantasy tale about them.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this book. First, it was terribly long. It really should have been three separate books rather than one. It was broken up like three books already, anyway. Instead, every time I neared the end of a section, I would literally groan and realize that I wasn’t yet finished. The length was particularly frustrating because in addition to a few other issues—the kindle version wouldn’t save progress on this particular book. I had to try to find where I had left off.

Then there was the issue with poor sentence structure and odd descriptions. I’m paraphrasing it but something like, “Salerno taught Nicolai how to find Salerno on his own.” There was a lot of repetition and overall—it really could have just used an editor’s touch. I’m not saying that to bash the author—I think that the book had promise. It just needed some guidance to cut out the unnecessary and to fix the issues that bogged down the story.

Three young men find that their future, and their past, is intricately woven and their destiny is intertwined in a quest to save a phoenix as it is rebirthed. I will admit, I started skimming a large part of this book because I just couldn’t keep interest so; I’m not so sure why it would be so awful for the phoenix to die—other than that folks with magic would lose that.
That is pretty much the entire premise of the story but it had other elements that I really felt didn’t belong. Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE dolphins, they just didn’t seem to fit into a fantasy tale, despite the explanation given for them.

I wish I could elaborate more but I’ll just say that this book has promise, you may even like it. I personally just couldn’t get into it and felt it needed a bit of polishing up.
View all my reviews

Gift of the Phoenix

When three strangers are brought together by the discovery of a common enemy, they must fight to keep the magic of the Phoenix out of dangerous hands before their world is destroyed forever. The Three must learn to unite in spite of what separates them, and unlock the magic of three stones that seem to harm as much as they help. But uniting will not be easy for Nicolai, the simple peasant with a powerful secret; Marcellus, the warrior prince who’s no longer heir to the throne; and Corren, a gifted wizard whose ambitions threaten to ruin them all. Full of magic, mystery, and a touch of romance, Gift of the Phoenix is an epic fantasy that takes the reader deep into the heart of a wondrous world and the three men destined to defend it.


Praise for Gift of the Phoenix

“An incredibly impressive book that grips you from the very start. There is plenty of action in the story, some wonderful characters and magical, atmospheric settings. Donna has created a fascinating realm in this story which, even if you don’t consider yourself a fantasy fan, you’ll definitely enjoy.” – Excerpt of Stephanie Dagg’s review at Books Are Cool.

“As an avid reader of fantasy, I often encounter boring or overused plotlines—this was neither! With a fresh new take on fantasy adventure, Cook constructs an enchanting world of magic, kingdoms, rebirth, and death.” – Excerpt a review by Artemis at Fantasy Book Lovers Unite

“Gift of the Phoenix reminds me of a mix of Paolin’s Eragon and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, but stands on its own as a unique fantasy-adventure. Cook creates a magic system that is intricate and unique, which can be hard to do in a genre littered with magic. The story is very complex, and yet very easy to follow… layers upon layers of intertwined plots that all culminate to a fantastic ending. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age.” – Excerpt of a review by Will Wortner at Zero2Fiction

Awards

Gift of the Phoenix has won several awards, including Semifinalist in the Kindle Book Review Book of the Year Awards, and Notable Read in the Shelf Unbound/Half Price Books Indie Book of the Year competition

Donna Cook is an Arizona native transplanted to Boise, Idaho, where she is delighting in the change of scenery. When she’s not writing she spends her time chasing the kids, exploring delicious eateries downtown, and dancing with her talented husband. Her fantasy adventure, Gift of the Phoenix has won several awards, including Semifinalist in the Kindle Book Review Book of the Year Awards, and Notable Read in the Shelf Unbound/Half Price Books Indie Book of the Year competition. It was also nominated for the Whitney Award, which recognizes LDS writers. She’s currently working on the sequel to Gift of the Phoenix.

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/31/14

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I received this book free from the publisher through a fantastic blog called I am a Reader. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions I have expressed are my own. To view other reviews and learn more about the blog tour for Gift of the Phoenix please visit the I am a Reader by clicking here

Oh my goodness! What a crazy week—I wish I could say that my week wasn’t as crazy as it was last week but I think it was just as bad, if not worse! The older girls are preparing for violin recital sometime in May. That means extra practices and lessons.

On Wednesday, Kahlan went to her normal therapy session for her In-toeing. I think this was the first week where she really got frustrated at her lack of ability to perform tasks. My mommy-heart just broke when she growled and stopped her foot in frustration because she couldn’t pedal a bike without help.

In addition to her therapy, she was fitted for orthotics today—I’m not sure how she’s going to do with them. She enjoyed the casting and picking out the girly colors, I don’t think she fully understands that she’s going to have to wear them, every single day.

Despite how busy things are,  I did have a little more time for reading and reviews. I got a little bogged down with a book that I didn’t really enjoy and ended up wasting the extra time that I did have. I’m usually a very fast reader but I finished only one book this week due to how I kept procrastinating with Gift of the Phoenix. My review for that one is due on the 18th so be sure to check out my thoughts. Oh, I also finally reviewed Guardian of the Flame. That book was really good—then again, I’ve never read a Tracy Higley book that I have been disappointed with.

I just finished downloading my next book to read, it’s one I’m really excited about. It’s an author I know well and I’m pretty sure that I’ll probably like it.

Take a three-thousand mile journey with Amanda Pearson as she leaves the disgrace of a broken engagement and enters the work of a Quaker mission in the western wilds. The trip is fraught with danger, and Amanda is near death before reaching her destination. Among those she meets are an Indian woman who becomes her first convert and a half-Indian trapper who seems to be her biggest critic. But love follows her into the wilderness and will determine the course of her future. You are sure to enjoy this historical romance adventure from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter.

Products that I tried this week included Hill Science Diet, Starbucks Coffee, Quaker Warm and Crunchy Granola, Hazelaid and I finally published an updated report of my Godaddy Online Bookeeping experience (which was a bit crazy!)


Speaking of product reviews—did you see the giveaway that I posted earlier today?! I blogged about my daughter’s asthma and gave my thoughts on amber and gemstone therapy. Hazelaid also provided a $25 gift certificate to one of my blog readers—be sure to check it out!


Before I forget, I got a Canon Powershot 2500 for free this week from Cafemom for testing Orajel Naturals, plus an 8gb memory SD card to go with it. Not too shabby! My daughter was drooling over it the minute UPS delivered it. I think she's claimed it as hers but that's okay, I already have a camera! I also got a new Beverly Lewis book in the mail that my mom had preordered for me for my birthday. It felt a bit like Christmas around here this week!


While I’m blabbering on, I might as well share a few of my favorite photography shots from this week. Remember—I told you all last week about my new hobby being photography. Well, my oldest daughter and I have a penchant for villains and decided to start a villain series of photos.


In other news, I went shopping today. I never shop for myself! Check out my awesome finds. Cute shoes, and they're comfy too! I had to have the shirt because it matches my blog...I'm such a dork haha.
That’s pretty much it—another week down and another busy week coming up. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers this upcoming week. Prue has a visit with the pulmonologist on Monday to find out why she still has residual pneumonia after eleven weeks. I’m praying for a miracle and that they’ll tell me she’s all better!

Until next week...

Baltic Cherry Amber and Turquoise

Hazelaid Baltic Amber

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

USE: Effective for teething, drooling, and other pain relief. Must be placed directly on the skin. We recommend moving necklaces to the upper leg during naps and at night for very young children. Baltic amber is meant to be worn, NOT chewed!

I was introduced to amber necklaces around 6 years ago. I believe in them. I have seen them work wonders with my children. Recently, I learned about gemstone therapy and that is how I found Hazelaid. Hazelaid has graciously provided me with a $25 gift certificate for one of my readers as well as a coupon code that you’re welcome to use as often as you like—no expiration! Now...on with my review!

In early January my three year old daughter was diagnosed with Asthma. We were in round-the-clock treatment mode with her. Our day went something like this
Liquid Steroid x2 *then pulmicort x2
Albuterol every 4 hours
(later on they introduced Singular as well)

Nothing seemed to be helping and I decided to check into gemstone therapy. I heard that Baltic Cherry Amber and Turquoise could relieve inflammation and asthma symptoms. I figured with as many chemicals that were being pumped into my daughter’s system—what would it hurt to try something natural?

The problem was finding a company that offered the combination of gems and amber that I wanted—luckily, I found Hazelaid! I was very excited to see exactly what I was looking for with a quick google search and I quickly placed an order. While Hazelaid's website does not claim that their necklaces help asthma symptoms, I was pleased to see they offered the combination that I was looking for.

I was amazed with how fast the necklace seemed to work. Coincidence? Maybe, but within 48 hours of putting her into her necklace we were finally starting to decrease the frequency of her breathing treatments. 4-5 weeks have gone by and at this point we are down to pulmicort once a day and Singular once a day. She hasn’t needed a single albuterol treatment in the last three weeks.

We went without the necklace for roughly eight hours and I started hearing some wheezing—again, is that a coincidence? I’m not a doctor, I’m not a scientist—I’m just a mom. I can’t sit here and tell you absolutely, 100% that this will help your child. All I can do is say that for us—we do not risk being without it. My three year old proudly wears her necklace and tells everyone who asks about it, “it helps my asthma.”

If you’re looking for relief for your child’s teething pain or even something else like asthma or reflux—I strongly suggest you take a look at Hazelaid. They offer amber and gemstone therapy as well as Hazelwood necklaces. So many other sites carry one or the other. Hazelaid is your one-stop shopping for beautiful and therapeutic jewelry.

My daughter wearing her Hazelaid Necklace

WHAT CAN BALTIC AMBER HELP WITH?

Pain Relief: Baltic amber contains analgesic properties and helps take the edge off of many types of discomfort associated with dental issues, headaches, joint pain, etc. It is a well known European method to help decrease the pain associated with teething. Strengthening the body's immune system. In many different and subtle ways, succinic acid helps boost the body's own natural healing ability and immune system.

Inflammation: Where chronic inflammation is present, disease lurks. When the body’s cells are chronically inflamed the human body’s immune system response is to increase production of free radicals. Chronic overproduction of free radicals results in inflammatory-related disease. Chronic inflammation can be the common denominator of many seemingly unrelated diseases.

Restoring Energy: The human body naturally produces succinic acid. The salt of succinic acid (succinate) is one of the most active substances in the processes of cellular respiration and intercellular energy creation. Succinic acid restores oxygen and energy supply to depleted cells and helps the body return to a normal, functioning state.

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I received coupon codes in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The views and opinions I have expressed are my own. Giveaway item and codes were graciously supplied by Hazelaid. Products & claims regarding properties & effects have not been evaluated by the FDA or Health Canada. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information supplied is for general reference & educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice.

Tracy L. Higley is celebrating the release of The Queen's Handmaid with a fun giveaway.



Retailers + Resources gave it this glowing review: "Rich in historic detail, Higley’s vivid writing brings to life the plots and intrigues that swirled through the ancient world as alliances were built and broken on the calculated schemes of power-mad monarchs." 

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 19th. Winner will be announced April 21st on Tracy's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Tracy's blog on April 21st to see if you won.

Don't miss Sarah Ladd's latest Regency novel, The Headmistress of Rosemere. She is celebrating the release of book two in her Whispers on the Moors series with a fun "School" Your Desk Kindle Fire Giveaway and an Author Chat Facebook Party!

Between January 17–28, visit Sarah Ladd's Facebook Page to enter to win a new giveaway each day and be entered to win a Kindle Fire grand prize. Winners will be announced at the Facebook Author Chat party on January 28th! (Don't have a Facebook account? Enter here.)



RSVP today for Sarah's The Headmistress of Rosemere Author Chat Party on Facebook. During the party Sarah will be hosting a book chat, testing your Regency trivia skills, announcing the winner of the "School" Your Desk Giveaway, and giving away books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving partygoers an exclusive look at the next book in the Whispers on the Moors series!



So grab your copy of The Headmistress of Rosemere and hope to see you on the evening of January 28th! (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

DON’T MISS A MOMENT OF THE FUN; RSVP TODAY. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 28th!

Stephanie L. Reed is celebrating the release of The Bargain, the first book in her new series, Plain City Peace, with a Kindle Fire 'Bargain Bundle' giveaway!

 



 
One winner will receive a 'Bargain Bundle':

• A Kindle Fire
• The Bargain by Stephanie Reed

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 27th. Winner will be announced at the Litfuse blog on October 28th.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by the Litfuse blog on the 28th to see if you won. (Or, better yet, subscribe to their blog {enter your email in the blog sidebar} and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox)!

A Christmas Gift for Rose by Tricia Goyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Looking for a book to ease into the holiday season without feeling as if it slapped you across the face and made you feel like you needed to start writing your list and checking it twice?

This book is a holiday novella but it isn’t overly christmasy!

I promise you won’t find yourself humming jingle bells or have an overwhelming desire to go trim your tree.

What you will discover is a sense of peace that is often easier to find during the holiday season.

Rose imagines that her life would have been different. Perhaps she should already be married but the love of her life forsook the Amish way when he volunteered for the military.

Something bigger than Jonathan leaving her gnaws at her though and she can’t quite figure out a reason for her discontentment and the constant nightmares that plague her. Feelings of abandonment and a fear of loss seems to reach into the recesses of her mind and torment her for reasons she cannot fathom.

Win a KINDLE HDX!

When Jonathan returns home from the war she is confused about how she feels about him. She wants to give them a chance but she worries that his time in the world will take him away from her and once again she finds herself questioning feelings that she can’t explain. Why does she feel so alone?

When a “secret” is revealed, Rose is more confused and lonely than ever. She feels as if her world has been crumpled and that she doesn’t belong anywhere. A still small voice keeps reminding her of His love for her but will she overcome her sadness to listen? Will she stop and recognize the message?

This book was a fantastic book about the love that a mother has for her daughter and the special love that goes into raising a child that God has trusted you with.
View all my reviews|Read an Excerpt

Amazon|CBD|Barnes&Noble
About the Author:
Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

I received this book free from the publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own
I received this book free from the publisher through a fantastic program called Litfuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions I have expressed are my own. To view other reviews and learn more about this tour please visit the Litfuse group by clicking here

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her first Christmas novella, A Christmas Gift for Rose, with a Christmas Gift giveaway! 



Enter to win a NEW Kindle Fire HDX for you AND one for a friend!







One grand prize winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire HDX and one to give away to a friend!


• A Christmas Gift for Rose, by Tricia Goyer for you and your friend!

Four second place winners will receive:

• A Christmas Gift for Rose Christmas pack (includes a recipe card, bookmark, a signed book plate, discussion questions, and a Gathering & Giving handout!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 19th. All winners will be announced October 21st at Tricia's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Tricia's blog on the 21st to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

Melanie Dobson's latest release, The Courier of Caswell Hall, is a riveting story you won't want to miss. The newest offering in the American Tapestries™ series, it follows an unlikely spy who discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution.

 

Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!

 
Five winners will receive:

• The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 5th. All winners will be announced October 7th at the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 7th to see if you won one of the books!

Fired Up by Mary Connealy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed this book so much more than the first!

Maybe I just really needed to get into the story or something but this one was really good!

It really helps that Dare sounds completely dreamy and isn’t as annoying as I found Luke to be.

There were a few times I felt like shouting at Glynna to get her act together and snag that man while she still could!

This story takes us into the life of Glynna Greer and her children as she is rebuilding her life after the death of her abusive husband. She isn’t looking for romance but the handsome Dare Riker makes it hard for her to forget that she has sworn off men!
This series is titled, “Trouble in Texas” and there is plenty of trouble for Dare Riker in Texas! Actually, it appears that trouble follows Dare no matter what state he happens to be in! Someone is out for his blood and each incident comes closer to taking his life!

Enter Today - 9/17 - 10/8!

Dare’s friends are not only busy trying to find his would-be killer; they’re also trying to convince Dare that he isn’t a fraud and that he is truly a doctor. He feels that his experience as a regulator and in the war was not enough training but yet—no one else in the area has near the experience or training to act as the town’s doctor. Therefore all the work and responsibility fall on his shoulders.

I thought that Glynna’s son was understandably hostile towards the advances that Dare seemed to make towards his mother and I really kept hoping for a resolution and healing for both Paul and his sister, Janny. I know it is silly to feel badly for a fictional book character but my heart just ached for these two youngsters and I kept wishing that Dare would be the one to help heal their broken hearts.

I became emotionally invested in these characters which is the mark of a good book! I will definitely check out book three when it is released!
View all my reviews|Read an Excerpt

Amazon|CBD|Barnes&Noble

Mary Connealy writes fun and lively "romantic comedy with cowboys" for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.
Find out more about Mary at http://maryconnealy.com/
I received this book free from the publisher through a fantastic program called Litfuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions I have expressed are my own. To view other reviews and learn more about this tour please visit the Litfuse group by clicking here